The Baker’s Dozen (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Bears (6-0) (1) - uh oh....are the old Bears back - all defense - no offense?......2. Chargers (4-1) (2) - the Bolts go into a tough situation this week at KC.....3. Colts (5-0) (3) - Indy was on a bye....watch the Redskins this week....a loss here would be a 3 game skid for the Skins....
4. Saints (5-1) (6) - Saints are sitting nice going on a bye this week.....5. Eagles (4-2) (4) - another great game....but this time they end up on the short end...
6. Patriots (4-1) (7) - a rematch this week with Buffalo - a team that should have beaten the Pats in week 1......
7. Seahawks (4-1) (10) - classic game against the Rams...
8. Giants (3-2) (NR) - the G-men have bounced back nicely after the drubbing by Seattle a few weeks ago....
9. Panthers (4-2) (12) - the battle of the Cats......Bengals vs. Panthers.....
10. Bengals (3-2) (8) - just when you thought this was an elite team, they turn into the Bungals....11. Broncos (4-1) (11) - I will repeat what I wrote last week....they have won 3 ugly home games....9-6 in OT and two 13-3 wins....12. Steelers (2-3) (NR) - like I said before, don’t count this crew out just yet....
13. Ravens (4-2) (5) - maybe this team is not as good as first thought.....The Carp30. Texans (1-5) (NR) - doesn’t get any easier this week with the Jags coming to town...
31. Dolphins (1-5) (29) - a bit of confusion for those of you who had the Dolphins winning the division
32. Raiders (0-5) (32) - another week - another loss....they had their chance on Sunday....it’s not like the Broncos whipped them....
I honestly thought Michigan State was going to fire head coach John L. Smith after Saturday’s game.....I was not expecting Sparty to beat Ohio State.....but Michigan State looked pathetic to the point that I question if the players still care....a few years back the MSU administration fired head coach Bobby Williams after getting thumped by Michigan 49-3....the administration said that Williams lost control of his team....
Michigan State has talent, however they lack discipline and confidence – which comes back to their head coach - Smith....
The lack of discipline was on display during their first 4 offensive plays....after Ohio State turned the ball over on about their own 25-yard line, Michigan State threw a little swing pass that took them down to the OSU 1-yard line....Mistake 1 - MSU holding....
So that makes it now 1st and 3 at the 20.....they call a running play....instead of running straight ahead to get the first down, the back dances around in the backfield for a loss of 3 yards....Mistake 2.....
On 2nd down qb Drew Stanton hits his receiver for a first down, but the receiver drops the ball....Mistake 3....are you seeing a pattern here??....
Finally, on 3rd down, Stanton scrambles....instead of throwing the ball away to stay in field goal range, he allows himself to get sacked which takes them out of range for 3 points...Mistake 4...
Those 4 mistakes epitomize the lack of discipline under Smith.....
It’s unfortunate that Adrian Peterson may be lost for the season.....he was joy to watch with the ball....
Garrett Wolfe may have killed his chances to at least make it to New York for the Heisman presentation....the diminutive one was held to 25 yards rushing by Western Michigan....
Georgia head coach Mark Richt needs to settle on 1 quarterback the rest of the season.....senior Joe Tereshinki had his opportunity....even though he is raw and will make mistakes, Richt should go with true freshman Matt Stafford the rest of the season to determine if Stafford is able to lead the Bulldogs for the next 3 years....if not, he has to recruit another qb....
Boise State is still perfect (7-0) after their 40-28 win against New Mexico State .....
The Rutgers-Pitt game should be a donnybrook this Saturday....
In I-AA news, top ranked New Hampshire was dumped 42-23, at home, this past week by conference foe James Madison....
The best I-AA game this week is Northern Iowa (4-2) at YSU (6-1)....both teams are undefeated in the Gateway Conference....NIU has historically been a thorn in the side of the Penguins....
Bear Hunting - the Fighting Manginos have slipped below .500 after losing to Okie State 42-32.....Kansas is now 3-4 and 0-3 in the conference....
What more can be said about that deplorable act of thuggery Saturday at the Orange Bowl between Miami and Florida International.....the players involved in that brawl should be stripped out their jersey and booted from the team - permanently....case closed!!!....
Heisman watch
If the vote ended today.....and if I actually had a vote, here are my top 4 players along with my +1, sleeper pick....
1. Troy Smith, Ohio State - did nothing to hurt his chances....
2. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame - the Irish were off last week....
3. Pat White, W. Virginia - the qb rushed for 235 yards and 3 touchdowns....
4. Calvin Johnson, Ga. Tech - the Jackets were off last week...
+1 Chad Henne, Michigan - he has moved the Wolverines into title contention.....his leadership and steady play may make him a leading candidate next season....
Sweet 16 + 1 (Last week ranking in parenthesis)1. Ohio State (1) (7-0) - on cruise control until November 18th......
2. Michigan (5) (7-0) - the best front 7 in college football....3. Southern Cal (3) (6-0) - people need to chill out about S.C....
4. W. Virginia (4) (6-0) - what a game by qb Pat White.....5. Tennessee (6) (5-1) - the 3rd Saturday in October means 1 thing - Alabama vs. Tennessee.....
6. Auburn (9) (6-1) - cannot understand why so many picked against Auburn vs. Florida....7. Texas (7) (6-1) - took care of Baylor....young Colt is getting better each week.....8. Notre Dame (8) (5-1) - UCLA comes to South Bend....they may need John Wooden’s help on Saturday....
9. Florida (2) (6-1) - last week Auburn dropped from #2 to #9....this week it’s the Gators turn.....10. Louisville (10) (6-0) - Brohm is back....at the Cuse this week, then they take on W. Va....11. Clemson (11) (6-1) - practiced against Temple on Friday night.....12. Georgia Tech (12) (5-1) - had a week to prepare for their showdown against Clemson....13. Cal (13) (6-1) - wideout DeSean Jackson may be the best unknown player in the country....14. Arkansas (14) (5-1) - they whacked some southwest, northwest state team....15. LSU (15) - (5-2) - shellacked Kentucky 48-0....this week it’s Fresno State’s turn....
16. Rutgers (NR) (6-0) - the Scarlet Knights were my +1 a few weeks back.....they are now worthy of a top 16.....+1. Pitt (6-1) - real quietly Dave Wannstedt has the Panthers at 6-1 with a big game at home this week vs. Rutgers.....Pitt controls its own destiny to make a major bowl....
Here are some random thoughts.....
The Steelers may be 1-3, but don’t count them out just yet....
I don’t care how the Steelers front office spins it, I believe Ben Roethlisberger is not even at 75% health wise .....
I don’t know how Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was not more seriously injured from that ferocious facemask....
Sure the Browns are often the butt of jokes, but even Steeler fans have to admit that Cleveland plays hard throughout the entire game....
The Browns will beat the Steelers at least once this year....
I like Kellen Winslow, Jr -- a lot....
I don’t have a favorite NFL team, but I find myself rooting for da Bears this season.....I always like those old school teams such as the Giants, Bears, Steelers, etc....
Even though he is 0-2 as a starter, Vince Young shows a lot of poise and confidence while in the pocket....
Tigers in 6......Mets in 7....
San Diego needs to permanently switch to the powder blue uniforms and white helmets....
The Vikings new uniforms are horrible....they need to go back to their old uniforms like ones Fran Tarkenton wore...
What is wrong with Tampa Bay?.....this was playoff team last year and now they are winless....this may be the end of the road for Jon Gruden in Tampa....
Why does it seem that Denver always wins the close games at home?.....
How much shorter can the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader’s shorts get?.....
The Baker’s Dozen (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Bears (5-0) (1) - a few more wins and the talk will begin about a perfect season....2. Chargers (3-1) (4) - as of October 10th, the Bolts are the best team in the AFC....
3. Colts (5-0) (2) - Colts have not been impressive....but they are still perfect....
4. Eagles (4-1) (5) - what a defensive performance against the Cowboys.....they made me a believer....big game this week against the Saints.....
5. Ravens (4-1) (3) - an ugly loss....but they had 2 ugly wins earlier this year.....6. Saints (4-1) (6) - don’t mess with dem Saints......7. Patriots (4-1) (7) - nothing pretty.....but they took care of the Fins......8. Bengals (3-1) (8) - maybe the bye week helped get their heads together.....
9. Falcons (3-1) (9) - the G-men come to town this week....10. Seahawks (3-1) (11) - they needed a bye after the Chi-town beatdown....11. Broncos (3-1) (12) - they have won 2 ugly home games....9-6 in OT and 13-3....12. Panthers (3-2) (NR) - the kitties are starting to growl....
13. Rams (4-1) (NR) - I don’t think anyone is sold on this team just yet....but they are 4-1....
The Carp
29. Dolphins (1-4) (29) - no offensive line....no running game....no nothing....
30. Titans (0-5) (31) - they had the Colts but let it slip away....
31. Lions (0-5) (NR) - the Dolphins may be worse, but the fact remains that the Lions are winless....
32. Raiders (0-4) (32) - another week - another loss....
Here are some thoughts about college football....
Kudos should go to N.C. State and their coach Chuck Amato....after losing to Akron a few weeks back, Amato could have lost control of his team....but the Wolfpack came back the very next week and stunned ranked Boston College on a last second Hail Mary.....Amato then beat former mentor Bobby Bowden this past week to stand along at 2-0 in the ACC’s Atlantic Division....
Rutgers is still unbeaten at 5-0 but the Scarlet Knights have a "hornet" game when they travel to Annapolis to play Navy on Saturday....the Midshipmen are 5-1 and head coach Paul Johnson is a highly underrated coach.....Johnson came to Navy from Georgia Southern where he won a I-AA title over a Jim Tressel led YSU team....
Even if Michigan State should somehow beat Ohio State this week, head coach John L. Smith has to still be fired at the end of the season.....the Spartans lack discipline....
Adrian Peterson saw his Heisman dreams fade away after a sub-par game against Texas....
Don’t look now, but Kent State is leading the Mid-America Conference East Division with a 3-0 mark.....nearby neighbor, Akron, has been a disappointment so far with a 0-2 mark....
It’s nice to see that Ty Willingham is turning around the program at Washington....the Huskies had the chance to beat Southern Cal but a favorable clock operator at the L.A. Coliseum took care of any upset bid.....Willingham is a class act who never fit in at Notre Dame.... Michigan may be in trouble this week at Penn State.....super star Mario Manningham may be out of the game with a knee injury....Yo
ungstown native Kevin Tuminello anchors the offensive line for Georgia Tech.....Tuminello is the Jackets starting center....
Best minor league team in the country is Cleveland Glenville....
Alabama beat Duke 30-14 but mid-way through the third quarter the Tide was only ahead 16-14.....
Bear Watch - the Fighting Manginos dropped to 3-3 after losing to Texas A&M 21-18....once again Kansas loses a close game....where is the Kansas Comet when you need him?.....
I’m surprised former Ohio State head coach John Cooper never got another head coaching job after being canned in C-bus?.....
YSU is currently ranked 6th in I-AA......
Heisman watch
If the vote ended today.....and if I actually had a vote, here are my top 4 players along with my +1, sleeper pick....
1. Troy Smith, Ohio State - you can start engraving the trophy.....after Adrian 
Peterson’s average game against Texas, it’s Smith’s to lose....
2. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame - he has thrown only 1 interception over the last 3 games.....
3. Garrett Wolfe, N. Illinois - you cannot deny that he belongs in New York....
4. Calvin Johnson, Ga. Tech - still steady....
+1 Erik Ainge, Tennessee - he will not get any votes, but Ainge has put together a solid junior season now that David Cutcliffe took over the offense.....
Sweet 16 + 1 (Last week ranking in parenthesis)
1. Ohio State (1) (6-0) - the Bucks had a little "bowling" practice this week.....
2. Florida (6) (6-0) - why not move the Gators to the second spot?.....it will probably be a 1 week stay at #2 because they are heading to the Plains to take on Auburn this Saturday....
3. Southern Cal (3) (5-0) - the Men of Troy have looked vulnerable the past two weeks....
4. W. Virginia (4) (5-0) - Steven Slaton helped the Mountaineers stay unbeaten....the ‘Cuse comes to town this week....
5. Michigan (5) (6-0) - the state of Michigan remains Blue....
6. Tennessee (13) (5-1) - the Vols are for real this year....they dismantled Georgia....they are on a bye this Saturday.....
7. Texas (11) (5-1) - solid win over the Sooners.....
8. Notre Dame (10) (5-1) - the Irish are plodding along under the radar....they are on a bye this Saturday....
9. Auburn (2) (5-1) - the Tigers take a fall to #9....but a win over Florida this week will move them back up....
10. Louisville (8) (5-0) - the Cards drop a few spots because Tennessee, Texas, & Notre Dame are looking good.....
11. Clemson (14) (5-1) - they struggled a bit with Wake Forest....
12. Georgia Tech (16) (5-1) - on a bye this week as they prepare for their showdown with Clemson on October 21st....
13. Cal (NR) (5-1) - they have recovered nicely after that early season beatdown by Tennessee.....the Golden Bears may end up in the Rose Bowl....
14. Arkansas (NR) (4-1) - it takes a real team to go into Auburn and win 27-10.....Ewwww Pig
Sooooooey!!!!!
15. LSU (7) - (4-2) - was disappointed they didn’t play a better game against Florida...
16. Georgia (9) (5-1) - weaknesses were exposed by Tennessee.....but remember, don’t mess with a sleeping dawg....
+1. Missouri (6-0) - the Tigers replaced Youngstown native and graduate Brad Smith with another quality quarterback......Mizzou stuck it to Texas Tech.....now they get their shot at A&M.....
Another baseball season has ended earlier than expected for the New York Yankees....only this time it may have cost their beloved manager, Joe Torre, his job....
We all know about the Yankees $200 million payroll and how they have underachieved....we have seen how Alex Rodriguez has done zilch in the post season since putting on the Pinstripes.....that has all been documented....
As a fan of the game, and of the Yankees, I am torn about Torre’s situation.....his temperament worked well with the Paul O’Neills, Scottie Brosiuses, Tino Martinezes, and Derek Jeters....but that era of Yankee baseball ended in the Arizona desert in 2001....since that disappointing loss in game 7 to Arizona in 2001, the Yankees have been on a collision course toward disaster....
They abandoned their sound strategy of strong pitching and disciplined hitting in exchange for the hope of a quick fix by signing or trading for players like Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and A-Rod.....the Yankees have become a bloated overweight team in need of a weight loss plan....
If the organization is committed to returning to its successful formula of pitching and disciplined hitting, then Torre should keep his job....but if they want to continue to search for a quick fix, then it is best that Torre leaves....
His place in Yankee history is secure....he ranks, along with Casey Stengel and Joe McCarthy, as one of the three greatest Yankee managers ever.....the fans love him and the city loves him....but if the organization decides it wants to keep looking for the quick fix, then it is only fair to shed Torre from this annual burden of having to win the title....
Another decision will have to be made during the winter.....should A-Rod stay or go?.....
First let me say this, I like A-Rod and always will like him no matter where he plays....you never hear his name linked to steroids, illegal drug use, DUIs, etc....he is a classy ballplayer.....but it is evident that he lacks the mental toughness to play in the spotlight of New York City.....therefore, general manager Brian Cashman should try to unload him for young pitching....the Yanks will probably have to pick-up part of his salary though....they will be clearing almost $40 million by not resigning some players - so it is possible to ‘eat" a portion of his pay.....
Do the Yankees need a major overhaul? – No.....there is no need to "break-up" the team....they are set in the outfield with Matsui, Damon, Abreu, and Cabrera......their middle infield is solid with Cano and Jeter....and Posada is still a rock behind the plate.....Wang is a good young starter and Rivera is still there for the 9th inning....
The three things the Yankees need is 1) young starting pitching, not some 44 year-old pitcher who is past his prime.....2) quality middle relievers to set-up Rivera.....and 3) hungry dirt dogs at the corner infield position....
Over the last few years, the Yanks have lacked that dirt dog type player.....during their great run in the 1990s, they had Chuck Knoblauch, Paul O’Neill, and even Chad Curtis coming off the bench....
They need someone like former Met and Phillie Lenny Dykstra who was the greatest dirt dog in the last 30 years.....this guy was a 100% baseball player who got dirty and gave his all for his team.....he was a sparkplug and fiery player.....the Pinstripes need two players like Dykstra....
In the next day or so, a decision will be made concerning Torre.....his players let him down....he put the best lineup on the field, but the team could not produce when they needed....a lot of the blame should be placed on A-Rod....the Yankees are not asking for him to come through in the clutch every time.....but gosh darn-it, he needs to get that big hit every once in a while....in the last two post-seasons, he had zero RBIs.....
So it is unfortunate that Torre’s tenure may come to an end because players like Rodriguez, Giambi, and Randy Johnson were paid to produce in the clutch only to walk back to the dugout empty handed....a dugout which may have a new leader next season....
The Baker’s Dozen (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Bears (4-0) (1) - all I have to say is "WOW".....
2. Colts (4-0) (4) - it will take a perfect game to beat this team....
3. Ravens (4-0) (7) - they are winning ugly....but the fact is, they are winning....
4. Chargers (2-1) (3) - I still am high on the Chargers....they should have beaten the Ravens....this week’s game against the Steelers will tell me how good they are.....5. Eagles (3-1) (9) - who needs T.O.??....it is clear that McNabb is having fun again....
6. Saints (3-1) (6) - they lost a tough one to the Panthers....but they fought hard....
7. Patriots (3-1) (NR) - incredible game....a heart of a champion is for real with this team.....
8. Bengals (3-1) (2) - just when it looked like they were ready to challenge, they came up with a lame game.....
9. Falcons (3-1) (10) - they took care of business against the Cards......10. Steelers (2-1) (11) - the game with San Diego will be a flat out blood bath.....I learned from the Patriots this past week, don't count out the champs just yet....11. Seahawks (3-1) (5) - it didn’t matter if Alexander played or not.....they got whupped....
12. Broncos (2-1) (13) - I am not high on this team....but they will beat the Ravens on Monday night....
13. Cowboys (2-1) (NR) - the game we have all been waiting for - TO vs Philly....The Carp30. Dolphins (1-3) (NR) - it’s official, the Dolphins are horrible....they have no offense.....
31. Titans (0-4) (30) - Vince will take his lumps this year....but it will pay off in 2 years....
32. Raiders (0-3) (31) - they blew a lead against the Browns....
Here are some thoughts after Saturday’s college games....
Technically it is an upset because they were a 9 point underdog.....but Georgia Tech is for real....look at how they played Notre Dame in the first game of the season.....they have a big match-up on October 21st at Clemson....which may be one of the best games of the year.....
Southern Cal has a tough stretch of games in November when they play 11th ranked Oregon, 17th ranked Cal, and 12th ranked Notre Dame all in a row....the one reprieve, all those games are at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum....
Talk about a tough stretch of games, the Florida Gators get these four games in five weeks, Alabama, LSU, at Auburn, and then Georgia.....if they survive that stretch, they are clearly one of the top 2 teams in the nation....
What about Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe?.....he is averaging 236 yards per game!!!!....and that includes 171 yards rushing against a good Ohio State defense....
New Mexico State is the best rated offense in the country....
A solid quarterback that nobody knows about is Kevin Kolb from Houston....the Cougars almost got Miami coach Larry Coker fired after the game.....but the Canes pulled one out and won 14-12.....
The top four ranked teams in scoring defense are all SEC teams.....1. Georgia; 2. LSU; 3. Auburn; 4. Florida....
So far, Ohio State has committed 4 turnover all season while the defense has forced 13 turnovers for a +9.....
Bear Report - the Fighting Manginos of Kansas made a gallant effort at Nebraska on Saturday.....Kansas found themselves down 24-7 only to comeback and send the game to overtime before losing 39-32.....the Bear welcomes Texas A&M into Lawrence on Saturday.....
Heisman watch
If the vote ended today.....and if I actually had a vote....here are my top 4 votes along with my. +1, sleeper pick....
1. Troy Smith, Ohio State - at this point in the season, he clearly has the lead.....it’s his to lose....
2. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma - if he has a huge game on Saturday against Texas, Peterson may leap over Smith.....
3. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame - he had 1 bad game against Michigan.....don’t count him out just yet....
4. Calvin Johnson, Ga. Tech - he is flat out the best receiver in the game....if Ted Ginn could be mentioned for the Heisman before the season, then why not an actual true receiver now?.....
+1 Garrett Wolfe, N. Illinois - if he keeps up the numbers, he may make my top four.....
Sweet 16 + 1 (Last week ranking in parenthesis)
1. Ohio State (1) (5-0) - impressive win for top ranked team....in order to beat this team, you have to commit 0 turnovers....
2. Auburn (2) (5-0) - the ole ball coach made the Tigers sweat....
3. Southern Cal (3) (4-0) - Trojans missed Jarrett at wide receiver....escaped upset bid by Wazzu....
4. W. Virginia (4) (4-0) - on the bye this week.....head down to Miss. State this weekend....
5. Michigan (5) (5-0) - they took care of bitness in Minnesota....the Little Brown Jug is back where it rightfully belongs....
6. Florida (6) (5-0) - the Tide made the Gators sweat....but Gators survived first of four big games in a row....
7. LSU (7) - (4-1) - the Bayou Tigers head into the Swamp on Saturday for another classic.....
8. Louisville (8) (4-0) - on a bye this past week....and basically on a bye again as they take on Middle Tennessee State Friday night....
9. Georgia (9) (5-0) - Dawgs struggled again this past week....better get their heads together before Tennessee invades....
10. Notre Dame (11) (4-1) - the Brady Quinn for Heisman machine starts up again....
11. Texas (10) (4-1) - beating Sam Houston State???.....sorry, I had to drop the Horns a spot this week.....but a win over the Sooners on Saturday will move them up again....
12. Oklahoma (12) (3-1) - plays Texas on Saturday....the loser is out of the national title picture.....
13. Tennessee (13) (4-1) - Vols played Florida tough but lost....a win this week against Georgia is a must....
14. Clemson (16) (4-1) - they whupped up on La. Tech 51-0.....they are still the team to beat in the ACC....
15. Oregon (NR) (4-0) - the Ducks dominated the Sun Devils.....face a major test at Cal Berkeley this week.....
16. Georgia Tech (NR) (4-1) - will someone please tell me how the USA Today has Ga. Tech ranked 20th and Va. Tech ranked 18th after the Yellow Jackets jacked up Va. Tech 38-27 on Saturday?????......unbelievable....
+1. Wake Forest (5-0) - yes the Demon Deacons are perfect.....they will probably lose this week to Clemson, but kudos to the team in Winston-Salem.....
Here are some thoughts on today’s NFL games.....
If I were Bill Parcells I would start Terrell Owens today.....Owens needs to get back into football and forget about what happened over the past week....and he also needs to get mentally prepared because next week the Cowboys play at Philly.....and that will be a circus....
I like the move by Titans head coach Jeff Fisher in starting Vince Young.....Young will never learn anything by carrying a clipboard.....
The Chiefs’ Trent Green has been out longer than expected after taking that head shot in week one....the Chiefs needs this game today to keep from going 0-3.....
This is a big game for Miami.....they have stunk the first three weeks....if they don’t get that offense started today against Houston, the fish may be in for a long season....
Cincinnati reminds me of the Colts of a few years ago.....those Colts teams had Manning at qb, James at rb, and Harrison, Wayne, and Stokely at wide receiver.....the Bengals have Palmer, at qb, Rudi at rb, and Johnson, TJ, and Henry at wide receiver.....but the Bengals even have 1 more weapon in the elusive third-down back Kenny Watson....
I say Kurt Warner will not even finish the game today for Arizona.....
Here are some predictions
Chargers @ Ravens (Chargers - 3.5) - the Ravens lucked out last week against the Browns....but the defense shutdown Cleveland when they had to.....Chargers are coming off a bye and are 6-1 against the spread (ATS) when in this situation.....look for Steve McNair to show his age today against an aggressive San Diego defense - Chargers 23-13
Browns @ Raiders (Browns -3) - the last time the Browns were a road favorite was November 17, 2002.....that shows how bad the Raiders are....Oakland has yet to score a touchdown this season.....they will score today, but end up losing.....Winslow is the spark plug for the Browns - Browns 21-14
Patriots @ Bengals (Bengals - 7) - the Pats were gosh darn awful last week.....this in an incredible stat - the Bengals are 7-0 ATS vs the Patriots....Cincinnati is the team to beat in the AFC.....they make a statement once again today - Bengals 31-16
Seahawks @ Bears (Bears - 3.5) - all the stats point toward Chi-town....believe it or not, the Bears have covered its last seven regular season home games.....and to take it a step further, Seattle is 1-7 ATS in non-division road games....plus Shaun Alexander is not expected to play – unless God provided some divine intervention - Bears 24-14
Here are some predictions for Saturday’s college games....
Ohio State @ Iowa (Buckeyes - 7.5) - a few months ago I called for this to be an upset....but I’ve changed my mind.....too many people are calling the upset - so that is when Jim Tressel fools you....Buckeyes win and cover - Ohio State 23-14
Alabama @ Florida (Gators - 14.5) - last year the Tide rolled Florida in Tuscaloosa....but Chris Leak is playing at a Heisman Trophy level....Gators are too powerful this year - Florida 31-13
Notre Dame @ Purdue (Fighting Irish - 14.5) - a legendary comeback last week for Weiss & Co.....but the comeback was on the arm of Brady Quinn....Irish still having problems running the ball (2.7 ypr).....Purdue will give the Irish a headache early, but Notre Dame wins in the end - Notre Dame 34-23
Michigan @ Minnesota (Wolverines -11) - the Gophers took the Little Brown Jug last season in Ann Arbor, then planted the flag on the Michigan 50.....Gophers have experience at qb.....but Michigan defense is too tough - Michigan 27-13
Oregon @ Arizona St. (Ducks - 1.5) - this is going to be a barnburner out west.....most east coast people don’t pay attention to the PAC-10.....2 good qbs in this game....Devils gave away the Cal game last week with 4 ints.....Arizona State is due for a big win - Arizona State 41-39
YSU @ Missouri St. (Penguins - 17.5) - the Penguins are coming off an impressive non-conference win over 16th ranked Cal-Davis.....YSU has owned Missouri St. - even back in the days when they were called S.W. Missouri St.....YSU will not lose conference opener - YSU 36-13
After hearing all the explanations, there is no doubt that Terrell Owens did not try to kill himself....just a few weeks ago my aunt was in an auto accident and the doctor gave her pain medication.....because of all the stress and her taking her regular medication, the pain pill did not agree with her.....she had a reaction and her family thought she was having a stroke....I believe all T.O. had was a bad reaction – that’s it – end of story....
I must have missed the memo, but I don’t own a bulletproof vest....according to Maurice Clarett’s defense attorney, Michael Hoague, wearing a bulletproof vest is common in Youngstown.....
"If you travel in his neighborhood in Youngstown, you see a lot of people, for whatever reason, wearing their tank tops with their flak vests," Hoague said. "It’s a way of life with the people he grew up with."
I will write more about this entire situation at a later time.....all I know is that Hoague is a total asshole, just like his client.....I’m sick of people in the state capital who take pot shots at Youngstown.....sure, Youngstown has its problems, but this is not Dodge City...
I didn’t know what a "badonkadonk" was until the other day.....
It’s good to see 7/11 is not renewing their gasoline contract with Citgo after Venezuelan whack job Hugo Chavez personally attacked President Bush at the U.N. last week....Citgo is a subsidiary company that is run by the Venezuelan government......it is fine if we, as Americans, want to criticize our president....but it’s not cool when some third world banana republic screwball does it.....screw Citgo....
Do you think Bill Clinton needs to take some medication to control his temper?.....
One of the gre
atest quotes ever said was by former WWF wrestler The Rock.....his quote, "Know your role and shut your mouth" should be adhered to in the work world.....there are way too many people who are either new on the job or just a plain nobody who wants to act like a somebody....
Seattle running back Shaun Alexander broke his foot in Sunday’s game....he was reported to be out of action for at least a month.....now Alexander is claiming he could possibly play this week against Chicago because the power of prayer has healed his foot.....if he has that strong connection with God, then why doesn’t ask for something more worthwhile instead of healing his broken foot in order to play on Sunday......ask for the end of al-Quaeda or something like that....
I hear Marvin Lewis and Jim Tressel are going on a recruiting trip to find quality football players.....they are stopping at the Cuyahoga County jail on their way to visit the federal prison.....
Finally.....didn’t Paris Hilton look great in her little German beergirl getup?......she can sell me a beer anytime!!...
Here on some thoughts on this past week’s NFL games.....
There was no way in hell that the Atlanta Falcons were going to win last night in New Awwlins....the Saints would have beaten the '61 Packers.....
The Patriots fell out of my Baker’s Dozen because of their lackluster performance on Sunday night against Denver.....New England looked like they did not even want to play that game....they had no fight in them.....
After praising the Giants last week after their improbable come-from-behind victory over the Iggles, the G-Men totally fell apart.....falling behind 35-3 against Seattle???.....this team needs to check themselves before they break themselves....
The Jaguars are not ready for the big boys yet....sure they had more yardage than the Colts, but they still lack that moxie and confidence.....they had it first and goal inside the five and came away with no points.....and later in the game, I think coach Jack Del Rio choked when he decided to attempt a field goal instead of going for it on 4th and 1.....he needed to go for it and show confidence in his team.....
It seems to me that the Steelers miss Antwan Randle-El and his playmaking ability....
Whatever happened to Barry Foster?.....
I lost my bet....I said Kurt Warner would be pulled in week 6.....he’s getting pulled this week....I think it is time for Warner to accept the fact that his starting days are over....
Will someone please block for Charlie Frey?.....
What about Mark Brunell?.....completing his first 22 pass attempts!!!.....
The Miami Dolphins are 1-2 and will be fortunate to win five games this year....
What happened to the Auburn boys?.....last season Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams tore up the league....this season they can’t even rush for 75 yards....
Don’t look now, but the J - E - T - S.....Jets Jets Jets are 2-1.....
Look for the Lions to win the Mike Martz Bowl this week when they play at St. Louis....
Game of the week - Patriots at Bengals....sure the Seahawks/Bears game feature two 3-0 teams....but the Pats game is huge because New England has to show some fight in them after Sunday’s blase performance.....a loss here, and the Pats will be 2-2....and their two wins have not been impressive either....
The Baker’s Dozen (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)
1. Bears (3-0) (1) - it was a typical win against a Norris Division foe....ugly and low scoring...
2. Bengals (3-0) (4) - a lesser team would not have went into Pittsburgh and won, especially with the Champs coming off a loss only 6 days earlier
3. Chargers (2-0) (2) - the bolts head east for the Ravens then get the Steelers at home....
4. Colts (3-0) (4a) - Manning and Company put down a red hot Jags team....
5. Seahawks (3-0) (8) - impressive win against the G-men....now can they keep it up with Shaun down because of a broken foot....
6. Saints (3-0) (11) - you gotta love this team this year....they got rid of whiners like Jim Haslett and Aaron Brooks....and what a difference that makes....
7. Ravens (3-0) (NR) - they won a tough one by the lake....Jamal Lewis is not running like he used to....he looks like he won’t make it thru week 8.....
8. Vikings (2-1) (6) - the Vikes let one slip away....a contender will step up this week and take care of bitness....
9. Eagles (2-1) (NR) - nice rebound after the catastrophic loss to the Giants last week....
10. Falcons (2-1) (10) - the Dirty Birds were going into a hornet’s nest on Monday night....
11. Steelers (1-2) (3) - the bye week came at a good time....they had the game in hand, but let it slip away – literally....
12. Jaguars (2-1) (7) - just when you thought they could run with the big boys, they choked....
13. Broncos (2-1) (NR) - the horses sneak in because of their D, not their O....
The Carp
30. Titans (0-3) (NR) - it’s time to let Vince Young play a little more....
31. Raiders (0-2) (31) - after a bye week the Raiders take on the Browns....ohhhh boy!!....
32. Texans (0-2) (32) - the loss of Domanick Davis at running back hurt this team....
Here are some thoughts on this weekend’s college football games....
Reports of Notre Dame’s demise have been greatly exaggerated....
Sure Troy Smith’s scramble and touchdown toss was the highlight of Ohio State’s win over Penn State.....but that one pass still did not make up for the Smith’s sub-par game of only 115 yards passing and two interceptions.....this was against the same Penn State defense that Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn carved up just two weeks ago....
I love ESPN’s College Gameday with Lee, Kirk, and Chris....it’s the best pre-game show on television - and that includes all the NFL shows....
But I don’t like their format this season in choosing where their on-site pre-game show will be....basically it is always going to be where ever Herbstreit is doing the Saturday night game....that means ESPN will not be visiting any SEC games this year because the SEC is broadcast on CBS....
Herbstreit and Corso are great together on the pre-game, but if Herbstreit is going to be doing live games, ESPN may have to start looking for a replacement for him on the pre-game in order to do their show where ever the best game is on that day....
We will know this week if Iowa is a contender or a pretender.....head coach Kirk Ferentz is always being talked about for an NFL job....he has done a solid job with the Hawkeyes, but I just feel he hasn’t taken that next step to make Iowa a national contender year-in-year-out....this Saturday’s game is a watershed game for Ferentz.....
Bear Report - the Fighting Manginos of Kansas are 3-1 after Saturday’s 13-7 donnybrook against South Florida.....lock up the donuts this week because Bear will be doing a lot of studying for Saturday’s showdown in Lincoln against the Nebraska Cornhuskers....
How could Boston College lose to N.C. State win?.....
What a day for Alabama freshman kicker Leigh Tiffin.....Tiffin missed two field goals and an extra point in the Tide’s 24-23 loss to Arkansas on Saturday....Tiffin’s daddy, Van, is a legend in Alabama football because of his last second 52-yard field goal to beat Auburn in 1985.....
Sweet 16 + 1
1. Ohio State (4-0) - have not been impressive since thumping Texas two weeks ago....
2. Auburn (4-0) - they beat Buffalo....remember though, they play in the SEC where there are rarely any breather games....
3. Southern Cal (3-0) - it seems like this team is on cruise control....
4. W. Virginia (4-0) - the Dec. 2nd game with Rutgers is becoming interesting....
5. Michigan (4-0) - Warren, Ohio native Prescott Burgess is playing like a man possessed on defense....
6. Florida (4-0) - Chris Leak is coming up fast in the Heisman race
7. LSU - (3-1) - their only loss is by a score of 7-3 to the 2nd ranked team....huge game with Florida on October 7th.....
8. Louisville (4-0) - they may have finished #1 if not for the injuries....
9. Georgia (4-0) - ugly win for the Dawgs....very ugly....but it was a win...
10. Texas (3-1) - where was this offense two weeks ago?....
11. Notre Dame (3-1) - the Irish survived last week....they may indeed go 10-1 into the USC game....
12. Oklahoma (3-1) - the big showdown with Texas looms in 2 weeks....
13. Tennessee (3-1) - the Vols are making strides....
14. Iowa (4-0) - we’ll know what the Hawkeyes are made of this Saturday night....
15. TCU (3-0) - the Horned Frogs are hopping to a BCS bowl....
16. Clemson (3-1) - they stubbed their toe against BC a few weeks back....but they will win the ACC
+1. Rutgers (4-0) - Greg Schiano is the best unknown coach in the country....remember the name....
I always liked Jerome Bettis....he was a hard-nosed runner....but after Saturday’s broadcast of the Notre Dame-Michigan game, I like him even more....now retired, Bettis was the pre-game guest with NBC’s Jimmy Rogers.....Bettis, who is a native of Detroit, stated how he HATES Michigan.....and he did emphasize the word HATES....Bettis loves his city of Detroit, but for some reason he despises the Wolverines – and that is okay because it reminds me of how I feel about Ohio State....
I love the Youngstown, Warren, Niles area where I live.....I’m proud as heck of this area.....however, I HATE Ohio State.....
But for some reason, it really bothers people that I hate the Buckeyes.....I always have to explain why I root for Michigan and how I became a Michigan fan.....but after Saturday’s Note Dame-Michigan game, I figured that Bettis had to deal with the same crap while he was growing up in Detroit....oh well...
Before continuing on with my sports thoughts, I just want to comment on the situation in the Middle East after Pope Benedict XVI made a comment about Islam last week.....the Pope apologized if he offended any Muslims and that was not his intent.....
But why are some Muslims so touchy whenever anything is said, that is remotely controversial, about their religion?.....the Catholic religion is always the punch line of jokes and is always criticized throughout the world.....but you don’t see Catholics being offended and wanting to "shed the blood of the infidels".....
I have nothing against Islam nor Muslims....but this is getting old with them burning effigies of the Pope and make threats against him.....
Look for Ohio State to beat Penn State by at least 24 points....Tressel always avenges his defeats.....he did it to Texas, now it is Joe Paterno’s turn....
The 4 best NFL games this week are Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, Jacksonville at Indianapolis, Chicago at Minnesota, and the Giants at Seattle.....
Shaun Alexander is due for a big game.....
It could get ugly in Cleveland on Sunday if the Browns do not open up their offense.....and I’m not talking about the score.....I could see some very disgruntled fans showing their emotions.....
Watch the 49ers this week against Philadelphia.....
Can you believe that Morten Andersen is back in the NFL?.....you mean there are no other quality kickers?....
It’s nice to see Peter Gammons back on-air at ESPN....
When is Youngstown middleweight boxer Kelly Pavlik going to get a shot at the title?...."The Ghost" is 27-0 and highly ranked....
The United States will win the Ryder Cup this year.....
Here are some thoughts on this weekend’s NFL games....
Will you please tell me why Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon takes Kellen Winslow out on certain third down packages and replaces him with Joshua Cribbs?.....
Carthon may be one of the worst offensive coordinators in the league, and if Romeo Crennell does not wake up, he may find himself out a job real quick.....
Randy Moss is the most over-rated player in the NFL....this guy is living off his stats from five years ago.....
Duante Culpepper reminds me of a 40 year-old Vinny Testaverde.....
What is wrong with Tampa Bay?....
The Giants come-from-behind victory yesterday solidifies my belief that they will win the NFC....a mentally weaker team would have chucked it....but the Giants are the true embodiment of the New York City attitude....
Tiki Barber is like win, he gets better with age...
I like how Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is giving rookie quarterback Vince Young more and more playing time each game.....
It’s nice to see the Saints 2-0....
The Dallas-Washington game last night was one of the worst games to watch with all the penalties committed by each team....the Cowboys won, but they were not impressive at all....Parcells has a lot more work to do with this team....
Contenders - Ravens, Chargers, Vikings, Giants, Bears
Pretenders - Dolphins, Redskins, Eagles
The jury is still out on the Panthers because of Steve Smith nursing his hamstrings....
The Baker’s Dozen
1. Bears (2-0) - we knew they have the defense, but now it looks like they have the offense too....
2. Chargers (2-0) - SD is on a bye this coming week, then they get Pittsburgh on Monday Night....
3. Steelers (1-0) - will the Steelers be a tad rusty after such a long layoff?....
4. Bengals (2-0) - this team is hitting on all cylinders....next up - Pittsburgh.... 4a. Colts (2-0) - running game improved in week 2
5. N.Y. Giants (1-1) - the G-men showed a lot of heart....
6. Vikings (2-0) - the Vikes scummed out two close wins....now they get – Da Bears up in da dome....
7. Jaguars (1-0) - impressive comeback win last week....but they lost their defensive stud Haynesworth for the year....
8. Seahawks (2-0) - they should have this division wrapped up by Election Day....
9. Patriots (2-0) - the Pats allowed the Jets to get back into the game.....two ugly wins so far....
10. Falcons (2-0) - the A.T.L. is sitting pretty with a 2-0 mark in the division....a win next Monday over the Saints and they are 3-0 in the NFC South...
11. Saints (2-0) - sure they beat the Browns and Packers....but this team would have lost those games last year....
12. Bills (1-1) - they would be 2-0 if not for that freak safety last week against New England....
13. 49ers (1-1) - the Niners are no longer the worst team in the league.....
The Carp (Bottom Feeders)
30. Browns (0-2) - I see no progress since last year....
31. Raiders (0-2) - I think they already chucked the season....
32. Texans (0-2) - he might not have made that much difference, but at least they would have had Reggie Bush
Okay, the first week of the NFL season is almost over, but here are some of my thoughts from the games played so far....
The Baltimore Ravens, contenders or pretenders?
One game does not a season make....but darn it, they sure looked good in week one....however, I am still skeptical about the Ravens as a whole....they are one Steve McNair injury away from being an offense led by Kyle Boller once again....I would list them as semi-contenders....
Michael Vick - runner or pocket passer?
Hopefully the Atlanta coaching staff has abandoned the idea of trying to force Vick to become a pocket passer....they guy can do amazing things with his legs....let him use his strength and instincts....
What should be done with Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe?
Bledsoe gets one more game, if that, because there are quality players on the offense....if the Cowboys are struggling next week against Washington, look for Parcells to pull the plug and insert the pizzaman, Tony Romo....
If Favre is truly a team player, he should consider stepping down as starting quarterback....but don’t look for that to happen.....therefore, the general manager and head coach need to tell Favre that 2nd year man Aaron Rodgers is going to start getting playing time....the Packers may be the worst team in the league and they need to know if Rodgers is the quarterback of their future....if not, they may have to draft A.J. Hawk’s brother-in-law – Brady Quinn
Joseph Addai or Dominic Rhodes?
The Colts running game looked pathetic last night....neither back could generate a running game on a consistent basis....Dungy needs to make a decision and play only one of these backs....a running back by committee is as effective as a closer by committee in baseball....
The greatest kicker on turf?
Yeh, yeh, the Rams beat Denver....and the defense looked mighty good....but come on, if I was Scott Lineham, I would be concerned that my offense could not muster a touchdown and had to win on six field goals....this was a rose colored victory...
Cleveland Browns?
What more can be said about this team....they had the Saints coming into their house in week 1....these are games that Cleveland needs to win in order to build confidence....instead they looked like their usual inept selves.....if Romeo cannot get this fixed in the next year or two, where art thou Jim Tressel?......maybe the sweatervested one can work some miracles by the lake....
Reggie Bush - impressive or not
Bush had a nice game....he totaled over 100 all-purpose yards....he won't win Player of the Week, but he got a good taste of life in the NFL
Manning Bowl
The Colts were fortunate to win this game....the Giants should have intercepted Peyton at least 3 more times which would have made a difference....the Colts run defense looked horrible....in the end, Peyton and Eli could both hold their heads high after a gutsy effort.... A lone starHouston plays in the Lone Star state and their only star may be rookie linebacker Demeco Ryans....this offense is horrible as they cannot and will not be able to generate a running game all season with Wali Lundy and Vernand Morency in the backfield....they could have had Reggie
Some members of the media are calling it “The September Super Bowl”.....yep, Texas vs. THE Ohio State University....before we get to that game, there are a few others to ponder first....Arizona at LSU - (LSU - 15.5).....I like the Tigers a lot this season....they have all the parts that are needed to win the title....but also, one of my sleeper teams of the year is Arizona....I still say that if Mike Stoops has a solid year, he will be in line for the next head coaching job at either Miami or Michigan.....the Tigers will win, but it will be closer than you think - LSU 28-20Minnesota at Cal - (Cal - 8.5).....Lee Corso predicted that Cal would make it to the national title game....he was a tad off....Cal was totally dismantled by the Vols.....it won’t happen this week - Cal 34-16Penn State at Notre Dame - (ND - 8.5)....the last time JoePa visited South Bend it was the classic Snow Bowl game....Jerome Bettis was still wearing the Blue and Gold....it is true the Irish did not play well last week....but people overlook that their defense was more aggressive....and they did manage to win in a hostile environment....it will be close for most of the game, but in the end Notre Dame wins and covers - Notre Dame 27-17THE Ohio State at Texas - (Texas - 2.5)......Ohio State’s defense gave up only 13 points to NIU last week, but there are concerns in C-bus after Garrett Wolfe cut them up for over 260 all-purpose yards....I said it at the beginning of the year and I stand by it – the OSU defense is not that good yet....they lost 9 studs from last year....that is the difference - Texas 31-20Digger's Pick of the Week - Cal minus the points over MinnesotaDigger's Dog of the Week - Penn State with the points
This season I would like to make weekly predictions on the top college and NFL games along with my dad’s picks of the week, to be known as Digger’s Corner, and his Digger’s Dog of the Week....here we go with week 1 of college....
Vanderbilt @ Michigan - (Michigan - 25.5)......the Blue needs to make a statement in this game both offensively and defensively....the Commodores are young and have a new qb now that Jay Cutler is in the NFL....Michigan has to prove it to me first before I think they will cover the spread - Michigan 36-17
N. Illinois @ Ohio State - (Ohio State -17).....if the Buckeyes are supposed to be the number 1 team in the land, playing at home against a MAC team, then why are they only favored by 17???....Garrett Wolfe and the Huskies finished with the 14th best offense in the country last year....and the Buckeyes have lost 9 on defense - Ohio State 33-20
Rutgers @ N. Carolina - (UNC - 5)....I like Rutgers and their coach Greg Schiano....the Tar Heels may need some help from Roy Williams bunch....upset alert - Rutgers 23-20
Notre Dame @ Ga. Tech - (ND - 6.5)......the Irish are back....but are they?.....they have to prove they can stop a team as their defense was like a sieve last season.....Tech has held 13 of their last 19 opponents to under 20 points.....Irish win - but close - Notre Dame 26-20
Southern Cal @ Arkansas - (USC - 7.5).....the Trojans rolled the Hogs last season at the Coliseum 70-17....the key to this game is if Hog rb Darren McFadden plays....if he suits up, which I believe he will, the Trojans may have a problem - USC 31-27
Game of the Week
Cal @ Tennessee - (Tenn - 1.5).....this is quietly one of the best games of the year....Cal is supposed to be loaded with Heisman hopeful Marshawn Lynch leading the ground attack....but the Vols need something big to build off of after last season’s debacle....Cal is the better team, but Rocky Top celebrates - Tennessee 28-23
Digger’s Corner
Top Play - Michigan minus the points - the Wolverines want to make a statement and will roll this SEC team
Digger’s Dog of the Week
Northern Illinois with the points - this team is not coming into Columbus to just pick up a check....they want the check and the victory....
One song you will not be hearing at any NFL games this year is Gary Glitter’s "Rock and Roll Part 2".....the NFL has banned the song from being played at NFL games after Glitter was convicted of molesting underage girls in Vietnam....
My favorite song for NFL games is Zombie Nation.....
Will people back off the Boulder, Colorado district attorney already....the D.A. is getting grilled because of how she handled John Mark Karr....critics are complaining about the money it cost to extradite Karr back to Colorado and for the DNA testing....what was the D.A. to do?.....the man came right out and said he killed JonBenet.... if she didn’t pursue the case, she would have been grilled for that....
All I know, Karr is a creep who should be in prison....
Did you see the city of Cleveland is rated the poorest big city in the country with a poverty rate of 32.4%....
Say what you want, but I love Paris Hilton.....
Is it just me or is anyone else ticked that Pluto got booted from the solar system as a "major" planet.....when I had to learn the planets back in grade school, Pluto always fascinated me....it was this tiny unknown planet with a cool name.....why don’t these egghead astronomers pick on someone their own size instead of flexing their brain muscles on Pluto....
Grapefruit or orange juice?......
Tuesday is Katie Couric’s big debut on the CBS Evening News....I heard on the radio that Walter Cronkite is going to make an appearance to introduce the new "queen".....
Whatever happened to Roger Mudd?.....
Most white people won’t admit it, but race did play a role in the debacle last year after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans....I remember having a sick feeling in my stomach while watching the evening news of all those poor stranded black people.....that i
s not what America should be about....
By the way, do black people want to be called "black" or "African-American".....I get confused......sometimes it’s difficult being a white man....
Why is black-on-black crime such a problem?......
I don’t care what you say, in her prime, Elizabeth Taylor was absolutely stunning....
A simple black dress and white pearls will make any woman look incredible....
People who don’t have a dog are missing out.....
It’s been a while, but I’m back for like the 7th time.....The main dish is football, football, football with a side of baseball and tennis....
Will someone explain to me how Ohio State could be number 1 after losing 9, yes NINE, defensive starters last year....and these were not just your run-of-the-mill players....they lost Hawk, Carpenter, and Whitner – all first round draft picks....I don’t care how good your offense is, you win with defense....Which brings us to Notre Dame....until the Irish defense proves it can stop a quality team, I don’t see them as the 2nd best team in the nation.....they can take a big step to proving they are worthy on defense if they can shut down Georgia Tech all-world receiver Calvin Johnson.... Big game down in Rocky Top this weekend as the highly ranked Cal Golden Bears visit Tennessee.....this is a must win game for Vol head coach Phil Fulmer.....an 0-1 start could be the beginning of the end for Hambone Phil....Whatever happened to Tee Martin?......Another biggie this weekend takes place on Monday night.....Larry Coker’s Miami Hurricanes cannot afford to start off with a loss to Florida State for the second straight year....Coker has underachieved with the talent that he has had at “The U”.....Southern Cal will be going into a hostile area when they head down to Pig Soooey Country to take on Arkansas....the Hogs are expected to be without All-SEC tailback Darren McFadden....if McFadden is able to play, the Trojans, who will be without Matt, Reggie, and Lendale, may have to be on upset 
alert....The receiving corps in college football goes deep this year with quality....the top three receivers are Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame, Calvin Johnson, Ga. Tech and the best of the bunch, Dwayne Jarrett, Southern Cal.....but don’t forget about Sidney Rice, South Carolina, Billy Pittman and Limas Sweed Texas, Teddy Ginn, Ohio State, and Derrick Williams, Penn State....Carson Palmer looked solid last night versus Green Bay.....I still think Brett Favre should have retired.....sure he is going to have good games, but it will not be on a consistent basis like he was able to do in his prime....The Boston Red Sox took a serious blow to their playoff chances when it was revealed that David Ortiz aka Big Papi is out indefinitely with an irregular heart beat....I would love to see the Oakland A’s, Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers make the playoffs.....it would be good for baseball and provide hope to the so-called “small market” teams who complain about the New York Yankees......think about it, who would have thought the Red and Tigers would make the playoffs this year?.....Believe it or not, but the Florida Marlins.....yeh, those Florida Marlins, the ones who gutted the team during the off-season are only 2 games out in the National League wildcard race....The best off-season move the Cleveland Indians could make is to fire manager Eric Wedge....his mishandling of Fausto Carmona is only more proof that he is not qualified to be a manager in the majors.....there are only 30 managing positions in the majors and you mean he is one of the 30 best men for one of those jobs?......Here is an interesting idea....if wunderkid Jeremy Sowers is all that he is being hyped about, then do the Indians consider trading Chi Chi Sabathia next year for more proven offensive veterans?.....just an idea....Was watching a bit of the Emmy Red Carpet preview on Sunday....I don’t know who she is, but Nancy O’Dell looked good in that red gown.....It would be nice for Andre Agassi to go out by winning the U.S. Open.....but not as long as a guy named Federer is there....
