What? Tampa Signed BJ Askew...SWEET!

Ok this post is the first of KC's solo work to appear on the site. Anywho here is a recap and commentary on Free Agency thus far...

Adalius Thomas(LB)- Patriots: Probably the best player available in free agency and a great pick up for the "Yankees of Football" will boost the Patriots linebacking core considerably and it was needed after last years group of players.

Nate Clements (CB)- 49ers: 8 years 80 million dollars is a whole lotta money for a slightly above average player. Clements is now makin Champ Bailey money without having Champ Bailey talent, and thats definitely good for him; bad for 49er fans, but honestly who really cares about them anyways

Patrick Kerney(DE)- Seahawks: coming an injury plagued year should bounce back and return to form. NEXT

Daniel Graham(TE)-Broncos: Now, the Broncos have gone Dan Snyder on Free Agency and i have to say this YOU CANT BUY A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM IN FREE AGENCY!!!! just ask ole Dan... In the the theory on Graham was that he was overshadowed in the Patriots two TE set.. personally i feel he was overshadowed for a reason.

Leonard Davis(OG)- Cowboys: Its hard to tell whether his play in Arizona was because of him suckin ass or Arizona's line in general suckin ass.. what I do know is that its hard to say a guy that big cant do well at any position on the O-line.

Ahman Green(RB)-Texans: "We're excited to get this deal done because Ahman's been a successful running back in this league for a long time," Texans general manager Rick Smith said."We're going to hitch our wagon to him.... until week 6 when every muscle in his legs will tear at which point we'll have to take him out to the pasture and shoot him."

Drew Bennett(WR)-Rams: here is what Len Pasquarelli had to say about Bennett"...Long, angular guy with deceptive deep speed and motivation to prove he's healthy again. " Deceptive speed( i.e. white guy) though to be serious i do think that the Rams made a good desicion by signing Bennett he can be a solid reciever again.

Jeff Garcia(QB)-Bucs: I have to say bringing in Garcia to start a QB is a great descion for the... what?... if he's not starting then who is?... what?CHRIS SIMMS!!what idiot thought that was a good idea?.. seriously? ok.. continuing Chris Simms will be benched sometime this season look here I'm calling it now, as a Longhorn fan I've experienced my fair share of Chris Simms and you might get lucky from time to time with him in there, but eventually he's gonna leave ya in pile on the floor cryin wish for someone anyone else and thats all there is to it.. start Garcia and save yourself some trouble

Dominic Rhodes(RB)-Raiders: This could be a good pickup I mean look at how well it worked out the last time the Raiders signed a career backup running back. 434 yards 2 TDs and a medial collateral ligament injury, but hey great sign I'm sure he'll carry the load for the season it wasn't like he backed up a rookie all season or anything.

Randy McMicheal(TE)-Rams: Or as I like to call him "the man who killed my fantasy team". For this I REALLY hate him and I'm not gonna say anything further about him

Joe Horn(WR)-Falcons: "I came here to lead by example." is what Horn told Atlanta media on Thursday "Jenkins and White need to learn that $30,000 and a cellphone under the goalpost is all it takes to become a household name"

Jamal Lewis(RB)-Browns: "We are pleased to add Jamal Lewis to our team," Browns general manager Phil Savage said in a statement. "He was a proven NFL back three years ago and will be helpful in obtaining the #1 overall pick in the 2008 draft."

Derrick Dockery(OG)-Bills: One word- NEXT!

London Fletcher-Baker(LB)-Redskins: An older man with diminishing skills but can contribute a little bit and can at the very least be a leader on this team. Now with that said I have one question to ask: Does Dan Snyder realize there is a salary cap in the NFL? was he just sick that day when the owners discussed having it? or did the rest of the owners not tell him as some sort of practical joke? these are all serious questions I feel I need answers. I mean the Redskins had 4 million in cap space when the season ended and have since signed (or resigned) Fletcher-Baker, Fred Smoot, Vernon Fox, and Ade Jimoh this blows my mind the way I had it figured out the Redskins would find it hard to field a team but here they are buyin up free agents again.

Joey Porter(LB)-Dolphins: Odds Joey Porter will help Miami's already stout defense: 2 to 1 Odds he'll go on a rampage screaming homophobic slurs at the South Beach Public: 1 to 1

*BONUS FEATURES*

ok so now its time to talk about some of the trades that have happened so far this offseason.

Dre Bly to Broncos for Tatum Bell and George Foster: Since the Broncos can stick your mom at running back and she'd rush for over a 1000 yards it essentially giving up nothing and getting a great cover corner to line across from Champ Bailey

Reuben Droughns to Giants for Tim Carter: Here is proof that the Broncos can put anyone in at RB what has he done before or after he was with the Broncos.. Nothing.. I'm thoroughly convinced the Broncos should trade away their RB every single year then draft some no name kid in the 6th or 7th round and let him rush for a 1000 yards and start over.

Willis McGahee to Ravens for Draft picks: If McGahee can stay healthy he could have a long career of being under utilized by Brain Billick

Final Four and Championship!!!!!

Just got back from Vegas and man, that is a crazy town. I feel for Pac-Man Jones. Don't know if y'all heard about it or not but I got myself into a similar predicament. The headline read, "Sports Authority from Dallas makes it rain pennies, kills a stripper."

So it will be a little different today. We will have a panel of sorts for this one. The other sports bullies from the DFW chapter of SENSA (the Sports IQ society, know world-wide) are joining in for this. (We even have a member of the Washingtonian chapter weighing in.)

KC: Florida over UCLA because Ben Howland's gay and Florida beat them last year they'll do it again. Georgetown over Ohio State because I utterly hate all things Ohio State.
JJ: And your Champion?
KC: Georgetown. No reason other than I don't think Florida is good enough to win it twice.
JJ: Hard hitting facts from KC.

Trevor: I have G-Town over Florida. It's the year of the Cinderella. I mean Ireland over Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup. Those damn Micks.
Lincoln: Wow, and I thought Pakistan was a peaceful place.

JJ: It's G-Town over UCLA. Mark it. You have John Thompson III, Patrick Ewing Jr., and Jeff Green the solo. It's like a Christmas carol, and the number one rule in all of sports is you don't bet against Christmas.
Krevor: Yeah that and don't bet the over on the Yankees.

Lincoln: Well Krev, are you picking G-Town?
Krevor: Yeah I guess I will. I didn't pick them in the pool but I'll do it now. I live like two minutes from campus. I originally chose Ohio State 'cause I love big men, but I am caught in Georgetown fever and I love the Thompson men more. And I got Florida over UCLA. Love Noah, he is biblically good.
Lincoln: Georgetown has the doctor, so you can still love big men and make the homer pick.

Lincoln: Most of my bracket is shot, thanks alot Albany, but I still have my original final match-up in play. Florida over Georgetown.
JJ: Little surprised no one is picking Ohio State, I mean just look at that graph that popped up when I Google imaged "Ohio State" looking for a funny picture.
Lincoln: While I love wind force velocity graphic data as much as anyone, I think that the Hoyas are too deep, talented, and well coached for the Acorns. But even that won't matter in the finals because after the Gators get past a guard heavy UCLA team they will still be able to defeat the front court loaded G-Town boys. They are the most talented, most balanced, most experienced team in college basketball since the Grant Hill/Laettner Duke teams of the early 90's...also the last team to go back to back.

Krevor: Florida doesn't deserve another championship, they already have 2 in one year. Give some love to another school, like Tulane. Why can't we get one? We got destroyed by a hurricane.
Lincoln: There's always women's tennis.

Well there you have it folks. The sports bullies consensus is Georgetown. But it could be Florida, or maybe UCLA, or even Ohio State.

How To Make $9,288.01

Back by popular demand is our How To series where we tell how to do things. Our first edition was directed to Jerry Jones, How To Fix the Cowboys, but this article is for everyone. It has come to my attention that there are places in the United States and on the web where people can wager money on the outcomes of sporting events, shock! Keeping in mind that we do not condone sports betting, unless you're in a place where it is legal and in that case have at it! With that in mind, here for you're entertainment purposes only...

HOW TO MAKE $9288.01

Bodog released their baseball futures board recently where people can bet on who will be the World Series Champs, Division Champs but here I'm taking a closer look at how many games each team will win. I think their over/under for some teams are good, but here are 20 picks that if you follow WILL WIN. Going down the board alphabetically...


Arizona Diamondbacks: o/u 79 wins -- TAKE THE OVER One of the two or three easiest picks, Bodog may be off by 10 wins in this projection. The snakes should be the front-runners to win the NL West this year with a lineup full of young studs and the most underrated rotation in baseball. Maybe the youth makes Bodog think people will either be too ignorant or too scared to bet on Zona (30/1 to win it all, 14/1 to win the NL, and their the 4th pick win the NL West 4/1) but Steven Drew, Connor Jackson, Carlos Quinton, and Chris B Young are all under 25 and all ready to contribute in a big way this year. Brandon Webb, Doug Davis, and Livan Hernandez for a solid, if unspectacular, front 3 then sprinkle in even half a year of Randy Johnson and the rotation becomes even more deadly, especially to pigeions.

Boston Red Sox: o/u 91 wins -- TAKE THE OVER The Sox are one of the deepest and most talented teams in baseball. True they have to play the Yanks and Blue Jays 28 times a year, but they also get to play the D-Rays and O's that much. Manny, Papi and the addition of JD Drew gives the Sox the most potent middle of the order in the League, and add in The Greek God of Walks at the top of the lineup and that could be 4 guys with .400 OBP's. Moving Papelbon back to the closers role is good enough for a couple wins right there, and he'll have plenty of save oppurtunities with Dice-K, Schill, Beckett and Wakefield in the rotation. You can add Jon Lester, Julian Tavarez, Kyle Snider, or me at the 5th spot and still have a championship level starting 5.

Chicago White Sox: o/u 87.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER In a stacked AL Central someone has to lose. Chicago will finish under .500 and Ozzie will be out of a job after this disappointing year. The ChiSox have huge holes LF and CF, as Podsednik and Erstad both figure to be below replacement level this year. Thome, Konerko and Dye are all on the downside of their careers, not that anyone will be getting on base in front of them in the line up. The rotation has been the strength of this team in recent years, but that strength was built more on quantity than quality trading away Garcia and McCarthy will hurt. Bobby Jenks is fine until he get the shakes and, even though BoDog doesn't offer this bet, he still is 1/10 to be the most John Daily-esque player in MLB

Cincinnati Reds: o/u 77 -- TAKE THE UNDER The Big Red Machine will struggle to reach the 70 win platue this year. Edwin Encarnacion, former Ranger great, has a ton of upside and Adam Dunn may have the most raw power in the game and Homer Bailey is one of the two or three best pitching prospects in baseball, but beyond that there is very little to like about this seasons vintage of the Red Legs. Griff is on his last legs, and beyond Harang and Arroyo the rotation is really bad.

Cleveland Indians: o/u 85.5 -- TAKE THE OVER The Tribe should be a 90 win team. Cle is a bit weak offensively on the corners but Sizemore (the franchise's best CF since Willie Mays Hayes), Victor Martinez and Kronk more than make up for it. Bartfield, Peralta, and Marte give the Indians a young, talented infield with a ton of potential. Sabathia and Westbrook are a very good 1-2 combo. The bullpen was a weakness last year, but Borowski and Roberto Hernandez lend some veteran stability to a young talented corpse that includes Fernando Cabrera and Fausto Carmona (who may spend some time in the rotation this year).

Colorado Rockies: o/u 76 -- TAKE THE OVER The Mountains should be a .500 team with Atkins, Holliday, Helton and Hawpe knocking the humidor stored balls all over Coors. Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta give Colorado a SS and Catcher combo with as much upside as any in baseball. The steady Aaron Cook and Rodrigo Lopez team with homegrown Jeff Francis and recently aquired giant Jason Hirsh for a solid rotation. Brian Fuentes may be the best closer in baseball no one knows about.

Detroit Tigers: o/u 88.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER El Tigres were the suprise team in baseball last year but we should expect some regression to the mean this year. Their 2 thru 6 hitters, Polanco, Pudge, Sheff, Maggs, and Guillen, are all injury risks. They get very little production from 1B and LF and don't have one single high OBP guy in their everyday lineup. Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones will still be counted on for big roles despite being their 40's. However, they still have a stable of young arms. Jeremy Bonderman is my darkhorse for Cy Young this year, but I really don't think Verlander and Nate Robertson will match their performances of a year ago. Both guys periferial numbers suggest their ERA's should progress to the mean. Zumaya is appointment viewing anytime he's on the mound, but if Jimmy Leland doesn't give the closer role over to him soon the team will suffer.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Orange County California an hour and half north of San Diego: o/u 90 -- TAKE THE UNDER I have written about the Angels previously in my Hope and Faith article. They are too weak offensively, and have big injury risks on the pitching staff. Any team that counts on major production from Shea Hillenbrand, Casey Kotchman, Chone Figgins, and Gary Matthews Jr can't win 90 games without Kofax, Clemens, Pedro, Maddux, and Walter Johnson in the rotation. The Halos have a good staff, but not that good. Better bet -- Wins (+8.5) v Number of Letters in that Name.

Los Angeles Dodgers: o/u 88.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER Bodog is, again, too optimistic on a LA team here with good arms and no bats. Nomar, Jeff Kent and Luis Gonzalez make a terrific 3-4-5 of the order... in the year 2000. The Dodgers do have good pitching Schmidt, Lowe, and Penny are a real nice top of the rotation and Jonathon Broxton will take over the closer role proir to the All-Star break, but that offense is just too bad. Wilson Betemit and Raffy Furcal form a very good right side of the infield, and Russ Martin is a very nice catcher (when he's not hosting his radio show) but the Dodgers get very little from everywhere else on the field. But hey, the just traded for Brady Clark!!! I'm sure Matt Kemp loves that deal.

Milwaukee Brewers: o/u 81.5 -- TAKE THE OVER Team that reminds me alot of the Diamondbacks, lots of young guys ready to step up. Rickie Weeks, Bill Hall, Prince Fielder, JJ Hardy can all rake. If Ben Sheets is healthy (which, granted, he rarely is) the rotation looks nice. Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush, and Cladio Vargas aren't the sexiest names but their all decent to above average pitchers. Coco and Turnbow really bring the heat at the end of the ballgame, and always keep it close. This is a team to really watch out for this year, and for the next 5 with guys like Yovani Gallardo and Ryan Braun in the pipeline.

Minnesota Twins: o/u 84.5 -- TAKE THE OVER Mauer, Morneau and Santana are worth 80 wins by themselves. Throw in Joe Nathan for an easy 5 extra and the Twins cover this number. Random Rant: Has there EVER been a better trade than Pierzynski for Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser, and Liriano? The Giants got tired of AJ after one year!!! While Minnesota will reap the benefits of this trade for at least the next 5. AND the trade was made so the Twins could make room for Joe Mauer! The trade really is a crappy catcher for the best catcher in baseball, the best closer in baseball, the best pitching prospect in baseball, and a good pitching prospect.

New York Mets: o/u 89.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER Pedro is the youngest of their top three starters. I'm going to repeat that, because it bears repeating. Pedro Martinez is the youngest of their top three starters. Pedro's "birth certificate" may only say that he's 35 but his arm's equivolent age would be somewhere in the Keith Richards neighboorhood. 41 year old Tom Glavie and 53 year old Orlando Hernandez will be counted on for 30-35 starts each, at least they can look to Julio Franco for veteran leadership. How is a team with Jose Reyes and David Wright so old??? Shawn Green, Delgado, Jose Valentin, Moises Alou, Julio Franco, Paul LoDuca, Chan Ho Park, Pedro, Glavin, El Duke, and Billy Wagner's average age is dead.

New York Yankees: o/u 97 -- TAKE THE UNDER The Yankees will be good, but 97 wins is great, and I don't think these Yanks are truely great. Offensively the Bronx Bombers should expect years from Jeter, Cano and Posada worse than last year. Doug Mientkiewicz shouldn't be a big league player they would be better moving Matsui to first and starting Melky, but it doesn't appear as if that will happen. Carl Pavano could be their opening day starter, that says alot right there. Pettitte is really on the downside, I love Moose but he's 38, Igawa is an unknown commodity ( I think he'll be decent though), that leaves you with an Ace who's got a K rate of just 3 per 9. Wang, also currently hurt, is an extreme ground ball pitcher but the Yankees aren't very good defensively in the infield. Rivera will spend some time on the DL and when he does you're counting on Kyle Farnsworth and Ron Villone?

Oakland Athletics: o/u 84.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER Nick Swisher may be the only guy in the starting line up for the A's this year who isn't a lock to miss a month at some point this year. If everyone stays healthy, and productive the A's could surpass the 84.5 win mark, but the odds of that happening aren't good. Beyond Swisher and Chavez, even when healthy the lineup is pretty weak. Their bullpen is good, but may become over worked especailly if/when Harden/Haren miss big chunks of time.

Pittsburg Pirates: o/u 72 -- TAKE THE OVER That's right Pirate fans, you won't lose 90 games this year! Only 85!! Pitt is really a solid team. Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay, and Adam LaRoche are a nice 3-4-5 in the order. Chris Duffy, Xavier Nady, and Ronnie Paulino are nice players. The thing that most people don't know about the Pirates is that they have a bunch of young arms that should produce some for this year; Zach Duke, Ian Snell, Paul Maholm, and Tom Gorzelanny.

Seattle Mariners: o/u 78.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER Jose Vidro is going to DH. That really should tell you all you need to know. Jose Guillen is going to start in RF, Jose Lopez at 2B. Beyond King Felix the M's have a bunch of 4 and 5 starters. This is not a good team.

St. Louis Cardinals: o/u 85 -- TAKE THE UNDER I hate picking against any team that has Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter, but that is all the Cards have. Rolen still can play, but can't be counted on for the same kind of year he had last year, Edmonds is in a sharp decline, Juan Encarnacion has never been a very good player, Molina is really bad offensively. Eckstien and Kennedy up the middle and at the top of the order mean that Pujols will rarely have anyone on base when he comes up. He should break Bond's IBB record this year. Wainwright is good, and Reyes has a chance to be good, but after that they have Kip Wells in the rotation. They may ask Bradon Looper to start in the 5 spot in the rotation. Looper, 32, has not started a game in his 9 year big league career. Once Izzy goes down, there's not alot in the bullpen. The reigning champs may not have a winning record this year.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: o/u 67.5 -- TAKE THE OVER That's right. The Over for the D-Rays. All those years of selecting in the top 5 of the draft are finally starting to pay off, Tampa has as much young talent as any team in baseball. Most of it is on the offensive side of the ball, Baldelli, Crawford, Delomn Young, Elijah Dukes, BJ Upton, and Jorge Cantu can all hit and are, almost, all really athletic. The D-Rays would def win the most basketball games of any baseball team...not that that helps then a ton playing baseball. Scott Kazmir would be a Cy Young contender if he was on a better team, James Shields has a lot of upside that people don't talk about, Casey Fossum may have the best left handed curveball in the AL now that Zito is in San Fran. Their bullpen is deep, headed by flamethrowing Seth McClung. Aki Iwamura, the Japanese import, will suprise many at 3B and Dioneer Navarro may have the most upside of any catcher in baseball who's surname doesn't start with an M.

Texas Rangers: o/u 81 -- TAKE THE OVER I covered the Rangers in my Hope and Faith article earlier. Tex, Wilk, and Blalock are primed to have much better years, Gagne + Aki means it's a 7 inning game. Rotation is deep and as talented as it's ever been. Good chance to win the division.

Toronto Blue Jays: o/u 87.5 -- TAKE THE UNDER Every year people talk about how the Blue Jays are going to make a run at the BoSox and Yankees, and every year they wind up 14 games back in third place. Wells and Glaus are big time players, and Overbay is very underrated but the Jays are praying for another TWO big years from the Big Hurt, and will start Reed Johnson everyday who might be the worst regular outfielder in baseball -- assuming Darin Erstad isn't playing everyday. I'm not as high on Alex Rios as some people, I think he'll be good, not great. After you get by Halliday the rotation is pretty bad, especailly if/when AJ Burnett gets hurt. Did I mention that Royce Clayton will be starting at short for this team?


If you bet the max, $600, on all the above wagers you should net $9288.01. Glad I can use my knowledge of the great game to make others happy and richer, in a purely emotional sense.

March Madness Part Trey

Sorry for the lay off, St. Patty's Day is JJ's birthday so I'm just now sober. JJ however is in Vegas (lucky bastard) so this part will have a slightly different look as I don't want to be that crazy guy who talks back and forth to himself. JJ should be in time for the Final Four games, and we will be back to the format that brought us so much acclaim from the literally 10's of people who have read these articles.

Midwest Region:

Florida will make it to the Final Four over UNLV. The UNLV/GT first round match up was the one that I had the least confidence in my pick. UNLV is a veteran, smart team but I went with the young, athletic, high-upside guys who were too sloppy and inexperienced to win. Oregon reminds me slightly of that Georgia Tech team, though they don't have as many freshman, but they like to play a somewhat similar brand of roundball. I think the Runnin Rebs will slow the game down, for Oregon to work for each hoop, and eek out a win; only to get steamrolled by the Florida Gator Juggernaut.

Out West:

Kansas will get by UCLA to make it to the Final Four. Two of the most storied teams in the history of college basketball will clash but the Jayhawks get the edge due to their size and versatility. Ironically I like UCLA over Pitt because of their guard play, but Kansas gets good enough play from their guards and is too deep and talented for even this very good Bruins squad.

In the East:

UNC and Georgetown battle for an all expenses paid trip to Atlanta. In what should be a very close game between two very talented teams the Hoyas will prevail. NBA scouts will be all over the Continental Airlines Areana as this game could offer up an enitre pro team. Jeff Green and the doctor's son will be too much for the Tar Heels to contain. Georgetown is the most unique team in college ball, no one else plays quite like them, they offer so many match up problems to potential opponents.

Dirty Dirty South:

Aggie beats Buckeye. Ohio State is without a doubt the more talented of the two teams, but the expierence of the Aggie's top players that will be the difference in this game. In similar decision making process to the UNC/G'town game the team without the freshman point guard has a huge advantage. This could be one of the lowest scoring games of the tourney, as the two best defensive teams in the country meet. A&M has no answer for Oden, OSU has no answer for Acie Law IV so there will be some points scored. A&M playing just a 2 hour car ride away from campus is also a huge factor in this game as the Alamodome will be Marooned Out. A&M and OSU are too good defensively to be stopped by teams that just play good offense (Tenn and Memphis.)

Thus concludes the short sweet 16/final 4 blog. Tune in soon for our championship picks.

Sorry Your Holiness,

Due to the rimjob the Suns/Refs gave the Mavs tonight, our picks for the sweet 16/ elite 8 will be delayed. We were far to drunk and angry to post tonight. All picks will be posted before the games actually start, so no fear for all those gamblers who look to the sports bullies to bale them out of the hole.

Sincerely,

Sports Bully

March Madness Extravaganza Part Two

On to the second round matchups. And might I say, we picked Niagara right, so if these trends continue, 100% of our picks will be right.

We will start with the Midwest again.

Florida vs. Zona

JJ: I think a gator could take a wildcat in real life. No reason not to use this logic for this game.
LH: Zona's magical run will end here. The defending national champs, are too big, well rounded, deep and experienced.
JJ: If this were a dance off though, my money is on Zona. Actually, if Florida magically loses Noah, they win the dance off as well.
LH: Noah and Horford down low will be the difference, the Gators' twin towers will force Arizona to settle for outside shots which is not their forte. The Wildcats only shot 34% on the year from the land of three.

Terps vs. Old Dominion

JJ: In the first round my partner and I debated who would win between Old Dominion and Butler, but it's really just semantics, because neither will beat Maryland.
LH: Not so fast. It's all about the power of Valdas Vasylius!!!! OD continues their magical ride. Drew Williamson, OD's senior PG, has led the CAA in assist-to-turnover ratio two of the last three seasons -- you can't make stats like that up! Greivis Vasquez, Maryland's freshman PG, was good in high school because all he had to do was pass to Kevin Durant. I'll take the grizzled senior lead team to play smart, aggressive D, force turnovers and keep it close enough so that the Australian Giant can score on a put-back at the buzzer.
JJ: Wow, our first uset special, and only 2 games in.

Oregon vs. Winthrop

LH: Oregon is a wide open, free wheeling, undisciplined team that will meet its match against the Garnet and Gold. Winthrop is a well coached, scrappy team filled with a bunch of guys who won't be NBA superstars but are just good players. Oregon doesn't have the size down low (lol) to dominate the game. Random note: part of The Rage: Carrie 2 was filmed at Winthrop
JJ: I too have Oregon going down, but to Notre Dame. But with that Carrie 2 fact, I suppose I can jump on the Winthrop magical mystery tour.

Wisconsin vs. Georgia Tech

JJ: Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger
LH: Mushroom Mushroom
JJ: Close game. Tucker is too much though.
LH: 'Sconsin beats the fiesty GT squad with more consistant, cohesive play. Thaddeus Young v Alando Tucker will be a very interesting 1 on 1 matchup but I'm going with the senior All-American to win that battle and his team to win the war.

On to the west.


Kansas vs. Nova

LH: Kansas had a scoring margin of +17 this year, in a very underrated Big 12. Nova is a nice team, but the Jayhawks are the real deal, they may not win by 17 but they will advance. Nova's D hasn't been as good this year as in years past, allowing .410 FG and .355 3PT, and this Kansas team put the ball in the hoop, 78 ppg.
JJ: Kansas also has the depth and athletic ability at the guard spot to contain Nova's unique 4-guard attack.

Va Tech vs. Salukis

JJ: As talented as the Hookies are, I think SIU is that much better. Take a look at Va Tech's ACC record and you see agaisnt tuff oponets, they are not as impressive.
LH: Wikipedia defines Southern Illinois University as "a university in southern Illinois." Also of note, Playmate of the Year 1977, Patti McGuire attended SIU.

Pitt vs. VCU

LH: Pitt has really good 3 point D, allowing only 31%, which should be good enough to shut down Bad Ass Walker and the Rams.
JJ: VCU's Black Awakening Choir won 1st place in the 2005 Baptist Student Union National Choir Competition in Atlanta, GA. This is such a tuff pick.

UCLA vs. Zags

JJ: Zags big men only get them so far. The Bruins make pretty easy work of a team that was far better last year than they are this year.
LH: I'm going with UCLA for one very important reason, and one reason only. I want to hear Dick Vitale say, "Luc Richard Mbah a Moute" [UCLA's power forward] as long as possible. These things are the reason I love March.

Onto the East region.

Tarheels vs. Spartans

LH: UNC had a scoring margin of +17.9 per game, best in the country while playing in the best conference in the country.
JJ: Hansbrough is an absolute beast. His play far outweighs Nietzel's.

Texas vs. Arkansas

JJ: Ahh, a battle of traditional enemies from the Southwest conference days.
LH: Woooooooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
JJ: KEVIN DURANT!!
LH: Woooooooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
JJ: KEVIN DURANT!!
LH: Woooooooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
Continues for eternity...

Washington State vs. G-Dub

LH: I like GW in this one. WSU has struggled at the 1 guard position all year, and is a bad rebounding team -- two things that kill in March. GW, however, gets strong consistant play from Maureece Rice, PG, and has two guys, Regis Koundjia and Dokun Akingbade (and no I didn't make those names up), who are monsters on the offensive glass.
JJ: Can you use Akingbade in a sentence please?
LH: Akingbade a new law allowing for the legalization of marijuana?
JJ: Country of origin?
LH: Nigeria.
JJ: Part of speech.
LH: ...

G'town vs. BC

JJ: So by how much does G'town crush the Eagles is the question. 10, 15, 25... Only time will tell.
LH: Georgetown is really, really good and they will be facing a not really, really good team (BC not TTU). The '84 national champs may have the most dominate inside game in the country (including THE Ohio State). Roy Hibbert is a big giant of a man, 7'2'' 278lbs, and he's teamed with Jeff Green the Big East POY who reminds me a bit of Josh Howard.
JJ: Yeah, Hibbert, son of the famous doctor from the Simpsons, is a man-child that eats whole teams for lunch. Next on the menu, fried eagle.
LH: Aren't those an endangered species.
JJ: They are now.

Once again we end with the South region.

Ohio State vs. BYU

JJ: BYU vs. The Program. Who to pick. Mormans or Polished man-beasts.
LH: The program, wasn't that a football movie with James Caan and Halle Berry?
JJ: Touche.
LH: THE Ohio State should win comfortably, Oden scares all opposing players from coming in the lane and the rest of the team has held opponents to just 31% 3PT. BYU's best player, Keena Young, is a low post player which means he will be dominated in this game.
JJ: Can't argue with that.

Tennessee vs. Albany

LH: This Tennessee ballclub will be involved in a shootout with Albany in the round of 32. Chris Lofton, Kenny's son, will go shot for shot with Jamar Wilson. This game comes down to who's teammates will collect more of the missed shots and get 2nd chances for their stud scorer. Despite the fact that the Vols are smaller than the Great Danes, they are a superior rebounding club. Wayne Chism and Duke Crews, the 2 headed-center for Tennessee, will get the ball back in Lofton's hands and let him win the game.
JJ: And the great motivator will buy icecream for the whole team if they win.
LH: As long as he keeps his orange jacket on...


Aggies vs. Louisville

JJ: Acie Law IV will single handedly take over this game. And I mean literally. He is going to tie one hand behind his back and score 30+ pts, he's that good.
LH: Aggies will beat the Cardinals because they will force Louisville to slow down and play a half-court game, which has been an Achilles' heel of the Cardinal squad this year. Acie Law IV will dominate Edgar Sosa, Louisville's freshman PG, forcing turnovers, creating easy buckets for Jost Carter, Joseph Jones and Antanas Kavaliaskas -- which is very fun to say.

Memphis vs. Nevada

LH:Joey Dorsey, Memphis' starting center, is a good shot blocker and rebounder, but he doesn't have the size or depth of skill to stay with Nick Fazekas. Memphis rolled through a bad Conference USA this year putting up big wins over bad teams. Nevada's stength is the Tiger's weakness, post play. The Wolfpack are also one of the most vertern teams in the country, starting three seniors and two juniors.
JJ: I don't know how to respond to that. That's impressive. I'm not even mad.
LH: Sports Bully.
JJ: In the truest sense of the word.
LH: Random note about Albany: Their school motto is "Sapientia et sua et docendi causa."
JJ: And it means?
LH: I think most of our readers speak Latin. I know for a fact the Pope has us as his homepage.
JJ: Good to see we are spreading valuable knowledge to the world.

Tomorrow it's on to the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, with the final article covering the Final Four and the Championship.

March Madness Extravaganza Part One

Sorry for the delay in positng. I went bowling with Pac-Man Jones and had to lay low for awhile. Today we bring to you the first of a four part series on the spring extrvaganza known affectionatley as "The Tourney." Alright, for my final four I'm gonna pick Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, and UConn... Wait a minute, maybe I haven't paid that close attention to this season. Is Ron Mercer not leading a talented pack of Sophmores at Kentucky??? So for those of you who just saw the above picks and called your bookies (and in no way do we condone sports betting) this series of articles, is for you. The first thing we will tackle is the opening round.

We open with the Midwest.

Florida vs. Jackson State

LH: Gonna go out on a limb and pick Florida here. Tough call though, with Trey Johnson, the nation's 2nd leading scorer going for Jackson State, it makes this game interesting.
JJ: I concure. Defending champs. And a 1 has never beaten a 16; it's science.
LH: Quick note on Jackson State gaurd Charlie White. He was arrested on weapons charges earlyier in the year. That forced a 5' 6" man to replace him. Need I say more.


Zona vs. Purdue

JJ: As I am a good personal friend of Jet Terry's, he assures me this is Zona's year. With guys like Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic they have to be tough, I mean Tupac's brother and a Russian.
LH: Redenovic is the key to the game. Purdue's big man is barley taller than me (although I am a rather lanky gentleman). Plus, I think Chase Buddinger is the best white guy in this region. (Even better than half of Joakim Noah.)
JJ: Yeah, that half showed itself in the form of interpretive white guy dance.
LH: I will always go with the team who's head coach is named after a musical instrument. That's just a smart pick.

Butler vs. Old Dominion (A toss up)

LH: The beauty of the NCAA Tournament; picking games invloving two teams you know nothing about.
JJ: Yes, all I know about Butler is they upset Kansas a couple years back. Now they are a 5 seed, and that they have a +10.8 scoring margin. This is the dreaded 5/12 matchup though.
LH: Yeah I'm gonna go with OD on this one. Butler has problems offensivley if Graves, their 2 gaurd, doesn't have his stroke working. OD's Brandon Johnson has some size on Graves and is a hard-nose defender. I think Dominion is more balnced offensivley and they have a Russian power foward with the intials V.V.
JJ: Don't forget the back-up center. In the words of ESPN, he is an "Australian giant who intimidates in the lane and scores only on put-backs."

Maryland vs. Davidson

JJ: Hailing from the ACC, home to some of the best teams in the country, Maryland showed they could hang. Vetran leadership, found in 3 seniors, and 2 juniors is the force behing that.
LH: I agree. I think senior leaders Ibekwe, D.J. Strawberry, and Mike Jones..
JJ: Who?
LH: Mike Jones, will lead the Terps past the really overmatched Davidson team. They don't even have anyone named Harley, what a sham.
JJ: Fear the Turtle.
Note: The 02 national champs feature all 5 starters averaging double digit scoring.

Notre Dame vs. Winthrop (Toss up)

LH: It pains me to say it, because I am a huge Irish fan (Side note, I would be at Notre Dame had my high school guidance counsler not been an absolute waste of life) but I am going with Winthrop. This is a very tough first round match-up. The Irish feature a bunch of slow white guys who shoot the rock well, but play D like the Phoenix Suns. I think Winthrop's outside shooting will lead them past the Irish and their zone derfenses.
JJ: The Irish are very balanced though. They have 4 starters averging double digit scoring. Their outside shooting is very impressive. They also had a quality win over Marquette on the road. Winthrop never winning a Tourney game before also leaves me waery of them.

Oregon vs. Miami (OH)

JJ: It's pretty simple, shut down Pollitz, and you beat the Redhawks. Their only hope is if the Ducks confuse Tim with Eric, his less talented brother on the team.
LH: I feel the Ducks can defeat the Fighting Roethlisbergurs with far superior athletic ability, provided they don't sucumb to the Aaron Brooks glitch. Miami was a crazy 3 pointer off the backboard away from even making the tournament. Their slow, half-court, Princeton style offense won't be able to keep up with the running and gunning Ducks.

Buzz vs. UNLV

LH: 1990 Champs vs. the '04 runner-ups. Gonna go with the team that had the most recent success. Tech is quicker and far more athletic then the Rebles. Plus they have the best player on the floor, Thaddeus Young. (He's black.) They are also one of the hottest teams in the nation right now. This pick scares me a bit though, GT can be reckless with the ball at times and UNLV has a senior point guard that might make them pay.
JJ: They also have 9 guys averging over 12 mpg. This game is pretty evenly matched should be a beauty. I'd say if Grandmama had a year of eligabilty... But he doesn't, the consensus pick is Tech.

Wisconsin vs. Texas A&M- CC

JJ: All I can say is the A&M CC players better be pre-med majors, becasue they need about 50 CC's of talent.
LH: ...
JJ: Medical jokes aside, there's not much doubt about the outcome of this game.

Now on to the West region.

Play-in Niagra vs. Florida A&M

LH: Whatif FAMU and Niagra combined squads? I think Kansas should have to play both of them at the same time, 10 v 5.
JJ: Niagra should definatley win the "who gets killed by Kansas game."
LH: FAMU actually allowed more points than they scored, but somehow ended up with a 21-13 record.
JJ: Somewhere Bill James is rolling over in his grave.
Note: Florida A&M is coached by Mike Gillespie Sr. furthering my theory that all A&M schools have to be coached by a Gillespie.

Kentucky vs. Nova (Toss up)

JJ: I garuntee a Wildcats win.
LH: ...
JJ: In seriousness, I think Kentucky takes this. Decent gaurd play plus they have super fan Ashley Judd.
LH: No way. Nova's gaurd oriented attack will slice-up Kentucky who has really played lethargic this year. Villa' can attack from any spot on the floor and while this year's squad isn't as good as recent versions, they're too good for Kentucky. (Moves to front of line to console Ashley Judd.)

Va Tech vs. Illini

JJ: I think Va Tech is that dangerous team no one is talking about and I think Illinois shouldn't even be in. I would have taken Drexel, 'Cuse, or OK State over them.
LH: Illinois might not crack 50 in this game. They can't score and Va Tech plays a really tight half-court D. They have 3 terrific defenders in Zabian Dowdell, Jamon Gordon, and Dante Hall.
JJ: Ah, the x-factor.
LH: The Hookies have 4 starters who average double-figures ppg while those racists from Illinois have just 2.
JJ: Yes, my personal favorite is 3-point specialist Nigel Munson. He sounds like a cross between a butler and a one-handed bowler. But he shoots the trey like no ones business.

Salukis vs. Holy Cross

JJ: The Salukis defeat the Bill Simmons' with ease.
LH: The Salukis, an old indian word for "the girl who's hard to get", are too talented for any team from the Patriot league (sorry Liberty.) Holy Cross is small inside (You can add, "that's what she said") and SIU big man Randal Falker, 12.5 points and 7.5 boards, should dominate.

Duke vs. VCU

JJ: Our upset special. The number one reason VCU wins is because their SG is a 3-point specialist named B.A. Walker. Could that be short for Bad Ass Walker?!?!
LH: Has to be. VCU is a bit vulnerable down low, aren't we all? But with some deadly outside shooting, which they can provide, the Dukie's go down.
JJ: It may not be a rape, but a win is a win for VCU.

Pitt vs. Wright State

LH: 6'8" 220lb vs 7'0" 270lb -- That is the size mismatch at the center position, Jordan Pleiman of Wright State vs Aaron Gray of Pitt. Levance Fields and Antonio Graves should be good enough defensively to shut down DeShaun Wood, the Horizon League POY (I can't believe I know who the Horizon Leaugue POY is -- thank you March Madness.)
JJ: Pitt is too big and strong for Wrong State.
LH: It's Wright State
JJ: Right.
LH: No Wright.
JJ: 10 min. later...

Zags vs. Indiana

JJ: It is a slight upset and their lack of talent on the blocks could hurt them, but I don't think Indiana has the low post talent to exploite that weakness. The gaurd play of the Zags has me picking them.
LH: I agree. The loss of Heytvelt hurt the Zags chances of going deep in the tourney, but the strength of this team is it's gaurds and they match up well against the Hoosiers who run Kelvin Sampson's 3-gaurd attack. Strength vs strength. But Gonzaga is the team I would most like to party with so they get the edge in my book.
JJ: Did you know Bing Crosby enrolled at Gonzaga in the fall of 1920, intending to become a lawyer. He became a drummer, then a singer, before finally dropping out his senior year in favor of Hollywood. Gonzaga awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1937.
LH: Wow, Bing Crosby. Zag's have the karma factor going for them.

UCLA vs. Weber State

LH: The most storied franchise in the history of college basketball against, ... who?... I'm going with the Bruins.
JJ: Random note here about Weber. On the road against Sacramento State, before a 'crowd' of just 735, the Wildcats laid an egg, losing 105-83.

Heading back East now.

Tarheels vs. Eastern Kentucky

JJ: Quick philosophy here. Typically, if you have a direction other than North, South, East, or West, you aren't a very good program.
LH: Yes. The Heels should make quick work of the Colonels.

Marquette vs. Michigan State

LH: This a very close game, as 8 vs. 9 matchups tend to be, but 9 seeds actually have the edge 53-47%. Another matchup involving gaurd oriented teams, Michigan State has the best gaurd in Drew Neitzel who had an All-American season: 18.3 ppg, 4.1 apg and the best white-guy-ballhandler since Pistol Pete.
JJ: Yeah and I can't pick a team that boasts Dwayne Wade as an alumnus.

USC vs. Arkansas

JJ: I have to go with the Razorbacks because frankly, I'm not that impressed with USC. Also, this is a 5 vs. 12 matchup, where upsets seem to come with more frequency.
LH: USC beat Arkansas 50-14 earlier this year.
JJ: Yeah in football. Plus Charles Thomas is a less dominate version of Corliss Williamson circa college, which is still good.

Texas vs. New Mexico State

JJ: All I have to say is KEVIN DURANT!!
LH: REGGIE THEUS!!
JJ: KEVIN DURANT!!
LH: REGGIE THEUS!!
JJ: KEVIN DURANT!!
LH: KEVIN DURANT!!
JJ: REGGIE THEUS!!
LH: Got ya.
JJ: Whatever. Horns by at least 25. Texas Fight!!

Vandy vs. G-Dub

LH: In what should be a fast paced, high scoring game between two vetran teams, George Washington gets the nod because they can actually play defense. If the Commodores have their outside shots working they can beat anyone. (They beat Florida by 13.) But when it's not they can lose to anyone. (Furman beat them by 8.)
JJ: Yeah, plus they get bonus points for having alumnus Pops Mensah-Bonsu, D-Leauge All-Star game MVP!!
LH: G-Dub allowed just 32.6% of opposing shots to enter the hoop from beyond the arch while amassing 9.3 steals a game. That is why the Foggy Bottom Boys should win.

Washington State vs. Oral Roberts

JJ: So I have to take the Drew Bledsoe's over the traveling Baptist's. Also, Washington St. are the Cougars, and there is nothing more scary than a live Cougar. I just don't think Oral Roberts can handle the fear.
LH: Plus their coach is Tony Bennett, which is close enough to a musical instrument. A random note on this game: This is the highest seed for either team. Washington State has never been above an 8 seed and Oral Roberts, not to be confused with the Anal Johnson, has only ever been a 16 seed.

BC vs. Texas Tech (Toss up)

JJ: I'm picking Tech and Bobby Knight out of blind, unaudultrated love for all things Texas.
LH: I'm gonna take BC in this one. I think Jared Dudley will dominate which ever reality show TV star Coach puts on him. Dude lead ACC in rebounding and was #2 in scoring. Really good PG matchup with Tyrese Rice going against Jarrius Jackson, but Dudley is the diffrence maker. Plus, BC has a center named John Oates, and as a Ranger fan I can't go against that.

Georgetown vs. Belmont

LH: G'town agains the Bruins! Huge game!! Two classic programs batteling... Wait... it's not UCLA?
JJ: Nope it's Belmont man. This could get real ugly. G'town by like 30.

The final region. The south.

Ohio State vs. Central Conn State

JJ: I know it's picky but Ohio State's jersey's look like freakin junior high jersey's. So in the uni battle, Central Conn wins. That is about the only kind of win they are going to see.
LH: THE Ohio State will have this one wrapped up in time for Oden to get the early bird special at Luby's.
JJ: Yeah, he does look like a senior citizen. I want to se a birth certificate.
LH: I thought of something good to say for CCSU... The Association of American Colleges & Univesities selected CCSU as one of only 16 "Leadership Institutions" in the nation -- and the only one in Conneticut.
JJ: Wow, I might have to change my pick now.

BYU vs. Xavier

LH: I'm gonna go out on a limb and say any team that gives up 93 points to Duquense doesn't play enough D to win in March. Not only are the Musketeers a poor defensive team, they are matched up against a first round opponent with great offense, BYU.
JJ: Yeah BYU is an up-tempo, good shooting, unselfish team that starts 4 seniors.
LH: Give me the guys who can't have coffee.
JJ: Somewhere, Shawn Bradley is weeping.

Tennessee vs. Long Beach State

JJ: Tennessee wins for the fact that their coach is the best motivator of all time. And that includes Matt Foley, motivational speaker. Also, their being a 5 seed from the SEC doesn't hurt their chances.
LH: A team averaging nearly 80 ppg while only giving up 74 in the SEC is very different than a team doing it in the Big West. March Madness is all about the Mid-Majors, but the 49ers are going to be overmatched against a deep, athletic, aggressive Volunteer squad.
JJ: A random note: Long Beach State starts 5 seniors, the only such team in this year's tournament.

Virginia vs. Albany (Toss up)


LH: The Great Danes win outright in this one. Albany has the best player in the country that no one knows about, Jamar Wilson the 2x America East POY who will will Albany to victory. Along with their superstar, Albany hosts several role palyers who play hard and do all the things that win ball games. They finished 21-6 and matchup well with Virginia. You heard it hear first. Albany wins!!
JJ: I think you might be hitting the Kool-aid a little too much. The only thing they win is a mascot contest. Virginia rolls.

Louisville vs. Stanford

JJ: This is a no brainer. Louisville runs the Tree's out the gym.
LH: The Cardinal is strong inside, with the Lopez brothers manning the paint (Brook and Robin, think the parents thought they were getting girls?) Louisville won't get many second chance points, but that is because they shoot the rock well. (49% FG and 41% 3PT.) Louisville also nearly averaged 10 points more in scoring margin over Stanford. I have to go with the CardinalS over Cardinal.

Aggies vs. Penn

JJ: The Aggies won't be doing much quaking when Penn comes around. Led by Acie Law IV and a tenascious D (not the band), the Aggies will send Penn packing.
LH: All religous puns aside, I can't argue with this pick.

Nevada vs. Creighton

LH: Nevada has too big a size advantage in this one. Future disappointing lottery pick Nick Fazekas will be gaurded by a tree stump. Nevada is going to make some noise in this tourney.
JJ: Yeah Creighton is a very good 10 seed, but Nevada might be the best team people overlook.
LH: You've said that for like 14 teams.

Memphis vs. UNT

LH: This is actually a good matchup for the Mean Green, they're not facing a top-notch team with a dominate inside game. I think they can keep it closer than many expect, but in reality Memphis is too good. The Tigers don't have to win, but they more than probably will.
JJ: You have it all wrong. The actual talent level is a wash, so it comes down to coaching. And UNT coach Johnny Jones played in a Final Four with LSU and coached Shaq to one as well. Which is good, because that is exactally where the Mean Green Eagles of North Texas are heading.
LH:Such a homer.
JJ: Fine. I concede Memphis wins, but only in double OT. Satisfied.

Our next article will cover all the second round matchups.

Hope and Faith

With a tip of the cap to baseballprospectus.com here is my version of how the Texas Rangers can win the world series.

1) The AL West is a very winnable division.

You can't win the world series without making the playoffs, sounds simple. Once in the tournament anything can happen (see; Cardinals, St. Louis) The A's lost their best pitcher (Zito) and their new ace (Harden) is a major injury risk -- along with half of their team. Seattle doesn't have enough pitching or hitting. The Angels seem to be the biggest rivals for the Rangers. LA has major offensive holes in LF, 1B and DH and CF, SS, 3B are all borderline (and we don't know how the GMJ 'roids investigation will distract the team.) Vlad is really their only hitter they can count on. Their pitching, specifically starting pitching, is deep and talented, but I really don't see them making the playoffs if they only score 750 runs this year.

2) The Rangers are improved over last year.

Franky Cat and Lofton will soften the blow of losing GMJ and DeRo from last years team (not that those guys should be counted on for replicating their performances this year.) The biggest offensive improvements should come from Brad Wilkerson, Mark Teixeira, Ian Kinsler, and Hank "the Hawk" Blalock. Brad should be healthy and contribute the .260/.370/.480 season he had in Montreal (a HUGE improvement over the .222/.306/.422 season he posted last year in the Rangers uni.) Tex suffered through a freakish first half of the season when all of his home runs turned into doubles; post-all star break he was one of the best few hitters in the game. I fully expect Tex to have an MVP type season as the Rangers contend for a playoff spot all year long. Kinsler should improve on his rookie campaign, but even if he doesn't Texas will get solid production from the 2B slot. I believe that a large part of the season's success rests with Blalock. All Ranger fans know the troubles Hank had last year, no reason to bring up old wounds. The Hawk has spent tons of time this offseason with Wash and Rudy, fine tuning his game and getting back to the All-Star level that made him a fan favorite early in his career. We all know Hank is capable of being a productive middle of the order bat, and I believe that he will be that again this year. I'm a stat guy but scouting Blalock this offseason brings me more hope than his numbers. Blalock has gotten his balance back, he's gotten his confidence back, he's gotten his game back. A productive Hank (.275/.350/.500) would give protection to Tex as he knocks in Lofton, Cat, and MY. All this and I haven't even mentioned the possibilities for breakout from Nelson Cruz, Jason Botts, Gerald Laird, or Sammy.

The Rangers should be improved on the bump, too. Brandon McCarthy, Eric Gagne being added to the staff and full seasons from Robinson Tejeda, Rupe, Littleton, CJ Wilson, and Frank Fransico will make this staff the best the Rangers have ever had. The Rangers allowed 784 runs last year and a healthy Gagne and a McCarthy who can keep the ball down will decrease that amount by themselves enough to add a few games to the win colomn. (Side note: Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy, and Tejeda will all be under club control for another 4 years!!) If McCarthy has the type of breakout season many predict he will the Rangers will have a legit 1-2-3 punch in the playoffs, not to mention Aki and Gagne shutting down the 8th and 9th innings.

3) The Rangers deserve to get lucky one of these years.

The last two years Texas has fallen well short of its Pythagorean win projection. Every championship team has a few good bounces go their way during the course of the year. Squeaking out a few more one run wins this year could put Texas over the top in the division, and a healthy Gagne/Aki combo at the back of the pen should help the Rangers achieve that.

New manager Ron Washington has the whole club, as well as the entire fan base feeling like this could be the year. With a little hope and faith it will be.

What We've Learned

We learned several things this weekend.

1) Jerry Jones reads this blog, but he only started to after Bly was traded to Denver.

2) Louisiana has a major problem with Chupacabra's.

3) You can make it rain in bars in New Orleans.

4) There is no breakfast in Lafayette. Anywhere. Period!

5) I still hate pledges.

6) No shirt, no shoes, no service does mean you can have no pants and still get a drink at a bar (it really happened)

7) My streak of being the best looking person in an IHOP is still intact.

Quotes from this weekend:

"Sir, would you please stop screaming and asking for burritos?"

"What? All I heard was 'skullfucking.'"

"I'm not, NOT asking for road head."

"We're going to have to ask you move away from the window."

Rangers Extend Young

Great day in Rangers' History! The franchise player will remain the franchise player and avoid Ryan Smyth treatment.

From Evan Grant, "The contract will keep Young, 30, with the Rangers through 2013. The club will pick up its $5 million option for 2008, then guarantee five years at $16 million per season. "

"Young also said that he is "100 percent" convinced that the Rangers will be a winning team soon, which was something he wanted to be sure of before he decided whether to re-sign."

Can't wait for the season to start!

Other notes:

The Bronco's agreed to trade for Dre Bly. Giving up Tatum Bell, George Foster and a pick. Really good value for the Lions. It would be like the Boys giving up MBIII and Columbo.

I'm off to New Orleans to check out the possibility of the NBA All-Star game being played their next year. If the city can handle me and my friends, all-star weekend will not be a problem.

More on the Young signing, Rangers upcoming season, Mavs greatness, Cows draft/free agency, sports nerds, and other musings when we return!