Wait, there is a football game this weekend? When you don't have a real rooting interest in the Super Bowl, the time between Championship weekend and the actual Super Bowl is just enough time to forget about football and start thinking about the NBA and the upcoming baseball season. I can't imagine how long the last two weeks have felt for Steelers and Cardinals fans as they have to wait an agonizing 14 days between games. The NFL feels it needs to have a bye week to help build up hype for the Super Bowl but really all the extra week does is make people who aren't fans of the two teams sick of hearing every last detail about what the Steelers backup tackle does to help his team.
Anyway, enough ranting. After a season of predictions, this is my final prediction post of the NFL season. As always, my picks do not take the spread into account, I simply pick the winner.
Last Week: 1-1, .500
Playoff Overall: 6-4, .600
Super Bowl:
Cardinals vs. Steelers I have picked against the Cardinals in every round of the playoffs, why would I change now? Yes, the Cardinals have an amazing passing game that can take advantage of the Steelers biggest weakness, their secondary. Yes, the Steelers offensive line is awful and the Cards D will be able to hit Big Ben early and often. And, yes, the Cardinals have overcome every obstacle that has been placed in front of them and they seem like a team of destiny. So, why am I taking the Steelers? Because they are the better football team. I don't need to come up with a bunch of gimmicky ways for them to win the game. The Steelers defense is better. They have a better running game. They hit harder. They have a (slightly) better coach. The Pittsburgh Steelers are legitamately the best team from their conference, can you say that about the Cardinals? If you re-played the NFC playoffs 10 times, how many times would the Cardinals get to the Super Bowl? Once? If you re-played the AFC playoffs 10 times, the Steelers would arguably make it 5 or more times to the Super Bowl. The Steelers are simply the better team and they will restore order in the NFL by beating the fluky Cardinals. If they don't, God help us all, I don't know what the world will be like if the Arizona Cardinals are the NFL Champs. My pick: Steelers
Friday, January 30, 2009
At last, my Super Bowl Prediction
Forsberg won't play in NHL this year
This news has many Flyer fans breathing a sigh of relief. Speculation had picked up recently that the Flyers were looking to sign Forsberg, possibly to fill in for the injured Danny Briere. While the salary cap implications of signing Forsberg would have made it highly unlikely the Flyers could have actually signed Foppa, it's nice to know that the rumors are going to die off now. The Flyers wanted no part of Forsberg unless he found a magical cure for his ailing feet.
Does this signal the end of Peter Forsberg's NHL career?
Iggy dunks on Yao!
In case you missed it, here is Andre Iguodala's dunk over the 7 foot 6 inch Yao Ming from Wednesday night. WOW!
Hat tip to whoever posted this on YouTube
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Eagles D Coordinator Jim Johnson has cancer
We all guessed something was up when Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson was forced to coach from the press box during the playoffs. Few guessed that he would have this serious of a health problem.
News came out today that Johnson, who is 67, has cancer in his spine. He will undergo several weeks of treatment to hopefully thwart the spread of cancer. The good news, if you could call it that, is that Johnson underwent surgery in 2001 to rid himself of cancer and it worked, at least for 7 years.
Johnson said that he wants to continue coaching for the Eagles, if health allows. Right now, football should be furthest from his mind as priority number one has to be getting himself healthy. If he is able to return to the Eagles, then that's just a bonus. Getting rid of the cancer is much more important.
ATPS wishes Jim Johnson a speedy recovery.
Sixers knock off Rockets, reach .500
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)The Sixers didn't play particularly well until midway through the 3rd quarter when the Rockets had a 65-51 lead. From that point forward, Philly outscored the Rockets 44-28 and won the game after Andre Iguodala hit a pair of clutch jumpers in the final 2 minutes. Iggy led the team with 20 points while Lou Williams added 17 off the bench.
Elton Brand played much better on Wednesday in his 6th man role. Brand had 14 points, 7 boards and 6 blocks, easily his best game since returning from the separated shoulder injury. Perhaps that will quiet some of those trade rumors?
The Rockets have been one of the hotter teams in the NBA so the Sixers have to feel good about their come-from-behind win. Any time you can knock off one of the top teams in the West on the road, that's a quality W.
3 posts in a row about the Sixers on ATPS?? Let's just say I'm making up for a real lack of Sixers coverage earlier in the season.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thaddeus Young selected for Rookies vs. Sophomores Game
While no Sixer is going to be an All-Star this year, Philly will have at least one representative present in Phoenix on February 13th. Thaddeus Young was selected to be a member of the Sophomore team in the Rookies vs. Sophomore Game which the league calls the "Rookie Challenge".
Young is certainly a deserving player as he has been a solid contributor whether starting or coming off the bench for the Sixers. He has improved a great deal since his rookie season and is posting career high averages for points, steals, rebounds and assists.
Another Sixer had a strong case to be in the Rookie Challenge. Marreese Speights has seen his minutes dwindle lately as Elton Brand works his way back into the lineup but he has been putting up great scoring and rebounding stats all season long. Speights is averaging 8 points, 3.8 rebounds and nearly one block per game while only playing 15.5 minutes a contest. Extrapolate those numbers out to a full-time player and you have a 20/10 guy.
Speights not making the Rookie Challenge isn't a surprise when you look take a look around the league at all the good rookies, especially when you take into account the fact that Greg Oden is still considered a rookie. Here are the complete rosters for the Rookie Challenge:
Rookies:
| Michael Beasley (Heat) | |||||||||
| Rudy Fernandez (Trail Blazers) | |||||||||
| Marc Gasol (Grizzlies) | |||||||||
| Eric Gordon (Clippers) | |||||||||
| Brook Lopez (Nets) | |||||||||
| O.J. Mayo (Grizzlies) | |||||||||
| Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) | |||||||||
| Derrick Rose (Bulls) | |||||||||
| Russell Westbrook (Thunder) Sophomores:
|
