Killing the National Pastime: Five Reasons Why Bud Selig is the Worst Commissioner in Sports History

Bud Selig: Commissioner or Joker? You decide.

As the head of a major sports league, you’re the person fans, players, and officials depend on to make the big decisions. Unfortunately, sometimes those big decisions backfire, and the backlash is so great, the embarrassment seems insurmountable. However, sometimes you make majorly stupid decisions that define your career. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Major League Baseball and their commissioner, Bud Selig. What follows are five reasons I believe that Bud Selig will go down in history as the worst commissioner in sports:

All-Star Game Stupidity: If anything, this is the biggest reason why Selig should hang his head in shame. Not only did he call the 2002 All-Star game a tie (much to the anger and disdain of the Milwaukee fans, a team he once owned), he turned right around and decided, in his infinite wisdom, that starting the next year, the winning league would get home-field advantage in the World Series.

As much as I’ve loved the tour of American League ball parks (the AL has won every single game since the rule change), this should not be the deciding factor in who gets the home field in the World Series.

None of the other leagues use their all-star game as a way to decide which league gets the home-field advantage. They use a little thing called…what’s the word…a won-loss record! If you win more games than your championship game opponent, you are the home team. That’s all you need to figure this thing out, not a midseason game that shouldn’t mean anything anyway.

Pete Rose: Yes, I know Rose gambled on baseball, but if Selig was at least willing to listen to some semblance of reason, we wouldn’t be having this debate. He’s flip-flopped so many times on the issue (as quickly as 24 hours later, which happened earlier this year), that most supporters of Rose’s reinstatement concede that it won’t happen until at least 2012 (when Selig is reported to retire).

Rose has said he has never bet against his team, and never would.  He believed in his team enough to wager his hard-earned money for them. But Selig, genius that he is, keeps dragging his feet on the issue as the cries get louder to reinstate him. Meanwhile, the time to get Rose’s face into Cooperstown gets shorter and shorter (he can’t be voted in by regular ballot anymore; he has to get in through the Veterans’ Committee).

Rose is already in the WWE Hall of Fame for his contribution there…why can’t he come back to the game he loved so much and have his bust in Cooperstown?

Extending the Season into November: Look, when I was little, the baseball season began in April, sometime around my birthday, and ended in October, and that was it. Now, it goes into November, when people are done with baseball and are already embroiled in football.

The only reason I can see that Selig did this was to increase the ratings, and that just isn’t right. People already don’t care about baseball in November, because most of their favorite football teams are mired in a playoff race. If Selig wanted to do the right thing to increase ratings, he should have shortened the regular season by at least 50-60 games, because after 162 games, even the most diehard fan is bored with the season and just wants to move on to the next sport, especially if there’s no chance of their team making the playoffs.

One thing is for sure: nobody wants to watch baseball while they’re having Thanksgiving dinner.

Lesson In Futility #1- The World Baseball Classic: This was an absolutely ridiculous idea for three reasons.

The first reason is attendance.  For both years, in the first two rounds, attendance averages in at slightly fewer than 20,000 people. This number might seem misleading, but considering what I saw in this year’s Classic, believe me, it isn’t.  They barely have enough people in the stadium to constitute a good wave, much less post a sellout. Show of hands…how many people knew that the Dutch national team (who had all of one all-star) beat the Dominican Republic national team (who has a whole team of all-stars)? I didn’t think so.

The second reason kind of correlates with the first reason, and that is the venues in which these games are being played. They almost got it right this year, when they decided to play a couple of them in Major League ballparks (and the Tokyo Dome). But why not play a couple of the games at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park, where most of the baseball fans congregate (for obvious reasons)? Most of the baseball fans in the world are either Yankee or Red Sox fans, so this might be their only opportunity to not only see their favorite players, but maybe see their team’s stadium as well.

The third reason is the teams that come to this thing. Yes, you’re going to have the usual teams, like the USA and Japan, because they can field a team of all-stars without even trying. But South Africa? Australia? The Netherlands? These are teams that are specialized in other sports besides baseball, and with the exception of the Netherlands (who won two), won all of one game. If you really want to put people in the seats for these things, at least put up some competition for Japan, Cuba, and the other teams that can field a team of all-stars.

Lesson in Futility #2- Transfer of the Montreal Expos: First, it was moving them down to Puerto Rico to play a few games, which they played miserably. That was a bad idea in itself, but then Selig had the gall to, instead of maybe expanding the league by two teams (including a possible team in Washington), move the Expos out of Montreal and into Washington, where it seems they’re playing even worse. The Expos were at least competitive when they were in Montreal; now it just seems that they’re mathematically eliminated even before the season starts.

With the exception of the All-Star game, this is the worst decision Selig has ever made. The Expos were at least competitive before the move, and now the new Nationals seem to look like the Angels in “Angels in the Outfield” (before the heavenly intervention).  They haven’t finished any better than .500 (in their first season) and haven’t finished higher than fourth in the NL East. This is a team that has obviously been destroyed by the move, and it wouldn’t have happened if Selig hadn’t meddled with a team by making another of his trademark bad decisions.

For those reasons, and many, many more, I can safely assert that Bud Selig is the worst commissioner ever to take on the title in sports history. Yes, he might have done some very good things (the imposition of interleague play, for example), but all of the ridiculous decisions he’s made far outweigh the good things he’s done. Selig should be ashamed of the way he’s run America’s Pastime, and that is why he will go down as the worst commissioner in sports, ever.

Time to Take Stock: Week Six NFL Predictions

If the Bills don't beat the Jets this week, head coach Dick Jauron may be out of a job.

We’re nearing the halfway point of the season, which means it’s time for coaches to take stock in their teams. Whose stocks are nearing boom levels? Whose stocks are nearing Great Depression stages? We break out the crystal ball to find out!

Houston Texans (2-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

The Texans have an encyclopedia of injuries coming into this game, the biggest being defensive end Mario Williams (shoulder). He was an intimidating force on their defense, but with his participation in this game in doubt, the defense looks that much weaker. The offense needs to step up big time if they are going to win this game.

The Bengals have some problems on their line, with Tank Johnson and Andre Smith both nursing foot injuries. However, their offense still looks pretty strong, with only Cedric Benson’s (hip) playing time coming into doubt. Otherwise, the Bengals’ offense looks pretty strong, and should roll over the Texans on their way to Chicago.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Texans 0.

Detroit Lions (1-4) @ Green Bay Packers (2-2)

While the Lions have looked pretty good headed into this game, there is still a lot of work to be done, mainly in getting healthy. Matthew Stafford (knee) is questionable for the game, which takes out much of their leadership. Daunte Culpepper was impressive in his season debut, but the offensive line needs to get stronger (they’ve allowed seven sacks in two games since Culpepper came on) if they want to win their second game.

The Packers are relatively healthy coming off their bye week, with the only big loss being cornerback Will Blackmon (sprained knee). The offensive line got a big boost by signing tackle Mark Tauscher, which should make quarterback Aaron Rodgers feel safe in the pocket. They still need a lot of help on that line if they want to win this game. However, with the state the Lions are in right now, the Packers should have no trouble dispatching the Lions.

Prediction: Packers 20, Lions 7.

St. Louis Rams (0-5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)

The Rams look absolutely terrible coming into this game, only scoring 34 points (least in the league) while allowing 146 (second worst in the league behind the Lions). Not only that, their leading rusher almost has as many yards as their leading passer (Steven Jackson has 30 less yards rushing than Kyle Boller has passing). This is a team that is out of control, and they need to get some solid leadership if they want to have at least one win before the bye week.

The Jaguars are in crisis mode after a 41-0 dismantling by the Seahawks. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew spoke out about the offensive side of the ball on Wednesday; he couldn’t have been more right. In their final 10 drives last week, Jacksonville had seven three-and-out possessions, along with two fumbles and a failed fourth-down conversion. This is a game of two teams that are headed down a road to a high draft pick. Whichever team bounces back from all of its problems the quickest will win this game.

Prediction: Jaguars 2, Rams 0 in overtime. (I know this is kind of farfetched, but these two teams are bad.)

Baltimore Ravens (3-2) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

The Ravens’ defense might take a big hit this week if Ed Reed (probable with a knee injury) can’t play this week. However, what they lost on defense, they made up for on offense by signing wide receiver and Super Bowl hero David Tyree. This definitely shores up their pass attack, and gives quarterback Joe Flacco another option in the passing attack.

The bad news for the Ravens: they have to go up against a Minnesota team that is firing on all cylinders. While Brett Favre (foot, knee and ankle injuries) is not at 100%, they still have weapons on both sides of the ball that could make life difficult for opposing teams. With the Ravens in the weakened state they’re in, I expect the same thing to happen here as has happened to all of the Vikings’ opponents the last five weeks.

Prediction: Vikings 35, Ravens 10.

New York Giants (5-0) @ New Orleans Saints (4-0)

The battle of the undefeateds that nobody expected to happen is happening this week. For the Giants, it is a homecoming for quarterback Eli Manning as he comes home to the stadium his father, Archie, played in many years ago. Unfortunately, his start may be in doubt due to a heel injury he suffered two weeks ago. They may also be without the services of their leading rusher, Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle and foot), which puts a slight damper in their offense. However, they have the rushing and receiving weapons to get the job done. The Saints are coming off a bye week in which they got (almost) completely healthy.

Tight end Jeremy Shockey, a former Giant, says that there is no grudge against his former team, who traded him before training camp last year. On the other hand, there must be some satisfaction in beating your former team, and the Saints have the weapons (including Shockey) to do just that. This is going to be a battle between two great teams. However, I believe that the Giants have just that little bit more to knock the Saints from the ranks of the undefeated.

Prediction: Giants 30, Saints 27 in overtime.

Cleveland Browns (1-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

The Browns are coming off a big win against the Bills, which they hope will put their season back on track. Unfortunately, they have to go up against a rejuvenated Steelers defense, as they expect to see safety Troy Polamalu, who has been out the past four weeks with a knee injury. The Browns have to deal with injuries of their own, the biggest being running back Jamal Lewis (hamstring). The Browns seem to be making a bit of a comeback, but it needs to be bigger if they want to beat the Steelers.

The Steelers are having a bit of a good news/bad news week. The good news is they will most likely get back Polamalu for this game. The bad news is that they lost a big part of their defense, as defensive end Aaron Smith (shoulder) will be lost for the season. They also lost a major part of their offense, as Willie Parker (toe) is out for this game. If they want to remain above .500, they must bounce back from their injuries, and they do have the depth to do so.

Prediction: Steelers 20, Browns 3.

Carolina Panthers (1-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5)

 This game is between two teams that are on a downward spiral, and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping soon for either of them.

For the Panthers, it’s all about getting ready for a long, hard road. After this game and another easy game in Buffalo, they have a tough five week stretch. In that stretch, they have to face two divisional games in which the teams are currently 7-1 combined (Atlanta and New Orleans). This week and next week should be easy, but they have to solidify as a team if they want to survive those five big weeks.

Where the Panthers are bad, the Buccaneers are even worse. They’ve scored more points (68 to the Panthers’ 57), but they’ve allowed 140 (36 more than the Panthers and third-worst in the league). Not only that, there have been talks that Josh Freeman might play next game, if not this game. They’ve been through three quarterbacks this season, which really hurts their leadership on the field. If Josh Freeman or Josh Johnson don’t produce this week, the Buccaneers look to be the frontrunners for the #1 draft pick.

Prediction: Panthers 40, Buccaneers 10.

Kansas City Chiefs (0-5) @ Washington Redskins (2-3)

Chiefs coach Todd Haley replaced wide receivers coach Dedric Ward, citing that they needed to be “better across the board.” This poses a problem for a team that is in desperate need of stability, because now the receivers have to get used to a new coaching philosophy in only three days. This could make the passing game, which was already in turmoil after Matt Cassel’s injury, may become even worse (if that’s possible).

The Redskins will be the first team in NFL history to play six winless teams to start the season. However, they have not been able to capitalize on that, only going 2-3 so far. They will miss left tackle Chris Samuels this week (knee), but the Chiefs have little to no defense to capitalize on the injury. If the Redskins don’t fall apart like they did at Carolina, they should be fine.

Prediction: Redskins 20, Chiefs 0.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) @ Oakland Raiders (1-4)

Jeremy Maclin has really come into his own as a rookie wide receiver, becoming a viable weapon for quarterback Donovan McNabb and the third- best receiver on the team. This takes some of the pressure off running back Brian Westbrook (probable with an ankle injury) and gives McNabb another option that opposing teams have to defend. No matter how you slice it, it all adds up to one big headache for the Raiders this week.

The Raiders have a slight advantage coming into this game: the distraction of animal rights activists who can’t leave well enough alone. A local animal-rights group has decided to protest during the game over Michael Vick’s dog problems. This might provide a little bit of a distraction for the Eagles, but it’s not enough to help the Raiders. They have injuries across the board, highlighted by Darren McFadden’s knee injury, they can’t score (49 points scored, second worst in the league), and the team (the players that are healthy, at least) is in massive disarray. Until they get everything together, they’ll be an easy win for any opponent.

Prediction: Eagles 48, Raiders 3.

Arizona Cardinals (2-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

The Cardinals come into this game needing to deal with a lot of injuries, particularly cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (finger). This puts a big hole into a defensive secondary that is near the bottom in the pass defense. They need to seal up those holes, especially the one left by Rogers-Cromartie, if they want to win this game against a very confident Seahawks team.

As was said before, the Seahawks are very confident, as they come off a 41-0 shellacking of the Jaguars. They still need to work with injuries, particularly linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (ribs). They learned how to deal with it last week against a depleted Jacksonville team, but the Cardinals might give them a bigger fight than they had last week. It’ll be a good game, but the Cardinals, with less major injuries to worry about, should run away with this game in the later stages.

Prediction: Cardinals 17, Seahawks 3.

Tennessee Titans (0-5) @ New England Patriots (3-2)

The Titans are still a team in crisis mode after a miserable game at Indianapolis. They have the eighth-best rushing game in the NFL, but it has only produced four touchdowns. This could be bad against a smothering Patriots defense. However, with linebacker Jerod Mayo (knee), defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (ankle) and linebacker Adalius Thomas (unknown) possibly not playing this week, could this be the week the Titans break through?

The Patriots rushing attack took a big hit when they found out running back Fred Taylor (ankle) couldn’t go this week. Add that to Wes Welker’s (knee) injury and tackle Nick Kaczur’s ankle keeping him out, the offense looks pretty banged up. However, their equally banged-up defense got a big boost this week when they signed linebacker Junior Seau. This should be that last little bit that the Patriots need to keep the Titans in the ranks of the winless.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Titans 14 in overtime.

Buffalo Bills (1-4) @ New York Jets (3-2)

The Bills have looked absolutely terrible in the last couple of weeks, dropping two games they should have won in Miami and Cleveland. The fans are becoming more and more disgruntled, to the point where they even set up a billboard asking for coach Dick Jauron’s job. They must win this game if Jauron is able to keep his job for at least another week. But, with two defensive mainstays on injured reserve (Kawika Mitchell and Marcus Buggs both went down with knee injuries), how will the Bills even make it out of East Rutherford with their coaching staff intact?

The Jets haven’t fared much better, losing two big games (to New Orleans and Miami) that they should have won. They have to deal with big injuries on both sides of the ball, particularly Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) and Lito Sheppard (quadriceps). However they should have no problems with a Bills defense that is recovering slowly from injuries, and an offense that can’t seem to do anything with the ball.

Prediction: Jets 49, Bills 12.

Chicago Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta Falcons (3-1)

The Bears are (almost) completely healthy coming off their bye week. However, after three weeks of easy play, including a win versus a decimated Steelers team, they face a relatively tough part of their schedule, starting this week. The offense needs to vastly improve, as they rank seventh in points scored but 22nd in total yards. If Jay Cutler can get the team on a couple of good drives, the Bears should go into a tough game at Cincinnati very confident.

The Falcons lost a big part of their defense, as they lost safety Antoine Harris last week (knee). They also face a pretty tough schedule as well, with games against New Orleans and Dallas on the horizon. They need some confidence going into that tough stretch, and this might be just the game to do it in. If they control the game, like they have done the past couple of weeks, they should be fine.

Falcons win in a squeaker.

Prediction: Falcons 13, Bears 10 in overtime.

Denver Broncos (5-0) @ San Diego Chargers (2-2) (Monday)

The Broncos face a big divisional test this week, as they face a rejuvenated Chargers team, fresh off of a bye week. They also have to deal with the loss of safety Brian Dawkins (knee and shoulder). Dawkins hasn’t been really good in his career against the Chargers, but it is still a big hole in the Denver defense. They will need a big game out of rookie Darcel McBath if they hope to stop Philip Rivers’ imposing pass attack.

 Tight end Antonio Gates has gone on record saying that the next three weeks of the Chargers’ season (against the other three members of the AFC West) is a big stretch in their season. He is exactly right, as this stretch will dictate their whole season. However, this is not a time for panic for the 2-2 Chargers, as all of their key players are healthy and they seem ready for the long haul. However, I don’t think they have enough weapons to win this game. To paraphrase an old adage: “The Chargers cannot win on Phillip Rivers alone.”

Prediction: Broncos 30, Chargers 20.

So there you have it: Week Six in the NFL. Will we see more than one team fall from the ranks of the undefeated? Will any winless team finally break into the win column? Tune in to Week Six on a TV, cable box, or stadium near you to find out!

Week Five Record: 11-3; Over

Time to Separate the Men from the Boys: Week Five NFL Predictions

Chad Ochocinco and the 3-1 Bengals have a big test when they face the 3-1 Ravens.

 We have finally hit Week Five in the NFL, which means it is now time to separate thecontenders for the Lombardi Trophy from the pretenders. Is your team a contender or a pretender? We break out the crystal ball to find out!

Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

                This game seems to be pretty even, with both teams pulling off improbable runs to this point.

                The Bengals come into this game with a lot of confidence, with their only loss being a hard-luck one to the 4-0 Broncos in Week One and good victories over the Packers and the Steelers. Chad Ochocinco has not been as much of a distraction as people thought he would be, so he, along with Carson Palmer, should be able to lead this team to a victory this week.

                The Ravens have been great this season, however, they have a big laundry list of injuries, including tight end Todd Heap (back) and Ray Lewis (head) who is, arguably, the emotional leader of the team. If the Ravens find that both of them are inactive, this could be a long week for the Ravens, and they will have to go into a very tough part of their schedule 3-2.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Ravens 20. 

Cleveland Browns (0-4) @ Buffalo Bills (1-3)

                After trading away Braylon Edwards and losing Phil Dawson (right calf), Jamal Lewis (knee) and punter Dave Zastudil (right knee), the Browns are left with one viable option, according to the Browns: wide receiver Josh Cribbs. This does not bode well for the Browns, who are just one miserable loss away from being on the same level as the Rams. This might be the game in which that happens, unless they can somehow find a “Tom Brady” (a player who was mired in the depth chart until someone got injured and suddenly, they become a superstar).

                The Bills, after a narrow loss at New England and a victory at a deplorable Tampa Bay team, they somehow managed to get decimated at New Orleans and at Miami, who was 0-3 at the time. Birthday boy and linebacker Paul Posluszny (forearm), safety John McCargo (calf), and safety Donte Whitner (thumb) are all out for the Bills, which makes a bad situation in Buffalo even worse. The offense will really have to step up this week, and to be honest, I don’t think they will. This game is the lesser of two evils, and the Browns seem to be the lesser.

Prediction: Browns 20, Bills 10. 

Washington Redskins (2-2) @ Carolina Panthers (0-3)

                The Redskins have been playing Jekyll-and-Hyde ball: really good one week (like in St. Louis and Tampa Bay) then really bad the next week (like in New York and Detroit). Clinton Portis (calf) might not play this week, so the passing game might have to step up. Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and Malcolm Kelly might be able to fill the bill, but it might not be enough to give the Panthers their first win.

                The Panthers have been playing absolutely horribly this season, but they did have a week off last week to get healthy.  Consequently, they have no major injuries to speak of. However, they really have major deficiencies on both sides of the ball. Jake Delhomme has been bad, and the rest is worse. They really need to improve to beat anyone, but they need another week to do it.

Prediction: Redskins 10, Panthers 0.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) @ Detroit Lions (1-3)

                The Steelers are still hurting without Troy Polamalu (knee). They’ve gone 1-2 since he went down in the home opener, and the defense has been particularly down. As a result, the offense has had to step up, which has resulted in injuries to Willie Parker (toe) and center Justin Hartwig (ankle). The big question is whether they can make it the next two weeks before the bye week (what should be an easy game against Cleveland before a big game against Minnesota) without any more major injuries.

                Matthew Stafford, the player the Lions hoped would bring them back to respectability, has gone down with a knee injury and has sat out most of the week’s practices. If he returns, the Lions might have a chance against a decimated Steelers defense. This is certainly a game with teams that have been decimated by injuries. Whoever rises above their injuries will win the game, and the Steelers have learned to live without Polamalu. I don’t think the Lions have learned to live without Stafford (yet).

Prediction: Steelers 20, Lions 7.

Dallas Cowboys (2-2) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-4)

                The Cowboys look pretty good going into this game, which should be easy. As a matter of fact, injuries to Marion Barber (thigh) , Flozell Adams (shoulder) and DeMarcus Ware (neck) shouldn’t affect them too much, as they have enough depth to get them through this week. This should be a cakewalk for the Cowboys.

                The Chiefs, on the other hand, are not as lucky. Matt Cassel is panning out to be a one-season wonder after his great season with the Patriots. On top of that, one of their best receivers, Dwayne Bowe, might not play this week (hamstring). This puts a big hole in their offense, one that the very good defense of the Cowboys will be able to exploit. If the Chiefs win this game, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

Prediction: Cowboys 40, Chiefs 10.

Oakland Raiders (1-3) @ New York Giants (4-0)

                The Raiders might have a chance if Eli Manning (heel) doesn’t play after missing two straight practices. They caught the Giants at an advantageous time, as most of the main players for the Giants, including Hakeem Nicks (foot), lineman Rich Seubert (shoulder) and running back Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle and foot) are all out with injuries. However, the Raiders have looked absolutely miserable, scoring only nine points in their last two games combined. Not only that, the cloud of coach Tom Cable’s absence from the team hangs over them. Will the Raiders be able to bounce back?

                The Giants have won their last two games by a combined score of 51-16. However, those were against teams that have no chance of making the playoffs (Tampa Bay and Kansas City). After Oakland, the Giants need to get healthy quick, because they have four games against teams that have the potential to make the playoffs before their bye week. With all the problems facing the Raiders, the Giants shouldn’t have a problem, even with all their injuries.

Prediction: Giants 10, Raiders 0.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

                The Buccaneers have a laundry list of injuries that make the climb back to respectability harder, including quarterback Byron Leftwich (hip), Antonio Bryant (knee) and Cadillac Williams (knee). This makes the starting lineup look like the Second-String All-Stars. If they want to beat the Eagles this week, the second string will have to step up big-time.

                The Eagles got a big boost in their defense when Jeremiah Trotter signed a contract with them last week. They have no injuries to speak of, and to top it all off, they got Donovan McNabb back from his broken ribs. This makes the job for both sides of the ball much easier. This should be a walkover for the Eagles, as they will have no trouble with the banged-up train wreck that is the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Eagles 49, Buccaneers 3.

Minnesota Vikings (4-0) @ St. Louis Rams (0-4)

                Truly, this is a game of two teams going in separate directions.

The Vikings have won three of their last four games by seven points or less. This week should be much easier in the Edward Jones Dome. Their defense has been dominating (Jared Allen has averaged over a sack per game) and their offense has been unstoppable (the tandem of Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson keeps defenses guessing).  With their yawner of a schedule, the Vikings are a team that could be 13-3 by the end of the season.

On the other side, the Rams have only scored 24 points in four games with two shutouts (to Seattle and San Francisco) and are all but a lock to win the #1 draft pick in April. (Sure, the Titans, Browns, Chiefs, Panthers and Buccaneers are also winless, but they don’t look as bad as the Rams.) Kyle Boller was a shaky starter in Baltimore, and now that he has been thrust into the spotlight in St. Louis, confidence is not high in the Rams locker room.

Vikings win this one in a laugher, and only give up two points because of a muffed punt that somehow rolls into the end zone (I’m kidding, of course, but you have to give them something).

Prediction: Vikings 48, Rams 2.

 

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-1)

                Somehow, through four injury-filled weeks, the Falcons have somehow remained healthy, with only two players (wide receiver Harry Douglas with a torn ACL and defensive lineman Peria Jerry with a left knee injury) on injured reserve and no players in doubt for the game on Sunday.  The Falcons look to be in good shape, and if the Falcons can keep Matt Ryan healthy, they should be able to turn what is a very tough schedule into a very easy playoff spot.

Michael Crabtree finally relented and signed a six-year contract with the 49ers, which could help the offense not depend on the tandem of Frank Gore and Vernon Davis so much.

This will be the week that the 49ers will show what kind of team they can be, as to this point, they have beaten teams that have a combined 2-9 record. Fortunately, after this, they do have a bye week, so that should give them some time to get the aforementioned Frank Gore (ankle and foot injuries) healthy. If they can just get through this week without Gore, they should be able to get into the bye week with only one loss (thankfully).

Prediction: 49ers 27, Falcons 21 in overtime.

Houston Texans (2-2) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

                The Texans look pretty good going into this week, despite all the injuries they have. Matt Schaub has been respectable, but seems to be overshadowed by Peyton Manning and David Garrard. The defense looks great, but again, is over shadowed by the Colts and the Jaguars. If they play their game, they should be able to win in the Arizona heat.

                Cardinals’ coach Ken Whisenhunt believes that they can erase the mistakes of the past three weeks by playing well this week. Admittedly, this is true. They have had to play some pretty tough games, with losses to three really good teams (the Broncos, 49ers and the Colts). If they play to the level  they played the Jaguars (who were 2-1 at the time), and Kurt Warner plays as well as he has, the Cardinals should win.

                This is a pretty even game this week, but I believe the Cardinals should play to the level everybody expects and get back to .500.

Prediction: Cardinals 13, Texans 10 in overtime.

New England Patriots (3-1) @ Denver Broncos (4-0)

                The Patriots have finally hit their stride, with convincing victories against teams with the potential of making the playoffs (the Falcons and Ravens). They have some injuries that might hurt the team, with defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (ankle) and wide receiver Wes Welker (knee) questionable for the game. If they just play the way they have been playing, they should be able to pull out a victory.

                The Broncos are the Little Team that Could, winning almost improbable victories every week so far. This week, they face their first test in the Patriots. With Brandon Stokley (thigh) possibly not playing this week, the chances look incredibly slim for the Broncos to keep this Cinderella story going. The Patriots defense is just too strong, and this is their toughest game yet. However, with the great offensive tandem of Kyle Orton and Correll Buckhalter, I think the Broncos might just pull off the miracle again.

Prediction: Broncos 20, Patriots 14 in overtime.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-3)

                After two losses in which they only scored 29 points combined, the Jaguars have roared back (no pun intended) to score 68 points combined in two wins, although those teams have a combined 2-6 record. Mike Sims-Walker has emerged as a receiving threat for Jacksonville, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. This adds another threat to what has become a very powerful offense. If David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew hold up this week, they’ll be 4-2 by the bye week (they play golf-course bound St. Louis next week).

                The Seahawks are plagued by what plagues them every year: injuries. Matt Hasselbeck probably won’t play this week (ribs). Safety Jordan Babineaux (shoulder) and linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) might not play this week. With all that, they’ve had to rely on the arm of Seneca Wallace, and without their emotional leader on defense. If they can bounce back from these injuries (which seems very unlikely), Seattle should be able to get into the bye week and get Hasselbeck healthy. Until then, it’s a long, bumpy road.

Indianapolis Colts (4-0) @ Tennessee Titans (0-4)

                The Colts have outscored their opponents a little bit over 2-to-1 over the past two games. While the offense has been clicking, the defense has hit a slight bump in the road. Defensive lineman Dwight Freeney (quadriceps) and linebacker Gary Brackett (knee) might miss the game, which might leave a big hole for the Titan running game to go through. Fortunately, their bye week comes next week, so that leaves those injured Colts to get healthy.

                The Titans have not made a first down in the first quarter in their last two games, and go three-and out a third of their total possessions, even though they have the second-most possessions in the league.  They may be without two big cogs on their offense and defense as well, as cornerback Cortland Finnegan (hamstring) and running back LenDale White (illness) might not be available for the game.  This leaves a big hole in the Titan defense and leaves Chris Johnson to shoulder the load in the running game.

Can this team get out of the Winless Club? With Indianapolis this week and New England looming next week, it doesn’t look likely.

Prediction: Colts 30, Titans 10.

New York Jets (3-1) @ Miami Dolphins (1-3) (Monday)

                Braylon Edwards was traded from the Browns to the Jets on Wednesday, which adds another weapon to a receiving corps that already has Jerricho Cotchery. However, they did lose Lito Sheppard (quadriceps), which does make the Jets defense that much weaker. The good news is that they have a couple of easy games coming up (1-3 teams Buffalo and Oakland before playing Miami again), so they might not need him that much.

                Joey Porter is back for the Dolphins after missing last week with a sore hamstring. This gives them more danger in an already dangerous defense.

                Chad Henne looked great as Chad Pennington’s replacement last week against Buffalo. However, this week will be a test of his maturity, as he faces a pretty talented team in the 3-1 Jets. How he keeps his cool under pressure will be the X-factor this week. Personally, after taking on such pressure situations as Ohio State, I think Henne will do just fine, as will the rest of theDolphins.

Prediction: Dolphins 20, Jets 10.

There you have it: Week Five in the NFL. Who will be sitting pretty at the end of this week? Who will be scrambling to get healthy for a tough run? You’ll just have to watch to find out!

Former HS Football Player on Blowouts: What’s the Big Deal?

Rathen Ricedorff threw for a national record nine TD's, but his coach came under fire for supposedly running up the score.

              A Florida high school defeats another 83-0.

               An Arizona quarterback throws for nine touchdowns in a 67-0 blowout victory where even the second and third strings played most of the second half.

               A coach in Connecticut could possibly be suspended for winning 56-0.

               What do they all have in common?

                They are all being accused of being unsportsmanlike.

                I’m sorry if I sound old-fashioned, but this is absolutely ridiculous, and this is coming from a former player that’s been on both sides of a blowout.

                Let me start with the winning sides first.

                In all three cases, backup players were used, even dipping into the third and fourth strings. These are players that wouldn’t play unless this very circumstance happened, and yet they kept on scoring.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but that sounds like a coach trying to alleviate the embarrassment, rather than ratchet it up. If they had kept their first string on the field, save that Arizona quarterback, then I might be inclined to agree with you.  But, as the winning coach in the 83-0 victory pointed out, if you pull your starters too early, they might not be ready for next week’s game. If the next game is against a tougher team than your opponent, then you might want to play them a bit more than the spectators care to.

               Second, in all three cases, the coaches defended themselves by saying that no matter what string players are on, they were all instructed to play hard and play to the whistle. Unfortunately, that’s put one coach (the Connecticut coach) in hot water. According to the rules of the Connecticut governing board, no matter what the score is, no matter what you try to do to keep the score down, you can’t win by more than 50 points.

               One problem: what happens if you can’t control your scoring? In all three cases, turnovers, blocked punts, and a myriad of other things made it so they had almost no choice but to score. In fact according to Chaminade-Madonna (FL) coach Tim Tyrrell, he of the 83-0 dismantling:

“We did not go into the game looking to score that many points, and a lot of them came in bunches and off big plays. We only had one real drive; the rest came on short fields.”

            Does that sound like a coach who is trying to run up the score on a team that probably had no chance in the first place? I think not.

            Now, let’s focus on the losing team. Obviously, everybody is embarrassed that they just lost 56-0, 83-0, or whatever. All that can really be said here: welcome to real life. People are going to try to decimate you in every aspect of your life, but the real measure of your character is how you bounce back from that blowout. Most times, you come back madder than ever, and woe betide the team that has to play you after that blowout.

            Another thing that people seem to forget is this: these are high school kids, most of them aged somewhere between 15 and 18 years old. I’m sure that by the time the score got out of hand, most of them were thinking about what was for dinner when they got home, what they’re going to do after the game, and so on. In short, while they may care at the moment, after they pull off their pads and get on the bus or get in the car to go home, they’re going to forget about it and get on with their lives.

            Some people said that they were embarrassed from their team winning by that much. There’s a really good question to ask some of these people: Do you honestly think that they were trying to score 56, 83, 90, or 67 points? The answer is an obvious one: absolutely not. Most times, it just turns out that way. Such is the unpredictability of sports, as in life: One week, you might win 10-7, the next week, you can’t stop scoring.

            Unsportsmanlike conduct? I don’t think so.

           Sure, the score may be lopsided, but the accusations of unsportsmanlike play by these teams are absolutely ludicrous. The coaches can’t do anything about how high the score gets, except for giving bench warmers playing time and doing everything within the rules to keep the score down to a manageable level. They’re not trying to be unsportsmanlike, they’re trying to save a lot of embarrassment, just like these people’s parents claim their kids are feeling. Unfortunately, it just isn’t working out that

           So, before you blame the coach or the team for blowing out some hapless team, just remember: they’re mostly all high-school kids. There’s going to be a time soon where you can’t protect their feelings anymore, and there’s no better time than the present. Sometimes there’s going to be times where the score just gets out of hand, and there’s only one thing you can say in that situation:

           “Kid, welcome to real life. It’s going to knock you down and run all over you, just like it did tonight. But, as Rocky Balboa once said, ‘It isn’t how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you can get knocked down and keep moving forward.’”

           NOTE: Before you start with all the comments saying I’m heartless and I’m a bad sport, you should know that I’ve been on both sides of blowouts when I played high school football. I know exactly how it is to be in a blowout, and what I’ve mentioned here is what everyone should remember before you call me heartless or an advocate of bad sportsmanship.

Time to Press the Panic Button (?): Week Three NFL Predictions

Brett Favre leads the undefeated Vikings against the undefeated 49ers.

For nine teams, this is already make-or-break week. Since 1990, only three teams (the ’92 Chargers, the ’95 Lions, and the ’98 Bills) have started 0-3 and made the playoffs. Who will make it and get that first win this week? Who will be broken and have a very tough road to the playoffs? We break out the crystal ball once again for our Week Three predictions!

Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

                The Eagles proved last week that they can win, with or without Donovan McNabb. However, this will be the big test for Michael Vick this week, and everyone will be wondering if he’s shaken off all the rust.  However, there is a laundry list of injuries for the Eagles to get over, including McNabb.

The Chiefs might have just gotten lucky by getting this game this early in the season, as they might very well get Matt Cassel back this week (questionable with an ankle injury). With the Eagles’ miserable showing against the Saints last week, this may be the week the Chiefs need to turn their season around.

Prediction: Chiefs 30, Eagles 20.

Washington Redskins (1-1)  vs. Detroit Lions (0-2)

                Every week, I hold out hope that the Lions will finally get that elusive first win, and now, that week looks like it’s finally here. The Lions seem to finally be hitting their stride, while the Redskins struggle to beat the Rams last week.

                Even Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth isn’t looking past the Lions, saying that they’re better than the Rams this year. If the Lions rush defense can stop Clinton Portis like they did Adrian Peterson last week (holding him to only 91 yards after running for almost double that in Week One), they’ll stop that losing streak at 19, and the way Washington has been playing the past couple weeks, that looks very likely.

Prediction: Lions 20, Redskins 6.

Green Bay Packers (1-1) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-2)

                The Rams have only scored seven points in two games, while their opponents have scored 37. They’ve lost their last 12 games, and are 5-29 since 2007. They struggled against Washington, which was a game that they should have won, but managed to lose. That certainly doesn’t have the ring of a team who has the skill to make the playoffs. This is a team in extreme disarray, and they look intent on matching the Lions’ record of 0-16 set last year.

                While the Packers certainly don’t look like they can challenge Minnesota for the division title just yet, they should easily win this game. Even if their defense is slightly banged up (CB Atari Bigby is out with a knee injury and DT B.J. Raji is questionable with an ankle injury), there is absolutely no way the Packers should lose this game.

Prediction: Packers 37, Rams 10.

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

                This is the matchup everybody’s been waiting for this week: San Francisco’s Frank Gore, who broke off two huge touchdown runs last week against the Seahawks, against Adrian Peterson, who has seven more rushing yards than Brett Favre has passing yards (272-265).

                I like the Vikings this week, because what it’s really going to boil down to in this game is defense. The Vikings have the better defense, with Jared Allen and Antoine Winfield being the core  of that dominating defense, who have only allowed 23 points in two games. They should be able to hold Frank Gore, allowing Adrian Peterson to win the battle of the running backs.

Prediction: Vikings 20, 49ers 17 in overtime.

Tennessee Titans (0-2) vs. New York Jets (2-0)

                The current Titans have suffered two hard-luck losses over the past two weeks, but they need to get back on track if they hope to avoid an 0-3 start. However, to do that, they’ll need to fix the holes in their porous defense, which, if not fixed, could be exploited by a Jets defense that held an explosive Patriots offense to only nine points.

                The former Titans (aka the Jets) have seen a great amount of growth in quarterback Mark Sanchez. The bug question is whether or not he will be able to maintain his composure with the defensive duo of Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch. With the composure he’s shown in two games so far, I expect he will show the same composure and pick apart the current Titans’ defense in this clash of the Titans.

Prediction: NY Titans 23, Tennessee Titans 17.

Atlanta Falcons (2-0) vs. New England Patriots (1-1)

                The Patriots meet up with another young quarterback in the Falcons’ Matt Ryan. Will this be a repeat of last week for New England? The answer to that question is a very emphatic “no.”  The Falcons simply do not have the weapons to run with the Patriots, and it will show this week.

                The Falcons are disadvantaged on the other side of the ball as well, as the Patriots have a lot of weapons on offense, all led by Tom Brady. It is not a very hard thing to say that New England will get back on track and make Ryan’s homecoming in Boston a very rough one.

Prediction: Patriots 17, Falcons 9.

 Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) vs. Houston Texans (1-1)

                The Texans will be without one of their biggest men on the offensive line. Chester Pitts, who started every game for Houston until now, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery. Second-year starter Kasey Studdard will start in his place, and the Jaguars will try to take full advantage of the fact that this will be Studdard’s first start.

                However, the Jaguars are a team in disarray. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has only rushed for 163 yards in two games. They need to reestablish their running game if they are going to get back on track this season. Without a very good offensive line, and nothing behind Drew at the running back position, this could be a very long game for the Jaguars.

Prediction: Texans 30, Jaguars 7.

New York Giants (2-0) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

                The Giants have been dominating the past couple of weeks, taking out the Redskins and Cowboys in very close games.  The offense has been clicking under the leadership of Eli Manning, and the defense has been dominant under the leadership of Osi Umenyiora.

                On the other side of the scoreboard, the Buccaneers are an absolute mess, losing both their games in humiliating fashion. It’s looking more and more dire by the week, and it’s not looking any better, as they have to go up against a Giants defense who looks in mid-season form. This one will turn very bad, very quickly.

Prediction: Giants 43, Buccaneers 10.

Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

                This game is a tale of two teams going in completely different directions.

The Browns looked absolutely miserable in two losses, with the team not racking up even one interception in those games. In the same vein, Jamal Lewis is their leading rusher…with only 95 yards. They’ve only scored 26 points as well, with 20 of those coming in a loss to Minnesota. Add on all the injuries, and the Browns could challenge the Rams for the worst record in the NFL.

                On the other hand, the Ravens are undefeated, and have looked very dominating in the process. They have scored 69 points in two games, second in the NFL only to the Saints’ 93. Their dominating defense shut down Phillip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson and the Chargers last week. The question this week for the Ravens is not if they will win, but by how much.

Prediction: Ravens 59, Browns 0.

 Chicago Bears (1-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

                More than half of the Bears’ 32 points scored this season came in last week’s win against Pittsburgh. They still don’t look like they’ve found a viable replacement for Brian Urlacher (wrist), and that doesn’t bode well for the Bears’ defense. Fortunately, they’re going up against…

                …the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated a horrible Rams team in Week One, but were embarrassed by the 49ers last week. This is another team that doesn’t have an interception yet, but it gets worse. Not only is Lofa Tatupu, one of their defensive stars, questionable for the game (hamstring), but T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch are also banged up (back spasms and hamstring, respectively). This looks like the beginning of another long day for the Seahawks.

Prediction: Bears 23, Seahawks 6.

New Orleans Saints (2-0) vs. Buffalo Bills (1-1)

                The Saints have looked absolutely overwhelming in their first two games, scoring 46 points per game to this point. In that stretch, Drew Brees has thrown for 669 yards, the defense has racked up six interceptions, and both kickoff returners have combined for over 200 yards returning. New Orleans looks like a well-rounded team, and it seems only a Mack truck can stop them now.

                The Bills scored almost 60% of their 57 points in their win against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, they did look tough against the Patriots, seeing victory slip through their fingers. With quite a few defensive players possibly sitting out this week, it will look like the Bills need the same Hand of God that helped Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup to bat down a couple of Drew Brees’ passes.

Prediction: Saints 42, Bills 20.

Miami Dolphins (0-2) vs. San Diego Chargers (1-1)

                Over 75% of the Dolphins’ points were scored in Monday night’s game against the Colts. They did look pretty good against the Colts, controlling every aspect of the game…except the final score. Like the Seahawks and Browns, the Dolphins have not intercepted a pass yet this season either. However, unlike the Browns and Seahawks, the Dolphins actually have a pretty solid defense.  If they keep spreading the ball around, the Wildcat should roar in San Diego on Sunday.

                On the other side, San Diego has split two close games, winning in Oakland and losing in the last minute to Baltimore. With LaDanian Tomlinson not playing this week (ankle), and 10 other players nursing some sort of injury, it does look very tough for the Chargers against a tough Dolphins defense. All of the onus falls on Darren Sproles, and to ask him to carry the team is a very tall order that I honestly don’t think he can fulfill.

Prediction: Dolphins 21, Chargers 7.

 Denver Broncos (2-0) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-1)

                Neither team seems to have any injuries that will hurt their chances this week. The silver lining for the hapless Raiders is that they have shown improvement, and it was evident against the really bad Chiefs. The defense has been especially good, racking up five sacks and three interceptions in two games. The only weakness that’s evident is in the passing game. JaMarcus Russell has only completed over 35% of his passes, and has only thrown one touchdown against two interceptions.

                After getting extremely lucky in Cincinnati, the Broncos destroyed the Browns in Cleveland. Their defense, led by Elvis Dumervil (four sacks in two games), has been smothering, and that could make for a long day for Russell.

Kyle Orton has adjusted well to the move from Chicago, completing over half his passes for a little over 500 yards. With the leadership of Orton and the dominance of the defense, the Raiders could be in for a long day.

Prediction: Broncos 21, Raiders 9.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

                The Steelers are a little dinged up coming into this game. Troy Polamalu is still out for another couple of weeks (knee). Meanwhile, Limas Sweed, one of the big options at wide receiver, is out as well (foot). This might destroy other teams, but not the Steelers. They still have a few options at receiver in Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward, and they still have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.

                The Bengals got back on track after that bad bounce in Denver by defeating the Packers in another close game. Their defense has looked extremely good, with nine sacks in only two games. However, they face a very smart quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. With all of the weapons the Steelers still have, even without Polamalu, it’ll be hard for the Bengals to squeak by with a win this week.

Prediction: Steelers 20, Bengals 3.

Indianapolis Colts (2-0) vs. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

                The Colts barely got out of Miami with a win on Monday night, and they have to quickly turn around and prepare for the Cardinals. Peyton Manning has looked great so far, completing almost 70% of his passes for slightly over 600 yards. The only problem seems to be in the rushing game, which has only totaled 132 yards. They could have another rough game like Monday night if they have a tough time rushing.

                Kurt Warner set the completion percentage record in a Cardinals win against the Jaguars. The only glaring problem for them is Beanie Wells’ fumbling problems (two forced fumbles last week). The defense has looked really good so far, racking up 8 sacks. If Wells learns to hold on to the football, it might be just enough for a Cardinals victory this week.

                Overall, this looks to be a pretty evenly-matched game. It will all boil down to whose rushing attack breaks out this week. With two very good running backs splitting time in Arizona, it looks like the Cardinals have the edge, and that will be the difference-maker.

Prediction: Cardinals 16, Colts 10 in overtime.

 

Carolina Panthers (0-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) (Monday)

                When this game was scheduled, everybody expected the game to be the marquee matchup of Week Three. Instead, we are treated to two teams who have a combined two sacks (Carolina has both).

                Jake Delhomme has looked absolutely awful in the past two weeks, throwing one touchdown and five interceptions. On top of that, the Panthers’ defense has lost quite a few of their starters, which could make it easier for Tony Romo and Company to romp all over the Cowboys Stadium field. It’s certainly not looking good for Carolina.

                Dallas, on the other hand, played in a high-scoring game against the Giants, only to see victory slip through their fingers. The Cowboys have a very balanced offense, and that might be a problem for a depleted Panthers’ offense. The defense is also good, even though they have no sacks or interceptions so far this season. That will most likely change this week, as the Cowboys will put the Panthers into panic mode.

Prediction: Cowboys 26, Panthers 3.

Week 2 Record 12-4

Overall Total:  21-11

So there you have it: Week Three in the NFL. Who will go 0-3 and have to push the panic button? Who will get that first win and can breathe (slightly) easier? Those questions and more will be answered in the games of Week Three! Tune in and find out what happens!

Time to Work the Kinks Out: Week 2 NFL Predictions

If Donovan McNabb can't go this week against the Saints, either Jeff Garcia (L) or Kevin Kolb (R) will start.

It’s Week 2 in the NFL, which means that teams now have had time to work out all of their problems. Who will finish the week confident in their teams? Who will be in full panic mode in Week 3? McMullen’s Musings pulls out the crystal ball once again to predict the second week in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers (0-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

The Panthers are now in full panic mode, as quarterback Jake Delhomme has not been at his best and might possibly be on his way out. Suddenly, the Panthers that everybody predicted would be a very good team this year is on their way to a 0-2 start to their season.

The Falcons looked very good against Miami, especially their defense. John Abraham looked especially dominating, racking up two sacks. If they look as good against the Panthers as they did against the Dolphins, they should have no problem putting Carolina in panic mode.

Prediction: Falcons 23, Panthers 3.

New Orleans Saints (1-0) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

The key to this game is whether or not Donovan McNabb (ribs) will play. If he doesn’t, Jeff Garcia will start, but at 39, he is extremely worrisome. After those two is Kevin Kolb, who still hasn’t really proved himself yet.

With all this turmoil at quarterback, the Saints defense could be very dominant this week, especially with two of their biggest defensive threats almost assured of not receiving a suspension. Also, if Drew Brees has another career day like he did last week, expect a big win for the Saints.

Prediction: Saints 27, Eagles 0.

New England Patriots (1-0) vs. New York Jets (1-0)

The Patriots had a tough time with the Bills last week, needing a fourth-quarter comeback to put the game away. Could this mean there are some cracks in the once-impenetrable armor? If there are, Jets coach Rex Ryan is just the man to exploit those cracks.

The Jets’ offense didn’t look exactly great against the Texans, but rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez should be able to shake off those first-game jitters and navigate the Jets to a very big victory in the AFC East.

Prediction: Jets 30, Patriots 24 in overtime.

Oakland Raiders (0-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

 The big question for the Chiefs is if they will get Matt Cassel (knee) back for this big AFC West game. If he can’t, Brodie Croyle is the next option, and he could prove to be a threat against a pretty good Raiders defense. If not, Larry Johnson might carry the load, and that doesn’t bode well if the Chiefs want to win this game.

Richard Seymour finally made it to Oakland, and he should be able to boost the defense to another level. He could be the difference maker in this game, and propel the Raiders to a victory.

Prediction: Raiders 20, Chiefs 14 in overtime.

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

The Jaguars lost a really big part of their defense last week, as defensive end Reggie Hayward was lost for the season (broken leg). The Cardinals were bitten by the injury bug as well, with two of their wide receivers hit with injuries.

The X-factor for both these teams will be how they bounce back from these injuries. In that case, the Cardinals have the edge, simply because they have more depth. They still have a good receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and a solid running game in Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells, so the Cardinals should be able to win this one easily.

Prediction: Cardinals 30, Jaguars 20.

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

The Bengals were victims of hard luck last week, after a deflected pass against the Broncos resulted in the game-winning touchdown. The Packers had an easy time with the Bears last week, and this week proves to be no different.

 Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco said that he will perform a Lambeau Leap this Sunday. With the way the Packers defense is running, I expect that he’ll be eating those words. I expect that this will be a close game, but it’ll be the Packers defense that makes the difference against a struggling Bengals offense.

Prediction: Packers 17, Bengals 13.

St. Louis Rams (0-1) vs. Washington Redskins (0-1)

 This looks to be a pretty even game. The Redskins are all virtually healthy, and so are the Rams, with the exception of Marc Bulger (finger), but he could still start.

The big X factor in this game will be how both these teams bounce back from divisional losses in their opener. Whoever bounces back quickest will win this game, and I believe it will be the Redskins. The Rams simply do not have the depth to hang with the Redskins for four quarters.

Prediction: Redskins 20, Rams 3.

Minnesota Vikings (1-0) vs. Detroit Lions (0-1)

After a career day last week against the Browns, running back Adrian Peterson might have another one against the hapless Lions. Even if the Lions key on Peterson, quarterback Brett Favre still has viable options in Bernard Berrian, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Sidney Rice.

With all those things for the defense to deal with, and a monster in Jared Allen for the offense to deal with, this could be a long day for the Lions. Detroit fans will have to wait at least one more week for the Lions’ first win.

Prediction: Vikings 28, Lions 7.

Houston Texans (0-1) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-1)

The Texans have a whole arsenal of Titan weapons to deal with this week. The X factor this week is how Houston will handle all of these weapons and how they can hang with the Titans this week.

One bright spot for the Texans is the fact that they might not have to deal with tight end Jared Cook (questionable with an ankle injury). However, they still have to deal with the twin threat of LenDale White and Chris Johnson on offense and the twin defensive threat of Kearse and Vanden Bosch. For all those reasons, the Texans will head to Jacksonville 0-2.

Prediction: Titans 35, Texans 20.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) vs. Buffalo Bills (0-1)

One of the Buccaneers’ best receivers, Antonio Bryant, missed practice and might miss this game on Sunday. That would hurt the Bucs a lot more if Drayton Florence, a big wheel in the Bills’ secondary, wasn’t out as well.

However, with the loss of Bryant, the Bucs have only two viable options in the passing game: Kellen Winslow and Michael Clayton. This might put a lot of pressure on Cadillac Williams and the running game, and the Bills could take advantage of that, especially an angry Leodis McKelvin.

Prediction: Bills 30, Buccaneers 17.

Seattle Seahawks (1-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

Seattle had an easy time last week with a still-weak Rams team. However, they face a tougher test against the 49ers this week. They could also face it without their two star receivers, two offensive linemen, and their star on defense, who are all out with injuries.

The 49ers are almost completely healthy (linebacker Ahmad Brooks sat out of practice with a knee injury), but if either TJ Houshmandzadeh (back) or Deion Branch (hamstring) doesn’t play, the 49ers will eat the Seahawks for dinner.

Prediction: 49ers 28, Seahawks 17.

Baltimore Ravens (1-0) vs. San Diego Chargers (1-0)

LaDanian Tomlinson, center Nick Hardwick (sprained ankles), and right guard Louis Vasquez (sprained knee) missed most of the practices this week, possibly weakening the Chargers for their home opener against an extremely tough Ravens defense.

The biggest question is whether or not Darren Sproles and Michael Bennett will be able to carry the Chargers running game. Unfortunately, if I’m quarterback Philip Rivers, I’d be ready for a big passing day against the wall that is the Ravens defense. The results won’t be pretty.

Prediction: Ravens 30, Chargers 10.

Cleveland Browns (0-1) vs. Denver Broncos (1-0)

The two teams who orchestrated “The Drive” over 20 years ago come back together in Week Two. However, these are two teams on a massive decline. The Broncos won their game last week on sheer luck, while the Browns got hammered by the Vikings.

However, there is a ray of hope for the Browns. Running back Knowshon Moreno is questionable for the game (ankle). This hurts the Broncos’ running game slightly, because Correll Buckhalter has to shoulder a little bit more of the rushing load. I give the edge to the Browns, because they have a few more options in their offense, and the Broncos are a house in desperate need of repair.

Prediction: Browns 10, Broncos 7 in overtime.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) vs. Chicago Bears (0-1)

The Bears lost the biggest part of their defense last week, when Brian Urlacher was put on injured reserve (dislocated wrist). The Steelers will take full advantage of his replacement, Hunter Hillenmayer, with their vaunted two-pronged rushing attack of Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.

The Steelers have way too many weapons on both offense and defense, and will overwhelm the Bears. It looks like it’s going to be back to the drawing board for Lovie Smith and the Bears.

Prediction: Steelers 30, Bears 7.

New York Giants (1-0) vs. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

This is one of the biggest games of the week, as the Cowboys open up their new stadium against one of their biggest rivals. Unfortunately, Dallas has no time to celebrate as they have to go up against one of the most dominating defenses in the NFL.

The Giants defense looked great last week against the Redskins, and they show no signs of stopping now. They should be able to shut down Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense and ruin opening day at Cowboys Stadium.

Prediction: Giants 20, Cowboys 0.

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-1) (Monday)

 The Colts may have lost one of their best receivers in Anthony Gonzalez (out 2-8 weeks with sprained knee ligaments), but they may have gotten a replacement that is just as good. The Colts signed former Eagle Hank Baskett, who is taller than any other Colts receiver (6’4”).

It does give Indianapolis another viable option at receiver, but they’re going up against a very tough Dolphins defense. You can’t discount Peyton Manning’s coolness in the clutch, but it may not be enough this week.

Prediction: Dolphins 17, Colts 10.

Week 1 and Overall Record: 9-7

There you have it: my predictions for Week Two. Who will go into Week Three confident, and who will be fighting to avoid an 0-3 start? Tune in to Week Two  to find out!

Welcome to a New Season: Week One NFL Predictions

Peyton Manning begins the road to Miami against Jacksonville.

After seven long months of waiting and building fantasy leagues, the 2009 NFL season is finally upon us. Which teams will start off this season on a high note? Who will show that they have a lot of work to do? McMullen’s Musings dusts off the crystal ball to give their predictions for Week One of the NFL season.

Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Thursday)

                This is a very good game between two of the best teams that the NFL had to offer last season. It’s a shame someone has to lose this great Week One battle. Nonetheless, the Steelers have the smothering defense needed to neutralize the Titans’ running attack, which should be enough to stop them.

Prediction:Steelers 28, Titans 20.

New York Jets vs. Houston Texans

                Another good game, only this time between two of the most promising teams in the NFL. This will be an early test for rookie Mark Sanchez, and I do think he’ll live up to the challenge, at least this week. He leads the Jets on his first fourth-quarter comeback and narrowly escapes Houston with a win.

Prediction: Jets 23, Texans 20.

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

                In an earlier entry, I said that this game was one to avoid, but that was before Brett Favre decided to come back to the game. Don’t get me wrong; this is still going to be a pretty bad game. However, with Favre at the helm, the Browns have absolutely no chance of winning this one.

Prediction: Vikings 38, Browns 3.

Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals

                This is another game that you definitely should skip, unless you are a diehard Broncos or Bengals fan. I give the edge to the Bengals, only because they have less of a problem at their core positions. I bet the Denver ownership are kicking themselves right now for giving Mike Shanahan the boot.

Prediction:Bengals 3, Broncos 0 in overtime.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers

                Philadelphia fans will be waiting with baited breath to see the debut of Michael Vick, whether in a backup or starter position. Either way, they will be treated to a very good game between two of the marquee teams in the NFC. There have been rumors that Andy Reid will split starting time between the two of them, but if he does that, it could blow up in his face.

Prediction:Eagles 20, Panthers 17.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                The Buccaneers are still rebuilding, but if they gel soon enough, they should be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC South. However, it will take a little time, since they fired their offensive coordinator. The Cowboys are more stable with their roster, and should have an easy time with Tampa Bay this week.

Prediction: Cowboys 28, Buccaneers 10.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens

                This should be a pretty good matchup, as the Chiefs improved vastly during the offseason. It will depend on if Matt Cassel has recovered from his MCL injury, but that doesn’t look likely. The Chiefs will have to rely on Brodie Croyle for this game, and that might not be the best idea against an aging, but still very potent, Baltimore defense.

Prediction: Ravens 16, Chiefs 7.

Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints

                The Lions have looked pretty good in the preseason, and they actually look like they could snap their 17-game losing streak dating back to the 2007 season. They have a tough test in the Saints, who bring a powerful offense to the table. This should actually be a very good game with the Lions walking away with their first regular season victory in two years.

Prediction: Lions 23, Saints 20 in overtime.

Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons

                This will be a game that features two teams that are on their way up. The Falcons offense is great, but their defense is still a little shaky, and that will be the dealbreaker if they cannot figure out how to control the Wildcat offense.  The Dolphins are pretty good on both sides of the ball, and that should be enough to slow down Matt Ryan and the rising star of the Falcons (at least for one week).

Prediction: Dolphins 30, Falcons 17.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

                This game, along with Thursday’s game, should establish who has early control of the AFC South. Of course, you can’t discount Peyton Manning’s presence in the game, but the Jaguars have slowly been building up their defense. It will all come down to the running game, with Maurice Jones-Drew slightly edging out Joseph Addai, and that will be the difference in this game.

Prediction: Jaguars 20, Colts 10.

St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks

                The Seahawks vastly improved their receiving corps, picking up T.J. Houshmandzadeh from the Bengals. However, the Rams did a great job building up their defense, picking up middle linebacker James Laurinaitis from Ohio State. This will be a pretty even matchup, coming right down to the wire.

Prediction:Rams 24, Seahawks 21 in overtime.

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

                This game will be one of the best of the first week, because both teams improved significantly over the offseason. The deciding factor will be the running game, and I think the double threat of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will be just a little too much for the Redskins’ potent defense. This should be a dogfight right down to the wire in the Meadowlands.

Prediction: Giants 16, Redskins 10 in overtime.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals

                The 49ers could be one of the big surprises out of the NFC West, and they face a stiff test when they face last year’s surprise in the NFC champion Cardinals. The Cardinals shored up their running game when they drafted Beanie Wells. However, I do like the San Francisco defense this year, as they picked up Dre’ Bly from Denver. He should make a significant impact off the bench for the 49ers, but I think they still need a little more to make it to the next level.

Prediction: Cardinals 20, 49ers 7.

Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers

                The Packers have great backs and receivers, but for them to be effective, you need a solid offensive line, which the Bears have.  The acquisition of Orlando Pace in the offseason should give new quarterback Jay Cutler enough time to make a big splash in the NFC. It’ll all boil down to defense, and I think the Bears have enough to keep the Packers out of the end zone when it counts.

Prediction: Bears 23, Packers 10.

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots (Monday)

                This is, by far, the most interesting game of the week, as Terrell Owens makes his AFC debut against one of the most stifling defenses in the NFL. Having said that, it is still Week One, so I do expect Owens to make a big splash in his debut, but not enough to neutralize the weapons of the Patriots.  Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots offense shouldn’t exactly run over the Bills defense, but at least have a good day against them.

Prediction: Patriots 28, Bills 17.

San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders (Monday)

                The possible loss of Shawne Merriman hurts the Chargers, while the Raiders improved their defense at the same time by getting Richard Seymour from the Patriots. However, for both teams, one player does not make a team. The Chargers are better on both sides of the ball, even without Merriman. This is one game that you’d expect to be on a Sunday afternoon instead of a Monday night, and it’ll certainly show when these two teams meet.

Prediction: Chargers 40, Raiders 0.

So there it is: the first week of the NFL season. Even though it’s the first week, it’s the first step on the road to the Super Bowl in Miami in February. Who will emerge as Super Bowl champions? Will your team become a contender or a pretender?

You’ll just have to watch to find out!

The Punch that Might Have Ended A Career: Blount’s Frustration Mars Good Game Against Boise State

With one punch, LeGarrette Blount may have ended his Oregon career.

The game between the Oregon Ducks and the Boise State Broncos was touted as one of the best games in the first week of the college football season. The players enjoyed a pregame handshake to start the game, promoting sportsmanship and goodwill between the two schools.

Then, without warning, it all went right out the window for Ducks tailback LeGarrette Blount:

I’m not exactly sure what the Boise State player said to him, but there was absolutely no excuse for what Blount did. It certainly looks like the Boise State player did taunt  him a little bit, but that doesn’t equal a punch to the face.

As you saw in the video, even after the incident, Blount had to be carried off the field by a gorup of security and police officers. I can understand that, in the heat of the game, you might get into a shoving match with another player, but this was after the game. Boise State had already won the game; there was nothing else that Oregon could have done to change the score. There was absolutely no reason to do anything except go to the locker room and get ready to go back to Eugene.

In high school sports, you are taught the importance of good sportsmanship, whether you are a player, coach, or a person working on the field. Somehow, that lesson goes away when you hit college and the pros. Suddenly, all the lessons anyone taught you about being a good sport and respecting your opponent don’t even matter anymore.

I’m not saying that all the blame rests on Blount. A little bit of the blame rests on Boise State defenseive end Byron Hout for baiting Blount into punching him. However, that does not excuse him from going off and knocking out a player.

When you play any sport for any school (be it high school, college, etc.), you are representing your school, and you are expected to, through your actions, be a good representative of your school. Obviously,Blount forgot that not once, but twice, as he has been suspended before for his behavior.

In short, LeGarrette Blount embarrassed the Oregon football program with his antics. If I were his head coach, I would make sure that he doesn’t see a football field without a ticket for a long time. I know this is his senior season, but he should have thought about that before raising his fist in anger and bad sportsmanship.

Hopefully, this is one Duck that doesn’t fly for a long time, if ever again.

UPDATE (September 4): Oregon has suspended Blount for the season for his actions, and Blount has since apologized for the hit on Byron Hout. Head Coach Chip Kelly has said the Blount will remain on scholarship, however, the school is investigating the incident to see if any other action will be taken.

UPDATE: (September 14): Unfortunately, due to a claim from ESPN, the YouTube video of the brawl was taken down.

Leave Michael Alone! Vick Can’t Run From the Protesters

No matter how fast he runs, Michael Vick can't outrun his protesters.

Even though Michael Vick has apologized profusely for participating in a dogfighting ring and has promised he will devote his time to helping animals, there are some people that still believe he’s a heartless maniac.

Before the Eagles’ preseason game against the Jaguars on Thursday, there were still handfuls of protesters outside Lincoln Financial Field. However, there were some supporters of Vick all around the stadium, including the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP. Some were holding up signs that said “Murderers are not role models,” while some supporters wore shirts that said “Forgive Vick/Go Eagles.” Still others held on to the notion that 18 months in jail was not long enough and that he shouldn’t be allowed to play football anymore.

In my opinion, I believe this public flogging of Vick has gone on long enough.

He has shown amazing amounts of remorse after his jail sentence. He’s paid his debt to society, and while his crime was great, there’s no need to make him revisit it every single time he steps on the field. That just puts more pressure on him that he doesn’t need. The work of a quarterback isn’t easy, and I can’t imagine its any better with protesters who don’t think you should be there breathing down your neck.

Some of the protesters believe that Vick is not a good role model, including Philadelphia native Mary Donato, whose daughter is a vet technician:

“What kind of role model is he for the children? They [the Eagles] made a very big mistake.”

I hate to burst that bubble, but if he isn’t a good role model for your children, find another one! There are thousands upon thousands of players in the NFL who make good role models; even if Vick isn’t a good role model for your children, I’m sure you can find another one, even if it isn’t a football player.

It really isn’t fair to drag anyone’s name through the mud for one crime, no matter how low or depraved. I’m an animal lover myself, but I do believe Vick has paid his debt to society, and I’m excited to watch him try to resurrect his career with the Eagles. I’m fed up with hearing about another protest trying to shove Vick back in jail; I’d much rather hear about how he’s trying to make good on his promise to help animals.

If everybody thought like that instead of trying to focus on all the bad things he did, then this Eagle might finally fly.

Persistence Pays Off: McMullen’s Musings Reaches 1,000 Hits!

Thanks to all my readers!

We’ve finally hit a milestone here at McMullen’s Musings:

After five months and six days, we have finally reached one thousand hits!

We’ve shed light on almost 50 things that big time sports stories overlook:

From Jay Cutler’s eventual departure from Denver…

…to the Richland College (TX) Thunderducks shocking the junior college basketball world…

…to Bad Newz Construction, the company we suggested Michael Vick start…

…to the present day, where a stopwatch changed the course of a tournament.

While I write all of the articles by myself, without the people that follow, this blog would still be an idea in the back of my head. Therefore, I extend special thanks to the following people:

-My girlfriend, Lindsay. Have you ever heard the expression, “the devil is in the details?” Well, this may sound mushy, but I have an angel in my details, and she is it. She has inspired me to continue my writing, from this blog to fiction writing and beyond.

-Brenden Monroe and Matthew Falkenbury, editors of Smoking With Hank. Without them, I would have never made up this blog over five months ago. I couldn’t have done it without them…thanks guys!

-Mike Ganci, editor of the Daily Stache. He actually recruited me to his blog a couple of months before I started writing here as a writer for the Miami Dolphins. He has since made his blog purely about the New York Mets, but without his advertisement on his site, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

-The founders at Bleacher Report, who saw potential and talent in a small-town writer and invited me to join their network. Since then, almost 10,000 people have seen my work on the site, and it couldn’t have possibly happened if their founders hadn’t seen my blog. Thanks guys!

-Finally, I want to thank all 1000+ of you who have read my original blog since March.  Without you, all the things that have happened with the blog since then would not have happened.

Thanks to everyone who has made this milestone possible. Now, let’s go for 1,000, even 10,000 more!