World Series 2007

The Colorado Rockies have pulled through in what ESPN calls “a Cinderella story” to win the NLCS. This week, they will face off against arguably the best team in baseball right now; the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have been on fire lately. They are one of the few teams in MLB history to come back and win the ALCS after being down 3-1. And they didn’t just beat the Indians. They smashed them with scores like 12-2, 11-2, and 10-3. The Rockies won 4 in a row to easily clinch the title. So, here’s the best team in the National league going up against the best team in the American league. I wish I could say this is going to be a good series but the national league just isn’t what it used to be and the gap has widened.
Beckett has been pitching unbelievably. He requires very little relief, and his strikeouts are getting more frequent. His post season record is incredible. As for hitting, do the names Youkilis, Drew, Ramirez and Pedroia ring a bell? They should because these guys are hitting .500, .360, .409 and .345 in the post season.
The Rockies on the other hand don’t have a single player anyone has ever heard of. Their pitching is good but somehow they just don’t seem to have that same star quality. They have a lot of young talent which has worked out in their favor, but there’s no telling how these guys will react in the face of this type of pressure. But, the Rockies have quietly made it to the World Series and don’t seem too concerned about what’s going to happen next. They look very relaxed sitting on a great record.
So, who is going to take the title? I’m rooting for the underdog but my money is on the Red Sox.

Who’s the Best Undefeated Team in the NFL?

By: David Nuñez

Who exactly is the best undefeated team: Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots? This debate has been on going all season long. Sports analysts ask each other this question whenever football matters are brought into discussion. Since it’s been such a “hot topic” over the last few days, I’ll give my insight as to which team with the doughnut in the loss column is the better of the two.

Defense:

Colts: Ok, so offense puts fans in the stand but defense wins championships right? Well, last year’s Colts were a perfect example of just the opposite. Their potent offense was too much for the Chicago Bears to handle and their defense didn’t have to be anything above sub-par to stop the weak Rex Grossman led offense. About half of their defensive starters are signed with other teams, but they still got the likes of heavy hitting safety Bob Sanders and defensive end Dwight Freeney.

Patriots: So let’s see who are the unknowns on the Patriots defense. I can’t think of any. Can you? Exactly. This team is ridiculously full of pro-bowl caliber players on the defensive side of the ball. From the front seven to the secondary, it’s not even fair how well experienced and disciplined this team is.

Edge Goes To: Patriots

Wide Receivers and Running Backs:

Colts: Joseph Addai (before the BYE week) was the #1 RB in Fantasy Football in terms of production. They got Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and 1st round pick Anthony Gonzalez all exceptional at their trade. But what gives the Colts that added advantage is the chemistry between the receivers and Peyton Manning. Harrison and Manning hold the records for completions, yards, and touchdowns by any WR/QB duo.

Patriots: Their running back situation is a little murky right now with Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris both on the sidelines with injuries, leaving Kevin Faulk to do the rushing duties. Yet, they got Randy Moss for a 2nd round pick. That’s the steal of the decade right there. He’s a non-stop scoring machine. And yet when you “contain” him, you got new-comers Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth ripping your secondary apart. The only thing that they need now is to build on getting their timing down with Tom Brady.

Edge Goes To: Colts

Quarterbacks:

Colts: Peyton Manning. 2003 MVP. 2004 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. 2005 Pro Bowl MVP. 2007 Super Bowl MVP. He holds the single season records for TDs and Passer Rating. He is essential for this team’s success.

Patriots: Tom Brady. 2 Super Bowl MVP Awards. 3 Super Bowl Victories. Holds records for Most Completions in a Super Bowl and Most Consecutive Post-Season Victories, He leads the league through 6 weeks with 21 Passing TDs and is on pace to break Manning’s record.

Edge Goes To: Tied

Special Teams:

Colts: The return game been decent. But kicker Adam Vinatieri is Mr. Clutch himself. He can easily win a game with his foot and is absolutely calm and collect when the game is on the line. Funny how he used to be Mr. Clutch for the team I’m comparing the Colts to.

Patriots: Return man Ellis Hobbs had the longest kick-off return thus far this season, and 108 yard return that he took to the house of course. Wes Welker returns punts and we’ve seen what he can do. Yet, the kicking game has yet to be challenged. They’ve blown out their opposition in every game up to now, so we don’t know how 2nd year pro Stephen Gostkowski will be when it comes down to a field goal to win the game.

Edge Goes To: Tied

The Results:
- Colts Edge: 1
- Patriots Edge: 1
- Tied: 2

So as much as I would’ve like to determine who is the better team, as unbiased as possible I have determined that it’s just way too close to call at this point. Yet, they both face each other on November 4th (WEEK 9) and it just might be a preview of the AFC Championship. Then the debate can finally be put to rest.

Top 5 QBs

After Tom Brady’s amazing performance this past weekend, I started thinking about all the other great NFL quarterbacks. Who else tops the list?

Peyton Manning- Next to Tom Brady, Manning is the man. He’s had the most touch down passes (49 in his 2004 season), the most seasons with over 4,000 yards passing, and to top it off, a Super Bowl win and MVP award. Manning has already thrown for over 1300 yards this season and is completing 70% of his passes with numbers that just keep getting better. Peyton has been putting up the numbers since his college years at Tennessee and was selected first overall in the 1998 draft pick. The Colts made a good decision to start him immediately and Peyton Manning has been proving them right every game since.

Hall of Fame member Troy Aikman is another name who thrived as an NFL quarterback. The first overall pick went to the Cowboys in 1989 who selected Aikman without hesitation. In his college career Troy Aikman had been rated the number three passer in NCAA history, and was voted the nation’s top quarterback, coming in third for the Heisman trophy. Although the team got off to a rocky start going 1-15 in his first season, things began to improve from there. In 1990 the team went 7-9 and the following year they finished 11-5 advancing into the playoffs. Troy Aikman and the Cowboys enjoyed 90 wins in the 1990s, the most in NFL history as well as two Super Bowl titles. Finally in 2000, two years worth of injuries began to catch up to Aikman and he announced his retirement. In 2006 Troy Aikman was elected into the Hall of Fame along with fellow cowboys Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith.

Brett Favre recently won a not-so-glamorous award for most interceptions. Despite that, he is off to a great start for the 2007 season. So far, Favre has thrown for 9 touch downs and over 1700 yards. In his past seasons, Favre has had 4 seasons where he threw for over 4,000 yards and has been very close in 7 other seasons. Brett led the Green Bay Packers to 2 Super Bowls although and one Super Bowl win. He is also the only 3 time MVP in NFL history. In addition to holding almost every record in Packer’s history, he holds a large number of NFL awards including most career passing touchdowns, most career past completions, longest touchdown pass, and most career starts by a quarterback.
With all these awards under his belt, Brett Favre could retire knowing his place in the hall of fame is secured. Luckily for the Packers, Favre has made no mention of quitting any time soon.

The list would not be complete without acknowledging the founding man of quarterback greatness. He holds nearly every passing record in the NFL. Despite never being on a Super Bowl winning team, he is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in history. He was drafted 27th. Do you know who it is? It’s Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins. Marino began his first season as a backup to David Woodley but got to start in game 6 and at the end of the season was elected to play in the pro bowl and became the first rookie to start in a pro bowl game. The following year, Marino was voted NFL MVP and proceeded to shatter 6 season passing records. The Dolphins went 12-4 almost every season, making it into post season 10 out of 17 of Dan Marino’s seasons. Despite an injury that many feared would end Marino’s career, the Dolphins again left their fate up to Marino who pulled through and passed for 4435 yards, and was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

Yankees: MLB’s Most Expensive Failure

By: David Nuñez

People can always say that numbers don’t tell the whole story. For a guy like George Steinbrenner (owner of the New York Yankees), the number’s are hard to ignore.

The New York Yankees’ team salary was estimated to be $195,229,045. That’s $112,000,000 above the league median ($83M). The Cleveland Indians’ team salary was estimated to be $61,289,667. That’s $22Million below the league median.

3-1. That number right there is probably more astounding that any of the monetary figures I threw at you previously. Its’s the the final outcome of the ALDS match-up between the Yanks and the ‘Tribe’.

If you didn’t get to see the series or perhaps didn’t even hear about it (in which case it would be impressive that you have internet in the cave you live in) you’d think the boys in the pinstripes would be the ones on the way to take on the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but it turns out they got their high-priced heinies handed to themselves by the Indians.

The team that was once synonymous with “dynasty” has to now be considered one of the most expensive failures in MLB. They have the priciest roster in the league and yet can’t manage to get past the divisional play-off series for that last three straight years (and having lost in the conference series in 2004).

This goes to show, and it goes for this sport as well as others, that you can have the most talented individuals and highest paid athletes playing for one team, but you are not gauranteed to have the best team in the sense of a group playing in unison.

Should Joe Torre be let go? Go ahead, let him leave. All he did was have New York show up in 13th consecutive postseason appearances, 6 of those being World Series appearances, and 4 of those coming out as World Series champions. Will he be unemployed for long? Only if he chooses to.

Some more numbers for you. 5 out of 10. That’s 50%. Half of the top ten salaries on the team will more than likely be gone to free agency. The list is quite a “who’s who” in when it comes to the Yankees. (In parenthesis is their 2007 salary)

1. Alex Rodriguez ($27,708,525)
2. Andy Pettitte ($16,000,000)
3. Bobby Abreu ($15,600,000)
4. Jorge Posada ($12,000,000)
5. Mariano Rivera ($10,500,000)

Rumors are already churning up in the mill. Is La Russa heading to the Bronx? Does A-Rod’s cleaning of his locker so abruptly signal the end of his time in NY? Will Brian Cashman keep his job as GM?

Like I said. It’s all about numbers. So let’s end this with a numerical figure:

Question: Number of times Red Sox fans get to yell “Yankees Suck” this weekend?

Correct Answer: Zero. 0. Nil.

The Yanks never even showed up.

If you come to think of it, they didn’t even show up in Cleveland either.

The Vick saga continues…

With all the dog fighting drama which has put him in the hot seat, Michael Vick did himself no favors last month by testing positive for marijuana. He is set to return to court November 27th for sentencing where he faces up to 5 years in prison. Let’s be honest, he’ll probably serve 6 months to 1 year and then get to go on probation like every other rich celebrity sports star. In the meantime, he’s trying to improve his image and hopefully make everyone think he is in fact actually sorry for his actions.
He began immediately after being convicted by claiming he had found Jesus. Hard to top that, but this week, he took an 8 hour PETA class on respect for animals. And for his latest publicity stunt, he will actually appear in several public service announcements for the organization.
But the scandal isn’t quite over. An investigation into Vick’s apparent marijuana habit revealed Vick’s cousin, Davon Boddie, as a drug dealer. He pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges against him. In all likelihood he will probably serve more time in prison than Vick. Gotta love the American legal system.
And the Atlanta Falcons are attempting to recover 16 million in bonuses based on his contract, as well as another grievance suit against Vick claiming that he defrauded them where they are asking for 22 million back from him. The Falcons aren’t likely to win the first case. Last year NFL special master Stephen Burbank ruled that bonuses are considered “salary escalators already earned.” The second case will probably settle out of court but Vick signed a 130 million dollar contract in 2004 so he can afford it.
There’s some good news coming out of all this mess and it comes from the Canadian press. Leave it to Canada to put a good spin on it, eh…
49 dogs were seized from Vick’s home during the investigation and all but one of them can be saved. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals evaluated each dog and placed them into a category including foster homes for eventual adoption, and specialty training for law enforcement. Only one dog exhibited aggression towards humans the group deemed too dangerous to be let out.
Vick will likely have to pay for training for all 48 dogs in addition to the legal fees, whatever he has to give back to the Falcons, and how much he has to bribe someone to get a lesser sentence. Depending on how he has managed his money, which I’m willing to bet is not at all, he may not only have lost his reputation, he probably will also be broke.
When he gets out of jail will he be able to salvage his career? Depending on how long he goes to jail for, he may play again when he gets out. I hate to say it, but football teams may pretend to care about the players as people, but they don’t. They care about winning and if you had to stab someone before every game to win it, they wouldn’t blink an eye. The teams will be clamoring for the publicity. Sure most of it will be negative, but it’s like those annoying head-on commercials; you hate them, but they work. People will tune in just to see if he’s really playing, if he’s still good, and to watch the protestors throw things at him. If nothing else it will be good entertainment.

NFL 2007 Season Predictions: NFC North

By: David Nuñez

We’ve gone through the entire AFC. But come February, two conferences have to face one another. So let’s take a look at the other opponent’s conference. Let’s breakdown the NFC. I’ll tell you why each team has the chance to win their division title, why they won’t win, and what exactly the chances of winning are.

AFC North:

• Chicago:

Why?: The Bears defense didn’t change much since last year, and that’s not a bad thing at all. Led by tacking machine Brian Urlacher, this unit is probably the most dominant defense of this decade. With the addition of hard-hitting safety Adam Archuleta, it’s hard to see anybody light up the score-board at Soldier Field. Devin Hester will continue to amaze fans everywhere and Cedric Benson is ready to carry the load of being the #1 back in Chicago.

Why Not?: It seems to be the same thing for the Bears: no consistency at quarterback. The erratic play of Rex Grossman will continue this season as he has shown no signs of improvement. And for those who say “Well the defense will make up for his bad decision making”, go back and watch last year’s Super Bowl and see if you can say that once again.

Chance of Winning Division Title: 80%

• Detroit Lions:

Why?: This offense is just explosive. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz proved last year that he is still able to put up plenty of points no matter who his team is up against. Jon Kitna has plenty of options to throw to, including young and talented Pro-Bowler Roy Williams and first round pick Calvin Johnson. Look for stud linebackers Ernie Sims and Boss Bailey to have a break-out year.

Why Not?: The running game is still in bit of a limbo. While Kevin Jones is on the active roster, it’s still uncertain when he will actually start. For the time being Tatum Bell, acquired from Denver via trade, will get the starting nod, but he is still learning Mike Martz’s complex system. The secondary also took a big blow when Dre’ Bly was traded to Denver. The inexperienced and lack of big plays from this defensive backfield will make the offense work overtime.

Chance of Winning Division Title: 50%

• Green Bay Packers:a>

Why?: Brett Favre is still a proven winner. He is at times too much of a risk taker, but that’s been his thing his whole career. They have excellent speed and ability in the receiving department and Donald Driver is the proven leader of that unit. Another reason to believe in the “gold and green” is their defense. With group of young athletic linebackers and solid corners in Charles Woodson and Al Harris, I think the people of Green Bay can count on their team to be around in the post-season.

Why Not?: The departure Ahman Green will have a huge impact on their running game, and it won’t be a positive one. He’s been the proven workhorse over the last couple of years, and they now must go to Vernand Morency and rookie running back Brandon Jackson for their ground game. While Favre can make up for the inexperienced youth on the receiving end, all he can do is watch and hope that these young backs can provide some sort of support for his team.

Chance of Winning Division Title: 50%

• Minnesota Vikings:

Why?: If you can run in the NFL, you can win games. Believe me when I say this, the Vikings will have absolutely no trouble running the ball this year. With Chester Taylor slated to start, the “cheetah” will split carries with promising rookie Adrian Peterson (watch for this guy to explode). Also, their defense is one of the best against the run. They allowed the fewest rushing yards last season, thanks in better part to defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams (of no relation to one another).

Why Not?: While they can certainly run the ball, the Vikes will have trouble airing out. With no proven vet or breakout receiver, they have inconsistency at the position. Most importantly, Tarvaris Jackson, 2nd year QB out of Alabama State, in anything but a pocket quarterback. He is still young and still has the mentality to use his legs when the first passing option isn’t open. Look for this to be a problem when he does decide to throw, as his inexperience at the most important position in football could be the downfall of the Vikings.

Chance of Winning Division Title: 20%