Bulls n Balls

Dream Scenario in College Football

This is the time of year when you can't turn on Sports talk radio without hearing hours of complaints about how screwed up the BCS system is.  I for one have long concluded, like just about every American sans the few dozen University Presidents who like the smell of BCS cashola, that the only way to make the sport have any modicum of fairness is to institute some sort of playoff system.  Yet I'm not naive enough to think that complaints from blogs, scores of fans, or media talking heads will have any impact on University Presidents who are making calculated business decisions.  Indeed, this problem can not be solved until it is no longer in the interest of College Presidents to resist the pull for a playoff system.  Because of this, each year around this time, I start to hope for the chaotic events to occur in College Football. And this year, the chaos might be somewhat realistic. 

This year's dream match-up - TCU vs. Bosie State in the BCC National Championship.  While this might be a College Football fan's dream come true, once the dust settles, CFB power brokers will realize what an insane system we have.  Picture this, Bama loses to Auburn (the biggest stretch in my scenario), Bama beats Florida in the SEC Championship, and Texas loses either at Texas A&M or at Nebraska.  Additionally, Cinci may lose at Pitt.  That very well may leave us with a Horned Frogs vs. Broncos national championship game.  And then watch the uproar from the major conferences and 1 loss team that won road games against premier programs.  Watch the critics question a team whose biggest win was beating Oregon at home in week 1.  And in the end, all the complaining will be good for the game.  Because in fairness, these may be the two best teams in the country but would it be fair for them to play in a National Championship game given the scenario above?  How much more deserving would it be if each of those teams beat Florida and Texas respectively to end up playing in a final game Championship.  I say, go Horned Frogs and bring on the upsets.  Let the chaos begin!

Not Brown!!! NOOOOOOO!

I hate asterisks in my fantasy line-up. What I'm hating even more this week is that one happens to be placed directly beside Ronnie Brown, my bright hope, my shining star, whose leg has apparently been through a meat grinder or something, because now it's not just his ankle. It's also his foot. Football players sort of need to have a functioning foot. It's kind of the root word of the whole game. Foot-Ball.

Sigh.

I have sunk into last place in my league yet again. After scraping and clawing my way back up to 6th place, I am now at rock bottom. What's worse is that there are five teams currently tied for 1st place. FIVE! I mean, if ever there was a year to NOT be in last place, it would be this year.

Sigh.

Let's talk about my other league before I start looking for a bridge or something.

In my other league, I'm currently in 3rd place. I slipped out of 2nd with a brutal loss two weeks ago. I didn't write about it because the depression was too crushing. And take a wild guess which RB I also have in this league. That's right, Ronnie Brown.

This week, if ESPN projections are right (ha, ha, hold on a second while I laugh that out of my system), I should win. However, I'm not really confident when it's saying that Ocho-stinko is going to get 22 points when he only had 2 last week. I mean, let's be realistic.

Speaking of realistic, how can it be possible that Colston ended up with -1 last week. Seriously? Negative ONE? Currently he's warming my bench. Will he snap out of it and get me some points? (If he's on my bench-definitely). Will he disappoint yet again? (Only if I play him).

You might want to check back regarding my line-ups this week. If I play him, sit him. If I don't, start him. That could be a winning strategy for you. Clearly, there is no hope for me.

I'm going to go burn a candle for my dear Ronnie and send healing thoughts. Won't you join me?

Women's College Soccer!

World Series Update - Back to New York

By Spec

The Phils put a wrench in the gears of the Yankees last night, making this World Series, by default, the best one of at least the past six years. For the first time since 2003, we’ll be looking at a game six in the fall classic, as the Phillies try to conjure up a small miracle to force a game seven in the Bronx. Here are my thoughts: - First of all, the Phillies are in a hole. Pedro is going to have to pitch six innings and give up no more than two runs for the Phils to have a shot in this one. Outside of Chan Ho Park, I’m not liking the Phillies’ relief too much, and it will be a nail-biter for sure if Madson or especially Lidge comes in with a small lead to finish off the ninth. - Utley and company are going to have to keep the bats working if they want to steal game six from the Yankees. They’ll need to net at least 8 runs from Pettite to make up for the trainwreck that is likely going to occur in the 7th-9th innings as the Phillies relief takes over for Pedro. It’d also be nice for Ryan Howard to correct his swing. Perhaps you saw him lose his grip on the bat itself on a particularly awful cut. He got more wood on the front-row cameramen than he did on baseballs in game five. - Victorino unfortunately decided to block a high pitch with his fingers and nearly broke several of them, a move that almost had long-standing implications for the Phillies. With Victorino unable to throw as well as he otherwise would be, Charlie Manuel opted to put Ben Francisco in center starting in the top of the 7th. This move left Raul Ibanez in left field (the Phils usually swap the defensive-minded Francisco for Ibanez when they’re up late in games), a move that backfired as Ibanez was unable to snag a deep tracer, prolonging the Yankees’ late rally. - I can’t speak for the entirety of the Phillies fan base, but the pulse surrounding the team seems to be “hopeful,” nothing more. Make no bones about it – the Yankees are certainly favorites tomorrow night. - There’s a lot of hoopla going around over what Cole Hamels said in regards his anticipation for the season to end. Like most firestorms that surround quotations, people are looking at this one out of context. Let’s run it back: Hamels was asked what he thought of pitching a potential game seven and replied that he’d love to get the opportunity and have the trust of the club. He was then asked a follow-up question – what if game 3 was the last shot he’d get this season. Hamels responded that if that were the case, he’d want the season to end as soon as possible. It made for an unfortunate soundbyte, sure, but it was an honest answer. According to Philadelphia CBS Radio affiliate 610 WIP, Phillies pitcher Brett Myers approached Hamels in the clubhouse following game five and said, “What are you still doing here? I thought you quit.” Ouuuuuch. - Should the Phils force a game seven, look for the most patchwork pitching display you’ve ever seen. We're talking spring training-like. Lee, Hamels, Blanton, Happ, Eyer, Park and Madson could all reasonably pitch, in more or less that order. Should the Phils defy the odds and pull out a victory tomorrow night, I’ll elaborate as to why I think this might be the route the Phils take. As for my predication, I'm taking the Phils to win out, of course. :)

Crazy Behind the Back Pass

A Few Reasons Why the Phillies Aren’t 2-to-1 Underdogs

 

By Spec

 

You might detest the entire city of Philadelphia. You might have lived in the Bronx your whole life. Or you might even be one of those people who (laughably) think Philly fans are fairweather.

But if you're a baseball fan who knows anything about baseball, you know the Phillies are not twice as likely to lose the World Series as they are to win it, despite whatever the powers that be in Vegas say. Here are a few reasons why the Phils should get more of a nod from those drawing the odds – and why they may indeed pull out a second straight championship when it's all said and done.

Mark Teixiera, A.J. Burnett and Jorge Posada

These three players have either recently developed or failed to correct long-glaring problems – problems that the Phillies are well equipped to exploit. Teixiera was nearly incapable of putting wood to the ball in the entire ALCS, putting up eight strikeouts to a mere six hits (seven total bases) over 27 at bats. The automatic response from Yankees fans is to say "But look at his defense," to which I say phooey. Perhaps the Yankees still have bad memories of Jason Giambi's awful play in the field, but around the rest of the league it is (or at least should be) a given that the starting first baseman is good with a glove. Howard’s fielding stats aren’t to the level of Teixiera’s, but they’re close – and at the plate, Howard blows him away.

A.J. Burnett will be a huge liability should the top of the Phillies order reach base. His control is a massive issue, and unlike Texiera, who could very easily break his slump, Burnett's misdirection is not going to be fixed in the few days since his last start. When I last called out Burnett, before game 5 of the ALCS, my Yankees buddies scoffed at me. A.J. went on to give up a four-run first inning and a wild pitch en route to a loss. I’m not saying I’m a baseball psychic, but outings like that draw question to his status as a true ace.

It's a double-negative for the Yankees: when Burnett is in, wild pitches will lead to bases taken by the Phillies, and when he's not in and Posada is catching, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins will capitalize on the weak arm behind the plate and have a field day stealing bases.

Position-by-Position Matchups

C: Ruiz > Molina/Posada: Not even close. One of the weaker positions for the Yankees is perhaps the strongest for the Phillies.

1B: Rollins > Teixiera: I get that Teixiera is a great defensive first baseman. I really do. I still go with Howard's bat over Teixiera's.

2B: Cano > Utley: I'm giving Cano the edge because of Utley's recent inability to turn double plays. Still, it's close.

3B: Rodriguez > Feliz: No doubt here, for obvious reasons.

SS: Rollins = Jeter: It's a push. Jeter is perennially the best guy to have on your team in the postseason if for experience alone, but Rollins' timely hits and greater range with a glove makes him an excellent choice as well. Yankees fans will roll their

LF: Ibanez = Damon: Neither can be trusted to come up with a big play on defense, and while I'm inclined to give Ibanez the edge based on his clutch batting, that's probably my Philly bias speaking.

CF: Victorino > Cabrera: Pretty easy call.

RF: Werth > Swisher: Again, not even close.

Overall
Phillies: 4
Yankees: 2
Push: 2

And sure, maybe I’m being a bit biased in my choices. Let’s even give the Yankees both of those pushes, for argument’s sake – the two starting lineups still compare rather equally.
 

The Role of Bad Weather
The Yankees are planning to exploit the three-man rotation to play up one of their biggest advantages against the Phils – starting pitching. However, if no rain delays occur, they may run into trouble with pitching C.C. on three days rest, especially if the series goes seven games and Girardi tries to start C.C. in three games over a period of nine days. Sure, you'd want no one besides C.C. to start that many games, but less rest means less consistency, worse location and an overall more ineffective pitcher, regardless of how good he is.

Of course, this is just one downside to the huge benefit of having a pitcher of C.C.'s caliber on the roster. Just don't expect him to be as effective in game 7 or even game 4 as he is on the outset of the series. Unless, of course, rain gives him a hugely beneficial extra day of rest. If Mother Nature keeps her nose out of it, I don’t really see Girardi pitching C.C. in game 4 – I’d go with Chad Gaudin, especially if the Yankees are behind in the series and would need an ace for game 5 or 6.

A day or two of rain would sink the Phillies' hopes of getting an easier matchup later in the series. The Phillies want to see the series move along quickly and the pitching be about depth, not up-front power. Because, the truth is, while the corps of Phillies starters isn’t bad by any means, pitching depth doesn't really count for much in the modern World Series.

My Prediction
Believe it or not, I've actually kept my huge Philly bias stowed for the duration of this article (In reality Jeter doesn't TOUCH my boy Rollins, and I'd take Feliz over A-Rod any day of the week; we don't juice in Philly, my friends).

That said, I’m not holding back when it comes to my prediction. I’ve been rocking my ’08 I echo Jimmy Rollins’ recent statement when it comes to picking the series, “If we're nice we'll let it go six, but I say five and we'll close out at home.”

 

UPDATE:

 

It feels good to be right about something for once. Check my college football prediction scores if you don’t believe I was in need of a win. Some notes on last night’s World Series matchup:

- First up, I’d like to take this opportunity to say, once again, that in professional baseball, pitchers should bat. That is all.

- Interesting choice to use Star Wars music for the introductions. I’m not sure why the reading of lineups needs to be scored in the first place. And the selections themselves? I nearly died from the irony of introducing the Phillies were over top the “Evil Empire” theme music.

- Cliff Lee’s “Spiked curveball” likely draws its name that because of the how it sways and dips more than someone who got into the punch at a frat party does.

 

- No Jay-Z?! I tuned in half an hour early to see his performance of “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys, only to hear he wasn’t able to practice due to rain and therefore couldn’t perform. He’s now slated for tonight. That’s not to say Jay-Z didn’t get his publicity. “Empire State of Mind” was played over the PA system before just about every inning.

- Matt Teixiera made exactly zero plays at first base that Ryan Howard or any other first baseman couldn’t have made. Just saying.

- Props to J-Roll for his nice fake-drop-turned-shoestring catch that he turned into what Joe Buck unfortunately called an “inadvertent” double play. Props, too, to the six umpires who, after spending five minutes on the field debating, finally were able to finalize their post-game drinking plans and make the correct call on the obvious catch.

- RE: Charlie Manuel: You’re one of the best in the game, Charlie. And I loved the decision to keep Lee in the whole game. But what was that call in the seventh inning?! With nobody out and the game still very much on the line, Ben Francisco drew a tough walk. As Phils fans across the world yelled at their TVs, Pedro Feliz –a hell of a guy and a great defensive player who also happens to be batting about as well as *I* am in the postseason – inexplicitly swung away on the first pitch and grounded into a textbook double play. Bunt!

- The best thing about game 1 for the Yankees is that Cliff Lee won’t be able to pitch again until at least game 4, probably 5. And I take back what I said yesterday – It’s the Phils who should now be praying for a rain postponement.

- Tonight, the Phils are going to have a tough time. Pedro will give up a big inning early on, and the Yankees will close it out against the Phillies’ spotty late relief. The Yankees are far too good of a team to go down 0-2. At least I'll have Jay-Z to look forward to

Hiding From the Shame of It All

It's been almost a week since my last post and there's a good reason for it. I've been hiding in shame. Last week I lost. . . times two. And they were stupid losses. You know that when you're praying your kicker gets you 40+ points during Monday night football, that you have a serious problem, Houston.

My number one mistake?

Listening to the bozo's who call themselves analysts at ESPN fantasy football. Ladies and gentlemen, I sat Colston because he was playing the New York Giants. What the hell was I thinking? Instead, I played Jennings who got me a whopping 6 points. As Colston's points rolled in, my blood pressure rose. Fantasy football and I definitely have a love/hate relationship this season.

In the league where I had been kicking some serious butt, I lost 97-101. What's up with these 3-4 point losses? If I'm going to lose, I'd rather be completely blown out like I was in my other league, 91-130.

I hate to say it, but this week my roster includes a bunch of players with P's and Q's behind them.

Will I win this week?  

Questionable.

Will I lose?

Probable.

I'm like a real live Magic 8 Ball.

I will also probably be left with tiny little tufts of hair on my head by the end of the season, from ripping it out in clumps, and with a concussion from banging my head against the wall as I watch my bench outscore my starters.

Why do I play this game again?

Announcing Review

By Carolina Nick

Rather than looking at announcers from a particular game from this past weekend, I’m going to talk about a studio team. Let me start by saying I think FOX and CBS both have weak Sunday pregame shows. I’ve never really felt great about their analysts, and it just never sits well with me when I watch one of those channels. Instead, I keep it on ESPN, for their two hour Sunday NFL Countdown. But rather than dissecting their pregame show, the segment I really love is in between the end of the late afternoon games and the Sunday nighter.

Now, I’ve only watched NBC’s “Football Night in America” once or twice, and it’s ok, but to me there’s nothing that beats Chris Berman and Tom Jackson. I know a lot of people are tired of Chris Berman’s shtick. I know a lot of people feel like ESPN is taking over the world, and they like to hear sports from other sources. But the rapport Berman and TJ have is unmatched in my eyes. My favorite show of all time is “NFL Primetime,” which is what used to be in between the late games and the Sunday nighter. Back in the day, it was just those two, running through all the games, with the best background music in the history of sports highlights, in my opinion. Now, Boomer and TJ are joined by John Saunders and Trent Dilfer as part of a SportsCenter special. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still fantastic.

Dilfer has been a nice addition, I’ve appreciated a lot of his insight. Saunders is steady eddie, still one of the best studio hosts out there. But what I really want to harp on is Chris Berman and Tom Jackson. I just don’t know that you can beat the experience of working together week in and week out since 1987. That’s the same year I was born. That’s just nuts. You can tell too, they know so well how the other one works and what they’re thinking about. They never fail to make me laugh either. I happen to love Berman’s play on words with everyone’s names, and when I hear TJ laugh at him, that makes it even better. I just can’t think of a better on camera team that has so much experience together than the two of them.

So, if you’re stuck on NBC, flip back to ESPN around 7:30 or 7:45. You’re going to laugh, and I promise you you will appreciate the analysis of Trent Dilfer and Tom Jackson. I’ll bet you stay on ESPN until 8:15 when the Sunday nighter is getting ready to kick off.

Who's the Man?

We might as well get right to it. I will spend some time later in the week looking at the rest of the ALawards and the way races/playoff matchups are shaping up, but for today, we’ll look at what will likely be the most hotly debated MVP race in quite some time.

There are three candidates for MVP who are getting the most attention and the majority of observers believe that one of the three will be the eventual winner. They are Derek Jeter of the Yankees, Mark Teixeira, also of the Yankees and Joe Mauer of the Twins.

There is a lot of sentiment for Jeter because of what he has accomplished, not only this season, but over the course of his career. I have actually heard the term ‘lifetime achievement award’ used in assessing Jeter’s chances for the 2009 MVP. Yes, he is the long time captain of the most followed team in the game. He became the franchise leader in hits for that team and that is no small feat as you are aware, given that so many great names have been associated with the Yankees. He has made signature plays for the Yankees and he has even improved his overall defense this season. According to Fangraphs, Jeter is a plus fielder in 2009, for the first time in his career. He’s been good, there is no doubt. He may well have already cemented his Cooperstown credentials with what he has accomplished, but I can’t call him the league MVP.

 

I can’t do it for the same reason that I can’t go with Teixeira. Take either one of them out of the Yankees’ lineup and the team likely still is in the playoffs, given what the rest of the team has accomplished. They have six offensive players, two-thirds of their regular lineup, who are arguably in the top 30-35 offensive players in the AL. It depends on the evaluation tool that you use, but the case can be made. That kind of synergy gives individual players a boost in areas like runs scored and RBI and the park they play half their games in has increased HR, especially for left-handed batters, significantly.

 

Let’s go back to my column of last week where I said that, to me, the MVP is a guy who plays for a team that wins something where the team would likely not have won without him. That tosses the Yankees’ candidates.

 

What about Mauer then? His team may not win anything. It is clear that he has had a monumental season. He has basically been Mike Piazza in his prime, but with a higher batting average and superior defensive skills. Keep in mind that the numbers he has put up have been while missing the entire month of April. If the Twins can miraculously win the Central, Mauer should win the award, but that is a big if.

 

That moves us to some candidates who might be more deserving, but who have yet to get a lot of sustained support. One is Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers who has been mentioned in some circles, but most of the media has lost him in the shuffle of talking about the other three. What has been largely overlooked this season is that the Tigers’ offense has been remarkably inconsistent, but mostly unproductive. They have scored fewer runs than all but three teams in the AL(they are tied with the White Sox and ahead of only the Royals and Mariners). Cabrera has been the only constant in that lost offensive season. Cabrera is the only AL player with at least 30 HR, at least 90 RBI and a batting average of .300 or more. He’s done that with two factors working strongly against him. He plays in a tough hitters’ park and he has not always gotten a lot of good pitches to hit, given the struggles of those around him. If the Tigers win, Cabrera should be the MVP.

 

There is one more candidate that deserves mention, but he will not win the award. He has not gotten any notice in the national media for his season, but Chone Figgins of the Angels has transformed himself and made the Angels a team that was able to overcome the loss of much of the pitching staff for a chunk of the season. Figgins leads the AL in walks this season and looks like a good bet to draw more than 100 free passes in 2009. He has never had more than 65 BB in any season before this. The improved patience has allowed him to have an on base percentage of .396 this season while his career mark is just .362. That kind of improvement is amazing for a player who is now 31 years old. He leads the ALin runs scored, in part because of his improved ability to get on base, and he is the catalyst for the team that trails only the Yankees in total runs scored. Take Figgins out of that lineup and the Angels likely do not hold off an inspired Ranger team in 2009, but I don’t see him getting even a sniff of the award. It’s either Mauer or Cabrera, depending on which team wins the Central.

 

The rest of the AL awards are up later in the week.

College Football Writers Challenge Week 7

Week 7	Vern	Scott	Nick	Spec	Black Belt Mama	Travis
OKL @ -3 Texas	okl	okl	tx	tx	okl	tx
USC -10 @ ND	nd	usc	nd	usc	usc	usc
Va Tech -3 @ Georgia Tech	va tech	va tech	va tech	va tech	GT	va tech
South Car @  -18 Bama	sc	bama	sc	bama	bama	sc
Minn @ -18 PSU	minn	minn	minn	minn	minn	psu
Overall	11 n 21	13 n 19	15 n 17	9 n 24	13 n 19	10 n 16

Next Step to the World Series

By Scott D

The league championship series get underway today with the Phillies and Dodgers playing in LA. Today, we’ll take a look at the matchups in each series and some keys to watch for as well as trying to predict the outcomes.

 

Phillies vs. Dodgers

 

Starting pitching: Interestingly, two of the starters who pitched the Dodgers this far are former Phillies in Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla. Clayton Kershaw will get the game one start and it will be important to see if the big stage impacts him. He can be a bit wild at times and the Phillies hitters are generally patient. Kershaw’s NLDS start probably helped him boost his confidence a bit in a big situation, but it’s still going to be a lot of pressure. Padilla is a wild card as he has pitched exceptionally well since coming to the Dodgers, but he can have his blowups and his ERA was 4.92 with Texas this season where he walked 42 batters while striking out only 59 in 108 IP.

 

The Phillies’ will use three lefty starters in Cole Hamels (in game one), Cliff Lee and JA Happ and that may negate one of the Dodgers most consistent threats as Andre Ethier has had terrible splits against lefties in his career. Those splits have been even more severe this season as he has hit just .194 versus southpaws in 2009. Though Kershaw and Wolf are also lefties and the Phillies boast a decidedly left-handed lineup, those hitters are largely equal against any kind of pitching. The Phillies were 29-16 against left handers in 2009 while the Dodgers were 27-20.

 

Edge: Phillies

 

Bullpen: This is where it gets ugly if you are a Phillie fan. Much has been made about Brad Lidge’s two saves in the NLDS, but he walked two batters in 1.1 IP. The fact that they didn’t come back to haunt him may be just as much a function of a miniscule sample size as it is any improvement. Phillies’ manager Charley Manuel can mix and match pretty well earlier in the game with his ‘pen, but the Phillies’ best hope remains their starters going (very) deep into games.

 

The Dodgers have a deep and effective bullpen and the only problem may be that Joe Torre sometimes seems to overthink and make moves that might not be needed. In a close game that goes extra innings, that could be a fatal mistake.

 

Edge: Dodgers

 

Offense: The Dodgers are a bit deeper in guys who work the count and find a way on base, while the Phillies have more bangers and an extra out or two in their lineup. Manny Ramirez showed some signs of life in the NLDS and that could offset any struggles Ethier has against the Phillies’ lefty starters. If the Dodgers can figure out a way to pitch to Ryan Howard, they should be able to score more runs, though that is a big if. What weapons the Phillies have are formidable as they have Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino at the top of the order to get on for the producers in Chase Utley, Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz are basically defenders who are the dead spots in the lineup.

 

Speaking of Joe Torre overthinking, playing Ronnie Belliard over the vastly superior Orlando Hudson is a huge mistake that could hurt the club overall. Rafael Furcal has found something over the last month or so as he finished the season strong and he carried that into the NLDS where he hit .500. Matt Kemp is growing into stardom and Torre finally has moved him into a lineup spot where he can use all of his skills. Russell Martin, Casey Blake and James Loney all have some useful offensive skills.

 

Edge: Dodgers

 

Defense and Intangibles: The Phillies have a big edge over the Dodgers in defense, especially if Belliard plays over Hudson. Otherwise, the teams are basically even as they each have good managers and positive chemistry.

 

Edge: Phillies

 

Prediction: Dodgers in six

 

Yankees vs. Angels

 

Starting Pitching: Though it has not been that way all season, recently there is very little to choose between these two rotations. The Yankees are talking about using just CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte in this series, but that will depend on how things progress.

 

The Angels have John Lackey, Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver and Scott Kazmir to counter. Lackey and Saunders both spent time on the DL in 2009, but both have pitched well down the stretch. If the Yankees do go with just three starters, Sabathia would make his game four start on short rest and that could be a problem.

 

Edge: Angels

 

Bullpen: This is LA’s Achilles heel as they have been somewhat inconsistent for most of the season here while the Yankees have a nice bullpen rotation that sets up the game for them and they also have the addition of Joba Chamberlain if he is not the fourth starter. Mariano Rivera is the best closer in the game and Phil Hughes has emerged as an elite setup guy. Chamberlain and a collection of mix and match arms makes this a huge strength for the Yankees.

 

The Angels have some arms in the ‘pen, but Mike Scioscia sometimes has to hold his breath when going there. Kevin Jepsen sets up closer Brian Fuentes and both are talented, but each can struggle. Darren Oliver may be the most reliable guy there and he could be key in this series.

 

Edge: Yankees

 

Offense: This may be the most intriguing matchup in the entire postseason as these two teams can score plenty of runs, but each offense operates in a slightly different way. The Yankees pound the ball, having hit a MLB high 244 HR in 2009. The Angels can go deep as well, but they rely more on finesse, getting on base and using their speed and guile. They stole 147 bases in 2009, good for third in MLB, and they scored 883 runs, trailing only the Yankees (915) and some of the Yankees’ production was a function of their new stadium.

 

Derek Jeter gets it all going for NY and he had one of his best seasons in 2009. He is followed by an All-Star lineup including Johnny Damon, Hidecki Matsui, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Mark Teixeira. Oh, and that ARod guy.

 

The top of the Angels’ order is also good at setting the table. No player was more important to his team this season than was Bobby Abreu to LA. He not only did what he normally does in providing patient at bats and some useful production, but he infused the rest of the team with a more workmanlike approach and that has made a lineup that was good before into a much more dynamic unit. Like ARod, Vlad Guerrero seems to have exorcised the demons of postseasons past and that is huge. Torii Hunter is a consistent threat and Kendry Morales broke through this season as a legitimate star. Much has been made about what Teixeira has done in NY, but Morales might be just as good at 1B for the Angels as he has similar numbers and he has done it in a much less hitter friendly environment.

 

Edge: Even

 

Defense and Intangibles: The Yankees are the worst defensive team remaining in the postseason if you use the zone rating rankings at Fangraphs while the Angels are solid. While it may not make a big difference in just seven games, ask the 2006 Tigers how much defense can mean in a short series.

 

What remains is mostly even. While Joe Girardi does not have the managerial track record of Mike Scioscia, he has shown some ability to lead this season and the playoffs should not overwhelm him. The Yankees are a loose bunch who get along well and the Angels have the memory of Nick Adenhart to inspire them.

 

Edge: Angels

 

Prediction: Angels in seven

 

These should be great series and should help erase the memory of the sweeps in the division rounds. I’m going to be watching closely and I’ll be back to preview the World Series when the dust settles.

The Review: Week 6

By: Josh Gleason

After the unfortunate delay, I’m back with the Bulls N Balls Review and Preview! The last few weeks we’ve seen Iowa establish themselves as the class of the Big 10, the demise of Florida State, domination by the Alabama Defense, and of course, the return of Tim Tebow (hallelujah!). But now, lets jump into the BnB Top 25!

*Note-I won’t include the “+/-“ this week since it’s been a couple weeks since the last Top 25*

1. Florida Gators 5-0 (3-0)
Last Week: 13-3 Win @ #7 LSU
Next Game: vs. Arkansas
-Brandon Spikes led a dominant Defensive performance by the Gators. With their Offensive Star (Tim Tebow) still overcoming a concussion, the Defense needed to step-up and it did in a big way. It’s hard not seeing this team running the table now.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide 6-0 (3-0)
Last Week: 22-3 Win @ (Ole) Mississippi
Next Game: vs. South Carolina
-‘Bama has been winning by playing some good ol’ fashioned football, pound the rock and play stout Defense. The duo of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson is simply dynamite and Rolando McClain has led the strong Defensive efforts for the Tide. They still have many tough games ahead and I don’t expect them to be undefeated going into the SEC Championship, but they are clearly playing like the 2nd best team in the nation.

3. Texas Longhorns 5-0 (2-0)
Last Week: 38-14 Win vs. Colorado
Next Game: vs. #16 Oklahoma
-Texas hasn’t been nearly as well as they could be, specifically Quarterback Colt McCoy. Texas needs to win against Oklahoma because they have two tough road games following.

4. Virginia Tech Hokies 5-1 (3-0)
Last Week: 48-14 Win vs. Boston College
Next Game: @ #13 Georgia Tech
-Virginia Tech has been quite impressive since squeaking by Nebraska. Yet again, Virginia Tech is involved in a battle of ranked teams, but this is the first time they’ve had to play one in the other team’s stadium (the Alabama game was a Neutral site). Quarterback Tyrod Taylor has improved vastly whereas the Rushing attack doesn’t to have lost a step with Ryan Williams in for the injured Darren Evans. The Hokies season has gone exactly how I’ve projected it to go so far which isn’t a good sign for the Va Tech faithful.

5. USC Trojans 4-1 (2-1)
Last Week: BYE
Next Game: @ #14 Notre Dame
-USC coasted past Cal two weeks ago, and have another tough Road game in South Bend coming up. In terms of their National Championship hopes, this is a must win. But, this isn’t a PAC-10 game, and their most important game of the year will be October 31st when they head to Eugene to face a tough Oregon team. Either way, a BCS Bowl is on the mind of Pete Carroll and company.

6. Boise State Broncos 6-0 (1-0)
Last Week: 28-21 Win @ Tulsa
Next Game: @ Hawaii
-Boise State has played impressive against the usual weak competition. They have a few tough games coming up, but nothing that should threaten the undefeated season. They really need teams in front of them to slip though. They need to hope Florida and Alabama are undefeated going into the SEC Championship though because there is no way the voters will have a rematch in the National Championship.

7. LSU Tigers 5-1 (3-1)
Last Week: 3-13 Loss vs. #1 Florida
Next Game: Oct. 24 vs. #22 Auburn
-Record-wise, the Tigers have gone exactly how I projected them to in the preseason, so I still see 10 Regular Season wins from this team (at least). Good news regarding the Florida loss though, LSU has gone 10-1 with Les Miles after a Loss. Auburn better be ready because LSU is going to come out angry in Death Valley.

8. TCU Horned Frogs 5-0 (1-0)
Last Week: 20-17 Win @ Air Force
Next Game: vs. Colorado State
-TCU has some slight struggles last week with Air Force but their Defense was able to atone for 3 Turnovers by the Offense but limiting the Falcons Offense. TCU is going to need to play much better on Offense if they want to win in Provo in two weeks.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes 5-1 (3-0)
Last Week: 31-13 Win vs. #21 Wisconsin
Next Game: @ Purdue
-Ohio State has gotten the job done thus far, other then that tough loss to USC. The Buckeyes are right on track for 10 Wins though and possibly another BCS Berth.

10. Iowa Hawkeyes 6-0 (2-0)
Last Week: 30-28 Win vs. Michigan
Next Game: @ #21 Wisconsin
-Don’t be surprised if Iowa being in the Top 10 is short-lived, but at least they raised this far. Given the injuries they’ve had to deal with, this team has displayed great resiliency just to get to 6-0. They aren’t the most talented team around, but they’re fundamentally sound and get the job done.

11. Penn State Nittany Lions 5-1 (1-1)
Last Week: 52-3 Win vs. Eastern Illinois
Next Game: vs. Minnesota
-Hopefully for Penn State, the last two games have given this team momentum so they can get through the next few games, which are fairly tough (@ Northwestern could be a trap game then they have to face the Buckeyes). Still on pace for 11 Wins in my book though.

12. Miami Hurricanes 4-1 (2-1)
Last Week: 48-16 Win vs. Florida A&M
Next Game: @ UCF
-Miami is riding high off after defeating Oklahoma and dismantling Florida A&M. “The U” has another cupcake game this week, and then gets back into ACC play. If Miami can avoid any slip-ups, they could be looking at an ACC Title.

13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 5-1 (3-1)
Last Week: 49-44 Win @ Florida State
Next Game: vs. #4 Virginia Tech
-Georgia Tech has yet another tough game coming up. They barely escaped Florida State, and now have to face the Hokies. Lucky for the Yellow Jackets, the Top 5 jinx (a team in the Top 5 losses every week) is still going on, and their Rushing Offense could lead to an upset.

14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4-1
Last Week: BYE
Next Game: vs. #5 USC
-Notre Dame has quite the test in their annual rivalry with USC this upcoming week. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen will need to be on top of his game as he faces one of the best Defenses in the nation.

15. Cincinnati Bearcats 5-0 (1-0)
Last Week: BYE
Next Game: Oct. 17 @ South Florida
-Tony Pike has led the Bearcats to an explosive and efficient start. They run into the best Defense they’ve faced all season as USF boasts quality Defensive Ends and a good Secondary led by Safety Nate Allen. It’ll be the toughest game thus far for the Bearcats. I’m not as high on Cincinnati simply because of their weak schedule and they just don’t seem like a Top 10 team talent-wise. They are executing well though and the Defense has been suffocating despite having to replace 10 Starters. This will be a good test on National TV for the Bearcats though.

16. Oklahoma Sooners 3-2 (1-0)
Last Week: 33-7 Win vs. Baylor
Next Game: vs. #3 Texas
-Oklahoma managed to only lose twice without Sam Bradford at the helm, and get him back just in time for the Red River Shootout. But, will it be enough in this important battle? Only time will tell.

17. Nebraska Cornhuskers 4-1 (1-0)
Last Week: 27-12 Win @ Missouri
Next Game: vs. Texas Tech
-The Huskers managed to knock off the only team that I thought had a chance to truly contend them going into the season in Missouri after a dominate performance by Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh (yes, I said Defensive Tackle). Kansas has managed to win, though it hasn’t been very pretty and why, despite their undefeated record, they’re outside my Top 25. The Offensive is explosive though, so they could test the Cornhuskers. Nebraska is the clear-cut favorite in my book right now to win the Big 12 North though. A balanced Offense and a vicious Defense.

18. Oregon Ducks 5-1 (3-0)
Last Week: 24-10 Win @ UCLA
Next Game: Oct. 24 @ Washington
-The Ducks struggled to do everything in the first week of the season against Boise State, but have played impressively since. They lost their starting Running Back to suspension (LeGarrette Blount) and both starting Cornerbacks (Walter Thurmond and Willie Glasper), but they seem to be playing inspired football. They still have a tough road ahead, but I could see this team finishing 9-3. It’s hard not to root for a team that’s overcome controversy and injury like they have.

19. Oklahoma State Cowboys 4-1 (1-0)
Last Week: 36-31 Win @ Texas A&M
Next Game: vs. Missouri
-Oklahoma State managed to escape Georgia in the first week of the season, but fell to Houston, and they’ve been fairly unimpressive since. They are currently without star Wide Receiver Dez Bryant due to suspension, and the Defense has been struggling to stop opposing Offenses. This is a team susceptible to an upset at the moment and their unimpressive overall play leaves them at this position. Luckily for them though, I feel like there are only 18 teams truly worthy of being placed in the Top 25, and the rest is just pretty bleak in my opinion. Oklahoma State is the tops of that mediocre class though, for now…

20. BYU Cougars 5-1 (2-0)
Last Week: 59-21 Win @ UNLV
Next Game: @ San Diego State
-After pulling the opening upset, BYU got destroyed by a weak Florida State team. But, BYU still has one of the best Offenses in the Nation and a legitimate shot at the Mountain West Title. If anybody can figure out how to score on TCU, it’s the Cougars. Keep an eye on them until the match-up in Provo in two weeks.

21. Wisconsin Badgers 5-1 (2-1)
Last Week: 13-31 Loss @ #9 Ohio State
Next Game: vs. #10 Iowa
-Wisconsin managed to get through a rather cupcake opening schedule, but got blown out by the Buckeyes last week, and now have to have another Top 10 team, the Iowa Hawkeyes. I see Wisconsin slipping up again, but after that, their schedule is fairly easy again. They could easily win 9 games. Keep an eye on the Badgers.

22. Auburn Tigers 5-1 (2-1)
Last Week: 23-44 Loss @ Arkansas
Next Game: vs. Kentucky
-Despite a dominant performance from Running Back Ben Tate, Auburn still slipped up at Arkansas last week. Auburn has played well thus far though and is a fairly talented team. They are in transition mode right now, but are still good enough to make a bowl.

23. West Virginia Mountaineers 4-1 (1-0)
Last Week: 34-13 Win @ Syracuse
Next Game: vs. Marshall
-West Virginia has played well Offensively thus far. The defense has been mediocre, but they still have a reasonable shot at the Big East crown if Cincinnati slips up.

24. Central Michigan Chippewas 5-1 (3-0)
Last Week: 56-8 Win vs. Eastern Michigan
Next Game: @ Western Michigan
-Senior Quarterback Dan LeFevour leads the Chippewas and he’s carried a pretty dynamic Spread Offense. They have a big test this week @ Western Michigan, who is led by fellow Senior Quarterback Tim Hiller. It’ll be an interesting battle and the winner will probably end up as the MAC Champion.

25. Pittsburgh Panthers 5-1 (2-0)
Last Week: 24-21 Win vs. Connecticut
Next Game: @ Rutgers
-Pittsburgh blew a game to North Carolina State, but at least it was a road game and they weren’t crushed. They’ve managed to win every other game they were suppose to, even if it took a dramatic comeback to defeat Connecticut. They have some tough match-ups coming up but like West Virginia, a slip-up by Cincinnati before they play (December 5th) would open up the Big East. Pitt just needs to continue to win the game their suppose to and step-up against the likes of Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Cincinnati.

The Preview for Week 7 will be up tomorrow, including a breakdown of the upcoming Red River Shootout!

Love Letters to My Fantasy Team

 

Put some blonde hair and blue eyes on this chick and that is me. 

It's that time of the year when I've just about had it. Some of my players are doing awesome-better than expected. And then there are those who secured my spot in last place this week in the one league I play in-the league I happen to run. How can you be knocking at the championship door in one league and totally sucking in the other? How? I just don't get it!

Dear Big Ben and Drew Brees,

Change nothing.

Love you,
BBM

Dear 49ers D/ST,

What the hell was that? No seriously, what the HELL was that? I would like to point out that I am now in last place, a position I hold by myself. I'm not even tied with anyone. Want to know why? I'll tell you why. I picked up your D/ST this week because my D was on a bye week. And then, horror of all horrors, you get me negative three points. NEGATIVE THREE!?! I would like to point out that I lost this game 86-83. THREE POINTS! If you had scored only 1 positive point, I would have won. WON! I don't care that you scored a bazillion points in previous weeks. At this point, I hold you entirely responsible for my loss and for that, I just don't know that I can provide forgiveness.

You suck. Royally. All of y'all.

Hatefully,
BBM

Dear Willis McGahee,

You also suck. 0 fantasy points? 0? I mean, come on! If YOU had scored only 4 fantasy points this week, I wouldn't have lost. I mean, how difficult is it to get 40 yards rushing? Really? You couldn't do that for me?

Ugh. Loser.

Drowning in McGahee frustration,
BBM

Dear Ronnie Brown,

You are a God baby. You give every ACL torn girl hope. Nothing but love to you.

Your Biggest Fan,
BBM

I'm seriously going to need therapy after this season.

NFL Announcing Review

By Carolina Nick

This Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of picking between Steelers-Lions on CBS, and Panthers-Redskins on FOX. Ahh, the pleasure of living in North Carolina and always having the Panthers on television, even when they’re dreadful. On a positive note, Steelers-Lions had to have been better than two of the other CBS 1:00 options, Raiders-Giants and Browns-Bills. Seriously, the Raiders and the Browns are miserable. The QB ratings on Russell and Anderson are abysmal.

But anyway, the announcing team for the Steelers-Lions game was Dick Enberg and Dan Fouts. Now, Enberg and Fouts have both been around for a long time, and have worked with a slew of partners. This can be good and bad. Good because they’re both flexible, but sometimes it’s nice when two guys have worked together for several seasons together and have real strong chemistry.

Either way, would you ever guess that Enberg is 74 years old? Well, maybe you would at times. He’s certainly a bit more prone to missing names and maybe is a beat slower than he was 15 years ago. At least I’ll assume that, since I was six years old 15 years ago. However, the man is still as upbeat as ever. As I attempted to multi-task during the game, and accomplish some Portuguese homework, time and again Enberg pulled my head up and grabbed my attention. This doesn’t happen with every game I watch. But whether it was William James picking off Big Ben and taking it to the house, or Hines Ward breaking a tackle or two to fight for extra yards, Enberg captures the excitement.

Yes, there was a decent amount of scoring in the game, 28-20 was the final tally, but it’s still the Lions, and a Lions team playing without their rookie Matthew Stafford, and it didn’t have to be a thrilling game. Enberg makes sure it becomes just that, and Fouts does a solid job of complimenting him. There are color guys whose analysis I am more interested in hearing, notably Cris Collinsworth or John Gruden, but clearly Fouts still knows what he’s talking about.

So, maybe you want a younger play-by-play guy for a big game, where he needs to be right on cue with each play. But if it’s a sub-par game, especially just a game you’re casually watching, Enberg still has a classic voice that I could listen to forever. And who doesn’t love listening to stories from their grandfather?

 

Final Grades

Play-by-Play – B

Color – B-

College Football Writers Challenge: Week 6 Results

Carolina Nick continues to creep towards respectability.  The rest of us look quit hopeless but one good week could turn things around.

Week 6	Vern	Scott	Nick	Spec	Black Belt Mama	Travis
Florida - 8 @ LSU	Florida	LSU	LSU	LSU	Florida	Florida
Auburn - 2 @ Arkansas	Auburn	Ark	Ark	Iowa	Auburn	Auburn
Michigan @ -8 Iowa	Iowa	Iowa	Mich	Auburn	Iowa	Iowa
Alabama -4 @ Miss	Bama	Miss	Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama
Va Tech -13 @ Boston College	BC	VaTech	BC	BC	BC	VaTech
Week 6	2 n 3	2 n 3	3 n 2	1 n 4	2 n 3	3 n 2
Overall	11 n 21	13 n 19	15 n 17	9 n 24	13 n 19	10 n 16