Friday, January 23, 2009

My Top 10 Reasons Why the Cardinals Will Win The Super Bowl

Here are my top 10 reasons why the Cardinals will win the Super Bowl, granted some are in jest, but overall, it's the truth even if some points have NOTHING to do with the game. Karmically, anything impacts a team's play.


10 - The Steel industry is in tatters, while the birdwatching industry has grown in leaps and bounds, especially that of the CARDINAL because it doesn't migrate and it's unique colour.

9 - When the US was down in 2001, the ARIZONA Diamond backs won the World Series, now in 2009, the ARIZONA Cardinals will do the same, yet again... and remember, whenever a senator from Arizona runs for president and loses, that state Wins a Professional Championship.

8 - Adrian Wilson, D Rodgers-Cromartie, and Roderick Hood will handle Hines Ward (injured MCL, normally a 3-4 week injury), Holmes, Washington and Sweed - but you can't say the same for Polamalu, Clark, Townsend and Taylor against L. Fitz, Boldin, Breaston, Urban, Hightower, Pope, Patrick, and don't forget EDGE - he still wants his ring - if the Steelers TRY to take away mid-range and downfield passing, watch the backfield outlet passes when the Stealers blitz.

7 - Remember when the Bucs beat the Raiders, and the Raiders were favoured, and the coach of the Bucs was a rookie coach who was an assistant with the Raiders? This time The cards have a handful of former members of the Steeler's staff.

6 - What do Atlanta, Carolina, Philly, and Pittsburgh have in common? They were all picked to win against an Arizona Cardinal team who was considered far inferior.

5 - IF the Steelers make a Helmet to Helmet hit, WATCH FOR retaliation like you have NEVER seen.

4 - Steeler offense has been known to fall apart - especially if Big Ben folds like he did against Indianapolis and Tennessee (like what 40 turnovers?). Compare games against same teams and different teams all you want, Eagles beat the Steelers, cards beat the eagles... it's a revolving circle...

3 - Boldin gets as many catches as Fitz and they can't double both of them.

2 - Steelers can't Pay the refs enough money this time.

1 - LARRY MUFUGGIN FITZGERALD and KURT THANK YOU GOD WARNER - Warner will be the third-oldest quarterback to ever start the Super Bowl, the other two?? John Elway and Johnny Unitas, both won. And remember Peyton Manning when he went up against the Bears a couple years ago, Warner will be able to find the holes in Pittsburgh's defense trying to defend L. Fitz just like Manning did vs the Bears.

If the Cardinals D can keep the Steelers to under 30 they can win, if the Steelers D gets more than 2 turnovers and keeps Arizona to under 21 points, they will lose. It's an explosive Cardinal Offense against a dominating Steeler Defense. But on the other side of the ball you have an good but young and inexperienced Cardinal Defense against an aging and o.k. Steeler Offense. Defenses can win championships, but if there's NO offense, you can get passed on for 300 yards and lose on field goals.

Arizona Cardinals 34 - Pittsburgh Steelers 24

Monday, December 22, 2008

The BCS needs a damn playoff!

There needs to be a BCS Playoff system. I've already blogged about how since there's no playoff, the Big Ten needs to add teams and crown it's own conference champ. Read about "My Plan to fix the Big Ten and save College Football". Keep the bowl games, I don't care how you figure them out. Let the BCS figure that part out on thier own. The playoffs would be a 16 team, 15 game, three week, action packed love fest of college football.

In early December you have figured out your 16 teams, this year they should be as follows:

1 Florida
2 Oklahoma
3 Texas
4 Alabama
5 Texas Tech
6 USC
7 Penn State
8 Ohio State
9 Utah
10 TCU
11 Boise State
12 Oklahoma State
13 Cincinatti
14 Georgia
15 Ball State
16 Virginia Tech

From here on out the playoffs look eerily similiar to the NCAA Basketball Tourney. That's because it makes the most sense and is the most fair, all while being exciting and dare I say, makes a crap load of money. How many office pools a year are there for March Madness? Okay, now how many for BCS, NFL, MLB, NHL, Little League World Series, and the Triple Crown? I'll bet if you add ALL of them up, they won't even come close to the number of office pools for the NCAA Men's Basketball. I'll bet most american teams from the LLWS have pools, every floor of every office building in New York, LA, Toronto, Boston, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Philadelphia has pools and there's 5 foot 2 inch Inuit in Kotzebue, Alaska who's won his pool three years in a row.

So it goes like this:

1 vs 16
2 vs 15
3 vs 14
4 vs 13
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9

If you don't understand that, unplug your computer, put it in a box, and drop it off at your nearest Goodwill. Now, in my version of the playoffs Florida, Ohio State, Texas, USC, Oklahoma, TCU, Alabama, and Texas Tech make it to the second round. Now we have some pretty sweet match ups here. Number 1 Florida plays nubmer 8 Ohio State in an epic battle. Tebow gets sacked 5 times and the Buckeye defense plays outstanding. Tyrell Pryor throws for two touchdowns and runs for one and they beat Florida by 10. Number 6 USC plays Number 3 Texas in a battle-royale. USC upsets Texaswith 1:23 left on the clock to play in a highly anticipated and money making rematch versus a healthy and fired up Ohio State football team. Number 4 Alabama goes up against Texas Tech and the Crimson Tide rolls by 17 and Texas Tech shows that maybe SEC defenses really ARE better than Big 12 defenses. Number 10 TCU goes up against number 2 Oklahoma Sooners. Again, Big 12 is over-rated and it shows. Oklahoma just can't last against the incredible defensive display by TCU. So our final four looks like this:

No. 8 Ohio State vs No. 6 USC and No. 4 Alabama vs No. 10 TCU.

Ohio State, healthy and a completely different team, beats USC by 13 to win a spot in the BCS title game. Alabama fights a tough TCU team, but since they played and lost to Florida earlier in the SEC Title game, they learned from thier mistakes playing a good defense and run for 160 yards. And now the game everyone has been waiting for, the National Title game. Ohio State vs Alabama, Buckeyes vs the Crimson Tide, The Program vs The Capstone. After a great game and the cheers from the Alabama cheerleaders about how the Tide is a fourth quater team, the Buckeyes come out of nowhere and score 14 unanswered points to win by 11 and are crowned National Champs.

Yes, I am a fan of the Garnet and Grey, but this outcome is completely possible and make a LOT of sense. If the Big Ten got it's head out of it's proverbial ass and the SEC, Big 12, and Pac-10 realized how much MORE money they could make, it would happen. Obama, get it done!

My 2008 BCS bowl game picks

I still say that the BCS needs to have a playoff. This year it should be:

Ohio State versus Alabama for the title. Want to know how I came about that idea? Read my blog about "The BCS needs a damn playoff!" At any rate, the current bowl games should suffice, since we have no other option. Here are my picks for this year:

Florida - 41 / Oklahoma - 31

Decent defenses and great offenses should be a great game but Brandon James and some long field goals could be the difference in this game. Oklahoma just won't be able to perform against Florida's defense as the game wears on while Tebow shows why he should have won his second Heisman in a row.

Ohio State - 21 / Texas - 20

Ohio State is pissed about the last two years and Texas is pissed that they aren't playing for a title. What's the difference? Easy. Big Ten kids are going to be mentally prepared and Texas will be sulking over not being in the title game. Tyrell Pryor shows why Ohio State is the team to watch next season. My upset pick for this bowl season has Ohio State winning with a last minute walk down the field down six to win the game.

Alabama - 31 / Utah - 16

Utah can't match Alabama's physical style of smash-mouth. Alabama's defense holds Utah to under 20 points and the offense racks up two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, a defensive touchdown, and a field goal.

USC - 31 / Penn State - 17

USC has probably the best defense playing this bowl season and the offense is just disgustingly good. Penn State's defense is good, but remember what Ohio State's defense did to Penn State's offense. Two turnovers and 80 yards in penalties and Ohio State is playing USC in a rematch. Pete Carrol vs Joe Paterno - Outcome: Pete Carrol is younger, better, walks with out assistance and fires up his USC kids on the sidelines while Joe Pa lets his son and the rest of the REAL coaching staff throw away a chance to be ranked in the top 5 to start next season.

Oklahoma State - 44 / Oregon - 41

This game will be what everyone thinks it will be, a lot of scoring, not a lot of defense, and a come from behind win. Oklahoma State comes back in the fourth quarter with two big touchdowns and forces some turnovers to win the game.

Texas Tech - 41 / Mississippi - 27

Mississippi hangs around in the first half and scores first in the second half until the middle of the third quarter when Texas Tech scores three unanswered touchdowns to win the game.

Virgina Tech - 31 / Cincinatti - 17

Virginia Tech, who trounced Boston College and is clicking on all cylinders, comes out with a fury and shuts down Cinci, even when Cinci tries to make a comeback in the fourth quarter. The key to this game is Virginia Tech's defense under Bud Foster and the always strong special team play.

TCU - 24 / Boise State - 20

Boise State falters early and fights its way back into a tough and physical smash-mouth game, but TCU's amazingly staunch defense wins out with TCU kicking late field goal to put the game out of reach with Boise State not being able to score a needed touchdown when a field goal is not enough.

Northwestern - 30 / Missouri - 23

Northwestern might, might have the best defense in the Big Ten and we'll find out against a Missouri offense that couldn't stay consistent against the Sooners. After a 20 - 20 tie in regulation, Northwestern wins a close game in double overtime when Missouri falters and fails to score a touchdown on fourth and goal.

Pitt - 27 / Oregon State - 21

Pitt dominates the clock and forces turnovers to win over an Oregon State team that should have beat Penn State but played like Iowa should have played against Penn State.

Michigan State - 31 / Georgia - 23

Georgia barely beat Kentucky and Auburn, two teams I think the Spartans could handle easily. Georgia also lost to Georgia Tech while Michigan State beat Notre Dame, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Michigan State shocks everyone by shutting down Georgia's running game making them one dimensional and helps the Big Ten go 3 for 6 in bowl games.


Big Ten Winners

Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern

Big Ten Losers

Penn State, Wisconsin

Friday, November 21, 2008

Mike Mussina: Not a Hall of Famer

Should Mike Mussina be in the HOF?

Not at all.

0 Cy Youngs
0 perfect games
0 no-hitters
0 World Series Titles
0 MVPs

Nothing.

He played 18 years, 10 with Baltimore and 8 with New York. Ironically, the New York Yankees started out as the Baltimore Orioles.

During his time with the Birds:

Five-time all-star
(on a team that was an o.k. team except for ‘91 and 2000, the first and last years he was with them)
MVP voting twice
Cy Young voting 7 of 10 years
Lowest Team ERA 8 of 10 years
Average an 18% share of his team’s wins

During his time with the Yanks:

Never made the all-stars
MVP and Cy young voting only one year (2008)
Lowest Team ERA 4 of 8 years
Only one year had 18% share of his team’s wins (in 2008)

The biggest thing I noticed was the fact that his completed games dropped off significantly during his time with the Yankees as did quality starts, but his innings per year didn’t. He started more games, but won less. He won more than 50% of the games he started in Baltimore, but less than 50% in New York. Even with a better team, better pitching staff, and a much better General Manager, Mussina did not fair as well as he did with the Orioles.

Mussina averaged a win less per year with the Orioles, but almost a 3% share of wins more. The Yanks averaged 32 games above .500 when Moose played with them, but when he played with the Orioles, they averaged 3 games above .500. When you look at his post-season numbers, it’s more clear why Mussina is not a Hall of Famer. He can’t win when it counts, the post-season. He’s two games over .500 in the post season and faired the same no matter which team he played for.

He played in an era where 250 wins weren’t as important a milestone as 300 wins were. He played in an era where performance enhancers ran rampant. I have been saying for a long while that players need to prove they were clean since most are hiding behind the MLBPA and not speaking up about what went on. Especially when you play on teams that had so many PROVEN users, it’s not hard to speculate that Mussina could have pitched 200 innings per year due to a little “boost.”

When Mussina left the Orioles they sucked bad, but before that they were a decent team. He never had Ace numbers and had an excellent closing staff at New York. This one, to me, is a no brainer, and I live in Williamsport, PA.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

New England Patriots and New Jersey Jets Rivalry

After talking with Gary V. at Eagle rock winery last night

http://tv.winelibrary.com
http://garyvaynderchuk.com
http://twitter.com/garyvee
http://www.eaglerockwinery.com

I decided to post my open letter to all New Jersey Jets fans.

From a Rabid Pats Fan:

Thank You New Jersey Jets for:

1976 41-7 Week 6 Monday Night Win

1982 Patriots Disassemble the
"New York Sack Exchange"

1985 Post-Season

1988 28-3 Week 1 Win
Rainstorm Game

1992 Giving Us our 2nd and Last Win
of a 2-14 Season

1997 Taking Player Stealing Parcell
Giving us Pete Carroll

1998 Taking Curtis Martin

1999 30-28 Week 1 Win

2000 Giving Us Bill Belichick
After being Head Coach
of the Jets for one day

2001 Post 9/11 Mo Lewis takes out Bledsoe
Giving Us Tom Brady

2004 Giving Us an NFL Record 18 straight
Regular Season Wins

2005 31-21 road win on MNF
Flutie vs Interceptaverde
Flutie's Last Game
Drop Kick Extra Point

2006 37-16 Wild Card Win
Taking Eric Man-gina
Taking Matt Chatham
Taking Tim Dwight

2006 24-17 Week 2 Win
Patriots Franchise Record
Over .500 since 1968

2006 37-16 Playoff Win

2007 Taking QB Coach Brian Daboll

2007 38-14 Week 1 Win
Ellis Hobbs 108 Yard TD Return
Spygate Game

2007 20-10 Week 15 Win
Wilson 21st Player to Score - NFL Record
Gostkowski - 67th Extra Point - NFL Record
Pats 14-0 tying 1972 Dolphins
Clinched home-field through playoffs

Tomorrow we shall be .500 for the franchise history versus the Jets!

It's an S-T-B year!

(S-triple-B)

Super Bowl Bound Baby!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Biden @ Lyco and Palin @ Bowman Field

Today was an awesome day. I went to hear Joe Biden speak with passion and then geared up for the Palin visit. Before I go into anything, I want to point out how ironic it is that Palin was speaking at the stadium used by a team called the "Cross Cutters." Take what you will from it, but I find it rather ironic.

The Biden rally was much what I expected it to be, and I saw many people there I had no clue supported Obama but wasn't surprised that they did. We didn't wait long, It was inside, and it was nice and toasty. It was a cozy environment full of hope. Several hundred people showed up, old, young black white, latino, christian, jew, muslim, the whole shebang. Everyone was local and many people knew each other and talked about how uplifting the experience was and of course a lot of Philadelphia Phillies talk. Biden didn't bash Palin or McCain and instead explained positions and offered clear plans. The Palin event couldn't have been more different.

First off, they had to hold it at Bowman field because they bussed in people from State College, Lewisburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield, and Bloomsburg. Then people would exclaim how McCain would win the election and of course cause Palin lured thousands from Williamsport come out, yet Biden had only several hundred. Seriously, that's your deductive thinking? Biden's visit was last minute, Palin's was planned. And if you don't believe me that's your fault for not going to both, the difference was clear.

I didn't go into the stadium, because, let's face it - I have a temper and I don't play well with Hard-Right Neo-Cons. But a lot of people from the Biden Rally actually did, to hear first hand the Palin message of hate and to give her a chance to talk to them. Nobody I talked to who went to both came away voting for McCain. By all accounts of independant voters I talked to ( granted were not many the event was one big Bible hugfest) Palin spent most of her time attacking Obama and Biden instead of dealing directly with issues.

The saddest part of the whole experience was the vile hatred towards us. There were grade school children with us who were subjected to many vulgar words, hateful words, people yelling about Obama being an Arab or Muslim, claiming a right to life means a raped woman who is not christian must succumb to christian values and have the baby. Many well to do folk who told us to go to Russia and to enjoy a socalist USA and many, MANY rednecks who told us to: "go to fu#$ing hell" "you're a bunch of f#@king losers" "god hates you fag loving hippies" "you're going to f&^king hell." Mind you there were children present everywhere. There were people driving by rolling down their windows yelling "baby killer" and giving us the finger. WHO GIVES THE FINGER TO AN 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL?!?! Then three people tried to steal our coffee, doughnuts, signs, and sign making materials and when we chased after them, they dropped everything but threw the coffee and kicked the bags, yelling how it was on the ground and therefore open game. The man called me a "fu*&ing piece of shit" and a "ni&&er lover" and challenged me to fight, boy did I want to. We did have several people apologize for the behavior of many of the flock and say while they disagreed with our positions, that we still had our right to be there and we shouldn't have to deal with vulgarity and verbal abuse.

This is exactly the problem with McCain/Palin. They offer up nothing but hatred and division while telling people they must pay taxes on $5000 the gov will give you, meaning here's $5000 now pay us $300 to $600 in taxes, which by the way can't come from the $5000 we're giving you. I read the McCain plan, that's exactly how it works. And here's a catch, it will be considered income, which violates MANY tax laws. It can NOT be considered income. That's what the GOP ticket is running on: FEAR AND HATRED. I can't wait for Obama to win. And let us not forget that this nation was founded on RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, which means freedom for muslims, jews, athiests, satanists, EVERYONE! Not just CHRISTIANS!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Follow Up On State Representative Race

The blog linked therein is my blog. If you read the blog I state how I heard some information about Dave Huffman and then RESEARCHED the information. I have the document that shows he beat his wife and if I could find it, anyone with even a passing knowledge of the internet, the ability to receive a fax, and the knowledge to use a telephone ( with long distance I might add ) can find it also. I will scan a copy if someone wants to see it, but they must give me a verifiable name, address, e-mail and listed telephone number. thos are my rules, if you don't want to follow through, you don't get the document.

Furthermore, Dave Huffman blindly voted no as a school board memeber, and has stated numerous times with vigor about how he will vote no anything with a tax increase. He also talks about abortion as an issue. It's NOT AN ISSUE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVES! The legality of abortion comes from the federal government. The State is limited to requiring providers to provide information about gestation and such to a woman interested in obtaining an abortion. Dave Huffman also talks about his support of the 2nd amendment. This again is a mute issue. As we have recently seen with District of Columbia v. Heller, the Constitution and the Supreme Court unequivocally established and continue the right to bear arms. All the states are allowed to do is provide the legal process to obtain arms. 5 day waiting period, computer background check, whatever hoops are created the right remains and will not perish.

These two issues, which Dave Huffman consistently tries to reinforce, have more to do with trying to get voters to vote on percieved emotional and cultural values, than having voters vote on who is best suited to represent them in the 83rd District. Rick Mirabito, from everything I've heard him say, has no opposition to guns and LEGALLY it doesn't matter if he is or isn't, so this means that Dave Huffman's attempts to bring the issues of Abortion and the Second Amendment to bear is his only recourse in getting the voters to ignore the fact that he is unable to lead, has no valuable experience, does not own property in the District, does not hold a job, and who's own party leaders privately have no confidence in his ability to be a State Representative.

He abused his wife, he intimidated Retirement Home Residents, he intimidated Pennsylvania College of Technology Students, he misleads the 83rd District voters, his campaigners use unethical tactics in print media as well as removal or obstruction of posted campaign signs, he is a free-loader with no verifiable employment, has no familial ties to the 83rd District even going as far as holding a political fundraiser in is father's town well outside of the 83rd District, yet he claims to be TRULY Invested in the community. He can't even come up with his own slogan? Anyone notice Huffman came out with the whole "Truly" addition to a slogan Rick Mirabito has used as a foundation of HIS campaign? You don't even have to look very hard to see the subversion that thisman's life is all about

Monday, October 27, 2008

My plan to fix the Big Ten and save College Football

Here is my plan for the Big Ten:


Logo
Big Tens Logo


1. Change the Name to the Big Tens Conference
2. Add 9 teams:

Syracuse - Big East
Notre Dame - Big East
Rutgers - Big East
West Virginia - Big East
Pittsburgh - Big East
Marshall - Con USA
Maryland - ACC
UConn - Big East
Iowa State - Big 12

3. Split into two divisions:

Western Division

Minnesota
Iowa
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Illinois
Purdue
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Iowa State

Eastern Division

Ohio State
Penn State
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Rutgers
West Virginia
Pittsburgh
Marshall
Maryland
UConn

4. Add a Conference Championship Game

Each team plays 14 games a year. Two conference rivals that you always play: PSU - Mich, Wisc; OSU - Mich, Mich State; Mich - PSU, OSU etc. and then they play the rest of thier conference with one of four teams rotating out over four years: OSU - Marshall, Maryland, UConn, Rutgers; PSU - Marshall, UConn, Syracuse, Rutgers; etc.
Two non conference games at the beginning of the season one must be a mid-major or higher.

August
Week 1 Non-Con 1

Sept
Week 2 Non-Con 2
Week 3 Conference Game 1
Week 4 Division Game 1
Week 5 Division Game 2

October
Week 6 Conference Game 2
Week 7 Division Game 3
Week 8 Division Game 4
Week 9 Conference Game 3

November
Week 10 Division Game 5
Week 11 Division Game 6
Week 12 Conference Game 4
Week 13 Division Game 7

December
Week 14 Division Game 8
Week 15 Conference Championship Game


Here is an example of what could be the 2012 season using the 4 most watched teams:

Penn State 11-3

1 Southern Florida W
2 Navy W
3 Iowa State W
4 @Syracuse W
5 Notre Dame L
6 @Michigan W
7 West Virginia W
8 @Maryland L
9 Wisconsin W
10 @Rutgers W
11 UConn W
12 @Mich State W
13 Ohio State L
14 @Pittsburgh W


Ohio State 12-2
1 Troy State W
2 Army W
3 Michigan L
4 @Pittsburgh W
5 Wisconsin W
6 @Mich State L
7 Syracuse W
8 @Marshall W
9 Illinois W
10 @West Virginia W
11 Notre Dame W
12 @Iowa W
13 Penn State W
14 @Maryland W

Michigan 11-3

1 Southern Miss W
2 Air Force W
3 Ohio State W
4 @Purdue W
5 Northwestern W
6 @Penn State W
7 Minnesota W
8 @Iowa W
9 Notre Dame L
10 @Wisconsin L
11 Illinois L
12 @West Virginia W
13 Mich State W
14 @Iowa State W

Notre Dame 11-3

1 San Diego State W
2 Stanford W
3 Mich State L
4 @West Virginia L
5 Penn State W
6 @Indiana W
7 Maryland W
8 @Syracuse W
9 Michigan W
10 @UConn W
11 Ohio State L
12 @Purdue W
13 Pittsburgh W
14 @Rutgers W


All four teams would end up ranked in the top 15, all playing in big bowl games, and the Big Tens Conference has the best strength of schedule ahead of the SEC.