#1: Green Bay Packers (7-0) - And if they lose Sunday, they will still be here#2: Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) - The Flavor of the AFC for this week
#3: San Francisco 49ers (6-1) - Quietly putting together a solid season
#4: New England Patriots (5-2) - Both loses have been riddled with their own mistakes
#5: Detroit Lions (6-2) - Can't wait till Thanksgiving Football and the Lions actually have something to do with it
#6: New York Giants (5-2) - Many glaring holes AND Philly looks like they will give them a run
#7: Baltimore Ravens (5-2) - Who said winning (and losing in Jacksonville) needed to be sexy
#8: New Orleans (4-3) - Lee Corso may be giving a "not so fast my friend" on an opening night rematch in the NFC Championship Game
#9: Buffalo Bills (5-2) - In all reality, 5 through 9 are interchangeable...Bills are solid
#10: Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) - Dalton to Green...who would have thought
#11: Houston Texans (5-3) - Once Andre comes back, I will like them A LOT more
#12: New York Jets (4-3) - Same script every year; sneak in the playoffs and win a couple games
#13: Chicago Bears (4-3) - If they play offense like they should, they will be back in the playoffs
#14: Atlanta Falcons (4-3) - Big stretch in the next 4, after Indy its 3 at home including the Saints
#15: Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Sunday night has me drunk on the Kool-Aid
#16: Tampa Bay Bucs (4-3) - At New Orleans this week...this would be a HUGE win
#17: Tennessee Titans (4-3) - Chris Johnson will be the poster child of teams not paying running backs
#18: Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) - 4-straight wins after a HORRENDOUS start...but still ugly
#19: San Diego Chargers (4-3) - YIKES! My AFC Super Bowl pick always falters (Cincy last year)
#20: Oakland Raiders (4-3) - I want them to win the AFC West, but to many QB Questions
#21: Dallas Cowboys (3-4) - What Romo will show up this week... never mind, Seattle visits Big-D
#22: Cleveland Browns (3-4) - If they were in most other conferences, they could have a shot
#23: Washington Redskins (3-4) - If you ask me...John Beck < Rex Grossman < Andrew Luck
#24: Minnesota Vikings (2-6) - The best 2-win team in the NFL...Ponder looks solid
#25: Carolina Panthers (2-6) - Cam Newton is growing on me; pains me to say it
#26: Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) - While other rookie QBs improve, Gabbert is looking worse
#27: St.Louis Rams (1-6) - They beat the Saints and the last 9-teams on the schedule have taken notice
#28: Seattle Seahawks (2-5) - Bad Coach + Bad Quarterback = terrible team
#29: Arizona Cardinals (1-6) - Bad teams find ways to lose games...Arizona did that
#30: Denver Broncos (2-5) - Any Brady Quinn billboards going up?
#31: Miami Dolphins (0-7) - Trying but still not winning
#32: Indianapolis Colts (0-8) - Not winning and it appears they are not trying...
2.) Tonight at 11:01 CST (the only timezone that matters) MLB Free Agency begins! Teams will open up their pocket books for the services of Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Jose Reyes and hundreds other! As for the Milwaukee Brewers, the big names will more than likely not be in their cards though who knows considering what happened last offseason. Here is my free agent forecast:
Positions of Need
#1: Shortstop - After the Yuniesky Betancourt era came to an end this week with the Brewers not picking up his option, the Brewers will need to get an everyday guy to fill the gap between 2nd and 3rd. Defense will hopefully be a key attribute
#2: Bullpen - Last year, the Brewers had one of the best in baseball the 2nd half of the season. I expect the Brewers to build their pen the same way this year.
#3: First Base - Some may put it higher on the need list but with Mat Gamel coming up and probably getting a shot at it I don't foresee a splash.
#4: Utility Infielder - Craig Counsell and Jerry Hariston Jr. have filled this void over the past few years; I expect to see Hariston come back or Melvin go after someone else.
4-REALISTIC Names to stir the pot:#1: SS Rafael Furcal - after watching him destroy the Brewers down the stretch and in the post season; get him in Milwaukee!
#2: RP Joe Nathan - the Brewers brought in K-Rod last year to set up for Axford; Nathan could be a nice replacement
#3: 1B/OF Josh Willingham - of course this would be if they give/gave up on Gamel. Good power numbers could replace the Fielder void in the line-up
#4 INF Aaron Hill - Has played all infield positions (mostly 2nd but has played short and 3rd in the past) and was a huge boost to Arizona. Defense is stellar! He could be a starter at short if not the utility guy
3.) And as always, when the top 2 SEC teams play in the regular season, the bash the BCS propaganda begins. Here's a look from Fox Sports. In tribute to that, here is how a tournament would look at the moment!
#8 Cincinnati (Big East Champs) @ #1 LSU (SEC Champs)
#5 Boise State (At-Large #2) @ #4 Stanford (PAC 12 Champs)
#6 Nebraska (Big Ten Champs) @#3 Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champs)
#7 Clemson (ACC Champs) @ #2 Alabama (At-Large #1)
4.) It's day 2 of the NBA (No Basketball Anymore)...To make up for my loss, I am going to pay tribute to something in sports that is not in existence anymore. Today I pay tribute to the One Bar Facemask. It was banned by the NFL in 2004 though players already using it were grandfathered in. Former Punter Scott Player was the last to wear one back in 2008.
5.) My Wednesday Night Picks Guaranteed to go Wrong:
#1: Temple/Ohio under 47.5
#2: Philadelphia Flyers Straight up (+135)
#3: Phoenix Coyotes Straight up (+130)
Tuesday Results (3-0): NIU/Toledo Over, Boston Bruins -1.5, Carolina Hurricanes Straight up
November Total: (3-0)
On Today's Home Stretch
3:00 CST - Jack Cronin of XX 1090 in San Diego Previews the Chargers
4:25 CST - Former Packer John Brockington (1971-1977)
Monday's Home Stretch Recap
Bill Pollock of Misouri Net Radio Sports talking St. Louis Cardinals, Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols
Chris Kolb of NFL News & Rumors talking many things NFL
Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors getting ready for the offseason
Email Justin Hull
Follow Justin Hull on Facebook
Follow Justin Hull on Twitter
0 comments:
Post a Comment