Both the American League and National League have started their respective divisional series, so it is officially playoff time! Enough with this stupid one game wildcard stuff. Real series, where the depth of the pitching staff is tested, rather than hoping your one ace can win a game for you. We gathered the entire WeMakeItRain staff, plus our friend Tony to discuss our predictions for this round. Our gathering took place last week, but I am just now getting around to putting our collective thoughts on screen. Here are the predictions from WeMakeItRain to you ...
Pepster: OK fellas. It's playoff baseball time, a glorious time of year to be a sports fan. Let's jump right into the series. The marquis series features 100 win teams but since both of the historic rivals Boston and New York play in the same division, one - the Yankees - ended up the Wild Card. Thus, they travel to Boston to start the series. This is interesting here because Hopps is a lifelong Sox fan and Tony is a lifelong Yankees fan. We will go with home-field advantage first, so Hopps?
Hopps: Red Sox. Best team in baseball. HARD STOP.
Tony: Are you kidding me? Yankees. They may not have won 108 games, but they are better than the Red Sox, and I will rejoice when Fenway collapses on them.
Hopps: I have glaucoma, and even I can see that isn't the case. If we played just our "B" guys - Betts, Benintendi, Bogaerts and Bradley we win.
Tony: Until we start a fight, and then Judge and Stanton pummel the entire Sox nation.
Pepster: Woah, woah, woah, guys. Let's not make this too personal.
Hopps: Red Sox/Yankees IS personal.
Tony: Don't you mean Yankees/Red Sox.
Pepster: Ok, moving along. Sinickal?
Sinickal: F'in Cubs.
Pepster: Great analysis there. I guess that leaves me. The Sox are thin in starting rotation, and even thinner in the bullpen. If there "star"ters - Sale and Price - can get into the 7th or 8th innings, the Sox will win. Only needs to happen twice, as the Sox can win one slugfest as they have bats all up and down the order. As does New York. I will go with Boston as 108 wins is 108 wins. What did Bill Parcells use to say? "You are what your record says you are". So - Boston. Next up - Houston and Cleveland.
Tony: Indians. After Houston won the World Series last year, Cleveland just wants it more.
Hopps: That is exactly why I am picking the Astros. They are defending champs, and they defended their title with quite possibly the quietest 103 win team ever. They keep rolling.
Pepster: I am with you Hopps. The pitching is phenomenal and Alex Bregman has joined Altuve, Correa and Springer as a top bat. Tough to pitch to this lineup.
Sinickal: (Mumbling) Up four, end up tied for the division. Lose the play-in, then lose the wildcard.
Pepster: Huh?
Sinickal: F'in Cubs.
Pepster: Speaking of the Cubs, let us turn to the National League where the surprising Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central to earn the home-field advantage against the Rockies.
Sinickal: I hate you.
Pepster: Hopps?
Hopps: I hate you too! Ha. So I am going with Milwaukee. Just a guess.
Tony: Leave it to the Sox fan to "take a guess". Take a stand you idiot. I am picking Milwaukee because they are a great team and are hungry.
Pepster: I get the hungry part. Milwaukee was supposed to be a year away, from being a year away.Then, they go out and pick up Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and likely NL MVP Christian Yelich - man I wish the Marlins could get a player like Yelich. So, I am taking Milwaukee. F'in Marlins.
Sinickal: Are the Marlins even a team?
Pepster: Fair question. Last series. Dodgers hosting Atlanta. Really good young talent in Acuna and Albies, and another team that is supposed to be a year away from being a year away. But that Dodgers lineup - Wow. They have guys on the bench that would be stars, not just starters, on any other club. Plus, they have two Cubans. Dodgers in a walk.
Tony: I also am picking the Dodgers; great team and they are hungry.
Hopps: Are you sure it isn't YOU that is hungry? Dodgers. Atlanta still can't win in the post season.
Sinickal: F'in Cubs.
Pepster: And there you have it. Our divisional series round-up. Be back shortly for the ALCS and NLCS.
Showing posts with label Roundtable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roundtable. Show all posts
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Divisional Series Roundtable
So, the corny, but fascinating one-and-done wild card games are completed, and the major league divisional series start shortly. The guys at WeMakeItRain gathered together to discuss the four series before they unfold.
Pepster: So guys, we are going to give our thoughts and predictions for the four divisional series. Who do you got?
Hopps: Cubs over Dodgers, Yankees over Indians. Cubs over Yankees; that will make for great tv.
Pepster: Those are some good predictions, but why don't we start with the divisional series, you know, the games that are starting today. Let's take them in the order they commence. Boston and Houston.
Hopps. Sox lose in 3. Astros definitely.
Pepster: But wait, don't you live in New England? Must be the old defeatist attitude is back. Sinickal?
Sinickal: Houston. I hate Sox fans more that I hate that flat, smelly city in Texas.
Pepster: Ah yes, Houston. The city that ALWAYS sleeps. But, I will take them. All-World starting pitcher Dallas Kuechel complained about the Astros' lack of activity at the trade deadline worked, as Houston then went after - and got - Justin Verlander. And, their lineup is stacked with Altuve, Springer, Correa, Reddick, Gurriel, and the old man - who always seems to produce in the playoffs - Carlos Beltran. Especially if David Price ends up playing a major role. Then definitely the Astros.
How about the other American League series, the Yankees and Indians? I like the Indians, and not just because of the winning streak. Cory Kluber is the best single pitcher in this series, including the Yankees bullpen, and because Chapman is still shell-shocked from all the innings in the World Series last year.
Hopps: (On the phone with someone else) I'll take Tampa and the over tonight. Oh, right, sorry. Yankees. What a World Series if its Cubs/Yankees.
Sinickal: Indians. Cleveland will pull out all the stops to ensure that Gabrielle Union stays after leaving Chicago. She is clearly the good luck charm here.
Pepster: No wonder you went Houston. You are rooting for the Kate Upton - Gabrielle Union ALCS. To the national league, the Nationals versus the Cubs. Silas, you have an interesting rooting interest as you live down the street from Nationals Park but are a lifelong Cubs fan.
Silas: That's right on both accounts. My father taught me growing up that New Hampshire was a suburb of Chicago. But, I cannot openly root for the Cubs; that's bad luck. Besides, WE don't have Gabrielle Union anymore.
Pepster: D-Wade did leave Chicago, that is true. But, experience means something, and so long as Trae Turner doesn't get on base with Jon Lester pitching (or else he will steal everything in the park, not just the bases), the Cubs will win this series.
Hopps: I have Chicago in the World Series, so I have to pick them to win this series.
Pepster: That is solid logic. OK, out west. Colorado and Los Angeles. I pick the Dodgers. Yes, they lost 16-17 recently, but they have the magical Cuban with the amazing batflips - and Yasiel Puig to boot. (I was referring to Yasmani Grandal, for those that don't get it). Bellinger, Seager, Turner and veterans to go with Kershaw, Yu and Jansen on the mound. L.A. it is.
Hopps: Dodgers.
Sinickal: L.A. Gabrielle Union went to high school there, and works there.
Pepster: I am sensing a theme, and I like it.
Hopps: I'm enjoying the use of the word "WE". Like you were involved.
Pepster: On that note, we are going to have to wrap-up our roundtable discussion. Enjoy the divisional series, and see everyone back here for the ALCS and NLCS.
Pepster: So guys, we are going to give our thoughts and predictions for the four divisional series. Who do you got?
Hopps: Cubs over Dodgers, Yankees over Indians. Cubs over Yankees; that will make for great tv.
Pepster: Those are some good predictions, but why don't we start with the divisional series, you know, the games that are starting today. Let's take them in the order they commence. Boston and Houston.
Hopps. Sox lose in 3. Astros definitely.
Pepster: But wait, don't you live in New England? Must be the old defeatist attitude is back. Sinickal?
Sinickal: Houston. I hate Sox fans more that I hate that flat, smelly city in Texas.
Pepster: Ah yes, Houston. The city that ALWAYS sleeps. But, I will take them. All-World starting pitcher Dallas Kuechel complained about the Astros' lack of activity at the trade deadline worked, as Houston then went after - and got - Justin Verlander. And, their lineup is stacked with Altuve, Springer, Correa, Reddick, Gurriel, and the old man - who always seems to produce in the playoffs - Carlos Beltran. Especially if David Price ends up playing a major role. Then definitely the Astros.
How about the other American League series, the Yankees and Indians? I like the Indians, and not just because of the winning streak. Cory Kluber is the best single pitcher in this series, including the Yankees bullpen, and because Chapman is still shell-shocked from all the innings in the World Series last year.
Hopps: (On the phone with someone else) I'll take Tampa and the over tonight. Oh, right, sorry. Yankees. What a World Series if its Cubs/Yankees.
Sinickal: Indians. Cleveland will pull out all the stops to ensure that Gabrielle Union stays after leaving Chicago. She is clearly the good luck charm here.
Pepster: No wonder you went Houston. You are rooting for the Kate Upton - Gabrielle Union ALCS. To the national league, the Nationals versus the Cubs. Silas, you have an interesting rooting interest as you live down the street from Nationals Park but are a lifelong Cubs fan.
Silas: That's right on both accounts. My father taught me growing up that New Hampshire was a suburb of Chicago. But, I cannot openly root for the Cubs; that's bad luck. Besides, WE don't have Gabrielle Union anymore.
Pepster: D-Wade did leave Chicago, that is true. But, experience means something, and so long as Trae Turner doesn't get on base with Jon Lester pitching (or else he will steal everything in the park, not just the bases), the Cubs will win this series.
Hopps: I have Chicago in the World Series, so I have to pick them to win this series.
Pepster: That is solid logic. OK, out west. Colorado and Los Angeles. I pick the Dodgers. Yes, they lost 16-17 recently, but they have the magical Cuban with the amazing batflips - and Yasiel Puig to boot. (I was referring to Yasmani Grandal, for those that don't get it). Bellinger, Seager, Turner and veterans to go with Kershaw, Yu and Jansen on the mound. L.A. it is.
Hopps: Dodgers.
Sinickal: L.A. Gabrielle Union went to high school there, and works there.
Pepster: I am sensing a theme, and I like it.
Hopps: I'm enjoying the use of the word "WE". Like you were involved.
Pepster: On that note, we are going to have to wrap-up our roundtable discussion. Enjoy the divisional series, and see everyone back here for the ALCS and NLCS.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
NFL Playoffs - Divisional Roundtable
Pepster: Well, we all survived the horrific wild card round of the playoffs, and it looks like at least some of these games could be competitive, hard-fought playoff games.
Sinickal: Except the one in New England.
Pepster: You are truly living up to your name. Now, what you say is true, but it is truly cynical.
Sinickal: No doubt.
Hopps: Yup. And since we are already on the topic, let's just discuss this game first. It's Foxboro, and they are the Pats.
Sinickal: New England ran all over Houston in Week 3 of the season, with Jacoby Brissett at the helm. JACOBY BRISSETT.
Pepster: Now don't knock my boy Brissett. He is a hometown boy (at least for me). Now that being said, Houston was obliterated by a third-string quarterback. New England.
Sinickal: I am not even wasting my breath picking.
Hopps: Yup.
Pepster: That makes it unanimous. Let's go to today's first game, Seattle at Atlanta.
Hopps: Atlanta should have beaten Seattle in Seattle.
Pepster: Very true. Seattle won that game 26-24, at home and coming off a bye, whereas Atlanta had traveled to Denver the week before, and then came back to Seattle. Everything favored Seattle in that game. And now Atlanta gets to host.
Sinickal: That should be all the difference. We know how much of a home field advantage Atlanta has.
Hopps: *Does a spit-take*
Pepster: True cynical form Sinickal.
Sinickal: Maybe, but it's true. Look, I lived there for a while, blocks from the stadium. Atlanta might have the worst fan support in all of sports - except Miami.
Pepster: Hey. That's my home ... OK. You're right.
Sinickal: Until Atlanta proves it to me that they can handle this type of pressure, I cannot pick them. Seattle, although more flawed that in the past few years, has done it when it counts. And Russell Wilson is as cool under pressure as they come. I'll take Seattle on the road.
Hopps: Atlanta.
Pepster: Matt Ryan threw for 335 yards and Julio Jones had 7 receptions for 139 yards in the earlier game, and now Earl Thomas is out. I think Vic Beasley has meant a world of improvement for this defense, and Atlanta wins. Any last thoughts on this game?
Sinickal: Just a shout to all my old neighborhood peeps that will be watching the game at the Elliott Street Pub!
Pepster: Seems like as good a time to transition to tomorrow's games, where Pittsburgh at Kansas City has been moved to the evening because of an ice storm. Let's start there.
Hopps: Mother nature wins again.
Sinickal: But that weather is football weather!!! That should be a great game to close out the divisional round. Kansas City plays tough, Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh (led by my man crush Mike Tomlin). Looking forward to this one.
Pepster: It should be a tough, physical game. And that is just from assistant coach Joey Porter, who will be on the sidelines.
Hopps: Too much Killer B's.
Pepster: You mean the Dolphins defense from the early 1980's?
Hopps: No, you dope. Ben, Bell and Brown.
Pepster: Ah, I thought you mean the 1982 Dolphins defense, with starters Bob Baumhower, Bill Barnett, Lyle Blackwood, Glenn Blackwood, Kim Bokamper, Charles Bowser, Doug Betters and Bob Brudzinski.
Sinickal: F'in nerd!
Pepster: We established that last week.
Sinickal: You established that decades ago.
Hopps: *Does spit-take*
Pepster: So, Hopps has Pittsburgh. Sinickal, I assume you do as well.
Sinickal: Yes. My man Tomlin.
Pepster: If the weather affects the passing game, that hurts Pittsburgh more, as they rely much more on Ben and Brown that Kansas City does on anyone in their passing game. But, Pittsburgh's running game is stellar, and reliable. Unlike Kansas City's, where most people can't even name their running backs. I'll go Pittsburgh.
Hopps; Get to the Cowboys. Get to the Cowboys.
Pepster: Ok, Hopps, Green Bay at Dallas.
Hopps: DALLAS!
Sinickal: That figures. Hopps picks his favorite team.
Hopps: At least I CAN pick my favorite team. Where are your Bears.
Pepster: Just waiting for DeShaun Watson to suit up!
Hopps: Yeah, well we have Dak Prescott, and Zeke. The rookies will have the day.
Sinickal: You know what the rookies won't do? Stop Aaron Rodgers. That dude is on fire.
Pepster: Glad you said it, because I can't say his name. But, even with Jordy Nelson out, Davante Adams has really been the best receiver this year for the Packers anyway. And, as touchdowns are falling from the sky, we get to yell, "Geronimo".
Sinickal: Ezekial Elliott is a monster, and if Dallas can find some way to carve up the already porous Packer secondary, this game could become a super high scoring shootout. That would favor Rodgers, no?
Hopps: Cowboys!
Sinickal: That doesn't answer my question.
Hopps: I don't care - Cowboys!
Sinickal and Pepster: Just for your insolence, Packers.
Pepster: There you have it. Unanimous for New England and Pittsburgh. 2 for Atlanta (Pepster and Hopps) and 2 for Green Bay (Pepster and Sinickal). Last week's records:
Sinickal: 4-0
Pepster: 3-1
Hopps: 3-1
Pepster: We established that last week.
Sinickal: You established that decades ago.
Hopps: *Does spit-take*
Pepster: So, Hopps has Pittsburgh. Sinickal, I assume you do as well.
Sinickal: Yes. My man Tomlin.
Pepster: If the weather affects the passing game, that hurts Pittsburgh more, as they rely much more on Ben and Brown that Kansas City does on anyone in their passing game. But, Pittsburgh's running game is stellar, and reliable. Unlike Kansas City's, where most people can't even name their running backs. I'll go Pittsburgh.
Hopps; Get to the Cowboys. Get to the Cowboys.
Pepster: Ok, Hopps, Green Bay at Dallas.
Hopps: DALLAS!
Sinickal: That figures. Hopps picks his favorite team.
Hopps: At least I CAN pick my favorite team. Where are your Bears.
Pepster: Just waiting for DeShaun Watson to suit up!
Hopps: Yeah, well we have Dak Prescott, and Zeke. The rookies will have the day.
Sinickal: You know what the rookies won't do? Stop Aaron Rodgers. That dude is on fire.
Pepster: Glad you said it, because I can't say his name. But, even with Jordy Nelson out, Davante Adams has really been the best receiver this year for the Packers anyway. And, as touchdowns are falling from the sky, we get to yell, "Geronimo".
Sinickal: Ezekial Elliott is a monster, and if Dallas can find some way to carve up the already porous Packer secondary, this game could become a super high scoring shootout. That would favor Rodgers, no?
Hopps: Cowboys!
Sinickal: That doesn't answer my question.
Hopps: I don't care - Cowboys!
Sinickal and Pepster: Just for your insolence, Packers.
Pepster: There you have it. Unanimous for New England and Pittsburgh. 2 for Atlanta (Pepster and Hopps) and 2 for Green Bay (Pepster and Sinickal). Last week's records:
Sinickal: 4-0
Pepster: 3-1
Hopps: 3-1
Saturday, January 7, 2017
NFL Wild Card Roundtable
Pepster: It is that time of year, ladies and gentlemen, where the best of the best football players in the world start the competition for Super Bowl Champion. That's right, it's Wildcard Weekend, with four (almost) scintillating competitions that begin this afternoon. Let's jump right it, and we will take the games in the order that they will be played. First up: Oakland and Houstson.
Sinickal: Excuse me? That is the first playoff game of the year? Can we just fast forward to next week?
Hopps: I probably won't even watch.
Pepster: OK,I hear you. So we don't start off with the most attractive of matchups, especially given the Brock Osweiler/Conner Cook quarterback competition. Which sounds like something that should be said during training camp for third string.
Hopps: This is the first time in the Super Bowl era that a quarterback will be making his first career start in the postseason. Good luck Conner Cook, you are going to need it.
Sinickal: The over/under on Cook completions should be 2.
Pepster: That might be a little low, so I'll take that over, but the Texans did finish the season with the number one defense in terms of total yards (but 11th in points). Good thing for them that they are a whopping 29th in total yards on offense (but they are T28th in points).
Hopps: Speaking of Houston's defense, I predict that Michael Crabtree will get his chain snatched again.
Sinickal: That is where we disagree. Crabtree will be wearing a padlock around his neck. That might slow him down a bit, though.
Pepster, Sinickal, Hopps (in unison): Texans.
Pepster: Let's turn to tonight's game in Seattle as the Seahawks host the Detroit Lions. Matthew Stafford has had by most standards, a helluva year, especially given the retirement of Calvin Johnson and virtually every running back on the team.
Sinickal: Stafford will break his thumb on this throwing hand - because that's what the Lions do.
Hopps: The Lions haven't won a playoff game since Barry Sanders. BARRY SANDERS.
Pepster: Well, both of those may be true, but this isn't the same Seahawks team as the previous few years. They struggled early (boring close win [12-10] over the Dolphins in week 1 when the Dolphins started pre-retirement Arian Foster), they struggled late (losing at home to Arizona in week 16 and barely beating a despicably bad San Francisco team 25 - 23 in week 17). They just haven't been the same since Earl Thomas went out. Part of what makes the "Legion of Boom" great is all of them collectively, and Thomas is likely the best.
Sinickal and Hopps (in unison): BUT IT'S THE LIONS!
Pepster: I am going with Detroit. Stafford throws for 330 and 3 touchdowns.
Sinckal and Hopps: HA! HA! HA!
Sinickal: Wait, you're serious?
Hopps: Given me Seattle.
Sinickal: Me too. Good luck with that.
Pepster: Hopefully tomorrow's games will be more enticing that the dreck we have tonight. Let's go to the early game where the Miami Dolphins are visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Steelers are a 10 point favorite. Now, honestly, this I do not understand. The Dolphins defeated the Steelers earlier this season - albeit at home - after knocking Ben Roethlisberger out of the game. Their defense bottled up Le'Veon Bell nicely, who only gained 53 yards rushing (+55 yards receiving). Should this really be a 10 point spread.
Sinickal: Well, Matt Moore is pretty nice as far as backup quarterbacks go, but I think Ryan Tannehill gets into this game for at least one snap just so he can say he played in a playoff game. Come to think of it, so will Brock Osweiler!
Hopps: Not that I am a big Tom Savage fan, but GOOD GOD - BROCK OSWEILER.
Pepster: Anyway - let's get back to the Dolphins/Steelers game.
Sinickal: Pittsburgh, easy.
Hopps: I concur.
Pepster: It's unanimous. Steelers. Primarily because I do not want to see the Dolphins play at New England next week. Last game, New York Giants at 11-5 travel to the higher seeded Green Bay Packers at 10-6. Predictions?
Sinickal: Aaron Rodgers is pushed out at the sideline for a first down in the second quarter next to Eli Manning, where the two set into a heated squabble over who is the greatest playoff QB ever. Strangely missing from that conversation is Joe Montana.
Hopps: Well, the last two times the Giants went to Green Bay they went on to win a Super Bowl. Eli has a much better post season record in Green Bay than Aaron Rodgers.
Pepster: Guys, are we really getting into the minutiae of which quarterback is better in one specific stadium?
Sinickal: I didn't mean for us to get into that discussion, I just think Eli and Aaron will.
Hopps: I will get into any argument I want.
Pepster: Well, I will never give any credit to Aaron Rodgers, so to try to seem neutral, I will compliment Green Bay's left tackle, David Bakhtiari who, with all apologies to Tyron Smith, was the best left tackle in football this year.
Sinickal: F'in nerd!
Pepster: No, that is Baltimore Ravens guard John Urschel, who while playing in the NFL just started pursuing his Ph.D. in Mathematics at M.I.T., was named to Forbes "30 under 30" list in the field of science, has had six peer reviewed mathematics papers (with 3 more ready for review), and he specializes in spectral graph theory, numerical linear algebra and machine learning.
Sinickal: I was talking about you!
Hopps: Well, you both have points there.
Pepster: So, who is going to win?
Hopps: Giants.
Sinickal: Packers.
Pepster: Green Bay has gone through Eddie Lacy, James Starks, Knile Davis, John Kuhn, Christine Michael at Running Back, and even Offensive Coordinator Edgar Bennett thought about coming out of retirement before they settled on Tight End Ty Montgomery as their go-to tailback. They still have a better rushing attack then the Giants. Packers.
Any last thoughts
Sinickal: Can we just get to next week?
Hopps: So you can watch my Cowboys?
Sinickal: Dope.
Pepster: See everyone here next week.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
SUPER BOWL ROUNDTABLE
It is Super Bowl Sunday, and we are glad that you were able to stop by WeMakeItRain where you will hear/read analysis about the game that you cannot get anywhere else. Joining me today is Sinickal and Hopps, so the whole crew is here. Joining us are our special guests, Audio and none other than our Patron Saint - Adam "Pacman" Jones himself.
Pepster: OK guys, let's get the boring stuff out of the way. Who wins this game?
Sinickal, Hopps and Audio: HaHaHaHa. This is funny.
Pepster: Good point.
Hopps: Even "Goodfellas" money couldn't stop this line from moving and taking sucker bets of Denver money.
PacMan Jones: I bet $81,000 in small bills on the Panthers. In fact, I just walked into the casino and threw the money into the air. I am assuming the proper bet was made.
Hopps: This game is over by the end of the first quarter.
Pepster: Ok, now that that is out of the way, before we get into our normal discussion, we have to address the quarterback situation. Since this might be Peyton Manning's last game, does a second Super Bowl victory - along with all of his other stats - vault him to the title of best quarterback of all time?
Sinickal, Hopps, Audio, PacMan: HaHaHaHaHa! You are killing us.
Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, John Elway: That Pepster guy is funny!
Sinickal: Peyton was a great quarterback - not the greatest of all time - but he WAS great. Now, he is not even close to being remotely average. In fact, I think that a wide receiver for the Broncos will be decapitated due to a Manning wounded duck.
Audio: I will put $100 down for a decapitation.
Hopps: *Nods in agreement* And after that decapitation, I predict that Brock Osweiler will take snaps in this game. Let's talk about the real story in this game. Cam Newton. He is the MVP this year, and at 6'5", 245, he is only one inch shorter and 12 pounds lighter than Rob Gronkowski. Newton is a beast. I think he will dab at least 4 times.
Sinickal: Cam will dab so much, that even Phil Simms will try to dab. But, we know the NFL, and they will try to put as much emphasis into the Peyton Manning story as much as possible. In fact, I predict that someone will report that Tom Brady bought Al-Jazeera and ordered the HGH report.
Hopps: Why can't you all just leave my Patriots alone?
Pepster/Sinickal: Because they cheat!
Pepster: Let's get to the real story of this game, and to a statistic pointed out to me by my friend Wass (as reported by Tim Reynolds). Carolina tight end Greg Olsen has the opportunity to become the first member of the Seventh Floor Crew to win the Super Bowl, with Brandon Merriweather and Tavares Gooden losing in their lone Super Bowl appearances.
Sinickal: I love that this game has initiated a huge resurgence for the greatest 1-hit wonder group of all time.
Pepster: Even bigger than Toni Basil, who until 2005 had the greatest 1 hit wonder with "Mickey". The 7th Floor Crew is also easily the most misogynistic song to ever come out of Miami.
Sinickal: The Miami sound came with its own G-string and a minimum dimension for ass size.
Pepster: The most misogynistic song to come out of Miami. Think about THAT for a minute.
Hopps: *Tears*
PacMan Jones: The greatest songs of all time came out of Miami. Every Two Live Crew song is a must to be played at the strip club.
Pepster: Because of the resurgence of interest in the 7th Floor Crew, I went back and read some old stories about the group. One blog listed every lyric from the song that was appropriate to print. The author wrote, "Is this thing on? Good."
Hopps: *More tears*
Pepster: I predict that I will make at least 17 7th Floor Crew references. Being a University of Miami fan, Let's give some football credit to G-Reg. Who honestly thought that the Panthers would have any type of passing game this year once Kelvin Benjamin went out? Everyone not related to Greg Olsen please put your hands down. You too Ted Ginn, Jr.
Hopps: Well, I think Ted Ginn, Jr. will make a sideline ....
Sinickal: A sideline what?
Hopps: I don't know. I was going to say a sideline catch, but then I lost my train of thought thinking about how sick the Miami Dolphins fans were when they drafted Ted Ginn, Jr. instead of Brady Quinn or Amobi Okoye. That's funny.
Pepster: That was funny. What is even funnier is that Ginn has ultimately turned out better than both Quinn and Okoye. Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch and Darrelle Revis were both drafted after Ted Ginn, Jr.
Pepster: So, anybody have any sure-fire predictions that they want to make that might be a little unusual?
Hopps: The halftime show will suck.
Pepster: We already know that. It's Coldplay. That prediction isn't even on the board in Vegas it is so obvious.
Audio: I have one, I predict at least 2 defensive touchdowns.
PacMan: I would have one of those if I was able to play against Peyton. He is horrible. I wish that we had Andy Dalton for our playoff run. Damn Steelers.
Audio: Black and yellow; black and yellow.
Sinickal: I have two; one football related and one non-football related. First, Von Miller will try to prevent Cam from giving away a football to a kid.
Pepster: Do they even allow kids at the Super Bowl anymore?
Sinickal: And more importantly, the hottest woman shown on television will be a Carolina fan!
Hopps: Now that is a good pick.
PacMan: I am sure that is true. I have played in both cities before.
Pepster: Now that bet, I like. I am going to say that Stephen Curry is shown on television at least twice, and he will be wearing something Carolina Panthers-related.
Hopps: Leave it to the NBA to try to outshine the NFL at the Super Bowl.
Sinickal: All I know is that I am going to a golf show in the morning, so I am certain that I will buy a new driver.
Pepster: I am also certain that we will hear several references to Michael Lewis's The Blind Side since Michael Oher starts for the Panthers.
Sinickal: How can we have this entire conversation without addressing the star defenders in this game, Thomas Davis, Luke Kuechly, Kawann Short, Star Lotuleilei, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, etc., etc., etc.
Pepster: Because that topic would be actual analysis. Onward to my picks.
As a reminder, each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will "pretend" that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig, which just makes the math that much simpler. Now, on to the picks.
WINNERS
Carolina Panthers
AGAINST THE SPREAD
Carolina Panthers -5 v. Denver Broncos
Denver has no real offense. Carolina has offense and defense. Peyton Manning may feel like he "needs" this. Cam Newton "wants" this. Want wins.
OVER/UNDER
Carolina Panthers v. Denver Broncos 43 1/2 - OVER
Carolina will get to 30 plus on their own. I just need 2 touchdowns from Denver.
RANDOM BET
At least 5 total sacks and 1 interception.
No big bet this week because there are only four bets made total.
Last Week's Winners: 1-1
Playoff Winners to Date: 6-4
Last Week's Record: 3-3
Playoff Record: 11-14
Year-to-Date Record: 139-130-5
Big Bet Last Week: 0-1
Big Bet Year-to-Date: 13-7
Winnings/(Losses) Last Week: ($195)
Winnings (Losses) Year-to-Date: $395
Big Bet Last Week: 0-1
Big Bet Year-to-Date: 13-7
Winnings/(Losses) Last Week: ($195)
Winnings (Losses) Year-to-Date: $395
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Bowl Roundtable
Pepster: OK - It's that time of the year - time for the Super Bowl roundtable. Pats-Giants - Who ya got?
First, since we know that the the Giants are going to have the ball first, either by winning the toss:
Sinickal: Hey - that's my prop bet!
Pepster: ... or because Belicheck loves to defer, let's start with the Giants having the ball. What do we think? Let's start with you Hopps, since you did so well in picking the baseball playoffs.
Hopps: I think that Eli is the better Manning at this point, and he is going to have a huge game, by throwing to, wait for it ... Jake Ballard.
Pepster and Sinickal: What?!
Hopps: I am serious. With all of the attention paid to Nicks, Cruz and Manningham, Ballard is going to end up with over 100 yards, possibly with a back breaking touchdown.
Sinickal: I don't think Ballard is going to that big of a story, maybe one or two catches, but it will be easy for the Giants to exploit that Patriots secondary. I mean Julian Edelman, come on. I wish he was guarding me back when I was in college.
Pepster: I think we are in general agreement that the Patriots defense will have trouble with the Giants offense. However, I think it is going to be a lot of Ahmad Bradshaw. Coughlin will definitely want to prove they can run the ball, after doing so poorly in that department all year.
Sinickal: And speaking of Coughlin, he did go to America's University - have to root for him.
Hopps: I didn't know he went to American University.
Sinickal: Not American - America's.
Pepster: He means Syracuse. Such a homer. What about when the Pats have the ball?
Hopps: The Giants D-line will be the determining factor. Jason Pierre-Paul will get to Brady, and the team will have 4 sacks.
Pepster: They only sacked Brady once in the first game.
Hopps: They are much healthier now. And the Nascar package - Tuck, Umenyiora, JPP, Boley, Kiwanuka - that's a sick pass rush. To counter the pass rush, the Pats will rush for over 100 yards as a team, with a healthy dose of the law firm.
Pepster: What about passing? Brady did throw for over 5K this year.
Hopps: Gronk will be a non-factor, meaning that OchoCinco will have to have a big game.
Sinickal: HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Pepster: General thoughts?
Sinickal: The Giants are better at every position except Tight End and QB, and I am not sold that the QB matchup gap is very big at all. Plus, more bad stuff results from Eli winning that Brady winning. Eli would have beaten Brady in two Super Bowls, making it impossible for Brady to be considered better than Montana or Bradshaw. Eli would have more rings that Peyton. Coughlin would have to be considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.
Pepster: What?
Sinickal: Hear me out. Two Super Bowls, and he was on the sideline for BC the last time that Notre Dame was a number 1 team, and he took the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game in their second year of existence. And .... I REALLY HATE BOSTON SPORTS FANS!!!
Hopps: Screw you!
Sinickal: I also want people to realize the curse of Bridget Moynihan. Bridget is 3-0 in Super Bowls, Gisele is 0-1.
Pepster: Selections? I say Giants will win outright, so definitely take the points.
Hopps: Same here.
Sinickal: Its unanimous. I think the line stinks, though. Patriots -3? Most people cannot figure out why the Patriots are even favored in this game. Everything points to the Giants, which means you should "run to the smell"! That is a Steve Czaban rule, but it also fits Gambling Rule No. 4 - they only mistake sports books make is not opening even earlier to take your money.
Pepster: Any prop bets? Mine are times that Madonna is insulted by being on the same stage as Nicki Minaj and MIA - infinity.
Sinickal: I say that a piece of Madonna will fall off on the field during the halftime show. My odds: Wig 6:1, Breast Implant 26:1, Sex Toy 263:1, Tooth 12:1, Jewelry 6:1, Ghost of Sean Penn 65:1.
Pepster: My favorite prop bet is "how many times will Pepster become upset when someone mentions Tim Tebow?". Only acceptable bet is "ALL OF THEM"!
Hopps: Come on guys - get serious. I say the over of 2 i going for it on 4th down, and that the Pats will have more penalty yards than the Giants.
Sinickal: Peyton Manning's name will be mentioned twice in the first quarter - Over.
Pepster: As for a real bet - I am taking the over.
Hopps: I am taking the under.
Sinickal: The O/U is 55 or 54 (depending upon where you shop). I would want to take the under so I will not be betting this. Gambling Rule No. 12 - only bet money on the over. Too much emotional trauma trying to nurse an under home. Remember the old adage - when you are over, it is over.
Pepster: Everyone, enjoy the Super Bowl. And repeat after me ... "JPP for MVP! JPP for MVP"!
First, since we know that the the Giants are going to have the ball first, either by winning the toss:
Sinickal: Hey - that's my prop bet!
Pepster: ... or because Belicheck loves to defer, let's start with the Giants having the ball. What do we think? Let's start with you Hopps, since you did so well in picking the baseball playoffs.
Hopps: I think that Eli is the better Manning at this point, and he is going to have a huge game, by throwing to, wait for it ... Jake Ballard.
Pepster and Sinickal: What?!
Hopps: I am serious. With all of the attention paid to Nicks, Cruz and Manningham, Ballard is going to end up with over 100 yards, possibly with a back breaking touchdown.
Sinickal: I don't think Ballard is going to that big of a story, maybe one or two catches, but it will be easy for the Giants to exploit that Patriots secondary. I mean Julian Edelman, come on. I wish he was guarding me back when I was in college.
Pepster: I think we are in general agreement that the Patriots defense will have trouble with the Giants offense. However, I think it is going to be a lot of Ahmad Bradshaw. Coughlin will definitely want to prove they can run the ball, after doing so poorly in that department all year.
Sinickal: And speaking of Coughlin, he did go to America's University - have to root for him.
Hopps: I didn't know he went to American University.
Sinickal: Not American - America's.
Pepster: He means Syracuse. Such a homer. What about when the Pats have the ball?
Hopps: The Giants D-line will be the determining factor. Jason Pierre-Paul will get to Brady, and the team will have 4 sacks.
Pepster: They only sacked Brady once in the first game.
Hopps: They are much healthier now. And the Nascar package - Tuck, Umenyiora, JPP, Boley, Kiwanuka - that's a sick pass rush. To counter the pass rush, the Pats will rush for over 100 yards as a team, with a healthy dose of the law firm.
Pepster: What about passing? Brady did throw for over 5K this year.
Hopps: Gronk will be a non-factor, meaning that OchoCinco will have to have a big game.
Sinickal: HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Pepster: General thoughts?
Sinickal: The Giants are better at every position except Tight End and QB, and I am not sold that the QB matchup gap is very big at all. Plus, more bad stuff results from Eli winning that Brady winning. Eli would have beaten Brady in two Super Bowls, making it impossible for Brady to be considered better than Montana or Bradshaw. Eli would have more rings that Peyton. Coughlin would have to be considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.
Pepster: What?
Sinickal: Hear me out. Two Super Bowls, and he was on the sideline for BC the last time that Notre Dame was a number 1 team, and he took the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game in their second year of existence. And .... I REALLY HATE BOSTON SPORTS FANS!!!
Hopps: Screw you!
Sinickal: I also want people to realize the curse of Bridget Moynihan. Bridget is 3-0 in Super Bowls, Gisele is 0-1.
Pepster: Selections? I say Giants will win outright, so definitely take the points.
Hopps: Same here.
Sinickal: Its unanimous. I think the line stinks, though. Patriots -3? Most people cannot figure out why the Patriots are even favored in this game. Everything points to the Giants, which means you should "run to the smell"! That is a Steve Czaban rule, but it also fits Gambling Rule No. 4 - they only mistake sports books make is not opening even earlier to take your money.
Pepster: Any prop bets? Mine are times that Madonna is insulted by being on the same stage as Nicki Minaj and MIA - infinity.
Sinickal: I say that a piece of Madonna will fall off on the field during the halftime show. My odds: Wig 6:1, Breast Implant 26:1, Sex Toy 263:1, Tooth 12:1, Jewelry 6:1, Ghost of Sean Penn 65:1.
Pepster: My favorite prop bet is "how many times will Pepster become upset when someone mentions Tim Tebow?". Only acceptable bet is "ALL OF THEM"!
Hopps: Come on guys - get serious. I say the over of 2 i going for it on 4th down, and that the Pats will have more penalty yards than the Giants.
Sinickal: Peyton Manning's name will be mentioned twice in the first quarter - Over.
Pepster: As for a real bet - I am taking the over.
Hopps: I am taking the under.
Sinickal: The O/U is 55 or 54 (depending upon where you shop). I would want to take the under so I will not be betting this. Gambling Rule No. 12 - only bet money on the over. Too much emotional trauma trying to nurse an under home. Remember the old adage - when you are over, it is over.
Pepster: Everyone, enjoy the Super Bowl. And repeat after me ... "JPP for MVP! JPP for MVP"!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
World Series Roundtable
As Game 1 is underway, it is time to reveal our discussions and predictions for the World Series.
Hopps, since you predicted each of the divisional series correctly, would you like to go first, or last.
Hopps: I'll go last. Sinickal, you're up!
Sinickal: I look up and down each of the rosters and the Texas Rangers are just better than the Cardinals. With the possible exception of Carpenter as ace, and Pujols as best overall player (but not by much over Hamilton), the Rangers are better top-to-bottom. That means the Rangers should win this thing, and I will say in 6.
However, if we fast forwarded ten days or so and you told me that the Cardinals won, for some reason I would not be surprised. Such a victory would have to be based upon the pure power of Albert Pujols, just willing this team to a World Series victory as part of his goodbye St. Louis victory tour.
That being said, I still say Rangers in 6.
Pepster: Sinickal, as much as I agree with the fact that Pujols can do what Prince Fielder didn't, and that is lead his team in the playoffs before heading out of dodge, where is he going to go? The Red Sox and Yankees are set, for big money, at first base, Pujols is too athletic to DH and Fielder is younger such as to have a bit more value in free agency. The Dodgers like Loney, although he is nowhere near the player Pujols is, the Angels could be a candidate, or .... AH HA! You are pushing Pujols for the Cubs! I knew there was an ulterior motive to your honoring Pujols despite picking against the Cardinals.
Wow - that was pretty good psychology right there.
Anyway, I am going to agree with your Rangers in 6. Carpenter wins at least 1 so the series goes 6, but that Rangers lineup is loaded! Hamilton has yet to hit his postseason groove, if Nelson Cruz's next hit is for extra bases, he ties the record of consecutive post-season extra base hits held by the immortal Jayson Werth, and Young, Beltre, Kinsler, Napoli, et. al all have power. And I keep preaching the value of Elvis Andrus, and at some point he is going to explode. The Rangers have enough pitching, and they were here last year. I think it all adds up.
Hopps, your opinion?
Hopps: Texas.
Pepster: Anything else to add?
Hopps: Nope.
Sinickal: Why not?
Hopps: I don't have to justify anything, I was perfect the last round we did this. OUT!
Hopps, since you predicted each of the divisional series correctly, would you like to go first, or last.
Hopps: I'll go last. Sinickal, you're up!
Sinickal: I look up and down each of the rosters and the Texas Rangers are just better than the Cardinals. With the possible exception of Carpenter as ace, and Pujols as best overall player (but not by much over Hamilton), the Rangers are better top-to-bottom. That means the Rangers should win this thing, and I will say in 6.
However, if we fast forwarded ten days or so and you told me that the Cardinals won, for some reason I would not be surprised. Such a victory would have to be based upon the pure power of Albert Pujols, just willing this team to a World Series victory as part of his goodbye St. Louis victory tour.
That being said, I still say Rangers in 6.
Pepster: Sinickal, as much as I agree with the fact that Pujols can do what Prince Fielder didn't, and that is lead his team in the playoffs before heading out of dodge, where is he going to go? The Red Sox and Yankees are set, for big money, at first base, Pujols is too athletic to DH and Fielder is younger such as to have a bit more value in free agency. The Dodgers like Loney, although he is nowhere near the player Pujols is, the Angels could be a candidate, or .... AH HA! You are pushing Pujols for the Cubs! I knew there was an ulterior motive to your honoring Pujols despite picking against the Cardinals.
Wow - that was pretty good psychology right there.
Anyway, I am going to agree with your Rangers in 6. Carpenter wins at least 1 so the series goes 6, but that Rangers lineup is loaded! Hamilton has yet to hit his postseason groove, if Nelson Cruz's next hit is for extra bases, he ties the record of consecutive post-season extra base hits held by the immortal Jayson Werth, and Young, Beltre, Kinsler, Napoli, et. al all have power. And I keep preaching the value of Elvis Andrus, and at some point he is going to explode. The Rangers have enough pitching, and they were here last year. I think it all adds up.
Hopps, your opinion?
Hopps: Texas.
Pepster: Anything else to add?
Hopps: Nope.
Sinickal: Why not?
Hopps: I don't have to justify anything, I was perfect the last round we did this. OUT!
Friday, September 30, 2011
MLB Divisional Series Roundtable
As the first playoff game begins, Hopps, Sinickal and myself all knock off work a bit early to have a quick roundtable discussion on the MLB divisional series. For our collective thoughts and picks, let's begin with the first game, Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers. Hopps?
Hopps: Screw you!
Pepster: My bad - I probably shouldn't have started with the Red Sox fan on this one. Sinickal, your thoughts?
Sinickal: I am going with Tampa. I think they will have a short hangover, but ultimately an easy series. They are a really good team from the best division. Four games.
Pepster: I have to disagree. I think that the Rangers just have too much for the Rays. The Rays are supposed to have pitching and defense, but they are starting Matt Moore in only his second MLB start in Game 1. Texas's lineup is stacked now that everyone is healthy, and it is about time people realize that Elvis Andrus is going to be really, really good. Also in four games.
Hopps: Damn. Now no matter who I select I have to agree with one of you. I am going to say Texas, as the Rays just won their World Series.
Pepster: Now to the marquee American League matchup, Detroit and New York Yankees. I think that nobody has really been talking about Detroit all year outside of Verlander, but that lineup is good and deep. The Yankees lineup is deep too, but guys like Miguel Cabrera are just too dumb to realize they are supposed to lose to the Yankees. Plus, I don't think Verlander will even have to pitch two games in this series. Tigers in 4.
Sinickal: Verlander gets to pitch games 1 and 5. That means that the Yankees have to win 3 straight in the middle. I don't seem them getting that done.
Hopps: Detroit - Verlander. That's all.
We all agree on that one. Let's go to another series where we should all agree, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Hopps?
Hopps: St. Louis. They are playing good baseball. This is the upset of the playoffs.
Pepster: They do have Pujols, but there is no way that I can pick them. It's Philly. There offense has not been the typical Philly offense all year, but they still have Victorino, Rollins, Utley, Howard, et. al. And they have pitching! Philadelphia in 4.
Sinickal: Best team in baseball with great pitching in a short series. This might be a sweep.
And for the last series - Milwaukee or Arizona?
Sinickal: Arizona plays in the equivalent of the NFC West. Good team and bad division v. Great team. I'll pick Milwaukee.
Hopps: I will also take Milwaukee. They win at home; best home winning percentage in the majors.
Pepster: I will make it 3 for 3, even though Justin Upton could be the best player in baseball that nobody talks about. Sneaky good pitching, and Braun/Fielder is a helluva one-two punch, especially with Hart and McGehee showing some power as well. Brewers in 4.
That wraps up our divisional roundtable. But what would this conversation be without mentioning our Patron Saint, Adam Jones, helping to eliminate the Red Sox from the playoffs.
Hopps: That isn't the same Adam Jones. I hate you.
Pepster: Oh, my bad, maybe I just wanted to mention that the Sox collapsed. See you back here for the League Championship Series roundtable.
Hopps: Screw you!
Pepster: My bad - I probably shouldn't have started with the Red Sox fan on this one. Sinickal, your thoughts?
Sinickal: I am going with Tampa. I think they will have a short hangover, but ultimately an easy series. They are a really good team from the best division. Four games.
Pepster: I have to disagree. I think that the Rangers just have too much for the Rays. The Rays are supposed to have pitching and defense, but they are starting Matt Moore in only his second MLB start in Game 1. Texas's lineup is stacked now that everyone is healthy, and it is about time people realize that Elvis Andrus is going to be really, really good. Also in four games.
Hopps: Damn. Now no matter who I select I have to agree with one of you. I am going to say Texas, as the Rays just won their World Series.
Pepster: Now to the marquee American League matchup, Detroit and New York Yankees. I think that nobody has really been talking about Detroit all year outside of Verlander, but that lineup is good and deep. The Yankees lineup is deep too, but guys like Miguel Cabrera are just too dumb to realize they are supposed to lose to the Yankees. Plus, I don't think Verlander will even have to pitch two games in this series. Tigers in 4.
Sinickal: Verlander gets to pitch games 1 and 5. That means that the Yankees have to win 3 straight in the middle. I don't seem them getting that done.
Hopps: Detroit - Verlander. That's all.
We all agree on that one. Let's go to another series where we should all agree, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Hopps?
Hopps: St. Louis. They are playing good baseball. This is the upset of the playoffs.
Pepster: They do have Pujols, but there is no way that I can pick them. It's Philly. There offense has not been the typical Philly offense all year, but they still have Victorino, Rollins, Utley, Howard, et. al. And they have pitching! Philadelphia in 4.
Sinickal: Best team in baseball with great pitching in a short series. This might be a sweep.
And for the last series - Milwaukee or Arizona?
Sinickal: Arizona plays in the equivalent of the NFC West. Good team and bad division v. Great team. I'll pick Milwaukee.
Hopps: I will also take Milwaukee. They win at home; best home winning percentage in the majors.
Pepster: I will make it 3 for 3, even though Justin Upton could be the best player in baseball that nobody talks about. Sneaky good pitching, and Braun/Fielder is a helluva one-two punch, especially with Hart and McGehee showing some power as well. Brewers in 4.
That wraps up our divisional roundtable. But what would this conversation be without mentioning our Patron Saint, Adam Jones, helping to eliminate the Red Sox from the playoffs.
Hopps: That isn't the same Adam Jones. I hate you.
Pepster: Oh, my bad, maybe I just wanted to mention that the Sox collapsed. See you back here for the League Championship Series roundtable.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Bowl Roundtable
Welcome everybody to the Super Bowl Roundtable discussion. Joining me are Sinickal and Hopps. It's the biggest day in American sports, so let us get right to it. Pittsburgh or Green Bay. Since I know what Sinickal is going to say, let's start with you, Hopps. Your thoughts on the game, outright?
Hopps: I have to go with Pittsburgh. Big Ben has been here before, and I think that the defense, led by James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley (not to mention Polamalu), will hit Aaron Rodgers all day.
Sinickal: I agree with you there Hopps. Pittsburgh has a much better defense than the Bears, and other than the opening drive of the NFC championship game, the Bears defense owned Rodgers. If the Bears made life hard for Rodgers, Pittsburgh is definitely going to do the same. The Bears had the Packers on the ropes with a third string quarterback.
Pepster: Don't you mean a 4th string quarterback? When Cutler went down, the Bears put in Todd Collins, and there is no way that he is a second stringer. He has to be a third string quartback. If they replace him with the next guy, Caleb Hanie, then Hanie must be the fourth string.
Sinickal: At least he isn't Henry Burris or Steve Stenstrom.
Pepster: Don't remind me.
Hopps: Plus, I just think that Tomlin is going to have the team much better prepared than the Packers coaching staff. 34 - 31.
Sinickal: Mike Tomlin - I love that magnificent bastard. If he had breasts I would try to marry him.
Pepster: Yes, we all have a man crush on Mike Tomlin, as well. I guess that means that we are all in agreement. We all think that Pittsburgh is going to win this game. Any other interesting thoughts:
Sinickal - not me, bring on the beer. And, Go Steelers. I will never, ever, ever, root for the Green Bay Packers.
Hopps: I have a few. My own personal prop bets. Forget about the over/under, I am picking these exact scenarios:
People carted off the field - 3
Blown ref calls - 2
Brett Favre mentions - 10
Christina Aguilera Hotness - 10.
Very interesting. That concludes our roundtable for today. For my final picks, see below.
OVER 1:54 - Christina Aguilera's national anthem elapsed time
OVER 6 seconds - Christina Aguilera holding "Free"
OVER 3 - Shots of Jerry Jones
OVER 1/2 - A Steeler mimics Aaron Rodgers' championship belt celebration.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh Steelers + 2 1/2 over Green Bay Packers
Previous Week's Record: 1-1
Playoff Record: 5-5
Year to Date: 109-78-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 1-0
Big Bet Year to Date: 5-11
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): ($140)
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $205
Hopps: I have to go with Pittsburgh. Big Ben has been here before, and I think that the defense, led by James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley (not to mention Polamalu), will hit Aaron Rodgers all day.
Sinickal: I agree with you there Hopps. Pittsburgh has a much better defense than the Bears, and other than the opening drive of the NFC championship game, the Bears defense owned Rodgers. If the Bears made life hard for Rodgers, Pittsburgh is definitely going to do the same. The Bears had the Packers on the ropes with a third string quarterback.
Pepster: Don't you mean a 4th string quarterback? When Cutler went down, the Bears put in Todd Collins, and there is no way that he is a second stringer. He has to be a third string quartback. If they replace him with the next guy, Caleb Hanie, then Hanie must be the fourth string.
Sinickal: At least he isn't Henry Burris or Steve Stenstrom.
Pepster: Don't remind me.
Hopps: Plus, I just think that Tomlin is going to have the team much better prepared than the Packers coaching staff. 34 - 31.
Sinickal: Mike Tomlin - I love that magnificent bastard. If he had breasts I would try to marry him.
Pepster: Yes, we all have a man crush on Mike Tomlin, as well. I guess that means that we are all in agreement. We all think that Pittsburgh is going to win this game. Any other interesting thoughts:
Sinickal - not me, bring on the beer. And, Go Steelers. I will never, ever, ever, root for the Green Bay Packers.
Hopps: I have a few. My own personal prop bets. Forget about the over/under, I am picking these exact scenarios:
People carted off the field - 3
Blown ref calls - 2
Brett Favre mentions - 10
Christina Aguilera Hotness - 10.
Very interesting. That concludes our roundtable for today. For my final picks, see below.
OVER 1:54 - Christina Aguilera's national anthem elapsed time
OVER 6 seconds - Christina Aguilera holding "Free"
OVER 3 - Shots of Jerry Jones
OVER 1/2 - A Steeler mimics Aaron Rodgers' championship belt celebration.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh Steelers + 2 1/2 over Green Bay Packers
Previous Week's Record: 1-1
Playoff Record: 5-5
Year to Date: 109-78-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 1-0
Big Bet Year to Date: 5-11
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): ($140)
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $205
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Conference Championship Roundtable
Welcome to our Roundtable Discussion for Conference Championship Weekend in the NFL. Once again all three of us are here today; that is Hopps, Sinickal and myself.
For starters we have the most important game of the new decade, Packers versus the Bears. (Ok - so the decade just started - sue me).
Sinickal: Green Bay is statistically superior, but I going to pick them for another reason; namely that I don't want to have to root for my money and my team with Jay Cutler steering the ship. I am really hoping that he is run over by a bus, and Peyton Manning is given the chance to lead this team since he was so betrayed by Jim Caldwell needing to use all of his timeouts.
Pepster: I share your concern with Cutler, for sure, Sinickal, but everybody in the world is aware that Jim Caldwell is not a very good coach and that he butchered that playoff game. This is not breaking news. You act like you invited this story.
Sinickal: Well, I did have it up on the blog before that day's games were finished.
Pepster: That part is true. Hopps, your thoughts?
Hopps: Bears. They have a better defense.
Pepster: The Bears are known for their defense, but not sure they have the best defense in this game. The Pacers gave up the second fewest points in the league, while the Bears were sixth. Should be pretty tight.
Hopps: Well then, a Bears victory could secure Lovie in charge FOREVER!!!
Pepster: Now that is something to root for. Nothing like a veiled race card reference (foreshadowing) on our blog. I am not sure I want Lovie forever, but he has done pretty well when he has good assistants. Although I want to pick the Bears, I have to select the Packers. First, I cannot put too much faith in Cutler. Second, I had the Packers as one of my pre-season Super Bowl picks (with the Ravens). Third, the games against the Packers have been really close this season, so one turnover could spell the difference, and guess which team has Cutler? I say Packers, but I think the Bears will cover. On to the AFC.
Hopps: Steelers at home. The Jets spent what they had last week at the Pats.
Sinickal: Of course, the New Englander thinks that every team must be spent because they beat the vaunted New England Patriots. Didn't Pittsburgh just win a slugfest over the Ravens?
Hopps: I am being serious this is not a homer reason. The Jets are going to have a letdown.
Pepster: Hopps - who are your favorite Patriots anyway?
Hopps: The same ones that everyone else likes - in order: 1. Brady; 2. Welker; 3. Woodhead; 4. Mankins and 5. Edelman.
Pepster and Sinickal: Those are all the WHITE players! I mean, we will give you Brady, but ...
Sinickal: What about Mayo?
Pepster: What about Wilfork?
Sinickal and Pepster: Typical New England fan.
Pepster: That reminds me of this conversation I had earlier this year while watching the Bears/Ravens game. A Patriots clown starts talking about how much better Tedy Bruschi was than Ray Lewis. He even said that Bruschi is better today than Lewis is. I casually (i.e. with bewilderment) told him that Bruschi wasn't even the best linebacker in Patriots history, much less NFL history (like Lewis is). That linebacker is Andre Tippett, for you New England fans that started watching in the mid-to-late 90's. He keeps carrying on and on until I finally tell him he can have his team of all-time Patriots but I will still take the best player from each position in NFL history and then lets see who wins. That actually got him to shut up. Anyway, Sinickal, your thoughts on the game?
Sinickal: Pittsburgh is better in every statistical category than the Jets, and the Jets just played their Super Bowl. What are we to expect here? Quite honestly, the Jets shouldn't be here at all save Jim Caldwell being the single worst faux football coach on the planet. Oh, and Mike Tomlin is a quote a minute and we need more of that magnificent bastard.
Pepster: Again with the Caldwell. I agree on Mike Tomlin. I think he is much more quotable and fascinating than even Rex Ryan, but not as disturbed. I'll take the Steelers as well. The Jets are not beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh twice in a row, especially with Polamalu and Heath Miller playing today. And as you may recall from last week, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings than Sanchez this year. That is not exactly the '83 draft of Elway, Kelly and Marino, or even Blacklege, Eason and O'Brien. That gives me a thought, somebody remind me to write a column on that '83 draft - one that doesn't focus on the QBs. It was phenomenal. Oh yeah, and if the Bears win early, guarantee a Steelers victory. 100% of the time that Lovie Smith has been in the Super Bowl, he has faced another African-American coach. 100%!
Pepster: So to sum it all up - the non-Bears fan selects the Bears, while the two Bears fans pick Green Bay. We all agree on Pittsburgh. Somehow, that sounds like us.
Enjoy watching the games everybody. Read us next week. On to my picks of the week.
My picks of the week:
Chicago Bears+3 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has been playing brilliantly, and so far the Bears have been the only team that could contain him this year, holding him to 17 points early in the season and just 10 in the last game, a must win for the Packers to even make the playoffs. Even though I said the Packers above, I am going to say that it is a close one, no matter what.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh Steelers -4 v. New York Jets
I just don't have enough faith in the Dirty, Dirty.
HOPPS PROP BET OF THE WEEK
OVER/UNDER - 5 - People carted off the field today - OVER
Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 4-4
Year to Date: 108-77-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-11
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): ($185)
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $65
For starters we have the most important game of the new decade, Packers versus the Bears. (Ok - so the decade just started - sue me).
Sinickal: Green Bay is statistically superior, but I going to pick them for another reason; namely that I don't want to have to root for my money and my team with Jay Cutler steering the ship. I am really hoping that he is run over by a bus, and Peyton Manning is given the chance to lead this team since he was so betrayed by Jim Caldwell needing to use all of his timeouts.
Pepster: I share your concern with Cutler, for sure, Sinickal, but everybody in the world is aware that Jim Caldwell is not a very good coach and that he butchered that playoff game. This is not breaking news. You act like you invited this story.
Sinickal: Well, I did have it up on the blog before that day's games were finished.
Pepster: That part is true. Hopps, your thoughts?
Hopps: Bears. They have a better defense.
Pepster: The Bears are known for their defense, but not sure they have the best defense in this game. The Pacers gave up the second fewest points in the league, while the Bears were sixth. Should be pretty tight.
Hopps: Well then, a Bears victory could secure Lovie in charge FOREVER!!!
Pepster: Now that is something to root for. Nothing like a veiled race card reference (foreshadowing) on our blog. I am not sure I want Lovie forever, but he has done pretty well when he has good assistants. Although I want to pick the Bears, I have to select the Packers. First, I cannot put too much faith in Cutler. Second, I had the Packers as one of my pre-season Super Bowl picks (with the Ravens). Third, the games against the Packers have been really close this season, so one turnover could spell the difference, and guess which team has Cutler? I say Packers, but I think the Bears will cover. On to the AFC.
Hopps: Steelers at home. The Jets spent what they had last week at the Pats.
Sinickal: Of course, the New Englander thinks that every team must be spent because they beat the vaunted New England Patriots. Didn't Pittsburgh just win a slugfest over the Ravens?
Hopps: I am being serious this is not a homer reason. The Jets are going to have a letdown.
Pepster: Hopps - who are your favorite Patriots anyway?
Hopps: The same ones that everyone else likes - in order: 1. Brady; 2. Welker; 3. Woodhead; 4. Mankins and 5. Edelman.
Pepster and Sinickal: Those are all the WHITE players! I mean, we will give you Brady, but ...
Sinickal: What about Mayo?
Pepster: What about Wilfork?
Sinickal and Pepster: Typical New England fan.
Pepster: That reminds me of this conversation I had earlier this year while watching the Bears/Ravens game. A Patriots clown starts talking about how much better Tedy Bruschi was than Ray Lewis. He even said that Bruschi is better today than Lewis is. I casually (i.e. with bewilderment) told him that Bruschi wasn't even the best linebacker in Patriots history, much less NFL history (like Lewis is). That linebacker is Andre Tippett, for you New England fans that started watching in the mid-to-late 90's. He keeps carrying on and on until I finally tell him he can have his team of all-time Patriots but I will still take the best player from each position in NFL history and then lets see who wins. That actually got him to shut up. Anyway, Sinickal, your thoughts on the game?
Sinickal: Pittsburgh is better in every statistical category than the Jets, and the Jets just played their Super Bowl. What are we to expect here? Quite honestly, the Jets shouldn't be here at all save Jim Caldwell being the single worst faux football coach on the planet. Oh, and Mike Tomlin is a quote a minute and we need more of that magnificent bastard.
Pepster: Again with the Caldwell. I agree on Mike Tomlin. I think he is much more quotable and fascinating than even Rex Ryan, but not as disturbed. I'll take the Steelers as well. The Jets are not beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh twice in a row, especially with Polamalu and Heath Miller playing today. And as you may recall from last week, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings than Sanchez this year. That is not exactly the '83 draft of Elway, Kelly and Marino, or even Blacklege, Eason and O'Brien. That gives me a thought, somebody remind me to write a column on that '83 draft - one that doesn't focus on the QBs. It was phenomenal. Oh yeah, and if the Bears win early, guarantee a Steelers victory. 100% of the time that Lovie Smith has been in the Super Bowl, he has faced another African-American coach. 100%!
Pepster: So to sum it all up - the non-Bears fan selects the Bears, while the two Bears fans pick Green Bay. We all agree on Pittsburgh. Somehow, that sounds like us.
Enjoy watching the games everybody. Read us next week. On to my picks of the week.
My picks of the week:
Chicago Bears+3 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has been playing brilliantly, and so far the Bears have been the only team that could contain him this year, holding him to 17 points early in the season and just 10 in the last game, a must win for the Packers to even make the playoffs. Even though I said the Packers above, I am going to say that it is a close one, no matter what.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh Steelers -4 v. New York Jets
I just don't have enough faith in the Dirty, Dirty.
HOPPS PROP BET OF THE WEEK
OVER/UNDER - 5 - People carted off the field today - OVER
Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 4-4
Year to Date: 108-77-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-11
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): ($185)
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $65
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Divisional Roundtable
Welcome to the Divisional Week of the NFL Playoffs Roundtable. Here with me today is Hopps and Sinickal.
Let's start with tomorrow, as both of our favorite teams play then. In reverse order, what do we think about the Jets-Pats matchup.
Sinickal: That's easy. The Patriots. They are just better.
Hopps: Pats at home no doubt. The Jets always put their foot in their mouth (or someone else s) and the Pats practice and execute. The Pats will be up 20 at the half and the Jets will quit. I think it's also supposed to snow so look for the Pats to post 40+. Brady's line: (5TDs/ 400+/ 100+ rating). Pats -8 (Big Bet)
Pepster: Gee, that's not much of a homer pick. I will make it a clean sweep and take the Patriots. They are just better, but I think people are also overvaluing the Jets. Let's take Mark Sanchez for example. He finished the season with a lower QB rating than Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne. And Dolphins fans want Henne gone. Pats in a rout. But, can we please put all this childish wannabe trash talk away? Welker, your foot/feet presser was boring and dumb. Try to be a little clever, OK? Also, Hopps, yours wasn't much better. Bears v. Seahawks?
Hopps: Remember, I picked the Seahawks last week!
Pepster: Yes, but you said you didn't know why, you just wanted to do it. You thought Pete Carroll would dumb his way into a playoff victory.
Hopps: But I was right!!! Seahawks +10. This will be the most painful dagger in Si's heart. He once said to me "Lovie should be coach of the year" - enter the Pete Carroll face (again). Even the Hawks won't know how they won this game...but they will.
Sinickal: I am going with the Seahawks. Cutler is going to kill us.
Pepster: I sure hope not Sinickal, but I cannot say that is not a viable option. I am going to go with our Bears, and then remind you of your Sinicism next week. Cutler sure does scare me though. What about the other NFC game - the Packers and Falcons? I am going to say the Packers. Sure they cannot run, but they have a helluva QB. In yet another stat I will quote again below, the Packers only lost by 3to the Falcons earlier in the season, and the Packers are playing phenomenally better.
Sinickal: If Bears ain't going, Pack ain't going.
Hopps: Now that is some interesting analysis. Me, I also say Atlanta, but for a specific reason. Matty Ice at home during his career is 19-2. The Pack is good, but the Falcons are better. Great balance, great in all 3 phases, and one hell of a RB. They win this on turnover margin.
Pepster: Any particular reason why you only mentioned the BC guy?
Hopps: I mentioned the QB. He just happens to be from BC. What about the first game, Steelers/Ravens?
Sinickal: No matter what everybody says about how close these two teams are, Pittsburgh is the much better team statistically and at QB. Expect a Flacco interception late in the game to seal it.
Hopps: I am taking Pittsburgh. The only difference between Brady and Big Ben is 1 SB win. He plays as good in big games as Brady. Steelers D brings the pain and Flacco can't close.
Pepster: One SB win, and 2 rape accusations. I am going to take the Ravens. Mostly because I want to see them play the Patiots again, but partly because I am sick of hearing that damn "Here we go" song by Steelers fans. Ed Reed could be the big difference, and Matt Birk - from Harvard - is questionable. If they both play, the Ravens are a much, much better team than without them. I'll take a flier on the Ravens.
Everyone, check back with us next week for Championship weekend.
My picks of the week:
Baltimore Ravents +3 at Pittsburgh Steelers
My mind tells me that the Steelers are going to win, especially with Roethlisberger, but (a) I picked the Ravens at the beginning of the season; and (b) the played the Patriots incredibly close earlier in the season. I want to see that matchup. Not usually big on the wishful thinking bets, but I will this time.
Green Bay Packers +1 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay lost by 3 earlier this year and seem to be playing much, much better.
Chicago Bears -10 v. Seattle Seahawks
The Bears are the one team that is not going to overlook the Seahawks, having already lost to them at home earlier this year. At that time the Bears were a revolving door on the offensive line and played without Lance Briggs. I look for a big Bears play early and Seattle to fold.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
New England Patriots -8 1/2 v. New York Jets
They are just better than the Jets. Plus, I'll say it again, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings that Mark Sanchez did.
Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 2-2
Year to Date: 106-75-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 1-0
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $130
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $250
Let's start with tomorrow, as both of our favorite teams play then. In reverse order, what do we think about the Jets-Pats matchup.
Sinickal: That's easy. The Patriots. They are just better.
Hopps: Pats at home no doubt. The Jets always put their foot in their mouth (or someone else s) and the Pats practice and execute. The Pats will be up 20 at the half and the Jets will quit. I think it's also supposed to snow so look for the Pats to post 40+. Brady's line: (5TDs/ 400+/ 100+ rating). Pats -8 (Big Bet)
Pepster: Gee, that's not much of a homer pick. I will make it a clean sweep and take the Patriots. They are just better, but I think people are also overvaluing the Jets. Let's take Mark Sanchez for example. He finished the season with a lower QB rating than Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne. And Dolphins fans want Henne gone. Pats in a rout. But, can we please put all this childish wannabe trash talk away? Welker, your foot/feet presser was boring and dumb. Try to be a little clever, OK? Also, Hopps, yours wasn't much better. Bears v. Seahawks?
Hopps: Remember, I picked the Seahawks last week!
Pepster: Yes, but you said you didn't know why, you just wanted to do it. You thought Pete Carroll would dumb his way into a playoff victory.
Hopps: But I was right!!! Seahawks +10. This will be the most painful dagger in Si's heart. He once said to me "Lovie should be coach of the year" - enter the Pete Carroll face (again). Even the Hawks won't know how they won this game...but they will.
Sinickal: I am going with the Seahawks. Cutler is going to kill us.
Pepster: I sure hope not Sinickal, but I cannot say that is not a viable option. I am going to go with our Bears, and then remind you of your Sinicism next week. Cutler sure does scare me though. What about the other NFC game - the Packers and Falcons? I am going to say the Packers. Sure they cannot run, but they have a helluva QB. In yet another stat I will quote again below, the Packers only lost by 3to the Falcons earlier in the season, and the Packers are playing phenomenally better.
Sinickal: If Bears ain't going, Pack ain't going.
Hopps: Now that is some interesting analysis. Me, I also say Atlanta, but for a specific reason. Matty Ice at home during his career is 19-2. The Pack is good, but the Falcons are better. Great balance, great in all 3 phases, and one hell of a RB. They win this on turnover margin.
Pepster: Any particular reason why you only mentioned the BC guy?
Hopps: I mentioned the QB. He just happens to be from BC. What about the first game, Steelers/Ravens?
Sinickal: No matter what everybody says about how close these two teams are, Pittsburgh is the much better team statistically and at QB. Expect a Flacco interception late in the game to seal it.
Hopps: I am taking Pittsburgh. The only difference between Brady and Big Ben is 1 SB win. He plays as good in big games as Brady. Steelers D brings the pain and Flacco can't close.
Pepster: One SB win, and 2 rape accusations. I am going to take the Ravens. Mostly because I want to see them play the Patiots again, but partly because I am sick of hearing that damn "Here we go" song by Steelers fans. Ed Reed could be the big difference, and Matt Birk - from Harvard - is questionable. If they both play, the Ravens are a much, much better team than without them. I'll take a flier on the Ravens.
Everyone, check back with us next week for Championship weekend.
My picks of the week:
Baltimore Ravents +3 at Pittsburgh Steelers
My mind tells me that the Steelers are going to win, especially with Roethlisberger, but (a) I picked the Ravens at the beginning of the season; and (b) the played the Patriots incredibly close earlier in the season. I want to see that matchup. Not usually big on the wishful thinking bets, but I will this time.
Green Bay Packers +1 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay lost by 3 earlier this year and seem to be playing much, much better.
Chicago Bears -10 v. Seattle Seahawks
The Bears are the one team that is not going to overlook the Seahawks, having already lost to them at home earlier this year. At that time the Bears were a revolving door on the offensive line and played without Lance Briggs. I look for a big Bears play early and Seattle to fold.
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
New England Patriots -8 1/2 v. New York Jets
They are just better than the Jets. Plus, I'll say it again, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings that Mark Sanchez did.
Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 2-2
Year to Date: 106-75-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 1-0
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $130
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $250
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Playoff Roundtable
Welcome to the 2011 NFL Playoffs Roundtable. Here with me today is Hopps. Absent from this week is Sinickal, who thinks that he is too good to participate in the Wildcard Round. Maybe he will sneak in for the Divisional Round games.
Our first game today is New Orleans at Seattle.
Pepster: I think that this is a no brainer. We have the Saints, nay, the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints, who are only in this wild card round because the Falcons threw up a NFC best 13-3, against the pathetic 7-9 Seahawks. The Saints would actually be the 2-seed in the NFC if the brackets were drawn up simply by records. I am taking the Saints as having way too much firepower for the lowly, shouldn't even be in the playoffs Seahawks.
Hopps: But the Saints are not what they were last year. Despite a relatively gaudy 11-5 record, they seem to be missing that extra gear that they had last year. Plus, the ridiculously accurate Drew Brees has thrown an interception in like 12 straight games. I am taking Seattle. I am not sure why, and not sure why not the Saints. I think Pete Carroll is ging to dumb luck his way into the next round and sheer stupidity and the classic Pete Carroll Face.
Pepster: Gutsy pick Hopps, and an almost great use of a Bill Simmons reference. On to this evening's game The New York Jets at the Indianapolis Colts. Hopps?
Hopps: Peyton and his squad on turf. I don't care who actually composes the squad, I am taking them.
Pepster: I am actually going to agree with you here. For as much as Indy has relied upon Peyton for oh so many years, Javarris James, from the U, has actually energized the running game a bit, and the Jets defenses has not been as vaunted as advertised. Plus, the Jets don't really disguise blitzes so much as they just bring everybody. Manning should be able to pick apart those blitzes most of the game, and a receiver is going to break a 5 y ard slant into a big game. I am going with the Colts.
What about tomorrow's games Hopps?
Hopps: I am going with the Ravens on the road. Charlie Weis is off to your neck of the woods at UF, and if he has already checked out, then I imagine the team has as well.
Pepster: I am going with the Ravens as well. The Chiefs have overachieved, and have been pretty balanced attach with Jamaal Charles leading a running back crew and Cassell throwing to Dwayne Bowe. A very fast defense with Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. I think running game will get some yards, but the Ravens run defense, led by Haloti Ngata (Ray Lewis would have been to obvious a mention), and Ed Reed is likely to get at least one really big pass breakup and/or interception. Ravens are too much. Keep an eye on the Chiefs in the next couple of years though.
Oh, and UF is not my "neck of the woods". I am 4 hours south, and in civilization. You are just jealous because it isn't cold down here in the winter.
As for the last game, I am going with the Packers. I think Vick is hurt a bit more than anyone would care to admit, and since its his quad, his mobility isn't going to be the best. The Packers defense can make a lot of big plays, and I want to see a ridiculously one-dimensional offense advance. By the way, why didn't the Packers sign DeShawn Wynn instead of the Saints? I guess the Packers do not even care about running.
Hopps: You are crazy. The Michael Vick redemption tour continues. Both QBs are injured, but Rodgers has yet to win a playoff game. EVER! His first is not coming at the Linc. I would have thought that you would have been the first one on the Free Ookie train!
Pepster: Free Ookie indeed! But, I need the Packers to win just in case Seattle does as you says and dumbs their way into the next round. That way my Bears can host the Seahawks in the next round. Wishful thinking I suppose.
Sinickal: Don't you mean MY Bears?!
Pepster and Hopps: Welcome to the party Sinickal.
By the way, my picks of the week:
New Orleans Saints -10 at Seattle Seahawks
Indianapolis Colts -2 v. New York Jets
Green Bay Packers + 2 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Baltimore Ravens -3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the NFC West Champions having beat the Seahawks, the Rams, the 49ers and the Cardinals. That is four of their 10 wins.
Previous Week's Record 10-6
Year to Date: 104-73-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 3-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $225
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $120
Our first game today is New Orleans at Seattle.
Pepster: I think that this is a no brainer. We have the Saints, nay, the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints, who are only in this wild card round because the Falcons threw up a NFC best 13-3, against the pathetic 7-9 Seahawks. The Saints would actually be the 2-seed in the NFC if the brackets were drawn up simply by records. I am taking the Saints as having way too much firepower for the lowly, shouldn't even be in the playoffs Seahawks.
Hopps: But the Saints are not what they were last year. Despite a relatively gaudy 11-5 record, they seem to be missing that extra gear that they had last year. Plus, the ridiculously accurate Drew Brees has thrown an interception in like 12 straight games. I am taking Seattle. I am not sure why, and not sure why not the Saints. I think Pete Carroll is ging to dumb luck his way into the next round and sheer stupidity and the classic Pete Carroll Face.
Pepster: Gutsy pick Hopps, and an almost great use of a Bill Simmons reference. On to this evening's game The New York Jets at the Indianapolis Colts. Hopps?
Hopps: Peyton and his squad on turf. I don't care who actually composes the squad, I am taking them.
Pepster: I am actually going to agree with you here. For as much as Indy has relied upon Peyton for oh so many years, Javarris James, from the U, has actually energized the running game a bit, and the Jets defenses has not been as vaunted as advertised. Plus, the Jets don't really disguise blitzes so much as they just bring everybody. Manning should be able to pick apart those blitzes most of the game, and a receiver is going to break a 5 y ard slant into a big game. I am going with the Colts.
What about tomorrow's games Hopps?
Hopps: I am going with the Ravens on the road. Charlie Weis is off to your neck of the woods at UF, and if he has already checked out, then I imagine the team has as well.
Pepster: I am going with the Ravens as well. The Chiefs have overachieved, and have been pretty balanced attach with Jamaal Charles leading a running back crew and Cassell throwing to Dwayne Bowe. A very fast defense with Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. I think running game will get some yards, but the Ravens run defense, led by Haloti Ngata (Ray Lewis would have been to obvious a mention), and Ed Reed is likely to get at least one really big pass breakup and/or interception. Ravens are too much. Keep an eye on the Chiefs in the next couple of years though.
Oh, and UF is not my "neck of the woods". I am 4 hours south, and in civilization. You are just jealous because it isn't cold down here in the winter.
As for the last game, I am going with the Packers. I think Vick is hurt a bit more than anyone would care to admit, and since its his quad, his mobility isn't going to be the best. The Packers defense can make a lot of big plays, and I want to see a ridiculously one-dimensional offense advance. By the way, why didn't the Packers sign DeShawn Wynn instead of the Saints? I guess the Packers do not even care about running.
Hopps: You are crazy. The Michael Vick redemption tour continues. Both QBs are injured, but Rodgers has yet to win a playoff game. EVER! His first is not coming at the Linc. I would have thought that you would have been the first one on the Free Ookie train!
Pepster: Free Ookie indeed! But, I need the Packers to win just in case Seattle does as you says and dumbs their way into the next round. That way my Bears can host the Seahawks in the next round. Wishful thinking I suppose.
Sinickal: Don't you mean MY Bears?!
Pepster and Hopps: Welcome to the party Sinickal.
By the way, my picks of the week:
New Orleans Saints -10 at Seattle Seahawks
Indianapolis Colts -2 v. New York Jets
Green Bay Packers + 2 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles
BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Baltimore Ravens -3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the NFC West Champions having beat the Seahawks, the Rams, the 49ers and the Cardinals. That is four of their 10 wins.
Previous Week's Record 10-6
Year to Date: 104-73-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 3-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $225
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $120
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