World Series Game 1 and NFL Fantasy Picks

When Roger Clemens signed with the Astros, he made it clear that his only reason for continuing his career was to bring his home town a championship. Well Roger, here's your chance. Making his eight World Series start tonight, the Rocket will face off against the White Sox's Jose Contreras. No baseball player prepares himself better than Roger. Tonight's game will be played in the windy city where temperature will drop to the low 50s. That is quite a different from playing in the 90 degree heat of Houston. "I don't really care," Clemens said. "I think the only time that I have a problem on the mound or on the golf course is when there's too much wind. I can handle the hot and the extreme heat, and I don't mind if it's freezing cold -- just have to keep your body ready. "

I wonder if the Yankees are kicking themselves in the rear for letting Jose Contreras go. If he was going to ever play in a World Series, it was supposed to be for the Yankees. Never did Cashman think Jose would carry the White Sox this far. But that is what Contreras was brought to the Big Leagues for. For Contreras to win tonight he doesn't need to shutout the Astros, he just needs to keep it close. Clemens does not have the stellar postseason ERA that he had during the regular season. The White Sox will put up runs on him, and it will be Jose's responsibility to keep the game close.

The Astros will need to force Contreras out of the game early and get to the White Sox bullpen. Their bullpen has virtually no pitching practice in weeks. They will be too rested. Roger's job should be to allow only two runs in six innings. Then the Astros can bring in Qualls, Wheeler, and Lidge to help close the game. Prediction Astros 5, White Sox 3. (come on, did you really think I would pick the Sox's to win?)

Time to get in some NFL Fantasy picks for the week. Sure we already had one game, and if you had Priest then you should be off to a nice start heading into tomorrow's games.

QB- Brunell has been the hot hand lately, and this week he's going against the 49ers. He should put up some nice numbers (assuming they don't get too far ahead).

RB- Clinton Portis is my pick here. No I'm not going to pick all Redskins. If Washington gets up early, they will pound the ball.

WR- Brandon Jones could put up big numbers. With Bennett out, Volek will have no other WR option to throw to.

TE- Ernie Conwell is playing the Rams this week. They have given up 150+ yards and 2 tds to TEs in the past 3 weeks. He's got the match-up. Play him.

K- Lindell is kicking against an Oakland team that might put up a lot of points. If this turns into a high scoring affair, Buffalo will be kicking field goals.

DEF- Chicago is quietly putting up solid numbers for a defense. They are playing the Ravens so expect two interceptions and some sacks.

Texas Tech vs Texas, NFL Friday Night, Superdome

Two undefeated team, both 6-0 and 3-0 in the Big 12 south. Number 2 ranked Texas will take on number 10 ranked Texas Tech in a battle that will prove who the most dominant team in Texas is. The Red Raiders are leading the Big 12 in almost every offensive category, while the Longhorns are leading the Big 12 in almost all defensive categories.

The Longhorns are led by Heisman hopeful Vince Young who is a threat from the air and on the ground. Texas has the edge over the last six meetings, winning five of them. Hodges, the quarterback for Texas Tech, does have almost double the offensive passing stats of Vince Young with a 71.6% completion rate, 2461 yards and 22 tds. There's no question the Red Raiders love to pass the ball, but will they be able to against a tough Texas secondary?

I'm going to pick Texas Tech to win this game. Not because their offense is so good, not because they are an underdog, but because I can't picture Texas going undefeated. They have to lose at least one game, and why not lose to Texas Tech. A huge Big 12 match-up that should light up the scoreboard. Texas Tech 35, Texas 31.

Are you ready for some football ?!? A real Friday Night Party !!! Wait.. what? A friday night party? That's right. Due to hurricane Wilma threatening the Florida coast, the NFL has decided to move the Kansas City vs Miami game up to tonight. They NFL really had no other options because both teams already had their bye weeks. What a way to start off the weekend, four straight days of quality primetime football. I have to pick Kansas City to win this game. Miami's defense gets a lot of hype but I'm not buying it. Priest Holmes will run wild and look for Trent Green to finally get it going in the air. Both teams will be playing on short rest, but I'm predicting a relatively high scoring game. Something in the 30s to something in the 20s.

From CBS Sportsline.com

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Superdome officials say the stadium should be largely cleaned up from Hurricane Katrina and ready for the New Orleans Saints to play at least some of their games there in 2006.

The announcement Thursday came as San Antonio officials said they were working Saints owner Tom Benson to keep the team in Texas. The state must also respond to the team's assertions that its state-owned practice facility has been rendered unusable by damages caused by federal agencies in the weeks following the Aug. 29 storm.

The Superdome, severely damaged by high winds, should have a temporary roof in place within 10 days, said Doug Thornton, regional vice president for SMG, which manages the stadium. An environmental assessment of its interior -- damaged by rainfall through holes in the roof and its use as a shelter for evacuees -- should be finished by Dec. 1, he said.

"We're working to make the Dome ready for the next season," Thornton said at a meeting of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District Commission, the state board that oversees the Superdome.

Well, it looks like the Saints owner wants to keep the team in New Orleans rather than exploring the options of moving them to San Antonio or L.A. I'm not sure if this is a good thing for the NFL or not. The Saints desperately need a new stadium, not a dinged up 1960s dome with a temporary roof.

Well, that's all the time I have for today. It's Saturday tomorrow but I should still be able to post. Look for a post on the World Series preview and some NFL Fantasy predictions.

The World Series, Baseball News, and Teddy Bruschi

Last night will forever be remembered as one of the greatest sports moment I have ever seen. The Astros 5-1 victory over the Cardinals is a significant moment in my life. Ever since I was a young boy playing little league, I looked up to certain Astros. From legendary players such as Nolan Ryan and Mike Scott to the faces of the franchise Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. I have collected Astros memorabilia, cards, autographs, hats, you name it.. I have it.

Never has an organization wanted something more than the Astros wanted a World Series appearance. The NLCS Championship win last night is the greatest accomplishment in the history of the Houston Astros. I have followed the Astros my whole life. Being born in Houston comes with a certain pride, and part of that pride is a love of the Astros. No matter how many times they suffered first round playoff losses, we have come back the next season ready to compete. The Astros are one of baseball's top 5 winningest franchises in the last decade. It is an amazing feeling to watch a team who has struggled for so long in the playoffs to achieve their goals, to be given an opportunity to go down in baseball history. The Astros are 4 wins away from the World Series Championship. Something they have never experienced. There is something special about this season. Clemens looking to give his hometown a championship, Biggio and Bagwell looking to play in their first World Series, and so much more.

The White Sox are the toughest competition the Astros could have faced. They have pitching that rivals Houston's and an offense that is slightly more potent. If the Astros can dominate defensively like they have, I honestly feel like they will win it all. If watching Houston win a NLCS could make me feel so good, I can't imagine what a World Series championship will do. Yankees and Cardinal fans are spoiled by all their rings. It will be exciting to watch a World Series with teams who haven't been in over 44 years. All I can say is thank you for giving it your all and good luck in the World Series.

In other baseball news, Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone has decided to leave Atlanta and join the Baltimore Orioles organization. This is a huge blow for Atlanta and an amazing pickup for Baltimore. Leo Mazzone can be given credit for creating one of the most dominating pitching teams in the last 15 years. He helped create guys like Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine. He turns average pitchers into studs. "From 1992 through this season, the Braves ranked first or second in the NL in ERA in every year but two." ( from espn.com) The Braves will miss him. 2006 could be the first time in like 14 years the Braves don't win the NL East.

What can be said about Teddy Bruschi? The man suffered a stroke, and is back on the practice field with the New England Patriots. It's not unheard of for strokes to actually kill people, and Bruschi is ready to play football. The doctors cleared him to play, but I am still hesitant to say he can return to form. Do linebackers get gun-shy? They are the ones doing the hitting, but you can't help but wonder if he remembering the stroke will cross his mind while on the field. "I have no type of reservations," Bruschi said Wednesday before practice. "I think I've done ... everything that I had to do to make sure that my confidence level is high for when I need to stick my face in there. I'm going to stick it in and I'm going to stick it in hard." Bruschi is a class act, a model NFL player, and in some ways a hero. Could his return be the inspiration the Patriots need to get back on track? Even if he doesn't play for 8 more weeks, his leadership in the locker room and on the sideline might propel this team back to their winning ways.

The picture is copyright of ESPN 2005.

NFL Power Poll Week 7

Well, it's Wednesday and my week 7 Power Polls are posted. Enjoy the new rankings. Some of the biggest jumps are the Falcons and Ravens. Biggest drops are Steelers and Patriots


1. Indianapolis Colts 6-0. The only unbeaten team. They just keep pounding away
2. Denver Broncos 5-1. Broncos are one of the most balanced teams in the NFL.
3. Tampa Bay Bucs 5-1. Tampa lost Griese, but their bye is coming at the perfect time.
4. Cincinatti Bengals 5-1. They keep beating bad teams. Here come the Steelers
5. Jacksonville Jaguars 4-2. A solid defensive effort. Nice record going into the bye.
6. Atlanta Falcons 4-2. Warrick Dunn is quietly having an amazing season.
7. Dallas Cowboys 4-2. I like their new spread offense. Bledsoe still has a cannon for an arm.
8. Philadelphia Eagles 3-2. McNabb's hurting and McDougal is done, but the NFC is still awful.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2. Big Ben is coming back to revive this team.
10. Seattle Seahawks 4-2. Alexander blew up again in prime time. Sign him long term now !
11. Carolina Panthers 4-2. Delhomme went down, but Weinke stepped up for the win.
12. San Diego Chargers 3-3. Tomlinson threw for another td. This guy is the best.
13. New England Patriots 3-3. Injuries are killing them for once. Whats wrong?
14. Washington Redskins 3-2. Brunell keeps airing it out, and they play SF this week.
15. New York Giants 3-2. If they want to win, they've got to give the ball to Tiki.
16. Kansas City Chiefs 3-2. Priest got it going finally.
17. Buffalo Bills 3-3. They are finally starting to click with Holcomb at the helm.
18. St. Louis Rams 2-4. Bulger is hurt, but will likely play next week.
19. Detroit Lions 2-3. When will Harrington be benched? Is it soon?
20. Miami Dolphins 2-3. Dolphins got wrecked in a Sunshine State matchup
21. Cleveland Browns 2-3. What can you say about the Browns? Bring out the brown bags
22. Baltimore Ravens 2-3. Give the ball to Taylor please. Lewis just isn't right.
23. Chicago Bears 2-3. A solid defensive effort and another good game by Thomas Jones.
24. New York Jets 2-4. Curtis Martin exploded, but it wasn't enough
25. Tennessee Titans 2-4. they lost Bennett for an extended period of time. Down they go.
26. New Orleans Saints 2-4. Antwain Smith showed up, but the rest of the Saints didn't
27. Oakland Raiders 1-4. Randy Moss got hurt, this spells trouble of the Raiders.
28. Green Bay Packers 1-4. Coming off a bye week the Packers will be ready to win.
29. Arizona Cardinals 1-4. Let's see how well they do after thier bye.
30. San Francisco 49ers 1-4. Did anyone expect them to be any higher?
31. Minnesota Vikings 1-4. No Moss = no playoffs. 1-4 in the worst NFL division. That's bad
32. Houston Texans 0-5. Year after year the Texans continue to suck. Win #1 isn't coming soon.

NFL News, Yankees, NLCS Game 6

Just before the NFL Trade deadline yesterday, The Tampa Bay Bucs offered a draft pick for former SF 49ers quarterback Tim Rattay. When I first saw this, I immediately pictured Rattay being the starter (in reality he will be thier number 3). Thank God I forgot the Bucs had Chris Simms. If you didn't know, Tampa has lost QB Brian Griese for the rest of the year with an ACL injury (atleast I think it was his ACL). I'm not sure Simms is the type of quarterback a 5-1 Bucs team can turn to. He has limited playing experience and hasn't shown much of anything when given the opportunity. The Bucs were already a run first team, and they may be forced to run the ball even more. Hopefully Cadillac will be healthy enough to go come week 8 (Tampa is on bye this week).

In other NFL news, Big Ben Roethlisberger will start this weekend vs the Bengals. He will not be 100%, but the Steelers have no choice. Maddox looked horrendous last week vs the Jags. This looks like a must win game for the Steelers who have fallen a game and a half behind the Bengals. Am I the only one that thinks the Bengals are pretenders. Their schedule has been a joke so far, except when they played the Jags (and lost). Palmer is an awesome QB, but I still think the Bengals are a year away from making a serious push in the playoffs.

QB Marc Bulger's status still remains unknown, however, I think he will play. Martin didn't look all that bad (he was playing against the number 1 defense in the NFL), but Martin is not the type of QB that can lead the Rams to victory. The Rams should consider themselves lucky that they play in the NFC where any team still has a chance. The NFC is a joke compared to the AFC.

In baseball news, Yankees Manager Joe Torre will return next season. Yankee fans should be jumping up and down in the streets. Without Torre, they would not have won the division, and would not have made the playoffs. When the Yankees were looking awful, it was Torre that helped turn them around. His resume speaks for itself. "It makes me feel very good. It really does," Steinbrenner said. "He's a good man. I like him. I understand him. I understand what he's after. I'm very happy to have him." Way to go George! I think every team in the Majors would be very happy to him him too.

The Naitonal League Championship Series Game 6 is on tonight. The Astros have another shot to win with Roy Oswalt on the mound. Oswalt (if you can't tell by now) is my favorite Astro. In my opinion, he is the best pitcher in all of baseball. If you watched game 2 and watch tonight, you will see what I mean. If the Astros have any shot of making it to the World Series, it will happen tonight. If Oswalt can't win the game and the cardinals force a game 7, then goodbye Astros. What's that you say? Roger Clemens will take the mound in a possible game 7? That does sound pretty good, but you know what, the Astros had Clemens on the mound in game 7 last year and they still lost. It has to get rapped up tonight. The Cardinals are too good at home to lose two games in a row at home. It won't happen. Tonight is the night.

Ditka, Baseball, NFL

Folks this is a special day. It only comes around once a year. I'd like to take this moment to wish Coach Ditka a very happy birthday. In honor of what Coach Ditka did for da Bears, specifically in 1986, I want to post an excerpt from a Superfans skit from Saturday Night live.

"Alright, we're talking here, live from Ditka's, in the heart of Chicago, Illinois. The city of big shoulders, and home, of course, to a certain football team, which has carved out a special place in the pantheon of professional football greats. That team, which is known the world over, as.. Da Bears! "

"As for my prediction.. at game's end, uh.. there will be two teams of contrasting moods heading off da field, my friends. One gloom, one gleeful. The gleeful, of which be.. Da Bears! It's too easy, now the real question...Now, did God create Da Bears, and make them superior to all teams? Or is he simply a huge fan, and Ditka made them superior to all other teams? "

Thank you Ditka for all the great memories you have giving us football fans. Happy Birthday big guy.

Now on to other sport news. The NLCS, which should have been over last night. There's a reason Brad Lidge is nicknamed "Light's out". He's supposed to come in the 9th and be "Light's out". For the first two outs he was. Then that annoying pest Eckstein came up to plate and fought Lidge off for a single to left field. Then everything unravled from here. Edmonds walks, and here comes Albert "I'm really 34 years old because I am huge and balding" Pujols. Anyone who thinks this guy is really 26 or 27 years old is kidding themselves. All Astros fans could feel it in their hearts. Lidge was rattled. You could just feel Pujols was going to punish them. And of course he hits a 3 run shot to win the game.

Sure the Astros had a shot to tie up up in the bottom of the 9th, but with Vizcaino and company up to bat, it was a a done deal. Should Astros fans still feel confident? Last year we went to St. Louis up 3-2 and lost in game 7 with Roger on the mound. This series looks like it will come down to the same thing. A game 7 with Roger on the mound. Roy is an amazing pitcher and will likely only give up 2 runs, but with the Astros pathetic offense, 2 runs will probably win it.

The Colts won again in blowout fashion. Of course, losing Bulger for 3 quarters didn't help the Rams. Jamie Martin threw 3 picks to help solidify the Colts victory. All reports are showing Bulger's xrays are negative and he should be ready to go next week. Steven Jackson had an awesome game last night, as did Edgerrin James. James is a free agent next year and would be foolish to leave Indy. Likewise, Indy would be foolish to let Edge go. He is the foundation of that offense, not Manning and not Harrison. The Colts are a very tough team right now the way their defense is playing. Manning no longer needs to throw for 300 yards and 4 tds. This team looks like a championship team. If they get homefield advantage, they could go very deep into the playoffs. And with the Superbowl being played on turf in Detroit, this could be their year (jinx).

St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros

The Houston Astros take on the St. Louis Cardinals tonight for the chance to win their first National League Championship. Andy Pettitte will be on the mound for the Astros. He will be facing potential Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter. Carpenter got the best of Pettitte in Game 1, but that was in St. Louis. The Astros have one of the best home records in the MLB, and I would imagine they are playing tonight with the roof closed. I believe the Astros are something like 48-17 with the roof closed this year. The Cards won't be able to handle the noise.

Tonight my boys can bring it together. They can accomplish what no other Astros have ever done before. If they win tonight, I promise no matter how many times Vizcaino grounds into a double play, I won't complain. This is a special team. Imagine what could have ben accomplished all those years had Jimy Williams not been the manager. But those days are over. I suspect the Astros management will give Garner a nice fat contract after this season is over.

I am asking, no I am begging the Astros to please come away with a win tonight. Put into our hearts what so many other teams have felt. Biggio and Bagwell deserve this. They are border line hall of famers right now, but with a win tonight and a possible World Series win, the names Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell will be enshrined next to the greatest players of all time.

This picture is copyrighted by www.photofile.com

Major League Baseball, Wie, NFL, NCAA

Before the season started, it was the Chicago Cubs that were being predicted to go deep into the playoffs. After all, their pitching is the best in the league right? Wrong. The cubs will have to wait another year for their shot at baseball glory. It is, however, another Chi-town team that has made it to the World Series. The White Sox have pulled it off. Their first appearance since 1959, and a shot at their first title since 1917. We ended World War I, had a depression, entered and finished World War II, went through an Elvis period, Hippy movement, Disco dance fever, the invention of TV, computers, and the internet. So much has happened since the White Sox have won a World Series. It seems like it was only 12 years ago when Kevin Costner heard the words "If you build it, they will come". The infamous black sox scandal will probably be brought up 20 times during the World Series. Maybe the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson can help the White Sox similar to the way Christopher Lloyd helped the Angels in Angels in the Outfield.

I can't write my daily blog post without mentioning the Astros. I don't know what I will do to fill up space once baseball season is over. The Astros pitching once again dominated the Cardinals. I was very impressed. Our offense is still struggling, but with this year being and AL World Series, the Astros will get to add another bat to their lineup. Another killer bee perhaps? Can Bagwell DH all game? Am I getting ahead of myself? With a win tonight the Astros will make the World Series for the first time ever. I know it's a little sad. It has taken them quite a long time. But I feel the magic in the air.

You might want to mark this post down, because you won't likely see this happen again. Yah that's right. I'm going to talk about Michelle Wie two posts in a row! I know, I know. I promised not to write about women sports. I hope this doesn't turn you away from reading my future posts. I just wanted to quickly mention Michelle Wie's disqualification. Wie tried to cheat by dropping her ball a foot closer to the pin. With all the cameras on her, did she really think no one would notice. What's wrong Wie? Can't win an event on your own talent? You have to cheat? This girl is like 6' tall and can drive over 300 yards. Has anyone checked her for steroids? You learned a valuable lesson in your first event as a pro. Don't cheat.

Well Sunday has come and gone and with the exception of tonight's game, all my free time this week will be spent looking forward to next week's games. There were a couple stories to note. Pittsburgh got it handed to them by the Jaguars Defense. Sure Big Ben wasn't playing, but neither was Fred Taylor. Mathis stepped up huge to end the game on an interception returned for a td. I hope Chad Johnson was watching. If you didn't know who Mathis was last week, I'm sure you do now. In other NFL news, New England lost again. Thank goodness they playing in a bad division. They still are the favorites to win their division. Tomlinson and Alexander proved why they are the top 2 running backs in the league. It's a wash if you try to pick one over the other. Alexander blew up on prime time TV and would have ended up with 180 yards and 5 tds if they didn't pull him with like 12 minutes to go. And Tomlinson keeps getting tds. What is it now, like 18 games in a row? I wouldn't be surprised if he went all season with a td in every game. I'll take this post as another opportunity to bash the Texans. Please go 0-16. Even if they do end up with the 1st overall pick, what will they do? Carr doesn't seem to the be problem in Houston. Would they take Lienhart? Or would they trade down and increase their number of picks?

Gators lost. Noles lost. Notre Dame lost. What are the odds that for two years in a row the SEC has an undefeated team on the outside looking in? Auburn last year, and possibly Georgia this year. Florida has a bye week coming up, but there's no way they will be prepared enough for what Georgia will bring to the table in Jacksonville. USC won't lose. They are a lock for another spot in the championship game. Both Texas and Virginia Tech will need to lose in order for Georgia to get a shot. Could this be another reason why college football needs a playoff format? I'll wrap this post up with the AP's College Football top 25. I grabbed this list from ESPN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex

NCAA Football AP Top 25 Ranking.

1. USC (57) 6-0 1,617
2. Texas (8) 6-0 1,566
3. Virginia Tech 6-0 1,495
4. Georgia 6-0 1,426
5. Alabama 6-0 1,306
6. Miami 5-1 1,278
7. LSU 4-1 1,201
8. UCLA 6-0 1,085
9. Notre Dame 4-2 1,020
10. Texas Tech 6-0 1,007
11. Florida State 5-1 1,003
12. Penn State 6-1 854
13. Boston College 6-1 809
14. Ohio State 4-2 798
15. Oregon 6-1 665
16. Auburn 5-1 644
17. Tennessee 3-2 581
18. Florida 5-2 575
19. Wisconsin 6-1 549
20. West Virginia 6-1 379
21. TCU 6-1 249
22. Michigan State 4-2 223
23. Virginia 4-2 161
24. Fresno State 4-1 100
25. California 5-2 89