Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1038 of 1503)

      Breaking down the NFC Playoff Picture

      December 4, 2008 /

      If the regular season ended today:

      1. Giants (11-1)
      2. Buccaneers (9-3)
      3. Vikings (7-5)
      4. Cardinals (7-5)
      5. Panthers (9-3)
      6. Falcons (8-4)

      Outside looking in:

      7. Cowboys (8-4)
      8. Redskins (7-5)
      9. Eagles (6-5-1)
      10. Bears (6-6)
      11. Saints (6-6)
      12. Packers (5-7)

      Outlook:

      – The Giants are essentially a lock and a win over the Eagles this Sunday would clinch the NFC East.

      Tampa Bay Bucs– The Bucs have two tough road games against the Panthers and Falcons the next two weeks, but then have two very winnable games against the Chargers and Raiders. Tampa has the second best defense in the NFC after the Giants and has already beaten Carolina and Atlanta in convincing fashion this season. Wins over the Panthers and Falcons the next two weeks would secure the NFC South Crown.

      – The Cardinals just need one more victory or a 49ers’ loss and they’ll win the pathetic NFC West. And with the Vikings possibly set to lose both of their run stuffers due to suspension, they should take a hold of the No. 3 spot in the playoffs, which would guarantee them at least one home game in the postseason.

      – The NFC North is a mess and things are far from decided. The Vikings are currently playing the best in that division, but losing Kevin Williams and Pat Williams to suspension will be a huge blow. And after they play the Lions on Sunday, the have the Falcons, Cardinals and Giants the rest of the way. Of course, Arizona and New York would both of secured playoff spots by then, which means they might rest starters and give Minnesota an easier road to the postseason.

      – The Panthers got themselves back on track with an impressive win in Green Bay last Sunday, but things don’t get any easier. They host Tampa on Monday night, host Denver, and then finish at the Giants and at the Saints. We’ll know a lot more after the Panthers play the Bucs on Monday night. If they beat Tampa, first place in the NFC South is up for grabs. If they lose and Atlanta beats New Orleans on Sunday, the Panthers and Falcons would flip-flop places in the playoff picture.

      – The surprising Falcons have a very manageable rest of the season. They play a depleted Saints team on Sunday, host the Bucs next week, play a possibly Williams-less Vikings team in Minnesota and then finish the year against a hapless Rams team at the Georgia Dome. The division title might be a reach, but the playoffs certainly aren’t and that’s amazing to think after some media publications predicted the Falcons to finish 1-15 this year.

      Tony Romo– The Cowboys have a brutal stretch to end the season: at Steelers, vs. Giants, vs. Ravens, at Eagles. They could easily go 1-3 the rest of the way out, which means an 9-7 finish and no playoffs. If the Cowboys fail to make the playoffs because of one game, how much does that Week 7 loss to the Rams come back to haunt them.

      – The Redskins are still very much in the playoff chase, although they might need some help. They’ll probably need to win three of their last four games, which is possible given their remaining schedule (at Ravens, at Bengals, vs. Eagles, at 49ers). A win this week in Baltimore would go a long way. The Eagles essentially have the same task, although a much tougher road because they have to face their NFC Division rivals one more time before the end of the season. Their only break is vs. Cleveland in two weeks.

      – The Bears and Packers just got new life with the news that the Vikes’ Williamses will be suspended for four games. But both Chicago and Green Bay have their own issues (mainly defensive issues). The Packers actually have the easiest schedule, but they’ll have to win out and hope the Vikings crash and burn without their stud DTs. (Assuming of course that the suspensions hold up.)

      Anybody up for predictions on how this thing will play out?

      NFL

      Erin Andrews vs. Charlotte Jackson – you decide

      December 4, 2008 /

      We love us some Erin Andrews – especially since she was born and raised on American soil. But as SPORTSbyBROOKS.com brings to our attention, Andrews might not hold a candle to England female sportscaster Charlotte Jackson:

      Charlotte Jackson

      Jackson is the hottest, freshest TV sports “presenter” in the U.K. these days, appearing on a midday sports show on something called the Setanta Sports News channel.

      Leading up to that prestigious position, she’s had quite an accomplished background, having appearing in the UK series “Catfight” as a participant, covering the Olympics for Al-Jazeera (what the?) and, according to Wikipedia, serving “also as a singer and a backing vocalist for Tony Christie for a TV appearance for his hit, “‘Is this the Way to Amarillo.‘”

      Talk about a trailblazer. Linda Cohn would be so proud!

      I think it’s only fair that England allows Charlotte to come over to the US so that she can broaden her horizons. I’m thinking it would be great for her career and by no means am I suggesting that she comes to America solely for our viewing pleasure entertainment.

      General Sports, Women

      Yankees believe they’re the only serious suitors for CC Sabathia

      December 4, 2008 /

      From Ken Davidoff at Newsday:

      CC SabathiaAs the Angels distanced themselves from Sabathia, leaving the Yankees poised to land their top target, the Braves moved closer toward signing Burnett, another item on the Yankees’ radar.

      Angels general manager Tony Reagins, meanwhile, told MLB.com late Tuesday that his top free-agent target remained Mark Teixeira, rather than Sabathia. Reagins said there was “nothing to” reports that the Angels, who clearly need offense more than they need pitching, were shifting their focus from Teixeira to Sabathia.

      With none of the other West Coast teams expressing much interest, Sabathia is left with the Yankees’ offer of six years and about $140 million and the Brewers’ offer of five years and $100 million. As much as Sabathia prefers the NL, he probably doesn’t prefer it enough to leave $40 million on the table.

      If they can sign Sabathia, the Yankees will be all but out of the running for Teixeira, and probably Manny Ramirez, as well. They’ll try to land Lowe while continuing their attempt to bring back Andy Pettitte at a pay cut.

      I’m still of the mind that one of the California teams – Angels, Dodgers, Giants – will make a big move for Sabathia and he’ll wind up in his hometown state. He wants to play in his hometown state, he wants to hit and if one of those teams are willing to give him a fair deal, than he’ll likely jump. If he’s all about the money, than the Yankees are his only option because they’re going to come up with the green in the end.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Greg Cote supports a non-playoff format

      December 4, 2008 /

      Colt McCoyGreg Cote of the Miami Herald thinks the BCS format in college football is just fine and that a playoff wouldn’t be any better than the current system.

      Instead it looks as if we will be getting an Oklahoma Sooners team that would be 12-1 against either a 13-0 Alabama or a 12-1 mighty-hot Florida. Sounds like a legitimate championship game to me. Sounds like if you don’t agree, you are either insane or turning sour grapes into whine because your beloved Texas Longhorns just missed. The odd-team-out always claims an entitlement that does not exist.

      True, we should get a good game this year in the national championship. But nobody is debating that.

      A playoff is impractical because it would require a significantly shorter regular season, which would fail to win support from schools and conferences, if only for financial reasons.

      No problem. Take Michigan Technical School for the Blind off of Michigan’s schedule, Reading Rainbow Camp off of Texas’s schedule, ITT off of Florida’s schedule and every other no-name program that the bigger schools play twice a year and that frees up two weeks. Start conference play Week 1 or Week 2 if you’re worried about having enough time at the end of the year.

      If you had a four-team playoff based on the current BCS rankings, you don’t think No. 5 Southern California and No. 6 (and unbeaten) Utah wouldn’t be crying foul?

      Make it an eight-team playoff, and how do you think No. 9 (and unbeaten) Boise State would be feeling right now?

      An arguably deserving team always will be left out, whether it’s whatever playoff format you choose or whether it’s two teams in a championship game.

      The BCS works because, in effect, it is a playoff to reach the championship. Teams in the top six or so are in it every year, and it kicks in around mid-October, when the BCS rankings begin. The way the format works is, don’t lose late. Period.

      So if teams will be left out no matter what, why not give college football fans (essentially) two playoffs? Teams would be fighting to get into the eight-team playoff in October (which, in Cote’s words is like a playoff), and again when the actual eight-team playoff starts. What’s the harm in that? And at least teams that potentially could be left out (teams like Boise State and Utah) have a better shot to play for a national title in an eight-team playoff than they do in the current system where they have zero chance.

      The absence of precise black and white is college football’s unique, enduring asset. The BCS maintains the tradition of bowl games while ultimately deciding the champion on the field, not by polls.

      You get a recognized champion and you get the inevitable debate. That’s the best of both worlds — and that’s what the pro-playoff crowd never seems to get.

      The bowl games are a joke. And if crowning a champion and getting to bitch about the current BCS system is getting the best of both worlds, than I must be missing a few brain cells because it’s not fun to watch this mess take place every year. What would be fun is a damn eight-team playoff. What would be fun is watching USC come from a 6 seed and knock off a 5 seed and then a 3 seed and on and on.

      Cote’s idea that it’s fun to debate about this crap system every year is ridiculous. Debating isn’t part of the fun – it’s part of the frustration.

      College Football

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