Is There Such a Thing as MISSING PICKS?

Unfortunately college takes a toll on a mans life.  I have not submitted my NBA Picks for a week and I feel weird not doing so.  BUT rather instead of me giving picks for the week I missed, and getting judged for making picks based on the already completed results, I will just continue picking the games once I get the chance to update everything.

This Thursday is Jam-Packed for All Football Fans

Tonight..2 AP Top 10 matchups to go along with the Thursday Night NFL game.  So tonight is definitely a football kind of night.

The first of the 2 matchups is (10) Oklahoma at (6) Baylor.  Baylor averages 63.9 points...let me say that again, they AVERAGE 63.9 PPG. Yikes! That is enough for me to say Baylor will win the game tonight, even if it is a shootout between the teams.

The second matchup has (3) Oregon traveling to (5) Stanford.  This top 5 matchup is one that everyone is looking at as to see who will strengthen their bid for a National Championship.  The winner will surely be in the Top 3 (or in the Ducks case, stay at 3rd in the poll depending on what happens to Florida State). Marcus Mariota will either make himself the top QB prospect in the 2014 NFL Draft over Teddy Bridgewater (according to Mel Kiper Jr) or will stay put as the second QB.  With a win, the Ducks will improve to 9-0 and if Stanford takes the home victory, they will be 8-1.

The contrasting styles of the spread vs a pro-style offense will be the deciding factor in my mind.  Which team can get their opponent to play their style?  Which team can control the clock and still be effective scoring the ball?  Does Oregon need to slow down? Or does Stanford need to spread it out?  Everything will be answered tonight at 9 PM Eastern on ESPN.

Nov. 7th Picks

NBA PICKS
Season Record   40-30


November 7th

Clippers @ Heat
Hawks @ Nuggets
Lakers @ Rockets

See ya Later Football

John Moffitt had a bright NFL future ahead of himself when he came into the league in 2011 out of Wisconsin.  Moffitt was a 3rd round pick of the Seahawks and was traded to the Broncos in August.  He simply says he's done with football and is ready to move on to bigger and better things.  He turns down about a one million dollar salary to start anew.  Give credit to Moffitt, he was just being honest to himself.  Football is a game where it demands complete focus and drive and without the drive to succeed, there is no need to continue.  He is not the only player to quit on the game.  Hamza and Husain Abdullah quit football after the 2011 season to use their notoriety to spread a be better understanding of the Muslim faith in America.  Also, Jacob Bell (another offensive lineman) retired from football after an eight-year career citing the sudden suicide of Junior Seau as one of the main reasons for leaving the game.
So it is alright in my eyes if Moffitt wants to retire.  He doesn't love playing the game anymore, so why would you make the man continue playing?  Congrats to John Moffitt on stepping up and being upfront about his decision.

Nov. 6th Picks

NBA PICKS
Season Record   32-28


November 6th

Raptors @ Bobcats
Bulls @ Pacers
Clippers @ Magic
Wizards @ Sixers
Jazz @ Celtics
Pelicans @ Grizzlies
Cavs @ Bucks
Warriors @ Timberwolves
Suns @ Spurs
Mavs @ Thunder

Mariners Tab their New Manager

The Seattle Mariners have hired Detroit Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon as the teams' Manager.  McClendon has been with the Tigers since 2006 and was the Pittsburgh Pirates manager from 2001 until 2005.  He takes over a team that finished 4th in the AL West this past season, and has not had a winning season since 2009.  Also, he will take over for Eric Wedge who resigned after two years with the team.

Packer Fans Concerned

Aaron Rodgers confirmed this morning that he broke his collarbone.  The QB could miss time well into December.  Seneca Wallace is the likely candidate to start for Rodgers while the Pro-Bowl quarterback sit. In relief of Rodgers during last nights 27-20 loss to the Chicago Bears, Wallace went 11-19, for 114 yards and one interception.

In a corresponding move, the Packers activated QB Scott Tolzien off the practice squad to be the backup quarterback for the time being.

Kubiak Released

Texans Head Coach, Gary Kubiak was released from the hospital Tuesday, two days after suffering what has been diagnosed as a transient ischemic attack.  It is not known when Kubiak will resume coaching the team and be back on the sidelines.  

A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, occurs when blood flow to the brain is briefly interrupted, typically by a blood clot or narrowed blood vessels.  TIAs are often called mini-strokes and can cause stroke-like symptoms including sudden dizziness, numbness, vision loss or unconsciousness, though symptoms last only a few minutes or a few hours and no permanent brain damage occurs. TIAs are often warning signs for a future stroke.

Kubiak will be monitored and hopefully returns in a few weeks.  We wish him a safe recovery.

Coach Down

Gary Kubiak and John Fox have both sustained medical complications over the past few days.  John Fox the head coach of the Denver Broncos had surgery this morning to replace a heart valve and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.  Even if Fox comes back in 10 weeks, the Broncos will have finished their regular season and would be in the middle of a playoff run.  Fox will be back in time for the Super Bowl if the team makes it that far.  On the other hand, the head coach of the Houston Texans, Gary Kubiak has not been diagnosed after collapsing on the field while heading to the locker room at halftime against the Colts Sunday night.  Several media outlets have reported that Kubiak has been given medication for a mini stroke.  I hope that he takes at least one maybe two weeks off just to make sure he is ok medically.

All of our thoughts and prayers are with the men and their families.

Nov. 5th Picks

NBA PICKS
Season Record   27-24


November 5th

Heat @ Raptors
Jazz @ Nets
Pacers @ Pistons
Bobcats @ Knicks
Suns @ Pelicans
Lakers @ Mavs
Spurs @ Nuggets
Rockets @ Blazers
Hawks @ Kings

Nov. 4th Picks

NBA PICKS
Season Record   24-23


November 4th

Timberwolves @ Cavs
Warriors @ Sixers
Celtics @ Grizzlies
Rockets @ Clippers

Boston: Worst To First

After a 5th place finish in the AL East in 2012, the Boston Red Sox completed the worst to first swing after defeating the Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6 of the World Series.  The beard phenomenon that took effect in Spring Training, rallied a team that was in disarray.

After the downward spiral and failures of the Bobby Valentine era, the Sox looked to a familiar face in John Ferrell to take over the reins after managing in Toronto the previous couple of seasons.  Ferrell was able to turn Jon Lester back into the dominant pitcher he was when Ferrell was his pitching coach.  A bounce back year from John Lackey was far from expected. A pitcher who seemed defeated and outright done at the end of the 2012 season, returned as a rejuvenated pitcher who bought into what John Ferrell was preaching. Lackey's seven innings in Game 6 was the culmination of all the work he had put into this season.
After a strong start to the season, Clay Buckholtz was not as dominant when he returned from injury or when he pitched this postseason.  But he was effective enough to aid Boston in their championship run.

The additions of Johnny Gomes, David Ross, Shane Victorino, and Mike Napoli were skeptic when the moves were made.  But each one of those players showed up and delivered in the moments they were needed.  These guys prove the theory that you do not need to play the best players in baseball (sorry Yankee fans) to win a championship or to climb the ladder. All a team needs are chemistry players and players who fit into a lineup that already had some promise to it.

The likes of Dustin Pedroia, David Oritz, and Jacoby Ellisbury benefited the most from all of the changes.  These guys stuck with this franchise through the demise of 2012, and were still leaders and believers heading into the 2013 campaign.  Dedication and leadership are truly a blessing in disguise for any team that that wants to have a bounce back year.

Will there be another worst to first in 2014?  That is hard to judge, but with proper off-season acquisitions, there could very well be another.  But all of that needs to work itself out as we progress through the off-season and Spring Training.

Nov. 2nd Picks

NBA PICKS
Season Record   16-17


November 2nd

Cavs @ Pacers
Bulls @ Sixers
Bobcats @ Pelicans
Grizzlies @ Mavs
Raptors @ Bucks
Rockets @ Jazz
Spurs @ Blazers
Kings @ Warriors