Phillies vs Dodgers- Running Journal

Welcome back everyone. I know what you are thinking, “two articles in less then a month, how did I get so freaking lucky!!!”  Ok, so you are probably thinking “This isn’t the porn site I clicked on?“ but since you are already here, might as well keep reading. I really wanted to do a long detailed column on football this week, but unfortunately, the whole job thing got in the way. So I decided tonight I am going to try for the first time ever a running journal. I am going to watch the Phils vs Dodgers and take notes of my thoughts, feelings, etc at the time. IF this works out, maybe next time I will do this with live comments from my readers or you guys who accidentally got here when you tried to click on porn, but whatever.

3:57- I am incredibly nervous about this game and hate that I am still working. I really need to hook up a TV in my office, this is stupid. My plan is to have the game on and rewind any time I hear screaming or yelling. I can’t believe I am about to root for Pedro in the playoffs.

4:12- Checked the game just in time to see Howard pop out for the final out of the first inning 0-0. When I look at Howard I think two incredibly different things; first that he looks like such a nice, lovable guy; second, he could probably beat the crap out of me and all my friends if he felt like it. Does anyone else elicit those feelings? 2006 Big Papi?

4:36- So far 6 men up and 6 men down for Pedro, great stuff. At this point, I have seen a total of 8 pitches in this game and I am starting to lose it.

4:46- Padilla just threw a 96 MPH fastball followed by a 55 MPH breaking ball!!! Are you kidding me, you can’t have that much of a speed difference on the freaking Wii. I’ve always maintained that normal people would crush pitchers who throw all off speed stuff, simply because that would be all you could hope to hit. If someone throws it 90 I’m probably running away, but slow down and I’m going to hit the crap out of the ball (hopefully it would make it out of the infield).

5:00- Game is flying along. We’re going into the top of the 4^th and the score is 0-0 with 1 hit for each team. When I watch something like baseball it makes me laugh at Tiger Woods. The dude freaks out if you break wind in his backswing cause it messes him up. Seriously! Have you seen the noise that is made at baseball games when these guys are trying to hit a moving 98 MPH ball that’s possibly spinning towards them? I’m not saying, I’m just saying.

5:05- What makes me happier, the sound of the bat hitting the ball or the look of the pitcher as Ryan Howard rounds the bases? There really is no right answer to this question.

5:38- I’m officially done work and focused on the game. Top 6^th 1-0 with Rollins up. Speaking of which, Rollins needs to pick it up if were going to have a shot at winning it all.

5:40- Rollins strikes out, nice. I know people talk about Harry Kalas, but I don’t think the story gets enough attention. No disrespect to the Angels, because its always hard when a young and bright talent passes away, but no way any player means as much to their team as Harry meant to Philly. It’s just not possible; the guy was the voice of Philly. I just pray that I can utter the sentence “The fightin Phils did this one for Harry!”

5:50- I hate one run games, they make me sick to my stomach. I remember hearing one time that no true fan ever enjoys a good game from their team. It is so true, a good game and you’re breathing heavy, screaming at the TV and just freaking out. Give me a blow out already so I can relax, I mean, it’s Friday. On a completely different note, the only cheers that I ever hear from these Dodger fans is “Philly Sucks”, I mean really, you can’t root for your team instead.. Negative karma will come back to you. End of the 6^th inning 1-0 Phillies.

5:57- I’m not exactly a baseball guy, but I would walk Ryan Howard with an open base. I mean he’s got an RBI in every postseason game this year and 15 in the last 9, just seems to make sense.

Great comment from my brother on Pedro’s game so far “Soul glow is apparently just as effective as HGH at reviving old pitchers careers!” He makes a great point, if he pitches in Philly he might have to worry about that mop freezing to the back of his neck.

The Viagra commercial with the guy talking to his own reflection just came on and it really bothers me….how can your reflection know more then you about a medical condition then you do? Shouldn’t this guy talk to his doctor about his reflection talking too him?

6:09- Manny whiffs and strikes out, WOW! Pedro is looking awesome and I feel horrible writing that because I am writing this live.

Holy rusted metal batman! Thought that might be a HR. So Pedro has gone through 7 innings and hasn’t thrown 90 pitches yet…do you pull him? Will he get hurt if you leave him out there?

No matter how many times he says it, I don’t believe Lopez tonight is going to be very funny. Why are there so many half good comedians getting talk shows? It doesn’t make sense to me.

6:15- The problem with writing a running journal on a baseball game is that you have no idea how long its going to be. Last night if I would have done this, there would have been opportunity for two pages worth of thought in the 5^th inning alone. Tonight, we got to the 8^th in under two hours, life is funny that way.

6:19- Dobbs is pinch hitting for Pedro after Ruiz was just walked with one out. It will be interesting to see how this will play out, I think it is the right decision; you don’t want to risk hurting him if he can do this type of start again in the playoffs. Dodgers are pulling Padilla as well, great game from both starters.

These black taco commercials from Taco Bell are absolutely hilarious. Not the way I think they mean them to be though, I would never ever eat something called a black taco. It sounds like the name of a gross sex move or a stripper in some seedy bar in a really bad area. If I’m sitting next to someone that orders a black taco I’m yelling “Joke Off” immediately.

Side Note: Joke off is something that my friends and I do when someone says something that was meant to be serious, but has an easy 5 jokes that could be made to make it dirty. Someone yells joke off and then everyone delivers their best one liner and a winner is chose, great times.

6:28- This isn’t insightful or funny, how is Craig Sager taken seriously? His suits would have been a joke in the freaking 70’s.

Blake hits a ball off of Feliz’s glove for a lead off single. Feliz has been a big pile of dung so far in the playoffs. Juan Pierre is coming in to pinch run, my stomach is more contorted then Jenna Jamison’s face in a snuff flick.

6:31- They bunt and Park and Howard boss miss the freaking ball. A runner on first and second with nobody out and maybe pulling Pedro wasn’t the greatest idea ever. I need a drink, or 4.

6:36- Were still on Russel Martin batting, baseball is taking years off my life, now it’s a full count……

6:38- Easy double play, the exact way you want it, and for the second night in a row Utley makes a horrible throw. It is not what you expect from him, but its happened two games in a row. Game is tied up, there is 1 out and a man on 1^st and Chan Ho Park gets pulled.

6:42- Dodgers are gaining momentum, Thome gets a hit and gets Martin to 3^rd and there is still only one out. Manuel is now pulling Scott Eyre…I have to say, this freaking playoffs I have never seen so many pitchers get pulled so fast, it makes the game take too long.

Kobe is at the game and is apparently a Dodgers fan even though he grew up in Philly. Ya know what Kobe, GOOD, no one likes you anyhow, and you’re a dick!

6:46- Ryan Madson was just brought in to pitch and I’m not sure how I feel. 2007 Madson I would be thinking please god don’t pitch a curveball. 2008 Madson I would say inning is over. 2009 Madson, I have no idea what is going to happen and I do not like it. Did I say I agreed with pulling Pedro? I was just kidding; can we put him back in?

6:49- 3-1 count and the chances of me getting too drunk tonight are increasing by the minute, if he walks him I am going…..live journal ladies and gentleman, thank god I didn’t decide what I was going to do because he did walk him. Here comes Matt Kemp and Jack Daniels.

6:52- STRIKE OUT!! That was huuuuuuuge. Need a quick out now and get out of the inning, but wait, were switching pitchers again, why not? It was 6:15 when the 8^th inning started, its still going.

Stop telling me that these teams have the most come back wins and walk off wins and good road records already. It’s the NLCS, the two teams there having really good records and winning close games is not really all the surprising.

6:58- They just had a shot of Kobe wearing glasses and trying to look like Spike Lee, I hate that guy.

7:00- The count is full, the bases are loaded, there are two outs in the bottom of the 8^th…..and he freaking walks him to get the lead. Maybe if Manuel wasn’t changing pitchers as often as he has to change his freaking diaper someone could get a rhythm. How does it make sense to change pitchers every batter?  My brother Randy again “I feel like I am watching a little league game where everyone has to play.”

7:03- And the correct answer was Chad Durbin ladies and gentleman. Bases are still loaded and Manny comes in and pops out on the first pitch. Thank god because if he went more pitches I would have lost my mind. Top of the 9^th, top of the order and it’s a one run game. I will say this, if someone gets on base, and Ryan Howard gets up, it’s a tie game.

7:07- Broxton vs Rollins, its time to make a mark Rollins…..grounds out!

7:10- Shane grounds out so there are two outs. Utley is up to bat with a chance to make up for his error, I’m not having fun anymore, I’m rocking, I’m nervous……someone show a clip of Matt Stairs and make me feel better already.

7:13- Fly ball for the final out of the game. As much as I love the guy, there is no ignoring the fact that Chase Utley cost us tonight’s game and nearly cost us last nights games. With that being said, I would almost bet money that he is out of this world this Sunday.

So there we are, the series is tied at 1-1 but Philly now has home field advantage and Cliff Lee coming up. I am going to break some things now and get drunk. Good day….I SAID GOOD DAY!

Been A long Time

Well hello hello!  I’d ask if you missed me but let’s be honest, I don’t exactly have regular readers. But here we are the football season has started, playoffs are almost here in baseball, time for me to get back to writing. This blog is something I have definitely missed doing, I could lie and give a bunch of reasons why it feel off, but to be realistic, it was simply a lot of life changes and me being lazy.  Thanks go out to some good friends who have encouraged me to get back into this, it really is appreciated.  Today to get back in the swing of things, I plan on bitching about FSU football for a bit before giving my weekly NFL picks. Please feel free to message me if you would like me to write about a certain topic.

FSU FOOTBALL

It is almost ironic that I call this blog style quick hits, cause that’s what the game this past weekend felt like. A quick hit to my stomach. I love FSU, Bobby, Micky….but the reality is just staring us in the face now, these guys can not cut it. Of course we still win some big games like BYU. There is far too much talent on FSU’s squad (and there always will be) to not win games, but that does not make us a good team. I truly believe that the biggest issue on our team is heart, and if you look further into that, it comes down to recruiting. In the current age of wide spread media, twitter, every idiot having their own blog (wait what) the recruiting field is more of an even playing field then it has ever previously been. Of course certain school (FSU included) have an edge because they are “Football Powerhouses” but the fact remains top level recruits are going to hometown schools with the knowledge that it will not effect their pro future. Miami and FSU are shinning examples of how you can have lots of pro talent and still not be in the upper echelon of college football. So how do you get an edge? You need to have kids with heart, guys that will go out and win games old school, because they want it more, because they need it more.  FSU has continued to get top notch recruits, but apparently our coaching staff does not understand how to measure heart, how to measure intelligence, how to measure character. Look at the incidents that have happened in the past 3 years, the cheating scandal, the brawl; before they ever got to the football field players on this team proved football was not their top priority. I’m not exactly sure what the answer is, but I do believe FSU has gotten to the point where no coach should be safe and discipline needs to be established, and thats all I gots to say about that!

Football Picks (pick in Caps)

LIONS (+10.5) at Bears

Fact- Jay Cutler is a bag of douche, it had to be said. I could deal with forcing your way off a team cause you are a giant baby, but turning on your fan base the way he did is just classless. But I’ll tell you what, if you miss the good old days of all american preppy tool QBs then this is the game for you! I don’t as much think that the Lions will win this game as I think it will be a close game. Megatron, Stafford, Smith and Pettigrew make up an incredibly talented young core and I am not overly impressed with the Bears D. I could actually see this being a 14 point game until the final minutes when Johnson breaks for a huge touchdown and crushes your teaser pick….just saying.

BENGALS (-5.5) at Cleveland

I just stepped into some dog shit, let me clean it off in some horse manor! That ladies and gentleman is a metaphor for replacing Brady Quinn with Derek Anderson as your starting QB. Braylon Edwards claims that this will be great for him as DA will look to hit him downfield, the major question that remains is will Edwards actually hold onto the ball. The nice little subplot that no one is talking about, trouble Cedric Benson going to the Bengals, the FREAKING BENGALS, and getting his act together. If you like Ochocinco touchdown celebrations, I predict a fun weekend.

Seahawks (+8.5) at COLTS

Peyton Manning went into his first season as a starter without Harrison on the field, loses his head coach  and A Gonz bust his knee in week 1 while Bob Sanders (shockingly) is injured. This sounds like a formula for disaster….unless you remember that Peyton Manning is your starting QB and then your realize this is the formula for MVP season. It begs the question, has the NFL ever had a starting QB that was also the Offensive Cordinator? I mean officially? Cause we are moving in that direction. Seattle has Seneca Wallace starting at QB and banged up corners, so basically, start anyone and everyone you have from the Colts team.

GIANTS (-9.5) at Chiefs

In other news Todd Haley and Eric Mangini are in a dead heat for fastest coach to alienate his team award. Haley probably has a slight edge as Mangini has previously won the award in the past. As for the football game, if you like to play Madden against people who have never played before and see how many silly things you can do while shutting them out, then this is the game for you!

BUCS (+7.5) at Skins

Really? The team that just lost to the Lions is getting a touchdown spread????? I actually went to Skins training camp this summer and remember thinking that they seemed very nonchalant as they ran thru drills. The Skins offense is awful, the Bucs offense is awful, both teams are awful. Still, I think this game has a very good chance of being 6-0 or 3-0 or 3-3 tie, since I can’t see either team scoring a touchdown I don’t think either team will win by a touchdown.

TITANS (+2.5) at Jags

I think Jeff Fisher gets wayyyyyyyyyyy more credit then he deserves as a coach. Last year, at 2-0 VY was benched in favor of Kerry Collins. This year, at 0-3 Fisher will not consider running the wildcat (talked about this last year) even though his players are begging him to. Regardless, I like this Jags team even less, think they have a worse coach and don’t think they should have won last week. The Titans are hungry for a victory and Chris Johnson has enough talent to beat a bad team by himself, plus Lendale White will not fumble into the Ezone. Look for the Titans to get a win on the board and if not, look for the Titans to go about 0-6 with a rough schedule up ahead.

Raiders (+9.5)  at TEXANS

A pair of number 1 picks facing off should be much more exciting then this game looks to be. Mario Williams has quieted critics of his selection spot by becoming one of the leagues most complete Defensive Ends. Jamarcus Russel, not so much, he couldn’t hit Rhianna in a parked car…..Too Soon?  There is much more fight between the coaches then on the Raiders team, look for them to look lousy yet again.

RAVENS (+2.5) at Patriots

Better Defense + Better Offense= Beating a team by more than a FG. New England will not be able to stop the two headed monster from Baltimore and that will just give way to play action pass and big strikes down field by the young gunner. Ed Reed has yet to return a TD and its week 4, so yeah, I expect a big play from him. Is it weird that ever since the “offensive genius” Billick has left the Ravens offense has gotten steadily better?

Jets (-6.5) at SAINTS

To me the hardest game of the week to pick. I love what the Jets are doing so far this season and I can at least say from a fantasy point of view, this will be a down week for Colston who has to go up against Revis all day. But, its at home for N.O. and there is nothing big on the line so Brees shouldn’t choke (yea thats right, I said it). Could be a real big day for Shockey and I wouldn’t be suprised at all if special teams was what decided this game. It’s always fun to watch strength vs strength and that is exactly what this game is.

BILLS (-1.5) at Dolphins

From worse to first and back to worse. The good news for all you Dolphin fans, Henne can actually throw the ball downfield so we might finally get to see what Ted G is really made of. Look for Edwards to force the ball to T.O. early in this game to avoid his bitching, but in the end, the Bills look like a far better team. As a side note, Tyler Thigpen who was recently acquired in a trade with the Chiefs is potentially the best QB at this game.

Dallas (-3.5) at BRONCOS

This is when football experts out think themselves. Dallas has two wins, they thumped Tampa (awful team) and they pulled one out against the Panthers (awful team). They looked bad in almost every game, Romo makes bad decisions and Ware with his new fat contract can’t get to the Quarterback. Felix Jones is out this weekend and Barber is at best not 100%. While I do think Tashard Choice is a very solid backup, when the strength of your offense is your running game and your starting your third stringer you got problems. Denver on the other hand does not have the most impressive victories in the world but they have been winning. The new leadership of Brian Dawkins can not be understated and it seems that B Marshall is finally on board. Look for Elvis Dumervill to get to Romo and get him rattled. Regardless, 3-0 home teams are probably going to be a little fired up to be dogs in this game and I think its time for Moreno to have his welcome to the NFL party.

Rams (+10.5) at 49ERS

Steven Jackson meet Patrick Willis and a very hard day ahead. This 9ers defense is clicking on all cylinders and is very unhappy after losing on a last second TD play from Brett Favre. Vernon Davis took a while, but the kid seems to finally get it and no one has ever questioned his athletic talent. Frank Gore being out will just cause this offense to be more aggresive and I don’t see anyone on the Rams defense that will step up to stop them.  Maybe Spags should drop his pants at halftime to get his teams attention….its worked before.

CHARGERS (+6.5) at Steelers

Steelers win this game, but in the last seconds on a comeback drive by Big Ben. San Diego’s corners don’t seem to get it so far this season, so it’ll be interesting to see, but Phillip Rivers will get his points as well. It’s amazing to look at this game and feel like the running game from both teams will not be a factor. With Polamalu still out look for Sproles to have some big plays in space. A key matchup to watch for in this game is Lawrence Timmons on Antonio Gates, should be quite the battle.

PACKERS (+3.5) at Vikings

This has nothing to do with picking the game correctly, I want to see Favre lose this game and lose it bad. I don’t think its a question, right now, Aaron Rodgers is a better QB. To me Favre is the NFL’s version of Roger Clemens (minus all the steroid BS). I can not argue that the TD pass at the end of last weeks game was amazing, but Favre looked damn good the first couple of weeks as a Jet too. Reality wise though, Rodgers is probably in for a long day with a lot of hits and might go down faster than Lindsay Lohan on Saturday night after 3 lines and two beers.

So that’s that folks. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I’ll catch you later.

MG

Well it has been entirely too long, but with all the things going on in Philly sports right now it’s time for an article. So without further ado, here are some of my quick hits, this or that, or whatever the hell it is I call my ADD style of writing.

 

SIXERS IN THE PLAYOFFS

 

This is really not that exciting of a subject. I mean, great job, and kudos to the team for finishing in the 6^th seed after Elton Brand went down. However, I don’t understand the coaching at times…or most of the time actually. Why the hell does Willie Green start? Why is Reggie Evans getting minutes over Mareese Speights? Personally, I would have rather not made the playoffs (which would have been an amazing feat since we pulled it off with those two shmos getting major minutes) and seen Speights develop. Look at the league this year, no way in HELL we make the finals. Only way were coming out of round 1 is if Tonia Harding decided to hit Dwight Howard in the knee cap.

 

For a positive side though, I think Iguadola continues to be one of the most underappreciated talents in the entire NBA. The fact that once again he was looked over for the All-Star game when he is our best defender (one of the best in the league) and our primary scorer is just ridiculous. I use to always tell everyone all about Bill Simmons articles, but in his latest MVP column he had a blurb on Ray Allen and nothing on Iggy. So Mr. Simmons, I ask you this question, how uncomfortable is it with all those, eh, well, you know, in your mouth?

 

FLYERS IN THE PLAYOFFS

 

I’ll never pretend to be the biggest hockey fan in the world, and unfortunately I’ve drifted further and further away the last couple of years. I always love playoffs though; the energy in hockey playoffs is hard to match anywhere. I tried to stay up to date with the team, I followed how many goals that Carter has scored this season, I know little more. What I do know is that after watching game 1 of the series, it doesn’t look great. The team seemed overmatched, out hustled and were getting knocked around. I sure hope this is an aberration, but if not, were not in for a long playoff series.

 

THE EAGLES

 

And now onto my bread and butter, my boys, what I really love, some FOOTBALL!!! It was just announced today that the Eagles have completed a deal for LT Jason Peters pending a physical and new contract. This was a great great great move. We now went from two very consistent but aging tackles to two guys who could be anchoring the line for as long as their predecessors before them. People were talking early that this was a very poor offseason for the Eagles; those people might want to check themselves at this point. As much as I liked Runyan and Thomas over the years, I always felt they were somewhat overrated. They were good, no doubt, and better then average easily, but neither of them were ever Top 5 kinds of guys in my eyes (Thomas maybe 6 years ago.) Now we have Stacy Andrews, a raw beast of a man that will be molded by Castillo into a force. The addition of Peters means that the Andrews brothers will most likely play next to each other. As a guy who has brothers, I can not imagine how excited these two our. If it were me, it would be a non stop game. I suck at basketball, one of the only people who know how to make me look good is my brother. He knows the two shots that I am capable of making, where to get me the ball and where to look for the ball from me. That’s too talent stricken Jews playing Bball!!! Imagine two Pro Bowl caliber O-Line guys having this type of fun. I can see it now:

 

Stacy “Hey how much did they pay Haynesworth again?”

Shawn “Not enough for what were going to do to him.”

Stacy “Pile on???”

Shawn “Pile on!!!”

 

Alright admittedly I’m a 5 year old, but still I’m giddy. Short yardage problems? Not when the O-line averages around 350 and Leonard Weaver is the guy in front of Westbrook. A real FB, what an amazing concept.

 

Now let’s talk what they will do next, because the Eagles still hold the 24^th pick and about 9 others in this draft.

 

Option 1- Draft Moreno, have a two horse system that will be scary good and Westbrook’s replacement when he eventually hangs them up. I like this concept, Westbrook says he feels good going into the year, but you are kidding yourself if you think he is not injury prone. It would be another great weapon and smart since our O-line is so beefy.

 

Option 2- Draft Pettigrew and finally have a real threat TE. I like Celek, a lot, more then most. But be real, Pettigrew is a major upgrade and would be that real red zone threat that we have needed. He would be a great compliment to the speed of Jackson and Curtis and really open up the middle of the field.

 

Option 3- Trade for a Veteran WR. Here is my stance on this one, if it’s Boldin, break the bank. Give them a 1, 3, and 6. The guy is an amazing football player, not just a WR. He will bring a lot of what I just said Pettigrew brings to the team, plus an added toughness. The guy is built to be a west coast type WR. My biggest concern with Boldin is that he has injury problems. Add that to the facts that were trading away a bunch of picks for what is not our biggest need and it might not be worth it. We shall see. I’m not too keen on the other WRs available by trade, Edwards is not worth the price that is being asked. He had one great year and has been mostly a disappointment, he drops too many balls, and he seems to be me first. Ocho Cinco, 2^nd round sure, 1^st round get bent.

 

Option 4- There are other WRs who would be available at this slot, Percy Harvin could be a good idea because the Eagles would really use a talent like him, plus he could take over return duties if Jackson and Demps are starting. I don’t love the D talent at this spot, but its not out of the realm of possibilities that the Iggles trade up to get Maclin, a dominant D player, who knows.

 

Here is what I do know. Things are looking up and things are looking great. Those critics who felt the Eagles were being too conservative better start changing their tune, cause its looking real promising right now.

Championship Weekend

Hello and welcome back! Remember how last week I said I was able to be calm because of the WS victory and all that, well you can throw that out the window. I love the Phillies, and the WS was amazing, it truly made me happy for, well, I’m still happy. However, the Eagles are my favorite team! There is no truer expression then “I BLEED GREEN!” I named a dog after Brian Dawkins, I’ve gotten into countless debates about McNabb, maybe it would make more sense to say “I breathe green” (although that doesn’t really sound healthy). This weekend was AMAZING and I have to say, regardless of how this season ends, I will always have a place in my heart for this team, it is one of my favorites of all time. So without further ado, I will break down this weekends matchups and a quick note, how many other people do you know who went 3-1 in their picks this weekend? I even said that AZ had a chance, gotta get props for that one!

AFC-Ravens vs Steelers

This is the third matchup this season of two bitter rivals. Make no mistake, no one is over exaggerating this is going to be an out an out slug fest. I’m talking hits so hard you have snot bubbles coming out! To me, this game comes down to two major factors- Pitts Oline and Joe Flacco.  I’m not saying Flacco because he is a rookie QB, sure that factors in, but here is the reality, he is playing one of the greatest defensive teams of all time. What he has at his disposal is a good to great running game and an amazing Def. He needs to take only what he’s given, throw the same passes he did against the Titans (Masons TD) and that will get picked this game. The Oline for Pitt is a much clearer subject, but here is the thing, as of right now they are playing awesomely. Last week was their best performance of the entire year. And for a team like Baltimore, who has already lost twice to the Steelers, that is not good news. This game could really go either way, I wouldn’t be slightly suprised if Big Ben trying to do too much leads to an INT that changes the game. However, with the way the Steelers are playing lately, I think they win this one. Final score- 13-10.

NFC-Eagles vs Cardinals

Well you don’t really have to be a rocket scientist to know my prediction here, but lets talk about this game anyhow. I don’t think the Cards running game stands a chance. Hopefully, they will make an attempt at getting it going and make this a game, but unlike many experts think, the Eagles will shut this down first. Stewart Bradley and Co are going to punish everyone at the line. The main obstacle for the Eagles Defense is going to be, duh, the AZ Wrs. You can play perfect coverage on Fitzy and he is going to catch balls anyhow. You can make a perfect hit on Boldin (when healthy anyhow) and he is going to keep running. I think there is going to be a lot of pressure on Kurt Warner and for how great he is if you can hit him he will turn the ball over. On the other side of the ball the Eagles have to be careful. This is where the Cards can win the game because while the defense may not be superb, they excel in creating turnovers. Points off a turnover early in the game at home could end up being more then the Eagles are able to come back from. I expect a HUGE, I repeat HUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE game from Brian Westbrook. Let’s face it, he’s been mostly a no show for the first two games of the playoffs. Not for a lack of effort, simply because the other teams are solely trying to stop him and opening everyone else up. I think in this game it wont matter and its time for Westbrook to put his stamp on the playoffs. If McNabb can stay mostly mistake free, the Eagles should be very well off in this game….I’d say more, but I don’t want to jinx anything. So till next time………..

Happy New Year and were back

Hi EVERYBODY! Sorry for the long hiatus, but I’m back and I am ready to go. I think I can say the World Series has been 98% responsible for my absence. I mean, you go 25 years without seeing any of your teams win anything, 1 championship and I’ve been sitting pretty. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still screaming my head off at the Eagles and the Seminole and the Sixers, but for the first time in my life I can always just say “At least the Phils won the WS!”

So let’s catch up on a couple of things…first off I’d like to talk about the bet. My buddy Mike and I made a bet at the beginning of the season on who would have a better year; Eagles or Packers, HA! Now Mikey is going to have to dress in Eagles gear for a day, get all dressed up for a night at the bar, AND read a speech I’ve written for him to be posted on YouTube (I promise the link will be here). Now this has nothing to do with anything except I wanted to rub it in his face a little more and I’m pretty sure he will read this blog, sorry Mike, MOVING ON……………

WHY I DON’T EXCEL AT SPORTS

Growing up I always wanted to be a star football player, but it just didn’t happen. I always thought that maybe if I was bigger, or stronger, or maybe faster then I could have done it, maybe if I trained harder or had more dedication…. Recently I have realized what was missing. It first dawned on me after the Texas vs. Ohio State game when Colt McCoy was doing a postgame interview, I thought about what he said and realized that Tebow and Bradford had said the same thing, that countless athletes had something that I didn’t have, McCoy said “First I would like to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ without him none of this would be possible.” SERIOUSLY! How unfair is that crap, Jesus is helping you play football. I thought these guys were supposed to be all freaking pious but here they are blatantly cheating and no one is saying a word. I mean, should this be considered a performance enhancer. It’s not like these guys say at the end of their speech they want to also thank Jesus. He’s always first and most important. If I had just had Jesus in my life I could have been the starting QB at my HS, F****! But seriously, how ridiculous are these guys. I’m sure many of my Christian readers are waiting for me to burst into flames but I’m sorry I have to point this out. When you score a TD at the end of a football game, when you run over another player, when you win the big game, you can pretty much bet that Jesus didn’t really have a part in that. Unless God and him were betting on the national championship game but then wouldn’t you want to be on the team God was betting on…..look, I’m not trying to challenge anyone’s faith or religion. I totally understand and respect when an athlete thanks God or whoever during a speech about his accomplishments. I just think its ridiculous to thank or point to Jesus/God/Alah/Fonzi during the game, THEY AREN’T WATCHING BECAUSE THE OFFICE IS ON!

THE IGGLES

Man has this been a fun year. Even if the Eagles were to lose this weekend I feel like I have already gotten four weeks worth of playoffs. Ending the season by thumping the Cowgirls to get into the playoffs, that was awesome. I am glad McNabb is finally getting people off of his back. He never should have been getting crap in the first place, put his exact numbers for Brett Farve and people are talking MVP year! The one thing that bothers me is Andy Reid probably saved his job. Don’t get me wrong, we win the big one and I don’t give a Damn (hell we win the superbowll and I could die a happy man) but if we don’t go all the way, this team needs a new leader before they get too old. Dono should get a chance under a different play caller for at least 1 season before we see him on another team. I’ve written about this at length before so I won’t go crazy right now.

This weekends games all look to be great, I’m not going to do spreads but I will do a quick breakdown on each matchup:

Eagles Vs Giants

The Giants have a monster on either side of the ball that are really scary. Justin Tuck and Brandon Jacobs; when the Giants won, those two crushed people, when the Eagles won they were non factors. I don’t see a situation where the Giants D doesn’t show up. The Eagles will have to fight for yards and Westbrook is going to need a big game. However, the Eagles D is coming together at the right time and after watching the neutralize AD I feel they can do much of the same against the GMEN. The Giants need to look out for Brian Dawkins. I love Ed Reed and think he is just an amazing player to watch, he is a CB playing safety, maybe even a WR out there. But if Ed Reed is a CB playing Safety then BDawk is a LB. He is wrecking havoc on other teams and has been all over the place the last couple of games. Add the fact that Mikell is playing at an ALL STAR level and these safeties pack a punch. Not a big suprise but I think the Eagles win this one and honestly wouldn’t be shocked if they use this game to send a message.

Cards vs Panthers

Can Edge be Edge of old for the next couple of games? Ya know, the guy who did the spin move off the tree and made it fall over (you remember the commercial) if he can then EVERYONE needs to watch out. However, I find it hard to believe that he can continue to compete at such a high level. Beason and Peppers are going to put a hurting on Warner and he is going to have a big turnover or two. Fitz might be the big play WR but Anquan Boldin is the safety outlet in this offense, with him missing its not good news. OH, did I mention that Stewart and Williams will probably run for 4 TDs this game. Miracles happen and I would love to see one, but the Cards are getting pounded!

Ravens vs Titans

Kerry Collins vs the Ravens in the playoffs, I’ve seen this before, it doesn’t end well. To those of you who point to the midseason matchup I have some news, the D on the Ravens has gotten much better, the D for the Titans has gotten beaten up. The Titans hurt themselves by being so good early on, it forced other teams to figure out how to play them. I’d love to see Young find his way into this game and just win like he always does, but I think the Ravens win this one on an Ed Reed TD.

Chargers vs Steelers

I think the Chargers may be better off without LT. Not for good (maybe though) but at least for this game. He wasn’t going to run on this D and maybe Sproles shiftiness can cause some matchup problems. Either way, the PGH D somehow got forgotten in their week off. This is one of the best defenses EVER! EVER! In my opinion, if the Oline for PGH plays even well they are on their way to the SB.

 

Ok thats it for now, hopefully I’ll be back in less then a month. Until then, GO EAGLES!

This Weeks Picks

Obviously I missed the Steelers vs Bengals pick which is fine because I think everyone and their mother would have picked the Steelers. That defense is just phenomenal, love watching them play, their offense still needs to grow though if they want to win it all. Anyhow, moving on with this weeks picks, as always, home team in caps…

Houston +2 over CLEVELAND- I don’t really like either of these teams, and part of me wants to say that homefield should be enough for Cleveland. But, Quinn is hurt and might not start and I really like how Slaton keeps developing. Add in the fact that Andre Johnson is a freaking animal and I see the Texans covering.

DALLAS -7 over San Fran- Pulling down his pants wont be enough for Singletary this week. Romo is back and this is one of those games that you just win. I do like how San Fran is developing though. This may be Roy Williams coming out party.

Tampa Bay -7 over DETROIT- Cause their Detroit, I mean honestly. Have to mention here that I am thrilled Dante Culpepper is back in action. I’m not his biggest fan, never was, but in a league where Gus Ferrotte, Kerry Collins and Shaun Hill are getting starts, Culpepper had no business being retired. Also, I really like Dante to Johnson….well for my fantasy team anyhow.

TENNESSEE -1.5 over New York Jets- Did I miss something here? I mean, I really like what the Jets are doing, they are a legit contender in the AFC East and maybe even the Superbowl. Tennessee is like the Rodney Dangerfield of this league, NO RESPECT! How is the line only 1.5 at home? Oh, because if you shut down the run game then the Titans have nothing to fall back on right? Except that Kerry Collins has been phenomenal in the last two games. I guess this is the experts way of saying they think that the Titans are dropping this one, I don’t see them losing at home, not to this team, sorry.

KC +4.5 over Buffalo- The Bills had my attention, and now they have lost it. I think LJ is going to run all over this defense and that Thigpen might actually be legit. Meanwhile, the Bills defense is horrendous and if you double team Evan they can’t get downfield on you. Remember how the Lions started all hot last year and then finished quite crappy, ladies and gentleman I give you the 2008 Buffalo Bills!

Chicago -7 over ST LOUIS- Even the Bears should be able to get to the QB in this game. With Jackson out and Pace out if I were Bulger I’d be advocating for Trent Green to be the starter. Without Steven Jackson, this is the worse team in the NFL.

MIAMI over New England- This should be a great game but I think homefield will win it here for Miami. There is a lot of bad blood between these two teams and a couple of dirty players to go along with it, I think Miami is going to hit em in the mouth and win an old school smashmout rivalry game.

Minnesota -1 over JACKSONVILLE- The Vikings should be able to hold it together until after the suspensions are handed out. Also, Jags can’t really run as well as they once did and Minny is built to stop the run. Unless you believe that the no name WRs from Jacksonville are going to win this one, I think Peterson wins this game.

BALTIMORE -2 over Philly- Listen, I’m a homer, but I’m not an idiot. Its not that I don’t think Philly has a chance in this game. I even think they are more talented of a team. But until they actually show it on the field, well, I’m not buying for now. Having issues in short yardage situations you don’t exactly want to go see the Ravens. That being said, the Birds D might cause some major headaches for a young Mr Flacco.

DENVER -10 over Oakland- Oakland is horrendous. The talent doesn’t perform, the upper management is ludicrous. I can’t really see them being in this game. The most interesting subplot to this game will be watching where Nnamdi Asomugha is and watching Denver just throw the ball to the opposite side of the field. NO ONE throws at this guy.

ATLANTA over Carolina- Delhomme has been playing pretty poorly the last couple of weeks and Steve Smith can’t seem to get open. Now that might mean they are both due for a huge day but I think homefield advantage will factor here. Both QBs are in for a long day with Abraham and Peppers gunning for them. This should be a fun game to watch and might show us who is going to be representing the NFC South in the playoffs.

ARIZONA +5.5 over NY Giants- Giants win this game, but by a field goal. Zona is looking pretty damn good and if they win this game, it will be interesting to see them finally get the full credit they deserve. I love this offense but I think that the Giants will win in the trenches and ladies and gentleman, thats where the games are won.

SEATTLE +5.5 over Washington- Again this isn’t saying that I think Seattle will win necessarily. But with Hasselback coming back, with the way the Skins have played the last couple of weeks and the fact you’ve seen them lose to a craptastic team already this season. I don’t like this game, don’t feel safe on either side.

Indy -4.5 over SAN DIEGO- Here is a late breaking update, the Chargers are not going to the playoffs this year. Not sure exactly what is wrong with this team, but they just aren’t that good. They don’t win big games, they can’t dominate with the run, and their D just isn’t scary. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is back in a big way and these Colts are poised to make a run. I think Indy wins BIG in a major statement game.

NEW ORLEANS +1 over Green Bay- Both teams are 5-5. New Orleans is 4-1 at home, and Green Bay is 2-3 away. Sounds like a recipe for a win. With Reggie Bush slated to come back this week, this offense will finally be at full strength. If anything, bet the over on this game.

NFL Midseason All Pro Teams and Awards

Hello everyone. I know we are a little bit past midseason but I figured it would be fun to do my first All-Pro List and some midseason awards. So lets get right to it…

QB Kurt Warner- in a year where Brady is injured and Manning (Peyton) started slow it was inevitable that someone new would rise to the top, well at least thats what you would have thought. Eli Manning, Jason Campbell, Drew Brees, Jay Cutler and Phillip Rivers are all amazing QBs and they all look to have many great years ahead of them. But the fact of the matter is Warner has been playing out of his mind. Does it hurt that he has one of the best WRs tandems I’ve ever seen (for the second time), no. But the guy gets them the ball and a healthy Kurt Warner looks like he could be on his way to another MVP trophy.

RB Adrian Peterson- This guy is like the Lebron James of Football in my eyes. Like Lebron, his early years find him surrounded by not enough talent which puts alot of pressure on this kid, but he continues to deliver. Let’s just hope they get someone other then Gus throwing the ball so the AD doesn’t have to see 12 guys in the box his whole career. This guy is a special talent.

RB Clinton Portis- If you are a former Miami Hurricane and currently play in a team in the NFC East that is not the Eagles and I’m complimenting you, well then you are having a damn good season. Portis made me miserable in college and he continues to do so in the pros. You have to love his fun loving attitude and as sad as it is, the death of his close friend Sean Taylor has taken this guy to a whole different level. He is motivated and hungry and he takes it out on opposing defenses. Both top RBs need to stay healthy (which is something they have both had a problem with) to finish on top.

FB Kay Jay Harris - It doesn’t matter which Giant RB is running behind him because this guy is clearing the way. A real old school smash your head off the locker kind of FB. This guy is not going to show up on the stat sheet only in your nightmares! (Did I just go with a Giant and Redskin consecutively, hold on while I tazer myself)

WR Anquan Boldin- This is potentially the toughest SOB in the league. The guy had his face fractured and the week he comes back not only does he grab two TD passes to remain the league leader, but he also ran the ball 4 times. The craziest thing about Boldin running the ball is he doesn’t get reverses to show his pure speed, he takes handoffs in the backfield to show his pure running ability. I’m happy to say I went to college with this guy and knew he was going to be a great one. He is so much fun to watch in every aspect of the game.

WR Andre Johnson- Yet another great talent stuck on a crap team. The only issue I have with this guy is his inability to get in the endzone. But man o man, this guy can fly and he gets yards like its nobodys buisness. When you combine that with the fact that Sage Rosenfels has been throwing him the ball half the time it makes it even more impressive.

WR Roddy White- What WR is #2 in yards and TDs this year? Don’t check ESPN its Roddy White! Amazing what having an actual QB throwing to you will do to a WR. I guess he was just dropping all those balls from Vick cause they were, um, oh yeah, CRAPTASTIC passes. This guy is a true, bonified talent and will be one of the top WRs for years to come.

TE Tony Gonzalez- This is what a professional football player is supposed to be. The guy wanted to get traded, he didn’t, he told people he was upset, and then he goes out and still plays at a level that very few can match. One of my all time favorite players and the greatest TE to ever lace em up.

DE John Abraham- Heeeee’s Baacccckkkk. When this guy is healthy he just can’t be stopped. He is anchoring a MUCH improved ATL defense and is a big part of their big turnaround. 11 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and he’s blocked a kick. Not to shabby!

DE Justin Tuck-How do you survive losing Michael Stahan to retirement and Usi to injury in the same year? Well that’s easy, you have a guy waiting in the wings that’s possibly better then both of them. Not since Tom Brady has a backup come in and been this amazing!

DT Albert Haynesworth- If you don’t understand this, then you just don’t watch football. He is the most dominant force in the entire league. End of story, nuff said.

DT Shaun Rogers- Change of scenery did the big fellow wonders. Eating up blockers like he eats up everything else. If his team wasn’t playing so poorly, more people would be aware of this.

OLB Demarcus Ware- Maybe the biggest tragedy of Shawn Merriman missing this season is that you can’t out and out compare him against Ware who has been downright scary. Broke the NFL record for consecutive games with a sack and is just all over the field. This guy is really really good.

OLB Joey Porter- Harrison is right up here too and maybe is having a better all around season, but you can’t take away from what Porter is bring to this Miami team, Swagger. He runs his mouth every week and you know what, he backs it up. The 3-4 has shown us the rumors of his demise were much exaggerated.

MLB Patrick Willis- Biggest bright spot in SF this year, and well last year too. This guy is a physical freak, he gets the game and he plays with a mean streak. So much fun to watch cause you know he is going to make a couple of great plays a game. Great future ahead of him.

CB Cortland Finnegan-Where did he come from? He is becoming a true star in the league and is a big part of the amazing defense in Tennesse.

CB Asante Samuel- A true shutdown corner. His stats don’t pop out at you until you watch the games, which I obviously do, and realize that normally no one wants to throw his way. He’s still second in the league in pass deflections and only 1 off the league lead for INTs.

SS Chris Hope- In my opinion one of the most underrated players in the entire league. Remember, he was a big part of the SB winning Steelers and and on the Titans he excels in every aspect on defense. The guy is a tackler but still has 4 ints on the season. Its not a coincidence that the Titans have so many defenders showing up on this list.

FS Chris Horton- Ok I’m cheating here because this guy is really a SS. But seriously, when a 7th round draft pick comes in and is this electrifying on D, you have to take notice. This guy is the real deal and a savior to a Redskins team who looked to have blown every other draft pick.

K Who the hell Cares- No seriously, who cares, at the halfway point you can’t really say who the best kicker is in my mind. Maybe Janikowski deserves it out in Oakland cause they actually try and have him kick field goals from his own 20 yd line but I don’t pay attention enough to kickers to answer this one.

P Sav Rocca- This is really a who the hell cares part two, but I can’t turn up a homer pick can I? Sav has saved the Eagles on numerous occasions with his booming kicks. Not bad for a second year player thats like 45. My only question is if the guy use to be an Aussie league star why haven’t we seen at least one fake punt so far? Oh yeah, Andy Reid is a bum, my bad.

I know I didn’t do lineman but I would just be pretending if I did. Its hard for a fan to truly be able to judge the Olines play without watching every game. If I have to give a nod to any individual Oline it would be the NY Giants without a question. Now lets do some awards:

Coach of the Midyear-This to me is a toss up between three first year coaches and one long time coach. As much as it pains me to say it, I would have to give this award to Tom Coughlin. Look at all they’ve lost to injury, they lost Strahan to retirement, they are only two years removed from losing Tiki Barber who was allegedly the greatest player in their history, they traded away Jeremey Shockey this off-season and you know what, they are better for it. I read a great article the other day by the Sports Guy (who if I haven’t mentioned already on this blog is my hero) and it explained how Coughin has been using the rule of three…..I’m not going to get fully into it, but its the reason that Burress is unable to mess with the leadership of the team and the reason these guys are so damn good. Kudos to Coughlin for realizing he had to change his ways to become a better coach….any chance I can convince you to come to the Eagles Mr. Coughlin?  (If I compliment one more NFC East Rival in this article my head might actually explode. Phillies winning the WS has made me too nice of a guy, moving on) With all of that said, this year makes me feel their should be a rookie coach of the year award, that would be fun.

Rookie of the Year-This is a great race because this is a deep class. What do you use to make this decision, position, stats, overall impact? I’d say although I’d love to throw Desean Jackson, Matt Forte and Eddie Royal in the conversation they just don’t make the cut. It is a three man race right now, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan and Chris Johnson. Johnson tends to fall behind because hes a RB and they have another good one on that team. Honestly, between Ryan and Flacco you can not go wrong, but as of now I would choose Flacco. I think that Ryan has more talent around him (see White, Roddy) and while he might actually be the better of the two QBs Flacco is changing the culture in Baltimore. So as it stands I would say Flacco, but that may change from week to week and Jackson, Forte, Johnson, Royal are farrrrrrrrr from out of this race.

Offensive MVP- Kurt Warner for the reasons listed above. He has great WRs to throw too and he is making good use of them. Remember, Lions QBs have had great WRs to throw too and they can’t hit them if their life depended on it.

Defensive MVP- Albert Haynesworth, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, dominating. Good thing this guy got his head on straight cause he is a monster.

Midyear Badass- Anquan Boldin hands down! He was hit so hard, that Kurt Warner, the guy who threw the freaking ball contemplated retiring. Seriously, he felt so bad that he wasn’t sure if he could play anymore. The guy had to have reconstructive face surgery and is still leading the league in receiving TDs by 4 touchdowns!!!! Also, find me another WR, any WR like a 5th stringer, that will run a HB delay! This guy is otherworldly!

Midyear Moron- I think I’ve knocked Andy in this blog quite enough. Lets go with Al Davis. Heres an idea, lets completely overpay for a CB, then when our team sucks even though he’s playing alright lets cut him because we completely overpaid. I mean honestly, if Deangelo Hall has a monster FU second half of his season, I’m personally taking a dump on Al Davis’ front porch.

Guys that make you happy-This award goes to two individuals on crappy teams. First, Mario Williams of the Houston Texans. We began to see it last year, but its starting to look like this guys was totally worth the 1st pick in the draft. Combine that with Steve Slaton playing the way he is and even though Texans are having a rough year the fans have to be happy. Williams has the potential to be an all time great and is just a joy to watch. The second guy who gets this award is Calvin Johnson. Not that there was ever a time where he looked like a bust, but thank god this was not another top talent that went to die in Detroit. He is the real deal and is a true piece to build around.

Moments that make you mad- The NFL has become a complete pansy league. If you touch the QB with more then just your extended fingers its roughing the passer. If you block a guy well your getting fined and if you dare to celebrate in the end-zone its a 15 yard penalty. The saddest moment for me though is when a guy who is normally a knuckle head, Brandon Marshall, tried to do something that would have lived throughout time and was stopped. We always complain that athletes nowadays don’t make political statements. There was intense debate on this subject leading up to the Olympics. I agree that certain things should be contained and certain celebrations are over the top, who wouldn’t. HOWEVER (Steve A style), if a guy is trying to make a point to show his belief that this country has overcome racism and is finally showing unity that should not be a 15 yd penalty. Furthermore, even if it IS a 15 yd penalty his teammates should support him in making such a statement as it is profound and meaningful and potentially historical. Shame on our culture for not allowing a man to show his pride in his country and his new president.  Now I shall step off my soap box and conclude this article with a question. Did you know the Phillies are the 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS?????  Sorry couldn’t resist.

Till next time,

Marc G

World Series Champions / Good Times for FSU / Time for a Change

Talk about taking a long break from writing huh? I know its been a while but between not being able to write a coherant article for fear during the world series and then not being able to sit down long enough to write from pure joy has held me up. Great news is I’m back baby…………….

The World Series Champions! I love that I believed, that I went along for the ride. I think they way the Phillies won was almost fitting, the delay, the rain, but what is important is that we won. The whole thing was such a wild ride, I was screaming at the top of my lungs for about 30 minutes. I know that as soon as it comes out I’m buying the Sports Illustrated Phillies Worlds Series package, SOOOO EXCITED. Anyhow, there has been nothing but articles about this for a couple of weeks so I would like to move on. I’m happy,  I don’t feel the need to gloat, I finally got my championship to celebrate and I’m beyond satisfied.

FSU

I guess saying that its good times for FSU is a slight overstatement. If we hadn’t fumbled the ball into the endzone to end the game against Gtech, FSU would probably be ranked 12 or higher right now. But still have to be happy with the play. One of the best parts is that alot of the guys we have playing great right now are young. Thomas is going to be a great RB for the next 4 years which is really exciting, Ponder is coming back next year to take it to the next level, and we have some great young WRs. I am also really excited about the reimergence of the FSU defense. Especially the pass rush, Everett Brown is poised to be the first FSU player with 10 plus sacks since 2002. This weekend is a huge game, the Noles need to show they can win consistently in the ACC and they probably need to win out in order to make it to the ACC championship game. Very nice to get a win for Bobby on his Bday.

Time for a Change In Philly

I loved Andy Reid, and yes that was past tense. Look the guy took the Eagles to new heights, he is the most winning coach we have ever had and he dominated the NFC East for years. But the thing is, those times are over. The Eagles are 0-3 in the division, and its not just about losing the games. Its the play calling which was just downright atrocious last night. And what the hell was that challenge?? That was like a challenge in Madden when you hope the game glitches so you get the ball back. THIS IS NOT A VIDEO GAME! How could you possibly think that was going to get overturned? And finishing the game with two running plays when Westbrook has been shut down all game and looks hurt, theres a good plan. Look, I like this team, I think it has a lot of talent, but I think it needs a new coach to show us some new light. Some new energy.

Till next time (which hopefully will be later this week when I do picks and my first NBA post)

MG

WORLD SERIES….and an apology

And so it begins. I still vividly remember sitting on my parents bed as Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams threw the pitch, as Joe Carter crushed the pitch, crushed our hopes…I loved that Phillies team, of course I did, I was 10, they were heroes.  So now we sit in 2008 and the Phillies are that close to the promised land.  See as a 25 year old Philly fan I’ve gotten this far before, to the threshold, but I’ve never been able to walk through that door and ya know what I really feel that is about to change. This feeling in itself is a revelation. I am the most nervous guy in the world when one of my teams is playing in a big game, I’m just use to the loss and I find the higher your hopes get the further you crash. But here’s the thing, I’m far from being sure the Phils are going to win, I don’t like the extra time off, I wish we had homefield advantage, the Rays are a damn good team too, but I am fully invested and I’m willing to risk the giant crash if we lose.

Ok, so those were just the ramblings of an excited fan, lets get to some actual points of why I think the Phils are going to win it all….and yes I am completely aware of the fact that I am a giant homer:

Best Pitcher- From top to bottom of the starting staff you may have to give this to the Rays, but this is the playoffs. Cole Hamels is the guy this year, he is absolutely the best pitcher left in the playoffs. The best part about that is that he went through this last year, that counts for something.

Best Closer- This can be best bullpen too, actually it is. But the fact of the matter is this, Brad Lidge is the Brad Lidge of old. He has not blown a single save this year. Ryan Madsen is the best setup guy in baseball right now, he was insane in september (Note: I’m normally the biggest Madsen hater in the world) this guy has finally been consistently the talent he was drafted to be.

Home Grown Heroes- Madsen, Myers, Rollins, Howard, Utley, Burrell, Hamels are all from the Philly farm system. Why does that matter? These guys have such a vested interest, have such a team/family feel, they are ready for this. I love the Rays actually, I love stories like theirs. But I think they will come up just short because they don’t want it as much

Time For Stars- Ryan Howard has been nothing special this post-season, maybe even awful, and I couldn’t be happier. Howard is possibly the best streak hitter EVER, and in my opinion its time for a tear. I am of the personal opinion that his stats throughout the WS are going to be otherworldly! On top of that, Utley is potentially the best guy in baseball and Rollins just remembered he won the MVP last year.

The Glue Guy- Think James Posey, Troy Brown, Manu, David Eckstein these guys might not be considered the best guy on the team but they were the guys who brought the team together. Who made insane plays that were based on heart not talent alone to help their teams win the championship.  That my friends is Shane Victirino! But there is probably one guy on this list who is better comparison then all the rest Manu. Not last years Manu, but first championship for Manu, back when he was the glue guy and people didn’t realize he was potential a first team all NBA guy.  Just ponder this, in the deciding game of the NLCS the Dodgers intentionally walked Victirino twice! TWICE!!! This is a guy whos called the Flyin Hawaian! But he has been so red hot in the playoffs that they intentionally put him on base even though hes our best base runner. Oh yeah, did I mention he has 11 RBIs in the Postseason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, thats all I’m going to say about that for now. Too excited to write something more coherant but I will be back tomorrow with a blurb about this……..now onto my apology

Antoine Smith-In my very first blog on this site, I said something to the tune of Antoine Smith isn’t good, its not the line its him get over it. Ever since I made this comment, Mr Smith has scored about 75 touchdowns, none as impressive as his 30 yd bulldozing effort this past week. Antoine, where have you been my whole life, or more importantly, where the hell have you been the past three years??? That is not consequential at this point cause the kid has got it and hes going and I can’t think of a time that I’ve been happier to be wrong. Congrats Antoine, keep up the great work.

Till Next Time,

MG

Week 6 Picks and Some of this and That

Hello Everyone and welcome back. I don’t know about everyone else but after a nice game 1 win in the NLCS I am just loving life. More of that later, lets dive into the picks first.  As always, home team in Caps.

SAINTS (-7) over Raiders

The Saints have made it a habit to blow games they should have won. Their 3 losses have been a total of 10 points and they have been missing some guys to injury. That said, this is the kind of team that crushes cellar dweller (the Raiders). Might be a good game for Russel to get some stats, but look for the Saints to go marching.

COLTS (-4.5) over Ravens

I like this Ravens d, and Indy has been struggling so far this season. But the rumors of Peytons downfall I feel are much exaggerated. This team came back BIG against the Texans last week and it could be the start of a winning streak. Besides, I hate living in a world where Eli is better then Peyton, ugh.

JETS (-6) over Bengals

Even if Palmer were starting, which apparently he is not, this team is awful. Ocho Cinco needs to start acting the fool because the serious version of him is awful. On top of that, Favre finally looked comfortable in the offense and they have had a bye week to get better. Look for the Jets tandem of WRs to have a much bigger day then the Bengals.

Panthers (+1.5) over BUCS

Really, thats the line. Did I miss something? I mean I know the Bucs are at home but were all pretty sure that this Panthers team is worlds better right? The reality is that Brian Griese is not going to play well all year, not going to happen, and the Panthers are solid all the way around. This is the game for them to become the class of the NFC South.

FALCONS (+2.5) over Bears

Both team are better then we thought coming into the season and are that way because of suprising QB play. With Orton, I’m waiting on the stinker, with Ryan I’m starting to believe. Biggest thing to me here is the skill on offense, the WRs for the Falcons are worlds better. Home field and the spread is easy pickings.

AD over Lions…oops I mean VIKINGS(-13) over Lions

Potential record breaker here. AD could go for 900 yds in this game, seriously. Especially since whoever trots out as the Lions starting QB is getting hit more then Pacman Jones’ Bodyguard!

Dolphins (+3) over TEXANS

After last week did anyone else wonder if the Texans are actually trying to suck. I mean honestly people whats with the Friday Night Lights moves by Sage. Meanwhile the Dolphins just beat the AFC Championship contenders in consecutive games. Ronnie Brown and Steve Slaton are going to be running all over the place but Dolphins take home another one.

BRONCOS(-3) over Jaguars

I mean if the coaching decides to play another game where they utilize their CBs instead of screwing them over. Wait, you mean Champ Bailey is good, we should put him into position to make plays, nahhh. This offense is highpowered and if the D can even show up, they should win a shoot out at home.

Rams (+14) over SKINS

Skins will win here, and probably convincingly. But this has trap game written all over it. Luckily for the Skins fans you can beat the Rams if you only play in the 4th quarter.

Eagles (-4.5) over NINERS

1. Homer 2. We play great against bad teams 3. No Westbrook is scary 4. McNabb wants to be aggressive this game and the Niners just don’t match up well if the Eagles play that way.

As a side note, I always stick up for Philly sports figures. Not just the fan thing, but so many Philly fans are unjustly critical and over the top. All that being said, I think I’m done with Andy Reid who can’t seem to call plays during the game and only has luck scripting them. I love all that Andy has done for us and will be eternally greatful, but I think its time we all went our seperate ways. (God I hope I’m wrong and we win it all)

CARDS (+5.5) over Cowboys

I don’t actually believe this, but I’m really hopeful. The good news is that the Cards match up really well against the Cowboys defense. Plus Pacman Jones will have eaten someone child by then so he should be out. Big shootout here, could go either way. Demarcus Ware may end Warners career.

SEAHAWKS(-2) over Packers

Neither of these teams impress me. Both QBs are asked to do too much. Homefield advantage is everything here….if your Mike Holmgreen how pissed are you on a 1-10. The most comparable thing I can think of is being up huge in a casino and going for one more big hand and losing it all. He can’t retire after this year, can he???

CHARGERS(-6) over Pats

Matt Cassel will finally be exposed and crushed by one of the LBs. LT should break out, the heavens will part, yada yada. How is it that this game means nothing, I’m not going to write too much about this because there are about 50 articles already, but seriously. San Diego either wins here or they are DONE for the season.

Giants(-8) over BROWNS

I really hope I’m wrong, but I think I would take the Giants right now if they were -30. How does this team keep losing its “best players” and getting better. Seriously, if I told you I was going to take Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, Michael Strahan, and Osi off of your team you’d think you’d lose what, an extra 7 games. How bout winning a SB and then starting undefeated. Yeesh.

PHILLIES and THE NLCS

Just as an example of how unfair life can be, my mother is going to the NLCS game tonight. I asked her how many innings were in a baseball game and she replied “8?” I was actually impressed with how close she was. Regardless I’m terrified, and I’m terrified because I think we are that good. That may not make sense to someone from say Boston or NY, but I promise if you are from Philly you understand. My whole life, the better the team was the harder and longer the fall has been. I still have images of Joe Carter trotting the bases. Here is how bad it is, this was my conversation with my dad last night:

Me “Dad you watching this, were only down 2 but were playing really well!”

Dad “I refuse to watch Philly teams anymore, I’m done, I can’t”

Me “Seriously though, we have a great team, we could win it all, you don’t want to miss that do you.”

Dad “I follow the scores but I guess I just can’t do it anymore.”

Now that is depressing, this is the guy who made me the fan I am and after 50 some odd years he just can’t deal with the disappointment any longer. I’m terrified that this will be my fate! I do have a theory though. The Philadelphia Soul won the the Arena Bowl this year, I think it was enough to break the curse and you can kiss my ass if you don’t like my logic, LETS GO PHILS!!!!!!