Final Superbowl Predictions

Well its the day of the big game and betting books are coming to a close. So here are my final predictions.

Straight Up w/ money line: Giants

Against the Spread: GIANTS FORSURE

Final Score: 31-30 Giants

I feel an upset. But take what’d you like.

5 reasons the Giants WIN the Superbowl

1. Had nothing to play for in week 17, now they do.

* They lost by 3 in a game where, while they played all their players and tried to win, they really where just just trying to stay healthy, probably not going all out.

2. Eli “plays best in warm weather”, not a factor in Pheonix.

* Been criticized about not playing well in cold weather. While the NFC Championship game may have helped, doubt still there. No need to worry about this week.

3. They play the disrespect card better than anybody.

* Have been doubted every game this post-season, and won every one. Being counted out more than ever in this one.

4. The other Manning.

* The media proclaimed “choke artist” in brother Peyton finally got the formula right last year. I’m sure hes sharing his method with little brother.

5. Patriot distractions.

* Brady’s boot, Moss’s restraining order, and the ever present 19-0. While New England have been the masters of blocking this sort of stuff out, it may catch up to them sometime, why not this week.

Keep updated for more Superbowl articles to come this week.

-Thorne Perun

Media Day played perfectly by both teams

 Superbowl Coverage – Tuesday

The New England Patriot’s roster features 47 players with Superbowl expierience. The Giants, have 3. Today the Patriots looked like a team that has been to media day so many times they take in stride has just another day in the office. Thats mainly because they have. Surprisingly however, the young Giants seemed just as nonchalant as the Patriots today. Some people are going to say that Plaxico made the common mistake of guaranteeing a win. Anthony Smith saying it, mistake. Igor Olshansky saying it, bigger mistake. However a significant player like Burress saying it in the biggest game of him and his teammates life does nothing but boost confidence. Like he said are they supposed to antnicipate a loss? All this being said neither team could of down a better job in handling the atmosphere of media day.

-Thorne Perun

Tiger makes right move in dismissing comments

Tiger Woods continued to be a class act recently in handling Golf Channel analyst Kelly Tilghman comments on “lynching” him in a back alley. Even after being called “not black enough” by fellow African Americans, Tiger continued to forgive Tilghman for her remarks insisting that she has been a friend of his and did not mean anything malicious by comments. To further the situation Golfweek magazine featured a noose on the cover of a recent issue. This further flaming the emotions of a large part of the African American community not only at the magazine, but Tiger for not reacting more harshly. Again, Tiger could not of reacted more professionally insisting there was no ill intent and it is really not an issue. As usual, Tiger continues to be a class act and as far as sport role models go is one of the best.

-Thorne Perun

Crosby out Indefintely: Beginning of the end for the Penguins?

 

Everything was going well for the Pittsburgh Penguins recently.  In the eleven games before Friday they have been 10-0-1 and on fire. Most of this can be attributed to goalie’s Ty Conklin lights out play over that streak.  He looked like a man possessed and definitely not someone who was playing on the Penguins AHL team just weeks ago.  Although Conklin has been great, so have teammates Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin has 10 goals and three assists and Crosby has 16 points over that winning streak.  Crosby was also in a three-way tie for the leader in points.  Overall the team has stepped up and has begun to play to expectations after a rather slow start.  The Penguins looked great and were expected to make a huge run from here on and be a contender throughout the season and heading into the playoffs. 

All of that changed Friday night when star Sidney Crosby became injured.  Skating down the ice trying to beat two defenders to the goal Crosby got slashed and fell into the boards feet first.  Usually jumping right up, he stayed down and was in obvious pain.  He was helped off the ice and into the locker room where he stayed all game.  The injury has been diagnosed as a high ankle sprain which, which depending on the severity, could sideline Crosby for over a month.  Crosby has been known to play with pain though, when last season he played the last month or so on a broken foot. The Penguins also ended their streak losing to the Lighting 0-3. 

It will be hard for the Pens to recover after losing the leagues reigning MVP in Crosby.  We should look to young players Tyler Kennedy and Jordan Staal to step up and help fill Crosby’s hole.  I feel that now is the time for last season’s rookie of the year Evgeni Malkin to finally show that he can also be a leader on this team.  Veterans like Colby Armstrong, Sergei Gonchar, Petr Sykora, and Ryan Malone should also help take some of the pressure off the team. The Penguins need to move on and try and continue their great play as of recently if they want to be still playing in April.  Let’s hope for the best and for the fast and strong recovery of Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

*Also injury comes just 8 days before All-Star game, in which Crosby was leading vote getter

 

-Luke West

 

NFL Championship Games Preview

 

San Diego Chargers vs. New England Patriots

3:00 PM ET, January 20, 2008
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA, CBS

Playoff Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
SDG	2-0	45	30	1-0	1-0	0-0	2-0
NWE	1-0	31	20	1-0	0-0	0-0	1-0

I would of given San Diego the slightest hope of winning if that idiot lineman didn’t open his mouth earlier this week. Are you kidding me? After the result of bad mouthing the Patriots all season has been utter blowouts, why does he feel the need. I think its closer then many think it will be, but lets be serious. Take the Patriots. Gamblers however, take the Chargers.

 

 

New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers

6:30 PM ET, January 20, 2008

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI, FOX

Playoff Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
NYG	2-0	45	31	0-0	2-0	1-0	2-0
GNB	1-0	42	20	1-0	0-0	0-0	1-0

As well as Eli has played, I think this is the end of the road. So far his 2 diffrent playoff game wins have been in 70 plus degree, almost perfect weather games. Lambeau is going to be a whole different story. And doesnt it seem like only destiny that Brett and the Pack make it to the Big One? Take the Packers, and take em’ against the spread.

Outlook on the 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers

 

With a few starters from the West Virginia Mountaineers going to the pros, many are questioning just how good the 2008 Fiesta Bowl champs will be next year. The Mountaineers took a big loss yesterday when Junior running back Steve Slaton Virginia after Rich Rodriguez left the Mountaineers to head for Michigan.West Virginia has already proven that they can overcome adversity after losing to a 4-7 Pittsburgh team, which cost them a shot at the national title; then losing their head coach, before finally knocking off what many believed was the number one team in the nation, the Oklahoma Sooners, in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. . Not only did they beat the Sooners, they beat them by 20 points in a very impressive and improbable victory. After a very emotional win in Arizona, the Mountaineers gave interim head coach Bill Stewart the head coaching job in Morgantown. Even though the Mountaineers have a new head coach and have lost many starters, I still believe they will again be in the National Title hunt all year during the 2008 season. With the Freshman Sensation RB Noel Devine returning for his sophomore season and Patrick White coming back for his senior season, many believe West Virginia will be able to continue their high powered offense that they have shown over the last few years. Noel Devine decided to stay in Morgantown after many rumors spiraled that he would be transferring to Florida State. He made his decision after stating that everything happens for a reason. He will be looking at having an even better Sophomore season and making a race for the Heisman trophy. Being in the hunt for the national championship will not be easy, but these Mountaineers have proven they can overcome just about anything. Be ready to see West Virginia in contention all year long as they will be out to prove that they are one of the best teams in the nation.

-Troy Wilkerson

Backyard Fight #1

Each kid put up $20 of their own. MMA rules implied.

First of many to come!

Manning Up

I’ve hated Peyton Manning for a long time. Despite his obvious talent, his meticulous game preparations, and his field-commander mentality, Manning’s line-of-scrimmage gesticulations and last-second audibles have always seemed a little too showy, a little too self-important, for my taste.

His effectiveness during the regular season has never been in dispute, but Manning has often crumbled in the playoffs. And when he has crumbled, he has blamed everybody but himself for his team’s losses. He put his unique brand of sulky arrogance on display in past years, when, in a stunning breach of football etiquette, he blamed his offensive line  — the very group of roughs charged with protecting his million-dollar arm — for a playoff loss.

 This year, again the same story, Manning blows another game when the pressure is on.  I am hoping that the man is content with one super bowl ring, because I dont see him “Manning Up” anytime in January in the future years to come.

- Christian Lescznske

Cowboys will loose, but dont blame Jessica

What’s that? You want nine reasons the fifth-seeded Giants will beat the top-seeded Cowboys? Sure, in a New York — er, New Jersey — minute.

1. Eli Manning

Note that it’s “Eli Manning” and not “The Eli Manning Factor.” Now, that’s not to say Manning is forever over his inconsistent ways. In fact, Cowboys fans are praying he regresses into one of his 13-of-38 afternoons. But it won’t happen, not this Sunday. Not when Manning has hit 42 of his past 59 passes with six touchdowns and one interception against teams with a combined 25-7 record. Not against a defense that, since November, has struggled to stop Aaron Rodgers, Jon Kitna, Jason Campbell, Todd Collins and, in stretches, even Matt Moore.

Watching Manning the past few weeks: He’s shaking secondaries around with his eyes, freezing them with pump fakes, hanging in the pocket and finding the open guy — and the Giants’ pass-catchers, after leading the NFL in drops with 42, are holding on to the ball. Manning won’t be fazed by two losses to Dallas this year. His confidence, after all, is sky high because …
2. The loss to New England was a good thing

Tom Coughlin made the right call in playing his starters against the Patriots in Week 17, even if it cost him a few of them. He put it on his players to dig deep against the best regular-season team in history, and they responded, even though they lost. Now, the Giants think, “Hey, we almost — maybe even should have — beat the Patriots. Why should we fear anyone else?” Last Sunday, that meant the Bucs. This Sunday, the Cowboys.

Hang around the Giants for a little while, and you hardly recognize them. Last year’s famously divided locker room is now tight and confident. Guys pass each other and say hi. Players rumored to be prima donnas (Plaxico Burress) are leaders. Leaders who specialized in self-promotion (Tiki Barber) are gone. Nowhere in this group will you find a player who, oh, declares the star quarterback’s girlfriend unwelcome around the team and its fans. Which leads us to …
3. Jessica Simpson

No, she’s not a problem. Nor was Tony Romo vacationing with her last week in Mexico. But the media’s talking about their relationship can be a problem, not to mention an infuriating irritation for those involved. On Tuesday, there were three headlines in Dallas-area newspapers referring to Romo’s bye-week vacation, compared to one about Terrell Owens’ injured ankle. In Dallas, they’re talking about Mexico. In New York, they’re talking about how …
4. The Giants are hot

By any objective measure, the Cowboys are a better team than the Giants, with a better coach, better quarterback, better weapons, not to mention 12 Pro Bowlers. But the Giants have been the better team during the past month, and being hot matters more than being a No. 1 seed. Just ask the ’06 Chargers, ’05 Colts, and the ’04 and ’01 Steelers. And the Giants are on a roll in part because …
5. They can run

Among backs with 1,000 or more yards, only Adrian Peterson and Fred Taylor averaged more yards per carry than Brandon Jacobs’ 5.0. He’s the next Larry Johnson, minus the enigma factor. Mix in Ahmad Bradshaw (17 carries for 151 yards against the Bills in Week 16), and New York has enough to keep Dallas off balance and control the clock. And time of possession will be a headache for the Cowboys because …
6. They can’t run

Not consistently, anyway. Rushing yards the past five games: 105, 87, 53, 148, 1. (1!) Which wouldn’t be such a big deal, but …
7. Dallas has serious questions at receiver

We know about T.O.’s ankle. He’ll gut it out, like he did in Super Bowl XXXIX. But how effective will he be? Suddenly, the guy who elevates Dallas’ passing game to another level might not even merit a double team. The Cowboys are happy to have Terry Glenn back, but who knows what kind of threat he will be after missing virtually the entire season. Their timing will be off, unlike that of the Giants’ offense, which is reaping the benefits of the fact that …
8. The rest of the ’04 QB class has arrived

Three playoff teams — Pittsburgh, New York and San Diego — put the game into the hands of their respective first-round quarterback from 2004. Opposing defenses wanted the game in the hands of those quarterbacks. Well, the one with the most playoff success in the past, Ben Roethlisberger, turned the ball over four times. The ones who hadn’t won a playoff game, Manning and Philip Rivers, carried their teams to wins. Now, amazingly, Manning has had more playoff success than Romo, not to mention …
9. Two good thumbs

 espn.com