EA Sports Virtual Playoff Simulation: BCS National Championship!

#1 Ohio State 31 - #6 USC 7

The USC Trojans held the Ohio State Buckeye offense to only 18 passing yards, but 
when it was all said and done this didn’t matter as Ohio State coasted to a 31-7 
victory over USC in the BCS National Champonship game. In one of the most bizarre 
bowl games in recent memory, twenty-one of the Buckeyes’ thirty-one points were 
accounted for from the defense and special teams (one interception and two punt 
returns). The USC Trojan offense got first downs almost every possession of the 
game, but it didn’t matter. John David Booty’s team stalled every one of these 
possessions until once in the fourth quarter after the game was well within the 
Buckeye’s hands. Shaun Lane, junior cornerback, ran back the two Buckeye punt 
returns for touchdowns in route to being voted Most Valuable Player of the BCS 
Championship. This win caps off a 14-1 season for Brutus the Buckeyes’ team.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
USC	0	0	0	7	7
OSU	7	10	7	7	31

	USC	OSU
First Downs	7	8
Total Offense	166	151
Rushes-Yards	9-(-3)	27-133
Comp-Att-TD	13-29-1	6-9-0
Passing Yards	169	18
Sacked	2	2
3rd Down Conv	1 – 9 (11%)	4 – 9 (44%)
4th Down Conv	1 – 3 (33%)	0 – 0 (0%)
2-Point Conv	0 – 0 (0%)	0 – 0 (0%)
Redzone – TD – FG	0 – 0 – 0 (0%)	1 – 0 – 1 (100%)
Turnovers	2	0
Fumbles – Lost	1 - 0	1 - 0
Intercepted	2	0
PR Yards	19	163
KR Yards	105	1
Total Yards	290	315
Punts – Average	4 – 42.7	4 – 38.5
Penalties – Yards	1 – 35	2 - 30
T.O.P.	7:32	12:28

Fantasy Baseball - How To Win Your League!

With the 2008 baseball season upon us, the fantasy baseball season is about to begin.  Here are some tips to creating a successful fantasy baseball team. 

 

1)Be smart

When you are drafting your baseball team, don't take unnecessary risks.  This year you shouldn't be taking Pedro Martinez (36 years old and diminishing health) or Chris Carpenter (might be out until All-Star break) in any of the early or middle rounds.  You may not know every player in the MLB, but it isn't hard to use good judgement.  Don't fall into the mentality that you need to get certain positions early in the draft, just because the rest of the league makes a run on a specific position.  You cannot afford to take catchers, like Victor Martinez and Russell Martin, in front of other Top 40 players such as Aramis Ramirez, Magglio Ordonez, Alex Rios, and Curtis Granderson.  Closers fall into this same type of category; there are plenty of good closers that will be available after the 8th round.  Decide what is more important: having the best catcher and closer or getting more stats for your draft picks. 

2) Make a plan and stick to it

Have a plan before the draft starts.  Of all the fantasy baseball teams of mine that have been good, only one or two have been very balanced.  More so than in other fantasy sports, such as football or basketball, you need to choose some categories that you want to dominate your league in.  Whether that is good pitching (Wins, ERA, K's), power hitting (HR, RBI), or speed (SB, R), it doesn't really matter what it is, but pick something and stick with it.

3)Drafts cannot make a season, but they can break one

It's true that you need to research, know your stuff, and have a plan going into the draft, but don't put too much emphasis on the draft.  The baseball season is six months long and you can't underestimate the value of staying on top of your league every day.  Because of the length of the season, it is very easy to turn around a baseball league in the summer months by simply checking the free agents every day, watching what players get on hot streaks, and updating your daily lineup.

New Orleans Hornets: Looking Into The Crystal Ball

After last Saturday's surprise blowout of the San Antonio Spurs, 102-78, the New Orleans Hornets were on a roll and put together a nine game wining streak, before losing to the Golden State Warriors last Wednesday 103-116.  Nevertheless the Hornets, who started out a solid 20-11, were an amazing 12-2 in the month of January and are 32-15 overall, tied for second in the Western Conference.  This season the Hornets are 4-2 against Western Conference powers (San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas) and starting to prove to everyone that they too want to be in this elite category of teams.

Their starting point guard, Chris Paul, has been outstanding this season averaging 20.3 points per game and 10.8 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field.  David West is also dominating at the power forward position averaging about 19 points and 9 rebounds per game; add a rejuvenated three-point shooting Peja Stojakovic and newly assertive big man play from center Tyson Chandler and you have a quality starting lineup.  Chandler has been a long time disappointment because of the trade that he was involved in for Elton Brand, one of the best power forwards in the NBA since 1999.

Outlook & Predictions: I look for the New Orleans Hornets to cool down some the next few months, but come playoff time I think the veteran teams of the Western Conference will prevail, at least this year.  With that said, if their core stays the same over the offseason, these Hornets could be good for the next few years.  I think the Hornets end the season 55-27 as the Western Conference #4 Seed and take an early second round playoff exit.

Shaq for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks - More Breaking News?

As Johnny Lunden of Yahoo! Sports has just reported it may be true. As if this week has not been filled with enough sports news, Shaquille O'Neal might be going to the Phoenix Suns in return for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

  

My first impressions of this trade are shell shock and being caught completely off guard. If this trade does go through it will be one of the worst things for the Phoenix Suns' in franchise history. For Steve Kerr, the Sun's newly appointed President of Basketball Operations, and the Phoenix Suns to get Shaq at this point in his career - and to give up Shawn Marion, one of the best forwards in the NBA to the Miami Heat, would be absolutely laughable. 

More information on this potential trade, as I get it.

Texas Tech Men's Basketball - Breaking News

Damn it, I won't be able to try out for Knight School now.

Bobby Knight resigned.  Texas Tech basketball will go through a rough patch the next five years.  Okay that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but historically it's what happens to programs after big coaches leave; hopefully Texas Tech won't follow the trend.  I'll be completely honest, when I first heard of Bobby Knight's resignation tonight I was shocked, angry, upset, mad, and scared for the future of Texas Tech basketball.  I am not totally agreeing with what Knight did, but I will say it makes sense. The Red Raiders have been mediocre at best, overall this season, starting 12-8 (3-3 in Big XII play).  If any time was the perfect time for Knight to hand over the reigns to his son Pat, it would be right now.  Texas Tech is right smack in the middle of the Big XII standings, and this is a great chance for Pat Knight to learn more about himself and now, his team too.  Pat Knight's first game as the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is Wednesday in Waco against Baylor.  This game needs to set the tone for Pat Knight's career as a coach and the Red Raiders need their first road win of the season.

Super Bowl - Thoughts, "The Play", Commercials

Earlier this morning I put my feelings towards the Super Bowl this way: I want the New England Patriots to lose, not the New York Giants to win.  I honestly thought that the Pats were going win this game, but the Giants defense did a great job of keeping Tom Brady on his back the entire game.  Eli Manning once again managed the game greatly the first three quarters of this game, only this time, in the 4th quarter, he took over the game and refused to lose.  Eli Manning's spin away from New England defenders and heave down the field towards David Tryee in the 4th quarter was simply one of the best plays I have ever seen on a football field.  Both, quarterback and receiver, made phenomenal plays, and there is no doubt in my mind that this play will be on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays of the Year, come December 2008.  If you don't know what play I am talking about 1)shame on you 2)here is the link, go watch it!

Call me crazy, but could anyone else here the disappointment in Joe Buck's voice wh

en the Giants made that play?  Even though I had no connection whatsoever to either of the teams in the Super Bowl (other than just plain disliking the Pats) this is the greatest Super Bowl I have ever watched and is sure to be ranked as one of the best Super Bowls of all-time. 

With that I leave you with my Top 10 list of Super Bowl commercials for this year.  They can be found here and the number in parenthesis is what quarter the ad was aired.

1)Sleep - Diet Pepsi Max (1st)

2)Parade Floats - Coca-Cola (3rd)

3)Mice - Doritos (2nd)

4)Silence the Stains - Tide (2nd)

5)Baby - E-Trade (3rd, 4th)

6)Cashew Deodorant - Planters Nuts (2nd)

7)Fire Breathing - Bud Light (1st)

8)Will Ferrell "Jackie Moon" - Bud Light (4th)

9)Hank the Horse - Budweiser (2nd)

10)The Pigeons - FedEx (2nd)

EA Sports Virtual Playoff Simulation - FedEx Orange Bowl

#6 USC 13 - #2 LSU 10

In one of the few close games of the tournament number six seed University of 
Southern Cal pulled off the upset of the LSU Tigers, and favorites to advance to the 
BCS Championship; I guess that’s the reason why they play the game.  Both teams 
played excellent defense and John David Booty, senior USC quarterback, looked shaky 
at times, but it didn’t matter as his team won the Orange Bowl in overtime.  After 
USC gained about one yard on their overtime possession and kicker David Buehler made 
it a three-point game, on LSU’s first offensive play of the overtime period senior 
quarterback Matt Flynn threw an interception and the exciting game came to an abrupt 
end.  

The Tigers took a 10-0 lead into the 4th quarter, but the Trojans were 
persistent and kicked a field goal with three minutes and fifty-five seconds left in 
the game, shrinking LSU’s lead to 10-3.  With only forty-nine seconds left in 
regulation John David Booty connected to Ronald Johnson from fifty-three yards out 
to tie the game at 10.  This play was the Pontiac Game-Changing Performance and made 
Johnson the MVP of the game because of his broken tackle that helped spring him free 
towards the end zone.  The Tiger defense held its own minus the single touchdown 
play and forced two sacks and three interceptions, but it was not enough; the 
Tiger’s offense never really got it going.  The Trojans defensive line produced an 
amazing seven sacks for the second consecutive game.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Total
LSU	7	3	0	0	0	10
USC	0	0	0	10	3	13

	LSU	USC
First Downs	10	9
Total Offense	180	190
Rushes-Yards	17-(-6)	20-19
Comp-Att-TD	11-26-1	12-29-1
Passing Yards	186	171
Sacked	7	2
3rd Down Conv	2 – 9 (22%)	6 – 13 (48%)
4th Down Conv	0 – 1 (0%)	0 – 0 (0%)
2-Point Conv	0 – 0 (0%)	0 – 0 (0%)
Redzone – TD – FG	0 – 0 – 0 (0%)	1 – 0 – 1 (100%)
Turnovers	2	3
Fumbles – Lost	1 - 0	0 - 0
Intercepted	2	3
PR Yards	6	4
KR Yards	69	69
Total Yards	255	263
Punts – Average	5 – 34.8	4 – 41.7
Penalties – Yards	4 – 55	2 - 10
T.O.P.	9:06	10:54

With that our the BCS Championship is set: #1 Ohio State vs #6 USC

Saturday January 6, 2007

Here is a look back at each of the first ten games:

1st Round

Holiday Bowl -  #12 Arizona State 38 - #5 Virginia Tech 12

Cotton Bowl - #10 Hawaii 28 - #7 Missouri 24

Outback Bowl - #6 USC 35 - #11 West Virginia 7

Chick-Fil-A Bowl - #9 Florida 28 - #8 Kansas 10

2nd Round

Capital One Bowl - #1 Ohio State 20 - #12 Arizona State 10

Rose Bowl - #2 LSU 45 - #10 Hawaii 15

Sugar Bowl - #9 Florida 41 - #3 Oklahoma 14

Gator Bowl - #6 USC 37 - #4 Georgia 7

Semi-Finals

Fiesta Bowl - #1 Ohio State 38 - #9 Florida 13

Orange Bowl - #6 USC 13 - #2 LSU 10