NFL Sunday

After an incredible night of college football on Saturday, it is now time for the professionals to take center stage. For myself and most of America, football is the focus of the entire Sunday during the fall, and as Thanksgiving approaches, the games contain more and more importance. There are many different story-lines entering the week; backup quarterbacks are starting in what seems like every other game, the most notable being for the Steelers, Eagles and Bears. A rookie out of Arizona, Nick Foles, takes over for the struggling Eagles, while a couple of veterans, Byron Leftwich and Jason Campbell, start for the Steelers and Bears respectively. However, the biggest story is the late afternoon matchup in Foxboro, between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. The rivalry could be renewed after taking a year off last year with no Peyton Manning. 

This year the Colts have a new quarterback in Andrew Luck, and have rode him to their current 6-3 record. While Indianapolis has been rejuvenated by their rookie quarterback, the Patriots have had a quiet year thus far. Currently sitting at 6-3, and atop the AFC East, the Patriots have struggled at times this season on defense, and even offensively in the 4th quarter. Despite this, it does seem like the team is prime for a second half run going towards the playoffs. The Patriots have ended the past two regular seasons on eight game winning streaks. Currently on a three game winning streak, New England seems to be ready to get rolling offensively. 

The real intriguing aspect to this game is the showdown between the two starting quarterbacks: rookie Andrew Luck and perennial MVP candidate Tom Brady. One is veteran who has won three Super Bowls, and two MVP awards, while the other is a rookie standout, who is trying to help rebuild the Colts franchise. While the two are both great quarterbacks, there is also such a contrast between the two. One was drafted late in the sixth round, while the other was just recently selected number one overall. One went to the University of Michigan, while the other was on the west coast studying at Stanford. Despite all that, the two have both produced similar numbers this season, in terms of yards. Luck has thrown for 2631 yards, and Brady is just ahead of him at 2645 yards, but there is a difference in other statistics. Brady has thrown 18 touchdown passes with a 100.1 passer rating, while Luck has only thrown ten touchdown passes and has a 79.1 passer rating. 

Brady and the Patriots do have the edge heading into this game at home, but if the Colts can come into Foxboro and pull off the upset, one could really start talking Luck for MVP. 

Fantasy Football: A Cruel Game

In football, like any sport, one roots for their home team, and always roots against its rivals. This is something very simple about sports, that most people have a grasp on. I, however, have had some trouble lately, because of fantasy football. I am in a league with ten other friends, and most everyone is into it. So, when I'm watching games I find myself getting mad at players I love.

One example comes from a couple of weeks ago, when I was watching the Patriots and Jets. I hate the Jets, and I have no one on that team so it was easy to root against them, but the trouble came with a player on the Patriots: Rob Gronkowski. Gronk. Who doesn't like this guy. He is one of the best tight ends in the league, and set multiple records for a tight end receiving last year, trust me, he was on my team. This year I do not own him, my opponent did. To make it even worse my quarterback is Tom Brady. So when Brady threw to Gronk not once, but twice for a touchdown, I had mixed feelings. At first I was happy the Patriots scored, then ecstatic that Brady threw a touchdown, then brought back to reality when I realized it was to Gronkowski. The worst part about all of this was that I ended up losing that week, and I don't think I can ever forgive Gronk. 

I guess the point here is that I'm an idiot. I really should not get that into fantasy football that I am rooting against players on my favorite team. But the reality is that I am, so I mine as well keep enjoying it.

2012-13 NBA Predictions

The NBA season is upon us, and it is already off to an exciting first week. So exciting, in fact, that I forgot to give you my season predictions for how this year will turn out. First off I want to start by saying that James Harden will not average 40 points per game, win the MVP, and lead the Rockets to the NBA Finals. I'm sorry to disappoint any die-hard Houston fans. I also believe that the Thunder, Lakers, and Celtics will all finish with records above .500, which their current records do not reflect. So, now I will begin to predict how I think both the Eastern and Western Conference standings will look like at the end of the regular season. 

Eastern Conference:

1. Miami Heat

2. Boston Celtics

3. New York Knicks

4. Indiana Pacers

5. Brooklyn Nets

6. Philadelphia 76ers

7. Chicago Bulls

8. Atlanta Hawks

Well I am definitely not alone with my prediction that the Miami Heat will finish with the best record in the east. I think the Heat are the clear favorites to repeat heading into this season, and with the additions of shooters in Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, they should end up with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. My second seed is Boston, and I really don't think that they will have a slow regular season like they have in the past couple of years. I believe that the youth the team has gained will help them win some more games during the regular season. I also think that Rajon Rondo will make a run at the MVP, due to an increase in scoring. Now, my three through six seeds could really finish anywhere, there is no clear best team out of those four. I think the Knicks will finish at three just because they have Carmelo Anthony, who thrived along with the  rest of the team under Mike Woodson late last year. I love the point guard tandem of Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd, and the Knicks have great scoring off the bench in J.R. Smith and Steve Novak. The Pacers are number four for me, because they have a very deep roster for the third year in a row, and now have the experience of making a decent playoff run last year. Now I have the Nets over the Sixers because of the injury to Andrew Bynum. He will miss a little time, and I do like Brooklyn. Both teams should be pretty even throughout the season, however, and it will entertaining to watch Joe Johnson and Deron Williams play together. The Bulls will make  the playoffs and finish above the Hawks, because of the return of Derrick Rose at some point this season. The Bulls also, as they displayed last year, have enough on their squad to win a lot of games in the Eastern Conference. I pick the Hawks to squeeze in ahead of the Bucks, simply because I think they have a better all-around roster. The backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis will be great to watch though. 

Western Conference:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

2. San Antonio Spurs

3. Los Angeles Lakers

4. Los Angeles Clippers

5. Denver Nuggets

6. Memphis Grizzlies

7. Dallas Mavericks

8. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Thunder are my number one seed, because of the combination of youth and experience they have, as well as the greatness of Kevin Durant. Durant should make another run at both the scoring title, and the MVP, while the addition of Kevin Martin will serve as a nice complementary piece to the roster. The loss of James Harden will not stand out as far as I'm concerned, because of the return this season of backup point guard Eric Maynor. The Spurs will finish ahead of the Lakers in the regular season, because the Lakers will take some time to mesh. As we have already seen in the first week, the health of the older Lakers is a legitimate concern. Even though the injury to Steve Nash is not a significant one, it is something to keep an eye on as the season goes on. As far as four through six, the Clippers will finish ahead due to another MVP-type season from Chris Paul. They have also replaced players like Mo Williams, Nick Young, and Reggie Evans with better players in Jamaal Crawford, Grant Hill, Ryan Hollins, and the return of Chauncey Billups. The Nuggets and Grizzlies could finish flipped, but I think the addition of Andre Iguodala will be enough to grab the five seed. The Mavs will get the seven seed ahead of the Timberwolves. I picked the Timberwolves, because I think the return of Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, as wells as the additions of Brandon Roy and Andre Kirilenko will be enough to sneak into the playoffs. 

Playoff Predictions:

First Round-

(1) Miami Heat v. (8) Atlanta Hawks 

Heat win 4-1

(2) Boston Celtics v. (7) Chicago Bulls

Celtics win 4-3

(3) New York Knicks v. (6) Philadelphia 76ers

Knicks win 4-2

(4) Indiana Pacers v. (5) Brooklyn Nets

Pacers win 4-2

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

Thunder win 4-1

(2) San Antonio Spurs v. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Spurs win 4-1

(3) Los Angeles Lakers v. (6) Memphis Grizzlies

Lakers win 4-2

(4) Los Angeles Clippers v. (5) Denver Nuggets

Clippers win 4-3

Conference Semi-Finals-

(1) Miami Heat v. (4) Indiana Pacers

Heat win 4-3

(2) Boston Celtics v. (3) New York Knicks

Celtics win 4-2

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v. (4) Los Angeles Clippers

Thunder win 4-2

(2) San Antonio Spurs v. (3) Lakers

Lakers win 4-2

Conference Finals-

(1) Miami Heat v. (2) Boston Celtics

Celtics win 4-2

() Oklahoma City Thunder v. (3) Los Angeles Lakers

Thunder win 4-2

NBA Finals-

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v. (2) Boston Celtics

Celtics win 4-3

Yes thats right, I don't have either the Heat or Lakers in the Finals. I think that the Pacers will give the Heat a great series and then the Celtics will beat the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics improved perimeter play, along with a stronger Rajon Rondo will knock off Miami. I believe the Lakers will lose to the Thunder, because of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Although the Lakers big men Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol will have strong series, and Kobe will be Kobe, Durant and Westbrook will dominate their respective matchups. Especially Westbrook, because no one on the Lakers can guard him, unless they put Kobe on him, which will hurt his offense. In the Finals, I think it will go back and forth. Rondo will have a great series, while either Garnett or Bass will knock down jumpers all day over Kendrick Perkins. Of course this could, and likely will, not happen and everyone else will have picked the right finals of the Lakers and the Heat. But, I truly believe that there is a strong possibility of the season playing out as I have predicted, we'll see.