Previewing the College Playoff Games

            The college football playoff is only a couple days away and there are exciting match-ups for this year's playoffs amid all the controversy. Everyone's expecting Alabama to run the table and win out, but it might not be as easy of a task as the experts are making it out to be. Here's a preview of the playoff games

What to Watch For in Washington/Alabama: Honestly, this could be a much closer game than people (and Vegas) are making it out to be. All Washington needs to do to have a chance is to avoid turnovers and they should be in this. Alabama has 14 non-offensive touchdowns this season, which should have Chris Petersen's squad on the edge. However, Alabama's passing game isn't the best, while Washington's secondary yielded 192.6 yards per game, good for 22nd in college football. The Huskies need to also shut down the Tide in the trenches to stand a chance. Alabama's defense will be stingy on their own, so Jake Browning and Washington's skill receivers will be tested quite a bit.
What to Watch For in Clemson/Ohio State: The youth of Ohio State's team will be tested against one of the better passing offenses in college football. Deshaun Watson and Clemson rank fifth in total receiving yards (4,324 yards), but the Buckeyes' secondary yields only 164.5 yards per game, good for sixth in college football. First-Team All-ACC receiver Mike Williams (1,171 yards, ten touchdowns) and other Clemson receivers will have one of his toughest match-ups yet. Something will have to give in this match-up. The coaching match-up between Urban Meyer and Dabo Swinney will also be something to look out for.

Final Score Prediction For Washington/Alabama: Again, I feel this game will be a lot closer than the experts are making it out to be. Washington has a decent offensive line that may help Jake Browning and crew stand up on their own two feet for a good part of the game. They also have a solid secondary that should shut down Jalen Hurts and the Alabama passing game. But will it be enough to overcome Alabama's pure power and speed? Alabama 26, Washington 20
Final Score Prediction For Clemson/Ohio State: This will be the game that everyone will be watching. Urban Meyer versus Dabo Swinney. Deshaun Watson versus the Ohio State secondary. So many good match-ups in this game. The Buckeyes take this one in a nail-biter. Ohio State 30, Clemson 27

Final Week of Regular Season Picks

             It's the last week of the NFL regular season!!! All AFC playoff berths are secured; it's just a matter of sorting who plays who in the playoffs. As for the NFC. two spots are up for grabs. I'll be picking all of the games with playoff implications!! Here we go!!

• Panthers over Buccaneers
• Patriots over Dolphins
• Falcons over Saints
• Redskins over Giants
• Seahawks over 49ers
• Broncos over Raiders
• Chiefs over Chargers
• Packers over Lions

Record: 67-33-2 (+13)

New Year's Resolution(s)?

            It's that time of year again. The time where we vow to lose all of that stubborn weight and belly fat (and we usually don't commit to it). That's right, it's the "New Year's Resolution." I won't be making a resolution on my weight loss since I'm keeping up with my own plan (although I still have some time before I reach my goal). Anyways, here's a list of some "resolutions" that I hope to achieve.

• Be a Nicer Person: Working at a fast-food restaurant can bring out the ugly side of almost any person. That's why I hope to change my tone a bit. That doesn't mean that I'll steer away from cracking jokes. In fact, I need to starting owning my words better. Speaking of fast food...
• Get the Hell Out of the Fast Food Industry: I'm hoping that I can make my new podcast take off. I'll be experimenting a bit with some new technology that I got, so I'll be investing some time in my podcast. In the meantime, I need to find a new job that isn't frustrating to work in. The restaurant that I work in right now is a good environment to work with regards to my co-workers. It's just that the restaurant itself brings in the WORST customers ever. Like ordering four double quarter-pounders, two egg McMuffins, and two sausage McMuffins and having coupons for ALL of these sandwiches kind of bad. My restaurant brings in some of the worst inbreds around and I hope to escape such an environment.
• Invest More In My Podcast: I really want to make a new podcast that I have planned to work. I don't have a name for it, but I'll have to make sure that everything sticks. More advertising, more marketing, and more promotions. I got big plans in my future and I want to ensure that my future comes to fruition. 
• Get an Internship: I slacked on getting an internship this year and I'm disappointed in myself for it. This year, I need to commit in finding one, especially since I got a light semester to work with.
• Save Money: That pretty much coincides with the investing of my podcast. Just make sure that I save and don't spend beyond my means.

Photo courtesy of Gretchen Rubin

Ranking the NBA Christmas Match-ups

             The NBA on Christmas Day is a staple of the birthday of Jesus. Featuring the best match-ups, the NBA counters the NFL's Thanksgiving slate with a Christmas slate of their own. Here's how I'm ranking this year's slate of games.

1. Golden State vs. Cleveland: An NBA Finals rematch, the 26-4 Warriors might not have as good of a record as they did last year. However, Golden State does have Kevin Durant, who leads the team in PPG with 25.7 and blocks per game with 1.6. The match-up of Stephen Curry and LeBron James will be must-see TV.
2. New York vs. Boston: New York and Boston are rivals in almost every sport. Baseball. Football. Now, the rivalry between the two storied franchises is being revived on Christmas. Derrick Rose and the surprising Knicks will be taking on Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics.
3. Chicago vs. San Antonio: Pau Gasol will take on his former squad, the Bulls, in the late cap of the ABC match-ups. What was supposed to be a transition year for Chicago has actually been a surprise as they're the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference at 14-14. As for the Spurs, well, they're the Spurs. With a record of 23-6 (good for second-best in the Western Conference), San Antonio has proven that they can hang without the presence of Tim Duncan.
4. LA Lakers vs. LA Clippers: The Tinseltown Rivalry has seen a role swap that is interesting, to say the least. The Lakers, who are known for winning titles, are sitting ten games below .500. The Clippers, a normally hapless franchise, are sitting in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 22-8. The Clippers may not have Blake Griffin, but they did beat the Spurs yesterday.
5. Minnesota vs. Oklahoma City: Will Russell Westbrook post another triple-double? Will Zach LaVine display some high-flying dunks? How will Karl Anthony-Towns fare against the Thunder? All these questions will be answered with this match-up.

Photo Courtesy of SI.com

Merry Picksmas!! Happy Pickadays!!!

            Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (whichever one you prefer) to everyone in the holiday spirit. I am certainly in the spirit of the holidays considering that I got another solid week of picks in! Here's hoping Santa can give me some correct picks for the Christmas season!!!

• Giants over Eagles
• Raiders over Colts
• Bengals over Texans
• Steelers over Ravens
• Chiefs over Broncos
• Cowboys over Lions

Bonus Pick: Dolphins over Bills

Record: 63-31-2 (+13)

Think About This For A Minute

            How bizarre does this sound? The CLEVELAND BROWNS have a Pro Bowl selection (Joe Thomas for the tenth straight season, only the fifth NFL player to be selected in each of his first ten seasons), while the first place Detroit Lions do not. This is in spite of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford having an MVP season, completing 66.3% of his passes while throwing for 3,720 yards, 22 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Don't forget that Cleveland hasn't won a single game this season and is on the verge of a winless season. Stafford might be an alternate (second) along with punter Sam Martin (first), kicker Matt Prater (first), and cornerback Darius Slay (second). But doesn't this sound odd that a hapless franchise like the Browns have more Pro Bowl picks than a team hoping to be the NFL version of the 2016 Chicago Cubs in the Lions?

Photo Courtesy of USA Today (Steelers Wire)

How To Fix The NFL's Sagging Ratings (At Least One Way)

            Thursday's NFL tilt between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams was what Richard Sherman called a "poopfest". The game turned out to be a 24-3 "poopfest", so Shearman was right about that. Sherman went on a rant about how Goodell should take a walk in a player's shoes and pad up for a Thursday night game after starting to rest on Monday morning (especially after a grueling loss to Green Bay). The Rams/Seahawks game drew 2.96 million viewers on the NFL Network on Thursday, but suffered among 18-49 year old viewers. The rating took a hit from 1.4 the previous week to 1.2 this week. The NBC viewership consisted of 7.68 million viewers. While the number isn't bad, it certainly can stand for improvement.
            While the Thursday night game isn't exactly the best idea for the health of the players (which is another example of how the NFL poorly treats its players), the concept of the Thursday night game shouldn't be scrapped. The Thursday night game, like many of the NFL's games this year, has suffered from sagging ratings. Yes, the TNF ratings before the Rams/Seahawks game were good, with the Chiefs/Raiders game drawing 8.09 million viewers on NBC last week and the Cowboys/Vikings game drawing 10.61 million viewers on NBC the week before. But the NFL has had to deal with issues, like players kneeling for the national anthem and events like an exhilarating Presidential election and 2016 World Series earlier in the season.
            So how can the NFL improve its ratings? Now that the media storm of elections and the MLB postseason is done, the ratings should go up a bit. However, the NFL does need to start off with its Thursday night match-ups by scrapping the whole "every team gets at least one primetime game" mantra. Nobody wants to see the Cleveland Browns automatically lose or the Titans-Jaguars draw 4.85 million viewers on Thursday or watch Jeff Fisher coach an average game. Viewers would rather go channel-surfing to see what's on rather than watch any of these things.
            Rather, the viewers want to see quality match-ups. Roger Goodell and the NFL shouldn't be afraid to put the best teams on Thursday like how some of the best play on Sunday night. For example, the Cowboys/Steelers drew 28.9 million viewers (two fire-brand franchises!!) and the Super Bowl 49 rematch between the Seahawks/Patriots scored a 14.3 overnight rating. Imagine if those were TNF games with games like the Patriots/Broncos for the Sunday night game. If the NFL wants to get its ratings back (or at least a good amount), start off by making the Thursday night match-up actually intriguing. Give the viewers more of the best teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, or Seahawks.
            Now is it a good idea to run a Thursday night game almost every week of the NFL season? For the player's safety, it is not. However, if the NFL doesn't want to scrap Thursday night games altogether, they should make some minor changes and give NFL fans quality games they deserve.

Photo courtesy of Variety.com

Why Does Nobody Want Jose Bautista?

              One of the biggest names in free agency this offseason is Jose Bautista, formerly Toronto's superstar slugger. Bautista sought a deal worth more than $150 million before the 2016 season started and will probably want somewhere around that range money-wise. But the winter meetings have already passed and Bautista still doesn't have a new home. So what's the hold-up?

1. Bautista Isn't The Most Likable Person In The World: Baltimore Orioles GM Dan Duquette made a comment a couple weeks ago about why he didn't pursue Jose Bautista. Duquette replied that "he [Bautista] is a villain in Baltimore" and "the fans didn't like him." Bautista isn't well-known for being the most friendly person on the diamond, as seen by his scuffle with Rougned Odor in recent memory. Bautista's been notorious for getting into shouting arguments with opposing pitchers over "bad" pitches. What team would want to take on his emotional baggage?
2. His Age: Bautista just turned 36 years old in October, so his best years are behind him. There probably won't be a team that will be willing to offer a 36-year old slugger a four-year deal and pay him around $150 million.
3. Bautista Is A Defensive Liability And Is Starting To Become A Liability At The Plate: Bautista saw his production from 2015 tail off, going from 40 homers and 108 RBIs in 2015 to 22 homers and 68 RBIs the year after. His ISO power fell from .285 to .217 and his BB/K rate fell from 1.04 in 2015 to .84 in 2016. Defensively, his arm strength is deteriorating and isn't as accurate as it once was. While his defensive value actually improved, it still doesn't leave Bautista as a reliable source of fielding.
4. His Market: Considering that there's no Designated Hitter in the National League, Bautista going to any NL club is out of the question. Boston is looking for a DH, but one of the short-term variety. You know about Baltimore and Texas probably doesn't want Bautista's personality in the clubhouse, either. The Yankees have already spent big money on Aroldis Chapman and are looking to avert the luxury tax in the future. They also have a lot of young talent in their farm system that they'd like to develop. Throw in the fact that a team would lose a draft pick for signing Bautista and he looks less appealing to a team.

            So where will Jose Bautista end up? There's a good chance that Bautista will end up back in Toronto for less money than he asked for. He'll probably get a deal with less years on it as well. For a man who want a deal as grandiose as Bautista himself, selling himself high was nice, but not a realistic possibility. 

Photo Courtesy of Washington Post

WATCH THIS: Buzzer Beater Edition

             The buzzer beater is one of sport's most spontaneous (or most deflating) moments. You can go from losing to winning (or the opposite, for that matter) in just an instant. But what about those 'special' buzzer beaters? That's what we're highlighting today. Check out some of these special winners.

Picks Are Here!!!

           Last week was another solid week regarding the picks. The season's winding down, so there's no letting up on the gas. Here are this week's picks!!!

• Seahawks over Rams
• Dolphins over Jets
• Giants over Lions
• Patriots over Broncos
• Cowboys over Buccaneers
• Redskins over Panthers

Bonus Pick: Chiefs over Titans

Record: 58-30-2 (+13)

Wouldya?

            When you're a Buffalo Bills fan, you don't have much to cheer for. You went to the Super Bowl four years in a row, only to lose all four Super Bowls. You also have the longest playoff drought in all of North American professional sports. You also live in one of the most frigid environments in Buffalo, New York. So how do Bills fans cope with such a harsh reality? By doing wrestling and other crazy acts. Here's a little bit of what "Bills Mafia" is known for.

Safe and Sound

            The Seattle Sounders' triumph over Toronto FC in the MLS Cup was one for the ages. The Sounders had no shots on target throughout the entire match and were outshot greatly by Toronto. However, they managed to outlast Toronto FC due to a strong performance by goalie Stefan Frei.
            For a franchise that was founded as an MLS franchise nine years ago, the search for MLS supremacy has been a long one. The capacity of the Sounders' stadium, Centurylink Field, has increased greatly since the Sounders' MLS inception in 2009. This is mainly due to the rising demands of tickets in the area. The Sounders even have their own marching band called the "Sound Wave", a 53-person marching band that was the first of its kind in MLS.
            Seattle's championship season is rather one of great interest. The Sounders parted ways with then-coach Sigi Schmid after an embarrassing loss to Sporting Kansas City on July 26. They promoted Brian Schmetzer to interim head coach and signed Uruguayan midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro on a designated player contract on the same day. Lodeiro scored four goals in 13 regular season matches and four goals in six MLS Cup appearances. Lodeiro also had eight assists during the regular season. Other significant performers on the Sounders include homegrown Jordan Morris (12 goals, six game-winning goals) and Clint Dempsey (eight goals). The Sounders ended up finishing fourth in the Western Conference after being in last place at one point in the regular season. They toppled the Colorado Rapids 3-1 to advance to the MLS Cup, eventually grinding out a win on penalty kicks (5-4) over Toronto FC.
            For a franchise that has supported soccer avidly in the area (and have witnessed their rival Portland Timbers win the MLS Cup a year ago), winning the Cup in grinding fashion was well worth the wait for Seattle's soccer fans. Their patience accumulated to their team hoisting the ultimate league prize and has them wanting more.

Photo Courtesy of King5

The D's Finest Moments

            I wanted to do a post highlighting Detroit's finest sports moments, but my 313th post was part of the NFL preview. However, I feel an obligation to give back to one of America's hardest-working cities. Some of you might know that I'm not the biggest fan of Michigan (or living in it). However, Detroit is the one place that won't go away in my heart no matter how hard I try.
            In an age where "safe spaces" run wild, the city of Detroit is the one constant in the United States. Gritty, hardy, and not giving a fuck. And why should they? They've got to get on the grind. Get up. Go to work. Punch out. That's the Detroit way.
            Anyways, this post is dedicated to one of America's most hardcore sports towns. In Detroit (and throughout most of Michigan, for that matter), sports is king. Bring up the Red Wings and someone will strike up a conversation with you about how good Dylan Larkin is (he really is good). Bring up the Lions and they'll talk about Matthew Stafford's latest fourth-quarter comeback (or talk about the Lions' historical woes).
            I've asked some of my Facebook friends (who are avid Detroit sports fans) what their favorite sports moment in Detroit was. Here's what I got.

             So saddle up, grab a coney dog, and watch some of these greatest moments in Detroit sports history.              

Here Are The Picks!!

            Last week was a good week for me. I thought I would do terrible with the picks, but that wasn't the case. A 5-1 record last week was all that I needed to be satisfied. Here's hoping that I can be successful with my picks once again.

• Chiefs over Raiders
• Steelers over Bills
• Titans over Broncos
• Seahawks over Packers
• Giants over Cowboys
• Patriots over Ravens

Bonus Pick: Cardinals over Dolphins

Record: 53-29-2 (+13)

Bored...

            I'm extremely bored right now. Instead of doing a homework assignment, I'm sitting here tired as all hell. I want to get a workout in before I work on this assignment, but I'm not feeling like driving a distance. I need to get to school anyways, so I'll have to get up eventually and go to the library to work on this project. Anyhow, here's a few random pics to get you all by.

Five Takeaways From the Championship Weekend

            The most nerve-racking weekend has come and gone, with teams clinching their spots in the playoff while others fall out from the Group of Six. Here are a few takeaways from this weekend.

1. Washington Deserves To Be In: First, I'd like to apologize to Chris Petersen and crew for doubting the Huskies. I didn't expect Washington to throttle #8 Colorado the way they did in the Pac-12 Championship. A 41-10 drubbing of the Buffaloes not only solidified their resume, but it gave the Huskies a valid argument over a school like Michigan (a school with a 'razor-thin' difference from Washington). The Wolverines had trouble with the Buffaloes at the Big House until Colorado's starting quarterback Sefo Liufau got injured in the third quarter of that game. Anyways, Washington deserves to be in and they might not even be the fourth seed. 
2. The Big Ten's Not Getting Three (Probably Not Even Two) Teams In: With Washington's win, getting the proposed three teams into the playoff mix is out of the question. Regardless of who's winning the Big Ten Championship, Ohio State's getting in. The Buckeyes have four wins against teams in the current Top Ten. Wisconsin lost to Ohio State and Michigan while Penn State lost to Michigan and Pittsburgh. There's a good possibility the committee will keep it at all one-loss teams. 
3. Alabama Doesn't Need A Lot Of Offense To Drub You: The scary thing about the Crimson Tide isn't that they can put up points on you in a hurry. It's how they do it. Alabama has 14 non-offensive touchdowns on the season. The Tide picked off Austin Appleby three times in the first half of the SEC Championship, including one pick returned for a touchdown by Minkah Fitzpatrick. They also blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.
4. Temple Just Saved The Committee (And The System) From A Big Headache: There was talk of how a potential Navy win in the AAC Championship game would 'paralyze the bowl system' considering the Midshipmen play a game against Army a week after. However, none of that will matter since the Temple Owls ousted Navy, 34-10. With a Temple win, Western Michigan should be rowing the boat to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl.
5. Even With The Big Ten Championship, Penn State Won't Likely Get In: The Nittany Lions needed a convincing win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship and while they did win the game, it took a Badger collapse to make the Penn State win possible. To make matters worse, Clemson won (barely) the ACC Championship and Washington left no doubt in the Pac-12 Championship. It's likely that Ohio State will get in over Penn State, with the Nittany Lions probably headed to the Rose Bowl or another Group of Six bowl.

Final Ranking Prediction:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Washington

Photo Courtesy of Seattle Times

On the Playlist

            Here's another edition of "On the Playlist"! I give you an inside look at what's on my playlist. Some songs you may like, some you may not. Anyways, here you go!!!

My Picks

            Last week wasn't a bad week at all concerning picks (although I wish Philadelphia would quit acting like an enigma). Let's hope that this week brings some good fortune (I'm actually worried about this week's picks).

• Cowboys over Vikings
• Chiefs over Falcons
• Dolphins over Ravens
• Steelers over Giants
• Seahawks over Panthers
• Free Pass on Colts/Jets 

Bonus Picks:  Coin flip on Colorado/Washington (Colorado)

                       Clemson over Virginia Tech

                       Alabama over Florida

                       Oklahoma over Oklahoma State

                       Wisconsin over Penn State

Record: 48-28-2 (+10)