Minnesota Timberwolves Season Preview



Coming into the new NBA season, the Timberwolves are hungry to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003. New GM Flip Saunders is taking over for David Khan, and many Wolves fans are happy Khan is gone. Last season, Minnesota was poised to have a breakout year, but injuries hurt the team. Key players like Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, and Chase Budinger missed great portions of the season. But now, after some critical signings and management changes, the folks of Minneapolis are hoping this can finally be that big year they've been dreaming of.

Key Acquisitions: Kevin Martin -brings 3-point shooting the team so desperately needed. I personally love the signing, as he was a terrific player in Houston a few years ago, and a critical cog for Oklahoma City last year.

Corey Brewer - is back with the Wolves. He was drafted by them in 2007, but did not play well. However, he played pretty well in Denver, and he brings defensive toughness that the Minne needs.

Ronny Turiaf- brings playoff experience and a tough guy to the team

Shabazz Muhammad- they drafted him in the 1st round of this year's draft. Many Wolves fans did not like the pick, but i did. He was number 1 in the country coming out of high school, and he's got talent. He will fit well with team and he will play better with Ricky Rubio on the court.

Gorgui Dieng- love this pick, as he brings shot blocking which the Wolves needed.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG Ricky Rubio

SG Kevin Martin

SF Corey Brewer

PF Kevin Love

C Nikola Pekovic

Key Bench Players:

PG JJ Barea

PG Alexey Shved

SF Derrick Williams (He needs a good start to the season or he will be traded)

SG Shabazz Muhammad

C Gorgui Deng

PF Dante Cunningham

Conclusion: I'm exited for the T-Wolves season, and fans should be too. They just need to stay healthy and they should be able to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Follow me on twitter @dubish_todd

Predictions For College Football Saturday: Will The Upset Bug Continue Reign?

Good morning, folks. Here today in the glorious game of college football are multiple Top 25 matchups that could spell chaos all throughout the world, creating an influx of joy and excitement rushing through our veins. Lets start with the big one:

The One To Watch

Tennessee at #1 Alabama:

Can Raijon Neal (pictured above) and the Vols upset their 2nd ranked SEC team in a row? Everyone sit tight in their seats, because listen to this. I believe so.

First of all, Alabama has been playing some extremely weak opponents lately. Say what you want about the good job the Kentucky Wildcats have done to try to rebuild their program, but they were crushed into a fine paste by Alabama. Arkansas, Georgia State, and Colorado State are not exactly what one would call, 'Quality Opponents'. This game might just be different. The Volunteers seem to have finally got in a groove, as they almost beat Georgia two weeks ago, and did beat the South Carolina Gamecocks last week in a thriller. Their 2-headed monster of a running attack consists of Raijon Neal and Marlin Lane, both supplying a bevy of critical runs this year for Tennessee. Quarterback Justin Worley has been making great throws recently, and has 1119 throwing yards on the season to go with his 10 touchdowns. Although the back half of their defense has been disappointing up to this point, the front half consisting of stars like defensive end Marlon Walls and linebacker AJ Johnson, has been as good as advertised. They, I predict, will be able to stop TJ Yeldon and the 'Bama rushing attack. A exhort you not to write this game off as an easy Crimson Tide win. As I said, this is a very hot Volunteer team, and will make Alabama look foolish more than one time. I don't have the guts yet to call this a Tennessee win, it being in Tuscaloosa, but I believe it will be very close.

Other Predictions:

#10 Texas Tech vs. #15 Oklahoma

I simply don't trust this Oklahoma offense enough to say that the Sooners will win in Norman. I say Davis Webb and Jace Amaro torch OU's defense, and the Raiders win, 27-17.

#12 UCLA vs. #3 Oregon

It will be reasonably close early, due to UCLA stopping the run with star defensive end Cassius Marsh, but Oregon will wear the Bruins down, winning 37-21.

Pennsylvania State vs. #4 Ohio State

The Nittany Lions are coming off of the huge win against Michigan in 4 overtimes, and after some well needed rest, they will come into Columbus firing. This is my 2nd big upset pick of the day, as Penn St.'s 3 headed monster of quarterback Christian Hackenberg, running back Zach Zwinak, and wide receiver Allen Robinson will light the Buckeye's inconsistent defense afire. Penn State wins, 34-31.

#6 Stanford vs. #25 Oregon State

Oh how I love this Beaver team. Quarterback Sean Mannion, and his whopping numbers of 2992 passing yards and 29 TDs through 7 games, has a stirring connection with star wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Many people wrote the Beavs off after their loss to a tough Eastern Washington team earlier this season, and they are still flying under the radar. This is the last big upset of the day, as OSU wins 26-24.

For now, that is all folks. What an insane day of potential upsets this is!

Ben's NBA Preview Part 2: The Top Three

Good evening, folks. Well, here we are again. After laying out the 'worst of the worst' yesterday, I would like to showcase the three to beat.

#1 Brooklyn Nets

Yeah, call me a nutcase, but let's just take a step back here and think about what Brooklyn has now.

The 2013-14 depth cart:

PG	Deron Williams-	Shaun Livingston-	Tyshawn Taylor-	Jorge Gutierrez
SG	Joe Johnson-	Jason Terry-	Alan Anderson-	Chris Johnson
SF	Paul Pierce-	Andrei Kirilenko-	Tornike Shengelia -	Adonis Thomas
PF	Kevin Garnett-	Reggie Evans-	Mirza Teletovic
C	Brook Lopez-	Andray Blatche-	Mason Plumlee

I would like someone to tell me why this isn't easily a championship-caliber team. Deron Williams is still a top 5, maybe even top 3 point guard in this league. D-Will is an all around great player, a solid defender, great passer, and even better scorer. But what is behind him is one of the most underrated players on the team: Shaun Livingston. Livingston is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, as he is 6'7", probably the tallest point guard in the league. To special guard we go: Why do people seem to not like this corp? Yes, Joe Johnson and Jason Terry are getting older, but when they are hot, they can still shoot the lights out of buildings. Johnson can shoot the Nets back into games, while Terry, although erratic, is still producing at a great level. Now, how about these 3 new boys coming into the Barclays Center? I, personally, am tired of hearing all these naysayers talk about how Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are too old to even be putting on jerseys anymore. What a joke that is. Pierce and Garnett are still Pierce and Garnett. If they get enough rest during the season (For instance, taking a game off after a back-to-back occasionally), and stay away from the injury bug, they can prove to the world that they still have many NBA games ahead of them. Below Pierce is the Nets other big-time addition, Andrei Kirilenko (AK-47). He really fortifies the Nets bench, and can do just about anything. The energetic small forward will be critical the Brooklyn's season. Finally, let's look at the center position. What we have here at starter is possibly the best scoring center in the NBA, Brook Lopez. While the media will not give credit where credit is due, Lopez should have easily been an all-star last year, and he is quickly becoming the lead go-to guy when the Nets are in need of a quick bucket. While other teams will be draining all of their focus on defending all the other threats the Nets offer, Lopez will be able to score easier than ever before. Expect him to get that elusive all-star bid this year. I personally love the Nets as the favorite to win the East, and please tell me in the comments section if you disagree.

#2 Miami Heat

Yes, Miami is not number one on this list...... for now. How can a person NOT have a 2-time defending champion as number one heading into a season? Well, it was quite tough for me to put them in the top spot, because of the amount of parity in the NBA as a whole. The NBA's Eastern Conference seems to have become stronger after the 2013 offseason, and they are all gunning after LeBron James's head. LeBron is simply the best player in the world. No doubt can be placed in my head about that fact. But, as usual, he can not win titles alone. This is where there are too many question marks, I believe, to be able to put them in the number one spot. The Heat's chink in their armor happens to be down low in the post. Chris Bosh had possibly his worst season in the NBA last year, and if the 'Ostrich' can't improve on his rebounding skills, Miami will be in a load of trouble. The team welcomed the former number one NBA Draft pick Greg Oden to town in the offseason to try to help out in the paint. Oden, who is trying to shake his image as a 'draft bust', has been impressing many this preseason, with some high-flying dunks to showcase. But can he stay healthy? That is just another one of Miami's many questions heading into this year. Also, can Ray Allen keep producing? We all remember his insane 3-pointer at the end of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, but there is no question that Allen is starting to let Father Time get to him. Can Dwyane Wade stay relevant? Yes, he is still the great Dwyane Wade, but the injury bug really has took ahold of him lately, and one can only hope he can keep making big plays in the league for at least a few more good years. The outlook is a cloudy one, so for now, they are not number one.

#3 Los Angeles Clippers

The Clips! With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin now locked up for years to come, the new team of Los Angeles will have no distractions in their hunt for the NBA Championship. First of all, there is no more Vinny Del Negro hanging around the coaching spot. In probably the biggest 'acquisition' of the NBA offseason, LA pulled Doc Rivers in to be the new head coach, and he is making multiple changes. For the past 2 years, the Clippers have been nicknamed 'Dunk City'. However, according to multiple players on the team, Rivers will institute a much more sound defensive scheme, and will deemphasize the theatrics of the dunks. And one of the most critical cog in this new system is center DeAndre Jordan. Coach Rivers has instilled a boatload of trust in Jordan, and is expecting him to utilize his height more than ever before. Jordan is now really starting to get the hang of blocking shots in the NBA, and is averaging 4 blocks per game this preseason. Also critical to this season are the new additions of Jared Dudley and JJ Redick. Dudley, one of the best glue-guys in the league, is coming over from Phoenix to replace the aging Caron Butler. When he is hot, he can bring the house down with his excellent accuracy from beyond the arc. Redick, on the other hand, not only can shoot some impressive 3's, but he can get into the paint in a breeze to create some impressive layups. With a great bench, including the excellent Sixth Man Jamal Crawford, the team is much more than just the star-power of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. I say this team is the team to beat in the Western Conference.

Soon, part 3 of this series will be revealed. It will include the teams that will make the playoffs, and maybe go all the way to the title, but for right now are not in the top 3. For now, so long!

Ben's NBA Preview Part 1: The Terrible Three

 

Yes, folks. It's that time of the year that we all start thinking about the game with the orange ball and hoop. It's that time of the year where all 30 of basketball's highest teams think they have a shot at glory. It's a joyful time of prediction making, and so forth. So, Ben On Sports has decided, of course, to join in on the action in a 3 part series. There never is any point to making the predictions and previews, as they always turn out to be false. However, it certainly is a blast. Today, we will look at the bottom 3 of the league. Soon, part 2 will showcase the TOP 3 in the league, and part 3 will show the ones in the middle.

 

#30 Philadelphia 76ers:

 

Oh my. Where do I start on this one? 1: Philly just traded their best player, Jrue Holliday, to the New Orleans Pelicans, for, for the most part, nothing. 2: Their highest draft pick, Nerlens Noel, is out for the season with an injury he sustained while playing with the Kentucky Wildcats. 3: The 76ers organization waited until the last minute to hire their head coach, losing out on some of the best coaching prospects in the league. 4: They have a boatload of very mediocre players to piddle around with in the starting lineup, the top 3 being small forwards Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner, and center Spencer Hawes. Young and Turner are both good, young players, but sadly with the weak talent around them, things could be quite ugly for them this year. 5: They will be starting a very inexperienced rookie at point guard this year in Michael Carter-Williams to replace Holliday. Carter-Williams has a lot of potential, but there is no question he will struggle as a starter in this league at his age. Finally, 6: They picked up the drama show of Royce White during this offseason (Yikes). If you don't know his story, you need to look it up.

 

#29 Utah Jazz

 

A youth movement has struck Salt Lake City hard this go around, and it will sting. Although, in the long run, it was probably the best possible move, Utah parted ways with their top two players in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap to make room for the younger talent on the team to take over. Watch for their corp of Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Trey Burke (who is nursing a broken finger) to surprise some people. Favors led the team in blocks last year, and he'll only get better in SLC, as he was just locked up for a 4 year contract extension. Hayward, the former Butler Bulldogs star, can be a little goofy with turnovers sometimes, but his shooting prowess is continuing to fly upwards. Kanter and Burker really have the most to prove right now, but they'll have time to gel. I say by February this could be a team to be a spoiler in the west every night, but due to the strength of their division as a whole, and the fact that they haven't had enough time to become acclimated to all the changes, they will be the worst in the west this year.

 

#28 Orlando Magic

 

Patience is the word relayed by the Magic organization. With talent that, in a few years (noticed I underlined that) could be a playoff contender, coach Jacques Vaughn will have 'fun' tinkering around with this lineup this year. It really starts with how center Nikola Vucevic plays. No one seems to understand how this kid could become the best center in the league in a few years, as he averaged a double-double last year, at 23 years old, unbeknownst to everyone. He is one of my favorite players to watch in this league, and the most underrated. But after him, things get cloudy. Victor Oladipo, Orlando's top draft pick, has potential through the roof, but he hasn't played an NBA game yet. I need to see that before I can make seriously say he'll be good this year. What about Moe Harkless? I like the kid, but I think he left the St. Johns Red Storm too early in his college career. Once again, potential through the roof, but it will be a while before he blossoms. Finally, I say the long time Orlando player Jameer Nelson will be traded mid-season, further letting the team get younger. This team could be much higher than #28, but until they prove it, they're here.

 

For tonight, so long. We will see you for Part 2 soon!

 



SEC Goes Haywire In College Football Today

Did all of this seriously just happen? Let's start off strong, with the Georgia-Vanderbilt game.

 

This morning, while I was ruminating in my mind what might be the biggest games on the day, I did not think very much about Georgia vs. Vanderbilt. Although the Bulldogs were coming off of a big loss to the Missouri Tigers, Vandy was coming off of an even BIGGER loss to the Missouri Tigers. I just couldn't see the upset.

Boy, was I ever wrong!

The Commodores ran the ball with a fury, Austyn Carta-Samuels threw long balls to star wide receiver Jordan Matthews, and the team won in an udder thriller. It was the first win over a Top 15 team for the 'Dores in ages, and it proved that Georgia is no longer a SEC title threat. Georgia has now lost two straight games, one of them to those Mizzou boys....

 



 

 

Yes, Missouri, as we predicted, came across with a large win over the Florida Gators. Maty Mauk, who started his first collegiate game after James Franklin went down with a season-ending injury, had a fine game, and the Florida Gators gave up over 20 points in SEC play for the first time since 2007.

 

In probably the biggest upset of the day, the Tennessee Volunteers upset South Carolina in Knoxville, in another game which I under thought. I was thinking that South Carolina would take care of business just as they should. Little did I know that Connor Shaw would put in such a horrendous performance for the Gamecocks. Tennessee's star rushing duo of Raijon Neal and Marlin Lane had awesome games, and the Vols stuck around till the end, winning by a last second field goal. With the events today, Missouri is obviously the best team in the SEC East with the rest of the bunch beating upon each other.

 

 

Continuing our talk about the wild SEC, Texas A&M LOST to Auburn in College Depot. How? I still haven't figured it out. Every game today seemed to rattle my brain. Auburn completely proved me, and the entire country, wrong. Johnny Manziel was playing through a shoulder injury, but the he mostly played a great game, with him and Mike Evans connecting for 4 touchdowns. But A&M's real problem was their defense. Time after time, Auburn converted on 3rd downs, and Nick Marshall and Co. rallied their troops to an improbable win.

 

The SEC is still possibly in store for another rocker later on this evening. #6 LSU is currently down 10-0 to the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, and Mississippi's depleted defense is actually looking quite strong early. Quarterback Bo Wallace is throwing bombs for the Rebs as well.

 

 

In the PAC 12, Stanford shocked the living heck out of me today, with a 24-10 win over #9 UCLA. I really thought this was UCLA's year. Stanford was coming off of a loss to Utah in Salt Lake City, while UCLA beat Utah. I just really believed that UCLA would carry on as the biggest threat to Oregon in the conference. Well, it just didn't happen. Stanford's defense, led by linebacker Shayne Skov, made the Bruin's offense look like puny midgets. The Cardinal's star running back, Tyler Gaffney, had a monster game, with 171 yards on 36 carries. Malcolm Jones and the Los Angeles rushing game, however, was worthless, going for a COMBINED 74 yards and no touchdowns. Inconsistency for the Bruins is what ruined their National Championship hopes.

 

Continuing with our PAC 12 discussion, at halftime, the Washington Huskies are being run out of Tempe against the Arizona State Sun Devils, 29-7. Washington is obviously depressed about their close losses to the Stanford Cardinal and the Oregon Ducks, but this is ridiculous. After this, Arizona State will be 5-2, and in the hunt for a PAC 12 South championship.

 

 

In a game in which we chose the underdog, #16 Texas Tech beat the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown. WVU was down 13-3 early due to Davis Webb and the best tight end in the country, Jace Amaro, connecting for some amazing catches. The Mountaineers did put up a valiant fight, but in the end, their offensive line cost them the game, and lost their best player, OT Quinton Spain, to an injury. The 'Eers defense let them down as well, and they lost 37-27, falling to 3-4. Texas Tech, led by young head coach Kliff Kingsbury, is now 7-0 in a year that was supposed to be a rebuilding job.

 

Finally, Ohio State had too close of a call today against Jake Rudock and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawks came out firing, and their two star tight ends, CJ Fiedorowicz and Jake Duzey, were driving the upset bid. Sadly for Iowa, Braxton Miller kept Ohio State in the game, pulling ahead late to win 34-24. What is obvious now, is Ohio State's national championship hopes are almost evaporated. The BCS committee will not be impressed by all these close wins against mediocre competition. They need a miracle now.

 

College football never ceases to amaze me. So long for now.

 

 

 

 

Big Predictions For College Football Today

After I correctly predicted Central Florida to beat Louisville last night, I'm going to attempt to keep our hot streak going.

On The Docket: Texas Tech at West Virginia

West Virginia has a habit of having bounce back games, and don't forget Clint Trickett and Co. beat Oklahoma State earlier this year in Morgantown. It is excruciatingly hard to think that Texas Tech is going to start out 7-0, and this might be the perfect storm for the 'Eers. West Virginia wins, 27-23.

Florida at Missouri

Mizzou starts life anew today without quarterback James Franklin. But, in surprising fashion, the Tigers are the favorite in this game. Why? Because of the best backup you've never heard of. Maty Mauk. Odd name, huh? One of the most highly touted recruits in ages at Missouri, he should quickly gel with star wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, and the Tigers will win: 32-21.

UCLA at Stanford

To the West Coast we go, and it's a make it or break it game for UCLA. Probably the most important matchup for UCLA in a long time, Brett Hundley will be trying to keep the Bruins National Championship hopes alive. Stanford is coming off of a loss to Utah, but always has a great advantage in Palo Alto. However, I say Cassius Marsh and Anthony Barr will lead UCLA's defense, and the whole team, to a 28-21 win over the Cardinal. 

Auburn at Texas A&M

So many people want to believe that Auburn will give A&M a run for their money, but I heartily disagree. Due to the AP poll's bias towards including many SEC team, Auburn snuck in the Top 25, undeservingly so. Auburn hasn't beat anybody spectacular, and their loss was at the hands of the LSU Tigers, in which LSU pounded Auburn from all sides of the ball. Yes. Texas A&M's defense is pretty bad this year, but as long as they have Johnny Manziel in their arsenal, A&M wins, 42-28.

Florida State at Clemson
For in-depth coverage about this game, take a look at our preview for the biggest matchup of the day.
http://benonallsports.blogspot.com/2013/10/bens-friday-football-frenzy-in-depth.html

That should do it for now, but as always, there could be many more upsets lurking around the corner.

Gosh I love college football.

 

Ben's Friday Football Frenzy: An In-Depth Look At Florida State vs. Clemson



    Every weekend, we are starting to unravel more of the college football scroll for 2013. Little did we know that such a large fraction of that scroll would be taken up by the ACC. As one of two conferences with 3 or maybe 4 teams still in the hunt for the National Championship, the ACC is quickly becoming the biggest threat to end the SEC's dominance in college football. And this week, we get to find out who really is the 'Big Dog' in the ACC, with a colossal matchup between the #5 Florida State Seminoles and the #3 Clemson Tigers at Clemson.

 

   The Tigers have, for the most part, been having a terrific season, and there is no doubt in my mind that they have a Top 10 caliber team. Obviously, their offensive attack centered around quarterback Tahj Boyd, wide receiver Sammy Watkins, and running back 'Hot Rod' McDowell is a juggernaut. Although, sometimes the offensive line and running back corp can sometimes get a little 'lost', it is all-in-all a very solid unit. Clemson's defense has made gigantic steps since giving up 70 points to the West Virginia Mountaineers 2 years ago in the Orange Bowl, especially with their defensive line. Defensive end Vic Beasley has become the best in the country at his position, as he leads this sack-hungry bunch.

 

    For the 'Noles, 'Famous' Jameis Winston is torching the world of football. As a freshman this year, Winston has thrown for 1441 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions.

Take a moment to think about those numbers and how absolutely insane they are

...................................................................................................................................

Are you done thinking? Good. Now, although most of the hype is around Winston, there is an impressive supporting cast as well. Winston actually doesn't have a 'main' receiver to go to, but a wide array of targets. Kenny Shaw, Rashad Green, and Kelvin Benjamin all have similarly high receiving numbers, and tight end Nick O'Leary is an important red zone target. FSU also has 3 speedy running backs, including leading rusher Devonta Freeman, James Wilder Jr., and Karlos Williams. On the O-Line, the Seminoles boast of the best center in college football, Bryan Stork. Although there are a lot of big names on the offense, head coach Jimbo Fisher has all the gears turning at a terrific rate, making it the scariest attack in the nation. Florida State's defense is not too shabby either, with potential NFL players in defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, and defensive end Dan Hicks.

 

    And we now ask the question, "Is there actually very much separating Clemson and Florida State?

Yes, I say there is an ever-so slight edge to the latter, FSU. In this game, so much attention will be paid to the star quarterbacks, Winston and Boyd, that the defensive lines of both teams will seem to 'forget' about defending the run. Yes, what you can pull out of that sentence is that the running games will be what is the most critical key for both teams. Florida State's running back corp, I believe, has more depth than the Tigers. So, the 'Noles will emerge victorious, right?

 

    There is one more twist to this story that might also turn into the deciding factor. This game is being played in 'Death Valley', Clemson, South Carolina. Memorial Stadium is going to be raucous, and the crowd might get under FSU's skin, just as it got under Clemson's skin last year when they played in Tallahassee.

 

    So, who wins this game?

 

    Your guess is as good as mine. Although, just for the fun of it, I say Florida State squeaks it out, 43-37. What do you think? Tell me in the comment section! For now, so long.

 

 

 



Why The Boston Red Sox Continue To Be The Most Dangerous Team Left In The Playoffs

So, folks, we are now down to the nitty-gritty of the MLB Postseason. The final four of baseball are: the St. Louis Cardinals, the Los Angeles Puigers (also known as the Dodgers), the Detroit Tigers, and the Boston Red Sox. Today, I am here to prove that the boys of BeanTown are the best of the rest. I contend that, all around, the Sox are stronger than the other team in the AL and both in the NL. Let me start by comparing them to their current opponent, the Tigers.

Detroit has, over the past several years, been stronger in the postseason than the regular season. Last year, after almost missing the playoffs due to a strong year by the Chicago White Sox, the team from the Motor City took off, beating the A's and Raul Ibanez's Yankees and making the World Series. By that point, however, Jim Leyland's squad started to fizzle. As we all remember, San Francisco's pitching befuddled the Tigers for 4 consecutive games, as the G-Men swept them in impressive fashion.

Interestingly, the Red Sox's pitching could very well be just as strong as the Giants's pitching from last year. Even with a few out-of-the-ordinary performances by Clay Buchholtz, Jon Lester and Jake Peavy have been putting in fine performances. Tonight, John Lackey got the call, and he has been mediocre, at best, so far during the playoffs. The Tigers had Justin Verlander up, and as we all know, he's been dealing recently.  But, strangely enough, Lackey turned in a gem, and it turned into a major pitching duel. Verlander was racking up the strike outs, but Red Sox hitter Mike Napoli hit a long homer in the 7th, as the Red Sox continued their trend of waking their bats up late in games. In game 2, for instance, although Detroit's pitching held them scoreless early, as time went on, the momentum pendulum swung in Boston's favor. 'Big Papi' David Ortiz hit a stunning, yet exhilarating grand slam, and Boston had won. I personally think the momentum is all in Boston's favor for the rest of the series. Detroit's leaky bullpen was going to cost them some games in this postseason, we all knew that. I'd say the Tigers will once again, as they did last year, start to falter and lose this series with the Sox.

Now, I'd like to show that Boston is also better than both of the remaining National League teams. 

Let's start with the Dodgers. It seems that everyone is jumping back on the Hollywood Bandwagon after Big Blue beat Adam Wainwright and the Cards last night. Hyun-Jin Ryu overcame his inconsistency to, for the most part, shut down STL and get Los Angeles back in the series. But there are reasons why I'm not sold that they are the best club left. First, it is glaring to me how inconsistent the team really is. One game, they are demolished by the pitching of the young Michael Wacha. The next, everything goes right, as Yasiel Puig had a big triple, and they won. If I've learned anything over the years about the postseason of Major League Baseball, it's that if you are inconsistent with your play, your chances of winning it all are diminished dramatically. As you must recall, last year, the San Francisco Giants seemed to be just as strong from one game to the next, with production from all the players consistently. There is no consistency from the Dodgers this year. I say the Dodgers will go down to the Cardinals in this series, and if not, lose the World Series to the Red Sox for sure.

And finally, the team that I think is the strongest competition left for the Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlos Beltran is having another miraculous postseason, giving the Cards' offense the firepower it needs to be a buzz saw through the playoffs. Michael Wacha, the Birds exceptionally young starting pitcher, has shocked the sports world with his close-to no-hitters. Catcher Yadier Molina has also been a stud. But, sadly for the Lou, there are holes. One of the most obvious is the horrid play of star 2nd baseman Matt Carpenter and center fielder Jon Jay. Carpenter, who was an all-star during the regular season, is currently ice cold when it comes to hitting, almost like an automatic out for pitchers. Jay has had many shortcomings hitting-wise as well, and some embarrassing defensive blunders in the outfield. The back half of the Red Bird's lineup has really been the only big concern all year for them, and they are continuing to hope that those problems do not turn out to be killers in the playoffs. Why are the Red Sox better? Because Boston has even more depth in their lineup then the Cards, especially in the back end. Both teams are just about equal in their pitching corp, but the Red Sox's bullpen has something the Cards can't boast of: Koji Uehara. The Sox have worked hard all season to make their bullpen one of the most respected in the AL after the loss of Jonathan Papelbon 2 years ago.

And now, the Red Sox are ripping and roaring towards another World Series crown. If you disagree with any of my thoughts, tell me in the comments! Signing off, this has been Ben Anderson.

Wild Results In the NFL Continue To Pour In: Opinions And Analysis

         

This is starting to seem like one of the most fun NFL seasons to watch ever. Every week so far, there has been at least 2 or 3 huge upsets to rock the sports world.

This was one of those Sundays.

Let's start with the biggest one: The St. Louis Rams ripping the Houston Texans to shreds in Houston. First, I need to state a very important point. This was not at all completely Matt Schaub's fault. If anything, Schaub had a very decent bouceback game after the debacle in San Francisco last Sunday night, with no interceptions. Sadly, we did not get a complete look at Matt, as he was injured, and replaced by the helplessly clumsy former North Carolina Tar Heel TJ Yates. I must say, the Texans fans should feel ashamed of themselves for clapping when Schaub went down with the injury. It was quite disgusting, in my opinion, and they have to realize that since he is their best option at quarterback, they need to continue to support him through thick or thin. The Texans seem to be quickly headed for the caboose of the Playoff Contender train. On the other hand, the Rams certainly have finally found their main running back, as the former Vanderbilt Commodore star Zac Stacy had a terrific game. Sam Bradford also had great successes, and linebacker Alec Ogletree's name was said often in highlights, including a return for a touchdown off of an interception by TJ Yates. If the Rams continue to keep things together on their defense, they might soon be able to return to playoff contention.

One of the most thrilling games of the afternoon was New Orleans vs. New England. In the blockbuster matchup, Drew Brees and Tom Brady mostly equaled each other in terms of stats. In the first half, it really looked like the Pats were going to roll off a big victory, but the Bayou Angels showed grit and determination. Then the big one: Drew Brees threw a 34 yard touchdown to The Freak- Kenny Stills and his finely spiked hair. Tom Brady proceeded to throw an interception on the next Pats drive, and the New England fans were filing out of the building. But then it happened. The Saints went 3 and out, and gave the ball to Brady again with 1 minute left. Tommy was obviously fired up to find redemption after that interception, and torched the field to pieces. He found Kenbrell Thompkins with 5 seconds left, and the Patriots had completed one of the most exhilarating and stupefying comebacks in a long time in the NFL.

Another really odd one was Cincinnati vs. Buffalo, and the Bills put up a fight that no one thought they could muster. With the loss of starting quarterback EJ Manuel last week due to an injury, Buffalo was scrambling to start a viable QB for the game today. Boy, did they ever find one. Thad Lewis did everything that was expected of him, and more. He threw for 216 yards, 2 TDs, and zero, yes, zip, interceptions. Quite impressive for the 25 year old. Sadly, even after a terrific 4th quarter comeback, the Bills lost in the sudden death overtime after a field goal by Cincy. Lewis announced after the game he was also injured in the game, spraining his foot. Soon after that, it was reported that Buffalo is going to work out free agent Matt Flynn to possibly fill the void again. Buffalo's coaching staff has really done a great job keeping the team in games during these injury filled days, and they should be commended for that.

So, Denver beat Jacksonville by 100, right? As the great Lee Corso would say, 'Not So Fast'. Jacksonville was really fired up, as they were tired of being embarrassed by the media, and put up a reasonably tough fight. Coming into the game, we knew the three players that had to have big games for J-Ville: Star linebacker Paul Poluszny (Poz), quarterback Chad Henne, and field goal kicker Josh Scobee. Poz caught an interception thrown by Peyton Manning, and returned it for a pick-six. Scobee is as accurate as ever. And finally, Chad Henne was, in the first half, outplaying Peyton Manning! Sadly, for the Jags, the upset bid started to fade by the end of the 3rd quarter, and Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno sealed the game with his 2nd rushing TD of the game in the 4th. The Jaguars certainly showed the NFL that there still are many chinks in Denver's armor, though.

What about the Seattle vs. Tennessee game? The result of Seattle winning is explained by one statement: If Jake Locker had not been injured for Tennessee two weeks ago, the Titans would have won this game. Ryan Fitzpatrick was his regular, worthless self, making all of the hard work Nashville's defense put in unimportant. Things do not get much easier for Tennessee next week, as they host the 49ers in Nashville.

A game that particularly intrigued me today was Carolina vs. Minnesota. The always inconsistent Cam Newton had a sensational day today, with 242 yards and 3 touchdowns. Adrian Peterson was really stumped today by the tough Charlotte defense, and Matt Cassel threw 2 critical interceptions. Carolina, even with their losing record, is starting to possibly look like the 2nd best team in the NFC South.

If today didn't thrill you as a football fan, you need to find yourself a brain. What a day.

Day Of Potential Trap Games Blossoms Into A Day Of Upsets In College Football

Well, ladies and gentlemen, today was one of those days that reminds you about how much you love college football.

Everywhere you looked, today, something exhilaratingly shocking was brewing. In my last article, I talked about 4 games that were potential 'trap' games for top teams: Virginia Tech vs. Pitt, Oregon vs. Washington, Stanford vs. Utah, and Missouri vs. Georgia.

 Right off the bat, Missouri was off to the races, and my prediction of a 32-21 Tigers win turned into a 41-26 Tigers win. Georgia was obviously depleted in their offense by injuries, but the Bulldogs horrible defensive display is what cost them the game. Missouri, however, lost their star quarterback James Franklin for maybe the year today, and will have to rely on Maty Mauk the rest of the way.

In my upset special, the Utah Utes upset the Stanford Cardinal in the big SLC, just as I predicted. Utah has been looking for a signature win the Pac 12 for a while, and it finally came to fruition tonight. Quarterback Travis Wilson did all he needed to do, and star receiver Dres Anderson did the rest. Stanford had Washington and Notre Dame end their National Championship aspirations last year, and now Utah this year.

Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh was reasonably close, but Tech's lunchpail defense did the dirty work, and VT got threw with a 19-9 win in Blacksburg. The Hokies' offensive line didn't do quite well, but they had an all-around good day in general. The ACC coastal division will once again come down to VT and Miami.

I expected Washington to shock Oregon, but the Josh Shirley and the Huskies defense had a terrible game, letting Marcus Mariota and Co. torch the city of Seattle. Oregon continues to look like the cream of the crop in the Pac 12.

But none of those topped the excitement of Michigan vs. Pennsylvania State. I personally think it was the best game of the college football year, right there with Marshall vs. Virginia Tech (which lasted 3 overtimes in the pouring down rain). I picked Penn State to win this game. But in regular time. 4 overtimes? Amazing. When Brendan Gibbons missed the field goal for Michigan in the 3rd OT, I thought I was going to lay an egg. Pennsylvania State showed true grit, and won 43-40.

And the one that no one saw coming: Texas mauling Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game. Case McCoy outdueled Blake Bell, and Texas lit the field on fire for a good while during the game. The lesson learned is the Big 12 is so weak, that they will all beat up on each other until the winner of the conference has 3 or 4 losses.

Another odd one was Northwestern getting demolished by Wisconsin. They were obviously still let down by the close loss to Ohio State last week, but the Wildcats were listless, in a very disappointing display. What is proves is Ohio State's schedule continues to get weaker, and their National Championship hopes are quickly fading.

And how about the ones that just barely got away from being upsets? Baylor escaping Dan Sams and K-State, Northern Illinois holding on against the pesky Akron Zips, Texas Tech getting past the underrated Iowa State Cyclones, and of course the #3 Clemson Tigers dodging the fired up Boston College Eagles in Clemson.

It was the best Saturday in a long time, and I hope the upset bug continues to flourish around the country.

Day Of Trap Games: College Football Upsets For Saturday

This week in the glorious game of college football, the are many Top 25 teams that seem to have 'cupcake' competition. Games pitting top 25 squads against teams that already have 1 or 2 key losses seem to overwhelm the day.

But what many seem to not realize, is that this weekend is loaded with 'trap games', which is played before or after a tough or rival opponent. Better teams have a tendency to look past an opponent preparing for the following week's game, or have a letdown after beating a tough or rival opponent. As there are obviously more important games next week, I would bet that a good many of the best teams in football are not fully preparing for their lesser opponents this week. As the old maxim goes, they are counting their chickens before they hatch.

Trap games are what college football junkies, like myself, 'feed' off of. It is exhilarating to watch the top dog go down to the underdog. That is why I have found four Top 25 teams that should be on 'upset' alert for Saturday

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

As a true Hokie fan, I hate to say that they should be on upset watch, but I must state the facts. Tom Savage and his Pitt Panthers are going to give Tech a game on Saturday in Blacksburg. First of all, Virginia Tech's offense has been quite inconsistent recently. One game, quarterback Logan Thomas will throw for 300 yards and no interceptions, and the next for 200, and a couple of turnovers. The Hokies may be 5-1 right now, but they could easily be 3-3 due to the boneheaded mistakes of Thomas, pulling out squeakers vs. Marshall, and East Carolina. Secondly, history seems to be on Pittsburgh's side recently. For whatever reason, Pitt has been a thorn in Virginia Tech’s side the past four meetings, mainly while the two programs were members of the Big East. We all remember how last year, the 0-2 Panthers thwacked the 2-0 Hokies, sending the Hokies on a major downward spiral. This year marks the first time they’ll play as members of the ACC’s Coastal Division, and another Pitt win would put the Panthers squarely in the conversation to win the division with Miami and Virginia Tech. Watch for this game to be an emotional one, and close to the end. I will be watching.

Oregon Ducks vs. Washington Huskies

By looking at the stats, one might think that the Washington Huskies DID score the huge upset in Palo Alto last week to beat the Stanford Cardinal. That, sadly, did not happen, but the kids from Seattle did prove that they certainly are a powerhouse in college football right now. They will now be fired up to take on their dreaded rival, the Oregon Ducks. Seattle is going to be rocking at 4:00 on Saturday to watch their prized duo lead the offense: Quarterback Keith Price and Running Back Bishop Sankey. Those two are torching the Pac 12, and Tony Washington & Co. at Oregon need to be ready to go to war. This game should be a showcase of two offensive juggernauts, and I predict both teams will score above 35. I say Washington pulls out a huge victory, ending Oregon's hopes for a National Championship year.

 Stanford Cardinal vs. Utah Utes

Laugh at me all you want here, but I believe the kids in Salt Lake City will give the 5th ranked Cardinal a really tough matchup, especially if Utes quarterback Travis Wilson has a bounce back game. Wilson threw 6 interceptions last game, the most by any quarterback in the college football season. But here's the catch. Utah almost won that game, against a potential Top 10 team in the UCLA Bruins. The Washington Huskies showed the country last week how many 'glitches' Stanford actually has, and star wide receiver Dres Anderson and the Utes will be looking to take advantage of them in the big SLC. Utah will be fired up to the brim, as they have been looking to pull off a statement win in the Pac 12 for a while now. This will be their biggest opportunity yet.

Missouri Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs


Yes, ladies and gentlemen. The Missouri Tigers are coming into Athens undefeated. Some say that they haven't played any tough teams yet, but I will dispute that. In their last game, Mizzou torched Jordan Matthews and his Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. Yes, you read that right. Mizzou won 51-28 IN NASHVILLE. The Tigers seem to have a duo of stars at both the skill positions; Henry Josey and Russell Hansbrough at running back, and Dorial Green-Beckham and L'Damian Washington at wide receiver. Quarterback James Franklin is having an exceptionally impressive year, with 1407 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only 3 interceptions so far. Georgia, on the other hand, is in a state of semi-panic right now, with injuries piling up daily. In their close win over the Tennessee Volunteers last week, Georgia lost key players for the season, including running back Keith Marshall and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley. Star receiver Michael Bennett will be out for a while as well. One can only hope that quarterback Aaron Murray can quickly find a good relationship with some of the lesser receivers. I think Missouri will shock Georgia tomorrow, and actually by a substantial margin: 32-21.

College football is certainly getting more exciting every week, and I hope everyone finds enjoyment out of every game tomorrow.