Week 5 Pick'em

Browns @ Bills = Bills
-I can only assume Mangini was given the nickname "Man-Genius" in the same way a really fat guy is ironically called "Slim".  With Herm Edwards out of the league, Mangini is clearly the worst coach in the NFL and doesn't deserve/probably won't get another win ever again.

Steelers @ Lions = Steelers
-Sure the Lions have looked better this season, but remember, the ugly girl in the pretty dress still isn't as hot as the prom queen.  Steelers should be fine in the Motor city.

Cowboys @ Chiefs = Cowboys
-Cowboys and Indians -- gotta love it.  Romo will earn himself a stay of execution against an utterly pathetic opponent. 

Vikings @ Rams = Vikings
-Another tough match-up this week, but I'm gonna have to go with the Vikings here.  Adrian Peterson has two more touchdowns this season than the ENTIRE Rams team.  

Raiders @ Giants = Giants
-In another clash of NFC East and AFC West titans, the G-Men will roll over the futile Oakland offense.  Although the good news is JaMarcus Russell's 39.8% season completion percentage will go up on Sunday (if you take the literal translation that an interception is -- in fact -- a completion.)

Bucs @ Eagles = Eagles
-Games like these will lead a man to drink, (and that's exactly what I'll be doing).  Game-set-match: NFC East, as the Bucs go 0-4 on the season against the division.  Everyone in that division is now dumber having played the Bucs, I award them no points, and may God have mercy on their souls. 

Redskins @ Panthers = Futility...err, Panthers 
-I absolute can't, in good conscience, choose the Skins to win this one out of respect for fellow bingbonger Steve Lugerner.  I have visions of Steve Smith having a big game -- the little guy's due.

Bengals @ Ravens = Ravens
-Finally a game worth watching!  As a "Hard Knocks" fan, I want to give it to the Bengals here, but I just can't.  An overtime performance against the Browns and an angry Ray Lewis doesn't bode well for the Bengals.  The man has killed for less than a 'Roughing the Passer' call...no, literally.

Falcons @ 49ers = Falcons
-I don't know why, but I'm getting a sneaking suspicion that this is a "show-me" game for the Falcons.  With Gore still out and Burner yet to show anything special this season, the Birds could come out firing on this one.

Jaguars @ Seahawks = Jaguars
-Maybe the Titans just really are that bad, but the Jags offense looked good last week and even with the return of Matt Hasselbeck I don't expect good things out of this team of veritable "he's still in the league?" all-stars.  As far as match-ups go, MJD + MSW vs. SEA makes me one VHO (very happy owner).


Texans @ Cardinals = Cardinals
-While the match-up of Andre vs. Fitz should be enjoyable to watch, I think the depth of weapons on the Cards will be too much for Houston.

Patriots @ Broncos = Patriots
-I don't think this is going to be nearly as close as everyone thinks (the line is currently even).  The Broncos are clearly the weakest 4-0 team in the league.  Save for two ridiculous plays out of Stokley and Marshall, the Broncos are looking at a 2-2 start with wins coming against the Browns and the Raiders.  It might not be a blowout, but Belichick is going to continue to teach McDaniels a thing or two about coaching in the NFL.

Colts @ Titans = Colts
-Can't believe the line on this is only 6.  The Titans first win is coming, just not this week.  With the assortment of no-name receivers Manning is putting on the radar, it wouldn't surprise me if he put a "Make-a-Wish" kid in at flanker for a few plays AND throws him a touchdown.

Jets @ Dolphins = Dolphins
-Going against the grain with this one, but I can see this being the game the Dolphins get amped up for this season.  Between the trash-talking going on with Rex Ryan and the embarrassing display against the Colts a few weeks ago, Dolphins could sneak away with the win here.  

Fantasy Sleeper of the Week: LeSean McCoy, RB Eagles.  After losing McNabb for a few weeks on a meaningless touchdown, I wouldn't be surprised to see Andy Reid play it safe with his starters once they get the lead against the Bucs.  I'd say McCoy will get at least 10-15 touches.

Fantasy Worry of the Week: Steve Smith, WR Giants.  Yeah, I know this is going to be a blowout and looks like an easy match-up, but Nnamdi Asomugha held Andre Johnson to 2 catches on 8 targets last week and Steve Smith is NOT Andre Johnson.  Nnamdi backwards is I-D-MANN -- coincidence? 

That's all for this week.  Good luck with your picks and enjoy the weekend.  Packers have a bye so my stomach should look like the end of Titanic with dozens of wings floating face-down in Guinness and shots of Jack.

-Dave

Gamblers Anonymous: Prop Bets Part I and Week 5 NFL Picks

A few years ago in the Garden of Eden, a Snake realized he could get Adam to pretty much do anything with enough prodding/incentive.

Out of this story, prop betting was born (or really, prostitution, but hey, this is a kids blog). I may not have read the Bible front to cover since last week, but I’m pretty sure this is the number one lesson to be had. Bottom line: Most of us are willing to sacrifice some dignity for the right amount of cash/incentive. Some true prop bet veterans, such as my friend Kevin Johnson, will say it's about the story more than the money. A true professional ladies and gentleman.

I would like to pass on some words of wisdom to the reader once told to us by a hooker during a drunk prank call in Vegas at 6am...
Friend: "No seriously, we are into some really sick shit...like [edited due to content]"
Hooker: "Ok, please - we can't discuss over the phone…we can negotiate in the room"
Friend: "But really sick shit I want to make sure that is clear"
Hooker: "Well… [awkward pause]… everything has a price"

Over this two part mini-series, I will profile the top 5 prop bets I’ve had the luxury to finance and be a part of. Here are two of my favorites:

Name of Prop: The McNugget Challenge
Amount: 5 to 1 odds on $40 (you win $200 for successful completion), all food supplies covered.
Description: Eat 60 Chicken McNuggets and a double cheeseburger from McDonald's in 90 minutes, no puking – drinks and sauces allowed.
Story: While I have never been fortunate enough to witness the attempts, I have gotten a thorough play-by-play as a financier. The Challenge has yielded two attempts, both miserable failures. Both men crashed around the magical “39 nugget mark” – one of those things that can’t really be explained. Kind of like a pitcher losing gas after 100 pitches. I guess after swallowing 38 Grade X pieces of chicken…it becomes more mental than physical. Bet still available to any willing to try.

Name of Prop: Shirtless at 35,000 Feet
Amount: $50 for completion
Description: Very simple...walk to the bathroom mid-flight...and come back and sit down without your shirt on, like you completely forgot you took it off.
Story: Something that sounds pretty easy, right? But on a crowded airplane at 35,000 feet, it is a bizarre site to see someone without a shirt on. My friend Kevin Johnson (mentioned in the intro) successfully completed the bet. The finishing touch on the prop was he had to "act dumb" when asked why his shirt was off.

Starting our final approach into Vegas...after over an hour with his shirt off…
Flight Attendant: "I know I don't mind the view, but do you mind putting your shirt back on for landing?
KJ: (acting like a confused old man) "Oh wow jeez....uh uh...I didn't even notice”

Next week on Prop Bets Part II....breakfast sandwiches gone bad...why you’ll make sure to throw out flowers when they die…and a few bets out their for any readers willing to take them. Here are my Week 5 NFL Picks (last week 3-7…UGLY first week…but not opposite time just yet):

Twitter me this Ocho: Ravens -8.5 over Bengals – Ravens at home should win by two scores…I see this as a set back game for the Bengals.

‘I only hate Boston more than Detroit’: Steelers -11 over Lions – All it took was two obnoxious Detroit fans I know…who new they existed (Reader: what two Detroit fans all together or the obnoxious ones?). Pittsburg running attack with Mendenhall's fresh legs will light up the Lions, and the city is still feeling the Tigers hangover. I’d imagine it will be 75% Pittsburg fans at Ford Field. At least they might get a home game blacked out this week!

Apparently, Peyton is good at Football?: Colts -4 over Titans – Standard over value of the Colts bet by me.

REX RYAN JUST SOLD HALF A MILLION BREAK PADS!: Dolphins +2 over Jets– Call this the complete opposite of the bets I made last week…which makes this pick extremely suspect…but I’m impressed how well the Dolphins are coached given who they line up at QB.

Games to stay away from: Eagles -15.5, Pats -3.5, Skins OR Panthers +3.5…there’s a decent chance the refs may just take the football away from these two teams and call it a tie.

-Steve Lugerner

(PS: Dodgers up 2-0…the other 3 members of BingBongSports still slobbering over the Cardinals?)

Who Stands Alone as the Best Current ESPN Personality?

For a while, I have wanted to do a list like this. While I think ESPN has jumped the shark, the channel still permeates our homes, our bars, and our lives a majority of our television-viewing time. I was originally going to do a ranking of the current SportsCenter anchors, but some of the best ESPN has to offer either don't anchor SportsCenter anymore or never did and simply appear on other shows in the family of networks.

So, here is my top ten current ESPN personalities. Please note this list does not include anyone from the talking head shows (PTI, Around the Horn, First Take) which means that Wilbon and Reali won't be on the list. But you can rest assured Skip Bayless wasn't making this list if it the best ESPN personalities named "Skip."

Honorable mention to those who are no longer with the network: Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Rich Eisen, Craig Kilborn, and Charley Steiner. There was no better duo than Patrick and Olbermann back in the day. That was destination programming night in and night out. Anyway, without further ado...

10. Karl Ravech

Ravech's main duties is hosting Baseball Tonight, and he seems to anchor the show more than most. What separates this show from the other shows on the network is the rapid fire in-game highlights that are aired (especially during the 10pm edition). And Ravech handles these almost flawlessly. He seems to have a fantastic rapport with the revolving door of analysts that sit to his left each night. He even makes them all sound smart (though making Eric Young or Eduardo Perez sound smart is like running a 3 minute mile). He's got a good sense of humor too but he's not over-the-top. Just a very solid host who moves the show along with ease.

9. Trey Wingo

Wingo is to NFL Live what Ravech is to Baseball Tonight. They have very similar styles. Wingo famously was given the NFL Live gig instead of Rich Eisen, which caused Eisen to bolt ESPN and begin working at the NFL Network. I was a bit unsure of that decision when it happened, but Wingo has answered the call. He seems to be at his best when Mark Schlereth and Merrill Hoge are in studio with him, though he handles things fine when "experts" like Tim Hasselbeck join him in studio. Wingo will likely take over for Chris Berman whenever he abdicates his throne as the NFL Czar at ESPN.

8. Chris Berman

Speak of the devil. If this were 10 years ago, Berman might be close to #1. I'll admit...being President, Vice President, Secretary, and Member-at-Large of the "Superman Wears Brett Favre Pajamas" Club has tempered my rank. But, looking past that, and his tiny bit of senility, Berman still does it for me as the Big Poppa of the NFL at ESPN. Tom Jackson deserves mention here because their chemistry has been evident for over a decade. The way they feed off each other when doing highlights on "The Blitz" makes me miss the days of (the real) NFL Primetime. Berman's "WOOP's" still make me giggle like a schoolgirl. And while the "back back back" gets annoying, I still enjoy him during the Home Run Derby each summer (though I miss the days when Piazza was in the booth with him...those made for some of the most awkward/hilarious interactions I've ever heard in broadcasting). Berman will always have a spot on this list until he gets arrested for watching Brett Favre sleep in his home.

7. Barry Melrose

Sure, hockey does not draw like the old days. And this may be labeled as a pseudo-homer pick due to my love of hockey. But Barry Melrose is simply awesome for several reasons: his Canadian accent, his mullet (see right) laced with gray, and his recurring goatees. When he had a cup of coffee with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2008-2009 season, ESPN had Matthew Barnaby handle the hockey analysis and the void without Melrose was tangible. Melrose is very direct and rarely minces words (not to be confused with TSN's Don Cherry, who is actually full of hate and an admitted xenophobe). The guys at SportsCenter seem to love him too. While there is a minute part of me that reserves hatred for him because of his not so subtle bias against the Rangers, his personality and look make him hard to stay mad at for long.

6. John Buccigross

Boy do I miss the days that ESPN carried the NHL. Because that would mean we can still be treated to NHL 2night, which Buccigross hosted back in the day. But he is still with the network and does SportsCenter and does a damn good job. He always finds a way to crowbar hockey information into his broadcasts. Not only that, the guy's hilarious and is a huge music fan. One of his mainstays is "What (insert band member here) is to (insert band here), (insert athlete here) is to (insert team here)." Some are beyond obscure so I have zero idea what he's referencing, but I still laugh nonetheless, much like at Family Guy references I pretend to get sometimes.

5. John Kruk

Somewhere, my dad and brother, both big fans of Filthadelphia, are smiling. Kruk has worked his way up to the top team on Baseball Tonight and with good reason. He simply brings it every single broadcast. I had no idea what to expect when ESPN brought him on, but he has shattered whatever expectations I had. He's intelligent, he's funny, and he has fantastic stories about his playing days. Plus, who can get enough of this video (http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w_id=344794&w=/library/open/allstar/qa/93as_bigunit_wild_350.wmv&pid=false&cid=mlb&fid=350&v=2) of Randy Johnson v. Kruk in the 1993 All-Star Game?

4. Neil Everett

When Everett first came on the scene, I couldn't stand him. But much like "Cooo-stanza," the more I heard him, the more I liked him. I like a lot of his euphamisms: "Bartender...JACK!" for a home run. Or "(insert football player here) has reservations for 6." And what other ESPN guy loves Hawaii as much as him? He handles the full-time 1am duties on the Left Coast now and has handled the new responsibility quite well. I get somewhat annoyed with the LA-centricity of that version sometimes though. But I suppose that balances out Bristol's love affair of the New York and Boston markets.

3. Peter Gammons

The Godfather of baseball. It takes a lot for a Boston guy to win me over but he did so with ease. He's been voted National Sportswriter of the Year three times (1990, 1991, and 1993) and was honored at the Hall of Fame in 2005. He is a legend and shows why each time he appears on Baseball Tonight or SportsCenter. His knowledge about the game, appreciation for its history, and heightened intelligence make him a joy to watch night in and night out. I mean, the guy suffered from a brain aneurysm in June 2006 and returned to ESPN three months later. I have yet to talk to a person who had a bad thing to say about him (besides being a Red Sox fan I guess).

2. Scott Van Pelt

Quick story: Through my fraternity, a bunch of us got jobs working as ushers for the Final Four when they were at the Georgia Dome in 2002. I was lucky enough to get assigned to one of the lower sections at the north end of the court. I was completely ignoring orders to keep my back to the action and kept my attention on the court the whole time. It just so happens that Maryland was in the Final Four that year. A gentleman was trying to not so subtly sneak into my section and I yelled at him and asked to see his ticket. It turned out to be Maryland alum Scott Van Pelt. Once I saw that, I shook his hand, told him what a big fan I was, and let him go wherever he pleased. The guy was incredibly nice. Anywho, my brief run-in with him aside, Van Pelt is a complete package on the SportsCenter set. He's hilarious, he's knowledgeable, and he's not full of himself when he does highlights. He's getting up there in age but he still brings some youth to his broadcasts. And, perhaps most importantly, he's an inspiration to us hair-challenged all over the world.

1. John Anderson

It's weird. This was an easy choice for me and yet there's nothing that stands out about Anderson. He's simply great. I think I rank him as the best because I think I would bring a similar personality to the broadcast. He doesn't go out of his way to be funny, he calls the highlights to near perfection, and, to his credit, doesn't lean on too many canned catch-phrases and euphamisms to get the point across. He seems to have good chemistry with any anchor ESPN teams him with, which appears to be difficult for some.

And that's it. Notables not on this list include Stuart Scott (soon became his own biggest fan and went from one of the top personalities to borderline unwatchable), Kenny Mayne (I love the guy, but he doesn't do ANYTHING anymore), Steve Levy (this was an unfortunate cut, as he is not only Jewish but a hockey fan and hilarious), and Linda Cohn (See: Steve Levy).

And for what it's worth, if we're ranking the "talking heads" personalities...

1. Tony Reali (admitted man-crush on the guy...what can I say?)
2. Michael Wilbon
3. Woody Paige (misunderstood!)
4. Tony Kornheiser (would be higher but honestly doesn't seem like he knows a lot)
5. Tim Cowlishaw
6. J.A. Adande
7. Mike Lupica
8. Bob Ryan (feels like blasphemy but the guy is on point a lot)
290821852. Skip Bayless

Considering I'm already pondering changing my list, I'm sure the calls for snubs will be endless. Let the discussion begin.

Braylon Edwards - What does it mean?

So, predictably, the Jets looked a little worse for wear in their trip to the Superdome. Surprisingly for me, however, was that it was the defense that easily kept the team in the game. The defense looked superb against Drew Brees, who had been neck and neck with Peyton as the best QB in the league so far, without their second and third best corners. With Calvin Pace, the Jets best pass rusher, coming back for the Monday night game week 5, their GM Mike Tannenbaum thought to himself that he needed to improve the offense.

Time and time again, Tannenbaum has made the huge splash in his short tenure with the Jets. First it was Pace and Faneca in Free Agency. Then he went out and got he who shall not be named from GB when he decided to unretire for the 9000th time. This offseason, he canned Mangini and got Rex Ryan and made a deal in the draft for the Sanchize. Now, on Wednesday morning, enter Braylon Edwards.



Tannenbaum decided that the Jets needed a #1 receiver. And he wasn't waiting till the draft. He called up old friend Eric Mangini, who gave us a second gift trade since he took control of the Browns (The Browns were the team who the Jets traded down with to get Sanchez). The Jets dealt Chansi Stuckey (a slot receiver at best), Jason Trusnik (2009 Special Teams Ace), and 2 draft picks (A 3rd that can become a 2nd and a 5th) for a receiver, while coming off a down year, went for 80 receptions, 1289 yards, and 16 TDs 2 years ago.

This move does so much to help the Jets offense, and not just at the WR position. This opens up the middle for Dustin Keller as safties have to guard against the deep threat in Edwards. It frees up Jerricho Cotchery, who was starting to see double teams on every down because of how bad the other Jets receivers were. And most importantly, it frees up a running game that was supposed to be the Jets bread and butter this year. So far this year, because of both the fact that the Jets have a rookie QB and no deep threat, defenses were putting 8 and 9 in the box against the run and daring the inexperienced Sanchez, who only started for one year at USC, to beat them with the deep ball. While he was able to do it a couple times against the porous Texans and Titans secondaries, it was mostly slants and comebackers against the better defenses, which allowed the teams to play the run. In turn, the running game was stuffed and the offensive line, which was the teams huge strength last year, looked terrible. The offensive line is the same exact five players, so in my opinion, they are bound to get better with teams now having to defend against the pass.

Now Jets fans, as TO says "Getcha popcorn ready". The Jets have a couple Patsies in the schedule coming up, and will be favored in virtually every game until the bye. Rex Ryan says he won't allow for any letdown games, so lets see what this team is really made of!

Burner of the Week: Lets NOT Bull Crap Each Other!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25e9bNNfgQ


I'm catching a lot of heat here for my cable-news view points...next week I'll stay away from playing Woody Paige in the debate...I will end my debate with these points:

• I think most Yankee fans would agree (even Goah Nold)...we haven't been as excited or felt as good about a Yankees team since 2000...call it confidence from someone like me, but I think that is a pretty good consensus - more so than in recent years, even with the high expectations...the players on this team seem hungry to bring a title back to NYC.
  
• The Red Sox and Angels do not have the firepower/edge to them in years past...just my read they don't scare me as much as a Yankees fan - although like I said, they will be the biggest test for the Yankees...especially the Angels.
• Jared Silverberg spends 4 hours a day reading/posting to Mets-Jets blogs, yet can barely muster the strength to post more than once a week on BingBong...JxAx is knocking on the door for the 4th spot buddy...

And lets be honest guys, how can I NOT pick my team to win unless I'm engaging in some reverse jinxing... but by knowing I'm reverse jinxing... I'd actually be jinxing the Yankees...thus, nullifying the reverse jinx-jinx...let that marinate for a few minutes....OFF TO THE GAME...LETS GO YANKEES!
-Steve Lugerner

Burner of the Week: All Hail Lugerner...

...for his "bold predictions" in predicting the World Series to be the team with the best record in the AL vs. the team with the best record in the NL, with the only team to win over 100 games winning it all.  Bravo, Steven.  You should be a Hardy Boy with such great intuition.  Still doesn't change the fact that everyone is selling the Angels short.  In a year where broadcasters and analysts couldn't fall over themselves fast enough to talk about how amazing the Yankees offense has been this year, people seem to neglect the fact that the team that is 2nd to the Yankees in Runs and RBIs in the entire league is...the Angels!  The Yankees batted .283 as a team this season, which is HIGHLY impressive, but perhaps not as impressive as the Angels .285 average as a team.

Forgetting about their offense for a minute, let's not forget their pitching staff is still anchored by John Lackey, Jered Weaver, and Ervin Santana (although inconsistent this year, he can still be a tough pitcher with nasty stuff).  Not to mention, since his acquisition, Scott Kazmir has posted a 1.73 ERA in six starts with the Angels, and they still have Joe Saunders -- a 16-game winner -- as their 5th starter.

Although forgetting about their offense AND their defense for a minute, perhaps their best quality lies in the fact that they're playing for the memory of Nick Adenhart.  It wouldn't be beyond my realm of possibility to see success stem from tragedy.

(made it through the whole post without even making one Angels in the Outfield reference)

((unless you want to count that one...dammit))

-Dave

Burner of the Week: This is a Blog of Men...Steve is Merely a Boy

Alright listen Steve...I love you like a brother (sources tell me I was your first pick for big brother).

However, save the splashy headlines for the NY Post. I know, deep down, you are as insecure about the Yankees as I am. Tempting fate by shouting from the rooftops that the Yankees will win it all...well that's just straight scary.

That said, I do agree the Yankees should handle the Twins. But the Twins are the token crazy hot Wild Card team that is running on pure adrenaline. You would think they would be a tired bunch after that instant classic last night, but who really knows? There's only one Twintober?

And if it does turn out to be Dodgers-Yankees, sports media will likely spontaneously combust and BingBong will be all that remains.

Burner Of The Week: Its the Cardinals!

Thats right, the Cardinals and Red Sox are going to win 2 World Series each between the Yankees 26th and 27th World Championships

First off, nobody in baseball has a more formidable rotation than the Cardinals. Anyone facing them has to face the 2 pitchers who should be 2 of the top 3 in NL Cy Young voting. From the All-Star break on especially, these two, in addition to Joel Pineiro, have been carrying this team.

After a year and a half off, Carpenter is right back on his game, which is pitching lights out baseball. Just check the stats. 2.24 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and he has only lost 4 game, FOUR, all year. Follow that up with Wainwright, who has shown in the past to be a great postseason pitcher (I think Beltran is still looking for a ball call in the batters box), and they're gonna be tough to beat. Wainwright doesn't have that bad stats himself. From the AS Break on, Mr. NLCS-2006 has a 2.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with an insane 97/18 K/BB ratio.

Add in Joel Pineiro and his 27 free passes (not in the second half, thats all year boys and girls) and you got yourself what wins in the postseason - pitching. Pineiro has got a 3.49 ERA and 15 Ws, not too shabby from a 3rd starter.


O, by the way, I haven't even gotten to the best player any of us younger than 50 have ever laid eyes on, Albert Pujols. 327/443/658 are the other-worldly slash stats for the soon to be 3-time (should be 4 or 5 if it wasn't for Barroid) MVP. With Albert anchoring the much-improved offense, along with midseason acquisitions Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday(1.023 OPS since the trade to St Louis), the Cardinals are going to easily beat up on their other NL foes.

Lugie's Yankees, meanwhile, have a much tougher road to get to the big dance in the first place. They'll need to beat the Twins(which I believe they will but you cant count out a team who won 17 of their last 21 games) and then take on one of the Red Sox and Angels. This isn't the Rockies and Dodgers we're talking about. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Phillies are playing right now and haven't even named their closer yet. Imagine another Pujols vs Lidge matchup in the NLCS? The AL is better and it'll be a tough road for the Yanks, much tougher road than the Cards will have to deal with

DS Predictions:
Cards in 3 over the Dodgers
Rockies in 5 over the Phillies (praying)

Yanks in 4 over the Twins
Angels in 5 over the Sawx (praying, Sox are a bunch of pansies)

Burner of the Week: Lugerner to Gold...grow some...

Yankee on Yankee crime...Billy Martin would be rolling in his alcoholic grave right now. Reggie Jackson is smiling on the set of TBS reading your post...

(Side note: Does anyone else find it strange Reggie gets his name in the TBS playoff advertising...yet a guy like Cal Ripken is just an after thought? Cal gives some of the best analysis of anyone out there...and hopefully they bring back Curtis Granderson...since the city of Detroit blew their "big win" on the Lions!)

Bold predictions + Sex sell Noah...why do you think Dave posts with no pants on and a bag around his head?

I'll go on the record...and have the cahones to go past the first round:
Yankees over Twins
Red Sox over Angels
Dodgers over Cardinals
Phillies over Rockies

Dodgers over Phillies
Yankees over Red Sox

The Torre Series!
Yankees over Dodgers in 6 games

Burner of the Week: Noah's Coherent Yankees Playoff Outlook

(Shaking head) First off...Steve...you may be the worst sports fan ever. First you openly say you want the Twins in the ALDS (faux pas #1) then you go on our site which reaches THOUSANDS of people (approximately) and you hand the Yanks their championship bling? Oy. Lest we forget what happened when I said "I can't believe the Yankees are going to sweep Boston" as Mariano Rivera came churning out to close Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS? Anyways, here are my thoughts regarding John's Burner (which kind of sounds like he has an STD)...

(QUICK SIDENOTE: No World Series titles in 9 years. I mean...does that make us lovable losers like the Cubbies (who are a lock in 2010 by the way)?)

I'm not concerned about the lineup Skipper Joe Girardi will march out each game. Cashman has assembled an offensive lineup that is built for the playoffs: hitters 1-9 are all patient, they can hit for power, and the bench contains valuable assets (like Brett Gardner) that they will need in late innings.

My concern, as is usually the case, is starting pitching. Carston Charles Sabathia was given enough to feed many nations, and he delivered...in the regular season. His predilection in postseason play is to falter badly. Some argue it's from being a workhorse throughout the marathon of a baseball season. Others think he's simply not clutch. Being the ace of the Yankees in a postseason will definitively answer that question, as Girardi was careful not to overwork the big guy in the latter weeks of the season.

AJ Burnett, the other big ticket item bought during last offseason, seems to have done a good job alienating Jorge Posada in a short period of time. Only Randy Johnson was able to accomplish this in a shorter time...but that was because he was a miserable, ornery man who fit in New York as well as I fit in at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club a few years ago. Burnett has A+ stuff, but his emotional makeup is, well, suspect at best. He has never pitched in the playoffs and will get his first crack in front of the hometown fans in Game 2, where he's pitched well throughout the season. It remains to be seen how he will handle this first shot at writing the AJ Burnett legacy in New York.

My only concern with Andy Pettitte is health. Performance-wise, he was exemplary in the second half of the season. He nearly pitched a perfect game in Baltimore and always put the team in a position to win. But he skipped a start in September due to a tired arm and, at his age, durability is always a big concern. But if he's healthy and rested, Pettitte is as steady a performer as the Yanks will have on the bump during the postseason.

No need to discuss Joba as Girardi smartly will be keeping him in the bullpen at least for the ALDS. Joba himself admitted he likes the relief role because he doesn't have to think...just pitch ("Me throw ball at Youkilis' head...make Youkilis mad"). With Joba and Phil Hughes in the bullpen acting as the bridge to Mariano Rivera, the bullpen is set up to be effective.

So there you have it. No bombastic predictions about a march down the Canyon of Heroes like SOME BLOGGERS think. I simply believe the Yankees will only go as far as the above trinity can take them. But for what it's worth, here are my predictions for how the division series will go...

Yankees over Twins
Angels over Red Sox
Cardinals over Dodgers
Phillies over Rockies

Happy Playoff Baseball everyone!

Burner of the Week: In response to Mr. Silverstein...

Mr. Dave, I understand you are use to watching the Mets lose 1-0 and 2-1 this season...I regularly DVR Mets games to watch as I fall asleep - it's like watching paint dry...so I can understand your aversion to scoring...you don't get to see it often.

About the new stadium:

Is RF a problem for HRs and do the Yankees have a lineup of lefties who can hit the ball out? Absolutely - no one would dispute that. However, many baseball historians/experts would argue having a stadium favoring scoring could HURT the Yankees come October, especially in a short series. The potential for a big inning HR keeps ANY team in the game...

It is part of the reason the Red Sox (Green Monster short LF) and the Cubs (homer-friendly confines of Wrigley) struggle to win championships. It's tough to pitch in these ball parks, and when the pitching advantage is neutralized by the big inning/HR potential, the outcome is more up to chance...especially in a 5-7 game series.

While the Yanks have more mashers, in a short span there is a lot up to chance with the wind tunnel out to right...dropping games at home has to be a concern for the Yankees more so then having to play in a less homer-friendly stadium.

Silverstein's Burner thoughts...

First of all, John, this is baseball -- nothing's ever over before it begins.

Second, wow Steve, talk about a homer.  Aren't you forgetting something though?  Like what's gonna happen when the Yankees have to play games outside of their little league park?  Now I'm not saying anyone in the American League can beat them, (although I'm loving this Twins team and you can never really know when it comes to baseball), but what's gonna happen when they come over to the NL to face the Cardinals?  I'll gladly take Carpenter and Wainwright twice in a seven-game series over CC and Burnett twice.  Not to mention they have a little guy named Albert something batting in the middle of their lineup.  And as good as Hughes has been and Mariano is, there's still 7 innings before they get into the game.  This isn't 2007 Joba anymore, this is an exposed scouted pitcher who apparently has the delicate arm of a 9-year old.

I think the Cardinals are the team to beat.  Get the Yankees outside of that bandbox and it's a whole new ballgame.

Burner of the Week: Lugerner: Yankees Will win it All

Yes I'm a homer, but let me back this up....

What the Yankees have that they didn't since 2000:

• CC Sabathia...2 starts a series translates into guaranteed wins....in years past we relied on Wang, Mussina...and didn't really have an ACE…plus he is a 3-days rest pitching machine when needed.
• The chemistry of this team....A-Rod finally shut the hell up....Swisher is the freakin' man...and guys like Tex and Burnett are well liked....it feels more like the collection of Yankees in the 1996-2000 range, where guys want to win and have fun.
• A-rod can suck all he wants and we can still win. Pitching + Texiera = the reason
• The bullpen is the best in baseball. Joba-Hughes-Mariano 7-8-9 might be close to unstoppable...and EVEN if Joba stinks...with our starters we may only need Rivvera and Hughes
• Finally, the Red Sox are NOT as scary as in years past. The National League? Like Triple-A compared to the AL...I mean the New York Mets often field a competitive team year to year in the NL...that says it all. Brett Klasko's softball team has more power than the Mets...no team that sacrifice bunts every 5 hitters (as MOST NL teams do) has a prayer against the Yankees lineup.

The ALCS vs. the Sox or Angels (who historically have killed the Yankees due to their style of play) is the ONLY thing derailing a 27th Championship...and I don't see it happening.
Now if this wasn't fratty-homer-obnoxious Yankee fan enough for you....RUSH PIKE!!!

-Steve Lugerner

Burner of the Week

"The Yankees seem to be firing on all cylinders this year. Do you think anybody can beat them in the playoffs or is this one over before it begins?" -John, New York

Alright fellow bingbongers, there it is, our first Burner: what are our playoff predictions for the Yankees? Thanks to John for sending it in, we really appreciate it. Let's get to it guys...

Stay tuned...

...all you bing-bong fanatics out there. Tomorrow at noon we'll be launching our very first "Burner of the Week". We're hoping everything runs smoothly and that you all enjoy yourselves. The Burner will be running until 5pm and then resuming the next morning at 9am so you can start procrastinating on your work as soon as you get to your desk. Don't forget to vote on who your favorite bingbonger was in the Burner and feel free to comment on any of the points we touch upon. It's also not too late to have a chance at having your own question picked, so make sure to get your emails in before noon. You can reach us any time at bingbongsports@gmail.com.

Week 4 Packers Review (aka "the week that took 5 years off my life"):

Well, I'll start by saying I've never been such a wreck before a regular-season game in my life.  I was in a glass case of emotion.  I felt like I was going to a black-tie affair with my new girlfriend on my arm knowing full-well my ex (the one who got away) would be there by the side of the biggest dick in the world.  For those keeping score at home, in that analogy the black-tie affair was MNF, I was the Packers, Aaron Rodgers my new girlfriend, Favre the ex, and the Vikings as the biggest dick in the world, (although for visual purposes, let's let Jared Allen's goofy inbred smile represent the Vikes).  And yes, I know, I just said Aaron Rodgers was my girlfriend and Favre was the one who got away...I've got problems people, let's move on.  Although for the sake of humoring my twisted sub-conscience, in my sick little fantasy, when Favre and Jared Allen came up to me at the mini-crabcakes table I'd look at them and go, "I thought you got over your addiction to 'Vikes' ten years ago," then laugh smugly and walk away with my hand on Aaron's ass.  Okay, I've officially derailed...let's move onto the game.

Since it was a loss, I guess I'll have to start with the negatives.  8 SACKS!  Unbelievable.  I actually heard Rodgers spent the night in a Minnesota battered-women shelter.  It's embarrassing already.  The man's been sacked 20 times through four games and did I not call it on this very site a week ago that Jared Allen would have a field day on the utterly pathetic Daryn Colledge??  We need to give Rodgers time to throw.  It's that simple.  Like Charles Woodson said -- and was discussed during the game -- Rodgers will be an elite quarterback in the league if they just protect him.  Even despite the eight sacks, he lit up that defense for nearly 400 yards.  His only bad pass was the interception by Winfield and I had a bad feeling about that one before the snap anyway, (way too much room on the other side of the field to go to Jennings one-on-one against Winfield).

The other glaring hole in our gameplan was the complete lack of any pass rush whatsoever.  I understand that we're transitioning to a 3-4 and Dom Capers needs time to get his own guys on the field, but last night was unacceptable.  Of all people, you can't give Brett Favre all day in the pocket to make throws.  As much as it kills me to say it, we have to trade Aaron Kampman.  I think it was Gruden who said it last night, "he's their best pass rusher and they're dropping him 20 yards back into coverage."  He just looks uncomfortable in his new position.  He loves to get after the quarterback, that's what drives his game, and we are completely taking that away from him.  I say trade him now before the deadline and before his value drops too much for either a good OT or a high draft-pick.  It's the only way to do it.

Although it certainly was a negative, a positive for me was watching Favre pick apart the inept Al Harrass.  For years analysts have said he's a master at "bump-n-run" coverage and a shutdown corner and I still have absolutely no idea where any of this came from.  Clearly it's a different game on the field than on tv, but any time I see Al Harris he's either getting called for pass interference or he's five yards behind a receiver who just caught the ball.  It's clear Favre feels the same way I do.  You want to talk about a true shutdown corner?  Look at Charles Woodson.  How many times did Favre even throw the ball in his vicinity?  That's respect.

The main positive really standing out to me was the defense holding Adrian Peterson to 55 yards on 25 carries.  AP's ran a fool against the Packers his entire career and on a lackluster defensive night it was nice to see our defense at least has the ability to contain him for future games.  Too bad this isn't last year's Vikings though, now it's evident if you stop AP, you're gonna get burned by the passing game.  Simply put, if we want to beat Brett at Lambeau, we've gotta do something about our pass protection or it won't even be close.

And now some quick notes from around the league:

-My Fantasy Eye-Opener of the Week goes to...Mohamed Massaquoi of the Cleveland Browns.  I know it's hard to stand by any Brown, but Braylon Edwards just looks atrocious and there's only so many balls a QB will throw his way before losing all trust and having to look for a new target.  With 8 catches for 148 yards, it looks like Massaquoi may be that guy.

-Ugliest Line of the Week goes to...I know I just mentioned him, but it's hard not to give it to Braylon Edwards after posting 0 catches for 0 yards on 5 targets and at least 2 drops that I saw.

-My "I'm a Genius Just Listen to Whatever I Say" Award goes to...Jermichael Finley.  I told you guys last week this kid is on his way to being a stud.  After 6 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown last night, I'd say he's well on his way.

That's all for now.  Tune in next week.

-Dave

Week 4: Redskins-Bucs Game Diary!

Due to a flood of reader emails requesting it, here is my game day diary of the NFL’s marquee week 4 matchup: SKINS vs. BUCS!

1:36 - Sitting in a diner meeting my girlfriend's parents for the first time, I realize that this is A LOT more enjoyable than watching the Redskins!

2:33 - Lunch is over and I see I have a BBM from fellow Skins fan Ari Kaplan....here is a transcript of the conversation:

Ari: God damn it skins
Ari: Are the skins goal posts available on waivers
Me: Dude I just left lunch with girlfriends parents...I wish it woulda lasted longer I'm afraid to check the score

(checking the score...2 minutes later....)

Me: OMFG
Ari: HAHAHAHAHAA

Skins down 13-0 at halftime.

And I'm stopping the diary right there. What have we learned here? I BBM like a 14-year old girl under duress. The Skins went on to pull out the game 16-13 against the pathetic Bucs....but I honestly can't watch them right now without potentially murdering an innocent person at a bar out of sheer range.

Some quick thoughts from the NFL/The Weekend:
1) After watching the New Orleans defense man-handle Sanchize/Franchez/Joe Willy Jr., the scar of the Skins letting Gregg Williams go in favor of Jim Zorn is torn open...the NO defense looked great Sunday. The Saints are now firmly in my 'teams to favor irrationally when betting' subconscious with the Colts and Giants (readers plan accordingly).

2) Will someone tell Jerry Jones/Wade Philips to stop trying to play up Tony Romo as a star QB who can win games, and just go with the Steelers-Roethlisberger game plan for the last 6 seasons? In most years where the Cowboys D isn't so rancid (it is at times this year…see Brandon Marshall play Sunday)...they are contenders if they just RUN THE FOOTBALL. Romo threw 42 times Sunday, while Choice-Barber ran the ball 25 times. Romo will never be P. Manning, Brady or Brees...he just isn't capable of that leap. As a Cowboys hater, I know I am scared to death of them running the ball 40 times a game.

3) The Entourage Season Finale was solid, but as a whole, the season sucked…which by my count is 3-4 lousy seasons in a row.

4) Matt Damon is one of the best actors in Hollywood…if you don’t watch Entourage anymore, it’s worth watching just for his cameo this week.

5) For all the people I fell into blackout drunk at Bruce Springsteen Saturday night (because so many of you are reading this blog)…I apologize.

6) Lebron is a terrible actor (warming up for the NBA season and my anti-Lebron bias)

7) Sunday night TV grades: Californication: A-; Entourage: B+, Season: D+; Dexter A-; Curb A+; Bored to Death B-
-Steve Lugerner