Week 16 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with your Christmas week of pro football. In a week with plenty of playoff implications, one of the more important ones was not as dramatic as earlier thought. Give credit to Pittsburgh they played a tough game but Tennessee proved they were number 1. 21 of Tennessee's 31 points all came from turnovers. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw 2 picks, one as the final seconds ticked away, and two fumbles. The only scores in the first half for the Titans came from a Kerry Collins TD pass to Justin Gage for 34 yards and a Rob Bironas field goal. After his fumble led to Tennessee scoring Roethlisberger drove down the field and connected for his 100th career TD to Santonio Holmes. Then out of the gate he capped a 4 play drive in the third with a 21 yard pass to Hines Ward to give them the lead. Tennessee answered with a 4th down pitch out to Chris Johnson that ended with a 21 yard touch down. It was down hill for Pittsburgh from there. Michael Griffin intercepted Roethlisberger for the second time and returned all the way to the 1 yard line where Lindel White took it in. Tennessee sacked Roethlisberger 5 times all without pro-bowlers Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch. This marks the 8th victory in 9 games that Tennessee has won at home against the Steelers.

 

Else where the race has narrowed in one division while another will have its deciding game on Sunday night. The Jets trip to Seattle ended with a crushing loss. The score was only 13-3 but it pretty much eliminates the Jets from the playoffs and could very possibly mean Brett Favre's last game on Sunday. The other teams Miami and New England all won but Miami is in the clinch position. Miami lead by ex-Jet Chad Pennington has to beat his former team the Jets to clinch the division. A Miami loss and a New England win over Buffalo means the division is the Patriots. New England could reach the playoffs if Baltimore loses to Jacksonville. I personally cant believe that the AFC west is going to come down to the last game between Denver and San Diego. These two have stumbled around alllllll year and it has come to this. I've said before that the Chargers were one of the most disappointing teams this year and a win Sunday helps vindicate them of that. Denver loses that means they blew it and Mike Shanahan's job might be in trouble. 

The Bears got a gift early this year. Every team that they needed to lose, lost including Minnesota. In an arctic setting the Bears fought a spoiler driven Packers team in to overtime. Special teams proved to be the deciding factor in the game as Bears QB Kyle Orton threw two picks and only completed 14 of 27 passes with a touch down to tight end Greg Olsen. The Bears managed to block 2 Mason Crosby field goals including one at the end of regulation. On punts the Bears managed to recover a live ball that bounced into Packers Jarret Bush that led to the Orton-Olsen touchdown. The Bears need help to make the playoffs. To their benefit their much alive in the division race due to Minnesota losing. If the Giants beat Minnesota and Chicago beats Houston they win the North. If both Tampa Bay and Dallas lose then the Bears clinch a wild card spot. But it all comes down to beating Houston. Minnesota losing Sunday is a possibility as Giants coach Tom Coughlin believes on maintaing momentum and might not rest his starters.

Speaking of the Giants the game was as good as predicted with Carolina. Anchored by running back Derrick Ward rushing for 215 yards, the Giants now set themselves up as number 1 in the NFC. It was really a rushing game. DeAngelo Williams had 4 touchdowns and 108 yards while Giants Brandon Jacobs raked in 3 touchdowns and 87 yards. One of his touchdowns came with 3:21 in the game to set up Eli Manning to throw to Domenik Hixon to tie the game late capping a 21-7 second half. Carolina had a chance to win the game with a 50 yard field goal but the strong wind pushed it wide left. After both sides swapped failed drives New York nearly gave the ball to Carolina after R.W. McQuarters muffed a punt on the Giants 13 yard line. Immediately after Derrick Ward ran 51 yards to the Carolina 36 and he eventually got the Giants to the 2 where Brandon Jacobs took it in for the score and win. 

Last week I went 1-3 bringing my overall to 24-24

This week I'll take The Bears over Houston

The Jets over Miami

Baltimore over Jacksonville

And my final game of the week Denver over San Diego

Image courtesy of Nam Y. Huh

Hockey Talk week 9

Nick Russ here with your NHL update. The youngest team in the league is a fire ball heading into the Winter Classic. The Blackhawks have won their last 8 straight games tying a franchise record. The impressive streak includes victories over Northwest division leaders Calgary and Vancouver. Powered by All Star vote leading wing Patrick Kane and team goal leader Patrick Sharp, the Hawks have division leading Detroit looking over its shoulder. All this with just a week away from the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. The Hawks go on the road for Minnesota and Detroit oddly enough before having New Years Eve off then hosting the Redwings at Wrigley. 

Detroit has been a bit of a roller coaster the past few games. They dropped a game against dismal Dallas and the struggling Avalanche. However they shut out one of the best teams in San Jose. They also won over LA and St. Louis setting up a critical home game against the hard charging Hawks. With Marian Hossa, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Pavel Datsyuk set to make the All Star game, the most players in the West, Detroit could battle with Chicago for a long time. With the animosity towards the BCS in college football the Winter Classic could easily steal some ratings on Jan 1. Detroit visits Colorado before hosting Chicago then playing the Winter Classic.

Out East Montreal is starting to vanish in Boston's mirror. Despite having potentially 5 all stars the Canadiens have underachieved while Boston has soared. Montreal dropped 3 in a row with losses to Tampa, a tough Washington loss, and Carolina. Then they beat the Flyers and Sabres before losing in OT to Carolina. Put this into perspective, if Montreal where in the Atlantic division they would be tied for third with New Jersey one point just behind them. Montreal has a long road trip starting with Pittsburgh before wrapping it up at New Jersey. 

The Atlantic division is the closest division race heading into 2009. The Rangers lead the division with 47 points followed by Philadelphia with 45 points, that's a win difference folks. The Flyers are followed by rival Pittsburgh with 42 points and injury plagued New Jersey. And of course the Islanders have fallen off the globe with 25, worst in the league. Rangers lost to New Jersey early on and lost a critical cross conference game with San Jose. The Rangers play the Devils tomorrow in the only worth while division game before playing Pittsburgh in two weeks. Phily plays no division opponents for a while but they still have been performing well against teams like Washington and Pittsburgh. They go on the road out west against Anaheim and LA before visiting the Capitals. Pittsburgh can get some momentum going against Boston twice in the coming week. Until next time Hockey fans.

Photo courtesy of Nam Y. Huh

Week 15 in the NFL

With two weeks remaining its your NFL recap. With all the drama in the big D something came up that seemed to cool all heads, a win. Winning over the Giants keeps the Cowboys alive in the playoff race for now. Not having Brandon Jacobs limited the Giants to simply throwing against the Cowboys. With DeMarcus Ware being one of the leagues main sack machines combined with Terence Newman intercepting the ball twice, it became a long day for Eli Manning. Eli had 18 for 35 on his passes with 191 yards. The G men's only scores were two John Carney field goals and a safety when Dallas QB Tony Romo fumbled out of the end zone. Romo is 4-0 when facing the Giants. He was out when they lost earlier this year with his finger injury. Saturday night the Cowboys play the Ravens in what is a good matchup but not as important as the Giants game. This week the Giants face off against the Panthers for the number 1 seed in the NFC and the home field advantage. This is a game worth watching and could probably end up being the NFC championship game a few weeks from now. 

Else where in the NFC this week is another battle with major playoff implications. After beating Arizona the Vikings place themselves in the driver seat of their division. A win this Sunday could lock it up for the Vikings, however it wont be against a cup cake team like Detroit. Atlanta after a man up or shut up game with Tampa Bay sit in the second wild card spot with Dallas holding the other. Tampa Bay and Atlanta share the same record but the tie break favors Atlanta. A loss to Minnesota could end the miracle season for Atlanta. Tampa Bay plays host to San Diego while another surprise contender visits the Redskins. The Eagles are sitting on the fringe just waiting for Atlanta to slip up. Chicago is right on the Vikings heels and with a home game Monday night against Green Bay the Bears could end up in first by Christmas should Minnesota lose. Normally a southern team heading north spells trouble for the south team. Minnesota plays in a dome just like the Falcons however, so the crowd will have to help throw off rookie Matt Ryan's rhythm so he cant connect to Michael Turner. The Vikings will have to do with out Pat Williams till the end of the season after injuring his shoulder last week.

In the AFC we might finally see a horse pull away in the AFC east. The Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots all won last week but time is starting to run out for the Pats and Dolphins. The Jets visit Seattle for another Mike Homgren Brett Favre reunion. Miami visits the lowly Chiefs while the Pats have the toughest task hosting Arizona. This one really could come down to next week when the Jets host Miami while the Pats visit Buffalo. If Miami wins out they win the spot. New England has quietly stuck around however and I wouldn't count them out. 

Much like the NFC 1 and 2 squaring off this week, the Titans and Steelers have a head on collision in Nashville for the top seed in the AFC. Pittsburgh had a controversial yet still hard fought win over Baltimore last week while the Titans were upset by Houston. Like the Ravens Steelers game last week this game is gonna be a defensive stand off. Both teams D's are in the top 5 with Pittsburgh leading in total yards allowed and passing yards while Tennessee sits at 4th and 5th in both categories. Both teams are one and two in points allowed. Look to see Pittsburgh run the ball early with Willie Parker and open up their passing game with Ben Roethlisberger. The Titans might do something similar but my try passing earlier with short quick slants to test safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark and to loosen up the defensive line to give Chris Johnson a chance to run for some big gains. 

On a side note, this has to be one of the closest playoff races in recent memory. Usually this time in the season the stage is mostly set for the playoffs. I can't recall a closer race across the board other than college football. With that said I went 1-3 bringing my total to 23-21

This week I'll take Tampa over the Chargers

The Eagles over Washington

And I'm goin with two games of the week

Titans over Steelers and the Panthers over Giants

Have a merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah and enjoy the football this week.

image courtesy of Ronald Martinez 

Week 14 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with your NFL update. Its not over for Phily. The Eagles stunned the Giants at the Meadow lands on Sunday 20-14. While the media circus surrounds the Giants about Plaxico Burress the Giants failed to hook up on Sunday. Eli Manning threw 13-27 and only 123 yards and a touch down. Meanwhile the Eagles defense held the top ranked Giants rushing to just 88 yards. Giants running back Brendon Jacobs did leave in the third quarter but it has been indicated that it is not serious. The Eagles were consistent the whole game. In a tough wind Donovan McNabb threw 19-30 for 191 yards and a touchdown. Brian Westbrook rushed for 131 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown helping the Eagles grind out the clock. The Eagles had 34 minutes in the time of possession aided by 12 of 18 on third downs. The win gives the Eagles a small chance to make a wild card run. On the other side the Giants have clinched the division thanks to a Cowboys loss. However this brings the glorious home field advantage in jeopardy for the G-men. Next week the Giants get to put the Cowboys away while the Eagles host Cleveland.

The Giants established earlier this season they were the team to beat in the NFC. So the question came up who would play the defending champs. It is shaping up to be the Carolina Panthers. Carolina sunk Tampa on Monday night 38-23. It was an offensive explosion on Carolina's part by racking up 464 yards on one of the best defenses in the league. DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart both ran over 100 yards and both had 2 touchdowns. Jake Delhomme threw 14-20 for 173 yards and a touchdown. 117 of those yards and the touchdown went to Steve Smith. Tampa Bay not being out down had 384 yards. 321 came in the air from Jeff Garcia. Garcia hooked up 24 of 38 passes and 2 touchdowns. Antonio Bryant had a career high 200 yards on 9 catches including a 52 yard pass. Tampa cant rest as they play current wild card team Atlanta. Carolina now eyes home field advantage as they control their destiny with their division. They host Denver this weekend. 

In the AFC the AFC east has become very interesting. There is a three way tie with The Jets the Patriots and the Dolphins of all teams. This came off of the Jets dropping a game against the 49er's. Miami is in position to have probably the greatest one year turn-around. The Dolphins face the 49er's this weekend and next week against the Chiefs. Then if its still deadlocked it could come down to the last game when the Jets play Miami. New England faces Oakland this week before facing Arizona then wrapping it up against the Bills. The Jets host Buffalo before visiting Seattle, then the show down with the Dolphins.  

Elsewhere Pittsburgh has had a nice ride in the AFC north but something has been in their rear view mirror. That thing is the Baltimore Ravens. At 9-4 the Ravens have been a force in their own in the AFC. The Steelers won the first meeting with a field goal at Heinz field. But this time its on the road in Baltimore's house. A Baltimore win would put them in charge of the division and put them as the number 2 team in the AFC. One thing is assured is that this should be one hard hitting game.

Last week I went 2-2 bringing my total to 22-18

This week I'll take San Francisco over Miami

The Giants over the Cowboys

The Buccaneers over Atlanta

And my game of the week- Pittsburgh over Baltimore in another tight one.

image courtesy of Rick Stewart

Hockey Talk week 7

Greetings Hockey fans its your weekly update. After falling behind Minnesota, Vancouver fought back to regain control of the Northwest. After a tough loss to Detroit the Canucks beat then division leader Minnesota on the road. They traveled then to Colorado and played to an Overtime loss. Which comes at no surprise as Vancouver has done well on the road. They've scored 56 goals on the road while scoring 32 back home. The Canucks end their road trip at fellow Canadian team Edmonton before returning to General Motors Place to face Florida, Edmonton again, and a resilient Blackhawks team. Minnesota is still right behind the Canucks. They did beat the lowly St. Louis Blues but they dropped their next two to Vancouver and Nashville. They pay a west coast visit to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Anaheim. By next week either team could be in control of the division. Over in the Central the Blackhawks continue their pursuit of leading Detroit. After winning a game against Anaheim the Hawks faced off against Detroit. After falling behind 2-0 early in the first the Hawks scored 4 straight goals led by Jonathan Toews with 2. From there the defending Stanley cup champs took over. Answering with two goals in the 3rd period. This was the second meeting between the two original 6 rivals. The first one also played into an overtime decision. The Blackhawks need to start winning these overtimes if they want to catch Detroit, they lead the Western conference with 7 OT losses. The next time these two meet will be at Detroit on the 30th before the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. 

Until next week Hockey fans.

Image courtesy of Bruce Klukhohn 

Week 13 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with your happenings of the NFL. The Redskins Giants game had a bit more coverage than predicted. In a game that was crucial to the NFC east, Plaxico Burress stole a bit of the spot light. Regardless Eli Manning threw for over 300 yards spreading his passes through out the Redskins secondary. Amani Toomer led the way with 85 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Jacobs ran for 71 yards and 1 touchdown on 21 carries. Eli had a rushing touchdown as well. The Redskins only score came from a Devin Thomas run. The Redskins couldn't score after in what was supposed to be a dedication to the late Sean Taylor. The Redskins woes continue after losing their last 4 straight while the Giants have won their last 7. 6 of those against winning teams. The G-men can clinch the division this weekend with a win and a Dallas loss. While the Redskins are slowly seeing their playoff dreams begin to vanish as they now have to fight for a wild card spot. 

Over in the NFC north, Minnesota may have won the lead from Chicago but they have a tough road ahead. Also factor in that the Williams Wall may not be there to help them. Kevin and Pat Williams tested positive for banned substance. The NFL has blocked their suspension for Sundays game against Detroit but from there its up for grabs. The substance in question can serve as a masking agent which carries a four game suspension. If there ever is a chance that Detroit can win a game this year its against Minnesota this weekend. The Vikings must avoid this trap game due to the fact their next three opponents are Atlanta, Arizona, and the Giants, all three are playoff bound teams. The Bears have it easy going with the under achieving Jacksonville then their toughest game with New Orleans. They then have a chance to avenge themselves against Green Bay then finish with Houston. Did I also mention that three of these games are at home?

Over in the AFC the Broncos managed to upset the Jets on Sunday. Jay Cutler unleashed a passing attack that racked up 357 yards and 2 touchdowns one to Brandon Stokley and the other to Eddie Royal. Rookie running back Peyton Hills had a season high 129 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Jets only scores aside from a Jay Feely field goal came from another spectacular game from Thomas Jones. Jones ran for 138 yards on 16 carries for two touchdowns including a 59 yard run. Denver's win essentially nails the coffin for San Diego. The Bronco's face Kansas City this weekend but have a challenge next week at Carolina. Jets face the 49er's before Buffalo. If they win those two they could lock up the division. 

The Colts pulled off a sloppy win over a battered Cleveland. Both teams combined for 5 turnovers and the only touchdown came in the forth quarter and it was a fumble return. Peyton Manning had an off day throwing 2 picks and only 15 for 21 and 125 yards. The Colts win all but cements their playoff birth. Their next three games are against Cincinnati Detroit and Jacksonville all three combine for 5 wins. Their last game is against Tennessee but by that point the Titans will be resting their starters. 

Last week I whiffed going 0-4 bringing my overall to 20-16

This week I'll take Atlanta over New Orleans 

the Dolphins over Buffalo

Baltimore over Washington

And my game of the week Tampa Bay over the Panthers

Image courtesy of Nick Wass

Hockey Talk week 6

Nick Russ here with your Hockey update. San Jose continues on its winning ways. The Sharks are riding on a 7 game winning streak with big wins against the Blackhawks and division rival Phoenix. They lead the league in goals for with around 4 per game. It probably helps the Sharks that their next 4 games are home. Thursday they play Columbus before hosting a tough division opponent in Anaheim. The Minnesota Wild have taken the lead in the Northwest just edging out Vancouver. The Wild had some great wins over Tampa Bay and Washington and had a tough loss against Colorado. The Wild are second only to Boston in goals against and are second in power play goals. The Wild have a huge game against Vancouver this weekend then visit Nashville then Phoenix. Out east the Rangers still have yet to show signs of letting up. This despite splitting the Florida teams and dropping a game to Vancouver. Even if you get them in OT they have won 7 shoot outs. The Rangers visit Montreal and host Calgary this weekend. Until next week Puck heads.

The Good, the Bad, and the BCS

NCAA Football Quiz

1. BCS stands for _________________.

a) Bowl Championship Series
b) Barely Comprehensible Scheme
c) Bafflingly Complicated Situation
d) All of the above

After this past weekend’s developments, many college football fans are beginning to view this question as a toss-up. With #3 Oklahoma’s 61-41 win over #12 Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Sooners finished the regular season in a three-way tie with #2 Texas and #7 Texas Tech atop the Big 12 South Division. But since one team from each division advances to the Big 12 Championship game, only one of these three teams can play in the conference championship.

Well, that should be an easy one to choose, right? Oklahoma and Texas have a consensus lead over Texas Tech, so we’ll just take a look at what happened when the Sooners and the Longhorns squared off earlier this season, right? Wrong. In an inexplicably atrocious move, college football has turned to the BCS standings as a tiebreaker. Yesterday’s updated BCS release has Oklahoma edging out Texas, .9351 to .9223.

Suddenly the Longhorns’45-35 triumph over the then-top ranked Sooners on October 11th seems completely meaningless. Head-to-head records apparently don’t tell us anything (sarcasm). Conventional wisdom says that the way to determine which team is better is to pit them against each other, but perhaps this line of thought is too advanced for the complex calculating of computers.

In summary, we have reached the climax of the college football season, and instead of relying on what happened on the field, we are putting the entire decision in the virtual hands of computers. When it comes to tabbing the better team, computerized calculations pale in comparison to actually going out onto the field and playing a game. The fact that Texas beat Oklahoma by 10 points on a NEUTRAL FIELD should be enough to put the Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship game ahead of the Sooners. Instead, they are forced to stay at home at watch a game between two inferior teams, BOTH of which Texas has beaten this season.

It’s only a conference championship game, you may say. It’s not like it’s the national championship. Well, it might as well be. The winner of the SEC championship game between #1 Alabama and #4 Florida has a lock on one of the spots in the title game, but the other will undoubtedly come from the Big 12. Oklahoma now has the inside track to grabbing that second spot. If the Sooners beat a fading Missouri squad in the Big 12 championship, they will play in the title game as well. The only way Texas can take that spot is if Oklahoma somehow loses to Missouri in a manner that convinces voters to bump the Longhorns past the Sooners in the polls.

By the same flawed logic, then, there can never be a playoff in college football. By using the BCS rankings as tiebreakers, college football is undermining its regular season and showing that what happened on the field doesn’t matter. It’s the computers that have the final say. This is diametrically opposed to the establishment of a playoff system, which bases its rankings solely on the in-game performances of two competing teams.

This entire quagmire, however, could be solved with one simple move: abolish divisions within conferences. Because Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech are all in the South Division of the Big 12, only one of those three teams can play in the conference championship…even though the Sooners, Longhorns, and Red Raiders (all 11-1) combine for the same number of losses as the North Division Champs, the Missouri Tigers (9-3). The top two teams in any given conference should get to face off in the conference championship; they shouldn’t be limited by their division classification.

Besides, you can’t tell me that Oklahoma and Texas players wouldn’t lick their chops at the thought of a rematch. Their regular season meeting provided plenty of drama already. Just imagine the atmosphere if they faced off with a berth in the national title game on the line.

But is shouldn’t have to come to that. Texas deserves a spot in the Big 12 championship game, and they are being cheated out of it because of the nuances of a flawed system. College football should be ashamed of this calamity, and the Big 12 should be embarrassed by the selection.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the answer is D.

Photos courtesy of ESPN.com.

Week 12 in the NFL Happy Thanksgiving!

Rejoice and give thanks its your weekly NFL recap. The champaign has popped for the 72 Dolphins for another year. The New York Jets ended the Titans winning streak on Sunday beating them 34-13. Favre went 25 for 32 with 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. With the help from Thomas Jones going 96 yards on 27 carries while Leon Washington scored twice on eight carries. The Titans couldn't seem to click on Sunday. The offense punted away their first 5 possesions and couldn't establish their passing game. The Titans seem to turn away from their running game. Both Lyndel White and Chris Johnson combined for only 11 carries for 45 yards. The Jets win clearly puts them in the post season conversation. This week they host the roller coaster Denver Broncos. The Titans get to have their feast of Detroit today before hosting Clevland who just lost QB Brady Quinn.

It came down to the wire but the Colts managed to hold off the Chargers. With 1:35 on the clock the Chargers tied the game with a Nate Kaeding 47 yard field goal. Peyton Manning took over from there. The performance was clutch including a 14 yard pass from Manning to Marvin Harrison on 4th and 1. After Joseph Addai ran for two yards, Peyton spiked the ball and out came Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri last season missed a field goal in the post season that allowed San Diego to continue in the playoffs while the Colts went home. From 51 yards out he exorcised his demons by making the field goal. The kick was Vinatieri 22nd game winning field goal and now sends the Chargers into a tail spin. The Chargers are now 2 games behind the Broncos who were upset by Oakland of all teams. San Diego hosts Atlanta in what could be the end for them. The Colts have now won their last 4 and now visit Cleveland. 

Over in the NFC North the race is heating up. After being blasted by the Packers the Bears took out their frustration on St.Louis. Minnesota after losing a tough game to Tampa Bay, turned around and easily handled Jacksonville. Green Bay enjoyed the win over rival Chicago but got blasted by New Orleans. The Saints scored 51 points on the Pack that brings the race between Chicago and Minnesota who meet on Sunday night. Green Bay has a critical game against Carolina. This weekend should prove whose in and whose out in the north.

The NFC south is equally entertaining. Tampa Bay and Carolina have 8-3 records but Tampa holds the tie breaker over the Panthers. Atlanta is right behind them with a 7-4 record. New Orleans is talented but they wont factor in this race. Carolina plays the Packers in what should be a great game and one that has huge playoff implications. Tampa visits New Orleans while Atlanta goes west to San Diego. The big game in this division is next week on monday night where Carolina squares off against Tampa for the last time this season. 

Last week I was a perfect 4-0 on my picks bringing my overall to 20-12

This week I'll take Washington over the Giants

The Jets over Denver

Green Bay over Carolina

And my game of the week The Bears over the Vikings

Have a happy Thanksgiving and until next time. 

image courtesy of Kevin C. Cox

Give Thanks

As #5 Oklahoma throttled #2 Texas Tech Saturday night and created what will likely end as a three-way tie in the Big 12 South, the national championship picture got a bit more complicated. But let’s not dwell on matters beyond our control. Seeing as how Thanksgiving is less than a week away, there’s no better time to take a moment and focus on a few things to be thankful for this college football season.

1) Fans witnessed one of the greatest college football games in years when Texas Tech took down then-#1 Texas in a 39-33 thriller. A gutsy comeback from Texas quarterback Colt McCoy had the Longhorns in position to win until Michael Crabtree’s touchdown grab with one second remaining sealed the deal for the then-#7 Red Raiders. The only other two games I can remember as that exciting were Notre Dame vs. USC in 2005 and, of course, that same USC squad vs. Texas in the 2005 title game.

2) Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford’s mastery of Texas Tech and Heisman frontrunner Graham Harrell on Saturday further muddied the waters of the Heisman race. Expect the competition for college football’s most prestigious individual award to come right down to the wire between Bradford, Harrell, McCoy, and last year’s winner, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow...which should make for some exciting football.

3) NCAA college football did not follow college basketball’s lead and make an unnecessary change to a key dimension of the game. The men’s three-point line was moved back one foot from 19’9” to 20’9” – right between the international length and the NBA length – prior to the start of the 08-09 season. Why they didn’t expand the lane OR move the women’s line as well OR settle for the 20’6” international length is beyond me. Can you imagine having to gain 11 yards for a first down?

4) Penn State lost to Iowa 24-23 on November 8th, dropping them out of the #3 spot and assuring that Joe Paterno and crew will not be included in the national championship picture. If the Nittany Lions had won out and received a berth in the title game, it would have been shameful to college football fans and embarrassing to Penn State fans. The Big 10 is a weak, overrated conference compared to the Big 12 and the SEC. For a recent history of how Big 10 teams have fared in national championships, see Ohio State: 2006 and 2007.

5) College football did not listen to Barack Obama and change the BCS to an eight-team playoff system. The president-elect is far from alone on this controversial issue, but BCS coordinator John Swofford has his reasons for keeping things the way they are. The importance of each and every game in college football makes for a season that Swofford believes is “the best and most meaningful in sports.” That’s not to say the current BCS system is perfect and free of obvious snags, but for now, let’s just try to enjoy college football for its uniqueness.

Hocky Talk week 5

Nick Russ here with your NHL update. The Rangers are no longer the point leader in the NHL. San Jose has taken the lead by winning 8 of their last 10. Their overall record is 17-3-1 and lead the Ducks by ten points in the Pacific. They play Chicago before facing division trailing Dallas and Phoenix. Another team on roll in the Western conference is Vancouver. The Canucks have won 7 of their last 10 games including an impressive win against Pittsburgh. This week the Canucks square of against Detroit and Calgary however they might be without captain and all star goalie Roberto Luongo who suffered a pulled groin in a game against the Penguins. 

The Redwings continue to perform well but so are the Blackhawks. Both teams have won 7 of their last 10. The Blackhawks continue to win against the teams with worse records but they're having trouble winning shootouts. The Redwings swept Edmonton and the Florida teams in rout to a five game winning streak. Tomorrow night the Redwings face  a tough opponent in Vancouver while the Hawks visit San Jose. 

Out East Boston continues their dominance in the Northeast. They've won twice against division opponents Toronto, Montreal, and Buffalo. their only loss this month was in a shootout against the New York Rangers. They face Buffalo again this week before taking on Detroit later this week. Elsewhere Pittsburgh is gaining ground on the Rangers. The Penguins fueled by the play of Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin the Penguins have big wins against Detroit and Buffalo. This week they play the Islanders and later play Buffalo and New Jersey. 

Thats it for me until next week hocky fans.

Week 13 FBS College Football Part 2 and Picks

This is Steven West with an FBS update and my picks for Week 13.

Big Ten:  Joe Tiller is coaching his final game as the Boilermakers head coach tomorrow as Purdue hosts Indiana.  For both teams this year was not the follow up that either had planned for the 2008 season.  Purdue, with Curtis Painter at QB, was looking to improve on last year after winning the Motor City bowl against Central Michigan in a thriller that almost went into overtime.  And the Hoosiers were looking to expand on last season's miracle run giving the Hoosiers their first bowl game in over a decade and give Billy Lynch, in his first season as head coach something to build on.  Now both teams are looking to not just win the Old Oaken Bucket, on Saturday, but also to not finish in last place in the Big Ten.  The top match-up this weekend is (8) Penn State against (15) Michigan State, not the traditional Michigan/Ohio State match-up.  The Buckeyes, No. 10 in the BCS, are locked to win the match and give the Wolverines their record ninth loss of the season, which puts pressure on Penn State to defeat Michigan State and earn a spot in the Rose Bowl.  Look for the other intriguing match-up to be Northwestern vs. Illinois, a win the Illini gives them six wins and makes them bowl eligible.

ACC:  Last night showed me once again, that new ACC teams to the polls, don't stay in the polls for too long.  Georgia Tech defeated (23) Miami (FL) 41-23.  The Yellow Jackets have finished their ACC schedule at 5-3 and now need North Carolina and Virginia Tech to lose one of their remaining two games to clinch the Coastal Division.  The top match-up on Saturday will be Florida State at (25) Maryland.  The Terrapins have one constant, they can win at home.  If that happens Maryland, will have a solid advantage in the Atlantic Division.

MWC and WAC:  The one match-up this week that most of the country won't be able to see is (14) BYU vs. (7) Utah.  A Utah win will give the Utes a perfect season and a very good chance that Utah will be in one of the BCS games.  A BYU win will put (9) Boise State in a BCS game, provided the Broncos can win their final two games of the season at Nevada, on Saturday, and home against Fresno State, next week.

Now to my picks for the weekend:

(10) Ohio State wins easily against Michigan (Noon kickoff on ABC)

(22) North Carolina defeats the Wolf Pack of N.C. State (Noon kickoff on ESPN +)

(4) Florida gets an easy win over Citadel before facing Florida State next week (1:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +)

(8) Penn State wins a tight one at home over (15) Michigan State (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(16) TCU wins their season finale over Air Force (3:30 p.m. kickoff on Versus)

(18) LSU edges out Ole Miss (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS)

(9) Boise State cruises past Nevada (4 p.m. kickoff on ESPN 2)

(7) Utah clinches the MWC title over (14) BYU (6 p.m. kickoff on The Mtn.)

Upset Special:  Arizona defeats (21) Oregon State (7 p.m. kickoff on Versus)

(19) Cincinnati survives a close encounter with (20) Pittsburgh (7:15 p.m. kickoff on ESPN 2)

(25) Maryland continues their consistency at home by defeating Florida State (7:45 p.m. kickoff on ESPN)

And finally, (5) Oklahoma wins by less than 7 over (2) Texas Tech (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)

* - check local listings for the game in your area.

Low Tide

November is supposed to be when championship-caliber teams make their move and ascend the BCS ladder. Someone forgot to broadcast this to the college football world.

After a weekend of few upsets and little surprises, the top 16 teams in the AP poll remained in EXACTLY THE SAME POSITIONS AS LAST WEEK. Not one moved up, not one moved down. However, there’s one that should be on its way down, at least from the pedestal of power it currently occupies. For the last three weeks, top-ranked Alabama has been overrated and receiving undeserved praise.

Alabama may be ranked #1, but the Tide is low in Tuscaloosa. I don’t understand (A) how Alabama soared to the top spot or (B) how they have managed to hold onto it. The Crimson Tide does have three wins over ranked opponents, but let’s take at look at those teams now: #9 Clemson (now 5-5 and unranked), #3 Georgia (now 9-2 and #13), and #20 LSU a week ago in a 27-21 overtime squeaker. When you have an opposing quarterback complete just 13 of 34 passes with 4 interceptions and you can’t win in regulation – as the Tide did on November 8th – there’s something wrong. Congratulations to Nick Saban for the win over his old team, but Alabama needs to regroup by December 6 if they want a shot at the national title game. That’s when they will take on #3 Florida in the SEC Championship.

Here are the top four teams in the country, heads and shoulders above the rest, any of which I would pick over Alabama.

Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson has been
inconsistent at best (photos: ESPN.com and USA Today).

#1Texas Tech (10-0). It’s safe to say that the Red Raiders’ fumble on their opening drive against #9 Oklahoma State was a fluke. The machine-like Texas Tech offense followed that blunder with touchdowns on SEVEN STRAIGHT POSSESSIONS in a 56-20 win. It marked their second straight victory over a top ten opponent. Simply put, no team is playing better than Texas Tech right now, and no quarterback is playing better than Graham Harrell.

#2 Florida (9-1). Since losing to Mississippi 31-30, the Gators have outscored their opponents 299 to 63 in the last six games. That’s like winning 50-11 every week. You can make the same argument as with Alabama about quality wins; Florida’s biggest opponents have also been Georgia and LSU. But the Gators won each of those games by at least 30 points, which is more than the Crimson Tide can say.

#3 Texas (10-1). Colt McCoy and Co. have only one L on their resume, a six-point loss to Texas Tech that came on a Michael Crabtree score with one second left. More attention should be payed to their otherwise unblemished record that includes a ten point victory over the mighty Oklahoma Sooners. To be 10-1 in the Big 12 – home of 3 of the top 5 teams – is impressive enough.

#4 Oklahoma (9-1). Those who thought that loss to Texas ended Oklahoma’s national title hopes aren’t looking at the big picture. While the Sooners have only two wins over ranked opponents, they are lighting up the scoreboard against everyone. Oklahoma has topped the 50-point mark in six of its ten games, and it surpassed 60 points in their last two. Sam Bradford’s numbers have been nothing short of phenomenal, especially for a sophomore.

I understand that Alabama has had a great season so far, and the Tide has yet to drop a game. Being an undefeated team in a BCS conference lends itself toward a top ranking. It almost seems as if Alabama is #1 because they have to be #1, following the conventional logic of a computerized system. Are they the best team in the country, as far as their record is concerned? Yes. But are they the best team in the country, as far as being able to beat every other team? No. The Tide will lose before this year is through. And if it somehow doesn’t happen in the SEC Championship, Alabama better prepare for a rude awakening in the BCS title game.

Week 11 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with your weekly dose of NFL.  If there were any doubts on how good the Giants are, they were erased on Sunday. The Giants trampled over the Ravens defense rushing for over 200 yards. No team had yet to even rush over 100 yards against Ray Lewis and Co. let alone 200. Brandon Jacobs had a 73 yards on 11 carries and 2 touchdowns but was stopped short due to a knee injury. Eli Manning went 13 for 23 with 153 yards and 1 touchdown. The Ravens aired it out most of the game. Joey Flacco went 20 for 33 with 164 yards and one touchdown. Flacco led the Ravens in rushing with 6 carries for 57 yards. With the Giants handling the Ravens quite well they establish themselves as the NFC contender. The Giants play in a now more interesting game at Arizona. The Ravens host a sputtering Philadelphia this week.

Phily is comes off of one of the oddest occurrences in foot ball, a tie. What was worse was QB Donovan McNabb's reaction to it. The man didn't even believe it was a rule in the book! The Eagles record at 5-4 is quickly becoming inadequate in the NFC East. With the tie against 

one of the worst in the NFL, the Phily Phans are starting to revert to their restless ways. This comes off of the Dallas victory against Washington. Tony Romo still had a taped finger but managed to throw 19 for 27 with 198 yards and one touchdown. He wasn't without his errors he threw 2 drive stopping picks. Marion Barber helped the Cowboys by rushing 24 for 114 yards with 1 touchdown. Clinton Portis surprised everyone by suiting up this week after many thought he would miss due to a sprained knee. Now its Washington's turn to pick up a win after dropping their last two. They visit Seattle while Dallas hosts the 49er's.

Over in the AFC The Colts have managed to look like their old selves after holding off a difficult Houston. The Colts ran up 474 total yards in the shoot out in the AFC South. Peyton Manning went 30 for 46 for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns. Joseph Addai carried the ball for 105 yards and 1 touch down and had one of the receiving touchdowns from Peyton marking Addai's best performance this season. The big stat for the Colts was 10-15 on third down conversions. The Texans had an equally impressive 356 yards in the game. In the end Houston's defense couldn't hold off the Colts who are starting to pick up steam. Else where in the AFC the Titans proved they can come from behind and win. Securing their undefeated season at Jacksonville, the Titans fell behind 14-3 at half but rallied behind QB Kerry Collins who went 13 for 23 and 230 yards and three touchdowns. The Titans rattled off 21 straight points on the way to their tenth victory. This week the Titans winning streak is at stake again this week as they host the resurgent Jets.

Last week I was 1-3 bringing my total to 16-12

This week I'll pick Washington over Seattle 

The Colts over the Chargers

Falcons over the Panthers

And my game of the week The Jets over the Titans

Week 13 FBS College Football Part 1

This is Steven West with a possible solution to the BCS dilemma.

No not the who should play in this years BCS games, but I am talking about an end to the BCS, period.  Here's the formula:

Number of teams in a playoff (16)

Conference Champions (11)

At-Large Teams (5)

This is how it goes.  First shorten the season by one week, not one game, one week.  Each team in 1-A, no more FBS and FCS, plays 12 games in a 14-week span.  Week 15 will be reserved for Conference Championships, all 11 of them.  If a conference is split into two divisions (MAC, Big 12, ACC, etc.), the two divisions winners will face-off, if there is no division split (Pac-10, Sun Belt, MWC), the top two teams will face-off.  The conference champion automatically gets in.  The remaining five will be selected by an NCAA committee similar to the Men's and Women's Basketball tournaments.  This committee would also determine the pairings.  Other bowl games can still take place.

Only 17 of the Top 25 in the BCS are playing this weekend.  The first comes on Wednesday night when (17) Ball State travels to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, to take on Central Michigan.  Ball State took a dive in the BCS this week, falling from 14 to 17.  I my opinion, the Cardinals were unfairly treated in the polls, as Ball State got passed by Michigan State and Texas Christian, both of who didn't even play last week.  The Cardinals may use this as motivation come Wednesday night.

Week 10 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with your weekly dose of vitamins N F and L. With a thrilling victory over the Patriots the New York Jets can now lay claim to the AFC East lead. Matt Cassel seemed to have transformed into Tom Brady. Cassel threw 30/51, 400 yards and 3 touchdowns including one to Randy Moss with 1 second in the game to tie it up. Favre, well looked like Favre going 26/33 for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns. Thomas Jones helped carry some of the Jets offensive load rushing 104 yards on 30 carries with one touchdown. The Jets take the lead in the division for the first time since November of 2001. Jets face a tough test next week against the Titans. The Pats heroics were grand. They were down 24-6 at one point in the first half. Cassel is continuing to prove that he can be a hot QB for some other team in the future. New England can take back the division with a win at Miami if Tennessee beats the Jets.

The Colts can breathe a sigh a relief with their huge win over Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger threw three picks that lead to Indianapolis points. Combined with Peyton Manning's 21/40 for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns. Roethlisberger blamed the loss on himself and now must pick up the Steelers, who have lost their last 2 games. The Colts now can keep pace in the wild card race. This was the first meeting since the 2006 divisional play off game where the Steelers upset then super bowl favorite Indianapolis. This was also the Colts first win in Pittsburgh since 1968. Pittsburgh hosts the struggling Chargers. Indy will host Houston in an important AFC game. 

In the NFC east the Cowboys MUST win this game sunday to have any chance at all at post season play. With Clinton Portis out and QB Tony Romo returning the Boys have a shot this sunday. Washington needs this victory if they want to keep up with the Giants. The Giants have a huge matchup against the Ravens this week. Due to the fact that these two teams are most likely playoff bound, I'll make this my game of the week. 

Another game of playoff importance is Green Bay hosting Chicago. Kyle Orton is listed as probable for the Bears on Sunday. The Bears proved they can shut down any run game with their impressive defense against Tennessee. The problem facing the Bears is that Aaron Rodgers can pick a part the Bears secondary much like Kerry Collins did last week. The Bears can take a step forward in winning the division with a win sunday. Elsewhere the Vikings face off against Tampa Bay where both teams are trying to be a factor in each others division race. 

Last week I went 3-1 bringing my record to 15-9

This week I'll take Atlanta over Denver

The Steelers over the Chargers

Bears over Green Bay 

And my game of the week The Ravens to upset the Giants

Week 12 BCS Picks

This is Steven West with your BCS Predictions for Week 12.

For what is to be a "quiet week" I have this ugly feeling in my stomach that this will not be a good weekend for some of the BCS teams.  Don't ask why, it just feels that way.  Here are my picks for the weekend.

Tonight

(22) Cincinnati wins over Louisville (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN 2)

Saturday

(8) Penn State avenges last weeks loss and destroys Indiana (Noon kickoff on Big Ten Network)*

(11) Ohio State defeats Illinois in a close one (Noon kickoff on ESPN 2)

(3) Texas wins a battle against Kansas (12:30 p.m. kickoff on FSN Regional)

(10) Georgia survives what might be Tommy Tuberville's final home game at Auburn (12:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +/Raycom Sports)

(4) Florida wins their SEC finale over (25) South Carolina (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS)

(16) North Carolina triumphs over Maryland on the road (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(17) Brigham Young wins on the road against Air Force (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS CS)

(24) Wake Forest defeats North Carolina State (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN U)

(9) Boise State wins over Idaho (5 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +)

(6) USC avenges last years lost to Stanford (7 p.m. kickoff on Versus)

(1) Alabama improves to 11-0 with a win over Mississippi State (7:45 p.m. kickoff on ESPN)

(7) Utah also improves to 11-0 defeating San Diego State (8 p.m. kickoff on The Mtn.)

(13) Oklahoma State wins over Colorado (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

In my only upset of the night Boston College defeats (19) Florida State (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(20) LSU gets back their winning ways by winning against Troy (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +)

(23) Tulsa defeats Houston (8 p.m. kickoff on CBS CS)

Hocky Talk week3

Nick Russ here with your NHL update. Pittsburgh has vaulted into 2nd in the Atlantic. Going on a 3 game win streak and anchored by point and assist leader Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins scored wins over a decent St.Louis and the Islanders and along with Edmonton. Tomorrow night they have a rematch over last years Stanley Cup final at Detroit. Then they come home for a game against rival Philadelphia and against the Sabers.

Buffalo is locked with a battle with Boston for the Northeast lead. They helped their cause by winning against Washington and New Jersey. But then they had a hic-up against Atlanta and Boston. Buffalo is near the top scoring about 3 goals per game. They may have lost against Boston earlier but latter this month they face the Bruins 2 more times. They have St. Louis and Columbus at home then they visit the Penguins.

Chicago has caught fire winning their last 4 games and leading the league with nearly 4 goals per game. The Hawks go for their fifth win against Boston at home where they have won most of their games. They will then host St. Louis and San Jose. They are now only two games behind Detroit. 

The Redwings are coming off of two impressive victories against New Jersey and Vancouver. The defending stanley cup champs face Pittsburgh tomorrow in a Stanley Cup rematch before heading to Florida to play Tampa Bay and Florida.

Until next time Hocky fans

Bonus Election Coverage

Here’s what college football fans may have liked to see at the polls on November 4. If only voting for the Heisman was like voting in the presidential election…

LIBERAL TICKET
Heisman Candidate: Graham Harrell
Running Mate: Michael Crabtree
Campaign Headquarters: Lubbock, TX
Path to the Heisman: Harrell emerged from a highly competitive primary in the state of Texas a week ago. He faced one of his toughest challengers in fellow liberal player Colt McCoy and was actually tabbed as the underdog. However, thanks to an efficient campaign and a popular, last-second move by running mate Michael Crabtree, Harrell emerged victorious.
Candidate Statement: I believe in liberal football – lots of passing, lots of scoring. An offense should control a game and intervene when others are struggling or experiencing hardships. My offense has engineered many effective initiatives throughout this season with complete success thus far. I believe resources such as touchdowns should be evenly distributed, and I’m willing to make cuts when I carry the load myself. Finally, I believe in universal ball care, as evidenced by my 5 interceptions.

CONSERVATIVE TICKET
Heisman Candidate: Tim Tebow
Running Mate: Percy Harvin
Campaign Headquarters: Gainsville, FL
Path to the Heisman: Tebow is the incumbent running for reelection. His campaign is focused on his experience as Heisman winner and what he has done for the college football world. Although his numbers are more modest now than they were during his previous term, Tebow’s party has reached a higher overall level of success and is one of the best in the country.
Candidate Statement: I believe in conservative football – run the ball when you can, pass the ball when it’s advantageous. I’m a multi-faceted candidate and I prefer to mix things up a bit. Last year it seemed to work out, as I achieved numbers rarely before reached by anyone in my position. My running mate has experience keeping the campaign grounded, as well as helping it take flight, but I’m not afraid to take control myself. We have been campaigning through the Southeast with almost unanimous results, and we would like to add you to our long list of supporters.

Don’t worry if your candidate of choice is not listed above; that’s what the write-in line is for. Just get out there and VOTE!

A mid-season report

At the half way point of the NFL season there have been a few surprises and disapointments. Here's a look at the surprises the what happened to those guys and some of my predictions for the rest of the season.

The Titans are without a doubt the one team that looks good heading into the half way point. The one argument against them is that they have had and will have down an easy schedule. Games against basement living Cinncinati, Houston, and Jacksonville haven't been really stellar. Their victory over the Colts was huge. Their schedule will allow them to have a great shot at home field advantage. This week they have a potential trap game against the Bears but I believe their first loss will come against the Jets in two weeks.

New England has had rough start. When you lose your starting QB thats rough. When its Tom Brady, it's devastating. Yet the Pats have not collapsed as many would have thought. They have hung tough with Matt Cassel. They say one man doesn't make a team and the Pats have proven that. Their next couple games can leave them atop the AFC East. They have winnable games against Miami, Oakland and Seattle. However they have to play Arizona but before that they have to go up against Pittsburgh.

Arizona has become the default number 1 team in the NFC west. They have a decent 5-3 record while everyone else is seemingly drowning with bellow 500 seasons. Add the fact they have MVP candidate Kurt Warner and an easy division the Cards can coast into the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

Disaster in Dallas- Going into this season everyone, including myself, picked the Cowboys to be the team to beat in the NFC and quite possibly a superbowl favorite. Yet something went wrong. Dallas has been roller coasting the whole year. They're on the brink of playoff elimination due to the fact that Washington has stepped up their game considerably. If Dallas wants a shot at the playoffs they MUST win their next game against Washington. Even after that its a tough road.

San Diego was thought to be part of the Indianapolis, New England race to form a triple threat in the AFC. San Diego has been nothing but inconsistent. Their one impressive win came against New England. They've dropped games against Miami and New Orleans. They're fortunate that Denver has been stumbling along the way with them leaving them one game behind. The Bolts can still catch Denver if they pull it together. They better they face a injured but still good Colts team and the Steelers down the road. It can be a turning point or the nail in their coffin.

My divison predictions are for the AFC: North- Its the Steelers to lose and that doesn't look like it will happen. Baltimore has a chance to catch them but it wouldn't be head to head. Baltimore gets a wild card spot.

East-We'll know for sure in the next three weeks. The Patriots can easily take back their helm. Buffalo is on a two game skid, if they can pull off the win against the Pats they can win the division but I think the Veteran Pats will pull off the divison. Buffalo has a chance for a wild card.

South- The Titans are a run-a-way freight train. They can go 14-2 if they want to. They wont go 16-0. The Colts have to fight right now to get into the playoffs. Colts have a better chance in my opinion than the Bills to make the post season. 

West- I don't know anymore about San Diego. We all know the Raiders are not going anywhere nor are the Chiefs. There fore its a two horse race between the Chargers and Denver. Because the Chargers tough schedule I'll take Denver in a close one.

NFC:- North The Bears and Packers are gonna slug this one out till the bitter end in the cold midwest weather of December. Minnesota doesn't have the talent to keep up with the Oldest Rivalry in pro football. A Chicago win against Tennessee can inject them with a lot of momentum against the Packers the next week. This will come down to the end but I think the Bears can pull this off. Second place has a chance for a wild card.

East- Giants to lose. New York can say they're the favorite in the NFC. Redskins can keep pace but will fall short. Redskins will have a wild card and will play in the playoffs. Phily can try to get in the playoffs but wont make it compared to the Washington and New York offense. 

South- Carolina has slid under the radar and can obtain the all powerful Home Field advantage. Carolina has a easy schedule but Tampa is right there. Tampa can pass Carolina if they slip up. I wouldn't be surprised if Tampa won the South and Carolina won a wild card or vice-versa.

West- Arizona will win this divison with out a hitch. How far they go I will discuss another time. 

My awards for this half MVP- Kurt Warner. Kurt has stepped up and making everyone think its 1999 again. He could win this award and cement his hall of fame status. Clinton Portis could catch him however.

Rookie of the Year- Matt Ryan. Rookie phenome has helped the healing in Atlanta and make everyone forget all about Michael Vick. 

Coach of the Year- Jeff Fisher. Can't deny undefeated season thus far. Fisher cant take this team all the way

I'll be back at the end of the season with a recap and playoff and Super Bowl predictions

Week 11 BCS Picks + 1

This is Steven West.  As guaranteed, here is the picks for Saturday's BCS Top 25 match-ups.

(4) Texas defeats Baylor (Noon kickoff)

(11) Ohio State fends off (24) Northwestern by less than 10 points (Noon kickoff on ESPN 2)

(18) Michigan State holds off Purdue (Noon kickoff on Big Ten Network)

(19) North Carolina improves their ACC Standing with a win over (20) Georgia Tech (Noon kickoff on ESPN +)

(13) Georgia wins on the road over Kentucky (12:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +)

(10) Boise State continues to win over Utah State (2 p.m. kickoff on ESPN +)

(15) Brigham Young crushes San Diego State (2 p.m. kickoff on The Mtn.)

(1) Alabama wins the Saban Bowl II against LSU (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS)

(3) Penn State improves to 10-0 over Iowa (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(6) Oklahoma defeats Texas A&M (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(22) Florida State rebounds with a win over Clemson (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(14) Missouri wins against Kansas State (7 p.m. kickoff)

Cincinnati upsets (25) West Virginia (7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN U)

Upset Special:  (9) Oklahoma State wins on the road over (2) Texas Tech (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

(5) Florida wins over Vanderbilt (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN 2)

(7) USC defeats (21) California (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)*

+1 Special:  Notre Dame wins at Chestnut Hill over Boston College (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN)

*- Check your local listings for game and time in your area.

And as a recap of action so far this week:

(17) Ball State defeated Northern Illinois 45-14.

(8) Utah held off (12) Texas Christian 13-10.

And Virginia Tech upset (23) Maryland 23-13.

I love this game! A few early season awards!

So we are about a week and a half into the NBA season.  That means it's time for me to get

overzealous and pass out some hardware!

Biggest surprise:  The Atlanta Hawks (4-0)

I've got to be completely honest.  I completely expected this team to take a step back this year. Josh Childress leaving--and Mike Woodson not-- was enough to convince they were worse than the 37-win team they were a year ago.  How they've managed to beat Orlando, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Toronto (all four should be playoff teams) I don't understand.  Especially since Marvin Williams has only played in one game and  Al Horford doesn't seem to have gotten that much better.  The difference might be that Joe Johnson has become a true franchise player.  Biggest disappointment: The San Antonio Spurs (1-4)

I thought they might struggle, but not like this. Without Manu Ginobili the Spurs rely almost

completely on Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, with the occasional big game from Roger Mason.

Nobody else can really score. If Parker's ankle injury forces him to miss too much time, this

team could be in trouble. For their lone win they had to get 55 points and 10 assists from

Parker in double overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves... doesn't look good.

Best Rookie: Derrick Rose; PG, Bulls

I was one of the people who assumed Derrick Rose would struggle initially. I thought his lack of 

a consistent jump shot would really hinder what he could do. But there were a couple things I

didn't count on. First, I didn't think his jumper would improve so dramatically during the 

off-season. Second, no one can stay in front of him. He can get to the rim anytime he wants. 

Sure, he gets a little erratic at times, but that's to be expected from a rookie point guard. 

Bottom line... he leads all rookies in scoring (17.8 ppg) and is second in assists (4.2 apg).

MVP: Joe Johnson

Of all the undefeated teams, they Hawks have easily played the toughest schedule. Joe

Johnson has averaged 28 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 3.7 apg. Johnson will most likely not win

MVP award at the end of the season... so let's give him his 15 minutes of fame.

Week 11 FBS College Football Part 2

This is Steven West with an FBS update.

MAC: With chants of "B-C-S" from the Ball State student section, the Cardinals rolled the Huskies from Northern Illinois 45-14 last night from Muncie, IN.  Ball State upps their record to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the MAC.  Nate Davis was impressive throughout the night completing 18-22 passes for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Defensively, the cardinals first stringers forced a pair of turnovers and forced Northern Illinois Punter Andy Dittbenner got a workout, punting eight times.  Davis may have been named Player of the Game, but Louis Johnson became the feature player of the games catching six passes for 165 yards and one touchdown (22 yards) while doing his best Michael Crabtree, working the sidelines like a tightrope.  Overall the Cardinals were impressive on both sides of the ball against Northern Illinois and now has five days to prepare for Miami (Ohio) at Oxford, Ohio on Tuesday night.  After Miami, Ball State is at Central Michigan then home for their finale against Western Michigan.

My quick predictions for tonight's BCS matches are Virginia Tech over (23) Maryland, it's not been good to be ranked in either the AP or BCS for the ACC.  And I'll take (8) Utah to win a close one against (12) Texas Christian.  If the game was played in Fort Worth, I would go the other way.  I'll have the rest of my predictions tomorrow night.  Till then, enjoy tonight's games and Brady Quinn's NFL starting debut against the Denver Broncos.

Week 9 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with the events of Week 9. The half way point of the season has been reached and the players and pretenders are now visibly seen. In Pittsburgh the Steelers can lay claim to one of the top teams in the AFC. A strong defense completely shut down the high powered Redskins offense. Not only that but they did it with backup QB Byron Leftwich leading the way in the second half. The Steelers managed to pick off Jason Campbell twice, his first and second interceptions this year. They were in his face all night as the D sacked him 7 times. They held League Leading rusher Clinton Portis to 51 yards the first under 125 yard game in 5 games. Washington losses ground to New York and have Phily on a hot streak right behind them. They're on the bye this week and can use it to prep for Dallas in what could be big D's last stand. Pittsburgh takes their wrecking crew back to Heinz field where they hope the MRI on Roethlisberger is negative and to host the Colts in a critical game for Indy.

The Colts win over New England was huge. I

t helps them keep pace for a wild card spot because at this point Tennessee is starting to run away. The Colts managed to keep the Pats o

ut of the end zone limiting them to one touchdown. Most of the scoring came from the leg of Stephan Gostowski. The Colts managed 2 touchdowns from Peyton to Anthony Gonzalez. Both teams managed over 300 yards. The Colt

s climb back to 500 with a 4-4 record and will pay a visit to Heinz field to face the Steelers in my game of the week. The Patriots find themselves in a three way race in the AFC east with the Bills and Jets. New England will play both in the next two weeks starting with Buffalo. The Pats can easily be in first in two weeks time. 

Titans avoided a trap in overtime over the Packers. Chris Johnson tore up the field rushing for 89 yards and Touchdown. The key stat was two turnovers from Aaron Rodgers. One was a interception in the redzone to halt a potiential scoring drive and a fumble deep in Packers territory that lead to a Titans field goal. Titans kicker Rob Bironas had a chance to win during regulation but missed a 47 yard kick as time expired. In OT the Titans won the coin toss and Chris Johnson took over driving the Titans down to set up Bironas redeeming kick to end the game 19-16. Titans have won their 5th straight against a NFC opponent and will pay the Bears a visit this weekend. The Packers take one the Vikings as Minnesota tries to facture in the NFC north.

Most people would've expected a one-sided affair in Chicago last week. However the Lions had another idea. After Chicago scored early the Lions took over scoring all 23 of their points in the 2nd quarter. The Bears started the second half without Kyle Orton under center. Thus enter (dramatic music) Rex Grossman. The crowd was less than pleasent to the former starting QB who took the Bears to the Super Bowl no less than two seasons ago. Grossman wasn't stellar at passing going only 9 for 19 with one touchdown pass. He also had a triumphant rush into the end zone where afterwards he spiked the ball capping a Bears comeback. More credit is probably due to rookie running back Matt Forte rushing for 126 yards, most of which happened in the second half after the Lions started to close down the passing game. The Bears stand alone in first and host the undefeated Titans without starting Kyle Orton. Early word is a high ankle sprain that could put him out at least 3 weeks. A win for Chicago can make them stake a claim as a contender in the NFC. 

Last week I went 2-2 bringing my total to 12-8

This week I'll take Atlanta over New Orleans

the Giants over Philadelphia 

Tennessee over the Bears

And my game of the week Pittsburgh over the Colts

(photo courtesy AP)

Attempting The Impossible

When Carl Edwards won the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 26 and Jimmie Johnson fought from troubles throughout the race for an improbable runner-up finish, I believed that Johnson had just wrapped up his third straight title. I had good reason to believe that as the California driver led Edwards by 183 points, the biggest point lead during the Chase for the Cup since it began in 2004. As the Dickies 500 started this past Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, I thought that it resembled a coronation more than a race. However as the race went along the stars of the show appeared to not be following the script as Edwards began to runaway from the pack and Johnson floundered in the middle of the field. Suddenly the lead had dwindled under 70 points and was nowhere near as safe.

Johnson would continue to try and fight his way through the field while Edwards would make a strategy call that could make or break his championship dreams. As most of the other leaders stopped for fuel and tires, Edwards stayed on the track and hoped that his tank of fuel could last an unbelieveable 69 laps around the 1.5 mile track. Against all odds Edwards made it to the end and took the checkered flag to win the race.

Carl Edwards (99) won at Texas on Sunday and closed on Jimmie Johnson (48) in points (AP Photo/Randy Holt)

Johnson would soldier on to finish 15th and give up points to Edwards who now sits 106 points out of first with just two races left. To capture his third straight title, Johnson must finish seventh or better in both races to clinch. Things have definitely gotten a bit more interesting as the season nears a conclusion.
Elsewhere in racing, Ryan Briscoe was a popular home country winner on October 25 in the IndyCar Series race at Surfers Paradise in Australia. Ron Hornaday won the Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Friday night and closed to within six points of leader Johnny Benson Jr. as he searches for another title. Kyle Busch took his tenth Nationwide Series win of the season Saturday at Texas while Carl Edwards closed the point gap on Clint Bowyer as he tries for his second straight series championship. In California on Saturday night, Jesse "The Rocket" Hockett was the big winner at the Oval Nationals in Perris, California.

Week 11 FBS College Football Part 1

This is Steven West with an FBS update.

SEC:  Tennessee will have Philip Fulmar as the head coach for the remainder of the season.  Afterwards, he'll step down and open the door for a new coach of the volunteers.  Tennessee (3-6 Overall, 1-5 SEC) has gone through a down season, losing their season-opener at UCLA, getting hammered at home to Florida and Alabama, and on the road to Georgia and on Saturday to South Carolina.  Tennessee's remaining schedule goes like this, Nov. 8th vs. Wyoming, Nov. 22nd at Vanderbilt, and Nov. 29th vs. Kentucky.  The big match-up this week is BCS (1) Alabama traveling to Baton Rouge to take on (16) LSU.  This will test whether or not Alabama is worthy of that ranking and a win on Saturday for the Crimson Tide, puts them in the SEC Championship Game.

Get out and vote.  I'll be back with more later this week.

Halloween Weekend: Spooky-Good College Football

Texas Tech students came to the showdown with #1 Texas decked out in Halloween costumes (Photos: ESPN.com).

Halloween may have come and gone, but there were plenty of tricks and treats in a Saturday full of college football action.

It all began with a fantastic finish in Minneapolis. Northwestern’s Brendan Smith received a treat from Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber with the score knotted at 17 late in the fourth quarter. Weber’s pass deflected off receiver Eric Decker’s hands and dropped into the open arms of Smith. Smith returned the interception 48 yards for the winning score with just 12 seconds remaining.

Purdue had its share of tricks against Michigan that led to the Boilermakers’ first conference win of the season. First, they converted a fake punt into a crucial first down midway through the fourth quarter. Then it was Justin Siller to Greg Orton to Desmond Tardy on a perfectly-executed hook-and-ladder play with 26 seconds left, providing the winning points in a 48-42 win. The Wolverines were ensured a losing season for the first time in 33 years, ending the nation’s longest current streak of consecutive bowl seasons.

Michigan State and Wisconsin brought some treats for each other in another game that went down to the wire. While the 21st-ranked Spartans spoiled the Badger defense with seven dropped passes, it was the Wisconsin coaching staff that offered the biggest gift. They called a timeout with 12 seconds on the clock to ‘ice’ Michigan State’s kicker instead of making the Spartan special teams crew rush onto the field to attempt a ‘May Day’ field goal. This allowed plenty of time for kicker Brett Swenson to relax and prepare for his game-winning field goal that capped the Spartan comeback in a 25-24 victory.

Were those sprinklers a trick at Notre Dame Stadium? Nope, just poor timing by the maintenance crew. Sprinklers on the football field suddenly turned on during the first of four overtimes between Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. The Panthers prevailed 36-33 in the longest game in the history of both schools.

Finally, it was a Stomp in the Swamp as #8 Florida dominated #6 Georgia 49-10. With no score in the first quarter, the Bulldogs offered the Gators a treat when a Tim Tebow interception was called back due to a Georgia personal foul. Florida would go on to score and seize control of both the game and the SEC East with the win.

The marquee matchup of the day, however, pitted #7 Texas Tech against a scary #1 Texas team. Behind a superior offensive line, an effective running game, and an unrelenting pass rush, the Red Raiders pulled off the upset 39-33 in one of the most exciting college football games in years. Oh, and Graham Harrell and the rest of the Texas Tech aerial attack wasn’t bad either. Harrell threw for nearly 500 yards, outplaying counterpart and fellow Heisman hopeful Colt McCoy. Even though McCoy led the Longhorns back from an early 19-0 deficit and took the lead 33-32 with 1:29 to play, he left too much time for the heroics of Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree. Harrell’s 28-yard scoring strike to Crabtree with 1 second remaining sealed win no. 500 for Texas Tech and their first ever over a #1 team.

That’s some spooky-good play by the Red Raiders, whose ecstatic crowd – in the true spirit of Halloween – left the booing to ghosts.

Here are a few top performers from Saturday’s college football action…

Dez Bryant (WR), Oklahoma State. Bryant caught 9 passes for 171 yards and a career-high 4 touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 59-17 rout of Iowa State. Oklahoma State moves to 8-1 while eclipsing 50 points for the fifth time this season.

Brian Brunner (QB), Central Michigan. With star quarterback Dan LeFevour sidelined with a sprained ankle, the Chippewas didn’t miss a beat. Backup Brian Brunner went 35 of 53 for a school-record 485 yards and 4 touchdowns, and then ran it in from one yard out for the go-ahead score in a 37-34 win over Indiana.

Robert Griffith (QB), Baylor. The freshman quarterback set a college football record for the most passes at the start of a career without an interception, completing 209 passes before his first career pick secured a 31-28 Missouri victory.

The Heisman race is heating up, with a virtual 3-way tie for the lead between three deserving Big 12 quarterbacks...

1) Graham Harrell (QB), Texas Tech. Without a doubt, Harrell is the hottest quarterback in the nation right now after outplaying Colt McCoy in the Red Raiders’ upset of #1 Texas. He completed 36 of 53 passes for 474 yards and 2 scores, the last one a 28-yarder to Michael Crabtree with 1 second left for the win. Harrell leads the country with 3,621 passing yards.

2) Sam Bradford (QB), Oklahoma. Bradford continues to mold consistency with efficiency. He finished 19 of 27 for 311 yards, 5 scores and one interception as the Sooners embarrassed Nebraska 62-28. A big matchup against Harrell and Texas Tech looms three weeks away.

3) Colt McCoy (QB), Texas. Late in the game, McCoy made all the plays he had to in order to put Texas in position for the win. But it was his lukewarm performance through the first 2 ½ quarters – including an interception that was returned for a score – that helped Texas Tech pull off the upset. He finished 20 of 34 for 294 yards and 2 scores.

4) Tim Tebow (QB), Florida. The numbers are modest but methodical: 10-13 for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns; 12 rushes for 39 yards and 3 touchdowns. And he did it in perhaps the Gators’ biggest win of the season thus far, a 49-10 beatdown of #6 Georgia.

5) Chase Daniel (QB), Missouri. After falling out of national title contention with two straight losses, Daniel and the Tigers appeared to have recovered with a 58-0 win last week. However, Missouri struggled to a 31-28 win against a 3-6 Baylor team on Saturday. While Daniel finished 30 for 38 for 318 yards and 3 scores, his two interceptions nearly cost the Tigers the game.