Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Most Talked About Ankle in Sports

Rob Gronkowski, star Patriots Tight-End, is having troubles with his ankle. There are reports that he has a high ankle sprain. He will most likely play on Sunday against the Giants, but will not be at his highest level. Gronkowski did play and made a difference earlier on this year against New York in Week 9. This could also be one of Bill Belichick's schemes to throw the Giants' defense off guard. The Patriots headed off to Indianapolis today after fans gathered at Gillette Stadium to cheer them on. The Giants will head out tomorrow. I will give you a full week of coverage that includes my pick and factors to the game.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Championship Sunday

Today, two teams can clinch their way into the Super Bowl. At 3:00, the Ravens and Patriots will go at it in the snow at Gillette Stadium. The running game will once again be huge for the Ravens. If they can open up the run game it will help Joe Flacco and his aerial attack. Deion Branch will have to have a big game for the Patriots in order to win. He will most likely get single coverage. It should be a great game. Candlestick Park will be rocking tonight. It should be a muddy game as the Giants and 49ers battle it out for the NFC Championship. The key for the Giants is Kevin Gilbride. Will he stick with the run or let Manning air it out? If Jacobs plays like he has been, you need to stay with him throughout the game. I want to see how Alex Smith handles all the pressure. This game will come down to turnovers. I am 6-2 with my predictions this postseason. After going 4-0 last week, I am trying to continue the hot streak.


AFC Championship


Ravens 20 v.s. Patriots 13


NFC Championship


Giants 27 v.s. 49ers 23

Recruiting Info

On Wednesday, star New Jersey high school football recruit, Yuri Wright, was expelled from Don Bosco Prep. Wright, a cornerback being recruited from schools all around the country, was expelled for comments on Twitter. He had been told on many occasions to stay away from social media. Colorado, Rutgers, and Notre Dame have not said anything yet. Michigan, however, backed off on their offer. I saw Wright play in December and he had talent. He helped lead Don Bosco Prep to a National Championship. It is sad to see some kid with as much talent as him blow it on a dumb decision.

Paterno's Legacy

Earlier this morning Joe Paterno died at the age of 85 due to lung cancer complications. He was the winningest coach in college football, but was fired in November. Paterno won 409 games in his 46 seasons as a coach for the Nittany Lions. His legacy was dampened in November with the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky. About 200 people gathered outside Beaver Stadium remembering Joe Pa. He was the best college coach the world has seen. Too bad he went out on a note like that. My heart goes out to the Paterno family on this sad day.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

I Guarantee It!

In the Divisional round of the Playoffs, things are heating up. There has been lots of trash talk between teams. The Ravens and Texans will go at it in Baltimore. I have been tossing and turning about this game all week. This game all depends on the running game. Ray Rice will have another big day against this Houston defense. Tonight, the 49ers and Saints will go at it at Candlestick Park. The Saints are favored even though they are on the road. The San Fransisco defensive line will decide the game. If players like Aldon Smith can step up, the 49ers will be back in the NFC Championship. The Packers and Giants have talked a lot this week. Jason Pierre-Paul has guaranteed a win twice. BJ Raji called out the Giants offensive line by calling them soft. The Packers are 8-0 at Lambeau Field. Mario Manningham will have to play well. This game will come down to the last possession. The Broncos and Patriots will go at it in Foxborough. The Patriots will have to run the ball well in order to win. Denver's defense will need to find a way to slow down Brady. Now that I gave you the keys to the game, here are my predictions.

Ravens 20 vs Texans 17

49ers 27 vs Saints 20

Giants 24 vs Packers 23

Patriots 30 vs Broncos 20

My Predictions

Last week: 2-2

Overall Record: 2-2


Roll Tide!

There was no doubt that Alabama was the better team on the field on Monday night against LSU. Their defense only let the Tigers' offense cross midfield once in their 21-0 win. Jordan Jefferson was rattled by the Tide. Trent Richardson had the only touchdown in the game. The rest of the points were from Bama's kicking game. LSU just did not show up. Saban's defense was ready for Les Miles' attack. The state of Alabama is home to the last three National Champions. The SEC has now won six straight titles. It was not the perfect ending we expected it to be, but to Bama fans nothing could have been sweeter.

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Rematch of the Century

College football fans around the country [except in Stillwater, Oklahoma] are waiting for tonight when LSU and Alabama go at it for the National Championship. LSU has dominated opponents all year. Besides their first slip up to the Tigers earlier this year, Alabama has been just as good. These defenses are as good as any two in the country. The Crimson Tide lead in every major defensive category, with LSU right behind. I do want to see how the Madhatter prepares LSU with the game being in New Orleans and having that much pressure. The Tigers are the more athletic team, but it is hard to pick against Saban when he has a month to prepare for a team he has already played. However, I do think Les Miles' Tigers will win in the end by a score of 20-16. Every college football fan will be watching for the powerhouses of the SEC square off under the lights.

Weekend Recap

This weekend was full of shocks and upsets. On Saturday, the college basketball world was shaken up a little. Four Top 25 teams went down. The Playoffs started on Saturday. The Texans kicked things off with a demanding win over the Bengals. It was Houston's first ever Playoff game. The Saints and Lions also squared off. New Orleans was riled up as the Saints were too much for Detroit. Sunday was a good day for Giant fans and Tebow lovers everywhere. The Giants showed the world that they are a threat with a big 24-2 win. Before I explain what went wrong in Denver, I just want to say I was wrong. I thought, despite the injuries, that the Steelers could beat the Broncos handily. I know it is a little late, but I am a fan of Tebow. The way he played throughout the game was clutch. He took John Elway's advice and pulled the trigger. The way he realized that the safety packed the box to stop the run was exactly what a quarterback should do. He had hooked up with Demaryius Thomas all game, and he did it again when it mattered most. It sure was an exhilirating weekend that will be capped off with the National Championship tonight.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Wild Card Weekend

In just a matter of minutes, the Playoffs will begin in Houston. To kick things off, the Bengals and Texans will battle it out. These two teams match up pretty well against each other. It is Andy Dalton's and TJ Yates' first start in the Playoffs. It should be an interesting game. In the NFC, the Lions and Saints will go at it in New Orleans. This is supposed to be a shootout. Whichever defense makes the other team turn the ball over more will win. Tomorrow has two interesting games. The Giants will host the Falcons at the Meadowlands. Matt Ryan is 0-2 in Playoff games. However, Manning is 0-2 at home in the Playoffs. The Giants defense will be the deciding factor in this game. Then there is the Broncos against the Steelers. The Steelers are banged up. Tebow has struggled the last three games. All of them were losses. The Denver offense will have a lot of trouble moving the ball. Here are my predictions for this weekend's games:
Cincinatti 23 v.s. Houston 20
New Orleans 30 v.s. Detroit 24
New York 17 v.s. Atlanta 13
Pittsburgh 30 v.s. Denver 6

Sunday, January 1, 2012

NFC East Showdown

The NFC East is on the line tonight as the Cowboys take on the Giants at the Meadowlands. The winner of this will go on to play the Falcons as the #4 seed. Tony Romo's hand is banged up. The weather could have a big play in this. The Giants need to get to Romo early and put pressure on him. Osi Umenyoria is back in the lineup. None of this matters unless the running game of Big Blue gets going. The Giants have to consistently run the ball. I want to see how the Giants secondary matches up with the Cowboys' Wide Receivers and what changes they have made from the last game. Once again, I think it will come down to the last two minutes. Therefore, it is hard to pick against Manning. In the end, I think the Giants will come out on top. The fans at MetLife Stadium will be riled up for tonight.