September 14, 2009

Raiders vs. Chargers Live Blog Part II

By chappy81

Raiders Charger Fans getting along

Here comes the second half, and were all tied up at 10. The catch that wasn’t a catch should have us up. 14-10. We haven’t answered all the questions I raised in the first half.

Some blah blah blah on what happened this weekend that we already saw. And now the…

START OF THE 2ND HALF

This is the first time I’ve seen the Raiders hold LT in check. Very rare, but it’s not over, so I’ll shut up! The Chargers are moving the ball a little with a few solid passing plays.

MCeezy: Chargers are starting to look like they’re supposed to.  Tough holding call sets them back a bit. Michael Huff!  The forgotten man!!!

MICHAEL HUFF did something good! Right place at the right time!

MCeezy:Big momentum swing back to Oakland’s side.  Time to pound away on the ground some more.

Ouch, three and out…

MCeezy: Golic’s right.  I do hold my breath every time Russell throws the ball.

Hahaha! ME TOO!

MCeezy:Delay of game…. nice to see a little home field advantage!  Greenie’s asking how much of this is the Chargers playing bad…. what do you think?

Well, I’d like to point out to Greenie that they are coached by Norv Turner, and were only 8-8 last year.

MCeezy:You’re right… SD doesn’t look too bad.  It looks like the Raiders D is just rising to the occasion.  Must be nice to not to be playing from behind.

Yeah, it might have actually been a fun game to go to! I wonder if this game sill get a few fans pumped up enough to sell out some more games?

Nice solid return, they need to get the ground game going again! Ouch another breath holding toss from Jemarcus…

Uh oh, did I awaken LT with my taunting? Wow, we might have gotten a dteal of a deal on Seymour! I love this guy already!

MCeezy: I know the stats back it up, but I don’t the Raiders defense has been that bad over the last few years.  They’re just on the field more because the offense has been so inept.

HAHAHA! Rivers is such a poor sport! I think the crying mentality will wear off on the rest of the team. I hope Dre reads this part in the morning. He will destroy your team!

TEXT FROM FERRARI: RIVERS IS SUCH A BITCH!

MCeezy: Rivers with the taunting penalty.  Guess that backs up our claim that he’s a hot head and prone to blowups.

Boring third quarter…

MCeezy: I hate to say this… but WHO is Chris Johnson???  I’m as big of a Raider fan as you’ll find but I didn’t know much about this guy before tonight.

I’ve heard of him, but we were so bad last year I probably didn’t watch closely enough to see if he was good.

WOW, huge hit by Mcfadden!

Jemarcus looks like a better blocker than Gallery…

MCeezy:OK, Jamarcus just went up a couple notches in my book.  I’ve long questioned his football IQ, but I must say, having a QB who can block downfield like that on an end around is a GREAT asset to have!

Well, atleast they got three before they had time to turn it over. 13-10 Raiders with that Janikowski FG! He must not be drinking tonight he’s 2 for 2.

I forgot to say it’s the 4th quarter! 12:55 after a short Sproles return.

Gates does a nice job of bailing out Rivers. Is it just me or are you more scared of Sproles or Tomlinson these days?

MCeezy: Thomas Howard is extremely underrated.

Yeah he is, he’s even under rated on Madden 2010.

MCeezy: Hahaha, RIGHT on queue!  Thomas Howard with a big stop in the backfield. And yes, Sproles is far more troublesome out of the backfield than LT.
Wow, Vincent Jackson just made Asomugha look bad! Or maybe it was just perfectly under thrown… Well, at least we can count on Jeamarcus for a comeback hahaha! 17-13 Chargers 7:22 4th Quarter.
MCeezy: Man, I don’t know that Rivers “put the ball where only his receiver could catch it,” but it fell in the right spot.  Now the Raiders really have something to prove.  They don’t usually march down the field in these situations, so we’re about to see what the 2009 team is made of.
I won’t lie, my confidence level isn’t through the roof, but they have answered a couple questions so far, hopefully Jemarcus can show some leadership.
Steve Young is having some serious flashbacks! He can barely spit it out as Jemarcus falls under Merriman’s Tequila beating hand. J/K San Diego!For a minute after Jemarcus went down, I wanted to see them just put the wildcat out there…
God, Gradkowski, looks like a punter in there… It’s a very bad sign!
MCeezy:HUGE break.  I thought for sure it was another Raider penalty.
Lucky Bailout call! This is a classic Raiders 2008 drive. Time consuming, but don’t go anywhere on the field…
MCeezy: Well… here we go.  3rd and long for with the game on the line. And Higgins is out.
Good thing he got up. I guess we have to go for it!
HOLY SHIT! They actually went for it all! That one might have come from Al himself!
MCeezy: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

IT’S A NEW YEAR!!!
There’s still 2:35 left, but Oakland is up 20-17 on a 4th and 15 from Jemarcus to Murphy!
MCeezy: Even if they don’t end up winning this game, the Raiders showed a lot tonight.  I don’t discount the fact that the Chargers may have regressed, but the Silver & Black have new life this year.
I couldn’t agree more whatever the outcome!
Chargers are driving at their own 28 with 1:58 in the 4th.
MCeezy: Does it get any better than this?  Us Raider fans couldn’t have ask for much more.  They need to stop em here.
It definitely doesn’t! Lets see Seymour get some pressure! Why are we in prevent, this is retarded…
SD is getting yards for free, down the middle and to Gates…
Cmon Golic check our blog, we already said we were more scared of Sproles than LT what more confirmation do you need. Even Norv knows that!
MCeezy: Heartbreaker.
Wow, are these announcers paying attention, that’s why you have Sproles out there to score a TD!24-20 SD :13 seconds left in the 4th.
MCeezy:We still got way more than we could’ve hoped for.  Let’s just hope this doesn’t deflate them for the rest of the year.
I fully agree. I’m satisfied with their effort.
MCeezy: Well they put up a good fight.  Nice blogging with you cousin… It’s possible we’re in for an interesting Raider season.
Yup, good times! Let’s hope we’re on the winning side a few more times than last year!

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September 14, 2009

Raiders Vs. Chargers Live Blog!

By chappy81

Raiders Chargers fans

I have to admit I am expecting the worst tonight for my Raiders, but then again I was expecting the Pats to blow out the Bills, and that definitely didn’t happen! Man, if the Bills only had Marshawn tonight maybe the story would have changed. This game could say a lot about our team this year, and answer a lot of the lingering questions from the off-season. Does Cable have control of a team that he socked one of his coaches in? Is Richard Seymour going to benefit from being in a 4-3 defense? Can Jemarcus give us any hope or is it time to cut ties? I’ve said before that I would be happy with Oakland going 8-8 to at least not have a losing record, but they’ll have to prove it to me for that to happen. If the Chargers happen to lose this game, I think they’ll have more questions than the ones I just asked about the Raiders, starting with; Should we fire Norv?

So, Steve Young, Mike Golic, and Mike Greenburg are calling the game. They just showed them together, and Golic looks like the Jolly Green Giant towering over two midgets.

START OF THE GAME

Raiders get the kick, and are starting at their own 29. Steve Young needs to turn up his mic. Bush just ripped off a nice 17 yarder on the first play. Better start than last year already! Couple good runs by McFadden.

MCeezy: Raiders are moving the ball well early on.  No doubt they’re coming out to establish the run, which is their strong point, if you could say they have one.  Russell, on the other hand is 0-2 to start.  Russell finally completes his first pass to Zach Miller.

I was almost excited, but that then Jemarcus brought me back to earth the same way Kayne took Taylor Swift’s thunder last night.

Three and out for SD. Rivers tossed that third down pass like he was imitating Jemarcus!

One thing I don’t miss about the NFL is all of the TV timeouts, real lame, real lame!

Wow, the Raiders are moving it on the ground. The SD defense looks confused against the Raiders, whaaa!?!

MCeezy: Raiders are playing inspired for a change!  Chargers look conservative on the defensive end.  I’m sure they know it’s a long game and they might be able to just sit back and wait for the Raiders to make more mistakes.

BUSH TD!

Sproles just ripped off a huge return that looks like the Raiders I remember! Followed up by their 1st first down to Vincent Jackson…

MCeezy: Let’s see how the Raiders play with a lead. It’s nice having some established vets on the ends of the D-Line

SEYMOUR!!!!!!

He said he’d “be the guy on top of the quarterback.  He’s not wasting any time!
LT is starting to show his age, and the Raiders catch the first break with his fumble! Maybe Seymour is bringing some intensity to this defense!
MCeezy: WOW. They came to play!  This drive will be huge in terms of seeing if they’re really for real.  Expect a heavy dose of Bush and McFadden. They need to keep Rivers and the SD offense off the field.

2ND QUARTER Oak 7, SD 0
Raiders started with a few running plays. Followed by a bailout call, and two third down conversions. Something we never did last year. Showing signs of life in the offense I could get used to this.
Uh oh spoke too soon, the third turnover of the game already with a McFadden fumble…
MCeezy: Raiders are doing a phenomenal job of game and clock management.  If they can get another stop here, they can really take control of the game…. for now
The Chargers get their second first down. The Raiders are laying out some hits now!
MCeezy:WOW, amazing pursuit by Tyvon Branch.Rivers just hung Sproles out to dry.
The Chargers finally started to look like themselves and got a TD off the turnover Oakland 7, San Diego 7.
MCeezy:Despite the TD to tie it up, the momentum is still on the Raiders side.  They need to answer back here…
Greenie brings up a good point…. Russell never finds his receivers.  It’s either the tight end or RBs out of the backfield.  Why even have WRs?  You and I could run around and be decoys, because that’s all they’re really doing.  and where’s Javon Walker?
That’s why… (Heyward Bey drops a pass) I still am surprised how easily they’re pushing around the SD D-Line! Our receivers suck, maybe Jemarcus doesn’t deserve all the blame.
MCeezy: Special teams is the only area where the Raiders aren’t absolutely despicable.  Good to see exceptional coverage on another stellar Shane Lechler punt.
I think I expect the worst nowadays!
MCeezy:Asomghua making some noise!  He had a feature on him on espn.com earlier.  I was curious to see how he’d respond, and even though he doesn’t get the ball thrown his way, he still finds a way to make plays.
Another solid defensive stand for the Raiders! One thing about them is their defense has looked good the past few seasons, they’re just on the field way too much. Maybe they can change that this year, and keep them fresh!
MCeezy:Wow. I feel like I’ve said that many times tonight, but what would you expect.  The Chargers were expected to win in a route…
Seriously! I picked SD in my Doin Lines Week 1 giving 91/2 points!
MCeezy: The first catch by a WR!  Louis Murphy was a steal in the second round.  He may not see many passes thrown his way in this system, but if he can get open, the offense will be okay.
After two terrible throws, he made one good one. He needs to change that MO…
MCeezy:For the first time in his career, I can honestly say Jamarcus Russell looks like a legitimate QB.
It’s funny I wrote in my Raiders preview, that this pre-season was the first time he actually looked like he knew what he was doing…
MCeezy: Caught a break there, as Russell threw it RIGHT to the defense.  Lady Luck just might be on the Raiders’ side for a change.Think the Raiders would be happy with a 10-7 lead at the half?
I’d almost say no, the way they’ve dominated this game… Seeing how they’ve been the last few years, I’d say yes! Murphy your boy! I think you might be right, maybe I’ll add him to my fantasy team…
MCeezy:Russell to Murphy!!!!  Just when I thought Jamarcus was settling back into his old ways, he finds the rookie in the end zone!GREAT double move.

I think the TD stands
I think it does too. When is Norv going to get fired? Haha, I love how he lead a talented SD team to an 8-8 record last season!
Lady luck my ass! How was that not a TD! God I hate refs! It was Ed Hochuli bad! FG good. 10-7 Oakland
MCeezy:BULLSHIT!
I love how the announcers agree that it was bullshit.
Sproles just ripped off a long return, I’m officially worried about a TD here…
SD gets into FG range with a couple of plays the Oakland defense really didn’t care to stop… Seymour getting on top of Rivers again!
Kaeding FG. Tied at 10 for the half.
Immediately kicked to Swami talking about the non-tuck rule hahaha!
MCeezy:Gotta be happy with a tie at the half…. Should be 14-10 but calls going against the Raiders is nothing new.  Overall, they look a lot better than any of us could have expected.  Let’s hope they can keep it up in the second half.

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September 14, 2009

Four Quarters of Bad, Produces 30 Seconds of Awesome

By dyslecix

     Kyle Orton and Brandon Stokely conjured up the play of the day (and luckiest) in the NFL on Sunday. If you were unlucky enough to actually watch the game in its entirety likes yours truly, its painfully obvious that the Broncos and Bangels are NFL nonfactors this year. Disjointed offenses and boring broken drives were the theme of day. Thankfully with 30 seconds left Gus Johnson was able to save the day with his call.

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September 13, 2009

The Always Bad NBA Referees Are Asking for Too Much!

By chappy81

NBA RefereesIf there’s one thing that has been a constant in the NBA over the past couple decades, it has to be the very bad officiating. Not even Bill Walton can convince me otherwise. I wrote about ways to change the referee system awhile back, which included forcing the geezers off the court and into retirement. Alas, the NBA hasn’t addressed one of these issues, but it looks like one might finally be under consideration. The NBA desperately needs to have guys in their physical prime running around with these tremendous athletes to make sure that they are getting calls right. The NBA is set to start its preseason games in a few weeks (October 1st), it has been reported that the NBRA (National Basketball Referees Association) will be locking out unless a new agreement is reached as the old one expired at the beginning of September. Apparently the NBRA proposed to take about $2.5 million (10%) off of last season’s budget. This wasn’t convincing enough as Stern rejected the proposal, and the two sides haven’t set a new time to meet since the deal was rejected. The NBA is facing the most problems it has since the Flint Tropics ABA/NBA merger days, and needs the refs to suck it up if they want to work. Larnell McMorris, the head NBRA representative says that Stern’s actions are childish, and feels that the league is trying to push the “old guys” out.

This is the first time in a long time that I might actually be on Commissioner Stern’s side for any issue that has come up in recent memory! I hope they lock out, and I hope Stern holds firm on his stance. If he truly is using this as a reason to get the “old guys” out I applaud it 100%. It’s really the first action I’ve seen him take since he became commissioner that moves towards correcting an obvious problem that is revisited year after year with each bad call made. Sadly I’ve actually watched some D-League games, and the ones that I have watched I noticed their refs actually do call pretty good games. Guess what, most of them look young and don’t give the players as much attitude as the pro refs which I like. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the refs were there just to call the game instead of settling the score with some superstar that showed them up by barking at them!?! I’m crossing my fingers that the officiating will better during this October 1st lockout then I could see the NBRA folding to whatever the NBA’s demands are. I wouldn’t mind if they locked our for the season, and we could try out these younger refs that might actually make the right call or non-call during the pivotal playoff games. For the first time since 95-96 the league will set up a training camp for replacement refs, so lets hope they find some good ones!

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September 12, 2009

Richard Seymour Gets Blindsided

By chappy81

Richard Seymour CryingRichard Seymour was traded to the Raiders on September 8th for Oakland’s first round draft pick in 2011. I thought it seemed like a good deal for the Patriots since they seemed to be stalling to give him a contract extension, and they also probably got themselves a top ten pick for a possibly aging star. I was happy to see the Raiders make a move to get a solid locker room and field leader as well. He seems to be a more vocal leader than Asomugha is. The Raiders gave Seymour a deadline to report to the Raiders, and today he ended his five day long silence letting everyone know what was up. This type of complication seems standard for anything the Raiders do, but his quotes were somewhat concerning to me even though he said he was happy to go to Oakland. His statements today reported by the Boston Herald.

He learned of the trade when Bill Belichick called him and simply said, We traded your rights to Oakland.

“First of all, I was blindsided by this whole event,” Seymour, the five-time Pro Bowler, told Borges. “When you get blindsided, you should take a moment to gather your thoughts. I have a lot of personal issues more pressing than football.”

Seymour said if you want to watch for him with his new team, he’ll be wearing No. 92 on Monday Night. “I’ll be the guy on top of the quarterback,” he said.

Well, Seymour has four children, plus, he is the guardian of his 15-year-old cousin whose mother has passed. The 15-year-old had been in school in South Carolina until this year, at which point he was starting in North Attleboro… until the trade.

Now, Seymour’s wife and family are moving back to South Carolina (where they are from) and Richard will head to Oakland by himself.

“There are a lot of different emotions,” Seymour said. “Football was not my main concern at that point. I have had discussions with the Raiders… I’m excited and happy with the way they’re looking at me.”

I really don’t buy the whole blindsided argument. It’s pretty lame for a 30 year old veteran to not know that the NFL is a business, and you can be traded at pretty much anytime of your career. He was around when the Patriots stalled on contract negotiations for Ty Law and Deion Branch as they were asking for too much money, and what happened? Law and Branch left, shocking!?! The NFL is a business more than it has been loyal to players, and he ultimately shouldn’t need five freaking days to make a statement. If he really was somewhat happy with the trade, he would have said something whether he has a family problem or not.Richard Seymour Sacks Bulger Being blindsided isn’t a good enough excuse in my book. He should have said something within a couple of days.

Either way I’m glad he sucked it up, and is ready to join the Raiders. I really hope he does well. I think moving to a 4-3 defense will ultimately make him more effective, and the Raiders can use all the help with the pass rush possible. They already have one side of the locked down with Namadi roaming. I and Raider Nation are hoping that Seymour can have a Reggie White type change the same way he did when he went to Green Bay. I just hope he doesn’t give up on the team the way that Sapp did a few years ago. I’m sure that losing wears on anybody after awhile, but hopefully he can be a instigator in changing that seemingly normal SOP over the last few years. If you think about it further, it’s a pretty good deal for the Raiders since they like to blow draft picks anyways. This off season there were two trades between the teams as gave the Patriots traded for Burgess for a third and fourth round pick in 2010. The Pats traded Seymour to the Raiders for a first rounder. I think I’d rather have Seymour than Burgess! Now Oakland won’t have to waste money on a first round pick in 2011 that will probably be an overpaid nobody. I can’t wait to see him on top of River’s whiny ass Monday night! Even though I picked the Raiders to lose, maybe with Seymour the can cover!

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September 11, 2009

Stricker Trying to Make a Case for PGA Player of the Year

By chappy81

Steve Stricker Tee Shot

With Steve Stricker’s victory last weekend at Deutsche Bank Classic, he has made the Player of the year award at least somewhat of a two man race. I had him at a very close 3rd on my original list, and while Yang’s PGA Championship win was impressive, Stricker’s win last weekend gave him a boost into second behind Tiger as he took the lead on the FedEx leaderboard, and pulled out a come from behind win against a top notch field. If he somehow pulls out of the playoffs holding the FedEx Cup, it may be tough to not give him the POY award.

I find the FedEx Cup has made a drastic improvement in the way I and fans pay attention to the golf after the last major is over. It’s made the POY award worth debating in the final weeks. It’s made the best in the world keep playing in tournaments that aren’t from their sponsors. In years past the top players would pack their bags, and head into the offseason not caring about the last couple months and playing in maybe one or two of the tournaments. The Playoffs have been great for the game and the fans!

Stricker’s bid in the BMW didn’t exactly start the way he hoped as he was one over through the first round Thursday, but there is no cut so he’s not out of it by any means at six back with three to go. Stricker has won back to back comeback player of the year awards, and was probed about winning it for a third straight year after his win on Labor Day “I think I’m over that now.” He was also asked about winning the POY award and laughed, noting that he’d have to do something impressive to overtake the obvious leader (Tiger). To trump Tiger’s five wins, Stricker will have to pull out a FedEx Cup Championship, and possibly win one of the two remaining tournaments. I think either of the two scenarios would give the voters much to weigh on. Golf is one of the rare sports that lets the players have a say in the POY award, and I have a feeling they will weigh heavily what happens these last couple weeks!

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September 10, 2009

Finger Soccer!

By chappy81

To be honest, I did my fair shore of finger boarding back in the day. Not that it took much talent, but it was always good to kill a little down time. This clip right here is pretty impressive as he busts out some pretty amazing juggling of the soccer ball, er, I mean balled up sticky note. He must be beyond finger boarding, and decided to step it up a notch. If there’s one thing we know about this guy, he has a lot of time on his hands!

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September 10, 2009

USC at Ohio St: Part Two at the Shoe

By cali4dre
All I kept reading about after Week One of the new season was how star freshman QB Matt Barkley played loose and stayed under control at all times while guiding the Trojans for 3 quarters.  How the 5-headed Trojan RB monster (yes, we shall include Marc Tyler, who would be starting at half the Pac-10 schools) ran all over the SJSU defense, pulling away in the second quarter with 4 touchdowns alone after slow start.  How the Heisman Watch should begin for Joe McKnight, who – if you haven’t heard already – is really, really good.   
Joe McKnight gained 105 yards vs OSU in '08, but did not score aTD.

Joe McKnight gained 105 yards vs OSU in '08, but did not score aTD.

Was any of this really a surprise?  Of course not.  But this week we will get to see what the Trojans are really made of after losing several first and second rounder’s to the NFL including, including 3 talented veteran players at the Linebacker position.  The real story will be how the USC Defense reacts to stiff competition against the best team year after year in Big10 this decade.

Perhaps their toughest challenge of the year,the Trojan Defense will face Terrelle Pryor, the 6 foot 6, 235 pounder with a canon arm and speed in the 4.3s.  Navy seemed to have a great formula to at least contain Pryor, and USC is hard at work studying that game film.  But let’s be real here, Navy’s defense doesn’t have the size, speed or talent level that USC has on its second team let alone the starters. 
Don't be surprised if you see this scenario a few times on Saturday.

Don't be surprised if you see this scenario a few times on Saturday.

 
The Secondary, led by All-American Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard who moves back to CB from Safety, will make it tough on Pryor to find one of his young receivers.  The  speedy LB corp will be the main difference here as the new crop seems faster than last year and able to disrupt plays at will.  We know Pete will be bringing the pressure early and often, and the Trojan Offense will be in full hand-off mode to take the playmakers in the Buckeye Secondary out of the game.  
Has the #2 ever looked smaller?

Has the #2 ever looked smaller?

 
 
Final Score:   USC 42  –  OSU  13   
 

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September 9, 2009

Doin Lines Week 1

By chappy81

Chalk linesThroughout the season I will be try to predict the outcomes of the NFL spreads. I used to gamble quite a bit, and had good and bad times with it. I think I would’ve done better if I hadn’t gone for so many parlays, but that makes it more exciting. Anyways, I’ve never kept track over a whole season, so this should be interesting. The home teams are in bold, and the first team listed is the favorite. I will also be giving a confidence rating on my picks with a scale of 1-5. A one would be “I like me betting on the Raiders, because they’re my favorite team”, and a 5 would be “Parlay this one with any other 5 on the board” Without further ado here is the predictions.

Pittsburgh (-6) Tennessee

3, It’s going to be tough for everyone going to Pittsburgh, but Tennessee proved last season that they are for real with their 12-4 mark, but are a fairly big underdog against the Steelers. The Titans have pretty much the same look as last year minus Haynesworth. They should be ready to at least cover in this one, since I feel like this line should be around -3. Plus, I have a feeling the Titans will want to pull out everything they have to get a win off the newly crowned champs.

Atlanta (-4) Miami

4, I felt like the Dolphins were huge overachievers last season. They wouldMichael Turner stiff arm Falcons probably do fine in the AFC West, but in their division I think it’ll be a long tough road for them. Their first game is going to be in hostile territory against a team looking to see improvement through acquisitions and growth from their young QB. The Falcons should cover this spread with all the offensive firepower they have.

Baltimore (-13) Kansas City

2, It’s always hard to tell how crappy a team is going to be. I doubt that KC will win this, but can you really give a guy named Flacco enough confidence in covering a two TD spread? I didn’t think so. KC will kill a few bettors at the end of this game scoring some points in garbage time. They seemed to do that well last year even with Thigpen.

Philadelphia (-1.5) Carolina

2, this is a tough one. I don’t like it when the home team isn’t favored, but in this one I can’t argue. Carolina’s often stalling offense is always a roller coaster that I wouldn’t bet a replica ring on.Donovan Mcnabb McNabb has two weeks to prove he is the undisputed starter, so I like Philly taking this one either by a good offensive effort or Jake Delhomme choking it away.

Cincinnati (-4.5) Denver

3, With all the drama in Denver this off-season it’s hard to tell what is going to come out of the once proud franchise. Saying they are dysfunctional is an understatement, but saying Cincinatti hasn’t had it’s problems isn’t fair either. I don’t like any team coming off as many problems and changes as Denver had this off-season, and they won’t figure it out until it’s too late.

Minnesota (-4) Cleveland

5, Like I said before I don’t like road teams being favored, but I really can’t bet on a franchise that just named it’s starter today, Quinn. Cleveland didn’t make any upgrades and sorely needed to over the off-season. Minnesota should run away with this one. We could even see a chunk of playing time for Tavaris or a tryout from Anderson if Quinn struggles…

Houston (-4.5) NY Jets

4, it’s Mark Sanchez’s first start as a pro, and I have a feeling that he’s going to get acquainted with Mario Williams early and often.Mario Williams If the Jets had a solid running game or receivers that didn’t disappear, I’d give them a chance. Schaub is expected to go today, so as long as that stays the same I’m taking the Texans.

Indianapolis (-7) Jacksonville

3, I think it would be impossible to pick anyone but Indy at home. Jacksonville usually gives them a good fight, but in a home opener it’s going to be hard for the Jaguars to pull it out especially with their disappointing 5 win campaign last season. I think the Colts will start the season as they usually do undefeated with a convincing win.

New Orleans (-13) Detroit

5, The question is when will the Saints be up by 13? First half? First quarter? Watch the bottom line or your stat tracker to see just how many they can put up. I don’t see the Lions 20 game losing streak ending in week 1 especially in a tough environment.

Dallas (-6) Tampa Bay

4, Tampa Bay is in shambles after barely missing the playoffs last year. They are doing an overhaul with minimal talent, so it’s pretty hard not to like the Cowboys in this one. Dallas will probably run a little more smoothly with TO out of the way. Look for the Buccaneers fans to be one of the blackout teams soon.

Arizona (-6.5) San Francisco

2, I really don’t know what to expect from this one. I’ll loosely pick the Niners to cover.Kurt Warner Cardinals old Arizona had an incredible season last year, but I don’t see lightning striking twice. It was kind of funny watching Kurt Warner fall to late rounds in nearly all my fantasy drafts. That has to say something about their chances.

NY Giants (-6.5) Washington

2, it seems like the Giants start off strong and slowly fade away as the season wears on. If Eli had one good receiver, I’d probably bump up my confidence rating, but in this rivalry game it’s always tough to give a team nearly a TD. Washington just ends up being disappointing every season, and this year doesn’t look much brighter, as I see the Giants taking this one.

Seattle (-8.5) St. Louis

3, One rule I have is never to bet on crappy teams, because you never know what you’ll get. Seattle vs. St. Louis definitely fits that mold, and I can’t really give more than a TD to any team I deem crappy. St. Louis should make this competitive while they cover the spread.

Green Bay (-3.5) Chicago

4, I like the way the Packers look this year.Greg Jennings Packers Rodgers has a lot of guys to throw to, and proved that he is going to be a good starter for years to come. The Bears have issues on defense especially against the passing game. I like the Pack to set the division tone with a convincing win.

New England (-11) Buffalo

4, If Brady is indeed back to 07′ form, we could see the stats that only a QB on Madden puts up. I don’t really see the impact of TO on the field overshadowing the gaping hole left by Lynch in the backfield. I think Buffalo is a decent team, but they are no match for the Pats in Foxboro on opening night. There could be two Monday night blowouts.

San Diego (-9.5) Oakland

2, it’s never easy picking against your team especially when they are giving a TD plus, but the Raiders are starting to mirror the Timberwolves as their franchise spirals out of control. They have talent, but no direction. On a side note, I hope Gruden calls this game on ESPN, it would be nice to hear what he has to say about his former employer! Plus I caught him during a pre-season game and he was pretty funny.

15 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Sports

September 8, 2009

(Not So) Early Predictions for the Cy Young – National League

By mceezy

About three weeks ago, I broke down the AL Cy Young race.   I’m not so sure about my prediction anymore, as Roy Halladay has had a lackluster last few outings.  What I would like to point out, however, is that I also mentioned that if Zack Greinke were to “regain his form, his final numbers might end up too good to ignore.”  Well, at this point, that’s looking like the case.  Greinke’s numbers are now so good across the board it looks like he may be a lock, at this time, for the award.  He leads in the AL in ERA, WHIP, and Shutouts, is second in Ks behind Justin Verlander, and third in Batting Average Against, behind Matt Garza and Felix Hernandez, respectively.  There’s still a month of baseball left to be played, but he looks like the clear front runner in that race and should bring a little bit of pride to what’s left of the Kansas City Royals’ fan base.

Now, on to the topic at hand – the National League Cy Young race.  Once again, I’ve narrowed it to a group of five: Chris Carpenter, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Adam Wainwright, and Dan Haren.  We’re going to do this one by process of elimination.  Haren is probably the longest shot at this point, given his team’s standing.  He has the least impressive record of the bunch and the highest ERA.  However, I put a lot of weight on WHIP when it comes to assessing a pitcher’s performance, and in that aspect he is the best, 0.95. Like I said, though, he’s a longshot, and would need to finish out strong to have a serious chance.

That leaves us with four.  Adam Wainwright has the most wins of the bunch, racking up an impressive 17-7 record.  But, he also has the highest WHIP and BAA, along with the next highest ERA behind Haren.  His record is due in part to his team’s success.  While he’s no doubt having a great year, his numbers just don’t stack up with this bunch.

Matt Cain is also having an outstanding year for a contending club.  Historically a hard luck pitcher, Cain boasts an impressive 13-4 record.  His 2.51 ERA and 1.16 WHIP are more than respectable.  Cain, though, is supposed to be a power pitcher, yet his strikeout numbers are low, and his K:BB ratio is easily the highest of the bunch. Next.

And then there were two.  Chris Carpenter (16-3) and Tim Lincecum (13-5) are the clear front runners for the award.  I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’m quite ready to choose between them.  Carpenter has the better record, ERA, and WHIP, but Lincecum has substantial advantages when it comes to Innings Pitched, BAA, and has 34 more strikeouts than the next guy, Javier Vazquez, in the NL, and 104 more than Carpenter.  Lincecum has thrown 34 more innings in 4 more starts than Carpenter.  Granted, a pitcher shouldn’t necessarily be punished for missing starts due to injury, but you have to look at the numbers as a whole, and overall, I think Lincecum’s numbers are slightly more impressive.  But, both guys have a few more starts to go, and that will be what separates the two.  Carpenter will have an opportunity to set himself apart, and I think he’ll need it.  Because, at this point, although unlikely, I’m predicting Tim Lincecum to be the first repeat Cy Young winner since 2002 when Randy Johnson won his fourth straight.

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September 8, 2009

Labor Day Weekend Sports Notes

By chappy81

I just wanted to throw my two cents on the fun stuff that happened over this past Labor Day Weekend.

Shawne Merriman doing his Lights Out Dance all over Tila Tequila after giving her the Undertaker choke slam!Shawne Merriman Lights out Well, that’s not exactly how TMZ reported it, and I guess he’s saying he was innocent. Which could be believable seeing how she was drunk, and he was ordering water towards the end of the night. I don’t really buy that he wasn’t drinking even if he was ordering water at the end of the night, because I do the same thing when I’m too drunk. If there was any question to why the AFC West is arguably the worst division in the league, all you have to do is look at the summer of fun it produced. You have a head coach hitting his other coach causing a broken jaw. There are Broncos star players (Cutler and Marshall) whining about every conceivable thing, and then taking it back then ripping on fans, and not practicing. Now we have Shawne Merriman beating down Tila Tequila. Keeping it classy down there in San Diego!

The Deutche Bank Classic. I caught the end of this battle, and it wasn’t even Tiger related which always instantly turns a tournament into only watch able for true golf fans. That actually makes me more interested than when Tiger is in the running. Anyways Steve Stricker ended up with dramatic come from behind win with a birdie on 18 to seal the deal.steve stricker trophy Although I was hoping that there would be a playoff, I would have rooted for him once the playoff began, so it was good to see him win and take the top spot on the FedEx points leader board. I think this third victory of the season firmly plants him behind Tiger in the PGA Player of the year race, who I’d previously given to Y.E. Yang. If he can somehow pull out a victory next weekend in the BMW, voters would definitely have to consider giving it to him over Tiger. Especially since winning the FedEx playoffs is almost as good as a major, since the field is so strong! So far, I’m really happy with the way these playoffs have been going the past couple years. It makes golf relevant after the last major. It’s a great way to keep the top players going to events.

Shocker of the Weekend, Matthew Stafford will be the starting quarterback for the Lions, and be throwing the ball exclusively to Megatron when the season starts. This is about as shocking as Joaquin Phoenix selling out one of his rap concerts.

Tennis US Open. Melanie Oudin’s improbable run is still going as the 17 year old has advanced to the quarter finals. It’s a cool story, but I’m not really that into it…Isner With Isner getting defeated by Verdasco, it’s the first time there isn’t an American in the quarter finals on the men’s side for eight decades. It’s a shame that men’s US tennis hasn’t been good in nearly a decade. Roddick has tried, but he is more Stiffler from American Pie than Aggasi, Sampras, or even Jim Courier. It looks as though Federer should be winning another grand slam title. Hopefully Nadal can meet him along the way for one of their epic matches. Has anyone else noticed how much more relevant Nadal has made Federer? It’s really his first and only rival since he started dominating, and it feels like he’s made Rodger a bigger icon than he was before the two were consistently squaring off. I guess it’s hard to have a rival when you beat everyone, but Nadal’s emergence only makes Rodger’s legacy greater!

I’ll skip the College Football, because it’s been documented by Mceezy already!

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September 6, 2009

Does Anyone Buy Oregon’s Season-Long Suspension of LeGarrette Blount?

By mceezy

I’ll admit, I did.  The day after college football’s opening punch, the University of Oregon – or as first year head coach, Chip Kelly, called it on national TV, Oregon University – announced that starting RB LeGarrette Blount had been suspended for the entire season.  It seemed legit at the time, but now, only two days removed from the disciplinary action, I’m going on the record saying there’s no way the suspension is upheld.  Oregon football has underachieved more often than they have overachieved since the 2001 campaign.  They needed a successful year in 2009 more than any.  But, instead, they started off on a losing track and then kicking their best player of the team.  Keep in mind the suspension was Oregon’s idea, not the Pac-10, and not the NCAA.  Had they handed him a less severe punishment, they would’ve risked the Pac-10 or NCAA stepping in and making it more severe.  This way, Oregon did not have to worry about that.  The reason I see this suspension getting lifted, oh, let’s say 6-8 games into the season is because A) they need him, a B) he is still with the team, allowed to practice, just not play in games.  It got me thinking, why, as a senior, would you continue to practice with the team if you weren’t going to play for the remainder of the season?  Call it a hunch, but I think LeGarrette Blount, Chip Kelly, and Mike Belotti have a trick up their sleeve.  Oregon hosts USC in Week 10 which will be their 9th game of the season.  I look for him to be reinstated just in time for that game.  If the dust hasn’t settled by then, I can see the Ducks settling for their regular season finale against Oregon State in the Civil War.

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Sports

September 5, 2009

Why Our Doin Work Blog Is Better Than Yours

By mceezy

Okay okay, so it was apparently a joke, but this clown put up a post with a link to our site simply tagged “shitty website.”  I just wanted to take a second to clear the air.  First off, we did our due dilligence when deciding on a name for the blog.  Yes, we found this dude’s blog, but it looked completely worthless and irrelevant.  I mean, he posts pictures of pancakes and what not.  Moreover, I can understand if sports isn’t your thing and you’re more into breakfast quick breads, but since our name was derived from the critically acclaimed Spike Lee joint, Kobe Doin Work, I think we’re in the clear.   Now, it’s not really our style to call out another blog that has nothing to do with ours, other than we coincidentally chose two of the same words from the English dictionary, but a couple people clicked over to our site from his, so we just wanted to return the favor.

2 Comments   |  tags: , | posted in Random

September 4, 2009

Three Types of College Football Openers

By mceezy

The college football season got off to a lackluster start last night – with the exception of LeGarrette Blount’s performance during the extra period.  What’s sad is Blount was in the shadow of Jeremiah Johnson last year, and this was to be his year in the spotlight.  Unfortunately, he wanted all of his spotlight on the first night, and because of that, he will be all but forgotten in our memories after the weekend is over.  That game, paired with the earlier game, South Carolina vs. NC State, left a lot of us wanting more.  Tulsa and Tulane didn’t exactly deliver Friday night either.  So, Saturday marks our best chance to see some real college football barn-burners.  Week 1 is typically reserved for the powerhouses beating up on some lowly D-1, and sometimes, D-2 schools, but there are a few games that stand out this weekend.  Here, we’ll list the three types of Season Opening games and how they might play out.

The Blowouts

These are the games that are so lopsided Vegas doesn’t even bother with spreads.  They’re the games that are built solely to ensure a team gets off to a 1-0 start and get them off on the right foot in they’re national or conference championship campaign.  You know the type, big school at home versus a small school with little to no national following.  Need some examples?

Akron @ #9 Penn State, Navy @ #6 Ohio State, Jacksonville St. @ #15 Georgia Tech, Montana St. @ Michigan St., The Citadel @ #21 North Carolina, Louisian-Monroe @ #2 Texas, Florida Atlantic @ #24 Nebraska, Charleston Southern @ #1 Florida, and as much as I hate to include them since they don’t typically schedule easy games, #4 USC hosting San Jose State.

The Blowouts Gone Wrong

These games have the same intention as those previously mentioned, however, they can backfire, much as Michigan’s upset loss to Appalachian State.  There aren’t many of them, but at least one is sure to end in heartbreak for a hopeful team.  Here’s our pool of potential upset games.

#22 Iowa vs. Northern Iowa, Auburn vs. Lousiana Tech, #25 Kansas vs. Northern Colorado, #12 California vs. Maryland, UCLA vs. San Diego State, and my pick for the most likely upset, #23 Notre Dame vs. Nevada.

The Legit Matchups

These games are the exception.  They don’t always end in a competitive game, but you have to give the schools credit for diving right into the fray and not scheduling a pushover to kick their season off.  Much like the Boise State – Oregon matchup Thursday night, they can make or break your season.

#13 Georgia @ #9 Oklahoma State, #20 BYU @ #3 Oklahoma, and Week 1’s main event, #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virgina Tech at the Georgia Dome.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Sports

September 4, 2009

LeGarrette Blount vs. Boise (The City, Not Just the Team)

By mceezy

On the heels of last night’s post game incident, a lot of people have been visiting Doin Work’s game preview, presumably looking for the video of the fight.  So, I figured we should post it on the site.  Here you go….

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Sports