Bloggin' around the Christmas Tree (oh yea, I went there)

I love Christmas time, and I'm not going to even attempt to say that it's for any original reasons. So here are some random thoughts on what makes Christmas the best time of the year...

For starters, let me mention the 3rd annual festive sweater party. A roaring success, I think it's safe to say that after year 3 this has become a staple of the holiday season. My winter break would quite simply not be the same without, so many thanks go out to Dennis and the entire Blanch family. Singing the classic Christmas songs on karaoke in a state of merry revelry in a room full of people dressed like 85-year old grandmothers is a unique feeling, I must say.

While we're on the topic of singing, my second notable Christmas-time event and a perennial all-star is the Campbell family Christmas Caroling/Christmas Dinner Combo party. The joy brought to the individuals in the nursing home, though great, is far surpassed by that felt by anyone who has had the pleasure to Carol with the Campbells in their holiday tradition. Singing is one of those things that is distinctly pleasurable ALL the time. Even when we hear something that doesn't please the ear, we can either make fun of it or critique it, two things most humans find enjoyable. And of course when it does sound good, the rewards need no explanation. I'm one of those people who can't get enough of the holiday classics in the month preceding December 25th. My personal favorite carol is "O Holy Night", which unfortunately went unsung in Campbell Carol Party 2008. If you haven't heard it or don't know the tune well, I would encourage you to listen asap. Both beautiful musically and incredibly powerful lyrically. Anyways, the caroling was awesome, and the grub back at their cozy Media home was as good going in the mouth as the Christmas jams were leaving it. The Meatball Sandwiches are a must and the brownies were spec-tac-u-lar. While we're on the subject of brownies...

I recently realized that I may have been underrating brownies as a dessert item. A moist brownie with some nilla i-keem may be the closest indicators to our taste buds of what heaven will be to our souls. They are absolutely outstanding, and the fact that every living being with estrogen makes it a point to be baking non-stop over the holiday season makes for an overabundance of brownies, cookies, cakes, and every other item chock full of sugary goodness. Just another reason I love the Christmas season...

Will be blogging more soon, but I definitely want to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. Although I definitely do not feel as close to my faith as I would like, it is during times like these that God's love seems more fathomable than ever. He is the reason for the season, and any good that exudes from me in spite of my struggles is from the waning, yet still radiant light of Him in my life.

Sunday TGIL

Quick picks that I like for the 4pm games because I was a bit late getting to the computer to put in something for the early ones. We can only assume that I would have nailed every 1 o'clock game.

CARDINALS (-3) over Vikings

Patriots (-7) over RAIDERS

Broncos (+7.5) over PANTHERS

Steelers (+2) over RAVENS

Giants (+3) over COWBOYS


BLOG PICKS: 43-36

Wife Beaters

I was drifting off thinking about underwear recently, probably in a subconscious effort to sabotage my studies. No, not lingerie to the average male reader's amazement. I was thinking about my undies. I've got this go-to pair of boxers that I've been rocking now for 3 years, clearly the ace of my underwear rotation (Note: Unlike a pitching staff, I have more that 5 items I rotate...just to clarify). These Tommy Hilfiger drawers are navy blue with a gray trim around the waste, and have a picture of a football(life obsession) and the year 1985(year of my birth) printed on. They are breezy, but not baggy, and purely a delight to wear. I get excited when I see that they're coming up in the rotation, and, I often times even plan when I am going to wear them. I know, I know, it's sounds pretty feminine but you know what, I'm coming clean about this issue.

You're probably wondering what in the world that previous paragraph has to do with wife beaters. Well, not much but it was a tangent my mind went on while thinking of the actual meat of this rambling: Wife beaters. After dating my current squeeze for about 3 months, her Mom recently came clean to me about her hatred of beaters.
(On a side note, it's incredibly refreshing to get along with a significant other's family. I had always made efforts to coexist with my woman's loved ones, but never actually enjoyed spending time with them as I do in my current situations. I think the whole husband&mother-in-law relationship is an extremely interesting, complex, and often times downright hilarious one, but I will get into that another time) Naturally, I understood her misgivings. I mean they're kind of trashy, that's pretty much where the root of their name lies, otherwise we would just call them sleeveless undershirts. The girlfriend quickly followed suit in the disparaging thought train.

I have to take a second and defend the undershirt trend that was started in trailer parks worldwide a few years back. The first thing I like about the beater is that its a natural sweat protector. When it's a sweltering summer day, I don't want my tee showing sweat stains. It's the perfect layer of protection so the shirt on top stays dry. Why is it better than a plain white-undershirt tee underneath? You have more range of motion in the shoulder regions and it looks better under any collared shirt, as long as the beater lines aren't showing through of course. Secondly, its a great type of undershirt to have on when trying on clothes. Any type of shirt can fit comfortably over it, and it's far less cumbersome than a full tee undershirt when checking out new duds. For these reasons--among others that I won't bore you with--I defend the wearing of a wife beater.

Just to clarify though, I do not support the brandishing of wife-beaters in public or as the only torso apparel that a guy would choose to wear out. I mean come on guys, why not just pop your collar? If you're trying to look like a complete tool box, it's the much better look of the two.

Anyways, went 5-3 with my picks last night and hope to improve on that tonight. Remember that my record is not simply on games that have even payouts. Unlike other handicappers, I will take underdogs straight up rather than with the points. Also I will take hockey and baseball spreads that pay out like dogs because of the difficulty there is in handicapping the lower-scoring sports. So on to the huge (10-free pick huge) Ry for Ry TGIL Saturday Edition:

Tennessee (-8) over TEMPLE

Ohio (PK) over DELAWARE

OKLAHOMA (-12) over Utah

KANSAS (-18) over Massachusetts

RICHMOND (+4) over Virginia Commonwealth

PURDUE (-24.5) over Indiana State

Wizards (+5.5) over SIXERS

Rockets (-4) over CLIPPERS

SENATORS (-1.5(+180)) over Lightning

BRUINS (-1.5(+115)) over Thrashers







BLOG PICKS: 39-30

Handicapping Round 2 of Fantasy Football Playoffs

So because I'm a fantasy nerd and because I am a procrastinator who should be getting schoolwork done, I have not only made lines for this weeks semifinals round of The Green Bleeders and Dan League but have also made predictions on the contests. (I factored in the Thursday Night Bears-Saints game in these predictions) Enjoy.


(5)Boom Goes Dynamite-Greenberg (+13) over (1)The Marble Ryes-Kurz

The Boom squad is destined for another third place finish, but it will be closer than people imagine. The difference in this matchup is in the QBs, where I see the advantage going to the MRs. Big-game Romo will have 257 yards passing and 2 tds, but one of the td receptions will go to a Dallas running back and Romo will also turn the ball over 3 times. Matt Ryan hooks up with Roddy White for a long touchdown and the rookie QB out of BC leads Kurz squad to victory, although the Boomers will cover the spread.

Marble Ryes 103 Boom Goes Dynamite 94



(6)Arabian Sandstorm-Anglin (-24.5) over (2)The Naked Kyledriver-Ramplin/Million

After the Thursday night that Anglin had, you have to lay the points in this matchup. Arabian Sandstorm may be the most dangerous 6-seed in league history. I see a blowout as both teams look to have low-scoring Sundays, but with an early lead, and Westbrook and LJ Smith going against the Browns on Monday night, this baby's gonna get ugly.

Arabian Sandstorm 83.5 The Naked Kyledriver 57


Next week I will handicap the Championship game, so stay tuned reader.

TGIF, it has been a long week! I'm gonna bring the workweek home with a strong night in Ry for Ry TGIL:

HEAT (-2.5) over Hawks

CAVALIERS (-10.5) over Sixers

BLAZERS (-8.5) over Clippers

GRIZZLIES (+2) over Bulls

CELTICS/Hornets OVER 189

WARRIORS/Rockets OVER 215

AVALANCHE/Blackhawks OVER 5.5

FLAMES/Panthers UNDER 5.5


BLOG PICKS: 34-27

First Ever Ry for Ry NFL Power Rankings

Time for the first-ever Ry for Ry NFL Power Rankings. They are long overdue. I think I may make this a weekly thing actually, but given my weird schedule I may not be too consistent with it. Anyways here they are:

1) New York Giants (11-2)
The Giants may have played a horrible game Plax-less, but the Eagles had their backs to the wall, and its really hard to maintain the level of play that Eli and company had for the entire regular season. The defense is still phenomenal. They still have the best running game in the league. The only problem they may have to overcome is if New Eli plays like Old Eli in the Playoffs. If that does not happen they will be repeat champs come February.


2) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)
Troy Polamalu is defensive player of the year to this point in the season. Every game I watch the Steelers in he seems to be near the ball on every play. Put that together with the year the linebackers are playing and the ability of Roethlisberger run the offense and I think this team, which has played by far the toughest schedule, is the team to beat in the AFC.

3) Tennessee Titans (12-1)
I know they have the best record in the league, but something just does not feel right about them. Not enough dominant performances against the elite teams in the league quite yet to put them above the 3-spot.

4) Carolina Panthers (10-3)
I hate to say it since the Birds have Carolina's first round pick next year, but they a really good. What Williams and Stewart did running the rock on a really strong Tampa defense really really impressed me. And they definitely are in the driver's seat for hosting a playoff game at home, where they have looked especially dominant.

5) Indianapolis Colts (9-4)
Peyton is a candidate for MVP, the defense is coming into form, and I didn't realize it, but they have won 6 straight and will probably end up going into the playoffs very hot. Bob Sanders is clearly the X-factor as far as what the team does.

6) Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
Watching the Ravens D is always an enjoyable experience. Last Sunday night I participated in an Ed Reed love-fest (that sounds weird but you get the point) with an amigo of mine. He is so much fun to watch. Between him and Ray Lewis refusing to age, not even a rookie QB--who actually is playing really well also--could prevent them from a strong finish to the season.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-4)
Tampa's an interesting team because there are very few big-name superstars, just seasoned vets at important positions (Ronde Barber, Jeff Garcia) , young contributors who have for the most part flown under the public radar

8) Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1)
We are hot, and the season is alive. Win out, and we're probably in...not a team that anyone wants to draw in the first round of the playoffs. Then again, if the Bucs make the playoffs there's always the possibility that Don throws the Ronde Barber special.


9) Dallas Cowboys (8-5)
Tony Romo is not the Savior in Dallas, it's that simple. They may not even make the playoffs, it will come down to a tough divisional road game against a hot team that wants revenge, and a postseason berth of their own. I can not wait to see the Team Obliterator (Copyright Skip Bayless)meltdown as he watches his former squad kick him swiftly into vacation-mode.

10a, 10b, 10c) New York Jets, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins (All 8-5)
The division is up for grabs, and eventually someone is going to separate themselves from the pack. I still can't get over the fact that Miami is this good. What a difference a year makes.

13) Atlanta Falcons (8-5)
I love Matty Ice and After-burner Turner, but there is a reason that only Marino has led his team to the big dance as a rookie. I hate to say it but I think the wheels come off in the next few weeks, and even if they make the playoffs, they won't go deep.

14) Minnesota Vikings (8-5)
Adrian Peterson is great, so is Jared Allen. Same story as the beginning of the season though: You're not going to win with that quarterback situation.

15) Arizona Cardinals (8-5)
Kurt Warner is too prone to turning the ball over for the team to get far in the playoffs. Their schedule in that division was just too easy and made them look better than they actually are.

16) Chicago Bears (7-6)
Kyle Orton has improved dramatically from last year, but the team seems to remain the epitome of mediocrity.

17) Denver Broncos (8-5)
Love Jay Cutler, but the defense is too weak, and Jay and the other playmakers are too young. Give them a few years.

18) New Orleans Saints (7-6)
Another inconsistent squad. Can we please stop the Drew Brees MVP talk. Pretty please?

19) Washington Redskins (7-6)
Boy, how a season can change. We should have known this team was a phony one when they lost a home game to the Rams!

20) San Diego Chargers (5-8)
They've had some serious injuries on defense the worst being Merriman, but giving that division up to Denver is sad. How the mighty have fallen.

21) Houston Texans (6-7)
Nice win in Lambeau gives them the slight edge on the Pack in the rankings, but this team still can't hang with the Titans and Colts in the division, so they won't be playoff-bound this year. The future does not look too bad though.

22) Green Bay Packers (5-8)
Incredibly inconsistent team. One week they blow a team out, the next week they get blown out. Looks like they do miss Brett after all.

23) San Francisco 49ers (5-8)
San Francisco beat the Jets last week, which means one of 2 things. Either San Fran is on the up and up or the Jets aren't quite as good as advertised. I'm going to go with the latter. Patrick Willis still looks awesome, and is a great player to build a defense around.

24) Buffalo Bills (6-7)
Marshawn can't do it by himself. This team has just gotten worse and worse as the season has progressed. Home losses to the Browns and the 49ers are a good indicator that neither Trent Edwards nor JP Losman are the answer at the most important position on a football team.

25) Cleveland Browns (4-9)
I think Glenn Dorsey may be a better starting quarterback in the NFL than Ken Dorsey.

26) Oakland Raiders (3-10)
Their defense shows flashes, but Jamarcus Russell is clearly not the answer for Raider Nation. Unfortunately you have to throw the ball once and awhile to win games.

27) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)
When Sage Rosenfels and Kyle Orton make your defense look bad in back to back weeks, you know your team doesn't have a prayer. If no one else, at least Fred Taylor is definitely aware of the situation.

28) Seattle Seahawks (2-11)
Seneca Wallace looked good for most of the game against the Pats, but ended up blowing it late. Mike Holmgren's last season is not one that he would like to remember anytime soon.

29) Kansas City Chiefs (2-11)
Tony Gonzalez is having a surprisingly great year despite KC being absolutely awful. It's ashame Tony couldn't escape that situation and play for a contender as the year winds down.

30) St. Louis Rams (2-11)
And Marc Bulger looked like a legitimately good pick for my fantasy squad as a backup to Tom Brady, in case the unthinkable happened. If you did not know why my team finished in last, you do now.

31) Cincinnati Bengals (1-11-1)
Not even Chad Johnson or Ocho Cinco or whatever the heck he's calling himself these days can keep this team remotely watchable. At least the Lions have Calvin Johnson. Speaking of which...

32) Detroit Lions (0-13)
Poor, poor Calvin Johnson...



Ry for Ry Wednesday TGIL:

NUGGETS (-11.5) over Timberwolves

SIXERS (+6.5) over Cavaliers

SPURS (-6.5) over Hawks

Grizzlies (-2.5) over THUNDER

Texas Christian (PK) over INDIANA

Gonzaga (-5) over WASHINGTON STATE

DUCKS (-1.5 (+150)) over Blues

CAPITALS/Bruins OVER 5.5



Last Night's Picks: 5-3

BLOG PICKS: 31-22

Thankfully, Tuesday's Gone....Well, Almost

Tuesday has to be the worst day of the week, right? I mean, Monday's at least have football, and Monday is Tuesday's only real competition for the title of worst day. Even if you don't like football, Mondays still have more to offer than Tuesdays. If you had a great weekend, you're still basking in the glow of it on Monday, enough to at least carry you through the day. If you had an awful weekend, you can at least complain to others and distract yourself from the fact that it's the first day of the work/school week. Wednesday is mid-week and by Thursday, the coming weekend is drawing you in with visions of pleasurable relaxation. (I feel like it has rained on more Thursdays than on any other day of the week in my lifetime, but that's neither here nor there, and I like rain anyway)

Tuesday is when it hits you that you have a crapload of crap to sift through to get to your weekend. That's why I'm going out tonight...to raise a glass and toast the conclusion of the worst portion of the week. Anyways tomorrow I will give my NFL Power Rankings so stay tuned...





Tuesday's Ry for Ry TGIL:

Villanova (+3) over Texas

Davidson (+2) over West Virginia

Purdue (-12) over BALL STATE

CAVALIERS (-11.5) over Raptors

Lakers (-11.5) over KINGS

CAVALIERS/Raptors OVER 194

FLYERS (-1.5(+120)) over Islanders

AVALANCHE/Kings OVER 5.5


BLOG PICKS: 26-19

The Green Bleeders and Dan: Season Update

Year number 2 of The Green Bleeders and Dan (TGBAD) Fantasy Football League regular season has concluded, and the post season is now underway. It was a year of parity in the league, as 3rd place and 11th place were separated by 3 games. 3 GAMES!!! If anything is an indicator of how competitive the league's become, it would be that aforementioned fact. Here are a few highlights from the regular season:

The Departure of Mave for the armed forces in Pat Tillman-like fashion brought new manager KyKy Ramplin into a very nice fantasy situation. KyKy will likely play Dave Anglin's Arabian Sandstorm, a battle of 2 teams that have no lost love between them.

The emergence of Roman, the "outsider" of the league. If the fantasy football league were the NBA, team Click Clack would be the Toronto Raptors. After a weak Year 1, Rome has bounced back strong, although an early round playoff exit does loom.

The Thomas Jones deal proposed by Dan's B. Funston All-Stars, which sent the Jets Pro Bowl-bound running back and contributing wideout Antonio Bryant to Jake's Marble Ryes for Ryan Grant. The deal turned out to be the shift of power to the Marble Ryes in the League.

The Anna Benson Sweepstakes gold and silver finalists finish at the bottom. Probably karmic punishment for their petty wars of words in the Baseball league, Lacey and Lewis both have awful seasons this year in TGBAD League. Both have vowed strong returns in 09 as they watch the 08 playoffs from the golf course.

"Can't wait for the 09 season"...The smack talk has caused ill-will throughout the league to the number 1 seed and heavy championship favorite Marble Ryes. The "nobody believed in us" sentiment-- which apparently translates to the fantasy world-- has especially left a bad taste in Max 20 Characters owner Brian Murphy's mouth. Let's look out for a very emotional battle between the teams in 2009.



Projected 2009 Draft Order:

1) Lewis
2) Lacey or Doran (Currently owned team)
3) Lacey or Doran (Whoever takes over Caplan's team)

[Note, if those 2 can't figure out who gets which pick in the draft I say the other 10 teams decide the process by which this decision is made. Possible options include:
--30 minute Rock/Paper/Scissors marathon
--A one-on-one half-case race of a beer of the rest of the league's choosing
--A public dance-off in LOVE Park shirtless, to be judged by the rest of the league members
--If you are a league member, or just a reader of this blog, please send other suggestions]

4) Murphy
5) Carver
6) Ross
7) Zubarev
8) Blanch
9) Ramplin/Million
10) Greenberg
11) Anglin
12) Kurz

(NOTE: Keep an eye out for the TGBAD League Mock Draft to come following the conclusion of the 2008 postseason)




Ry for Ry TGIL Monday Edition:

LOUISVILLE (-27) over Lamar

PANTHERS/Buccaneers OVER 38.5

Magic (-3.5) over CLIPPERS

Rockets (-7.5) over GRIZZLIES

Rockets/GRIZZLIES under 192

HEAT/Bobcats OVER 186.5

BRUINS (-1.5(+120)) over Lightning







BLOG PICKS: 22-16

School Ramblings

If you know me, you've heard me whine about school at least once. I just hate it, plain and simple. It's utterly ridiculous to take a number of classes that have absolutely nothing to do with one's future career. The argument that it makes you a well-rounded person doesn't hold much weight either, because some of the most intelligent, educated people I know can't remember the great majority of things they learned in school. College, as it pertains to being a knowledge-distributing institution, is an appalling waste of time. Learning and schooling are NOT interchangeable terms. One can love to learn, but hate to be educated. I hate how many people who have gone to college seem to think that it is a necessary part of life. And anyone my age who speaks highly of college or just the importance of doing it seems to fall into three categories:

1) The type of person who is terrified to go against the grain
2) The people who enjoy college for their out-of-class experiences
3) The kind of people, like myself, who go because they think a stupid piece of paper is going to advance them in their career field

Trade school is one school that makes sense to me. Equipping people to be extremely skilled at a particular occupation seems to make much more sense than getting a "well-rounded education" and becoming a jack(ass) of all traits, but a master of none.

Big rebound night as I nailed 4 of 5 picks for you the public. I will bring the continuing success home tonight with a 6-pick slate.

NUGGETS (-4) over San Antonio

MAVERICKS/Suns OVER 206

Connecticut (-15.5) over BUFFALO

OKLAHOMA (-8.5) over Usc

RUTGERS/Louisville OVER 51

HURRICANES/Penguins OVER 5.5


BLOG PICKS: 19-13

"Life and Cigarettes" due out 8/31/11

So I haven't worked much on this Novel lately. Actually I haven't written a word of it since early summer, but that's mainly because I only formulated a rough plot for the thing about a week and a half ago. What kind of jackass sets out to write a novel without any idea about what its content is going to be, you ask? That would be me, the same idiot to come up with a catchy yet ambiguous title before figuring out a plot. Anyways, I do actually think the subject matter should be pretty enthralling, but I will not divulge any specifics at this time. I am writing this blog entry as a sub-conscious motivational scheme to get me to write it. (Thank you Scott Yesner for delivering this theory to me) Blah blah blah, I'm just rambling, then again, that's pretty much the purpose of a blog so I guess I'm doing the right thing...

Not a good Tuesday night of prognostication for me, but I'm gonna bust out some quick Wednesday favs in Ry for Ry TGIL:

SYRACUSE (-17.5) over Cornell

PITTSBURGH (-17.5) over Duqesne

Thunder (+9) over BOBCATS

CELTICS (-14) over Pacers

OILERS/Stars OVER 5.5



BLOG PICKS: 15-12

Tuesday Picks

Ry for Ry TGIL (The Games I Like):


Lakers (-8.5) over PACERS

KNICKS (+6.5) over Blazers

Villanova (-13.5) over Penn

MARQUETTE (-23.5) over Central Michigan

FLYERS (-200) over Lightning

CAPITALS (-1.5 (+175)) over Panthers


BLOG PICKS: 13-8

Reality TV or TV Reality?

With the emergence of reality TV has come the exposure of how pitiful people really are. Whether it’s peoples obsessive and generally unattainable pursuit of stardom on American Idol or their increasingly shallow views of the world on any MTV Reality show, the state of our society being reflected in these things indicates we are some pretty pathetic creatures.

The fascinating thing about reality television is that it is just as reflective of its audience as fictional TV is. My girlfriend watches the show Gossip Girl, a program based on a hit series of books about an upper-class community’s drama-plagued and sex-crazed youth population. (SIDE NOTE: I understand it’s just an escape for her as TV/Movies are for many people, but the show is a perfect example of culture unfortunately being displayed in entertainment. And, the show is just a glorified soap opera for teens. The acting is atrocious, and the plotlines….ugh…but anyways…) It is based completely on fiction, so one would think individuals can’t possibly be as manipulative, untrustworthy, selfish and thoroughly immoral in real life as they are portrayed in the show. That assumption was quickly proven false by a girl sitting behind me in my economics class. For the first 15 minutes before the class began, she gossiped about her group of friends—and I use the term very loosely—and I could have sworn I was watching an episode of G.G. with my gf. The lies, the sex, the unfaithfulness, and all the petty bullshit that makes me want to stay inside for good, all in one casual chat between two girls behind me, infiltrating my life, my reality. I wish I was imagining this stuff, I really do, but it’s the sad truth about the time in which we are living.

One show that was also sadly reflective of daily life was one of my favorites, The Wire. The show depicted inner-city Baltimore in every walk of life, from the hood rats, the police force and government, to the harbor life and educational system. The 2 driving forces behind the production of the show had worked in Baltimore in varying, yet always integral, capacities and brought what they saw to what they created on screen, making it so real you could swear it was a documentary on the city. The corruption of the politicians was so complete. The conditions of the schools were so heart-breaking. The police force was so jaded. (I asked my friend who recently joined the force if any TV program he had seen portrayed officers accurately. Without knowing I watched the show, he looked at me and asked, “Ever seen the Wire?...it’s like that.”) The quality of the inner city as a whole and overall mood of the show was so excruciatingly dark that a person would be under the impression that a place like this could not possibly exist. Still, underneath the show’s utter brilliance was the cold hard fact that the world within The Wire mirrored real life.


Acknowledging the incredible parallels between television and the “real world’ is more of a morale-demolisher than it is a revelation. There are still TV shows I enjoy, those that truly embody escapism. I am seeing, however, that the vast majority of programming is to close to a cruel reality I would probably rather not be viewing at all.

Uneducated Consumer, Conspiracy Theorist, or Both

I personally feel I am a relatively uneducated consumer when it comes to the Presidential—or any—Election, and this is in part by my own choice. Candidates push a few points or policies especially hard, creating platforms that put many people on islands. By this I mean that America’s tendency to vote for someone based on certain specific issues often times makes a voter such as myself feel uncomfortable about all possible choices. With the exception of the people who tow a particular party line to their grave, most Americans are actually politically moderate. They hold some views that would be generally considered more Republican, and others that would be more closely associated with the Democratic Party. The problem occurs when one extremely polarizing issue, in this election the War in Iraq, becomes the entire reason that a particular candidate wins over a voter. Yes, the gazillions of dollars that we are pouring into the country is an issue, but not the only one. In past elections, abortion and gay and lesbian rights have been issues that have divided that nation, viciously separating people based on personal moral codes and religious doctrines.

Given the current economic state of our country, the “one issue” subject is an even more erroneous way of thinking about choosing a particular candidate than usual. We are in a state of financial crisis for a multitude of reasons, not because of one individual thing, and the man with the best plan should be the one in office, not the one who can appeal to the majority’s emotional, moral, or religious standpoints. As unoriginal as this idea is, it still is one of the main voting traps that exist.

My other problem with the upcoming election is a personal one that may make me sound crazy. I have developed a tendency to think like a conspiracy theorist in all issues pertaining to our government. In the case of elections, for example, I feel that both parties have underlying reasons to obtain congressional power that the public has no idea about, whether it is for certain individual’s personal gain or some other motive, I have a hard time thinking that I’m not being sold on empty promises from either party, so that an ulterior motive is reached, whatever said motive is. As stated before, I feel like an uneducated consumer, jaded by corrupt politicians—and by things I have seen in my favorite show, The Wire—over the years, and apathetic on my difference-making ability this fall in one of the most significant Presidential elections our country has seen.

Cardboard-Induced Guilt

As Election Day 2008 approaches, I see the world around me change. It’s just a different place when two men are in the midst of a heated race for the right to lead America. During this time, there are many observations I make while going about my daily routine on Temple’s campus. As I am hounded for the 2,346th time by someone asking me if I am registered to vote, I wonder to myself, what’s in it for them if they fill the quota of people they need to register? They do their job with such fervor that I almost feel bad that the entire campus is programmed to just say “yes” with no eye contact and continue walking. As my journey through the recently overpopulated walkway continues, the eyes of the life-sized cardboard cutout of Barack Obama cast a disparaging look my way and I can’t help but feel isolated. Though I am certainly not the only person on Temple’s campus leaning more towards the right politically, at this time of year, it sure feels like that. You see in a largely outspoken liberal population, you better be sufficiently informed and have a booming voice to get an ear, even if you have just a moderate outlook on politics. Associating yourself with the Republican Party in any public forum is similar to claiming allegiance to the Nazi regime. Look, I will obviously admit that our current President leaves a lot to be desired in a Commander-In-Chief, but this fact does not validate the statement “Bush Sucks” as a political ideology. As bad as Lil’ Bush has been, I sometimes feel that there is a large contingent that has little idea what role he played in our country’s current debacle.

I personally would vote for a candidate regardless of party affiliation if I believed he was the best man to run the White House and nation. The problem with the current election is that Bush’s body of work has urinated all over the Republican Party, leaving its stench on any appointed candidate that the Elephants may have run for them. This fact, along with the multi-cultural appeal and youthful exuberance of Obama, has certain portions of Temple’s campus simply buying into the hype, even though they are completely uneducated about he or John McCain’s views on most of the major issues. I feel that if Satan ran on the campaign platform that he was the anti-Bush and he was against the war in Iraq, he would draw every voter that was not thoroughly “right-minded” to begin with.

People say that when you don’t vote you are taking democracy for granted or that you are not using your voice to be heard in government. This sounds so wise and insightful, but it fails to account for the uneducated masses who will flock to the polls. Is it good to have your voice heard if it is a belligerently drunk one? Whether you are blinded by bias on partisan lines or just in need of something to believe in, check your shortsightedness at the door. The future of our country rests in the votes of those who could read up and make informed decisions, or take the easy way out and follow a crowd. Do you really want to feel guilty when those cardboard Obama eyes stare you down on your walk to class?

Fuck You Patrick McDonald???

Walking to my car from class, I overheard a girl talking to a friend on the phone, covering the daily gossip. On today's agenda was a story of a police officer who had been shot and killed in North Philadelphia, mere blocks from where my feet were presently moving. The normality of the girl's conversation was incredibly unsettling to me. She represented a population of Philadelphia citizens that have become accustomed to hearing news of bloodshed and calmly chatting about it like it was the latest celebrity breakup. I was appalled with my own reaction as well, contributing to the problem, so I sat down and started thinking about the work of the Philadelphia Police Department and law enforcement throughout America.

I overhead Mayor Michael Nutter on the radio giving his thoughts after officer Patrick McDonald's untimely execution. He spoke the typical, yet necessary, political jargon, but added something I thought was refreshing also. He told the listening audience to approach any police officer they may see in passing during their daily routine, and simply thank them for the work they do. What an excellent idea, so easy yet for some reason so rarely practiced. Besides, putting their lives on the line on a daily basis and fighting against the evil that runs rampant in city streets, they take on an unhealthy and unfair amount of abuse from the average citizen.

The number of people, specifically youth, who have a lack of respect for police officers is utterly inexcusable. Whether they are fueled by their random hatred of authority or by their propaganda filled Rage Against the Machine CD, they stereotype the people who protect society as crooked, abusive "pigs." They shout "fuck the police" because they can't openly smoke weed on the street corner. They support a convicted cop killer, Mumia Abu-Jamal and march for his "freedom" because it's the young, hip, liberal way of thinking. It disgusts me that these people exist, not only because their stance on such matters is immoral, but also because their ignorant views help fuel a still-growing notion among the next generation that is FALSE!

The truth of the matter is this: there are bad people in every walk of life. Corruption happens in every business to varying degrees. In every industry, there are dishonest, wicked-hearted people. Government and its branches are no different. People stereotype police officers based on a few bad apples. If these American Heroes save hundreds of lives in a given period but abuse their power a mere handful of times, the risk they take for us, our friends, families and neighborhoods, means little to nothing in the eyes of a greatly unappreciative society.

I would encourage Philadelphians to take the advice of Mayor Nutter and, however corny or contrived it may feel, thank a police officer you come in contact with today. I would go further though. The next time you hear some short-sighted, follow-the-pack, I-can't-form-my-own-opinion idiot saying how corrupt cops are, remind them that there isn't one job in America that someone hasn't abused privileges or violated policies at some point while performing. The next time you hear someone bitch about police brutality, remind them of all the police out there that constantly have had bullets flying by them to protect the rights of morons who exaggerate the amount of beatings that our civil servants actually give. The next time someone says, "Fuck the police", turn to them, think of the disrespect they are showing for the slain Patrick McDonald and those who have fallen like him, politely smile, and say "No, fuck you."

Not So Nice Way of Thinking

Fully understanding the Double-X chromosome is a feat that has yet to be accomplished by any man throughout the course of human history. I know, the whole "figuring out women" thing is overdone, but I have to throw my 2 cents in on one aspect of it. Last night I was called out by a couple of friends, one male, one female, on my approach to courtship. They said I was "too nice." Whatever the concept lacks in originality it completely makes up for in utter ridiculousness. I'm going to attack this issue on a few levels...

First off, the notion of having too much of a good thing is idiotic. It's pretty fucked up in a society that promotes gluttony that positive attributes are the ones that have quotas. Even beyond that, think about applying this principle to other areas of life. While it's a bad thing that I'm "too nice", it sure wouldn't be bad if I were "too handsome" or "too smart" or "too good at making a delicious dinner." This way of thinking has developed over the years and is now a staple of the average human brain in 2008, despite how nonsensical it is. People have lost normal ways of discovering adventure in daily life, and have to draw excitement from their inherently flawed relationships. If every guy out there fit the "too nice" mold there would be no rape, no physical abuse, and the divorce rate would actually look somewhat respectable.

Secondly, if I had a dime for every time I heard a girl talk about how she just wants a Prince Charming to come sweep her off her feet, I could probably fill up the tank in my Toyota, which is saying something given the times we're living in. The ones who constantly are vocal about not finding a decent guy are the ones who consistently settle for the larger-than-life-ego-dopes that give the male population a bad name. Females, at least the ones I seem to encounter on a daily basis, seem to run on dysfunction. There's got to be something to fight about or the relationship turns bland. Can't we just go back to the days where romance is all the spark you need to be a great couple? There are people out there who don't lose the butterflies around their partner, though they are few and far between.

I'm speaking up for the male population that supports the theory that chivalry is not dead, though it may be on life support. As much as I appreciate my friends advice, it would be absurd for me to go against my character and actually attempt to be an ass so I could appeal to a broader range of females. I'll do my thing and attract the winners. Besides, I don't want a chick who's dependent on drama for her daily dose of adventure. Get your drama from Grey's Anatomy, and let's share a few laughs over a cup of coffee and enjoy each other's company. We won't be the fighting couple that makes everyone around them feel incredibly awkward. We'll leave that role to someone else. These words apply to the females who don't think that sweet is boring. To those women out there who don't want their Prince Charming to be a deadbeat with a temper and baggage, I salute you. You are a dying breed, the last of the remotely comprehensible double-X chromosomes.

Good Times in Cheesesteakville

Man, I am pumped! Yes, I have lived my 22+ years championshipless in this town, but there have been great stretches along the generally heartbreaking road. We are in one such stretch now. Last night’s thrilling Flyers win in overtime was the latest in what has become an incredible streak of positive events in Philly sports. On Sunday, Phils beat the Mets, and more importantly, the Sixers win game 1 against the heavily favored Pistons. The Phils continued the streak into the week where they won 2 against Colorado, the second in dramatic, come-from-behind-in the 9^th inning fashion. Brad Lidge is looking really dominant in the closer role, a position which has been a point of inconsistency for the Phitins’ in recent years. Pat “the Bat” Burrell is living up to his nickname and is not only driving in runs, but more importantly hitting in the clutch as we saw last night.

Contrary to the public’s beliefs going into the game, the Flyers looked really sharp, even coming off the ugly game 6 loss on home ice. Our defensemen (specifically Coburn and Timonen) played great yesterday and all throughout the series, continually hounding Ovechkin, while also making a strong showing in the offensive zone. Marty Biron looked unbelievable in net, stopping 39 of 41 shots that he saw. You just can’t say enough about how he’s played this series. Everyone made a fuss about Marty being 0-5 in the tail end of back-to-back games, but Cristobal Huet was actually 1-6 himself, and the fact mattered little as both goalies made some spectacular saves. The series as a whole did not follow any “normal” ebb and flow, and momentum shifts followed no rhyme or reason either. The exciting game 7 capped a series that, for both groups of fans (and I use that term very loosely when speaking of those frauds down in Washington), was an emotional seesaw. Bring on Montreal!

I’ll throw a few picks in, since I have been hot lately…

Jon Garland and the Angels are in Fenway tonight, attempting to hit Dice-K for the first time. Well, Torii Hunter actually had 4 ABs against him. Of those for, he struck out twice and grounded into a double play. I’ll take the leagues best team, with Beantown’s favorite Japanese immigrant on the mound.

RED SOX (-1.5) over Angels

Phillies and Brewers in Milwaukee. Dave Bush vs. Cole Hamels. I’ll take the Phils to stay hot against a pitcher who has had his share of problems with their lineup. Bush is having a rocky start to his 2008 season as well, and Cole is still, simply put, the balls.

Phillies (-1.5) over Brewers

Fausto Carmona and the rest of the Tribe are in K.C. to take on Tomko and the Royals. Last night, Sabathia found his stride, and the Indians smoked the Royals. I could see this being a completely one-sided series, so I’ll definitely take the Tribe tonight.

Indians (-1.5) over ROYALS

In the NBA, Boston and Atlanta will play game 2, of a completely mismatched series. Boston should put up 110-120 points and run away with the game. Maybe I’m wrong, but the Hawks are going to have to get some sort of miracle to have a snowball’s chance in hell in this series.

CELTICS (-15) over Hawks

CELTICS/Hawks Over 119

Picking Record: 10-6

2008 NBA Playoff Picks

The NBA has developed over the last 5 years into a watchable product again! It has been incredibly exciting to watch a sport—on the verge of alienating their fans—become revitalized by some great draft classes. These drafts have produced guys who not only are incredible skilled, but are incredibly classy in juxtaposition to those NBA stars in the forefront of the league’s image in the very late 90s. Teams like the New Orleans Hornets and Boston Celtics still have the flashy plays that make highlight reels and guess what…they still play great defensively! It’s been great to watch the battles in the West, which will only intensify this weekend with the beginning of postseason play. And you will hear a nauseating amount of superlatives while I describe these matchups, because I think these 2008 playoffs will be that good. And what better way to kick off the playoffs than inking out a bracket. Ladies and Gents, your NBA postseason picks!

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

1) Boston vs. 8) Atlanta

Boston enters the postseason with the big 3 (KG, Pierce, Allen) healthy and a better-than-expected supporting cast ready to play important roles as well. Atlanta had a nice run this year, clearly making strides in the right direction, while clearly only making the playoffs because of a weak Eastern Conference. In short, this series is a mismatch for Atlanta in every facet of the game. If they steal one game in this series, it will be a success.

Celtics in 4

2) Detroit vs. 7) Philadelphia

As usual, the Pistons were one of the best teams in the NBA this year, with no legitimate MVP candidate. Just typical Motown hoops, featuring great defense and ball movement and—as overused as the saying is—fundamentally sound play. A different guy shoulders the offensive load each night. Philly bulled its way into the playoffs after a slow start to the season. Point guard Andre Miller has played out of his mind, elevating the games of everyone around him on a team that loves to run the floor. The Sixers, like the Hawks, are headed in the right direction, but the top 2 seeds in the East are far superior to anyone else in the conference.

Pistons in 5

3) Orlando vs. 6) Toronto

Big man Dwight Howard’s breakout year coincided with the Magic’s to no ones surprise. His team snagged the 3-spot in the post season with major contributions from Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu as well. The young team faces the Raptors, who also had extra help from unexpected places. Point guard Jose Calderon (who had a career year stepping in for injured PG T.J. Ford) and rookie forward Jamario Moon complemented All-Star Power forward Chris Bosh, and the Raptors are in the playoffs again this year. I like Dwight Howard to have a good series, but he’s still a kid, and I think that Toronto is a smart team that can exploit the defensively liable Magic and hold Howard and forward Rashard Lewis’ scoring in check. Orlando is still a year or two from being a major threat in the East, and I think the Raptors may be a bit better than their record suggests.

Raptors in 6

4) Cleveland vs. 5) Washington

Cleveland has taken it to the Wiz two years running in the playoffs and we’re dealing with the same stars in this game as in those years. The difference is the supporting cast. The Cavs made a move to land Ben Wallace and Delonte West, shipping out trigger-happy guard Larry Hughes in the process. Lebron is still the guy who has the load on his shoulders, as no fantastic chemistry has developed with he and the others, not enough at least to be as good as last year. Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison have another year together, and though they struggled with injuries, both teams stars are banged up going into this series. I love Lebron to win 3 games by himself, but with a bad back already, I don’t see him being able to carry the team to round 2. The Wizards have a good deal of offensive weapons, and I think they will be able to go the distance with Cleveland and send Lebron to an early summer on his own court. I just can’t wait to hear Skip Bayless after this series.

Wizards in 7

Semifinals

1) Boston vs. 5) Washington

This series will not be too exciting, barring a ridiculous (and extremely unlikely) performance from the Wizards. The Celtics team defense is too good for the Wizards to score on as consistently as they will against the Cavs in round 1. On the offensive side of the ball the Celtics will completely manhandle the Wizards, who are really a weak man’s Denver Nuggets (Lots of points, no defense). The Wizards will be so high after beating Lebron on his home floor that they will lose sight of KG and the Celts, who will sucker punch them in games 1 and 2, and by the time Agent Zero and company realize they’re in a hole it will be too late. It’s incredible the separation that Boston and Detroit have from even the 3^rd best team, let alone any team past that.

Celtics in 5

2) Detroit vs. 6) Toronto

The big matchup in this series will be Chris Bosh trying to manufacture some offense while being guarded by Rasheed Wallace. If he can’t score, the Raptors have no shot in the series. I think best case scenario, Bosh has two solid games against Detroit, but they are too good of a team defensively to give up a series to any single scoring threat not named Lebron James. The Pistons have been here before plenty of times, and the Raptors are merely a blip on their radar. I think Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford’s playing time will be an issue also, and though it may cause friction within the team when they are down big in the series, it really won’t matter who is in. Chauncey Billups, although aging, is far superior to either guard that Toronto will have in, on both sides of the floor. Too much Pistons D. Not enough legitimate scoring threats for Toronto. A ton of experience versus a little experience. Bottom line, Pistons roll.

Pistons in 5

Conference Finals

1) Boston vs. 4) Detroit

This is the NBA at its finest, a series between 2 powerhouses in the East that will, hopefully, continue the league’s revival process. You’ve got the Celtics, whose core group has been together only this year, against the Pistons, whose core has been through hell and back. I think that KG vs. Sheed is going to be an unbelievable match within the match bout that will ultimately determine the series. And I hate to say that I’m drinking the Garnett Green Kool-Aid, but he’s just looked ferocious this year. I truly feel like he will have a postseason for the ages. Sheed will give him a hard time, but KG will prevail, and Ray Allen will have a big series as well for the Celts. I see him making a few clutch threes in this series, and the role players will do their part as well do overcome a really good Pistons team.

Celtics in 7

Western Conference

Quarterfinals

1) Los Angeles vs. 8) Denver

Things are looking good for Kobe and company, as the Lakers wrapped up the top seed in the red hot West. After they stole Pau Gasol from Memphis, L.A. gelled and fought past a big injury to Andrew Bynum to claim home-court advantage as Kobe Bryant continued to make a case for himself as MVP of the league. On Denver’s side, things weren’t nearly as positive. While the team scored points at an inane rate with Melo and the Answer leading the charge, they also were a little too preoccupied to play any defense along the ride. And their coach is George Karl. And Melo picked up a DUI too. Back to basketball…The Nugs shouldn’t win more than 2 in this series, as they will not put up 120 points a game against L.A. As far as the West goes, this is one of the best draws for the best player in the game to get warmed up on what should be a memorable playoff run.

Lakers in 6

2) New Orleans vs. 7) Dallas

New Orleans is putting together a phenomenal season led by the best point guard in the NBA. As Steve Nash and Jason Kidd’s primes begin to come to a close, Chris Paul’s best years are ahead of him. And that’s scary, considering his utter domination of the position in just his 3^rd year. Forwards David West and Peja Stojakovic have played vital roles as well in the team’s huge leap forward. Still, it’s their first year, and although they look really sharp I just think the Mavs will surprise people in this series. Back to Jason Kidd: while he is close to the end of his prime, he’s still better than the vast majority of PGs in the league, and in the playoffs, the man simply knows how to win. Add in Dirk, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, and a strong bench, and you’ve got a really tough matchup for a young team’s first playoff series. I think the Mavs finally have some post-JKidd trade chemisty, and will sneak in and take this series.

Mavericks in 6

3) San Antonio vs. 6) Phoenix

People go pretty worked up over the Shaq trade to Phoenix, and understandably so. It was a huge deal which simultaneously elevated Amare Stoudemire’s game to a new level and got Shawn Marion’s bad blood out of town. The Suns did look good against the Spurs and will certainly challenge them, more than any other team they face in the West in my opinion. The fact remains, Tim Duncan always finds a way to get it done. While he is getting older, it’s not like the Diesel and Nash are young themselves. Once again everyone is dreading the idea of the Spurs making the Finals, and they’re pointing out flaws that do exist. I just don’t think it matters because they look flawed to some degree every year…till the postseason. Spurs take this in the most entertaining first round series of the playoffs. It will live up to the hype.

Spurs in 7

4) Utah vs. 5) Houston.

On to probably the least interesting first round series of the playoffs, at least in my opinion. The Jazz look indestructible at home, but they look sharp generally speaking as well. All their parts are synchronized so well you have to give credit to GM Kevin O’Connor for putting the pieces together. Houston went on an unbelievable 22-game winning streak, most of which was without Yao Ming. But here comes the real test, one that they’ve failed yearly while captained by All-Star Tracy McGrady. Point guard Rafer Alston is hurt going into the postseason as well, which will really hurt going into a series against one of the top PGs in the league, Deron Williams. This year I think the Rockets will lose in round 1, but it will not fall (or should not fall) on McGrady’s shoulders. Jazz are too good, and the Rockets are too banged up going in. Houston’s season will unfortunately only be remembered for the streak, not for the playoffs.

Jazz in 5

Semifinals

1) Los Angeles vs. 4) Utah

This should be a really good series, one that I think will come down to home court advantage. I think that this is a series won by Kobe. I just get the feeling he is going to take the team on his back, ignite the home crowd, and put up a couple 50-point games. I think there are about 3 defenders in the league who can come remotely close to guarding him, and the Jazz don’t have any of those guys. Jazz Center Mehmet Okur is as soft as warm chocolate chip cookie, and actually the cookie may be able to defend the rim better. He’ll also struggle defending Pau Gasol. Carlos Boozer rebounds well but he doesn’t block many shots for a big man. Kobe will be penetrating and getting layups, or kicking out to open teammates on the perimeter. Deron Williams will have another nice series, but it won’t be enough.

Lakers in 7

3) San Antonio vs. 7) Dallas

A Spurs and Mavs series sounds a lot better this year than it actually will be. The Mavs are good for a first round “W” but only because the team they are playing is so inexperienced. The Spurs are the most playoff-ready team in the league, and they won’t have too much of a problem with the Mavs. Defensively they match up very well against Dallas. Expect to see all the Mavs big guns settling for outside shots, a process that does not bode well for winning playoff series’. Yes, they may get hot shooting and take 1 or 2 games, but strong interior play always wins in that battle. Gritty big guys like Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto will take away penetration opportunities from Dallas, and then there’s Tim Duncan. 2^nd round exits for Dirk and Mark Cuban…thank God we won’t have the camera cut to him in the stands after the Spurs take care of business.

Spurs in 6

Conference Finals

1) Los Angeles vs. 3) San Antonio

This is one of the harder series’ for me to predict, because as much as I want to take the Lakers, I don’t like picking two number 1 seeds to meet in the NBA Finals. If one of these 2 teams loses earlier than the conference championship, I think the other will cruise into the Finals. Kobe and Duncan are the 2 most dominant players of the current era. Phil Jackson and Greg Popovich are arguably the best coaches of that same time period. Both teams have the pedigree. It’s just so hard to call, because you could see it going either way. I think it just seems too crazy that a Celts-Lakers series happens, like everyone’s just got it in stone because it is too good of a story. And things that seem too good to be true usually are. I hate to bring a prediction down to such an intangible-type reason, but I feel it necessary. Also, I liked San Antonio/Boston since January, so I’ll stick to my original prediction.

Spurs in 6

The 2007-08 NBA Finals

Finally, the NBA Finals will actually be better than the Conference Finals. Rajon Rondo emerges as the star of the series, though KG will get the MVP for his dominant playoffs and regular season (he won’t win the regular season MVP). The Duncan/Garnett battles will be epic, the guard play will be intense. Both squads play great team defense, and most of the players on both teams can D up well individually as well. My one hesitation with picking the Celts is that Doc Rivers couldn’t hold Popovich’s jock as a coach, but I think the Celtics just outplay the Spurs by a hair in the series. Home court advantage will play a role, and all the game should be nail-biters (hopefully). I’ve been a KG fan for awhile, and I just think that every guy that good, who dedicates himself that much to the game gets an opportunity to be immortalized on a championship team at one point in his career, and this has been his year from day 1. As usual I will throw up the disclaimer that I’m probably going to be wrong about all these series’ but hey, I guess we’ll find out, won’t we.

The Boston Celtics OVER the San Antonio Spurs in 7 games.

Finals MVP: Kevin Garnett

Regular Season MVP: Kobe Bryant

Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman (though Maurice Cheeks deserves the award)

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant

A couple picks for Friday April 18:

I’ll take Dice-K and the BoSox over Mendoza and the Rangers at Fenway. Dice-K’s had a nice year thus far, and the Texas lineup is full of guys who’ll get mowed down on strikes.

RED SOX (-1.5) over Rangers

Ben Sheets has been stellar for the Brew Crew thus far and I don’t see that changing against the Reds. Bronson Arroyo, on the other hand, lost his mojo along the road from Boston to Cincy and just hasn’t gotten it together for any extended period of time. Prince just jacked his first dinger of the year, and you can bet he won’t stop there.

Brewers (-1.5) over REDS

Picking Record: 8-6

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Referees

If you are a fan of the Flyers, Capitals, the NHL or sports in general, you can see what's going on in hockey's post season. We Flyers fans knew going in that we would be getting the shaft from the refs, as league officials moistened their trousers at the idea of a Crosby-Ovechkin series. The interesting thing is just how ugly it's getting. While chatting with friends about whether a goal by Brooks Laich would stand (despite visual evidence that there was a high-stick and possibly some interference with Marty Biron's glove) we disputed the refs loyalty to the Caps. The goal, which was counted. was just one of many calls against the Flyers in the series thus far. On another play very late in the game, R.J. Umberger's stick grazed Ovechkin's skate the result of which being Ovechkin flying headfirst as if he was shot out of a cannon. Of course Umberger took the tripping penalty on the league's pride and joy. These 2 plays have been representative of the entire series for the Fly guys, and it's not just the opinion of one Philly fan. Anyone with eyes and a brain can see it happening. It has just been absolutely appalling to watch.

The NHL isn't the only league that babies its superstars for ratings-sake, but at least in a league like the NBA, you have to be a seasoned veteran to be getting the borderline calls. The other argument I've heard is that the NHL has hated the Flyers since the days of the Broad Street Bullies, but I think that is completely bogus because having the Flyers succeed is good for the league (since they're in a big American city that seems to give a crap about hockey). Luckily, the calls ultimately did not affect the outcome of Game 3, and the home team came out victorious. Still, couldn't the calls be just a little less bias?

On to some Wednesday night picks. After a 3-1 Tuesday got me over the .500 hump in 2008, I'm gunning for two great days in a row.

I'll start with baseball, where I love the Mets/Nationals game. Matt Chico takes the hill for the Nationals against John Maine and the Mets. Maine is looking for his first win, and will get it tonight against an inferior Nats offense that showed early flashes in the season, then promptly fell to the divison's basement. Mets should tag the Nats for at least 5 runs for game 2 of the series at Shea.

METS (-1.5) over Nationals


Similar thinking with Brad Penny and the L.A. Dodgers, as he is due for a really strong outing after his past 2 sub par performances on the hill. Penny hurls the rock against a Pittsburgh Pirates offense that has come out of the gate strong. Paul Maholm should give up enough runs to L.A. to make this a 3-4 run win for the home team.

DODGERS (-1.5) over Pirates


In a meaningless game, the Boston Celtics play The New Jersey Nets. The Celts have already wrapped up the 1 seed in the East, while the Nets play their final game of an incredibly disappointing season. Still, expect Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson to have good enough games to keep it close.

Nets (+9.5) over CELTICS


The Phoenix Suns with a chance to get home-court advantage take on the young Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers, after a great year, still have a little progress they need to make in order to be a threat in a very strong conference. Phoenix is going to play hard, and should come up with a big win at home. I'll take the Suns in this one laying the points at home.

SUNS (-11) over Trail Blazers


Finally, I'll go along with my original playoff prediction and take the Pens tonight to complete the playoff sweep against the Senators. This team has looked sharp in all of the first 3 games, and has not won by at least 2 goals in each. Tonight will be no different.

Penguins (-1.5) over SENATORS




Picking Record: 5-4

Thoughts as the 2008 NFL Draft Approaches.

One of the greatest days of the year in sports (that does not involve an actual game being played) is quickly approaching. The NFL Draft is not merely an excuse to crack a beer open at noon, or get together with friends and talk pigskin when the regular season is nearly a half year away. It is the epitome of football nerdom. That’s right folks, I’m calling you out. If you thoroughly enjoy sitting through long periods of pick speculation and draft “experts” pontificating over issues that are as predictable as a coin flip, you are no better than a guy who puts on a furry Chewbacca costume and drives his 89 Escort to a Star Wars convention. I know this because I am one of those sick individuals who reads up on all the college players before that glorious Saturday in late April, even though the vast majority of the players entering will end up being complete stiffs. So with this preface out of my way, I will share some scattered thoughts on the NFL draft both as a green-bleeder, and as an obsessive football fan.

First of all let’s get one thing straight: The Eagles should absolutely not take a wide receiver in the first round, heck even the second round. Under the Andy Reid regime, the process has left Philly fans scratching their heads and throwing pizza crust at their televisions. Why draft at a position that in the past has produced the likes of Reggie Brown, Jeremy Bloom, Jason Avant, Freddie Mitchell, Freddie Milons Billy McMullin, Todd Pinkston, Gari Scott, Na Brown and Troy Smith. Of those 10 only 2 could be considered average to good at best. The worst of these drafts proved to be 2001 also know as the Freddie Mitchell fiasco, as Reggie Wayne, Chad Johnson, Chris Chambers, Steve Smith, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh were all taken after him. Sure, it’s incredibly tough to predict how talent will translate to the NFL. Still, if you are inept at assessing young talent at one position, why not address it via free agency or trade. Which leads me to my next point: Overvaluing early round picks.

It is unspeakably aggravating to me that teams think that 1^st round draft picks are worth their weight in gold. The logic never made sense to me. Yes you build for the future in the draft, but if you’re on the cusp of a title how about the present? If you are one or two pieces away from a championship why not go out and get those pieces? The Eagles could certainly land Roy Williams from Detroit or Larry Fitzgerald from Arizona if they offered first-rounders for them. But no, let’s instead take a huge risk and draft a guy who is completely unproven and could turn out to be a bust, as three of Reid’s eight 1^st round picks have been. If the team plays to its biggest strengths in the draft—offensive line or defensive back—it’s one thing, but drafting in a position that has proved futile time and time again is a whole other story. With that rant off my chest, I do not think the Birds will draft a receiver in the early rounds. They will most likely go after someone in the secondary or on the O-line, as mentioned before, two positions they have perennially drafted strong in. This still isn’t my favorite scenario this year, but definitely not a bad one by any means.

I am a huge fan of trading the 1^st round pick and d-back Lito Sheppard for Pro Bowl players to make a run in McNabb’s last years as QB. Will they do this? No idea. Does anyone really have any idea until it is pretty much a done deal? Not really. While they make for an interesting read, I won’t bother doing a mock draft because it’s just too unpredictable. I will say that I believe this draft day will be one of the most important drafts of my life as an Eagles fan. How Philly handles their numerous picks and their disgruntled cornerback will be the difference between seeing a parade or not with this current core group of players. The pressure’s on, and hopefully this year on another big NFL stage, the fans won’t end up being the ones vomiting.

Here are some Tuesday games I like as I attempt to get over the .500 mark for the blog picks in 2008. (I promise you I will finish the year better than Bill Simmons of ESPN, but that may not be saying much):

You have to love the beginning of the baseball season. The Blue Jays meet the Orioles as the battle for the best record in the AL East rages on at Camden Yards in Baltimore!! Shaun Marcum is off to a great start in the young ‘08 season, and looks to improve his record against B-more’s journeyman Steve Trachsel. The Jays staff looks strong and their bats aren’t looking bad in the early going. The O’s record is deceiving, and the team will clearly not continue its winning ways.

Blue Jays (-1.5) over ORIOLES

Brewers travel to “Baseball Heaven” in St. Louis, as they face the Cardinals who have come out of the gate hot this year. Dave Bush takes his career 7.61 ERA against the Cards in to face Braden Looper, who is off to a 2-0 start thus far. I’m not convinced that Braden can keep it up, and even is he holds the Brew-Crew to 3-4 runs, the Cardinals offense should make up the extra 6-7.

Brewers/CARDINALS Over 9.5

In the NBA, Charlotte faces off against New Jersey in a completely meaningless game. One of the biggest factors in whether a pro hoops team makes or misses the playoffs is how well they play defense. Unless you are an offensive powerhouse—like Denver—you’re generally going to come up short, or in the Nugs case, get a probable early postseason exit. They 3 best offensive players in this game (Carter, Jefferson and Richardson) pad their stats while taking 70-plus shots, and all 13 people watching this game get to see a plethora of points.

Bobcats/NETS Over 207

Finally in the NHL, I’ll be a homer and take the Flyers to win. After coming off a great performance in Washington to split the series with the Caps, the Fly guys will take this game 4-2.

FLYERS (-1.5) over Capitals

Picking Record: 2-3

The Dan Lacey Special.....that can only mean one thing: Hockey

2008 Stanley Cup Playoff Picks

Well folks, I had these picks on paper by 3pm on April 9^th, a solid 4 hours before the first games began, but I slacked and did not put them down. So better late than never, here they are:

Western Conference

Quarterfinals

1) Detroit vs. 8) Nashville

Detroit is too well rounded in my opinion, I think this is there year, but I’ll get to that later. While J.P. Dumont and Jason Arnott are certainly good players, I don’t see a team led by this tandem really having enough offense to stay in games against a Detroit team that allowed the fewest goals in the league. Norris Trophy frontrunner Nicklas Lidstrom is the anchor of a defense with a solid veteran stopper platoon of Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood who had 9.02 and 9.14 GAAs respectively. And we haven’t even begun to discuss the motor city’s offense explosiveness.

Red Wings in 5

2) San Jose vs. 7) Calgary

Great matchup between 2 very strong goaltenders, and although Calgary’s Mikka Kiprusoff had a decent season by league standards, he took a step back from an impressive 06-07 season, and was inferior to San Jose counterpart Evgeni Nabokov in every major goaltending category. Center Joe Thorton led a Sharks team that got a point in the standings for every game in the month of March, winning 13 games with 2 overtime losses to boot, catapulting the team to the eventual 2-seed in the west. For the Flames, stars Jarome Iginla (3^rd in the NHL in both goals and points) and Dion Phaneuf (arguably the most punishing hitter in the game) both played excellent in the regular season, but I think that the Sharks are the more balanced team from forward to goalie. Still it should be a great series, I think it will go the distance but as stated before, I’ll take the more well-balanced squad.

Sharks in 7

3) Minnesota vs. 6) Colorado

Minnesota had an impressive season, starting in net with goalie Niklas Backstrom, who had an incredible year in net for the Wild. While the Wild got off to a great start, they were below average in March and April, and only ended up with 3 points more than the Avalanche to take the Northwest division. It feels like they don’t have enough guys who could make tremendous impact in the playoffs, as the change in level of play is just night and day from regular to postseason. On that note, this series comes down to two names, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. Too much playoff experience on a team whose goalie (Jose Theodore) played really strong down the stretch, and has multiple players that can compliment the big 2 as scoring threats.

Avalanche in 6

4) Anaheim vs. 5) Dallas

Another great series featuring a battle between 2 teams who are very familiar with each other will come down to a war of attrition. Anaheim struggled early without defenseman Scott Niedermayer in the early months of the season. They eventually put it together and dominated at home, claiming the second best home record in the league. Dallas attempted to invigorate its lineup by a trade acquiring Center Brad Richards from Tampa Bay, yet as far as wins and losses the trade did not seem to do much for the team. This series should be a hard fought, relatively low scoring affair, and I like the defending champs to out-muscle their divisional foes, winning decisively at home in game 7.

Ducks in 7

Semifinals

1) Detroit vs. 6) Colorado

You have to love a throwback to the 90’s Western Conference powerhouses. Granted the lineups have changed a good deal, but a few players carry on the memories from those great Rocky Mountain/Motor City battles. Maybe we could get Patrick Roy back to fight Chris Osgood again for old times’ sake. This Colorado team is not what it was then however, and as good as Theodore is he sure isn’t Patrick Roy. The experience that Colorado used to beat Minnesota in round 1 won’t be a factor in this round, as Detroit has plenty of players who have been there as well, and, in my opinion will overcome early round letdowns of years past to take this series. Detroit has better forwards on every line, with the emergence of Johan Franzen as a scoring force, along with perennial awesomeness (that’s right I said perennial awesomeness) of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit has the slight edge in goaltending as well. It won’t be the 90’s but there should be a few somewhat entertaining games in the series.

Red Wings in 6

2) San Jose vs. 4) Anaheim

You know what, as good as San Jose looks, something about them does not feel like they can make a run and go all the way this year. Maybe it’s just because they feel like the chic pick, I don’t know. I feel like San Jose and Anaheim both will finish their respective 7 game series’ and guess what? They’ll have to play another. 2 very strong teams top to bottom, I like Jean-Sebastien Giguere to outplay Nabokov in the final 2 games of another long series for both teams. When it comes down to a coin-flip in my mind, I’ll take the more experienced team with the goaltender I like more in a big game.

Ducks in 7

Conference Finals

1) Detroit vs. 4) Anaheim

Two teams with skill and experience, both on defense and in net. Both teams have great young forwards, who pose threats to score at will. This series will come down to the fact that the beat up Ducks will have faced a tougher division all year, and two tougher opponents in longer series’ in the postseason. The Wings had the largest disparity between goals for and goals against during the regular season, and I don’t see this changing throughout the Western Conference playoffs. Detroit has choked as the 1 seed three years straight. It won’t happen for a fourth straight year.

Red Wings in 5

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

1) Montreal vs. 8) Boston

The top seed in the East faces off against their divisional foe that were not picked by many to be in the playoffs before the season began. The Bruins used 4 goaltenders this year, the “ace of that staff” being Tim Thomas who posted nice stats for the team. The other two standouts on the Bruins were Center Marc Savard and the gigantic defensemen Zdeno Chara, both of whom made sizeable contributions to the turnaround in Beantown. For Montreal, Andrei Markov stepped up and had a career year after the departure of Sheldon Souray, and goaltender Carey Price played phenomenal in net after getting the full-time call. The Habs are a quick, gritty team whose depth matches almost any other squad in the NHL. They epitomize the “no one guy, just a team” cliché but it led them to the best record in the East, and should also lead them to an easy series victory over the Bruins.

Canadians in 5

2) Pittsburgh vs. 7) Ottawa

Pittsburgh’s got Crosby. Pittsburgh’s got Malkin. Marc-Andre Fleury is healthy and playing very well. Ottawa’s first line is strong, but past it has little. Ottawa collapsed big time as the regular season came to a close, and Ray Emery and Martin Gerber have been anything but consistent in goal. Pittsburgh just has too many weapons, Ottawa has too many issues. There are too many reasons the Pens will run away with this series.

Penguins in 4

3) Washington vs. 6) Philadelphia

At the risk of sounding like a complete homer, I love the Flyers in this series. I think that if Alexander Ovechkin is contained, there’s not enough around him to carry the load. Martin Biron played incredible down the stretch and will carry his hot streak into the playoffs, at least for this round. The Flyers offensive load will begin on the shoulders of Mike Richards and Daniel Briere, but there are plenty of other scoring options for them as well. Cristobal Huet has not proven much in this league yet, and the Flyers, the more complete team in this series, will spoil Ovechkin’s first trip to the playoffs.

Flyers in 6

4) New Jersey vs. 5) New York

The Devils and Marty Brodeur are staples of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and can never be taken lightly. That said, the players in front of the future Hall of Famer are far from what they have been in the past. Scott Gomez will be looking to help his current teammates beat his past ones, and the addition of he and Chris Drury have certainly paid dividends for the Rangers this year. Henrik Lundqvist has become the premier goaltender in the game, and will outduel Brodeur in this series. New Yorkers are rumored to be taking over Newark, so home ice advantage will not be as much of a factor in this series.

Rangers in 6

Semifinals

1) Montreal vs. 6) Philadelphia

This series does not seem like a good match up for the Flyers who could not get their act together against the Habs during the regular season, and lost games to them that were both low scoring and high scoring. Defensemen Markov and Mark Streit make life miserable for the Flyers on both ends of the ice, subsequently making life a whole lot easier for young stopper Price. On the other end Biron will face a constant barrage of shots on by Montreal’s multiple talent-filled lines. The Fly guys may take a couple games, but I don’t feel that the series will be as close as the number of games might suggest. I like my boys to put up a fight against the 1 seed.

Canadiens in 6

2) Pittsburgh vs. 5) New York

These two teams usually play each other close. They both have firepower, but also have great young goaltenders to contend with the other team’s weaponry. A guy like Sean Avery may be a pain in the ass, but in a series against a younger, very emotional team, I could see him possibly having an impact. Still, this series come down to which goaltender plays better. I will take the best goaltender in the league and his team to win the series, in a very memorable Semifinals matchup. The Pens are close, but I’m going against them for one more year. (If they can pull it off in the Semifinals, I love them in the Eastern Conference Finals)

Rangers in 7

Conference Finals

1) Montreal vs. 5) New York

Again, a matchup of two young goaltenders who have been enormous contributors to their respective clubs 2007-08 runs. I’ll take Lundqvist over Price, and I’ll also take Detroit over Montreal as far as the 1 seed that I could see in the Stanley Cup Finals more. I think two 1 seeds meeting is unlikely and I like the Rangers play down the stretch enough to believe they can make a legitimate run at the Cup. Plus a New York/Detroit finals would be miserable for Philadelphia fans, who have no love for either team. When all logic fails pick the team that the Philly fan would not want to see in the Finals. Then again I guess the Devils and Pens could make it by this way of thinking, but now I’m rambling since it’s 2:28 in the A.M…

Rangers in 6

Stanley Cup Finals

If I am right about even some of the 2007-08 Stanley Cup playoffs to this point I’ll be happy, so I won’t even waste time explaining the pick, shoot I don’t even know if I have an explanation. Just going with a finals that I can envision.

The Detroit Red Wings OVER the New York Rangers in 6 games.