Sportaholic Tennessee Titans vs. New Orleans Review

Coming into this game everyone knew New Orleans NFL best offense led by Drew Brees would challenge in the Titans in every conceivable way on defense. Tennessee fought hard and came up short losing 22-17 in a game that they could have won. The Titans defense for the most part held the red hot Brees under control allowing only 3 John Kasay field goals in 3 quarters this game was practically a bore through the first half and I’m sure that was just fine with the Titans defense. Brees did complete a lot of passes but they didn’t do much harm at Tennessee was bending but not breaking. The Saints also had too many penalties in the first half that attributed to their stagnant offense. Tennessee’s offense just couldn’t capitalize on the defenses success as they could only muster 3 points in the first half. Titans starting QB Matt Hasselbeck’s injury may have had something to do with the offense struggling as he went down with an injured calf in the 2nd quarter. Hasselbeck was 5/7 for 44 yards before leaving the game.

Rookie Jake Locker came in provided a spark in the second half with his arm and legs. The University of Washington grad showed why the Titans are high on so high on him as he made a number of big plays. First, Locker found an open Nate Washington for a 40-yard TD pass as the injured WR broke a tackle on his way to the end zone. Next, he scrambled around and bowled over Saints Safety Roman Harper for his second score that closed the gap for Tennessee to 22-17. Unfortunately that would be as close as they would get as they wouldn’t get another score as they stalled on their last two drives. Things looked promising on their next to last drive as Locker hooked with Washington for a couple of strikes of 18 and 9 but they couldn’t covert a 4th down on a Locker quarterback sneak.

The Titans got the ball back with 1:34 for their last breath and moved the ball well as Locker delivered yet again to Washington for another 40-yard strike that put the Titans at that Saints 5-yard line. The Titans tried to fit in a quick slant over the middle that Saints CB Tracy Porter knocked down. That left the Titans with one last play. This time Locker couldn’t deliver this time as the rookie couldn’t get rid of the ball on a scramble and was taken down by the Saints as the game expired. It appeared that Locker may have held the ball to long and could have found a way to at least get the ball out to give his receiver a chance to make a play. Locker seemed inclined to second guess himself saying “Once I got outside the pocket there were a lot of guys there,” Locker said. “It ended up that I didn’t throw it anyway but ... I should have.” Titans head coach Mike Munchak was having none of that in the post-game. “I am not going to second guess anything he did,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. The loss snaps their two-game losing streak and puts the pressure on them to win their last three games just to make the playoffs. The division is out of the question now as Houston’s win over Cincinnati clinched the AFC south. If you read the article closely you will notice not mention of Chris Johnson. He was held to 23 yards on 11 carries as the could never find his way against the Saints D.

It was such interesting game for multiple reasons for Tennessee with so many bizarre things developing during the game itself. To have top cornerback Jason McCourty out for the game, WR Nate Washington hurt but gritting out a good performance, and have Hasselbeck go down and rookie QB Jake Locker fill was just a lot for any football team to go through in one game. Luckily for the Titans they have three winnable contest left on the schedule with Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and a not much to play for Houston squad. They have to hope that the New York Jets stumble as they are 8-5 and control their own destiny after destroying the Kansas City Chiefs 37-10. The Titans are still in it but they can’t afford to lose another game.

The season is on the brink for Tennessee and we will see how they respond in the last stretch of the season.

Nixed Chris Paul trade creates firestorm of problems for NBA

Lakers Paul trade fiasco is a bad look for the NBA:

There are a lot of ways to take in what transpired yesterday involving Chris Paul and a host of other big names being traded, only to have NBA commissioner/czar David Stern kill the deal. It sets a disturbing precedent for the league right after all of the hand wringing of the labor dispute that has already knocked the season down to a 66-game schedule. Most fans already see Stern as a meddle some power drunk leader who seems to have way too much power over his league. It was first reported by Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojonarowski that the NBA owners pushed for this not to happen. Now the one thing that I was say is that the NBA does own the Hornets and so that means they do have the final say in their basketball operations. This is the biggest problem with the whole situation. The entire trade was put to a vote from the owners and it was declined. It was inevitable that Paul was going to leave New Orleans when his contract expired and even Hornets president Hugh Weber said as much this year. New Orleans didn’t want to be held hostage like Denver with Carmelo Anthony or just let Paul walk like Lebron James did in Cleveland. The Hornets GM Dell Demps engineered one heck of a trade that saw his team land Kevin Martin who averaged 23.5 points last season, Lamar Odom the versatile power forward. Goran Dragic a decent backup point guard and a first round draft pick. Seems pretty fair to right? The Lakers were giving up their entire identity as they traded away two of the three 7’footers that has defined them over the past few years.



When the league owns a team, then it can pretty much do whatever it wants with it. Cleveland Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert, who of course had his own about face with big time superstarLebron James, wrote a letter to Stern that pretty much sums up what most of the other owners were thinking. This is the letter:





Commissioner,

Cavs Owner Dan Gilbet

It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.

This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.

Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.

I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).

I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.

I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.



When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?

Please advise….

Dan G.

Hornets GM Dell Deps

Do you feel that stinging feeling of hate and spite from Gilbert? Now maybe that is taking it too far but what other way do you interpret this letter? Its understandably disheartening for small market owners to have to swallow yet another superstar getting his request and being traded to big market team (which was one of the key issues in the recent labor strife) but its another thing for them make such a bold move of this magnitude.

 Lamar Odom

This makes the entire brand of the NBA look superficial and presents more questions then answers. Now what do the Hornets do? Can they not trade Paul at all this season, setting up a scenario where he walks away fom nothing? How do the Lakers explain to Lamar Odom (Who was reduced to tears on radio and then later went on a rampage on twitter) and Pau Gasol? Houston thought it finally had its premier big man and now they are back to square one. And how about Hornets GM Dell Demps? He was so distraught that he reportedly almost quit his job and had to be talked into staying. They have taken away all of his power to be able to do his job. The NBA has to find a way to get this right. Even if the owners are lobbying for it not to, this would set an unprecedented scene for a league that should want nothing to do anymore legal wrangling. The Hornets got what they wanted, ridding itself of the drama that would have ensued with Paul this year, The Lakers got the best Point Guard it would have had since Magic Johnson, and the Rockets got the big man they coveted in Pau Gasol so what is the problem here? David Stern and his cronies have some explaining to do or this could get ugly fast.

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 13

The Sportaholic NFL power rankings showed about as much movement as a Best Buy Black Friday pre-sale line as all of the top 5 teams won their games. The Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers all came away with victories with the Packers the only team not winning by at least 14 points. Green Bay took a few body blows and head shots from the New York Giants and their relentless pass rush that left the future MVP Aaron Rodgers (Yeah I said it) on the ground more than any Packers fan would like to see. I tweeted how that game eerily reminded me of the 2009 battle between the undefeated New England Patriots and the desperately needing a victory just to make the playoffs Giants. New York lost that game 17-14 but it lit a fire under them that saw them become the first NFC wild card team win a Super Bowl. Now I’m not saying that is what’s going to happen to this 2011 version of the Giants but rather the flow of the game had that kind of feel to it. I still fully expect the Packers win every game this year with only Oakland, Kansas City, Chicago and Detroit. Everyone of those teams will give the Pack their best shot but with Rodgers covering up all of inefficiencies (Horrible pass defense, no run game, etc.) they should at least make to it to the playoffs unscathed if they want to.

The other top 4 teams flexed their muscle by blowing out their opponents.

Outside of the top 5 week 13 produced the usual drama that NFL fans crave.  Tim Tebow did what Tim Tebow does as he helped the Broncos pull out another squeaker over Minnesota. That’s 5-1 as a starter for you keeping stats on him. The New England Patriots played a head scratcher of a game against the winless Colts. Hard to justify a top 5 spot when you allow Dan Orvlosky (Remember he is the guy who didn’t know he stepped out of the end zone in game against the Minnesota Vikings a few years back) to pile up 353 yards of passing on you. The Patriots defense just isn’t good enough to make the team viable in the playoffs.  Houston looked surprisingly well without either of the Matt’s at QB as young T.J. Yates was decent in his first start. The best thing about the Texans horrible situation is that two fundamental things that do in running the ball and playing good defense hasn’t changed even with all of their injuries. They beat a good Atlanta Falcon team and would have beaten a lot of good teams with their performance. How bout them Cowboys? Last I check Jason Garrett had an Ivy League education but you wouldn’t know it by the end of their with the Arizona Cardinals. He iced his own kicker, rookie Dan Bailey at the end of regulation as Dallas eventually lost to the Cards on a walk-off screen pass from Kevin Kolb to LaRod Stephens-Howling. The reaction form Cowboys defensive coordinator Rex Ryan pretty much summed it up. Dallas can never seem to find its identity on offense and Romo could beginning his annual December to never remember slide again.

Fun week in the league as the regular season is culminating into what should be an exciting finish. The obvious question of if the Packers can go all the way with more than enough other storylines. Can Tebow take the Broncos all the way to the playoffs? What will become of the once dominant NFC East as Dallas and New York take on each other this weekend and determine the division’s fate.

Rankings time:

1. Green Bay Packers (12-0) – Funny how this whole rankings thing has become Green Bay # 1 and everybody else for themselves. Since the start of the season the Packers have owned this spot. Green Bay has continued to look vulnerable throughout this entire season but no one can seem to crack them. The Giants did a lot of good things that game including pounding them on the ground and apply pressure on Rodgers with the pass rush. They also controlled the clock but even with them doing all of the above they still fell short. That all goes on the Packers offense. They don’t need a lot of time to be effective. Rodgers gets a lot of praise but the entire offense deserves it. Yeah the receivers dropped more than enough passes but they caught the ones they needed. You will have games likes this during the season but it’s all about how you perform in the clutch and we see how the Packers find a way week in and week out.

     

    2. Baltimore Ravens (9-3) – I have been clamoring for the emergence of Ray Rice in the Ravens offense (As I seem to do every year) and finally Baltimore got him the ball. Rice had 204 yards toting the rock and looked even stronger as the game went on. That’s the formula that works for them even if they don’t like it. When Rice and that offensive line gets to impose their will on an offense then it becomes a game much of favor of the Ravens. Their defense can take over from there. Now will the Ravens follow this blueprint into the playoffs we shall see but it would benefit them in the best of ways if they did.

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 ;   3. New Orleans Saints (9-3) – Some teams do it with defense and some do it with offense but none may do it better on that side of the ball then New Orleans. It gets repetitive but Drew Brees control over that system is amazing. He controls it with such precision and finesse it’s as if he could do this in his sleep. The Saints are hot and they shut down an above average but out of control Lions team. Their run defense will get a stiff test against Chris Johnson and the Titans this weekend but they look to be up to the task. That offense has given many a defensive coordinator nightmares and now its Jerry Gray’s turn at no sleep for Tennessee.

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    4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) – The emergence of Antonio Brown has allowed to Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense to become one of the more potent passing attacks in the league. When you have the speedster Mike Wallace and the athletic Brown on the outside coupled with Ben’s escape ability then you have a chance for big plays. The Steelers still play good defense of course but they can hang a quick 30 on you if you don’t pay attention. Can that defense hold up with its age is the question we will have to find out.

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    5. San Francisco 49ers (10-2) – If there was ever a reason to jump on the San Fran bandwagon, then it would be now. Their defense is just suffocating as proved wby their shutout 26-0 victory over the St. Louis Rams. Yeah it was just the Rams but a shutout on ahy NFL team is impressive. This team seems to always have an edge and that’s mostly because they have crazy in a good way coach, Jim Harbaugh. He never lets his team feel like they have arrived and it has paid off in a big way this year. They have to keep that edge going into the playoffs as they are staring down the # 2 seed and an bye for the first round. Is this team ready for all this success?

Other news and notes:

    Tim Tebow goes to 5-1 as starter, Broncos in first place at 7=5 – Now I won’t get any Tebowe (Not a real word I just made it up) on you and give him all the credit for their victory. The defense stepped when it needed to as Andre Goodman picked off Christian Ponder to seal the game but it’s still Tebow’s influence on the locker room. They have really all brought in to his mind frame and look like they could find a way to steal their division. They play with heart and never give up (Who does that sound like?) which is a credit to each and everyone of them. Don’t be surprised if they sneak into the playoffs and maybe even win a game once there.

 

    Philadelphia implodes, loses to Seattle: The season started off with so much hope in the city of brotherly love but nothing has been brotherly about this season for the Eagles. They allowed RB Marshawn Lynch to just go beast mode as he says and run all over them. There was no effort to stop it on defense and on offense they looked dismal as former Tennessee Titans Vince Young had four interceptions. Desean Jackson just about sums up the Eagles season as he didn’t even pay attention to an animated Young on the sidelines. After the game Jackson was short and rude with reporters as he described the game. If I were Michael Vick I would just put the ribs on ice for the rest of the season as they are going nowhere but home after week 16.

 

      Local Flavor:

    Tennessee 24 Buffalo 17 – Chris Johnson seems to have finally found his way as the Titans RB ran over, around and through the Bills defense. Johnson was game from the beginning as he busted a 48-yard TD in the first and never looked back from there. The Bills made it interesting as Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to find his receivers and put up points but in the end Johnson and the Titans were just too much. The Titans are in the thick of the playoff race and still mathematically have a chance win the AFC south. They will face # 3 in the Sportaholic NFL Power rankings as New Orleans will put pressure on the Titans defense from every angle. I am interested to see if Johnson and Tennessee can keep it going on the ground and try to control to clock against the quick strike offense of the Saints.

Key Games for next week:

    Houston Texans (8-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) – If the Bengals are some way to make a playoff push then they have to find a way to win this game. The Texans just keep rolling QBs be damned and look to keep winning with the Tennessee Titans breathing down their neck.

    Chicago Bears (7-5) vs. Denver Broncos (7-5) – The Bears are just hanging on any way they can at this point and couldn’t have got worse news than Matt Forte knee injury. His MCL sprain means that now they are without their heart (Jay Cutler) and now their soul without Forte. The fighting Tebow’s look to keep rolling and have a good chance to go 8-5 against the injury riddled Bears.

 

    New York Giants (7-5) vs. Dallas Cowboys (7-5) - Remember when the NFC East could do no wrong a few years ago and was agreed upon as the toughest division in the league? Boy has times changed as it appears 10-6 or even 9-7 may take the East this year. This is a must win for both teams naturally as whoever wins this one controls their own destiny. Can Tony Romo reverse the trend of his bad play in December play and the same can be asked about the as they are notoriously known for their late season swoons under Tom Coughlin. 

  

Sportaholic Weekend Rundown 12/05/2011

As we all lament that Monday is here again and dreadfully head back to work, there were more than enough things that happened in the world of sports that should make work a little better for you today. No matter if you’re a football, basketball, or golf than you had something to cheer about. So with that being said lets jump into the weekend run down.

Tiger……….finally wins again: Insert all the jokes you want to right here but this is a moment you won’t be able to take from Woods. For the first time in over two years, he captured his first title in the Chevron World Challenge. It wasn’t just that Woods won, it was the manner in which he did as he made clutch putts down the stretch to beat Zach Johnson. “It feels good,” said Woods. “I’ve been in contention twice this year, which is not very often. I had the lead at the Masters on the back nine there, and obviously had a chance there at the Aussie Open. We all knew on that faithful day back in 2009 when his Escalade was plastered all over the news that Woods life would change from that moment but not to the extent that it has. Woods winless streak went a career long 749 days and for a guy that we could usually pencil in for at least one or two majors a year than that had to seem like an eternity. Between the infidelity scandal that led to his divorce and then a rash of injuries that limited him to only a number of tournaments, Woods has faced a challenge more remarkable than any other superstar athlete. Woods looked loose and comfortable all weekend in speaking with the media which is usually a signal that he is playing well. Hopefully this is the beginning of a Tiger renaissance as the game of golf sorely misses his dominant play that transformed golf. Cheers to you Tiger.

Miami Marlins make splash, sign SS Jose Reyes to multi year deal: As we can now see with this signing, this isn’t your daddy’s Florida Marlins. The new look new attitude Miami Marlins made the first big move of the MLB off-season signing what most experts considered the best all around offensive talent on the market. Reyes hit for a .337 average and led the league with 16 triples. The six year $106 million dollar deal means that the Marlins star SS Hanley Ramirez will be moved to 3rd base to make room for Reyes. The Marlins with the addition reliever Heath Bell and now Reyes are making noise in an already crowded NL East division. The Phillies and Braves are surely taking notice and the Marlins are still in the hunt to land the biggest fish of them all, that’s right you guessed it Albert Pujols. Stay tuned as these Marlins have the money all of a sudden and aren’t afraid to spend it.

BCS Championship set but not without debate: The LSU Tigers clinched their championship ticket with a lopsided win over Georgia in the SEC Championship game. That meant that if was down to Alabama and Oklahoma State for the 2nd spot. Both teams are more than deserving as Bama has beat everyone its faced except for the Tigers as they played them to a 9-6 lost, the closet game the Tigers have had the entire year. Oklahoma State has rolled all but one their opponents as well with their only defeat at being at the hands of Iowa State on a Friday night and one day after the tragic plane crash of women basketball coaches Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna. With all things being measured, Alabama was chosen as the 2nd best team in the nation and will face the Tigers for a rematch in the BCS National Championship in New Orleans. There has been a lot of griping from all over the nation as most fans (Fans not from the south that is) don’t seem to want a rematch from the two SEC schools. The computer systems in which the BCS uses to formulate its championship uses the AP and USA Today poll in 2/3 of its formula and Bama was ranked 2nd in both. It’s hard to make a case for the Cowboys even after they took arch rival OU to the woodshed 44-10 in their biggest victory ever over their nemesis. If the Cowboys had handled their business against the lowly Cyclones, then none of this would be up for discussion. I, just like everyone else hate the BCS system because its such a fracas that causes everyone to doubt the legitimacy of college football. When you have teams like Michigan and Virginia Tech playing BCS with more deserving teams not getting the nod, it makes everyone involved in the system look bad. The LSU vs. Bama match up does appear to pit the best two teams in the nation against each other. Ok State has a superior offense to both of those teams but as the old adage goes defense wins championships. Oklahoma State fans do have a reason to complain about as in any other year their 11-1 record would be good enough to get unfortunately this wasn’t the year.

College Basketball: #1 Kentucky downs #5 North Carolina 73-72 – In a game that was hyped as much as early season game can and it actually lived up to the billing. This was an embarrassment of riches for these two storied programs as 9 of the 10 starters on the court were projected to be drafted in the NBA. The two schools played in an epic showdown that saw the game go down to the wire with Wildcats freshman Anthony Davis blocking the Tar Heels John Henson on a last second shot. This was a preview of a potential Final Four match up. Carolina wasn’t able to get it done but no one may play the Cats this close for a long time.

NFL: Rodgers and Packers move to 12-0 – The Pack attack just won’t lose and with their latest win there is no reason not to believe that they will go undefeated. Green Bay took down the physical New York Giants 38-35 in an exciting game that saw Mr. Rodgers step in crunch time to help the Packers seal the victory. After the Giants scored to tie game at 35, Rodgers and the offense came on to the field with 58 seconds remaining and Rodgers made it look easy from there. He completed passes of 24, 27, and of 18 yards in a drive so quick that you missed it if you blinked your eyes. The quick drive set up a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby and just like that the Packers are 12-0. Looking at Green Bay’s schedule this was the hardest game they had remaining in my opinion. They face Oakland, Kansas City, Chicago and Detroit to end the season and should be favored in every game from this point. I fully expect them to go undefeated at this point and you would be crazy to bet against them at this point. They do have their flaws as every team does but they just seem to find a way to win each game. This looks like one of those special teams that is destined for something great.

Sportaholic College Football Weekend Setup: Championship Weekend Edition

Championship week is upon us in college football which is always something to be bittersweet about. The season is already coming to a close but this is probably one of the best weekends to be a college football fan. Another thing to cheer for is the formation of a few new conference championship games. You may not like the conference realignment that is sweeping the nation but it has given us the opportunity to witness additional games this weekend. We now have the Big 10 championship game, Pac-12 championship, and even the MAC and Conference USA championship games. So far in my opinion this is the only good thing that has come from all this shifting in college football. The conferences got what they want by adding championship games.




Although the season is winding to a close, a plethora of questions remain. Can Alabama really play in the BCS championship game without winning its conference? What about the other one-loss teams, can any of them leap frog the Crimson Tide? Who is the front-runner for the Heisman at this point? If LSU stumbles in the SEC Championship game against the red hot Georgia Bulldogs, should they still get an invite for the Championship game? Like I said, a lot of unanswered questions still abound that should make for a list of interesting storylines.

Maybe the most entertaining narrative is the Rick Neuheisel -UCLA drama. I’m sure by now you now the story as he was fired by the Bruins, although they made it to the inaugural Pac-12 championship game. He will actually coach in the game even though he is technically axed from his job. Crazy times as always in the Pac-12 that are sure to get even crazier with the addition of the mad genius Mike Leach to Washington State.

Championship week also provides us with a few old fashioned rivalry games like Army vs. Navy and the Bedlam battle between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. It stinks this is the last regular season week in college football but at least we have more than enough games to watch.

SEC Championship Game: Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) vs. LSU Tigers (12-0) – My fellow writer Taylor Cannon will do the honors for this game:



And here we go (Heath Ledger JOKER VOICE), this is for SEC supremacy, EAST vs. WEST. The Top ranked LSU TIGER come to Atlanta as Western division champs and undefeated , while the GEORIGA BULLDOGS started off cold 0-2 and Mark Richt seat was BLAZIN, but now the seat has cooled off and da DAWGS are hot winning 10 straight. SOMETHING has to give, both these teams have a BCS bid, but BOTH want the SEC TITLE. So , who will it be, will it be the LSU TIGERS who are on a mission for titles, or will it be UGA who will want to give the “home “ fans something to celebrate in the ATL.



Offense vs. Offense: UGA is led by super sophomore Aaron Murray with 2698 yds 32 Tds 10 interceptions; his running counterpart Isaiah Crowell 172 carries 832 yds with 5 TDS and their main receiving threat in Malcolm. Mitchell 34 catches with 582 yards 4 yds. The Bulldogs have an above average offense capable of putting points up on anyone. LSU will have Jordan Jefferson at QB has came on as late and has taken charge of this team. The quad monster running back team of Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Kenny Hilliard, and Alfred Blue looks to give Georgia’s D some fits and if receivers Russell Sheppard and Rueben Randle get open and get hot LSU will look to light up the scoreboard. Edge: LSU

Defense vs. Defense : LSUs Defense is solid it’s been putting pressure and has been given SEC QBs nightmares all year and look to do the same against Murray. Georgia’s defense is no slouch either as they ranked in the top 10 in points allowed, rushing yards and total defense. With that being said we all know that the Tigers defense has been by far the best of any team in the nation this year. Edge: LSU

Intangibles: LSU has been playing focused all year and mistake free football. This is the main game they can’t trip up because the whole nation is watching, some STILL think LSU does not deserve to play in the national championship if they lose, so LSU must come out and play ball. The Bulldogs want to crash the Tigers little homecoming party in New Orleans, site of the BCS Championship and keep their winning ways going as they have ran off with nine straight victories. Edge: Push

Winner and why – LSU 45-UGA 28- Too much LSU D and offense. The Tigers just have too much on the line to lose this game and after beating all comers (In Les Miles accent) they should finish the season off with a win and the chance to play for all the marbles in January.

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (10-2) – The highly anticipated rematch of these teams was what most people wanted to see in the first Big 10 Championship game. Their epic battle that saw Michigan State win on a last play Hail Mary was one of the most memorable moments of the year. They will get it on again this time for a chance at the Rose Bowl. The two teams know each other well so expect a slugfest. Wisconsin’s bread and butter is on the ground as RB Montee Ball is quietly having one of the best scoring seasons in all of NCAA history with his 34. Ball and Russell Wilson lead a dominant Badgers offense (averaging 44.8 points per game) that will put pressure on Michigan State’s number 3 ranked defense (266.7 total yards per game). The Spartans have a pretty offense as well with the likes of QB Kirk Cousins, WRs B.J. Cunningham and Keyshawn Marin, and RB Edwin Baker. I think the Badgers still have that taste in their mouths from the last time they played so they will be out for blood. Motivation is always a big momentum swinger in games of two evenly matched teams so mark this one down for the Badgers.

The Pick: Wisconsin

ACC Championship Game: Virginia Tech (11-1) vs. Clemson (9-3) – Another Championship and another rematch. Clemson thrashed the Hokies 23-3 two months ago but Tech hasn’t lost a game since and looks as if the lost made them stronger. ACC player of the year David Wilson at running back has really taken it to another level as he seemingly is breaking off big runs in every game they play. Clemson has lost three out of their last four and it seems the wheels are falling off at this point. Dabo Swiney’s team was a nice story as QB Tajh Boyd and WR Sammy Watkins carried the team for most of the season but both of those players productions really have fallen since their hot start. There is no way you can pick against the Hokies in this one as they should go on to win yet another ACC Championship.

The Pick: Virginia Tech

Pac 12 Championship: Oregon (10-2) vs. UCLA (6-6) – Like I said above, this one is interesting for the simple fact that its Rick Neuheisel’s last game at the Bruins coach rather he likes it or not. He has already been fired but is still coaching and would need a miracle to pull off the upset as the Ducks are favored by 30 points in this one. The Bruins needed a heap of misfortune just to make it into the game as they lost to USC 50-0 (The Trojans would won the division this had it not been for the whole NCAA ineligibility thing) and had to have Utah lose to Colorado to win the south division. This game is ripe for a blowout as the Bruins have nothing to counter the Ducks high powered offense featuring the likes of Darron Thomas, Lamichael James and Deanthony Thomas.

The Pick: Oregon Ducks

The Battle of Bedlam: Oklahoma (9-2) vs. Oklahoma State (10-1) – This was suppose to be the game that decided who would go on to face the SEC winner in the BCS Championship but unfortunately both teams lost to teams they shouldn’t have and now are relegated to needing a miracle to get in. This will be a game of offensive fireworks featuring two of the best QB in college right now with Landry Jones and Brandon Weeden. The two have combined for over 8,000 yards in passing this year and another 62 touchdown passes. The Sooners have a dealt with injuries as Jones favorite target WR Ryan Broles went down earlier this year with a torn ACL and his other favorite target Kenny Stills has been slowed by multiple injuries. Justin Blackmon is Weeden go to guy and he has racked up 103 receptions 1,241 yards and 15 touchdowns so far. This one will be fun just because of the offense but when it boils down to it, the Sooners defense should be able to get a stop when they need it. They are way more capable then the Cowboys defense which isn’t bad but not even close to being as good as the Sooners are on that side of the ball.

The Pick: Oklahoma Sooners

Lastly, I saw an interesting article on the prices of each major BCS conference ticket. Check out the chart below

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 12

As we enter the home stretch of the NFL season it appears that change is on the horizon for a few underreporting teams. The first move was made by Jacksonville as they fired long time coach Jack Del Rio. He was 69-73 over nine years and goes down as the first NFL coach to coach that many seasons with one team and not to win a division title. Del Rio had his moments with the Jags as they upset the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2007 playoffs but it was mostly a mediocre run for him as the Jacksonville coach. The Jaguars don’t sell tickets and are always on blackout watch in their own local market as it is anyway. Another firing took place in the league as with the Colts relieving defensive coordinator Larry Coyer of his duties for the 0-11 Colts. They also replaced QBs with Curtis Painter out and Dan Orlovsky in. It has just been a disaster in Indy this year every since Peyton went down. Speaking of Manning, there is a whisper floating around that he isn’t healing as fast as he should for this type of procedure. Hopefully it’s just a rumor but you never know.

This is just the beginning in a league that is built on change. The bottom dwelling teams have to at least make a push to look competitive. There is no way that Jacksonville or Indy could be content with getting blown out week in and week out. The hot seat remains hot for a few coaches as we now can officially add Tom Coughin to the list. The Giants have fallen off the radar in November as they were thoroughly dominated by the New Orleans Saints this past Monday. The seat is also simmering under Eagles coach Andy Reid, which is really remarkable when you think about it in Philadelphia. Reid has been the steady hands in charge for the last 12 years in Philly and, this was suppose to be his best team but we all witnessing how this season has turned out for him.

Coaching changes are inevitable in every sport. It’s just part of the business. Even if a guy was less than successful (See: Jack Del Rio) or a long tenured and outstanding coach (See: Andy Reid and Tom Couglin), one day soon or later that your day is coming.

Time for the Power Rankings:

1. Green Bay Packers (11-0) – The Pack just keep rolling with the hot hand as Aaron Rodgers continues to make it look easy. He is on pace for the single best season for a QB ever as he would finish with 5100 total yards passing and an unheard of 130.7 QB rating. He is doing all of this while leading the Packers to a possible undefeated season. Green Bay’s defense showed some teeth as well in their victory over the Detroit Lions causing Matt Stafford to throw three interceptions. We have every reason to believe that this team can and will be undefeated going into the playoffs.

2. Baltimore Ravens (8-3) – The Ravens roughed up the 49ers to move to 8-3 and remain in first place in the rough and tough AFC North division. This is a team that is remarkably up and down as they have beaten some of the best teams in the league in Pittsburgh (Twice), San Francisco, and Houston and loss a couple of the worse in Jacksonville and Seattle. Ray Lewis should be back for their next game after missing the Harbaugh bowl much to his chagrin. Pittsburgh and Baltimore will battle to the end for the division title but looking at the schedule and it appears the Ravens had the easier path especially after beating the Steelers twice to own all the tie-breakers.

3. New Orleans Saints (8-3) – Looking at the Saints offense against the Giants a few things stood out to me. First, the play of Jimmy Graham at tight end has given Brees yet another explosive weapon. The 6’7 former Miami (FL) power forward is really coming on and seems to catch everything thrown his way. Second, Drew Brees doesn’t get enough credit as crazy as it sounds. He is also on pace to surpass Dan Marino’s all time passing yards record but its not the yards that impress me. It just his command of the offense and his leadership skills. Brees, Brady, and Rodgers are in the top echelon of QBs and their teams will always be great as long as these great QBs are leading them. The Saints are dangerous and appear to be even better than their 2009 Super Bowl winning team.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) – Even though a win is a win in this league, the Steelers couldn’t have played an uglier game this past week. Their narrow 13-9 win over a reeling under manned Kansas City squad was a disturbing look for Pittsburgh. Troy Polamalu took a knee from the Chiefs tight end Steve Maneri and never returned which led to some holes in their vaunted defense. The offense wasn’t able to muster much of anything as well with Big Ben content on throwing dink and dunk passes that amounted to 21 completions for only 193 yards. This wasn’t a pretty game but the Steelers won and they should get Polamalu back for next game. So maybe this was just one of those weeks to forget for Steelers nation. But again, a win is a win.

5. San Francisco 49ers (9-2) – Maybe the Harbaugh bowl was a little much for this team as the hype and historical part seemed to do more harm then good to this young team. Alex Smith looked like his previous 2011 self as he and the 49er offense couldn’t get anything going against the ferocious Ravens defense. Terrell Suggs was able to get to Smith three times. San Francisco still has a more than comfortable lead in the NFC West so that is really nothing to worry about their. They did however lose a game in the home field advantage race as they are now two behind Green Bay. Catching the Packers was probably a lost cause anyway.

Other League News and Notes:

Ndamakong Suh suspended for 2 games: The Lions brutal DT was handed down a two game suspension for his pushing of the helmet and stepping on the arm of the Packers Evan Dietrich-Smith. Everyone is aware of the big mans merciless history as he has racked up over $42,000 dollars in fines in his short career. He didn’t seem apologetic initially at the press conference after the game but he later changed his tone after the media jumped all over him. Hopefully Suh learns his lesson here and is able to play in his usual relentless manner but is able to stop the uncontrollable acts that have marked his career to this point.

Tim Tebow just keeps leading his teams to wins: Tebow haters (I’m talking to you Merril Hodge) really don’t have any ground to stand on at this point on Tebow. The Broncos latest victory over the San Diego Chargers pushed his starting record to 5-1 and has Denver in the thick of the playoff race. Tebow isn’t doing it all by himself as the defense has really come on for them led by sensational rookie LB Von Miller but its Tebow that has inspirited this team to become all that it can be. He just has the “IT” factor and wills his team each week to a victory. It’s becoming to a point that other teams are drinking the Tebow Kool-Aid and believing that if the game is close in the 4th quarter then it is all but a lost. San Diego folded in the 4th against the Broncos and it seemed to have something to do with the Tebow effect as I like to call it. Tebow will never be the prototypical QB but he will always give his team a chance to win. He just finds a way and will continue to do no matter what his critics say. And this is coming from a University of Tennessee fan who was tormented by him at Florida.

Texans sign Jake Delhomme: Sometimes you just have to make the best out of what is available and that’s what this signing appears to be. The Texans plucked the former Panther and Browns QB out of retirement to help bolster their depleted QB front. We all know the story with both of the Matt’s Schaub and Leinart going down with season ending injuries. The Texans were down to rookie T.J. Yates in their last game and signed veteran journey man Kellen Clemens as well. This is mostly just an insurance policy as the Texans have found out you can never have to many QBs in the NFL. Rather Delhomme competes for playing time is yet to be seen.

Best Games of Week 13:



Atlanta (7-4) vs. Houston (8-3) – Déjà vu for the Texans as they start a new QB for the 3rd time this season. Can they find a way to keep winning or will the Falcons and Matt Ryan be too much for them to overcome



Green Bay Packers (11-0) vs. NY Giants (6-5) - So lets see here, Drew Brees carved up the Giants D for 363 yards and 4 touchdowns and now they welcome Aaron Rodgers and the Pack attack to town. Sounds like a problem for the reeling New York.



Detroit Lions (7-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (8-3) – The time has come for this Lions team to make a stand as they are fighting for their playoff lives. The feel good story of the year won’t feel so good if they are sitting at home watching. Drew Brees and the Saints are rolling right now and with Detroit missing Suh in the middle, it could be a long game for them.

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 11 Thanksgiving Edition

It appears the NFL was is a giving spirit as the Thanksgiving slate of NFL games is one of the best ever. We will witness an epic three game schedule that includes the highly anticipated Packers vs. Lions game, Cowboys vs. the all of a sudden hot Dolphins, and the Brothers Harbaugh bowl with the 49ers vs. Ravens. This is the best gift you can give us football fans as every one of these games should be exciting and competitive. The storylines for the Packers and Lions couldn’t get any juicer as Green Bay tries to continue their undefeated season against the up and coming Detroit. Matt Stafford is coming off the best game of his career with 5 touchdown passes and depending on how you look at it Aaron Rodgers is coming off his worst of the season after ‘Only” throwing for 299 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The Cowboys had to go to overtime to take down the swooning Redskins but more importantly Tony Romo continued his hot streak adding another 3 touchdown passes to his season total. No one thought that the Miami Dolphins would be riding a 3-game winning streak heading into this one but they have pull it all together behind QB Matt Moore and have looked impressive lately beating their last three teams by a combined score of 86-20. The San Fran-Baltimore tilt is made for Thanksgiving as the brothers Harbaugh will get it on get it on in Charm city. Their mother Jackie won’t attend because reportedly the brothers have decided that the day is about the 49ers and Ravens. In other words Mom doesn’t want to choose sides, which is respectable. Turkey day will be at its best this year with a big helping of NFL action.

On the contrary to the greatness of the Thanksgiving game slate, week 10 in the NFL is usually when the injury bug begins to rear its ugly head and it couldn’t be even more evident then this past weekend. The big one was Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler going down with a broken thumb on his throwing finger. This is the ultimate disaster for the Bears in multiple ways. Even though Cutler can be sometime erratic, he is still the heart of their offense. He has a hand in just about everything they do with his 2,319 yards passing, 13 touchdown passes to 7 interceptions, and his 85.7 QB rating. These are not eye-popping numbers but as anyone with knowledge of the Bears futile QB history, these numbers are more than enough for Chicago. There are a couple of silver linings for the Bears in that they are a team that scores in multiple ways and not just with there offense. KR/PR Devin Hester is as explosive as they come as he recently broke the all-time record for most punts returns for touchdowns and Chicago will need him more than ever with Cutler going down. Their defense also is known for takeaways turned touchdowns as they are aggressive as they come in making something happen after they recover a fumble or get an interception. The second part is that backup Caleb Haynie had a chance to get his feet wet in last year’s NFC Championship game against Green Bay, and didn’t look half bad.

Haynie was 13/20 for 153 yards but had two interceptions in the Bears lost to the Packers. He wasn’t great but he was far from terrible as the Bears had a chance to defeat the Pakcers in that game. He will have the added benefit that Chicago plays four games against fair to mediocre pass defenses before he gets another crack at the Packers in week 16. The Packers aren’t scaring anyone with their next to last ranked pass defense anyway. Chicago’s soul on offense Matt Forte will have to carry even more of the load now that Haynie will be in place of Cutler. Another possibility is that the Bears could re-sign their former QB Kyle Orton now that he was placed on waivers in Denver. He could come in and play immediately to solidify the position until Cutler returns.

Cutler’s injury news comes on the heels of franchise QBs Matt Schaub being out possibly for the rest of the season with a foot twinge and Michael Vick’s ribs keeping him out of the last game. Nothing worst can happen to your seasons hopes and dreams than your QB going down.

1. Green Bay Packers (10-0) – What do you say about a QB who had has worst statistical day of the year and he says that he is disappointed in his performance? Most any other QBs you would think of a terrible stat line but Rodgers was 23/34 for 299 yards and 3 TDs. He also threw an interception but if that is considered a bad day at the office for him then how can we not crown this guy the best QB in the league? He carries his team week in and week out because lets face it, that defense stinks and isn’t anywhere close to being as dominant as it has been over the last few years. Josh Freeman was able to put up a career high 342 yards passing last week on the porous Packer pass defense. It will come a point and time when their defense will have to rise up and play better because every team is giving them their best shot. Matt Stafford is coming off his best game ever and now Green Bay has to travel to Detroit to take him on. Sounds like it could be fireworks in Ford Field tomorrow. If the Packers are going undefeated then they undoubtedly have to shore up that defense.

2. San Francisco 49ers (9-1) – The 9ers shellacked the Cardinals and just keep rolling with only one loss, they are keeping the pressure on the Packers for home field advantage. This team plays good fundamental football especially on defense. They don’t beat themselves like they use to and they have a knack now for pulling out close games. The Harbaugh bowl could turn out to be the best game of the week with two stout defenses on display. Look for Jim to pull a few new wrinkles out of his pocket as he knows the Ravens defense will make life miserable for his offense. The next two games will tell us everything think we need to know about this team heading into the playoffs as they take on Pittsburgh after the Baltimore game.

3. Houston Texans (7-3) – Even though there is a glut of 7-3 teams and the Texans lost starting QB Matt Schaub possibly for the season, I will stay with Houston at the three spot for now. The best thing they could have had happen was that bye week, as it should give Matt Leinart a chance to acclimate himself with the offense even more. After the Leinart led Texans take on Atlanta and Cincinnati the next couple of week, they should be in good shape as they won’t face another opponent with a winning record from there. The question is can Leinart keep them afloat? We will find out if he is ready for his close up.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) – Bye. Can’t penalize them for not playing, so they reaming at four for now.

5. New Orleans Saints (7-3) – Bye. The Saints look to be in good position to take the AFC South but they still have three tough games on the schedule with the NY Giants, Detroit Lions, and a game that could decide the division with Atlanta on the second to last week of the season.