This Week in Sports

Week of November 12, 2012

What a week for sports last week!  The #1 ranked team in college football was upset, there was a tie in the NFL, and Phil Jackson is the new coach of the Lakers! Mike D'Antoni is no longer unemployed.  But the past is the past, I made some good picks last week, so let's again look ahead to the upcoming week in sports.

NBA

 

Heat at Clippers, Tonight 10:30
Once again, I've got a Miami Heat game on the set of games to look out for this week.  Last week they destroyed Brooklyn, and they look to do the same against the Clips.  The Heat (6-2) and Clippers (5-2) meet in LA tonight in what should be, if nothing else, full of some highlight dunks.  But let's take a look at the matchup.

Miami has the clear advantage on the wing, as they usually do with Wade and LBJ, but here's an interesting stat: LeBron is averaging just 23 points a game in 17 career games against the Clippers, his lowest output against any team in the league.  Caron Butler is a decent defender, but I wouldn't expect he and Willie Green (who?) to stop James and Wade by themselves.

Thankfully, they don't have to.  The Clippers aren't equipped to handle the Big 2 on the perimeter, but that's not where they like to play either.  The Dynamic Duo will try and take it to the paint against Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.  While Griffin is not a spectacular defender, Jordan is just that, and he has shown much improvement this season-- even offensively upping his points per game by 4 points so far this year.

For those of you keeping score, that's advantage Heat on the perimeter and advantage Clippers down low, so what's it come down to? Point guard play.  And LA just so happens to have one of the best in the league at that spot.  While Mario Chalmers has shown he can handle the job of PG for the Heat and has actually played rather well this season, I'm still taking CP3 everyday of the week.  Advantage at the point plus playing in the Staples Center, I'll take the Clippers in this one.  NBA games are tough to predict and can usually go either way, but I think an exciting game will end in the Clippers' favor tonight. 

Here's the rest of the games this week.  

Another one to keep an eye on, Knicks vs. Spurs on Thursday night.  Knicks looking to stay undefeated will have a very tough test against Parker and company.  Loving the Knicks chemistry so far this season, but they've gotta lose at some point; I'm gonna say Spurs win that one.

College Football

 

Geez, I thought last week was gonna be a snoozer for college football; this week, not much better.  The entire SEC schedule is laughable (be careful, Gators...), but there are some good games outside of the SEC this weekend.  Let's see what we got.

Rutgers (22) at Cincinnati
Sticking with last week's theme of picking a random Big East matchup, I'll take Cinci in the upset.  Rutgers has only lost one game, but they have only beaten a bunch of High School JV teams, plus they lost to Kent St.  Cinci, on the other hand, has had some impressive victories (VT) and some close losses (Louisville).  Plus Munchie Legaux, owner of the best name in college football, can really make things happen.  Cincinnati is at home, I'll take them over the overrated Rutgers bunch.

Oklahoma (12) at West Virginia
If you're a fan of defense, you might wanna skip out on this one.  Oklahoma, at times, has shown that their offense can really score some points.  West Virginia has this guy named Geno Smith on their team, remember?  He was the can't miss, without a doubt Heisman winner after five games this season; they gave him the trophy and everything!  But after four consecutive losses, I haven't heard Geno Smith's name in weeks and the Mountaineers are just hoping to be bowl eligible now.  This one could provide some fireworks, but I think defenses are beginning to figure out how to stop this WVU offense (that and they started playing teams that are worth a shit).  I really wanna see Oklahoma get upset, but I just don't see it.  Not this week.

USC (18) at UCLA (17)
How does this game not have a cool nickname? The schools are twelve miles apart, in the same conference, in Los Angeles, but no cool rivalry name? I'll call it Battlefield LA for the time being, but someone should definitely get on top of that.  Anyway.  This game will basically decide who plays Oregon in the Pac 12 championship game.  USC has shown throughout the season that, while their offense can flat out ball, they are not big on that whole defense thing.  That said, Jim Mora has those guys a UCLA playing very well, definitely over achieving this year.  Both offenses are good, but the Bruins have the edge on D (hell, Jackson High School's defense might be better than the Trojans).  I think Barkley and Lee put up ridiculous numbers, but in the end, the more physical style of UCLA prevails. 41-35 Bruins.

Stanford (13) at Oregon (2)

Now, the game of the week in Eugene, Oregon.  Everyone knows what the Ducks bring to the table offensively.  Chip Kelly's system has to be the most exciting in the nation, but Oregon's defense really doesn't get enough credit.  Those guys ain't afraid to hit somebody, and on top of that, they cause turnovers.  That said, Oregon hasn't played anyone quite like Stanford.  The Cardinal want to pound the rock, all game long.  Add that to a few injuries on the Duck's defense, and don't look now but Oregon may just be the next undefeated to bite the dust (says the hopeful SEC fan).  I think this is a bad time for the Ducks to play Stanford and it might be a little closer than they'd like, BUT this game is at Autzen Stadium in Oregon and that place gets crazy.  This one is gonna be the steady, persistent Stanford against the explosive Oregon. Big plays are gonna be the difference in this one.  Ducks win.

 NFL

Injuries to quarterbacks have absolutely killed all the good NFL matchups this week.  Steelers vs. Ravens and Bears vs. 49ers would have been awesome matchups.  But no Big Ben and both Jay Cutler and Alex Smith still questionable, those matchps just won't be the same. 
All the same, here's some picks.


Cowboys over Browns
Cam over Josh Freeman and the Bucs
Lions shock the Packers
Rams beat the Jets, Sanchez plays horribly and Tebow still sits
Falcons redeem themselves against the Cards (Rise Up!)




That pretty much sums up this week in sports. Not the best week, but hey it could always be worse.  At least no teams decided to hire Mike D'Antoni over Phil Jackson...wait what?


Have a good week. Go Dawgs!
 

Bama Manziel'd at Home

newsherald.com

In case you missed it, the almighty Crimson Tide fell to the little ol' Aggies from Texas A&M. I know what you're thinking. How can this be? Alabama is the best team in the history of our planet. They are head and shoulders better than any team in the nation. Saban's bunch can even beat some NFL teams!

I hope everyone hyping Bama up all season realizes how dumb all the nonsense above sounds. What really gets me is that this team is not even as talented as last year's squad. You know, the team with Trent Richardson, Dont'a Hightower, all those guys. And THAT team lost a game, so I've been really confused about the notion that Alabama is invincible this season.

Don't get me wrong, though. The Crimson Tide are still quite possibly the best team in the best conference in the country. (We shall see soon enough. Go Dawgs!) But let the record show that Alabama is in fact subject to defeat.

And how bout those Aggies, right? I tried to tell y'all that Johnny Football was a baller. I did pick Bama to win the game, and they certainly had several opportunities to do so. Insert a Yeldon fumble, McCarron pick, and a killer offsides penalty (rumors that Nick Saban actually murdered that guy are unconfirmed at the moment) and the Aggies pull off the upset.

Now some things to take away from this game.
1. Alabama can be beat. Despite expert analysis, it is possible. (Go Dawgs!)
2. McCarron should NOT be in the Heisman conversation. Johnny Manziel absolutely should be in that same convo.
3. College football is freakin' awesome. (No explanation necessary)
4. The SEC is hands down the best conference in the nation. (4-9 in the BCS standings)
5. The Dawgs are still in the hunt. With a KState loss (Texas) and a ND loss (USC), a UGA win over Bama puts us in the National Championship. I wouldn't say all of this is LIKELY, but it's definitely possible. 

The worst part of the Alabama loss is that we, as college football fans, must accept the very real possibility that we may see an SEC-less BCS Title game, what's worse Notre Dame might be in the game instead.  And c'mon, who wants to see that?

Don't Count Out the SEC - Cawthron's Column

Though the SEC has a strong hold on the BCS top ten, filling spots 4-9, all deservingly so, it appears that the unprecedented 6 straight title game appearances will come to an abrupt end after “Johnny Football”(which is now a trademark, btw) and the Aggies delivered a shot to the chin of Nick Saban and the all might tide, by downing them 29-24 on Saturday. A lot can be taken from this; down goes Goliath, who many thought would not be beat for years to come, or the continuing emergence of Johnny “Football” Manziel, which appears to be the most exciting player since Reggie Bush of the All-Century Trojans.  But don’t count the SEC out of it yet. After all, there is three weeks of football left, and well yeah, it’s the BCS.

#1 Kansas State 
Hard to argue against K State. They play sound , mistake free football, they are well disciplined, which could correlate with the morals and ethics of their coach, who turned 183 last week. They aren’t overly exciting to watch, but they are sound, and have a tank in Collin Kleinl eading the way.  They win out and they are in. A clash with Texas at the duration of the regular season, will be watched by nearly every fan in the country, especially those with hopes of playing in Miami. Texas has played much better the last four weeks, improving in every major defensive category, and since being benched two weeks ago, QB David Ash is 36-50 for 628 yards with 5 touches versus no turnovers, while improving his completion percentage by 13 points. Look for a hard fought game,that if won by K State,  will have punched their ticket to Miami.

#2 Oregon
A few years ago you could argue that the Ducks defensive was inferior to the explosive offense. Hardly the case these days. Minus the USC game in which they gave up 51, to one of the most talented offenses on paper in recent memory, the Ducks are giving up just 19.1 points per contest.  Granted, the Duck offense scoring early, and very often, could have a psychological impact on opposing offenses,none the less, teams don’t score on the Ducks. Score a lot, create turnovers. That’s Duck football. The Ducks have a tough stretch of games to close the year with Stanford, Oregon State, and more than likely UCLA in the Pac12 championship game.  The Ducks are used to being in this position, and I feel that Chip Kelly has the best coached team in all of football. The Ducks may stumble, but they won’t fall. And will ultimately end up in Miami as the number one team in the land.

#3 Notre Dame 
ND has run the table thus far, after Pitt decided they didn’t want to play hero last week, and gave the Irish the game in overtime. ND has a show down with USC on the 24th, and look for ND to blow there shot at the title, and we can finally stop hearing how deserving ND is for a shot at the title game.

#4 Alabama & #5 Georgia
If two of these three were to lose, the #4 Alabama/#5 Georgia match up in the Georgia Dome becomes the most intriguing game of the year.  Assuming the circumstances, the winner of this game more than likely ends up with a shot in Miami, taking on the Ducks.  Now, UGA doesn’t have a Johnny Manziel at the helm, but the Dawgs pose a good match up against the Tide. The Tide’slack of a dominant pass rusher (which has to be intriguing to recently de-committed defensive end Robert Nkemdiche) favors UGA’s big offensive line.  The UGA defense will do their part in taming the ‘basic’, for lack of better words, offense of Alabama. It will come down to the leadership and play of QB Aaron Murray to step up and lead his team, and claim the SEC trophy, and put themselves in position for Miami. The scariest part of this scenario for UGA fans has to be relying on Mike Bobo to call a good game. Ask 96% of Georgia fans, (the 4% being Mark Richt, and Bobo’s kinfolk)and this is a nearly impossible task.

I feel K State loses close to Texas, and USC ultimately routes ND.  Georgia gives it everything they have against Bama, from the ball boy (who will let out a little air from the balls for Murray, without being caught) to the fans cursing Bobo from the comfort of their recliner, and they pull it out close on December 1st, 29-24 over the Crimson Tide.

So we’ll end up with a UGA vs. Orgeon Title Game, in which is sure to be a great match up that even I would pay to see.  But good news is, there is only one remaining year of this BCS format, at which time we will get a playoff system, that we will continue to complain on how it is not a fair way of choosing. Ahhhh, gotta love college football.

  

 – The Cawthron Column

Sports Reasons to Forget About the Election

Forget about the election! Obama did. (Bill Frakes/SI)

Week of November 5, 2012

Let me start by saying, that I don't mean to downplay the significance of the 2012 Presidential Election; no doubt an important election, that all Americans should care about.  But, Holy Shit! If I never watch CNN again, it'll be way too soon.  Hearing the terms 'exit poll' or 'projected electorate' one more time might convince me to take a few snaps behind the Eagle's offensive line (not really, I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.  Atlanta's still got love for you, Mike Vick!).

But seriously.  I have had just about enough of politics for at least four years.  Good luck to President Obama, I truly hope you serve us well and have a better term this go round.  But let's talk about what really matters to We the People: sports.  Let's take a look at some games this week to get your mind off politics.

Dawgs Still in the Hunt

The 2012 season was one of high hopes for many college football programs. The University of Georgia, fresh off an SEC championship appearance, was one of those teams. A third year starter at quarterback in Aaron Murray, a defense, that on paper, looked to be among the nation's best, and a relatively easy schedule had many Dawg fans thinking, wondering, PRAYING: Could this be the year? Could UGA be in serious contention for the BCS title?

Earlier on, all signs pointed to yes. The emergence of Gurshall seemed to solidify the running game, Jarvis Jones was being mentioned in Heisman talk, we were on our way... Until that Saturday night in Columbia.

I'll save thoughts on that game, but in short, the Dawgs were flat out embarrassed-- and on national television, too. The guys were outplayed, Richt was out coached, and many Dawg fans saw our season crash and burn right there in Williams-Bryce Stadium.

Now, three weeks later-- coming off a huge win over the jort wearing Gators-- I'm gonna tell you how the Georgia bulldogs are still gonna get their title shot.

Trade the Beard? Thoughts on the James Harden Situation

Late Saturday evening, the Oklahoma City Thunder sent shockwaves through the league, dealing Sixth Man of the Year, James Harden, to Houston for a pack of skittles and the new Taylor Swift CD. Ok, not really. But based off of the reaction around the league, you'd think that was the case.

In reality, the thunder swapped Harden for sharp shooter Kevin Martin, future stud Jeremy Lamb, and some draft picks. So the question is, who won the trade? The easy answer: Houston. They pick up a guy that may very well be on the brink of super-stardom.  A guy that was the third wheel of a deadly trio for the West Conference champs just a year ago. A guy with, easily, the best beard in the entire league.

All of this is true of Harden, but on the other hand, prior to Wednesday night, Harden had never started in an NBA game. Plus, the last two occasions we saw him play basketball, the NBA Finals and the Olympics, he looked…unimpressive.

So the question is, who is James Harden? Or rather, which James Harden did the Houston Rockets get? The almost superstar of the 2012 regular season, or the disappointing Harden of the NBA Finals? Either way, they get Harden's beard, which is also on the brink of stardom.