As predicted, I finished the baseball playoffs at 0 and 7. But, I'm quite happy with having the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series. I'm sure my grandfather was quite happy that night.
On the football front, things are still a bit murky in Cincinnati. The Bengals lost to the Falcons showing that they still have problems with the O line and the secondary is still missing one or two players. But, the Bengals are still in the hunt for the #6 seed. Right now the AFC playoffs will include Indianapolis, New England, Denver, Baltimore, and San Diego. I see very little to change this in the coming weeks. There are realistically, two teams vying for that last spot: Cincinnati and Jacksonville. Some might argue that the Jets and Chiefs should be considered as well, but the Jets are bad and I don't think any division will send three teams and the AFC West is already going to contribute Denver and San Diego. Jacksonville has an easier schedule but they've been very inconsistent as of late. I think this race will remain murky for a while yet.
On the NFC side, its a bit fuzzier. Chicago, the NY Giants, and Seattle are all in good positions, although if Seattle suffers any more injuries, they will be in a world of hurt. Atlanta is looking good and I'm not quite ready to give up on New Orleans yet. There is also Minnesota and St. Louis to consider as well as what happens with Dallas and Philly, although I'm less worried about these two. As far as the NFC goes, the only thing I'm reasonably comfortable with right now is the idea that Chicago will get the #1 seed.
On the college front, USC lost a little earlier than anyone was expecting, although a lot of the people that follow college football closely were expecting USC to stumble at some point. This sets up Ohio St. and Michigan as the clear #1 and #2. I could even see people within the two schools proclaiming that this will be the true national championship game. One might find that hard to argue with given the way the standings could shake out. Right now, West Virginia is #3 and they will solidify that ranking a bit more firmly if they beat #6 Louisville on Thursday. If West Virgina remains unbeaten, the Fiesta Bowl will be the Ohio St. - Michigan winner vs. West Virginia and I think some people would grumble about that due to a lack of respect for the Big East. Actually, the Big East is better than the ACC this year but very few people want to admit that. I personally don't have a problem with this matchup, but I think a lot of people would rather see the Ohio St. - Michigan winner face off against the SEC winner, especially if it's a strong 1 loss team like Florida. They might not be as stringent about it if Arkansas ends up coming out of the scrum that is the SEC.
The gigantic fear of the BCS folks is if both West Virginia and Louisville get beaten at some point in the season. This will probably mean that Rutgers will have emerged as the unbeaten champion. Unlikely, but possible. Or, if West Virgina or Louisville emerge as the Big East champion with 1 loss. Then you'll have Ohio St. or Michigan waiting for someone with one loss while some minor unbeaten team shrieks about not getting credit. Some folks are even proposing that if Ohio St. - Michigan is a very close game that the two schools rematch in the Fiesta Bowl. There are scenarios where that is possible. But at the moment, the road we are on now is geared toward a Ohio St. vs. West Virgina national chamionship. You also have Boise St. and Notre Dame lurking around to spar for those two at large bowl spots. Imagine the cry from some corners of the realm if Boise St. and Notre Dame get to play in BCS bowls and a 1 loss Michigan team gets left out. Such as this:
Fiesta - Ohio St. vs. West Virgina
Rose - Notre Dame vs. Boise St.
Orange - Texas vs. Florida
Sugar - Boston College vs. Cal
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
0 for 6 and maybe 0 for 7
This year has not been good to me picking the postseason. Of course, this just reinforces why I don't go to Vegas and do sports betting. I had a post that got eaten by Blogger last Friday where I picked the Tigers to win the World Series in 5 and then advised everyone else to go out and pick the Cardinals. As it happens, I may have had the length of the series correct, but the team wrong.
Too many things have been happening: Tigers commiting terrible errors, players slipping, balls taking lucky bounces, etc. I also got a weird feeling last night while watching part of game 4. I saw that St. Louis had fallen behind 3-0 and then I saw the Cardinals make it 3-1. After that, I just got the feeling that they were going to claw their way back into it, adding a run here and a run there. I still wasn't sure if they would win the game, but I had this feeling that they would get back into it and make it a late inning game. I turned it off after the 5th inning and was pretty sure that the Tigers would have won it, but St. Louis had pulled it out when I got up this morning.
I don't know if the Cardinals will pull it out tonight. If they don't, I seriously think it will go to 7 games. The Cardinals have a rookie starter going against Kenny Rogers in game 6 so I'm willing to concede game 6 to Detroit. That would put game 7 with Chris Carpenter on the mound for St. Louis and someone else on the mound for Detroit. But right now, the edge certainly favors St. Louis to take it in 5. Of course, there could be another rainout and who knows what will happen after that.
After this seaon, I will test my skills by picking the world series for next year and seeing if those teams finish dead last in their divisions.
Too many things have been happening: Tigers commiting terrible errors, players slipping, balls taking lucky bounces, etc. I also got a weird feeling last night while watching part of game 4. I saw that St. Louis had fallen behind 3-0 and then I saw the Cardinals make it 3-1. After that, I just got the feeling that they were going to claw their way back into it, adding a run here and a run there. I still wasn't sure if they would win the game, but I had this feeling that they would get back into it and make it a late inning game. I turned it off after the 5th inning and was pretty sure that the Tigers would have won it, but St. Louis had pulled it out when I got up this morning.
I don't know if the Cardinals will pull it out tonight. If they don't, I seriously think it will go to 7 games. The Cardinals have a rookie starter going against Kenny Rogers in game 6 so I'm willing to concede game 6 to Detroit. That would put game 7 with Chris Carpenter on the mound for St. Louis and someone else on the mound for Detroit. But right now, the edge certainly favors St. Louis to take it in 5. Of course, there could be another rainout and who knows what will happen after that.
After this seaon, I will test my skills by picking the world series for next year and seeing if those teams finish dead last in their divisions.
Friday, October 20, 2006
A Palatable World Series
I am an absolutely fabulous 0-6 in predicting the baseball playoffs. In fact, I'm so bad that I even predicted the manner of the LCS wrong. I was sure that the ALCS would go at least 6 games and maybe even 7. I thought if there was a chance for a sweep, it would be the Mets. Instead, the Tigers sweep the A's and the Cardinals down the Mets in 7.
Fortunately for me, I'm not a sports gambler and have not lost any money on the playoffs.
So, now what? Even before we knew who the participants were, I said that the American League would defeat the National League team. I see no reason to back off that sentiment. We have been selling the Cardinals short in the playoffs so far, but I just can't quite wrap my brain around St. Louis besting Detroit. The Tigers have this "team of destiny" aura about them right now. Personally, I think St. Louis' only chance is if the Tigers might have gotten out of the groove they found themselves in. But even if they did, I think that only gives St. Louis a chance to stretch the series to 6 or 7 games. My feeling at this point is that the Tigers will win in 5.
So that means put all your bets on St. Louis.
Fortunately for me, I'm not a sports gambler and have not lost any money on the playoffs.
So, now what? Even before we knew who the participants were, I said that the American League would defeat the National League team. I see no reason to back off that sentiment. We have been selling the Cardinals short in the playoffs so far, but I just can't quite wrap my brain around St. Louis besting Detroit. The Tigers have this "team of destiny" aura about them right now. Personally, I think St. Louis' only chance is if the Tigers might have gotten out of the groove they found themselves in. But even if they did, I think that only gives St. Louis a chance to stretch the series to 6 or 7 games. My feeling at this point is that the Tigers will win in 5.
So that means put all your bets on St. Louis.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Winowning the NFL
One of the guys I sit next to, Robert, does fantasy football so we talk about football a bit. Even though we’re only on Week 6, the playoffs are coming firmer into focus, at least in the AFC. Right now you have 7 teams fighting for 6 playoff spots with two teams as outside shots: New England, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Denver, and San Diego. Kansas City and Pittsburgh are the outside looking in teams.
Because of the brutal schedules for Baltimore and Cincinnati, and Indianapolis’ inconsistency, I ruefully have to say that it looks like the #1 seed may fall into New England’s lap. Other things may happen, but New England has the appearance of a 12-4 team, although one that could get bounced in its first playoff game. Regardless, New England will win the AFC East just as Indianapolis will win the AFC South. These two facts are just givens.
Baltimore and Cincinnati are both flawed teams. Baltimore’s offense is okay but nothing great. Cincinnati can’t stop the run. One of these teams will win the division. Personally, I hope its Cincinnati, but I don’t think we’re going to know until they play each other. Out West, Denver and San Diego both have schedules with enough weak teams that both should make the playoffs. My gut tells me that San Diego will win the division if Marty Schottenheimer does find ways to fritter it away during close games (see Baltimore game). That leaves the Cincinnati-Baltimore loser and Jacksonville fighting it out for that last playoff spot. In this tight of a race, every game counts.
On the NFC side, things are very murky. Only two things are evident right now: that the road to the Super Bowl will almost definitely go through Soldier Field and that only Green Bay, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and San Francisco are not in the playoff hunt. Seattle and St. Louis are on an inside track, but the NFC East and South are so cluttered that it will very difficult to see who comes out of those races without a few more games. I think the Eagles will make it as well as the Saints and perhaps the Panthers. But at this point, the Bears are looking almost unstoppable and it may not matter who fills out the other five slots, especially if they are batter, bruised, and bloodied from their divisional games when the face the Bears.
Because of the brutal schedules for Baltimore and Cincinnati, and Indianapolis’ inconsistency, I ruefully have to say that it looks like the #1 seed may fall into New England’s lap. Other things may happen, but New England has the appearance of a 12-4 team, although one that could get bounced in its first playoff game. Regardless, New England will win the AFC East just as Indianapolis will win the AFC South. These two facts are just givens.
Baltimore and Cincinnati are both flawed teams. Baltimore’s offense is okay but nothing great. Cincinnati can’t stop the run. One of these teams will win the division. Personally, I hope its Cincinnati, but I don’t think we’re going to know until they play each other. Out West, Denver and San Diego both have schedules with enough weak teams that both should make the playoffs. My gut tells me that San Diego will win the division if Marty Schottenheimer does find ways to fritter it away during close games (see Baltimore game). That leaves the Cincinnati-Baltimore loser and Jacksonville fighting it out for that last playoff spot. In this tight of a race, every game counts.
On the NFC side, things are very murky. Only two things are evident right now: that the road to the Super Bowl will almost definitely go through Soldier Field and that only Green Bay, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and San Francisco are not in the playoff hunt. Seattle and St. Louis are on an inside track, but the NFC East and South are so cluttered that it will very difficult to see who comes out of those races without a few more games. I think the Eagles will make it as well as the Saints and perhaps the Panthers. But at this point, the Bears are looking almost unstoppable and it may not matter who fills out the other five slots, especially if they are batter, bruised, and bloodied from their divisional games when the face the Bears.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Baseball Skills
In the world of baseball prognostication, I rate an F and couldn’t be happier about it. A week ago I thought we were looking at a rematch of the 1998 World Series. Now, the Yankees are out and the Cardinals are still in. I don’t expect St. Louis to get to the next round, but I thought San Diego would take care of them and we saw how wrong I was there.
In fact, I picked all four series wrong. I was fairly well spoken about the Tigers-Yankees series as well as the St. Louis-San Diego series. Given the way both Detroit and St. Louis limped into the playoffs, I don’t think anyone would have blamed me.
The other two were more up in the air. Oakland-Minnesota I was giving the edge to Minnesota because of how hot they came into the playoffs and Oakland’s history of collapsing in the first round. Obviously someone in Oakland figured out how the change the vibe and Minnesota looked like they ran out of gas.
On the Dodgers-Mets front, I thought New York was the better team, but that all the injuries to the Mets pitching and LA’s strong trio of starters would put the Dodgers into the next round. Obviously I failed to reckon with the Mets’ bats. The pitching wasn’t as bad as everyone thought it would be and the Mets’ hitters took great strides forward and vaulted themselves forward.
Now we have Oakland-Detroit starting tomorrow and New York-St. Louis starting on Wednesday. It would be most fitting if the Tigers and the Mets met in the World Series, as these were the two teams that clearly dominated their leagues for most of the year. I do expect the Mets to take it to the Cardinals. St. Louis might be able to stretch things out to a game 6, but I just think that the New York hitting will overpower St. Louis. I’m not so sure about the AL. Detroit beat Oakland 5 games to 4 in the regular season, but Oakland had better stats. I also feel a little more comfortable with the state of Oakland’s pitching right now. I would expect the Tigers to suffer a little bit of a hangover from their battle with the Yanks, but I also expect them to rally back and force this series to 7 games.
Of course, given my prognostication skills, both St. Louis and Detroit will sweep their respective series for the rubber match of the 1934 and 1968 World Series (St. Louis won in ’34 and Detroit won in ’68).
In fact, I picked all four series wrong. I was fairly well spoken about the Tigers-Yankees series as well as the St. Louis-San Diego series. Given the way both Detroit and St. Louis limped into the playoffs, I don’t think anyone would have blamed me.
The other two were more up in the air. Oakland-Minnesota I was giving the edge to Minnesota because of how hot they came into the playoffs and Oakland’s history of collapsing in the first round. Obviously someone in Oakland figured out how the change the vibe and Minnesota looked like they ran out of gas.
On the Dodgers-Mets front, I thought New York was the better team, but that all the injuries to the Mets pitching and LA’s strong trio of starters would put the Dodgers into the next round. Obviously I failed to reckon with the Mets’ bats. The pitching wasn’t as bad as everyone thought it would be and the Mets’ hitters took great strides forward and vaulted themselves forward.
Now we have Oakland-Detroit starting tomorrow and New York-St. Louis starting on Wednesday. It would be most fitting if the Tigers and the Mets met in the World Series, as these were the two teams that clearly dominated their leagues for most of the year. I do expect the Mets to take it to the Cardinals. St. Louis might be able to stretch things out to a game 6, but I just think that the New York hitting will overpower St. Louis. I’m not so sure about the AL. Detroit beat Oakland 5 games to 4 in the regular season, but Oakland had better stats. I also feel a little more comfortable with the state of Oakland’s pitching right now. I would expect the Tigers to suffer a little bit of a hangover from their battle with the Yanks, but I also expect them to rally back and force this series to 7 games.
Of course, given my prognostication skills, both St. Louis and Detroit will sweep their respective series for the rubber match of the 1934 and 1968 World Series (St. Louis won in ’34 and Detroit won in ’68).
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Plunder and Spoil
Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder? - Ezekiel 38:13b
I read with great amusement the stories of escatologists who think that the Battle of Gog and Magog will be happening in the next year or so. It is possible, but there is always so much criteria in the prophecy of the battle that people conviently overlook. Most of the excitement is always bred out of the simple truth that the Battle of Gog and Magog is believed to be the last recorded event before the Rapture. Some even think that the Rapture will happen before this battle and if you can the battle getting ready to happen, people will go out to stand on the hilltops waiting to be caught up.
There are still a large number of events that have to happen before we reach this point. I still believe that we are only in a slight lull before the Amos War starts up again. Many news reports that I've read certainly give credence to the idea that Hezbollah, Syria, and the Palestinians are thinking about taking up another large scale offensive, perhaps as soon as March or April.
However, I did notice this little article in my perusings of various news articles. Gog and her allies are coming for plunder and spoil. An Israel that is completely self sufficient in oil and natural gas reserves will stick very heavily in the craw of Arab states and their allies. If the Arab and Russian oil reserves ever start to look like they might be grinding down or taxed to the limit, I would not be surprised at all to see a mad dash to seize any Israeli reserves, no matter how small.
The pieces are moving into place.
I read with great amusement the stories of escatologists who think that the Battle of Gog and Magog will be happening in the next year or so. It is possible, but there is always so much criteria in the prophecy of the battle that people conviently overlook. Most of the excitement is always bred out of the simple truth that the Battle of Gog and Magog is believed to be the last recorded event before the Rapture. Some even think that the Rapture will happen before this battle and if you can the battle getting ready to happen, people will go out to stand on the hilltops waiting to be caught up.
There are still a large number of events that have to happen before we reach this point. I still believe that we are only in a slight lull before the Amos War starts up again. Many news reports that I've read certainly give credence to the idea that Hezbollah, Syria, and the Palestinians are thinking about taking up another large scale offensive, perhaps as soon as March or April.
However, I did notice this little article in my perusings of various news articles. Gog and her allies are coming for plunder and spoil. An Israel that is completely self sufficient in oil and natural gas reserves will stick very heavily in the craw of Arab states and their allies. If the Arab and Russian oil reserves ever start to look like they might be grinding down or taxed to the limit, I would not be surprised at all to see a mad dash to seize any Israeli reserves, no matter how small.
The pieces are moving into place.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Blue Sports Day
Well, things went to hell for the Bengals this weekend. Looked absolutely pathetic on offense and the defense completely wore down by the middle of the third quarter. For some reason, Palmer never tested the New England secondary. Part of that might have been the breakdown of the offensive line. Palmer has been getting far too much pressure on him this season and unless they find a way to slow down the pass rush, some defensive lineman will knock out Palmer later this season.
Meanwhile, my worst fear came true in baseball: Minnesota won the division. I’m happy for them, but this gives the Yankees an almost clear path to another World Series victory. Had Detroit managed to hold on and win the division, Minnesota would have played the Yankees. Santana would have faced the Yankees in games 1 and possibly 5, plus Minnesota has one of the best home records in the majors. New York might still have won, but Minnesota would have had a very good chance of beating the Yankees in the first round. Now, the Yankees will knock out the reeling and starry-eyed Tigers in either three or four games while Minnesota and Oakland punish each other in their series. Once New York is out of the short series, they’ll be able to rely on their bats and moderate pitching to moderate the effects of one or two great pitchers that either Minnesota or Oakland would be able to throw at them.
As for the National League, the road is pretty much paved with gold for San Diego. The Mets pitching staff is in shambles and they go up against a very good lineup in the Dodgers aces. San Diego should cake walk through St. Louis (whom they beat up heavily on in the second to last series of the season). This puts a strong possibility of a San Diego – LA pennant and San Diego has beaten Los Angeles very effectively this year. So the road seems open for a rematch of the 1998 World Series. Hopefully San Diego can manage to win at least one game this time, but the odds strongly favor another Yankees title.
Meanwhile, my worst fear came true in baseball: Minnesota won the division. I’m happy for them, but this gives the Yankees an almost clear path to another World Series victory. Had Detroit managed to hold on and win the division, Minnesota would have played the Yankees. Santana would have faced the Yankees in games 1 and possibly 5, plus Minnesota has one of the best home records in the majors. New York might still have won, but Minnesota would have had a very good chance of beating the Yankees in the first round. Now, the Yankees will knock out the reeling and starry-eyed Tigers in either three or four games while Minnesota and Oakland punish each other in their series. Once New York is out of the short series, they’ll be able to rely on their bats and moderate pitching to moderate the effects of one or two great pitchers that either Minnesota or Oakland would be able to throw at them.
As for the National League, the road is pretty much paved with gold for San Diego. The Mets pitching staff is in shambles and they go up against a very good lineup in the Dodgers aces. San Diego should cake walk through St. Louis (whom they beat up heavily on in the second to last series of the season). This puts a strong possibility of a San Diego – LA pennant and San Diego has beaten Los Angeles very effectively this year. So the road seems open for a rematch of the 1998 World Series. Hopefully San Diego can manage to win at least one game this time, but the odds strongly favor another Yankees title.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
