HEADLINES
1) In a battle of ranked teams, Miami defeated Georgia Tech 33-14. Has Miami returned to the importance of NCAA football and has risen back to the top of the ACC?
Ben: I'm a little leary to say they've risen to the top of the ACC, I still think Virginia Tech is king of that conference. I will say that I think they have become a force once again on the national stage. If Miami can roll together a strong season this year, I think it will almost guarantee success next year.
The state of Flordia has some of the best football players in the nation, and those players want to go to a school like Miami, especially if it's going to be in the spotlight of the nation. They put up a 11-2 record this year, and Miami will dominate for a long stretch.
Boz: Yes and its nice to see. Miami was good for so long and then just had four or five bad years in a row. I like to see them being a factor again in college football. They're definitely a contender for the ACC title and a BCS bid. We'll find out next week if they are the best team in the ACC when they head to Virginia Tech to take on the Hokies. I'll go ahead and say that I'm jumping back on the Hurricane bandwagon. I love Jacory Harris and the running back Greg Cooper. All I know is that this year's team is making Jimmy Johnson and all of those great Hurricane players from back in the day proud.
2) The Portland Trail Blazers signed veteran Juwan Howard to a one-year deal. The question here is simply...WHY?
Ben: This doesn't make sense. The Trail Blazers have some of the most talented, young big men in the game with Oden and Aldridge and they want to bring in Juwan Howard to steal minutes from those two. I really do not understand why they would bring someone in like this. Portland has to be a dark horse to contend for the Western Conference next season and wasting a roster spot on someone who might be able to give you 10 minutes and 3 points a game just doesn't seem worth it.
Boz: My answer is simply...I have no clue. I didn't even know he played last year but apparently he averaged 4.1 points per game in 42 games with Denver and Charlotte. This will be his 16th NBA season and he is the only remaining player from Michigan's Fab 5 still playing (my apologies to Ray Jackson and Jimmy King if you are still playing pro basketball somewhere, I didn't want to take the time to look it up and just made a safe assumption). Does Howard qualify for the senior citizen discount when the team is on the road? My only reasoning for this is that they want a veteran to help guide all of their young players. The Blazers are a talented team, but they are young. However, I have to imagine there was a more talented veteran out there they could have signed.
The other thing is that you can't even say that Howard should be the veteran they should get to help show them how to win. He's never won! He's always been on bad teams. I just don't understand this at all. Ride off into the sunset Juwan Howard.
3) Zack Grienke pitched five scoreless innings against the Tigers yesterday to lower his ERA to 2.14. He only has 14 wins. Is he your AL Cy Young winner?
Ben: Yes. I think he's the best pitcher in the AL, and I think that W-L record is such a cop-out move to decide the Cy Young winner on. There are plenty of pitchers that have a high ERA that get wins simply because they get run support. Voters should not punish Grienke for playing for the pitiful Royals. He should be given bonus points for keeping focused all season. I say it's his to lose, and if he posts another scoreless start, they should start engraving the trophy.
Boz: It's hard to argue against a 2.14 ERA. He has probably two starts left and if he wins both of them he would still have one of the lowest win totals for a Cy Young winner in a long time. I think that I'm going to pick C.C. Sabathis because he has a chance to get to 20 wins and is still posting a 3.42 ERA while pitching most of his games in the home run launching pad that they call New Yankee Stadium. I know the argument for Grienke will be "if Grienke had the Yankees line-up instead of the Royals, he'd already have 25 wins." It's a valid argument but I still have Sabathia. The best pitcher on the best team in baseball.
4) According to the Boston Globe, the New England Patirots are debating calling Junior Seau to fill in while Jerrod Mayo is recovering from his injury. Seau said he only has about six games left in his body. Is this a good idea for the Patriots?
Ben: Nope. If Seau is guessing he has six games left, he doesn't even have that left. Players always over-estimate their abilities on the field. If Seau thinks he can do six, he can probably do 3 or 4. I don't think he's worth bringing in to play mediocre, and I think he might even be worse then that. I don't like bringing in old vets to spot start when young players hungry to make an impact are sitting on your bench itching to get a chance.
Play the young ones, don't waste your time with Seau.
Boz: If Seau can still play then its a great idea. He says that he only has six games left in his body. Well Mayo is out for 6-8 weeks. Therefore when Mayo returns, Seau can just retire again. It'd be better than signing Derrick Brooks because when Mayo comes back then Brooks moves to the bench. I don't think Brooks wants to come back just to move to the bench when Mayo is healthy again. However, Seau is 40 years old and has been spending his time working on his reality tv show where he takes part in random sports jobs (he appeared at a Dodgers game as a ball boy) so you have to figure that he isn't in top shape. But whatever Bill Belicheck does I'll believe in, he always pulls the right strings.
NFL PICK 'EM
1) New Orleans (1-0) at Philidelphia (1-0)
Ben: NEW ORLEANS. They looked impressive, especially defensively last week, granted against the Lions, but I think Brees puts them up big, and an improved defense shuts down Kevin Kolb.
Boz: NEW ORLEANS. I think Philadelphia is a Super Bowl contender with Donovan McNabb behind the center. However, I don't think McNabb is going to be behind center this Sunday. They'll have to score a lot of points to keep up with the Saints and I don't think that'll happen with Kevin Kolb.
2) Minnesota (1-0) at Detroit (0-1)
Ben: DETROIT. Homer alert. First, AP is going to go nuts, the Lions have no answer. But, Matt Stafford CANNOT be worse then last week. I've got the Lions getting a late FG to win and ending the streak.
Boz: MINNESOTA. Adrain Peterson will run for over 150 yards with at least two touchdowns. Matthew Stafford will be worse than last week.
3) New England (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)
Ben: NEW ENGLAND. Kerry Rhodes said stupid things, need I say more?
Boz: NEW ENGLAND. The Jets have done a lot of talking this week and they are only digging their own grave. The Patriots will work out those kinks in the offense they had early in the game against Buffalo and you'll see the old Patriots offense from 2007, putting up at least 35 points. Mark Sanchez can't lead the Jets to 36 points.
4) Baltimore (1-0) at San Diego (1-0)
Ben: SAN DIEGO. The Ravens have to go cross-country to play a very talented San Diego team. Rivers, LT, Vincent Jackson, and Antonio Gates take advantage of a tired Ravens D.
Boz: BALTIMORE. They scored a lot of points last week. Their defense gave up 24 points to the Chiefs but that will be straightened out this week. I didn't like the way the Chargers looked last week and if LT doesn't play, they'll have a lot harder time scoring against the Ravens than they did against the Raiders.
5) Pittsburgh (1-0) at Chicago (0-1)
Ben: PITTSBURGH. The defending champs D looked real good last week, and Chicago's offense looked real bad last week. Not a good combo for the Bears.
Boz: CHICAGO. I'm going to go with my Bears here because I would hate myself if they pulled out a W and I didn't pick it. I'm just going to hope and pray that Cutler will turn it around and throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. I think the Steeler D will miss Polamalu more than they think.
6) New York Giants (1-0) at Dallas (1-0)
Ben: NEW YORK GIANTS. Dallas looked sluggish last week and the offense benefited from some HUGE plays. I think it's a slugfest, but I got the G-men pulling off another win against Big D.
Boz: DALLAS. Them Cowboys are opening up the Big House of the South and are anticipating a BIG crowd. The Cowboys will be fired up and Romo will have a big game despite the Giants' pass rush.
HAPPY HOUR
Ben: Happy 38th Birthday Lance Armstrong. Amazing story, amazing champion, and to top it all off, he's clean. I really like Lance and hopes he continues to amaze us for years to come.
Boz: Happy 50th Birthday to Ryne Sandberg. Ryno was my favorite baseball player in the 90s and one of the greatest 2nd baseman of all-time. I got to watch manage for two years with the Peoria Chiefs and I'm hoping he eventually manages 81 games at Wrigley Field.
I'm also honored to say that my future mother-in-law (Sheena's mom for all those who don't follow) was born on the same exact day as Ryne Sandberg. Happy 50th Birthday Cathy Anderson!
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