Hornets @ Celtics Preview

The Celtics are going to have to get used to life without Garnett for at least 2 weeks, and they might have to play tonight without Rondo again as well. There is no word yet if Rondo will play, so it is kind of hard to predict this game.

The good news for the Celtics is that the Hornets have really started to fall apart. They have lost each of their last two games (Lakers/Timberwolves), and are only 4-6 in their last 10 games. The Hornets are also only 5-10 on the road.

Since the beginning of 2008-09, the Celtics are 112-44 (.718) with Garnett and 24-14 (.632) without him during the regular season. So, as much as it does affect them they are still a good team without their defensive captain.

With the Hornets losing the last 3 times they have come to Boston by at least 10 points I have to say that trend continues tonight.

Celtics win 92-81
Tommy Award: Big Baby
Game starts at 3pm on Comcast

Figgins Going Back To Angels?

That is the rumor that rolling around today. Figgins has been somewhat of a letdown for Seattle, but he was a hell of a player for the Angels, so maybe this would be a good fit. The Mariners are obviously pretty far off from being a good team, so if they can land more prospects and get rid of the $26 million he is owed over the next three seasons that could let them go out and get some kind of power hitter in the future.

This just makes sense on so many levels. Top Seattle prospect Dustin Ackley could slide into that open spot. On top of that the Angels really wanted Crawford, but Figgins could fill that gap (at least for base stealing). Anyways, there is nothing officially, but this has to be something the Angels are looking at.

Vick To Sit This Weekend

We all knew this was coming, but Vick is officially out for this Sunday against the Cowboys. It just makes too much sense. The game is meaningless and Vick has been taking a lot of hits lately. With the Eagles losing to the pathetic Vikings a week ago it is obvious that Vick could use the time off. That is one of my concerns with Vick is that the style he plays opens him up to a long of injuries. The good news is that with a week off Vick should be 100%, and when he is healthy he is one of the hardest people to game plan for in the NFL.

Another reason this could be a good idea is because if Kolb can come out and play well then it can only help his trade value. Even if he struggles they can have the excuse that the "first team" wasn't out there, so I really see this as a no lose situation.

I do bet that DeSean Jackson will sit as well on Sunday.

Why Not?

Why not see why there is no such thing as a crash proof bike?

Crash Proof bike technology FAIL - watch more funny videos

Mike Leach Would Be A Great Coach For Maryland

"One day after Ralph Friedgen coached his final game with Maryland, the school ramped up the search for its next head coach. According to multiple reports, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach met with Maryland on Thursday. Two sources told the Washington Post the meeting went well (ESPN)."

This might be a perfect situation from Mike Leach. Maryland is not a powerhouse by and stretch, but they are in a major BCS Conference that could easily be taken over in a couple years. Florida State, Maimi, VT are all good but not great. I think this conference is ripe for the pickin' and Leach can get himself to major Bowl games quickly.

Leach has been linked to a lot of pro and college jobs, but if he is to stay in the college game I really think this could be a nice fit.

Ochocinco To The Patriots?

ESPN Insider had an interesting article today that put the idea out there that the Patriots will sign Ochocinco this offseason. These are somewhat set off by the Patriots being known to "remake" a players image, and the comments from Bill Belichick...

"I like Chad," Belichick said in September. "I like him as a player. I like him as a person. I like his enthusiasm and the fun he has with football, and I like how he competes on the football field. I have a lot of respect for that. An odd couple, but in the end I think we have a lot of things in common." Enough to add him to the Pats' roster? We could find out this offseason (ESPN).

Could it happen? You never know with the Patriots, but I say no. The Patriots do not like people talking out in the media and that is all Ochocinco does. I don't see him stopping it even if it's for the "good of the team". I like Ochocinco, but lately his mouth does a lot more then his hands do, and he kind of goes against everything the Patriots seem to want to stand for.

Say what you want about Moss, but for the most part he kept his mouth shut, and when he didn't he was shipped out. Since I don't think Ochocinco can go a day without being in the public eye, I just don't see this partnership happening.

Brandon Roy Season Over?

Blazers GM Rich Cho indicated Roy is out indefinitely due to soreness in both his knees, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian.

"I can tell you it will most likely be for an extended period," Cho said, according to the paper. "We've talked about (ending his season) and it's a possibility, but we want to explore a couple of other things first (ESPN)."

There have been whispers over the past couple days that they are going to shut him down for the season, and this seems to be another signal that they eventually will. I feel bad for the Blazers, which are just like the Rockets, they now have lose Oden and maybe Roy for the season. The only reason I don't feel that bad though is because they knew that he had knee trouble before they signed him to that extension, so really it's kind of their own fault.

But I do hope he comes back, because I am a fan of his game.

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 7

There will be 6 games played on New Year's Day. We might as well call it Big Ten day as 5 Big Ten teams will be in action. Three of them will be playing SEC opponents.

12:00 PM - ESPNU
TicketCity Bowl - Dallas, TX
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
This game will be played at the Cotton Bowl, and the Cotton Bowl will be played at Cowboys Stadium. Both these teams went 7-5, and can be happy to be in a New Year's Day bowl game. northwestern limped down the stretch, losing 5 of their last 7, including a 70-23 dismantling at the hands of Wisconsin. Meanwhile, TTU had a 3-5 stretch of their own. They crushed weak opponents, but struggled against the quality. Still, I'll take Texas Tech in this one.



1:00 PM - ABC
Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL
Florida Gators vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Two top-tier programs having off years. Florida was 4-4 in the SEC, but 0-3 against the SEC West. They lost to the only good team in the East (South Carolina), and their most impressive win was over South Florida. The Gators are close to home, but I think PSU wins this one.



1:00 PM - ESPN
Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL
#16 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. #9 Michigan State Spartans
Bama lost 3 games, to 3 pretty good teams (Auburn, LSU, South Carolina). Michigan State only lost once. To Iowa. They beat eventual champ Wisconsin. However, they never had to face Ohio State. And even though the Big Ten was deep this year, MSU's schedule looks childish compared to Alabama's. I have to go with my heart, and pick the Tide.



1:30 PM - ESPN2
Progressive Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL
#21 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
How deep was the SEC West? 2 BCS berths, and 5 ranked teams. Not too shabby. The Bulldogs 4 losses came against the other 4 ranked teams in their division. They lost to Auburn by 3, and Arkansas needed 2 OTs to finish them off. In other words, they've had a good season. They can run the ball, and they have a solid defense. Michigan can also run the ball, and they can score. They put up 34.3 points per game, but also allowed 33.8 (102nd). My brain says Mississippi State. But my gut says Michigan. I'll pick Michigan.



5:00 PM - ESPN
Rose Bowl Game Presented By VIZIO - Pasadena, CA
#5 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #3 TCU Horned Frogs
Where's the love for TCU? Where are the protests? Where's the outrage? They went 12-0 in a conference that was better than the Big East, a conference that had four 8+ win teams. They're not as cartoonish as Boise State. They actually play football. These two teams tied for 4th in the country, averaging 43.3 points per game. But while Wisconsin was 20th in defense, allowing 20.5 per game, TCU gave up a paltry 11.4 points per game. This is going to be a hell of a game. And TCU will prevail.



8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
UConn Huskies vs. #7 Oklahoma Sooners
Don't underestimate UConn. They won the Big East by beating West Virginia and Pitt and Syracuse. They did lose to some awful teams, and winning the Big East is only a few steps above winning C-USA these days. But they play close games. They win close games. Oklahoma is going to defeat UConn, but it won't be sheer domination, as everyone expects.



More picks on Monday. Happy New Year!

-The Commodore

Thrashers 3, Bruins 2 (SO)

I really can't criticize the Bruins much for their loss last night. They played well in all three zones, they got 44 shots on net (18 in the 3rd alone), they just ran into a wall in goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who had a truly top notch game in net.

There was also a set of officials that called some ridiculous ticky-tacky stuff. I only wish Tommy Heinsohn were there to see it. The Bruins did get one power play from this soft kind of officiating, but Atlanta got three, and scored on two of them.

And it wasn't even like the Bruins PK unit played poorly when they allowed the goals. Nor did Atlanta's PP unit excel. They were token shots on net that found their way through Thomas.

The one criticism I did have was the fact that Thomas was in net. He looked sluggish against Tampa Bay, and in my last post I mentioned that Rask should have played this game. Would that have changed the results? Would a fresh Tim Thomas stop one of those goals, or do better in the shootout? Who knows.

But I do know this. The Bruins can't ride Thomas into the ground the way they have been. He's 36. He's played 27 games, on pace for 59. He only played 43 last year, and hasn't played more than 55 since 06-07. He's the Bruins' most important asset, and he shouldn't be playing 3 times in 4 days.

The Bruins are in Buffalo Saturday night. They're also ahead of Montreal by 3 points, with 2 games in hand.

-The Commodore

Garnett Injury Only "A Strained Calf"

"Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his weekly appearance on The Big Show on Thursday and talked about the injury status of Kevin Garnett. Garnett was forced to leave Wednesday night's game vs. the Pistons after injuring his right leg following a dunk in the first quarter. Garnett limped off the court and did not return.

There was some concern at first that this might be related to Garnett's surgically repaired knee, but Ainge told The Big Show that this injury isn't nearly as serious.

"Kevin had an MRI and a through examination today and it's the same as last night," said Ainge. "It's a muscle injury, a strained calf. It's actually the muscle just off the side of the leg, just below the knee. And it's not anything to do with his knee, which is great news. It's one of those injuries that may keep him out for a couple of weeks at the most, I would say (WEEI)."

Thank God. If KG went down for the year, or an extended period of time the Celtics would have no shot at winning it all. So far it sounds like he will miss 2 weeks, which actually might turn out to be a good thing, since he has been logging in way to many minutes. One thing that sucks is that Miami is so close, and there is a good chance now that they will pass the Celtics for 1st place in the East.

We have to be somewhat skeptical with this news though. Last time KG had an injury like this we were told it was nothing serious, but then it ended up keeping him out for the playoffs. I don't think it is the case this time, but something you have to keep in the back of your mind.

Happy New Year From Rex Ryans Wife

It gets worse, so here is the link if you dare...From Mediatakeout.com

Good

Stanford took down UConn last night.

Now we don't have to talk about women's basketball for a couple years.

Bruins @ Thrashers Preview

The Bruins are in first place in the Northeast Division and started this five-game road trip with consecutive one-goal victories. The Bruins haven't been playing "great", but I guess "improved" is the better word.

The good news is the Bruins have a really good chance to do a lot of damage on this road trip. They have already won the first 2, and their next 3 are against the Thrashers, Sabres, and Maple Leafs. None of these teams are very impressive, and it is a great opportunity for the Bruins to gain a lead in their division and get some momentum for the rest of the year.

The Thrashers are not a good team at home, they are only 1-2-2 in their last five at Philips Arena. Then again, the Thrashers beat the Bruins last time they were in Atlanta back in the beginning of the year. Still, the Bruins are among the best road teams in the league at 11-5-1, so I have to pick the Bruins.

Bruins wins 3-2
Player of the Game: Horton
Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Why Not?

Why not watch XBox Connect go wrong, it involves a cat?

PETA Does It Again

Not a big PETA fan, but I'll give them credit for their ads. This one stars the Lingerie Football women. Girls are pretty damn hot, except for the one on the right she is kind of mannish.

Parcells Saves Tony Sparano's Job

"According to Michael Lombardi of NFL Network, he’ll remain in Miami because of the Big Tuna. Lombardi says Parcells, who stepped down from his post as the Dolphins’ football czar prior to the season, has convinced Ross to stick with Sparano (CBS Sports)."

There was a lot of talk that Sparano was going to be let go, but it seems (at least for now) he has been saved by his buddy Bill Parcells. Yet, we also found out today that the Dolphins are going to be looking for a Offensive Coordinator that has head coach experience. That leaves us with two obvious choices; Josh McDaniels, and Gary Kubiak if he is let go.

So, it seems Sparano will start the year as the head coach of the Dolphins, but he will be looking over his shoulder if one of these guys are brought in. Whoever is the coach will have a lot of work to do. Henne proved he is not the answer at QB, so they are either going to need to bring someone in, or start from scratch once again by drafting one. Most likely they are going to lose Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, so they will also have to deal with that.

Terrelle Pryor Has To Go This Year, Right? (UPDATED)

Its a week later and the tattoo scandal is over and done with and Terrelle Pryor and others are suspended 5 games for the start of next year. For all of you who don't know what happened Ohio State players sold championship rings and memorabilia to help their families financially, and receiving discounts from a tattoo parlor.

I personally don't have a problem with that, I have a problem with the NCAA playing favorites to certain schools. Why wasn't Pryor and crew suspended for the upcoming Sugar Bowl?

This is the most bizarre punishment I have heard about before Brett Favre's slap on the wrist this week. But this all means Terrell Pryor has to leave school early for the NFL, right? He doesn't want to be on the bench for the first 5 games and that certainly won't help out his already alright draft stock. Pryor is a good athlete with plenty of size (6-foot-3, 233 pounds) and above average arm strength. He is obviously mobile so he can extend passing plays or make a play running the ball, but lacks in football intelligence and accuracy.

Right now Pryor is behind Andrew Luck, Jake Locker, Cam Newton, Ryan Mallet and probably a couple I can't name off the top of my head, so that most likely means he won't go on the first day. The NCAA forced his hand, and for Terrelle that's probably not a good thing.


***UPDATE***

According to Jim Tressel it sounds like they are all 5 suspended players are going to stay at Ohio State...

"Ohio State coach Jim Tressel says the players facing five-game suspensions next season would not have traveled with the team to the Sugar Bowl if they had not pledged to return in 2011."

Not sure if I believe it, but that's what he is saying.

Ozzie Guillen's Son Sounds A Lot Like His Old Man

“I’ll always respect him as a person and give him credit that’s due,” Jenks said. “But I want to play for a manager who trusts his relievers, regardless of what’s going on (Boston Herald)."

That's what started an absolute twitter rant by Ozzie Guillen's son (Oney Guillen)...

"hahah memo to bobby jenks get a clue u drink to much and u have had marital problems hugeee ones and the sox stood behind u."

"u cried in the managers office bc u have problems now u go and talk bad about the sox after they protected u for 7 years ungrateful"

"they did not air out ur dirty laundry, u came to [spring] not drinking and then u sucked and started [drinking] again be a man"

"and to think u were actually a cool guy and ur word meant something, to bad u dont hit in the AL so they can drill that ***"

"and u say the manager didnt trust u? he kept putting ur fat *** there and u kept blowing it, he never took u away from that role unreal"

"one little story remember when u couldnt handle ur drinking and u hit a poor arizona clubby in the face i do."

Wow, overreact much? This isn't the first time this guy has shot off his mouth. Oney Guillen was fired last spring training from his job as a video coordinator for sending negative tweets about the White Sox. Then during the season he didn't stop, as he sent tweets about about White Sox general manager Kenny Williams is terrible.

Yet, in some ways I have to agree. I didn't like Jenks comments. He won a ring there, they did stick by him for the most part, and Jenks really didn't give him a lot to work with since his velocity and effectiveness were spiraling downward. Still, this was a complete overreaction.

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 6

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, which means alcohol and football galore. Here are my picks for tomorrow's games:

12:00 PM - ESPN
Meineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, NC
South Florida Bulls vs. Clemson Tigers
Clemson squeezed 6 wins out, although they did take Auburn to OT, if you remember. They also got fat off North Texas (who did nothing but help teams like Army attain bowl eligibility) and Presbyterian. Both USF and Clemson have good defenses. Both have awful offenses. Although USF lost to every decent team they played, they took care of the rest of their business. I'm picking the Bulls and the under at 40.5.



2:00 PM - CBS
Hyundai Sun Bowl - El Paso, TX
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes
If the USF/Clemson game bores you, you can watch this one and pretend it's 1989. Miami is the more balanced team, but they have their occasional moments of token silliness. I haven't had any respect for Notre Dame this season (or ever), so I'm picking the Canes.



3:30 PM - ESPN
AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Memphis, TN
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Central Florida Knights
UCF have some nice numbers on their side. 10 wins, 18.0 points allowed per game, 33.8 points scored per game, 192.5 rushing yards per game. But an 0-2 record against BCS teams, and a weak C-USA schedule raise some question marks. However, there are no question marks around Georgia. It's a well known fact that they suck. If not for their games against UL-Lafayette and Idaho State, they wouldn't be here. UCF should win this one.



7:30 PM - ESPN
Chick-fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, GA
#20 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. #23 Florida State Seminoles
This is the match of the day. Both teams won 9 games. Both teams played in their conference's title games. Both teams are within driving distance of Atlanta. Neither team floors you with their stats, but both find ways to win. The Cocks lost to Auburn twice, as well as Arkansas. FSU lost to Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. The Cocks also lost to Kentucky. The Noles also lost to UNC and NC State. I really can't wait to see this game. I'm going to pick Jenn Sterger. I mean Florida State.



More picks later today.

-The Commodore

Why Not?

Why not watch your kids be scared for the rest of their lives?

NFL Slaps Favre on Wrist

The NFL fined Brett Favre $50,000 for not cooperating with their investigation into accusations over misconduct and sexual harassment. Wait a minute. Since when is Roger Goodell a supporter of due process? Since when does he need proof in order to punish?

Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for being accused of rape. Even the most ardent Big Ben fans admitted that the Steelers' QB had been acting dumb, and putting himself into troublesome situations. But there's no rule against going to bars and hitting on girls. If there were, most of the NFL would be suspended.

I'm not defending Roethlisberger, but he was given a very stiff punishment even though he was never convicted of a crime, nor was he even officially indicted.

Yet Brett Favre decides not to cooperate (even though it's blatantly obvious that he's guilty), and he gets a $50,000 fine. He'll make $16 million in salary this year, so this fine is 0.3% of his income. If a normal working person making $50k a year were fined at this rate, it'd be $156.25, or the same penalty as a small speeding ticket. What would happen to any of us if we didn't cooperate with our employer's investigations into sexual misconduct? Would we get 0.3% of our salary docked?

If I'm James Harrison, or any other player fined for illegal hits this season, I'm going to find some young interns, buy a cell phone with a 10 megapixel camera, and go to town.

My favorite part of all this is Goodell publicizing the fact that he told Favre the punishment would be worse if they found he'd acted up. That's like a State Trooper telling a suspected drunk driver "Are you drunk? If you say yes, you'll be in lots of trouble."

Thankfully, in the public's eye at least, Favre's guilty. Innocent people don't cover their asses like this. Favre has been exposed (in more ways than one) as a dirty old man, as a spoiled baby, and on the field this season he's padded both of his turnover records.

One day, Favre will be enshrined in Canton, and that's sad. He's just an awful person, and the only thing I hate more than him are those few but loud Brett Favre supporters that still pester us with their inane love for this overrated player and utter manwhore.

-The Commodore

The Bruins Should Have Let Seguin Go to the World Juniors

The Bruins will be in Buffalo on New Year's Day. Tyler Seguin should have been there much sooner. The World Junior Championships are underway in Western New York, and the Bruins did not release 18 year old Seguin to play for Team Canada.

Why not? He'd miss 5-6 games. And he's not exactly a key component to the Bruins offense these days. He's in the midst of a 5 game pointless streak, and hasn't scored a goal since December 1st. He's scored twice in his last 25 games. I think the Bruins could survive a few weeks without his contributions.

More importantly, participation in the Juniors tournament could be beneficial to his development as a player. He'd be reminded that he's a great talent. He'd get a chance to play more minutes per game. He'd play alongside other guys at his developmental stage. He'd learn what it's like to play in intense, must-win, pressure-filled games. So when the playoffs come around, he'd already have some vital experience under his belt.

The more intense games, and varied experiences, the better.

And just look at some of the players who have gone through the Juniors tournament. Young up and coming talents like Tyler Myers, and PK Subban. Teammates Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Michael Ryder, Gregory Campbell, Daniel Paille, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, Andrew Ference, Mark Recchi, Blake Wheeler, and Mark Stuart. That's 11 Bruins that played in this competition.

Here's some of the frontline talent in the NHL that have played in the World Juniors: James van Riemsdyk, Jonathan Toews, Carey Price, Kris Letang, Brent Seabrook, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Derek Roy, Brooks Laich, Dany Healey, Mike Cammalleri, Zach Parise, Joe Thornton, Brad Boyes, and Nicklas Backstrom.

Then there are the superstars who have participated in this event. Evgeni Malkin, Steve Stamkos, the Sedin twins, Alex Ovechkin, and Sidney Crosby, who played in the tournament twice.

So everyone who's anyone has gone through this competition. It's like what the Cape Cod League is to baseball.

But I guess the Bruins feel as though having Seguin play 10 minutes a night as a winger, with barely any power-play time, against the Atlanta Thrashers, is a better way to foster his development.

I disagree.

-The Commodore

104 Pistons, 92 Celtics

"I don't think it's bad. I'm not that concerned. He's gonna miss some games probably. I don't think it will be that long." - Doc

I didn't fill my water cup for x-mas and last night an the result 2 Ls and a hurt KG, I'm sorry Celtics fans. But I think no one could care less about the loss more than the loss of KG. All the X Rays are negative and everyone is saying that it doesn't look bad however, it is bad. The Celtics go as far as KG. I didn't realize that how important he was until the start of this year when he was healthy and had the 07-08 spring in his step. He is the defensive leader and will definitely be missed if he misses a significant amout of time.

Here's a recent tweet from Sean Grande:

On the bus, headed for the airport. KG is here. To repeat our post game; not the knee & not a fracture, but calf and muscular. Don't panic.

It's hard not to Grande.

As for the game, it sucked.

Chick Of The Day

Candice Swanepoel is pretty hot


More here

Jonny Flynn To Be Traded?

The Timberwolves are expect Ricky Rubio to come and play for them next year, so Jonny Flynn could be trade bait. The Timberwolves certainly have a lot of other holes on their team, so it might be a good idea...

"The Timberwolves grow more confident by the day that Rubio will finally come over from Europe to join their squad next season, effectively making Flynn expendable," wrote Bill Ingram of HOOPSWORLD. "Recognizing this, no fewer than seven teams have reached out to the Timberwolves with interest in Flynn, with interest ranging from teams looking for a solid back-up to teams looking for a long-term starter."

Ingram lists the Kings, Clippers, Blazers, Raptors, Knicks, Bobcats and Cavs as the seven teams that have expressed some level of interest in Flynn (ESPN).

They could wait until after the season to make a deal, which might be smart just to be safe if Rubio screws them over, but if the right deal comes along I think they have to jump on it.

Rondo Back Later This Week?

Rajon Rondo missed his fifth consecutive game on Tuesday due to his sprained left ankle. He will also miss Wednesday's game against Detroit, but he could come back later this week.

According to the Boston Herald, the Celtics point guard has increased his practice time during their road trip and there is a chance he'll be activated for Friday's game in Boston against the New Orleans Hornets.

Rondo, who has not played since Dec. 15 when he hurt the ankle against the Knicks, says the time off has been good for him.

"The rest has allowed me to get closer to 100 percent than I was the last five or six games," he told The Boston Globe. "It's been a good break for me. It's definitely not something I wanted, but I have to deal with it (ESPN)."

The Celtics have been able to get by without him, but that won't last for too much longer. I don't think they should bring him back till he is 100%, but it sounds like he is getting close. The last thing the Celtics need is to rush him back and lose him for the long term, saying that the Celtics seem to have their mind set on winning the East this year and to do that they are going to need Rondo on the court (Miami is current 2 games behind the Celtics).

Why Not?

Why not watch the best apology ever?

Best Apology Ever - watch more funny videos

Teams Figuring Out Vick?

Vick's overall numbers are amazing (62.6% CMP, 30 (running/passing) TDs 6 INTs 676 yards rushing) , there is no denying that, but there is some troubling signs starting to come out.

No he isn't killing dogs again, but over the past 5 weeks he has thrown 10 TDs 6 INTs that's not bad, but when you add in that he has fumbled the ball 7 times (losing 3 of them) and you can see the reason for worry. Listen, I think Vick is still the most dynamic QB in the league, but I think all the MVP talk probably needs to end.

Vick had a chance to get his team a bye in the playoffs, but failed to beat Webb and the Vikings. That simply shouldn't happen with an MVP. He didn't have a terrible game 263 yards passing, 2 TDs (one rushing, one throwing) and 63 yards rushing. Yet, when you look closer he had 2 fumbles (both lost) and a pick. I still think Vick can lead the Eagles through the NFC playoffs, but he has to stop turning the ball over, because as we saw last night, that is usually the difference in NFL games.

CHAMPION!!!!!

So DP and I offered $100 bucks and a t-shirt to anyone who could beat us in the Dueling Couches fantasy football league. DP and I both made the playoffs and although "bosoxfaninatl" was able to knockout DP, he wasn't able to beat me in the Championship proving we are way better then all of you...

I'm better then you, na-na, na-na, boo-boo, stick your head in doo-doo.

Just kidding, great season and I really can't talk shit since it's the first football league I have won since Doug Flutie was in the league.

We'll probably do a baseball one when that season comes around, so keep an eye out for it.

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 5

There are 19 bowl games in a 5 day stretch from December 28th to New Year's Day. That's pretty cool. Here are the previews for all the games to be played tomorrow.

12:00 PM - ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - Dallas, TX
Army Black Knights vs. SMU Mustangs
This game will be played on SMU's campus, which is kind of messed up if you asked me. Thankfully, there are a lot of Army personnel stationed throughout Texas, and hopefully they'll show up to support their team. While $MU are hardly a powerhouse, they were 4-2 at home (losses against TCU and Houston), and Army's 6-6 record includes wins against North Texas and VMI. Nevertheless, i'm a sentimental fool, and I'm picking the Black Knights.



3:20 PM - ESPN
New Era Pinstripe Bowl - New York, NY
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Syracuse Orange
K-State lost to every decent team on its schedule. Meanwhile, Syracuse surprised people and finished with the 13th best defense in the country. But how much of that was a product of playing in the Big Least? And adding the likes of Colgate and Maine to the schedule? SU was 99th in points per game, and I think KSU will grind out a win in the Bronx.



6:40 PM - ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN
UNC Tar Heels vs. Tennessee Volunteers
There needs to be a cap on the number of bowl games, and the number of letters used to name a bowl game. Despite loads of controversy, UNC won 7 games. Look for lots of passing in this game, along with few points scored, and a North Carolina win.



10:00 PM - ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl - San Diego, CA
#18 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Washington Huskies
Jake Locker finally made a bowl game. And he should enjoy it before it's played, because it probably won't go well. Washington were well balanced, with the 93rd ranked defense, and 93rd ranked offense in the country. Nebraska can run the ball well, and should hold Washington's offense to negative points. I saw one spread for this game to be 14 points. Nebraska should win by at least double that.



We'll have the previews for the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day games tomorrow.

-The Commodore

Pro Bowl Is Such A Joke

"Quarterback Tom Brady, offensive lineman Logan Mankins and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork were named AFC Pro Bowl starters, while inside linebacker Jerod Mayo, rookie cornerback Devin McCourty and safety Brandon Meriweather were named as backups, the NFL announced Tuesday night (WEEI)."

I first read this and was like this is great Mayo is having a great season, McCourty has done a hell of a job as a rookie, and then I saw Brandon Meriweather's name and that's right when I went back to thinking this entire process is a big joke.

Meriweather has been benched at least twice this year for poor play. On top of that we have seen more and more of Sanders and Chung back there over the past couple of weeks, yet Meriweather is now a 2 time Pro Bowler. Meriweather isn't terrible, but I certainly wouldn't go above and above average rating, and yet now he will be joining some of the best players in the league on the Pro Bowl list. Sorry, that just pisses me off, and I'm a Patriots fan.

As for who should've made it... Eric Weddle, Chargers is way better.

Anyways, this is the rest of the Pro Bowlers...

AFC OFFENSE

Quarterbacks
* Tom Brady, New England
Philip Rivers, San Diego
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis

Running Backs
* Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
Arian Foster, Houston
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City

Fullback
* Vonta Leach, Houston

Wide Receivers
* Andre Johnson, Houston
* Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis
Brandon Lloyd, Denver
Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City

Tight Ends
* Antonio Gates, San Diego
Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville

Centers
* Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh

Guards
* Kris Dielman, San Diego
* Logan Mankins, New England
Brian Waters, Kansas City

Tackles
* Jake Long, Miami
* Joe Thomas, Cleveland
D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets

AFC DEFENSE:

Defensive Ends
* Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis
* Robert Mathis, Indianapolis
Jason Babin, Tennessee

Interior Linemen
* Haloti Ngata, Baltimore
* Vince Wilfork, New England
Richard Seymour, Oakland

Inside-Middle Linebackers
* Ray Lewis, Baltimore
Jerod Mayo, New England

Outside Linebackers
* James Harrison, Pittsburgh
* Cameron Wake, Miami
Terrell Suggs, Baltimore

Cornerbacks
* Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland
* Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets
Devin McCourty, New England

Strong Safety
* Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

Free Safeties
* Ed Reed, Baltimore
Brandon Meriweather, New England


AFC SPECIALISTS:

Punter
Shane Lechler, Oakland

Kick-return Specialist
Marc Mariani, Tennessee

Place-kicker
Billy Cundiff, Baltimore

Special-teamer
Montell Owens, Jacksonville


NFC OFFENSE:

Quarterbacks
* Michael Vick, Philadelphia
Matt Ryan, Atlanta
Drew Brees, New Orleans

Running Backs
* Michael Turner, Atlanta
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Steven Jackson, St. Louis

Fullback
* Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta

Wide Receivers
* Roddy White, Atlanta
* Calvin Johnson, Detroit
DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia
Greg Jennings, Green Bay

Tight Ends
* Jason Witten, Dallas
Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta

Centers
* Andre Gurode, Dallas
Shaun O'Hara, N.Y. Giants

Guards
* Jahri Evans, New Orleans
*Chris Snee, N.Y. Giants
Carl Nicks, New Orleans

Tackles
* Jason Peters, Philadelphia
* Jordan Gross, Carolina
Chad Clifton, Green Bay


NFC DEFENSE:

Defensive Ends
* Julius Peppers, Chicago
* John Abraham, Atlanta
Justin Tuck, N.Y. Giants

Interior Linemen
* Ndamukong Suh, Detroit
* Jay Ratliff, Dallas
Justin Smith, San Francisco

Inside-Middle Linebackers
* Patrick Willis, San Francisco
Brian Urlacher, Chicago

Outside Linebackers
* Clay Matthews, Green Bay
* DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
Lance Briggs, Chicago

Cornerbacks
* Asante Samuel, Philadelphia
* Charles Woodson, Green Bay
DeAngelo Hall, Washington

Strong Safety
* Adrian Wilson, Arizona

Free Safeties
* Nick Collins, Green Bay
Antrel Rolle, N.Y. Giants

*starter

Why Not?

Why not watch golfers hit clay targets?

Rondo Is A Leader

Realizing Rondo has major influence on the younger players, Rivers asked him to give Von Wafer a pep talk before Wafer was summoned with 1:04 left in the third quarter. Wafer sparkled, playing good defense and making a key layup.

“The one thing I love about Rondo when he’s sitting on the bench is he’s really involved in the game,’’ Rivers said. “He’s not sitting on the bench to look nice in a suit and tie. He’s really watching the game and trying to help guys on the bench. I went to Rondo and said, ‘We’re about to put Von Wafer in the game, go talk to him, make sure he’s ready.’ He came in ready.’’ Globe

It's pretty cool that Rondo at 24 is asked to be put in that position. He has grown from a prick to a leader in front of our eyes. Part of the reason why this is also really cool to hear as a Celtics fan is that we get this leadership past the big 3. KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen will not be walking through that door but Rondo will. And so that gives me the confidence that down the line we will have a guy who isn't afraid to put someone in their place in 3 or 4 years.

Kid Who's Chasing Some Record In NCAA Baseball Gets All Rapey

Garrett Wittels was accused of raping a 17-year-old teenage tourist on Dec. 20 while on a visit to the archipelago east of Florida. The 20-year-old infielder ended last season with the second-longest hitting streak in NCAA Division I history, two behind the 58-game run by Oklahoma State’s Robin Ventura in 1987. USA Today

Well this blows, this kid had a great opportunity to bring a record to college baseball but instead its going to be marred in rape. Most likely this kid is guilty and hoes were not trippin in this case. Pretty much no one knows who a college baseball player is so I'm going to assume that he did it. And if that's the case the NCAA can't possibly let him have the NCAA hit streak record.

And to hurt his case even more, he and his friends went to the Bahamas his two friends also had charges of rape on them as well:
Two of Wittels’ friends also face rape charges, officials said.

Robert Rothschild, 21, of New York, was accused of raping two 17-year-old girls, while Jonathan Oberti, 21, also of New York, was charged with raping one, according to Bahamian court officials.

So this is a case were hoes were not trippin and the guys were actually scumbags. A Holes.

Bruins 4, Lightning 3

During the 3rd period, I was thinking of criticizing Mark Recchi. I was going to call him slow, past his prime, and even call him the Fred Taylor of the Bruins. I should consider badmouthing Recchi more often, because every time I think about doing it, he scores a big goal.

This was an impressive victory. The Bruins went down to play the #2 team in the East, on the road. That team was very hot, by the way. And were highly motivated (because of how badly the Bruins beat them previously).

It was a North-South, back and forth kind of game. Which isn't really the Bruins' forte. Thankfully, they capitalized on their power play opportunities. And the defensemen got involved. Kampfer had his first career goal, and Seidenberg had 2 assists.

I'm a big fan of Steve Kampfer, although he still needs to develop. Against the Panthers, his turnover directly led to a goal. And last night, some miscommunication with Thomas nearly led to another. If he works these kinks out down in Providence, he could return in 2010-11 as a very good defenseman. And one that can also contribute on offense.

Speaking of young players, Brad "Rudy" Marchand scored his 5th goal of the season, and his career. That 4th line has scored 15 goals this year. That's a nice bonus from that trio.

Thomas had one of his more forgettable nights in goal. He was a bit overly aggressive, and wasn't his fastest moving from post to post. He'll probably get the next game off, at least I think he should.

The Bruins are in Atlanta Thursday night, which might be interesting after that pre-Christmas line-brawl. So far, this road trip has gone very well. And the B's have maintained that focus and determination they showed last week against Atlanta.

-The Commodore

95 Celtics, 83 Pacers

The Celtics rallied in the 3rd to put down the Pacers and early struggles to kick off their most recent win streak.

Marquis Daniels is the reason why we won this one. Marquis Daniels may look like a pothead that doesn't really know what he's doing, but he is a heady player. They constantly had a plethora of smaller defenders on Quisy so he did the smart thing and that was take them to the post. Daniels had his best game with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

Pierce was crucial to keep the game within reach and early in the second scored 10 in a row. Pierce finished the night with 21 points and added five rebounds and seven assists.

Once again Jermaine O'Neal really disappointed me. He finished with 0 points, 2 rebounds, and three fouls in 12 minutes. Gross. Thank god for Big Baby, because if not for him people would be calling for Jermaine's head.

Chick Of The Day

Today's chicks are eating massive crepes today

Celtics vs Pacers Preview

Depth Chart

	Boston (PPG)	Indiana (PPG)
PG	N. Robinson 8.3	D. Collison 13.1
SG	R. Allen 16.9	B. Rush 12.1
SF	P. Pierce 18.2	D. Granger 21.6
PF	K. Garnett 15.6	J. McRoberts 6.5
C	S. O'Neal 10.8	R. Hibbert 14.0
View full depth chart: Boston | Indiana

I know it was the first loss in the last 15 games, but Rajon Rondo was severely missed on Christmas when Nate Robinson couldn't do anything correct down the stretch. I can't really shit on him that much, he's a back up and been playing over his real ability of late.

The Pacers are a bad but feisty team. Darren Collison, Brandon Rush and Danny Granger all have the potential to have big games if the defense falters, plus they have my son Roy Hibbert at center who is extremely solid. Luckily for the Celtics they have Shaq (even though he's down 35k since his comments about the officiating on X mas) and Jermaine O'Neal back.

I have to dedicate this paragraph to how forgettable Jermaine O'Neal has been this season. I have been excusing his play due to injuries or saying at least he's been playing good defense. However, he has just plain sucked this season, it's almost to the point where I'd rather have someone who put a Rasheed Wallace season effort in then see Jermaine in there. I really hope he can turn it around, because at this point he looks all done.

I think the Celtics are going to win. Even without Rondo they have the better team and as long as they make the Pacers play defense they will control the game.

Celtics: 99-78
Tommy Award: Paul Pierce