NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

NFC Wildcard
3) Seattle 27, 6) Washington 17
I expect the Redskins' run to come to an end here after yet another long road trip. They have become an incredible story, but this is where the magic of Todd Collins will wear out. Expect Seattle's defense to give him a hell of a time. The Skins' D will play well too, but they won't score enough points on offense. Seattle is an awfully tough place to play, and the Seahawks are a much better team than the Skins.

5) NY Giants 20, 4) Tampa Bay 16
My only concern here is whether the Giants will experience an emotional letdown after going toe-to-toe with the Patriots this last weekend. They are the better team and have won on the road all season long. I like Jeff Garcia and Jon Gruden an awful lot, but I believe they are the product of a bad division. The Giants defense shouldn't have a problem with Tampa's offense, and I think Brandon Jacobs will be the difference in a defensive struggle.

AFC Wildcard
3) San Diego 28, 6) Tennessee 10
To me, this is the biggest lock of the Wildcard round. I know the Chargers are snake bit when it comes to the playoffs, but if they can't win this game, they will never win a playoff game. They have won six in a row, while the Titans have struggled since starting 6-2. Making the playoffs in year two of the Vince Young era is a big accomplishment already. The Chargers are about winning now. Just that fact alone tells me where the two teams are.

4) Pittsburgh 17, 5) Jacksonville 14
Jacksonville is the better team, but I can't see them winning in Pittsburgh twice in a four week span. Everyone seems to be projecting a Jaguars/Patriots matchup already, but I don't think the Jags are there quite yet. They are a remarkable story and will continue to get better as the years go on, but I think Pittsburgh wins a nail biter in this one. This is definitely the best game of the Wildcard round. I expect nothing short of a blood bath in this one!

(Rest of the Postseason: Reasons will come when matchups confirmed)

NFC Divisional
2) Green Bay over Seattle
1) Dallas over NY Giants

AFC Divisional
2) Indianapolis over San Diego
1) New England over Indianapolis

NFC Championship
Green Bay over Dallas (not since Buffalo/Dallas II have both #1 seeds met in the Super Bowl)

AFC Championship
New England (in a nail biter) over Indianapolis

Super Bowl XLII
New England over Green Bay (19-0)

Before There Was Jeanerette, There Was Caray!

I think Harry Caray is the reason I liked Rick Jeanerette so much when I went to college in Buffalo Sabres' country. I grew up with the legendary, bumbling drunk broadcaster with the Chicago Cubs until he died in 1998. It was a sad day in the Morgan household when we learned of Caray's death on CBS's Winter Olympics coverage. It was fitting they would make the playoffs that year. Jeanerette is the exact same character, just in puck land. He filled the void that Caray's death created.

Pat Morgan

Struggling Bulls Fire Skiles

Coming into the season, the Chicago Bulls were predicted by many to contend for the top seed in the East and possibly represent the conference in the NBA Finals.

However, the Bulls have started the season a very disappointing 9-16, which leaves them 10 games back of the Pistons in their division, and only ahead of the Miami Heat and New York Knicks for the worst record in the East. Today, the head coach, Scott Skiles, took the fall for the Bulls' dreadful start. The breaking point had to be the Bulls last two games where they lost by a combined 43 points to the Celtics and Rockets.

I do not agree with John Paxson's decision to fire Skiles today. Skiles has taken this Bulls team from an embarrassment every year to one of the best young teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately at the first sign of trouble, Skiles has been given the ax. He should have definitely been given the rest of this year to turn the team around, and I would have given him next year too for making the playoffs the last three years. It isn't Skiles' fault that two of his best players in Luol Deng and Ben Gordon were severly distracted by the Kobe Bryant rumors, and now are more concerned about their contracts that will be up in the air after this season. That is the GM's doing. Should have given the coach the rest of the season to make things right.

Despite the poor start, the Bulls only sit 2 games out of a playoff spot, and surprisingly they are only 4.5 games back of the #4 seed. They are too far back from the surging Celtics or Pistons for something better, but they certainly have time to make something good happen from this year. And should they make the playoffs, they will be a handful for either of those teams should they meet.

This move is symbolic of how the NBA has become. Coaches get fired more in the NBA than any other league. In fact, the only organization I can think of in another sport that changes coaches at such an alarming rate is the New Jersey Devils. I love Paxson for his key championship contributions as a player from '91-'93 and for rebuilding this current team as GM, but this was a very classless move on his part. Shameful! On Christmas no less! And if Isiah Thomas still has a job, shouldn't Skiles?

Pat Morgan

NHL on Christmas Break; Sharks and Others Involved in Closely Contested Season

The NHL heads into Christmas break and the standings are very close in the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings lead their respective conferences by a decent margin, but the teams fighting for the playoffs aren't separated by much. In the West, the Stars are in secondplace with 46 points, while the 8th and final spot belongs to the Anaheim Ducks, who have 41 points. In the East, second and eighth place are only separated by 5 points. Many teams that are below the playoff line are not far behind, which makes for an exciting three months of NHL regular season hockey.

This is the first that I am actually into the NHL for real. A couple seasons ago, I got into the first seven games or so and then lost interest. This season, I started watching this month and for some reason, I'm totally into it. I'm a San Jose Sharks fan and hopefully they can get over their troubles at home (6-9-3), overtake the Stars in the division and get a decent playoff seed. They lost to the Detroit in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last season and the Red Wings look like they will be tough to handle again this season. Detroit is a storied franchise and it's not a suprise they are atop the Western Conference. The Sharks on the other hand, came into the league in 1991 and are looking to capture their 1st ever Stanley Cup. I think they can do it if they play up to their potential, but their offense sometimes looks obsolete, especially their pwer play.

This is how close it is in the NHL, especially in the West. Last week, the Sharks were second in the West, but after a shootout loss to Phoenix and getting blown out by the Stars, San Jose finds themselves in sixth place. Another loss would most likely have them on the outside looking in. Maybe in this case, it's a good thing that the NHL is a long season. The Sharks have time to move back up the standings and I am looking forward to seeing how it plays out. Once Christmas is over, it's back to the ice for these players and the quest for the Stanley Cup will resume.

Shawn Marosek

Should the G-Men Go Full-Throttle vs. the Pats?

With the 38-21 victory in Buffalo today, the New York Giants clinched their third playoff berth in as many years. The Vikings loss to the Redskins tonight also means the Giants are locked in the playoffs as the NFC's fifth seed. They will travel to Tampa to play the Buccaneers, most likely in the Saturday wildcard primetime slot in two weeks.

Most importantly, the victory today means that the Giants will not have to knock off the undefeated New England Patriots this Saturday to ensure themselves a trip to the postseason. The Giants can either go full throttle to try and make NFL history or they can elect to rest some of their injury ridden players for their matchup with Tampa Bay. This has already been a hot issue of debate, but now that this scenario is a reality, expect it to beaten to death this week on sports radio, ESPN, etc.

As a historian of the NFL and wanting to see history earned in a competitive way, I would love to see the Giants challenge the Patriots and make them earn win number 16. However, the Giants should not be expected to do so, as they do not owe it to the NFL to risk injury that could seriously hamper their chances in the playoffs. Teams that clinch playoff spots with games remaining on their schedule have earned the right to decide whether they want to rest their players or not. Even if that game has playoff implications for the opponet (i.e. Tennessee vs. Indianapolis next week), or in this case with NFL history on the line.

For someone who is anticipating this game without my team involved, I would like to see the Giants play the game by giving it all they have to win. I can understand if they rest high injury risks like Plaxico Burress or Brandon Jacobs, but I hope they play Eli Manning, Amani Toomer, and the big play makers on defense. It will make for, potentially, some great drama on Saturday night.

However, I am not a Giants fan, so I don't have a team I'm emotionally tied with in the game. If the Jets were in this position, I would want the coaches to stress that the playoffs are the most important thing. I would love to play hard and try and win the game for a historic place in history, but a playoff win would be much more important to me. If the head coach feels the best way to win that playoff game is to rest and not risk having his players spending an exuberant amount of energy and emotion on a meaningless game then I would respect that. It is very possible if the Giants go full throttle against New England it will have no effect or even a positive effect on how they play against Tampa Bay. However, there are many instances where a team has an emotional letdown after a game that is deemed as HUGE! And should the Giants play New England full throttle, then the coaches would be sending their players the message that this game is huge.

This will be a great issue of debate this week, and ultimately we should agree with what the majority of Giants fans feel. We would want that respect if it was our team.

Pat Morgan

Retired or Not Retired? Big Tuna to Become Dolphins VP

Just 11 months after retiring for a third time from the NFL, Bill Parcells has landed himself another job. Except this time Parcells (or so he claims) won't coach. The Tuna is set to become the vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins. Yesterday, Parcells turned down a similar role with the Atlanta Falcons to take the Dolphins job. When Parcells ultimately retires from this gig, he will have retired more times than Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Both of them have retired three times.

I agree with Parcells that Miami is a better place to be than Atlanta, but I don't understand why he feels he has to get back in the game again. Parcells has never been able to make up his mind, as he goes from one job to another job more often than Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino.

Well, not as bad as them, but for being such a legendary coach, he really has not developed an identity in one place since he left the New York Giants after winning his second Super Bowl. I loved him when Parcells turned my New York Jets around, but he was gone so quickly I don't really feel a huge connection to him. I definitely still cherish those years, but I don't think of him as a New York Jet. Remember, he also turned the rival Patriots into a winner again as well, and took them to a Super Bowl, which he didn't do with the Jets. He left way the Jets way too soon, especially being after a bittersweet 8-8 season when Vinny Testaverde was injured in Week 1. That team was widely predicted to go to the Super Bowl. I'm sure Patriots and Cowboys fans feel the same way about him.

Parcells did do a good job in his one year as a GM with the 2000 Jets, but it is unclear if Parcells can be as successful in the front office as he was on the sideline. It is unlikely a successful coach will want to coach in Miami with Parcells hovering up above. I think only unproven coaches will be able to work under Parcells while he is a VP of the team. Forget about a Bill Cowher type down the road. The Dolphins do need a lot of help though, so hiring Big Tuna can only help. Even though he will only stay three or four years before hitting the dusty trail again. However, I don't understand Parcells's motives for wanting to return to the NFL fire once again. I wouldn't be surprised if Parcells returns to the sideline a year or two into his contract should Cam Cameron not be able to turn the team around, or if the team isn't unable to lure another coach to their liking. I guess the NFL is like a woman, you can't live with them and you certainly can't live without them.

Pat Morgan

Is New England the Best Team of All Time?

With the realistic possibility of the New England Patriots going undefeated and winning another Super Bowl, the question might arise if they are the best NFL team ever. 16-0 in the regular season and 19-0 overall sure looks impressive, but many people might have other teams in mind.

New England has home field locked up and the next two games are meaningless, except for the fact that it might be history in the making. Everyone knows Bill Belichick will play all of his starters until the games are way out of hand, and I mean way out of hand. Try a 35-40 point game until the head coach pulls Tom Brady or Randy Moss. So, with that said, the Patriots will probably go 16-0. They have the winless, I mean one-win Dolphins this week and the struggling New York Giants to close out their schedule. They will easily handle the Dolphins, while the Giants might pose a threat if they need the game to make the postseason. Whatever the situation ends up being for the Giants, the Patriots will still win and keep an unblemished record heading into January.

If New England runs the table and wins the title, are they the best team ever? If they aren't the best, they surely are in the top three. I'm too young to remember the 49er teams of the 80s, the Steeler teams of the 70s and the Packer teams of the 60s. Many people who have recollections of those legendary squads might tend to lean towards the teams of the past. The earliest I remember watching football is the 1991 season and this is by far the best team I have ever seen. Maybe the teams nowadays aren't as good as they were in the past. Maybe that's why the Patriots are cruising through this season. Take this New England team and put them into a time machine. Send them back to the 60s, 70s, or 80s and see how they fare against the rest of the league. I'm not an expert on the teams of the past, but I know that some of them were very good and some have been considered the best of all time.

ESPN used to have this show called Matchup of the Millenium. Using up to date technology, they would have teams from different decades face off against each other. Videos from certain games would be edited to make it look like the teams were actually playing against each other. I remember seeing the 49ers of the 80s play against the Steelers of the 70s. They should have a new episode come out featuring the 2007 Patriots.

As for being the best team ever, I could make an argument supporting the Patriots. On the other hand, I could also make an argument supporting the 85 Bears, who only lost one game that year against the Miami Dolphins. They had it all, including a Hall of Fame coach and a stifling defense, which the Patriots certainly do not have. The Packer of the early 60s do not get the recognition they deserve, because the Super Bowl didn't come into play until the later part of the decade. Any one of those teams could be on top of the list. How about one of the four Pittsburgh teams that won Super Bowls in the 1970s? Joe Montana might argue one of his San Francisco teams is the best. It will be up for debate if the Patriots accomplish their ultimate goal. Here's another question to ponder. If they lose one or two games to close out the regular season, but then go on to win the Super Bowl, could they still be considered one of, if not the best team ever to play in the National Football League?

Shawn Marosek

Fantasy Owners Raging Over Westbrook Play

Most fantasy football leagues entered their playoff semifinals yesterday. Many of those teams included Brian Westbrook, who is the second best running back (behind LT) in the league in my opinion. Westbrook elected to fall at the one-yard line and allow the Philadelphia Eagles to simply run out the clock on a 10-6 upset over the Dallas Cowboys. Westbrook, unselfishly, turned down the touchdown. In an era where players care more about their stats then anything else, Westbrook kept the Cowboys from still having a prayer to win the game.

I have spoken to a few furious fantasy football players, and they feel Westbrook should not have manipulated the game the way he did. The consensus seemed to be that Westbrook should have known what was riding on that touchdown.

To me that is nothing more than...

Sour Grapes!

Westbrook's play was one of the smartest decisions I have seen this season. Westbrook showed he cared more about a win than his own personal stats. Scoring the touchdown would have meant Dallas would have needed a miracle to win, but Westbrook realized a miracle can anytime happen and you seal the game when you can! Great move by Westbrook. I liked him before this play yesterday, but now he climbs way up my list of favorite players.

Pat Morgan

Clemens Biggest Fish Caught in Mitchell Report

The long awaited Mitchell Report has been released, and the biggest name by far on the list is Roger Clemens. The news of Clemens using steroids is the biggest bombshell baseball could have had outside ARod if he was on the list.

In my opinion, Roger Clemens using steroids is as big a story as the long assumed use of Barry Bonds. Clemens is one of the top 5, 10 pitchers of all time according to many experts, and even ranked #1 by some. Clemens has won 354 games, seven Cy Youngs, and a rare MVP award for a pitcher. Like Bonds, Clemens played at a very high level into his mid-40s, including a season with a 1.87 ERA at 42 years of age. So, while a big story, the fact Clemens used steroids is hardly shocking.

According to the Mitchell Report, Clemens's steroid use is tied to a first hand witness, Brian McNamee. Mitchell was led to McNamee by Kirk Radomski, whose information helped Mitchell form a big chunk of his report. McNamee was Clemens's trainer from 1998 through May of this year. McNamee says he injected Clemens first hand with steroids during their time in Toronto and then acquired steroids for him through 2001. That is when McNamee claims he stopped acquiring steroids for Clemens, but was unsure if he kept using. There is no paper trail or anything on Clemens, so clearly he did a good job hiding his dealings. So, what it boils down to for Clemens is that McNamee simply turned on him. We probably never would have found out about Clemens unless McNamee decided to talk. Expect Clemens when he talks or releases a comment to call McNamee a liar and ask where anyother proof is.

This is pretty damning evidence though, and it is going to be really hard to Clemens to proof to the court of public opinion that he did not use steroids. Even Barry Bonds's former trainer, Greg Anderson, won't turn on him. Clemens's career actually mirrors Bonds in many ways. He was already a Hall of Famer, but the steroids allowed him to extend his career and have tremendous seasons well into his 40s. I think it's obvious Clemens continued to take steroids after 2001 too. We don't have proof on that, but look at his years in Houston. I know ERAs drop in the NL, but not to 1.78.

The question now is whether or not Roger Clemens will still make the Hall of Fame. I have to give the same answer I give for Bonds. Just because you were a Hall of Famer before you used does not excuse the fact that you cheated the game later in your career. Your actions that significantly hurt the game should weigh more than what you accomplished as a clean player. Look at Pete Rose as an example. His whole career was clearly Hall of Fame level, but he fell out because of actions after he left the game. I think Clemens should be kept out of the Hall of Fame for at least the 15-years he would be eligible on the writers' ballot. Obviously it comes down to the voters, not MLB, to decide, but I hope they feel the same way. I am for forgiveness though as everyone makes mistakes, so if in 20, 30 years and the Veteran's Committee feels he should be in the hall, then I will have no problem with it. I like the idea of baseball veterans ruling on this matter over biased writers.

Other than Clemens and the obvious ones in Bonds and Sheffield, there were only a few notable names. The ones that stood out to me were Andy Pettitte and Miguel Tejada. I expected Tejada to be on the list due to his rapid power decline and ties to the Oakland Athletics. Pettitte would have been surprising if he wasn't Clemens's best friend (and maybe more). It wasn't as big as list as some thought, but it clearly has a epic name to lead it.

Pat Morgan

Rowand Heading to San Francisco

Usually Barry Bonds is the topic of a San Francisco baseball story. Not this one.

The Giants opened up their wallet Wednesday and signed Gold Glove centerfielder Aaron Rowand to a 5-year deal worth around 60 million dollars. A fan favorite in Philadelphia, Rowand will be playing for his third team in four seasons. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Chicago White Sox and helped them win their first World Series title since 1917.

Rowand arguably had his best season in 2007. He batted .309 with 27 home runs, and had career bests with 89 RBIs, 105 runs, 189 hits and 45 doubles in 161 games. In 2006, he let everyone in Philadelphia know who he was, after crashing hard into the center field wall while chasing down a fly ball by the Mets' Xavier Nady. Once he got up, his face was covered with blood and a roar from the crowd showed its appreciation.

The fans will miss him in Philadelphia. There's no doubt about it. Not only did Rowand have career numbers last season, but he was a key part of the 2007 National League East Champions. When a casual fan thinks of the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard might be the first two names that come to mind, but Rowand was just as important. The Phillies had a very good player patrolling center field at Citizens Bank Park, now they will have to find someone new to do the job.

It's not going to be easy to find a center fielder with that kind of attitude. The fans of Philadelphia had a brotherly kind of love for Rowand, but now he's headed west to San Francisco. With all that has happened in his career, there is reason to believe that Rowand will be a fan favorite in the city by the bay.

Shawn Marosek

Tejada Traded To Astros For Five Players

The Baltimore Orioles traded All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros Wednesday for five players. Tejada, who has been sort of an Iron man of this generation, leaves Baltimore after a four-year stint with team.

He joins an Astros team who has been down the last few seasons, but maybe adding a talented hitter and fielder like Tejada will provide a boost. Houston gave up a lot of players in the deal. They include outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patten and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo.

This a great pickup for Houston, which is looking to rebound after two disappointing seasons in a row following a World Series appearance in 2005. They have a decent starting staff behing coveted ace Roy Oswalt and have talented youth in Wandy Rodriguez. They did trade Luke Scott, who was a starter a year ago, but the other four names I've never heard of.

I can't see the Astros competing this year for the division unless they start making some serious deals during the offseason. They gave up on Phil Garner as their manager even though he led them to a World Series two years ago for the first time in franchise history! Now they are trying to build this team back up again, and it's not a bad idea to bring Tejada on board.

As for the Orioles, what can I say? The team hasn't been in the postseason since they lost to Cleveland in 1997. They have been near or at the bottom of the standings for over a decade. The team has had to deal with the Raphael Palmeiro steroid problem and now they've traded arguably their best player since Cal Ripken Jr.

Tampa Bay might pass them next season and that's sad. Fortunately for Tejada, he won't have to be a part of it. However, the team he was traded to isn't that great either.

Shawn Marosek

Spygate Continues: Jets Reportedly Did Some Videotaping Of Their Own

A report has surfaced that the New York Jets were caught videotaping New England Patriots signals a year ago when the teams played in Foxboro. It is still yet to be determined whether this happened during New York's regular season win against the Pats or during it's playoff loss to New England.

According to a published report, an employee of the Jets was asked to stop videotaping from the mezzanine level at Gillette Stadium. Unlike the Patriots, the Jets are saying that no rule was actually broken in the process.

"All filming at last year's Patriots game was done with pre-approval from the Patriots and in accordance with NFL rules," Bruce Speight, the Jets' senior director of media relations, told Newsday.

The equipment was removed from the stadium, but was never confiscated by the league. It just makes one wonder how many teams are doing this in order to gain a competitive advantage. The Patriots and Bill Belichick were fined a total of $750,000 for videotaping the Jets' sidelines in Week 1. Now, there might be an investigation into this matter, even though I don't think there will be any punishment for the Jets. I don't understand how videotaping another team from the mezzanine level of a stadium was approved by the league or the opposition, which makes me suspicious of Speight's comments, but that's all we have right now.

It's strange how this is coming out right before the Jets and Pats game this Sunday. It's almost as if the Patriots knew about this right after Week 1, and didn't want to tell on Eric Mangini and the Jets until right before their second matchup. Could this motivate the Jets, just like spygate seems to have motivated the Patriots in their pursuit of perfection? I highly doubt it and I don't think the Patriots need to have any more of a psychological advantage. The team is 13-0 and the Jets are 3-10. The Patriots might put up 70 this week and another win will be tacked on to their undefeated record. But this spygate controversy will be brought up in future discussions regarding these two teams, and it's a shame.

Shawn Marosek

Petrino Bolts Atlanta for Razorbacks Opening

Just 24 hours after his Atlanta Falcons were drubbed by the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, Bobby Petrino resigned as head coach to take over at the University of Arkansas. So, for the second time in 2007, Petrino has broken a contract to bolt for another position. In January, he broke out of a 10-year contract with the University of Louisville to take the Falcons' head coaching position. In an era where contracts seemingly mean nothing to coaches, Petrino may have trumped them all.

This is the first time I have seen a coach leave in midseason to jump for another job. Petrino couldn't even finish the first year of the five year contract he signed with the Falcons. This is the worst example of how ridiculous these coaches have become. I know things have stunk ever since Petrino took over for the Falcons, but when you make a commitment, you don't leave in the middle of the season. Petrino almost makes Nick Saban's decision to bolt the Miami Dolphins look ok. They both lied to their classy owners saying they were not going to leave.

This is probably the last we'll see of big college coaches being hired by NFL teams for awhile. However, I thought that after Saban left for Alabama, and just a few days later Atlanta hired Petrino. So, who really knows, but I do know coaches and their contracts have become a big joke. It has become a major problem with these college football and basketball coaches.

Something needs to be done to severly penalize coaches for leaving places they sign big contracts with. Coaches that get fired still have to be paid by their bosses, so why not something that goes the other way. Athletic directors need to work some language into these contracts. Something that is even more severe than Les Miles's $1.25 million fine should he leave LSU for another job. Maybe something along the lines of the coach having to pay back a certain percentage of what they've already been paid. Remember, Ricky Williams had to pay back his signing bonus for not living up to his contract with the Dolphins. Something can be done. I'm not sure exactly what that can be, but hopefully something will curtail these coaches from backstabbing their employers left and right.

Pat Morgan

LoDuca Signs With Nationals

The Washington Nationals are starting to look a lot like the New York Mets of the past. They traded Brian Schneider and Ryan Church to the Big Apple for Lastings Milledge, now catcher Paul LoDuca has signed with the team. In essennce, it was a four player trade between the two NL East rivals. Let's not forget who the manager of the Nationals is. It's Manny Acta, who was the Mets third base coach two seasons ago before taking the head job in Washington. Could there be a new rivalry on the horizon for 2008?

Let's face it, the Mets are a much better team than the Nationals, but that doesn't mean there won't be some bad blood between the teams come opening day next season. The Nationals probably feel like they got the better end of this deal, so look for them to improve next year. The Mets are undeniably more talented, but they need to go after some pitching, instead of messing around with the Nationals. I know New York doesn't have much to offer another club when it comes to youth, but Omar Minaya has to get his butt in gear and start making some deals.

For Mets fans, it must be frustrating to keep hearing this general manager keep saying that he likes the team he has right now. That's his answer for everything and it's got to stop soon. If he fails to make any more major deals before the season and the Mets get off to a shaky start in 2008, don't be suprised to hear the New York fans and media getting on Minaya's back. He is supposed to be an amazing general manager, but it's not looking that way so far this offseason.

Don't forget about the manager of the Mets too. Willie Randolph has to be partly to blame for last year's debacle in September. I know the players have to perform, but as a manager, you have to keep control of the clubhouse. Randolph will probably be fired if New York fails to make the postseason for a second consecutive season. As a Mets fan, you shouldn't be upset if Willie goes. You should be rejoicing. If your manager still hasn't figured out how the double switch works, then you know he's not the right man for the job.

As for the Nationals, they are hoping that Milledge turns out to be what the Mets had been anticipating for the past few seasons. Loduca is a hard nosed player and certainly will be liked in Washington. They might have a problem with Milledge's attitude, but the team will not have to worry about Loduca's hustle and leadership skills. Mets fans will surely miss their former catcher. It's too bad management didn't give Loduca a shot at coming back.

Shawn Marosek

Dolan: Isiah's Job is Safe (How?)

One day after an embarassing 28-point home loss to the woeful Philadelphia 76ers, James Dolan informed Isiah Thomas that his job as head coach of the New York Knicks is not in jeopardy. The Knicks sit at 6-13, which is good enough for last in the Atlantic Division. Thomas has been the president of basketball operations for four years, and head coach for over a year. During his tenure, the Knicks have made the playoffs just once, and that resulted in a first round sweep to the New Jersey Nets.

It is absurd that Thomas is still at the helm of the NEW YORK KNICKS! The Knicks were an elite franchise in the 1990s, and if it was not for Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls they probably would have hung a few championship banners. This was a franchise who got criticized by fans if they did not win 50+ games in a season and play well in the playoffs. Now, fans before this season were googling over the prospect of winning 38 games and earning the 7 or 8 seed in a terrible Eastern Conference. Wow, have expectations changed!

Most importantly, Thomas was found guilty of sexual harassment this summer. That should have been the final nail in the coffin, but amazingly, Isiah continues to lead. Most people who commit sexual harassment are fired before it is proven, and then that person has to fight for damages due to an unlawful firing if he or she is innocent. Dolan and Thomas must be best buddies or something, because I cannot come up with any other reason as to why Thomas still is on the Knicks payroll.

For someone who was one of the best point guards and leaders in NBA history, Thomas has been a horrible executive and coach. He grossly underachieved in his three years with a loaded Indiana Pacers team, but they look fantastic to his horrific years with the Knicks. It is time for Isiah to go, and time for Dolan to hire a highly established individual (Jerry West type) to try and get the Knicks out of this big, big hole. It is very damaging for the NBA with how bad it has gotten in New York. The NBA needs Madison Square Garden to rock again. It is the mecca of basketball!

Pat Morgan

Tigers Acquire Cabrera and Willis

The first blockbuster trade of the offseason saw the Detroit Tigers acquire Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera has been on the block the entire offseason, but it was expected he would land in Anaheim, not Detroit. The Tigers sent highly rated prospects Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin, as well as four others to the Florida Marlins. Miller and Maybin could turn into excellent players for the Marlins, but this is a brillant trade for a team that is built to win NOW!

Cabrera turns a very good lineup into a lethal one. Cabrera could stay at third base, but I think the best move for Detroit would be to move him back into the outfield. Brandon Inge at third is better than a potential platoon of Marcus Thames and Jacque Jones in left. In any event, Cabrera has been one of the best offensive threats in baseball the last few years, and now being sandwiched in a potent lineup like this, he will only get better and better.

That sexy lineup (arguably the best in baseball) would look like this:
CF-Curtis Granderson
SS-Edgar Renteria
RF-Magglio Ordonez
LF-Miguel Cabrera
DH-Gary Sheffield
1B-Carlos Guillen
C-Ivan Rodriguez
2B-Placido Polanco (Could flip with Renteria)
3B-Brandon Inge

Willis had a down year last year going 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA, but there has to be a happy medium between that and his 2005 season (22-10, 2.63 ERA). I do think though if Dontrelle was going to be traded to an AL team, Detroit is about the best place he could have ended up. He could have been pounded in the AL East, and he would get little run support with the Angels. Willis will also pitch in a park that is about as pitching friendly as Dolphins Stadium, and will be the third or fourth starter behind Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, and possibly Kenny Rogers. He doesn't have to be the ace of the staff meaning that should take some of the pressure off of him knowing there are other starters in the rotation that can pick up the slack should he struggle a little.

Look at the sexy rotation:
SP1-Justin Verlander
SP2-Jeremy Bonderman
SP3-Kenny Rogers
SP4-Dontrelle Willis
SP5-Nate Robertson

If Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney can stay healthy in the Tigers' bullpen, this team on paper looks like the first or second best team in baseball. Should the Red Sox get Santana that will tip the balance of power in their direction, but this Tigers team looks really, really good. Great trade!

Pat Morgan

Pats Survive Mega Scare to Remain Unbeaten

The New England Patriots improved to 12-0 tonight despite being taken to the limit by the Baltimore Ravens. Jabar Gaffney caught a 8 yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady with 44 seconds left to cap off a thrilling game-winning drive and deliever the 27-24 victory. The final drive survived two 4th downs and a deflected pass which is normally intercepted. If it wasn't for a few bizarre couple of plays and penalty calls, the Ravens would have won because everything went right for the upset. The Ravens' defense gave Brady fits the entire game, Willis McGahee ran for 138 yards, the weather stunk, and the Pats made several mistakes. Everything was in place for the upset.

But...

Near the end of the first half, Ed Reed intercepted Tom Brady and ran it back deep into Patriots' territory, but it was stripped by Kevin Faulk denying the Ravens a chance at a go ahead touchdown or field goal. After a huge punt return, Kyle Boller threw an interception to James Sanders which denied them a chance to take two possession lead midway through the 4th quarter. The Ravens' defense stuffed a Brady quarterback sneak on a 4th and 1, but the play was called dead after a last second timeout by Baltimore. Later in the drive, the Ravens stopped the Pats on 4th and 5, but a holding call was made giving the Pats a 1st and Goal. Finally, on the final play of the game, Kyle Boller completed a hailmary, but the receiver is tackled on the three. Other than the hailmary, if even one of those plays don't happen the Ravens probably win the football game.

So for the second straight week, the Patriots survived a scare from a team that makes its home just off I-95. Their next three games are home games against the Steelers, Jets, and Dolphins. The Steelers are 9-3, but are a poor road team. The Pats will want to kill the Jets, and the Dolphins are 0-12. I don't see them losing any of those three, so the game that could deny them perfection is at the Giants in Week 17. Right now it is unclear if the Giants will even need the game as they sit two games up for a wildcard spot. Even if they do, they have major injury concerns at running back. To beat the Pats, they will have to have a McGahee performance from Brandon Jacobs. I don't see it happening, thus the Pats will go 16-0. They have survived their scares and should win out easily.

Can they be beat in the playoffs? Only in the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts. They will not lose to San Diego or Jacksonville in the divisional round, or to Dallas or Green Bay, on a dry Arizona field, in the Super Bowl. As far as the Colts, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it is almost better for Indianapolis to be on the road, away from the fast RCA Dome turf, in the AFC Championship. Remember when the Pats wanted awful weather to slow down Peyton and company? Well that has flipped. The Pats now want that fast track for Brady to go nuts with Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, and Wes Welker. The Colts would perfer a sloppy track where Joseph Addai can dominate the running game, and the defense can better defend a slower Pats' offense. If McGahee runs for big yardage on the Pats, Addai almost certainly will. The identities of the Pats and Colts have switched. Look for a fantastic AFC Championship Game where the Colts have a legit shot to upset the Pats. They will be 17-0 going into the game.

Pat Morgan

Shark Win, Coach's Job Not Completely Secured

The San Jose Sharks improved their record to 13-8 on the season with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche Monday night. With the win, the Sharks have moved into a multiple team tie for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. I know it's a little early to be talking about the NHL Playoffs, but if the Sharks fail to make the postseason, you might find a new coach in San Jose.

Many believe Ron Wilson is on the hot seat with the playoff disappointments in past seasons attached to his name, so ownership might want to move in a new direction. The Sharks have plenty of talent, including centers Joe Thornton, who they picked up in a trade last season, and newly acquired Jeremy Roenick. Yes, the team is in second place in the Pacific Division, but expectations are higher than the results so far. Wilson has held the Sharks coaching job since Jan. 4, 2002 and he has no intention of that changing. However, until the Sharks move up the standings and start showing people that they compete with the big boys like the Red Wings and Stars, there will continue to be a cloud over their head coach.

Shawn Marosek

BCS Thrown Into Utter Chaos

In a nice dream we would all be looking forward to a great college football playoff over the next month. Unfortunately, we are still stuck with the worst thing in all of sports called the Bowl Championship Series. Like every week before this one, the top teams in the country suffered losses. #1 Missouri lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship, and even more stunning, #2 West Virginia lost to 4-7 Pittsburgh at home. #3 Ohio State will clearly be the new #1 team in the country, but the question is who will be #2 and get to play the Buckeyes in the National Championship.

The candidates for the two spot are Georgia, Kansas, Virginia Tech, LSU, USC, and Oklahoma. Each of these teams can make an argument to play Ohio State. I think it will be either Georgia or LSU. Georgia is the current #4 team in the country, and numerically would be the team to move into the second spot. However, LSU is the SEC champion, and both of their losses were in triple overtime. I would be shocked if the second team isn't one of those two.

In my opinion, LSU should be the team to play Ohio State in the championship. As a fan, I rather see Georgia as I have never liked LSU, but it is hard to make a case for Georgia over LSU. LSU won the SEC championship today and their division of the conference in the regular season. Georgia was unable to win a spot in the SEC Championship Game because of a blow loss to Tennessee, which was the team that lost to LSU today. Both of LSU's losses were in triple-overtime, and one of those came on a failed two-point conversion. Georgia's two losses were a blow out in Tennessee and a loss at home to South Carolina.

My opinion and those of the pollsters and computers should not matter though. This is almost as bad as it gets. I still think the year an unbeaten Auburn fan was left out of the championship game was the worst, as they couldn't look back at a loss as the reason they were left out. Unlike Auburn, every team had a chance this year to avoid a loss and get into the game. However, it is still very bad that only two teams from a large group of mediocre teams will play for the championship. An Ohio State team that played an incredibly weak schedule and has not played since Nov. 17th is not better than LSU, USC, or Oklahoma. But again, that is opinion. LETS HAVE A PLAYOFF!

My Bowl Projections
Rose Bowl: USC vs. Georgia
Sugar Bowl: Kansas vs. Hawaii (Illinois, if UH loses to Wash)
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Arizona State
Championship Game: LSU vs. Ohio State

Pat Morgan

Mets Didn't Give Milledge a Chance

Earlier today, the New York Mets dealt former stud prospect Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. Schneider will replace Estrada as the top catcher on the depth chart just days after Estrada was acquired from Milwaukee. Church will most likely platoon in right with Endy Chavez. From being planned as another star to go along with Wright and Reyes, Milledge has become another Alex Escobar.

Had the likes of Johan Santana, Dan Haren, and Erik Bedard been on the block a year or two ago, Milledge would have been one of the top players requested from the Mets in a trade for one of those three. Unfortunately, Milledge dealt with injuries earlier this season, and when he did return the Mets apparently couldn't take his "attitude" problems. His stock has hit rock bottom to only garner a journeyman catcher, and a backup/platoon outfielder.

Personally, I think this is an awful trade for the Mets. I don't know if Milledge is going to become anything more than a so-so outfielder, but for Church and Schneider? Milledge's upside greatly trumps those two, as he could definitely become a big time player. Schneider won't be much better than Estrada would have been, and yes, Church had 43 doubles last year, but he has done very little in his career at the age of 29. I'm not saying don't trade Milledge, but don't give him away like they did. If you cannot get something valuable in return, give the man a chance to grow up and become a good, everyday player. Milledge and Estrada is a better combination than Schneider and Church. Or how about Paul LoDuca and Milledge? That's another story.

Milledge was given up on way too soon, and the reason is because of his questionable attitude. I find it ironic that the Mets wanted Milledge to be a saint, and ironically traded him for a player named Church. I am here to defend what have been his biggest follies in the eyes of Willie Randolph, Omar Minaya, and company. Last June, Milledge was pumped after hitting his first career homerun to send the game to extra innings that he gave high fives to a few fans down the right field line on his way out to the field. I didn't think that was a big deal at ALL. Randolph is old school and believes that shows up the other team. Come on Willie! Giving a couple high fives is nothing compared to a pitcher shouting after a strikeout or a batter posing while hitting a homerun. The kid was excited, give him a break! He did continue excited celebrations in his year and a half, but if you've watched a Mets game you usually would see Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes dancing in the dugout. It's the times we live in, Willie couldn't handle that. I don't see the difference between his celebrating and Reyes's this past year. It is just that one named Jose Reyes gets to stay.

The worst thing Milledge did was appear in a rap video in which the rapper used derogatory lyrics. Bad judgment! But what 23 year old doesn't make mistakes? And he wasn't the one using the lyrics, he just appeared in it because the artist was a childhood friend. However, the Mets did not see it that way, and just wanted rid of someone who I thought was not as bad as the media, team, etc. made him out to be. With a full season of at bats, I think Milledge could be a 25-30 homerun, 80-90 RBI, .280 type hitter. That will trump Ryan Church/Endy Chavez's output with the Mets. Terrible trade! The Mets don't have many chips anyway, so trading someone whose value could rise over the next year or so does not make sense. Anyone with a brain knows you don't sell low!

Pat Morgan

Duke Much Improved, and Singler is the Real Deal

The 2006-07 Duke Blue Devils lost 8 of their final 12 games, including being upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Virginia Commonwealth. Then, they lost probably their best player, Josh McRoberts, to the NBA Draft. I heard about the incoming class led by Kyle Singler, but I wasn't convinced that this team would be much better this year. As great as Mike Krzyzewski is, I wondered how much of his attention is divided between Duke and the USA team. Why couldn't have Roy Williams take that job?

After watching a few games, I am convinced Duke will go from an overrated #6 seed last year to no worse than a solid #3 seed in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils probably won't be a threat to win the National Championship, as I can see games where they come up dry from beyond the arch and get slapped around by a big boy down low. They will also have to play UNC 2,3 times this season, who I think is the best team in the country.

The Blue Devils are on the way back though, and hopefully this team will have 2,3 years together. Junior point guard, Greg Paulus has continued to show significant improvement he started to build upon late last year (if there was a bright spot last year it was Paulus's improvement late in the season). Senior, DeMarcus Nelson is playing better after a rotten junior season. Gerald Henderson is becoming a star, and won't just be known for breaking Tyler Hansbrough's nose. Jon Scheyer, who might have been Duke's best player last year, now comes off the bench giving Duke much more depth than they have had in years. Most importantly though, Duke has the game changing star they lacked last year.

Kyle Singler will be the real deal for Duke, and is already paying significant dividends. Singler was the MVP of the Maui Invitational, including a whale of a performance in Duke's toughest win of the early season vs. Marquette. Singler had 25 points and was a perfect 8 of 8 from the charity stripe. That isn't a early freshman year performance right there. Singler is also a bruiser, reminding me a bit of Shane Battier. Remember all the intangibles Battier added to a game, that wouldn't show in the box score, won Duke the 2001 National Championship. While Singler probably won't come close to the defensive guru Battier was, he could be a better offensive player. He can shoot the three, and can back in down low and score some too. Singler should become the leader that Duke has lacked since the likes of Battier, which could equate to title #4 in the Coach K era.

Pat Morgan

Yankees Interested in Santana

The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins are in preliminary discussions about Johan Santana possibly headed to the Bronx. To get the two-time Cy Young winner, the Yankees will have to give up one of their big three young pitchers, centerfielder Milky Cabrera, and a prospect or two. With the uncertainity of Andy Pettitte's return this would be a big time acquisition for the Yankees, but very bad for baseball.

The owner of the Twins, Carl Pohlad, is worth almost $3 billion, which ranks him 107th on the list of richest Americans. They will also be getting nearly $400 million in city subsidies for their new stadium in Minneapolis. Remember the Yankees are paying for their stadium out of pocket. Therefore, they really have no excuse not to sign Johan Santana, who is the franchise! They already let Torii Hunter go, so that's another $12 million off the books. The Twins clearly are not the Yankees, who use hundreds as toliet paper, but they are hardly strapped for cash.

However, if they want to trade Santana now is the time. They cannot bring him back next year, and risk being in contention at the trade deadline. If they are in contention, how can they sell trading Santana to their fans. They would have to keep him, and then lose him for nothing but a draft pick when he leaves via free agency. They cannot allow that to happen as Santana is too valuable. What they should do though is try as hard as possible to re-sign him, and go into the new building (which the tax payers are paying a chunk of) with Santana as the face of the franchise. Pay up, Pohlad! You are 92 years old! Are you planning a $4 billion, 100th birthday party in Vegas?

Unfortunately, this is a problem that will continue forever in Major League Baseball. Unless they do the right thing and agree to a salary cap and floor, which the MLB Players' Union will never allow, this problem will continue growing and growing. It is too bad that another one of baseball's big free agents (or soon to be in Santana's case) is going to the Yankees. Hopefully, the Twins involve the Red Sox as best they can to jack up the price as high as possible before unloading him to New York.

Pat Morgan

Halos Sign Torii Hunter

Late last night, it was announced the Los Angeles Angels signed free agent, Torii Hunter. Hunter agreed to 5-year, $80 million contract to play centerfield. The Angels hope to improve a lineup that has been dismal in the playoffs the last three times they have made it.

If the Angels think Hunter is the big bopper they need behind Vladimir Guerrero, then they will surely be disappointed. Hunter had stereotypical walk year numbers last year. He had the best year of his career by far at the age of 32. GMs continue to sign based on the previous year more than anything else, and not put much stock in the entire body of work. In a sense, they are paying their centerfielders $26 million a year, with Gary Matthews Jr. set to ride the pine. Hunter is a nice player, but he is not a clean up hitter. So, I hope the Angels don't think that and continue to pursue Cabrera.

The question now is will the Angels continue to pursue Miguel Cabrera. Should they get Cabrera, Hunter will fit perfectly as a 5, 6 hitter, being a good complement to the big two. If I were general manager of the Angels, I would go very hard after Miguel Cabrera. I would give up Jared Weaver, Howie Kendrick, and prospects if that is what it takes. I normally don't agree with trading good pitching for offense, but in this case I absolutely do. First, the Angels have lacked a big offense since the 2002 championship year. Their bats have frozen up way too many times in big spot. Since that championship, the Angels are 4-12 in the postseason. Second, Miguel Cabrera is most likely a future hall of famer and is only 24 years old! He is about as sure as a sure thing gets. Weaver is a nice arm, but is not on Cabrera's level. They should give up some good prospects too to make this happen. Finally, the free agent pool remaining stinks. The fact Hunter got $16 million a year tells you all you need to know. They won't fix their offense unless they get Cabrera to bat behind the big Vladdy Daddy!

Happy Thanksgiving every one! (Jets 33, Cowboys 29)

Pat Morgan

Eagles 23.5 Point Underdog to Patriots

The New England Patriots were installed as 23.5 point favorites today for their matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

This is the second largest line in NFL history, and could end up being the highest should the line move past 24 in the next few days. Coupling the fact the Patriots are scoring at will even when the games are blowouts with Donovan McNabb's uncertain status for Sunday it calls for a giant line.

I'm not a gambling man, but how could you bet against the Pats in this situation. They have covered the spread every week except for the game in Indianapolis. I never thought I would see a spread this high. The largest I can remember is San Francisco being 17 point favorites over San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX.

As large as this spead is, just wait for Week 15 vs. the New York Jets. That spread may reach the low 30s.

Pat Morgan

Baseball Hot Stove Simmering Down

Usually baseball's top free agents wait until mid-December to early-January to sign. However, this year things have moved very quickly, and with the exception of a couple of big names left the hot stove seems to be cooling down before Thanksgiving. Here are my thoughts on the major signings and trades this offseason except for A-Rod. For those thoughts see this older post.

Mariano Rivera 3-years, $45 million
After a few days of Rivera trying to hold out for a fourth year, he has finally agreed to re-sign with the Yankees. They had to get him back with Joba Chamberlian moving to the rotation next year. $15 million a year is a lot for a 38-year old reliever, but he is still the best in the game and deserves a big check for all he has done for the organization.

Jorge Posada 4-years, $52 million
Posada was the best catcher by far in the free agent market. He has been getting better and better with age, so he may be able to live up to at least three years of this deal. Plus, he is really the unofficial captain behind Derek Jeter. Like Rivera, Posada is being overpaid, but he deserves a few extra pennies for his championship contributions.

Mike Lowell 3-years, $37.5 million
The Red Sox got a great deal for Lowell. It seemed for awhile it may have taken a 4-year, $60 million contract for someone to get Lowell, but he ended up taking the hometown discount. Behind Beckett, Lowell was really the MVP of the Red Sox this whole year with Manny having a down year and Ortiz battling knee problems. He fits Fenway Park perfectly.

Luis Castillo 4-years, $25 million
It's hard to believe that Castillo will be making $6.25 million a year, but that is where baseball free agency has headed. Castillo gives the Mets a great glove at second, and a good bat in the #2 hole. He's nothing special, but gives good experience having been a member of the 2003 Florida Marlins championship team.

Curt Schilling 1-year, $8 million
At first, I thought the Red Sox should let him go, but after surveying the free agent market where else were the Sox going to get a better #2/#3 starter. He is probably only good for 20-25 starts, but will battle in every start especially in the postseason. His experience is unmatched so bringing in someone else probably wouldn't be as good. His one year will also allow the Sox more time before throwing Clay Buchhotz and Jon Lester further into the fire.

Tom Glavine 1-year, $8 million (Braves)
It was clear Glavine couldn't go back to the Mets after his September meltdown, so where better than back home to the Braves. He returns to the team he spent the first 16 years of his career with while compiling 242 of his 303 career wins. Good move for the Braves who need a #3 starter behind Tim Hudson and John Smoltz. They also cannot rely on Mike Hampton being healthy, so Glavine gives them good depth.

Jon Garland (Angels) for Orlando Cabrera (White Sox)
Good trade for the Angels considering they have Brandon Wood not far away from taking over at shortstop. It would also free up the position should they want to trade for Miguel Tejada if they don't acquire Miguel Cabrera for third base. I don't like the trade from the White Sox perspective. Cabrera is an upgrade at short over Juan Uribe, but they leave themselves a hole in the rotation. After Mark Buehrle, it gets hazy with Javier Vazquez and Jose Contreras.

Brad Lidge (Phillies) for 3 players (Astros)
The Phillies didn't give up much, so I think it is worth a gamble to bring Lidge in. It also allows them to put Brett Myers back in the rotation where he belongs. Cole Hamels and Brett Myers is about as good a 1,2 punch in the NL. I would be surprised if Lidge does well in Philadelphia as he got traded to maybe the only stadium that is more homerun friendly than Houston. However, he still is an upgrade over Gordon, Alfonseca, Mesa, or any of the other bums in that Phillies pen. Good move by Houston too, because Lidge needed a change of venue.

Edgar Renteria (Tigers) for 2 players (Braves)
I think this is a terrific move for Detroit. They did give up a pretty good prospect in Jair Jurrjens, but they upgrade an already terrific lineup. The Tigers will move Carlos Guillen to first, and be able to bat Renteria 1,2 when Granderson sits against lefties. They might move Granderson to the bottom of the order all together with solid on base percentages from Placido Polanco and Renteria. Atlanta can now start Yunel Escobar at short fulltime.

Andruw Jones and Torii Hunter remain.

Pat Morgan

Carr Forced to Retire?

On Monday, University of Michigan head coach, Lloyd Carr will announce his retirement after a roller coaster career at Michigan. Carr compiled a 121-40 record, which included five Big Ten championships. The most important moment of Carr's tenure was when he led the Michigan Wolverines to a share of the 1997 National Championship with Nebraska.

While seasonal records were somewhat consistent during his tenure, the latter years did not please Wolverines fans like Carr's first few years. Carr started 5-1 in his first six matchups vs. archrival Ohio State, but in the last seven he was 1-6. Carr also won four straight bowl games from 1998-2001, but has only won the 2003 Outback Bowl since. What have you done for me lately is what is boils down to here for Carr.

The question is though was Carr forced to retire? All the talk before last year's 2006 11-2 season was that Carr was going to need a miracle to survive. Well, the Wolverines started 11-0, and it appeared all the firing talk would be over. However, he would lose to Ohio State, and be embarrassed by USC in the Rose Bowl. In my opinion, those two losses ruined any chance of Carr being given an extension or just a vote of confidence from his superiors. Obviously they could not fire Carr after an 11-2 season, but he needed to have a special season this year to survive. The losses to Appalachian State and Oregon eliminated any chance at a National Championship this year, and all but sealed Carr's fate.

There were eight weeks between those losses and when stories of his retirement began to leak. I believe that the Michigan athletic department got together with Lloyd Carr and gave him the opportunity to retire on his own. I'm sure he got some sort of sexy buyout to agree, but it saved Michigan the bad public relations move of firing a coach who won them so many big games in the 1990s. Expect Les Miles, of LSU, to become the next Michigan coach.

Pat Morgan

Feds Indict Bonds for Perjury

In what already may have been the most story filled off the field week in sports, the biggest story came out today (apologies to Yorvit Torrealba). Federal officials have indicted Barry Bonds for four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, stemming back from his grand jury testimony back in 2003.

Should Bonds be found guilty, it will finally slience those idiots who defend Bonds by saying it has not been actually proven that he has taken steroids. However, you might already be able to say that. A failed steroid test of Barry's, seized from the BALCO lab, apparently is a key piece of evidence the feds dug up. His trainer, Greg Anderson, was also released from prison today after a year of refusing to testify. Could he have ratted Barry out? Maybe not, but it is odd that he was released today. The feds must have a lot of dirt on Barry otherwise I can't imagine why they would indict him. Why would they bother four years after the fact if they didn't?

A guilty verdict will also pretty much eliminate his chances for the Hall of Fame. Without this, I think he would have trouble making it on the first ballot, but would probably eventually get in. Now, we will just have to wait and see. I am looking forward to a Barry trial, and I wonder what defense superstar team he will hire. Dig up Johnny Cochran?

I am not going to get into my Barry Bonds thoughts, as it has been done to death. However, I wonder if Barry will give A-Rod a video tribute when he breaks his homerun record like Aaron gave him. Coming to you live from Cellblock D!

Pat Morgan

A-Rod Close to a Return to the Bronx

Despite opting out of the final three years of his contract two weeks ago, it appears Alex Rodriguez will be returning to the New York Yankees after all (I don't like to take self praise that often, but props to me for calling this). It appears A-Rod will get a 10-year, $275 million contract that should be finalized before Thanksgiving next week.

Early Wednesday morning, reports were leaked that A-Rod has been discussing a new contract for the past few days. Apparently, he deeply regrets opting out before giving the Yankee brass a chance to meet with him face to face. It took numerous phone calls from third parties to get the Steinbrenners to finally take his phone calls. A-Rod has even put his agent, Scott Boras, in the backseat. He is negotiating with the Yankees by himself, which was a Yankees demand before they would return to the table.

I think this is a good move for both parties. A-Rod is the biggest superstar in the game, and there is no better stage for him to attack the all-time homerun record. With the 10-year deal, it would be enormously surprising if he does not get the championship that has eluded him so far. With the Yankees' payroll and resources, you would think they would win it at least once the next ten years. It is a good move for the Yankees, because they would have had a huge hole in their lineup had they not resigned A-Rod. They also did not have to give up one of their big three young pitchers for Miguel Cabrera. And of course, he will also sell out the ballpark for the next ten years. Yankees fans should also forgive him for opting out. He made a mistake if he truly wanted to be a Yankee, but he seemingly made things right without having them jack the price up further.

Pat Morgan

Marbury Walks Out on Knicks

After Isiah Thomas informed Stephon Marbury he would not be starting for the New York Knicks tonight vs. Phoenix, he threw a hissy fit and hopped a plane back to New York leaving his team behind. Marbury was not following team orders, and was thus stripped of his starting role. He could not handle that and spilt. Add this to the long list of selfishness from Starbury. Apparently the player who could not handle being Kevin Garnett's sidekick in Minnesota hasn't grown up at all the last ten years.

No one is doubting his talent and the sick numbers he has put up throughout the years. Until recently, Marbury was the only player besides Oscar Robertson to average 20 points and eight assists per game during the course of a career. Marbury has also done a few good things off the court as well. To make things more affordable for poor intercity athletes, his line of Starbury sneakers sell much, much cheaper than the likes of Nike. However, the negative things greatly outweigh his numbers and community outreach. Marbury is a cancer on whichever team he plays for.

His inability to handle being Kevin Garnett's number two man cost the Minnesota Timberwolves a potentially great thing. That combination may have competed for championships, but Marbury's ego could not handle being second best for the first time in his career. He was the man growing up in Brooklyn and then his one year at Georgia Tech. Being the man in the spotlight was more important than winning, which seems to be the situation today in New York. While Thomas was on trial this offseason, Marbury should have been bringing his team together, but instead he was out allegedly harassing interns and showing up all disoriented for live interviews. (If anyone can find Marbury's Mike'd Up interview, please send it to me!)

Marbury is also proof that numbers do not tell the hole story. You would think his numbers would put him on equal footing with Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Well, he doesn't come close. Kidd replaced Marbury in New Jersey, and took a team Marbury couldn't get into the playoffs to the NBA Finals twice. Nash took over for Marbury in Phoenix, and took a team Marbury couldn't get past the first round to two 60+ win seasons and a Western Conference Finals appearance. For those who put too much stock in numbers, STOP! Marbury is GARBAGE! Well, he is actually a model citizen compared to his cousin, Sebastian Telfair.

Pat Morgan

Place Your Deposit for an Orange Bowl Urinal NOW!

The Orange Bowl's football life (well other than a Dec. 1st FIU/North Texas game, whoo!) came to a close tonight in dramatic fashion, as the Miami Hurricanes said goodbye to the old gal by being beat down by Virginia 48-0. On Thursday, it was announced the historic building would be demolished come January. All fixtures, including urinals will sold at an auction shortly after the demolition. Cause nothing says aniversary gift like a wall urinal that thousands of drunk Hurricanes and Dolphins fans have signed for you throughout the years.

It is actually sad how the Orange Bowl has slowly faded away throughout the last 20 years. It is kind of symbolic of how the Miami football program has hit the fan the last couple of years. Before 1987, the Orange Bowl may have been football's biggest venue, and not to mention the home of the Miami Dolphins and Hurricanes. It hosted more Super Bowls than any other venue until Dolphin Stadium started taking the Super Bowls placed in Miami. The most important football game of all-time was played there in 1969, when the AFL's New York Jets beat the NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III to start the push toward an AFL-NFL merger that would take place after Super Bowl IV. It also hosted the Orange Bowl from 1938-1995, and once more in 1999, hence why the building was renamed Orange Bowl in 1960. Doug Flutie's famous hail mary for Boston College was probably the most crushing moment for one its home teams at the Orange Bowl.

Since 1987, the building has really been outshined by the more state of the art Dolphin Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Dolphin Stadium took the Super Bowls, Orange Bowls, and now both tenants, while the Orange Bowl has begun to look more and more like the old lady in the shower. Well, I say farewell to perhaps the most famous football venue of all-time. To me, the Orange Bowl is to football what Yankee Stadium is to baseball or the Boston Garden was to basketball, and this is coming from a Jets fan. Maybe I'll bid on those urinals after all, I can't think of anything better to spend a $1,000 on. Well, maybe a few. And perhaps we can get the Miami Hurricanes to be in attendance when Florida International plays the final game at the Orange Bowl. No, not to play, but for one more awesome brawl for old time sake.

Pat Morgan

Maybe Notre Dame Basketball Will Give Fans Something to Cheer About

The Notre Dame men's basketball team tips off its season Monday night at home against the Long Island Blackbirds. With the football season being a disaster, I would have to say that many Notre Dame faithful are already switching gears and looking forward to watching some games on the hardcourt. Like a lot of the Big East teams, Notre Dame plays a very light schedule for the first month and a half of the season. The Irish do not even play a Big East opponent until Jan. 3 when West Virginia comes to town.

Notre Dame ended last year's promising season with a disappointing first round loss to Winthrop in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Mike Brey returns for his eighth season as the head coach of the Irish after signing a two-year extension in the offseason to remain with the team through the 2012-2013 season. He was also named the Big East coach of the year last season after leading Notre Dame to a 24-8 record.

One of the bigger stories for Notre Dame coming into the season is the return of guard Kyle McArlarney, who was arrested last January for possession of marijuana. The university suspended him from the team indefinitely and shortly thereafter was dismissed from the team. Hopefully he can make a big impact this season as the Irish will be up against some stiff competition in the talented Big East Conference.

Shawn Marosek

2007-08 NCAA Men's Hoops Predictions

ACC: North Carolina
Big 12: Kansas
Big East: Georgetown
Big Ten: Michigan State
Pac-10: UCLA
SEC: Tennessee
#1 Overall Seed: Memphis (Could go unbeaten in regular season in CUSA)
Heavy Sleepers: North Carolina State, Kansas State, Arkansas
Final Four: Tennessee, UCLA, Kansas, UNC
Final Two: Tennessee, Kansas
National Champion: Kansas
Most Outstanding Player: Mario Chalmers
Freshman of the Year: Kyle Singler (got to be a homer somewhere)
Wooden Award: Tyler Hansbrough
Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl

Pat Morgan

You May Just Call Me Ray!

It's official! The Tampa Bay Rays have dropped the Devil from their nickname, and unveiled a new logo and uniforms. It was a glorious day in St. Petersburg today, as 7,000 fans (who knew there was that many Rays fans) came to the name changing party headlined by Kevin Costner and his band. Nothing screams party more than Kevin Costner! I might just watch Waterworld after writing this.

The 2008 Rays may finish in last like their Devil Rays predecessors, but hey, they will finish in last looking good in those sexy new uniforms. It has never been better to be a Devi-- oops just Rays fan! I must say I am jealous. Even former Rays greats, Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff were in town to strut the cat walk with the new uniforms!

*Puts down the bong*

Back in the real world it is unfortunate Tampa's owners did not unveil a whole new team. If they think a name change is going to raise fan moral than they must be dumber than Mike Tyson on Celebrity Jeopardy. This is the same franchise that celebrated 70 wins back when Lou Piniella was the manager. They can have parties like this every week, but this team with NEVER make the postseason. I'm sure the owners could get away with changing the team name to the Tampa Bay Douche Bags if it meant a winning team in Tampa. However, the new jerseys probably mean the Rays won't be able to afford Scott Kazmir next year.

Can you imaging what went on at the Rays promotions department meeting when coming up with possible new nicknames? The best they could come up with was Rays? Tells you all you need to know about the morons running that organization. Wait, sunshine rays in Florida! Now I get it! Ugh. By the way, I didn't think there was anything worse than Kevin Costner's acting skills. I guess there is, Kevin Costner's singing skills! William Shatner and his band must have backed out at the last minute.

Pat Morgan

NFL First Half Grades

Here's the midseason report card for each of the 32 NFL teams. Took me a few days to compile, so enjoy!

A+: New England (9-0) - The Patriots are setting all kinds of records, and have blown out everyone except for the Colts. Even more impressive was the 10-point fourth quarter comeback in the champ's building. They have a great shot at going undefeated. They are well deserving of a rare A+, videotape or not.

A: Indianapolis (7-1) - Had the Colts held on against the Pats they would have gotten an A+. This team is better than last year's Super Bowl champion, as their defense has clearly carried over the momentum they had from last year's playoffs. They are the only team that could realistically deny the Pats their fourth title in seven years.

Dallas (7-1) - Like the Colts, their only loss is against New England, and the only other game that was really in doubt was their win in Buffalo on Monday Night. I wasn't a believer in Wade Phillips, but he's done a much better job than Bill Parcells ever did in Big D. Will cakewalk to NFC East crown should they beat the Giants in Jersey on Sunday.

Green Bay (7-1) - Only a poor second half against the Bears keeps the Packers from being 8-0, as they played that game not to lose. However, the Packers are still a total surprise this year. They have had some games they could have lost (Philadelphia, Washington), but their grade rose from a B+ to an A the last two weeks with gutty wins out West against Denver and Kansas City.

A-: Pittsburgh (6-2) - Ben Roethlisberger is back to his to 2005 form, and proving that 2006 was just an aberration due to a multitude of injuries. A couple puzzling losses to Arizona and Denver keep the Steelers from being graded higher, but to their defense they were road games. Right now, the Steelers are the best team after the big two, and have the best chance of any to spoil a Pats/Colts AFC Championship Game.

Tennessee (6-2) - The Titans define the term "ugly win" to a tee, as they barely survived games against Houston, Atlanta, and Oakland. However, their two losses are by a combined five points, so with a little luck they could be 8-0. Kerry Collins held down the fort while Vince Young was out, and with a relatively easy second half, this team could win 11-12 games. A great rebuilding job by Jeff Fisher, who may be the best coach in the NFL not named Belichick.

B+: Cleveland (5-3) - The Browns are the surprise of the first half. No one gave this team a chance to win more than 4,5 games this season. Derek Anderson has come in and done a terrific job at quarterback putting the Brady Quinn watch on hold. It will be interesting to see if this team can continue their good play and make a run at a wildcard berth. Unless they win in Pittsburgh next week, I don't see them winning the AFC North though.

NY Giants (6-2) - After the horrific 0-2 start, when they allowed 80 points, the Giants are rolling with six straight victories. The Giants have a tremendous defensive line headlined by Osi Umenyiora who is an absolute stud. Plexico Burress has become one of the top wide receivers in the league, and has solid numbers so far. Should they beat the Cowboys on Sunday, they will have an excellent chance at winning the NFC East and perhaps earning homefield in the NFC.

Detroit (6-2) - It's been a long time since Lions fans have had much to cheer about, but this team is starting to play complete football. After giving up a ton of points in their first five games, the Lions have only allowed 30 points in the last three games. Jon Kitna has done a nice job, and Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams could eventually be the top 1,2 WR combination in the league. I'm looking forward to seeing a meaningful game Lions game vs. Green Bay on Thanksgiving.

B: Jacksonville (5-3) - The injury of David Garrard has kept the Jaguars from having a better first half. They did not allow over 20 points in their first five games, but have hit a roadblock recently with games against the Colts and the suddenly hot Saints. If the Jags can survive their next four games (@ Ten, SD, Buf, @ Indy) they should return to the postseason after missing it last season.

B-: Washington (5-3) - The Redskins might the worst 5-3 team ever. However, I did not expect them to have a winning record, so they get a B-. Joe Gibbs clearly isn't the same coach he used to be, and resembles Herm Edwards when it comes to clock management. The Skins second half schedule is much tougher in the second half, so I don't see a playoff berth out of this team.

Tampa Bay (5-4) - Jeff Garcia has had a fantastic season so far, even though the Buccaneers have not scored a ton of points. With the exception of a potentially pivotal game at New Orleans, the Bucs might have the easiest schedule left in the NFL. They play Atlanta twice, Houston, Carolina, San Francisco, and Washington, so they have a legit shot to make the playoffs.

New Orleans (4-4) - After five weeks and an 0-4 record, the Saints would have received a failing grade, but they have saved their season by winning their last four. Drew Brees has turned it back on, and proven once again he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Even though the Bucs have an easy schedule, the Saints do as well, so that Week 13 against Tampa could decide the NFC South and who makes the playoffs. This division won't get two teams.

C+: Kansas City (4-4) - Herm Edwards continues to surprise and win regular season games. After an 0-2 start the Chiefs have surprisingly won four of six games. The Chiefs offense has not impressed, but they have one of the best defenses in the league. I would be surprised to see them make the playoffs, but if they beat San Diego for a second time in Week 13, anything can happen.

Buffalo (4-4) - Like the Chiefs, the Bills are pretty much all about defense. Three weeks ago they looked like a team that would be picking in the top five of the 2008 NFL draft, but since then they have reeled off three straight wins and are in the playoff discussion. Trent Edwards gave the team a spark, and when he went down, J.P. Losman has stepped back in nicely. However, outside of two games with Miami, they do have a tough second half, and most likely won't continue their run.

Minnesota (3-5) - If this Vikings team had a quarterback, they might be the best team in the NFC. They almost have the complete package with a very good defense and of course the already superstar running back, Adrian Peterson. Peterson leads the league in rushing by far, and oh yeah, he already set the single-game rushing record last week. Did I mention he is only a rookie? Probably won't make much noice this year, but they could be an NFC elite soon.

C: Houston (4-5) - You would figure a 4-5 Texans team would be given a little higher grade than a C, but they started 2-0 and have gone 2-5 since. Plus, those two wins were against Miami and Oakland. This team desperately needs Andre Johnson back, but unfortunately are stuck in the cellar in the best division in football. The Texans are better, but won't come close to a playoff berth with a second half schedule that does not feature any breaks.

Carolina (4-4) - The Panthers sustained perhaps the most devastating season ending injury in the NFL in Jake Delhomme. They started 4-2, and with New Orleans's slow start it appeared the Panthers may be headed toward the NFC South championship. However, the injury to Delhomme has caught up with them. With Civil War veteran, Vinny Testaverde and former Texan, David Carr running the show, this team will slowly fade away from playoff discussion.

Seattle (4-4) - Fortunately for the Seahawks they play in the worst division in the NFL. It is possible a 7-9 record could win the NFC West. I thought they would be better than they have been, but clearly they are not the same team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago. Again, they do play in a weak division and have fair second half schedule, so they should be in the playoffs for a fifth straight year. Five straight playoff appearances for the Seahawks? Weird.

Arizona (3-5) - Like Carolina, Arizona has been ravaged by injuries to the QB position. The Cardinals really clicked when they rotated Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner, but now they are without Leinart and Warner is banged up. They had a real good shot to make some noice in the second half before the injuries, but I think they are too banged up. However, they could still surprise with a relatively easy second half schedule.

C-: Baltimore (4-4) - The blowout loss to Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football dropped the Ravens from a B- to a C-. They have been very disappointing this year, and have a very tough second half schedule. The offense is usually bad, but even the defense is getting old. This is Brian Billick's worst job as head coach of the Ravens, and is far from the offensive guru he was billed to be when he was the offensive coordinator in Minnesota.

Oakland (2-6) - The Raiders looked good early in the season, but reality has set in the last few weeks. With the schedule they have in the second half they are looking at another top 5 draft pick. Will be interesting to see when the Raiders elect to give LaMarcus Russell some playing time and finally bench the Josh McCown, Daunte Culpepper revolving door quarterback.

Chicago (3-5) - The Bears have been one of the most bi-polar teams in the NFL thus far. They gave the Packers their only loss of the season, and they also won in Philadelphia. However, intertwined between those wins were home losses to Detroit and Minnesota. The defending NFC Champions are going to have to do something special the rest of the way if they want to make it back to the playoffs.

Philadelphia (3-5) - I picked the Eagles to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and my have I been wrong. While they have shown a few flashes of their oldselves against Detroit and Minnesota, they have not been able to get on track. They have awful divisional losses to the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins which pretty much bury them from making a late run at a playoff bid.

D+: Denver (3-5) - Apparently Jay Cutler is behind schedule, and now he is hurt. The Broncos were widely picked to make the postseason this year, but he played some real awful football. All three of their wins have come via game-winning field goals, which includes the Shanahan timeout game vs. Oakland. Really this Broncos team shoould be 1-7 or 0-8. The funny thing is though they are only a game out of first place, and could catch Kansas City with a win this weekend.

San Diego (4-4) - Had I graded teams a week ago, the Chargers might have been given a C+/B-, but the stunning meltdown against Minnesota really kills their grade. The Chargers are the biggest disappointment of the season to this point, coming of a 14-2 season with perhaps the best talent in the NFL. Scary thing is though is that this team does not have to do much to win a very weak AFC West. That would put them one home playoff win away from going to New England or Indianapolis in the Divisional Round. Could they pull an upset? Probably not, but they have a better chance than anyone else.

D: Atlanta (2-6) - The season the Falcons are having was to be expected with all of the Michael Vick distraction this offseason. They will be certainly looking for a quarterback in the draft or in free agency. It is not impossible for this team to be good next year considering the division they play in, but probably not.

D-: San Francisco (2-6) - Another huge bust this season. The 49ers really should be an F, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for losing Alex Smith for a few weeks this season. They might have the worst offense in the league now, and who else is pumped up for this week's Monday Night matchup between them and the Seahawks! OH BABY!

F: Cincinnati (2-6) - The Bengals were my pick to win the AFC North, even though I knew the defense would be bad. I just did not think it would be this bad. The 51-45 loss to Cleveland in Week 2 really set a bad tone for this season. Plus, their offense has not been as explosive as feared it would be this season. Heads are going to roll in Cincy this offseason for their second consecutive disappointing season in a row. See ya Marvin!

NY Jets (1-8) - After a feel good 2006 season, the Jets have done a complete 180 this year. Their defense has been terrible all year long, and allows the worst of running backs to have 100+ yard days. All that is left this season is to evaluate Kellen Clemens and find out if he can be the quarterback of the future for the J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! JETS! Next year will be a critical year for Eric Mangini and company to reclaim the praise they got last year.

Miami (0-8) - Don't tell the kids, Flipper has been put down. Man, did Nick Saban leave the Dolphins in really bad shape. It is hard to imagine this team being good anytime soon. They lost to the Jets for heaven's sake. The question the rest of this season is when rookie John Beck plays. You would think Cam Cameron would have to give him a shot to see if they need to draft a quarterback.

St. Louis (0-8) - How does a team with Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, and Steven Jackson only have 99 points through eight games? It is really unbelievable how bad this team has been. Expect the entire front office and coaching staff to be fired at the end of the year. Maybe they should rehire Mike Martz! This is the type of terrible Rams team that we remember when we were growing up in the 1990s.

Revised Super Bowl Pick: I'll keep New England as the winner, but they will beat the Giants.

Pat Morgan