Monday Afternoon Recap

After watching the Colts-Patriots AFC Championship game, all I have to say is wow. I say that this was the most exciting conference championship game I've ever watched. It was far more entertaining than the NFC game featuring Da Bears and the feel good New Orleans Saints. The Saints hung in there for a while and looked like they were about to take the game over, but that game just unraveled too fast for them in the fourth quarter. I was rooting for the Saints, but as soon as I saw rookie Reggie Bush scamper for 80+ yards, pointed towards Brian Urlacher on the way before he somersaulted into the end zone, and capped it off with a little jig, I wanted the Bears to be the ones doing the Super Bowl Shuffle.

I must say I'm surprised at how I felt about the Colts winning their game. I've never been a big Peyton Manning fan, but I did find myself feeling good for him once the game was all but wrapped up. With all the pressure and criticism he's gotten since his college days (never being able to beat Florida, and also losing to Penn State twice in bowl games), and all the talk about not winning a big one in the pros, you have to feel good for a guy who finally gets past all of that. Having said that though, if he plays a stinker against the Bears, all of this talk is hogwash.

Who I feel better for actually is Tony Dungy. Dungy has been through pretty much the same deal as Peyton, but form the coaching perspective. Dungy has always had good defenses with Tampa Bay and good offenses with Indianapolis but never could get them past a certain point. The Eagles beat up on Dungy's Bucs time and time again, and the Patriots and Jets put a hurting on his Colts. Tony Dungy is a class act on and off the field. His family has been through a lot in the past few years and I hope he does well in the Super Bowl.

Too early to make my Super Bowl prediction, but I do feel that the Bud Light squad is primed for a victory over Bud in the Bud Bowl.

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AFC and NFC Championship Game Preview

So we are down to the final four teams in the NFL. We've had some surprises and a lot of excitement thus far and I think we can expect that trend to continue this weekend with the conference championship games. Here's my quick outlook on the match ups.

Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots
As has been the case the last few years, the AFC championship is widely being viewed as the "real" Super Bowl. There is no question that these two teams appear stronger than the NFC teams, but let us not get too far ahead of the moment. There will be a lot of talk about Peyton Manning vs Tom Brady (Brady holds a clear advantage in their history). Manning has had another sub-par post season, throwing for five interceptions and one touchdown and has been carried by his defense and the leg of their former Patriot kicker. Brady on the other hand has shown the ability to lead his team and will them to victory as he usually does. Brady hasn't had a flawless post season, but when his team has needed him he has come through. It is no wonder he has a stellar 11-1 post season record. That is just unbelievable.

The Patriots defense will have to come out ready to play and get back to their old ways of frustrating Manning. A couple interceptions, which is likely, would do just that. I don't see the Colts defense holding up the way they have much longer, and if anybody can pick them apart it is Bill Bellicheck. Patriots come out of the RCA Dome AFC Champions for the fourth time in six years. Patriots 27, Colts 17


Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints
This game will concentrate on two major story lines; the magical season the Saints have had and the play of Rex Grossman. The more important story line will be the play of Grossman. Chicago's defense is good but not invincible. Drew Brees is a smart quarterback with a smart coach and a feisty offensive line. With the talents the Saints have at running back it should be a key for them to operate an effective running game even against the Bears. Not that Chicago can't do the same, because the Saints defense is just as vulnerable.

I do believe though that this game will come down more to the elements. I do not believe that it really is a factor when it comes to a championship game, but I can not bypass the history. Teams that play in a dome traditionally do note perform well outside in cold weather, and Chicago is one of the coldest places to play this time of year. I think factors like that bring this game down to the special teams, an area where I believe the Bears have an advantage. We all know the talent the Bears possess on punt and kick returns as well as their kicker Robbie Gould. So, call me nuts if you wish, but I'm picking the Bears to squeak this one out at home, despite Grossman. Bears 27, Saints 24

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Brian Dawkins is THE Man

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David Boredom

So today David Beckham signed a $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Admit it, you just heard about the Galaxy with this story right?

I love how people actually think this will finally make soccer big in the United States. For anybody who is foolish to believe that, I feel sorry for you. I really do. This could be the absolute worst use of $250 million in this country ever, nudging past Alex Rodriguez. Soccer may be the world's sport, and I'm fine with that, but please don't try to tell me that soccer will finally contend with the sports we already have here for my attention span.
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So Florida demolished Ohio State in the BCS National Championship. Wow. I didn't see that coming, seriously! But now the 41-14 lopsided game is calling the critics of the Big Ten and Ohio State out. ESPN actually did a short story stating why Ohio State should not have even been IN the game! How in the world can anybody be convinced they should NOT have been in the game, before witnessing the beatdown. How insane is that? Ohio State should have been in that game, just as much as Donovan McNabb should be the starting quarterback for the Eagles when he comes back form injury next year. There is no question about it.

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Tuesday Thoughts

Psssst! Ohio State? Your plane for the BCS Championship Game left without you!

I don't know what happened, but the #1 team in the nation all year long got to feel the pain of the Gators chomping on their arteries last night and boy did it hurt! The seven point favorites started falling early when their star receiver, Ted Ginn Jr., left the game with an injury and Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith couldn't do anything to lead the Buckeyes past a faster, hungrier Florida Gator squad. Hats off to Florida coach Urban Meyer, who campaigned for his team to get the BCS title chance nod as the regular season drew to a close. Thumbs down to usually great BCS gameday coach Jim Tressel. I don't care what the circumstances are, you NEVER go for it on 4th and 1 on your own 29 yard line in the first half. Second half is a different story, but NEVER in the first half. I don't care if you're trying to pump your team up. That move right there really did the Buckeyes in for good I believe, as Florida, already up 24-14, went into halftime with a 34-14 lead. Perhaps Tressel was giving the "Charlie Weis" method of not waiting for halftime to make adjustments a whirl. We all know how well that turned out.

So Florida is the national champion. But I say Boise State is the national champion. Using the old "Slippery Rock" logic, Boise State beat Wyoming, who beat New Mexico, who beat Colorado State, who beat Fresno State, who beat Southern Methodist, who beat Tulsa, who beat Navy, who beat Connecticut, who beat Pittsburgh, who beat Cincinnati, who beat Rutgers, who beat Louisville, who beat Kentucky, who beat Georgia, who beat Auburn, who beat Florida. Who needs the BCS? Who wants a playoff?

Meanwhile in baseball world, the Hall of Fame formerly announced two new inductees; Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. These two guys may possibly be the last two inductees who are not already on the ballot, who played for only one team his entire career. Are there any more out there? It is a darn shame that Mark McGwire's controversy is overshadowing the induction of two of the absolute most positive influences baseball has had in a very long time. The other shame is the fact that neither of the two were voted for unanimously. Ripken I could understand, but if you don't vote for Tony Gwynn you fall into two categories:

1. You never vote for a player his first time on the ballot, which to me makes no sense. What makes a player that much great one year later, five years later etc.? If he is great enough to be voted for at ANY point in time, he deserves the vote the first time.
2. You are a moron.

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Notre Dame, Eagles-Giants

Did you see Notre Dame the other night. I have to hand it to them. They hung in there for about a half before the true fraud Notre Dame surfaced in the second half. Everything about Notre Dame infuriates me.

How many times did I have to hear that Charlie Weis wasn't going to wait until halftime to make adjustments in the game? Fact is EVERY coach in football makes adjustments before halftime. This is nothing new. What, are we supposed to bow to Weis because he did the same thing that every coach who has ever won anything has done before? Maybe Weis should have waited for halftime, because he sure didn't seem to make any adjustments then.

Notre Dame is overrated and over-hyped and it is clear. But as long as they beat their weak schedule nine or ten times every year, which they should, then they will weasel their way into a BCS invitation, especially now with the extra BCS game hanging out there. We need more of Wisconsin (who would have played LSU if the Big Ten didn't already have Ohio State and Michigan in BCS games) and Arkansas or Auburn, and less...much less of Notre Dame.

Here are some related links for your reading pleasure:
ESPN.com - RECRUITING - All-American Bowl: RB McKnight narrows choices
ESPN.com - NCF/BOWLS06 - Notre Dame bowl history
The Daily Advertiser
Temple Daily Telegram

Interesting that ND lost a highly touted recruit, who happens to be from Louisiana. Think being blown out by LSU in the Sugar Bowl had anything to do with it? Nah.


As for the BCS, read this article from ESPN.com about the start of the downfall of college football. It centers around the story of the Fiesta Bowl between Penn State and Miami, Good vs. Evil, Joe Pa vs. Jimmy the Hair, and more. It's really quite interesting.

The Night College Football Went to Hell

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The Eagles will beat the Giants. They have too. If they lose this game the season will be viewed as a disaster. After everything they did to get to this point they can not lose a home game against a division rival and have their Cinderella title taken from them and headed up north. The Eagles are better in just about every category except maybe linebacker, but nothing about the Giants scares me. Perhaps I should be scared most of my overconfidence. After all, this is Philadelphia.

Bill Cowher retired today from the Steelers. Something tells me though that he'll be back in some capacity and will be heard from without too long of an absence.

And then I read that Ricky Williams is interested in returning to the Dolphins? Please Ricky, if you're going to be running, run away from the NFL. You have more than outgrown your welcome.
ESPN.com - NFL - Ricky Williams seeking return to NFL, Dolphins

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Giveaway of the Day

I check this site out just about every day and figured it is time to spread the word about it. If you're interested in free ware, give this link a visit. This ticker is supposed to tell you what the giveaway of the day is every time it changes.

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Happy New Year!

Hello and welcome to the year 2007! 2006 finished off better than expected with the Eagles coming back and winning the NFC East division crown and 2007 got off to a good start with Penn State picking up the first win for the Big Ten conference in bowl play (Wisconsin soon after got the 2nd). So what's going to happen this year? Only time will tell but here are ten things I'm going on record with predicting right now. Some are consensus opinions and thoughts with many and some are a little more bold predictions.

1. Eagles ride will continue to the Super Bowl. They should beat the Giants with relatively no problem. And I believe that experience does count when they play the New Orleans Saints, and they could end up hosting the NFC Championship against Seattle...or Dallas. All bets are off against the Baltimore Ravens though.

2. T.O. will remain in Dallas. Parcells will not.

3. Flyers will miss the playoffs for the first time in a while. The shakeup and reformation will continue with letting Forsberg go and one of the goalies being traded or let go (see ya Esche).

4. Sixers will not get the first overall pick in the NBA draft, but will be top three and will generate some enthusiasm with a quality draft.

5. Phillies make the playoffs, clinching the NL East thanks in large part to Mets pitching to start the season due to injuries and the fact that Barry Zito went to San Francisco. Ryan Howard's homerun total drops from 2006 but still hits 40 easily.

6. Penn State returns to a BCS Bowl after 11-1 season, beating Notre Dame and Ohio State along the way...lose at Michigan.

7. Barry Bonds sits out any number of games due to a knee "injury" while the Giants are on the road, and plays in only home games until he breaks Hank Aaron's record.

8. One Philadelphia team (Villanova) out of three (Penn and Drexel) make it to the Sweet 16. Penn State joins them.

9. Bobby Bowden announces his retirement, having already given back the career record for all time coaching victories back to Joe Paterno, and leaves Paterno a clear path to cushioning the space between them.

10. Donovan McNabb wins comeback player of the year.


There you go. We'll check back in 2008 to see how close I got with this list! To everybody, thanks for reading and have a good, safe and pleasant 2007!

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BCS Talk and Big Five prediction

So USC officially blew their shot at the national championship game versus Ohio State, so now we all wait to see if 12-1 Florida, the SEC champion, will get the nod over the once-Buckeye-beaten Michigan Wolverines. I have a bad feeling about this. I think that Michigan will get the nod because I think there will be enough voters in the nation to put them ahead of Florida.

Florida fans may say to look at the schedule to make their case for the championship game, so I did;

Date Opponent Result/Time
September 2 Southern Miss W 34-7
September 9 UCF W 42-0
September 16 at No. 13 Tennessee W 21-20
September 23 Kentucky W 26-7
September 30 Alabama W 28-13
October 7 No. 9 LSU W 23-10
October 14 at No. 11 Auburn L 27-17
October 28 at Georgia W 21-14
November 4 at Vanderbilt W 25-19
November 11 South Carolina W 17-16
November 18 Western Carolina W 62-0
November 25 at Florida State W 21-14
December 2 No. 8 Arkansas W 38-28 (SEC Championship)

Sure, the scores may look impressive at first glance, but I noticed a 62-0 beatdown of a 1AA opponent a squeaker against Vanderbilt and South Carolina and a lowly Florida State squad. They did win the games instead of lose them, and the game they did lose was to a tough opponent on the road. Considering the fact that the tough SEC teams knocked each other around this season, the rankings may seem misleading. But even then, there doesn't seem to be anything that really stands out and yell "Florida should play for the championship!" Is there?

Michigan is a tough one too. They exploited the over-hyped Fighting Irish and went down to the last minute against Ohio State. In between? Solid wins in a Big Ten conference that was probably a little down from last year, except for Wisconsin. So you could make that argument either way.

I'll stand by my philosophy that if you didn't win your own conference championship, then you shouldn't be allowed to play for the national championship (ie Nebraska a few years ago against Miami). How can you proclaim to be the best when you're not even the best in your own conference? Florida should be playing for the BCS Championship for this reason.

I know that Notre Dame probably got lucky with their bowl situation with Arkansas losing as well as Rutgers, but once, just once I'd like to see the bowls not take Notre Dame because of their name. Let's look at their schedule real quick...

September 2 at Georgia Tech W 14-10
September 9 No. 19 Penn State W 41-17
September 16 No. 11 Michigan L 47-21
September 23 at Michigan State W 40-37
September 30 Purdue W 35-21
October 7 Stanford W 31-10
October 21 UCLA W 20-17
October 28 at Navy W 38-14
November 4 North Carolina W 45-26
November 11 at Air Force W 39-17
November 18 Army W 41-9
November 25 at No. 3 USC L 44-24

It is clear that did not rack up their record against quality opponents (and yes I realize Penn State was a win, but have you seen PSU's offense this year?). Navy, North Carolina, Army, Air Force, Stanford are not exactly making anybody shake in their boots these days, are they? But Notre Dame will get invited to a BCS bowl because they are Notre Dame and they did "qualify" with a top 10 BCS ranking. And just like the NCAA basketball tournament, worthy teams will get left out of the big picture (I'm looking your way SEC teams).

The bowl selections will be completed tonight so I'll be eager to write what I think about them in the next couple of days.

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Big Five Prediction!

I realize that Villanova has already played Penn but my Big Five prediction is long overdue! So here it is...

1. Villanova
2. St. Joe's
3. Penn
4. Temple
5. LaSalle

And watch out for the Penn State Nittany Lions to make a run for the NCAA bubble teams because they're off to a good start, while Bucknell, who was supposed to be Top 25 worthy has done nothing to help themselves early in the season.

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Post Turkeyday Blog

Well it's Tuesday now so we probably have all had our dose of Thanksgiving leftovers and had a chance to digest the happenings in the sports world and such.

My quick observations and thoughts from the past weekend:

- USC has earned the right to play for the national championship so far, but Florida has a legit argument as to why they should be playing Ohio State instead.
- The Eagles defense is the top problem to deal with, not the offense.
- The Phillies aren't exactly in the World Series talk with the signing of Eaton, but it's not exactly a terrible move.
- The Flyers should start focusing on the draft about two weeks ago.
- With football grabbing the attention on Thanksgiving weekend, you may have missed the college basketball season in full swing.
- If the Red Sox can't sign the Japanese pitcher, then they should be ashamed of themselves to no end (remember, they paid about $50 million just to talk to him).

I know I haven't given my thoughts on the college basketball scene yet, but stay tuned, it'll be up by week's end.

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Ode to Ryan Howard

Congratulations Ryan Howard! You have been voted National League MVP! What are you going to do now?

While we'll skip any plug for Mickeytown USA, we should commemorate Howard's first of (maybe of a few) MVP awards. On a day following up another dreadful Eagles loss, a weekend of mediocrity with the Flyers and Sixers, the day that Alfonso Soriano (a player aimed by the Phills to possibly protect Howard in the lineup) signed with the Cubs, and on the same day that former Eagle player from the Buddy Ryan defense that is so heralded in the Philly area, Andre Waters, was found to have committed suicide, it is none other than the genuine, pure, and likeable Ryan Howard who brings a smile to everybody's faces on the cold dreary days of November.

Howard deserved the MVP award without a doubt. You could make a good case for Albert Pujols as well, but Howard is exactly the kind of player and person you want to see win the award. Let's face it, how much more unlike Barry Bonds can he be? Howard is a power hitter and a threat at the plate every chance he gets, but what's more is his genuine relationship with the fans of Philadelphia. In his short time here he has done nothing to alienate the fans and everything to re-energize them. The Phillies may not be World Series contenders anytime soon, but Howard, alongside Chase Utley, provides a reason to be interested in the club from April through September, and possibly October in the future.

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The Greatest Game Ever Played

Did you see the Michigan-Ohio State regular season finale? I was hesitant to think it would live up to the pregame hype. I was wrong. As much as I may dislike the Buckeyes, I am able to put my prejudice aside to state what a great game that was. And because I have seen it, I am in the party that declares that there should be no rematch for the championship game, unless Michigan finds itself as the only one loss team (or tied with Notre Dame). It may be difficult for the rematch to happen with USC and Florida still in prime position to get their shot at the Buckeyes, and I realize that there is a computer system put in place to determine these results for us.

As a supporter for some form of a playoff system I will always cry fowl at whatever the BCS throws our way, but at the same time, if so many people have a problem with it, then why do their conferences continue to support such a system. If the SEC has a problem with a one loss Florida not playing for the championship, then they should make the first move and pull out of the BCS games all together. Same with the Pac Ten, Big East or whoever. That is the only way a change will ever happen. And because a conference would never give up all the bowl money that would come their way, obviously we will be stuck with this format for quite some time. The BCS does do one thing right though, and that is to create more debates and conversations about college football.

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Judgment Day

So ESPN is hyping this Saturday as Judgement Day in college football. I find it hard to argue that when the top two teams in the country are meeting in the last regular season game for a spot in the national championship game and the third team in the BCS is battling an in state rival for the Pac 10 championship and the prospect of playing the winner of Ohio State-Michigan. This is an exciting weekend for college football fans, not just for these two games but for a slew of other rivalry games (Alabama-Auburn is a great one, Harvard-Yale is a classic, Lehigh-Lafayette too) and the start of the division two and three playoffs. College football is great, so let's enjoy the games, the rivalry games, the playoffs, the Heisman and Harlon Hill candidates, and the debates about who should be in the championship game. For the record I say that the loser of Ohio State-Michigan should not play for the championship.

As for the Big East, I don't think they will get a team in the championship game, even if Rutgers does go undefeated. First of all, as good as the Rutgers defense is, I don't know if they can contain Steve Slaton or Pat White nearly enough when they play West Virginia. And make no mistake, even if you shut one down, which is near impossible, you won't shut the other down. And if WVU runs the table the rest of the way they need a lot to happen. Louisville has already squandered their opportunity as well.

And for the Notre Dame fans crying their way to the title game, please. Once again Notre Dame has a very respectable record, but compare their record to a one loss team from the SEC and it is easy to determine which team would be more deserving of a shot in the BCS title game. Like last year, and every year, Notre Dame piles up wins and stats against lesser opposition like Navy, Army, Air Force. If Notre Dame beats USC then we have a debate, but if they end up with the same record as Michigan, how do you make that argument?

Speaking of the SEC, their shot at getting a championship game spot are also slim. They will be big Notre Dame fans next week, and I suppose Ohio State fans this week. But don't expect everything to work out the way the SEC seems to always think it should. Their teams have flaws just like everyone else, plus they may all knock each other out along the way through the SEC championship.

And now this weekends six pack of games for you.

Eagles over Titans
Saints over Bengals
Chargers over Broncos
Penn State over Michigan State
Ohio State over Michigan
West Chester over Bryant

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Finally

Finally, for the first time all season, I won a football pool. My fantasy team may have been blown out of the water, but it feels good to have won the football pool no matter what happens Monday night.

It was nice to see the Eagles pick up a win over the Redskins, and to see the defense play well. Despite scoring 20 points, I still think there were issues with the offense at key times. Playoff teams score ate least once when they get three consecutive drives starting on the opposing team's half of the field, and do not go three and out. I'd like to see improvement in that situation.

I didn't have it in my blog, but my AIM profile can verify that I went 5-1 in my Weekend Six Pack (I picked the Steelers, Eagles, Bears, Penn State, Shippensburg, and Tennessee who lost to Arkansas).

So finally the hoopla can begin for Ohio State - Michigan. I'd rather see Michigan pull it out, but that's just for pure disdain for the Buckeyes. Either way, I'm looking forward to an awesome game from these two bitter rivals. I guess though, that my BCS dream matchup of Rutgers-Boise State is out of the question.

Is anyone else glad to see college basketball getting started up once again? Who wouldn't be? What with Duke about to be shown 50 times this year once more, even though they only play 30 some games, ESPN will find a way to give us more and more Duke. Even though I suppose it's a little late, I'll be putting together my thoughts on some college basketball of local interest in the coming week, so stay tuned.

The more I see, the more I'm confirming my belief that the Flyers really just aren't any good. I'm thinking more and more that they do stink and they can't turn it around to the way the Flyers are accustomed. New rules, new league, same old Flyers. Doesn't quite work.

Remember when the Sixers were undefeated? That was a nice week. Now they're battling it out for the 8th seed. It's a good thing there's a lot of basketball to play!

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Weekend Preview

What a weekend in the world of sports we have ahead of us. From the start of the World Series, to some great college football games there is almost no better way to spend a fall weekend.

I love the fact that the Mets lost in the NLCS. Congrats Cards. But it was a classic ?Game Seven. Anytime you have a Game Seven, it is worth watching despite rooting interests, and last night's Game Seven between the Mets and Cardinals was no let-down. Great plays, great pitching, a clutch hit in the 9th inning and the Mets losing. Can it be any better? Now that the Cardinals, who were within inches of pulling off the biggest late season collapse in history (don't worry Phillies, that honor still belongs to your 1964 team), are on the World Series to face the Detroit Tigers, who went through their own late season slump and actually entered October with the Wild Card, I think we're in for a good series. I'm going to say though that the pitching for Detroit is just superior to that of the Cardinals, and I'll take the Tigers to win it all in six games.

Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli was cleared to play against Illinois. I don't think Morelli is really needed against the Illini because I believe, at home, that Penn State should still win the game just on their rushing attack, but the news that he is cleared is good news. Look for Morelli to have a good rebound game. The toughest part of the season is done for the Nittanys and I wouldn't be surprised if they win out and head to the Outback Bowl or Alamo Bowl.

Kudos to the Florida International University football program for kicking two of their players off the team, and suspending others indefinitely for their actions against Miami. On the flip-side, Miami took a stand against some of their players for one game (against Duke). Those players will get to play in the important games after Duke. The U says they will take a zero tolerance policy form this point on and will not hurt the kids financially (thus the reason they are still on the team, and school). I say it is too little, too late. Zero tolerance should be given all the time in this situation. All these players did was jump off the sideline and beat their opponents with helmets and kicked them while they were down, thus embarrassing your football program yet again, and your school. And NOW you enact a zero tolerance policy? I guess we'll find out if they are serious or not, because this kind of problem will happen again in Miami, just as it does every other year or so.

NOW CALLING ALL FLYERS! ATTENTION: THE NHL SEASON STARTS ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5. Feel free to join in when you feel ready.

And now the Weekly Six Pack. I was 5-1 last week, updating my season total to 21-3. Pennsylvania football fans will be happy with my picks, unless you're attending homecoming festivities in the Cumberland Valley...

Eagles over Bucs
Colts over Redskins
Steelers over Falcons
Penn State over Illinois
Clemson over Georgia Tech
IUP over Shippensburg

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Broadstreet Wussies

I don't know exactly what the Flyers are doing at this point, but it sure isn't playing hockey. The Flyers lost last night by a score of 9-1. 9-1! Unheard of! With the loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the team who ousted the Flyers from the playoffs last season in embarrassing fashion, the Flyers drop their record to 1-4-1. They have scored 12 goals and given up 26. The power play percentage is at 8.9%, higher than only three other teams (Ottawa, Calgary, and Tampa Bay). The penalty kill is at 82.4%, which is in the lower half of the league.

Now, with the understanding that the NHL season is a long one and there is plenty of time to get better, I still feel it is vital that the Flyers make changes now because at the end of the season we will all be looking at their playoff seeding, if there is one, and thinking that they missed home-ice advantage by a point here against this team, two or three points there against another. Early season struggles can be overcome but the necessary changes must be made from the top down.

It is obvious to me that the people in charge of the Flyers are still neglecting to change their game for the new NHL and they have a sense of stubbornness to do so. Need proof? Look at the 9-1 loss. The new NHL is all about speed and skating. Physical presence is not as big a factor as it used to be. Having Petr Forsberg is tremendous but he is only one player. Bob Clarke, backed by Ed Snider, has an inability to adjust to the new NHL and a change must be made for the Flyers to adapt to the league. More proof that the Flyers are stuck in their 1970's past? Have you seen the commercials airing now celebrating the Flyers' 40th anniversary? I'll say I'm paraphrasing because I forget the exact slogan, but it is Forty Years and Still Fighting, accompanied by clips of Flyers fights through the decades. I'll let it slide because it is an anniversary, but after this I wish to see no more of this "we're bigger and tougher than you and if we can't keep up with you we'll shove you around a little bit" hockey.

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Fantasy update: I was a little premature in my writing about my fantasy football matchup this past weekend. Thanks to Rex Grossman's poor performance (6 turnovers) leading to a fantasy score of -9 points, and a big night from Anquan Boldin, I pulled off a miracle come from behind victory to stay undefeated, and continue to lead in the points department. Thanks Rex!

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Football Recap Monday

A rough weekend for my teams all around this weekend, and it certainly was an interesting weekend in the world of football.

First off, kudos to the Vikings of West Chester East High School for their thrashing of the Coatesville Red Raiders in Ches-Mont League play (31-14 winners). It's all about Viking power now.

The Eagles came off of their highly emotional home victory against the Cowboys with a very flat start, and end. The game was very winnable for the Eagles but a few costly mistakes proved too much for them to overcome in the hostile Superdome against the Saints. The Saints look like a genuinely good team right now. Drew Brees was very accurate, especially when it counted, and the coaching was spectacular, except for the challenge on L.J. Smith's reception. Anytime your team can run off eight and a half minutes and kneel on the ball the last two minutes for a game winning field goal, you did something right and that's exactly what the Saints did. I'm not sure the Saints will end the season at a record like 13-3, but it is nice to see them doing well, even though it came against the Eagles this time. If anyone is looking for Michael Lewis, he is probably 20 yards behind you at any given moment.

Penn State came up a touchdown short against now 2nd ranked Michigan. Too bad for the Nittanys. Michigan has a lot going for them and they are clearly the 2nd best team in the nation right now. No shame in losing to the Wolverines, even at home (this year) but it would be nice to see Penn State string together some wins against this Michigan program. Michigan owns Penn State in series history (except 1994...take that!), one of the few schools that gives Joe Paterno annual fits.

I don't know what everybody is saying when they talk about "The U" (University of Miami). They say they have lost their swagger, but did you see the beatdown they gave Florida International? It's nice to see Miami is back to picking on the teams they should beat. Miami has always been a program you expect shenanigans from every year, and they always will. With Miami, it is not a question of "Why did that happen?", but rather a question of "When will it happen?" "The U" and their alumni should be ashamed and appalled at their football program's actions. And then to hear their announcer proclaim that you don't come into our house and talk smack, and hearing players say that "they started it" and so on just disgusts me even more. Florida International players are not without blame either of course. I applaud both the ACC and Sun Belt conferences for coming down on these players. I applaud Larry Coker for his statements and actions on certain players as well. As far as I'm concerned though, Miami should be placed on probation and lose scholarships for their actions against Florida International, at the Peach Bowl against LSU and their pregame hysterics at Louisville and Florida State and at Penn State when they kept practicing when the Blue Band was marching onto the field back in 1992.

Here are a couple links to read about this disaster:



My fantasy football team got smashed (down by 25 going into Monday Night with two players playing but the other guy's got two bigger players going for him) and I was absolutely terrible in my football pool. Luckily somebody never entered their week's picks so I didn't technically come in last. It's about the little victories sometimes.

What to look for this week:
Cardinals beating out the Mets with pitching.
The Flyers winning two games.
T.O. cutting back on his tempers and complaints.
Penn State picking up another win en route to running the rest of the schedule undefeated.

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Kevin's Six Pack for the Weekend

Had to get this one done a little early in the day because for the first time ever I'm picking a high school game! This one is for you Vikings of West Chester East High School!

Philadelphia Eagles over the New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers over the Kansas City Chiefs
Michigan over Penn State
Auburn over Florida
Shippensburg over Lock Haven
West Chester East over Coatesville

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Cory Lidle

I got home from work as the new of a plane crashing into a New York City apartment building was just breaking. Naturally, I was glued to the television. Once the reports came out stating that there was no hint of terrorism I went and did some other things for a couple hours.

Once I eventually came back to the TV I learned that Cory Lidle was killed ion the crash. Saying I was stunned wouldn't be quite accurate, but more asking myself "Huh?" is what I found myself doing.

This whole story has been bizarre to me, but I really have sympathy for his family. Reading this article on ESPN.com really got me feeling for them all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2622099

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Football Recap Monday

This was one of those weekends that just screamed "EXCITING" both days. On Saturday Penn State edged Minnesota in overtime, thanks in part to a couple questionable calls that went the Nittany's way and a missed extra point in the overtime for Minnesota. Then on Sunday the Eagles answered many questions with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

PENN STATE
Penn State is in position to run the table in the Big Ten the rest of the way. Oh sure, it will be mighty difficult the way Anthony Morelli is playing at quarterback, and a strong Michigan team is coming into Beaver Stadium this Saturday for a prime time showdown. Obviously the Wolverines present some problems for Penn State, but sometimes a prime time game with a revenge factor can give the home team an emotional lift. If Morelli can get his game a little more together and the home crowd can be just like they were against Ohio State last year, Penn State can pull the upset.

Oh by the way, I read that this year's game will only last 59 minutes and 58 seconds, per Joe Paterno's request.

EAGLES
This was without a doubt the most hyped regular season game in Philadelphia in a long time. We all know it. The hype with TO returning to Philly was huge, and the importance of the NFC East matchup was even more important. The Eagles came to play.

The Eagles defense is good. Donovan McNabb is the MVP at this point of the season. Drew Bledsoe continues to show his age. TO continues to show Bledsoe's age (I'm not the one pulling the trigger). After watching the extremely entertaining game I found myself thinking that the Eagles, who should be 5-0 right now, are now putting themselves into position to be the THE team to beat in the NFC after their one year hiatus. Yes, Chicago is 5-0 and playing remarkably themselves, but the Eagles have that veteran leadership that is shining very brightly so far.

YANKEES
You can buy any lineup you want to put together, but unless you have pitching to back it up, you can't win in October. You won World Series rings when you had pitching and had clutch hitting. Now Joe Torre's job is in danger (he can manage my team in an instant if that's the case)? Another interesting offseason is underway for the Yankees. Maybe the Orioles and Blue Jays can take advantage of the turmoil with the Yankees and Red Sox now.

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Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year

Vote for your favorite college football coach every day!


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