Bleacher Report - Articles by Josh McMullen

Killing the National Pastime: Why Bud Selig Is the Worst Commissioner Ever

Josh McMullen — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:29:36 -0500

As the head of a major sports league, you’re the person fans, players, and officials depend on to make the big decisions. Unfortunately, sometimes those big decisions backfire, and the backlash is so great, the embarrassment seems insurmountable.

However, sometimes you make majorly stupid decisions that define your career. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Major League Baseball and their commissioner, Bud Selig. What follows are five reasons I believe that Bud Selig will go down in history as the worst commissioner in sports:

All-Star Game Stupidity

If anything, this is the biggest reason why Selig should hang his head in shame. Not only did he call the 2002 All-Star game a tie (much to the anger and disdain of the Milwaukee fans, a team he once owned), he turned right around and decided, in his infinite wisdom, that starting the next year, the winning league would get home-field advantage in the World Series.

As much as I’ve loved the tour of American League ball parks (the AL has won every single game since the rule change), this should not be the deciding factor in who gets the home field in the World Series.

None of the other leagues use their all-star game as a way to decide which league gets the home-field advantage. They use a little thing called...what’s the word...a won-loss record! If you win more games than your championship game opponent, you are the home team.

That’s all you need to figure this thing out, not a midseason game that shouldn’t mean anything anyway.

Pete Rose

Yes, I know Rose gambled on baseball, but if Selig was at least willing to listen to some semblance of reason, we wouldn’t be having this debate. He’s flip-flopped so many times on the issue (as quickly as 24 hours later, which happened earlier this year), that most supporters of Rose’s reinstatement concede that it won’t happen until at least 2012 (when Selig is reported to retire).

Rose has said he has never bet against his team, and never would. He believed in his team enough to wager his hard-earned money for them. But Selig, genius that he is, keeps dragging his feet on the issue as the cries get louder to reinstate him.

Meanwhile, the time to get Rose’s face into Cooperstown gets shorter and shorter (he can’t be voted in by regular ballot anymore; he has to get in through the Veterans’ Committee).

Rose is already in the WWE Hall of Fame for his contribution there...why can’t he come back to the game he loved so much and have his bust in Cooperstown?

Extending the Season into November

Look, when I was little, the baseball season began in April, sometime around my birthday, and ended in October, and that was it. Now, it goes into November, when people are done with baseball and are already embroiled in football.

The only reason I can see that Selig did this was to increase the ratings, and that just isn’t right. People already don’t care about baseball in November, because most of their favorite football teams are mired in a playoff race.

If Selig wanted to do the right thing to increase ratings, he should have shortened the regular season by at least 50-60 games, because after 162 games, even the most diehard fan is bored with the season and just wants to move on to the next sport, especially if there’s no chance of their team making the playoffs.

One thing is for sure: nobody wants to watch baseball while they’re having Thanksgiving dinner.

Lesson in Futility No. 1- The World Baseball Classic

This was an absolutely ridiculous idea for three reasons.

The first reason is attendance. For both years, in the first two rounds, attendance averages in at slightly fewer than 20,000 people. This number might seem misleading, but considering what I saw in this year’s Classic, believe me, it isn’t. They barely have enough people in the stadium to constitute a good wave, much less post a sellout.

Show of hands...how many people knew that the Dutch national team (who had all of one all-star) beat the Dominican Republic national team (who has a whole team of all-stars)? I didn’t think so.

The second reason kind of correlates with the first reason, and that is the venues in which these games are being played. They almost got it right this year, when they decided to play a couple of them in Major League ballparks (and the Tokyo Dome). But why not play a couple of the games at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park, where most of the baseball fans congregate (for obvious reasons)?

Most of the baseball fans in the world are either Yankee or Red Sox fans, so this might be their only opportunity to not only see their favorite players, but maybe see their team’s stadium as well.

The third reason is the teams that come to this thing. Yes, you’re going to have the usual teams, like the USA and Japan, because they can field a team of all-stars without even trying. But South Africa? Australia? The Netherlands? These are teams that are specialized in other sports besides baseball, and with the exception of the Netherlands (who won two), won all of one game.

If you really want to put people in the seats for these things, at least put up some competition for Japan, Cuba, and the other teams that can field a team of all-stars.

Lesson in Futility No. 2- Transfer of the Montreal Expos

First, it was moving them down to Puerto Rico to play a few games, which they played miserably. That was a bad idea in itself, but then Selig had the gall to, instead of maybe expanding the league by two teams (including a possible team in Washington), move the Expos out of Montreal and into Washington, where it seems they’re playing even worse.

The Expos were at least competitive when they were in Montreal; now it just seems that they’re mathematically eliminated even before the season starts.

With the exception of the All-Star game, this is the worst decision Selig has ever made. The Expos were at least competitive before the move, and now the new Nationals seem to look like the Angels in “Angels in the Outfield” (before the heavenly intervention).

They haven’t finished any better than .500 (in their first season) and haven’t finished higher than fourth in the NL East. This is a team that has obviously been destroyed by the move, and it wouldn’t have happened if Selig hadn’t meddled with a team by making another of his trademark bad decisions.

For those reasons, and many, many more, I can safely assert that Bud Selig is the worst commissioner ever to take on the title in sports history. Yes, he might have done some very good things (the imposition of interleague play, for example), but all of the ridiculous decisions he’s made far outweigh the good things he’s done.

Selig should be ashamed of the way he’s run America’s Pastime, and that is why he will go down as the worst commissioner in sports, ever.

Time To Take Stock: Week Six NFL Predictions

Josh McMullen — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:06:51 -0400

We’re nearing the halfway point of the season, which means it’s time for coaches to take stock in their teams. Whose stocks are nearing boom levels? Whose stocks are nearing Great Depression stages? We break out the crystal ball to find out!

Houston Texans (2-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

The Texans have an encyclopedia of injuries coming into this game, the biggest being defensive end Mario Williams (shoulder). He was an intimidating force on their defense, but with his participation in this game in doubt, the defense looks that much weaker. The offense needs to step up big time if they are going to win this game.

The Bengals have some problems on their line, with Tank Johnson and Andre Smith both nursing foot injuries. However, their offense still looks pretty strong, with only Cedric Benson’s (hip) playing time coming into doubt. Otherwise, the Bengals’ offense looks pretty strong, and should roll over the Texans on their way to Chicago.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Texans 0.

Detroit Lions (1-4) @ Green Bay Packers (2-2)

While the Lions have looked pretty good headed into this game, there is still a lot of work to be done, mainly in getting healthy. Matthew Stafford (knee) is questionable for the game, which takes out much of their leadership. Daunte Culpepper was impressive in his season debut, but the offensive line needs to get stronger (they’ve allowed seven sacks in two games since Culpepper came on) if they want to win their second game.

The Packers are relatively healthy coming off their bye week, with the only big loss being cornerback Will Blackmon (sprained knee). The offensive line got a big boost by signing tackle Mark Tauscher, which should make quarterback Aaron Rodgers feel safe in the pocket. They still need a lot of help on that line if they want to win this game. However, with the state the Lions are in right now, the Packers should have no trouble dispatching the Lions.

Prediction: Packers 20, Lions 7.

St. Louis Rams (0-5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)

The Rams look absolutely terrible coming into this game, only scoring 34 points (least in the league) while allowing 146 (second worst in the league behind the Lions). Not only that, their leading rusher almost has as many yards as their leading passer (Steven Jackson has 30 less yards rushing than Kyle Boller has passing).

This is a team that is out of control, and they need to get some solid leadership if they want to have at least one win before the bye week.

The Jaguars are in crisis mode after a 41-0 dismantling by the Seahawks. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew spoke out about the offensive side of the ball on Wednesday; he couldn’t have been more right. In their final 10 drives last week, Jacksonville had seven three-and-out possessions, along with two fumbles and a failed fourth-down conversion.

This is a game of two teams that are headed down a road to a high draft pick. Whichever team bounces back from all of its problems the quickest will win this game.

Prediction: Jaguars 2, Rams 0 in overtime (I know this is kind of far-fetched, but these two teams are bad).

Baltimore Ravens (3-2) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

The Ravens’ defense might take a big hit this week if Ed Reed (probable with a knee injury) can’t play. However, what they lost on defense, they made up for on offense by signing wide receiver and Super Bowl hero David Tyree. This definitely shores up their pass attack, and gives quarterback Joe Flacco another option.

The bad news for the Ravens: They have to go up against a Minnesota team that is firing on all cylinders. While Brett Favre (foot, knee, and ankle injuries) is not at 100 percent, they still have weapons on both sides of the ball that could make life difficult for opposing teams.

With the Ravens in the weakened state they're in, I expect the same thing to happen here as has happened to all of the Vikings’ opponents the last five weeks.

Prediction: Vikings 35, Ravens 10.

New York Giants (5-0) @ New Orleans Saints (4-0)

The battle of the undefeateds that nobody expected to happen is happening this week. For the Giants, it is a homecoming for quarterback Eli Manning as he comes home to the stadium his father, Archie, played in many years ago. Unfortunately, his start may be in doubt due to a heel injury he suffered two weeks ago.

They may also be without the services of their leading rusher, Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle and foot), which puts a slight damper in their offense. However, they have the rushing and receiving weapons to get the job done.

The Saints are coming off a bye week in which they got (almost) completely healthy.

Tight end Jeremy Shockey, a former Giant, says that there is no grudge against his former team, who traded him before training camp last year. On the other hand, there must be some satisfaction in beating your former team, and the Saints have the weapons (including Shockey) to do just that.

This is going to be a battle between two great teams. However, I believe that the Giants have just that little bit more to knock the Saints from the ranks of the undefeated.

Prediction: Giants 30, Saints 27 in overtime.

Cleveland Browns (1-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

The Browns are coming off a big win against the Bills, which they hope will put their season back on track. Unfortunately, they have to go up against a rejuvenated Steelers' defense, as they expect to see safety Troy Polamalu, who has been out the past four weeks with a knee injury.

The Browns have to deal with injuries of their own, the biggest being running back Jamal Lewis (hamstring). The Browns seem to be making a bit of a comeback, but it needs to be bigger if they want to beat the Steelers.

The Steelers are having a bit of a good news/bad news week. The good news is they will most likely get back Polamalu for this game. The bad news is that they lost a big part of their defense, as defensive end Aaron Smith (shoulder) will be lost for the season.

They also lost a major part of their offense, as Willie Parker (toe) is out for this game. If they want to remain above .500, they must bounce back from their injuries, and they do have the depth to do so.

Prediction: Steelers 20, Browns 3.

Carolina Panthers (1-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5)

This game is between two teams that are in a downward spiral, and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping soon for either of them.

For the Panthers, it’s all about getting ready for a long, hard road. After this game and another easy game in Buffalo, they have a tough five week stretch. In that stretch, they have to face two divisional games in which the teams are currently 7-1 combined (Atlanta and New Orleans).

This week and next week should be easy, but they have to solidify as a team if they want to survive those five big weeks.

Where the Panthers are bad, the Buccaneers are even worse. They’ve scored more points (68 to the Panthers’ 57), but they’ve allowed 140 (36 more than the Panthers and third-worst in the league).

Not only that, there have been talks that Josh Freeman might play next game, if not this game. They’ve been through three quarterbacks this season, which really hurts their leadership on the field. If Josh Freeman or Josh Johnson don’t produce this week, the Buccaneers look to be the front-runners for the No. 1 draft pick.

Prediction: Panthers 40, Buccaneers 10.

Kansas City Chiefs (0-5) @ Washington Redskins (2-3)

Chiefs coach Todd Haley replaced wide receivers coach Dedric Ward, citing that they needed to be “better across the board.” This poses a problem for a team that is in desperate need of stability, because now the receivers have to get used to a new coaching philosophy in only three days. This could make the passing game, which was already in turmoil after Matt Cassel’s injury, even worse (if that’s possible).

The Redskins will be the first team in NFL history to play six winless teams to start the season. However, they have not been able to capitalize on that, only going 2-3 so far. They will miss left tackle Chris Samuels this week (knee), but the Chiefs have little to no defense to capitalize on the injury. If the Redskins don’t fall apart like they did at Carolina, they should be fine.

Prediction: Redskins 20, Chiefs 0.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) @ Oakland Raiders (1-4)

Jeremy Maclin has really come into his own as a rookie wide receiver, becoming a viable weapon for quarterback Donovan McNabb and the third-best receiver on the team. This takes some of the pressure off running back Brian Westbrook (probable with an ankle injury) and gives McNabb another option that opposing teams have to defend. No matter how you slice it, it all adds up to one big headache for the Raiders this week.

The Raiders have a slight advantage coming into this game: the distraction of animal rights activists who can’t leave well enough alone. A local animal rights group has decided to protest during the game over Michael Vick’s dog problems.

This might provide a little bit of a distraction for the Eagles, but it’s not enough to help the Raiders. They have injuries across the board (highlighted by Darren McFadden’s knee injury), they can’t score (49 points scored, second worst in the league), and the team (the players that are healthy, at least) is in massive disarray. Until they get everything together, they’ll be an easy win for any opponent.

Prediction: Eagles 48, Raiders 3.

Arizona Cardinals (2-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

The Cardinals come into this game needing to deal with a lot of injuries, particularly cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (finger). This puts a big hole into a defensive secondary that is near the bottom in the pass defense. They need to seal up those holes, especially the one left by Rogers-Cromartie, if they want to win this game against a very confident Seahawks team.

As was said before, the Seahawks are very confident, as they come off a 41-0 shellacking of the Jaguars.

They still need to work with injuries, particularly linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (ribs). They learned how to deal with it last week against a depleted Jacksonville team, but the Cardinals might give them a bigger fight than they had last week.

It’ll be a good game, but the Cardinals, with less major injuries to worry about, should run away with this game in the later stages.

Prediction: Cardinals 17, Seahawks 3.

Tennessee Titans (0-5) @ New England Patriots (3-2)

The Titans are still a team in crisis mode after a miserable game at Indianapolis. They have the eighth-best rushing game in the NFL, but it has only produced four touchdowns. This could be bad against a smothering Patriots defense.

However, with linebacker Jerod Mayo (knee), defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (ankle), and linebacker Adalius Thomas (unknown) possibly not playing this week, could this be the week the Titans break through?

The Patriots' rushing attack took a big hit when they found out running back Fred Taylor (ankle) couldn’t go this week. Add that to Wes Welker’s (knee) injury and tackle Nick Kaczur’s ankle keeping him out and the offense looks pretty banged up.

However, their equally banged-up defense got a big boost this week when they signed linebacker Junior Seau. This should be that last little bit that the Patriots need to keep the Titans in the ranks of the winless.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Titans 14 in overtime.

Buffalo Bills (1-4) @ New York Jets (3-2)

The Bills have looked absolutely terrible in the last couple of weeks, dropping two games they should have won in Miami and Cleveland.

The fans are becoming more and more disgruntled, to the point where they even set up a billboard asking for coach Dick Jauron’s job. They must win this game if Jauron is able to keep his job for at least another week.

But, with two defensive mainstays on injured reserve (Kawika Mitchell and Marcus Buggs both went down with knee injuries), how will the Bills even make it out of East Rutherford with their coaching staff intact?

The Jets haven’t fared much better, losing two big games (to New Orleans and Miami) that they should have won. They have to deal with big injuries on both sides of the ball, particularly Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) and Lito Sheppard (quadriceps).

However, they should have no problems with a Bills defense that is recovering slowly from injuries and an offense that can’t seem to do anything with the ball.

Prediction: Jets 49, Bills 12.

Chicago Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta Falcons (3-1)

The Bears are (almost) completely healthy coming off their bye week. However, after three weeks of easy play, including a win versus a decimated Steelers team, they face a relatively tough part of their schedule, starting this week.

The offense needs to vastly improve, as it ranks seventh in points scored but 22nd in total yards. If Jay Cutler can get the team on a couple good drives, the Bears should go into a tough game at Cincinnati very confident.

The Falcons lost a big part of their defense as they lost safety Antoine Harris last week (knee). They also face a pretty tough schedule as well, with games against New Orleans and Dallas on the horizon.

They need some confidence going into that tough stretch, and this might be just the game to do it in. If they control the game, like they have done the past couple of weeks, they should be fine.

Falcons win in a squeaker.

Prediction: Falcons 13, Bears 10 in overtime.

Denver Broncos (5-0) @ San Diego Chargers (2-2) (Monday)

The Broncos face a big divisional test this week, as they face a rejuvenated Chargers team fresh off a bye week. They also have to deal with the loss of safety Brian Dawkins (knee and shoulder). Dawkins hasn’t been really good in his career against the Chargers, but it is still a big hole in the Denver defense.

They will need a big game out of rookie Darcel McBath if they hope to stop Philip Rivers’ imposing pass attack.

Tight end Antonio Gates has gone on record saying that the next three weeks of the Chargers’ season (against the other three members of the AFC West) is a big stretch in their season. He is exactly right, as this stretch will dictate their whole season.

However, this is not a time for panic for the 2-2 Chargers, as all of their key players are healthy and they seem ready for the long haul.

However, I don’t think they have enough weapons to win this game. To paraphrase an old adage: “The Chargers cannot win on Phillip Rivers alone.”

Prediction: Broncos 30, Chargers 20.

So there you have it: Week Six in the NFL. Will we see more than one team fall from the ranks of the undefeated? Will any winless team finally break into the win column? Tune in to Week Six on a TV, cable box, or stadium near you to find out!

Week Five Record: 11-3; Over

Time to Separate the Men from the Boys: Week Five NFL Predictions

Josh McMullen — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:08:22 -0400

We have finally hit Week Five in the NFL, which means it is now time to separate thecontenders for the Lombardi Trophy from the pretenders. Is your team a contender or a pretender? We break out the crystal ball to find out!

Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

This game seems to be pretty even, with both teams pulling off improbable runs to this point.

The Bengals come into this game with a lot of confidence, with their only loss being a hard-luck one to the 4-0 Broncos in Week One and good victories over the Packers and the Steelers. Chad Ochocinco has not been as much of a distraction as people thought he would be, so he, along with Carson Palmer, should be able to lead this team to a victory this week.

The Ravens have been great this season, however, they have a big laundry list of injuries, including tight end Todd Heap (back) and Ray Lewis (head) who is, arguably, the emotional leader of the team. If the Ravens find that both of them are inactive, this could be a long week for the Ravens, and they will have to go into a very tough part of their schedule 3-2.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Ravens 20.

Cleveland Browns (0-4) @ Buffalo Bills (1-3)

After trading away Braylon Edwards and losing Phil Dawson (right calf), Jamal Lewis (knee) and punter Dave Zastudil (right knee), the Browns are left with one viable option, according to the Browns: wide receiver Josh Cribbs.

This does not bode well for the Browns, who are just one miserable loss away from being on the same level as the Rams. This might be the game in which that happens, unless they can somehow find a “Tom Brady” (a player who was mired in the depth chart until someone got injured and suddenly, they become a superstar).

The Bills, after a narrow loss at New England and a victory at a deplorable Tampa Bay team, they somehow managed to get decimated at New Orleans and at Miami, who was 0-3 at the time.

Birthday boy and linebacker Paul Posluszny (forearm), safety John McCargo (calf), and safety Donte Whitner (thumb) are all out for the Bills, which makes a bad situation in Buffalo even worse. The offense will really have to step up this week, and to be honest, I don’t think they will. This game is the lesser of two evils, and the Browns seem to be the lesser.

Prediction: Browns 20, Bills 10.

Washington Redskins (2-2) @ Carolina Panthers (0-3)

The Redskins have been playing Jekyll-and-Hyde ball: really good one week (like in St. Louis and Tampa Bay) then really bad the next week (like in New York and Detroit). Clinton Portis (calf) might not play this week, so the passing game might have to step up. Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and Malcolm Kelly might be able to fill the bill, but it might not be enough to give the Panthers their first win.

The Panthers have been playing absolutely horribly this season, but they did have a week off last week to get healthy. Consequently, they have no major injuries to speak of. However, they really have major deficiencies on both sides of the ball. Jake Delhomme has been bad, and the rest is worse. They really need to improve to beat anyone, but they need another week to do it.

Prediction: Redskins 10, Panthers 0.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) @ Detroit Lions (1-3)

The Steelers are still hurting without Troy Polamalu (knee). They’ve gone 1-2 since he went down in the home opener, and the defense has been particularly down. As a result, the offense has had to step up, which has resulted in injuries to Willie Parker (toe) and center Justin Hartwig (ankle).

The big question is whether they can make it the next two weeks before the bye week (what should be an easy game against Cleveland before a big game against Minnesota) without any more major injuries.

Matthew Stafford, the player the Lions hoped would bring them back to respectability, has gone down with a knee injury and has sat out most of the week’s practices. If he returns, the Lions might have a chance against a decimated Steelers defense.

This is certainly a game with teams that have been decimated by injuries. Whoever rises above their injuries will win the game, and the Steelers have learned to live without Polamalu. I don’t think the Lions have learned to live without Stafford (yet).

Prediction: Steelers 20, Lions 7.

Dallas Cowboys (2-2) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-4)

The Cowboys look pretty good going into this game, which should be easy. As a matter of fact, injuries to Marion Barber (thigh) , Flozell Adams (shoulder) and DeMarcus Ware (neck) shouldn’t affect them too much, as they have enough depth to get them through this week. This should be a cakewalk for the Cowboys.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, are not as lucky. Matt Cassel is panning out to be a one-season wonder after his great season with the Patriots. On top of that, one of their best receivers, Dwayne Bowe, might not play this week (hamstring).

This puts a big hole in their offense, one that the very good defense of the Cowboys will be able to exploit. If the Chiefs win this game, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

Prediction: Cowboys 40, Chiefs 10.

Oakland Raiders (1-3) @ New York Giants (4-0)

The Raiders might have a chance if Eli Manning (heel) doesn’t play after missing two straight practices. They caught the Giants at an advantageous time, as most of the main players for the Giants, including Hakeem Nicks (foot), lineman Rich Seubert (shoulder), and running back Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle and foot) are all out with injuries.

However, the Raiders have looked absolutely miserable, scoring only nine points in their last two games combined. Not only that, the cloud of coach Tom Cable’s absence from the team hangs over them. Will the Raiders be able to bounce back?

The Giants have won their last two games by a combined score of 51-16. However, those were against teams that have no chance of making the playoffs (Tampa Bay and Kansas City).

After Oakland, the Giants need to get healthy quick, because they have four games against teams that have the potential to make the playoffs before their bye week. With all the problems facing the Raiders, the Giants shouldn’t have a problem, even with all their injuries.

Prediction: Giants 10, Raiders 0.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

The Buccaneers have a laundry list of injuries that make the climb back to respectability harder, including quarterback Byron Leftwich (hip), Antonio Bryant (knee) and Cadillac Williams (knee). This makes the starting lineup look like the Second-String All-Stars. If they want to beat the Eagles this week, the second string will have to step up big-time.

The Eagles got a big boost in their defense when Jeremiah Trotter signed a contract with them last week. They have no injuries to speak of, and to top it all off, they got Donovan McNabb back from his broken ribs. This makes the job for both sides of the ball much easier. This should be a walkover for the Eagles, as they will have no trouble with the banged-up train wreck that is the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Eagles 49, Buccaneers 3.

Minnesota Vikings (4-0) @ St. Louis Rams (0-4)

Truly, this is a game of two teams going in separate directions.

The Vikings have won three of their last four games by seven points or less. This week should be much easier in the Edward Jones Dome. Their defense has been dominating (Jared Allen has averaged over a sack per game) and their offense has been unstoppable (the tandem of Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson keeps defenses guessing). With their yawner of a schedule, the Vikings are a team that could be 13-3 by the end of the season.

On the other side, the Rams have only scored 24 points in four games with two shutouts (to Seattle and San Francisco) and are all but a lock to win the #1 draft pick in April. (Sure, the Titans, Browns, Chiefs, Panthers and Buccaneers are also winless, but they don’t look as bad as the Rams.)

Kyle Boller was a shaky starter in Baltimore, and now that he has been thrust into the spotlight in St. Louis, confidence is not high in the Rams locker room.

Vikings win this one in a laugher, and only give up two points because of a muffed punt that somehow rolls into the end zone (I’m kidding, of course, but you have to give them something).

Prediction: Vikings 48, Rams 2.

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-1)

Somehow, through four injury-filled weeks, the Falcons have somehow remained healthy, with only two players (wide receiver Harry Douglas with a torn ACL and defensive lineman Peria Jerry with a left knee injury) on injured reserve and no players in doubt for the game on Sunday.

The Falcons look to be in good shape, and if the Falcons can keep Matt Ryan healthy, they should be able to turn what is a very tough schedule into a very easy playoff spot.

Michael Crabtree finally relented and signed a six-year contract with the 49ers, which could help the offense not depend on the tandem of Frank Gore and Vernon Davis so much.

This will be the week that the 49ers will show what kind of team they can be, as to this point, they have beaten teams that have a combined 2-9 record. Fortunately, after this, they do have a bye week, so that should give them some time to get the aforementioned Frank Gore (ankle and foot injuries) healthy. If they can just get through this week without Gore, they should be able to get into the bye week with only one loss (thankfully).

Prediction: 49ers 27, Falcons 21 in overtime.

Houston Texans (2-2) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

The Texans look pretty good going into this week, despite all the injuries they have. Matt Schaub has been respectable, but seems to be overshadowed by Peyton Manning and David Garrard. The defense looks great, but again, is over shadowed by the Colts and the Jaguars. If they play their game, they should be able to win in the Arizona heat.

Cardinals’ coach Ken Whisenhunt believes that they can erase the mistakes of the past three weeks by playing well this week. Admittedly, this is true. They have had to play some pretty tough games, with losses to three really good teams (the Broncos, 49ers and the Colts). If they play to the level they played the Jaguars (who were 2-1 at the time), and Kurt Warner plays as well as he has, the Cardinals should win.

This is a pretty even game this week, but I believe the Cardinals should play to the level everybody expects and get back to .500.

Prediction: Cardinals 13, Texans 10 in overtime.

New England Patriots (3-1) @ Denver Broncos (4-0)

The Patriots have finally hit their stride, with convincing victories against teams with the potential of making the playoffs (the Falcons and Ravens). They have some injuries that might hurt the team, with defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (ankle) and wide receiver Wes Welker (knee) questionable for the game. If they just play the way they have been playing, they should be able to pull out a victory.

The Broncos are the Little Team that Could, winning almost improbable victories every week so far. This week, they face their first test in the Patriots. With Brandon Stokley (thigh) possibly not playing this week, the chances look incredibly slim for the Broncos to keep this Cinderella story going.

The Patriots defense is just too strong, and this is their toughest game yet. However, with the great offensive tandem of Kyle Orton and Correll Buckhalter, I think the Broncos might just pull off the miracle again.

Prediction: Broncos 20, Patriots 14 in overtime.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-3)

After two losses in which they only scored 29 points combined, the Jaguars have roared back (no pun intended) to score 68 points combined in two wins, although those teams have a combined 2-6 record. Mike Sims-Walker has emerged as a receiving threat for Jacksonville, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards.

This adds another threat to what has become a very powerful offense. If David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew hold up this week, they’ll be 4-2 by the bye week (they play golf-course bound St. Louis next week).

The Seahawks are plagued by what plagues them every year: injuries. Matt Hasselbeck probably won’t play this week (ribs). Safety Jordan Babineaux (shoulder) and linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) might not play this week.

With all that, they’ve had to rely on the arm of Seneca Wallace, and without their emotional leader on defense. If they can bounce back from these injuries (which seems very unlikely), Seattle should be able to get into the bye week and get Hasselbeck healthy. Until then, it’s a long, bumpy road.

Indianapolis Colts (4-0) @ Tennessee Titans (0-4)

The Colts have outscored their opponents a little bit over 2-to-1 over the past two games. While the offense has been clicking, the defense has hit a slight bump in the road. Defensive lineman Dwight Freeney (quadriceps) and linebacker Gary Brackett (knee) might miss the game, which might leave a big hole for the Titan running game to go through.

Fortunately, their bye week comes next week, so that leaves those injured Colts to get healthy.

The Titans have not made a first down in the first quarter in their last two games, and go three-and out a third of their total possessions, even though they have the second-most possessions in the league.

They may be without two big cogs on their offense and defense as well, as cornerback Cortland Finnegan (hamstring) and running back LenDale White (illness) might not be available for the game. This leaves a big hole in the Titan defense and leaves Chris Johnson to shoulder the load in the running game.

Can this team get out of the Winless Club? With Indianapolis this week and New England looming next week, it doesn’t look likely.

Prediction: Colts 30, Titans 10.

New York Jets (3-1) @ Miami Dolphins (1-3) (Monday)

Braylon Edwards was traded from the Browns to the Jets on Wednesday, which adds another weapon to a receiving corps that already has Jerricho Cotchery. However, they did lose Lito Sheppard (quadriceps), which does make the Jets defense that much weaker. The good news is that they have a couple of easy games coming up (1-3 teams Buffalo and Oakland before playing Miami again), so they might not need him that much.

Joey Porter is back for the Dolphins after missing last week with a sore hamstring. This gives them more danger in an already dangerous defense.

Chad Henne looked great as Chad Pennington’s replacement last week against Buffalo. However, this week will be a test of his maturity, as he faces a pretty talented team in the 3-1 Jets. How he keeps his cool under pressure will be the X-factor this week. Personally, after taking on such pressure situations as Ohio State, I think Henne will do just fine, as will the rest of theDolphins.

Prediction: Dolphins 20, Jets 10.

There you have it: Week Five in the NFL. Who will be sitting pretty at the end of this week? Who will be scrambling to get healthy for a tough run? You’ll just have to watch to find out!

Overall Total: 33-15 (Before you start sending me comments, the reason my record doesn't add up is because I didn't post in Week Four (personal).

Former HS Football Player on Blowouts: What's the Big Deal?

Josh McMullen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:41:07 -0400

A Florida high school defeats another 83-0.

An Arizona quarterback throws for a record nine touchdowns in a 67-0 blowout victory where even the second and third strings played most of the second half.

A coach in Connecticut could possibly be suspended for winning 56-0.

What do they all have in common?

They are all being accused of being unsportsmanlike.

I’m sorry if I sound old-fashioned, but this is absolutely ridiculous, and this is coming from a former player that’s been on both sides of a blowout.

Let me start with the winning sides first.

In all three cases, backup players were used, even dipping into the third and fourth strings. These are players that wouldn’t play unless this very circumstance happened, and yet they kept on scoring.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but that sounds like a coach trying to alleviate the embarrassment, rather than ratchet it up.

If they had kept their first string on the field, save that Arizona quarterback, then I might be inclined to agree with you. But, as the winning coach in the 83-0 victory pointed out, if you pull your starters too early, they might not be ready for next week’s game.

If the next game is against a tougher team than your opponent, then you might want to play them a bit more than the spectators care to.

Second, in all three cases, the coaches defended themselves by saying that no matter what string players are on, they were all instructed to play hard and play to the whistle. Unfortunately, that’s put one coach (the Connecticut coach) in hot water. According to the rules of the Connecticut governing board, no matter what the score is, no matter what you try to do to keep the score down, you can’t win by more than 50 points.

One problem: What happens if you can’t control your scoring? In all three cases, turnovers, blocked punts, and a myriad of other things made it so they had almost no choice but to score. In fact, according to Chaminade-Madonna (FL) coach Tim Tyrrell, he of the 83-0 dismantling:

“We did not go into the game looking to score that many points, and a lot of them came in bunches and off big plays. We only had one real drive; the rest came on short fields."

Does that sound like a coach who is trying to run up the score on a team that probably had no chance in the first place?

I think not.

Now, let’s focus on the losing team. Obviously, everybody is embarrassed that they just lost 56-0, 83-0, or whatever. All that can really be said here: welcome to real life. People are going to try to decimate you in every aspect of your life, but the real measure of your character is how you bounce back from that blowout. Most times, you come back madder than ever, and woe betide the team that has to play you after that blowout.

Another thing that people seem to forget is this: these are high school kids, most of them aged somewhere between 15 and 18 years old. I’m sure that by the time the score got out of hand, most of them were thinking about what was for dinner when they got home, what they’re going to do after the game, and so on.

In short, while they may care at the moment, after they pull off their pads and get on the bus or get in the car to go home, they’re going to forget about it and get on with their lives.

Some people said that they were embarrassed from their team winning by that much. There’s a really good question to ask some of these people: Do you honestly think that they were trying to score 56, 83, 90, or 67 points? The answer is an obvious one: absolutely not. Most times, it just turns out that way.

Such is the unpredictability of sports, as in life: One week, you might win 10-7, the next week, you can’t stop scoring.

Unsportsmanlike conduct? I don’t think so.

Sure, the score may be lopsided, but the accusations of unsportsmanlike play by these teams are absolutely ludicrous. The coaches can’t do anything about how high the score gets, except for giving bench warmers playing time and doing everything within the rules to keep the score down to a manageable level.

They’re not trying to be unsportsmanlike, they’re trying to save a lot of embarrassment, just like these people’s parents claim their kids are feeling. Unfortunately, it just isn’t working out that way.

So, before you blame the coach or the team for blowing out some hapless team, just remember: They’re mostly all high-school kids. There’s going to be a time soon where you can’t protect their feelings anymore, and there’s no better time than the present. Sometimes there’s going to be times where the score just gets out of hand, and there’s only one thing you can say in that situation:

“Kid, welcome to real life. It’s going to knock you down and run all over you, just like it did tonight. But, as Rocky Balboa once said, ‘It isn’t how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you can get knocked down and keep moving forward.’”

Josh McMullen played offensive and defensive lineman for Dolgeville High School, the 2002 New York State Class D runner-up, from 2002-2004. He has been on the winning side of several blowouts, the biggest being a 62-7 victory over long-time rival Mohawk High School in 2002. He has also been on the losing end of blowouts, the largest being a 49-7 blowout by three-time state champion Onondaga High School in his final game in 2004.

Time to Press the Panic Button (?): Week Three NFL Predictions

Josh McMullen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:27:29 -0400

For nine teams, this is already make-or-break week. Since 1990, only three teams (the ’92 Chargers, the ’95 Lions, and the ’98 Bills) have started 0-3 and made the playoffs.

Who will make it and get that first win this week? Who will be broken and have a very tough road to the playoffs? We break out the crystal ball once again for our Week Three predictions!

Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

The Eagles proved last week that they can win, with or without Donovan McNabb. However, this will be the big test for Michael Vick this week, and everyone will be wondering if he’s shaken off all the rust.

However, there is a laundry list of injuries for the Eagles to get over, including McNabb.

The Chiefs might have just gotten lucky by getting this game this early in the season, as they might very well get Matt Cassel back this week (questionable with an ankle injury). With the Eagles’ miserable showing against the Saints last week, this may be the week the Chiefs need to turn their season around.

Prediction: Chiefs 30, Eagles 20.

Washington Redskins (1-1) vs. Detroit Lions (0-2)

Every week, I hold out hope that the Lions will finally get that elusive first win, and now, that week looks like it’s finally here. The Lions seem to finally be hitting their stride, while the Redskins struggle to beat the Rams last week.

Even Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth isn’t looking past the Lions, saying that they’re better than the Rams this year.

If the Lions rush defense can stop Clinton Portis like they did Adrian Peterson last week (holding him to only 91 yards after running for almost double that in Week One), they’ll stop that losing streak at 19, and the way Washington has been playing the past couple weeks, that looks very likely.

Prediction: Lions 20, Redskins 6.

Green Bay Packers (1-1) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-2)

The Rams have only scored seven points in two games, while their opponents have scored 37. They’ve lost their last 12 games, and are 5-29 since 2007. They struggled against Washington, which was a game that they should have won, but managed to lose.

That certainly doesn’t have the ring of a team who has the skill to make the playoffs. This is a team in extreme disarray, and they look intent on matching the Lions’ record of 0-16 set last year.

While the Packers certainly don’t look like they can challenge Minnesota for the division title just yet, they should easily win this game. Even if their defense is slightly banged up (CB Atari Bigby is out with a knee injury and DT B.J. Raji is questionable with an ankle injury), there is absolutely no way the Packers should lose this game.

Prediction: Packers 37, Rams 10.

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

This is the matchup everybody’s been waiting for this week: San Francisco’s Frank Gore, who broke off two huge touchdown runs last week against the Seahawks, against Adrian Peterson, who has seven more rushing yards than Brett Favre has passing yards (272-265).

I like the Vikings this week, because what it’s really going to boil down to in this game is defense. The Vikings have the better defense, with Jared Allen and Antoine Winfield being the core of that dominating defense, who have only allowed 23 points in two games.

They should be able to hold Frank Gore, allowing Adrian Peterson to win the battle of the running backs.

Prediction: Vikings 20, 49ers 17 in overtime.

Tennessee Titans (0-2) vs. New York Jets (2-0)

The current Titans have suffered two hard-luck losses over the past two weeks, but they need to get back on track if they hope to avoid an 0-3 start.

However, to do that, they’ll need to fix the holes in their porous defense, which, if not fixed, could be exploited by a Jets defense that held an explosive Patriots offense to only nine points.

The former Titans (aka the Jets) have seen a great amount of growth in quarterback Mark Sanchez. The bug question is whether or not he will be able to maintain his composure with the defensive duo of Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch.

With the composure he’s shown in two games so far, I expect he will show the same composure and pick apart the current Titans’ defense in this clash of the Titans.

Prediction: NY Titans 23, Tennessee Titans 17.

Atlanta Falcons (2-0) vs. New England Patriots (1-1)

The Patriots meet up with another young quarterback in the Falcons’ Matt Ryan. Will this be a repeat of last week for New England? The answer to that question is a very emphatic “no.”

The Falcons simply do not have the weapons to run with the Patriots, and it will show this week.

The Falcons are disadvantaged on the other side of the ball as well, as the Patriots have a lot of weapons on offense, all led by Tom Brady. It is not a very hard thing to say that New England will get back on track and make Ryan’s homecoming in Boston a very rough one.

Prediction: Patriots 17, Falcons 9.

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) vs. Houston Texans (1-1)

The Texans will be without one of their biggest men on the offensive line. Chester Pitts, who started every game for Houston until now, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery.

Second-year starter Kasey Studdard will start in his place, and the Jaguars will try to take full advantage of the fact that this will be Studdard’s first start.

However, the Jaguars are a team in disarray. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has only rushed for 163 yards in two games. They need to reestablish their running game if they are going to get back on track this season.

Without a very good offensive line, and nothing behind Drew at the running back position, this could be a very long game for the Jaguars.

Prediction: Texans 30, Jaguars 7.

New York Giants (2-0) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

The Giants have been dominating the past couple of weeks, taking out the Redskins and Cowboys in very close games. The offense has been clicking under the leadership of Eli Manning, and the defense has been dominant under the leadership of Osi Umenyiora.

On the other side of the scoreboard, the Buccaneers are an absolute mess, losing both their games in humiliating fashion. It’s looking more and more dire by the week, and it’s not looking any better, as they have to go up against a Giants defense who looks in mid-season form. This one will turn very bad, very quickly.

Prediction: Giants 43, Buccaneers 10.

Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

This game is a tale of two teams going in completely different directions.

The Browns looked absolutely miserable in two losses, with the team not racking up even one interception in those games. In the same vein, Jamal Lewis is their leading rusher…with only 95 yards.

They’ve only scored 26 points as well, with 20 of those coming in a loss to Minnesota. Add on all the injuries, and the Browns could challenge the Rams for the worst record in the NFL.

On the other hand, the Ravens are undefeated, and have looked very dominating in the process. They have scored 69 points in two games, second in the NFL only to the Saints’ 93.

Their dominating defense shut down Phillip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers last week. The question this week for the Ravens is not if they will win, but by how much.

Prediction: Ravens 59, Browns 0.

Chicago Bears (1-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

More than half of the Bears’ 32 points scored this season came in last week’s win against Pittsburgh. They still don’t look like they’ve found a viable replacement for Brian Urlacher (wrist), and that doesn’t bode well for the Bears’ defense. Fortunately, they’re going up against…

…the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated a horrible Rams team in Week One, but were embarrassed by the 49ers last week. This is another team that doesn’t have an interception yet, but it gets worse.

Not only is Lofa Tatupu, one of their defensive stars, questionable for the game (hamstring), but T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch are also banged up (back spasms and hamstring, respectively). This looks like the beginning of another long day for the Seahawks.

Prediction: Bears 23, Seahawks 6.

New Orleans Saints (2-0) vs. Buffalo Bills (1-1)

The Saints have looked absolutely overwhelming in their first two games, scoring 46 points per game to this point. In that stretch, Drew Brees has thrown for 669 yards, the defense has racked up six interceptions, and both kickoff returners have combined for over 200 yards returning. New Orleans looks like a well-rounded team, and it seems only a Mack truck can stop them now.

The Bills scored almost 60% of their 57 points in their win against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, they did look tough against the Patriots, seeing victory slip through their fingers.

With quite a few defensive players possibly sitting out this week, it will look like the Bills need the same Hand of God that helped Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup to bat down a couple of Drew Brees’ passes.

Prediction: Saints 42, Bills 20.

Miami Dolphins (0-2) vs. San Diego Chargers (1-1)

Over 75 percent of the Dolphins’ points were scored in Monday night’s game against the Colts. They did look pretty good against the Colts, controlling every aspect of the game…except the final score.

Like the Seahawks and Browns, the Dolphins have not intercepted a pass yet this season either. However, unlike the Browns and Seahawks, the Dolphins actually have a pretty solid defense. If they keep spreading the ball around, the Wildcat should roar in San Diego on Sunday.

On the other side, San Diego has split two close games, winning in Oakland and losing in the last minute to Baltimore. With LaDainian Tomlinson not playing this week (ankle), and 10 other players nursing some sort of injury, it does look very tough for the Chargers against a tough Dolphins defense.

All of the onus falls on Darren Sproles, and to ask him to carry the team is a very tall order that I honestly don’t think he can fulfill.

Prediction: Dolphins 21, Chargers 7.

Denver Broncos (2-0) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-1)

Neither team seems to have any injuries that will hurt their chances this week. The silver lining for the hapless Raiders is that they have shown improvement, and it was evident against the really bad Chiefs.

The defense has been especially good, racking up five sacks and three interceptions in two games. The only weakness that’s evident is in the passing game. JaMarcus Russell has only completed over 35% of his passes, and has only thrown one touchdown against two interceptions.

After getting extremely lucky in Cincinnati, the Broncos destroyed the Browns in Cleveland. Their defense, led by Elvis Dumervil (four sacks in two games), has been smothering, and that could make for a long day for Russell.

Kyle Orton has adjusted well to the move from Chicago, completing over half his passes for a little over 500 yards. With the leadership of Orton and the dominance of the defense, the Raiders could be in for a long day.

Prediction: Broncos 21, Raiders 9.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

The Steelers are a little dinged up coming into this game. Troy Polamalu is still out for another couple of weeks (knee). Meanwhile, Limas Sweed, one of the big options at wide receiver, is out as well (foot).

This might destroy other teams, but not the Steelers. They still have a few options at receiver in Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward, and they still have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.

The Bengals got back on track after that bad bounce in Denver by defeating the Packers in another close game. Their defense has looked extremely good, with nine sacks in only two games. However, they face a very smart quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger.

With all of the weapons the Steelers still have, even without Polamalu, it’ll be hard for the Bengals to squeak by with a win this week.

Prediction: Steelers 20, Bengals 3.

Indianapolis Colts (2-0) vs. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

The Colts barely got out of Miami with a win on Monday night, and they have to quickly turn around and prepare for the Cardinals. Peyton Manning has looked great so far, completing almost 70 percent of his passes for slightly over 600 yards.

The only problem seems to be in the rushing game, which has only totaled 132 yards. They could have another rough game like Monday night if they have a tough time rushing.

Kurt Warner set the completion percentage record in a Cardinals win against the Jaguars. The only glaring problem for them is Beanie Wells’ fumbling problems (two forced fumbles last week).

The defense has looked really good so far, racking up 8 sacks. If Wells learns to hold on to the football, it might be just enough for a Cardinals victory this week.

Overall, this looks to be a pretty evenly-matched game. It will all boil down to whose rushing attack breaks out this week. With two very good running backs splitting time in Arizona, it looks like the Cardinals have the edge, and that will be the difference-maker.

Prediction: Cardinals 16, Colts 10 in overtime.

Carolina Panthers (0-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) (Monday)

When this game was scheduled, everybody expected the game to be the marquee matchup of Week Three. Instead, we are treated to two teams who have a combined two sacks (Carolina has both).

Jake Delhomme has looked absolutely awful in the past two weeks, throwing one touchdown and five interceptions. On top of that, the Panthers’ defense has lost quite a few of their starters, which could make it easier for Tony Romo and Company to romp all over the Cowboys Stadium field. It’s certainly not looking good for Carolina.

Dallas, on the other hand, played in a high-scoring game against the Giants, only to see victory slip through their fingers. The Cowboys have a very balanced offense, and that might be a problem for a depleted Panthers’ offense.

The defense is also good, even though they have no sacks or interceptions so far this season. That will most likely change this week, as the Cowboys will put the Panthers into panic mode.

Prediction: Cowboys 26, Panthers 3.

Week 2 Record 12-4

Overall Total: 21-11

So there you have it: Week Three in the NFL. Who will go 0-3 and have to push the panic button? Who will get that first win and can breathe (slightly) easier? Those questions and more will be answered in the games of Week Three! Tune in and find out what happens!

Time To Work the Kinks Out: Week Two NFL Predictions

Josh McMullen — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:59:44 -0400

It’s Week Two in the NFL, which means that teams now have had time to work out all of their problems. Who will finish the week confident in their teams? Who will be in full panic mode in Week Three? McMullen’s Musings pulls out the crystal ball once again to predict the second week in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers (0-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

The Panthers are now in full panic mode, as quarterback Jake Delhomme has not been at his best and might possibly be on his way out. Suddenly, the Panthers that everybody predicted would be a very good team this year is on their way to a 0-2 start to their season.

The Falcons looked very good against Miami, especially their defense. John Abraham looked especially dominating, racking up two sacks. If they look as good against the Panthers as they did against the Dolphins, they should have no problem putting Carolina in panic mode.

Prediction: Falcons 23, Panthers 3.

New Orleans Saints (1-0) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

The key to this game is whether or not Donovan McNabb (ribs) will play. If he doesn’t, Jeff Garcia will start, but at 39, he is extremely worrisome. After those two is Kevin Kolb, who still hasn’t really proved himself yet.

With all this turmoil at quarterback, the Saints defense could be very dominant this week, especially with two of their biggest defensive threats almost assured of not receiving a suspension. Also, if Drew Brees has another career day like he did last week, expect a big win for the Saints.

Prediction: Saints 27, Eagles 0.

New England Patriots (1-0) vs. New York Jets (1-0)

The Patriots had a tough time with the Bills last week, needing a fourth-quarter comeback to put the game away. Could this mean there are some cracks in the once-impenetrable armor? If there are, Jets coach Rex Ryan is just the man to exploit those cracks.

The Jets’ offense didn’t look exactly great against the Texans, but rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez should be able to shake off those first-game jitters and navigate the Jets to a very big victory in the AFC East.

Prediction: Jets 30, Patriots 24 in overtime.

Oakland Raiders (0-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

The big question for the Chiefs is if they will get Matt Cassel (knee) back for this big AFC West game. If he can’t, Brodie Croyle is the next option, and he could prove to be a threat against a pretty good Raiders defense. If not, Larry Johnson might carry the load, and that doesn’t bode well if the Chiefs want to win this game.

Richard Seymour finally made it to Oakland, and he should be able to boost the defense to another level. He could be the difference maker in this game, and propel the Raiders to a victory.

Prediction: Raiders 20, Chiefs 14 in overtime.

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

The Jaguars lost a really big part of their defense last week, as defensive end Reggie Hayward was lost for the season (broken leg). The Cardinals were bitten by the injury bug as well, with two of their wide receivers hit with injuries.

The X-factor for both these teams will be how they bounce back from these injuries. In that case, the Cardinals have the edge, simply because they have more depth. They still have a good receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and a solid running game in Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells, so the Cardinals should be able to win this one easily.

Prediction: Cardinals 30, Jaguars 20.

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

The Bengals were victims of hard luck last week, after a deflected pass against the Broncos resulted in the game-winning touchdown. The Packers had an easy time with the Bears last week, and this week proves to be no different.

Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco said that he will perform a Lambeau Leap this Sunday. With the way the Packers defense is running, I expect that he’ll be eating those words. I expect that this will be a close game, but it’ll be the Packers defense that makes the difference against a struggling Bengals offense.

Prediction: Packers 17, Bengals 13.

St. Louis Rams (0-1) vs. Washington Redskins (0-1)

This looks to be a pretty even game. The Redskins are all virtually healthy, and so are the Rams, with the exception of Marc Bulger (finger), but he could still start.

The big X factor in this game will be how both these teams bounce back from divisional losses in their opener. Whoever bounces back quickest will win this game, and I believe it will be the Redskins. The Rams simply do not have the depth to hang with the Redskins for four quarters.

Prediction: Redskins 20, Rams 3.

Minnesota Vikings (1-0) vs. Detroit Lions (0-1)

After a career day last week against the Browns, running back Adrian Peterson might have another one against the hapless Lions. Even if the Lions key on Peterson, quarterback Brett Favre still has viable options in Bernard Berrian, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Sidney Rice.

With all those things for the defense to deal with, and a monster in Jared Allen for the offense to deal with, this could be a long day for the Lions. Detroit fans will have to wait at least one more week for the Lions’ first win.

Prediction: Vikings 28, Lions 7.

Houston Texans (0-1) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-1)

The Texans have a whole arsenal of Titan weapons to deal with this week. The X factor this week is how Houston will handle all of these weapons and how they can hang with the Titans this week.

One bright spot for the Texans is the fact that they might not have to deal with tight end Jared Cook (questionable with an ankle injury). However, they still have to deal with the twin threat of LenDale White and Chris Johnson on offense and the twin defensive threat of Kearse and Vanden Bosch. For all those reasons, the Texans will head to Jacksonville 0-2.

Prediction: Titans 35, Texans 20.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) vs. Buffalo Bills (0-1)

One of the Buccaneers’ best receivers, Antonio Bryant, missed practice and might miss this game on Sunday. That would hurt the Bucs a lot more if Drayton Florence, a big wheel in the Bills’ secondary, wasn’t out as well.

However, with the loss of Bryant, the Bucs have only two viable options in the passing game: Kellen Winslow and Michael Clayton. This might put a lot of pressure on Cadillac Williams and the running game, and the Bills could take advantage of that, especially an angry Leodis McKelvin.

Prediction: Bills 30, Buccaneers 17.

Seattle Seahawks (1-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

Seattle had an easy time last week with a still-weak Rams team. However, they face a tougher test against the 49ers this week. They could also face it without their two star receivers, two offensive linemen, and their star on defense, who are all out with injuries.

The 49ers are almost completely healthy (linebacker Ahmad Brooks sat out of practice with a knee injury), but if either TJ Houshmandzadeh (back) or Deion Branch (hamstring) doesn’t play, the 49ers will eat the Seahawks for dinner.

Prediction: 49ers 28, Seahawks 17.

Baltimore Ravens (1-0) vs. San Diego Chargers (1-0)

LaDainian Tomlinson, center Nick Hardwick (sprained ankles), and right guard Louis Vasquez (sprained knee) missed most of the practices this week, possibly weakening the Chargers for their home opener against an extremely tough Ravens defense.

The biggest question is whether or not Darren Sproles and Michael Bennett will be able to carry the Chargers running game. Unfortunately, if I’m quarterback Philip Rivers, I’d be ready for a big passing day against the wall that is the Ravens defense. The results won’t be pretty.

Prediction: Ravens 30, Chargers 10.

Cleveland Browns (0-1) vs. Denver Broncos (1-0)

The two teams who orchestrated “The Drive” over 20 years ago come back together in Week Two. However, these are two teams on a massive decline. The Broncos won their game last week on sheer luck, while the Browns got hammered by the Vikings.

However, there is a ray of hope for the Browns. Running back Knowshon Moreno is questionable for the game (ankle). This hurts the Broncos’ running game slightly, because Correll Buckhalter has to shoulder a little bit more of the rushing load.

I give the edge to the Browns, because they have a few more options in their offense, and the Broncos are a house in desperate need of repair.

Prediction: Browns 10, Broncos 7 in overtime.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) vs. Chicago Bears (0-1)

The Bears lost the biggest part of their defense last week, when Brian Urlacher was put on injured reserve (dislocated wrist). The Steelers will take full advantage of his replacement, Hunter Hillenmayer, with their vaunted two-pronged rushing attack of Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.

The Steelers have way too many weapons on both offense and defense, and will overwhelm the Bears. It looks like it’s going to be back to the drawing board for Lovie Smith and the Bears.

Prediction: Steelers 30, Bears 7.

New York Giants (1-0) vs. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

This is one of the biggest games of the week, as the Cowboys open up their new stadium against one of their biggest rivals. Unfortunately, Dallas has no time to celebrate as they have to go up against one of the most dominating defenses in the NFL.

The Giants defense looked great last week against the Redskins, and they show no signs of stopping now. They should be able to shut down Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense and ruin opening day at Cowboys Stadium.

Prediction: Giants 20, Cowboys 0.

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-1) (Monday)

The Colts may have lost one of their best receivers in Anthony Gonzalez (out two to eight weeks with sprained knee ligaments), but they may have gotten a replacement that is just as good. The Colts signed former Eagle Hank Baskett, who is taller than any other Colts receiver (6’4”).

It does give Indianapolis another viable option at receiver, but they’re going up against a very tough Dolphins defense. You can’t discount Peyton Manning’s coolness in the clutch, but it may not be enough this week.

Prediction: Dolphins 17, Colts 10.

Week One and Overall Record: 9-7

There you have it: my predictions for Week Two. Who will go into Week Three confident, and who will be fighting to avoid an 0-3 start? Tune in to Week Two to find out!

Welcome to a New Season: Week One NFL Predictions

Josh McMullen — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:32:14 -0400

After seven long months of waiting and building fantasy leagues, the 2009 NFL season is finally upon us. Which teams will start off this season on a high note? Who will show that they have a lot of work to do? McMullen’s Musings dusts off the crystal ball to give their predictions for Week One of the NFL season.

Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Thursday)

This is a very good game between two of the best teams that the NFL had to offer last season. It’s a shame someone has to lose this great Week One battle. Nonetheless, the Steelers have the smothering defense needed to neutralize the Titans’ running attack, which should be enough to stop them.

Prediction: Steelers 28, Titans 20

New York Jets vs. Houston Texans

Another good game, only this time between two of the most promising teams in the NFL. This will be an early test for rookie Mark Sanchez, and I do think he’ll live up to the challenge, at least this week. He leads the Jets on his first fourth-quarter comeback and narrowly escapes Houston with a win.

Prediction: Jets 23, Texans 20

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

In an earlier entry, I said that this game was one to avoid, but that was before Brett Favre decided to come back. Don’t get me wrong; this is still going to be a pretty bad game. However, with Favre at the helm, the Browns have absolutely no chance of winning this one.

Prediction: Vikings 38, Browns 3

Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals

This is another game that you definitely should skip, unless you are a die-hard Broncos or Bengals fan. I give the edge to the Bengals, only because they have less of a problem at their core positions. I bet the Denver ownership is kicking themselves right now for giving Mike Shanahan the boot.

Prediction: Bengals 3, Broncos 0 in overtime

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers

Philadelphia fans will be waiting with baited breath to see the debut of Michael Vick, whether in a backup or starter position. Either way, they will be treated to a very good game between two of the marquee teams in the NFC.

There have been rumors that Andy Reid will split starting time between the two of them, but if he does, it could blow up in his face.

Prediction: Eagles 20, Panthers 17

Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are still rebuilding, but if they gel soon enough, they should be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC South. However, it will take a little time, since they just fired their offensive coordinator. The Cowboys are more stable with their roster and should have an easy time with Tampa Bay this week.

Prediction: Cowboys 28, Buccaneers 10

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens

This should be a pretty good matchup, as the Chiefs improved vastly during the offseason. It will depend on if Matt Cassel has recovered from his MCL injury, but that doesn’t look likely. The Chiefs will have to rely on Brodie Croyle for this game, and that might not be the best idea against an aging, but still very potent, Baltimore defense.

Prediction: Ravens 16, Chiefs 7

Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints

The Lions have looked pretty good in the preseason, and they actually look like they could snap their 17-game losing streak. They have a tough test in the Saints, who bring a powerful offense to the table.

This should actually be a very good game with the Lions walking away with their first regular season victory in two years.

Prediction: Lions 23, Saints 20 in overtime

Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons

This will be a game featuring two teams that are on their way up. The Falcons offense is great, but their defense is still a little shaky, and that will be the dealbreaker if they cannot figure out how to control the Wildcat offense.

The Dolphins are pretty good on both sides of the ball, and that should be enough to slow down Matt Ryan, the rising star of the Falcons (at least for one week).

Prediction: Dolphins 30, Falcons 17

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

This game and Thursday’s game should establish who has early control of the AFC South. Of course, you can’t discount Peyton Manning’s presence in the game, but the Jaguars have slowly been building up their defense.

It will all come down to the running game, and with Maurice Jones-Drew slightly edging out Joseph Addai, that will be the difference.

Prediction: Jaguars 20, Colts 10

St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks vastly improved their receiving corps, picking up T.J. Houshmandzadeh from the Bengals. However, the Rams did a great job building up their defense, picking up middle linebacker James Laurinaitis from Ohio State. This will be a pretty even matchup, coming right down to the wire.

Prediction:Rams 24, Seahawks 21 in overtime

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

This game will be one of the best of the first week, because both teams improved significantly over the offseason. The deciding factor will be the running game, and I think the double threat of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will be just a little too much for the Redskins’ potent defense.

This should be a dogfight right down to the wire in the Meadowlands.

Prediction: Giants 16, Redskins 10 in overtime

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals

The 49ers could be one of the big surprises out of the NFC West, and they face a stiff test in last year’s surprise in the NFC champion Cardinals.

The Cardinals shored up their running game when they drafted Beanie Wells. However, I do like the San Francisco defense this year, as they picked up Dre’ Bly from Denver. He should make a significant impact off the bench for the 49ers, but they still need a little more to make it to the next level.

Prediction: Cardinals 20, 49ers 7

Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers

The Packers have great backs and receivers, but for them to be effective, you need a solid offensive line, which the Bears have. The acquisition of Orlando Pace in the offseason should give new quarterback Jay Cutler enough time to make a big splash in the NFC.

It’ll all boil down to defense, and I think the Bears have enough to keep the Packers out of the end zone when it counts.

Prediction: Bears 23, Packers 10

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots (Monday)

This is, by far, the most interesting game of the week, as Terrell Owens makes his AFC debut against one of the most stifling defenses in the NFL. Having said that, it is still Week One, so I do expect Owens to make a big splash in his debut, but not enough to neutralize the weapons of the Patriots.

Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots offense shouldn’t exactly run over the Bills defense, but at least have a good day against them.

Prediction: Patriots 28, Bills 17

San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders (Monday)

The possible loss of Shawne Merriman hurts the Chargers, while getting Richard Seymour from the Patriots helps the Raiders. However, for both teams, one player does not make a team.

The Chargers are better on both sides of the ball, even without Merriman. This is one game that you’d expect to be on a Sunday afternoon instead of a Monday night, and it’ll certainly show when these two teams meet.

Prediction: Chargers 40, Raiders 0

So there it is: the first week of the NFL season. Even though it’s the first week, it’s the first step on the road to the Super Bowl in Miami in February. Who will emerge as Super Bowl champions? Will your team become a contender or a pretender?

You’ll just have to watch to find out!

LeGarrette Blount: The Punch That Might Have Ended A Career

Josh McMullen — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:31:50 -0400

The game between the Oregon Ducks and the Boise State Broncos was touted as one of the best games in the first week of the college football season. The players enjoyed a pregame handshake to start the game, promoting sportsmanship and goodwill between the two schools.

Then, without warning, it all went right out the window for Ducks' tailback LeGarrette Blount, as he punched a Boise State player after the player tapped him on the shoulder pad. He has since been suspended for the season and faces other action from the university as well.

I’m not exactly sure what the Boise State player said to him, but there was absolutely no excuse for what Blount did. It certainly looks like the Boise State player did taunt him a little bit, but that doesn’t equal a punch to the face.

Even after the incident, Blount had to be carried off the field by a group of security and police officers. I can understand that, in the heat of the game, you might get into a shoving match with another player, but this was after the game.

Boise State had already won the game; there was nothing else that Oregon could have done to change the score. There was absolutely no reason to do anything except go to the locker room and get ready to go back to Eugene.

In high school sports, you are taught the importance of good sportsmanship, whether you are a player, coach, or a person working on the field. Somehow, that lesson goes away when you hit college and the pros. Suddenly, all the lessons anyone taught you about being a good sport and respecting your opponent don’t even matter anymore.

I’m not saying that all the blame rests on Blount. A little bit of the blame rests on Boise State defensive end Byron Hout for baiting Blount into punching him. However, that does not excuse him from going off and knocking out a player.

When you play any sport for any school (be it high school, college, etc.), you are representing your school, and you are expected to, through your actions, be a good representative of your school.

Obviously, Blount forgot that not once, but twice, as he has been suspended before for his behavior.

In short, LeGarrette Blount embarrassed the Oregon football program with his antics. If I were his head coach, I would make sure that he doesn’t see a football field without a ticket for a long time.

I know this is his senior season, but he should have thought about that before raising his fist in anger and bad sportsmanship.

Hopefully, this is one Duck that doesn’t fly for a long time, if ever again.

Leave Michael Alone! Vick Can't Run From the Protesters

Josh McMullen — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:47:55 -0400

Even though Michael Vick has apologized profusely for participating in a dogfighting ring and promised he will devote his time to helping animals, there are still some people who believe he’s a heartless maniac.

Before the Eagles’ preseason game against the Jaguars on Thursday, handfuls of protesters showed up outside Lincoln Financial Field. However, supporters of Vick could be found all around the stadium, supporters that included the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP. Some of the anti-Vick contingent were holding up signs that said “Murderers are not role models,” while supporters wore shirts that said “Forgive Vick/Go Eagles.” Still others held on to the notion that 18 months in jail was not long enough and Vick shouldn’t be allowed to play football anymore.

In my opinion, I believe this public flogging of Vick has gone on long enough.

He has shown amazing amounts of remorse after his jail sentence. He’s paid his debt to society and—though his crime was great—there’s no need to make him revisit it every single time he steps on the field. That just puts more pressure on him he doesn’t need. The work of a quarterback isn’t easy, and I can’t imagine it's any better with protesters who don’t think you should be there breathing down your neck.

Some of the protesters believe that Vick is not a good role model, including Philadelphia native Mary Donato, whose daughter is a veterinary technician:

“What kind of role model is he for the children? They [the Eagles] made a very big mistake.”

I hate to burst her bubble, but if he isn’t a good role model for your children, find another one! There are hundreds of players in the NFL who would make good role models. Even if Vick isn’t your particular cup of tea, I’m sure you can find another one. Heck, it doesn't even have to be a football player.

It really isn’t fair to drag anyone’s name through the mud for one crime, no matter how low or depraved. I’m an animal lover myself, but I do believe Vick has paid his debt to society and I’m excited to watch him try to resurrect his career with the Eagles. I’m fed up with hearing about another protest trying to shove Vick back in jail. I’d much rather hear about how he’s trying to make good on his promise to help animals.

If everybody thought like that instead of trying to focus on all the bad things he did, then this Eagle might finally fly.

On The Clock: The Stopwatch That Ruined a Tournament

Josh McMullen — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:04:52 -0400

The final round of Sunday’s Bridgestone Invitational was supposed to be one of the most intriguing battles of the PGA season, with Tiger Woods facing off against Padraig Harrington in an 18-hole battle.

However, because of a stopwatch, that battle was decided pretty quickly.

Because of the PGA’s quick-play policy, European Tour chief referee John Paramor decided to put them “on the clock” (instituting a time limit for each shot) when Woods and Harrington, the final pairing of the tournament, fell a full hole behind the pairing before them. The time limit was put on them on the 16th hole, when they fell 17 minutes behind the next pairing.

According to Woods, Harrington was then forced to rush shots, which forced him to make bad decisions and bad shots. The crowning insult was a crucial shot that rolled right into the water, which all but sealed the tournament for Woods.

Woods then told Harrington after it was all over: “I’m sorry John [Paramor] got in the way.” That led to an undisclosed fine (because the Tour does not publicize fines) for criticizing a rules official.

Slugger White, the rules official in charge at the tournament, had this to say about the whole incident...

“I don’t think John did get in the middle of it. John is doing his job. We would be criticized if that group was two holes behind and finishing at 10 after 6 (p.m.). It’s just a regulation, guys [referring to Woods and Harrington]. That’s what it amounts to. We’re doing our jobs.”

Honestly, I think the whole thing was completely unfair. I’m not advocating that superstars like Woods and Harrington should receive special treatment, but putting the final pairing on the clock was completely wrong and ruined what might have been a great final round.

First of all, it’s the final pairing.

That means there were no players behind them that would have been waiting while they played through. So what if the trophy ceremony is delayed a few minutes while the last players play? I’d rather see an exciting fight to the finish for the trophy instead of the ceremony itself; heck, once the ceremony begins, I change the channel.

Second, I think Tiger Woods was right to say that Paramor ruined it for Harrington. From my personal experience, if I’m told I have a very small amount of time to do things that require a lot of thought, I tend to rush; most of the time, it turns out miserable. That is exactly what happened to Padraig Harrington.

Paramor told them they were on the clock, and Harrington had to rush, which forced him to take bad shots that ultimately lost him the tournament.

That was one of the worst things Paramor could have done. Both golfers were focused on the task at hand, which was trying to win the tournament. I may be a pretty miserable golfer, but even I know shots require a lot of thought, something Harrington couldn’t do when Paramor started that stopwatch. That was the beginning of the end for Harrington, as the bad shots came quickly and often.

Who knows what could have happened had Paramor not told them they were on the clock? Would Harrington have been able to beat Tiger? Would we have seen an even more exciting playoff the next day?

Unfortunately, because of John Paramor’s stopwatch, we will never know.

Howling at the Moon: What Should Be Done About The Coyotes?

Josh McMullen — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:48:35 -0400

In these shaky economic times, even sports, once thought to be “recession-proof,” have felt the pinch.

Nowhere has this been more apparent than with the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Coyotes, who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, are awaiting a hearing on Monday to determine if the sale of the team will be postponed until September. So far, the only legitimate buyer is Chicago sports mogul Jerry Reinsdorf (who owns the White Sox and the Bulls).

However, that offer is being challenged by former owner Jerry Moyes, among others, saying that it is too little and leaves nothing to give to creditors.

Moyes would like to sell the team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who would move the team to Hamilton, Ontario, which would not only anger fans, but leave only three teams in the Southwestern United States (Dallas, Los Angeles and Anaheim).

Of course, like all situations like this, it all boils down to money. However, they are forgetting about the one thing that supplies a good chunk of that money: the fans. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter how hard both sides (fans and owners) try, they can never seem to both be happy at the same time.

As a fan of hockey myself and a person who has seen teams dissolve to the chagrin of their loyal fans, here are some suggestions to make both sides happy and help the franchise:

Follow the lead of the Packers- The Green Bay Packers have been owned by the people of Green Bay since their inception. As a result of that (plus the fact that they have won a few championships), the citizens have seen large returns on their investment, and the team has thrived.

The city of Phoenix is considerably bigger than Green Bay, so having each citizen of Phoenix take a share of the team might raise the money they need in no time. Not only that, it would help the owners wash their hands of the considerable fiasco that has been the downfall of a franchise with some potential.

Play To Win- The Coyotes are a very young team, but the potential is there to be a high-caliber team. I believe the expression “you gotta spend money to make money” works very well in this case: the acquisition of one or two top-tier players could be just what the Coyotes need to make a big playoff run or even win the Stanley Cup.

This way, the fans fill the arena, the owners fill their bank accounts, and the Coyotes will survive just as well as the other 29 teams. Shane Doan has been a great asset so far, but they need one or two more pieces to be legitimate playoff contenders.

Stimulus Package- By a “stimulus package,” I mean the institution of a luxury tax, no matter how unpopular it might be to the players union, among other groups. This would allow Phoenix to sign some of those top-tier players that they need to make that playoff run.

This would undoubtedly break up some teams that have extensive talent, such as the Red Wings and the Penguins, but it would achieve some semblance of parity (read: not having the same five or six teams winning the Stanley Cup every year).

So there you have it: some of the ways we can keep the Phoenix Coyotes in the Southwest. If one of these suggestions are followed, it will keep the owners happy and the fans coming through the turnstiles.

Either way, to Phoenix fans, it’s better than rooting for the Hamilton Coyotes.

A Little Q & A: 10 Questions that Need Answers in the NFL

Josh McMullen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:56:25 -0400

After a few months of waiting, we are finally on the verge of another season in the NFL. As with every year, there are always some questions that need to be answered. What follows are ten of the biggest questions that most of us are asking as training camps begin and the players begin chasing the Lombardi Trophy yet again:

Will Tom Brady be as good as he was before the knee injury?

Brady hasn't played competitive football since he was injured. Since then, he has shown significant improvement, but a torn ACL has a way of bringing superstar athletes back down to earth.

After recovering from surgery to repair that crucial tendon, players seem more tentative in their movements for fear they will injure it again. It still remains to be seen how Brady will perform on the field, but expect him to be a little bit more tentative in his movements.

Are the Lions headed in the right direction?

After drafting Matthew Stafford in the draft, the Lions do seem to be headed in the right direction. However, this team is a house in extreme disarray.

Drafting Stafford, along with picking up linebacker Larry Foote and receiver Dennis Northcutt was a good start, but the Lions still need a lot of work on both sides of the ball. They also cleaned house in the coaching department, bringing in a new head coach (Jim Schwartz), a new offensive coordinator (Scott Linehan), and a new defensive coordinator (Gunther Cunningham), so there will be a big shake-up in the way the Lions play.

As they say, there is nowhere to go but up, but don't expect Detroit to be making the playoffs anytime soon. They should piece together at least five wins, but probably not much more than that.

Can the Ravens play spoiler again in the AFC?

The Ravens certainly played the role of spoiler during the AFC playoffs last year, upsetting a very strong Titans team and blasting the upstart Dolphins. With the loss of Bart Scott at linebacker, the defense is weakened, but only slightly.

However, the Ravens are aging on both sides of the ball, with Ray Lewis, the anchor of this team, nearing retirement, and offensive playmakers, such as Willis McGahee, nearing the peak of his career. If the Ravens are to play spoiler again (or, indeed, contend for the AFC North title), Joe Flacco must prove to everybody that last year's stellar season wasn't a fluke and match his totals from last year.

How will Terrell Owens fare in Buffalo?

As I see it, this is probably Owens' last chance. He's in his 13th year in the NFL, and probably only has a couple more years left.

It all depends on how the Bills utilize him. If they don't utilize him to what he thinks is his full potential, he'll just shut down and the Bills will self destruct, just like the Eagles, 49ers, and Cowboys before them. However, unlike the Eagles, 49ers and Cowboys, the Bills do have a pretty decent passing attack, so they should be able to utilize Owens as much as he thinks he should be. If the Bills remain healthy, they should be able to do what they haven't done since 1995: win the AFC East.

Can the Cardinals do as well as they did last year?

It sure seems that way. They picked up Beanie Wells in the draft, which should fill the void left by the retiring Edgerrin James.

They have a pretty tough schedule, but they have the talent and experience to win the NFC West. The 49ers, while they did as well as the Cardinals in picking up talent, still need a few pieces to get back to the playoffs. The Cardinals, however, have all their pieces in place and should contend for the NFC's spot in the Super Bowl

How does the AFC West look this year?

Unfortunately, as bad as it did last year.

Not only do the Broncos have to adapt to a new coaching scheme after several years under Mike Shanahan, they gave away a very talented quarterback in Jay Cutler instead of working out their problems. The Chiefs and the Raiders, while they made big strides in the draft and free agency, are still a couple of years away from legitimately competing for the division title. San Diego is the only team with some semblance of stability in the division, and if they remain healthy, they'll be able to win the division for the fourth time in a row. Unfortunately, they'll win it pretty much by default.

Can Jay Cutler help the Bears?

Definitely. If not, the Bears will be left with very little options at quarterback, with two untested players at that position.

Chicago's receiving corps got better in the offseason too, with the acquisition of Juaquin Iglesias, a speedy wide receiver from Oklahoma. They also picked up a very good offensive lineman in talented, but oft-injured Orlando Pace from St. Louis. This should bolster the offensive line and give Cutler more time in the pocket to work his magic. Cutler should be a great asset to the Bears and be a prime factor in sending them to the playoffs.

What needs to be done about the crazy things going on in the NFL?

Roger Goodell has done a good job keeping players on the straight and narrow, but this offseason has been absolutely insane, with the arrest of Donte Stallworth and the shooting death of Steve McNair marring the face of the NFL, among other things.

Obviously, while the personal conduct policy is one of the most stringent of the four major sports, it really doesn't go far enough. Players still believe that they can skirt the rules and can get away with it if they aren’t caught.

There really should be a policy in place that does the same thing that Major League Baseball imposed on Pete Rose: if you are caught doing something totally illegal or are arrested and show no remorse for your actions, you get an automatic lifetime ban. No excuses, no reinstatement, no second chances. This will show those players that they cannot spit in the face of authority and get away with it.

What should be done about Michael Vick?

At the risk of sounding contradictory (see previous question), I seriously do believe that Vick has realized the magnitude of what he has done. He has shown remorse and knows the error of his ways. I realize what he did was serious and required jail time, but it isn't fair that he's being raked through the coals every time his name is brought up. He just wants to put the past behind him and play football, and Roger Goodell should see that and reinstate him.

Can the Steelers repeat as Super Bowl champions?

The Steelers kept most of their core players from last season, and bolstered their depth chart through the draft and free agency. The only setback was the loss of Larry Foote, who demanded to get out of Pittsburgh. They do have a very easy schedule, with their toughest game being Tennessee in Week One. It certainly looks like the Steelers will make another run at a title, and if they stay healthy, they should be holding up their seventh Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year.

There you have it; those are the 10 questions that need answers in the NFL. Will we get answers on any or all of them? You'll just have to watch the 2009 NFL season unfold to find out!

Celebrating the Fourth in Sports: Five Moments in July 4 Sports history

Josh McMullen — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:48:51 -0400

Happy Fourth of July! As we scarf down hot dogs and hamburgers, we are reminded of the history of America, from our humble beginnings as Pilgrims on the Mayflower, to today, when so many historic moments are happening. A big part of America’s history has played out through sports, such as the Bambino’s called shot and Joe Namath’s guarantee in Super Bowl III. What follows are five moments that happened on this date that changed the sports world. (Facts confirmed by Wikipedia, thatsracin.com, Joe Louis’ official web site, and Baseball Wiki)

Begin Slideshow

Celebrating the Fourth in Sports: Five Moments in July 4th Sports history

Josh McMullen — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:31:52 -0400

Happy Fourth of July.

As we scarf down hot dogs and hamburgers, we are reminded of the history of America, from our humble beginnings as Pilgrims on the Mayflower, to today, when so many historic moments are happening.

A big part of America’s history has played out through sports, such as the Bambino’s called shot and Joe Namath’s guarantee in Super Bowl III. What follows are five moments that happened on this date that changed the sports world.

1984—The King Wins his Last Race

With President Ronald Reagan in attendance, the first sitting president to attend a race, Richard “The King” Petty won his 200th and last NASCAR race, the Firecracker 400 at Daytona.

In a race that would be shortened because of Doug Heveron’s crash on lap 158, Petty edged out Harry Gant for the victory in a one-lap shootout. Most people believe that Petty beat out Cale Yarborough, but Yarborough mistakenly went into pit road too early and finished third.

Petty didn’t go to Victory Lane afterward, but went straight to the press box to meet the president.

Petty would race for another eight years, but would never win another race. To commemorate his final victory, his number 43 car now sits in the Smithsonian.

Whether or not he won another race, this would always be one of Petty’s most memorable wins.

1910—The Fight Of The Century

On this date, boxer James Jeffries came out of a six-year retirement and put his undefeated record on the line to face Jack Johnson in Reno, Nevada.

When asked why he was going to do it, Jeffries said, "I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro." Obviously, there was a lot of racial tension, egged on by the promoters who incited the all-white audience to “kill the ______.”

Johnson shut them all up, knocking down Jeffries twice for the first time in his career. His cornermen called it quits in the 15th round, to prevent Jeffries from being knocked out.

Johnson would earn $225,000 from the fight, and finally received the recognition from the critics, who called his victory over Tommy Burns “empty.”

1976—McCarver Makes the Bicentennial Memorable in Pittsburgh

On America’s Bicentennial, the future broadcaster would become the only person in major league baseball to blow a grand slam home run as a hitter.

In a game on this date, McCarver hit what was supposedly the game winning grand slam against Pittsburgh. During his trip around the bases, he passed teammate Gary Maddox. The confused umpires awarded McCarver a grand slam single.

Later, as host of the HBO series “The Not-So-Great Moments in Sports,” McCarver would claim that “I didn’t pass [Maddox], he lapped me.”

When asked how he could do that, McCarver replied, “Sheer speed.”

1934—The Brown Bomber Goes Professional

On this date, Joe Louis made his professional boxing debut on Chicago’s South Side.

After winning a national amateur championship, he fought against Jack Kracken, who was making his last appearance in the ring. Louis bid farewell to Kracken by knocking him out in the first round, earning Louis $59, which wasn’t chump change in 1934.

While Kracken left professional boxing with a record of 10 wins and seven losses, Louis became one of the first African-American heroes in the United States.

What most people don’t know is that Louis was also a big part of breaking professional golf’s color barrier, when he appeared in a PGA event under a sponsor exemption.

1939—The Luckiest Man on The Face of the Earth

No sports event will ever match what happened at Yankee Stadium in 1939.

On this date, the “Iron Horse,” Lou Gehrig, made the speech that rocked the baseball world.

On Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium, an ailing Gehrig stood before thousands and thousands of fans and made one of the most poignant speeches in baseball history. After he was done, the audience stood up and applauded for two full minutes. The usually happy-go-lucky Babe Ruth came up to the visibly shaken Gehrig and hugged him.

The New York Times called the speech “one of the most touching scenes ever witnessed on a ball field.”

They would retire his number four at the stadium that day, making him the first person in Major League Baseball to ever have that honor.

While Independence Day is a big day in American history, it’s also a pretty big day in sports history. Several events that changed the face of sports happened on this date, as well as one big event that, had it not happened, we might not have all the events mentioned here today.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone.

Denied Again: BCS Rejects Playoff System Yet Again

Josh McMullen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:09:40 -0400

It seems that BCS presidents have their fingers in their ears when it comes to a playoff, because they certainly aren’t listening to popular demand.

According to ESPN, BCS presidents have rejected a Mountain West proposal that would form an eight-team playoff that would give conferences outside of the “Big Six” (Pac-10, Big 12, ACC, Big East, SEC, and Big Ten) a chance at the national championship.

Here’s what Oregon president and outgoing committee chairman David Frohnmayer had to say on the issue:

“In the last six years, I’ve read pundits, heard the pronouncements of broadcasters and collected several cubic feet of e-mail printouts from advocates of an NFL-style playoff system. Even those that go beyond sound-bite certitude share two intertwined and fatal deficiencies: They disrespect our academic calendars and they utterly lack a business plan.”

I have two big problems with his argument, which, like most arguments from the BCS, are pretty flimsy anyway:

The first big problem is a problem that most athletic programs have, and that is the so-called “disrespect” of academic calendars. There are two big problems with this argument.

First, most postseason games are usually played during most colleges’ winter breaks, which are a couple months anyway. If the bowls, which start sometime near Christmas and don’t end until just after New Years’, don’t severely affect academic calendars, what on earth makes you think that a playoff will do any worse?

An eight-team playoff, which the Mountain West proposed, would take, at its longest, three weeks if you played a game every week.

It would definitely take less time than the current bowl system, which makes this argument against a playoff system absolutely ridiculous and completely without merit.

The second problem with Frohnmayer’s argument is the supposed lack of a business plan, which seems pretty ridiculous anyway.

I realize that college football is, was, and always will be a business, but that certainly isn’t why most players play the game.

I also realize that the current system gives money to the schools, so that they can improve their facilities; however, the system is so flawed, it’s not even funny.

For example, last season, Utah (which is, ironically enough, from the Mountain West Conference), should have been admitted to the national championship, and reaped the financial benefit of such an invitation.

Unfortunately, because of the current system, they not only missed out on the attention that came with the chance at a national championship, they missed out on all of the financial and media attention they would have gotten.

Granted, they still made it to a very prestigious bowl (the Sugar Bowl), but one wonders what would have happened if they had had a shot at the national championship.

It’s crazy to think that the BCS committee will make up any flimsy argument that will keep the current, confusing, and certainly convoluted system, but the sad thing is that is exactly what they are doing.

One day, although it probably won’t be soon, I hope that the BCS will take their fingers out of their ears and listen to all arguments. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be better and we can finally achieve parity that the NCAA is always so proud of.

On the Warpath: NCAA Still Intends to Take Away FSU Victories

Josh McMullen — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:38:54 -0400

Even though head coach Bobby Bowden wasn’t involved in any way, the NCAA Infractions Committee still intends to take away as many as 14 wins from the venerable Florida State football coach, as well as wins and championships in nine other sports.

The penalty stems from a cheating incident in an online music course in 2006 and 2007, where it was alleged that 61 players either cheated or were given improper help by staff.

If the penalty sticks, not only will they lose wins and scholarships, they will also lose a national championship won in 2007 by the Seminole track and field team. The college does not dispute the loss of scholarships.

For those of you that do not follow college football very closely, as it stands right now, Bowden is one win behind Penn State’s Joe Paterno as the sport’s all-time winningest coach. With the loss of 14 victories (if the penalty stands), it would be a pretty safe bet to say Paterno would win that battle.

The committee has said that they believe that doing this isn’t severe at all.

I beg to differ, however.

As Forida State president T.K. Wetherell said:

“There was no coach involved in this…The one group of people that were not involved in this thing were the coaches. They’re the one group that’s being penalized.”

How right he is.

Bowden is essentially being punished for doing the right thing. Before the 2007 Music City Bowl, as the whole incident was playing out, he suspended 24 players, including quite a few starters, for that game and the first three games of the 2008 season for the incident.

He essentially sacrficed tying Paterno to maintain his integrity. Now, the NCAA wants to punish him for doing that, and I really don’t think that’s fair.

I’m not defending what those athletes did; they deserved everything they got. But Bowden doesn’t deserve to be punished for maintaining his integrity.

It’s almost as pointless as the committee’s recent decision to put Alabama on probation for their athletes trying to help their friends who might not be able to afford textbooks (whether or not they could afford them, I don’t know, but still, those athletes may have been trying to help).

I admire the fact the NCAA infractions committee took action when they saw something was wrong, but this was the wrong way to go. It seems that this was an isolated incident, and at the very least, Bowden took the initiative and punished them.

The punishment seems way over the top, and, to look at an old saying, doesn’t fit the crime at all.

It isn’t fair, and whoever thought up this punishment should be ashamed of themselves. I understand that this committee have had a lot to deal with over the past few years, but this is going way too far.

Academics is important, but integrity, like Bowden showed when he learned that some of his players were involved, is something that cannot be learned at any level of school.

However, it’s something in which the infractions committee needs a hard lesson.

Share the Wealth: Teams That Should Be Broken Up

Josh McMullen — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:05:42 -0400

In every sport, there’s at least one team that seems to “stack the deck,” meaning rack up all the talent so that no one else can have any and the stacked team wins championship after championship. Sometimes, the team has so much talent, that great players languish on the bench, and they could be starring someplace else. When I say “broken up,” I mean that the teams should get rid of some of their talent so other teams have a chance at having a good team. McMullen’s Musings takes a look at teams that should do just that.

Begin Slideshow

Share the Wealth: Teams That Should Be Broken Up

Josh McMullen — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:37:15 -0400

Every year, there's always one person that thinks the Yankees should be broken up.

In every sport, there’s at least one team that seems to “stack the deck,” meaning that they rack up all the talent so that no one else can have any, and said team wins championship after championship.

Sometimes, the team has so much talent, that great players languish on the bench when they could be starring someplace else. When I say “broken up,” I mean that the teams should get rid of some of their talent so other teams have a chance at having a good team.

McMullen’s Musings takes a look at teams that should do just that.

New England Patriots- The Patriots proved last year that they are stacked in most positions when injuries forced Bill Belichick to look toward his bench. Not only that, they always seem to trade up to get just the player they need to make them look even more stacked. Meanwhile, when other teams lose their good players to injury, they cannot find decent players to replace them. If the NFL does not want another 0-16 team, maybe the Patriots should share the wealth.

Manchester United- The Red Devils are so stacked, they are usually ten points clear of anyone else by mid-season. They could easily have enough top players to fill a second team and win the Premier League with them. Everybody likes a winner, but they also like competition. With Manchester United so stuffed with talent, I don’t foresee that happening any time soon.

Boston Celtics- The Celtics showed during this year’s playoffs that they don’t need a Big Three to get things done in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Garnett had to sit out with a knee injury, and the Celtics still held their own with some very stiff competition. They have enough good players sitting on the bench to do very well without any of them. We may see this in a couple years, however, as some of the Celtics are getting old, including all of the aforementioned Big Three.

Los Angeles Lakers- The Lakers have Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol, who might have blossomed just as well with the Grizzlies if he had stayed there. Not only that, they lured Lamar Odom from across the road and got some rising stars in Trevor Ariza and Andrew Bynum. Certainly, trading a couple of these players would not hurt their chances of winning more championships.

USC (College Football)- I know we can’t do anything about this, but because the Trojans have an immense amount of coverage (because they somehow seem to get in a major bowl every year, even with two or three losses, it seems), they are able to recruit more blue-chip athletes, and that just makes the Pac-10 even more lopsided. If we break USC up and spread the wealth amongst all of the Pac-10 teams, it might bring about the parity that the NCAA is so proud of.

New York Yankees- This is the team that everybody thinks should be broken up, and rightfully so: they are probably stacked three-deep on their depth chart with pure talent, while teams like the Blue Jays have one aging star who is probably on their last legs. Because they are in a convenient market, they are able to jack up the price for free agents, and that drives everyone else away. Unfortunately, all the Yankees get for hoarding all that talent is a little lighter in the wallet by way of the MLB’s luxury tax. If there is anyone that should be broken up, it is definitely the Yankees.

Superman vs. Supermen: Breaking Down The NBA Finals

Josh McMullen — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:28:08 -0400

As sure as the Stanley Cup Finals roll around, you can be sure that the NBA Finals are not too far behind. This year, most of us expected King James to hold court and possibly hold up his first Larry O’Brien Trophy. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell that to the Orlando Magic, who blew past the Cavaliers in six games. What they got was a date with the juggernaut of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers. Here’s what McMullen’s Musings believes will happen in the Finals:

Why the Magic Will Win:

Sweet Redemption, Part One: In 1995, the Magic were swept by the Rockets in their only Finals appearance to this point. Since then, the Magic made it to the Conference Finals only once (a sweep by the Bulls) and the Conference Semifinals only twice (beating the Hawks in 1996 and losing to the Pistons last year). This is a great chance to prove that the Magic belong on the same level with the Celtics and the Cavaliers, and exorcise the demons of 1995.

Anything Is Possible: Remember Kevin Garnett screaming this at the end of last year’s Finals, after the Celtics beat the Lakers? Well, it certainly rings true this year for the Magic. They defeated two top teams to get to this point, including the defending champion Celtics. This certainly probes that they can run with the big boys, and could topple the Lakers if they get on a roll.

The Dwight Howard Show: While one man does not make a team, Dwight “Superman” Howard is a dominating force on the court. He should give headaches to coaches making defensive plans against him. Will it be the deciding factor in this series? No, but it will help the team get the other players open, and give an even bigger defensive headache to the Zen Master, Phil Jackson.

Animation at its Finest: Stan Van Gundy is far and away one of the most animated coaches in the NBA. Not only that, in all but one of his seasons (2005-06, when he resigned from the Heat), he’s made the playoffs, never losing in the first round. That’s helped the Magic this year, and it’ll certainly help their morale in this series. Can he motivate this young team to a Larry O’Brien Trophy? Only time will tell…

Why the Lakers Will Win:

Immaturity: The last time the Magic made it this far (in 1995), the young and brash Magic, led by young guns Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, were swept by the Rockets. While this edition of the Magic are slightly more mature, they are still a young team. The Lakers have been here before (29 times, to be exact), so the bravado of the Finals is just the same old story for this team. The awe of the Finals only lasts for a couple of games, but that’s all it takes to take control of a series.

With A Little Help From My Friends: Kobe Bryant is obviously the core of the Lakers, but he has a great supporting cast behind him. Pau Gasol is dominating around the rim, grabbing almost 10 rebounds a game. They also have experience in Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom, and that spells trouble for the Eastern Conference Champions.

All Hail The Zen Master: Let’s face it; the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, is one of the best coaches in the NBA. His great coaching has earned him nine rings (six with the Bulls and three with the Lakers). That certainly proves his prowess in coaching, and his experience in molding mediocre teams into championship-winning teams to boot. He is certainly the x-factor in this series.

Sweet Redemption, Part Two: Like the Magic, the Lakers are also looking for redemption. They lost to the “Anything Is Possible” Celtics in six games last season. They will be looking to make that last step to the championship, with only Orlando left standing in the way. They have the talent and the experience to do it, and the chance at sweet redemption is just the proverbial icing on the cake.

Prediction: Lakers in seven. Remember the "MADTV" sketch, "Shaq and the Super Lakers?" Now, it’s Kobe and the Super Lakers, only with less focus on Kobe. They are easily the most dominant team in the NBA, and it will show in this series. The Magic will certainly give them a run for their money, but the Lakers will dominate most of the way. Dwight Howard will keep the series exciting, but it won’t be enough to keep the Lakers from their 15th NBA championship and Kobe's first without Shaq.

Penguins-Red Wings: Deja Vu All Over Again

Josh McMullen — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:40:50 -0400

Well, after nine months of checking, brawling, and general violence (oh, and also some goal-scoring), we’re back where we started last June—Penguins vs. Red Wings.

Here’s how McMullen’s Musings thinks Round Two will shake down:

Why the Penguins Will Win

Revenge!

Last year, the Penguins were runner-ups to the Red Wings in six games. The last time Pittsburgh was shown the door in embarrassing fashion? Between 2007 and 2008, when Ottawa showed the Penguins the door in five games. They responded by sweeping the Senators the next year.

A sweep won’t happen this time, but another Red Wings championship won’t either.

Complacency of the Red Wings

“Oh, we’re playing the Penguins again? This should be easy!” To quote the great Lee Corso, not so fast, my friend! Pittsburgh has gotten much better since their defeat last year, and it’ll be an uphill battle if the Red Wings get too complacent and think history will repeat itself.

Youth Is Served

Detroit’s average age: 31. Pittsburgh’s average age: 28. While Detroit has the experience to win the Cup, this edition is nearing the top of the hill and will be over it soon. They need their youth to step up in this series, or Pittsburgh will walk over them on their way to their third Cup.

Well Rounded

The Penguins have a well-rounded team of youth, talent and experience. The experienced players keep the youth on the ground, the youth gives the experience some rest, and the talent does the talking for itself.

Sid the Kid Takes Hockeytown

The X-factor in this series will be Sidney Crosby, the young leader of the Penguins. Detroit has no such thing, with Nicklas Lidstrom, the leader of their team, pushing 40. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when youth meets experience, in the form of Crosby vs. Lidstrom.

Why the Red Wings Will Win

They’ve Been Here A Million Times Before

If you look at every single layer of the Stanley Cup, you will probably see the Detroit Red Wings on each one. One might even go so far as to say that the Red Wings are the Yankees of hockey (although less evil). With a win here, this will be Detroit’s second most-successful decade ever (behind the 1950s, when they won four Cups).

Power + Experience= Cup

Detroit has powered their way through the Western Conference Playoffs, sweeping the Blue Jackets and surviving a scare from the Ducks. Just because the Penguins have youth on their side, doesn’t mean that they’ll run away with this series.

Babcock is the Best

The Red Wings have the best coach in the NHL in Mike Babcock. He knows how to win Cups (winning the last two, with Anaheim and Detroit). Dan Bylsma still needs to prove himself as a coach, but he could do it if he can beat one of the best. Somehow, though, Babcock will exploit that inexperience to win his third straight Cup.

Twin Terrors Between the Pipes

Chris Osgood is arguably the best goalie in the NHL, while Ty Conklin can come off the bench and still stymie offensive attacks. With a combined GAA of just under 3.0, it could be enough to frustrate the firm of Crosby and Malkin.

Filling Holes

Pavel Datsyuk, the Wings’ points, assists, and plus/minus leader, is listed as day-to-day with a foot injury. Andres Lilja, one of the Red Wings’ enforcers, is on injured reserve with a concussion. The Red Wings have been able to fill these holes off their bench with good talent, and it should be no different in this series. Lilja won’t be back this season, but Datsyuk will be, and that should make the Red Wings even more explosive.

Prediction: Penguins win the Cup in seven.

They’re angry over last season’s loss, and they have the talent to make a run at it. It’ll be a seesaw battle in the first four games, but the Penguins will take control after Game Six and exorcise the demons of last year in Game Seven.

Only Four Remain: The NHL Conference Finals At A Glance

Josh McMullen — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:47:02 -0400

We’re down to the final four teams in the NHL playoffs after three series that went to seven games. Who will move on to the Finals and take that last big step to having their names engraved on Lord Stanley’s Cup? McMullen’s Musings gazes into its crystal ball again to see who will take that next step:

Eastern Conference Finals: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Why the Hurricanes will win:

Battle Toughness and the Fatigue of the Penguins: In one of the biggest duels in the NHL, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins defeated Alexander Ovechkin’s Capitals in seven games. Obviously, Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can’t carry the team alone, and they’re playing on only two days rest. Can the Hurricanes capitalize on this and defeat Pittsburgh?

Sergei Gonchar’s Knee: Gonchar injured his knee during Game 4 of the Penguins’ series against the Capitals after knocking knees with Ovechkin. He only wound up playing fifteen minutes of Game 7, and that was with a brace. While Gonchar said he was comfortable skating in his brace during the game, it might become a problem if this series drags on for too long.

Cam Ward is slightly better than Marc-Andre Fleury. Ward has a slightly better GAA in the playoffs and a better save percentage to boot. Not only that, Ward has played in two seven-game series in a row (starting all 14 games), which proves his endurance. It’ll be hard for the Penguins to score on Ward, and it might be the deciding factor in this series.

Why the Penguins will Win:

Battle Toughness and the Fatigue of the Hurricanes: Just like the Penguins, Carolina had to struggle through fourteen games to get to this point. It’ll be a question of who can re-energize first. With the Hurricanes having to travel to Pittsburgh, I’d give the advantage to the Penguins.

Carolina’s Struggling Offense: Most of the time, the Hurricanes’ offense is either really good or really bad. A huge factor in this series will be which Hurricanes team shows up in Game 1. If Pittsburgh can keep it close, where they are really good, they should be able to pull it out.

Sidney Crosby: If the Hurricanes are able to defend Sid The Kid, they take a big chunk of Pittsburgh’s offense (33 goals and 70 assists) away. Malkin and Gonchar can’t carry the team, especially with Gonchar’s injured knee. It’s imperative that Crosby dominates early, or it will be a long series for the Penguins.

Prediction: Penguins in six. The Hurricanes are aging, and fourteen games will wear on you, no matter who you are. Pittsburgh is younger, and should be able to overcome their fatigue faster.

Western Conference Final: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings

Why The Blackhawks will win:

Physicality: Even though they ranked 27th in the NHL in hits, they’ve ranked third in this postseason. Detroit can’t go into this series thinking they can push this young team around. Otherwise, they could find themselves looking up at the arena lights.

Penalty Kill: Chicago killed penalties over 80 percent of the time. Detroit had one of the best power plays in the NHL, scoring on one-quarter of all of them. Something has to give, and it probably won’t be the Blackhawks’ stifling defense.

The Fatigue of the Red Wings: Detroit, even though they were favored to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, slogged through a seven-game series with the Ducks. On the other hand, Chicago needed six games to defeat the Canucks. With a little more rest, the Blackhawks should be able to skate past the Red Wings.

Why the Red Wings will win:

Khabibulin is aging, and Osgood is hitting his peak: Actually, both players are aging, but Osgood has been consistently good since rejoining the Red Wings in 2005-06. However, Khabibulin hasn’t really been very good since leaving Tampa Bay. The big question will be: can Osgood keep up his consistently good game after the Red Wings’ seven-game marathon?

Inexperience of Blackhawks: Most of Chicago’s players are around 20 years old, and don’t have much playoff experience. On the other hand, Detroit’s roster has enough experience to build two Stanley Cup-winning teams. If they take advantage of that, they should be able to make quick work of the Blackhawks.

Depth! Depth! Depth!: The Red Wings have massive amounts of talent on every line. Past the second line, Chicago doesn’t have much talent. It’ll be interesting to see how Detroit’s depth handles Toews and Kane. Something has to give, and it’ll probably be Toews and Kane.

Prediction: Blackhawks in seven. Youth faces experience in this series. Something has to give, and it’ll probably be the Red Wings. Age should catch up to them after Game Six, and the Blackhawks should dominate.

Coming Home: Greg Paulus Coming to Syracuse

Josh McMullen — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:50:01 -0400

It’s official—Greg Paulus will try to make his return to football at The Loud House (the Carrier Dome of Syracuse, for those of you who don’t know).

Paulus ended a month of speculation by informing Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone on Thursday that he wants to play football for the woebegone Orange this fall.

He was a Gatorade Athlete of the Year in 2005, and a four-time all-state selection in football at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, so there’s no denying that Paulus is one of the best.

It was even speculated that he would be drafted by the Packers, which was a big risk in the first place. Paulus hadn’t played football in four years (instead playing basketball with Duke). Drafting him could have had serious consequences (the Drew Henson scenario, for instance).

Paulus will still need to apply for a waiver to get another year of eligibility (he used three of his four at Duke), but Paulus has said that they will deal with that in the next few days. In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a problem.

I think Paulus could help the Syracuse program quite a bit. However, the coaches have a lot of work to do.

They need to bolster their offensive line. The Orange offense averaged under 122 passing yards and only amassed 22 touchdowns. No doubt, Paulus will be a big help to that, but any good quarterback needs time in the pocket to work his magic. Overall, he should be able to bolster the abysmal Orange (even though Marrone has not guaranteed that Paulus will start), but with not much else to work with, it’s an uphill battle. It will be great watching him try to bring back the once-proud Syracuse football program.

However, he’s only got a year to do it.

The Americans Are Coming! Can the Super Bowl Work in London?

Josh McMullen — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:13:46 -0400

According to British newspaper the Telegraph, the NFL could hold the Super Bowl in London as early as 2014. The big question on everybody’s mind is: Will it work?

McMullen’s Musings looked over the pros and cons of a Super Bowl across the pond, and asked the same question that is on everyone’s mind: Can the Super Bowl work in the London fog?

Pro: They’ve already proven they can sell out a game there.

Since the NFL started scheduling games in London, there have been two sell-out games at Wembley Stadium. With another game scheduled for October 25, it’s almost a sure bet there would be another.

With a big-ticket event such as the Super Bowl, it will probably be standing-room only, and quite possibly the largest crowd ever in Wembley Stadium history.

Con: In today’s economy, it might not be possible for fans to make the trip.

While it might be a great draw to the Britons, American fans might not be able to pony up the extra cash for everything you need to travel overseas (passports, airline tickets, etc.)

Factor in the cost of a ticket for the game, among other things, and you’re hovering somewhere in the $5,000 range after all is said and done. In today’s economy, that may be impossible for even the most affluent of fans.

Pro: It would fill the big hole left by NFL Europe/Europa.

Since NFL Europe folded in 2007, other than the games played every year, there hasn’t really been any instance of American football anywhere in Europe.

If all goes well, this could inspire the NFL to possibly resurrect the league again or bring an NFL team to Europe, along with an L.A. team. Personally, I think the resurrection of NFL Europa is needed to keep the fans satisfied until the NFL comes back again.

Con: A few NFL teams haven’t hosted the Super Bowl yet.

The biggest one, and quite possibly the reason why so many people are adamant about moving the Super Bowl overseas, is New York.

I must admit, they are right. With New York hoping to host the Olympics in 2016, this could expedite the economic recovery of that area.

Pro: London could continue its momentum from the 2012 Olympics.

Staying on that same vein, London is preparing its city to host the Thirtieth Olympiad in three years. No matter where you hold them, the Olympics is an economic boon for the host country.

A Super Bowl would not only maintain that economic uptick, but maybe make it a little better, at least for a year.

Con: Fans might be distracted by the soccer season.

Even though it’s the dead of winter, late January/early February is nearing crunch time in the English Premiership soccer season. Teams are fighting for the F.A. Cup, among others.

While the Super Bowl is a massive event, most Britons have a bigger affinity for the other “football.”

If presented with either going to the Super Bowl or watching your favorite team face Manchester United, I bet most Londoners would probably favor the football pitch over the football field.

So what’s the final verdict?

Actually, it’s too early to tell.

While it does seem like a good idea to host the Super Bowl in London, I do see the point of the people who are against it. It seems like a pretty even fight between the two, and both seem to have pretty valid arguments, one way or the other.

If it does actually happen, we’ll just wait until 2014 to see if it is successful.

10 NFL Players Who Should be Enshrined in Canton

Josh McMullen — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:30:40 -0400

There have been a number of great players that have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. From Joe Montana to Vince Lombardi, the greatest people to ever step on a football field are enshrined here. But sometimes, great players just slip through the cracks. Here are the ten best players that should have their own bust in Canton, but somehow got lost in the shuffle.

Begin Slideshow

They Deserve a Bust: 10 NFL Icons Who Should Be Enshrined in Canton

Josh McMullen — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:14:04 -0400

But sometimes, great players and NFL figures just slip through the cracks. Here are the top 10 NFL icons that should have their own busts in Canton, but somehow got lost in the shuffle.

10. Boomer Esiason (1984-1997 with Bengals, Jets, and Cardinals)

Esiason led the Bengals during their golden age, taking Hall of Famer Joe Montana to his limit in his only Super Bowl appearance.

He also holds several career records for left-handed quarterbacks, including touchdown passes and passing yards. As a southpaw myself, I know that’s nothing to sneeze at.

He has also done a lot to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis, a disease that affects many more people than we care to think. With all he’s done, Esiason is a great man and a great football player who should be wearing a yellow jacket.

9. Steve Tasker (1985-1997, with Oilers and Bills)

I know the NFL does not like to put special teams players into the Hall, but Tasker was more than that, especially to the Bills.

He was one of the first men to establish himself as a star on special teams. He has also established himself as one of the league’s most feared hitters, despite his size. Even then, he still was elected to seven Pro Bowls.

He may not have had the gaudy numbers that some other special teamers in the Hall have, but he is still one of the best players Buffalo ever had and should be immortalized in Canton some day.

8. Herschel Walker (1986-1997, with Cowboys, Vikings, Eagles, and Giants)

Even though Walker hasn’t played in over 10 years, he still ranks eighth on the list of all-time rushers. While he was voted to only two Pro Bowls, he was still a dangerous rusher in his time.

If you combine his numbers from both his career in the NFL and the USFL, he would rank second all-time in total yardage and would rank as one of the most productive rushers in the history of the game. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992. Can the pros be too far behind?

7. Irving Fryar (1984-2000, with Patriots, Eagles, Dolphins, and Redskins)

This two-time All-Pro set a precedent for drafts to come when he became the first wide receiver to be drafted first overall. He also became the first player to catch a touchdown in 17 consecutive seasons.

He was a very consistent player even as he came to the end of his career, making his final Pro Bowl in 1997. He definitely is one of the best wide receivers nobody has heard of, and it certainly would be nice to see him in Canton.

6. Joe Theismann (1974-1985, with Redskins)

Even though Theismann doesn’t have the numbers to compete with the other quarterbacks in the Hall, he was responsible for one of the most memorable injuries in NFL history.

He was also one of the first quarterbacks who could also be considered a threat to scramble, originally coming to the Redskins as a punt returner. Theismann was one of the best quarterbacks the Redskins ever had, and he rightly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

5. Jimmy Johnson (1989-1999, as coach of Cowboys and Dolphins)

Johnson took a dismal Cowboys team and turned them into champions in just a few short years. He is only one of six coaches to coach consecutive Super Bowl champions, along with great coaches such as Vince Lombardi and Don Shula, who Johnson would eventually replace in Miami in 1996.

He was reported to have an IQ of 162; it certainly looked like he had that on the field. Johnson is one of the best coaches of all time, and it was a shame he wasn’t voted in in his first year of eligibility.

4. Terrell Davis (1995-2001, with Broncos)

Even though Davis only played seven seasons, he was still one of the best players to ever put on a Broncos uniform. He was also one of only two Denver players (John Elway being the other) to be named league MVP.

His career was plagued by injuries, but he was still a consistent rusher and could be considered a “diamond in the rough” when it came to the draft (he was drafted 196th overall in 1995).

He certainly played like one.

3. Tony Boselli (1995-2002, with Texans and Jaguars)

Boselli was one of the best offensive linemen in the league during his career. He was consistent as well, only missing one game in seven seasons. He is also the first player to be inducted into the Jaguars' Hall of Fame, a big honor for anyone on any team, no matter who you are.

Here’s a fun fact: Boselli is one of the few players to play the inaugural seasons of two different teams.

2. Paul Tagliabue (Commissioner, 1989-2005)

Tagliabue had some big shoes to fill after he succeeded Pete Rozelle, and most people might say he did a very good job of that. He established one of the strictest substance abuse policies of any sports league, and he made the NFL popular all over the world by bringing regular season games to Mexico and Europe.

With the death of the NFL’s “farm league” in Europe, there was a big hole left there, and Tagliabue was able to fill it nicely with marquee games that people would be interested in. While he would be criticized for not bringing a team to Los Angeles, he will still be known as one of the best commissioners in the game.

1. Ray Guy (1973-1986, with Raiders)

Guy can easily be considered the best punter in NFL history; in fact, he established the concept of “hang time” with his booming punts. He never had a punt returned for a touchdown and is the only punter to be drafted in the first round.

Guy should be in the Hall of Fame by now; however, he just seems to slip through the cracks when voting time comes around. If he isn’t inducted in the Class of 2010, something is definitely wrong.

Conference Semi-Finals: the Road to the NBA Finals Continues

Josh McMullen — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:31:39 -0400

The road to the NBA finals continues, and eight bruised and battered teams make their way to the conference semi-finals. Who will make it to the final four, and one step closer to the Larry O’Brien Trophy? McMullen’s Musings, once again, peers into its crystal ball and predicts who will take that next step.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: The Hawks took the Heat to seven games, while the newly-crowned MVP of the league, LeBron James, and the Cavaliers made quick work of the Pistons. Do the Hawks have enough in the tank to upset the Cavaliers? With the depth Cleveland has, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Cavaliers in four.

Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics: I watched most of the Celtics’ series against the Bulls, and they bounced back from two huge injuries to win in seven. If Dwight Howard does the same thing, I just don’t see how the Magic will even begin to compete in this series. Howard is young, and could come back in the same series, if it isn’t serious. However, you can’t say the same for the Celtics. This one could be exciting, but the Celtics will probably just be too worn out to compete.

Magic in six.

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: On paper, this looks like the ideal matchup for the Western Conference Finals. However, the Lakers have it all: the depth, the superstar, and the Zen Master. Add all that up, and it makes for a crazy, but short, series for the Rockets, barring some freak injury to Kobe Bryant.

Lakers in four.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets: These are two teams that pulled off surprising victories in their first round matchups and are glad to be out of the first round. The Nuggets got Chauncey Billups from the Pistons, and paired with Carmelo Anthony, and Denver’s never looked better. This could be the most exciting series of the four, and it should bring back flashes of the Bulls/Celtics series.

Nuggets in seven.

BCS Head Warns Playoff Could Threaten Bowl Games

Josh McMullen — Sun, 03 May 2009 23:01:16 -0400

BCS Coordinator John Swofford told a Congressional subcommittee on Friday that a playoff system would threaten the existence of some bowl games.

He said, in a prepared statement, that "it will be very difficult for any bowl, including the current BCS bowls, which are among the oldest and most established in the game’s history, to survive.”

Really? Such bowls like the St. Petersburg Bowl and the Emerald Bowl would just disappear? That must be the tragedy of the century.

Last year, there were 34 bowls played including the BCS championship. That means 68 teams played a postseason game. That’s more than the NCAA’s basketball tournament, and it seems to go on an equal amount of time.

Swofford has said that a playoff would hurt revenue from eliminated bowl games. Oh, my gosh! You mean I wouldn’t get the $300,000 from playing in the papajohns.com Bowl?

Well, now that I’ve gotten that sarcasm out of my system, here’s a couple of plans to get a playoff and still keep the bowls hanging around:

1. Eliminate some of these dang bowls! Last year’s Motor City Bowl pitted the Central Michigan Chippewas against the Florida Atlantic Owls. Show of hands: who knew of either of these teams before I just now mentioned them?

I mean, I know some of these bowls bring money to the local economy, but come on, some of these bowls are just reaching for participants.

2. Put other teams into those bowls instead of the top teams. If an eight-team playoff takes all of the conference winners, there’s still pretty good teams in second place.

Look at the Big 12 last year–Oklahoma finished second behind Texas, yet they still made it to the national championship. If they made a playoff, why not put Texas on there?

Crazy idea, I know, but it would keep the bowls around and the colleges would still get the money they obviously so desperately need.

So, Coordinator Swofford, instead of being so vehement against the idea of a playoff, maybe you should consider a playoff.

Your wallets may benefit from it.

NHL Playoffs Down to Eight: Second Round Predictions

Josh McMullen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:26:54 -0400

We went in to the first round of NHL playoffs hoping to see exciting hockey games and we were not disappointed.

Five of the eight first-round games went to at least six games, with two of those going to seven games.

Will it be as exciting in the second round?

McMullen’s Musings looks into the crystal ball once again to make predictions for the NHL Conference Semifinals.

Washington Capitals v. Pittsburgh Penguins

Ovechkin-Crosby looks to be one of the best matchups of the second round. But, after going seven games with the tenacious Rangers, do the Capitals have enough left in the tank to move onto the Eastern Conference finals?

It looks pretty even on both sides of the puck, but I think the Capitals won’t be able to handle a rested Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Penguins in five.

Carolina Hurricanes v. Boston Bruins

The Hurricanes are coming off a big upset of the Devils, while the top-seeded Bruins swept the Canadiens. Will it be rested or rusted for Boston?

The Bruins are a young team while Carolina has a boatload of experience. If the Bruins can keep their poise and are able to keep Carolina’s slumping power play from reemerging they should be able to shake off the rust early.

On the other hand, if the Hurricanes are able to keep Zdeno Chara in check, this could be an exciting match up.

Bruins in six.

Vancouver Canucks v. Chicago Blackhawks

The Canucks look to go up 1-0 against the Blackhawks with the Great Wall of Vancouver, Roberto Luongo, shutting out Chicago. Vancouver has been able to rest after sweeping the Blues, while the Blackhawks needed six games to beat Calgary.

The big question is: Is the NHL’s youngest team able to beat the aforementioned Luongo, who is a 12-year veteran?

The answer: Don’t hold your breath.

Canucks in five.

Anaheim Ducks v. Detroit Red Wings

The Ducks face the same situation as the Blackhawks. They needed six to defeat their first-round opponent, while the Red Wings smashed the Blue Jackets in four.

The Ducks have confidence after they beat the President’s Cup winner, but Detroit definitely has the depth advantage. Most of the Stanley Cup winning team is back from last year, and that spells a very rough time for Anaheim.

It’s Iceland all over again (D2: The Mighty Ducks reference, for those of you that don’t know).

Red Wings in four.

And Now...America's Favorite Game Show: Sport or Not a Sport?

Josh McMullen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:22:18 -0400

We all know about the four major sports: football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. But, how many people know about the Great Outdoor Games? Bodybuilding? Are these things even sports? The argument could rage on for days on some of the things mentioned here. (Note: This was orginally written for McMullen's Musings on March 12, 2009.)

Begin Slideshow

NFL Draft Report Cards for All 32 Teams

Josh McMullen — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:41:54 -0400

Well, the 2009 edition of the NFL Draft is over, and McMullen's Musings has carefully scrutinized each team's picks and given them a grade (just like everyone else who has access to a computer). Who got an A? Who got an F? Read on and find out! NOTE: All teams are divided alphabetically according to division. Also, feel free to comment on your team's draft!

Begin Slideshow