Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Wednesday 11/21 A.M. Quickie:
Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's Names to Know: Thanksgiving, Lions and Cowboys, Kansas vs. Missouri, UCLA, St. Mary's, Lakers, Michael Redd, Andray Blatche, Jimmy Rollins, CFB Picks, NFL Picks and More!

Thanksgiving Sports Traditions: The NFL on Thanksgiving is one of my favorite traditions of the sports year and probably my favorite of all NFL traditions – there are a lot of weekends where I don't watch any NFL and just catch the highlights, but I always find time to watch at least the Lions game.

Obviously, the college bowl tradition on New Year's Day is a biggie, but it has decreased in relevancy as more and more of the major bowls move to subsequent nights of the first week of the year.

The NBA's Christmas Day game has increasingly become that league's biggest attraction of the season (including the All-Star Game and perhaps even the playoffs/Finals).

But nothing in terms of sports connected to a particular day of the year -- a holiday, no less -- tops the tradition of the Lions and Cowboys. No matter how the Lions or Cowboys are doing, I'm watching. (More T'giving goodness from the Ladies...)

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families, and I hope you have a great weekend of good eating, safe traveling, dominant touch-football playing and quality TV sports-watching.

In the Comments, the question of the day, in addition to your usual topical analysis, an old "Morning Quickie" chat tradition: What (or who) in sports are you thankful for from the past year?

CFB Preview and Picks: Who would have thought back in August that Kansas vs. Missouri would be college football's biggest, most important and most must-see game of the year? Granted, it merely eclipses previous "Games of the Year" and its winner has no guarantee of being in the national title game, but given that both teams are two of a mere handful of teams with a BCS title-game shot, the fact that the game's loser is KO'ed and its winner stays in the Top 2 makes this incredibly dramatic.

I'm picking Missouri: From their close loss to Oklahoma, they finally know what it takes to win in these big games; Kansas has been playing with house money since about Week 6 – it's a Cinderella season for them even if they end up 11-1. If you haven't seen either team, this will be your chance. No excuses after this.

1 LSU over Arkansas (Friday)
4 Missouri over 2 Kansas (Game of the Week/Year)
3 West Virginia over 20 UConn (Big East title game?)
7 Georgia over Georgia Tech
8 VA Tech over 16 UVA (ACC title game play-in)
9 Oregon over UCLA
10 Oklahoma over OK St (OU: B12 South title)
11 USC over 6 Arizona State (Thursday)
12 Florida over FSU (Tebow: Heisman capper?)
13 Texas over Texas A&M (Friday)
14 BC over Miami
Kentucky over 18 Tennessee (SEC East title implications)
19 Boise State over 15 Hawaii (Friday)
South Carolina over 22 Clemson
23 South Florida over Pittsburgh
24 Cincinnati over Syracuse
25 BYU over Utah

NFL Preview and Picks.
This week's Top 5 Storylines:
(1) Pats 19-0 Watch: Sunday Night Blowout
(2) Fins 0-16 Watch: Monday Night Humiliation
(3) Thanks: Pack, Boys jockey for NFC No. 1
(4) Browns: How can you NOT be bandwagoning?
(5) NFL Network 07 debut: Anyone watching?

The Picks:
Packers over at Lions (Thursday)
At Cowboys over Jets (Thursday)
Colts over at Falcons (Thursday)
At Bengals over Titans
At Browns over Texans
At Chiefs over Raiders
At Rams over Seahawks
At Giants over Vikings
At Bucs over Redskins
Saints over at Panthers
At Jaguars over Bills
At Cards over 49ers
Broncos over at Bears
At Chargers over Ravens
At Pats over Eagles
At Steelers over Dolphins

CBB Last Night: Really big win for UCLA over Michigan State (Kevin Love: 21 and 11 in what is becoming a routine double-double for him)... and don't call it an upset: St. Mary's crushed Oregon in Moraga, Calif.

Year of the Freshman, Cont'd: Patty Mills, St. Mary's, 37 points (school record for freshman). Why shouldn't a mid-major like the Gaels join in this season's dominant theme?

CBB Feasting: Tonight, catch Duke and Marquette in the Maui finals... On Thursday, catch Michael Beasley for yourself on ESPN2 at 9 when Kansas State plays George Mason... Friday: Track Final Four favorite Tennessee in a tough road test at West Virginia... And, of course, a ton of tournaments where the title games could yield interesting intersectional pairings.

CFB BCS Tweak: Opening the BCS at-large invites to the Top 18 teams, rather than the Top 14, seems ludicrous, until you are reminded that the entire system is driven by greed, and the relatively equal distribution of that greed across the six power conferences. Otherwise, they could just expand the limit of each conference's BCS reps to more than two. Or expand the pool to guarantee a non-BCS team gets invited.

MLB: Jimmy Rollins edges Matt Holliday for NL MVP. Have to say: I'm a little surprised that the Rockies' unprecedented and thrilling late-season surge didn't yield a single individual award, despite two very legit candidates in Holliday and Tulowitzki. If the Rockies played on either coast, they would have swept the awards, you can bet on that.

NBA: Last night's Studs: Michael Redd and LeBron went at it, scoring 34 each, and the Bucks edged the Cavs... Andray Blatche took advantage of Gilbert Arenas taking the game off, and had 26 points (12/14 FG), 8 rebounds and 4 assists in 29 minutes, in a Wiz win... The Nuggets are sizzling: 6 straight wins...

The Lakers made a trade! No, they didn't trade Kobe. And, no, they didn't trade for someone to help Kobe play on anything but a Lottery team. But they DID trade Brian Cook and Maurice Evans to the Magic for Trevor Ariza, who is young and springy but hardly the missing piece.

Marbury and Isiah were booed by Garden fans, and the Knicks lost their 7th straight. I know Isiah had/has been untouchable, but you have to wonder how many more losses he can go before he's fired. (Don't cry for him: I'm sure there's a huge severance check that comes with it.

YouTube Must-See: Have you seen the new Gilbert Arenas sneaker TV ads? Amazing. (h/t: Fanhouse)

Michigan-Carr-Miles Watch: Cajun Boy in the City, the finest LSU blog out there, has some inside scoop (and innovative fact-finding techniques) that Michigan is interested in Les Miles...

More CFB: So, yeah, Nick Saban compared Alabama losing to Louisiana-Monroe to 9/11. EDSBS perfectly captures the utter absurdity of Saban's statement. Here's the link.

OF COURSE Joe Paterno's salary is public information: I am stunned that anyone would argue otherwise.

Over the long weekend, don't forget to put in your vote for CFB Coach of the Year over at coachoftheyear.com, where I have been guest-blogging all season long in my partnership with Liberty Mutual.*

Filed under "Hmm...": With Leather's Matt Ufford is all over the story that may be the talk of the online-sports world today (or maybe it won't be).

No posts tomorrow. I'll be enjoying -- "enjoying" -- my Thanksgiving commute. Eat well.

-- D.S.

76 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I'm thankful for the Indy Colts finally getting a Super Bowl win...

CMFost said...

I am thankful to be living in the best professional sports city in America currently.

Unknown said...

I am thankful that I'm not cmfost

CMFost said...

Dan on the NL MVP vote, A 20 game hot streak does not make a season and awards like MVP, Cy Young, Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year are awarded for excellence during the full season and that is why the rockies players fell short.

CMFost said...

Jonathan you are just so damn funny.

Unknown said...

Do the Brewers and D-Backs play on the coasts?

Unknown said...

"Dan on the NL MVP vote, A 20 game hot streak does not make a season and awards like MVP, Cy Young, Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year are awarded for excellence during the full season and that is why the rockies players fell short."

Had the Mets not imploded, Jimmy Rollins would not be MVP. To argue otherwise would be disingenuous. Why should Colorado be punished for another team choking down the stretch?

And would Dan be arguing to increase the number of BCS spots in a conference to 3 if it didn't help Florida? He's just annoyed that it's letting a 2nd Big Ten team into the mix. To him, it's a shame the Big Ten is even ALLOWED in the BCS, after Ohio State lost to Florida last year and Michigan lost to Division-IAA defending champion Ohio State and perennial Big Ten power Alabama lost at home to Louisiana-Monroe.

What? Is there a typo in there?

I am thankful that global warming is going to take Boston under the sea in my lifetime.

The Mark Show said...

I think that's the first funny thing I've seen from Jonathan. Well played.

I'm thankful for Celtics and Pats.
I'm thankful the 49ers draft pick.
I'm thankful for the Indians finally making a return to the playoffs.
I'm also thankful I made it through that series without breaking up with my Sox fan girlfriend.
I'm extremely thankful for the Boise State Broncos giving me the best sports moment of my life on January 1st, 2007.

CMFost said...

It is not about east coast basis for the MVP.

Rollins became what the 4th or 5th player in the history of MLB to have 20 HR, 20 SB, 20 2B and 20 3b and not to mention the fact that he won a gold glove at one of the most important defensive positions.

Again there are more important stats than just HR and RBI

jhawkjjm said...

I'm thankful for the season that KU football has had this year. I'll be even more thankful when they beat Missouri this Saturday night and I can stop listening to everyone say that KU is a awful not deserving of their rank. They are a very good team.

Still not sold on Beasley yet. He may be putting up big numbers, but against small competition. He's a power foward matching up against guys 2-4 inches smaller than him. And they've had mostly close games (against weak competition) so he's playing a lot of minutes as well. I'm not saying Beasley isn't good, I just want to see him do it against teams that can match his size first. We'll see how he does against KU who can rotate 3-4 guys his size in and out against him. Love's 20-10 against a team like Mich St impresses me much more.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

CMFost said...

Tom Brady is on verge of the greatest year in the history of the NFL and maybe sports. Below the top ten list of transcending sports seasons before Brady was finally granted a wide receiver corp:

1. Wilt Chamberlain - (1961)…50.4 points per game / 25.7 rebounds
2. Wayne Gretzky - (1981)…..92 goals / 120 assists = 212 points
3. Bob Gibson - (1968)………..1.12 ERA / 13 Shutouts / 28 Complete Games
4. Bobby Orr - (1970)…………Plus 124 with 139 points in 78 games
5. OJ Simpson - (1973)……….2,003 yards / 14 games / refrained from killing anyone
6. Barry Bonds - (2001)………73 HR’s
7. Ted Williams (1941)…………406 average
8. Joe Louis (1941)…………….Defended title seven times vs opponents w/ a combined record: 320-59-10
9. Bill Rodgers (1977)………….Won Marathons in New York, Kyoto, Amsterdam, Waynesboro, Fukuoka (Boston four months later also)
10. Barry Bonds - (2004)………232 Walks / .609 OBP

The Mark Show said...

Meh, that Arenas ad is ok. It's far from amazing. I like the idea but the execution sucked. It was pretty boring and not really funny.

Geoff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CMFost said...

I still say it was close enough that being a gold glove SS was the difference.

muletrain said...

As a diehard Chicago sports fan, it's slim pickin's, so that leaves me only Devin Hester to be thankful for.

Nick Bell said...

I am thankful for a Thanksgiving Lions game that has meaning beyond pride. Like jhawkjjm with Kansas, I'd be more thankful if we beat Green Bay. But even if we lose, I am still thankful for a game to be excited about.

Richard K. said...

Thankful in sports eh? I'm going to go with an "I hope to soon be thankful" for Dan Radakovich. Who's he? He happens to be the Georgia Tech athletic directior that has been refusing to give Chan Gailey a vote of confidence. I'm hoping to soon be thankful for him after he fires that awful coach.

And I'm thankful that once again, the BCS is in turmoil!

Luke Bell said...

I would argue that Rollins did not deserve the gold glove either. Really, you couldn't go wrong with either of the candidates for MVP. Prince Fielder finished 3rd?!? Bumper crop for MVP candidates this year.

Ed Chavis said...

As a Falcons fan, I'm thankful that we got rid of Michael "Ron-Mexico flip-off-the-fans pot-in-the-water-bottle Bad-Newz-Kennels" Vick.

I'm thankful that there are still a lot of quality people in sports such as my two favorite coaches, Mark Richt and Tony Dungy.

Finally, I'm thankful that because of what Jesus did on the cross for me, there are things in life more important than sports.

Just sayin'.....

pv845 said...

I am thankful that Dan keeps picking against my favorite teams and then they win. Thanks Dan!

bird said...

Happy Thanksgiving--I'm thankful for my family, for good health and that in the last 18 months, my beloved Gators have won 3 national championships! It might not happen again in the immediate future, but it was, is, and always will be great to be a Florida Gator!

Anonymous said...

@cmfost

Didn't Granderson acheive the same 20-20-20-20-20 feat this season?

I'm not really sure my point, but it either means:

1. Rollins not impressive for the reasons you say
2. An indictment of the terrible National League
3. A statement of how dominating A-Rod really was this year

I'm thankful for Devin Hester.

TBender said...

Again there are more important stats than just HR and RBI

If that was truly the case, Albert Pujols would have 3 MVP awards, rather than 1.

CMFost said...

Hey I do not vote for MVP but I can see why the voters would vote for Rollins or Holliday or even Fielder. I do not believe unless you are a fan of any of the players there can be much of a complaint.

Anonymous said...

"I am thankful that I'm not cmfost"


Amen!!

CMFost said...

wow, Steve and Jonathan are comedians today. Actually they are being the normal ass clowns they alway are.

Boomhauertjs said...

Dan, you shouldn't be excited about the Browns. They are competing with "your" Jags for a playoff spot.

Sports things I'm thankful for:

LeBron James as a Cavalier

The Indians magical season (despite the disappointing end)

The Browns revival - I'm actually watching the NFL in November

To be part of the most, die-hard fans in the world - Cleveland sports fans. Someday we'll get our championship.

CMFost said...

I would be thankful if we could have one day when people did not rip on each other and talked about sports instead of getting personal but with guys like mills, blue, scuba steve and jonathan around that just will not happen.

bkelly126 said...

cmfost -
compare Rollins' stats to H. Ramirez's. Ramirez had the same number of hits in fewer ABs, more doubles, practically the same HRs, higher avg., OBP, SLG%, and OPS. he wasn't even the best SS in his division.

utley was the better candidate from the Phils

Mills said...

Jonathan said...
I am thankful that I'm not cmfost
-------
You are a brilliant man.

Relax Craig. Just having a little fun. Unbunch the panties now.

Jonathan said...

cmfost you need to grow a set. you wouldn't last a day in the army. it pains me to see that the US of A is turning into a society of people like that.

BLUE said...

estee is going to be pissed that you all are making so much fun of craig...give the guy a break

Anonymous said...

poooor little cummy doesn't like being picked on.


you better find another blog then, I can feel the hate building in this place. It has potential for greatness.

Jonathan said...

and i am thankful that we live in this great free country. even if it is being turned into a country of halfwits.

CMFost said...

Pick on me all you want I could care less but take it to LOV where that hatred is welcome. Let us not fall into steve's trap and become based on the post below what he wants us to be.

Steve said...

Reading over DS's comments last night. Deke, Mills and I are slowing turning that place into a shit talking, hate filled, vile, petty, imature, discrace of a blog.


Basicaly, it's becomming LOV II.


I have a new mission.

pv845 said...

CMFost: is it me or are we getting more and more ass-clowns around here lately? What did you do to piss these guys off?

Mills said...

If the Rockies played on either coast, they would have swept the awards, you can bet on that.
---------
This is just not true Daniel-san. Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter have won an MVP and Cy Young award respectively in the last couple of years, despite playing in a smaller midwestern market.

Further, even Brian Bannister finished 3d in the ROY voting for the AL (I think) and he plays for the flipping Royals. If he can generate enough buzz with a 12-7 record and no preseason hype to finish 3d, it goes a long way in proving that the "coast biases" are over-exagerrated.

CMFost said...

Roger I am thankful for lemmings like you that will go into the army listen to everything the leadership says even if they have no clue what they are doing.

Anonymous said...

cummy, with each moany pathetic post you make. You make it easier for me to make this place half ass fun to chat on.

You should be proud of that...you have a purpose in my mission.

CMFost said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BLUE said...

blue is only blue...don't mistake that...the only fake blue was cmfost pretending to be blue because he wishes that he was me...it's actually kind of sad in a way, or in a lot of ways.

BLUE said...

weazy?

wtf?

are you over here arguing, because you lost the suicide pool?

CMFost said...

PV - The guys at LOV have had something against dan for a long time. And most of the new ass clowns that have been showing up are probably just extra screen names that blue, steve, mills ... have made up to try and piss us off.

It is really getting to a pathetic point. It is like they have nothing better to do then sit in there parents basement and think up childish pranks to pull on dan and the rest of us here.

Mills said...

I would be thankful if we could have one day when people did not rip on each other and talked about sports instead of getting personal but with guys like mills, blue, scuba steve and jonathan around that just will not happen.
-----------
if by "getting personal" you mean "asking you to correctly use thEN/thAn" -- then yes, guilty as charged.

Anonymous said...

cummy is funny.


I one breath he's putting people down for being ass clowns and in the next breath he insulting Roger for honorabley serving his country.

CMFost said...

I would be thankful if I could figure out a way to make LOV disappear and just leave us alone.

Mills said...

are you over here arguing, because you lost the suicide pool?
----------
i didn't lose jack squat. deleting teams is beyond dumb.

Anonymous said...

"parents basement and think up childish pranks to pull on dan and the rest of us here."



My Mom is a SAINT!!!!

Mills said...

i have for the record have never had a 2nd name, unlike you Craig and TBBucs and "Blue"

I also generally partake in sports related talk. Generally to call dan out on things I think he says that are so not true.

CMFost said...

Steve there is a big difference between honorably serving your country and being an army lemming. Being an army lemming is the type person like roger who uses quotes like "you wouldn't last a day in the army". Especially when he knows nothing of the background of the people who he is talking to.

Unknown said...

STUDS
1. Michael Redd - 8/15 FG, 3/5 3PT, 15/20 FT, 7 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK, 34 PTS
2. Marcus Camby - 4/6 FG, 4/4 FT, 20 REB, 5 AST, 5 BLK, 12 PTS
3. LeBron James - 11/22 FG, 11/12 FT, 7 REB, 7 AST, 1 *IRP, 34 PTS
4. Andray Blatche - 12/14 FG, 1/1 3PT, 1/1 FT, 8 REB, 4 AST, 26 PTS
5. Baron Davis - 11/20 FG, 4/6 3PT, 5/7 FT, 6 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL, 31 PTS

DUDS
1. Ben Gordon - 2/14 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 6 PTS, 30 MIN
2. Tyrus Thomas - 0/1 FG, 0/1 FT, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 4 PF, 2 TO, 0 PTS, 11 MIN
3. Nate Robinson - 0/6 FG, 0/4 3PT, 0/0 FT, 4 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 PF, 3 TO, 0 PTS, 19 MIN
4. Mardy Collins - 0/2 FG, 0/0 FT, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3 PF, 4 TO, 0 PTS, 17 MIN
5. Jerry Stackhouse - 0/6 FG, 0/1 3PT, 0/2 FT, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 PTS, 22 MIN

* = Insanely Ridiculous Play

Mills said...

I'll be enjoying -- "enjoying" -- my Thanksgiving commute. Eat well.
------------
I don't think the 2nd "enjoying" was necessary. I think quotes on the first enjoying would have gotten the job done.

Does Dan get paid by the word on here? :)

Chris Savory said...

Well, in spite of not being American, I am thankful:

*That I get to watch Roger Federer at his peak
*For the respectable defence of the Rugby World Cup by the England team
*For Omer Golan
*That Red Sox Nation didn't have to wait another 86 years
*For everything Tim Henman gave British tennis
*That no matter what's happening in professional sport, I can spend every Saturday running around with my team-mates enjoying sport for all things it should really be about

CMFost said...

Steve she must be since she puts up with you spend all day living in her basement surfing the web and pulling pranks.

BLUE said...

how shocked would everyone be to find out that Blue is really cmfost and cmfost is really Blue.

it's true

I ♥ Boston...you guys just wish you were as cool as me or as cool as Boston...

Cheers

CMFost said...

Chris who is Omer Golan?

BLUE said...

i post TMQ to get you riled up and to quit making fun of me as my cmfost persona.

I just thought everyone should know that today, with it being thanksgiving and all.

Mills said...

I don't think Mardy Collins or even Nate Rob should be included on your "duds" list. Should said "dud" player at least have decent expectations to begin with?

I would say a good game by Collins would be like 10 pts and 6 assts.

Gordon and Stackhouse as duds fine - cuz there are at least some real expectations of them, but Collins and Nate Rob = no.

Tunsney said...

I am thankful for Gophers hiring Tubby Smith. He is going to take this program from the basement to a contender and I cannot wait.

Anonymous said...

"I don't think ESPN has a set thing to trade draft picks, but if you want to, all you have to do is say so. I'll keep records of it."


I'm thankful for numbnuts that get all riled up at complete strangers over the intertubes.

Blessed be.

Anonymous said...

Hottest Sportscasters

SFW

Anonymous said...

"I'll be enjoying -- "enjoying" -- my Thanksgiving commute."


Does this mean he'll be getting a ZJ from his husband?

CMFost said...

Shana Hiatt is smoking and she would probably actually do the playboy spread. Hazel Mae should not be on the list she has a great body but that is all

Tunsney said...

What is a cmfost? And why is it so interesting that there are two of you? Or is it the same person but they have a multiple personality disorder? Now you are saying that Blue is the same person as well. Time to get a life CMblue

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CMFost said...

Wow, Blue trying to be creative today, I like that blue but that is probably why Dan says you are his #1 fan.

CMFost said...

cmfost and blue are 2 totally different people. On from the Boston area, one from the Denver area.

Chris Savory said...

Omer Golan scored the winning goal for Israel against Russia on Saturday, ensuring that all England have to do to qualify for next summer's European Football Championships is draw with Croatia tonight; had the two sides drawn on Saturday, England would need a win this evening, and if Russia had won, England would effectively have been eliminated. Bet you're wishing you'd never asked...!

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2213181,00.html

Anonymous said...

Chris
- are you talking about European football? I have heard rumors about such a thing, but I've never met anybody that actually watched it.

cummy
- you had the perfect out. You could have blammed all your lameness on Blue. Now you have to take full credit. Dipshit.

CMFost said...

Chris how is Israel doing?

Chris Savory said...

Not referring to European gridiron - NFL Europe, it's fair to say, is not a success. European soccer, on the other hand...

Chris Savory said...

CMFost,

Israel is fourth in the group, with only two to qualify

European Championship Qualifying : Group E Table
17 November 2007 20:59
P W D L F A GD PTS
1 Croatia 11 8 2 1 25 6 19 26
2 England 11 7 2 2 22 4 18 23
3 Russia 11 6 3 2 17 7 10 21
4 Israel 11 6 2 3 19 12 7 20
5 FYR Macedonia 11 4 2 5 12 11 1 14
6 Estonia 12 2 1 9 5 21 -16 7
7 Andorra 11 0 0 11 2 41 -39 0

Jonathan said...

So this blog is a place where some ex ESPN writer does exactly what he did on ESPN and then a bunch of people insult each other?

Jonathan said...

If half you people weren't pansies who have no clue what it means to earn your freedom that concept might be OK. But you all are thin skinned steer humpers.

and cmfost, i don't need to know anything about you personally to know that you are some sort of fat, giving america a bad name, while not even trying to learn english, son of a bi#$h.

Dan Shanoff said...

Boys, boys: If you want to squabble, please take it elsewhere. If you want to discuss the big issues of the day in sports, have at it.

Short of me deleting any off-topic comments, I'm not quite sure why you don't just ignore any comments that don't involve a particular sports-news point you want to talk about.

I remain mystified why anyone would want to spend their time disrupting a random blog's comments section -- I take it as flattery, I guess -- but all I can say is that I'd prefer it didn't happen.

Believe it or not, I wish no real ill-will on anyone, particularly this weekend. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.