NFL Conference Championship Week Picks

This is my favorite weekend of the NFL season. Usually there are good games with great teams with championships at stake. And none of the excess of what will come in 2 weeks.

Also, I'm reminded of the old NFL and AFL championships. Pre-merger. If I have one criticism of the NFL to mention today, it's that there's too much interleague play. I prefer a thicker conference boundary.

The Giants appear to be the NFL's version of the 2011 Cardinals. They got in the playoffs on the final day of the season and appear to be the hottest team left. They also have already dispatched the best team in their league in the playoffs.

For that reason I'm picking them today, against all my instincts to pick the 49ers.

And I just don't see the Patriots losing, although I'd like them to do so.

So, unfortunately, I foresee a NY-NE Super Bowl. Again.

But I'm rooting for a San Fran-Baltimore match up.

New England.
New York.

ESPN Experts here.

NFL Divisional Round Picks

I split four games last week. I'll take that. Even though I lost the game, it was hard not to root for the Broncos last week.

And even harder not to this week. They're definitely my second favorite team now.

But that doesn't mean I'm picking them.

ESPN Expert picks here.

New Orleans.
New England.
Baltimore.
Green Bay.

World Series Game Six And The Calls Of History

This is one of those posts that has been over 2 months in the making.

For baseball's most famous home runs, most are associated with one particular announcer's call. Even though more than one person would have called these games on TV and radio. It's just that the others are largely forgotten.

For example:
Bobby Thompson in 1951- "The Giants Win The Pennant!"- Russ Hodges
Carlton Fisk in 1975- "There It Goes...A Long Drive...If It Stays Fair...Home Run!"- Dick Stockton
Ozzie Smith in 1985- "Smith Corks One Into Right Down The Line, It May Go...Go Crazy Folks, Go Crazy!"- Jack Buck
Kirk Gibson in 1988- "This Is Going To Be A Home Run...Unbelievable!...A Home Run For Gibson...And The Dodgers Have Won The Game 5-4...I Don't Believe What I Just Saw!"- Jack Buck
Kirby Puckett in 1991- "And we'll see you tomorrow night!"- Jack Buck
Joe Carter in 1993- "Well Hit Down The Left Field Line...Way Back And Gone!"- Sean McDonough

Does anyone remember any other announcers calls of the above? Probably not. Although a few might remember Vin Scully's call of Gibson.

In the aftermath of the 2011 World Series, I figured Joe Buck's call on Fox would probably be forever associated with David Freese's Game 6 walk-off.

However, the past two months I have been scouring YouTube for videos of the Game 6 miracle, and I've found several calls of Freese's home run that are from various broadcasts of the game.

Feeds from ESPN Radio's broadcast, ESPN's TV broacast outside the US, the BBC, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Brasil.

Which one will go down in history? Probably Buck's. I like it, but that doesn't mean it's my favorite.

Here's Buck's again:


Here's the ESPN Radio call from Dan Shulman:


Here's Gary Thorne's call on ESPN's world wide TV feed:


Here's the BBC's Simon Brotherton! Great stuff here:


Here's ESPN Deportes Ernesto Jerez:



Now comes the epic calls from ESPN Brasil. Does anyone speak Portugese?

I have know idea who these people are, or most of what they are saying, but they sure know how to capture the excitement of the World Series! I couldn't find a call just of David Freese's 11th inning blast, so you have to sit through a couple of innings, starting with the Freese's 9th inning heroics. But it is SOOOO worth it! The color man especially, is like Brazil's answer to Mike Shannon!


These last two videos just go to show you that baseball has it's own language- you don't have to speak the announcer's language to understand the thrill of it all.

So, I'm sure Joe Buck's call will stand the test of time. But there is no way, NO WAY, that these others should be forgotten. I wanted to make sure they were preserved for posterity.

(And for those of you who appreciate the Brazilian announcers like I do, here are all of their calls of all the Game 6 scoring. The internet doesn't get any better than stuff like this!)

NFL Picks Wild-Card Weekend

So, congratulations are in order. To me!

Last week's 13-3 record led to my finishing this season in 1st place amongst the humans, with a 168-87 overall record. It's my first "championship" in my head to head against the ESPN Experts, something I've done for a number of years now.

Thank you. I finished a game in front of Schlereth and Wickersham. Okay, so the computer did the best and Schlereth has forgotten more about football than I'll ever know, but who cares about that?

Now comes the playoffs. Always the hardest part of the season to predict. The games are for the most part a toss-up. A coin-flip, if you will.

And you know what that means! Just in time for the playoffs, it is the return of my trusty quarter to see if it can best me.

Who'd have thought we would ever have seen playoff games featuring Houston against Cincinnati and Detroit against New Orleans? And yet, today it is happening.

My quarter likes:
Cincinnati.
New Orleans.
Giants.
Denver.

I like:
Cincinnati.
New Orleans.
Giants.
Pittsburgh.

ESPN Experts like:
Go here. But why bother? I can pick better than those guys!

NFL Picks Week 17

Happy New Year!

Last week I was 11-5, making my record 155-84 for the season. ESPN records here. I'm just two games out of first place. So anything could still happen. Their are 8 games in which I have picked differently than the two leaders.

Last weeks are hard to predict. Some teams are resting starters, others desperate to make the playoffs, and others ready to go home.

It's hard to believe we've come to the end of another football season. The Bears were eliminated last week, which means they have absolutely nothing to play for this week. Except to escape any more injury. Let's hope they escape and look forward to training camp this July.

It's really a shame because of what might have been had Cutler and Forte not been hurt 6 weeks ago. The Bears defense isn't getting any younger and neither is Devin Hester. The window of opportunity just got smaller, and with the rise of the Lions this year could possibly have slammed shut. The Lions will gain playoff experience this year and should get better, while the Bears really needed to put it together this year.

In other words, this may have been their best opportunity for the foreseeable future. And now its over.

There's a little drama heading into the last day. There are a few playoff scenarios to be played out. But for the most part, it's on to the playoffs.

Which start tonight for the Cowboys and Giants. Loser goes home. Just like the playoffs.

Anyway, I did far better this year than I could have ever imagined. I actually have 8 more victories than I managed last year. Not bad.

New Orleans.
New England.
Minnesota.
Miami.
San Francisco.
Green Bay.
Philadelphia.
Jacksonville.
Tennessee.
Arizona.
Denver.
Atlanta.
Baltimore.
Pittsburgh.
Oakland.
Giants.

Bethlehem Star

Saw this guy's video a few months back. It is very fascinating and worth a look if you've never seen it.

The evidence this guy presents is pretty compelling. Not being an astronomer, I have no idea whether he is right or wrong. Perhaps it is easily discounted by someone more knowledgable, but I know of no one so far who has.

Whether it is the way things happened or not is not ultimately important, as one's faith does not hang on one man's research.

But if it is really true all I can say is...



"Awesome! Totally awesome!"

NFL Picks Week 16

Last week's 7-8 record was the disaster I didn't need. My overall record this year is now 144-79. ESPN Experts here. I'm in third place, but I'm now 4 games behind first place with only 2 weeks to go. Doesn't look good.

Kansas City.
Tennessee.
New England.
Cincinnati.
Denver.
Pittsburgh.
Jets.
Washington.
Carolina.
Baltimore.
Detroit.
Philadelphia.
San Francisco.
Green Bay- Sunday Night.
New Orleans- Monday Night.

Thursday Night NFL Pick

Houston.


So tempted to pick Indy, though.

NFL Picks Week 15

Last week's 11-5 showing gave me a 137-71 record entering this week's games. And I missed out on a win last night. I knew there were Saturday games in December, but forgot about it in the end. Too bad, the Cowboys would have been an easy win.

Anyway, I'm still in contention, although now 3 games behind Schlereth and 1 behind Wickersham, in 3rd place among the ESPN Experts who are human.

The Bears surprised me last week in almost winning against the Broncos. That's how sad the season has become, I'm satisfied with the result of almost-winning. I'm just anxious for the season to end now.

It's even worse than that. I'm just happy to see the Bears put points put on the board. Which is why I can't pick them today, either, even though almost everyone else is.

Fourteen games today. At last we have good Sunday Night and Monday Night games. There are a lot of coin flip games late.

This week could be great or ugly. My rank in the final NFL Picks standings will likely be decided today.

Houston.
Giants.
Buffalo.
Seattle.
New Orleans.
Cincinnati.
Tennessee.
Green Bay.
Oakland.
New England.
Jets.
Arizona.
Baltimore.
San Francisco- Monday Night.

Thursday Night NFL Pick

Atlanta.

NFL Picks Week 14

I limped into a 10-6 record last week. For a while I thought it would be the worst week of the season but managed to pull out all but one of the late games. I am 126-66 for the year. ESPN Expert records here. I'm alone in 2nd place, still two games behind the first place human Schlereth, although the computer is now 7 games in front.

It's safe to say the Bears are out of it. I would not be surprised if they lost the rest of their games. What little remains of their offense will struggle against Denver today. It will be interesting to see if they just give up, but I doubt it.

It's funny how Houston has also been riddled with injuries but continued to win.

San Diego could still win the AFC West.

I think we're going to have a team go undefeated and another go winless in the same year.

Giants-Dallas should be a good late game. Not a lot of thrilling match-ups today otherwise.

And another dud Monday Night game.

Jets.
Tampa Bay.
New England.
Atlanta.
Baltimore.
Miami.
Detroit.
New Orleans.
Cincinnati.
Denver.
San Francisco.
San Diego.
Green Bay.
Dallas.
Seattle- Monday Night.

The Business Of Business Is Business

I don't agree that baseball is a business, just as I don't agree that it's a game.

Then what is it exactly? The answer, like most things, is "it depends".

What we all saw last October was clearly that baseball is a game. To be enjoyed. And there is no better example of this than the 2011 World Series.

But now, this time of year, baseball is a business. So the parties involved in the business have to do what's in their best interests.

Which is the beauty of the Albert Pujols signing this week by the Angels. I think all the principal actors in it won. At least for awhile.

Albert won the second biggest contract in MLB history. No doubt it would have been the biggest ever if the Yankees and Red Sox had not already had 1st basemen.

This signing fits perfectly for Pujols, who will undoubtedly benefit from being a DH later in his career.

But the biggest reason this is good for Pujols is, of course, "the money". (I'm overlooking the fact, for the moment, that on numerous occasions Pujols said it wasn't about "the money" and that he already had plenty of it. That's fodder for another post).

The Angels won, at least for the immediate future, in that they get the best hitter in the game. Ask me again in 5 or 6 years if they are still "winners" on this point and I might have a different opinion. I've watched Albert Pujols closely these last 11 years, and the Albert Pujols of today is definitely not the Albert Pujols of 5 years ago. I don't see any reason why this trend will not continue. (If I may paraphrase Toby Keith, "he ain't as good as he once was, but he's as good once as he ever was." Nowhere was this more evident than in the World Series, where he had 1 game where he was the best ever, but really did not do a lot in the other 6).

Which brings me exactly to the reason why the Cardinals also won in this deal. They are not going to be handcuffed by an expensive contract to an aging player when he is past his prime, allowing them much more flexibility in an uncertain economic era.

They have Molina, Wainwright, Freese and Craig to take care of in the future. No way that was happening with a huge Albert contract.

A lot of people think the Cardinals should take the money they were trying to come up with for Pujols and get 2 or 3 other players. But I don't. For it is the spending of the money they supposedly don't really have, whether to Pujols or others, that is the the handcuffing factor. Mid-season deals are easier to make if one remains flexible.

And the Cardinals farm system is loaded right now. With or without Albert, the Cardinals can still contend.

In the business sense, everyone wins right now. As a fan, I'm disappointed it happened like this. I would rather have Albert than not have him. But at this time of year baseball is a business, and it doesn't operate in the realms of hope and sentimentality.

Fortunately, it won't stay this way. I'm already looking forward to spring training, when all that game stuff will start again.

Thursday Night NFL Pick

Pittsburgh.

More to come.

NFL Picks Week 13

Last week's 11-5 puts me at 116-60 on the year. I'm in fourth place amongst humans heading into the week but only two games out of first. This whole thing is up for grabs this year. And Thursday night's win helped my cause.

The Bears offense looked bad again last week. If they have any playoff hopes remaining they've got to beat Kansas City today.

I can't believe how many people are picking the Giants over the Packers. There should be, like, zero.

That's really the only interesting matchup in games starting after noon today. And Monday's game is one of the biggest duds in years.

And, yes, I'm riding the Tebow wagon until it crashes again.

Tampa Bay.
Pittsburgh.
Atlanta.
Jets.
New England.
Oakland.
Denver.
Buffalo.
Chicago.
Baltimore.
Dallas.
Green Bay.
San Francisco.
New Orleans.
San Diego- Monday Night.

Thursday Night NFL Pick

Seattle.

A Slight Misunderstanding

I found out, too late, that today was actually "Cyber Monday".

I had never heard of this before. I wish I had paid closer attention.

Because I could have swore they said today was "Fiber Monday". Not good.

Oooooh {shudder}. Going to be a long night.

NFL Picks Week 12

A 10-4 record last week puts me at 105-55 for the year. I'm just a game out of first place amongst the ESPN humans. Wickersham came from nowhere and went 13-1 last week, tying him with Allen for 1st place. Those two are usually in the back by this time of the season. It's been a weird year.

Anyway, the Bears have a tough one today. Should be a good game to watch. Despite the QB injury, I would like to think they still have a shot at the playoffs. Atlanta and the Giants are right behind.

The Bears need for the Lions to keep losing and someone to keep the Falcons and Giants down. I don't think I can count on the Vikings today, however. I probably can count on the Saints tomorrow.

This looks like the Colts best chance for a victory this season, as the rest of their schedule looks tough.

Houston.
Jets.
Cincinnati.
Atlanta.
St. Louis.
Carolina.
Tennessee.
Chicago.
Seattle.
San Diego.
New England.
Pittsburgh.
New Orleans- Monday Night.

Did I Misremember?

"My intention was not to kick anybody, as I did not, removing myself...I was on top of a guy, being pulled down, and trying to get up off the ground -- and why you see me pushing his helmet down, because I'm trying to remove myself from the situation, and as I'm getting up, I'm getting pushed, so I'm getting myself on balance." - Ndamukong Suh.

That's an interesting statement about yesterday's incident. He was just trying to maintain his balance and used another player to do it.

But I could have swore I saw this guy stomp on another player.

I guess I'm not the only one, though. There are over 5000 comments on this statement from ESPN's article about his explanation.

This is one of my all time favorite comments:

"When I left for work yesterday morning I slipped on a patch of ice. I didn't want to fall, I mean who does, right? As I was slowly and awkwardly careening towards the earth, I was able to reach out and slam a passerby's head into the ground a few times, before finishing him off with a perfectly executed stomp. Thanks random pedestrian! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have regained my balance." - Ketelnutzz.

Thanksgiving Picks

Finally some good match-ups on Thanksgiving. Every game has potential.

It would be best for the Bears that the Packers win today. The Bears aren't going to win the division, but their position in the playoff seedings is up for grabs with the Lions.

However, I'd hate to see the Packers run the table and go undefeated. So part of me wants to see the Lions win. Which I think they will.

Miami is hot and so is Dallas.

But the most intriguing match-up to me is tonight's Baltimore-San Francisco game on NFL Network. I think we'll finally see how good the 49ers are.

Detroit.
Dallas.
Baltimore.

NFL Picks Week 11

Last week was the week I had been expecting all season, only at the beginning of the year. A total flame out.

I don't think any of my picks were particularly bad, but I just got on a bad losing streak. Ended up 6-10, putting me at 95-51 on the year. It was a huge shake up last week as well for the ESPN Experts. Now I'm a game in back of Allen, who I don't believe has ever been in the lead, as far as humans are concerned.

But I really didn't feel that horribly afterwards, since the Bears had put a beat down on the Lions.

The Lions remind me of the Milwaukee Brewers. They show a lot of cockiness for a team that has won absolutely nothing. It's so sweet to beat teams like that.

But I am hoping to right myself this week. I'm not off to a good start, however, as I had the Jets Thursday night.

I'm finding the Tebow thing fascinating. The NFL "Experts" are just dumbfounded by this guy. They look for ways to castigate him every week, even though he keeps on winning. That's also so sweet to watch.

This is the last bye-week of the season, four teams resting this time.

Green Bay.
Detroit.
Cleveland.
Oakland.
Buffalo.
Dallas.
Baltimore.
San Francisco.
St. Louis.
Atlanta.
Chicago.
Giants.
New England- Monday Night.

Pretty Amazing

Of course Game Six was amazing.

But similarly incredible was that Joe Buck's call of David Freese's walkoff, "we will see you tomorrow night!", came exactly 20 years and 1 day after his father, Jack, made the same call about Kirby Puckett's World Series Game Six walkoff.

I don't know if it was in tribute, or by some wild coincidence, but I thought it was pretty cool.

And Tim McCarver was the sidekick in both instances.

A lot of people noticed it, and someone put the calls back to back on YouTube.

NFL Picks Week 10

I'm coming off my worst week of the season and have fallen into 2nd place with the ESPN humans. A record of 7-7 will not carry the day. I am 89-41 on the year.

I think there are a lot of toss up games this week. I didn't find any of last weeks games particularly interesting, except Monday Night's game, so I was suprised I did so poorly. This week is the exact opposite.

I'm not sure where to start. Of course there's Bears-Lions. The Bears are right back in it with a win today. I think they can do it.

I look for Indianapolis to get their first win and Miami to get its second.

Then there's Pittsburgh-Cincinnati, San Francisco-Giants, and New England-Jets, which should all be excellent matches.

I could end up today much worse than the 7-7 last week.

And, last but not least, I missed picking the Thursday Night game. It really snuck up on me. But I would have picked San Diego anyway, so I'll count that in the loss column.

Philadelphia.
Carolina.
Tampa Bay.
Miami.
Indianapolis.
Kansas City.
Dallas.
Atlanta.
Cleveland.
Pittsburgh.
Baltimore.
San Francisco.
Chicago.
Jets.
Green Bay- Monday Night.

NFL Picks Week 9

Rounding the half way point and heading back in, the season is in full swing. The good teams are starting to rise and the pretenders will start making their fade. Only 14 games this week, 4 teams with a bye.

Last week I was 9-4. I must have been crazy to pick Seattle.

Anyway, I'm 82-34 on the year. I'm tied with Golic for 1st place amongst humans, although the Accuscore computer is a game better.

The Bears are getting Philadelphia at the wrong time of year. Too bad this game wasn't 6 weeks ago. Although the Bears defense usually plays Vick well, I don't see them prevailing this time.

Good games this week.

Kansas City.
Atlanta.
New Orleans.
Buffalo.
Dallas.
Houston.
San Francisco.
Cincinnati.
Oakland.
New England.
Arizona.
Green Bay.
Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia- Monday Night.

I Knew It!

Game 6. This is the ESPN feed of the game, I think they broadcast the game to the outside world. At any rate, it's clear to see what happened. For some reason the Fox cameras didn't pick it up.

But watch closely as Freese is about to swing in the bottom of the 9th and as he kneels at 3rd. It's our best friend, LOL! The legend lives!



RALLY SQUIRREL!

A Temporary Post

I'm sure MLB will pull it soon, but for now they are allowing the embed of this video. So I can't not post it.

I Know That Guy

It's our very own Angus, who trekked down to Busch Stadium Friday Night to join in the fun. He even got in to the ballpark later after the game.

NFL Picks Week 8

Football seems like such a letdown after the events of this week. The experience of it all proves once again that, for pure excitement and unbridled joy, baseball is still king.

But, this season will soon pass into a memory, and football marches on.

Last week was my poorest performance of the year, an 8-5 mark. For the year that puts me at 73-30. ESPN Experts here. That's first place for me!

Another 3 games missing as there are 6 teams with byes. Including the Bears, who could use a week off. The next month of their schedule looks brutal.

Good looking game Monday Night, my initial instinct was for San Diego. But I'm no longer going against the teams that have momentum.

Baltimore.
Carolina.
Houston.
Giants.
New Orleans.
Tennessee.
Detroit.
Buffalo.
Seattle.
San Francisco.
Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia.
Kansas City- Monday Night.

I Don't Know Why I'm So Tired

"Is this really happening, Bill?" - Jack Buck at the end of Game 1 1988 World Series.

It's just a silly game with sticks and balls, right?

Then why do I feel so great?

Thanks to the Cardinals for the most thrilling month of baseball I can remember.

NFL Picks Week 7

What's going on here?

Last week's 10-3 makes my record on the year 65-25. Last year it took me until week 13, in December, to reach 40 games over .500.

This surely won't continue.

I feel funny even posting about football with the World Series going on. But it's difficult to blog about baseball right now. Long time readers know of my unwillingness to comment on baseball series while they are going on, although I have occasionally broken that rule.

But I'll make one baseball comment as it relates somewhat to football. Last night's game featured a blown call that may or may not have had something to do with the outcome of the game. The NFL doesn't allow that to happen due to instant replay. You've got to get it right when two teams are playing for a championship. The baseball powers have to do something about their lack of instant replay usage.

At any rate, back to football picking. I'm in second place, one game behind Golic. The rest of the ESPN Experts picks are here.

Six teams have a bye this week, thirteen games on the slate.

And there are still 3 winless teams- St. Louis, Miami and Indianapolis. I'm starting to become a believer, that it's possible any of them could run the table in reverse like the Lions 3 years ago. Having two teams do it would be awesome.

Jets.
Chicago.
Carolina.
Detroit.
Cleveland.
Miami.
Tennessee.
Oakland.
Pittsburgh.
Green Bay.
Dallas.
New Orleans.
Baltimore- Monday Night.

World Series Eve

"It's official and I now can admit it. I have absolutely no clue what this Cardinals team is going to do or where they are going to finish. Or what cartoons they like to watch in the clubhouse (although I sincerely hope Jonny Quest and Pink Panther are in the mix).

Injuries to key people, blown saves, and losing streaks equal first place.

This season is just plain inexplicable.

But it is fun to watch." -- Scottius Maximus July 5, 2011.

Little did I know...

Right now, on the eve of the World Series, I'm strangely relaxed. Just like I was at the start of the NLDS against the Phillies.

But that didn't last long. In fact, after the Cardinals jumped out to a first inning lead in Game 1, I really thought they had a good chance to win. And when you think you have a chance, the relaxation ends. I was hooked and reeled in at that point.

What followed was lots of baseball fueled anxiety only a playoff situation can engender. Every pitch becomes a possible game changer, heightening and sharpening one's senses to the slightest shift in momentum.

It's a good feeling when it's over, although not so much while it's occurring.

That's wrong...it's not a good feeling- a great feeling! Sunday night I couldn't help but recall the exhilaration of the 2006 pennant.

That feeling you get from winning the pennant...is just a "very Brady" feeling:


Five years ago, no one gave the Cardinals a chance. At least this year, no one has said "Rangers in three", like they did with the Tigers.

For the first time in 29 years, the Cardinals have home field advantage in the World Series. I hope it ends like the last time the Cardinals got 4 games at home.

Then, of course, there's going to be the lack of sleep for the next week. Because the games go on and on, the adrenaline is going, and then one must watch the post-game interviews on ESPN News or MLB Network. Makes for some late nights.

But who'd trade a World Series appearance for a few hours more of sleep?