This week in the NFL:

~New England over Tampa Bay- New England, in December...Rookie QB for TB

~NY Giants Over Kansas City - Lets say Giants because there is a Manning in the Game and it is at the Meadowlands

~Denver over Buffalo - Buffalo is just not that good and Denver is, Holcolmb won’t make that much of a difference

~Arizona over Houston- After that missed field goal last week, Houston seems to want no part of winning (plus they want Reggie Bush)

~Pittsburgh over Minnesota - Pittsburgh is just a better team, Minnesota hasn’t really beaten anyone that good

~Seattle over Tennessee - Seattle could be a Super Bowl team, Tennessee not so much

~Carolina over New Orleans - Carolina is inconsistent, but New orleans is just brutal (although no Brooks may be a good thing)

~Miami over the Jets - Miami has played decent of late and the Jets are 1a) with Houston

~Indianapolis over San Deigo - Indi is Indi, the triplets are playing and indi is winning, only thing that stops that is if LT goes off

~Jacksonville over San Francisco- Garrard should be able to dismantle the once powerful 49ers

~St Louis over Philadelphia- Pick’m, both these teams are just not good

~Cincinnati over Detroit - Cinci will roll and Detroit will bend over

~Cleveland over Oakland - Again, 2 inconsistent teams...coin flip, Depends on if Collins feels like showing up

~Washington over Dallas - Always a tight game, Skins had them beat earlier in the season then gave it away in the last 5 min of the game

~Atlanta over Chicago - Chicago needs a shutout because they can’t score enough to win the game

~Green Bay over Baltimore - Just going with Farve, he’s gotta win a game on his own at some point...is this the 8 time the Pack have played monday night?

Point Shots

~ Daunte Culpepper and three Minnesota Vikings teammates were charged Thursday with indecent, lewd and disorderly conduct for there alleged involvement with the sex boat fiasco. Each are up on 3 separate counts that carry a maximum 90 in prison on each count if convicted. This whole incident brought a new meaning to “tam bonding”. It is almost too bad that these players are now in trouble with the law as the Vikings are in the midst of at the very least a playoff push, something unthought of after the awful 1-4 start to the season. Maybe the Pittsburgh Penguins or St’ Lewis Blues should try something similar.

~ Tim Montgomery has announced that he plans to retire from sprinting. Probably a fairly easy decision to make after being suspended for 2 years, plus the fact that he is over 30. In his defense he never did actually test positive for doping, which sets a bad standard that you can be basicly convicted on circumstantial evidence and no hard proof. But when Track deems you a cheater they have no trouble dropping the hammer. Also in related news Montgomery said he and three-time Olympic gold medallist Marion Jones have split. up... when it rains it pours for Timmy.

~ Sao Paulo goalie Rogerio Ceni is the penalty and free kick specialist for his club team. If a free kick is awarded the goalie marches up the field to take the kick. That is like sending Martin Brodour out in a shootout.two questions: How bad is the team that a goalie is your best sniper and if he is so good why is he stuck in the net? The Guy must need too many oranges if he runs around too much and it would bankrupt the team in produce costs, Just another reason why soccer is stupid.

Colts Taking The Pole Position


The Indianapolis Colts have a rare opportunity that few ever even dream of, the chance to go back to the days of college and play on an undefeated team. Many people are waiting with baited breath to see how coach Tony Dungy decides to go about his business. To play this years version of the "triplets" (Harrison, Manning, and James) in the upcoming three games. A case has been made by some to play the triad for a few halfs or a quarter or series every now and again to minimalize the chance of injury. A valid point to be sure, but one not without it's pitfalls. One only has to go back as far as last year when the Colts rested their star players in the last week of the season, and that only got them as far as the Patriots from New England...Where their season came to an end. This year stacks up even tougher for the Colts. Take the no huddle offence that Manning uses in games, that type of offence is dependent on timing. If extensive time is taken off by using backups, it will give the offence that "rust" that announcers like to throw about. If the whole offence only plays sparaticly the last 3 games, coupled with the extra week they have off as a result of a first round bye, that would make the better part of a month without playing at actual game speed. That would make things far more difficult come January when the offence will need to be at game speed right away. There is also the momentum issue. It is never a good idea to back your way into the playoffs and expect a successful run. Just look at baseball for a recent example... Why are the wild card teams the one most likely to win the World Series? Because they are the ones fighting to the end just to get in and are "peaking" at the right time.

Colts need to do what they do, go out and play the game the way it is meant to be played, try to win the game just like they have all year up to this point. If they go 16-0 and happen to win the Super Bowl so be it... Leave it all on the field and maybe there will be some history made.

Point Shots


~ If batting .400 in baseball is like the mecca for consistency, and shooting 50% from the field is considered to be of all-star calibre in basketball, then what Tiger Woods has done since “Roaring” onto the PGA scene is unbelievable. In 9 pro seasons Woods has been named PGA player of the year 7 times. That works out to a 77% winning percentage. Woods won 6 tour titles with 2 Majors in the 2005 season that saw him eclipse the $10M mark. When you play probably less then any other player on tour (other then the really bad ones that can only get into a tournament when someone withdraws) and then end up winning more prize money then anyone on tour, chances are that you are having a pretty good season.

~ Ok, so we know how dominant Tiger has been, now lets look at Annika Sorenstam and how close the two are together in their respective leagues. Tiger had 6 wins in 21 tournaments earning $10,628,023. In comparison Sorenstam won 10 in just 20 tournaments. That in itself is just amazing, but here is the kicker for the women...Annika only earned $2,588,241 in prize money. A slight difference to that of Tiger. Her closest competitor in money earned had 2 wins in 25 events and earned only $1 million less.

~ Miguel Tejada wants out of Baltimore. Can you blame him? Sure he signed a huge deal with the O’s, but look what he has had to go through after 7 quiet but good productive years in Oakland. A team that spends money, though not wisely, a team that can’t seem to hold onto or hire good managers, and then to top it all off being accused of giving Rafael Pal-pornstache a B-12 shot “loaded with steroids. Can’t blame the guy for maybe wanting a fresh start somewhere else.

~ Some 300 million viewers are expected to watch the group draws for the next World Cup Tournament when it takes place Dec. 9 at 3:00pm ET. How is it that 300 million idiots can find the time to watch a selection show for and event that means nothing. The country's always seem to be playing each other anyway in “friendlies” or whatever, does soccer even have a league or or do they just meet up at the pubs for a drink or the grocery store to buy their oranges and decide to go run around and not try and not score? Gee i sure hope that Brazil doesn’t have the Netherlands in their group! That could spell disaster.

~ Ex-Purdue coach Gene Keady is ready to accept a job with the Toronto Raptors. Is Sam Mitchells job in jeopardy? Hard to say, but with the less then stellar record the Rap’s have seemed to put up thusfar one might question just how much rope Mitchell has to play with. Either way it is Rob Babcocks fault and he should be the one who takes the hit...at least first.

~ A Florida school is to erect statue of Vince Carter despite some complaints from board members. "There have been many students graduated from that school who have made wonderful contributions to their fellow man - in science, health, theater. Where are their statues?" said a board member. "I think we're saying we value you if you can make a lot of money, and that troubles me." However the best part of the story is where the sculpture is coming from. It is not from fundraising, or a vote from students, or even from Carter himself. The Sculpture was donated by Carter’s MOM. Looks like she is getting a little jealous of Donovan McNabbs mom and all the press she gets or Allen Iversons’s mom, who also doesn’t like practice surprisingly enough.

~ Good luck finding NASCAR in 2007. NASCAR signed an 8 year deal worth a whopping $4.48-billion deal with FOX, SPEED, Turner's TNT and ABC/ESPN. ABC/ESPN will get the final 17 races of the season, TNT will get 6 races in June and July and FOX will keep the beginning portion of the season. the deal money wise is almost double that of the current deal between FOX and NBC.

Point Shots


~ Saturday, December 10, 2005 expect this to be herd in Times Square: Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! It is Heisman time and Reggie Bush looks to be a lock for the trophy, and most likley the first overall pickin the NFL draft if and when he decides to leave school early. Vince Young will get his shot next year and Matt Leinart already has his so get ready for Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!

~ The Atlanta Braves have been vry active at the winter meetings, more so then any time in recent memory. The Braves have made a flurry of deals in the last few days that will hopefully help them compete with the many big names thatthe Mets have aquired. The Braves have picked up a little bullpen help by picking up Wes Obermueller, in somewhat of a bizzaar move forone time closer Dan Kolb. Kolb was traded last off season to become the closer for the Braves, that worked out not so well and was traded back to the Brewers less then 1 year later. The Braves, with the emergence of Brian McCann, were able to let go of Johnny Estrada and trade himto the Diamondbacks for a little more bullpen help in receiving Oscar Villarreal and Lance Cormier. The biggest deal thusfar would haveto be the aquisition of Edgar Renteria for third base prospect Andy Marte. Renteria will fill in a hole at shortstop that was made afterRafel Furcal signed with the Dodgers. The Braves are still in need of a quality proven closer but that could be a tall order after manyof the big names in the free agent market have all been snatched up. Will this be enough for the Braves to make yet another run for the pennent, only time willtell, but it is good to see the effort being made to boster the lineup.

~ J.P. Richardi has continued to place his stamp on the Blue Jays lineup. After 2 huge signings of closer B.J. Ryan and Starter A.J. Burnett, J.P. completed a deal thatbrought Lyle Overbay over from the brewers to solidify the first base position. Richardi made it clear that he wasn't done just yet and would like to getat least one more big bat. He has made some very bold moves that could prove to be a big gamble, but one thing is for sure, the Jays are at least putting thereneck out there. The most important deal is still yet to be made, and that is to dump Eric Hinskey and Miguel Batista and hope to get at leasta couple of bats and some pine tar.

~ What is wrong with the "New NHL"? Players are dropping like flys from an aray of various injuries. Groin pulls are the injury of most popularityof late, but it doesn't stop there. Many high profile players have missed much time or have been put on IR. The list continues to grow including such big names asMartin Havlat, Saku Koivu, Rick Nash, Danniel Brirre, Peter Bondra, Nick Boynton, and the better part of the Flyers lineup just to name a few.It is looking like teams lucky enough to avoid the plague of injuries will be able to position themselves into a possible playoff spot. Nothing can be won inthe first part of the season, but seasons can be lost in that same time period.

~ First Steve Yzerman declined an offer to play for Canada in the upcoming Turin Games, and now with recent heart problems Mario Lemieuxmay be forced out, the door may have opened just that much furthur for youngsters Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Sydney Crosby.

~ Steve Nash was named the Lou Marsh Trophy award winner as Canada's most outstanding athlete. Nash the NBA MVP from last season beat outSidney Crosby, diver Alexandre Despatie, curler Randy Ferbey, long-track speed skater Cindy Klassen and soccer player Christine Sinclair.Only 1 question, how does a soccer player make the list as an outstanding athlete? Doesn't an athleteneed to actualy need to participate in an actual sport? Apparently not.

Point Shots

~Tom Brady has been named SI’s Sportsman of the Year. A deserving winner for sure. This gunslinger from the Mighty Wolverines of Michigan, has won 3 of the last 4 Super Bowls and has progressed to one of the best QB’s in the league. The guy is a winner plain and simple and one of the best players in the league. Only question is that Lance Armstrong was overlooked yet again after a record 7th straight tour win. Perhaps this is easier for SI in the event that numerous doping allegations toward Armstrong prove to be true, SI will have a little less of a firestorm on their hands. But if infact Armstrong is clean a large injustice has been done. What he has managed to do, and obstacles that he has overcome deserves that honour as much or more then anybody. But congrats to Brady none the less.

~The run is over for The Michigan Wolverines. After 9 straight seasons of playing in a January Bowl game the Wolverines have dropped to a less prestigious bowl game this year. The Wolverines and Huskers will play in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 28. Not a bad run for the boys in blue. Michigan keeps intact it’s record 31 straight years with a Bowl appearance, the longest streak in the country. A small consolation perhaps, but better then it looked like it would be at times after a 3-3 start to the season.

~Looks like the Mets aren’t holding anything back this year. With a wave of off season trades and signings it is looking like they may finally be able to de-throne the Braves in the NL East. Pickups such as Delgado, Wagner, and most recently Paul LoDuca is starting to solidify a lineup with some very large holes last year. The infield is now very solid, starting pitching may be a concern but with the Braves having difficulty holding onto some key players (Furcal signing with the Dodgers), the door is finally open for other teams to step in.

~With all the talk of the two big rookie threats (Crosby and Ovetchkin) 2 blueliners are being slightly overlooked. Andrej Mazaros in Ottawa is having a great start to the year. Mazaros isn’t a flashy player and you may only notice him when he makes a mistake but he quietly goes about his business and is playing well beyond his 20 years. Then there is the monster that plays out west in Calgary, Dion Phaneuf. Phaneuf started making a name for himself in last years gold medal win at the World Juniors and has continued to grow since. Phaneuf can hit like a freight train and can play both the roles of a shut down D-man or an offensive threat.

~The #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils needed a dramatic half court buzzer beater to beat Va. Tech in a play that reminded many of the historic tournament game back in the Grant Hill/ Christian Laettner era back in the early 90’s. It is believed that that may have been J.J. Redick’s freshman season, but for some reason Redick was on the floor yet again? Kinda strange.

~~The high technology ''smart ball'' won't be ready for use at next year's World Cup of soccer.....didn’t know there was a World cup of Soccer, hurry people go out and buy stocks and futures of oranges!! This new “smart ball” apparently has a chip in it that sends an electric current to a wristband worn by the referee that will indicate when the ball has crossed the goal line. In soccer how often can you miss a ball that size going into a net that big?? What kind of morons are officiating these games? Can they really be as slow as those who actually play the game?

Point Shots

~ Boston Bruins...or is it the LA Clippers? The Bruins traded their captain Joe Thornton in an absolute blockbuster move. Thornton was traded late last night for 3 serviceable players from San Jose (Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau). It has been basicly not well received by all accounts from Bruins fans, and rightfully so. Boston got no big name back and only saved about $1.5 million in cap space. Thornton obviously fell out of favour with the management but was obviously happy enough to sign a 3 yr deal early in the season and convince Glenn Murray to re-sign in Bean Town. Don’t be surprised to see Murray next on the block out of town, or goaltender Andrew Raycroft after his comments about “sitting by the phone” and “lets hope it works out”.

~ After the recent news program from CBC’s Fifth Estate, it appears that Mike “don’t call me Jefferson” Danton was the real victim in a murder for hire plot. You can’t but feel for a weak impressionable child that was “brainwashed” by an adult in a position of power. Hopefully this person won’t slip through the cracks and gets the help he so desperately needs. Only time will tell how this story will play out, but be assured that there is more truth out there to be uncovered. Side note to this story Mike’s father was arrested this morning at his work for alleged phone harasment of David Frost. The father Jefferson apparently has left various phone messages to Frost telling him his time will come and he should be ashamed with himself. Yet another strange twist to this already shady story.

~The Raptors have finally showed what kind of team they really are, and it is about time! The Raptors fell to Memphis 92-66. Wow, uh, yeah....they blow. Executive of the year - Rob Babcock, is there any doubt?

~ Barry Bonds has told USA Baseball that he intends on playing for the USA’s entry into the inaugural World Cup of Baseball. Bonds also added that he plans on reporting about 40lbs. lighter to “take pressure off his ailing knee”. Yeah, ok Barry i am sure that your knee thanks you, but a very transparent comment for sure. Lets just see what kind of power numbers he puts up next season.

~ Big weekend in the works yet again, TV fans are treated yet again. Big rivalry game between #1 USC and #11 UCLA. This will either be a good test and a warm up for a national championship meeting in the Rose Bowl, or a crushing defeat that knocks out the 2 time defending champs.
~Jermain Taylor -vs- Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. Hopkins contends he was “jobbed” in this defeat to the hands of Taylor in July. He contests that there is no way he will win a decision and will have to come out and knock out Taylor. Expect a good fight from top to bottom and should be a close contest right to the bitter end.
~ Plus any NFL... because it is the NFL.

~ The Red Sox have filed a lawsuit to obtain the world series ball from former 1st baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. What a joke, Mientkiewicz should just go Hong Kong and lease it to the Sox for 50 or 100 years or something and be done with it...or do it the way of the infamous “Bartman ball” in Chicago and have a public implosion of the ball, that will end the madness.

~ Tough break for Martin Havlat. Havlat dislocated his shoulder and could miss 4-6 weeks or worse case the entire season. The Sens finally have some adversity to deal with and it will be interesting to see how they respond.


~ Stacy Keibler was voted Babe of the Year in the WWE. WWE is entertainment but is also a version of sport, so why not spread some christmas cheer? Plus Stacy was a former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader in ‘98-‘99. So there is your connection. Perhaps this will be a new feature...nothing says sports like cheerleaders. It is good to show our support to these girls who help get us pumped up during our favorite sporting events or the really dirty ones who like to get it on in the bathrooms of bars.

Side note to this story, there will be no male cheerleaders involved in this feature if it is picked up.