Ten Bold Predictions for 2013

Andrew Luck and the #Chuckstrong Colts might provide us with the surprise of the 2013 sports year.

As we just gave you the review to our 2012 bold predictions, something of an utter failue, we'll try to give you a better round here for 2013. Unfortunately one of the bold predictions does not include the National Hockey League playing any games as there isn't a chance they play big money hockey this year. So here's our attempt at doing better than 20-percent of the truth like we did in last year's rendition.

The Los Angeles Clippers will not make it out of the Western Conference Semis
Here we are amidst one of the best winning streaks in the history of basketball and I'm here doubting L.A.'s pathetic younger brother. I won't doubt that they boast the league's deepest bench, but in the playoffs your rotation tightens down to eight or nine and it rarely extends out of that. While their depth is certainly a plus, I still can't trust the big man combo of DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. Something tells me that down the line when they have to face bruisers like Kendrick Perkins or Tiago Splitter or Javale McGee and Kenneth Faried, these guys will fold like a plastic chair. Chris Paul is the best point guard in the game, but I see some shoddy consistency up front as the team's downfall.

The Yankees won't make the playoffs
C.C. Sabathia is a monster, not going to doubt that in anyway. But outside of that who is the Yankees rotation? Veterans Kuroda and Pettite were wonderful additions to the rotation, but can you really rely on these guys as your #2 and #3 starter when they're a combined age of 77? The only thing we're sure of is that we're still not sure of anything with Phil Hughes, and Nova's sophomore campaign didn't wow anyone. With the Yankees cash strapping GM Brian Cashman, I'm not really sure what the Yankees are going to do in order to improve this aging warship. Now is the time the Yankees are going to regret owing Alex Rodriguez $29 million dollars next year. Oh and about that Youkilis signing...

Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills
My belief is this, most of the NFL realizes that Vick is a liability, but the Bills don't care. They will think he'll undergo some rebirth here in Buffalo just like they thought with Terrell Owens. All these moves about "reinvigorating" the franchise continue to fail, and unless they find a miracle worker as a coach, a Mike Vick signing will be an utter disaster. With the buyout clause in Ryan Fitzpatrick's monster contract and the fact that they didn't extend Fred Jackson's contract, they'll have enough money to bring an overpaid Vick in and they'll do it with relative excitement. Hey, maybe they'll be 3-0 going into Week 4 and Vick will be playing like a monster, but then he'll get hurt and the Bills will be back to their 6-10 ways.

Kentucky will make the Final Four
Yes, the Wildcats are 8-4, are struggling mightily on the court and are having a tough time getting their freshmen to play (and act) like real men. But things will turn around. Calipari has a decently tough task ahead of him, especially looking back at last year's sensational squad, but he'll get it done. There is too much talent on this team for him not too. Alex Poythress will come around, he has the skills to do it, it just comes with time. But most importantly, Archie Goodwin will stopping turning the ball over and eventually grasp the college game. Yeah, they might not come into the tournament as a #1 seed, but I could see them turning in an exciting tournament run that ends in the National Semi-Finals. Betting against Calipari now is sort of like betting against LeBron now, he's just a coaching genius.

The Toronto Blue Jays will also not make the playoffs
Two teams in the AL East aren't going to make the playoffs!!!!!! Weird that the Orioles and Rays are going to be the teams representing the division in the playoffs next year, right? But this Jays team has created a recipe for disaster bringing in underachieving guys with monster contracts like Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson. When the Marlins pulled off this trade last year, they looked like the toast of the NL East, instead they finished dead last. There's something about the mojo that Jose Reyes has that works against teams he plays for. Yeah, they might have star studded their roster with the addition of Dickey and PED-user Melky Cabrera as well as the names before, but are they really that much better? These are a lot of guys who haven't thrived with major expectations in the past, except for Buehrle, who was a major part of that 2005 World Series winning White Sox squad. To me, this just looks like the Marlins of the North, all flash for a lotta cash, but zero dash.

The Celtics won't turn it around like everyone believes they should
I was the first one to endorse these 2012-13 Celtics, and I'll be the first to call them out. This team doesn't play the way they did in the past. They're two games under .500, but their two big money vets are playing old, real old. Garnett really refuses to bang down low like he used to and Paul Pierce just looks ragged on both ends of the floor, shooting only 43.1% from the field. The Kendrick Perkins-Jeff Green trade hasn't worked out for the Celtics due to Green's condition, but his play so far this year hasn't really warranted the trade either. The Jason Terry, Courtney Lee combo hasn't worked out like I thought it did and when Doc Rivers called his team, "Soft" he meant it. This team could get by this season on pure wisdom, but getting out of the first round with this type of effort and age will be tough. 

Kevin Durant, not LeBron James, will win MVP
It's always easy to crown this new LeBron MVP. The guy is basically a walking triple-double, but this year he'll be outdone. I'm not saying the Thunder will beat the Heat, but the way Durant is playing on both ends of the court, he really is matching LeBron's production in his own way. Yes, he's not going to shutdown his best opponent like LeBron can and he can't run an offense the way LeBron can, but KD is playing the best basketball he's ever played. This Thunder team is playing so driven, and playing to prove to everyone that James Harden wasn't necessary for this team's success. The main reason? Kevin Durant. LeBron will play to the numbers we know he can, but Durant's all-around over achievement will give him the league's MVP award.

Pau Gasol will be a member of another team by season's end
This prediction is not because of merit. Pau Gasol is playing some of the best basketball of his career, and because of D'Antoni's inability to adjust to his personnel, he'll be gone by the trade deadline. This D'Antoni-led Lakers squad needs a deadly three point shooter and Gasol will be the bait for any big trade. D'Antoni doesn't really need a big man that can shoot the 18-footer. He's already got his pick-and-roll guy in Dwight Howard (though we'll see if he remains a Laker for multiple years), so a big time three pointer shooter like Ryan Anderson will be in his cards if D'Antoni doesn't want to adjust to Gasol's game. If and when they trade him it'll be a damn travesty.

The Colts will make the AFC Championship Game
 #Chuckstrong is a damn powerful thing. The Colts don't really do anything that well other than throw the football. They rank 22nd in rushing, 29th in opposing rushing and 21st in opposing passing, but they've won 11 games. With the coach finally back and Andrew Luck playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the league, this team will create some unbelievable memories. Brady and Manning might be the best quarterbacks in the AFC as well as leading the best teams in the conference, but Luck and Pagano have some magic that will extend itself longer than we think.

All the QBs taken in the 1st round of the NFL Draft will be busts
Yes I'm looking at you, Matt Barkley and Geno Smith, this year is not for you. Not only do I think Smith and Barkley are overrated, but I think the magically gifted 2012 class that included Luck, RGIII and Russ Wilson will provide this year's QB class with some bad mojo. While Barkley might have been first round pick material last year, he no longer is, despite many still believing so. Smith is a system quarterback who benefited from Zach Cooper's air raid offense. North Carolina State's Mike Glennon might be the best prospect, because of sheer lack of pressure for the kid. It just stinks like a bad QB class this year.

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The Review of Our 2012 Bold Predictions

Lebron James' 1st NBA Championship was one of the many predictions we got wrong in our predictions last year.

As we get ready for the new year, we'll look back on our "Ten Bold Predictions for 2012." Things went a little bit south for us in 2012 so we're hoping that our 2013 predictions are a bit better. Enjoy a laugh or two, some of these ended up being pretty funny.

Carmelo Anthony Will Finish 2nd In The MVP Voting

Ok, call me a homer here and then call me a jackass. But, take a look at Carmelo Anthony's game. People knock Carmelo Anthony because he doesn't play defense and sometimes shoots too much. However, when 'Melo is focused he can one of the elite players in the NBA. Just because Carmelo doesn't play defense, doesn't mean he can't. It simply is about his focus. I think, with a full year under his belt as a New York Knick, Carmelo Anthony will be focused and truly comfortable in D'Antoni's system running the "point-forward." I have a feeling we're going to watch 'Melo assume the leadership role in all regards, defensively, rebounding and ball-movement, not just in his classic scoring role. Though Anthony will have a 25 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg, kind of season he won't be able to take the award from Kevin Durant and the 50+ win Thunder.

Result: Horrendously wrong
Melo may have finished the season mighty strong last year, but he didn't even receive one vote in the top-5. Maybe I should have saved this prediction for this season.

CJ Wilson Will Be A Bust

The Angels threw big money at CJ Wilson this offseason, and I'm not entirely sure it was a good decision. With an already solid pitching rotation, the Angels felt the former Ranger was worth 15 mil or so a year and would put them over the top. However, I'm not completely sold on the 31 year old lefty. He's a gunslinger who likes to overpower his batters with fastballs and cutters. Though he's 31-15 with a 3.14 ERA over his last two seasons, he's only been a true starter for two years. His 16-7 record isn't that impressive with the lineup the Rangers had. Plus, Wilson's career ERA in the playoffs is a bad 4.82 and with the way the Angels have built their team, they're going to be looking for playoff success from their new 2nd starter. Maybe, I'm just not sold on big money, long-term contracts for pitchers, but I don't see CJ Wilson being worth 15 mil a year.
Result: Kind of wrong (13-10, 3.83 ERA)
I guess for $15 mil a year, he wasn't a bust per say, but he wasn't that great. He fit right in with the underachieving Angels perfectly, though.

MSG Will Host Both The NHL & NBA Eastern Conference Finals

MSG has been rocking lately with the beginning of the highly anticipated Knicks season, along with the emergence of a dominate Rangers squad. I think the Rangers are a definite Stanley Cup contender with the acquisition of Brad Richards and the growth of Dan Girardi, Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan. The Knicks, once they get Baron Davis healthy and then gel together, will be a serious contender in the East. New York City should feel like it's '94 again, and like '94 I think the Rangers have a far better chance of lifting Lord Stanley than the Knicks do winning the NBA Championship. Either way it'll be an exciting spring in NYC.
Result: Right with the Rangers, wrong with the Knicks
Unfortunately neither team could make it a repeat of '94, but at least the Rangers got one of my predictions right. 

Alabama Will Win The National Championship Game

The rematch of the SEC's two best teams will be a phenomenal game, whether you wanted it or not. I think both teams are still extremely similar in talent level, but this time around Trent Richardson will not only make a dent in the stat sheet, but in the end zone. Expect Richardson to break through for a touchdown or two, proving to be the difference in another dramatic game. Though this time it won't be a 9-6 yawner, it'll be a 24-21 hard-fought game. I know how good LSU is, and how dominant they've been all season, but how in the world do you beat Alabama twice in a season?
Result: Right!
Knew 'Bama was the better team and they showed it with its 21-0 beat down of the Tigers. 

Neither Green Bay Nor New England Will Make The Super Bowl

Everyone and their mother is picking New England and Green Bay to meet in the Super Bowl this year. I mean how could you not? Both teams have elite quarterbacks who are knocking on the 5,000 yard door, and rarely turn the ball over. Both teams are going to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. However, their horrendous defenses are being overlooked way too much. I'm not sure who thought playing Madden in the regular season was going to translate to playoff success, but last time I checked "Defense wins championships," not video-game like offenses. Both of these teams are lacking any sort of defense, and though I'm not completely sure whose going to beat either one of these squads, I'm confident it will be before Super Bowl 46.
Result: Right with the Packers, wrong with the Patriots
If only Billy Cundiff didn't get a case of the shanks, maybe I'd be totally right here. 

The Heat Will Not Win The NBA Championship

This has nothing to do with the fact that the Heat aren't ready or built for a championship, this will simply be attributed to the wackiness of this 66 game season. Back in '99 when the NBA had it's last lockout an eight seed(The New York Knicks) made the NBA Finals and that remains the only time an #8 seed has ever made the NBA Championship Series. These season is going to require an insane amount of depth, which the Heat do not have. There will be too many back-to-backs and 6 games in 8 days for the three of them to log 45 minutes a game like they did last year. I expect the unexpected this season to win it all, like the Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks or maybe even the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat are my 150% favorite for next season, when the NBA returns to it's epically soft 82 game season.
Result: Wrong
Both the Celtics and Pacers had a legitimate chance to make this prediction true, thanks guys.  

The Indianapolis Colts Will Once Again Miss The Playoffs Next Year

As much as I think Peyton Manning deserves the NFL MVP in a reverse psychology sort of way, I see an aging Colts squad around #18. Jim Caldwell, has proven that he isn't Tony Dungy, and can't just imitate what Dungy had done in his previous years with the Colts. Though, I think the Colts will recover soon, with the hopeful draft pick of Andrew Luck and heralded Bill Polian as their GM, I'm pretty sure Jim Caldwell is better suited as an assistant coach. I understand his quarterback play was atrocious, but the mere fact that he couldn't get any of the Colts veterans to rally around Peyton and instead sit around like a bunch of spoiled brats really makes me second guess his ability to coach a team. But enough with Caldwell because after the Colts miss the playoffs again next season he will longer coach them.
Result: Wrong
Nobody saw #Chuckstrong coming...

The Boston Red Sox Will Make The World Series

Positively and negatively the Boston Red Sox cleaned house in their management department getting rid of Theo Epstein and Terry Francona opting to bring in the unproven Ben Cherington and no bullshit Bobby Valentine instead. I think the Valentine move is great as long as the Red Sox respond. Responding is a must for many of these players dignities after the disaster that was last year's September collapse. Adding Andrew Bailey to the rotation should strengthen it and take pressure of the big time bust, Jon Lackey. I also think Carl Crawford will respond to Valentine's old-school attitude. The left fielder's revival combined with more MVP efforts by Jacoby Ellsbury and Gonzo should make the Red Sox's lineup as dangerous as it looks on paper. I'm not exactly sure if the Sox can win a series against the Phillies who have a serious chip on their shoulder, but I'm confident Boston will find itself back in a familiar place: in the World Series.
Result: Wrong
Ugh...Bobby V, why'd you do me like that brotha. 

Cam Newton Will Put Up MVP Numbers, But Will Not Win Because The Panthers Still Suck

No one expected Cam Newton to be a gunslinger and a record breaker at that. People didn't doubt Cam's athletic ability or his ability to run the football, but no one thought he could throw the ball the way he did this year. Breaking the rookie passing yard records was nice, but doing it with a mediocre offense around you is truly impressive. I could see Cam Newton willing the Panthers to an 8-8 record next year by putting up a stupid 4,000 yards passing, 800 yards rushing and 45 total TDs, but not winning the MVP because the Panthers are still going to be brutal. Cam Newton's intelligence and decision-making is what makes him a great QB in the NFL, not his ridiculous athletic ability. No sophomore slump here!
Result: WRONG
Not even close. I guess I was right about the Panthers being terrible, but Cam Newton was even worse. 19 TDs????? C'mon man. 

USC Will Make The National Championship Game

Unfortunately for Matt Barkley and the USC Trojans they had to take the fall for USC it's cheating ways in the mid-2000s. But the Trojans are set to make a big return to the bowl stage, and I think it will be as big as the National Championship. The Trojans have Matt Barkley returning, along with 15 other starters returning following a strong season that including 10 wins, and almost an eleventh if it wasn't for a miraculous throw by Andrew Luck. When USC beat Oregon on the road, I realized that this team was actually a National Championship contender, despite it's completely deserved bowl ban. Even though USC will return to the BCS promise land, they will not be able to beat a SEC team, because well, no one beats SEC teams in BCS bowls. 

Result: Wrong
Even if Matt Barkley was out there for the entirety of the season, this team still wasn't close to being a National Championship contender. 

BDD&C Final Results (2 of 10) 

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Day 11 of the 12 Days of BCS: All-BCS Team

Notre Dame playmakers Stephon Tuitt and Manti Te'o headline our All-BCS Team's defense.

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

Here we compile the best of the best in this All-BCS squad. Watch out for these guys in their respective games, they might be roaming the fields on Sundays real soon.

Offense:
Marcus Mariota, Oregon, QB
Kenjon Barner, Oregon, HB
Stepfan Taylor, Stanford, HB
Martel Moore, Northern Illinois, WR
Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin, WR
Zach Ertz, Stanford, TE
D.J. Fluker, Alabama, T
Jon Halapio, Florida, G
Barrett Jones, Alabama, C
Chance Warmack, Alabama, G
David Yankey, Stanford, T

 Defense:
Bjoern Werner, Florida State, DE
Taylor Hart, Oregon, DT
Shariff Floyd, Florida, DT
Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame, DE
Chase Thomas, Stanford, OLB
Manti Te'o, Notre Dame, MLB
Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, OLB
Dee Milliner, Alabama, CB
Matt Elam, Florida, S
Ed Reynolds, Stanford, S
Xavier Rhodes, Florida State, CB

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Day 10 of the 12 Days of BCS: Fiesta Bowl Preview

Klein is a bonafide leader and will have one last thing to say about his college career.

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve.

#4 Oregon vs. #5 Kansas St.
If you're looking for the bowl of the BCS bowl season, you've found it. I know the National Championship has an overwhelming amount of important and historical storylines to dive into, but if you want the most purely exciting game, here it is.

Both of these squads come from conferences that like to spread it out, score a lot and do it in scintillating fashion. Each is well equipped with supreme athletes on offense and the two starting quarterbacks are elite college football players. They might not be the prototypical NFL quarterbacks (though Mariota is only a freshman) but both were among the most exciting quarterbacks in college football this year and are equally capable of ravaging a stat sheet.

I might have given Marcus Mariota the nod for the best offensive player in the BCS, but by only a small margin over Klein. Klein is just an old school baller, who likes to run people over, run wild and show his heart right on his chest. Mariota is a rookie who plays like a senior. He's a better passer than Klein, choosing to stay in the pocket more than Kansas State's QB, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like to make plays with his feet. I see both of these guys finding themselves in an almost direct one-on-one shootout to see who can make more big plays. It'll be important to see if Mariota can whether the pressure of being in his first BCS game and first bowl game in general.

The difference in this game is the play makers surrounding these high-quality quarterbacks. Both defenses are quite equal, but Oregon has a legitimate edge at running back with Kenjon Barner and they have the most electric player on the field in slot back D'Anthony Thomas. Kansas State will try to answer with its own compact, "pop back" as they like to call them with John Hubert. Hubert might be small be he runs with the explosiveness and intensity we see in many of his NFL counterparts. However, I'm just not sure that Hubert can shoulder the same load Barner and Thomas can, forcing Klein to play to an even higher level. But I think he will elevate to that incredible level.

Despite the fact that Oregon has a few more playmakers it's hard to see Klein letting his team fade down the stretch and I believe he will put a final stamp on his college career unlike Tim Tebow.
Wildcats 48, Ducks 45

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Day 9 of the 12 Days of BCS: Sugar Bowl Preview

Safety Matt Elam and the Gators defense is one of the country's best.

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

#3 Florida vs. #21 Louisville
A long, long, long time ago the Big East was a legitimate conference with such powerhouses as Virginia Tech, Miami and West Virginia, but since then they've not only fallen out of favor with the national voters, but with people in general. Louisville may be the class of the Big East, but they are barely so. Rutgers, Syracuse and Cincinnati all finished 5-2 in the Big East and Louisville happened to have the right tie breakers to get the conference's lone BCS berth.

The Cardinals are led by impressive sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who had a big season throwing for more than 3,400 yards and finished with a QB rating of 161.6. But outside of Bridgewater, Louisville doesn't present us with any other player that possesses a "Wow factor," no players that will scare Florida in anyway. That spells bad news against a freakishly good Florida defense and a team that may have been one victory over Georgia away from winning the SEC and playing in the National Championship.

Florida is good, very, very good. Its defense is probably the third best in the country and is laden with the same swarming athletes that Alabama has. Defensive tackle Shariff Floyd and safety Matt Elam have the potential to be seriously good NFL players, and the linebacking duo of Jelani Jenkins and Jonathan Bostic are big time play makers. This team allowed 20 points or more in only three of its 12 games and was tied for fifth in turnover differential.

Offensively they won't blow you away, but they benefit from a solid running game led by Mike Gillislee and quarterback Jeff Driskel. It's the sort of efficient offense that makes their great defense even more overwhelming. They only turned the ball over 12 times this season and rarely put themselves in bad positions.

I don't see how an untested Louisville team with a young quarterback can really compete with the likes of this complete Gators squad. Bridgewater will have his hands full in carrying this offense and I see the Florida defense making his life hell. Gators win big and, of course, they'll complain about why they should have been in the National Championship Game. Fortunately for them, this problem won't happen next year.
Gators 31, Louisville 3

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Day 8 of the 12 Days of BCS: Orange Bowl Preview

Tank Carradine and Bjoern Werner can make life hell for a QB, they will do so against NIU

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 


#12 Florida State vs. #15 Northern Illinois
I'm going to put this out there, I know absolutely nothing about this Northern Illinois team. However, I do know something, the MAC is one you should never sleep on. Yeah, they don't produce the sort of stud NFL players that the SEC does, but they're a fun group of teams who like to score and score some more. Northern Illinois fits that billing almost perfectly, sitting 9th in the nation in scoring with almost a 41 point per game clip, which should be interesting against the Seminoles defense.

We all know that the 'Noles won the ACC basically by default after beating Clemson at home. Virginia Tech was a disappointment this season and no one else in the conference made any real noise. But that doesn't mean FSU isn't a good team. Their defense is one of the best in the country and I expect them to make the right plays to put E.J. Manuel in position to win this game. The question is can Manuel make those plays? He is obviously equipped with the tools to do so, but he by no means has shown us the consistency to say he'll led this FSU team a blow out victory over Northern Illinois.

NIU's defense only allowed 19 points per game, which ranks 18th in the country. You also can't forget they're playing with a chip on their shoulders. No one believed they earned their spot among the BCS' elite and they will be looking to prove that they belong. Florida State already once played down to their competition losing to an underrated North Carolina State team earlier this year and it wouldn't surprise me if they cough this one up too.

I see this game being annoyingly close for Florida State, with their dominant defense controlling the tempo. The Noles defensive line will be just too overwhelming for this untested Huskie squad. Manuel won't be pretty in the win for FSU, but he'll make enough plays for the more talented Noles to get their win.
Seminoles 27, Huskies 17

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Finally Some Watchable Hockey

J.T Miller leads the 2013 USA World Juniors Team this year

Hockey fans have had a rough go of it this winter, watching their beloved NHL embarrass itself by forgetting about the fans and the money they could make in favor of pride and arrogance. The owners are to blame, the players are to blame and of course Gary Bettman is to blame. Unfortunately for anyone who still has an ounce of optimism for a league that is locked out for the third time in under 20 years; it ain't gonna happen. It's time to get over it, hope your NFL team is playing well and pick up an NBA team for the spring. Or if you're such a diehard, go out and find some AHL TV package, though I'm not sure that's available even in these desperate times. However, there is a shining light for those craving for some high quality, exciting hockey. Enter the World Junior Hockey Championship.

I will say that most hockey fans do know about the World Juniors tournament, but if you don't get to know it as soon as possible. The 2013 Tournament began today and will conclude on Saturday, January 5. Unique to this year's tournament (thanks to the lockout), every player that is eligible to play for their respective countries will play. Usually a few exceptional players miss the U-20 tournament because they have already become official pro athletes. With no NHL commitments, this tournament will showcase the best of the best and it must not be missed.

For Americans, the US team finished in an embarrassing fashion last year, failing to escape pool play. This year USA started off (today) by destroying the host country Germany 8-0. But what makes this tournament so exciting to watch is two things. One, these players are either 20 years old or younger, which makes their emotions run high and their passions explode on every big play. Two, these games are wide open, with games often concluding in scintillating 5-4 or 6-5 fashion. The game is fast, much like the NHL playoffs, and momentum isn't just an beliefe it's a basic pillar of this tournament.

While the Canadians are usually the favorites, USA has been extremely productive in the underdog role. Most recently in 2010, the United States captured its second gold medal ever by coming out of nowhere to shock the Canadians on their home ice. Here in the 2013 season, the US is once again a big underdog with only three players with any previous WJC experience.

So if you need to get your hockey fix, the World Juniors can give you a little taste of the wonderful sport. Here is the U.S. TV schedule with every game coming on the NHL Network (live streaming on NHL.com as well):

Thurs, Dec 27, 8 P.M. vs. Germany
Fri, Dec 28, 8 P.M. vs. Russia
Sun, Dec 30, 8 P.M. vs. Canada** MUST SEE TV AS ALWAYS
Mon, Dec 31, 8 P.M. vs. Slovakia
Wed, Jan 2, Quarterfinals TBA
Thurs, Jan 3, Semi-Finals TBA
Sat, Jan 5, Finals TBA

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Day 7 of the 12 Days of BCS: Rose Bowl Preview

Freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan has led a strong Cardinal squad to a spot in the Rose Bowl

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

Wisconsin vs. #6 Stanford

To say this is the least expected matchup of the BCS bowl season might be a bit of an overstatement, but it's still a surprise. Of course, no one predicted Northern Illinois to sneak into a BCS bowl, yet I'm not sure anyone saw Wisconsin sliding into a game against Stanford either.

The Badgers took advantage of a horrendous Leaders Division (finished 4-4) in the Big Ten to earn a championship game vs. a highly overrated Nebraska team. On cue, that Cornhuskers squad self-destructed in the second quarter on the way to a crushing and embarrassing 70-31 defeat to a motivated Badgers squad. Despite, coming into this bowl unranked and at an ugly 8-5 record, Wisconsin isn't that bad. Their preseason rank of #12 might be appropriate if they had some more luck. Three of four losses this season came in overtime to the likes of Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State.

Led by Montee Ball, this team is your classic Big Ten, smashmouth football team. They have a strong defense which ranks 19th in points allowed and they're 12th in rushing with Ball having over 1,700 yards and 20-plus touchdowns.

But they're matching up against a extremely intelligent and well-coached defense in Stanford. If Wisconsin can't establish any type of running game on then this could be a long game. Both of these teams are on a mission to prove their worth, even though Stanford comes in ranked sixth nationally.

For Stanford it'll be interesting to see if emerging freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan can continue his strong play. Stepfan Taylor should make his life easier as he always does, but this will be one of the best defense he's seen all season. The bright lights of the Rose Bowl also should apply added pressure to the youngin', but he took care of business in the Pac-12 Championship Game and it wouldn't be surprising if he did it again.

As for the game, it could be a beatdown, drag 'em out kind of defensive struggle. However, as we saw Oregon bring the best out of Wisconsin's offense last season, I think we'll see Stanford push the tempo in the way its used to. I think Wisco will actually keep up, but it won't be enough against a Cardinal defense that is sizzling hot as of late.
Stanford 41, Wisconsin 28

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Day 6 of the 12 Days of BCS: Best Players, Offense/Defense

It's no surprise that Te'o is the BCS' best defensive player, but the best offensive player? Well, that might surprise you.

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

Best Defensive Player: 
Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
Really there's no one in Te'o's stratosphere in terms of BCS defensive players, except for maybe C.J. Mosley. But what makes Te'o better than Mosley is his playmaking abilities. The Hawaiian sensation had seven INTs, most of which came in big situations in tight games. For a linebacker he had an amazing knack for making the play of the game, something usually reserved for offensive players and especially not middle linebackers.

Te'o's biggest asset, however, is his leadership. He led arguably the best defense in the nation and he was by far its best player. His all-around play was not only exciting and dominating, but inspiring to his teammates on both sides of the ball. Te'o was robbed of the Heisman trophy because the award is about stats, not as much the eye test. Yes, Manziel was exciting, but Te'o was overwhelming and was the cog behind the resurgent Fighting Irish. Anytime you can lift such a storied, but struggling, program in the way he did, you should be considered the best player in the land.

Best Offensive Player:
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Yes, I do hope this is a surprise for you because I'm sure you were thinking about Collin Klein here because of his Heisman candidate stature. Yet, Mariota also should have been a Heisman candidate as well; I guess he need to rack up a few more TDs.

Mariota is a freshman, but he plays with the composure and IQ of a senior. Many of Mariota's accomplishments (34 total TDs and a 165.4 QB rating) were overshadowed because of the exhilarating skill duo of Kenjon Barner and D'Anthony Thomas, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't have gotten some recognition for Heisman. Sure, he wasn't Manziel and he didn't put up silly stats but he played with that same swagger as Johnny Football and shouldn't be overlooked.

Klein's really a glorified running back, who completes many of his passes quite easily because team's are threatened by his powerful running abilities. Mariota is only a freshman and yet his passing skills far outweigh Klein's all while sitll being a solid threat at running back. If someone is going to get Oregon over that National Championship hump, Mariota is definitely my frontrunner.

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Day 5 of the 12 Days of BCS: Most Underrated Team

Chase Thomas leads a strong defense for the increasingly underrated Cardinal

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

Jim Harbaugh, gone. Andrew Luck, gone. Coby Fleener, gone. Yet, the Stanford Cardinal did not miss a beat this season. Despite starting the season with an ugly loss against Washington and a tough OT defeat to #1 Notre Dame, Stanford rallied back to win its last seven games including four wins against ranked opponents. The finest of all the Cardinal's wins came in the Autzen Zoo against the #2 Ducks; they absolutely dominated the most explosive offenses in the country, holding them to only 14 points.

That's where this team starts and that's where it finishes. Defensively they are among the country's best allowing only 17.5 points per game in the wide open Pac-12 conference. Chase Thomas and Shayne Skove lead a great linebacker core with Trent Murphy as their resident sack artist (10 sacks this season). Sophomore ballhawk safety Ed Reynolds patrols the airways and is tied for fifth in the nation with six INTs, three of which he's taken to the promise land. The individual stats don't wow you as much as the fact that they've held such prolific offenses such as USC, Oregon and UCLA to an average of 17 points; it's quite astonishing and wildly underrated.

Josh Nunes is no Andrew Luck, that's pretty clear. But Nunes' replacement, freshman Kevin Hogan, has been putting up impressive numbers. In five games, Hogan's completing 73% of his passes and he's only turned the ball over three times as opposed to nine TDs. He's also showed an ability to move outside the pocket, but the real offensive presence comes in Stepfan Taylor who emerged last year playing alongside Luck. Taylor is an absolute bruiser of a running back and he really sets the tone for this offense, which also features stud tight end Zach Ertz.

For some reason, even at the high rank of sixth, this team has gotten no love from the media or fans. Probably because of Oregon's ridiculously exciting offense or because Andrew Luck no longer rocks #12 for them, but it doesn't mean this team isn't a high caliber squad. If only they didn't cough up that game to Arizona earlier in the season, we might be talking about them in the National Championship game. Might.

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Day 4 of the 12 Days of BCS: Most Overrated Team

 

The Seminoles might be 11-2, but it's in spite of E.J. Manuel

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

It pains me to say this, but my Seminoles take the cake for the BCS' most overrated. The ACC is not as strong of a conference as it once was and the fact they couldn't run the table in it lessens their status among college football's elite. Even though they came up huge in the game against Clemson at home, it was their lone impressive win of the season. They played well in their loss to Florida, but it was clear as the game wore on that the SEC was the superior conference. FSU simply couldn't hang with the Gators for a full 60 minutes.

This team is monstrous defensively with athletes abound and an elite defensive line. But, unlike the great SEC defenses they don't have the same sort of consistent dominance. There are lapses in focuses against good teams and that's a problem, although it's still not enough to consider them any lower than a Top-5 defense.

Now here's where they suffer: offensively. E.J. Manuel is not a good quarterback, far from a leader and doesn't posses the intangibles to consistently lead an offense. Yes, he is very athletic and quite talented but he doesn't show the awareness that's needed for this team to run the table like they should have. With the electric running back Chris Thompson out with a knee injury, James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freeman did a solid job filling in but they could not replace Thompson's break away abilities. Rashad Greene led the receiving corp, but he wasn't that explosive either. Yet, it all comes back to Manuel who threw far too many anti-clutch INTs all year that cost them two games they should have won. Yeah, he did make some plays, but not enough to live up to the hype he had this preseason.

Jimbo Fisher was whining about BCS rankings earlier in the season, then they lost to the Gators at home and all that talk was gone. They might be fortunate to play a team like Northern Illinois, but they need to watch out. You're not walking into the Orange Bowl unfocused and winning it too.

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What Went Wrong with the 2012 Detroit Lions?

It's been a weird and lonely season for Matthew Stafford's Lions.

The Lions season could pretty much be summed up as exactly what happened last night. Matt Stafford threw for a record 443 yards, but it wasn't the record he was looking for. He set the record for most passing yards without a touchdown. Going 37-56, throwing no touchdowns, teammate sets a record, but as it has gone all season, the Lions once again lost.

What just happened with this Lions team, fresh off last season's playoff appearance which was the first since 1999? On paper there was too much talent for them not to make the playoffs. The Matt Stafford-Calvin Johnson is the best connection in the game; even when you know it's coming, you still can't stop it. Defensively, they have one of the better and more versatile lines in the league led by offensive lineman eating Ndamukong Suh. It's also not like the rest of their defense is that bad; linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Drayton Florence are legitimate players. Yet, even with the electric passing offense and dominate defensive line, the Lions have only four wins.

The first thing you could point to was the lack of a running game; the Lions offense is far from balanced as Matt Stafford has attempted 685 passes, six off of the record set by Drew Bledsoe in 1994 (that Pats team went 10-6 and made the playoffs). They rank 23rd in rushing and if it wasn't for the surprising emergence of Mikel Leshoure, it would have been dead last. If you think it might be their offensive line, you'd be wrong. Stafford's only been sacked 28 times which is tied for 11th in the league.

It might come down to the decision making process for Stafford, although he's only thrown 17 TDs and 16 INTs which aren't the worst quarterback stats I've ever seen. Especially considering the fact he's about to annihilate the pass attempts record, 16 INTs isn't that bad. Add in the fact that Calvin Johnson just broke the record for receiving yards in a season and is one 100-yard game away from doing the impossible, racking up 2000 receiving yards in a single campaign and you're just confused. How does one throw more than 700 times and only have 17 TDs, especially when you have a record breaking Calvin Johnson on your team? Really mind-numbing when you look at it on paper; CJ has more yards than Adrian Peterson does and AP's looking to break a record as well. But, then you watch Megatron on the TV and you're like, duh. Obviously he's going to make that ridiculous jump-ball catch over three defenders. But, then the thought process switches back to this: how the hell is this team 4-11?

Save my statistical vomit fest that I just gave you, this team simply failed the eye test. All season we were waiting for the Lions to turn it around. They were 4-4 going into a Week 10 matchup on the road vs. the Vikings looking to make their initial playoff push as we all expected, but it never happened. Maybe that's it. Maybe this team just never happened. Maybe their minds weren't in it, maybe Jim Schwartz never should have started coaching this team. Maybe they should have stuck to their guns this season when they said they were going to run more, but that didn't happen. Something went south before the season even started and the wheels were off the bandwagon before they even started their journey on the Oregon Trail.

Honestly, it's really unfortunate the Lions were this bad. Unfortunate we can't watch Calvin Johnson make ridiculous catches over defenders in the playoffs. Unfortunate we can't watch gunslinging Matt Stafford sling it more. Unfortunate we couldn't watch a playoff game in the beautiful and loud Ford Field. I simply hope the Lions can turn this ship around next season, the Stafford-Johnson connection is just too fun to watch.

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Day 3 of the 12 Days of BCS: Best Offense

The sensational freshman Marcus Mariota has led this explosive Oregon offense to 50-plus points per game average.

 

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

Oregon's offense has been something of a god-send for college football and the Pac-12 as a whole. They not only play an up-tempo style of offense, but their players are absurdly explosive and freakishly athletic, putting forth the kind of exciting brand of college football that people desire. Chip Kelly's offense at times is the eighth wonder of the world, making you scratch your head on how one team can consistently point up so many points.

We all know about Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas who have replaced the great LaMichael James in sensational fashion. Barner is super electric in the open field, making dudes miss with a freakish consistency. Thomas? Well the Black Mamba as they call him, is so mind-numbingly fast that a blink of an eye is sometimes too much time for a defender to give him. They are helped out immensely by an uniquely athletic line that gets out and opens up monster holes for these compact running backs to burst right through. Kelly's zone blocking schemes are as complex as they get for a ground attack, but these lineman are handpicked to execute it to perfection.

Overlooked all season because of the Heisman winning play of fellow first-year guy Johnny Manziel, freshman Marcus Mariota has been amazing at quarterback. In a run-first, pass-second offense Mariota was still able to throw for 2,511 yards at almost a 70% completion rate. His passer rating is 165.4, which for a freshman is mind-blowing. Yet it's not like Mariota is a pocket passer; he's added to the offense with 690 rushing yards (seven yards per carry) and 4 TDs. Chip Kelly might be thinking about leaving for the NFL soon, but with the budding star in Mariota under center, it'll certainly make him think twice.

The legacy of Oregon's offense is much like the legacy of Alabama's defense and Kelly is an offensive wizard just like Saban is on the defensive side of the ball. This year the lore has only grown with the Ducks scoring under 42 points only once all season. No matter what bowl they're playing in, this Oregon offensive unit is a treat to watch.

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Day 2 of the 12 Days of BCS: Best Defense

C.J. Mosley leads the best defense in the BCS and probably the best defense in the country.

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve. 

This is a hard choice because both Notre Dame and Alabama's defense are clearly the finest defenses we'll see in the BCS bowl season. Also pretty coincidental that they're playing each other, or maybe it's not; they do say defense wins championships.

Anyways, Alabama's defense has the edge for a few reasons. One, the secondary is much better than the Irish's. Dee Milliner and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are big time play makers in the secondary, playing with the type of athleticism that makes NFL scouts drool. The strength of Alabama's secondary will allow them to stack the box against teams if need be. 

The second reason is the athleticism of the linebacking core. It's really the backbone of this defense led by C.J. Mosley, who might be as good as a linebacker as Manti Te'o save some team inspiring plays that Te'o has made this season. Adrian Hubbard and Nico Johnson round out a swarming core of linebackers that read plays before they even happen.

Third, this is an SEC defense. The explosiveness of the linebackers and secondary override the advantage Notre Dame has on their front line. These players are primed for the NFL already and play with such an intimidating presence it's hard to believe you're ever going to score on them. As a whole they're faster than ND's defense and while they might not have the best defense player on the field, as a whole they're going to make more plays than the Irish can. Any defense coached by Saban is going to play with a mean streak (maybe a little too mean as we saw in the Georgia game).

All in all, Alabama's defense is the cream of the crop in the ultra-defensive SEC, giving them the slight nod.

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Day 1 of the 12 Days of BCS: All-Name Team

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is by far the best name on this All-Name Squad

The 12 Days of BCS will provide you with everything you need to know for the five BCS games starting on New Year's Day. Each day will be a different subject finishing on New Year's Eve.

The All-Name Team is a classic here at BDD&C. We'll give you the best names at each position (players that actually play). Enjoy

Offense:
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon
Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame
DaVaris Daniels, WR, Notre Dame
Quinton Dunbar, WR, Florida
Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford
Cornelius Lucas, OT, Kansas State
Jon Halapio, OG, Florida
Braxston Cave, C, Notre Dame
Kyle Costigan, OG, Wisconsin
Cyrus Kouandijo, OT, Alabama

Defense:
Lerentee McCray, DE, Florida
Everett Dawkins, DT, Florida State
Beau Allen, DT, Wisconsin
Pat Muldoon, DE, Wisconsin
Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame
Prince Shembo, LB, Notre Dame
Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon
Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
Dezmen Southward, S, Wisconsin
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida

I'm pretty surprised that Notre Dame takes the name cake with five All-Name selections. My Top-5 favorite names are in bold and it is pretty clear that the best name on this squad is Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. It might just be the greatest name I've ever heard.

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Moving in the Right Direction: the New York Mets

Led by rookie Matt Harvey, the Mets are moving in the right direction and the future looks bright in Queens

When the Mets hired Sandy Alderson in 2010, they had signaled a move in a direction the Mets hadn't made in years; they were going to restart the franchise and start from the ground up. No more ugly contracts for overrated superstars, no more Jason Bay's, no more K-Rod's. It was a move that didn't excite many fans, probably more because the Wilpon's financial situation appeared dire. Yet, it was also a shrewd move picking up one of the more underrated baseball guys around. Either way, the direction the Mets were trending in was one the city of New York is not fond of: rebuilding.

The process began last season when the Mets dealt robbed the Giants blind by trading a re-energized Carlos Beltran straight up for elite pitching prospect, Zack Wheeler. Beltran played well for the Giants, but they failed to re-sign him (guess that worked out for the eventual World Champion Giants). Following the Beltran trade, Alderson elected not to re-sign lightning rod shortstop Jose Reyes to the absurd six-year/$106 million contract Miami gave him. Reyes then went out and put up one of his worst seasons ever. Check mark for another good move by the shrewd GM. However, one of the biggest moves Alderson had to make came earlier this offseason when the David Wright extension became a hot topic. Many, including myself, thought that the Mets would let the contact play out and Wright would become a free agent after next season. The financial stress on the Wilpons was probably the biggest reason why Wright didn't look like a lock to come back. But with the buyout of Jason Bay, as well as the termination of Johan Santana's contract, the Mets offered up the type of contract that ignited the "I want to be a Met for life" sentiment in Wright.

With Wright locked in for the next eight years it was time for Alderson to build around him. First order of business, R.A. Dickey. The knuckler was coming off a sensational Cy Young season and he had become somewhat of a revelation. But at the unique age of 38 (still somewhat in his prime as knuckleballer) Dickey wasn't a part of the Mets future. Toronto immediately contacted Alderson about Dickey once it looked like the Mets weren't going to re-sign him and trade talks began. The Blue Jays original offer of top-75 starting pitching prospect Noah Snydergaard wasn't enough; Alderson wouldn't budge. With the deal hanging in limbo, the Mets GM stood his ground and finally forced the Jays to include the original prospect they wanted, catcher Travis d'Arnaud. Once again Alderson had forced a team's hand, this time bolstering the Mets farm system with arguably the best catching prospect in baseball.

There's been some backlash over this trade. The fans have the right to be angered because the trade immediately makes the team worse. But for a team that is in such a dire situation on the field, R.A. Dickey wasn't going to help enough. He wasn't a part of the future and when you have a chance to get a potential future All-Star in exchange for a 38-year-old pitcher, you do it. You do it especially when you've signaled a rebuilding process almost two years earlier. So while the major league product won't be pretty in 2013 for Citi Field, the future is becoming increasingly bright.

But here's the most important thing to look at if you're a Mets fan. Every move the franchise is making is moving them in a unified direction, a direction that has worked for several other teams. There has been no half-assing with the rebuilding process. There's been no "Wait, let's keep this really inconsistent superstar to sell seats." It's been a full on rebuilding process and it's turning into quite a good thing. Right now the future is bright with the addition of d'Arnaud (11th ranked prospect) and Syndergaard (83rd) to the pitching duo of Zack Wheeler (6th) and rookie Matt Harvey who showed last year that he is a strikeout machine (70 Ks in 59.1 innings). If the Mets rotation can be as good as it looks like it will in two or three years, this team could be back in the runnings in sooner rather than later. The key for the franchise is just to continue on this path, develop the prospects properly (by not rushing them to the show) and all will be gravy.

It's hard to be this bad at the MLB level and still be excited about some guarantee-less prospects down the road, but you saw what happened with the Rays. We're on that same path. Then again we are the Mets and our tendencies to turn great things into disasters are all too real. For now we can celebrate another prospect robbery. By June we'll be 15 games under .500 and wishing we had something to save us. Hopefully the future can be that savior.

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Comeback Player of The Year? MVP? AP vs. Peyton

AP might not win the league's MVP award, but he's certainly been the league's most sensational player.

On Christmas Eve last year Adrian Peterson tore his ACL, ending his season, shelving his offseason and many thought benching him for most of this 2012 season. In June of last year, Peyton Manning had to have a spinal fusion surgery that, to some, was going to be the end of his career. But here we are a little less than a year after a knee-shredding injury and more than a year off of a career-ending spinal surgery, both AP and Peyton Manning are sitting at top of the football world, playing some of the best football of their careers. Both are front runners for Comeback Player of the Year and some contend that they're both MVP candidates, here we'll evaluate each player with pros and cons (and when we say cons we're honestly nit-picking) and well tell you who has the better chance to win each.

Adrian Peterson
1,812 yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 11 TDs

Pros:
AP has had two ACL surgeries in his life, but it looks like his knees are only getting better. This guy came back from his second ACL surgery in only eight months, starting Week 1 and scoring two TDs. While Peterson was getting readjusted to his ACL-less knees, he entered Week 7 with only 499 yards, but after that Week, AP took his game to the next level. His 1,313 yards in the last eight games is a record in that span and he has done it in such unbelievable fashion. Not only has he been putting up absurd 150-plus yard games, he's been breaking off 60-yard runs like it was his job. He's far and away the leader of 20-plus runs with an average of 6.3 yards per carry on the second most attempts (289) in the league.

Without Peterson the Vikings would be an absolute joke. Their defense is solid, but Christian Ponder is beyond a bad quarterback. When you have a guy like AD back there making all the plays it's hard to mess things up. One of the things that AP's always been known for is his violent style of running; the guy looks like he wants to hurt every LB and DB he runts into. Last year, when he had his worst season, he didn't seem to display that same vicious characterisitc and it had an effect on his game. The fact that his team was 3-13 certainly didn't help either. Yet, it could said that this injury reinvigorated Peterson and warned him that his time in this game could be quite short. Just look at Chris Johnson, three years ago he rushed for 2,000 yards and now the Titans are on the verge of cutting him. There's no question breaking Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record will help his case immensely.

Cons:
It isn't clear if the Vikings are going to make the playoffs, even if they currently hold most of the tiebreakers against the other 8-6 teams. Minnesota still has to go to Houston to play a motivated Texans team and then they finish at home against the NFC North champion Packers. Obviously if the Vikes make the playoffs, then his season is all that more meaningful, especially with the team ranking dead last in passing offense. This is AP's team and they'll easily crash and burn if someone can shut him down (if it was only that easy).

Another factor is that a good percentage of Peterson's yards have come off big runs of 64, 74, 61 and two 82-yard scampers. Whether or not you think that's a good thing or not, it shows he's a home run threat and that isn't always a good thing. You don't expect him to reel off those kind of runs in the playoffs against more focused defenses. The thing is, if that's your worst problem, then you're doing something right.

Peyton Manning
67.9% completion rate, 4,016 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs, 103.5 QB rating

Pros: 
I was one of the people last season that believed Peyton Manning would never step on a football field ever again. So the fact that he's even playing is impressive enough in my eyes. He ranks third in QB rating (if you exclude the benched Alex Smith) but unlike AP, it took Manning far less time to recover and get back into the swing of things. He hasn't put up the silly numbers like he did in Indianapolis, but that's because he doesn't need to. Willis McGahee (before the injury) and Knowshown Moreno have really opened up the field for Manning and that has allowed him to put up the consistent number he's put up all season.

Even though Peyton's put up monster stats over his years, his aura is even more impressive. Many thought it would take a while for Manning to bring that air of confidence to Denver, but it has been quite apparent all year that Denver is his team just like Indianapolis was. Tebow's stretch last year has all but disappeared from the minds of the Broncos faithful and that's all thanks to Manning. More importantly than his MVP numbers, his team has become a true championship contender and having the legend at the helm only adds to their contender status.

Cons:
This same Broncos squad was able to get to the second round of the playoffs last year with terrible Tim Tebow at the helm. Denver's defense is among the best in the league and Manning has certainly been the beneficiary of that. His running game has helped him out greatly as well as Demariyus Thomas and Eric Decker being a lethal wide receiver duo.

Denver's also benefited from one of the weakest divisions in the history of the AFC. Taking care of business in your division is always an underrated item to check off the list, but when it's this bad, it doesn't have as much pull.

MVP:
It's hard to argue this point with two more games to finish the season, especially with the chance that the Vikes end up losing their next two games and missing the playoffs. AP has been doing more with less and he's carried his offense, but there is something about Manning this year that won't deny him. He's led his squad to a phenomenal nine-game winning streak and is playing the quarterback position at as high of a level as you could at this point. If Manning can put his stamp on these next two games and throw 6-8 more TDs and help continue this Denver dominance then we'll certainly see him lift the MVP trophy. However, if AP can break Dickerson's record and help the Vikes defeat the Texans and Packers in the process then he deserves the award.

I'm predicting Manning to win it, because he's been insanely efficient on the league's most dangerous darkhorse and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Peyton Manning.

Comeback Player of the Year:
How do you win the MVP and not win the comeback player of the year? Well when you go up against Adrian Peterson.

AP's recovery time combined with how impressive and explosive he's been, makes him the best comeback player of the year. He won't probably won't be the league's MVP because he hasn't been doing it all season. Yet, his 20, 20-plus runs are undeniable. Who really makes you say "WOW" this year? It's Adrian Peterson. All day.
Adrian Peterson

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The Unfortunate Death of the Big East

The Big East Tournament made guys like Gerry McNamara, but it is no longer.

There was one college basketball tournament that I, and a large contingent of the East Coast, waited for all year, every year. That tournament wasn't the NCAA Tournament and had nothing to do with Duke, North Carolina, Michigan State or Kansas. It was the one tournament that brought energy, toughness, swagger and unmatched greatness into one 16-team battle in the world's most famous arena Madison Square Garden. The Garden, so rich with basketball history, was the only place to play D1's best tournament. But all of the sudden, with the departure decisions from Pittsburgh and Syracuse last year it seemed like the integrity of the tournament was flailing. Then a few days ago the whole league collapsed on its head and the Big East tournament, as we knew it, was dead.

Whether it was a football move, a basketball move, a monetary move or some decision for the D1 Catholic schools to form their own super league commissioned by the Pope it doesn't matter, the Big East has perished. Left in its ashes is an serious amount of history, rich basketball history, with some of the greatest players stepping on the Garden hardwood to do battle for what used to be college basketball's best conference. It's sad for any of us who frequented MSG in early March to watch some intense basketball. It's sad for the players who had the fantastic opportunity to showcase their skills, toughness and bravado on the world's biggest stage. It's a sad day for the announcers who put forth some of their finest calls, sending shivers down the TV audience's spines. It's honestly a sad day for basketball in general.

That one week in March was so very meaningful to everyone involved, really the region as whole. Great NBA players were introduced into our lives, some becoming ingrained in the hardwood just like Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing before them. There were on-the-court battles you couldn't even script. At times you thought the intensity was going to blow Madison Square Garden to smithereens. It's not even to say that the games were always pretty, but when you exited the tournament whether it was in the first round or as the champs, you needed every single day of rest before the NCAA tournament. So many great Big East teams entered their National tournament so battered and beaten from their conference run that they couldn't live up to the pre-tournament hype. There was nothing like the Big East tournament and they're never will be anything like it again.

Now it sits as a distant memory, and yes while we'll still have it for a few more years with the collapse of the conference not coming until 2015, the tournament will only be a shell of its old self. It can't retain its sentimental value for teams, players and fanbases when they know down the road it will be no more. The games will most certainly still be intense, but I don't expect the same feeling to be there, that same hatred for one another.

For now we just sit and reminisce on the Ray Allen's, Patrick Ewing's, Kemba Walker's and Gerry McNamara's of our day. There will no longer be new memories carved into our basketball games of some teenager or 20-something cutting up the Garden hardwood like he was in the NBA. Tip of the cap to the Big East for all it has given us over the years, but I guess a new chapter of our college basketball fanhood has to begin.  

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The NFL's Fourth Quarter

The Texans and Patriots will meet this Monday in one of the best games of the season.

It's a beautiful thing, these last four games of the NFL season. In a league that already puts so much onus on their regular season, the final four contests represents some of the finest product the NFL has to offer. In both conferences the wild card playoff picture is about as clear as a San Francisco morning and that is absolutely what we want as NFL fans. We'll give you the top ten games left on the docket with not only wild card scenarios in place, but also in terms of playoff positioning.

10. San Francisco at New England, Sunday 8:20 PM (Week 15)
This one is more for Super Bowl preview's sake than anything else. New England has already clinched and San Francisco will most likely have clinched after this week (home vs. Miami). It will be interesting to see next week if this quarterback controversy has cranked it up another notch. Either way I think the Niners are an interesting matchup for the sizzling Pats because of their monster defense and specifically because they have the league's second best pass defense. But, as we know with Belichick, this one could get wild (or ugly) quickly. I think the circumstance of a Sunday Night prime time game will keep the two in-check and we'll be looking at a lower scoring game than the Pats are used to playing.
Patriots 31, 49ers 24

9. New York Giants at Atlanta, 1 PM (Week 15)
The Falcons will be looking to/already have clinched a first-round playoff bye and will be looking to seal the deal on the first overall seed while the Giants may be clinging for dear life on a playoff spot. If they fail to beat the Saints at home and the Redskins can pull another upset at home vs. the Ravens then this game could be enormous for the G-Men. I think this Giants team still has Super Bowl aspirations and will play that way against a Falcons team looking to clinch some secondary playoff positions. It should get wild in the Georgia Dome.
Giants 38, Falcons 35

8. Denver at Baltimore, 1 PM (Week 15)
Here will be a battle between the AFC West champs and most likely the AFC North champs, which means this will a playoff positioning battle. Peyton Manning is playing like an MVP and he'll most likely pick apart an injured Ravens secondary, no matter if Ray Lewis is back or not. I haven't really been sold on Baltimore since the start of the year, but they've got the experience to win big games like this especially at home. Still, I think Peyton has something to prove and this could be another notch on what might become his third AFC Championship belt. Denver comes in a gets a huge road win.
Broncos 28, Ravens 17

7. Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 PM (Week 17)
We could be talking about a completely meaningless game this week if the Ravens win their next three and the Bengals self-destruct, yet I don't see either scenario happening. The Bengals have Dallas and Philadelphia this week and in Week 15, respectively and should be 9-5 heading into a pivotal showdown against the Steelers in Week 16. Whether they win that game or not doesn't make Week 17 meaningless for them in that scenario at all. In all honesty, they could be fighting the Ravens for a wild card spot or they could be looking to lock up the division. The AFC North race is one Baltimore-loss away from being unbelievable. I'm expecting a rocking Paul Brown Stadium to inspire the Bengals into the playoffs, whatever position it may be.
Bengals 21, Ravens 16

6. New York Giants at Baltimore, 1 PM (Week 16)
The critical Week 16 makes its first appearance in our top ten and it's going to be an exciting inter-conference matchup. Again, we could be looking at a Giants team holding on by their teeth and on the road against a Ravens team looking to seal the division. Either way, these two teams are extremely physical and will be playing their hearts out. While the Ravens do hold a distinct home field advantage at M&T Bank, the Giants are late season road warriors as seen by the last few years. Eli will put his stamp on this one, mark my words.
Giants 30, Ravens 27

5. Chicago at Minnesota, 1 PM(Week 14)
Last ditch effort for the surprising, but fading Vikings. The Bears are sitting a bit more comfortably at 8-4, but they lost an ugly game at home to a Seahawks team that rarely wins on the road. Also interesting to note that Chicago was once the league's best rush defense, while they now sit 10th. That could spell doom, especially facing the league's best running back and a potential MVP candidate in Adrian Peterson. If the Bears want to win this game against a team fighting for its life, then Jay Cutler's got to show up. However, that dome is one hell hole for quarterbacks because the noise seems to explode off the ceilings and walls producing a deafening effect. Communication problems will upset Cutler and the Vikings will pull off a hideous game.
Vikings 17, Bears 9

4. Indianapolis at Houston, 1 PM (Week 15)
I'm sorry but if anyone told me that a Week 15 matchup between the Colts and Texans would mean something for both teams I would call you crazy. Andrew Luck is on the verge of pulling off one of the greatest rookie seasons ever and temporarily erasing Peyton Manning's name from Colts fans' minds. First he'll have to take care of business against the Titans at home and if he does that then this could be a playoff clincher for them. But Luck will have to do so against a Texans team looking to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and will be equally hungry to stop the Luckapalooza train. I say train comes to a screeching halt here, but picks back up right after this one.
Texans 35, Colts 24

3. Green Bay at Chicago, 1 PM (Week 15)
 Both teams will enter this game within at least a game of each other, making this a monstrous NFC North game with serious implications. Both teams have had their moments and both have had their stumbles, but I think we're looking at a much more experienced Packers team that doesn't have Mr. Inconsistency at quarterback. After dropping the game against the Vikings as I predict, I think the wheels will fall off for the Bears and they may even miss the playoffs. The Pack invade Soldier Field and grab a NFC North clinching victory.
Packers 24, Bears 13

2. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1 PM (Week 16)
These next two weeks are setting up for an enormous AFC North Week 16 clash with both teams having winnable games. If both come in 9-5, we could be looking at a battle for not only a wild card spot but for the division as well. The Steelers already beat the Bengals once this season and if they do so again here then they'll pretty much have eliminated Cincinnati from threatening them in anyway. I do like the Bengals and think they have some mojo going this season, but Roethlisberger is supposed to be back and if he is then that will be the sole motivator necessary for the team and the Heinz Field crowd. Expect a monster game from the Steelers on both sides of the ball and I think they surprisingly destroy the Bengals here.
Steelers 31, Bengals 7

1. Houston at New England, Monday 8:20 PM (Week 14)
All things considered this could be the game of the year and a preview of the AFC Championship Game. It's hard to debate that you don't have two of the conference's best teams here and some of the league's best offensive players in Tom Brady, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson. Unfortunately the Pats will not have Gronk and I think the Texans strong rush defense will force Brady to go deep to the underachiever Brandon Lloyd or play West Coast ball with Welker underneath. I think the Texans will take advantage of a weak Pats defense and be able to slow down the Pats offense to their liking. Texans edge one out in Gillette.
Texans 28, Patriots 24
 

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The Thunder are Just Fine

Durant, Westbrook and the rest of the Thunder are just fine

When Oklahoma City traded James Harden days before the season started it elicted the sort of widespread reaction that Twitter and Facebook salivate over. It left some people dumb founded, others sad and others intrigued. They had just shipped away one of the better NBA talents around for what? A couple of draft picks, an unknown Jeremy Lamb and an decent player in Kevin Martin? Then Harden went out and had two monstrous games right off the bat and it all looked like the Thunder had made a disastrous move, right?

Wrong. I had stated earlier this year when the Thunder extended Serge Ibaka's contract that they had made the right move to do so and that Harden was a surefire goner. And there he was, gone, almost in an instant. Oklahoma City may have become a less star-studded team, but they had just made their team more dynamic, more ready for the future and more properly centered around Westbrook and Durant. Harden was a great talent, but he was not worth the choke hold his contract would have put on their salary cap. I'm also not sure he would have been content staying on the bench in a sixth man role, it's not an ego thing, it's a I-deserve-to-start thing. But I'm not here to talk about why Harden didn't fit going forward, I'm talking about Oklahoma City right now.

This team is 15-4, second in the West (though they have two more wins than the Grizz and only one more loss) and is clicking on all cylinders. Many people thought the loss of Harden would stunt their offense, actually they've done the exact opposite sitting at a furious 105.7 points per game click, tops in the league. But I'm not going to stat-slam you to death. There will be no John Hollingerisms out of me. I use the eye test and the Thunder are passing the eye test at an exhilarating rate. Durant and Westbrook are playing with the sort of synergy that we've been waiting for, for years now. Westbrook is averaging a career high in assists and Durant is shooting a sizzling 51% from the field including a ridiculous 45% from three point range. Kevin Martin has replaced Harden almost indefinitely and the Thunder's latest six-game winning streak has been impressive with wins against Philly and Brooklyn on the road and an absolute thrashing of Harden's Rockets. OKC has been so good that they have seemingly resurrected Hasheem Thabeet from the depths of the bust-dungeon (kind of).

Down the road it should only get better in OKC. If Westbrook and Durant can continue to grow and mature together, all with Kevin Martin assuming his role nicely as he has, then the Thunder will be right there at the end. I predicted them to win the West and I'm still confident about it. Durant has that Jordan-esque look in his eyes and that crushing defeat in the Finals last year is surely serving as motivation for OKC to tear through this league at a 60-win pace. Westbrook will still have his wild moments, but that's his pulse and if you don't let him run wild then you might as well cage him up and ship him elsewhere. Every game these two dominate together it seems like whatever "animosity" the media has created between them disappears. People are claiming that the Grizzlies are the league's best team, but it's not valid until the Thunder concede that title and at this rate the Thunder won't give up that claim for quite some time. I don't care who's back there playing off the bench or at shooting guard, Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka will be the right trio going forward.James Harden will hardly be missed.

I know everyone has forgotten about this whole Harden, Thunder situation, but I'm here to remind you that as much as analysts want to gush over the Grizzlies and Clippers and as much as David Stern wants to end Gregg Popovich's life, don't forget, the Thunder are still here, still buzzing and still own the rights to the Western Conference.

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Where'd the Real Dwight Howard Go?

Dwight Howard is looking like a shell of his former self.

Patrick Ewing, a former member of the Orlando coaching staff, once said of Dwight Howard, "He's only reached 30 percent of his potential." That was circa 2009, when Howard was fresh off his first NBA Finals appearance. Well now it's 2012, he's fresh off a debacle of a 2011-12 season, fresh off a career-turning trade to Los Angeles and a potentially career-altering major back surgery. Does he look anymore refined than that 30 percent potential Ewing talked about years ago?

It's understandable to see Howard struggle amidst his team's struggles to find an identity, to grasp D'Antoni's wide open system, to adjust to the converging egos and to adjust to the bright lights of Los Angeles. Stats would suggest D12 is just fine. He's averaging a little bit less than he usually does at a 18.7 point, 11.2 rebound, 2.6 block click, but you assume those numbers will increase once he finds his comfort zone. Yet, Howard's issues aren't on paper, not caught up in his putrid 46.5% free throw percentage (though it could be), not easily seen by the casual observer. Something is seriously wrong with Dwight Howard.

The 6'11" freak specimen is a shell of his former self. He is no longer the dominant big man he once was. The paint is no longer entirely his domain, and he doesn't make driving guards shutter in fear of their ball landing in the 300 section anymore. There's no jump in his step, zero explosion when he attacks the rim and in all honestly his lack of focus is apparent. Offensively, he has looked supremely awkward, and the few finishing abilities he had are fading fast. With D'Antoni's wide open system, Howard should be thriving but without Steve Nash he's just clogging the paint and ruining Pau Gasol's offensive rhythm. It's quite clear that his back is haunting his athleticism and denying him the ability to take over games the way did in 2009 when he led the Magic to the Finals. Could it be that Dwight's slowly becoming the next Amar'e Stoudemire?

STAT slowly slid down an injury-laden mountain starting with micro-fracture surgery at age 24. Look at him now, he's lost his pop, he doesn't dominant games anymore and he certainly isn't desired as a big man as he once was. Dwight is still a great player in the NBA, but he's lost that dominant trait and if this back issue doesn't heal to full strength we could be dealing with a half-stepping Howard. With less explosion, he'll have to adjust and create some kind of finesse game or he'll be left out to dry. The problem is, I don't see any finesse game out of him. He's too awkward with the ball and can't shoot a foul shot so I don't how he'll develop any type of jumper like Amar'e did. While these issues are all hypothetically related to Howard's back, they're real and dangerous if they come to fruition.

I could be over-exaggerating this whole situation. It's very possible Steve Nash returns and transforms Howard back into the monster he once was. Nash has the ability to unlock abilities players never knew they had. But it's also not a stretch to say Howard's game has taken a large step backward not only this season, but over the last few years. And let's not throw out the idea that maybe Howard's not built for championship basketball, that his mental fortitude could be lacking.

We're only 17 games through the 2012-13 season, but these lack-of-explosion constraints for the 26-year-old Howard are truly frightening.

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