Make sure to tune in to the Sportaholic Radio Show this Saturday

Be sure to join me for the Sportaholic Radio Show this Saturday on Beatknockin.com as we are joined by former Whites Creek and Belmont great Brian”Penny” Collins as he helps us preview the upcoming college basketball season.




We also will touch on the Penn State-Joe Paterno fallout and of course NFL and Titans talk. Also as always the infamous “Diss of the Week”.



The Sportaholic Show is on each and every Saturday from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. on Beatknockin.com. You can check me out on facebook at www.facebook.com/fanofsportaholic, Twitter at @Thesportaholic and on Noomizo.com/sports

It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and 10 minutes to ruin it: The Penn State and Joe Paterno saga continues

This is as sad of a story that I think I’ve ever wrote about. Joe Paterno, the man, the myth, the legend and everything he stood for has flown out the window at this point. You would have to be on Mars not to hear the scandalous allegations for the once rock solid program of the Penn State Nittany Lions. Former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been charged with over 40 counts of child molestation, including over nine victims who have been identified to this point. The attorney general of Pennsylvania’s report is just so damning its just no way that anyone in the hierarchy of PSU will survive this and that includes Paterno. There have been scandals all over the country including Miami with Nevin Shapiro, Ohio State with the Buckeye 5, North Carolina and John Blake, Tennessee and Bruce Pearl, USC and Reggie Bush and so on and so forth. But this is of a totally different realm. Joe Paterno stands for everything that is right about college athletics. Paterno has been the coach of Penn State since 1966 and doesn’t have as much as blimp of anything negative about his program. Before this story, Paterno was on the pantheon of all time great individual humans. And not just for college athletics but for everything and everyone that stood for moral decency. His teams are usually good as proven by their surprise 8-1 record this year and leading their division in the Big 10 at the moment. But Joe Pa means much more to people than just football which makes this story so unbelievable. Descriptions of Sandusky’s abuse in the attorney general’s report are just baffling.

You can read the entire report at: http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Press/Sandusky-Grand-Jury-Presentment.pdf.

The stories of Sandusky’s “Cracking the back” and having Sandusky perform oral sex on him of victim one all the way to victim eight being seen in the shower while getting molested are just an unpleasant thought for anyone to fathom. Sandusky was a sexual predator who ran a charity organization for underprivileged children. How wrong does that sound? His charity “The Second Mile” was founded in 1977. And to top off everything was the fact that it was done right under Joe’s nose. For this to happen in Happy Valley, a place known for being above the fray of normal college shenanigans is another disheartening matter. It’s named Happy Valley for a reason as its has been voted year in and year one the best places to live in America.

Another shocking aspect of this story is how long the investigation has been conducted with the President Graham Spainer and Athletic Director Tim Curley of PSU having full knowledge that they may have a sexual deviant in the midst of their storied program. If you even have the slightest indication someone may be harming children then you should immediately call the police. There are no ifs ands or buts about it. I myself have a child and to just think of someone harming her is enough to stir up emotions and thoughts. Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples wrote in his column about how a man in Baton Rouge, LA shot and killed a man 25 years ago for molesting his daughter. You know what the jury sentenced him to? Probation, that’s it. Now I’m not condoning any vigilante justice being served on Sandusky but it’s this particular case just shows the notion of thinking people have when it comes to children being molested. There is no mercy for child predators and why should there be?

Probably the most disturbing part of the entire thing is the way it seems that is a cover up by those in charge. There have been whispers and allegations of Sandusky’s conduct dating back to 1994. In 2009 a report surfaced about Sandusky when he volunteered as an assistant high school football coach at Central Mountain as reported by Pennlive.com High School in Clinton County. A 15-year old student told school officials that Sandusky had touched him inappropriately while they were alone in a gym. John DiNunzio, Keystone Central School District’s interim superintendent at the time, said the boy’s mother reported the incident to the school principal and head football coach. At that point, DiNunzio said he was notified. DiNunzio said he never spoke to the mother or the child. He said the principal and coach told him the boy alleged the “inappropriate” incident happened while the two were alone in a room on wrestling mats. “It was strictly a touching type of situation,” DiNunzio said of the allegations. DiNunzio, who is now interim superintendent with the Bellefonte Area School District, called Clinton County Children and Youth Services. Once it left his desk, he says, he never heard a word from police. “It’s been a hush-hush situation,” DiNunzio said. “I’ve actually called [the school] — they’ve said they heard nothing about it.”

Sandusky is a man who just couldn’t stop himself. To add even more or an insult to everything he did, he published a book titled: “Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story,” It is just mind boggling that a man of his stature would engage in such explicit acts. He is credited with being a defensive wizard who helped turn Penn State to Linebacker U. He has coached greats such as Shane Conlan, Lavar Arrington, and Matt Millen yet he was molesting children all at the same time. There is nothing in my opinion worse than harming children in any kind of way. And for the administration and all involved to cover up this story for the betterment of the school sakes just shakes me to the core.

The saddest and most shameful part of the story is how this will disgrace the legend of Joe Paterno. His numbers are historic: Paterno holds the record for most bowl wins with 24 and bowl appearances with 37. He also coached Penn State to 39 winning seasons. He is the only coach with the distinction of having won each of the current four major bowls -- Rose, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar. Paterno has also led Penn State to two national championships (1982 and 1986) and five undefeated seasons (1968, 1969, 1973, 1986 and 1994). He won Coach of the Year honors by the AFCA five times (1968, 1978, 1982, 1986 and 2005). On May 16, 2006, Paterno was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

But none of that matters anymore.

From now on every time you of Joe Pa, you are forced to think about this awful story. This is a man who built his legend on accountability, doing the right thing, and consistency. He didn’t show any of traits by not reporting the story to the authorities. Yes, he did report it to the proper chain of command but that’s just not enough when it comes to what is expected from college athletics elder’s statesmen. This story is a somber story for everyone involved including Paterno, the victims of Sandusky and the entire Penn State University. They all been stripped away their dignity and now will forever have to answer to this scandal.

Some people are saying let the legal system handle this and until Paterno’s is proven guilty that he has to be given the benefit of doubt. He has after all built up nearly half of century of good will. I want to give him that from the bottom of my heart but this case is just so horrific how can you? There were very few things that Paterno could do to ruin his legacy and near the top of that list would be being involved in something of this magnitude involving children. We the public have every right to ask question and get answers about something as sinister as this story is. I, just like everyone hate the fact that this has happened to Joe Pa but the smoke from Sandusky has been around Paterno for years and he never attempted to smell it and now it’s a full fledged uncontained fire that he can’t put out.

They say it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and 10 minutes to destroy it. Well Paterno’s 10 minute of hell has been unleashed and everything he built has come crumbling thanks to one man named Jerry Sandusky.

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 9

How underrated are the Chicago Bears? They are an old school physical team that doesn’t get much appreciation because of their style. Their almost polar opposite of the team they beat last night in the Philadelphia Eagles who of course are more style than substance. I remember watching last night and saying that this is just like that Bears team from last year that went all the way to the NFC Championship game and might even be better. Jay “Cut Dog” Cutler has cut down on the mistakes which has plagued his career, Matt Forte is running like he never has before which has a lot to do with this being his contract year and the defense lead by Urlacher and Briggs is always there. I like this team but they just happen to be in a tough division this year with Green Bay and Detroit. After seeing Philly hand it to Dallas, we all thought that it was time for them to get rolling. But after last nights game it still hard to put your finger on what kind of team identity they have. Lesean McCoy was held to just 71 yards and Mike Vick had 34 but I just can’t imagine Andy Reid coaching a run first team. Philly has to find a way to win games no matter how they do it from here on out. Just when you think you know what the Eagles are about, they go out and don’t live up to your expectations.

Evermore, just when you think you have it all figured out in the NFL, everything changes on you within the blink of an eye. New England was lighting up the league through the first quarter of the season, as Tom Brady and Wes Welker looked on their way to historic seasons putting up bountiful numbers each game. Now the Patriots have been exposed as a team that can only rely on Brady and nothing from their run game. The Buffalo Bills were the feel good story of the league as they were in the midst of a football revival and undefeated in upper New York as they upset the Pats and received more than enough accolades. Now the Bills are 5-3 and in a dog fight in a crowded and competitive AFC East division The Kansas City Chiefs were left for dead after pulling an 0-fer in the first month of the season. They lost their best offensive player in Jamal Charles and their best defensive players in Eric Berry. But now the Chiefs are getting the last laugh as they have forced their way back into the playoff picture (Even though they took an ugly loss to previous winless Miami).

Only a few teams have showed the mark of consistency. Green Bay of course, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers surprisingly the New York Giants, equally stunning San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints. Those teams in my opinion have shown that they are the best teams in the NFL. Although those teams named are not prone to lapses every once in awhile as well. The Saints bombed against the Rams just a couple of weeks ago, The Ravens did the same against Jacksonville, and Detroit loss two in a row before righting the ship against the Denver Tebow’s, I mean Broncos.

Now for the rankings:

1. Green Bay Packers (8-0) – This is almost becoming redundant as the Packers continue to beat teams with their latest victim being the Chargers. I really thought San Diego would give them a good game which they did, but Aaron Rodgers just performed surgery on that defense going 21/26 for 247 yards and 4 Td passes. The only bad thing you can really say about the Packers is that their defense seems to rely too much on the fact that Rodgers will always bail them out. This was a top 10 ranked defense over the last past two season and now they seem to become a bend but the don’t break bunch as they know their offense will put up prolific numbers. Everything is good when your undefeated but a loss or two will shine the light on that defense. Mark my words.

2. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) – What a game they played against Pittsburgh as they always do. Joe Flacco finally stood up and made some plays at the end of a game. His 26-yard hookup with Torrey Smith with 8 seconds remaining was a thing of beauty. You can’t ask for more from the Ravens offense as they marched 92 yards on 13 plays, something that looked impossible to do at the time for Smith with all the problems he had in the game. This was the type of game that could get the Ravens on a roll and now they have won both games against their hated rival meaning they have no reason to worry about them for the rest of the year. Cincinnati on the other hand still surprisingly in the mix for the AFC North but come on now who do you really think is going to win that division?

3. New York Giants (6-2) – Facebook message I received after the game: Eli Manning owns Tom Brady! It was hilarious to think one of my buddies thought that Eli is better than Brady. Now I know Manning has beat Brady twice on game-winning 4th quarter drives, with one coming in the Super Bowl but really there is comparison in terms of overall numbers. Eli is having one of his best years in the league and that bodes well for the Giants as they usually play as good as Eli does. The thing that most impressed me was the Giants offense ability to overcome Ahmad Bradshaw’s injury as big Brandon Jacobs. With both Dallas and Philadelphia’s inconsistent play this year, the Giants could sneak up and take the division. They are in the midst of a grueling schedule as they face San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Green Bay and Dallas all in consecutive weeks.

4. New Orleans Saints (6-3) – The Saints are another team who goes as their QB goes and luckily for them they have one of the best in Drew Brees. Its to the point that I’m surprised when he throws a pick nowadays. The Saints defense has really picked up its game as well. I was impressed with the way they are flying to the ball. They held LaGarrette Blount in check with just 72 yards and Josh Freeman as well. The Bucs always give New Orleans a good game but it wasn’t to be this time for them and probably for the division this year either.

5. Houston Texans (6-3)- Flying under the radar are the Texans, as they are just beating up teams with their running back duo of Arian Foster and Ben Tate. The combo combined for 239 yards on 31 carries. Matt Schaub job has been easy and it will continue to be as long as Gary Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme is so effective. The Texans are clearly the best team in the AFC South at this point.

Yeah I know i didn't include Detroti or San Francisco but in my opinion, I have to see more work from those two teams.

Make sure to check out the Sportaholic Radio Show this Saturday from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. as we run down the best football teams and much more on beatknockin.com.

Kirk Broussard lands Associate GM/Defensive Coordinator Job the West Texas Roughnecks of the Lone Star Football League

 Kirk Broussard lands GM/Defensive Coordinator Job the West Texas Roughnecks of the Lone Star Football League.

Coach Kirk Broussard and the West Texas Roughnecks of the Lone Star Football League, are pleased to announce the designation of Coach Broussard as their new Associate General Manager and Defensive Coordinator. Broussard is a native of New Orleans, LA and is known for his excellent motivational skills and his innate ability to relate to his players, which should serve him well in his new role. His playing career includes stops at Pasadena City College and Citrus College in California where he played as a free safety.

Coach Broussard has most recently served as a NFL coaching intern with the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. Prior to his experience in the NFL, Broussard had aided with the Mississippi Mudcats of the American Indoor Football Association. He handled offensive coordinator duties as well as director of player personnel for the Mudcats in 2008. Mississippi would finish with a record of 26-6 and back to back conference championship appearances under Broussard’s guidance. Broussard then took over at Itawmaba Community College running back coach in ’07. Broussard was also the director of pro palyer personnel for the NIFL Lakeland Thunderbolts in 06.



Coach Bru as he is affectionately known to his players, also runs “Under Rated Free Agents” which a service that runs football camps service that is designed to help over looked college players get a opportunity to work out for pro coaches around the southeast. In all Coach Broussard has helped over 53 players land various opportunities in the NFL, CFL, and AFL leagues.
The West Texas Roughnecks are currently coach by Brian M. Brents who is coaching his first season the team. The Roughnecks have two LSFL championships to their name with their last coming in 2006 as they scored a record 97 points in their win over the Corpus Christi Hammerheads.

Broussard has coach many players but none better than stand out Derrick White of the University of Georgia/Arizona Rattlers, Fred Reid of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Maurice Avery of the University of Memphis/NY Jets and B.J. Hall Toronto Argonauts. Said Coach Brossard: This is a great opportunity, The West Texas Roughnecks are a first class professional football organization. I can’t wait to get to work and bring another championship to the West Texas community. I look forward to coaching hard, developing talent, and embracing the West Texas Roughneck nation.”

For more information on Coach Broussard and the West Texas Roughnecks feel free to contact them via social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/coachkirkbroussard,

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kirkbroussard

http://westtexasroughnecks.com/

Credits: Carlos Paige of the Sportaholic (www.sportaholic2112.blogspot.com)

Tennessee Dragons Kick-Off the 2011-12 Season With High Expectations

The journey is set to begin for the Tennessee Dragons and the entire UBA Basketball league as the season gets underway. This is expected to be the most completive year in an organization that has sent multiple players overseas to professional leagues all over the world. The Universal Basketball Association for those who don’t know is the 3rd ranked basketball association in the country behind only the NBA and the NBDL and is known for bringing talent in and developing them for international professional. Head Coach and General Manger of the Tennessee Steven Dolan, is one of the most respected men in basketball as he helped various players enhance their career. Those players include Brian Moultire who now plays for Oulun NMKY in Finland, Raymond Canady Jr. playing in Guangzhou FM in China, and Calvin O’Neal in Fjonir Iceland. This season Coach Dolan and the Tennessee Dragons look to take the UBA championship, as their current roster is loaded with talent. They look to build off of last year’s success that saw them finish 25-11 that included a 10-game winning streak and a runner-up finish in the Western Conference. The Dragons lost to eventual league champions the Southern Generals in the quarter finals.

The Dragons has arguably the best draft from the entire league as they picked up the uber athletic 6’4 guard Justin Tubbs from ETSU, sharp shooting Jimmy Drew of Depaul and versatile 6”11 big man Timir Patel of Houston College. When you add that to the players they have in guard Kenny Johnson, F/C Josh Jones and guard Brandon Wright then it has all the makings to challenge for the championship this year.

As quoted from Coach Dolan: The First day of Practice kicks off for the Dragons Friday October 4, 2011 for the 2011-2012 Season. The first day of our journey to the ring but the most important day of the journey as well. ITS GREAT TO BE PART OF THE NUMBER 1 MINOR LEAGUE IN THE UNITED STATES (UBA)

The Dragons season begins on Nov.20th in Atlanta, GA against the Gerogia Lions, so make sure you go out and support the best professional basketball team in the mid-state. For more info contact Steven Dolan at www.tenndragons.com or drop an e-mail to Sportaholic84@gmail.com. And make sure to keep it locked on the Sportaholic for the latest and greatest in the UBA.

SEC Game of the Week: LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Ladies and Gentlemen in the Main Event the blog I’ve been waiting to write all year, on my left the home team in the crimson white coming in at 2 in the nation boasting Heisman Trophy candidate Trent Williams and a stout rushing attack coached by Nick ‘ Satan aka Benedict Arnold aka backstabber Saban the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. And on my right coming in at 1 from Death Valley led by Jarrett ‘Call him what you want but don’t call him a comeback story” Lee and coached by Les “The Mad Hatter” Miles the LSU FIGHTING TIGERS. Brace yourself college football fans this is the game of the year 1 vs. 2 and its LSU vs. Alabama tickets to this matchup are at $10,500. This game has gotten so big CBS has moved from its original 2:30 pm to PRIMETIME 7 PM These two teams have faced each other over the years from 1993 when top ranked, undefeated, and riding a 31 game winning streak Alabama faced a hapless LSU team. A Mobile (Ala) newspaper writer predicted the LSU would win “WHEN PIGS FLY”, well even though pigs weren’t seen flying over Alabama LSU pulled the stunner with a 17-13 victory. To the 1996 game where I was in attendance watched as Bama blanked LSU 26-0 in the debut of Shaun Alexander “The Great”. To a string of wins Bama had at Tiger Stadium from 1971 to 1999 which LSU was 0-14-1. The rivalry increased since Saban came back to coach college football with the Tide after he couldn’t cut it the pros in 2007. So without further ado let’s get this preview started.

Offense vs. Offense: If LSU offense was a gun it would be an AK- 47 this offense can hit you from so many different places. Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson have been working together to make one of college football’s best dual quarterback tandems in the country while both can pass Jefferson can be used in short yardage and 4th and situatations (which there may be a lot of them) and LSU has not one, not two, not three, but four capable running backs (Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue, Michael Ford, and Kenny Hilliard) and with an improving wr’s in Odell Beckham, Reuben Randall and Russell Shepard, plus it’s also its best defense even though its offense doesn’t score a lot of points it can produce long scoring drives that can make a simple 14-0 game to a 28-0, which can wear out a defense and make an offense on the sideline get cold.. While Bama will counter with QB AJ McCarron’s, RB Trent Richardson, and Marquis Maze this is going to be a test of defensives, but sure McCarron’s has the home field advantage but he has not played in a game of this magnitude, and can he respond to a long LSU scoring drive or keep calm from a pressure playing LSU D- Edge: LSU

Defense vs. Defense: For Alabama they have Courtney Upshaw at linebacker has 4.5 sacks &11.5 tackles for a loss, which ranks 8th in the nation and one of the best cornerback duo’s in the nation with Robert Lester and Dre Kirkpatrick and LSU will counter with its 3rd ranked scoring and total defense they bring back cornerback Tyrann “Da Honey badger” Mathieu and Tharold Simon which will help out Morris Claiborne and defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo look to pressure McCarron and clamp down on Richardson. Also LSUs defense has been shutting down young or inexperienced Qbs out of the SEC. Edge: EVEN

Intangibles: The past 6 matchups have been decided by 42 pts or an average of 7 points a game. Well Bama has the home field advantage for Saturday night’s showdown, but surprising all of LSUs key games have been on the road (Dallas, Starkville, Morgantown, and Knoxville) with some being against ranked opponents. LSU has played a much tougher schedule (5 ranked or ranked teams at the time LSU played them) than Bama to date, goes deep, and has played mistake free football (on the field off the field not so much). With the added edge of the Saban bowl and with strong BCS championship implications this look like a game which my need a big play to open the game up or seal it, which if it does it falls into Mathieu making a key strip, pick, or key punt or kick return and a key Les Miles coaching strategy ( hmm I wonder how Bryant-Denney Stadium grass taste). Edge LSU

Winner and why: LSU has gotten better every game offensively and defensively, but the main thing LSU hasn’t made dumb mistakes, hasn’t “given up the big play”, stayed healthy, and remained focused. No team has come close to matching LSUs intensity, but Alabama may be the closest team to come close to it .LSU has to keep playing its game both sides has to be perfect, play hard and keep the pressure on and the Bama fans out of the game. If there is ever a game more important to the LSU football program it’s THIS ONE!!! LSU has to win to eliminate the past that Saban and Bama has haunted them with. To Bama fans this just another game on their way to a 14 national championship all year commentators have been saying LSU is good but,.., this or that, LSU in my eyes has to be the most DISRESPECTED 1 team in the nation, but come Saturday Night the nation will understand how good and talented this LSU squad is and Bama’s national title journey will end, so will Trent Richardson Heisman Trophy hopes.

LSU 38 Bama 27 ( ROLL TIDE ROLL -DOWN THE HOLE DOWN THE BOWL JUST LIKE YOUR TITLE HOPES MR. SABAN AND HEISMAN HOPES MR. RICHARDSON)

Sportaholic Week 9 NFL Power Rankings

At the start of the NFL season it appeared as if the storyline of the year would become the anecdote of the underdog. The seemingly cursed franchises of Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo have finally risen from their cold frosty graves to give us reason to believe. Despite the fact that the combined records of these forgotten franchises in 2010 was a dismal 16-33, the trio put together a nice 14-8 record through week 9. The Browns have tailed off after starting the season 2-1 but their three wins are just one away from matching last year’s total. Detroit and Buffalo are now legit playoff contenders with each near the top of their division. The Lions have taken on role of the villain as they have made their marks on opponents with their nasty defensive style and trash talk (Just ask Matt Ryan and Tim Tebow). Head Coach Jim Schwartz has gotten in on the act as he and 49ers coach got testy after the game. Buffalo has did it with their multi faceted offensive attack. Ryan Fitzpatrick was awarded for his play and received a new 6 year $59 million dollar contract. He has led the Bills back into relevancy with a head coach everyone thought was over the hill and over his head in Chan Gailey. These two teams have every reason to believe they can make a run this year.

This may be the season of the upstarts but it appears that the perennial powers have finally raised their level of play. The Pittsburgh Steelers have settled in well after 2-2 and after whispers of the team being old. The Packers are undefeated at 7-0 and haven’t even played as complete a game as they can. Baltimore has fell victim to two let down games against divisional rivals Tennessee and Jacksonville and almost another one this past weekend against Arizona before waking up and stealing that one. You know they will focused and ready when they take on the Steelers this weekend. The Ravens-Steelers rivalry is always fun to watch as they two teams are known as the most physical teams in football.

So as we enter week 9, we have the upstarts in Buffalo, Detroit, and a few teams I didn’t mention but are also near top in San Francisco Cincinnati, and Oakland, the perennial powers of Green Bay, Pittsburgh, New England, and Baltimore. In addition to those teams you have the middle of the pack jam logged with teams that are Dr.Jeykll-Mr.Hyde in Dallas, Washington, and the New York Jets. Teams that have failed to live up to expectations but appear to but getting there in Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Atlanta. And last but not least the teams in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes for various reason with the likes of Indianapolis, Miami, and Arizona. As the season continues all those teams will muddle together and provide us unlimited entertainment as they battle for eight playoff spots in each conference.

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) Bye Week. The Packers in my opinion are not even close to being a finished product. Granted they are undefeated, they have even tapped into the level of potential they can become. Their top 5 ranked defense from a year ago is currently ranked 25th and has lost key piece from last years run in Nick Collins at safety. Of course this is a team that lost numerous pieces last year on both sides of the ball and all they did was win a Super Bowl. The Packers will get even better as scary as that sounds as they become more consistent of defense. Clay Matthews are bit down from last years monsters stats but he will get his eventually. Charles Woodson remains one of the elite corners and Tramon Williams on the other side isn’t too shabby either. The Pack have to be considered the favorite to win the Super Bowl until further notice.

2. San Francisco 49ers (6-1) – The 49ers are the most interesting team in the league to me. Here you have a first year head coach in Jim Harbargh comes in and totally changes the face of the franchise in less than 8 months. He has brought a swagger back the bay an has this team doing what they had been predicted to do in the last few seasons, winning the division. They will have a good metric test in a couple weeks against the physical but sometimes underachieving New York Football Giants. I think that’s when we will see what we really have in San Fran.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) – In the surprise entry slot this week, we have none other then those pesky Steelers. It seems every season at one point or another everyone will count these guys out and they promptly go out and prove us wrong. Just when it seemed the league had caught up and passed Pittsburgh, Big Ben and Mike Tomlin decided that had enough of that talk. They went and dominated New England by giving them nothing on the ground and making Tom Brady even more than what he is capable of doing. The defense is always solid and with James Harrison and Hines coming back this week you know that they will be throwing everything they have at the hated Ravens. Can’t wait to watch that heavyweight tussle.

4. New England Patriots (5-2) – If they don’t come up with: A. Defensive secondary stops and B. a consistent run game, then how can we just throw all our faith in Tom Brady to carry them to a Super Bowl? Brady is great of course but anyone with football knowledge could tell against the Steelers he did everything he could and its wasn’t even close enough to get the Pats the victory in that one. The running back by committee thing needs to be revitalized in Boston as BenJarvas Green-Ellis has been the only consistent one of the bunch. Speaking of RBs in New England, where in the hell is Danny Woodhead? Last I checked he wasn’t injured but he still isn’t hurt and the Pats could definitely use in speed in space as so brilliantly did last season. Just a thought.

5. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) – The Ravens have been “King of the Letdown” this year as they lost a couple of lackluster effort games to divisional opponents. And yet there they were again dead in the water against a 1-5 Arizona Cardinals team. Joe Flacco finally woke up and Ray Rice cleaned up nicely as they came from 24-6 down to beat Arizona. Flacco has been rather flaccid this season after making his bold statements of being an elite QB. His off and on play has to be mind boggling for his team as rather they like it or not their season rides on Flacco’s right arm. Ray Lewis and the defense will always be there and always seems that they could get Ray Rice more involved. As I mentioned above, the heavyweight show down between the Ravens and the Steelers is one you will not want to miss this weekend.

So there you have it this weeks Top 5. Make sure to tune in to “The Sportaholic Radio Show” this Saturday as I interview Gerald McGrath of the Tennessee Titans. He will answer the questions most Titan fans are wondering: What wrong with Chris Johnson? Check us out on Beatknockin.com from 10 A.M to 12 P.M. and if you want to chat with us, call in at 615-260-7177.