53rd Edition - 11/20/06

• NCAA Football - Good game, good game.

Ohio State 42, Michigan 39
It was the most watched regular season college football game since Florida State at Notre Dame in 1993.
The rest of the year is still a bit confusing, with strength of schedule changing a couple more times ... the only thing that seems to be a guarantee is Ohio State playing USC, if USC beats Notre Dame and UCLA. Though, as of right now, Michigan is still #2 in the BCS standings.
Current BCS Standings

The Iowa Hawkeyes started the season in the top 15. They finished 8th in the Big Ten after a 24-34 loss to Minnesota. Insanely, they still get to go to a bowl game. Perhaps Detriot's Motor City Bowl is a callin'. So sad.

• Chicago Cubs: Damn, they are REALLY trying

Cubs sign Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year, $136 million contract.
Here's the thing I have finally realized. Contracts in baseball don't matter. There is no limit for teams like the Cubs, Yankees, Red Soxs. They can just spend. So simply getting the player is all that matters, not whether or not you will have enough left over to get a pitcher (which the Cubs need).
Reportedly, Soriano will be playing center field (he has a good arm, but only one season of experience in the outfield). He'll also be leading off. Last year he had over 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Cubs will win more than the 66 games they did in 2006. I don't love him leading off, and he's not a proven winner, but I love his talent.

• NFL: Ouch

The Colts lost to the Cowboys. Brett Farve hurt a nerve in his arm. Donovan McNabb is out on a season-ending injury for the third time in five years. LaMont Jordan is probably out for the year. And my two fantasy running backs (Kevin Jones and DeShaun Foster) left their games with injuries.
Luckily, out of it all the Bears improved to 9-1, with a 10-0 defeat of the J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! This win proved the Bears could win with great defense, running the football, and not turning the ball over.

The Best
QB
Drew Brees: 510 yards, 2TD, 3INT - L
J.P. Losman: 340 yards, 3TD, 1INT - W
Carson Palmer: 275 yards, 3TD, 1INT - W
RB
Frank Gore: 212 yards - W
Larry Johnson: 154 yards, 2TD - W
Travis Henry: 143 yards, 1TD - W
WR
Lee Evans: 265 yards, 2TD - W
Chad Johnson: 190 yards, 3TD - W
Devery Henderson: 169 yards - L

• The Picks (revisited)

j NCAA: 0-3 (19-12-1)
billy z NCAA: 3-0 (22-8-2)
j NFL: 2-1 (14-18-3)
mike d NFL: 0-3 (13-20-2)