Football Betting Game

The Sports Betting Champ Review - Bonus Pack Included

2008-03-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

How many times have you gotten those so called "guaranteed winning picks" that normally only come out to be a horrible loss? How about being threatened for the wellness of your life? I've been there a couple times and it really doesn't feel good. How about you wake up everyday when you want, go on vacation whenever you want, or live the lifestyle you have always dreamed of? Maybe The Sports Betting Champ is right for you, or maybe not. Hopefully my Sports Betting Champ review will help you make an educated decision to change your life for the better...

My review of the Sports Betting Champ is designed to give you my personal experience with the system, give you adequate hands on information, and provide you with answers to the many questions I know you have. First off I'll start with the first question that comes to everyone's mind. Does this system actually work? The question is two fold for these reasons; with my experience the win rate is only about 90% not 97% and you HAVE to put the information given to work. The success rate varies for me because I like to choose games I know most likely won't win but I choose them because their my favorite teams. I know a lot of people will do this unless you have no interest in sports except to try and make money. The system DOES WORK if you put the information given to work. You have to study the information and understand what they are saying. The picks they give you are about 95% accurate from what I have seen so far. You may be reading the sales page thinking this looks like a get rich quick scheme. It could be if you read it that way but it's really a guide on how to make educated picks. It will make a difference in your betting and it will make a difference in your life. Out of 7 people I have recommended this product for 3 have quit their day jobs, 2 for whatever reason like their day job and just use the extra money but make enough to quit, and the other 2 make a steady amount of money but don't put enough effort into the system to make the results like I do.

Now let's review some other common questions that come to mind when stumbling upon the Sports Betting Champ. Can anyone become successful with the Sports Betting Champ? That is a definite YES!! I have followed college basketball since I was 10 and that was the only sports I kept up with. No baseball or football was watched on my tv. To this day since I got the Sports Betting Champ I constantly win on baseball and football games. Football is somewhat more tricky because it seems like upsets are more common. One of the people I have mentored isn't even a US citizen. He lives in England but still makes bets on games and he's one that has quit his day job. It's just ridiculous how much leverage this guide can give you over your life.

Alright, the last main question most people think about when reviewing the Sports Betting Champ is this a scam? To me it isn't but some would say yes. Who has bought something from any store, got it home and it didn't work properly? Did you say to yourself this thing is a scam and I'm going to tell everyone I know it's the most thing out there? Then you run into someone that picked out that same product and they really, really liked it? Well it's the same for things bought online. Some people have great results and some others don't, normally the people don't use the product to it's potential or don't believe in it when they buy it. Well it's the same way for this product just like any other. You put the resources to work and play it smart everything in your dreams will come in time. Some people can make this a "full time" job within the first month some it could take a year but the main thing is that it WILL make a drastic change in your lifestyle. You can make the choice to be average or exceptional. Will you make the right decision with the Sports Betting Champ?

I hope my Sports Betting Champ Review has provided good enough information for you to make an educated decision to get the Sports Betting Champ or not. Everyday the US economy weakens, will you take control of your future or let the politicians handle it for you?

Tips For Betting NFL Games Online

2008-03-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Are you an NFL junkie? Do you like betting on your favorite team? Then you should try NFL betting online. There are numerous sports books available online for you to choose from accepting wagers from all over the world. Just like many other ventures the advent of the internet has led to an explosion in the both the popularity and the numbers of online betting sites available to choose from.

Using an internet based sports book service offers those of us who love football much more than your local bookie is able to provide you. Some of the most important benefits are not having to wait on busy signals and not having to be concerned about collecting your money. Another great thing about betting online is that many of the sports books actually give you bonuses for opening an account plus player rewards offers.

Even more surprising and amazing is that the sports betting companies online actually give you fair money lines. So contrary to the local sharks who will try to screw you over because you are placing a bet on the local favorite or maybe because the are the only bookie available in your area, the online sports betting sites will give you better lines. The thing about online betting sites is that they have lots of competition so they know they have to be competitive to keep your business.

If you are really interested to know where exactly online you can bet on your favorite football team, consider the following sports books.

VIP Sports has long been considered as a major online sports betting portal by many sports betting enthusiasts. Maybe what sets VIP Sports apart from its counterparts is the fact that they are financially solid and is undoubtedly going to pay your winnings upon request. Aside from that, this sports betting site has a huge player base and is well-managed.

Today, VIP Sports offer signup bonus for their bettors. They also process deposits by way of allowing their customers to employ their checking accounts if they wish to consider instant transfer of funds.

Pinnacle Sportsbook is one of the best online sports betting books available on the internet. Here, you will find quick Neteller payouts and a long history online which has been appreciated by scores of players. Also, this NFL online sports betting site has a rock-solid reputation and they offer reduced juice betting options, making them as one of the worth visiting sports books to visit online.

Inside every angry green CGI behemoth, there's a superstar-in-

2008-02-21T20:56:00.000-08:00

THIS MAN IS GONNA BE HUGE

SO who's the star of $140m summer blockbuster The Hulk? A glance at the poster, the merchandise, the computer game or the dinky little plastic goblins free at Burger King strongly suggests that it's a not- so-jolly green giant, a musclebound behemoth who looks like Frankenstein's monster after intensive triathlon training. A glance at the credits, though, and heading a cast of experienced hands - grizzled Sam Elliott, even-more-grizzled Nick Nolte and Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly - is a Hollywood greenhorn: Eric Bana. A tall, lithe, likeable Aussie bloke, Bana plays Bruce Banner, a repressed brainiac who transforms into an enormous mute brute when he gets agitated.
THIS MAN IS GONNA BE HUGE

SO who's the star of $140m summer blockbuster The Hulk? A glance at the poster, the merchandise, the computer game or the dinky little plastic goblins free at Burger King strongly suggests that it's a not- so-jolly green giant, a musclebound behemoth who looks like Frankenstein's monster after intensive triathlon training. A glance at the credits, though, and heading a cast of experienced hands - grizzled Sam Elliott, even-more-grizzled Nick Nolte and Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly - is a Hollywood greenhorn: Eric Bana. A tall, lithe, likeable Aussie bloke, Bana plays Bruce Banner, a repressed brainiac who transforms into an enormous mute brute when he gets agitated.
Unfortunately, being an entirely computer-generated character, the Hulk doesn't do many interviews. So while it's his ugly green mug on the lunchboxes, it's left to Bana to take the promotional strain. And with The Hulk being the latest addition to the burgeoning genre of comic book-sourced movies (after recent hits Spider-Man, Daredevil and both X-Mens), there's been a media tsunami.

"I try to roll with it because you can't change it," he sighs. "I don't do movies back-to-back, so hopefully I can talk about each of them in an enthusiastic, fresh way because I have a genuine affection for them. But there does come a point where you start to go insane. The first day of the US junket, I did 65 television interviews, which is, quite literally, a form of torture. It would have been a quick solution to the war if they'd threatened Saddam Hussein with that from day one: if you don't reveal your weapons of mass destruction, you will be subjected to a US press junket."

And one of the questions that would come up all the time: what the hell is Ang Lee - the acclaimed auteur responsible for Eat Drink Man Woman, The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - doing directing a movie based on a Stan Lee comic book?

Bana can't answer that one, of course. Nor can he definitively say why Ang Lee cast him, virtually unknown in the US despite an excellent turn in Black Hawk Down, as the bottled-up Jekyll to a lumbering CGI Hyde. "I didn't test in the traditional sense," says Bana. But it's a good bet Ang saw his debut film performance Chopper in 2001, a biopic of charismatic Aussie sociopath Mark "Chopper" Read. In the movie, Bana - already famous in his native Australia as a sketch show comedian on TV - demonstrated his range by convincingly playing a violent bear of a man with a hair-trigger temper. Bana dominated the screen; attempting to control violent impulses but all too often unleashing them with horrific results. In short, maybe Ang liked him when he was angry.

But in The Hulk, Bana never actually gets to blow his top. His Banner - all tortured angst behind brown, millpool eyes - knows he's got something dangerous inside of him but doesn't dare open up, not even to his beautiful co-worker Betty Ross (played by Connelly). How do you approach that sort of internalised performance, especially when everyone who's read the comic or seen the successful 1970s TV series is sitting in the cinema eagerly waiting for you to flip out?

"It is intense and it's gruelling," he says. "Anxiety and that level of stress is a very difficult thing to do, it's not like you can come up with tools to fake that kind of stuff. It's taxing but at the end of each day, it feels like you've done a day's work. You don't feel like you've walked through it."

But wasn't it frustrating, working up to a point of Vesuvian anger but never getting that orgasmic release?

"I'd just go and wreck my trailer," he laughs. "In a way, it helped to just stay in that realm all the time and not be allowed out of it."

And the best things about the role - apart from the inevitable profile-raising? Well, Bana got to butt heads with his acting hero Nick Nolte, who plays his unhinged father with near-feral relish. Plus, the considerable amount of CGI scenes meant days off while his green alter-ego trashed tanks, grounded helicopters and tore up half of San Francisco. Bana gratefully spent this down-time with his wife Rebecca and their two young children, who'd relocated from their Melbourne home for the duration of the shoot.

Older dudes

2008-02-21T20:53:00.000-08:00

I am 56, an ex-triathlete and Green Beret, and new to bodybuilding. In 1991, I gave up triathlons after suffering a heart attack in a warm-up race for an Ironman event, and I had a second open-heart surgery in 1993. I stopped training and went from 150 pounds to more than 200 in the ensuing 12 years. With some dietary changes and workouts, I got down to 162 pounds. Finally, I made a heavy investment and put a complete free-weight gym in my basement, got a trainer and started lifting. FLEX, MUSCLE & FITNESS and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding became my daily reading material. In the course of 12 months of six-days-per-week workouts, I gained 15 pounds of lean muscle mass, but still struggle to gain the mass and definition I hoped to achieve. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on regarding supp
lements, but I can't get a straight answer.
Is there hope for a 56-year-old to get the size, strength and definition of a 30- or 40-year-old, or have I started too late? I look good and feel great, but small gains promote the desire for more. I find the "Brute Strength" program (March-August 2005 issues) extremely valuable. Lifting heavy for size is all relative to the strength one has, and gaining strength is why following the Brute Strength workouts and the right supplement and diet plan are so important to us older guys. There are many of us who want to be the best we can be, who work out hard and want to get the looks the young guys get when we are on vacation at a beach with our young wives (my wife works out five days a week in the free-weight basement, too).
CHARLES WILSON

CITY WITHHELD

Most of the same bodybuilding principles apply to everyone, regardless of age. However, you might find "The Over-35 Club" in the January 2005 issue useful. In addition, see our "A to Z of Supplements" guide in the August issue--each supplement is rated and explained.

English and a league of nations

2008-02-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

The temperature is set to soar along with the tension today as millions of fans ignore the summer sun and settle in a darkened room to watch the first England match.

After the dramas of Rooney's metatarsal, the Beckhams' party and rumours that the footballers' wives and girlfriends are locked in a game of competitive sleeping (after learning that sleep reduces wrinkles they are apparently trying to out-nap each other), the first game will finally begin. And it is not just the footballers who will reap the benefits of a victorious tournament.

Televisions are being sold at a rate of one every 40 seconds, sales of footballs are 226 per cent up on last year and one optimistic punter has bet pounds 200,000 on an England win.
The temperature is set to soar along with the tension today as millions of fans ignore the summer sun and settle in a darkened room to watch the first England match.

After the dramas of Rooney's metatarsal, the Beckhams' party and rumours that the footballers' wives and girlfriends are locked in a game of competitive sleeping (after learning that sleep reduces wrinkles they are apparently trying to out-nap each other), the first game will finally begin. And it is not just the footballers who will reap the benefits of a victorious tournament.

Televisions are being sold at a rate of one every 40 seconds, sales of footballs are 226 per cent up on last year and one optimistic punter has bet pounds 200,000 on an England win.

Layton and Sandy mayors make friendly prep wager

2008-02-19T23:56:00.000-08:00

Politics might be the game they play best, but Layton Mayor Steve Curtis and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan are betting they know at least enough about high school football to predict the winner of Friday's 5A state football championship.

"I'm an avid high school football fan," said Curtis who offered a friendly, but possibly humiliating wager, with Dolan on the outcome of the title game which pits Alta against Layton at 2:30 p.m. at Rice Eccles Stadium. "I'm also a very competitive person. Tom and I have been friends, so I just asked him if he'd like to bet on the game."

No, these public servants aren't breaking any gambling laws, but they might be offending the public in a different way if their respective schools don't come through for the city leaders.
Curtis' challenge was this: If Layton prevails against top- ranked Alta, Dolan would sing the Lancer fight song -- a cappella -- at the next Layton City Council meeting wearing a Lancer jersey. If Alta wins, Curtis would entertain the Sandy City Council with the Hawks' fight song in red and black.

"I'm not a very good singer," Curtis admits. "But then, I don't expect to lose."

Asked if he knew the Lancer fight song, he said, "Well, I know the tune, but not the words. But then, Tom's the one who's got to sing it."

Dolan is equally confident in the Hawks.

"I haven't got a clue," he said when asked if he knew the words to the Alta fight song. Like Curtis, he said that won't matter once the Hawks take the field.

"I'm expecting to win," he said.

Dolan is a veteran at these friendly political wagers. He had a similar bet with Taylorsville Mayor Russ Wall last spring on the state baseball championship, which Jordan won. He said the Sandy City Council invites each team that wins a championship to a meeting where a resolution honoring them is read. That, he said, might be the perfect time for a musical number.

"It's fun for us," Dolan said. "It's fun if we win; it's fun if we lose. It's not as much fun for the players. We just agreed to make fools of ourselves to have a little fun ... I'm used to winning though."

Curtis said it's just one more way city officials can support their prep teams.

"I love the game," he said. "I love sports. It's a way of connecting with the community."

Curtis informed Layton head coach Jim Batchelor of his wager, while Dolan said Alta coach Les Hamilton wasn't aware of what was riding on the game -- beside Hawk pride, of course.

"No, I didn't tell anyone," Dolan said. "They don't need any added pressure."

Sports Betting Articles

2007-06-19T02:46:00.000-07:00

We have received a very positive response to our Money Management Series. As suspected, most recreational gamblers know very little about proper money management. Today, in Part 4 of this series, we want to discuss selectivity. Most of you will be very surprised at what we are about to write, as it is contrary to popular belief. It may even ruffle the feathers of certain professionals that preach selectivity.

Question, would you rather win 60% betting a very select few games or win 54% betting many more games.

Most amateurs would say 60% is better and some professionals would agree. To us, it depends on what the main objective is. If the main objective is to have a pretty winning percentage and minimize risk, then playing a limited amount of games and picking 60% is better. However, that is not our objective and we doubt it is the objective of most gamblers.

The main objective for serious players is to win the most amount of money. It is certainly what we are in it for, as we bet on sports for a living! We depend on it to feed our children and put roofs over our head. We advise all of our clients to play the same way we do, because that is the only way we know how.

You are probably wondering what the hell we are talking about. How can 54% make more money than 60%? It is actually very straightforward.

Let us present a very simple illustration of a very complex concept. Many other factors could serve to further prove this point, such as the accelerated % of bankroll theory, etc. Unfortunately, it would take pages and pages to demonstrate. For now, let us illustrate the main theory.

Handicapper A bets 100 games at $100 per bet. He wins 60 and loses 40, which means he is picking 60% winners. 60 wins multiplied by $100 equals $6000 in gross winnings. 40 losses multiplied by $110 equals $4400 in gross losses. $6000 in wins minus $4400 in losses equals a net profit of $1600.

Handicapper B bets 1000 games at $100 per bet. He wins 540 and loses 460, which means he is picking 54% winners. 540 wins multiplied by $100 equals $54,000 in gross winnings. 460 losses multiplied by $110 equals $50,600 in gross losses. $54,000 in wins minus $50,600 in losses equals a net profit of $3,400.

Handicapper B more than doubled the profit of handicapper A. If you compound these profits with the percentage of bankroll system we advise, Handicapper B ends up making more than triple that of Handicapper A.

The down side is, when you are on a cold streak you can take a beating. This is one of the reasons we advise a small percentage of bankroll per bet (refer to previous Money Management Part 1). So what does this all mean?

To us, it means we will bet any game that has a higher than 52.3% (break even point with 10% vig) chance of winning. If you pass up on a game that is a 54% winning proposition in the name of selectivity, you are leaving money on the table.

Certainly, the more bets you make, the more money at risk. If you are adverse to risk, then sports betting all together may not be the best investment for you. For those, we would advise a money market account, US Treasury bonds or a CD. However, if you are serious about bottom line profit betting on sports, selectivity doesn�t pay.

Tips for football betting

2007-06-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

How depressingly gray would be a world where everything is governed by a set of universal rules rigorously shaping everything? Isn’t it better if we strike back with a chance to confound the tweed coated straight laced brigade and weave a little exotic odds into life that are not really approved of. It is precisely this change that inspires even the most sober of us to risk a couple of quid. But the art of a successful competition is to not only create a game that has a real chance of success for the entry stake, but allows us to lose that stake without significant damage to our ongoing lifestyle. Placing bets on football matches using various tips and tactics helps us achieve this motive.

In this article we shall thus discuss about the major tips and tactics that help us make the best of our money. Football betting is not like the other traditional casino games. Those games are games of chance where the house always has a built-in edge. Football betting is different in that you can choose which games to wager on and which games to pass on. By only betting on games that have a positive expected return and passing on games that have negative expected return, the football betting enthusiast can thus turn the tables on the sports book and put himself in the position to always have the edge.

Basic knowledge of sports handicapping is required
Football betting requires a basic knowledge of sports handicapping. You need to understand what goes into determining the spread and how to arrive at an educated guess at the game outcome. Football handicapping is part science and part art. The best football handicappers not only know how to analyze the statistics, they also have an instinct gained from years of experience. To acquire these skills and instincts the punter needs to do handicapping for him self using picks and recommendations from other bettors as simply a starting point.

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information
Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information. You are attempting to predict the future. You do that by looking at what has happened in the past, which is where statistics are useful, and by looking at the current situation, which is where the latest news is critical.

However one should always remember that even the best handicappers are rarely right more than 58% of the time. Our goal should be to win more than 50% of the bets.

How depressingly gray would be a world where everything is governed by a set of universal rules rigorously shaping everything? Isn’t it better if we strike back with a chance to confound the tweed coated straight laced brigade and weave a little exotic odds into life that are not really approved of. It is precisely this change that inspires even the most sober of us to risk a couple of quid. But the art of a successful competition is to not only create a game that has a real chance of success for the entry stake, but allows us to lose that stake without significant damage to our ongoing lifestyle. Placing bets on football matches using various tips and tactics helps us achieve this motive.

In this article we shall thus discuss about the major tips and tactics that help us make the best of our money. Football betting is not like the other traditional casino games. Those games are games of chance where the house always has a built-in edge. Football betting is different in that you can choose which games to wager on and which games to pass on. By only betting on games that have a positive expected return and passing on games that have negative expected return, the football betting enthusiast can thus turn the tables on the sports book and put himself in the position to always have the edge.

Basic knowledge of sports handicapping is required
Football betting requires a basic knowledge of sports handicapping. You need to understand what goes into determining the spread and how to arrive at an educated guess at the game outcome. Football handicapping is part science and part art. The best football handicappers not only know how to analyze the statistics, they also have an instinct gained from years of experience. To acquire these skills and instincts the punter needs to do handicapping for him self using picks and recommendations from other bettors as simply a starting point.

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information
Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information. You are attempting to predict the future. You do that by looking at what has happened in the past, which is where statistics are useful, and by looking at the current situation, which is where the latest news is critical.

However one should always remember that even the best handicappers are rarely right more than 58% of the time. Our goal should be to win more than 50% of the bets.

Football: Betting plunge on Peterhead match

2007-06-18T06:29:00.001-07:00

The money came pouring in, both in high street chains and on betting exchanges, for Peterhead to beat Forfar this afternoon in the Scottish Second Division. Typically such fixtures would attract a few thousand pounds, or even figures in the low hundreds. But by 8.30pm last night, pounds 187,000 had been staked by punters on the Betfair exchange alone. Of this, pounds 185,000 had beenbeton Peterhead to win the game.

To put this in context, by the same stage last night, today's high-profile lunchtime game in the Premiership - Bolton Wanderers against Liverpool - had attracted pounds 77,000 from Betfair punters, while pounds 71,000 had been bet on Charlton v Arsenal and pounds 7,000 on Sheffield United v Middlesbrough.

By any standards, the gamble on Peterhead, backed down from just under evens to 1/2 by late last night, was huge.

One credible explanation for the rush of money on Peterhead is that Forfar are in the midst of such a debilitating injury crisis that their manager, George Shaw, has had to list himself as a trial- ist to make up the numbers. Forfar are second bottom of the division and Peterhead only one place higher, but such is the lack of manpower at the former that punters evidently believe the game is a gimme.

Fantasy Football

2007-06-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

McCardell is playing great, but I already have Gates, and I don't like starting them both. I'm betting that McCardell will cool off in a couple of weeks. And Lewis has stunk so far.

On the other hand, Brown is decent and RW could be a nice insurance policy. Or MIA could start a run by committee mid-season. Fitzgerald suffers from an unstable QB situation.

What should I do?

Gene Wang: The man? Hardly, but thanks for the props. The trade sounds like a great chance for you to bolster your lineup. I generally am against starting two players (especially receivers) from the same team. You're hamstriging yourself by starting two receivers (or in this case a receiver and TE) from the same team because only one can catch a TD on any given play. I know Fitz has QB problems, but I still believe Denny Green can get that offense going in the right direction.

Football: FA quiz Redknapp over alleged pounds 16m 'betting sting

2007-06-08T04:07:00.000-07:00

Harry Redknapp, the Portsmouth manager, yesterday faced the Football Association hierarchy who are looking into an alleged pounds 16m betting sting.

Redknapp met with the FA's compliance department in a secret session at their London headquarters. It is understood the department asked Redknapp to produce phone records and bank statements covering the period last year when he left Southampton for their rivals in the wake of heavy betting activity.

Last night, senior FA sources said they wanted to stop illegal betting in the game. It was stressed that Redknapp, 59, was not being accused of insider dealing but was being given a chance to prove his innocence for good
An FA source said: "We're not accusing Harry of anything but there is a very easy way to resolve this, which is for him to produce all his phone and bank records to put clear water between himself and the betting activity at the time."

It is understood the pounds 1m-a-year manager was officially warned that failure to comply with the demand could lead to the ultimate punishment of suspension from his job. The FA started an investigation into a possible betting scam following heavy betting on Redknapp to become Portsmouth's manager while still in charge at Southampton. While pounds 16.7m was traded on the betting exchange Betfair, that figure was slightly misleading because of the "churn" that occurs on betting exchanges. In fact, punters betting on Redknapp moving to Portsmouth actually won only pounds 864,000, but this was still deemed to be a significant and irregular amount for such a market.

Football: Betting plunge on Peterhead match

2007-06-08T04:03:00.000-07:00

One of the most incredible gambles in recent football history was under way last night as an unprecedented amount of cash was wagered on one of today's minor Scottish games. This prompted initial fears in gambling industry circles that a fix was on the cards.

The money came pouring in, both in high street chains and on betting exchanges, for Peterhead to beat Forfar this afternoon in the Scottish Second Division. Typically such fixtures would attract a few thousand pounds, or even figures in the low hundreds. But by 8.30pm last night, pounds 187,000 had been staked by punters on the Betfair exchange alone. Of this, pounds 185,000 had beenbeton Peterhead to win the game.
To put this in context, by the same stage last night, today's high-profile lunchtime game in the Premiership - Bolton Wanderers against Liverpool - had attracted pounds 77,000 from Betfair punters, while pounds 71,000 had been bet on Charlton v Arsenal and pounds 7,000 on Sheffield United v Middlesbrough.

By any standards, the gamble on Peterhead, backed down from just under evens to 1/2 by late last night, was huge.

One credible explanation for the rush of money on Peterhead is that Forfar are in the midst of such a debilitating injury crisis that their manager, George Shaw, has had to list himself as a trial- ist to make up the numbers. Forfar are second bottom of the division and Peterhead only one place higher, but such is the lack of manpower at the former that punters evidently believe the game is a gimme.

The Whackiest Trick Play in Youth Football

2007-05-26T03:20:00.002-07:00

In youth football sometimes we do things for the long term benefit of the team that may have minimal short term benefits.

One of these things may be the trick plays we add to our football playbook near the end of every season. We will often put in a trick play or two in the last third of the season just to keep the kids interest levels high and to use as carrots for meeting certain football practice goals. We all know the kids get into a groove as the season progresses, which is good, but it can also get monotonous and crush a bit of the enthusiasm we like our teams to have. Adding a trick play in at this point in the season, whether it works or not, or even if you just run it once, is probably the wise thing to do.

You may have seen a “trick” play on the entry highlights of your DVDs that is not in the playbook part of the book. At the clinics I do, I always play a highlight reel before we start and during breaks. That play always seems to get even veteran coaches giggling and pointing.

Here is how we run that goofy football play that the kids love and beg for, the "flap-jack pass". It is a play we borrowed from Jeff Bayeral from the Menominee High School Frosh team:

Lining up in our traditional double tight set we snap to the fullback for what appears to be another fullback wedge play, our blocking back at the snap turns his back to the line of scrimmage and as the fullback passes the blocking back on his way to the line, the fullback hands the ball off to the blocking back. The fullback continues on a fake and plunges into the line. The blocking back once he gets control of the ball stays with his back to the line of scrimmage and just flings the football with 2 bands blindly over his back, end over end and with a fairly high arc. The receiver is a waiting left end that has run about an 8 yard slant. Since the “pass” is blind it needs to have a bit of an arc on it so the left end can run under it, as the pass is rarely right on target. The offensive line just forms a wedge but does not take the wedge downfield. We run this in goal line situations where the other team is expecting a wedge type play and the safety is playing up.

In 2006 we ran this play 4 times and completed 3, they were all extra point plays in games we had well in hand. The kids and parents were all smiles. Most trick plays have lost their uniqueness, they have been done and redone. The flap jack pass is one I really doubt ANYONE in your league will have seen before and unless they are playing your team, will not see again. Here is another youth football teams version of the play: flap jack pass. I have yet to figure out how to upload my own clips to youtube, sorry guys, our kids look better, you will just have to take my word for it if you don't have my DVDs yet.

While I’m not a huge fan of trick plays in youth football, this one served it’s purpose for our team. We do have 2 trick kickoff returns we will run to get a quick turnaround in games, the entire momentum of games often changes with big special teams plays right after scores. While we have trailed in just 6 games in the last 6 years and have not got to use these returns often, of the 12 or so times we have run these returns in the last 6 years, we scored on 5 of them.

This has been another post into Dave Cisar's Winning Youth Football Site Copyright 2007 Cisar Management Services Reprint is allowed if the resource box and links are kept intact.

For more cool youth football plays click here: Football Plays

Dave Cisar- Dave has developed a detailed systematic approach to developing youth players and teams that has enabled his personal teams to win 97% of their games in 5 Different Leagues at all levels and age groups while retaining 90% of his kids.

The Secret to Beating Teams That Are More Athletic Than Your Team in Youth Football

2007-05-26T03:20:00.001-07:00

Playing in Space is the key term.

We aren't talking about playing football on the moon, zero gravity would make us all have to rethink the game quite a bit. "In Space" means playing with distance between your players and the other team. If your team is bigger and more athletic and can handle the other teams players one on one, you want space, it is your friend. However, if you don't have bigger and better athletes than the other team, space is your enemy.

Playing "In space" means just what it says, putting your players with space in-between them and the opposition. If your team is made up of faster, bigger and more athletic kids, they will dominate in one on one match-ups. That’s why you see teams with lots of big fast receivers do very well in the “spread” offenses where they isolate weaker defenders out very wide versus these dominant receivers, of course you have to have a QB that can throw it in these cases. If that stud receiver can just get the ball “in space” he will have a chance to score in most cases.

On the other hand, most youth football teams do not have the player truly dominates the league. Most of us are blessed with just an average group of kids and some of us will have that odd grouping of kids that is just smaller and less athletic than the teams we face. In these cases you want to have as little space as possible between your kids and the opposition.

Just think about your tackling drills, when you have a tackling drill run in close quarters, lets say a 1 yard square box, most of your even non-athletic kids can often make the tackle. But turn that tackling drill into an open field tackling drill of a 20 yard by 20 yard square, how many of your less athletic kids can now make a tackle in that drill? The same is true for blocking; very athletic kids can make blocks “in space” less athletic kids can’t.

Less athletic teams nearly always perform better if they tighten their line splits down, double team block and pull to have overwhelming numbers at the point of attack. Less athletic teams need to run traps and other close quarter running plays like the wedge in order to keep more athletic teams at bay. The less athletic teams need to run lots of misdirection to keep the defense moving away from the play, while they run it between the tackles. The spinner series in kryptonite to the supermen on these squads. There are just some plays that make NO SENSE against teams like this, sweeps, drop back passes, deep reverses, these will be negative yardage plays.

The good news is with the Single Wing Offense, less athletic teams can compete with very athletic teams. Often called “football in a phone booth” the spinners and traps keep the very athletic teams from flowing hard to your base plays. The double team blocks, wedges and pulling give your team numbers advantages at the point of attack so even smaller or weaker linemen can have success. The tight splits, misdirection and pulling linemen help even very average backs to put up big numbers with this offense.

In 2002 we had a very average sized back named J.A. with average speed. For our age 8-10 team he weighed 81 pounds and when we ran our eval races he was about 6th out of 25 kids. J.A. was a very obedient player, he was a patient runner, he always kept his legs moving and was always looking for an opening, but nothing special. In 2002 he played Fullback for us and ran just 2 plays that year, wedge and trap. He scored 31 TDs for us on FB wedge plays alone, of course we had a very weak backfield that year and he got a lot of carries. Had we had the spinner series in he would have done even better.

As to beating bigger or more athletic teams: In 2003 my age 8-10 team from Omaha was undefeated in league and put up some very gaudy numbers. We scored at will, went 11-0 and won our league title game 46-12 after leading 46-0 in the third quarter. We went on to beat two league champions from other leagues that were age 11-12. In 2004 I started a new program in rural Nebraska in an area where the existing youth program had won something like 4-5 total games in 5 years before I got here. The first year there we had all rookie players with the exception of 2-3 bench-warming castoffs from the other team in town. We had just one player over 100lbs at age 8-10. Slowly but surely we improved each week and by seasons end we started looking pretty good. We played a very big and fast Inner-city team from Lincoln that year the Salvation Army. They had not lost a game in 3 years, we were out-manned, outsized and had less speed, but beat them in a nail biter by a single TD in route to an 11-0 season.

Our biggest win in an extreme overmatch with in 2005 verses the Omaha Select Black. That age 8-10 team chose from over 150 kids, had at least 5 kids over 150 lbs and had not lost in 3 years in Omaha's “select” league. They were a very aggressive Inner-city team with plenty of speed and confidence. I on the other hand had just the 25 country kids that showed up, not cuts or selects and plenty of younger kids on it. To make a long story short, we had this team by 4 TDS in the first half and could have named the score. Needless to say that team, their parents and our parents for that matter were shocked. The good thing is with this offense you can compete with anyone, the bad news is once you do it’s hard to get extra out of league games. Big Inner-city teams like the North Omaha Boys Club will not even play us on their home fields, it is embarrassing getting beat by much smaller and slower teams, they have turned me down twice in the last 2 years for extra games that we both had open dates at seasons end.

The Single Wing does offer some flexibility if you do have that stud player that you want to isolate “In space”. We added the mesh series in 2005 to accommodate a player we thought would make sense to put “in space”. When we went against weaker opponents the “mesh” series worked very well, no one could handle our stud. When we played against equal or lesser competition we had to move back to our tight splits base offense to move the ball consistently.

Coaching Youth Football - Lessons Learned from Other Sports

2007-05-26T03:16:00.000-07:00

Lessons Learned From Other Sports

Some lessons learned in coaching youth football have really helped me in coaching other sports I know very little about.

In 2002 the Screaming Eagles Youth Football Program decided we would start a baseball program. The problem was I had not coached baseball before and over 90% of our kids had never put a glove on, as baseball popularity has declined dramatically in the inner-city.

Since we had been able to completely turn around our football program from the bottom of the league to the top via intensive coach training and developing a system with heavy research, I decided to do the same for baseball:

My experience with baseball was non-existent as a coach. I had played only up to my Junior year of High School and was just average on a very good day. I felt my little expertise on the subject was minimal and I had no authority or credibility to impose a new system on the entire Screaming Eagle program. The baseball “program” I was putting in place was for my personal team only.

Started the project like any other, doing research on the videos and books available to teach youth baseball coaches. I bought a tape by Marty Shupack on baseball practice organization. I went to the local indoor baseball practice facility and bought a few books and tapes that were all specifically targeted to youth coaches. I asked around and found out who the best coaches were that won consistelntly. Many of them practice at an indoor practice facility, so I went and watched a few of the top youth teams teams getting their year round instruction inside.

I then sought out advice from the best youth baseball coaches in the area. If you are going to learn from someone, why not go right to the guy that has had the most success? Here in Omaha that is a guy by the name of Bill Olsen. Coach Olsen has coached National Championship teams at the Youth Level. He is an accomplished High School coach and he was also an assistant coach on one of the USA Pan American Games and Olympic teams. Coach Olsen knows his stuff and has a passion for developing youth baseball players and he loves teaching coaches how to teach players.

I was fortunate enough to attend 4 large clinics Coach Olsen put on, and while I had played 9 years of organized competitive baseball, I found out:

1) I knew nothing about coaching baseball
2) My previous baseball coaches didn’t know anything either, I had been shortchanged as a player.

I was committed not to let the same thing happen to these kids.
Coach Olsen showed us proper fundamentals, but more importantly how to break down and teach each movement. He gave us many detailed progressions to teach proper hitting, fielding, throwing and even pitching. I was amazed to see how his methods paralleled how we taught our kids how to play youth football.

I then observed several of the best “select” and rec level coaches while they were running their practices. I learned how to teach the movements and how to shave tons of time off my practices. Back in the days that I played, batting practice consisted of 1 player hitting while 11 players shagged balls in the field, how boring. Rarely were any coaching points imparted, we were supposed to be getting better by “practicing. I learned how to get much more done in far less time. I also got a chance to observe Mike Evans running some practices of his own, Mike has taken several Pacesetter "Select" teams to Youth National Championships and now coaches a Junior College team. I learned some real neat games from him that keep the kids interest, just like the fun team building and evaluation drills we do for our youth football teams.

To make a long story short, I developed a plan and implemented it based on the expertise of these men, not what I had known from my own experiences. My first team could have been described as the “Land Of Misfit Toys” from the “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” movie. Our first few practices most of the kids had to be shown how to put a glove on and about 1/3 of the kids didn’t even have gloves, they were HORRIBLE. I went down to the Salvation Army Store and bought some used gloves, oiled them up and had them ready for the second practice. The kids kept coming and we got better each practice as we very slowly made progress to our goal. Just as in youth football, we worked on the critical success factors, nothing else, no wasted time or movement. We used many of the tricks we use in football like progressions, “ready focus”, group instruction,fit and freeze, limited live scrimmaging, player contracts, discipline model etc etc Using Coach Olsens ideas and what I saw on the videos, we were able to get each player 16 minutes of batting practice in every 2 hour practice we had. We didn’t even hit “live” until week 3 as we did lots of “hitting” instruction and drills with no bats and no balls, then going to Tees, then to soft-toss and then to hitting the ball attached to the stiff 5' pole apparatus that hurts my wrists so much.

We didn’t “scrimmage” or do lots of live infield and outfield, we did lots of drills without balls and ball to bucket drills. We didn’t play catch, it would have been a total waste of time ( playing fetch,not catch) we worked on frozen throwing mechanic (yes, fit and freeze) drills. I just did everything 100% as Bill Olsen suggested. We went into our first game not knowing how to play the game terribly well but we were making real good progress on the fundamentals. We ended up winning that game and all 14 games we played that year, to EVERYONES surprise. Every single one of my kids was hitting the ball, even the very overweight 190 pound defensive tackle that in the first practice missed about every ball hitting from a tee! We would consistently have 1-2-3 innings etc on defense. In the next two years I stayed at this age level as this original group moved up on on to other teams. The next year my team won all 12 of our games and the following year we won all 14 again, three years as the dominant team in the league without a loss at this age group and we switched leagues one year to a Little League that consistently produced State Champions. We never played in any big tournaments as we did not have the funds unfortunately to do so and we generally took a much lower key approach to baseball as we did football. Baseball to us was just "filler" until football season came around.

The moral of the story is; priorities are important, progression teaching of the most minute fundamental detail is important for every sport, "scrimmaging” is overrated and great practice organization using time saving tricks is critical. Taking some time to learn from the experts allowed me to teach the kids properly so they could have more fun. Just like in football, the kids have more fun if they don't lose every game, in baseball they aren't having much fun either if they never get a hit or lose every game too. The sad thing was we were so much better than the other teams each of the three years I coached that we could have actually played up an age group and competed. Many of the coaches that I coached against went to the same Bill Olsen clinic I did, but I could tell during warm ups that they were not doing what Coach Olsen suggested they do in warmups, or how they held their gloves, or how their infielders got in their stance or how their hitters got into their stance. Either these coaches were asleep while Coach Olsen was speaking, or they just decided to do it their own "better" way. I decided to do it Coach Olsens way and if it didn't work then I would do more research and make changes. In my opinion these youth coaches really shortchanged their players, ours were so more fundamentally sound, it looked like we were practicing 5 days a week when in reality we were practicing far less than any team in the league and most of the other teams had kids with experience on their teams.

Go watch other teams practice in your sport, go to clinics that teach youth topics, ask a very successful coach to be your mentor, most are thrilled that someone cares enough to want to learn and thinks highly enough of them to want to learn from them. Your kids will benefit in the end, coaching is coaching no matter the sport.

For more free coaching tips and a copy of Dave's free newsletter stop here: Coaching Youth Football

This has been another post into Dave Cisar's Winning Youth Football Site Copyright 2007 Cisar Mangement Services Republishing of this article is allowed if the resource box and links are left intact.

Dave Cisar- Dave has developed a detailed systematic approach to developing youth players and teams that has enabled his personal teams to win 97% of their games in 5 Different Leagues at all levels and age groups while retaining 90% of his kids.

College Football Notebook

2007-03-05T01:22:00.001-08:00

I've been called many things over 22 years in this business but I've NEVER been called a BCS expert. In all honesty, just who would WANT to be known as one? That being said, we're stuck with the BCS determining college football's national title game matchup and most people are a little nervous these days, as almost EVERYONE is anticipating a Texas/USC or USC/Texas (whichever way you prefer) showdown in this year's Rose Bowl.

The first BCS standings were released on October 17 and there were rumors that while USC would be No. 1, consensus No. 2 in the polls Texas, could find itself behind Va Tech in the standings. Those fears were unfounded, as USC and Texas were a solid one-two in the first BCS standings. I pause here for a moment to remind everyone that since the BCS' inception in 1998, the two teams ranked first and second in the initial standings of the year, have NEVER met in the BCS' season-ending title game!

Moving on, the second BCS standings were released this past Monday. In somewhat of a surprise, USC fell to No. 2 with Texas moving up to the number one spot. The margin of .0007, was the closest-ever between the first two spots in the standings history. USC owns the nation's longest winning streak at 29 games (Texas has the second-best streak at just 14!), has been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll for 26 consecutive polls (an all-time record) and is the two-time defending national champion but now finds itself at No. 2!

For USC fans, it's not as bad as is sounds. USC is comfortably ahead of No. 3 Va Tech and remember, No. 2 is just as good as No. 1 in this 'game', as they both advance to the Rose Bowl. Actually, Texas, which has no more ranked teams on its remaining schedule, is in greater danger of falling out of one the top two spots than USC. The Trojans still have Cal (No. 23 in the BCS), Fresno State (unranked in the BCS but 22nd in the AP and 24 in the coaches' poll) and UCLA (No. 9 in the BCS) on their schedule.

Currently, Va Tech is in the "dreaded" No. 3 spot (see USC in 2003 and Auburn in 2004). However, the Hokies play Boston College (BCS No. 12) Thursday night plus still have Miami-Fl (No. 8 in the BCS) and a likely ACC title-game showdown on tap with Florida State on December 3 (No. 11 in the BCS), to boost their computer rankings. Currently, there are SIX unbeatens remaining in college football and it's possible that the year could end with as many as four.

Either USC or UCLA has to lose when those teams meet on December 3 and assuming Georgia and Alabama were to remain unbeaten through the end of the regular season, the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide would meet in the SEC title game, dropping one or the other from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Speaking of unbeatens, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, UCLA, USC and Va Tech are all 7-0. However, only Texas is a perfect 7-0 ATS. The teams combined ATS mark is 26-16, or 61.9 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, FOUR Division I-A schools enter this weekend's action winless. The list includes Buffalo (0-7), New Mexico State (0-7), Rice (0-6) and Temple (0-8). Of those four, only Rice, at 0-6 ATS, is also winless against the points! The combined ATS mark of the four winless schools is 11-17 or 39.3 percent.

Here's an interesting fact. You have often heard me and others refer to the pointspread as the "great equalizer." Here's why? The six unbeatens naturally have a winning percentage of 1.000 and the four winless teams naturally are at .000. However, you'll notice that when you compare the two groups' SU winning percentage versus their ATS percentages, here's what you get. The unbeatens' ATS percentage is .619, a difference of .381. As for the winless teams. the difference between their SU and ATS winning percentage is .393. Pretty darn close!

Before leaving this discussion of unbeatens and winless teams, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention both Duke and Purdue (although I'm sure those schools would rather I didn't!). While Texas is the nation's ONLY perfect ATS school, Rice is not the nation's only winless ATS school. Joining the Owls are Duke and Purdue. The Blue Devils are 1-7 SU but 0-7 ATS, beating only VMI in a non-lined game. As for the Boilermakers, they are 2-5 SU but 0-7 ATS, as they won but did not cover against Akron and Arizona to open the year, before losing their last five games both SU and ATS!

How are those new head coaches doing?

In one of may many preseason articles, I mentioned that 23 of the nation's 119 Division I-A schools (almost 20 percent!) would open the 2005 season with a different head coach than they had finished with in 2004. Are most of the schools better for the change? I won't waste time listing each school's individual record but alphabetically from BYU to Western Michigan, the 23 schools that changed head coaches for the 2005 year went a collective 114-149 (.433) in 2004 with an ATS record of 117-138-2 (.459). Heading into this weekend's action, those 23 schools are a combined 70-91 SU (.435) and 66-88-1 ATS (.429).

If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? While the overall numbers are pretty similar from last year to this year, here are seven schools that have surely noticed a change, either good or bad.

Skip Holtz has East Carolina at 3-3 SU and 5-1 ATS, after the Pirates went 2-9 SU and 5-6 ATS in 2004 (ECU was a combined 3-20 in '04 and '03). Hal Mumme brought his supposed "Air Raid" offense to Las Cruces but the Aggies of New Mexico State are averaging just 14.3 PPG and are 0-7 SU and 2-5 ATS after going 5-6 (6-5) in 2004. Mike Gundy took over at Oklahoma State and the Cowboys are 3-4 SU (wins have come over I-AA Montana State, Fla Atlantic and Ark St) and 1-5 ATS, following a 7-5 (7-5) 2004.

Greg Robinson got his first head coaching job, after 30 years in the business, at Syracuse this year. However, his mid-season report card is not good, as the Orange are 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS after going 6-6 (8-4) in Paul Pasqualoni's final year (had 11 winning seasons in 14 years at Syracuse!).Utah set the college football world on its ear in 2004, becoming the first non-BCS conference school to get a BCS bowl bid and finished 12-0 (10-2 ATS). However, Urban Meyer left for Florida (where he's a disappointing 5-2 SU and 3-4 ATS) with former DC Kyle Whittingham taking over for the Utes and going just 4-4 and a pathetic 1-7 ATS so far in 2005. Things are looking up in Kalamazoo these days (try writing that with a straight face!), as Bill Cubit in his first year as a Division I-A head coach, has the Broncos 4-3 SU and 2-4 ATS after the school finished 2004 at 1-10 (3-7).

I haven't forgotten about Charlie Weis and Notre Dame, I just left them until last. Weis, with none of his own recruits, took over an offense that had finished 108th in the nation in total offense in 2002, 90th in 2003 and 81st in 2004. After seven games of the 2005 season, Notre Dame is 8th in total offense (492.7 YPG), 12th in scoring (37.9 PPG) and 5-2 SU (6-1 ATS). After going 6-6 SU and ATS in 2004 plus 5-7 SU (4-8) in 2003, Weis has the Irish ranked 9th in the latest AP poll, 10th in the latest coaches' poll and 15th (?) in the latest BCS standings. He's got a QB (Brady Quinn) that's breaking Notre Dame passing records on a weekly basis and would be the Heisman front-runner if not for two guys from USC and a QB from Texas named Young. Most importantly, he's got the Irish in line for a BCS bowl bid, if he can win-out.

College Football: A Tale Of Two Drews

2007-03-05T01:21:00.002-08:00

It was the best of picks, it was the worst of picks.

Wait, no. It was just the best of picks.

I had Washington State over UCLA getting six points at home last week, and things looked pretty sweet early in the fourth quarter, with the Cougars up 38-21. Then the Bruins went crazy and sent the game to OT. Did I mention I got six points? On my knees begging for a field goal, pleading against a push, the gambling gods rewarded me when the amazing Maurice Drew countered a Washington State field goal with a one-yard TD plunge. UCLA wins, Washington State covers, and I change underpants.

So why am I turning things around and taking UCLA this week?

I mean, hey, didn't Oregon State, UCLA's opponent this week, actually kind of crush Wazzou three weeks ago? If Washington State's good enough to take the Bruins to OT, by the tenets of cyclical logic the Beavers should upset the Bruins outright this Saturday night in L.A., right? Well, wrong. I guess no one really believes that thought pattern. Following that logic, there's probably some Six-Degrees-Of-Kevin-Bacon by which USC should lose to Montclair High School. But my point is: Oregon State is better than Washington State, UCLA struggled against Washington State, so shouldn't Oregon State present an even bigger challenge?

Maybe. The dominant storyline in this game will be the return of QB Matt Moore to the Rose Bowl, where just a couple years ago he was fighting with Bruin QB Drew Olson to be UCLA's quarterback. When Olson won the competition over his then-roommate, Moore transferred to Oregon State, where he's throwing for nearly 300 a game under coach Mike Riley. He'll have plenty of motivation, and plenty of crowd noise, in the 90,000-seat amphitheater.

The thing is: Washington State was just a terrific matchup against UCLA, because of RB Jerome Harrison, whose 260 yards against the Bruins last week put him over 1,000 for the season in only six games. UCLA's run defense is, in a word, pitiful. As in: fourth-worst in the entire NCAA. And this is an undefeated team? Eesh. However, Oregon State makes its living through the air. Yvenson Bernard is a fine little back, but he's neither as fast nor as quick as Harrison. I'm sure he'll have a good game Saturday. I just don't think he's plastering 260 on the Bruins. And the fact is: UCLA's pass defense is actually pretty good, giving up under 190 yards through the air per game. Of course, part of that is teams don't need to throw against a run defense this bad, but again I say, running is not what the Beavers are set up to do.

The other side of the ball is a bigger mismatch. The Bruins like to throw, throw, and throw, mixing it up with third-best-back-in-the-greater-Los-Angeles-area Maurice Drew, who's got 11 TDs already this season. UCLA averages nearly 275 yards per game through the air, and Oregon State is the second worst team in the nation defending the pass, allowing 331 ypg. That's a recipe for disaster against Karl Dorrell's fling-and-wing offense. I'm still not a believer that UCLA is anywhere near national-title-contender status, but this week represents a good matchup for them, and they've got a lot of haters after the lackluster win in Pullman. I'm taking UCLA (-9.5) over Oregon State, and expecting one heck of a high score. But the Bruins will get untracked early, Olson will outdo his former roommate, and Drew will score a few more times. U-C-L-A! Fight! Fight! Fight!

College Football's Heart-Stoppers

2007-03-05T01:21:00.001-08:00

When it's bad, college football can really suck. But when it's good...oh boy.

Last weekend, it was very, very good. I have two TVs in my living room, side-by-side, and in the span of about 15 minutes, Wisconsin won their ridiculous game over Minnesota thanks primarily to a blocked punt, Michigan topped Penn State's gutsy drive with one of their own (aided by two phantom seconds added to the Big House clock) and Matt Leinart somehow got the clock stopped when he fumbled out of bounds (it's not supposed to do that) and made his QB sneak into history, helping Southern Cal overcome a nation's worth of Irish rooters in the best football game I remember seeing this century.

Wow.

Add to that Alabama's clutch drive against Ole Miss leading to a game-winning field goal with no time left, West Virginia's tackling of Louisville QB Brian Brohm just outside the goal line, stopping what would've been a tying two-point conversion in that game's third overtime, and UCLA's outrageous comeback on Washington State, including a third-and-three from the Wazzou nine with precious little time on the clock, whereupon the Bruins scored the tying TD and sent the game into OT. No, my crummy cable company didn't let me see all those games (though I did get the Tide and some of the Mountaineers), but all I can tell you is this: whenever your know-it-all brainiac friend with the pocket protector and mounds of statistics about how big-time intercollegiate athletics are leeches on the forehead of American universities, think back to last Saturday, remember play after play of pulse-pounding excitement that only sports can consistently give, and offer your friend a winsome smile.

He just wouldn't understand.

The White Sox are in their first World Series in 46 years. How does that play in the handicapping world? Are a lot of bettors (including you) on that bandwagon? What were the odds on them winning the AL before the season started? Do you find them to be an appealing team to root for?

Rob Gillespie, BoDog.ws: Not really. I think bettors were shocked to see the Yankees and Red Sox out so fast and were playing wait and see. On the year, the White Sox got no love from bettors. They opened at 35/1 last fall and moved as high as 50/1 in the offseason. Their fast start drew a couple of large bets but bettors never really showed support in any numbers. I don't find the team itself particularly appealing, but its tough not to like Ozzie Guillen and the way he has his team play.

Assuming the Astros win one of the next three NLCS games, who do you like between them and the White Sox in the World Series? Do you expect the world to care, or will this be one of those Series that no one watches?

RG, BoDog.ws: Pujols hits a clutch monster Home Run Monday night, the Colts come back from 17 down early to destroy the hapless looking Rams and all anyone is talking about at the water cooler today is USC/Notre Dame. I think this will be the World Series time forgot if you live outside of Texas or Illinois. I'll take the White Sox starters and rested bullpen and say Chicago in 5. Just guessing here of course!

How about that USC/Notre Dame game? Boy, was that an Instant Classic, or what? How did Vegas do on that one, and what were your impressions of the Trojans. Are they going to win the national championship?

RG, BoDog.ws: Action was so balanced on that one that we got to be true fans for a game, and what a game. I stood in front of my TV and applauded at the end. I wonder how the Houston Texans would fare against either team right now? That was an instant classic for sure. I would worry about a letdown next week if wasn't Washington up next on their sched. USC has not played championship caliber ball in the first half of their last three games and they will give Cal and UCLA shots to beat them if they don't get that sorted out quickly.

In the NFL, is New England in serious, serious trouble, or do you expect them to get healthy and make another run?

RG, BoDog.ws: I put my back out once. The most surprising thing was how much other muscles hurt from having to compensate. I think the same is true of the Pats right now. The more that bench gets stretched, the more guys are going to get banged up. They have the mental make-up to recover quickly but there may not be enough time left in the season to physically recover given how good the AFC looks this year. Bruschi's return is likely to give a small emotional lift, but I don't think he will make enough physical difference to stop the bleeding. The bye week will help as well. Buff/Ind/@Mia the next three games: winning two is a must if they want to get back to the Super Bowl; winning all three would show they are still the team to beat; losing two or more of those and it's time to build for next year.

Top Football Stadiums in College

2007-03-05T01:20:00.001-08:00

Sports are a big part of college life. From the drunkards that attend to the students there to show support for their team and school, football can bring out the best or worst in people. For those who love to watch more than just the NFL, here are a few of the top stadiums colleges have to offer.

The top stadium belongs to Texas A&M. Kyle field, is more than just a stadium, it’s an experience. The fans here support their team so much that they stand during the entire game, except when the opposing band plays at halftime. For the lovers out there, fans continuously make out every time the team scores. And last but not least, Kyle field is home of the 12th man. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the game without having to actually endure the bone crushing tackles?

When it comes to home field advantage no stadium can compare to Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium. Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., doesn't blow people away by the brute strength of a massive stadium, but with knowledgeable that can drown out the noise of an aircraft. Every good stadium has at least one end designed for deafening noise levels and the enclosed South End Zone at Lane Stadium fits the bill perfectly. Holding more than 11,000 screaming Virginia Tech fans, the section amplifies noise and renders audibles useless. That's not to mention the isolation factor. With the nearest major airport nearly 45 minutes away, opponents' fans are never out in force at Lane Stadium.

Neyland Stadium home of the Tennessee Vols has a style of its own. For starters there’s the checkerboard end zone. Not many teams have gotten creative enough to think of something like this. Next there the fight song of the Vols. With the crowd constantly chanting it, any new fan will know the words by the end of the game. Some nice attractions of the stadium include the Tennessee River, where fans arrive by boat and tailgate hours before kickoff and hours after the game. On the other side is The Hill, the historic center of UT’s old campus. Rising above it all are the Smoky Mountains, a perfect scenic backdrop for a fall Saturday afternoon. For the fans who love a nice view of things other than the game this is the place for you.

Fourth is Notre Dame Stadium the home of the fighting Irish. At this stadium you’ll find a little bit of heaven. Within waking distance of the field are great structures such as the Golden Dome, the Grotto, the Basilica of Sacred Heart, and Hesburgh library which features ‘Touchdown Jesus’ on its side. Notre Dame Stadium was expanded to accommodate fans who couldn’t get tickets. The school has sold out every game but one since 1964. The only non-sellout over that time was a Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force in 1973 when students weren’t on campus. The fans also show their dedication by holding rousing pep rallies on Friday nights. Isn’t this the type of crowd you’d like to be around while watching an intense game?

And finally Florida Field, home of the Gators comes in fifth. Various renovations over the years have contributed to an 83,000-seat configuration unlike your typical bowl. The first level is underground and both end zones are enclosed. There’s no buffer from the field to the stands which is less than ten feet in some areas, which creates a sense of fans on top of the field and players. The North end zone Touchdown Terrace is deafening for opponents, adding an advantage for the Gators. The players go nuts, but the fans are worse. Between the screaming and the hollering fans can barley hear the person next to them and that’s before kickoff. So if you’re a fan who loves to be nasty and noisy this is the stadium for you.

The Minnesota Vikings Are Playing Touch Football

2007-03-05T01:19:00.002-08:00

It’s taken me all week to recover from the beating the Vikings took last Sunday. I’ve also been at a loss for words and that’s saying a lot for me. So what’s wrong with the Vikings? Everything but I narrowed it down to what they might be thinking.

Maybe Vikings players believe that they’re in a touch football league. In touch football you are extremely limited in the physical contact that you can make with an opposing player. That’s how I believe the Mike Tice led Offensive Line is playing. They’re too afraid to make contact with the an opposing player.

I also believe that their defense thinks along the same lines. In the touch football games that I played in, you had to make a two handed touch on the opposing players body. The way the Vikings are playing and tackling, they’re probably not aware that in the NFL you must tackle the opposing player. Mike Tice’s led Minnesota Vikings are pathetic.

ESPN.com thought that the Vikings were a legitimate contender to win the Super Bowl because they got rid of Randy Moss. They thought the Vikings would be more focused on team effort. We named ESPN.com our dummy of the week because of that thinking (you can visit our dummy of the week at www.itstherightway.com/dummy.html). ESPN.com seems to have been all hype and no substance when it came to the Vikings.

We knew the Vikings would be awful this year without Randy Moss. They may be a focused team but they’re a team that plays together terribly. They are collectively pathetic.

There are three positive aspects to the season so far. They are:

1) The Vikings are about to play their best game of the year and have their best chance of coming up with a victory. The reason is that they’re entering their bye week and won’t be facing an NFL team this Sunday. They may have a team scrimmage and some part of their team may win.

2) The Vikings play in the worst division in the NFL. The combined amount of victories for the division is a whopping 3 games. The division's record is 3 wins and 11 losses. We believe if the Vikings can win six to seven games then they can win the division and make the playoffs. That’s a complete joke.

3) The Packers have a worse record then the Vikings. They have the worst record in the division. At 0-4 the Pack look like melted cheese out on the field. This puts a huge smile on Vikings fans faces.

The only thing that I’m certain about this year is that this has been the worst four games that I’ve ever seen. There has been a complete break-down from top to bottom. Something drastic needs to be done and done quickly.

Teach Your Football Wide Receivers to Get Open and Score Points In Bunches

2007-03-05T01:19:00.001-08:00

Your passing game starts with the ability of your football wide receivers to get separation from their defenders. It doesn't matter if you have the greatest quarterback in the world if his receivers can't give him a window to throw to.

The first step is to teach your wide receivers how to get off the line. If the defenders are pressing and bumping at the line, the receiver must know how to beat the pressure. Begin by teaching fakes. The most basic is the "head bob". This is where the football wide receiver moves his head to one side while getting his body moving straight or to the other side. A good shoulder fake can spice this move up.

Since defensive backs will eventually pick up on a repeated fake, teach your receivers to mix things up with double-fakes (fake one way, then the other, then move beyond the defensive back).

Football wide receivers must also be taught how to use their hands to gain separation. Teach the "rip" and "swim" techniques. If cutting left, teach them to use the right arm to "rip" up through the cornerback's arms. For the "swim" technique, teach your wide receivers to bring the inside arm up and over the corner's arms to knock the arms downward.

Once off the line, good route running is obviously an important skill to develop. One way to help your football wide receivers get open is to have them run hard to a specific spot, get control (possibly use a fake here) and make the cut. Plant the foot away from the direction of the cut, make the cut and then accelerate into the cut. Teach your players the importance of getting the defensive back moving backwards and then cutting away from them.

Besides the straight line charge, you can also have your football receivers use an S-shape weave to get open. Have them run quickly at the defensive back to get close, then "curve" around him to gain separation.

Against man-to-man coverage, learning the art of good cuts and making those cuts at the right time will be extremely important to the success of your wide receivers. Against zone coverage, it's a bit different. Since the defensive backs are defending an area, the football receivers won't need to use their fakes quite as much since they just need to find the holes in the zone.

One often over-looked area where you can give your players an advantage is in your scouting of the opposition. Don't underestimate the importance of exploiting how your players match up to the other guys. Figure out how you can game-plan how to get your best or fastest receiver matched up against the opposition's weakest or slowest defensive back.

Teach your football wide receivers the correct fundamentals for getting open, game-plan your match ups effectively, then sit back and feel the satisfaction of watching a beautifully executed big play win the game for your players.

Planning a Football Party

2007-03-05T01:17:00.002-08:00

When fall comes and football is in full force women around the country begin to use the phrase football widow. I can attest to a few Saturdays and Sundays where the TV in our home is going all day and my husband is glued to his favorite chair.

After our first football season together where his team was 15-1, I decided to start hosting football parties. This way I can see my friends while he can watch the game.

Here are some simple steps to making Saturday and Sunday as fun for the rest of the family as it is for the men.

Pull the dinning room and kitchen table to the living room. This way you can set up a buffet that is in the room where the TV is. By doing this you are not creating competition between the kitchen or dinning room and the living room.

Then dig out the silver. I have found that this is a great venue to satisfy my desire to use my grandmothers silver while living a beer and chip life style. Use the punch bowl filled with ice to chill soda and beer. Use the serving trays for homemade hoagies and pesto pizza squares. Then serve dessert on silver plates using the silverware for this one course.

Prepare early. Have all the food cooked and served before the games begin. This way you can sit back and socialize while your guests are watching the game.

Serve all the food in a buffet style. Place plates and cups along side bottle openers and napkins. This allows guests can serve themselves.

Keep a recycle bin and garbage bin close at hand so that your guests can find them without having to venture too far from the game.

Then sit back and relax. When you join in the fun by planning a party your family and friends will no longer use the dreaded phrase football widow.

Listen Up: It's Football Season Again!

2007-03-05T01:17:00.001-08:00

It's starting to get a bit chillier outside and the sun is setting earlier. This can only mean one thing. Football season is upon us again. As the New England Patriots embark on an historic attempt to win three consecutive Super Bowls, every other team in the league is gunning to take them down. The Philadelphia Eagles are hungry to the championship having been to four consecutive NFC championship games. And the AFC is stacked with several teams who would love to dethrone the Patriots including the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders with new addition Randy Moss. And in the world of college football it's up to everyone to see if they can upset vaunted USC from their throne and prevent another team from winning three straight titles.

Let's face it. You love football. But sometimes sports talk radio gets a little tiresome. So if you're looking to learn a little more about the game you love why not check out some football audio books and podcasts? It's a great way to gain a great understanding of the history and intricacies of the game.

Why not start your football audio odyssey with "Namath" a biography of Joe Namath, one of the sports' most colorful characters. Follow "Broadway Joe" his childhood, collegiate career and the Super Bowl III victory where Namath infamously guaranteed victory. Namath was a trend-setter both on and off the football field and his story is truly an amazing one.

Another interesting looking title is "The Junction Boys". This is the story of Paul "Bear" Bryant's 1-9 Texas A & M team of 1994. If this title sounds familiar it's likely because this book provided the inspiration for an ESPN movie bearing the same name.

Interested in learning more about some of the game's most vaunted coaches? Try taking this trifecta of audiobooks on for size. "When Pride Still Mattered" is the story of Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers. "Bootlegger's Boy" by Bud Shrake is the story of Barry Switzer, the outspoken former coach of the Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys. "Paterno By the Book" wanders from football but is insightful nonetheless as would be expected from one of college football's winningest coaches.

Round out your football knowledge by learning more about fantasy football from a trio of new podcasts. Regardless of whether you're a hardcore fantasy football with a half-dozen teams or simply a newbie who belongs to the local office league, you'll be able to gain the edge on your competitors by listening to The Fantasy Football Guys Podcast, The Football Fantasyland Podcast and THE Fantasy Football Podcast.

The best part of all of these football titles is that they can be listened to on your way to work or while you're on the treadmill burning off all those calories you ate last Sunday when you were watching…football. Happy listening!

Tips on Making Beautiful Floral Arrangements

2007-03-05T01:16:00.001-08:00

Do you have your own flower garden and would like to make some use of it? Are you fond of crafts and do it your self decorative projects? Would you like to make some homemade floral arrangements to further accent your home or to give away as gifts? If this sounds like you, then please read on for some tips on making beautiful floral arrangements.

To start your floral arrangements, you will first need something to put your flowers in. Get a vase or some other container that is decorative and also holds water. Before you start your floral arrangements, you may want to consider further decorating the vase or container by spraying it with gold or bronze spray paint. Let it dry for 24 hours and then spray on a coat of clear enamel spray. This will give your arrangement a more decorative feel.

Next, you need a base for your floral arrangements. The base is used for the flowers to have something to anchor to. You can use a ball of willow branches, grapevine, or floral foam that you can buy at a local craft store. The floral foam is called Oasis. If you use Oasis, be sure to soak it in water and poke holes in it with a pen before you put flowers it so that it doesn't break the stems.

When cutting flowers for floral arrangements, try to do so early in the day or morning. This is because the stems have more water in them at this point of the day and the flowers are not drooping. Be sure to only use cold water in the flower arrangement because warm water tends to make the flowers open up too soon and not last as long.

If you want your flowers to last longer, you can places apple and lemon wedges in the water at the bottom of the floral arrangements. The apples have nutrients that will help feed the flowers, while the lemons prevent premature rotting and browning. It also adds a more decorative touch to your flower arrangements.

When designing your flower arrangements, try to pick colors that go with the environment the arrangement will be placed in. First use taller flowers to create the vertical part of the arrangement. Then use full blooming flowers with bright and bold colors for the center and sides of the floral arrangements. Then fill in the small gaps with tiny flowers.

Those were some great tips on making beautiful floral arrangements. If you use all of these tips in conjunction with each other, you are sure to have a long lasting floral arrangement. With a little practice, you can be well on your way to having beautiful floral arrangements that rival those found in floral shops!

The Beautifull Game Called Football

2007-03-05T01:15:00.002-08:00

The football equivalent of the Oscars swept into London on Tuesday as the first ever FIFpro awards were announced in front of renowned stars from the worlds of sport, music, screen and even our very own Marc Duffy (but the legality of how the ticket was gain is still under suspicion!)

Over 38,000 players from 40 countries representing FIFpro were involved in voting, with 55 players short listed in the end. After a night of great entertainment, including awards for Ronaldinho (world player of year), Wayne Rooney (young player of the year) and Cristiano Ronaldo (young player of the year as voted by fans) the World XI was announced as:

GK: NELSON DIDA (Brazil/AC Milan

DF: CAFU (Brazil/AC Milan

DF: ALESSANDRO NESTA (Italy/AC Milan

DF: JOHN TERRY (England/Chelsea)

DF: PAOLO MALDINI (Italy/AC Milan

MF: RONALDINHO (Brazil/Barcelona

MF: FRANK LAMPARD (England/Chelsea)

MF: CLAUDE MAKELELE (France/Chelsea)

MF: ZINEDINE ZIDANE (France/Chelsea

FC: SAMUEL ETO’O (Cameroon/Barcelona)

FC: ANDREI SHEVCHENKO (Ukraine/AC Milan

But really do we care about the ‘official’ team? A team that has that has 5 players over 30, with a combined age of 168? A team with a certain Zinedine Zidane, who in truth, had an ordinary season for Real Madrid? Of course we don’t because there’s only one ‘official’ team that matters and that’s the Bootroom XI, voted by you, the SI public. So without further ado in association with Sports Interactive The Bootroom proudly presents YOUR World XI.

Note: The players in each position have been listed in ascending order i.e. Terry was the most voted for defender

GK- PETR CECH (Czech Republic/Chelsea): The best goalie in the Premiership, if not the world. In his first season in England not only did he pick up his first championship medal, Cech also set a run of 1024 minutes without conceding a goal, a new English top flight record. Fewest goals conceded and most clean sheets last season not only won him the Barclays Golden Gloves for '04/'05 but also the number one shirt in you World XI.

DF- JOHN TERRY (England/Chelsea): José Mourinho has dubbed him 'the best centre-back in the world' and who could argue? After lifting both the League Cup and Premiership title, world class display at the back saw Terry also Voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. England’s defeat to Northern Ireland just proved how much the England defense missed Terry’s leadership and organization, adding more claim that he is the best centre-back in the world.

DF- CARLES PUYOL SAFORCADA (Spain/Barcelona): On the 2nd October 1999 Puyol made his first team debut, and ever since then has made the right side of defense his own. A player that always gives his all, this season has seen Puyol linked to a move to the Premiership with both Manchester United and Arsenal the leading candidates. Only 27, Puyol is entering his prime which could see him, one day lead both club and country.

DF- ALESSANDRO NESTA (Italy/AC Milan): One of the five players that appears in both the FIFpro and The Bootroom World XI. Capped over 60 times for his country Nesta is a typical Italian defender, hard to get pass and comfortable on the ball. In his first season with AC Milan he won the Coppa Italia, Champions League and European Super Cup and was very unlucky to collect a runners up medal in the defeat to Liverpool

DF- GABRIEL HEINZE (Argentina/Manchester United): A £6.9 million signing from PSG, Heinze won over both fans and pundits with his tough tackling and 100% commitment to the task. Picking up the Fans player of the year for United a nasty injury against Villarreal, sees the left-back out for the rest of the season, a massive blow for Alex Ferguson’s team.

MF- RONALDINHO (Brazil/Barcelona): The third player to be voted in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. What can you say about Ronaldo de Assis Moreira that hasn’t been said? A 27 million Euro signing from PSG, the little Brazilian has tricked his way through the best defenses in La Liga and on the International stage. Ronaldinho can sit his FIFpro world player of the year award next to his FIFA world player of the year award and his La Liga Championship medal, both won last year.

MF- STEVEN GERRARD (England/Liverpool): Gerrard help lift Liverpool’s fifth European Cup with an inspirational performance in Istanbul last season and that’s why he’s been picked in your World XI. With nearly 300 games under his belt for Liverpool Gerrard has lifted the League cup (twice), FA Cup and UEFA Cup in his seven years in the first team. A driving force for Liverpool, when Gerrard is on top of his game he is quite unstoppable.

MF- FRANK LAMPARD (England/Chelsea): The fourth player that appears in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. Winning Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association, Barclay’s player of the year and Player of the Year by fans on the PFA website just shows what kind of season Frank Lampard Jnr had. A £11 million signing from West Ham, a lot of fans and pundits were bemused as why Chelsea were fork out so much for an over-weight and over-rated player. But four years on Lampard has become an established part of the team scoring important goals from midfield.

MF- KAKA (Brazil/Ac Milan): The 23 year old really shined this season with a brilliant first half performance against Liverpool in the Champion’s League Final. Signing from São Paulo FC in 2003, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite scored 10 goals in 30 appearances winning the Italian Serie A Championship and the European Super Cup in his first season. Kaka’s best position is just behind the striker where his killer passing and arriving late in the box has quickly become his trademark.

FC- ADRIANO (Brazil/Inter Milan): A must signing for all players of Football Manager, Adriano Leite Ribeiro showed what a class striker he is with an impressive 15 goals in 16 appearances last season. A powerful and very skillful striker who seems to have been around for ages, Adriano is still only 23 and has an incredible future in front of him

FC- ANDREI SHEVCHENKO: (Ukraine/AC Milan): The last player to be picked in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. Signing for $26 million from Dynamo Kyiv, Shevchenko will go down as one of the best strikers to grace Serie A. In December 2004, Shevchenko was named European Footballer of the Year after scoring the winning penalty against Juventus in the Champions League final in 2003. Shevchenko can score goals with both feet, is graced with great close control and pace that often leaves defenders for dead.

National Football League Rookies - Top 5 Rookies in the National Football League in 2005

2007-03-05T01:15:00.001-08:00

Every year in the National Football League there are rookies that come out and make an impact on the league. Some of these rookies are one year wonders, while others turn out to be some of the brightest stars in the league.

So which rookies have the brightest future in the National Football League?

The list below states the top 5 rookies in the National Football League who have the best chance to help their teams for years to come.

5. Braylon Edwards – WR - Cleveland Browns

Braylon Edwards has shown in his short stint in the NFL that he has big play ability. Through 2 games, Edwards is averaging 24.6 Yards per catch, and already has an 80 yard TD catch on his belt. Edwards has the size, at 6-3, and the speed, 4.45 in the 40 yard dash, to be an excellent receiver in the NFL. To be really noticed though, he may need to get out of Cleveland. Edwards is not going to make it big time with Trent Dilfer throwing him the ball.

4. Mark Clayton – WR - Baltimore Ravens

Mark Clayton has performed well enough through only 2 weeks, that he has been named as a starting wideout for week 3. Clayton has made 7 catches as a backup through 2 weeks, and has shown the type of ability that made him the 22nd pick in the draft. He is very dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, and has shown that he is an outstanding all-around receiver (excellent blocker as well). The same goes for Clayton as it went for Edwards though, he needs to get in a high-scoring offense for him to make it big time.

3. Derrick Johnson – LB – Kansas City Chiefs

Derrick Johnson has been flat-out outstanding to start out his NFL career. He currently leads the team in tackles with 17 (15 of them solo), and has helped Kansas City reform the look of their defense. He has already forced one fumble, and if continues this level of play, he could be a large reason that the Chiefs go far in the playoffs this year. Johnson is a speed linebacker, and is excellent in pass coverage. Expect Johnson to get some nods as rookie of the year if he is able to continue his tremendous play.

2. Kyle Orton – QB – Chicago Bears

Kyle Orton started off the preseason as the Chicago Bears 3rd string quarterback, behind incumbents, Rex Grossman and Chad Hutchinson. Not only is Kyle Orton now the starting quarterback, but has shown enough promise for people to start questioning whether he will ever relinquish the job to Rex Grossman. Orton has come out with poise and precision, and has helped the Bears develop into a force in the Central division. Orton looks the real deal, and despite his slow feet, has shown that he has the arm strength and accuracy to be an excellent NFL quarterback.

1. Carnell Williams – RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Through 2 games Carnell Williams has rushed for 276 yards, a 5.4 average, and 2 TDS. The offense that John Gruden runs is perfect for Williams, and should help him show off his outstanding abilities. He has an explosive 1st step, and has shown that he can run through the tackles, and has the speed to get to the outside. As long as Gruden is running things in Tampa Bay, Carnell should be an extremely productive running back. Expect Carnell to be an excellent running back in the National Football League for many years to come.

Independents in Football

2007-03-05T01:14:00.002-08:00

Notre Dame and Navy will dominate the Independents again this year. With Temple changing alliance and no longer in the Big East will spark more interest in Independents. Army coming over from Conference USA will not affect the perspective of the independents unless they have some surprises

2005 Predicted Order of Finish

1. NOTRE DAME
With a returning very experience offensive unit and a new coach from the NFL, the loyal fans are expecting the Irish to be in contention for the national title. Starters returning are quarterback Brady Quinn, running back Darius Walker, tight end Anthony Fasano, and wide receiver Rhema McKnight. All five offensive linemen return as well. On the special teams there is kicker/punter D.J. Fitzpatrick. The defensive front seven will need some replacements, but linebacker Brandon Hoyte will return. Hoyte finished second in tackles on the team and should exceed his 2004 performance.

2. NAVY
Senior Lamar Owens will run the team from the quarterback position. The running game will depend upon Trey Hines. The defense is solid with linebacker David Mahoney and defensive end Jeremy Chase leading the charge. The secondary has strength in cornerback Jeremy McGown and safety DuJuan Price.

3. TEMPLE
Senior quarterback Mike McGann returns and has John Gross to anchor the offensive line. He will also have running backs Tim Brown and Umar Ferguson to push the ball. One weak spot will be in the wide receiver position with no returning starters. Last years defense (ranked 107th) must improve. The Owls have senior defense end Mike Mendenhall returning from making All-Big East last season.

4. ARMY
With one returning starter on the offensive line, Carlton Jones will have a tough time repeating his 2004 performance (1,269 yards). Sophomore wide receiver Jermy Trimble is another excellent performer (17.5 yards per catch) that may have trouble repeating his prior season’s performance. The only returning starter for the defense is free safety Dhyan Tarver. It could be a long season for Army.

Impossible in Football

2007-03-05T01:14:00.001-08:00

They say the ball is round and that anything can happen in football. Such is the unpredictability of football that it adds an element of surprise to this game. It is akin to David vs Goliath. Idealists and romanticists will always root for the underdog. That is the reason why Rocky films are so popular. Here we are dealing with reality and not fiction. It is in this arena where the underdog can flourish and triumph. Think about it. We have so many improbable cases of the impossible becoming possible. Way back in 1992, Denmark did not even qualify for the European championship. They got in only after Yugoslavia was disqualified due to political instability. Denmark knew of their entry only 10 days before the Championship began. Denmark quickly recalled their team of players from their holidays. Denmark struggled in the early games in the group stages losing to Swede and drawing 0-0 with England before getting their act together and beating France 2-1 in the last group match.

The Danes then beat hot favourites Dutch team in the semis by penalties after the deadlock at 2-2 could not be settled. The Danes astounded the football world again by beating the hapless Germans 2-0 in the finals. What an incredible feat!

The extraordinary tale of the underdog would continue with the emergence of Greece in the 2004 European Championship. Greece had a fairy tale start by beating host Portugal 2-1. Greece would then hold another hot favourite Spain to a 1-1 draw. Unexpectedly, they suddenly lost to the Russians 2-1 in the final group game. In the end, much fancied Spain got kicked out in the group stages. Greece and Portugal went on to the next round. Greece would meet France in the quarter finals and make France their next victim. Greece shut up shop after seizing their chance to score. In the semi finals, Greece met Czech Republic. Czech republic had boosted their credentials by beating both Holland and Germany in the group stages and winning a convincing 3-0 victory over the Danes in their quarters. Here, Greece again turn the tables by beating Czech Republic in extra time 1-0. Greece would then continue to defy the odds in the finals against host Portugal. Despite huge crowd support and their home grown stars, Portugal lost to Greece 1-0. Obviously, the host hadn't learnt their lesson. Also, Greece was buoyed by the fact they had beaten the host earlier in the group stages.

The most dramatic tale of underdog in football must be the way Liverpool captured their fifth European crown this year. They were in transition as a new manager came on board and their star player Michael Owen departed for Real Madrid. Liverpool also had to coped with injuries throughout most of their season. Liverpool barely scrapped through the group stages by the skin of the teeth. They had to beat Olympiakos by 2 goals to qualify for the next round. Things got off to a bad start with Olympiakos drawing first blood. Through sheer guts and determination Liverpool scored 3 goals through the efforts of Pongolle, Mellor and Gerrard and forced their way into the next round.

In the round of 16, Liverpool was paired with Bayer Levekusen, conquerors of Real Madrid and Roma in the group stages. Liverpool slaughtered Leverkusen with an aggregate score of 6-2 despite pundits writing them off. Liverpool then met another formidable foe in Juventus who had earlier overcome Real Madrid in the round of 16. Liverpool surprised Juventus with an early attack and won 2-1 in the first leg. In the return leg, Juventus and liverpool would play to a goalless draw thus securing liverpool's entry into the semis.

Top 3 College Football Picks for the Weekend

2007-03-05T01:13:00.002-08:00

Top Play: NC State -10 over UNC

I really have to question the mindset of the Tar Heels coming into this one 0-2 and sputtering on offense. Their QB Baker took a major pounding against Wisconsin last weekend and will continue to do so unless UNC finds some sort of running game.

This Wolfpack team is so much more athletic than UNC and faster than what they've seen so far in the losses to Wiscy and G Tech. No excuse for NC State not getting the job done against V Tech, as they held Vick in check and outgained them at almost a 2 to 1 clip.

These rivalry games are usually close, but the Wolfpack are looking to avenge a contreversial loss to the Heels last year, are in front of the home crowd, and are facing an opponent that is really struggling to move the football.

NC State QB Davis looks more comfortable leading the offense this year and it could be a long day for the UNC D if their offense keeps putting their backs against the wall.

Wolfback rolls in this one!!!

NC State -10

Regular play: Michigan -2 1/2 over Wisconsin

Had Wiscy last weekend against UNC, and wasn't real enthused by what I saw outside of the running game. Looks like the gameplan for the Badgers is back to the old ways, run the ball don't take any chances in the passing game. I think Stocco could be a decent passer, but it's obvious the coaching staff has little faith in him.

On D, they over powered a weak team, but still gave up some passing plays. I'll credit UNC's ineptness as much as Wiscy's stop unit for the lack of points put up by the Heels.

Henne will put up some big numbers in this game. Michigan WR's Avant and Breaston have a huge advantage against these corners, and Henne will test them all day. Also, don't think the Badgers will be able to push around the Wolverines O-Line like they did UNC. If Michigan can run the ball well, it'll open up everything.

Michigan on D will stack the line and force Stocco to make plays. I like Alverez, but he is so stubborn. If Michigan jumps on Wiscy early, he will still run the ball. By doing this, he could put Stocco in a bad position later on in the game when they have to throw.

Not a huge Lloyd Carr fan like most, but he will whip this D into shape, and I saw marked improvement in the ND game. They have had trouble with athletic QB's who can run or pass, the type Stocco is not.

Always tough to go to Wiscy and win, but this edition of the Badgers are simply not as strong as those of seasons past.

Regular play: Michigan -2 1/2

Small play: Penn State/Northwestern OVER 50 1/2

I started off looking at this one favoring NW getting 7 1/2 at home, and that still looks decent. Just don't trust the Wildcats defense to make stops, and add the fact that unlike past years, Penn State has some guys with big play ability on offense.

Now, the last 2 yrs, these teams played a couple low scoring games, but I see a reversal in this trend on Saturday. Lot of talk about how great the Nittany Lions D is, but this is their first test and I believe this spread offense of NW will give them fits. Even though they didn't score a whole lot vs. PSU in the last 2 meetings, they did rack up some yardage (AVG. 425 in those 2 games).

Also, NW can't seem to stop anyone, and you should see PSU break some big runs, and QB Robinson should have a nice day through the air. I haven't been a huge Paterno fan and not a fan of their offensive playcalling, but NW's opponents realize you must put points on the board, because they can score as quick as they give them up. NW reminds me of some of the MAC teams like BG, Mia Oh, N Ill, ect...that's their style of play.

Football 101 - A Girl's Guide to Football - Offensive Strategy

2007-03-05T01:13:00.001-08:00

In my last article I talked about how football and sports bars are a great way to meet quality guys. Before you hit the bar, it helps to know a little about the game, how it starts, and what they are trying to achieve. The offense is where you can watch for the strategic plays and learn lessons in planning that apply as easily to your career as they do on the football field.

Starting the Game

Before each game, the captains from each team and the referee meet at the center of the field for the coin toss.

• The winner of the coin toss has the option of starting the game by kicking the ball to the other team or receiving the kickoff from the other team.

• The game begins when one of the teams kicks off to the other.

• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far forward toward the kicking team as possible.

• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), runs out of bounds, or makes it all the way to the kicking team's end zone (touchdown).

• The spot where the kick returner was tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is a term for the place the ball is spotted before a play is run.

• Once this starting point is established, the offensive squad of the receiving team will come in and try to move the ball toward the opposition's end zone.

Offense

The offense is the team that has possession of the ball and is trying to score by moving the football down the field towards the end zone. There are two ways to move the football: running or passing. The offensive team has four attempts, or chances, to move the ball ten yards. These attempts are called downs. Once the ball has moved ten yards or more from the starting point of play, the team gets four new downs to try to move the ball another ten yards. If the ball doesn’t move ten yards forward in four downs, the other team gets possession of the ball (the offense also has the option of kicking – punting – the ball to the other team on the fourth down).

There are two ways to score points while on the offensive side of the ball. One is to kick the ball through the goal posts at the back of the other team’s end zone, which is called a field goal, and the other is to run or throw the ball into the end zone, which is called a touchdown. A field goal is worth three points and a touchdown is worth 6 points. Immediately following a touchdown, the team gets to attempt a kick for an extra point. This is similar to a very short field goal. Following the kick, the possession of the ball moves to the other team.

The offensive team has several players in different key positions:

Quarterback

The quarterback is the team leader who really gets the offense moving. He is the only player that touches the ball on every offensive play, regardless of running or passing strategy. He throws the ball for a pass or hands it off for a running play. Sometimes the quarterback will even run with the ball himself. Quarterbacks don’t have to be large, but most have magnetic personalities and display clear leadership qualities.

Wide Receiver

This position is mostly used to catch passes from the quarterback. They don’t need to be big, but they definitely need to be fast. Jerry Rice is probably one of the most famous wide receivers in football and he could certainly teach the energizer bunny a thing or two about staying power.

Running Back

It’s a dangerous job, but someone’s gotta do it! Running backs take the hand off from the quarterback and run as far as they can before getting tackled by the thugs on the other team’s defense. Their goal is to gain yardage and they take a beating doing it.

Full Back

These guys are crucial to a good running game. They can run like a running back, or block for the running back, giving him a chance to get further down the field. Just like the running back, these guys take a pounding.

Tight End

To clear up a common female misperception, this position has nothing to do with the fit of the uniform. Tight ends are multitalented players who block, catch passes and provide protection for the quarterback.

Offensive Line

There are usually five players on the offensive line. The typical offensive line has a center in the middle who hands the ball through his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play. There are two guards, one on each side of the center, and two tackles who play on the outer edges of the offensive line and are usually the biggest players. The offensive line’s mission is to block for the running back on a running play or protect the quarterback from the defense on a passing play. These are the big guys on the offensive team who usually weigh in at around 300 pounds.

In the final article I will cover defense and overtime, and you’ll be ready to talk some serious football. And, don’t forget to read the sports pages!

Bet for Value: Bad Numbers in College Football

2007-03-05T01:12:00.003-08:00

A handicapper is only as good as their last pick and a gambler is only as good as the last game they bet. Both ‘cappers and gamblers share in the immutable fact that a play is only as good as the number you get. Successful handicappers and bettors bet good numbers and avoid bad ones.

Last Saturday North Texas was installed as a 5-point underdog on the road at MTSU. However, those +5 points were bet down to four so if you missed the five points you were not getting the best number you could (unless you bought the point) get on the game therefore grabbing four points (and considering other key factors in our analysis) was in our estimation a bad number.

Likewise, for the EMU-ULL tilt, the game opened up –5 for the Eagles and steamed to –7. Again we grabbed the seven points since laying the number looked like a possible win or a push. In fact it turned out it was another bad number got covered. These are the exceptions that prove the rule. Last week we went against two teams with bad numbers that both originated at 5 and then went in opposite directions. We thought the line had moved in our direction but it did not and leaves us an unpalatable 0-2 hole after one week playing in the NCAA.

While we lost on both plays last weekend (in no small part to a tremendous amount of turnovers by both teams) we stand by our handicapping and believe that both those games were victimized by the ‘intangibles’ that every handicapper and bettor knows can happen. As an old bookie once told me, “Chris, you always talk about your losses first. You don’t learn anything from a win.”

Then thank god we’re learning something cause I’d hate a 0-2 record to go to waste.

Last Week Value Bets Recrap (0-2)
An E-mailer asked me last week where the value is in betting on two losing picks? My response was that they were winning picks that happened to lose. Inherent in recrapping a losing week is the fact that no matter how it is done, the loser (me) often sounds whinny and pathetic. However, nothing burns our collective handicapping ass than losing games against the spread that we should not have lost. Without making any excuses let’s go beyond the scoreboard and find out how we lost and why.

Looking at our first game, we correctly identified the weaknesses in North Texas and their red-shirt freshman QB Daniel Meager as well as the inexperience on the DL. Indeed, Meager was, eh-hem, meager as he ended the game 10-15 for 122 yards. MTSU held Mean Green to only 274 yards on total offense, of which a small majority, 152 yards were on the ground. Not exactly the dominating run game we have grown accustomed to from North Texas. On the flip side, the Blue Raiders came out and dominated on offense from a yardage perspective as they got 383 yards in total offense and a TD. We mentioned that the unseasoned DL would have difficulty stopping the Blue Raiders-which they did. However, the differences in this game were five critical turnovers by the Blue Raiders of which three were interceptions. As if turnovers weren’t bad enough, Maurice Holman intercepted a pass at the North Texas 1 yard line and returned it 99 yards for a TD! The bad luck continued as game breaking WR Chris Henry (60 catches last year) broke his leg in the fourth quarter. North Texas ultimately won the contest 14-7 (after being shut-out in the first half). The final score could have easily been 14-7 in favor of the Blue Raiders and an easy cover-but that is what happens when you bet on college football. Simply stated, if you backed North Texas last week you were lucky to win your wager. Period.

In our second play of the weekend we advised a play on the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette grabbing seven points on the road at Eastern Michigan Eagles. While the Eagles had an easy win on paper, the fact they held the Cajuns to only 10 points was the first time the Eagles had held an opponent to 10 points since 1998! Looking at the Cajuns we figured the game as a high scoring affair with little or no defense. Again the Cajuns killed us on turnovers. ULL recorded 410 yards of total offense (182 rushing, 228 passing), but lost four fumbles! If you managed to tune in the game you saw the Cajuns only scored two times out of four trips inside the twenty. Regarding the Eagles we anticipated the stellar play of senior QB Matt Bohnart was impressive with two passing and two rushing TDs. In the win, Bohnart’s stats were 26-of-36 passing for 263 yards. Bohnart also rushed for 85 yards. Costly turnovers and the inability to score once inside the red zone as well as EMU defense playing better than they have in seven years all accounted for our second loss last weekend.

As we continue this season we are reminded that gambling is a marathon and not a sprint. This week we’ve rooted out two more fugly games for our weekend’s college sports investment.

Baylor Bears (-5.5) at ARMY (o/u 54)
Baylor opened at four points and was bet up to 5.5 quicker than you can say Oscar Robinson. The total has dropped from 55 to 54. Bettors looking for value on the money line can get +180 backing the Black Knights while you’ll be laying a bit more than 2/1 backing the Bears.

How much should you read into Baylor’s road win at SMU since last week SMU defeated TCU? Probably not too much as TCU’s loss was no doubt caused in part by a Sooner hangover. But still, with a win at West Point, the Bears could go 3-0 for the first time since 1996. Army-Baylor is hardly a college football tradition for most of the country, but the two times in their history that these teams played one another (as if that has any damn bearing on the game played on Saturday) Baylor has won both contests. In fact the last time these two teams met at West Point in 1979 the Bears won 55-0.

Army moved to the Independents over the winter, which provided the Black Knights an immediate benefit of playing a lighter schedule than they have had in years past. This is HC Bobby Ross' second year at Army and the Black Knights have seasoned QB Zac Dahman and Carlton Jones running the ball effectively. While the Black Knights only won two games last year the move to the Independents could actually mean that Army doubles last year's win total, but they’ll have to play better (and tackle better) than they did at BC. Until that happens Army might have a hard time winning any games this year.

The Baylor Bears have had a hard time as a member of the Big 12. They were out gained by 232 ypg in Big 12 play in 2003 and managed to cut that number to 142.1 ypg in 2004. Credit goes to HC Guy Morriss who brings a talented team who have only gotten better over recent years. That might not be a huge compliment considering that in conference play the Bears are 6-66 SU since joining the Big 12. However, this is a favorable out of conference match for the Bears and they should easily cover the number this week.

Gamblers betting on this game should note that the Bears are 8-2 ATS before a bye week while the Black Knights are 6-12-1 against the spread in their last 20 games at home. Finally, double check the weather charts on Saturday before you bet this game.

PICK: Baylor –5.5 for $330

Wyoming (+3) at AIR FORCE (54.5 o/u)
Game 163/164 on your card had the Air Force Academy as 2-point home favorites with the total set at 52.5. Air Force has since risen to a 3-point ‘chalk’ with the total soaring to 54.5 as gamblers anticipate a high scoring affair. Those looking for value added to the line can back the Cowboys at +125 or lay –145 to back the Falcons in Fort Collins.

Falcon's QB Shaun Carney has Air Force fans believing they can win the Mountain West this year. But they'll need their other players to step up to the challenge if they hope to make that a reality. Coming off their first losing season in years, the one positive for the Falcons is that last year's squad scored at least 20+ points in all but one game (California) and protecting Carney this year is Air Force's best OL in recent memory.

The Falcons HC Fisher DeBerry has had only two losing seasons in 21 years! Following the losing year his teams have gone on to win eight games. Of last year's squad that went 5-6 SU (3-4 MWC) and 5-5 ATS, DeBerry lost only 17 lettermen, which is most likely one reason why the Falcons have overcome double-digit deficits in both of their wins this season. But how long can you spot a team 10+ points and keep winning?

Saturday’s game should be an excellent Mountain West match-up between two teams with a legitimate shot of winning the MWC title. Air Force is undefeated this year-but barely. They beat the Washington Huskies 20-17 in Seattle and won at home last weekend against the Aztecs of San Diego State 41-29. The Falcons rode their running backs most of the day, running the ball a total of 67 times for 272 yards! Kendrick finished the game with 128 yards on 26 attempts and four TDs earning him Offensive Player of the Week in the Mountain West.

The Cowboys quietly had a great year last year notching a money earning 8-3 record ATS and a 7-5 SU record and a Bowl Bid. This year Wyoming returns 17 starters – the most in the Mountain West. QB Bramlet is on pace to score a few TDs per game through the air and build on last year's offense that averaged 26.5 points per game. This year the Cowboys hope to rely more upon play-action. Last week Seldon rushed for 121 yards against UL-Monroe so you can take that in the spirit as it was given. The shut-out gives Wyoming a skewed points against defensive ranking, however, the Cowboys held Urban Meyer’s Gators powerful attack to only 32 points at the Swamp. The Cowboys currently have the top rushing defense in the Mountain West, allowing only 92.5 ypg on the ground, and with the pass defense permitting 223 ypg, the unit as a whole ranks third in the league in total defense, giving up 315.5 ypg.

If you are laying your hard-earned cash on this play you should know that in this series the home team is only 2-5 against the spread in the last seven games. Air Force sports an 8-5 SU record over the last 13 games against Wyoming; however, the Falcons are only 6-7 against the spread versus Wyoming. Last year, Wyoming was the home favorite and easily covered the two-point spread winning 43-26.

Top College Football Picks for the Weekend of Sept 17th

2007-03-05T01:12:00.001-08:00

Top Play: Tenn/Flroida UNDER 49

OK, looks like the number has crested at 49, and is beginning to drop, I'm jumping on the under 49 as my Top Play

In my opinion, this number is simply too high with 2 very good defenses, along with Tennessee's QB issues, and the fact that I believe life could be hard for Florida QB Leak with an unproven O-Line in front of him.

Gameplans

Tennessee's gameplan is the key to this total, a steady diet of RB Riggs on offense. I expect Fulmer to pound it, pound it, pound it with Riggs and pass when need be, or at opprotune times.

Defensively, I expect the Vols D-line is be able to put pressure on Leak without having to send the house, similar to what they were able to do two years ago. Florida coach Meyer understands that his Gators must be able to establish some sort of running game, to open it up for Leak. And I'm not convinced they can run it with any sort of effectiveness against this stout Vols front seven.

The word on Florida's D

On defense, Florida's guys have been impressive, albeit against inferior offenses. Luckily for their unproven secondary, Tennessee's QB situation is a little bit of a question mark. As I stated earlier, they can expect to see a whole lot of Gerald Riggs in this big rivalry game.

Top Play: UF/UT UNDER 49

Regular Play: Wisconsin -3 over UNC This game would be a bigger play if this were at Wisconsin, but I will tread a little lighter with the Badgers hitting the road for the first time this season.

Looks like the linesmakers are giving the Tar Heels credit for almost upsetting G Tech on the road last week, but I won't The Jackets beat Auburn in a huge win on the road a week before, and I really question their motivation for this one, even though it was their conference opener. Chan Gailey's play calling in the fourth quarter also left a lot to be desired. I have no explanation as to why he didn't keep feeding the ball to P.J. Daniels.

Well, Barry Alvarez WILL feed the ball to his top runners, Calhoun and Booker, and do it often. Stocco looks like he's improved tremendously, even though the opposing secondaries he's faced thus far have left a lot to be desired.

NC has been outgained tremendously in thier first two games, but I will give coach Bunting credit for playing a tough Boston College team to open up.

Key matchup: Wiscy D-Line vs. UNC O-line

This is where the game could be decided, as UNC is still shuffling to get the right combonation along the offensive line, which means they'll struggle to run the ball, and will have to take advantage of the Badgers secondary.

Wisconsin's secondary has been a point of criticism, but they loked much better in the 2nd half of the Bowling Green game, and UNC QB Baker is hardly in the league of Omar Jacobs. When G Tech got down to business on D vs. UNC, they intercepted Baker 3 times in the 4th quarter.

He can't win this game with his arm. I believe the Badgers D will force Baker to make some bad decisions on Saturday.

Offensively, with Stocoo improving thanks to the blocking of the offensive line and the strong running game, Wiscy should once again put up some big numbers vs. this below average Tar Heels defense. The longer the game goes, the more they will wear them out.

Regular play: Wisconsin -3

Small play: Notre Dame -6 1/2 over Mich State

I know many are wary of a big let down after the road victiories, especially the upset win over Michigan at Ann Arbor, but I feel they'll be energized to be coming back to South Bend for the home opener. Paticularly, since the foe they are facing, Michigan State, are playing thier first road game after two easy home tuneups.

This will be the Spartans first real test, and it's not a good spot, in my opinion. This is a HUGE step up in competition on both sides of the ball, and they could get shellshocked early, as ND has opened up strong in both of their first two games.

Spartans QB Stanton looks improved, and is a great athlete, but if his team is playing from behind all day, he could become the inconsistent guy we saw in 2004.

Notre Dame is tons more physical than anything Michigan State has seen thus far, and if they get smacked in the mouth a couple times, they may not recover. ND goes to 3-0 after this one.

Football Weekend Preview

2007-03-05T01:11:00.001-08:00

I guess Bill Belichick will be just fine without Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel? It was "business as usual" for the Patriots on Thursday night, as New England opened the 2005 season with a 30-20 win over the Raiders.

Oakland took the opening kickoff and drove for a TD, marking the first time New England had allowed an opening-drive TD to an opponent, in 37 games! However, the defense settled down after that, allowing just a 73-yard TD 'bomb' to Randy Moss in the second quarter and a concession TD (leading 30-14) with about three minutes remaining in the game. As for the offense, Brady passed for 306 yards with two TDs (no INTs) and Dillon ran for two scores, despite rushing for just 63 yards.

New England has now won 35 of its last 39 games (counting the postseason), including 21 straight at home! No team in the Super Bowl era has ever won three straight championships and in NFL history, only Lombardi's Green Bay Packers have won three consecutive titles. Green Bay won the NFL title in 1965 and then won the first two Super Bowls, following NFL title-game wins in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. Can the Pats make it three straight Super Bowls and four in five seasons this year?

I guess so but it's not easy these days to even make the playoffs year in and year out. New England has won three Super Bowls in four years but in 2002, the Pats failed to even reach the postseason. Only three franchises have made it to the postseason in each of the last three years. Philadelphia tops the list with five straight playoff appearances, followed by Green Bay (four straight) and Indianapolis (three straight).

The Eagles finally broke their NFC title-game hex last year, beating the Falcons 27-10 in the NFC Championship Game, where they had lost the three previous years. The Eagles are easily the NFC's best team again this year but are facing the fact that four straight and five of the last six Super Bowl losers have failed to post winning records the following year!

The Bengals own the longest playoff drought, having last been to the postseason in 1990. They'll enter the 2005 season with a stretch of 14 consecutive playoff-less years. Behind Cincinnati is Arizona with six straight non-playoff seasons. Buffalo, Detroit, Jacksonville and Washington have each missed the postseason the last five years.

The San Diego Chargers ended an eight-year playoff drought last season, by improving from 4-12 in 2003 to 12-4 in 2004. A turnaround like the Chargers experienced last year has not exactly become the norm but it's not a rarity, either.

Over a five-year period (2000-04), 25 of the 60 playoff participants (41.7 percent) have been teams that were .500 or worse the year before. Along with San Diego last year, Atlanta (from 5-11 to 11-5), the New York Jets (6-10 to 10-6) and Pittsburgh (6-10 to 15-1!) all made the playoffs coming off a non-winning season. Who will be this year's surprise team?

Week 1 continues on Sunday with the marquee game featuring the Colts 'visiting' Baltimore to play the Ravens. For those of us who grew up with Johnny U, the Colts are NOT supposed to be the visiting team in a game played in Baltimore. Week 1 concludes with an NFC Championship Game rematch between the Eagles and Falcons. However, this time the game is in Atlanta, not Philadelphia.

College Football

Three games top college football's second Saturday. No.2 Texas will visit Columbus, Ohio to meet No. 4 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan hosts No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 5 LSU, displaced by Hurricane Katrina, will play at Tempe against No. 15 Arizona State (instead of hosting the Sun Devils in Baton Rogue).

TEXAS at OHIO STATE

Texas scheduled this game years ago and right now may be asking themselves, "Why this year?" After Oklahoma's pathetic season-opening performance versus TCU, 2005 could be the year the Longhorns FINALLY beat the Sooners. A win over Oklahoma on October 8 would make Texas one of the prohibitive favorites for a place in this year's Rose Bowl but NOT if the Longhorns lose in Columbus. Ohio State is 6-1 SU under Tressel versus top-10 teams and this will be the school's seventh-ever night game in Ohio Stadium. In six previous games "under the lights", OSU is 6-0 SU and ATS! As for Texas, the Longhorns have not lost a 'true' road game since a 42-38 loss in Lubbock versus Texas Tech in 2002 (eight straight wins).

NOTRE DAME at MICHIGAN

Talk about an underdog series? The 'dog' is an amazing 14-2-1 ATS when Notre Dame and Michigan hook up. Notre Dame opened with a 42-21 win at Pitt, as the Irish topped 500 yards of offense with 33 FDs in Charlie Weis' debut. Michigan's defense hasn't played well since the team's eighth game of last year. Since then, Michigan has allowed exactly 37 points to Michigan State, Ohio State and Texas, while allowing two other teams, Northwestern and Northern Illinois (last week), more than 400 yards. In Michigan's favor is a great offense of its own and a 14-0 SU record in "the Big House" since installing its new artificial surface.

LSU at ARIZONA STATE

Hurricane Katrina forced a venue change for this game, as LSU was scheduled to host the Sun Devils in Baton Rogue. Could the Pac-10 finally be playing 'lucky' when it comes to a weather related game-change! In 1998, a hurricane postponed UCLA's game with Miami from early September to early December, when Miami was a much more polished team. UCLA's loss in December that year, cost the undefeated Bruins a chance to play in the first-ever BCS title game. Again last year, a hurricane pushed Cal's game at Southern Miss to the end of the season and a closer than expected margin of victory in that game, may have cost the Bears a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Is this the year it works out in the Pac-10's favor? LSU is loaded and would have been a solid favorite at home but playing in Tempe, the game is a toss-up. ASU, now gets its two biggest challenges of the year at home, Saturday night versus LSU and an October 1 date with USC.

CLOSING NOTE

Akron was the lone MAC team to not play last weekend and Purdue was the only Big-10 team not in action. Akron holds the distinction of being the only bowl-eligible team in 2004 (not on suspension) to NOT get a bowl bid. Purdue, was just 7-5 in 2005 but the team's five losses came by a total of just 14 points! After opening the 2005 season 5-0, the Boilermakers lost consecutive games to Wisconsin (by three points), Michigan (by two), Northwestern (by two) and Iowa (by two). Purdue won its final two regular season games but then lost to Arizona State in the Sun Bowl, 27-23.

If last week's results are any indication, Purdue shouldn't be too worried about having a close game on Saturday. MAC teams went 1-10 (3-6-1 ATS) last weekend, the only win coming by Toledo over I-AA Western Illinois (62-14). The 10 losers allowed an average of 38.3 PPG! As for Big-10 last week, the conference was a perfect 10-0 SU and 7-2-1 ATS.

Football 101 - A Girl's Guide to Football - What's In It For You

2007-03-05T01:10:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how tired I am of single women complaining about how hard it is to meet a decent man? The problem is not a dearth of quality men. In fact, I know quite a few single gems. The problem exists where the ladies are looking. You aren’t going to find the right man in a sleazy bar or pick-up joint. If you want a man who values integrity, honor, and good sportsmanship, then you have go where the real men are. In the fall, that means your local sports bar.

Football is the all-American game. If you can’t get into the game, you are shunning some of the best guys in town. Here you will find men that truly believe in honor, both on and off the field. Football players aren’t stereotypical big dumb jocks. They have had to work incredibly hard to get where they are, and there are no NFL players who haven’t made a true commitment to the game. The fans are equally committed to the game and their teams. So much for the common complaint that “it’s impossible to find a man who can make a commitment”!

Personally, I’m hooked on the game itself. I love the strategy, the element of surprise, and the emotion (and I’m not terribly opposed to cute butts in tight football pants, either). You may or may not develop your own passion for the game, but you need to garner a basic understanding of how it works if you don’t want to come off like a fool. Guys can spot a fraud miles away, so it’s better to admit your ignorance and ask questions, rather than try to pretend you know the game. Of course, this only works for so long and you need to bone-up on football if you want to hang with the boys. Start with the basics – you need to know what teams are playing, and it really helps to have a favorite. I’m a tried-and-true Raiders fan myself, but they aren’t for the weak-hearted, being the only team in the NFL that has to play against both the opposing team and the selectively-blind referees (personal quibbles aside, of course).

If you don’t have a favorite team in mind, you could simply go with your hometown team. Be it the town you live in now, or the one from which you came. If that doesn’t work for you, then you probably come from Cincinnati or Cleveland, and should pick a random team. I know women who made their selection based on which jersey color looked best on them, which logo they liked best, or which team their despised ex-boyfriend hated the most. However, you make your selection, choose your team, and stay with them through the good times and the bad.

Start reading the sports page. You need to understand what is going on in the football world. At first, very little might make sense, but keep reading and you’ll be surprised at how much you can actually learn. For a high level overview, listen to the sports segment on your local network news. ESPN has a great web site where you can always find the latest stats on all the teams. At the very least, try to know the latest disputed calls, injuries and controversies.

Get a good pal to tutor you in the basics of the game. I recommend choosing a male friend, not boyfriend, who is a patient soul. Also, you are best learning from a taped game, so that he already knows the outcome and won’t mind stopping the tape to explain what just happened. I was totally anti-football until a good friend sat me down with a taped game and a few brews. Thanks to his patience and understanding of the game I’m now a regular Sunday inhabitant of the sports bar. Don’t forget to check among your gal pals; you may have a hidden football fan in your midst. The bonus is not just a great lesson, but also a buddy to join you in your foray into NFL Sundays at the sports bar and football fandom!

Best and Worst Performances from Saturday NCAA Football

2007-03-05T01:09:00.000-08:00

Impressive

LSU: First off, as I stated in another thread, big emotional win for LSU. Was supposed to be a home game for the Tigers, but they had to travel to Tempe, a very tough place to win. They didn't quit when a lot of team would've, and got the victory.

Notre Dame: Charlie Weis has had the best two weeks of any new coach in college football, and it's not far fetched to believe they have a legit shot at beating USC in a couple weeks. They should be able to put up some points in that one at home, it's just a question of if the D can force some turnovers and if the offense helps keep Leinart, Bush and Co. off the field

Texas: Gotta hand it to much-maligned Mac Brown and his troops. They go into a very hostile environment and get a come from behind victory. Vince Young is for real, for those who don't already know. They have solidified themselves as top challenger to USC.

Clemson: Whitehurst and Merriweather lead them to a win over Maryland, in what was a classic let down/sandwich game after the big win over Texas A & M, and with Miami coming up next week.

Disappointments

btw, I'm gonna give Michigan a pass, as they got beat by a team that I see as being "at their level". Not a huge upset, in my opinion.

Oklahoma: They pulled away from a mediocore Tulsa team in the 4th quarter, but Stoops realizes this QB situation is troublesome. So bad infact, that they didn't throw the ball at all in the second half. It may not be a bad time to bring the Barry Switzer option back to Norman.

Pittsburgh: Wannstedt and Cavanaugh have officially wrecked that program and Tyler Palko in the process. No matter how badly they were spanked by Notre Dame the previous week, no excuse for losing this one versus an inferior opponent. Happy to see Frank Solich get a big victory for the Ohio U program, though.

TCU: This is a young team off a HUGE upset, so I can't be too upset with them. But, definately a disappointment losing to SMU. Maybe TCU really isn't very good, judging by OU's woes. Patterson is an excellent coach, and they'll rebound.

Just What is Fantasy Football?

2007-03-05T01:08:00.002-08:00

For those of us who enjoy a good football game and know something about the players, the term fantasy football is intriguing. But what is it? How do you play? And, where do you go to sign up?

A search on fantasy football brings back thousands of sites such as, http://footballpdq.com/, most of which are offering to allow you to become a commissioner or sign up to create a team, all at low cost or no cost. Intrigued? Here’s the lowdown.

First, there’s a fantasy football commissioner, who’s in charge of the league, much the same as in real-life. The commissioner puts in the most amount of money to be the biggest cheese. This person is the final arbiter of disputes, makes decisions and, in general, gets to have the most leeway - and the most headaches - in the league.

Then there are the team owners. These individuals pay a lesser fee than the fantasy football commissioner, and manage their own teams. The owners choose who will be on the teams, what players will start, and so on.

So, the owners need teams. The next step is to pool all the real-world pro football players, rank them and then have a draft. Each team owner takes turns picking players for his or her team - hence the name fantasy football. Depending on how the draft goes, your team could be a true fantasy. Of course, some leagues have salary caps just as in real life, which prohibits one team from having all the best players. Trades are usually allowed, though depending on the league, they may be limited.

So once the fantasy football commissioner has a full roster of teams and the teams have a full roster of players... what happens? This is where things get interesting.

Team owner Alpha has players X, Y and Z on the team. In real life, player X is on one team, player Y on another and player Z on yet another. Before the game, Alpha has to decide who is starting, who isn’t, and what’s going on. Alpha then gives this information (by whatever means the fantasy football league has) to the commissioner. This information must be set in stone prior to the actual Sunday and Monday football games that NFL teams such as the Patriots and the Raiders play.

The real AFC & NFC teams play. Let’s say player X is on the Eagles in real life and is a quarterback. This Sunday, he throws three touchdown passes and the Eagles win. Fantasy football team owner Alpha has X on the team and, very smartly, started X for the football fantasy league games.

How this translates in fantasy football depends on the league.

The usual standard is that for every possible situation, a team can earn points. For example, the real life touchdowns of player X may earn fantasy football owner Alpha four hundred points each. Alpha may come out of the weekend as the biggest point earner, thanks to player X, which then sets Alpha up for contention as the fantasy football league winner.

Of course, this assumes that player X wasn’t benched at the last minute, depriving Alpha of earning any points and ending last in the fantasy football league.

The ultimate prize at the season’s end may be a statue or possibly money, depending on which fantasy football league you join. Or it may just be the prestige of knowing that you outwitted all the other team owners and came out as top dog.

While this fantasy may come with a price tag for participation, if you enjoy the game and avidly watch the players anyway, fantasy football can be a harmless way to spend some time.

Bet for Value: NCAA Football

2007-03-05T01:08:00.001-08:00

Betting "marquee" or television games is a popular Saturday recreational activity for squares and wise guys that causes radical fluctuations in the spread and can turn a sure winner into a sure loser. To protect us from denting our bankroll in the first weeks of the season we see the value in wagering on NCAA football games that are under the radar. The more obscure the game the better. What does it matter if you win a nickel on Eastern Michigan or on the University of Michigan? This means you won't see Kirk, Lee and Chris spotlighting these games on Saturday morning.

In this space this college football season you won't see us recommending a lumber-play on USC, Texas or Iowa. In fact, the games we recommend you'll have a hard time finding on television, unless you live within the region. So fire-up the gamecast at your favorite online sports news website and flex your "refresh button" finger since the scoring lag will be great and they won't flash the score in the middle of the Notre Dame-Michigan game. Despite the setback of easily finding an accurate up-to-date score, and if you can bear betting a game you can't watch, we believe that you'll get as much value, if not more, betting schools in smaller conferences than you will in the bigger conferences where square money can and often does kill your bet or parlay.

This week, we have two games that the line has moved in our favor, despite being bet up early. We see that EMU has moved from five points to seven points and North Texas has moved from five points down to four. Now lets take advantage of the steam since we see something that the early money has not.

EMU EAGLES (-7) vs. ULL Ragin' Caguns (56 O/U)

This week we turn our attention to Yipslanti, Michigan. This added game opened with the Eagles as a 5-point "chalk" but was quickly bet up to seven by gamblers looking to get on the offensively minded Eagles before the square money takes over Saturday morning. So far the steam is on the Eagles and that makes me like this play even more. The total has remained locked at 56 points as the odds brokers fully expect this game to be a high scoring affair. We see the number in this game (even at five points) inflated due to several reasons. First and foremost is the 60-3 dismantling of the Ragin' Cajuns by the Texas Longhorns. While Texas dominated every aspect of the lopsided affair, one has to consider that the Ragin' Cajuns were one of the only teams in Louisiana playing last week in the aftermath of Katrina and about 20 players are from the New Orleans area. The Eagles dropped their season opener to Cincinnati 26-28, but led at the half 20-14. However, it was the stellar play of the Eagles QB Matt Bohnet and the woeful display of the Cajuns defense against Texas that is also likely to account for the large number. Against the Bearcats, Bohnet went 22-of-33 for 167 yards and a 27-yard scoring pass to Eric Deslauriers in the first quarter. Bohnet accounted for 65 rushing yards on 10 carries making him the Eagles leading rusher.

Looking at this week's battle between the Sun Belt and Mid-American Conferences, we see a much more favorable situation for the Ragin' Cajuns-despite going on the road for their second straight week. Both teams bring identical 0-1 records and look at this game as a must win. No doubt about it, the Eagles are loaded with offensive weapons, however, their running game is suspect as is the case when your QB is your leading rusher. On defense, the Eagles had a hard time stopping the Bearcats as they allowed 469 yards of total offense of which 293 yards were rushing yards. Good thing for the Eagles they'll face an aerial attack by the Ragin' Cajuns as they get back their star WR Bill Sampy after he served his one-game suspension last week. Last year Sampy led the team with 57 receptions and 6 TDs. You can count on the Cajuns to throw the ball since their starting TB Chester Johnson is nursing an injured shoulder and is questionable for the EMU game. This is the first time that these two teams have met, and we see the teams trading points throughout this game as both team's defenses have proved porous. One statistic that fell by the wayside in the Ragin' Cajuns' loss to Texas was that of the 418 yards allowed, the Cajuns managed to hold Texas' air attack to 173 yards. If the Cajuns can hold Bohnet to pedestrian numbers they'll even have a shot at winning this game.

Pick: ULL Ragin' Cajuns +7

MTSU BLUE RAIDERS (-4) vs. North Texas Mean Green (48 O/U)

Question: How do you not bet North Texas when they're grabbing four points against a team they have never lost against? Mean Green puts its 25 game Sun Belt Conference winning streak on the line as they travel to the MTSU Blue Raiders this weekend. Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Blue Raiders as a 5-point home favorite and set the total at 48 points, the total has not moved while the early action had bettors grabbing the five points for the four-time defending Sun Belt champions. Maybe it is I, but don't you see something funky in that number, something that screams sucker bet? Due to the devastation from Katrina North Texas' opener at LSU was postponed, while the Blue Raiders dropped their first game against the Crimson Tide 26-7. In their loss one thing was abundantly clear to all who watched the game, the Blue Raiders will have to figure out their running game if they hope to win this week against North Texas. Against the Crimson Tide's stingy defense MTSU managed a paltry 34 yards on 25 carries! However, playing against a North Texas team with four new DL starters maybe the balm the Blue Raider running game needs.

We'll see if having played one game versus a team that has not played a game yet will make a difference. Keep in mind that North Texas has lost eight straight season openers. There is also the revenge factor for the Blue Raiders. Recalling last year at Denton, Texas when these two teams went head-to-head, MTSU held a 14-0 lead over Mean Green (who were a 3-point favorite) until the second quarter when the Blue Raiders gave up 24 points and suffered a tough 30-21 road loss. Last year's loss was MTSU's fourth consecutive loss to North Texas. Remember, defensively last year was a down year for Mean Green and certainly this year is still a rebuilding year for the DBs and DLs (four new starters). These are a few of the reasons that the Blue Raiders are the favorite in this game. However, what I believe is the key factor for North Texas in this game is red-shirt freshman Daniel Meager taking over for Scott Hall. True, all Meager has to do is not lose the game by handing the ball off to stud RB Cobbs and Thomas. But this is Meager's first start in the NCAAs and it comes on the road at Floyd Stadium. For the Blue Raiders I see QB Clinton Marks having a better day than against the Crimson Tide (12-of-18 attempts for just 117 yards and a 14-yard TD toss). On defense, Blue Raider linebacker Jonathan Bonner returned from a season ending neck injury in '04 and collected 5 1/2 tackles. Bradley Robinson had significant impact against Alabama with 8 1/2 tackles and one interception.

Answer: You bet against North Texas because they are playing their first game of the season on the road with a red shirt freshman quarterback against a team that has one game under their belt and a super accurate passer and is looking to revenge a loss. Despite the power running game the SBC streak ends at 25 for North Texas.

Top College Football Plays for the Week

2007-03-05T01:07:00.002-08:00

1) Okay, 59 can still be had at -115 at matchbook, the exchange backed by WSEX.

Went ahead and grabbed it up. Both these defenses looked stronger past the 1st quarter of their repective games last week.

Michigan is a lot more physical than Pittsburgh, and will make plays and not miss the kind of tackles the Panthers did. The Michigan D struggled with mobile QB's like Troy Smith and Vince Young, but this won't be as much a problem with Brady Quinn who is a classic drop back passer.

On the other side, Michigan has some nice weapons with Hart, Avant, and Breaston, but Carr is still a stubborn guy who likes to establish the run. These two offenses are more ball control than meets the eye. I believe the Irish will hit, and hold their own against this offense. Weis has stressed they cut down on the penalties though.

My projected total looks closer to 48, I see some of these drives being stalled and both teams having to settle for field goal attempts a handful of times.

I give Michigan a slight edge here, but can't take the 7 at the Big House. Don't see ND pulling off the SU win.

Regular play: Michigan/Notre Dame UNDER 59

2) Top Play: Iowa -8 1/2 over Iowa State DEFENSE

That's the difference here, namely Iowa's defense. Just don't see this Cyclones club being able to establish much of a run game, and I know their QB Meyer can't pass this team to victory in this spot.

I am usually wary of laying almost double digits on the road, especially in a rivalry game. But, the talent gap has grown between this two teams compared to previous years. Ferentz has turned this program into one of the most talented in the country. Yeah, they get overhyped at times, but that's because they take care of teams in these situations.

Even though Iowa State is a Big 12 North contender, they aren't close to being one of the best teams in that conference. Iowa, on the other hand, is among the elite in likely the toughest conference in the NCAA's.

Drew Tate is the real deal at QB, and he's even more dangerous now that he's got healthy running backs to help shoulder the load. I expect the Iowa O-Line to knock the Iowa St defense off the ball all day long.

Give me the better team on both sides of the ball, the more efficent quarterback, better special teams, and better coach. I see very little that impresses me about Iowa State here, except they do play hard for McCarney.

They'll have to make this an ugly defensive battle to stay close, because they certainly don't have the firepower to move up and down the field against this defense. Doubtful.

Teaching Your Kids To Like Football

2007-03-05T01:07:00.001-08:00

Being the Family guy requires a lot of tact and finesse. A lot! This next trick isn't an easy one, but boy if you can pull it off; you get the Family Guy award for sports recruiting. The most important tool to use is your kid's natural instincts to be competitive with each other. Get them to pick the team they like, even if it's just the color of the helmets, and then get them to pick their favorite player. Now we've given them their own team to root for.

Keep plenty of sports caps and jerseys around the house, so when your favorite team is playing, you can all be sporting your teams awesome gear.

In fact, right now my plan is going into action. My daughters are picking out their favorite Miami Hurricane caps, as well as adorning themselves with their favorite U.M shirts. I'm in good shape, and there's only 20 minutes to kickoff. I remind the kids one more time about the importance of this game, and they seem fired up. I'm doing it! My plan is in action.

When your team scores, start high-fiving the kids. Get them screaming right along with you. Explain to them what just happened, using the instant replays as a visualization tool. Make sure they watch the replays a couple of times, so they can grasp the magnitude of what just took place. This is football!

Grant it, they won't sit through the whole game with you, but they'll leave you alone; for fear of you trying to lure them back to the sofa, and then again be forced to participate in your frenzy. Whatever you do, don't let them take off their caps or jerseys during the course of the game. They should understand that they are the teams good luck charms, and we need them to help us to victory. Should for some reason your team lose, they should understand that it was you who didn't have your lucky shirt on, even if your sure that they were the ones responsible for the loss.

So there you have it. A smart family guy knows he must have his children on his side. That's how you build a winning team. Your kids now love football, whether they like it or not. Best of luck this season, The Family Guy.

How to Handicap Football Like The Pros

2007-03-05T01:06:00.001-08:00

Hello my name is Chris Liput professional handicapper with Fast Actin Handicappin. We provide pro and college football picks for the sports investor. This is a good article I found on the Coaches corner website and thought it was worth sharing with those who like to bet or do there own football gambling picks. I always recommend hiring a handicapping service such as Fast Actin Handicappin. Handicapping football takes a lot of time. But if you have free time, and don't want to pay for a service then here our some tips from the below article that may help you. Enjoy the read below.

It's Friday evening, and you've resigned yourself to some "serious handicapping" before your big football weekend. Said handicapping consists of an hour or two of studying the past week's injuries and line moves, and the past month's trends. You allow time for intermittent snack breaks and other unexpected disturbances, but when you sit back down in front of your newspaper/computer/sports weekly, you're all business.

Fast forward to Sunday night. After watching your games and highlight shows, you ask yourself over and over, "What went wrong? I put in some quality handicapping time, and was confident in my wagering. Why am I only at 40 per cent?"

If the above scenario sounds even remotely familiar, be assured that you are not alone. You are a part-time handicapper with unrealistic expectations of yielding huge profits. Handicapping NFL and college football is an exercise in discipline and time management. To put it plainly, you reap what you sow. If you've put in an hour of handicapping for the week, your results will reflect that. Some handicappers feel that cramming is the best approach: spending an entire evening studying all available info and stats. However, the most successful method is to build a schedule around your work and family obligations, allowing yourself a substantial amount of uninterrupted handicapping time each day.

On Monday of each week, your timetable should include reading full accounts of the past Saturday's college games and Sunday's NFL games. Your local newspaper's brief summaries won't cut it. Online resources provide full play-by-plays of each game, which will give you vital information on a given team's performance, regardless of the final score. Monday should be spent exclusively on bringing yourself up to speed on everything that's happened during the past two days.

Tuesday's agenda should be dedicated to looking at the stats and numbers from games played, in addition to studying relevant trends. Pay particular attention to turnovers forced and committed, and to rushing and passing yards.

Mid-week, occupy yourself with reading quotes from coaches and players, which will give you an idea of how a certain team is doing both mentally and physically. The NFL's injury report is usually made on Wednesday. Be cautious though, because some teams are more forthcoming with injuries, while others can be somewhat deceptive. Midweek articles can also be very valuable. Gain insight into a team's upcoming performance based on comments made by coaches and players.

Your Thursday schedule should include checking out line moves. Factor in injuries, illnesses, and suspensions, as well as public opinion based on hunches. If, by early in the day, you're not feeling confident about the evening college game, save your time and money for the upcoming weekend games.

By Friday, you should be down to tying up loose ends, while remaining up-to-date on any last-minute injuries and line moves. By now, you should feel confident in your picks and wagering amounts.

On Saturday and Sunday, be sure to watch as many games and game highlights as you can. No amount of stats or articles can replace an actual eyewitness account of how a team played.

By following a strict daily schedule for handicapping NFL and college football, you should see a definite improvement in your wagering revenue. Handicapping is hard work, and very time-consuming, but if you resist the so-called "short-cuts" and put in a significant amount of studying time, you won't find yourself shaking your head on a Sunday night, wondering, "What went wrong?"

This article was taken from the Coaches corner.

National Football League Rules - New Rules for the National Football League in 2005

2007-03-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

The National Football League emphasizes new rules every year in order for the league to get better and better each year. The new rules for this year emphasize the safety of the players more than any other priority. While there are some minor rule changes that will not be noticed, there are also some changes that could become very prevalent in some close match-ups this season.

The National Football league is attempting to protect its players by cutting down on unnecessary roughness on the sidelines and on the field. If a player is hit out of bounds or punched or kicked or anything of that nature, expect the flags to come out more often this season. Players can also no longer tackle by grabbing the collars of the opposing team and pulling down, or knock a kicker down if he is not in a defensive position (or initiate helmet-to-helmet contact with a kicker). Players also cannot commit a personal foul after the halftime expires, if they do, they are penalized 15 yards, and the opposing team may extend the period for one untimed down.

The National Football League will also be penalizing coaches and players for not knowing how many challenges or timeouts they have. If a team attempts to call a timeout or a challenge when they do not have any left they will be penalized 15 yards. This could certainly come into play this year, especially in a close game if a team attempts to call a timeout, and is penalized and than moved out of field goal range. The new official rules from the National Football League for 2005 are listed-below.

1. “Players are prohibited from grabbing the inside collar of the back or side of the shoulder pads and immediately pulling down the runner. This rule does not apply to a quarterback in the pocket or a runner in the tackle box. Previously, there was no regulation about the "horse-collar" tackle. Penalty: loss of 15 yards.”

2. “An offensive player who is aligned in the tackle box at the snap and moves to a position outside the box cannot initiate contact on the side and below the waist of an opponent if the player is moving back toward the direction of his own end line. If the near shoulder of the blocker contacts the front of his opponent's body, the "peel back" block is legal. Previously, a player aligned in the tackle box could hit an opponent on the side and below the waist from any direction. Penalty: loss of 15 yards.”

3. “There shall be no unnecessary roughness, including unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who is out of the play before or after the ball is dead. Previously, the policy on unnecessary roughness was less specific.”

4. “A kicker/punter standing still or fading backwards after the ball has been kicked is out of the play and must not be unnecessarily contacted by the receiving team until he assumes a distinctly defensive position. An opponent may not unnecessarily initiate helmet-to-helmet contact to the kicker/punter at anytime during the kick or during the return. Previously, there was no regulation about contact with a kicker/punter after he kicked the ball, nor was there any regulation about helmet-to-helmet contact with the kicker.”

5. “If, during a scrimmage kick, a player is called for illegal touching inside the receiver's 5-yard line, the receiving team may elect to take a touchback. Previously, the receiving team could choose to take the ball at the spot of the foul or elect for the kicking team to lose five yards and re-kick.”

6. “If, at the end of a half, the defense commits a dead-ball personal foul, the offense may choose to extend the period for one untimed down and move 15 yards forward. Previously, a dead ball foul was unenforceable after time had expired.”

7. “The "pocket area" is now defined as spanning the normal tackle position on each side of the center and extends backwards to the offense's own end line. Previously, there were two defined pocket areas. The first spanned from tackle to tackle and was considered only for intentional grounding. The second spanned from tight end to tight end and was considered for illegal contact.”

8. “If, for any reason, the play clock is stopped with fewer than 10 seconds remaining, it is re-set to 10 seconds. Previously, if the play clock stopped prior to the snap, it was automatically re-set to 25 seconds.”

9. “For the following fouls called during a kick play, the offended team will have the option of accepting the penalty at the previous spot and replaying the down or adding the penalty yardage (five yards) onto the end of the play: ineligible player down field; member of the punting team voluntarily out of bounds; illegal formation; illegal motion; player not reporting change in eligibility; offensive offside; illegal shift. Previously, the offended team could decline the penalty or accept a re-kick and a loss of five yards.”

10 “An attempt to call an excess or illegal time-out to "freeze" a kicker prior to a field goal attempt or a PAT will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Previously, officials were instructed to ignore the attempt and assess no penalty. Penalty: loss of 15 yards.”

11. “A team that is out of timeouts or has used all of its available challenges may not attempt to initiate an additional challenge. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Previously, there was no penalty for attempting to initiate an excess challenge.”

12 “ A player or an official is out of bounds when he touches anything other than a player, an official or a pylon on or outside a boundary line. Previously, officials outside a boundary were considered out of bounds. This change pertains mostly to cases where players running along the sideline contact officials standing on the boundary line.”

Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks

2007-03-05T01:00:00.002-08:00

I have always felt that quarterbacks were undervalued in fantasy football. In most scoring formats, they put up more points than any other position (yes, including the vaunted running backs). However, most people tend to dismiss quarterbacks as not worthy of a high pick because they all put up around the same amount of points. I feel that the point differences between a top and mid-level quarterback and a top and mid-level running back are about the same.

In a standard Yahoo fantasy league, I’m going to look at the difference in fantasy points between the top ranked QB and RB and the 10th ranked QB and RB. The top ranked QB was Peyton Manning, with 356 points, and 10th was Aaron Brooks with 187 points, a 169 point gap. The top ranked RB was Shaun Alexander, with 194 points, and the 10th ranked RB was Willis McGahee with only 127 points. The point spread here is only 67 points. Because leagues usually have 2 runners and only 1 quarterback, ill compare Alexander to the 20th ranked runner, Thomas Jones, who had 97 points. Between first and 20th, there is a 97 point gap.

In addition to having a far lower point spread, the running backs amass far fewer total points. The top RB, Shaun Alexander, only has 7 more points than the 10th QB, Aaron Brooks. The only reason running backs are ranked so much higher than quarterbacks is because, for no real reason, people tend to snap up running backs early. If you don’t pick a back early, you will be stuck with a Warrick Dunn or a Brian Westbrook, who, while still good, are much worse than the top backs.

Most every QB had a career season last year, which can be attributed to the new pass interference rules. So bear in mind that next year, after defensive backs and referees adjust to the new rules, QB numbers overall may go down.

The 2005 season QB rankings:

1. Peyton Manning: He threw for 4500 yards and 49 touchdowns last year, so he should be your top overall pick, not just the top QB. I don’t think he will get 49 touchdowns again, as his previous career high was 29. But he should still get over 40 touchdowns with similar yardage numbers.

2. Daunte Culpepper: This guy should be a first-rounder. His season garnered almost no media attention, but he had one of the best seasons ever for a quarterback, setting an all-time record for combined yardage. He had 41 combined touchdowns and threw/ran for 5100 yards. In fact, in leagues that emphasize yardage, he could be more valuable than Peyton Manning. Similarly to Peyton Manning, his record-setting season came out of nowhere; his previous career highs were 4400 combined yards and 33 touchdowns. I personally believe that he will do just fine without Randy Moss (I think that Daunte benefited Moss’s numbers more than Moss helped his). Nate Burleson is a fine #1 receiver, and expect something around 35 touchdowns and 4600 combined yards out of him.

3. Donovan McNabb: T.O. and Westbrook have ended their holdouts, and McNabb looks poised to put up similar numbers to last season. Expect over 3500 yards and 30 touchdowns.

4. Trent Green: He tends to get overlooked, but he has been more than solid for several years despite having no wide receivers at all. If Eddie Kennison can repeat last year, and if Marc Boerigter, a touchdown machine, can play well coming off an injury, he will be solid. Samie Parker could also play a big role in the Chiefs offense. I’m going to say he gets 4000 yards and 25 touchdowns.

5. Jake Delhomme: He is a very good quarterback, and with the return of Steve Smith, Stephen Davis, Deshaun Foster, and the rest of the team from injury, he should have an opportunity to improve his numbers from last year. The emergence of Keary Colbert last year was a pleasant surprise, and his continued development will take attention away from Steve Smith and open up the passing game. Expect 28+ touchdowns and 3600 yards out of him.

6. Drew Brees : His season did literally come out of nowhere, but he had 3150 yards and 29 touchdowns, and with Reche Caldwell and Keenan McCardell back from injury, he might even do better. Having Antonio Gates back from his holdout also helps his value. He should get 30 touchdowns and 3300 yards.

7. Tom Brady: Tom Brady is a solid starter, usually notching around 25 touchdowns and 3700 yards every year. The Patriots lost David Patten this offseason, but with the way they spread the ball around he shouldn’t be a factor. They regain Ben Watson, and they signed a boatload of receivers, including Tim Dwight and David Terrell. Deion Branch and David Givens are a very underrated top 2, and expect around 3800 yards and 25 touchdowns from Brady.

8. Marc Bulger: He has an amazingly talented group of wide receivers, headlined by Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. He is also in an offensive system that is very pass-happy. I hear people saying his breakout year is going to come this year, but I don’t believe it. I say 4000 yards and 20 touchdowns.

9. Brett Favre: Not many people would but Favre this low, but the loss of both the starting guards(Wahle and Rivera) from last year’s o-line is troubling. The offensive success of this team stemmed in no small part from its stellar o-line, and Brett Favre will undoubtedly not get as much time in the pocket as he did last year. But its hard to bet against Favre, and I’m going to say he notches 3000 yards and around 22 touchdowns.

10. Jake Plummer : He throws way too many interceptions for people’s liking, but he does get the numbers. You may not want to get him in a league that heavily penalizes interceptions, but his last year stats of 4100 yards and 27 touchdowns are appealing in all other leagues. Last year was by far a career year for him, so I’m going to say he gets 3000 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Gotta Get Big for Football!

2007-03-05T01:00:00.001-08:00

On the first day of Football practice when I was entering the 10th grade, the coaches took our height and weight, and told us to bench press our bodyweight as many times as we could.

I was fifteen years old, 6 feet tall and 160 pounds. I played Center and Defensive End. The only bench pressing I had done was lying on the floor pressing the 100 pound plastic-coated cement weights my parents bought at the department store. The guys I was lifting with on my first day of practice were a little smaller than me, and had to press 135 pounds, but they only did it for a few reps. Before adding anymore weight, I wanted to try the 135. It was a good thing that we didn’t add any weight, because I couldn’t even press the 135 once! I was embarrassed that I was so weak, and I knew I had to get stronger.

The next blow came a couple of weeks later when I found out that my Mom had gone to the coaches to express her concern. She told the coach, “Aaron is so small and skinny that I am afraid he will be crushed by those older boys.” That did it. Now I was mad! There was no way that I was going to be crushed by anybody, and there was no way I was going to be small and skinny for that matter!

The funny thing about it was that even though I was small, skinny and weak, I was actually pretty good for a guy who had only played organized football for one season. We had enough guys that we were split into three teams. The Varsity was for the best of the best no matter what grade they were in. The JV was for those who weren’t quite good enough for the Varsity, and was mostly Juniors, with some Seniors and Sophomores. The Sophomore team was for all of the 10th grade players who were not good enough for the Varsity. Most of them played only on the Sophomore team, but I was different. I played for the Sophomore team each week, and that was just fun. I mean the competition was weak, and I was hitting the Quarterback on almost every play. Some of the 10th graders were good enough to play on the JV team each week also, and I was one of them. Now three 10th grade players were allowed to dress for the Home Varsity games, and I was one of them. The other two guys were wide receivers and they actually played, whereas I was a lineman and I never got in a Varsity game that year.

My 10th grade year was the first year I could take weight training class at school, and I took full advantage of it. I wanted to be the biggest, strongest guy on the Football team, but that was a long way off. The weight training program that the coach put us on was very simple and basic. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we benched. If we had time after the bench press, we could choose between Military presses for our shoulders, French presses for our triceps, or Barbell curls for our biceps. Sometimes we got to those exercises, but with 4 guys in our group, it didn’t happen often. The workout was 5 sets of 5 reps. Usually, we warmed up with a light weight, like 95 pounds for me in the beginning, for our first set of 5. Each set we added a little more weight, so that only our final set of 5 was all out. Every couple of months the coach had us test our maximum for 1 repetition, even though I couldn’t even do 135 pounds at the beginning of the year, I was quickly becoming one of the stronger guys.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays our workout consisted of the Squat for 5 sets of 5 reps. If we finished our Squats early, we could do stiff-legged deadlifts or donkey calf raises with our partners sitting on our backs. For the Squats, we used the same protocol as we did with the Bench presses. Starting with a light weight, we added a little bit each set so that our 5th set of 5 was an all out effort. We did not test our maximum on the Squat though.

I put everything I had into my workouts, trying to lift more weight every workout, and trying to beat everyone else. That was important, but it was only half of my plan. Now, I don’t know how I figured it out, and I guess I never really thought about what possible ways there were to get big. It just seemed natural to me that getting big and strong required only three things. First, train as hard and heavy as you can. Second, Eat as much food as you can. Third, have enough desire to make sure that you do the first two things, no matter what. It seems simple, and to tell you the truth, it is. But, most people who want size and strength don’t get it. They think that expensive supplements or fancy exercise equipment will get them where they want to go, but unless they follow the Three Principles for Bulking up, they won’t make it.

The Belief That NFL Football Players - Can Do Anything

2007-03-05T00:59:00.003-08:00

Now, I remember when I was like 5 years old and someone flipped me off in front of my house. I had no idea what that meant, I just assumed that it was another way to wave. I went in my house to show my mom my new wave and I was cracked upside the skull with a wooden spoon. I realized that the middle finger was a bad thing and didn’t flip anyone off again, in front of her anyway. As I grew older, WWF Wrestling was becoming bigger and bigger; Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ultimate Warrior, the list goes on and on. I saw someone get hit with a chair one time and it looked like it hurt but he got right back up. So I said, “Let’s give this a try.” One of my friends hit me with a chair and holy crap it hurt like hell. The scary part is I got the weakest kid I knew to hit me with the chair. I could only imagine how much pain I would have been in if my strong friends would have helped out.

As I grew older, I realized that I would not imitate everything I saw on TV. We aren’t talking about watching cartoons and saying if Wiley E. Coyote falls off a cliff and springs back up I can do it too. I knew those cartoons weren’t real and knew I wasn’t an idiot. I’m talking about watching movies and watching guys race bikes and do stunts and race cars at like 150 miles an hour and then when the cops come; they are so slick the cops have no chance to catch them. Now going back up to a few sentences ago, I specified I wasn’t an idiot. I know if I tried any of those stunts or tricks they do, I would either kill myself or end up in jail.

So why in god’s green earth do some of these NFL athletes think they can? If you are a pro football player does that mean you are above the law and can cheat death? Those are super hero abilities if I remember correctly. Or is it that you can do no wrong cause you aren’t the “average” Joe? I have no idea cause I am not a pro athlete. Who knows what is going through these guy’s skulls. Well, we have a few examples of what happens when NFL players watch movies and try the stunts:

Kellen Winslow Jr, TE, Cleveland Browns
Movie: Torque, cycle stunt videos, etc...

Just in case you wanted to know about the movie Torque, it is about motorcycle racing basically and tons and tons of special effects are used in it. I have driven motorcycles and they are blast. Using the minimal amount of experience on the bike, I was still able to figure out that most of the movie had some realistic stunts. They were fun to watch but even the ones that weren’t “enhanced” by a computer I knew I had no chance in hell of even coming close to doing them. Again, I am not an idiot. So with that being said by an “average” Joe, why would someone as talented and rich and athletic as Winslow believe he can? Am I calling him an idiot? Not at all. All I am wondering is why does he think he can do it? He was in a parking lot trying to do tricks and ends up crashing his bike and hurts his knee and is out for the year. Why would you even try those stunts? It just doesn’t make any sense. You are making millions of dollars for one reason and that is playing football so why would you do something that would jeopardize your career? Leave the stunts to the professional stunt men.

Quintin Williams, DB, Miami Dolphins
Movie: Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious
Video Games: Need for Speed, Midnight Club, Juiced, etc...

Now when it comes to car racing, not only are there movies out there to watch, there are also video games to play. They are all based on the same concept basically; race cars to make money and stay away from the police. Have I street raced before? No. Have I driven a car really fast before? But of course, who hasn’t. What I’m trying to get at here is there is a difference between driving your car real fast and street racing. Both are dangerous but there is a bit more danger in street racing. Have I played those video games mentioned above? Yes I have and I’ll even admit that I own one of them. I have a blast playing them and yeah I have a kick ass car that can do speeds of over 200mph. Again, I know I am not an idiot. I understand that video games and real life don’t compare. I know what I can do in video games I can’t do in real life. But not to Quintin Williams of course because he is a football player. He was caught street racing last week around Dolphin Stadium at speeds topping 110mph. Again, am I calling him an idiot? No, but I will call him an idiot cause he was drunk while he was street racing. I’ll admit that I’ve driven my tricked out Porsche drunk off my ass but then again I was in the comfort of my own home playing video games. Williams was doing something that could of have cost him his life or the life of another person because he was street racing and he was drunk. He was a professional football player making millions but not anymore cause a day after his arrest, the Dolphins released him.

The belief that NFL football players have that they can do anything happens all the time. If just doesn’t relate to movies and video games though. It goes way beyond that with drugs and assault and jail time and much more. Sometimes it gets a little carried away and nowadays we are seeing more and more sports figures in the news for negative acts off the field than good plays on the field. Both these stories of Winslow and Williams have bad endings that prove it doesn’t matter if you are an “average” Joe or a stud football player in the NFL, what you see on TV isn’t always for you. There is a reason shows put a “Do Not Try This At Home” stamp at the beginning of their shows. It shouldn’t matter who you are or what you do, stick with what you are good at and don’t be an idiot!

Cooling Vests to Protect Football Players from the Heat

2007-03-05T00:59:00.001-08:00

It is August. It is summer. It is hot, and it is kick-off time across the country as pre-season football practice begins. Players will expect to get hot and sweaty, as their coaches attempt to whip them into shape. However a combination of hot/humid weather, tough conditioning drills and players unaccustomed to practicing in the heat, can make August a deadly and dangerous month.

Despite all the warnings, the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research reports that 24 football players (19 high school, 3 college and 2 professional) have died from heatstroke since 1995.

The main problem associated with exercising in the hot weather is the water loss through sweating. However drinking water is simply not enough. In extremely hot weather the body will sweat at a rate faster than water can be absorbed into the system. So how can we reduce the amount of sweating, while at the same time help the body to regulate its core body temperature?

The answer is the Arctic Heat Body Cooling Vest. A lightweight cool vest which will not only help to protect athletes from heat related illness, but it will also allow athletes to work harder for longer.

The Arctic Heat cooling vest was originally developed for football players in Australia and it now used by International teams in every other major football code in the world. Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer and Australian Rules Football all use the cooling vest to protect their athletes and to improve their performance. It was also used at the Athens Olympics by all the major sporting countries, including many of the USA teams. The military in Iraq are even using the Arctic Heat cooling vests.

“The Arctic Heat Cooling Vest, designed for football, will legally improve performance and will also help protect an athlete’s health,” said Dr John Surie, President of Arctic Heat USA.

The ice cold cooling vest can be worn underneath playing uniforms, it can be used as a pre-cooling device before conditioning drills, and it can be used as a recovery tool in between or after sessions.

Yet enquiries from local football teams have so far been limited. “There seems to be a different mentality in football that you have to run players hard and make them sweat, in order to toughen them up. We believe it is better to cool down and fire up athletes. Most other sporting codes in the world now agree with us,” said Dean Sainsbury from the Arctic Heat company.

Arctic Heat has also developed a range of unique cooling blankets and cooling caps which can be used to immediately treat players who have overheated. "The cooling caps can be used during a game to cool players down. When they come to the bench they can remove their helmets, put the cool cap on, and cool down,” said Dr Surie.

The lightweight Arctic Heat Cooling Vest uses a two stage cooling process. The vests contain a gel-like substance that can be frozen or chilled. The cooling vests are manufactured using Woolmark's Sportwool, a special body cooling fabric which incorporates Vapor Management Technology, helping to wick moisture away from the skin, allowing the user to keep dry.

NCAA Football: Some Early Observations

2007-03-05T00:58:00.001-08:00

LSU: With all the talk about Urban Meyer going to Florida and the "ballcoach" at South Carolina, not many folks are talking about Les Miles coming over from Oklahoma State replacing Nick Saban at LSU. Throw in the fact that unheralded Bo Pelini is running the defense there now, this team could sneak up on some people even though they are the best in the SEC West.

LSU did lose a few talented players on defense, but they still have great depth. Assuming JeMarcus Russell wins the QB battle, he should be alot better this seaon and the team returns most of their weapons from last season. Add to the fact that Tennessee and Florida both have to come to Baton Rouge this year, an undefeated season isn't a far-fetched goal.

USC: They're still head and shoulders above the rest of the Pac-10, but they do have to travel to Oregon early in the season, and to California in Novenmber. Add to the fact that everyone gets up for USC, it could be a bumpier road than many expect for the Trojans in 2005.

Penn State: Still not buying in to the talk of Penn State and Paterno's "rebirth" this season. They have some nice young players who can play major roles this year, but the Big 10 is just too tough and no way are they at the level to compete with the Michigan's, Iowa's and Ohio State's of the conference. I wish Paterno would have retired a few years ago. They could be 5-0 going into the Ohio State game, but the 2nd half of the schedule is brutal. They'll lose 4 of their last 6.

Pittsburgh has one of the top QB's in the nation with Tyler Palko. I'm not sure how new coach Dave Wannstedt will react to having a top signal-caller, he never got to coach one in Chicago or Miami. We'll find out in the first game of the season, when they welcome Notre Dame and new coach Charlie Weiss to town. I'll be interested to see how ND QB Brady Quinn has progressed under the tuteledge of Weiss. Could be a shootout.

Five Fantasy Football Defenses That Will Shock You

2007-03-05T00:57:00.000-08:00

With fantasy drafts looming just over the horizon, for most of us this is a time of last-minute web-site perusing and web-site scouring in hopes of cooking up that special lineup that will get us a coveted fantasy football championship. In the search for that magical recipe, we all need one key ingredient: a good, strong defense. Take a minute and peruse this portion of our fantasy cookbook that will let you in on the top five fantasy defenses that should slide under the radar in most drafts this summer.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Year after year we look to this team to be a fantasy defense standout, but like rice pudding without raisins, they seem to be missing that one necessary bit of pizzazz that moves them from average dessert to dining delicacy. This season, we think Denny Green's finally getting it right. He focused more on defense in the draft this season, spending first and third round picks on cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric Green, which should help round out a now solid secondary that actually has the depth to incorporate productive nickel and dime schemes. With third and fifth round picks used to bulk up a linebacking core that needed a little help, the Cards have properly rounded out a defense that has always had a strong defensive line. A look in at the numbers reveals that Arizona allowed just 20.1 points per game in 2004, good for 12th in the league, while only allowing 35 touchdowns (T-9th in NFL). At 9th in passing defense (189.8 yd/gm) they force teams to pound the ball, which always eats up clock and lowers point totals, which are necessities for any fantasy defense. Overall, the Cards were right in the middle of the pack in turnovers, 30, with 15 picks and 15 fumble recoveries. However, they had a turnover differential of just +1. This typifies the missing link for the Cardinals in the recent past -- they've lacked a strong offense to help keep the defense rested and off the field. But, it's hard to have an offense when you don't have a good quarterback or running back. Finally, Denny Green has seen the light and has drafted a quality running back in J.J. Arrington to compliment a quarterback, Kurt Warner, who can actually get the ball to his top flight receivers. To boot, this team held on to Josh McCown, which gives them the option of now one of the best back-ups in the league. Expect a top 10-15 defense out of the Cardinals, who might now have the tools to get it done in the NFC-West.

4. Miami Dolphins: No matter how bad their record, never count this team out as having a bad defense. They are like the Atlanta Braves of the football world , as whoever they put out there on defense knows how to get the job done. Despite a troublesome 4-12 record last season, the Dolphins quietly allowed just 22.1 points per contest. Digging a bit deeper, one might realize this number would have been still lower had the Dolphins not thrown 8 interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (no other team had more than 4). This alone would bring down their points allowed down to 18.6 per game, good for 8th in the league! This problem should be remedied as Miami is going to get back to the type of football that kept them in the playoffs year after year in the recent past: running the football. With Ricky Williams cleared for camp and Ronnie Brown ready to roll, this team is going to spend down after down between the tackles and little time in the air. That means low-scoring, fast games - a great defensive recipe. And like a true master chef, Dave Wannstedt still had his faculties about him enough to draft 4 defensive players after Arrington, including Matt Roth (Iowa) and Channing Crowder (Florida). Add these ingredients to a defensive dish that already includes names like Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Tebucky Jones, Kevin Carter, and Sam Madison, and you're staring at one tasty treat. Still not convinced? Keep in mind this Dolphin defense was still 2nd in the league against the pass last season (162.0 yd/gm) and will finally be happy and healthy up front on defense to stop the run. This is a great year to get back on a perennial favorite defense that many will have written off.

3. Houston Texans: "Four". That is the number that typifies this defense. Not only does 4 represent the number of marshmallows I can fit in my mouth at one time, it also signifies the number of rushing touchdowns the Texans allowed all of last season. Four - wow, that's easily best in the league. However, that might lead you to believe that they have a suspect secondary that gives up a lot through the air. Not so. With Philip Buchanon, Dunta Robinson, Marcus Coleman and Glenn Earl back there, they have the names to get it done. This year should show a cohesiveness to this group, who still managed 22 interceptions last year (5th in NFL), that may have lacked a bit in the past, as these young players are all maturing and learning the NFL game and how to play with each other more and more. Regardless, this team still only allowed 21.2 points per game, and keep in mind they play Indy twice every year. They gave up 10 or less points in 4 games last season and helped sure up the middle of their d-line by drafting DT Travis Johnson (Fla St.) in the first round. Taking Vernand Morency (Okl St.) in the 2nd round of the draft helped solidify a ground game that should keep this young, active defense well-rested this season, making them more appealing than a rack of ribs and an ice-cold beer for this year's fantasy fanatics.

2. Washington Redskins: This defense was my personal choice for fantasy drafts last season, which worked out wonderfully. This new season has whetted my appetite for drafting them once again. Quietly, the Redskins were a defensive juggernaut last season. Playing in the low-scoring, grind-it-out NFC-East, they are in the perfect division for low-scoring games. With Steve Spurrier at the helm, they could never play this type of football -- they were too loose and gave up too many big plays. Now, in just one season under Joe Gibbs, the Skins have turned this defense into what many have been hoping it would blossom into for years. In '04 they were 7th in the league in pass defense (186.1 yd/gm) and amassed a solid 40 sacks (T-9th). With numbers like that, it would be natural to assume their run defense was suspect. Not so! In fact, it was quite the opposite, ranking 2nd in the league at just 81.5 yards per game, allowing league bests of 3.1 yards/carry and 76 total first downs on the ground! It's hard to score on a team with numbers like these. Perhaps that's why the Skins were 5th in the league in points against (16.6 per game) and tied for 4th in the league in total touchdowns against (30). Now, Spurrier would have thought this cake was finished cooking and let it simply cool by the window. However, Gibbs is a wise old man and decided to tinker with the icing a bit, drafting CB Carlos Rogers (Auburn) with the 9th pick in the draft and adding a couple of solid linebacking prospects with his 5rd and 6th round picks. Rogers has brought a nice little position battle to camp, which should raise the levels of play of all involved. This defense will by dangerous again this year and, perhaps, is worth your pick on fantasy draft day.

1. Buffalo Bills: Our top sleeper choice for fantasy defenses for the 2005 season has to be the Buffalo Bills. This team has all the ingredients, has passed the taste-test, and is ready for Betty Crocker's cookbook. Look at the numbers here. The Bills were 8th in the league allowing just 17.8 points per game in 2004. They allowed just 6 rushing touchdowns all season, good for 2nd in the league. Their passing defense was 3rd in the league at just 164.0 yards per game, totaling 45 sacks, good for third in the league. This well-rounded D was also 7th in the league against the run at 100.2 yards per game. Ok, now, sit down and brace yourself. Without much press, this Bills team grabbed a league best 39 turnovers! Only Carolina had more interceptions and only 3 teams recovered more fumbles. Overall, Buffalo allowed under 10 points 3 times last season and 20 or less points in 12 of their 16 contests. You could almost make the argument that this was the best defense in the league and almost certainly top five. Not much has changed in the offseason and this team continues to improve on offense, which should help the defense as well. Further, the Bills dodge the Colts again this season and play a soft out-of-division schedule including Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Oakland, which should help in turnover differential and low point totals. This is the steal of the fantasy draft this season, so if you have the chance, be sure to grab up the Buffalo Bills defense on draft day.

2005 NFC West Football preview

2007-03-05T00:56:00.003-08:00

OVERVIEW: NFC West

The Arizona Cardinals have posted a mark of 22-42 straight up over the past four seasons which is by far the worst win/loss record of any team in the NFC West, however, that’s all about to change in 2005 as I fully expect these Cardinals to win this division and make the playoffs, remember that you heard it here first!

Cardinal HC Denny Green had another fantastic draft highlighted by picking CB Antrel Rolle and RB J.J. Arrington with his first and second choices followed by selecting CB Eric Green and LB Darryl Blackstock with his third and fourth picks, Rolle and Arrington will in all likelihood be immediate starters while Green and Blackstock will add depth to a defense that improved from 26th overall in 2003 to 12th overall in the league in 2004.

Denny Green got a draft steal in the forth round by picking up OG Elton Brown out of Virginia who may very well be another immediate starter, Brown is a mountain of a man at 6’4 and 339 lbs and was a two time recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy which is given annually to the ACC’s top blocker.

The Cards did very well in the free agent wars by signing two time league MVP Kurt Warner to lead the offense and play catch with WR’s Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin who comprise one of the best WR tandems in the NFL, to help protect Warner in the pocket the Cards signed OG Oliver Ross away from Pittsburgh and for good measure also brought in OT’s Ian Allen and Adam Haayer for added depth.

Arizona has managed to interject a lot of young talent on their roster via excellent drafting as evidenced by the fact that 13 of the Cards 14 draft choices from 2003 and 2004 are on the roster for 2005, and to think that 7 of those 14 draft picks from 2003 and 2004 are starters!

Seattle can’t seem to get out of their own way with regard to posting an overall win/loss mark of 35-31 over the past four years which has led to them being what is referred to as a “middle of the road” team, not bad enough to be in line for higher draft picks but yet not good enough to capitalize on opportunity when it knocks on their door.

The Seahawks finished 2004 with an offense ranked 8th overall in the league but defensively fell from 19th overall in 2003 to 26th overall in 2004, the Hawks really didn’t help themselves too much in the draft and instead concentrated on free agency to shore up their defense as 8 of their 11 free agent signings were defense related as they picked up two DE’s, two LB’s, two CB’s, a DT, and a Safety.

The Hawks brought in WR’s Joe Jurevicius and Jerome Pathon to ease the release of problem child WR Koren Robinson who had an off season DUI, the loss of backup QB Trent Dilfer to Cleveland will hurt the Hawks tremendously if QB Matt Hasselbeck goes down to injury and RB Shaun Alexander is threatening to sit out most of training camp in protest of the Hawks not honoring him with a new deal, ahhhhhhh nothing but problems problems problems for HC Mike Holmgren.

St. Louis by far has the best four year record of any team in this division with a win/loss mark of 44-26, however, the continued bad play calling and terrible clock management by HC Mike Martz has led to this team falling well short of expectations given this teams immense talent level over the past few years.

The Rams have made the playoffs four of the past five years during Martz’s tenure, however, bone headed play calling in 2000 led to a first round loss at the hands of the Saints 31-28 and to think the Rams were 6.5 point road favorites playing at New Orleans, the following season saw these Rams completely out coached when they were installed as 14 point favorites in the Super Bowl against New England but lost 20-17.

2003 saw these Rams once again exit the playoff picture in a 29-23 first round loss to Carolina in a game played at St Louis with the Rams installed as 7 point home favorites, then of course how can we forget the 47-17 pasting the Rams absorbed last season in the playoffs against an Atlanta team that was nowhere near as talented as the Rams?

The Rams had a very average draft and didn’t really help themselves in the free agent wars other than picking up LB’s Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne to help shore up a defensive unit that ranked a shoddy 29th in rushing yards allowed in 2004. I fully expect to see these Rams finish below the .500 mark in 2005 and if Georgia is smart she will give Martz the ole boot at seasons end.

The Niners had a pretty good draft but they are still at least two years away from being able to compete for the divisional crown, HC Mike Nolan has already stated that his intention is to go ahead and start the NFL’s first overall draft pick QB Alex Smith under center and let him gain experience, meaning of course that the Niner organization is expecting nothing from this team in 2005 and neither do I.

In closing, obviously I am very high on Arizona this season and expect big things from them in 2005, with that being said I will recommend two “Futures wagers” on the Cardinals,( A.) To win the NFC West and (B.) To go OVER the posted seasonal win/loss total of 7.5.

In addition to the reasoning I laid out above as to why these Cards will win this division its also noteworthy that Arizona will face the league’s 2nd easiest schedule when considering that the Cards 2005 schedule is comprised of teams that tallied a combined straight up win/loss record of 120-147 last year which equates to a winning percentage of only .449.

Jim Campbell is one of the nations most respected Sports Handicappers, he specializes in College and Pro Football, you can visit Jim at his website located at footballforecastor.com for all of your handicapping needs including free play selections, College and NFL stats, trends and award winning analysis on upcoming games.

With over 30 plus years experience in the handicapping profession Jim has built a solid reputation, his web based handicapping service at footballforecastor.com as been in existence since 1997 and year after year proves to be one of the very best handicapping services in America.

2005 NFC South Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:56:00.001-08:00

OVERVIEW: NFC South

In the NFC South look for Tampa Bay and Carolina to catch and over take the Falcons in 2005, the fall from grace will fall on the shoulders of QB Michael Vick who has been to a large extent a product of media hype, sure the guy runs like a deer but so do most wide receivers and that is exactly what Vick is, a wide receiver playing out of position.

Remember the media hype surrounding Pittsburgh QB Kordell Stewart when he was in his “Slash” role with the Steelers? Then you also remember that he ended up saddling his team with disappointing loss after loss once other teams in his division and conference figured out how contain him in the pocket and make him play catch with his receivers.

Somehow someway the Falcons finished with a record of 11-5 straight up and 7-9 ATS during the regular season last year, a closer look see reveals that Atlanta won six games by a grand total of 16 points, in other words more than half of the Falcons 11 regular season wins were by an average point difference of only 2.6 points per game which includes defeating the Niners, Cardinals, and Giants by a total point difference of only 9 points and to think that these three teams finished 2004 with a combined straight up record of 14-34.

Michael Vick had the worst statistics of any playoff QB last season as evidenced by his 14 to 12 TD to INT ratio, a QB rating of only 78.1, and throwing for a mere 2313 total passing yards, to put things into perspective consider that Peyton Manning finished 2004 with a TD to INT ratio of 49 to 10 with 4557 total passing yards and a QB rating of 121.1, Viking QB Duante Culpepper finished the year with a TD to INT ratio of 39 to 11 with 4717 total passing yards and a QB rating of 110.9.

I won’t bore you with the statistics of the remaining 2004 Playoff QB’s but trust me when I say each of the remaining playoff QB’s had numbers better than Vick, but to put things another way, consider that Titan backup QB Billy Volek came off the bench in relief of sidelined QB Steve McNair last year and ended up with a TD to INT ratio of 18 to 10 with 2486 total passing yards and a QB rating of 87…enough said.

In reality Atlanta had a good season due to the fact that Tampa Bay and Carolina had injury filled bad seasons, look for that to change in 2005 when considering that the Panthers had a total of 14 players sidelined with injury during the first half of 2004 which was the root cause for their shoddy 1-7 straight up and 3-5 ATS start, however, the Panthers started to get healthy during the second half of 2004 and rebounded to post a 6-2 straight up and 6-1-1 ATS record with both losses coming by way of a field goal.

To showcase Michael Vick the NFL schedule maker saw fit to have Atlanta appear three times on Monday Night Football in 2005 including the season opening Monday Nighter which will be a playoff rematch against Philadelphia, in an attempt to make things easy on Vick in prime time each MNF appearance will take place on the Falcons home field.

With that being said, Atlanta’s three opponents on MNF will be the Eagles, the Jets, and the Saints and each team will have a passing attack that can fully expose the Falcons weak defensive secondary, for the sake of “Value” we will be wagering against Vick and company in each of these three Monday Night appearances and recommend that you do the same.

In our 2005 preview of the AFC West we made mention of the fact that the Oakland Raiders have gone 9-23 straight up and 9-22-1 ATS since their Super Bowl appearance following the 2002 season, remember who the Raiders opponent was in that Super bowl?

Of course you do, it was none other than the Tampa Bay Bucs. Like the Raiders these Bucs have also fallen on hard times over the past two seasons as evidenced by their 12-20 straight up and 12-19-1 ATS record since that January 26, 2003 Super Bowl appearance, historically speaking Tampa Bay’s two year record of 12-20 is the worst of any NFL team in history following a Super Bowl victory.

Tampa Bays woes have been offensive in nature when considering that the Buc defense held opponents to less than 300 yards per game on average for the fourth straight year in 2004, however, for the third time in this same four year span Tampa’s offense failed to average at least 100 rushing yards per contest and over the past four years have finished 30th, 27th, 23rd, and 29th in the league in rushing.

Look for Tampa Bay’s rushing numbers to improve dramatically in 2005 due to the drafting of RB Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, OT Chris Colmer, and OG Dan Buenning along with the free agent addition of former Jet TE Anthony Becht who was very instrumental in clearing the way for Jet RB Curtis Martin to rumble to four straight 1000 yard seasons including Martin’s career high 1697 yards in 2004.

New Orleans is an enigma in a lot of ways as they are now paying the price for being a middle of the road team over the last four years with regard to posting straight up marks of 8-8, 8-8. 9-7, and 7-9 since 2001 which has led to another very average draft for a very average team.

However, the odd thing about the Saints is that they have an HC with a defensive background in Jim Haslett, yet finished 32nd in the league last year in total defense, on the flip side of things the Saints are immensely talented on offense and managed to post a 4-0 straight up and ATS mark in their final four games of 2004 after posting a shoddy combined record of 5-11 straight up and 6-10 ATS over their final four games from 2000 to 2003, see what I mean? These Saints are a paradox.

In closing, I fully expect the public to over rate the Falcons in 2005 and as recommended above I would look to play against Michael Vick and company in each of their three MNF appearances and especially since the ole history book shows that Atlanta has posted a mark of 1-13 ATS in their previous 14 Monday Night games.

New Orleans opens up their regular season with a visit to Carolina and the Saints might just catch the Panthers looking ahead to week two when New England comes to Charlotte, NC for a rematch of the 2003 Super Bowl, its always nice to know that according to past history the doggie in Saint/Panther contests has a record of 6-1-1 ATS in the past eight meetings.

With regard to the Panthers and Buccaneers, barring injury I would recommend a wager on them each and every time they are installed as a doggie getting at least a field goal, the only exception to this is when Tampa travels to New England on December 17th as the Bucs will be playing their third straight road game and will be in a divisional sandwich having just played at Carolina and a home date with Atlanta on deck.

2005 NFC North Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:55:00.001-08:00

OVERVIEW: NFC North

Look for a changing of the guard In the NFC North in 2005 as I fully expect to see the Green Bay Packers pass the torch to the Vikings and finish below the .500 mark, Pack QB Brett Favre has spent 14 of his 15 NFL seasons in Green Bay and has had a Hall of Fame career which includes the honor of being the NFL’s only three time MVP, Favre also has the distinction of being the NFL’s “Iron Man” with regard to his starting 225 consecutive games.

However, Favre will turn 36 yrs old on October 10 and his offensive line is significantly weaker with the key losses of starting offensive guards Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle, and those losses are in addition to losing starting S Darren Sharper and bit players S Michael Hawthorne and S Bhawoh Jue who provided depth in an already weak defensive secondary.

Other than snagging Favre’s replacement in QB Aaron Rogers with their top draft selection the Packers had a very average draft which is not a good thing when considering that they really didn’t pick up anyone of consequence in free agency, Green Bay opened up their 2004 campaign with a 1-4 straight up and ATS record which includes losing their first three home games to the likes of the Bears, the Giants, and the Titans which is not a good sign considering that these three teams finished up 2004 with a combined record of 16-32 straight up.

The Vikings appear to be the heir apparent to the NFC North throne as the ousting of WR Randy Moss who was nothing but a distraction along with the best draft of any team in the division and a good free agent crop might just turn these Vikings into a serious contender for the overall NFC crown when the smoke clears.

However, with that being said the real question is whether the Vikings can overcome the distraction of the team being sold as well as the silly game time decisions and poor clock management of HC Mike Tice who if you recall was busted for scalping Super Bowl tickets.

Detroit figures to give the Vikings a battle for the crown as long as they can remain healthy, Lion HC Steve Mariucci is in his third year with the organization and needs to make strides this year if he wants GM Matt Millen to hang around after 2005, Steve Mariucci was brought in after the Lions finished 2001 and 2002 with a combined record of 5-27 straight up and 15-16-1 ATS.

In Mariucci’s two seasons with the Lions they have gone 11-21 straight up and 17-15 ATS which means although slowly there has been improvement, the Lions selected three Pac-10 players with their top three choices by drafting WR Mike Williams out of USC with their top selection which makes this the third straight draft that a WR was chosen with the Lions first overall pick, with the Lions second pick they chose DT Shaun Cody out of USC and with their third choice they picked CB Stanley Wilson out of Stanford.

The Lions got a possible steal in the fifth round with QB Dan Orlovsky out of Connecticut, Detroit was also very active in the free agent wars by picking up QB Jeff Garcia who used to play for Mariucci in San Francisco and thus knows this offense very well, if QB Joey Harrington continues to under perform expect to see a switch to Garcia. The additions of problem child WR Kevin Johnson and TE Marcus Pollard will bring veteran leadership to the offense.

HC Lovie Smith and his Bears continue to be a work in progress as they once again will bring up the rear in 2005, windy city faithful had high hopes for this team following a 13-4 straight up and 11-5-1 ATS season in 2001, however, in the three seasons since that break out year of 2001 these Bears have tallied a dismal 16-32 straight up and 20-28 ATS record and the song will remain the same in 2005 as the Bears used their top draft choice on RB Cedric Benson.

Benson will in all likelihood be one heck of a back, the problem lies in the fact that the Bears don’t have an offensive line to block for the poor guy, Chicago’s terrible offensive line play in 2004 was the root cause of the Bears seeing three QB’s including Rex Grossman sidelined with injuries, its head shaking stuff to consider that this offensive line allowed a staggering 66 sacks which in the end caused the Bears to finish with an overall offensive ranking of 32nd in the league.

In closing I see the NFC North as a race between the Vikings and Lions for the top spot with the Packers coming in third and Chicago bringing up the rear, if not for the Vikings bad game time coaching I would expect to see them win this division handily, however, Viking HC Mike Tice will probably cost his team two close losses via bad decisions when its said and done.

The Vikings will probably be a public darling for most of the season so not much “Value” will be found by backing them, instead look to play against the Vikes when they are installed as road favorites this season as they are 4-10 ATS in this role over the past four years, the Vikings also tend to be way over valued by the public when playing at home as evidenced by the Vikes 1-10 ATS record as a home favorite of more than six points.

Look to jump on the Lion bandwagon this season when they are installed as road doggies, Detroit posted a road mark of 3-5 straight up and 5-3 ATS in 2004 which is eye opening stuff when considering that they had lost 24 straight road games prior to 2004, if these Lions can remain healthy and QB Joey Harrington or Jeff Garcia have a decent season these Lions will have an offense that can keep them in any game they play.

2005 NFC East Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:54:00.002-08:00

OVERVIEW: NFC EAST

The Eagles once again appear to be the top team in the NFC for 2005, however, I wouldn’t look for them to win 13 games this season due to the fact that each of the other teams in the NFC East should improve this year. A look at the Eagles schedule for 2005 reveals the fact that Philly will face the league’s third easiest schedule when considering the Eagles 2005 opponents combined for a 118-146 straight up record last season.

One would expect that with the Eagles posting a straight up record of 54-20 over the past four seasons that they would eventually have a bad draft due to having to choose from the draft leftovers, however, that has not been the case as the Eagles once again had a pretty good draft which is a testament to just how good HC Andy Reid is with regard to being able to wheel and deal in the draft as well as his ability to pick talent.

The Eagles weren’t all that active in the free agent market but were able to snag a quality backup QB in Mike McMahon from Detroit who became expendable when the Lions picked up QB Jeff Garcia. It should be no surprise that the Lions picked up Garcia when considering that Garcia was Detroit HC Steve Mariucci’s QB when both were in San Francisco.

Cowboy HC Bill Parcells used free agency to bring in RB Anthony Thomas to backup Julius Jones and also snagged QB Drew Bledsoe to run his offense for 2005, however, Parcells main focus during the off season was to fix what ailed his defense which allowed 406 points in 2004. Parcells appears to have been successful with a quality draft head lined by picking up DE Demarcus Ware, DE Marcus Spears and LB Kevin Burnett with his top three selections in the draft.

Overall Parcells had an excellent draft and used six of his eight draft selections on defensive players which should serve to shore up a shaky pass rush which allowed opposing QB’s time to toss 31 TD’s last year. The Giants threw last season away by using QB Eli Manning under center earlier than they probably should have, however, the playing experience gained in 2004 should serve Manning well this season and especially since QB Kurt Warner is now in Arizona which means that Manning will not be looking over this shoulder.

The Giants only had four draft choices which was the fewest amount in franchise history, however, they were able to pick up CB Corey Webster out of LSU in the second round, Webster should have been a top 10 or top 15 pick but fell to the Giants with the overall 43rd pick in the draft due to injuries sustained in College, the G-Men used free agency to bring in QB Tim Hasselbeck to back up Manning and signed a go-to WR in former Steeler Plaxico Burress for Manning to play catch with.

By not addressing glaring needs on offense Washington appears set to bring up the rear in the NFC East for 2005, last year Skin HC Joe Gibbs brought in former Jag QB Mark Brunell to run his offense, however in the nine games Brunell started last year he only completed 49.79% of his passes and at seasons end finished with a QB rating of 63.90.

In contrast QB Patrick Ramsey started seven games in 2004 and completed 62.13% of his tosses which was good enough to post a QB rating of 74.8, the Skins used their second draft selection on QB Jason Campbell out of Auburn which was probably a bit of a reach as Campbell will need lots of work, however, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Patrick Ramsey will be the starting QB for 2005.

Regardless of whether the Skins decide to go with either Mark Brunell or Patrick Ramsey at QB for 2005, Washington still needs to fix their offensive line play which was atrocious to say the least and was the main reason for the Skins averaging a meager 15 points scored per contest last year.

The Skin defense appeared set to be the bright spot for this team once again in 2005, however, the arrest of safety Sean Taylor on gun charges, the free agent loss of CB Fred Smoot and the off season ankle injury/stress fracture to top draft choice CB Carlos Rogers leaves that open to debate.

In closing the Eagles posted an overall mark of 15-4 straight up and 12-7 ATS last year, I fully expect to see the public back these Eagles in most outings in 2005, however, a check of last season shows that 3 of the Eagles 4 straight up losses occurred against AFC teams and 4 of the Eagles 7 spread losses came against the AFC.

A check of the past three seasons reveals the fact that Philly has only lost a total of 14 games in this time frame, however, 7 of those 14 losses came at the hands of AFC teams, and to think that in the past three years these Eagles only played AFC teams a total of 13 times!!

This of course leads me to believe that 2005 road games at Kansas City and at Denver might very well be prime spots to go against Philly and especially if the Eagles are installed as road favorites when considering that the Eagles have gone 4-9 ATS overall against AFC teams over the past three seasons, in road games (not counting the SB) against AFC teams during this same time span Philly posted a mark of 2-4 ATS.

I would be careful in picking my spots with regard to Dallas, New York, and Washington this season until after the fourth game of the year because of the QB situation at each location, with that being said keep an eye on the Cowboys who could very well end up being the surprise team in this division as well as in the NFC this year if QB Drew Bledsoe can remain healthy and the Dallas defense shapes up like I think they will.

2005 AFC West Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:54:00.001-08:00

OVERVIEW: AFC West

The 12-5 straight up win San Diego Chargers were the surprise team of the NFL in 2004 when considering that they had posted a shoddy record of 4-12 straight up and 6-10 ATS in 2003, if you had hitched your wagon onto these Chargers all season long in 2004 you were indeed a happy camper as the Bolts tallied a 13-2-2 ATS mark when it was all said and done.

If not for a missed FG on a muddy rain soaked field against the Jets in these Chargers opening playoff game last year, there is no telling how far the momentum of these Bolts may have carried them when considering the Jets lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the very same manner the following week.

However, in the big picture San Diego faced five playoff bound teams during the 2004 regular season and posted a shoddy 1-4 straight up mark in those games with their only win against a playoff team coming against Denver 20-17, the Chargers major malfunction in 2004 was their 31st ranked pass defense which forced the Bolts to outscore teams.

A closer look-see reveals that the Charger defense only registered 29 sacks all season long, meaning that not all the blame for that 31st pass defense ranking can be attributed to the Bolt defensive backs, some of the blame must go to the defensive front that failed to pressure opposing QB’s. The Bolts did draft two potentially great defensive linemen with their first two picks by selecting DE Shawne Merriman out of Maryland and DT Luis Castillo out of Northwestern.

The Chargers were installed as doggies 10 times in 2004, this fact was a major reason why the Bolts were able to have the point spread success they had last season, with that being said, these Chargers will not sneak up on anyone this season and that includes the oddsmaker.

The now healthy Kansas City Chiefs will battle the Bolts back and forth for the top spot all season long, a sense of urgency will fill Chief land this season due to the fact that HC Dick Vermeil and most of his coaching staff are in the final year of their contracts.

The Chiefs along with the Raiders had an excellent draft, head Chief Dick Vermeil knows that his defense allowed more passing yards to opponents than any other team in the league last season, Vermeil managed to bolster his defense for the 2005 campaign with the free agent signings of former Steeler LB Kendrell Bell and former Miami defensive backs CB Patrick Surtain and SS Sammy Knight.

Kansas City finished 4-1 straight up and 3-2 ATS coming down the stretch last season and when the smoke cleared had the NFL’s number one ranked offense by averaging 418.3 yards per contest which was 14 more yards per game on average than the 2nd ranked Indianapolis Colts, if the Chiefs can stay healthy and avoid another 1-4 straight up and ATS start on the season, they will once again be a playoff contender.

Did you hear that? I am talking about the whisperings coming out of Colorado and more specifically out of Denver these days, is it possible that Bronco HC Mike Shanahan is indeed an over rated commodity that is undeserving of past praise?

Well, the truth of it is that Shanahan and his troops have failed miserably since the retirement of beloved QB John Elway, the Stanford product retired following back to back Super Bowl wins and in the six seasons since his retirement the Broncos have made the playoffs just three times, however, Denver has not made it past their opening playoff game and each of these three playoff appearances ended in utter defeat with the Broncos losing by an average score of 37-12.

Shanahan has a lot of folks scratching their heads and wondering if someone spiked his punch with regard to his draft choices and free agent signings this season, riddle me this….Why would you sign four free agent defensive linemen off of the Cleveland Browns roster when that same Cleveland Brown defense allowed a whopping 144.6 yards to opposing running backs in 2004?

Why would Shanahan use a third round pick in the draft on problem child RB Maurice Clarett who sat out last season and was nothing but a distraction to the Ohio State Buckeye program? Does Shanahan like controversy on his team? Is Shanahan trying to prove that he can rehabilitate problem children better than professional psychologists? And what about those defensive linemen from the Brownie organization, does Shanahan think his defensive line coach teaches technique that much better than Cleveland to over come lack of talent or heart?

Questions questions questions, speaking of questions how bout dem Ray’duhs? Watching his team finish with a record of 5-11 straight up and 6-10 ATS in 2004 did not sit well with owner Al Davis who along with 2nd year HC Norv Turner had one of the very best drafts of any team in the league by snagging Nebraska CB Fabian Washington with their top choice followed by Houston CB Stanford Routt and Arizona State QB Andrew Walter with their second and third picks.

Overall, using seven total draft selections Oakland drafted five defensive players, the silver and black also make some key free agent signings with regard to bringing former Jet RB Lamont Jordan and former Viking WR Randy Moss to town along with four other free agent signings to bolster their defense.

The Raiders, like divisional rivals San Diego and Kansas City, all shared the very same major malfunction in 2004 which was overall defense and more specifically pass defense. Oakland allowed 371 yards per contest to opponents in 2004 which ranked them 30th overall in total defense and only Kansas City and San Diego allowed more yards through the air than Oakland last season.

Needless to say, Oakland owner Al Davis has reached his boiling point after seeing his beloved Raiders post a combined record of 9-23 straight up and 9-22-1 ATS since the Raiders appearance in the Super Bowl against Tampa Bay on January 26, 2003, however, this years draft and fee agent crop appears to have righted the ship talent wise, now its just a matter of getting all of this new talent to gel together and become a team.

In closing, the AFC West appears to be a two horse race between the Chargers and Chiefs for the division title, based on how teams finished in 2004 the Chargers are saddled with the NFL’s 2nd toughest schedule and will sneak up on no one this season, look to play against the Bolts when on the road as a favorite laying more than a FG.

The public will once again play nothing but OVERS when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005 and who can blame them as Chief games exceeded the posted total 10 of 16 times last year, amazingly enough the O/U number placed on Chief contests last year was 46 or higher in 12 of their 16 games!

However, the Chiefs have the NFL’s 4th toughest schedule and should show improvement on defense which will create “Value” by playing Chief games to go UNDER this season and especially when the number is above 48.

Denver has proven to be unreliable in most categories as of late and appears to be in a downward spiral, I would advise picking your spots very carefully with these Broncos.

Oakland should definitely improve their seasonal win/loss record in 2005 as this will be HC Norv Turners 2nd year at the helm and QB Kerry Collins 2nd year under center in Turners offense, however, the high profile signings of WR Randy Moss and RB Lamont Jordan will have “Joe Public” bettors throwing dinero at the Raiders which will create “Value” by going against the Silver and Black and especially when on the road in the early going.

2005 AFC North Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

In the AFC North I expect to see the Pittsburgh Steelers who posted a mark of 16-2 straight up and 11-7 ATS overall last season to win a close divisional battle over the Baltimore Ravens who finished up their 2004 campaign with a 9-7 straight up and ATS mark and over a much improved Cincinnati Bengal team that finished with an 8-8 straight up record for the second straight year in 2004, the Brownies once again look to pull up the rear in what should prove to be the toughest division in the NFL in 2005.

Pittsburgh has a tough row to hoe this season, the Steelers only have five games on the 2005 docket against 2004 playoff teams but four of those affairs take place on the road and that includes Monday Night road games at San Diego and at Indianapolis, overall the Steelers will play 10 of their 16 games against teams that posted .500 records or better last year, thus the reason for the projected drop off in regular season wins.

Like most teams Pittsburgh lost quite a bit of talent to free agency, most notably the Steelers lost a total of five linemen along their offensive and defensive fronts which could cause depth problems if the ole injury bug hits and those losses were in addition to star WR Plaxico Burress departing to the big apple to play catch with Eli Manning.

Baltimore has a very favorable schedule with regard to playing seven games against playoff teams from a year ago, however, five of those seven affairs will take place in Baltimore and two of those games are against dome teams (Vikes and Colts). The Ravens drafted WR Mark Clayton out of Oklahoma and overall had the best draft of any team in the AFC North, the free agent addition of WR Derrick Mason from the Titans along with the drafting of WR Clayton should bolster a stagnant Raven passing attack that was fully exposed last season.

The Bengals finished 2004 with an 8-8 straight up record for the second straight year under HC Marvin Lewis, Bengal faithful should be overjoyed with their seasonal finishes over the past couple of years when considering that these same Bengals posted a total of 8 wins combined during their 2001 and 2002 campaigns.

With QB Carson Palmer starting his second full season under center and weapons WR Chad Johnson and RB Rudi Johnson happy with new contracts, Cincinnati has all of the pieces on offense to make the playoffs in 2005, the Bengal’s major malfunction during their 2004 campaign was their run defense but the drafting of Georgia DE David Pollack who will play LB for the Bengals and Georgia LB Odell Thurman should correct that problem.

A new era starts in Cleveland Brownie land with the arrival of new HC Romeo Crennell who replaces ousted Butch Davis, the Brownies are actually an expansion team once again when considering that they have a totally new front office, totally new coaching staff and have replaced most of their offensive and defensive starters, the saving grace is that the new QB will be experienced retread Trent Dilfer who should be able to provide much needed leadership.

The Brownies added a lot of talent via the free agent market and actually had a pretty good draft which was highlighted with WR Braylon Edwards as their top choice, but in the big scheme of things there has been way too much turnover in this organization to expect much in 2005, look to play the Brownies whenever a home doggie of more than a FG after week four of the regular season, by this time the team should start to gel a little and the public won’t be ready for the opportunity.

In closing, the AFC North is a three horse race between Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Baltimore for the top spot, the difference maker will probably be who catches the ole injury bug and who avoids it, with that being said Pittsburgh gets the nod to win the division because of their depth at the QB and RB positions.

With regard to betting opportunities, Pittsburgh played 12 non divisional games in 2004 and went 6-6 ATS in those affairs, a closer look see reveals that the Steelers were a betting underdog in five of the six non divisional games they covered, meanwhile, the Steelers were favorites in five of the six non divisional games they failed to cover.

In other words as a dog playing a non divisional game the Steelers were virtually a sure bet to cover the spread, however, as a favorite in a non divisional game the Steelers had a tough time getting it up and hence proved to be almost a sure bet to NOT cover the posted number, a check backward in time reveals that these Steelers have failed to cover 6 of the past 7 times they have taken to the road as a favorite of six points or less against a non divisional opponent…things that make you go hmmmmm!!

2005 AFC East Football Preview

2007-03-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

In the AFC East I expect to see the Patriots drop off a bit, but not much, the reason for the projected drop off is mainly due to the fact that the Patriots will be without the services of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, both have moved on to head coaching positions, Weis with Notre Dame and Crennel with the Cleveland Browns. Eric Mangini is the new defensive coordinator, while Bill Belichick will be calling the plays on offense himself.

The Patriots play seven games this season against 2004 playoff teams and four of those affairs will take place on the road, the Patriots also lost a lot of talent such as WR David Patton, OG Joe Andruzzi, and CB Ty Law via free agency and very well could be without their defensive leader LB Tedy Bruschi whose status is uncertain following an off season stroke, then there is the matter of the Patriots winning three of the past four Super Bowls, meaning that the Patriots have played nine post season games above and beyond the normal sixteen game regular season schedule over the past four years and have had to deal with all of the off season commitments and hoopla that come with winning the big game, also, don’t forget that the team that wins the Super Bowl is in the least best position come draft time, meaning that the “Fresh Blood” talent pool on the Patriots has depleted due to their success.

The saving grace for the Patriots in the AFC East comes from the fact that the Jets did not help themselves a whole lot in the draft other than taking Kicker Mike Nugent out of Ohio State with their top selection, like the Patriots, the Jets also lost a lot of talent via free agency with the departure of starters WR Santana Moss, TE Anthony Becht, RT Kareem McKenzie, and DT Jason Ferguson, however, the greatest loss to free agency for the Jets may turn out to be RB Lamont Jordan who could have stepped in quite nicely if 32 year old RB Cutis Martin goes down to injury.

However, the Jets were smart enough to pick up former Dolphin QB Jay Fiedler to back up starting QB Chad Pennington who has been injury prone as of late, Jet HC Herm Edwards replaced his offensive coordinator Paul Hackett with former Titan offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger which will be interesting because Heimerdinger likes to throw the deep ball, meanwhile, Pennington is fresh off shoulder surgery and is better suited for the west coast style of short ball passing.

Buffalo finished the 2004 season strong down the stretch in winning 8 of 9 games before losing their final game of the season at home to the Steelers, however, that season ending loss to Pittsburgh was costly as it proved to be a difference maker in deciding who went to the playoffs and who stayed at home, the Bills are indeed a team on the rise with a really good defense and excellent special teams, however, they probably booted QB Drew Bledsoe out of town a year too early and will be starting last years #1 draft pick JP Losman in his place which of course means some growing pains this season for the young QB.

Miami finished the 2004 season with a shoddy 4-12 record but like Buffalo looks to be a team on the rise in the AFC East, I won't be foolhardy enough to predict a playoff berth after a four win season but I do see major improvement for the Dolphins this season and think a seven or eight win season is not out of the realm of possibility when considering that the Dolphins now have Nick Saban at the helm as their new HC.

Unlike Steve Spurrier when he made his NFL debut with the Skins, Nick Saban was smart enough to go out and get experienced NFL assistants, Saban brought in former Viking offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to run the offense and former Charger coach Hudson Houck to run the defense, Saban also engineered one of the best drafts of any team in the league, look for former Auburn RB Ronnie Brown to make an immediate impact.

In closing, the Patriots finished up 2004 with an impressive 13-5-1 ATS mark on the heels of posting a 14-4-1 ATS mark in 2003, can New England once again dominate the spread wars in 2005? Probably so, but not to the extent of the past couple of seasons, you see my friend “Joe Public” type bettors will in all likelihood view the Patriots as a “Go against” team in 2005 due to the loss of Weis and Crennel, however, Belichick is still the HC and Tom Brady is still the QB under center.

With that being said I would recommend making a play on the Patriots whenever they are receiving points in a doggie role, not much value will be had this season with the Jets, meanwhile, both Buffalo and Miami will be unpredictable during the first eight weeks of the season due to the fact that both teams will have new starting QB’s under center and both teams have weaknesses up front on the offensive line, in Miami's case their players have to learn new schemes on both sides of the ball due to a whole new coaching staff.

Fantasy Football League Plays for Incredible Prize

2007-03-04T23:58:00.000-08:00

Fantasy football league enthusiasts play for different reasons. Some play for pride, while others play for money. Some fantasy football league members play for mega money, though, and the money is all these fantasy football nuts care about. Witness these two amazing fantasy football leagues.

A fantasy football league in Las Vegas pits players from 12 different leagues in a World Championship Fantasy Football league. These guys compete for a grand prize of $200,000. Other huge monetary prizes are handed out as well. This quest to be a fantasy football league world champion illustrates what this game does to people.

Further witness a differend kind of fantasy football league. In The League, first-ever published work of fiction based on a fantasy football league, sixteen wealthy, powerful men from Wall Street, create a unique fantasy football league. This remarkable group plays for a winner-take-all fantasy football league championship trophy of $30 million.

The idea for The League was born from conversations between the author and other fantasy football league participants who believe that the lust for power and money can get out of hand, if people are not careful. Fantasy football makes a great vehicle for this hunger for money.

The League is a fictional work that has been called a cautionary tale about what can happen, if fantasy football league enthusiasts are not careful to keep their competition and desire for prize money in check. Anyone participating in a fantasy football league can learn a great deal about how the game can get out of control by reading about a fictional fantasy football league in the novel, The League.

The Simple Things in Life

2007-02-26T22:35:00.001-08:00

Every now and then something happens in our lives that make’s us feel very unique within ourselves, in my case this was watching a football match. This was a very important game for me to watch as it was the team that I have supported for so long! In fact all my life I have been a Liverpool FC supporter, I have seen some great times and not so great times especially in the last few years. Yes! We won three trophies in one particular season and that was great but even then there was still something missing. With the history of this great football club Liverpool FC has the best record when it comes to winning the English League. They have won the European Cup more times than any other British Football team and on this day May 25th 2005 they would find themselves with another golden opportunity of clinching this wonderful Cup with the big ears, now called the Champions League trophy.

So there I was anticipating this match which had the elements of being a classic football spectacular. In one corner you had the mighty team from Italy, AC MILAN. With a star studied team of great soccer professionals from Paolo Maldini, Andriy Shevchenko and the talented new Brazilian play maker Kaka. In the other corner you had my team Liverpool, who somehow with an awful Premiership league campaign behind them where they could only finish fifth behind their city rivals Everton and miss out on an Automatic Champions League place for the following season but Inspired by two scousers, club captain Steven Gerrard and the irrepressible Jamie Carragher through out the season, found themselves in the most lucrative football match in world football. It was a dream not only for the players but for all the Liverpool fans all around the world to see this great football club back where it belonged, at the top of the ladder in world football. So on this night two great teams steeped in history battled for a place in history.

Going back to my day I rang a very good friend of mine and asked her if she wanted to watch the game with me at a local bar...she said, yes! It was to be her first time watching a game like this and she was very excited by it all because everyone was talking about it…so we met up the and walked down to the bar. As we entered we could see that the place was streaming with Liverpool fans but you did have the odd Milan fan or two hiding and keeping a low profile in the corner of the bar.

So we found a nice spot to get a good view of the game and ordered some beers. You could feel the Anticipation of it all by the look of the Liverpool fans in the bar, some where very cheerful!

Others looked just happy to be there. I was calm from the outside but on the inside I was a mess. The big screens on the walls which seemed bigger than they actually were had everyone’s attention, even some of the bar staff would have a little peak at the screens, the place was buzzing.

My friend took out her cigarettes and lit up one, she was lucky to have that comfort, all I wanted at that moment was my beer to arrive and the game to start. Then as we watched the Players came out, there was a loud cheer from the bar crowd and one set of lads starting to sing ‘You’ll never walk alone’. I started to feel a little better and starting to sing along with them but only in my head. Then the game started and all I was thinking was that we must try to put as much pressure on the Milan players from the get go. Then we gave away an early free-kick but at that moment our beers arrived and the girl who brought it to us took my attention for a second or two and in that moment Milan had scored a goal…There was a hush of silence now from the bar and as I looked around I could see people in total shock at what had just happened. Me I was thinking that stupid left back of ours Djimi Traore is an awful player and not fit to wear the Liverpool shirt but he would later prove me and everyone wrong. My friend tried to give me some moral support by smiling and saying, don’t worry I still think Liverpool will win…I just looked sternly towards the screen with distain.

The game was all Milan’s; they were winning all the tackles, getting free-kicks in dangerous places. The Liverpool players look tired, unsure and beaten almost, it was not a pretty sight; they were chasing shadows it seemed. I just kept looking around the bar trying to ignore just what was happening and then it got worst. What looked like a penalty to Liverpool was denied and within seconds Milan broke away and scored. Then just before the half time break Milan broke away once more and scored a third, by now everyone in the bar was silent and stunned but the odd Milan fans I mentioned earlier were singing away happily in the corner. I was gutted! I look at my friend and said, lets go… She looked at me and said, Ok! And as we walked out I looked back and glanced at my fellow supporters and hoped that Liverpool would not be embarrassed and come out in the second half and show some heart. As we walked home to my house I told my friend that I would cook for her and that we could watch the rest of the game at my place.

We arrived at my home just as the second half was about to start, I turned on the TV and then took out a bottle of red wine, opened it and poured two large glasses and gave one to my friend.

She sat down and suddenly said, you know what Mark, ‘It’s never over until the fat lady sings’.

I think Liverpool can still make a come back and win she added. I just looked at her again thinking this girl knows nothing about football because if she did she would know that Milan would never give away three goals to a team that they have just outplayed for 45 minutes and with their defensive nature it would be totally impossible for Liverpool to make a comeback. So I smiled at her and told her to drink her wine while I prepared the dinner. As I was cutting vegetables in my kitchen, I could hear her shouting at the TV, which was strange because she did not do this in the Bar. So I took a little peak for myself and noticed that Liverpool had made some changes, The German midfielder Dietmar Hamann was now on the pitch and this gave me some hope that Liverpool could keep the score decent at least. But what it also did as well was make Steven Gerrard free to roam and move forward.

Then there was another scream from my living room, my friend was jumping around I came in quietly and Liverpool had scored. It was Steven Gerrard, the change in tactic had worked, Liverpool seemed more up for this game now and the players looked different somehow but Milan remained confident then two minutes later the game turned on its head, the ball was played to Vladimir Smicer and he drilled the ball home from 20 yards and Liverpool where back in the game, I came running into the room screaming with joy at what had just happen. The air was electric once more, I could not leave the living room and all of a sudden the game changed again. The Milan players looked shell shocked because within a few minutes Liverpool was on level terms. Gerrard dashed into the Milan’s penalty box and was fouled. It was a certain penalty, at this point I was on my knees yelling at the ceiling. I am sure my neighbours could hear everything. Even my friend was jumping for joy shouting, I told you, I told you!!!

She was right! She proved one thing to me and that was all the Soccer Pundits and I knew nothing about Football! Could they do it, could they actually win this match? No team had ever come back from three goals down to win a Champions League Final. I had to stop cooking at that point and told her that dinner will just have to wait and so we drank more wine and watched the rest of the match with our hearts in our mouths. It seemed that both of us had turns in screaming at the TV and this would continue right up until that now famous Jerzy Dudek ‘Hand of God’ save which denied Shevchenko the winner for Milan in the dying seconds of extra time. We were both quiet and I had my head in my hands at that moment…The referee blew for full time and the game was over. At that point I had to get up and walk around the house, nervous like hell! I walked back into the living room, listening to the commentator remarking about how Liverpool had won on a penalty shoot out against Roma in 1984 and our goalkeeper at the time Bruce Grobballar saved two penalties by putting off the Roma players as much as he could and now it had almost seemed like deja vous.

Who would be the villain and who would be the hero, it was now a lottery! I needed more wine so I opened up another bottle, my friend could not drink no more she was just adamant that Liverpool would win. She remarked, look at the Milan Players they don’t look happy!

I had a look and noticed the same thing! They seem beaten before the first spot kick.

She was right, our goalkeeper did everything he could to put off Milan’s first spot kick taker Serginho and it worked! He missed, blazing the ball high over the bar. It was our turn next and I was not worried because it was our Germany International Dietmar Hamann and as predicted he scored. I was calm but still nervous, it was their turn once more, surely they would score but once again Jerzy Dudek’s antics on the goal line did the job and he saved very easily. We would be now 2-0 up if French International Striker Djibril Cisse would score and after suffering a broken Leg and missing most of the season he shows his class and calmly placed the ball to the right of Milan’s Goalkeeper Dida’s goal giving him no chance. It was in our hands now, just two more spots kicks and we would be Champions of Europe. Kaka would score from his spot kick...then our hearts were in our mouths when our left mid-fielder John Arne Riise missed his spot kick, it was now 2-1 but still in our favour and before we knew it, Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson made it 2-2.

So up stepped the Czech Striker Vladimir Smicer, playing probably his last game for Liverpool FC and his best game ever in my mind for the team, he calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 3-2 to us…My friend and I was so tense, the room was silent apart from the TV. Then Milan’s leading goal scorer stepped up to the plate, Andriy Shevchenko, the man who was denied the winner before the end of extra time. As he approached Dudek threw him the ball, he look anxious and nervous and did not look confident. Somehow I knew he would miss and he did…For a split second my heart had stopped and I sunk to my knees and just started to scream with ecstasy, my dream had come true, the Players dreams were for filled! My football team had won. Life could not be any better…I was emotionally drained by it all and was sure all the people in the stadium, the viewers and all the millions of people around the world were too. My friend and I were just hugging each other and kissing. I kept saying, that its time to get drunk and forgetting that I was suppose to be cooking dinner for the both of us! So we continued to watch the rest of the coverage on the box and as Steven Gerrard lifted the trophy and the commentator shouted out ‘Liverpool Are Kings of Europe’ a tear came to my eyes. In that moment I was in wonderland just like those players. As far as I was concerned they were Legends now no matter what they did for the rest of their lives, from this moment on they would always remember and treasure.

I started to also think about all those who had lost their lives going to see Liverpool play, all the disasters that had occurred during football matches. My heart went out to them…it's moments like this that makes it possible to see just why football is so important to the man and woman on the street. We relate to it in so many ways. We support our teams because we choose to and win, lose or draw all the emotions that this sport and all the other sports may muster are worth it for moments like these. So when it was all over and as I tried to figure out what had just happened, one thing dawned on me and that was it’s the Simple things in Life that I cherish the most and watching my team play is one of them.

Football Betting Trends to Keep an Eye on this Year

2007-02-26T22:34:00.001-08:00

Until last year, the past 10 years the winners of the Super Bowl are a combined 58-79 ATS for a lousy 42% win ratio following their Super Bowl victory. While the losers of the Super Bowl are even worse the following year at 64-94 for a 41% win ratio. Combined, that is a record of 122-173 ATS for a low 41% win ratio. I mentioned all these figures last year in the Super Bowl Football Betting Trend article, which was featured in Thehooks Book.

New England and Carolina broke the football betting trend last year by combining for a 68% winning percentage Against The Spread (ATS). New England was 13-4-2 (76%) and Carolina was 9-6-1 (60%).

A winning ATS record the following season for a Super Bowl Participant had only happened 4 times out of 20 chances the past ten years. (2 teams times 10 years = 20 chances) The Pittsburgh Steelers went 10-7 for a 58% win ratio after losing to the Dallas Cowboys back in Super Bowl XXX. Denver had a winning record ATS twice, 12-7 (63%) following their victory against Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII and after their victory against Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII they went 9-5 (64%) the next year. Baltimore barely finished over 50% at 9-8 (53%) after beating the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. Carolina and New England increased the total to six with their sterling records last year.

So does the football betting trend that has dominated the NFL make a comeback or do Philadelphia and New England continue the success from last year for the previous Super Bowl participants? I think the success from last year will continue this year not because I am superstitious but I think the lines may favor the Eagles and the Patriots.

The Eagles will have the harder time continuing the football betting trend and getting the lines a bettor wants (when looking to bet the Eagles) but I think they will continue to get better and dominate like last year and cover most of the big point spreads that come their way. They finished 12-7 ATS last year and were 6-4 ATS when laying over a touchdown. But if the Owens situation becomes a problem the lines will favor the Eagle bettors and I think McNabb would cherish the opportunity to perform at a high level without TO.

The Patriots bettors should receive favorable lines because they lost both coordinators. You should be able to jump on the Patriots at a great price and make some money early. People will be looking for them to fall back but I would not bet against Belichick if I were you. The man can coach and he will actually use this to his advantage and have his players ready to prove everyone wrong. Motivation will not be a problem. If they stumble the first 4 weeks, bettors will make a killing jumping on them or staying with them because the lines will change even more.

NFL Football - Are You a Real Fan?

2007-02-26T22:33:00.000-08:00

If you are a real pro football fan, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is - you crave NFL football. This is one sign that you are a real football fan. But there are many other signs that prove your loyalty to this major sport. A few are listed below.

NFL Draft – Ah, finally, it’s spring and there’s some football action. Even though it is too early for the regular season, at least there’s the draft. You follow it on TV and on the Internet. You live and breathe it.

Apparel – You have all the apparel of your favorite team. This can and should include a jersey, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, a cap, a tie, socks, slippers, and many, many more items. Even pj’s!

Souvenirs – You’ve got a football or jersey or poster or anything autographed by your favorite player, AND it's hanging on the wall! Your kitchen cabinets contain multiple cups and mugs with your favorite team's logo on them.

NFL Draft Offers Gems for Fantasy Football Players

2007-02-26T22:32:00.002-08:00

Fantasy football players rarely pay much attention to National Football League rookies, during their fantasy football drafts. Rookies, you see, are not usually worth much to fantasy teams. It takes most rookies a year or two or in many cases even three or four to get fully acclimated to the NFL. Consequently, competitive fantasy football people usually steer clear of them.

This year may be different. More NFL rookies will likely appear on fantasy rosters than in the past decade, because this draft is rich with impact players. That’s right, rookies that can actually play this year and contribute to fantasy football rosters – some even as starters. I see at least seven players taken in the first round of the NFL’s draft that can start on fantasy teams, depending on how many teams are in your league. Obviously, smaller leagues (8 and 10 team leagues) will be too rich with veteran talent to have rookies as starters. Following is an assessment of these players and others to keep an eye on as you prepare for your fantasy draft. Notice the QBs are left out, as they won’t contribute much, even if they start.

The seven NFL first-rounders to target are: Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, Carnell Williams, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams and Mark Clayton. Brown, Benson and Williams are potential starters in any fantasy league. In one of the best running back classes in recent memory, these guys will enter their rookie campaigns as feature backs for Miami, Chicago and Tampa Bay, respectively. These teams have proven that with the right guy toting the mail, they all can produce fantasy stars.

Although not the best player, Benson is probably the best pick of all the rookies, in terms of fantasy football value. He is a no-brainer in basic scoring leagues. He’ll be the starter from day one, and some experts have called him the best goal line runner ever to come out of college. If healthy, Benson could easily rush for 12 or more TDs in his inaugural NFL season.

Edwards is an immediate starter for the Browns, and this guy is a true stud. Although he can start in some fantasy football leagues, you’ll want to get him later, as Cleveland is a team that hasn’t shown much in recent years. Edwards is a steal, if you can get him in later rounds. Then, let him sit for a few weeks, and watch his production. The same goes for Williams, taken by Detroit, and Clayton, selected by Baltimore. Both of these receivers will likely start for their new teams, but a wait-and-see attitude is indicated, as both teams are in weak passing offenses, although the sky is the limit for the Lions who have selected a wideout with their first pick in each of the last three seasons.

Aside from these seven, there are several players taken after the first round of the NFL draft that are worth drafting on fantasy football teams. Most notably is J.J. Arrington, taken at number 12 in round two by Arizona. Dennis Green loves this guy and hinted on draft day that Arrington will be his feature back. This guy is a compact runner and has a nose for the end zone. A feature back on an improving Cardinals team could be a big scorer for fantasy teams.

The easiest steal in your fantasy football draft will be Ryan Moats, taken in the third round by Philadelphia. Moats, a smallish tailback from Louisiana Tech, could surprise for an Eagles team in need of a star at the position. Although he’ll likely be relegated to special teams and third-down use early on, watch for him to emerge, especially if someone gets hurt. He is a quick slashing runner and a real workhorse, despite his 5-8, 210-pound frame. An eye-popping senior season saw him log 288 carries for 1,774 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 1,890 all-purpose yards set a school record, as he proved he can catch the ball with nearly equal acumen. With a career average per carry of 6.4 and 28 TDs, Moats is definitely worth watching. Grab this hard worker in the late rounds of your draft, and wait for him to get his turn. If the stars align in Philadelphia, you might just get yourself the steal of your fantasy football draft.

Here are a few other notables you may want to watch for a late selection or a free-agency pickup, as the season moves ahead:

1 Heath Miller, TE taken by Pittsburgh: Would be ranked higher, because he’ll probably start, but tight ends are always a big question mark. If you are in a fantasy league that requires you to take a tight end, Miller is a good one.

2 Vernand Morency, RB selected by Houston: Watch for an injury to Domanick Davis and grab Morency the second it happens.

3 Maurice Clarett, RB taken by Denver: They love him and would like to see him prove all of the critics wrong. He’ll get a chance to play.

4 Matt Jones, WR selected by Jacksonville: Many feel the former QB is the best athlete in the NFL draft. At 6-6 with 4-5 speed and great hands, who knows?

5 Roddy White, WR taken by Atlanta in the first round. Very fast and underrated. The Falcons saw little from Michael Jenkins last season, so keep a close eye on White.

6 Chris Henry, WR taken by Cincinnati. Very big and fast. Could be a factor around the goal line in three and four receiver sets.

7 Reggie Brown, WR selected by Philadelphia. The Eagles have a few question marks at the position, not the least of which is the bizarre antics of Terrell Owens.

8 Ciatrick Fason, RB taken by Minnesota. With running back being so unsettled, Fason could emerge as the starter. Watch this one very closely.

Football Jerseys - the Great Transformation

2007-02-26T22:32:00.001-08:00

Football Jerseys have undergone a complete change in its image, appearance and usage patterns. In the yesteryear sports jersey was just a part of the official sports equipment, nothing more nothing less. The jerseys meant for football players had long sleeves, were plain and their material was heavier than today's National football league jersey. Their simplicity and plainness has been a reason for many comments. Reason for their plainness was that jersey was the team gear with no frills or designing. According to legendary football coach Darryl Royal, they were "working clothes".

Custom Jerseys- A new Era in Sports Equipment

The growing popularity of National Football League (NFL) and advent of custom jerseys in the football teams has transformed the team gear. Team gear including the jersey has become trendier. Jersey has transcended its "working clothes" impression. Custom jerseys for today's NFL football players have shorter sleeves, vibrant colors and attractive patterns. The football teams now pay considerable attention towards design and appearance of their team gear.

Wearing replica jerseys for NFL football matches to support their team has not been a new phenomenon for the football fans. However, now the jersey has taken a step ahead and you will find many people wearing NFL authentic jerseys even out of the football arenas. Wearing national football league team-jersey of their favorite football team or player has become a personal style statement of the younger generation. This transformation is the reason for increasing demand of sports equipment in general and jersey in particular.

Moreover, the extreme popularity of football as sport in America has further popularized the jersey. There are too many avenues for football fans; some of them are NFL Football, College Football, NCAA Football and very popular Monday Night Football. These events have added to the growing demand for football jerseys and team gear. Many people have a passion for collecting authentic jerseys (game worn) and replica jerseys of NFL stars.

Fantasy Football Tips for Draft Day

2007-02-26T22:31:00.001-08:00

Draft day. Perhaps the most important day of your fantasy football season. This is when you build your team. This is when you laugh at your opponents when they pick an injured player. This is when you find gems in the 7th round who outperform players picked in the 3rd. In other words: don’t screw it up! Let’s go over some advice that you should follow on draft day:

1. Have your own cheat sheets! I can’t stress this enough. So many people use the rankings that their draft software uses (a la Yahoo), without noticing that they have not updated it to reflect recently injured players. Also, your scoring system is not reflected in pre-made rankings. If your receivers gain one point for each reception, that will have a huge effect on the placement of possession receivers. Use the given rankings as a basis, but alter them to reflect injuries and scoring systems.

2. In a local league? Don’t draft your local players. It’s a natural tendency for fans to overrate players on their favorite teams, so if your league is based in St. Louis, you would probably have to overpay to get guys like Bulger or Holt. Hype them up the weeks before your draft while conversing with the other owners, and then sit back and laugh when your favorite play gets picked three rounds too early.

3. Serve lots of alcohol at the draft…and don’t touch it! Let your buddies confuse Luke Staley with Duce Staley, while you remain unimpaired. Although most will be fine after a couple drinks, it’s simply not worth the risk. Any slight advantage you can get is worth it, and if just one owner accidentally skips over a player because of the drinks, you’ve done your job. Remember kids, don’t drink and draft!

4. Keep track of everyone’s picks. Online, this shouldn’t be a problem, because your drafting service will likely do it for you, but it may be a difficult task in a live draft. However, it’s worth the troubles. You may be thinking, why bother? Simply, it gives you the ability to pass on certain players you know will be available later. For example, you’re picking 8th in a 10-man league, you are ready to take a kicker, but there’s also a deep-sleeper RB on the board. By looking at your notes, you notice that the guys with the 9th and 10th pick have already taken kickers, and would have no reason to pick another. Therefore, you can safely take the sleeper RB, confident that your kicker will be there when the draft swings back around.

Although this isn’t the complete guide to building a championship team, these simple tips will give you the edge, which might just score you a few key players that might eventually make a huge difference.

The Key To Winning Fantasy Football

2007-02-26T22:30:00.001-08:00

Fantasy football is easy. Very easy. Simply start players that outperform your opponents'. But, how can you be so sure who will perform?

Research.

Don't like research, eh? That's why the internet is so darn great! Websites will do the work for you, and all you have to do is check them weekly. The key topics you should check:

Cheat sheets: Have one of these handy when drafting, so you know the top players at each position. Make sure it is up-to-date so you don't draft a player who is injured for the season.

Strategic articles: Doing a little reading might be the key to your next victory. If you learn about a sleeper, picking him up in your league can be the move of the year.

Weekly picks: Know what teams have tough matchups, and who you should start or sit based on those matchups. Don't get stuck starting players who are in for a bad week.

Forum: Conversing with other fantasy football enthusiasts can give you some hints and tips that other members of your league aren't hearing. Use everything you read to your advantage.

It's that simple. Knowing a little bit more than your opponent is usually all you need. As they say, "Keep it simple, stupid.

Fantasy Football Information: Grab a Jones and Run to a Fantasy Football Title

2007-02-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Here’s fantasy football information that may provide a strategy few people will consider. Use this simple rule on fantasy football draft day, and you’re sure to be in the playoff hunt: get yourself a Jones.

In most fantasy football leagues, running backs are the most valuable players. A running back that catches a lot of passes and runs for a lot of yards and scores plenty of touchdowns can be the cornerstone of your fantasy football championship run. Now, if you are fortunate enough to select very early in your fantasy football draft, you’ll probably go after one of the thoroughbreds – Priest Holmes, Shaun Alexander, or Domanick Davis. If you pick later in the round, though, near the bottom, you’ll want to seriously consider a second-year back by the name of Jones. In fact, you can consider two.

Both Kevin Jones of the Detroit Lions and the Cowboys’ Julius Jones promise to have super years in 2005. Consider their stellar rookie seasons – years that made many fantasy football owners smile, especially late in the year. Kevin Jones started slow, before racing to 1,133 yards and five touchdowns. He had an eye-popping 4.7 yards per carry average. He also caught 28 balls for 180 yards and another score. Jones will be better this season. As his quarterback continues to mature, and his receivers get healthy, defenses will have to prepare for a complete offensive package, leaving Kevin to romp freely. Kevin Jones is worth a late first-round pick in any performance scoring league. If your fantasy football league uses the basic scoring method, you may want to wait until the second round, but don’t wait much longer.

As Dallas works out its QB problems, Julius Jones should also improve, which is scary for National Football League defenses and your opponents, should you nab Julius in your fantasy football draft. Now, your fantasy football information gurus may not be high on Julius Jones, because of his size (5-9, 205), but don’t let this deter you from grabbing this guy in the late first round. After an injury-plagued beginning to his rookie season, Jones finished the season with 819 rushing yards and seven TDs. All of this came in just seven starts. Imagine doubling these numbers and adding them to your fantasy football squad! For you performance people, Jones had individual efforts of 150, 198 and 149 yards. Give this guy a healthy season as the ‘Pokes starter, and the sky’s the limit.

So forget any fantasy football book, magazine or expert that isn’t high on the Jones. Halfway through your fantasy football season, your opponents will be trying to keep up with the Jones, and you’ll be riding their numbers to a fantasy football title.

Fantasy Football Information: Winslow Could be a True Super Sleeper in 2005 Fantasy Football Draft

2007-02-26T22:28:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Browns, on former boss Butch Davis’ watch, traded a second round draft pick last season, just so they could move up one spot in the first round of the National Football League draft in order to select Miami tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. Davis and the entire organization took some heat for the move, which didn’t improve its standing when Winslow went down with a season-ending injury in week two, with a whopping five catches, 50 yards and no touchdowns.

You might think this makes Winslow very difficult to evaluate, when weeding through fantasy football information for your fantasy football draft in 2005. How does one measure the potential of a player who played in only two games and hauled in a minuscule five passes? Although it’s not an exact science, the answer is fairly simple. Treat Winslow sort of like a promising rookie, but keep in mind that he had a full season of rehab for his injury, as well as a full year of adapting to the National Football League. Also, in terms of Winslow, it’s important to note the arrival of a new coaching staff, one that will surely find ways to involve the talented tight end.

Finally, what few observers and fantasy football experts will notice is Winslow’s amazing athletic ability and raw talent. This guy may be the LeBron James of the gridiron. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Winslow runs like most tailbacks, jumps like a world class hurdler, and is as strong as most linebackers. In just one short preseason and two regular season football games, Clevelanders saw frightening ability from Winslow, as he dodged, sidestepped and often ran over would-be tacklers. Plus, he has a certain confidence that most young players lack, likely due to his great genes. He is, after all, the son of a hall of fame tight end.

Is Winslow an unknown and a risk? Yes. Is he worth a middle-round pick in your fantasy football draft? Probably, depending on how strong you are overall. If you have a good draft, heading into the fifth or sixth round, don’t hesitate. Winslow could have an Antonio Gates-type season. He’s this good, and you might just wind up with your fantasy football draft’s Super Sleeper.

Fantasy Football Information: Don't Expect Moss to Have T.O. Type Year with Raiders

2007-02-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

Here is some fantasy football information that the fantasy football books and magazines will likely disagree with. If you’re a quality fantasy football competitor, though, you know you have to rely on many sources to get your fantasy football information. Bank on this: Randy Moss will not experience the wild success that Terrell Owens had, when the latter changed teams last season. In fact, look for a drop-off in Moss’ numbers this coming fantasy football season.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Moss has been truly marvelous in his career, and I believe he is one of the best wide outs in the National Football League, even if he often likes to run his mouth more than his pass routes. If healthy, he’s probably good for 85 catches and 10 touchdowns. These are good numbers; they are not typical Randy Moss numbers. Fantasy football owners have come to expect far more from Moss, and many will believe that the change of teams will not hurt his fantasy football production. Some will even believe his numbers will increase. Don’t get caught in this fantasy football information myth.

Here are a few reasons that Moss won’t enjoy the same success Owens had in either the National Football League or in your fantasy football league. First, and foremost, Moss is leaving a star quarterback and going to a team with an average quarterback. It’s hard to ignore the fact that Culpepper will no longer be the one tossing the football in Moss’ direction. Instead, he’ll likely have Kerry Collins, a journeyman with a sketchy football resume. Second, although Moss will move next to a more experienced receiver in Jerry Porter, he’s leaving better receivers in Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson. Finally, The Vikings’ better offensive line provides more time for deep quarterback drops, which enabled Moss to run the deep routes he made a living on. He won’t have this luxury in Oakland, and it will show up in his fantasy football stats.

So, while all of the other fantasy football books and magazines and so-called experts are pushing Moss for a high first-round pick, bank on the safest fantasy football information available – the information that says Moss is a risky pick. There will be much better players at the 1 through 10 spots, where Moss will go in most leagues. Get one of them, and you’ll go far, while one of your opponents will whine all year, watching Moss talk more and score less.

Fantasy Football Information: Moss Exit Makes Burleson a Star

2007-02-26T22:24:00.002-08:00

Here’s fantasy football information that fantasy football nuts should print or write down immediately. Don’t worry about the Vikings suffering on offense, due to the loss of Randy Moss. In fact, you can outfox your opponents, because of the Moss trade. You see, most fantasy football people will still value Moss to the point of spending a high pick on him, which may or may not work out, with Moss being a Raider. What most fantasy football owners will also do, which will be a deadly error, is de-value other Vikings, because of the loss of Moss.

So, the fantasy football information that most of the fantasy football books will likely overlook is to place a very high rating on Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson. Watch the running back situation, too, because head coach Mike Tice says the Vikings will emphasize the run next season. Of course, Daunte Culpepper will continue to be a fantasy football stud.

Burleson, though, will be the true steal of your draft. Burleson is entering his third season, when many wide receivers begin to figure out NFL defenses. He went from 29 catches his rookie year to 68 in 2004. His yardage more than doubled from 455 to 1006. Best of all, especially if you’re in a basic scoring fantasy football league, Burleson found the end zone 10 times, while playing second fiddle to Moss and Robinson for most of the season.

Consider that Burleson didn’t become the number one receiver until about week ten, and his value increases even more, as it is clear that he’ll be the new number one, with the departure of Moss. Fantasy football players can expect 80-plus catches, 1,200-plus yards and 10-14 touchdowns. Note, the fact that Burleson returns punts increases his chance to reach pay dirt.

Nate Burleson is a true fantasy football thoroughbred. Most fantasy football owners will under value this fine young receiver, assuming he’ll be available in rounds three or four or even later in smaller leagues. Armed with this powerful fantasy football information, you now know not to wait too long on Burleson. Grab him early, let others scoff at your selection, then sit back and ride his performance all the way to the Fantasy Bowl.

Fantasy Football Format -- Go Basic or Go Home

2007-02-26T22:24:00.001-08:00

My fantasy football league is approaching its 16th season. We have had 16 teams competing before, but now we are a 14-team league. Although the subject of performance points is bandied about at our league meetings virtually every year, we remain a basic scoring league -- the only way to go for true fantasy football fans.

Now, performance point system fans will say that there is so much more involved, making their games more exciting and more high-scoring. Ridiculous, I say.

You see, we believe that to truly make our fantasy football league seem like more than just fantasy, we need to mirror the National Football League in as many ways as possible. So, we have desidned our rules after the NFL, and we attempt to score our points in the same fashion as the NFL.

So, when a running back or a wide receiver scores a touchdown, we credit the team in our league with that player with six points. When a kicker kicks a field goal, we allow three points, and we give one for PATs. We also award two points for a scored two-point conversion.

Our biggest difference is at the quarterback position. Although QBs can run for scores, earning six points, we award three points for a TD pass. This is the biggest departure from the mother league, the NFL.

This method of scoring allows for games that have very low scores, 9-6 is not entirely uncommon, but we have our fair share of high scores too. Fifty-seven points was the watershed mark in our league last season -- a not entirely unrealistic number for a prolific NFL team. Again, we want to be like the NFL.

I've known guys who play in performance leagues that allow 10 points, if a QB passes for 400 yards. Their weekly scores are unrealistic, scores like 126-90. This is more like a lopsided college basketball game than a football game.

Fantasy Football Information: Is This The QB Era?

2007-02-26T22:23:00.001-08:00

Fantasy football nuts need to answer this question: have we entered a new era in drafting players for our fantasy football teams? Is this the era of the quarterback?

I think the answer is a resounding Yes.

In the past 15 years of drafting fantasy football teams, I have never selected a quarterback in the first round. In fact, I have always said that this is a fatal mistake. Moreover, in these 15 years, only one team in our league has selected a quarterback with his first pick and won the Fantasy Bowl.

So, the numbers would seem to back me up when I tell people taking a QB in round one is certain death to your fantasy football success. Now, my opinion is changing. Hey, in order to be successful year after year, you have to be flexible, especially in this risky game.

Consider this past season. Peyton Manning broke the single season record, with his 49 TD passes. If you score each pass as 3 points, this is a whopping 147 points, and this doesn't consider any additional points for TD runs or passing yards, if your league uses this method of scoring. Can anyone argue Manning's value as a top pick?

And what about Duante Culpepper and Donovan McNabb? Here are two more QBs, capable of 35 touchdown passes and another three to eight runs. If you play in a basic scoring league, your best running back or receiver will get you 15-20 TDs, good for 120 points at best. Compared to the 140 plus that one of these great QBs can amass, how can you pass on one of them, in favor of a Shaun Alexander or Priest Holmes?

Fantasy Football Information: Fans May Have New Star

2007-02-26T22:21:00.002-08:00

Fantasy Football Fans will want to remember the name Deion Branch. When preparing for your fantasy football drafts this summer, don't let the New England receiver slip too far in your ratings or in your round-by-round projections.

He is a star in the making.

Branch's 35 catches and four touchdowns in 2004 may make him barely visible on many people's radar screens. Others may look for him to slip into the lower rounds, because of these modest numbers. Don't make this mistake.

Only the most astute talent evaluators will remember that Branch missed seven games. Even they, however, will remember his stellar performance in the Super Bowl, which earned him MVP honors. He tied a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards. More impressive were his circus-style catches.

Branch is small but quick, as evidenced by his 13-yard-per-catch career average. This was just his third year in the league, and he is certainly a star on the rise.

If you have 12-16 teams in your league, look to nab Branch in the seventh or eighth round. He will be a steal here, but if you wait longer, you may let an amazing sleeper get away. Branch is just the type of player that the men in my novel, The League, look to steal in their drafts.

Fantasy Football Success: Three Basic Rules

2007-02-26T22:21:00.001-08:00

You can search the Internet or the newsstands in June and July, and you'll find a wealth of information about fantasy football and fantasy football leagues. Most of it is statistics. Miles and miles of statistics. And most sites and magazines claim to offer more than all the others. What few offer, though, is sound advice on how to be successful every year. So, visit all the sites and magazines for your stats, but search no more for the secret to winning, because here it is.

I have played in extremely competitive fantasy football leagues for 15 years. I've missed the playoffs only twice, and I've been to three fantasy bowls. I won more games and scored more points than any other team in my league's history. Now, I'll give you my strategy, and it won't cost you a dime. Here is the three-step formula for winning in fantasy football year in and year out.

The first step is to draft for depth. It sounds easy enough, but many people in my league focus on getting their starters, and the rest of the draft is nothing more than throwing darts at names on a stat sheet. I've selected players beyond the seventh round (we have 14 rounds) who have led my team in scoring. I didn't even have them targeted as starters; I just saw the potential, through all of the research I'd done. For example, take special notice of second and third-year wide receivers. They often go overlooked, because their numbers are not spectacular. Receivers take a year or two, before they adjust to the NFL. Chad Johnson is a great example. Also, watch for rookies who may explode late in the season, once they've grasped a system. Lee Evans was a star after week nine this past season.

Step two is to manage your team every week, down to the most minor details. If you've drafted for depth, you'll have lineup decisions every week, because you'll have a team full of players scoring points. Check their histories against weekly opponents (a vastly overlooked strategy by novices). Some players simply flourish against particular teams, just as some teams tend to score differently against certain defenses. This can definitely affect your weekly lineup decisions.

The third step is to watch the waiver wire and make two key trades. No matter how well you've drafted, near the end of the season, you'll need to make changes. It's time to trade away your depth for stars. Also, watch for available players to pick up -- even if they may only help you for one week. I drafted both Domanick Davis and Chad Johnson last season. Later, I traded both, so I could acquire LaDanian Tomlinson. This simplified my weekly lineup decisions, while giving me a player who would score at least one TD every week.

If you stick to this simple formula, no matter what type of league you play in, you'll make the playoffs 85 to 90 percent of the time. That's not bad in any league.

Fantasy Football Explodes into Fiction

2007-02-26T22:20:00.001-08:00

Fifteen years ago, my friends and I wanted to get involved in fantasy sports. We had heard of Rotisserie baseball, the game where you select major leaguers and use their statistics for your own fantasy team. Most of us preferred football over baseball, so we did a little research and decided to create a fantasy football league. Now, we're entering our 16th season, with 20 of the most rabid football nuts anywhere, competing for pride and a small monetary prize each year.

We're not alone, of course. Over 15 million Americans play fantasy football, a game that uses the statistics of professional football players for personal, fantasy teams. During the last decade, this game has erupted, like a volcano. There are hundreds of web sites, dedicated to it. Magazines litter the newsstands in June and July, all dedicated to providing the best information possible about players from the National Football League, as well as offering "expert" prognostication as to which players will benefit your fantasy team the most, based on their performances on the gridiron each Sunday. There are even radio and TV shows, dedicated to discussion of fantasy football and the NFL players that dot each team's roster.

If you know someone who loves football, chances are he or she is part of a fantasy football league. My own participation has initiated a new experience. As a writer, I'm always looking for a new idea, something unique, and fantasy football has given it to me. A work of fiction. For years, while I was busy writing how-to books and articles, I dreamed, as most authors do, of writing the great American novel. When that didn't come, I just wanted something different; something I thought would interest a large audience.

It finally hit me -- a work of fiction, based on fantasy football. It's called The League. Suspense, conspiracy and fantasy football combine for the first-ever published work of fiction that has a back drop of America's favorite game. Here's to a dream come true and a hope that 15 million Americans love The League as much as I do. Learn more about it at www.sportsnovels.com.

Mark Barnes has published several how-to books on real estate finance, Internet business, and self-publishing. Recently, he has expanded his horizons into the fiction world, with his suspense-thriller, The League, presented by DNA Press. The League is available at Amazon.com, DNA Press, Sportsnovels.com and will be in book stores this summer. Mark is currently working on his second novel, another sports-related suspense thriller. Mark Barnes resides in a suburb of Cleveland with his wife, Mollie and two small children.

Football Managers - Improve Your Behaviours and Improve Your Players' Performance

2007-02-26T22:19:00.001-08:00

The job of football manager must be the toughest and most stressful management role on the planet. There is no hiding. Your results are immediate – once or even twice a week. Club Boards and fans want instant results. Poor performance is punished ruthlessly and in public. Humiliation is a constant companion.

Under this constant pressure one can understand why many managers rant and rave on the sidelines, on television, radio and in the press. However, they are unaware that their aggressive and insulting behaviour is damning their players to continued poor performance.

In today's competitive world almost all football managers know that at Premier League level most players are equal as far as fitness and skills go. What makes the STAR, what makes the exceptional player is mental fitness. It is mental fitness that wins games.

So why do many managers behave in ways that damage their players’ mental fitness? Surely it can only be ignorance (in it’s true meaning) – because every manager wants success for his players and club.

So here are seven things a football manager must do to build his/her players’ mental fitness

1.Promise openly, right now, never to criticise any of your players in public. Not even if it’s justified. You’ll do your straight talking in private and if you decide to fire a player you’ll do it in the most decent way possible.

2.Tell your players that you like them, that you think they are great players and that you know every one of them does the best he/she can in every game. You trust them.

3.Do whatever it takes to get fun and enjoyment back into the team. People cannot perform at their peak when they’re afraid, worried or unhappy. Make having fun your main objective. Work hard – yes! Win games – of course. But let’s not beat ourselves up when we make mistakes. Let’s get the fun back in our football and our lives.

4.Genuinely praise even the smallest improvement or the tiniest spark of brilliance and praise openly. Especially when things are going badly. Big fires start from small sparks. Really look for things to praise.

5.Stop shouting, mocking and insulting – even in private. Your macho ego may feel good but it does your players no good at all. In fact, they’ll subconsciously hate you and will play badly to spite you - and they won’t even know they’re doing it. Concentrate on helping people do better – not on crushing them with sarcasm.

6.Make it your main goal to help each individual become the best player he/she can possibly be. Be seen to be helping players with their careers. If your club cannot satisfy the playing or wage aspirations of a brilliant player, work with him to find the best transfer possible. Imagine the effect this will have. Players will give you undying loyalty and effort when they know you are there for them.

7.Find ways to keep players’ minds focussed on success. Every day – several times a day make statements that predict success and expect success. Do not even hint at losing! Allow time for players to visualise that success – everything comes from a dream.

Yes, some money to buy in talent is helful but it is not everything. Seriously apply these seven rules for two weeks and see your team improve beyond what you ever thought possible.

SportGamble.us Picks this Year's College Football Bowl Games

2007-02-26T22:18:00.001-08:00

Here are the consensus bowl picks from the SportGamble.us staff.

Tue., Dec. 14
New Orleans Bowl
North Texas vs Southern Mississippi
SG’s Pick: North Texas
If the So. Miss defense can stop Jamario Thomas from adding to his gaudy stats they should be able to keep this one close.
7:30 pm

Tue., Dec. 21
Champs Sports Bowl
Georgia Tech vs Syracuse
SG’s Pick: Georgia Tech
7:45 pm

Wed., Dec. 22
GMAC Bowl
Memphis vs Bowling Green
SG’s Pick: Bowling Green
I want to pick Memphis to win this battle, but the Falcon’s scoring offense, 4th in the nation, will simply outscore Memphis regardless of how well they play.
8:00 pm

Thur., Dec. 23
PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl
Cincinnati vs Marshall
SG’s Pick: Marshall
Marshall has shown up to play in big games this year. I consider a bowl game a “big” game, wouldn’t you?
6:30 pm

Las Vegas Bowl
Wyoming vs UCLA
SG’s Pick: UCLA
UCLA should burn Wyoming with it’s passing and running game. Although, Wyoming is playing in it’s first bowl game in 11 years…that’s certainly motivating.
9:45 pm

Fri., Dec. 24
Hawaii Bowl
UAB vs Hawaii
SG’s Pick: Hawaii
NCAA’s all time passing leader should have a hay-day against this no show UAB defense
7:00 pm

Mon., Dec. 27
MPC Computers Bowl
Fresno State vs 18 Virginia
SG’s Pick: Virginia
Fresno State failed to play with the big dogs this season and Virginia is on the horizon to become one.
2:00 pm

Motor City Bowl
Toledo vs Connecticut
SG’s Pick: Toledo
Connecticut has a football team? Well, that’s what we would have said last season but they have a QB that can rip the secondary. You probably haven’t heard of him but the NFL scouts know him very well. Connecticut has a chance if they grasp the mindset they had when meeting Pittsburgh earlier in the year.
5:30 pm

Tue., Dec. 28
Independence Bowl
Iowa State vs Miami (Ohio)
SG’s Pick: Iowa State
Iowa State’s explosive offense will give Miami all they want…plus some.
6:30 pm

Insight Bowl
Oregon State vs Notre Dame
SG’s Pick: Notre Dame
Notre Dame is going to fight its heart out in defense of Tyrone Willingham. Oh, did we mention they’re a pretty good football team anyway?
9:45 pm

Wed., Dec. 29
Houston Bowl
Texas-El Paso vs Colorado
SG’s Pick: Texas-El Paso
Jordan Carson (name sound familiar?) will finally have his chance to showcase his talent on national television. Colorado is still wondering what happened in the Big 12 championship...
4:30 pm

Alamo Bowl
24 Ohio State vs Oklahoma State
SG’s Pick: Ohio State
Oklahoma State is no stranger to big games. Unfortunately, they haven’t learned how to win them.
8:00 pm

Thur., Dec. 30
Continental Tire Bowl
25 Boston College vs North Carolina
SG’s Pick: Boston College
North Carolina has a lack of “big game” experience while Boston College has the “secret to success” for winning bowl games, they’ve won 4 straight.
1:00 pm

Emerald Bowl
New Mexico vs Navy
SG’s Pick: Navy
Did we say Navy? That’s right! These guys finally learned how to play football.
4:30 pm

Holiday Bowl
4 California vs 23 Texas Tech
SG’s Pick: California
Cal will punish Texas Tech for being pushed out of the BCS picture.
8:00 pm

Silicon Valley Bowl
Troy vs Northern Illinois
SG’s Pick: Northern Illinois
Troy has never been to a bowl game and they’re not ready to win one either. N. Illinois has a ground attack that will out-muscle this Troy defense.
11:00 pm

Fri., Dec. 31
Music City Bowl
Alabama vs Minnesota
SG’s Pick: Alabama
This isn’t because we like the SEC. Minnesota isn’t playing at home...
12:00 pm

Sun Bowl
Purdue vs 21 Arizona State
SG’s Pick: Purdue
Arizona State is coming with their 2nd string QB that Purdue’s young, yet darn good, defense should contain. Expect Purdue to light up the score board in this one!
2:00 pm

Liberty Bowl
10 Boise State vs 7 Louisville
SG’s Pick: Louisville
This may be bowl game of the year. If you like fast attack offenses and aggressive scoring, this game is for you! Vegas will be exploding with “total points” bets on this one.
3:30 pm

14 Miami (FLA.) vs 20 Florida
Peach Bowl
SG’s Pick: Florida
If Chris Leak (Gators) isn’t the best QB in the land he will be. When the Gators are operating on all cylinders I would pick them to beat anyone in the country. Keep an eye on this one because it should be a money maker!
7:30 pm

Sat., Jan. 1
Cotton Bowl
15 Tennessee vs 22 Texas A&M
SG’s Pick: Tennessee
The Vols simply ran out of time in the SEC championship. I suspect they will pick up where they left off. Neither team “should” be here so it will definitely be one of the better games to watch.
11:00 am

Outback Bowl
16 Wisconsin va 8 Georgia
SG’s Pick: Georgia
Wisconsin can play offense buy GA’s fast defense will stop the run and force Wisconsin to throw resulting in too many mistakes to overcome. Georgia wins.
11:00 am

Gator Bowl
17 Florida State va West Virginia
SG’s Pick: Florida State
Florida State has put the lost to Florida behind them. Bowden’s ability to dominate bowl games has a “W” written all over it.
12:30 pm

Capital One Bowl
11 Iowa vs 12 LSU
SG’s Pick: LSU (restrictions apply...)
LSU is young but managed to fight their way to a good bowl game this year. If LSU’s defense can keep the score close they can pull this one off.
1:00 pm

Rose Bowl
13 Michigan vs 6 Texas
SG’s Pick: Texas
If Mack can persuade his players they’re as good as he did the nations coaches Texas will overcome a solid Michigan team.
4:30 pm

Fiesta Bowl
5 Utah vs 19 Pittsburgh
SG’s Pick: Utah
Pittsburgh slipped through the back door to win the Big East but I’m afraid Utah will show Pitt what it’s like to play with the Big Boys.
8:30 pm

Mon., Jan. 3
Sugar Bowl
3 Auburn vs 9 Virginia Tech
SG’s Pick: Auburn
Auburn should be playing for the national title. Look for Auburn to win big for the slight possibility of sharing the title.
8:00 pm

Tue., Jan. 4
Orange Bowl
1 Southern California vs 2 Oklahoma
SG’s Pick: Oklahoma
This one should come down to the last quarter. Oklahoma should prevail with stamina.
8:00 pm

NFL Football History. A Brief Overview

2007-02-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

Who knew back then in the 1920’s that the National Football League would take the path to become what it has? In the 1920’s, a group of businessman and sports enthusiasts from the middle of America gathered in Canton, Ohio in a car showroom to discuss and strategize how they would take pro-football from a disorderly, ruthless game of disgrace to that of an organized league.

It is during this meeting in Canton in the showroom where the men defined rules, traded ideas, elected a board. The new league would be called the American Professional Football Association.

From the wooden, dusty arenas of the midwest including Hammond, Indiana, Akron, Ohio, and Rock Island, Illinois to the Duluth Eskimos in 1926 to Super Bowl 111 where Joe Namath and the AFL’s New York Jets displaced the NFL old guard.

In 1932, the first NFL championship game was played indoors on 80-yard field. While a lot about the game has evolved since the 1920’s, the emotion and pain of the football game remains the same.

End the Madness: Down with the College Football BCS System

2007-02-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

Lets' face it: the BCS is a piece of garbage. It encourages unsportsmanlike behavior - and there really seems to be too much of that these days - by forcing teams to run up scores to maintain high poll positions. It encourages corruption by allowing poll voters to affect dramatic changes at the last minute, bowing to political pressure. It has resulted in weaker overall bowl matchups. And worst of all, it denies us the ability to settle the matter of the championship on the field.

Auburn, who will face ninth-ranked and two loss Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, are the first team to go undefeated in the SEC and be denied a shot at the title. They beat three top ten teams, and a good Tennessee team twice. Auburn would actually be better off under the pre-BCS system because there would at least be the possibility of sharing the title.

California led Texas in the BCS and was poised for a deserved shot in the Rose Bowl until, at the last minute, the last night of college football -- on a night when Cal faced a tough competitor in Southern Miss after a long trip across the country -- some voters raised Texas above Cal. This came after two weeks of politicking by Texas coach Matt Brown. There were even reports that some ballots in Texas were submitted before the games were even done.

California passed on the opportunity to score a very late, meaningless touch down, and it's likely that move had an impact on their drop in the polls. There is no longer any room for sportsmanship when a BCS bowl is on the line. A team competing for positioning in the BCS has no choice but to pummel its opponents.

The tie-ins the major bowls now have to conference championships has resulted in an 8-3 Pittburgh team playing undefeated Utah in the Fiesta Bowl, and a two loss Virginia Tech taking on undefeated Auburn in the Orange. Meanwhile, one loss Cal takes on 7-4 Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. Are these the best possible matchups that could have been put together?

I don't think the creators of the BCS envisioned what we have now. I really believe it was an attempt to have something better. But it's time to admit that the system is a failure, and move on. The old system is better than what we have now. A playoff system is very feasible -- given that it already exists in every sport except major college football -- and would generate even more money than the current bowl system. The argument that it would take too much time away from the players' schoolwork is rubbish. Will we ever know the true details of the conspiracy among the university presidents, the bowls, and any number of parties, to deny us an honest playoff system? I doubt it. But it is shameful that the presidents of the NCAA-member universities allow such a system, that encourages corruption and poor sportsmanship, to exist.

Larry Johnson: 2003 Draft Day Picks

2007-02-26T22:01:00.000-08:00

Larry Johnson was born on November 19, 1979 in La Plata, Maryland. Over the years Johnson has proven that he is one of the best running backs in the entire world. In fact, many believe that he is one of the best players in the world regardless of position. Although he has not received as many accolades as some of his counterparts, Johnson is definitely one player who is sure to put up solid numbers year in and year out.

Even at a young age it was evident that Johnson was going to be a great football player. This began to show during his high school days at State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania. He played both linebacker and running back in high school, and finished his career with 2,159 yards.

After high school Johnson decided to take his game to Pennsylvania State University. In 2002, Johnson managed to rush for more than 2,000 yards; a feat that has only been met by a handful of players. Thanks to his impressive season in 2002 Johnson received several awards including the Maxwell Award for the top college player, the Doak Walker Award for the top college running back, and the Walter Camp Award. To top all of this off, Johnson graduated with a degree in Integrative Arts.

Johnson was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2003 NFL Draft, and has been with the team ever since. During his first couple of seasons Johnson did not see a lot of action, but this changed drastically in 2005 when he played in all 16 games. This led to him ending the season with 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns. Johnson followed this up in 2006 with 1,789 and 17 touchdowns.

Although Larry Johnson does not have all the endorsement deals or get a lot of attention, he is still among the best players in the NFL.

Philip Rivers: 2004 Draft Day Picks

2007-02-26T21:59:00.000-08:00

Philip Rivers was born on December 8, 1981 in Decatur, Alabama. Rivers is one of the best young quarterbacks in the world, and he has proven this time and time again on the field. Not only does he have all of the physical tools needed by a good quarterback, but he is also one of the smarter players in the game as well. When you combine these two things it is easy to see why he will be a great player in the NFL for many years to come.

Rivers attended Athens High School, and excelled both in the classroom and on the football field. As a senior he played both safety and quarterback, and this led to him being named the Alabama Football Player of the Year.

After high school Rivers chose to take his game to North Carolina State University. During his days playing for the Wolfpack, Rivers broke nearly every school and conference record. Perhaps his greatest record is that for most games started by a college quarterback with 51. This not only showed his consistency, but also his determination to lead his team game in and game out. Rivers led the Wolfpack to four bowl games, and came home with wins in three of them.

Rivers was drafted by the New York Giants with the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Shortly thereafter he was traded to the San Diego Chargers for fellow quarterback Eli Manning. After a bit of a delay, Rivers finally signed a six year contract worth $40.5 million.

During the 2004 season Rivers saw limited action, appearing in only two games. The 2005 season was more of the same as he was not able to beat out Drew Brees for the starting quarterback position.

Rivers was finally named the starting quarterback in 2006 after Brees departed for New Orleans. During his first season as a full time starter Rivers put up solid numbers. He did a very good job managing the game which was evident by the Chargers 14-2 record, and AFC West Championship.

New York Jets Merchandise

2007-02-26T21:58:00.001-08:00

While pre-season expectations of the New York Jets had them predicted to win 3-4 games this season, they went on to finish 10-6 and made it to the playoffs. Last season you couldn't give away New York Jets merchandise with the dismal 4-12 finish but this season everyone was wearing green and white as the resurgent New York Jets under new head coach Eric Mangini surprised everyone.

New York Jets hats, jerseys, jackets, socks, t-shirts, bumper stickers, helmets, curtains, rugs, pillows, blankets, flags, posters, photos, footballs etc. were sold out before Christmas leaving nothing left by the time the playoffs arrived.

Many retail stores in New Jersey and New York reported Jets merchandise sales weren't even this strong in 1998 when the New York Jets went to the AFC Championship game vs. Denver. Online reports showed that New York Jets merchandise was atop the best sellers of any NFL team merchandise this season. You can attribute that to the surprising outcome of this current season and of course they are in the New York market, which never hurts.

In other Jets news many fans are buzzing about whether the team will be changing their team colors, uniform or logo in 2009. This is the year the New York Jets and New York Giants will be sharing a stadium together. While there has not been anything mentioned on what the new stadium will be called as of yet, there have been rumors the Jets will perhaps change their team logo and uniform. This isn't unusual for teams to do this when entering a new stadium. Most recently the Arizona Cardinals changed thier uniforms and wore a commerative patch to celebrate their new stadium. I think a change in uniform will only help merchandise sales for any team, especially in the New York market. If you have noticed, for decades NFL teams didn't change uniforms or logos until the late 90's when several teams moved into a new direction with colors, logos, etc. which really spiked marketing and merchandise sales for the respective teams. Since 2000, fourteen NFL teams either completely changed their team colors and uniforms or changed some aspect of thier uniform in some way. I think it's a safe bet to assume the New York Jets will do the same with the opportunity to make a huge bang within the NFL merchandising side of it in 2009.

Will David Beckham Play For England Again?

2007-02-26T21:56:00.001-08:00

It seems as if it was not just a few weeks ago that the footballing career of David Beckham was considered over at Real Madrid football club. The coach, Fabio Capello all but said that he would not play Beckham again till he left the club.

In fact, some reports suggested that Beckham would be allowed to leave in April, rather than in June when his contract ends. Well, in the eyes of many football followers and analysts, the end had come for Beckham's active playing career. He had been effectively placed on the shelf to gather dust, or so it seemed. Surprisingly, just a few weeks later, the tide has changed. Beckham now holds a regular shirt at Real Madrid, and was named the man of the match in the recent champion's league victory over Bayern Munich. What could have been responsible for this sudden turn around by the coach? Well, the club had been under performing of late, losing some of it's home matches in the Spanish league, and drawing some others. Few goals were being scored and the fans made no secret of the fact that that they were far from satisfied at the club's results. Some fans openly called for the resignation of Coach Capello and the club president, Perez.

Capello's job really came under serious threat when his team lost to lowly rated Levante by a lone goal in a match played in the Bernabeu. Well, it appeared that coach Capello was going to get the axe if he lost his next game, even though it was an away game.

He had no choice than to reconsider his earlier vow not to play Beckham again, and recalled him for the match. And to the surprise of all, Beckham scored a trademark free kick to bring Real back into the game after going a goal down earlier on. According to the Spanish press, his goal saved Capello’s job.

His overall contribution to the game was marvelous.

Needless to say, most people wondered why he had been left on the bench by Capello all this while. He again went on to produce a commendable performance in the next league game, which Real won. He capped it with a fine display against Bayern in the champion’s league, contributing to the three goals scored by Real.

Already, the England manager, Steve Maclaren has admitted that Beckham’s inspiring displays of recent have put him under pressure to recall him back into the England squad. Could the former outcast player be on his way back to playing for England? We can only wait and see as events unfold.

Is The Old Order Changing In English Football?

2007-02-26T21:53:00.001-08:00

The 2006/2007 season in the English premiership has thrown up some pleasant surprises in terms of the results obtained so far. A few clubs that would not have been given a chance of surviving in the premiership for even one season are performing well, while on the other hand, some traditionally strong clubs are struggling to stay in the premiership.

A few months ago, who could have predicted that a club like Portsmouth, which barely managed to stay in the premiership last season would stay in the top half of the league table?

Well, they have surprised all and sundry, and have not gone beyond the seventh position in the league till date. At a point in time, they were in the third position for about a week.

Reading is another football team that has taken many by surprise this season. The team has literally come from nowhere to stay in the top half of the league table for most of the season. They have defeated some of the traditionally strong teams and their performances have thrilled many observers.

On the other hand, clubs that are regarded as top clubs like Middlesbrough, Wigan and Charlton have struggled to find their form all season. Charlton is in the relegation zone, while Wigan is just above them in the drop zone. Middlesbrough, the club that was last year’s UEFA cup finalists has struggled to find their form all season long, and is currently in the bottom half of the league table.

Teams that were expected to mount a serious challenge for champion’s league places like Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle have just put in average performances all season long. It’s not likely that any of them will get a slot in the champion’s league this season, although they could still reasonably get an UEFA cup slot.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - RB Dwayne Wright

2007-02-22T03:06:00.000-08:00

This past season Dwayne Wright was coming back from a serious knee injury suffered during the second game of the 2004 season, and showed the NFL scouts he is back and 110% healthy. Wright rushed for 1,462 yards and 11TD's. His biggest game this past season came against Louisiana Tech when he rushed for 295 yards and a TD. Other notable performances this season included a 158 yard, 3 TD game against Nevada, 154 and 1 TD against Oregon, 136 yard and 2 TD's against Washington, and 121 and 2 TD's against New Mexico St. In his final game at Fresno St. Dwayne rushed for 106 yards and 2 TD's against San Jose St. Dwayne caught 51 passes for 429 and 2 TD's during his career at Fresno St as well, showing all-around running back skills.

He was off to a great start in 2004 before his year ended at Kansas St. Wright went through a rigorous rehabilitation that lasted two years to return to 100 percent for the 2006 season, and boy did he have a season!! Dwayne is a tough runner who possesses good breakaway speed once he gets through the defensive line, and has nice hands out the backfield. Wright earned the starting job during the 2003 season and had a huge year. Dwayne spent a lot of time in the weight room and added weight and strength in 2005 spent the year working on injury rehabilitation. Wright played in two games in 2004, starting both, before tearing his left patella tendon when being tackled at the end of a 61-yard pass play in the fourth quarter of the Kansas State game ... he missed the remainder of the year as a result. He started the season with a 109-yard effort in a win over Washington and had 74 yards in the KSU contest before going down with the injury.

In 2003 he was an honorable mention All-WAC honoree after transferring from junior college after playing in all 14 games, starting eight. Wright became the 12th player in program history to gain more than 1,000 rushing yards and supplanted record-holding running back Rodney Davis midway through the season. Wright had consecutive 100-yard games against Louisiana Tech and Portland State. Dwayne initially made waves with a TD run against top-ranked Oklahoma, in a game where he came out of the backfield to record 19 catches for 143 yards and a score. That year he finished fourth in the WAC in rushing yards. Dwayne had his best game of the year came against Louisiana Tech when he rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown. He just missed an 100-yard game against UTEP (97 yards), Rice (96) and Nevada (91).

Wright initially committed to Washington St. but when Mike Price left to become Alabama's head coach, he decided to attend West Hills Junior College, where he led his team to the Silicon Valley Bowl against Foothills College. Wright and the team finished third in the Valley Conference. He was named to the All-Central Valley Conference team. Dwayne played in eight games and rushed for 1,068 yards and scored 11 touchdowns and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He was named team's Most Valuable Offensive Player. Wright was one of the top running backs to come out of high school on the west coast and was named the San Diego Union Tribune's Offensive Player of the Year out of Lincoln High School in 2000.

Dwayne was born June 2, 1983 to parents' Gwen and Wil Washington and has has two brothers, Kenrick and Andre, and one sister, Ashley. Dwayne married Jewelyn Wright and the couple have two children - a daughter, Jewelyn, and a son, Demarion.

Wright is a day 1 pick, no doubt. He fits best with a zone blocking scheme and is built for the NFL. I think the knee injury was some what a blessing in disguise for Dwayne, it allowed him to add much needed weight and strength to him frame and stayed the same type of back. When he first came to Fresno St. he has a frame similar to Eric Dickerson, (tall and lean), but with the added weight, he now has an NFL ready body.

He may not have the 4.3 speed, but his speed and power combo is impressive. Wrights hands are also really good, making him a good fit for a team that runs the west coast offense, or a version of it.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - QB Brian Brohm

2007-02-22T03:05:00.002-08:00

A 2006 Heisman Trophy and Davy O'Brien candidate, Louisville junior QB Brian Brohm is rapidly becoming one of the hottest names around NFL circles. Brohm has all the tools NFL personnel people and head coaches love, size (6'4, 224), a big time arm that is accurate, toughness, leadership, and the study habits that a QB needs to succeed at the pro level.

Coming into this season Brohm ranked 1th on the school's touchdown passes chart with 25, he also has thrown for 3,702 yards, which also stands 11th in school history. Brohm has ahd five 300-yard games in his career, all coming during the 2005 season (his 1st as a starter) and currently holds the school record with a 68.4 completion percentage. Brohm has thrown just seven interceptions in 399 attempts and had an 8-2 record as the starting quarterback coming into this season.

As a prep at Trinity High School, he threw for 10,579 yards and 119 touchdowns at Trinity High School. Brian was voted one of the 2003 National Top 150 Adidas Playmakers and named USA Today Offensive Player of the Year. Brohm was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year. In his high school career he appeared in 44 games and was the recipient of the National Quarterback Club's award for the National High School Quarterback of the Year, and he was named to the Parade Magazine High School All-American teams. Brohm ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 prospect by ESPN's Tom Lemming and led the Shamrocks to three state titles. He was awarded the Roy Kidd Award and was a three-time state finals Most Valuable Player and guided his team to a 15-0 record in the state playoffs. Brohm started for the East squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He finished second in state history in career passing yards and career touchdowns and also set a state record for career completion percentage, not to mention he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies.

Brian Brohm is a management major and is the 4th Brohm to play football at U of L, his dad, Oscar and brothers, Greg and Jeff each played football for the Cardinals, so his genes are good.

Brohm reminds me a little of Brett Favre. He has a gunslingers mentality and is fearless on the field. I think, depending on the teams needs picking first in the draft, he could be the #1 overall pick, but AT LEAST the first QB off the board. I believe he has more upside then Brady Quinn and will be a better pro when it is all said and done.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - OL Joe Thomas

2007-02-22T03:05:00.001-08:00

Central High School in Brookfield Wisconsin must be proud of their own Joe Thomas. The 6'8 313lb LT is the best OL in the country, HANDS DOWN. He is also arguably the most athletic as well. He played DT for the Badgers last year when they got in a pinch.

Thomas is projected to be among the top three overall selections in the 2007 National Football League Draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. , Scouts Inc. and us here at the War Room. Thomas was named to 2006 Playboy All-America team, the 2006 preseason first-team All-American and the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle according to The War Room. A second-team preseason All-American according to Lindy’s and Street & Smith’s, Thomas was selected to 2006 preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award and was assigned the only one-on-one block on UW’s offensive line 90 percent of the time the past two seasons.

In 2005, Thomas was first-team All-American according to Pro Football Weekly and was second-team All-American by Walter Camp, SI.com and Rivals.com. A consensus first-team All-Big Ten, Thomas was a Lombardi Award semifinalist. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 honoree, Thomas was an Academic All-Big Ten choice, where he started all 13 games at left tackle and was named UW’s co-offensive player of the week vs. Bowling Green and Penn State. Thomas earned third varsity letter and injured right knee while filling in on depleted defensive line in Capital One Bowl game vs. Auburn.

Thomas earned second varsity letter in 2004 when started all 12 regular season games at left tackle. He was a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten pick and named Academic All-Big Ten and first-team academic all-district. Thomas set UW indoor record in shot put with throw of 62-0 ¼ feet, set in 2005 and was a 2005 NCAA indoor and outdoor qualifier in shot put.

Thomas in 2003 earned first varsity letter and played much of season as a blocking TE (wearing No. 82). Thomas was the first true freshman OL to see action during the Barry Alvarez era, and started at DE vs. Auburn in Music City Bowl and assisted on seven tackles.

Thomas was rated as the No. 4 offensive tackle in the nation according to Tom Lemming and among top 20 offensive tackles nationally, top 25 players in the Midwest and No. 3 player in Wisconsin according to Rivals.com. A PrepStar All-American and second-team All-America offensive tackle according to USA Today. Thomas was also a member of Detroit Free Press All-Midwest team , and was a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first-team all-state defensive lineman and second-team all-state offensive tackle as a senior. Thomas was also first-team all-state honors at DE from Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and Associated Press. The WFCA 2002 Defensive Player of the Year with fellow Badger Justin Ostrowski, had 85 tackles and 12 QB sacks as a senior and 70 tackles and eight sacks as a junior. The three-time all-conference selection and four-year letter winner in football, track and basketball, captained football and basketball teams his senior year and finished fifth in nationals in shot put as a junior. Thomas was all-conference, all-area and all-state selection in shot put and discus … four-year honor roll student. He was also on the U.S. Army Academic All-America team, and was coached in football by Rick Synold at Brookfield Central High.

The business major (real estate and urban land economics) makes his parents Eric and Sally very proud and embodies everything college sports is about.

Joe Thomas is the highest rated OL I have since Orlando Pace (who went #1 overall). He has all the tools to be an all-pro for years to come and his play reminds ME of HOFer (and Chaffey High School/USC alum) Anthony Munoz.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - DE Lawrence Jackson

2007-02-22T03:04:00.002-08:00

Lawrence Jackson is everything NFL personnel people look for size (6'5, 265 lbs), speed (4.5/4.6) strength, leadership qualities and he has a tireless work ethic. Did I mention he is also productive?! Lo-Jack had 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks entering the 2006 season.

But it all started in "The Wood"..Inglewood California. Jackson earned 2002 Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, Student Sports All-American first team, Tom Lemming All-American, CNNSI.com All-American first team, The Insiders.com All-American first team, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, The Sporting News Hot 100 honors (and countless others).

He had 142 tackles, with 11 sacks, plus 4 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions in 2002 while playing defensive line and middle linebacker. As a junior in 2001, he made the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first team, All-CIF Division X first team, Los Angeles times All-Star first team, Los Angeles Times All-South Bay Lineman of the Year, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team and All-Ocean League Defensive MVP. He had 134 tackles, including 22 sacks, plus 2 interceptions (1 returned for a TD), 7 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 3 blocked kicks in 2001. Inglewood made it to the 2001 CIF Division X semifinals. During his 2000 sophomore season, Inglewood advanced to the CIF Division X finals. In his career, he had 57 sacks. He also was on Inglewood's track team.

Jackson choose USC over UCLA, ASU and other Pac 10 schools in one of Pete Carroll's famous recruiting classes. Jackson redshirted as a freshman defensive end in 2003, his first year at USC. He won USC's Service Team Defensive Player of the Year award. After the season, he had arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle to remove debris.

In his RS Frosh year, Lo-Jack started at defensive end and did a commendable job. Overall in 2004 while appearing in all 13 games (he started all but BYU), he had 32 tackles, including 11 for losses of 41 yards (with 6 sacks for 31 yards), plus a deflection and an interception (against Arizona, which he returned 19 yards to set up a TD). He made the 2004 Collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-American first team, The Sporting News and Rivals.com Freshman All-American second teams and The Sporting News Freshman All-Pac-10 first team. He had 5 tackles against Oregon State (1.5 for losses) and Notre Dame (2 for losses) and 4 stops against Arizona State.

Lo-Jack's sopmore year was his coming out party to the national media. Overall in 2005 while starting all 13 games, he had 46 tackles, including 13 for losses of 76 yards (with a team-best 10 sacks for minus 60 yards), plus 6 deflections, a team-best 2 fumble recoveries, a team-best 4 forced fumbles and a blocked PAT. He made the 2005 All-Pac-10 first team and he made the 2005 ESPN.com All-Pac-10 team. He won USC's Defensive Lineman of the Year and Co-Player of the Game versus UCLA Awards. He had 4 tackles (including 2 sacks and a deflection) at Hawaii, 4 tackles each against Arkansas and Oregon, a team-high 7 tackles (including 2.5 for losses, with 1.5 sacks) at Arizona State, 2 stops and 2 deflections against Arizona, and 4 tackles (1 for a loss) at Notre Dame). He added 2 tackles (with a sack) and a deflection at Washington, then 3 tackles (1 for a loss), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the same play that led to a USC TD and also a blocked PAT against Washington State. He had 3 stops (with a sack), a fumble recovery (to set up a USC TD) and 2 deflections against Stanford, a tackle at California and then 7 tackles (with a sack) and a forced fumble that USC recovered to set up a field goal against Fresno State. He had 5 tackles, including 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles (USC recovered the second one).

The philosophy major has a brother, Keith, was a offensive tackle at Arizona and entered the 2006 season on the Lombardi Award watch list.

Jackson has all the tools to be a special player in the NFL and I see him as a player was has the tools to be even better on the pro level.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - CB Daymeion Hughes

2007-02-22T03:04:00.001-08:00

The PAC-10 may have the 2 best CB's that are draft eligible in Antoine Cason and Daymeion Hughes out of Cal. Hughes has all the tools that ANY NFL personnel person looks for in a CB, size (6'2, 195) speed (4.3), a fearless attitude and a short memory. He is a play maker plain and simple.

Hughes is currently a mid-season All-American by SI.com and CBS Sportsline and ranks second in the nation with seven interceptions so far this season. Hughes is second all-time at Cal with 14 interceptions and snagged his seventh interception of the season against Washington, snagging a key pass in the end zone, and also broke up a pass and had six tackles on the day. He collected his sixth interception of the season against Washington State to go with three tackles and a pass breakup. Hughes had four tackles against Oregon while holding Jason Williams to just 66 receiving yards (he had entered the game with 115.5 per game). Hughes recorded four tackles with a pair of pass break-ups against Oregon State, and he returned an interception for a touchdown against Arizona State (his fourth career INT return for a TD and second this year). Hughes added a second pick-off against the Sun Devils (his third career two INT game) while leading the team with 11 tackles. Daymeion returned an interception for a 30-yard touchdown against Portland State, and Hughes snared two interceptions against Minnesota while also tallying six tackles and a pass break-up. He recorded five tackles against Tennessee as the Volunteers rarely threw towards him. A preseason All-American by eight different publications, including first team All-America by ESPN.com and Playboy and is on the Watch List for three different national awards.

In 2005 he led the PAC-10 Conference with 17 passes defended, including 12 break-ups while ranking second in the league with five interceptions and ranked No. 16 nationally in that category. Hughes finished fourth on the squad with 62 tackles. Hughes also returned his five interceptions for 159 yards, including a 41-yarder for a touchdown at Washington. Hughes had two interceptions in the shutout of Arizona and a 59-yard interception return at New Mexico State and his INT against BYU on the Cougars' final possession clinched Cal's victory in the Las Vegas Bowl. Hughes had a season-best 10 tackles and broke up two passes against top-ranked USC, he followed that up by getting a blocked a kick and recorded a quarterback sack against Washington State. He forced a fumble against Stanford.

Back in 2004, Hughes started at cornerback opposite Harrison Smith as a sophomore, starting in 11 of Cal's 12 games. The club's 12th-leading tackler with 26 stops, including 21 unassisted, he tied for second on team in passes broken up with six. Hughes starred in the Big Game vs. Stanford, breaking up four passes and recording a pair of solo tackles, he also broke up passes at Air Force and Oregon State. He tallied four-tackle games three times, at Air Force, vs. Arizona State and in the Holiday Bowl vs. Texas Tech.

In his Freshman year, he was the Bears' most productive true freshman, starting five games at cornerback and tying for the team lead with two interceptions. He had 30 tackles (25 solo) and recovered one fumble while playing in all 14 games. His first interception of his career came against Oregon State, a pick he returned 72 yards for a touchdown, and his second interception came against Washington at the Cal 6-yard line, staving off a possible Husky scoring drive. Hughes was credited with three tackles in the Insight Bowl against Virginia Tech. Hughes was the recipient of the Bob Simmons Award as the team's most valuable freshman.

Coming out of Crenshaw High School, Hughes graded out No. 79 on the California Top 100 list and No. 41 on the Athletes list nationwide. He was named to the SuperPrep All-Far West team and Prep Star's All-West squad following a senior season that produced impressive statistics on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 600 yards and chalked up 720 yards receiving, while scoring a combined 15 touchdowns as a senior and also registered 48 tackles and 10 interceptions at defensive back in 2002. Hughes made the Los Angeles Times all-region team and was named the Coliseum League Co-Player of the Year. He also voted runner-up Southern California Prep Player of the Year and Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention. Hughes was regarded as the 11th-best cornerback in the West by PacWest/TheInsiders.com, and as a junior, earned all-league and all-city honors after rushing for more than 1,500 yards and adding another 520 yards receiving. Hughes also gathered 49 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks at defensive back. Hughes competed two years in basketball and track, and one season in tennis.

He is a art practice major at Cal and is the leader of their secondary. His parents, Ronald and Catana, call him by his nickname, Dantè.

I see Hughes along the same lines of Cason, as the 1b to Cason's 1a when it comes to CB's this year. You can't go wrong with either of them. Hughes is a proven play maker that can take away half the field. If I had to compare him to anyone, it would be a more physical Champ Bailey. Bailey's cover skills were more NFL ready (when picked #7 overall by the Redskins) then Hughes', but Hughes has the ability to be THAT TYPE of player.

2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews - CB Antoine Cason

2007-02-22T03:03:00.000-08:00

Not too many people know the name...Antoine Cason out of the University of Arizona, but the 6'0 190 lb CB has the NFL on notice. Cason, out of Los Alamitos (near Long Beach) CA, has all the tools the NFL looks for out of a CB...size, speed (4.39 forty) jumping ability (40 inch) a willingness to hit and an even stronger desire to learn. Did I mention he also has the bloodline?!! His Dad, Wendell Cason, played at Oregon, and for the Falcons form 1984-87, and his cousins are Ken-Yon Rambo (NYJ) and Avieon Cason (Dallas). His brother ran track at Washington St.

Cason is one of the top defensive backs in the PAC-10, not to mention the nation. He has started all 22 games and played every snap his first two years. He received second-team All-PAC-10 honors in 2005, when he finished with three interceptions, five passes defensed and 50 tackles including 2.5 for losses. Normally plays the strong side of the field, Cason has seven career interceptions coming into the 2006 season, and those 7 picks puts him in position to rate with UA’s best ever on the all-time chart, with five more needed to his the top nine. He had a season-long 27-yard interception return against Oregon. Cason had seven tackles three times last season. He started 11 games as a true freshman in 2004, earning All-PAC-10 honorable mention. Cason was selected to the FWAA and Sporting News freshman All-America teams ... TSN’s All-PAC-10 freshman team selection and PAC-10 defensive freshman of the year honors. Cason was also selected to Rivals.com freshman All-America club. He finished the season 70 tackles (54 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss (-18 yards), four interceptions, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Cason was the second-leading tackler on the squad, while ranking fifth in the PAC-10 in interceptions, 20th in tackles, fifth in forced fumbles and ninth in passes defended. He tallied 12 tackles (8 solo) and forced a fumble vs. ASU. Cason also returned an interception 23 yards, had nine tackles (7 solo), two pass breakups and two tackles for a loss (-8 yards) at Washington. Cason also returned two interceptions for a total of 61 yards and tallied five solo tackles vs. California. He was named PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Week after first collegiate game: tallied a career-high 13 tackles (12 solo), including one for a loss, forced two fumbles, broke up one pass and returned an interception four yards vs. NAU.

Out of Los Alamitos high school he was second-team All-CIF Southern Section and first-team Division I CIF as senior. He also earned Southern Section Division I all-defense honors. He was also a member of the Tacoma News-Tribune Western 100 and was a Prep Star All-America selection as a top 300 national recruit. A Super-Prep All-Far-west honors as a Top 100 California prospect and Rivals.com three-star rating and No. 38 as a DB prospect. Cason also played running back at Los Alamitos where he had 41 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 2003. A First-team all-league as a junior, with six interceptions and was the Sunset League Defensive Back of the Year and first-team honors as a senior. Cason was also a member of the Orange County Register first-team all-county. He won team’s ‘Hit of the Year’ for 2002, and he also participated in track.

Cason's activities outside of football show what a well-rounded person he is, his likes includes dogs, PS2, working out and monthly church usher duties. I see Cason as a sure first round pick and possibly the first CB off the board. He reminds me of less physical UA alum, Chris McCalister, but I would say at this point in his progression, he is a better cover corner then Chris Mac.

Donovan Up Next?

2007-02-22T03:02:00.002-08:00

Donovan McNabb is now the best quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl.

As if the guy needed any more pressure on him.

Until the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, Peyton Manning held that distinction, and seemed destined to retire into the “Dan Marino/Dan Fouts” Wing of the Hall of Fame in Canton.

But now, Peyton is off the schneid. He’s won the big one. He is a world champion.

And as a result, he is no longer the best quarterback currently playing in the NFL to have never won a championship.

That distinction now belongs to #5.

Now, I don’t say that to put any added pressure upon the already-burdened shoulder pads of Donnie Mac. Heaven knows he’s got enough Philadelphians breathing down his neck for things that are out of his control.

When he’s bad, he’s criticized. When he’s good, he’s criticized. When he’s somewhere in between, he’s criticized.

Heck, the guy gets criticized when he goes to the bathroom.

Despite all that, Donovan McNabb is a five-time Pro Bowler, was NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2004, and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 24 years that same season.

No matter what he does from here on out, Donovan McNabb is one of the greatest players in Philadelphia Eagles history. He does not need a Super Bowl win to validate that.

However, now that Manning has shed the “choker” label and won the big one, the mantle of “best active quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl” falls to Donovan McNabb.

It is a mantle no athlete wants.

And make no mistake; #5 enters the 2007 season at a crossroads. He has missed major portions of each of the last two years with season-ending injuries, and three out of the last five, with the latest being the most severe. No one knows how Donovan’s knee will respond to his rehabilitation or whether he’ll even be ready to go by the start of the ’07 season.

At 30 years old, he most likely has more years behind him than ahead.

Time is running out.

Still, when healthy, he is one of the five best QBs in the game. The window of opportunity for him to win a Super Bowl is still wide open. And ironically, the only way that’s going to happen is if Andy Reid and the rest of the coaching staff realize that winning can’t be all about Donovan McNabb.

For far too long, this franchise has relied too heavily on McNabb to win football games. It took his catastrophic injury last season for the brain trust to realize that a balanced attack and a stout defense are just as important as an incredibly talented QB throwing the football all over the field.

The only way Donovan McNabb will finally be able to break through and pull off what Peyton Manning did on Sunday, and what John Elway accomplished before him, is for the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles; coaches, players and front office, to step up and realize that Donovan McNabb can’t do it alone.

So Mr. Reid, Mr. Banner and Mr. Lurie… hear my cry.

Re-sign Donte Stallworth. Revamp the linebacking corps. Draft a bigger complimentary back to Brian Westbrook. Stay with the balanced offense. Get tougher and bigger on defense. Adapt. React.

Relieve the pressure that squeezes itself around Donovan McNabb’s neck like an anaconda and give him what he needs to finally deliver this town the championship it so desperately craves.

Do whatever needs to be done to aid Donovan McNabb in his quest to win a Super Bowl.

Because perhaps more than any other quarterback in the NFL, he deserves it

Colts Super Bowl Win Closes the Final Chapter of Several Great Stories

2007-02-22T03:02:00.001-08:00

As the scoreboard clock ran down Sunday night, and the Chicago Bears ran of their last few plays as an exercise in formality, the great stories that have surrounded the Indianapolis Colts for the last few years came to a conclusion with a mental exclamation point.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy and future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning had both finally won the big one. The win, for Dungy, also represents the first Super Bowl victory for an African-American head coach.

The game started off with a 92-yard kickoff return for a Bears touchdown by Devin Hester. The Colt’s got going with a 53-yard touchdown connection from Manning to Reggie Wayne just past the halfway point of the first quarter. And, although the missed the extra point attempt, the team from Indy never looked back.

The Colts scored 23 more points to the Bears 10, and the rest was history. And, I do mean history, especially when it came to Dungy’s social barrier win. “"I'm proud to be the first African-American coach to win this," Dungy said just after the Super Bowl.

In addition, Dungy is a man a great faith who’s resolve was put to the test last year when his son James committed suicide. He acknowledged his religion, also that of his opposing coach, after the game. “"Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord's way. We're more proud of that."

As for Manning, he’s now gotten the proverbial monkey off his back and will never have to face the ridicule of never winning the big one. But, despite his MVP performance, he was more than willing to spread the credit for this accomplishment that will help solidify his greatness. "It was a great team win. We did it together,” Manning said.

Miami's Lesson-Let the Super Bowl be Played Anywhere

2007-02-22T03:01:00.000-08:00

Anyone who lives in a “cold climate,” has probably wondered why the Super Bowl is never played in their city. They may have a large stadium, good transportation, great sports bars, nice hotels, and zealous fans: they may be the epitome of a sports town. No, no, the authorities say in reply to their plea, We don’t want to play anywhere there could be bad weather, unless you have a covered field. Doh!, or rather, Dome!

In keeping with the tradition of don’t play the Super Bowl in the elements that football was made for, Miami provided the NFL with a bit of irony last Sunday. It was the first rainy Super Bowl in the history of the game, played in a city known for sun. Miami was cold, dreary, and the rain came down so hard that, while bears and colts lined up eleven by eleven, other species lined up two by two. In comparison, Denver, a “cold climate” area, was nearly 50 degrees with zero precipitation; no one rained on their parade, no Denver animals anxiously waited for an Ark to arrive.

Come rain or shine, Miami is a great place to have a Super Bowl; quite frankly, it’s an ideal, exciting city with an environment conducive to the hype of a world championship. But, it’s hardly the only city with this criteria.

Limiting the Super Bowl to a handful of cities when fans from all over America dedicate half of their yearly Sundays to cheering, grunting, and rooting for the team they love isn‘t fair. It, in a word, is “Place-ism.” No city in the NFL should be kept from hosting the league’s greatest game. After all, it’s a championship game that belongs to all of us: we are the National Football League.

Some may disagree. Someone might point out that a place such as Denver will never see a Super Bowl because a blizzard could shut down the city. This argument is particularly poignant in light of recent storms; Old Man Winter has been shaking Colorado up like a snow globe whenever he gets bored. Yet, this argument can apply to any element of weather. Sure Denver has snow, but past Super Bowl destinations have weather elements even more capable of wrecking havoc: California has earthquakes, Texas has tornadoes, Florida has hurricanes (sure, not very likely in February, but with Global Warming, anything can happen). Detroit and Minneapolis, two cities that have played Super Bowl host, are even more prone to blizzards than Denver. They might have a dome, but only on the stadium; the arena roof does not protect the city from the factors of climate.

No matter where the Super Bowl is held, there is a risk that Mother Nature will swoop in and call timeout. If recent tragedies have taught us anything, it is that nature has a mind of her own; she simply can’t be controlled. Refusing to allow any NFL city to host the Super Bowl, however, can be.

It’s time to quit limiting the game to certain venues. It’s time to stop prohibiting certain cities from the economic prosperity the Super Bowl brings. It’s time to allow the game to be played in any stadium with an NFL team. It’s time for football fans to stand up and give Mother Nature their version of the giant foam finger.

Honestly, isn’t part of football bad weather? Isn’t part of the game slipping and sliding and catching a touchdown in a puddle of mud? Isn’t part of football tailgating with bowls full of chili and thermoses filled with hot chocolate? Isn’t part of football putting on a 1970’s Cleveland Brown’s hat so that your ears don’t freeze? Isn’t part of football being strong enough to stand the elements, whatever they may be? After all, we are tough, we are football fans…it’s not like we are talking about baseball here.

When it comes down to it, this year’s Super Bowl in Miami can be a turning point in professional football: it taught us that two teams can play a championship game in bad weather and the better team will still win. Sure, there were parts of the game where weather may have played a role - the best clutch kicker in NFL history missing a chip shot, receivers falling on wet grass, and both teams have more first half turnovers than a neighborhood bakery, but all that mattered was the outcome: the outcome was not dictated by the climate.

The conditions in Miami, theoretically, should have worked in Chicago’s favor. Chicago plays half its games in wind, rain, sleet, and snow; Indianapolis practically plays on carpet. But, it turns out that Mother Nature’s stint as a Super Bowl 12th man has always been overblown; her number is up and the idea of playing this game only in nice weather venues should be as well. Place-ism ends here.

Football Cleats Buying Guide

2007-02-22T02:52:00.000-08:00

Football is a high impact sport requiring fleet footwork for approximately seven to ten times of your body weight are transferred to your feet. It is also a very demanding sport that combines speed, agility and precision. Not surprising why football cleats have been designed to be more aggressive than other types of cleated shoes.

They have also been made to match the player’s position and field type as well. Like soccer cleats, the upper of football cleats are made from either leather or synthetic material. Leather is considered to be very durable with superior breathability and flexibility thus making it more expensive than synthetics. Synthetics, however, does not become stiff and out of shape when they become wet and improperly dried although it won’t give you the breathability and durability provided by leather. Cost-wise though, it has gained much of an advantage for it is less expensive than leather.

Football cleats also comes in three different heights or styles to suit each player’s position and needs, namely: high-top, mid-cut and low-cut. High-top football cleats are often used by linemen for it’s ankle extension provides extra ankle support especially for lateral movements. There are a lot of Adidas football cleats out in the market today that could get the job done.

Mid-cut football cleats are preferred by most skilled players specifically defensive backs, running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks for they combine maneuverability with support. Mid-cut Nike football cleats are some of the top picks belonging to this style. Low-cut football cleats, on the other hand, are the best choice for some players for they are lightweight with the most maneuverability thus allowing them to make quick cuts on the field. So, if you favor the lightest shoe providing extra maneuverability, a pair of Reebok football cleats could be your best bet.

There are also two types of cleat types depending on the type of field that you will play on, namely: molded and detachable. Molded cleats are attached permanently to the outsole on the bottom of the shoes and are often used by players who use turf fields for they provide spring and traction and a better grip on harder turf surfaces. They are also generally cheaper than shoes with detachable cleats.

Detachable cleats, on the other hand, with it’s versatility can be used to fit various field conditions on all types of grass, be it hard and dry or wet and sloppy. It uses studs that can be removed and replaced with a wrench so you can customize your shoes easily. Shorter studs can be used for hard and dry surfaces and longer studs on wet and sloppy fields. For a perfect fitting pair of football cleats, see Tips on How to Find your Shoe Size.

Super Bowl Trends

2007-02-02T22:26:00.005-08:00

For bettors that really like to handicap, this week is the greatest time of the year. There's only one football game to look at, and you have two full weeks to analyze it, so you can cover every possible angle you could want to. You can fire up your spreadsheets, devise every variety of power ratings, and look at every possible match-up in a hundred different ways. If you're a trend junkie then you'll also have time to figure out every possible reason to back one team or the other, and you'll also have the time to discount and ignore the trends that don't help to justify your opinions. To help you out on that front, here are nine Super Bowl trends to get you started in your analysis:

1) Bears and the over. Chicago is perceived to be a defensive team -- and they are -- but bettors have clearly overcompensated for that fact all year, and they aren't learning from their mistakes. Chicago went over the total in 11 of their 16 regular season games, and hit the number in another. The trend is still solid in the playoffs, too - they have gone over in both games. In a lot of games it hasn't even been close - 65 points with a total of 35 against Tampa Bay, 69 points against St. Louis when the total was a season-high 41.5, 51 points with a 37 total against Seattle in the playoffs. Indy's presence will mean a reasonably high total, but there still is a fairly good chance, given history, that Chicago will go over.

2) The historical over. Over the course of the last 31 Super Bowls, the over has been a very good default pick. In that time, the total has been exceeded 19 times. That's more than 61 percent - certainly a solid winning rate.

3) Bouncing back from the last game. You generally shouldn't have to bounce back from a win, but there is some reason to believe that both teams might struggle to do that. Indianapolis put up 474 total yards of offense against the Patriots in the conference final. The last five times that they have put up more than 350 yards they are just 1-4 ATS in the following game. The Bears have their problems, too - they are just 2-5 ATS the last seven times they have played after allowing at least 250 yards passing, and 2-5 ATS in their last seven in the game after they have won against the spread. One team might have an edge, though - the Colts are 12-5-1 ATS in games following games in which they have covered.

4) Going on the road. The Super Bowl is the only game of the year, outside of the preseason, in which both teams are playing on the road. That seems to favor the Bears. Indianapolis was 3-5 ATS on the road during the regular season, and they failed to cover the last four times they left the cozy RCA Dome. Not surprisingly, given their previous playoff woes, they are also just 2-5 ATS in their last seven playoff road games. They've also failed to cover the last four times that they have been favorites on the road. Chicago was only 4-4 ATS on the road this year, but they were a more impressive 3-2 in their last five trips.

5) Dealing with poor passing games. Critics everywhere are using Rex Grossman and his often questionable performances as a good reason to pick against the Bears. The Bears are used to playing after sub-par passing performances, though. Grossman put up 144 yards against the Saints. The last eight times the Bears have put up less than 150 yards of passing they have come back in the following game and covered all but once.

6) Bears defense rebounding. Though the scoreboard didn't show it last week, there was some reason to be concerned about the Bears' defense. They were fairly successful at keeping the Saints out of the end zone, but they weren't nearly as good at defending the pass - Drew Brees threw for 354 yards. Indy obviously can pass fairly well, too, so the Colts could do some damage if they can exploit the same holes that Brees found. Bears backers don't need to worry too much, though - the team is 14-6-1 ATS in games after they have allowed more than 350 yards passing.

7) Playing on grass. Given that the Bears play all of their home games on grass, while the Colts play on their rocket carpet, the natural assumption would be that the Bears would have the advantage on the grass in Miami. Though Chicago should certainly be more comfortable and familiar with the surface, the Colts have shown that they can hold their own on the real stuff - they are 9-4-1 ATS over their last 14 on grass.

8) The Bears' running game. Though it remains to be seen if the Colts defense can hold up one more time and stop the run, the Bears will benefit from their ability to run easily against the Saints. They ran for almost 200 yards. After they have rushed for 150 yards in a game the Bears must feel unbeatable, because they come back very well the next game - they are 20-7-1 ATS in the following game the last 28 times that that has happened.

9) The 30-point barrier. The Bears scored more than 30 points last game. The last five times they have done that they have been just 1-4 ATS in the following games. The Colts scored 30 points, too, but they also allowed more than 30. You might think that they should be concerned, but it's actually a good thing - they are 4-0 ATS in games after they have allowed at least 30 points.

Adrian Peterson 2007 Draft Day Pick

2007-02-02T22:26:00.003-08:00

Born on March 21, 1985 Adrian Peterson has three great years of college football under his belt. Since his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma Adrian Peterson has been impressing people both on and off the field. It was apparent early on in life that Peterson was going to be a good football player. His mother was a track star in college, and his father signed to play basketball with the University of Oklahoma. These bloodlines gave Peterson everything he needed in order to get a fast start in life.

Peterson played his high school football at Palestine High School in Palestine, Texas. This is where he first started to garner national attention for his work ethic, speed, and strength on the field. During his senior year Peterson rushed for nearly 3,000 yards and received many local and national awards. This led to a hotly contested recruiting battle between the likes of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Miami of Florida.

Peterson eventually chose the University of Oklahoma, and he got off to a good start during his freshman season. It was during this year that he set he took the college football world by storm by rushing for 1,925 yards on 339 carries. He also managed to score 15 touchdowns. This led to Peterson becoming a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a freshman; a rare feat to say the least. Although Peterson had solid numbers as a sophomore and junior, he was plagued by injuries on the field.

After his junior season Adrian Peterson declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft. Although he may have never had the chance to play full-time after his freshman season, it is safe to say that Peterson is one of the all time greats at the University of Oklahoma.

Great Party Game for Your Super Bowl Bash

2007-02-02T22:26:00.001-08:00

Planning your Super Bowl party is easy. You have your list of friends and family you want to include. You have all your recipes for great food. Now what about the ice-breaker that gets everyone talking and having fun?

Here’s an idea for a Great Super Bowl party game that your guests will love. When you invite your guests to your Super Bowl party, tell them to join in the fun by asking them to bring a cheer that they have written for the team they will be rooting for. At your party, it’s those unique entertaining touches by the host that make it fun and memorable for your guests.

Here’s an overview of the game: have one set of pom poms in the colors of each Super Bowl team for your guests when they arrive. To get things going, the hosts should go first. Do your cheers with the pom poms, then have someone else who is pulling for the other team do their cheer with their pom poms in their team colors.

Here's an example cheer: Give me a 1! Give me a 2! Give me a 3! I'm 32 years old and this is my first cheer! Go team go! Go team go!

Throughout the evening, guests can do different cheers for their team. This game gives everyone a chance to be creative and funny, and gets everyone talking and laughing. What a great way to get that team spirit going, and your party going - way before the first kick off of the game.

Brady Quinn Future Star In The Making?

2007-02-02T22:25:00.003-08:00

Brady Quinn is the prototypical pocket passer. An American football player, Brady Quinn is best known as a quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In four years at the helm of Notre Dame's offense, Brady Quinn is 29-18 as a starter. Brady Quinn is considered by many to be the biggest name in college football for 2006, and it's not unwarranted.

Brady Quinn is a good leader with good intangibles, but let's not start overrating them. Brady Quinn is a great example of what Notre Dame Football is all about. Brady Quinn is coming from a school that has produced a number of good QBs, and one amazing one. Brady Quinn is the fifth Notre Dame player to win the Maxwell and first since defensive lineman Ross Browner in 1977. Brady Quinn is a step ahead being coached by a great offensive coordinator in the nfl. And that's especially true on the offensive side of the ball where quarterback Brady Quinn is looking more comfortable than ever.

Brady Quinn is the popular choice among college quarterbacks for a few reasons. Brady Quinn is an excellent, terrific , remarkable quarterback. Brady Quinn is directly responsible for how his team plays. The best thing about Brady Quinn is that he doesn't give a crap whether or not he wins the Heisman, he just cares if his team wins. Brady Quinn is a very smart individual. Brady Quinn is an easy pin-up for a franchise. Brady Quinn is one of the best student athletes you will ever find. Brady Quinn is high on the list of best quarterbacks in the country.

Brady Quinn is an elite prospect and there is absolutely no doubt about it in my mind.

Brady Quinn is expected to be a top-five pick in the next NFL Draft, but his sole focus right now is leading the Fighting Irish to success.

Brady Quinn 2007 Draft Day Picks

2007-02-02T22:25:00.001-08:00

Brady Quinn was born on October 27, 1984 in Dublin, Ohio. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing in at 227 pounds Quinn is the perfect size for an NFL quarterback. And not only has he garnered a lot of attention on the field for his performance, but people have taken notice of his good looks off the field as well.

Quinn did not have a stellar high school football career at Dublin Coffman High School, but with that being said he did enough to set himself apart from the rest of the competition. In addition to earning a letter in football, Brady Quinn also excelled on the baseball field. In fact, he was all conference during his junior year and helped to lead his team to the state championship as a senior. But somehow, Quinn slipped under the radar of many college football teams in the country.

During the fall of 2002, Tyrone Willingham (former Notre Dame Football coach) became aware of Quinn and in turn offered him a full scholarship. This was all the opportunity that he needed in order to prove himself. The 2005 season was Quinn's coming out party. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and finished the season with 32 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions.

Quinn also had a great year in 2006 by leading his team to the Sugar bowl by throwing for 3,427 yards and 37 touchdowns. He currently holds the record for most attempts, completions, touchdowns, and yards by a quarterback at Notre Dame.

Brady Quinn received a degree in Finance in the spring of 2007. Although he did receive his degree, Quinn is expected to be a top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. So for now, he will be playing football as his chosen career path.

Understating the Super Bowl Point Spread

2007-02-02T22:24:00.004-08:00

Over the weekend I was cruising around Buckhead having a few drinks with an old friend when the topic of the Super Bowl came up. He mentioned that he had asked “a guy” that he places wagers through to throw down $2,000 on Chicago for him next Sunday. But when I asked my friend what number he got the line at he looked at me like I just asked him to recite the state capitols in reverse alphabetical order.

It would seem simple enough that the No. 1 fundamental of betting the Super Bowl involves understanding the spread. However, there are still so many square bettors out there that toss out their hard-earned loot without a full appreciation or knowledge about the line that they’re playing.

Now, it’s possible that my friend was just trying to impress me. But if he really wanted to accomplish that feat he could have done so by knowing that in Super Bowl history teams favored by exactly a touchdown are just 1-4-1 ATS or that the underdog has covered in four of the last five years. That type of analysis could justify two dimes on the Bears. Nostalgia from the time you stole a hand job from a toothless tranny in the parking garage of O’Hare Airport couldn’t.

If you are going to bet on Super Bowl XLI, which will kickoff at approximately 6:20 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 4 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, you should at least have a working knowledge of what the spread is, and what it is trying to tell you.

The Indianapolis-Chicago line opened with the Colts instilled as a 7.5-point favorite. That number was quickly bet down to an even touchdown. That tells me that the sharp bettors and Windy City wise guys saw the obvious value in getting the team with the better defense above a key number and the early action was on the Bears.

(When I say “key number” I mean that seven is a statistically significant difference in the outcome of NFL games. In fact, the final score is decided by exactly seven points in approximately 7.1 percent of all games. Further, if you have Chicago at +7.5 you would have them through three “key numbers” – 3, 4, and 7 – and across differences that combine to make up approximately 43 percent of all NFL outcomes. That’s value.)

Now, it’s not surprising that the Colts are the favorite and I believe that the number is fair, though beatable from either side. The touchdown represents the fact that the AFC has clearly been the superior conference both in this season and in recent years. The AFC has won seven of the past nine Super Bowls straight up (5-3-1 against the spread) and has won 61.5 percent (118-74) of all interconference games since the start of the 2004 season.

Besides the recent conference totalitarianism, the Colts get the nod because they fit the profile of the team that the public is most likely to back. They have the more potent, fan-friendly offense. They have a recent history of success with five consecutive trips to the postseason. Additionally, the last impression that fans and gamblers have of Indianapolis was its dramatic comeback victory over New England in the AFC Title Game.

Finally, the Colts are the favorite because they hold the key to the most hyped storyline of the week: Peyton Manning. Indy becomes the sentimental favorite for the general betting public because the question of whether or not Manning will get a Super Bowl ring has been overblown to the point that its more important than our failing education system or the hypocrisy of our current Republican administration. People want to believe that this is Peyton’s time, and they’ll line up to throw their money on him in the hopes that he can vanquish over a decade’s worth of choke jobs.

Now, I’m not here to say that the Colts are the favorite in this game simply as a result of some public relations machinations. No, no. They are a veteran crew with some devastating skill players. They can score points in bunches and have some momentum, so if they do win there’s a fair chance that it will be by a double-digit margin. But what you have to keep in mind is that the Super Bowl line isn’t set according to who the books think will win the game, it’s based on who the books believe the public will play.

Which brings us to our next point. Since its initial settling, the line has held firm at -7 at most online sportsbooks. However, at two of the more prominent books (Pinnacle and BetCris) that spread has at least flirted with a stay at -6.5 due to heavy Bears action. In fact, Pinnacle and 5Dimes currently have the Colts available at -6.5. I’m not surprised to see this type of manipulation by the books and suspect it will increase as we get nearer to kickoff in order to balance the action.

Again, that’s the goal: balance the action. Traditionally, the public overwhelmingly backs the favorites in the Super Bowl. This puts the books in a kamikaze position of needing the dog to cover to avoid a massive loss. But this year may be a bit different. Because Chicago is from a major market, with a marquee defense and a strong tradition, the books may have a chance to avoid such an all-or-nothing scenario.

However, there’s also another underlying plot that should influence the line.

“It will take a lot of action for us to (move off 7), considering we’d be doing more than just moving off a key number,” a bookmaker at Bodog said in published reports. “We would also be opening ourselves to be sided by the players if we were to move off -7. If the sharps keep playing the Bears and the recreational players play them as opposed to the Colts, we may move.”

We’ve already established that seven is an important number. If the books were to lower the line to -6.5 then they would be opening themselves up to get middled. Bettors would get the Bears +7.5 and the Colts -6.5, and if Indianapolis won by exactly a touchdown the books would get hammered by having to pay out on both tickets. Therefore, if a majority of books were to move to 6.5 you would instantly be tipped off that a LOT of money was heading on the dog.

Betting the Super Bowl Total

2007-02-02T22:24:00.003-08:00

I have spent most of the last week scratching my head trying to figure out what to do with the Super Bowl total. The problem is that I can see good arguments for both sides of the number. The total is at 48.5 right now, and it doesn't seem as of now that the bookies have much interest in moving very far from that number. I'm just a writer and a guy who's trying to figure out what is going to happen, so this is not in any way an official pick. What I'm going to do, though, is lay out the argument both for going over and for going under, and then I will decide which way I see it going. Come along for the ride:

Over

Trends - There are a huge number of trends pointing towards an over. Indianapolis has gone over seven times in their last nine as road favorites. They have gone over eight of the last 11 times that they have played on grass. The Colts have gone over in 42 of their last 61 games which have followed a game with at least 250 yards of passing. Chicago is 13-3 for the over on grass. The Bears have an impressive overall record over their last 22 games - 16-5-1. The Bears have gone over in their last four playoff games. They've gone over eight of the last nine games following a game in which they have allowed less than 90 yards rushing. They are 5-1 going over in a game after scoring 30 or more in the previous game. Chicago is 6-2-1 in last nine against teams with a winning record, and 5-2-1 in their last eight following an ATS win. You could dig up a hundred more trends to support this position if you're a bit creative as well.

Bears' defense - As well regarded as the Chicago defensive unit is, there have been a fair number of unimpressive scoreboard performances of late. St. Louis, with an offense not entirely dissimilar to Indianapolis, scored 27. Tampa Bay put up 31. Detroit, another pass-heavy team, posted 21. Seattle managed 24. Any one of those totals could arguably be enough to put the total over, especially if you are of the opinion that the spread is fairly accurate and representative of the match-up.

Bears' offense - Ignoring the completely irrelevant game against Detroit to end the season, the Bears have scored at least 26 points their last six games. Despite periodic problems both with the passing game and the running game, the team still finds all sorts of ways to put up points. The Bears have a reasonably balanced offense to try to exploit the Colts, and the O-line should be able to control an Indy pass rush that is solid but isn't among the most aggressive in the league. Grossman has shown that he can be effective if he can find rhythm early on. If he does that then the Bears certainly have the ability to put up the numbers they need to go over.

Colts' offense - Up until the start of the second half against New England it was pretty easy to think that the Colts' offense had disappeared. Manning has struggled throughout the playoffs, and field goal kicking had become the primary weapon. The explosiveness that the Colts showed in their two most recent quarters, though, could be viewed as a re-awakening of an offensive giant. That confidence could carry over and help push the total over.

Summary - The argument to go over is supported by trends and comes down to two proven offenses combined with a Colts' defense that could be overachieving and a Bears defense that is struggling with injuries and has been underachieving. 48.5 points is easily within range of these offenses if they maintain the form of their last game.

Under

Trends - There are trends to support the under as well. Chicago has gone under 39 times in the last 59 games in which they were underdogs. They've gone under 45 times in the last 66 games which have followed games in which they have had less than 150 yards of passing. They have gone under in six of their last eight games as underdogs. Indianapolis has gone under in five of their last seven against teams with a winning record. They have gone under in six of eight games following a straight up win. The game last week against the Patriots was the only playoff game in the last five that the Colts have gone over. The Colts are also 5-1 under in their last six road playoff games.

Colts vs. comparable offenses - The Bears defense at their best could be, very loosely, compared to Baltimore and Dallas. Indy struggled against both of those teams, and didn't come at all close to going over this total in those games.

Bears vs. Saints - The Bears played a bend-but-don't-break defense that was remarkably effective at keeping the Saints off the scoreboard. If it weren't for big plays then the Saints would have accomplished nothing at all. Though the Colts arguably have more offensive talent than the Saints, they certainly haven't been playing as well as a unit over the whole playoffs as the Saints did. If Chicago did what they did to the Saints, then it seems possible that they could do the same thing to the Colts. If the Colts don't score a lot then it seems unlikely that the total goes over.

Familiarity - The head coaches, Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy, have worked together in the past and are very close to this day. That means that they know each other's philosophies and approaches. With few secrets, it seems possible that both teams will play a conservative style so that the opposing coach can't exploit it. That could keep the total low.

Summary - The Colts have struggled against stout defenses over the second half of the season. The Bears defense is playing well, and both coaches will be playing close to their vests. All factors could keep the score low.

My take - The biggest problem I face here is that I tend to think that the total is reasonably accurate. I could see a score somewhere in the 28-21 range, which is right in the range of the posted total. Ultimately, I would choose the over if I were forced to take a side. Chicago seems to be able to find ways to score, and I don't have a ton of faith in the Indianapolis defense despite some of their recent performances. I don't think that the Colts offense will be as good as it was in the second half last week, but I do think that they will be improved compared to the first two playoff games. It basically comes down to this - I feel better about betting against both defenses locking down their opponents than I do about betting that both units will hold their ground.

JaMarcus Russell Quarterbeast

2007-02-02T22:24:00.001-08:00

JaMarcus Russell is expected to be a high first-round NFL draft pick, maybe even the No. 1 player selected overall. JaMarcus Russell has announced he is going to skip his senior season and declare for the 2007 NFL Draft. JaMarcus Russell is a literal giant with skills and acumen.

JaMarcus Russell is fast becoming the hot name on all of the early mock draft boards. JaMarcus Russell is a good quarterback, no doubt. JaMarcus Russell is 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. There is nothing on the football field JaMarcus Russell is not capable of if he is motivated. Jamarcus Russell is a great player and reminds people of Vince Young so he might be an attractive pick. In the mold of Daunte Culpepper, Jamarcus Russell is the size needed for today's successful QB's. JaMarcus Russell is a physical freak and difficult to bring down.

JaMarcus Russell is a little raw, but he has improved immensely over the past year and has an amazing upside. LSU's JaMarcus Russell is a physical presence with a rocket arm. JaMarcus Russell is quality. It all starts with the quarterback, and JaMarcus Russell is a star.

Tigers QB JaMarcus Russell is the nation's third-rated passer. On the offensive side of the ball JaMarcus Russell is playing as well as any quarterback in the country. JaMarcus Russell is third in the nation in pass efficiency, ahead of Brady Quinn. LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell is one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the nation.

Brian Brohm Draft Day Picks

2007-02-02T22:23:00.003-08:00

Brian Brohm was born in Louisville, Kentucky on September 23, 1985. He grew up in this area dreaming of playing for the University of Louisville, and before he knew it this dream had become a reality. From a very early age it was evident to everybody around him that a future in football looked bright.

During his high school days Brohm set the nation on fire with his gaudy passing numbers. For his career, Brohm threw for 10,579 yards and 119 touchdowns. To go along with these individual statistics he also led his high school, Trinity, to the state title in 2001, 2002, and 2003. While a junior in high school Brohm was starting to get national attention for his accolades on the field. It was at that year that he got the first taste of the big time when he was featured on the front of Sports Illustrated. As a senior Brohm was named Mr. Football in the state of Kentucky, and also Gatorade player of the year; these are two top notch achievements.

In January 2004 Brohm announced his decision to play college football at the University of Louisville. He had many offers from high level schools such as Notre Dame, Alabama, and Tennessee to name a few. Even though Brohm did not start a game as a freshman, he still performed well enough to win freshman of the year honors in the Conference USA. Just like his father and brother before him, Brohm finally became a full-time starter at Louisville during the 2005 season.

Brian Brohm is going to spend his senior season at Louisville despite rumors that he would enter the NFL Draft early. Standing at 6 foot 4 and weighing 220 pounds, it is safe to say that Brohm will be a first round selection in the 2008 Draft.

Defense Wins Super Bowls

2007-02-02T22:23:00.001-08:00

I often say that football is a violent, brutal game. So, quite naturally, the team that is more violent and brutal will usually win. Only the strong survive, and this maxim has borne itself out time and time again from the bloody core of this beloved, gladiatorial sport.

The standard-bearer for gridiron masochism over the past quarter-century was the 1985-86 Chicago Bears. That team redefined what it meant to dominate with defense and forged a blueprint that has been followed by such recent organizations as Pittsburgh, New England, Tampa Bay and Baltimore.

In 1985 the Monsters of the Midway had the NFL’s top-rated defense in both scoring and yards allowed. They rode that classic unit to three postseason wins by a combined 91-10 score, including a 46-10 maiming of New England in Super Bowl XX.

In the 21 years since the 1985 season kicked off there has not been a single Super Bowl champion that finished the regular season ranked lower than ninth in scoring defense. Twelve of those 21 champions boasted a defense rated in the top three in points allowed, and No. 1 units were a flawless 6-0. Further, of the two Super Bowl combatants the team that allowed fewer points per game during the regular season is 18-3 straight up.

I mean, I haven’t uncovered some Rosetta Stone to NFL success here. If you give up less points, you win. Easy enough. I’m just pointing out what a fantastic indicator that one regular season stat has been at predicting the Super Bowl victor (85.7 percent).

Also, there have been only three teams in the past 21 seasons that had a defense ranked outside of the Top 10 in total yardage and went on to win the title. Those three exceptions – New England in 2001, Denver in 1998 and Washington in 1987 – each had scoring defenses ranked in the league’s top eight, subscribing to the bend-but-don’t-break school.

The average defensive ranking for the past 21 Super Bowl champions was fourth in points allowed and sixth in yards allowed.

All of this is pertinent because the difference between the Chicago Bears defense and the Indianapolis Colts defense is about as prominent as the difference between Maria Sharapova and Star Jones.

The Bears have overwhelmed foes this year and have had the best unit in the NFL over the past two seasons. This year they were ranked third in scoring (15.9 points per game) and sixth in total yards (295.1 per game). Conversely, the Colts D was a dismal 23rd in scoring (22.5 ppg) and 21st in yardage (332.2 ypg).

I will give Indianapolis defenders credit for playing better lately. But you can definitely count me among those who are not completely sold on their defensive Renaissance. They allowed 34 points to the Patriots last week at home. Before that they shut down a toothless Ravens unit and a bumbling Chiefs offense that didn’t adjust its scheme and couldn’t get out of its own way.

Indianapolis has the worst rushing defense in the history of the NFL playoffs, and the images of Jacksonville rushing for nearly 400 yards in one game and Ron Dayne actually looking like a legit NFL back are still fresh in my memory. In nine games outside of the RCA Dome this season the Colts have surrendered an average of 34 rushes and 187 yards (5.4 yards per carry).

Therefore, based on the fact that an Indy victory in the Super Bowl with that defense would be unprecedented, it’s kind of hard to justify them as a seven-point favorite.

So I’ll leave you with this thought: explain to me what the difference is between this year’s Colts-Bears “mismatch” and other seemingly one-sided match-ups like the Rams-Patriots in 2002, the Broncos-Packers in 1998, and the Bills-Giants in 1991?

In each of those instances the club with the sexy, high-powered offense was at least a touchdown favorite against a team that was more physical and violent at its core. I don’t think I need to tell you how those three games worked out. Let’s just say that the strong survived.