Sportscolumn - Stories by Vin

[NFL] Week 5 2007 NFL Picks and Podcast

First of all, let me apologize for our very poor showing last week. I don't know how anyone could have picked the sheer number of upsets that happened. We expect there to be a major correction this week with the favorites winning most of the games. Hopefully, we'll average at leat 75% right and you guys will trust us with your office pools again.

The featured games this week are Seahawks @ Steelers, Chargers @ Broncos, Bears @ Packers, and the Cowboys @ Bills. You can download the podcast directly (running time 60 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.

[NFL] Week 4 2007 NFL Picks and Podcast

We're almost through a quarter of the NFL season. Can you believe it? We've got some byes this week so you there's less ways to win (or lose) your money in week 4. Last week, RJ and Ryan both went 11-5 while Trevor and Vin went 10-6. More importantly, everyone got their Lock correct. Hope you made a few bucks off that.

The featured games this week are Seahawks @ Niners, Broncos @ Colts, Eagles @ Giants, and the Patriots at the Bengals. You can download the podcast directly (running time 50 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.

[NFL] Week 3 2007 NFL Picks and Podcast

Welcome to another week of NFL picks. Somehow it's week 3 already. Ryan tries to keep his hot streak going this week while RJ and Vegas Vinny try to bounce back from a 9-7 week. Trevor goes a solid 10-6 again. The whole NFL feels like it's the mid-90s again. Just when you thought you had the NFL figured out, the Lions go 2-0 and the Saints are 0-2. Go figure.

The featured games this week are Niners @ Steelers, Colts @ Texans, Bengals at Seahawks, and the Cowboys at the Bears. You can download the podcast directly (running time 70 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.

[Journals] 2007 SC FF EAST Sign up Info

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/sportscolumn

$15 league fee. Everything is default yahoo settings. Please reply to this post with your team name after you've signed up so we can see if we need another division.

League ID#:      337791
League Name:     SC FF East
Password:     eagles
Custom League URL:     http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/sportscolumn
Draft Type:     Live Draft
Draft Time:     Sun Sep 2 6:00pm PDT [ Add to My Calendar ]
Max Teams:     10
Scoring Type:     Head-to-Head
Start Scoring on:     Week 1
Can't Cut List Provider:     Yahoo! Sports
Max Moves:     No maximum
Max Trades:     No maximum
Trade Reject Time:     2
Trade End Date:     November 16, 2007
Trade Review:     League Votes
Waiver Time:     2 days
Post Draft Players:     Follow Waiver Rules
Playoffs:     Week 15 and 16 (4 teams)
Roster Positions:     QB, WR, WR, WR, RB, RB, TE, K, DEF, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN

[MLB] Friday Free for All: Philly frustration

Back in August, I started the Friday Free For All to get back into writing feature length columns, but like smart Charlie Manuel managerial moves, they were few and far between. But I'm ready to make a comeback. (Yes, folks, you are witnessing the most unasked for comeback since Winger released Headed for a Heartbreak.) So here it is, the first Friday Free for All of 2007, equal parts sports, angst, and anti-starfucking.

[College] You are about to bet on March Madness. Cancel or Allow?

CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! I'm not stupid enough to actually bet cash on the tournament since I'm not up on my college bball this year (aside from throwing $50 away on office pools) but I am part of a contest from nbx.com called Battle of the Blogs. Instead of a bracket, they do a contest where you start with 100,000 points and you can bet on each game. Good thing it's not real cash or I'd be selling blood and sperm right now.

I waded slowly into the betting pool, putting down 100 or 500 points on BC over Texas Tech, Louisville over Standford, Michigan State over Marquette, and various other games. Amazingly I went 11-3-1 to begin the contest. However, from Friday to Sunday, it seemed that college basketball was fixed. Against me specifically. I dropped 16 straight bets. 16. You could flip a coin and not do anywhere near as bad.

[Journals] Griffey breaks hand at home

We've had a lot of stories about Junior and how much people respect him so I thought I'd post this little bit I just saw today. Seems the guy is so star crossed with injuries. He could have been the greatest of all time if not for the injuries. At least he was able to have a decent career unlike Bo Jackson.

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr. broke his left hand in an accident at home, the latest in a series of injuries that have derailed the career of the All-Star outfielder.

Griffey's throwing hand will be in a hard cast for three weeks, then will be re-examined, Reds spokesman Rob Butcher said Friday.

Butcher said he could not say when or how the accident occurred because Griffey did not authorize any more details to be released.

General manager Wayne Krivsky wasn't sure whether Griffey will be ready for the start of spring training. The club will have a better idea when the hand is examined again in three weeks.

[Journals] Fly Eagles Fly

Can I gloat for a minute?

First of all, it's rare that a game lives up to the hype but I thought the Eagles-Cowboys game was pretty damn exciting.

Second, too all the suckers who picked the Cowboys... as Nelson would say -- hah ... hah!

I actually thought the Cowboys would tie the game on the final play but for once, the ball bounces our way. I think the INT wasn't Bledsoe's fault as much as it was Jason Witten running the wrong route.

Incredible day by McNabb. Aside from not feeling the pressure on the turnover for a TD, he was pretty much mistake free. Some bad throws but his long bombs more than made up for them. The same can't be said about TO.

[NFL] Sportscolumn's 2006 NFL Predictions - AFC edition

Yesterday we took a look at the NFC. Today it's time to break down the AFC - winners of 7 out of the last 10 Super Bowls and 4 of the last 5. Can the AFC do it again this year? Will the Colts finally get over the hump? What team will come out of nowhere and make the playoffs? Are the Patriots back in championship form? Why does CBS's pregame show suck so much compared to the Fox broadcast? Here we go with the AFC division previews.

[NFL] Sportscolumn's 2006 NFL Predictions - NFC edition

Outside of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, there is no better span on the sporting calendar than the opening weekend of the NFL season. No more guessing how preseason performance really translates into regular season play, no more thinking about who will make the 53 man roster, no more praying that a key player on your team doesn't get hurt in a meaningless game. It's just you, your remote, perhaps a cold brew, and the joy of Christmas in September. And while I appreciate the Thursday night teaser, I'd almost rather the NFL not have gone to that. It's like getting an appetizer and then having to wait 3 hours for the main course to arrive. Just fast forward me to Sunday already!

But before we can start week 1, we need the obligatory 2006 NFL predictions. Here it is folks, what you've been waiting for... the official Sportscolumn 2006 NFL Predictions. I have spent all weekend digesting stats, schedules, rosters... and lots of alcohol. Depending on how much you agree with these predictions, is how much of the relative mix of those things went into the picks. I predicted game by game for each of the 17 weeks and came up with the final standings and records of every team in the NFL. We'll kick it off with the NFC.