Football Picks

Before the picks, I want to recommend a new television series that is worth 30 minutes of your life. Watch "The League," which is on after "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" on Thursday nights on FX. The show is about a group of 30-something guys who stay connected through their fantasy football league. You won't be disappointed. Spreads are courtesy of BoDog. All picks against the spread and home team is in capitals... NCAA Cincinnati (-16) over SYRACUSE Mississippi (-5) over AUBURN OREGON (+3) over Southern Cal Miami (-7) over WAKE FOREST Central Michigan (+6) over BC Last Week: 4 - 1 Season: 22 - 13 - 2 NFL BALTIMORE (-3) over Denver CHICAGO (-14) over Cleveland Houston (-3.5) over BUFFALO INDIANAPOLIS (-13) over San Francisco Miami (+3.5) over NY JETS DETROIT (-4) over St. Louis DALLAS (-10) over Seattle PHILADELPHIA (+1) over NY Giants Oakland (+17) over SAN DIEGO Jacksonville (+3) over TENNESSEE Minnesota (+3) over GREEN BAY ARIZONA (-10.5) over Carolina NEW ORLEANS (-11) over Atlanta Last Week: 6 - 6 - 1 Season: 52 - 48 - 1

Football Picks

Spreads our courtesy of BoDog. All picks are against the spread and home team is in capitals... NCAA Georgia Tech (-6) over VIRGINIA Connecticut (+7.5) over WEST VIRGINIA MIAMI (-4.5) over Clemson Boston College (+7.5) over NOTRE DAME Oregon (-10) over WASHINGTON Last Week: 2 - 2 - 1 Season: 18 - 12 - 2 NFL San Diego (-5) over KANSAS CITY ST. LOUIS (+14.5) over Indianapolis Green Bay (-9) over CLEVELAND Minnesota (+5.5) over PITTSBURGH Patriots (-15.5) over Tampa Bay (London, England) HOUSTON (-3) over San Francisco OAKLAND (+7) over NY Jets CAROLINA (-7) over Buffalo Chicago (pick) over CINCINNATI New Orleans (-7) over MIAMI Atlanta (+4) over DALLAS Arizona (+7) over NY GIANTS Philadelphia (-7) over WASHINGTON Last Week: 5 - 9 Season: 46 - 42

Helping Out Theo

Just in case the general manager of the Red Sox is paying attention... 1. Trade Josh Beckett to the Rangers I love Beckett as much as the next guy but with free agency looming after next year, the Sox should move him now instead of possibly getting nothing in return if he walks after 2010. The Rangers are a perfect fit. With the legendary Nolan Ryan calling the shots, a power pitcher with Texas roots like Beckett makes sense as they try and rebuild on their successful 2009 season. In return, the Sox could pick up some quality prospects - including Justin Smoak and Neftali Perez - that will help Theo accomplish the next step. 2. Trade for Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez and Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez Theo made a play for both of these young stars at the trade deadline and revisiting talks to acquire both would put the Sox in a position to challenge the Angels and Yankees in the American League in 2010. Acquiring King Felix and Gonzalez will be expensive but the Red Sox do have a very good farm system and they will acquire the needed additional chips by dealing Beckett to Texas. To allow him a much needed change of scenery, Theo can move Manny Delcarmen in one of the trades. Getting Hernandez at this early stage of his dominance will be similar to trading for Pedro Martinez in 1997 and Gonzalez will give them a much needed impact bat for the middle of the lineup. 3. Re-sign Billy Wagner... ... as a complement to Jonathan Papelbon. While I do believe the Red Sox should be wary of giving Papelbon a long term contract, he is one of the game's best closers. He did have an off year (career high 1.15 WHIP) but he is still a weapon at the end of a game. Wagner would give Terry Francona the luxury of having Wagner and Daniel Bard serve as set-up men for Papelbon. That type of security in the bullpen is what wins championships. 4. Give Aroldis Chapman the money The 21-year-old lefty who throws 100 mph has become a free agent after finally acquiring citizenship in Andorra after defecting from Cuba in July. The Red Sox must invest some of the money they saved in their failed attempt to land Mark Teixeira last winter in a potential ace. 5. Sign Kevin Towers to be an extra set of eyes Towers was let go by the Padres after fifteen years as their general manager. In that time period, he built four N.L. West winning teams and the 1998 N.L. champions. He was also a boss/mentor when Theo was a member of the Padres front office. With Jed Hoyer set to leave Boston to become Towers' replacement in San Diego, Towers would be an excellent assistant general manager. 6. Allow Jason Bay to leave as a free agent and sign Matt Holliday Bay was a nice replacement for Manny Ramirez but at age 31, Bay would be 36 at the end of the five-year deal he is sure to receive. By then he will be a designated hitter and as the Red Sox have (sadly) seen the last two years, an aging DH is not someone who you want taking up a large piece of the payroll. Holliday is almost three years younger than Bay and is a better offenisve player. Holliday will be more expensive than Bay - his agent, Evil Scott Boras has stated he will be seeking Teixeira money - but is a wiser investment. For the veteran readers of this space, you know how much I love lists. If Theo takes my advice, this is how the 2010 Red Sox could look: 1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3. Victor Martinez, C 4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B 5. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B 6. Matt Holliday, LF 7. David Ortiz, DH 8. J.D. Drew, RF 9. Alex Gonzalez, SS Bench: Jed Lowrie, SS/2B; Mike Lowell, 3B/DH; Jason Varitek, C; Casey Kotchman, 1B; Brian Anderson, OF Starting Rotation: Jon Lester, LHP; Felix Hernandez, RHP; Clay Buchholz, RHP; Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP; Aroldis Chapman, LHP or Tim Wakefield, RHP Bullpen: Jonathan Papelbon, RHP; Billy Wagner, LHP; Daniel Bard, RHP; Hideki Okajima, LHP; Takashi Saito, RHP; Ramon Ramirez, RHP With the Yankees rolling towards the World Series, it's fun to dream.

NFL Random Thoughts

In spite of yesterday's historic victory over the Titans - no Patriots team has gained that many yards or scored that many points before - there has to be some doubts about the Pats. Right? Can we say with conviction that Tom Brady (29-for-34, 380 yards, 6 touchdowns) and the offense (59 points and 619 yards) are back to being the juggernaut they were in 2007? Do we believe that Laurence Maroney (16 rushes for 123 yards and a touchdown) is ready to prove his many doubters wrong? Is the young defense capable of stopping any of the elite offenses (Saints, Colts, Vikings) that the NFL has to offer? I say that Brady and the offense is closer to 2007 than they are to the Week 2 debacle in New York but I still have doubts about Maroney and the defense, while talented, is still a little too inexperienced for my liking. With that said, the Pats head to London this week to face the 0-6 Buccaneers before entering their bye week. When they return to Foxboro on November 8 against the Dolphins, they should be 5-2, well rested, and ready to make a run at the Super Bowl... The best nickname that I have heard all year concerns Oakland's hapless quarterback, JaMarcus Russell. Due to the horrible start that his career is off to, the name "Off the Marcus" Russell has been tossed around at his expense. Yesterday in upsetting the Eagles, Russell quieted a few of his doubters with 224 yards and one touchdown on 17-of-28 passing. He did thrown two interceptions but he got the job done and earned the Raiders an unexpected victory... As the focus on the severe effects of the head injuries suffered by NFL players grows stronger, this article by best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell is worth reading... Yesterday did answer many questions about the Patriots offense but the fact is because they rely so heavily on the pass, Tom Brady needs a more reliable third wide receiver to pair with Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Julian Edelman, the rookie from Kent State, has shown flashes of promise but this is his first year as a receiver after playing quarterback in college. With the NFL trade deadline tomorrow, TheBostonInsider is hoping that the Pats will be willing to part with anything below a 3rd round draft pick to bring back Deion Branch from Seattle. Branch has Brady's trust and is familiar enough with the offense to be able to contribute right away. With the bye week approaching, Branch would have time to absorb anything he needs to learn... Here is this week's edition of the "Super Seven": 1. New Orleans Saints (5-0) 2. Minnesota Vikings (6-0) 3. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) 4. New York Giants (5-1) 5. Denver Broncos (5-0) 6. New England Patriots (4-2) 7. Atlanta Falcons (4-1) Enjoy Darren Sproles tonight...

Celtics in Position to Make History; NBA Preview

In "A Bronx Tale," one of the all-time classic movies, the local mob bar is infiltrated by a motorcycle gang. The mob boss, Sonny, politely attempts to coerce the bikers to go along their way. When they refuse to comply, Sonny slowly walked over to the entrance, locked the door, and uttered the following statement in a calm voice. "Now you's can't leave." With that line, the bikers lost all of their bravado and take the beating that they were hoping to deliver. If the rest of the NBA is paying attention, they will prepare to endure a season like the bikers did in "A Bronx Tale." The Celtics return all five starters from their 2008 championship team and two of their best reserves from that same team. They may have defended that title last year if not for the season-ending knee injury suffered by Kevin Garnett. To that roster, they have added Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels, giving Boston the depth to return to the top of the NBA. Joining Garnett and Wallace in the frontcourt are Kendrick Perkins and Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Perkins and Big Baby have youth on their side but also have championship experience. Shelden Williams and Brian Scalabrine provide depth. In the backcourt, the C's are equally loaded with talent. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will one day join Garnett (and possibly Wallace) in the Hall of Fame. Rajon Rondo is one of the best young point guards in the league. Eddie House will join Daniels in providing excellent depth. The Celtics may receive some additional help from youngsters J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker, and Lester Hudson. Hudson is my pick to help. He has shown a knack for getting to the basket in the preseason and could be a nice compliment to Rondo. With such a collection of talent, the Celtics are the favorite to win the 2010 championship. They will be challenged in the Eastern Conference by the Cavaliers and from the West by the Lakers and Spurs but in the end, if they stay relatively healthy, the Celtics will win the 18th championship in franchise history. They could even threaten the 1996 Bulls record setting 72-win season. As for the rest of the league... All-NBA 1st Team Dwight Howard, Magic, Center Tim Duncan, Spurs, Forward LeBron James, Cavaliers, Forward Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Guard Dwayne Wade, Heat, Guard All-NBA 2nd Team Shaquille O'Neal, Cavaliers, Center Kevin Garnett, Celtics, Forward Kevin Durant, Thunder, Forward Brandon Roy, Blazers, Guard Chris Paul, Hornets, Guard All-NBA 3rd Team Amare Stoudemire, Suns, Center Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets, Forward Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks, Forward Joe Johnson, Hawks, Guard Deron Williams, Jazz, Guard MVP: Kobe Bryant, Lakers Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Magic 6th Man: Rasheed Wallace, Celtics Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin, Clippers Coach of the Year: Larry Brown, Bobcats Eastern Conference Standings 15. Indiana Pacers 14. Milwaukee Bucks 13. New Jersey Nets 12. Chicago Bulls 11. New York Knicks 10. Toronto Raptors 9. Washington Wizards 8. Charlotte Bobcats 7. Philadelphia 76ers 6. Miami Heat 5. Detroit Pistons 4. Atlanta Hawks 3. Orlando Magic 2. Cleveland Cavaliers 1. Boston Celtics Western Conference Standings 15. Sacramento Kings 14. Memphis Grizzlies 13. Minnesota Timberwolves 12. New Orleans Hornets 11. Phoenix Suns 10. Oklahoma City Thunder 9. Houston Rockets 8. Golden State Warriors 7. Portland Trailblazers 6. L.A. Clippers 5. Dallas Mavericks 4. Utah Jazz 3. Denver Nuggets 2. San Antonio Spurs 1. L.A. Lakers Eastern Conference Finals Celtics over Cavaliers Western Conference Finals Spurs over Lakers 2010 NBA Finals Celtics over Spurs

Football Picks

All picks are against the spread and home team is in capitals... NCAA Texas (-3) over Oklahoma CLEMSON (-7) over Wake Forest Army (+10) over TEMPLE Southern Cal (-10) over NOTRE DAME Arkansas (+25) over FLORIDA Last Week: 3 - 2 Season: 16 - 10 - 1 NFL WASHINGTON (-6.5) over Kansas City CINCINNATI (-5) over Houston PITTSBURGH (-14) over Cleveland MINNESOTA (-3) over Baltimore St. Louis (+9.5) over JACKSONVILLE NEW ORLEANS (-3) over NY Giants TAMPA BAY (+3.5) over Carolina GREEN BAY (-13.5) over Detroit Philadelphia (-14) over OAKLAND Arizona (+3) over SEATTLE NY JETS (-9.5) over Buffalo PATRIOTS (-9.5) over Tennessee Chicago (+3.5) over ATLANTA SAN DIEGO (-3.5) over Denver Last Week: 7 - 6 Season: 41 - 33

NFL Random Thoughts

While Tom Brady was far from being sharp on Sunday, the miscommunication he had with Wes Welker at the end of the fourth quarter was not his fault. The Broncos rolled their coverage to provide deep help on Randy Moss. Recognizing this, Brady tried to get the ball to Welker on the snap of the ball. Welker misread the situation and didn't look back immediately for the pass. The ball, and a chance to win the game, bounced off Welker's leg. Brady is definitely rusty and the offense has some kinks to work out but with receivers like Moss and Welker, there is no doubt that these problems will be solved... The Patriots game this Sunday with the Titans looked like a potential showdown of AFC contenders but Tennessee will come into New England with an 0-5 record. A week from now, the Patriots should be 4-2... Lots of credit goes out to Josh McDaniels. He has the Broncos off to a 5-0 start and they look to be the class of the AFC West... If I had bought tickets to the Buffalo-Cleveland game yesterday, I would be demanding a refund today... Cincinnati is off to an amazing 4-1 start and if it weren't for a fluke tipped pass at the end of their opening game with Denver, they would be 5-0. Their win yesterday in Baltimore opened up my eyes to their potential in the AFC... This week's edition of the "Super Seven" looks like this: 1. New York Giants (5-0) 2. New Orleans Saints (5-0) 3. Minnesota Vikings (5-0) 4. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) 5. Denver Broncos (5-0) 6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) 7. New York Jets (3-1) Enjoy Leon Washington tonight...

Football Picks

All picks against the spread and home team in capitals... NCAA VIRGINIA TECH (-13.5) over Boston College Alabama (-4.5) over MISSISSIPPI Wisconsin (+16) over OHIO STATE Oregon (-3.5) over UCLA LSU (+7.5) over Florida Last Week: 3 - 2 Season: 13 - 8 - 1 NFL ST. LOUIS (+10) over Minnesota Dallas (-8) over KANSAS CITY Washington (+3.5) over CAROLINA PHILADELPHIA (-15) over Tampa Bay NY GIANTS (-14.5) over Oakland BUFFALO (-6) over Cleveland Cincinnati (+8.5) over BALTIMORE Pittsburgh (-10.5) over DETROIT SAN FRANCISCO (-2.5) over Atlanta DENVER (+3) over Patriots ARIZONA (-5.5) over Houston Indianapolis (-3.5) over TENNESSEE SEATTLE/Jacksonville is off the board (Hasselbeck injury) NY Jets (-2) over MIAMI Last Week: 7 - 7 Season: 34 - 27

Random Thoughts (October 7, 2009)

Bud Selig and MLB could not have had a better start to the playoffs than the showdown between the Tigers and Twins for the A.L. Central title last night in Minneapolis. The Twins won in dramatic fashion in the 12th inning. After the Tigers wasted a bases loaded, one-out situation in the top of the inning, Alexi Casilla drove in Carlos Gomez to clinch a spot in the postseason. The Tigers were very gracious in defeat, giving all the credit to the Twins. As late as September 2, the Tigers had a seven-game lead in the Central and seemed to be on the way to their second playoff berth in four years. They did have some reason to complain - home plate umpire Randy Marsh missed Brandon Inge being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th - but did not make any excuses for their collapse. As for the predictions for the Division Series: Red Sox over Angels in 4 Yankees over Twins in 4 Dodgers over Cardinals in 4 Phillies over Rockies in 3 Get ready for a Red Sox-Yankees ALCS, the fourth time they will meet for the American League pennant in the last ten years... The New York Jets believe they have a chance to win the Super Bowl this year, as evidenced by their trade for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards. The acquisition of Edwards, a 2007 Pro Bowl receiver, gives rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez a big downfiedl target and it also gives Edwards a chance to redeem himself after a poor 2008 season a slow start in 2009... In other NFL news, the 49ers are on the verge of signing Michael Crabtree, their first round pick who has been holding out for more money. Crabtree is a gifted receiver who will add another weapon to the surprising 49ers, who are off to a 3-1 start and look to be the class of the NFC West... Brett Favre's outstanding performance on Monday night (24-of-31, 271 yards, 3 touchdowns) was overshadowed by his classy remarks about the Packers and their quarterback (and his former understudy in Green Bay) Aaron Rodgers. The people of Green Bay have the right to hate Favre while he plays for archrival Minnesota but those comments, along with his great years of service with the Packers, are plenty of reason to "forgive" him when he (finally) retires... ESPN's new documentary series "30 for 30" started off in spectacular fashion last night. The "30 for 30" series is focusing on the details of the major storylines and events that have taken place in sports during the 30 years of ESPN (1979 - 2009). The first documentary, "King's Ransom," gave a detailed history of Wayne Gretzky's trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. Through interviews and old video footage, director Peter Berg brought to life the emotional struggle that Canadiens faced when their greatest star was dealt to the Kings. Other topics that will be covered include the 2004 ALCS and the Miami Hurricanes football dominance of the '80s and '90s... Happy Birthday Murph...

NFL Random Thoughts

In defeating the Baltimore Ravens today, the Patriots made the statement that they are one of a small handful of contenders in the AFC a quarter of the way into the season. The 27-21 win was highlighted by stopping the driving Ravens offense on fourth down deep in Patriots territory. All of the great teams in New England under Belichick have been able to make game-saving stops so the one today is proof that the young defense has the ability to come through in the clutch. Having Wes Welker back after missing the last two games made life easier for Tom Brady. Welker did not have a dominant game (6 receptions for 48 yards) but the Ravens were forced to account for #83, opening up passing lanes down the field. For the day, Brady was 21-for-32 with 258 yards and a touchdown. After the loss to the Jets two weeks ago, many people began to write off the Patriots as contenders. Since that loss, the Patriots have defeated the Falcons and Ravens in impressive fashion to improve their record to 3-1. With Josh McDaniels and 4-0 Denver coming to Foxboro next week, the Pats will have to stay on top of their game... The crazy Jets fans can ease up on the "Sanchize" talk but even with their loss in New Orleans today, they are still a team that will be in contention... The Rams may be the worst team in football but that does not take away from the dominating performance of the 49ers defense today. Mike Singletary's defense scored 3 touchdowns in their 35-0 win... Their defense will keep them from winning the AFC but even the biggest Colts hater like me can give Peyton Manning his proper due. He has made Indianapolis a contender for the last decade, making him the (this is painful to write) the Derek Jeter of the NFL... I'm no Peter King but if I was forced to rank the best teams in the NFL - the ones I truly believe will contend for the Super Bowl - after today, my list would look like this: 1. New Orleans (4-0) 2. New York Giants (4-0) 3. Patriots (3-1) 4. Baltimore (3-1) 5. Indianapolis (4-0) 6. Minnesota (3-0) 7. New York Jets (3-1) The "Super Seven" will be listed in this space every week... Enjoy Adrian Peterson tomorrow night...

Football Picks

Maybe it's just me but the 2009 Patriots are starting to remind me of the 2003 Patriots. In 2003, the Patriots were in a state of transition. They were coming off a season when they missed out on the playoffs despite a winning record (9-7). There were doubts about Tom Brady and the offense. The defense was in the midst of rebuilding around a group of talented and young players (Eugene Wilson, Asante Samuel, Ty Warren) having cut ties with a veteran leader (Lawyer Milloy). In 2009, the Patriots are coming off a season when they missed the playoffs despite a winning record (11-5). There are doubts about Tom Brady and the offense. The defense is rebuilding around a group of talented and young players (Jerod Mayo, Darius Butler, Patrick Chung, Ron Brace) having cut ties with two veteran leaders (Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel). Well, we all know how 2003 worked out in New England. After starting out 2-2, Brady and the Pats ripped off 15 consecutive wins on their way to the franchise's second Super Bowl. I don't know for certain if the Pats will have a similar path to the Lombardi Trophy but the end result will be the same... All picks are against the spread (courtesy of BoDog) and home team is in capitals. NCAA Wisconsin (+3) over MINNESOTA Michigan (+3.5) over MICHIGAN STATE GEORGIA (-3.5) over Louisiana State Auburn (+2.5) over TENNESSEE OREGON (-35) over Washington State Last Week: 3 - 1 - 1 Season: 10 - 6 - 1 NFL HOUSTON (-9) over Oakland Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE PATRIOTS (-2) over Baltimore Cincinnati (-6.5) over CLEVELAND KANSAS CITY (+9.5) over NY Giants Detroit (+10) over CHICAGO Tampa Bay (+7.5) over WASHINGTON SEATTLE (+10.5) over Indianapolis NEW ORLEANS (-7) over NY Jets Buffalo (-1.5) over MIAMI SAN FRANCISCO (-10) over St. Louis DENVER (+3) over Dallas San Diego (+7) over PITTSBURGH MINNESOTA (-3.5) over Green Bay Last Week: 7 - 8 Season: 27 - 20

Random Thoughts (October 1, 2009)

As much as I would like to see the Red Sox win their remaining games and enter the postseason on a hot streak, I am not a believer that their current losing streak is an indicator of how they will fare in the ALDS against the Angels. It is not fair to judge the Red Sox based on the performances of Joey Gathright, Paul Byrd, Chris Woodward, and Brian Anderson. These are the players that Terry Francona is running out onto the field this week as he gives some well earned rest to his regulars. What Francona and the Red Sox understand is that a few extra regular season wins will not do anything to improve their standing in the American League playoffs. They have known for most of September that they would enter October as the Wild Card entry, with a trip to California to start the ALDS. With this in mind, Francona has been affored the luxury of giving his regular players a day off to get to full strength. This will be appreciated when a fully rested Red Sox team wins the World Series... The Bruins open up the regular season tonight against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The B's will look slightly different than the team that lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals last spring. Their top goal scorer in 2008-09, Phil Kessel, has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs and P.J. Axelsson left the NHL to play in his native Sweden. There are high expectations for the Bruins, who are coming off a season in which they posted the best regualr season record in the East. With goalie Tim Thomas (Vezina Trophy), defenseman Zdeno Chara (Norris Trophy), and coach Claude Julien (Jack Adams Award) returning, the Bruins are expected to contend for the Stanley Cup. Anything short of a championship will be a disappointment... The Celtics opened training camp this week. With Kevin Garnett returning from a knee injury that ended his 2009 season prematurely and the additions of Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, and Shelden Williams, the Celtics are expected to win their second title in three years. The strength of the C's will be the talent and depth of their post players. Garnett and Wallace are All-Star caliber forwards, Kendrick Perkins and Glen "Big Baby" Davis are talented young big men who have played key roles in the Celtics success the last two seasons, and Williams provides depth. With Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Eddie House, and Daniels in the backcourt, Doc Rivers has the deepest roster in the NBA to work with this season. The expectations for the Celtics begin and end with winning the franchises 18th championship... I love that the Twins have made it interesting in the AL Central over the last three weeks but I am rooting for the Tigers because no city has been hit harder by the economic depression than Detroit... My MLB awards (drumroll, please): AL MVP: Joe Mauer, Twins Cy Young: Zach Greinke, Royals Rookie: Elvis Andrus, Rangers Manager: Jim Leyland, Tigers NL MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, Giants Rookie: J.A. Happ, Phillies Manager: Jim Tracy, Rockies Enjoy the Indians this weekend...