FBS Update and Week 10 Picks

This is Steven West with an FBS update.

ACC:  After making the jump from 25 to 15 in the BCS, Florida State is now the top team in the polls from the ACC.  The Seminoles immediate schedule should give the voters a solid indication of whether or not this team is the legitimate favorite in the ACC.  With Georgia Tech on Saturday, (3:30 p.m. on ABC), followed by Clemson, and Boston College, the last two at home, the nation should really know if Florida State can be the ACC representative in the Orange Bowl.

Big Ten:  (3) Penn State is enjoying a much deserved week off after winning a close match-up against Ohio State, now number 12 in the BCS.  The Nittany Lions remaining schedule is at Iowa, and back-to-back home games to close out the season with Indiana and Michigan State.  Indiana should be the cake-walk game, Iowa is coming off their biggest win of the season thus far beating Wisconsin and will play Illinois on Saturday.  One more win for the Hawkeyes, makes Iowa bowl eligible.  (21) Michigan State of course, is feeling pretty good after beating the "big brother" in Michigan.  Penn State can finish 12-0 and has a legit shot at making the BCS title game.

Big East:  Cincinnati buried the South Florida Bulls on Thursday night 24-10.  The Bulls have now dropped two in a row and third Big East match-up this season.  The win for the Bearcats, currently puts Cincinnati at 2-1 in conference play.  Next up for Cincinnati, is West Virginia who is playing at Connecticut, Saturday.  Look for Cincinnati, now 6-2 overall, to make a run for the Big East title.  At worst, a return trip to Toronto and the International Bowl, is in the Bearcats' future.

Big 12:  Four teams are in the top 10, in the latest BCS standings.  (1) Texas, (4) Oklahoma, (7) Texas Tech, and (9) Oklahoma State.  Missouri is the only other team in the conference to be ranked at number 14.  Texas and Texas Tech meet at Lubbock, Texas, (8 p.m. on ABC).  A win for the Longhorns should all but give them a clear shot at the BCS title.  After this week, Texas has Baylor, Kansas, Texas A&M, and the Championship Game (if and only if Texas remains undefeated).  

Now to the picks for the week.

I see the Longhorns remaining undefeated, (1) Texas defeats (7) Texas Tech

(2) Alabama against Arkansas St. (from the Sun Belt Conference) easy call Crimson Tide Wins

(4) Oklahoma hosts Nebraska not an easy task but the Sooners get the victory

(5) USC takes on a Ty Willingham less Washington team.  USC wins but not a repeat of the    69-0 shutout against Washington State.

"The World's Largest Cocktail Party" from Jacksonville, Florida.  (6) Georgia takes on (8) Florida.  The winner plays Alabama for the SEC Title.  I take Florida by more than 10 points.

(9) Oklahoma State easily defeats Iowa State and stays in the BCS Top 10.

(10) Utah wins at New Mexico and (11) Boise State wins at New Mexico State.  Not a good day for the New Mexico schools.

You can call this a "trap game" for (13) Texas Christian, but the Horned Frogs defeat UNLV.

(14) Missouri continues their winning ways at Baylor.

(15) Florida State shows they are legit and win at Georgia Tech 27-17.

(17) Minnesota continues to shine by defeating Northwestern.

(18) Tulsa's "Golden" season ends against Arkansas.

(19) LSU wins easily over in state school Tulane.

(20) Brigham Young goes on the road and wins over Colorado State.

(21) Michigan State continues to roll over Big Ten competition by defeating Wisconsin.

(24) Oregon has a tough task taking on California.  The Bears pull the "upset" over the Ducks.

It won't be easy but West Virginia survives a scare from (25) Connecticut.

(3) Penn State, (12) Ohio State, (16) Ball State, and (22) North Carolina are on a bye this weekend.

Later.

Week 8 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with a update on the NFL with week 8 in the books. With a win over Indy the Titans have legitimized their claim as a contender this year. Down for most of  the first half, the Titans had to deal with the Colts scoring quickly in the third but answered with a LenDale White touch down run and tied the game with a two point conversion when Kerry Collins found Ahmard Hall in the endzone. From there it was all Tennessee as the Titans scored 24 straight points before the Colts answered late in the game with Peyton Manning taking it in himself but it was too little too late by then. The surprise of the game was when the Colts managed to contain the Titans running game, Kerry Collins began a aerial assault going 24/37 for 193 yards. 

Titans defense is one of the best in the league and they showed it against the Colts intercepting 2 Manning passes at very critical moments and stopping the Colts on 2 4th down attempts. Colts shot themselves in the foot giving up 5 ill timed penalties. Some of which led to a Titans touchdown. The Titans host Green Bay before paying a visit to Chicago. The Colts take on  New England this week in what has become a crucial game for both teams. Then visit the Steelers who along with the Titans are a legitimate AFC contender. 

The Steelers couldn't hold off a Giants 4th quarter rally. Not to mention losing their long snapper and having the replacement snap the ball into the 4th row at Heinz field. The story of the game was the Giants defense who applied pressure to Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger and forced 4 interceptions. The Giants D stepped up on third down limiting the Steelers to just 1 for 10. The Giants win helps them establish themselves a top the NFC east. The G-men have some important division games against Dallas and Philadelphia. The Steelers visit the Redskins and host the Colts.

He's from the Old School

Meanwhile in the NFC, the 49er's most memorable highlight this season was interim coach Mike Singletary's rant about his teams performance, the benching of QB J.T. O'Sullivan, and the sending of Vernon Davis to the locker room. Shaun Hill has been named starter for sundays game against Arizona after a much needed bye week. 

Dallas can breathe a sigh of relief after winning a hard fought game against Tampa. The key stat was after allowing 5 turnovers in the previous 2 games, Dallas didn't allow a turnover. Brad Johnson's performance earned him some boos in front of the Dallas crowd. Johnson was 19/33 for only 122 yards. The Cowboys allowed their fewest points this season...9. This is a boost to Coach Wade Phillips who took over the play calling. If Tampa wants a playoff aperance they need to win on the road where they're 1-3 and their next game is at Kansas City. Dallas goes on the road against the Giants and has a bye.

Last week I went 3-1 bringing my total to 10-6

This week I'll take Arizona over the Rams

New England over the Colts

Green Bay over Tennessee

And my game of the Week Pittsburgh over the Redskins

Images courtesy of Jeff Gross and Andy Lyons

The Weekend In Review So Far

Alex Wollf here with a quick look at how the weekend in auto racing has gone so far. At the Atlanta Motor Speedway, qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday got rained out (big surprise) and yet again Jimmie Johnson will lead "The Chasers" down to the green flag in order. The support race on the card at AMS was the Craftsman Truck Series with a very interesting result. In the first truck start of his career, Ryan Newman took the win driving for Kevin Harvick Racing by passing his teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. on the final lap.

Ryan Newman won the Truck Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway
(Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

After a plane ride from Atlanta, Carl Edwards backflipped his way into victory lane at Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday afternoon. The race was punctuated by a post race confrontation between Bobby Hamilton Jr. and 19-year old Landon Cassill that included Hamilton's wife signaling to Cassill that "he was number one" after the two drivers got together on the final lap. About two hours from the time that this is being written, the IndyCar Series finale (a non-championship event) at Surfers Paradise in Australia is going to go off. Will Power, the Aussie fan favorite, looks to be a man on a mission as he took the pole position for the 60-lap race over Scott Dixon (from New Zealand) and Ryan Briscoe (another Aussie). That is a quick look at what has happened so far in the world of auto racing. Check back early next week for a look back at what happened in the big races during the weekend!

Hocky Talk

Nick Russ here for a NHL update. Today is super Saturday meaning every NHL team is playing today.  One such game is the battle for Ontario between Ottawa and Toronto. The Leafs and Senators are both near the bottom of the North East division but it is still early in this season. The Maple Leafs are trying to get a winning streak going to help them become in reach of Buffalo and Montreal. Another rivalry being played today is between two of the Original Six. The Redwings and Blackhawks will meet for the 701st time in their history. Tonight they will also reveal their jerseys for the winter classic. The popular event will have its second game ever on New Years day at Wrigley Field. The Redwings sit a top the Central division with a 5-1 record with one overtime and are off to a great start, returning most of their Stanley cup team. The Blackhawks have yet to lose a game at the United Center and are tied with the Blues for Second. A surprise so far is the undefeated Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres score on average three goals a game and allow about 2 and have a 93% penalty kill rate. Add that they have League scoring leader Thomas Vanek and the Sabres are a pretty potent team so far. However it is still a bit early.

West Week 9 Picks

This is Steven West with my Week 9 FBS picks.

Friday

(12) Boise State wins at San Jose State (9 p.m. on ESPN 2)

Saturday

(22) Northwestern grounds Indiana (Noon on Big Ten Network)

(20) Ball State soars over Eastern Michigan (Noon kickoff)

(8) Texas Tech survives (23) Kansas (Noon on ESPN)

Purdue wins at home against (24) Minnesota (Noon on ESPN Classic)

(10) Florida eats at Kentucky (12:30 on Raycom)

(4) Oklahoma defeats Kansas State (12:30 on FSN Regional)

(21) BYU avenge their first loss by winning against UNLV (2 p.m. on The Mountain)

(25) Florida State wins against Virginia Tech (3:30 p.m. on ABC)

(18) Georgia Tech stings the Cavaliers from Virginia (3:30 p.m. on ESPN U)

(16) S. Florida bullies Louisville (3:30 p.m. kickoff)

(7) Georgia escapes the bayou with a win over (13) LSU (3:30 p.m. on CBS)

(17) Pittsburgh defeats Rutgers (3:30 p.m. kickoff)

(14) Texas Christian leaps over Wyoming (6 p.m. on The Mountain)

(15) Missouri gets back to their winning ways against Colorado (FSN Regional)

(2) Alabama roll over Tennessee (7:45 p.m. on ESPN)

(3) Penn State ends losing skid to Ohio State in a close one (8 p.m. on ABC)

(5) USC wins against Arizona (10:15 p.m. on FSN Regional)

Sunday

(19) Tulsa survives against Central Florida (8 p.m. on ESPN)

On a bye this week: (11) Utah

* My rankings reflect those of the BCS ratings.

Week 7 in the NFL

Nick Russ here with the happenings of week 7 in the NFL. A power outage at Ralph Wilson Stadium was ironic and a bit ominous for The Chargers and Bills. The Bills beat the Bolts 23-14 Sunday on the arm of a returning Trent Edwards. Edwards had suffered a concussion in the Bills loss at Arizona in week 5. Edwards went 25/30 for 261 yards and one touch down. The key for the Bills victory came from San Diego QB Philip Rivers. Rivers had a pick and two fumbles that ultimately added up to 10 Bills points. Rivers blamed the loss on himself but the Chargers have been inconsistent over the season. The Bolts are on their way across the pond to battle the Saints in London.

The one thing positive the Chargers can have is that they are in a weak AFC west and are only one game behind Denver. Their match up with a battered New Orleans is winnable then they can rest on the bye week and be ready for second half-season push. The Bills are off to their best start since 1995. They will pay Miami a visit this weekend then they're home for what could be a great game against the Giants.

Elsewhere in the AFC the Steelers have been cruising along in first place in the North. There only loss came at week 3 against the Eagles. The Steelers take on the Giants this week in what is gonna be a great match up. Its a tough road after that against the Redskins and Colts.

Colts are in a bad way right now. The Packers D stepped up against Peyton and co. as the Pack beat Indy 34-14. Penalties and turnovers did in the Colts as the Packers backup secondary returned to interceptions for long touchdowns. Packers running back Ryan Grant had his first 100 yard rushing game of the season and Aaron Rodgers with his bad shoulder threw 21/28 and 186 yards with one touchdown. The Colts did not need a loss with the Titans continuing to win. Speaking of which the Colts travel to Nashville to play the Titans in what doesn't seem like a must win for the Colts but a win against the Titans could help get the Colts back on track.

Last week I said that Dallas was on the verge of imploding and this week they are flirting with critical mass. A loss was not needed but it was against the Rams one of the worst teams in the NFC. After attempting a week of practice Tony Romo found himself on the sidelines Sunday as Brad Johnson took the snaps. Brad threw three picks and managed 17/34 and one touchdown. Rams running back Stephen Jackson had a track meet of 160 yards against the Dallas defense, but the real story for the Rams was for the second straight week the defense forced 4 turnovers. The Rams are 2-0 after firing coach Scott Linehan. Adding to Dallas's woes is the loss of pro bowl safety Roy Williams for the year with a broken forearm. The Cowboys have a critical game against Tampa because the next game is against the Giants.

We have word that the axe is being sharpened for yet another coach. San Fransisco's Mike Nolan's has been fired. 18-37 in three and a half seasons, Nolan failed to turn around the program and fielded the worst offense in the league his first two seasons. Mike Singletary has been given command for the rest of the year. The Bears and Vikings had a rarely seen shoot out. Both teams combined for 89 points total. The Bears secondary managed to grab 4 picks off of Gus Frerotte with their starters Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher out with injuries. The Bears special teams managed to score off of a muffed punt return, and a botched punt. The Vikings did managed to net 439 on a Bears defense that had their fans holding their breath. The Bears are atop the NFC North again and are on the bye and can rest some of their injured players. Then they can come back in force against Detroit. The Vikings still have the potential to be force in the North. Like the Bears they have a bye and come back home to face the Texans.

Last week I went 3 for 1 bringing my total to 7-5.

This week I'll take Buffalo over Miami

The Saints over the Chargers in London

Philadelphia over the Falcons

And my game of the week: The Titans over the Colts

(Photo Courtesy of Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

The Chase for the Cup (or Lack There Of)

Jimmie Johnson is looking like a champ yet again(AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

For those of you that may have fallen asleep during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway, you can wake up now, the race is over. And what a ho-hum race it was with Jimmie Johnson leading over half of the race to take his sixth win of the 2008 season and put a firm grip on his third straight series championship with a lead of 149 points over Greg Biffle after 32 of 36 races. Needless to say, this is not what NASCAR had in mind when they created the Chase for the Cup before the 2004 season. The Chase was created at the time to have the top ten drivers (or those within 400 points) after 26 races get their points reset before the final 10 races so first had only a 45 point lead over tenth. On paper it looked like The Chase would create nail biting action right down to the final lap of the season. Here is a look at how the first four editions went:
2004-Kurt Busch was seventh in points entering the first race of The Chase and was able to hold off Jimmie Johnson by eight points, Jeff Gordon by sixteen points, Mark Martin by 107 points, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 138 points to take the Inaugural Chase in an exciting finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Chase was off to an exciting start.
2005-Tony Stewart was the points leader after 26 races and held onto the lead to become the first (and currently only) driver to win a championship in the traditional and chase format. On this occasion, Stewart held off Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, and Jimmie Johnson to take the title. The final point separation between Stewart, Biffle and Edwards was 35 points. The Chase was still looking like a pretty good idea.
2006-Jimmie Johnson was just five points behind leader Matt Kenseth entering The Chase and was able to take the title over Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The final margin of victory in points was 56, the biggest in the short history of The Chase.
2007-For the second year in a row, Jimmie Johnson was the champion. The field for the chase was expanded to 12 and point differentials were set based on number of wins. Due to this, Johnson entered the chase with a 20-point lead over Jeff Gordon. In the end, Johnson took the title by a rather anti-climactic margin of 77 points as he and Gordon were the only two in the running at the final race.
The Chase this season began with Kyle Busch, hottest driver on the circuit in the first half of '08, holding a 30-point lead over Carl Edwards and 40-point lead over Jimmie Johnson. Bad luck for Busch has made him into a non-factor in the final ten races. Johnson has caught fire as he usually does in the second half and is looking like a certain champion as he heads to Atlanta, Texas, and Phoenix, three tracks that he always excels at.

The last two seasons have added fuel to the fires that many have been stoking since 2004 that the chase is an unneeded thing and that NASCAR should go back to the traditional points format. Those folks argue that the Craftsman Truck Series often have multiple guys going for the championship and they don't need a manufactured tight finish. In 2003, the year before the chase began, the Nationwide (then Busch) Series had six drivers separated by 89 points entering the season finale.
Fact of the matter is that some seasons a guy will just run away from the competition, like Matt Kenseth did in 2003, causing the chase to come to be, and other times drivers will have a hot streak and then that will be balanced out by a run of bad luck that tightens things up. We saw that back in 1992 when six drivers entered the last at that time Winston Cup race of the season in Atlanta with a shot at the title.
At the end of the day should The Chase stay or go? I think that the traditional format was fine. The Chase is a good idea on paper but needs something that guarantees that it will be exciting to end like maybe expanding it to 12 races and eliminating the low driver each week and resetting the point totals for those left so it would come right down to the wire. No matter what they do, all we fans can do is hope that in the final few races of 2008 the points race will tighten up so Jimmie Johnson has to do at least a little bit of work to secure his third straight championship.
Be sure to check back later this week for a look ahead at what is going to be going on in racing this weekend.

A Tale of Two Halves

Penn State's Evan Royster rushes for a touchdown in the Nittany Lion's 46-17 win over Michigan (Photo: ESPN.com).

It has been said that to win a football game, a team must play well for the entire 60 minutes. The Penn State football team would like to suggest an alternate adage: to win a football game, a team must play GREAT for 30 minutes.

That’s just what the third-ranked Nittany Lions did on Saturday. Trailing 17-14 at halftime to the consistently inconsistent Wolverines of Michigan, Penn State rattled off 32 unanswered second-half points to secure a win and the team’s first 8-0 start since 1999.

Sure, quarterback Daryll Clark settled down and accounted for three scores, and running back Evan Royster gained 174 yards on the ground while averaging just under 10 yards per rush. Even backup quarterback Pat Delvin got in on the action, throwing one pass that went for 80 yards and a touchdown. But it was the Penn State defense that turned the game around. It caused a safety, partially blocked a punt, and forced a fumble on successive drives in the third quarter.

Why play hard for an entire hour when you are so good that all you need to do is turn it on in the second half?

This mantra was certainly alive and well in College Station, Texas, where #7 Texas Tech trailed Texas A&M 23-20 at the half. That’s when Graham Harrell and the potent Red Raider offense went to work, outscoring the Aggies 23-2 after the intermission. The lone two-point score came on a blocked extra-point attempt that was returned 97 yards for a “touchdown.” It was the 11th straight game in which Texas Tech scored 30 or more points and the first time since 1976 that the Red Raiders are 7-0.

And one team, #2 Alabama, played such a good first half that their poor second-half didn’t spell defeat. John Parker Wilson’s 219 yards and 2 touchdowns helped the Crimson Tide establish a 24-3 halftime lead that proved to be just enough. Alabama won 24-17 despite its second-half offensive output – four punts, a fumble, and an interception – looking, well, rather offensive.

Playing 30 minutes of great football and 30 minutes of lackadaisical football is never a good idea…but kudos to the teams that can do it and still pull off a win.

Some top performers from Week 8 in college football…

Mark Sanchez (QB), USC. Speaking of great halves, how about the one Sanchez had? He completed 15 of 20 passes for 253 yards and five scores, ALL before halftime of USC’s 69-0 domination of Washington State.

Shonn Greene (RB), Iowa. Greene accumulated 217 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 25 carries as Iowa handed Wisconsin its fourth straight loss. Not bad for a guy who spent last fall at a community college focusing on academics.

Dezmon Briscoe (WR), Kansas. Briscoe set school records with 12 catches and 269 receiving yards in Kansas’ 45-31 loss to Oklahoma. He also caught both of quarterback Todd Reesing’s touchdown passes.

And here’s how I see the Heisman race shaping up…

1) Colt McCoy (QB), Texas. McCoy put on a clinic in Texas’ 56-31 blowout win over #11
Missouri, completing 29 of 32 passes (including a school-record 17 in a row) for 337 yards and 2 scores. Hopefully Chase Daniel was taking notes from the sideline.

2) Sam Bradford (QB), Oklahoma. All Bradford did on Saturday was go 36-for-53 for 3 touchdowns and a school-record 468 yards in a 45-31 win over #16 Kansas. He singlehandedly made sure the Sooners bounced back from their only loss.

3) Graham Harrell (QB), Texas Tech. You can’t overlook Harrell’s numbers any longer. His 2,761 passing yards are tops in the nation, and he’s thrown 23 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions while guiding the Red Raiders to a 7-0 start.

4) Chase Daniel (QB), Missouri. A decent statistical game for Daniel against the Longhorns (31-41 for 318 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception), but the Tigers lost for the second time in as many weeks. And this one wasn’t even close.

5) Javon Ringer (RB), Michigan State. Not only did the Spartans get handled by #12 Ohio State by a score of 45-7, but Ringer was bottled up and held to 67 yards on 16 carries. He still narrowly leads the nation in rushing yards (1,179) and is tied for first in touchdowns (14).

Week 8 Recap

This is Steven West with a recap of Week 8 in College Football.

I went 13-5 with my Top 25 picks this week.  Some of my biggest shockers were Ohio State rolling Michigan State 45-7, either Ohio State got good really quickly, or Michigan State went south really fast.  Either way, Ohio State should vault themselves into the top 10 this week, if not come very close.  I said Maryland would win against Wake Forest, I didn't see the Terrapins winning in shut-out fashion, 26-0.  Missouri ended up scoring more points than Texas, in the final 30:03, 28-21, but still ended up losing the game 31-56 to a Longhorns team that cemented themselves as the number 1 team in the nation.  Here's how I have my top 25 for next week:

(1) Texas

(2) Alabama

(3) Penn State

(4) Oklahoma

(5) Florida

(6) Georgia

(7) Texas Tech

(8) Oklahoma State

(9) Southern California

(10) Utah

(11) Ohio State

(12) Louisiana State

(13) Boise State

(14) Brigham Young

(15) Missouri

(16)  South Florida

(17) Pittsburgh

(18) Kansas

(19) Texas Christian

(20) Ball State

(21) Virginia Tech

(22) Tulsa

(23) Georgia Tech

(24) North Carolina

(25) Michigan State

West Week 8 Picks

It's Steven West and time for the Saturday Top 25 game predictions.

First things first.  Props to Texas Christian for winning in excellent fashion against (9) Brigham Young 32-7.  That leaves just 9 teams in in the FBS undefeated, Boise State, who defeated Hawaii 27-7, Tulsa, Utah, Ball State, Texas, Alabama, Penn State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.  Also to Florida State, who came from behind to defeat the North Carolina State Wolf Pack 26-17.

Now to the picks:

I'm already 1-1 in Top 25 picks.

(7) Texas Tech wins over Texas A&M (Noon kickoff on FSN Regional)

(19) South Florida wins against Syracuse (Noon kickoff on ESPN +)

Maryland upsets (21) Wake Forest (Noon kickoff)

(10) Georgia knocks (22) Vanderbilt from the Top 25 (12:30 p.m. kickoff)

(14) Utah will defeat Colorado State (2 p.m. kickoff)

(8) Oklahoma State wins against Baylor (3 p.m. kickoff)

Mississippi falls to (2) Alabama (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS)

(4) Oklahoma rebounds with a win over (16) Kansas (3:30 kickoff on ABC)

(6) USC rolls Washington State (3:30 p.m. kickoff on FSN Regional)

(12) Ohio State falls to (20) Michigan State (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)

(18) North Carolina survives at Virginia (3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC)

Navy wins against (23) Pittsburgh (3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS College Sports)

(3) Penn State improves to 8-0 with a win over Michigan (4:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN)

(1) Texas, hesitantly, defeats (11) Missouri (8 p.m. kickoff on ABC)

(13) LSU wins over South Carolina (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN)

(17) Virginia Tech wins at Boston College (8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2)

Lastly Arizona "upsets" (25) California (10 p.m. kickoff on FSN Regional)

On a bye this week are (5) Florida and (24) Ball State.

On Sunday, will be the first BCS Standings.

Week 8 College Football FBS Part 3

This is Steven West with an College Football FBS update.

Tonight is the second big test for (9) Brigham Young, as the Cougars travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on Mountain West Conference foe, Texas Christian. BYU is 6-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, and still has Air Force on the schedule one week before a possible undefeated showdown with (14) Utah. BYU will have to be at their best, the Cougars last game was a win over New Mexico 21-3 on Saturday. Meanwhile, TCU is also playing on five days rest, after beating Colorado State 13-7.

The other match-up tonight features Florida State (4-1, 1-1) at North Carolina State (2-4, 0-2). Florida State is one of the teams on the outside of the Top 25, looking in. A win against N.C. State might not add up to much for the Seminoles, but they need this win for the long run. Their remaining schedule goes like this, (17) Virginia Tech, @ Georgia Tech, also on the outside looking in, Clemson, minus Bobby Bowden's son Tommy after being let go earlier this week, Boston College, @ Maryland, and (5) Florida.

Here's my predictions for the three games today and tomorrow.
Florida State def. North Carolina State (24-13)
(9) Brigham Young def. Texas Christian (27-24)
(15) Boise State def. Hawaii (41-10)

The rest of my Top 25 predictions will come tomorrow. See you then.

Poised to Make Some Noise

Amid the chaos and confusion of last weekend’s college football action, one thing became clear: Oklahoma State is more than just the team that upset Missouri. It’s one of the nation’s premier football programs and it’s fighting for control atop the best conference in the country.

In all reality, the Cowboys’ 28-23 victory over the third-ranked Tigers can hardly be called an upset. Oklahoma State entered the Big 12 showdown ranked 17th at 5-0 behind an offense that scored 50 or more points in four of its five games. Even after the five point squeaker over Missouri, the Cowboys still boast an average margin of victory of over 25 points. And if you hadn’t heard of quarterback Zac Robinson, you likely have now. The junior has completed over 70 percent of his passes and is third in the nation in quarterback rating…AHEAD of the likes of Colt McCoy and Chase Daniel.

But if you’re looking for proof that Robinson and Oklahoma State are for real, you needn’t look beyond their conference standings. The Cowboys are tied for first place in the Big 12 South Division with #1 Texas and #7 Texas Tech, all 6-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play. With Oklahoma State jumping into the #8 spot and Oklahoma dropping to the #4 spot after losing to the Longhorns, four of the top ten teams call the Big 12 South Division home. That’s right, FOUR of the TOP TEN teams in the NATION hail from ONE DIVISION of one conference. And geographically speaking, those four teams – two from the state of Texas, two from the state of Oklahoma – seem to point to the Southwest as a hotbed for college football.

This brings me to an issue that has been puzzling me: if Oklahoma State is actually that good – which their #8 ranking and 6-0 record certainly suggest – why did their 28-23 win over Missouri drop the Tigers eight spots to #11? Just a few weeks ago, USC was ranked #1 when they lost to an unranked, 1-2 Oregon State team by a similar score of 27-21. That loss dropped the Trojans eight spots as well, down to #9.

Doesn’t something seem a little off? Should a close loss to a ranked, undefeated team drop Missouri eight spots in the rankings while a close loss to an unranked, losing team dropped USC eight spots? Either the Tigers deserved some more love from the AP voters last weekend, or the Trojans were the lucky recipients of some extremely favorable voting. Perhaps USC gets the benefit of the doubt since it is one of the most storied and well-respected programs in college football. Or perhaps this discrepancy is merely a byproduct of the mysterious workings of the BCS system (more on that is sure to surface in future blogs). Regardless, Oklahoma State is a good football team that is poised to make some noise not only in the Big 12, but on the national stage as well.

Photo: crosscyed.blogspot.com

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you hockey!! maybe

Last week the pucks dropped for the first time this NHL season. It was here we have a problem. The whole week has gone by and I have not been able to watch a game. Here on campus we, or at least I don't, get the versus network which carries most of the NHL games. This is the problem with the NHL. Unless your near a city with a team your not likely to see a game. There is interest in the NHL again as last year the league set an attendance record for the first time since before the strike. The only games available to us outside the Versus network are the games broadcasted on WGN in Chicago. That means you're guaranteed the Blackhawks are gonna be on. There truly is no choice if your a fan of any other team.In our time of on demand and hundreds of channels, why can't the NHL get a partnership on a cable network. The NBA broadcasts about two or three games a week on TNT. Baseball has a game on ESPN three or four nights a week. It's frustrating for hockey fan like myself. Until there is a network that people actually have on basic cable the NHL will struggle to gain advertisement dollars. I guess we'll just have to wait until New Years when NBC resumes it's game of the week coverage.

Week 6 in the NFL

Nick Russ here reporting on week 6 of the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts finally won at Lucas Oil Field in grand fashion as predicted by yours truly. The Colts pummeled the Ravens 31-3. It looks like the Colts might be back to old form. This week the Colts take their show to Lambeau to face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers then the next two games are critical for both teams involved. The Colts will visit the Division leading Titans. Then they will host the Patriots in what has become the rivalry of the decade. 

Elsewhere in the AFC the Cleveland Browns unleashed their fury all over the Giants on Sunday. The Browns, who rank near the bottom of total offense, railed off 454 against one of the best defenses in the league. The Browns D forced three picks off of Eli Manning and handed the G men their first road loss in 11 games. This week the Browns will pay the Redskins and move on down to Jacksonville.

The Chargers gave themselves a needed lift over the Patriots. Philip Rivers threw for 3 touchdowns and 303 yards. While Matt Cassel went 22/38 with one pick and now scores. In fact the Pats only touchdown came off of a Sammy Morris 1 yard run in the fourth. This marks the first road loss for New England in 12 games and their worst 4th quarter deficit since 2003. San Diego has what is sure to be a great game against the Bills while The Pats host the AFC west leading Broncos.

Previously on..I mean in Dallas, some one shot TR!!!. Okay maybe not shot but Tony Romo is gonna miss the next 4 weeks due to the broken finger on his throwing hand. This

 came at the end of a tough loss for the Cowboys as Arizona blocked a punt in OT and returned for the win. It is the first time in league history that an overtime was settled on a blocked punt. The game was wild from the very first kick as Arizona's J.J. Arrington returned a 96 yard kickoff for a touch down. Despite having three turnovers the Cards pulled off the wild win. Adding more to the Dallas drama is the fact that Adam "Pac man" Jones has been suspended....again. This time he'll miss four games for violating personal conduct. In a effort to add to their offense the Cowboys acquired Roy Williams from the flat lining Lions. They gave up their 1st, 3rd, and 6th round picks in the next draft. This sounds on paper like pouring lighter fluid on the fire that is Terrel Owens. However T.O. says he welcomes Roy Williams as an addition to the team. What impact Williams will have is unclear as Romo's hand looks like it was dipped in a vat of cotton candy. The Cowboys should have a rebound game at the Rams this week but the Cowboys are set up to possibly implode.

The Falcons taught the Bears a valuable lesson, there are 60 minutes to a game not 59:51. In what was a truly great game led to an amazing finish for both teams. Kyle Orton drove the Bears down to the Falcons red zone and scored with a pass to Rasheed Davis with 11 seconds remaining. After a squib kick from Robbie Gould the Falcons took over with 6 seconds left. Matt Ryan with time ticking threw a bullet to Michael Jenkins for a 25 yard gain. With one second on the scoreboard Jason Elam, no stranger to amazing kicks, nailed a 48 yard field goal to snatch the victory from the Bears. The Falcons have the week off then will travel to Philadelphia in a game of two struggling teams. The Bears will play their second divisional game against the Vikings at Soldier Field as they try to wrench sole possession of first the NFC North. Then the Bears will have a buy in preparation for Detroit.

Last week I went 2 for 2 on my picks bringing my overall record to 4 and 4.

This week I'll take The Bears over the Vikings

The Giants over the 49ers

Buffalo over the Chargers

And my game of the week I'll take Denver over New England

(Photo courtesy of AP)

Week 8 FBS College Football Part 2

This is Steven West with an FBS update.

High expectations for the Clemson Tigers have yielded poor results.  Today, Clemson fired head coach, Tommy Bowden and offensive coordinator Bob Spence, has also been ousted.  After losing to Alabama in week 1, Clemson has had an up and down season, and throughout the last couple of weeks, rumors of Bowden's departure started to stir.  The final straw, came on Thursday after Clemson blew a fourth-quarter lead to (21) Wake Forest.  The final was 12-7.  Clemson must now look ahead with interim head coach Dabo Swinney for the final half of the season, and a potential bowl game.  Next up for the Tigers is Georgia Tech, Saturday at noon.

North Carolina's win against Notre Dame came with a hefty price.  Tar Heels Wide Receiver, Brandon Tate, suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee, tearing his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.  The Tar Heels (5-1 Overall, 1-1 ACC) moved up to 18th in the latest AP Poll after debuting last week at 22nd.  The Tar Heels are at Virginia Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

Texas jumped to the top of the polls, this week, from 5 to 1, knocking the Sooners from the top spot to number 4.  Missouri took one of the biggest drops in the polls this week, falling from 3 to 11, courtesy of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.  The Cowboys won on the road at Columbia 28-23, vaulting the Cowboys from 17 to 8th.  Oklahoma State's defense forced three Chase Daniels' interceptions including the game winner under two minutes to go.  Daniels took a bigger hit in the running for the Heisman trophy than Sam Bradford.  In the losing effort, Bradford tossed 5 TDs on 28/39 passing attempts and 387 yards.  Watching the Oklahoma/Texas match was not pretty.  Instant replay blew two big calls because there was no review.  Oklahoma's first drive ended in Bradford's "first" touchdown pass, even though it looked like receiver, Manuel Johnson's knee was done half-a-yard short of the goal-line on third down.  Oklahoma was potentially robbed of an interception, when Lamont Robinson caught the ball in the end zone, but as he hit the ground, the ball popped out, and the play was ruled incomplete.  The refs and instant replay ruined a fantastic game.

More to come later this week.  But before I go, one more shoutout to Toledo University for upsetting the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House on Saturday 13-10.

Say What?

The Ball State "Fighting" Cardinals are the best collegiate football squad in the Hoosier State.

Yeah, I said it. Forget Purdue, IU, even Charlie Weis and the boys from South Bend. The undefeated Cards roll into their bye week with a sound defense who have given up 7 points the last two weeks and an offense who are making plays when they need it the most.

Last week, BSU cracked the polls for the first time in it's history and this week have moved up
one spot to lay claims to being the 24th best team in the nation. Ball St.'s record is it best start since 1965 where the Muncie squad rolled off 9 straight wins to start the '65 campaign.

The obvious question at hand is, how are they doing it?

It's simple really. It all goes back to the first fundamental for football success, coaching.

Coach Hoke, Stan Parrish, and Mark Smith know their strengths and how to maximize them. Outside a few key guys, this team is not loaded with super athletes or five star recruits. All 22 guys know their role and how to play them.

Hoke, with his Big Ten background, is running the ball down his opponents throat. Andre Ramsey, Kyle Cornwell, Dan Gerberry, Robert Brewster, and Nick Switzer are the best front five in the Mid-American Conference and the junior running back, MiQuale Lewis is reaping the benefits. Number 33 has 914 yards and 13 touchdowns through 7 games this season. He has eclipsed the century mark in six straight games.

After losing Dante Love at Indiana, changes would have to be made. Offensive Coordinator Stan Parrish knew this and has his offense back on track. True freshman Briggs Orsbon (not OSBORNE!) has taken advantage of this opportunity and adjusted nicely. Watching all 7 games, Parrish is calling some-what conservative plays that allow his wideouts to get open. As generic as that sounds, that's the best way to describe it. Wide receiver is the deepest position on this team and guys, like Orsbon, are great possession receivers. Orsbon has 28 catches, for 314 yards, on 3 TDs this year.

Week 8 FBS College Football Part 1

This is Steven West with an FBS update.

The AP results are in, and here's the new Top 25:

(1) Texas

(2) Alabama

(3) Penn State

(4) Oklahoma

(5) Florida

(6) USC

(7) Texas Tech

(8) Oklahoma State

(9) Brigham Young

(10) Georgia

(11) Missouri

(12) Ohio State

(13) LSU

(14) Utah

(15) Boise State

(16) Kansas

(17) Virginia Tech

(18) North Carolina

(19) South Florida

(20) Michigan State

(21) Wake Forest

(22) Vanderbilt

(23) Pittsburgh

(24) Ball State

(25) California

No surprise that Texas jumps to Number 1.  Florida makes one of the biggest moves of the week up from 11 to 5, but the biggest mover up the poll is Oklahoma State up from 17 to 8.  California is the only new team to the poll, in at 25.  Auburn falls out after losing back-to-back games to Vanderbilt, who moves down to 22 this week, and Arkansas.  North Carolina was another big mover, up to 18 after a come from behind win at home, against Notre Dame.  Here's the action lined up for this week:

Thursday, October 16

(9) Brigham Young vs. Texas Christian 8 p.m.

Friday, October 17

Hawaii vs. (15) Boise State 8 p.m. ESPN

Saturday, October 18

(11) Missouri vs. (1) Texas 8 p.m. ABC

Mississippi vs. (2) Alabama 3:30 p.m. CBS

Michigan vs. (3) Penn State 4:30 p.m. ESPN

(16) Kansas vs. (4) Oklahoma TBA

(6) USC vs. Washington State 3:30 p.m.

(7) Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M Noon

Baylor vs. (8) Oklahoma State 3 p.m.

(22) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Georgia TBA

(12) Ohio State vs. (20) Michigan State 3:30 p.m. ABC

(13) LSU vs. South Carolina TBA

Colorado State vs. (14) Utah 2 p.m.

(17) Virginia Tech vs. Boston College 8 p.m.

(18) North Carolina vs. Virginia 3:30 p.m.

Syracuse vs. (19) South Florida Noon

(21) Wake Forest vs. Maryland Noon

(23) Pittsburgh vs. Navy 3:30 p.m.

(25) California vs. Arizona 10 p.m.

More to come throughout the week.  See you around.

The Makings of a Champion

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy celebrates the Lonhorns' 45-35

upset over top-ranked Oklahoma (photos: ESPN.com).

Rivalries. They’re where top teams are tested, Heisman hopefuls are harassed, and champions are chiseled.

As the Red River Rivalry was renewed in the Lone Star State, there was anything but a shortage of stars on the field. Quarterbacks Sam Bradford of top-ranked Oklahoma and Colt McCoy of fifth-ranked Texas both delivered strong performances on a national stage, and their supporting casts didn’t disappoint. But in the end, one star shone the brightest. McCoy cemented himself as the best quarterback in the Big 12 and likely the nation in the Longhorns’ 45-35 upset over the Sooners.

In a game that saw more twists and turns than a Hollywood murder mystery, it all came down to execution. While Bradford finished with superior numbers – throwing for 110 yards more than McCoy and tossing 5 touchdowns to McCoy’s one – it was McCoy who got it done down the stretch. Texas’ final four meaningful possessions produced three touchdowns and a field goal, which allowed the Longhorns to erase a five-point fourth-quarter deficit and seize control.

If the Heisman Trophy truly goes to the best player in college football, McCoy has to be at the top of the list. The best player, in my mind, is the one who comes through in pressure situations, makes his teammates better, and WINS BIG GAMES. Forget the numbers; any of these Heisman candidates will tell you that their primary goal is to win the national championship. As of right now – and we know how transient college football supremacy can be – Colt McCoy has all the makings of a champion.

Up until Saturday, it looked as if Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel did, too. However, the third-ranked Tigers’ first big test of the season resulted in their first loss, a 28-23 heartbreaker to #17 Oklahoma State. After throwing just one interception through his first five games, Daniel threw three – all in the second half – in the Tigers’ loss. But Missouri still had a chance to win the game with two minutes left, and Daniel had the perfect scenario for a Heisman-deserving, game-winning drive. As a college football fan, it was disappointing to see Daniel end the game with his third interception; Missouri was playing for not only a potential #1 ranking, but also a possible 1-2 matchup against Texas next week.

In the end, three of the top five teams lost in the same weekend for the second time this year. And considering #2 Alabama was idle and someone had to win the #1 Oklahoma/#5 Texas slugfest, the pinnacle of the college football world experienced the biggest possible shakeup. As a result, several one-loss teams now find themselves back in the middle of the national title hunt. Most notable among these schools is Florida, which vaulted from #11 into the #5 spot following their win over fourth-ranked LSU. Even Oklahoma dropped just three spots to #4 after their first loss of the season.

Some top performers form Week 7…

Jordan Shipley (WR), Texas. Shipley came up huge in the Longhorns’ upset victory, finishing with 11 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Did I mention he also returned an Oklahoma kickoff 96 yards for another score?

Percy Harvin (WR), Florida. Tim Tebow’s favorite target eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark….in the FIRST QUARTER. Harvin also caught both of Tebow’s touchdown passes in the Gators’ 51-21 blowout win over #4 LSU.

Tyrrell Herbert (S), Toledo. Herbert intercepted a Michigan pass and returned it 100 yards for Toledo’s only touchdown, but it was just enough to hand the Wolverines their FIRST LOSS EVER to a MAC team. The Rockets 13-10 victory wasn’t decided until Michigan missed a 26-yard field goal with 4 seconds left.

And my current Heisman frontrunners after this weekend’s action…

1) Colt McCoy (QB), Texas. While he finished with fewer yards and touchdowns than counterpart Sam Bradford, McCoy led the Longhorns to victory and the #1 ranking by playing efficient, mistake-free football (28-35, 277 yards, one touchdown).

2) Sam Bradford (QB), Oklahoma. Bradford is still in a virtual lead for the Heisman, as he was brilliant in defeat (28-39, 387 yards, 5 touchdowns) other than a few slip-ups (2 interceptions).

3) Javon Ringer (RB), Michigan State. With his fifth 100-yard game of the season (35 carries, 124 yards, 2 touchdowns), Ringer surpassed 1,000 yards for the second straight year while helping the Spartans knock Northwestern from the ranks of the unbeaten.

4) Chase Daniel (QB), Missouri. Despite throwing for 390 yards, his three second-half interceptions prevented a Tiger comeback and dropped Daniel from second to fourth.

5) Tim Tebow (QB), Florida. Last year’s Heisman winner fought his way back into the race, looking comfortable both inside and outside of the pocket (14-21, 210 yards, 2 touchdowns, one rushing touchdown) in a huge win over LSU.

Week 7 FBS College Football Final

This is Steven West with the FBS Recap.

Who knew that this would be another wild weekend at the top of the polls.  If memory serves me correct, the first BCS standings come out tomorrow. That, or it's next week.  The polls are going to look a little hazy this week.  Texas upset Oklahoma in Dallas, Oklahoma State survived on the road against Missouri, LSU got hammered at the Swamp, courtesy of the Florida Gators.  Here's how I predict the AP Top 25 will look come tomorrow afternoon:

(1) Texas

(2) Alabama

(3) Penn State

(4)  Oklahoma

(5) Texas Tech

(6) USC

(7) Missouri

(8) Brigham Young

(9)  Georgia

(10) Florida

(11) Ohio State

(12)  LSU

(13) Oklahoma State

(14) Utah

(15) Boise State

(16) Kansas

(17) Virginia Tech

(18) Wake Forest

(19) North Carolina

(20) Vanderbilt

(21) South Florida

(22) Michigan State

(23) Ball State

(24) Pittsburgh

(25) Tulsa

One of the biggest upsets of the week, wasn't even in the Top 25.  After getting shut out by Ball State, last weekend, Toledo, went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and won on a missed Michigan 26-yard field goal with 0:04 seconds to go.  The ACC was all but left for dead, at the beginning of the season.  My, how the tide has turned.  Wake Forest survived Clemson on Thursday, 12-7, Virginia Tech has rebounded after losing to East Carolina in week 1, and North Carolina became a legitimate contender after coming from behind to beat Notre Dame at home, 29-24.  Penn  State rolled Wisconsin, 48-7.  Either Penn State is really that good, or Wisconsin is not able to keep up with the big boys in the Big Ten.  For now, Penn State is still the front-runners in the Big Ten, they still have to beat Ohio State to prove they can win the conference outright.  Ten teams remain undefeated, including the same five non-BCS teams, Brigham Young, Utah, Boise State, Ball State, and Tulsa.  The five BCS schools are:  Penn State, Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State.  See  everyone after the polls come out.

Week 7 FBS College Football Part 3

This is Steven West.

WOW!!!  (5) Texas upsets (1) Oklahoma 45-35.  Impressive win for the Longhorns as the run game was not entirely in Colt McCoy's legs.  Sam Bradford shouldn't drop much in the Heisman standings with 5 TDs.  The door is all but open for (5) Missouri, provided they beat (17) Oklahoma State tonight, to run the table in the Big 12 and win the Conference Championship, and play for the National Title.

And I couldn't believe that Toledo, after getting shut out by (25) Ball State at home last week, goes to the "Big House" at Michigan, and wins 13-10.  The win snaps a 24 game win streak for Michigan against the Mid-American Conference.  A win tonight for the Cardinals only improves, their strength of schedule.

I'll have more later tonight.

Power Rankings #1! Let it begin!

NFL season is awesome!  Very little beats watching physically dominating gladiators pounding each other, QB's launching 50-yard bombs down the sideline in crunch time, and running backs blasting through holes so they can run over DB's.  You'll notice that I cleverly and strategically inserted the phrase "very little" at the beginning of that sentence.  

That's because there is one thing that tops the anything that the gridiron has to offer... the NBA of course!  We are only a few weeks out and the elements of the NBA  are already ricocheting back and forth inside my brain.  I can't wait to see my first Lebron James dunk, CP3 no look pass, Kobe fade-away, and Carmelo Anthony cherry pick!  

With all that said its time for my first edition of NBA Power Rankings...

 

1)  Lets just get this out of the way... I'm a Lakers fan.  I'm not even going to try to deny it.  I love the Lakers.  However, their numero uno ranking has nothing to do with that infatuation.  It probably has more to do with them winning the possibly toughest conference the league has ever seen last year.  I realize they were exposed in the finals for their lack of toughness (primarily on the inside).  With that said they were still the more talented team.  Oh and their getting a certain guy back that could help add some interior toughness.  The questions are: How healthy is that guy and how well will he play with Gasol?

2) Lets just get this out of the way... I hate the celtics.  What they did to my Lakers last June was ruthless and cruel... but impressive.  This team is all set up to be the best team in the east again.  As long as they continue the practice of that remarkable defense, they will probably find themselves being one of the last two teams standing.  My first concern is I'm not completely convinced their defense will be as unbelievable this year as it was last year.  Garnett's defensive effort won't waver a bit, but it was also built into his genetic makeup.  For guys like Pierce and Allen it takes extra effort.  Two straight years of that effort is a lot to ask of guys who have been scorers first their whole career.  My second concern is they lost a guy like James Posey and replaced him with Darius Miles.  Other options are Tony Allen, Bill Walker, and J.R. Giddens.  We'll have to wait and see how that goes.

3)  The New Orleans Hornets are scary good.  They don't have many great individual players (except Chris Paul and even Peja Stojakovic at times), but have players that play really well with Chris Paul.  They've got good defenders at every position in their starting line-up except the small forward spot.  Even then they can have James Posey come off the bench and provide more defensive stability.  My main concern is their lack of a low post scorer (and I don't count the alley-oop dunks Tyson Chandler gets as low post scoring and even David West is a better mid-range player than low post).  But do they really need it?  Paul is impossible to keep out of the lane so they get plenty of shots around the basket and they don't live and die by the three.  However, if the rest of the league learns how to defend the pick and roll it could cause trouble for the Hornets' offense.

4)  The window for the Detroit Pistons to get another ring is closing fast, but I still think they've got another year or two as a contender.  Michael Curry supplanting Flip Saunders as head coach is a definite plus for a team that didn't really like Saunders much.  Curry has played and coached with Detroit--including the 2004 championship team-- and understands the culture of the organization.  This team will be refocused defensively and I like some of their young players.  Look for Rodney Stuckey to have a great year.  My concern is their scoring on the low block.  Obviously, Rasheed Wallace is still one of the best power forwards in the game but is 34 years old and played only just over 30 minutes per game last season.  Antonio McDyess has low tread on his tires and Jason Maxiell  and Amir Johnson are solid players but not real scoring threats.  That leaves Walter Hermann and Kwame Brown.  Ummm... moving on...

5)  The Utah Jazz have been a really good team the past two years.  And don't mistake their second round exit last year after a trip to the conference finals two years ago as a step backward.  Playing the Warriors in the playoffs is a whole lot different than playing last years Lakers squad.  If they continue to improve they could foreseeably win the west.  Deron Williams is the second best point guard in the league, Carlos Boozer is a beast on the block, and they've got ample weapons surrounding them.  What is holding them back?  Fouling and poor road play.  The latter is especially worrisome because they won't have home-court advantage against the Lakers or Hornets.

6) The San Antonio Spurs are on the decline.  Every difference maker on the squad--besides Tony Parker--is over 30.  With that said, they are still the most disciplined and well-coached team in the league.  And when Manu Ginobili is healthy he's one of the most dynamic players in the league.  They're still one of the best teams in the league, but if they want a chance at another ring they're going to need some pleasant surprises.

7) I know the Houston Rockets now have one of the three best trios in the league because of Ron Artest.  However, I still don't see them finishing better than fifth in the western conference.  Yao Ming has only played an average of 53 games each of the last three seasons.  Tracy McGrady has only played an average 61 games over that same stretch.  Ron Artest... only 56 games per season the last three years (granted not all of his missed games were due to injury).  What good is a three-headed monster if only one or two of the heads ever work at the same time?

8)  This Phoenix Suns team isn't as done as some people might think.  Sure the S.S.O.L. (Seven Seconds Or Less) era is over, but they still have two of the top 15 (maybe 10) offensive players in the league in Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire.  And maybe Matt Barnes and Robin Lopez can spice things up by adding a foreign ingredient... it's called defense.  The Suns start out eighth in these rankings but don't be surprised if they move up.

9)  The Portland Trailblazers are by far the most intriguing team coming into the 2008-09 season.  There is so much potential...for both success and disappointment.  As long Brandon Roy stays healthy this team will be fine.  Greg Oden, Jerryd Bayless, and Rudy Fernandez might all end up as three of the top 10 rookies this year.  LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw will probably continue to improve and help put this team in the playoffs.  Random prediction: Luke Jackson will flourish this year.

10)  I don't feel like the Dallas Mavericks should be in top 10.  It's obvious Jason Kidd doesn't mesh with this team on the court and I just don't feel like the players on this team really like each other (I don't really know why... it's just a feeling).  Add Josh Howard to the mix and you've got a fairly combustible situation.  And given Rick Carlisle's reputation for not getting along with players, he probably won't fix anything.  But the Mavs will probably still make the playoffs.

11)  The Orlando Magic are the third best team in the eastern conference, but they probably were last year also.  What makes this year different? Well they could actually beat the Celtics or Pistons in a seven-game series.  Courtney Lee is going to add scoring and I like the Michael Pietrus addition.  But I'm not sure Anthony Johnson was the best answer to their point guard questions.

12)  This speaks to the depth of the western conference. 

 The Denver Nuggets--who became a punch line after playing historically bad defense and about no team basketball in a first round series against the Lakers in the last year's playoffs-- probably won't make the playoffs but are would still be the fourth best team in the east.  Still they won't play defense this year (especially after losing their only line of defense in Marcus Camby) and won't play in the postseason.  But Mateen Cleaves' smile should be worth 30 wins by itself.

13)  While I think the Magic are better than the Cleveland Cavaliers, I also think that Cleveland has a better chance of getting to the finals.  I really want to like the acquisition of Mo Williams but I think he might just be a healthier Larry Hughes.  I do believe drafting J.J. Hickson at #19 in the draft was a wise move.  But this team probably isn't much better than they were the past couple of years.

14)  The Philadelphia 76ers are immeasurably better with Elton Brand on the team.  The question is: Will Andre Iguodala be as good as his new six-year $80 million contract suggests he is.  He was a no-show in the playoffs last year, but when he's on his game he's worth every penny.  This team could finish ahead of Cleveland and Orlando but they still have a lot to prove.

15)  Trading T.J. Ford for Jermaine O'Neal was a genius move.  It appeared that Chris Bosh may have reached his ceiling but now with another all-star caliber player on the other block we may see Bosh flourish even more.  Now if Jose Calderon continues to improve and Andrea Bargnani reappears then this team could finally be poised for a deep playoff run... but don't count on it.

16)  Well Baron Davis is gone and Monta Ellis is out for a few months (because of a moped?  Shouldn't NBA players at least be riding those Segway thingys), but they've still got Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson.  Andris Biedrins could be a rising star and I expect a solid season from Brandan Wright.  All of that combined adds up to an okay team.

17)  This team might be twice as talented as last years Miami Heat.  Having a healthy Dwyane Wade helps that cause.  Having Michael Beasley will help Shawn Marion because now he can go back to being the glorified garbage man that we grew to love.  Welcome back to the playoffs Miami.

18)  The Los Angeles Clippers have some nice pieces.  Obviously Baron Davis was a positive addition (if he stays healthy and happy).  Also, Chris Kaman is much better than people give him credit for and Al Thornton could have a really good sophomore campaign.  But I'm not completely confident in Eric Gordon (he doesn't completely understand the game and I'm not sure Baron Davis is the guard you want teaching him) and having Ricky Davis automatically throws a "Lottery" label on your franchise.

19)  The Chicago Bulls are better than everybody thinks.  And not because of Derrick Rose (I believe he will struggle this year), but because last year they underachieved.  Things got off to a bad start and they just couldn't turn it around.  They still don't have any low-post scoring, but I still expect to see the Bulls we saw two years ago as opposed to last years disappointment.

20)  The Sacramento Kings actually have a nice little squad.  They've got talent at essentially every position.  Look for rookie point guard Bobby Brown to be a top 20 rookie and make an immediate impact.  Head coach Reggie Theus had this team playing really well at times last year and they could potentially shock everyone by making a run at the seven or eight seed in the west.

21)  I know the Atlanta Hawks made the playoffs last year, but I don't think they'll do it again.  It's strange because they have everyone besides Josh Childress back.  Both Josh Smith and Al Horford will be better and they even added Maurice Evans.  But Childress was a bigger part of that team than people realize.  It'll take more than 37 wins to make the playoffs in the eastern conference this year and this team is built to underachieve.

22) Injuries, injuries, injuries.  The poor Washington Wizards can't escape them.  Caron Butler is good, but he's not a franchise player.  The rest of the cast isn't overly impressive either.  Back to semi-futility for the Wizards.

23) The Indiana Pacers actually have pretty good perimeter players.   Danny Granger is really good (not great), Mike Dunleavy Jr. can score, Brandon Rush is a nice addition, and T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack will bring stability to the point guard position.  The problem is the Pacers have NOTHING down low.  Troy Murphy might as well be a perimeter player and don't even get me started on Roy Hibbert.

24) Devin Harris just might be the best player for the Nets this year... not a good thing.  Brook Lopez might be okay and Chris Douglas-Roberts will be fun to watch.  But that's about it.

25) On paper the New York Knicks could be a playoff team.  Then we remember that this is the most dysfunctional franchise in the league right now and everything makes sense.  The only way this team avoids the lottery is if Patrick Ewing laces em' up.  Oh wait...

 

26) Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook form a solid nucleus for the future.  But for now... the Oklahoma City Thunder stink.

27)  Maybe the Richard Jefferson-Michael Redd combination will be better than I think and maybe Charlie Villanueva will emerge as an all-star, but it's not likely.  

28)  There's a good chance that I am underrating this team.  But they still have never proven that they're headed in the right direction... and I'm giving them a chance to over-achieve. 

29) The Memphis Grizzlies have some nice guards, but nothing down low.  They used to have this one power forward who was pretty good.  I wonder what happened to him.

30)  Al Jefferson might be the best player in the league that nobody has ever heard of.  That's what playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves will do for you.  Another year of futility is on the horizon.