BDubs 11 Spot

11 (because most people only turn things up to 10) musings about mostly sports coming straight from my mind....

1) Texas Rangers fighting for survival.
This is the team I have followed since I first knew anything about baseball. This is the team that had won two playoff GAMES in its history. Now they have won two series in one playoffs. No matter what happens it has been an amazing year. A few things before you count them out. The top two spots in the rotation from spring ball aren't even on the roster. The team was bankrupt. The manager admitted to snorting coke last year.... and now they are in the World Series. This team responds to adversity. Nothing would surprise me. Go Rangers!

2) I hate Cody Ross
Of course I hate him. I am a Rangers fan. He has a smug face. His beard/bald look is appalling. My girlfriend says "I just don't like him" when he is shown on TV. That's enough for me. He is in the Bdubs Hall of Lame.
3) Brad Childress lost the Vikings and should be fired.
Forget this whole Randy Moss debacle. Wait we can't not talk about this! He addressed the team after getting into it with Moss and told them that he is gone. He didn't talk to the front office or the owners before doing this. Now the entire team hates Chilly and the front office and owners want Moss back. Now let's rewind to last week against Green Bay. I watched the game at work and saw Adrian Peterson make a first down with about 25 seconds left to the Vikings 40 yard-line. Farve and Moss had just hooked up on a 50 yard bomb that was called back. With two timeouts Chilly decides to sit on it and just go to half up 3. Moss, Favre and Peterson (the core of your offense) look FURIOUS. At this point I posted on facebook: "WOW BRAD CHILDRESS. YOU JUST LOST YOUR ENTIRE TEAM'S SUPPORT"
And I was right. Add that to this Moss situation and the only solution is cut ties with Childress. If ownership picks Chilly over Moss, the rest of the team will be itching to leave ASAP.

4) I was still way too optimistic about my Cowboys in my last post
I said 7-9 at best at 5-11 at worst. This team could definitely win less than 5 games. I mean look at the remaining schedule... after losing at home to Jacksonville I see only 2 or 3 games that are winnable. They could go 1-15 for all I know. I really hope Jerry considers cleaning house with these coaches. The talent is there.... somewhere.

5) Watch out for the Detroit Lions.
I sent Adam Schefter of ESPN a message the other day on Twitter with this stat: Detroit 1-5 with a point differential of +6 and Tampa Bay 4-2 with a point differential of -30 (He used this stat in this week's ESPN article). At 0-4 I said Detroit might be the best 0-4 team ever. Now they get Stafford back and win a game. With a fairly easy schedule don't be surprised if they finish at 8-8 or even 9-7. Just sayin...

6) The Saints are still the best NFC team.
You can explain the offensive inconsistencies on losing both of the star RB's to injury. Bush is coming back soon and Thomas might come back soon too. Despite both of them missing, they looked great vs the Steelers. Their defense looked fantastic despite only having ONE cornerback on the roster. Give this team time to get healthy and they go deep into the playoffs again. If they get a home game or two in January... watch out.

7) Twitter is an excellent source for sports information
I have fallen hard. I love Twitter. I don't really care too much for following the celebrities and players. But the information and commentary you get from sports analysts and writers is fantastic. They are more off-the-cuff and it's more gut-reactions. I like reading what they first are thinking. It is a lot of fun.

8) Tiger Woods will be #1 again by the U.S. Open next year
At the latest. Michael Wilbon said it best today on PTI. When he practices all the time he will be #1 and will win majors. When he can't practice all the time (this past year) he will not be at the peak of his powers but still pretty good.

9) Cliff Lee will be a Ranger next year.
The Rangers signed a new TV contract worth $150 million a year. Largest contract for a MLB team that does not have it's own network (Yankees). That is a lot of money. If the Rangers offer anything close to what the Yankees do, Cliff will be a Ranger. His wife has been quoted that she loves Texas. Wifey is queen.

10) College Basketball is boring until Mid-February
The regular season is worthless to me. I love the tournament and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Let me repeat, I wouldn't change anything about it. Don't add more teams to the tournament. You will just water down the regular season more. This doesn't affect my opinion of College Football needing a playoff, because it would be small enough that every game would still matter.

11) Top Chef Just Desserts has been added to the DVR
Yes, this is partly because the girlfriend moved in... well... mostly. BUT, the show is very very good. I have to give it up to Bravo. Some of the best produced Reality TV I have seen. Perfect balance of not too much personality conflict and a good amount of competition. Not to mention the food they make looks amazing and gives the girlfriend some great ideas...

Stay Classy,

B-Dubs

Petek projects this January's BCS bowlers

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We're halfway to bowl season, and it's time for Justin "Check, Please" Petek, resident Cheesehead, to gaze into his crystal ball and tell us who will be playing in which BCS bowl. Have at it, JP.

National Championship Game: Oregon Ducks vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs

Oregon looks like a steamroller in the west. Hide your kids, hide your wife, cuz they’re beating everyone out there. The Ducks don’t have an easy path with road games at USC and bitter rival Oregon State, but they could win at Chuck Norris U. the way they are playing.

I project TCU to finish undefeated and use a high-quality road win at Utah to surpass undefeated Boise State and 1-loss Alabama to make the title game. This could come down to the thousandths place.

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Boise State Broncos

Wisconsin will land in the Rose Bowl as Big Ten champions via the head-to-head tiebreaker with Ohio State, who could also land here if Michigan State finishes 11-1.

After deep contemplation, the Rose Bowl will select Boise State with its at-large bid. They will not be obligated to the Broncos, since automatic-qualifier TCU is in the title game. An all-Big Ten Rose Bowl with Ohio State will tempt them, as will 1-loss Auburn, but Boise State’s undefeated record, high ranking, western location, and capable fan base will prevail.

Sugar Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Alabama will valiantly climb the rankings and challenge for a national championship game spot, but ultimately fall short and head to New Orleans as 1-loss SEC champion after defeating Auburn and then Florida in the SEC Championship.

Ohio State will finish strong with one loss and get the at-large nod from the Sugar Bowl and another crack at a strong SEC opponent. Michigan State or Wisconsin could also land here if Ohio State wins a 3-way tie.

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

Oklahoma will represent the Big 12 in the Fiesta Bowl after a hard-fought win over Nebraska in the conference title game.

Pittsburgh will land in Arizona as Big East champion, followed by a trail of profanities from the likes of Missouri, Utah, and Stanford, sparking a debate about the merit of automatic qualifier by conference.

Orange Bowl: Florida State Seminoles vs. Auburn Tigers

Florida State will be headed down to Miami as ACC champions.

Auburn will carry their #1 ranking all the way to Tuscaloosa, where they will fall, but remain a very attractive at-large selection for the Orange Bowl.

Week 8 Big Ten Power Rankings

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WEEK 8 BIG TEN POWER RANKINGS
Aaron Brenner, BadgerNation.com alum

1) No. 8 Michigan State (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten); LW, 3
Last week: won vs. Illinois 26-6
Let’s just get this out there up front. I have absolutely no idea how to rank these top four. I sat here for a solid 15 minutes trying to figure it out. Do you go with prior results? How these teams look right now? How I project them to end up in the future? It’s the most difficult week of rankings I’ve had since I started doing these, for both football and basketball. I guess at the top, we’ll stick with the only undefeated team who has now beaten an on-the-map Wisconsin and a better-than-you-think Illinois. But pay heed to the fact that Sparty has not left the state of Michigan yet. Wins at Iowa and Penn State are far from a certainty.
Next: at Northwestern, Sat. 11 a.m. ESPN

2a) No. 11 Ohio State (6-1, 2-1); last week’s ranking, 1
Last week: lost at No. 18 Wisconsin 31-18
I came away very impressed with Terrelle Pryor, especially considering that, yes, his return to Camp Randall was not one of his best games. He’s an incredible scrambler, a guy that just makes plays on third down. Obviously, the vaunted Buckeye defense and special teams units have to be concerned with their effort in defeat. But on the rushing D front, OSU doesn’t have to see John Clay and James White again.
Next: vs. Purdue, Sat. 11 a.m. BTN

2b) No. 13 Iowa (5-1, 2-0); LW, 2
Last week: won at Michigan 38-28
Kept hearing on Sunday about how if MSU, OSU and Wisconsin run the table, the Badgers will get shut out of the BCS by the 2-team-per-conference rule. Ummmm ... we didn’t forget about the highly-ranked team that will host those three foes in October and November now, did we?
Next: vs. No. 10 Wisconsin, Sat. 2:30 p.m. ABC

2c) No. 10 Wisconsin (6-1, 2-1); LW, 4
Last week: won vs. No. 1 Ohio State 31-18
I’m sure that placing Wisconsin right where it was last week - below MSU, OSU and Iowa - will upset some readers. And that’s fair. Just know that the 2c notation is legitimate. The Badgers are tied for second with the Bucks and Hawks. At gunpoint, though, if I have to pick between those three, I’m just not completely sold on Wisconsin’s passing game and ability to get off the field on third downs. Wisconsin won that game Saturday on pure emotion, feeding off a frenzied crowd. Camp Randall will have nothing to do with what Wisconsin does for an encore in four days.
Next: at No. 13 Iowa, Sat. 2:30 p.m. ABC

5) Illinois (3-3, 1-2); LW, 6
Last week: lost at No. 13 Michigan State 26-6
Obviously, there is a Gabe Carimi-sized gap between the top four and the bottom seven in this conference. But if we’re evaluating the second tier, it’s worth pointing out the Fighting Illini don’t face another ranked opponent the rest of the way. An 8-4 finish is entirely possible for the Zooker.
Next: vs. Illinois, Sat. 11 a.m. BTN

6) Michigan (5-2, 1-2); LW, 5
Last week: lost vs. No. 15 Iowa 38-28
If there’s a Big Ten game the rest of the way I can’t wait to see (not including showdowns between any of the top four), it’s on the weekend preceding Thanksgiving, when Bret Bielema takes his boys to Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have been handing out wins like Baby Ruths on Halloween to conference opponents in Michigan Stadium, which has been a Big House of Horrors to Wisconsin.
Next: Idle

7) Penn State (3-3, 0-2); LW, 7
Last week: Idle
Since the rest of the conference is irrelevant, and there were no important games over the weekend, we’ll keep the rankings as is. For the optimists looking for possible threats to MSU’s perfect season - particularly if the Spartans escape Kinnick alive in two weeks - look no further than the season finale, when MSU has to deal with Happy Valley, never an easy place to win.
Next: at Minnesota, Sat. 11 a.m. ESPNU

8) Purdue (4-2, 2-0); LW, 8
Last week: won vs. Minnesota 28-17
Hey, don’t sleep on undefeated Purdue as Big Ten championship contenders! (Yeah, right.) If you’re keeping score at home, it was the Boilermakers who sent Tim Brewster on his merry way. It was a nice, balanced effort for Purdue’s offense, racking up just south of 400 yards.
Next: at No. 11 Ohio State, Sat. 11 a.m. BTN

9) Northwestern (5-1, 1-1); LW, 9
Last week: Idle
It’s a little baffling that Northwestern is the No. 1 team in the USA Today poll’s “receiving votes” portion. What exactly have the Wildcats done to inspire confidence? Was it the narrow escape act of a 1-point win at Minnesota, or the home loss to Purdue?
Next: vs. No. 8 Michigan State, Sat. 11 a.m. ESPN

10) Indiana (4-2, 0-2); LW, 10
Last week: won vs. Arkansas State 36-34
Hey, anytime you want two teams to combine for a 37-point fourth quarter, Indiana’s your team. Holding off Arkansas State for the win ... gotta love those Hoosiers and their non-conference scheduling.
Next: at Illinois, Sat. 11 a.m. BTN

11) Minnesota (1-6, 0-3); LW, 11
Last week: lost at Purdue 28-17
Here’s something to do with 15 seconds of spare time: imagine you were present in the NBC studios when Tony Dungy received a call investigating his interest in the Minnesota gig. Then imagine Dungy guffawing like Dom DeLuise in History of the World: Part I, and hanging up faster than you can say “Teach me how to Bucky”.
Next: vs. Penn State, Sat. 11 a.m. ESPNU

-AJ

Week 6 Big Ten Power Rankings

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WEEK 6 BIG TEN POWER RANKINGS
Aaron Brenner, BadgerNation.com alum

1) No. 2 Ohio State (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten); last week’s ranking, 1
Last week: def. Illinois 24-13
Hmmmm...did Ohio State show some vulnerability in Saturday’s win, which was closer than the final score intends? (The Buckeyes happened to score on a clock-bleeding drive in the final minutes, when it was still a 4-point game.) Don’t read too much into it. The increase in opponent quality was sure to affect Ohio State a tad, and this was Illinois’ (arguably) biggest game of the season.
Next: vs. Indiana, Sat. 11 a.m.

2) No. 15 Iowa (4-1, 1-0); LW, 2
Last week: def. No. 22 Penn State 24-3
Oh, hey, Adrian Clayborn, there you are. The top-ten draft candidate was invisible for most the pre-Big Ten slate, but punished PSU freshman Robert Bolden. Even though Clayborn college fantasy owners were getting restless due to lack of defensive stats (does anybody actually play college fantasy football with IDPs?), the Hawkeye defense has been consistently stellar once again in 2010. After the bye, a gauntlet awaits.
Next: Idle

3) No. 17 Michigan State (5-0, 1-0); LW, 3
Last week: def. No. 11 Wisconsin 34-24
My favorite reaction from the game in East Lansing was tweeted by Badger Herald alum Tom Ziemer: “Michigan State just outWisconsined Wisconsin.” That pretty much says it all. If the Spartans can bottle up that passion that has carried them to huge wins over Notre Dame and Wisconsin - and, you know, take it on the road, too - they’ll be BCS contenders this year.
Next: at No. 18 Michigan, Sat. 2:30 p.m.

4) No. 18 Michigan (5-0, 1-0); LW, 5
Last week: def. Indiana 42-35
Almost left the Badgers above Michigan, but early rumblings are Denard Robinson is the closest thing to a sure Heisman bet right now. The Indiana effort wasn’t pretty ... but, the point about OSU’s adjustment to better opponents resonates here.
Next: vs. No. 17 Michigan State, Sat. 2:30 p.m.

5) No. 20 Wisconsin (4-1, 0-1); LW, 4
Last week: lost to No. 24 Michigan State 34-24
Yes, Michigan State played with emotion for their hospital-stricken coach. But Wisconsin needs to get back to playing with that fire in their belly. If you think about it, through five games, you haven’t seen UW play with a real gusto, with the possible exception of the second half in Las Vegas. Two quarters out of 20? Not good.
Next: vs. Minnesota, 11 a.m.

6) Penn State (3-2, 0-1); LW, 6
Last week: lost to No. 17 Iowa 24-3
The record’s about right: beat three doormats at home, lose on the road to top-15 opponents in night games. But good teams score more than a field goal in each of those tests at Alabama and Iowa.
Next: vs. Illinois, Sat. 11 a.m.

7) Northwestern (5-0, 1-0); LW, 7
Last week: def. Minnesota 29-28
That point about adjusting, which served as excuses for Ohio State and Michigan? Doesn’t apply to Northwestern. The Wildcats have made things pretty interesting for themselves the past two weeks against poor opposition. They remain in this No. 7 slot only because there are seven decent teams in the conference. But they’re playing clearly below the level of the top group.
Next: vs. Purdue, Sat. 6:30 p.m.

8) Illinois (2-2, 0-1); LW, 8
Last week: lost to No. 2 Ohio State 24-13
So are the Illini worthy of consideration as a bowl contender? Their season has been fairly nondescript so far, though the Ohio State game has to serve as a confidence boost. But with road games in Happy Valley and East Lansing looming, Illinois could be behind the eight-ball quickly.
Next: at Penn State, Sat. 11 a.m.

9) Indiana (3-1, 0-1); LW, 9
Last week: lost to No. 20 Michigan 42-35
Boy, the Hoosiers better not look ahead to that Arkansas State showdown a week from Saturday. First they have to travel to Columbus. Indiana definitely doesn’t want to overlook its host.
Next: at No. 2 Ohio State, Sat. 11 a.m.

10) Purdue (2-2, 0-0); LW, 10
Last week: Idle
If the Boilermakers are going to make something interesting of their season, the time is now. October, to be specific. Three of Purdue’s first four conference games are on the road, but they include Northwestern, Minnesota and Illinois. Be on alert for an upset in Evanston this weekend.
Next: at Northwestern, Sat. 6:30 p.m.

11) Minnesota (1-4, 0-1); LW, 11
Last week: lost to Northwestern 29-28
Under big-mouthed Tim Brewster, Minnesota has lost nearly two-thirds of its games. How long will the Golden Gopher faithful put up with this? Helps that the Twinkies and the MLB playoffs are taking attention away from the most putrid team in the Big Ten.
Next: at No. 20 Wisconsin, Sat. 11 a.m.

Fun with College Football Announcers

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Sometimes, you see the most random individuals calling college football games. I think if you quarterbacked an NFL game at some point in time, you are automatically qualified to talk about college football. Somehow.

Let's take a peek at some of the on-air talent this weekend, shall'nt we? We shall.


24 Texas A&M @ Oklahoma State, 7:30

ESPN: Rece Davis, Craig James, Jesse Palmer, Jenn Brown

Jesse Palmer: wearing shirts four sizes too small on national television, Since 1998. Oh, and Jenn Brown? We call her Erin Andrews-in-Waiting. You know, hopefully without the peephole and ensuing skankfest on Dancing with the Stars.

Northwestern @ Minnesota, 12:00

ESPN: Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese

Hey, look at that: Brian Griese's all grows'd up, providing color commentary just like his dad. A sweet touch for the family, I'm sure. Now if only they would give him a real game to call.

Louisiana-Monroe @ 11 Auburn, 12:00

ESPNU: Clay Matvick, Herm Edwards, Elizabeth Moreau

YOU PLAY! TO WIN! THE GAME! Never knew Herm did college stuff too. This is what happens when there are approximately 685 college football games to televise each Saturday.

Alcorn State @ Mississippi State, 12:00

SEC Network: Bob Rathbun, Tim Couch, Jenn Hildreth

"The Alcorn State quarterback comes in with a boatload of hype, but hasn't seemed to live up to expecatations. Tim, what's your take on that?"

Vanderbilt @ Connecticut, 12:00

Big East Network: Mike Gleason, John Congemi, Eamon McAnaney


I just wanted to type Eamon McAnaney. Apparently, he's a former college lacrosse player at Notre Dame. Something about Notre Dame grads and TV seems to mesh.

Navy @ Air Force, 2:30

Versus: Joe Beninati, Kelly Stouffer, Lindsay Soto

Wisconsin fans recall this trio from the UNLV game. The two guys in the booth were nothing to write home about (for good or bad), but Lindsay Soto? As the kids would say, 'she gettin it done'.

19 Michigan @ Indiana, 3:30

ESPNU: Pam Ward, Danny Kanell

Add Mr. Kanell to the Undistinguished NFL Backup Quarterbacks Now Working On TV All-Stars

Florida International @ Pittsburgh, 3:30

ESPN3.com: Dave Popkin, Jeremy Bloom

The former CU standout who had to choose between football and skiing, it looks like Bloom is staying active in the football world. Good for the guy, who had to face those unfair decisions. One of the great examples of our time of guys getting NCAA'd.

UTEP @ New Mexico, 6:00

Mountain West: Bill Doleman, Reggie Rivers, Toby Christensen

See, now Rivers of an example of a football player who KNEW he wanted to be a journalist, even during his playing days for the Broncos. He's written columns for the old Rocky Mountain News, and anchors sports for CBS (KCNC) in Denver.

Georgia @ Colorado, 7:00

FSN: Joel Meyers, Joel Klatt, Jim Knox

I recall watching a CU game at Folsom a few years back when Klatt was providing color, and coming away impressed not only with his knowledge of the game, but his ability to put aside his bias - you know, since he's one of the Buffs' finest quarterbacks in recent memory. See? I can say nice things about the University of Colorado-Boulder. I'm all grows'd up. Like Brian Griese.

Texas Tech @ Iowa State, 7:00

FOX College Sports: Steve Physioc, Yogi Roth, Samantha Steele ----------------->

We dub Ms. Steele ... Erin Andrews-Also-In-Waiting.

Louisville @ Arkansas State, 7:00

ESPN3.com: BJ Schaben, Curt Warner

Thought he was on Dancing with the Stars!
(Kidding. Kidding. I know how to spell Kurt Worner's name.)

Marshall @ Southern Mississippi, 8:00

CBS College Sports: Roger Twibell, Mike Leach

Mike Leach has many names. One of them is NOT Erin Andrews-in-Waiting.

-AJ

The Dallas Cowgirls

ENOUGH!!!

All of you Cowboys sunshine pumpers on my facebook and twitter feeds need to shut up.

I know the Cowboys are my team, but for at least this season, we are done. I am going to take the next several minutes of your time to breakdown why the Cowboys are in fact doneskies. AJ, I'm sorry your Superbowl pick failed so miserably so quickly.

Here are three reasons the Cowboys are failing and will continue to tumble:

1) Jerry Jones continues to run this team into the ground.

Jerry Jones means well. He wants to win no matter what the cost. He is also a very loyal man. Ultimately that is what you want out of your owner. However, that is not what you want from your General Manager and unfortunately for Cowboys fans, he sits in both chairs.

Yes, we won three Superbowls with Jerry doing his thing. Most of that is because Jimmy Johnson was calling the shots and put together an unstoppable team. Jerry ran him out of town and a third Superbowl fell into Barry Switzer's lap when everyone stayed healthy and the Boys still had the core from the '92 & '93 teams. What has happened since then? One playoff win. Jerry buys the talent, but because of his ego and wanting to make all personnel decisions, the teams just haven't come together the way championship teams need to gel. He also has built the Cowboys into a brand, "America's Team," which only has made the target on their back even bigger. Thanks Jerry, the Cowboys now get the best punch from every team they play.

2. Jason Garrett is not a good offensive coordinator.

I mentioned Jerry is loyal, which is great as an owner, but not so much as a GM. For example, Jason Garrett called plays for a few games and was very good at it. Since he has basically been a Cowboy for life, Jerry decided to give Mr. Garrett a very, very nice raise and the position of "Assistant Head Coach." The problem here is that Jason Garrett is unimaginative, predictable and sometimes just downright stupid.
For example, in the opening game, there were several occasions when Romo threw a designed quick WR screen pass. The problem? Not only were these plays not to Miles Austin or Felix Jones (our explosive players) but some of them were to ROY WILLIAMS. It's fine if you want to try this play and see if it works, but to run it FIVE times in the first half and none of them gain any yardage, is just stupid. We didn't even mention that these plays were run against press coverage (the cornerbacks were playing only feet away from the WR's). In conclusion, Jason Garrett is not a good coordinator and the Cowboys won't be going anywhere but down with him at the helm. If you say otherwise, then well in the words of Lloyd Christmas "You are one pathetic loser."

3) The schedule is brutal

Before I get into the schedule, here is a generic statement that will define the season: The Cowboys did not get any better from last year, but overall the league improved. Think about the cupcakes from last year, the teams that you could circle a win. 5-11 and worse: Washington, Detroit, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Oakland, Kansas City. Only three of those teams has the same 0-2 record as your Cowboys and Detroit has looked much more impressive in their two losses (and should be 1-1). Yes St. Louis and Cleveland are pretty bad, but the Boys don't play them this year. Overall, there seems to have been a shift from bad teams to mediocre teams.

Lets break this thing down. Before I go game by game a few things to note. Last year the Cowboys had the benefit of playing the AFC West, an awful division and this year they got the AFC South in the draw. Also, last year they got the NFC South (went 4-0 against them) and this year they get the NFC North (already 0-1). Ruh Rowwww. That's not good. Let's go game by game.

At Houston: They have looked pretty potent through the air and judging by Cutler's performance Sunday, this looks like a tough win especially on the road. Loss.
Bye Week: Hey, they can't lose this week!
Vs Tennessee: Which Titans team shows up? The dominant team from week 1 or the team who can't beat a good defense in week 2? I'll give the Boys the benefit of the doubt just because they have two weeks to prepare. Win.
At Minnesota: Romo proved in week 1 that he needs time to throw and he won't in Minnesota. The Vikings are not THAT much worse than the team that crushed the Cowboys in January. Loss.
Vs NY Giants: I'm going with a split with all three NFC East teams. Let's just assume home wins and road losses. Win.
Vs Jacksonville: Could be the lone winning streak of the season. Win.
At Green Bay: Perhaps the Super Bowl Favorites on the road... Yikes. Loss.
At NY Giants: Loss.
Vs Detroit: Detroit has looked surprisingly good even without Stafford, but we have to win one game against the NFC North. Right?.... Right? Win.
Vs New Orleans: The Saints remember last year and the Cowboys ruining the perfect season. It will be a sad Turkey day in Dallas. Loss.
At Indianapolis: Never bet against Peyton on his turf. Back to back games against last year's Super Bowl teams is rough. Loss.
Vs Philadelphia: Going with the split here too. Win.
Vs Washington: Could this be win streak numero dos? Win.
At Arizona: They can win this game. Derek Anderson is not very good. Win.
At Philadelphia: Loss.

Add it up. That is 7-9. SEVEN AND NINE! Some notes:

I purposefully set it up this way: 2-2 vs AFC South, 1-3 vs NFC North (Already lost to the 2nd worst team in that division), 3-3 vs NFC East, and 1-1 outside of those divisions. I think I am being reasonable with this breakdown, but it is the NFL and we all know anything can happen on any week. Could Romo throw for 450 yards on the Colts and the Boys pull it out? Absolutely. Could the defense step it up and shut down Houston this week? Sure. But it could go the other way as well. Could the Lions pull the upset when Javhid Best goes nuts? Yup. Could McNabb pull off a miracle on our turf? Yes he could. That is why you give some flexibility to our schedule. So my conclusion of the day:

I predict 7-9 for the Dallas Cowboys this season and the firing of Wade Phillips. The ceiling for this year's team with this start is 9-7 and the basement is 5-11. Either way, this is not a playoff team. The schedule is just too brutal, playing against the best division in the NFC (north), PLUS playing the Saints and Colts... the playoffs are not going to happen.

So go ahead all of you Cowboys fans that are still forecasting sunshine and butterflies next February on the field in Arlington... what say you?

Stay Classy,

B-Dubs

Are you Feeling Kind of Sunday? NFL 2010 Predictions

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NFL MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Coach of the Year: John Harbaugh, Ravens
Fantasy MVP (LaDainian Tomlinson Memorial best player category): Ray Rice, Ravens
Fantasy MVP (Ray Rice/Miles Austin Memorial drafted in the teens rounds category): Devin Aromashodu, Bears

AFC Offensive Player of the Year: Ray Rice, Ravens
NFC Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
AFC Defensive Player of the Year: Tamba Hali, Chiefs
NFC Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis, 49ers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dez Bryant, Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons

Comeback Player of the Year: Brian Urlacher, Bears
Due for a Letdown: Chris Johnson, Titans
Currently unknown player who will be a household name by January: Jacoby Jones, Texans
Star player most likely to be linked to steroids in 2010: Jason Taylor, Jets
Current starting player who will not be an NFL player in 2011 (Brett Favre category): Brett Favre, Vikings. Let's try this one more time, Bretty-boy.
Current starting player who will not be an NFL player in 2011 (non-Brett Favre category): Well, I was gonna go Matt Leinart, Cardinals. But now, he's too easy. Let's say Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers

3 teams to make biggest jump in 2010: Titans, Dolphins, Bears
3 teams to make biggest fall in 2010: Cardinals, Chargers, Bengals
First team to change quarterbacks in 2010: Cardinals. Seriously? Derek Anderson? Seriously?
First team to fire coach in 2010: Jack Del Rio, Jaguars

Best Game of 2010 (divisional): Jets-Patriots, Week 13, Monday night. Redskins-Eagles, Week 4 as an honorable mention. (Obviously, Packers-Vikings games remain overhyped yet always exciting.)
Best Game of 2010 (in-conference): It's so soon, but I kind of like Vikings-Saints on Thursday night. Ravens-Jets to open Monday night is solid as well.
Best Game of 2010 (inter-conference): Steelers-Saints, Week 8. The last two Super Bowl champs? I'm in.
Worst Game of 2010: San Diego-Kansas City. Second straight year they send the Chargers to play one of the AFC West dregs to give Mike & Mike a Week 1 Monday nighter. More like Weak 1.

AFC East champ: New England Patriots
AFC North champ: Baltimore Ravens
AFC South champ: Indianapolis Colts
AFC West champ: Denver Broncos. 9 wins should be enough. You heard me.

NFC East champ: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North champ: Green Bay Packers
NFC South champ: Atlanta Falcons
NFC West champ: San Francisco 49ers. 6 wins should be enough.

AFC wild cards: New York Jets, Tennessee Titans
NFC wild cards: New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears
Best four teams to miss the playoffs: Dolphins, Vikings, Steelers, Giants
Who will be on the clock for the 2010 Draft No. 1 pick? Bills. Good group of running backs, and the defense isn't horrible, but man, what a monster division Buffalo plays in.

AFC Championship game: Baltimore Ravens beat New England Patriots
NFC Championship game: Dallas Cowboys beat Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl MVP: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Super Bowl XLIV champion:
Dallas 27, Baltimore 13

Preseason Big Ten Power Rankings

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1) Ohio State (11-2, 7-1 Big Ten in 2009)
The Terrelle Pryor for Heisman train has officially reached full speed, and he certainly is the catalyst to the Bucks’ season. If he doesn’t play up to the hype, Ohio State will stumble once or twice. If the kid’s as dominating a passer as he is a presence, the Buckeyes are headed back to the BCS championship game.

2) Iowa (11-2, 6-2)
In a player poll by ESPN the Mag, the Hawkeyes were voted the likely conference champion. The defense continues to be regarded as among the best in the nation, and while the Adrian Clayborn-led unit is stout, losing LBs Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds to the NFL should not be overlooked. An improved offense could make Iowa BCS-bound even if the Hawkeyes can’t catch the Buckeyes.

3) Wisconsin (10-3, 5-3)
A long time ago, a certain student beat writer said that 2010 was the year Wisconsin won the Big Ten because of quarterback play. Well, Pryor’s better than ever, and the guy who looked like the Badgers’ quarterback of the future is sidelined for perhaps the whole year. But while Curt Phillips’ time will have to wait, Scott Tolzien has blossomed. Factor in that John Clay fellow for a high-powered offense, but the defense must improve after losing O’Brien Schofield.

4) Michigan State (6-7, 4-4)
Put me down for a bounceback year in East Lansing. You figure the Spartans should stop the ball better than that, especially with Greg Jones around for what it seems like his eighth year. Michigan State doesn’t leave home until Oct. 9, but road games at Northwestern, Iowa and Penn State make a .500 Big Ten record seem distinctly possible.

5) Penn State (11-2, 6-2)
Talk of the demise of the Nittany Lions is trendy, what with Darryl Smith out the door and the ageless Joe Paterno figuring to lose his recruiting pitch with each passing year. But much like Bo Ryan’s basketballers, Penn State just finds a way every season to be strong, so it’s hard to imagine PSU slipping out of the upper half of the conference.

6) Northwestern (8-5, 5-3)
It seemed egregious to place the Wildcats in the top four in anything pertaining to athletics. But darnit, Northwestern might do it this year. The schedule stacks up for NU to potentially carry eight or nine wins into Camp Randall for the season finale on Turkey weekend.

7) Michigan (5-7, 1-7)
Well, Rich Rod’s gotta put a quality product on the field one of these years, right? With the cheating and all. Seriously, the Wolverines’ brutal schedule won’t let Michigan reach those old days of double-digit wins. But the first bowl game in the Rodriguez regime isn’t a stretch.

8) Illinois (3-9, 2-6)
Put me down for a bounceback year in Champaign. And yet, sadly, for the Illini, it doesn’t take much to bounce back from just three wins. Ron Zook’s seat is hotter than the fire sauce at Taco Bell, but a Bounty-soft home schedule - you know, after hosting Ohio State to open Big Ten play - should help ease UI to an increased win total.

9) Purdue (5-7, 4-4)
What rhymes with Brett Favre and transferred to Purdue this year? Robert Marve, who gets to throw to Keith Smith this year. Hey, how come Marve isn’t spelled Mavre? Seems like it would be the logical thing to do for a quarterback. Looks like the Miami transfer wants to cavre his own path.

10) Minnesota (6-7, 3-5)
Adam Weber really should be better than this. But with Eric Decker gone to the professional ranks, it looks like the best receiver on the team might be MarQueis Gray, Weber’s stocky backup. Tim Brewster talks a big game, but his squad doesn’t look quite up to the task.

11) Indiana (4-8, 1-7)
The program has never recovered from being stricken with tragedy in coach Terry Hoeppner’s death. Tandon Doss is an exciting wide receiver to watch, but there’s not much else to cheer in Bloomington.

Kenny Chesney - "Boys of Fall"

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Former colleague and fellow UW alum Eric Schmoldt posted this on his Wyoming blog last week, and with Week 1 of the high school football season beginning in a few days, I thought it'd be appropriate to follow his lead. This is an 8-minute video, but it is well worth your time, trust me, from beginning to end. I've never played a down of organized football, and now I wanna throw a uniform on too.

Kenny Chesney - The Boys of Fall (Official Music Video)Kenny Chesney

-AJ

Sportsman of the Month: July (not August. Duh.)

Sportsman of the Month: Kevin Durant

Pop quiz: Which organization allegedly received the financial benefits from LeBron James' one-hour ESPN special three weeks ago?

Quick! Which interviewer sat down with LeBron and asked him about 38 useless questions before asking him the only question that counted (where ya goin')?

Without hesitating, can you recite the exact words LeBron used to announce his Decision on where to play basketball for the next five years?

And one last pop quiz: what did Kevin Durant announce via Twitter on July 7, the day before LeBron's Decision?

Admit it. The answers to the first three questions sprung to mind automatically, in the same manner as "what is your birthday?" and "when's the last time the Cubs won the World Series?"

Admit this, too: you didn't immediately recognize that Kevin Durant signed a five-year extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's because Durant's TV special took exactly 60 minutes less than Lebron's, ahem, one-hour circus.

Put it this way, folks: type "LeBron James signs" into a Google search. Then try "Kevin Durant signs". One of them yields 23.8 million results. The other gives you a smidge over 600,000. Guess which one's which.

Now, I'm not saying I like my athletes to be bland, boring, excessively married to the norm. I miss the days when athletes could say and do as they pleased without getting ripped for showing a little color.

But LeBron's Decision was Decisively stupid. There's not much left to say at this point, obviously, but the way he left Cleveland was shameful. And addressing himself multiple times in the third person that night? A pity to see a wondeful athlete and affable personality tear down his good-guy persona in just one night.

That only serves to make Kevin Durant look that much better. A man whose talent gap from James is smaller than you think, and a man who has won the same amount of NBA Finals games as James, showed humility and loyalty with "The Tweet".

So good for Kevin Durant. If Carmelo Anthony makes the hard Decision to leave Denver in 2011, and if I'm forced to make the impossible Decision of divorcing the Nuggets, I think I know which bandwagon I'm jumping on.

-AJ