2009 NBA Preview-Who Will Win It All?/21 Random Predictions

Finally, the 2009 NBA Season starts tonight. But, the question remains...who's going to win it all? Which of the 5 major contenders made the right moves to get to the promised land? Also, as always with our previews, 21 random predictions for the upcoming season that you'll only find at RSS!

NBA Championship Predictions

Y2: For me, there are only 4 true contenders. The Magic, while making a good impression last year, took a step back by getting rid of Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter. Despite Dwight Howard's emerging superstardom, Orlando's out as a contender. So that leaves us with two teams in each conference. In the West, you've got to go with the Lakers over the Spurs. While Ron Artest is a powderkeg waiting to explode, they still have the most talented, deepest team in the league. They will be able to withstand the annual Andrew Bynum injury and outlast the Spurs to reach the NBA Finals. In the East, both the Cavs and Celtics will be desperate to make it back to the NBA Finals. The Celtics know their championship window is closing, while the Cavs know they have to make it to appease King James and finally deliver a title to Cleveland. It will be an epic battle, but the Celtics will be able to better adjust to their offseason improvements and will be led by KG back to the Finals. So in the Finals, it will be a near repeat of two years ago...the C's defense will smother Kobe and will outtough the Lakers to win the title in 6 games. PICK-Celtics over Lakers in 6

Y1: I couldn't agree with Yoder2 more, there are 4 contenders: Cleveland, Boston, LA, and San Antonio. Despite their great preseason, I don't see Orlando being able to duplicate last year's success with a dose of vinsanity. However... I'm going in a different direction. In the West, yes, Ron Artest is a powderkeg... and Richard Jefferson is plainly a better addition for San Antonio. Duncan and Ginobili have to have one good run left in them. If those two stay healthy, a roster of Duncan, Manu, Parker, R-Jeff, Finley, Mason is good enough to battle LA. The difference for SAS though will be Pitt rookie DaJuan Blair. He'll eat Gasol and Bynum for lunch just like he did Hasheem Thabeet at UConn. Out East, it will be an epic battle, but the Cavs will lean on their past experience and last year's disappointment to get past the C's. Mo Williams will up his game in June and Shaq will be the inside presence necessary to get through the playoffs. In the Finals, LBJ gets his revenge on the Spurs as he sweeps the MVP, Finals MVP, and the championship. PICK-Cavs over Spurs in 7

21 Random Predictions for the Upcoming Season

(1) The injury sustained by Blake Griffin is not the start of some Clipper Curse, but it will be enough to derail the Clips' faint playoff hopes.

(2) Griffin's injuries will be enough to lose his sure Rookie of the Year Award to a dark horse candidate, like Tyreke Evans in Sacremento.

(3) As much as I love Charles Barkley, he will once again say or do something stupid to get himself removed from TNT for a brief period of time.

(4) A full out battle will ensue between Mark Cuban and Russian Mark Cuban for the title of Most Ridiculous Ways an Owner can Spend Their Money, as long as Russian Mark Cuban doesn't start hosting his own talk radio show.

(5) For one week in January, NBA starting 5's will have one spot taken by a WNBA player, as decreed by President Obama, under scrutiny for his own, "all-male" pickup games.

(6) The Coach of the Year will NOT be Mike Brown of the Cavs, it will be his assistant, LeBron James.

(7) Due to the recent success of Shaq Vs., Shaquille O'Neal will start at QB for the Browns regular season finale...and still complete more passes than Derek Anderson.

(8) The persistent campaign to get Bill Simmons elected as GM of an NBA team will lead to a shocking announcement, the GM of the new WNBA Tulsa Shock...the Sports Guy!

(9) Pau Gasol, seeking to impress new tough-guy teammate Ron Artest, will set the record for awkward chest-thumping and unintimidating screeching during the regular season.

(10) Greg Oden will play more games this season than Blake Griffin, and still not get as many rebounds.

(11) After a slow start, Scott Skiles will be the first head coach fired during the season, and be thankful for Milwaukee putting him out of his misery.

(12) Kobe Bryant, motivated by being placed below LeBron James in our Athletes of the Decade list, will beat out James and Brandon Roy for NBA MVP.

(13) Joe Dumars reign as the smartest GM in the league will end after his team

fails to even make the playoffs.

(14) By the end of the All-Star Break, fans, players, and coaches alike will be begging for the replacement referees to come back. This will be especially true after veteran official Dick Bavetta falls asleep during a late December Grizzlies-T'Wolves game.

(15) Expect an epic trade deadline as the elite teams bolster their ammo and the bad teams, especially in big markets, get ready for 2010.

(16) Expect to hear "2010" more often this season than "2009." Especially about that one guy, what's his name again?

(17) The highlight of the Knicks' regular season will be a Catholic priest storming the court to intervene when Mike D'Anoni is ejected from a game. So, a priest, a rabbi, and Spike Lee walk into a bar...

(18) Much like the NFL, the gap between the elite and the awful teams will never seem larger.

(19) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy will continue to be the best A team for announcing in any sport...of course, Joe Buck is half of two of their contenders, so maybe it's not that big an achievement.

(20) At least one of the Top 5 teams (Celtics, Cavs, Magic, Lakers, Spurs), will not make the Conference Finals...tough prediction, right?c v

(21) This will be the most thrilling regular season since the days of Bird, Magic, and Jordan...put it in the book, just don't expect Bird's Pacers or Jordan's Bobcats to contribute much.

That does it for our 3 part NBA Preview of the 2009 season. Make sure you keep coming back to RSS throughout the season for our unique view of the Association. Also, tune in tomorrow as we return with a World Series Preview, and the return of the Decade Series right around the corner. Until then, it's bye for now!

Protecting The Shield - Week 7 Thoughts

Time for our look back at Week 7 in the NFL. Today we look back at the British Invasion, the Saints remaining unbeaten, the Benson bowl, JaMarcus Russell, and hot dogs. Bon appetite!

Underrated Story Of The Week: Wembley Wonderment

We just witnessed the 3rd installment of The International Series (yes that's the official name, how original) this past weekend as the poor Brits were subject to a Pats/Bucs mismatch. The Glazers might have been better served to put Man U on the Wembley pitch... they would fare better against New England than Tampa Bay did. But, the larger story is the mere blip on the radar the London game was this year. Even with a celeb like Brady and a glamour team like New England traveling overseas there was no publicity, hype, or anything surrounding this game. Sure, a full house showed up in London, but stateside there was a collective yawn surrounding this game.

But, Don Goodell has come out saying that there will probably be multiple regular season games in London in the future. As more and more games go to London, expect more and more pushback from NFL fans. Sure, Tampa might not mind losing a home game this year, but what about when multiple teams have home games taken away? What about when there is legitimate discussion of a London Super Bowl or Franchise. As far as the NFL in London goes, this is the eye of the storm. Expansion in the NFL has to be out of the question - 32 teams has to be the maximum. So, then what? Does London get a team before LA or another American city? Does Jacksonville pick up and become London City FC? Do you actually move an American team overseas? This story won't be resolved anytime soon, but pay close attention the next few years to the London/NFL relationship. As they say in the British press, watch this space.

Overrated Story of The Week: Did Team X Win Or Did Team Y Lose??

-I realize this is a cop out, but I feel that stories in the NFL have been properly rated this week, with the exception of this disturbingly lazy trend. Instead of trying to actually analyze games, players, and stories, we are left with the worthless banter of whether or not a team won or lost a game (ESPN First Take, I'm staring in your direction, although anything involving Skip Bayless is worthless banter...). Here's the easy answer, Team X won AND Team Y lost because both things happened!!!

Perfect example: Saints v Dolphins. The Dolphins lost because they didn't keep going to their vaunted running attack while the Saints won because of their opportunistic defense and incredible 2nd half offensive performance. But, instead of trying to figure out whether the Saints can keep it up, analyzing how Miami did shut down New Orleans for 30 minutes, the Miami Wildcat, Drew Brees' MVP hopes, Chad Henne's play, the greatness of Darren Sharper, the great comeback, or countless other stories... we're left with this stupid and pointless "debate." Yawn.

3 Stars:

3rd Star: Miles Austin (WR-Cowboys)

-Someone start working on this guy's Hall of Fame bust. Following up that 250 yard showing with a 171 yard effort and 2 TDs is incredibly impressive. You have to laugh at the numbers comparing Austin's 2 game stretch with the illustrious Cowboy career of Roy Williams, where's that TO guy again?

2nd Star: Reggie Bush & Jeremy Shockey (RB/TE-Saints)

-Out of all the amazing stories coming out of the Miami/New Orleans classic were two defining plays by Bush and Shockey. First, Shockey's 66 yard catch and run would make Mark Bavaro proud as he stiff armed his way inside Miami's 20. Then, Bush took a double reverse from the 10 around a Drew Brees block and took flight from the 6 and landed a couple yards across the pylon, a play that has to be seen to believed. These were two huge jaw-dropping momentum plays in the Saints' win.

1st Star: Cedric Benson (RB-Bengals)

-Ok, so that picture might be a low blow. But, 37 carries, 189 yards, and a TD for the jettisoned ex-Bear against his former team will make that image fade away. It was redemption for Ced, but count me among the folks not necessarily "rooting" for this guy. Benson was the definition of a malcontent and a bust in Chicago (held out, didn't get along w/ teammates, played like Curtis Enis) and while it's good for him that he turned his career around, you have to wonder where this has been the first 4 years of his career... and if the Bengals can trust the NFL's leading rusher for the long run.

Fab 5:

1. New Orleans

2. Denver

3. Indy

4. Minnesota

5. Cincinnati

-A thought about our rankings: The Saints stay at #1 with their huge comeback in Miami, Denver stays above Indy (beating St. Louis doesn't move you up, please). Minny slots in at #4 as the only 1 loss team, and on the back of their whooping of Chicago, Cincy gets in the Fab 5 ahead of the other 8, yes 8 teams with 2 losses. NE, Pittsburgh, Zona, Dallas, and GB are all candidates, but Cincy is the one with the most impressive wins, let that soak in.

11 Random Observations:

1) Washington - ouch. Still think it was a good idea to keep hold of Jim Zorn? Still think it was a good idea to get Sherm Lewis out of the Bingo hall? Still think there's any reason for My Cousin Vinny Cerrato to have a job? Time to blow the whole thing up.

2) Speaking of NFC East teams on the decilne, the G-Men lost at home to the Cards on Sunday night. I wouldn't ring the panic bells yet in New York though, both the G-Men and Arizona still remain division favorites.

3) I went to the local BW's in Columbus for the Saints game at 4. I arrived at 3:45 to get a table only to run into a restaurant full of Steelers fans. Steelers fans?? Isn't this Browns/Bengals country? Am I missing something? And, of course, there was the psychotic screeching menopausal Steelers fan which could be heard across the room. Step up Ohio NFL fans, well at least Bengals fans, you can't blame converting Browns fans. Oh, and it was a nice win for the Steelers too. Both Pitt and Minny will make the playoffs, book it.

4) The Tweetgate Scandal of the week involves washed up Chiefs RB Larry Johnson. Maybe Don Goodell should think about enacting a new player conduct policy: no tweeting if you average beneath 2.8 yards per carry... that means you LJ. His criticism of Todd Haley only makes Johnson look more petty and pathetic.

5) Can anyone figure out the Houston Texans? Yes, that's a reprint from last week. They beat SF to move to 4-3. But, in SF's loss they might have found careers for #1 picks Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree. Crabtree played solidly and Alex Smith might have resurrected his career with a 3 TD showing. Even though they lost, the 49ers might have the brighter future this year.

6) Is Jay Cutler's 10 picks worth that trade and extension? If the Bears could find a running game, offensive line, talented wide receivers, and a competent play caller... maybe we could see what Cutler is really made of. As of now, he might as well be trying to guide Larry, Moe, and Shemp into the endzone. See, you were expecting Curly weren't you... at least Shemp is tall enough to catch a fade in the corner of the endzone.

7) Isn't it time to call out Brett Favre for being the worst tackler in NFL history? Jeff Reed's attempt on Percy Harvin's return TD was lambasted... why does Favre get a pa... why bother asking that question?

8) Mark it down now: one of St. Louis, Tampa, or Tennessee will seriously threaten 0-16. That's a weak prediction, but don't be surprised to see at least one of these teams reach 12 or 13 losses to start the season or beyond.

9) So, Mark Sanchez ate a hot dog... so what? Who cares? You have to apologize for eating while hungry nowadays? My QB could be eating a McGriddle on the sidelines for all I care, as long as he's giving it all on the field that's what counts. We've been hard on Sanchez before, but give the kid a break in this case.

10) Speaking of hungry QBs... let the Gradkowski Era begin! Glad to see Richard Seymour's playoff prediction and the JaMarcus Russell revival lasted about as long as a hot dog would in front of the hefty Oakland QB, at least JaMarcus should now have plenty of time to examine the buffet at Golden Corral without much consequence. Maybe by then he'll actually take some of the blame for his lackluster career. Russell saying, "I don't think it's me personally, I really don't" might be a contender for stupidest utterance of they year in sports.

11) Get ready for a long, endlessly annoying week. Brett Favre is returning to Lambeau. Here's hoping the Green Bay fans do the right thing and shower him with beer, brats, and orange hunting jackets amidst a parade of boos. My guess is that won't happen, just don't wake me till it's over.

What Happened In Week 6 That Will Change The Season: The Comeback

The Saints 46-34 win over Miami tied for the biggest comeback in Saints history (21 pts). It's also the first time since the '87 Saints that a team trailing by 21 came back to win by more than 10. But, it wasn't the numbers, but the intangibles of the comeback which showed this could be (knocking on wood till my knuckles bleed) a special season in the Big Easy. For your observation...

-Brees lobbying Sean Payton for 7 instead of 3 at the 1st Half's close.

-Another Pick 6 for Darren Sharper

-The ability of Brees and the O-Line to step up after a horrid 1st Half

-The ability of the D to get key stops and TO's to fuel the comeback

-The highlight plays of Brees and Shockey

-The hard running of Mike Bell

-Surviving a 2nd half INT and a missed XP in the midst of the comeback

-Finshing and winning games that wouldn't have happened before.

This was simply put the most impressive win by an NFL team this season. All author biases aside, any neutral NFL observer would say the same thing. The Saints showed heart, composure, and an ability to fight adversity that is necessary to win a title in any sport. They have now shown that they can win with offense (on pace to break the all-time scoring record), defense (leading the league in TOs), coaching, and any other aspect of the game. While the Saints might have looked pretty in Weeks 1-6, in Week 7 they proved that they might be championship material.

Check back for our thoughts about the end of the baseball season and the beginning of the basketball one as well as the Decade Series, bye for now!

YCS/Heisman Watch - Week 8

Well, we didn't think it would be an exciting Saturday in college football. But with the game-winning heroics of Ricky Stanzi (above) and Mt. Cody (more on him later) fans around the country were left holding their breath. You know about the shakeup in the BCS, but what about the much more important YCS? Why does nobody still want the Heisman trophy? Find out here, because we're the ones who tell it like it is!

YCS STANDINGS

1.Alabama (8-0, last game W vs. Tennessee 12-10, up next Nov. 7 vs. #9 LSU)

-Thanks largely to the heroics of Terrence "Mt." Cody (which has to be the best college nickname in years), Alabama retains a slim hold on the YCS #1 spot. Though the game against Tennessee was ugly with a capital U, 'Bama hung in with their stout defense and the boot of Leigh Tiffin accounting for all of their points. Of course, the game might not have been as close if not for a late fumble by RB Mark Ingram (of course, more on that later). But, the point is, against an SEC opponent desperate for a trademark win, the Tide survived. They'll have to mount an even better effort, especially offensively, when they take on the Bayou Bengals in 2 weeks.

2. Florida (7-0, last week W at Miss St. 29-19, up next Sat. vs. Georgia)

-Florida also survived a surprisingly stiff SEC test from Miss. St., but the pressure is definitely mounting on Urban Meyer and co. Repeating isn't easy, and even the Genius in Florida is admitting his offense is not where it should be. Add to that the clearly shaky performance by Tim Tebow (2 INTs returned for TDs), and there's reason for worry, even in Gainesville. But, much like 'Bama, it's the defense that will carry Florida to the SEC title game. Not even the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party can keep Florida from their date with the Tide...that is, unless JC QB somehow finds the tailgate scene during pregame.

3. Texas (7-0, last week W at Missouri 41-7, up next Sat at #14 Oklahoma St.)

-Texas remains in the catbird seat, thanks in large part to Colt McCoy giving one of the best performances of his season. Although Mizzou has been struggling as of late, Texas's total team performance was impressive, especially coming off such a physical encounter the week before with Oklahoma. The last potential hurdle to a Big 12 title game appearance, and most likely a BCS Title Game, is this Saturday at Oklahoma St. Whether Dez Bryant is available or not for the Cowboys, their potent offense should provide quite the challenge for the 'Horns, who rank 2nd in the nation in total defense.

4. Cincinnati (7-0, last week W vs. Louisville 41-7, up next Sat. at Syracuse)

-Apparently, we at the YCS are the only ones who are willing to give any respect to the Bearcats. Though they were dropped all the way to 8th in this week's BCS, they remain 4th in the only standings that matter...well, the only ones that should matter, at least. Backup QB Zach Collaros went 15/17 for 253 yards and 3 TDs (hey, maybe it's not too late for him to win the Heisman?) in relief of Tony Pike. Even if the Bearcats go unbeaten, which they have a good chance at, it's clear now UC will need some help from teams like Texas and USC to have any outside hopes at a miracle national title game appearance.

5. Iowa (7-0, last game W at Mich St. 15-13, up next Sat. vs. Indiana)

-Ok, so the YCS was the last ones on the Iowa bandwagon, but after their thrilling last-gasp win at Michigan St., we have to admit Iowa seems to be living a charmed life. Their defense continues to play well and the way they consistently are winning close games calls to mind Ohio St.'s somewhat miraculous national title run of 2002. Their play in the last few weeks will be guided by Jr. QB Ricky Stanzi, who may not have put up the most impressive numbers Sat. night, but came through for his team when it mattered most. Oddly enough, Ohio St. seems like the last team that stands in the way between the Hawkeyes, and a perfect season.

6. TCU (7-0, last game W at #16 BYU 38-7, up next Sat. vs. UNLV)

-Clearly, we at the YCS are willing to admit when we were wrong...frankly, we have had a lot of opportunities to do so this season. The instance we may have been most wrong was this past Saturday when we picked BYU to end TCU's undefeated season. Boy, were we wrong. TCU absolutely mopped the floor with a very good BYU team, at Provo. Their defense looked fast and aggressive, and their offense was potent, led by QB Andy Dalton.

7. USC (6-1, last week W vs. Oregon St. 42-36, up next Sat. at #10 Oregon)

-It was a good news/bad news week for USC this past week. On one hand, the offense continued to look dominant, with even reserve RB Allen Bradford stepping up for nearly 150 yards and 2 TDs. But, the defensive meltdowns over the last 2 weeks have to be troubling Pete Carroll. In South Bend two weeks ago, the defense almost gave up a late three score lead to the Irish. This Saturday, the defense gave up an astounding 482 yards to Oregon St., at home. The challenge will be much tougher this Saturday when the Trojans have to travel to an even more potent offense in Oregon.

8. Boise St. (7-0, last week W at Hawaii 54-9, up next Sat. vs. San Jose St. )

-In a way, you really have to feel for Boise St. They won their biggest game of the year too early, by defeating what now is a very strong Oregon team on the blue turf. What more can they do to appease voters? They are still beholden to play their conference slate, which this season, doesn't look like it will be good enough to garner a BCS bid. Unless TCU slips up, it looks like Boise will have to look elsewhere for their bowl game.

9. Oregon (6-1, last game W at Washington 43-19, up next Sat. vs. #5 USC)

-The Ducks leapfrog into the YCS Top 10 with a dominant victory at Washington ahead of their showdown with USC. The most encouraging sign for Oregon had to be the performance of QB Jeremiah Masoli, who was able to return from injury to contribute 3 total TDs. Masoli's dual threat will be the key if Oregon hopes to gain the inside track on a trip to the Rose Bowl.

10. Georgia Tech (7-1, last game W at Virginia 34-9, up next Sat. at Vanderbilt)

-The Ramblin' Wreck retains the last spot in the YCS after their demolition of division leaders Virgina (I didn't believe it either when I heard that, but, I guess it was true). Still, even though they disposed of weak competition, it seems Georgia Tech now holds the inside track to an ACC Title Game berth. And if they continue to rush for over 350 yards per game, they'll be tough to beat.

Dropped from the YCS: Miami (Fl)

Just Missed Out: LSU, Penn St.

-The roller coaster ride that is The U's season went back down last Saturday in an OT loss to Clemson. While the foundation for the rebirth of the U has been built this season, they still need a strong finish this year to keep the momentum going. LSU and Penn St. continue to just miss out on the Top 10 after impressive conference wins over Auburn and Michigan respectively.

RSS HEISMAN WATCH

1. NOBODY-Equipment Manager-Somebody Please Step Up A&M

-We've tried being patient with this year's mediocre bunch of Heisman candidates. We've tried thinking outside of the box to consider dark horse candidates. We've even tried begging candidates to please, please, take control of this Heisman race! But, nothing has worked! Through 8 weeks, not one player in college football has been able to put together consecutive performances that made you think, wow, that guy is legitimately worthy of the Heisman. So, nobody occupies the top spot in this week's Heisman Watch. If one of the top 4 impress, we'll consider moving you back up. But, we have no problem keeping 1st place vacant as long as no one takes this race and makes it their own.

T-2. Mark Ingram-RB-Alabama (last week 18 rushes, 99 yards)

-Even without a rushing TD to speak of, and barely missing out on another 100-yard game, Mark Ingram's performance would have been enough to keep him in 1st place on our Watch. But, the committee just couldn't shake his fumble in the final minutes to give Tennessee a chance to steal away the game. Because it was his 1st collegiate turnover in well over 300 touches, he still stays tied for second. But, he needs a big rebound game against LSU to maintain his Heisman candidacy. Here's a hint for Nick Saban too...if you care at all about your player's Heisman chances...give him the ball more than 18 times!

T-2. Tim Tebow-QB-Florida (last week 12/22, 127 yards 2 INTs, 22 rushes, 88 yards, 1TD)

-Tim Tebow also could have taken a hold of the #1 spot, but he turned in one of the worst performances of his entire career at Miss. St. Not only was he erratic with his passes all night, but he threw uncharacteristically bad passes with two attempts being returned for TDs. His coach Urban Meyer says it all today, "Tim Tebow is not playing at his highest level". Does someone who isn't playing at his best at this important part of the season? The RSS Heisman Watch doesn't think so. If Tebow wants to make history, he needs to find his SuperMan cape, pronto.

4. Colt McCoy-QB-Texas (last week 26/31, 269 yards, 3TDs, 1INT)

-Colt McCoy finally found his 2008 form at Mizzou, only missing on 5 of 31 passes and throwing 3 TDs. Much like his team and the national title picture, McCoy may find himself in the catbird seat at the Heisman ceremony. WIll the voters give the trophy a second time to Tebow, when he didn't play his best? It's hard to say...I mean, most voters, really like Tim Tebow. But, if McCoy can build on Saturday's game and keep up these impressive performances, he could charge to the finish line as a late-emerging favorite.

5. Jimmy Clausen-QB-Notre Dame (29/36, 246 yards, 2 TDs)

-Another week, another comeback and game-winning TD from Jimmy Clausen. It's like it's this guy's job, or something? The main obstacle to Clausen's campaign is his lack of any marquee games the rest of the season. While Ingram, Tebow, and McCoy will have at least 2-3 more games against tough opponents, or in conference title games, Clausen's remaining schedule includes Wash. St., Navy, and Stanford. Not even the Peacock can dress up those borderline scrimmages.

Dropping Out of the Race: Kerry Meier's cup of coffee in the RSS Heisman Watch lasted as long as one might expect. His paltry 8 catches for 64 yards wasn't enough to keep him in the Watch, but, you might want to pay some attention to him as a late-round sleeper some day.

Keep an Eye On: Terrence "Mt." Cody-DT-Alabama

And how could you not keep an eye on Mt. Cody after his game-saving performance against Tennessee. The guy is always making life hard for the opposing offensive line, but his two blocked FG's in the 4th quarter kept the Tide's title hopes from flatlining. With a physique to make King Kong Bundy jealous (who by the way, is still alive, and shockingly small thanks to my alert, late-night channel surfing last night on Sports Time Ohio), Mt. Cody will certainly play a key role in the rest of 'Bama's season.

Well, that wraps it up for this week's YCS and Heisman Watch. As always, feel free to let us know how wrong we are in our comments section. Also, as a favor, please feel free to vote us up on BallHype if you check us out there...we'll figure out some way to pay you back, we promise. Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of our NBA Preview and a wrap-up of the National. Football. League. Until then, it's bye for now!

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.

Hot off the Grill - NFL Week 7 Preview

It was another busy Saturday for Y1 and myself as we were at our alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan University, to broadcast more D3 athletics. So, once again, here's a late, and very abrupt NFL Preview, but it's still hot off the grill!

Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - Arizona (3-2) @ New York Giants (5-1)

Kurt Warner will look to exercise some demons at the Meadowlands as his Cardinals visit the Giants. This is an extremely important game for both teams. The Cardinals have to prove they can beat a quality opponent East of the Mississippi (and no, the Jags don't count). The Giants have to put last week's embarrassment by the Saints behind them and reassert their themselves as contenders in the NFC. Here's betting the Giants pass rush returns from their one-week vacation to dominate once again on Sunday Night PICK-Giants

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - Chicago (3-2) at Cincinnati (4-2)

The so-called Benson Bowl is our spotlight game of the week between the Bears and the Bengals. The above image is certainly something Bears fans aren't used to, Cedric Benson running hard through a defense. Due to a myriad of factors (a long contract holdout, Benson's poor attitude towards everyone, his immaturity, his lack of respect from teammates, multiple run-ins with the law, and his overall lack of desire) Benson was a bust for the Bears as the 4th overall pick. But, he's been a boon for the Bengals, who picked him off the scrap heap to be one of the league's leading rushers. As much as Benson will relish the opportunity to get back at Chicago, the Bears defense will enjoy hitting Benson as fair game. The real difference will be Jay Cutler, and the season-ending injury to Bengals DE Antwan Odom. Both teams need the win, but the Bears are the more desperate team. PICK-Bears

Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - Green Bay (3-2) at Cleveland (1-5)

-Hey, what do you know? We finally hit an upset this past week with the winless Chiefs at the might as well be winless Redskins. So, which really bad team can you count on this week?This is a complete flier, but why not the Browns at home to the Packers? The Packers won't come in with their A game, heck, I know I wouldn't if I were playing the Browns. Cleveland is also on a roll offensively, they actually scored touchdowns against the Steelers last week. If Derek Anderson completes more than 10 passes, he might change his number to 60 and be the next Otto Graham! PICK-Browns

Andouille's UTR Game - New England (4-2) @ London Buccaneers (0-6)

-You'll notice we didn't pick the Bucs as are upset of the week. First, they may be the worst of all the bad teams in the league, which is saying a lot. Second, they have to travel all the way across the pond to get whipped by New England. Unfortunately for the London fans, they really haven't gotten a good regular season game yet. This is the equivalent of Everton and Hull City traveling over to play a game in New York...yeah, not too many American fans would care for that one. If Wembley's even half full by the end of this stinker, I'll be shocked. PICK-Pats

Hot Dog Of The Week - Colts QB Peyton Manning

-Well, this week's Hot Dog of the Week was an easy call, even as the sleep deprivation sets in early on Sunday Morning. Peyton Manning, fighting for another MVP trophy, going against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Can you say, fantasy mismatch? Sure, I knew you could. Manning may sit out the fourth quarter, and still be able to rack up 350 yards and 3 TDs...just hope you aren't playing against him this week in your fantasy matchup. Rams fans have already chalked this one up as a loss, too.

Extra Toppings -

-Back to the London game for a second...did anyone actually know there was a game in London this week? Did the networks collude not to promote this thing? So much for that London franchise, Commish.

-The stupidest controversy of the week had to be Titans HC Jeff Fisher donning a Colts jersey for his friend Tony Dungy during a charity event. Much like with the 24/7 sports media, the talk radio style fan has to relax. Football is not a game of life and death. I know you're upset the Titans are 0-for the season, but look past football for one second. If a man wants to support his friend's cause, and get a few laughs in the process, I'm all for it. After all, football isn't all there is to life...right?

-The one thing I'm most thankful for this week...the Broncos are on bye. My respite from Kyle Orton for MVP and Josh McDaniels for Coach of the Year lasts one more day.

-The other big game of the week we failed to mention sees Minnesota take their unbeaten record to Pittsburgh. This is the type of game Big Ben and D coordinator Dick LeBeau relish. If anyone can finally get to the Old Man, it will be the Steelers this week.

-Can somebody please, please send out an APB for the Seahawks offensive line. Last week against the Cards, Matt Hasslebeck looked like he was running away from Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar on the set of The View.

-Oh, that's Tim Hasslebeck that's married to the blonde on The View...eh, the joke still applies.

-If there's one post-game handshake that could get physical, look no further than Jets @ Raiders. Tom Cable just got exonerated for punching an assistant, while Rex Ryan's dad did punch one...on national tv! Take that Tom!

-Also...isn't this like the 53rd time in the last 12 years the Jets have played in Oakland? These two teams might as well realign and start a new Heidi Bowl Division...and if you don't get that reference, you're either not a football fan, or you're under the age of 12. Of course, you're still welcome here at RSS!

Randall's Got His Eye On You... Redskins Play Caller-Sherm Lewis

I've heard of the outhouse to the penthouse, but this is ridiculous. Not more than a month ago, Sherm Lewis is calling out bingo numbers, now he'll be calling plays for the Redskins this Monday night against the Eagles. At least Sherm can't do much worse than his predecessor, Jim Zorn. One helpful piece of advice, don't call the HB pass inside the 10 yard line. Still, this absurd scene perfectly illustrates the mess that is the Washington Redskins. How are they still getting free agents to sign with them? Oh yeah, the $100 million contracts. Well, I guess as long as Daniel Snyder is willing to pay, free agents will continue to take the easy way out and earn as much money as possible. How long until Barack Obama bails out the Redskins? (oh, rimshot!) At this point, I think fans might settle for a foreign oil tycoon...at least maybe he would know not to hire a playcaller from the local Senior Center.

That concludes our Hot off the Grill Preview. We'll be back this week with more of our Decade Series (we promise this time), as well as a complete weekend wrap up. As always, feel free to let us know what you think with your comments. Until then, it's bye for now!

EPL Picks

It's a busy Friday night for us as we try to get ready for our Ohio Wesleyan v Wash U football broadcast, so we've got a brief rundown of the EPL picks this week. Plus, I'm a little bitter that I'm not going to be able to ever enjoy the beach again after that little episode last week at Sunderland (above). Expect an article dissecting Liverpool's woes soon after they lose their 5th in a row on Sunday. Oh, and Y2 is moving further ahead in the picks. Not cool!

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder II: 7-1-2 23 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 6-2-2 20 pts

Dr. Yoder: 4-4-2 14 pts

Total After Week 5:

Mr. Yoder II: 53-22-11 170 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 50-25-11 161 pts

Dr. Yoder: 46-29-11 149 pts

Aston Villa (5-2-1) @ Wolves (2-5-2)

Both teams are coming off good results, Villa beating Chelsea, Wolves drawing Everton. The edge to Villa, although it's good to see signs of life from last year's champions of the Championship.

Y1: Villa Y2: Villa Doc: Villa

Sunderland (5-3-1) @ Birmingham (2-5-1)

You can say that Sunderland were very lucky last week, but truth be told they outplayed the Reds the entire way. Expect the Northeastern train to keep rolling in the Midlands.

Y1: Sunderland Y2: Sunderland Doc: Birmingham

Wigan Athletic (3-5-1) @ Burnley (4-5-0)

Wigan were able to earn a point against 10 man city, while Burnley lost to their rivals Blackburn. It'll be a tough ask for Wigan to win at a place where teams like United and Everton have fallen this season.

Y1: Burnley Y2: Burnley Doc: Wigan

Portsmouth (1-8-0) @ Hull City (2-6-1)

Can Pompey get their 2nd win of the season? Only if the team that played at Fulham shows up for Hull. They never looked likely to score at the Cottage, this one could go 0-0, but every time Phil Brown needs a win it seems that he survives.

Y1: Hull Y2: Portsmouth Doc: Portsmouth

Stoke City (3-3-3) @ Tottenham (6-2-1)

Plucky Stoke sit perfectly split from their opening 9 games, but it should go to 3-4-3 with a tough trip to the Lane against Spurs. Tottenham have been rolling along nicely since some tough losses to the top teams. They'll be fighting with City and VIlla to break the Top 4 all season.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Spurs Doc: Spurs

Blackburn (3-4-1) @ Chelsea (7-2-0)

Blackburn won their derby game against Burnley, but now they face an angry Chelsea side coming off of a loss in the league and a solid win vs Athletico in the UEFA CL. Blackburn will be singing the Blues on Saturday.

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Everton (3-3-2) @ Bolton (2-4-2)

This game won't be for the feint of heart. Both these teams keep their nose to the grindstone and it will be a tough affair, but Everton's class will win out in the end.

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Everton

Manchester United (7-1-1) @ Liverpool (5-4-0)

Jeepers. Everything that has gone wrong for Liverpool has this season. Injuries, beach balls, bad luck, late goals, CL losses, everything. Man Utd hasn't necessarily been impressive as they sit at the top of the table with 22 points. This is the definition of a must win for Liverpool, but with the 8/9 combo of Gerrard and Torres not at full fitness, United has a much more talented and deeper team. I can't pick against them just yet, but, as much as it pains me to say this, Liverpool are in crisis.

Y1: Liverpool Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Fulham (3-4-1) @ Manchester City (5-1-2)

Man City will bounce back in a big way after their draw against Wigan, their talent-laded squad should be able to deal with Fulham, who had 3 points taken away from them in the Europa League against Roma. Does anyone think Fulham has the depth to handle a European and League schedule?

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

Arsenal (6-2-0) @ West Ham Utd. (1-5-2)

A London derby with teams going in opposite directions. Arsenal's stock is on the way back up, despite that 1-1 draw at defending Dutch champs AZ Alkmaar. West Ham are going down, down, down. Zola's men might need a miracle to keep them up if this sorry form persists.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Arsenal Doc: Arsenal

Tomorrow we'll Protect the Shield for the NFL as they return to EPL land with the Pats and the Bucs, sorry London, at least we sent one legitimate NFL team though!

Hot off the Grill - CFB Week 8 Preview

Well, this week in college football doesn't contain the same level of mouthwatering matchups as last Saturday. But, there are certainly some games that will impact the national title race, especially for TCU HC Gary Patterson below. Who will take the reins this week to move up the ladder?

Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - #10 TCU (6-0) vs. #16 BYU (6-1)

There is only one game this week that pits ranked teams together and its in the Mountain West Conference?? That's right, and these two teams certainly deserve their lofty rankings with the way they have played this season. TCU boasts one of the nation's top 5 defenses, while BYU seems to have recovered from their shocking loss to Florida State. If any one conference has done more to elevate themselves into the BCS discussion on a yearly basis, it's the Mountain West. And if they want that to continue, then TCU needs to win this game. Unfortunately for them, BYU is the better team at home, and will avenge last season's loss to the Horned Frogs. PICK-BYU

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - Oregon St. (4-2) @ #7 USC (5-1)

Our spotlight game once again focuses on the Trojans of USC in the middle of their 3-game stretch that will decide their season. Last week, Matt Barkley really, really came of age by shredding the ND defense in South Bend. This week, the Trojans look to take revenge out on Oregon St. for their upset of USC last season. Both teams have changed a lot since last season, but one thing remains the same, and that's Oregon St. RB Jacquizz Rodgers. Rodgers is 2nd in the Pac 10 in rushing and will certainly be the focal point of the USC defense. A combination of Rodgers, and the sandwiching of this game between road trips to ND and Oregon will make this closer than the experts think. Still, USC takes this one by a field goal. PICK-USC

Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - #24 Kansas (5-1) vs. Oklahoma (3-3)

Speaking of letdowns, even those of us who have no love lost for the Sooners, you've gotta feel for their bad luck this year. First, they lose All-American TE Jermaine Gresham, several offensive lineman, and now Sam Bradford seems to officially be done for the season. Even after the loss of Bradford last Saturday, Oklahoma fought hard to hang in there with Texas for 3 quarters. But, there's only so much adversity an already flawed team can overcome. Going to Lawrence, KS as an 8 point favorite doesn't bode well for them. Kansas will be looking for redemption after their horrid loss at Colorado, so what better way than to beat the Sooners for the first time in 12 years? PICK-Kansas

Andouille's Under the Radar Game - #6 Iowa (7-0) @ Michigan St. (4-3)

Our underrated game of the week is in the Big 10 between Iowa and Michigan St. At first glance of the records, one might consider this an easy game. But, Michigan St. was highly touted coming into the season as a dark horse threat for the Big 10 crown and have really rebounded from some bad losses, winning 3 games in a row. Iowa, though being undefeated, is still looking for respect from the pollsters and the national media. For them to make a serious push, they'll have to hope respect takes care of itself if they keep winning games. A trip to East Lansing won't be easy, but pay attention to see if Iowa comes out ready to go like they did against Michigan and Penn St., or if they come out flat as a pancake. The best bet, they'll be somewhere between a crepe and a waffle, and skate by with a close win. PICK-Iowa

Hot Dog Of The Week - Mark Ingram - RB Alabama

Please Mark, we at RSS are begging you, take charge of this Heisman trophy race once and for all. The lazy, no-account Heisman voters will look for any excuse to hand the Heisman to Tim Tebow on a silver platter. But, you Mark, are the only person who can take it from him. You put the nation on notice with 150 yards and 2 TDs against Va. Tech in the season opener, but your campaign officially sprung to life with 246 yards and a TD last week at South Carolina. Even with another respectable performance this week against Tennessee, you will cement your status as the Heisman front-runner. Your task will be difficult, now that teams will focus their gameplan on stopping you, but, we believe in you...don't let us down, please!

Extra Toppings -

-While their game doesn't merit a spot in the preview, you can bet many eyes will be glued to Columbus this week to watch Terrelle Pryor. TP had the worst game of his career last week and has everyone talking, from his HS coach, to LeBron James. Make no mistake, how he responds this week will shape the rest of his Buckeye career.

-The one reliable piece of info about Pryor this week came from his favorite WR, DeVier Posey, who accurately stated things couldn't get worse for the much maligned QB. One thing Posey failed to mention, things can still get worse for HC Jim Tressell...especially if the Bucks lose at home to lowly Minnesota.

-Without a doubt, the most emotional game of the weekend will be in Morgantown when Connecticut visits West Virginia. It will be tough for UConn to be in any right frame of mind after the heartbreaking murder of CB Jasper Howard, but hopefully, football can be a safe haven for the young men affected by the tragedy. You can bet a lot of people around the nation will be Huskies fans the rest of the season.

-If you're looking for another take on this week's slate, make sure you check out the picks from our friends over at Rumors & Rants

-Also, if you care anything about Ohio Wesleyan or Washington University football, tune in to the link here to watch live, streaming coverage provided by yours truly, the Yoders from RSS. The game will start at 1pm and should be exciting...at least for the fans of these two D3 programs.

-As the rankings unfold, it's becoming more and more clear college football should abandon preseason rankings. Look how long it took Alabama to surpass Florida for the #1 overall ranking. Teams like Iowa, Cincinnati, and TCU face an uphill climb to pass the top 3 BCS teams, even if one of them loses. Wait and post the rankings until at least October to release the 1st rankings...and yes, I know I'm actually agreeing with the BCS model, but I promise I won't do it again.

-On a similar topic, only at Notre Dame can a QB lose the most important game of his career, and actually move up in the Heisman Trophy discussion. Somewhere, Don King is smiling, wonder how he can worm his way into Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday.

Randall's Got His Eye On You... SEC Officials

Needless to say, the state of officiating across all of our sports may be at an all-time low. Mike Scioscia's face says it all about the lousy umpiring in the ALCS and the entire baseball playoffs. The real referees are close to coming back to the NBA, and that may actually be worse news than keeping replacement refs! And finally, after two dubious weeks of decisions (which "coincidentally cost huge underdogs wins over LSU and Florida") an SEC officiating crew has been suspended for this week's games. While it doesn't look like there will be any major upsets in the SEC this week, one more bad call going against an underdog may draw a Senate investigation into SEC officials. I'm sure the SEC wants nothing more than a de facto national semifinal between Alabama and Florida...but hopefully not at the expense of their referees reputation.

That's it for our CFB Preview, but join us tomorrow as Hot Off The Grill returns with our preview of the upcoming NFL week. Also, don't forget about our EPL Picks, as well as the impending return of the Decade Series! Until then, it's bye for now!