Bleacher Report - Articles by Samantha Cooke

Let The Detroit Lions Keep Their Thanksgiving Game

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:50:24 -0500

Yes, this is another article begging NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to let the Detroit Lions keep their Thanksgiving game. I have heard several NFL Commentators talk about getting rid of Detroit on Thanksgiving.

Once again, I have to defend Detroit.

Yes, the Lions suck. They have two wins this season against two of the worst teams in the NFL.

No, maybe it is not that fun to watch the Lions on Thanksgiving. The Lions on Thanksgiving is as traditional as eating turkey. Here are a few reasons the Lions should keep the "Thanksgiving Classic."

Reason Number One: Tradition

The Detroit Lions began the Thanksgiving game tradition in 1934. The Lions' first owner, G.A. Richards, started the tradition as a way to get people to come to the games.

Since then, the Dallas Cowboys started the tradition in 1966. The two teams have hosted a Thanksgiving game ever since.

To please the fans, the NFL Network added a third game. This allows for a competition game as well as keeping the tradition alive.

Reason Number Two: Let Detroit Have Something to Celebrate

You do not truly understand how bad Detroit really is unless you live there. I moved away in May and came to visit in October. In the six months I was gone, Detroit had depleted so much more.

There are former CEO's that have lost their houses, cars, and jobs. There are houses that have a rent payment of $99 per month gone vacant because even that is too expensive.

The unemployment rate in Detroit is 22%, almost three times the national average.

As for their sports teams, the Lions obviously suck. The Detroit Tigers only had to win a few games in September to get into the playoffs. Instead, they lost a play-in game.

The Detroit Pistons are struggling. The pride of Detroit, the Red Wings, lost the Stanley Cup last year and have started this hockey season 12-9-4.

The Thanksgiving game is something Detroit fans are truly proud of. They love tailgating and heading over to the game with their families who are in town. Then, they head home and have a nice dinner.

Leave Detroit alone. They have few things to be proud of right now. Do not take away their tradition.

Reason Number Three: It Is Only One Game

There are 17 weeks in the season. Each week has a nationally televised Sunday Night and Monday Night Football Game.

Starting in November, the NFL Network also broadcasts a nationally televised Thursday Night Football Game.

After college football ends in December, there are a few more nationally televised Saturday games.

Add the three Thanksgiving games and that is almost 50 nationally televised games.

Detroit is asking for one measly nationally televised game.

The Lions have not appeared on Monday Night Football since October 8, 2001 when they hosted the St. Louis Rams.

They have not appeared on Sunday Night Football since December 11, 2005 when they travelled to Green Bay to face the Packers.

Let Detroit have their one nationally televised game. There are flex games so we can watch great match-ups towards the end of the season.

Monday Night Football usually has great match-ups with playoff implications. Detroit having a Thanksgiving game is as traditional as Dallas having one and the New York Giants having their home Saturday game in December.

Roger Goodell, leave the Lions alone and let them have their one game. If you don't want to watch it, plan to eat dinner at one.

Top Games to Look Forward to on Thanksgiving Weekend

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:51:05 -0500

Your family is over for the long weekend. Let's face it - you will need to escape for a bit. This weekend will be a sports lover's dream. There are so many rivalry and exciting games going on this weekend in all sports. No matter what sport you love, chances are there is a good game going on. I will countdown the top games to look forward to this weekend, so write them down and escape your family with a leftover turkey sandwich. Enjoy this sports weekend! As always, feel free to put your input on top games this weekend that I may have missed.

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Rich Rodriguez Has Got to Go!

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:35:33 -0500

"When Coach Rich Rodriguez gets his athletes, he will be a great coach."

"Lloyd Carr left Rodriguez without any good players; he's building from scratch."

"It's going to take two years (now three) to input his system at Michigan."

"After a three-win season, he will turn it around for next year. After a five-win season, he still needs one more year."

Quit defending Rich Rodriguez, he needs to be fired. Rich Rod had a great system that worked at West Virginia, but this is the Big Ten.

The Big Ten is smashmouth football with big, heavy athletes. Also, now Rich Rod needs three years? First he needed two. After Michigan lost seven games this season, now he needs three.

People, open up your eyes. Rich Rod is not ever going to work at Michigan.

Mistake No. 1—Letting the talented athletes go

Lloyd Carr left Rich Rod with three top-recruiting classes. In 2006-08, Carr's classes were ranked 13th, 12th, and 10th, respectively.

They included athletes such as Mario Manningham, Justin Boren, Antonio Bass, Brandon Graham, Obi Ezeh, Brandon Minor, and many more.

What did Rich Rod do with that talent? He let them go and never looked back. Rich Rod never fought to keep any guys that thought about leaving and did not even care once they were gone.

Rich Rod drove away Ryan Mallett, Mario Manningham, Adrian Arrington (who had an extra year of eligibility if he wanted it), Antonio Bass, Steven Threet, Marques Slocum, and Justin Boren, just to name a few.

Even with Nick Sheridan at quarterback in a new system, Michigan would have won more than three games if Manningham, Arrington, and Bass had stayed.

Bass would have been a great fit in the spread system because he can carry, catch, and pass the ball. He was the perfect fit at quarterback RichRod was looking for. Good job coach!

Mistake No. 2—Dumb decisions cost games

Yes, ifs are always an issue in football. When Michigan played Iowa this year, Tate Forcier was clearly not on the same page as the rest of the team. What did Rich Rod do? He left Forcier in until the very end of the game.

Then, along came Denard Robinson; cold, off the bench, to play the final series. He was on the same page as his receivers and had some nice passes, until the ugly interception to end the game.

Why not put Robinson in earlier and let him play comfortably? Michigan would have had a much better chance with Robinson than Forcier. Ditto for the Ohio State game.

In the Michigan State game, you are down by a point in the other team's house with them on their heels. Why not go for two to win the game?

This is Michigan, we are conservative. Michigan State would have not expected a two-point conversion. They were clueless as to how to handle Michigan towards the end of the game.

Instead of sending the game in to overtime to lose, instead of taking the chance and beating up on a team that was on their heels. It was Michigan's game to lose at that point and Rich Rod did.

Mistake No. 3—Not using your talent as you should

This goes along with the first one of not to letting the talent go, but when you have talent used to playing a certain way, combine their system and yours.

Rich Rod could easily have worked in the spread offense while still playing to a semi-pro style of football. He could have used long balls and nice passes to Arrington and Manningham to set up by the run. Then, he could have brought in Bass to change it up often.

When those guys leave and you have your freshman class come in, then convert solely to the spread. Michigan could have avoided a three-win season.

As for this year and their current talent, stop putting in Robinson just to run the ball. Early in the season, Robinson and Forcier would both make passes. Rich Rod let Robinson loose a little.

Then, he stopped Robinson from passing (unless the game was on the line). Everyone in the stadium knew Robinson would be running. Teams just put eight in the box and that was that.

Use the wildcat a little with Robinson and Forcier. Put both quarterbacks on the field and run some option plays. Could you imagine a wishbone with Robinson and Forcier? No one would know who is getting the ball. Then, you could have Mathews or Grady coming off the end and run a nice option, end around reverse.

Bottom line: Rich Rod has to go. The only reason Michigan had five wins this season is because of their lackluster schedule and Forcier not playing like a freshman. Look what happened when he showed his freshman roots.

Forcier put the team on his back for at least two of those games and came out victorious. The Notre Dame game was a miraculous win. The Indiana game ended on a controversial interception call. Take those two wins away and what do you have? The 2008 season.

Rich Rod does not deserve another year. He has done nothing to improve the program, nor will he. Send him out now while Michigan still has talent.

Bring in a coach like Brian Kelly or Jim Harbaugh, that can turn this program around.

Now is the time to get Kelly or Harbaugh. Kelly would leave Cincinnati for an attractive offer, unless they win the National Title (but we all know how much the BCS loves the Big East).

Harbaugh has verbally renewed his contract, but has not yet signed anything. Think he may be waiting? After all, he is a Michigan man that wants to return to his roots. Look at what he has done at Stanford with zero talent.

Please, Mary Sue Coleman, fire Rich Rod. The whole athletic department can be revamped after Bill Martin retires and you get a new football coach. If not, Michigan will continue to be the laughingstock of the Big Ten.

NFL Midseason Report

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10:01 -0500

With eight weeks gone in the NFL, most teams are approaching the turning points in their seasons. This NFL season has witnessed unbeaten teams, back and forth games, disappointments, and controversies. Here is a midseason report through Week Eight.

Midseason MVP

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Peterson is third in the league in rushing with 163 attempts and 784 yards. He averages almost five yards per carry and has nine touchdowns.

Midseason Rookie of the Year

Brian Cushing, LB, Houston Texans

Cushing has 66 tackles (36 solo), one-and-a-half sacks, one safety, nine passes defensed, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Midseason Coach of the Year

Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos

The Broncos faced controversy this offseason when trading Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton. The fans were holding their breath after an abysmal preseason. This proves that preseason means nothing, as McDaniels has his team off to a 6-1 start.

Winners

Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings

Losers

Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

Falling Down

New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

On the Rise

Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins

Underachieving

Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans

Overachieving

Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings

Which Team Is the Worst in the League?

With six teams fighting for this awful title, which team will get another win or two by the end of the season?

Playing eeny-meeny-miney-moe with quarterbacks has not fared well for the Browns. Their only win came against the Bills in a 6-3 ugly game. The Browns face the Lions, Raiders, and Chiefs, so they may get one or two more wins this season.

After going 0-16 last season, the Lions can only get better, right? Well, they do have one win and may get another one. Their only chances for wins are against the Seahawks and Browns.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen! The Rams have only beaten Detroit this season, which is not much of an achievement. Their only chance for another victory is against the Titans later this season.

Can we see another 0-16 team? The Buccaneers are 0-7 to date and have the toughest part of their schedule remaining. They face Miami, Green Bay, Carolina, New York Jets, Seattle, and New Orleans and Atlanta twice. You tell me who their win will be against.

The Titans are by far the most underachieving team with one win against division-rival Jacksonville. Let's not forget when they forgot to play in England against the Patriots. The Titans have a chance for some more wins when they face Buffalo, St. Louis, and Seattle.

Which Undefeated Team Will End the Regular Season 16-0?

New Orleans Saints.

Yes, that sounds weird to say the Saints will remain undefeated, but they have faced some tough competition and have a bit of a coast the rest of the season.

Their only tough games come against New England and Dallas at home, and on the road in Atlanta. Other than those, they face St. Louis, Washington, and Carolina and Tampa Bay twice.

On the other hand, the Indianapolis Colts host New England and Denver, while travelling to Baltimore to face a tough defense. The rest of their games include Tennessee, Jacksonville, New York Jets, Buffalo, and Houston twice.

If both teams remain undefeated during the regular season, the Colts have the best chance to finish the season without a blemish. Manning has the playoff and Super Bowl experience.

The Saints will likely have to go through Minnesota, the New York Giants, Dallas, Philadelphia, or Arizona. All those are tough games.

Midseason Super Bowl Prediction

The All-Manning Bowl. Yes, the Indianapolis Colts will beat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLIV.

Which Conference Is Most Dominant in College Football? (Answer)

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:30 -0400

I wrote an article almost a week ago asking people to weigh in on which conference is the best based on winning percentage against the other BCS Conferences in the past five years. If you did not answer, sorry, but here is the answer.

If you would like to read the article to see what people said, here is a link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/264389-which-conference-is-most-dominant-in-college-football

The rules were as follows:

The conferences involved are BCS Conferences—ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC

The winning percentages involve ONLY inter-conference play, such as when an ACC team plays an SEC team.

These games include all regular season and bowl games for the past five years, including this year up-to-date.

Teams that switched conferences are counted for the conference they were in at the time of the win. ie. Boston College's 2004 season counts for the Big East, not the ACC.

The answer:

1. Conference A: 0.595 - That's right! The Pac 10 Conference. I found that the Pac 10 played a lot out of out-of-conference games to boost their strength of schedule and won, which helped their winning percentage. No, it is not all because of USC either. Without USC, they still had a 0.532 winning percentage.

2. Conference B: 0.576 - About 45% of the people that responded to the poll said the SEC was the best. Top to bottom, I would agree this is arguably the best conference. Based on their winning percentage, they are second behind the Pac 10. And yes, these conferences played several times over the past five years. The SEC did beat the Pac 10 eight times; however, seven were at home. How different would this be if the SEC was forced to travel? They would probably be about even, seeing as how the home team usually wins between these conferences.

3. Conference C: 0.500 - The Big 12. They have played the least out-of-conference games next to the Pac 10. There are some consistent teams to play other BCS Conferences, such as Baylor, Missouri, and Iowa State. Some of these are yearly games, such as Iowa versus Iowa State. Most of their BCS Conference games came in the bowl games.

4. Conference D: 0.489 - The Big East. Yes, they are a BCS Conference and they are better than two others. The Big East tries to boost their schedule by playing one or two games consistently before the conference play begins. Almost every Big East team plays at least one BCS Conference game during the regular season every year. This is the only conference that can make that claim.

5. Conference E: 0.452 - The Big Ten has been going downhill for a while. This shows how far they have fallen. Most of the Big Ten has given up road games to play easier MAC and Conference USA teams at home. Because of this, they usually lose the bowl games to the SEC and Pac 10.

6. Conference F: 0.429 - The ACC has played way more out-of-conference games than any other conference; however, they have also lost way more out-of-conference games than any other BCS Conference. The ACC has gone 54-72 the past five years. Most of their opponents are the SEC in rivalry games and the Big East before the ACC season starts.

I hope you all enjoyed this trivia question. Thanks for playing!

Which Conference Is Most Dominant in College Football?

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:29:49 -0400

Here is a little trivia question for all you college football fans. I am going to list the winning percentages of all the BCS Conferences for the past five years. I want you to tell me which winning percentage belongs to which conference.

Here are the rules:

The conferences involved are BCS Conferences - ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC

The winning percentages involve ONLY inter-conference play, such as when an ACC team plays an SEC team.

These games include all regular season and bowl games for the past five years, including this year up-to-date.

Teams that switched conferences are counted for the conference they were in at the time of the win. ie. Boston College's 2004 season counts for the Big East, not the ACC.

Please leave your comments and let me know which conference is which. I will post a second blog with the answer in a few days. Have fun!

Conference A: 0.595

Conference B: 0.576

Conference C: 0.500

Conference D: 0.489

Conference E: 0.452

Conference F: 0.429

Michigan Gives Michigan State the Respect (or Lack Thereof) They Deserve

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:16:57 -0400

Michigan State and their fans do not understand why the Michigan Wolverines do not give them respect. Every year, according to State, Michigan looks past the game and does not take it seriously.

Has anyone actually watched the football games over the years?

Since 2000, Michigan has beaten Michigan State seven out of nine times. The two losses? Everyone remembers "Spartan Bob" and the one-second magical play. State also won last year, when everyone beat Michigan and they had the worst season in their history.

In addition to winning against State, Michigan has won three Big Ten Titles (two shared), and been to eight bowl games.

Michigan State has won no Big Ten Titles and only been to four bowl games, winning only one.

If someone wants to argue that Michigan should not look past this game, I fully agree. They should not look past any game, including Eastern Michigan or Delaware State.

Michigan football needs to treat every game seriously and fight to the finish, especially this year. After that abysmal season last year, Michigan needs to have a great season to win back their fans.

As for the game on Saturday, Michigan has an explosive offense. They have the potential to score on any given drive. Michigan has scored over 30 points in their first four games.

On the other hand, they have also let in over 30 points to two different teams, Notre Dame and Indiana.

Michigan State has fallen back to their old ways. They looked good in their first game and have fallen apart their last three, losing to Central Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.

Michigan State has the potential to upset the Wolverines, especially playing at Spartan Stadium. Look for this game to be a high scoring affair.

Unfortunately for the Spartans, Michigan's defense will step up when needed and their offense will never stop scoring points all game.

With Coach Dantonio switching quarterbacks constantly, the Spartans have lost momentum in several games. This will hurt them against a rival.

How will the game shake out?

Wolverines 40, Little Brother 30

The 10 Things We Know After Week 2 in the NFL

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:43:44 -0400

It has been an exciting first two weeks of football season in the NFL. Many teams have had dominating games, while others have kept fans on the edge of their seats. Some teams are off to a great start at 2-0, most teams are 1-1, and a few are even winless. So, what do we know after week 2? Weeks 1 and 2 have answered some questions about certain teams. Have injuries affected some teams too much? Will the 2-0 teams make the playoffs? Here are 10 things we know after week 2 in the National Football League.

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AFC North: Will The Super Bowl Champions Defend Their Title?

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:34:15 -0400

Last year, the AFC North sent two teams to the playoffs. They sent those same two teams to the AFC Championship game to play each other for the third time in a season.

Everyone should remember what happened. The Pittsburgh Steelers knocked off the Baltimore Ravens en route to their sixth Super Bowl Title.

Will the Steelers defend their title or suffer the Super Bowl hangover? Here are the predictions for the AFC North.

4. Cleveland Browns: Let's face it, the Cleveland Browns are going nowhere fast. They have not even named a starting quarterback and they are only days away from kickoff.

The Browns tried to help themselves in the offseason by picking up Donte Stallworth, only to have him suspended for the season. They still have wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Joshua Cribbs.

Without a quarterback, good wide receivers do not mean much. As for their running back, Jamal Lewis can still play; however, he is getting old. One too many hits could knock him out for a few games.

As for their defense, the Browns finished 26th overall last season. The 3-4 defense has a decent line with Shaun Rogers Kenyon Coleman, and Robaire Smith.

As for their secondary, the Browns have cornerbacks Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald. The safeties Abram Elam and Brodney Pool are not household names.

This whole defense still has a few holes. The Browns will eventually improve, but this year is not their year.

As for their schedule, the Browns travel to Denver, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City. This is the easy part of their schedule. They also host Minnesota, Green Bay, San Diego, Oakland, and Jacksonville.

3. Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer is healthy this year and has high hopes for his team. Signing Leaveraneus Coles to replace TJ Houshmanzadeh was a good off-season pickup. He will join Chad Ochocinco.

As for the backfield, the Bengals re-signed Cedric Benson. He is a big, bruising running back that can have success. Unfortunately, the Bengals were 32nd in overall offense last year. Look for them to improve, but still not end up on top of the division.

The Bengals defense was the highlight of their team, finishing 12th last season. The linebacking core of Dhani Jones, Rashad Jeantry, and Keith Rivers all return from last year.

The passing defense is anchored by cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathon Joseph. Joining them is strong safety Roy Williams.

The Bengals will head on the road to Green Bay, Oakland, Minnesota, San Diego, and the New York Jets. Three of those games will give the Bengals trouble.

The Bengals will host Denver, Houston, Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City. This will bode better for them, but still give the Bengals some trouble.

2. Baltimore Ravens: The Baltimore Ravens return Joe Flacco. With a year of experience under his belt, Flacco will have another good season. Flacco will have the help of running backs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee.

The Ravens had the 18th overall offense last year. Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason have good hands and will support Flacco as well as last season.

The Ravens are more well-known for their defense, who finished in second place last season. Re-signing Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis was big for their defense as these two anchor the defense.

Anchoring the secondary is free safety Ed Reed.

The Ravens have a tough schedule this season. They travel to San Diego, New England, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Oakland. Only one of these teams is a relatively easy game for Baltimore.

At home, Baltimore will host Kansas City, Denver, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Chicago. Over half of these teams can give Baltimore real trouble.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Yes, the Steelers will defend their Super Bowl title by winning the AFC North. Of course, they are anchored by their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He will again throw to Hines Ward and the Super Bowl Hero Santonio Holmes.

The Steelers re-signed tight end Heath Miller to help Roethlisberger have another person to pass to. In the backfield are a great tandem of Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall. Either of these backs provide solid support for Roethlisberger.

Who did the Ravens finish second to in defense? That's right, the Steelers. They are led by strong safety Troy Polamalu. He always seems to be in exactly the right place on almost every play.

The Steelers have the support of solid linebackers with LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, and James Harrison. Just so no one is left out, do not forget corners Ike Taylor and William Gay. This team just has too many weapons.

The Steelers do have a slightly tough schedule. They head to Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City, and Miami. Chicago and Miami will be the toughest games, but the Steelers defense has the prowess to overcome the road disadvantage.

As for their home field advantage, the Steelers host Tennessee, San Diego, Minnesota, Oakland, and Green Bay. This is a much tougher schedule than their away schedule; however, having home field advantage will help the Steelers.

AFC South Preview: Will It Be the Indianapolis Colts Again?

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:44:26 -0400

Last year, the AFC South sent two teams to the playoffs. Both teams had at least 12 wins. The Tennessee Titans won the division with the Indianapolis Colts close behind.

The Titans lost at home to the Baltimore Ravens after having a bye. The Colts lost on the road to the San Diego Chargers.

The AFC South is a wide-open division. Anyone can win. This will be a tight race.

Will the division flip around this year? Who will win the division? Here are the predictions.

4. Houston Texans: The Texans return one of the best receivers in the league in Andre Johnson. They still have Matt Schaub as quarterback throwing to Johnson. Unfortunately, Johnson cannot win games by himself.

Steve Slaton will be a dynamic back for the Texans. He can run, block, and catch out of the backfield. This will help take pressure off Schaub.

As for their defense, the Texans ranked 22nd last season. They are led by their big defensive line with Mario Williams, DelJuan Robinson, Amobi Okoye, and Antonio Smith.

The Texans travel to Arizona, Cincinnati, Buffalo, St. Louis, and Miami. The advantage is that St. Louis and Cincinnati are not going to have their best years. Arizona and Miami both have explosive offenses.

As for their home games, the Texans face the New York Jets, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, and New England. Almost half of those games are no-win games.

3. Tennessee Titans: The Titans will not have the same success they had last season. They still have Kerry Collins who is a solid, but older quarterback. With Chris Johnson and LenDale White in the backfield, they should take some focus off Collins.

Collins will throw to Nate Washington, who was a big pickup in the offseason. On the other side, Collins will throw to Justin Gage. The Titans also retained tight end Bo Scaiffe.

The Titans defense is led by their defensive line, who ranked sixth in rush defense last season. Jevon Kearse is the big man on the end that anchors the defensive line. Joining Kearse are Tony Brown, Jason Jones, and Kyle VandenBosch.

As for the linebackers and secondary, look for Keith Bullock, Nick Harper, and Cortland Finnegan to make a difference.

The Titans have a slightly tough road schedule. They travel to Pittsburgh, the New York Jets, New England, San Francisco, and Seattle. Pittsburgh and New England speak for themselves. While San Francisco and Seattle are not great, those west coast trips are usually tough.

The Titans have a more favorable home schedule hosting Buffalo, San Diego, St. Louis, Miami, and Arizona. There will be some major problems, but the Titans have homefield which will help.

2. Indianapolis Colts: This is going to be a close race with the Colts and Jaguars. As long as Peyton Manning is the quarterback, the Colts will also be close to the top of the division. The Colts got rid of Dominic Rhodes and Marvin Harrison.

Manning still has Anthony Gonzalez and Reggie Wayne to throw to. He will have Joseph Addai in the backfield, with rookie Donald Brown from Connecticut as the backup.

As for their defense, the Colts are led by their secondary. The Colts secondary finished sixth against the pass last season. Cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden have the support of safeties Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea.

Up front, the Colts are led by Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney. They will further step up their game this season.

The Colts have to visit Miami, Arizona, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Buffalo. They have some tough games, but can come out on top if they stick to their gameplan.

The Colts will also host Seattle, San Francisco, New England, Denver, and the New York Jets. With the Jets and Broncos having off-seasons, the Colts have a decent home schedule.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars will vastly improve this season. They have the talent to turn around the AFC South. The Jaguars do not have a superstar quarterback but David Garrard will get the job done.

Picking up Torry Holt will help Garrard. He will have Troy Williamson on the other side. In the backfield is Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew is a tough back to play against because he is so versatile. This will help the Jaguars.

The Jaguars finished 13th in rush defense last year and 24th against the pass. They will have to majorly improve their pass defense to come out on top of this division.

Reggie Hayward, John Henderson, Rob Meier, and Derrick Harvey all return from the line last year. As they continue to play together and get more comfortable, look for this line to make some big moves.

The Jaguars will have to travel to Seattle, the New York Jets, San Francisco, New England, and Cleveland. The west coast trips are always difficult as is a trip to New England. The games against the Browns and the Jets play to the Jaguars' advantage.

The Jaguars will host Arizona, St. Louis, Kansas City, Buffalo, and Miami. Having homefield advantage will help the Jaguars as some of these games are pretty tough.

AFC East Preview: Will the New England Patriots Reign Once Again?

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:01:50 -0400

The AFC East had some shakeups last season. Quarterback Tom Brady went down with a knee injury. Brett Favre led the New York Jets. Chad Pennington surprisingly rocked with the Miami Dolphins and led them to a division championship.

Last offseason, the Buffalo Bills maybe made the biggest move by picking up Terrell Owens for this year's run.

Last season was strange but competitive. This year, it will continue to be a challenging division for the teams involved. The teams are pretty equal, and it will be a tough fight for the division championship.

Who will win the AFC East? Here are my predictions.

Fourth Place: New York Jets

This will be a bit of a rebuilding/building for the future year for the New York Jets. With QB Mark Sanchez taking over the team as a rookie, there will be some growing pains. Sanchez will do well but may not lead the team to the championship.

He has good wide receivers in Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey. They will help Sanchez feel more comfortable in the pocket.

Running back Thomas Jones will take some pressure off Sanchez. The Jets will probably run a few more running plays to ease Sanchez into his new role.

The defense is led by their big men up front. Marques Douglas, Kris Jenkins, and Shaun Ellis lead the 3-4 defense. The defense looks good under new defensive-minded head coach Rex Ryan but will face a speed bump in Week One because Ellis has been suspended for the first game.

Losing the first game will not kill the Jets' season. They were seventh against the rush last year and should be up there again this year.

The Jets head to Houston, New Orleans, Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis. West coast games can be tough, but that's a pretty favorable road schedule.

As for the home games, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Carolina, Atlanta, and Cincinnati travel to the Meadowlands.

With a young offense full of potential and a head coach with a sense for the defensive side of the ball, the Jets should fare well considering it is a rebuilding year.

Third Place: Buffalo Bills

The big offseason pick-up this year was wide receiver Terrell Owens. He looks to make an impact opposite Lee Evans. With two speedy receivers, Trent Edwards should have a better passer rating this year.

The reason the Bills will finish third is partly due to the fact that Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games of the season. Fred Jackson is a solid No. 2 running back but missing Lynch for three games will hurt the Bills. Three weeks is not quite a quarter of the season, but enough to make a significantly negative impact for Dick Jauron's boys.

The defense was 13th against the pass last year. Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, Bryan Scott, and Donte Whitner will start in the secondary this season. Last year, they all started in almost all the games they played in.

They missed a few games, but still had decent numbers. As for their rush defense, the Bills drafted Aaron Maybin from Penn State to help in that facet of the game. They finished 22nd last year and are looking to improve.

Their schedule is reasonably favorable. The Bills travel to Carolina, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Kansas City, and Atlanta. Most of these games are in the second half of the season.

The first half of the season features a lot of home games. The Bills host Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Cleveland, Houston, and Indianapolis.

If Owens can duplicate the first-year performances he had in Philadelphia and Dallas, the Bills have a chance to make some noise in the AFC East.

Second Place: Miami Dolphins

Chad Pennington stepped into the starting role last year and proved he still has a lot left. He will have the explosive Ted Ginn Jr. to throw to again this year. On the other side will be second year receiver Davone Bess.

In the backfield, Pennington has the support of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Ricky Williams will not do much but can be a good supporting blocker and extra receiver.

The Dolphins run a 3-4 on defense. Jason Taylor returns to the Dolphins this year in a slightly different role. He will be a linebacker that comes up on blitzes for the 3-4. Taylor joins other linebackers Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, and Joey Porter.

As for their schedule, the Dolphins do not have it too tough. They head to Atlanta, San Diego, Carolina, Jacksonville, and Tennessee. That sounds like a tough road schedule but the Dolphins should have an upset or two in that mix.

Heading to Miami are Indianapolis, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Houston, and Pittsburgh. They play the defending Super Bowl champs near the end of the season, so there's a chance one of those teams will be fighting for their playoff lives once that game comes around.

AFC East Champions: New England Patriots

The only way they will win the division is if Tom Brady stays healthy. No offense to Brian Hoyer, but he will not lead them to many wins this year if Brady gets hurt.

Brady returns to Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Joey Galloway who will serve as a backup and slot receiver. With Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fred Taylor in the backfield, Brady has plenty of support. No matter which back is behind him, Brady has a solid backfield.

Their schedule is the easiest of the division. The Patriots travel to Denver, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Houston. Denver, Tampa Bay, and Houston are not going to be as good as they were last year.

As for their home schedule, the Patriots host Atlanta, Baltimore, Tennessee, Carolina, and Jacksonville. These teams are tough, but the Patriots have good home-field advantage at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

With a healthy offense, Brady and the Patriots could show the flashes of brilliance they demonstrated during the 2007 regular season.

AFC West: Which Team Will Fall in to The Playoffs?

Samantha Cooke — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:11:25 -0400

The AFC West is probably the worst division in the NFL. As of last year, they had two tough teams to watch out for.

This year, however, the winner may be .500 or less when they win the division. This could be one of the worst playoff teams in history.

So, which team will take it home? Here are the predictions.

4. Oakland Raiders: The best chance the Raiders have of improving is to fire their GM/Owner. JaMarcus Russell will be more comfortable in the pocket this year. He has some receivers to throw too, but they are young.

The Raiders drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey. He has lightning speed and good moves, but how will he hold up in the NFL?

The backfield does not have big names, but has a couple decent guys in Justin Fargus and Darren McFadden.

The defense did little to improve this year. They finished 27th in overall defense last year and may end up in the same position.

They are led by their defensive line. They have Trevor Scott, Tommy Kelly, Gerard Warren, and Greg Ellis. They also re-signed cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. He helps the pass defense, but cannot do it himself.

As for their schedule, the Raiders head to Houston, the New York Giants, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. They host Philadelphia, the New York Jets, Cincinnati, Washington, and Baltimore.

3. Denver Broncos: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Trading Kyle Orton for Jay Cutler is one of the worst moves the Broncos could have made. While Orton does not suck, he is no Cutler.

Look for the Broncos to have no where near the offense production they had last year. Even with decent receivers, Orton just does not have the stuff to bring the team to the playoffs.

The Broncos signed Correll Buckhalter and Lamont Jordan to boost the backfield. This may help take some pressure off Orton until he gets comfortable. It will be too little, too late.

As for the defense, they are led by their secondary. With veterans Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey, they have the ability to stop offenses.

Unfortunately, their offense will still have to score some points in order to win the game.

As for their schedule, the Broncos host Cleveland, Dallas, New England, Pittsburgh, and the New York Giants. With four of those teams as picks to make the playoffs, look for the Broncos to lose some at home.

The Broncos will travel to Cincinnati, Baltimore, Washington, Indianapolis and Philadelphia. Most of these teams are looking for the playoffs, so the Broncos will not have any amazing road wins.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: The pick-up of Matt Cassel was a great move for the Chiefs this offseason. Hopefully, his knee will heal with plenty of time left in the season. If he misses two games or less, the Chiefs will have a better chance of challenging for the AFC West title.

Cassel will throw to Terrance Cooper, Mark Bradley, Dwayne Bowe, and Bobby Engram. With the support of Larry Johnson in the backfield, look for this offense to improve a lot from their 24th ranking last year.

On defense, the Chiefs picked up Mike Vrabel at linebacker. He will help Corey Mays, Tamba Hali, and DeMorrioWilliams. This defense ranked 31st last year, but should improve with the linebacking core.

Now for their schedule. The Chiefs go on the road to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Jacksonville, and Cincinnati. They will host the New York Giants, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland.

1. San Diego Chargers: Retaining Phillip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Darren Sproles kept this team intact. They will roll through this division. As for the rest of the NFL, we will see.

Rivers has great receivers to throw to. Joining Darren Sproles out of the backfield are wide receivers Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson.

Sproleswill be a great team player as a running back receiver and back up for Tomlinson. Tomlinson will get lots of rest with Sproles coming in on several offensive schemes.

The defense has not vastly improved from last year, when they ranked 25th. Their secondary should improve as they were 31st last year.

With Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, Clinton Hart, and Eric Weddle, the secondary has experience to help them improve.

The Chargers travel to Pittsburgh, the New York Giants, Cleveland, Dallas, and Tennessee. That is a slightly easier road than their AFC West-mates.

The Chargers will also host Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Washington. With Washington and Cincinnati having possible off-years, this will help the Chargers. Also being at home should help the Chargers against tougher opponents.

NFC East: Who Will Take Home The Title This Year?

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:25:33 -0400

Arguably the toughest division in the NFC, the NFC East, has some of the top teams in the NFL including the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants who all finished in the top 15 last year on both offense and defense.

That is, except the Washington offense, which ranked 19th.

The NFC East sent two teams to the playoffs including the Philadelphia Eagles who played in the NFC Championship Game to the Arizona Cardinals.

Which of the toughest teams will win the NFC East this year? Here are the picks:

4. Washington Redskins: The Redskins did not do a lot to improve their team. They will still perform hopefully a little better this year with more experience. They will ride the arm of Jason Campbell who gets more comfortable each year.

Campbell has the support of Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El. The Redskins have a two-headed monster in running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts.

The Redskins defense ranked fourth last year. They return big men inside in Cornelius Griffin and Albert Haynesworth and used their draft choice on Brian Orakpo.

Orakpo will most likely start this year while assisting London Fletcher at linebacker. Do not forget about the corners, DeAngelo Hall and Carlos Rogers.

The Redskins have an easy schedule because they got last place in their division last year. They play St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Denver, and New Orleans at home. The only real challenge is New Orleans. On the road, they travel to Detroit, Carolina, Atlanta, Oakland, and San Diego.

3. Dallas Cowboys: Yes, he caused a lot of problems and has a big mouth, but the cutting of Terrell Owens could play a factor in the offense this year. Tony Romo will still have Roy Williams, formerly a Detroit Lion, and Jason Witten to throw to.

He will also have Jon Kitna as a backup in case anything happens. Romo will have help with Marion Barber and Felix Jones in the backfield.

The defense ranked eighth last year and signed all their draft picks. Michael Hamlin will probably start at free safety which could be a great move or a risky one. The professional game is much faster than the college game and will be quite an adjustment for Hamlin.

The Cowboys have a good linebacking group with Anthony Spencer, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, and DeMarcus Ware.

The schedule for the Cowboys has some tough games and some easy ones. They travel to Tampa Bay, Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay, and New Orleans while hosting Carolina, Atlanta, Seattle, Oakland, and San Diego.

2. New York Giants: Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs are the biggest assets on the Giants this year.

The loss of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer could prove fatal. They do still have Shaun Bodiford, David Tyree, Steve Smith, and Mario Manningham. That may not be enough to win the division though.

The Giants finished fifth in overall defense last year. They have a great defensive line with Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora and also have good support with Antonio Pierce and Kevin Dockery.

The Giants have a decent schedule. They host Oakland, Arizona, San Diego, Atlanta, and Carolina, but will travel to Tampa Bay, Kansas City, New Orleans, Denver, and Minnesota.

1. Philadelphia Eagles: The team with the X-Factor usually wins the NFC East. This could be a stretch, but Michael Vick will be the X-Factor this year. Yes, it is preseason, but he looks really good so far.

Having Vick and Donovan McNabb in formations together will help boost this offense. That is saying a lot since they finished ninth last year.

They also have great wide receivers, led by Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson. Backing them up is Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin. Do not forget about Brian Westbrook at running back either.

The Eagles finished third last year in total defense. Look for them to retain that strength. They have a strong secondary with Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Quintin Mikell, and Quintin Demps.

The defense is not amazing, but they are consistent.

DeSean Jackson and draft pick Jeremy Maclin will help the special teams with their kick returns. They have lightning feet and great moves. Look for Jackson or Maclin to return a few for touchdowns this year.

The schedule could hurt the Eagles, but they should be able to lock up some big wins. They head to Carolina, Oakland, San Diego, Chicago, and Atlanta. The Eagles will host New Orleans, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and Denver.

NFC South Preview: Will Offensive-Minded Saints March Over Falcons and Panthers?

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:54:16 -0400

Last year, the NFC South sent two teams to the playoffs. The Carolina Panthers won the division and the Atlanta Falcons made it in as a wild card. The Falcons lost to eventual runner-up Arizona Cardinals.

The main focus of the NFC South is the offense. All four teams have pretty prolific offenses and mediocre defenses.

Who will win the NFC South?

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Getting rid of Brian Griese and Jeff Garcia creates a controversy on the team this year. While neither quarterback was a superstar, they were both solid and gave their team a fighting chance.

This year will be a rebuilding year for the Bucs, with the quarterback battle between Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich. They also hurt themselves by getting rid of Ike Hilliard, Joey Galloway, and Warrick Dunn. Don't expect the Bucs to contend for the title this year.

The Bucs return most of their starters from the No. 9 overall defense last year. Ronde Barber is the star of the defense at cornerback. They have a solid line in Jimmy Wilkerson, Ryan Sims, Chris Hovan, and Gaines Adams. Unfortunately, this defense will be on the field too much with the offense and it will wear them down.

The schedule is relatively favorable. The Bucs play Dallas, New York Giants, New England, Green Bay, and New York Jets at home. They travel to Buffalo, Washington, Philadelphia, Miami, and Seattle.

3. Carolina Panthers

Don't expect the Panthers to repeat as NFC South Champions this year. Yes, they re-signed Jake Delhomme and he still has Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammed to throw to. This will not be enough. The Panthers will score their points, but will probably go .500 for the season.

The defense is led by big-men Julius Peppers and Nate Salley. Chris Gamble will continue to improve the secondary and is a solid starter for the Panthers. Na'il Diggs helps the linebacking corps; however, this defense doesn't have enough depth to do some real damage.

Carolina will face Philadelphia, Washington, Buffalo, Miami, and Minnesota at home. There are only a couple games that could be trouble. Their road schedule is a lot tougher and will create more problems. The Panthers travel to Dallas, Arizona, New York Jets, New England, and the New York Giants.

2. New Orleans

The No. 1 offense returns for the Saints this year. They also have the No. 1 passer in Drew Brees. With the support of Devery Henderson, Marques Colston, and Robert Meachem, look for this team to once again be on top of the league in passing. Reggie Bush will continue to be the multi-dimensional threat for the Saints.

The defense will be the problem that keeps them from winning the division. They signed Darren Sharper to help their secondary. Two starters, Charles Grant and Will Smith, have been suspended for four games due to banned substances. This will hurt the team and keep them from winning the division.

The Saints host Detroit, New York Jets, New York Giants, New England, and Dallas. They travel to Philadelphia, Buffalo, Miami, St. Louis, and Washington. They play the tougher teams at home and travel to some easier contests. Their schedule will help slightly.

1. Atlanta Falcons

With Matt Ryan more comfortable this year, look for the Falcons to win the division. He was NFL Rookie of the Year and started all the games last year. This helps his confidence and he will be more comfortable in the pocket. Helping Ryan will again be Michael Turner in the backfield. Ryan will throw to Roddy White, Marty Booker, Michael Jenkins, and newcomer Tony Gonzalez.

What sets the Falcons apart in this division is their defense and added depth due to the draft. They signed all defensive draft picks including Peria Jerry, William Moore, Christopher Owens, Lawrence Sidbury, and William Middleton. This adds depth to a defense that returns most of their starters, but finished 24th in total defense last year.

The Falcons have a reasonable schedule with home games against Miami, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, and Buffalo. They will face some challenges when they travel to New England, Dallas, and the New York Giants. They will also have some easier road games in San Francisco and the New York Jets.

Arizona Cardinals Again? NFC West Preview

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:14:41 -0400

Last year, the NFC West sent one team to the playoffs and one team to the Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals were the only team in the NFC West above .500.

The Cardinals had nine wins. San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis combined for only 13 wins total.

What is in store for the NFC West this season? Will the Cardinals repeat as Champions? Here is how they will finish:

4. St. Louis Rams

They signed all of their draft picks. They also picked up Kyle Boller to back up Marc Bulger this season. Bulger is getting older and he lost his best receiver from last year, as the Rams got rid of Terry Holt. This is going to hurt an offense which placed 27th last year.

The defense got a little revamped. James Laurinaitis will help add depth at linebacker and could even step in as a starter towards the end of the season. Picking up SS James Butler from the Giants will help FS Oshiomogho Atogwe. Unfortunately, the Rams did not do a whole lot to help their 28th ranked defense.

As for the schedule, the Rams will have trouble outside their division. They travel to Washington, Jacksonville, Chicago, Tennessee, and Detroit. They also face Green Bay, Minnesota, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Houston at home. They may win an extra game or two this season, but they will remain in last place.

3. San Francisco 49ers

Not having a solid starter at quarterback will hurt the 49ers this year. The position is up for grabs between Alex Smith, Sean Hill, and Damon Huard. All are decent quarterbacks, but none of them are superstars. Having Michael Crabtree will help the quarterback position, if he commits to the team for this season.

The defense picked up a couple big name players to help out this season, namely Dre Bly and Marques Harris. They will have some trouble because most of the teams they see this season are offense-heavy.

Besides the teams in their division, the 49ers will face Atlanta with Matt Ryan, Chicago with Jay Culter, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Detroit. They will go on the road to Indianapolis with Peyton Manning, Green Bay with Aarong Rodgers, Philadelphia with Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, Minnesota, and Houston.

2. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks definitely boosted their offense this year to help out quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Deion Branch and Nate Burleson will get a massive boost this year from TJ Houshmandzadeh. This will help take pressure off the running game and open up for backs Julius Jones and TJ Duckett.

A defense that was 30th last year needed some help in the offseason. Aaron Curry will add depth to the line backing core. Cory Redding will add a big body up front. With Marcus Trufant having trouble, the Seahawks picked up Travis Fisher. He's a solid corner that could add to the defense even with Trufant healthy.

The Seahawks will face Chicago, Jacksonville, Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Tennessee at home. They don't have an impossible road schedule, but face some tough teams in Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Dallas, Minnesota, Houston, and Green Bay.

1. Arizona Cardinals

Yes, the Cardinals will repeat as NFC West Champions this year. They have too tough of an offense after re-signing Kurt Warner. Matt Leinart stepped up this offseason to become a solid backup. They return an excellent receiving core in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. To help take pressure off Tim Hightower, the Cardinals signed Chris "Beanie" Wells. Wells should see some time at running back this season and that will help keep Hightower fresh.

As for the defense, the Cardinals were 19th in total defense last year. They had 26 fumbles and 13 interceptions. They will look to up that number this year by adding depth at tackle. They have Bryan Robinson, Darnell Dockett, Gabe Watson, Alan Branch, and Keilen Dykes. Any of these guys could step in and be a solid starter.

The schedule is slightly favorable. The Cardinals will host Indianapolis, Houston, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Carolina. They have to travel to Jacksonville, Tennessee, New York Giants, Chicago, and Detroit. Look for the Cardinals to make the playoffs again this season.

Packers, Bears, Vikings, or Lions? NFC North Preview

Samantha Cooke — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:22:16 -0400

The first of eight installments, this article previews the NFC North. Deemed one of the worst divisions in the NFL, the NFC North only had one team in the playoffs last year.

Minnesota was ousted at home in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Eagles. Don’t forget about the winless Detroit Lions.

This year, the NFC North will be slightly more competitive. Here is how they will finish:

4. Detroit Lions

Unfortunately, picking up Matthew Stafford will not help the Lions win the division. They will, however, win some games this year. If they stick with Stafford all year, they will do better than if Stafford and Dante Culpepper split time. Stafford will be a great tandem with Calvin Johnson, but they do not have the skills to do it all themselves.

On the defense, losing defensive end Jared DeVries for the season hurts the Lions. They didn’t really do anything in the offseason to boost a defense which was last in the league in total defense. The Lions picked up Grady Jackson and Larry Foote, which will help, but the Lions just won’t do well this season.

As for their schedule, the Lions have their hands full this year. The NFC North will play the AFC North this year. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns will prove too much for the Lions. They will also have trouble in their division and with the NFC West.

3. Minnesota Vikings

Beginning with the Brett Favre controversy, this team has a lot of rebuilding to do this year. Yes, they have Adrian Peterson, who will once again carry the team. But, he still does not have a consistent quarterback to help him out.

This will once again hurt the Vikings.

The Vikings defense stayed relatively intact. This is good news as they finished sixth in overall defense last year. Led by the two Williams' in the middle and Antoine Winfield in the backfield, the Vikings only let in an average of 21 points per game.

The schedule for the Vikings is similar to the Lions. They will face the AFC North and NFC West. In addition, the Vikings will have to face tough teams such as the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers.

This will create some trouble for the Vikings.

2. Chicago Bears

Picking up Jay Cutler in the offseason was the best move the Chicago Bears made. He will pick up an offense that finished 26th overall last season. Matt Forte and Kevin Jones should pick up their game this year and provide a steady offense behind Cutler.

The Chicago Bears have had one consistency the past 10 or more years: their defense. They return most of their defense from last year, including the leader Brian Urlacher. Most of the positions are split between people or up for grabs, so the competition will only help the depth of the team.

Devin Hester still adds that special kick returner dimension to this team.

The schedule slightly favors the Chicago Bears over the others in the division. In addition to the AFC North and NFC West, the Bears will face the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. They will be in good shape if they split those games.

1. Green Bay Packers

Last year, the toughest challenge for the Green Bay Packers was to back up their quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The team and the fans had trouble rooting for the guy that “drove away Brett Favre.”

This year, however, is a different story. The town and team are 100 percent behind Rodgers. This will help his confidence and his play to dynamic wide receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver.

On defense, the Packers return their secondary, which finished 12th last year. They also had as many interceptions as touchdowns given up at 22. The Packers defense changed to a three-four scheme this year. This allows AJ Hawk to go back to his middle linebacker role alongside Nick Barnett.

Of the three NFC North teams fighting for a playoff berth, the Packers have the most favorable schedule. They face the AFC North and NFC West, but will face Cincinnati, Baltimore, Seattle, and San Francisco at home. They face the Dallas Cowboys at home and go on the road to Tampa Bay.

The Green Bay Packers will win the NFC North this year.

Welcome to Michigan Football Season

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:18:23 -0400

It is Saturday.

A typical Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It's somewhat breezy and a little cool.

You look down the road.

All you see is a faint sign of sunlight.

You begin to walk.

Surrounded by 95 of your friends.

You all walk towards the light.

Down the hill.

Suddenly you hear screams.

You hear music in the distance.

That familiar song.

"Hail, hail..."

You hope to hear it fifty times today.

You reach the end of the tunnel.

And begin to jump up and down.

You look out.

And see 110,000 admirers.

They all came here to see you.

In that maize and blue.

With that familiar winged helmet.

And there it is - your cue.

You run, jump, and touch the banner.

You can hear the 110,000 fans screaming and cheering.

This is it.

You're nervous; you have goosebumps.

You may be sick.

But that's what it's all about.

The band leaves the field.

The ball is ready to go.

"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo..."

Ah, the familiar sound of a foot hitting the ball.

Of pads hitting pads.

And it begins.

Football season has begun.

Welcome to the Michigan Wolverines' House.

Welcome to the Big House.

You won't be welcome for long.

Top Freshmen Performances in Past 15 Years of College Football

Samantha Cooke — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:39:37 -0400

Freshmen try to make their place in college football. Many freshmen have stellar first years and not-so-stellar careers. Some freshmen use their first season to spring their career throughout college and into the NFL. With college football season just around the corner, a new set of freshmen will put on the pads and line up across upperclassmen. Who will make an impact? What past freshmen have made an impact? Here is a list of the top freshmen performances of the past 15 years.

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Top 10 Biggest College Football Rivalries

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:45:49 -0400

With college football just around the corner, teams are already preparing for their toughest challenges. Some teams have tougher challenges ahead this season, while others have easier schedules. Every team has at least one rivalry, but most college teams have several. In college, every game matters. Some teams start off with their toughest rivalry games, while others wait until the end of the season. Here is a look at the top ten biggest college football rivalries.

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Listen Up, Manny: 50 Games Is 50 Games, Period!

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:31:22 -0400

"Manny was of a mind, 'Just let me take batting practice.' I encouraged him to play games. If he's going to miss 50 games, then he's going to have to do something."

Joe Torre stated this in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Dan Patrick.

Yes, Manny should continue to play and practice baseball. With him missing 50 games, that is a lot of time to get out of shape.

Why should Manny get to return before his 50-game suspension?

On the one hand, Manny served his 50-game suspension in Major League Baseball. He tested positive for a masking agent that could possibly mask steroids and did his time. If he tests positive again, he will serve a 100-game suspension.

On the other hand, Manny came back early to play baseball. He served a 45-game suspension, then returned to action to play for the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes and Single-A Inland Empire 66ers.

I agree Manny needed to play some games before returning the MLB; however, letting him play five games in the Minors before his suspension was over sends mixed messages.

A manager could argue that his player needs more time to get in shape if he was injured, so a player could play as many as 10 games in the Minors before his return. This would only give someone a 40-game suspension.

Further, if a player tests positive a second time, he will arguably need more time to return to the Majors. What if a player is allowed to play 20 or 25 games? This defeats the purpose of the suspension.

A 100-game suspension becomes a 75-game suspension. Pretty soon, they will not even get suspended. A player will just get sent down to the Minors until his suspension is over.

Fifty games is 50 games. Baseball needs to change their rule to state, "50 games of any kind, including Single A, AA, and AAA."

Baseball needs to get tougher on their steroid policy. If a player cheats and gets caught, make them pay. They deserve it. There is a warning and a rule. If someone breaks the rules knowingly, they deserve to serve the full suspension.

What Happened to Humility in Sports?

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:21:06 -0400

I learned the biggest life lesson from a five-year-old gymnast. Little Kiley was trying a trick for the first time. She went backwards over a barrel to perform an assisted bridge kickover.

It took Kiley a few times, but eventually she got the trick by herself. Beaming from ear to ear, Kiley got her mom to come in the gym so she could show off. Then, she showed her older gymnast sisters.

Kiley, an aspiring kindergarten gymnast, showed me the reason I love sports. She was truly excited over a small trick.

Kiley has dreams of going to the Olympics, but more realistic dreams of doing gymnastics until she graduates high school. Then, she will go on to college and achieve her dreams.

What happened to humility? It is scary to think that children today do not have a chance to be children. Athletes try to grow up too fast and live in the fast lane.

Most athletes turn in to Kobe or even Eli Manning, whose heads are too big for the league.

We need to bring back happiness to children and sports today. They only think of sports for the fame and money.

Take the next big thing, baseball's Bryce Harper, who decided to forgo his final two years of high school to play professional baseball. Yes, he is earning his GED and trying to enroll in a junior college this fall, but come on, let him be a kid.

You only have one high school experience. Those four short years are filled with homecomings, football games, prom, graduation, friends, and being part of a team.

It is not about becoming "the next big thing." Even LeBron James finished high school.

Parents are trying to cash in on their children. Harper has the talent to make it in the big leagues, but let him do it on his terms. He has no idea what it means to be a team player or a teenager.

Everyone is so focused on making the most possible money that they will risk anything to do it. It is hard to change children's minds when they see JaMarcus Russell hold out for more money or Alex Rodriguez making more in a season than some families will see in their lifetime.

What happened to playing a game for the love and not the money?

I have seen some amazing athletes, but only a handful "do the right thing." The perfect example of this is Tim Tebow.

Tebow never takes anything for granted. He cannot believe his life is the way it is and understands it can be taken away at any moment. That is why he constantly thanks his family and God for taking him this far.

No one can deny Tebow would not do well in the pros if he left college early. He would easily have been the top pick in the draft this year.

Tebow decided to be the man with a plan and finish college. After all, what would he fall back on?

Think about these kids, including LeBron and Harper. What if some random person hits them in the wrong way? What if LeBron or Harper couldn't play sports again? What would they fall back on?

Nothing. LeBron is in a slightly better position because he has the money he has already earned and the endorsements. If Harper goes to the minors, gets hurt, and has to quit baseball, he does not even have a high school diploma to fall back on.

Let kids be kids. We need to take athletes off these high pedestals and treat them like normal people.

Nothing is greater than winning a championship or even getting a new skill, but at what cost? Bring back the humility and joy in sports. Be proud that you threw a touchdown and your team won; not that you need more money or you will not go to training camp for one of the last place teams in the league.

Play sports for the joy, not the money. Look at the smile on Kiley's face and remember the joy you got as a child from the simplest of things.

While we cannot change the world or the athletes, I ask one thing of people: Please encourage good role models for your kids, like Tim Tebow. Hopefully, we can still change the future.

Every NFL Team Has Announced a Sponsorship (Satire)

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:54:29 -0400

The New York Giants recently announced their partnership with Timex. Timex will give them money for a practice facility and the Giants will put a patch on their practice jerseys.

This got me thinking...what if every NFL team had a sponsor? Here are my suggestions for all the teams' sponsors.

Detroit Lions: Netzero because they net zero wins.

Green Bay Packers: Swiss Army so they can stab their players in the back with a knife (ala Brett Favre).

Minnesota Vikings: Allstate, because you're in good hands on a cruise ship with the Vikings.

Chicago Bears: Sylvania Light Bulbs, when they're on, they're on; when they're off, they're off.

Philadelphia Eagles: Gas X. sometimes the pressure is too much.

Dallas Cowboys: Mattel Barbies, because their cheerleaders are more famous than their team.

New York Giants: Visine, get the red out of that jersey!

Washington Redskins: General Motors. After all, they both went to the wrong people for help.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Disneyworld, because it's an adventure to go to their field.

New Orleans Saints: American Red Cross Disaster Relief, they had to get down to New Orleans eventually.

Atlanta Falcons: PETA to keep Michael Vick out and save face after Vick.

Carolina Panthers: Left Hand Trading Company, because they are never right.

Seattle Seahawks: Zoloft, Seattle is the No. 1 city for depression and suicide.

Arizona Cardinals: The Republican Party, because they both lost their only chance at a victory.

St. Louis Rams: The Brown Paper Bag Company, because with that team, their fans will need them.

San Francisco 49ers: Bank of America, when you have too many quarter(backs), sometimes you need a refund.

Oakland Raiders: Halloween USA, because their fans are scarier than the actual team.

Kansas City Chiefs: Sonic, it's America's Drive Thru and let's face it: so is the Chiefs Defensive Line.

San Diego Chargers: In N Out Burger, because that's how they are in the playoffs.

Denver Broncos: Singulair, there's only one way to control that mountain air.

New England Patriots: Sony, it's all the same when you're taping it.

Miami Dolphins: Comedy Central, the storyline keeps you interested, but the punchline (ending) makes you laugh.

New York Jets: UHAUL, we'll move you to your own stadium for less.

Buffalo Bills: Kleenex, now that Terrell Owens is on the team, they will need them.

Houston Texans: Tampax, those red jerseys look like used tampons (see above).

Tennessee Titans: Depends, for the oldest team in the league.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The FBI. After all, they already know the whole team on a first-name basis.

Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis 500 because it's bigger than the Colts.

Cincinnati Bengals: Skyline Chili, some things give you the runs; some things just run away.

Baltimore Ravens: Goodyear Tires, they need something to pass to.

Cleveland Browns: UPS, can brown do anything for you?

Pittsburgh Steelers: Band Aid because that's what they need to give to their opponents.

I hope you enjoyed my fake sponsors, feel free to suggest any of your own!

Who Should Join the Big Ten in Football?

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:21:54 -0400

A few weeks ago, Sports Illustrated interviewed Ohio State Football Coach Jim Tressel. They asked the age-old question, "Who should join the Big Ten?"

So...what is the answer?

The obvious answer is Notre Dame. They already play several Big Ten teams, including Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. Notre Dame hockey is in the CCHA with fellow Big Ten teams Michigan and Michigan State.

The Big Ten currently plays eight conference games and four non-conference. If the Big Ten adds a 12th team, each team will play all teams in their division and three cross-over teams.

How would the teams be split? This is where the problems lie.

If Notre Dame joins the conference, the 12 teams could be split into North and South Divisions.

The North Division would have Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The South Division would have Notre Dame, Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, and Illinois.

The problem with this is that Notre Dame would fore go its series with Michigan and Michigan State. They would play every other year instead of every year. The other problem is that Michigan and Penn State would only play every other year.

You cannot put Notre Dame in the North Division—that would make one division very competitive and one division relatively weak.

The other option? Let the Pittsburgh Panthers join the Big Ten. They already have a rivalry with Penn State.

The North Division would include Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The South Division would have Pittsburgh, Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue.

This would equalize the divisions and still allow Notre Dame to be included on Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue's yearly schedules if they choose so.

Either way, the Big Ten probably will not add a 12th team. They like their current schedule and it allows for a lot of flexibility in each team's schedule.

The final option would allow for each conference team to play each other. Each team would only have two out-of-conference games.

The problem with this is that Notre Dame will most likely be dropped from all the schedules. This will allow for an outright champion.

The Big Ten Conference is comfortable with tradition—nothing will be changed in the near future. Here are some options for when they decide to join the BCS and make a conference championship game.

Officiating in Championship Series Has to Get Better

Samantha Cooke — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:29:57 -0400

First of all, I would like to say congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They did what they needed to do to win the Stanley Cup. They won on the road and did not make mistakes.

That being said, officials need to do a better job in championship series.

During games six and seven, the officials decided they were not going to call that controversial penalty to cost a team the game. In doing so, they did not make the correct calls for either team, thus essentially deciding the game anyway.

The Detroit Red Wings were one of the least penalized teams in the NHL, while Pittsburgh was one of the more penalized teams. If you allow a physical team to play physical and get away with penalties, it hurts the team they play.

Most people saw games six and seven. The Red Wings did not come alive until the third period in either game. But, it is hard to come alive when you are being interfered with and hooked.

Game six had a blatant non-interference call against the Penguins. Yes, one could argue this may not have affected the game.

In a game of momentum, in which anything can help a team come back, a power play could have been the play to end it all.

In game seven, the Penguins first goal was made on a turnover in the Detroit end. Icing is a pretty easy call to make in hockey—either it was icing or it wasn't. When Detroit went to touch up the obviously iced puck, the referee did not call it icing, thus the Wings turned it over.

These are just a few examples—there were other examples, including some on the Red Wings end. When trying not to impact a game, referees need to do a better job of just calling the most obvious plays.

I am all for letting hockey players play. After all, this is the NHL, not the No-Contact Football League. When there are obvious penalties or calls, the officials have to do a better job of calling them.

In games six and seven the officials decided to hold their whistles. They did not want to make a mistake or a controversial call. When something is an obvious penalty, it is okay to call it.

It is okay to call the interference or the icing—no one will fire you. The referees have to be the best in the league for a championship series, but they also have to be okay with making a mistake.

Mistakes will happen in the game, that is part of the game. When you do not call obvious calls, that is not part of the game. I am glad no one was hurt on an illegal hit.

Again, Pittsburgh deserves the Cup—I am happy for them. They did not make mistakes or turnovers, and the defense did not let the Wings lose in their end. Pittsburgh did everything they needed to do to win.

However, so did the officials. Calling penalties after a team is down by two with eight to go in the third will not help either team. Not calling penalties in the first period with the game tied will help the team committing the penalties.

Officiating has got to get better in the championship series in any professional sport. No, Kobe, someone defending your shot does not mean it was a foul.

Bonnie Richardson: How Can One Person Be Better Than a Whole Team?

Samantha Cooke — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:59:02 -0400

Today, we live in a society where more individual athletes are recognized than teams. In the NBA, it was not about having the LA Lakers versus Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals—it was about Kobe versus Lebron.

Even in the NHL, where the best teams prevail, had a matchup of Ovechkin versus Crosby. We live in a day where children root for individuals as much as teams. They do not necessarily like the Indianapolis Colts, but they love Peyton Manning.

Enter high school athletics—the true meaning of team. Besides the handful of kids receiving scholarships to college, you live and die with your team.

How do you live and die with your team when your team consists of one person? How difficult would it be to compete against teams from bigger schools with 40 kids on their teams?

Do not tell Rochelle High School senior Bonnie Richardson that she cannot compete. Do not tell her that she may lose track meets or face difficulties because she is the only one on her high school girls track team.

Richardson did something that no other female in the state of Texas has done—she won a track team title by herself.

Yes, Richardson won a Class 1A team title alone.

Not only did she do this once, Richardson did it twice. She won the state title last year and this year.

One thing is for sure: next year will have a new state title winner, or will it? If Richardson did this in your high school, wouldn't you want to join the team?

Talk about an inspiration. Forget about Kobe, LeBron, and Crosby. Even they need points and assists from teammates. This is a girl who needed no help from anyone.

She did not even get help from her home track, which is basically an oval around the football field. This is something that may never happen again—embrace this and embrace the athlete, even if she is not old enough to drink yet.

Due to her amazing feat, Richardson received a full athletic scholarship to Texas A&M. One thing is for sure: she will not have to try and win a national championship on her own.

Women's Softball College World Series Prediction

Samantha Cooke — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:09:15 -0400

Every year, eight softball teams travel to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series. Only one team east of the Mississippi River has won the National Championship. The University of Michigan won it back in 2005. Will this be a year another team east of the Mississippi breaks through? Florida comes in to the scene ranked number one, but will they make it through? Here are my predictions for how the teams will finish. I put a bracket at the end in case you don't know how the bracket works. Enjoy!

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NCAA Softball Super Regional Predictions

Samantha Cooke — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:12:13 -0400

College Softball is winding down. The field went from 64 teams to only 16. This weekend will drop eight more teams.

By Sunday night, everyone will know who the eight final teams to play for the 2009 National Championship will be.

Here are the predictions for this weekend's Super Regional match-ups, beginning Thursday night.

Athens, GA - Georgia vs. Ohio State

Both teams are high-caliber offensive teams. Georgia scores over six runs per game and Ohio State scores just under six per game. Georgia has a tough home record, losing only twice.

They also have key wins against Washington and Baylor out of conference.
Ohio State has a couple nice wins against Texas A&M and Louisville. They also beat conference-foe Northwestern twice.

Prediction: Georgia in three games.

Palo Alto, CA - Stanford vs. Arizona

These teams have seen each other three times already this season, with Stanford winning two. Arizona has come on of late, scoring over eight runs per game. Besides their Pac-10 schedule, Stanford only has two nice wins against Notre Dame.

Arizona, on the other hand, has only beaten Texas A&M outside of conference play. Stanford only has one loss at home.

Prediction: Arizona in three games.

Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan vs. Baylor

Michigan is 17-0 at home, despite their close regional action. They have nice wins against UCLA, Louisville, Florida St, Louisiana Lafayette, Arizona State, and Arizona.
Baylor, on the other side, is 14-11 on the road. They are also 10-15 against top-50 RPI (Michigan is eighth). Their only key win is against Florida early in the season.

Prediction: Michigan in two games.

Tempe, AZ - Arizona State vs. North Dakota State

North Dakota State is one of the feel-good stories this postseason. They beat Oklahoma in Norman; then, beat Tulsa to win the regional title. They have a 70 RPI.
Arizona State is used to pressure and playing at home. They have a 32-7 record at home. Their only big losses came in Pac-10 play and postseason play.

Prediction: Arizona State in two games.

Tuscaloosa, AL - Alabama vs. Jacksonville State

The other feel-good story is Jacksonville State who beat Tennessee on their field in two straight games. They have some nice wins against Ole Miss and Nebraska, but lack the experience to really contest against Alabama.

Alabama has a great team behind a young pitcher, earning them the No. 2 ranked RPI. They have only lost one game at home.

Prediction: Alabama in two games.

Atlanta, GA - Washington vs. Georgia Tech

Washington cannot host despite its number three ranking because they do not have lights in their ballpark. After travelling to UMass for the regionals, they head to Atlanta for the Super Regionals. They are barely above .500 on the road.

Georgia Tech has only lost four times at home. They have some momentum going into the Supers, winning the ACC Tournament and their home regional. They also gain an advantage by not having to travel.

Prediction: Georgia Tech in three games.

Gainesville, FL - Florida vs. California

Florida has the most outstanding team in the country. With only three losses all season and the number one overall seed, they have paved their way to the Women's College World Series.

Behind pitcher Stacey Nelson, they let in under one run per game.
California comes from a tough conference, but are only 6-11 on the road. Florida is clearly on the other side of the country.

Prediction: Florida in two games.

Los Angeles, CA - UCLA vs. Missouri

Missouri is one of only a handful of teams to win 45+ games this season. They are 14-2 on the road, have won the Big 12 Tournament, and walked through their regional. They have a complete team, with one of the most impressive batting line-ups of the season. They are batting .318 as a team, one of the highest in the country.

They will face the No. 2 seed UCLA Bruins. The Bruins have lost only four games at home. They can score their own runs, averaging more than six runs per game. They have some nice Pac-10 wins as well as wins against Northwestern, Missouri, and Alabama.

Prediction: UCLA in three games.

NCAA Softball Tournament Predictions

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:12:13 -0400

The NCAA softball regular season has come to an end and all the conferences have officially concluded their tournaments. With the Women's College World Series just around the corner, the 64-team field was announced on Sunday.

The automatic bids are: Florida (SEC), Michigan (Big Ten), Missouri (Big 12), Notre Dame (Big East), UCLA (Pac-10), Georgia Tech (ACC), Boston University (America East), Bradley (MVC), Cleveland State (Horizon), Miami-OH (MAC), Cal Poly (Big West), UMass (A-10), Radford (Big South), James Madison (Colonial), Cornell (Ivy), Florida A&M (MEAC), N. Dakota State (Summit), Tulsa (C-USA), TCU (Mtn. West), LA-Lafayette (Sun Belt), Fresno State (WAC), Texas State (Southland), Lehigh (Patriot), and Chattanooga (Southern).

With the new format, there will be 16 host schools for the regionals. The top eight seeds will host the super regionals.

The top eight seeds will be:

1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Alabama
4. Washington
5. Georgia
6. Michigan
7. Arizona
8. Oklahoma

The 16 host schools will be:

1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Alabama
4. Texas (Washington)
5. Georgia
6. Michigan
7. UMass (Arizona)
8. Oklahoma
9. Florida State
10. Georgia Tech
11. LA-Lafayette (Stanford)
12. Arizona State
13. Missouri
14. Ohio State
15. North Carolina
16. Tennessee

The teams in parentheses are the actual seeds. For example, Texas will host, but Washington is the No. 4 seed.

The regionals will be played the weekend of May 15. The super regionals will follow the weekend after.

The Women's College World Series will start May 28.

Prediction for the national champion? Florida—they have pitching, stellar hitting, and one of the top defenses in the country. With only three losses all season, no one will stop this outstanding team.

Best and Worst of The Detroit Sports Market

Samantha Cooke — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:50:35 -0400

Many people in Detroit have lost their jobs, homes, food, and sense of purpose. That does not stop people from attending sporting events, including the Detroit Red Wings playoff run.

Most Detroiters have an unmistakable passion for sports. Even though the Detroit Lions are the laughing stocks of the NFL and the Detroit Tigers have only had one really good season in the past 20 years, Detroiters do not give up on their teams.

With that passion for their teams comes a passion for the sports reporters in the area. The following is a list of the Best and Worst Sports Personalities in the Detroit market.

Best Television Reporter

Dan Miller—no one can match Dan Miller's passion for the Detroit Lions. He has stuck by and been the go-to-guy for a number of years, even in their 0-16 season. That being said, he also knows how to speak his mind about the Lions professionally. Miller is the local personality on Fox Two news as well. His coverage of all the sports is above professional on television.

Worst Television Reporter

Don Shane—in being a sports reporter on the news, you want people to watch the news for you. No one watches Channel Seven Action News for Don Shane. He does not bring people in and just reports the sports. He does not have a passion for his Detroit sports.

Best Radio Personality

Mike Valenti—in conjunction with Terry Foster. On 97.1 'The Ticket,' these two dish it up in the afternoon better than most people in the country. Valenti has a distinct passion and a no holds-bar attitude. He tells everything like it is. A few years ago, Valenti was featured in Sports Illustrated for his 20-minute rant on the Michigan State-Notre Dame football game. Love him, hate him, you will still listen to him.

Worst Radio Personality

Jay Towers—technically Jay Towers does not talk about sports and that is his big problem. He is on the morning show on 97.1 'The Ticket' (an all-sports station) and he knows nothing about sports. He can barely report scores. Let's face it—Detroiters love their sports and need to get it from the biggest sports station. Towers does not deliver.

Best Play-by-play

Ken Kal—it is easy to be a Detroit Red Wings fan because they continue to win and fight every year. No one brings passion to play-by-play announcing like Ken Kal. You can almost see the puck being brought down the ice with Ken Kal's announcing. He also announces on television and still displays the passion of the radio like you cannot see the puck.

Worst Play-by-play

George Blaha—he is a Pistons fan and passionate about it, but Blaha is a very old guy. He does not add anything to professional basketball, which is a shame as it can get boring. He has too many background stories on the players and not enough focus on the game. You really have to listen to get a score or a play.

Best Journalist

Mitch Albom—without a doubt, Mitch Albom is one of the best journalists of all time. He makes you want to read the paper and want to read his column every week. Whether he is writing about a loss the Wings had or an unknown draft pick that will make a difference next year, Albom has a unique writing style that brings readers in and keeps them hooked.

Worst Journalist

Michael Rosenberg—while his writing is decent, Rosenberg shows no passion. He wrote a lot of articles during the football season and just made fun of a hurting Wolverine team. He wrote nothing on the game except the Wolverines lost and stunk. Rosenberg does not write objectively; instead, he writes with his opinion and does not bring readers in.

Best Female

Shireen Saski—starting on Fox Sports Detroit, Shireen Saski became a known face in the crowd at various sporting events, including college games. She knows the teams inside and out, and makes a point to tell as many of their stories as possible. Saski is now on the Big Ten Network and continues to display her knowledge of each different team.

Worst Female

Paula Weston—though she is technically a writer on uscho.com, Weston covers the CCHA, which includes Michigan and Michigan State. She has absolutely no knowledge of hockey, or hides it very well. She makes predictions for upcoming games in the week and only chooses teams for their colors or who is hot at the moment. She analyzes teams but only writes what people already know.

Best All-around Sports Reporter:

Doug Karsch—he covers Detroit athletics and University of Michigan athletics better than anyone in the market. He has a distinct passion for everything Detroit. In addition to having a show on 97.1 'The Ticket,' Karsch also does U of M football games on television and radio, and is host of the Wolverines Sports Magazine television show. He is a very busy guy that cannot get enough of Detroit athletics.

Top 10 Most Memorable Individual Performances for the University of Michigan

Samantha Cooke — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:29:53 -0400

Football has long been a team game; however, sometimes an individual will take over a game. Some players have carried their team on their back to victory. All players, offense or defense, can have a great individual performance at any time. Highlighting the past 20 years of Michigan football, here are the top 10 Individual Performances. Some are offense, some defense, and even special teams. Sit back and enjoy reliving the exciting memorable games and performances.

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