Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 287 of 1503)

      2010 NFL Week 6 Predictions

      October 15, 2010 /
      Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers sits on the bench during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 28, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey Photo via Newscom

      The NFL pick gods couldn’t stand that I had a winning record, so they dealt me a nice crap sandwich last week.

      The Vikings (thanks for that pick-six at the end of the game, Lord Favre), Bills and Broncos were all losers while my only winner was the Redskins over Packers (which came down to overtime, so clearly I was knocking on the door of a 0-4 week). Ugh.

      Let’s get back on the winning track.

      Falcons @ Eagles, 1:00PM ET
      The Falcons have some sort of complex with the Eagles that they can’t seem to shake. I fully believe they’re the better team, but Andy Reid has had their number of late, as his teams have won seven of the last eight matchups. The fact that this game is being played in Philly doesn’t bode well for Atlanta’s chances either, as the Falcons haven’t won in the “City of Brotherly Love” since dragons roamed the earth. (What? Dragons aren’t real? Not buying it.) The Falcons have been grinding out wins the past three weeks, but I think the Eagles’ aggressive defense will give “Matty Ice” issues this Sunday.
      THE PICK: EAGLES -2.5

      Seahawks @ Bears, 1:00PM ET
      I wouldn’t take the Seahawks against my old high school if they were playing on the road, as Seattle absolutely loses its mind when it doesn’t have the “12th Man” behind them. The Bears get a lift with Jay Cutler back from a one-week hiatus due to a concussion and as long as he protects the ball, his defense should give him plenty of opportunities to score. Julius Peppers has meant the world to Brian Urlacher and the rest of Chicago’s defense and I don’t see the Hawks getting into the end zone too many times come Sunday.
      THE PICK: BEARS –6.5

      Cowboys @ Vikings, 4:15PM ET
      Ah, the battle of underachievement. Did anyone else notice on Monday night that as soon as Lord Favre started slinging touchdown passes that he immediately grabbed his elbow after one of the throws? I know he’s been bothered both elbow tendinitis, but the pessimist in me thought it was a little convenient that as soon as he was about to step into the role of hero again, he made a public display about his injury. Give me a break. Anyway – the Cowboys have some serious issues and for once, they go far beyond their self-destructive tendencies. If Wade Phillips can’t figure out what’s wrong with the defense then this team is going to fold like a deck of cards. I think Minnesota’s offense started to figure things out in the second half last week, which leads me to believe the Vikes will figure out a way to win this Sunday – Favre’s elbow be damned.
      THE PICK: VIKINGS -1

      Raiders @ 49ers, 4:05PM ET
      The 49ers shouldn’t be laying 6.5 points to anyone right now – even the Raiders. I’m going to go against my better judgment and take Oakland, even though I think this is a trap. Of course, I thought the Bills’ opponents were traps the past two weeks and Buffalo went ahead and took a dump in the middle of my living room floor and then said here, you clean it up. The Niners are a bad football team and while the same can be said for the Raiders, at least they’ve shown sign of life this season. Give me the points.
      THE PICK: RAIDERS +6.5

      Season Record: 7-8-1

      External Sports, NFL

      The Giants could use a little ’09 Panda right now

      October 15, 2010 /
      Aug. 10, 2010 - San Francisco, California, United States of America - August 8, 2010: San Francisco Giants IF Pablo Sandoval.

      For all intents and purposes, Mike Fontenot was a great late-season pickup by the Giants’ GM Brian Sabean. He can play multiple infield positions, he can hit right-handed pitching and I swear that his hair is made of hay. (I don’t know how that helps the Giants, but it just does, ok?)

      But he’s also Mike Fontenot. Mike, .280 with zero pop Fontenot. He’s fine. He’s meh. He’s Mike Fontenot.

      As the Giants gear up for Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday night against the Phillies, the plan is pretty simple: Pitch well, score just enough runs to eek out four wins and then head to the World Series. It doesn’t take a blogger at The Scores Report to figure out that San Fran will rely on its pitching staff in order to lift them into the Fall Classic.

      But this club could sure use a little dash of the Panda right now. And not that still-lovable, yet very destructive creature that roamed AT&T Park throughout most of this season, but the very effective swing-at-everything-and-yet-still-hit-.330 beast from 2009.

      Compared to the season he had last year, Pablo Sandoval was the equivalent of having a rock in your shoe this season. He batted .268 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI (despite hitting .330 with 25 dingers and 90 RBI in ’09), yet showed flashes in April and August that made you still think he was the same hitter from a year ago. Whether it was his weight, his divorce, or the fact that he may or may not have sent lewd text messages to Jenn Sterger, he didn’t perform.

      But Giants fans know what kind of talent this 24-year-old kid has. He’s a pure hitter in every sense of the word and when he’s on, he’s a much heavier clone of Vladimir Guerrero. I once saw Sandoval swing at a pitch that bounced before it came across the plate and he still lined it into the outfield. He can it – he just hasn’t been.

      In the last 25 regular season games, he batted just .214 with one home run. He was benched after Game 2 of the NLDS and it remains to be seen whether or not it’ll be him or Fontenot who starts tomorrow night in Philadelphia. Given San Fran’s opponent in the NLCS, it would be nice if Sandoval could show a glimpse of the hitter he was last year because again, Fontenot is Fontenot. It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the former Cub gets the best of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

      Yet something tells me that Sandoval can still be a weapon in the Giants’ fickle lineup and I’m willing to bet that they would overlook his shaky defense if he could re-establish himself as an offensive force. But if he continues to flail at pitches in the dirt, over his head and in the on deck circle, then “meh” will have to do.

      External Sports, MLB

      2010 College Football Week 7 Picks

      October 15, 2010 /
      Dec 23, 2009, San Diego, CA, USA; Utah Utes players react after their 37-27 victory over the California Golden Bears in the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Photo via Newscom

      I feel like Jerry Seinfield in that episode where things keep evening out for him. One week I go 3-1 and the next I go 1-3. The past two weeks, I haven’t even been that dramatic, going 4-4 combined.

      Last Saturday, Minnesota and Oregon State were winners, but Alabama and Toledo left me hanging. The 4-0 Saturday has eluded me so far this year, but so has his evil twin, the 0-4 Saturday, so things could be worse.

      No. 1 Ohio State @ No. 18 Wisconsin, 7:00PM ET
      The Buckeyes failed to cover in their only road game of the year so far, but that was against Illinois – whom they’ve never covered against…ever. (Don’t look that up – it’s fact.) Wisconsin hasn’t covered all year and I don’t think its fortune turns around this week either. Ohio State is allowing just 13.5 points per game this season and is fourth in the nation against the run. Thanks to John Clay and James White, Wisconsin has the 11th best rushing attack in college football, but the Badgers will meet their match this Saturday against a tough Buckeye front seven. Ohio State leads the all-time series 53-17-5 and will no doubt be jacked up a week after claiming the No. 1 spot in the top-25 polls.
      THE PICK: OHIO STATE –3.5

      No. 11 Utah @ Wyoming, 6:00PM ET
      The Utes should have no problem securing their second 6-0 start in the past three seasons when they travel to Laramie to take on a struggling but somewhat competitive Wyoming team. Utah is averaging 32 points per game this year, while the Cowboys are having trouble keeping opponents out of the end zone (they’re allowing 32 PPG). Utah has won nine of the last 10 matchups and holds a series edge of 50-31-1. That doesn’t mean much when you’re laying 20.5 points, but the Utes are 4-0-1 against the number this year and they look primed for another cover.
      THE PICK: UTAH –20.5

      No. 3 Boise State @ San Jose State, 8:00PM ET
      As I’ve written countless times before, I don’t make it a habit of laying 40.5 points but I’ll make an exception here. (There’s a joke in that first sentence if you can find it.) The Broncos have proven plenty of times in the past that they can handle big point spreads whether they’re playing on the road or not. Outside of a decent effort at Wisconsin earlier this year, the Spartans have struggled virtually every week. They don’t have the players to match up with Boise for four quarters and as long as the Broncos don’t let their foot off the gas in the second half, they should cover the 40.5.
      THE PICK: BOISE STATE –40.5

      No. 19 Nevada @ Hawaii, 11:30PM ET
      Even though Nevada is 6-0 and ranked, 6.5 points seems like a lot to be giving a 4-2 Hawaii program playing at home. The Warriors have covered in five of their first six games and are averaging 47.7 points per game at home thus far. On paper, the Wolf Pack match up well with Hawaii because the Warriors have had issues stopping the run and Nevada owns the fifth best rushing attack in the nation. However, Hawaii is a different animal at home and will no doubt love to upset a ranked team coming into its house looking to improve their top-25 standing. While I don’t have the stones to predict an outright win, I like the Warriors to cover.
      THE PICK: HAWAII +6.5

      Season Record (aka “the perfect example of mediocrity”): 8-8

      College Football, External Sports

      Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears are coming to a stadium near you

      October 14, 2010 /
      January 2, 2009: The Mississippi flag is run across the field before the team enters the stadium during the 73rd AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic NCAA Football game between the University of Mississippi Rebels and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX Mississippi defeated Texas Tech 47-34 Photo via Newscom

      Ole Miss’ search for a new mascot to replace “Colonel Reb” is one of the dumber stories I’ve chosen not to follow over the last couple of years. But if the story was big enough to make it into ESPN’s “Headlines” section then damn it, it’s big enough for TSR.

      The student body has spoken and they say: “Rebel Black Bear” is our new mascot. No joke. They’re still the Ole Miss Rebels, but their mascot is now a big black bear.

      At Ole Miss games from here on out, a “Rebel Black Bear” will now be running onto the field, pumping up the crowd the only way a black bear who is also a rebel knows how. (Yeah, I’m not sure how a rebel black bear pumps up a crowd. Use your imagination.)

      The school wanted to replace Colonel Reb, so it opened up voting for a new mascot back in March. The three choices were narrowed down to “Rebel Land Shark,” “Rebel Black Bear” and “Hotty Totty,” which was a goofy, muscular, human-like gray guy.

      “Rebel Black Bear” won by 62%, although it got strong push from Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar because a bunch of students started an internet campaign for it. In the end, Lucasfilms, which owns the Admiral Ackbar character, declined to give Ole Miss the rights to use the image for their mascot, proving how stupid all of this really was.

      Personally, I would have gone with the Rebel Land Shark. Why? I don’t f*cking know. Because sharks are cooler than bears.

      College Football, External Sports

      Can A.J. Burnett be trusted to start in the ALCS?

      October 14, 2010 /
      New York Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of game two of their MLB American League baseball doubleheader at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts October 2, 2010. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      If A.J. Burnett’s simulated game on Wednesday is any indication of how he’ll pitch in the ALCS against the Rangers, then Texas is about to be spotted one game in the best-of-seven series.

      In his simulation start yesterday, Burnett threw 80 pitches in four-plus innings and apparently threw the first pitch over Francisco Cervelli’s head. Later on, he hit Greg Golson and Austin Kearns.

      This, of course, is coming from a guy that is tentatively scheduled to pitch Game 4 against the Rangers.

      The Bombers signed Burnett to a five-year, $82.5 million contract last year and he repaid them by going 13-9 with a 4.04 ERA. But things haven’t been the same for him since he lasted just two innings against the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series last year. In that outing, he allowed six runs on four hits and walked four batters in an 8-6 loss.

      The defeat must have stuck with Burnett this year, because he posted a 10-15 record with a 5.26 ERA and is now the black sheep of the starting rotation. He was left off the ALDS roster, but Girardi wants to pitch him in Game 4 of the ALCS if Burnett can show he has the mental fortitude to handle such a big situation.

      Right now, it doesn’t look like he can, which is a problem considering the ALCS kicks off in two days.

      External Sports, MLB

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