The Finish

LSU blew it this weekend against Ole Miss...and I'm not much interested in LSU as long as Les Miles is still coach. I invest plenty of time/money into LSU sports, most notebly football, and right now I'm just not getting enough in return thanks to him. I've never really like him since day one, but it really is time for him to go.

Anyways, I would rather discuss fantasy here instead of anything else today. So here are my projections for the "Molly Ringwald's Pink Nipple" finish with three weeks to go and most of this weeks games already decided:

Current record Projected finish
Porkrind
*Tittsburgh Feelers 8-2 12-2
*Itouchdownthere 6-4 9-5
Donkey Punchers 5-5 6-8
Ragin Cajuns 4-6 6-8
Thunder Chodes 3-7 3-11

Rawhide
*Giant TD's 6-4 10-4
*Loose Stool Stallions 6-4 8-6
Cunt Punt 5-5 7-7
River Bourbons 5-5 5-9
The Machine 2-8 4-10

* Playoff teams

So there it is...

Manager/Coach of the Year

Jim Tracy, as manager of the Colorado Rockies since May, was named NL Manager of the Year today. In a landslide. I'm not saying they didn't get it right, because the Rockies were shit in the early goings of 2009, and Tracy turned it around and they reached the NLCS. What I am saying is that he won't still be their manager by the start of the 2012 season. And that should actually not be a surprise to anyone anymore. I mean, I'm giving him two full seasons before they let him go. That's pretty good by coaching awards nowadays right?

Since 2002 in Major League Baseball, 6 of the last 11 managers (AL & NL) who won the award were with that team to start the third season after winning the award. Not counting Mike Brown who won the 2009 NBA Coach of the Year, only 2 of the last 13 winners reached the third season after. In fact, the last time the NBA had back-to-back winners who lasted into that elusive year three was Lenny Wilkins/Del Harris in '93 and '94. The NFL can actually claim some stability for its award. Only 3 coaches in the past 10 years have failed to reach year three after: Dick Vermeil, Dick Jauron (with Chicago), and Marty Schottenheimer.

Without being in Colorado to know what precipitated the Rockies demise that led to its eventual climb back to the top under Tracy, I am unable to know if the award is "truly" warranted. The stat sheet and the achievements seem to speak for itself though. I wish him the best in his grueling job as a pro sports manager. I just don't see him at his current position in a couple of years.

Aftermath of the Armpit

Dick Jauron was fired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills this morning. This is what happens when you lose 6-3, at home, to the worst team in your league when said teams starting quarterback is 2-17 passing. Too bad because he's a good coach. But like Mangino, I've always felt Jauron would be better served as a defensive coodinator.

The Armpit

As the Monday Night Football intro came on last night, I turned to my wife and said, "and that will be the highlight of tonights coverage." I said this with a straight face. Actually, I might have had a bit of a frown knowing what a poor matchup our nation would be witnessing. Baltimore isn't a bad football team. They've been sputtering of late, but not horrible by any means. But from a football excitement level, the Ravens bring it in bursts. Its fun while it lasts, then you still have the other 50 to 55 minutes of slow, defense oriented football. This isn't normally so bad, except when you bring that style against a team like Clevelend.

Cleveland truely is simply the worst team in the NFL. Yes, there are three other teams sharing the Browns 1-8 record, but each of those teams has shown promise. The Browns do not. They can't score (32nd in both scoring/total offense), nor can they defend anyone (32nd in total/27th in scoring defense). If I can give them credit for anything, its that they are the least penalized team in the league. I suppose that last stat is some sort of gift to the fans.

The players, based on reports last night, had thoughts of not showing at all. I commend them for that thought. The follow through was as poor as their shutout loss. But to be fair to the players, Eric Mangini isn't meant to be an NFL head coach. He might have been ok in New York, but he also had better talent there. And he didn't have to turn so much of the personnel over in New York to fit whatever he wanted to do like he is having to in Cleveland. And, well, that just makes him a bad head coach to me. You have to be able to succeed with what is given to you. And the Cleveland Browns are unable to do that. Win that is.

And what might the most frustrating thing about the Browns is for as bad as they've been, they have found a way to keep some games closer than they should have been. Four of their losses where by 14 points or less. I find this amazing. But not as amazing as how they beat the Bills in October with Derek Anderson going 2-17. Amazing.

Around the Horn Monday

This title seems best for throwing a bunch of random thoughts out in space:

NFL

- Peyton Manning comebacks like last night stopped surprising me about 3 or 4 years ago. Now I just marvel at watching one of the games all-time greats at any position.
- The Bengals do continue to surprise me each week...their defense is tough...for their sake, Cedric Benson better heal quick
- Minnesota is going to be playing in NFC Championship game at the very least...they're just too damn good not too
- New Orleans might not get to the NFC Championship game...not if they keep giving up 100 yards rushing games
- Chris Johnson is just as good as Adrian Peterson...in the long run, he'll be Barry Sanders to Peterson's Emmitt Smith

MLB

- End of season awards start going out today...Andrew Bailey-RP for Oakland (AL) and Chris Coghlan-OF for Florida (NL) took home rookie of the years
- Free agent spending will begin in the next week or so...curious to see if spending will drop this year since over half of the clubs in Major League Baseball are bitching about the economy

NBA

- I found it ironic that Chris Paul hurt himself just days after complaining about Byron Scott being fired as his coach. Did he not want to play for the new coach? Players don't do that, right?
- Sure didn't see the Knicks starting 1-9, or Atlanta 8-2. Is Jamal Crawford finally playing for a winner?

College Football

- I'd really like to see TCU against either of the "Big 3" ahead of them in the BCS poll, same goes with a healthy Cincinnati team
- Toby Gerhart is a pretty damn good football tailback...top 5 Heisman pick at the moment
- C.J. Spiller isn't too bad either...top 5 for him as well


Fantasy

- I actually won a game this week! Mostly thanks to Donovan McNabb, but a solid team effort in this one

A new generation

Jay Cutler is this generations Jeff George. Both have huge cannon arms capable of making every throw. Both are incapable of stringing together consistant performances. Neither of them is willing to take the blame for their mistakes. And when they do, there is always a hint in the tone that the mistakes they made wouldn't have if "something" would have happened that didn't cause them to fuck up. And while neither of them is capable of leading an NFL franchise to prominance, they will always have a shot somewhere because of their "great" arm. They are both complete douche bags.

I feel bad for Bears fans right now. They were duped by Cutler. They gave a pair of 1st round picks among others to obtain him. And they will never be that good of a team as long as he is their quarterback. I also once thought he would be good in Chicago. Then last night, while watching him throw 5 picks against the 49ers, I had those flashbacks to Jeff George.

Like George, Cutler was preceded by QB's that won more than him, and up to this point, followed by someone who won more after he left. Both were high 1st round picks with tons of potential. George played at 6'4" 215, Cutler at 6'3" 230. Cutler has so far produced slightly more TD's per game (1.5 to 1.2 for George), yards per pass (7.4 to 7.0), yards passing per game (246 to 210), and a better QB rating (86.4 to 80.4). but George threw fewer interceptions per game (.86 to 1.2 for Cutler). From a statistical perspective, they are very similar.

Besides the above similarities is the fact that neither could be considered "a winner". Cutler is a meager 21-25 as a starting NFL QB with no playoff appearances. Jeff George was 46-78 and won a grand total of one playoff game in his career. That coming in a the 1999 season with Minnesota. Database football compared George's career stats to guys like Troy Aikma, Jim Kelly, Phil Simms, and John Elway. The problem is that those guys won. A lot. He never did. And Cutler isn't likely to either.

The teams will change over the years. The stats will pile up. Each new team will think how much better he is than the last guy that had as their QB. And it won't take long for his new fans to look forward to seeing him leave for his new team.

I'm thinking

Since everyone else has an "I think" column:

College Football
- I'm still pissed about LSU's loss, though it's nice to see them move up one spot in the BCS with that loss
- TCU looks really good and I can see them in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise St.
- Houston looks really good too, on offense...but the Cougars need to play better defense...very exciting to watch though
- Rich Rodriguez is gonna get fired...and Michigan would be smart to not make a big splash with the next head coaching hire
- If Cincinnati loses, we might get another less-than-interesting Orange Bowl...think of a Clemson vs Pittsburgh matchup instead of the Cincinnati vs Georgia Tech...I like the later
- We really need a Division I playoff...

NFL
- The Saints have to outscore everyone and reduce the mistakes they make...the defense gives up far too many big plays and someone is bound to slow them down come playoff time
- The recent collapse by the 49er defense makes me sad for them
- Dallas is pretty damn good team...far fewer distractions (outside of Roy Williams that is)
- It was nice to see so many close games this week
- The Giants look soft and defeated right now...

NBA
- I'm already tired of LeBron James rumors for 2010...

Fantasy
- For not liking his draft, the Tittsburgh Feelers are pretty tough
- I knew I should have drafted Brees over Phillips...time to start planning for 2010

Jobbing and the BCS

LSU was jobbed today vs Alabama by one very bad officiating call in the 4th quarter. The call (obvious to all that was an LSU interception) was ruled an incomplete pass. Alabama went on to kick a field goal, go up by 9, and win the game by that difference. But that was only one call and LSU did its fair share of jobbing itself. I won't go into detail, but coaching (or lackthereof) is often a problem for LSU.

With todays loss, LSU falls to 7-2. I would think they don't have much of a chance any longer at a National Championship. Though 2007 proves that anything is possible. But I feel as though the season is over. There are three games left. Three games the tigers are likely to win. Maybe not. It most likely won't matter much unless you are talking about what bowl they are going to.

LSU today suffered the same fate that Iowa, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Penn St. suffered this week. That USC and Virginia Tech suffered last week. Its the dreaded 2nd or 3rd loss that kills your chances. No national championship and possibly no conference championship. No playoff.

I would image that if the weather didn't help keep people indoors when November comes around that more people wouldn't spend their time around the tube watching college football. Don't get me wrong, I love college football over any other sport/level of competition. I just wish that more than two teams (with one often being "rewarded" by the system) were given a chance after a long season.

New Blog, Fedor, CBS

I decided to create something for everyone from all of the fantasy leagues that we run thoughout the year to check out and be current on. This is more difficult with people moving, working different shifts, and me never having updated email addresses for everyone.

Gus Johnson is apparently doing the punch-by-punch for the CBS/Fedor event tomorrow. I think after 2 minutes he'll be giving his first NFL promo. Thats really why CBS is getting into MMA right?

Speaking of CBS...I'll be watching the LSU/Alabama slugfest at 12:30 tomorrow. I'm thinking of keeping a scratch pad nearby throughout this game to count how many times they promote the Fedor extravaganza. I'll give an over/under at 15.