A New Year's Six Pack of Picks

A little early for your holiday weekend.  For those keeping track, last week's selections would have gotten you to 2-3 (with one pick still outstanding).  So crack open that champagne, head out to the track, and always remember...the more you bet, the more you win.

1. KC Chiefs +3.5 over Denver
It's a tough week in the NFL, but one game I feel pretty good about is the Chiefs over the Broncs.  Not only because the Chiefs are better on the offensive side of the ball (Tim Tebow is a fraud...), but because the players want Romeo Crennel at the helm.  He needs this win to cement his resume, and his boys will come to play.

2. Green Bay -2.5 over Detroit
You think GB is going to lay down and die for a DIVISION OPPONENT?  I just can't see it.  GB is the better team on offense, and will continue to roll on their home field.  The Lions are already in the playoffs, so they'll sit just as many starters as the Packers in the second half.

3. Minn +1 over Chicago
The Bears suck.  Injuries are a major part of that.  The Vikings suck.  Injuries have a little to do with that.  I'll give the advantage to the Vikes with Toby Gerhart and Christian Ponder over Josh McCown and ??? at RB for the Bears.  Hey, someone has to win...

A bowl win for Iowa?  Don't count on it.

4. Oklahoma -13.5 over Iowa (Insight Bowl)
That Marcus Coker guy isn't going to play for Iowa (don't know if you heard yet), therefore 80% + of the run game is sitting at home.  You can't switch to a spread offense in 15 practices, so while some teams can survive without a running game, the Hawkeyes aren't one of them.  Sorry Hawk fans, but unless Jordan Canzeri, De'Andre Johnson, and Jason White have a third gear we haven't seen yet this season, it's going to be a long night in the desert.

5. Houston -7 over Penn State (TicketCity Bowl)
If you thought the off-field issues were bad for Penn State before, they've only gotten worse.  The QB's are fighting with the receivers, and who will be under center still remains to be seen.  The season can't get over quick enough for the Lions.  On the flip side, Houston was one win away from being in the BCS mix, but because of their conference affiliation, they ended up here.  Case Keenum will go out with a win.  Mark my word.

6. Oregon -5.5 over Wisconsin (Rose Bowl)
The Ducks score a lot of points.  The Wisconsin defense will give up a lot of points.  No matter how well the Badger offense decides to be, the game will be decided on the defensive side of the ball for Wisconsin. I'll take Oregon going away.

Have a great weekend and a happy new year!

Holiday Six Pack of Picks

Happy Holidays to everyone!  Here's your weekly six pack of picks for Christmas weekend.  And trust me, you can take these right to the bank.  As my friend Ken Miller reminds me, the more you bet, the more you win.  HERE WE GO!

1. Kansas City -2 over Oakland
It's not about Kyle Orton in KC, he just happen to come along at the opportune time.  It's about the coach.  With Todd Haley out of the way, Romeo Crennel has a roster stacked with up and comers, and should run the table the rest of the way out.  No offense to Haley, but he had to be the worst in the league at motivating his players.  Crennel getting the bath last weekend was my favorite scene of this NFL season. 

2. Dallas -1 over Philly
It just comes down to who needs it more here.  The division is up for grabs.  Dallas needs the win to basically lock in up, and Philly needs the win and a ton of help to get it done.  If the game is in Philly, I might go the other way, but Dallas won't lose in Jerry's house with a division title on the line.

3. GB -13 over Chicago
Green Bay has had their wake-up call.  And I'll be Jermichael Finley loads up on the stick-em this weekend.  On top of that, Chicago is going with...wait for it...Josh McCown at QB.  Where the hell is Brett Favre when you need him?  Green Bay rights the ship, and seals up home field advantage with the win.

Pass me another Matty Ice, Teddy!

4. Atlanta +7 over New Orleans
Two bitter division rivals.  Two playoff teams.  Too many points.  I'll bet the Saints win the game, and Drew Brees goes crazy, but Matty Ice and the Falcons will keep it close.  This Falcons team in dangerous...they're not one I'd like to face in the postseason. 

5. Prince Fielder's New Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Last week, I'd have thought the Rangers were a lock to sign Prince, but after committing $50 million plus just to TALK with Yu Darvish, I'm not sure Texas has the cash Fielder is asking for.  The Nationals seem to be the team now (after all, they gave a stupid contract to Jason Werth last year, so why not?), but have a great 1B in Michael Morse already.  I think the delay, and teams not wanting to give out ten years and big bucks, will open the door just enough for Milwaukee to make an offer Prince will listen to.  It won't be for ten years, it won't be for $200 million, but why wouldn't Fielder listen to an offer of 6 years and $150 million?  They're a long shot, but I think the Brew Crew creeps back into this thing.

6. Over/Under # of drinks Joe consumes this weekend: 10
I'd say the over is probably a pretty safe bet.  Holidays around the Quinn household mean a few pops with family and friends.  I wish the best to you and your family.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Coker, McCall, Fielder, and more

As we head into bowl season, here are a few hot topics we've touched on this week. 

Marcus Coker suspended for Insight Bowl
Nobody seems to know exactly what happened (except those closely involved), and as per the usual, no official answers will ever come from the Hawkeye mafia.  I've heard everything from theft, to assault, to cheating, to taking candy from a baby. 

Whatever Coker did, a feel safe in making a few educated guesses - first, the suspension didn't come from Ferentz.  All of his comments point to the University powers that be making this call.  Second, it sure sounds like it won't be a long term deal.  On his call-in show last night, Ferentz did say that he won't make the trip and they'll have more "next semester."  It makes me think academic, but I'm not sure it fits in this case. 

Everyone I've talked to has said Coker is a good kid, so I have no reason to think the worst...at least not yet.  All we know for sure is he's out for this game, and hasn't been removed from the program.

Mika'il McCall's future at Iowa looks grim
A source in Iowa City told me that it would be "surprising" if McCall ever suited up for the Hawkeyes again.  Unlike Coker, the buzz around McCall has not been positive.  When asked about McCall last night on his call in show, Ferentz was quick to respond with, "...he won't be making the trip." 

We know McCall hasn't been practicing, and was suspended after one carry (and one fumble) in the game against Purdue.  Based on everything that's out there and my gut feeling, I'd say McCall will forever live as a one-quarter wonder in a Hawkeye uniform.

Matt Barkley coming back to USC
Not surprising, but I'm glad to see the kid decide he likes playing college football enough to wait another year before heading to the NFL.  The rookie pay scale in the league no doubt takes some of the risk out of the decision, but still, good for Barkley.

Cubs set to blow up roster and rebuild
Our buddy David Kaplan of CSN Chicago floated this idea out there on the show yesterday, and it makes perfect sense.  The Sean Marshall deal is just a small portion of the equation - unload a costly veteran and pick up a cheap arm for the future in Travis Wood.  Cubs fans need to start thinking about this team two years from now.  Anyone that won't help you two years down the road isn't going to be a good fit. 

Unfortunately, that probably means no Prince Fielder on the North side.  Speaking of which...

Prince Fielder and his ten year deal
The days of ten year deals in MLB should be over.  It's too long.  I have no problem with a five year deal at $30 million per season in the right circumstance, but this is crazy.  In my opinion, any GM thinking of giving ten years is crazy and should be fired.

Happy Holidays everyone!

What's Up Wednesday? CP3 and more...

For this edition of "What's up Wednesday?," I'll take a quick look at some of the things I just don't get from the past week in sports, politics, and more.  Enjoy.

1. Chris Paul being held hostage by the NBA
So the NBA goes on strike for the better part of a year, nearly cancels their entire season, and now the owners are flexing their collective muscles trying to keep a struggling franchise from rebuilding?  WTF IS UP DAVID STERN?  I could see a problem if the Hornets were trying to trade Paul for JJ Barera and a second round pick, but this was a good deal for New Orleans.  They would have gotten two quality players from Houston, a great role player in Lamar Odom from the Lakers, and a first round pick in the deal.  That's almost a rebuilt starting lineup right there.  I'm not sure what the real story is, but my gut tells me the NBA's "small fish" (see: Dan Gilbert) don't want to let LA get any better than they already are.  You can bet the Lakers would have found a way to bring Dwight Howard into the fold, and another NBA "dream team" would have been born.  Only difference would be this one would be built to win - a scorer in Kobe, a distributor in Paul, and best big man in basketball underneath.

2. Cardinals fans being upset over the Pujols signing
Be happy you won't have to grotesquely overpay the man for five or six years down the road.  Is he a great player?  Yes...no question.  Is he the best fit in St. Louis?  I'm not as convinced.  You're already overpaying Matt Holiday, and would have been forced to go north of $200 million to land Pujols.  Pujols is on the decline - maybe it won't be for a few years, but on a ten year contract, you might get five or six quality seasons before age takes its toll. It opens the door to start a new era in St. Louis.

3. Rick Perry
I just don't get the guy.  Does he think the country is eager to elect another George W. Bush?  I get it...you're from Texas, probably carry a gun, and for some reason can't remember what you want to do if elected.  Those three facts alone probably don't qualify you for the job.     

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosepetal236/2610974981/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Six Pack of Picks - 12/9

I think I'll make this a new Friday tradition here on the site - six picks for your weekend enjoyment.  Go out, have a couple of afternoon pops, start your weekend early, and take these bad boys right to the bank.

Fair disclosure, I've haven't done worth a damn over the past month, so you'll most likely get taken to the cleaners.  That being said, here we go!

1. NFL: Miami -3 over Philly
Not that Miami is that good, but Philly looks like they've given up on the season.  With each week that goes by, it starts looking more and more like Andy Reid will need to pick up some change of address forms after the season.  Maybe Michael Vick, too, if he can't stay healthy.  The NFL's "dream team" looks like they should be playing in the CIML, and I'd probably pick the Colts to beat them at this point. 

Don't worry - I'm just holding the other one...

2. NFL: Jets -10.5 over KC
Rex Ryan might run his mouth a lot, but he also puts up when he needs to.  The Jets are a team that has been hard to figure out this year, but look to me like they've been more consistent as of late, winning two in a row and are 5-1 at home. There are five teams in the AFC (including NYJ) that are 7-5, likely battling for one playoff spot.  The Jets need this one.   And besides, KC sucks.  I'm actually thinking about cheering for them to stick Stanzi under center as see what he can do.

3. NFL: San Fran -3.5 over Arizona
So a team that's 10-2 is only a three and a half point dog to a team that's 5-7?  Am I missing something here?  A win over Dallas does not make Arizona a quality team (see: stupid coaching decisions- who ices their own kicker?), and San Fran is the second best team in the NFL right now.  This one is an easy call.

4. NFL: Denver -3.5 over Chicago
Well, hate it or love it, Tim Tebow is a winner.  It aint pretty, but the kid makes DJ Khalid proud.  If Jay Cutler is under center for Chicago, it's a different story.  But Denver gets it done at home and wins by a TD.

5. NCAA BB: Iowa State -9.5 over Iowa
All favorites so far, so why switch now?  I love Royce White, I like Chris Babb, and I can tolerate Scott Christopherson for ISU.  As for Iowa?  Four technical fouls against an MVC school is just unacceptable.  It was a 20 point blowout that Iowa handed UNI on a silver platter...don't forget - it was a two point game when the T's starting flying.  Basabe looks like he's taken three steps back this year, Cartwright has been a cry-baby so far, and Gatens is still the pedestrian 10 points a game guy he was when he came in as a freshman.  Sorry Hawks, this one goes to ISU.

6. Andrew Luck wins the Heisman Trophy
It should go to Robert Griffin III, and I hope it does.  But Andrew Luck is the chosen one.  Remember the same guys that vote on these kind of awards haven't put Joe Jackson or Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame yet. 

Have a great weekend.

How good are the Angels?

With Albert Pujols signing with the Angels, it's hard to think that anyone else will be able to contend in the AL West.  However, I'm convinved it won't be the Angels offense that will carry them into the playoffs, it will be their pitching.

By acquiring CJ Wilson (who might be the highest paid #3 starter in the bigs now...), the Angels will trot out Jared Wever, Danny Haren, Wilson, and Ervin Santana.  For my money, that's as good of a rotation as what Philly brings, and it's a heck of a lot younger.

The better news for Angels fans, is with Albert taking over 1B/DH duties (and yes, I think Pujols will see time at DH as soon as next season), it makes either Kendry Morales or Mark Trumbo expendable, and thus available for trade. 

While the Angels already have a surplus of starting pitching, the team could look to trade Morales or Trumbo to add another pitcher or some young guns for the farm system.  If they team has one weakness, it might be the bullpen...but then again, what team couldn't use another arm out of the pen?

Bottom line: The Halos are set.  With an outfield that features Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells (assuming he can bounce back...), Peter Bourjos, AND Mike Trout, and a decent infield with Erik Aybar, Alberto Callapso, and Maicer Izturis, them team is loaded and ready to contend now. 

Today's moves make the Marlins look like small fish.  The Angels are for real.