33th Edition - 10/20/06

• His Mets (Cause they are no longer mine)

It's seems just a couple weeks ago readers voted for me to jump on the Mets' Bandwagon. Well, it was a bumpy ride that has come to an end.

Cardinals 3, Mets 1 (Cardinals win the series 4-3)
The Cardinals will move on to play the Detriot Tigers in the World Series. I want the Tigers to win, mainly because the Cardinals don't do anything for me, there is no story, the team is boring, and they weren't that good this season.

Anyway, I said His Mets because one of the readers is Miko Mendoza, a Mets lifer, so he gets to give the final word on the Mets...
++++++++++++++++
I love the amazin’s. I always tell myself that you gotta believe. But it is not easy. Because as you’re entering the playoffs, your pitching staff dwindles down to the arm of a 40-year-old veteran. Somehow, they pull off a sweep of the Dodgers with an improbable double play-at-the –plate (how do you score that 9-6-2-2 unassisted?) their bats seemed to be in full swing during that series. Then they come up against St. Louis, who on paper don’t have a chance against the Mets. But it’s the postseason and unlikely heroes like Weaver and Suppan pitched like they’ve been there before and Maine and Perez made some gritty performances. After a roller coaster of emotions this past week, the series came down to a fantastic game 7 again with unlikely heroes – Endy Chavez and Yadier Molina … but when I was about to believe, the Mets mighty offense let them down… It’s never easy being a Met fan. So I’ll hang up my Mets cap until next year and now I can go on with my regularly scheduled life…
++++++++++++++++++++

Well, it's back to the Cubs for me.

• The Hawkeyes

I will watch. I will cheer. I will not be expected a victory. Everything the Hawkeyes have shown me this year involves the word mediocre. They play the Wolverines in Ann Arbor at 2:30. I had thoughts of going to this game, since I have never been to the campus, but a lot can change when you lose to a Hoosier.

• The Problem

Right now, the top 4 headlines on ESPN involve criminal actions involving athletics. A Celtic might have been involved with shooting a rapper. The NFL is not going to be bombed this weekend ... I don't want to deal with any of this stuff. The more things that happen like this, the less sports become an escape.

• The Picks

j NCAA: 1-2 (Season 11-6-1)
billy z NCAA: 2-1 (Season 11-5-2)

j NFL: 0-3 (Season 9-7-2)
mike d NFL: 2-1 (Season 10-7-2)

j NCAA picks
Illinois (+17.5) over Penn State
Wisconsin (-6.5) over Purdue
Texas (-5) over Nebraska

j NFL picks
Chargers (-5.5) over Chiefs
Panthers (+3) over Bengals
Broncos (-4.5) over Browns
Under of the Colts/Redskins (48.5)

• Stuff

I am seeing a movie with my fiance on opening day! I missed the screening of the "Prestige," and have heard nothing but good things. So we are doing dinner and a movie. Just like a real couple.

John C. Reily is hosting SNL and I've heard a couple rumors that Will Ferrell will be making an appearance. I might actually laugh.

"Flags of our Fathers"
Wow. Just not good.
If you are going to watch this film, bring a team with you. Everyone should be in charge of one actor, and every time you are able to make the connection of recognizing them on-screen, your job will be to stand up and scream their name. Just impossible to keep these guys straight through the first half of the film. Plus, they add a naration in at the end out of nowhere, cause Clint Eastwood couldn't figure out how to end the film. It's a mess, though I did find it interesting to learn the history of the famous pose. The only good thing is that Eastwood's next film is the Japanese point of view during WWII, a story we Americans don't really hear about.
C

32nd Edition - 10/19/06

• My Mets

Yesterday I said, "A Game 7 is the only thing that could give this series some excitement."
Thank you baseball gods. Thank you.

Mets 4, Cardinals 2 (Series tied 3-3)
Maine outpitched Carpenter which probably surprised everyone except for Maine's mom and dad.
Maine had trouble in the first with no outs and runners on second and third, he got out of it. Maine had runners on the corners in the second, he got out of it ... Clutch.
And Jose Reyes hit a first run home run, to give the Mets the lead throughout.
It should be noted that the Cardinals scored their two runs off Billy Wagner in th e9th, which should set up some potential drama for tonight's game.

*The Mets are undefeated when facing elimination at home
*The home team is 7-4 in Game 7 since '85
*The last 11 teams to force a game 7 (down 3-2) at home have won.
(Stats provided by my New York source)

Game 7 at 7:19 on Fox
Suppan vs. Perez
Perez has a 7.94 ERA and a victory in the post-season.
Suppan is 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA.

Get nervous Mets fans, and get hopeful.

Here's some crap to get you more excited.

The 1986 Theme Song

Meet the Mets

Letterman's tribute to the 86 Mets

Game 6 of the Mets vs Red Sox on RBI Baseball

• Bears

The Mike Brown injury happened again this year. If it wasn't for fantasy football, Brown's annual injury would be more popular than Fred Taylor's groin. Brown had foot surgery and they are listed him out indefinitely. Sounds like a long time. The defensive coordinatoor Ron Rivera has 1.5 weeks to get someone else ready thanks to a bye week.

• Stuff

I don't remember this commercial, but here are the actors from "Lost" selling football. Good times.
Click here

31st Edition - 10/18/06

• My new manager: Is Piniella an idiot?

The following item is going to get very little press in the Chicago area. But it shouldn't. In multiple interviews yesterday the Cubs new manager Lou Piniella claimed to not know about the curse of the goat. Piniella said he just found out about it on Monday. I read this, and I hear it when he gave an interivew on ESPN Radio 1000.

When Piniella spoke of the curse, there was no joke in his voice, there was no obvious benefit of lying about this, it seemed he was serious, he didn't now about the goat. If indeed he was serious, this is a problem.

First things first, I don't believe in the curse. I never have. But I KNOW about it.

Piniella is a baseball lifer. He has been in the game for over 40 years and played for the Yankees.

*How did the curse of the goat NEVER come up socially when someone talked about the Curse of the Bambino?
*There are only two curses in baseball. It's not a broad subject that requires a lot of research.
*Did Piniella never watch a Cubs playoff game? In 2003 FOX showed images of the goat about 2,000 times.
*Piniella was an analyst for FOX, did he never have to do research on the teams?
*In the Cubs interview process, do they not ever bring up the fan base or history of the club?.. as in, "Lou, how do you think you'll handle questions about Cubs fans or the curse with the media?" - after all, he is now the face of the ball club.

All of the above applies, IF Piniella didn't know about the goat. If he did, then the answer to my very first question is yes, Lou Piniella is an idiot. If he lied about his knowledge to somehow prove the curse doesn't matter, then he isn't very good at interviews. Or perhaps it is simply a matter of a 63-year-old man starting to lose his grip. If so, managing the Cubs isn't going to help him. So annoyed right now, moving on...

• My Mets: On life support

Mets 2, Cardinals 4 (Cards lead the series 3-2)
Hmmmm, looks like trouble. The Mets had a 2-0 lead but Glavine couldn't hold it, in fact he only lasted four innings. A Game 7 is the only thing that could give this series some excitement.

Tonight's game
Game 6, 7:19 on FOX
Carpenter vs. Maine

• Stuff

I just watched "Dazed & Confused" again last night. I don't understand how two of the most popular seniors WANT to hang out with two freshmen, so they both (seperately, mind you) invite them to the party and make sure to hang out with them the whole night. It's not a tradition at this school, because NO ONE else does it. I'm interviewing Linklater tomorrow, we'll see if I bring this up.

Anything else I should ask him?

30th Edition - 10/17/06

• MNF: Insanity

During the Bears vs. Cardinals game last night, perhaps you went to bed when the Bears were losing 3-23. Or maybe you stuck it out until Rex Grossman had 4 INT, along with his two fumbles. But hopefully you stayed up until the very end, when the Caridinals' Rackers (a VERY good kicker) missed a 41-yard field goal, somehow giving the Bears a 24-23 win.
Some facts:
*The Bears were losing 3-23 with less than a minute to go in the 3rd quarter.
*The Bears scored two defensive TDs to close it to 17-23.
*Matt Leinart threw for 2 TD, no INT. and over 250 yards.
*Again, worth repeating, Grossman had 4 INT, 2 Fumbles -- in Fantasy terms he was -9.2 points.
*With just over three minutes left, the Bears were getting the ball back, and it looked like Grossman would have to try and march the team down the field for a TD. Instead, rookie Devin Hester returned the punt 83 yards for a TD. The Bears took the lead.
*Edgerian James carried the ball 36 times for 55 yards.
*The Cardinals are the only team in the history of the NFL to lose two games in the same season after leading by 14 points at half. They did it in back-to-back games against the Chiefs and Bears.

I understand the Bears were supposed to win this game, but not after they were down 3-23. I can't stand all the people saying they KNEW the Bears would come back. I understand the mentality of a player such as Urlacher saying they never gave up, but fans didn't KNOW the Bears would come back. It was one of the most surprising, insane, impossible comebacks I have ever seen. Not only did the Bears have to beat the Cardinals, they had to beat Grossman who had one of the worst games a QB has EVER had. You don't win games like that. Too bad I don't believe in destiny.

• Cubs: Sweet Lou wants A-Rod

I will not get excited. I will not get excited. I will not get excited.
So, Lou Piniella is now the manager of the Chicago Cubs. This is much better than Dusty Baker. Piniella will actually care when the Cubs don't try, or make mistakes. Dusty would normally give them more praise in those situations.
There is talk that Piniella wants Alex Rodriguez to join the team. I like the idea. We need another big bat in the line-up, and Rodriguez is a better SS than 3B. It is not worth doing the deal if the Cubs trade 3B Ramirez for A-Rod.

• My Mets: Game Five is ours

Tom Glavine is rested. Thank the rain gods. His ERA in October is zero. The only problem is that Glavine won't be pitching in Game 6 or 7, so the Mets will have to win the series without him.

29th Edition - 10/16/06

• Iowa: Ouch Babe

The Iowa Hawkeyes decided to end their season early this year ... with a loss to the Indiana Hoosiers 28-31. They simply couldn't stop the Hoosier jugernaut. Recently, Iowa has had a chance to be great, and every year they make a mistake. Last year was Northwestern, the years before that it was Iowa State.
Next week the Hawks play Michigan. I don't think I want the Hawkeyes to win, because if they do it's just another season with another HUGE mistake (the Hoosiers loss). I still assume we will lose to the Buckeyes and the Wolverines in any given year, as does most every other team in the BIG TEN. It's what we do against those other teams that truly matters.

• NCAA Football: The Computers

The BCS poll is out with Ohio State as #1, USC at #2, and Michigan is #3.
USC beat an unranked team by 7. Michigan beat an unranked team by 7.
The AP Poll has Michigan at #2. I assume this is because the press would like to see Ohio State and Michigan play each other later in the year at #1 and #2.

• NCAA Football: The Fight

Miami vs. Florida International. Thirteen players are suspended from the Hurricanes, also known as "The U" since players can't remember the name of their school. Florida International suspended 18 players.
Click here to see the fight.
Look for fists, helmets, cleats and the insane amount of cheapshots.
Lately, it seems like it is getting harder for players to understand fans want insane amounts of violence, but only when it is in a legal play.

• My Mets

Mets 12, Cardinals 5 (The Series is Tied 2-2)
OK, so I was wrong. The series won't be decided by stolen bases. It's the long ball with Beltran and Delgado showed up last night. I hope the rain shows up in St. Louis tonight. Glavine is pitching on three days rest. He isn't good at it, and he knows he isn't. That's trouble
Name of the Game: Shawn Green. Why? Why not?

• NFL: Where Oakland is the only team that truly sucks

The Titans, Buccannears and Lions, oh my, they all won their first game of the season. The Raiders continue to shine in the loss department.

The Defeateds: Raiders
The UnDefeateds: Bears (play tonight vs. Cardinals), Colts (Bye week)

Speaking of the Bears, this is the first time in a long time when NO ONE is mentioning the possibility of the a loss. No talk of a "let-down" game, or Leinart being an unknown factor ... OK, I'm going to stop, I'm making myself nervous.

The Best
QB
Jake Delhomme: 365 yards, 2TD, 2INT (against the Raven's D)
Marc Bulger: 360 yards, 3TD, 1INT (had a 21-7 lead and lost)
RB
Tiki Barber: 185 yards
Travis Henry: 178 yards, 1TD
worth noting: LaDainian Tomlinson had 4TD
WR
Steve Smith: 189 yards, 1TD (surprisingly, also against the Raven's D)
Roy Williams: 161 yards, 1TD
worth noting: Terrell Owens had 3TD

• The Land of Make Believe: Fantasy Recap

*The College Football Pick'em:
1. Chuck Long's Arm (me): 76 - my lead increased by one
2. Taste it (mike d): 73

*Fantasy Football:
I won again, in fact, I posted 142 points, with Gould still to play, my opponent had 62.
I am 4-2 and just hitting my stride. The league will be mine, oh yes, the league will be mine ... by the way, I still haven't won a fantasy league in my life 0-7.

• The Picks: Revisited - Oops

I for one, was a bit too confident. It's always a problem when you are SHOCKED when you lose a bet. Means you need to refocus a little and realize you are never as good as you think you are. I went 1-5 this weeknd. I have Michigan to thank for my one win. In fact, I ended up watching the Michigan vs. Penn State game at a Michigan bar in Chicago. Now I realize what my friends and I must look like at an Iowa bar: Idiots.

j NCAA: 1-2 (Season 11-6-1)
billy z NCAA: 2-1 (Season 11-5-2)

j NFL: 0-3 (Season 9-7-2)
mike d NFL: 2-1 (Season 10-7-2)
*That extra game that mike d picked last week is killing me.