Football Picks

Happy Thanksgiving weekend. I attended my first Celtics game of the 2008-09 season. The energy and intensity is still there but I still think they need a veteran forward to round out their bench if they want to repeat. Some other quick-hit thoughts from last night:

• I feel bad for forward Brian Scalabrine. I don't think the autistic high school kid from a few years ago got as much love from the crowd as Scal. It's no his fault he signed a big contract, just let him play.
• I was impressed by Philly's rookie big man Marreese Speights (12 points, 6 rebounds, and a lot of energy in 15 minutes) up until he was ejected for a cheap shot on Scal at the end of the game.
• I was not impressed with the chemistry between Philly's top three players: Elton Brand, Andre Miller, and Andre Iguodala. For all the preseason hype on the 76ers, this is a dysfunctional team.
• Doc Rivers is doing a tremendous job of limiting the minutes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Resting his stars now will pay off big in May and June.

All picks are against the spread and home team is in capitals.

NCAA

BOSTON COLLEGE (-6.5) over Maryland

OKLAHOMA STATE (+7.5) over Oklahoma

Georgia Tech (+7.5) over GEORGIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (-32) over Notre Dame

Oregon (+3) over OREGON STATE

Last Week: 2 - 3

Season: 26 - 33 - 1

NFL

Tennessee (-11) over DETROIT

DALLAS (-12.5) over Seattle

Arizona (+3) over PHILADELPHIA

Denver (+7.5) over NY JETS

BUFFALO (-6.5) over San Francisco

New Orleans (+4) over TAMPA BAY

GREEN BAY (-3) over Carolina

WASHINGTON (+3.5) over NY Giants

Miami (-8) over ST. LOUIS

Baltomore (-7) over CINCINNATI

CLEVELAND (+5) over Indianapolis

Atlanta (+4.5) over SAN DIEGO

PATRIOTS (-1) over Pittsburgh

OAKLAND (-3) over Kansas City

MINNESOTA (-3) over Chicago

HOUSTON (-3) over Jacksonville

Last Week: 12 - 4

Season: 91 - 79 - 7

(I bet Tennessee, Dallas, and Arizona on Thursday.)

Red Sox Rumors

Every reporter in Boston seems to believe the Red Sox are the leading candidate to sign free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira... Junichi Tazawa, a prized Japanese pitcher who has turned down a chance to star in Japan's professional league in order to come to America, is expected to sign with the Red Sox... I have read the A.J. Burnett rumors and I hope they are false. Burnett just doesn't come across as a consistent 30-start/20-win guy... The conflicting reports on Jason Varitek's situation lead me to believe the Sox might move on without their captain in 2009... With or without Varitek in '09, I would like to see the Red Sox acquire Rangers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. A combination of Saltalamacchia and the "Dirt Dog" mentality would have a certain old Faneuil Hall stomping ground printing off t-shirts... No word if the Sox have begun contract talks with Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester or Kevin Youkilis...

Random Thoughts (November 25, 2008)

The offensive output isn't quite there yet but his presence on the ice as a threat to score and to throw fists makes Milan Lucic look like a young Cam Neely. As an 18-year-old rookie with the Vancouver Canuks in 1983-84, Neely scored 16 goals and tallied 31 points. As a 19-year-old rookie with the B's in 2007-08, Lucic scored 8 goals and tallied 27 points. Both players are big (Neely went 6-1/220, Lucic checks in at 6-3/230) physical players who handle the puck far better than they should considering their size. Like Neely, Lucic is capable of a "Gordie Howe" hat-trick on any given night. Hopefully Lucic will reach Neely's level as a goal scorer (#8 reached the 50 goal level three times in his career) sooner than later... Matt Cassel is making life in New England very enjoyable this fall but I would still hesitate to throw millions his way this spring when he becomes a free agent because you have to take into account that he throws the ball to Randy Moss and Wes Welker. This is not Tom Brady in 2001 utilizing Troy Brown and David Patten. Cassel is throwing to a Hall of Famer on one side and the Pats' all-time single season receptions leader on the other. Cassel is making the throws but any minor mistakes he makes are being cleaned up by two Pro Bowlers. Now, if the Detroit Lions (Calvin Johnson at receiver, rookie Kevin Smith at running back) or Minnesota Vikings (Adrian Peterson at running back, Bernard Berrian and Sydney Rice at receiver) want Cassel, they have the nucleus of offensive players in place to make Cassel's transition go smoothly. Both of those teams should also have a head coaching vacancy, which could easily be filled by Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels. On the other hand, if the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, or St. Louis Rams decide they want Cassel under center, they might want to upgrade their receivers and running backs to give him a chance... Adam "Pacman" Jones should have been banned from the NFL for his actions as a Tennessee Titan. Instead he was given a second chance and started the season with the Dallas Cowboys. With the Cowboys, Jones broke the NFL's conduct policy and received a 6-game suspension. That transgression was not enough to keep him out of professional football either; he rejoined the Cowboys for practice this week and can return to the lineup for their December 7 game at Pittsburgh. I hope my employer gives me so many chances if I decide to start a brawl in a strip club, repeatedly get into fistfights when I'm drunk and cause havoc simply because I'm good at what i do... Enjoy LeBron in Madison Square tonight...

Football Picks

A quick batch of Random Thoughts before getting to this weeks picks... Harvard and Yale will meet for the 125th time tomorrow at noon at Harvard Stadium. If you plan on going, make sure to get to the Bus Stop early... Impressive win for the Celtics last night. The early reviews for the Allen Iverson-Pistons marriage are not great... BC is two wins away from returning to the ACC Championship Game. They are at Wake Forest tomorrow and then they play host to Maryland next week. If Jeff Jagodzinski finds a way to get BC to the championship game and then into a BCS Bowl Game (the Orange Bowl) he should be a serious candidate for National Coach of the Year... The Boston papers are making it seem as if Mark Teixeira is already a member of the Red Sox. I hope they aren't just getting our hopes up before the Yankees or Angels swoop in and sign the slugging first baseman... After 35 years of craziness and championships, George Steinbrenner officially stepped down as owner of the Yankees yesterday, handing control over to his son Hal. As much of a Yankee hater as I am, I will miss George. He was great for baseball -- he made every team step up and be on their game in order to compete with his millions -- and made the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry into one of the best in all of sports... The Herald truck made it today! Of course, I was running a little late myself so let's not throw the guy a party just yet... All picks are against the spread and home team is in capitals. NCAA Boston College (+2) over WAKE FOREST VANDERBILT (-3) over Tennessee Texas Tech (+7) over OKLAHOMA Michigan State (+14.5) over PENN STATE Oregon State (+2.5) over ARIZONA Last Week: 4 - 1 Season: 24 - 30 - 1 NFL Pittsburgh (-9.5) over CINCINNATI CLEVELAND (-3) over Houston Buffalo (-3) over KANSAS CITY NY Jets (+5.5) over TENNESSEE Patriots (-1) over MIAMI DALLAS (-10) over San Francisco Tampa Bay (-8) over DETROIT BALTIMORE (-1) over Philadelphia Chicago (-8) over ST. LOUIS Minnesota (+2.5) over JACKSONVILLE ATLANTA (-1) over Carolina DENVER (-9) over Oakland SEATTLE (+3.5) over Washington ARIZONA (+3) over NY Giants SAN DIEGO (-2.5) over Indianapolis NEW ORLEANS (-2.5) over Green Bay Last Week: 8 - 8 Season: 79 - 75 - 7

Random Thoughts (November 20, 2008)

The Yankees have one more reason to drop millions upon millions of dollars on CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe, and/or A.J. Burnett now that Mike Mussina has retired (an announcement is expected today). "Moose" has called it quits just a month before he turns 40. He hangs it up after 18 seasons split up between the Orioles and Yankees. He won 270 career games, had a lifetime ERA of 3.68, and was selected to five All-Star Games (all with the Orioles). Mussina will be a probable Hall of Fame candidate. He was one of the top pitchers of his era although in my opinion, he is behind Curt Schilling and John Smoltz on the waiting list for enshrinement in Cooperstown. Mussina was a 20-game winner just one time, an accomplishment he reached on what was the final start of his career for a third place Yankee team. He never won a Cy Young. He never won a World Series. Pitching in a time period that saw the likes of Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Schilling, Smoltz, and Andy Petitte among others, Mussina does not stand out. Yes, he was a very good pitcher for a long period of time but he was never dominant and he never carried his team to a World Series. To me, a pitcher must win at least one Cy Young or be an integral part of at least one championship team to be considered worthy of the Hall of Fame. I also disagree with Sports Illustrated's John Donovan on Mussina. There is no way Mussina lived up to the money he earned in the Bronx. He had a 5-7 record in the postseason and the Yankees, despite their lack of a soul, have to be given credit for measuring success by World Series championships. Mussina didn't get the job done in October. His team never won a ring. It's that simple. Mussina was a very good pitcher on some very good teams for a long period of time but his lack of a Cy Young and a World Series ring should keep him out of Cooperstown for a very long time... Pittsburgh (-9.5) over CINCINNATI Quentin Richardson doesn't like the Celtics. The Knicks forward wants to face the Celtics with no referees to show the C's how tough he and his teammates really are. What a joke! Richardson couldn't even keep Brandy in check and I'm supposed to believe he could handle Kevin Garnett or Tony Allen? Puh-leeze. He, like the entire Knicks organizations (save Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh), is a clown, a phony, a true idiot. His 6-9, 270-pound teammate Zach Randolph had a chance to open up on Leon Powe during their game on Tuesday but all he did was bump chests with Powe before waiting to be separated by an official. D'Antoni and Walsh need to find a way to rid the Knicks of the likes of Richardson, Randolph, and Stephon Marbury before they can even think about being taken serious by the defending champs or anyone else in the NBA... I hope the Red Sox rumored interest in A.J. Burnett is strictly to drive up the price on the Yankees. We already have one J.D. Drew, we don't need another. Of course, if the Sox do give the free agent pitcher the cash, expect me to sing the praises of a Josh Beckett-Jon Lester-Burnett-Daisuke Matsuzaka-Tim Wakefield starting rotation and a Jonathan Papelbon-Justin Masterson-Hideki Okajima-Ramon Ramirez-Manny Delcarmen-Javier Lopez bullpen. I like the sound of that already... Congrats to the BC hoop team for advancing to the semifinals of the Preseason NIT tournament. They will have their hands full with a Purdue team that plays outstanding defense... Enjoy KG tonight...

Coco Traded?

A sports radio station in Kansas City has reported the Red Sox have traded center fielder Coco Crisp to the Royals in exchange for 27-year-old pitcher Ramon Ramirez. WHB 810 co-owner and former Royals outfielder Brian McRae first reported the trade. Recently hired Royals senior advisor Mike Arbuckle refused to confirm the report on the air during an interview. If the deal does go down, the Red Sox are losing a very solid player who provided them great depth the last two seasons but would be adding a potentially very good arm for their bullpen. For the Royals in 2008, Ramirez tossed 71.2 innings in 71 appearances. He struck out 70, walked 31, and posted an ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.23. He throws in the mid-90s and is reported to have a good curveball and split-fingered fastball. Ramirez would give the Red Sox depth in the bullpen, possibly allowing them to put Justin Masterson back into the starting rotation in 2009. Losing Crisp would force Theo Epstein to find a fourth outfielder. *** UPDATE *** This trade has been finalized. Coco Crisp is now with the Royals. Thanks for the great defense and for that great at-bat in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the ALCS -- if the Red Sox had gone on to defeat the Rays and win the World Series, that at-bat would have joined Dave Roberts' steal against the Yankees, Josh Beckett's performance in Game 5 against the Indians, and any number of David Ortiz' hits as great Red Sox postseason moments.

Pedroia Takes A.L. MVP

Congratulations to Dustin Pedroia for winning the 2008 American League MVP. Pedroia beat out twins first baseman Justin Morneau and his teammate Kevin Youkilis to become the first member of the Red Sox to win the award since Mo Vaughn in 1995.

Pedroia joins Nellie Fox as the only A.L. second basemen to win the MVP.

The MVP caps off two amazing seasons to start Pedroia's career. The 2004 second round pick out of Arizona State has overcome his small physical stature and a small army of doubters to rise to the top of his profession.

As a rookie in 2007, Pedroia started off slowly but got hot in May and played a key role in the Red Sox winning the World Series on his way to winning the A.L. Rookie of the Year.

In 2008, Pedroia avoided the "sophomore slump" and announced himself as a true force at the plate and in the field. He was voted to start the All-Star Game, he won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards and now he has been named the MVP.

With such an amazing start to his career, Pedroia has set the bar high for his future. However, succeeding when he is doubted is something that Pedroia seems to thrive upon. I have no doubt that he will continue to improve and be a big part of the Red Sox success over the next decade.

Random Thoughts (November 18, 2008)

Yesterday was a sad day for college basketball. Legendary basketball coach Pete Newell passed away at the age of 93. Newell is one of the all-time great coaches in basketball history. He is one of three coaches to win an NCAA Championship (California, 1959), an NIT Championship (San Francisco, 1949), and an Olympic Gold Medal (USA, 1960). (Quick trivia question: Name the other two coaches. Answer at the bottom of this post.) Newell was named the National Coach of the Year in 1960 after leading California back to the championship game (where they lost to John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, Bobby Knight and Ohio State). He then abruptly retired, at age 44. After retiring from the bench, Newell stayed in basketball as the general manager of the Rockets and Lakers and as a personnel man and scout for the Warriors and Cavaliers. Newell is probably best known for his annual "Big Man" camps where he taught the fundamentals and nuances of post play to a variety of college and professional big men, including Bill Walton and Shaquille O'Neal. A 1979 inductee to the Basketball Hall of Fame, Newell will be missed... Baseball's free agency period has started and we are all awaiting to see what the Red Sox will do. Here is a quick breakdown of some rumors and thoughts circulating around the Yawkey Way Boys:

• Mark Teixeira would be a great fit in Boston. He can hit, he can play the field, he plays hard. The only problem is what to do with Mike Lowell because if the Sox sign Teixeira, they will be forced to move Kevin Youkilis to third base. Lowell is coming off hip surgery and is owed $24 million through 2010 so it will be hard to move him before he proves he is 100% healthy. That would make spring training very interesting but the Red Sox are never afraid to risk a little controversy when the rewards are so potentially high.
• There is talk about the Red Sox unloading Julio Lugo on the Tigers for either Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson in one of those "You take my problem and I'll take yours" trades. I would personally prefer Willis, in spite of his recent struggles, because he has proved to be a Cy Young-caliber pitcher and I think that John Farrell can return him to form. Also, I always enjoy this type of trade when my team gets pitching. You can never have enough pitching.
• The rumored initial asking price for the young catchers in Texas is way too high. The Rangers reportedly want either Clay Buchholz or Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden in return for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. At that price, I'm not interested
• I really hope greed doesn't get in the way of Jason Varitek staying in Boston. 'Tek should be here for two more years at around $8 million a season. He can lead the pitching staff, tutor whatever young catcher the Sox bring in this winter, win a championship or two, and retire as a member of the Red Sox.

The A.L. MVP will be announced today. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are leading candidates to take home the trophy. If either win, they would be the first Red Sox player since Mo Vaughn in 1995 to be the MVP.

I think Pedroia will win the award but I also think Youkilis is the best candidate...

The Bruins keep on rolling...

The C's will have to find a way to beat the lowly Knicks tonight without the services of Kevin Garnett, who was suspended for one game for his altercation with Andrew Bogut of the Bucks on Saturday. It's hard enough for the C's to win with their lack of a bench...

North Carolina hosts Kentucky tonight in college basketball. Even though Kentucky looks to be down again (they are coming off a loss to Virginia Military Institute at Rupp Arena) this is a matchup of two of the great college basketball powers...

Trivia: Bobby Knight won the NCAA three times (1976, 1981, 1987) the NIT once (1979) and the Gold Medal once (1984). Dean Smith won the NCAA twice (1982, 1993), the NIT once (1971), and the Gold Medal once (1976)...

Enjoy Rajon Rondo tonight...

Random Thoughts (November 17, 2008)

It's a shame that the Tennessee Titans are basically being overlooked by the national media, in spite of their 10-0 start. The Titans are not an exciting team when the have the ball, unlike other recent teams (Patriots, Colts) that have been unbeaten this late in the season. They are coached by one of the most underestimated head guys of this era, Jeff Fisher, they play great defense and their offense doesn't make many mistakes. Imagine a Super Bowl between an unbeaten Titans team and the Giants... Now that Greg Robinson has been officially fired, it's time for the decision makers at Syracuse to get on the phone with Oregon offensive coordinator Chip Kelley... ESPN will broadcast the Memphis-UMass game tonight. Both teams run the revolutionary "Dribble Drive Motion" offense which has basketball coaches all over the country at every level drooling, myself included. Memphis coach (and former UMass coach) John Calipari went to the source of the "DDM" a few years ago, Vance Walberg. Walberg, a successful high school and junior college coach in California, provided Coach Cal with a spread offense that is based on dribble penetration and spacing. Calipari's former UMass point guard and Memphis assistant, Derek Kellogg, is now the head man at his alma mater and has hired Walberg, who had a failed run as head coach at Pepperdine, to install the "DDM." For lovers of offense, it should be a good game to watch. It will also mark the national debut at UMass for former Newton North star Anthony Gurley, who sat out last year after transferring out of Wake Forest. For Memphis, keep an eye on freshman guard Tyreke Evans... Even with president-elect Obama talking about college football needing a playoff, the guys on the field should be able to decide the representatives for the BCS National Championship game on their own. This Saturday, Texas Tech will travel to Oklahoma, with the winner getting a bid to the Big 12 Championship game. If Texas Tech wins out, they will be 13-0 and a perfect fit for the championship game. A 12-1 Oklahoma team would be a great fit as well. In two weeks, Alabama and Florida will meet for the SEC Championship. If Alabama wins out, they too will be 13-0 and a perfect fit for the championship game. Florida, if they win out, would finish 12-1 and would also be a great fit. This is not a perfect system -- ask any USC, Texas, or Penn State fan what they think about the lack of a playoff -- but it's the best we have for now. At least the top teams have a chance to (sort of) control their own destiny... Enjoy Brady Quinn tonight...

Football Picks

I'm not happy with the outcome of last night's Patriots-Jets game (how does Mike Vrabel allow Dustin Keller to get a free release off the line on 3rd-and-15?) but there were some positives that came from the 34-31 OT defeat. The first is Matt Cassel. The kid has taken his fair share of criticism but even his biggest detractors have to admit that he has improved immensely. He passed for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 62 yards. Cassel also looked, dare I say, Brady-like in leading a last minute drive to tie the game. The pass to Moss that tied the game was one not many quarterbacks currently in the NFL could have made. Secondly, rookie linebackers Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton are playing great football. We all have noticed the progression of Mayo (20 tackles) this year and he is a leading candidate for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. His ability gives me the chills, he plays low to the ground, is always around the ball, and he delivers hits that leave a lasting memory of pain that stay with the ball carrier. The ceiling for this kid is Ray Lewis. Guyton, one of my personal favorites in training camp (how does a 6'4, 240 linebacker who runs 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and who played in a major college football conference -- ACC -- not get drafted) played 23 of the 77 defensive snaps last night. His stats are not as impressive as Mayo's (2 tackles) and he was a part of the kickoff team that allowed Leon Washington a touchdown but he did recover a crucial fumble in the second half and was effective in pass coverage on Washington. This kid will be an impact player sooner than later. The Pats trail the Jets by a game in the AFC East and their remaining schedule (at Miami, Pittsburgh, at Seattle, at Oakland, Arizona, at Buffalo) is no cake walk but I still like their chances to win the division and make some noise in the AFC playoffs. Herald guy bricked again. Picks are against the spread, home team in capitals. NCAA FLORIDA (-22.5) over South Carolina Texas (-13) over KANSAS Southern California (-23) over STANFORD ALABAMA (-21.5) over Mississippi State Boston College (+6.5) over FLORIDA STATE Last Week: 3 - 2 Season: 20 - 29 - 1 NFL PATRIOTS (-3) over NY Jets Arizona (-3) over SEATTLE ATLANTA (-6.5) over Denver CAROLINA (-14) over Detroit WASHINGTON (+1.5) over Dallas Chicago (+3.5) over GREEN BAY Houston (+8) over INDIANAPOLIS MIAMI (-10.5) over Oakland New Orleans (-5.5) over KANSAS CITY NY GIANTS (-7) over Baltimore CINCINNATI (+9) over Philadelphia PITTSBURGH (-5) over San Diego SAN FRANCISCO (-6.5) over St. Louis Minnesota (+4) over TAMPA BAY Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE BUFFALO (-5) over Cleveland Last Week: 9 - 4 Season: 71 - 67 - 7

Random Thoughts (November 13, 2008)

New York Jets. Eric Mangini. Ty Law. AFC East supremacy. If the Patriots are forced to play on a Thursday night, I'm glad that it is against the imposters from New Jersey. No team likes playing on three days rest in the NFL but when you are going against a team that has tried to play copy-cat since stealing Bill Parcells in 1997, it will not be hard to get ready to play. With first place in the division on the line as well, the Pats will be ready to roll. The Jets are jealous of the Patriots and have tried to replicate the great success in New England but have failed. When Parcells took the Pats to Super Bowl XXXI, the Jets opened up their checkbook and brought the Tuna to the Meadowlands but they advanced only as far as the AFC Championship Game. When Parcells named Bill Belichick as his successor after the 1999 season, the Hooded One knew that the Jets were a franchise filled with losers and he went straight up 95 North to Foxboro. After the Pats won three Super Bowls in four years, the Jets hired Mangini, Belichick's one time protege, as their head coach. One playoff game in two years (a loss to the Pats in Foxboro) is all the Jets have gotten out of Man-boob-i. Law, a potential Hall of Famer for what he did in New England, must obviously value money more than championships. He could have returned to Foxboro to possibly win a fourth championship. Instead he will don the green-and-white for the second time in his career, a fitting color for Law. Then again, he did sign with the Jets for the pro-rated minimum (about $340,000 for the next few weeks) so maybe he thought the color of the uniform was a bonus. The Jets are playing some pretty good football. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are two formidable running backs and Brett Favre has Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery on the outside to throw his deep bombs. The New York defense is one of the best units in the NFL of late, playing stout against the run with nose tackle Kris Jenkins and tough against the pass with cornerback Darrelle Revis. They are coming off a 47-3 rout of the lowly St. Louis Rams and have the opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the AFC East with a win tonight. It won't be enough. The Pats are a veteran team that knows that the division title and a trip to the playoffs become a lot easier to attain with a win tonight. There is real animosity between these two franchises and the Pats will savor the chance to stick it to their would-be challengers in front of a national audience. Take the Pats (-3)... The Bruins are morphing into a team that you don't want to miss. They won again last night ina shootout over the Blackhawks in Chicago and are tied for first place with the Sabres for first place in the Northeast Division with 21 points... When the Paul Pierce career highlight DVD (or whatever DVD's will be called in the future) is released sometime around 2020, I will jump straight ahead to last night's game against the Hawks to watch his game winner. What an amazing shot... Youkilis or Pedroia. The A.L. MVP voters can't go wrong either way... Enjoy Matt Cassel tonight...

Football Picks

I buy my Boston Herald every morning at the conveniance store on the corner of my street. Each and every day, Monday through Sunday, I drop down my $.75 ($2.00 on Sunday) to get a copy of Beantown's best tabloid. For the past three weeks, the Herald delivery truck has been running late. It is not acceptable. I get there between 7:05 and 7:25 and I should be able to have the Herald in hand when I walk out. I rely on the daily assurance my newspaper gives me. It is a part of my ritual and when that ritual is thrown off, even over something so seemingly insignificant as having to grabe the Boston Globe, I became upset. This anger will not manifest itself in a permanent boycott of the Herald or in a verbal lashing of the driver the next time see him. No, instead I will probably pour myself a few extra drinks tonight and get in an argument with my girlfriend over some trivial issue that normally wouldn't lead to a discussion. Now, if you're still reading, remember that you are putting the future of your finances into the hands of a person who is admitting he will get loaded and start a fight with his girlfriend strictly because he is using the point spreads from the Globe instead of the Herald. Picks are against the spread and home team is in capitals. NCAA Alabama (-3) over LSU VANDERBILT (+24) over Florida UNC (-4) over Georgia Tech Notre Dame (+3.5) over BC TEXAS TECH (-3) over Oklahoma State Last Week: 2 - 3 Season: 17 - 27 - 1 NFL Denver (+3.5) over CLEVELAND (I bet on this game last night) PATRIOTS (-3.5) over Buffalo New Orleans (+1) over ATLANTA Carolina (-9.5) over OAKLAND Baltimore (Pck) over HOUSTON DETROIT (+6.5) over Jacksonville Seattle (+8.5) over MIAMI MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Green Bay St. Louis (+9) over N.Y. JETS N.Y. Giants (+3) over PHILADELPHIA Kansas City (+15) over SAN DIEGO CHICAGO (+3) over Tennessee ARIZONA (-9.5) over San Francisco PITTSBURGH/Indianapolis -- NO LINE Last Week: 7 - 7 Season: 62 - 63 - 7

Red Sox Winter Plans

It has been a week since the Phillies knocked of the Rays to win the World Series the general managers meetings are ongoing and free agency officially opens a week from today. So, where do the Red Sox stand? Coming off a 95-win season, the A.L. Wild Card and a loss in Game 7 of the ALCS, the Red Sox find themselves in a precarious position. They are loaded with young talent at both the major league level and in the minors but they also have a strong veteran presence that was the backbone of their World Series teams in 2004 and 2007. Theo Epstein has to figure out a way to keep his team in contention for the 2009 World Series while also keeping his system fully stocked for the next decade. It will not be an easy task but with the Rays, Yankees and Blue Jays breathing down their necks in the A.L. East, it is a job in which Epstein can not afford to fail. There are plenty of rumors swirling around the team. There are plenty of options for Epstein. Here is the direction in which I think the Red Sox will go this winter. Catcher Jason Varitek is a free agent and the notorious Scott Boras will do anything to get 'Tek a long-term, high paying deal. The contributions of Varitek go far beyond what he does (or does not) do with a bat in his hand (.220 BA, 13 HR, 43 RBI, .672 OPS) but there is no way the Red Sox should, or will, meet the opening request of Boras. Boras believes 'Tek deserves a deal similar to that of what Jorge Posada signed last winter, something in the range of 4-years and $52 million. Not going to happen. I do believe that Varitek will agree to return for a 2-year deal with a possible option for a third year with an average value of $8-10 million. The Sox still need a long term solution to replace Varitek. I expect the team to make a deal with the Texas Rangers, a team rich with young catching talent. Jarrod Saltalamacchia could be the answer. Mark Teixeira Along with Manny Ramirez, Teixeira is the biggest available bat on the free agent market. Teixeira helped lead the Angels to the A.L. West title after being traded their in July and posted .358/13/43/1.081 in 54 games. There are rumors of Teixeira being a target of the Red Sox but to acquire the switch-hitting 28-year-old, the Red Sox would need to move Mike Lowell (and move Kevin Youkilis to third base), Youkilis, or David Ortiz. I doubt the Red Sox would give away A.L. MVP candidate Youkilis or Ortiz and moving Lowell will be complicated because he is coming off major hip surgery. Also, bringing in Teixeira at the cost of Youkilis, Ortiz, or Lowell will impact the chemistry in the Red Sox lockerroom. Unless the Sox are willing to make a major transition with their team, I don't see Teixeira coming to Boston. Coco Crisp Coco Crisp, the perfect fourth outfielder, will probably be moved by the Red Sox this winter. He had a successful season at the plate (.283/7/41/.751) and is a Gold Glove-caliber centerfielder. The reason for his availability is that he can become a free agent after '09 and will not likely re-sign with Boston because of Jacoby Ellsbury. The Sox have many options with Crisp. He could be used to add a young catcher, a starting pitcher, or help for the bullpen. Jake Peavy Padres GM Kevin Towers has admitted that Peavy's time in San Diego is done and that he will move the elite righty in order to rebuild his team. Peavy has a complete no-trade clause and must approve any trade. If the Red Sox could get him to accept a trade to the East Coast and A.L., they could offer a package of Crisp, Clay Buchholz, and maybe Lowell (if the Sox eat some of his money). Crisp would give the Padres a solid centerfielder, a young starting pitcher, and a veteran presence who can still hit and play Gold Glove-quality defense at third base. Moving Lowell would also give the Red Sox the opening they need to sign Mark Teixeira. I doubt that Peavy will come to Boston but the Red Sox have made some legendary pitching acquisitions over the last eleven years (Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka) so I wouldn't completely rule this out. Imagine a 2009 rotation of Beckett, Peavy, Jon Lester, Matsuzaka, and Tim Wakefield. Wow! Peavy will most likely land with the Braves or Cubs. If the Red Sox go after a starter, Junichi Tazawa is the name we will probably be hearing about. Derek Lowe is another name that would interest me. Bullpen The Red Sox have one of the best young bullpens in baseball. Jonathan Papelbon is an All-Star closer, Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson are young, power arms, Hideki Okajima is a crafty lefty who gets batters out from both sides of the plate, and Javier Lopez provides a lefty specialist. What the Red Sox need is depth. They will most likely cut ties with free agent Mike Timlin after six mostly great years with the team. The Sox could give bullpen jobs to minor leaguers Daniel Bard or Michael Bowden but they would be smart to spend a little money to add some arms. Some names to consider are Brian Fuentes, Chad Cordero, Damaso Marte, and Juan Cruz. Long Term Contracts The Red Sox are flush with cash, mainly because their farm system is producing major league talent that makes very little money. The team needs to come to terms on long term deals with some of their top younger talent this winter. Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Youkilis, and Jon Lester are all worthy of contracts that give them financial security without breaking the Red Sox payroll. Bench I hope to see a return of Alex Cora. He is a steady replacement at second base and shortstop. I expect to see Kevin Cash back for at least spring training. If Wakefield is around, someone needs to at least train the possible new guy(s) to catch the knuckleball. Sean Casey is probably done with the Sox. I would like to see Epstein bring back Kevin Millar to backup at first base, left field, and DH. If the Sox do trade Coco Crisp, names such as Rocco Baldelli and old friend Gabe Kapler make sense in trying to find a fourth outfielder. If Mark Kotsay wants to stick around Boston as a supersub in the outfield, first base, and DH, the Sox can spend their money elsewhere. Is there a job for Nomar Garciaparra? Julio Lugo With the emergence of Jed Lowrie, the stability of Alex Cora, and the potential for Epstein to once again go crazy and spend big bucks on a shortstop (Orlando Cabrera or Rafael Furcal anyone?), the Julio Lugo era is about to come to a costly ($18 million owed to Lugo through 2010) end. Management Epstein has agreed to a new three-year deal. Thank god! Terry Francona is probably closer to retirement (and the Hall of Fame) than most of us want to believe but unless there are major complications with his upcoming back surgery, Tito should be in the dugout in 2009. Bench coach Brad Mills and pitching coach John Farrell are candidates for the Seattle Mariners mangerial position. I hope at least one of them -- Farrell especially for his work with the pitching staff and the possibility of losing 'Tek in those pitchers meetings -- sticks around as the eventual heir to Francona. There is no better ownership team than John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino.

Random Thoughts (November 6, 2008)

For the few of us who follow NBA boxscores, this morning was a great day. Tony Parker and Amare Stoudemire had historic nights in leading their respective teams to victories over the Timberwolves and Pacers. Parker became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1992 to record at least 55 points and 10 assists in one game. The Spurs point guard recorded exactly 55 points and 10 assists (Jordan had a 57/10 game against Washington). Stoudemire joined Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, and Vince Carter as the only players since 1986-87 to have a game in which he scored at least 40 points, grabbed at least 10 rebounds, dished out at least 5 assists, and made at least 5 steals. Stoudemire delivered 49 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Two great individual performances... LSU might not repeat as national champions this season but they can directly effect the race for the BCS Championship Game to be played in the Orange Bowl on January 8. On Saturday, the Tigers will play host to top ranked Alabama, who is coached by former LSU head man Nick Saban, who won a national title with LSU in 2003. I might not have too much money to my name but I would fork over the majority of it to watch this game. The sight of Saban entering the stadium would be worth the price of admission alone and the game, played between two teams that hate one another, should be a great one to watch... Is there a more perfect marriage than the potential coupling of Lane Kiffin with Tennessee? The higher-ups in Knoxville should be begging Kiffin to head the Volunteers and for him to bring his father Monte along to call his defense... If the Patriots are to win their sixth consecutive AFC East championship, they will have to defeat the Bills in Foxboro on Sunday... Enjoy The Office tonight...

Celtics Preview

"ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!" Those three words, screamed out by Kevin Garnett just moments after capturing his first and the Celtics 17th NBA championship, can be used to describe the 2008-09 Celtics. Anything is possible with this team. They could repeat as NBA champions. They could be a contender who just doesn't have enough to get by Detroit or Cleveland in the Eastern Conference. They could easily become a pretender if one of their aging trio of superstars misses significant time. The road to repeating will not be easy. The Cavaliers added scoring guard Mo Williams and have the flexibility to trade Wally Szczerbiak and his expiring contract to add another talented player to complement LeBron James. The Pistons have already made a major move, sending Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to the Nuggets for Allen Iverson. Teaming AI with Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Rodney Stuckey could bring the Pistons their first championship since 2003 or could potentially be a complete disaster. In addition to the Cavs and Pistons, the 76ers, Raptors, Magic, Bulls, Wizards, and Heat are all improved in the East and the Lakers, Hornets, Rockets, Trailblazers, Mavericks, Nuggets, and Suns are the powers in the West. I do like the Celtics chances to repeat. Paul Pierce has returned in unbelieveable physical shape and he now has a new level of confidence after capturing his first championship. Kevin Garnett brings his (un)usual level of passion and intensity. Ray Allen is still capable of going off for 30 on any given night. Along with the "Boston Three Party" (by far the best ESPN SportsCenter commercial from last year and the best possible nickname for Pierce/Garnett/Allen), the C's have a budding superstar in point guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo is entering his third season but he plays like a 10-year veteran. Last year he found a way to distribute the ball to keep all three stars happy and engaged, created offense for himself and the remainder of the team, played very good defense, and became one of the best rebounding guards in the league (his ability to rise up and snare a defensive rebound and then trigger a fast break is a skill not too many players possess). Kendrick Perkins also became a force a year ago. He has come so far from an overweight 18-year-old who had no business playing in the NBA. Perk is now a monster in the paint and his performance in Game 6 of the Finals in June, when he played with a shoulder that would need surgery after the series ended, was a legendary effort that has mostly gone unnoticed. The C's bench is good but it could be better. Eddie House is nearly automatic when left open on the perimeter, Leon Powe and Glen Davis are active big men who can score, rebound, and defend, Tony Allen is an athletic defender, and Sam Cassell is a veteran point guard. Patrick O'Bryant gives the bench a 7-footer and rookies Billy Walker, J.R. Giddens and Gabe Pruitt (who did play sparingly a year ago but has almost no experience) provide athleticism. The loss of swingman James Posey to New Orleans and big man P.J. Brown to retirement are serious losses. Posey served as a "sixth starter" last year and his defense, shooting, and leadership will be missed. Brown was valuable as a veteran post player and his contributions in Game 7 of the Eastern Semi-Finals against the Cavs were as important as Paul Pierce's 41 points. Even with the losses of Posey and Brown (who could see his role filled by soon-to-be free agent Antonio McDyess), the C's are deep enough and talented enough to go back-to-back and capture the franchise's 18th NBA championship. Doc Rivers did a great job a year ago finding a way to integrate Garnett and Allen with Pierce and mixing the young players in with the veterans. His assistant coaches, especially Tom Thibodeau and Clifford Ray, create the best coaching staff in the NBA. In the East, the C's will knock of LeBron and the Cavs in the Eastern Finals in a Game 7 on the road before beating up the Spurs in five games to win a second consecutive championship.

Random Thoughts (November 5, 2008)

Congratulations, Mr. President... With the Nuggets expected to buyout recently acquired forward Antonio McDyess, I hope the Celtics can find a way to acquire the veteran forward. The Pistons are considered the favorites to sign McDyess, who they traded to the Nuggets along with Chauncey Billups in exchange for Allen Iverson. McDyess was added to the deal to make the salaries even and is not in the plans of the Nuggets. If you think back to last spring's playoffs, the contributions of P.J. Brown helped put the C's over the top and was instrumental in the team winning the NBA championship. Acquiring McDyess, who played very good basketball against the C's in the Eastern Finals, would give them the veteran big man they need to complete their bench... The Raiders are expected to release talented but troubled cornerback DeAngelo Hall in an effort to cut salary and change their image. The Patriots have to at least look into picking up Hall. He is very talented and if he is brought in for the minimum salary with no room to cause headaches, he could make the Pats secondary very good... Here are my abbreviated capsules for the NBA's Northwest, Southwest, Central, Southeast, and Atlantic divisions: Northwest Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Division Team: Deron Williams, Jazz; Brandon Roy, Trailblazers; Kevin Durant, Thunder; Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets; Carlos Boozer, Jazz... Southwest New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies All-Division Team: Chris Paul, Hornets; Tracy McGrady, Rockets; Ron Artest, Rockets; Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks; Tim Duncan, Spurs... Central Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers All-Division Team: Allen Iverson, Pistons; Michael Redd, Bucks; LeBron James, Cavaliers; Richard Hamilton, Pistons; Rasheed Wallace, Pistons... Southeast Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats All-Division Team: Gilbert Arenas, Wizards; Dwayne Wade, Heat; Caron Butler, Wizards; Josh Smith, Hawks; Dwight Howard, Magic... Atlantic Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks All-Division Team: Rajon Rondo, Celtics; Vince Carter, Nets; Paul Pierce, Celtics; Chris Bosh, Raptors; Kevin Garnett, Celtics... As for my overall NBA predictions: LeBron James will take home his first MVP trophy ... Greg Oden will get healthy and lead the Blazers into the playoffs ... Dallas and San Antonio will labor through the regular season but will be the two best teams in the West come May because the Mavs will adjust to Jason Kidd and Manu Ginobili will return to full health ... the 76ers and Hawks, two teams on the rise in the East, will not be as good as expected ... the Cavs will use Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract to add an impact player before February ... the Knicks will be more competitive than people think ... Michael Jordan will step back from some of his basketball related decisions with the Bobcats in deference to Larry Brown ... Chauncey billups will make the Nuggets a better team than Allen Iverson did ... the Lakers will grossly underperform ... the Celtics will defeat the Spurs to become the first repeat NBA champions since the 2000 - 2002 Lakers ... If Jason Varitek and Scott Boras are truly looking to ink a deal close to what Jorge Posada signed for a year ago (4-years/$52 million) than it is time for Red Sox Nation to make their peace with the Captain... Enjoy Ball State tonight...

Random Thoughts (November 3, 2008)

For those of you who stayed up last night, you were a witness to a rare occurance. Bill Belichick sucked last night. It's not like he was simply outcoached by his opponent. He was just terrible. His challenge in the third quarter of the Colts having too many players on defense was a waste of a challenge and a waste of a timeout. It cost the Pats later when he could have challenged Kevin Faulk's failed two-point conversion. Later, in the fourth quarter, he used his last timeout on a 4th-and-inches that was converted by Matt Cassel. Not only did the Pats lose a possible first down, they used their final timeout which would come back to haunt them at the end of the game. Instead of possible taking the lead, the Pats ended up evening the score at 15-15 on a Stephen Gostkowski field goal. It is very rare to see Belichick effect the outcome of one of his games in such a negative fashion. It is hard to think of another game in which his decisions were so poor. I guess that is why he is a Hall of Fame coach with three Super Bowls on his resume and not Rod Rust... Some other quick-hit thoughts from the Pats-Colts tilt:

• Matt Cassel continues to develop into a solid quarterback. He may end up just good enough for the Pats to get a decent draft pick in return for his services in April.
• Kevin Faulk continues to amaze. After Super Bowl XXXVI, I was sure that J.R. Redmond would be playing this role but Faulk is still kicking ass and picking up first downs.
• I saw enough good plays from Brandon Meriweather and Terrence Wheatley to believe the secondary could become a strength at some point.
• As good as Cassel has played at times, it sucks to think we are missing one of Tom Brady's prime seasons.
• Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and even (slightly) Reggie Wayne are getting older but second-year receiver Anthony Gonzalez will keep that trio young through at least 2009.
• Even when you take into account Belichick's mistakes, the Pats would have won this game if Jabar Gaffney didn't drop a sure TD and David Thomas didn't take a 15-yard late-hit penalty.

There were more punches thrown in Saturday's Bruins-Stars game than in most major boxing pay-per-view events. That is great thing for hockey fans, not so good for boxing fans...

Texas Tech-Texas was absolutely phenomenal. Graham Harrell's game winning TD pass to Michael Crabtree was the best play in college football this season...

Even with the great win, I don't think Texas Tech should have vaulted past unbeaten Penn State in the polls...

How in hell are the Tennessee Titans undefeated? That's right, they play great defense and their offense doen't commit stupid turnovers. The Cowboys should be paying attention...

I would love to promise a college hoops preview but my obligations to the faithful readers are backing up enough already. My preseason Top 5: UNC, Oklahoma, UConn, Duke and Texas...

Enjoy Obama and McCain on MNF tonight...