The return of the sports doofus!
OK, I'm going to make an attempt to "re-try" this blog.
The thing is, I wanted to do a humerous sports blog, but I quickly figured out that:
1. I wasn't that funny
2. I wasn't motivated to write about sports all the time.
3. I actually like alot of things.... music, movies, television, etc, etc...
So anyway, I'm "starting over".
Hope you enjoy the blog.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Pacers are good? Who knew?
Very short commentary today.
Was able to catch some of the Bulls/Pacers game 2 last night.
I have to say, I'm impressed with the Indiana Pacers. For a team that finished 8 games below .500 for the season, they are really making the top seeded Bulls work.
That's a pretty nice roster they have there: Danny Granger, Darren Collison, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough...no superstars, but lots of pretty good players. Even their backups are pretty good. TJ Ford, Mike Dunleavy, AJ Price, Josh McRoberts...
I really like watching them play. If that team had a superstar, they'd be fearsome!
Which is probably their problem, they are going to be too good to ever get a high pick, and they'd have to give up too much of their core in a trade to secure a star player. So they'll probably never go anywhere as constructed, which is too bad.
Now, if I can wrap my Tarheel brain around the fact that I heard "Hansbrough passes to McRoberts", during the broadcast last night, I think I have a "new" favorite team in the Eastern Conference.
Even if they are an 8 seed. Go Pacers.
Was able to catch some of the Bulls/Pacers game 2 last night.
I have to say, I'm impressed with the Indiana Pacers. For a team that finished 8 games below .500 for the season, they are really making the top seeded Bulls work.
That's a pretty nice roster they have there: Danny Granger, Darren Collison, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough...no superstars, but lots of pretty good players. Even their backups are pretty good. TJ Ford, Mike Dunleavy, AJ Price, Josh McRoberts...
I really like watching them play. If that team had a superstar, they'd be fearsome!
Which is probably their problem, they are going to be too good to ever get a high pick, and they'd have to give up too much of their core in a trade to secure a star player. So they'll probably never go anywhere as constructed, which is too bad.
Now, if I can wrap my Tarheel brain around the fact that I heard "Hansbrough passes to McRoberts", during the broadcast last night, I think I have a "new" favorite team in the Eastern Conference.
Even if they are an 8 seed. Go Pacers.
Monday, April 18, 2011
3 things I learned in Round One/Game One
1. The Lakers look bad.
Yes, I know Chris Paul played out of his mind. And also yes, Pau Gasol played terrible. And yes, the Lakers have a history of playing like crap...they were pushed to the distance in the first round by the Rockets just two years ago.
However, I'm not getting the "vibe" I was a few years back. Even when Houston was pushing them, you had this feeling the Lakers were going to triumph in the end. That they were on a mission.
This team looks weak, and for some inexplicable reason....weak minded. I was very hopeful for a final 3peat for Phil, for the Lakers to tie the Celtics with 17 overall titles(And I'm tired of Celtics fans holding that over everyone else's heads... I was Born in 1970... the Celtics won 11 titles in the 13 years BEFORE I WAS BORN... I could really care less about your history) I was hoping the Lakers could tie them.
This team however, is NOT winning the finals. The way the ended the season was disgusting and it's carried over. They may beat NO in round one, in fact, I expect them to. But I don't see them beating younger, hungrier teams, who aren't afraid of them anymore.
It's disgusting, and makes me want to go play in traffic.
2. The Spurs are old.
Seriously, is there anyone, I repeat anyone outside of San Antonio that thinks the Spurs are even going to win the West? They have to be the most lightly regarded top seed in the history of the playoffs. I was watching them yesterday and I was fully expecting the young Grizzlies to win. And they did.
Here's how you know the Spurs are old. Tim Duncan, one of the greatest 10 players of all time, is not a dominating advantage over Marc Gasol. When you figure out this is true, you figure out the Spurs are old. And dead in the water. How Poppovich got that team the best record in the conference is all the reason I need to make him the coach of the year.
3. 3 thoughts on the Celtics ( a special 3 pack)
a. Why do I like Doc Rivers? No idea, yet I do. Even when the Celts beat the Lakers a few years ago in the finals, I lost alot of respect for Paul Pierce (wheelchair). Do I think the officials were swayed some by a once proud franchise's return to glory? (I do) When the Celtics fans began "coming out of the woodwork" with all the passion that bandwagoning can muster, I still liked Doc Rivers.
His son signed with Duke. And yet I still like the guy. Something is wrong here. Did Doc Rivers make some sort of deal with the devil? He coaches the Celtics, his kid is going to Duke, and I still like the guy, something is off here.
b. Things People Forgot About
When the Celtics beat the Lakers two years ago, Bynum was hurt, and Gasol had joined the Lakers just before the trade deadline. The Lakers had a TOTAL collapse in game 4, for the Celtics to win. The series went 6 games. Game 6 was a blow out, and so people think the NBA title was a blowout that year. The next year Garnett got hurt and the Celts couldn't make the finals... the next year they make the finals and go 7 games...but when Perkins gets hurt in game 6 they had an excuse. Cue Doc Rivers and his "no one has beat our starting five when they're all playing" line.
The general perception is that the Celtics blew the Lakers out two years ago (not true, and without Bynum). The Celtics lost the next year without Garnett, and lost last year because of Perk's injury.
c. Kevin Garnett is a dirty player.
He is, he is, he is. He always has been. I remember watching him play with Minnesota, and I thought the same thing. The problem was, Minnesota stunk forever, and everyone thought it was great and "cute" how hard Garnett fought and battled and played hard every night. The fact that he was celebrated for it, he started to croos the line. More and more often. And no one cared.
Then he was traded to Boston, and he was celebrated for bringing his "toughness" there. Again, plays he was making that other players are penalized for, he was rewarded. He started to be exposed a bit, when people saw him acting like a psycho on the bench the year he was out. Dude is crazy.
Finally this year, we start to hear rumbles from players around the league that KG is a "dirty player" and of course the apologists that follow around great players came out of the woodwork to defend him. I'm not saying he isn't a great player... he is. But he's dirty, and you've got to learn to deal with that. He's one of those guys when you're going to play pickup ball you want to play with him...but hate to play against him, so much so, that you'll probabably quit early and go home because it's not fun.
Yes, I know Chris Paul played out of his mind. And also yes, Pau Gasol played terrible. And yes, the Lakers have a history of playing like crap...they were pushed to the distance in the first round by the Rockets just two years ago.
However, I'm not getting the "vibe" I was a few years back. Even when Houston was pushing them, you had this feeling the Lakers were going to triumph in the end. That they were on a mission.
This team looks weak, and for some inexplicable reason....weak minded. I was very hopeful for a final 3peat for Phil, for the Lakers to tie the Celtics with 17 overall titles(And I'm tired of Celtics fans holding that over everyone else's heads... I was Born in 1970... the Celtics won 11 titles in the 13 years BEFORE I WAS BORN... I could really care less about your history) I was hoping the Lakers could tie them.
This team however, is NOT winning the finals. The way the ended the season was disgusting and it's carried over. They may beat NO in round one, in fact, I expect them to. But I don't see them beating younger, hungrier teams, who aren't afraid of them anymore.
It's disgusting, and makes me want to go play in traffic.
2. The Spurs are old.
Seriously, is there anyone, I repeat anyone outside of San Antonio that thinks the Spurs are even going to win the West? They have to be the most lightly regarded top seed in the history of the playoffs. I was watching them yesterday and I was fully expecting the young Grizzlies to win. And they did.
Here's how you know the Spurs are old. Tim Duncan, one of the greatest 10 players of all time, is not a dominating advantage over Marc Gasol. When you figure out this is true, you figure out the Spurs are old. And dead in the water. How Poppovich got that team the best record in the conference is all the reason I need to make him the coach of the year.
3. 3 thoughts on the Celtics ( a special 3 pack)
a. Why do I like Doc Rivers? No idea, yet I do. Even when the Celts beat the Lakers a few years ago in the finals, I lost alot of respect for Paul Pierce (wheelchair). Do I think the officials were swayed some by a once proud franchise's return to glory? (I do) When the Celtics fans began "coming out of the woodwork" with all the passion that bandwagoning can muster, I still liked Doc Rivers.
His son signed with Duke. And yet I still like the guy. Something is wrong here. Did Doc Rivers make some sort of deal with the devil? He coaches the Celtics, his kid is going to Duke, and I still like the guy, something is off here.
b. Things People Forgot About
When the Celtics beat the Lakers two years ago, Bynum was hurt, and Gasol had joined the Lakers just before the trade deadline. The Lakers had a TOTAL collapse in game 4, for the Celtics to win. The series went 6 games. Game 6 was a blow out, and so people think the NBA title was a blowout that year. The next year Garnett got hurt and the Celts couldn't make the finals... the next year they make the finals and go 7 games...but when Perkins gets hurt in game 6 they had an excuse. Cue Doc Rivers and his "no one has beat our starting five when they're all playing" line.
The general perception is that the Celtics blew the Lakers out two years ago (not true, and without Bynum). The Celtics lost the next year without Garnett, and lost last year because of Perk's injury.
c. Kevin Garnett is a dirty player.
He is, he is, he is. He always has been. I remember watching him play with Minnesota, and I thought the same thing. The problem was, Minnesota stunk forever, and everyone thought it was great and "cute" how hard Garnett fought and battled and played hard every night. The fact that he was celebrated for it, he started to croos the line. More and more often. And no one cared.
Then he was traded to Boston, and he was celebrated for bringing his "toughness" there. Again, plays he was making that other players are penalized for, he was rewarded. He started to be exposed a bit, when people saw him acting like a psycho on the bench the year he was out. Dude is crazy.
Finally this year, we start to hear rumbles from players around the league that KG is a "dirty player" and of course the apologists that follow around great players came out of the woodwork to defend him. I'm not saying he isn't a great player... he is. But he's dirty, and you've got to learn to deal with that. He's one of those guys when you're going to play pickup ball you want to play with him...but hate to play against him, so much so, that you'll probabably quit early and go home because it's not fun.
Friday, January 7, 2011
NFL Playoff: Wild Card Round Breakdown
A quick breakdown of this weekend's wildcard games. With my predictions.
Saints at Seahawks
So, the first losing team in NFL playoff history is hosting a playoff game.
-A quick aside here, can we just get rid of this talk about not letting losing teams in the playoffs, and re-ranking the seedings and all this sort of thing. Listen. If they have the divisions, you have to let the winner of a division in the playoffs, and you have to let the host against anyone who DIDn't win their division. If you want to seed everyone by record, and such nonsense...then get rid of the divisions. Make it an AFC and NFC and the six best records get in. If you're going to have divisions, and make the teams play each other twice each season...you have to honor the winner of them. You have to.
OK, So the defending Super Bowl Champions are playing a playoff game at a team with a losing record. Blow-out win, right? Probably. Seattle has two chances in this game:
1. Turnovers by the Saints can keep them in the game.
2. Their home crowd gets excited, if the game is close.
Depending on turnovers and home field advantage is typically always the battle cry of an underdog, so why even mention it? Well, for starters, the Saints have turned the ball over alot this season. And secondly, Seattle's home field advantage is better than most. It's real. They get loud up there in the Pacific North West.
Prediction: 24-10 Saints
Jets at Colts
I'm going to be honest. I dislike the Jets. Alot. They are my most disliked team of the 2010-11 NFL Season. Rex Ryan is a blowhard (who likes feet, evidently) and I'm not sure there's ever been a mediocre team that has been this hyped up before. They don't pass it well, they don't run it as well as they did last year, and their defense is not as good as last year.
However, I'm not feeling particularly confident in this year's edition of the Colts. They have been beat up, banged around, and put through the wringer this year. The worst possible scenario for them is a team that will try to play extremely physical and beat them up. I'm going to give the Colts the nod, but only because they are at home.
Prediction: 20-14 Colts
Ravens at Chiefs
This is the one game I feel almost certain of this weekend. Ravens win. And big. The Chiefs are a joke and a fraud, and to be honest just a very fortunate team to have even made the playoffs. In their last home game, with a #3 seed on the line, the Chiefs got pummelled by the 8-8 Raiders 31-7. They weren't even in the game. When they played San Diego with about a month left in the season, the Chargers dismantled them 31-0. Who did they beat the last month of the season? The Rams...who laid down to the Seahawks (the only losing team in NFL history in the playoffs), and the Titans, who basically threw the towel in on this season in October.
The Chiefs go down, and go down Hard.
Prediction: Ravens 27 Chiefs 7
Packers at Eagles
The marquee game of the weekend. Too close to call. I could see either team winning by any sort of margin. Close game, blow-out, overtime, etc, etc... I do think Michael Vick's leg is bothering him. I do think if Aaron Rodgers takes a big hit he might get a bit gun shy(two concussions already this season). Neither team has been able to run the ball well, although the Eagles do that better. Both teams like to bring the heat defensively.
This has the feeling of one of those games that could be decided by a kick return for a td, and big fumble recovery for a score, something like that. I have no idea what to pick here. This is a toss up.
Prediction: 24-21 Packers
Saints at Seahawks
So, the first losing team in NFL playoff history is hosting a playoff game.
-A quick aside here, can we just get rid of this talk about not letting losing teams in the playoffs, and re-ranking the seedings and all this sort of thing. Listen. If they have the divisions, you have to let the winner of a division in the playoffs, and you have to let the host against anyone who DIDn't win their division. If you want to seed everyone by record, and such nonsense...then get rid of the divisions. Make it an AFC and NFC and the six best records get in. If you're going to have divisions, and make the teams play each other twice each season...you have to honor the winner of them. You have to.
OK, So the defending Super Bowl Champions are playing a playoff game at a team with a losing record. Blow-out win, right? Probably. Seattle has two chances in this game:
1. Turnovers by the Saints can keep them in the game.
2. Their home crowd gets excited, if the game is close.
Depending on turnovers and home field advantage is typically always the battle cry of an underdog, so why even mention it? Well, for starters, the Saints have turned the ball over alot this season. And secondly, Seattle's home field advantage is better than most. It's real. They get loud up there in the Pacific North West.
Prediction: 24-10 Saints
Jets at Colts
I'm going to be honest. I dislike the Jets. Alot. They are my most disliked team of the 2010-11 NFL Season. Rex Ryan is a blowhard (who likes feet, evidently) and I'm not sure there's ever been a mediocre team that has been this hyped up before. They don't pass it well, they don't run it as well as they did last year, and their defense is not as good as last year.
However, I'm not feeling particularly confident in this year's edition of the Colts. They have been beat up, banged around, and put through the wringer this year. The worst possible scenario for them is a team that will try to play extremely physical and beat them up. I'm going to give the Colts the nod, but only because they are at home.
Prediction: 20-14 Colts
Ravens at Chiefs
This is the one game I feel almost certain of this weekend. Ravens win. And big. The Chiefs are a joke and a fraud, and to be honest just a very fortunate team to have even made the playoffs. In their last home game, with a #3 seed on the line, the Chiefs got pummelled by the 8-8 Raiders 31-7. They weren't even in the game. When they played San Diego with about a month left in the season, the Chargers dismantled them 31-0. Who did they beat the last month of the season? The Rams...who laid down to the Seahawks (the only losing team in NFL history in the playoffs), and the Titans, who basically threw the towel in on this season in October.
The Chiefs go down, and go down Hard.
Prediction: Ravens 27 Chiefs 7
Packers at Eagles
The marquee game of the weekend. Too close to call. I could see either team winning by any sort of margin. Close game, blow-out, overtime, etc, etc... I do think Michael Vick's leg is bothering him. I do think if Aaron Rodgers takes a big hit he might get a bit gun shy(two concussions already this season). Neither team has been able to run the ball well, although the Eagles do that better. Both teams like to bring the heat defensively.
This has the feeling of one of those games that could be decided by a kick return for a td, and big fumble recovery for a score, something like that. I have no idea what to pick here. This is a toss up.
Prediction: 24-21 Packers
Breaking down the Predictions.
Alright, so it's been months since I posted anything substantail.
Let's look back at how my pre-season predictions looked.
NFC
1. Saints- not too bad. Made the playoffs as a WC and have looked good in recent weeks.
2. Cowboys - I was about as wrong as wrong could be. The Cowboys played very poorly, and let's face it, disinterested for most of the season.
3. Packers - I think I did pretty well here considering the injuries they had to overcome. I mean would it surprise anyone if Green Bay made it to the super bowl?
4. Vikings - talk about wrong! Who saw the wheels coming off this wagon so soon? My Gosh, Brett Favre played like the old man he is, and can someone tell me what happened to the defense? I'm not sure if I heard Jared Allen's name called all year.
5. Niners - the only pick worse than the Vikings was the 49ers. What a complete dissappointment.
Darkhorse: Eagles - ended up being an excellent selection as a dark horse. I did not predict the Michael Vick resurgence, but they have alot of Offensive weapons and their defense came around like I thought it would.
AFC
1. The Colts - The Colts had an up and down season for them. That said, they had a large number of injuries and still won their division. I don't see them advancing too far in the playoffs, but not a bad season at all.
2. The Baltimore Ravens - this looks like a pretty good pick. At 12-4 the Ravens could be the best Wild Card team to ever make the playoffs, and unlike the Colts a long run by the Ravens would not surprise me.
3. Chargers- Wow. That's about all I can say. The only team in History to have the #1 Offense in the League, and the #1 Defense in the league (statistically) and not make the playoffs. In fact, every other time that has happened in league history the team ended up in the championship. They found ways to lose. Repeatedly. As a chargers fan, let me tell you...it was disgusting.
4. Patriots - not in "flux" any more. They traded Randy Moss and went on a tear. The Patriots set a record for the fewest amount of turnovers in a 16 game season this year. Funny how that works.
5. The Jets. Well, they made the playoffs. I'm still not sold on this team. They looked pretty good early in the season, but not so good down the stretch. I'd be surprised if they won the AFC.
Darkhorse: Bengals - just when it was looking like I knew what I was talking about with the AFC...getting 4 out of 5 of my preseason predictions in the playoffs. Yikes. The Bengals stunk. Except in week 16 against San Diego, of course. Thanks alot Bengals.
Let's look back at how my pre-season predictions looked.
NFC
1. Saints- not too bad. Made the playoffs as a WC and have looked good in recent weeks.
2. Cowboys - I was about as wrong as wrong could be. The Cowboys played very poorly, and let's face it, disinterested for most of the season.
3. Packers - I think I did pretty well here considering the injuries they had to overcome. I mean would it surprise anyone if Green Bay made it to the super bowl?
4. Vikings - talk about wrong! Who saw the wheels coming off this wagon so soon? My Gosh, Brett Favre played like the old man he is, and can someone tell me what happened to the defense? I'm not sure if I heard Jared Allen's name called all year.
5. Niners - the only pick worse than the Vikings was the 49ers. What a complete dissappointment.
Darkhorse: Eagles - ended up being an excellent selection as a dark horse. I did not predict the Michael Vick resurgence, but they have alot of Offensive weapons and their defense came around like I thought it would.
AFC
1. The Colts - The Colts had an up and down season for them. That said, they had a large number of injuries and still won their division. I don't see them advancing too far in the playoffs, but not a bad season at all.
2. The Baltimore Ravens - this looks like a pretty good pick. At 12-4 the Ravens could be the best Wild Card team to ever make the playoffs, and unlike the Colts a long run by the Ravens would not surprise me.
3. Chargers- Wow. That's about all I can say. The only team in History to have the #1 Offense in the League, and the #1 Defense in the league (statistically) and not make the playoffs. In fact, every other time that has happened in league history the team ended up in the championship. They found ways to lose. Repeatedly. As a chargers fan, let me tell you...it was disgusting.
4. Patriots - not in "flux" any more. They traded Randy Moss and went on a tear. The Patriots set a record for the fewest amount of turnovers in a 16 game season this year. Funny how that works.
5. The Jets. Well, they made the playoffs. I'm still not sold on this team. They looked pretty good early in the season, but not so good down the stretch. I'd be surprised if they won the AFC.
Darkhorse: Bengals - just when it was looking like I knew what I was talking about with the AFC...getting 4 out of 5 of my preseason predictions in the playoffs. Yikes. The Bengals stunk. Except in week 16 against San Diego, of course. Thanks alot Bengals.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Sports Doofus is back!
One of my resolutions for the year, is to actually share some of my thoughts and utilize this blog.
My first order of business, will be to look back at my NFL preview and see how I did, plus a quick breakdown of the playoffs.
My first order of business, will be to look back at my NFL preview and see how I did, plus a quick breakdown of the playoffs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)