College Football 2010 (Week 8).....

For the second week in a row we saw the #1 team in college football fall. Wisconsin made sure Ohio St. didn't get comfortable at the top of the heap and ran all over the Buckeye defense. Now Oregon is the top team in the land, but will they hold it, or will we see another upset at the top? Plus another week of good top 25 match-ups.

Week 8 games:

Oregon (#1) over UCLA
Oklahoma (#3) over Missouri (#18)
Auburn (#5) over LSU (#6)
Michigan St. (#8) over Northwestern
Wisconsin (#10) over Iowa (#13)
Nebraska (#14) over Oklahoma St. (#17)


Week 7: 3-3
2010 season: 27-15

Sorry Agent - The SFB Podcast 10/19/2010

Josh Luchs tells us he decided to open up to Sports Illustrated so that his reputation was not defined by his suspension of his agent's license. He seems to be sweeping under the rug his 20 years of breaking rules and feels he did right to provide for his family. After reading his account, I come away with a much different feeling as to why he told his story.

Plus for the second straight week the top college team lost as Ohio State fell to Wisconsin and now it's Oregon's turn at #1, while Boise St. just waits its turn for the big boys to fall. Also a look at the MLB League Championship series through the first few games. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 19, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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NFL 2010 - Week 6 picks.....

Well, I hope you followed my advice and did not bet the house, because if you did, you are reading this in a cardboard box. Only 4 wins for the week against the spread? Yikes. Well, we wipe the slate and move forward to week 6. Some interesting match-ups this week, including the battle of the two unlikely 1-3 teams when the Cowboys visit the Vikings. Plus the two worst teams in the NFL (Bills and Panthers) get the week off. Enjoy.

Below the point spread games are the win/lose picks of Mike, myself and our guest picker, childhood friend and podcast listener, Joe Cuomo.

NFL Week 6 picks (Home Team in Caps)
Bye Week: Bengals, Bills, Cardinals, Panthers

BEARS (-7) over Seahawks
Dolphins (Even) over PACKERS
Chargers (-7 1/2) over RAMS
Ravens (+3) over PATRIOTS
GIANTS (-8) over Lions
EAGLES (-3) over Falcons
STEELERS (-13) over Browns
Saints (-4) over BUCCANEERS
TEXANS (-4) over Chiefs
Jets (-3) over BRONCOS
49ERS (-7) over Raiders
VIKINGS (-1 1/2) over Cowboys
Colts (+3) over REDSKINS
Titans (-3) over JAGUARS

Week 5 picks: 4-10

2010 season: 35-37-4


Win/Lose picks:
Guest picker for week 6: Longtime friend and listener, Joe Cuomo

Week 5 results: Mike (6-8) / Sal (6-8) / Guest (6-8)
2010 season: Mike (44-32) / Sal (45-31) / Guest (37-39)

Week 6 picks:
--- Seahawks at Bears --- Sal / Mike / Joe
Sal / Mike --- Dolphins at Packers --- Joe
Sal / Mike / Joe --- Chargers at Rams ---
Sal / Mike / Joe --- Ravens at Patriots ---
Sal / Mike / Joe --- Saints at Buccaneers ---
--- Lions at Giants --- Sal / Mike / Joe
--- Falcons at Eagles --- Sal / Mike / Joe
--- Browns at Steelers --- Sal / Mike / Joe
Joe --- Chiefs at Texans --- Sal / Mike
--- Raiders at 49ers --- Sal / Mike / Joe
Sal / Mike / Joe --- Jets at Broncos ---
Joe --- Cowboys at Vikings --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike / Joe --- Colts at Redskins ---
Sal / Mike --- Titans at Jaguars --- Joe

Baseball LCS predictions - The SFB Podcast (10/15/2010).....

The Division Series are in the books and I am happy with picking three of the four series correctly, but upset that the Twins were my one incorrect choice. Paul Lebowitz picked the same teams and joins me on the podcast to review the Divisional playoffs and look ahead to the League Championship Series match-ups. Plus we cover the General Manager search for Paul's New York Mets. Enjoy.

Below is a quick recap of my predictions, with a detailed look at each series in my discussion with Paul.

Phillies over Giants in 6 - This is a classic series to me as I love good starting pitching and this series has a ton of it on both teams. The Phillie offense is a little better than the Giants, but I am not overly confident for either team to score many runs against the other's staff. Scores of 3-2 and 4-3 will dominate the series. Philadelphia matches the "Wiz Kids" and win their third straight NL Championship.

Rangers over Yankees in 6 - AJ Burnett hit the backstop and two of his teammates in a simulated game and he is scheduled to start Game 4. Never thought I would say the Texas Rangers have the better pitching staff, but in this match-up they do. The Mariano Rivera against Neftali Feliz match-up in the closer role does scare me, but I think the Rangers hit enough to not have Rivera be the deciding factor of the series.

Paul on Twitter                    Paul's website

The SportsFan Buzz: October 15, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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College Football 2010 (Week 7).....

A rough week for some college football favorites last week, including South Carolina knocking off the top team in the nation, Alabama. Major kudos to Steve Spurrier for getting his Gamecock team back to the ready after their heartbreaking loss to Auburn. Plus for the second week in a row both Florida and USC lost on the same weekend. Yikes.

Week 7 games:

Ohio St. (#1) over Wisconsin (#20) - I thought Alabama was going to run the table, but after their loss, I started to wonder if we might see even more shuffling at the top of the rankings. Don't think it happens this week and the Buckeyes protect their #1 ranking. Key for the Buckeyes is to keep the Badger running game contained and I think their defense is good enough to do it.
Nebraska (#5) over Texas - Nebraska's revenge game, but they won't even breathe a word of it. Texas is on a down year and will get run over by this tough Husker team.
Auburn (#8) over Arkansas (#12) - I am leary making this choice, but the Tigers look strong and seem to be getting better each week. Ryan Mallett needs to step up for the Razorbacks to get the victory and I'm not sure he has it in him on the road in a tough envirnment.
Iowa (#15) over Michigan (#18) - The Wolverine offense was shut down by the Michigan ST. defense last week and Iowa has a better defense than the Spartans.
North Carolina State at East Carolina - NC State looking to get back into the Top 25 and a non-conference win against an in-state rival will boost them back into that position. Tom O'Brein has a healthy Wolfpack team and is showing what the fan base expected when he first arrived in Raleigh.
USC over California - Just because I can't see Lane Kiffin suffering a three game losing streak. The offense is good and I think dad tweaks the defense enough to get the win.


Week 6: 2-4
2010 season: 24-12

NFL Week 5 review - The SFB Podcast (10/12/2010).....

The Saints lose to a team with a free agent rookie starting at quarterback that does not score a running or passing touchdown? Tampa Bay comes back on the road against a Bengal team is getting terrible quarterbacking from Carson Palmer. The Raiders block two punts and hand another loss to the Chargers, while in Dallas, the Cowboys rack up over 500 yards, but still lose to the Titans and fall to 1-3. What is going on here in the NFL. I'll try to make sense of this confusing year. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 12, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Down goes Alabama - The SFB Podcast (10/11/2010).....

So there is some life with the "Ol' Ball Coach", as Steve Spurrier coached his South Carolina Gamecocks to an upset victory over #1 Alabama. Ohio St. now takes the top spot, but will they be on top of next week's first BCS ranking? Anyone have Florida and USC losing again on consecutive Saturdays? I'll take a look at the college games from this weekend.

Plus, the Yankees and Phillies have advanced after each swept their Divisional Sereis, but for me the Yankees advancing was a "yawn". Will anyone but Yankee fans care if they keep moving forward? Also, besides ratings for Fox, are the Yankees winning good for baseball? We'll explore. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 11, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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NFL 2010 - Week 5 picks.....

Four weeks down for most of the NFL (sans the Cowboys, Vikings, Chiefs and Buccaneers who had last week's bye), so the kinks need to be out as we head into the second quarter of the season. Plus we now have Randy Moss moving from New England to Minnesota, which could shake up division races and the power of each conference.

Below the point spread games are the win/lose picks of Mike, myself and our guest picker, podcast listener Mark Felty.

NFL Week 5 picks (Home Team in Caps)
Bye Week: Dolphins, Patriots, Seahawks, Steelers

Jaguars (-1) over BILLS
BENGALS (-5 1/2) over Buccaneers
Falcons (-3) over BROWNS
LIONS (-3) over Rams
Chiefs (+7 1/2) over COLTS
Packers (-1) over REDSKINS
Bears (-3) over PANTHERS
Broncos (+6) over RAVENS
TEXANS (-3) over Giants
Saints (-7 1/2) over CARDINALS
COWBOYS (-5 1/2) over Titans
Chargers (-5) over RAIDERS
49ERS (-3) over Eagles
Vikings (+6 1/2) over JETS


Week 4 picks: 7-6-1
2010 season: 31-27-4

Win/Lose picks:
Guest picker for week 5: SportsFan Buzz listener, Mark Felty

Week 4 results: Mike (6-8) / Sal (9-5) / Guest (6-8)
2010 season: Mike (38-24) / Sal (39-23) / Guest (31-31)

Week 5 picks:
Sal / Mike / Mark --- Jaguars at Bills ---
Mark --- Buccaneers at Bengals --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike / Mark --- Falcons at Browns ---
Mark --- Rams at Lions --- Sal / Mike
Mark --- Chiefs at Colts --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike --- Packers at Redskins --- Mark
Sal / Mark --- Bears at Panthers --- Mike
--- Broncos at Ravens --- Sal / Mike / Mark
--- Giants at Texans --- Sal / Mike / Mark
Sal / Mike / Mark --- Saints at Cardinals ---
--- Titans at Cowboys --- Sal / Mike / Mark
Sal / Mike / Mark --- Chargers at Raiders ---
Mark --- Eagles at 49ers --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike --- Vikings at Jets --- Mark

College Football 2010 (Week 6).....

Alabama sure looks like the best team in college football as they crush their rival Florida Gators, while my favorite team to watch are the very exciting Oregon Ducks. Meanwhile Denard Robinson is turning into a player I want to watch and normally I don't look at individual players in the college game. Four match-ups of ranked teams this week, including a couple of in-state rivalries and two SEC match-ups.

Week 6 games:

Alabama (#1) over South Carolina (#19) - Maybe the "Old Ball Coach" can have his Gamecocks pull the upset over Alabama, but after seeing the Tide dismantle Florida last week, I think it will take a perfect effort and I just don't see it happening.
Michigan (#18) over Michigan State (#17) - What a game for the state of Michigan as both teams come in ranked and undefeated, which not many predicted at the start of the season. This will be another video game shootout with both offenses going up and down against these defenses. Denard Robinson makes the plays to lead the Wolverines over Sparty.
Miami (#13) over Florida State (#23) - Another in-state rivalry game, but Miami has too much speed on both sides of the ball and handles the Seminoles.
Notre Dame over Pittsburgh - Notre Dame has been looking good on offense and gets a win in a game that should be close and entertaining.
Florida (#14) over LSU (#12) - Both teams have been shaky all year, but more so for LSU and I think this is the game they finally get their first loss of the year. Florida bounces back from getting whipped last week against Alabama.
Stanford (#16) over USC - The USC defense is young and a little slow. Not a good match-up against a Stanford team that is hurting after blowing a 21-3 lead and getting outscored 49-10 the rest of the game against Oregon.


Week 5: 4-2
2010 season: 22-8

Dropping the Puck - The SFB Podcast (10/7/2010).....

The NHL season kicks off this afternoon with the Hurricanes facing the Wild in Helsinki and then four more games tonight. Will the Blackhawks, after moving multiple players to get under the cap, be able to make a run at repeating? Will the Capitals make up for last year's playoff disaster and make the finals? Or maybe it is Sidney Crosby and the Penguins again, or how about the Sedin brothers in Vancouver?

Plus Randy Moss gets traded, the baseball playoffs have started, college football is cranking along and the NBA preseason has started, which means the hype surrounding the Heat just starts getting louder. Enjoy.

As for my NHL predictions, for me it is very much "chalk" with my picks. I think hockey fans get Sidney Crosby and the Penguins against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals in the Eastern finals, while in the west, we get those Sedin brothers taking on Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks. In the end, I think the Penguins once again lift the Cup in a great series against the Vancouver Canucks.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 7, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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MLB Playoff Predictions & Award winners.....

It has been another good year for baseball and we even had to wait for game 162 until we found out the NL West and Wildcard winners.  There were also quite a few great player performances this year. Well, here is what my crystal ball says as we start the playoffs and also who I think should get the year end awards.

Overall, I think the Philadelphia Phillies will be Word Series champs for the second time in three years.

NL Divisional Series:
Giants over Braves
Phillies over Reds

While neither team knocks the cover off the ball, I think the Giants have more offense than the Braves and better starting pitching and closer. As for the Phillies / Reds, I just can't see a way for Cincinnati to stay with Philadelphia unless the Phillies' starting pitching completely comes off the rails in this series.

AL Divisional Series:
Twins over Yankees
Rangers over Rays

Both of this series predictions are more of gut feelings. Common sense says the Rays and Yankees were the best of the AL all year and should meet in the ALCS, but there is something about the Twins and Rangers that draws me towards them to move forward. The Twins overcoming the loss of their long time closer, Joe Nathan, at the start of the year and and then losing Justin Morneau in July, while still playing at such a high level. For the Rangers, it is Nolan Ryan being the face of an organization that just three months ago was facing bankruptcy and the story of Josh Hamilton's comeback never gets old to me.

NL MVP: Joey Votto (Reds)
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton (Rangers)
NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay (Phillies)
AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez (Mariners)
NL Rookie of Year: Buster Posey (Giants)
AL Rookie of Year: Neftali Feliz (Rangers)

I am of the belief that MVP does mean most valuable player, so I do not consider great individual years for players who were on teams never in contention during the year. That is why both Votto and Hamilton got my picks. Votto leading the surprising Reds to the NL Central crown get the nod over Albert Pujols, while despite missing the last month of the season, Josh Hamilton meant everything to Texas as they reached first place in the AL West and then ran away with the division.

Roy Halladay was a pretty easy choice for Cy Young in the National League. While Ubaldo Jimenez and Adam Wainwright had very good years, Halladay was simply the best. In the American League, I had to go back to "who was the best pitcher"? When looking at everything, that best pitcher was Felix Hernandez. His 13-12 record will be questioned by many, Hernandez was the best pitcher and had better stats than David Price, CC Sabathia, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz in all categories except for the number of wins.

For the Rookie of the Year choices, I added the fact that both of my choices also played for division winners, and while Jason Heyward was in the Atlanta lineup all year, while Posey came up at the end of May, it was Posey catching the Giant pitching staff along with the offense he put up that put him over Heyward in my opinion. Same thought for Neftali Feliz, as his 40 saves for the Rangers was an important and unexpected part of this year's success.

NFL Week 4 review - The SFB Podcast (10/5/2010).....

A quarter of the season is complete for most teams and I am not sure that we have more answers than questions still after 4 games. One of my questions is, "are we seeing good football"? Week 4 was the first of the seven bye weeks, so we did not have a full slate of 16 games, but we still had games. I'll take a look a what happened in week 4 and how things are looking as we head into the second quarter of the season. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: October 5, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Baseball Playoffs & Ichiro - The SFB Podcast (10/4/2010).....

It is October, and that means playoff baseball. Paul Lebowitz joins me to discuss how the final weeks of the season played out as the Braves, Padres and Giants battled until the final day. We also let you know who we think should get the year end awards and will preview the playoffs and give our predictions. Plus we will discuss Paul's article where he takes on Ichiro Suzuki. Enjoy.

Paul on Twitter
Paul's website

The SportsFan Buzz: October 4, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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NFL 2010 - Week 4 picks.....

Three weeks are done and we have three surprising teams at 3-0. Teams that needed wins (Dallas and Minnesota) got them and now a bye week to get their teams in order, while one (San Francisco) took a tough loss and doesn't see its path getting easier with a cross country trip to Atlanta on tap. As for the picks, week three was a hard week on my picking record and my ego.

Below the point spread games are the win/lose picks of Mike, myself and our guest picker, Cassie (my daughter who better not show up daddy).

NFL Week 4 picks (Home Team in Caps)
Bye Week: Buccaneers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Vikings

49ers (+6 1/2) over FALCONS
Atlanta got a huge win against the Saints last week on the road and now they gets a struggling San Francisco team who looks like the team we expected coming into the season. While I think the Falcons win this game, I think there will be a bit of a letdown from last week and they allow the 49ers to keep it close before pulling out the victory.

Jets (-4 1/2) over BILLS
This seems like a small number for two teams on opposite ends of the NFL "good scale". Jets will be without Darrelle Revis again this week, but it will not matter against the anemic Bills' offense. Expect a big day from LaDainian Tomlinson as New York pounds the ball against the Buffalo defense.

Bengals (+3) over BROWNS
The Bengal offense has been terrible and you have to wonder if it is all on Carson Palmer's shoulders? This week will be the test as the Cincinnati offense should be able to move the ball against a Browns team that gave up three TD passes through the air last week. Bengals' offense does get on track and they roll Cleveland.

PACKERS (-14 1/2) over Lions
This is a huge number, but the Packers gave Monday night's game to the Bears with multiple penalties and mental breakdowns and they take out their anger on the Lions' defense. Long day for Detroit at Lambeau Field as Aaron Rodgers leads a Packer team that knows they let one slip away against the Bears.

Broncos (+8 1/2) over TITANS
The Denver offense has been moving the ball well through the air, but need to put more points on the board. Tennessee has not looked great the last two weeks, despite the win against the Giants, and this game is close until the Titans pull off the victory late in the fourth quarter.

Seahawks (-1 1/2) over RAMS
There is a part of me that wants to give more love to the Rams after their first victory last week, but I just can't pull the trigger on them unless Steven Jackson is 100% healthy. Seattle needed two kickoff returns to beat the Chargers, but they were tough when needed in keeping the San Diego offense out of the end zone. Seahawks have enough to get the win and take early control of the bad NFC West.

SAINTS (-13) over Panthers
Carolina is a mess and Jimmy Clausen will have to learn on the job. That lesson will be tough against an opportunistic Saints defense. The New Orleans defense was exposed the last two weeks with both the 49ers and Falcons running against them, but because they won't be afraid of Clausen, they will stack the line and stuff DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Drew Brees has a big game and the Saints get back into the win column.

Ravens (+3) over STEELERS
Pittsburgh is playing with "house money" as they sit at 3-0 coming into the last game of the Ben Roethlisberger suspension. The Steeler defense has been great, but the Raven offense is better than any of the first three Pittsburgh has faced and they will put up enough points to get a tough divisional victory on the road.

Texans (-2) over RAIDERS
Houston looked like the Dallas team they were facing last week as they made mistakes that cost them chances and possibly the victory on Sunday. The Raiders suffered a tough loss in Arizona when the game winning field goal was pushed left by Sebastian Janikowski. Oakland has been running the ball well with Darren McFadden and will try to shorten the game against an explosive Texan offense. Some concern over Andre Johnson's ankle, but the Texans have too much for the Raiders.

Colts (-7) over JAGUARS
Jacksonville has been a turnover machine the last two weeks and having Peyton Manning and the Colts coming in will not make things easier for them as a shootout is not how the Jaguars want to play the game. Colts defense came up big when Denver threatened them last week and will step up to frustrate David Garrard and the Jag offense.

Redskins (+6 1/2) over EAGLES
Donovan McNabb returns to Philadelphia and it will be interesting to see how the Philly fans greet him. Washington did not look good in losing to the Rams, while the Eagles are riding Michael Vick sparking the offense, but it should be tempered a little as it has been the Jags and Lions the past two weeks. Eagles win, but the Redskins keep it close.

CHARGERS (-8) over Cardinals
The "slow start" curse has again hit the Chargers after their loss up in Seattle. Ryan Mathews should be back this week which will help San Diego balance their offense. The Cardinals ran the ball more with the return of Beanie Wells to help Tim Hightower and will probably try it against a suspect Charger running defense. Look for Philip Rivers and the offense to get the ball into the endzone more and get back to even for the season.

Bears (+3) over GIANTS
Does this Chicago team have the look of the 2006 team? A defense that is good and takes advantages of their opponents mistakes, while the offense does enough to put up the points to get victories. This Giant team is the perfect foe for them as they have been terrible protecting the ball and have self-destructed the past two weeks. New York needs to get back on track, but it may not happen against a Bear team still riding their early season success.

DOLPHINS (Even) over Patriots
Miami hurt themselves with a few defensive breakdowns against the Jets, especially against Dustin Keller and on third downs. Not a good combination against a Tom Brady led offense his passing weapons. On the flip side, the Dolphin offense moved the ball very well against the New York defense and the New England defense is nowhere nearly as good. Look for another big game from Brandon Marshall as the Dolphins take advantage against the young Patriot secondary.

Week 3 picks: 7-9
2010 season: 24-21-3

Win/Lose picks:
Guest picker for week 4: Cassie (my daughter)

Week 3 results: Mike (9-7) / Sal (8-8) / Guest (7-9)
2010 season: Mike (32-16) / Sal (30-18) / Guest (25-23)

Week 4 picks:
--- 49ers at Falcons --- Sal / Mike / Cassie
Sal / Mike / Cassie --- Jets at Bills ---
Sal / Mike / Cassie --- Bengals at Browns ---
--- Lions at Packers --- Sal / Mike / Cassie
Sal / Cassie --- Broncos at Titans --- Mike
Sal / Mike / Cassie --- Seahawks at Rams ---
--- Panthers at Saints --- Sal / Mike / Cassie
Sal --- Ravens at Steelers --- Mike / Cassie
Sal / Mike --- Texans at Raiders --- Cassie
Sal / Mike / Cassie --- Colts at Jaguars ---
Sal --- Redskins at Eagles --- Mike / Cassie
Cassie --- Cardinals at Chargers --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike --- Bears at Giants --- Cassie
--- Patriots at Dolphins --- Sal / Mike / Cassie

College Football 2010 (Week 5).....

Alabama showed that they are not giving up their position as the #1 team in college football without a big fight in their comeback (thrown to them by Ryan Mallett) win over Arkansas. It doesn't get any easier as they get Florida coming down for a visit. A good week of ranked match-ups between conference opponents.

Week 5 games:

Oklahoma (#8) over Texas (#21) - The Longhorns were embarrassed at home by UCLA and would love to spoil Oklahoma's year in their annual "Red River Rivalry" game. Unless Texas all of a sudden finds a running game, this should be the Sooners' year to win this attraction at the Texas State Fair.
Wisconsin (#11) over Michigan State (#24) - One of two Big Ten conference games between two ranked teams. Wisconsin has struggled as of late and this game is in Lansing, but the Badgers are a better team than the Spartans and will get a tough Big Ten win.
North Carolina State (#23) over Virginia Tech - Nice road win for NC State last week against Georgia Tech. When the Wolfpack show up among the ranked teams and that usually that means a letdown for my local team. This year just feels a little different and they play well at home against Virginia Tech and keep the nice start rolling along.
Alabama (#1) over Florida (#9) - Yes, I picked against the Tide last week, but I will not do that two weeks in a row, especially with this game at home. Florida has not looked great in their games and will struggle this week against Nick Saban's Alabama defense, in what could be a preview of the SEC Championship.
Oregon (#4) over Stanford (#9) - A showcase of the Pac 10's best two teams and it does not include USC. Andrew Luck and Stanford will try to keep up with the high flying Ducks' offense, but Oregon being at home will be the difference in this matchup that has the possibility of looking like a video game with all the scoring these two teams can generate.
Iowa (#17) over Penn St. (#22) - Both teams need the victory after some lackluster performances. The Hawkeyes have the Nittany Lions at home and that is the reason I favor Iowa in this matchup.


Week 4: 4-2
2010 season: 18-6

NFL Week 3 review - The SFB Podcast (9/28/2010).....

Three weeks into the NFL season and we are left with only three undefeated teams (Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Chicago), and all three are quite the surprise. On the other side of the coin, there are five teams without a victory (Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Carolina and San Francisco), and only the Bills were really expected on this list. I'll take a look at all 16 games and give my thoughts about the how's and why's of the week that was. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 28, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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How was your weekend? - The SFB Podcast (9/27/2010).....

Another highly touted college quarterback shrunk when put in the spotlight, as Ryan Mallatt throws three intereceptions allowing Alabama to comeback and beat Arkansas. Where are the "big time / put the team on my back" college quarterbacks? I'll look for those quarterbacks, plus other news from Saturday. Plus, Jim Furyk can now buy an alarm clock, but destroyed the playoff system the PGA is trying to tout as "must see". Also, video of Game 7 from the 1960 World Series was found in an unusual place. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 27, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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This & That - The SFB Podcast (9/25/2010).....

Michael Vick is the new Eagles' starting quarterback, Ichiro has another 200 hit season, Jose Bautista hits home run #50, and Vincent Jackson does not get traded. Plenty to talk about the past few days around the sports world and this even before we get to the last ten days of the baseball season, Saturday's college football schedule and the third week of the NFL season. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 25, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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NFL 2010 - Week 3 picks.....

Two weeks down and it is not much clearer than before the season started. Some trends starting to take shape, but not many after these two weeks. Some of the 2-0 teams make you say "wow" (Kansas City and Tampa Bay), while some of the 0-2 teams have you scratching your head (Dallas and Minnesota).

My season is the same, as no trends are developing. Losing record the first week, while great numbers in week 2.

Below the point spread games are the win/lose picks of Mike (not as good as week 1), myself (better than week 1) and our guest picker, Richard Ramos.

NFL Week 3 picks (Home Team in Caps)

49ers (-1) over CHIEFS
The 49ers had a tough time in Seattle to open the season and Kansas City has been known to also give visitors a difficult time and the stadium should be rocking as the Chiefs are 2-0. The Chief offense has not played well and the 49er defense will be no easier for them. Look for quite a bit of Frank Gore running and the first win of the season for Mike Singletary's 49ers.

VIKINGS (-11) over Lions
Still lots of passing offense questions for the Vikings after two weeks, but they get healthy and on the same page against the Lions. Adrian Peterson ran hard against the Dolphins and will have another big day to help Minnesota get a win on the board.

PATRIOTS (-13 1/2) over Bills
New England's offense got bottled up in the second half against the Jets, but gets the perfect opponent to get back on track with Buffalo coming to town. Look for Tom Brady to rack up big numbers in this glorified scrimmage against the worst team in the NFL.

SAINTS (-5) over Falcons
Short week for the Saints after pulling out a tough victory Monday night over the 49ers and they suffer a big loss with the Reggie Bush broken leg. Atlanta crushed Arizona, but also lost Michael Turner to a groin injury. The Saints take advantage of that loud Superdome crowd and gets a tough divisional victory to stay undefeated.

Titans (+3) over GIANTS
The Giants have not looked good the first two weeks, despite the week one victory. While the Titan offense looked dismal against Pittsburgh, I think we will be saying that more this year when opponents fact the Steelers. Vince Young and the Titan offense gets back on track and grabs the road victory.

Steelers (-3) over BUCCANEERS
Battle of 2-0 teams. Who had that to start the season? Even though the Steeler quarterback situation is questionable, the Pittsburgh defense looks like the 2008 defense and hands the surprising Bucs their first loss of the season.

Bengals (-1 1/2) over PANTHERS
Jimmy Clausen gets his first NFL start and its against a tough Bengal defense. The Panther offense will have to run the ball and Cincinnati will dare Clausen to throw the ball. Could make for a long day. Carson Palmer still needs to get the offense going and this week could be the launching point.

RAVENS (-8 1/2) over Browns
This is a test week for Joe Flacco and the Raven offense. Ten points each of the first two games is not what was expected of this team. Could not have a better remedy than facing the Browns. If the Raven offense struggles again, there will be lots of questions and finger pointing at Flacco and offense coordinator Cam Cameron.

TEXANS (-3) over Cowboys
The records say Texans, but the fact that the Houston defense has given up more than 400 yards the first two weeks, plus the loss of left tackle Daune Brown to a four week suspension points to the Cowboys being able to get the victory. Dallas still not running the ball well and the Houston crowd will be loud and fierce and that will be enough to push Houston over their in-state rivals.

RAMS (+3 1/2) over Redskins
The Rams have played tough the first two weeks and are looking to give Sam Bradford his first NFL victory. Washington could be looking past St. Louis, but they have more talent than the Rams and it will be enough to get them a close victory.

Eagles (-3) over JAGUARS
Michael Vick is now the Eagles' starting quarterback and while this change could cause a distraction, it seems the Eagles are all on the same page with this move. Jacksonville was shredded by the San Diego passing game last week and Philly will do the same.

Colts (-5 1/2) over BRONCOS
Knowson Moreno is out for the Broncos, so the thought of running the ball at the Colts and shortening the game is now in trouble. Add in the emotions form the death of wide receiver, Kenny McKinley, and this is a very difficult week for Denver.

Raiders (+4) over CARDINALS
The change for the Raiders to quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has me taking Oakland against the Cardinals in Arizona. While I still think Jason Campbell should be their quarterback, Gradkowski gave them a spark last year and he does it against this week.

Chargers (-6) over SEAHAWKS
The Seattle crowd can be tough to deal with and the San Diego locker room might be a little bit upset after the Vincent Jackson non-trade this week, plus Ryan Mathews injured ankle points to a Seahawks upset. But, Philip Rivers is tough and will help carry the Chargers to a difficult road win with the help of his big man, Antonio Gates.

DOLPHINS (-1) over Jets
The New York defense struggled against the Dolphins' Wildcat offense last year and many expect them to again see heavy doses. I think Miami runs a more conventional run heavy offense, but makes sure it tries to get Brandon Marshall involved and they do against Antonio Cromartie's

Packers (-1) over BEARS
The Mike Martz / Jay Cutler "marriage" seems to be working so far after two games. Martz still not using the running game to balance the attack, but so far, so good. Problem is this Packer defense will harass Cutler and their offense is very good and will put up more points than the Bears in a Monday night shootout.

Week 2 picks: 10-4-2
2010 season: 17-12-3


Win/Lose picks:
Guest picker for week 3: Richard Ramos

Week 2 results: Mike (11-5) / Sal (12-4) / Guest (8-8)
2010 season: Mike (23-9) / Sal (22-10) / Guest (18-14)

Week 3 picks:
Sal --- Titans at Giants --- Mike / Rich
Sal / Mike / Rich --- Steelers at Buccaneers ---
Sal / Mike / Rich --- Bengals at Panthers ---
--- Browns at Ravens --- Sal / Mike / Rich
--- Cowboys at Texans --- Sal / Mike / Rich
Sal / Mike / Rich --- 49ers at Chiefs ---
--- Lions at Vikings --- Sal / Mike / Rich
--- Bills at Patriots --- Sal / Mike / Rich
--- Falcons at Saints --- Sal / Mike /Rich
Sal / Mike / Rich --- Redskins at Rams ---
Sal / Mike --- Eagles at Jaguars --- Rich
Sal / Rich --- Raiders at Cardinals --- Mike
Sal / Rich --- Chargers at Seahawks --- Mike
Sal / Mike / Rich --- Colts at Broncos ---
Rich --- Jets at Dolphins --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike / Rich --- Packers at Bears ---

College Football 2010 (Week 4).....

Conference play is starting up and this week there are four matchups of Top 25 teams. It is highlighted by #1 Alabama traveling to #10 Arkansas. Plus Boise St. gets its second "test" of the season when the Oregon St. Beavers coming calling up to the blue turf.

Week 4 games:

Arkansas (#10) over Alabama (#1) - Alabama's secondary is young and Fayetteville is going to be a tough SEC road trip. We haven't had a good upset at the top of the SEC for a couple of years, so why not have one here in this spot? A good game here, plus the upset, give a huge push for Ryan Mallett and the Heisman.
Boise St. (#3) over Oregon St. (#24) - I so want to pick the Beavers to go up to the blue turf and pull the upset, but I just can't pull the trigger. Boise St. at home are very difficult to beat and they win again to keep their BCS championship game hope alive.
South Carolina (#12) over Auburn (#17) - The "ol' boy coach" has the Gamecocks playing good football, but they will need a great effort to get the road victory. I am believing in this SC team and think they keep the roll alive and the possible showdown with Florida later in the year.
LSU (#15) over West Virginia (#22) - It is very hard to travel and play LSU, and even more so for a non-conference team. A WV victory would be a big boost to the Big East, but I don't see it happening this Saturday.
Stanford (#16) over Notre Dame - The MSU loss was as tough of a loss as Notre Dame will have all year. Stanford is a very good team and with quarterback Andrew Luck will light up the average Irish defense.
USC (#20) over Washington St. - USC has not looked great these last few weeks and has to travel to Pullman, but I don't think the Cougars have enough talent to pull the upset over the Trojans.



Week 3: 4-2
2010 season: 14-4

NFL Week 2 review - The SFB Podcast (9/21/2010).....

Yes, I was completely wrong in thinking Mark Sanchez and the Jets would not bounce back against the Patriots. As with almost every NFL week, there are just as many questions as answers after the games have been played. I'll take a look at each of the sixteen games from the weekend and give my thoughts about what went on in the games and what we might be able to take from the results. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 21, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Stress Levels - The SFB Podcast (9/20/2010).....

Saturday night, Michigan St. coach Mark Dantonio made a gutsy decision in calling for a fake field goal in overtime against Notre Dame. The play worked, MSU won and Dantonio was a hero. Two hours later he was in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. This comes nine months after Urban Meyer's collapsed following the SEC Championship game. What is going on here and is it all worth it? I'll give my thoughts about coaches and the health scares that have occured. Plus, I'll look at some of the college action from the weekend.

Also, there was baseball action, including a very scary episode in Miami involving a broken bat. Plus, yes, I was wrong and surprised in Mark Sanchez and the Jets ability to bounce back. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 20, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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TV Viewing - Entourage & the NFL - The SFB Podcast (9/18/2010).....

Mike joins me on the podcast to gloat about last week's 12-4 record and to preview the second week of NFL action. We also talk about how the TV show "Entourage" redeemed itself this year and why watching football at home is better than being at the game. Enjoy.

Mike on Twitter

The SportsFan Buzz: September 18, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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NFL 2010 - Week 2 picks.....

A tough first week of picking as some teams followed their pre-season trends, while others went in the opposite direction of what they showed. Below the point spread games are the win/lose picks that Mike, myself and our weekly guest picker have for week 2.

NFL Week 2 picks (Home Team in Caps)

FALCONS (-7) over Cardinals
Arizona needed all 60 minutes and 3 INTs from Sam Bradford before beating the Rams. Beanie Wells should be back to help the offense. Atlanta suffered a tough loss last week in Pittsburgh and will bounce back a much weaker opponent.

BENGALS (+1) over Ravens
All sane judgement goes against the Bengals bouncing back against a tough Raven team after last week's no show up in New England. Baltimore is on a short week after a tough Monday night game and again on the road. Don't believe the Bengal defense is as bad as they looked against the Patriots. Carson Palmer gets his offense in gear and they squeak out a tough home divisional win.

Chiefs (+2 1/2) over BROWNS
The Chiefs won Monday night despite Matt Cassel going 8 for 22. Their defense looks to be improved, but it is still young in areas. That might not matter as the Browns looked like a mess against Tampa Bay. KC gets the passing on track and starts the season at 2-0.

Bears (+8 1/2) over COWBOYS
Both offensive lines did not protect well last week and both face tough defensive lines in this matchup. Jay Cutler seems to like throwing the ball all over the yard and Matt Forte looks healthy. The Cowboys are too talented to be 0-2, but are still having trouble in the red zone and that is why the Bears keep it close.

Eagles (-3) over LIONS
Michael Vick gets the start for Philadelphia, while it will be Shaun Hill for the Lions. Advantage Eagles. Let the quarterback controversy begin in Philly.

PACKERS (-13 1/2) over Bills
Green Bay will be without Ryan Grant for the rest of the season, but they get Buffalo for Brandon Jackson to make his first NFL start. Aaron Rodgers looked a little rusty last week against the Eagles, but gets himself on track against The Bills' secondary.

Steelers (+6) over TITANS
The Pittsburgh defense stood up against Atlanta's Michael Turner last week and now get Chris Johnson. Plus, Vince Young was effective, but it was against Oakland. The Steelers minus Ben Roethlisberger will have trouble scoring against the Titans' defense, but the Steeler D helps in keeping this close.

Dolphins (+5 1/2) over VIKINGS
Miami got a win, but did not look great against Buffalo. Meanwhile, there is still a bit of concern about the Vikings' receiving corps. Both teams will want to run the ball and the game will come down to which team can move the ball through the air. Miami keeps it close and pull off the out-right victory.

PANTHERS (-3) over Buccaneers
Carolina looked terrible against the Giants, while Tampa Bay got a season opening home victory against the Browns. Cleveland was able to run the ball against the Bucs' defense and expect the Panthers to do the same as they try to protect whichever quarterback starts for them.

BRONCOS (-3) over Seahawks
The Pete Carrol era could not have started any better than it did last week. This week they are on the road and away from their over-friendly crowd. Kyle Orton threw for almost 300 yards and the offense looked better than I had anticipated. Denver gets the win at home.

RAIDERS (-3 1/2) over Rams
Sam Bradford threw the ball 55 times last week. That cannot happen again. I thought the Raiders were a better team headed into 2010 and I will stick with them again this week at home. They ran the ball well against the Titans and should look to keep it up against the St. Louis defense.

Patriots (+1 1/2) over JETS
All the Jet talk this off-season was not lost on New England. Now they get the Jets a little on the downside, after a loss, with their offense in a mess and Darrelle Revis possibly having a sore hamstring. Tom Brady and the Patriot offense shows New York how to put points on the board and gives the Jets their second loss (both at home).

CHARGERS (-8) over Jaguars
San Diego at least knows it won't be raining like it was Monday night in Kansas City. Yes, they miss Vincent Jackson, but probably miss Marcus McNeill more. Just like last year, the Charger defense gave up yards on the ground and will have to be careful with Maurice Jones-Drew running for the Jags. Too much talent on the San Diego side of the ball and they right last week's wrong.

Texans (-3) over REDSKINS
Everything points to "letdown game" and that can be said for both teams, but more to the Texans because they are traveling and are favorites. Arian Foster will have a tougher time finding holes this week. It is student (Gary Kubiak) versus teacher (Mike Shanahan). With a much better offense, student gets the best of his mentor.

COLTS (-5 1/2) over Giants
The Colts' defense got shredded on the ground by Arian Foster and the Texans, and now face a Giant team who will want to run the ball. New York got the win last week, but were helped by Carolina's turnovers. Don't see Peyton giving little brother Eli the same opportunities. Indy gets back on track and avoids their first 0-2 start since Peyton's rookie year.

Saints (-4 1/2) over 49ERS
There was no worse way for a promising team to start their season then the way San Fransisco started up in Seattle and it does not get any easier, even at home, as the Super Bowl Champions come to town. New Orleans' offense looked sluggish most of the game against Minnesota, but had eleven days to get back on track. I think they do and put the team favored to win the NFC West in a 0-2 hole.

Week 1 picks: 7-8-1
2010 season: 7-8-1


Win/Lose picks:
Guest picker for week 2: Paul Lebowitz

Week 1 results: Mike (12-4) / Sal (10-6) / Guest (10-6)
2010 season: Mike (12-4) / Sal (10-6) / Guest (10-6)

Week 2 picks:
Paul --- Steelers at Titans --- Sal / Mike
Sal --- Dolphins at Vikings --- Mike / Paul
--- Cardinals at Falcons --- Sal / Mike / Paul
Mike --- Ravens at Bengals --- Sal / Paul
Sal / Mike / Paul --- Chiefs at Browns ---
--- Bears at Cowboys --- Sal / Mike / Paul
Sal / Mike --- Eagles at Lions --- Paul
Paul --- Bills at Packers --- Sal / Mike
Paul --- Buccaneers at Panthers --- Sal / Mike
--- Seahawks at Broncos --- Sal / Mike / Paul
--- Rams at Raiders --- Sal / Mike / Paul
Sal / Mike --- Texans at Redskins --- Paul
Sal / Paul --- Patriots at Jets --- Mike
--- Jaguars at Chargers --- Sal / Mike / Paul
Paul --- Giants at Colts --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Mike --- Saints at 49ers --- Paul

Sanction the NCAA - The SFB Podcast (9/17/2010).....

Reggie Bush and USC, conference realignment, agents on campuses, The BCS, and a rulebook that can be used as a step ladder with some ridiculous pieces to it. The NCAA is easy to beat on and although it does some things right, many times they make you scratch your head. Rich Ramos joins the podcast to discuss the NCAA and college football. Rich has many thoughts about the NCAA and how it runs college sports. Plus, how will his USC Trojans do under Lane Kiffin and without a year end bowl game to play for the next two seasons? Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 17, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

College Football 2010 (Week 3).....

No real "heavyweight" games this weekend, but any Saturday with college football is a good Saturday. Last week's games looked good on paper, but were disappointments with so many blowouts.

Week 3 games:

Notre Dame over Michigan State - The Irish defense were exposed as still a bit slow, but I think Brian Kelly gets them back on track against the Spartans.
Iowa (#9) over Arizona (#24) - Only match-up this week of top 25 teams. Iowa will have a tough test traveling west, but this is a good football team that will get the job done in a hostile environment.
Nebraska (#8) over Washington - The Cornhuskers travel up to Washington to face an improving Huskie team. The Husker defense is very good and is able to control quarterback Jake Locker.
LSU (#15) over Mississippi St. - A tough loss for MSU at home last week against Auburn and it doesn't get any easier with the Tigers coming to town. LSU needs to take advantage of a MSU team that may still be upset by that loss.
Arkansas (#12) over Georgia - Tough SEC game with the Razorbacks traveling to Athens. Georgia already lost one SEC game in dropping last week's contest to South Carolina. Ryan Mallett leads Arkansas to road SEC victory.
Florida (#10) over Tennessee - Florida has looked shaky in their first two victories, but I think they get healthy against a Volunteer team that will keep the game close, but doesn't have enough talent to beat the Gators.

Week 2: 5-1
2010 season: 10-2

Baseball's homestretch - The SFB Podcast (9/16/2010).....

We have a little over 2 weeks left in the baseball season and while the American League's playoff teams are pretty much set, the story in the National League is much different. Paul Lebowitz joins me to discuss what has been going on around the majors and we look ahead to the final weeks. Will the Padres waste their first five months with a dreadful September? Will the Rockies again streak their way into the playoffs? Plus, does it matter who wins the American League East between the Ray and Yankees? Enjoy.

Paul on Twitter
Paul's website

The SportsFan Buzz: September 16, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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These actually count - The SportsFan Buzz (9/14/2010).....

The first week of the NFL season is in the books and while some teams followed the script that they presented during the pre-season (Cowboys O-Line), there were some others who did not match their pre-season rehearsals (Patriots defense). I'm looking back at the week 1 games to discuss what happened to the winners and losers and what if any of the first week trends look like solid indicators to some of the teams this upcoming season. Plus, more indications an 18 game season is not a good idea. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 14, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Len Berman Interview - The SFB Podcast (9/14/2010).....

Sports broadcaster turned author, Len Berman joins the podcast to discuss his latest book, "The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time". Any "best of" list mean discussions and this book is a great way to start a "what about" talk involving baseball greats. Len and I discuss the players in the book and those on the short list that did not make the cut. Plus I ask Len about his time in sports broadcasting and the state of sports today. Enjoy.

Len Berman: "The Greatest Moments in Sports"
Len's That's Sports website

The SportsFan Buzz: Len Berman interview (right click to "save as target)

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Thanks for Nothing - The SFB Podcast (9/13/2010).....

Last week Boise St. was set-up to make the BCS Championship game after their thrilling victory over Virginia Tech. Fast forward to today and the Broncos are no longer BCS darlings after not playing this week and Virginia Tech losing to James Madison at home. Huh? Makes no sense and that's what makes the BCS and also pre-season polls ridiculous. Plus, more troubles around college campuses highlighted by Tennessee's Bruce Pearl admission of giving misleading questions to an NCAA investigator. Good grief. Oh yea, there was actually some good college football this weekend. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 13, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Jeter moving? - The SFB Podcast (9/10/2010).....

Yankee fans are wondering what management will do concerning Derek Jeter impending free agency and now comes a report Jeter has put his penthouse up for sale. That should ratchet up the talk radio discussions a few notches and also cause a few heart attacks. Also, while the AL playoff teams seem set, the NL now looks like all the playoff spots may not be decided until the last week or weekend. I'll discuss those stories, plus other news around MLB, the Saints / Vikings game and what else is going on in the NFL and a great story about Dwight Howard. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 10, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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College Football 2010 (Week 2).....

There were great endings to some of the games in the first week of the NCAA season. East Carolina on a "Hail Mary", Utah in overtime over Pittsburgh, North Carolina dropping two game winning touchdowns in the last 10 seconds of their loss to LSU, and Mississippi losing in double overtime to Jacksonville State after leading 31-10. Then we finish week 1 with the exciting Boise St. / Virginia Tech game (and my only loss) that did not disappoint us in any way.

Biggest relief for coaches was no injuries to any star players. On to week 2 and the start of the season for the rest of the teams in the NCAA.

Week 2 games:

Notre Dame over Michigan - I think Michigan is on the way back, but feel Brian Kelly has the Fighting Irish a little more ready get better faster.
Oklahoma (#10) over Florida St. (#18) - The Sooners struggles in week 1 raised some eyebrows, and not in a good way. Meanwhile the Jimbo Fischer era could not have started better, but it was Samford. Oklahoma gets back on track and get the win.
Ohio St. (#2) over Miami (#12) - Two very athletic quarterbacks (Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris) improving their passing games. Ohio St. has a little more talent and the advantage of playing at home in this great early season match-up.
Alabama (#1) over Penn St. (#14) - Another early season treat for college football fans. Alabama will miss Mark Ingram but the Nittany Lions start freshman quarterback Robert Bolden and that is asking a lot against Nick Saben and that tough Tide defense.
Oregon (#7) over Tennessee - The Ducks travel east into the tough environment of Neyland Stadium, but this Oregon team is very talented and will go back west with a victory.
South Carolina (#25) over Georgia (#19) - A very nice early season SEC match-up. I've been through this picture before in believing in a Steve Spurrier team. Let's see if they fool me again, but at home I give them a slight advantage over the Bulldogs.

Week 1: 5-1
2010 Season: 5-1

NFL 2010 - Week 1 picks.....

AFC and NFC previews:
NFC: The SportsFan Buzz: NFC 2010
AFC: The SportsFan Buzz: AFC 2010

Playoff Team Predictions:
AFC: Patriots / Bengals / Colts / Chargers / Ravens* / Texans*
NFC: Cowboys / Packers / Saints / 49ers / Giants* / Vikings*
Super Bowl: Colts / Packers
2010 Champion: Packers


NFL Week 1 picks (Home Team in Caps)

SAINTS (-4 1/2) over Vikings
Rematch of the NFC Championship, but the Vikings have many questions entering the season. No Sidney Rice and how healthy is Brett Favre's ankle lead the list. The Superdome will be rocking and that helps Drew Brees and the Saints roll to a comfortable victory.

Panthers (+7) over GIANTS
I like the Giants to rebound but a touchdown is too much. The Giants will look different on offense with Ahmad Bradshaw now the starting running back. Was that pre-season "sack attack" by the Panther defense for real? New York wins, but the Panthers keep it close by running DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to help protect first year starter Matt Moore.

Dolphins (-3) over BILLS
Expect heavy doses of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and look for Brandon Marshall to make a nice debut for his new team. Be interesting to see how much the Bills use CJ Spiller, but Buffalo does not have any other offense and that helps Miami get an opening day victory.

STEELERS (+2 1/2) over Falcons
Rashard Mendenhall for Pittsburgh and Michael Turner for Atlanta will get plenty of carries, so it will be a matter of which defense stops the run better. Look for the Steeler defense to step up and help while Dennis Dixon steps in for suspended Ben Roethlisberger.

BEARS (-6) over Lions
The Mike Martz / Jay Cutler marriage gets off to a good start against the Detroit defense that will be better with Ndamukong Suh anchoring the middle of that line. I like the Lion offense with Matthew Stafford be better, but he might see lots of Julius Peppers on Sunday.

Bengals (+4 1/2) over PATRIOTS
This has game of the week written all over it. Four great receivers on the field between Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Bengal running game and defense is better then New England and keeps it close. Could also be a straight upset.

Browns (+3) over BUCCANEERS
An ugly opening week game. Both teams in the full rebuilding mode, but Cleveland has just enough offense to beat Tampa Bay.

JAGUARS (-2 1/2) over Broncos
Two teams that are going to struggle mightily this year. Denver got really beat up during the pre-season and will struggle to score and put any pressure on the Jacksonville offense.

Colts (-2 1/2) over TEXANS
This is a very important game for the Texans, but it is still Peyton Manning on the other side of the field. Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Mario Williams are ready to get Houston over the hump, but this Colt game will be a little detour to that destination.

TITANS (-6) over Raiders
The Raiders are an improved team, but the Titans have Chris Johnson and he is on a mission. Tennessee is looking to reverse the terrible start they had in 2009 and they should with a home victory over Oakland.

Packers (-3) over EAGLES
A tough test for the Kevin Kolb era in Philadelphia against Green Bay. He catches a break with Al Harris missing the first six weeks, but Aaron Rodgers shows why he is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL as the Packer offense rolls against a suspect Eagle defense.

49ers (-3) over SEAHAWKS
Pete Carrol starts his Seattle coaching debut against the team favored to win the NFC West. While Seattle is improved, the 49ers will be much better and that starts showing here in week 1. Frank Gore starts off what could be a huge year for one of the league's best running backs.

Cardinals (-4) over RAMS
Derek Anderson leads the Cardinals, replacing the retired Kurt Warner, and the lowly Rams is the perfect foe to help get off to a good start. St. Louis fans get to see Sam Bradford's first NFL start and can hope it is the start of a bright future.

Cowboys (-4) over REDSKINS
The Cowboy offensive line looked terrible during the pre-season, but with the Redskins not sure about Albert Haynesworth's playing time, Tony Romo and the O-line dodge a week one problem. Not sure if Donovan McNabb and the Redskin offense can score enough against a tough Cowboy defense lead by DeMarcus Ware.

Ravens (+2 1/2) over JETS
The pre-season hype is over for the Jets and it is time to play the games for real. The Ravens have really improved their offense with the addition of Anquan Boldin and Ray Rice running the ball and will not be afraid to attack the Darrelle Revis led New York defense. The Ravens are beat up in the secondary, but their front seven is still excellent and will harass Mark Sanchez into mistakes.

Chargers (-5) over CHIEFS
Kansas City will run the ball with Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles at that Charger defense, but can they be effective in the air? Philip Rivers has his own new weapon in Ryan Mathews to hand off to, and the Charger passing game (even minus Vincent Jackson) will be too much for the Chiefs and propel San Diego to an opening night divisional victory.

NFL 2010 Kickoff - The SFB Podcast (9/9/2010).....

It is the start of the NFL season and I am joined by Mike to go over the week 1 games and give our thoughts about who will be the playoffs teams at the end of the season. Also, we start a segment of picking the winners of each week's games and also invite a "guest" to pick with us each week. This week, Mike's wife Kerri sent me her winners for week 1 in the NFL. If you would like to be the "guest", just contact us and we will set it up. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 9, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Week 1 picks:
Mike / Kerri --- Vikings at Saints --- Sal
--- Panthers at Giants --- Sal / Mike / Kerri
Sal / Mike / Kerri --- Dolphins at Bills ---
Sal / Mike / Kerri --- Steelers at Falcons ---
--- Lions at Bears --- Sal / Mike / Kerri
Sal --- Bengals at Patriots --- Mike / Kerri
Sal / Mike --- Browns at Buccaneers --- Kerri
Kerri --- Broncos at Jaguars --- Sal / Mike
Sal / Kerri --- Colts at Texans --- Mike
--- Raiders at Titans --- Sal / Mike / Kerri
Sal / Kerri --- Packers at Eagles --- Mike
Sal --- 49ers at Seahawks --- Mike / Kerri
Sal / Mike / Kerri --- Cardinals at Rams ---
Sal / Kerri --- Cowboys at Redskins --- Mike
Sal / Mike --- Ravens at Jets --- Kerri
Sal / Mike / Kerri --- Chargers at Chiefs ---

AFC Preview 2010 - The SFB Podcast.....

Will all the off-season publicity and signings push the Jets to their second Super Bowl appearance? Will Tom Brady and the Patriots regain their past glory? Will the Ravens offense be better than their talented defense? How does Pittsburgh survive the start of the season without Ben Roethlisberger and does the defense again play like "Steeler D"? Will the Chargers contract problems with some of their stars hold this very talented team back from greatness? Or in the end will everyone again be chasing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts? Enjoy.

AFC 2010 Preview (right click to "save as target)

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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

NFC Preview 2010 - The SFB Podcast.....

Can the Saints follow up their marvelous Super Bowl season with another run at the championship? Now in his third full season as the starter, can Aaron Rodgers take the Packers deep in the playoffs? Will the Cowboys become the first team to play a Super Bowl on their home field? Is Brett Favre and the Viking healthy enough to compete again this year? Or is their another team out there lurking to be this year's surprise of the NFC. I will look at all sixteen NFC teams in this team by team preview. Enjoy.

NFC Preview 2010 (right click to "save as target)

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Rex Ryan, new Jet GM? - The SFB Podcast (9/7/2010).....

So all it took was Rex Ryan spending the day with Darrelle Revis to help jump start their agreement? Maybe current Jet GM, Mike Tannenbaum, should watch his back. I'll look at the Revis contract, the weekend's college football action and what does the Boise St. victory really mean. Plus other news from around the NFL and MLB. Also, Joe Namath was ranked #100 on the NFL Network's list of the one hundred all-time greats players and I wonder if he should even be on the list. Enjoy.

The SportsFan Buzz: September 7, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Football is in the air - The SFB Podcast (9/4/2010).....

It's Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer. It is also the first weekend of college football action. I'll look at the college games and what is going on on the pro side of football as we are days away from the start of the season. Plus the PGA changes its mind and the NHL and its players agree on something. Enjoy.

College Football 2010 preview

The SportsFan Buzz: September 4, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

Talking Baseball - The SFB Podcast (9/2/2010).....

The baseball season is down to the final month of the 2010 season and there are still many questions that need to be answered. Paul Lebowitz joins me to discuss the divisional and wild card battles and Manny Ramirez to the White Sox. Can Ozzie and Manny play nice during the final month and possibly help the White Sox catch the Twins? We also discuss Stephen Strasburg, Aroldis Chapman and the collapse of the Cardinals. Enjoy.

Paul on Twitter
Paul's website

The SportsFan Buzz: September 2, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

"This & That" - The SFB Podcast (9/1/2010).....

A little bit of "this & that" on this first day of the ninth month. Manny Ramirez makes his White Sox debut, Aroldis Chapman makes his big league debut, and can we have a three-way NL Triple Crown race? Plus some news from around the NFL, PGA Golf and a college football preview. Also, a look at watching football at home as compared to at the stadium. Enjoy.

College Football 2010 preview

The SportsFan Buzz: September 1, 2010 (right click to "save as target)

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
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Voice over talent provided by Morgan Thomas.

College Football 2010 (Week 1).....

While I love watching college football, predicting the end of year Bowl match-ups in August is not on the top of my list of favorite things to do, as depending on 18 and 19 year olds to do what you think they will for a whole season is virtually impossible. That said, here are some of the teams I am keeping my eye on as the season gets started.

Alabama - Can they repeat or will Mark Ingram's knee injury be enough to hurt the Tide in the tough SEC ?
Florida - How will life be PT (Post Tebow)?
Auburn - Will they be the team to sneak up on league and make the Iron Bowl interesting again.
LSU - Again, they need to find offense to go with the defense. Les Miles on "hot seat"?
Ohio St. - Can Terrelle Pryor step up and show everyone what we saw at season's end?
Wisconsin and Iowa - Two teams who are going to be very good again this year.
Penn St. - Joe Pa without glasses?
Texas and Oklahoma - The "Big 2" will again battle it out for supremacy of the Big 12 South.
Nebraska - Will the Cornhuskers represent the Big 12 as its BCS champion in their swan song season?
Florida St. - The Jimbo Fisher era starts. Will the ghost of Bobby Bowden hover over it?
Miami - Is this the year they put together a whole season?
Virginia Tech - Will the Boise St. game define their season?
North Carolina - How will the off-field questions effect a team that was poised for good things before the NCAA came calling?
Oregon - Seemed to clean out the "problems" on the roster and look like the head of the Pac 10 class. December 4th OSU match-up could be for the state and Pac 10 titles.
Oregon St. - See December 4th match-up above. Who scheduled TCU & Boise St. in first 3 weeks? Will they bust the "BCS Busters"?
USC - Did Pete Carrol leave at the right time? Will Lane Kiffin get his players to forget the bad taste of NCAA sanctions?
Boise St. - If they can't beat Virginia Tech in Washington, DC Labor Day weekend (a virtual VT home game), will the "I told you so" chant be deafening?
TCU - Open with Oregon St, then it is "who are they" for the remainder of the schedule.
Notre Dame - Will it be different with Brian Kelly at the helm? The schedule is again a brutal and may lead to a record not reflective of their improvement.

Week 1 games:

NOTRE DAME over Perdue - The Kelly era starts well.
USC (#16) over HAWAII - USC's Bowl game as they get a trip to the Islands.
TCU (#6) over Oregon St. (#24) - TCU takes advantage of being at home.
LSU (#21) over North Carolina (#18) (in Atlanta) - The off field distractions hurt the Tar Heels.
Virginia Tech (#10) over Boise St. (#3) (in Landover, MD) - Best game of the opening weekend. "Home" game for VT gives them slight edge.
MICHIGAN over Connecticut - Just a hunch that Michigan gets back on the winning track.