Official Super Bowl XLV Prediction

A lot of people more football intelligence than me have weighed on this one and have come to different conclusions on who is going to win. But regardless, here is my two cents.

This game features two real good defenses. And frequently in Super Bowls, one, if not both teams, come out jittery to start the game. Based on those two factors alone, I think we will have a low scoring game in Arlington. The O/U is 45. I'm taking the under in my prop bets.

Las Vegas has Green Bay winning by 3.5. I'm taking the Packers and the points on this one. For me, I think Green Bay is the all-round better football team, even if they have no run game to speak of. Pittsburgh thrives on luck, they have this year and they have done so in year's past. Eventually that luck is going to run out. And that luck will run out this Sunday. Steelers 14, Packers 24.

Live blog tomorrow will be at Keith's Sports Journal. Depending on what side of the bed I wake up on and whether or not Fernando Torres is starting, I may open it as early as Chelsea-Liverpool tomorrow at 11:00 AM ET. But regardless, this is the last NFL game we see for quite some time, so enjoy it. GO PACKERS!

JFein's Final Super Bowl Prediction

After 2 weeks of Archie Manning, the city of New Orleans, Dwight Freeney's "injury", and other fun stories, it is coming to that time to make any and all final predictions.

So here it is.

Frankly, this game proves a really interesting match-up and I am not sure how it is going to go. The Saints are a completely different team than the Jets, but at the same time, I can sort of see this game going the same way as that game did.

The Colts are mechanical on offense. They can do it against any defense any time. The Saints are explosive on offense. They can do it against any defense any time.

So who has the advantage? The answer will likely come down to which defense steps up and makes the most big plays. The Colts may or may not be with Dwight Freeney and honestly, I see that playing a huge factor. If Freeney is in the game, the Colts will have a lot easier time getting pressure on Drew Brees and forcing him into throws he does not want to make. Even if they are not knocking him around, Drew Brees did not have a great game when facing a tough Minnesota D-Line. It certainly was not the Vikings' secondary stifling Brees as they are an average secondary at best. If the Colts can get pressure on Brees, they will own a huge advantage in this game.

On the other side it is the Saints defense and their knack for forcing turnovers. What is lost about the Vikings 5 turnovers against the Saints is that the Saints were causing those by punching the ball out and being in the right place at the right time to pick off bad passes by a QB. And let's not forget that the Saints were able to cause 3 other fumbles that the Vikings got back on top of. This team is good at forcing turnovers, but the question becomes can the Saints force Peyton Manning into mistakes? If they can pick Manning off and force Addai to fumble the ball, the Saints will own a huge advantage in this game.

Before we get to my final prediction in this game, I'd like to report that Super Bowl XLIV has already had its first wardrobe malfunction. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Merril Hoge in a thong at a celebrity beach volleyball tournament!

Scorched into my retina forever.

And now, moving on back to my final prediction. It will be close through 3, but in the end, I just don't see Peyton Manning losing a Super Bowl. Colts 30-20

NFC Championship Game Preview

What: Brett Favre's return to the NFC Championship!
Who: Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints
Where: Louisiana Superdome
When: 6:40 PM ET
What Channel: Fox
Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver and Chris Myers

We saw him 2 years ago in this game in this time slot throw what many thought would be his last pass: an interception into the hands of Corey Webster that ultimately resulted in the Giants kicking a game-winning field goal in overtime sending them to the Super Bowl. But after contemplating retirement and retiring and unretiring 33 times, he is back in the NFC and he is back in the championship game, only this time, Brett Favre is a Viking.

From Undefeated To Not Undefeated: As the year went on and on, the Saints had become the favorite to go a perfect 16-0 in the regular season. However, after a 13-0 start, they would go on to drop their next 3 games and they went from the team to beat, to the team everyone was questioning heading into the postseason. The New Orleans Saints dispatched of the Arizona Cardinals last week, turning it into a romp the second that Kurt Warner got hurt. That Cardinal defense was not meant to defend the kind of offense the Saints use (come to think of it...is the Cardinals defense designed to stop any offense?) and they took advantage of it. The scored at will, Reggie Bush was on FIYAH!, and the final score indicated the ugliness of the blowout, but the question is, was that game a product of Saints resurgency, or a product of dreadful Cardinal defense combined with no offense when Warner got hurt?

OMGWTF Favre!: I brought it up earlier, but in case you have not heard yet, Brett Favre is back in the NFC Championship game! He will get what will most likely be his last and best shot at returning to the Super Bowl. However, the big key to the game for the Vikings may not be Favre, but rather, the running game. The Vikings easily dispatched of the Cowboys last week, but one fact remains and that is they did most of it without the benefit of Adrian Peterson tearing up the Cowboys. If the Saints can continue the streak and force a bad game on Peterson and thus force Favre to throw passes in a championship game, you can expect ye olde gun slinger to be making throws to guys in black jerseys.

Defense wins championships: And in a game that is sure to be filled with offense, the winner of this game will come down to the team that can play the best defense. It sounds cliche and rather basic, but if you think about it, that is what this game really could come down to. Who can make that final defensive stop? Just like you can expect special teams to make a big difference in Indy, the team that makes the most big plays on defense in this offensive game, will be going to Sun Life Stadium and will be playing in Super Bowl XLIV.

Prediction: With no drama shortage in this game, you can expect an offensive shootout with lots of points scored and teams seemingly scoring at will. However, I like the match-up of Brees and his WRs versus the Vikings secondary then I do Favre and his WRs versus the Saints secondary. Basically what I am saying is that Brees will heave and connect on deep bombs at will and while the Vikings will get quite a few points themselves this game, the defense of the Saints will step up when they need them the most and give the Saints and the fans of New Orleans something to celebrate 4 and a half years after Hurricane Katrina. 38-27 Saints

AFC Championship Game Preview

What: Super Bowl III rematch
Who: The New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium
When: 3:00 PM ET
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, SR: Steve Tasker

For the first time since Super Bowl III, the Jets are playing the Colts in a championship game, and while Lucas Oil Stadium is now Orange Bowl, it should prove to be a similar game in terms of defense and low-scoring. If you want points, that will be for the NFC game which I will post a little later in the night, but for now, here is my breakdown of what will be the first of two championship games this Sunday.

Did The Colts Put The Jets In This Position? I'll answer that one with a simple no, they did not. Yes, I am aware of what happened on Week 16 with Peyton sitting in the 2nd half, it has been beaten into our heads ad nauseum, but you've got to consider the fact that for starters, the Jets hung in during the first half when Peyton was playing. They may not have had the lead at the end of the half, but the Jets were right in that game, thus they were in a very good position to win that game once Peyton did take a seat. And secondly, the Colts did not beat the Bengals, the Bengals, and the Chargers for the Jets. The Jets did that. Yes, the Bengals put in J.T. O'Sullivan in the 2nd half of that one, but the Jets already had a firm lead, were going to win anyway, and did not need Just Turnovers to give them more points.

Then, it was game on in the playoffs and the Jets took care of the Bengals and then they went on the road in San Diego and became the only road team last week to win. And while it may have been a surprise at the beginning of the year that the Jets are in the AFC title game, it should come as no surprise now. When they survived the AFC clusterfuck and made the playoffs, I said right off the bat that they would be the team to watch out for in my podcast, and what do you know, they are here. Why? Because they are built like the teams that have had success in the last decade. They have a dominant defense and a solid ground game that really pounds the ball. Just look at the 2000 Ravens, the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2005 Steelers, among others. They all won championships without a big name QB, an incredible defense, and a powerful running game featuring Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene.. That's what the Jets have this year.

Mark Sanchez: The Jets have proven that Mark Sanchez does not need to be great in order to win football games. Sanchez has to do one thing and one thing alone, not make the big mistake. If Sanchez avoids costly mistakes and turnovers, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Jets will be in this game in the 4th quarter.

Peyton Manning And The Colts Offense: Peyton has been in championship games before, but never has he been up against a corner quite like Darrelle Revis. Revis has been a lockdown corner all post-season long and if he continues to be so, Peyton Manning could find himself struggling. That being said, this is Peyton Manning we are talking about. He is a machine and if there is anyone that is capable of solving Revis and finding ways to pick apart a good defense, it is Peyton Manning. Even with mostly young receivers such as Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, the Colts passing game has not missed a beat, even if the running game has been close to nonexistent from Joseph Addai.

X-Factor: Special teams. In a game expected to be a defensive struggle, the team that can make the plays on special teams will certainly be at a more decisive edge. As far as who that team will be, frankly, I can't tell you, but I'm telling you, special teams will play a major role in this conference championship game.

Prediction This will not be a high-scoring thriller, but in the end, even though I think the Jets will keep it close throughout, Manning will get the job done in the 4th quarter and force Sanchez to make passes in the 4th quarter; passes that he won't be able to make. Colts 21-17.

(Coming up later tonight: NFC Championship Game Preview)

Divisional Playoff Predictions

If time allows it, I'll have much more elaborate previews of the conference championship games, but seeing as I've been busy writing the memoir that you will soon see on here and packing up my shit to head back to school (likely) later today.

With that being said, here are my final predictions for each of the games this weekend. And if you're smart, you'll run to Vegas, bet a lot of money on the team that I DON'T pick and you will be a millionaire in no time.

New Orleans over Arizona: I would not be shocked if we have yet another new record for highest scoring playoff game ever. However, I must say that I like the Saints at home in this one. They will be ready to play and will finally hand Arizona a playoff loss to an NFC foe.

Indianapolis over Baltimore: Baltimore will need to play a perfect just to stay close in this one. With Flacco's injury, I don't see how they will be able to keep up with the steady stream of points that we all know Peyton Manning and the Colts offense can put up on you.

Dallas over Minnesota: As much as it pains me to say it, it's the team that is peaking at the end of the year that does the most post-season damage. This year, that team is Dallas. Favre and co. might give them a run for their money but it's Brett Favre in the playoffs post-2000. If you're a Vikings fan, that should scare you greatly.

New York Jets over San Diegio: San Diego may have the longest win streak in the NFL right now, but if there is one proven fact of life, it is that, Norv Turner is not a big game coach. The Jets' defense is the best in the league and their running game can be dominating. For all the talk about how important QBs are, it's teams like the Jets that are the teams to watch out for in the playoffs. Sanchez is not going to put on an aerial show, he does not need to. All Sanchez needs to do is not make the big mistake in the game, and that is something that Sanchez has proven in the past that he can do.

Join Us For Some Live Bloggin Action

over at Keith's Sports Journal! It's the Niners vs. the Bears. It's Alex Smith vs. Jay Cutler. Okay, so the hype is really just an excuse to watch football on a Thursday, but who cares, I get NFL-N, it's a football game, and the playoff implications are quite high in this one.

Prediction: Niners 7, Bears 6
Total turnovers: Bears 6, Niners 7

Week 6 NFL Picks

The Phillies game must have unconsciously knocked me into a state of senility as I have resorted to basically screaming my NFL picks in a vlog. Enjoy!



For those too lazy to view the video, here are the picks written down.

Cincinnati over Houston
Green Bay over Detroit
Jacksonville over St. Louis
Minnesota over Baltimore
New York Giants over New Orleans
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Carolina over Tampa Bay
Kansas City over Washington
Philadelphia over Oakland
Arizona over Seattle
New England over Tennessee
New York Jets over Buffalo
Atlanta over Chicago
Denver over San Diego

NFL Week 4 Live Blog

Update:

Here are my picks:

My Week 3 Picks

I was busy hanging out tonight so I did this rather hastily without much rehearsal so prepare for some more awkwardness as well as another awkward early cutoff. I must be doing something wrong, now if only I could figure out what....



And for those too lazy or in a rush and don't have time and/or don't remember everything I said in that video, here ya go!

Philadelphia
Green Bay
Minnesota
Tennessee
Atlanta
Houston
New York Giants
Detroit
Baltimore
Chicago
New Orleans
San Diego
Denver
Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
Dallas

I'm heading to the BU Football game tomorrow at noon, so I won't be around until 3-3:30 or so for the KSJ open thread and the Pammies. We're ranked #4 in the nation and we are taking on CW Post at home at BU's very own Redman Stadium, so I'm pumped about that.

My Week 2 Picks

I am trying out a new style for this, vlogging via YouTube! For the first time ever (if you did not search my name on Facebook) who will see my beautiful shining voice as well as these wonderfully dolcet tones. My apologies in advance for the awkward cut off at the end. I'm not quite sure what happened, but I was not about to re-make this just because my last remarks about the Colts-Dolphins and my closing comments were cut off at the very end.

Anyway, enjoy and in case the MLB sticklers decide to delete the video because I had the Phillies game on in the background, (to them the vague audio that might have been picked up may be a violation of copyright and what not and my video may get deleted), I have my picks re-stated below the video.



In the future, I'll try to make these shorter as I was not aware how long I was until I was finished. Anyway, I was about to say the person who decided to make this a Monday night game should be fired or shot or something. That was followed by a few closing comments where I basically re-stated my point about the Saints-Eagles games and signed off by saying "peace". I couldn't think of anything else. The cutoff at the end notwithstanding, let me know what you think? Like it? Hate it? And be honest, if you think that fucking sucked, then please let me know, as I won't do it again. Thanks and I hope you enjoyed it!

Update: If you don't want to get through that, here are my picks below. I had originally planned on putting this in here, but I guess I just forgot or something. Oh well....

Atlanta
Minnesota
Green Bay
Arizona
Kansas city
New England
New Orleans
Tennessee
Washington
Buffalo
Seattle
Pittsburgh
Denver
San Diego
New York Giants
Indianapolis

My Week 1 Picks

So here ya go. And just so you know, there is a basic rule for this if you want to make money. Pick the opposite team that I pick and go to Las Vegas with that pick. Easiest way ever to make a fortune.

Pittsburgh over Tennessee (1 for 1! Yeay-yah!)

Atlanta over Miami (Both won't be as good as last year. Miami is more of a 1 hit wonder though than Atlanta).

Baltimore over Kansas City (Yawn.....)

Philadelphia over Carolina (They've got a dangerous combo at RB.........and that's about it. Have I ever mentioned how happy I am that Macho Harris is B-Dawk's replacement at free safety?)

Cincinnati over Denver (Look, I'm not saying the Bengals are going to be any good this year, I'm just saying that the Broncos are going to suck epicly)

Minnesota over Cleveland (If they stay healthy, the Vikes will be really good. The same can't be said about the Browns)

Houston over New York Jets (Mark my words, Mark Sanchez will suck)

Indianapolis over Jacksonville (Peyton Manning could be surrounded by 10 high schoolers and the Colts would still win this game).

New Orleans over Detroit (New Lions uniforms FTW!)

Dallas over Tampa Bay (Both teams won't be any good. However, Tampa will rival Detroit, Denver, and Oakland as the worst in the NFL this year).

San Francisco over Arizona (I'm feeling the upset here).

New York Giants over Washington (Let the soon-to-be failed Haynesworth experiment in Washington begin!)

Seattle over St. Louis (Seattle will be so much better this year it's not even funny. Remember, the Seahawks were above all else a victim of the injury bug last year).

Green Bay over Chicago (Have I ever mentioned how overrated Jay Cutler and the Bears are this year? And to that point, the Packers are vastly underrated in my view. Watch out for the Pack this year. Just saying).

New England over Buffalo (I love watching 42-3 MNF games!)

San Diego over Oakland (See New England over Buffalo)

I'll be keeping track of my wins and losses as we go through the season, something that I will probably soon regret. I think I'm looking pretty good this week, but a big part of that is the fact that I don't think many games will be that competitive this week.

My Picks For The 2009 Season

There's only a few minutes until kickoff so with that being said, here are my picks for the teams that will make the playoffs (and just a little FYI, if the team I have up now is not the team I picked to win the division in our NFL Previews, that's because I changed my mind, as I have done a lot when it comes to trying to figure out who does what this year).

First off, my pick for tonight's game is for Pittsburgh to beat Tennessee. I will have more detailed picks on the weekend and MNF games tomorrow. If any of you are intersted in a picking the games competition, please let me know right now. Thanks!

NFC
1. Minnesota
2. Philadelphia
3. Atlanta
4. Seattle
5. New York
6. Green Bay

NFC Championship: Green Bay @ Philadelphia
Winner: Philadelphia

AFC
1. New England
2. Pittsburgh
3. Tennessee
4. San Diego
5. Indianapolis
6. Houston

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh @ New England
Winner: Pittsburgh

Super Bowl XLIV: Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh
Winner: Pittsburgh

If it makes Raven fans feel any better, I was torn between them and the Texans, who I think will finally go over the top this year and make the playoffs.

For those intersted in a live blog tonight, here it is! I have to run an errand will fast and will be a few minutes late, but I'll be there.

The Commander-In-Swish Is At It Again

We all know how publicized it was when President Obama made his predictions and filled out a bracket for the NCAA Tournament. Not only that, but he also correctly predicted North Carolina winning the whole sha-bang, which they ended up doing. And while it certainly was not a remarkable feat as the Tar Heels were one of the tourney favorites, but it certainly gives him some credibility when it comes to this sort of stuff. Which is why special attention should be made to his prediction of the NBA Finals between the Magic and the Lakers. The prediction: Lakers in 6. Via Yahoo! News

[President Obama] was on his way to the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn on Tuesday when a reporter shouted a question. The topic: Who is going to win the NBA championship, the Los Angeles Lakers or the Orlando Magic?

Said the smiling president: "Lakers in six, I think." In sports terms, that means the Lakers will win the best-of-seven series in six games. The series begins Thursday.

That settles it, then! The Lakers will take the title in 6 games. Hey, wait a minute, that's my prediction as well! Oh no....something's gotta give here. When it comes to predictions I'm never right and apparently President Obama is never wrong. This could get interesting....

And do join us for the live blog of The Great Confliction (right next to the Great Schism in terms of pivotal moments in history) on Thursday night right here beginning with Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals starting at 8 and eventually running into Game 1 of the NBA Finals starting at 9. Unless one game is a blowout, I'll be channel switching like crazy throughout the night. Even though Gary Bettman is a complete ass for allowing this to happen (Bettman being an ass is old news, but you get my point), it should still be a whole lotta fun.

Spoiling All Of Your Fun By Telling You Who Is Going To Win Each Of The Conference Finals Series

You all know how this works. If you want to go to Vegas and make a lot of money, you go to this site and read my predictions, you then take the opposite team that I pick and in a different number of games and if you bet enough, you will be an instant millionaire. So here it goes.

NHL Conference Finals:

The Detroit Red Wings will once again be The Best Of The West; this time they will do it by beating the Chicago Blackhawks in 6 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes will defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games and represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

NBA Conference Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers will continue their NBA Playoff dominance and roll over the Olrandl Magic in 5 games to advance to the NBA Finals.

The Denver Nuggets will shock the world and The Pride And Joy Of Lower Merion High School as they will defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games. Too bad that the Pride And Joy Of Upper Merion High School won't be the sideline reporter for the series...

If A Village Idiot Made Predictions For The NHL Playoffs, This Is What They Would Look Like

In case you have been living under a rock (i.e. you're one of the many that would rather watch tiddly winks than hockey) than I guess now is a better time than ever to remind you that the most grueling playoffs in all of sports start today (yes, even more so than the NBA, due to the physical nature of hockey). So what better way to commemorate this occasion than my giving you my always wrong and ill-informed predictions! So without further ado, if you want to know who wins, just take the opposite team that I predict and come up with a different number of games for the series to be determined in.

Starting in the Eastern Conference.....

The #1 Boston Bruins will beat the #8 Montreal Canadiens in 6 games.

The #2 Washington Capitals will beat the #7 New York Rangers in 5 games.

The #6 Carolina Hurricanes will beat the #3 New Jersey Devils in 5 games.

The #4 Pittsburgh Penguins will beat the #4 Philadelphia Flyers in 7 games.

Moving on out west....

The #1 San Jose Sharks will beat the #8 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Anaheim Ducks in 6 games.

The #2 Detroit Red Wings will beat the #7 Columbus Blue Jackets in 4 games.

The #6 St. Louis Blues will beat the #3 Vancouver Canucks in 7 games.

The #4 Chicago Blackhawks will beat the #5 Calgary Flames in 4 games.

Update: I forgot to mention this before in this post, but yes, I will have an open thread up tonight, as I will everyday for the Stanely Cup playoffs and the NBA playoffs when the time comes. So if you want to, please come and feel free to chat about the games. In all likelihood I'll just be like a regular reader and add my thoughts/analysis/commentar/PbP of exciting moments/announcer quotes (although I'll be watching the Flyers local broadcast, don't fret, Jim Jackson, Bill Clement, and rinkside analyst Steve Coates are good for a quote or 2 throughtout games) in the comments section.

An Exclusive Look At The Final Four

Here we come, Detroit! Tomorrow is one of the most dramatic days in sports and as we all know, that day is Final Four Saturday. And this year, we have two very different match-ups, but yet, I feel that they are both just as compelling and should be both be fun, despite the potential of 2 very different looking scoreboards by the end of the game.

Game 1: Michigan State vs. UConn

This will be our low-scoring game of the day. Michigan State will try for the slower tempo and UConn is not the team that can knock down 3s back to back to create a quicker tempo. Expect a Big 10 affair and I see this one being a close one down to the wire with the possibility of either pulling away. And even though it is UConn who will be sporting the home jersies, Michigan State will have the clear home-court advantage and that will be enough to put them over the top in this one. Yes, I just did say that. Michigan State will be going to the national championshii game.

Final Score: Michigan State 63, UConn 58.

Game 2: Villanova vs. North Carolina

Villanova has proven thus far in the tournament that they are not intimidated by the names on the front of the jersies (just ask UCLA, Duke, and to a lesser extent, Pitt). However, as a Nova fan, this is the team that scares me the most. And by scares me the most, I mean that, in my opinion, this is the de facto national championship game. I think both of these teams will be able to handle Michigan State or UConn. But back to this game, I see this as everything Villanova has, North Carolina has more and better of. Scottie Reynolds is a beast but he'll only be able to do so much. As much as I don't want to see it, the magical ride for the Wildcats will end in heartbreak in Detroit.

Final Score: North Carolina 88, Villanova 80.

Enjoy the Final Four everyone!

NCAA Tournament Spoilers Predictions

Well, I did it! I filled out my brackets, and you know what that means, if you don't know want to know who will be crowned the kings of college basketball, stop reading now! You've been warned....

Play-in-Game: Alabama State over Morehead State

Midwest Region

First Round
(1) Louisville over (16) Alabama State
(9) Siena over (8) Ohio State
(5) Utah over (12) Arizona
(4) Wake Forest over (13) Cleveland State
(11) Dayton over (6) West Virginia
(3) Kansas over (14) North Dakota State
(7) Boston College over (10) USC
(2) Michigan State over (15) Robert Morris

Second Round
Louisville over Siena
Wake over Utah
Kansas over Dayton
Boston College over Michigan State

Sweet Sixteen
Louisville over Wake
Kansas over Boston College

Elite Eight
Louisville over Kansas

Midswest Region Winner: Louisville

West Region

1st Round
(1) Connecticut over (16) Chattanooga
(8) BYU over (9) Texas A&M
(12) Northern Iowa over (5) Purdue
(4) Washington over (13) Mississippi State
(11) Utah State over (6) Marquette
(3) Missouri over (14) Cornell
(10) Maryland over (7) Cal
(2) Memphis over (15) CS Northridge

2nd Round
UConn over BYU
Northern Iowa over Washington
Missouri over Utah State
Maryland over Memphis

Sweet Sixteen
UConn over Northern Iowa
Missouri over Maryland

Elite Eight
UConn over Missouri

West Regional Winner: UConn

East Region

1st Round
(1) Pitt over (16) ETSU
(9) Tennessee over (8) Oklahoma State
(5) Florida State over (12) Wisconsin
(12) Portland State over (4) Xavier
(11) VCU (6) UCLA
(3) Villanova (14) American
(10) Minnesota over (7) Texas
(15) Binghamton over (2) Duke

2nd Round
Pitt over Tennessee
Florida State over Portland State
Villanova over VCU
Minnesota over Binghamton

Sweet Sixteen
Pitt over Florida State
Villanova over Minnesota

Elite Eight
Villanova over Pittsbugh

East Regional Winner: Villanova

South Region
1st Round
(1) UNC over (16) Radford
(8) LSU over (9) Butler
(5) Illinois over (12) Western Kentucky
(4) Gonzaga over (13) Akron
(11) Temple over (6) Arizona State
(3) Syracuse over (14) Stephen F. Austin
(7) Clemson over (10) Michigan
(2) Oklahoma over (15) Morgan State

2nd Round
North Carolina over LSU
Gonzaga over Illinois
Syracuse over Temple
Oklahoma over Clemson

Sweet Sixteen
Gonzaga over North Carolina
Oklahoma over Syracuse

Elite Eight
Gonzaga over Oklahoma

South Regional Winner: Gonzaga

Final Four
Louisville over UConn
Villanova over Gonzaga

Thus leaving Louisville and Villanova. And the 2009 Division I Men's National Basketball Champion will be.......(scroll down)





(more)




(getting closer)





(almost there)








LOUISVILLE!!!!!!


Update: Announcer Predictions:
Greensboro: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
Dayton: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
Philadelphia: Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
Portland: Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
Kansas City: Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
Miami: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
Minneapolis: Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
Boise: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

A Preview Of The Pro Bowl

What: A game that many men and most monkeys don't care about.
Who: The NFC and the AFC.
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii
When: 4:30 EST
What Channel: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
Announcer's Talking Point of the Game: Yawn.....let's discuss the Super Bowl, off-season moves, potential draft picks, and everything else that does not have to deal with this boring game.
Weather Forecast (Just to make everyone jealous): Partly Cloudy, 78 degrees

Okay, so it's the Pro Bowl and not too many people care (actually, hardly anyone cares), but Andy Reid is coaching this time around and that means we're going to be having fun in the sun in Hawaii! Andy Reid coaching a bunch of all stars always results in some sort of entertainment. Why? Because it's Andy Reid and it's so easy to make fun of him, especially when the game means nothing.

And just because I'm sure that pretty much everyone has forgotten who all is in the Pro Bowl, here is a run down of everyone that we will be seeing in Honolulu. First off, for the NFC, coached by none other than everyone's favorite challenge-wasting, useless timeout calling coach, Andy Reid!

Quarterback: Kurt Warner (Cardinals), Drew Brees (Saints), Eli Manning (Giants)
Running back: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Michael Turner (Falcons), Clinton Portis (Redskins)
Fullback: Mike Sellers (Redskins)
Wide Receivers: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Anquan Boldin (Cardinals), Steve Smith (Panthers), Roddy White (Falcons)
Tight End: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Chris Cooley (Redskins)
Offensive Tackle: Jordan Gross (Panthers), Flozell Adams (Cowboys), Jammal Brown (Saints)
Guard: Chris Snee (Giants), Steve Hutchinson (Vikings), Davin Joseph (Buccaneers)
Center: Andre Gurode (Cowboys), Shaun O'Hara (Giants)
Defensive End: Julius Peppers (Panthers), Justin Tuck (Giants), Jared Allen (Vikings)
Defensive Tackle: Kevin Williams (Vikings), Jay Ratliff (Cowboys), Pat Williams (Vikings)
Outside Linebacker: DeMarcus Ware (Cowboys), Lance Briggs (Bears), Julian Peterson (Seahawks)
Inside Linebacker: Patrick Willis (49ers), Jon Beason (Panthers)
Cornerback: Antoine Winfield (Vikings), Ronde Barber (Buccaneers), Al Harris (Packers)
Full Safety: Nick Collins (Packers), Brian Dawkins (Eagles)
Strong Safety: Adrian Wilson (Cardinals)
Punter: Jeff Feagles (Giants)
Kicker: John Carney (Giants)
Kick Returner: Clifton Smith (Buccaneers)
Special Teamer: Sean Morey (Cardinals)
Long Snapper: Zak DeOssie (Giants)

Wait a minute.....there's a Seahawk in the Pro Bowl? Holy Hell! I can't figure out for the life of me though why on earth no one from the Detroit Lions is in it. Weren't they perfect this year?

And now let's move onto the AFC. They will be coached by a disciple of everyone's favorite challenge wasting, useless timeout calling coach, John Harbaugh!

Quarterback: Peyton Manning (Colts), Jay Cutler (Broncos), Kerry Collins (Titans)
Running Back: Thomas Jones (Jets), Ronnie Brown (Dolphins), Marshawn Lynch (Bills)
Fullback: Le'Ron McClain
Wide Receiver: Andre Johnson (Texans), Brandon Marshall (Broncos), Reggie Wayne (Colts), Wes Welker (Patriots)
Tight End: Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs), Owen Daniels (Texans)
Offensive Tackle: Joe Thomas (Browns), Michael Roos (Titans)
Guard: Alex Faneca (Jets), Kris Dielman (Chargers), Brian Waters (Chiefs)
Center: Nick Mangold (Jets), Casey Wiegmann (Broncos)
Defensive End: Mario Williams (Texans), Dwight Freeney (Colts), Robert Mathis (Colts)
Defensive Tackle: Albert Haynesworth (Titans), Kris Jenkins (Jets), Shaun Rogers (Browns)
Outside Linebacker: James Harrison (Steelers), Joey Porter (Dolphins), Terrell Suggs (Ravens)
Inside Linebacker: Ray Lewis (Ravens), James Farrior (Steelers)
Cornerback: Nnamdi Asomugha (Raiders), Cortland Finnegan (Titans), Darrelle Revis (Jets)
Full Safety: Ed Reed (Ravens)
Strong Safety: Troy Polamalu (Steelers), Chris Hope (Titans)
Punter: Shane Lechler (Raiders)
Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)
Kick Returner: Leon Washington (Jets)
Special Teamer: Brendon Ayanbadejo (Ravens)
Long Snapper: Ryan Portland (Browns)

Prediction: The AFC looks like it has the better defense of the two teams, but there is definitley a dropoff at quarterback depth after Peyton Manning leaves the field. The NFC's QBs all have really good arms and even though that AFC secondary consists of two men that are often mistaken for God, in a game that is all about offense, the NFC has the edge over the AFC, and they will beat them by a score of 34-23.

Pro Bowl Rosters (NFL.com)

Your Exclusive Super Bowl XLIII Preview

What: Super Bowl XLIII
Who: The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
When: Kickoff is at 6:28
What Channel: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, John Madden, Andrea Kremer, Alex Flanagan
Announcers Talkng Point of the Game: The Arizona Flippin' Cardinals are in the Super Bowl???
Weather Forecast: 62 Degrees, Partly Cloudy

Analysis: Well then, if you said at the beginning of the season that the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers would play each other in the Super Bowl you would have been labeled stockraving mad. Hell, if on New Years day you said that the Cardinals and the Steelers would be in the Super Bowl, you would have been called certifiably insane. But alas, that's what we got. It's the Cardinals and the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII!

Larry Fitzgerald has been on fire this post-season. He has set the record for most receiving yards in a post-season. He has made sensational play after sensational play just ripping through anything the opposing team's defense has thrown at them. So the question becomes, can the Pittsburgh defense contain Fitzgerald? If the answer is yes, the Steelers should have no problem winning this game, but containing Warner-to-Fitzgerald is so much easier said than done. Then again, if there's one defense in the NFL that is capable of such a feat, it's the #1 ranked defense in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The success of the Steelers' offense comes with the running game. Ben Roethlisberger is an efficient quarterback, if he is not passing it all the time. Which is why the Steelers cannot fall behind early in this one. The Cardinal defense has been picking balls off left and right this post-season, and if it becomes obvious passing situations, the Steelers will be in trouble.

Prediction: It should be a very entertaining game, to say the least. And one in which, quite frankly, I'm not quite sure what to expect. It's not like last year's Super Bowl where it had all the appeal the network would want to the causal fan. But to someone like me who is a diehard NFL fan, it presents an interesting matchup with a guaranteed historic outcome. Either Kurt Warner will be the first quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with 2 different teams or the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the first team in NFL history to win 6 Super Bowls. As much respect as I have for the Cardinals and the fact that I've picked against them 3 times and have been wrong all 3 times, I have to go with the latter of the historic events occuring. Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 16

AFC Championship Game Preview

What: A re-match of Walt Coleman's latest gaffe
Who: The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When: 6:30 EST
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: After losing two heart breakers to the Steelers, can the Ravens finally beat the Steelers?
Weather Forecast: 60% chance of snow showers, 25 degrees
Regular Season Meetings: Week 4: Steelers 23, Ravens 20; Week 15: Steelers 13, Ravens 9

Analysis: I don't know much about Ed Reed's religion, but one thing is for sure. God worships Ed Reed. Reed is a complete beast and he is everywhere and anywhere on the football field every and any play. There's a reason the Raven defense is once again one of the best in the league and a whle heck of a lot of it has to do with the play of Reed and Ray Lewis.

Wait a minute, great defense? Well how about the Steelers? They're the #1 defense in the NFL! This game is a battle of the top 2 defenses in the NFL (the Eagles are #3) and it should be one heck of a dandy, especially if the regular season games are signs of things to come.

Well, we know that both defense are going to do their thing, so let's look at the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers are led by veteran quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who while not having the best year of his career, has come through in the most clutch moments for the Steelers this season, with one of the most notable being Week 15 at Baltimore. The Steelers running back, Willie Parker, is the engine that makes this offense go. If the Steelers can't establish the running game, they can find themselves in trouble. However, if they can, they will definitley be in the game and most likely leading.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Raven offense is led by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. Although nowhere near dazzling, Flacco has in no way hurt his team, something which the Ravens struggled with under Kyle Boller and Steve McNair. The rookie has done a real solid job and while his short and intermediate passes may need some work, the man knows how to throw a beautiful deep ball. The Ravens also have a running game that is the key to the offense, led by Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. And much like the Steelers, this Ravens offense will go as the running game goes.

With two evenly matched teams, I see 2 x-factors in this game. The weather (remember, there is a chance of snow) and special teams. The team that makes the most big plays on special teams likely will come away victorious in this one.

Prediction: I subscribe to a theory that it is very difficult for a team in the NFL to go up to a team that it is evenly matched up with and beat them 3-times in a season. And that is exactly what the Steelers are up against, having beat the Ravens twice in the regular season in the final minute. However, Heinz Field in the snow is a tough place for any road team to win, regardless of time of year and stakes of the game. You know the Pittsburgh faithful are going to show up in full force and they will be determined to force Flacco and co. into false starts and making mistakes (as if the Pittsburgh defense is not enough). But in the end, I see the Ravens finally getting the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the game that means the most. Ravens 13, Steelers 10.