Sports Tidbits November 6th

Alright here are some random thoughts I have on the sports world. Take what you like, debate what you disagree with!

• Dan Snyder should seriously consider firing Mike Shanahan. He has treated his two best players, Albert Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb like garbage. The whole "fitness" test crap with Haynesworth was a joke. Who cares if he can run sprints!? Can he plug up holes and get to the QB. And the answer to those questions this year is yes. And as for McNabb? Yes he is not having his best year. But in no circumstance do you ever put Rex Grossman in a two minute situation over him. Shanahan seems like a strict dictator who has lost a couple of screws in his head. Guess what Mike, John Elway is not walking through that door. Shanahan better fix this mess he has created up fast or this improved Redskins team will once again miss the playoffs.
• The NFL Network named its top 100 players of all time. Jerry Rice was #1. Jim Brown was #2. Lawrence Taylor is #3. Personally I don't think Rice should be #1. Top ten yes. But not #1. I would have put LT #1. Why? I look at it from the view of if all of these players were in their prime, and you had the first pick in the draft of a pickup game who would you take? I would take LT because no other defender in the history of football is even close to him as a player. That's not the same for other positions. If my opponent picks Joe Montana, I can counter with Brady, Elway, Unitas, Bradshaw, Staubach, etc. If my opponent picks Jim Brown, I can counter with Payton, Sanders, Emmitt, the other LT, Earl Campbell, etc. If my opponent picks Jerry Rice, I can counter with Moss, Hudson, Irvin, Steve Largent (who somehow did not make this list), etc. But if I pick LT my opponent has no answer that is close.
• Other thoughts I have on this list. Look I will always say their is no way I would put Peyton Manning ahead of Tom Brady on any list. This list does (Manning #8, Brady #21). But based on Manning's historic regular seasons their is at least the case to put Manning their. But their is no case to put Brett Favre ahead of Tom Brady. Favre is one spot (#20) ahead of Brady. Based on what?! Brady has 3 rings to Favre's 1, has had many more clutch moments, and has not torn up locker rooms and been a diva like Favre has. This should not even be a debate. Also Barry Sanders at #17 and Emmitt Smith at #28 are too low on this list. I would make the case both should be in the top 15 at least, and probably the top 10. Also Gale Sayers might be the most talented RB to ever play the game. But to be #22 on this list for only playing 5 seasons seems like a big stretch to me.
• I love that the NBA is here. I am all in this season. I have been watching games on nearly a nightly bases. With the Buffalo Sabres playing like "low grade dog food" as Rodney Dangerfield would say, and my excitment for college basketball at a 0 (call me in March when college basketball games actually matter), I have turned to the NBA. Here are some of my thoughts on the league.
• As long as the Heat are blowing out opponents Wade, LeBron, and Bosh will be content to give up stats for the big wins. But when games are close we have already seen a little divide of who wants the ball. In the opener against the Celtics Wade and LeBron seemed passive for so long trying to get the other guy involved, until LeBron said "screw this" and took over, but by then it was too late. In the New Orleans game last night down by three in the final seconds Wade had the ball in his hands. Instead of taking the three he deferred to Eddie House (who on the night was 0-7) who of course missed the shot. When games are tight it seems so far the Big Three are tight.
• Speaking of the Big Three, ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons had the best tweet of the night on what they should really be called. "The Big Two featuring Chris Bosh."
• Best PG's in the league according to me. 1.) Rajon Rondo 2.) Chris Paul 3.) Steve Nash 4.) Deron Williams
• John Wall might just be the fastest guy in the league right now. He's is going to be scary good. But he is still young, raw, and has to work with the player formerly known as Agent Zero who has brought guns to the arena, pooped in somebody's shoe, paid $10,000 for Puff Daddy to host his birthday party, and faked an injury in the preseason so his buddy could get more playing time. So until Wall grows into a player more, and the Wizards clean up some in house messes Wall will not make that list above of best PG's in the league.
• I love Durant. I love Carmelo. But the Lakers are winning the West again. I feel very confident in calling this race now. The early results are in and my projections show the Lakers winning the west.
• I love CP7. But if the Bills want to draft a QB this is the updated list I would put for the Bills as a guideline.
• 1.) Andrew Luck
• 2.) Cam Newton
• 3.) Christian Ponder
• 4.) Ryan Mallett
• 5.) Blaine Gabbert
• 6.) Jake Locker

Kofod

Football Picks This Week

Alright here are my picks for this week.

College Football Picks Straight Up

Clemson 27 #25 N.C. State 24
#21 Baylor 34 #17 Oklahoma State 31
#1 Oregon 52 Washington 30
#5 Utah 28 #3 TCU 27
#4 Boise State 45 Hawaii 17
#6 Alabama 23 #10 LSU 20
#7 Nebraska 49 Iowa State 10
#24 Florida State 27 North Carolina 23
Penn State 38 Northwestern 31
#8 Oklahoma 37 Texas A&M 24
#18 Arkansas 27 #19 South Carolina 20
Texas Tech 31 #12 Missouri 27
#13 Stanford 41 #15 Arizona 31

NFL Picks Straight Up
Bears 24 Bills 20
Ravens 20 Dolphins 17
Falcons 27 Buccaneers 20
Jets 31 Lions 24
Chargers 34 Texans 27
Patriots 31 Browns 13
Cardinals 20 Vikings 17
Saints 24 Panthers 17
Giants 27 Seahawks 24
Raiders 28 Chiefs 23
Colts 31 Eagles 24
Packers 34 Cowboys 17
Bengals 24 Steelers 21

Picks Against the Spread
College
Boise State -22 vs Hawaii
Fresno State -1 vs Louisana Tech
LSU +6 vs Alabama
Oklahoma -4 vs Texas A&M

NFL
Miami +6 vs Baltimore
New England -7 vs Cleveland
Indianapolis -1 vs Philadelphia
Green Bay -9 vs Dallas

Kofod

College Picks, NFL Picks, College and NFL Spread Picks

Alright here is a very quick look at my picks for the week. I would write more but I'm still in mourning over the Florida State vs NC State game from last night.

College Football


Kansas State 34 Oklahoma State 30

Miami 28 Virginia 17

Notre Dame 31 Tulsa 24

Iowa 27 Michigan State 24

Nebraska 41 Missouri 31

Florida 23 Georgia 20

Auburn 27 Ole Miss 20

Texas 38 Baylor 24

Utah 45 Air Force 10

USC 34 Oregon 30

Ohio State 44 Minnesota 10

Michigan 38 Penn State 20



NFL

Dolphins 27 Bengals 20

Jaguars 23 Cowboys 17

Redskins 27 Lions 17

Chiefs 38 Bills 31

Rams 20 Panthers 17

Jets 27 Packers 23

Broncos 31 49ers 17

Titans 20 Chargers 16

Buccaneers 23 Cardinals 13

Patriots 27 Vikings 23

Raiders 30 Seahawks 23

Saints 24 Steelers 20

Colts 34 Texans 27



Spread Picks


College

Navy -14 vs Duke

Utah -7 vs Air Force

Michigan -1 ½ vs Penn State

USC +8 ½ vs Oregon



NFL

Denver -2 vs San Francisco

Miami +3 vs Cincinnati

Washington +3 vs Detroit

Oakland -2 vs Seattle



Kofod

College Picks, NFL Picks, College and NFL Spread Picks

Alright here are my quick picks for college and NFL games, and games on the spread. Sorry no explanations this week.


College Football

Saturday October 23rd

Northwestern 41 #7 Michigan State 38

#10 Ohio State 27 Purdue 20

Navy 27 Notre Dame 24

#4 Auburn 31 #6 LSU 20

#15 Iowa 31 #13 Wisconsin 30

#16 Nebraska 41 #14 Oklahoma State 30

Baylor 37 #22 Kansas State 31

#8 Alabama 20 Tennessee 17

Miami 21 North Carolina 20

#1 Oklahoma 38 #11 Missouri 24



NFL

Sunday October 24th

Atlanta 31 Cincinnati 20

Washington 23 Chicago 17

Tampa Bay 20 St. Louis 17

San Francisco 17 Carolina 10

Baltimore 24 Buffalo 13

Philadelphia 27 Tennessee 23

Kansas City 31 Jacksonville 10

Pittsburgh 16 Miami 10

New Orleans 31 Cleveland 13

Seattle 20 Arizona 16

San Diego 27 New England 24

Denver 20 Oakland 17

Minnesota 31 Green Bay 27



Monday October 25th

Cowboys 24 Giants 23



College and NFL Spread Picks

Navy +7 ½ vs. Notre Dame

Auburn -6 ½ vs. LSU

North Carolina +6 vs. Miami

Oklahoma -3 ½ vs. Missouri



Pittsburgh -3 vs. Miami

Washington +3 vs. Chicago

San Francisco -3 vs. Carolina

San Diego -3 vs. New England



Kofod

College and NFL Spread Picks October 16th-17th

Last week I went 3-1 in picking college football games on the spread, and 2-2 picking NFL games on the spread. On the season I am 9-3-1 in picking college games on the spread, and 9-3 in picking NFL games on the spread. This week I am picking 4 college games and 4 NFL games. These spreads were as of Monday, so I know they are changed. For example Texas went from +11 against Nebraska, to +9 to +9.5 against Nebraska depending on where you look. I'm still going to go with the Monday Lines.

College Games



Iowa – 3 vs. Michigan

I love Denard Shoelace Robinson, but the fact is he cannot continuously do it alone for Michigan against quality opponents. And Iowa might be the best opponent Michigan faces all year. So I’ll take Iowa her. Iowa -3.

Nebraska -11 vs. Texas

Nebraska has looked phenomenal, while Texas has the look of a team rebuilding. I completely understand why this line is at 11. Saying all that I am going to take Texas here. I think they will be ready to give Nebraska a fight. And Nebraska has not really played a quality opponent yet this year, so I think they will have their hands full with Nebraska. Texas +11.

Texas will give Nebraska all they can handle on Saturday.

Boise State -40 vs. San Jose State

Boise State is never on the ticket that my dad and I play. Until this week. So as soon as I saw this matchup I jumped on it. Besides the Virginia Tech and Oregon State game Boise has beaten its other opponents by 45, 59, and 43. So I definitely expect Boise to beat San Jose State by at least 40. Boise State -40.

Nevada -8 vs. Hawaii

Hawaii is good, but Nevada is much better. This could be a close 10 point game, but I don’t see Hawaii playing to within one score of Nevada by the end of the game. So I’ll take Nevada with the 8 here. Nevada -8.



NFL Games


Green Bay -1 vs. Miami

I expect Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to bounce back at home against Miami. I know Miami is 2-0 on the road, but I have a gut feeling Green Bay will play much better this week than they did at Washington last week. Green Bay -1.

New York Jets -3 ½ vs. Denver

I love the Jets on the road here. I expect a big day from Mark Sanchez, and even if Darrelle Revis does not play I think the Jets will force Kyle Orton into mistakes. I’ll take the Jets here. New York Jets -3 ½ .

San Francisco -7 vs. Oakland

Until San Francisco proves me wrong and wins I will always pick against them. Oakland is a tough team that gives you everything they got. I can’t say the same thing about San Francisco. Oakland +7.

Indianapolis -4 vs. Washington

Peyton Manning on primetime on NBC = take the Colts. I expect a big night from Peyton Manning and for the Colts to win by more than a touchdown. Indianapolis -4.

Peyton Manning will dominate on Sunday Night.

Kofod