2009-2010 Bowl Pick 'Em Extravaganza - Part II

It's time for the second part of our RSS Bowl Pick 'Em Extravaganza! Part I can be found here. As you know, we've picked every game with confidence points and brought along Brother Yohey to make us feel good about our own picks. It's tight at the top between Y2 and Y1, but who will come out on top? Who will win the once important New Year's Day Bowls? Below will be each bowl game and our picks and confidence points. Play along at home and try and beat the bloggers! Part II starts with Friday's slate...

Jan 1 - Outback Bowl - Northwestern (8-4) v Auburn (7-5)

-Starting off the New Year will be the first of two Big 10/SEC matchups between conference also-rans Northwestern and Auburn. Northwestern should be pumped to be playing in a New Year's Bowl for the first time since Gary Barnett...and to be in sunny south Florida.

Mr. Yoder I: Auburn 11 Mr. Yoder II: Northwestern 5 Brother Yohey: Auburn 20

Jan 1 - Capital One Bowl - Penn St. (10-2) v LSU (9-3)

-The second SEC/Big 10 battle features two tenacious defenses in Penn St. and LSU. Right now I'm listening to Mark May pick against the Big Ten once again...gee, what a shock. Apparently LSU has also won 4 bowls in a row. But, remember, LSU is without leading rusher RB Charles Scott, and that's more important to us than the conference one comes from.

Mr. Yoder I: Penn St. 14 Mr. Yoder II: Penn St. 15 Brother Yohey: Penn St. 22

Jan 1 - Gator Bowl - West Virginia (9-3) v Florida St. (6-6)

-Bobby Bowden's final game with the Seminoles against the team he started with, his home state West Virginia. One could be cruel and joke that Bowden may get confused at some point and try to move across to WVU's sideline, but we're above that at this blog. He may want to though, even the emotion of this swan song can't hide that FSU stinks.

Y1: FSU 9 Y2: WVU 27 BY: WVU 15

Jan 1 - Rose Bowl - Ohio St. (10-2) v Oregon (10-2)

-Oregon will be looking to win their first Rose Bowl since 1917, and people think Ohio St. has performed poorly in the big bowl games! Seriously though, Ohio St. is in a no-win situation with regards to their national reputation. A win, and they didn't really beat one of the big boys. A loss cements that Ohio St. is a second-rate program. With that being said, it's going to be tough for OSU QB Terrelle Pryor to have the breakthrough performance the Bucks need. Of course, that doesn't stop a couple of homer picks from my colleagues.

Y1: OSU 23 Y2: Oregon 17 BY: Ohio St 23

Jan 1 - Sugar Bowl - Cincinnati (12-0) v Florida (12-1)

-Call this the bizarro coach bowl. UC Head Coach has already left for Notre Dame, spurning many of his players and leaving a sour taste in their mouths. Add to that interim Bearcats HC Jeff Quinn will move on to be the head man at Buffalo after the Sugar Bowl before former Central Michigan HC Butch Jones finally takes over in the Queen City. On the other sideline, we have the drama surrounding Urban Meyer. Meyer's shocking resignation made fans around the country sympathize with him for a matter of hours, before he promptly reversed his "tough" decision after one measly practice. Meyer's role reversal and "leave of absence" only proved what many already knew, nothing, not health, family, faith, or friends, is more important to these coaches than their football programs. All the coaching drama aside, Florida is the better team, but you'd know that if you followed our YCS fantasy playoffs, wouldn't you?...Oh no, we've just learned at RSS that the announcer for this game will be, gulp, Thom Brennaman! Let's remind you what happened last year when Brennaman announced Tebow and Florida's national title game win from last season. Imagine what he'll say about Urban Meyer when the guy's coaching off his death bed!

Y1: Cincinnati 8 Y2: Florida 34 BY: Florida 32

Jan 2 - International Bowl - South Florida (7-5) v Northern Illinois (7-5)

-And people wonder why the bowl games have lost some of their luster. If this is truly an international bowl, why not let Cambridge battle Osaka? Or, better yet, why not make this international football and have Manchester United play Barcelona? At least South Florida HC Jim Leavitt has Mike Leach to thank for taking him out of the spotlight, Lord knows this bowl game won't put him back in it, unless he goes all Woody Hayes on some poor NIU player.

Y1: South Florida 10 Y2: South Florida 8 BY: South Florida 8

Jan 2 - Cotton Bowl - Oklahoma St. (9-3) v Ole Miss (8-4)

-Speaking of losing its luster, I hear back in the day the Cotton Bowl use to be one of the most important bowls of all. Apparently now its the haven for highly touted preseason teams that turned into late season busts.

Y1: Ok St. 15 Y2: Ok St. 14 BY: Ole Miss 21

Jan 2 - PapaJohn's.com Bowl - South Carolina (7-5) v Connecticut (7-5)

-On par with the history of the Cotton Bowl, South Carolina and Connecticut will battle for the historic PapaJohn's.com Bowl trophy (and yes, apparently the .com is important). Does anyone think the ol' ball coach, Steve Spurrier, will be happy playing in this game? Meanwhile, Connecticut continues to inspire with their play in the memory of slain teammate Jasper Howard.

Y1: South Carolina 7 Y2: UConn 16 BY: UConn 9

Jan 2 - Liberty Bowl - East Carolina (9-4) v Arkansas (7-5)

-Just what you need for your post New Year's Day hangover...more mediocre football! This dandy does feature a conference champ in East Carolina, and the usual middle of the pack SEC team in Arkansas. To be honest, I don't even remember who I picked in this game...looking at the spreadsheet...apparently the pick is Arkansas. You can bet that's the last interest I show in this game.

Y1: Arkansas 16 Y2: Arkansas 13 BY: Arkansas 23

Jan 2 - Alamo Bowl - Texas Tech (8-4) v Michigan St. (6-6)

-By now everyone knows Mike Leach has been fired from Texas Tech for locking Craig James's kid in a broom closet. What's the big deal? When I was a kid, I had to walk uphill both ways in a driving rain before I could be locked in a broom closet! ESPN also took away all watchability by pulling Craig James from the broadcast...apparently it wasn't a conflict of interest before the Mike Leach scandal to have James broadcast his son's school. Oh yeah, that's right, his kid never played any way! You'd think all of the uproar would be a detriment to Texas Tech's chances, except Michigan St. suspended practically half of their knuckleheaded team for on-campus shenanigans. Can't both of these teams forfeit this game for advanced levels of stupidity and selfishness? Or at least be forced to dress up in an Alamo reenactment?

Y1: Texas Tech 21 Y2: Texas Tech 6 BY: Texas Tech 7

Jan 4 - Fiesta Bowl - TCU (12-0) v Boise St. (13-0)

-Expect this to be just as competitive as last year's bowl game between TCU and Boise St., except this will be on the national BCS stage. Here's hoping both teams show they belong in the discussion with the BCS conferences. Of course, FOX ruins the potential showcase by sending ultra meathead Tim Ryan and Sam Rosen to broadcast. Once again, as I've said before, FOX is simply giving every college football fan a big middle finger on its way out of broadcasting college football. Please, don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Y1: TCU 26 Y2: TCU 26 BY: TCU 30

Jan 5 - Orange Bowl - Georgia Tech (11-2) v Iowa (10-2)

-Iowa will have the final chance to make a good impression for the Big Ten against the triple option attack of ACC Champs Georgia Tech. While Iowa lived a charmed existence for much of their season, they'll need more than luck to counter the punishing ground game of the Wreck led by Nesbitt and Dwyer, even with a month to prepare. Oh by the way, this is FOX's last bowl game, and of course, we get Dick Stockton to close out in style. If you have any left over champagne or beer from New Year's, you could easily finish it off in this one. Take one drink every time Dick Stockton makes a mistake, and chug every time Stockton acts like he's covering a different sport. If Dick Stockton suddenly flashes back to Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, smash every beer bottle you own over your own head. (Of course, we at RSS don't promote binge drinking, so maybe don't try this extreme drinking game unless you are a trained professional).

Y1: Ga Tech 20 Y2: Ga Tech 28 BY: Ga Tech 24

Jan 6 - GMAC Bowl - Central Michigan (11-2) v Troy (9-3)

-At first, you may merely dismiss this as another mediocre bowl game, but don't! The matchup between MAC champs Central Michigan and Sun Belt champs Troy should be a matchup of two quality mid-majors, not the retread contests between mediocre teams from BCS conferences. Also take the chance to check out CMU QB Dan LeFevour, who may be a legit dark horse prospect at the next level.

Y1: CMU 25 Y2: CMU 32 BY: CMU 25

Jan 7 - BCS National Championship - Alabama (13-0) v Texas (13-0)

-Finally, the long, arduous journey to reach the national championship has arrived! From the very beginning, these two have been in the Top 3 of the YCS. Can Colt McCoy recover after his shaky performance in the Big 12 title game? How will 'Bama RB Mark Ingram respond after winning the Heisman Trophy? The way we see it, it should be another low-scoring affair, but 'Bama's defense is too stout and the strides made by 'Bama QB Greg McElroy and WR Julio Jones will more than make up for any lack of performance by Ingram.

Y1: Alabama 32 Y2: Alabama 23 BY: Alabama 27

Happy New Year from RSS! Don't forget to check back after the bowl season to see how we stacked up! Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of our Top 10 Stories of the Decade and the last of our blogging in 2009...we hope you'll stick with us as we move into the teens! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, until next time, it's bye for now!

2009-2010 College Bowl Pick 'Em Extravaganza! Part I

It's time for our RSS Bowl Pick 'Em Extravaganza! We'll pick every game with confidence points and bring in Brother Yohey to compete against the Yoder Brethren. I'll have you know my bowl picking record is quite stellar, we'll see if that jinxes me this time around. My guess is that it will. Actually, there are quite a bit of compelling bowl matchups that will take place in the next few weeks (even though only 1 team gets the crystal above). Well, at least once we get past Middle Tennessee vs Southern Miss. Below will be each bowl game and our picks and confidence points. Play along at home and try and beat the bloggers, maybe you'll win a prize, like being accepted into the Big 10! Part I takes us up through the 2009 Bowl Games and we'll be back after Christmas with Part II...

Dec 19 - New Mexico Bowl - Wyoming (6-6) v Fresno State (8-4)

-I'll admit it's pretty weird seeing Wyoming in a Bowl Game. Fresno RB Ryan Matthews (good name) is by far the best player in this game, and we all like Fresno State. Some more than others...

Mr. Yoder I: Fresno 28 Mr. Yoder II: Fresno 22 Brother Yohey: Fresno 2

Dec 19 - St. Petersburg Bowl - Rutgers (8-4) v UCF (8-4)

-The only reason Rutgers has been in the news recently is because they're candidates for Big 10 expansion. Evidently Rutgers will lead into a huge boon in popularity for the Big 10 in New York. My guess is that maybe 5-6 % of the New York market will tune in to this game, and half of that will be by accident. On the field, this game is one of the tougher to call because of the averageness that is present.

Mr. Yoder I: UCF 5 Mr. Yoder II: Rutgers 9 Brother Yohey: Rutgers 3

Dec 20 - New Orleans Bowl - Middle Tennessee (9-3) v Southern Miss (7-5)

-It seems that Southern Miss's home away from home is the Superdome and the New Orleans Bowl. I have no idea why Middle Tennessee is not going by Middle Tennessee State, which is the name of the university. It's perplexing, every preview is missing the State from their name. I know a guy that went to Middle Tennessee State. That's the extent of my insight into this game. Since I know nobody from Southern Miss (and that's where some guy named Favre went), I'll pick the Blue Raiders.

Y1: MTSU 3 Y2: So Miss 1 BY: So Miss 4

Dec 22 - Las Vegas Bowl - BYU (10-2) v Oregon State (8-4)

-Easily the most intriguing matchup before Christmas is in the Las Vegas Bowl, which seems to be BYU's home away from home. BYU was the early pick to be this year's BCS buster, but have since fallen by the wayside. Bro Yohey likes the Beavers and Jacquizz Rodgers a lot in this game, I'll cautiously place my bet on Max Hall and the Cougars.

Y1: BYU 18 Y2: Oregon St 3 BY: Oregon St 28

Dec 23 - Poinsettia Bowl - Utah (9-3) v Cal (8-4)

-Utah is another established non-BCS school that has had success in Bowl games. While Cal did manage to beat Stanford in the big game, Javhid Best is questionable for this one. We all like the Utes to get another BCS scalp.

Y1: Utah 12 Y2: Utah 19 BY: Utah 5

Dec 24 - Hawaii Bowl - Nevada (8-4) v SMU (7-5)

-June Jones returns to Aloha country with his new team SMU to go up against old foe Nevada. Nevada features many talented players including QB Colin Kaepernick, but in Bowl Games I always look towards goofy storylines - like finally seeing June Jones in a leis again. Maybe I should pick NCAA tourney games like this...

Y1: SMU 6 Y2: Nevada 10 BY: SMU 6

Dec 26 - Little Caesar's Bowl - Ohio (9-4) v Marshall (6-6)

-I wish I was making some of these names up... Little Caesar's? If it was me I would vote for a Hungry Howie's Bowl - best pizza chain I've ever had. Marshall's coach resigned after the season, I guess he didn't want to coach in a bowl game. Plus, Ohio's QB Theo Scott is a legit duel threat. BY goes for the max in this one, and we're all very confident in the Bobcats.

Y1: Ohio 25 Y2: Ohio 29 BY: Ohio 34

Dec 26 - Meineke Car Care Bowl - Pitt (9-3) v UNC (8-4)

-Pitt's incredible FR RB Dion Lewis tried to steal the show against Cincy with an incredible performance, but the defense couldn't hold off Tony Pike. North Carolina does not have those offensive capabilities, and a rested Lewis should see Pitt through. Again, we're in agreement for a Pitt victory.

Y1: Pitt 22 Y2: Pitt 24 BY: Pitt 29

Dec 26 - Emerald Bowl - USC (8-4) v BC (8-4)

-I'm still not sure that everyone is aware that USC had a down season. Against the wishes of USC cheerleaders in the media, they play in the ultra-glamourous Emerald Bowl against Boston College. I wouldn't expect USC to come out flat in a Bowl game. This team will want to make an example out of the Eagles and set the tone for next year. The most compelling element will be seeing how much Pete Carroll wants to run up the score. I have no idea what Yohey is thinking with this pick by the way...

Y1: USC 34 Y2: USC 33 BY: BC 1

Dec 27 - Music City Bowl - Clemson (8-5) v Kentucky (7-5)

-CJ Spiller and the Tigers should have no trouble with the Wildcats in Nashville. This is the 67th straight season that Kentucky has played in the Music City Bowl, although Andre Woodson isn't walkin through that door folks. Let's see if SEC Nation gets juiced to get behind Kentucky in this one... I kinda doubt it.

Y1: Clemson 31 Y2: Clemson 31 BY: Clemson 16

Dec 28 - Independence Bowl - Georgia (7-5) v Texas A&M (6-6)

-Picking a 6-6 Big XII team against a 7-5 SEC team may not be the straight-forward play, but Georgia is such an undisciplined team that it's hard to pick them after a month layoff. Plus, A&M is making sloooowww strides under Mike Sherman like almost beating Texas. Another step in that direction would be a Bowl win over an SEC powerhouse.

Y1: A&M 13 Y2: UGA 18 BY: A&M 17

Dec 29 - EagleBank Bowl - Temple (9-3) v UCLA (6-6)

-I have no idea what EagleBank is, but evidently this Bowl game is being played in Washington DC. Hopefully there is a foot of snow to welcome UCLA from the West Coast. Hopefully we can see a few more Bowl games in the Northeast and Midwest and see if it affects the Southern and Western schools. My guess is that Temple will be much more pumped for this one than the Bruins. Picking Temple... in a college football Bowl game.... yikes.

Y1: Temple 1 Y2: UCLA 7 BY: UCLA 18

Dec 29 - Champs Sports Bowl - The U (9-3) v Wisconsin (9-3)

-The U is back, almost. They were early season darlings, but did manage to finish with a very respectable 9-3 season. Wisconsin had another solid season with Jon Clay the next in line in the bruising Wisconsin running back tradition. This is the best of the Christmas-New Year's matchups and we're split in our picks.

Y1: Wisconsin 4 Y2: The U 11 BY: The U 19

Dec 30 - Humanitarian Bowl - Idaho (7-5) v Bowling Green (7-5)

-I'm sure millions will be tuning in to watch traditional powers Idaho and Bowling Green go toe to toe on the blue turf of Boise. Something tells me this game has either Joe Tessitore or Eric Collins written all over it, let's check Awful Announcing to see if I'm right... yes! Eric Collins it is! Good luck to whoever wants to watch this one.

Y1: Idaho 2 Y2: Idaho 2 BY: BG 14

Dec 30 - Holiday Bowl - Nebraska (9-4) v Arizona (8-4)

-Watch this game for one reason. Ndamukong Suh. We here at RSS told you about Suh as a Heisman contender long before his breakout game against Texas. He is the best defensive college football player this decade and has to consider himself hard done by to finish a distant 4th in the Heisman. If Suh comes out and plays angry he might get 17 sacks.

Y1: Nebraska 33 Y2: Nebraska 12 BY: Nebraska 31

Dec 31 - Armed Forces Bowl - Houston (10-3) v Air Force (7-5)

-Ironically, this is the 3rd time these schools will play in 2 years and a rematch of last year's AF Bowl. While it might be tempting to pick Air Force here, the only real threat in the air is 2010 Heisman candidate Case Keenum. I wouldn't be shocked to see at least 450 and 4 TDs for the Houston gunslinger.

Y1: Houston 24 Y2: Houston 30 BY: Houston 10

Dec 31 - Sun Bowl - Oklahoma (7-5) v Stanford (8-4)

-OU is another program that has gotten off easy for having a crappy season. Of course, losing Sam Bradford could have something to do with that. This will be the showcase game for Toby Gerhart, but he probably hasn't faced a defense like Oklahoma. Plus, I don't exactly have confidence that the Cardinal will have a lot of luck in the passing game. That being said, Stanford's the pick. Nice swerve, eh?

Y1: Stanford 17 Y2: Oklahoma 21 BY: Stanford 33

Dec 31 - Texas Bowl - Missouri (8-4) v Navy (8-4)

-Mizzou is another team caught up in the Big 10 expansion talk, with both sides seemingly interested in making that happen. One reason is that Mizzou has gotten screwed out of good Bowl games the past 3 seasons. Navy will make it close with the triple option, but Danario Alexander and Blaine Gabbert are too dynamic. Missouri outscores Navy in this one.

Y1: Mizzou 29 Y2: Mizzou 20 BY: Navy 11

Dec 31 - Insight Bowl - Iowa St (6-6) v Minnesota (6-6)

-Like some other weird situations, Minnesota in the Insight Bowl is another instance that has become a yearly tradition. I'm sorry, but I'll have better things to do than watch two 6-6 teams play on New Year's Eve, but I have more faith in the Golden Gophers than the Cyclones. It is scary to put 27 pts worth of faith in them though...

Y1: Minnesota 27 Y2: Minnesota 4 BY: Iowa State 12

Dec 31 - Peach Bowl - Va Tech (9-3) v Tennessee (7-5)

-I refuse to call this the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, even though it is very yummy (but overpriced). Lane Kiffin has made an impact at UT everywhere... except on the field. 7-5 might be a step in the right direction, but do Volunteer supporters want to follow Lane Kiffin where he is leading the program? Look no farther than Frank Beamer and VT to see how a program can be turned around the right way. I'm sure there will be some nice young UT women to help the Vols out after they lose.

Y1: VT 19 Y2: VT 25 VT: 13

Happy Bowl season, leave us your picks below if you'd like and don't forget to check after XMas for Part II. We'll also continue our Top 10 Stories of the Decade Countdown with #9! Bye for now...

Yankee Classic

They say that Game 4 is the swing game of any series: either you go to Game 5 tied at 2, up or down 3-1, or the series is over. In the case of this year's World Series, a Yankees win at The Bank (that's what my friend who spent a semester in Philly called it, I guess it's better than the Cit) would mean a 3-1 lead with two at Yankee Stadium and having to face Cliff Lee only once more. A Phillies win would regain momentum with your ace going in Game 5 and likely only needing to get one in the Bronx.

Game 4 was a big game.

Both managers took a gamble: the Phillies not starting Cliff Lee for 3 games and choosing to go with Joe Blanton, the Yankees starting CC Sabathia on only 3 days rest. In the end, the starting pitchers came out a wash. The Yankees did hold a 4-2 lead going into the late innings, but solo HR's from Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz made it 4-4 going into the 9th.

It was here that everything was on the line. Finally, the World Series felt like the World Series. It was time for someone to make a defining play in this year's Fall Classic.

That someone was Johnny Damon.

With 2 outs in the Top of the 9th, Damon came to the plate to face beleaguered Phillies closer Brad Lidge. Damon battled Lidge pitch after pitch, and finally singled to left field. Damon's at bat was a true Yankee classic. It brought back to memory Paul O'Neill's legendary 10 pitch at bat in the 2000 World Series against Armando Benitez (only time you'll see Armando Benitez and legendary in the same sentence, unless it's his fight against the entire Yankee team in 1998).

But, Damon's at bat was only the beginning. He then managed to steal second and then third when nobody was covering due to a shift on Mark Teixeira. It was a heads up play by Damon to take the extra base, and risky with 2 outs. But, the shock sent around the stadium from Damon's Double Steal no doubt threw Brad Lidge off his game (I told you he'd blow a game this series). He then plunked Teixeira and then allowed an RBI double to A-Rod and a 2 RBI single to Jorge Posada that won the game for the Yanks, 7-4. Here's the highlights that will soon be taken down...

While most of the plaudits and the attention will be laid at the feet of A-Rod, it's Johnny Damon that will go down in Yankee lore for Game 4 of the '09 Fall Classic. Yes, A-Rod will get most of the attention for getting the clutch RBI, ridding his choker reputation, bouncing back from the steroid admission, dating Kate Hudson and the rest... we at RSS won't just repeat national talking points though. Damon's heroics are the story of Game 4 because his performance was a Yankee classic.

Damon's at bat and double steal was the way the Yankees used to win championships. Think about it, before last night had any of the new spendaholic Yanks done anything to be remembered besides making a ton of money and not winning a title? A-Rod, CC, and Tex, Pavano, Giambi, Sheffield, and Matsui... how many of those guys had ever produced a gutsy, championship winning moment.

None, until Damon last night.

When the Yankees were winning the World Series in the dynasty era, there were moments that won games not built on money, but intangible plays that are the mark of a championship team.

Jeter's famous flick to home plate to beat Jeremy Giambi against Oakland or his dive into the stands. Key home runs from unsuspecting sources like Leyritz and Brosius. Clutch hits from guys like Chad Curtis and Jose Vizcaino. The steady play of Bernie Williams. The warrior mentality of Paul O'Neill. The pitching of anyone from David Cone to Jimmy Key to El Duque to David Wells to Andy Petitte.

These were plays that only the Yankees made and attributes that only the Yankees had. For the first time in a long time, the Yankee magic was back last night when Damon ran to an uncovered third base. In the years since Aaron Boone's HR beat the Red Sox in 2003, last night was the first moment when you really felt that the Yankees were back to being the Yankees again.

Damon's Double Steal was a true Yankee Classic.

EPL Picks & MLS Playoff Thoughts

Halloween is just around the corner and it was a week of fright for our EPL Picks! Speaking of fright, sorry to all of our British readers that had to witness the Tampa Bay Bucs. For the first time this season, the Yoder Bros were kept under .500 for the week. Dr. Yoder actually picked up some ground on the rebel children by picking upsets Wigan and Birmingham to come through. This week, we'll try to rebound and also give you our thoughts on the MLS Playoffs! Away we go...

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 1-5-4 7 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 2-4-4 10 pts

Dr. Yoder: 3-3-4 13 pts

Total Standings:

Mr. Yoder II: 54-27-15 177 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 52-29-15 171 pts

Dr. Yoder: 49-32-15 162 pts

Tottenham (6-3-1) @ Arsenal (6-2-1)

The North London Derby takes center stage this week with its early Saturday kickoff. Both teams come off disappointing results last week (TH L v Stoke, Arsenal T v WHU). They sit tied for 3rd on the table currently. This might not equal their 4-4 classic last year, but Spurs will get a late goal again, this time to win.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Chelsea (8-2-0) @ Bolton (3-4-2)

Chelsea destroyed Blackburn last week while Bolton got the surprising win over Everton. I'm guessing we'll see something closer to the former this week...

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Hull City (2-6-2) @ Burnley (4-6-0)

Hull and Pompey played perhaps the worst game in recorded Premier League history last week, luckily I wasn't scarred by the experience. Burnley found their spotless home record spoiled by Wigan, but they'll bounce back.

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Burnley

Aston Villa (5-2-2) @ Everton (3-4-2)

Ok, so maybe Everton's climb back up the table is going to take longer than anticipated, or it might not happen at all. This fixture last year was another breathless affair with Ashley Young the late hero. Villa to take it at Goodison.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Everton

Liverpool (6-4-0) @ Fulham (3-4-2)

Liverpool saved their season with that huge 2-0 win over Man U on Sunday. But, it will only really be saved if they continue on and beat Fulham this week. Injury concerns abound for the Reds with Gerrard and Glen Johnson ruled out for the encounter. But, if El Nino is healthy, that may be all they need.

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Liverpool Doc: Liverpool

Wigan Athletic (4-5-1) @ Portsmouth (1-8-1)

Wigan continues to pick up impressive road wins, this time winning at Turf Moor. The trip to Fratton Park won't be as tough. With the boardroom on the South coast in shambles, don't expect the on-field product to be inspired.

Y1: Wigan Y2: Portsmouth Doc: Wigan

Wolves (2-5-3) @ Stoke City (4-3-3)

Well done Stoke. Followers of the picks know that I'm high on the Potters, and the win at WHL showed exactly why. That could be a season defining win with Stoke staying in the top half of the table. Expect them to deal with Wolves pretty easily.

Y1: Stoke Y2: Stoke Doc: Stoke

West Ham Utd. (1-5-3) @ Sunderland (5-4-1)

Sunderland has the look of a team that will continue to balance great results with poor ones throughout the season. For West Ham, a draw with Arsenal might lift spirits, but they need much more than a point at a time to ease those relegation fears.

Y1: Sunderland Y2: Sunderland Doc: Sunderland

Blackburn (3-5-1) @ Manchester United (7-2-1)

Man U gets a nice chance to bounce back against a Blackburn team that never looks like it even wants to play on the same pitch as the Big 4 teams. Expect an angry, intense United team to come out on Saturday and regain the mojo after last week's loss at Anfield.

Y1: Man U Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Manchester City (5-1-3) @ Birmingham (3-5-1)

Man City can't afford to keep drawing games if they want to put up a serious title charge this season. City are down to 6th on the table and with a EPL season that looks like a number of teams can be in contention throughout the year, these are the games that define seasons. Birmingham has put up a respectable first 9 games to their campaign, but City are favored in this one.

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Man City

Aston Villa @ West Ham (Wednesday)

A bonus Wednesday pick! Looking into the crystal ball... Villa continues their fine form from beating Everton while the fears around West Ham come to a fever pitch.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: West Ham

MLS PLAYOFFS

Well, we managed to correctly predict 5 of the 8 playoff teams from all the way back in June (pretty good when you consider our American sports predictions...). We haven't touched on the MLS season in a while here at RSS, but the end of the season proved to be dramatic with teams fighting down the stretch to get into the postseason. 5 teams were able to get in from the West, and 3 from the East, a reverse from last year. The Crew go in winning their 2nd Supporters Shield in a row and are also looking for their 2nd straight MLS Cup. The stars are all out in this postseason: Beckham, Donovan, Blanco, Schelotto, Holden and countless more. Before we preview each 1st round matchup, let's tell analyze each team's chances at listing the trophy by analyzing Pros and Cons for each team.

EAST

1) Columbus Crew 49 Pts

Pros: Supporters Shield winners... Reigning League MVP Schelotto healthy... Have the deepest team in the league... Homefield advantage throughout the playoffs... Defending champions.

Cons: Is star defender Chad Marshall knee's going to be in shape... Only one goal in MLS this month... Propensity to give up late goals... Rookie head coach Robert Warzycha in first postseason... Lost 2 straight home games.

2) Chicago Fire 45 Pts

Pros: Blanco... McBride... Revenge factor from last season vs Columbus... Experienced roster... history of success vs New England in the playoffs... sending Blanco out a winner

Cons: Distraction of Blanco's announcement that he's returning to Mexico... key players are very, very old... 4-4-4 in the 2nd half of the season... more draws than wins this season

3) New England Revolution 42 Pts

Pros: Shalrie Joseph... Steve Nicol... it's cold in New England this time of year... dark horse of the field... I'm trying here...

Cons: Lack of success vs Chicago... fewest number of goals scored from playoff teams... lowest goal differential amongst playoff teams... injuries to key players... lack of scoring punch up front

4) Real Salt Lake 40 Pts

Pros: Highest scoring team in the playoffs... made last year's conference finals... NYRB made MLS Cup Final as crossover Wild Card last season... beat Columbus 4-1 at home this season

Cons: 2-11-2 road record... 2-3-1 in their last 6... 0-5-1 in games in the Eastern time zone... lowest numbers of points of any playoff team...

WEST

1) LA Galaxy 48 Pts

Pros: Donovan and Beckham... Bruce Arena's coaching.... vastly improved defesne... star power finally matched by on-field product... unbeaten in October... champs of the superior conference

Cons: Is there too much pressure... is Donovan a big game player... is Beckham more focused on AC Milan and Posh... lack of postseason experience

2) Houston Dynamo 48 Pts

Pros: Maybe the most talented team in the league... Ching, Clark, Holden are national team stars... 2-time MLS Cup Champions... Best GD in the West... unbeaten in last 5 games

Cons: 0-2-2 vs Los Angeles and Columbus... can Pat Onstad hold up in goal... disappointing CONCACAF result... Mexican signing Luis Landin has only 1 goal... 0 goals in first playoff game

3) Seattle Sounders 47 Pts

Pros: Huge homefield advantage... Sigi Schmid... Freddy & Freddy... Kasey Keller... Drew Carey... ended Columbus' home unbeaten streak... US Open Cup Champions

Cons: First time in the Playoffs... duh, they're an expansion team... held scoreless at home in 1st leg... only 2 scorers with more than 5 goals... injury questions... questions about Ljungberg's future...

4) Chivas USA 45 Pts

Pros: Sasha Kjlestan... get to play both first round games at home.... Zach Thornton has been a revelation in goal... as has Preki as a coach...

Cons: Sasha Kjlestan... get to play both first round games on the road... 0-2-1 vs the Galaxy this season... who will score goals for Chivas?

1st Round Matchups

Crew vs RSL

-The 5th seed from the West becomes the 4th seed in the East. If Columbus gets through the first leg unscathed, they should easily handle RSL at home. Watch and see how Columbus finishes in front of goal; they have a lot of options up front, but the scoring touch has gone missing in the last month. The Crew haven't been lighting the world on fire recently, but this team has the skill and experience to get by the upset-minded Western Wild Cards. PICK - Columbus

Fire vs Revs

-It seems like these two teams square off in the postseason every year. Chicago isn't getting any younger and the magic of Blanco and McBride doesn't quite seem like it's there as in recent years. Toyota Park in Chicago isn't exactly a fortress for the Fire this season. New England has what it takes to shutout Chicago over the two game series and pull of the upset. PICK - New England

LA vs Chivas

-The Clasico (gotta love MLS trying to turn this into Boca v River or Man U v Liverpool), while feeling a little contrived, is pretty compelling. There has been an actual rivalry built up between these two teams over the past couple seasons. The key will be if David Beckham can keep his cool over the 2 game series. With both contests at the Home Depot Center, expect this to be as close as it can be. In 3 games this season, LA was 2-0-1, with only 2 total goals scored between the teams! Expect a moment of brilliance from Donovan or Becks to make the difference. PICK - Galaxy

Houston vs Seattle

-Well, we already have the luxury of knowing that Houston was able to hold Seattle to a 0-0 draw at Qwest Field and go home just needing a win to move on to the Conference Finals. Surprising that a game between 2 high powered offenses would end in a stalemate. Even though Houston is heading home, you can't discount Sigi Schmid's coaching ability. Ever since Seattle came into the league, there has been a sense of destiny about them. In an upset, Seattle goes into Houston next week and gets a road win. PICK - Seattle

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup - LCS/World Series/Bizarro World Edition

Our World Series matchup is set as it'll be the Bronx Bombers vs the Fightin' Phils. This WS promises to be one of the best in recent memory (knock on wood). You have the stars, the stories, and the traditional teams all on the table for this series. And, most of all, the Yankees are back, ha ha ha. So, let's go around the horn with our 5-4-3 Roundup and look at how we got here from the LCS, a mini WS preview (full version coming Wednesday)... and 3 Bizarro World moments from the week.

5 LCS Observations

1) Thanks For Playing LA -

Well, so much for the Dodgers showing up and giving the Phillies a true test. Their pitching stunk (especially the bullpen), they never got clutch hits, and they were outplayed from beginning to end. Eh, it's not like Dodger fans care anyways.

2) And That Other LA Team... - The Halos looked rattled throughout the ALCS. They were finally done in last night with those errors in the bottom of the 8th inning. This wasn't the same team that had played so well against Boston and beat the Yanks in previous years.

3) Umpiring Woes - We said there'd be controversy, and thankfully the boys in blue (or black I guess) provided it. The 3rd Base double out call was the most glaring, but referees in all of sports have been under fire recently. But, please, don't add expansive replay to baseball, I'll live with the "human error"... I can't spend 6 hours watching a game.

4) Philly Fanaticism - This just in... the Phillies are a darn good team. Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins stepped up with clutch hits in the series, Ryan Howard played well, and even Brad Lidge got in the act! This may be the most underrated team in any sport the last few years.

5) Yankee Yuks - As much as America might not like it, this Yankee team is one that you can root for. This bunch sure looks like a different group than last year because they're simply playing the game and having fun. I haven't seen a Yankee team look this loose and relaxed in all my years of following the Yanks. Heck, even A-Rod is getting clutch hits and looking comfortable! Hey, 2012 is right around the corner....

4 Key World Series Matchups

1) Lee v Sabathia -

This is a huge matchup in Game 1 and if they are paired up down the road in future games. In fact, these 2 former Cleveland pitchers and Cy Young winners could decide the series. It will be fascinating to see these two former teammates duke it out when it matters most.

2) Closing The Deal -

The Rivera v Lidge duel is a huge advantage to the Yankees. Rivera is simply the best of all time, while the first words used to describe Brad Lidge are usually some form of shaky and/or skittery (I think that last one is made up...). Lidge has the potential to go all 2001 Byung-Hyun Kim in this series, and that's good for the Bombers. Maybe some October magic will return to the Bronx.

3) A-Rod v R-Ho - Ok, first, Ryan Howard needs a good nickname, obviously R-Ho isn't going to cut it. These two sluggers have been awesome this entire season and it could come down to which team's big star will carry the day and get the clutch hits when it matters most.

4) The Chess Game - This isn't so much Charlie Manuel vs Joe Girardi as much as it is Joe Girardi vs Joe Girardi. The Yankee skipper was accused of vastly overmanaging in the LCS, and has to avoid that temptation in the World Series. The grizzled Manuel has been a great influence on Philly and been here before, while Girardi hasn't. Watch the managers to see if one makes a brilliant or stupid move to decide a game.

3 Huh? Stories

1) The Cleveland Indians - As if fans of Tribe Time haven't had a bad enough couple years, your two former Cy Young winners are now starting against each other in Game 1 of the World Series!!! Are you kidding? What is this franchise thinking? That LCS appearance now seems like 20 years ago instead of 2. They were a game away from the World Series in 2007. Now... well, at least some of their castoffs are there! But, at least Cleveland fans have hope for the future:

-The prospects that you got for these WS stars stink.

-Your roster is one of the least talented in the league.

-There are more pigeons in your ballpark than Indians fans (I was there, I know)

-You just hired Manny Acta to lead your team to the Promised Land! Yes, that Manny Acta who managed the Nationals and has a 38.5 winning percentage!

At least the Browns are doing well and LBJ is going to New York soon! Cleveland rocks!

2) The Steve Phillips Story Debuts on Lifetime this Friday! - By now, you probably know all the sorted details of Steve Phillips' love affair with an ESPN staffer. Kudos to Bristol for releasing the news on a Sunday NFL afternoon (a Presidential administration couldn't hide news better, clap clap). The whole Deadspin/ESPN saga has gripped the blogosphere with the blogging giants threatening to unfurl all of Bristol's dirty laundry. The two stories need separated though. Steve Philips deserved to be canned for his shoddy analysis, and this is just the icing on the cake. Do you remember those fake press conferences starring Steve-O? I think "Who's Now" was a better idea. Phillips had a history of promiscuity and obviously needs to get his life together.

Secondly, the Deadspin crusade, while entertaining for some, is pretty vile behavior. I was most troubled with outing the exec who no sports fan knows or cares about. OK, so Deadspin doesn't like that ESPN didn't tell the whole truth about Steve Phillips... do you expect them to just leak that to a blog? Seriously? It seems like Bristol could be the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, but plastering rumors and trying to ruin folks' lives is just plain sickening. The behavior that goes on at ESPN evidently needs some serious assessment, but this is the absolute worst way to go about it.

3) Welcome Back Big Mac? - After 8 years hiding out in the Unabomber's shack, Mark McGwire is going to come back to the St. Louis Cardinals as a hitting coach? What's his advice going to be? Take this needle and get jacked? Here's a bottle of andro - figure out your swing on your own? Is he going to tell his players that he's not here to talk about the past when they ask him for advice? Tony La Russa is going to open up a whole can of worms by having Big Mac back in baseball. Don't forget, his last meaningful public appearance was that atrocity on Capitol Hill.

Don't you think he's going to have to answer those questions throughout his tenure? If Big Mac has a place at all in the majors it's with Tony La Russa in St. Louis. Evidently, the Cards think he can be a great hitting coach, but is it worth the circus? If it goes well, maybe he'll be forgiven like Papi, A-Rod, Andy and Manny and his public image will be restored... or the pressure might be too much and he'll join Sosa, Bonds, and Clemens and move back to Parts Unknown.

You didn't think we'd give away our picks did you? Check back Wednesday before Game 1 for our full World Series preview as we will tell you who will take home the title, and check back later tonight for the YCS and Heisman Watch in College Pig.

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup - Postseason Edition

With the NLCS starting tonite and the ALCS going tomorrow, what better time to go around the horn with our Baseball Roundup as we look back and look ahead as the November World Series is rapidly approaching. Yes, I know that doesn't sound right. The Division Series drama was subpar at best, let's hope we get something more from MLB's Final 4. Let's look at 5 DS Observations, 4 LCS Keys, and 3 Fearless Predictions.

5 Division Series Observations

1) What happened to the Cardinals??

This was the best team in baseball for much of the second half. We all thought that the LA/StL matchup would be a barnburner, but the Dodgers took the brooms to the Redbirds. Chris Carpenter allowed 4 runs in 5 IP in Game 1 and Matt Holliday dropped the ball on Adam Wainwright's stellar effort to fall into a quick 0-2 hole. Once LA saw blood and beat St. Louis' studs, this series was over.

2) A-Rod > Albert

Pujols was a quiet 3/10 at the dish with only 1 RBI and 0 HRs against the Dodgers, while the other most talented player in the game provided the clutchest (I think that's a word...) hit of the playoffs thus far with his 2 run homer to tie Game 2 in the 9th inning. A-Rod is supposedly playing looser this postseason, could it be Kate Hudson (or maybe even Goldie Hawn? He does have that thing for older women...), could it be the steroid monkey off his back? Whatever it is, Rodriguez might be able to exorcise the demons this October.

3) Ice Cold Rocktober

Outdoor baseball in Denver... at night... in mid October? Don't worry, not like they're building an outdoor stadium in Minnesota or anything, whoops. Pure genius. Moving the World Series back to November? Beautiful. Why not just play Game 1 of the World Series on Christmas Day? Is anyone in the MLB offices thinking about these things? Anyways, the Rocktober magic was revived for half of an inning in Game 4 of the NLDS before Ryan Howard and co. blew up the Rockies and Huston Street.

4) So Much For Boston Owning LAA...

The surprise of the LDS was certainly the OC's sweep of the Sawx. It brings a smile to my face to not have to deal with The Nation for the rest of the postseason, but the way they went out with a whimper had to be a surprise for everyone. With the Red Sox monkey off the Halos' back, there could be another ring headed to Anaheim with this deep team flying under the radar.

5) Line Drive, Base Hit!

I do play by play for the alma mater at Ohio Wesleyan (check out the Yoders' fine broadcasting at stream.owu.edu), and I know it's an incredibly fun, but tough job. You've got to prepare meticulously, think on your feet, describe the action, and tell a compelling story for the audience. Of course, the world of Division III athletics isn't the MLB postseason, but it's close enough. You can get every call right, but if you screw up the big one, you never forget it. This is the world of Chip Caray. His now infamous "Line Drive Base Hit" in the Detroit/Minny one game playoff on an inning ending double play is in the Hall of Fame of Blown Announcing Calls (somewhere in the Dick Stockton wing...). I personally like Chip from watching the Cubs on WGN growing up, I think he does a good job and makes the game exciting. But, Chip Caray, you have got to do better in the clutch.

4 LCS Keys

1) Dodgers Toughness

You got bullied and beaten last year by the Phillies in the '08 LCS. Heading into the series rematch, Joe Torre is already talking big that his team will be ready for the inside pitching tactics of Philly and return some of their own. The Dodgers have a talented and deep team, but who will step up and stand in the face of the reigning champs? The Dodgers need someone to throw high and tight or get a clutch hit in this series to lead this team past Philadelphia.

2) Phillies 1-2 Punch

The Phils have the most dominant top of the rotation left in the playoffs. Having a reigning World Series MVP and a Cy Young Winner in your staff is a huge advantage in October and it'll be tough for anyone to beat Cole Hamels or Cliff Lee. With Hamels going in Game 1 and Lee in Game 3, LA could be looking at facing these guys 5 times in a 7 game series. If they pitch to their full ability, Philly might be impossible to beat.

3) Angels In The Outfield

Featuring 2 former Yankees Juan Rivera and Bobby Abreu and perennial All-Star Torii Hunter, the Angels outfield is the key to their success. They (along with DH Vlad Guerrero) were able to get timely hits and RBIs against the Bo Sox, and they'll need to keep hitting against New York. Don't underestimate the revenge factor, especially with Abreu being let go after last season and the short porch in Yankee Stadium. He could have a big series.

4) Joba, Phil, and The Hand of God

The Yankees bullpen needs to be able to finish games for New York, and keep the Yanks in games as well. As much talk as there has been about the starting lineup, or the possible 3 man rotation, this is where the Yankees bread will have to be buttered. Joba looked a little shaky at times being back in the pen, but if he can regain that swagger the Yanks will have an imposing 7th-9th inning triumvirate. Chamberlain, Hughes, and Rivera give New York a bullpen unmatched in the playoffs. If the Yanks can get leads into the late innings, they'll go back to the World Series.

3 Predictions

1) LAD over Philly in 7

Yes, the Phillies crushed the Dodgers last year in the LCS, and yes, with Hamels and Lee they are the logical pick, but... there has been some sort of weird magic surrounding the Dodgers this seasons. How else can you explain Manny still being Manny and Andre Ethier's 72 walk off wins this season. With the homefield advantage, I can see some more walk off heroics from the Dodgers and them going past Philly through smoke and mirrors.

2) NYY over LAA in 6

Of course, this is what I'm hoping for as a Yankees fan, and I'm semi-confident. What scares me is this 3 man rotation talk from Joe Girardi. Does CC really have it back? Can A-Rod really keep up the clutch postseason hitting? Can they break the Angels jinx? A hesitant yes is the answer to all of the above. The Angels pitching won't be able to keep up in the heat of Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees O will do just enough.

3) There Will Be Controversy

Baseball needs some life in this postseason, and with all of the combustibles in the LCS, some fireworks are likely to go down. Maybe we'll be lucky and get a brawl between Manny and Charlie Manuel, or Pedro makes a run at the Dodgers bench looking for Don Zimmer. Will Madonna storm the field to win A-Rod back? Will we see another blown ump call? Whatever happens, I'm hoping and predicting for some action in the LCS after the post Division Series slumber.

That does it for our look at the MLB Postseason, don't forget to feature our Decade Series and the Top 10 Flops of the Decade! We'll be back soon with our preview of the EPL, NFL, and College Pig this weekend. Bye for now...