A WASTED OPPORTUNITY

Just one month ago this Tuesday, the New York Jets went into Tennessee and knocked off the unbeaten Titans in what was their best team performance in many years. That night and the next day, WFAN was flooded by callers dreaming of an all-New York Super Bowl.

And you know what? That did not seem like such an outlandish idea, and I've seen the Jets lose several heart breakers since the early 90s. The Jets had just steamrolled the AFC's best team in their own building. They also seemed to have the inside track for the conference's second bye considering the closing schedule for the Steelers seemed much tougher.

Twenty-eight days after that win in Nashville, the Jets sit at 9-6 and needing a Week 17 miracle just to earn a playoff spot. Never would I have thought that this kind of meltdown was possible. They have lost three of four, and the best team in that group was the Denver Broncos, who just lost at home to the Bills! Even the Jets found a way to beat the team fading more than them in the AFC East.

As a fan, I still hope for that miracle, but if it does not happen it will be a very long off season for the Jets. I doubt that Eric Mangini will be fired, but heads will certainly roll. I definitely see Bob Sutton (defensive coordinator) being canned, and perhaps Brian Schottenheimer (offensive coordinator) as well. Mangini doesn't deserve a pass though. He has flushed down the toilet that "Mangenius" nickname he earned two years ago. Is it just me, or is anyone else sick of same perturbed look on Mangini's face every time the team screws up? Do something to change it! Don't look like a kindergarten teacher when they frown at a kid to try and make them feel bad! I hope still it works out for him here, but next year will probably be it if he doesn't do something special. Remember he will be going into the second to last year on his contract, and owners perfer not to have lame duck coaches.

I hope that Brett Favre decides to call it quits. It hasn't worked! His stats were inflated early due to that Arizona game, and he has not been good now that the weather has turned. I don't think it's a coincidence that Favre's really poor play began on that cold, rainy day vs. Denver. His poor play is inexplicable considering how good Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have been this season. I'm sure Favre will hang us out to dry for a couple months as he contemplates his future. When does he demand that the Jets hire Mike Holmgren or else?

The defense has been utterly atrocious. The pass defense has been about as bad as I've ever seen here. They have made stars out of Seneca Wallace, Shaun Hill, Tyler Thigpen, etc. Maybe I could go out there and hurl it around a little. The secondary has been unbelievably soft. It seems as if they have been defending against the home run all season long. They don't bump anyone at the line of scrimmage. Not every team has a Randy Moss! Kris Jenkins's influence gave the Jets a very solid run defense through Thanksgiving, but even that has fallen apart. The scoreboard says they only allowed 13 to Seattle, but don't be fooled by that. They have been abysmal!

This meltdown is about as bad as it gets. The AFC and perhaps the NFL was wide-open for the Jets to do something special. They were hardly a great team, but there aren't any great teams and whoever gets hot is going to win. Tom Brady's injury opened up the AFC East for them to win for the first time since 2002. He'll be back next year, so the door on that opportunity has probably closed for at least the next couple years. And like I said, the Jets had embarrassed the AFC's best team in their building, so it is downright shocking how this has come down. It is somewhat comparable to how the inept Giants turned their season around for the positive last year. No one saw that team in December winning the Super Bowl! No one saw this Jets team over Thanksgiving weekend missing the playoffs!

I will tell you one thing. If the Jets don't get the help they need from Buffalo or Jacksonville, I will be loudly rooting for Chad Pennington to embarrass us further next week. He has led the 1-15 Dolphins to within one win of the AFC East crown.

Pat Morgan

THE MADDOG TO HANG 'EM UP

On Monday, Greg Maddux will announce his retirement from baseball. While the Bulldog has fallen into oblivion over the last six, seven years, he has accomplished things that will never be reached again. He won 15 or more games over 17 straight years that enabled him to finish with 355 victories in his career. From 1992-98, Maddux put up some of the best numbers the game has ever seen. Those were validated with four straight Cy Young Awards during this time frame.

Despite those mind-boggling feats, I have never been a big Maddux fan. No one can dispute those great seasons, but he was never a big time playoff performer. He also had a tendency of taking himself out of games after only throwing 60-70 pitches, and some of those were games in which he was dominating. So while Maddux is definitely a first-ballot Hall of Famer, I never considered him to be on the level of Randy Johnson or Pedro Martinez in their hey day. Those are the best two pitchers I've ever seen. I would be stupid not to take Maddux over the long haul of a season, but there are countless pitchers I'd take over him in a one game scenario.

Like I said though, I can't dispute Maddux's numbers, and he is clearly the one that got away. After coming up in the Cubs system, it was one of the most crushing moments of my sports life watching him sign with the hated Atlanta Braves. He returned to Chicago in 2004, but that's like Arod getting lucky the current day Madonna. It will be interesting to see if Tom Glavine and John Smoltz decide to hang it up as well. It would be fitting to see those three pitchers go in the Hall of Fame together.

Pat Morgan

2008-09 NBA PREDICTIONS

So I'm a tad late with the Celtics beginning the defense of their championship just moments ago. But here we go!

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic- #1 Boston (O 55.5), #6 Toronto (U 47.5), #7 Philadelphia (U 48.5), New York (O 32.5), New Jersey (O 27.5)

The Celtics should easily win the Atlantic once again. I think James Posey was a big loss, but that will affect them in April/May. The Sixers seem to be a very popular sleeper after their strong second half and playoff showing last year. I don't think they get above the 48.5 predicted for them. The Raptors and Sixers will battle it out for second and perhaps two of the bottom playoff spots. The Knicks uptempo play will keep them in games and will annoy their opponents. That should get them to 33-38 wins. The Nets are clearly rebuilding, but they should get to 28 wins.

Central- #3 Cleveland (O 47.5), #4 Detroit (U 50.5), #5 Chicago (O 40.5), #8 Milwaukee (O 30.5), Indiana (U 34.5)

It is hard to pick against the Pistons, who always win this division, but they have a new coach and they make take awhile to click before taking off. Lebron should get the Cavs over the top this year and be in line to take on the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. I expect the Bulls to bounce back after a dreadful year. The Bucks are a heavy sleeper of mine with an underrated starting five. If the rookie, Joe Alexander, brings some of his offense to the NBA, this team will easily clear 30.5 wins. Scott Skiles is a very good coach as well. The Pacers are the unfortunate cellar dweller in the East's deepest division.

Southeast- #2 Orlando (O 47.5), Washington (O 37.5), Atlanta (U 37.5), Miami (U 37.5), Charlotte (U 35.5)

After the Magic, this is a terrible division. I expect Orlando to have a high win total because of the division. If Gilbert Arenas stays healthy, they have a good shot at making it back to the playoffs. I think the Hawks have hit their ceiling for now. The Heat could be much better should Dwyane Wade stay healthy. I predict Michael Beasley will win the Rookie of the Year. However, I don't see this team under a new coach to go much north of 35 wins. The Bobcats are led by Larry Brown, but I would expect them to be one of the NBA's worst teams once again.

Western Conference:

Northwest- #3 Utah (O 51.5), #5 Portland (O 45.5), Denver (O 41.5), Minnesota (U 32.5), Oklahoma City (U 25.5)

The Jazz are one of the most underrated teams in the league AGAIN! Deron Williams is perhaps the most undervalued player in the game. Jerry Sloan is a tremendous coach, and I can see this team making a deep run in the West. The Trail Blazers will finally show off Greg Oden, and hope to build upon last year's success. I'm not sure if they are ready for a big time number of wins yet, but I expect them to contend for the postseason. The Nuggets have dropped in people's eyes. They will eclipse that 41.5 number though. The Timberwolves are much improved, but are still quite a bit away from being a playoff contender. The Sonics, I mean Thunder, should have a rough year one in Oklahoma City. By the way, do their colors remind you of the Hornets or what?

Southwest- #2 New Orleans (O 51.5), #4 Houston (U 53.5), #6 San Antonio (U 48.5), #7 Dallas (O 46.5), Memphis (O 23.5)

The Hornets are my team to beat. The had a remarkable season last year and I expect them to continue to get better. Chris Paul is my pick to win the MVP. They added a great intangible in James Posey who brings wins wherever he goes. The Rockets are a popular pick by many people. I can see them topping the 53.5 number, but 51-53 wins seems like the number they'll get to me. I'm looking to thread the needle with my Spurs and Mavericks picks. I think the Spurs, without Ginobili for awhile, will drop below 50 wins for the first time in awhile, and I think the Mavs will barely clear the 46.5 number. I'm going to put the Spurs ahead of the Mavs, but not by much. The Grizzlies once again are unfortunate for being in the Southwest division.

Pacific- #1 LA Lakers (O 55.5), #8 Phoenix (U 46.5), Golden State (U 37.5), LA Clippers (U 33.5), Sacramento (U 27.5)

If the Lakers don't coast to a Pacific division title, then there should be an investigation. They will be healthy which they weren't when they ran through the West last Spring. I expect them to contend with the Celtics for the best record in the NBA. The Suns have a new coach who wants to install a defensive game over the run and gun offense Mike D'Antoni left behind. I doubt that works with the likes of an aging Shaq and several players who aren't used to playing defense. The Warriors window was open briefly two years ago, but I see them falling back into an NBA doormat. The rest of this division is dreadful. The Clippers have a couple proven NBA players, but aren't deep at all, and the Kings are perhaps the toughest team to name in the NBA.

Eastern Conference Playoffs:
Quarters:
#1 Bos over #8 Mil (4-1)
#2 Orl over #7 Phi (4-3)
#3 Cle over #6 Tor (4-2)
#5 Chi over #4 Det (4-3)
Semis:
Bos over Chi (4-1)
Cle over Orl (4-2)
Final:
Cle over Bos (4-2)

Western Conference Playoffs:
Quarters:
#1 LA over #8 Pho (4-0)
#2 NO over #7 Dal (4-1)
#3 Utah over #6 SA (4-3)
#4 Hou over #5 Por (4-2)
Semis:
Hou over LA (4-2)
NO over Utah (4-3)
Final:
NO over Hou (4-2)

THE NBA FINALS: New Orleans over Cleveland (4-1)

Rookie of the Year: Michael Beasley
Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett
Sixth Man: Kirk Hinrich
Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan
MVP: Chris Paul

Pat Morgan

SHAWN DROPS BALL

"Hey guys, I'm sorry I was busy doing a fantasy NBA draft and forgot to make my ALCS pick."

First the Mets, then the Cubs, now Shawn makes this October even more painful. Thanks buddy!

DODGERS/PHILLIES NLCS BREAKDOWN

Starting Lineup - Phillies; Philadelphia matches up against the Dodgers pitching much better than the Cubs did in the NLDS. Unlike the Cubs, the Phillies big boppers are lefties. I expect Ryan Howard to have a big series with Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley setting the table. I like the depth of the Phillies lineup better as well. Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth were perhaps the two most influential hitters against Milwaukee. If Pat Burrell builds on the two homers he hit in the series clincher in the previous round, the Phillies offense will be very tough to handle. We all know Manny Ramirez is the single greatest threat in this series, but I think the most important hitter for the Dodgers is Rafael Furcal. If he can get on base regularly, it will mean that the Phillies will have to pitch to Manny more than they'd like. They will need Andre Either and Matt Kemp to pick it up otherwise the backend of the Dodgers lineup will be easy to tame. I give the Phillies the edge though based on their balanced and much deeper lineup.

Bench - Dodgers; Neither team has a particularly strong bench, but I'll give the slight edge to LA. They have Jeff Kent who is probably the best hitter off the bench for either team. Juan Pierre can come in and manufacture a run if they need it late in a game. The Phillies best bats off the bench are Matt Stairs and So Taguchi. Neither team will scare you with a hidden bat late in a game though.

Starting Pitching - Phillies; Cole Hamels is the best pitcher on either side, but this is a very close category. If Derek Lowe can continue his good run of pitching and somehow steal Game 1, the Dodgers might have the edge the rest of the way. Chad Billingsley is an exceptional pitcher and the Game 2 matchup with Brett Myers will be very compelling. I expect Hamels to deliver Game 1, so Billingsley would hold the future of the series in his hands. To me, Myers is a huge wildcard in this series. He is certainly capable of tossing eight, one-run innings, but on the flip side, he could be chased in the third inning. I expect he'll pitch well, but I don't say that with much confidence. Hiroki Kuroda gets the edge in my book over Jamie Moyer in Game 3, and Joe Blanton gets the edge at the moment over a probable Greg Maddux in Game 4.

Bullpen - Even; I want to give a very slight edge to Philadelphia because they have the perfect Brad Lidge, but after seeing him struggle mightily in Game 1 vs. Milwaukee, I don't share the same confidence in him as most probably do. However, this series sees two teams with very good bullpens. In what I thought was a smart move, the Dodgers left Takashi Saito off the roster and will rely on Jonathan Broxton to be the closer. Saito isn't 100%, so go with the guy who can throw 101. The Dodgers get lefty Hong-Chih Kuo back which is huge because I expect to see him against the heart of the Phillies order in several key, late-inning situations. As I said I'm slightly nervous about Lidge, but until he blows a save he is still someone you want out there. The Phillies have great setup men also, and if these games go to the bullpens, we should see some really good baseball.

Defense - Dodgers; Both teams are strong with the glove, but the Dodgers have some strong outfield arms and a good defensive catcher and first baseman. The Phillies do have the edge up the middle in Rollins and Utley. I give the edge to the Dodgers because I think they are closer at the positions they are behind Philly at than visa versa. If Furcal is truly healthy, he is a terrific shortstop. I don't see either team losing with the glove though unless the ball is hit to Manny or Howard.

Manager - Dodgers; There could not be more of a contrast here. Joe Torre will probably be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee when they vote, and Charlie Manuel, well is Charlie Manuel. The longer this series goes, Torre's leadership could prove to be a big difference over Manuel.

Pick - Philadelphia in 7; This was a very tough pick for me to make though, but the Phillies are a much different animal for LA to handle than the Cubs were. Their left-handed stars will be much tougher to deal with than the predominately right handed Cubs lineup. Hamels is a big advantage as well especially after his dominant performance against Milwaukee in the NLDS. However, I can definitely see this series turn the other way. The Dodgers have a lot of things going for them right now and it is sometimes hard to ignore good karma. A perfect example would be the Rockies from last year. This series is a true toss up, and if anything is a difference, the home team was 8-0 in their head-to-head matchups this year.

Pat Morgan

SPRINGSTEEN SUPERBOWL SETLIST PREDICTION

Estimated to a Super Bowl 15-18 minute show:
1.) Radio Nowhere
2.) Born to Run
3.) Lonesome Day or The Rising
4.) Promised Land
5.) Glory Days or Born in the USA

My Top 5 Springsteen Songs:
1.) Long Walk Home
2.) Waitin' on a Sunny Day
3.) Thunder Road
4.) Backstreets
5.) Streets of Philadelphia

Most Overrated:
1.) Born in the USA
2.) Dancing in the Dark
3.) Hungry Heart

NY GIANTS ARE THE CLASS OF THE NFL

Maybe last year's stunning Super Bowl victory wasn't as huge of an upset as it appeared to be. Make no mistake that stopping an 18-0 team from perfection is a monumental upset, but the New York Giants may have just been getting started with that historic win back in February. There is no question right now who the best team in the NFL is at the end of the first quarter of play.

You can say the Dallas Cowboys or San Diego Chargers have better offenses when everything is clicking, and you might be able to say the Tennessee Titans have a better defense. But the Giants are the most balanced team in the NFL. HANDS DOWN!

The Giants have perhaps the most underrated offensive line in all of football. They have made a star out of Brandon Jacobs and the other two backs simply get the job done as well. The Giants receiving core is very deep and just got done hammering the Seahawks without Plaxico Burress. Most importantly, Eli Manning has not come back to Earth after his amazing playoff run last year. I doubt he'll join the elite ranks of Tom Brady and his older brother, Peyton, but he is becoming a superstar who will be the Giants man for years to come.

Perhaps the most stunning part of this team is the bottomless depth of the primary portion of the defense. This team lost the future hall-of-famer, Michael Strahan, to retirement, and Osi Umenyiora to a season-ending injury. But even without those two studs, the Giants defense has not missed a beat. Mathias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins, Justin Tuck and others have been simply outstanding. The one knock on the Giants defense last year was their secondary, but that part of their team has improved greatly this year. Remember Aaron Ross is a year older and the rest of the secondary has fallen in line.

The only part of this team that you have a chance to exploit is their special teams. If you can dominate field position and somehow stop their running game, maybe someone can stop this team. As it stands right now though, I don't see a team beating them. The Cowboys are showing major warts, the Eagles are nobody without Brian Westbrook, and it may be too soon to take the Redskins real seriously. Outside of the division there really isn't another big time team in the NFL. Maybe the Panthers can get there, but it is a really weak conference outside of the East. Of course we know the AFC empire is crumbling down before our eyes. As I said many things can happen (injuries, breakdown of team chemistry), but it is hard to imagine the Giants won't have a great shot to win their second consecutive championship.

Pat Morgan

BOSOX POSTSEASON MAGIC CONTINUES

All of the 86 years of bad karma that was thrown Beantown's way has really been reversed over the last five years. Last night, the Boston Red Sox had yet another dramatic, late-inning home run that lifted them to a 2-0 series lead over the 100 win, Los Angeles Angels.

Just 12 months ago people were referring to J.D. Drew as J.D. Poo, and calling him perhaps the worst player per dollar in Major League Baseball. But since his grand slam in Game 6 of the ALCS last year he has become a different player. Sure he missed significant time due to injury this year, but you could make the argument he was the Red Sox best player in the first half. The Red Sox now are what the '96-'01 Yankees were as they always come up with a big hit and prove that no deficit is too large. Drew's bomb off of KRod last night is symbolic of that.

The path is paved for the Sox to win their third title in five years. While Tampa Bay has done a great job all season and an even better job beating up on the White Sox, the question right now is can they beat the Red Sox? I am going to say NO. I realize Tampa will have home field in the ALCS, but beating the experienced Red Sox will take them to a new level. The Rays have overcome every obstacle and every naysayer, but they wouldn't be human if they weren't in awe of the Red Sox next week. I would be absolutely shocked if the Rays beat the Sox. Sports history is flooded with experienced, championship level teams beating young and perhaps even more talented teams. I just can't see the Rays beating the Red Sox. I hope I'm wrong as I'd love to see it happen.

On the flip side, the Red Sox have absolutely no pressure on them this postseason. They are still dealing with many injuries to their most important players, they are of course without Manny Ramirez, and the hated Yankees are out of the postseason. Unless they blow a large series lead, Boston fans will give their team a total pass this year should they lose. This has already been stated by the Bob Ryan's and Dan Shaughnessy's of the world. Therefore as they coast home to a third World Series title, they will simply be adding gravy to their run the last four years.

As far as the Angels are concerned, it is time Mike Scioscia take a hit. He has gotten a pass with every postseason loss since the 2002 World Championship. I agree with most of those passes, and I still consider him the best manager in the game. However, this is his best Angels team and the fact they can't seem to get by the Red Sox is a huge embarrassment. Not counting the 1986 ALCS because you shouldn't, the Angels have lost EIGHT postseason games in a row to the BoSox. In the past, they come into postseasons out of gas, but this year they clearly have something left in the tank as evidenced by their comeback last night. However, they are flushing it down the toliet, and it will be a very tough offseason in Halo land.

Pat Morgan

CUBS DEFENSE LETS THEM DOWN; OFFENSE NOT MUCH BETTER

A terrible second inning for the Cubs has put them in hole that will be tough to dig out of.

Two Chicago errors helped lead to five Dodger runs in the second inning alone and the offense barely showed any signs of life until it was too late in a tough 10-3 loss in Game 2 of the NLCS. Los Angeles now leads the series 2-0 heading back to the West Coast. Carlos Zambrano pitched well for the Cubs, despite seven runs allowed (three were earned). With a little bit of help by his defense, it would have been a different outing for him.

With runners at first and third and nobody out, Zambrano struck out Matt Kemp and it looked like he was going to get out the inning with a ground ball off the bat of Blake Dewitt. However, second baseman Mark Derosa booted the ball and a desperate flip to second base was unsuccessful. Andre Ethier scored on the play and the Dodgers led early 1-0. Casey Blake then hit a sharp ball that bounced off first basemen Derek Lee's glove, loading the bases with still only one out. After a strikeout by Chad Billingsley, Rafael Furcal reached on a nifty bunt single, and Russell Martin followed with a bases clearing double to put Los Angeles ahead 5-0.

Manny Ramirez would add a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was his second of the series and 26th in his postseason career.

The Dodgers plated another run on Kemp's RBI double in the seventh and scored two runs in the eighth on a pair of single by Furcal and Ramirez. They capped off the scoring in the ninth, when Casey blake singled home Juan Pierre with the tenth and final run of the night.

Billingsley was lights out on the mound for the Dodgers. Over 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, he struck out seven and gave up five hits. Billingsley was the ERA leader among Dodger starting pitchers this season, and he certainly showcased his talent tonight.

Alfonso Soriano, one of the streakiest players in the game today, has struggled so far just as he did last postseason. He is 1-8 in this series and 3-23 in the playoffs dating back to last October. Kosuke Fukodome is also struggling mightily and will not start Game 3 on Saturday, according to manager Lou Piniella. The whole lineup is not producing and it needs to turn around in a hurry. The Cubs offense has scored a total of 11 runs in their last five postseason games. The bats better wake up if they are going to come back and force a game five at Wrigley Field.

A couple of runs in the ninth by the Cubs gave the fans a little bit to cheer for, but the final result is the same. Chicago faces a 2-0 deficit heading to Dodger Stadium and not too many would have imagined this scenario.

Shawn Marosek

MYERS "PHIL" THY IN GAME 2 WIN

Brett Myers pitched great in Philadelphia's NLDS Game 2 victory, but his key at bat in the second inning was even more important.

With two outs and a runner on third in a 1-1 ballgame, Myers battled at the plate against Milwaukee starter C.C. Sabathia. He fouled off several pitches and eventually coaxed a walk. The crowd cheered every time Myers made contact, and it erupted when he finally reached first base. The base on balls prolonged the inning and Jimmy Rollins soon followed with a walk of his own. With the bases loaded, Shane Victorino connected for a grand slam to left field and the Phillies never looked back. They now have a 2-0 lead in the best of five series.

Myers was superb on the mound. He gave up two hits, two earned runs and struck out four over seven innings of work. After allowing a run in the first inning, Myers was able to get out of a bases loaded jam by inducing a double play to limit the damage. Milwaukee would squeak across another run in the seventh, but it was too little to late for the Brew Crew.

Sabathia on the other hand, was not sharp at all. Going on three days rest yet again, the soon to be free agent lasted only 3 2/3 innings, a far cry from what he's done over the past three months with the Brewers. He has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball since he was traded to Milwaukee in early July, but it wasn't working for him on this day. Sabathia allowed five earned runs on five hits, while walking four. He hadn't given up more than four earned runs in a game as a member of the Brewers before this start.

Myers, who was demoted to the minors during the year to work on his mechanics., has pitched very well since his return to the majors. After Cole Hamels dominated the Brewers in Game 1, Myers didn't disappoint in Game 2. The fans of Philadelphia were certainly thrilled with this outing.

Shawn Marosek

LONGORIA LEADS RAYS TO VICTORY

Evan Longoria hit two home runs and James Shields pitched into the seventh inning as the Tampa Bay Rays notched their first ever postseason victory with a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS. Longoria's second dinger put the Rays ahead 4-3, a lead they would not give up. Longoria also contributed to a two-run fifth for the Rays by singling home Willie Aybar, which was followed up by a run scoring single by Carl Crawford.

White Sox starting pitcher Javier Vazquez lasted only 4 1/3 innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits. He did strike out 6, but nothing else went right during the short outing.

Shields only mistake was a three run homer to Dwayne Wise in the third inning.

After loading the bases with one out in the top half of the seventh, Shields was relieved by hard-throwing right-hander Greg Balfour, who conveniently struck out Juan Uribe and Orlando Cabrera to end the threat. Cabrera, who had words for Balfour after the first pitch of the at-bat, couldn't catch up to a 90-plus mph fastball. Balfour was ecstatic coming off the mound and pointed at Cabrera, gesturing him to sit down.

Dan Wheeler closed it out for the Rays, depsite giving up a home run to Konerko after an 11-pitch at bat.

Longoria became only the second player ever to hit two home runs in his first two postseason plate appearances. The last man to do it was Gary Gaetti for the Minnesota Twins in 1987.

Shawn Marosek

WHITE SOX VS RAYS BREAKDOWN

The Tampa Bay Rays make their postseason debut this afternoon against the Chicago White Sox. Game 1 of their ALDS series begins at 2:30 p.m est. Chicago beat three different teams to end the regular season and now are facing a well-rested Rays team. Tampa Bay should win this series as long as their bullpen holds up. Closer Troy Percival was left off the ALDS roster because of injury, so the rest of the unit will have to step up. Carl Crawford returns to the Rays lineup after missing significant time. This will be a huge boost to Tampa Bay, who already had a strong defense in the outfield to begin with.

Many times, a team that fights to get into the playoffs plays better than the team that's got all the rest. However, I don't see it happening here. The White Sox pitching staff has been under a lot of stress lately and I don't see that being a good thing heading into this series. The combination of James Shields, Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza should be plenty to get past the South Siders. The White Sox might steal a game, but that's all. I'm looking forward to what Ozzie Guillen is going to say after his team makes an early exit.

RAYS IN FOUR GAMES

Shawn Marosek

RED SOX VS ANGELS BREAKDOWN

Many people consider these teams to be the best two in baseball, which makes for an intriguing ALDS, beginning tonight at 10 p.m. est. The Red Sox are dealing with a couple of key injuries (Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett), while the Angels are the best all around team in the American League, and maybe all of baseball. They do everything well and they should be the AL World Series representative come late October. Both managers have postseason experience, but I think Mike Scioscia is going to get the best of Terry Francona this year. With Manny Ramirez now a Dodger, I have a feeling that Jason Bay is going to have a tough time coming through this postseason. He knows that Manny was a stud in the playoffs while he was in Boston, and now he must fill those shoes. He's going to feel the pressure, and I wouldn't be surprised if he struggles against the Angels pitching staff.

This series is bound to be a five-game affair, with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim-San Jose-Sacramento taking care of business. The only question mark I have with this team is John Lackey. He has struggled the past couple of starts in September. Maybe it was because the Angels had clinched the division already or maybe it wasn't. If he struggles, momentum could easily turn toward Boston. The other key in this series is K-Rod vs. Papelbon. With the extra days off, both teams can stretch two innings out of their closer, which could be the deciding factor.

ANGELS IN FIVE GAMES

Shawn Marosek

NLDS Breakdowns and Predictions

Milwaukee Brewers (NL Wildcard) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (NL East)

Starting Lineup - Phillies; Say what you want about Ryan Howard's .250 batting average, the man was the most clutch performer in the month of September. If you go strickly by the numbers, it will be hard to vote against Albert Pujols for the MVP, but Howard probably gets it based on his 11 HRs and 32 RBIs over the final month. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have had better years, but they are MVP type players who are very, very gutty. The Brewers have a good, young lineup as well. Ryan Braun bursted out of a late season funk with two GIANT homeruns over the final week. Prince Fielder had some real big hits as well, and you cannot ignore Corey Hart and J.J. Hardy. This should be a fun matchup, but I give a slight edge to Philly's lineup based on a little more depth and experience. They definitely could use the re-awakening of Pat Burrell's bat though. He hasn't been that good since his stellar first half.

Bench - Brewers; I'll take the likes of Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall to potentially come in the game late and spank one out of the yard over the Matt Stairs led Phillies. The Brewers also have a professional hitter in Gabe Kapler who can come off the bench.

Starting Pitching - Phillies; The Phillies have the deeper rotation and the Brewers have CC Sabathia. I almost declared a draw for this category based on Sabathia's historic second half, but I will go with the Phillies depth. I would have given this category to Milwaukee had Ben Sheets been healthy. The Brewers MUST win Sabathia's two outings and hope they can steal one of the other games. Yovani Gallardo will start Game 1 for the Brewers, and while he's a great young prospect, he hasn't pitched much all year due to injuries. Cole Hamels didn't have a strong season for his standards, and has been so-so for about a month. Brett Myers had been pitching his best ball this season until giving up 14 earned runs over his last two outings. Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer are advantages in the other games unless Jeff Suppan can rekindle old postseason magic.

Bullpen - Phillies; Without a doubt the largest advantage for either team in this series. Brad Lidge has been spectacular this season in converting all 41 of his save opportunities. Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson have all been outstanding as well. On the flip side, the Brewers have been holding their breath every time Salomon Torres takes the mound in the 9th. He's been good for his standards this year, but the cracks are starting to show. Then you have the lovable Eric Gagne in the 8th. Maybe compared to the Mets bullpen the Brewers aren't so bad, but they hardly stack up with Philadelphia. Brian Shouse is their best reliever and he's just a lefty specialist.

Defense - Phillies; Before looking at the stats, I thought I was going to see another big advantage for Philly, but the difference isn't as stark as you might think. I will go with my gut and give Philly a slight edge though. I've seen them make several great plays late in games. Lidge would not have been perfect without some key defense on occassion. I've seen the Brewers make bad plays at the wrong time too. I won't kill Milwaukee though because the key defensive stats are very close.

Manager - Neither; Charlie Manuel is a terrible manager and Dale Sveum is only in his third week on the job. No opinion here.

Pick - Philadelphia in 4; The Brewers rotation is in shambles right now without Sheets, and even Sabathia will have to throw on short rest in Game 2. The Phillies bullpen is a big factor, and I think they will have a bit of a chip on their shoulders from last year's quick exit to Colorado.

Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (NL Central)

Starting Lineup - Cubs; Manny Ramirez can blow up this assessment, but the Cubs have a much deeper lineup. The Cubs have a great blend of stars like Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee and major role players like Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot. As stated in my last post, if the Cubs get a hot Alfonso Soriano they will be very tough to beat. You can almost flip a coin on how he will perform this postseason. The Dodgers do have a better lineup than the average fan would think though. Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and others are playing their best ball of the season. This isn't the same team the Cubs held to a combined 18 runs in 7 head-to-head matchups this season. And obviously they didn't have a player who has hit nearly .400 with 17 HRs and 53 RBI in 53 games since coming from Boston at the trade deadline. That team in May had doughnut connoisseur, Andruw Jones.

Bench - Cubs; No one can match the depth of the Cubs this postseason. Mike Fontenot, Reed Johnson/Jim Edmonds, Micah Hoffpauir, and even backup catcher Henry Blanco are all threats with the stick. The best Dodger off the pine is probably Juan Pierre, and he'll probably be used to steal a base late in a close game.

Starting Rotation - Cubs; This pick is contingent upon Carlos Zambrano or Rich Harden giving a quality effort in their start. Even if one struggles, I believe the Cubs still have enough to get by. It is a major concern that Zambrano has had an over 7 ERA since August 1st and that Rich Harden only threw 17 innings in September. That puts a lot of pressure on Ryan Dempster to win Game 1 and Ted Lilly later in the series to continue his dominance of late. The Dodgers will start Derek Lowe in Game 1 who had an excellent September. We know of his postseason record, so he was a good choice over Chad Billingsley for the first game. After Billingsley, the Dodgers have nothing, and you may see them start Lowe on short rest in Game 4. The Cubs have the edge here, but with their concerns with Zambrano and Harden lately it was a big break they didn't have to face Johan Santana and the Mets.

Bullpen - Cubs; This would have been a lot tougher for me to choose had Hong-Chih Kuo not been scratched from this series with a potential blood clot. He had been one of the best kept secrets in the National League in the second half. The Dodgers do have closer Takashi Saito back which will allow them more flexibility with Jonathan Broxton. Joe Beimel is a dominant lefty as well. However the Cubs hit lefties better than most teams do, so it sort of negates the Dodgers strength to matchup with the pen. While the Cubs don't have a lockdown bullpen, they do have a very solid pen for the first time in a very long time. Carlos Marmol is simply fantastic. Kerry Wood has done a fabulous job in the pen. Jeff Samardzija has nasty stuff as well. The reason this pen is not a lockdown one is that they all can get wild. Walks in big spots are a concern, and Wood is among the lead leaders in hit batsman. I give the edge to the Cubs because of their nasty stuff and the Dodgers lack of Kuo. However, these games will be very compelling if they go to the bullpen.

Defense - Dodgers; Cue the clown music as it should be fun to watch the epic left field matchup between Manny Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano. Two-thirds of the Dodgers outfield is very good though. Kemp and Ethier were among the league leaders in outfield assists. Russell Martin is very special behind the dish and James Loney is solid at first as well. If they have any weak areas it could be up the middle with Rafael Furcal who has just returned from back surgery and Jeff Kent who is breaking down due to old age. The Cubs defense is much improved from years' pasts, but the Dodgers have a special thing going.

Manager - Even; A great matchup between two of the best managers in baseball history. Should be fun to watch Lou and Joe square off. I really can't give an edge as their styles are so contrasting, but so very effective. We'll let the series decide who's better.

Pick - Chicago in 4; I am tempted to be bold and pick the Cubs in 3, but with the SP concerns, I'll give the Dodgers a game. The Dodgers have had a nice September, but I think the Cubs really outmatch them in every area of the game. This pick can certainly be blown up because Manny Ramirez can certainly put the Dodgers on his back and create a long series.

Pat Morgan

Blog Owner Wins Fantasy Championship

Former WTOP-10 sports director and WNYO sports talkshow host, Pat Morgan, polished off his second fantasy baseball championship in his sixth year of being a member of "RobbieKFantasy" on Sunday. The victory earns a hefty purse of over $1,300.

Morgan was the wire-to-wire leader, but it did not come easy. He had a strong first two months before injuries put the year in jeopardy around the All-Star Break. However, his strong August earned gave him the cushion he needed to coast home.

Morgan's team name, "The Morgan Rules", was a parody of the 1988-1991 Detroit Pistons' "Jordan Rules." He called himself this because several rules were created before this season in hopes of eliminating advantages the league felt he had. Therefore, Morgan's performance this year should validate his superior fantasy knowledge to the rest of the league.

Morgan's first title came in 2005 when he blew out the competition by 500 points over the second place finisher and by more than a 1,000 points over everyone else. He has also finished second on three occasions in 2004, 2006 and 2007. He joined the league in 2003 when he finished eighth.

Kansas Jayhawks: 2008 National Champions

Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks who chased away the demons by winning the National Championship last night against the Memphis Tigers. They finally got over the top after 20 years of unbelievable tournament losses, and they did it in dramatic fashion. I must say this is was the best championship game that I have watched in my years of watching the NCAA Tournament.

The game was a back and forth battle most of the way. Two very similar teams pounding on each other with tremendous defense. With about eight minutes left, Memphis started to pull away because of the great play of Derrick Rose. Rose caught fire when Kansas changed from a man-to-man defense to a box-and-one. This freed Rose up to go to the hole, pull up with the shot, or kick it to an open shooter. I thought Bill Self made horrific decision by switching out of a defense that had been so solid all night long. Had they not come back, Self would have been bashed with questions about this move.

Then, Rose hit an unbelievable shot before the four minute timeout that I thought was the dagger. He shot an off balanced 20 footer that banked off the backboard into the net. This was all as the shot clock was expiring no less. That shot reminded me of Arkansas's Scotty Thurman breaking my heart with the shot clock expiring three he hit to break a tie in the final minute of the 1994 NCAA Championship Game vs. Duke. Who didn't think the game was over when Rose hit that remarkable shot. There needs to be an investigation if he isn't picked #1 or 2 in the NBA Draft.

With 2:12 remaining, Memphis led 60-51. The championship seemed won, but here's where the meltdown began. I point to four things to why they blew their lead:

1.) Sherron Collins draining a three off a stolen in bounds pass to cut the deficit to four.
2.) Joey Dorsey fouling out 20 feet away from the basket and giving Mario Chalmers free throws.
3.) (The most important reason) Chris Douglas Roberts and Derrick Rose missing four of five foul shots in the final minute.
4.) Memphis failing to foul Sherron Collins coming up the court in the final moments. I hate when teams foul, but the three point shot is so easy in college, you almost have to foul. Ask Xavier vs. Ohio State last year.

There are probably more reasons, but those four really stand out to me. It was even more amazing that Memphis lost considering they had a couple offensive rebounds and a huge blocked shot in the final 30 seconds of the game. Truly amazing they lost. John Calipari will be sick for the rest of his life thinking about how this one got away. I also believe he should have called a timeout before Kansas's final possession to get his kids on the same page, and after Mario Chalmers's incredible shot to set up a hail mary shot with 2 seconds left. After blowing a lead like that, it seemed more likely that if Memphis was going to win, it would have been on a dramatic buzzer beater vs. winning in overtime. The team that makes the emotional comeback normally routs the opponent in OT. (Ohio State/Xavier, Georgetown/North Carolina, etc.)

Congrats to Kansas though. This historic program finally won another National Championship. After Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA, Kansas probably is the fourth most historic program, but after Danny Manning's epic run in 1988, Kansas has been tormented by more horrific tournament losses than any other program. The Jayhawks clearly washed away those years, and to throw in an incredible comeback capped by the highlight of Mario Chalmers's buzzer beater on top of that, this one will be remembered forever.

Rock Chalk Championship!

Pat Morgan

Duke Blue Devils 2009!

Kansas KOs UNC to Set Up Date with Memphis for the Championship

Kansas Jayhawks 84, North Carolina Tar Heels 66

This game can really be divided into three different games. Kansas shocked everyone by blasting out of the gates to a 28-point lead. UNC battled back to get within four midway through the 2nd, but Kansas would close on a furious run to win by 18. It was some roller coaster ride, but the Jayhawks beat their old coach to reach the title game.

Because of my respect for North Carolina and their great leader Tyler Hansbrough, I never counted them out. But when Billy Packer said the game was over with 25 minutes still to play, I knew a big run was to follow. It just had to at that point. How can an announcer say that? Had UNC completed the comeback, I would have sent him a big bag of... yeah. When the Tar Heels cut the deficit to four, who didn't think that they were going to win? The Jayhawks were extremely tight and turning the ball over at will. I thought the whole comeback wasn't so much UNC, but Kansas beating themselves being tight and sloppy. To Kansas's credit though, they really hung together and made some big plays to pull away late. Bill Self called two timeouts that proved to be huge in settling his team down between the 16 and 12 minute TV timeouts.

I thought the biggest key to this game was Kansas's dominance down low. When things were really going well for them, they got easy basket after easy basket. Kansas was able to pull away because they really ate away at the UNC half court press which allowed them to regain their offensive dominance down low. Their defense on Hansbrough was also terrific. They were able to be aggressive on him because of their depth. Foul trouble is not an issue when you have four bigs that have an allowance of 20 fouls between them. Hansbrough still made some big plays, but he was limited and that is all you can ask for. Obviously the star for Kansas was Brandon Rush, but my unsung hero was Cole Aldrich. He was simply outstanding defensively. Sherron Collins hit the biggest basket of the game with five minutes to go. His three put Kansas up eight and so the run was on.

My question is now is will Kansas have enough in the tank to beat a Memphis team in 48 hours? Memphis has been destroying everyone in their path since their scare in the 2nd Round. Kansas beat a tremendous UNC team tonight though. One who I thought had become the best team in the nation over the last month. I picked UCLA, but only because I didn't want to pick North Carolina. They will be back though. I think after this, Tyler Hansbrough will come back for his senior season. After all he is the quintessential college player. So with that said, it should be a fun game Monday night.

Pat Morgan

Classic MJ Commercial #2

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(Check YouTube for other versions)

Classic MJ Commercial #1

McDonalds - Larry vs. Michael

Pat Morgan's Fearless 2008 MLB Predictions

On the day of the Red Sox/Athletics opener in Japan, here are my 2008 predictions!

AL East: *Boston (O 94), New York (U 93.5), Toronto (O 85.5), Tampa Bay (U 75), Baltimore (U 64.5)
AL Central: Detroit (O 93.5), Cleveland (O 90), Chicago (O 79.5), Minnesota (O 75), Kansas City (U 73.5)
AL West: Seattle (O 85), Los Angeles (U 92), Oakland (O 73.5), Texas (U 76)
MVP: Miguel Cabrera
Cy Young: Erik Bedard
Rookie: Joba Chamberlain
Comeback: Vernon Wells
Manager: John McLaren

The AL is clearly still the dominant league even with Johan Santana and Dan Haren being dealt to the NL. The AL has eight teams that I can see having really good years. The big six that no one will really dispute with are Boston, New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle, and Los Angeles. I would consider Toronto and Chicago as two long shots, but could contend for the wildcard.

My AL East and Central picks are the popular picks, and I think the wildcard will come down to the Yankees and Indians around 92-93 wins. I think with the Angels pitching injuries that will give the Mariners the inside track to dethrone them in the West. I absolutely love the Bedard, King Felix 1,2 punch leading into perhaps the league's best closer (not named Mariano) in J.J. Putz. Detroit is my pick to win the World Series because of their great lineup and deep rotation. Should they lose, it will be because of their injury plagued pen, and Todd Jones in the closer spot. I think that will cost them homefield, but hopefully Zumaya will be back to stabilize things come October.

NL East: *New York (O 93.5), Philadelphia (O 87.5), Atlanta (U 85.5), Washington (U 72.5), Florida (U 69)
NL Central: Chicago (O 87), Milwaukee (U 84.5), Houston (O 75), Cincinnati (U 77.5), St. Louis (U 76), Pittsburgh (U 70)
NL West: Arizona (O 87.5), Los Angeles (O 86.5), Colorado (O 83), San Diego (U 84.5), San Francisco (U 73)
MVP: Chase Utley
Cy Young: Johan Santana
Rookie: Geovany Soto
Comeback: Andruw Jones
Manager: Willie Randolph

The NL appeared to be up for grabs when it seemed that the Mets would not be able to acquire Johan Santana from the Twins. Their patience with Minnesota paid off however and they got the game's best pitcher for basically nothing. With Santana, I expect the Mets to win well north of 90 games and cake walk to the NL East crown and homefield in the playoffs.

The NL Central and especially the West are up for grabs. I'll take Chicago as the best overall team in the Central. They have a good lineup, good rotation, and I think Kerry Wood is made to be a closer if he stays healthy. Milwaukee has a better lineup, but I think that is the only spot another team can say they are better than the Cubs in a certain area. I want to pick the Dodgers in the West, but its hard to ignore the Webb-Haren-Johnson trio in Arizona. Expect the top 4 teams in the West to be within 5-8 games of each other at the end of the year.

ALDS: Boston 3, Seattle 1; Detroit 3, New York 2
NLDS: New York 3, Chicago 1; Philadelphia 3, Arizona 2
ALCS: Detroit 4, Boston 3
NLCS: New York 4, Philadelphia 2
World Series: Detroit 4, New York 2
World Series MVP: Justin Verlander

Pat Morgan

From 65 to 16 as the Second Round Shapes the Field

The field of 65 has been whittled down to 16. The first weekend of the 2008 NCAA Tournament had many twists and turns, and I think it was one of the best opening weekends ever. Now on to the highlights of the second round.

Top Player Performance (AGAIN): Stephen Curry (30 pts, 8-21, 5-15 3s)

Not the unconscious numbers he put up against #7 Gonzaga, but he was even more clutch in this round. Midway through the 2nd half, he converted a 4-point play that really set him off after a sluggish start. He made play after play after play to demoralize Georgetown. Usually after such a big comeback a player will be worn out, but Curry stayed hot and iced the game with his three from the top of the key to put the Wildcats up 65-60 with under 2 minutes to play. I looked hard for another player in the second round to avoid a duplicate from the first round, but Curry was so impressive it was impossible to go elsewhere.

Biggest Stunner: #10 Davidson's 17-point comeback to defeat #2 Georgetown 74-70
& Best Team Going Home: #2 Georgetown

It is absolutely stunning that this experienced Hoyas team would blow a 17-point lead to anyone. You can look no further than Georgetown committing over 20 turnovers. They are generally such a smart team that does not beat themselves. They do go into scoring droughts and that really hurt them today. Roy Hibbert was hampered by foul trouble too, but he hasn't been the factor I thought he would be for Georgetown this year.

Give credit to Davidson though. Stephen Curry has been absolutely fantastic by delivering his Wildcats to the Sweet 16. I can't remember a better single performer in the NCAA Tournament. Everyone one of his combined 70 points came under great pressure. Both wins for Davidson were comebacks, so it wasn't like Curry ran up his stats in blowouts. He came through great when the pressure was at its peak. Even some of the best melt in those situations. Think those ACC teams are regretting turning him away?

Highlight of the Second Round: Brook Lopez's driving layup in OT to defeat #6 Marquette 82-81

After Trent Johnson was ejected, did anyone think the Cardinal would survive this game? They really hung together with the Lopez twins dominating inside. Marquette was the quicker, scrappier team that almost overcame the huge disadvantage of facing Robin and Brook Lopez. Give great credit to Stanford though who really gutted out a victory that will go down as their survival win should they find a way into the Final Four. I think it is safe to say any of the teams remaining can win the South region.

Survival Game to the Truest Sense: Darren Collison's coast-to-coast game-winning layup to save #1 UCLA against #9 Texas A&M

While this layup saved UCLA from a premature elimination, there were many things to be concerned with if you are a Bruins fan. You've all heard a lot about the great comeback yesterday, but to be honest I really wasn't impressed. Their defense was fantastic as it always is, but it took them 15 minutes to comeback from 10 down. In those 15 minutes, UCLA only allowed Texas A&M 9 points! That means UCLA only scored 19, so it was like the turtle catching up on the sleeping rabbit. They got away with a poor scoring night against the Aggies, but UCLA will not overcome their now typical slow starts if they hope to defeat Memphis, UNC or anyother big teams to win the National Championship. I'm not saying they have to blitz their competitors because of their great defense, but they do have to score more. Think about it, they scored 51 while UNC scored 108 in their second round victories.

Underrated: Wisconsin & Washington State

The Badgers and Cougars have quietly gone about their business in the tournament. Wisconsin clobbered Kansas State yesterday. Unlike last year, the Badgers came into the tournament playing well and have really locked down their opponents with their terrific systematic play. If Davidson wants to continue their Cinderella run they will have to really earn it against Wisconsin.

Washington State held Notre Dame to just 41 points yesterday. That is half the season average for the Irish. It will be interesting to see if the Cougars can slow tempo, as they do so well, against the best team in the country in UNC. Any fluke that both these programs are stamped by Gary Bennett?

Overrated: Tennessee

They haven't been all that impressive in their two victories. #15 American gave them all they could handle, and today #7 Butler took them into overtime after having the ball with a chance to win in regulation. I know Butler is much better than your average #7 seed, but if your a National Title contender like Tennessee, you've got to find a way to play better than you have. They will face a red hot Louisville team in the next round who just pounded UNC by 30. That might be the best matchup of the Regional Semifinals.

To the Sweet 16!

Pat Morgan

Upsets a Plenty as First Round Comes to a Close

The best two days of the sports year did not disappoint. Well, at least Day 2 of the First Round after a so-so Day 1. Six of the 16 games on Friday were won by the higher seed, and that included the site of Tampa seeing all four underdogs win. It was the first time ever in the history of the NCAA Tournament where one site saw all four higher seeds win.

Top Player Performance: Stephen Curry (40 pts, 14-22, 8-10 3s)

Curry led Davidson to their first tournament victory since 1969. Gonzaga was destroying Davidson in every facet of the game in the first half, but somehow the Wildcats survived behind Curry's great shooting. The play of the game was when Davidson saved a ball from going out of bounds and the pass went right to a wide open Curry for a three. That gave Davidson a comfortable lead they would not relinquish. But how this kid, who plays in North Carolina, eluded ACC recruiting is beyond me. My Dukies could definitely use him right about now!

Biggest Stunner: Tie - #12 Villanova overcoming an 18 point deficit to defeat #5 Clemson, and #13 Siena blowing out #4 Vanderbilt by 21.

Nova's tremendous defense frustrated the hell out of the Tigers in the 2nd half. Jay Wright is rising among the best coaches in the country. Other than a dumb technical, he did a brillant job keeping his Wildcats under control after having their doors blown off by Clemson early in the game. Clemson's inexperience killed them tonight. They were clearly stunned when Nova made their run. A team with Final Four talent lost because they didn't know what do to when their opponent got up after an early knockout blow.

Siena shocked me by just destroying the Commodores. I kept waiting for a Vandy second half run, but they were never able to get inside of 7 points. Normally, CBS would switch everyone to a #13 with a chance to win, but since this game was so lopsided, they left this game to go to others. That's all you need to know in a nut shell right there.

Best Team Going Home: #5 Clemson

It really isn't even close. Clemson rose up many individual's rankings after their great ACC Tournament last weekend. They then opened up an 18 point lead right out of the gate. How they lost today is really a credit to Villanova.

Connecticut is the second best team to go home. San Diego really played with a lot of heart when it appeared that UConn's inside game was going to be the Toredos downfall. What a shot by Rob Jones to send the Toredos to an improbable second round matchup with Western Kentucky.

Drake is another #5 going home, but being from the Missouri Valley, we really don't know how good they were. They fought hard to erase a 16 point deficit, but Ty Rogers's three ends their magical year. Vandy doesn't deserve to be in this discussion as they were embarrassed by Siena.

Highlight of the First Round: Ty Rogers's buzzer beater for Western Kentucky.

The rush up the floor by Tyrone Brazelton and the unselfish pass to Rogers was a thing of beauty. You'll see this highlight run like Bryce Drew's winner for Valparaiso back in 1998. Rob Jones's winner for San Diego is a close second.

Overrated: Duke

They nearly lost to #15 Belmont if it wasn't for Gerald Henderson's big drive and layup. The Blue Devils are clearly tired from overachieving this regular season. I sort of expect them to be sent packing by West Virginia, who is playing extremely well right now. #2 Tennessee really struggled with #15 American today as well, but it didn't come down to the final seconds like it did for Duke.

Off to the second round. The madness is in full swing!!!

Pat Morgan

Bracket Munching Time!

The greatest sporting event of the year is here! Selection Sunday has come, and I must say the committee did a tremendous job putting the field together. I thought the only teams that should not have made it were Arizona and Baylor. I would have put Virginia Tech and Dayton in instead.

However, no one can really gripe this year because many bubble teams did not step up this year. There were no Syracuse snubs like last year. Other than that, my only other concern was the weakness of the West region. It is perhaps the easiest road for a #1 seed that I have ever seen.

After munching on the brackets for a day its time to breakdown each region and pick a National Champion:

East
Region Strength: 1
Sleeper: Indiana
Overrated: Washington State
1st Round Upset? (12+): #13 Winthrop
Best Possible Matchup: Regional Final-North Carolina/Tennessee
Player to Watch: Tyler Hansbrough
Winner: North Carolina

South
Region Strength: 3
Sleeper: USC
Overrated: Michigan State
1st Round Upset? (12+): #12 Temple
Best Possible Matchup: Regional Semifinal-Memphis/Pittsburgh
Player to Watch: D.J. Augustin
Winner: Texas

Midwest
Region Strength: 2
Sleeper: Clemson/Davidson
Overrated: Georgetown
1st Round Upset? (12+): None
Best Possible Matchup: Regional Semifinal-Kansas/Clemson
Player to Watch: Stephen Curry
Winner: Clemson

West
Region Strength: Distant 4
Sleeper: West Virginia
Overrated: Duke
1st Round Upset? (12+): #14 Georgia
Best Possible Matchup: Regional Final-UCLA/Duke
Player to Watch: Kevin Love
Winner: UCLA

Final Four
National Champion: UCLA
Most Outstanding Player: Kevin Love

Pat Morgan

Favre Finally Calls it a Career

After multiple offseasons of retirement talk, Brett Favre has finally decided to hang up the cleats once and for all. Over his 17-year career, Favre has set many different records for quarterbacks. Favre owns the completion, yardage and touchdown records. Favre has won three MVP awards, and is a Super Bowl champion.

The most impressive feat of Favre's career is his 275 consecutive starts. That is over 15 seasons, including the postseason, without missing a start. That is unbelievable in a sport where injuries get you at every turn. That record will probably never be topped, and only Peyton Manning has a chance to possibly sniff it. Favre probably is one of the top 10-15 quarterbacks in NFL history.

However, Favre also owns the interception record. He did have fatal flaws in his game. Just a month ago, Favre's last NFL pass was picked off by the Giants in overtime of the NFC Championship. He was outplayed in his own building by Eli Manning. Favre has had other rough playoff games as well. He threw six interceptions against St. Louis in the 2000-01 playoffs. He also lost Super Bowl XXXII as a heavy favorite to the Denver Broncos. These dreadful performances lead me not to put Favre in the elite of the elite. He is not on the level of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, or even Tom Brady.

Even though this is the third year in a row we have had to deal with Favre pondering retirement, I am shocked he is leaving after the Packers' great season in 2007. I figured he'd want to come back and take one last stab at a Super Bowl with this talented roster. There are things behind the scenes that we will probably never know about. I do think Aaron Rodgers can keep the Packers competitive next year. I was impressed with his performance when Favre went down vs. Dallas, and I think if he can beat his injury problems he will do alright for Green Bay. He certainly will not be the next Brett Favre though.

Pat Morgan

Two Weeks til Selection Sunday!!!

The greatest event of the sports year is rapidly closing in. In just 12 days we will be getting ready to munch on some brackets! Here are my top 10 teams which could drastically shuffle in two weeks.

1.) UCLA
2.) North Carolina
3.) Kansas
4.) Memphis
5.) Tennessee
6.) Texas
7.) Duke
8.) Georgetown
9.) Wisconsin
10.) Stanford

#1 Seeds: East-North Carolina, South-Memphis, Midwest-Kansas, West-UCLA

Pat Morgan

With Decent Pitching, Wins Will be Brewing in Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers were a pleasant surprise in 2007 and were in the playoff hunt until the last week of the season. The San Diego Padres eliminated the Brewers during the last weekend of the season, but Milwaukee won the final two games of the season-ending series, forcing the Padres into a play-in game against the Colorado Rockies. The Padres ended up missing out on the playoffs. so the Brewers were partly responsible for that. This team showed me that they have a lot of heart and didn't lay down once they were eliminated from playoff contention. I think that will carry over into this season and eventually lead to a decent outcome. Making the playoffs depends on how well the pitching staff performs. As for the offense, there shouldn't be a problem in that department.

Slugger Prince Fielder is some kind of hitter, and the Brewers are lucky to have him. He hit .288 with 50 homeruns and 118 RBI last season. He has only two full seasons under his belt, and should be signed to a long-term contract in the near future. J.J. Hardy is a promising young shortstop who has a lot of pop, and Ryan Braun (.324 34 HR 97 RBI) returns after winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award last season. With this offense, Bernie Brewer will be taking a lot of trips down the slide at Miller Park this upcoming season.

The pitching staff isn't as potent as the offense, but it might get them by. Ben Sheets has to stay healthy for most of the season, and Chris Capuano needs to have a bounce back year. If those two guys can be consistent throughout the season, this team will be playoff bound. Jeff Suppan pitched over 200 innings last season and I don't see why that should be a problem in 2008. After that, it's a little suspect. Dave Bush had a 5.12 ERA last season and needs to improve on that, while Claudio Vargas isn't much better.

Eric Gagne was signed in the offseason, but the Mitchell Report saga surrounds him. The former Cy Young award-winner needs to prove that he can be the same pitcher that converted 84 consecutive saves when he was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Brewers will not win the division, but the wild card is certainly within their grasps. I want to say 88-90 wins for this team, but that's only if the pitching holds up. Fans of the Brew Crew should be into this team from start to finish.

Shawn Marosek

Don't Look Past Atlanta in the NL East

It seems like everyone is talking about the Mets and Phillies to battle for the NL East title in 2008. How about the Atlanta Braves? I know it has been two years since they won their last division championship, but remember the long stretch they had before that. I'm not saying that Atlanta is going to win the division, but they are going to be damn close by season's end. This team looks pretty good, and I could easily see them contending with the Phillies and Mets this season.

The pitching staff is pretty solid. Tim Hudson and John Smoltz are at the top followed by Tom Glavine, who returns after a four-year stint with the Mets. Mike Hampton will try to stay healthy for once and Chuck James rounds out the fifth starter position. There are others mixed in that might make some noise, but if this rotation stays injury free, it lines up pretty well against the rest of the National League.

I think this offense might be a tad underrated. Brian McCann had a good season last year for a catcher (.270 18hr 92 RBI) and Jeff Francoeur continues to impress (.293 18 hr 105 RBI). His patience at the plate improved dramatically last season, which was a question mark going into the 2007 campaign. Kelly Johnson performed well out of the lead off spot as well. This team is balanced offensively, especially with the veteran talent of Chipper Jones and first baseman Mark Teixeira in the lineup. Jones has had a terrific career with the Braves, and I think he should be considered for the Hall of Fame. People might think I'm nuts, but as a Mets fan, I've seen enough of Jones to think that way. Teixeira is going to have a great season, like he usually does and being with a good team instead of the Rangers will only boost his confidence. He was traded to Atlanta midway through last season and ended up being a great pickup for the Braves.

I really like this Braves team and I think it's going to be a three-team race until the end of the season. Bobby Cox is an awesome manager and he will lead this team to success in 2008.

Shawn Marosek

Blue Jays Will Be Mediocre Once Again

Every year we hear the same thing when it comes to the Toronto Blue Jays. How many times have we read in a season preview that Toronto is ready to compete with the Big Boys in the AL East. The Red Sox and Yankees have dominated the division for the last 15 years, and the Blue Jays haven't made a postseason appearance since they repeated as World Champions in 1993. This season are we going to hear that this team from north of the border is going to keep pace with Boston and New York?

Well, I guess it depends on your definition of being competitive. This team will finish at least 10 games out of the division, and will stay in it for maybe the 1st half of the season. They will probably be 6-7 games back in third place at the All-Star break and won't make a serious run the rest of the way. The Red Sox and Yankees will be too tough. Now, there are people out there that think the Yanks will be down from last season, which is a possiblity. However, who in their right mind could think that the Blue Jays will finish ahead of the Yanks in the division and squeak out a second place finish. I know I don't.

Well, Toronto signed David Eckstein and acquired Scott Rolen in the offseason. That's the most noise they made during the winter months and I don't see it being that big of a deal. Yes, Rolen is a talented 3B, but he was hindered by injuries last season and might not be 100 percent the entire season. Eckstein is a scrappy player but not one that will completely turn around a franchise. Aaron Hill, Lyle Overbay and Rod Barajas round out the infield. Does that really scare anyone?

Vernon Wells is coming off a subpar season and we'll see what he brings in 2008. The only player I have confidence in is Alex Rios, who hit .297 with 24 hr and 85 rbi. Even those numbers aren't stellar in today's game. Frank Thomas, who reached the 500 HR milestone last season, returns as the DH. He will hit at least 30 homeruns if he stays healthy and will dive in his fair share of runs, but the Blue Jays can't rely on Thomas to have an injury free season. He's been a long time veteran in this league and he turns 40 in May.

As for the pitching staff, Roy Halladay is always the name that stand out. He's had his injury concerns in the past, but when he stays healthy, he is one of the best in the game. I'm surprised he is still with this ball club and hasn't signed with a powerhouse like the Yankees or Red Sox. They still have A.J. Burnett, who is still trying to prove himself in a Blue Jay uniform but after that, it's nothing to brag about.

Closer B.J. Ryan, who was Toronto's big acquisition two years ago, had a great 2006 campaign. In 2007, he suffered a season ending elbow injury last year and now is looking to make a succuessful comeback. He's the anchor of this Blue Jays bullpen and with a suspect pitching staff, this team will need all the relief help they can get.

It's as simple as this. The Blue Jays will finish third again. How can they not? The Red Sox and Yankees are the class of the division and the Orioles are horrible. The Rays might make a run at being third, but will fade late. The Blue Jays have finished third several times over the last decade and will see similar results in 2008.

Shawn Marosek

Coach K Nets 800th Career Victory

With Duke's comeback victory at North Carolina State, Mike Krzyzewski became the sixth coach to register 800 wins. Duke struggled the first 35 minutes with poor defense and 30% shooting, but fought back behind some late three pointers to get the win.

Coach K now has an 800-264 overall career record, and at only 61 years old, Krzyzewski should easily break Bob Knight's career victory record. He has racked up wins at a furious pace, averaging 24 victories a year in his 33 seasons as a head coach. Coach K might even find a way to 1,000 career victories.

The coach has been to 10 Final Fours which have resulted into three National Champions. He also owns the record for victories in the NCAA Tournament with 68. When it's all set and done, Coach K may be known as the best head coach ever that is not named John Wooden.

Krzyzewski has done another remarkable job this year leading this young Duke team to a 25-3 record. I believe that he should win the Coach of the Year award for having this team where they are. They probably won't win the National Championship or make the Final Four, but to have this team in the discussion for a #1 seed is remarkable. And if they beat UNC next weekend for the second time this year, Duke will win their 11th Regular Season ACC Championship under Coach K.

Lets go Blue Devils!

Pat Morgan

Jets Trade Former-Pro Bowler to New Orleans

The New York Jets have agreed to send Pro Bowl linebacker, Jonathan Vilma, to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2009. Once the leader of the Jets defense, Vilma fell out of favor with Eric Mangini because of his inability to play to his star potential in the 3-4 defense.

This is a really sad day for all Jets fans. In 2005, Vilma had a monster season in which he led the NFL in tackles (128 solo, 173 overall). He seemed poised to live up to the promise Jets fans had for the middle linebacker when he was drafted in 2004. However, after the season Mangini was hired as head coach, and the Jets changed defenses from the 4-3 to the 3-4.

Vilma was just never the same. His tackles went down 40% in 2006, and last year he struggled before going down with a season ending knee injury. This is an excellent pickup for the Saints though. They only gave away a fourth round pick for one of the best middle linebackers in the sport. I think this will revitalize Vilma's career by getting to play once again in a defensive style in which he greatly excelled. I expect Vilma to mightily help a talented Saints team that should rebound after a rough 2007 campaign.

Despite this being a sad day, it appears the Jets are about to make some big acquisitions for their offensive and defensive lines. They seem set to trade a 3rd and 5th round pick to Carolina for defensive lineman, Kris Jenkins. This is a great pickup for the Jets. Jenkins is a Pro Bowl tackle who should bring some life to a line that had trouble stopping running backs last season. The Jets are also close to bringing in free agent, Alan Faneca, from Pittsburgh. Faneca is a seven-time Pro Bowler who will give the Jets a veteran on the offensive line that suffered with the departure of Pete Kendall before last year. These two moves definitely help a team that had really bad lines last season.

Pat Morgan

A's Will Be Getting Nothing but F's at Season's End

I don't know which will be worse this season? The McAfee Coliseum or the team playing their home games there.

The Oakland Athletics will be competing with the Texas Rangers for third place in the AL West and it should be a disappointing season similar to a year ago. This team is far removed from the ones that were successful earlier in the decade.

They do have Joe Blanton and Rich Harden leading the pitching staff, but they no longer have Danny Haren, who will be spending the 2008 campaign with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This pitching staff is a far cry from the days of Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder.

The offense isn't much to brag about either. I thought the team should have held on to Nick Swisher, but maybe the three prospects they got for him will help this team in the long run. The offense for this team look like it might be one of the worst in baseball. When Eric Chavez is one of your best hitters, you might be in for a long season. Maybe their pitching will keep them in the hunt for a little while, but I really could see this team finishing 15 games back. Jack Cust had a great rookie season, but was also named in the Mitchell Report. This might affect him and I wouldn't be suprised if he has a down year.

The team also signed former Red Sox closer Keith Foulke, which I haven't quite understood yet, but we'll see if it works out. Foulke has not been the same pitcher since he threw the ball to Doug Mientkiewicz to win the World Series. His career has gone downhill since then, but it looks like he's been given another chance with the Athletics.

Moneyball worked from 2000-2003, but it's not going to be the solution this season. Billy Beane has to go out and spend some money for this team to compete in the near future. Maybe the prospects from the Swisher trade will amount to something, but you can't really count on that. Baseball is in the era of not only steroids, but of free agency. Oakland has to start getting involved financially if they want to compete in the near future.

Back to my original thought. Which will be worse? The stadium or the team. I'm leaning towards the "beautiful" McAfee Stadium, which will only be around a few more years. Once the new stadium is completed, the team will be relocated to Fremont. Even though the team name would stay the same, maybe a new location will benefit in some way. Anything is better than what we'll see in 2008.

Shawn Marosek

Astros need solid pitching to have a chance in 2008

The Houston Astros finished last season 73-89 and are now three years removed from the amazing 2005 run to the World Series. Cecil Cooper, who took over for Phil Garner last year, will be entering his first full season as manager. It should be interesting to see what he does with this team, which did make a little bit of noise in the offseason. They did make a move to bring Miguel Tejada on board, but it came with controversey. Only a few days after the aquisition, Tejada was named in the Mitchell Report. The All-Star shortstop's numbers were down last season and with all the distractions surrounding him, it will be hard to imagine him having a superb year. Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman are the heart of that order and should put up great numbers, especially in that park. Hunter Pence was an impressive rookie last season, but we'll see if he can repeat that success this year. But that's also a disadvantage when it comes to the pitching staff.

They do have Roy Oswalt, who is surely a quality ace, but after that, it's Woody Williams and questionable starters who are still trying to prove themselves in the Big Leagues. Williams is an average pitcher at best and who knows if Wandy Rodriguez will amount to anything. He showed signs last season, but I still need to see more to be convinced. They also signed Shawn Chacon. WooHoo!

I guess I could see Kaz Matsui being a key aquisition, but one good postseason doesn't prove anything. I'm a Mets fan. I don't want Matsui on my team. But if he ends up playing as well as he did with the 2007 Rockies, then the Astros made the right move. For now, we'll see.

Matsui is replacing the long-time Astro Craig Biggio, who retired at the end of last season. The future Hall of Famer will be missed in Houston. He was a gritty player who played the game the right way. Most importantly, he was the heart of the Astro teams of the past. It will be odd watching an Astros game without him in the lineup. I have a lot of respect for Biggio and I'm sure the fans of Houston do as well.

The Astros are looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since their 2005 run. In my opinion, I can't see it happening this season. They should be better record wise, but not good enough to make the postseason. The Cubs should win the division. They are the most talented team in the Central and I don't see the Astros competing at that level throughout the six month regular season. I think 80 wins sounds about right for this team. A slight improvement from last season, but not to the point to satisfy the Houston faithful.

Shawn Marosek