Rushed NBA Preview

Since the NBA rushed to salvage this season, I'm left with no choice but to rush and write this NBA preview. I've gone on record as saying the NBA would have benefited from taking a year off, a la NHL in 2004-2005, to completely solve the system. Because clearly, there's still many issues. Look no further than Chris Paul and Dwight Howard dictating where they want to play based on "marketability". And the whole Chris Paul trade saga is one of the biggest black eyes imaginable for the NBA. Tim Donaghy is off the hook after this one. And we don't even know exactly what happened yet, either.

Yet we find ourselves with a 66 game schedule condensed in 120 days, which will feature scenarios where teams play on back-to-back-to-back nights. So if you're a baseball fan, you like this schedule. If you like seeing high quality basketball, on the other hand....

Teams with older rosters, or teams with no depth, are in big trouble. Wouldn't ya know it, the Celtics happen to be both. The Celts are still a playoff team, no question, but I'm afraid to say the sun has set on the championship window for this current roster. The bench acquisitions are intriguing, with Chris Wilcox, Keyon Dooling, Brandon Bass, and Marquis Daniels coming on board. And it's not to say teams such as the Heat, Knicks or Bulls possess great depth either. The difference between those teams and the Celtics, however, is that their starters all happen to be in their primes, while the Celtics' power, Rondo aside, is in the twilight of their careers. Not to go all Dan Duquette on you.

Speaking of the Knicks, you can't underestimate what Tyson Chandler will bring to them. The most important defender on the reigning NBA Champions on a team deprived of defense? A huge addition. Of course, this team will also rely on Mike Bibby and Baron Davis in the backcourt. And if it were 2004, you'd be talking about two of the top five point guards in the league. But it's about to be 2012. Did the Knicks let Isiah Thomas back near the front office again?

Out west, there's no fewer than six teams who can make a legitimate claim to being the best team in the conference. In no particular order, it's the defending-champ Mavericks, Thunder, Lakers, reborn Clippers, aging Spurs, and Grizzlies. The Nuggets and Rockets are definitely solid teams capable of a playoff run as well. How on Earth do you pick a team out of that bunch to rise above the rest? There's pros and cons with every different squad. How will Kobe handle the end of his prime with such a lackluster supporting cast? How will the Clippers handle expectations? Do the Spurs have anything left in the tank? How will the Thunder handle being legitimate championship contenders? Picking a team out of the West is no different than showing up at a roulette table.

It was a crazy rushed off-season, and it's about to be an even crazier rushed regular season. Here are the predictions, which I should warn you, are seldom right in the NBA department. Although I did call the Mavs would win the West last season.

Eastern Conference Top 8

1. Miami Heat
2. Chicago Bulls
3. New York Knicks
4. Boston Celtics
5. Orlando Magic
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Philadelphia 76ers
8. Atlanta Hawks

Western Conference Top 8

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Los Angeles Clippers
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Denver Nuggets
8. Houston Rockets

Eastern Conference Finals: Bulls over Heat

Western Conference Finals: Thunder over Clippers

2012 NBA Champions: Seattle SuperSonics Oklahoma City Thunder

MVP: Kevin Durant, Thunder

Rookie of the Year: Rick Rubio, TimberWolves

Defensive Player of the Year: Tyson Chandler, Knicks

6th Man of the Year: Chauncey Billups, Clippers

Coach of the Year: Vinny del Negro, Clippers

Most Improved Player: James Harden, Thunder

And some other random thoughts:

• Dwight Howard will not be traded at any point during the regular season, and with the new CBA, it's likely he'll re-sign in Orlando, as that's where the most money can be made
• Steve Nash will be traded at some point during the regular season, and if it's to the Heat (although I have no idea what they'd be able to give up), might as well give them the Larry O'Brien Trophy
• The Cavaliers will finish with the worst record and wind up with the no. 1 overall pick again, in what looks like it'll be a loaded draft class. Kyrie Irving and Jared Sullinger, anyone? Although can Ohioans brace themselves for another native son bailing later on?
• The Hornets will be sold during the regular season, and relocated after it. Vancouver, Kansas City, Seattle are the front runners.
• Deron Williams will not re-sign with the Nets after the season, returning to his native Dallas
• I like the Lamar Odom pickup for Dallas, and since he did play one season at URI, am seriously contemplating investing in a Lamar Odom jersey now that he's not on the Lakers. Thoughts?
• Rajon Rondo will either have an-MVP caliber season or will sink into woe-is-me mode based off the trade talk in the off-season. With no in-between.
• Rip Hamilton has something left in the tank, and it swings the Eastern Conference in favor of the Bulls. And if Carlos Boozer actually has a competent season, they become infinitely more dangerous.
• Is there a more unlucky franchise than the Trail Blazers? Brandon Roy forced to retire, sounds like Greg Oden is once again out for the season, and LaMarcus Aldridge is limping heading into the season. What is it with basketball in the Pacific Northwest? Seattle and Vancouver lose teams, Portland just can't catch a break.
• Minnesota, with an established head coach in Rick Adleman, will be vastly improved. The only question is, how can the sum of the parts be greater than the whole? Between K-Love, Rubio, JJ Barea, Derrick Williams, is there a more exciting young team to watch? The playoffs aren't forthcoming, but they aren't far off, either. For the first time in the post-KG era, there's optimism in the Twin Cities.
• That's all I've got for ya. Like I said, the NBA rushed to start this season, and there's little point in making bold predictions when we're in for such an unprecedented regular season. I'm standing by Thunder over Bulls in the Finals. And I'm watching SportsCenter right now, hearing that Sasha Pavlovic could be starting for Paul Pierce today. Merry f'ing Christmas huh?

NFL Week 16 Picks--Festivus Style

If I had a dollar for every time someone came in to Pro Sports this week, bought something, and departed with a "Merry Christmas"....do these people just assume everyone's Christian? Shameful, shameful. If one, just ONE person had said "a happy Festivus to the rest of us" to me, it would have made it all better. So these Week 16 NFL picks are going to be like a Festivus celebration, complete with the Airing of Grievances in the way all of these teams have disappointed me over the past year. I don't like my chances in pinning the head of my household down, and I may not have a traditional Festivus pole, but here we go.

Last Week: 7-7-2
Season: 102-110-12
Locks of the Week: 9-6 (Colts upended Titans in Week 15)


This Week: 0-1


Home team in CAPS

CHIEFS (-2.5) over Raiders


What the hell is wrong with the Raiders, giving up potentially two first round picks for Carson Palmer? He's thrown as many interceptions as his replacement in Cincinnati, Andy Dalton (13) already. In 182 fewer attempts. And of course, the Raiders have also traded 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks in recent years to acquire other quarterbacks (Jason Campbell, Terrelle Pryor). (Un)fortunately for Raiders fans, Al Davis has already been pinned to the ground. Actually, he's in the ground.

Broncos (-2.5) over BILLS


Tim Tebow is going to have to accept the fact that Festivus is my religion, I don't care how up in my grill he gets. And the Bills? After that 5-2 start, including a win over the Patriots, have dropped 7 in a row. Ryan Fitzpatrick, like many Harvard grads, is getting rich upon graduation. But unlike his fellow Crimson, he's stealing his fortune, to the tune of $59 million dollars from the good people of Buffalo.

Jaguars (+7.5) over TITANS


Where do I begin with these two teams? The Jaguars, cutting their starting quarterback a week before the season started? Did they expect this season to turn out any differently? Fortunately for them, they run into the Titans, whose grievances range from losing to the winless Colts last week, toChris Johnson's tremendously disappointing season. And to think, before last week, they were very much in playoff contention too.

Cardinals (+4.5) over BENGALS


Not much to air out with the Bengals, as the Andy Dalton to AJ Green combination has already surpassed the old Carson Palmer to Chad Ochocinco connection. In fact, with a win today, they could even position themselves to grab a wild-card spot. The Cardinals? Sure, it's a bland 7-7, but the fact remains they're still mathematically alive for January action. And the last time they finished 9-7? They went to the Super Bowl, for what it's worth. Bengals homefield advantage in non-existent, however, and the John Skelton/Larry Fitzgerald tandem has been equally as surprising, if not effective.

PATRIOTS (-8.5) over Dolphins


Watching quarterbacks such as Rex Grossman, Mark Sanchez, and Vince Young look elite against the Patriots secondary is definitely a grievance I need to air. But when there's a legitimate chance that a tight end could land a Madden cover spot next season? I mean, how much is there to truly complain about? Especially when your team is very quietly 11-3 and not being talked about nationally to the degree they normally are.

RAVENS (-12) over Browns


Okay, so if you're a Ravens fan, you sweep the Steelers, and potentially still might have to play in Pittsburgh in the post-season? Ray Lewis needs to be careful when he pins Joe Flacco at the Ravens Festivus celebration that he doesn't kill him, like he did that guy in Atlanta way back when. Was that in poor taste?

Giants (-3) over Jets


I liked Jerry Thornton's take on this game on twitter. It's like the Iran-Iraq war, just root for casualties. Giants are more desperate than the Jets in this battle of New Jersey. And I'll air a quick grievance here: Eli Manning can't be "elite" if his team is 7-7 after a 6-2 start. And yes I'm aware that one win during the free fall was against the Patriots.

REDSKINS (-6.5) over Vikings


It's the Donovan McNabb revenge game! Oh, wait. It's just Rex Grossman vs. Christian Ponder. Talk about two franchises stuck in mediocrity. I don't even know where to begin with the list of grievances here, other than that the Redskins just got screwed over by Matt Barkley staying in school, and the good people of Minnesota must still be none too happy with a certain quarterback from Mississippi.

PANTHERS (-7.5) over Buccaneers


If I don't get a Cam Newton jersey for Festivus, as I asked for, I'm going to be none too happy with the head of this household. Maybe it will give me the superhuman strength I'd need to take down the former NHL enforcer PGA Senior Tour member head of the household.

STEELERS (-11.5) over Rams


Sure, if you're a Steelers fan, you can be upset your team employs a rapist, a terrorist sympathizer, and James Harrison. But that's got nothing on being a Rams fan, where at 15-63, you have the NFL's worst record since the start of the 2007 season. However, with the Colts recent surge, they're still in play for the number 1 overall pick. Which would make things very, very interesting, since Sam Bradford still seems to be the QB of the future here.

LIONS (-2) over Chargers


I know I'm picking the Lions here, but they have no right to air grievances being in playoff contention just three years after going 0-16. How about the Chargers instead. Let's say they win out some how and win the AFC West. Does that mean Norv Turner gets to stick around another year, even if they lose in the first round? After leading yet another crazy December comeback? Personally I think Norv's destiny is to coach the Miami Heat. Can you imagine LeBron James in the 4th quarter? Who owns the fourth quarter (of the season) quite like Norvy and his Chargers? I'm shaking just thinking about this possibility.

49ers (-1.5) over SEAHAWKS


It's hard to complain if you're a fan other either team that you're in the positions you find yourselves with Alex Smith and Tavaris Jackson manning the helm. But is that in of itself a grievance? What if each team actually had a real quarterback? The 49ers could be 14-0, right? The Seahawks could at least be a wild-card shoo-in, right?

EAGLES (+1) over Cowboys


Far, far too many grievances to air for each team. Good luck pinning Andy Reid to the ground, whoever's responsibility that may be. I guess if it's one of his sons in a coked-out rampage, anything's possible. Or Vick could stick a pit bull on him. And let's not even get started with the Romocoaster.

PACKERS (-11.5) over Bears


Why didn't the Bears sign Brett Favre? Or even Donovan McNabb? Dammit Doug Flutie or Vinny Testaverde could have done a better job keeping them afloat without Cutler than Caleb Hanie. But it's alright. It's a Festivus miracle! Josh McCown is starting tomorrow night, with the season on the line! That's right, the same guy who lasted exactly two starts as the Jaguars quarterback this season before being benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert!

SAINTS (-7) over Falcons


Not a lot to complain about in either locale, save for perhaps Matt Ryan's inconsistencies in the ATL. I have no grievances to air, either, about the season's final Monday night game actually being a watchable contest. And with that, the Festivus picks have come to an end. Now where's Steve Lev? Naturally he's not here right now, because as you all know, the holiday isn't officially over until the head of the household is pinned. To the rest of you, happy Festivus, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or whatever else you may celebrate this holiday season.

NFL Week 15 Picks

And down the stretch they come. Three more weeks until January. Three more weeks until Andrew Luck signs with the Colts. Three more weeks until the Patriots 16-0 mark from 2007 is matched, and the '72 Dolphins have to start getting all nervous again. Three more weeks until the Tebow Train enters the playoffs. Three more weeks until we finish our first NFL season without Brett Favre since 1990. Three more weeks until....who knows what else could happen in three weeks.

But today? Oh, plenty can and will happen today (and tomorrow night). After two sleepers of a Monday night game, we get the best MNF contest in terms of winning percentage this late in the season since 1997 (Steelers vs. 49ers). Tonight's Sunday night game ain't so bad either, with the Ravens and the 5 1/2 feet under Chargers doing what the 5 1/2 feet under Chargers do. Some other intriguing games pitting desperate teams against one another, such as Bears/Seahawks or Lions/Raiders. But none of those games match the intrigue of a certain game out in Denver.

I'm watching SportsCenter right now and they're using a Rudyard Kipling poem to describe Tim Tebow. For real. I have never seen anything like what we're seeing right now with Tebow. He's getting coverage that even Favre or LeBron would envy. He's such a polarizing figure, either loved or hated by all, and everyone has an opinion on him. He's blowing up twitter. His name's become a verb. He has a beer named after him. A group of high school kids got suspended for "Tebow-ing". Casual sports fans and girls are even starting to know who Tim Tebow is.

He has the lowest interception rate in the NFL amongst qualified passers. He also has the lowest completion percentage among those qualified passers. And who's he going up against?

Just Tom Brady and the Patriots.

It's the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. Tebow vs. Belichick. It's Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. This is without a doubt the most-hyped regular season game since 2007, when the 8-0 Pats took on the 7-0 Colts. Which is funny, because neither team on the field today possess anywhere near the talent either of those teams had. That game was a battle between two of the top five or so quarterbacks to ever play the game. Sure we still have Brady in this one, but Tebow has only started 10 career games with a career completion percentage of 48.3.

There's no rhyme or reason whatsoever to why this game is receiving the hype it is, and there's no rhyme or reason whatsoever to why Tebow is getting the coverage he's getting. Tim Tebow isn't the only one who's gone 7-1 over the past 8 weeks; there's 52 other guys on that roster. But praise Jesus, it is what it is. The hype machine cranks on.

Here's the Week 15 picks:

Last Week: 8-7-1
Season: 95-103-10
Locks of the Week: 9-5 (Steelers didn't cover vs. Browns in Week 14)


This Week: 2-0


Home team in CAPS

GIANTS (-6.5) over Redskins


Between the three teams still alive in the NFC East race, I can't decide if the Giants are the most dangerous or least dangerous of the three. On the one hand, they've been there, Tyree'd that. On the other hand, they've already had a 4-game losing streak this season, as well as unfathomable losses to the Redskins and Seahakws early on. And if we're talking "dangerous", doesn't Mike Vick qualify as such? Needless to say, if the Giants do fall flat in this one, the end of the Tom Coughlin era is coming up fast.

Packers (-13.5) over CHIEFS


Kyle Orton gets a second crack at the Packers this season. His first time out, he threw 3 interceptions in a 49-23 Broncos loss. And Tim Tebow isn't waiting on the bench for him in this one. That'd be Tyler Palko.

Saints (-8) over VIKINGS


Remember when the Vikings came within a Brett Favre INT of beating the Saints and advancing to Super Bowl XLIV? That was two years ago, but it feels like about twenty-two if you're a Vikings fan.

Seahawks (+3.5) over BEARS


If you think Tim Tebow has accuracy problems, well, you clearly haven't watched Tarvaris Jackson or Caleb Haine play quarterback yet this season. That being the case, the Seahawks have an outstanding running game with Marshawn Lynch. The Bears, on the other hand, have Marion Barber, who I'm pretty sure got crucified after that game last week. Get it? Because he was playing against Jesus! If Jay Cutler doesn't come back for next week Bears are donezo.

Dolphins (+2) over BILLS


I'm surprised the Dolphins didn't let Tony Sparano at least finish out the season as head coach. Aside from last week's egg against the Eagles, they'd won 4 of 5, with the one loss being by a mere one point due to a botched snap. Sure he was going to move on at the end of the season anyways, but what kind of message does that send to the current Dolphin players, who were embellishing the role of spoiler? Fortunately for them, the Bills cure all ills.

Panthers (+6) over TEXANS


Not an indictment of the Texans by any means, but I feel a big week from Cam Newton coming on after he let the Falcons game a week ago slip away. Also, while Houston's accomplished their goal of finally qualifying for the post-season, their virgin post-season voyage will be even shorter than Tebow's virgin voyage. It's really amazing they've been able to accomplish what they have without Mario Williams, Matt Schaub, or Andre Johnson.

Titans (-6.5) over COLTS


The Titans aren't a worthy Lock of the Week team. But the Colts are a worthy Lock of the Week opponent. And therefore, the Titans are my Week 15 Lock.

Bengals (-7) over RAMS


Bengals aren't dead yet, but every game is a playoff game for them from here on out. Not that they'd be facing a Rams type of team in the post-season, but still.

Lions (-1) over RAIDERS


I have absolutely no idea what will happen in this game. There could be a brawl between Lions players and Black Hole fans, conjuring up memories of Ron Artest  Metta World Peace, and I wouldn't be remotely surprised. It could be a blowout for either side, and I wouldn't be remotely surprised. Rolando McClain could shoot Jim Schwartz after he embellishes a post-game celebration against Hue Jackson. There's really no telling what will happen in this game, other than the following: expects penalties. Lots of them.

Patriots (-7.5) over BRONCOS


Patriots will win 38-10, or lose 17-14, with absolutely no in-between. While we're here, if Jack Edwards can admit he was wrong about Benoit Pulliot, when will the Steve Youngs and Merrill Hoges of the world admit they were wrong about Tebow?

Jets (+3) over EAGLES


It's truly astonishing that if the Eagles win out, they win the NFC East. And as I said earlier with the G-Men, I can't decide if they're the most dangerous team lurking in that division or not. It's a tough call deciding whether to pick the Eagles based off of their sheer talent, or basing the pick off of what we've seen as visual evidence. For what it's worth, the only games the Eagles have won against teams with winning records have been the Giants and Cowboys. The Jets, meanwhile, are quietly going to win the second wild-card in the AFC, and boy do I mean quietly. Literally no one is talking about them, which makes me extremely nervous moving forward here. I think they expose the Eagles for the frauds that they are just one last time this season.

CARDINALS (-6.5) over Browns


Raise your hand if you thought a match-up between John Skelton and Seneca Wallace could have post-season implications for one team at any point during the 2011 season. Bueller? Anyone? Seriously, Cards are still mathematically alive for a wild-card spot in the NFC. I'm not making this up I swear.

Ravens (-2.5) over CHARGERS


Not this time, San Diego. Not happening. On the bright side, Norv Turner's prolonged-Ron Burgundy of San Diego fans is coming to an end. You know, they won't be told to go fuck themselves anymore. Random side note: an SI photo gallery earlier this week showed that Cris Collinsworth was the most hated NFL analyst among NFL players. You guys kidding me? C'mon now. That man is the best in the business. I have a dream scenario that some day Jack Edwards will do play-by-play of a football game alongside Collinsworth. Hey if MLK's dream can come true so can mine.

Steelers (+3) over 49ERS


If Roethlisberger doesn't play, I'll probably regret this pick. But let's just be happy that there's finally a watchable game on Monday night. The MNF season goes out on a high note, too, with the Saints-Falcons MNF season finale on the 26th.

The Captain Abandoning Ship

So much in sports, and in life in general, is all about timing. Timing your day. Timing your words. Timing your workouts. Sometimes timing is everything. George Costanza times his exits from meetings so that he leaves on a high note, because it can only go downhill after that, right?

More often than not, people don't time their exits the way Costanza did so well in that episode of Seinfeld. We see what David Stern is doing in the NBA right now. Brett Favre hung on anywhere between 1-5 years too long, depending on who you ask. George W. Bush hung around the White House 8 years too long. The Simpsons probably should have been cancelled 7 or 8 years ago. I should have left Pro Sports and gotten a real job two summers ago. Belezos should have stopped making statuses....well he never should have started. You get the point.

Jason Varitek is finally leaving the Red Sox. We think. Hasn't this been AT LEAST two years in the making?

Don't get me wrong, I've been a Varitek supporter all along. Haven't been a fan of the "C" that they threw on his uniform after the 2004 season in a pathetic charade to convince him to re-sign here. This ain't hockey. But he's meant a great deal to this team since he came here in 1997, along with Derek Lowe, in a comically lopsided trade for Heathcliff Slocumb. He's caught more game than any other catcher in Red Sox history along the way, more than Carlton Fisk and Doug Mirabelli combined. He stuck his glove in A-Rod's face. He plucked Heidi Whatney.

But the facts are the facts. Since the start of 2006, Varitek has really been more of a liability to this team than an asset. He's hit .230 since then, to the tune of a .726 OPS, averaging 12 home runs per season. And I'm well aware of the fact that catcher isn't an offensive position per se. And obviously, you can't overlook what he's meant to the pitching staff. He's been Josh Beckett's personal binky, in a way even more confounding than Dougie Fresh was to Wakefield (who we may be writing a similar blog about later this winter).

Back to catcher not necessarily being an offensive position. It's true. But last season, Varitek ranked 30th in the Majors amongst catchers with 250 plate appearances in batting average (.221). He was 36th (out of 36) in average in 2009 amongst catchers with the same qualifications. And, in fact, there are many an offensive catcher coming forth in today's game. Joe Mauer and Buster Posey are the stars you hear about, and while it's true they are/will be playing some 1B nowadays too, it sure doesn't hurt to have the extra boost of offense at a non-premium offensive position.

There are other catchers providing the pop these days as well. Yadier Molina. Miguel Montero. Brian McCann. Matt Wieters. Mike Napoli (also plays some 1B, but still). Carlos Ruiz. Alex Avilla, just to name a few. All but Wieters and McCann played on teams that qualified for the post-season.

It may not be fair to blame Varitek for any of the fallout from the Sox' 7-20 mark in September. But you have the fricken "C" on your chest for a reason, unnecessary as it may be (can you imagine Derek Jeter having a "C" on his jersey? Steinbrenner would fire Joe Girardi from his grave). Act like the damned captain."Lead by example", as they say. If Francona isn't going to stop the KFC and Bud Light parties, somebody else can step in, right? Make it the captain. If Francona, the manager, can be a fall guy for the way things were, why can't the team captain be as well?

At the end of the day, the signing of Kelly Shoppach, a former Red Sox prospect who went to Cleveland in the Coco Crisp trade, may not inspire much more than a rumble on the Richter scale around Fenway. But you can clearly see the writing on the wall from it: it represents that the Red Sox are ready to move on from the Varitek era. Completely. And it's been a helluva ride, Tek, truly has. But your timing was way, way off. Much like Brett Favre, you probably should have called it a career after 2009. But we'll always remember this:

Patriots vs. Redskins-The Apprentice's Take

Here at the Experience, we admire passion. Passion in the way you root for your teams, passion in the way you go about your life, passion about everything. Passion about writing, for example. And let me tell you, I've stumbled across someone with a passion for this sports writing gig that's reminiscent of a young Jake Levin.

I'd like to introduce the first ever "Apprentice" we've allowed on the site, Matt Constantine. For those who don't know Matt is a fellow Hingham alum who took his talents to South Beach and joined the Miami Hurricanes ("The U", as it's more commonly known). He's inquired on occasion over the past year or so to join the Experience as a staff writer, as have several other people, but I've told them all the same thing each time: it's nothing personal, this is just a small blog I plan on using as a resume-builder some day. It's not that I didn't think these people weren't good enough writers, I just wanted to keep it my own endeavor.

And that remains true. But I couldn't overlook the passion of Constantine any longer. For the remainder of the Patriots season he'll be giving us his takes on the game. Is it a long term move here? Who knows. But I'm more than happy to help him get word out of his writing by starting at an established presence like the Experience. So without further ado, here is Matt's debut piece....

By Matt Constantine

On a chilly 40-degree day at Fed Ex Field in Washington, DC, the New England Patriots escaped with an ugly 34-27 victory over the Washington Redskins. New England showed once again that they would have to beat teams by outscoring them after another atrocious game by the 32^nd ranked defense in the league. After gaining some momentum from an Andre Carter strip-sack in the end zone that led to an early touchdown, the injuries and ineptness of the defense started to show through.

Playing against a Redskins team that came into Sunday averaging less than 17 points per game, this seemed like a game that could be on its way to a blow out. An up-and-down first half that saw Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman throw two touchdowns and lead his team inside the red zone three times, just a week after going 19 for 46 passing the ball, was one of the worst performances we have seen from the Patriots defense this year.

A bright spot in the first half came offensively, however, when mammoth tight end Rob Gronkowski broke the single season record for touchdown receptions in a season with his 14^th of the year, which came with 5:39, left in the first quarter. The year this young man is having cannot be overlooked, as he also became only the 29^th tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

The second half looked like it could be a repeat of the first with a score coming on the first three drives, but after that both defenses tightened up and forced a few punts. With a lead late in the 4^th quarter and inside the Washington five yard line, Tom Brady threw what looked to be a costly interception, his first in his last 200 attempts.

With 0:20 remaining Grossman was picked off by New England linebacker Jerod Mayo at the Patriots 7-yard line, ending a sloppy game in which there was 12 penalties for 120 yards between the two teams.

This was a game many expected the Patriots to win handily but it proved that they have a lot of work to do in order to be a successful team in the playoffs. This defense has its strong spots, red zone defense and turnovers, but if they expect to compete with the other likely playoff teams in the AFC such as the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans, they will need to be better in all phases. I believe that this defense can make plays when it counts, but it must be able to get off the field, win the time of possession battle, and be better in third-down situations, as well as late in games to make another run at the Super Bowl.

Up next for the Pats, the Denver Broncos and sophomore sensation Tim Tebow at Mile High Stadium. 

NFL Week 14 Picks

We're 75% through another NFL season. A season which at one point looked as though it may never have happened. Maybe Colts and Eagles fans wish it hadn't. Other than that, as we enter the season's 4th quarter, there remains plenty of intrigue left. Can not one, not two, but three quarterbacks break Dan Marino's single-season passing yardage record? Can the Packers go 16-0 19-0? Can the Houston Texans win their first ever division title with T.J. Yates at quarterback? Can the Chargers seriously do this crazy December thing again? Can Jake Levin finish over .500 in his picks? Can anyone stop Tim Tebow? Can Brett Favre's name keep getting brought up with every QB injury? I mean you knew the 2011 season would include at least Favre rumors, if not a Favre sighting, right? Old habits die hard.

I'm short on time so these will be "quick picks" with one simple reason for each game.

Last Week: 8-8
Season: 87-96-9
Locks of the Week: 9-4 (embarrassingly, Raiders lost to Dolphins in Week 13)


This Week: 0-1


Home team in CAPS

Colts (+16.5) over RAVENS


Because Dan Orlovsky covers mammoth spreads.

Texans (+2.5) over BENGALS


Because David Carr could come back to Houston, hand the ball off to Arian Foster, and look like a competent quarterback.

PACKERS (-12) over Raiders


Because Carson Palmer has already thrown more interceptions than Joe Flacco. In 257 fewer attempts.

JETS (-10.5) over Chiefs


Because even Mark Sanchez looks elite compared to Tyler Palko.

LIONS (-11) over Vikings


Because the Lions need this one, and they need it badly.

Saints (-3.5) over TITANS


Because Chris Johnson is a smug jerk for deciding to show up just in time for the fantasy playoffs. No I'm not bitter.

DOLPHINS (-3) over Eagles


Because Tony Sparano just could become the Eagles coach next season.

Patriots (-7.5) over REDSKINS


Because Rex Grossman went 19-46 last week....and is still starting because his backup is John Beck.

PANTHERS (+3) over Falcons


Because Cam Newton could be the second best quarterback in the NFC South by next season, and what better way to prove that than beating someone above you in the pecking order?

JAGUARS (+3) over Buccaneeers


Because the combined record of the three NFL teams in Florida this season is 11-25. Has nothing to do with this pick but it's a great way to point it out.

49ers (-3.5) over CARDINALS


Because I like to think Jim Harbaugh won't let the 9ers fall into a trap here with the Steelers looming next week.

BRONCOS (-3) over Bears


Because of you-know-who.

CHARGERS (-7) over Bills


Because the Chargers have so much more talent on their roster than the Bills not even Norv can sabotage this one.

COWBOYS (-4.5) over Giants


Because it's time for Tony Romo to win a big game.

SEAHAWKS (-10) over Rams


Because....man why can't the NFL flex Monday night games too?

California Schemin'

I'll preface this whole blog with this statement: I ain't mad at Albert Pujols. Walking away from $50 million is something absolutely nobody who reads this blog, myself included, would ever do.

Of course, if you're reading this, chances are you haven't had a chance to earn $50 mil yet. Or $1 million. Heck some of you, like myself, probably have less than $1,000 in your bank account right now. Albert Pujols has earned $104,040,436 in his career playing baseball (numbers according to baseball reference). And as always is the case with Super-Duper Stars, that doesn't include endorsements.

By the time his shiny new 10 year, $250 million contract runs out with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Albert Pujols will have earned approximately $355 million off of baseball. Had he opted to stay in St. Louis, that number would have been about $305 million.

What's the extra $50 worth?

Apparently, more than the distinction of going down as the greatest player in St. Louis Cardinals history. And with all due respect to Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, and Ozzie Smith, that's exactly what Albert was going to wind up as. Guess there is indeed a price tag on one's legacy.

In terms of loyalty, Pujols didn't owe the Cardinals much. He won 2 World Series during his time in St. Louis. Each time the Cardinals were significant underdogs heading into October. He raises his game ever so slightly in the post-season, from a .328 hitter April-September to a .330 hitter in October. A 1.037 vs. 1.046 OPS. During his stay in the gateway to the west, which spanned 11 seasons, the Cardinals finished below .500 exactly once. They made the post-season 7 times. Pujols himself finished in the top-5 of MVP voting ten times, winning it on 3 occasions. Musial finished in the top-5 nine times, also winning 3 such honors. His 445 home runs are the most over the first 11 seasons of a career ever. More than Babe Ruth. More than Hank Aaron. More than Barry Bonds. More than Alex Rodriguez.

Pujols is also a guy who's never been linked to steroid use, making him part of a very select list. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated once, declaring "don't be afraid to believe me".

And also to be clear here, Pujols didn't embellish his free agency power like a certain basketball player who took his talents to South Beach once upon a time. And it's not as though he joined the Cubs, the Cardinals' arch-rival, which definitely would have sent splinters across the baseball landscape.

But in the end, Albert Pujols decided that his legacy in St. Louis wasn't worth $200 million. It wasn't worth anything to him, as a matter of fact. I'm also surprised the Cardinals didn't make a last ditch effort to perhaps meet him in the middle at $225 mil or so. Maybe the Cardinals brass knows that he'll be worth (in baseball terms) $25 million for a few years, but after that, he'll be a hindrance to their organization. Look at what's going on with the Yankees and A-Rod. Personally I can't take my eyes off it.

And hey, it was his last chance to get paid a massive payday. I can't fault him for that. But 5 years from now, when his body starts to break down at age 37 or so, will he still think it was worth it? When Angels fans are going to be complaining about his albatross of a contract? He's a hired gun there, and he'll get no sympathy from his one-time fans in St. Louis either. Albert Pujols, I thought, would be a player to buck the trend and stick to loyalty. Guess he's not above the cardinal sin of being all about the money, after all.

One last note here: The Angels failed to re-sign John Lackey in 2009, and failed in their pursuit of Carl Crawford in 2010. Their consolation prize is the best player in the game? That's cold.

NHL Realignment: For Better or For Worse?

Drawing out potential divisions and conferences for NHL realignment is something I often used to do to pass the time as I drudged my way through high school and the first few years at URI. It's always fun to dream up something radical, especially when you could get rid of hockey teams in Phoenix, Atlanta, and Florida, and put them in locales such as Winnipeg, Quebec City, Seattle, or some place in Southern Ontario. I thought I had perfect solutions every time, fair and balanced, no questions asked.

Usually these scenarios included me either adding two teams (for a total of 32) or contracting two teams (always Phoenix and Atlanta, for a total of 28). Why those numbers? Because they're divisible by 4. And that meant 4 divisions, which meant a return to divisional playoffs in hockey. The Bruins and Canadiens would match-up in the post-season even more often than they do now, like they used to, before the NHL went to straight conference playoffs. All three New York-area teams would be re-developing post-season rivalries. Pittsburgh-Philadelphia. Chicago-Detroit. Heck even the California teams would all have to go through one another.

Sounds pretty exciting, right? Well guess what, it just became a reality again! The NHL moved back to 4 divisions! Divisional playoffs are back baby! Just one little problem.

There's still 30 teams.

And that means there are two conferences with 8 teams, and two conferences with 7 teams. They're calling them conferences, not divisions, apparently. Granted the NHL accomplished it's mission of basing divisions (mostly) off of time zones. And it does make travel more fair to the Western Conference teams who really aren't all that West at all (Detroit, Columbus, Nashville in particular).

But tell me....How exactly is it fair if 4 teams from each "conference" make the playoffs, as seems to be the plan, if there's a different number of teams in each conference? Say what you will about Bud Selig, but didn't his baseball realignment plan just solve the issue of unbalanced divisions?

How will the schedule work? Supposedly the plan is to play a home-and-home against every team not in your conference, with the rest of the games being against your conference opponents. But if you have 7 other teams in your conference as opposed to 6 other teams, doesn't that create yet another unbalance?

In case you want to know what the actual conferences will look like, here they are:

Conference "A": Vancouver, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Phoenix, Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado


Conference "B" Detroit, Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Minnesota, St. Louis, Dallas, Columbus


Conference "C" Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Florida


Conference "D" Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Carolina, New Jersey, NY Rangers, NY Islanders


And for the other great unknown: Since these are conferences, not divisions, what happens when you ultimately win your conference? Will "A" automatically be paired up against "B", and "C" with "D"? Will those pairings rotate? Will teams be re-seeded accordingly?

As a Bruins fan, I shouldn't be complaining. Not only did we get placed in a 7-team conference, we added more Lightning and Panthers games to the schedule. I know Florida is doing well this year but let's look at it over the long-haul realistically. The "C" conference was the one conference that could afford to take on both Florida teams, as it already has three-Original 6 members, in addition to two other solid hockey markets in Buffalo and Ottawa. And it's great that the Florida teams will draw in those other 5 on a more regular basis rather than Carolina, Washington, and Atlanta Winnipeg. It could definitely help transform the Panthers into a more reliable hockey market.

What about Winnipeg, just back on the hockey map after a 15-year hiatus. No other Canadian teams in their conference? I know that from a time zone standpoint they're the only team from the Great White North that hails from the Central time zone. But should a concern of Bettman be to establish Winnipeg some rivalries with, you know, other Canadian teams?

I also think that the two Pennsylvania teams should have been grouped with the current Northeast division, and that the two Florida teams should have been grouped with the three New York teams, Washington, and Carolina. This makes sense on two levels: I realize the time zones are the same, but isn't traveling from Tampa to Boston (as their closest non-Florida divisional game) a bit strenuous? Carolina and Washington bridge the gap from the mid-Atlantic region to the southeast. Also.....and this is where I guess realignment gets kind of cool.....

Wouldn't it be interesting if Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were in separate conferences? You know, maybe duke it out in the Stanley Cup Finals every so often? That can't happen now, but since they'll be in the same conference instead, that means post-season meetings are much more likely between the two superstars of hockey.

And as I mentioned earlier, more Bruins-Canadiens, or even Bruins-Leafs and Leafs-Canadiens in the post-season. Conceivably a Boston-New York (Isles or Blueshirts) Stanley Cup is possible. Boston vs. New York in anything is already pretty cool; a showdown for Lord Stanley's Cup is a possibility too now? Where do I sign?

Plenty of rivalries from the "old" conferences could now become Stanley Cup battles. Red Wings-Avalanche from back in the day? Bruins-Flyers? Even Bruins-Penguins would be an attention grabber.

One more bonus is that when the Coyotes inevitably leave Arizona, they can easily be placed into another conference based on that relocation. Maybe they'll even wind up in the same conference as the Bruins, as the Quebec Nordiques 2.0?

So in the end, there are many different pros and many different cons with NHL realignment, as there are with many things in life. In the end I think it has the right framework set up; Bettman now just needs to either add two teams (won't happen) or contract two teams (should happen, but that's almost as doubtful as the first scenario). I'm very interested to see how the rest of this plays out, if we can get to an even number, and if not, I hope Bettman can devise the fairest way possible to make this work. Because it's exciting, no doubt. But Bettman also though adding teams in Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Columbus, Tampa Bay, and south Florida were good ideas. So you never know.

NFL Week 13 Picks

Patriots-Colts today. Traditionally one of the top games on the NFL's docket. It's been one epic battle after another between these two juggernauts since 2003, with the Patriots holding a 6-5 advantage over that time frame (2-1 in the post-season). Many people believe that the NFL schedule's a Pats-Colts game every season so that there can always be a Brady-Manning duel, but it's been mostly coincidental, factually. The way the schedule works is that if you win your division, you play all other division winners from your Conference the following season. If you finish in second, you play the second place teams, and so forth. Also, the interconference games rotate each year so that you play a different division. For example, this year the AFC East teams are matched up against the AFC West teams.

So obviously, the Patriots and Colts have both been extremely successful over the past decade, and their match-ups are generally a result of winning their respective divisions. Just as obvious, that won't be the case this season, as the Colts record is currently -10 wins and 21 losses, but you know what? The divisional cycle ensures that these teams will play again next season. Hopefully the game will mean just a little bit more next time around. But will it still be a Tom Brady-Peyton Manning clash? Or are we now in store for Tom Brady-Andrew Luck battles? If last years 31-28 Patriots' victory was the final chapter in the Brady vs. Manning saga, I'd definitely rank it above the end of the Joe Paterno era at Penn St. or the Seinfeld series finale. But not knowing at the time that it was the end is definitely a frustrating feeling. Because today's travesty of a match-up between Tom Brady and Dan Orlovsky is making me sick just thinking about it. Either that or it's the Natty Ice from last night. Maybe a combination of both. On with the picks....

Last Week: 8-7-1
Season: 79-88-9
Locks of the Week: 9-3 (Panthers over Colts in Week 12)


This Week: 0-1


Home team in CAPS

Titans (+1) over BILLS


I laughed at Stevie Johnson's touchdown celebration mocking Plaxico Burress. Great stuff. But if you're gonna talk the talk, walk the walk too dammit. Johnson must have shot himself in the hands in the 4th quarter because those were some inexcusable drops he had, that cost the Bills not only the game, but their season too. Meanwhile, Tennessee has at least a ray of hope in the AFC South at 6-5, two games back of the now TJ Yates-led Texans. A win could even put them in contention for a wild-card spot.

BEARS (-7.5) over Chiefs


Caleb Haine vs. Tyler Palko. Remember in Survivor: Cook Islands there was a tie in the vote at the final four, and the tiebreaker was to see who could start a fire first, Becky or Sundra. You'd think after 38 days in the wild they'd know a thing or ten about starting fires. Welp after 30 minutes had passed, still no fire. Probst gave them matches, and they still couldn't manage it. Finally after 45 minutes Becky prevailed and made it to the final 3, but in such hideous fashion she didn't receive a single vote at the final tribal council. Anyways that's what I'm basing this Haine-Palko duel on. That level of ineptitude. At least the Bears have Urlacher, though.

Raiders (+3.5) over DOLPHINS


Interesting line here. The Raiders are a division leader, after all, with the Dolphins the polar opposite, residing in the basement of the AFC East. Now I know they're a botched snap away from being on a 4-game winning streak, but the Fins are 3-10 at home since the start of the 2010 season. The Raiders themselves have a three game winning streak, and, being the division leader and all, isn't this the kind of game you're supposed to win? I never thought I'd be doing this, but I'm bestowing my Lock of the Week on the Raiders.

STEELERS (-6.5) over Bengals


Amazingly, the Bengals can lose this game and still be in the driver's seat for the second wild-card spot in the AFC. Better conference record than both the Jets and Titans, who look to be their only competition at this juncture. Not to mention the fact they have St. Louis and Arizona still remaining on the schedule.

Ravens (-7) over BROWNS


Ray Lewis or no Ray Lewis, Colt McCoy can't solve the Ravens D. Nor can their fat, strep throated, cursed white running back.

(Sorry just had to vent a little about Peyton Hillis being on the cover of Madden 12. A mockery to the great players who have rocked the cover before him, including Ray Lewis.)

Jets (-3) over REDSKINS


The J-E-T-S are still alive thanks to Stevie Johnson and Mark Sanchez's four-touchdown game last week. Look it up. Mark Sanchez threw for 4 touchdown passes. I'm not making this up.

Falcons (-1.5) over TEXANS


I still think the Texans win up backing into the AFC South title, but any shot of them doing damage in the playoffs went out the window with Matt Leinart's injury. Notice how I didn't even say Schaub's, but Leinart's. Just the way things go in Houston.

Panthers (-1.5) over BUCCANEERS


A realistic goal for the Panthers, who have already scored more points this season than they did all of last season, should be to finish ahead of the Bucs in the standings. Carolina is 3-8, Tampa 4-7 heading into this one. With no Josh Freeman today, it'll be one step closer to accomplishing that goal for Cam Newton and company.

PATRIOTS (-20.5) over Colts


I'd be willing to guess that if you added up, say, the previous 6 lines in Patriots-Colts meetings, you'd get a number right around 20.5. What a difference a Manning makes.

Broncos (PK) over VIKINGS


Do I even need to say it?

49ERS (-14) over Rams


The 49ers, along with the Packers, are the only teams rated 90 or above in Madden currently. But do they honestly feel like the second best team in football? With Alex Smith at quarterback? I'm still not sold, and really the only chance we have to see if they're for real or not before the playoffs is a Monday night showdown with the Steelers on the 19th.

Cowboys (-4.5) over CARDINALS


Here's a new one for the Cowboys: they're flying under the radar. Like, way under the radar. Nobody is talking about them as legitimate contenders, and I understand their hopes rest with Tony Romo. But not once in the Romo era have the 'Boys had a running game this powerful, with DeMarco Murray making a late surge to get some Offensive Rookie of the Year votes. This means Romo will have fewer opportunities to make mistakes, instead just handing the ball off. I'm not saying the Cowboys can beat the Packers yet, but I'm not saying I won't change my mind at some point between now and late January. You know, if Tony Romo has anything to do with it.

Packers (-6.5) over GIANTS


For some reason, 16-0 still holds sentimental value to me. I know it shouldn't; 18-1 is really all that matters in the grand scheme of things. But it'll be tough to see a team pull off not only 16-0, but 19-0 so soon after. Can the Giants be the one to end the streak again? Don't see it. I hate everything.

SAINTS (-9) over Lions


Detroit in major trouble of falling out of the wild-card race. Peter King of Sports Illustrated raised a fantastic point in his Thursday picks column: it's not the loss of Ndamukong Suh that's troubling, it's Matthew Stafford throwing 7 picks in his last two games.

JAGUARS (+3) over Chargers


You think this Monday nighter is bad? Just wait til St. Louis vs. Seattle next week.

Valentine's Day

In case you haven't noticed, I've refused to to talk much about the Red Sox since September. That collapse was hard to handle, hard to fathom, hard to come to terms with. I was up till 4 A.M. that night, not even drinking, just replaying the nauseating scenes in my head. I kept thinking about "2-10" and "7-20". "2-10", of course, was the team's record through their first 12 games, the first signs that maybe this whole 100-win talk was a bit premature. "7-20" would be the team's September record, 29th out of 30 teams in baseball, ahead of only the injury-ravaged Minnesota Twins (6-20). Hey, at least the Twins had an excuse. They were without their two best players, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Both former MVP's. What the hell was the Red Sox' excuse?

The fallout from September resulted in a despicable yet revealing smear campaign against Terry Francona, the departure of Theo Epstein, and a general indifference towards the Red Sox in general. Did it help that this had happened post-2004 and 2007? No doubt. But it's telling that after a few days or so, nobody seemed to really care that the Red Sox had just completed a choke of epic proportions. There were too many unlikable figures associated with this team, too many headcases. Order needed to be restored for these Red Sox to matter again.

And so we wound up here, with the hire of Bobby Valentine. It may surprise you to know that in 15 years of managerial experience with the Rangers and Mets, Bobby V has been to the post-season just twice; he's never won a division title. His overall record is 1,117-1,072, a .510 winning clip. A rather bland number.

Yet for some reason, not only am I okay with this hire, I'm flat out ecstatic about it. You dig deeper into his career, and look at what he did with some of those Mets teams in the late-90's/early-2000's, it's remarkable he was able to not only finish above .500 in 5 of his 6 full seasons there, but actually took the 2000 team to the World Series with Mike Piazza and.....Todd Zeile, Robin Ventura, Benny Agbayani, and Jay Payton, just to name a few. The pitching staff was solid but unspectacular, led by Mike Hampton and Al Leiter. That team overachieved, and then some. It's not Bobby V's fault the Braves of that era had far superior front office management than the Mets did with former ESPN analyst Steve Phillips.

Bobby V has the reputation of a no-nonsense guy, and that is exactly what this team needed. Dale Sveum? Please. Gene Lamont? Hasn't managed since 2000 with the Pirates. Sandy Alomar? Yawn. Bobby V is ready to kick these guys in the ass. 91-71 will be unacceptable again next season, not with the talent that exists on this roster. No more 7th inning trips to Popeye's across the street from Fenway. No more Josh Beckett asking me to go to Washington Street for him before the game. And best of all, no John Lackey period!

Word is already leaking out that several players are irked by the hire of Valentine. You know what? Good. Fenway isn't a frat house, as they're about to find out. It's the holiest of holy ballparks in America, and these same players disgraced that ballpark last fall. No more cushy-cushy. No more laissez faire approach. The Red Sox had a marketing campaign last year that decried "We're all-in". May have been a year premature. Because I can guarantee you this much: With an established mind like Bobby Valentine, these 2012 Red Sox had better be all in.