Saturday, October 25, 2008

Told You So

"That's how it happens livin' life by the drop."

So, as first reported here, Curlin did not win the Breeders Cup Classic. Not only did he not win, but he did not even place in the race. So going against preconceived knowledge, my prediction came out right, trumping the fact that I missed like 10 of the 12 races (Henrythenavigator, my pick to win, came in second...so close!)

Oklahoma St. really hung tough with Texas (although I was not able to see this game because of VA Tech/Florida St.). They are definitely going to be a team to watch out for when the New Years' Day bowl games come around. The Longhorns now are going up into what I predicted would be the game of the year, Texas @ Texas Tech. You don't even know how much I am looking forward to that game. I will say that the over/under will be like 77, and the final will exceed that number. Colt McCoy continues to have a stranglehold on the Heisman, having another monstrous game against the Cowboys.

However, Javon Ringer has suddenly sneaked back into the Heisman discussion with an equally monstrous game at the venue formally known as the "Big House," as Michigan St. won at Ann Arbor for the first time since 1990, and the first win over the Wolverines since 2002. Ringer had almost 200 yards on the ground, including a long touchdown to pace the Spartans in the early going, and a 3-yarder to put the game away. Ringer for some reason is ranked fairly low on most mock drafts despite is unbelievable season (1,179 yards, 14 TDs, both numbers leading the nation with three games to go). I don't know. I have Ringer and Knowshon Moreno 1-2 for RBs eligible for the Draft.

Speaking of Moreno, has there ever been a better time to be an SEC road team like this year? Ole Miss beat Florida at the Swamp and almost beat Alabama last week at Tuscaloosa. 'Bama blew the doors off of Georgia between the hedges, Carolina narrowly lost to both LSU and Georgia, and in the battle of those two teams today in Baton Rouge, Georgia put it to the Tigers from the opening bell, and pulled off a huge road win. I guess this speaks to the reserve these teams have playing conference opponents on the road. Very impressive performance from UGA.

I have been looking forward to this Penn St./Ohio St. game ever since the emmergence of Tyrelle Pryor for the Buckeyes, and the fact that the Nittany Lions have had incredible success this season, and really have been pushed very little all season. Pryor is Ohio St.'s great equalizer because of his ability to scramble. The reason the Buckeyes were not successful at all in their offense the past two BCS Championships is because they started two QBs (Troy Smith and Todd Boeckham) who were pure pocket passers, and against such a quick front seven, they don't stand a chance. You at least have a shot when you have a dual-threat like Pryor behind center. He has a chance to elude oncoming tacklers and make something happen. Keep in mind that the one time the Buckeyes lost this year was a road loss to Southern Cal, who at that moment was thought to be invincible. Plus, they did not have Chris Wells at 100% (I can't call him "Beanie." I know that's the cool thing to do...I just can't get on that wagon), so look for Ohio St., playing at the Horseshoe, to come up with a big game.

Fav Five Heisman Candidates
  1. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
  2. Grahame Harrell, QB, Texas Tech
  3. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
  4. Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
  5. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

The NBA season starts up on Tuesday, and you know what that means...Banner 17 to the rafters! The Celts face 'Bron-'Bron and the Cavs at the "Garden" to open up their defense of the title (and you have no idea how nice that is to say...by the way, I'm still pissed that David Stern only referred to us as the "Boston Celtics," and not "the defending champion Boston Celtics."). The start of the season also means the start of fantasy basketball (in other words, something to help me forget about fantasy football). I'm not going to do a full-fledged preview, but here are some guys to look out for:

  • Rajon Rondo, G- Ok, you had to have known I was going to go this route. Now that Rondo has officially taken the reigns of, again, the defending World Champions. Expect him to be in the top 5 in steals, while upping his points, boards, and assists.
  • Rashard Lewis, SF, PF- With another year under his belt in Orlando, and the perimeter being open because off the dominance of Dwight Howard down low, expect a big year from Lewis, especially in made three-pointers. Plus, he can be implimented in both forward positions
  • Michael Beasley, PF- The rookie from K-State has been annointed the pre-season Rookie of the Year almost unanimously by the NBA pundits, and with good reason. Beasley has a rare combination of size and long-range touch which makes him deadly in multiple categories. If anything, Miami will be fun to watch with Beasley, Dwayne Wade fresh off his Olympic performance, and Shawn Marion.
  • Gerald Wallace, SF- Wallace seems to go overlooked every year. I liken him to a poor man's Shawn Marion: He gives you numbers in every single category, and while they may not amass to Marion-like numbers, this is a guy that will be available in the 5th or 6th round, which is a great value.
  • Rudy Gay, SF- With Gasol gone, and basically no offense to be accounted for in Memphis, it will fall back on Gay to come through with about 25 a night. O.J. Mayo should also be thrown into this discussion because, much like Gay, Mayo is a quick-moving, streaky shooter who can definitely make a bigger rookie impact that guys like Derrick Rose or Kevin Love will have.
Well, I'm gearing up for the PSU/OSU game (also will be checking in on the 'Bama/UT game, which could be a trap for the Tide). Also, the Bruins are killing me this year. Two shootout losses already! And they're losing 2-0 tonight. At least back at home, I can watch them lose in HD. Hopefully the Pats can tame the Rams tomorrow, who have been scorching after their two-game romp of the NFC East. Hope everyone is doing well. If I don't get to this again this week: Lycnhburg, it's been real. I had so much fun here. In fact, it pretty much made up for the mostly negative experience I had in Charlotte (having three jobs helps). Seriously, there are way worse places to go than the 'Burg. In any event, have a happy and a safe night. Take care. Peace.

~Mell-o

Friday, October 24, 2008

Did You See That Hit?

"There will be times when all the things she said
Will fill your head
You won't forget her..."

Oh, hello there. In lieu of packing for my move back home to the Bay State, I figured I would share some of what I'm thinking right about now:

Welll, if you didn't see it, here you go. Yikes. Lucic is in my fave 5 Bruins (Kessel, Bergeron, Savard, Axelsson), and if you had never heard of him before last night, I'm thinking this hit will leave an indelible mark on your conscience...The Big Bad Bruins everyone! (I really hope the fans that got hit with the glass make a speedy recovery as well).

So the Breeders Cup starts today (oh by the way, my team got eliminated from the playoffs...no big deal). I've never had any horse picks that I can recall (don't even think I'm going to review every post I've ever had to try and fact-check that...just take my word for it), and I figured it would definitely not be a bad time at all to throw out my Cup predicitions. For those who are completely uninterested, know this: The "Classic" being run tomorrow is a $7 million purse...7. I'm going to pick a trifecta each race, consisting of Win (1st), Place (2nd), and Show (3rd), with the morning lines for each horse. A star will denote the favorite:

The Picks:

Fily and Mare Sprint (3:35, Friday):
  • 3- Intangroo (9/2)
  • 9- Dream Rush (20/1)
  • 5- Indian Blessing (2/1)*
Juvenile Fillies Turf (4:15, Friday):
  • 7- Consequence (8/1)
  • 1- April Pride (12/1)
  • 10- Beyond Our Reach (15/1)
Juvenile Fillies (4:55, Friday):
  • 11- Pursuit Of Glory (8/1)
  • 10- Stardom Bound (2/1)*
  • 4- Sky Diva (7/2)
Filly & Mare Turf (5:35, Friday):
  • 7- Mauralakana (5/1)
  • 3- Forever Together (6/1)
  • 4- Visit (15/1)
Ladies Classic (which sounds like an event at the World Series of Poker) (6:15, Friday):
  • 1- Zenyatta (3/5)*
  • 6- Ginger Punch (9/2)
  • 8- Bear Now (30/1)
Marathon (1:10, Saturday):
  • 6- Zappa (5/2)
  • 4- Sixties Icon (2/1)*
  • 8- Cedar Mountain (6/1)
Turf Sprint (1:50. Saturday):
  • 11- Idiot Proof (8/1)
  • 1- Heros Reward (8/1)
  • 8- Diabolical (6/1)
Dirt Mile (2:30, Saturday):
  • 6- Pyro (20/1)
  • 1- Lewis Michael (5/1)
  • 11- My Pal Charlie (20/1)
Mile (3:15, Saturday):
  • 9- War Monger (12/1)
  • 11- Whatsthescript (4/1)
  • 6- Awesome Gem (20/1)
Juvenile (3:55, Saturday):
  • 6- Silent Valor (15/1)
  • 2- Gallant Son (15/1)
  • 11- Midshipman (5/1)
Juvenile Turf (4:35, Saturday):
  • 4- Donativum (6/1)
  • 3- Westphalia (5/1)
  • 12- Grand Adventure (5/1)
Sprint (5:15, Saturday):
  • 9- Fatal Bullet (6/1)
  • 2- Street Boss (3/1)*
  • 5- First Defence (12/1)
Turf (6:00, Saturday):
  • 3- Grand Couturier (6/1)
  • 2- Red Rocks (5/1)
  • 10- Out Of Control (10/1)
(quick note of interest...in the "Turf," there is Red Rocks and Red Rock Canyon, both of whom are Irish...none of whom are likely referencing the concert venue)

Classic (6:45, Saturday):
  • 5- Henrythenavigator (10/1)
  • 1- Go Between (8/1)
  • 11- Colonel John (20/1)
Wow, that was almost painfully long. The reason I didn't pick Curlin in the "Classic" is because it seems like every time a horse is about to make some kind of history, they choke. I mean Curlin is an amazing horse, and if he wins this race, he passes Cigar for the most earnings ever. I have to say though that after watching two sure-fire horses that were supposed to win the Triple Crown (Smarty Jones and Big Brown) choke in the final race that would ultimately put them in very rare air, I have my concerns. Even Cigar choked in the Classic (1996...although he did win in '95). Plus, Curlin won last year, and only one other horse in the 24-year history of the race has repeated (Tiznow: 2000-2001), so the odds are against him.

Ok, well, I'll probably have more for you today, but now, it's laundry time...and I gotta make it back for the first race (bet your bottom dollar I'm watching all these races because fake money, integrity, and extremely small-time bragging rights are up for grabs). Every horse will get a $2 wager on their spot, and I'll let you know how I did when it's all over. If any excuse, this is a nice excuse for drinking I have to say. So, good luck to all...even if you're not betting...See you soon. Peace.

~Mell-o

Friday, October 17, 2008

Now It's Getting Interesting (Part II)

"And boom goes the dynamite."

I changed the channel in the top of the seventh...I can't lie to you guys and say that I watched all of Game 4 in its entirety. Now the question is this: "Am I a true Red Sox fan if I switched channels in what could have been the last game of the 2008 season?" Well, let me just stop you and tell you about what Red Sox fans have been doing their entire lives. See when a game is bad, you know, like 7-0 with three innings left bad, you change the station on your TV or radio, wait about 20-30 minutes, then turn back, hoping something good has happened while you were trying to ward off all of the negative thoughts that had filled your mind...and hey, guess what? It worked again! See, just because we've won championships, it never hurts to revert back to old tactics, especially when seemingly every time I have done this, good things happen. So, here we go again. Are you ready for this? Seriously, are you ready to take this ride again? I have broken this down in my mind, and to me, this feels like '04 all over again. Facing impending doom, and after getting the crap kicked out of us the game before, the Sox, in both instances, were down to a division rival who was on the brink of making the World Series if they could hang on to the lead (by the way, just tossing this out there...given all that's happened this year, the division race, the brawl involving Coco, and this series, Tampa is getting increasingly Yankee-like in terms of straight up bitterness...of course, not payroll-wise...but their confidence has almost become cokiness, and I really, really want to stick it to this team...just saying). Back to '04 vs. '08, the series came down to two pitchers who figured to not be a huge factor to either team (Lowe wasn't even in the rotation; the Sox had to go with Dice in Game 1 due to how the rotation played out), both games turned on a dime after one play by two outfielders who weren't even starters (Dave Roberts' SB which he parlayed into the tying run, and Coco's never-ending at-bat to tie the game), and two relievers making improbable stops to win the game (Curtis Leskanic pitched one and a third scoreless to earn the win, and Justin Masterson getting a huge DP from Carlos Pena to send it to the bottom of the ninth). And because of who went in the first elimination game, the table is set for the two best pitchers to go the next two games (Lowe set up Pedro in 5 and Schill in 6, Dice sets up Beckett in 6 and Lester in 7, which will hopefully be extremely necessary), and those two pitchers in both instances started off the series in horrid fashion. In '04, Pedro and Schill rebounded magnificently to win back-to-back games. So hopefully, the comparisons will continue to that effect. Whatever happens though, you have to say this: The Red Sox are champions, and like Rudy Tomjanovich said, "Never underestimate the heart of a champion." So, Game 6...tomorrow...now I'm feeling it. Thank you Red Sox...again.

(Another thing I just realized...I'm typing this on the four-year anniversary of Game 4...how can you not love this? Well, if your a Tampa fan I guess you wouldn't...definitely a Yankees fan, they really wouldn't like this...I love those poor Yankee fans...so helpless...it's adorable)

So how did the Sox win? Two things: A.) The Sox' pitchers finally decided to pitch inside to the Rays instead of insisting on throwing every pitch over the plate, and B.) The Rays decided that everyone's fastball, even Dan Wheeler, was so powerful that they would simply blow every hitter out. Hmmm...not such a good idea...again, especially Wheeler, who can barely get it up to 90 on the gun (I think the fastest I can throw is about 55 by the way). Let's start with Part A. So I think this is the first time I've heard Ron Darling (former pitcher and MA native) do color for a game. Anyway, he could not have been more spot-on than when he pointed this out in the middle of Game 5, when Pena and Longoria went back-to-back to make the score 5-0. He basically said that the Tampa hitters were way too comfortable at the plate, and that the only real way to remedy that would be to at least brush some hitters back. Not hit them, but at least keep them on their toes. No one exemplified this last night more than Masterson, who repeatedly was tossing cut fastballs around the inside corner and, at some points, really getting in on the hands and making the Rays duck back. It's not about trying to hit them, it's about trying to exude some intimidation on a team that has beaten the cover off the ball for three straight games. It's a strategy. Not anything personal, but sometimes, you need to be a little wild just to mix it up and not to let the hitters be able to clock your pitches and where they're most likely ending up, which is a perfect segway to Part B. So apparently, after Kazmir was taken out of the game, so too went the off-speed pitches. Grant Balfour and Wheeler continually tried to throw by the Sox hitters, a clear indication that Dioner Navarro stopped calling the game and put it into cruise control. Not a good idea. Sure, the Sox did not look too hot up until they got to the bullpen, but look at that lineup...even without Lowell, this team is very dangerous, especially when they have their backs against the wall (see two-out hitting). I will give J.P. Howell credit for at least attempting to throw some off-speed stuff, but by then, the flood gates were open, and there was nothing that Howell could do to stop it. When the Sox get going, they are an out-of-control freight train, and again, I really hope this translates to the pitching for the rest of the series.

The Pats are playing Denver on Monday...I think they had an off-week last week because I don't recall them playing at all...that's my story and I'm sticking to it (prescription drugs and Yuengling...if you don't want to remember something...try that out...responsibly of course...actually that is completely irresponsible...sorry). I see Brandon Marshall having a big game, but the fact that the Broncos have not shown a consistent running attack, and Jay Cutler is prone to mistakes, makes me think the D will have a much bigger impact than they did last week in that game that never happened. If you want to take any positives from last week, it was that they were able to give Sammy Morris some PT in place of a banged-up Laurence Maroney, and he came through with some nice gains running and catching out of the backfield and added a touchdown. So what happened to the deep ball? I thought we proved a point against the Niners that the deep ball is how this offense starts. So let's stick with the plan shall we? Sure, Champ Bailey and Dre Bly are definitely competent and are a potent duo, but the Pats have enough weapons to neutralize them. Again though, the deep ball is key, and Cassel needs to execute that early to get the message across. The defense is really struggling, but there's only so long you can go with a make-shift backfield and an aging LB core before they start to show some wear. I do like the Pats in this matchup, even though they have been horrendous against Denver historically.

Ok, some random thoughts before I go:

USC has a mammouth game against LSU at the WB on Saturday night. In terms of talent, there is no comparison. LSU is bigger, stronger, and faster, but the one thing that the Cocks have shown this year is that they can match up with teams that are more talented than they are (UGA especially), so do not write them off entirely. Keep in mind that USC sports the third best defense in the country...you heard me...third. Also, if Ricky Jean-Francois cannot go again, it could be devastating to the Tiger morale (as it did against Florida...51-21...ouch). There's definitely a shot, but what I really want to see is the Cocks at least hanging with the Tigers much like they did last year until Jasper Brinkley got hurt and the Tigers pulled one of the more memorable fake field goals in recent history (why are we always on the opposing end of historic plays? The push off, the Pollack interception, then this...what gives?). So don't give this one to LSU just yet.

Colt McCoy is now your Heisman favorite after out-battling fellow candidate Sam Bradford in the Red River Shootout last Saturday. McCoy is the Big 12's Tim Tebow, basically carrying the entire offense on his back not only through the air but also on the ground, something that gives him a decided advantage over every other QB in the running except for the incumbent Tebow. McCoy also leads the nation in passing accuracy. If McCoy is again able to outduel another Heisman candidate this week (Mizzou's Chase Daniel, who saw both his Heisman chances and national title hopes perhaps dashed last week against Okie St.), then he could propel his stock to an unreachable status.

Thank you Cleveland for finally coming through for me. Week after week, I kept saying that Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards were going to break out, and they did against the G-Men on Sunday. If Anderson can get a healthy Kellen Winslow back, this team could again rise to the offensive heights that they reached last year.

I just had my fantasy NBA and NHL drafts. Okay, even I admit that in my hockey draft I had no idea what I was doing. My top priority was drafting Phil Kessel, then after that, who knows? I got a bunch of Bruins (Kessel, Marc Savard, Michael Ryder) and then getting players that I've heard of and don't hate, so I think I did a very good job at that. In my NBA, which I actually had strategy in, I was able to get KG and Shawn Marion...how the hell did that happen? They are both in the top 8! Totally fantastic. Plus I got Rondo...double bonus. In any event, the team is stacked with scorers, and hopefully Gilbert Arenas made a full recovery (kind of took a gamble there). So overall...happy times. Fantasy leagues for no money and no prizes...terrific.

What to watch for:

Saturday:
  • #16 Kansas vs. #4 Oklahoma (3:30, ABC)
  • #12 Ohio St. vs. #20 Michigan St. (3:30, ABC...is it just me, or shouldn't GameDay be in East Lansing this week? Texas again? Isn't that a little played?)
  • #11 Missouri vs. #1 Texas (8:00, ABC)
  • #13 LSU vs. South Carolina (8:00, ESPN)
  • #17 Virginia Tech vs. Boston College (8:00, ESPN2)
Sunday:
  • New Orleans vs. Carolina (1:00, FOX)
  • Indianapolis vs. Green Bay (4:15, CBS)
Monday:
  • Denver vs. New England (8:30, ESPN)
You might want to check out those Sox games too...just saying. Take care everyone. Peace.

~Mell-o

Monday, October 06, 2008

Now It's Getting Interesting

"How cool would it be if there was a genie in this hooka?"
"Not for him, he'd be on fire."

Well you don't see this very often...in fact, it's been 22 years since the Angels beat the Sox in the postseason. After an improbable three-run single by Jacoby Ellsbury (after which I kept thinking that we only got two runs...but after about two innings I caught on...I was a little slow yesterday, back off), it appeared like the Sox were in prime position to add yet another notch to the seemingly endless winning streak we had against the Halos, no matter how good they have been. With Beckett on the mound and a two-run lead, things were looking good. However, the Angels actually decided to be...the Angels, mounting a comeback to get the game into extra innings, then winning it in the twelvth. Mike Napoli, who was out for a majority of the season, came through with two homers off of Beckett, and Jered Weaver came in at the end of the game, and was able to keep the Sox off the board in the extra frames. The Sox' bullpen did an admirable job going blow to blow with the Angels' bullpen for six innings. In the end though, it seemed like our luck finally ran out (let's face it, Ellsbury's hit was complete B.S...although I enjoyed it throughly). So now, it's back to where we started...kind of. Well, in this installment of Lester-Lackey, the Sox still have a lead in the series, and they are at home, where Lester has been absolutely tremendous this year (11-1, 2.49 ERA). However, it would seem that a lot of the momentum the Sox had built up in Anaheim has been slowed, or even worse, halted. Did you see it last night? It just felt like an inevitability that the Halos were going to walk away with that game purely because the Sox simply could not get anything done against the Angel bullpen, which brings me to my point: If the Sox are going to win either of the next two games, they have to do it against the starters and cannot rely on hitting off of their bullpen to win games. It sounds easy enough, but the fact remains that if the Sox are able to jump out to a big lead (at least two runs) early, they have an infinitely better chance of winning these games than if they let the Angels stay in these games. As shown in the last two games, Anaheim does not go down without a fight, but considering Lester's dominance at home this year, and his equally dominant performance in Game 1, it is going to be tough for the Angels to send this series back to the west coast. In other news...Go White Sox! Regardless of what happens, I really don't want the Rays to even sniff the World Series. They appear to be incredibly dangerous to our attempt to repeat as champions (this is, of course, if we get by the Angels...one game at a time). I agree with Lil' Wayne on this (by the way, his blog on ESPN.com is remarkably good...the man is a Sox and a Bruins fan...you have to respect that) in that if Tampa gets to the ALCS, it doesn't appear like anyone, including the Sox, will stop them. I hope I'm wrong, and also, if we, God forbid, lose the next two games, it will be very interesting to see how well the Rays do when they do not have home-field advantage (decidely the best home-field this year). But, I'm not going to think about that anymore. Thinking positive from here on in for Game 4 tonight.

The Pats pulled down an absolutely huge win over the Niners yesterday, and despite basically the entire world writing us off after the Miami loss, the Pats are 3-1, tying Buffalo in the loss column atop the division. I realize that we have a new QB, but if you saw any of yesterday's game, you had to see some improvements out of Cassel. For one, he threw the deep ball to Moss, something I had been calling for the last three games. The way the offense works is that you spread the defense and make the safeties play center field, opening up the running game, and some room for a certain #83 to go over the middle. What I did not like was when Cassel could not make his reads fast enough and continued to get ambushed by the Niner defense (a much-impoved unit than we're used to seeing). The right side of the O-Line is weak...everyone knows that...people who don't even watch football that watched the Super Bowl last year know that. So, Cassel needs to get the ball out of his hand quicker, and they need to continue to spread the field with Moss, because as shown on Sunday, against one of the better cover-corners in the league (Nate Clements), no one can stop Randy Moss...no one. The defense was able to turn things around after a very shaky first quarter in which they allowed journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan to pass all over them. This D really makes me nervous, which is something I haven't said or thought about in like a decade. The thing that continues to baffle me is the seeming unwillingness to let Adalius Thomas run wild. If they allow A.T. free reign, he will be an absolute beast and an unstoppable force, like he was in Baltimore during his Pro Bowl season two years ago. Next on the dockett for the Pats is the Chargers. I expect a whole bunch of Darren Sproiles, Antonio Gates, and Chris Chambers, and not a whole lot from L.T. (see the last two times these teams have met in Foxboro in primetime). Sproiles really scares me. He's small and explosive...I'm getting nervous just typing this. Gates is going to be a problem because, most likely, either Jerod Mayo or Tedy Bruschi will draw him in coverage. One is a rookie, and one has shown some wear this season. Chambers poses matchup problems because of his size (he's not especially tall (5', 11"), but he is a load at 210 lbs.). Look for Deltha O'Neal (5', 11") to take Chambers as opposed to Ellis Hobbs (5', 9"). In any event, great win on the road yesterday (first time the Pats have ever won in San Fran), but there are still a lot of things this team needs to improve on as the season progresses.

In a small shout-out section, I first want to say how impressed I am with the Redskins, winning another road division game yesterday at Philly. J-Cam has been a mark of consistency this year, and through five games, they still have yet to yield an offensive turnover. Clinton Portis, who I have been saying all along is a top-5 back in this league, came through with another huge game, and now sits only behind Michael Turner for the top spot in rushing in the NFL. Also, thanks for finally getting Chris Cooley in the end zone (fantasy implications of course...now we need to get Wes Welker there!).

Matt Ryan guided the Falcons to a huge victory up in Green Bay. I still don't like his game translating to the pros, but so far, he's looked decent, and he hasn't made a ton of mistakes (4 TDs to 3 INTs, about as good as you can expect from a rookie).

I am officially off the Ben Roethlisberger hate-wagon, and in another official move, have put him on the list of players I really respect. He showed a ton of heart last night in leading the Steelers to a comeback win at Jacksonville, a team that has been a thorn in Pittsburgh's side, especially the last two meetings.

The two best games going into yesterday outside of the Steelers/Jags (which everyone knew would be a big-time matchup) was the Broncos/Bucs and the Titans/Ravens. Both games lived up to that billing, with Denver and Tennessee (the undefeated Tennessee Titans mind you) winning by a field goal. Tennessee...apparently for real. Jay Cutler...likewise. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a better QB this year than Cutler.

What to watch for this week (besides the playoffs...you should already know about that):

Thursday:
  • Clemson at #21 Wake Forest (7:30, ESPN)
Saturday:
  • #1 Oklahoma vs. #5 Texas from the Cotton Bowl (12:00, ABC)
  • Tennessee at #10 Georgia (3:00, CBS)
  • Notre Dame at #22 North Carolina (3:30, ABC)
  • #23 Michigan St. at Northwestern (3:30, ESPN2)
  • #17 Oklahoma St. at #3 Missouri (8:00, ESPN2)
  • #4 LSU at #11 Florida (8:00, CBS)
  • #6 Penn St. at Wisconsin (8:00, ESPN)
Sunday:
  • Baltimore at Indianapolis (1:00, CBS)
  • Carolina at Tampa Bay (1:00. FOX)
  • Dallas at Arizona (4:15, FOX)
  • San Diego at New England (8:15, NBC)
Have a good week everyone. Peace.

~Mell-o

Friday, October 03, 2008

Top 100 Albums Of All Time

"Great, now everyone's taxes are going to smell like bong water."

So I realize that there is pretty much no way I can do the predictions like I did last year because...well, I'm actually working. So, hopefully, I can write down some of my thoughts and observations, but unfortunately, they won't be nearly as in-depth as in previous times. So, I figured I would do something a little different this time around. In case you are not aware of this, I am obsessed with making lists. Always have been, and it doesn't seem like I'll be slowing down anytime soon. Anyway, I have been doing a ton of downloading since I got my new laptop (let's just assume that it's legal and I'm doing it over a connection that I'm paying for...). With all that being said, here's my newest list: The Top 100 Albums of All Time. Many have made them before, and I won't be the last, but I guess I figured I would give you some insight into the kind of tunes I'm into. Here's the list (I know you won't agree with this...I wouldn't agree with yours either probably right?):
  1. Rubber Soul- Beatles
  2. Pet Sounds- Beach Boys
  3. Revolver- Beatles
  4. Blood On The Tracks- Bob Dylan
  5. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band- Beatles
  6. London Calling- The Clash
  7. Rumours- Fleetwood Mac
  8. The Dark Side Of The Moon- Pink Floyd
  9. Blonde On Blonde- Bob Dylan
  10. Who's Next- The Who
  11. Exile On Main St.- Rolling Stones
  12. Abbey Road- Beatles
  13. OK Computer- Radiohead
  14. Bringing It All Back Home- Bob Dylan
  15. The Beatles (White Album)- Beatles
  16. Highway 61 Revisited- Bob Dylan
  17. Kind Of Blue- Miles Davis
  18. Nevermind- Nirvana
  19. Are You Experienced?- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
  20. Innervisions- Stevie Wonder
  21. What's Going On- Marvin Gaye
  22. Appetite For Destruction- Guns N' Roses
  23. Led Zeppelin II- Led Zeppelin
  24. Please Please Me- Beatles
  25. Songs In The Key Of Life- Stevie Wonder
  26. The Wall- Pink Floyd
  27. Bridge Over Troubled Water- Simon and Garfunkel
  28. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars- David Bowie
  29. Moondance- Van Morrison
  30. Houses Of The Holy- Led Zeppelin
  31. Exodus- Bob Marley and The Wailers
  32. Beggars Banquet- Rolling Stones
  33. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back- Public Enemy
  34. Let It Bleed- Rolling Stones
  35. The Sun Sessions- Elvis Presley
  36. Thriller- Michael Jackson
  37. The Joshua Tree- U2
  38. The Doors- The Doors
  39. The Stranger- Billy Joel
  40. Electric Ladyland- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
  41. Bookends- Simon and Garfunkel
  42. Sticky Fingers- Rolling Stones
  43. Purple Rain- Prince and The Revolution
  44. Cosmo's Factory- CCR
  45. The Bends- Radiohead
  46. Astral Weeks- Van Morrison
  47. At Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash
  48. Led Zeppelin IV- Led Zeppelin
  49. Live From Fillmore East- Allman Brothers
  50. A Night At The Opera- Queen
  51. Plastic Ono Band- John Lennon
  52. Physical Graffiti- Led Zeppelin
  53. Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness- Smashing Pumpkins
  54. Born To Run- Bruce Springsteen and The E. Street Band
  55. Kid A- Radiohead
  56. Paul's Boutique- Beastie Boys
  57. Back In Black- AC/DC
  58. Sex Machine- James Brown
  59. Rage Against The Machine- Rage Against The Machine
  60. Ten- Pearl Jam
  61. Deja Vu- Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
  62. Off The Wall- Michael Jackson
  63. Bitches Brew- Miles Davis
  64. Odelay- Beck
  65. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music- Ray Charles
  66. Low End Theory- A Tribe Called Quest
  67. Master Of Puppets- Metallica
  68. BloodSugarSexMagik- Red Hot Chili Peppers
  69. Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd- Lynyrd Skynyrd
  70. Ramones- Ramones
  71. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- Elton John
  72. The Downward Spiral- Nine Inch Nails
  73. American Beauty- Grateful Dead
  74. Illmatic- Nas
  75. Unplugged- Eric Clapton
  76. Licensed To Ill- Beastie Boys
  77. Play- Moby
  78. Life After Death- Notorious B.I.G.
  79. Toys In The Attic- Aerosmith
  80. Sweet Baby James- James Taylor
  81. Catch A Fire- Bob Marley and The Wailers
  82. Metallica (The Black Album)- Metallica
  83. Pearl- Janis Joplin
  84. The Score- Fugees
  85. Tommy- The Who
  86. Disraeli Gears- Cream
  87. Things Fall Apart- The Roots
  88. A Hard Day's Night- Beatles
  89. All Eyez On Me- 2Pac
  90. Parachutes- Coldplay
  91. Raising Hell- Run D.M.C.
  92. Damn The Torpedoes- Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
  93. Black Star- Mos Def and Talib Kweli
  94. Sublime- Sublime
  95. ATLiens- Outkast
  96. Superfly- Curtis Mayfield
  97. Chronic 2001- Dr. Dre
  98. Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs- Derek and The Dominoes
  99. War- U2
  100. Green River- CCR

Oh by the way, the Sox are up 2-0 on the Angels...but more on that later. Take care everyone. Peace.

~Mell-o