Friday 9/17/10 Picks...
Kansas +5.5
Nevada +2.5
A little questionable on both but I like the way KU played and I like Nevada's experienced QB play. Going with both underdogs...we'll see how that goes :)
Loving that attitude and fight of my Yankees this year. They scrap, they have fun and they get after it night after night! Although I think last nights brawl was stupid and pretty much all Jorge Posada's fault I like the fact that our guys were out there in a second to help him out. The key guys on this years team who changed the culture of how we play...Swisher, Gardner, Texeira and a rejuvenated and prepared Melky Cabrera and Robbie Cano. I really believe Cano and Melky are the key to this years team. When those two are on a roll that means our 8 and 9 hitters are hot and driving in runs. Both need to stay focused and keep there fun loving attitude towards the game at the same time which is a difficult thing to do.
The Red Sox after watching Dice-K last night really worry me if the Yankees have to face them in the playoffs. That is 4 solid starters that they'll have throwing. I think we can get to Beckett although he is usually unstoppable in the post season. Bucholtz as well I think we can get too. Lester and a Dice-K who threw like last night also make them just a solid staff and with how shaky our rotation looks right now it has me a little nervous. AJ and Andy really need to get themselves going in order to get on a positive roll heading into the post season. I really think this 10 day lay off for Andy will help a lot. And hopefully the AJ Burnett who won 18 games last year comes out. CC Sabathia is actually a worry too because he has never performed well in the post season. And our #4 Joba I think will be fine. I actually like the way they broke him down and are now building him back up every 5 days and it is starting to show in his performance. And he will and with about 160 innings this year in the regular season which is perfect. Let's see how we fair tonight with Gaudin on the mound against the Jays...hopefully no more funny stuff goes on!
And the season I had true optimism about my Bears starts off wonderfully. My optimism wasn't about a Super Bowl title it was simply about improvement. However, losing 2 starting LB's it is not looking good right now. The good news is Hunter Hillenmeyer who will replace Brian Urlacher is a guy who will do nothing wrong. He just won't make any plays either. He does his job to a "T" just doesn't make the plays we need our LB's to make. Well, here's hoping to still sneaking in that playoff pick with what is supposed to be our improved offense. But, I do NOT agree with throwing 2 balls all game to Olsen and Forte combined but throwing 13 times to Earl Bennet!! Can't happen your 2 best players on the team need to have the ball thrown to them more! Matt Forte is possibly the best everydown back at receiving passes and we throw 1 ball to him. Can't happen.
Lovie Smith did a great job calling plays. It's simple as that you can't blame him. What you may be able to blame him for is letting Nate Vasher see the field. He's a fraction of his old self and as far as I'm concerned if the Bears were to cut him today...I'm not sure another team would sign him. I think he would be trying out for the UFL. But it is what it is and we have 15 more to go. Unfortunately the Steelers come to town now. Maybe we can shock the NFL world with a "W"?
Super excited for the NFL weekend! Starts tomorrow night with Titans at Steelers! My family has no plans this weekend so I will be watching football from Thursday night until Tuesday morning! I can't wait! Plus the new Bears cheerleader outfit for my 5 month old daughter will be broke out as well! I like the Bears in a bit of an upset this week. Lovie Smith has owned GB at there place since taking over as head coach. I also like the Buckeyes to 100% cover that +7 against USC.
Illinois will continue to roll and pull a win out on Saturday. Juice is feeling the flow right now and the defense, bend but don't break, will continue to do so. My honest feeling about the game is that it will be another high scoring shootout. Hard to believe with how much Wisconsin has struggled on offense but the Illini are 78th in the country when it comes to stopping the run and PJ Hill said today that he will play. So, Hill and John Clay will might both top the 100 yard marker and Wisconsin might absolutely dominate the TOP stat line but it only takes the Illini 2 plays to score as they showed on their first possesion against IU. Illinois scores 40 and Wisconsin at least scores 30 and the Illini pull it out by a TD or so.