Thursday, September 30, 2010

NFL Apparel - The American Bang, Clothing and the All-round Business

The eyes of an average American is never off a big occasion sporting event like NFL and the season is very special in every American being the biggest show banging the West with a flow of successive of thrilling exhibition of tight scheduled games waiting for the super bowl. Due in early February 2011, the big moment is but a celebration for the million fans eagerly waiting for its arrival.

The event is a money-spinner of un-measurable magnitude and provides huge opportunities for the small, medium and the large brand owners alike together as NFL Merchandisers to boost their sales in and around the scheduled season. The approx value of the total sales will touch a peak figure of around $3 billion an year with apparel sales at the top. Ordinary Fans turn Fanatics and Feature Fashion in all the possible ways to show evidence of their unconditional support to their team. The wholesalers and retailers in advance study the characteristics of the individual players and the nature of their teams and zero in on the star performers so that the apparels are made in strict connivance with the performer and to make the NFL enthusiast to ensemble them and make him move with fashion. As such the sale on a large scale is entirely driven by the stars of the game.

The "official" tag in the making of apparels gets going in the midst of competitive business and helps the apparel companies to claim authenticity to originals. Apparel introduction is itself a fanfare and famous designers get partnered with the brand giants to take them to the teams, players, staff and fans alike. The Apparel business has a vast scope in that the attire is generally preferred for keeping comfortable in climate and weather additionally. Warm and waterproof clothing are a bare necessity if the stadium is outdoors, and other cases inside requiring cool apparels.




Fans consider NFL apparel as a symbol of status for their indisputable affinity to their team performers. Apparels and NFL jerseys are not seasonal and are indeed life time possessions for any average NFL fan.



Wednesday, September 29, 2010

NFL Betting Strategy - Finding Motivated Teams


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There are many ways to bet on the NFL. One of the best ways I have found to profit from NFL betting is taking motivated underdogs against the spread. Assuming you are betting a spread situation that gives you a known historical edge to start with, you can really boost your win rate by focusing your handicapping energies on team and player motivation.

There are many things that can motivate a team that are overlooked. Was the last meeting lost because of a bad call? Is there a fan appreciation event going on? Can an underdog be a playoff spoiler for their rival? Your list can and should go on to include everything you can think of for both the home team and the visitors.

Make a chart out of them that you can easily print out and score every game giving the teams what I refer to as a Motivation Factor score. I have had great success using my own chart to find motivated underdogs with a situational edge because of the point spread, and for betting on games that do not show an advantage based on the spread.

All other things being equal, being able to consistently identify and bet on motivated teams is one of the BIG keys to success. It is a skill you should work to develop. Fortunately, that's as easy as making a chart and adding to it as motivational factors come to mind.

If you combine that skill with known situational advantages based on the point spread, you will win an awful lot of bets. Bets you may have been losing.




The DIY Sports Betting NFL Betting System has point spread charts and a Motivational Factor Chart to get you winning quickly with minimal effort while costing next to nothing.

See it for yourself.

NFL Betting System from DIY Sports Betting

http://www.diysportsbetting.com/NFL



Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Sports Betting 101- How to Bet on NBA Basketball

Basketball can be one of the tougher sports to handicap for novices, most believe that teams will perform the same (good or bad) in each outing because there are no weather concerns like those that exist in football, while it is indeed true that each basketball contest takes place indoors, most fail to realize how hard it is to play a sting of back to back to back games and especially if travel is involved, in this article we will look at the various factors that must be considered when handicapping NBA hoops.

Certain principles hold true no matter what sport you are handicapping, for example, injuries play a key role in any sporting event but plays a much bigger role in the NBA because they only have five starters on the hardwood versus 22 total starters on an NFL team and also have much less depth on their overall roster, this means that you really need to know the injury situation and who the backup player is before making a wager on an NBA game.

Another consideration is where the game will be played, home court is a much larger factor in the NBA than in the NFL, this comes into play when the home team is listed as the doggie and the visiting team has injuries or is in the midst of a three game or more road trip, keep in mind that road weary teams have tired legs and tired legs lose games in the final minutes.

The NBA is similar to the NFL in that fans also double as gamblers, this means that certain teams have a public following that will place wagers on them no matter what the posted point spread is, usually this can be exploited when this public team is playing at home and laying a bushel full of points to a divisional rival.

Always remember to "Line shop" for the best possible number on your team of choice in order to better enhance your chances of a winning wager, also, beware of laying the hook with road favorites and especially when key numbers are involved, a key number in the NBA is defined as any number which is a multiple of two, the reason why of course is because a basket is worth two points.

Never forget that a winning gambler is a hard working gambler, its best to stay one step ahead of the betting public by being more prepared than they are, this means that you need to know about bad scheduling situations, team chemistry problems, and injury concerns before the public, the information is readily available to everyone but its really an issue of who will go the extra mile by doing the research.




Over the past 35 yrs plus, Jim Campbell has been on both sides of the Sports Investment Business, as a entrepreneur that ran his own business, to building and maintaining a private clientele base that greatly benefits from his superior handicapping expertise in the sporting arena.

Jim Campbell runs http://www.FootballForecastor.com which has been an internet based sports handicapping service since 1997, you will be hard pressed to find another handicapper that has had the kind of success Jim has had, over the past eight years he has maintained one of the very best winning percentages of any sports handicapping service.

Jim Campbell finished the final four weeks of the 2005 NFL regular season with a mark of 14-5-2 ATS coming down the stretch for a winning rate of 73.68% and for the season in the NFL he finished with an overall mark of 48-33-4 ATS for a winning rate of 59.26% and that includes a perfect mark of 7-0 ATS in the NFL Playoffs, Jim has posted a mark of 6-2 ATS over the past EIGHT years with his Super Bowl selections.



Monday, September 27, 2010

NFL Week 5 Handicapping Point Spread First Look

NFL week 4 was the week of the home underdogs which is one of our dozens of winning trends that we preach to our subscribers and readers as far as winning handicapping formulas. In all there were 9 home underdogs last week and 5 of them covered. Home underdogs have covered at a nearly 60 percent clip since 2000 and the trick to is to identify which ones have the best chance to cover. We successfully picked 6 of the 9 correctly and if Alex Smith doesn't get hurt on the first play of the game, you can bet the 49ers would have been much more competitive against the Seahawks. Now we go on to Week 5 and below is our first impression of the betting lines of the week with our picks to come later in the week.

Arizona Cardinals (-3) VS. ST. LOUIS RAMS: Home underdog alert here but the Rams are an absolute mess. They are desperate however and this game looks like th Bills scenario last week against the Jets when they covered and won. The Cardinals are playing well however but they could letdown here on the road after a huge win against the Steelers on Sunday.

Baltimore Ravens (-3) VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Another home underdog here as the 49ers start the awful Trent Dilfer. The Ravens lost last week as a road favorite against the Browns and back-to-back road games are always a betting negative.

DENVER BRONCOS (-1.5) VS. San Diego Chargers: Tough one here as both teams come in off a loss. Broncos very inconsistent and the Chargers are seriously doubting themselves.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (-3) VS. Chicago Bears: The Packers survived a very negative scenario last week in Minnesota and now look to go 5-0 at home against the Bears. Chicago is a mess right now and they are very desperate. Could be desperate enough to steal one here.

HOUSTON TEXANS (-5.5) VS. Dolphins: Texans are hurting without WR Andre Johnson and the Dolphins are just terrible after being run over by the Raiders. 5.5 is a lot of points but the Dolphins can't score.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-10) VS. Tampa Bay Bay Buccaneers: Interesting game here as the surprising Buc's go into Indy to face the 4-0 Colts. Indy looks like a machine once again and they have played nearly perfect football. They can be prone to letdown's at home if they are giving 10 or more as they are here but the Buc's might be hurting with the loss of Cadillac Williams.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-2) VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: The Chiefs shocked the Chargers last week and this team always plays tough. Jaguars won in Denver and then come in off a bye. Winning two in a row on the road is always tough but the Chiefs could letdown here. This is also another home underdog game to look at.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-16) VS. Cleveland Browns: The Pats are a perfect 4-0 ATS and theye look unstoppable. This line is not too high in that they covered the same number against the Bills two weeks ago. The Browns are playing better but they struggle on the road.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-3) VS. Carolina Panthers: Its now or never for the Saints as they come off a bye and a loss at home the week before. Losing two in a row with such a talented team is rare but the Panthers might get Jake Delhomme back which would aid their chances in this game.

NY GIANTS (-3.5) VS. NY Jets: Desperation angle at work here for the Jets as they must win to stay in the playoff hierarchy. The Giants are very confident after their huge win against the Eagles however and they are playing their best ball in quite awhile.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6) VS. Seattle Seahawks: Steelers are in rebound mode after losing in Arizona last week. Seattle is hot right now and they are very confident after beating the 49ers into submission on Sunday.

TENNESSEE TITANS (-9) VS. Atlanta Falcons: The Titans have covered nine straight games and they go home to face a weak Falcons squad. This spread is high though since Tennessee is not a high-scoring team. Also the Falcons are playing better.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (-3.5) VS. Detroit Lions: Tough one to call as both teams have issues. Lions can't stop anyone but they can score at will. The Redskins can't score but they play tough defense.

Dallas Cowboys (-10) VS. BUFFALO BILLS: Home underdog scenario which is what the Bills were in as they covered and won last week against the Jets. The Cowboys keep rolling along and their offense looks unstoppable.




Cofounder of http://www.yourwinningpicks.com/ in our tenth year of supplying sports handicapping and fantasy sports information.



Saturday, September 25, 2010

NFL Playoffs: Turnover Margin


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Win the turnover battle, you win the game and probably cover! In theory, it makes a lot of sense. However, it's not easy to gauge beforehand who is going to win the turnover battle. And successful handicapping is about predicting and projecting likely occurrences.

Look at the opening week of the playoffs. The Bengals led the AFC with an outstanding +25 turnover differential. Whatever defensive shortcomings Cincinnati had, they helped make up for it with an aggressive, ball-hawking defense that forced turnovers. However, in the first playoff game, the Steelers won the TO battle against Cincy 2-0, with a 31-17 win and cover. Last week, the Redskins won the turnover battle 3-0 in their game at Seattle. That's often enough of an edge needed to win. Not only didn't the Redskins win, they couldn't even cover as a +9 dog in Seattle's 20-10 victory.

Turnovers do so much to change the complexion of a game. Never was that so evident than in last week's game between Denver and New England. The Patriots had a significant edge in total yards, but 5 turnovers killed them. Leading 3-0 inside the two minute warning, the Patriots were driving and had all the momentum. They had lost much of the field position battle, but had won the TO edge (1-0) to that point and were seemingly in command of the game. In the blink of an eye, RB Kevin Faulk fumbled and Denver scored (with the help of a pass interference penalty in the end zone). The Patriots fumbled the ensuing kickoff and it was suddenly Denver 10-3 at the half. CB Champ Bailey's 100-yard interception return in the third quarter pretty much iced the game too.

Turnovers were the story in that game, a Denver win and cover. Notice that coming into the contest, the Broncos were a stellar +18 in turnover margin for the season, second only to Cincy in the AFC. They have been opportunistic all season. The Patriots had been strong in turnover margin in 2003 and 2004, but this season they were minus-5, a significant drop in TO production. And that Achilles' heal is a big reason they are watching the rest of the postseason instead of going for three Super Bowl titles in a row.

Again, it's not always easy to predict either. Last week, the Colts (+11 TO edge) took on the Steelers (+7 TO edge). Indy won the turnover battle 2-0 at home. On paper, that looks like a significant edge for the Colts, yet they not only failed to cover as a huge favorite, they lost the game, 21-18. Where and when those turnovers take place is just as significant, and impossible to predict. No doubt Jerome Bettis would be the sports goat of the new century had the Colts returned that fumble 99-yards for a TD in the final minute, like they came very close to doing!

As for this weekend's games, the Broncos are +18 in TO margin, the Steelers +7. In the NFC, the Panthers are +12, the Seahawks are +9. It is obvious that teams don't get this far in the playoffs without a positive TO margin. And Washington's minus-4 TO margin was the worst of the NFC playoff teams, and they are out of it. A lot of folks wondered why the talented Chargers didn't even make the playoffs, look no further than their poor minus-6 TO margin. Also, note that Carolina was tops in the NFC in positive turnover margin.

Looking ahead to the Super Bowl, the team that loses the TO battle has only won the game twice and only covered 5 times. My top play this weekend is in the AFC as my Playoff Total of the Year goes on Sunday. Enjoy the games, and don't be surprised if turnovers pop up as the deciding factor in what has thus far been a wild postseason!




Bryan Leonard is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at [http://www.procappers.com/Bryan_Leonard.htm]



Thursday, September 23, 2010

National Football League: Say No to Thugs! Part Two


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When a mom and dad notice their kids are turning into porky little chowbuckets, they often try to substitute healthier foods for all the Twinkies, cookies and potato chips the kids are tossing down their throats. Similarly, let's see where National Football League players get in trouble and recommend alternative, wholesome activities and entertainment for them.

1) Strip clubs. NFL players seem inexorably drawn to these establishments. The attraction is, of course, the varied and exotic creatures you see on display there. And in some strip clubs, they let you observe these creatures up close and personal. In others, you are asked to keep your distance, for safety reasons--yours and hers.

Substitute activity: visiting your local Zoo. Same attraction, actually: interesting animals, exotic habitat. But infinitely more educational, and the municipal Zoo has a much higher class of clientele for you to socialize with. I can't recall a single incident of a celebrity athlete being arrested at the Zoo. Once or twice, a Zoo visitor might get bitten, but that can obviously happen at strip clubs, too.

Substitute activity 2: take up ballroom dancing. Why just watch others dance around the stage, or the pole, when you can sashay across the floor yourself? And an National Football League player's athletic ability gives him a leg up, so to speak, on the other people taking dancing lessons with him. Just look at how proficient Emmitt Smith became on Dancing with the Stars. Though he's still no John O'Hurley.

2) Fights and other altercations in bars. Recently, even a Green Bay Packer, if you can believe it, got into trouble for allegedly pushing or shoving a female late one night in a drinking establishment. The alleged shover was starting linebacker Nick Barnett. (To be honest, I was not aware that shoving was considered a crime, especially after the times I have ridden the subway in New York.)

An unfortunate offshoot of this incident is now Green Bay Packer fans have to listen to the taunts of the Viking fans: "Dude, that was the best tackle Barnett made all year!"

The reason so many athletes have unpleasant experiences in bars is simple: excessive alcohol consumption reduces normally intelligent individuals to a level of thinking just below moronic, and aggressive tendencies that would normally be repressed, from fans and players alike, suddenly emerge. Small-minded people who are envious of the money and fame that accrues to pro athletes sometimes deliberately try to provoke the athlete into an argument. Provoking a National Football League player, who is paid to be aggressive, is never a wise choice. But as with NFL games when the Ref only notices the second person who threw the punch, the athlete often pays the price for a drunken fan's outburst.

Substitute activity: Learn how to cook. Becoming a skilled chef is a lot of fun, and allows you to entertain your friends at your home, and avoid the bar scene and its associated unpleasant situations altogether. You will have to go out to shop for groceries, but fans you may encounter are unlikely to become belligerent in the produce aisle. For the football player who is single, the grocery store can be an excellent venue to meet eligible females, who will be impressed that you know how to use ingredients like radicchio and broccoli rabe.

Substitute activity 2: watch Political Debates. Take out these aggressive tendencies by yelling at the TV when a politician says something particularly idiotic. Since both major political parties are chock full of nuts these days, the opportunity to vent your frustrations is nearly limitless. You may never feel the need to visit a drinking establishment again.

Or, if you listen to enough political drivel, maybe you will.




Are you an NFL fan? Then you'll love the novel Over Time Money, Love, and Football: All the important things in life. Find out more about Brian Hill, the author, at his Capital Connection



Wednesday, September 22, 2010

1/16/04 NFL Divisional Playoffs: New England Patriots At Denver Broncos

The latest NFL Football Odds has the Denver Broncos only favored by 3 points.

Denver comes into this re-match winning the first game 28-20 last October, and will surely be fired up for their first playoff game since the 2000-2001 season. Though it is true that Tom Brady is 10-0 in the playoffs and Plummer hasn't exactly proven himself to be a "playoff-type" quarterback, I still believe Denver pulls this one out.

On a physiological basis, it is quite tough to play in high altitudes. The Broncos have a true homefield advantage in this game, as they are 22-4 SU in their last 26 home games; in the playoffs, the point-spread doesn't entirely matter too much: as a favorite you'll either cover or lose the game SU.

On to the defensive stats for both teams, we see the Broncos clearly being the better defensive team in this matchup, and though New England has proven themselves to be the late surging team this past couple of weeks, one really needs to look at their opposition and who they actually defeated: Miami twice, NY Jets twice, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay (both were New England home games), New Orleans, and Buffalo. In fact, their only "true" loss (not including Week 17), came to the KC Chiefs.

Another glaring fact is that close to 90% of the public is hammering the NE ML, a fact that is quite alarming. Do you really think Vegas intentionally set this line at +3, +150 on the ML and not realize that people would be jumping all over the Patriots? Denver on the other hand has been the best ATS team thus far this NFL season. They have been entirely undervalued and under-appreciated. They boast a great rushing offense, and complement that with a great rushing/passing defense. Playing at mile-high stadium is like playing in Foxsborough in -20 F, visiting teams just do not win and cover.




You can see the latest live nfl football odds by checking out our site.



Tuesday, September 21, 2010

2010 NFL Predictions - Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have enjoyed plenty of success the last two seasons, winning back-to-back division titles and four playoff games.  However, they did that with future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner under center.  With Warner calling it a career in the offseason, it will now be up to Matt Leinart to keep the Cards atop the NFC West.  And NFL lines makes don't have faith that he can get the job done.  The books have listed the Cardinals behind the San Francisco 49ers at +250 to win the NFC West.  They have also set Arizona's regular season wins number at over/under 7.5 wins.

Offense: Leinart will get the first crack at replacing Warner. If he doesn't perform up to Ken Whisenhunt's standards, we will likely see Derek Anderson.

Leinart will have plenty of weapons and an improved offensive line to help him succeed. Arizona has brought perennial Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca aboard to steady the line. The Cards want to improve their running attack, and Whisenhunt, who coached Faneca in Pittsburgh, believes his new guard is just the guy to do it. Whisenhunt also knows that a stronger running game will take the pressure off of Leinart.

If running backs Beanie Wells and Timothy Hightower receive adequate blocking, I believe they can put up some big numbers. This duo combined for nearly 1,400 yards and 15 scores on the ground last season. With Arizona expected to put a bigger emphasis on its running game, Wells might be a nice fantasy sleeper.

The Cards will miss physical wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but they still have plenty of big play ability with Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet. Fitzgerald is as good as they get in the NFL. He has recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns each of the last three seasons.

Defense: The Cards were a very mediocre defensive team in 2009. They ranked No. 15 in the NFL in scoring defense, giving up 20.3 points per game, and No. 20 in total defense, allowing 346.4 yards per game.

Arizona will have its work cut out for itself as it tries to improve on those numbers now that it has lost quality performers like Karlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle.

The Cardinals have tried to make up for these losses by bringing in Joey Porter and Kerry Rhodes. They also added nose tackle Dan Williams and linebacker Daryl Washington in the draft.

With veteran pass rushers Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor no longer in the desert, the Cards are hoping that Porter can keep their pass rush elite. Arizona finished No. 6 in the NFL with 43 sacks last season.

Prediction: 3rd NFC West - In order for Arizona to win the NFC West for a third straight season, Leinart will have to play much better than he has to this point in his career. While I don't think Leinart will be a complete bust, he's not Warner, and he likely never will be. The Cards relied on their offense to carry the load the past two seasons, but there's a good chance the offense won't be as explosive in 2010. Be sure to check out my 2010 NFL predictions to see which team I have winning the NFC West.




If you want winning NFL picks to beat the NFL odds this fall, then get signed up for one of the premium packages on my site.



Monday, September 20, 2010

The NFL Apparel Under Meticulous Watch, Brand and Bondage

The craze of sporting apparel and a natural demand for it creates an unknown hype on the product which is later converted into brand equity with the major Brand players vying with each other to define the other dimension. The contestants on the field are required to strictly adhere to the rules of brand laws during the show as watchers are employed to enforce it.

Fans sporting a NFL Jersey or a branded sport kit can be spared, but not those on the field. Uniform Inspector or Fashion policing is common in big leagues like NFL whose job is to frisk players and make certain that they adhere to the league's dress code. The official NFL apparel pays the League authorities a hefty sum in dollars for promotion of its label and other sports accessories related to the game. The League on its part is ordained to display only the promoted in return. Players irrespective of the 32 teams which they represent are required to sport only that particular brand and failing to do so is a violation. The offences will include all petty things which are either exhibited habitually or displayed for earning credit to any outsider or to any entity which he belongs.

A Few examples are wearing a college cap, cutting the jersey short, exhibiting personal messages, any apparel logo other than the official sponsors, mismatch in sleeve lengths etc. The exercise starts even during the pregame warm-ups, and the players are given instructions to the effect so that they are corrected then and there and doesn't get their performance affected during the actual game. Violations have a consistent share in any game and the enforcer's will accompany the players throughout press sessions, in dressing rooms and with binoculars for distant vision so that they are corrected.

The Fines imposed for violations are huge and go anywhere between $5000 and $25000. While the seasoned players are aware all the regulations the new entrants are subjected to extreme stress as they forget to realize that once they are up in the stadium for the match they stand for the sponsors.




The imitated cheap NFL jerseys have the capacity to lose the sheen and can numb the numbers which are assets to cherish and memorabilia. An ideal NFL apparel is one that is official and has all the ingredients of a strict, non-infringing character respecting rules of the game.



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Brett Favre History

A pride of Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre history has stirred the sports world in the West. Brett is considered to be one of the best-playing National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks. Television reporters and commentators broadcast to the world that Brett is referred to as the one of the well-followed players that even his fellow football players would purchase a ticket just to enjoy his stints and celebrate victory with him.

Trading back Brett Favre history before NFL years, he was born on October 10, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi. He played quarterback, strong safety, kicker and punter at Hancock Northern Central High School's football team coached by his own father Irvin. In college, he was seen to have much potential in professional style in offense department by his head coach Curley Hallman. Since then, he's mastered his skills until he gained Heisman trophy before his senior semesters.

Brett Favre history relays that Brett also had his down moments when he got seriously injured after a car accident before he could even make it to the training camp in college. About 30 inches of his small intestines had to be taken out. Eventually, his life on field was back 20 days after where he led Southern Mississippi to victory against Alabama. That was another record America's football-followers appreciated.

When Brett started playing quarterback for Green Bay Packers of NFL in 1992, his football career soared higher and created distinctive waves in American sports scene. Prior to his getting drafted as part of Green Bay, he had his stint with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991. Brett Favre history shares that this University of Mississippi quarterback is not just a football star. He is also a philanthropist who put up the so-called Brett Favre Forward Foundation in 1996 which raised 1.25 million dollars that benefited Mississippi and Wisconsin charitable institutions. Such donation was raised out of his playing in golf tourneys, celebrity softball games and fundraising events.

Favre won Most Valuable Player in NFL three times from 1995 to 1997 and made a victorious leadership for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl Game versus New England. Since playing amazingly, he's set some record-breaking figures as having attained NFL's most number of touchdown passes 442, NFL's highest number of passing yards 61,655, NFL's most career pass completions 5,377, NFL's most career pass attempts 8,758 and NFL most number of interceptions thrown 288. In Brett Favre history, he made the most consecutive starts among the quarterbacks in the NFL history.

After signing a lifetime contract with the Green Bay Packers in 2001, Brett Favre history says he would end up his career with the Packers. Indeed, no player has ever been closely connected to Packers or any team as much as how Brett has been.




Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about Brett Favre [http://sportslegendsshop.info/brett-favre-history], please visit Sports Legends Shop [http://sportslegendsshop.info] for current articles and discussions.



Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Top 5 NFL Running Backs in 2009

We're now 6 weeks into the NFL football season. Hasn't it been a great one so far? With the many interesting story lines and some pleasant surprises along the way, 2009 has been full of surprises in the football world. Some of the more pleasant surprises have come in the world of the running back. Guys like Cedric Benson have excelled in their roles, making the most of their opportunities to be starting running backs. Here are the top 5 running backs through the first six weeks of the NFL season. This is naturally subject to change through the course of the year.

5. Ray Rice. The second year running back out of Rutgers seems to get better with each week, averaging well over 100 yards per game, despite the presence of Willis McGahee.

4. Ronnie Brown. Brown is literally carrying the Dolphins on his back, helping them through tough times as they work new QB Chad Henne into the mix.

3. Steven Jackson. While his team is still winless, he manages about 100 yards per game just about every week he plays. Jackson is simply a great RB on a horrible team.

2. Maurice Jones Drew. This guy is a touchdown scoring machine, and you'd hear his name more if he were on a better team. Still, MJD has been exceptional in 2009.

1. Adrian Peterson. The king of all running backs, Peterson is a phenomenal running back, and many believe he may be the greatest of all time by the time his career is done.




Marcy Parker is a huge football fan, and the featured blogger at the Kate Spade handbag resource. See more of her work at http://katespadehandbag.org.



Friday, September 17, 2010

How Far Can the New York Jets Go With Revis Island Back?


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With the stroke of a pen, the New York Jets have once again become a trendy NFL weekly pick. All it took was finally agreeing to terms with cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Of all the soap operas going on during the NFL preseason - the battle between Albert Haynesworth and Mike Shanahan, Matt Leinart's battle to be Arizona's starter and the status of Ben Roethlisberger - none was quite so high-profile as Revis' protracted holdout.

After putting together back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons and winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2009, Revis wanted to cash in as the highest-paid defensive back in the league. The Oakland Raiders had previously set the standard by signing cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha to a three-year, $45.3 million contract.

While neither the Jets nor Revis are talking numbers publicly, it would appear that Revis' desire to eclipse Asomugha's deal have fallen short. The New York Daily News first reported the contract to be in the area of four years and $46 million.

Regardless of what the paychecks look like for Revis, the important part for the Jets and their fans is that the player widely regarded as the leagues best at his position will be in uniform for the season opener against Anquan Boldin and the Baltimore Ravens. There's very little doubt that New York could have reached their title expectations without him, but having Revis locked up doesn't make the Lombardi Trophy a sure thing.

Last season, the Jets were a 9-7 team that made the playoffs by virtue of finishing the season with the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals - two teams who had already earned playoff spots and rested their starters. To their credit, the Jets got hot in the postseason and surprised a lot of people by earning road wins against the Bengals and San Diego Chargers before losing in the AFC Championship game at Indianapolis.

But there are still plenty of questions remaining before putting the Jets down in ink as one of your NFL weekly picks. Can second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez significantly improve on last year's dreadful touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12 TDs to 20 INTs? Can Sanchez count on targets Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards to consistently create big plays in the passing game? Is Shonn Greene ready to carry the load as New York's feature back? If not, can newly-acquired LaDainian Tomlinson regain at least a portion of the form that made him an All-Pro in San Diego?

One thing is for sure. With Darrelle Revis shutting down one quarter of the field, it allows Rex Ryan to ratchet up the heat on opposing quarterbacks with his aggressive, attacking defense. We'll see if it's enough to get them over the top.




Get your winning NCAAF Picks and College Football Predictions this 2010 season at http://www.jrtips.com/.



Thursday, September 16, 2010

The NFL Network And NHL Network Are For True Fans

Most sports fans know that you can't get everything that you want and need from the NHL or the NFL from over-the air broadcasts. True fans know that your basic cable package, even with ESPN, isn't going to cut it, either. Real NFL and NHL fans know that, to get the best action of the season, they need to turn to the NFL and the NHL Network. For that matter, true fans know that just having access to the NFL and NHL Network is good, but having them both in High Definition is better by far.

In terms of football, the NFL Network is the best place for true football fans to follow the football season, starting with the more than 50 pre season games that are aired every year. On top of the preseason games, the NFL Network provides many regular season games in mind-blowing HD. True NFL fans can even watch the NFL draft, as well as in-depth coverage of the scouting process. On top of all of the current season goodness, the NFL network also features replays of classic match-ups, as well as replays of previous Superbowls.

Similarly, for the true NHL fan, there is no better place to catch all of the best hockey action of the season. The NHL Network, like the NFL Network, gives fans the chance to watch many exclusive hockey games, as well as classic games. When combined with the NHL Center Ice package, it is even more of a true fan's powerhouse, providing as many as 40 games each and every week during the regular season, as well as select games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The NHL and NFL Network are the only places that die-hard, tried and true fans can go to get coverage of their sport. They can tune in 24 hours a day and seven days a week, in High Definition TV. The bad news for true fans is that many cable companies just don't carry the NFL network. I

n fact, most of the cable companies out there do not carry the NFL Network. For some of the cable companies that do offer the NFL Network, many don't offer the NFL Network in HD. The NFL Network in high definition is available on both DIRECTV Satellite television and the Dish Network. The NHL Network in high definition and standard definition is currently only available on DIRECTV.




Whitney Alen is a Direct TV expert and has over 10 years experience in the satellite TV industry.



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The Rich History of America's Team

The Dallas Cowboys are "America's Team". Year after year their popularity soars. They are known the world over as a great National Football League franchise and as the team that is cheered on by "America's Sweethearts", the world famous Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. It is due to their success on and off the field that the team has such a legion of loyal fans and that the Dallas Cowboys history is so rich and storied.

The city of Dallas, Texas, was granted an NFL franchise on January 28, 1960. The start of a sports dynasty had begun. The team, first known as the Dallas Steers, then the Dallas Rangers, settled on the nickname the Cowboys. The formation of the Texas NFL expansion team didn't get off to a very smooth start. The owner of the Washington Redskins had, for several decades, enjoyed a monopoly in the Southern States of the US a monopoly he wasn't ready to give up. So the soon to be owners of the Texas expansion team went out and bought the rights to the Redskins fight song, "Hail to the Redskins". The Redskins owner quickly changed his mind and the Texas expansion team came into being. This early confrontation sparked a rivalry between the two franchises which continues to this day.

Tom Landry was hired as the first Dallas Cowboys coach of the the new team which ended their first season winless. The following year, the Cowboys selected Bob Lilly in their first NFL draft selection and in this year as well the the Cowboys' tasted their first victory. The Dallas Cowboys continued to improve and by 1966 they had their first winning season and their first playoff appearance, the first of eight straight playoff appearances (which they would later surpass with nine straight appearances in 1983). By the mid point of their first decade the Dalls Cowboys had become a powerful force in the NFL and sent eight players to the Pro Bowl. For the next 30 years the Cowboys would show their dominance in the NFL.

The 1970s got off to a great start as the Cowboys made it to their first Super Bowl, Super Bowl V. Unfortunately their first appearance ended in defeat. The 1971 season marked the teams move from the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas to their newly built home, Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The legendary Roger Staubach was named starting quarterback for the Cowboys midway through the season and the team found themselves making their second Super Bowl appearance. Super Bowl VI would be different as the team led by an MVP performance by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Staubach would become Superbowl Champions for the first time.The Cowboys were now beginning to grow in popularity not just in Dallas, but nationwide.

In 1974 the Cowboys stumbled and missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The next year they made some good draft choices and with their new talent found themselves in Super Bowl X. They went down to defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Super Bowl victory would come again to the Dallas Cowboys in 1977 as they defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII to once again become Superbowl Champions. It was at this point in Dallas Cowboys history that the team was dubbed "America's Team" by an NFL films editor. It is a title that has stuck through all the team's ups and downs despite opposition from non-Cowboys fans. The 1970s glory days for the Cowboys would end with one final trip to the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIII. . Again the team would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the 1980's the Dallas Cowboys returned to the playoffs 5 times and won 2 Division Championships. The team however failed to claim a single Conference Championship in the 1980s, despite playing in the NFC championship game 3 consecutive years. They did not return to the Super Bowl in this decade. As the decade came to a close the ownership of the Cowboys changed, Tom Landry the only coach in Cowboys history was fired, Jimmy Johnson became the new Dallas Cowboys coach and Troy Aikman was drafted.

The Cowboys drafted running back, Emmitt Smith in 1990, and the trifecta of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin was set. In 1991, the Cowboys made the playoffs for the first time in six years. In 1992, the Dallas Cowboys went on to victory in Super Bowl XXVII and the following year were Superbowl Champions again in Super Bowl XXVIII.The Cowboys sent an NFL record 11 players to the Pro Bowl in 1993. After a falling out, Jimmy Jones was fired and the days of glory would soon draw to a close but not before one more Super Bowl victory. The Cowboys would get their revenge and defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.

In the new millenium the woes of the Dallas Cowboys were being attributed to its owner Jerry Jones and his refusal to hire a strong coach. In 2003, however, he did just that as Bill Parcells was lured out of retirement to coach the Cowboys. November 2004 saw a vote that determined the Dallas Cowboys new stadium in Arlington, Texas would be built and ready for play in 2009. The Cowboys finished an up-and-down 2005 season in 3rd place in the NFC East. After five games into the 2006 season Tony Romo took over as the starter Dallas Cowboys quarterback. The team made it to a wild card matchup but their efforts fell short in a crushing loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
At the conclusion of the Cowboys' season Bill Parcells resigned.Wade Phillips, former San Diego defensive coordinator will take over the coaching duties for the Cowboys as they put this season behind them and strive to move forward. Based on the Dallas Cowboys history they will no doubt rise again to glory, they are afterall, America's Team.




Rick Bedard, a lifetime fan of the Dallas Cowboys, has decided to take his love for "America’s team" to the next level. Visit Rick’s online creation Dallas-Cowboys-Apparel.com

This site filled with Dallas Cowboys Merchandise and Information is a dream comes true for Rick… http://www.dallas-cowboys-apparel.com



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Making Sense of the AFC

For the past couple of years, picking an AFC champion at the beginning of the NFL season has been like trying to figure out where the stock market is going to be in six months. Sure, a team might look good but who knows what they are going to look like when the Super Bowl comes around. Will San Diego finally stop their playoff disappointment? Can Indianapolis turn their recent domination into another Super Bowl title? Can the Patriots stay injury free for a whole season? And how about Baltimore and Pittsburgh- can great defenses carry teams that have questionable offenses? All of these questions can be answered on paper, but frankly you'll have to watch football online or on your TV for 17 weeks to get any type of answer that isn't just a guess.

Here is the thing: when it comes to front runners in the AFC you can easily make a case how each one of them WON'T make it to the big game. Indianapolis is the defending AFC champions, but after last year's Super Bowl loss they suddenly don't look as invincible as they once were. The San Diego Chargers lost a lot of big names this off season can this perennial under performing team continue to win in the regular season without them? The Ravens and the Steelers have the firepower to make it to the big game, but both have deficiencies that you just can't ignore. Out of the favorites the Colts seem to have the most complete team to make it to Super Bowl XLV in February, but make sure you watch football online and on your big screen when the Ravens come on as they seem to be a popular expert pick also.

As for sleeper teams, there are a few "sexy" choices out there for who will take the AFC crown. The Chief's and number five overall pick Eric Berry has some who watch football online for a living penciling the team in for a playoff appearance. The Denver Broncos and first round draft pick Tim Tebow also may turn some heads- as long as they can put all the pieces together to make a run. In the East, many believe that both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets could turn a few heads thanks to solid drafts and veteran players. And in Tennessee, can the Titans continue to build on last seasons strong second half to go deep in the playoffs?

Regardless of who ends up victorious, this should be a great season to gather some friends and watch football online or on your big screen. With so many question marks for so many big name teams, don't be surprised if you see a team like the Jets of the Titans represent the AFC in Dallas next February.




Benny Chikayasu

http://nflfootballhasfinallyarrived.blogspot.com



Monday, September 13, 2010

Watching NFL Football Online

While baseball is supposedly the national past time of the American sporting public, a very good case could be made that NFL football is the most popular sports league in the United States. Forget the fact that networks pay billions to broadcast games, the NFL draft regularly has more viewership then the championship games of most sports. In fact, while they say that the Super Bowl is a national holiday, you could argue that it is the American holiday: no matter what race, creed or religion you are, chances are you are tuning into at least part of the game, even if it is just for the commercials. Fans live football. Because of this utter devotion it only makes sense that the next big leap for the NFL is live games on the internet.

For a while, sports didn't quiet know what to do with the internet. While most leagues kept a website and some intriguing content on there, the idea of broadcasting games live online didn't exactly seem to be high on their priority level. There are a lot of things that need to be considered with live broadcasts online: television rights, sponsors, cable companies, the players association, owners, and, of course, league interests. The NFL makes a lot of money on it's broadcasts and these types of issues take a long time to work out.

While it may be in it's infancy, the NFL has slowly started to jump onto the internet broadcasting bandwagon. While it's still a small amount of games considering the full schedule, the NFL has allowed broadcasters like NBC show their games online. There are even apps that, for a price, you can watch full games from your laptop or phone. While it's a start, you are unlikely to see a huge jump in free internet streaming thanks to current contracts which give cable and satellite providers exclusive package deals. These package deals, which fans can order for up to $50 a month, are currently the only way to watch NFL football games from all broadcast feeds at the same time.

If they allow free streaming games then the NFL and cable companies lose this revenue. One day it will happen though. Every time that the NFL negotiates new television contracts (which occurs every four or five years), they make more and more content available online. While you shouldn't hold your breath for a full schedule, expect to see more and more games each year.




Benny Chikayasu

http://watchingnflfootballonline.blogspot.com



Sunday, September 12, 2010

Why Haven't the Saints Ever Been to a Super Bowl?

The Saints are one of only five teams that have never been to the Super Bowl the teams are as follows.

- Detroit Lions (Won 4 NFL championships and went to the NFC Championship in 1991)
- Cleveland Browns (Won 4 of 6 NFL championship appearances and went to 3 AFC championships 1986, 1987, and 1989)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (Expansion team and went to 2 AFC Championships in 1996 and 1999)
- Houston Texans (expansion team, and never made the playoffs)
- New Orleans Saints (Went to 1 NFC Championship in 2006)

This is pretty bad especially when you consider the fact that two of the above mentioned teams are expansion teams and have not been in the NFL for even fifteen years. The Saints however have been an NFL team since 1967. So why haven't they ever been to the Super Bowl? Quite frankly it is because they have never been good enough. Some say it has been because of a curse, others say because of the fact that they have never had all the right players at the same time, but I say that they have just never had a good enough team.

Now that the Saints has what is considered to be the best roster in the team's long history what will happen now? What will the excuse be if they do not make it to a Super Bowl this year? Honestly there will be no excuse, it is now or never for the Saints so it had better be now!




I am a college student and a huge fan of the NFL and the New Orleans Saints. If you are interested in any Saints apparel, specifically New Orleans Saints Merchandise or just want updates on the Saints then check out this site http://neworleanssaintsmerchandise.net



Saturday, September 11, 2010

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Jackets

The Dallas Cowboys are spinning out of control right now, but Dallas Cowboys Merchandise is still top dog in the NFL, like the Dallas Cowboys Superbowl jackets. The newly drafted Felix Jones and quarterback Tony Romo are sure going to make sure, that Dallas Cowboy Merchandise remains at the top for many years to come, newly acquired Roy Williams, will as well.

If success was measured on the field then we would have a different story. How do The Dallas Cowboys, get away with having a 40-year old backup quarterback in Brad Johnson and being so unprepared to play? Brad Johnson made me feel like I should not be a Dallas Cowboy fan anymore. This guy was a Superbowl winner with Tampa. At 40, I do not expect him to have the strength of a rookie, however I do expect him to be prepared for a game and be able to pass in the 10 to 20 yards range with accuracy.

I do not know what it is with my teams, but they sure do have a flair for not doing anything right lately. First the NY Mets, now this. I watched the Dallas Cowboys put on one of the worst performances in NFL history, for a team that was picked to win the Superbowl, I just don't see it! Believe me every Dallas Cowboys Superbowl jacket that I owned was at stake of being trashed! But I came to my senses.

How does Bum Phillips' fat little boy, not have these Dallas Cowboys ready to win a game in St. Louis, against the horrible Rams? I don't even want to hear how good the St. Louis Rams played yesterday. Any football team, on any given Sunday when given 6 opportunities, with great opposing field position is going to come away with 34 points.

Stephen Jackson is a 240 pound stud running back, yes he is! He can have his 60 yard run for a touchdown, most running backs are going to find a big hole, if they get the ball 20 or 30 times, but even a mediocre at math person like me knows, that will never add up to 34!

Wade Phillips, get this damn team ready to play every Sunday, or get out of Dallas. The word around the NFL was that your specialty was Defense, show me some please! How the heck are we to beat the NY Football Giants, when all you really can expect is a split with them anyway...In reality we had no business beating the Philadelphia Eagles and most true fans know this. The Cincinnati Bengals almost beat us and probably could have, had they had a real head coach of their own. The Washington Redskins did, and so did the Arizona Cardinals.

Tony Romo, take advantage of this down time that you and your pinky now have and let's get back to the basics, what made you, you! See the ball, run with the ball. That and only that, will make the plays you need magically appear. Also, can you get some help on how to tuck the ball, so that every time you get laced, you don't lose THE BALL! Dude I love your taste in women, I really do, but can you lay off the Simpson chick until we get this thing turned around? It's the manly thing to do...Stop being so selfish and for once think about those of us that don't have her and only have Dallas Cowboy football and a warm Dallas Cowboy Superbowl jacket.




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Thursday, September 9, 2010

Kickers Are Weird

I was a sports broadcaster for 35 years, mostly covering the National Football League. I learned a lot of things in that time, but one thing stands out, and I'm going to share it with you now:

Kickers are weird

Go back and read it again, several times.

I put it in big type for a reason. It's true! And you have to understand it. Kickers are very, very weird people.

Whole generations of NFL fans have grown up not knowing what a "straight-on" kicker looks like. Well, a straight-on kicker didn't angle into the ball like today's soccer-style kickers. He ran straight at the ball and kicked it straight toward the goalpost, wearing a shoe with a special hard, square toe in it. I know this is a foreign concept for some of you younger people, but bear with an old man for a moment.

The NFL record for field goal distance is still held by a straight-on kicker who actually had a deformed foot and had to wear a specially fitted shoe: Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints for sixty-three yards (since tied by Denver's Jason Elam, for you stat freaks).

Another old-time NFL kicker, Ben Agajanian, also had a deformed foot and a special shoe. After his playing days, Ben became a respected teacher of the kicking arts. One of his pupils once asked Ben, "How can I get a kicking shoe like yours?"

"Well," Ben said, "first you get a lawnmower..."

In the mid-1960s, the Gogolak brothers, Pete and Charley, came into the NFL, the first soccer-style kickers. And unlike the hulking, straight-on guys, they were smaller. And foreign. And they didn't know much about football, American style. Stories abound of their running off the field after a successful kick shouting, "I keek touchdown!"

The last of the straight-ons, the Redskins' Mark Moseley, retired in 1986. It's been soccer style since then.

And kickers are weird in more than just the angle they take to the ball. They do strange things with their shoes. I was interviewing the Cowboys' Chris Boniol back in the nineties, and he let it slip that he broke in his kicking shoes by soaking them in near-scalding water, while his foot was inside them. This, he said, made the leather conform to the shape of his foot. But that wasn't the really weird part.

The really weird part is that Boniol wore a size nine street shoe. On the field, he wore a size seven!

"Wait a minute," I said. "You take a size nine street shoe but you wear a size seven kicking shoe? How do you get your foot in there?"

"You just kind of wedge it in."

"Doesn't it hurt? Don't your toes get all cramped?"

"Doesn't matter," Boniol said. He wanted it to feel like his shoe was just another part of his foot-one skin, so to speak. And since he was a co-holder of the record for most field goals in one game (seven-since broken), who was I to argue?




Mark Oristano is a 35-year veteran sportscaster who worked for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers, NFL Films and more. He is the author of A SPORTSCASTER'S GUIDE TO WATCHING FOOTBALL: Decoding America's Favorite Game. For more information visit his website, http://www.guidetowatchingfootball.com, or "Friend" Mark Oristano on Facebook and log on during Cowboy games and the NFL playoffs for real-time commentary. Signed copies of his book can be purchased for $12.50 by calling Mark at 214-546-3794.



Wednesday, September 8, 2010

2010 Detroit Lions - NFL Predictions, Odds and Betting Picks

After a two-game improvement last season from their infamous 0-16 blunder of a year in 2008, the Lions can again improve and their number of victories will be four if they can again double up. 2009 still saw Detroit suck in their in neutral on the road, a streak that now stands at 20 games in a row (2001-'03 Lions own record of 24 in a row). And Detroit actually lost at home to St. Louis last year for the Rams' lone win of the 2009 season and their first road win since midway through the 2008 season.

All things considered, things are looking up in Detroit. The offense gave fans reason to believe that the Lions do have their QB of the future in Matthew Stafford, who threw for 2,267 yards and 13 TDs. His rookie experiences still lead to 20 picks despite missing six games due to injury, so that needs to be his biggest improvement. Calvin Johnson remains one of the top wideouts in the league despite spotty quarterbacking, and adding Nate Burleson should take some pressure off Johnson. Two more aerial weapons for Stafford is the team's one-two punch at tight end in Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler, who was acquired this offseason from Denver. Speed merchant running back Jahvid Best, the rookie out of Cal, aims for a very nice rookie season with rehabbing Kevin Smith not expected to be in the starting line-up and thus allowing the first-year tailback tons of opportunity for touches, both running the ball and on screen plays and in the flat.

The lowest-ranked defense unit in the NFL for three consecutive seasons, the Lions need to see 180 degree-type changes to get out of the cellar in so many categories. They added several veterans on that side of the ball to help, notably corner Dre' Bly, defense tackle Corey Williams and ex-Titan Kyle Vanden Bosch. But by far the biggest addition will be No. 2 overall pick Ndamukong Suh out of Nebraska, whom many scouts have called the best defensive tackle prospect to enter the league in two decades. With that said, the defensive line should command most of the attention and perhaps take pressure off what has been a very poor back four. There are solid building blocks in DeAndre Levy and safety Louis Delmas. The defense still won't be good, but it could at least finish better than 25th or so and the mix of youthful exuberance and some veterans might bode well this season.

You can again forget the playoffs or even contending for the NFC North title, but they will be better Betus lists their NFL win season total NFL odds at just five, which is tied for the fewest with St. Louis.

Let's break down the 2010 Detroit Lions Schedule

Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, at Chicago, 1:00 PM

Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Philadelphia, 1:00 PM

Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at Minnesota, 1:00 PM

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at Green Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, St. Louis, 1:00 PM

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM

Week 7: BYE

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, Washington, 1:00 PM

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, NY Jets, 1:00 PM

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Dallas, 1:00 PM

Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 25, New England, 12:30 PM

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Chicago, 1:00 PM

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Green Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Miami, 1:00 PM

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, Minnesota, 1:00 PM

Detroit's schedule is ranked as the 12th-toughest in the NFL next season with an opponents' 2009 winning percentage of.508 (130-126). There are eight games against playoff teams from last year, but four of those are against division rivals Minnesota and Green Bay. If you notice all of the Lions' games are in the early slot, so not only will they not touch your television in prime time but again another season for Detroit without appearing on Monday Night Football.

That lousy Lion defense was pummeled twice last year by Week 1 opponent Chicago, with the Bears totaling 85 points in sweeping Detroit for the second year in a row. There are probably only two realistic road wins on here for Detroit to end that losing streak: at Buffalo and at Tampa Bay. If the Lions don't win at Buffalo, they could break their own NFL record for consecutive road losses. That's also likely Detroit's lone cold-weather game. Detroit won't be winning at Green Bay - it has lost 19 straight at the Packers.

Starting with three of four on the road probably means another rough start - 0-4 looks pretty likely. In fact, if the Lions have two wins by the bye it's an upset. Detroit probably will only be favored once this season: that rematch of last season's loss at Ford Field to St. Louis.

A key stretch for sure is the team's longest road trip of the year - to Dallas - preceded by a short week game against the Patriots. And Detroit hasn't won on Thanksgiving since 2003 and no game has really been close since then. After this a three-game homestand is on the menu.

Could the Lions reach five wins? It's possible but I think they double their total for the second year in a row and finish 4-12 - so take the 'under' and enjoy all the football picks from Doc's Sports this season




Doc's Sports has established itself as one of the most trusted and well-respected names in the sports information business for nearly four decades. Docsports.com is a one-stop destination for expert NFL picks, up-to-the-minute updated NFL point spreads and daily exclusive NFL betting content.



Tuesday, September 7, 2010

2010 NFL Playoffs - NFC Divisional Winners

17 weeks of football have finished, and we're ready to march on to what many sports fans know as the most exciting time of the year.

The playoffs will be full of action and surprises, of heartbreak and joy alike. Each matchup will bring us a ton of excitement, and when looking at the NFC, no one quite knows who may be considered the favorite to emerge and reach the Super Bowl.

Let's take a quick look at the four divisional winners, along with a few thoughts about where they stand and what their chances look like.

First, there are the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. With a huge week 17 win in Dallas over the rival Eagles, the team ended up winning the division with an 11-5 record. Clearly, the team was able to find its way without Terrell Owens, as Miles Austin became a star through the course of the year.

In the North, there are the Minnesota Vikings. Led by one of the best running backs in football in Adrian Peterson and one of the best quarterbacks of all-time in Brett Favre, this team is obviously dangerous. Having a great defense doesn't hurt much either, and Vikes could easily find their way into February.

In the South, there are the Saints. Many believe this team to have the best offense in all of football, and it's hard to argue against that.

With Drew Brees throwing touchdowns left and right, this team racks up points like few others. They started out the season undefeated for many weeks before slowly fading out near the end, so they'll need to regain their best form in January.

Lastly, the Arizona Cardinals emerged in the West. Last year's NFC champions, you can be sure that they have their eye on the prize this year.

While they seldom enter the discussion of favorites as a few other teams are put ahead of them, don't sleep on the Cards. Look at what they pulled off last season when everyone least expected them to.




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Monday, September 6, 2010

NFL 2006: New England Patriots

The dynasty of the New England Patriots ended last season in the NFL playoffs when Denver posted a 27-13 win at Mile High. That loss ended a run that may not be duplicated again in the free agency era.

The boys from Beantown captured three Super Bowl championships in four years and broke the Miami Dolphins consecutive game win streak in the process. Who would have thought it could happen in this day and age?

Last season, injuries, illness and a defense that surrendered 338 points left the Patriots at 10-6, still good enough for the AFC East crown, but not good enough for home field advantage. With a solid draft and some healthy veterans returning - Bill Belichick and the boys look to climb back to their old ways and become Super Bowl contenders.

Offense: It starts and ends with Tom Brady. We all know the story by now. Sixth round pick does good and leads team to three world titles. In 2005, Brady proved he's not only a good leader but a damn good quarterback as well. The Michigan grad led the NFL in yards passing (4,110), while completing 63 percent of his passes to go along with 26 touchdown.

Brady is the main cog of the Belichick engine. He understands the system, he's like a coach on the field - dissecting the defense and knowing what every person is supposed to do on his team and the opponents. The Patriots better pray he doesn't get hurt or the season is over. Matt Cassel and Cody Bramlett are the backups. Oh my God!

Corey Dillon had an injury-prone 2005 season. He failed to reach 1,000 yards (733), but he did find the end zone (12 TDs. He's back healthy and with some competition so that should fire him up. New England drafted Lawrence Maroney out of Minnesota to be the future star of the franchise. Dillon is no spring chicken and Maroney runs with force and power - just like the old Cory Dillon. Don't be surprised if Maroney becomes the featured back this season. Kevin Faulk returns as the third down back.

The Patriots are fortunate to have two solid fullbacks on the roster in starter Patrick Pass and backup Heath Evans. Both are experienced veterans who can block, run and catch passes effectively.

New England lost the services of David Givens, but responded by signing Reche Caldwell from San Diego and drafting Florida standout Chad Jackson in the second round of the draft. Deion Branch (78-998-5) returns as Brady's main target, but he's been a distraction, threatening to holdout of training camp unless his contract is redone. Ageless wonder Troy Brown (39-466-2) returns to add depth and experience.

The tight end position is a strength for the Patriots and it only got stronger with the drafting of Garrett Mills from Tulsa. Mills is an excellent receiver and solid blocker who was a fullback in college. He has excellent potential as an H-Back. Ben Watson (29-441-6) and Daniel Graham (16-225-3) are a solid 1-2 punch.

The line is a stable group with Tom Ashworth the only departed member. Dan Koppen returns at center with Stephen Neal and NFL 2005 All-Rookie Logan Mankins at guard; with Matt Light and Brandon Gorin holding down the left and right tackle slots. Russ Hochstein, Nick Kaczur and rookie road grader Ryan O'Callaghan provide depth.

Defense: The defense faltered a little in 2005, but that was do more to injuries than lack of ability. Eric Mangini is gone and new coordinator Dean Pees hopes to bring the defense back to its Super Bowl level of the past.

The defensive line returns intact with Ty Warren and Richard Seymour at defensive end and Vince Wilfork at the nose. Jarvis Green and Marquise Hill provide backup at the end slots. For some unknown reason, Belichick decided to trade with New Orleans to get career underachiever Johnathan Sullivan. He didn't disappoint by getting arrested recently, which didn't set to well with Patriot brass.

The linebacking corps suffered a blow when Willie McGinest was let go for cap reasons. Big mistake! McGinest is a hard worker who hustles on every play. He's also a leader in the locker room who will be missed. Still, all is not lost. Tedy Bruschi returns 100 percent and along with Mike Vrabel (108 tackles, 4.5 sacks), make a scary good inside tandem. Roosevelt Colvin (seven sacks) returns on the outside with Tully Banta-Cain taking over for McGinest. Monty Beisel, free agent pickup Barry Gardner and Don Davis provide depth.

The secondary was downright dismal at times last season. The unit managed only 10 interceptions in 2005, one of the worst outputs in the league and needs to improve. The good news is strong safety Rodney Harrison returns healthy after an injury plagued season. He's starting to show his age, but he's still one of the best SS to ever play the game. Eugene Wilson occupies the free safety position, while Tebucky Jones and Artrell Hawkins are capable backups.

Starting corners Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs led the team with three picks each, but will be pressed by Chad Scott and free agent Eric Warfield, long time starter out in Kansas City.

Special Teams: The biggest off season news for New England was with its special teams. Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri and returners Bethel Johnson and Tim Dwight weren't retained. Bad news for Patriots fans. The Vinatieri decision is a complete mystery to me. How can you get rid of possibly the best clutch kicker in NFL history and think that Martin Gramatica is an upgrade? Unbelievable!

Josh Miller (45.1) returns as punter. Hobbs will replace Johnson as kick returner and Brown will go back to returning punts. Rookie Stephen Gostkwoski was brought in to challenge Gramatica.

Outlook: There have been big losses in New England (McGinest, Givens, Vinatieri) but the players love Belichick's system and respond well to it. He's exceptionally good at evaluating talent and how it fits that system. The Patriots have declined since their Super Bowl run, but with Brady and a solid, experienced group, New England should hold off Miami and win another East title.

Prediction: The Patriots keep back an up-and-coming Dolphin squad to win another division crown. They'll lose a game or two without Vinatieri and finish 10-6 or 11-5.




Brian Carson is a writer and sports fanatic who, along with a select group of coaches has created the ultimate multimedia guide to coaching youth football at http://www.pigskinplaybooks.com To read more football articles go to http://carcorner.blogspot.com/



Sunday, September 5, 2010

Beat the NFL Bookies

Take a breather. The dog days of summer have come and gone.

Thermometers might disagree, but sports bettors should be notified that the best action of the summer is fast approaching.

Bettors typically grow tired of Major League Baseball's regular season monotony by the end of July. Then, like a cool sea breeze, the NFL blesses bored bettors with a breath of fresh air.

NFL training camps opened for the season on July 27. Over the following two weeks, teams begin a grueling schedule of curfews, diets, and two-a-days to get in shape for the upcoming season. In the following month, all 32 NFL teams will work toward making the playoffs.

The NFL begins its pre-season this week. This time of year is without question the best kept secret in sportsbook wagering.

Most NFL fans know that very little can be learned from pre-season games. The main purpose for the scrimmage-style contests is for coaches to make starting lineup evaluations. Last year's starters are only on the field for a few plays, mainly to avoid getting rusty for the pending season. While they see their only bench time of the season, reserve players and rookies get the majority of snaps, hoping that their performance will earn them a roster spot.

For the first (and only) time of the NFL season, line makers have no advantage. They are creating lines blindly, forced to set the spread as if the games are regular-season contests.

The reason they are in this situation is simple. No consideration can be made on their part for how reserve players and rookies play. How can bookies create an accurate line when players they haven't seen play are taking the snaps?

Example. When the St. Louis Rams play the Kansas City Chiefs on August 23, the spread and over/under will be set assuming that KC's defense (one of the five WORST in 2003) is lining up for each snap against St. Louis' high flying passing attack, which ranked third in 2003.

The spread for this contest could favor St. Louis (for this example, we'll say it does). The Rams' three-headed offensive monster (quarterback Marc Bulger; receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt) likely will not play past halftime. Also, KC's one-man offensive machine, running back Priest Holmes, should see more bench than turf. These two events make the game wide open. Your guess about the outcome is as good as the bookies.

The second half should see the field full of unproven players. Who knows where the game will go from there? Will it be a low-scoring contest, or a barnburner? No one can be totally sure. This comes as great news for bettors, and bad news for bookies.

"The NFL pre-season is easily the most unpredictable time for offshore sportsbooks," said Anthony Wayne, marketing director for EWINNER.com. "Very often, the field is full of players who have similar skills. Without big game playmakers on the field, how are line makers supposed to know who the favorite will be?"

Following below are several pre-season contests which could prove to be very beneficial to the sports bettor. Strike while the iron is hot. (All spread statistics courtesy of Gold Sheet):

New York Giants at Carolina Panthers, 8/19, 8pm on FOX: New York finished a dismal 4-12 last year, and failed to cover the spread in their final eight games However, they have reloaded by acquiring quarterback Kurt Warner as a mentor to rookie quarterback Eli Manning, and have a new coach, former Jaguars leader Tom Coughlin. Coughlin is a pre-season safe bet, with a 16-8-1 exhibition record against the spread.

With the exception of their offensive line, Carolina has maintained most of the lineup which won the NFC championship last season. The Panthers have covered the spread in their last five pre-season contests, but four of them were as the underdog. During the 2003 regular season, they went 3-9 when favored.

Bet on: Coughlin and his G-men, especially if Carolina is favored.

Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens, 8/12, 8pm on ESPN: After an off-season of drastic changes, Atlanta has nothing to do but improve after finishing 2003 with the league's worst defense. New coach Jim Mora, Jr. is going to put some youth in their booth, and with Michael Vick healthy, 2004's Falcons should play more like 2002's playoff team. During Vick's first two seasons, Atlanta was 7-1 during exhibition season; last season, they went 0-4 (Vick broke his leg in Atlanta's second pre-season game).

Baltimore should be the beast of the AFC North this year, as well as a contender for the Super Bowl from week one. Quarterback Kyle Boller will be a year learned, and their top rushing offense (thanks to marathon HB Jamal Lewis), will be complimented by newly acquired wideout Kevin Johnson. This team should improve on last season's 10-6 record, as their storied defense remains one of the NFL's fiercest. Head Coach Brian Billick is 11-4 career in exhibition games against the spread, and is 6-2 as the underdog. Last year, the Ravens only went 1-3.

Bet on: Atlanta if Vick is healthy. Keep an eye on Baltimore, especially if they are the underdog.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles, 8/26, 8pm on ESPN: Pittsburgh has a lot to recover from after last season; mainly injuries. Their offense was only imposing on paper, thanks to injuries on the offensive line and a lack of carries for "The Bus" (Jerome Bettis), who only averaged 3.3 yards per touch. Head coach Bill Cowher has turned into a perennial pre-season choke artist. Last year, his team was 0-4 heading into the regular season, and they have had trouble covering the spread in past seasons as well (0-4 the last two seasons at home versus the spread).

Philadelphia is once again the favorite to go to the Super Bowl in the NFC. They addressed their two most pending needs in the off-season, adding wideout Terrell Owens and defensive end Jevon Kearse. The Eagles also have a tendency to choke. Unfortunately, the pre-season is no different. For his career, coach Andy Reid is 2-7 in exhibitions when favored at home.

Bet on: Philly. These games don't count. They're less likely to blow it.

Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys, 8/30, 8pm on ABC: The Titans cut a lot of salary (and talent) in the off-season, but they will still find a way to compete for the playoffs thanks to ironman QB Steve McNair. Tennessee's 13 draft picks will see a ton of snaps before the season starts, as this team attempts to gel into a solid unit. A virtual lock in exhibitions, the Titans covered all four games last pre-season against the spread, and over the last four schedules are 7-1 in away exhibitions. As an underdog, they are more of a sure bet, a perfect 6-0.

Eddie George, a Titan as late as July, now runs for Dallas. George should carry a large chip on his shoulder after being one of Tennessee's salary cap casualties. The 2004 Cowboys will also feature wideout Keyshawn Johnson, and rookie QB/retired minor league baseball player Drew Henson. Henson is going to see quite a lot of snaps in exhibitions to get rid of his diamond rust. Dallas was 10-6 last season, which is Bill Parcell's best first season record as a head coach. However, quality opponents (teams with a winning record) went 4-2 against them last season, 3-1 against the spread.

Bet on: Titans. With their record in the pre-season, and Dallas' tendency to lose to good teams, this should be a sure win.

For more information on NFL wagering, plus links to preferred online sportsbooks, check out Bet-Online-Sports.




Jonathan Bentz graduated from West Virginia University on the four year plan. He was once a stringer and wire contributor for the AP at WVU football and basketball games; now he provides internet marketing services for a Pennsylvania-based company called ProspectMX. Some say Jay-Z bit his style, and Tom Cruise has recently been cast to star in his biopic, due next Christmas. He bleeds BLUE and GOLD, pays homage to Mike Gansey with every 3-ball he swishes, and dreams of being the first whiteboy to dunk a 720.



Saturday, September 4, 2010

Is the Los Angeles Angels Vs Yankees Series an ALCS Preview?


Image : http://www.flickr.com


The Los Angeles Angels will make the playoffs. This is pretty clear by now. With 90 wins and 60 losses, the team leads the American League West division by about 8 games, and their playoff prospects are secure.

Normally, regular season games played during this time of the year are meaningless for a team in the situation that the Angels find themselves in. A team might typically rest up its more important players, giving a chance for bench players, and even some minor league youth, to play in the final games of the regular season. After all, it benefits the team to rest up its best players for the playoffs, not to mention the elimination of risk with respect to any injuries that could kill a team's post season prospects.

In the Angels' case, though, things are different for the time being. The team is in the midst of a three game series against the AL East leading New York Yankees. While this is the last regular series between the two teams, there's a very realistic chance that the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels will meet in the playoffs.

Many experts are predicting that this could indeed be a preview of the ALCS, which indeed looks possible. As a result, stakes are high in this series and the Angels will look to seize every opportunity to win each game played.

The team started out on a great note in the first game of the series, with a 5-2 win over the Yankees. Most importantly, starting pitcher Joe Saunders was extremely efficient.

The team will need all of the pitching help it can get against the dangerous bats of the Yankees.




Come and find the best Los Angeles Angels forum at RootZoo Sports, home to the world's largest sport futures database.



Friday, September 3, 2010

Preseason NFL Pro Football Is a Puzzlement and So Are the Green Bay Packers

The 2007 NFL season is gearing up and preseason is just about over. Players have been cut, positions finalized and the play books just about memorized. Still a lot of things about the Green Bay Packers, and NFL pro football in general, are baffling. Here are a few.

1) Practice Doesn't Make Perfect. National Football League teams almost seem to practice year-round these days. In the early spring, they have Teeny Camp, then Tiny Camp in May, then Mini-Camp where they re-learn what they learned in Tiny Camp, then comes the all important Maxi-Camp where they "install" the offense, then of course grueling Mega-Camp where they find out the offense they installed doesn't work, so they install a new one--and then they head off to Training Camp in July and start all over again.

Given all that intensive practice and planning why do so many teams look disorganized, even clueless, when the first preseason game is played? At the Green Bay Packers' first preseason game in San Diego last year the offense looked as though they had just seen a football for the very first time that night, and were not sure what to do with the oddly shaped thing. One could almost picture Aaron Rodgers in the huddle saying, "Okay, guys, the objective is to move toward that goal post down there." And then the offensive lineman remarking, with a little awe in his voice, "But it seems so far away...we'll never get there."

Then there was this year's first preseason game, against Pittsburgh. The Packers first team offense netted a whopping 17 yards in its first 12 plays, and ZERO first downs. Note that if you're 6 feet tall and fall forward 12 times you gain 24 yards.

Just imagine how poor their performance would have been if they hadn't spent so much time 'camping'.

2) When History Repeats. Why were the national news media so skeptical when the Packers hired Mike McCarthy as head coach? Seemed like a no-brainer. He was Offensive Coordinator for the 49ers, he's a little pudgy, and his name is Mike. That's one of the most successful business models the Pack has ever had in a coach. In fact, even if all he had going for him was his first name, history shows he is likely to win approximately 63% of the games he coaches, well above the all-time Green Bay Packer team average of 56%. Just to be on the safe side, the Packers Executive Committee did a thorough background check on McCarthy to make sure "Mike" wasn't just a nickname, and his actual first name was Lindy, Forrest, Lisle, Gene or heaven forbid, "Scooter." Ideally, he'd be named Michael Vincent McCarthy instead of Michael John McCarthy, but you can't have everything.

3) The Siberia Factor. How many times has it been said that the Packers are about to return to being the "Siberia" of the NFL, the grim, dark place no really good players, particularly free agents, want to play. This almost seems like one of those nonsensical "Urban Legends." People posting these dire warnings usually bring up the cold weather in Green Bay, and the small town atmosphere, as being major turn-offs for today's young pro football players. But they never seem to come up with any evidence that the players themselves feel this way. If weather were any factor at all, then Arizona, Miami and San Diego would field consistently winning teams. But they don't.

As far as small town atmosphere, you can't discount the impact of being a friendly, welcoming place to live. As Bob Harlan has said, it's the warmest cold city in the country. And here's what first round draft choice Justin Harrell said about Green Bay: "Just riding through the neighborhoods, it looks a lot like home and it's a place I know I'll be able to get settled in and have a good time."

There was a classic story from the 1930's about Packer players saying how fortunate they were to live and work in Green Bay, where there are so many great outdoor activities to enjoy--hunting, fishing, etc., in contrast to being stuck playing in New York where there was nothin' to do. But it's fair to say that players in those days weren't paid quite enough money to enjoy all the diversions and delights available in the Big Apple.




Want to know more about the Green Bay Packers and NFL football? Check out The Packers Literary Corner

Are you an NFL fan? Then you'll love the novel Over Time. Money, Love, and Football: All the important things in life. Find out more about Brian Hill, the author, at his Capital Connection



Thursday, September 2, 2010

2007 NFL Playoffs - Seattle Seahawks Croak as Packers Kick Them Silly in the Snowflakes, 42-20

Mike Holmgren's Seattle Seahawks did absolutely nothing to disturb the greatness of the NFL's most historic venue at Lambeau Field Saturday (1-12-08) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the advancing Green Bay Packers.

Packer Quarterback Brett Favre (pronounced Farve) had a 7-2 postseason record at home that is now 8-2. He had a 4-2 record in the playoffs against Seattle that is now 5-2.

Favre is statistically the greatest signal-caller in National Football League history with a record 253 consecutive regular-season starts (second best in history at ANY position), a record 61,665 career passing yards, a record 442 career touchdown passes, and a record 160 career wins, the most by any starting QB.

And, oh yeah, Favre is the only 3-time NFL Most Valuable Player. He won in 1995, in 1996 when Seattle coach Mike Holmgren coached the Packers to the Super Bowl 31 title by beating New England, 35-21, and in 1997 when the Holmgren-led Packers lost Super Bowl 32 to Denver, 31-24.

The Packers record for playoff wins at Lambeau Field was 14-2 before Saturday. Now it is 15-2, thanks to Seattle. In a 2003 survey by ESPN The Magazine, the Packers ranked as the No. 1 franchise among the 121 major sports teams in North America.

The Seahawks also did absolutely nothing Saturday to advance their chances of getting into their second Super Bowl appearance in 3 years. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead by converting two fumbles by first-year running back Ryan Grant into touchdowns during the first 4 minutes of the game, the Seahawks laid down and died a slow death among the falling snowflakes at Lambeau Field.

The (we thought) vaunted Seahawk defense allowed the Packers to get back into the game and dominate it by giving up 6 straight touchdown drives to Green Bay. It was game, set, match, period, end of season.

Oh, the guy that fumbled twice to start the game, he finished with 201 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Favre? He was 18-of-23 for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns. Seattle put on a pathetic rushing display with a total of plus 28 yards to 235 for the Packers. Same field, same snow coming down, same slippery turf, same clogged cleats.

Green Bay will now advance to play the New York Giants (21-17 winners over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday) in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday. I hope the Packers dominate the Giants the same way they did the Seahawks.

The Seahawks will be watching television from here on out, wondering why they could not handle the snowflakes in Green Bay. The answer, of course, was Brett Favre in snow-crazed conditions having the time of his life playing football.

In short, the Seahawks defense did nothing but lose, 42-20. They did not fight off blocks. They did not tackle. They did not cover. They did not react. They did not bring their A Game against Green Bay's "hogs" up front who dominated the line and the game. Forget the charity trip. If the 'Hawks did anything at all, why did Green Bay score touchdowns on 6 STRAIGHT possessions?

Mike Holmgren, the Seahawks, the Seattle fans, the owners, the brain trust, the Seattle media and myself did not get what we wanted. I asked for too much. I wanted a game in which no one gets hurt on either side of the ball that comes down to the last play in a classic confrontation between two worthy teams.

Watching this playoff game was painful for me. After suffering through an entire season watching the Washington Husky defense raise ineptitude to an art form, I had to endure the Seahawks' supposedly much improved defense get demolished. This is not how you increase your fan base.

In the meantime, the San Diego Chargers waltzed into the Indianapolis Colts' playground Sunday and walked away with a 28-24 victory against the defending Super Bowl Champions on the road to advance to the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots (31-20 winners over the Jacksonville Jags Saturday).

Do not give me all of this crap about how hard it is to win on the road. Tell it to the San Diego Chargers, who had injuries to their stars, played some scrubs and won anyway. That is called desire. That is called attitude. That is called guts. That is called, "I do not want to win this game, I NEED to win this game."

And now for two disclaimers: 1) Brett Favre has been my favorite NFL player since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Favre is a gamer. 'Nuff said. 2) I am one of the few Green Bay Packer stockholders who was not totally uphappy when Holmgren moved from coaching Green Bay to coaching Seattle.

I was born and raised in Michigan and distanced myself from my family by following the Green Bay Packers closer than the Detroit Lions. Let me say that the Packers have let me down less over the years than the Lions.

I moved to the Puget Sound Area of Washington 34 years ago and so, of course, I have become a follower of the Seattle Seahawks. The only difference is that I am a fair-weather follower of the Seahawks, as you can tell. I do not apologize for it, I take pride in it. I hate losing. It takes no talent to lose, it takes talent to win. Any no good can lose.

Holmgren has done well in Seattle. He has taken the Seahawks to the playoffs 5 straight seasons, has won 4 consecutive NFC West titles, and has taken them to the Super Bowl in 2005, winning an NFC title along the way.

Seattle needs more and better players, and it is not Mike Holmgren's job to get them. That chore falls on the shoulders of President of Football Operations Tim Ruskell and Seattle Seahawk Owner Paul Allen.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley




Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.

Read my 11 Washington Husky articles including "Meet the Nation's Most Statistically Incredible Team - The University of Washington Huskies", "Anatomy of a Team on the Rise: Washington Will Get Over Freshmanitis and Really Thrive" and "College Football Mayhem: Flagrant Helmet-to-Helmet Shots Need to Stop Before Someone Gets Killed".

Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html