The Mind on Sports

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers

2011-04-05T11:39:00.003-04:00

So I have been telling friends since the beginning of time that the Carolina Panthers needed to get Michael Vick when he was available. With the run game that they use Vick was the perfect match for the Panthers. They didn't take him. Now the Panthers have the 32nd overall offense in the league.

So if you had a chance to pick first in the draft, what would you do? Well if I was a Panther executive I would look to fix the offense. How do you do that? You find someone to run the plays for you. Someone who can run with your run game, but is also a skilled passer. Someone like Vick. That someone is Cam Newton.

Now I know the experts are saying that Carolina is going to pick defense and not offense. But I am here to say they should, and they will pick Cam Newtown.

C. Newtown NO.1 Overall pick 2011 to the Carolina Panthers.

Steelers cage the Ravens

2011-01-15T20:01:00.003-05:00

I am disappointed in the Baltimore Ravens. The playoffs number one defense held Pittsburgh to 7 points in the first half and looked as though they would route the Steelers. In the second half I could find the defense. The Steelers put 24 point on the board in the second half and it looked as though the Panthers were on the field this evening.

However I will give this loss to Joe Flacco. The Ravens were not able to put any offense together in the second half. They scored only 3 points after putting 21 on the board in the first half. After the Steelers scored their final touchdown the Ravens got excellent field position on the kickoff due to a penalty and poor kick.

With 1:38 on the clock and the ball at the 48 yard line in Pittsburgh's territory the Ravens had short field and plenty of time. Flacco overthrew a wide open receiver in the middle of the field, threw an incomplete pass 32 yards down field to a receiver covered by two defenders. Then with 3rd and 10 he took a sack.

Joe Flacco, you Sir, lost the game in Pittsburgh. Good Luck next year!

Oh well, the Pats will beat the Steelers just as they would have the Ravens.

Things on The Mind Today

2011-01-13T21:15:00.002-05:00

First of all a no brainer- Cam Newton to the NFL. Who in their right mind thought he would be back? He did everything you possibly could in college and as a junior he is eligible to leave school. He should have chosen the NFL and I am glad no one talked him out of it.

Ron Rivera announced in Charlotte- The Carolina Panthers made a good choice here, but can they continue to make good choices? The Panthers failed to keep Julius Peppers around. Failed to get Michael Vick when he reentered the league. Had a horrible Offense Coach and abandoned their run game in a NFC Championship game and lost to the Cardinals. For about three years now the Panthers' brass have been below average. With a fresh new coach, and one who is a defensive coach, we can expect to see the defense come back to Charlotte. But will they smarten up and get a good O coach? Let's hope so.

New York Jets make it personal; again- The New York Jets, players and coaches, are again running their mouths. The Jets beat the Patriots in their first meeting, however after that loss the Patriots came back and killed the Jets 45-3 in the second matchup. Now the Jets think they can talk trash and get in the mind of the New England players. Shut up and play. Now the Patriots are just annoyed with you; 50-0 this time?

Last but no least The UNC Tarheels- After the week that college basketball has had the Tarheels, with a win this evening, should break into the top 25. The #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils lost to unranked FSU and tonight #8 Purdue fell to #25 Minnesota. The top 25 has begun to falter a bit and this should allow for a rearranging of teams and one or two new teams to break in. With a 12 and 4 record (if the beat VT tonight) the Tarheels should be back in the hunt. And it is about time. They have struggled yes, but Georgetown, Minnesota and Kansas State all have four losses as well. Next week look for North Carolina to have a #24 beside its name.

Eagles Out

2011-01-09T20:54:00.006-05:00

To my surprise the Eagles are heading home. I did not expect a blow out from the Eagles but I couldn't even fathom a loss. The Packers, though they won, didn't impress. The Keys to this game were the Eagles defense and the inability for the wide receivers to get open. Only twice did a WR get open and make a big move for Vick. DeSean Jackson may have been injured but the way he was cut and moving should have allowed him to make a play. He was shut out. The Philadelphia defense is the worst in the playoffs and Aaron Rodgers fell apart in the second half. With the type of play we saw from the Packers offense we can expect them to be at home after next week.

So who is the new NFC champion? With the Eagles out the path is clear for the Bears. I hate tosay that but with the defense of the Bears I just can't see Roddy White having a big game and the Falcons being able to win; even at home. The Falcons will bounce the Packers and the Bears will end the Seahawks run. Chicago will now play the Patriots in Super Bowl XLV.

Road to Super Bowl XLV

2011-01-08T16:03:00.008-05:00

One week ago I was playing an exhibition game on Madden and had the setting set to Super Bowl XLV. I chose the Philadelphia Eagles and the Sports Girl chose the New England Patriots. Despite the outcome of the video game, we both agreed this years match up will be the Eagles and the Patriots.

Most people expect the Colts to get past the Jets, but beyond that they have to play the Steelers and the Patriots. The Steelers have not done

anything to impress me this year. So despitetheir number two ranking they will be a practice game for the Colts who will then meet the Patriots. New England was incredible this past season and will walk to the AFC championship game. As long as the Patriots play the way they have been all year they will have no trouble blowing out whoever they face. Just look at the last six games of the season.

The real surprise here is choosing the Eagles. The first match up is against the packers. Honestly this is easy for the Eagles. Once Kolb was knocked out of thegame the Eagles outscored the Packers 17 to 14. So now with Vick running things for four quarters the score should be 34 to 28. After round one the Eagles play the Bears. DA BEARS. This is the game to watch. In week 12 the Bears beat the Eagles 31 to 26. The key to the second match up will be Vick's ability to rev up the offense. The Bears won't score enough to win and therefore the defense has to clamp on Vick and have another game where they only allow 14 points(they average 14.1 allowed). After facing the Bears, the Eagles will face the Saints, who will easily beat the Seahawks and the Falcons. It is hard for a national champion to repeat or make it back the the big game. For this reason I give the edge to the Eagles and expect a tight game. Maybe a 28-29 win for the Eagles.

So Super Bowl XLV:

On The Mind

2010-07-19T11:19:00.003-04:00

There are two stories today that have my mind spinning. And quite frankly I am angry about them both.

The first story is about Ken Macha. Mr. Macha believes his hitters are being hit too much and that action needs to be taken. Here is what should be done. Macha needs to set down his purse and man up. This is baseball. It always has been, and it always will be. There will be periods of time when the umpires try to crack down on the hit batters, however they will never win the fight. Every pitcher in the major league has hit a batter on purpose. Every batter knows they will be hit on purpose. It's a mind game and a control thing. You hit a homerun off of me, you going to get thrown at. You hit my guy, I will hit your guy. Fear is part of the arsenal of weapons within a pitchers bag. If i knew I couldnt be thrown at, I would make a career out of sitting on the plate and getting hit. Hitters need to know they will be hit and they need to know who owns the plate. Not too mention all the padding batters wear. Might as well have a armoured suit on. Macha relax, at least they arent throwing at you!

The second story getting under my skin today is about Michael Jordan. Basketball's greatest has opened his mouth when he should have kept it shut. When jordan was around he had a supporting cast that helped him win 6 championships. Lebron James had no cast in Cleveland and wasn't going to get one. Jordan wasn't friends with two of the best players of his time, and never had a chance to play with his best friends. James did. Jordan criticized James for his move to Miami, but in all reality Jordan has no room to talk here. Had Jordan been offered a chance to play with his best friends- and had they been the best in the league- he would have jumped on it in a heart beat. No one who plays a game, again a game, for a living would not want to spend their time playing with their friends. Give those friends a chance to dominate the game, and no one would turn it down. Lebron James made the right move, and whether or not Miami will ever be his team, or it remains Wade's team, he doesnt care. Friendship and championships mean more to a player. Lebron will never be Michael, but no one will, no matter what. Stop worrying about others and just play your golf Michael.

Apollo "Oh No" avoids disaster

2010-02-20T23:52:00.003-05:00

Today's performance by Apollo Ohno was his best of this Olympic Games. While I still do not understand how he can hang behind for 7 of 9 laps and still come back and medal in a race, I really saw something in him today.

Today's race wasn't any different from the Ohno's other two, except that this time he didn't benefit from someone else's mistake. In race one Apollo couldn't overcome the three Koreans and because of a mistake two fell and slid into the wall. In his second race he won the gold because the Korean in front of him interfered and was disqualified. Not impressive. This is the sport's golden child, yet he can't win or place without assistance.

That was until tonight. As the race began to wind down Apollo had moved into second and was looking to make a pass and earn a top spot. After brief contact Apollo remained in control, and in a situation where most skaters would have lost their feet and wrecked, Ohno remained strong and kept his feet under him. In a situation where he should have lost the race, America's best racer and one of their favorite sons skated into third and earn a bronze medal.

Today I was impressed. Today I saw why he was expected to be the man to beat. Today I saw the record for most medals in a winter games set by the American Apollo Ohno. Congratulations, I was skeptical yet you proved yourself and made me proud!

Olympic update: US leads all countries in Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. 6 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze. With 23 the US is in the lead by 9 medals.

Saints Win Superbowl XLIV

2010-02-07T21:48:00.002-05:00

Well it looks like the Sports Girl knew what she was talking about. The Saints won the Superbowl 31 to 17 over the Colts.

The game started slow for the Saints, however the Colts looked like they were still at home in Idiannapolis for the next three quarters. The Saints seemingly were the only team in Miami tonight.

Congratulations to the Saints. Drew Brees and New Orleans deserve this. Again, congratulations.

Who Dat? Who Dat?!

Superbowl Conversation and Prediction

2010-02-06T23:02:00.004-05:00

As soon as the Championship games were over I began to look at the Superbowl matchup and I immediately began a debate with the Sports Girl. Here it is:

The Mind: Well Sh@! i honestly didn't see this coming. The Saints? The Superbowl won't even be a game. The Colts can go home and clear off their mantle, they have a new trophy to put up

Sports Girl: I dont know, the Saints looked strong. it'll be closer than you think.

The Mind: The have the 25th ranked defense!

Sports Girl: yeah and Minnesota had the best in the league and they still hung 30+ on them.

The Mind: Yeah but it was the offense that lost the game not the defense that won. The Vikings had 2 turnovers at most in any game this season yet Sunday they had 6. The Saints didn't do that. Favre and AP did. Peyton won't dive the D a chance. It will be 30 to 42, which is what yesterday should have been.

Sports Girl: That's fair enough but my point is a 2nd, or whatever the defense was ranked, doesn't give up 31 points. And the points and atleast three of those turnovers they gave right back.

The Mind: But is Minnesota better defensively than Indainapolis? Indianapolis had a much better season and would have been undefeated if they hadn't taken a rest week.

Sports Girl: Absolutely! Look up the rankings, it's not even close.

The Mind: But look at all the outcomes, F!@# the numbers, who won?! The Colts are the best team in the NFL.

Sports Girl: You brought it up!

The Mind: Who has the best record in the NFL? Colts!

Sports Girl: You brought up that defense ranking. it'll still be closer probably then people think

The Mind: I stand by 42 to 30, Colts win.

Hopefully the Sports Girl and I can continue to debate and give you some different thoughts about things. Hope you enjoy! Go Colts! (42 to 30 over the Aint's)

Peyton Manning Superbowl XLIV MVP

**The Sports Girl was an All-State Basketball player in Georgia and played basketball in college on a full scholarship. She works with the Braves organization as a PR rep.

Championship Weekend

2010-01-24T11:15:00.002-05:00

With 4 hours until the Conference Championship games begin I wanted to make my picks. This February 7th we will see the Minnesota Vikings play the Indianapolis Colts. Here's a quick look at why:

Vikings versus Saints- Towards the end of the season the Saints looked a bit like the Aint's. Brett Favre is in the middle of his best year ever. Just look at his stats, he has matched or eclipsed all of his career stats. He may have never beaten the Saints in the postseason but you can blame the Packers for that. This year, again his best, he is with a team that has never lost to the Saints. Drew Brees v. Brett Favre, it's a no brainer. Favre and Vikings cruise.

Colts versus Jets- As much as i would love to see the Jets play in the Super Bowl, and give Favre a chance to defeat an old team of his, it won't happen this year. The Colts and Saints both have rookie coaches, but the Colts rookie coach is playing with someone else's team and all he had to do this year was sit behind the wheel and steer. The Jets have a team created by their new coach. Not a bad team, but not the experience of the Colts team. Experience is key in the Playoffs. That being said look at the leaders; Peyton Manning v. Mark Sanchez. Experience v. A Rookie. Peyton Manning is in the Top Ten of All-Time quarterbacks. In a game that will rely on experience to carry a rookie coach, the Colts have a huge edge. Sorry Mark you just need more time to become a pro QB and team leader.

Colts v. Vikings February 7th!

Lane Kiffin

2010-01-13T11:04:00.002-05:00

Lane Kiffin really pissed me off when I woke this morning. I am currently in a debate with a friend and I will post our conversation as soon as we are done. Please check back to hear our reactions.

BCS Title Game

2010-01-07T20:49:00.001-05:00

Please got to twitter.com/themindonsports and keep up with me during the BCS Title game. See my thoughts and chat with me a bit!

Roll Tide

Playoffs In Atlanta

2009-12-25T13:48:00.006-05:00

The Atlanta Braves have been hard at work these last few weeks, and with pitchers and catchers reporting in 55 days I thought it was time for a look at the 2010 team and a small prediction for the season. Prediction first: Braves will make the playoffs this coming season.

The reasons why are numerous. Chipper Jones and Bobby Cox want one more year. Cox has already announced his retirement, unless he is like Brett Favre- however he would stay in Atlanta- and Chipper has said he won’t play for anyone but Cox. You have to believe something is happening that we don’t know about. Both guys are coming back one more time? Both guys are ANNOUNCING they will be back one more time? You never announce anything until it is time for it to happen, because then it never happens. I think the Braves came close this year and Cox was ready to retire until he saw what he had for next year. I don’t know if either one of these guys is actually going to retire, however they know something we don’t.

Or they did. Until now. The Braves off season moves have been remarkable. They aren’t huge names and trillion dollar superstars, but they are quietly what Atlanta needs.

Here’s the infield: 3B Jones, SS Y. Escobar, 2B M. Prado, and 1B Troy Glaus. You also have to mix in O. Infante as much as possible. These 5 men alone are better then several teams who made the post season last year. This is the tightest infield in the Majors, and as long as they remain consistent at the plate, something they did struggle a little with last season, they should have a good offensive year. They had a good year last season, but not always at the same times. Plus Troy Glaus is a new bat in the mix.

Catching as always B. McCann. Arguably a top 5 catcher in the majors, but fact is last season after having his eye situation fixed he was the number two catcher in the league behind that guy in Minnesota. McCann had the hottest second third of a season when compared to all catchers. Don’t look at the teams success, or lack there of, this guy did his part daily.

Outfield? Oh yeah they play outfield. This year Melky Cabrera, who just won a World Series ring, is playing leftfield, N. McLouth will run things from center, and M. Diaz will return to play right. Hanging in the mix though is newcomer Jason Heyward. Look him up and take a minute to find some of his videos. This is the second coming of Andruw Jones’ speed, and Albert Pujols’ game. This kid can field with the best and hit better than the rest.

Now for the bullpen. 1 though 5: Jurrjens, Lowe, Hanson, Hudson, Kawakami. All big names, great arms, and coming off of good years. The worst part about pitching last season- no run support. This is the year the arms get a break and the bats lend a hand. As for a closer, pick one. The Braves currently have three. Manny Acosta was lights out for Atlanta last year. Billy Wagner is always lights out, and Saito is the hottest thing from LA; with a layover in Boston. The Braves rotation can pitch for 6 innings this year. After that let Acosta setup Wagner or Saito, and then let the other one pitch the ninth. Saito and Wagner are interchangeable, and with them in the pen Acosta has be the setup man. For one of them, or for both.

Looks like a good year in Atlanta, and that’s just what they need. Remember how they started the 90’s? They went worst to first and captured first in their division for 14 straight seasons (minus the strike in 1994). We are at the beginning of a new decade.

Nationals Add Pitching

2009-12-21T22:57:00.003-05:00

This is the year; the year the Nationals are no longer last. The year when we see a good team start to form. I have had the pleasure of knowing Ryan Zimmerman for a few years now, and occasionally I get some info that others don’t. When Zim signed his contract he was promised two things: A new stadium and a team two back him up in the next 3 years.

Here it is! The number one prospect in baseball signed last season with the Nats, and now they have signed Jason Marquis to a two year, fifteen million dollar deal. We saw the bats come together at the end of the season, and now we are seeing the pitching come into its own.

I don’t expect huge things right away, but the Nationals should be able to put themselves in a position to fight for the playoffs. Now that the field is paid for the team can afford to bring in good players. The race for the wild card should be good enough for the Nats after the dismal record they currently have. I see them falling just short, but with Pudge, Zim, Marquis, Strasburg, Dunn, Guzman, Dukes, and Morgan who knows. They will certainly make a good ran at it.

Are You Insane

2009-12-06T12:59:00.002-05:00

I want to point out that the yahoo sports "experts" are idiots. Today, well in 2 minutes, Drew Brees and the Saints take on the Redskins. The Redskins don't have the worse record in the NFL, but are this years biggest letdown and maybe the worst team in football. That said, other than Brett Favre, Drew Brees is the best QB in the game and is playing for the best team in the NFL. The Saints are going to run the schedule and Drew Brees is not going to have a dismal game. Not today, not next week, not until he loses in the playoffs to the vikings.

My advice "Yahoo needs to hire better experts"

Recent Thoughts Running Through The Mind

2009-12-04T17:23:00.002-05:00

It has been a little while since I posted last and so I am going to quickly hit a few topics of recent sporting news.

First of all, Leave Tiger Woods alone. It’s that simple. I watch TW play golf because even if he is in last place he still has a chance to win. I buy some of the Nike gear he endorses because it’s solid gear and looks nice. I don’t watch him play golf because he is married nor is a great driver. His personal shortcomings are none of our business and the world needs to leave him alone. Tiger, I wish you luck and I look forward to see you over come this. I am sorry you have to deal with the media.

Next: Welcome to Atlanta Billy Wagner. I have some mixed feeling about this. First of all there was no need to bring a closer to Atlanta. The Braves pitching problems came from middle relievers and starters. When we have a rotation that can win games and help to compliment Tommy Hanson, then we will be a good pitching team. The only thing I can see working here is letting Soriano, or Wagner, be a later reliever/setup man, and the other can be the closer. Both are too good not to use. Despite the not having a need for a closer, I like to see Wagner in Atlanta. It shows me that the Mets are indeed a horrible team, and there is obviously something going on with the management. I mean the Braves traded for a Met in the middle of last season, and now have been able to pull the closer away from the team. Something has to be happening to have several players jump ship and head to your biggest rival.

Who is in charge of NCAA basketball rankings? Duke was No.5 and after losing to Wisconsin they are now… still No. 5. This is absurd. The Devils need to fall out of the top fifteen. There was nothing in that game that showed the Devils as a top ten team. The only good thing about Duke is freshman sensation Andre Dawkins. This kid is incredible! He is averaging 11 points a game, and shouldn’t even be out of high school yet. He graduated early so he could attend Duke and play this year. He should be schooling 16 years, and he is schooling 20 years like they were 5. He went 4-4 in the game; all from three point range. Best shooter in the country. I hope the next time Duke doesn’t hold a lead in a game the rankings reflect that. Put Wisconsin in the Poll at 25 and put Duke in there at 15.

Now my final thought. Roll Tide Roll! I hate to say it, because I really think Florida should win this game, but Alabama will win the real National title game. The SEC Championship this Saturday is going to belong to the Crimson Tide. The Gators are the same team they were last year, maybe a little worse since they lost their top man on defense. The Tide are better than they were last year, and they should have one that game. I don’t think the Tide are the number one team in the country, but being the best doesn’t always mean you get the win. The NCAA needs to end there football season like this: SEC Championship- Bama wins. BCS Title game 1 Alabama v. 2 Florida. A rematch. Texas doesn’t deserve the chance to play either of these teams, and there is no one else who deserves to be any closer to these two than Texas. The only true National title game will be a rematch of the SEC and the Gators would win that one.

Cowboys Defeat Panthers 21-7 (Is it next season yet?)

2009-09-28T23:55:00.003-04:00

At the end of last year the Panthers franchised Jake Delhomme, and almost lost the star of their defense because of it. I wasn’t going to write about what a horrible move it was because, well, maybe they knew more than I did. Apparently not!

Let’s look at this: You are a running team. You play a ground pounding offense and make the playoffs. You score more touchdowns in both the season and the post-season by running the ball. Yet in the most important game of the year, you decide to throw the ball. What happens? Several interceptions and the most disappointing loss in recent memory; that’s what. At the end of the year you lose one of your wide receivers and now limit the number of people who can catch a pass from your horrible quarterback. Yet after making it harder for Delhomme to complete passes, and experiencing a terrible loss, you reward the limp arm with a huge contract and a franchise label.

Now we move forward. The preseason is over and camp has wrapped up, and we find ourselves three weeks into the season and completely lost. How could we be 0-3? What went wrong? No one saw this coming, right? Wrong! The signs were everywhere! Jake Delhomme is a quarterback in a run offense, he doesn’t have to pass and that is why he has survived in the league for 3 years as a starter. But something has happened over the course of time. Runnning Backs have aged, and no one on defense can help Julius Peppers out. Because of this more points are being scored against the Panthers, and the offense most throw the ball more often. With only Steve Smith to throw to and with a quarterback who has a terrible time throwing the ball there won’t be any good wins and Carolina will again miss the Super Bowl.

The Panther need to do four things to prepare for next year- yes, next year, this one is going to be a wash.

1) Find and groom a quarterback. There needs to be someone in place in case things don’t get better with Delhomme.
2) Find and groom a running back. It is not time for the panthers to discard their running backs, but who is the next big name in Carolina once this team gets too old?
3) Get Peppers some help! That’s simple enough, find the guy some help.
4) And lastly- get yourselves a new wide receiver. The new quarterback will need someone to throw too, help open up the run game, and take the pressure off Steve Smith

The 2009-2010 Season is over unless some deals and big moves are made. Until then, start counting down to next season.

College GameDay: Bama-VT

2009-09-05T18:25:00.000-04:00

Without going into all the details here it is- #5 Alabama v #7 Virginia Tech. This is the perfect game for opening College Football. VT has an incredible running game and is looking to prove its passing game is up to par. Unfortunaltey for the Hokies tonight IS a good night to prove your offense is where it needs to be to make a BCS run. The unfortunate thing about it, is that Big Al and the defense is too tough to let a team try something new and succeed. The good part about the night is that if you succeed, you succeeded against Alabama, and you have obviously done what it takes to fight for a cahmpionship. Too bad you can't play Alabama and get away from what makes you you. Tonight will be the first, and ONLY loss for VT this season. From there the BCS title hopes hang on the shoulders of the rest of the country. VT will need Alabama to lose two games this season, and all other BCS contenders must have atleast one loss as well.

Get ready for a great 2009 Football season!

Why the Braves Should Make the Wildcard Interesting (and make the post-season)

2009-08-31T08:30:00.003-04:00

After last nights loss I began to feel like the NL wildcard was out of reach for the Braves. Jimmy Rollins successfully ended the Braves season with his heads up double play- Second to Short to THIRD! After a few minutes of feeling let down and deflated I realized this was not over yet. I mean the day before the Braves smoked the Phillies, and when looking ahead on the schedule, there are only two slightly tough series left. One with the Phils and one with the Cardinals.

The Braves schedule is as follows: Marlins, Reds, Astros, Cardinals, Mets, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins and Nationals.

First up are the Marlins in Florida. The Braves are currently 5-6 against the fish, but with the recent play of the two teams and the pitching matchups, I expect the braves to take 3 of 4 and come out of the series one game closer to the Phillies and the Giants.

Atlanta is 3-3 against Cincinnati, yet again this is a different team from the last time they met. The Reds are now 17 games below .500 and the Braves are no longer teetering on having a losing season. These three games, in Atlanta, should be a sweep for the Braves.

Next the Braves head to Texas and play the Houston Astros. This is yet another below .500 hundred team, and the Braves should be able to take 2 of the 3 games.

The newly acquired Cardinal, John Smoltz would like to see his success continue when he returns to Atlanta, however the Braves cultivated this arm and should be able to beat him should he pitch in the series. Despite the defeat of Smoltz, the Braves will only go 1-2 in this 3 game series in St. Louis.

Next up are the NY Mets. Enough said. This is the worst team in the league, even the Nationals are starting to come around and have a good finish. The Braves play the Bad News Mets twice and should go 5-1.

In between the Mets Series, Hot-lanta gets some excitement and the Phillies come to town. The braves are 4-2 against the Phils at home and should easily take 2 of the 3.

The Braves must travel to DC before the Nats head to Atlants, and despite the recent surge, the braves should easily take each series, and bring their 7-4 record against the Nats to 12-6. the Braves may drop two in DC as it is the Nats finally home stand.

Sandwiched in between the Nationals series is a final look at the Marlins. 3 games in Atlanta. 3 wins for the Braves.

From now till the end of the season the braves should pull close to the Phillies, but not overtake them, and they should knock the Marlins out of the wildcard race. The braves have a total of 32 games left and should be able to go 24-8 and reach the post season. All they need now is a collapse from the Giants who have to go through the Phillies and then face the Dodgers for 2 series. As long as the braves win each of their next series, we should see the Braves make the post season!

Paying Respect to a Great Man

2009-08-28T11:46:00.004-04:00

Below is the first paragraph of Elizabeth Merrill's article about Ed Thomas. It was written for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com.

PARKERSBURG, Iowa -- They fell to the ground and did gut-busters together, 69 bellies thumping against the hard Midwestern earth. The drill was the most dreaded in Ed Thomas' arsenal -- up and down, no knees on the grass, and everybody quickly back on their feet. Did he know then, how scared they were? How perfect they could be? The world was changing, the Twin Towers had just fallen in New York City, and rumors were floating around Aplington-Parkersburg High that the draft was coming, and soon they'd all be 7,000 miles away hunting terrorists. Thomas gathered that 2001 team together, said a prayer, said everything would be all right.

Please take a minute to read the entire article and to learn about this amazing man- Ed Thomas. The article is located here.

The Mind on Burress

2009-08-25T11:55:00.004-04:00

I got to work this morning,and rather than diving head first into my work load I sat back and watched ESPN's E:60. As I watched the latest episode, and saw Plaxico Burress trying to convince people he didnt know he had shot himself, I had a few thoughts.

My first thought, was why has nobody asked Burress why he had the gun in the first place? I have seen several articles saying he carried it for self protection, but no one has asked him face to face and let us see his reaction as he tries to explain it. There is no reason, no matter who you are to carry a concealed weapon into a club that has security guards. Not too mention you were going to be heading to the VIP room anyway. Plaxico, who were you worried about protecting yourself from in the VIP lounge? Your boy Antonio Pierce? I mean if you are in the VIP lounge, you decide who else comes in. I usually dont choose to hang out with people I might need to shoot. Do you?

While I thought about all of this, I realized another thing, if security knew Plaxico had a concealed weapon, why didnt they ask to see his licensce? If someone is coming into an area I am in charge of keeping secure, I would do one of two things, well honestly I would do both, but wouldn't you either take the weapon or ask for the identification that proves he is allowed to carry the gun? If you opt to let the man enter the building with a concealed gun, you MUST ensure that he has the proper license to do so, and when you find that he doesnt have the required paperwork, you MUST then deny either Burress or the gun access into your club. I hope someone in the club that night is bringing a lawsuit on the club and the security company has been let go. As we have seen, the security guard made a terrible mistake and as a result the club put anyone in the building in grave danger. Next time a "Plaxico Burress" type of celebrity hangs out in a club who knows who will be the victim of an accidental shooting. Had Burress cuaght the gun at a weird angle anyone in the room could have been the target.

My final question in all of this, is who the hell is Benjamin Brafman? I know he is the attorney for Plaxico, and seeing as how Plaxico is a celebrity and has a good bit of money, he must be a highly reccommended attorney, but just listen to this quote:
"This was not an intentional criminal act. In my judgment, a two-year prison sentence is a very severe punishment."
Not an intentional act? Hey dumbass did your client not intentionally buy the gun? Did he not intentionally put it in his black jeans that night? Did he not intentionally conceal and carry the weapon for self protection? the only thing that was not intentional about this was the actual shooting of himself! He even had the intention of using the gun if needed. Oh wait, and all the time he didnt have a licesne for yet. So he intentionally bought and carried a gun, he intended to use, and never got the certification he was required to have. Oh wait that is criminal, and the law states he committed a felony and should get 3.5 years in prison. You are lucky he is only getting 24 months for his criminal act.

The only good thing out of all of this: No Plaxico in the NFL for atleast two Seasons.

This Week In Sports

2009-08-20T10:01:00.007-04:00

Finally all is right in the sports world! Brett Favre is back in football. Michael Vick has found a team. Stephen Strasburg got his contract. And John Smoltz has come full circle, well not quite full.

Brett Favre is at the one place i have always wanted to see him play. Minnesota. I have never been a Green Bay fan, some my image of Favre has nothing to do with the colors green and gold. He isn't the greatest quarterback i have been able see play because of Green Bay. For me, he is the greatest because of his stats, and he proved last season that he could keep those up no matter where he goes. If you look at Favres career numbers, minus the time he spent in New York, and then compare it to his games in New York, you will see that he didn't falter at all. Most his the "bad" stats were accumulated at the end of the season, but overall, he was on pace with his entire career. Without stumbling there was no way he could retire. Now he has a really good shot at a Superbowl, and he has a chance to get the Packers back for all of the absurdities they put him through when he tried to come back and play for them again. Now wonder he choose the Vikings, Green Bay burned the bridges.

Welcome back Michael Vick. I know all of the controversy that surrounds this one, but who cares. get over it and move on. Everyone deserves a second chance and everyone deserves a chance to do what they love. Vick is a football player, and now he is with the Philadelphia Eagles. The only bad thing about this is that my Carolina Panthers weren't the team who signed him. Well that and Donavan McNabb may be facing his last year in Philly. The team says the two quarterbacks are going to be on the field at the same time, and that Vick will be a tight end and a receiver, but he is taking snaps and making passes at training camp. McNabb even commented that he was okay with Vick getting some time in the pocket. Sounds to me like all signs point to a slow transition into a starting spot for Vick.

Stephen Strasburg signed the largest contract of any MLB draftee this week. He received 15.1 million dollars of 4 years. This is 50 percent larger than the record contract of Mark Prior, he received 10.5 million before he ever through a pitch. I think this is great. I mean experts have said over and over, Strasburg s the greatest MLB pitcher there is, and yet he hadn't played a game yet. With that much hype, shouldn't the kid be guaranteed 3.5 million a year? yes. sources inside the clubhouse say this was just a little more than what they wanted to pay, but was a victory for them because they signed the prospect and saved a lot of money. Boras was originally seeking 25 million for the kid, were as the Nats were thinking about 12 million. But how long will he be around? Ryan Zimmerman was signed under the notion that he would get a new field while in Washington, and that they would bring him help and build a team around him. Having an MVP caliber season, he has done his part. And what have the Nats done? They brought him Adam Dunn and Strasburg. But the rumors are there, and with a trade-able contract it sounds like Strasburg might become a Yankee and 4 Yankee prospects might now head towards Washington. I know Zim, and with the way he is playing and the fact that he is as close to home as he can get in the League, he will stick all the trades out and remain a National for a long time. Lets hope the help comes anyway.

As I said, John Smoltz has not yet come full circle, but the ex National League East pitcher, is back in the National League East. The Redsox released John earlier this month, and for a second it looked like he might have to retire. Then he breathed some life. Smoltz, like a few of his fans, knew he wasn't done pitching, knew he could still throw, and couldn't accept that he was out of baseball on someone else's terms. Now Smoltz is back. He is a St. Louis Cardinal, and he is playing in a league that he has known and dominating his entire career. the one small issue, is that he is a starting pitcher who may have to settle for a bullpen spot. This isn't a bad thing as far as I am concerned, but the reason Smoltz left the Atlanta Braves was because he was looking for a starting job and they wanted a closer. He was not willing to move to the bullpen when Bobby Cox and the Braves decided he could no longer start for them. He had done his time in the bullpen and had a record season, yet Smoltz didn't like it and now has hopped from the Braves, to the Sox, and now the Cards. I hope for his sake he is a good starter again, however as a fan, i would love to see him excel as a closer for a few seasons before retiring. Great starters are good for the team, and fun to watch but once you can no longer do that the next best thing for the fans and the team, is the starter. Your body can handle one inning much easier than 7 or more, and what better than to know, you are the guy the team calls on to finish off the other team and wrap up the win? you are the teams guarantee that no matter how close the 9th inning is, you are the savior and you will not let them down. John Smoltz- Hall of Fame Starter, and now Hall of Fame Closer.

Slippery Surface: Will Nadal Slide on the Clay Again?

2009-05-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

In Madrid Nadal fell. But was it a mistake by Nadal or just a perfectly aligned set of circumstances?

Nadal has been quietly battling a sore knee, and in Madrid everything was against him. In the semi-finals Novak Djokovic spent four hours on the clay with Nadal, before he lost. Clay is a slick surface; there are no quick stops and easy turns. This may sound easy on the knee, but with each stretch and slide the muscles around the knees must tighten and stabilize. The knee must balance the weight of the entire player and then transition that force to an explosion in the opposite direction. Clay is the hardest place for your knees to perform.

After competing in the semis Rafael Nadal only had 30 hours to prepare for his finals match. Roger Federer, Nadal’s arch nemesis, cleaned up and capitalized on the tired and sore knee. Albeit the circumstances were stacked against him, Nadal did in fact fall for the first time on clay.

Heading into the second slam of the year Nadal has rested, rehabbed, and practiced like he always does. As the top player in the league he strives to distance himself from everyone else. Unlikely many others who make it to the top, Nadal is here for the long haul and is never satisfied.

The courts at Roland Garros will be much easier for the reigning champion. The pool provides no harsh back to back matches and the two guys that can give Rafa a tough time are stacked on the other side of the pool and will have to fight to see who gets the next stab at Nadal. He will win. He is too good in the French Open. Andy Murray, Federer, and Djokovic are the only players with any chance at Nadal, too bad they’re not ready!

Canes Down 0-3

2009-05-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

Last night the Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cam Ward did everything he possibly could to keep the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 and give them an opportunity to win. Then, without warning the gates opened and Pittsburgh took a 6-2 win. Penguins now lead the Hurricanes 3-0.

The Canes have been able to handle Crosby, but with so much attention on him they have left the rest of the Penguins free to do as they please. Malkin has been unbelievable in the series and has 6 goals against Cam Ward.

The Hurricanes have given up one home loss in each of their playoff series and have yet to loose a game when facing elimination. Carolina may be down, but they are not out yet. Carolina needs to release the hard hitting plays that they carried through the first two rounds and bully their way into the win column. The Canes haven’t shown much power or life in this series, which makes sense after two back to back 7 game series; however in order to have a chance the hard hitters need to show up and punish the Penguins.

The series resumes in Carolina on Tuesday. Cam Ward is good, but he can only do so much. Penguins will win this series 4-2.

Manny Being Manny

2009-05-07T15:23:00.000-04:00

It was only a matter of time before something like this came out.

Today Major League Baseball suspended Manny Ramirez, of the LA Dodgers, for just under one third of a season. Ramirez received his 50 games suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Manny being Manny takes a whole new meaning. He cannot join the team until July 3rd. There will be no appeal.
Right now there is not enough information to condemn or to exonerate Ramirez.

This was not hard to believe, or even see coming. For a while now Manny Ramirez has acted as though he was untouchable, invincible and above baseball. With all of Manny’s outbursts and school kid jokes, it was only a matter of time before he got complacent and something happened.

After hearing Manny’s statement to the press about how he is taking medicine for a personal health issue and he is responsible for this accident, we can conclude nothing more than Manny was complacent. Ramirez was complacent and did not do his research before putting something into his body. It is all professional athletes’ responsibility to know what is in every supplement, or food, or medicine before he takes it. I truly believe Manny is innocent when it comes to trying to cheat, but is guilty of not honoring his team, fans and baseball, by neglecting to know what he was taking and making sure he remained clean.

As more information continues to come to light we will continue to update our site. The Dodgers play the Nationals tonight; the first game since Manny’ suspension.

Hurricanes in Seven

2009-04-29T20:46:00.002-04:00

The Carolina Hurricanes stole the first-round series from the New Jersey Devils in the last 1:20.

Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored in a 48-second span late in the final period and won game seven 4-3. Jokinen tied the game after a cross-ice setup by Joni Pitkanen. Staal followed with a shot from the middle of the right circle with 31.7 seconds left. Tuomo Ruutu and Ray Whitney also scored for Carolina and Cam Ward was magnificent, making 32 saves.

Carolina has beaten New Jersey in the last three playoff series. When it was over, the Hurricanes jumped into one another's arms and the Devils stood in disbelief.

Carolina plays top-seeded Boston next. One can only hope that the Hurricanes blow the Bruins back to Boston. Boston swept the season series this year 4-0-0, outscoring the Hurricanes 18-6. Three games were before the All-Star break, however, and before Carolina took off. This time of year the days off hurt Boston and the seven game series gives Carolina momentum. Can Carolina win in seven games; again? Oh yeah!

Make It Five Straight

2009-04-22T12:13:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, Rafael Nadal beat the third-ranked Serbian Djokovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 for his fifth straight Monte Carlo Masters title. The second set of the match was his only losing set here since the 2006 final against Roger Federer.

"Everyone can improve in every surface, no? No one is perfect. Sure, I can improve," Nadal said. "I always work to improve because when you feel you can't improve, is difficult to wake up and go on court and practice."

Even the number 1 player in the world won’t settle for the best performance seen at Monte Carlo since the tournament became professional.

"This tournament I didn't serve very well…. So that's a disaster," Nadal said. "Yeah, I have to play more. Have to serve better."

Nadal is the favorite to win the French Open, which is another chance for him to make it five straight at an individual tournament. Nadal, unhappy with how he served, plans to improve on it before heading to Roland Garros next month.

A-Rod Update

2009-04-20T20:42:00.003-04:00

The Yankees expect Rodriguez to rejoin the team by May 15, but are currently letting their third baseman rehab in their minor league facilities. Alex Rodriguez increased his on field drills Monday and started his second full week working out at the complex in Florida. A-Rod, who had right hip surgery in Colorado on March 9, did defensive work, and made19 throws to first and 9 to second after fielding grounders. He also looks impressive in batting practice, hitting 10 homers in 75 swings .With a smile on his face Rodriguez told the press "It feels good." Rodriguez is running in the outfield at his on field sessions, but has not started full-speed sprints or running the bases.

Tom Glavine: Will He Play Again?

2009-04-15T01:08:00.003-04:00

Tom Glavine may retire if his sore left shoulder doesn't improve in two weeks. The 43-year-old had an MRI and was examined by Dr. James Andrews, who advised treatment and rest.

Glavine had elbow surgery last August and said he's tired of rehabbing the elbow and shoulder. He's willing to give the shoulder two weeks, but not much longer,
"I'm willing to put in a little more time but I'm not willing to put in another six weeks or eight weeks because by then, you know what, I'm going to have to start all over again and I'm not interested in doing that," he said.

Glavine played two innings for Double-A Mississippi and ended Sunday's minor league start due to soreness after swinging a bat. He had similar pain in spring training, but he said that pain didn't last and this time it did.

Glavine’s doctor appointment left him with a two-week timetable that may determine if he continues his career. Glavine stated that “if we see some progress, then good. We’ll know we’re going in the right direction. If we don’t, then I think maybe at that point we need to sit down and honestly think about how much more I want to go through, and whether anything is going to change.”

The Braves said they are positive about the outcome and “were happy that is wasn’t more serious. The MRI didn’t show a tear and Bobby Cox responded by saying “I think its good it happened swinging the bat instead of throwing the ball, it’s kind of a disappointment for me, but I think the good news is he's coming back.”

Tom’s thoughts on coming back? Well they were less positive:
"I think all of it is going to be based on how I progress pain-wise," he said. "If I'm seeing a definitive change in the amount of pain that I have and the amount of strength I'm being able to gain, then I think I continue on. If two weeks from now my pain has not changed and my strength isn't any better, then I think I'm more clearly in a position where I need to honestly sit down and figure out how much more I want to go through with this."
He said if his shoulder doesn't feel better in two weeks, he'd have difficulty being ready to pitch before the All-Star break. "I don't think it's fair to this team and I'm not sure I have the desire to do all that for maybe half a season," Glavine said.

One option that may come up once we see Glavine’s progress, could be a trade to an AL team, were batting won’t be an issue. As long as Glavine can throw the ball there is a chance he can continue to play. Hurting these chances though, are his age and he only signed a one year deal for 2009. Was he thinking retirement after this season anyway?

The Braves have currently called up JoJo Reyes to replace Glavine in the 5 spot.

Tragic Loss For Major League Baseball

2009-04-09T15:23:00.004-04:00

Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart was among three people killed in a crash in Fullerton, California, Thursday morning. Adenhart, 22, died while being treated at UC Irvine Medical Center.

Angels’ Team Manager, Tony Reagins, released a written statement. “The Angels family has suffered a tremendous loss today. We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nick's family, friends, loved ones and fans."

Three of the four passengers of the Mitsubishi were killed, and the fourth is still being treated at the hospital. The car was struck when a minivan ran a red light and struck two cars. The gray Mitsubishi was thrown into a power pole.

The minivan's driver fled the scene but was caught a short time later. Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, of Riverside is being held on charges of manslaughter, felony driving under the influence and hit-and-run.

Adenhart is survived by his father, Jim, and mother, Janet. Mr. Adenhart had attended his son’s first start of the season, and his wife is now expected to meet him in California Thursday.

The Angels' scheduled game against the A's Thursday night has not be canceled, yet is not expected to take place. The team will meet with Mike Scoscia. At this time there has been no announcement of funerals or memorials and team officials were checking with Major League Baseball on the protocol.

Today the sports world morns the loss of one of its children and we should all take a moment to put baseball on hold, remember the man and his life, and hold a moment of silence for Adenhart and his family.

Villanova into the Final Four

2009-03-29T15:24:00.001-04:00

Are you serious?! I predicted Pitt to win that game, and I am disappointed in their loss, but it is not the loss that upsets me, it’s the way they lost. With over 5 seconds left to play Villanova executed a play they practice everyday to end their sessions. Good for them, but what was Pitt doing? The pass stretched from baseline to half court and then was quickly dished to a player making a fast break, who scored with 0.5 seconds left on the clock. And Pitt, well they were already waiting to start overtime.

With the game on the line no one challenged the shot, and Villanova strolled to the hoop and won the game. Where was the foul? Where was the hack that maybe left the player shaken so he missed 1 of his 2 shots? As soon as the ball was passed off for the fast break Pitt’s player, #45, should have shoved or grabbed the ball-handler preventing an attempt at the basket and stopping the clock with four seconds left.

What happens next, had Pitt been smart, could have won them the game. Villanova might have made the 2 baskets, giving them the lead, or maybe they hit one, or none. No matter the outcome of the free throw shots, you have to give yourself time to run a play. Pitt could have used the 4 seconds to score 2 points and then, based on the free throw situation’s outcome, they would have tied the game or won by one. Pitt’s lack of heart and attack is sickening. After watching them give up the game like there was nothing left for them to do but die leaves me wishes they hadn’t made it this far. I can’t help but feel like there are much more deserving teams in the NCAA. Hell at this point Eastern Tennessee State deserved to be in this game more than Pitt. At last they fight till the end.

Congratulations Villanova and good luck in the final four.

Playing for a National Title

2009-03-28T16:45:00.004-04:00

After predicting this years NCAA results, and predicting some key games incorrectly, I have a rating of 91% and am currently ranked 396009 out of about 6 million entries. It’s not too bad being in the top 6%. This will not last however; I predicted Memphis would play Carolina in the final game. Mizzou has taken their place in the Elite Eight and will now have to face UCONN, a team they cannot beat. With the recent “upsets” and quality basketball, I offer you a new look at the tournament, a look at the next three rounds.

Elite Eight
UCONN v Mizzou- UCONN is just too good at this point

Louisville v Michigan St.- Louisville is a strong defensive team and will be able to keep up with the run game of Michigan. Michigan is tired and barely defeated Memphis, a team I thought Louisville could beat.

UNC v Oklahoma- UNC will come out on top despite Blake Griffin showing us why he, not Psycho T is the MVP this year.

Villanova v Pitt- Despite a convincing win over Duke, Villanova just can’t hang with back to back big time schools. Pitt wins

Final Four
Pitt v UNC- Pitt just doesn’t have the player to silence Hansbrough, and as long as Ty Lawson is on the floor, UNC will run over Pitt on its way to the Finals.

Louisville v UCONN- UCONN rolls with a solid performance from the 7-footer Thabeet

National Title Game
UNC v UCONN- all I can say about this game is loyalty. UCONN has a great team and is dominant this year. UNC has Lawson, Ellington, Green, and Hansbrough. Either team can easily be claimed as the winner, but I believe the seniors on UNC’s squad came back to graduate on top of the NCAA. The loyalty they show to each other, the program, and their coach will drive them to the top and make for a very emotional ending to their careers.

UNC wins 87-80.

Is It Really Over?

2009-02-12T09:30:00.005-05:00

Earlier this week Brett Favre announced his second retirement from football. His first retirement ended after Favre worked out and played ball with a local high school. After announcing his retirement, Favre waited a few months and then announced he would seek reinstatement into the league. What followed was a painful experience for fans and football, and Favre ultimately was traded from the Packers to the Jets.

This year Favre again announced his retirement. After 18 seasons of avoiding injury and showing us how young he still is, it seems to be over. Favre, and the Jets, probably expected one more year. He could do it couldn't he? His body stood the test this year, his legacy remained intact, and he won 9 games. Maybe it was the sudden collapse at the end of the season. In the final 5 games of the season, the Jets went 1-4. The collapse was not Favre's fault, but why not retire when your new team doesn't have a wide receiver or running back, and then misses the playoffs after starting 8-3. At the Very least you can be like Mike, and come back again.

Brett Favre has, over his 18 year career, averaged 9 wins, 15 starts a season- however 16 starts in each year since starting for the first time, 3618 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 317 completions, and 17 interceptions. This means that at 39, Favre was as good this year as any year. In 2008 he had 9 wins, 16 starts, 3472 yards, 22 touchdowns, 343 completions, and 22 interceptions. In 2008 Favre was better than he was in 1992 and 1993, when he was a young newbie. You aren't supposed to get better as you get older, however we have yet to see Favre deteriorate, or even have a bad season. After a few months of working out and throwing the ball with friends, family, and local high schools, Brett Favre will re-evaluate his shape, and the shape of teams around the NFL. Favre is the Michael Jordan of football, and he will return. Maybe since the Panthers didn't trust the running game that got them to the playoffs they will look for someone who can throw the ball, maybe someone like Favre?

Thoughts

2009-02-11T11:44:00.002-05:00

Michael Phelps:

I came across SwimRoom.com and looked up Michael Phelps and found that his favorite quote is... "Actions speak louder than words." (see http://www.swimroom.com/phelps )

My thought: You would rather smoke pot than remain on top and be a role model. Michael you do not deserve your medals and you don not deserve a chance to swim in 2012.

Rivalry Week- UNC at Duke:

This is an easy thought: The game will be full of heart and as exciting as a 2 point close match-up. None-the-less UNC Seniors will be undefeated at Cameron Indoor.

Got any thoughts of your own? let me know whats on your mind at themindonsports@yahoo.com

Alex Rodriguez Used Steriods- So What?!

2009-02-11T11:19:00.005-05:00

This past week the media blew up the Alex Rodriguez story, and tried to make something that does not matter relevant. Since the “Steroid Era”, baseball’s revenue has doubled, and in 2007 its revenue increased by 50%. No one cares if players dope. Fans, as long as the player is still in baseball, still pay to see them, and still cheer when the ball flies 500+ feet. Other than the despicable Barry Bonds, who needed steroids to increase productivity and size, fans are not concerned with the issue.

Here is why.

In 1994 and 1995 Alex Rodriguez came into the league and spent time in AAA and MLB. In his first two years he had 5 homeruns and only 65 games played. In his first full season Rodriguez played in 141 games and had 36 homeruns, 15 stolen bases, and .358 batting average. His started his career strong, and laid the foundation for a hall of fame career.

From 1994 to 2000, just prior to the 2001 season, A-Rod averaged 161 hits, 22 stolen bases, an average of .286, and 31 homeruns. Prior to arriving in Texas, he had 42 homeruns in back to back seasons followed by a 41 homerun season. When you look at Rodriguez’s batting, hits, and stolen base averages the only years hurting those numbers are 1994 and 1995, when he didn’t even spend a third of his time in the MLB.

From 2001-2003 A-Rod’s only “enhancement” was his homeruns. Over the three year span, Rodriguez hit 52, 57, and 47 homeruns respectively, and his performance dropped to an average of 14 stolen bases. His batting average dropped to .305 as opposed to an average of .313 during all of his prior full length seasons. Not to mention He didn’t help Texas get to a single World Series.

But now that baseball has entered into its testing era, and has begun to clean up the game, what is he doing? From 2004 to 2008 A-Rod averaged 41 homeruns, lower than his doping years, but higher than the first half of his career. Nothing odd about that, most players have their best years prior to declining and entering retirement. His stolen bases have gone back up, and he his averaging around 22 a year, and his average is at a very respectable .302.

How about his future? Rodriguez is an honest man, and a humble man. As long as he continues his recent trend of testing negative for “Juice”, he will remain in baseball with no asterisk, and he will have a chance to break the homerun record and knock Barry Bonds’ name off a list on which it never belonged. With at least seven seasons left, and his average of 40 homeruns a year, A-Rod will eclipse the record without a problem- even if his production drops with age.

New York is no stranger to drama, and is no stranger to steroid use. And as for the fans, they can forgive anyone as long as they are on the Yankee roster. Just look at Giambi, and Pettitte. I leave out Clemens because he is guilty of much more than doping.

The bottom line is this: Rodriguez was tested at a time when there was no punishment for doping, and the test was a way to learn about a potential problem. Despite the leak of Alex Rodriguez’s name, he needs to be treated as though no one ever knew. And he is. The fans -the people that matter- are not concerned and not worried about this. The media must respect that the leak could be a criminal act. A-Rod’s name cannot be tarnish, because when he was tested he was guaranteed anonymity.

It’s time for the media to focus on the people who cheated after the rules were set in place, and it is time for baseball, not congress, to investigate and prosecute the people involved. The court system will work for baseball and congress can work on the economy.

Inspirational Stories: Heroes in Sports

2008-11-12T17:30:00.005-05:00

This week I decided to research different stories in the sports world and post a few. Today's story couldn't be written any better than Rick Reilly's ESPN the Magazine's article. I hope you find inspiration in the life of Barry Scott.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3697646&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Next week: Dwyane Wade and Jolinda Wade

Does UNC deserve a unanimous Top Rank?

2008-11-06T14:04:00.002-05:00

This 2008-2009 NCAA Basketball season begins with Duke v. Presbyterian on Monday the 10th, but it also begins with a bit of controversy.

The 2008-2009 UNC Tarheels are without their star forward and yet they still received a unanimous vote for the Top Rank in both AP and ESPN polls. Tyler Hansbrough also received a unanimous vote to become a pre-season All-American. Note- Tyler Hansbrough is out for at least two weeks with a stress reaction in his shin. Granted Tyler is the reigning MVP, but shouldn't you play in the Pre-Season to become an All-American? And shouldn't UNC have to prove they can perform without Hansbrough before they get a unanimous vote for the top team in the country?

I believe that UNC belongs on top, and I believe that had Tyler played and shown he is in better condition than last year, than he should be a Pre-Season All-American. However Tyler has not shown us what to expect from him this year, and UNC has not shown us that they can play without Hansbrough. UCONN and Louisville deserve at least one vote for the number one spot, and until UNC and Hansbrough perform there should be doubts about each of them, and there will be plenty of teams waiting to feed off of those doubts.

UNC's First Game: Saturday, November 15th -Penn at UNC
Look for a rested Hansbrough to test his leg and look for UNC to test their bench and learn their capabilities in case Tyler cant go. This game will be a chance for Tyler to play less and ease back onto the court, and a chance for Carolina to test their bench every time Hansbrough sits.

NCAA National Championship

2008-04-06T09:53:00.006-04:00

After a magnificent season both my picks for the NCAA Final Monday night were sent home. Carolina and UCLA both lost their semifinal games by a combined 33 points. The Heels made a miraculous comeback in the second half of their game, only to eventually lose by 18. The Bruins couldn’t run with the fast paced Tigers and lost by 15. Monday’s game is now set.

Memphis v. Kansas

Monday night the Tigers face the Jayhawks, in what may be the most anticipated match-up in finals history. The Tigers are 38-1 with the most wins ever in a season, and are looking to win their first National Championship. Kansas is looking for its first title since 1988, and is in the finals for the first time since Coach Roy Williams left Lawrence for Chapel Hill.

Despite the hype and the similarities of both squads, Memphis and Kansas love the fast break, I do not believe this game will live up to its potential. This year, and at this time in the year, Memphis is just the better team. Not to mention Memphis is only getting better as we watch.

The winningest team in college history beat the Bruins of UCLA by 15 in a game which they played with poise and confidence and never let up. Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts put on an incredible show and looked as if they were trying out for the NBA rather than playing the most important game of their lives. The pair combined for 53 points and 24 rebounds, and led the Tigers who were 20 of 23 from the foul line. Joey Dorsey had 0 points; however he kept Love out of the paint and grabbed 15 rebounds.Kansas, despite a victory last night, does not deserve the chance to play for the title tomorrow night. After leading 40 to 12 in the first half the Jayhawks crumbled and let the Heels crawl to within 17 at the break. KU was lucky the UNC Tarheels had a slow start Saturday, because despite what people thought was a good show in the first half, the Jays only won the second half by 1, 40-39. The Tarheels weren’t making good decisions. Hansbrough, who had 17 points, didn’t play his usually game on Saturday. The kid is known for his acrobatic shots and his ability to read his chance and dish the ball outside. In the first half Tyler panicked and tried to play through the triple team as opposed to hitting on of the two open men. With 7 minutes left in the first half number 50 got his head on straight and from that point on the Heels were on top of the Hawks 54-44.

On Monday the Tigers will shred the Jayhawks in route to their first title ever. The Kansas team had a week to prepare for UNC, and was only able to win 13 minutes of that game. Memphis has maintained its speed and tempo throughout the tournament, and has stayed with its game plan since the season started. Kansas has had to alter its game several times this tournament. The Jayhawks have to change again if they plan to beat the Tigers. Both Kansas and Memphis like to run, but with Dorsey, Douglas-Roberts, and Rose, the Tigers have more power in their running game. For Kansas to win they have to slow the ball down and keep it out of the paint on defense. Saturday’s game made it clear to the world that one day was not enough time for the Jayhawks to learn how to do this. In a week, they barely changed their game and prepared for the Tarheels, in a day it is even less likely that we will see them make the necessary fixes to pull ahead of the roaring Tigers.

The Mind Says: Memphis over Kansas 80-64

This Year's World Series Champions

2008-04-01T21:03:00.007-04:00

For my first article on the 2008 Baseball season I have to start with a bold statement. The Atlanta Braves are back. And not just in the post-season, the Atlanta Braves will win this year’s World Series. Now I know you are thinking, “aren’t they 0-2 this year?” Despite these events I still say: The Braves will win the World Series.

After 2 years of baseball in which the Braves didn’t make the playoffs, everything has changed. It’s been 13 years since the Braves won the World Series as part of their 14 year run as division champions. Despite the RedSox, Tigers, Indians, and even the Mets being better teams, the Braves start their quest for a National title.

Maybe that’s what the problem is. Everyone focused on those teams and neglected to see the Braves management building a new empire. Not until you get slapped across the face by a Jones’ homer and you lose, do you even notice that this team is dangerous. In Jimmy Rollins words “They’re good, they’ve got the swag back.”

That swag has always started with pitching in Atlanta. This year you will have to face Tim Hudson, John Smoltz, Tommy Glavine, and Mike Hampton. They’ve also added to the bullpen. After trading Tyler Yates (75 appearances last season, 1.04 k/inn) they had room for Will Ohman and Chris Resop (98 mph fast-baller). Last year they had to rely on the arms of Hudson and Smoltz and let the bats do the rest. This year they have enough pitching to let John and Tim take the day off and still dominate from the mound. With the current line-ups the Braves have nine starters, theoretically, and the Mets/Phillies barely have five. This leaves room for injuries and for slumps. Having the arms in the bullpen means you take the pressure off the batters, something this year’s line-up isn’t worried about. Pressure or not these guys will get it done.

This is Mark Teixiera’s first full season with the team and so last years MLB leading 810 runs will likely grow for the Braves. Mark brings the Braves 100 more points to 1B batting average, and almost doubles the position’s slugging percentage (.312, .605 respectively). Add his homeruns and rbi’s to the list and he brings 60 more runs to the plate. Mark Kotsay replaces Andruw Jones in CF, but don’t expect there to be any loss in the lineup for that bat, or even in the field, for that matter.

This group of guys can catch. Here’s the line-up:
Kelly Johnson, 2B
Yunel Escobar, SS
Chipper Jones, 3B
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Brian McCann, C
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Matt Diaz, LF
Mark Kotsay, CF

Last year the Braves led the league in defensive-efficiency ratings with 58 plays made that the average player wouldn’t have made. They also had 454 plays made outside of the fielder’s zone, just one other thing they led the league in. But didn’t Andruw Jones give the Braves that number? No, Jones was not the lead outfielder last year, and his numbers dropped the Braves to the second best outfield in the league. This year Mark Kotsay and Yunel Escobar should have no problem maintaining that position. If either of the new guys have an above average year in the field, the Braves should climb to number one in the outfield.

The final number in the World Series equation is trade-ability. With this years pitching situation the Braves have several, 3 in fact, pitchers in the minors. All three pitchers were on the field last year and in the Braves starting rotation. Not to mention Joey Devine who is an outstanding talent. The Braves have kept Joey around so they can have an extra arm in the bullpen during the post season. After the way Joey has pitched for the Braves they need to decide if he is worth calling up and cultivating, or if they need to use him for a late season trade. Personally I would like to see him in a Braves uniform; however it is most likely not going to happen. The Braves simply have too much talent and can better use Devine later in the season when they are looking to acquire an extra fielder for their World Series squad.Pitching, hitting, fielding and well placed trades will launch the 2008 Braves to another World Series Champion title.

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The Mind

NCAA Tournament Breakdown: Midwest

2008-03-18T19:09:00.005-04:00

Here is a quick look at my predictions for the Midwest Region:

The First match-up for the Midwest is Kansas V. Portland State. This is an easy call. Kansas Wins. From there we go to Kent St V. UNLV. UNLV has the higher seed but is likely to loose to the streaking Golden Flashes. Kent State won both the regular season and the MAC tournament titles. Another hot team is Clemson. Villanova has struggled lately against NCAA Tourney bound teams and the Clemson Tigers are on a roll. Losing four of their last six games Kansas St looks to loose another at the hands of the USC Trojans. CS Fullerton is on a tear but the Wisconsin Badgers won their conference season and tournament. Davidson is the only team besides Memphis to go undefeated in conference play and in their tournament, Gonzaga is on upset alert. UMBC doesnt stand a chance against Georgetown.

Second Round: Kansas over Kent St to move to the third round. Clemson over Vandy, Wisconsin over USC and Goergetown over Davidson.

Third Round: USPET ALERT: Clemson is coming off an incredible run and will likely continue its drive in the tournament. After ousting Virginia Tech to close the regular season, then Tigers went on to crush Boston College in the ACC tournament and then eliminate Duke. The tigers also nearly took UNC to overtime for what would have been a third time this season. Clemson beats Kansas. The Badgers wont stand a chance versus Georgetown. Wisconsin played in one of the weakest leagues in the NCAA this year and wont be prepared to play the most under-rated two seed in the tournament.

Elite Eight Match-up: The Clemson tigers have had an amazing last few weeks but they will wear down against Goergetown. Beating Duke in the ACC and then clawing through Vanderbilt and Kansas will leave Georgetown an easier game than most people expect in a matchup for a final four spot.

Final Four Representive: Georgetown

NCAA Tournament Breakdown: The East

2008-03-17T19:51:00.003-04:00

Welcome to March Madness. This week we take a look at the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and before the first round begins I will reveal my pick for the National Title. Here's this weeks schedule:
Monday- East
Tuesday- Midwest
Wednesday- South
Thursday- West
Friday- Post Bracket Predictions, Final Four Picks, Discuss National Championship Game, Tournament Begins

sports #2

ACC Title and NCAA Selection Sunday

2008-03-15T12:37:00.004-04:00

Here' a quick look at the big events taking place in the NCAA this weekend.
Gabcast! sports #1

Tobacco Road

2008-02-06T16:59:00.001-05:00

The world of college Basketball has four highly important games. The top game is the NCAA National Championship game. After that the ACC Tournament match-up between Duke and Carolina, and then tied for third place are Duke at Carolina and Carolina at Duke, during the regular season.

This year Carolina hosts Duke as the first game in this wonderful series. Tobacco road is full of anticipation and no matter what happens we will not be let down.

Ty Lawson is a big factor in tonight’s game. Despite the defense of Duke, Carolina will play an up and down game that will run the socks off of Duke. The Carolina defense will give up an incredible number of points, but the power of Hansbrough and the speed of Lawson will secure Carolina’s “we can always outscore you attitude”, and will hold true again.

If Ty Lawson re-aggravates his ankle we will be looking a completely different ball game. With Lawson out of the line-up Carolina Quentin Thomas, Wayne Ellington and Greg Little will have to share the load and run the slower offense. This takes away much of the ball handling skills and gives the Heels a higher turnover rate. The obvious outcome is that fewer points will be scored and we will have to wait and see if the Heels have finally bought into the defense that Roy Williams has been trying to teach all year.

8 miles down the road in Durham, Duke is preparing for a fast paced game. Coach K has always had one of the best defenses in the country and typical stops anyone they want. The Blue Devils should come out tonight with the big men ready to play rotation. Hansbrough is unlikely to get much rest, and as long as Duke places fresh bodies on him and stays out of foul trouble, Hansbrough should have his first normal game.

With the speed of the game likely to favor Carolina, we should see Duke play with some full court press. The press will slow the ball down and force the guards to make passes earlier then they want and disrupt the flow of the Carolina playbook.

Don’t overlook the offense of Duke though. Jon Scheyer, an extraordinary sophmore, is averaging 18.0 points in the Carlyle Cup, and DeMarcus Nelson averaging 18.1 points per game this season. Despite how they earn them, you can count on 36 points to come from these two tonight. I like DeMarcus with 22 and Scheyer getting 14.

Scheyer may hit the 14 point mark tonight, but he will have to do it over Hansbrough. I suspect that this year’s Psycho T will dominate the paint and score a season high 37 points. He may even reach a career high in rebounds, with 22, and 10 blocked shots.

9:00 on ESPN, the fourth most important game in the College Basketball World.

The Mind Says: Carolina over Duke 98-87

Double Amputee Turned Away From Beijing

2008-01-15T18:52:00.000-05:00

I would like to go ahead and state that the following article is controversial and I do not mean for it to offend anyone. I am open to discussion and accept all views on this subject. I hope that in stating my feelings and beliefs, anyone reading this will understand my thought process and not take offense to what I write.

The 2008 Olympics are just around the corner, and with only 6 months until the torch run begins, one athlete will begin to fight for his right to enter the Olympics. Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter who was banned from the 2008 Olympics this summer. This ban does not come as a surprise; however it has become a controversial topic around the world and in sports. Oscar Pistorius is a double amputee.

I, no matter how hard I look into my heart, have to agree with the track and field’s governing body. It’s simple. Despite being considered handicapped, Oscar is using technologically advance equipment and therefore gaining a competitive edge.

The first point to be made is that he is missing the calf muscle in each of his legs. This may not look to be an advantage, but after a closer look you may understand how it gives him an edge when it comes to training. As a sprinter you run leaning forward on your toes. This position places strain on your calf muscles and leads to soreness while training. As a runner without these muscles he can train harder and longer without going through the soreness and strain. He does not have to work to condition his calves; his conditioning is produce before he puts on the prostheses.

That leads to a second competitive edge. A runner bounces with each step. As he works out and conditions his calves, a runner increases the amount of bounce and the power in each bounce. Oscar Pistorius runs on curved blades called “Cheetahs”. These blades are meant to bend and give with each stride, and provide power comparable to the step of an able-bodied man. The International Association of Athletics Federation has tested the prostheses and has stated that the “Cheetahs” give the wearer a 30 percent advantage over someone who does not wear the blades.

Each of the first two examples can be compared to steroids in other sports. The reasons steroids are illegal in sports are because of the health risks. If you allowed the use of these performance enhancers than every athlete would have to take to drugs in order to compete on a level field. However the health risks are devastating and therefore no athlete can be required to put him or herself in harms way. In Pistorius’ case this would be equivalent to asking sprinter to chop off there legs so they can run with the same 30 percent advantage as a runner with “Cheetahs”.

The final way in which Oscar Pistorius gains an advantage is by the use of aerodynamics.
It is obvious to see that the “Cheetahs” are thinner than an able-bodied runner’s leg. This is not a great advantage but we have all seen the rise of body suits and shaving for swimmer. The principle holds true for a runner as well. The less space you have making contact with the air, the less resistance you must overcome.

Oscar Pistorius gains quite a bit of an advantage over the average runner and therefore should not compete in the Olympics. I wish Oscar the best and all that he does, and I hope he can continue to run and set records at the Paralympics Games. He is a strong man and he holds my utmost respect.

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2008-01-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

January 7th 2008 BCS National Championship Game

No. 1 Ohio State (OSU) v. No. Louisianna State (LSU)

Here we go. After over a month of footbll we have reached the final college game in the 2007 season. No. 1 against No. 2, but does the game matter? Only when it comes to entertainment and bragging rights. If LSU wins we will see, for a second time, a tie in the BCS Standings. OSU will be the No. 1 team in the country, and LSU will remain No. 2 and hold the title games trophy. This is the problem with the BCS.

I have written several article on the BCS and how it needs to change, so tonight I will not ruin the game and I will aviod ranting and raving about the BCS.

So here is the much anticipated National Game and a break down of what we will see.

QB Match-up: LSU has the advantage with Matt Flynn. He is calm and collective in the clutch, and is alaways a threat to run. His back-up man, Ryan Perriloux, has completed 20 of 30 passes and 249 yards in the win over Tennessee.

RB Match-up: Again LSU has the advantage. While OSU has the best RB in the league, LSU brings a gang of runners who can all break for big yards. LSU will have to focus on defending Chris Wells, however OSU has to defend against Jacob Hester, Keiland Williams, Charles Scott and Trindon Holliday.

WR Match-up: OSU leads the game in this match-up. If Doucet is having a good day then LSU takes the lead with WR's, however becuase the offensive line of OSU will give Boeckman time in the pocket then Hartline and Robiskie will break open and put themselves in the right places to make the big plays.

Offensive Line Match-up: OSU is only going to have to play even with LSU's line, while LSU will have to keep OSU's defense out of the backfield. This will be a huge task for the Tigers as they will face Vernon Gholston.

Defensive Line Match-up: Vernon Gholston has single-handedly defeated the offensive lines of several teams, however his consistency has been a factor. If he can be neautralized by the offensive line of LSU then the Tigers will have the defensive edge tonight. However coming off of 15 days of rest and entering a title game, I see a big game for Vernon Gholston.

Special Teams Matchup: Special Teams can win a game and tonight we get a match-up of two great special teams. The adavantage is slight, however the punt returners and the kickers for OSU are a tad bit better than LSU's.

Coaching: The two coahes tonight have a strong history and are both incredible coaches. Neither coach will have any trouble getting into the Hall of Fame and both will compete for Coach of the Year, and National Titles in years to come. That being said Coach Jim Tressel for OSU has only one blemish on his record- that Florida game last year. Tressel wins a slight advantage in the Les Miles/Jim Tressel Match-up.

The Mind says: Tonight is going to be a spectacular game. Some say that LSU will win by 2 or more touchdowns. And to look at the stats, why not? LSU leads OSU in all offensive categories. Tonight however, like many games, will come down to defense and special teams. Both OSU and LSU have great offenses and so they will have to overcome the defensive lines. OSU has the better line, however they live and die by Gholston. LSU has enough offense to overcome the disadvantage on defense and special teams.

LSU Tigers over Ohio State Buckeyes (4-7 points decides outcome)

Wildcard Weekend

2008-01-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

This weekend we a look at the eight wild card contenders for this years NFL post season. There are two games Saturday and two games on Sunday.

Saturday:

Pittsburgh hosts Jacksonville
Jacksonville is the only team to beat the Steelers at home this year. The lost came during a small snowstorm which created a muddy field and horrible vision. This weekend it is predicted to rain in Pittsburgh, and the conditions will likely mirror that of the last time these two teams met. I like the Jaguars in this game.

Seattle hosts Washington

The Redskins are red hot right now, winning their last four games. Washington is on a tear and will come into tonight's game with all the momentum. It is likely the emotions from the loss of Sean Taylor have motivated the Redskins in their playoff run and will carry them at least well into the game. Seattle has been less successful at the end of their season and unless they can put it aside, Collins will dominate the defense. We will have to see if the Seahawks can bring their defense of old and silence Collins, or if the last few weeks will still be in affect. Again I am picking the visitors. Redskins over Seahawks.

Sunday:

Tamp Bay hosts New York Giants

The Giants are looking to Manning to play up to his name in this one. Eli has brought the Giants to the playoffs several times and has yet to win a game. I think the defense of the Giants can learn from the Carolina Panthers last weekend. Eli and his offense are the better of these two offenses, however the defense of the Giants will not match the defense of the Bucs. Without a stand out performance the defense will collapse and the Bucs will bowl over the Giants.

Tampa Bay wins this one.

San Diego hosts Tennessee

Philip Rivers and the Chargers have all the weapons. The only thing really going in the Titans favor is their head coach. They don't even know if Vince Young will be healthy enough to have an impact on Sunday. LT should have an easy time getting to his weekly average. The Chargers however are on a tear, winning 8 of their last 10.

San Diego over Tennessee- 25 to 14

2008-01-05T11:52:00.000-05:00

January 5th, 2007 International Bowl in Toronto

Ball State v. Rutgers @ 12:00
No game here. This is the second year that Canada has hosted a bowl game. This year they brought in two teams with decent records, and Rutgers was at one point ranked in the BCS. Rutgers brings with them the Big East’s leading pass defense and a standout running back. Ball State will have to rely on the quiet success of Nate Davis, he had 3376 yards and 27 touchdowns. The passing game will beat the running game, but if the team you face has the best passing defense in their conference you need to run.

The Mind says: The run of Rutgers conquers Ball State

High School Football @ 2:00
Here is the real game today. ABC hosts the Under Armour All-American game. This game will feature the top high school seniors in the country and let the college world get a taste of next year. There are two guys to look for today: Sam McGuffie, and I guy I haven’t talked about before, Aundre Dean of Katy (Texas). As a junior Aundre ran for 2,111 yards and 27 touchdowns, then as a senior he ran for 2,498 yards and 26 touchdowns. Aundre is currently the most talked about recruit at the All-American game today and has yet to commit to a school. Aundre committed twice only to hear that the coaching staffs that recruited him were fired. Now he has a short list of college’s he is speaking to. I like the match of Aundre and Alabama, but what if Aundre added Arkansas to his list of favorites? Darren McFadden and Aundre Dean would be an unstoppable combination. Take a look at his video and make your own decisions.

The Mind says: The fans win with this game

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2008-01-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

After two big disappointments, botching the outcomes of the last two bowl games, I will take a look at the Orange Bowl and continue my look at the Bowl Season.

Thursday January 3rd, 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl

No. 3 Virginia Tech v. No. 8 Kansas
Tonight’s 8 o’clock match-up between the Hokies and the Jayhawks should be one of the best games this College Football season has seen. The Jayhawks are the Big 12’s leading offense, scoring 44.3 points per game, and the Hokies are the ACC champions and have one of the leading scoring defenses. The game tonight should come down to the fourth quarter and the winning team will have over 40 points. There should be few penalties and mistakes throughout the game. Special Teams, especially that of VT, should be a huge factor in the match-up.

The Mind says: Virginia Tech over Kansas (Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi)
For anyone who thinks the VT players cant handle the toughness of KU(Fox Sports), you should stop and think of the losses they incurred this year, and that includes 32 friends and family members.

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2008-01-02T22:36:00.000-05:00

With the second half of the football game already started I have missed the opportunity to preview the Feista Bowl. I will however still print my prediction:

Wednesday January 2nd, 2007

No. 4 Oklahoma v. No. 9 West Virginia
Despite being down 20 to 6 at the half, OU blocked a field goal before heading into the locker room. The slight momentum swing might be enough to give the Sooners confidence and swing them into a win.

The Mind says: Oklahoma by 3 or less over West Virginia

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2008-01-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

Today is yet another great day in College Football. With six games to welcome in 2008 it is hard to complain, despite the BCS messing up its rankings and the national title game. Let’s take a look at what is coming up and which game deserves more than they got from the BCS.

Tuesday January 1st, 2008

No. 16 Tennessee v. No. 18 Wisconsin
The Volunteers of Tennessee have won the close games and lost big on the others. Despite achieving no blowouts this season, they put together some impressive wins and earned a respectable spot in the BCS standings and a bowl appearance. Both teams have young defenses that have lived up to their schools reputations.

The Mind says: Tennessee over Wisconsin

No. 6 Missouri v. Arkansas
Here is another game that shows us the BCS is a joke. Who wants to see Mizzou beat the pants off of an unranked opponent. I love Darren McFadden and am glad he gets to play in a bowl game, but why not unranked Arkansas v. unranked Michigan. Then you can put Mizzou against Florida. Despite the mixed match I feel Arkansas will come out and prove they deserved this game.

The Mind says: Mizzou over Arkansas

No. 12 Florida v. Michigan
The returning champs have only met up with Michigan one time in the past. In 2002 the Wolverines beat the Gators 38-30. Michigan’s defense has to be on top of their game today, as Tim Tebow, Heisman winner, leads the offense for the Gators.

The Mind says: Florida over Michigan

No. 20 Virginia v. Texas Tech
The ACC Coach of the year, Al Groh, gets a chance to show the nation just how he earned the title. Despite the coaching and excellent play of the Cavs, they have not faced a team that compares to Texas Tech. Without a running game in their bag of tricks, the Red Raiders have put up 41 points a game.

The Mind says: Virginia over Texas Tech

No. 7 USC v. No. 13 Illinois
The NCAA Coach of the Year, Ron Zook, has earned a spot to open the BCS Bowl games with his team Illinois taking on USC. Both defensive are incredible and should be able to stonewall the offense. Illinois uses a spread offense and unless they have prepared something new than the Trojans should stop them easily. Like most of the season, the USC crowd should play close until the second half, and after a conversation in the locker room Pete Carroll will have his Trojans return to the field and break-a-way from the Fighting Illini.

The Mind says: USC over Illinois

No. 5 Georgia v. No. 10 Hawaii
Here it is, the true National Title game. Georgia was ranked number two in the country, and without playing, the seventh ranked LSU tigers, jumped five spots in the BCS and earned a chance to play OSU. And Hawaii, undefeated in the season, deserves the right to play anyone for the National Title. Anybody in the country. So here it is: Georgia v. Hawaii for the “true” national title.

The Mind says: HAWAII beats Georgia, even ESPN stated that Hawaii was the best in the nation.

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2007-12-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

The Bowl season continues today with an incredible lineup. 12 teams play before the New Year’s celebration tonight. 6 teams will have celebration, 6 teams will drown their sorrows.

Monday December 31st, 2007

Air Force v. California
At this point it’s a no brainer for what type of game we will see. The Falcons of Air Force will utilize their revamped offense and continue to blossom under the coaching of their first year coach Troy Calhoun. The Bears however, are in a different spot. No one can tell if they want to play football anymore. Motivation n has been a problem recently, as shown by losing 6 of the last 7. California will have to try to play a coverage defense, something they haven’t done all year. The Air Force offense will be too good for the bears.

The Mind says: Air Force over California

Fresno State v. Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets look for a different outcome to a game they have been to before. GT meets Fresno State today for the second time in a bowl setting. The Jackets look to Jon Tenuta, their interim coach for some answers. As a defensive coordinator-turned-coach he should look to use the blitz and run defense that Georgia Tech thrives on.

The Mind says: Georgia Tech stings Fresno State

No. 21 South Florida at Oregon
I am very excited about this game. Despite their set backs and their rank, South Florida is one of the greatest football schools in the country. The Bulls came from nowhere and climbed to number two in the nation before falling in three straight games. The y recovered however and finished this season with three straight W’s. Oregon is coming off a horrible injury in which Dennis Dixon tore some knees ligaments, and lost their last three.

The Mind says: South Florida over Oregon

Florida State v. Kentucky
Florida State has been a let down this year. FSU’s defense deserves a much better team rank and a better bowl game. Since you can’t play football with just defense the offensive line has to do something; like the defense we are all still waiting to see what the offense can do to help. Kentucky has a great offense with a first round pick in quarterback Andre Woodson. This is Kentucky’s second dance in Nashville, so lets hope they like the square dance and can call Nashville home.

The Mind says: Kentucky over Florida State

Oklahoma State v. Indiana
Riding on the sensational shoulders of QB Kellen Lewis and his partner in crime, WR James Hardy, Indiana has return to the bowl scene after a 14 year drought. This awesome combination should feed off of that excitement and put on a wonderful show. Oklahoma State has put up 39 point or more in all of their victories this year. This is what they needed since the defense gives up 35 or more in losses. This just might one of the highest scoring games in bowl season, when you combine the two offenses.

The Mind says: Oklahoma State Cowboys over the Hoosiers of Indiana

No. 15 Clemson at No. 23 Auburn
I don’t mean to say that Auburn does not deserve the chance to upset Clemson, however why don’t we have a match-up between the 15th team and the nation and the 16th team in the nation. The games would mean more, be more exciting, and would help the BCS, if the match-ups were even and not made to be lop sided. I mean we get to see 1 and 2, why not 15 and 16? Despite my disappointment in match-ups, I like this game. The defense of Auburn gives up only 16 points per game, and returns to Atlanta with the 1998 Peach Bowl on its mind.

The Mind says: Clemson reserves the 1998 outcome and beats Auburn

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2007-12-29T14:54:00.000-05:00

With January 7th sneaking around the corner we are beginning to see better games being played in the bowl series. There are still a few unranked teams getting some playing time, but the majority of games include this year’s powerhouse teams. Today we take a look at this weekend’s games.

Saturday December 29th, 2007

No. 25 Connecticut at Wake Forest
Both teams beat Duke this year, but there no real feat in that. However both teams managed to lose to Virginia. Other than those two games, there is no real comparison between UCONN and Wake. Wake does have some extra support for this game, and I think that home town feeling will help carry the Deacs to a bowl title. Oh, and not to mention Riley Skinner is looking for his second win over the Husky’s in as many games.

The Mind says: Wake Forest over UCONN

Mississippi State v. UCF
This weekend you get to see the nation’s top rusher and you get to watch the defense of Mississippi State try to stop him. UCF’s Kevin Smith has 2448 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. Slyvester Croom has turned the Mississippi program in complete 180 degrees, and will most likely be a lock for honors and awards within the SEC. Look for the Coach of the Year to come from Mississippi this year at the SEC Banquets.

The Mind says: UCF over Mississippi State

Texas A&M v. Penn State
These two teams bring completely different coaches into the game. Penn State’s coach, Joe Paterno is coaching his 500th game, and Texas A&M’s Gary Darnell will be coaching his first. This defense coordinator turned head coach knows football and will do a great job. Despite his work Penn State should repeat the 1999 bowl game against the Aggies.

The Mind says: Penn State over Texas A&M

Sunday December 30th, 2007

Colorado v. Alabama
This has been a terrible year for the Crimson Tide, who stumbled against throughout the season. The Tide beat Tennessee impressively, 41-14; however they never won another game. Colorado hasn’t had much of a season either. The Buffaloes beat a good Oklahoma team only to turn around and lose to Kansas State and give up 47 points. This should be a great game; if the right side of each team shows up.

The Mind says: Roll Tide Roll, Alabama over Colorado

Week 17 Picks

2007-12-27T16:24:00.000-05:00

This is the final week of the regular season in the NFL and it looks like a strong finish for the league. The Patriots go for a successful 16-0 season. Only the Giants stand in the way of Tom Brady and New England and at the rate they are going, they may just eclipse the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The New York Giants and tattered and torn, and need to relax and let their starters rest. The have a chance to win if they play everyone and keep it close, however as soon as the Pats break-a-way, like they will, the Giants need to rest the starters and let the bench play and gain some confidence. This is the best way for Tom Coughlin to prepare his troops for their post-season run.
Here are my latest picks:

Saturday:
New England over New York

Sunday:
Buffalo over Philadelphia
Cincinnati over Miami
Carolina over Tampa Bay
New Orleans over Chicago
Jacksonville over Houston
Seattle over Atlanta
Green Bay over Detroit
Cleveland over San Francisco
Minnesota over Denver
Dallas over Washington
Pittsburgh over Baltimore
San Diego over Oakland
Arizona over St. Louis
New York over Kansas City
Indianapolis over Tennessee

The Mind’s Record:
Last week:12-4
Overall:154-86

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2007-12-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

The BCS has its controversary, but one thing can be said for the Bowl Championship Series: you can't get enough! Even if every team in the country was granted a bowl game you wouldn't be able to get enough college football. The BCS has helped us get our fix though. The Next few weeks looked to be filled with solid, hard hitting, action packed games. I have my thoughts about each game and the overall outcome of the Championship Series, so lets take a look at the upcoming games for the 27th and 28th.

December 27th, 2007

No. 11 Arizona v. No. 19 Texas
The Longhorns have been here before. Three times in fact; just before Vince Young carried Texas into national contention. Count on the Longhorns using Jamaal Charles for much of their offense. This is nothing new considering he has been the only thing consistent for Texas since Colt McCoy has given the ball up 18 times. Texas’ defense has not been impressive either. Arizona and Rudy Carpenter hope the defense will give them the same 275.5 passing yards that the Longhorns have given everyone else.

The Mind says: Texas wins despite being inconsistent with passing and will overcome the 250 yards of passing its defense will give up.

December 28, 2007

No. 14 Boston College v. Michigan State
Matt Ryan, of Boston College, is the top quarterback in the ACC and is a little heated about this game. The Eagle’s were snubbed from the Orange Bowl this year and as a consolation they were given this game. The Spartans will come out swinging, but the momentum of playing in their first bowl game since 2003 will not be enough to stop Boston College.

The Mind says: Boston College routs Michigan

Houston v. TCU
I don’t really know where to begin with this game. The Texas bowl is nothing other than one last home game for Houston. The Cougars are 8-4 overall and 5-1 at home. The Horned Frogs are 1-4 on the road and shouldn’t even be in a bowl game this year. All TCU has going for them here will be the fact that Houston is playing without Coach Art Biles, who is heading to Baylor.

The Mind says: Houston over TCU in a close game.

Oregon State v. Maryland
Maryland has yet to be consistent this year. A 6-6 finish, which saw the Terps topple two top ten teams, is not what they had hoped for. The Beaver remain close to home for this game and bring with them more rushing yards, more total yards, and more points per game than Maryland. Based on the numbers and outcomes of big games The Terrapins present a strong chance to steal a W here.

The Mind says: Terps bring the heat and finish off the Beavers in a nail-biter.

Week 16 Picks

2007-12-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

When the Miami Dolphins beat the Baltimore Ravens this past weekend, I should have known that my entire list of picks would go crazy. The Panthers pulled a win out of their hats, and now people want to give them a chance against Romo's thumb and the Dallas Cowboys. Whats even worse than that; some writers think the Dolphins can beat New England this week. Lets take a look at the action:

Thursday:

Pittsburgh over St. Louis

Saturday:

Dallas over Carolina

Sunday:

New York over Buffalo

Green Bay over Chicago

Cleveland over Cincinnati
Detroit over Kansas City

Indiannapolis over Houston

New Orleans over Philadelphia

Jacksonville over Oakland
Arizona over Atlanta

Tampa Bay over San Francisco

Tennessee over New York

New England over Miami

Seattle over Baltimore

Washington over Minnesota

Monday:

San Diego over Denver

The Mind's Record:

9-7 Last Week

142-82 Overall

Steroids in Baseball: The Mitchell Report

2007-12-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

There were a variety of reactions from the Mitchell report, and they ranged from every end of the spectrum. Here are some of the reactions and my thoughts~

“If there were problems, I wanted them revealed. If there were individuals who engaged in wrongdoing, I wanted those facts to come to light. If there were recommendations that would improve our drug testing program, I wanted to hear them. The report is a call to action. And I will act.” Bud Selig
I don’t think you will act. I think your call to action was Canseco’s book. You have known about the drugs, the players and the program’s failures. You have yet to take action, why is this going to be any different. We need a new commissioner, you need a new job. You will hear from me soon.

“What struck me was Selig’s inability to say, ‘Yes, I’m to be blamed as well.’ I think it would go a long way with fans if he admitted blame” Steve Phillips, ESPN
I agree and disagree. I think he is to blame and he needs to come clean with that. All of baseball is too blame. I do not think it will go a long way with fans. We don’t like hm and never have. He needs a new job.

“Talk to my lawyer” Kirk Radomski
Well I hope you have a good one Kirk. You violated federal laws and baseball policy. You now face a trial and possible jail time. Maybe you should use some of your own product and then you can bend back the bars and escape the 6x5 cell you will be in soon.

“I have never disrespected, nor cheated the game of baseball and knew without a doubt that my name would not be mentioned in the official investigation. I would like to express how upset and disappointed I am over the reckless reporting that took place this morning. It has caused me and my family a lot of senseless aggravation due to their inaccurate information.” Albert Pujols (Albert Pujols was not in the report)
Mr. Pujols I would like you to know that I apologize for the idiots that accused you of steroid use. No one who is of high quality and caliber report should have implicated that you were in the report and no one who read the report should have said you were involved. I am glad you are innocent and sorry anyone said otherwise.

“Certainly, a lack of leadership and oversight in MLB enabled these abuses to continue. After 15 years of slow action, a new commissioner is needed to guide the league out of this era of drug abuse.” Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FLA)
Finally, I am not the only one crying for new leadership in Major League Baseball.

“…come to the table seriously and not continue to drag their feet and delay serious action…” John McCain
I think as a senator he would have a chance to do more for this issue, however I am glad a presidential candidate is thinking about this. Whether its sports or not, steroids must be taken seriously on all levels.

Sounding Off

2007-12-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

This week, Wednesday being the main day, has been filled with a lot of athletes shouting off at the mouth. Most athletes are intelligent men, but that still doesn’t give you the right to open your mouth and comment about everything. This week three topics have come to my attention and four players have made my list of Sound Offs.

John Smoltz is an incredible pitcher, and a very smart man. Smoltz has not been a very public speaker on the steroid issue, but has had a few comments make the press. His latest statement is in regards to Roger Clemens. Smoltz stated that if he were roger Clemens he would do everything in his power to prove his innocence. He would sue; take a lie detector test; whatever it took. If it was in anyway no where near the truth, he would prove his innocence.

I have to say that I like John Smoltz and can’t wait to see him and Glavine back together on a team. As smart as he is I look forward to the day he begins to coach. However, despite my love for the right-hander, I wish he would shut up. Smoltz said “if I was Clemens…” Well Smoltz, YOU ARE NOT. I know that as a fellow pitcher you want to know if his stats are legitimate, but here is where you are wrong. Clemens is doing the right thing here. The last people to open their mouths and claim innocence were caught lying. Both Canseco and Bonds swore they were not doing steroids and both have been proven guilty.

Clemens is keeping quiet. He is not glorifying the report and bringing attention to himself. He is simply living his life, letting anyone who wants to talk trash do so without a reaction and he is not letting himself be lowered to that level. In the United States you are innocent until proven otherwise, there is no proof and so I must believe Roger is brushing the stabs at his personality off and moving on. Roger Clemens is being the bigger man.

Curt Schilling is another ball player popping off when he shouldn’t be. And what is makes it worse, is that he is doing so online. Curt Schilling isn’t speaking out. He is writing on his blog. He is not even willing to say “Roger, we need to hear you fight this steroid claim.”

Now I know I sit here and write my blog about sports, much like Schilling, and you can say that I am not man enough to speak out. I repute that with the simple fact that I do not have a voice in the media. I am not a famous baseball player and I cannot be heard nationally like Schilling or Smoltz (who by the way used his voice and the media). Until my blog is a national hit, I cannot do anything but write. As for Curt, he needs to speak with Clemens one on one.

My reaction to the words written on the site 38 Pitches are as follows: see above reaction to John Smoltz. You are men who work together and are a part of the brotherhood that is baseball, I know about the brotherhood, I played minor league ball; use that. He is your partner and your enemy, speak to him. The two of you can handle this and settle things man to man and out of the public’s eyes. If he won’t speak to you then you can assume he is hiding and is guilty. As for now, you haven’t even given him a chance.
For those of you who do not read 38Pitches, I will be sending this link to Curt Schilling. I do not want him to think that I am not a fan, I love the bloody sock and I have followed him since I was old enough to watch baseball. It is just this issue in which I disagree. I want to be respectful and allow him the chance to dispute the things I have said. As a journalist and fan I must extend any courtesy possible to another fan and journalist.

T.O. has made his voice heard this week, speaking out about Jessica Simpsin and Tony Romo. I loved it! Terrell Owens is at home for the first time in his career. He has a great friend in Tony Romo and he is being successful and keeping his mouth shut. Now this week he did have a comment, but it was in good fun. It was not T.O. that made this into a problem, nor was it Tony or Jessica. The media screwed this up and reported its information incorrectly. Because of the media Owens has apologized to all parties and is trying to move forward. He like any other player knows that I girlfriend in the stands is in no way a distraction, especially if you have reached the professional level. I am sounding off to the media: Leave the man alone. He is finally acting the way we have always asked him to. Keep it up T.O.

Jason Papelbon spoke up this week about his ball eating dog. I don’t believe this story to be true in any meaning of the word. Papelbon is being selfish and he came up with a story to get media and baseball to leave him alone and allow him to keep the ball.

I don’t blame him. I mean, I would do everything I could do to keep the World Series winning ball. I mean it’s not like the Hall of Fame doesn’t have enough memorabilia. Papelbon even gave the shrine that is Cooperstown his glove. It’s an even trade.

Part of what makes this story unbelievable is the fact that his story has two different endings. One ending claims he threw the remains of the eaten ball in the trash. The other claims that he will keep the remains as his World Series reminder. This doesn’t help us believe the story, especially when it is already outlandish to think anyone with a World Series ball would keep it where his dog could get it. I like the creativity in the story and I agree with keeping the ball, but Jason, if you want us to leave you alone give us a normal story.

Steroids in Baseball: The Mitchell Report

2007-12-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

George Mitchell, United States Senator, released a report on Major League Baseball’s steroid problem earlier this week. Mitchell’s report was 409 pages long and contained over 80 players and MLB members names.

While the report shined a little bit of light on the subject, it basically told the world what we already knew. There were a few surprises, one or two new names, but there were also a lot of holes in the report. Baseball greats, among other, have spoken out against the report. Mitchell held interviews and gathered data, but nonetheless didn’t provide us with legitimate evidence to make some of his claims. I do not know if he withheld some information or if he jumped to conclusions, but after reading 409 pages of bashing my sport I don’t agree with a lot of what he had to say.

Mitchell’s report ranged from dealers to players, managers and trainers. Some players were even said to have been prescribed these illegal “juices”. Right or wrong I would never think to question whether or not my doctor was giving me something illegal, and if he had, well suck it up, throw away the stats from that period and test me weekly as I continue to play.

I, like most fans, like a lot of the players named. I supported them and I cheered them, whether they played for my team or not. I will say that I cannot argue with some of the evidence and am therefore disappointed and outraged. I would walk across hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball, and these cowards had the nerve to cheat and blacken baseball. And why? Not because they love the game, but because they couldn’t stop making multi million dollar contracts. Granted money means a lot, and when you have a lot it would be hard to lose that paycheck, but it is illegal in baseball and the United States, and you can invest and save the money you have now. No matter what, there is no reason for this.

BALCO
During the investigation leading up to his report, Mitchell met with players implicated in the BALCO case. BALCO said that they had dealt with several big name sports athletes and 9 of them were major leaguers. These nine included Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Gary Sheffield.

Harvey Shields provided the information against Bonds. Shields was Bonds’ personal trainer from 2000 to 2004 and then from 2004 to 2006 when he worked for the Giants. Shields stated that Greg Anderson provided Bonds with a cream for his elbow, and with a clear liquid. Shields told reporters that Bonds had taken the liquid more than once and had administered it by placing drops under his tongue. Barry Bonds is under indictment for lying to a federal grand jury about his part in BALCO and his use of steriods.

Jason Giambi was named in the BALCO case, but until he had already come clean with his substance abuse. Giambi publicly announced that he had taken 1cc of Deca-Durabolin each week in the 2001 season. He administered the drug to himself in the privacy of his home. In 2002 he continued to take the drug, however he admitted his use and sought help for an addiction. Over the course of 3 seasons we watched Giambi grow and shrink. He never looked as though he was on steroids, but by looking back on those few years you can see the evidence now that you know to look for it. Jason is continuing his career and despite my hate of cheaters and steroids, he has my respect and I know he will be around for awhile.

Purchase and Use of Performance Enhancing Substances

It is in this section of the report that I take the most offense, not at the players, but at Mitchell. Maybe Mitchell doesn’t deserve it, but his sources do. I cannot tell a man not to write what he was told, but I wish he had been more careful in what he listened to.

According to the report Mitchell met with former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee who report use of steroids by four well known Yankees, all teammates during the 2000 World Series sweep. Roger Clemens, Chuck Knoblauch, Andy Pettitte, and David Justice were all named by McNamee.

McNamee stated that Roger Clemens approached McNamee and asked him for help. He said that Clemens could not inject himself with Winstrol. Clemens supplied the products and it was clear that the vials contained Winstrol because they were clearly labeled. Each injection was done in Clemens apartment at the Sky Dome.

McNamee also said he traveled to Florida were he helped Andy Pettitte go through rehabilitation. Pettitte was allegedly injecting himself with Human Growth Hormone that McNamee was getting from Kirk Radomski. McNamee said he purchased the product 2 to 4 different times.

Chuck Knoblauch was apparently being provided HGH from Radomski through Brian McNamee. He is alledged to have used the steroid 7 to 9 times.

Also mentioned in the report was David Justice. Justice apparently got involved after the World Series. He allegedly purchased the HGH kits by checks that were cashed by Radomski. No one other than Radomski implicated David Justice bought the drugs and no one, including Radomski, stated that Justice ever took performance enhancers.
My reaction:
These allocations are rubbish. I can not find were the evidence is solid enough to stick to any of these stories.

Roger Clemens is a big man, he is also a strong, talented guy. It does not mean he took steroids. My cousin is 6’6” and over 300 pounds, he is currently playing football at Purdue and has never taken steroids, Clemens played football before becoming a pitcher. Besides the normalness of his un-normal size, Clemens is said to have clearly labeled his vials. I do not know of anyone stupid enough to buy an illegal substance and label it. You never know he could see it and with a label even a child could turn you in for it. Chuck Knoblauch has never been a big guy and from the time he entered the MLB to the time he left, he never grew. There were slight changes in his appearances from time to time; everyone goes through it, but there were never any signs of a growth hormone.

Why would Justice only buy the drugs? And if he bought them wouldn’t he run out? So why didn’t he re-order?

Another hole in Radomski’s story is that these guys are all teammates. All winning a World Series together. There is no way that someone in the organization could not have known about this. It is too wide spread to be hidden. And on top of that no one in there right mind would ever ask a team employee to help with something illegal. Sometimes one guy might be brave enough, or maybe a trainer might recommend it with the hope of guessing which guys would accept it, but never would four men all ask the same guy to help them with the same product, from the same dealer. They would have had to talk to one another and that doesn’t happen either. Talking leads to other finding out which equals trouble. We know that players don’t talk about it because of Curt Schillings remarks, if you talk you are hiding and therefore Schilling would know who was doping.
“I can say with a clear conscience, to this day I have never seen anyone inject or ingest HGH, or steroids. Do I think I know former teammates that may have been? Sure I do. Can I tell you with no uncertainty who that was? No.”

Also Radomski is too vaguely specific. Radomski is spefic with numbers like 2, 4, 7 or 9. this leads you to believe he kows when and how often. Yet he is vague; saying 2 to 4 times, or 7 to 9 times. This is a range, showing you he is unsure and does not no what he is talking about. Anyone who is not sure would have stated about 5 time, or about 10 times. His choice words are misleading, which shows lying or hiding. Whatever it is, he didn’t give us the truth.

Despite all of my thoughts, or Radomski’s claims, there is no proof of checks, vials, needles, or phone calls. Radomski has worked with athletes, he has worked with MLB stars, but he had not worked with everyone he claims.

Bowl Season 2007-2008

2007-12-18T15:24:00.000-05:00

This week I get back into college football. The first round of bowl games begins December 20th and continues through the 23rd. Over the course of these four days there are six national bowl games.

The first game is at 9:00 on ESPN and is between the number one offense of the US Naval Academy and the top scoring defense of the Mountain West representatives, Utah. The Utes have won all of the last six bowl games they have been in. However to win they will have to stop a team that rarely turns the ball over. The Utes may have help with the Navy team still recovery from the loss of their coach, Paul Johnson, now at Georgia Tech.

The Mind says: Navy over Utah

Game 2: Friday December 21st 8:00 Florida Atlantic v. Memphis
In a six year period coach Howard Schnellenberger has brought the Owls to a place no on imagined. This year the Owls won a share of the Sun Belt title and must now face Memphis. Memphis lost 4 of its first 6 and then was hit hard by the shooting death of Taylor Bradford. The Tigers gave their season to Bradford and in his honor worked their way to a 7-5 season and a bowl game.

The Mind says: Owls soar over Tigers

Game 3: Saturday December 22nd 1:00 Cincinnati v. Southern Mississippi
Cincinnati is waiting for when Coach Brian Kelly gets a big coach, every school has him on their list. You know he’s good, I know he’s good, so its no surprise his team is good. Southern Miss is looking for their next coach after upsetting alumni and booting Jeff Bower. No contest in this one.

The Mind says: Cincinnati over Southern Mississippi

Game 4: Saturday December 22nd 4:30 New Mexico v. Nevada
This season the Lobos went 5-1 at home and should make it 6-2 after this game is over. This game will probably be decided by the automatic John Sullivan, kicker- New Mexico.
Look for a three point margin.

The Mind says: New Mexico over Nevada

Game 5: Saturday December 22nd 8:00 Brigham Young v. UCLA
UCLA topple BYU during week two of the season, however Brigham-Young return to the field and ended the season with a 9 game win streak. Despite UCLA’s excellent quarterback, Max Hall, and a defense that has yet to allow a 100 yard rushing game, expect BYU to have learned from their loss in week two and to follow the momentum they have been riding on for the last 9 weeks.

The Mind says: BYU over UCLA

Game 6: Sunday December 23rd Boise State v. East Carolina
Greenville is a long way from Honolulu, but the boys from East Carolina have earned a trip and made it to the bowl safely. Boise State lost to Hawaii early in the season in Honolulu but will return with a power offense. ECU only lost to two ranked teams this season and it looks like another one may be on the way.

The Mind says: Boise over ECU

Steroids in Baseball: The Mitchell Report

2007-12-17T21:52:00.000-05:00

This will be the first of several articles I write about the Mitchell report. Hopefully these articles will be my most passionate and best written pieces. As an ex-baseball player and coach, I am outraged at several items within the report. Some of these include players who have let the sport and fans down, players who have lied and tried to throw teammates under the bus, hall of fame voter comments, and Mitchell himself. In Mitchell’s defense he reported what he was told, however based on little evidence Mitchell should not have jumped to some of the conclusions he made.

Before I write my next article I want to briefly outline the report.

George Mitchell submitted the report on Thursday and it was a well written 409 page document. Within the report Mitchell implemented 86 players who he believed took steroids, HGH, or other illegal performance enhancers. Of the 86, 33 of them played baseball during the 2007 season. The breakdown of the 86 players is as follows:
Hitters: 54
Pitchers: 31
All-Stars: 31
Total All-Star Appearances: 109
World Series Titles: 34
Cy Youngs: 8, but to be fair 7 were Roger Clemens’
Rookie of the year: 4
Total Homeruns: 7477
40+ Homerun Seasons: 29
50+ Homerun Seasons: 1
HR Titles Won: 6
Pitcher Wins: 1803
Strikeouts: 22188
20+ Win Seasons: 10
220+ Career HR: 14
Yankees from 2000 WS Championship: 9

As you can see the report no doubt showed us what we already knew: baseball has a steroid problem. We knew the pitchers were stronger, we knew the hitters reached greater heights, and we knew that Canseco and Bonds were guilty- both were mention over 100 times. What we didn’t know was that Clemens might be involved, that a skinny David Justice would be implicated, that Chuck Knoblauch was shooting juice (shouldn’t he have been better then?), that Hall of Fame voters do not see steroids as cheating, or that the reason Rafael Palmiero supported Viagra was because the steroids affected, well you know.

Over the next few days I will be posted several articles on this matter and will address quotes made by all different types of members affected, as well as provide an appropriate action that should be taken against some of the members.

Week 15 picks

2007-12-16T19:04:00.000-05:00

I don’t know how I feel about a Saturday NFL game but here are this weeks picks:

Thursday
Houston over Denver

Saturday
Cincinnati over San Francisco

Sunday
Jacksonville over Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay over Atlanta
Seattle over Carolina
Green Bay over St. Louis
Baltimore over Miami
New England over New York
Arizona over New Orleans
Cleveland over Buffalo
Tennessee over Kansas City
Indianapolis over Oakland
Detroit over San Diego
Dallas over Philadelphia
New York over Washington

Monday
Minnesota over Chicago

Record
11-5 last week
133-75 overall

Week 13 and 14 Picks

2007-12-06T19:03:00.000-05:00

In week twelve I correctly picked 12 of 16 games. Week 13 was just as good of a week for me. The following are my picks and the results. The team listed first is my pick and the highlighted team is the actual result.

Thursday
Dallas over Green Bay (if everyone on each team is healthy, 3 points will decide this one)

Sunday
San Diego over Kansas City
Houston over Tennessee
Indianapolis over Jacksonville
Washington over Buffalo
Carolina over San Francisco (it's a long shot but i think the Panthers turn in a playoff run)
Minnesota over Detroit
New York Jets over Miami
St. Louis over Atlanta
Seattle over Philadelphia
Arizona over Cleveland
Oakland over Denver
Chicago over New York Giants
New Orleans over Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati

Monday
New England over Baltimore

This week I hope to carry my momentum a little further and finish out the season with at least 12 games predicted correctly. I would love to end the next three weeks at 100% but with all the intangibles that is not an achievable goal.

Thursday
Washington over Chicago

Sunday
Carolina over Jacksonville
New York Giants over Philadelphia
Cincinnati over St. Louis
Tampa Bay over Houston
Buffalo over Miami
Green Bay over Oakland
Dallas over Detroit
Tennessee over San Diego
Minnesota over San Francisco
Seattle over Arizona
Cleveland over New York Jets
New England over Pittsburgh
Kansas City over Denver
Baltimore over Indianapolis

Monday
New Orleans over Atlanta

Record
24-8 last two weeks
122-70 overall

Controversy

2007-11-28T19:26:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I am going to look into NCAA basketball and write a review on the current stats and standings. For now check out the controversy I have started on ESPN.COM.

Brought to you by
THE MIND
Enjoy some 'o7 Highlights

Week 12 Picks

2007-11-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

In week 11 I predicted 12 of the 16 games correctly. Week 12 should go just as smoothly. Here is how it looks-

Thursday- Thanksgiving:
Green Bay over Detroit
Indianapolis over Atlanta
Dallas over New York Jets

Sunday:
Cinncinatti over Tennessee
Houston over Cleveland
Kansas City over Oakland
Seattle over St. Louis
New York Giants over Minnesota
Tampa Bay over Washington
New Orleans over Carolina
Jacksonville over Buffalo
San Francisco over Arizona
Chicago over Denver
San Diego over Baltimore
New England over Philadelphia

Monday:
Miami over Pittsburgh

The Mind's Record:
12-4 last week
98-62 overall

Week 11 Picks

2007-11-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Week 10 I went 8-6. Here is a look at my picks for week 11.

Sunday:
Tampa Bay over Atlanta
Arizona over Cincinnati
New York Giants over Detroit
Carolina over Green Bay
Indianapolis over Kansas City
Minnesota over Oakland
Philadelphia over Miami
Jacksonville over San Diego
Baltimore over Cleveland
Houston over New Orleans
Pittsburgh over New York Jets
Dallas over Washington
San Francisco over St. Louis
Seattle over Chicago
New England over Buffalo

Monday:
Denver over Buffalo

The Mind's Record:
8-6 last week
86-58 overall

Catching Up

2007-11-23T11:39:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks I have been exetremely busy. Work and life tend to come before a blog whenever there is a conflict of time. However it is time to fix this. Starting tomorrow I will update all of my NFL picks and post my record. I will discuss Alex Rodriguez and his value. We will take some time to catch up on Purdue and the closing of the NCAA Football season. Glavine returned home, and maybe just in time; we'll look at the moves made by Atlanta Braves. Through all of this I have missed the start of NCAA Basketball season. That isn't allowed where I am from. You cant live on Tobacco road and not pay attention to Basketball in November.

So there you have it; at least five new article coming up this week. Again I am sorry to have neglected my readers for a few weeks but I hope you will return once again.

Happy Thanksgiving!
The Mind

Week 10 Picks

2007-11-11T12:37:00.000-05:00

This past week i have been hosting my in-laws and have yet to get around to posting the articles I wanted to. Quickly before the first round of games begins at 1 I am going to post my picks for this week's NFL games. Tomorrow I am going to add an article on the NCAA Basketball Season. I am going to do a quick preview of the current number 1 team: UNC Tarheels.

Last week I was 9-5 in my picks. There were a few teams that showed up and brought alittle something new to their games. I was impressed with the way the scheduled played last week and was glad to see some teams win despite the fact that I picked against them.

This Week's Picks:

Sunday
Green Bay over Minnesota
Jacksonville over Tennessee
Kansas City over Denver
Buffalo over Miami
New Orleans over St. Louis
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Washington over Philadelphia
Carolina over Atlanta (Carolina beat Atlanta in Atlanta-who is 0-3 away, so despite the 0-3 home record Carolina hangs on in this match up)
Baltimore over Cincinnati
Chicago over Oakland
Dallas over the Giants (again)
Detroit over Arizona
Indianapolis over San Diego

Monday
Seattle over San Francisco

The Mind's Record
9-5 Last week
78-52 Overall

Week 9 Picks

2007-11-04T14:03:00.000-05:00

Last week I went 10-3. This week I hope to build on that momentum. First I would like to talk about Superbowl XLI 1/2. The outcome seems to be an easy guess, Patriots over Colts, however the rankings are wrong going into this week. The Colts deserve to be #1 not #2. The Colts won the Superbowl last year and are undefeated since then. If you are the number one team at the start of the season and you have yet to lose, you are obviously still number one. Not to mention the Colts schedule has been stronger than the Patriots. The Patriots haven't played a tough group of teams this year. The Colts however are playing playoff contenders each week. Not until around 8:00 tonight will the Pats prove that they are better than the colts and only then should they be the #1 team in the NFL.

This Weeks Picks:
Sunday:
San Francisco over Atlanta
Buffalo over Cincinnati
Detroit over Denver
Carolina over Tennessee
Green Bay over Kansas City
San Diego over Minnesota
Jacksonville over New Orleans
New York Jets over Washington
Tampa Bay over Arizona
Cleveland over Seattle
New England over Indianapolis
Houston over Oakland
Dallas over Philadelphia

Monday:
Pittsburgh over Baltimore

The Mind's Record:
Last Week: 10-3
Overall: 69-47

Week 8 Picks

2007-10-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

Last week there were a few mini upsets. Teams that were on the bubble and needed wins ended up beating teams that were expected to win. I went 7-7 last week and was a victim of these small upsets.
This week is an interesting week for football. Eli Manning and the New York Giants head to London to play in the first ever European NFL game. The Miami Dolphins travel to London as well, but we can expect the same outcome as if they were playing in the States. NYG will slaughter the Dolphins. Its a good move, going to London, however the teams should be of a Patriots-Colts caliber. Why send a crummy team overseas to represent American Football? Lets show the British why we love the sport so much, not give them a pity match.

Anyway here are my picks for this week:

Sunday:
Chicago over Detroit
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati
Tennessee over Oakland
Cleveland over St. Louis
New York Giants over Miami
Minnesota over Philadelphia
Indianapolis over Carolina (however as a fan I think Carolina wins it)
Buffalo over New York Jets
San Diego over Houston
Tampa Bay over Jacksonville
New England over Washington
New Orleans over San Fransisco

Monday:
Green Bay over Denver

The Mind's Record:
Last week- 7-7
Overall- 59-44

Say Goodbye to the BCS

2007-10-24T20:45:00.000-04:00

In 2004 the BCS ended in controversy when the coaches poll ranked Oklahoma number 1 and awarded them the National title. However LSU won the BCS title game and was awarded the National title. For the first time in history the college football world had a tie for the best team in the country. Ever since people have tried to do away with the BCS and are looking for a new way earn the national title.

Here’s the solution, oh and the 1-A sub championship teams use a similar method:
Playoffs! There are currently 12 conferences in the country and so your first round will consist of 12 conference champions and 4 at large teams. These conference champions currently consist of teams such as Boston College, Ohio State, LSU, Hawaii, Arizona State, and Oklahoma. All of these teams deserve a chance to show the world that there are as good as Ohio State and that they could beat them if given the chance. Hawaii, because of conference and schedule commitments, has yet to play anyone tough this year and they will continue to play lower caliber teams. Yet who is to say that undefeated Hawaii couldn’t keep with Ohio State or LSU? And after all the loses highly ranked teams have suffered this year, don’t you think someone deserves a chance to out do the number one team in the country?

Here’s how it would work. The last week of the season would end, and the following Monday the final poll of the season would come out. The teams would also be ranked in the conferences. The top team in each of the 12 conference would automatically make the playoffs. After taking those 12 teams out of the national rankings you would then add the next 4 highest ranked teams into the 4 at large bids. Based on the current national polls and the conference standings this is how the bracket would look:

The playoffs would take place the Saturday following the last week of the regular schedule and would run for a period of 5 straight weeks. A few critics of this system argue that the players who are eligible for the NFL draft couldn’t declare because they would still be in season. This is not a problem because the baseball playoffs run even longer than five weeks and players who are competing in the College World Series have often already been drafted by a MLB team. Football can work the exact same way.

So my question is why not? The draft isn’t affected and the season becomes more interested, and for once we will have a true National Champion!

World Series 2007!

2007-10-24T18:35:00.000-04:00

This years World Series looks to be as good as any of the others. While the Rockies are not the Yankees, they have recently played like the Yankees of old. Over the last 21 games the Rockies have gone 20-1. However, the Boston Redsox began to beat teams that play Yankees’ caliber ball, starting in 2004. That fall the Redsox beat the Yankees and reached the World Series for the first time since trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

While the Rockies have looked like they are Yankee-esq, they are far from being the team to dethrone the Redsox this year. The AL won the all-star game in July and thus Boston will have the home field advantage for this series. For the first two games, and, based on my upcoming prediction, the 6th game of the series, Colorado will have to deal with using a DH. This may not seem like a deal, however the BoSox stack their lineup with not only a heavy hitting group of fielders, but also with a powerhouse that hits only. David Ortiz focuses solely on hitting, while no matter whom the Rockies add to replace their pitcher in the lineup, no one on the Rockies is a hitter all the time. Not to mention the fact that the players available to the Colorado manager are bench warmers, people who can not play the field, much less are not hitting everyday. Without the bats you cant score runs, the Rockies just don’t have the bats for this match up.

The Boston Redsox have been here before. The Colorado Rockies, well, not in a long time! That isn’t everything; however the lack of experience is a problem. How can you have a leader step up and rally your team when you get down if he hasn’t seen these situations before? When you end up heading for your home field down in the series 0-2, who will step to the plate and say “I have been here before and this is how we have to handle the situation”? The answer- No One! The Rockies do not have the experience needed to pull on their past games and situations.

These two items can not be measured in stats, and that’s a good thing. It’s what you can’t measure that wins you ball games. The stats tend to favor one team over the other, but at this point the stats you have had to put up to earn a chance to play in the world series, are so even with your opponent, that you can rely on them at all. Not to mention this is baseball, comparing stats doesn’t work. The wrong guy can have a good game; the right pitcher can have a tingle that throws off his arm. The slightest change in the game shifts momentum like in no other sport. Based on intangibles the BoSox win their second title in three years.

The Mind’s Pick:
Boston has a 67% chance of beating Colorado for the World Series Title. Here’s how they do it~

Boston wins first two at home
Colorado wins two at home and loses the third
Boston wins game six at home and takes the series 4-2

Boston over Colorado (4-2)

Week 7 Picks

2007-10-20T00:27:00.000-04:00

Last week I went 8-5 and increased my overall record to 52-37. My biggest upset was picking Dallas over New England. This week looks to be a pretty easy week. All the records and statistics point to clear winners and all the methods of simulating games, are in agreement with the experts choices. The closest game this week is going to be Tennessee at Houston.

Sunday:
Houston over Tennessee
Tampa Bay over Detroit
New Orleans over Atlanta
(While out of the playoffs, New Orleans is in great shape to salvage the season)
Baltimore over Buffalo
New York Giants over San Francisco
Washington over Arizona
(Both are coming off losses and the Redskins look to compete for a spot in the playoffs this year. In order to make a case for a NFC bid they need to win this game and improve to 4-2. I give Washington a 75% chance in this game.)
New England over Miami
Oakland over Kansas City
Cincinnati over New York Jets
Dallas over Minnesota
Philadelphia over Chicago
St. Louis over Seattle
Pittsburgh over Denver

Monday:
This week I picked against the national consensus and I am going with the slight underdog. I think Peyton Manning is too good for the defense of Jacksonville.
Indianapolis over Jacksonville

The Mind’s Record:
8-5 Last week
52-37 Overall

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football James Shepherd

2007-10-19T11:16:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot going on, over the past two weeks, for Purdue Football. Two weeks ago they were handed their first loss by, the now #1, Ohio State Buckeyes. The Boilermakers then gave up their second lost to Michigan. Unfortunately, after a quick visit to the top 25, Purdue will remain unranked for the remainder of the season, and most likely be left out of all the bowl games. Despite these set backs the Boilermakers are back in business and will again show us what we saw in the first few games.

This week Purdue hosts Iowa. The Hawkeyes come to West Lafayette with a record of 3-4 and 1-3 on the road. Iowa is also only 1-3 in conference play. Purdue is 5-2 and 3-1 at home.

Curtis Painter has a completion rate of 63.2 and has thrown for 1923 yards and 19 touchdowns. His nemesis the week is Jake Christensen, who has thrown for a completion percentage of 55.8 and 1334 yards with 11 touchdowns.

Purdue also leads Iowa in Total average yards (444.1 to 336.3), passing yards (avg. 305.1 to 214.7), average rushing yards (139.0 to 121.6) and points scored (36.4 to 16.3)

The Mind’s Pick for this week:
Purdue over Iowa

Coming Saturday:
NFL Week 7 picks

Sunday’s thoughts:
NCAAFB Playoffs- Say goodbye BCS!

Also in the works:
MLBWS predictions
Steroids in Texas High School Football

Week 6 Picks

2007-10-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

Sunday:
Cincinnati over Kansas City
Jacksonville over Houston
Cleveland over Miami
Washington over Green Bay
Baltimore over St. Louis
Chicago over Minnesota
Philadelphia over New York Jets
Tampa Bay over Tennessee
Carolina over Arizona (with either David Carr or Vinny Testaverde)
Dallas over New England
Tony Romo leads the #1 offense in football against the #2 defense. Dallas has the home field advantage. Both teams are undefeated, and we all no what happened to the undefeated Colts last year in Dallas; they left with a loss. This is the best game of the year and will be the game of the year. We are only in week 6! The only thing better would be if Dallas met New England in the Super Bowl.

San Diego over Oakland
Seattle over New Orleans

Monday:
New York Giants over Atlanta

The Mind’s record:
Last Week: 10-4
Overall: 44-32

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football with James Shepherd

2007-10-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

As much as I can say about last week’s game, I will hold my tongue. Purdue played their game, at their pace, and once again routed their competition. I will say no more on that topic; Notre Dame deserves a break from the criticism.

This week’s game however will not be an easy one for the Boilermakers. I could predict an upset this week, and I think it is possible, but I will not be picking Purdue over Ohio State. This is sad for me.

Purdue has worked hard this year. They have won every game they were supposed to, and they have wiped the field with teams that should have had a chance to hand the Boilermakers a loss. Today Ohio State comes to town in hopes to remain undefeated and continue to argue for a spot in the BCS bowl game.

But wait, Purdue is undefeated as well. Purdue is in the top 25. Purdue is at home. Purdue is arguing for a chance to win a title. Purdue has an amazing Quarterback who is proving to be an NFL caliber player and can hang with the likes of Todd Boeckman. Not to mention the guys who catch and run the ball for Purdue. Dorien Bryant, Kory Sheets and Dustin Keller, to me are better players and better known players, than the guys at Ohio State. Maybe I am too biased, but I think Purdue has more talent. However Ohio State plays a better style of football, and can put a more fluid team on the field. Great talent doesn’t always equal a great team and a great team doesn’t always equal great talent.

Don’t get me wrong, Purdue has great talent and has made itself a really good team, but Ohio State is number 4 in the nation. Today is Purdue’s chance to prove that they are not just a good team but a great team.

This week look for the game to finally be a close one. There will be plenty of nail biting on both teams today. I think that Purdue can upset Ohio State, however I don’t think today is the day.

The Mind’s Pick:
It could go either way, and it will be close. Ohio State over Purdue.

Week 5 Pick's

2007-10-04T20:52:00.000-04:00

Last Weeks record: 5-9
Season Total: 34-28

This Weeks Pick’s
Sunday:
Houston over Miami
Kansas City over Jacksonville
New England over Cleveland
Carolina over New Orleans
NY Giants over NY Jets
Pittsburgh over Seattle
Arizona over St. Louis
Atlanta over Tennessee
Washington over Detroit
Indianapolis over Tampa Bay
Denver over San Diego
Baltimore over San Francisco
Green Bay over Chicago

Monday:
Dallas over Buffalo

This week's byes: Cincinnati, Minnesota, Oakland, Philadelphia

Michael Vick's Bonuses

2007-10-04T20:21:00.000-04:00

This Week Michael Vick and his lawyers are dealing with whether or not he owes the Atlanta Falcons his signing bonuses. The hearing started today and will continue into next week.

I don’t know why this hearing is scheduled for a week; it’s an easy fix. Pay back the same percentage of games you will be missing. If Vick has completed 60% of his contract then he owes the Falcons 40% of his signing bonuses. How is this hard? If you promise to sign a contract with guaranteed a period time you will stay with the team, and it’s your fault that you can’t complete your promised time; then you obviously owe that team the money they gave you for making that promise.

The real issue is what should the Falcons do with the money Vick pays back? That’s easy for me as well. The Falcons have done nothing wrong in the issue with Vick; however people and organizations will always view them as somewhat responsible. The Falcons need to take Vick’s bonuses and donate them to two different groups.

The first Group should be a national Pit-bull Rescue Organization. Breed specific rescue agencies are non profit groups and rely solely on donations from people and organizations. The second organization should be the USSPCA. The national SPCA works like a rescue group, only they focus on all animals, not just dogs, or specific breeds of animals. The Falcons can save their image and actually grow from the experience if they take the time to say “We, as an NFL team, should have monitored our players more. We know that what has happened cannot be reverse, but our front office, our staff, and our players would like to commit to helping stop this from happening in the future. Our first step is donating Michael Vick’s bonuses to these to agencies.” Vick is done, I believe he should never play again, but the Falcons will grow and become a great team once more. They have enough money, why don’t they put some where it is needed.

They Said It

2007-09-28T17:38:00.001-04:00

This week has been a vocal one for sports. Milton Bradley blamed his coach for his knee injury, a statement I disagree with. OSU's Mike Gundy blasted the media and spent his entire interview speaking up for his players! And then Hope Solo blasted Brianna Scurry and Coach Greg Ryan.

Hope Solo is correct in everything she said, however she should have left Brianna out of the sound bite. Brianna played her game and it wasn't enough. The person who chose to play Scurry, Coach Greg Ryan, is the person at fault. Listen in:

She's Right!

Milton Bradley is unprofessional and incorrect in his accusation of Bud Blacke, and needs to be disciplined for it. Listen to the piece and then view my previous article on the issue. Bud Black never threw his player on the ground. Bradley should have handled this within the locker room.

The best outburst of the year and the one that deserves the most attention is OSU's Mike Gundy. Mike pumped his team up like no other with what he has shown them this week. Watch out if you are a OSU opponent!

He is completely right and I am glad someone said it! Go Oklahoma!!!!

Week 3 Recap, Week 4 Picks

2007-09-28T17:24:00.000-04:00

Last week was a bad week for me. I made the following picks for NFL week 3 and got all of them wrong.

San Diego over Green Bay
Minnesota over Kansas City
Miami over NY Jets
Detroit over Philadelphia
St Louis over Tampa Bay
Denver over Jacksonville
Cleveland over Oakland
Washington over NY Giants
Chicago over Dallas
New Orleans over Tennessee

Green Bay; who would have thought they would be 3-0, not even Brett Favre saw that win coming.

Dallas’ Tony Romo has bounced back from the muffed field goal hold he had in the playoffs last year. This year he will not be a place holder and he is beginning to play with Brett Favre type numbers and experience.

New Orleans is done. Deuce McCallister and Reggie Bush are not putting up the numbers that they wanted, and now Deuce is out with an injury. After staring 0-3 this season they have to play Carolina in week 5. New Orleans will be atleast 0-4 before they can gain a win and at that point we should be prepared for a 7 loss season. Prediction: The Mind says no playoffs for the Saints.
The Minds record: 6-10 this week, 29-19 overall

Now for this week’s picks:
Sunday:
Houston over Atlanta
New York Jets over Buffalo
Baltimore over Cleveland
Dallas over St. Louis (Dallas will remain undefeated)
Chicago over Detroit
Miami over Oakland
Green Bay over Minnesota (Favre earns the record and GB is undefeated)
Carolina over Tampa Bay
Seattle over San Francisco
Pittsburgh over Arizona
Indianapolis over Denver
San Diego over Kansas City
Philadelphia over New York Giants

Monday:
New England over Cincinnati

Byes this week: New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, Tennessee

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football with James Shepherd

2007-09-27T22:27:00.000-04:00

Last week Purdue played Minnesota and improved to 4-0. I predicted that Purdue would beat Minnesota by 2. ESPN experts expressed opposite views when discussing this game, however the consensus was a close game. Purdue rose to the occasion and beat Minnesota 45-31. After yet again predicting a game and being shown up by the Boilermakers I decided this week to ask freshman James Shepherd to give me a short explanation of why the football team has had such success and provide us all with an inside view of the Boilermakers.
James Shepherd
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Crofton, Ky.
High School: Christian County
Height/6-6 Weight/ 309
Position: Offensive Tackle

The Mind: On paper Purdue v. Minnesota should have been a close game. However Purdue made sure it wasn’t. Like many others I predicted Purdue by two. What is it that we can’t quantify, and you can tell us about Purdue, that allows them to continue to drive everyone into the turf?

James: We have a lot of experience on both sides of the ball this year. We returned 18 starters from last year’s team and that always helps. But another big thing in football is turnovers. We take care of the ball for the most part and we have created a lot of turnovers with our defense this year.

The Mind: What superstitions do you and Purdue have that help prepare for a game?

James: I wouldn’t say that we have superstitions, but one thing Coach Tiller always tells us is that we can’t take any opponent lightly and we have to prepare the same way every week. Having a routine is a big part of preparation.

The Mind: On game day Saturday what is the basic routine?

James: We wake up and eat. Then we have our last position meetings before the game. We go over what we might see in the game and just take care of the final mental preparations. Then we go to the stadium and get ready for warm ups.

The Mind: I would like to talk about Painter a little. What is Painter’s attitude and work ethics like?

James: He’s a hard worker. He’s just one of those guys that just comes in everyday and does what’s expected of him. He’s definitely one of the leaders of this team and he leads by example.

The Mind: What was Painter’s reaction to tying Brees’ record? How did the locker room react?
James: I don’t think anyone really realized that it happened until after the fact but as soon as we did know everyone was happy because he is a good player and he deserves it.

The Mind: Who is the biggest trash talker in your looker room?

James: Well nobody talks trash on game day because we feel that that’s not how you play the game. But when were just hanging out in the locker room or at practice I think that Stanford Kegler and Dustin Keller are always vocal about something.

The Mind: You were heavily recruited by Kentucky, University of Tennessee, Wake Forest, Indiana, and Purdue- what made you choose the Boilermakers?

James: Great Education and the chance to play in the Big Ten. When I was making my decision I took football out of the equation and decided based on that. Then I added football and I just decided that Purdue offered me a lot of opportunities.

The Mind: As a freshman out of high school what has been the biggest change for you on the field?

James: You have to work hard every play. You are never good enough, even in practice, to just go half speed or use bad technique and expect to do well. You have to come in and work hard at a high tempo.

The Mind: Let’s look ahead at the end of this season. What do you see for Purdue this year? Can you give us a prediction for the final record? If you predict a loss, who hands it to you?

James: It’s hard to predict because it’s a long season and so many things can happen. We just want to take it one week at a time. Don’t overlook anyone. Our goal is to go to the Rose Bowl and its going to take a lot of hard work. I think that everyone on the team is working to achieve the lofty goal that we’ve set for ourselves.

The Mind: To avoid any bias I will remove Purdue from the mix, which two teams play for the BCS title this year and who wins?

James: It’s tough to say. There are a lot of really good teams out there. I think that a few different teams could end up there. USC is always good, so they could be there. Oklahoma’s offense looks pretty impressive this year so it wouldn’t surprise me if they made it. West Virginia looks really good this year on offense but I don’t know if their defense can hold up. LSU, though, has been the most impressive team to me overall. I mean their defense is great and they have some amazing athletes on the offensive side of the ball.

The Mind: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and please let Purdue know that I thank them for their cooperation. I would like to put it out for the readers that Purdue’s PR team has been incredible and has approved this interview. James, good luck this season and I look forward to talking with you again.

This week Purdue takes on Notre Dame at what will likely be the largest home crowd they have ever seen. I disagree 100% with ESPN’s Lee Corso’s comment on College GameDay last week. Lee stated ‘Notre Dame’s losing streak ends at Purdue’. Lee think about this: Notre Dame lost to the team who lost to Appalachian state!
The Mind’s Pick: Purdue over Notre Dame

League Makes The Right Decision

2007-09-26T19:27:00.000-04:00

In light of the most recent information released by Major League Baseball, I have to add my own editorial about yesterday’s article on Milton Bradley.

The league suspended Mike Winters, the umpire from the incident, today and let Milton Bradley know that what was said to him was inappropriate. This does not, however, solve the whole issue. At this point Milton Bradley is still wrong in arguing with the home plate umpire, not controlling his temper, and after the game blaming his coach for the knee injury.

The league has shown us that they will side for the players when the time is right, however, there must still be consequences for Bradley’s actions against his manager. The league can not be the governing body of these actions. The matter now falls into the Padres’ court. The league has let us know that what Bradley did to the umpire was not his fault. The actions he took against Bud Black are in house issues and it is time to address them like the Falcons addressed DeAngelo Hall. Bradley should be fined 50,000 and he should be suspended for one game.

While what Bradley did was right in bringing attention to the inappropriate Winters, he was wrong to attack his coach verbally. Again it’s time for the Padres to back their manager, and his fight in favor of the player who criticized him.

Milton Bradley's Tirade and What Should Happen

2007-09-25T22:39:00.001-04:00

Sunday night Milton Bradley was playing for the San Diego Padres when he was thrown out of the game. Disagreeing with an earlier call he challenged the umpire and engaged in a heated debate. Once on first he began to argue with the first base umpire. As the incident escalated, Bradley’s manager and first base coach ran from the dugout to the first base line, and began to argue with the ref and remove Milton from
the situation.

What happened next has been a topic of discussion on every sports show starting that night.

Padres Manager Bud Black grabbed Milton Bradley by the shoulders and began to push him away from the ref. As Milton began to fight against his coach he fell to the ground and began grapping his knee. Later it was revealed that Bradley had torn his ACL, needed surgery, and would be out for the rest of the season.
Following the game Bradley screamed and cursed at the media, blaming his coach for the injury and calling Black unprofessional.

Maybe I am old fashioned, but since when is it ok for a player to degrade his coach? Maybe once you reach the age when you pay to play, or play because you love the game, turns into being spoiled so that you will play. Too many guys have stopped playing baseball because they like it, and have continued to play because it makes them rich. This new attitude is the reason why Milton Bradley thinks he is above the coach. He believes that his paycheck gives him the right to say what he wants and to defy whoever he disagrees with.

Bud Selig and the San Diego Padres need to step up and send a message to all players. Bradley was entirely out of line and needs to be reprimanded. The league should suspend him for his actions and the front office of the Padres need to fine him 100,000 dollars. Any less of a punishment would be shrugged off and laughed at. The Commissioner has to tell the players that they are players and not managers or owners. Players must be shown where they stand in the hierarchy of baseball. The Padres must show that they back their manager and that they believe players have a time and place to discuss in house matters. The fine, if lower than 75,000, would be laughed at and brush under the table by Bradley’s paycheck. However if between 75,000 and 100,000, the players will take note and feel this in their pockets.

You may ask how all this is fair. Watch the following clip and then read my explanation. After reading the explanation re-view the clip and see if you noticed what I, a player that puts all faith into his manager and staff, noticed after viewing the incident once.

The first thing I notice during the incident is that Bradley broke the first cardinal rule of baseball: Never argue with the umpire. As a young player you are taught over and over to disagree in silence and remember that it is his job, not yours, to make the hard calls and decisions. Had Milton listened to the rule he would still be playing right now.

The next strike against Bradley came when he shoved his coach out of the way and got physical with his manager. At that point the first base coach was already fighting FOR Bradley, and was trying to diffuse the situation and get to the root of the problem. Bradley’s manager was doing his job. Before he can have a word with the ref, he must first calm his player and make sure that he will allow the staff to handle the issue.

The physical actions of Bradley towards Bud Black, crossed an even tougher line when he placed his hands around Black’s neck. You can see that Bradley actually grabbed Black’s neck and used it as leverage to push away from the coach. As he continued to struggle and push away from Bud, Milton reaches for his knee and falls to the ground. It is later noted that during the struggle Bradley torn his ACL. After the game Bradley said that Black tackled him and is the reason for his injury. On top of this ESPN and other shows are agreeing. As you watch the video for a second time watch and note that Bradley grabs his leg BEFORE he falls, and that his coach does not force him to the ground, but he allows Bradley to fall. Thus discrediting Bradley’s blame.

Watch again and look for the things I mentioned.

Milton Bradley is out of line and must be taught his place. Bud Selig, The Padre’s, and all other players must back Bud Black on this issue and send Bradley a reprimand harsh enough to deter all further issues. And as for ESPN and other stations, well my thoughts on that are for another article.

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football with James Shepherd

2007-09-22T21:01:00.000-04:00

Last week Purdue played Central Michigan in a game that I predicted would bring a 40 point margin of victory to the Boilermakers. I regret to report that the victory was only 23 points. I guess the excitement of the first two games got into me and I exaggerated my estimate.

Curtis Painter had yet another outstanding performance and only proved his stock was rising. He completed 29 of 39 passes. His total touchdowns are up to 13 this season and he has no interceptions. The Boilermakers have scored 149 points this season under Painters leadership and this weekend’s match-up should follow that trend. Kory Sheets ran for a career high of 144 yards and two touchdowns. Dorian Bryant ran for 41 yards on 3 carries and had 6 catches for 95 yards.

Last week the defense showed the nation what it takes to win ball games. Despite giving up 22 points the defense stopped C. Michigan four times on fourth down plays in the red zone. Terrell Vinson had a key stop on the 5 yard line. With the Chippewa two yards from a first down, Vinson stopped Antonio Brown for a one yard gain and got the ball back into the offense’s hands.
Final Score: 45-22 Purdue

This week the Boilermakers face their first Big Ten opponent. Minnesota is 1-2, with their only win coming at home in the Metrodome. Tonight the Purdue football team looks to improve to 4-0 and make Minnesota 1-3.

The Minnesota offense is not scoring like the Boilermakers but it is out performing the Purdue line. Minnesota’s top rusher has 386 yards compared to Bryant’s 263. Painter leads the arms race with a higher number of completions and better passing percentage. He also leads the Gophers QB in yardage. Minnesota’s receiving leader holds 3 more catches and 124 more yards than Dorian Bryant, Purdue’s top receiver.

Minnesota has lost 2 games both under 5 points, while Purdue has won all its games by at least 23. This week is the first test the Boilermakers will face this season. Look for a score around 23-20, with the winning team only squeaking by with a last minute field goal. Purdue has received 7 votes in the AP polls, while Minnesota has received 0. Its close but Purdue is better

The Mind’s Pick: Purdue by 2

Week 3 Picks

2007-09-19T17:17:00.000-04:00

Week 2 Results

Sunday:
Indianapolis over Tennessee 22-20

San Francisco over St. Louis 17-16

Jacksonville over Atlanta 13-7

Cleveland over Cincinnati 51-45 (The Mind picked Cin)

Green Bay over NY Giants 35-13 (The Mind picked NYG)

Pittsburgh over Buffalo 26-3

Tampa Bay over New Orleans 31-14
Houston over Carolina 34-21 (The Mind picked CAR)

Arizona over Seattle 23-20 (The Mind picked SEA)

Denver over Oakland 23-20

Chicago over Kansas City 20-10

Detroit over Minnesota 20-17

Dallas over Miami 37-20

Baltimore over NY Jets 20-13

New England over San Diego 38-14

Monday: Washington over Philadelphia 20-12

The Mind’s record for Week 2 is 11-5 and 23-9 overall.

Week 3 Picks

Sunday:
Baltimore over Arizona
San Diego over Green Bay
Indianapolis over Houston
Minnesota over Kansas City
New England over Buffalo
Miami over NY Jets
Detroit over Philadelphia
Pittsburgh over San Francisco
St Louis over Tampa Bay
Denver over Jacksonville
Cleveland over Oakland
Seattle over Cincinnati
Carolina over Atlanta
Washington over NY Giants
Chicago over Dallas

Monday:
New Orleans over Tennessee

FedEx Cup

2007-09-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

I contemplated for several weeks on whether or not I wanted to write on the FedEx Cup. I am an avid golf fan, however I had not yet determined if I was for or against this final set of tournaments.

The FedEx cup was surrounded by controversy from the weekend before the Cup began. The points dropped for a few players; however the largest drop came from Tiger Woods. Tiger went into the tournament 30,000 points in the lead. His points dropped to 30 over the pack to narrow the field and bring more competition. The question on everyone’s mind was whether or not this was fair. I believe this was unfair to the players trying to compete against Woods in this set of tournaments. When going into a tournament all the players are even. Everyone starts with a score of par and then it is up to them to go over or under par. I believe everyone in the tournament should have been accepted to the tourney and then give a score of 0 in the FedEx standings. This would have allowed the players to all start in the same place and compete against one another fairly. Tiger Woods won the FedEx Cup, however he competed in only three of the four Championship Events. After winning two events he only had to compete in the last one to earn enough points to solidify his place in first. Again this is unfair. The point system needs to be reevaluated and made so that fewer points are to be awarded for a win. This would cause Tiger to not only win a tourney, but to remain in the top ten for all of the other tournaments as well. The scoring system should also allow for a player to win the entire thing if he remains in the top 5 for all four tournaments and there is a different winner each weekend. You should be rewarded for a month of solid golf, not just three days of good strokes.

All and all the FedEx Cup was a success. The FedEx Cup showed us, no matter how convinced we already were, the number one player in the world. If you had your doubts you don’t anymore, Tiger Woods is still the best, and until you get more points for losing then for winning, Tiger will always be the best.

The FedEx Cup did what it was meant to do. The Champion was named, Golf was on everyone lips, and even the players stepped up and fought back against the raging Tiger. Maybe next year we will see an even start and a scoring system that will allow someone to get closer to the cup. One thing is certain: Tiger Woods will win the 2008 FedEx Cup no matter what the changes are.

9/11

2007-09-11T22:33:00.002-04:00

After posting my picks for the upcoming NFL weekend I realized that I had neglected something more important than sports. For 6 years now the United States military has been serving over seas. This is a direct result of what happened on this day in 2001. Because of the many views on what has expired I will leave my own political sense out of the article. I would, however, like to take a moment to look at what happened in New York, DC, and that empty field in Pennsylvania.

8:45 American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center

9:03 United Airlines Flight 175, a second plane, crashes. This time into the South Tower.

Both flights were taken over by hijackers

9:43 American Airlines Flight 77 is hijacked and crashes into the Pentagon. The White House is evacuated.

10:05 The South Tower collapses

10:10 United Airlines Flight 93, also hijacked, crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh.

10:28 The North Tower collapses

4:10 Building 7 of the World Trade Center catches fire

5:20 Building 7 collapses

Throughout the hours and minuutes that this timeline covers, 5 ships and 2 carriers were immediately manned by the men and women at Naval Air Station Oceana and Naval Base Norfolk.

Overall there were 2,974 fatalities. These included all the passengers on the flight, individuals inside the buildings, and the men and women of the emergency response units who fought to save the lives of all those involved in the attacks.

Tonight take a moment to think about all of the people in the hijacked planes, reflect on the heroes who rose to the challenge and responded to the needs of other, and no more how you feel about the war be thankful that people are putting themselves in harms way for you and your country as they have been called to do.

Below is a list of all those who died on 9/11. We will continue to remember you and your families, and we thank you for your brave heart and unfortunate sacrifice. You are the true HEROES of the United States!

Victims Of September 11th 2001

Week 2 Picks

2007-09-11T21:30:00.000-04:00

Week 1 Recap
Thursday: Indianapolis over New Orleans 41-10

Sunday: Green Bay over Philadelphia 16-13 (The Mind picked PHI)
Houston over Kansas City 20-3
New England over NY Jets 38-14
Carolina over St. Louis 27-13 (The Mind picked STL)
Washington over Miami 16-13
Denver over Buffalo 15-14
Minnesota over Atlanta 24-3
Pittsburgh over Cleveland 34-7
Tennessee over Jacksonville 13-10 (The Mind picked JAX)
Detroit over Oakland 36-21
San Diego over Chicago 14-3
Seattle over Tampa Bay 20-6
Dallas over Giants 45-35

Monday: Cincinnati over Baltimore 27-20 (The Mind picked CIN)
San Francisco over Arizona 20-17

Week 2 Picks
Sunday: Indianapolis over Tennessee
San Francisco over St. Louis
Jacksonville over Atlanta
Cincinnati over Cleveland
NY Giants over Green Bay
Pittsburgh over Buffalo
New Orleans over Tampa Bay
Carolina over Houston
Seattle over Arizona
Denver over Oakland
Chicago over Kansas City
Detroit over Minnesota
Dallas over Miami
Baltimore over NY Jets
New England over San Diego

Monday: Washington over Philadelphia

The Mind’s record after week 1: 12-4

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football with James Shepherd

2007-09-09T15:46:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the second week of college football!

The Boilermakers played at home this week and had more to overcome from the storm that delayed the second half than against the East Illinois team that showed up to play.

On paper Purdue and the East Illinois Panthers looked to be a good game. The defenses were relatively equal and the Panthers offense obtained more yards per game than the Boilermakers. Within a few short minutes it was obvious that Purdue was on its way to routing the Panthers. Nobody expected the Div 1-AA Panthers to pull an Appalachian State miracle, however what did take place was ridiculous.

In the Boilermakers second game, Quarterback Curtis Painter matched Purdue’s record for most touchdowns in a single game. Painter threw 49 passes and completed 38 incurring 348 yards, and had 6 touchdowns to tie Drew Brees’ 1998 record.

The game was suspended before the start of the third quarter. Just as the players exited the tunnel they were sent back into the locker rooms and the stadium was evacuated. The delay lasted one hour and five minutes.

Despite the delay the Boilermakers picked up right where they left off. Purdue scored over fifty points for the second time this season and had 533 total yards of offense.

Bryant caught 12 passes and had 111 yards and 1 touchdown. Chris Summers kicked 7 extra points and 1 field goal. The highlight of East Illinois’ day was that Cole Stinson threw for 143 yards. The 46 point margin of victory was Purdue’s largest since 2004.

Next week: Purdue hosts Central Michigan. Purdue stands to 3-0 to start the season and grab a 2-0 record in front of the home crowd on family day next weekend. CMU beat Toledo last week 52-31, however opened their season with a brutal loss to Kansas. The Chippewas scored only 7 while giving up 52. The defense gave up 538 yard to the Jayhawks and with Purdue’s quarterback and excellent running game the feat looks to be repeated. Look for Painter to try and break the all time touchdown record for a single game and for the offense to put 50 on the board for the third straight week.
The Mind’s Pick: Purdue by 40.

later this week: first interview with James Shepherd.

Saturday's Game to Watch

2007-09-07T10:37:00.000-04:00

This week’s must see match-up takes place in the Bayou. Virginia Tech heads to Baton Rouge to take on LSU Saturday at 9:15 ET. After last weeks emotional season opener the Hokies have to shake off the nerves and play a little better on the offensive side.

The Hokies had only 33 rushing yards against a bad ECU rushing defense. If VT has any chance of beating the Tigers in the bayou, they will have to find the holes in a very solid LSU rushing defense. The Hokies’ passing game will likely look as good as it did last week. However with LSU’s defense, 245 yards from VT will likely fall short. Look for the Hokies to lose the ball on two picks.

LSU comes into this week after annihilating Mississippi State 45-0. LSU had 149 yards rushing and boasted 198 yards passing. These numbers will be much lower as the defense of VT as been a suffocating force. After not being able to grab the ball last week, VT should have at least 1 interception.

For any top 10 team, special teams play is a must. No one has made it to National Title game with out exceptional special teams play. The Hokies have had those special teams and will look to continue that this weekend. Watch for a break-away play from the Hokies. If VT wins look for a late game field goal.

Despite how the line reads, LSU over VT, this top 10 match-up will likely be a toss up. With Virginia Tech being the only team in the ACC that can contend for the national title, both teams need this win to remain a legitimate threat for a BCS championship. If the Hokies win this week they will need 9 more wins this season to go 11-1 and have a chance to play for the title.

The Minds Pick: LSU by 6

1 Team 1 Season: Purdue Football with James Shepherd

2007-09-07T01:02:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Week 1 of 1 Team 1 Season.

Last Saturday the college football world kicked off its season. That evening the Purdue Boilermakers kicked off their season at the Toledo Rockets. Purdue went into the game 0-1 against the Rockets under the current head coaches. The Rockets, not only at home, were the favorite and expected to win the game with moderate ease.

The first quarter started with Toledo’s DeJuane Collins breaking a 35 yard run capping a 6 play drive and putting the Rockets ahead by 7. Purdue struck back with two touchdowns. The first TD came on a 13 yard run by Kory Sheets. On the next possession QB Curtis Painter connected with Dustin Keller for an 80 yard touchdown pass.

The teams went into the second quarter with the score 14-7, Purdue. 2 minutes and 10 seconds into the quarter Toledo struck for the second time in the game. This time Jalen Parmele ran 4 yards for the touchdown. Purdue returned the favor with a 28 yard pass in which Painter hooked up with his second receiver, Kyle Adams, and his second touchdown. With just 2:59 left in the half the Boilermakers completed a 91 yard drive on 8 plays, and Painter met Selwyn Lymon for a third receiver and yet another touchdown. Going into halftime Purdue was up 28-14

Things did slow down for the Boilermakers at all in the second half. The Rockets of Toledo held the boilermakers to a 44 yard field goal off the foot of Chris Summers.
Purdue 31, Toledo 14.

After throwing some wood on the fire the Boilermakers began to pick up speed and blew the game wide open in the fourth quarter. Painter hit his fourth receiver for a touchdown when Greg Orton caught a 34 yard pass and gave Purdue a 38-14 lead. The Rockets retaliated with a solid boot from kicker A. Steigerwald. His 44 yard field goal inched Toledo a little closer and gave them a small glimpse of hope. This would be the closest Toledo would come to the Boilermakers. On the ensuing kick-off Dorien Bryant return the kick 91 yards and gave Purdue a 28 point lead. Purdue struck again with 8:57 left in the game when Dan Dierking ran for a 30 yard touchdown after the Boilermakers picked Rockets offense’s pocket. Toledo tried for one last hoorah when DeAndre Ware scored on a 1 yard run. The game ended 1:51 later and Purdue improved to 1-1 against Toledo and 1-0 for the 2007-08 season. Purdue 52, Toledo 24.

Purdue Leaders:
Painter- 30 attempts 14 completions 0 interceptions, 244 yards passing 4 touchdowns
Dustin- 3 catches 107 yards (longest 80yds) 1 touchdown
Sheets- 11 carries 90 yards 1 touchdown
Bryant- 1 touchdown on a kickoff return.

Purdue Total yards:
Receiving-244
Rushing-244
Total-488
Toledo Leaders:
Cochran- 14 attempts 9 completions 1 interception 0 touchdowns, 83 yards passing
Parmele- 24 carries 93 yards (longest 22yds) 1 touchdown
Moore- 5 catches 44 yards

Toledo Total yards:
Receiving- 154
Rushing- 172
Total- 394

Up Next: Purdue takes on East Illinois Saturday September 8th at 12:00 pm. East Illinois is currently 1-0 this season and would like to come into Ross-Ade stadium and get a win on the road. Their QB Cole Stinson has a completion rate of 73.1% and has thrown for 308 yards this season. E. Illinois has only run for 109 yards and brings 417 yards of total offense with them. EIU has a better record over the last 6 years however the offensive numbers favor the Boilermakers. The Panthers defense only gives up 60 more yards than the Boilermakers. This looks to be an early test for the Boilermakers who need to come into the game where they left off in Toledo. My Pick: Purdue by 14.

Coming Sunday: Game Recap of Purdue v. East Illinois
Later in the Week: An inside look at Purdue with James Shepherd
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Week 1 Picks

2007-09-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

After a quick look at the Vegas Odds I decided to hit you with a my picks for this weekend. At the end of the season we will look back at all my picks and check my final record.

Week 1:
Thursday: Indianapolis over New Orleans

Sunday: Philadelphia over Green Bay
Houston over Kansas City
New England over NY Jets
St. Louis over Carolina
Washington over Miami
Denver over Buffalo
Minnesota over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Jacksonville over Tennessee
Detroit over Oakland
San Diego over Chicago
Seattle over Tampa Bay
Dallas over NY Giants

Monday: Baltimore over Cincinnati
San Francisco over Arizona

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Sam McGuffie: Michigan's Hope

2007-09-06T15:38:00.000-04:00

With the start of college football there are always some upsets. One game included the two-time AA champions Appalachian State v. Michigan. ASU played hard scoring 28 in the first half to lead Michigan by 11. In the second half however, the “Big House”, in Ann Arbor proved to be a bit much for the Mountaineers. ASU only scored 6 over the next two quarters. The Wolverines didn’t play better either. Michigan only scored 15 in the second half. A last minute attempt to win the game went south when the defensive team for App State blocked a field goal that would have put the Wolverines up by 1.

With Michigan’s season now in ruins and no reason to look at what the rest of the year holds for the Wolverines we should take a look at their future:

A few weeks ago my close friend posted a mix tape battle on his website. The Scrapper didn’t go into detail over the players in the tapes, nor should he, but it got me to think about one kid in particular; Sam McGuffie.

Sam McGuffie is quite possibly one of the best players to come out of Texas. He recently committed verbally to the University of Michigan. With Michigan’s season already over Sam may be the only thing they have to look forward to.

McGuffie joined the varsity ranks at Cy-Fair high school his sophomore year. In most states this isn’t a big deal, however when you play for a 5-A school in Texas it is rare to see a guy that young start for a nationally ranked team. In his first season McGuffie put together 115 carries, 853 rushing yards, 0 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. Not a season to remember, but look at what he did only a year later.

In 2006 Sam put together incredible numbers. On less the 3x the number of carries he increased his yards by over 360 percent. Sam McGuffie had 358 carries, 3121 rushing yards, 43 touchdowns, and 400 receiving yards. Sam increased his play making abilities by working on speed and power. At only 6’0” and 188lbs Sam can out run almost anyone and break tackles like Reggie Bush. His vision is his greatest strength. Without this he wouldn’t be able to run to holes and see break-away paths. With his explosive speed and incredible power Appalachian State won’t be able to hold him next year.

Sam McGuffie at a glance:
Name: Sam McGuffie Pos: RB School: Cy-Fair Year: Senior
6’0” 188 pounds 40 yard dash: 4.32 seconds
Attributes: Explosive speed. Power. Great Vision. Bench max: 350 Reps:15
2005 Sophomore- 115 carries, 7.4yac, 853 yards, 11 touchdowns
2006 Junior- 358 carries, 8.7yac, 3121 yards, 400 receiving yards, 43 touchdowns
2007 Senior- no current data available, commits to Michigan

Quotes: McGuffie: "My playmaking is my biggest strength. I think of different things to do on the field. I guess you could say I have creativity on the field. I don't do what is expected. I'm sort of spontaneous when I run the ball.”

"I want to work on my blocking. We don't block much now so I need to refresh myself for the next level."

Duke Football: Independent or ACC?

2007-09-06T13:44:00.000-04:00

This week my mind was on college football. September 1st marked the start of the football season and was an exciting day for many around the United States. One game in particular made headlines when a NCAA div 1-AA team took down Michigan at home in Ann Arbor. Appalachian State put together an incredible game and during the last few seconds blocked a crucial field goal that would have put Michigan in the lead.

Hearing this incredible story I turned my thoughts to another team. Could it be possible for Duke to upset UCONN? It shouldn’t be too hard, right? UCONN was once a pretty good football team. In 2003 UCONN was 9-3, and then in 2004 they were 8-4. That season UCONN met Duke for the first time. UCONN overcame a 14-0 deficit and beat Duke 22-20. The following years boasted sub .500 seasons for the Huskies and it looked as though they were headed for the same outcome this year.

Saturday the Blue Devils hosted the Huskies for the first time since 2004 and looked to put them away. Duke led at the half 14-11. Defense and special teams proved to be Duke’s executioners. Duke was shut down on offense scoring 0 in the second half, and the defense gave up 35 points. UCONN also had a key interception that ended Duke’s only scoring drive.

After yet another disappointing loss I could not help but begin to think about ways to fix Duke or to give them a new advantage. One way to help Duke compete and begin to rebuild their program is to give them a new arena of play. If Duke was allowed to withdraw their football team from the Atlantic Coast Conference everything could be

turned around.

When moving around conferences you have to look at all aspects of the school. Its size, its location, the sports it provides, and how well each team performs. Most schools join and move conferences based on all of these aspects and they take the entire athletic department to the new conference. This is not always the case. The University of Notre Dame is one such school. Notre Dame is currently the only collegiate group, other than military academies, currently independent. This is interesting because every Notre Dame sport, other than Football, is in the Big East conference.

If you wanted to give Duke a fair chance at surviving in the college football world you would move them to an independent status. Duke’s other sports would remain in the ACC and would continue like normal. The reasons in which schools have left the independent leagues include money, bowl game access, and consistent schedules. These three things are unimportant to Duke at this point in their Football career.

By leaving the ACC Duke would have to give up its rights to television revenue. Not a problem. At this point over half the games aren’t televised and the stadium is never full. When your school charges its students $46,050 a year, and the waiting list for basketball games is 7 years long you are creating revenue from other source; which is preciously how the Football team makes its money now. If being independent works and the team gets better, people will attend the events and the television stations will come back. Everything you lose will be returned.

The second issue with leaving the ACC is the loss of access to bowl games. Again, not a problem. Duke doesn’t go to bowl games anyway. But this can be remedied. Just like Notre Dame, Duke can be granted a bowl game with a season record of at least 9 wins and a top 15 ranking in the nation poll. This qualifies Notre Dame for a BCS appearance and the courtesy should be extended to the Blue Devils as well. The Big East has also agreed that based on Notre Dame’s performance they can accept a BCS bid in the place of lower ranked Big East teams. With Duke’s reputation and ACC involvement in all other sports we shouldn’t see the ACC hesitate to allow Duke a bowl spot.

Now for the biggest Duke bonus. Schedule! Duke currently has to play 8 ACC games. With the teams in that conference that’s 8 losses before you add other teams into the schedule. If Duke was an independent team they could play anyone they wanted. You could play a full season of Div 1-AA schools. With every school you take out of your schedule you can now add a smaller school. You can customize your schedule to allow you some guaranteed wins. With every win you earn yourself more recruiting points. As you win games your demeanor and swagger changes. This all transcends the Saturday games and transforms your practices. Suddenly you are playing better, winning games, and recruiting star talent. As all of this takes place you adjust your schedule. You begin to add Div 1-A teams into the mix. Now instead of playing 8 AA schools and 4 A schools you are playing 4 AA and 8 A. Next year you don’t play a single AA school and yet you still have a 9-3 record. After at least ten years you have completed your transformation and you can now begin to think about rejoining the ACC.

People have perceived Notre Dame to be a football power house, and for sometime they were, but did you ever think it was because they knew how to manipulate the system? If they can use the independent status to their advantage don’t you think we should use it to ours? Go Duke!

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Pictures brought to you by goduke.com and theacc.com

Welcome

2007-09-06T00:48:00.000-04:00

I wanted to thank you for viewing my site and taking the time to indulge my thoughts. I created this site to let my thoughts and rants out. I have been a college athlete and an avid fan of all sports. I hope that some of what I have to say is meaningful and you find yourself agreeing with different thoughts of mine. I also hope that even if you disagree I can put together a compelling article and you will return to the site in the future. I will do my best to include with my thoughts and feelings as many facts as possible. This site represents my thoughts and feelings on hundreds of sports subjects and with my views I hope to remain error free and on track with any statistics or facts that may be used in various articles. A few of the upcoming articles include:

Duke Football: Independent league or ACC?
A-Rod: Why no one cares that Barry Bonds set the homerun record
The Fedex Cup: Explaining the PGA’s latest playoff series
Dream Team 2?
What’s wrong with the Atlanta Braves
Carr: The new QB of the Carolina Panthers
1 Team 1 Season

I hope you all enjoy, and once again welcome to The Mind on Sports!

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