You know what I've decided? That Fantasy Football is for nerds who don't actually know much, care much, or much like the game of football. I'm through with it. I think it's most popular among people who've never played football, and therefore don't understand the value of things that aren't calculated statistically. For instance:
1. Tom Brady's garbage-time touchdowns, or any quarterback's garbage time touchdowns, have no value to the actual winning and losing of the football game, but have fantasy value. That's crap.
2. A tipped or dropped pass that goes for an interception is weighed as heavily as a red-zone pick thrown into triple coverage. Statistics tell an imcomplete story, which is why Marc Bulger and Carson Palmer have been reliable fantasy studs for a few seasons while at the helm of crappy, underperforming teams.
3. A guy can fumble seven times in a game, but as long as they're all recovered by his teammates, they have no statistical value. Similarly, a defense can do jack shit all game, but fall on a couple of bad snaps and take away points for the turnovers.
4. A quarterback on a team that elects, stupidly, to throw on every down inside the ten yard line might have a putrid quarterback rating in the red-zone and el-zilcho for accuracy, but if the sun shines on a dog's ass a few times, he can walk away with multiple touchdowns and a load of fantasy points. Similarly, a quarterback that marches his team down the field in a balanced offense that elects to pound the ball into the endzone is fantasy crap.
5. Wins and losses have no value in fantasy football. That's crap.
6. A receiver is not penalized for dropped balls. Also, penalties have no statistical value. So if, say, Chad Johnson drops a couple of balls, does a ridiculous endzone dance and costs his team 15 yards on the kick-off, and his team goes on to lose by 5 points, he still had a great day because he scored. What a crock.
Furthermore, fantasy football does not encourage fanhood, nor does it encourage football knowledge, nor does it encourage sportsmanship.
1. For the first time in my life, I found myself rooting against Brian Westbrook doing well in a game because someone else had him on their team. Brian Westbrook is one of the two or three most exciting, most explosive players in football, and I've loved every minute of watching this guy play for his entire career. The reason football is televised is so we can appreciate the prowess of spectacular athletes doing amazing things, not root against them because some know-nothing turd is going to brag about it at the office water-cooler. That ain't fandom, that's nerd-dom.
2. Someone somewhere might look at Tony Romo's touchdown record, someone who only looks at such things because they're an office-jock, a beer-drinking, happy-hour-going, meaningless-stat-knowing moron who's experience of athletic competition is the eliptical machine at Gold's Gym and has chicken legs to go with his beefy torso, and dare to say Romo is an equal quarterback to Troy Aikman because Romo now has the Cowboys single-season passing touchdown record. The office-jock is a fan of whatever the best team in the NFL is, plus Romo, Favre, Palmer, Brady, Manning, Wes Welker, and the Cowboys, doesn't know shit about football, and only pays attention to a) prove he's a man, and b) because he has a fantasy football team, which is why he thinks passing touchdowns are a meaningful statistic. To put it plainly: passing touchdowns are very nearly irrelevant.
3. Football ought to be a lesson in sportsmanship, and for a long time, football was one of the rare sports that had accepted and universally-practiced plays and strategies for demonstrating good sportsmanship, i.e. the kneel-down. Soccer has a "rule" where the team in possession boots the ball out of bounds when the opponent has an on-field injury; football has the clock-killing all-running-play drives and the kneel-down. These have been an accepted part of football strategy for decades: not because they are strategically sound, not because they lead to points or victory, but because they demonstrate good sportsmanship. Fantasy football enjoys the mercilessness of the Patriots end-game humiliation of their opponents, and therefore encourages "fans" to hope for it, enjoy it, and take advantage of it. Why should one person's fantasy team suffer because their coach showed a little class at the end of a game, whereas another team's coach is a complete asshole?
In short, fantasy football has nothing to do with football, much as People magazine has nothing to do with film-making: both make use of the exploits of the stars of their respective interests, but neither of them participate in, celebrate, display, or even understand the art or real engine behind the subject of their scope. On the contrary, as a matter of fact: celebrity worship and fantasy football are perverted detriments to the otherwise fascinating businesses they exploit.
Beyond all that, though, I'm sick of the distraction and am weary of feeling like my perspective of professional football has been clouded and screwed up.
So there. To hell with fantasy football.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Just Because
Here's the latest from the ESPN Ombudsman. She's the best.
Also, how about that Bobby Petrino hiring? Jeez. Honestly, when I think about it, I feel awful for all parties involved in this one, even the man himself. When he took the job in Atlanta, the cookie was Michael Vick, a totally unique player in league history and the center piece of the offense. Shortly after coming to the Falcons, the Vick mess went down and he lost the whole incentive to take the job in the first place. I can imagine being in his shoes, looking around in the middle of a lost season and thinking "what do I have to look forward to here?" He's never going to find another Michael Vick, never in a million years, and so all the offense he installed around that unique talent and all the excitement he must have had about working with Vick was wasted and he was left with a fractured, doomed team that wasn't buying what he was selling. Apart from the fact that he's an obvious dick, I feel bad for him.
As for Atlanta, they're fucked, but it's probably for the best. My sense is and has been that this franchise was too locked into being the Michael Vick show from the time they drafted the guy. I'm not crazy about building a team around a single player at all, especially a guy that has so much to learn and so much developing to do before he can reliably play his position. Obviously, it's time to blow the whole thing up and start fresh. I don't know, if I were part of the Falcons organization, I'd be a little excited right now. They ought to dump off anybody that has draft-pick value in a trade, build a whole new coaching staff, and start thinking 4-5 years down the road. If they commit themselves to it, they could have a completely new identity and be washed clean of the whole Vick era before too long. Seriously, if I were Arthur Blank, I'd modify the uniforms, overhaul the entire offense, bring in a young coordinator as my head coach and an army of draft picks and new veterans, and generally do everything in my power to turn over a whole new leaf in Atlanta.
As far as Atlanta's current players go, there are some quality guys on this team who could have good futures in the NFL, but probably not in Atlanta. I'm of the opinion that turmoil of this intensity leaves a permanent stain on those involved and will continue to poison the organization if they don't "turn the soil", so to speak. Roddy White has emerged as a good receiver, Jerrius Norwood obviously has some value, there are probably a few other good young players, and since they can't overhaul the entire roster immediately, they probably want to keep those guys. I feel really bad for Atlanta's players, the actions of one guy and one coach have not only ruined their seasons, but probably spoiled their chances of any long-term success in Atlanta, hurt their careers, and turned their team into a poisoned wasteland, an NFL afterthought and one of a few laughingstocks in the NFL, along with Baltimore and Miami. If I were any of these guys, I'd be eagerly awaiting the pink slip at this point.
I can't remember the last time I felt that an NFL franchise had this much rebuilding to do . . . I'm sure there have been other cases of franchises so ruined and screwed after a series of unfortunate events that they basically needed a complete overhaul, but none comes to mind. The Dolphins obviously need a whole new . . . everything, including uniforms, but the positive there is that they have a wierd mix of a few really old, washed up veterans and super-young, inexpensive players, it shouldn't be to hard to fire-sell the veteran guys and start fresh. The Redskins in the post Spurrier days felt like they probably needed a season or two off altogether to get their shit in order, but not on this scale.
One last point here: what did I say about hiring college coaches to come in and be NFL head coaches? It never works. There might have been a time when that type of thing worked out, or there might be the rare personality that can pull it off, but it's such a crap-shoot. The fact is, the vast majority of success in college football comes down to recruiting. That's not to say Bobby Petrino doesn't know a thing or two about coaching a football team, but a successful FBS coach is generally working with a more talented roster than most other teams. I think a college coach who jumps to the NFL as a head coach has more to learn about the NFL game than most FBS standout players, who are generally just as athletic as anybody else and only have to get used to going against guys who move as quickly as they do. Coaches, on the other hand, have to take schemes that have had success against teams with far less speed, power, and explosiveness, and basically hope they work against professional-level players, to say nothing of the fact that they go from being the big man on campus and one of only a few people in the room being paid to be there to being the little old guy who makes about half as much as his starters and knows half as much about the NFL as they do.
Oh, and apparently you get reamed for pulling this kind of stunt. I can't say I disagree with these guys, who paint a pretty ugly picture of who Bobby Petrino is and what he's all about. Pat Forde and Len Pasquerelli pretty much eat Petrino for breakfast.
That's all. Go Skynards!
Also, how about that Bobby Petrino hiring? Jeez. Honestly, when I think about it, I feel awful for all parties involved in this one, even the man himself. When he took the job in Atlanta, the cookie was Michael Vick, a totally unique player in league history and the center piece of the offense. Shortly after coming to the Falcons, the Vick mess went down and he lost the whole incentive to take the job in the first place. I can imagine being in his shoes, looking around in the middle of a lost season and thinking "what do I have to look forward to here?" He's never going to find another Michael Vick, never in a million years, and so all the offense he installed around that unique talent and all the excitement he must have had about working with Vick was wasted and he was left with a fractured, doomed team that wasn't buying what he was selling. Apart from the fact that he's an obvious dick, I feel bad for him.
As for Atlanta, they're fucked, but it's probably for the best. My sense is and has been that this franchise was too locked into being the Michael Vick show from the time they drafted the guy. I'm not crazy about building a team around a single player at all, especially a guy that has so much to learn and so much developing to do before he can reliably play his position. Obviously, it's time to blow the whole thing up and start fresh. I don't know, if I were part of the Falcons organization, I'd be a little excited right now. They ought to dump off anybody that has draft-pick value in a trade, build a whole new coaching staff, and start thinking 4-5 years down the road. If they commit themselves to it, they could have a completely new identity and be washed clean of the whole Vick era before too long. Seriously, if I were Arthur Blank, I'd modify the uniforms, overhaul the entire offense, bring in a young coordinator as my head coach and an army of draft picks and new veterans, and generally do everything in my power to turn over a whole new leaf in Atlanta.
As far as Atlanta's current players go, there are some quality guys on this team who could have good futures in the NFL, but probably not in Atlanta. I'm of the opinion that turmoil of this intensity leaves a permanent stain on those involved and will continue to poison the organization if they don't "turn the soil", so to speak. Roddy White has emerged as a good receiver, Jerrius Norwood obviously has some value, there are probably a few other good young players, and since they can't overhaul the entire roster immediately, they probably want to keep those guys. I feel really bad for Atlanta's players, the actions of one guy and one coach have not only ruined their seasons, but probably spoiled their chances of any long-term success in Atlanta, hurt their careers, and turned their team into a poisoned wasteland, an NFL afterthought and one of a few laughingstocks in the NFL, along with Baltimore and Miami. If I were any of these guys, I'd be eagerly awaiting the pink slip at this point.
I can't remember the last time I felt that an NFL franchise had this much rebuilding to do . . . I'm sure there have been other cases of franchises so ruined and screwed after a series of unfortunate events that they basically needed a complete overhaul, but none comes to mind. The Dolphins obviously need a whole new . . . everything, including uniforms, but the positive there is that they have a wierd mix of a few really old, washed up veterans and super-young, inexpensive players, it shouldn't be to hard to fire-sell the veteran guys and start fresh. The Redskins in the post Spurrier days felt like they probably needed a season or two off altogether to get their shit in order, but not on this scale.
One last point here: what did I say about hiring college coaches to come in and be NFL head coaches? It never works. There might have been a time when that type of thing worked out, or there might be the rare personality that can pull it off, but it's such a crap-shoot. The fact is, the vast majority of success in college football comes down to recruiting. That's not to say Bobby Petrino doesn't know a thing or two about coaching a football team, but a successful FBS coach is generally working with a more talented roster than most other teams. I think a college coach who jumps to the NFL as a head coach has more to learn about the NFL game than most FBS standout players, who are generally just as athletic as anybody else and only have to get used to going against guys who move as quickly as they do. Coaches, on the other hand, have to take schemes that have had success against teams with far less speed, power, and explosiveness, and basically hope they work against professional-level players, to say nothing of the fact that they go from being the big man on campus and one of only a few people in the room being paid to be there to being the little old guy who makes about half as much as his starters and knows half as much about the NFL as they do.
Oh, and apparently you get reamed for pulling this kind of stunt. I can't say I disagree with these guys, who paint a pretty ugly picture of who Bobby Petrino is and what he's all about. Pat Forde and Len Pasquerelli pretty much eat Petrino for breakfast.
That's all. Go Skynards!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Three Weeks Left!
In these last four or five weeks, the picks start to get easier and easier. Not only do we have a better sense of who these teams are by the final third of the season, but we know what they're playing for, and that makes a big difference. I'll still gloat when I go 13-3, as I did last week, but frankly, just about anybody should be able to get the vast majority of these games right. Still, I have fun doing it and it helps me think and get excited about the upcoming slate of games.
And here we go:
Denver @ Houston
I might be in the very small minority of people that are actually excited to watch this game. I've been down on Denver all year, and I still think they're rubbish, but they've got a few things to be excited about down the road: Jay Cutler is rounding into a solid pro, Brandon Marshall is emerging as a true beast at wideout, Selvin Young is yet another Broncos tailback, and though the defense stinks, it has some exciting young players like D. J. Williams to watch. On the other side of the ball, Houston is a competitive team with some young pieces, too, and as soon as they go out and get themselves a tailback and shore up that defense, they could be a contender. I also think this is one of the more even matchups, so I'll give the nod to the home team. Normally, that'd mean giving the Texans a 3 point victory, but the Broncos play poorly from behind and are a bad road team, so I'm upping it a bit.
Texans over Broncos, 28-21
Cincinnati @ San Francisco
This, on the other hand, is a real stinker. Maybe I'm kinda rooting for the Bengals to finish with a little momentum, as a consolation for playing a brutal first half schedule. Still, I can't imagine watching this game.
Bengals over 49ers, 38-16
Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh
Holy hell, this might be my favorite matchup of the entire NFL schedule this season. Wow, I would LOVE to watch this game. Call me crazy, call me completely nuts, but I'm taking the Jaguars. Why? Because they're tougher, less turnover-prone, and (UNBELIEVABLY!) more consistent. Pittsburgh has been a bear at home this season, but they just took it on the chin in New England and this is a hell of a way to follow up, with probably the second hottest team in the AFC. This could very well be a preview of round 1 of the playoffs, if Pittsburgh wins this one.
Jaguars over Steelers, 20-17
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
The Bucs should win this one, I don't care if Gruden himself starts at quarterback. Chris Redman looked pretty good for the Falcons on Monday night, he made some really good throws down the sidelines and in general looked like a guy who really understood the offense. The Bucs really need to win this one and take the NFC South. They've got as much healing to do as any team in football and I insist they don't want to take this thing all the way down to the wire . . . you know, the more I think about this game, the more I think the Falcons could very easily sneak up and win it. The solution: stop thinking about it.
Bucs over Falcons, 21-10
Seattle @ Carolina
I never feel good picking the Seahawks, especially on the road, but on the other hand, if I didn't just look at an NFL schedule, I'd have forgotten that the Panthers even existed. I'm not going to be the nucklehead that picks the dreadful Panthers to upset the "surging" Seahawks and then has to deal with the guilt of having actually picked Carolina in a game they lost by three scores. No way.
Seahawks over Panthers, 31-13
Green Bay @ St. Louis
For some reason, I feel like Green Bay has played like 10 road games and 3 home games this year. Maybe that's because they have done some pretty impressive things on the road, like winning in Arrowhead and at Mile High on consecutive Sundays, and then getting hammered at Dallas on another big road test. Brock Berlin isn't the kind of guy you pick to beat the 11-2 Packers, certainly not when Green Bay excels at stuffing the run and Stephen Jackson hasn't exactly been blowing anybody's hair back. The Packers'll no doubt stuff eight or nine guys in the box and have a chuckle as Berlin is forced to try to beat them with his arm.
Packers over Rams, 30-10
Baltimore @ Miami
I want so badly to pick the Dolphins in this game. Forget their schedule up to this point, this is the best chance they've had all year to win a game. The Ravens are SUCH pretenders, SUCH phony, lousy pieces of washed up crap, and are so ready to punch the clock on this season and settle into their comfy chairs to watch the playoffs. The Dolphins, on the other hand, need a win so badly before their upcoming bloodbath against the Pats. Dammit. I have a strong, strong feeling that the Ravens will lose this game. I just can't pick the 0-13 team. Sorry. I hope I'm wrong.
Ravens over Dolphins, 14-13
New York Jets @ New England
This is how you know the NFL and the sports media is screwy and demented: with big games between the Jaguars and Steelers, the Skins and Giants, the Saints and Cardinals, the Eagles and Dallas, the Lions and Chargers, the Bills and Browns, and an interesting Monday night rematch between the Bears and Vikings, this is the game that will get the most hype. Why? Because everyone is expecting the Patriots to go out and put an epic, record humiliation on the hapless Jets, who had the audacity to notice that the Pats were cheating in week 1 and not let them get away with it. Out of protest, not only am I not watching this game, I refuse to even acknowledge it on Sunday.
Pats over Jets by many touchdowns.
Arizona @ New Orleans
Both teams need it badly, but New Orleans is the only team that can do anything with the win. The Cardinals are still technically alive, but if the Vikings and Redskins manage to win on Sunday, that pretty much will wrap it up for the Cards, who can't get nine wins and lost to the Skins. The Skins are atop the Out-of-the-Playoffs Bunch, with tie-breakers over Detroit and Arizona, and the Vikings are the sixth seed. Still, both these teams will consider this a playoff game, with the Saints given a chance to get back to .500 and stay in the hunt. I liked what I saw from New Orleans on Monday night, and since they're at home and not starting Kurt "Throw it to Whoever" Warner, I'll take 'em.
Saints over Cardinals, 24-17
Buffalo @ Cleveland
Great game! Two teams nobody has any business disliking fighting for the final wild-card spot in the AFC. I've gotta stick with the Browns, who've got momentum and the home-field. This game is number two on my list of games I'd love to watch on Sunday.
Browns over Bills, 30-21
Tennessee @ Kansas City
What an awful, gut-punch of a loss the Titans suffered on Sunday in a game that effectively knocked them out of the playoffs. They need a lot of help between now and the end if they hope to get in, and that starts with them winning out. Arrowhead is not a fun place to play, but the Chiefs are a dreadful, awful team with nothing to play for and not one difference maker on their whole offense. Tennessee should have no problem keeping them out of the endzone, and if their offense can move the ball and keep the Chiefs backed up, they could very well get a shut-out. In fact, I'm predicting a shut-out. There have only been four all year: the Seahawks were blanked at Pittsburgh; the Seahawks then shut out the Niners; the Packers blanked the Vikings, and then the Mud Bowl, where Miami failed to score at Pittsburgh. The Chiefs deserve to be held scoreless at least once this year, why not an embarrassing home job by the Titans?
Titans over Chiefs, 14-0
Indianapolis @ Oakland
Can't see the Raiders winning this one.
Colts over Raiders, 28-13
Detroit @ San Diego
The Lions showed on Sunday that they can still play with some good football teams. The Cowboys are obviously a lot better than the Chargers, but the Lions got 'em at home, whereas they now have to take their ruined season on the road to the Chargers, who have what can be called momentum and are on the verge of clinching a winning season. I'm taking the Chargers, but you never know . . .
Chargers over Lions, 21-20
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Hasn't this game already happened a few times? Philly couldn't do the job at home, I'm not picking them on the road. I'll be rootin' for 'em, though.
Cowboys over Eagles, 20-16
Washington @ New York Giants
The Giants are looking shakier than hell right now, but the collapse hasn't happened. Maybe it won't happen, who can say? Joe Gibbs is something like 6-10 lifetime at New York, including 0-3 in his current stretch at the helm of the Skins, so that's no good. This game could go a few different ways. Among them: this could be a get-healthy home game for the Giants, where they re-emerge as a contender and win going away; the collapse could happen right on schedule, as the fragile chemistry of the Giants finally implodes and they give away a bad home loss; the Redskins could (possibly) come out and play a sharp game on both sides of the ball and actually earn a victory; the Redskins could come out and play a good half of football, then spend the second half turning the ball over and having their defense exposed. The two likeliest scenarios, in my opinion, are the Giants collapse and the Redskins second half collapse. Because one hasn't happened yet and the other has happened over and over and over again, I'm forced (FORCED!) to take the Giants. Just know that it wasn't easy.
Giants over Redskins, 24-16
Chicago @ Minnesota
The Vikings are hot, moving the ball on the ground and through the air, whereas the Bears are starting Kyle Orton. I shit you not.
Vikings over Bears, 23-9
The fantasy league has turned into an utter joke at this point, and not only because I can't seem to get out of fourth place. Still, because there's no obvious way of just removing my team altogether, I'm going to play it out and hope for a massive upset along the way. Frankly, and hopefully without sounding like too much of a loser, the approach of some of my league-mates has made me reconsider whether I respect these people at all. Ok, nevermind, I am a loser.
And here we go:
Denver @ Houston
I might be in the very small minority of people that are actually excited to watch this game. I've been down on Denver all year, and I still think they're rubbish, but they've got a few things to be excited about down the road: Jay Cutler is rounding into a solid pro, Brandon Marshall is emerging as a true beast at wideout, Selvin Young is yet another Broncos tailback, and though the defense stinks, it has some exciting young players like D. J. Williams to watch. On the other side of the ball, Houston is a competitive team with some young pieces, too, and as soon as they go out and get themselves a tailback and shore up that defense, they could be a contender. I also think this is one of the more even matchups, so I'll give the nod to the home team. Normally, that'd mean giving the Texans a 3 point victory, but the Broncos play poorly from behind and are a bad road team, so I'm upping it a bit.
Texans over Broncos, 28-21
Cincinnati @ San Francisco
This, on the other hand, is a real stinker. Maybe I'm kinda rooting for the Bengals to finish with a little momentum, as a consolation for playing a brutal first half schedule. Still, I can't imagine watching this game.
Bengals over 49ers, 38-16
Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh
Holy hell, this might be my favorite matchup of the entire NFL schedule this season. Wow, I would LOVE to watch this game. Call me crazy, call me completely nuts, but I'm taking the Jaguars. Why? Because they're tougher, less turnover-prone, and (UNBELIEVABLY!) more consistent. Pittsburgh has been a bear at home this season, but they just took it on the chin in New England and this is a hell of a way to follow up, with probably the second hottest team in the AFC. This could very well be a preview of round 1 of the playoffs, if Pittsburgh wins this one.
Jaguars over Steelers, 20-17
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
The Bucs should win this one, I don't care if Gruden himself starts at quarterback. Chris Redman looked pretty good for the Falcons on Monday night, he made some really good throws down the sidelines and in general looked like a guy who really understood the offense. The Bucs really need to win this one and take the NFC South. They've got as much healing to do as any team in football and I insist they don't want to take this thing all the way down to the wire . . . you know, the more I think about this game, the more I think the Falcons could very easily sneak up and win it. The solution: stop thinking about it.
Bucs over Falcons, 21-10
Seattle @ Carolina
I never feel good picking the Seahawks, especially on the road, but on the other hand, if I didn't just look at an NFL schedule, I'd have forgotten that the Panthers even existed. I'm not going to be the nucklehead that picks the dreadful Panthers to upset the "surging" Seahawks and then has to deal with the guilt of having actually picked Carolina in a game they lost by three scores. No way.
Seahawks over Panthers, 31-13
Green Bay @ St. Louis
For some reason, I feel like Green Bay has played like 10 road games and 3 home games this year. Maybe that's because they have done some pretty impressive things on the road, like winning in Arrowhead and at Mile High on consecutive Sundays, and then getting hammered at Dallas on another big road test. Brock Berlin isn't the kind of guy you pick to beat the 11-2 Packers, certainly not when Green Bay excels at stuffing the run and Stephen Jackson hasn't exactly been blowing anybody's hair back. The Packers'll no doubt stuff eight or nine guys in the box and have a chuckle as Berlin is forced to try to beat them with his arm.
Packers over Rams, 30-10
Baltimore @ Miami
I want so badly to pick the Dolphins in this game. Forget their schedule up to this point, this is the best chance they've had all year to win a game. The Ravens are SUCH pretenders, SUCH phony, lousy pieces of washed up crap, and are so ready to punch the clock on this season and settle into their comfy chairs to watch the playoffs. The Dolphins, on the other hand, need a win so badly before their upcoming bloodbath against the Pats. Dammit. I have a strong, strong feeling that the Ravens will lose this game. I just can't pick the 0-13 team. Sorry. I hope I'm wrong.
Ravens over Dolphins, 14-13
New York Jets @ New England
This is how you know the NFL and the sports media is screwy and demented: with big games between the Jaguars and Steelers, the Skins and Giants, the Saints and Cardinals, the Eagles and Dallas, the Lions and Chargers, the Bills and Browns, and an interesting Monday night rematch between the Bears and Vikings, this is the game that will get the most hype. Why? Because everyone is expecting the Patriots to go out and put an epic, record humiliation on the hapless Jets, who had the audacity to notice that the Pats were cheating in week 1 and not let them get away with it. Out of protest, not only am I not watching this game, I refuse to even acknowledge it on Sunday.
Pats over Jets by many touchdowns.
Arizona @ New Orleans
Both teams need it badly, but New Orleans is the only team that can do anything with the win. The Cardinals are still technically alive, but if the Vikings and Redskins manage to win on Sunday, that pretty much will wrap it up for the Cards, who can't get nine wins and lost to the Skins. The Skins are atop the Out-of-the-Playoffs Bunch, with tie-breakers over Detroit and Arizona, and the Vikings are the sixth seed. Still, both these teams will consider this a playoff game, with the Saints given a chance to get back to .500 and stay in the hunt. I liked what I saw from New Orleans on Monday night, and since they're at home and not starting Kurt "Throw it to Whoever" Warner, I'll take 'em.
Saints over Cardinals, 24-17
Buffalo @ Cleveland
Great game! Two teams nobody has any business disliking fighting for the final wild-card spot in the AFC. I've gotta stick with the Browns, who've got momentum and the home-field. This game is number two on my list of games I'd love to watch on Sunday.
Browns over Bills, 30-21
Tennessee @ Kansas City
What an awful, gut-punch of a loss the Titans suffered on Sunday in a game that effectively knocked them out of the playoffs. They need a lot of help between now and the end if they hope to get in, and that starts with them winning out. Arrowhead is not a fun place to play, but the Chiefs are a dreadful, awful team with nothing to play for and not one difference maker on their whole offense. Tennessee should have no problem keeping them out of the endzone, and if their offense can move the ball and keep the Chiefs backed up, they could very well get a shut-out. In fact, I'm predicting a shut-out. There have only been four all year: the Seahawks were blanked at Pittsburgh; the Seahawks then shut out the Niners; the Packers blanked the Vikings, and then the Mud Bowl, where Miami failed to score at Pittsburgh. The Chiefs deserve to be held scoreless at least once this year, why not an embarrassing home job by the Titans?
Titans over Chiefs, 14-0
Indianapolis @ Oakland
Can't see the Raiders winning this one.
Colts over Raiders, 28-13
Detroit @ San Diego
The Lions showed on Sunday that they can still play with some good football teams. The Cowboys are obviously a lot better than the Chargers, but the Lions got 'em at home, whereas they now have to take their ruined season on the road to the Chargers, who have what can be called momentum and are on the verge of clinching a winning season. I'm taking the Chargers, but you never know . . .
Chargers over Lions, 21-20
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Hasn't this game already happened a few times? Philly couldn't do the job at home, I'm not picking them on the road. I'll be rootin' for 'em, though.
Cowboys over Eagles, 20-16
Washington @ New York Giants
The Giants are looking shakier than hell right now, but the collapse hasn't happened. Maybe it won't happen, who can say? Joe Gibbs is something like 6-10 lifetime at New York, including 0-3 in his current stretch at the helm of the Skins, so that's no good. This game could go a few different ways. Among them: this could be a get-healthy home game for the Giants, where they re-emerge as a contender and win going away; the collapse could happen right on schedule, as the fragile chemistry of the Giants finally implodes and they give away a bad home loss; the Redskins could (possibly) come out and play a sharp game on both sides of the ball and actually earn a victory; the Redskins could come out and play a good half of football, then spend the second half turning the ball over and having their defense exposed. The two likeliest scenarios, in my opinion, are the Giants collapse and the Redskins second half collapse. Because one hasn't happened yet and the other has happened over and over and over again, I'm forced (FORCED!) to take the Giants. Just know that it wasn't easy.
Giants over Redskins, 24-16
Chicago @ Minnesota
The Vikings are hot, moving the ball on the ground and through the air, whereas the Bears are starting Kyle Orton. I shit you not.
Vikings over Bears, 23-9
The fantasy league has turned into an utter joke at this point, and not only because I can't seem to get out of fourth place. Still, because there's no obvious way of just removing my team altogether, I'm going to play it out and hope for a massive upset along the way. Frankly, and hopefully without sounding like too much of a loser, the approach of some of my league-mates has made me reconsider whether I respect these people at all. Ok, nevermind, I am a loser.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Recap Plus El Boxeo!
Let's get right to the football, then we'll talk a little boxing, eh?
Redskins over Bears, 24-16
My Pick: Redskins over Bears, 28-17
Man I absolutely nailed this one. Jason Campbell going down means there's no real reason for me to hope the Skins go to the playoffs anymore, but if the rest of the NFC keeps crapping the bed, why shouldn't the Skynards be the team to get flattened in round 1? Todd Collins played a great game and it was nice to see Gregg Williams dial up a few blitzes for a change. Though the Skins only finished with two sacks, they managed a pair of picks and generally stayed on top of the Chicago signal-callers. Why is everyone acting like an eighth loss is the end of the season for Chicago? As if there won't be an 8-8 team in the NFC playoffs? Please!
Jaguars over Panthers, 37-6
My Pick: Jaguars over Panthers, 27-13
Yikes. Nothing to say about this, other than that it was ugly and the Jaguars are in a groove right now. Ok, wait, one more thing: Del Rio is still an ass. I could have told him a year ago that Reggie Williams would be his best receiver and best red-zone target, but he insisted on demoting the guy in the offseason. I'm not going to criticize ol' Jack too much, but this is another case of the rest of the world being utterly clueless about his criteria for starting or sitting someone in his passing game.
Giants over Eagles, 16-13
My Pick: Eagles over Giants, 34-20
Ok, I was way off on this one. I'm feeling a little betrayed by this lack-of-collapse in New York. No, not by the Giants, but by the rest of the league, for not holding up their end of the bargain and allowing the collapse. The Giants have done as little as possible to win their last two games, but their opponents have just rolled over and handed it to them. Don't they know the league and it's fans are missing on of the best modern holiday traditions? Seriously, just because the Giants have notched a couple of W's doesn't mean they aren't collapsing. It's a reflex, it's there, you just can't see it. Just you wait until the playoffs.
Bengals over Rams, 19-10
My Pick: Bengals over Rams, 38-31
Didn't watch it, don't care.
Texans over Bucs, 28-14
My Pick: Texans over Bucs, 23-17
Pretty close, no? You just had to figure before too long the QB situation would jump up and bite the Bucs. Ernest Graham was a beast in this one, but the Bucs failed to secure their division, and with a Saints win on Monday night, they'll have to put it off another week. They need Jeff Garcia healthy, this is not one of those situations where they can wait until the post-season. The odds are heavily in favor of them winning their division no matter who plays, but do they really want to play it out until the final week? Do they want the Giants or the young Vikings in the first round? Actually . . . who do they want in the first round? Is this a calculated measure to stick the sissy-fied Seahawks with a tough-as-nails Vikings bunch while the Bucs mop up a butter-soft, tenderized Giants team in round 1? Wow . . . actually, they might consider sitting Garcia the rest of the way. Holy hell. I'm onto you, Gruden.
Bills over Dolphins, 38-17
My Pick: Bills over Dolphins, 21-16
Yuk. The Dolphins will not be winning a game. They get the Ravens next, that's their final chance. I won't be picking them. By the by, this game was the end of J. P. Losman's time in Buffalo.
Packers over Raiders, 38-7
My Pick: Packers over Raiders, 28-14
In my picks, I mentioned this could be a letdown for the Packers, a trap game coming off their ugly loss to the Cowboys with a banged up Favre. Well, I was wrong about that.
Cowboys over Lions, 28-27
My Pick: Cowboys over Lions, 45-20
The Lions did all they could in this one . . . to give it away. If they'd managed just one or two more first downs in the second half, they'd have had this one in the bag. Instead, they crapped it away. In the end, that's the difference between the Lions and a playoff team. Next year, Detroit! As expected, the entire sports media is busy fellating Tony Romo.
Chargers over Titans, 23-17
My Pick: Titans over Chargers, 17-14
Man, I had this one. I so had it. Why oh why couldn't the Titans just burn some clock and end it? Because they're not there yet. Sorry, Tennessee. Your team does not belong in the playoffs. Vince Young is not yet the kind of quarterback that can burn clock, orchestrate a long end-game drive, make key throws in the middle of the field, and reliably salt away a victory, especially not against a good defense like San Diego. As for the Chargers, this is one of only a few quality victories on their 2007 resume, and Philip Rivers still looked like utter garbage. I feel bad for this team, they get to slink away with the worst division in football and get flattened at home in the opening round of the playoffs by a wild-card, probably the Browns. Nice.
Vikings over 49ers, 27-7
My Pick: Vikings over 49ers, 37-10
Ok, so the score was closer than I predicted, but the game was not. Who wants to face the Vikings in the playoffs? Nobody, absolutely nobody, that's who. Why? Because they have a dominant, DOMINANT offensive line, two (count 'em) STUD runningbacks capable of carrying the ball infinite times, an impenetrable run defense and an emerging, playmaking pass defense, and Tarvaris Jackson is coming around. On the road or at home, they could put a scare into ANYBODY, including the Pats. In fact, I love this team.
Seahawks over Cardinals, 42-21
My Pick: Cardinals over Seahawks, 34-20
The Seahawks put together their best, most complete performance of the season on Sunday. They played a great game and totally dominated the Cards from the opening kickoff, finally taking their division and actually earning it. Now they'll get a disappointing loss or two in their final three games and shit the bed in the playoffs. Sorry, that's just who they are. They suck. Even if they get to the Super Bowl, that'll be just another indictment of the NFC rather than any indication of their strength.
Browns over Jets, 24-18
My Pick: Browns over Jets, 42-24
Go Browns! They made it look harder than they needed to, but they got the job done. They managed to overcome an early turnover, they moved the ball and played stout defense, and dammit, they're just good. They're one of the few consistent offensive groups in football and their defense is improving. Fucking GO BROWNS!
Patriots over Steelers, 34-13
My Pick: Patriots over Steelers, 35-31
If I insisted the 1 and the 3 were mistakenly reversed in my pick, would you believe me? I wish I'd hit those buttons wrong and picked this one 34-13, I'd be gloating like hell right now. The Steelers were so not up to the task at all. Offensively, they moved the ball but couldn't score, and defensively, they couldn't get off the field for shit. That's all I have to say about this one, another boring Patriots win. They had two straight interesting games before this one, though!
Broncos over Chiefs, 41-7
My Pick: Broncos over Chiefs, 20-17
Funny how the Broncs manage to get a huge, good-looking win just when they don't need it anymore. What does that tell me? This young team doesn't know how to play under pressure yet, and Mike Shanahan, while more than able to call a solid offensive game, is not doing enough to supplement the general lack of veteran leadership on his team. Also, John Lynch is a crappy player with no locker-room influence. Booyah. Eat it, Lynch.
Colts over Ravens, 44-20
My Pick: Colts over Ravens, 24-9
The final score does no justice to how one-sided a blow-out this one was, and that's saying something. The best and only thing the Ravens had going for them was Troy Smith, and that was for the last five minutes of the extended garbage time in this game, also known as the second half. Everything after half-time was like a pre-season exhibition, with Jim Sorgi carving up the Ravens back-up defense and John Doe throwing it to whoever-the-hell-is-running-around-out-there for the Ravens. Baltimore needs to pull it together for just one more game before these coaches and players can do what they've been waiting to do all season, which is mail it in and blame the league and officials for a lost season. If they lose to the Dolphins on Sunday, there will be wholesale changes in every part of the Ravens organization.
Saints over Falcons, 34-14
My Pick: Saints over Falcons, 30-16
I seem to have nailed this one, too. I felt a little bad for the Falcons, they actually seemed to give an honest effort in this game, but they still got obliterated. As for the Saints, let me just say it now before a million other people say it after next Sunday, the Saints are playing better football without Reggie Bush. Aaron Stecker is a decisive, downhill runner with more effective open-field elusiveness than Bush. That's right. He's more effective in space because he makes a quick cut and gets upfield, whereas Reggie makes long, dramatic moves and tries to go the distance on every play. Here's a stat: the longest run of Reggie Bush's NFL career is a whopping 22 yards. He's averaging less than 4 yards per carry this season. With his speed and explosiveness, he should be ripping off more yards per carry and at least the occasional home run, but apparently Reggie never learned how to run north and south. How's this for a comparison; Pierre Thomas, a rookie tailback on the Saints bench, has a longer carry this season and averages more yards per carry. Without Bush, the Saints have two all-business runners who hit the hole and get downfield, and that's perfect for taking advantage of the respect given to the Saints passing game. Anyway, enough of that. The Saints aren't making the playoffs, but if they do it'll be because of that change.
Now for a look at Saturday's PPV boxing extravaganza:
There was no way I wasn't going to order and watch the welterweight showdown on Saturday night. I'll keep my recap short, but let me start by saying that there were too many televised undercards on this telecast, and because none of them were important or especially interesting, it really sucked the life out of the whole affair. It certainly didn't help that the majority of fans, who were in fact from England and here to support home-town hero Ricky Hatton only, didn't even attend the early undercards and had no interest in the final undercard even after they'd arrived. Nothing happened that needs mentioning. As far as the headliner, I might be in the minority, but this fight entertained the hell out of me, I felt it was worth every penny. Yes, in retrospect it was one-sided, but from the opening bell, you had the sense that Hatton was getting to the distance he wanted to fight from and the Mayweather was having to adjust. If anything, that aspect of it only stood to further demonstrate how impressively skilled Mayweather is. The fact that he didn't come in with an overt strategy for keeping Hatton away from him, but rather to fight in close and just do it better, was really something. It was one of those deals where as the fight went on and you thought neither guy was really hurting the other, one guy starts to wear down from all the banging and the little, tight punches you don't get a good look at on TV. To my surprise, it was Hatton that started to get the little nicks and bruises and started to look frustrated. That's not to say I was expecting a Hatton victory, but when I saw that the entire fight was unfolding up close and tight, I went with Lampley and Steward and assumed that it was because Hatton was having success at controlling the tempo of the fight. With that in mind, I expected to see signs that Hatton was having his way, but the opposite was taking place. I know Hatton has a history of cuts, but he was fighting the fight he wanted, just getting beaten to the punch and out-classed. The check-hook left that put him down was an amazing shot, so fast and tight you almost couldn't see it, it just looked like Hatton stumbled forward into the turnbuckle and went down. On replay you could really see the brutal efficiency of it, uncoiled and short and right on the jawline. My wife and I both jumped and pulled a face, and you just knew Hatton was toast. He tried to come forward after Cortez restarted the fight, but his legs were gone and he was dazed badly. It was only a matter of time from there. There's nothing left for Mayweather to prove, serously. No, seriously. People will say he should fight Miguel Cotto or Shane Mosley or any number of other guys between lightweight and welterweight, and those would certainly make great fights, but Mayweather doesn't need 'em. There will always be new guys and new champions that climb the ranks and become elite fighters. Should Mayweather make a personal quest to top them all, even as his love of boxing fades and he ages further? He's clearly beaten all the best of his time in boxing, from sluggers to boxers and every combination in between, and he's proven there's nobody better. The only thing left to prove is that there's nobody better than a 31 year old Mayweather, then a 32 year old version, and so forth. He's the pound for pound champ and has been for some time. If he wants to hang 'em up, he's more than earned it.
Picks for week 15 should be out later today. That's right, I'm sticking with the picks through the end. In case you're counting, I went 12-3 through Sunday this week. Most of America probably did the same, but hey, I'll take it.
Redskins over Bears, 24-16
My Pick: Redskins over Bears, 28-17
Man I absolutely nailed this one. Jason Campbell going down means there's no real reason for me to hope the Skins go to the playoffs anymore, but if the rest of the NFC keeps crapping the bed, why shouldn't the Skynards be the team to get flattened in round 1? Todd Collins played a great game and it was nice to see Gregg Williams dial up a few blitzes for a change. Though the Skins only finished with two sacks, they managed a pair of picks and generally stayed on top of the Chicago signal-callers. Why is everyone acting like an eighth loss is the end of the season for Chicago? As if there won't be an 8-8 team in the NFC playoffs? Please!
Jaguars over Panthers, 37-6
My Pick: Jaguars over Panthers, 27-13
Yikes. Nothing to say about this, other than that it was ugly and the Jaguars are in a groove right now. Ok, wait, one more thing: Del Rio is still an ass. I could have told him a year ago that Reggie Williams would be his best receiver and best red-zone target, but he insisted on demoting the guy in the offseason. I'm not going to criticize ol' Jack too much, but this is another case of the rest of the world being utterly clueless about his criteria for starting or sitting someone in his passing game.
Giants over Eagles, 16-13
My Pick: Eagles over Giants, 34-20
Ok, I was way off on this one. I'm feeling a little betrayed by this lack-of-collapse in New York. No, not by the Giants, but by the rest of the league, for not holding up their end of the bargain and allowing the collapse. The Giants have done as little as possible to win their last two games, but their opponents have just rolled over and handed it to them. Don't they know the league and it's fans are missing on of the best modern holiday traditions? Seriously, just because the Giants have notched a couple of W's doesn't mean they aren't collapsing. It's a reflex, it's there, you just can't see it. Just you wait until the playoffs.
Bengals over Rams, 19-10
My Pick: Bengals over Rams, 38-31
Didn't watch it, don't care.
Texans over Bucs, 28-14
My Pick: Texans over Bucs, 23-17
Pretty close, no? You just had to figure before too long the QB situation would jump up and bite the Bucs. Ernest Graham was a beast in this one, but the Bucs failed to secure their division, and with a Saints win on Monday night, they'll have to put it off another week. They need Jeff Garcia healthy, this is not one of those situations where they can wait until the post-season. The odds are heavily in favor of them winning their division no matter who plays, but do they really want to play it out until the final week? Do they want the Giants or the young Vikings in the first round? Actually . . . who do they want in the first round? Is this a calculated measure to stick the sissy-fied Seahawks with a tough-as-nails Vikings bunch while the Bucs mop up a butter-soft, tenderized Giants team in round 1? Wow . . . actually, they might consider sitting Garcia the rest of the way. Holy hell. I'm onto you, Gruden.
Bills over Dolphins, 38-17
My Pick: Bills over Dolphins, 21-16
Yuk. The Dolphins will not be winning a game. They get the Ravens next, that's their final chance. I won't be picking them. By the by, this game was the end of J. P. Losman's time in Buffalo.
Packers over Raiders, 38-7
My Pick: Packers over Raiders, 28-14
In my picks, I mentioned this could be a letdown for the Packers, a trap game coming off their ugly loss to the Cowboys with a banged up Favre. Well, I was wrong about that.
Cowboys over Lions, 28-27
My Pick: Cowboys over Lions, 45-20
The Lions did all they could in this one . . . to give it away. If they'd managed just one or two more first downs in the second half, they'd have had this one in the bag. Instead, they crapped it away. In the end, that's the difference between the Lions and a playoff team. Next year, Detroit! As expected, the entire sports media is busy fellating Tony Romo.
Chargers over Titans, 23-17
My Pick: Titans over Chargers, 17-14
Man, I had this one. I so had it. Why oh why couldn't the Titans just burn some clock and end it? Because they're not there yet. Sorry, Tennessee. Your team does not belong in the playoffs. Vince Young is not yet the kind of quarterback that can burn clock, orchestrate a long end-game drive, make key throws in the middle of the field, and reliably salt away a victory, especially not against a good defense like San Diego. As for the Chargers, this is one of only a few quality victories on their 2007 resume, and Philip Rivers still looked like utter garbage. I feel bad for this team, they get to slink away with the worst division in football and get flattened at home in the opening round of the playoffs by a wild-card, probably the Browns. Nice.
Vikings over 49ers, 27-7
My Pick: Vikings over 49ers, 37-10
Ok, so the score was closer than I predicted, but the game was not. Who wants to face the Vikings in the playoffs? Nobody, absolutely nobody, that's who. Why? Because they have a dominant, DOMINANT offensive line, two (count 'em) STUD runningbacks capable of carrying the ball infinite times, an impenetrable run defense and an emerging, playmaking pass defense, and Tarvaris Jackson is coming around. On the road or at home, they could put a scare into ANYBODY, including the Pats. In fact, I love this team.
Seahawks over Cardinals, 42-21
My Pick: Cardinals over Seahawks, 34-20
The Seahawks put together their best, most complete performance of the season on Sunday. They played a great game and totally dominated the Cards from the opening kickoff, finally taking their division and actually earning it. Now they'll get a disappointing loss or two in their final three games and shit the bed in the playoffs. Sorry, that's just who they are. They suck. Even if they get to the Super Bowl, that'll be just another indictment of the NFC rather than any indication of their strength.
Browns over Jets, 24-18
My Pick: Browns over Jets, 42-24
Go Browns! They made it look harder than they needed to, but they got the job done. They managed to overcome an early turnover, they moved the ball and played stout defense, and dammit, they're just good. They're one of the few consistent offensive groups in football and their defense is improving. Fucking GO BROWNS!
Patriots over Steelers, 34-13
My Pick: Patriots over Steelers, 35-31
If I insisted the 1 and the 3 were mistakenly reversed in my pick, would you believe me? I wish I'd hit those buttons wrong and picked this one 34-13, I'd be gloating like hell right now. The Steelers were so not up to the task at all. Offensively, they moved the ball but couldn't score, and defensively, they couldn't get off the field for shit. That's all I have to say about this one, another boring Patriots win. They had two straight interesting games before this one, though!
Broncos over Chiefs, 41-7
My Pick: Broncos over Chiefs, 20-17
Funny how the Broncs manage to get a huge, good-looking win just when they don't need it anymore. What does that tell me? This young team doesn't know how to play under pressure yet, and Mike Shanahan, while more than able to call a solid offensive game, is not doing enough to supplement the general lack of veteran leadership on his team. Also, John Lynch is a crappy player with no locker-room influence. Booyah. Eat it, Lynch.
Colts over Ravens, 44-20
My Pick: Colts over Ravens, 24-9
The final score does no justice to how one-sided a blow-out this one was, and that's saying something. The best and only thing the Ravens had going for them was Troy Smith, and that was for the last five minutes of the extended garbage time in this game, also known as the second half. Everything after half-time was like a pre-season exhibition, with Jim Sorgi carving up the Ravens back-up defense and John Doe throwing it to whoever-the-hell-is-running-around-out-there for the Ravens. Baltimore needs to pull it together for just one more game before these coaches and players can do what they've been waiting to do all season, which is mail it in and blame the league and officials for a lost season. If they lose to the Dolphins on Sunday, there will be wholesale changes in every part of the Ravens organization.
Saints over Falcons, 34-14
My Pick: Saints over Falcons, 30-16
I seem to have nailed this one, too. I felt a little bad for the Falcons, they actually seemed to give an honest effort in this game, but they still got obliterated. As for the Saints, let me just say it now before a million other people say it after next Sunday, the Saints are playing better football without Reggie Bush. Aaron Stecker is a decisive, downhill runner with more effective open-field elusiveness than Bush. That's right. He's more effective in space because he makes a quick cut and gets upfield, whereas Reggie makes long, dramatic moves and tries to go the distance on every play. Here's a stat: the longest run of Reggie Bush's NFL career is a whopping 22 yards. He's averaging less than 4 yards per carry this season. With his speed and explosiveness, he should be ripping off more yards per carry and at least the occasional home run, but apparently Reggie never learned how to run north and south. How's this for a comparison; Pierre Thomas, a rookie tailback on the Saints bench, has a longer carry this season and averages more yards per carry. Without Bush, the Saints have two all-business runners who hit the hole and get downfield, and that's perfect for taking advantage of the respect given to the Saints passing game. Anyway, enough of that. The Saints aren't making the playoffs, but if they do it'll be because of that change.
Now for a look at Saturday's PPV boxing extravaganza:
There was no way I wasn't going to order and watch the welterweight showdown on Saturday night. I'll keep my recap short, but let me start by saying that there were too many televised undercards on this telecast, and because none of them were important or especially interesting, it really sucked the life out of the whole affair. It certainly didn't help that the majority of fans, who were in fact from England and here to support home-town hero Ricky Hatton only, didn't even attend the early undercards and had no interest in the final undercard even after they'd arrived. Nothing happened that needs mentioning. As far as the headliner, I might be in the minority, but this fight entertained the hell out of me, I felt it was worth every penny. Yes, in retrospect it was one-sided, but from the opening bell, you had the sense that Hatton was getting to the distance he wanted to fight from and the Mayweather was having to adjust. If anything, that aspect of it only stood to further demonstrate how impressively skilled Mayweather is. The fact that he didn't come in with an overt strategy for keeping Hatton away from him, but rather to fight in close and just do it better, was really something. It was one of those deals where as the fight went on and you thought neither guy was really hurting the other, one guy starts to wear down from all the banging and the little, tight punches you don't get a good look at on TV. To my surprise, it was Hatton that started to get the little nicks and bruises and started to look frustrated. That's not to say I was expecting a Hatton victory, but when I saw that the entire fight was unfolding up close and tight, I went with Lampley and Steward and assumed that it was because Hatton was having success at controlling the tempo of the fight. With that in mind, I expected to see signs that Hatton was having his way, but the opposite was taking place. I know Hatton has a history of cuts, but he was fighting the fight he wanted, just getting beaten to the punch and out-classed. The check-hook left that put him down was an amazing shot, so fast and tight you almost couldn't see it, it just looked like Hatton stumbled forward into the turnbuckle and went down. On replay you could really see the brutal efficiency of it, uncoiled and short and right on the jawline. My wife and I both jumped and pulled a face, and you just knew Hatton was toast. He tried to come forward after Cortez restarted the fight, but his legs were gone and he was dazed badly. It was only a matter of time from there. There's nothing left for Mayweather to prove, serously. No, seriously. People will say he should fight Miguel Cotto or Shane Mosley or any number of other guys between lightweight and welterweight, and those would certainly make great fights, but Mayweather doesn't need 'em. There will always be new guys and new champions that climb the ranks and become elite fighters. Should Mayweather make a personal quest to top them all, even as his love of boxing fades and he ages further? He's clearly beaten all the best of his time in boxing, from sluggers to boxers and every combination in between, and he's proven there's nobody better. The only thing left to prove is that there's nobody better than a 31 year old Mayweather, then a 32 year old version, and so forth. He's the pound for pound champ and has been for some time. If he wants to hang 'em up, he's more than earned it.
Picks for week 15 should be out later today. That's right, I'm sticking with the picks through the end. In case you're counting, I went 12-3 through Sunday this week. Most of America probably did the same, but hey, I'll take it.
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