It’s that time again, time for the NHL previews at Sportscolumn. In this upcoming series of columns, we will look at what will drive the NHL this season. We start in the Northeast. There are some interesting story lines in, arguably, the best division in the east. Montreal forgives Patrick Roy and his number will be retired. Will the magical story of Phil Kessel write another chapter? Was Ray Emery the real locker room cancer in Ottawa? Can the Sabres rebound? Finally, just how awful are the Maple Leafs?
Let’s get one thing out of the way first: I don’t care about the National Football League. I do not care for the immaturity of Chad Ocho Cinco and Jeremy Shockey; I do not care for Roger Goodell, for Al Davis, for John Madden and Chris Berman. I don’t. They all work to make the game much less entertaining than the college version.
But I also don’t care for inaccurate reporting.
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Week 5 2008 NFL Picks and Podcast
Last week was lousy with upsets. We’ll see if the favorites return to form this week as we start the second quarter of the NFL season. The featured games this week are Titans @ Ravens, Redskins @ Eagles, Bucs @ Broncos, and Steelers @ Jagars, which we pick against the spread. Good luck in your office pools.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
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Week 4 NFL Power Rankings
Brett Favre throwing for six touchdowns does not mean the Jets are going to the Super Bowl. Heck, it doesn’t even mean they’ll compete for their division. With the Bills being 4-0 and a team that’s still pretty good in New England, the Jets have a battle on their hands.
However, this offensive outburst displayed improved communication and chemistry. It showed that with Brett Favre at the helm, this offense can score points, and a lot of them, when it has to. It also showed, that at 38 and with a new team, Favre is still a darn good quarterback.
You don’t score 34 points in a quarter by luck. The Jets defense harassed Kurt Warner all game, forcing four fumbles and three interceptions. Do you think they minded giving up 470 yards through the air and 35 points? Of course not. Their job was done at halftime.
These Jets, at worst, bring some extra life to the AFC. A conference with undefeated teams such as the Bills and Titans, and supposed Super Bowl contenders Jacksonville and San Diego gasping for air in the land of 2-2, is as wide open as it has ever been. And as long as Favre is slinging passes, he’s going to have something to say about it. If you haven’t been impressed yet, have no fear. I have a strong feeling that things are about to get even more interesting…
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NLDS: Phillies vs. Brewers
Tomorrow the National League East Division champion Philadelphia Phillies will open up the National League Division Series against the wild card winners Milwaukee Brewers. A lot of people have not been mentioning it but I believe there is a ton of pressure on the Phillies this year.
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Take a Seat on the Bus
True story: Early fall of 1990, I was anxiously awaiting for my very first day of Kindergarten. My mom had picked out my clothes the night before; nothing too catchy, just a conservative yellow polo complemented by plaid shorts that barely reached my mid thigh. My blue and white Velcro shoes were strapped up tight and I was ready to go. I have had all summer to practice the ABC’s, touch up on my artwork, and re-read the ever so challenging rules of kickball. My dad took dozens of pictures of me and I stood there smiling, completely oblivious, not knowing that these photos would come back to haunt me at numerous family reunions and neighborhood get-togethers. My book bag was zipped up and I skipped outside and waited for the big yellow bus to come pick me up and take me to school. And I waited. And I waited some more. Nothing. I sat down to wait a little longer. Still nothing. It was my first day of school, and my bus had forgotten to pick me up.
By now, most of you are wondering why I am telling this story. For one, it’s damn sad and may increase my chances of getting sympathy from numerous amounts of females. But this is not my main objective. My goal is to explain the similarity between my first day of school, with the first few weeks of the regular season for teams like the Rams, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs and Lions.
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Canadiens Looking Ahead
As the Montreal Canadiens look ahead to the 2008/2009 season, they have high aspirations. This is the Habs 100th year in the league. They have many big events planned for this upcoming year. But what would make things so much sweeter for the faithful Habs fans is a Stanley Cup. Every year, fans in Montreal expect their team to be a cup contender.
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Week 4 2008 NFL Picks and Podcast
We’re nearing the quarter pole of a very entertaining NFL season. However, the schedule makers must have needed a break as this is one of the worst slate of games we’ve seen in a while. Nevertheless we trudge on and pick the week 4 games. The featured games this week are Cardinals @ Jets, Vikings @ Titans, Redskins @ Cowboys, and Ravens at Steelers, which we pick against the spread. Good luck in your office pools.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
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2008 Week 3 NFL Power Rankings
Forget about Ronnie Brown and his fantasy day from heaven. Where the heck did all those plays come from? The Miami Dolphins pulled plays out of a college spread offense, and brought some life to their attack in a complete dismantling of the New England defense. If nothing else was accomplished in week three, Miami, at the very worst, exposed the Patriots as a very beatable team.
What else do we know about the AFC East that we’re either not quite ready for or don’t want to admit to? First, Brett Favre and the Jets are not on the same page, and it’s becoming a real possibility that they never will be. Second, the Buffalo Bills need to be taken into serious consideration as a division title contender. Lastly, not a whole lot separates the Patriots from the other teams in their division. The last two weeks have shown that.
Look at the other side of the league, and you find the NFC East with the most disgusting display of talent and good coaching you might ever find compiled in one division. But that’s where I stop myself and say: “It’s only week three, man”.
While the Redskins’ offense has come to life, it doesn’t have the power to stay above water against the other three strong teams in the division. We could seriously be looking at three playoff teams out of this division. Believe that.
But enough of me wasting your time with thoughts and predictions in paragraph form. Here are your top 32 teams (guess who’s 32), and a very good reason why they’re there, or where you can expect them to be headed. SPOILER: The Miami Dolphins have not jumped 10 spots. Enjoy.
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Week 2 2008 NFL Power Rankings
Aside from Redskins tight end Chris Cooley revealing more than just his playbook, this week was nothing but gravy in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers continues to impress, while backed by a quite clearly explosive defense. However, the Packers were facing the Lions.
Interesting circumstances had certain teams winning or losing games, and sending a bunch of pre-season Super Bowl contenders to the dreaded 0-2.
Just off the top of my head, it’s looking like Mike Holmgren’s swan song is going downhill before it could really ever get started, the Chargers desperately miss Shawne Merriman already, and the Minnesota Vikings, despite already being labeled as one-dimensional, are…well, just that.
However, what has not changed, is that Tony Romo and the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC, the Colts are still relevant in the AFC, and Tom Brady or no Tom Brady, the Patriots are undefeated.
But aside from the rise and fall of many teams, the most telling fact in the league has remained the impact of the 2008 draft class.
Felix Jones returned a kickoff for a touchdown on Monday night, DeSean Jackson registered his second straight 100 yard game to start his career, Eddie Royal caught his second straight touchdown, and Jonathan Stewart had two rushing touchdowns. And that’s just on the offensive side of the ball.
Here are the week two NFL Power Rankings…