Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if any of the remaining Buffalo Bills games will be sold out, here's what is on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to snap a two game losing streak when they take on the struggling Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the ACC. Had to laugh yesterday listening to Toronto sports radio as the big issues were: should Jonas Gustavsson replace James Reimer in goal and is it panic time for Leaf fans. As far as the first issue goes, Reimer is the Leafs starting goaltender. Are you going to blame Reimer for taking 6 penalties against the Washington Capitals??? I can't recall since Reimer's return a weak goal being allowed. It is ridiculous to believe that this kid was going to be in mid-season shape after having been out since October 22. Reimer is your guy and Gustavsson will certainly be in the nets over the weekend since the Leafs have back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. With respect to the second issue, I'm not panicking yet. I think it is unrealistic to have thought that the Leafs were going to be a top 4 team in the Easstern Conference. They will be in a fight to land somewhere between 6th and 8th. They also are getting players back from injury so chemistry needs to be developed. However, the Leafs need to establish a better record at home. They have not played well recently at the Air Canada Center. With a number of home games coming up, it is imperative that they get things going on home ice. Tonight is a game that they need to win with tough contests coming up against the Sabres and Canucks on the weekend.
* The NFL today may rule on a suspension for James Harrison as a result of his hit on Colt McCoy Thursday night. My opinion is that Harrison should be fined and suspended. Having watched the hit over 10 times in slow motion, Harrison led with his head and McCoy was in a defenseless position. This was not similar to the hit Harrison made on Joshua Cribbs last year as Cribbs was not in a defenseless position as a runner. But along with Harrison, the Cleveland Browns should be fined for not following established league protocols. Along with that, the hit on McCoy should lead the NFL to adopt a policy that makes it mandatory for a player to be evaluated immediately by an independent physician after a hit to the head. The evaluation should be done off the field. This is similar to what is done in the NHL. If Commissioner Goodell is serious about player safety then this type of policy needs to be established and implemented immdeiately and the Players Union should be pushing for it.
* Where is Mike Holmgren??? With the organization he heads being questioned about its actions involving McCoy we have heard nothing from Holmgren. Just another reason for me to begin to doubt whether this guy can lead the Browns back to respectability.
* Listened to Cleveland Browns Daily that is hosted by Vic Carucci and he had on as a guest Michael Reghi who is a Cleveland sportscaster. Reghi was telling Browns fans that they need to be patient because Holmgren and Tom Heckert inherited a team that was old and devoid of talent. Well, I'm not going to dispute that. But what I take issue with is Reghi's call for fans to be patient. Are you kidding me???? 12 years with one playoff appearance and only 2 winning seasons in those 12 years!! My problem is that Holmgren and Heckert are selling that you have to build through the draft. But the Browns are so lacking in playmakers that they must augment these draft picks with free agents. Without the signing of quality free agents, we are looking at a 5 year rebuilding plan. 5 years from today!!!!!
* It was 47 years ago yesterday that the Browns clinched the Eastern Division title with a 52-20 rout of the New York Giants on a Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. I remember it like it was yesterday. Two weeks later they would go on to upset the favored Baltimore Colts 27-0 to win their last NFL Championship.
* Todd Haley and Tony Sparano were fired yesterday as was Terry Murray the head coach of the LA Kings. I have a feeling their may be more firings in the NFL as one has to wonder how long Steve Spagnulo can last along with wondering about the job status of Raheem Morris. In the NHL, you have to wonder about Jack Capuano with the Islanders.
* One NHL city where there should be some question of coaching competency is Buffalo. Lindy Ruff is one of the longest tenured coaches in the NHL. The Sabres are playing like a listless hockey club and Ruff doesn't seem to have any answers. It could be that Ruff's act has gone stale with many of the veterans. The problem is that as long as Darcy Reiger is in charge Ruff isn't going anywhere. Maybe both should go. If Mr. Pegula is serious about winning a Stanley Cup, these two must be shown the door.
* Interesting how I haven't heard the radio loudmouths on WGR550 clamoring for Jonas Enroth anymore. Prior to Ryan Miller's injury, there was all kinds of calls for Enroth to play more games with Jeremy White saying that goaltending doesn't matter. Well, Enroth is what we thought he is: a good back-up to Ryan Miller. His comments after the Ranger game were disturbing and if they were made by Miller they would have been considered selfish.
* The announcement that Sidney Crosby will have to sit out games due to concussion like symptoms is really unfortunate. Crosby is the best player in the game and its a shame that he may be out for awhile. You have to wonder if this kid is heading down the path of Eric Lindros.
* It's been reported in both NY dailies that the Yankees will bid on Yu Darvish but they will not go all out to get him. It is reported that the posting fee and contract for Darvish will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $125 million. The Yankees are reported to make an offer that will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-80 million. Not sure what Brian Cashman is doing. Maybe he's going to go the low end route and sign Joe Saunders who has been non-tenered by the Diamondbacks. I'm going to say one last time: I don't think Cashman is going to do anything. Hopefully, I am wrong.
* Had WGR550 on yesterday morning and it was typical GR. Not sure if its Jeremy White who does the sports updates but whoever it was led off the spot by saying that the Bills lost to the lowly Chargers. Really??? Look who is calling the kettle black. Maybe the better description would be the under-achieving Chargers. Would you rather have Philip Rivers or Ryan Fitzpatrick?? How about Scott Chandler or Antonio Gates??? Stevie Johnson or Vincent Jackson??
* I was laughing out loud listening to White and Howard Simon lamenting about the success of Aaron Maybin. They were questioning the Bills coaches for not getting the most out of its players and that they were tired of fans saying that if the Bills had Tom Brady he would be nothing because Brady has more weapons in New England. First of all, Simon has been bashing Maybin for years. If he is such a football wizard, why wasn't he saying that the Bills coaches weren't utilizing him better when he was here??? Instead he was blasting the general manager who selected him. With respect to their criticism of the fans, what do you expect from people who spend their hard earned money to go see a team that these losers on GR build up in July, August and September instead of being honest about the team's prospects. Simon had these guys in the playoffs after 6 games. They overrated the team's start. They didn't acknowledge the fact that they were living off turnovers. They weren't dominating teams. Now they cry and lament and blast the fans.
* I like Rob Gronkowski. The tight end position is my favorite in football. Guys with size who can run. Gronkowski is having a great season and I'm happy for him as he is from WNY. But, proclaiming that he is going to the Hall of Fame?? Well, that's what White blasted off on Twitter on Sunday and repeated yesterday on the radio. And you want to know why White is such a joke.
* Finally, this week my NFL Picks will be made on Wednesday as I will not be posting after Wednesday until Monday December 19th. Tomorrow, recap of Leafs-Hurricane game.
Sorry To Say But Browns Need A QB!!
With the Browns not playing yesterday, I had the opportunity to follow games on DirecTV's Red Zone Channel. It's probably the best thing about the NFL's Sunday Ticket. I found myself paying attention to young QB's namely Andy Dalton, TJ Yates, Cam Newton, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker and it hit me: the Browns need to draft a quarterback.
I have wanted to believe that Colt McCoy was the guy that would lead the Browns to a championship. But after watching these other young QBs and comparing them to McCoy one thing was clear to me: these other young QBs can make plays to move their teams, I don't see that from Colt. All of the guys that I've mentioned can throw the ball long down the field. They can keep the defenses honest. The same can't be said for McCoy.
All of these young quarterbacks give their fans hope for the future and while they all did not win yesterday they were exciting to watch. Unfortunately for the Browns they will need to draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft. Depending upon where they ultimately finish, the Browns could possibly get a quarterback with their first pick in the first round. They could also package their two first round picks and trade with Indianapolis to get the first pick overall and select Andrew Luck. The Colts may be willing to do that if Peyton Manning is ready to play next year. As was reported on the CBS pre-game show, the Colts are concerned about how things would work if Manning is ready to play and they draft Luck. It's felt that Manning would not be a good mentor.
Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert need to understand that the fans of this downtrodden team cannot wait for a five year rebuild. We've been rebuilding for 12 years. They will need to score on their draft picks and need to sign free agents and I'm not talking about middling players. I'm talking about game changers. All we are looking for is some signs of hope that things are improving. Otherwise, we can be looking at another long five years ahead.
Browns Make A Mistake With McCoy
By now everyone knows about the hit by James Harrison on Colt McCoy that occurred Thursday night at Heinz Field. Whether the hit should result in a fine and suspension is up to the NFL. Over the course of the last several days there have been differing opinions about what should happen to Harrison. But as a Browns fan, my issue is with whether or not Colt McCoy should have been allowed back in the game.
The Browns contend that they performed testing which resulted in the team allowing McCoy back in the game after 2 plays. Are you kidding me??? Having seen the hit a number of times and McCoy's reaction immediately after the hit, it would not have surprised me that he had a concussion. McCoy's father, who is a high school football coach, said that based upon how his son's body was so rigid after the hit was an indication of a concussion.
If we are to accept the Browns contention that McCoy did not exhibit concussion like symptoms immediately after the hit, then how come he exhibited them after the game??? How come the press corp was told to dim their lights before McCoy came in for his post game press conference??? Unfortunately, I don't buy the Browns explanation. I don't buy the Browns story that they completed concussion symptom testing on McCoy in 2 plays.
The NHL has put a big emphasis on concussions since Sidney Crosby was knocked out for an extended period of time. They have instituted a policy that if a player takes a blow to the head that player must be sent to the locker room for an evaluation. If the player does not pass the evaluation they are not allowed back in the game. The same type of policy needs to be enacted in the NFL. McCoy should not have been allowed back in the game. He says he doesn't remember anything that happened after the hit other than the fact that he knew he cost the team the game.
The Browns risked this kid's health and in the process lost a chance to beat a division rival. The game is not as important as McCoy's well-being. For a team that has had issues with player health (LeCharles Bentley, staph infections, the Hillis situation), this is the worst yet. The truth will come out and when it does someone needs to be held accountable and the team needs to be fined substantially. This whole thing makes me sick and is another example of an organization which just doesn't get it.
Week 14 NFL Picks
Last week was a mediocre week as I went 2-2 bringing my overall record to 24-19. Over the last 9 weeks my record is 20-9. Here's hoping for a better week.
*Cincinnati (-3) over Houston: The Bengals are in a must win situation here. A loss would put them at 7-6 and a Jets and/or Titans victory would put the Bengals one game out of a playoff spot. They are at home playing a Houston team without their starting quarterback, their second string quarterback and their star wide receiver. The Texans have a two game lead over the Titans. This game is more important for the Bengals and they are at home. Cincinnati 20 Houston 14.
*Atlanta (-3) over Carolina: I swore I would never pick the Falcons again but this game is huge for them and their playoff chances. They are fighting with the Bears and the Lions for wild card spots. A Falcon loss and the other two teams winning would put the Falcons a game behind. Keep in mind, the Bears hold the tie breaker over the Falcons having defeated them on opening day. The Panthers will not go down easy but this is a huge game for Atlanta. Atlanta 27 Carolina 21.
*New York Giants (+3 1/2) over Dallas: For the G-men this is do or die. A loss and they can kiss their playoff chances good-bye and it probably means that Tom Coughlin will be out as Head Coach at the end of the season. They have lost 4 in a row, including a gut-wrencing loss last week at home against Green Bay. The Cowboys had a chance to take a two game lead over the Giants but dropped a game they should have won in Arizona. Both of these teams are inconsistent. But I'm going with the team that needs it more. New York Giants 30 Dallas 28.
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Tomorrow my thoughts on the Browns and their handling of Colt McCoy after being hit by James Harrison
Dumb Penalties Lead To 4-2 Leafs Loss
The Washington Capitals had 6 power play opportunities and connected on four of the them to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 in the nation's capital. The Leaf penalty killing unit was terrible last night however what was worse was the undisciplined penalties that the Leafs took particularly Joey Crabb. With the Leafs 39 seconds away from killing a Colby Armstrong penalty, Crabb took an unnecessary boarding penalty resulting in a 5 on 3 power play for the Capitals. James Reimer made a great save with the paddle of his stick but the puck bounced up and hit the knob of his stick and went into the net giving the Capitals a 3-1 lead.
The Leafs fought back and Cody Franson brought the Leafs within a goal with a shot from the point on a good play from Nikolai Kulemin with a little over 6 minutes left in the game. The Leafs took the play to the Capitals and you had a feeling that they might be able to tie the game. Then Joey Crabb doesn't control his stick and clips John Carlson with about 2:15 left in the game killing whatever chance the Leafs may have had to tie the game. The Capitals once again scored as Dennis Wideman notched his third goal of the game.
The talking heads and media scribes are pointing out that the Leafs have now lost 4 out of their last 5 games but its not time to panic. If you look at the 2 losses to Boston, the overtime loss to New Jersey and last night, the Leafs were competitive and in some instances the better team when 5 on 5. But penalties are a killer and last night was inexcusable.
Some may start to clamor for Jonas Gustavsson to go back into the nets but Reimer was not the reason for the Leaf loss. He made some big saves to keep his team in the game. Goaltending is not the problem. Penalty killing and lack of secondary scoring are the problems. Hopefully, the current lineup can stay intact for awhile because there needs to be some chemistry developed. The Grabovski-Kulemin-MacArthur line looked good last night and had some chances. However, Coach Ron Wilson is right: they need to start shooting more. There was a point in the third period where the line had the puck in the Washington zone for over a minute but didn't get a shot on goal.
The Leafs are off until Tuesday when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes at the ACC. The puck drop is at 7pm.
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Later today my weekly NFL Picks and tomorrow my comments on the Colt McCoy hit.
Browns Respectable, But Lose 14-3
The Cleveland Browns were not embarassed on national TV. They had chances to pull off a huge upset but unfortunately it was not to be as Ben Roethlisberger pulled a Lazarus-act, rising from what looked like a severe injury, to lead the Steelers to a 14-3 win over the Browns. There were many opportunities for the Browns to win this game. In the first half, the Browns had numerous great drive starts only to have punter Brad Maynard continue to hem the Steelers deep in their own zone.
In looking at the game several things stand out. First, it is clear that the defense gave the Browns a chance to win. They forced 3 turnovers and made a tremendous goal line stand in the 4th quarter. I thought that the Steelers should have gone for a field goal there but they didn't and you had a feeling that something special was going to happen here.
Secondly, while watching the game I was on a roller coaster ride in evaluating Colt McCoy. At times he looked good, making good reads and moving out of the pocket to avoid a sack. There were the continued drops by Greg Little and you had to think that if McCoy had some quality receivers things would be different. But then you had the interceptions with the biggest one being made by William Gay in the end zone late in the 4th quarter after a Mike Adams interception gave the Browns great field position. McCoy admitted that he under threw the pass and did not give Massaquoi an opportunity to catch the ball. This was not the only time McCoy has under thrown a receiver and once again calls into question his arm strength.
Third, once again I find myself questioning decisions made by Head Coach Pat Shurmur. On the opening drive, the Browns methodically moved down the field setting up first and goal from the 3 yard line. After Colt McCoy was stoped at the one foot line, the Browns ran an off tackle play with Peyton Hillis that resulted in a 2 yard loss. It was a terrible play call as tight end Alex Smith was blown up by a Steeler defender. If Alex Smith is one of your blocking tight ends then you are in serious trouble. But then, Shurmur decides to kick a field goal. Why??? Well, in his press conference, Shurmur said that it was early in the game and he felt they needed to put points on the board. Nonsense!!! Your team is 4-8. You have a chance to send a message to the Steelers. You have a chance to let your offense build up some confidence. Instead you meekly kick a field goal and once again the Browns don't get in the end zone.
The other questionable decision was putting Colt McCoy back in the game after the cheap shot he endured from James Harrison. Seneca Wallace came into the game and threw a nice pass to Evan Moore that gave the Browns a first and goal from the 5 yard line. It was at that point that McCoy was sent back into the game. An intentional grounding call and then the fateful interception that ended the game. You have to wonder where McCoy's head was when he was sent back in. He said he doesn't remember the Harrison hit. Wallace looked crisp when he was sent in. Maybe Shurmur didn't want to start a quarterback controversy if Wallace led the Browns in the end zone. But that's faulty logic since the season is over and we know what Wallace can do. This should have been about winning the game against a division opponent.
If this game shows us anything it's that this league is a quarterback league. When Charlie Batch was brought into the game, the Steelers could do nothing. But a one-legged Ben Roethlisberger was able to pull out a win. Roethlisberger, even on one leg, made plays. Unfortunately, Colt McCoy could not make plays to win this game for the Browns. He had chances but couldn't capitalize. The hard question is whether McCoy's inability to lead his team into the end zone is a function of the players around him or his lack of ability to be a top flight quarterback in the NFL. Unfortunately, it might be a little bit of both and if that is case the road to respectability is even longer than we thought.
Yankee News….Or Lack Thereof!!!!
Well as we enter into the third day of the Baseball Winter Meetings, the New York Yankees have yet to make any additions to a team that won the American League East but didn't make it out of the Divisional Series. Some will say they don't need to do anything. They won 97 games last year, best in the American League. But in the end it meant nothing because they couldn't get by Detroit.
Brian Cashman says that it doesn't seem like the Yankees will be doing anything at this point. The asking price for free agent pitchers is too high. As far as a trade goes, the Yankee GM believes that teams are asking for too many of the Yankees prize prospects. So what does that all mean??
Well, let's start with the positional players. It would appear that the starting 8 will be the same. No major changes however there is always a concern about injuries when you are dealing with late thirty-somethings like ARod and Derek Jeter. More than likely both will have to DH throughout the season which will mean that Eduardo Nunez will have to fill in. I like Nunez offensively, but defensively not so much. The kid will have to improve if he is to be the shortstop of the future.
By putting Jeter and ARod at DH, this would appear to take at-bats away from Jesus Montero. The Yankees truly need to find out if this kid can be a major league catcher. If he can't, then they need to find another place for him in the field. They can't afford to have a 22 year old DH when they have a long term commitment to a 37 year old Alex Rodriguez. ARod has 6 more years on his contract. I don't see him playing third base at the age of 40. I'm not saying Montero can play third but if he can't be a major league catcher how about the outfield.
The Yankees have a problem with their starting eight. They are aging, particularly on the left side of the infield. In addition, is it realistic to expect that Curtis Granderson is going to have the monster year that he had in 2011??? Who will pick up that slack??? It should be ARod and Mark Teixiera. That's what they are getting the big bucks for: to carry this team on their backs. There has been a lot of criticism of Nick Swisher and his playoff performances. But Swisher was not acquired to carry this team in the playoffs. He was acquired in a trade for Wilson Betemit. He was not a high impact, highly paid free agent. He was brought in to do exactly what he has done. Contribute 20-25 HR's and 80-100 RBI's. The same can be said for Curtis Granderson. He was acquired in a trade to provide speed, defense and occasional power. I don't think Brian Cashman was expecting 40 HRs and 110 RBI's. The guys who are suppose to do that is ARod and Teixiera.
I have gone over and over the pitching situation. They need to get another starting pitcher. If they don't, it will be another early exit in October.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering how badly the Cleveland Browns will embarass themselves and their fans on Thursday night in Pittsburgh here is what's on my mind this morning:
* I had the opportunity to watch Pat Shurmur's press conference on Sportstime Ohio's All Bets are Off and I was totally outraged. As I have mentioned before, Shurmur's answers to questions are basically non-answers. His non-answers are dismissive of the questions something you might expect from a coach who has won a Super Bowl or two but not from a rookie coach who looks in over his head. But what really infuriated me was his answer to a question about the frustration of the fans. Shurmur basically said he wasn't around to know about the past and the fans have to have a belief that things are going to get better. Really??? We have been waiting since 1999 for things to get better.
* It's time for the Mike Holmgren-Tom Heckert regime to start being held accountable for the state of this team. As a Browns fan, I see no improvement. In fact, its getting worse. While knowledgeable Browns fans knew that they were not going to make the playoffs this year, with their schedule they should have more wins. But forget the wins. I will maintain that this offense is worse than what it was under Eric Mangini. We were sold a bill of goods on Pat Shurmur, brilliant offensive mind. Shurmur coaches like a bad high school coach. There is no imagination. Holmgren and Heckert have said that this team needs to build through the draft. I get that but this team has so many holes that they need to get into the free agent market. Can you imagine if the Browns had drafted Julio Jones and signed Brandon Lloyd?? The lack of activity in the free agent market tells me that the Holmgren regime is as clueless as their coach when it comes to understanding the frustration that Browns fans have. All we want is to see is improvement. If Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur were in NYC, they would be run out on a rail and couldn't pull the crap they are pulling now.
* If you are a Browns fan and have Direct TV All Bets Are Off with Bruce Drennan is a must watch. Drennan is outstanding. He is very knowledgeable about sports (unlike the dopes on WGR550) and yesterday was a great show as he really called the Browns out. Sportstime Ohio provides great Browns coverage so if you are a Browns fan check it out. It's channel 662 on Direct TV. And on occasion yours truly gets through to talk to Bruce about the Browns.
* The Maple Leafs roared back from a tough two game beat down at the hands of the Boston Bruins by defeating the hot New York Rangers 4-2 at MSG. The Leafs are the only team this year to have beaten the Rangers at the World's Greatest Arena. Jonas Gustavsson was solid in net particularly in the third period and he has given the Leafs a solid 1-2 punch in goal. The Kessel-Bozak-Lupul line was flying last night. Joffrey Lupul was on fire and the Leafs power play bounced back after two dismal performances against the Bruins. If there are any more doubts about this team, yesterday's game proves once and for all that this Leaf team is different than any other Leaf team since the lockout. Ron Wilson made a great point last night when he said that this team continues to play well with having 6 or 7 regulars out of the lineup for a good portion of November. November was also a month that the Leafs had more road games than home games. It is clear that the Leafs speed is too much for many teams. A far cry from the days of Jason Allison and Jeff O'Neill.
* The Baseball Winter Meetings began yesterday and the Miami Marlins have made the first big splash by signing Jose Reyes. The Marlins have signed Heath Bell, Reyes and are in on Albert Pujols. The Mets?? Well, they have their fans in an uproar. I have to laugh as I recall the summer of 2007 when there was an actual debate about which shortstop-third base combo was better: AROD & Derek Jeter or Reyes & David Wright. How did you make out Met fans???
* Yankee fans who are expecting anything to happen to improve their team, forget it. These are not George's Yankees anymore. Joel Sherman's article on Sunday which explained how the Yankees want to take advantage of the new collective bargaining agreement and reduce their luxury tax obligation is accurate and tells Yankee fans that this team will no longer go all in on getting a big time free agent unless they cut payroll elsewhere. That's all fine and dandy but that should mean that we get to see some of these highly touted youngsters in the farm system. However, we know that we are not going to see Banuelos or Betances next year in the Bronx. And, but for Montero and to a lesser extent Romine, there are no Yankee farmhands who are going to contribute offensively for the big team.
* You are kidding yourself if you believe that the Yanks can go into the season with a starting rotation of CC, Nova, Burnett, Hughes and Garcia and expect to get to the World Series. Remember, if they don't win the division they will have to play in a one game playoff to advance to the ALDS. It's apparent that they are not going to sign a free agent pitcher so if they want to upgrade their starting pitching then they will need to make a trade. They are interested in John Danks but the White Sox are demanding way too much. If they could get Danks for Romine, Hector Noesi and another lower level prospect, I would make the trade. Danks is entering his walk year and will have an incentive to have a good year. He will turn 27 in April and the Yankees can determine whether they would want to keep him after the 2012 season. If they don't then Banuelos or Betances should be ready for 2013.
* Offensively, the Yankees need to consider Yoenis Cespedes or Jorge Soler. Both are Cuban ballplayers and Cespedes is highly touted as a 30 home run 100 RBI guy. He plays center field but is projected to be a corner outfielder. If the Yanks decide to trade Brett Gardner or Nick Swisher to get a starting pitcher, Cespedes could step right in. He is not going to come cheap and the Yankees may not be willing to pay the price which makes Soler a great alternative. Soler is 19 years old and will need some minor league seasoning. He is being projected as a possible 40 home run guy and has more upside than Cespedes. He will also come cheaper. The Yanks could sign him and play him in the minors. He would immediately upgrade their farm system from an offensive standpoint and could potentially be a replacement for Swisher if the Yankees decide to let him go after the 2012 season.
* My Heisman Trophy pick is Andrew Luck. Take Luck off Stanford and where would they be??? Probably lucky to play in the Poulan Weedwacker Bowl.
* The NHL announced their new re-alignment which will create 4 division. The first two rounds of the playoffs will match up teams from within their own division and once division playoff winners are identified then those teams will be re-seeded. So its possible that Boston could play Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup Finals. My problem with this format is that a team in a tough division may not make the playoffs but have more points than a team in a weaker division who will qualify.
* One of my avid Twitter followers informed me that the WNY All-Sports powerhouse radio station, WGR550, had a best chicken wing sauce draft yesterday. Are you kidding me??? These guys are as bad as their no pride, choking football team. I think what they should do next is have a Biggest Loser contest featuring heavyweights Howard Simon, Paul Hamilton and Chris Parker. They could do weigh-ins and actually analyze the whole thing. Instead of calling into question the direction of their two major sports teams they can discuss how Hamilton is at a disadvantage being on the road and having to eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken all the time. Great radio indeed.
* It's been reported that Terry Francona will replace Bobby Valentine in the booth on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. Add Francona to Schilling, Garciaparra and the Yankee-hating Fat Kruk and it will be another long season for Yankee fans having to deal with these Red Sox apologists.
* And finally, I want to give a shout out to @ClayMNU and @LenDiesel21, two of my most avid twitter followers. Thanks for following and for touting my blog site.
Leafs Lose, Browns About To Lose & Yanks Snooze
The Boston Bruins showed why they are the defending Stanley Cup Champions last night dominating the third period as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. The return of James Reimer was not enough to give the Leafs their first win of the year against the Bruins. Reimer played well but the Leafs were unable to generate many scoring chances and their power play was non-existent. In the third period, the Bruins put on a clinic controlling the puck in the Toronto end as if they were a junior team playing a bunch of pee wee house league players.
The Leafs had difficulty getting any consistent offensive attack against Tuuka Rask and probably could have used the likes of Colby Armstrong and Mike Brown. Mikhail Grabovski was an offensive threat when he was on the ice and I think that Ron Wilson needs to use him more on the power play. Joey Crabb also played well but that was about it as far as offensive jam went. Jake Gardiner was the best defenseman on the ice last night for the Leafs. This kid is going to be a star in the NHL.
Matt Frattin had his worse game as a Maple Leaf as it seemed he had a difficult time throughout the game trying to get out of his own zone. Quite frankly, I have had enough of Cody Franson. If this kid has any trade value the Leafs need to move him. It would be best for him and for the team. Play Aulie until Kommisarek comes back.
The Leafs have lost two in a row after coming off a 3-1 road trip. It doesn't get any easier as they will take on the Rangers at MSG Monday night. The Rangers have won 5 in a row and have been playing much better since the last time the Leafs were in the Big Apple. Will be interesting to see who Wilson plays in goal against the Rangers. It is the first of a back-to-back as the Leafs play the New Jersey Devils at the ACC on Tuesday. The Leafs need to stop this mini losing streak.
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The Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens this afternoon at 4pm in Cleveland Browns Stadium. If the Browns are to have any chance today they will need to be able to run the ball. Peyton Hillis will be keyed on by the Ravens and it could be a long day for Colt McCoy. Not sure what to expect from the Browns. Their defense will need to play at its best and keep Ray Rice from running wild. I think it will be a defensive struggle but the Ravens will prevail.
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As we get ready for the Baseball Winter Meetings, reports in both New York dailies are that the Yankees will not be making a lot of noise. Brian Cashman is not interested in entering the free agent market for a pitcher since he believes that the going rate is too high. While there is always the possibility for a trade, it seems like Cashman will need to be blown away. In my mind, the White Sox have assets that could help the Yankees: John Danks and Matt Thorton. Danks is a 25 year old lefty who could slot in nicely behind CC Sabathia. Thorton is a lefty reliever of which the Yankees only have one: Boone Logan. Then there is always free agent Mark Buehrle.
Not making any moves means that the Yankees believe they have enough on their roster to win it all. But unless they get some help from the highly touted farm system, if Cashman does nothing all I see is another playoff appearance without a parade down the Canyon of Heroes.
Week 13 NFL Picks
Last week I finished 3-2 going 3-1 on Sunday rebounding from the Lion debacle on Thanksgiving Day. My season record is 22-15 but over the last 8 weeks my record is 18-7. This week four picks and hopefully I can continue my winning ways.
* Buffalo (-1 1/2) over Tennessee: The Bills have lost 4 in a row and are coming home after a three game road trip. But for a Stevie Johnson dropped pass the Bills would have defeated the Jets on the road. The Bills are 4-1 at home and the Titans are 2-3 on the road. This is a big game for the Titans as they still have a shot at the playoffs. However, Ralph Wilson Stadium is a tough place to play and if the Bills have any pride they will win this game. Buffalo 20 Tennessee 17.
* Denver (+1 1/2) over Minnesota: The Broncos are on an amazing run with Tim Tebow. They are one game behind the Raiders and are very much in the hunt to win the AFC West. Denver is riding a four game win streak and are 5-1 as a road underdog. Minnesota is playing out the string and will be without Adrian Peterson. They have lost 3 in a row. Tebow continues to find a way. Denver 21 Minnesota 13.
* Oakland (+3) over Miami: While I understand that the Raiders have some injuries I still can't imagine the Dolphins being favored in this game. The Raiders hold a one game lead over the surging Denver Broncos. They can't afford a slip up against Miami. Oakland is 7-3-1 ATS and are 3-0-1 as a road underdog. Miami has played better as of late. They are 6-5 ATS and 2-1 as a home favorite. Straight up the Raiders are 4-1 on the road and Miami is 2-3 at home. This game will be close. Oakland 17 Miami 15.
* San Francisco (-13 1/2) over St.Louis: The 49ers are coming off a tough loss at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night. They have had ten days to stew over the loss. The Rams have the worst rush defense in the league and San Francisco has Frank Gore. San Francisco is 5-0-1 as a home favorite and St.Louis is 1-3 as a road underdog. This one will get ugly. San Francisco 31 St.Louis 10.
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