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

The Angels Will Be Flying High This Season

This is part one of 30 teams in 30 days. Let's begin!

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim made a great move in the offseason, signing Torii Hunter to a five- year $90 million contract. Hunter is one of the best center fielders in the game and isn't a bad addition offensively either (.287 Avg. 28 HR 107 RBI in 2007). His amazing range will be showcased in sunny California and the fans should be excited.

Yes, the team did lose Bartolo Colon to the Red Sox, but I don't see that being a big deal. The guy has been plagued by injuries recently, especially in big games and the Angels had no problem parting ways with him. The Halos were able to acquire White Sox pitcher Jon Garland in the offseason, a move which I agree with whole-heartedly. Garland is a solid pitcher and the White Sox will miss him for sure.

It will be interesting to see how closer Francisco Rodriguez performs in the last year of his contract. He's been a great pitcher for the Angels and it would be hard for them to let him get away in 2009. But for now, he's in Los Angeles and I expect to see him have another great season this year.

The fact that the Angels have one of the best managers in baseball in Mike Scioscia is already an advantage heading into the season. Seeing the game from a former catcher's perspective is always a great characteristic for a manager and Scioscia has that after spending his playing career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's led the Angels to a World Series title before as well as many other playoff appearances in recent seasons.

I'm thinking this team is set to win 92-97 games this season and capture the AL West title. The Mariners will finish second after improving with the addition of Erik Bedard, the Athletics are going to have a rough season, and the Rangers are the Rangers. Enough said. Enjoy the baseball season Halo fans. It's going to be a fun one for all of you.

Shawn Marosek

Bonds to the Just Call Me Rays?

The Tampa Bay Rays are considering bringing in the seven-time MVP, Barry Bonds, to Tropicana Field. Bonds has been unsuccessful in his search for a new team after he and the San Francisco Giants parted ways back in September. Likewise, the Rays have been looking for publicity ever since their inception in MLB in 1998.

He would clearly cause a ticket sales boom for a team that has trouble filling half their stadium. If signed, Bonds would bat fourth and be the designated hitter in an already talented, young lineup. The contract would pay for itself with the increase in tickets sales, but the question is, is this a good move for the Rays? I would have to say half and half.

First the positive, and it mainly involves what he can do on the field. Bonds can still hit, and being the DH would save a lot of wear and tare on his knees. Despite having a tumultuous season last year, Bonds still hit 28 home runs in 340 at-bats. On top of that he walked 132 times. He would provide the Rays with an excellent 2-5 in the batting order. Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Bonds, and Carlos Pena would be one of the best 2-5s in the game. The Rays have never really had powerful players in their lineup either, but with the 4-5 of Bonds and Pena that could realistically be a combined 80 homeruns. He would clearly make the Rays a better team on the field. They are not going to win the AL East even with Bonds, but they could win 80 games and could be a key factor in determining who wins the division.

Now the negative, and conversely it mainly involves what he would be off the field. Before getting into the steroids, his indictment, and everything else, he is much older than a team that is predominately young. He would be a media magnet and all of a sudden Tampa Bay baseball would be covered like there's no tomorrow (Pedro Gomez's family would be eternally grateful to the Rays). That could be very distracting to a young ball club, and put unnecessary pressure on them. Bonds has always been a very demanding figure in the Giants locker room, and he wouldn't be anything less here. That's the ground floor, so now add all of the other negatives. Do the Rays really want an indicted individual on their team? A player who cheated his way to the top? I'm not sure that's the message they want to send to their fans and players.

Tampa Bay signing Bonds could and most likely would improve their team, but it would be their management selling their soul in order to do it. He will bring all that baggage with him to Tampa. I wouldn't want him on my team, but it all depends on how much exposure, good or probably more so bad, the Rays front office would want to shine on their team. But it is about time the Rays do something to show they belong in Major League Baseball.

Pat Morgan

Edwards wins Auto Club 500

It took almost 24 hours for the race to come to an end, but for Carl Edwards, it was worth the wait.

Edwards and his Rousch number 99 Ford took the lead for good with 13 laps remaining, passing defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, and winning the Auto Club 500 Monday in Fontana, Cali. The race was postponed Sunday after 87 laps because of rain and unsafe track conditions.

It was Edwards's eighth win of his young career and he looks to be a rising star in NASCAR. His traditional back flip after a win has become his trademark, and it was no different after this victory. After completing the race, the 28-year old flipped over backwards off of his car, which gave the fans remaining another thing to cheer about.

After the final restart with 26 laps remaining, Edwards went from third to first without any hesitation at all and cruised to the checkered flag.

The celebration after the race was brief. Edwards had to hop in his NASCAR Nationwide car and race that another 300 miles. The State Bros. 300 was postponed Saturday because of rain.

Johnson finished second and his teammate Jeff Gordon finished third. Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues this weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. FOX's coverage begins at 3:30 p.m est.

Shawn Marosek

The Rivalry Continues: Oswego to take on Plattsburgh in SUNYAC Championship

Can it get any better than this for Division III hockey fans?

One of the most storied rivalries in college hockey continues next weekend as the Oswego State Great Lakers will take on the Plattsburgh Cardinals in the SUNY Atheltic Conference Championship Game. Oswego, the defending NCAA Champions, advanced by defeating Fredonia 4-1 at home Saturday night, while Plattsburgh was impressive in a 6-0 victory over Potsdam.

The Lakers played a very solid game, outshooting the Blue Devils 44-20. Throughout most of the first period, both teams looked evenly matched, but the Lakers soon took over. A goal by Peter Magana at 18:19 broke the scoreless tie and Brendan McLaughlin followed just over a minute later with a goal of his own, making it 2-0 heading into the first intermisison. After a scoreless second period, the Lakers added a another goal early in the third on Tony Dinunzio's eighth netter of the season. Fredonia's Bryan Goudy gave the Blue Devils some life with a goal less than a minute later, but Oswego was determined in not letting this one slip away. C.J. Thompson's 10th goal of the season at 9:58 gave the Lakers some more breathing room and Fredonia couldn't make a late comeback. The packed crowd at the Campus Center Ice Arena went home happy and now will look forward to Championship Saturday.

Avenging a loss to Potsdam earlier in the season, Plattsburgh showed no mercy,opening up a 3-0 lead in the first period. Plattsburgh is ranked 2nd in the country with a record of 22-4-0 while the Lakers stand 5th in the polls with an overall record of 18-5-2. The rivals have played twice this season, with the Cardinals winning two tightly contested games. On Nov. 2, Plattsburgh went on the road and beat the defending NCAA champions 4-2 in front of a frenzied Oswego crowd. An overtime thriller on Jan. 25 took place in Plattsburgh with the Cardinals squeaking out a 3-2 win.

Some high quality hockey will be played next weekend in northern New York. Anybody who is in the area should make the drive to Plattsburgh to see the next chapter of this heated and intense rivalry.

Shawn Marosek

NBA on NBC Memories

These we're the days! Best era of any sport at any time. This video nearly brought tears to my eyes digging up memories of the NBA during the 90s. Enjoy!

Pat Morgan

The Baby Gets His Bottle; Kidd Headed to Dallas (Official 2/19)

Jason Kidd is heading back to the team that he began his NBA career with in the Dallas Mavericks. After countless trade demands over the last few years, Kidd finally leaves the New Jersey Nets, and will get his shot at an NBA Championship. The Nets will receive Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, and two expiring contracts in return.

This move marks the third big deal in the last couple weeks. Kidd is one of the best point guards in NBA history. He took the woeful Nets franchise to the NBA Finals twice in his 6.5 years in New Jersey. There is no doubt he will help the Mavs, and perhaps finally get them the NBA Championship that has eluded them all these years. I still think they have major problems scoring down low, but Kidd's ability to read the floor will give Dirk and company more chances to slip inside.

However, the Nets needed to get rid of Kidd. Despite how much good he has done on the court for the Nets, Kidd has been a pain in the neck. He has ordered this franchise around ever since he's been there. His poor relationship with Byron Scott ultimately got Scott fired, and that's coming off two NBA Finals appearances. I like Lawrence Frank, but look at what Scott has done down in New Orleans. With a very good coach like that, Kidd needed to make it work. Kidd also demanded that an aging, sick Alonzo Mourning be signed before he re-signed with the Nets before the 2003-04 season. Most importantly, every time the Nets have struggled, Kidd has moaned and groaned looking for a trade. He is a great player, but a loser off the court.

Even with all that, it is probably time the Nets rip out the floor and start over. Harris will give them a quality point guard to re-build with. I doubt they will be able to trade Vince Carter with the huge contract he just got, but I would really like to see them re-build around Harris, Jefferson, and some of their talent down low. This team could be good immediately in a weak Eastern Conference, but I think they have a shot to be really good in a few years with some of the talent they have. Plus, Rod Thorn is an excellent general manager. The Nets will be okay as they head to Brooklyn in a few years.

Pat Morgan

Players mentioned to New Jersey changed with initial deal being shot down.

Miami agrees to trade Shaq to Phoenix

Shaquille O'Neal's career isn't done just yet, because if he passes a physical he will be heading to team with the best record in the Western Conference in the Phoenix Suns. The Suns will send disgruntled forward Shawn Marion with Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat in return for The Big Aristotle.

This appears to be a move for the postseason for the Suns. They obviously don't need Shaq to possibly win home-court advantage in the West. In fact, if he plays too many minutes it may deter their quest for the best record. Their run and gun style doesn't seem to fit Shaq Daddy who is aging and has had bum knees this season. I don't see him playing much more than 25-30 minutes a game when this trade becomes official. The Suns won't push him with his injuries this year and save his gas for the postseason.

In the playoffs, when the Suns play a defensive powerhouse like San Antonio, Shaq will help them out a lot. Shaq will also help them out if they come across a team like the LA Lakers with Pau Gasol now manning their inside game. (How sweet would a Kobe-Shaq, Lakers-Suns reunion be in the playoffs!) I would expect him to be motivated and healthy come playoff time. It will allow them to move Amare Stoudemire to power forward, and give the Suns two big bodies down low to bounce around Tim Duncan or a Kevin Garnett in the NBA Finals. They might actually play some defense come playoff time. Their run and gun style works well in the regular season, but they need someone like Shaq when points are at a premium come April-June.

This is also a good move for the Heat. They needed to get rid of an aging Shaq and get younger off this terrible year so far. They get a fantastic player in Shawn Marion. Hopefully he re-signs there, and they can build their team around Dwyane Wade and Marion. Not often do you see a trade that can really help both teams. The Diesel needs to be in a place he can win now cause he won't be around much longer, and gives the Suns a defensive threat in the playoffs and on the right night perhaps a big offensive threat. Marion is one of the best forwards in the NBA so the Heat got great value for The Man of Steel as well.

Pat Morgan

P.S. Shaq is also nicknamed Superman for those who are wondering if I could add another one to the post.

A Giant Win for the Ages; A Super Bowl XLII Shocker!!!

This is to anyone that is a New York Giants fan. You never have to win another game in your lifetime to backup the victory you celebrated last night. The Giants shocking 17-14 win over the three-time champion, New England Patriots, will simply go down as one of the greatest upset victories of all time. The Giants incredible march through the playoffs probably will go down as the greatest Cinderella story ever.

So how the hell did this happen? Well, the Giants defense was simply spectacular! They got to Tom Brady time after time after time. Again their pass rush covered up some of their holes in their secondary. Justin Tuck or Michael Strahan probably would have been named Super Bowl MVP prior to the Manning drive because they were that good. Even the secondary was great in making plays. Corey Webster tapping the ball away from Randy Moss in the closing seconds was tremendous. They held the NFL's best offense ever to a mere 14 points and just over 200 yards for the entire game. That is an all-time effort by the Giants defense.

Eli Manning was great when he had to be as well. Engineering that final drive was a thing of beauty. He did dodge a bullet when Asante Samuel couldn't grab an interception, but his scramble on that 3rd and 5 play will be shown forever. Then, of course, the grab by David Tyree. Where did Tyree come from? He has been a big disappointment for the Giants since he was a highly touted youngster four, five years ago. What a catch that was! Eli took a page out of Joe Montana's biography and engineered the same exact type of drive Montana did in Super Bowl XXIII. And what an effort all year by Plaxico Burress. Whether you like him or not, he played hurt all year and came up with the game-winning touchdown.

Two sequences really stood out to me and told me the stars were aligning for the Giants last night. In the 2nd quarter, Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled and it was clearly recovered by a Patriot. However, Bradshaw stripped it away before possession was ruled. Even though the Giants ultimately punted, that disallowed the Pats from taking over at the Giants' 25. The other was the Giants defense coming up huge after the 12-men on the field penalty on a Pats 4th down. That gave the Pats a first down inside the Giants' 40 with what I thought a prime opportunity to take a 14-3 lead. A touchdown there changes the game. The Pats probably win. Instead the Giants come up huge and force the Pats into either a 50-yard field goal or a 4th and 13. They went on 4th and 13 and came away with no points. Both those sequences were very telling.

In any event, this is a tremendous, tremendous win for the New York Giants and their fans. Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning have gone from the ultimate goats to the ultimate New York heroes in just six weeks! SIX WEEKS! You can't under sell how big a win this is. Like I said, Giants fans never need to see the playoffs again because you just had the ultimate win. It does NOT get any better than what you had last night. No way, no how! Enjoy it! I am one very jealous New York Jets fan this morning.

Pat Morgan

Gerbil's College Basketball Top 10

10.) Stanford - This is the best Cardinal team since the Mike Montgomery days. They have won three straight road games within the tough Pac-10 to improve to 16-3 on the season. Since the return of Brook Lopez, Stanford has been on fire. Lopez has averaged about 20 points a game. I would expect Stanford's stay within my top 10 to be brief because of their schedule in the Pac-10, but they have done a nice job bringing the Cardinal back into a national power.

9.) Texas - Even without Kevin Durant this Longhorns team is still loaded. D.J. Augustin and A.J Abrams give Texas one of the best backcourts in the country. They don't have much inside so they will have to win with their speed and outside shooting. The Longhorns can beat anyone in the country on the right night. They already have two wins within my top 10 vs. UCLA and Tennessee. Look for them to have a great chance to get to an Elite 8 with a chance at the Final Four.

8.) Michigan State - The Spartans could be higher on my list if it wasn't for a loss today at Penn State or their uncharacteristic easy pre-conference schedule. However, with Tom Izzo who is a tremendous tournament coach and a great senior leader in Drew Neitzel this team has a chance to do some special things in the tournament. Raymar Morgan has had a great season as well for the Spartans. With all that being said, it will be hard to predict exactly what Michigan State will do in the tournament playing in a relatively weak Big Ten.

7.) Tennessee - Other than the loss at Kentucky, the Vols have rolled through the underrated SEC. Like Texas, Tennessee has one of the best backcourts in the nation with Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. Bruce Pearl has proven to be a very good tournament coach, so I like this team's chances to do well come March. However, if they have an off shooting night, a team with a good inside game will hurt the Vols. They will be battle tested though because the SEC is quietly an excellent conference with the likes of Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Florida.

6.) Duke - If it wasn't for a Levance Fields circus three, the Blue Devils could very well be undefeated going into their showdown with UNC in Chapel Hill. Senior DeMarcus Nelson has had a hell of a bounce back season in being Duke's best player over the last month. Gerald Henderson has been impressive, and freshman Kyle Singler has given the Blue Devils an all-purpose threat. Duke actually has some depth for once as well. The problem with them is their lack of an inside game. The Blue Devils are clearly on their way back and will most likely be a two seed, but I don't see a very deep tournament run because of their inside game.

5.) Georgetown - Next to UCLA, the Hoyas could be the best defensive team in the nation. They also have the best center in the nation. Roy Hibbert could lead this team, along with a slew of tournament tested players, to another Final Four or possibly beyond. The Hoyas are always working hard and never quit on a game. Their win in West Virginia was indicative of that. My concern is the Hoyas is their ability to keep up in a scoring fest with the North Carolina types of the world. They have a tendency to have extended dry spells from the field.

4.) Kansas - Well, the Jayhawks finally suffered their first loss this week. It was to a very good Kansas State team however, and the Big 12 is perhaps the best top heavy conference in the country. Mario Chalmers is one of my favorite players in the country, and along with Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Darrell Arthur, and company the Jayhawks are absolutely loaded. The Jayhawks have put up a ton of points this season, but will they be able to score like that in the later rounds of the tournament? That's always been their problem. The Rock Em', Sock Em', Jayhawks will be battle tested and should get a much better draw as a #1 seed this year. Hopefully they won't have to play a #2 like UCLA on the road like they did last year.

3.) UCLA - The Bruins are hand down the best defensive team in the country. They play a style that makes their opponets curl up and cry. They simply tore apart a high octane offense in Arizona tonight. The Bruins also have the best tournament experience of anyone. They were in the last two Final Fours, and with the Florida powerhouse out of the way, this finally might be the year for the Bruins. They are on my short list to win the whole thing. My concern for them is similiar to the Hoyas. If an opponet has a big game from downtown they might be able to beat UCLA as the Bruins won't blugen you to death with points.

2.) North Carolina - Tyler Hansbrough is well on his way to winning the John Wooden and John Naismith awards with his great season. He is averaging a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Hoyas also can run and gun with the best of them with Ty Lawson at the point. Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are excellent players as well. The Heels have the best all-around offense in the nation. However, they aren't as deep as previous years, and their defense leaves a lot to be desired. It would really be interesting to see what kind of game develops should they play UCLA in the tournament. I am torn right now between those two teams with who will win the National Championship

1.) Memphis - The Tigers are the only unbeaten team left in Division I despite a close call vs. UTEP yesterday. As I said in a previous post, Memphis has a great chance to go into the NCAA Tournament undefeated. Their toughest game left is a date with Tennessee in three weeks. Led by Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers return most of their team from last year's Elite 8 appearance. However, they have a great freshman in Derrick Rose this season. Rose could be the difference for the Tigers this year. It could be a serious problem for Memphis not playing in a major conference though. They will not be battle tested as the other teams on this list will be going into March. A couple more close calls like yesterday is not the worst thing that can happen to the Tigers. The blowouts really don't help too much. They need to know how to wins the tight ones going into March.

Pat Morgan

Super Bowl XLII Fearless Prediction

After what seemed like four months of endless Super Bowl discussion, it is finally the eve of the big game. The perfect New England Patriots will take on the ultimate underdog in the New York Giants. No matter what happens tomorrow, Super Bowl XLII will be remembered forever. Either the Pats go 19-0 or the Giants spoil the Pats chance at history.

Even though the Giants are the ultimate underdog, many "experts" are picking them to stay close or even win tomorrow. I've heard countless guests on Mike and the Maddog and other shows this week say they think the Giants will win. So for that, I am sick of the Giants and their fans saying that no is one giving them a shot. It simply isn't true. Yes, the majority is picking the Pats, but 35-40% for an ultimate underdog is a big number.

I really can't believe that many people are picking them. It is funny how perception works in the mind of people. The Patriots aren't playing well, and the Giants are playing great. The reality is the Patriots are still beating people by multiple possessions and the Giants have gone to the gun two straight games. The Giants have been impressive no doubt, but the Patriots are a team for the ages.

As for the game. I expect the Patriots to revert back to midseason form and put up well over 30 points. On the fast track in a warm climate, the Patriots can spread them out and pick apart the weak Giants secondary. I know the Giants secondary has played valiently shorthanded this postseason, but the Pats are a different animal than the Cowboys or Packers. Some players are coming back, but I don't think it will make much of a difference. I expect Tom Brady to use Randy Moss more than he has, but I really expect Wes Welker to have an enormous game.

The Patriots running game has also performed very well this postseason. Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk have been outstanding. There are just too many weapons for Brady to play with, and lets face it, his ankle will be just fine. Remember Super Bowl XXXVI when Brady came in with a legit injury? He did just fine leading a far inferior offense than this current one down the field in the final moments.

The Giants need a lot of things to go right for them to pull the upset. They will need Eli Manning to continue to play flawless football. The Pats' defense can be scored upon, but will the Giants score when the Pats really tighten up? While old in spots, the Patriots' defense has come up huge late in the game everytime they have needed to this year.

The Giants will have to score touchdowns and not settle for field goals, and definitely not turn the ball over. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will have to eat up the clock and thus keep the ball away from Brady. If they can't run the ball tomorrow, they really have no chance to win. Because even if Manning throws five touchdowns and Plaxico Burress and company tare it up, they won't win a high-paced shootout with New England.

The Giants are also going to have to hope for their defensive front four to get to Brady a few times, and hopefully force a fumble. They will also need Domenik Hixon to continue to be extremely effective on kickoff returns. Remember he returned one against the Pats in Week 17.

The Giants winning tomorrow would be a bigger upset in my opinion than the Broncos over the Packers (XXXII), the Patriots over the Rams (XXXVI), and would be on par with the Jets beating the Colts in Super Bowl III. The extra week off would make it even more impressive. The Giants probably had a much better shot winning if the Super Bowl was last week and not this week. Giving Bill Belichick two weeks to prepare is almost illegal (maybe it is in some spots).

Therefore...

New England Patriots 38, New York Giants 24
MVP: Tom Brady (Going out on a limb!)

Pat Morgan