The NFL 2006: The Tortoise and the Hare

By Matt Bieler

The NFL regular season currently runs 16 games and 17 total weeks in length. That’s 1/10 of the regular season games the MLB plays, and 1/5 of the total NBA games. Contrary to popular belief the NFL regular season is not nearly as pressure packed as College Football. It is a marathon, not a sprint. And making a super bowl run is determined on when a team ‘peaks,’ not its regular season record or player statistics, history proves this, Steelers, Baltimore and the Pats 1st Super Bowl run to name a few. All these teams had one thing in common, they dropped it into 6th gear when it mattered most.

With that said….

Let’s take a look at where we stand right now in the powerhouse that is the NFL. With 2 weeks remaining in the NFL season one can make two observations. I should first note that these observations can be looked over by the average fan - but if you really utilize your league ‘sources’ and ‘contacts,’ and possess the business card that reads ‘NFL EXPERT’ on it – then you may be able to see what this writer took 15 weeks of crunching numbers and talking to John Clayton to figure out. My ‘expert’ NFL observations are….

1. The AFC is good.
2. The NFC is not that good.

I’m not sure if these two observations will get me my own talk show on ESPN anytime soon. But I am sure there is much to be said about the contrast in personalities of the NFL’s two competing conferences as we transition to the post season. Of course, breaking down the two major conferences is not nearly as interesting as analyzing Eli Manning’s body language after games, or Tony Romo’s sex life, but I’ll leave that analysis to the paid ‘experts’ in the media. So…here we go, in the race for the Lombardi Trophy I introduce to you the Tortoise (NFC) and the Hare (AFC). Let the games begin.

When the race began back in September one thing was for certain – the Carolina Panthers were going to be the tortoise that represents the NFC in the big game. Every single media outlet on the planet had already crowned them NFC champions – that is, until they met the Falcons in week one. After what felt like eight thousand rushing yards and 12 John Abraham sacks – Carolina came out the gates slumping in prime tortoise fashion, being completely dominated at home by the dirty birds of the south. Followed by an overtime loss at Minnesota and you have the media pre-season darlings of the NFC rounding the first turn with a pulled hamstring and cracked knee caps – or a better term to go along with the focus of this piece – Carolina was moving at a turtles pace.

As Carolina began to fold into a napkin of mediocrity, our beloved media jumped wagons onto the next anointed super bowl representatives…hello Chicago Bears and hello MVP candidate Rex Grossman. Fast forward to a quarterback rating just a tad higher than a Ted Kennedy sobriety test (1.3), and more bad decisions than David Caruso’s film career and you have Rex Grossman, now almost as unpopular in the windy city as Steve Bartman. Even though they stand 12-2 rounding the final turn -we all agree with a quarterback this erratic Chicago can’t represent for the turtles in the big game right…I’m glad we all agree. So, whom shall we anoint? Well, after their destruction of the Atlanta Falcons offensive line in week 6 the media was already scripting a Manning/Manning Super Bowl. Then the Giants went MTV Real World on themselves, turning Tom Coughlin into a real life version of Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, and what is left in the wake is an underachieving team of pro-bowlers one snap away from a total implosion. This brings up a thought. Does anyone think Eli Manning should change his last name to get out of the shadow of his father and brother. It worked for Emilio Estevez, not only did he star in Men at Work, he also directed a film this year (Bobby), that could possible be nominated for an Oscar (It has the Oscar buzz…or so I’ve been told). Charlie and Martin Sheen never pulled that off. I like Eli Estevez instead of Eli Manning…just a thought.

After the Giants continued to fizzle, the NFL welcomed this year’s Kurt Warner story with open arms, hello Tony Romo and hello Dallas going to the super bowl. I almost bought this sell until T.O. decided to go T.O. on the team and open his mouth on ESPN about why he was dropping passes (because the team has a ‘rat’), followed by his big Bday party week (which none of the Cowboys attended. Big Surprise), all capped off by Drew Brees going videogame on the Cowboys with 5 TD’s and New Orleans exposing Dallas on national television for the world to see…. How bout dem Cowboys? So where does this leave us? The NFC tortoise cannot seem to get out of its own way, we’ve had multiple picks to cross the finish line throughout the season (Carolina, NY, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas) all have obvious weaknesses, all are limping like a Steve DeBerg scramble, and all are watching the hare of the AFC fly by them at an alarming speed. And with that said….

Lets take a look at what the hare is up to.

The pre - season favorites come out the gates as they are supposed to, Indy being Indy and the Pats being…well…the Pats. Lets face it – after Fifteen weeks of the NFL season – aren’t the AFC teams exactly where they are supposed to be? The well-coached teams with explosive talent and huge stars are on the top of their divisions (Pats, Indy, San Diego, and Baltimore). And the race for the wild card is comprised of overachievers (Jets), underachievers (Broncos) and three teams that are more unpredictable than a night out with Paris Hilton (Bengals, Chiefs, Jags). Even with the chaos that has surrounded the Bengals off the field “activities” (seriously though, shouldn’t Marvin Louis spend an extra 60K to hire a full time designated driver for these clowns, just a thought), and the black cloud Steelers (Martin Short in Pure Luck had a better year than Big Ben has had) – the AFC is strong and…at this point…. not surprising. Even when the AFC has been inconsistent it is still…well…. consistent. Was anyone really that surprised when the Jaguars ran the colts off the field in a week 14? No, it was the AFC’s worst rushing defensive against one of the AFC’s top rushing offenses. The Jaguars stuck to the script and walked away victorious. And we will not be surprised when Marty Shotenheimer over thinks another playoff gameplan causing the Charger fans to wonder “How?” And we will also not be surprised when Peyton Marino finds himself auditioning for more American Express commercials in January while looking back at another disappointing post season exit wondering “How?”

The AFC have rounded every corner faster than the NFC, they are talented, well coached and rarely surprising. This is exactly why the AFC should be worried rounding the final turn in the playoffs.

The NFC is so inconsistent that no one really knows what will come from the teams week to week. In turn, the NFC has the symptom signs of going Cole Trickle on the AFC - with one last memorable move on the final turn to shock everyone and walk off Super Bowl champs at the end of January. It may sound crazy now, but in a NFL year cloaked in parody, and nothing making sense from week one to now…isn’t making a stupid prediction the smartest prediction to make at this time? With that said, my ridiculously brilliant prediction is this - the Tortoise will walk off the field hoisting the Lombardi trophy, leaving the countries football fans saying the same word we say at the end of every Sunday night when we check the scores of the day….. “WHAT!???”

Oh yea…. I should probably pick some teams to play in the big game. Hmmmm….so many decisions. Well, in a year of parody, inconsistency and consistent inconsistency. There are two obvious picks for the Super Bowl this year. They are: The Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans, with Matt Leinart getting the better of Vince Young this time around.

Your Football Picks for December 17

Thanks to the New York Jets laying an egg against the Bills, I went 3-1 last week. I don’t really have a whole lot to say, except the Jets aren’t who I thought they were. They’re just another underachieving team in the AFC East. Remember those Super Bowl Champ Dolphins? Yeah, that was a good one. I even thought it was a possibility. Oh well, huh? Anyway, here are your picks for Sunday. As always, the line may go up and down by tomorrow morning and you can thank Caesar’s Palace later.

Minnesota -3.5 vs. New York Jets – I didn’t want this to sound like my revenge game, but the Jets become one-dimensional this weekend. Facing a run defense that gives up less than 60 yards a game, I see Chad Pennington throwing a whole lot. That was the game plan of the Lions and Cardinals, and they both lost to the monsters of Minnesota, who are still 6-7 despite their defensive success. Is Kevan Barlow the featured back in Jersey? No? It’s Cedric? No, wait, it’s got to be Leon Washington, right? Well, whoever it is, none of it really matters. Brad Johnson is somewhere in his late 30’s and about to hand the ball over to Tarvaris Jackson next year (maybe this year if Johnson continues to stand around like a statue like Mr. Bledsoe). This game is going to last about 5 hours, so make plans to change the channel on your Direct TV very often. It’s going to be a boring one, but not the worst. That would be Chicago destroying those Bucs, and I’d pick the Bears to cover except you can’t trust ole’ Rex.

New Orleans -9.5 vs. Washington – How does a team with Sean Taylor, Troy Vincent, Carlos Rogers, and Shawn Springs get ranked 24th in the league? Easy. They’re coached by a man who’s been out of the league over 10 years and his defensive assistant has been exposed. Of course, that’s a little harsh when injuries have been hampering the Skins all year. However, they shouldn’t be this bad, and they’re about to face the NFC offensive juggernaut known as the Saints. That’s right, everybody. This is the year 2006, not 1996. The Saints are an amazing team to watch, and that’s coming from a Bucs fan. And it wasn’t even Reggie Bush that saved New Orleans from another disastrous season. Drew Brees was sent packing by the Chargers, and the Dolphins were fixated on Daunte. But it is Brees that has emerged as the only good quarterback in the entire NFC. Sorry, Tony Romo, but what Brees did this year should be commended, as an example that you can come back from a dead shoulder and throw bombs all day long. That’s what’s going to happen here, folks, and I expect about 3 or 4 passing touchdowns by Brees before the end of the day. If they can destroy the media darling Cowboys, they’re going to royally screw up the Redskins.

Green Bay -5.5 vs. Detroit – Why? Because it’s the Lions.

St. Louis +3 at Oakland – So here is the best game of the weekend. One team can’t score, and the other is going back to basics. Those basics are being the Rams of yesteryear, as in not winning every weekend when they were in Anaheim. Oakland’s defense should get an ESPY for dealing with so much crap all season, but it’s hard to sympathize when they never traded Jerry Porter or picked up Matt Leinart in the draft. Michael Huff has done well, but the depth on Oakland’s D would have allowed for some offensive improvement. And I don’t know what’s the problem with the Rams. They’re a lot like the underachievers in the AFC East, except they’re a good team. Losing on a consistent basis seems to be their MO. Oh wait, it’s the defense that sucks. There we go. It sounds like I’m picking Oakland, but this is one of those their rare times where a good defense isn’t going to beat a good offense. Brady Quinn is watching and waiting.

Last week: 3-1

Overall: 3-1

D-MAT, DICE-K, or SUKE-ZAKA?!?

Let the long awaited Matsuzaka-mania begin in New England!


Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a 6-year $52 million dollar contract on Wednesday night, mere hours before the negotiating window for getting a deal done and passing a physical would have expired. The Red Sox will now call the pride of Yokahama High their own - a very talented and highly touted Japanese right-hander who should instantly make an impact on the Boston starting rotation. Theo Epstein's grin can even grow wider knowing that he kept arguably the best talent available in the offseason away from his arch-nemesis, the Yankees.


Matsuzaka brings a lot of hype, a lot of expectations, and a lot of questions to a city that is desperately in love with their baseball team. The light that shines on Boston as a sports town is considered by many to be second brightest only to that of New York, and the question of whether or not a player can adapt to a new lifestyle, the media frenzy, and the pressure that comes with playing in Beantown is always on the lips of every baseball analyst, writer, pundit, and fan when a new acquisition comes to town.You only need to look as far back as 2005 and Edgar Renteria to see what happens when a player doesn't have the makeup to adapt to his new surroundings.


It has to be stated that the Red Sox got an incredible deal here. Theo Epstein, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner have to be commended for not only getting the deal done in time but doing so without caving into the demands of ultra-super-mega agent Scott Boras. They signed him for an average annual value (AAV) of $8.7 million - which in today's market has to be seen as a steal. The deal calls for a $2 million dollar signing bonus (go put a down payment on a house D-Mat) with a $6 million salary in '07, $8 million a season for the next 3 years and $10 million in the final 2 years. When you take into account the enormous $51.1 million posting fee that Boston is paying directly to the Seibu Lion's (which incidentally is 3 times their annual payroll) then their AAV investment in Matsuzaka totals $17.2 million - Jason Schmidt/Barry Zito money. Fortunately for the Sox, only the $52 million is accounted against the salary cap so they are saving tens of millions of dollars right there alone.


Peter Gammons is calling this the remarkable deal of the season.

Keith Law of ESPN writes that the Res Sox have positioned themselves even further in front of the teams chasing them.

Eric Wilbur of The Boston Glove wonders if Boston can handle the influx of invading Japanese reporters.

David Picker of the New York Times writes that Matsuzaka's blood type is Type-O which makes him a warrior, following a long line of successful Japanese professional baseball players with the same blood type.

Boston's NESN has wall-to-wall coverage of all things Matsuzaka.



In other baseball news, Toronto has made a good-faith offer to Vernon Wells to stay with the Jays, offering him a seven year $126 million dollar extension. This extension, should he accept it, would make him the 6th richest player in baseball. Wells is set to become a free-agent after the season, however, and some think he'll hold out and test the waters of free-agency, where he may be able to command closer to the $200 million mark depending on what the market is doing then. Another possibility that still remains is the Jays trading him for as much as they can get sometime either before the start of the season or during. The Dodger's are still looking for a big bat and have pitchers to trade...


On a more somber note, Eric Gagne signed with the Texas Rangers, turning down a similar contract offer from the Dodgers and choosing instead to make $1 million more. This was no surprise as indications were that this was going to happen. What confused Dodger's GM Ned Colletti was why Gagne told him in the off-season that he was willing to accept a home town discount if he didn't actually do it. As a Gagne fan who spent many top-of-the-9ths cheering for the lights out closer in '02 and '03, my disappointment of him leaving the team is supplanted by my hope that he'll actually figure out a way to revive his once great career and be at the very least a reliable major league pitching option again. After seeing him throw some 15 innings the last 2 years, I just don't see how that is going to happen. If the steroid rumors about Gagne are true, then there seems to be a very small chance that he'll be able to pull a Jason Giambi and somehow find his game while staying healthy. That still remains my hope however... and since he's in Texas the Dodgers fortunately don't have to worry about him closing many games against them.

A Lesson in U.S. History

By Clint P

The war between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers is one of epic proportions. Similar to the United States Civil War, it started as a split in ideology (Mike Holmgrem being to the first to branch out of SF with the west coast offense) and the winner was decided after victories in key battles over a period of time. Like the old south, the 49ers represented a once well-oiled machine that yielded high levels of production. It thrived yes, but it was built on false principals, principals that were destined by the power of good to be broken. Enter the Green Bay Packers, the majestic North. Thus continued epic battles that would ultimately decide the inevitable. Antetiam, Bull Run, Battle of Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, the Second Bull Run and of course Gettysburg which we witnessed first hand. Throughout the war the south found themselves overmatched. The North was better equipped, had stronger leaders, and better personnel, The South just couldn’t compete. If not for one lucky victory the war was a unanimous slaughter. Below I have provided you a timeline, which accurately displays in chronological order, the sequence of events.

Warning: 49er fans what you are about to see is a historical reenactment and may be deemed too graphic to watch for those who suffered during the Steve Young/Steve Mariucci era.

1995 Divisional Playoff Green Bay 27 at San Francisco 17 (Antietam)


1996 Week 7 Monday Night San Francisco 20 at Green Bay 23
1996 Divisional Playoff San Francisco 14 at Green Bay 35 (Bull Run)

1997 NFC Championship Game Green Bay 23 at San Francisco 10 (Fredricksburg)


1998 Week 9 San Francisco 22 at Green Bay 36
1998 Wild Card Playoff Green Bay 27 at San Francisco 30 (Vicksburg)

1999 Week 12 Green Bay 20 at San Francisco 3

2000 Week 7 San Francisco 28 at Green Bay 31

2001 Wild Card Playoff San Francisco 15 at Green Bay 25 (Bull Run II)

2002 Week 15 Green Bay 20 at San Francisco 14 (Gettysburg)

2006 Week 14 What has history taught us!!!!!

Let Dec 10th be a reminder to us all. In terms of our discussion, it will represent nothing more that a skirmish between a few drunks from two boarder states 10 years after the Civil War had ended. It means nothing, or at least nothing to Packer fans, but sadly, apparently everything to 49er fans.

Packers 30 at San Francisco 19

The Look

by Eisen

I remember watching the Chargers/Bengals game earlier this year. The Chargers were down three touchdowns by the half. Cut to a shot of the San Diego sideline, there was Philip Rivers standing next to LT with a huge grin on his face. Early in the third quarter, a shot of the San Diego huddle, Rivers has this confident, determined look on his face. He has complete command of that huddle. Not anxious, not overly pensive, as if he knew what was going to happen. The Chargers won the game 49 - 41. This was just his ninth NFL start.

I had this same discussion a handful of times with several different people during the course of this NFL season, all starting with "That guy at QB has the look." It is that indisputable look on the man's face where the other ten guys in the huddle know that we are going to be all right. Montana had the look. Brady has the look. Marino's look is best suited for driving around KIT, running on the beach, or singing to the Germans. This is not to trivialize anyone’s abilities or accomplishments attributing their success solely to a facial expression, far from it. In a league where talent is abundant, I believe it’s the little things that separate the good from the great and the great from the winners.

John Taylor of the San Francisco 49ers remembers being down by a field goal with just over three minutes left in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. Montana enters the huddle. Before calling a play, Montana makes a whimsical, out of place remark to loosen up his teammates before they were to start their 92-yard game winner touchdown drive. John Taylor remembers looking into Montana's eyes and knowing that they were to walk away the victors.

Peyton Manning might end up a top the all the passing records when all is said and done but I don't believe that he will ever end up leading his team in Super Bowl and hoisting the Lombardi trophy. He does not possess the look. Remember, deep into their run of 15 straight wins, when Reggie Wayne shoves Manning while in the huddle during a close game. Or that time when Vanderjagt was taking shots at Manning in the media, the kicker of all people, taking shots at your franchise QB. That does not happen to that guy at QB who has the complete trust of his teammates. Troy Brown isn’t going to compare vocal projection capabilities with Brady on the sideline. Roger Craig is not going to question Montana’s bishop-to-rook-pawn-two counter move in a post-game interview.

The Look gives you an edge over your opponent. The Look gives your teammates that confidence in you, that you are more than capable of coming through when needed. The Look makes the defense feel unease about their two-touchdown lead. The Look makes the fans stay in their seat till the clock shows all zeros.

Because it is virtually impossible to verbally depict The Look, here is a visual summary on The Look.

Denver Omellete with a Side of Texas Fried Chicken

By Dave Paniagua

PART ONE

There was a moment during the Chargers-Broncos game where the camera pointed at Jay Cutler’s mom and dad. They were sitting in what looked like the bottom level, perhaps even on the 50 yard line. After that, the whole thing turned into a Wes Anderson movie, as the camera panned out fast and showed them all the way up in the highest of bleacher seats.

This little moment pretty much summed up how Denver played yesterday afternoon. Sporting a record of 7-2, the Donkeys were well on their way to winning another division title. Then, they had to play San Diego in week 11 and that’s about when things went to hell.

I’m watching the “Girl Next Door” as I write this, so I apologize if I’m a little distracted. Basically, Denver has been a very distant team. They play like they’re Cutler’s parents in the bleachers. Maybe they just don’t care anymore. I really don’t know, but the answer may lie in Mike Shanahan’s future. As it stands, we got a few possible openings for the 2007 season. If you’re a head coach in college, assistant in the pros, or even somebody that coaches for Oaks Christian, chances are that you might get a call from one of these cities:

Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Oakland, Arizona, and Denver.

Yes, folks, Shanahan’s time in the Mile High City is looking bleak. How this man has kept his job for so long is probably John Elway’s fault. Whatever the case, running the ball and employing shaky quarterbacks have been a staple of Shanahan’s career. This all started after Big John’s departure, and the year after the Super Bowl was the beginning of pure misery. The team went 6-10, and the city wanted to see Brian Griese fall down some more stairs and maybe break a leg.

The situation for the Broncos isn’t all on Mike, but he’s still the man in charge. After all, this is the guy who has full control of every move the organization makes (sans the owner). When Elway paved the way for two Super Bowl victories, things couldn’t go wrong. The city known for having no air was high as a kite and didn’t care if all the oxygen was gone. Now, they remain a shell of a team that overachieves year after year. Mediocrity is the best word I can find to describe Denver’s success, or rather the lack thereof.

I haven’t gotten to Jake the Snake, but maybe it’s because Jay Cutler is supposedly the best quarterback taken in last April’s draft (so says the U’s Jimmy Johnson). After two “OK” performances, Cutler has a lot to learn and is better off giving the ball off to Denver’s twenty running backs. By the end of the season, Shanahan’s job security is, at best, halfway probable for one last ride in the 2007 season. Anything resembling a contract extension would be a disaster (unless it already happened).

The other big news in the NFL is how the state of Texas looked incredibly ridiculous, with the Texans and Cowboys embarrassed all day long. Spurned by Houston, Vince Young was taken 3rd by the Titans, in what many people (including ESPN Super Analyst Merril Hoge) considered to be the worst pick since Tony Mandarich was swooped up by the Packers. When the Titans mishandled Steve McNair, kicked Billy Volek out of town, and thought Kerry “30 Pack” Collins was the answer, the team started off 0-5. As an admitted Vince Young supporter, I pretty much gave up the notion that he was a good pick. VY was about two years away from being a decent quarterback.

What you have to love about sports is the ability to admit you were stupidly wrong. And that’s what is happening, right now. Vince Young has carried the team on its back, and if you saw my NFL picks you’d know that they were very close to having a winning record. Having ole’ Pac Man Jones on your team might do something to your brain, but the Titans are looking great for 2007. Jeff Fisher even believes in a bright future, with talks of him getting an extension on his contract.

Going into Houston was a dream come true. Here was the hometown hero playing for the other team, and finding a way to win another game. This time, it was a 39 yard run into the end zone during overtime. As he scored the winning touchdown, Vince’s reaction said it all. I’ll let the Associated Press describe it:

“He dashed into the end zone virtually untouched and then jumped into the stands to the open arms of a throng of burnt orange-clad fans. He then blew kisses and waved to a crowd that had cheered the Texans most of the game, but went wild when he scored.”

I can only imagine what Houston is going to do when the Saints eventually play them in Texas. The scene might be reminiscent of a mass suicide the likes of which we haven’t seen since Jonestown. I’m not knocking on Mario Williams, but trying to shore up the defense on a team without an o-line is like saying “Super Mario Bros.” was a good adaptation of the video game. Dennis Hopper as King Koopa? Words do not come to mind at that choice, or the Texans organization for being too scared to pick up on Vince or Southern Cal Superstar Reggie Bush.

Finally, let’s look back at NBC’s sudden emergence as a perennial sports entertainment powerhouse.

Okay, that isn’t happening anytime soon, but the network is back on track, picking up the broadcast rights for Sunday Night Football. A lot of work has gone into this production, putting the money into the salaries of John Madden, Al Michaels (nabbed by the Peacock Network in a “trade” with Disney’s ABC), and Bob Costas. There seems to be a cast of dozens on the broadcast, but suffice it to say that this “flex scheduling” has only given us one bad game (last week with Philly and Indy). All the other games have been great; because it has taken away the concept of seeing two underwhelming teams play for draft positions late in the season. This is the inherent problem with ESPN’s Monday Night Football. I doubt that they’re going to fix that scheduling, unless they get a clue.

The other Texas-sized disaster just so happened to be on NBC.

Dallas was hosting the Saints, and it looked like the national media was in love with some dude named Tony Romo. What a name, huh? It reminds me of a rejected name for one of Vincent Chase’s relatives on “Entourage.” I’d love to see Terrell Owens get a guest spot on that show, hopefully run over by a steamroller on the set of “Queens Boulevard 2” or something.

Anyway, Dallas got annihilated, to the score of 42-17. Drew Brees tore apart the secondary, in what has become one of the best years ever for a discarded (see below) San Diego quarterback. Reggie Bush got in on the action, totaling 162 yards of offense and a touchdown.

We can talk all we want about what happened to New Orleans the city, but what happened today was a sign that their team is not the disappointment that we’ve come to expect. They have the best overall offense in the game, and their defense ain’t too bad, letting opposing teams get a chance but unable to keep up with Brees and company. The Saints haven’t been too good against AFC opponents, but that part of their schedule is over and they should be able to beat Carolina at the end of the year.

Come back on Tuesday for part 2, as we look at the potential head coaching vacancies and why Larry Johnson needs a hug.

The baseball winter meetings are over

Well, the baseball winter meetings are over and a whirlwind of activity happened. In case you missed it, we'll break down the good, the bad, and the rest of it.

I want to focus on one team today, the team that I thought came out of the winter meetings as the big winner - the Los Angeles Dodgers. I happen to be a lifelong Dodgers fan so this is of a particular interest to me as a fan and Dodger Stadium patron.

First, I need to give credit where credit is due - Ned Colletti has done an amazing job in his short tenure with the Dodgers in his first GM role, and the moves he made this week are a clear indication of just how good a GM he has become. Long gone are the days of the nausea inducing moves of Kevin Malone and Paul DePodesta. Ned Colletti is able to use his cool demeanor and personal relationships with his players and future players to draw them away from other suitors, even when those other suitors are offering more money and/or incentives. He is able to sell "L.A." - not just the team but the city. In the past month he has signed 3 players that cited the ability to play for their hometown ball club as a major factor in signing with the Dodgers (Nomar Garciaparra, Randy Wolf, and Mike Lieberthal). He's obviously building something bigger than what the Dodgers have been since they traded away Mike Piazza for a few big name stars in 1998. He's able to lock players up short term (1-3 years generally) for money that could usually be considered a bargain by today's market standards, and he is able to do this without "selling the farm". Signing players to short term contracts is desirable on many fronts, one of which is that it becomes much easier to trade a player with 1 year left in his contract vs a player with 3 years left on his contract, especially if that player is not producing well. Last year he was able to see the development of some of his farm system's highly touted prospects into everyday club roles on the big league club (Russ Martin, Andre Ethier, Jonathan Broxton, James Loney), and there's a good chance there will be some more rookies who get to make an impact this year as well.

The Dodgers signing Jason Schmidt was huge. Not only were they able to acquire who in my opinion was the best starting pitcher free agent on the market (apologies to Barry Zito), but they were able to draw that talent away from their hated rivals. This is another deal that may not have gotten done if Paul DePodesta or someone else was in place instead of Colletti. Jason Schmidt himself admitted that his relationship with Colletti helped seal the deal and get him to come to L.A. Jason Schmidt is a solid #1 starter option, and has been the ace of a fairly successful ball club over the last few years (as much to say that). He has averaged over 200 innings per year for the last 5 years and has compiled a 71-36 record for the Giants in those 5 years. His ERA over that same time period has been just 3.35 - and he's done it in what is not a terribly pitching friendly ballpark... throw him in Dodger Stadium and expect a few points to come off his average. He's sustained a very similar average at the end of each season - his highest being 4.40 in 2005. The even better news is that he lowered that ERA nearly .80 points the following year, having ended the 2006 campaign with a 3.59 ERA. What all this should tell you is that he is a very solid, consistent starter and probably has well more than 3 years of #1 starter quality pitcher left in his arm. The only thing I'm left wondering is who will get the opening day start for the Dodgers in '07 - Derek Lowe or Schmidt? My money's on Lowe, but we'll see.

I just wanted to say a quick word about Luis Gonzales - while his power numbers have dropped off in the last couple of years, I think this could be a good fit for the Blue Crew. He still has some pop in his bat and has an average that you can live with from a 39 year old veteran (batted .271 in both '06 and '05) and he's played in over 150 games in all but 1 of the last 10 seasons. Mark my words - J.D. Drew WILL NOT stay healthy in '07. It was a miracle he made it through 2006 as well as he did. Unfortunately, his body is a ticking time bomb and the Red Sox will need an even greater miracle in 2007 to see him not go down for an extended period of time. Paying him 14 million a year and signing him to a long-term contract is just mind-shockingly ridiculous in my opinion but that's a whole different story.

The last thing I want to mention is that the Dodgers are said to be heavily interested in Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells - possibly giving up Brad Penny and one of their young prospects for the powerful outfield bat. I would love to see such a move, but the latest rumor is that he might be put out on the market in January, which means there is still some time we'll have to wait to see if a deal like that can be done. The Dodgers can afford to move a starter like Brad Penny and Toronto could definitely use an arm like him. I'm just going to hold my breath and see if anything develops.

In closing, here's a quote I wanted to share with you - it's from Bruce Jenkins of the SF Chronicle regarding the Giant's signing of Barry Bonds -

"This ranks among the most cowardly, gutless baseball decisions of the post-war era, but then again, it would take a pretty stiff dose of courage for Sabean (and many other people in the organization) to say what they really think, like "His steroid associations have embarrassed us for far too long," or "We've grown tired of looking the other way," or "We're sick of him running the team and the way it's built." So everybody just caved in, and now Bonds has a contract (potentially even more lucrative than last year's) that will stifle the Giants' more pressing financial needs."

NFL PICKS FOR DECEMBER 10

By Dave Paniagua

I thought it was going to take me at least 30 minutes to come up with some picks for Sunday’s football games, but the list was pretty easy. Sure, you could go with the Bengals as 10 ½ point favorites over the Raiders, but you’re an idiot if you think the Raiders are going to lie down so easily. Their offense might be worse than Tampa Bay’s, but their defense is ranked third in the league and should force Carson Palmer into some bad situations. That said, here are your four solid picks for the weekend:

Atlanta -3 at Tampa Bay – 2003 was a great year for me. I moved out of my old house, got into a good school, and saw my Bucs win the Super Bowl. This year, we’re a flaming pile of shit that can’t be put out. Bruce Gradkowski has absolutely no line protection, and their schemes are making me sick as a dog. The Dirty Birds, Atlanta Vicks (pictured, #7), or whatever you want to call them, were going south for the winter, but now they’re back on track after a win in Washington. The first time these teams faced each other, Atlanta covered 14-3, despite a threat in the red zone by the end of the game. Things are little easier, as the Falcons are favored by 3 and should look to score early and often. Unless they decide to run all day, the over/under of 37 points should be going the way of being over by the 3rd quarter. Here’s hoping that Tampa Bay does more than a stupid field goal, which is what they did to avoid a shutout against the Steelers last week. Brady Quinn won’t save this team, and I don’t know if even a good defensive player in next year’s draft will do the trick, either. We need a lot of help, and I’ll just say for time constraints that it might be a 5-year plan for us.

Tennessee +1 at Houston – Believe it or not, the Titans are only a few mistakes from being an 8-4 team. At 5-7, they’re spending their team before an early off-season by beating the Manning brothers, with impressive wins over the Giants and Colts. The Texans are a team without a clue, a chance, and most likely the dream of ever making it to the Super Bowl. Hey, that’s a nice stadium you guys have over there, but it doesn’t mean a damn thing when you got a team that is never in the top ten of any category. They’re averaging 16.6 points a game, followed up by a defense that surrenders over 220 yards passing per game. Once again, you have two teams that have played each other before, and the Titans won the first match by 6. This time, the odds makers decided it was cool to give Houston a chance at -1. Don’t believe that line, and take the Titans to cover and probably do it by more than 7.

New York Giants PK at Carolina – I like to look at the weather before some of these games, and Sunday’s forecast for Charlotte is going to be Sunny with a chance of choking on the part of Carolina. Here’s the team that was favored by all sorts of paid sports analysts to go to the Super Bowl and then get killed by the AFC representative. Now, they’re on the brink of not even making the playoffs. The Giants are the other choke job of the year, but mostly because everybody was thinking they could win most of their games by double digits. That’s exactly what they were doing, until a game against Chicago started a 4 game losing streak. Much like Atlanta’s losing streak, I expect the Giants to get off this bandwagon of despair and find a way to win against the Panthers. Did I mention that Chris Weinke (pictured, right) might get the start against the Giants, and the line in Vegas immediately closed? Then, something magical happened and this game is now a pick ‘em. I’m still going with the Giants, because the New York media deserves some positive news in their lives.

New York Jets -3.5 vs. Buffalo – After destroying the disasters known as Houston and Green Bay, the Jets are looking to make the postseason after most people thought they’d be a top 5 pick in next year’s draft (me included). All they’ve done is get their act together and win a couple games. I sure as hell don’t like either team to score a lot, but I think Buffalo doesn’t have what it takes to cover. So, to make a long story short, I see the Jets winning somewhere in the range of 5 to 7 points, maybe more if J.P. Losman takes off early to go surfing

HIT THE LINKS FOR THE REAL SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

When he’s not busy buying Lincoln Navigators for kids in the urban community, Dwyane Wade continues to perform at the level of a NBA legend. Nearly a quarter of the season in, Wade has improved his already remarkable talents. His assists are up by almost two per game, and he’s doing everything without the help of Shaquille O’Neal, who is looking at a long hiatus from the Miami Heat. Recently, D-Wade was honored by Sports Illustrated with the award of Sportsman of the Year. Given out during the month of December, SI’s distinction has always been a topic of conversation, whether it be for good (Lance Armstrong) or the controversial (Tom Brady last year). The reasoning behind the award has merit, but we can’t always be perfect. That is why, for all his talent and accomplishments, Dwyane Wade is not the most deserving of SI’s prestigious title. Tiger Woods is your real Sportsman of the Year 2006.

Back in the mid 1990’s, young Eldrick was a phenomenon that nobody was ready for. Now, we are consumed with his mastery of golf. SI gave Woods the Sportsman of the Year in 2000, and since then has been consistent and sometimes dominant each and every week. While 2006 gave us the likes of Roger Federer seemingly winning every tennis tournament, Tiger Woods endured the most painful year of his life. His father, Earl, succumbed to prostate cancer in May. When it seemed like Woods was ready to call it a season, he won five tournaments when most players were lucky to make half of them. He won two majors, in addition to six other tournaments. After an 11-year career, all Tiger has done is be the best. It goes without saying that he will be the greatest player of all time when he is just getting ready to enter the Senior tour. Jack Nicklaus only wishes he was this good, this fast.

High praise and congratulations aside, this is not an indictment against Wade or Federer, but rather a conjecture that perhaps Woods did not receive the highest recognition of this special year in his life. The general public has taken for granted how good Woods has become. This is a player, after all, who has averaged nearly 5 tournaments wins a year and he only won once in 2004. And if we forget all about his accomplishments, consider the financial impact he has made for golf and sports in general. Before Tiger, NIKE would never even consider the thought of a commercial that featured golf players. After Tiger, ESPN was willing and eager to get Tiger on television every weekend and bands like Hootie and the Blowfish were doing videos set in golf courses. Pocketing $65 million from playing golf and hundreds of millions more from endorsements, Woods is on his way to being the first billionaire of any professional sport. After a 2005 of 6 wins, Woods won another 8 in 2006, overcame the loss of his father just a month from Father’s Day, and showed the world that golf was one hell of a game all over again.

Sportsman of the Year? You better believe it.

Dodgers Making A Big Splash With Offseason Signings...

During an offseason filled with available pitchers and hitters such as: Soriano, Man-Ram, Aramis Ramirez and pitchers Barry Zito and Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Los Angeles Dodgers may have been the surprise winners without having signed any of the following players mentioned above...

The Dodger GM Ned Colleti has been very closed to the vest about the his offseason moves, much like a master chess player, or even a fantasy baseball owner the hour before the draft starts... But he has done nothing but become one of the best GM's in all of major league baseball with some key acquisitions that make the Dodgers the team to beat in the NL West...

First off, the Dodgers were able to rid themselves of the enigmatic J.D.N.P Drew... (ie. J.D. Did Not Play Drew) amongst some confusion on why he would actually leave L.A. for Boston... It did appear that Colleti took that very personally because this move seemed to be precipitated by Bob Sugar a.k.a. Scott Boras... Now there has been some grumblings about a potential investigation into whether Boras and the Red Sox were involved in some tampering to get Drew to opt out of his contract with the Dodgers, but oh well, I think everybody that bleeds blue is glad that Drew is gone, even though that .280 avg., 20 HRs and 100 RBI will be missed... But if that move ends up landing us Manny Ramirez, I think that fans in L.A. and New York will vote J.D. Drew the MVP...

Secondly, the Dodgers decided not to sign Eric Gagne, I love Gagne for what he means to the Dodgers but having not pitched in 2 seasons is hard to justify paying the 10 million for him... Also, GM Ned Colleti retained the services of Takasi Saito to either close or set-up for the Dodgers for a very inexpensive $1 million, 1 year deal... However, there needs to be a decision made about whether to drop Joe "Mr. Glass" Beimel...

Then the Dodgers after not being able to land free agents Aramis Ramirez and Soriano to the Chicago Cubs they turned their sights to acquiring the speedy center fielder Juan Pierre... This move has been questioned with some moans and groans because Pierre, who was 2nd in the NL stolen bases, triples and led the NL in hits is not the power hitting outfielder that many believe was the reason why the Dodgers didn't march further into the playoffs... However, Pierre, a mainstay on all my yahoo! fantasy teams offers a upgrade from the geriatric Kenny Lofton who played old and looked old out in center last season... Plus, Pierre was signifcantly cheaper than Gary Matthews Jr. cost the Angels...

Shortly after the Pierre move, Colleti made the move to sign free agent lefty Randy Wolf from the Phillies... This move made me scratch my head a little... Even though this was a one year deal... This certainly meant the doom for either Greg Maddux or Brad Penny... But looking at the acquistion of Wolf by the Dodgers in the grand scheme of things, this would give the Dodgers 7 starting pitchers that give them some depth and a potential chip in a trade for that big bat that they need... In theory, the Dodgers could package Brad Penny or Brett Tomko along with a James Loney or LaRoche for Andruw Jones or Planet Man-Ram...

This week, Greg Maddux signs with San Diego Padres...

This move made me question why the Dodgers didn't make a more significant push to retain the Professor... But then I guess that was the domino that needed to fall before the Dodgers decided to announce that they have indeed agree with free agent pitcher Jason Schmidt... Which swung the pendulum to the Dodgers as being the favorite to win the NL West with the best pitcher available... This was a big blow to the rest of the division... First, the Dodgers took Schmidt from the Hated Ones and Schmidt looks like Drysdale against that weak lineup in San Diego... This gives the Dodgers the 1-2 punch of Schmidt and Lowe...

Dodgers sign, OF Luis Gonzalez to a 1-year, 8 million dollar deal to be the Dodgers left fielder at least to begin the year... I guess the big sticking point for Gonzalez was to stay in the NL West, and the prospect of having half of the fans in left field rocking a Gonzalez jersey, let's face it, most of all the fans in the left field pavillion have Gonzalez as a last name...

All of these moves have allowed the Dodgers to have some roster flexibility, depth and experience on the team...

Some fans will look at this offseason as only partially successful since the Dodgers did not land that Manny Ramirez or ARod or Soriano... But I think in the long run the Dodgers still set themselves up to be a contender this year without mortaging the future to overpay to acquire a bat... a la' the Angels...

Fade in: College Football in 06

By Matt Bieler

College Football’s 2006 regular season is what Hollywood producers dream of….

Well…..sort of. College football’s screenwriter is still looking for an ending.

The biggest moneymaker in Hollywood this year is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Clocking in at $423,271,331 – domestic, and still counting as it hits its DVD release just in time for the holidays. It set the record for largest opening weekend in the history of cinema, and the movie was everywhere you looked. Johnny Depp was on the cover of everything - Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, McDonalds drink cups – you name it, Pirates were in effect. The sidebar to the Pirates sequel that I always found interesting is that millions flocked repeatedly to the theaters to see, technically, an unfinished film. I mean, the film’s only memorable character and the only reason this franchise has exploded the way it has is swallowed by an oversized thingamabob at the end of the film and is presumably – well…..dead. We are left smack dab in the middle of the second act of an unfinished storyline. Is Jack Sparrow alive? WTF is up with Barbossa returning etcetc. So many unanswered questions that you have to watch the third and final installment of the trilogy…right? And we know, in classic Disney fashion, that when we do walk out of the theater after the third and final piece of the puzzle is released - we’ll be satisfied with a good guys win, bad guys lose ending – and all will be well with world….or at least in Hollywood for that matter. This brings us to the 2006 College Football season…



Ladies and Gentlemen I present College Football. Welcome to the greatest regular season sport on the planet. Where week one of the regular season might as well be week one of the playoffs – cuz one loss son, and you can forget about the trophy. Like Pirates, College Football’s season this year was a huge moneymaker in the ratings game - and had an amazing first and second act with great scenes that Oscar winning screenwriters would struggle to cook up. Ohio State walking into Texas with a swagger that can only be mirrored in a 007 film: Pac 10 officials making one of the worst calls in the history of any sport in the never forgettable, always embarrassing, Oregon/Oklahoma catastrophe (note: all the zebra’s in that game are just lucky Oklahoma is not Brazil or Argentina…because in those countries version of football, they’d all be cast-members of The Departed before they could make it off the field): Auburn/Florida linking up for more lead changes than Linsay Lohan has car accidents in maybe the most exciting game of the season: and as we hit the climax of the second act we have Michigan/Ohio State, which lived up to all the hype and then some, followed by a Chinatown – esque plot twist Robert Towne couldn’t dream of, with USC falling to UCLA in – hands down – the biggest upset of the year, not negotiable. Now here we are, in the same place we were at the Movie Theater this summer watching Pirates…..waiting for a resolution. Waiting for a 3rd act.

The BCS officials would tell you that the resolution is coming and soon – this blockbuster will – in their eyes - have a happy ending on January 8th. The BCS says a National Champion will be crowned when Ohio State and Florida take the field in Arizona. But do you really expect Michigan to buy this ending if Florida defeats Ohio State on a neutral field and Michigan defeats USC in Pasadena? Leaving 3 one-loss teams to argue their right for the trophy. And do you really believe South Carolina and Arkansas buys Florida belonging in the title game for one second? Both out-played Florida and if not for a blocked field goal from the heavens VS South Carolina and a brutal special teams fumble VS Arkansas - we would be watching a rematch on January 8th reminiscent of Ali/Fraser. And you can probably find a handful of other teams that think they should have a shot at OSU - even though Florida is the obvious pick because of their strength of schedule - there is always going to be Big East and WAC controversy until a solid ending is written for College Football’s multi-million dollar script.



The BCS is an unfinished screenplay. It is a million dollar pitch with a great cast of characters, and is never shy of stars on the field and on the sidelines. But it has no ending. So as we wait to find out the resolve of Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest of cast of Pirates in the summer of 07, we must also wait for the BCS to add a plus-one system to the post season to properly name a national champion and end all the debate and overall feeling of…..well….nothing.



On a final geeky note…

The Matrix Reloaded used the same angle Pirates is using by finishing the film in the middle of the 2nd act to get its fans pumped for the final installment of the trilogy. Which would, in theory, answer all questions and resolve the conflict. Reloaded was wildly successful, but unfortunate for the filmmakers, the resolution to this blockbuster franchise was so terrible that it left half of the fans uninterested, and for this viewer, almost forgetting how good the original Matrix film was. Don’t believe me? The numbers rarely lie. Revolutions did half the business of Reloaded, domestic and foreign. You heard me right. HALF!!!!!! That's like a USC Trojan fan showing up at the Coliseum next year with 40,000 screaming fans instead of the usual, 90 large representing for the red and gold. This brings up the question - could this be College Football’s fate? Can a great regular season be tarnished by a poor excuse for a post season? Are fans going to turn away if they don’t receive a satisfying ending to a great story? Time will tell. As for now the future of College Football and the Pirates franchise lies in the hands of a handful of suits and a couple truckloads of dead presidents.

Get Your Trojans On

USC v UCLA Breakdown

There are three reasons why the Trojans were upset by the Bruins Saturday at the Rose Bowl. One, UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker found a weakness in the Trojan offensive front and attacked it with lightning quick DEs. Two, penalties killed momentum changing drives early in the second half. And finally, Lane Kiffin is an idiot who needs to be fired!

UCLA hardly ever brought pressure up the middle, forcing SC's talented offensive line to protect around the edges. Walker realized, unlike every other coordinator in the PAC-10, that JDBooty would pick apart their secondary if they brought pressure straight at them. It was fascinating to see just how quick UCLA was off the edges and how they forced Booty to step up in the pocket, throwing off his timing and forcing short passes. This pressure changed the SC game plan and forced Booty into 3 step drops, eventually forcing the game winning interception late in the 4th.

Momentum is the key to Trojan victories, and USC seemed to have it at the end of the first half. The momentum carried into the start of the 3rd quarter with a drive that took them down to the UCLA 40 yard line. It seemed as if I was watching another scripted USC game against a PAC-10 opponent. The Trojans made their halftime adjustments and looked to blow the game wide open. But that quick UCLA defensive line made SC jumpy and turned a 3rd and short into a 3rd and forever. Goodbye momentum, and goodbye championship.

I know what you're thinking, offsides penalties are not the reason why SC was shut out in the second half Saturday for the first time in like 50 years. It was a combination of penalties and questionable 4th down calls made by Lane Kiffin. Now I know I am a music student who has never coached a down of college football; I know this! But it doesn't take a genius to know not to run a pitch play on 4th and short toward the short side of the field against a defense that had been in the backfield all day long. It's not Kiffin's fault that Pete Carroll is a crazy bastard that loves to go for it on fourth down, but come on, you have arguably the best wide receiver in the nation in Dwayne Jarrett. Throw him the damn ball!!!!

So USC loses another close one in the Rose Bowl this year. Pasadena hasn't been too fun for the Trojans in '06. But I have a feeling Pete Carroll has a New Year's resolution up his sleeve. Check in next week to read my preview of next year's Grand Daddy of 'em All!