How the National League was won!

One word, incredible! With four games left in the season the wild card and divisional winners have yet to be decided. At the All-Star break I gave what I thought would be the final winners at the end of the year. To remind, my divisional winners were the Mets, Brewers, and Padres with the Phillies finishing with the wild card. With all of these teams still in contention, it is possible that I get all of these picks wrong. I really love what is going on with the NL, we have 7 teams fighting for 4 playoff spots. The Colorado Rockies have been the big, no huge surprise down the stretch being the only team that looks like they want to move on winning 10 straight. I new that the Philadelphia Phillies would be here at the final stretch, and with the Mets playing like dirt especially in the closing innings, I like the Phillies to keep the momentum and move on with the division title. Who really knows what is going to finish out with the central division, both Chicago and Milwaukee have been going back and forth and winning the division title is there only shot at moving on, I have to back out on the Brewers and go with the Cubbies. This west race is going to be awesome with the currently first-place Diamondbacks facing the Rockies in the final series of the year. The Padres are going to have it tough as well with going to Milwaukee for their series finale. This is tough, but I am going to change my picks again and go with the Diamondbacks to win the division, and the Padres to eek out the Wild Card from the Mets. Sorry, Adam but the Mets just having really wanted it the past couple of weeks. Enjoy the finish!!!

What's going on in the NFL?

First things first let's talk Fantasy Football! The "so-called" Top 4 players in football this year were in order Ladainian Tomlinson, Stephen Jackson, Larry Johnson, and Frank Gore. All four are off to a horrific start and this has to be driving owners of these players crazy. If I wasn't in a keeper league and had a top 4 pick in the draft and one of these guys I drafted wasn't producing, I'd be pretty suicidal.

Five teams in the NFL are currently 3-0, and the Green Bay Packers are one of them. I love it, this is great to see, if you didn't feel good for Brett Favre when he threw the eventually game winning TD pass you have no heart. The Packers defeat of the Chargers this past weekend not only shocked me, but the whole league and the Packers are now a team to deal with.

Ohhh the Saints aren't matching anywhere. Not only does this frustrate me because I was that guy who kept Drew Brees for my fantasy team this year, but this team is hard to even watch. The defense is better then last season but that is not saying much. The offensive line is god awful. Deuce McAllister who was a thousand yard runner last season is now out for the year with a torn ACL. And finally god-dammit Drew Brees would you throw the ball more than 5 yards, your giving me an early coronary! Now 0-3 going into the bye week, and this might be good but with the way that Tampa Bay is playing and you really never know about the Carolina Panthers, this team is in serious trouble.

Are the New England Patriots going to go 19-0? Man, their good! Randy Moss is playing like he did in Minnesota. Tom Brady has been nothing but perfect. Their defense is tough, and even with Laurence Maroney as their running back, they are continuing to tell the opposing team that, "We are going to pass on you and their is nothing that you can do about it?" Have they cheated their way to 3-0, I don't think so their just that good!

Chicago and San Diego are both 1-2 are frankly are lucky to be that. San Diego's lone win was against the Bears, while the Bears lone win is against the lowly Chiefs. I think that both teams should bounce back but they really haven't looked good thus far. At least today the Bears have changed quarterbacks to shake up an offense that has done nothing yet. While in San Diego, I seen their stud player Tomlinson, yelling back at quarterback Phillip Rivers as they were getting off the field heading to the sidelines. Many analysts think that these two teams could be done, but this is a long year and I'm sure that they'll be fine!

Finally my Redskins. Ok, so I was going crazy when they beat the Eagles in Philly last week and was pretty excited with the hopes of starting the season 3-0 with the G-men coming to town. As usual I was disappointed to say the least. After they played a stellar first half the offense playbook must have got lost at halftime as they when three and out numerous times until their lead was gone. Their defense has greatly improved this season and with the bye week this week, the 'Skins will regroup after a tough loss and come back strong, with Jason Campbell and the running of Clinton Portis bringing back winning to our nation's capital!

Enjoy the football weekend!!!

Right or Wrong

Whatever you think it is, these are college athletes, but this player is in one of the best football conferences in the nation. And, i commendthis female writer for actually doing some bad-ass reporting in their college town. That takes a lot of guts for her to do that and takes coach Mike Gundy more for reacting the way that he did.

A Death in the Baseball Family

Is the title of an article in Sports Illustrated this week on the death back in July of a great minor league player with a few bumps in the majors, Mike Coolbaugh. I really am recommending this as a must read article on this great man that had such unlucky situations that has happened to him during the course of his playing career, and the way he died. In short so you all can go out and read it, Coolbaugh is a 35-year-old baseball guy that had injuries that forced him to give up on this playing days and he figured to stay with the game that he loved and be the hitting coach for the Tulsa Drillers, the Colorado Rockies Double A team. Husband and father of two sons, Coolbaugh just started being the first base coach and on one terrible night Tino Sanchez, of the same team, crushed a 3-1 pitch foul heading right at Coolbaugh and from what doctors say, once the ball struck his head he was gone. There is a lot more to the article like what are the chances of this really happening. Like, Sanchez having a terrible year and only getting into the game late because the other team decided to change pitchers because one needed the work. And how, Sanchez actually should have walked on the forth pitch of the at-bat, from what the game announcers said the 3-0 pitch was a ball, and the umpire really stretched the strike zone for that pitch. Finally, that if the ball had hit Coolbaugh a hair to the left or a hair to the right of his head that he would have worse case a concussion. So if ya'll can find this article and read it!

Of Course

As most of you already know, Ken Griffey Jr. is leaving the season early again for the 5 consecutive year. Due to a strained groin muscle "The Kid" will be leaving us early and waiting until next season for him to reach 600 career homeruns. Junior batted .277 this season with 30 dongs and 93 RBIs. Was an All-Star for the first time since 2004 and is now 6th on the all-time list for homers. What are you going to do? I was very optimistic this season, especially when he reached 100 games, now at 144 played. I have heard reports after the injury that once you have a severe hamstring problem not only does this problem stay with you throughout your career, but it damages the other muscles around the hamstring. "The Kid" just never caught a break, but speaking of breaks I will be posting a summary of a great article in Sports Illustrated about the shocking death this season of the Double A coach of the Colorado Rockies, Mike Coolbaugh tomorrow.

Check out

My brother's post on the top ten moments of tree house history on my sister site....The Toe, available on My Links to the right of the page. You will not be disappointed!!

Go Sox!!!!

What the hell is going on? I'll tell you, the Yankees are playing the way that they were suppose to be playing 5 months ago. The Red Sox still are in first and will make the playoffs this season and are doing all of this without the help of Manny Ramirez and the poor pitching of the bullpen. The Yankees offense is incredible and even though months ago i wrote that they were finished, done. Their offense has hit they way that they were suppose to hit, but I really wasn't expecting the starting pitching to do the job that they have been. Everyone was doubting their bullpen, for why? So they got rid of Scott Proctor, they still has some roll players that were doing the job, and the best closer in Major League history. I am still sticking to my predictions and keeping the Sox in the World Series, because as a true baseball guy I am not a believer in the notion that offense will win you a championship. The Yankees will, and I repeat, will have a tough time in a five game series. But, who am I! If they can score 10 runs in each game, which they are certainly capable of, who says that they can't win it all! What worries me about the Sox is that they have had nothing to play for for 5 months and now we are getting down and dirty and they are nowhere to be found. And, I know that when Manny comes back it'll be different. But, it could be different when Roger Clemens starts pitching they way that Yankee fans want him too as well.

I have been too silent

Usually baseball season lasts longer for me, but I am so disgusted with the play of the Seattle Mariners and now the folding of the Red Sox that football season has come earlier than usually for me. I had such a good weekend watching sports and did a lot of lounging around watching movies and a tv show that has been out for a while and finally came to terms and started watching it that I would love to share it all with you today.

Though I am the curse of everything, my football weekend couldn't go any better! Michigan crushed the Irish for there first win and now are playing ranked Penn State this weekend with some momentum on their shoulders. My fantasy football team, even though were driving me crazy all day, pulled out their first win of the year over my arch-rival Shorty's Squad, with the help from Marion Barber and Willie Parker. And finally, the Washington Redskins have started the season 2-0, and I know that I shouldn't say this being a curse and all but man did Jason Campbell and their defense look good against McNabb and the Eagles. So that went well.

Also, watched two great movies in Blades of Glory and Zodiac. Will Ferrell impressed me once again even though at times of the movie it got very stupid some of the scenes were totally outrageous. And Zodiac, which I new nothing about just heard great things about it, was absolutely amazing. I recommend everyone to watch this movie based on facts that happened more than 30 years ago, that is all that I will tell you.

Many of you might know that when I was living in Connecticut I didn't get into many tv programs because I was too busy working like an idiot. So my brother has the first two seasons of The Office on dvd and just purchased the third which I have yet too see. That show is absolutely hysterical. I wish that the episodes were longer I must say but seeing Dwight's face has me in tears and the writers of this show are amazing.

Finally, episode three of The Contender was on last night and I must say I am not impressed with this season. I really can't wait to see this Paul Smith fight because he seems to be really bad-ass but other than that I am not thrilled with the show so far. The first two fights were ok at best, it seems to me that these fighters aren't in as good of shape as the past two season's contestants. Well, I am hoping for a continuation of fortune this coming weekend as I am going back to reality today working for a screwed up city in rainy Florida!

So who is it going to be?

This weekend marks a great battle between two teams with their seasons on the line. Even though both of these storied programs are 0-2 respectively, it seems to me that this is one of the biggest games this rivalry has seen in quite some time. At 3:30 tomorrow afternoon on ABC, I will sitting my ass on the couch biting my nails in anticipation of the Michigan Wolverines defending their home turf(for the third time in a row) putting a whooping on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Both teams will be starting their quarterbacks for the future. With Notre Dame starting the highly recruited Jimmy Clausen and Michigan starting the kid that is to replace the multi-record career holder Chad Henne, in Ryan Mallet. One good thing that has been going for the Wolverines is the running game with Mike Hart. But, they have been having to shut down the running game because of having to come from behind in both games. Mike Hart early this week guaranteed a victory this weekend. Though, I like the move from your senior leader, you just added more fuel to the fire, with the spark of the flame starting from the raping they gave Notre Dame on their home turf last season. Also Mike, you don't play defense for your squad! This has been the worst piece of tackling I have ever seen from a team in a long time. The only prediction that I am going to give for this game tomorrow is that I will be watching the whole game winning or losing and that I think that this will be the college football game of the year a back and forth battle between two programs trying to get that first one. Hopefully, it'll be the maze in blue!!!

Just a Little Taste

Here's a couple of highlights of Greg Oden in High School. I can't even imagine playing on the other side of the court. Might want to put the volumn down, I don't know what this DJ was thinking.

Tough news for most

Bill Walton, Sam Bowie.....Greg Oden? God I hope not! This freak of nature has been nothing short of a supreme human being. He's funny, has respect, and #1 is not some puck ass kid who looks for a lot a attention. I really hope that he gets through this microfracture knee surgery. The same surgery that was done to Penny Hardaway, who never looked to fully recover. But, on the positive side research and technology has improved since then and other NBA players have received this type of surgery and it has been a success, one is Jason Kidd. If you haven't noticed I have his blog site on my links and I read it faithfully. The kid, like myself, is no wizard when it comes to writing, but he does get his points across. And, is not shy when it comes to letting us readers about what has been going on in his life. How cursed can the Portland Trailblazers be? This is not only going to hurt the franchise this season, be lucky to finish .400 this season, but the NBA will suffer too. I am sure that I am not the only one that was eagerly awaiting seeing him perform in the Western Conference, and I am not even a NBA fan. Well, good luck in your recovery Greg, I am positive that I am not the only one to wish you a safe and fast return for next season!

Another Will Clip

Will Ferrell training Ryan Kalil before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers.

Top 5 Cereals

If you didn't notice the new cereal that's out on the mark that I am doing some promotioning for, it got me thinking about my favorite cereals ever. My number one is far and away from second. But, either one of these are great form of breakfast before work or my favorite, cereal at about 8 or 9 o'clock before bedtime. Go ahead and give me a comment on yours!

1. FRUITY PEBBLES

2. CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH

3. HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS

4. FROSTED FLAKES

5. COCOA PUFFS

A Day That I'll Never Forget

Today marks a day that will live with us until we die. You not only remember what the aftermath of this tragic day, but where you were, who you were with, and what you doing that day. There will never be a time when I see the numbers 9-11 that I can forget the lives that were taken and the lives that were changed. How can I? It's been 6 years and we as a country can still feel the affects. My fondest memory where we told those cowards that "We will not be afraid", "We are going to stay alive", and "We will not forgive or forget" when George Bush went to the mound at Yankee Stadium to throw the first pitch of Game 3 of the World Series. Goosebumps went through my entire body, as Bush stands there by his lonesome, with no security around and throws a perfect strike. So to the people who lost their lives that day, you'll never be forgotten!

The Downfall of the Wolverines

I do not know a bigger Michigan Wolverines fan than myself, not saying that it is a good thing at the moment. I would be lying to you if I said that I didn't see this loss coming to Oregon this past weekend. Actually, I thought that if Michigan was going to lose an early game I was picking Oregon to be the preditor beginning the season. As much as I love the fact that Lloyd Carr is more than likely coaching his last season with the Wolverines, I really believe that this is the start of something I really don't even want to think about.



I guess that you can blame Desmond Howard for me becoming a Michigan football fan. Back in 1990, then 12 years old, I was watching the Wolverines get destroyed by Rocket Ismail and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But, there was this kid by the name of Howard that caught my eye. The following year everytime that the Wolverines were televised I was on the couch watching. Howard had a huge season, scoring touchdowns at will on the receiving and returning end. His biggest game came against Ohio State where he posed the famous Heisman for the crowd after returning a punt for a touchdown, this game would soon win the him the Heisman trophy that season. Michigan would have won the National Championship that year if it wasn't for the play of the quarterback Elvis Grbac in their bowl game against the University of Washington to wipe their hopes. But, I continued to watch the maze in blue and that's all she wrote.



But, back to the downfall. Michigan hasn't lost 4 straight games in more than 50 years, and hasn't been blown out by a team worse since 1959, the season before Bo Schembeckler took over as head coach. Oh, Bo died just before the start of the Wolverines losing streak. Ok, so Michigan football is probably going to replace their entire coaching staff, they can't tackle and the offense can't hold on to the ball. How are they suppose to get recruits to come to their school right now? The program with the best winning percentage in the history of college football has lost the first two games of the early season and are about to lose their entire coaching staff, what kid really wants to go to a school that is going to do a entire rebuild of a program. All the Juniors and eligible sophomores will be leaving early for the NFL draft not wanting to start with a whole new system. And, this is the time when recruits are visiting the colleges, what do you think that they are thinking when they see a prestiged program like Michigan lose at home they way they have the last two weeks. Supposedly they have a good class coming in next season, but if you saw the freshman quarterback that got in the game late on Saturday the outlook is not looking good. This kid was highly recruited last season and he is going to be the starter next season, otoh!

It irks me to say this, but I believe that Michigan is going to go into a slide the next 5 years, I hope not but it is very possible. Rebuilding a coaching staff and roster is going to be very difficult, just ask Nebraska after Tom Osbourne left. It took that program a couple of years to get back their status as an top 25 program again.

What it really comes down to with the slide is that even though Lloyd Carr has won a National Championship, he hasn't come up in the big games the last 5 or 6 years. He has ran the same offensive scheme over that time. Lloyd your time is over, you have never adjusted your coaching philosophy and now the program is suffering because of it. Good riddens Lloyd, I won't miss ya, all I miss is the players that you have coached in the past because they are the reasons for your semi-success!

My NFL Preview

The NFL season is finally here and I am thrilled! After months of signings, trades, and court appearances what matters most to us is that the regular season is starting on time and the time is tomorrow night. My biggest regret in life is never getting, or giving football a chance as a kid because I sure as hell enjoyed it playing out in the streets of Dryden Drive and the school yard of St. Laurent. This league is by far the best ran league out of all the major sports and maybe that is why I admire it the most. This season i believe that there are very few teams that will contend for the Super Bowl this season with others just trying to get some television pub in the postseason. My Washington Redskins will go as far as Jason Campbell will take them and from what the "experts" are saying it won't be that far, of course i am a little more optimistic as usually! Here's my Division and Wild Card finishers as well as the Conference and Super Bowl finalists...

AFC EAST- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

AFC NORTH- CINCINNATI BENGALS

AFC SOUTH- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

AFC WEST- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

WILD CARDS- BALTIMORE RAVENS & DENVER BRONCOS


NFC EAST- DALLAS COWBOYS

NFC NORTH- CHICAGO BEARS

NFC SOUTH- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

NFC WEST- ST. LOUIS RAMS

WILD CARDS- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES & SEATTLE SEAHAWKS


AFC CHAMPIONSHIP- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP- CHICAGO BEARS @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SUPER BOWL- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

CHAMPS- SAINTS

DISAPPOINTING TEAM- CAROLINA PANTHERS

SLEEPER TEAM- WHO ELSE BUT "THE SKINS"

Not an easy week...

I got home Saturday and when my awesome brother giggled and told me that Michigan was getting beat by Appalachian State, I looked at him and was like why would you laugh, then I went to my room shut the door and took a nap. I didn't really want to bear the thought of Michigan losing to the repeat champs of Division 1 AA, and when my phone started to ring off the hook from my "so-called" friends, I already knew what happened and to be honest I was not that surprised! When I looked at Michigan schedule last week I thought that they were going to get an early loss (Oregon this week), but my nightmare came a week earlier. I am hopeful that one thing came out of this loss, Lloyd Carr will finally get fired! Something that I have publicly been pushing for the last three years.

Not only did Michigan loss on Saturday ask me why, my Seattle Mariners hadn't won a game in a month and the playoffs are now looking slimmer and slimmer for a squad some journalists were calling the 5th best team in the majors. This team has caused me serious grief over the last 5 years. And, with them finally giving me a little hope they decide last week to forget how to pitch and hit and another early off-season looms in the distance.

Why am I cursed in sports? I haven't seen one of my teams win a championship since 1997, when the Wolverines won with the help from Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson and QB Brien Griese. Before that was the Redskins in 1991 and 1987. You can say that I was routing for the Red Sox in 2003, but that was only so that my late grandfather had a chance to see his favorite team win the World Series. I was a huge Chicago Bulls fan but the NBA game has changed so much since then that I will occasionally follow the Bulls now but I really don't pay much attention until the last couple of weeks of the regular season.

So with Seattle's season dwindling and the football season looking to be a long one with the sub-par Redskins and the Division 3 Wolverines, I will be looking for something to entertain me this fall. I am hopeful for my fantasy football team, but as my readers already know I am just living in fantasy right now since the season doesn't start until tomorrow and that will be that! I am thinking about changing all of my favorite teams but I will need some time to narrow them down. When I think about my sports teams over the last ten years, I feel like Buckner walking back to the dugout after game 6...queasy!

an unsatisfied sports fan