Month: September 2009 (Page 13 of 66)

      LSU narrowly defeats Mississippi State

      September 26, 2009 /

      LaFell

      If one were to only watch this game’s first quarter, their views on both teams would be drastically shaken. No. 7 LSU went into this game 3-0 and had won nine straight against their opponents from Mississippi State. At the end of the first quarter, the Bulldogs somehow held a 14-13 lead. It seemed as though fans could sense an upset as they suddenly piled into the stadium well after the opening whistle. Quickly, however, that ornate offense helmed by Mississippi State quarterback Tyson Lee gradually dismantled. By the end of the first half, Lee had thrown three interceptions and his team had committed a total of four turnovers. Luckily for them, LSU didn’t look any sharper — on either end of the field. Their skimpy defense was obvious to anyone watching. We knew that could be a problem coming in, but what was up with their rushing? With a total of seven yards rushing at the half, LSU coach Les Miles was left dumbfounded. Both teams had multiple opportunities to score, but sloppy play prevented either from increasing a lead. At the end of the half, No. 7 LSU was on top 16-14.

      In their first possession of the third quarter, LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson connected with Brandon LaFell for a 58-yard touchdown pass. Despite their embarrassing first half performance, LSU suddenly looked like a real team. Still, Mississippi State would respond with a touchdown of their own. But Chad Johnson’s beautiful 93-yard punt return for a touchdown again rejuvenated the Tigers. Come the fourth quarter, Mississippi State completely depended on star running back Anthony Dixon to carry their team. This proved to be a wise decision, as he would finish the game with two touchdowns on 106 yards.

      With 1:20 left in the game, Mississippi State came within four inches of scoring, thanks again to Anthony Dixon. However, they couldn’t convert their momentum into a touchdown as LSU’s defense finally made an impact when it mattered most. In what was a surprisingly close game, LSU defeated Mississippi State 30-26.

      Lastly, hats off to Mississippi State’s new coach, Dan Mullen, who kept his team in the game against one of the strongest programs in college football.

      College Football

      2009 NHL Preview: Chicago Blackhawks

      September 26, 2009 /

      We’ve partnered with On Goal Analysis to bring you a team-by-team preview of the upcoming NHL season. (Just scroll down on the OGA website and hit the calendar.) Here is the preview for the Chicago Blackhawks…

      Team Play: ISSUE – It’s all between the pipes, baby. Going into the free agency free-for-all which began July 1st, it seemed the Blackhawks’ plan was to trade goalie Cristobal Huet (who has three years remaining on his contract) and re-sign Nikolai Khabibulin (who was an unrestricted free agent). The ‘Hawks found no takers for Huet, and “The Bulin Wall” signed with Edmonton. Thus, Chicago enters the 2009-10 season depending heavily upon a goalie who was deemed second-best going into last seasons’ playoffs. As I mentioned in a post earlier this summer, the ‘Hawks can only hope Huet is able to rediscover the magic of his thirteen-game run with the Washington Capitals at the end of the 2007-08 season, in which he put up all-star numbers (11-2, 1.63 GAA, .936 sv%). Simply put, Huet must consistently play at a level which gives his teammates confidence. When a team lacks confidence in their goalie, they tend to go into a defensive shell, playing much more conservatively than normal. The current Chicago Blackhawks squad is not built to play a conservative, defense-first, don’t-take-chances type of game. If a lack of confidence in Huet causes the ‘Hawks to attempt to play that style of hockey, the season will be a miserable failure.

      Click here to read the rest of the preview (which includes the site’s unique Playoff Qualifying Curve and fantasy information) at the On Goal Analysis site.

      NHL

      2009 NHL Preview: Carolina Hurricanes

      September 26, 2009 /

      We’ve partnered with On Goal Analysis to bring you a team-by-team preview of the upcoming NHL season. (Just scroll down on the OGA website and hit the calendar.) Here is the preview for the Carolina Hurricanes…

      SUMMER SPLASH

      * A fairly quiet summer in the Carolinas for Hurricane season. Fan-fave Erik Cole was awarded a new 2-year deal as was Chad LaRose. A bevy of contracts come due next season, so the ‘Canes obviously feel confident about the team they have assembled for Paul Maurice who took over the coaching duties midway through last season.

      * 36-year old Aaron Ward came home from Boston to begin his second stint with the Hurricanes. Ward played with them from 2001-2006 and his family never left the area.

      * Lackluster Patrick Eaves went the other way to Boston in the Ward trade and Frantisek Kaberle was bought out of his contract.

      * Other notable additions to the team are Tom Kostopoulos, Andrew Alberts and just recently, Stephan Yelle.

      * The Hurricanes wanted a slightly bigger, tougher team this season and it looks like they have accomplished this goal during the off-season while also adding some veteran leadership.

      Click here to read the rest of the preview (which includes the site’s unique Playoff Qualifying Curve and fantasy information) at the On Goal Analysis site.

      NHL

      Mikey’s MLB power rankings

      September 26, 2009 /

      There are only eight days left in the regular season, barring any one-game playoffs, and aside from the AL Central, most races are all but over. The Red Sox have a chance to make up ground on the Yankees, but the Yanks have already clinched a playoff berth. Here are your power rankings this week….

      1. New York Yankees (98-56)—If they sweep the Sox this weekend, the AL East race will officially be over. But both teams appear certainly headed to the big dance.

      2. Los Angeles Dodgers (92-62)—Quietly moving up and close to clinching the NL West while their cross-town pals are struggling.

      3. Boston Red Sox (91-62)—This team has got to be making the Yankees and their fans nervous, even if the Yanks have made the playoffs, because they just keep winning. But, see #1.

      4. Los Angeles Angels (90-63)—It’s a good thing the Rangers are playing like crap, otherwise the Angels would be looking in the rear view mirror.

      5. Philadelphia Phillies (89-64)—Getting hot as the weather cools down.

      6. St. Louis Cardinals (89-65)—The magic number still at one.

      7. Colorado Rockies (87-67)—Some days the Rockies look like they might catch the Dodgers, but lately they are trying to fend off the Braves and Giants for that wild card.

      8. Detroit Tigers (82-71)—The Twins remain 2 games back, and the Tigers have not exactly set the world on fire the past month.

      9. Atlanta Braves (83-70)—Bobby Cox’s teams never quit and they are hanging tough in the wild card race.

      10. San Francisco Giants (82-72)—Now the clock is really ticking. The Cubs, of all teams, hurt the Giants’ chances badly again last night.

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, MLB

      College Football Week 4 Snapshot Previews

      September 26, 2009 /

      Here’s a quick look at the top 10 action this week in college football.

      No. 1 Florida at Kentucky, 6:00PM ET
      The Gators have beaten the Wildcats 22 straight times by an average margin of victory of 28.8 in the past 15 contests. But up to six Florida players missed practice this week due to the flu and this is the first time the Gators hit the road in ’09. Will Kentucky keep things close?

      UTEP at No. 2 Texas, 2:45PM ET
      The Longhorns are 25-1 against teams outside the Big 12 since the start of the 2004 season, while the Miners have lost 10 straight against top 25 teams. There should be no letdown in Austin today for Colt McCoy and company.

      Arkansas at No. 3 Alabama, 3:30PM ET
      The Crimson Tide rank No. 3 in the nation in total defense, but will be tested by Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino’s spread offense, which ranks second in the nation. The key to this game will be whether or not the Razorbacks can stop Alabama’s balanced attack.

      Iowa at No. 5 Penn State, 8:00PM ET
      The Nittany Lions saw their national title hopes dashed last year in Iowa, so PSU will have revenge on its mind today. The Lions have won 24 straight home games against unranked opponents.

      No. 6 Cal at Oregon, 3:30PM ET
      With wins over Utah and Purdue the past two weeks, the Ducks have bounced back nicely after losing to Boise State in embarrassing fashion in their opener. But can they slow down Heisman candidate Jahvid Best? Nobody has yet.

      No. 7 LSU at Mississippi State, 12:00PM ET
      The Tigers have won nine in a row against the Bulldogs, outscoring them 374-105 since 1999. Mississippi State owns the 20th best rushing attack in college football, which will be a great test for LSU’s stingy defense.

      No. 8 Boise State at Bowling Green, 7:00PM ET
      Bowling Green will host a top 10 team for the first time in school history. Boise State will be without running back D.J. Harper (who suffered a torn ACL), although Jeremy Avery is more than capable of taking over as the Broncos’ primary back.

      No. 9 Miami at No. 11 Virginia Tech, 3:30PM ET
      The top matchup this week in college football takes place in Blacksburg. Miami is averaging 35.5 points and leads the ACC with 465 yards of total offense per game. The Canes will play their third consecutive game against a top 25 opponent for the first time since 2001. Can quarterback Jacory Harris led the Canes to another victory and get this team closer to an ACC title?

      For Week 4 point spreads click here and for Week 4 picks and predictions click here.

      College Football

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