Poker, Football, and everything sports

QB:
1. Drew Brees- Head of the most efficient passing offense, nothing will change much in 2010. The best part about him is that he spreads the ball around and uses more pump fakes then even Manning. Brees will likely be a later 1st round pick.

2. Peyton Manning- There's not much more I can say about this guy that hasn't already been said. You can probably still grab Manning in the early 2nd round.

3. Aaron Rodgers- Rodgers was a beast this year and statistically was the top QB this year. The issue with him was always his offensive line, but now that they have figured that out, expect Rodgers to go in the late 2nd round.

4. Tom Brady- Brady didnt miss much of a beat this year after his knee injury. The knock on Brady is his somewhat inconsistent play, but he is still worth a late 2nd round pick.

5. Phillip Rivers- Rivers is an absolute beast, and if completion % was a stat, he'd be at the top. The knock on Rivers is that he doesn't get many touchdowns because the Chargers LOVE LT in the redzone. But he will still be a solid 3rd round pick, and will likely go higher in some drafts.

Sleepers: Matt Ryan- Ryan didn't suffer much of a sophomore slump, which is promising. The Falcons need a better 2nd option for Roddy White, but Ryan will be a solid backup to pick up in the later rounds.

Jay Cutler- I know he was an interception machine this year, but he shows signs of brilliance against Minnesota throwing for 4 TD;s. And remember he was a top 5 fantasy QB with Denver. I think with a year at Chicago under his belt, his stats will shoot up. I still wouldn't pick him up before the 8th round, but he could be a great backup.

Busts: Kurt Warner- Warner had another great year, but he has to show his age eventually right? I'm not saying he will be a bust, but Id be weary of spending a 4th or 5th round pick on him. So proceed with caution.

Matt Hasselbeck- This isn't really news. He sucked this year and won't be getting any better. In case you already weren't run away.

RB:
1. Chris Johnson- The most important thing about CJ is that he gets the 4 to 5 yard carries with ease. He rarely gets stopped behind the line of scrimmage, and is capable of an 80 yard run each time. Earlier this year, he was projected to get 30 points. For a RB, thats unheard of. If you have the #1 pick next year, grab him, because he won't be around for anything else.

2. Adrian Peterson- Peterson showed concerning signs of inconsistency this year, but he's still worthy of the #2 pick in your draft. And get used to this. he'll be around a while.

3. Maurice Jones Drew- Jones Drew is a TD machine, and he gets alot of catches out of the backfield. Were it not for the 2 freaks in front of him, he's a synch #1 overall pick. As it is, grab him with the 3rd pick and beyond.

4. Michael Turner-His ankle injury killed alot of fantasy owners this year. He's very good, but Snelling and Duckett could steal some carries. He's still top 5 worthy though.

5. Frank Gore- This might surprise some, but on my draft board, he's #5. The main issue is the offensive coordinator who loves to pass it for whatever reason. But the kid is a beast and he has mostly solved his fumbling issue. Spring for him if he slips to the 7th or 8th pick.

Sleepers: Jerome Harrison- This also isn't much news considering his emergence. I'm not quite sure where he will be projected to go. I'd still be cautious, and grab him in the 3rd-4th round if he is still available. I wouldn't invest a 2nd rounder in him. We've seen too little.

Ryan Grant. Ryan Grant slipped a bit this year, but he's still a solid #2/#1 with good WR's. I might not spend a 2nd rounder on him, but if he slips to the 3rd, I'd grab him.

Busts: Stephen Jackson- At the end of the year, he sat out because of a back injury. This was likely due to him being tired of carrying this team all year. Unless they make major strides, Defense's will be loading the boxes and holding him down. I wouldn't use my 1st rounder on him, if he manages to slip to the 2nd, I mite grab him.

Cedric Benson I would be pretty surprised if he is able to produce the same success he had this year. Another case of won't be a all out bust, but I wouldn't splurge on a 1st rounder for him. Late 2nd at best for me.

Thomas Jones- Look at Cedric. Be weary of the hype. Late 2nd rounder for me.

WR:

1. Brandon Marshall- I know this might surprise alot, but here me out. 1st off, this is under the assumption that this is a points per reception league. Here is the reasoning for my #1 ranking. He gets the same amount of catches as Wes Welker, and he makes the same number of big plays as Randy Moss. If he slips to the middle of the 2nd round, GET HIM. And thank me later. This of course is now under the assumption that he can work out his issues with Coach McDaniel. Would be a sick waste of talent if they didn't.

2. Andre Johnson- A freak of nature, he's one of the most physically gifted receivers I've ever seen. Another guy who is definitely worthy of an early 2nd round pick and maybe a late 1st rounder. Man I wonder how my team would be if I got Andre and Brandon with my top 2 picks? Mite be worth a gamble.

3. Reggie Wayne- Amazingly, I think he's fairly underrated. And you might be able to snag him in the 3rd round if you are lucky. If he makes it to the 3rd round, get him!

4. Wes Welker- Again, based on PPR league, he will get you at least 13 every game. And with WR's the key thing is consistency. The Wr's who give you 5 points or under will be the ones that kill you. Grab him in the late 2nd early 3rd if you can. You won't regret it.

5. Larry Fitzgerald- After his impeccable playoffs, it was going to be nearly impossible to repeat his success. He did a pretty damn good job though, and he's for sure worth a late 2nd rounder.

Sleepers: Calvin Johnson- Those who owned him this year were pretty frustrated. I would know. But here are the facts. 1. He's so athletic, his nickname is Megatron. 2. Stafford and him were getting quite a repour. 3. He's worth a 3rd rounder. For sure.
Dwayne Bowe- A season of problems for him should mean that he will slip to the 4th or 5th round. I'd gamble on him, mainly because with the emergence of Chris Chambers, he will see less double coverage. Plus, it'll be Cassell's 2nd year.

Panthers Steve Smith- He had a down year, and he might very well leave Carolina, but this guy has blazing speed and is a great route runner. If Delhomme stops throwing it to the other jerseys, he'll have another great year.

Busts: Desean Jackson- I'm torn about Jackson. The main reason I'm putting him here is that I feel like he will be vaulted up to the 2nd or 3rd round where I feel like logically he's a pretty easy receiver to cover. Just cover deep. I won't be spending anything more then a 5th round pick on him personally. I could be wrong, so proceed with your own risk.

Giants Steve Smith- I love my Trojans, but i feel like this year might have been an overachieving year. He had a great first quarter of the year, and for the most part, just a good rest of the year. Definitely worth a 5th rounder, but that might be the highest.

TE:
1. Dallas Clark- I hate this guy. He screwed me over too many times lol. Even as a tight end, he's can't be taken in the top 2 rounds. I'd take him in the middle to late 3rd if no great WR's are left.
2.Antonio Gates- He's a sicko plain and simple and they love to get him the ball in the red zone. Snag him if you can in the mid to late 3rd round.
3. Tony Gonzalez- Tony surprised many including myself by not missing a beat in his new town. He's still a great player who is still worthy of a 4th round pick.
4. Vernon Davis- I'm just a tad skeptical of Davis I want to see another season of production before I'm ready to vault him over the likes of Gates and Gonzalez. But he's still a great player, but I'm not certain I would take him before the 4th round.
5. Jason Witten- He heated up towards the end of the year, which was good and bad for owners like me. But he still grabs a ton of passes and he's still a great guy to go with in your 5th round.

Sleepers: John Carleson- He got a TD a game it seemed in Seattle, and for the Tight End spot, that is great. Look for him to slip t the 7th or 8th round.

Busts: No one to think of.

K: I'm not gonna spend alot of time on kickers but here is my list.
1. Nate Kaeding
2. David Akers
3. Sebastian Janikowski
4. Adam Viniterai
5. Rob Bironias

Sleepers: Matt Prater- Loved what I saw from this guy, and you could prob snag him in the last 5 rounds.

Busts: Garrett Hartley- Showed alot of inconsistency towards the end.
Jason Elam- Getting pretty old, but still solid.

DEF: Same with Defenses.
1. Philadelphia
2. New York Jets
3. Pittsburgh
4. Baltimore
5. San Diego

Sleepers: Chicago- 3 words: Brian Urlacher's comeback.

Busts: Bad teams lol.

So thats it for me. Think I left anyone off the list? Lemme know!

Alot of people are asking...where has the year gone? I'm asking...where did the decade go?! Its been a pretty crazy 10 years. I've gone from an 8th grader to a college grad and its been a wild ride. There have been some amazing sports moments, and I thought it would be fun to recap some of the best moments. I'll give 10 moments, 1 from each year, and give some honorable mentions. What I'm looking for are the moments and video that will be discussed 20 years from now. For example, the Immaculate reception...Kirk Gibson's home run, stuff like that. I'm not sure if we have a moment like that...only time will tell. I've done my best to provide some video to the moments that I deem worthy of remembering in all their glory. Hope you guys enjoy! So here we go.

1. 2000- Super Bowl XXXIV- Kevin Dyson 1 yard short. The NFL hadn't had a "breathtaking" Superbowl in quite some time. But that changed this year when McNair led his Titans on a game tying drive that was stopped 1 yard shot of the endzone. The best Superbowl I had ever seen up to that point, it is an image that will forever be burned into my mind.

Honorable Mention- Tiger Woods win US Open by 15 strokes and wins career slam
Michael Johnson retires after Athens games

2. 2001- Mike Piazza: The Home run of a career- Just 10 days after 9/11, the Golden Boy of the Mets Mike Piazza hits a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 8th with the Mets down 2-1 against the Braves. The Mets win one of the most emotional sports games in the history of sport. You couldn't have written a better story in Hollywood.

Honorable Mention- Luis Gonzalez bloops a single off Mariano Riveria to cap one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Jordan once again returns to the NBA. Ray Bourque finally wins the Stanley Cup, The Death of Dale Earnhardt, Barry Bonds hits 73 home runs(Dam alot happened in 2001 lol)

3. 2002- The Legend of Tom Brady is Born- I've never been a big Tom Brady fan(except this year since he's on my fantasy team) but I sure respect the hell out of the guy. And at the ripe age of 24, he led the Patriots to their first Superbowl in what would end up being arguably the team of the decade in sports. Aside of Brady, it was a pretty sick game. Heavily favored Rams down by 14 in the 4th come back to tie it up, only to have Brady do what is now a familiar site- lead his team to victory.

Honorable Mention- Icegate- the Winter Olympics pairs figure skating cheating scandal. Maryland wins the NCAA title in basketball(memorable for me not so for the nation lol). Pete Sampras wins 2002 US Open then retires. US Soccer teams makes Quarter Finals of World Cup.

4. 2003- Was it Pass Interference?- In what is still to this day one of the most controversial calls in sports history, Miami (FL) gets called for pass interference on 4th down in the first overtime. The Buckeyes go on to win in double overtime, completing one of the most thrilling upsets in College Football history. Also in this game, Willis Mcgahee goes down with a horrific knee injury that to this day is possibly the most gruesome injury I have ever seen(though EJ Henderson is up there now, get better man)

Honorable Mention- Marlins upset the Yankees in the World Series. Carmelo Anthony singlehandedly leads the Orange to the title as a freshman. Andy Roddick defeats Younes El Aynaoui 21-19 in the 5th set in the Australian Open. Moneymaker wins the 2003 WSOP, starting the Poker Boom.

5. 2004- An Impossible Comeback- Now anyone who knows me knows how much I hate baseball. But even I have to admit that this was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Down and out facing a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees, Red Sox fans were already waiting for next year to start. But the team wouldn't quit. David Ortiz has a great game 4 to make it 3-1, and the Red Sox go on to win 7 straight on their way to the series win. Amongst those wins, Curt Schilling's famous Bloody Sock.

Honorable Mention- The US upsets a confident(maybe cocky) Australian team in the 4x200 Freestyle race in the 04 games. Mickelson finally wins his 1st slam. Pistons upset the Laker's "dream team". USC and LSU split the National title, proving that the BCS is a flawed system that eventually led to a playoff in College Football.....oh wait, nevermind.

6. 2005- The greatest athlete ever?- Many will argue that Lance Armstrong is the greatest athlete to ever live, or that he holds the greatest accomplishment in sports history. I was never able to appreciate how incredible it was, but this year he takes his 7th and final straight Tour de France title, completing the greatest individual comeback story in history.

Honorable Mention- Patriots win 2nd straight Superbowl and 3rd in 4 years. The NHL Season is canceled.

7. 2006- The Greatest College Football game of all time?- The Trojans were the perfect team. They could not be beat. They had the last two Heisman trophy winners, and one of the best Offenses ever. Texas was given no shot, but Vince Young changed all that. In what is unquestionably the greatest individual performance in a Championship game, Young capped off the game of a lifetime with a 12 yard run on 4th down to sink the Trojans dream of a 3 peat. I was there, and for my money, it was the greatest sports event I had ever seen. Definitely of the last 20 years.

Honorable Mention- George Mason makes the Final 4 as an 11 seed. USA surprisingly gets 2nd in overall medals at the Olympic games. Maryland beats Duke 77-75 in Overtime to win Women's Basketball title. Zidane gets ejected in last game of career.

8. 2007- The Hook and Ladder- I remember moments after I saw Boise State execute a perfect hook and ladder against Oklahoma, I thought to myself, that was the best play I have ever seen(sadly, it would hold this title for just one year). Boise State came in as the ultimate underdog. They were given zero chance to beat Oklahoma, yet jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead. However Oklahoma caught up, and when they picked off a Jared Zebransky pass with just over a minute to go and returned it for the go ahead TD, all seemed lost. But then, a miracle happened. And then, another on their version of the statue of liberty to win the game and cap one of the most amazing upsets in sports history.

Honorable Mention- Patriots go 16-0 in the regular season. Bonds breaks the career Home Run record. Peyton Manning gets his first ring.

9. 2008- Tie: Giants Beat the Patriots; Michael Phelps becomes a legend- It makes me sick to call this a tie, but in the year that will go down as the best of the decade, and one of the best of all time, I have to do it. In one corner, you have the ultimate David vs Goliath, including the greatest play I have ever seen. Eli Manning dodges 5 Patriots, bootlegs, and heaves a miracle pass on 3rd and 14 to David Tyree,who catches the ball against his helmet. Manning later completes a TD to Burress to beat the undefeated Patriots.

In the other corner, you have the greatest single Olympics performance ever. 8 gold medals, including a win in the 100 meter Butterfly by .01 seconds, and an incredible comeback in the 4x100m to knock off the favored french. Phelps had incredible hype coming into these games, and somehow, he exceeded it. An incredible test of will and athletic talent.

Honorable Mention- Usain Bolt dominates the 100 and 200 meters, shattering the World Record in both. Lions go 0-16. Kansas defeats Memphis in Overtime to win the NCAA title, after Mario Chalmers ties the game with a 3 pointer with 2 seconds to go. Da'Tara upsets Big Brown in his bid for the Triple Crown. Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer 9-7 in the 5th set of Wimbeldon in arguably the greatest tennis match ever. Yeah...2008 kicked ass.

10. 2009- Tiger Woods loves his ho's- I hate to end the list on a sour note, or more importantly, pick an event that happens off the field, but its impossible to say that this isn't the sports story of the year. This squeaky clean perfect man, let alone athlete, has his questionable lifestyle reviled to the world, creating one of the biggest reversals of fandom in recent memory. We will see how bad it truly is next time he steps on the golf course.

Honorable Mention- Santonio Holmes makes an amazing catch to win the Superbowl, spoiling the efforts of Larry Fitzgerald, who arguably had the greatest individual playoffs in NFL history. The Yankees and Lakers both rise back to the top. After losing the best tennis match ever, Federer wins the new best ever, beating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the 5th set of the Wimbeldon final.

There is my recap!! Sorry that its so long, but its been a pretty awesome decade, and I hope you guys enjoyed a trip down memory lane. Here's to 10 more years of incredible sports!

Last week was a very good week for me, going 13-3 bumping up my record to 85-30 on the year. Also, in one of the few bright moments in Vegas this weekend(which reminds me, I should probably post my recap soon lol) I won my 3 team parlay, as the Packers, Texans, and Jets all covered. 15 bucks to win 100! There it is! Ok on to this weeks picks.

1. Indianapolis at Jacksonville- Could be a dangerous game for the Colts, but I think they are completely focused and ready to go 16-0. Colts take this one 30-20.

2. Dallas at New Orleans- The toughest game left on the Saints schedule, the Cowboys notoriously struggle in December. And it will continue here. The saints are the better team and will stay right with the Colts, winning 31-21.

3. New England at Buffalo- The Bills are playing better football, and the Pats haven't looked too good recently. But the two are not close yet, and the Pats get another win. New England wins this one 27-14.

4. Arizona at Detroit- Not sure that I've ever seen such a flip flop in a team then the Cardinals. First they dominate the Vikings, then they turn the ball over 7 times vs the 49ers?! HOping Fitzgerald is ok. If need be, he can sit this one out. The Cards will be good to go here 34-20.

5. Miami at Tennessee- Two teams that are on playoff life support. The Titans are a better team, and at home, they should take this one 30-17.

6. Cleveland vs Kansas City- Earlier this year, I had this date circled on my calender as the decider of who would go winless on the year. Depsite Cleveland's win last week, they still suck, and the Chiefs are the lesser of two evils. Chiefs win 17-13.

7. Houston at St. Louis- Won't waste much time here. Rams suck, and the Texans will be up by 28 at halftime. They win 41-10.

8. Atlanta at New York Jets- This is a toss up for me. Both teams have looked good and bad, but I'm going with the home team here. Jets take a close one 24-21.

9. San Fransisco at Philadelphia- The Eagles win here. The niners looked great last week, but so did the Eagles. And they can't afford a slip up in the NFC East. Eagles win this one 31-23.

10. Chicago at Baltimore- Tough one here as well, but the Ravens are at home and they have looked good recently. And the Bears just aren't that good. Baltimore wins 24-17.

11. Oakland at Denver- Not much to say here either. Raiders aren't good and the Broncos have the playoffs on their minds. They win at home 28-14.

12. Cincinnati at San Diego- Dam rough times for the Bengals. First the Vikes, then the death of Chris Henry(RIP), now the Chargers. San Diego is damn good, and they will take this one. Chargers win 27-21.

13. Green Bay at Pittsburgh- Two weeks ago, this was a synch Steelers win. But they have just looked god awful the past couple weeks, and the Packers have looked pretty good. Green Bay wins this one on the road 21-13.

14. Tampa Bay at Seattle- Two pretty bad teams here. The Bucs looked terrible last week against the Jets, as did the Seahawks against the Texans. Going with the Seahawks at home here 24-13.

15. Minnesota at Carolina- The Vikes got back on track last week, and the Panthers aren't that good. The Vikes win this one 31-17.

16. New York Giants at Washington- I have no idea what to make of the NFC east. Its all a toss up to me. The giants look to be the clear favorites here, but you never know. G men win 27-14.

So in spirit of last week, I want to throw in some spreads I would bet on for a 3 team parlay. Lets see if I can go 2 of 2. Alot of spreads I like. The Colts -3 looks like a steal, and I like the Saints -7.5 against the boys. Lastly, I'm liking the Pats -7 against the bills. Ok gl everyone! Thanks for reading.

Well last week I aimed for a 13-3 week. I ended up at......8-8!! What?!? Yes it looked like for at least one week the NFL was back to its usual anyone can beat anyone standard that it had set for the past several years. Means my record is now 62-27. Oh well I'm over it. Onto this week!

1. Pittsburgh at Cleveland- It is shocking how different a team the Steelers are without Polamalu. With him they beat the Vikings. Without him, they lose to the Raiders and Chiefs! Whats up with that. Even without him, there is no excuse for them or hardly anyone else really, to lose to the Browns this year. Steelers finally get a win here 24-14.

2. New Orleans at Atlanta- Man the Saints made me sweat last week, and if we are being real, they had no business winning that game. How do the Skins blow a 25 yard field goal at the end. Oh well I'll take it. The Saints are far better then the Falcons and should notch another win here, 31-20.

3. Green Bay at Chicago- The Pack are looking very good recently, and the Bears are slipping. It will be very cold in Chicago, but the Packers have no problem playing in the cold. They should get another win which will help them in the competitive NFC Wild Card picture. Pack win 27-13.

4. Denver at Indianapolis- After their 4th straight loss, I was ready to write the Broncos off. However, McDaniel has the guys playing well, and they should make the playoffs. But they aren't playing well enough to beat the Colts. Manning leads his troops to another win 31-23.

5. Buffalo at Kansas City- Not sure what to make of here. Two teams that can look awful or...just sorta bad. I'm gonna give Buffalo the edge here they have better players and a better defense. They win a struggle 17-10.

6. Cincy at Minnesota- I remember thinking after the loss to Arizona Sunday night that I had not seen a score as surprising to me then when the Cards destroyed the Panthers in the playoffs last year. Not sure what happened, but the Vikes are way better then they showed there, and they should show that against the Bengals in what could be the game of the week. Vikes take it here 34-24.

7. Carolina at New England- Man are the Pats falling apart or what. Well luckily for them, they have the Panthers coming into town who have once again slipped off the radar in recent weeks. The pats win this in what could be a close struggle or absolute blowout. I'm gonna go somewhere in the middle and say 24-14.

8. New York Jets at Tampa Bay- Sanchez won't be playing, which hurts the Jets, but not that much, especially against the Bucs, who are thinking about who to draft with their top 3 pick more then they are thinking about their opponents now. Jets take it 27-14.

9. Miami at Jacksonville- Talk about two Jackyll and Hyde teams here. The Fins and Jags have both played like the best and played like the worst this year, so I have no idea who to pick. My gut is saying Jags, so I'm going with them, but I honestly have no idea what to make of this game. Jags win 24-21.

10. Detroit at Baltimore- The Lions have looked better this season then in past, and Stafford and Calvin are developing quite a repour with each other. But the Ravens need this win and they will play like it. They HAVE to get Ed Reed back soon though. they mite be able to squeeze by this game without him, but they need him back asap. Ravens win this one 27-14.

11. Seattle at Houston- Out of nowhere, the Seahawks went from bottom feeders to 5-7, which isn't much but is definitely something. And while the Texans have lost 4 straight, two of those were to the undefeated Colts. I say they get off the losing wagon here in big fashion 31-17.

12. St. Louis at Tennessee- In order to have a shot at the playoffs, the Titans HAVE to win out. This should be an easy stepping stone for them, as like the Bucs, the Rams have their minds on the draft. Titans take it here 23-10.

13. Washington at Oakland- Two teams that have played some pretty good football the past few weeks for their standards. The Skins take it here I think they looked very impressive against the Saints last week, and they should be able to get a win here. Could go either way imo but I got the Skins 24-21.

14. San Diego at Dallas- I feel like the Cowboys loss to the Giants last week mite come back to haunt them. The Chargers are playing arguably the best football in the NFL right now, and I think they will keep that going, and get a big road win here. Chargers win 30-21.

15. Philly at New York Giants- The top 3 teams in the NFC East are so even, I never know who to pick. I just want to flip a coin. But right now, I can say that I think the Eagles are the better team, and despite being on the road, I think the Eagles win this one 27-24.

16. Arizona at San Fran- Alot of people had this date circled on their calendar earlier in the season, but now its just another step in the Cards inevitable NFC West title. Cards are the far better team, and notch a pretty easy win here 31-17.

Ok those are my picks. In other news, I'm going to be in Vegas this week!!! Pretty excited to see some old ATVN buddies. Gonna play poker on Saturday at Caesers, and bet the sports book on Sunday. Gonna go with a 3 spread parlay in the NFL on Sunday. Basically I bet on 3 different spreads and if I win all 3, I get a huge return of investment.

So right now I'm thinking of taking the Jets at -3 over the Bucs, the Packers at -3 over the Bears, and the Texans at -6.5 over the Seahawks. This could change based on the spread changes on sunday, but I'll post updates on the major vegas events at my twitter tayke2 so you can check out my progress there. I'll post a full recap on Monday. Thanks for reading guys.

The most prestigious individual award in college football and arguably in all of sports will be handed out Saturday, and its about as wide open as it has been in years. Now historically, I have picked the Heisman wrong in recent years (Fitzgerald over White, Johnson over Palmer, Peterson over Leinart) so I apologize in advance to the guy I pick. So here's my breakdown of the 5 candidates.

5. Tim Tebow- More of a courtesy invite here I think. His stats this year haven't been as great as years past, and he did not play well in his final SEC game. A great career coming to an end.

4. Colt McCoy- This mite come as a surprise to many, but statistically and realistically, it makes sense. Many people will vote for McCoy for a "career" Heisman or they will see it fitting that Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy all hold Heismans. But here are the facts. McCoy is 6th in passing yards, 8th in TDs, 3rd in Comp %, and 18th in overall rating. Great Stats for anyone's standards. But for McCoy's standards coming in this year, he could have done better. Also consider the schedule for McCoy, with games against Wyoming, Louisiana Monroe, UTEP, and UCF. But more then anything, here is why McCoy doesn't deserve the Heisman this year. In his last game, and the biggest game of his career against Nebraska, he looked awful. MORE importantly, he was completely outplayed by one of the other candidates Suh. You cannot convince me that after that big a game, McCoy deserves the trophy over a guy who dominated him just last week.

3. Mark Ingram- For my money, I think he will win the trophy. But I'm not sure it is deserved. Statistically, Gerhart has outrun him throughout the season. For anyone who argues that he had a tougher schedule then gerhart, consider that he has played Florida International, North Texas, and Chattanoga. The non conference opponents for Gerhart were Wake Forest, San Jose St., and Notre Dame. For my money, its difficult for me to give Ingram the award when he is not even the best running back in contention.

2. Ndamukong Suh- He could not have asked for a better game to come into this Heisman ceremony. As it was, Suh had one of the best defensive games I've ever seen. Had Nebraska been able to complete the incredible upset, it would have arguably gone down as the great individual defensive game in College History. He singlehandedly shut down one of the best offenses in football, and in doing so, got himself a shit ton of money come the NFL draft in June.

1. Toby Gerhart- He leads the nation in all statical categories. So if you are basing it on Most Outstanding player, you have to go with him. Without him, Stanford goes through its usual 3-9 season. So if you are basing it on most Valuable player, he wins. Without him, they do not destroy USC. So if you are basing it on playing well in big games, you have to go with him. No matter how I look at it, Gerhart gets my vote every time.

Those are my thoughts. What do you guys think? Will McCoy take the career heisman? Will Suh become the 2nd defensive player to win? Let me know. Thanks for reading.

Ok so I've picked a few games that I feel I can comment on with some level of expertise. If I didn't pick a game, its cause I didn't know enough about the teams involved. But here are the main ones I picked out.

Las Vegas Bowl- #14 BYU vs #18 Oregon State- One of the best matchups in all of the bowls is happening very early as these two top 20 teams are colliding. 2 different but similar stories here. BYU started off on fire beating Oklahoma before losing to Florida State ending their shot at a title game early, while Oregon State caught fire at the end only to fall just short to Oregon. I think OSU takes this one just too much speed on the field. Beavers win 34-24.

Poinsetta Bowl- #23 Utah vs Cal- I have no idea what to make of Cal. The ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team, they have looked bad more often then good. And while I think Utah is a bit overrated, I think they come out ready to knock off a big school, and do 28-20.

Car Care Bowl- #17 Pitt vs UNC- Wow Pitt must be disappointed here. They were one stop from the Sugar Bowl. Now they play in the Car Care Bowl. UNC another team that has looked like a top 10 team one week and a bottom 10 team another. I think Pitt doesn't get out of their funk, and UNC comes out and gets the upset 27-17.

Emerald Bowl- #24USC vs BC- Ahh my Trojans. How far they have fallen. Still no idea how they are ranked they definitely haven't been playing like a top 25 team this year. The good news though is that BC didn't beat any top ACC teams, only getting wins from the bottom feeders. And Carroll will have his troops ready to make a "small" statement here and get a win to end this forgettable season. 27-10.

Independence- Georgia vs A&M- Another toss up for me. A&M looked very impressive against Texas a couple of weeks ago. And Georgia looked bad most of the year but came up big knocking off Ga Tech a couple weeks ago. Hmm...I'm going with Georgia but this a true toss up for me. 24-21.

Champ Sports- #15 Miami vs #25 Wisconsin- Two opposite teams here in style. Wisconsin grinds it out plays tough low scoring football, while Miami wants to go fast and furious and get in shootouts. Something has to give, and its going to be the Badgers. One of the things that the BCS has proven is that the Big 10 can't keep up with the speed of some of the other power schools. And Miami has alot of speed. I don’t think this one stays very close. Hurricanes win this one 35-14.

Holiday- #20 Arizona vs #22 Nebraska- The Wildcats proved to me against Oregon and USC that they were alot better then I thought they were. Nebraska proved to me that they can hang with Texas and deservedly beat them. Wow this game could be really good. I'm gonna go with the Wildcats. I think they can put up 17-20 points, and Nebraska can't score much at all. Wildcats win this one 20-14.

Sun- #21 Stanford vs Oklahoma- This one could be a great game. Oklahoma looked dead in the water before destroying Oklahoma State, and Stanford showed how good they were when they beat USC and Oregon back to back. I think Stanford pulls this one out, and Toby Gerhart makes his last gasp at a deserved yet unlikely Heisman trophy.

Chick Fil A- #18 Virginia Tech vs Tennessee- I'm not really sure how Tennessee found their way into this game since their only good win was against South Carolina, but it will be fun to see another SEC team go down. Tech is the far superior team, and should win with ease 31-13.

Gator- #16 West Virginia vs FSU-Another case of Idk how you got into this bowl for FSU. And another case of a bad team getting whooped by a far superior team here. Mountaineers roll over the Seminoles 30-17.

Capitol 1- #12 LSU vs #13 Penn State- This one could be very interesting. Neither team has a quality win all year(the most quality was LSU beating a now unranked Georgia team). So you are dealing with teams that have "quality losses" and no quality wins. Both are overrated and not that good, but I'm going with LSU here simply because the SEC is tougher then the Big 10. Tigers win an ugly one 17-13.

Rose- #7 Oregon vs #8 Ohio State- I'm stoked for this one. Should be an offensive juggernaut. I like the Ducks here, again because of the fact that Ohio State has had trouble dealing with fast teams in the past. The Ducks will run up a ton of points, and the Buckeyes won't have enough to hand with them. Ducks hold the Pac-10's stranglehold of the Rose Bowl with a 34-24 win.

Sugar- #3 Cincy vs #5 Florida- Another very interesting matchup. The Bearcats come in with everything to play for as a win over Florida mite, though very unlikely, get them a #1 spot in the AP poll. Florida will come in disappointed from the SEC title game, but Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer won't let this team lose focus. Gators chomp the Bearcats 31-23.

Fiesta Bowl- #4 TCU vs #6 Boise State- I really didn't want this matchup to happen. I wanted for both of them to play big programs like Florida and Iowa, but that wont be happening. As is, I think TCU is the better team here. Outside of Oregon, Boise has played no one all year, and TCU dominated BYU and Utah in late season play. The Horned frogs stag undefeated, knocking off Boise 37-30.

Orange- #9 Georgia Tech vs #10 Iowa- This one won't be too close I don't think. In case you haven't noticed already, I don't think the Big 10 schools can stay with the speed of most. And Ga Tech with their option offense is about as fast as they come. The Yellow jackets sting the vastly overrated Hawkeyes 30-14.

BCS Title- #1 Alabama vs #2 Texas- The big one here. Should be exciting after the 1st Qtr once teams shake off the rust of having a month off. They should really play the final in the middle of December when both teams are still loose but thats a different side note. Bama is the better team here. They will be studying nonstop tape of the Nebraska game to see how to shut down the Longhorns. As much as I don't like him, I think Saban gets his second Crystal ball here. Bama wins it all 27-17.


Those are my thoughts. Agree disagree? Want me to break down anotehr game? Leave comments and I'd be happy to. Thanks for reading.

One of the greatest things about the Playoffs in sports is you win or you go home. Leave it all on the line. No guts no glory. Whatever cliche you can think of applies. This is so for fantasy as well. Going into Monday night last week with a 33 point lead, all I needed was a win to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Well one Brady goose-egg and one Brees ass kicking later, and I'm now fighting for my playoff life. 7 teams are in, and I'm in 8th with a 4-8 record. My Aunt is 3-9, and unfortunately for me, we are playing each other. You might ask why I say unfortunately if I'm playing a 3-9 team. Its simple. Gloria needed me to lose and her to win. I just needed a win. If we weren't playing, there would be 2 different ways for me to clinch: 1. me winning 2. Gloria losing. Because we are playing, I now only have one option. To win. And while she needed two things to go her way, she only needs one: a win. All in all, its a playoff week. A good start for me tonight with the Jets defense outscoring one of her running backs, Fred Jackson, by 5 points. But a long way to go. Lets get into it.

Carson Palmer vs Det- After riding Brady all year, I'm benching him in my biggest game of the week. Not bitterness from last week. Its simply a great matchup for me against the Lions. Need a big game from my fellow Trojan.

Wes Welker at Mia- Had a disappointing 7 points last week. Need double digits from him this week, and he should against a weak secondary.

Chris Chambers vs Den- Has been killing it so far with the Chiefs. One of my other options, Braylon Edwards, got a TD tonite, so hoping he can outscore him.

Calvin Johnson at Cin- Not the best matchup, but you gotta ride your big dogs, especially in the Playoffs.

LaDainian Tomlinson at Cle- Should be a fantastic matchup this defense sucks and Turner loves to give LT the ball in the redzone.

Cedric Benson vs Det- Any bad feelings I have towards him for getting hurt the week I traded for him and giving me 2 points in 3 weeks will be gone if he exploits this great matchup. My fear is if they jump out to a big lead, they will get LJ in there early, but I can't pass on this matchup.

Kellen Winslow at Car- Winslow is a favorite target of Freeman and I'm loving it. Should get alot of good opportunities against this D.

Billy Cundiff at GB- Has seen alot of the field in two weeks since the Ravens signed him. Hoping for more of the same this week.

New York vs Buffalo- 11 points tonite. Any time your Defense gets you double digits, its a great day.

Gloria(3-9)

Vince Young at Ind- Not usually a fantasy stud, but this offense is on fire and the Colts have the tendency to get into shootouts.

Larry Fitzgerald vs Min- The strength of Gloria's team are her WR's, and he's the leader. I'm hoping Leinart starts here, because Fitz and Warner always get TD's.

Chad Ochocinco vs Det- Another reason I'm going with Palmer, Ochocinco's impact will be minimized by it. Just hoping for now big plays for him, as big yards is where he can breakout against Palmer.

Miles Austin at NYG- He'll get 2 points or 20. Hoping that Romo looks elsewhere this week.

DeAngelo Williams vs TB- Definitely the guy I'm most worried about. He's torn up the Bucs in recent games, and he might do the same this week. If he gets under 20, I'll be happy.

Fred Jackson vs NYJ- Only got 6.5 tonite thats huge.

Tony Gonzalez vs Phi- Ugh. Shes got alot of scary names on her roster. Tony is a beast, but Roddy White will probably steal his big plays.

Ryan Longwell at Ari- Probably going to get some looks against a porous D.

Denver at KC- A Chambers TD to start the game would be so clutch as it would be a 12 point swing.

ATVN league is done for me, though I am playing last place Bryan, so I mite get myself a win there. As always, I'll be tweeting updates at tayke2 on twitter. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading.

Before last week, I thought that this was getting too easy. In the past, I would have gladly taken an 11-5 record on picks in one week, because the NFL is that diverse. But not this year, where I'm expecting a 12-4 record if not better. Last week was a big reality check, though still a successful week by most standards at 10-6. Especially since I'm not counting the spread, I feel like I should be getting 12-13 every week. Here's hoping I can right the ship. My record since I started is now at 54-19. Going for 13-3 this week!

1. New York Jets at Buffalo- This game looks alot less unsure after the Bills handled a good Dolphins team last week. Fred Jackson is emerging in Buffalo, and TO has finally woken up. But the Jets are the better team here. I'm going with the Jets in what will be a tight one 21-17.

2. Philadelphia at Atlanta- What has happened to the Falcons? They were looking like locks for the playoffs going into their Monday night game against the Saints a month ago. But since that loss, they have lost to the Panthers and barely beat the Bucs last week. Philly needs this win to stay tough in the NFC east, and they will get it on the road in probably less then convincing fashion. 24-21.

3. St Louis at Chicago- Two teams that aren't very good matching up here. The Rams are fighting for only one thing now and that is the #1 pick. The Bears take this one in a non shoot out 17-10.

4. Detroit at Cincy- When I post my Fantasy Matchups later today, you will realize how big a game this is for me. The Bengals are far superior here, and they need to show they can beat the lesser teams of the league(cough Raiders cough). Here's hoping they run it up against a Lions teams that allowed 37 points to the Browns!!! Bengal trounce the Lions 44-21.

5. Tennessee at Indianapolis- What looked like it would be a cakewalk 5 weeks ago is now looking like a huge matchup. The Titans have little room to falter if they want to make the playoffs, and while they are on fire, the Colts are on a different level. Colts win this one 31-23.

6. Denver at Kansas City- I really want to pull the trigger on an upset here. The Broncos beat a Giants team that isn't very good last week to show they are once again for real. Except that they aren't. And the Chiefs are showing promise on the Offensive side with Chambers, but still have no D. Denver wins a surprisingly close one here 24-20.

7. New England at Miami- Two teams that got embarrassed last week. But at least the Pats were embarrassed by the League's best team. The Pats will start their surge for the playoffs with a win here 28-17.

8. Oakland at Pittsburgh- Dennis Dixon played very well in his season debut, though he will have to work on his zone reads to be a good QB in the NFL. He looked lost in the last couple drives when the Ravens threw zone at him. Regardless of who is QB, the Steelers should take this one. They win 27-10.

9. New Orleans at Washington- A complete mismatch here. The Saints have shown that they can struggle against the lesser teams this year(Rams, Panthers). But they shouldn't here. Brees gets some rest in the 4th qtr as the Saints win big 37-13.

10. Tampa Bay at Carolina- My first "upset pick". There's not many teams that can beat the Panthers and have it be considered an upset, but the Bucs are it. I am loving Josh Freeman at QB. This looks like a different team. A win over the Packers, a near win over the Falcons. And its hard to believe that Delhomme's backup can lay any worse then Delhomme has shown this year, but he just mite. Bucs win this one on the road 21-13.

11. Houston at Jacksonville- The Texans had me looking like Nostradamus for a quarter and a half last week when they were up 17-0. But then Peyton showed up, and the rest is Colts history. But the Texans are very solid, and the Jags looked awful last week against San Fran. Texans win in what yahoo has as an upset but I don't 31-21.

12. San Diego at Cleveland- This one will be over at halftime. The Chargers will put up 28+ in the first half and rest their guys. The Browns are no where near san Diego's league. Chargers win this one 38-10.

13. Dallas at New York Giants- This could be the game of the week, or it could be an absolute snoozer. Thats how good and bad both teams have looked this year. Something is up in New York they aren't clicking or something so I'm going with the Cowboys on the road here. They win either 13-10 or 31-30 lol.

14. San Francisco at Seattle- Both teams coming off wins, but the 49ers win was much more impressive. Both offenses will do well here, so this one comes down to the defenses. And the 49ers D is better then the Seahawks D. Niners take it 28-24.

15. Minnesota at Arizona- This game might lose a bit of its luster if Leinart starts. Sorry Trojan fans he will have his time but Warner gives the Cards the best chance to win. Not sure how yahoo pick em has the Vikes as an underdog here, but I think they take this one because the Vikes D can contain the Cards O, but the Cards D(or hardly anyone for that matter) can contain the Vikes O. Vikes win again 34-23.

16. Baltimore at Green Bay- Going with another "upset" here and picking the Ravens. The Ravens got a tough win against Pittsburgh last week, and while Aaron Rodgers is a machine, I think he will make a couple costly mistakes against this defense. The Ravens win what could be a surprising thriller 27-24.

Think I can reach my 13-3 mark? It will be tough alot of potential coin flips out there. Leave comments if you agree or disagree! Thanks for reading.

Sorry its a couple days late this week I've been really busy with work and school. Last week went well and I picked the Pittsburgh upset vs West Virginia. I've definitely missed a couple upsets, namely those involving SC, but I'm proud to say that every upset that I've predicted(Iowa vs Northwestern, LSU vs. Ole Miss, and Pitt vs. WVU) has come true. Now without further ado, my picks for this week.

1. Florida- Easy breeze over FSU to set up what is in my mind the National Championship. The top two teams in the nation facing off at the height of their games. Should be a great one.
up next: vs. Alabama- This one is a true toss up. I'm going to give the slight edge to Alabama, simply because I've felt like overall they have played better throughout the year. And they will have a chip on their shoulder from last year. Still will be a fantastic game, and should be an instant classic. Bama wins this one 20-17.

2. Alabama- Same as Florida. Flying high and playing well. Man I'm excited for this matchup.
Up next: vs Florida- See above. Bama wins a thriller 20-17.

3. Texas- As I predicted, A&M gave them all they could handle last week, but the longhorns prevailed. That was their toughest game left imo.
Up next: vs. Nebraska- By names, this is a classic matchup, By teams, its not close. Longhorns take it by 2-3 TDs here. 42-21/

4. TCU- TCU has done everything they can to get to the title game. All thats left to do is be a Nebraska fan on Saturday. Sadly, I don't think its going to happen, but I will be rooting just as hard for Nebraska cause I'd love to see a small school get their shot.

5. Cincy- Their matchup against Pitt lost alittle luster with Pitt's loss, but still should be a great game. Tony Pike is healthy and looking good, and the Bearcats are the best team in the Big East by far.
Up next: at Pitt- Going on the road makes this game even tougher, but the Bearcats want to show they deserve a shot over TCU if Texas were to fall. They get a convincing win here 31-17.

6. Boise State- As has been the case all year, they have dominated everyone who has been thrown at them. Now they just await their fate and see which Big school they will get a crack at.

7. Oregon- Back in the top 10 after the Stanford loss. This is the best team in the Pac 10 adn they will have a chance to show that on Saturday against in state rival Oregon State.
Up next: Oregon State Should be a great game, but I think the Ducks win what should be another Oregon Shootout. 42-37.

8. Ohio State- Can't beleive their season is over so soon. All they have to do now is watch the Oregon Oregon St game to see who they will be playing next.

9. Iowa- This ranking shocks me. The Hawkeyes have done absolutely nothing at all this year to prove that they belong anywhere near the top 10. Their best win was agaisnt a weak Penn State team, adn they lost AT HOME to a bad Northwestern team. If they get an at large bid and play either TCU or Boise St., they will lose by 2 touchdowns.

10. Georgia Tech- Laid an egg in their big rivalry game. Now I'm not so certain they are the best team in the ACC.
Up next: vs Clemson- My guess is many of the players were looking ahead to this game. They won't want to be embarassed again, and they will come out on national TV and mkae a statement. They win 31-20.

Those are my picks guys. Got Bama in an "upset". What do you guys think. Leave comments if you would like. Thanks for reading. NFL picks and Fantasy matchups coming tomorrow.