Sunday, November 30, 2008

Again Plaxico?

If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's gotta be a duck. Plaxico Burress and teammate, Antonio Pierce, were out at a Manhattan night club. Somehow, Plaxico shoots himself in the leg with his own gun. His teammate Antonio Pierce tried to hide the gun (in New Jersey) as Burress was taken to a local NYC hospital. Since Burress didn't have a permit to carry in New York he will be brought up on felony weapon charges. The mandatory sentence in New York is 3 1/2 years.

What are these guys thinking? I mean Burress is married to an attorney. Shouldn't he have some sense? This story is still unfolding as we speak. Burress is scheduled to turn himself into New York police on Monday. His attorney, Ben Brafman, who represented P. Diddy a few years back said that Burress will cooperate with officials. With all of the problems Burress has caused in NY this year, and a possible mandatory sentence, I doubt you'll be seeing that #17 jersey on the field anytime soon.



What do you think is going to happen to Plaxico? Do you think that he actually shot himself unloading the gun for security before entering the Latin Quarter? Should you mix alcohol and guns together?

NBA Round Up 11-30-08

New York Knicks - 22 assists!!! I would have thought that it would come with Jason Kidd in the game or even Chris Paul. This feat was attained by none other than Chris Duhon against the Golden State Warriors. Duhon finished with 12 pts, 22 asts, 4 rebs, 1 stl, and 2 TOs. Not only that, but David Lee and Al Harrington had monster games too. Harrington finished with 36 pts and 12 rebs, while David Lee had 37 pts, 21 rebs, 2 asts, 3 stls, and 1 blk. This would mean much more if it were against a good team, but you gotta play the games that are on your schedule. Duhon goes into the record books with this one.

Oklahoma City Thunder - Finally a win!!!!! The Thunder had a 14 game losing streak stop with a 111-103 win against the Grizzlies. All the big time guys (for both teams) showed up. OJ Mayo had 30 pts and 7 rebs. Jeff Green had 22pts, while Kevin Durant had 30 pts and 7 rebs. Can the Thunder keep this going?


New York Knicks - The circus that is the Knicks and Stephon Marbury will hopefully end on Monday when Walsh, the NBA Players Association rep, and Marbury meet to discuss a buyout. I am not sure why the Knicks let this go this long. They should have just offered the dude a buyout amount and then paid him to get out of New York. Instead, you make your head coach look like a liar/a$$ and you keep the drama going on with the team. Please let Stephon go. Get it over with.
Did we miss anything? You got anything to add to the round up?

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope all of you make time to spend with your families or close friends for this Thanksgiving Weekend. Enjoy and be safe.

What are you thankful for on this wonderful holiday?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

NFL Week 13 Match Up

103-57-1 for the year before Week 12 games (12-4). so that brings us to a total of 115-61-1 for the year. We're getting close as a lot of team will see their playoffs hopes diminish after losses this week. Let's see what's on the table for this Thanksgiving Weekend of games.



(No pictures this week due to sands of the hour glass running out)


Tennessee @ Detroit - Well, well, well, this is how you congratulate a Lions team that is finally starting to put things together. A meeting with the once undefeated juggernaut of the Titans. It's not Christmas yet, but I think this game is at least entertaining. The Titans aren't the Patriots team from last year where they can come out and just put 20+ on the board in the first quarter. They like to run the ball (which they will do) and play defense. The Lions showed life last week against the Bucs, but couldn't overcome the Bucs defense. At the end of the day, defense wins. Winner - Titans.


Seattle @ Dallas - I was wrong, TO still #itched and whined even though he had one of the best performances by a Cowboy. What are you to do with some people? Dallas has a home game where they will be going up against a resurgent Seahawks squad with Matt Hasselbeck in the lineup. I think we see the Cowboys defense find themselves and take some pressure off of the offense. Can someone please remind the Cowboys that they still have Marion Barber on their team? He's kind of good. Winner - Cowboys.


Arizona @ Philadelphia - McNabbgate returns to the field. We all know, McNabb shouldn't have been benched in a 10-7 game at half time, let's just get that out of the way. It was a lame attempt of his coach to justify putting Kolb in the game. Let's face it, it may be the last time we see McNabb and Reid in Eagles gear. They get to see the Cardinals defense that got bruised and beaten by the Giants last week. I'm not saying McNabb will come out and throw from 300 yards and 3 TDs, but I see a good game from him. The Eagles defense saves the day. Winner - Eagles.


San Francisco @ Buffalo - This is a difficult game to predict. Trent Edwards went off last week for 4 TDs and the Bills looked great. I'm still not sold on Shaun Hill, but Gore should be able to open that passing game up with his running. The Bills are still banged up on defense and they have to be glad that this is a home game. If the Bills regress from last week, they lose. If they play as well as last week, they win. They're going to fall somewhere in between. Winner - Bills.


Baltimore @ Cincinnati - This is a trap game for the Ravens. They can't go to Cincy and lose. I doubt Ray Lewis let's his boys come down after that demolishing of the Eagles last week. Ryan Fitzpatrick beware. Winner - Ravens.


Indianapolis @ Cleveland - Well, I guess it's the return of Derek Anderson to the rescue? Brady Quinn is out for the year and Anderson is auditioning for his new job next year (they can't pay both Anderson and Quinn). Against this Colts defense, this may be an audition that he would want to skip. I think, the Colts get their leader on D, Bob Sanders, back this week and he always brings it. I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that Peyton Manning is in his groove again too. Winner - Colts.


Carolina @ Green Bay - I was on the Panthers bandwagon there for a second until it abruptly stopped in Atlanta last week (how do you lose that game if you're Carolina?). The Panthers' offense needs to show up and get some big time play from Jake Delhomme. Well, maybe they just need to run the ball a whole lot, I'm not sure what needs to happen. Green Bay got embarrassed by the Saints on Monday night and the quick turnaround will have them hungry for a win. I'm kind of torn with this one since it could go either way. Winner - Packers.


Miami @ St. Louis - After the Bears completely dominated the Rams last week, I expect them to play a lot better this week. Even if they do, I doubt they beat the Dolphins. The Dolphins have found ways to win (normally the mark of a Parcells team) and they have an underrated defense. This in the dome, so a heavy dose of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams should do the trick. Winner - Dolphins.


New Orleans @ Tampa Bay - Can anyone stop Drew Brees? I guess when they're at home, the answer is no. Brees still has a ways to go to break Marino's single season passing record, but it seems almost like he's destined to do this. The Saints have endured injuries on the offensive side of the ball that would normally limit the production of a quarterback, but Brees is still throwing the ball. They go to Tampa Bay to play the Bucs, a place where offenses go to die. I think I said it earlier, defense wins games. Winner - Bucs.



New York Giants @ Washington - Didn't they play this game about two weeks ago? I have to believe that the Redskins haven't gotten much better and unless they change their offense, this one is over before the game even starts. The Giants should get back Brandon Jacobs. Winner - Giants.



Atlanta @ San Diego - That's one long trip for the Falcons to get to the land of sun and fun. It just may provide the cooling off time needed to give the Chargers a chance, even at home. I think the Falcons are the better team, they are more balanced, and they are actually headed somewhere besides home at the end of the regular season. But,.......Winner - Chargers.



Pittsburgh @ New England - Matt Cassel, maybe you are ready for primetime? I apologize for not giving you the benefit of the doubt about your abilities and the time on the field to show them off. The Pats look good without having any semblance of a running game. They are going against the #1 defense in the league when they play the Steelers this week. Somethings got to give. The Steelers (I keep saying this every week) are banged up, but they still somehow come out and compete. Winner - Patriots.



Denver @ New York Jets - This is another trap game. You just beat the only team that hadn't lost a game and now you get an on again, off again Broncos team at home. All signs point to a Jets loss, but I think that the Elder (Brett Favre) finds a way to motivate his team and they win this game. Winner - Jets.





Kansas City @ Oakland - The Chiefs were able to put up some numbers last week and that was against a better defense than what they'll be playing against this week. Can they keep it rolling? The Raiders are still banged up everywhere, but they seem to be playing harder or something, let's just say that change is afoot in Oakland. Maybe we get a Larry Johnson siting (on the field). Winner - Chiefs.





Chicago @ Minnesota - This is the biggest game of the year for the Bears. If they win, they are numero uno in their division. They hold their own fate in their hands. They had a great game all over the field last week against the Rams on that indoor carpet and they get to play in a similar stadium this week. Can the Bears provide 2 dominating performances in a row? Winner - Bears.





Jacksonville @ Houston - This would normally be a good and easy pick, I'd say Jacksonville, but they aren't playing worth a dayum right now. Houston gets the home game and they normally play well at home. They still have Rosenfels behind center, which could be problematic, but they have Andre Johnson. Winner - Jaguars.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

NBA TV

I can't make all the games every night so I get to watch my fair share on TNT, NBA TV, and local channels (across the country). Lately I have been finding myself watching more NBA TV until I go to sleep. I just have a few observations about NBA TV:


  • I have no idea where they found Ahmad Rashad, but they probably should have left him there. Everytime I see him, I just always think about his coattail riding of 'my main man Michael Jordan'.

  • Gary Payton, you are not Charles Barkley, you never will be. Gary does bring that, 'I have no idea what he's going to say at any time' quality to the show. The difference is that Charles Barkley comes off funny and some of that is the setups he gets from Kenny Smith.

  • Chris Webber, I'm actually surprised by his on air personality. He's taken a lot of what he's learned by being on TNT a few times last year I'm a little impressed.

  • Eric Snow is just too vanilla. He knows the game but his personality doesn't come out on TV. He's as quiet as he is on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

  • Steve Smith brings it every night. He's like a mix (out of this list) of Webber and Snow. He knows the game and he can give bring that personality out to entertain.

About the funniest show was Rashad, Payton, and Webber going through the NBA All-Star ballot and pointing out the people that have been left off the ballot. Gary Payton's crowning moment was when he said that there is someone on the ballot that shouldn't even be in the league. That person was Nick Collison. (I can't find the footage on youtube.com, but I'm still looking. Let me know if you find it).


Have you watched NBA TV? What do you think? Should Gary Payton be collecting a check for this work?

Trust No One

Brady Quinn is out for the year with a broken finger. The Cleveland Browns doctors checked out Quinn and cleared him to play. Quinn chose to go to Alabama and see renowned specialist Dr. James Andrews. After this visit, the team announces that he's out for the year. What could Dr. Andrews have seen that the Cleveland Browns staff didn't? These athletes have to know that these teams are looking out for themselves. Quinn has to be more concerned about his career and the way that the Browns have acted this year as it relates to it's players and staph infection, I wouldn't trust them to inflate my tires, much less diagnose an injury for me. I hope Quinn gets healthy and gets an opportunity to play.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

NFL Week 12 Wrap Up

So close but yet so far. Let's see how we did this week.

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh - Well this was an easy one to pick and yes it was one of my GUARANTEED Winners but basically the Steelers' defense dominated the Bengals and this wasn't even much of a game to watch. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 0 for the week.

Tampa Bay @ Detroit - This almost put a damper on my picks again this week. The Lions jumped out to a 17 point lead and I was really getting a little nervous. At the end of the 2nd it was 21-17 Bucs and from there, it got out of hand. The same thing each week, good defense along with timely offense and the Bucs won this game. The Lions can say this, they are getting better or at least they are playing better. They have a quick turnaround this week because of Thanksgiving, but the Lions are going to get a win this year. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 0 for the week.

New York Jets @ Tennessee - The Jets played their best game of the year. They held the ball for 40 plus minutes and they were able to run the ball against the run stopping Titans defense. I told you guys that I trust Brett Favre a lot more than I trust Kerry Collins and Favre made one mistake (1 INT), but for the rest of the game he played great. This puts the Jets as the team to beat. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 0 for the week.

Buffalo @ Kansas City - Talk about a break out game. Trent Edwards combined for 4 TDs (2 run, 2 pass) and the Bills won in a shootout in Kansas City. The Chiefs were still able to put up 31 points which was a feat within itself. Is this a wake up call for the Bills or just an anomaly? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 0 for the week.

Chicago @ St. Louis - This is the game that the Bears needed for comfort. The Bears were able to get a semi-home game this week and their defense stopped the Rams cold. Kyle Orton looked good and Matt Forte showed us the same things that he did in the Bears game against the Colts. He ended the game with 132 yards and 2 TDs. The Bears have to know that this performance was great, but it was the Rams. This is like beating your nephew in Madden or something. It's a win, but consider the opponent. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 0 for the week.

New England @ Miami - Wow. This one shocked me. A shootout in Miami. Maybe more shocking was the fact that the Dolphins actually singled up Randy Moss for most of the day with a 'I dare you to throw to him' attitude. That's different when you are hitting Matt Cassel, but when he has a pretty clean jersey, you get 3 TDs to Moss. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 0 for the week.

Minnesota @ Jacksonville - Talk about being disappointed. When are these Jaguars going to wake up? Maybe next year is my guess. They turned the ball over and just played horribly and let the Vikings run all over them. I really don't know what else to say. Inquisitive Min 6 - 1 for the week.

Philadelphia @ Baltimore - Can you bench your coach? I understand that McNabb wasn't playing that well, but even with that, the Eagles were still in the game. For Andy Reid to bench McNabb and not even have the nuts to tell him personally, this just pisses me off. That Eagles line couldn't stop the Ravens yesterday, not at all. This wasn't a simple change like McNabb is immobile so you put in a mobile QB, this was a slap in the face. McNabb finished with a lost fumble, 8 of 18 for 59 yards and 2 INTs. You put Kolb in there and he goes 10 of 23 for 73 yards, and 2 INTs (one of them on a 2nd and goal that led to the longest INT return in the history of the game). Congrats to Baltimore, but Andy Reid just made my sh@# list. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 1 for the week.

Houston @ Cleveland - After a decent first outing as the Browns QB, Brady Quinn has gone from sugar to nothing in 3 weeks. Yes, he has a fractured finger on his throwing hand, but he seems to already have been figured out. Two very uninspiring teams (both 4-7) and the outcome said about the same. Inquisitive Mind 8 - 1 for the week.

San Francisco @ Dallas - It's good to see TO catch some balls, because at least we know we won't hear him itchin' and moaning for the rest of the week. I still think this team will live and die by Marion Barber, but for some reason the offensive coordinator has other ideas. This was a good tune up for the Cowboys as they continue to hold out hopes of making the playoffs and redeeming their terrible play that we've seen over the past 5 weeks. Inquisitive Mind 9 - 1 for the week.

Oakland @ Denver - I'm sorry for picking on the Raiders. Well, not really. They finally put together a good game against a rival that dates back for years. Even Al Davis smiled (no that wasn't a wrinkle you saw). The Raider's ground game led the way while JaMarcus Russell was 10 of 11 for 152 yards and 1 TD. With this many athletes, you gotta be able to stretch the field. Nnamdi Asomugha is that good ladies and gentlemen, yes he is. Inquisitive Mind 9 - 2 for the week.

Washington @ Seattle - They almost lost this game. Can't believe that they did, but they almost lost it. Jason Campbell played his normal, nothing past 10 yards passing game, and the ground game led the way to this win. The final play with former Seahawk, Shawn Springs (send me pics of the new little one, he should be a lot bigger now), pulling down the INT to end the game just had to be icing on the cake. Inquisitive Mind 10 - 2 for the week.

New York Giants @ Arizona - This was hyped as an opportunity for the Cardinals to finally show up and shock the world. Brandon Jacobs was out and Plaxico Burress was out after the first quarter, but they still couldn't do anything against that Giants' front four. Eli Manning had a great day with 3 TDs and the Giants win again in the desert. Inquisitive Mind 11 - 2 for the week.

Carolina @ Atlanta - For ever step taken forward, the Panthers seem to take two steps back. How could they lose this game? This would have been the difference maker for their season. This would have put them on the map. Well, it did,....they got thumped by the Atlanta Falcons. Michael Turner had 4 TDs as the Panthers were totally dominated from the jump. Inquisitive Mind 11 - 3 for the week.

Indianapolis @ San Diego - I told you that the Chargers are just missing something. I can't put my finger on it. I know they don't have Merriman, but it's something else on the offensive side of the ball. There's no swagger, no confidence, no nothing. They lost this game on a last second kick by Adam Vinatieri as the Colts showed everyone that they still have that killer instinct. Can someone from the Charger cover Antohony Gonzalez? He's still running free. Inquisitive Mind 12 - 3 for the week.

Green Bay @ New Orleans - This was a blowout but the team that I expected to blown out was wrong. This game was all offense and there was nothing that the Packers defense could do stop the bleeding. I think everyone on the Saints team scored, but the most important was Deuce McAllister who may have scored his last TD in the dome. Deuce has come back from 3 knee surgeries, still has this whole StarCaps thing to deal with, and he isn't a spring chicken anymore. Let's hope that he's cleared (along with all the other NFL players) for taking StarCaps and we'll hope to see him playing somewhere next year. Inquisitive Mind 12 - 4 for the week.

Washington Wizards @ New York Knicks

What in the halibut is going on? I know times are hard in Washington, DC, but dayum, ya'll just got beat by 7 dudes. Yes, you had a full roster and you got beat by 7 dudes. The Wizards lost to the Knicks 122-117. Quentin Richardson got out of the grave and dropped 34 points and added 12 boards to that. He took a season high (and I'm almost sure a career high) 13 three point attempts. Chris Duhon was the worst starter for the Knicks and he was 5 rebounds from a triple double. That may sound like a lot, but he played 46 minutes. I'm sure he could have found 5 more boards.

The Wizards, if you can say this, were led by Antawn Jamison (29 points) and Caron Butler (23 points). I know the Wizards miss Gilbert Arenas, but my biggest issue is that the Wizards dressed 12 players and played 11 of them. They couldn't have fouled even one of the Knicks out? What is going on in DC? This is truly sad.

What are you Wizards fans going to do? What is it going to take to blow this team up and start from scratch? How many more games before Gilbert is back and then they can atleast compete?

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Job Security

What does it take people? I mean really. What does it take for Charlie Weis to lose his job at Notre Dame? Does Touchdown Jesus have to come down and kick him out? Notre Dame has put a lot of money into their coaches and they still get the same results. Bob Davie was dismissed years ago and Tyrone Willingham became the first African-American coach to coach Notre Dame. As he was getting that team to play ball, he was unceremoniously dismissed. In comes Charlie Weis, the offensive mastermind from the NFL. 4 seasons later, it's the same press conferences talking about, we'll win next time. The latest coming after a loss to Syracuse, an 8 loss team, at Notre Dame. Weis had an excuse for a while with the whole, I need time to get my kind of player's in here and even when he did he hasn't done anything. I'm one that believes in karma and I think the way that Weis has dealt with his players, most importantly Demetrius Jones is coming back to bite him.

For those that don't remember Demetrius Jones was in line to start at Notre Dame and Weis went out and recruited Jimmy Claussen. Well, Claussen arrives at Notre Dame and the said part is Jones hadn't don't anything to lose his job. A quarter into the first game, Jones was pulled for Evan Sharpley. Everytime Jones got the ball he had a Georgia Tech defender in his face. He got hit and hit hard and threw two passes and had two fumbles. Enter Sharpley who had a similar outing, in the second quarter of the same game. Finally Claussen was put in the game and had an equally bad outing. The next week, Claussen was the starter, Jones had been moved to #3 on the depth chart, and a few weeks later Jones left Notre Dame. Weis didn't want to let Jones out of his scholarship at Notre Dame, what a loser. He already knew Claussen was his QB. His guy.

I hope Weis gets what he deserves.


What is it going to take to get Charlie Weis out of Notre Dame? If it's a petition, I'll be the first to sign. What do you think?

Bye Bye PJ

Talk about really pissing someone off. PJ Carlesimo was fired late Friday night as coach of the OKC Thunder, right before the team flight to New Orleans to play the Hornets. That has to hurt that you have plans on coaching the team but when you get to the airport, you're told that there's no need for you to get on the flight. His assistant coach Paul Westhead was given the heave ho at the same time. His other assistant coach Scott Brooks was told shortly after the plane took off that he would be the head coach. Isn't there a better way to do this? Yes, the Thunder have lost 10 straight and we know they have some talent. But the whole fire you before you get on the bus (or in this case, plane) kind of thing has to suck mightily. I haven't heard of anything like this since Jeff McInnis was handed his bag prior to boarding a bus for the Nuggets back in the day. If I remember correctly McInnis was given his bags prior to boarding the bus and told that he would have to get home the best way he could. (Editor's Note - I have been trying to find something on the net that discuss this, but my guys, some UNC fans will vouch for this too).

I have never been a PJ Carlesimo loving guy. I've always thought that he was best suited be an assistant. He has the basketball knowledge, but somewhere in his communication, it all gets lost. I'm sure PJ will go home and lick his wounds and be back in the market for another prime (I don't know why) coaching position in the near future. Till then, if you're a Thunder fan, get behind Scott Brooks and root for your team.

Catching up with Brandon Jennings

For those of you that don't know who he is, he's a 6'2"point guard that played at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He took his SATs twice but got flagged for abnormalities and he essentially chose to head overseas instead of trying to get into a 4 year college in the US. Jennings signed a contract with Lottomatica Virtus Roma ( 3yrs for $1.65M, with small buyouts so he can opt to head back to the states and the NBA) and moved his mom and his brother to Italy. His new team found the best school for his brother to attend and his mother is there to make sure that Brandon can concentrate on basketball. All in all a good deal for the kid, and good for his family. He gave up the right/option to play for the NCAA and make them money, but took the opportunity to make his game better. He'll play against better players in the Euroleague and he'll experience life outside of being in LA or VA. Take a look at the story from ESPN The Magazine.

Is Brandon Jennings starting a trend for high schoolers who can't make the grades? Is he showing others (who can make the grades) another option to getting to the NBA? Was this a good decision?

2010 Space Odyssey

Well the Knicks have put themselves in place to make a splash during the 2010 free agency run. Jalen Rose of ESPN is reporting that he has verified information that both Lebron and Chris Bosh are planning on coming to New York in 2010. When you think about it, that's a possibility. The Knicks cleared enough room and barring another move with Curry, they will have enough cash to get two high profile players. So you could take your pick of Amare Stoudamire, LBJ, Wade, or Bosh. If you had to choose two of that list, who would you choose to run your franchise?

Who you got? You get two of these guys to lead your team. Pick'em.

Welcome Back Tyler

The Tarheels welcomed back Tyler Hansbrough and then promptly gave the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos a butt whuppin. Ty Lawson led the Tarheels in scoring, but there were 5 other players in double figures. The Gauchos were led by James Nunnally off the bench with 19 points, and the Gauchos actually kept this game close until the end.

The Tarheels are just too deep for anyone to handle. They are still without Marcus Ginyard who will be back sometime in December from foot surgery. This team is scary, in a bad way for a Duke fan. Ed Davis filled in admirably for Tyler Zeller, so the Tarheels shouldn't lose much there. Go ahead and book your tickets for the Final Four (in Detroit this year, talk about a place that needs an influx of money) if you're a Tarheel fan.

2K Sports Classic Title Game

First tournament win of the season for the Dukies and they did it against a pretty game Michigan team. It seems as though Duke has found an early niche on the defensive side of the ball. When they get in trouble on offense, they go to Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler. This team has been able to win playing a few different kinds of games, but their defense will save them this year. I am surprised how good Nolan Smith is playing so far this year. If he continues to play like this, I won't be as concerned about the Duke backcourt.

These early season tournaments are a time for the coaches to experiment and see what they have. I like the starting 5 of Singler, Zoubek, Henderson, Smith, and Scheyer. You have 3 scorers on the floor in Scheyer, Singler, and Henderson, a big post presence (at least on defense) in Zoubek, and Smith who can do it all. Right now the Blue Devils are deep and I hope they can stay healthy. I want to see this team as they mature over the year and I want to see something past the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.

Friday, November 21, 2008

The Other Shoe Drops

Ok, now I get it. The New York Knicks have sent Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers for Tim Thomas and some change. The story is still evolving, but this makes the first deal of the day by the Knicks a lot more palatable. The Knicks finally got rid of one of their albatrosses and I'm really not concerned about the fact that they got Tim 'I'll play when it's my contract year only' Thomas. Donnie Walsh may be the best mind in basketball or he's a Jedi (and thus the Jedi mind tricks) or something. How can people continue to be had on these kinds of deals?


Los Angeles Clippers - They need someone who can score in the paint. Marcus Camby shooting that horrific looking jumper doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Now the Clippers can get rid of Kaman for a two guard if they in fact include Mobley in this deal. I am not a fan of Zach, but he can score.


New York Knicks - Hey they get rid of Randolph's salary and a chance at putting themselves in a position to get LBJ. With Jefferson on board they are making this team look more and more like a Mike D'Antoni team that runs up and down the floor. (Smiling) The Knicks are going to make the playoffs and cause some people problems. Mark it down.

Was this a good trade? Who came out on top of this one? Is Walsh a Jedi?

Done Deal

The New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors have made a deal. Jamal Crawford goes to the Bay Area for Al Harrington. Yes, that's right, a straight up swap. I guess I am a little lost as to why either team would make this deal, so let's take a look at why.

Golden State - They get rid of their only veteran big man who can score, rebound, and play a little defense. They bring in another gunner to go along with the already high maintenance Steven Jackson. Jamal Crawford hasn't met a shot that he didn't like, going all the way back to his days at Michigan. The Warriors at least have a system that involves some defense, and that's another thing Crawford hasn't proven he can play.

New York - The Knicks have been on this, 'we're cutting costs to get LBJ here in 2010' and then they go and do this. This would have been a lot better if the player going out had a last name of Curry or Randolph. Right now they are starting Chris Duhon and Crawford together in the backcourt. After the trade, their starting backcourt is going to have to change because they can't have Duhon and Lil Nate in the backcourt because I could post post of them up. The Knicks still have some business to deal with named Marbury, Randolph, and Curry. Donnie Walsh has to have another plan up his sleeve.

Was this a good trade? Which team will be better?

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Guarantees?!?!?!

Well the first time we did this, I got destroyed. Maybe I shouldn't pick these GUARANTEED WINNERS?!?!?!? We'll try it again. Not sure if this series of posts is going to make it.

Week 12

Steelers over Bengals
Hey Ocho Cinco is out and they are playing at Pittsburgh.

Bucs over Lions
It's the Lions people. C'mon.

Bears over Rams
It's cold and even Bears like rangy game meat.


* Guaranteed Winners is not guaranteed to make you money. Any information gleaned from this page is purely speculation and we here at Melting Pot Thoughts will not be held liable for any loses, pain, or agony endured by betting with the picks that you get here. If by chance you do win some big money, send us a check. Other than that, have fun, that's what this site is about.

NFL Week 12 Matchup

Last week wasn't that bad, but that tie really bugged me. I can't believe that the Eagles tied with the Bengals. Is this the sign of the apocalypse? 11-4-1 last week, to my total for the season (92-53) puts me at a whopping 103-57-1. Not bad, not bad at all. Let's get to the games.

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh - Can they do it again? Can the Bengals come in and play up to their competition. The Bengals made McNabb's life he77 last week and could do that this week while facing a less mobile Roethlisberger. The Steelers are a little banged up, but that's the way they play. Here' to not seeing the same stuff two weeks in a row. Winner - Steelers

Tampa Bay @ Detroit - The Lions are growing some teeth and they get the Bucs as a reward. Culpepper has played well against the Bucs, but he did have Randy Moss then, so let me take that last one back. This should be a route by the Bucs. They come in rolling, but they lose their starting running back Earnest Graham last week. Will the Cadillac be ready to play and play well? Winner - Tampa Bay

New York Jets @ Tennessee - The best game of the week. Everyone is talking about which Brett will you get, the good one or the bad one. I think this comes down to who can run the ball the best. I have never been a Kerry Collins fan and his 'luck' will run out at some point. To me, the Titans should have lost last week, and I'll go with the upset again this week. J-E-T-S, Jet, Jets, Jets. Winner - Jets

Buffalo @ Kansas City - I was very upset with the Bills last week and I still am. This team has all the pieces, they just gotta figure out a way to win. They had a great opportunity last week against a struggling Browns team and now they get to go to KC to an equally if not more inept team. What will they do?I'm giving them one more chance. Winner - Bills

Chicago @ St. Louis - Have a chance to go to this game, but not sure if I am. This should be a slaughter in favor of the Bears. Hopefully Orton's ankle feels a little better and the defense decides to play. This shouldn't even be a contest. We'll see if Lovie was able to motivate his troops. Winner - Bears

New England @ Miami - I was dead wrong about this pick earlier in the season, so now it's time for some redemption. The Dolphins have proved to be a quality foe this year even with their lack of overall talent. Coach Sparano should definitely get some Coach of the Year votes. New England comes to town looking for a win and right at a time where Matt Cassel looks very comfortable in that Pats offense. I haven't heard if Joey Porter has started talking trash yet, but that will make this game more interesting. Winner - Pats

Minnesota @ Jacksonville - Both of these teams are in a fight for the playoffs and this is a big game. Both teams have underachieved so far this year. Both teams have good ground games. Only one team can win. Winner - Jacksonville

Philadelphia @ Baltimore - Wow, after a stinker last week the Eagles get a defense that's just as good or better than their own. This is probably the toughest game for me to pick this week because there is going to be some hitting going on in Baltimore. This would be a great game for McNabb to bounce back from, but I'm not sure he can beat this defense. I don't normally pick against the Eagles, but I have to this week. Winner - Ravens

Houston @ Cleveland - Sage Rosenfels almost beat me last week with his effort against the Colts. The Browns snuck one out against the Bills. I guess one of these teams has to win. Brady Quinn's second game looked nothing like his first (performance wise) and he'll have to evade a pretty good Houston front four. Cleveland showed that they have a weakness in their secondary and I expect Andre Johnson to have a huge game. Winner - Texans

San Francisco @ Dallas - Losing this game would make some Cowboy fans walk into traffic on I-35. After winning last week against the Redskins in a hard fought (sometimes sloppy) game, the Cowboys need this one to go as planned. I can see the 49ers putting up a fight, but I can't see Shaun Hill leading them to a victory in Dallas. Winner - Cowboys

Oakland @ Denver - Jay Cutler continues to grow and play well. Against this Raiders defense I think I could pass for 150 yards and a TD. Oakland really can't do much else except suit up, but this is a rivalry game. Remember when both of these teams used to be good? Winner - Broncos

Washington @ Seattle - Just what the Redskins needed, a game against a NFC West opponent not named the Cardinals. This is going to be a better game than people think. I expect Jim Zorn to pull out all stops and even get Shaun Alexander in the game for some key situations to help the Redskins win in Seattle. It's always better to go home and win. Winner - Redskins

New York Giants @ Arizona - As good on offense as the Cardinals are, they are about as equally bad on the defensive side of the ball. That's never a good thing when you are facing the best rushing team in the league. Brandon Jacobs is beat up a little (knee) but he will play and I expect him and the rest of that rushing crew to get at least 200 yards on the ground. The Giants have the much better defense and that's what it'll come down to. Winner - Giants

Carolina @ Atlanta - Okay, the Panthers have a good record (8-2) but they have been squeaking by some teams that shouldn't have even competed with them. They get to make that short road trip down to the ATL and visit Mr. Ryan's house. Julius Peppers is sure to introduce himself to Matt Ryan while he's there, but I'm looking for Jake Delhomme to finally play some good ball. Winner - Panthers

Indianapolis @ San Diego - (Had to take a moment) This sounds like a good game, but there is nothing that can make me pick the Chargers in this. They lost to the Steelers, Bills, Panthers, Saints, Dolphins, and the Broncos. They should have lost to the Chiefs. I can't do it. I'm not even saying the Colts are that much better, but they are finding their groove at the right time. Winner - Colts

Green Bay @ New Orleans - The Packers escape the cold and head down to the Bayou. None of this has a win written on it for the Saints. They will have Reggie Bush back in the lineup, but how effective will he be? The Packers look great and Aaron Rodgers is handling his business with the aid of a good running game. Drew Brees doesn't get 350 yards this game. Winner - Packers

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Catching Up

The day job has me working my arse off, so I haven't been able to get many posts in the last few days and I have to get my NFL stuff done soon since we have a Thursday night game. So here's to catching up.

Loaded!!!!

That's what the Tarheels are this year. They played Kentucky without Marcus Ginyard and Tyler Hansbrough and still won convincingly. The regulars, Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson, Deon Thompson, Danny Green, did enough damage. The only bad side of this game was the Tarheels losing Tyler Zeller for the year due to a wrist injury from a foul on a dunk. The ACC is not going to enjoy the Tarheels this year as I see them marching through the league and possibly all the way to a National Title. They will lose at least one to my Dukies though. Mark my words.

NBA Rookie of the Year

My guy NYSTOM did his rankings, but now that I think about it, he left one important player off that list, Greg Oden. Officially he is a rookie this year because he didn't play at all last year. He is showing that he can finish around the rim and play some defense. If he can hold off on getting injured for the rest of the season, he may upend Derrick Rose for that ROY title.

Not Written Yet

Eventhough my guy Vince has already written AI's epitaph as a self centered, ball hogging player only out to get his, maybe we should hold off a little. The little guy has lead his new team, the Pistons, to wins over the juggernaut Lakers and the streaking Cavs. It seems that Joe Dumars made the right decision, if if the sample is small.

Let Me Go!!

Edgerrin James requested his release and the Cardinals declined. Tim Hightower has stolen all of Edge's shine and maybe his spot on the roster for next year. I don't see the Cardinals letting Edge go for nothing during the season when there are so many teams that need a running back.

I'm Back

Two words originally spoken (well written/faxed) by Michael Jordan that caused fear in many NBA circles are now being said by Adam 'Don't Call Me Pacman' Jones. The NFL has reinstated the enigmatic corner to the Cowboys. Could the stars be aligning in Dallas to give the Cowboys a chance to fulfill Jerry Jones' playoff guarantee. I just wonder how much it cost him.