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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Sizing Up This Weekend By Ron Jumper I can’t help but feel like this weekend’s Conference Championships won’t meet expectations. I just feel we would have been better served had there not been upsets last weekend, despite both games being very exciting to watch. I’m not saying we shouldn’t watch the games this weekend, as there is no chance of that, but I am saying the upcoming weekend as a whole won’t match the excitement of either the Wildcard or Divisional weekends. Be honest, we all were anticipating that Colts-Pats matchup, as well as Cowboys-Packers. Don’t kid yourself… For this weekend, the only excitement is the spread and point totals. There is not a whole lot of excitement as to who will win the games. I expect both the Patriots and Packers to win and meet in the Super Bowl. However, the spreads offer some interesting action. The Patriots are anywhere from a –13.5 to –15 favorite. Most would say that is way too many points, but this is the Patriots. Remember, the Jaguars were playing great football and played an almost flawless game, yet they still lost by 11. The Chargers seem to be playing very well, as they just won’t go away. The Colts seemed to have control of the game several times, yet the Chargers came right back time and time again. That relentlessness makes such a big spread scary, as the backdoor cover is very possible. For the Packers, they just seem destined to make another trip to the Super Bowl. However, the Giants are just so impressive on the road, winning 9 in a row. With a spread of 7, it isn’t hard to see this being within a one score game. As for the totals, the Pats-Chargers total is at 47.5, after being in the 50’s briefly. The weather isn’t expected to be snowy and windy, just cold. As for the Packers-Giants, the total is set at 41. While my initial thought was that this was very low, it is going to be some nasty weather. It should be below 20 and several inches of snow. Changing gears, why do you think we didn’t get the great matchups we wanted? For starters, I don’t think Jessica Simpson had anything to do with it so I won’t go there. I think the Cowboys loss had more to do with Jason Garrett and Tony Soprano, I mean, Sparano being distracted with future job opportunities. The same goes for the Colts, as Tony Dungy’s uncertainty had to have been a distraction. He moved his kids from Indianapolis to Tampa just last week, there is no possible way that isn’t going to draw a little attention. I don’t know if Dungy was distracted or is planning on leaving, but I do know it didn’t help the team get focused on the Chargers. None the less, they are done coaching for this season and can focus all their energy on their next job. I understand why you hurry to get your next job in college, with recruiting and all, but what difference does it make if you get hired before the current season is over? Why can’t we address this? It seems silly to me… I am happy for Eli, as he finally can silence some of his critics. However, I don’t think he is doing anything different than before. The main difference to me is his team is putting him in a better position to make plays, as the running game and defense are playing excellent. The combo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw has worked very well in giving the Giants a Thunder and Lightning rushing attack. The defense has improved drastically as well, as the pass rush has become as good as anyone’s in the league. I say all that to emphasize that Eli has always been a talented quarterback, not just the last month. It is always important to be in a good system or have talent around you, in order to have success in the National Football League at the quarterback position. (Yes, I know that sounded way too much like Ron Jaworski and I apologize…) I know I sounded bummed about this weekend, but it isn’t all that bad. I want to see how Favre handles the Giants pass rush. I want to see what kind of gameplan Norv Turner comes up with against the Pats. I want to see how crazy the weather gets in Green Bay, considering this is Wisconsin in January. I want to see how the Patriots respond to Phillip Rivers’ constant yapping, whether the score is close or not. I also won’t mind not having to listen to Manning vs. Brady debates all week. See, there are some positives to take away from this upcoming weekend. It just took me a little bit to get to them. I’d still rather watch a Pats-Colts, Cowboys-Packers combo, but this will have to do… January 15, 2008 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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