Sunday, March 27, 2016

2016 MLB Predictions

NL East
1. New York Mets
2. Washington Nationals
3. Miami Marlins
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. Atlanta Braves

NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs
2. St. Louis Cardinals*
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Milwaukee Brewers

NL West
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Los Angeles Dodgers*
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies

NL Playoffs:
Cardinals over Dodgers

Cubs over Cardinals
Giants over Mets

Giants over Cubs

AL East
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Boston Red Sox*
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. New York Yankees
5. Baltimore Orioles

AL Central
1. Cleveland Indians
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Minnesota Twins

AL West
1. Houston Astros
2. Texas Rangers*
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4. Seattle Mariners
5. Oakland Athletics

AL Playoffs:
Red Sox over Rangers

Astros over Red Sox
Blue Jays over Indians

Astros over Blue Jays

World Series:
Giants over Astros

Awards
AL MVP Mike Trout
NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt

AL Cy Young Chris Sale
NL Cy Young Clayton Kershaw

AL ROY Byron Buxton
NL ROY Corey Seager

AL Manager of the Year Kevin Cash (Rays)
NL Manager of the Year Chip Hale (Diamondbacks)


Monday, October 26, 2015

2015-2016 NBA Predictions

The Cavs will be celebrating in 2015-2016
East
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 61-21
2. Atlanta Hawks 57-25
3. Toronto Raptors 54-28
4. Chicago Bulls 51-31
5. Washington Wizards 50-32
6. Miami Heat 48-34
7. Milwaukee Bucks 46-36
8. Boston Celtics 44-38
9. Indiana Pacers 41-41
10. Detroit Pistons 38-44
11. Brooklyn Nets 37-45
12. Orlando Magic 32-50
13. Charlotte Hornets 30-52
14. New York Knicks 23-59
15. Philadelphia 76ers 18-64

West
1. Golden State Warriors 60-22
2. Los Angeles Clippers 58-24
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 55-27
4. Houston Rockets 53-29
5. San Antonio Spurs 51-31
6. Memphis Grizzlies 50-32
7. New Orleans Pelicans 46-36
8. Phoenix Suns 42-40
9. Dallas Mavericks 39-43
10. Sacramento Kings 35-47
11. Utah Jazz 33-49
12. Minnesota Timberwolves 31-51
13. Los Angeles Lakers 26-56
14. Portland Trail Blazers 23-59
15. Denver Nuggets 20-62

Playoffs

East
Cavs over Celtics in 4
Hawks over Bucks in 6
Heat over Raptors in 7
Bulls over Wizards in 6

Cavs over Bulls in 5
Heat over Hawks in 7

Cavs over Heat in 5

West
Warriors over Suns in 4
Clippers over Pelicans in 5
Thunder over Grizzlies in 6
Rockets over Spurs in 7

Rockets over Warriors in 7
Thunder over Clippers in 6

Rockets over Thunder in 6

NBA Finals
Cavs over Rockets in 5

NBA Awards
MVP Anthony Davis
ROY Jahlil Okafor
DPOY Anthony Davis
COY Scott Skiles

Bold Prediction: Carmelo Anthony traded to Houston

Sunday, October 4, 2015

2015 MLB Postseason Predictions

The Cardinals will be celebrating in 4 weeks

AL Wild Card
Yankees over Astros

NL Wild Card
Cubs over Pirates

ALDS
Royals over Yankees in 4
Blue Jays over Rangers in 3

NLDS 
Cardinals over Cubs in 4
Dodgers over Mets in 5

ALCS
Blue Jays over Royals in 5

NLCS
Cardinals over Dodgers in 6

World Series
Cardinals over Blue Jays in 7

Sunday, September 13, 2015

2015 NFL Predictions

The Packers will celebrate in 2015

AFC East 
1. Patriots 13-3* 
2. Bills 9-7 
3. Dolphins 8-8 
4. Jets 6-10 

AFC North 
1. Ravens 10-6* 
2. Steelers 9-7* 
3. Bengals 7-9 
4. Browns 6-10 

AFC South 
1. Colts 11-5* 
2. Texans 9-7 
3. Jaguars 6-10 
4. Titans 4-12 

AFC West 
1. Broncos 11-5* 
2. Chargers 10-6* 
3. Chiefs 8-8 
4. Raiders 5-11 

NFC East 
1. Eagles 11-5* 
2. Cowboys 10-6* 
3. Giants 7-9 
4. Redskins 3-13 

NFC North 
1. Packers 12-4* 
2. Vikings 8-8 
3. Lions 8-8 
4. Bears 4-12 

NFC South 
1. Saints 9-7* 
2. Panthers 8-8 
3. Falcons 6-10 
4. Bucs 5-11 

NFC West 
1. Seahawks 12-4* 
2. Cardinals 10-6* 
3. Rams 8-8 
4. 49ers 4-12 

AFC Playoffs 
1. Patriots 
2. Broncos 
3. Colts 
4. Ravens 
5. Chargers 
6. Steelers 

Wild Card 
Colts defeat Steelers 
Ravens defeat Chargers 

Divisional 
Patriots defeat Ravens 
Broncos defeat Colts 

AFCG 
Patriots defeat Broncos 

NFC Playoffs 
1. Seahawks 
2. Packers 
3. Eagles 
4. Saints 
5. Cardinals 
6. Cowboys 

Wild Card 
Eagles defeat Cowboys 
Cardinals defeat Saints 

Divisional 
Seahawks defeat Cardinals 
Packers defeat Eagles 

NFCG 
Packers defeat Seahawks 

Super Bowl 
Packers defeat Patriots 

MVP Tom Brady 
OPOY Tom Brady 
DPOY JJ Watt 
OROY Amari Cooper 
DROY Shane Ray 
Coaches Fired: Jay Gruden, Tom Coughlin, Joe Philbin 
Bold Prediction: Matt Forte gets traded before the trade deadline

Sunday, April 5, 2015

2015 MLB Preview: National League

Bryce Harper and the Nationals will be celebrating in 2015

NL East

1. Washington Nationals

The NL East is basically the Nationals and everyone else.  The Nationals boast one of the best lineups in baseball along with arguably the best pitching staff in baseball.  The only thing standing in the way of a title for the Nationals is their bullpen anchored by closer Drew Storen who has blown some big games in the past.

Player to watch: Bryce Harper.  Harper is severely underrated among casual baseball fans because of all the hype he had coming in but Harper has quietly been one of the most effective players in baseball consistently getting on base at around a .350 clip.  People often forget that Harper is only 22 years old because it feels like he's been in the league forever.  I think this is the year Harper puts it all together and puts himself in the NL MVP conversation.

2. New York Mets

The Mets are slowly improving but have too weak of a lineup/bench to get past the Wild Card round at best.  Their pitching staff is looking really deep and scary though heading into this year and into the future with Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom going 1-2 in the rotation with reinforcements like Noah Syndergaard coming soon.

Player to watch: Matt Harvey.  This is an easy one because Harvey was one of those pitchers where you had to watch every one of his starts back in 2013 before he got hurt and had to get Tommy John's Surgery.  I think the best course of action for the Mets in 2015 is to make sure Harvey is right going into 2016 because the sky is the limit for the Mets if Harvey is pitching like he did before his injury.

3. Miami Marlins

The Marlins made some interesting moves this offseason bringing in leadoff man Dee Gordon, power bat Michael Morse, utility guy Martin Prado, and pitcher Mat Latos.  This team is really going to go as far as Giancarlo Stanton can take them though and with Jose Fernandez expected to get back into the rotation in the middle of the season, if the Marlins are able to tread ground until then, they could easily sneak into one of the Wild Card spots.

Player to watch: Dee Gordon.  Gordon might be the x-factor for the Marlins this season.  He's always had all the potential in the world coming up through the Dodgers farm system but didn't really put it all together until last season when he hit .289 and got on base at a .330 clip.  And getting on base is really important for Gordon because he's one of the top 2 biggest steal threats in the league along with Billy Hamilton stealing 54 bases last season.  If Gordon puts up similar numbers this season and gets on base for RBI opportunities from Yelich, Stanton, and Ozuna; the Marlins could be a scary team in 2015.

4. Atlanta Braves

The Braves went "all-out" this offseason after firing general manager Frank Wren, shipping off Jason Heyward to the Cardinals among others.  The Braves seem to be cutting payroll and getting ready to put what they hope is a good product on the field in 2017 when their new stadium opens.  In the meantime though, the Braves are going to be a bad team in 2015 mainly because they're going to struggle to get on base.  Outside of Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis, the Braves are filled with a group of crappy hitters that don't draw walks.  And even if the Braves had any chance at making the playoffs this season, it would surely be ruined by one of the worst managers in baseball, Fredi Gonzalez, who somehow escaped last season with a job.  The Braves will be sort of intriguing to watch in 2015 because of the young arms in their rotation led by Julio Teheran, Alex Wood, and Shelby Miller and they also have the best closer in baseball for the little opportunities they'll need him for this year, what a waste of Craig Kimbrel's talents.

Player to watch: Shelby Miller.  In one of the most shocking moves of the offseason, the Braves shipped Jason Heyward off to the St. Louis Cardinals before the last year of his deal and got Shelby Miller in return.  Miller has always been a pitcher with a ton of talent but has never been able to put it fully together.  From watching Miller from afar, it seemed like his problems always seemed to be one big inning and he also seemed to never get along with his old manager Mike Matheny.  Maybe a chance of scenery will do him well and help him reach his potential.

5. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are an absolute mess right now and it's a disgrace that general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has a job.  The Phillies are just a maddening organization right now and remind me of the Cubs from 2009 to the day Jim Hendry got fired.  A team with old, declining talent on their major league roster, no farm system, and really no direction at all.  If there's an organization out there that can make you feel somewhat sorry for Philadelphia sports fans, it's this Phillies organization.

Player to watch: Cole Hamels.  Honestly, there's no player I want to watch on this Phillies team but I'll choose Cole Hamels here because it'll be interesting to see what the Phillies do with him as the season progresses.  I hope for Hamels' sake that he's on another team before August arrives because he (and Chase Utley) don't deserve this.  The Cubs claimed him off waivers last August so there might be a match there especially with how deep the Cubs farm system is but Amaro Jr. doesn't seem to want to trade him unless the package is beyond ridiculous.  

NL Central

1. Pittsburgh Pirates

After being a wasteland of talent for decades, Pirates fans finally have a team and organization worth cheering about.  The Pirates have probably the best outfield in baseball led by Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco, and Starling Marte.  The Pirates rotation is intriguing as well led by Francisco Liriano who had a down-year last year compared to what he did in 2013.  I think this could be the year that Gerrit Cole puts it together and puts himself in the Cy Young conversation.  The one thing that is scaring me about picking this Pirates team to win the NL Central is the loss of pitch-framing extraordinaire Russell Martin to the Blue Jays although Francisco Cervelli could easily be a solid catcher himself.

Player to watch: Gregory Polanco.  Polanco got off to such a hot start in his first few Major League games when he was called up last year and then hit a major rookie wall.  If the Pirates want to have any plans of playing deep into October in 2015, they need Gregory Polanco to be close to the player he was in his first week of Major League action.


2. St. Louis Cardinals*

The Cardinals will make the playoffs again in 2015 but there are cracks starting to show that could become bigger heading into next year.  Adam Wainwright is getting older and has had a history of injury problems and Yadier Molina is getting older and showed some signs of decline last season.  But with an organization like the Cardinals that hasn't seen many down-years, these holes will probably be patched up pretty quickly.  All you have to do is look to this offseason where after the death of Oscar Tavreas, the Cardinals had a hole at RF and went out and acquired Jason Heyward from the Atlanta Braves for Shelby Miller.  The Cardinals will go as Wainwright and Michael Wacha go in 2015, both coming off some injury concerns.  If both pitchers are healthy and at the top of their games, the Cardinals will make the playoffs pretty easily and are a big threat to win the World Series.  If one or both pitchers get hurt, the Cardinals probably have no chance at a World Series although a little #PixieDust might help that.

Player to watch: Jason Heyward.  Heyward had so much hype coming into the league after being drafted from his hometown team and hitting his first Major League home run in his first Major League at-bat off Carlos Zambrano on Opening Day but he really has never lived up to his hitting potential.  He's always been a great fielder, among the best in baseball but you're always expecting more from Heyward at the plate.  I think a change of scenery is going to do Heyward really well and he's going to have a big year in 2015 and will probably finish top 8 in NL MVP voting.

3. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are probably the hardest team to gauge in 2015 because there's so many young players and new faces coming in.  First off, you have arguably the best manager in baseball in Joe Maddon (although it's hard to argue against Bruce Bochy at this point) and the best prospect in baseball in Kris Bryant coming in (or in about two weeks).  You also have a group of talent coming back that are only going to continue to get better.  Jorge Soler made a great first impression last year in his first trip to the big leagues and might just be the scariest prospect the Cubs have.  Anthony Rizzo had a huge bounce-back year last season and I think he's going to have a monster year this year.  The Cubs also brought in some talent in leadoff man Dexter Fowler and catcher Miguel Montero who are both upgrades at their respective positions.  The Cubs rotation, led by Jon Lester, should be really solid this season.  Jake Arrieta had a huge break-out season in 2014 and while it's probably going to be hard for him to top what he did last year or even match it, he should still be a big part of the Cubs rotation for years to come.  Kyle Hendricks is an intriguing piece who had a lot of success in his starts at the end of last season.  Hendricks isn't a guy that's going to overpower anyone but he's a smart guy (Dartmouth grad) that can out-smart a hitter and put up solid numbers.  Closer Hector Rondon is a guy that not enough people are talking about nationally.  Rondon struggled with some bad luck early last year but in the second half of last year Rondon saw an increase in velocity and put up some stellar numbers.

Player to watch: Travis Wood.  Could have gone with any of the Cubs young guys but I think Travis Wood is the biggest x-factor for the Cubs in 2015.  Wood was an All Star in 2013 for the Cubs and put up impressive numbers but completely tanked in 2014 putting up numbers that rivaled Edwin Jackson.  If Travis Wood can put up a year anywhere close to what he did in 2013, I think the Cubs are a playoff team.

4. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers were the surprise team in baseball for most of 2014 until they flamed out late in the year.  They're led by Carlos Gomez, who has become a bonafide star for the Brewers both in the field and at the plate as well as Jonathan Lucroy who was the best catcher in baseball last year and had a case at winning NL MVP.  The problem with this Brewers team is their rotation is incredibly weak and doesn't overpower anyone.  Jean Segura was a breakout star in 2013 but really fell incredibly hard back to reality in 2014 and was one of the biggest disappointments in baseball.

Player to watch: Ryan Braun.  Braun had an extremely poor year last year for his standards only getting on base at a .324 clip and only hitting 19 home runs.  Braun did deal with some injuries last season so this could be the root of his problems but if the Brewers want to go anywhere in 2015, they need Braun to return to his MVP level.

5. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are a franchise headed in the wrong direction after having success before 2014.  Dusty Baker is what he is, he's not a great manager, in fact he's not really a good manager, but firing him after 2013 has turned out to be a huge mistake especially when they replaced him with someone much worse.  The Reds are filled with overpriced pieces that aren't getting any younger and eventually it's going to start to get to the time where they need to start to clean house and rebuild again.

Player to watch: Johnny Cueto.  It's going to be incredibly interesting to see what the Reds so with Johnny Cueto, who is a free agent after this season.  If the Reds get terribly far behind in the playoff race, the best course of action is going to be to trade him before they lose him.  Cueto has quietly turned into one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last few years and should attract a pretty good deal for the Reds.

NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers will win the National League West this season and should do so rather easily.  There's two things that might hold them back from winning a World Series though in 2015.  1) Their bullpen once again is extremely weak outside of Kenley Jansen, who will miss the first month of the year.  2) Don Mattingly is one of the worst managers in baseball and has no clue how to make adjustments, use his bench, and use his bullpen.  Outside of these weaknesses, the Dodgers are a powerhouse boasting one of the best lineups in baseball and one of the top 5 best pitching staffs led by Clayton Kershaw.

Player to watch: Joc Pederson.  One guy I'm extremely excited to see this season is Pederson who had an amazing Spring, overshadowed by fellow prospect Kris Bryant.  Pederson is going to be playing center field for the Dodgers for years to come as he's a five-tool player that has all the potential to be a superstar.

2. San Diego Padres*

The Padres made a ton of noise this offseason and are going to be incredibly interesting to follow in 2015.  Adding Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Meyers, and Derek Norris turn the Padres from one of the more boring teams in baseball to watch to one of the more exciting.  The Padres also have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball led by James Shields and Andrew Cashner.  There's a lot of moving parts on this Padres team but I think Bud Black, who I think is the most underrated manager in baseball, can handle it and the Padres will be back in the playoffs in 2015.

Player to watch: Jedd Gyorko.  Gyorko had a really disappointing 2014 and the Padres would love to see him bounce-back in 2015 and put up 2013 numbers where he hit 23 home runs (in an extremely park to do so) and played pretty solid defense.  If the Padres can get 2013 Gyorko, they'll definitely be a playoff team in 2015.

3. San Francisco Giants

Three titles in six years is nothing to scoff at, the Giants have the best organization in baseball right now.  I'm not buying the Giants in 2015 though, I think they lost too much and didn't add enough.  I think Casey McGhee will turn out to be a 2014 fluke in 2015 and the Giants picked him up to replace Pablo Sandoval.  I also think Tim Hudson is in for a sharp decline this year.  Luckily for Giants fans, 2016 is an even year which means they'll probably #PixieDustWest their way into another title.

Player to watch: Matt Cain.  Cain was one of the best pitchers in baseball as recently as 2013 but since this point, Cain has hasn't been even close to the same pitcher.  If Cain can regain some of his 2013 form, him and Madison Bumgarner could put the Giants into the Wild Card game and give them a chance at their fourth title in seven years.

4. Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are filled with offensive talent but their problem will continue to boil down to injuries to their superstar hitters Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez.  Even if those two are fully healthy in 2015, the Rockies lack any kind of starting pitching talent and probably have the worst starting rotation in baseball.  Kyle Kendrick will be starting Opening Day this year for the Rockies.  Yeah...case in point.

Player to watch: Charlie Blackmon.  Blackmon was one of the biggest surprises in baseball for most of the year last season but fell apart in the 2nd half of the season.  If Blackmon ends up being the player that he was for the first half of last season, the Rockies have themselves a pretty nice piece going forward.

5. Arizona Diamondbacks
Kevin Towers left the Arizona Diamondbacks in a mess with his gritty approach.  I think the Diamondbacks are no doubt in a better place now than they were with Towers although there is a ton of work that needs to be done.

Player to watch: Archie Bradley.  Him, Paul Goldschmidt, and AJ Pollock are the three big pieces the Diamondbacks have going forward.  Bradley had himself a really good Spring and unexpectedly has been named to the starting rotation after the Diamondbacks traded away Trevor Cahill.

NL Wild Card
Cardinals over Padres

NLDS
Nationals over Cardinals
Dodgers over Pirates

NLCS
Nationals over Dodgers

NL MVP
Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

NL Cy Young
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Rookie of the Year
Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

NL Manager of the Year
Bud Black, San Diego Padres

Saturday, August 23, 2014

2014 NFL Predictions


NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles 11-5
2. New York Giants 9-7*
3. Dallas Cowboys 7-9
4. Washington Redskins 5-11

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints 12-4
2. Carolina Panthers 9-7
3. Atlanta Falcons 7-9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-10

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers 13-3
2. Chicago Bears 8-8
3. Detroit Lions 6-10
4. Minnesota Vikings 4-12

NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks 12-4
2. San Francisco 49ers 11-5*
3. Arizona Cardinals 8-8
4. St. Louis Rams 7-9

Playoffs:
1. Green Bay Packers
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Philadelphia Eagles
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. New York Giants

Wild Card
Saints over Giants
49ers over Eagles

Divisional
Packers over 49ers
Seahawks over Saints

NFC Championship Game
Seahawks over Packers

AFC East
1. New England Patriots 12-4
2. New York Jets 8-8
3. Miami Dolphins 7-9
4. Buffalo Bills 5-11

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts 11-5
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9
3. Tennessee Titans 6-10
4. Houston Texans 5-11

AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
2. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7*
3. Baltimore Ravens 8-8
4. Cleveland Browns 5-11

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos 14-2
2. San Diego Chargers 10-6*
3. Kansas City Chiefs 8-8
4. Oakland Raiders 3-13

Playoffs
1. Denver Broncos
2. New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. San Diego Chargers
6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Wild Card
Colts over Steelers
Chargers over Bengals

Divisional
Broncos over Chargers
Patriots over Colts

AFC Championship Game
Broncos over Patriots

SUPER BOWL XLIX
Broncos over Seahawks


Awards

MVP
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

COY
Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

ROY
Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills
Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans

DPOY
Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks

Comeback Player of the Year
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Bold Predictions
-If Jay Cutler plays 16 games, he'll finish top 5 in MVP voting along with Phillip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and LeSean McCoy.
-Fired coaches?  Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; Dennis Allen, Oakland Raiders; and Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons.
-The top 2 picks of the 2015 NFL Draft will be QB's (Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley)

Monday, March 25, 2013

2013 MLB Predictions

AL East
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Tampa Bay Rays*
3. New York Yankees*
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Boston Red Sox

AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Minnesota Twins

AL West
1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2. Texas Rangers
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners
5. Houston Astros

NL East
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Washington Nationals*
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. New York Mets
5. Miami Marlins

NL Central
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. St. Louis Cardinals*
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs

NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

Sunday, February 24, 2013

SCH's Oscar Predictions


Best Picture:
Argo

Best Director:
Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Actress:
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

Best Original Screenplay:
Django Unchained--Quentin Tarantino

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Argo

Best Animated Feature:
Wreck it Ralph

Best Original Score:
Lincoln-John Williams

Best Original Song:
"Skyfall" -Adele

Best Sound Editing:
Django Unchained

Best Sound Mixing:
Les Miserables

Best Production Design:
Life of Pi

Best Cinematography:
Life of Pi

Best make-up/hairstyling:
The Hobbit-An Unexpected Journey

Best Costume Design:
Lincoln

Best Film Editing:
Argo

Best Visual Effects:
Life of Pi


Projected Number of Wins:
Lincoln 4
Argo 3
Life of Pi 3
Django Unchained 3
Les Miserables 2
Zero Dark Thirty 1
Skyfall 1
The Hobbit 1
Wreck it Ralph 1




Sunday, December 9, 2012

It's Only Going To Get Worse From Here

Chicago sports fans, there is no worse time to be a Chicago sports fan than right now.  The Cubs just lost 100+ games, the White Sox completely collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs they surely should have been in, the Bulls lost Derrick Rose to a torn ACL, lost to an 8 seed in the playoffs, and had their team basically ripped away, and the Bears are going to completely choke away a 7-1 start and miss the playoffs.

Oh but wait, there's more.  The Green Bay Packers just won a Super Bowl 2 years ago, the Miami Heat won a title last year, and the St. Louis Cardinals won a title last year.  All 3 are in good positon to win more in the next few years while Chicago sports teams flounder.  Hope you enjoy the taunting from fans of the biggest Chicago sports rivals.

I warned you that the Bulls weren't a championship caliber team even when they had the best record in the NBA in back to back seasons.  Obviously last season ended when Derrick Rose went down but if you think Rose is the difference between winning a title and losing to a lowly 8 seed in the playoffs then you're an idiot.  As I've mentioned before, Jerry Reinsdorf is one of the cheapest owners in sports especially when it comes to the Bulls.  When Derrick's contract runs out in 5 years, expect him to bolt for LA when he realizes that Bulls management won't pay for a winner and are using him as their cash-cow.  Derrick Rose owes nothing to the city of Chicago and he's always said he wants to win.  As soon as Rose leaves Chicago, this is when we will hit rock bottom.

The Cubs are Chicago's hope.  They're still a few years off from contending but they are really building a great minor league system and already have good major league pieces in Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro.  As soon as Javier Baez, Albert Almora, and Jorge Soler develop, the Cubs are sitting on a pile of cash and will start spending.  At this point, the Cubs will be World Series contenders for a long period of time and should win at least one during this time.  Of course, that's still a long ways off.  So we have to sit through the Bears and Bulls in the mean time.  Enjoy Chicago.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Jerry Reinsdorf: Put Up Or Shut Up

"Thanks for your money"
Since 2001, there have been seven teams that have never paid the luxury tax.  Those teams?  The Charlotte Bobcats, the Golden State Warriors (now under new ownership), the Los Angeles Clippers, the New Orleans Hornets (now under new ownership), the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Washington Wizards, and the Chicago Bulls.  Yes, that's right the Chicago Bulls who have been top 3 in attendance every year since Michael Jordan has been in the league even during the tough rebuilding years when the Bulls were the Baby Bulls and are in the 3rd biggest market in the NBA have never paid the luxury tax.  Since Michael Jordan retired after the Bulls 1998 championship the Bulls have won just 3 playoff series (Detroit in 2007 and Indiana and Atlanta in 2011).


Now I'm a personal Bulls boycott because quite frankly, I'm sick of supporting an organization that doesn't care about the fans.  This doesn't mean I'm going to stop supporting the Bulls, but I'm just not going to go to any Bulls games or buy any Bulls gear until they prove that they are committed to winning and care about the fans.  There's no reason for Jerry Reinsdorf to change his cheap ways when the United Center continues to sell out year after year.  This is one of the negatives about being a great sports town like Chicago is.  For years the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs have taken advantage of the fact that Chicago sports fans will show up to their stadiums whether they win or lose.  Lately both of these teams have began to change their ways but the Bulls continue to not spend any money.  The Bulls have two major free agent signings since Michael Jordan left Chicago, Carlos Boozer and Ben Wallace.  In today's NBA, you win by having stars and the Bulls have yet to understand this.  They've have chances to add stars in the last seven or so years but John Paxson has been too scared to pull a trigger and Jerry Reinsdorf has shown the inability to pay the luxury tax despite saying to KC Johnson that he would pay the luxury tax for a winner.  Put up or shut up Jerry.

Now the Chicago Bulls organization are selling you on a "2014 plan" saying that's why they blew up their team this offseason.  Remember the last time the Bulls went all-in for a major free agent?  They ended up with Carlos Boozer in 2010.  This is just another excuse for the Bulls to sell hope and dreams to their fan-base when in reality they're just trying to save money.

Start Caleb Hanie's 2012-2013 NBA Predictions!

The Miami Heat will be celebrating another NBA title in 12-13

The NBA is dead as we know it.  Players are being babies dictating where they want to go (Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Paul) because they know in today's NBA, superteams are the only teams that have a chance at winning a title but don't tell this to cheapass Jerry Reinsdorf or John "Pussy" Paxson because they have yet to realize this.  With the Oklahoma City Thunder trading James Harden to the Rockets, it leaves the Lakers and the Heat as the only two teams who even have a prayer at winning an NBA Championship this season and this is sad.

Really, there's no point in picking the top 8 seeds in the East and West because the regular season doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is the Miami Heat will win the NBA Championship over the Los Angeles Lakers in 6.  Kevin Durant will win the NBA MVP and Anthony Davis will win the NBA Rookie of the Year.  

Thursday, July 12, 2012

2012 NFL Predictions

---Jeff reserves the right to make changes to these predictions up until the beginning of the season--

NFC East
1) Philadelphia Eagles
2) New York Giants*
3) Dallas Cowboys
4) Washington Redskins

NFC South
1) Atlanta Falcons
2) New Orleans Saints
3) Tampa Bay Bucs
4) Carolina Panthers

NFC North
1) Green Bay Packers
2) Chicago Bears (Assuming Forte shows up for the season and he and Jay Cutler stay healthy!)*
3) Detroit Lions
4) Minnesota Vikings

NFC West
1) San Francisco 49ers
2) Arizona Cardinals
3) Seattle Seahawks
4) St. Louis Rams

AFC East
1) New England Patriots
2) New York Jets
3) Buffalo Bills
4) Miami Dolphins

AFC South
1) Houston Texans
2) Tennessee Titans
3) Jacksonville Jaguars
4) Indianapolis Colts

AFC North
1) Baltimore Ravens
2) Pittsburgh Steelers*
3) Cincinnati Bengals
4) Cleveland Browns

AFC West
1) Denver Broncos
2) San Diego Chargers*
3) Oakland Raiders
4) Kansas City Chiefs

*Wild Card

Playoffs:

NFC
1) Green Bay Packers
2) Atlanta Falcons
3) San Francisco 49ers
4) Philadelphia Eagles
5) Chicago Bears
6) New York Giants

Wild Card
49ers defeat Giants
Bears defeat Eagles

Divisional
Packers defeat Bears
Falcons defeat 49ers

NFC Championship
Packers defeat Falcons

AFC
1) New England Patriots
2) Baltimore Ravens
3) Houston Texans
4) Denver Broncos
5) Pittsburgh Steelers
6) San Diego Chargers

Wild Card
Texans defeat Chargers
Steelers defeat Broncos

Divisional
Patriots defeat Steelers
Ravens defeat Texans

AFC Championship
Patriots defeat Ravens

SUPER BOWL
Packers defeat Patriots

Monday, April 2, 2012

2012 Chicago Cubs Preview: Starting Rotation

Matt Garza tries to build on a solid 2011 season as a Cub.
For the first time since 2009, there's actually optimism around the Chicago Cubs.  Unlike 2009, it's obvious the Cubs aren't going to make the playoffs this season but unlike the last few seasons, the Cubs actually have a plan moving forward and while the results won't be seen right away, you know they're just a few years away from competing for a title again and hopefully competing for longer than a two year window.  Unfortunately, we can't fast forward to 2014 but this Cubs season should still be exciting because the Cubs have some nice young talent that could be key pieces moving forward such as Starlin Castro, Brett Jackson, and Anthony Rizzo.  Today we will look at the Cubs starting rotation for this upcoming season which is really the weak-point the Cubs have in terms of prospects and for the most part, Major League talent.

The Cubs rotation will start out like this in 2012:
Ryan Dempster will start on opening day opposite Stephen Strasburg.  Dempster had a really poor 2011 opening it up with a 6 run, 4 walk, 6 inning performance in a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates and finishing off the season with a 9 run, 4 walk, 5.2 inning performance in a loss to the San Diego Padres.  In between that, Dempster wasn't very good either finishing the year with a 4.41 ERA.  This is the last year of Dempster's contract so there's a chance he could be on the move in July but he has a no trade clause blocking trades and he seems to love it in Chicago so odds are he'll finish the year as a Cub.  I can't wait until he's no longer on this team though.  Seems like a good character guy but outside of a fluke 2008 season which ended with a horrendous playoff appearance in game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers , he's been a rather garbage pitcher.  I do think Dempster will improve slightly in 2012 but Dale Sveum's first minor bad move as Cubs manager is naming Dempster the opening day starter over Matt Garza.      
Matt Garza was awesome last year for the Cubs and stats really don't do him justice at all.  He finished with a 3.83 ERA but Garza pitched much better than this.  Garza posted a career high number of strikeouts and despite concerns over his attitude he seemed like a great clubhouse guy for much of last season earning him a title as a fan favorite in Chicago.  One of the few concerns from Matt Garza last year was his fielding.  Garza committed 11 errors last season, most of them silly, and had a fielding percentage of an abysmal .788%.  There were some talks of Garza being traded in the offseason and for the right deal, I'd still consider doing it but he could be a valuable piece moving forward as the Cubs continue to get better and put better pitching around him.
Jeff Samardzija has had a really bumpy road in his three seasons as a major leaguer.  In 2008, Samardzija came onto the scene as a reliever in late July and actually did a really good job and became a pretty popular Cub in Chicago and even got his own Sports Illustrated article that year.  In 2009 however, Shark really dropped off finishing the year with a dismal 7.53 ERA and the struggles continued in 2010 as he was bounced up and down from Iowa to Chicago.  Last year, Shark had an expanded role in a weak bullpen and he made the most out of his opportunity having a fantastic year in a season where nobody really stepped up in the bullpen.  This year, Shark will be put to a bigger test as he starts the season in the starting rotation for the first time in his career.  Shark has started ten times before and really hasn't had much success but he had a really good Spring and the Cubs are hoping this carries over to the regular season.  In a year where the Cubs aren't expected to do much, why not give Shark an opportunity to be a starting rotation piece for the future if he succeeds?  If Shark doesn't succeed, he proved last year he could be a valuable reliever.
Chris Volstad came over from the Miami Marlins in the Carlos Zambrano deal and is a tall righty (6'8!!!) who is still just 25 years old.  Volstad had a nice rookie season with the Marlins coming up in early July but in years since, hitters and teams have seemed to adjust to him well and he hasn't adjusted yet.  There's still time for Volstad to adjust and maybe a change of scenery will do him well.  Up until his last Spring Training start, he's been more than excellent in Spring Training so hopefully he carries this over to the regular season.
Paul Maholm is a left-handed pitcher who signed as a free agent this offseason coming from the Pittsburgh Pirates where he spent his previous seven MLB seasons.  Maholm wasn't anything special in Pittsburgh but put together numerous solid seasons.  Being 29 years old and turning 30 in June, Maholm is more than likely a place-filler until the Cubs can draft, sign, or acquire younger pitching talent for the future.  Paul is probably really upset that he doesn't have to face the Cubs anymore because he put up a 1.53 ERA in 3 starts against the Cubs last season.  

The Cubs rotation is going to need to improve in the next few years to have the Cubs contending for titles but for right now, it's a solid, fairly young rotation that has room to get better.  If one of the starters struggles, you'll have Randy Wells and Travis Wood in AAA waiting in the wings.  Wood is a solid, young starter who was acquired in the Sean Marshall trade with the Reds who really struggled in Spring Training causing him to start the season in AAA.  Randy Wells has been just terrible ever since his solid 2009 season and probably should have been cut last season.  Tomorrow we'll look at the Cubs bullpen and hitters for this upcoming season.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Really Early MLB Predictions for 2012--National League

The Reds will be celebrating an NL Central title this season.
This offseason isn't over but I think it's a good time to give you my early predictions for the 2012 MLB season after the Detroit Tigers signed Prince Fielder to a nine year deal today.  Let's start with the National League Central which has lost 2 of it's best hitters in the last month and has seen the Cubs hiring a top 5 GM in baseball.

1) Cincinnati Reds
Last year I was down on the Reds going into the season but they've done a great job at upgrading their team this offseason.  Outside of the Miami Marlins, I think the Reds have put together the best offseason of any team.  They have arguably the deepest bullpen in baseball with the signing of Ryan Madson, the trade of Sean Marshall for Travis Wood, and Aroldis Chapman coming back.  The Reds have the best offense in the NL Central in my opinion with Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, and Brandon Phillips.  The Reds do have some major holes though especially at starting pitching.  Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos are great at the top of the rotation but after that you have a ton of question marks in Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo, and Mike Leake.  If the Reds want to do anything in the postseason, they're going to need to upgrade their rotation by the trade deadline but I still have the Reds as the kings of the NL Central.

2) St. Louis Cardinals
The defending World Series champions had an amazing run at the end of the season last year but four months after winning it all, they look like a completely different team.  Gone is Albert Pujols a top 5 hitter in baseball and their team leader, gone is Tony La Russa a top 5 manager in baseball and a guy that got the most out of all his teams, gone is Dave Duncan who was the best pitching coach in baseball and turned a ton of nobodies into above-average starters or higher.   New manager Mike Matheny still has a team with a solid offense but a ton of question marks.  Will Matt Holiday recover from a less than stellar postseason?  Will David Freese carry his great World Series performance over to this season?  Will Lance Berkman prove last season was not just a fluke?  Can Carlos Beltran be what Lance Berkman was last year?   The Cardinals rotation looks good on paper but can Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter stay healthy and will Kyle Loshe or Jamie Garcia step up again to be their solid number three starter?

3) Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have had a very tough offseason.  First they found out Ryan Braun was going to be suspended 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance and then they lost Prince Fielder to the Detroit Tigers.  If the Brewers want to make the playoffs again this season, they're going to need to get off to a good start in the first 50 games when Braun is out and I don't think they'll get off to that good start.  Aramis Ramirez had a pretty good offensive season last year but his poor baserunning and poor fielding almost outweighs anything he does at the plate.  The Brewers rotation looks pretty good on paper but I'm not that big of a fan of Zach Grineke who I thought was just average last season.  I really like Shawn Marcum but he's shown the inability to stay healthy throughout his career.

4) Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are a tough team to gauge.  They were an above-average team last season before Jerry Meals made that horrible call at home plate in Atlanta.  After that, the Pirates slid back to the team they've looked like for the last two decades.  The Pirates really didn't do anything to improve themselves this offseason as usual and if they want to succeed this season, they'll have to improve from within which I don't think is likely.

5) Chicago Cubs
The Cubs won't be good this season but they'll be much more exciting than last season because they actually have a plan moving forward.  Oh and Mike Quade isn't the manager anymore.  Theo Epstein has come in and hasn't made the big moves like signing Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder but has made the smart moves.  Trading Andrew Cashner for Anthony Rizzo, one of the best young first base prospects in baseball, is a much smarter move than signing a Prince Fielder for 9 years.  Rizzo won't start the year on the Cubs but will be up probably before July.

6) Houston Astros
Last year in the NL Central for this terrible team and good riddance.  The Astros are actually in much better shape this year than they were last year but this isn't say much at all.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Exclusive Start Caleb Hanie's NBA Predictions!

The Three Dipshits will win a ring this year
East:
1) Miami Heat
The Heat will come out this season with a chip on their shoulder and will dominate their competition all the way to an NBA title.
2) Chicago Bulls
The Bulls will be a good team in 2012 but they still are a shooting guard short of being a title team.  Rip Hamilton is an upgrade but he doesn't put you over the top.  It will be interesting to see how Carlos Boozer comes out after sucking last season.
3) New York Knicks
Tyson Chandler was a huge reason why the Mavericks won the NBA championship last year but how will he fit in D'Antoni's system?  The Knicks look very good this season but still lack the depth to win a championship.
4) Boston Celtics
Another year older and in a season where the schedule is condensed, this won't help the Celtics at all.  Wouldn't be surprised if they drop to the 5 spot.
5) Atlanta Hawks
Is Jeff Teague as good as he played in the playoffs last season?  The Hawks still have a good team but giving Joe Johnson that ridiculous contract ensures they will never get over the top.
6) Indiana Pacers
If David West can stay healthy, the Pacers could be a good team in 2012.  Remember, they could have easily upset the Bulls in the first round last playoffs.  Will they build off this success?
7) Philadelphia 76ers
Not a top-heavy team but a very good defensive team with a lot of depth.  Will Doug Collins lead the Sixers to another playoffs?
8) New Jersey Nets
If they get Dwight Howard at the trade deadline, they'll probably move up to the 5 or 6 seed and could be potential playoff spoilers.

West:
1) Dallas Mavericks
Lost Tyson Chandler but added Lamar Odom.  I don't think they're good enough to repeat but they have the best bench in the NBA.
2) Oklahoma City Thunder
I fully expect the Thunder to grow up and reach the Finals in a winnable West this season.
3) Los Angeles Lakers
Unless they get Dwight Howard before the trade deadline, the Lakers will fall short of the Finals again. Trading away Lamar Odom for nothing?  Yeah brilliant.
4) Los Angeles Clippers
Need to fire Vinny Del Negro but right now they're the most exciting team in the NBA.  Can't wait for their bandwagon to fill up.
5) Memphis Grizzlies
Last year's Cinderella team brings back Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph and has the size that can beat anyone in the West.  They'll be a dangerous team in the playoffs again.
6) San Antonio Spurs
Like the Celtics, they're too old for this condensed schedule so expect this to influence their seed.  Still a dangerous team in the playoffs despite age.
7) Portland Trail Blazers
Loved the addition of Gerald Wallace at the deadline in February but too many key injuries to climb the ladder in the West.
8) Golden State Warriors
Could see the Phoenix Suns in this spot as well but I think the Warriors have enough to get back in the playoffs.

Playoffs:
Eastern Conference Finals: Miami Heat defeat Chicago Bulls in 6
Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Los Angeles Lakers in 5

NBA Finals:
Miami Heat defeat Oklahoma City Thunder in 6

Awards


MVP: 
Kevin Durant
The Derrick Rose hype is gone and he's expected to do good this season and will be good, Dwight Howard will probably be changing teams halfway through the year so I think this eliminates him, LeBron James is still sharing the load with Dwyane Wade and unless they have a historic season, this will eliminate him.  I think it's time for Kevin Durant to get this much-deserved award.

Rookie of the Year:
Derrick Williams
I see Kyrie Irving struggling in his first year in Cleveland while Derrick Williams is pretty much as NBA ready as they get.  I don't think Derrick Williams is that great but he's going to give you the exciting plays like Blake Griffin which will attract attention and quite frankly, this is a pretty weak rookie class compared to year's past.

Coach of the Year Candidates:
Lionel Hollins
Tom Thibodeau
Doug Collins
Mike D'Antoni

Monday, December 5, 2011

Hanie is better than Cutler?

Worst Quarterback in Football---Caleb Hanie

-First off, for those that thought Caleb Hanie was better than Jay Cutler after the NFC Championship game last January, I want you dead by the morning.  Oh and for those that called Cutler a pussy after that game, Matt Forte has the same injury (a grade 2 MCL sprain) that Cutler had.  Forte is expected to miss 2-to-4 week but just sit him out, the Bears are done.

-Caleb Hanie is the worst quarterback I've seen since Craig Krenzel.  I don't think there's a QB in the NFL right now worse than Hanie and as dumb as Hanie.  He has no pocket presence whatsoever and he doesn't seem to know the NFL rules.  I hate McNabb and don't want to sign him but he can't be any worse than Hanie is right now.  Enderle can't be any worse either.  Just take Hanie off the field.

-For those Bears fans that were rooting for the Packers today to help the Bears playoff chances, I hope you're happy when the Packers finish 19-0 (they're going to do it) and the Bears are sitting home after a first round exit (this will happen as well).

-Between the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series, the Miami Heat embarrassing the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals thanks to management's refusal to get a 2 guard something they needed to win a championship, and the Vancouver Canucks beating the Blackhawks in game 7 on a late overtime goal, this is the worst possible time to be a Chicago sports fan.  Oh and the Packers are going to finish 19-0 and win their second straight Super Bowl.  Oh and Jay Cutler and Matt Forte are hurt.

There is some good news (maybe):
- Baseball winter meetings are starting and the Cubs may make a big splash in Albert Pujols.  I've been against signing Albert but it sounds like the Cubs are going to offer him a shorter deal with more money per year.  I would love signing Albert for a 5 year deal but anything above 7, no thanks.  If the Cubs can sign Pujols and sign 1 or 2 solid starters, they could compete this year.  But Theo need to focus more on the starting pitching which is the biggest need right now.

-The Chicago Bulls are almost about to get underway and are going to add a shooting guard (wish they would have thought of this in February).  This is my list of shooting guards I want in order:
1) Aaron Afflalo
2) Caron Butler
3) Nick Young
4) Jason Richardson
5) Jamal Crawford
6) Josh Howard
7) Vince Carter
8) Tracy McGrady

Saturday, November 26, 2011

NBA/NBAPA reaches tentative agreement

From ESPN:

NEW YORK -- NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Saturday to end the 149-day lockout.
After a secret meeting earlier this week, the sides met for more than 15 hours Friday, working to try to save the season. This handshake deal, however, still must be ratified by both owners and players.
"We've reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25," Commissioner David Stern said.

NBA free agency will open on December 9th and the Bulls will have a huge hole to fill at shooting guard.  A week ago, Stephen A. Smith said the Bulls would sign Tracy McGrady as soon as the lockout was lifted.  No thanks.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Ivan DeJesus out

Buried under the somber Jay Cutler stories is this article from Gordon Wittenmeyer.
Cubs manager Dale Sveum has made some of his first staff decisions, including retaining well-regarded hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, one of the top-paid coaches in the game. He’s under contract through 2012.  The two other coaches under contract through next year — bullpen coach Lester Strode and bench coach Pat Listach — also are expected to be asked back. Sources said first-base coach Bob Dernier and third-base coach Ivan DeJesus were informed they won’t be back. Pitching coach Mark Riggins spoke with Sveum over the weekend, according to a source, and was expected to talk again soon.
First off, while Rudy Jaramillo is extremely overpaid, he's still one of the better hitting coaches in baseball. The one thing that he needs to do next season is to get the Cubs to be more patient at the plate something that they've struggled with since 2008.

But the best news coming out of this story is the fact that Ivan DeJesus will not be on the Cubs staff next year. DeJesus is the worst 3rd base coach the Cubs have had since Wavin Wendell Kim in 2004 and was probably the worst 3rd base coach in baseball last season. So many times last year the Cubs had horrible sends at 3rd base that costed them runs.

 The next move Sveum needs to make is to get rid of Mark Riggins who did an awful job in his 1st season as Cubs pitching coach last year. He should have never had the job anyways.

It's Hanie Time!


So Jay Cutler is going to be out for the rest of the regular season and we probably won't see him again until next season pending Caleb Hanie doing the unthinkable and leading the Bears to the playoffs and a wild card round win. If Jay Cutler is indeed out for 6 to 8 weeks, this is how the Bears schedule will end up:

@ Oakland
Raiders 30, Bears 9
This was a toss-up game before Jay Cutler got hurt but now Oakland should win this game rather easily and end the Bears five game losing streak. The Raiders currently have a playoff spot if the season ended today and are playing great football after the Carson Palmer trade even with Darren McFadden sidelined with an injury. McFadden might be back for this game but if he's not ready, Michael Bush has done a great job filling in for him. The Raiders best receiver Jacoby Ford also missed his last game with a foot injury. Playing in Oakland in front of the Black Hole is probably not the way you want to make your first start. Raiders win.
Bears: 7-4

VS Kansas City
Bears 17, Chiefs 10
Expect this one to be a low scoring game with the Chiefs losing both Jamaal Charles and Matt Cassell to injuries. The Chiefs are starting some dude named Tyler Palko at quarterback right now. Isn't that Keanu Reeves' character from "The Replacements"? This is going to be an ugly game but the Bears defense should lead them to victory.
Bears: 8-4

@ Denver
Bears 16, Broncos 13
The Broncos have been playing great under Tim Tebow but I really don't think this will continue against the Bears. I had this pegged as an automatic win before Cutler went out but now it might be a little closer but I still think the Bears find a way to win. The Bears have done a great job in the past in containing run-first quarterbacks that are better than Tebow and I don't expect this trend to stop. I hope Von Miller doesn't kill Hanie though.
Bears: 9-4

VS Seattle
Bears 17 Seahawks 10
Another close win for the Bears. Tavaris Jackson is another quarterback who like Michael Vick is run-first but obviously he doesn't have the speed or the arm like Michael Vick. Expect the Bears to win another low-scoring game.
Bears: 10-4

@ Green Bay
Packers 31, Bears 13
I didn't have the Bears winning this game before Jay Cutler got hurt although I thought the Bears could give the Packers a mini-scare. Maybe the Bears will get a let-down from the Packers but this is pretty much an automatic loss.
Bears: 10-5

@ Minnesota
Bears 24, Vikings 20
If 10 wins doesn't get you in the playoffs as a wild card, then the season could come down to this. There might be an outside chance that Cutler could return for this game if the Bears really need him I think but this should be Hanie's game assuming he's still starting. The Vikings are not a good team and have a terrible secondary but teams like the Vikings who have nothing to play for at the end of the season scare the shit out of me and playing on the road at the Metrodome is never an easy task especially for an inexperienced quarterback like Hanie. I have the Bears winning this game but it could really go either way.
Bears: 11-5

11 wins will get you into the playoffs in the NFC and the Bears would get either the Cowboys, Giants, or Saints on the road in the Wild Card playoff game. My money is on New Orleans being the 3rd seed. It'll be fun seeing Caleb Hanie potentially going into the Superdome for a playoff win. Thankfully the Bears have a pretty easy schedule to end the year. I had them tabbed at 12-4 if Cutler finished the year so 11-5 with Hanie isn't too big of a drop-off but losing Cutler for a potential playoff game basically guarantees a loss.

Hanie is not a bad quarterback but he's not a good quarterback either. People who still don't like Cutler are going to learn to appreciate him by the time this season is over. I guarantee it.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

My Streak For The Cash Lock Of the Day 3/3/11


Yesterday, I continued my streak by taking the Tarheels over Florida State. Harrison Barnes became a lock of the day hero by sinking the game winner.

Today, take the St. John's Red Storm over the Seton Hall Pirates. I also like South Carolina to LOSE to Tennessee.

March Lock of the Day Record: 2-0
Lock of the Day Streak: W5
Overall Lock of the Day record: 20-7
February Final Record: 18-7