Mid-week Notes

The number of athletes killed in the south Florida area is getting ridiculous. I would advise every pro athlete that comes out of this area to stay away forever. I realize it's not fair to ask a man to leave his family and friends behind, but if it's a matter of life and death, perhaps sports figures will reconsider.

The Colts have released Simeon Rice, which firmly supports the idea that I am an idiot. I was optimistic and thought Rice could bring something to the team . . . could I have been more wrong?

The Heat has looked much improved since the return of Dwyane Wade. Miami is now 4-10. While the record still stinks, their improved play gives me reason to believe they will be a playoff contender once again this season.

Razorbacks Shakeup BCS

I won't even pretend that I saw this coming. The Hogs were counted out of this game before the opening kickoff, but the offense came up huge in crunch time and the Hogs held on for a 50-48 win. The Razorbacks racked up 385 yards on the ground (206 coming from McFadden). D Mac's performance cemented his status as the number 1 player in college football. It's a two man race for the Heisman and this performance puts McFadden slightly ahead of Tebow in my eyes.

Arkansas is a one dimensional team that dares you to stop the run. On this Friday evening, LSU could not answer the challenge. The loss will knock the Tigers from their #1 ranking and eliminate them from the BCS championship game. The way things are shaping up, my prediction of Missouri over West Virginia in the BCS title game is looking pretty decent.

Atlantic Sun Basketball

On Monday, Belmont pulled off the Atlantic Sun's 4th major upset of the season, beating Alabama 85-83 in Tuscaloosa. Add in Belmont's win over Cincinatti (86-75), Gardner-Webb's win over Kentucky (84-68), and Mercer's 96-81 win over USC, and the question must be raised: How good is this conference?

The answer is: top heavy and not very good at all. They've been able to pull off these early season upsets because players are experienced within each school's system. First, they have established coaches (not a 1st year coach making a job switch). Second While top notch programs reload each season with top notch recruits (that immediately earn playing time), the smaller conferences need to allow their freshman time to grow and mature. This results in the more experienced players being on the floor at the Mid-Major level and below.

So is the A-Sun destined for big things this March? I highly doubt it. Expect a 1st round ousting for whoever comes out of this conference.

Weekend Roundup

It was an action packed sports weekend, with UFC 78, plenty of NFL excitement, college football with national title implications, and some NBA and college hoops thrown in for good measure.

The Celtics ran into their first road block of the young NBA season, losing to Orlando 104-102. On Saturday the Heat also found their 2nd win of the year in New Jersey, with a 91-87 victory over the Nets.

Two big wins from Kansas and Missouri sets up this weekend's marquee matchup. The #2 Kansas Jayhawks and the #4 Missouri Tigers will meetup at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. I'm looking forward to the Tigers ending the Jayhawks miracle run and moving one step closer to their National Championship appearance.

And finally, in the most bizarre moment of the weekend, Phil Dawson sends Cleveland into overtime against the Ravens. The Browns go on to win 33-30 in OT.

Curse of #2 and Post Season Predictions

Another night and another #2 team bites the dust. Oregon couldn't get the job done without their Heisman candidate. With Dixon on the sideline the Ducks were upset by Arizona, 34-24. This will allow Kansas to move into the dreaded #2 position with a win this Saturday over Iowa State. With this chaotic season about 3 weeks from completion, what's to come? Well, it's time to sort out the major conferences and National Championship picture with predictions for the final 3 weeks.

Conference Champions

ACC
Clemson over Virginia

Big 12
Missouri over Oklahoma

Big 10 (no championship game)
Ohio State

Pac 10 (no championship game)
USC

Big East (no championship game)
West Virginia

SEC
Florida over LSU

Which would mean . . .

National Championship
Missouri over West Virginia

Miami's Vice . . . Wade Returns

Gambling Horses is your home for a minute by minute recap of D. Wade's triumphant (hopefully) return to the Heat.

7:56 PM
Wade checks in at the 4:49 mark of the 1st quarter with the Heat trailing 22-12.

8:02 PM
Wade has yet to touch the ball after being in the game for a little over two minutes.

8:03 PM
Wade's first shot from the right corner is short. Wade looked quick and shot the ball with confidence on the step back jumper. It will be interesting to see Dwyane make a move to the basket. Will he attack the rim with the same reckless abandon as year's past?

8:05 PM
Wade's first points come off of two FT's after about 4 minutes of game action. Also Alexander Johnson has checked into the game. I see that Riley was as impressed as I was with Johnson's performance last night against Charlotte.

8:11 PM
This blog is now being hijacked by Alexander Johnson. I love the way he challenged Durant's dunk attempt. Johnson has provided me with something to smile about during this 1-6 start.

8:14 PM
Dwyane Wade hits a jumper and is looking surprisingly sharp in his first appearance. Oh, and just a side note, Smush Parker is horrible . . . just thought I'd add a thought about The Smush.

8:20 PM
Shaq and Wade are on the floor together for the first time, and what does the big man do? Turnover on his first touch since reentering the game. I understand Shaq is getting old and I don't expect him to play like it's 2003 again. But, does Shaq understand this? The key to aging gracefully in pro sports

8:28 PM
I lose focus for a few minutes and Miami's down by 18 with 4:36 left in the 1st half. As of right now it looks like the Heat will hand Seattle their first win of the season, and on a silver platter no less.

8:59 PM
O'Neal scores his first 2 points of the game 1 minute into the 2nd half. When your starting Center and supposed 2nd best player on the team goes an entire half with ZERO points, it's not wonder Miami's down by 20 to a winless team.

9:18 PM
Nice "and 1" finish from D. Wade. Some of the luster is lost however, due to the pathetic play from everyone else in a Heat uniform.

9:28 PM
The deficit is down to 12 at the end of the 3rd quarter. I saw an increase in intensity throughout the 3rd quarter, which at the very least gives me some hope for this season. If Riley wants any hope of winning this game, he absolutely MUST play Wade the entire 4th quarter. His presence on the floor is causing a ripple effect amongst his teammates. Great players are contagious, and I think you're seeing evidence of that tonight.

9:43 PM
Down 22 with 8:44 left . . . in all honesty, this is getting embarrassing. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Miami needs to give New York a call and see if they can take "Starbury" off their hands. I know times are tough when I'm actually asking for a player that I've despised since he entered the NBA.

9:45 PM
10 straight points, and it's down to a 13 point deficit. With about 7 minutes left, there's still hope, but I doubt we'll come out with a W tonight.

10:01 PM
A valiant effort by the Heat to make a comeback. Decent performances from Wade and Zo, but another night, and another loss. What else is new? Well, losing to a previously winless team . . . that's new. Looks like I'll be crying myself to sleep again tonight.

FINAL
Sonics 104
Heat 95

Miami's Not So Hot

After watching another depressing performance from my Miami Heat, I'm inclined to vent my frustrations a bit. Miami is the worst offensive team in the NBA, that we knew going into tonight's game against the Bobcats. But . . . 47 points through 3 quarters? Are you serious? You know you're in trouble when the bright spot of your night is a guy named Alexander Johnson. Johnson finished with 6 points, 2 Boards, and 1 block in 15 minutes of action. He was one of few bright spots on a night that saw the Heat fall behind by as many as 30 points. Shaq started strong, but faded late, as usual. D. Wade will need to be a real life super hero to save this season. Please Dwyane, please come back soon . . . I beg you.

Checkout the ESPN Game Recap Here

Dwight Freeney Injury Report

Well, the rumors are swirling. Freeney may be out for the season according to a report from ESPN. The Colts are still holding out for further test results before they make any information public. However, the acquisition of Simeon Rice may imply that Freeney's injury is more severe than originally thought.

Let's look at the worst case scenario, and assume the #93 is done for the year. Can Simeon Rice bring anything to the table for the Indy defense. Since the 2005 season Rice has appeared in 14 total games and had only 2 sacks. However if you look at his 2005 campaign, he had 40 tackles, 14 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles. Can being reunited with his old Tampa coach light a fire under Simeon? Call me an optimist, but i believe it can. Rice was unhappy in Denver and wasn't shy about letting people know about his displeasure. Very rarely does someone perform well when they are unhappy with their work environment.

I'm looking forward to a rejuvenated, refreshed, and hungry Simeon Rice to make an appearance in Indianapolis. And, should Dwight Freeney return before season's end, then the Colts D will have added depth and be a much more dangerous unit with both Rice and Freeney playing at full capacity.

NBA vs. NCAA Coaches Trivia

I got this idea from this morning's "Mike and Mike" show. Test your knowledge of the top 30 NCAA coaches vs. the 30 NBA coaches. "Greeny" thinks the average sports fan knows more college coaches than NBA coaches. I gave it a try, and named slightly more NBA coaches. To see the answers, simply scroll down the page . . . and be enlightened.

How Many Coaches Can You Name?

Top 30 College Teams
1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Memphis
4. Kansas
5. Georgetown
6. Louisville
7. Tennessee
8. Indiana
9. Washington State
10. Duke
11. Marquette
12. Michigan State
13. Oregon
14. Gonzaga
15. Texas A&M
16. Texas
17. Arizona
18. Arkansas
19. Pittsburgh
20. Stanford
21. Southern Illinois
22. NC State
23. Villanova
24. Kansas State
25. Syracuse
26. Butler
27. Clemson
28. Xavier
29. Connecticut
30. Florida

All 30 NBA Teams
1. Spurs
2. Celtics
3. Rockets
4. Suns
5. Mavericks
6. Pistons
7. Jazz
8. Magic
9. Hornets
10. Lakers
11. Raptors
12. Cavaliers
13. Nuggets
14. Nets
15. Clippers
16. Trail Blazers
17. Bobcats
18. Pacers
19. Hawks
20. Bucks
21. Bulls
22. Heat
23. Knicks
24. Wizards
25. Warriors
26. 76ers
27. Kings
28. Grizzlies
29. Timberwolves
30. SuperSonics

Answers Below . . .





1. North Carolina . . . Roy Williams
2. UCLA . . . Ben Howland
3. Memphis . . . John Calipari
4. Kansas . . . Bill Self
5. Georgetown . . . John Thompson III
6. Louisville . . . Rick Pitino
7. Tennessee . . . Bruce Pearl
8. Indiana . . . Kelvin Sampson
9. Washington State . . . Tony Bennett
10. Duke . . . Mike Krzyzewski
11. Marquette . . . Tom Crean
12. Michigan State . . . Tom Izzo
13. Oregon . . . Ernie Kent
14. Gonzaga . . . Mark Few
15. Texas A&M . . . Mark Turgeon
16. Texas . . . Rick Barnes
17. Arizona . . . Lute Olsen
18. Arkansas . . . John Pelhprey
19. Pittsburgh . . . Jamie Dixon
20. Stanford . . . Trent Johnson
21. Southern Illinois . . . Chris Lowery
22. NC State . . . Sidney Lowe
23. Villanova . . . Jay Wright
24. Kansas State . . . Bob Huggins
25. Syracuse . . . Jim Boeheim
26. Butler . . . Todd Lickliter
27. Clemson . . . Oliver Purnell
28. Xavier . . . Sean Miller
29. Connecticut . . . Jim Calhoun
30. Florida . . . Billy Donovan

1. Spurs . . . Greg Popovitch
2. Celtics . . . Doc Rivers
3. Rockets . . . Rick Adelman
4. Suns . . . Mike Diantoni
5. Mavericks . . . Avery Johnson
6. Pistons . . . Flip Saunders
7. Jazz . . . Jerry Sloan
8. Magic . . . Stan Van Gundy
9. Hornets . . . Byron Scott
10. Lakers . . . Phil Jackson
11. Raptors . . . Sam Mitchell
12. Cavaliers . . . Mike Brown
13. Nuggets . . . George Karl
14. Nets . . . Lawrence Frank
15. Clippers . . . Mike Dunleavy
16. Trail Blazers . . . Nate McMillan
17. Bobcats . . . Bernie Bickerstaff
18. Pacers . . . Jim O'Brien
19. Hawks . . . Mike Woodson
20. Bucks . . . Larry Krystkowiak
21. Bulls . . . Scott Skiles
22. Heat . . . Pat Riley
23. Knicks . . . Isiah Thomas
24. Wizards . . . Eddie Jordan
25. Warriors . . . Don Nelson
26. 76ers . . . Maurice Cheeks
27. Kings . . . Reggie Theus
28. Grizzlies . . . Marc Iavaroni
29. Timberwolves . . . Randy Wittman
30. SuperSonics . . . PJ Carlesimo

Colts Monday Morning Report

About 9 hours later and Vinatieri's 29 yard Missed FG still hurts. Reviewing the box score truly summarizes why the Colts blew this game. If you ignore the Manning interceptions it appears that Indy dominated the game. But, unfortunately for Colts fans everywhere, it was the huge special teams plays that led to the difficult defeat. I suppose there's nothing left to do but live with the sting of this loss and move on to next week's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. If you wish to relive every agonizing moment of last night's game one more time, check out Phil B.'s live blog.

The Adam Vinatieri Conspiracy

Sure Adam helped the Colts to a Super Bowl Championship last season. But his true motives are now coming to light. Adam Vinatieri is sabotaging the Colts season on behalf of the Patriots. the 2006-2007 season was simply part of the master plan. If you thought "spygate" was scandalous, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

In all seriousness, it was an odd night to say the least. The night featured 6 Interceptions thrown by Manning, 2 Special Teams touchdowns for the Chargers, and a number of questionable calls from the boys in the black and white stripes. The reversal of the spot on Addai's 3rd down run put the Colts in a 4 and 1 situation. Then, just when you thought you'd seen it all . . . the officials act like they've never seen a formation shift before. Simulating the snap? A horrible call that effected the outcome of the game. In the end, however, the Colts have no one but themselves to blame (you might be able to spread some blame to the obscene amount of injuries as well). Indy had their opportunities and they blew them. None the less the game was an exciting one for the Sunday night audience and showed the Colts ability to remain in striking distance when the offense lays an egg. Props to the Colts D on a great performance, and here's hoping that God lays a healing hand on the Horses.

Colts Sunday Night Preview

With tonights prime time game just hours away, let's break down what the Colts need to do to win. Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez are both out with injuries. This means Reggie Wayne will have to play much better than he did last week against New England. Expect Dallas Clark to play a huge role in the passing game as well.

The Chargers are coming off of an embarrassing week, allowing 296 yards on the ground to Adrian Peterson. The Chargers will be hungry to bounce back from that performance, and need this win more than the Colts. The Chargers have struggled to a 4-4 record midway through the season, while the Colts hold a relatively comfortable division lead after Tennessee's loss earlier today.

Manning and the rest of the Colts offense has been out of sync over the past two weeks, and I don't expect that change drastically this week. However, expect the Colts defense to come up huge tonight. The Colts D is designed with speed in mind, which will help to negate Tomlinson. This will put pressure on Phillip Rivers and force him to throw the ball more than the Chargers would like.

Prediction: The Colts Defense picks off Rivers twice and slows down LT just enough for the win. 27-21 Colts.

College Football Saturday

Which conference is the best in the country? It's a debate that rages each and every season, and one that rarely results in a clear cut answer. The SEC and Pac 10 have been the most discussed this season. However, it's another conference that has flown under the radar, that by season's end will be declared the best conference in football.

The Big 12 featured 3 of the top 6 BCS ranked teams heading into today's action. With wins from Kansas (still in progress at time of posting), Missouri, and Oklahoma, the Big 12 will maintain it's dominance at the top of the BCS standings for at least one more week.

The Big 12 currently has 6 bowl eligible teams, and could end up with as many as 10 (rivaling the SEC for top honors in bowl eligibility). The Big 12 is home to 3 of the top 5 scoring offenses in the country along with two of the top defensive squads (Oklahoma and Kansas). With bowl season just around the corner, look for wins from Texas Tech, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma to solidify the Big 12's status as this year's top conference.

High School Roundup

It was a night featuring 2 of the nations biggest rivalries. While Miami Northwestern disposed of Jackson with ease (45-0), fans in the "Muck" were not left disappointed. Both Pahokee and Glades Central headed into Friday night undefeated (9-0), with Pahokee ranked 14th in the nation by Sports Illustrated. In the end it was the Blue Devils from Pahokee prevailing 24-14.

In other action, Deerfield Beach fell to South Plantation 10-7. The loss was the second in a row for the Bucks.

And now onto our Knights of Highlands Christian. The Knights finished out the season with a 45-0 win over the Summit Saints. For the Knights, the win helped to erase many of the year's frustrations. T. Boharic completed 9 of 12 passes for 143 yards and 3 touchdowns. Seniors Justin Gray, Austin Adair, Delmis Lewis, and Andrew Barnard all finished out their high school careers with solid performances. Justin Gray scored two touchdowns for the Knights, while Austin Adair also added a rushing TD. Delmis Lewis made a beautiful one handed interception, and Andrew Barnard went a perfect 6 for 6 on extra points while also adding a 45 yard Field Goal.

"Miami's Vice" Ramblings of a Heat Fan

8:05 PM
Tipoff time. Just seeing Ricky Davis in the starting lineup brings on a variety of emotions. On one hand it's great to have an athletic swingman that can score points. But, on the other hand, JWill is already talking about "selfish" play. I wonder where that's coming from? Umm . . . Ricky I'm looking at you.

8:11 PM
Riley had a 12:01 AM practice on the opening day of training camp? And on top of that he claimed that this was supposed to be fun? Pat may be losing touch with this generation of players. Somehow, I can't envision the squad showing up with their party hats on.

8:24 PM
Miami's down 20-13 and yet I still have the feeling this game is all but over.

8:32 PM
Penny Hardaway is in the game. Once again Penny Hardaway is in the game . . . and it's not 1998. God, the Heat are in trouble.

9:09 PM
Well, It's a competitive game at halftime, but my confidence isn't sky high. The Heat need D.Wade about as much as Clark Kent needs his glasses. Dwyane is the Heat's disguise, much like those glasses. He has the ability to hide the ineptness of this year's team by carrying them night in and night out.

10:23 PM
0-4 and counting. The questions is how many games can the Heat lose before Wade returns? Can they come back from an 0-10 start to make the playoffs? I certainly don't like their chances.

Sunday News and Notes

D Mac is finally back in the mainstream Heisman discussion after his record breaking performance (Correction: after further review the record tying performance) last night against South Carolina. 323 yards and a 48-36 win made for a great night for Hogs fans. The win moved Arkansas up to 4th in the SEC West. The Razorbacks are now also officially bowl eligible, with 6 wins. Next week the Hogs travel to "Ol' Rocky Top" for another SEC matchup against the Vols. Prediction: 34-27 Razorbacks Win.

SUPER BOWL 41 1/2 . . . It's Finally Here

After a season full of anticipation, the biggest regular season game in history has finally arrived. With all the buildup and anticipation, can the game live up to the hype? I expect it to not only live up to the hype, but surpass it. Look for the Colts to fall behind early, gather their composure in the 2nd quarter, tie the game up in the 3rd, then pull ahead for a 37-23 win in the 4th quarter.