Why not watch a redneck ninja?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Bradford A No Go For Miami
Quarterback Sam Bradford's return to Oklahoma's offense won't come this week.
Freshman Landry Jones will start under center when the No. 8 Sooners play Saturday at No. 17 Miami, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Thursday.
The Sooners practiced this week with Bradford, who suffered a shoulder joint sprain in a season-opening loss to BYU.ESPN
This is shitty news for Oklahoma who desperately needed Sam Bradford back if they wanted to stand a chance against the U. Jacroy Harris is due for a bounce back game, and it seems like Oklahoma has been a little flat since they lost Bradford. But college football has been weird this year so anything can happen.
College Football Picks
I went 4-1 last week, including my upset picks of South Carolina over Ole Miss, and Oregon over Cal. If not for Army getting embarrassed by Iowa State, it would've been a perfect weekend of picks. I am now 9-8 on the season.
Here are this week's picks:
12:00 PM - BigTen Network
#22 Michigan Wolverines @ Michigan State Spartans
I don't believe in Michigan, not in the least. They barely beat Notre Dame, and it turns out the Irish are frauds. They beat Eastern and Western Michigan (whoopty shit), and scraped by lowly Indiana. Both Michigan and Michigan State suck, but this is the Wolverines' first road game and they'll mess it up.
Prediction:
Spartans 27, Wolverines 17
3:30 PM - CBS
#4 Louisiana State Tigers @ #18 Georgia Bulldogs
People have forgotten all about LSU as they've snuck up the rankings to the 4 spot. I don't think LSU belongs that high, but I don't think Georgia belongs in the Top 25 at all.
Prediction:
Tigers 28, Bulldogs 17
8:00 PM - ABC
#7 Southern California Trojans @ #24 California Golden Bears
Cal is a good team, probably better than their 24th ranking, which means that USC will more than likely show up for this game. I'm rooting hard for Cal, because a USC loss here makes winning the Pac-10 a major struggle for them. But the Trojans will show up, play 100%, and defeat a good but less versatile California squad.
Prediction:
Trojans 31, Bears 21
8:00 PM - ABC
#8 Oklahoma Sooners @ #17 Miami Hurricanes
OU won their last two games by a combined score of 104-0. That's impressive. But they beat Idaho State and Tulsa. Not so impressive. Even with Sam Bradford, OU's linemen can't protect him, and his receivers can't get open for him. Miami matches up well with them, and will triumph in this game.
Prediction:
Miami 28, Oklahoma 21
-The Commodore
Carl Crawford To Get Long Term Deal?
Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune writes that the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to pick up the 2010 option on the contract of outfielder Carl Crawford, but could there be a long-term deal in the offing?
Crawford told the paper that he "would like to be part of" the Rays' future.
"I hope we can get something done," he said. ESPN
Good, if anyone deserves a long term deal it's Carl Crawford. In his eight years with the Rays he has 1,290 hits, 654 runs, 85 homeruns, 504 rbis and 362 stolen bases. Pretty impressive stuff. As a Sox fan, I would love to see him go elsewhere because he has always been a thorn in Boston's side.
Big Bad Bruins Preview
If you'd told me before the 08-09 season that the Bruins would advance as far as Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, I would have been pleased. If you'd told me in the MIDDLE of the 08-09 season that the Bruins would advance only to Game 7 of the Eastern Semis, I would have been disappointed. In other words, the B's have unfinished business.
In this inflexible salary cap era, the Bruins were unable to add much to their team. Yet they will be better, because the guys they already have will be better. Yes, they will be better despite the loss of Phil "fantasy points" Kessel.
The Bruins have a rare thing in this day and age: depth. Not only depth, but flexibility. They can roll 3 excellent lines, and a solid 4th can take 10+ minutes per game without jeopardizing any leads. Those 3 lines feature a variety of moving parts that can be changed from one line to another as the situation dictates. Guys like Milan Lucic can play on the 1st line with the talented skaters, and on the 3rd line with the checkers. Byron Bitz can be a 4th line bruiser and a 2nd line presence in the crease.
Oh, the Bruins also have the Norris Trophy winner on the blue line, and the Vezina winner in net. That's always nice.
So let's start with Tim Thomas and the other netminders. This will be the first time in Thomas' NHL career that he is the definite #1 in net. He led the NHL with a 2.10 GAA and .933 SV% last year, and will likely reach similar statistical marks in 09-10. He'll only start about 50 games, giving 22 year old backup Tuukka Rask plenty of time as well. For the first time in a long time, the Bruins are all set in net.
The depth at Defenseman was tested in last season's playoffs. And it failed. When Andrew Ference and Matt Hunwick went down, too much was needed from guys like Steve Montador. The Bruins also lost Aaron Ward, trading him to the Hurricanes of all teams. They added 11 year veteran Derek Morris, who will be a decent 3rd tandem defenseman.
Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman might be one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL. Combined they had 32 goals, 68 assists, and averaged around 25 minutes of ice time. Wideman, who's only 26, was 6th in the NHL in +/- at +32. He's a bit sluggish at times, and occasionally makes groan-inducing mistakes with the puck, but he can only improve. And Chara is the team's big brother, a leader and a brawler and a scorer.
Rounding out the defense are Mark Stuart, Andrew Ference, and Matt Hunwick. Stuart's only 25 and showed a lot of promise last year. If Andrew Ference can stay healthy, he'll be solid, but that is a big "if." He hasn't played a full NHL season since 2005-06. And Matt Hunwick is poised to have a breakout season. The 24 year old became a presence on the power play and registered 21 assists. When his spleen exploded in the playoffs, the Bruins lost quite a bit. He can also play forward in a pinch.
The depth and flexibility the Bruins have in their forwards simply puts a smile on my face. Just thinking of all the different combinations is a fun little game for me.
Marc Savard led the Bruins in points last year. He helped make Phil Kessel a rich man, so I hope Phil sends Marc a Christmas card. Savard had 63 assists, but also scored 25 goals on his own. He's good for another 90 point season.
David Krejci wanted to remain a Bruin. He was a restricted free agent, but signed with very little drama. And he's a bit more versatile than Kessel. Krejci's 2nd line might be the best line to be on. When players slumped last year, they'd find themselves on Krejci's line and suddenly find their games. The 23 year old should be good to go on Opening Night.
Milan Lucic became a complete hockey player last year. He found himself shuffled from line-to-line, but that was because Coach Julien found him useful in a variety of roles. I like Lucic best on the 2nd or 3rd line with other checking players, instead of being on a line that's more about making plays. Lucic will never be a fancy player capable of the things guys like Krejci and Savard are. But he will score 20+ goals and once again be a YouTube star.
The Bruins have a little bit of age and wisdom on their side this year as well. They acquired Derek Morris, but also will bring 11 year vet Marco Sturm back, as well as 20 year man Mark Recchi. Sturm led the B's in goals in the 07-08 campaign with 27. Recchi scored 10 goals in 18 games for the B's last year.
Byron Bitz was introduced to the hockey world during the postseason. The 25 year old Cornell alum is 6' 5" and 215. And he plays bigger than that. He's a presence in front of the net, a force in the corners on both forecheck and backcheck, and a scrapper. He can be put on a scoring line with Savard and Sturm in order to take up space in the crease. He can be put on a checking line with Lucic and Kobasew and wear opponents down. Or he can be on a brawling line with Thornton and Begin and fuck people up.
Patrice Bergeron turned 24 this summer. It's unbelievable, right? He's been playing since 2003, has 300+ NHL games under his belt, and he's only 24. And he's going to have a breakout season. 08-09 was his return from injury year. He played great hockey, PJ Axelsson quality defensive play, great on the power play, even better shorthanded. But now he'll get that scoring touch back. He scored 31 goals in 05-06, and 22 in 06-07. He's got 20+ goal stuff and will help make up for the loss of Kessel.
Michael Ryder earned my respect last year. I was very doubtful that he'd amount to anything, but given the right linemates, he's a 25 to 30 goal scorer.
Steve Begin and Shawn Thornton are going to have too much fun together. I hope Begin takes a lesson from his predecessor: Stephan Yelle. The Bruins' 4th line was great last year not just because they messed people up, but because they weren't a negative on the scoreline. Shawn Thornton was -2, which is pretty good for a guy with 123 penalty minutes. Yelle was +6.
I'm not a fan of Blake Wheeler. But he did show sparks last year. He finished with a nice goal total of 21, but 14 of those came before the All-Star Game. He's not bad for a 3rd liner, but that's as high as I see him climbing.
Chuck Kobasew is last but certainly not least. His broken ribs in the Carolina series probably tipped the scales in Carolina's favor. The 27 year old BC alum from BC (British Columbia) scored 20+ goals each of the last two seasons. Look for similar production from him.
As I've said ad naseum in this preview, the Bruins have a great deal of versatility with their forwards. Julien is good at keeping things fluid, and matching the right guys together at the right time. Struggling players go with Krejci. Players in the groove go with Savard. Checkers and skaters mix together perfectly.
The Bruins led East with 274 goals. I think they will be around the 260 mark or higher, which will be more than good enough. The B's also allowed the fewest goals at 196. That number won't come up much. The Bruins will be either the 1 or the 2 seed in the East, winning the Northeast Division. They'll roll through the playoffs with purpose and win their first Stanley Cup since 1972.
-The Commodore
Bill Walker Injury Update
Doc says meniscus tear for Bill Walker and he'll have surgery within a week. Expected out at least 6-8 weeks.
This sucks, because this may be the end of the Bill Walker days in Boston. You hate to see injuries, and you hate to see them to such young kids. His knees just can't take the wear and tear of the NBA season. I guess this injury will open up another roster spot for the upcoming season. Maybe Michael Sweetney?
Jamal Lewis Injury Update
"Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis is at the magical age of 30, when NFL running backs begin their immediate decline, as legend has it. He missed the Week Three debacle against the Baltimore Ravens, and he could be out this week against the Cincinnati Bengals as well, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (ESPN)."
From everything I am reading it sounds like he will miss this week. Even if he does make it back expect Jerome Harrison, who had 52 yards on 16 carries last week, to take some carries away from Lewis. Fantasy wise Harrison could be a guy to keep an eye on if you have a RB with a bye week. The Browns are terrible, and are going to be behind a lot (meaning they will be passing a lot), but for a bye week replacement if he starts it is a solid pickup.
Orsillo To Work TBS Playoff Games
"For those of you looking for your Don Orsillo fix past Sunday's regular season Sox finale, the veteran announcer will call a yet-to-be-announced League Division Series for TBS, joined by former ML catcher Buck Martinez. This is Orsillo's third year working for TBS in their playoff coverage. It is uncertain who will call the Red Sox-Angels series, but the candidates are -- Dick Stockton and Bob Brenly, Orsillo and Martinez, Milwaukee Brewers play-by-play man Brian Anderson and Joe Simpson or Chip Caray and Ron Darling.
NESN baseball analyst Dennis Eckersley will work in the TBS studio with Ernie Johnson, Cal Ripken and former Sox pitcher David Wells. Yes, he actually pitched 38 games with Boston in 2005 and '06 (Boston.com)."
A couple years back I really didn't like Orsillo, but he has grown on me. When you listen to some of the other broadcasters around the league you realize how lucky we are. Orsillo, Remy, and Eck are some of the best in the game, and to see two of them make the playoff broadcast is awesome...
Glen Davis Worksout MMA Style
"When Glen Davis walked into the Wai Kru mixed martial arts gym in Allston last month, you can forgive owner and head trainer John Allan for getting excited. Not being a basketball fan, Allan’s feelings had nothing to do with training an NBA player. Instead, Allan saw a massive 6-foot-9 project with the physical tools to become an MMA star.
“Initially I was salivating because I was like, ‘Oh, I have the next big heavyweight star,’ ” Allan said. “It was close to the end of the lesson that someone informed me that I was actually training Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis from the Celtics (Boston Herald).”
I guess this would be a great way to get in shape. Glen is a big guy, and training for an MMA fighter has a lot to do with foot work, so I would suspect that this would help in boxing out and things like that. Anyways, just thought that was a cool way to train.
Moss Opens Up About Injury
"Randy Moss said a short while ago his ailing back was feeling a little better than it was on Sunday, when he could barely lift his arms up, but still managed to play. Speaking exclusively to the Boston Herald at his locker, Moss talked about what happened with his back, and how he still can’t fathom how he played in Sunday’s 26-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
“It just slipped out on me. I don’t know what happened to it,” Moss said of the bad back that had him listed as questionable on last Friday’s injury report. “I got home Sunday (after the game), and I thought to myself, ’How did you play?’ Because I couldn’t really walk on Monday.”
Moss was barely able to put on his uniform jersey before heading out to the field, and following the game, couldn’t bend over to put on his pants and socks (Boston Herald)."
You just never know how bad any of these Patriots are hurt. It really shows how tough Moss is. You hear it time and again from players on the team that he is toughest and hardest worker on the team. Back injuries can linger and that worries me a bit, but so far I haven't heard anything that sounds like he will miss the Ravens game.
What was funny was that some reporters questioned if Moss was taking plays off, which can somewhat understand, but this guy had a hell of a game (10 catches for 116 yards).
"And yet, one writer, Michael Freeman of CBSSportsline took him to task for taking plays off.
“I’m used to it,” Moss said of the criticism. “Ain’t nothing new for me (Sportsline).”
Joba Left Off ALDS Roster?
"Joba Chamberlain may have played himself out of a spot on the Yankees' Division Series roster. Manager Joe Girardi has been searching for some consistency for Chamberlain, but the right-hander failed to deliver in 3 2/3 innings rocky innings against the Royals on Wednesday night. The New York Daily News reports that Chamberlain is no lock to be on the first-round roster since the Yankees are likely to select the Division Series that will allow them to use only three starters. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte would be the starters, and Chamberlain could be the odd man out (ESPN)."
I think this would be stupid. I have said it from the beginning that Joba is not a starter, but this guy still has the stuff to be a shutdown reliever in the playoff. The Yankees have miss handled this guy from the get go. In the playoffs you want your most talented guys on your roster, and not having Joba in the bullpen would be a big mistake.
NBA Bans Tweeting During Games
"The NBA on Wednesday banned players from using Twitter and other social media sites during games. The league sent a memo to teams telling them that cell phones and other communication devices can't be used from 45 minutes before game time until after players have finished their responsibilities after games. That includes halftime. The rule applies to "coaches, players and other team basketball operations personnel." NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the memo and its contents. The memo did not specify penalties for violation of the rule, and said teams are free to create their own policies for practices and other team events. The NBA has more than 1.4 million followers on Twitter, and many players are active on it (Sportsline)."
Thank fucking God. I am so sick of this twitter shit. Sure it is useful for us to break a story, but if I was a coach/owner I would ban this right away. Players heads need to be in the game not stupid fucking twitter. Hopefully all leagues will do the same.
The Broken Lawn Mower
When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed.
But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the truck, the car, playing golf. Always something more important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.
When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush.
I said, 'When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway.'
The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.
Wakefield Is Done For The Season?
A season that included his first All-Star berth will end with Tim Wakefield being left off Boston's post-season roster, reports the Boston Globe.
The 43-year-old Wakefield has been bothered by a nerve injury in his back that has weakened his left leg. The knuckleballer lasted just three innings Wednesday against the Blue Jays.
"If I'm on the team, great. I'll give them everything I have, whether it's in relief or a start or whatever. If I'm not, I'll be the biggest cheerleader in the dugout," Wakefield said.
After getting lit up last night, it's difficult to see the guy pitch. I love him, but he needs to hang it up. It seems like after every outing he has to go on the DL. Sure he started the year on fire, however, he has been downright awful for the whole second half.
And That's When The Fight Started
My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.
I asked her, 'Do you know him?'
'Yes,' she sighed, he's my old boyfriend... I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since.'
'My God!' I said, 'Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long'
And then the fight started...
That's where Sean May Is.
According to The Sacramento Bee, Wednesday was one of two deadlines for Kings forward Sean May to weigh 265 pounds or less and guarantee his entire salary this season. May weighed 261 pounds to fully guarantee his $884,881 salary for the season. He had until Wednesday or October 27 to meet the weight goal, or $100,000 of his deal was not guaranteed. ESPN
Sean May is a bust and another one of Michael Jordan's swing and misses. Looking back at it, this was obviously going to happen. That UNC team had all the hype around it and during that time May couldn't even keep his weight down. But after two knee surgeries, he is done. At least for the Kings they don't really have anyone that great that will take playing time away from him.
Jays 12 Red Sox 0 (Wakefield To Retire?)
The Sox got blown out, but they were going against Roy Halladay and playing a bunch of scrubs. The real story in this game is whether or not this is the last time we will ever see Tim Wakefield pitch. The Wake went 3 innings allowing 5 runs, and just looks like he is not the same guy who had such a great first half of the year (remember he was an All-Star).
The Wake was arguably the MVP of the first half of the season for the Red Sox. In my mind I am thinking that there is no chance that he is on the playoff roster, and I think Wake knows it too...
“I don’t make those decisions (playoff roster),” Wakefield said when asked how realistic his place in the postseason was. “Those decisions will come down in the next couple days. I’ll deal with it when the time comes. If I’m on the team, great. I’ll give them everything I have, whether it’s in relief or a start or whatever. If I’m not, I’ll be the biggest cheerleader in the dugout.”
I know the 2nd half of the season Wake wishes went better, but he made the All-Star team. The Sox are in the playoffs, and I just think it is time for him to hang it up. He has nerve damage in his back that is going to require offseason surgery. So, as much as I love the Wake it is time for him to retire...
DMX To Fight MMA?
Rapper DMX is really trying to make a comeback after being released from jail back in May following a string of arrests over the past two years.
While he's continuing to work on new music, his most recent attempt to get back into the spotlight is by entering the world of mixed martial arts (MMA).
The rapper is set to fight in an upcoming bout in December against a member of his management team, as a part of an event being put on by Thunder Promotions in Birmingham, Alabama. more
I love DMX, I do. He is probably the most terrifying man I have ever seen in my life, but I don't want him to lose. He is getting older and if you watched Kimbo Slice yesterday, it's almost sad. I don't think DMX would do well without chains or a blunt object near by.
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