Monday, January 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Tigers
Last year, I did a post detailing why the Tigers were as bad as they were during the season. Well, Things seem to even themselves out in the end. The tigers have been able to keep most games close. While not overly impressive they have a winning record (26-20) in one-run games.
The thing that is the most surprising right now is that they have been outscored by one run in total this season. That means their adjusted record should be 75-75. The Minnesota Twins have outscored their opponents by 29 runs. That translates to the same record they have 78-73 (according to baseball-reference.com best website ever.), which would give the Twins a 4-game lead. Somehow, the tigers have overcome their offensive deficiencies and have been able to outplay expectations.
I can't wait to see how this last 2 weeks plays out, I would love to see playoff baseball this time around.
The thing that is the most surprising right now is that they have been outscored by one run in total this season. That means their adjusted record should be 75-75. The Minnesota Twins have outscored their opponents by 29 runs. That translates to the same record they have 78-73 (according to baseball-reference.com best website ever.), which would give the Twins a 4-game lead. Somehow, the tigers have overcome their offensive deficiencies and have been able to outplay expectations.
I can't wait to see how this last 2 weeks plays out, I would love to see playoff baseball this time around.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
BOOM! New Post.
There was only one thing that could bring me back to blogging..... football.
This weekend was the weekend of "don't turn that channel."
Thursday- There probably couldn't have been a better opening game for the NFL. The Titans and Steelers took the game all the way to overtime.
The Turning Point (point when if you changed the channel you would've missed everything)- Hines Ward catches athe ball with no one in front of him under 2 minutes left
What you missed- Michael Griffin popped the ball out from behind to preserve the tie and send it to overtime. Still, the steelers won the toss and took the ball down the field to score the GW FG.
Friday- This is the game that will haunt me until Wed. Nov. 11 when Toledo comes to Kelly-Shorts stadium. Toledo had a coming out party and stomped all over the Colorado Buffaloes 54-38. It was a small coming out party for the MAC and for Toledo's offense led by Sr. QB Aaron Opelt.
The Turning Point- Before the game, because you saw Toledo playing Colorado and thought no way this game would be interesting. You were kind of right.
What you missed- Toledo's dominance of the game from the first whistle. Also, Aaron Opelt's 319 yds passing, 109 yds rushing and 6 total TDs.
Saturday- Wow, plenty of choices, I'm going with two of them.
1.) CMU was keeping the game close with MSU all day long. Late in the 4th Quarter CMU was down 27-20 and got the ball with 7:30 left in the game and started to drive downfield. That drive culminated in an 11-yd TD pass from Dan LeFevour To Paris Cotton. Head Coach Butch Jones made the right call to go for the 2-point conversion in that situation. Unfortunately, the right call doesn't always work out.
The Turning Point- When Dan Lefevour threw the ball right where Antonio Brown Could get it for 2 but, it was a little out of bounds.
What you missed- The best onside kick I've ever seen by Andrew Aguila that was recovered by Bryan Anderson followed by a short drive that ended with Aguila's 2 FG attempt to sail through the uprights for a 29-27 CMU victory.
2.) Michigan needed a win against Notre Dame at home to calm down the fanbase after all the trials and tribulations that have come along with Rich Rodriguez coaching staff.
The Turning Point- When Rich Rod made the call to punt the ball away with 3 minutes to go and down three points. I mean ND had scored 34 points, what's gonna stop them from running out the clock?
What you missed- Answer: The michigan Defense. They made a stop and got the ball back letting freshman QB Tate Forcier put together a game-winning drive that involved and awesome 5-yd TD pass to Greg Matthews. Michigan pulled out the 38-34 win.
Sunday- Denver vs. Cincinnati didn't exactly look like the most appealing match-up of week one of the NFL. It definitely provided the most drama.
The Turning Point- When Leon Hall made a great athletic play to bat away a pass that was intended for Brandon Marshall with about 30 seconds to go.
What you missed- Brandon Stokley being in the right place at the right time and catching that pass and scampering down the field for what turned into an 87-yd TD that gave Denver a 12-7 lead with 11 seconds left that they held onto.
Monday- Two monday night games that looked lopsided going in turned into two great games.
1.) New England played Buffalo in the first game. I thought it wasn't even gonna be close and the Pats would blow out the Bills. Boy was I wrong.
The Turning Point- Buffalo kicked a FG with 5:32 left to make it a 2 score game. The Bills D had given up 266 yds to Tom Brady but had more importantly kept him out of the end zone.
What you missed- Tom Brady was the golden boy once again. Thanks to a Leodis Mckelvin fumble sandwiched between two Brady-to-Watson TD passes in a span of 1:16, the Pats beat the Bills 25-24.
2.) San Diego took on the Oakland Raiders in the late game. San Diego obviously means whale's vagina in German and that's how big the gap was between the two teams before the game. But everything went right for Oakland and everything went wrong for SD so it was a close game.
The Turning Point-JaMarcus Russel throws a 57-yard TD pass to Louis Murphy on 4th down with 2:34 left in the game.
What you missed- San Diego driving 89 yards down the field without LT to score with 18 seconds left. All they needed was a field goal, but Darren Sproles ran it in from 5 yds out to cap off the scoring and give SD a 24-20 win.
This weekend taught me everything. Don't change the channel and watch as much football as possible. Check and Check.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Long time, No see.
So its been two weeks, what about it? wanna fight? I didn't think so. But here's my big thought of the week.
ESPN's bracket busters.
That's it. bracketbusters. Most people would like to say that March Madness gives them the best feeling in the world. Anyone who knows me knows that the tourney is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. But, another thing I love come tournament time is the small, cinderella school. George Mason, loved it. Butler, love 'em EVERY YEAR. Davidson, Loved it. Knowing this, I am nominating ESPN's bracketbusters as my #1 favorite sporting day of the year. Here are my reasons.
1. All small schools.
This year there was a pool of 102 teams from the non-BCS conferences who chose to participate in this years bracketbusters event. That's nearly a third of all NCAA basketball teams right there. GOTTA LOVE IT.
2. Good, nay I say great matchups.
The plus of having 102 schools sign up and not announcing the matchups until january is there are going to be really good matchups. PLus, they only show 26 of those schools on TV, so it's the cream of the crop. Definitely no Central Michigan vs. Farleigh Dickinson matchup on TV. These matchups are Steak Sauce. Virginia Commonwealth @ Nevada. Why yes bartender, I will take a little bit more of that. #15 Butler @ Davidson.Thank you, I think I need just one more shot there. ooooo #21 Utah State @ St. Mary's. I am cutting myself off right there. I think I may have just had a mid-major college basketball orgasm.
3.The tourney is close.
One thing that ESPN got right was the timing of the event. Putting it in the middle/end of February is beautiful. The tourney is close. The teams that need a quality win can get one right here. Plus, it can give a good measuring stick to the tourneament selection committee. If a mid-major is doing well, but scheduled nothing but awful teams, they can be exposed and drop in rankings.
Case closed. ESPN bracketbusters, I think I found my valentine a couple of days late this year.
ESPN's bracket busters.
That's it. bracketbusters. Most people would like to say that March Madness gives them the best feeling in the world. Anyone who knows me knows that the tourney is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. But, another thing I love come tournament time is the small, cinderella school. George Mason, loved it. Butler, love 'em EVERY YEAR. Davidson, Loved it. Knowing this, I am nominating ESPN's bracketbusters as my #1 favorite sporting day of the year. Here are my reasons.
1. All small schools.
This year there was a pool of 102 teams from the non-BCS conferences who chose to participate in this years bracketbusters event. That's nearly a third of all NCAA basketball teams right there. GOTTA LOVE IT.
2. Good, nay I say great matchups.
The plus of having 102 schools sign up and not announcing the matchups until january is there are going to be really good matchups. PLus, they only show 26 of those schools on TV, so it's the cream of the crop. Definitely no Central Michigan vs. Farleigh Dickinson matchup on TV. These matchups are Steak Sauce. Virginia Commonwealth @ Nevada. Why yes bartender, I will take a little bit more of that. #15 Butler @ Davidson.Thank you, I think I need just one more shot there. ooooo #21 Utah State @ St. Mary's. I am cutting myself off right there. I think I may have just had a mid-major college basketball orgasm.
3.The tourney is close.
One thing that ESPN got right was the timing of the event. Putting it in the middle/end of February is beautiful. The tourney is close. The teams that need a quality win can get one right here. Plus, it can give a good measuring stick to the tourneament selection committee. If a mid-major is doing well, but scheduled nothing but awful teams, they can be exposed and drop in rankings.
Case closed. ESPN bracketbusters, I think I found my valentine a couple of days late this year.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Its Super Bowl Sunday!!!
I've been waiting and waiting to write this post. My personal breakdown of Super Bowl XLIII.
Pitt O v. Cardinals D
Pittsburgh's offense has been extremely mediocre this year (22nd in YPG). They are sitting in the middle to the back of the pack in run O (23rd) and Pass O (17th). The Cardinals D has also been fairly mediocre (19th in YPG). They are 16th against the run and 22nd against the pass. While it looks like a particularly mediocre matchup, I am giving the advantage to the Cardinals D, because even though they are not that good. They have played better than their stats say this postseason. I also think that the Cards will be able to force turnovers from a little gunslining acton that Big Ben will no-doubtedly put on display.
Cards O vs. Pitt D
Now this is the matchupeveryone wants to see. The Best Defense in the NFL against the 4th best Offense in the NFL. The Steelers will have to pressure Kurt Warner all game to throw him off. The Cardinals will have to sontinue the success they have had this postseason in more traditional sets (less than 3 WR) while still not getting away from their pass-happy tendencies. This is going to be the biggest battle all game. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers can fly around and smack a couple of WRs in the mouth, like they are known to do, and set the tone early in the game.
My Prediction (with Justification)
The matchups are one part but the biggest factor in the game, in my mind, will be field position (BIG SURPRISE RIGHT?). Because both return games are pretty good and with turnovers that are bound to happen, the field position is going to flip on the turn of a dime. I think it will be close until the Steelers force the Cards to be one-dimensional in the 4th quarter and then they can drop back a force turnovers.
Steelers 31, Cards 17
Pitt O v. Cardinals D
Pittsburgh's offense has been extremely mediocre this year (22nd in YPG). They are sitting in the middle to the back of the pack in run O (23rd) and Pass O (17th). The Cardinals D has also been fairly mediocre (19th in YPG). They are 16th against the run and 22nd against the pass. While it looks like a particularly mediocre matchup, I am giving the advantage to the Cardinals D, because even though they are not that good. They have played better than their stats say this postseason. I also think that the Cards will be able to force turnovers from a little gunslining acton that Big Ben will no-doubtedly put on display.
Cards O vs. Pitt D
Now this is the matchupeveryone wants to see. The Best Defense in the NFL against the 4th best Offense in the NFL. The Steelers will have to pressure Kurt Warner all game to throw him off. The Cardinals will have to sontinue the success they have had this postseason in more traditional sets (less than 3 WR) while still not getting away from their pass-happy tendencies. This is going to be the biggest battle all game. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers can fly around and smack a couple of WRs in the mouth, like they are known to do, and set the tone early in the game.
My Prediction (with Justification)
The matchups are one part but the biggest factor in the game, in my mind, will be field position (BIG SURPRISE RIGHT?). Because both return games are pretty good and with turnovers that are bound to happen, the field position is going to flip on the turn of a dime. I think it will be close until the Steelers force the Cards to be one-dimensional in the 4th quarter and then they can drop back a force turnovers.
Steelers 31, Cards 17
Friday, January 23, 2009
Lions coaches/ Draft Rants
The Lions have a full coaching staff now
Now that the Lions have an All-star coaching staff composed of semi-previously successful coaches, its time to worry about the draft. Yet again, I believe the way to build is not around the quarterback. I have a problem with these draft projections that are being put out by most of the so called experts.
1. As I can never state enough, the lions don't need a front-line quarterback this year. Plus, the Lions have the worst Defense in the league.
2. The Chiefs are sitting at #3 and I think they don't need to draft the lions leftover at QB. Does it make sense to think, "We have the second worst defense in the league and we have a young quarterback who had a pretty good second half of the year, so let's draft another young QB so we can have 3 QBs that are less than 4 years into the league." Does that sound like a logical thought process? I think not.
3. I don't think the Packers need to draft a CB with their #9 pick. I know the Packers have 3 CBs who are going to be free agents (they already signed one), but they still have Al Harris, Charles Woodson, and Will Blackmon on the roster. Plus the packers were in the top half of the league against the pass and awful against the run (26th in the league), so doesn't a LB/DL/DE make more sense?
I don't know what Mel Kiper is thinking. I really don't want to know what hair product he is thinking about 24/7 actually.
Now that the Lions have an All-star coaching staff composed of semi-previously successful coaches, its time to worry about the draft. Yet again, I believe the way to build is not around the quarterback. I have a problem with these draft projections that are being put out by most of the so called experts.
1. As I can never state enough, the lions don't need a front-line quarterback this year. Plus, the Lions have the worst Defense in the league.
2. The Chiefs are sitting at #3 and I think they don't need to draft the lions leftover at QB. Does it make sense to think, "We have the second worst defense in the league and we have a young quarterback who had a pretty good second half of the year, so let's draft another young QB so we can have 3 QBs that are less than 4 years into the league." Does that sound like a logical thought process? I think not.
3. I don't think the Packers need to draft a CB with their #9 pick. I know the Packers have 3 CBs who are going to be free agents (they already signed one), but they still have Al Harris, Charles Woodson, and Will Blackmon on the roster. Plus the packers were in the top half of the league against the pass and awful against the run (26th in the league), so doesn't a LB/DL/DE make more sense?
I don't know what Mel Kiper is thinking. I really don't want to know what hair product he is thinking about 24/7 actually.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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