Week 12 NFL Picks

After having a miserable couple of weeks Gabe came on strong with the picks last week, going 12 -4. Dave had another below average week, going 7-9. What does that mean? Gabe made up his season long deficit to Dave in one week and has taken a one game lead in the season series, 91-69 to Dave's 90-68.

So far in Week 12 we are combined 1-5, with Gabe getting the Packers-Lions game right, and nothing else, and Dave whiffing on all three games.

So now that the balance of the universe - well, at the least the BRS picks - is upset, let's move on to the rest of week 13...

Indianapolis (-3.5) at Houston

Gabe: Houston - Two games ago I gave Houston a puncher's chance to win against the Colts. They lost because a last second Kris Brown field goal attempt went wide. Last week the Texans had a chance to tie Tennessee, but failed because a Kris Brown field goal attempt went wide. I think Houston is going to snap out of this drudgery and play well today. I don't know if they'll win, but if history is any indication, they'll be within 3 points in the closing seconds.


Dave: Houston - It says here that the Texans are 0-167 against the Colts...I may have made that up. Regardless, the Texans' best chance to get win # 1 against Indy comes today. The Colts' secondary is beat up and pass-rush dynamo Dwight Freeney, who has waterboarded the Texans for years(waterboard as in tortured, not ACTUAL waterboarding.....you have to specify these days) will be sitting this one out. That gives Matt Schaub time to throw to Andre 3000 early and often. It's hard to bet against Peyton but the Colts have to lose eventually, I say Kris Brown redeems himself with a game-winning FG.......in overtime.

Cleveland (+13.5) at Cincinnati

Gabe: Cleveland - Cleveland is showing signs of life, albeit against bad teams, but still. Cincinnati is reeling right now after losing to Oakland. I think Cincy needs to snap out of this quickly, or else they could go into a tailspin for the rest of the season. I think they do that today against the Browns, and win by 10.


Dave: Cincinatti - That offensive explosion last week from Cleveland? Take a good look at it because it will never happen again this season. Cedric Benson's back in this one for the Bengals and, while the last meeting was fairly close, the Bengals know they have a good chance to put away the division here with a win against the Browns while the Big Ben-less Steelers play Baltimore. Bengals by 17.

Chicago (+10.5) at Minnesota

Gabe: Minnesota - The Vikings are on the short list of the best teams in the league right now. They are playing well on every side of the ball. Chicago? Not so much. I think the Minnesota defense shuts down the Chicago offense and the Vikings run away with the game. Vikings by 17.


Dave: Minnesota - You would think that the Bears D would step it up here after being called out by Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian this week, but this Bears D has lacked punch since they lost Brian Urlacher in Week 1. The running game for Chicago, relatively non-existent all season, will really be lacking this week(though if Justin Forsett's performance last week against Minny is any indication, Matt Forte could pick up some yards through the air here). That means more throwing for Jay Cutler, which means more interceptions. I'd love to pick against Brett Favre's Juiced Up Corpse, but I like Minny here by 13.

Washington (+9) at Philadelphia

Gabe: Philadelphia - Last week I said 11 points was too many for the Cowboys to be favored because NFC East games are always hard fought and close. Well, I am disavowing that position for this week. The Redskins flat-out stink. They are starting Charles S. Dutton at running back...(get it? Roc, from the early '90's TV show, Rock Cartwright, anyone?, anyone?,oh well)...Anyway, the Skins suck, the Eagles are really good. Philly, at home, will win by 13.


Dave: Eagles - Redskins coach Bill Cowher and rookie QB Sam Bradford lead their team into Philadelphia this week to take on the Eagles......wait, that's next year's preview. My bad. The Redskins' offense died tragically during the preseason and nobody told us. Now, is it possible the wildly inconsistent Eagles offense stubs its toe here and keeps it close against Washington? Sure. Is it possible the Redskins draw inspiration from the two-anniversary of the death of teammate Sean Taylor(which was Friday) and come out fired up? Sure. Is any of that likely? No. Motown Philly shows that their back again......with a little East Coast swaaaaaaaaaang(Yes, folks, a Boys II Men reference and a Roc reference in the same game preview.....Now that's what I call the 90's!) Eagles need this one bad to capitalize on the Giants shitting the bed against Denver on Thanksgiving, Iggles by 10.

Miami (-3) at Buffalo

Gabe: Miami - Apparently, reports of Ricky Williams being a has been have been greatly exaggerated. This is a match-up of strength versus weakness. The Bills have a terrible run defense, and Miami's strength is running the ball. I think Miami runs to a 10 point victory.


Dave: Miami - Prior to last week's comeback performance, Ricky Williams allegedly rolled a blunt mixed with some of Brett Favre's HGH and it took him back to 2002. (Note: That may or may not be greatly exaggerated) That doesn't bode well for a Buffalo team that, as predicted, showed some spunk under a new coach but still came up short. Miami still a dark horse for the playoffs here and I think they bring out Charlie Hough and pitch the shutout here. Dolphins by 20.

Arizona (+3) at Tennessee

Gabe: Tennessee - I'm pickin' up what Vince Young and Chris Johnson are puttin' down. I think Tennessee has finally found the winning formula, and, they have unreal momentum. I don't think the Cardinals can keep up (literally) with Chris Johnson. Tennessee by a touchdown.


Dave: Arizona - The return of Vince Young, and how it has translated to the resurgence of Tennessee, has been a nice Cinderella story. That being said, it's not a nice enough fairy tale for me to like them as three-point favorites against the defending NFC champs. Remember, this Cards D can still play the run well and we haven't seen what the Titans can do if Chris Johnson has an off night. Meanwhile, the underlying story of the week is the fact that we might see Matt Leinart vs. Vince Young for the first time since the BCS Championship of a few years ago(pending how woozy Kurt Warner is come game-time). I like Arizona and the emergence of Beanie Wells here......Cards by 7.

Seattle (-3.5) at St. Louis

Gabe: St. Louis - This game is going to suck. I'll take St. Louis simply because they are at home and getting points. Plus, I have to take at least one upset.

Dave: Seattle - The Seahawks shut out St. Louis the last time these two met and, needless to say, the Rams aren't much better than the one that took the field in Week 1. Seahawks stack the box here and force Kyle Boller to beat them....which he won't. Seahawks big here.

Tampa Bay (+12) at Atlanta

Gabe: Atlanta - The Falcons just have too much offense and I don't think Tampa Bay can keep up. They are going to have to pick their poison. If they try to stop Jason Snelling then Matt Ryan and Roddy White will go nuts, and vice versa. Atlanta by 14.


Dave: Atlanta - I would have liked Tamap Bay to cover if Michael Turner wasn't a go. However, The Burner looks like he'll be suiting up and that doesn't bode well for a soft Tampa run defense. Matt Ryan shakes off his bumpy last few weeks and lights up the Bucs like a Christmas tree. Falcons by 14.

Carolina (+3) at New York (A)

Gabe: Carolina - You never know which team will show up, for either one of these teams. I like Carolina's running game to wear down the Jets defense and allow their passing game, which has been showing signs of life, to do some damage. Not much damage, because of Darrelle Revis, but enough that I'll take Carolina for the straight up win by 7.


Dave: Jets - With Carolina, it's about picking the right week when the Panthers will show up. After losing to Miami last week and having 10 days of rest, all signs point to me regretting taking the Jets here but I believe in The Revis Effect(even if Steve Smith wasn't going to do much as he is playing hurt) and I see Jake Delhomme, the opposing team's MVP every week, throwing a couple pick-6s....though if my picks on Carolina games is any indication, this could easily be a Panthers rout. Screw it, I have ground to make up. Jets by 6.

Jacksonville (+3) at San Francisco

Gabe: San Francisco - The Jaguars still have no passing defense. I think Vernon Davis will go crazy today. San Fran will contain Mojo D just enough to get a 4 point win.


Dave: San Fran - The return of Alex Smith was a nice story for a couple weeks, wasn't it? After getting outclassed by the great Aaron Rodgers last week, Smith and his baby hands get to recover against one of the worst pass Ds in the NFL. The Jags don't have a pass rush to speak of and that's going to be a problem against a Niners team that has now has two bonafide deep threats. I saw A.Smith spreads VD all over the field and gives the Jags a healthy dose of Crabs....Niners big here, with a special guest appearance by The Inconvenient Truth, Niners by 10.

Kansas City (+13.5) at San Diego

Gabe: San Diego - The Chargers are playing great right now. Kansas City has shown some signs of life and gotten a good win or two, but I think they are done. Jamaal Charles finally had the game fantasy owners were hoping for, but don't expect any more. San Diego feasts and wins by 17.


Dave: Kansas City - Can you remember the last time the Chiefs had a winning streak? Me neither. Chiefs have won two straight including last week's upset of the Steelers where they absorbed The Big Panty Raider's big game before knocking him Manny Pacquaio-style. I like the suddenly inspired Chargers here, but I think the Chiefs cover. Chargers by 10.

Pittsburgh (+1) at Baltimore (Note: This line came from the Las Vegas Hilton instead of Danny Sheridan in the USA Today, where we usually get our odds. Most places have taken this game off the books.)

Gabe: Baltimore - Pittsburgh is starting Dennis Dixon at quarterback, who I'm pretty sure has thrown 2 passes since starring at Oregon. Done and done. Ravens by 10.


Dave: Baltimore - I've always liked Dennis Dixon going back to his days as a Oregon Duck, but this isn't the venue for him to be making his NFL debut. Could Double D be this year's Matt Cassell? Maybe. Remember, Week 1, when an injury to Cassell forced the Chiefs to go with Tyler Thigpen and the Chiefs kept it close? This isn't the same Ravens D and the Steelers will be fired up(especially RB Rashard Mendenhall, who had his shoulder broken by these guys last season), but the Ravens are at home so I'll give them the edge. Ravens by 3.

New England (+1.5) at New Orleans

Gabe: New Orleans - This game is between what might be the best team in the NFC versus the next best team in the AFC. I'm looking at this game as a changing of the guard. The Saints of this year look a lot like the dominant Patriots teams of the past. The difference is the Saints don't have a Randy Moss-type on offense, but the Pats never had a Darren Sharper on defense. I think the Saints need this game more. The Pats don't need this win. They want it, but don't need it. In order to progress as a franchise the Saints need this win. I think they get it. Saints by a touchdown.

Dave: New England - You don't give The Evil Genius extra time to film...er, game plan against you. The Boston Hoodie has studied Drew Breeeeeeeeees and, while the Pats D is a bit soft against the pass, they still have the ability to confuse the suddenly INT-prone Brees with different looks. Plus, Brees doesn't have a solid run game to take the load off of him. On D, I can't see N.O.'s makeshift secondary stopping Randy Moss and Wes Welker. All win streaks have to come to an end and I think Brady's Bunch pulls off the upset here. Pats by 6.

Week 12 Thanksgiving Day Picks

Thanksgiving has always been about family, turkey and football(unless, I guess, if you're Native American....then it's probably about the shanking the first Pilgrim you see.) So with a threesome of games on tap for Turkey Day tomorrow, here are our picks for Thursday's showdowns.

Packers(-10.5) at Lions

Dave: Lions - If the Lions defense gave up four touchdown passes to Brady Quinn(who had 3 TDs in his entire career coming into last week), one can only wonder what will happen when Aaron Rodgers gets ahold of them. That being said, we don't know how good this Packers defense can be without Al Harris and Aaron Kampman and, even with Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson sitting out, I won't put it past the Lions to score some garbage time touchdowns and cover the spread. Packers by 9.

Gabe: Packers - I said last week that the Lions have at least a spark of talent, especially on offense...well, that talent, quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson, will be watching the game like the rest of us. Well, not just like the rest of us, they will have a much better seat. I think last week's game was a sign of things to come out of the Lions, but only when Stafford and Johnson are there. The Packers will be missing some key pieces on defense, but they should be able to load the box against Lions running back Kevin Smith, the only weapon the Lions have left. Packers by 13.

Raiders(+13.5) at Cowboys

Dave: Raiders - Damn near two touchdowns is a bit high for a Cowboys team that has scored only two touchdowns in its last two games, even if they are playing at home against the Raiders. Tony Romo's hurt, as is his favorite target Jason Witten, and with the Raiders likely to unleash Nnamdi Asomugha more on Miles Austin, the Cowboys' air attack will be leaning more on the stone hands of Roy Williams.The Cowboys will win this one by double digits, but I see it being more 10 points than 14.

Gabe: Raiders - Dave put it perfectly, 13.5 is to many points for a team that has scored 14 total in the last two weeks. Teams have figured out how to defend the Cowboys passing game - bottle up Jason Witten. I think the Raiders will keep Witten in check, stick Austin with Asomugha, and let Roy Williams continue to lead the team in drops. The Raiders might not win, but they will keep it closer than 2 touchdowns.

Giants(-7) at Broncos

Dave: Giants - It's hard to pick the Broncos to lose their fifth straight but the fact remains that this defense has taken three steps back from the dominant force it was in the first 6 weeks and the play-it-safe offense has now become a turnover machine thanks to Knowshon Moreno's butterhands and an unsteady and injured Kyle Orton. I see the Giants' pass rush getting some hits on a wounded Orton, while Brandon Jacobs feasts on the Broncos swiss-cheese run D like John Madden feasts on turducken. Giants by 10.

Gabe: Giants - Just as I was contemplating this pick Marcellus Wiley was on Sportscenter making his pick of this game, and because I hate working on Thanksgiving, I'll go with his analysis - The Broncos are reeling after losing four straight. They are fighting on the sidelines and holding players-only meetings. The Giants running game is banged up, but Eli will do enough to beat the Broncos. I'll use his score prediction, Giants by 11, 31-20.

Things I've learned Recently, 11-23-09

It's been a little while since I've done one of these and I've done a lot of learning in that time. Unfortunately, I've forgotten most of it. That's what happens when I don't do these columns and get the stuff written down.

But here they are, the things I've learned recently:

1. Kansas football is going to have a hard time recruiting in the years to come. - Especially if they keep Head Coach Mark Mangino around. The stories coming out of KU are downright disturbing. The reports are using language you never want to hear swirling around anyone in a leadership position, especially someone in charge of guiding young men. You can read all about specific incidents of emotional and physical abuse directed at former players all over the place, but the thing that bothered me the most was what was said by the KU athletic director. He said Mangino was being investigated because of a "menacing approach to discipline." If I'm the father of a mid-western high school football superstar and I have the coaches from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska coming into my living room those words, "menacing approach to discipline," will be going through my head. Aside from that, he's a fat load. He makes Andy Reid and Mike Holmgren look svelte.

2. Brandon Jennings is for real. - 55 points in the 7th game of his NBA career. That is the fewest number of games into an NBA career a player has needed to have a 50 point game. Only four other players have scored at least 50 points in a game in their rookie seasons. Elgin Baylor, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, and Wilt Chamberlin. That's it, that's the list. You know what else each of those men have...NBA Rookie of the Year trophies and busts in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Now, I'm not saying Jennings is bound for Springfield (Massachusetts, where the HOF is located). Nor am I saying Jenning will win the ROY trophy - I'm still holding out hope for Blake Griffin to come back from injury and fulfill my pick - but he is off to a damn good start.

3. Notre Dame has become an amplified UVA. - In other words, it is almost impossible to have elite academic standards and a football team that competes for the national title. Here is a sentence that sums up both schools...They want to be Harvard from Sunday to Friday and be Oklahoma on Saturday. The difference is that the leash is a lot shorter at ND. These schools should try to be Stanford. Go 7-4, beat what is historically the best team in your conference every year, and your fans will love you forever.

4. Allen Iverson needs to humble himself. - Because if he does, he can win a ring. Imagine this scenario: A.I. becomes a back-up 1- or 2-guard on a contending team. He comes off of the bench with a group of reserves who will let him run his game. He could give a team 15 to 18 minutes of instant offense and probably score 10 to 12 points a game. A.I. was a legit superstar when he was in his prime. The problem is that there is a certain amount of I'm-the-man that has to go along with that. No one gets as far at anything as he did in the NBA without an ego. He needs to tone that down now and be a role-player. He needs to realize he is on the downside of 30 and can't keep up with the likes of Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, or Tony Parker.

5. Omar Vizquel is still alive. - And apparently still able to play baseball. He just signed a one-year deal to play with the White Sox.

6. Speaking of smart teams who can't play football - I subjected myself to the Harvard-Yale football game on Saturday. These guys are among the smartest athletes on the planet will end up leading the world and being captains of industry, but apparently the boys from New Haven don't know that running a fake punt on 4th-and-22 from your own 26 yard line when you have a 3-point lead with 2:25 left in the game is a bad idea. Yale should have won, but deserved to lose.

Week 11 Picks cont.......

Last week was rougher than Brad Childress' pedophile beard as both myself and Gabe once again finished below .500 on our picks. Luckily for Gabe, he managed to shorten the gap between us(albeit one game). Gabe went 7-8 while I finished 6-9. For the season, I lead by four(83-61 to 79-65). Our horrible picking has managed to permeate into Week 11 as both of us whiffed on the Thursday nighter by forgetting that Carolina sucks out loud. So, hoping to bounce back, here's the rest of our picks for Week 11:

Browns(+3.5) at Lions

Dave: Lions - One would believe that if the Browns were ever going to have something resembling a offensive outburst, it would come against a Lions defense that has routinely been steamrolled by the big play. Fortunately for Detroit, the Browns don't have a big play in their playbook and the one person capable of said big play(Josh Cribbs) is seeing stars like Shark LeVay in "Any Given Sunday". This game is essentially an eliminator for the #1 pick, with the loser having to fight off the Rams for a shot at Colt McCoy. I like Detroit's feistyness over the mediocrity that is a Eric Mangini-ran football team. Lions by 6.

Gabe: Browns - Both of these teams suck. I know Detroit at least has some pieces on offense that can do damage, but you never know if they are going to show up. I'll take the Browns because they are getting points.

Bills(+8.5) at Jaguars

Dave: Bills - Normally, teams tend to muster up some energy in the first week after their incumbent coach gets canned. It also helps that the Jags suck out loud as well, making a near 9-point spread ridiculous. Jacksonville has played some real scrubs this season(Rams, Chiefs, Titans) and played them close, so I like the Jags here, but only by 3.

Gabe: Bills - The Jags have zero pass defense, none. The Bills' offensive strength is their passing. I think 8.5 is too many points.

Steelers(-10) at Chiefs

Dave: Steelers - Let's see, team that struggled moving the ball all season has now lost its two most recognizable and productive members of the offense in back-to-back weeks either to homophobia(Larry Johnson) or poop pills(Dwayne Bowe). Now, said team, has to face the defending Super Bowl champs who are pissed off after losing the North lead to Cincy last week. I think KC gets raped by Big Ben at Arrowhead....and yes, the pun is intended. Steelers by 17.

Gabe: Steelers - The Steelers will be snorting after losing the season sweep to their rivals, Cininnati, last week. I think Big Ben and the Steelers passing game shred the KC secondary. Pittsburgh will win by two touchdowns.

Colts (-1.5) at Ravens

Dave: Colts - The Ravens gave the Broncos their first loss a few weeks ago, a feat that looked much more remarkable before we inevitably realized that Denver is overrated. The Colts, meanwhile, had their undefeated record saved by a Bill Belichick brain fart. So you would think, with those factors in place, the Ravens are in line for a big win at home. However, Peyton Manning is in MVP mode and the Ravens woe begotten pass D just got worse with pass rush dynamo Terrell Suggs out for a month. Colts by 10.

Gabe: Colts - I'm picking up what Peyton Manning is puttin' down. I think this game is going to be close, and who can you count on in close games?...Peyton Manning. I'll take the points and take the Colts for the straight up win.

Falcons(+7) at Giants

Dave: Giants - I'll make a bold statement here......if the Giants can't beat Atlanta, at home, coming off a bye and without Michael Turner....then Tom Coughlin shouldn't have a job Monday morning. Since I'd hate for more of my paycheck to go to the unemployed and disenfranchised, I say the Giants get their act together and serve a hot plate of ass-whooping to the Dirty Birds. Giants by 9.

Gabe: Falcons - God help me, I think 7 is too many points. The G-men are coming off a bye and four straight losses, and should have every motivation to come out and make a statement. In those situations the Giants historically come out flat. The Falcon's will also be motivated to get a good road win. I think the Giants win, but it will be close.

Seahawks(+10) at Vikings

Dave: Vikings - Perhaps it's because I've covered the Seahawks all season that I have a bit more faith in them then reality should allow me, but after watching them lay down to the Cardinals last week, I've joined the majority in believing that Seattle sucks out loud and they should probably spend the next two months taking a long look at Russell Okung. Vikings by 17.

Gabe: Vikings - Seattle sucks. Minnesota doesn't, not by a long shot. Favre and co. go nuts on offense and Jared Allen and the rest of (arguably) the best D-Line in football hold the 'Hawks down. Vikings by 11.

Niners(+6.5) at Packers

Dave: Niners - I want to be encouraged, as a Packers fan, over last week's big win over Dallas. I do. I really want to be optimistic. That being said, the Packers have allowed 41 sacks in 9 games. They are playing a Niners team that is very stout defensively and possess one of the top run defenses in the NFL. That means Green Bay has to pass more, which means Aaron Rodgers will be sacked more. Do I think Green Bay loses at home to the inferior Niners? No. Do I think it will be tougher than people think? Yes. Remember, this team lost by 10 to the lowly Bucs. Packers by 3.

Gabe: Niners - The Packers are going to have a let down after last week's win. San Francisco has been up and down, but they always play hard. I think they'll try to hit Green Bay early and often. I think the Niners get the straight up win.

Saints (-10.5) at Bucs

Dave: Saints - After failing to cover two large spreads they could have easily managed against far inferior opponents in the past two weeks, I think the law of averages comes into play here and the Saints rout a Bucs team that has played tough behind rookie QB Josh Freeman. Drew Brees has another DREW 'MOTHERFUCKIN' BREES game here. Saints by 14.

Gabe: Saints - The Bucs are terrible. The Saints have not flexed their muscle in a while. I think they do and win huge. Saints by 17.

Redskins(+11) at Cowboys

Dave: Cowboys - I've said this all season: If there's one thing the Cowboys do well(and after last week, perhaps it's the only thing they do well), it's knowing how to slaughter the NFL's basement teams. It happened against Tampa Bay. It happened against Seattle. It will happen here. I know the win over Denver and Dallas' loss to GB might push the momentum in Washington's favor(especially given the spread), but the Cowboys know what a loss to their hated rivals will do on the P.R. front and they definitely don't want to make a tough game of this with another game coming 4 days from now on Thanksgiving(though that's against Oakland....not exactly much game-planning needed). Cowboys roll here, win by 13.

Gabe: Redskins - Eleven points should be too many in any NFC East match-up. This is a classic rivalry that always gets both teams jacked up. I think both teams will come out hard and the winner will win by 3.

Cardinals(-9) at Rams

Dave: Cardinals - One of the best run defenses facing a team that can only move the ball on the ground, with a chance to put away the division? Yeah, I'd say I like Arizona big here.

Gabe: Cardinals - The Rams played well last week, but they'll get over that. The Cardinals offense should be able to move the ball all over the Rams. Cardinals by 14, at least.

Jets(+10.5) at Patriots

Dave: Jets - Remember Week 1 of what ended up being the Pats' undefeated regular season when the Patriots steam-rolled the Jets and Brady-to-Moss became the new Montana-to-Rice? The Jets sure do. Another factor is the coaching. Belichick got his overhyped "genius" exposed by his retarded call on 4th and 2 last week while Rex Ryan tried to rally the troops by crying in a post-game meeting after Gang Green's loss to the Jags. Look, if your guys can't get up to knock off a hated rival the week after your head coach cries like Nancy Kerrigan, you don't deserve to play this game. Jets get the sweep and pull off the upset and Belichick gets another week of media scrutiny. Jets by 3.

Gabe: Patriots - This is easy to me. Bill Belichick in a revenge game. I'll take that anytime. The Pats will win big.

Bengals (-9) at Raiders

Dave: Bengals - You had me at Raiders' starting QB Bruce Gradkowski.....

Gabe: Bengals - Ditto on what Dave said.

Chargers(-3) at Broncos

Dave: Chargers - Sometimes, you can just see the headlines before they happen, and who can't see "Broncos Choke Away Big AFC West Lead in Loss To Chargers At Home"? It happened last year, and there's really nothing to make me think it won't happen again today. Chargers by 6.

Gabe: Chargers - The Chargers are playing really well right now. The Broncos are not. Nuff said. Chargers by a touchdown.

Eagles (-3) at Bears

Dave: Eagles - Last time these two teams played on Sunday night, Chicago pulled off the upset and Philly's redzone and short-yardage woes came to light. However, at that time, Matt Forte looked like a future star, they had competency at QB, and Mike Shanahan wasn't breathing down Lovie Smith's neck. Eagles need this one bad with their division foes facing easy games this week and then short-rest games on Thursday, so I like Philly to extend Jay Cutler's SNF record to 0-4 and win this one by double digits.

Gabe: Eagles - Philly's defense is going to eat Jay Cutler alive. The Chicago defense is old and slow, but other than that they are outstanding. The Eagles are going to get pass happy as they always do and win big.

Titans (+4) at Texans

Dave: Titans - Sometimes, you have to go with the hot hand. Vince Young is 3-0 and he's playing at home on primetime TV. Add that to the fact that Chris Johnson is determined to put the Titans on his back and shock the world by making the playoffs. Plus, Steve Slaton is back at RB for Houston, which means the chances for a costly fumble just increased 200%. I think the Texans fire back at Chris Johnson with a Johnson of their own, Andre 3000, and we have an entertaining Monday nighter that is inevitably won by way of a costly turnover in the final two minutes. Titans by 3.

Gabe: Titans - The Texans have turned their defense around from being the absolute worst in the league, to the absolute best. But, the reason they were ranked last at the being of the year is because Chris Johnson went to work on them, to the tune of almost 300 total yards. I think CJ goes nuts again and the Titans win a close game.

Milk Carton All-Star of the Week.....10/20/2009

The return of college basketball means the return of the defending college basketball champions, The North Carolina Tarheels. So we here at BoomRoastedSports decided to dedicate everyone's favorite weekly(when possible) feature to one of the all-time great Tarheels.

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The Rik Smits clone you see before you is none other than former UNC center Serge Zwikker. Most people will best remember Zwikker from his two-year run as starter with the Tarheels, as he replaced the great Rasheed Wallace(who departed for the '95 NBA Draft) as Dean Smith's starting center. In 1997, Zwikker was drafted with the first pick of the 2nd round by the Houston Rockets.....16 picks ahead of another Milk Carton award winner: God Shammgod.

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While in Houston, Zwikker played all of zero minutes. That's right. Zero. As in none. In fact, despite actually being drafted by an NBA team, Zwikker never even sniffed the NBA hardwood in a regular season game. That's right. Not one NBA second. Rapper Master P logged more time on an NBA court than Zwikker did and all P ever did was Make 'Em Say Uhhhhhhhh!!!

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So let's give it up for Tyler Hansbrough's role model, the next Keith Van Horn.....Serge Zwikker!!!

Week 11 Picks, a start...

Week 11 of the NFL season starts tonight with another NFL Network game, so about 4.3% of the country will be able to watch it. And because it's Miami at Carolina only about 4.3% of those people are going to care.

But, we here at BRS don't judge such things, we just pick the games. So here goes....

Miami (+3) at Carolina

Gabe: Carolina - Carolina has been playing much better lately, especially in their running game. Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams are banged up, which will just be exasperated by the short rest. But Miami is missing Ronnie Brown. Brown is the key to their Wildcat offense. I think the Carolina defense will step up and slow the Miami's-Ronnie-Brown-less offense. Carolina by 6.

Dave: Carolina - The Panthers have been a tough team to figure out all season, so they very well could get steam-rolled by a beat-up but always game Dolphins team. Still, not having Ronnie Brown hurts this team tremendously as he's not only the best running option but the main orchestrator of their base offense, The Wildcat. Plus, the Dolphins once-stout D has softened a bit(oddly enough, right after Joey Porter opened his yap) and that tends to be a concern when playing a team that can move the ball on the ground as well as the Panthers. I like the home team here, Panthers by 9, with Jake Delhomme throwing a TAINT just for old time's sake.

Things Athletes Should Tweet

Thanks to the new era of round-the-clock media access, camera phones and YouTube, athletes and celebrities alike have been more cautious than ever of just what they say or do publicly. That has led postgame interviews chock full of cheesy cliches and press conferences loaded with well-crafted speeches much like the one Mark Sanchez penned following the Jets' loss to Jacksonville Sunday. The result from all this pre-meditated jargon is a nation of fans unable to get a good grip on what athletes really think. Sure, every now and then you get some homophobic rant from a knucklehead like Larry Johnson, but that's few and far between.

That's why we here at BoomRoastedSports have taken it upon ourselves to delve hypothetically into the minds of athletes and offer up some things that they should say through the worldwide phenomenon known as Twitter so that fans and the media can get a better understanding of how they really feel. (Note: The Twitter names are made up. I'm not trying to get sued, you know.)

@TheAkronHammer: Even if I did quit basketball to play for the Browns this year, I would just sign with the Giants next season anyway!

@BostonHoodie: One bad call on 4th and 2 and you'd think I'm Eric Mangini or something!

@TheOtherARod: Big win against Dallas, this should turn our sea...(sacked by Jared Allen)

@TheAnswer: If you had to play for the Grizzlies, you'd have personal problems, too.

@ARoid13: Kiss the ring, bitch!

@SuckoftheIrish: Anybody hiring?

@SteelCityChin: Anyone know a real estate agent in Buffalo?

@TheRealMcCoy: Come on! Not even LeBron wants to play in Cleveland next year!

@WestCoastWalrus: RT @TheRealMcCoy: Come on! Not even LeBron wants to play in Cleveland next year!

@LakeShowLamar: ANYBODY can date the pretty Kardashian sister

@RunReggieRun: For the 1,000,000th time, STOP CALLIN' ME RAY J!!!!

@BigMac25: That whole "not talking about the past" thing had to blow over by now, right?

@CryBabyJay: My tweet got intercepted by the Niners

And last, but not least.....

@rodriguezg: My idea of a great Friday night? Guinness and Foriegner, baby!

Week 10 Picks, cont.

Week 10 got started early, and I (Gabe) got a much needed boost for his season record by correctly picking the San Francisco 49er's in Thursday night's NFL Network game.

Last week was not good again for the two of us, Dave went 7-6 and I lost even more ground to him by going 5-8.

Let's look at this week's games:

Jacksonville (+7) at N.Y. Jets

Gabe: N.Y. Jets - Jacksonville barely beat Kansas City last week. The Jets are coming off a bye and playing at home. Jacksonville has zero pass defense. I think the extra week of practice will do Mark Sanchez some good. Jets by 9.

Dave: Jags - I don't know if Mark Sanchez can play well enough in the cold weather of New Jersey to justify making them 7-point favorites. Remember, the Jets' run D misses Kris Jenkins and they get to go up against the man known as Pocket Hercules, Maurice Jones-Drew. The Jags have been god-awful, so I'm not taking them for the outright win, but I say they lose by 4.

Denver (-3.5) at Washington

Gabe: Denver - The Broncos have lost two in a row after starting the season 6-0. Where do losing streaks go to die? That's right, Washington. The Broncos are looking to get back to winning. The 'Skins are going to try to keep the Denver offense off of the field. I think the difference will be Champ Bailey rising up and playing well in his old home for the first time since he was traded. Denver by 6.

Dave: Denver - A team already missing half its offensive line is now without its best offensive weapon in Clinton Portis, who I think should milk this concussion into a IR stint to avoid being around this pile of excrement known as the Redskins. Fresh off two straight losses, I think Denver revenge-bangs the Skins here. Broncos by 17.

Cincinnati (+7) at Pittsburgh

Gabe: Cincinnati - Cincinnati is for real and are playing tough for the first time in decades. Cedric Benson has been playing well, but I don't think he will against Pittsburgh. I think this is going to be a tough, hard-fought game. I think Cincinnati could win outright, but I take Pittsburgh to win by a late FG.

Dave: Pittsburgh - Chad Ochocinco pranked the Ravens last week by sending deoderant and got away with it when his team beat Baltimore 17-7. He tried a similar trick this week but his attempt to send mustard to the Steelers got shut down by Marvin Lewis. Eventually, the Bengals have to run into a bad week and the Steelers have to prove why their the defending champs. I think both of those happen today. Steelers by 10.

Buffalo (+8.5) at Tennessee

Gabe: Tennessee - I think Chris Johnson will be huge in this game. Buffalo has a good secondary so the Titans will lean on CJ and LenDale White. I don't think the Bills can do much on offense. CJ runs for 2 TD's and that will be the winning margin.

Dave: Tennessee - If I would have told you in August, we would see historically horrid performances from Buffalo, Washington, Oakland, St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City and Tampa Bay and, after 9 games, not one coach would get fired, would you believe me? Buffalo might be the worst of the bunch. The T.O. move was every bit the disaster we forecasted and now the league's worst run defense faces the league's top rusher. I think CJ and Last Call LenDale White run the train on this Buffalo D to the tune of two scores a piece. I also think, with Darren Sharper out, Jairus Byrd takes sole possession of the NFL INT lead with 2 picks here. Titans by 13.

Detroit (+16.5) at Minnesota

Gabe: Minnesota - Just when I thought the Lions might at least put up a fight they lost by 12 to the dreadful Seahawks. Minnesota will run all over them. I think the Vikings will be up 3 TD's by halftime and will not cover only if the let off the gas in the second half. Vikings by 21.

Dave: Detroit - Yeah, I know, the Vikings are coming off a bye. Yes, the Lions choked up a 17 point lead to Seattle last week. Yes, the Vikings are at home. Look, the Lions are a scrappy team when The Big Three is together and Matt Stafford isn't going to have another disaster like his 5-INT nightmare last week. Vikings still win this one, but I feel weird with such a high spread given the fact that the Lions led for the entire first half the last time these two played and there's nobody on Minnesota to cover Calvin Johnson. Vikes by 14.

New Orleans (-14) at St. Louis

Gabe: New Orleans - How's this sound? Drew Brees throws 4 TD's in the first half, then the Saints give the ball to Pierre Thomas over and over. (My big money fantasy team would love that.) I think that is exactly what will happen. St. Louis will put up some points because the Saints will be without Darren Sharper, but in the end New Orleans wins by at least 20.

Dave: Saints - Drew Brees will further solidify by MVP pick and spread it like Kim Kardashian at a 50 Cent concert. Speaking of Kardashians, Kim's property, Reggie Bush, touches paydirt this week(Side note: Would there be a funnier reality show than VH1 following For The Love of Ray J with Sloppy Seconds starring Reggie Bush, where Reggie goes on a date with whichever skank Ray J votes off the previous week and attempts to smash her. At least he has a better chance of scoring than he already does on Sundays, right?) Saints by 17.

Atlanta (-1.5) at Carolina

Gabe: Atlanta - Carolina still stinks. DeAngelo Williams is playing, but is hurt. Jake Delhomme still sucks. Atlanta always plays well when they need a win. They need one this week, and will get it, by 7.

Dave: Atlanta - Falcons are playing for a wild card spot and the Panthers two-man offense is banged up. Falcons romp in this one and I'm betting even money that Steve Smith slugs Jake Delhomme by halftime after his third pick-6.

Tampa Bay (+10) at Miami

Gabe: Miami - Tampa Bay blew their load last week. No one knew what to expect from new QB Josh Freeman. Miami's Wildcat will do well against the Bucs. Miami by 14.

Dave: Dolphins - It will be hard for Tampa Bay to repeat last week's performance when they have to face a team with five living, breathing offensive linemen. Bucs go back to being doormats. Freeman joins the 5-INT club with his other rookie QB brethren and the Miami J.Los win by 14.

Kansas City (+2) at Oakland

Gabe: Oakland - This game is going to suck, but at least Oakland plays defense. Kansas City hasn't played any offense all year, with or without GrandMama. Oakland holds KC's offense in check and does just enough to cover. Oakland by 3.

Dave: Kansas City - I believe in karma and find it hard to believe things won't bounce their way for a team that waved bye-bye to one chick beater facing a team coached by another Chris Brown All-Star. Chiefs pull off the "upset", if you want to call it that, and the world gets introduced to Lance Long. KC by 6.

Seattle (+8.5) at Arizona

Gabe: Arizona - Seattle flat-out stinks. Arizona is at home and will move the ball early and often through the air. Arizona will win by double digits.

Dave: Seattle - The Seahawks are healthier than they've been all season. The Cardinals tend to have off-weeks, especially at home. Do I see an upset? No. Do I see Seattle keeping it close and losing on an Olindo Mare missed FG? Sure.

Philadelphia (pk) at San Diego

Gabe: Chargers - The Eagles didn't play well the last time they went to the west coast. The Chargers are playing very well right now and the Eagles are not. Chargers by 7.

Dave: Chargers - Being forced to pick between Norv Turner or Andy Reid is like being forced into picking out a Tyler Perry movie to watch. You know it's going to be hard on your eyes but the mediocrity of it all might make it somewhat entertaining and funny, albeit drastically stereotypical. Chargers are at home, so I'll take them.

Dallas (-3) at Green Bay

Gabe: Dallas - Aaron Rodgers is going to be very familiar with DeMarcus Ware by the end of this game. Dallas wins by 6.

Dave: Cowboys - I don't want to talk about this game. I'm already preparing for the draft. COME ON, ANTHONY DAVIS!

New England (+2.5) at Indianapolis

Gabe: New England - The Colts have been skating all season. Their secondary is in shambles and Tom Brady will be able to take advantage of this. I can't believe the Pats are not favored in this game. Pats by 6.

Dave: Patriots - Inevitably, this Colts team has to come down to earth. The supporting cast on O is adequate but unspectacular and the secondary is more beat up than a Tom Cable dinner date and have to face off against Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Not to mention, you have to think Tom Brady is pissed about how the tables have turned between his "rivalry" with Peyton and is looking to come out firing. Pats give Indy the first L and snap the Peyton Manning Night Game streak.

Baltimore (+10.5) at Cleveland

Gabe: Cleveland - The Browns stink and are starting Brady Quinn in a move to sell tickets for Monday Night Football. The Ravens have not been playing well lately. I think Baltimore will win, but it will be by less than 11, more like by 7.

Dave: Baltimore - I have to explain this one? Really?

Award Tour

We're a little more than halfway into the '09 NFL season. What does that mean exactly? Well, essentially nothing, but it gives bored bloggers like myself and Gabe a reason to hand out midseason awards. Chances are, you probably read Gabe's midseason piece from a couple of days ago(...and if you didn't, you should.....you can even do it before you read mine. We're not picky about order over here). Gabe chose to go the coaching rant route. I, however, in the effort to bring in more ad revenue for this here website, have decided to let some sponsers put their John Hancock..(pause)...on some of the honors.

Also, as a head's up, the awards are mostly being given on the winner's efforts so far but in case of a tie, as you'll see with the MVP pick, I gave the nod to who I think will flourish down the stretch. Also, in an effort to prove I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about, I put my preseason pick in there as well to compare results.

MVP: Drew Brees, Saints (Preseason pick: Brees) - Gabe pointed out Brees having a better season last year and the team going 8-8. That wasn't Drew Brees' fault. He couldn't help the team's defense falling apart like a patient on one of those Dr. Drew Rehab shows. He couldn't help that he was down to his 3rd string RB(who, granted, is now the starter this year, but I digress) for the last part of the season. Improvements on different facets of the ball has meant Brees isn't doing everything himself and, thus, his numbers aren't what they were last year. That being said, they're still pretty damn good(2,336 passing yards....good for 5th in the NFL. Plus, 17 TD passes which ties for the league lead).

Yes, Peyton Manning is putting up solid numbers with a couple of rookies at wideout and running back. He also has Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Look at Brees' supporting cast. Beyond Marques Colston(who isn't nearly as good as Wayne....or Clark for that matter), there's guys like Robert Meachem(a first round bust) and Devery Henderson(who has had Roberto Duran hands on top of being Mr. Glass during his wildly inconsistent career). Oh, and there's Gabe's boy Jeremy Shockey, who has been as reliable during his career as Sly Stone at The Grammys. As for that three-pronged running attack of Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Kardashian.....they're hardly a trio that makes defensive coaches lose sleep. Brees and Manning are dead even, in my eyes. We could easily have another co-MVP honor like we did with Manning and Steve McNair a few years ago. I went with Brees for two reasons.

One, by time you read this, Brees would have last been seen carving up the Rams while Manning will have a bit more trouble with Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Which brings me to the two's remaining schedule. After St. Louis, Brees goes at Tampa, New England, at Washington, at Atlanta, Dallas, Tampa and at Carolina. That's two games against potential playoff teams(three if you think Atlanta makes the wild card, which I don't.) and they come at home. Manning, on the other hand, has to deal with the Pats this week(who haven't been the thorn in Manning's side they used to be but are still tough), then he goes at Baltimore, at Houston, Tennessee, Denver, at Jacksonville, Jets, at Buffalo. I can see Manning having trouble in at least four of those games(maybe six if you include Jacksonville, who played them tough in Week 1 and the Jets, who are still decent defensively).

Secondly, and this point might be a bit nit-picky, I think voters eventually get tired of voting for the same guy every year. It happened to Michael Jordan in '98 when Karl Malone won the MVP. It happened to Barry Bonds when he lost out to Jeff Kent. Your resume can be a gift and a curse. Voters know Peyton's great. At some point, the standards for someone of Manning's greatness have to raise considerably to the point where he has to do something out-of-worldly to gain considerable recognition. If the Colts run the table, then yes, give him the MVP, but has Manning done anything this year that isn't the typical Peyton Manning first half? How many times have Manning's Colts started the season off winning 8, 9, 10 in a row? As for his supporting cast, we've seen this before. He made a solid player out of Marcus Pollard. He set records with Brandon Stokley. Hell, he was putting up numbers when injuries forced him to throw to guys like Craphonso Thorpe. Brees should have won it last year. Voters found Manning leading his team to the playoffs fresh off of two knee surguries more compelling than Brees chasing Marino's records on an 8-8 team, which is understandable. But eventually, Drew Brees' time has to come and I think this year makes up for last year's slight.

Offensive Player of the Year: Peyton Manning, Colts (LaDainian Tomlinson) - Like I said, him and Brees are dead-even, so whoever doesn't get the MVP, deserves this as a consellation prize. Gabe made a nice case for Chris Johnson, who has been the most dynamic player in football so far, but his team is 2-6. If you're making the case for CJ, you have to make the same case for Maurice Jones-Drew(who has nearly twice the TDs of CJ on a team with twice the wins) and Steven Jackson(who is third in the NFL in rushing on the worst team in football). Adrian Peterson got some consideration here but I think the media's slurpfest of Brett Favre kills AP's candidacy(as well as the presence of Percy Harvin, but I'll get to that later). Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson has 6 scores of more than 60 yards, but he also has only 26 catches and is 2nd on his own team in receiving yards.

The dark horse here is Matt Schaub, who leads the NFL in passing yards and TDs on a team with legit playoff hope, but it's hard to put him over Manning or Brees at this point. P.S. I don't what I was thinking with the LT pick. I'm pretty sure he died three years ago and nobody told us.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen, Vikings (Mario Williams) - My Vikings hatred almost made me go Darren Sharper(who is just as deserving) here, but you can't deny Allen's numbers. 10.5 sacks(granted, 80% of those came against the Packers), three forced fumbles and defensive touchdown. He's the main reason the Vikes swept the Packers(Yes, more so than Favre's corpse) as well as a big part in the team's 7-1 record. Sharper is tied for the league lead in picks with 7 and has made 3 house calls and certianly deserves the nod if the Saints take the top seed in the NFC, but Allen's impact has been a bit more obvious....mainly because of that stupid Jack-in-the-Box dance I had to see over and over again.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin, Vikings (Beanie Wells) - Impressively, he has managed to trump teammate Adrian Peterson as the Vikings' most explosive weapon. His prowess in the return game has put points on the board either through short fields or Harvin taking it to the house himself. As a receiver, he's been the team's first legitimate deep threat since Randy Moss left and has breathed life into a dormant Viking passing game by emerging as Favre's most reliable option. Mark Sanchez isn't a terrible choice, but I have to see him win a few games in the cold before I give him some props.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jairus Byrd, Bills(Aaron Curry) - He's tied for the NFL lead in interceptions despite being on one of the worst defenses in the league. His numbers are comparable to Darren Sharper's(whom he shares the INT lead with), a man who is earning Defensive MVP consideration. Brian Cushing has been solid and certianly, you can give him the nod for because of his team's performance in comparison to Byrd's. To me, though, that makes Byrd's case stronger. Cushing plays with guys like Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and Dunta Robinson. Byrd has nobody and yet he's been a playmaker, so I give him the nod.

Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels - Nobody had this team at 6-2. Definitely not me, so I give him the edge over Marvin Lewis.

And, now, a word from our "sponsors":

The Biggest Disappointment of the Year brought to you by Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen: Green Bay Packers - Their amazing preseason took them from a clumsy 6-10 team last year to legitimate Super Bowl consideration this year. Instead, a team that gave up 36 sacks all of last year has given up 37 already in 8 games. Fault can certianly be placed on the team's patchwork offensive line but some should trickle down to QB Aaron Rodgers, whose lack of trust in the boys up front has lead to him looking confused in the pocket and taking dumb sacks. The icing on the cake was last week's debacle against then-winless Tampa Bay, when Rodgers was sacked 6 times and threw 3 picks including the Pick-6 that put the game away. Granted, they sit in 2nd in the NFC North and aren't completely out of the playoff hunt at 4-4. However, they have games left against Dallas, Baltimore and Pittsburgh and with games like the one last week against the Bucs no longer a sure thing, this team might find itself once again on the outside looking in in January, not to mention the long-term damage it will put on a young star QB like Rodgers by subjecting him to too much punishment.

The Slumdog Millionaire Biggest Surprise Award: Denver Broncos - This team looked like an asylum with all the nutjobs running around the locker room from crybaby Jay Cutler whining his way to Chicago to the Brandon Marshall mess. However, Josh McDaniel showed why he was highly coveted coaching prospect by righting the ship and, while it remains to be seen whether they can avoid another collapse like last season, I will once again repeat what I said earlier: NOBODY had this team at 6-2.

The Drake Award(Most hype to a story or person that was both undeserving and disappointing): Mike Vick's return - We knew he wasn't going to be the same player after spending two years in the clink, but so far, I've seen better legs on Mickey Matthews' son. Vick has looked hesistant in the pocket on the few plays called for him, which has been mainly Wildcat formation gimmick plays or QB draws. We haven't seen the trademark cannon arm yet, but that hasn't stopped reports of where Vick will end up playing next year as sources have him pegged as the next QB of either the Bills or Redskins or Niners. The season's still young and Vick could still contribute down the stretch, but at this point, he's more Michael Bishop than Michael Vick.

The Soulja Boy Award(Terrible trend that will ruin the future as we know it) - Michael Crabtree's holdout - Michael Crabtree was the symbol of greed and ignorance for the first part of this season. Then, he "caved" and finally signed his contract. Then, a funny thing happened while laughing his way to the bank: He turned out to be a pretty good ball player. Granted, the Niners have won once since Crabtree's return, but that isn't Crabtree's fault(at least not ON the field). Sure, the team succumbing to Crabtree's demands and giving him the starting job before the ink was dry on his new deal probably killed team chemistry as well as San Fran's season, but Crabtree has been a reliable target for QB Alex Smith and while he's yet to touch the end zone, he gives Niner fans a glimpse into what things might be in the future. Unfortunately, he also gives future divas a glimpse of what can happen when your drafted by a team desperate for your services. On the bright side, next year, we can start calling the annual three-month holdout The Crabtree Award.

Last, but not least, there's the.......

Wagon Wheel Award(Story that makes my ears bleed everytime I hear it) - The Brett Favre Story - I've been quite vocal about Favre over the last few years and I know you don't want me to repeat myself over and over again, so I won't. That being said, did he we NEED Favre Cam for Favre's return to Lambeau? Did we need live coverage of an empty podium as we awaited Favre's post-Lambeau return comments? How many times do we need to hear he's having fun out there? How many times do we have to make Sportscenter debates over things Favre says in passing? Look, Brett Favre's a great QB. Nobody knows that better than me. Does it surprise me he's having the season he's having with Minnesota? Yes and no. Certianly, with his supporting cast and brick wall O-Line, you had to think things would be easier for Benedict Favre than they've been in years. That being said, he's still an old man coming off shoulder surgury and he still has his fastball. You have to be impressed by that. Now, the season's still early and we saw Favre fall apart around this time last year, so there's still an I Told You So moment left for me. Unfortunately, all that joy will inevitably be killed by the never-ending bromance between the media and the man Packers fans booed like a Hitler mural riding through Isreal. Brett Favre will always be a traitor and a selfish piece of shit to me. He'll also be one of the two or three greatest QBs to ever play this game no matter how this season plays out, which is why his name causes my brain immense agony.

Gabe's Mid-Season Review, Coaches Rant Style

For a while, we here at the BRS offices have tossed around the idea of doing a weekly list. I am obsessed with lists and the nature of sports is such that coming up with a "top (insert number here)" list is possible with just about any piece of minutia.

One list that always comes to mind is the that of all-time coaches' rants. I know it's cliche and been done, but it gives me another excuse to watch that youtube video of Mike Gundy screaming "Come after me! I'm a man! I'm 40!", which is, with apologies to Denny Green, Herm Edwards, and Earl Weaver, the best rant a coach has ever gone on.

So, I am going to use some of these classic rants to frame my mid-season review. Let's look at my bold predictions from September, see how they have panned out so far, and give some mid-season superlatives.

With no further ado.....

"They are who we though that they were!" - Dennis Green

What I got right in the NFC:

At the beginning of the year I predicted the NFC Division winners would be the Giants, Saints, Vikings, and Seahawks, with the Eagles and Packers also making the playoffs.

Right now, the Vikings and Saints are clearly the class of their divisions, so they are who I thought they were. The Eagles and Packers are both currently in second place in their divisions, right where I said they would finish.

What I got wrong (way wrong):

The Giants and Seahawks are both in third place, so not at all where I said they would be. The Giants still have an outside chance to win the division. They are only two games behind with seven games to go. Three of their remaining games are in the division, and they have already beaten the East-leading Cowboys once. The Seahawks might be done. They are riddled with injuries. They could make a run because they are in a very weak division, but I don't see it happening now.

On to some other predictions that surely went wrong...

Cowboys...I said they would win six games, well, they have already done that.
Cardinals...I had them at eight wins total and missing the playoffs. They have already won five and are leading the division.
49er's...I said they would win only four games this season. They have four already, are playing great defense, and are only two games back of first place.

What I got right in the AFC:

The Patriots and Steelers are leading their divisions. That's about all I've gotten right. And even then, the Steelers are only tied.
In our over-under I said the Broncos would win nine games and the division. They are currently 6-2 and on track to do both of those things.
The Texans are a game out of the wild-card, so they are on track to make their first playoff appearance, as I predicted they would.

Now, what I got wrong...
Colts...I said they would miss the playoffs. They are 8-0. Nuff said.
Titans...I said they would win the division and right now they look like one of the worst teams in the league.
Bengals...I said they would win only six games. They are 6-2 already.

"We didn't block anyone...and we made up for it by not tackling." - John McKay

There were some teams that I said would be really bad. I said the Bucs, Rams, Raiders, Lions, and Redskins would be bad. And they all suck. Done and done.

"Playoffs?...Playoffs?!?" - Jim Mora

Here are who I now think will make the playoffs:

NFC:
The Eagles, Vikings, Saints, and Cardinals will win the divisions. I think the Cowboys fade in December, as they always do, and the Falcons and Giants get the wild card spots.

AFC:
The Patriots, Colts, Steelers, and Broncos will win the divisions. The Bengals and Chargers, who are now playing very well, edge the Texans, who will make a late season push, for the last playoff spot.

Superlatives:

MVP: Peyton Manning - First, let me tell you why it's not Drew Brees. Brees played this well, or better, last year and the Saints went 8-8. They are playing much better this year, but it's more because of their running game and defense, specifically their three-headed monster of Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Reggie Bush on the ground, and Darren Sharper in the defensive backfield. Now, why it's Peyton, again. Their secondary is riddled with injury. They have a running game that declines every year. He still has Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, but his next two receivers are Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, guys who last year wouldn't have made the roster for the Florida Gators. Yet, the Colts are 8-0 and they have their 6'5" 230lb. quarterback and his laser rocket arm to thank for that.

Offensive POY: Chris Johnson - There are a lot of viable candidates for this award; Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Cedric Benson, maybe even Peyton Manning or Brett Favre. But those guys are all separated by the thinnest of margins. Brees leads the league in QB rating, but by only .1 points over Favre. He is tied for the league lead in TD passes, with Matt Schaub, but they are only one ahead of Favre, Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. I chose CJ because he clearly the best at his position, numbers-wise, in the league right now. He has run for 959 yards so far this year, which is 122 yards more than Benson, who is second. Among runners with more than 50 carries he leads with 6.7 yards per carry, a full yard per carry more than the second place runner. He also leads the league in yards per game (119.9) and runs of more than 20 yards (12), and more than 40 yards (6). He has also fumbled only once.

Defensive POY: Jared Allen - He is tied for the league lead in sacks with Elvis Dumervil at 10.5. He has also notched a safety, three forced fumbles, with two recoveries, and one touchdown. More than that though, he is a freak athlete who causes more havoc in opposing backfields. It seems that no matter how other teams try to stop him, they don't succeed. Just ask Dave about watching Allen sack his beloved Aaron Rodgers six times in one game.

Offensive ROY: Mark Sanchez - He has faded some lately, and much of his teams success is due to other players playing well, but he is basically the best of a weak class. Percy Harvin and Jeremy Maclin could also be considered, but Sanchez is leading a team, and leading them to some wins that no one thought they would get.

Defensive ROY: Brian Cushing - This one is easy to me. He leads his team in tackles. He third in the league in that same category. More than that though, he has twice secured games for the Texans in the closing minutes. He has twice intercepted a pass in the last two minutes of a game where the other team was driving, while the Texans has the lead. One Texans beat-writer has said, "Can we stop calling him a rookie now?"

Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniel - No one outside of Denver expected this, especially after all of the off-season turmoil. His team is now 6-2 and leading their division, and that run-Jay-Culter-out-of-town-and-get-Kyle-Orton-deal is looking great.

And simply because I think it is the greatest coaching rant ever, I am going to give out the "Come after me! I'm a man!" award for the best display of toughness. And that goes to...Andre Johnson. Three games ago he suffered something called a "lung contusion." He was coughing up blood on the sideline. He missed about 20 minutes of game time in that game and nothing else. He was on the field the next game and led the team in receptions and yards.

Week 10 Picks......

This week, the NFL will be playing a game on Thursday night for the first time since the regular season kickoff. So here's our take on tonight's 49ers-Bears showdown(Side note: For last week's results as well as the season records so far, wait til Sunday.)

Bears(+3) at 49ers

Dave: Bears- Quick rant.....who the hell is Vernon Davis to call out anyone, let alone the Bears defense? How can this man be entitled to tell anyone else that they suck? Granted, the Bears D is hardly the juggernaut it once was, but have you been watching your squad the last month, VD? I believe you've lost four straight. I believe your D just got torn up by Vince Young and the Titans a few days ago. Vince Young! He was popping Zanex three weeks ago and he shredded you like Wolverine. Also, aren't you the same guy who cried like a baby on Draft Day? Didn't your coach, in one of his more famous outbursts, preach to the media IN HIS FIRST POSTGAME CONFERENCE as head coach that he can't win with you? Didn't he send you to the lockers at halftime of said game. So, really, Vernon, shut the hell up. Sure, you've enjoyed a nice little resurgence from the Land of Insignificance but you're not Antonio Gates.

As for the game, these teams are both even in my eyes and while normally I'd give the edge to the home team, I think Davis' big mouth motivates the Bears D to show a pulse for the first time since the '06 Super Bowl. I also am a firm believer in The Curse of Crabtree and the fact that, with Nate Clements out, there's nobody to cover Devin Hester(albeit a hobbled Devin Hester). Bears by 6.

Gabe: 49ers - I've said many times that here at Boom Roasted we are unashamed fantasy football nerds, so for today's pick I'm going to give you a tip you can take to your big Italian friend in Vegas, and some fantasy advice. Here is the fantasy advice. The 49ers are among the best in the league at defending opposing tight ends. If you see your tight end is matched up against the Niners anytime, find a better option. Even though he scored 3 TD's last week (on yours truly's bench for my big money team) I think he is due for a letdown. And, because Matt Forte is having a pedestrian year, and the Bears receivers are Devin Hester and something called Johnny Knox, Olsen is their best offensive player. Now for the tip for your paison...the Niners shut down Olsen and the Bears offense. Vernon Davis backs up his talk, because he's a freak. Niners by 6.

Cut His Mic Off Award......Volume 6.

"Who I would love to fight the most, if I could pick a baseball player? Alex Rodriguez, get your ass in the ring, I'll beat you to a pulp. That lying little idiot, I'd like to get him in the ring. "




Even for a man who has made a living off saying stupid, outlandish things to grab the attention of the public eye, this is a bit much for Jose Canseco. First of all, who the hell wants to see Canseco fight A-Rod? Canseco's been so whacked out on steroids for the last three decades that he's twice A-Rod's size! Now, Canseco vs. Mark McGwire? That would be interesting. Canseco vs. Bonds? When can we start? But A-Rod? For one, A-Rod dresses like Lucas Grabeel from High School Musical. He looks like one of the ambiguously gay kids you'd find in a pink polo and newsboy cap hanging out with the drama club.

The funny part is, after seeing Canseco last less than two minutes against Yao Ming's twin brother before tapping out in his last fight, I think A-Rod probably stands a chance against the Cuban Glass Joe. Let's not forget that Canseco's the same guy who blew out his arm pitching one inning of relief work. He's also the guy who let a baseball sock him in the head while he was trying to jump the wall to rob a home run. He has all the coordination of Spicoli in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

Now, as for A-Rod being a liar. Yes, A-Rod kept the fact that he was on the juice under wraps until he was outed(first by Canseco, and then by a supposedly anonymous drug test). What about Canseco? It took him 30 years for him to be upfront about the steroid use we all knew about anyway, and the only reason he did it was so that a. he could make money off a tell-all book and b. he wanted to take as many big names down with him for shock value(To quote Rick Ross: "Jose Canseco be snitchin' because he fiiiiiiinished). We've given Canseco's words credibility because they've turned out to be true, but, OF COURSE, Canseco knows who's juicing, HE'S THE ONE INJECTING HIM! It would be like me telling your family you have a drug problem because I'm the guy selling you the 8-balls. It's not like Canseco is Matlock. He wasn't doing any investigative reporting. He was recounting stories for a chance to rewind a few seconds on his 15 minutes of fame........that died out somewhere around 1988.

That's why, I feel like I should do the world a favor and cut Jose's mic off.

Week 9 Picks

Both Gabe and I took quite the beating last week as we both are still trying to make sense out of what has been a schizophrenic season thus far. However, despite the fact we both lost the final four games of last week, I still outpointed Gabe by 1(6-7 to 5-8), which puts me back up 3 for the season(70-46 to 67-49).

Anyway, here's our picks for Week 9:

Chiefs (+6.5) at Jaguars

Dave: Chiefs - I don't think the Jags are good enough to be favored by 6 over anyone. Lest we forget, this team needed overtime to beat the Rams by 3 and they got clobbered by a then-winless Titans team last week. They have no pass rush and no real identity on offense. I like the addition of Chris Chambers for KC and I think they use the momentum from the Larry Johnson suspension to notch their 2nd win.

Gabe: Chiefs - The Jags have the worst pass defense in the league. The Chiefs are starting Jamaal Charles at running back and he has played very well when given the opportunity. Overall though, this game is going to suck. Upset Special? I guess. There ain't a damn thing special about it though. I'll take the Chiefs to win a game that not even David Garrard's mom wants to watch.

Ravens(-3) at Bengals

Dave: Bengals - Good battle of different types of momentum here. Ravens are coming off a big upset win of formerly undefeated Denver. Cincinatti is coming off a bye week. The Bengals beat this Ravens squad in Baltimore not too long ago in a game that featured Cedric Benson being the first runner to eclipse the century mark on the Ravens D since 1742....or something like that. I think this one is won in the closing seconds, and I'll take the points on this one.

Gabe: Ravens - This game is about revenge and antics. The Ravens are mad they got beaten by Cincy at home earlier this year, and then Chad Ochocinco pulled his deodorant stunt. Cincy RB Cedric Benson was the first running back to gain over 100 yards against the Ravens since Jesus was a lieutenant. I doubt the Ravens have forgotten that. I'll take the Ravens to play killer defense and win by more than 3.

Texans(+9) at Colts

Dave: Texans - I think people are going to get suckered into taking Houston here because of the sudden outbreak of bad injuries to the Colts D, because Houston always plays them tough, and because(as we saw with Denver last week), eventually even the good teams get stopped dead in their tracks. The Texans are going for journeyman Ryan Moats over Steve Slaton as their starter here, which means we could see the second coming of Earnest Graham or the Colts will be up 28 by halftime. I think Andre 3000 and Matt Schaub expose this beat up secondary. Texans by 7.

Gabe: Texans - If you read my piece at Sports Talk Buzz (Boom! Cross-promoted!), you'll know I like the Texans in this match-up. Indianapolis is missed three starters in the secondary, and they are starting two rookies at corner. The Texans pass offense is going to light it up. The Texans have completely turned their defense around and are now the no. 1 ranked run D in the league. Here is what will balance all of that out...1. This is the biggest game in Texans history. 2. Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and co. are not injured. This game is going to be a high scoring shoot-out. I think the Colts will win, but it will be closer than 9.

Redskins(+9) at Falcons

Dave: Falcons - You want to believe Washington used the bye week to rally together and play hard for coach Jim Zorn the rest of the way. You want to think they'll shake up the world here by pulling off an inspired victory over the solid-yet-beatable Falcons. You'd like to think that, but it's just too far-fetched. The Falcons gave New Orleans all it could handle on Monday night and, even on a short week, I like them to trounce a Redskins team that has can't seem to get out of its own way. Falcons by 14.

Gabe: Redskins - They have had the bye week to rest and hopefully put things together. The Falcons lost a tough game on Monday night and I think the short week will affect them. I don't think the Redskins will win, but I like them to keep it within 7.

Packers(-9.5) at Bucs

Dave: Packers - I mentioned this on Facebook, and I'll say it here: I think this year's Packers will go down in history as the worst 10-6 team in history. Right now, they're 4-3 and, looking at the remaining schedule, they have three games they can potentially lose(next week against Dallas, and two tough December games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh). The remaining 6? Tampa Bay, Detroit, Seattle, San Fran, Chicago and a Week 17 matchup against Arizona, who will probably have nothing to play for by then. They're staring at 10-6 or 9-7, which would be a 3 or 4 win improvement from last year. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is three sacks away from eclipsing his sack total from the entire 2008 season. I think Green Bay plays it safe, runs the ball down Tampa's throat, then pulls A-Rod by halftime. Packers by 20.

Gabe: Packers - They are going to crush the Bucs, unless the creamsicle-orange-throwbacks blind the them. The Bucs suck. They are starting rookie draft-reach Josh Freeman at QB. I think the Packers eat the Bucs alive and win by double digits.

Cardinals(+3) at Bears

Dave: Cardinals - Even in their rout of the Division III Cleveland Browns last week, the Bears didn't look very impressive. At the core, this is still a team that is banged up on D, makes too many mistakes on O, and has far too many coaching brain farts. Meanwhile, Arizona plays the run well(which isn't a big deal since Matt Forte has decided to mail it in this season) and has a opportunistic secondary(which IS a big deal since Jay Cutler hasn't figured out totally what jerseys his team wears). I think we see a heavy helping of Beanie Wells as they try to avoid a repeat of last week's INT fest and I think Cutler tosses four picks, with one going to the house. Cards by 10.

Gabe: Cardinals - I can't figure either of these teams out. What I do know is this: The Cardinals at least have the potential to be exciting and play well. The Bears have Cutler on offense, and Cutler only. I think the Cardinals rise up and win this one.

Dolphins(+10.5) at Patriots

Dave: Patriots - Joey Porter can spout off about his hatred for Tom Brady and the Pats all he wants. At the end of the day, it's still Randy Moss and Wes Welker being covered by two rookie corners and a future Hall of Fame quarterback who is now a little more motivated by Porter's quotes and is playing at home(where he's more likely to get the gift calls Porter has been so vocal about). Plus, I think New England remembers getting shredded by the Wildcat last season and Belichick is ready for them. Pats by 13.

Gabe: Patriots - No coach is better at planning than Bill Belichick. They have had two weeks to get ready for this game. The Patriots have figured out how to defend the Wildcat. Plus, whenever an opposing player opens his yap Tom Brady always seems to take it personally and makes the guy pay. The Pats will win big.

Panthers(+13) at Saints

Dave: Saints - Jake "Pick 6" Delhomme vs. Darren "Take It To The House" Sharper? Advantage: Sharper. Game. Set. Match. Saints. By 14.

Gabe: Saints - The Panthers have no run defense. Drew Brees can throw on anyone. My fantasy team and I hope Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas have big games. Saints by at least 17.

Lions(+10) at Seahawks

Dave: Lions - Detroit showed early in the season that they are a much scrappier team when they have The Big Three(Matt Stafford, Kevin Smith, Calvin Johnson) on the field together. Well, guess who is planning a reunion tour this Sunday? The Seahawks are oddly still in the mix in the NFC West despite being 2-5 and all signs point to them routing Detroit here, but I don't know if this defense can stop the Stafford-to-Megatron connection consistently enough to make this a blowout. Seahawks by 7.

Gabe: Lions - Like Dave said, the Lions big three are all playing this week. Seattle is a better team, but the Lions play hard. I think Seattle wins, but by less than ten.

Titans(+4.5) at 49ers

Dave: 49ers - How are the Niners only 4.5 point favorites at home against a team fresh off getting its first win of the season? The Titans were impressive in beating Jacksonville last week, but this isn't Jacksonville. Mike Singletary is smart enough to stack the box against the run and force Vince Young to beat them, which is risky with Nate Clements out, but I think it's a gamble worth taking. Niners by 6 here, with Michael Crabtree notching his first NFL TD.

Gabe: 49ers - This line is probably this low because of what the Titans did last week. They should be bigger dogs than 4.5. The Vince Young novelty was good for one game. Mike Singletary's defense will confuse Young. San Fran by a touchdown.

Chargers(+4.5) at Giants

Dave: Chargers - I want to believe the Giants are too good to lose four straight, but their secondary can't cover anyone and that's a huge disadvantage when you're playing Phillip Rivers. The first showdown between the two QBs from the big '04 NFL Draft trade is not getting nearly enough buzz, but I think Rivers outplays Eli Manning, who is more banged up than we think and might be playing once again without Mario Manningham. Chargers by 9.

Gabe: Chargers - I really hope the Giants win this game, but, their secondary has been exposed game after game. Philip Rivers can take advantage of this. Eli Manning is falling back into his bad habits. The only thing working against the Chargers is having to play on the East Coast again. Ugh, Chargers by three.

Cowboys(+3) at Eagles

Dave: Eagles - Here's where we see what Dallas is made of. The last time we saw these two teams in Philadelphia, Tony Romo was helping punch the Eagles' playoff ticket, T.O. was crying, and Cowboy fans were getting the noose fitted for Wade Phillips' neck. This time around, there's the never-ending saga that is Roy Williams' mouth and I think his clear envy of Miles Austin not only hurts the team here, but plays a big role in keeping Dallas out of the playoffs for another year. Romo's INT-free streak ends here. Eagles by 10.

Gabe: Eagles - The 'Boys had been quietly putting together a very nice season...then Roy Williams pulled his best "I'm not T.O."-T.O. like speech. Really Roy? You're not T.O.? Big physical receiver, bitching about Tony Romo, who leads the team in drops? Sounds a lot like T.O. to me. The tenuous hold on good chemistry the Cowboys had is now shattered. Oh, and by the way, the Eagles are really good. Andy Reid loves to throw and with rookies DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin playing great right now, I think the Eagles will roll.

Steelers(-3) at Broncos

Dave: Steelers - It's going to be interesting to see how the Broncos bounce back after having the steam knocked out of them by way of a Baltimore stomach punch last week. Now, they get a tough Steelers team coming off a bye and an extra day of rest. I see Kyle Orton getting frustrated by this Steelers D and I like the size-speed combo of Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker against this Broncos' front seven. Steelers are normally money on primetime, so I'll take them by two field goals.

Gabe: Steelers - The Broncos are going to have a hangover from last week. Pittsburgh's D is not who you want to face in that state of mind, especially with the Steelers coming off of a bye. The Steelers D will crush them.

Last Week:

Dave: 6-7

Gabe: 5-8

Season:

Dave: 70-46

Gabe: 67-49

Milk Carton All-Star of the Week....11/6/2009

With the new NBA season starting up last week, it would have been easy to use some washed up NBA bum for the Milk Carton All-Star of the Week as a dedication of Tip Off '09. We here at Boom Roasted Sports, don't like doing things the easy way. We DO, however, like making history, which is why we decided to give every has-been's favorite weekly honor to our first boxer.

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The man seen here, in one of his few big moments, is former super featherweight contender Angel "El Diablo" Manfredy. Manfredy, to put it plainly, was the equivalent of the Buffalo Bills of boxing. In four attempts at a major title, Manfredy went 0-4. His most notable win came when he battered Jersey legend Arturo Gatti in front of Gatti's home crowd in Atlantic City to the tune of an 8th round K.O. That win catapulted Manfredy to boxing relevance. He opted for the moniker "El Diablo" because of his wild lifestyle, but then went the religious route and started campaigning as a born again Christian and allegedly using the nickname "Got Jesus?", which along with heavyweight contender Lance Whitaker changing his name to Goofi to have a more child-friendly appeal, has to be one of the dumbest career decisions the sweet science has seen in a long, long time.

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As for the rest of Manfredy's career, he used the momentum from the Gatti victory to earn a shot at pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather, as expected, beat the living shit out of "Got Jesus?", pulling a Canibus and knocking Manfredy out in the 2nd round. Manfredy bounced back with a win over Gatti rival Ivan Robinson but then was stopped in his tracks in his next bout, a title match against Stevie Johnston. After snacking on bums in his next few fights, Manfredy was steam-rolled by the late Diego Corrales by way of a 3rd round TKO. Like any resilient Bible-thumper though, Manfredy bounced back with a debatable split decision win over previously-unbeaten hot prospect Julio Diaz. That set up a fight with model citizen Paul Spadafora, who beat Manfredy by a 12-round unanimous decision which got Mr. Jesus Freak so riled up, he whined and cried like a girl scout on national television in front of HBO audiences(or at least the 15 or 16 people who would tune in for a Manfredy-Spadafora fight).

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In a interesting side note, this would essentially be the last we see of Spadafora as well. Less than a year after making Manfredy pull an Adam Morrison, Spadafora would be arrested for allegedly shooting his girlfriend at a gas station. Not too long after that, Spadafora would be arrested again for drunkenly driving his car through a park. Shortly after THAT, a urine test of Spadafora found traces of cocaine. Inevitably, Spaddy would be sentenced to 21-60 months in jail for the aforementioned gas station shooting.

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With all that said, Spadafora seems like a perfect candidate for this spot instead of Manfredy, except for the fact that Spaddy doesn't have Manfredy's two sweet-ass tattoos: A Puerto Rican flag(which would get Gabe all excited) and a naked lady on a cross(which would get me excited....if I can look past the cross).

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So let's give it up for tantrum-throwing, psalm-quoting, light-punching boxing bridesmaid Angel Manfredy, everybody!

Say Hello To The Bad Guys

"You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fuckin' fingers and say 'That's the bad guy'." - Al Pacino as Tony Montana, Scarface

It has become as customary a post-Yankees pennant tradition as a ticker tape parade down Manhattan's financial district. With every Yankees victory comes the cacophony of outrage. The chants calling for baseball to finally implement a salary cap. You see somehow, despite the fact that this is the first New York Yankees championship since 2000, the vast majority of baseball fans outside the Big Apple have pinpointed the pinstripes as all that is wrong with baseball. They spend exuberant amounts of money on star free agents, so therefore, they are making things unfair for the little guy. Nevermind the fact that the "little guy" has been well-represented in the World Series throughout this decade by small-market clubs like the Tampa Bay Rays and the Florida Marlins. Now that the Yanks have won their 27th World Series, they must be stopped.

The thought process behind a salary cap stems more from bitterness than from anything sensible. For one, the Yankees' payroll was actually lower this year than it was a last year, when they didn't even make the playoffs. Secondly, why is it we blame the teams and not the agents for these outlandish contracts? The agents set the price for GMs, so why not beat down Scott Boras' door for forcing teams into high stakes bidding wars for free agents? You think the Yankees wouldn't have loved to have A-Rod for about half of the damn near $300 million they coughed up to him last year when he re-signed? The Red Sox paid $51 million just to talk to Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsusaka. You think that was THEIR idea?

Now, Yes, with the contracts they gave to A-Rod and Jorge Posada last year as well as the ones they handed out to C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, the case can certainly be made that the Yankees bought the title this year. But what about the Mets? They've done quite the spending over the last few years in bringing in Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, K-Rod, Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez. What has all that gotten them? They couldn't even make the playoffs the last two years.

As far as leveling the playing field, how much do you think it will take to make contenders out of teams like the Washington Nationals or the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Baltimore Orioles? $60 million? $100 million? Why should big market teams suffer so that other teams that can't even pack half the house on any given day can make things a bit more competitive? You know why stars like Sabathia and Manny Ramirez go to big cities like New York and L.A? Because big stars want to play big games in front of packed crowds and bright lights. Nobody wants to hit moonshots in front of 7,000 people at The Great American Ballpark. Nobody wants to pitch a one-hitter with an entire upper deck empty. The Nats spent $45 million in an extension for talented young third baseman Ryan Zimmerman last year and then spent another $50 million on highly touted prospect Stephen Strasburg, and you know what, three years from now, they'll still struggle to bring in half of what Yankee Stadium brings in. The same people yapping about the need for a salary cap are mostly the same people who won't go to a ball game because either "the team stinks" or they "don't want to pay $9 for a beer". The beauty of baseball is that the games that matter most are played in big markets with large fan bases. Are you really clamoring for a Pittsburgh-Kansas City World Series?

Teams like the Milwaukee Brewers last year and the Oakland A's for many years have managed to be ahead of the curve by making a few shrewd moves here and there and relying on young, in-house talent to take them places. It's why the Brewers still managed to be competitive with Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder even while losing guys like Sabathia and Ben Sheets to other teams(or in Sheets' case, to injury). It's why the A's were able to win division crowns with homegrown talent like Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson and then, when the time was right, swap out those guys for other young, inexpensive talent. It was a formula that made Billy Beane a household name.

The salary cap isn't a cure-all for discrepancies in the playing field. It isn't always a harbinger of parity. The NBA has had a salary cap for years and, yet, the same 4 or 5 teams are competing for the title every year. You can practically copy and paste the playoff teams from year to year. In fact, since 1999, 8 of the last 11 NBA Championships were won by either the Lakers or the Spurs, and that number could have been 10 of 11 had the Lakers handled business against Detroit in '04 and Boston in '07. So let's not make it seem like tossing an extra $60 or 70 million around will make contenders out of the San Diego Padres. Teams can win with short budgets. It happens every year. It's a contest of strategies: Big spending vs. farm systems. Sometimes, the little guy wins. Sometimes, the bully takes their lunch money.

Mike Greenberg said on his radio show with Mike Golic on the morning following the Yankees' World Series win that perhaps baseball is at its best when the Yankees stand tall as baseball's villains. Perhaps the Yankees are the epitome of the Scarface quote I opened with. Maybe we need the Yankees to be that entity to point the finger as a way to relieve our inadequacies as fans of other teams. Perhaps it's jealousy that makes those outside the Bronx see red when the Yanks see green. There will always be two sides to any philosophy. Some see money as the root of evil. Some believe greed is good. It's sports' immortal bend......

.......and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Week 8 Picks

Good week for both of us, with Gabe edging me by going 9-4 to my 8-5. I still lead the season by 2(Dave: 64-39, Gabe: 62-41).



Here's our week 8 picks, using Danny Sheridan's spreads in the USA Today



Broncos(+3) at Ravens



Dave: Broncos - I really don't understand why Vegas doesn't show more love to Broncos. I mean, they're undefeated and they have way more impressive quality wins than Minnesota and New England. I know they're on the road against a solid Ravens team, but the Ravens have lost 2 in a row and they aren't the team we thought they were earlier in the year. I'll take the Broncos for straight up W.

Gabe: Broncos - At some point you stop being lucky and are just good. I'm picking up what the Broncos are putting down. They will be tested b by the hostile environment in Baltimore, but the Ravens are getting old on defense. I'll take the Broncos for the outright win in a game that I can't believe they aren't favored to win.


Browns(+13) at Bears



Dave: Bears - Good trap game here. Browns are barely an NFL franchise and the Bears have looked horrible even in the games they win. I think Jay Cutler takes his frustration out here on a hapless team tanking for Colt McCoy. I like the Bears by 14, but I can totally see Chicago playing down to the competition and making it too close.

Gabe: Browns - The Bears are going to come out snorting and looking for a win. I think Chicago will play down to the competition, so 13 points is too many. Chicago will win, but the Browns will cover.


Texans(-3) at Bills



Dave: Texans - Swirling Buffalo winds will make this a battle of running games. Texans have a top flight run defense and, while I don't like Matt Schaub's arm throwing into the wind, I think he goes for a score or two here as a side dish to a heavy serving of Steve Slaton. Texans by 10.


Gabe: Texans - This game comes down to the running games. Slaton will earn his money today. The Texans run defense has been tremendous for the last three weeks. Houston runs all over the Bills and wins big.


Vikings(+3) at Packers

Dave: Packers - I've come full circle on this one. I liked the Packers early on, then somehow talked myself into Minnesota, and now I'm back to backing my boys. Look, the Vikings should be 4-3 right now, and I'm glad their luck ran out last week against Pittsburgh. The fans are going to charged up and I don't think the Packers let Benedict Favre come into his old stomping ground and embarrass him. Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher are supposed to be back for this one and we'll see if that leads to an improvement over the last time we saw these two collide(Vikes sacked Aaron Rodgers 8 times). Another advantage for Green Bay is Viking corner Antione Winfield will be sitting out on this one, which might be more costly if A-Rod gets time to throw. I like the Pack by 7.

Gabe: Packers - This game, to me, is not about X's and O's. This game is all about the intangibles. The crowd is going to be vicious. Green Bay is going to be more motivated that they have been in years. There is no way they are going to let Favre come in and win at Lambeau. Packers run away and win outright.


49ers(+13) at Colts



Dave: Colts - The miraculous return of Alex Smith that got everyone's heart racing last week as he nearly led a 21 point comeback against Houston ends here. The Colts are in rare form and, even without Donald Brown and possibly Reggie Wayne, I still like Peyton to light up The Gold Rush at home. Colts by 17.

Gabe: 49ers - It is going to take more than the 49er's have to beat Peyton Manning at home. That being said, without Donald Brown and with a limited Reggie Wayne, I think San Fran can keep it close. I like the Colts to win by 10.




Dolphins(+3) at Jets



Dave: Dolphins- The Jets struggled with Miami on Monday night a few weeks ago and now come into the rematch down Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington. Plus, the Karma Gods have to strike down Mark Sanchez for the overblown "Hot Dog on the Sidelines" brouhaha, right? Dolphins by 6 and the world gets acquainted with rookie wideout Brian Hartline, who will probably fill in for stone-handed Ted Ginn Jr.

Gabe: Dolphins - This game will be about adjustments. The Jets got torched by the Dolphins a few weeks ago. Like Dave said, today the Jets will be minus Jenkins and Washington. I don't think the Jets will be able to make the adjustments necessary and will lose outright.




Rams(+4) at Lions



Dave: Rams - Both of these teams suck out loud, but the Lions give up a ton of passing touchdowns and will probably be without Calvin Johnson again this week. Matt Stafford is expected to come back but it won't matter with nobody to throw to. Forced to pick someone here, so I'll take the points.

Gabe: Lions - Both teams suck. The Lions are at home and don't quit. They'll win by a touchdown.


Seahawks(+9.5) at Cowboys



Dave: Cowboys - Cowboys stuck it to a game Falcons team, much to my surprise. The Seahawks are beat up and looking to next year and not even the return of Marcus Trufant changes that. I like Tony Romo to continue his beatdown of inferior teams in low pressure situations. Cowboys by 14. (P.S. I would tell you to check my preview on sportstalkbuzz.com, but I'm already promoting one website that isn't paying me: THIS ONE.)

Gabe: Cowboys - Earlier this week the Seahawks called me and asked if I wanted to play left tackle. I declined. They called later in the week and asked if I wanted to play middle linebacker. We couldn't come to terms financially, so I passed. The Cowboys are rolling and will win big.




Raiders(+16.5) at Chargers



Dave: Raiders - Only because the Chargers can't run the ball and I think they have a little bit of trouble throwing on Nnamdi Asomugha. I still think Oakland will epically suck, but they'll only lose by 14.


Gabe: Raiders - This is just way too many points. The Chargers are not that good. Oakland puts it together every now and then. The Chargers will win by 10.


Jaguars(+3) at Titans



Dave: Jaguars - Part of me believes The Karma Gods lead Vince Young to Tennessee's first W of the season here against a terrible Jaguars team, but it's hard to have in a quarterback that begrudgingly got the starting nod because the owner put a gun to the coach's head. I'll believe VY can lead to this team to victory when it happens. 'Til then, Jags by 6.

Gabe: Jaguars - Vincent Young is starting because the owner forced Jeff Fisher into it. Young has a fragile psyche. Jags by a touchdown.


Panthers(+10) at Cardinals



Dave: Cardinals- A team that can only move the ball on the ground facing the best run D in the NFL at home? You could triple the spread and it wouldn't be big enough! Look, every game John Fox foolishly trots Jake Delhomme out as his QB is a big "Fuck You" to the fans and I don't think you can be competitive if every waking second you're on the field, you find new ways to irritate your fans. Don't worry, Panthers fans. Jake Delhomme and John Fox will be on a CBS set next year, Steve Smith will be in Miami, Julius Peppers will be in Oakland and Bill Cowher is coming to town. Cardinals by 21.

Gabe: Cardinals - The Panthers can't throw the ball. The Cardinals are good at stopping the run. That's it, that's the list. Cardinals huge.


Giants(-1) at Eagles


Dave: Giants - A battle between two bad good teams. Giants have looked pedestrian for the last eight quarters of football. Eagles struggled to put away a Redskins team that has clearly given up all hope and was giving them every chance they can to make it a 35-point drubbing. I like the Giants here because I think McNabb gets intimidated by a Giants' pass rush that brutalized him not too long ago and because their best weapon, Brian Westbrook, is a bit iffy. Giants by 3 here.

Gabe: Giants - My heart really wants the Giants to win this game, especially because it is against my least favorite team. My head says there is no way the Giants lose three games in a row. The Giants will be motivated. The Eagles offense is a one dimensional passing game. The Giants strength is stopping the pass. Giants by a touchdown.


Falcons(+11) at Saints



Dave: Saints - Bad 8 days of scheduling for the Falcons. First they get anger-banged by Dallas and then have to travel to N'Awlins to take on a Saints team that came back from down 21 at halftime to make it a laugher against Miami. I want to think Reggie Bush's "undefeated" prediction comes back to haunt him, but the Saints are just too good to not dominate here. Plus, Bush only feels the need to be a halfway competent back when it's Monday Night Football. Saints by 14.

Gabe: Saints - I am going to ride the Saints and Drew Breeeeees until they don't beat a team by 12 or more. Done and done.

Redskins (+7) at the Bye Week

Gabe: The Bye - The Redskins are really bad. I don't think the Bye will have any problem beating this number. The Bye wins by at least 10.