No Hope for Team USA in Women's World Cup

The United States has no Hope entering Sunday's third-place game against Norway.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo was kicked off the team by USA Women's Coach Greg Ryan. Ryan's decision had the support of the remaining 20 players. The decision came after Solo appeared to criticize Coach Ryan, saying the Coach made "the wrong decision" replacing her with veteran goalkeeeper Briana Scurry.

Solo hadn't allowed a goal for almost 300 minutes when she was benched. Ryan chose the smaller, quicker Scurry, who led the U.S. to its last World Cup title in 1999 and held off Brazil in the 2004 Olympic final.

Captain Kristine Lilly and star striker Abby Wambach said Solo apologized at a team meeting. On her myspace page, Solo wrote that she didn't intend to criticize Scurry. She maintained, however, that Ryan's decision was wrong.

After Team USA lost 3-0 to Brazil on Thursday, Solo said of her benching: "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ... You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."

Quite Frankly, it doesn't matter whether Brianna Scurry was in goal for the United Staes or Hope Solo. The United States would have lost anyway. I can't believe this actually came as a suprise to people. Brazil eats, drinks, and lives soccer. They have the best male and female soccer players in the world. Marta scored two of the four goals for Brazil in that game. I think what Hope Solo said was just a player mad that their team lost after they were benched. Solo had not allowed a goal in over 200 minutes. Her streak would have ended in that loss to Brazil, but that's irrelevant. Here's a quick recap of Brianna Scurry for all of you non-soccer fans out there. Brianna Scurry was a member of the 1999 World Cup team that defeated China in Penalty Kicks. Scurry, Brandi Chastain and Mia Hamm, and Kristine Lilly were the key players for Team USA in 1999. Scurry, Lilly, Chastain, and Hamm were together from 1999 until 2004 when Team USA was able to win the gold. The only two remaining players from the 1999 World Cup team are Christine Lilly and Brandi Chastain. Brandi was not able to stop the Brazillians from scoring four goals against Team USA.

Hope Solo was only trying to say her coach was wrong in taking her out. She wasn't trying to put down Brandi Chastain.

Week Four NFL Preview

Brett Favre is one touchdown pass away from becoming the all time leader in Touchdown Passes.


The NFL is one-fourth of the way through the season. Week four is about to kick off. Here is a preview with every game and a prediction of the winner.

EARLY GAMES
Baltimore At Cleveland, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: The Baltimore Ravens are on the road in Cleveland, but they will pull out a win thanks to their defense. The Ravens are a subpar offensive team, but their defense is how they win ballgames.
BALTIMORE OVER CLEVELAND

Chicago At Detroit, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: The Rex Grossman era in Chicago (for now) is over. Brian Griese takes over as the Bears starting Quarterback this week, and he is taking on a Detroit Lions defense that was shredded last week by the "perfect" Donovan McNabb. Chicago will win against Detroit on the road, as their defense will perform better this week.
CHICAGO OVER DETROIT

Green Bay At Minnesota, 1:00 PM EST (THE GAME OF THE WEEK)
Analysis: This game is the Game of The Week simply because Brett Favre is one Touchdown Pass away from becoming the new all time leader in Touchdown Passes. With one more pass, he will have career Touchdown pass Number 421. Many consider the all-time homerun record the greatest record in the history of American Sports, Second Place is the All Time Touchdown Pass Record. Brett Favre will go down as the one of the greatest Quarterbacks in the history of the game, perhaps the greatest pure passer in the history of the game. Green Bay's defense has stopped LaDanian Tomlinson cold, and I expect them to do the same to Adrian Peterson.
GREEN BAY OVER MINNESOTA

Houston At Atlanta, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Houston's defense will stop Joey Harrington from clompleting passes, and stop Jerious Norwood from finding the holes. Atlants's winless streak will continue.
HOUSTON OVER ATLANTA.

New York Jets At Buffalo, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Two good Quarterbacks going at it. J.P. Losman for the Bills and Chad Pennington for the Jets. These two teams also have two good runners. Thomas Jones for the Jets and Marsahwn Lynch for the Bills. I'll go with the Jets because they have more wepons than the Bills.
JETS OVER BILLS

Oakland At Miami, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Daunte Culpepper will get the nod for the Raiders. You know he wants to beat Miami, his former team. This game will be won with the running game. LaMont Jordan will try to run through the tough Miami Dolphins defense. Ronnie will have an almost as difficult time running through Oakland's defense. Who gonna win? It's a toss up. I go with Miami because they are at home, although this game really could go either way.
MIAMI OVER OAKLAND

LATE GAMES
St. Louis at Dallas, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: Tony Romo and the Cowboys Offense will score a lot of points in this game. The Cowboy defense will prevent Marc Bulger and The Rams from breaking out of their winless streak.
DALLAS OVER ST. LOUIS

Seattle at San Francisco, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: This is a Huge NFC West Matchup beacuse of what it means for both teams. San Francisco is coming off a loss to the recharged Steelers. Seattle is coming off a last minute win over The Bengals. Whoever wins this game will lead the NFC West. This game could come down to the running backs, Frank Gore for San Francisco and Shaun Alexander for the Seahawks. This is another tough one. I'll go with Seattle because of Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch.
SEATTLE OVER SAN FRANCISCO.

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: It doesn't matter who's starting for Carlolina, they're in trouble in this game. Tampa Bay will win this game. Carolina has been plagued by inconsistent play. It hasn't helped them win ballgames.
TAMPA BAY OVER CAROLINA

Denver at Indianapolis, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: This is Indianpolis' first meet up with Denver ever since Adam Vinateiri kicked the game winning Field Goal for The Colts with five seonds remaining. Peyton Manning has been all calm and collected so far. i don't expect that to change. Jay Cutler may have a good day passing the Football, but Indianapolis will still win the game.
INDY OVER DENVER

Kansas City at San Diego, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: Two underacheiving teams playing in this game. Kansas City is so desperate to win, Larry Johnson will play injured in this game. San Diego will win, simply because San Diego is at home and they feel like they have to prove something after losing to Green Bay last week.
SAN DIEGO OVER KANSAS CITY

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 4:05 PM EST
Analysis: Arizona Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt and Assistant Coach Russ Grimm are taking on the team that they were with in the Bill Cowher Era.Arizona is coming off a tough, last second defeat to the Ravens last week. I'll go with Pittsburgh in this game because they have looked really good so far in the season.
PITTSBURGH OVER ARIZONA

LATER GAMES
Philladelphia at New York Giants, 8: 15 PM EST
Analysis: This is a big NFC East Matchup with both teams coming off a couple of big wins in an attempt to save their season. I'll go with the Eagles in this game. Thier Offense has been hot, and their defense had played well enough for Philly to break out of their winless streak.
PHILLY OVER NEW YORK GIANTS

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
New England At Cincinnatti, 8:30 PM EST
Analysis: The Bengals will be reeling in this game without Rudi Johnson. Tom Brady will light up the Cincinnati Secondary, and New England will pull out another victory.
NEW ENGLAND OVER CINCINNATTI

Enjoy Your Weekend! Watch The Games!

THE CHICAGO CUBS HAVE WON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL!

Carlos Zambrano (right) sprays Alfonso Soriano (center) with Chamagne.

Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano were the Cubs two biggest investments this season, and they paid off in a big way for the Chicaco Cubs. For the first time since 2003, THERE WILL BE OCTOBER BASEBALL AT WRIGLEY FIELD!!! THIS IS THE YEAR! Am I dreaming? Did the Cubs actually win the National League Central? I've pinched myself several times, and this is no dream. This is reality.

Alfonso Soriano has gone on a tear unsurpassed in Cubs history. He has 13 homers in September, matching Ernie Banks' record of 50 years ago.

His six leadoff homers in September are the most by any major leaguer in any month — and that's wasn't the end of it. The left fielder also threw Joey Votto out at the plate in the fourth inning, matching Hank Sauer's team record of 19 assists for the season.

From Soriano's emphatic opening homer, this one had a playoff atmosphere with all those blue-shirted Cubs fans giving the visitors a home-field advantage.

Nothing made Carlos Zambrano sweat. Keeping his emotions in check, the right-hander allowed six hits in seven innings and strengthened his case to start the first game of the playoffs.

In June, Zambrano was the epitome of Chicago's tumultuous start. He got into a fight with former Cubs catcher Michael Barrett in the dugout and again in the clubhouse, the low point of Chicago's slide to 8 1/2 games out.

The Cubs turned themselves around and popped some corks in the city where their volcanic manager is still revered for blowing his cork and leading the Reds to a World Series championship in 1990.

Piniella had a new look on Friday — the customary two-day stubble was gone from his face, shaved clean after that stomach-churning visit to Florida. Piniella kept his eyes on the bigger picture: That four-month comeback to win the majors' weakest division.

Piniella's top starter had a new way about him, too.

The Cubs gave Zambrano a five-year, $91.5 million contract extension on Aug. 17 despite one glaring flaw. The 26-year-old pitcher has tended to let the big games get to him, imploding in his last three opening day starts.

Could he handle the pressure this time?

He stayed as serene as those 30 cases of Korbel California champagne stored in a room off the visitors' clubhouse. Zambrano kept his cool — no arm thrusts after big outs, no muttering to himself between innings — while limiting the Reds' injury-depleted lineup to one infield single over the first three innings.

Congratulations as well to the Boston Red Sox, who have won the American League Eas Divison away from the "Evil Empire" for the first time in Seventeen years. The Red Sox beat Minnesota with the arm of Daisuke Mastuzaka. Alex Rodriguez hit his 54th homerun of the season in a loss. Look at the bright side Yankee fans. You're still going to the playoffs.

The San Diego Padres eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers from the playoffs with a 6-3 win. The Cubs may meet up with San Diego in the playoffs, bringing back eerie memories of Steve Garvey and 1984. Hopefully, we do better this time.

How about the New York Mets losing their lead in the National League East to the Philladelphia Phillies? Willie Randolph is on the hot seat in New York and may be fired if The Mets don't make the playoffs. Meanwhile, what a turnaround for the Phillies. The team that was so bad in the beginning of the year have cleaned up their act and a couple of days away from winning the National League East.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have also clinched a playoff spot, thanks to the clutch hitting of pitcher Micah Owings, who a late substitution as Brandon Webb was supposed to start for them. The D-Backs will play in October. Watch out for the young Diamond Backs. Randy Hohnson will be cjeering for the Diamondbacks as he is still trying to recover from a bad back.

October Baseball is just about set. Get ready baseball fans. It's going to be a fantastic show.

The 2007 New York Mets: One of The Biggest Chokers in Baseball History

The Mets are coming apart at the seams, and if they can't right the sinking ship, there will be no October Baseball for them.

Thank goodness for the Cubs, they are not the biggest chokers in baseball this season.

The New York Mets' lead in the NL East is gone. They might not even be in the playoffs if they can't snap out of their near historic funk.

The spiralling Mets managed just three hits off Joel Pineiro and Jason Isringhausen in a 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night that dropped them into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the division.

New York has led the division alone every day since May 16.

The Mets were ahead by seven games on Sept. 12 with 17 remaining but have lost 10 of 14 overall and seven straight at home, a monumental tailspin for a team that counted on being in the playoffs.

No major-league team has failed to finish first after having at least a seven-game lead with 17 to play. But with three games remaining in the regular season - a weekend series at home against Florida - the Mets might fail to win the division or qualify as the wild card.

Philadelphia, which beat Atlanta 6-4 on Thursday, closes the season with three games at home against Washington. San Diego, which beat Milwaukee 9-5 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday, leads the Mets, Phillies and Colorado Rockies by one game in the NL wild card standings.

The Mets are having a historic collapse. The Mets are injured, angry, and struggling. As a result, they have allowed Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and the Philladelphia Phillies to catch up to them. This was a team that everyone expected would be back in the National League Championship Series, particularly since they have the "Thunder and Lightning" combo of Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. Well, Beltran and Delgado have been on the Disabled List, and Jose Reyes and David Wright, as good as they are, can't pick up the slack. The Mets bullpen has also been a huge letdown for them. Last season, the Mets were pitching to use their bullpen. This season, their trying to keep their bullpen out of the game because of the number of leads the bullpen has blown for them this season.

If the Mets don't right the ship, The 2007 New York Mets will go down as the biggest chokers in baseball history. Will the Mets wake up in time of starve off the surging Phillies? Or will New York prove Jimmy Rollins correct when he said in the beginning of the year that the Phillies were the team to beat?

The Letter C in Cubs Baseball Stands For Chokers, Not Champions

The Bartman Ball from the 2003 NLCS.

The Cubs fans know all about their team's historic chokes. I do not want to do this, but I feel, to get the point across, here is the list of all of their legendary chokes:

1969
In 1969 the Cubs held a comfortable 8½-game lead in the National League East during the second week of August. They appeared on their way to the playoffs, but on September 9th, the curse visibly raised its head for the first time since 1945. The Cubs were playing the Mets in a key series. The Cubs lost that game, they lost the next day to the Phillies, and from there it was all down hill. They folded like a cheap suit and coughed up the lead; finishing an incredible 8 games in back of New York.

1973
In 1973, the Cubs were once again cruising along, with a large division lead in July. However, they proceeded to lose 49 of their last 76 games and wound up seven games under .500, but only five games out of first in a year when the Mets won the division with an 82-79 mark.

1984
On Friday the 13th of April, 1984, the Cubs decided to try something different and allowed Sam and his goat onto Wrigley Field. It appeared to reverse the curse as the Cubs won the division and took a 2-0 lead in the best of five League Championship Series against the Padres. The Cubs then lost three in a row to blow their chance at the Series. A ground ball that went through first baseman Leon Durham's legs sealed their fate, much to the horror of the Cub faithful.

2003
The Cubs won the division, beat the Braves in the first round of the playoffs, and held a 3-0 lead on the Marlins in the sixth game of the League Championship Series that they had a 3-2 games lead in. Five outs away from the World Series, disaster struck in the form of one of their own fans, Steve Bartman. As a lazy foul ball off the bat of Luis Castillo looked to be coming down in the outstretched glove of Cubs' left fielder Moises Alou, Steve Bartman (who was just doing what any other fan would have done if they were in his shoes)appeared to deflect it enough to get it ot of Alou's Reach. Angered fans were ready to pounce on Bartman; they were ready to lynch him after the Cubs fell apart and allowed the Marlins eight runs before the inning ended. Bartman had to be escorted out under protective custody as the Cubs lost Game Six. He became a lightning rod of anger when the Cubs were beaten in the seventh game.

2004
In 2004 when the Cubs held a couple of games lead in the wild card chase over the Astros late in the season. Naturally, they lost seven of their last nine and failed to reach the post-season. In one vital game they held a 3-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth over, whom else, the Mets, but lost when rookie Victor Diaz hit a three run homer to force extra innings, before a solo Mets' homer beat Chicago in the eleventh to eliminate them from the playofs.

2007
As I see The Cubs get swept by the Marlins, I cannot help but shake the feeling that The Cubs are in a repeat of 1969, 1984, 2003, and 2004. The Cubs are choking away their division lead, and depending on teams like St. Louis and San Diego for help. it's ironic how the Cubs are asking for help from the Padres when these two teams may meet up in the NLDS in October, if the Cubs stay alive.

The Cubs had better turn the page and start anew against Cincinnatti, or this Cubs team will go down with the '69 and 2004 Cubs as choking up the division lead and missing the playoffs.

Both The Cubs and Milwaukee determine their own destiny entering the final weekend of baseball season.

Right Now, Wrigley Field will be open for October Baseball, but will it stay that way?

The Public Has Spoken on the Fate of Number 756

Fashion Designer Marc Ecko, with homerun ball #756.

The ball Barry Bonds hit for his record-breaking 756th home run will be branded with an asterisk and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Fashion designer Marc Ecko, who bought the ball in an online auction, set up a Web site for fans to vote on the ball's fate, and Wednesday announced the decision to brand it won out over the other options — sending it to Cooperstown unblemished or launching it into space.
Ecko said he believed the vote to brand the ball showed people thought "this was shrouded in a chapter of baseball history that wasn't necessarily the clearest it could be."

Ecko, whom Bonds called "an idiot" last week, had the winning bid Sept. 15 in the online auction for the ball that Bonds hit Aug. 7 to break Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs. The final selling price was $752,467, well above most predictions that assumed Bonds' status as a lightning rod for the steroids debate in baseball would depress the value.

Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey said accepting the ball did not mean the Hall in Cooperstown, N.Y., endorses the viewpoint that Barry Bonds used drugs.

Hall of Fame officials and Ecko are discussing how to affix the asterisk on the ball. It's not yet known when the ball will go on display.

The Giants announced Friday they will part with Bonds after this season, the seven-time NL MVP's 15th in San Francisco and 22nd in the majors.

Although I thought the ball should have gone to the Hall Of Fame unblemished, I am glad that the majority got their way. The Hall of Fame gets what they wanted (the ball), and the fans get what they want (an asterisk on the ball.) It's a win-win situation for everyone except Barry Bonds, who will be looking for a new home this offseason.

Brian Griese To Start For Bears Against Detroit

The NFL Network is reporting that Brian Griese will start at quarterback Sunday for the Chicago Bears.

Griese, the son of NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Bob Griese, will replace Rex Grossman, who threw three interceptions as the Chicago Bears fell to the Dallas Cowboys 34-10 on Sunday night and did not get a vote of confidence from his coach a day later.

Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith was evasive Tuesday as to whether or not Rex Grossman would start for the Bears Sunday against Detroit.

This is a much needed move for the Bears that could be the move that could save their season. Grossman had struggled through the first three games, throwing an interception in the San Diego game that took the Bears out of scoring range, throwing two interceptions against a mediocre Kansas City Secondary, and Grossman throwing three interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys, including one that was returned for a touchdown by Anthony Henry. Grossman has strugled. The Bears' fans have labored through the first three games of the season, clamoring for Griese to start, and the cries only got louder after the Dallas Game. This was a move Head Coach Lovie Smith had to make. Brian Griese is now starting for the Bears. Will he be better than Rex Grossman?

Diehard Cubs Fans Name Son Wrigley Fields

Beautiful Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.

(This story made me laugh so hard, I decided to blog about it. Here it is below from the Associated Press.)

CHICAGO — His parents say he can go by his middle name when he's old enough to decide.


For now, the newborn will be known by his first name: Wrigley.


And his last name: Fields.


His parents are Paul and Teri Fields of Michigan City, Ind. They are — no surprise — fans of the Cubs, who have played at Wrigley Field since 1916. The Fields planned the name for years before their son's birth.


Wrigley Alexander Fields was born Sept. 12 at an Indiana hospital.


Cubs spokeswoman Katelyn Thrall said the name may be a first. The team has no record of other children named Wrigley, although there have been some children names Zambrano and Ryne after Cubs stars Carlos Zambrano and Ryne Sandberg.

September Baseball at it's finest. The Cubs are in first place in the NL Central, up by 3.5 games by the slumping Brewers, and now the news that Wrigley now belongs to a member of the Fields Family. congrats to the Fields Family on the birth of their son, Wrigley Fields.

NFL Week 3 Preview

Terrell Owens will have a hard time getting open versus the tough Chicago Secondary.

UPDATE: THIS BLOG POST WAS UPDATED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 WITH THE SCORES OF ALL THE SUNDAY GAMES.

Week two of the NFL Season is over, and there have already been some big suprises. Detroit is 2-0 and may be 3-0 as they are facing an underacheiving, 0-2 Philladelphia Eagles team. Donovan McNabb is trying to stir the attention away from his team, but McNabb and his team needs a win against Detroit.

Here's the Week 3 Schedule, complete with analysis and a prediction of the winner.

EARLY GAMES

ST. LOUIS AT TAMPA BAY 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: The Rams are coming off a tough one point loss to the 49ers last Sunday. Tampa Bay has started off 1-1 in this make or break season for Head Coach Jon Gruden. I'm going with the Rams to win on the road because they will play better than they did last Sunday.

ST. LOUIS OVER TAMPA BAY

FINAL SCORE: BUCS 23, RAMS 3

SAN DIEGO AT GREEN BAY: 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: LaDanian Tomlinson is ice cold in his first two games. The Chargers are struggling because LaDanian Tomlinson is not rushing for many yards through his first two games. Green Bay, suprisingly, is 2-0. Brett Favre, with last week's victory over the Giants, has become the winningest Quarterback in NFL history. The Packers Defense is tough, headlined by linebacker A.J. Hawk. The Packers may end up putting six or seven men in the box to stop L.T., which should open up the floodgates for Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and the explosive San Diego Chargers offense.

SAN DIEGO OVER GREEN BAY

FINAL SCORE: PACKERS 31, CHARGERS 24

MIAMI AT NEW YORK JETS 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Two struggling teams are playing each other. Both of these teams are 0-2, and both of these teams have players banged up with injuries. Zach Thomas is out for the Dolphins in this game. It's a toss up. It's the Turkey Game of the week. I go with Miami because of Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins will have success on the ground in this game.

MIAMI OVER NEW YORK JETS.
FINAL SCORE: JETS 31, DOLPHINS 28



ARIZONA AT BALTIMORE 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: The Baltimore Ravens will start Steve McNair in this game despite the fact that he is still recovering from a groin injury. The Ravens are coming off a win against the Jets, and the Cardinals are coming off against a last second Field Goal to beat their division rival Seattle. Arizona has the offense. Baltimore has the defense. I go with Baltimore because of their defense.

BALTIMORE OVER ARIZONA

FINAL SCORE: RAVENS 26, CARDINALS 23

INDIANAPOLIS AT HOUSTON 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Andre Johnson is out for this game against the Colts. Both Houston and Indianapolis are 2-0. Jacoby Jones and Ahman Green will have to step it up for the Texans. The Texans are 2-0 because of their defense. DeMeco Ryans, the Defenseive Rookie of the Year, paired with first round selections Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye, headline a dangerous defense. Indy finally discovered the secret to winning a Super Bowl last season. It's having a defense that can prevent your opponents from scoring. Houston is discovering the same thing, particularly after they stopped Carolina dead in their tracks after the Panthers had a 14-0 lead, and the Texans scored 35 unanswered points. Peyton Manning and the Colts will be in a defensive battle, but Indy will pull out the victory. Houston's biggest weapon isn't playing for them, and that will be why they lose.

INDY OVER HOUSTON.

FINAL SCORE: INDY 30, HOUSTON 24

DETROIT AT PHILLADELPHIA 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Detroit is 2-0, and Philladelphia is 0-2. Two things that I totally did not expect have happened. Detroit is on the road in Philladelphia. This will be their first true test of the season. Calvin Johnson has revolutionized Detroit's passing game, making Jon Kitna look like he was back in Cincinnatti. I go with Philladelphia because they are at home.

PHILLY OVER DETROIT.

FINAL SCORE: PHILLY 56, DETROIT 21

MINNESOTA AT KANSAS CITY 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Two teams struggling at the Quarterback spot. Adrian Peterson and Larry Johnson will both have good running games.

MINNESOTA OVER KANSAS CITY

FINAL SCORE: CHIEFS 13, VIKINGS 10

SAN FRANCISCO AT PITTSBURGH
Analysis: San Francisco will have a tough time running or passing the football against Pittsburgh's tough defense.

PITTSBURGH OVER SAN FRANCISCO

FINAL SCORE: STEELERS 37, 49ERS 13

BUFFALO AT NEW ENGLAND
Analysis: Tom Brady will have another fantastic game in this one.

NEW ENGLAND OVER BUFFALO

FINAL SCORE: NEW ENGLAND 38, BUFFALLO 10

CINCINNATI AT SEATTLE
Analysis: Expect Seattle to win because of their running game.
SEATTLE OVER CINCINNATTI.

FINAL SCORE: SEATTLE 24, CINCINNATTI 21

CLEVELAND AT OAKLAND
Analysis: The Browns will win thanks to Jamal Lewis.


CLEVELAND OVER OAKLAND

FINAL SCORE: RAIDERS 26, BROWNS 24

JACKSONVILLE AT DENVER
Analysis: The Broncos have won two games by a Field Goal. Their luck is about to run out.

JACKSONVILLE OVER DENVER.

FINAL SCORE: JACKSONVILLE 23, DENVER 14

PANTHERS AT FALCONS
Analysis: Jake Delhomme to Steve Smith. Enough Said.
PANTHERS OVER FALCONS.

FINAL SCORE: PANTHERS 27, FALCONS 20

SUNDAY NIGHT
BEARS AT COWBOYS (GAME OF THE WEEK)
Analysis: If Terrell Owens can split the Bear defenders, Dallas wins this game.
DALLAS OVER CHICAGO

FINAL SCORE: DALLAS 34, CHICAGO 10

MONDAY NIGHT
TITANS AT SAINTS
Analysis: Vince Young will lead the Titans to victory.

TENNESEE OVER NEW ORLEANS

Barry Bonds Will Not Come Back to San Francisco Next Season

The San Francisco Giants have gotten all they can out of Barry Bonds. After 15 seasons with the club, Barry Bonds has been told by the San Francisco Giants that he won't play for them in 2008.
The Giants held a news conference before Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds to announce their decision. But Bonds had already issued his own statement earlier Friday on his personal Web site.

In his statement, Bonds said: "This journal will be one of my last entries as a San Francisco Giant. Yesterday, I was told by the Giants that they will not be bringing me back for the 2008 season."

Though Bonds will leave the city that he calls home, there remains a chance he will play elsewhere next season.

Barry Bonds has, in the words of the old Frank Sinatra tune, left his heart in San Francisco. I thought the only reason Barry was brought back to the Giants this season was because he was so close to breaking Hank Aaron's Home Run Record. Now he has done that, and the Giants feel they no longer have a reason to keep him. The only chance Barry has of playing again is if an American League Team like the Yankees or the Angels sign him as a Designated Hitter. Barry was already playing Designated Hitter for the Giants whenever they were in an American League Ballpark this season. Could Detroit and the Tigers be a possibility for Barry next season? Jim Leyland, Tigers Manager, was Barry's first manager in Pittsburgh. This is purely hypothetical, though.

What's the next step for Barry Bonds? His quest for the elusive World Series Pennant will continue with another team in 2008.

Soriano goes deep as Cubs Retake NL Central Lead

Alfonso Soriano got the Cubs started with his swing and saved them with his arm Wednesday night as Chicago reclaimed first place in the NL Central with another dramatic victory.

Soriano hit a leadoff home run and made a great throw to preserve a tie in the top of the eighth. The Cubs then scored a strange, go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning after Ken Griffey Jr. was injured to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2.
The victory, coupled with Houston's 5-4 win over Milwaukee, gave the Cubs a one-game lead.

Houston Texans to be without Playmaker Andre Johnson for Sunday's Game at Indianapolis

Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson ruled out playing against Indianapolis this week as he recovers from a knee sprain.

The news is a major blow to a team that is 2-0 for the first time in franchise history and preparing to face a major AFC South foe. Rookie Jacoby Jones, who has two catches for 33 yards, will probably start in Johnson's place. Second receiver Kevin Walter has just two receptions for 17 yards.

Johnson, who wore a large brace on his injured left knee Wednesday, said he is unsure of when he can return but didn't rule out next week's game.

An MRI Monday revealed no damage that would require surgery. Coach Gary Kubiak listed Johnson's official status for Sunday as doubtful.


Johnson sprained his knee during the fourth quarter of the Texans 34-21 win over the Panthers on Sunday. He fell awkwardly on the knee after a 10-yard reception and remained on the turf for several minutes. He walked off the field on his own but was limping on the sideline.

This is a huge blow to a Houston Texans team that was finally a swagger that comes from being 2-0. The only Hope Houston has is if Matt Schaub and Ahman Green can help carry the load. I was not picking Houston to win Sunday, and the loss of Andre Johnson will only make things worse for them. Andre is a Playmaker. He is big, strong, and fast, has great hands, and doesn't have an ego, unlike may other Playmakers in the NFL. Texans fans better hope Andre Johnson isn't out for too long, or their season of promise will turn into a season of woe.

Falcons get Help at Quarterback Spot with Signing of Byron Leftwich: Cowboys get Tank Johnson

The Atlanta Falcons signed former Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich on Tuesday, giving the team immediate depth and a potential contender for the starting job.

Leftwich's agent said the former first-round draft pick passed a physical, worked out for the team and signed a two-year, $7 million deal. The 27-year-old Leftwich is set to join the Falcons for Wednesday's practice.

The Falcons needed help. Joey Harrington, who took over as the starter when Michael Vick was suspended by the NFL, has lost his first two starts with Atlanta and the offense has scored only 10 points.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys today announced the signing of Tank Johnson to a two year contract.

Johnson, who played the last three seasons for the Chicago Bears, can't play for the Cowboys until he completes his eight-game NFL suspension for violating probation on a gun charge. He has served the first two games of that suspension and will still have to apply for reinstatement.

Johnson signed after visiting with the Cowboys and taking a physical. He will make about $255,000 this season, the prorated portion of a minimum contract.

The signing of Byron Leftwich spells the end of Joey Harrington's career as a Starting Quarterback in Atlanta. The signing of Tank johmson also was good for the Cowboys, as Dallas needed a potential replacement for Jason Ferguson, who is injured.

Fate of Barry Bonds' Number 756 to be decided Democratically

Barry Bonds broke the Major League's all time Home Run King on August 7, 2007. He broke the record against Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals.

Here's the FSN Bay Area Call with Duaine Kuiper and Mike Krukow.


Here's the ESPN Call with Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe.


The fate of Barry Bonds' record-breaking home run ball is now in the public's hands after its buyer announced Monday he was taking votes on whether to give the ball to the Hall of Fame, brand it with an asterisk or blast it into space.

Fashion designer Marc Ecko revealed himself as Saturday's winning bidder in the online auction for the ball that Bonds hit last month to break Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs. The final selling price for No. 756 was $752,467, well above most predictions.

Ecko had not even taken possession of the ball before setting up a Web site that lets visitors vote on which of the three outcomes they think the ball most deserves. He plans to announce the final tally after voting ends Sept. 25.

I like this idea. I think it is genius. This lets all of the Barry Bonds fans and the anti-Bonds fans to have a say in how the ball should be treated. I personally think the ball should be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame without an asterisk branded on it, but that's just my opinion.

For those of you who have not voted yet, here's the web site:
http://www.vote756.com

So do your part. Get on the web site and Vote on the fate of Number 756!

NFL Week Two Preview

LaDanian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers are on the road in Foxboro to square off against the New England Patriots.

UPDATE: THIS BLOG POST WAS UPDATED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th WITH THE SCORES OF ALL THE SUNDAY GAMES.

Week One of the NFL Season was a welcome (and a much needed) sight for me. Watching NFL Football in front of the Television again was great, and I'll get to do it again this week.

Here's the Week Two Schedule, complete with Analysis and a pick of the winner.

EARLY GAMES

ATLANTA AT JACKSONVILLE: 1:00 PM EST

Analysis: The Atlanta Falcons are worrying about how the city of Atlanta will react if the Falcons start off 0-2 in the P.M.V. (Post Michael Vick)Era of their Franchise. Atlanta is worried their will abandon ship if the tean loses to David Garrard and the Jacksonville Jaguars. They had better start trying to come up with some sort of solution, like trying to win games, but that's not going to happen this week either. Jacksonville has a great running attack in Maurice Jones-Drew and has Marcus Stroud, a Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman. Who do the Falcons Have? Joey Harrington, an NFL Journeyman who has failed to make a positive impression on all of the teams he has played for.

JACKSONVILLE OVER ATLANTA.

FINAL SCORE: JACKSONVILLE 26, ATLANTA 3

BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH: 1:00 PM EST

Analysis: Poor J.P. Losman. Him and his Bills, still reeling over the status of Kevin Everett, have to go into Pittsburgh and take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have their Swagger back after beating the hated Cleveland Browns in Week One.

PITTSBURGH OVER BUFFALO.

FINAL SCORE: PITTSBURGH 26, BUFFALLO 3

CINCINNATTI AT CLEVELAND: 1:00 PM EST

Analysis: Carson Palmer is a much better option at the Quarterback spot than Derek Anderson. The cries for Brady Quinn to start will only get louder after this game.

CINCINNATTI OVER CLEVELAND

FINAL SCORE: CLEVELAND 51, CINCINATTI 45

GREEN BAY AT NEW YORK GIANTS: 1:00 PM EST

Analysis: Something I did not consider possible is actually going to happen. The Green Bay Packers will start the season 2-0. Brett Favre and the Packers will beat the Eli "Manning-less and therefore Meaningless" New York Giants.

GREEN BAY OVER NEW YORK GIANTS

FINAL SCORE: GREEN BAY 35, NEW YORK GIANST 13

HOUSTON AT CAROLINA: 1:00 PM EST

Analysis: "The David Carr Bowl" as I like to call it. Matt Schaub, in one week, has shown more promise for this Houston Texans franchise than David Carr did in Four Years with Houston. Schaub has a quicker release than Carr, and that's going to help him avoid sacks, which will help this Texan team to move down the field with passes to Jacoby Jones and Andre Johnson, who both have chips on their shoulders entering this season. Jake Delhomme looked impressive in the Panthers week one victory in St. Louis, and he's going to need to look impressive again and avoid the sacks of the Houston defensive line of Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye, who both present a lot of upside for this Houston Team. It's a toss up. I go with Carolina, but I won't be suprised if Houston pulls the upset.

CAROLINA OVER HOUSTON.

FINAL SCORE: HOUSTON 34, CAROLINA 21

INDIANAPOLIS AT TENNESEE: 1:00 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Although Tennesee NFL Fans adore Vince Young, Tennesee College Football Fans still adore Peyton Manning. I expect a good contest between these two teams, Vince Young and Chris Brown both looked very good in their Week One Victories, and Tennesee may be able to ride that same formula to success in Week Two. Don't count out Peyton Manning and the Colts. They are the defending World Champions, and they easily could pull the upset and get the win, especially if their defense plays in Week Two like it did in Week One. I'm Torn. I go with Indianapolis because they are the defending Super Bowl. They just need to hope that Rob Bironas doesn't burn them with a game winning 60 yard Field Goal like he had last season.

INDIANAPOLIS OVER TENNESEE

FINAL SCORE: INDIANAPOLIS 22, TENNESEE 20

NEW ORLEANS AT TAMPA BAY: 1:00 PM EST

ANALYSIS: The Saints will rebond from their Week One loss to the Colts, especially since their playing the Buccaneers. Expect Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister to run all over Tampa Bay's horrid defense.

NEW ORLEANS OVER TAMPA BAY.

FINAL SCORE: TAMPA BAY 31, NEW ORLEANS 14

SAN FRANCISCO AT ST. LOUIS: 1:00 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Alex Smith and the 49ers were able to rip the heart out of the Arizona Cardinals fans in the final minute of the Monday Night Game. Mrc Bulger and Alex Smith will both come out firing, but both also have solid options on the ground in Steven Jackson and Frank Gore, respectively. I go with St. Louis because they are at home, and because they have more weapons on offense.

ST. LOUIS OVER SAN FRANCISCO.

FINAL SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 17, ST. LOUIS 16

LATE GAMES

DALLAS AT MIAMI: 4:05 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Tony Romo was firing passes all over the field as the Cowboys beat the Giants on Sunday Night Football. Dallas will start off 2-0, as this young Dallas team will beat the aging veteran Miami Dolphins.

DALLAS OVER MIAMI

FINAL SCORE; DALLAS 37, MIAMI 20

MINNESOTA AT DETROIT: 4:05 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Something Else Is Detroit's Week One Victory over The Raiders prove they are a better team? The Lions are going to have to stop the threat of Tavaris Jackson and Adrian Peterson. I go with Minnesota because they have more upside, although they didn't exactly prove anything with their victory over The Falcons though, either.

MINNESOTA OVER DETROIT.

FINAL SCORE: DETROIT 20, MINNESOTA 17

SEATTLE AT ARIZONA: 4:05 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Arizona fans are still reeling after their Monday Night loss to the 49ers. Guess What? It's not going to get any better for the Cardinals, as they will lose to another Division Rival, the Seattle Seahawks. There is no way Arizona will win the division. All of the pieces just aren't there yet. The 49ers proved it and the Seattle Seahawks will prove it as well with a win on Sunday.

SEATTLE OVER ARIZONA.

FINAL SCORE: ARIZONA 23, ARIZONA 20

KANSAS CITY AT CHICAGO: 4:15 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Chicago Could not rebound from the Touchdown Pass LaDanian Tomlinson threw to Antonio Gates in the Third Quarter to seal the deal for the Chargers. The Bears will rebound against Kasas City, though. Larry Johnson will not find a whole lot of running room against the tough Chicago Bears defense. Kansas City will have to take advantage of any turnovers the Bears commit, meaning they need to score more points.

CHICAGO OVER KANSAS CITY.

FINAL SCORE: CHICAGO 20, KANSAS CITY 10

NEW YORK JETS AT BALTIMORE: 4:15 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Both of these teams may lose their Starting Quarterbacks for this game. The Ravens may have lost Steve McNair for a while as he struggles with his groin, meaning the inconsistent will have to step up. The Jets as well are dealing with an injury to their Quarterback. Chad Pennington tried to sound like he would start Sunday, but instead, Kellen Clemens will take his first NFL Snaps for the New York on Sunday. I go with the Ravens because their defense wins ballgames, including this one. It's only of the offense.

BALTIMORE OVER NEW YORK JETS.

FINAL SCORE: BALTIMORE 20, NEW YORK JETS 13

OAKLAND AT DENVER: 4:15 PM EST

ANALYSIS: The Raiders finally got JaMarcus Russell signed. It's only a matter of time before he starts. In the meantime, Daunte Culpepper is still trying to convince himself that he actually is a good quarterback without Randy Moss. Jay Cutler and the Broncos will win this game.

DENVER OVER OAKLAND

FINAL SCORE: DENVER 23, OAKLAND 20

LATER GAMES


SUNDAY NIGHT: SAN DIEGO AT NEW ENGLAND (THE GAME OF THE WEEK)

ANALYSIS: This is Bill Bellichick's first game since he was fined $500,000 for his team Spying on the New York Jets Last Sunday. Tom Brady and Randy Moss hooked up many times in that game. The Patriot's defense will try to stop the Well Balanced Attack of The Chargers offnesively and defensively, although they do not appear to be as agressive in the Norv Turner era than they were in the Marty Schottenheimer era. New England will win because they are at home, and because their defenese is good enough to stop the Chargers.

NEW ENGLAND OVER SAN DIEGO

FINAL SCORE: NEW ENGLAND 38, SAN DIEGO 14

MONDAY NIGHT

WASHINGTON AT PHILLADELPHIA: 8:30 PM EST

ANALYSIS: Dallas will send a Thank You Card to the winner of this game. Philladelphia is a better team than Washington, so Philladelphia will win this game.

PHILLADELPHIA OVER TAMPA BAY.

This Blog Post will be updated on Tuesday for the Monday Night Score.

Enjoy The Games!

Kerry Wood Goes One Inning, Gets Win as Cubs Beat St. Louis 3-2 in Game One of Doubleheader

Kerry Wood struck out one in a perfect seventh in relief of Ted Lilly, who worked six innings and gave up two runs and four hits. It was Wood's first victory since May 29, 2006.

The third-place Cardinals dropped seven games behind the first-place Cubs in the NL Central, all but eliminating the defending World Series champions from the division race. Before the losing streak began, they were one game out of first place.

Braden Looper threw seven dominant innings and Jim Edmonds hit a two-run double for the Cardinals, mired in their longest losing streak since a 10-game skid in 1980.

The Cubs are 10-4 against the Cardinals, including 6-1 at Busch Stadium. The game was a makeup of a postponement the day after the death of Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock on April 29, and drew a season-best sellout crowd of 45,918, including a vociferous Cubs contingent.

Pinch-hitter Cliff Floyd drew a leadoff walk and Sam Fuld pinch-ran before Soriano hit his 26th homer into the left-field stands on a 3-2 pitch from Ryan Franklin. Soriano has two homers in the last three games, and eight in the last 18 games since returning from the 15-day disabled list for a strained right quad

Dempster allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning while pitching with a four-run ninth-inning lead on Friday, but still got the save. The save was his 27th in 30 chances.

Cubs Win Again! They now have a two game lead over Milwaukee! Game Two of the doubleheader is later tonight. Sean Marshall is on the mound for the Cubs and Joel Piniero is on the mound for St. Louis.

Trachsel Earns First Cub Win since '99, Cubs Get The Long Ball Working In Win Over Houston

The Chicago Cubs used a simple formula to regain the NL Central lead Thursday night. If only they can follow it in St. Louis this weekend.

Steve Trachsel earned his first win with the Cubs in eight years and Chicago hit four home runs in a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Daryle Ward and Cliff Floyd all homered for Chicago, which moved a half-game ahead of idle Milwaukee in the division race. The Cubs open a four-game series at third-place St. Louis on Friday night.

Trachsel (1-2) gave up two solo homers and seven hits in five innings for his first win since the Cubs acquired him from Baltimore on Aug. 31.

The 36-year-old right-hander pitched for the Cubs from 1993-99, and his last win with them came on Oct. 3, 1999. The 2,906-day gap between victories is the third-longest in team history.

Trachsel was pitching on three days' rest, and Cubs manager Lou Piniella got exactly what he needed from him. Scott Eyre, Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol then combined for four scoreless innings of one-hit ball.

Carlos Lee and Mark Loretta homered for the Astros, who have dropped 10 of 15 games since Cecil Cooper replaced Phil Garner as manager on Aug. 27. Woody Williams (8-15) gave up four homers for the first time this season and lost his fourth straight start.

The Cubs staked Trachsel to a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

Soriano hit Williams' second pitch off the brick facade in left field, his 40th career leadoff homer. Soriano has eight leadoff home runs this season, tying the Cubs record set by Rick Monday in 1976.

Mike Fontenot followed with a single and Floyd walked before Ramirez hit a three-run shot to left. Ramirez has 23 home runs this season and five this month.

Chicago's defense helped Trachsel avoid early trouble.

Luke Scott tripled with one out in the Astros' second, his second triple of the series. Loretta walked before Eric Munson grounded into a double play. The Astros also put two on with one out in the third inning, but Chicago escaped with another double play.

Trachsel's confidence grew with every pitch.

Trachsel made his only costly mistakes in the fourth inning. Lee led off with his 28th homer and first since Sept. 1. With two outs, Loretta homered just inside the foul pole in left.

Williams retired 11 consecutive batters after the shaky start. Ward ended the streak with a two-out, solo homer in the fifth that stretched Chicago's lead to 5-2.

Eyre relieved Trachsel in the sixth and the Cubs ended another inning with a double play. Eyre has a 1.02 ERA since the All-Star break.

Floyd led off the seventh with a homer into the upper deck in right field. The only other time the Cubs hit four homers in a game this season was June 8 in a 9-1 win over Atlanta.

Last week, Piniella told Floyd the Cubs were going to need his bat down the stretch.

The Cubs improved to 5-18-2 in series when they lose the first game. ... Soriano has three leadoff homers in September. He's the only major league player to hit at least eight leadoff homers in four seasons. ... Ward replaced 1B Derrek Lee in the starting lineup. Lee was a late scratch because of a sore right knee.

Cubs Win! Cubs are a half-game in First Place! The Cubs have a Big Series coming up this weekend against their hated rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlos Zambrano is pitching for the Cubs, while Adam Wainwright is pitching for the Cardinals, who are now eliminated from postseason play.

NFL Fines Patriots Coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and team $250,000 for Spying

The NFL, yet again, has layed down the law. This time, Bill Bellichick and his team are the ones in the spotlight.

New England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive signals.

Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't.

The videotaping came to light after a camera was confiscated from a Patriots video assistant while he was on the New York Jets' sideline during New England's 38-14 win last Sunday at Giants Stadium. Goodell will not change the outcome of the game.

Goodell said he had considered suspending Belichick but didn't "largely because I believe that the discipline I am imposing of a maximum fine and forfeiture of a first-round draft choice, or multiple draft choices, is in fact more significant and long-lasting, and therefore more effective, than a suspension."

New England, strengthened by the addition of Randy Moss and two other first-rate wide receivers as well as linebacker Adalius Thomas, is considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl for the fourth time since the 2001 season. If the Patriots lose their first-rounder next season they still will have a first-round pick, obtained from San Francisco in the deal that brought Moss from Oakland.

NFL rules state "no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game" and that all video or coaching purposes must be shot from locations "enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead."

The NFL statement said Goodell believed Patriots owner Robert Kraft was unaware of Belichick's actions.

But it said the commissioner believed penalties should be imposed on the club because "Coach Belichick not only serves as the head coach but also has substantial control over all aspects of New England's football operations. His actions and decisions are properly attributed to the club."

The action against Belichick is the latest in a series of harsh disciplinary actions taken by Goodell, who took office last Sept. 1, succeeding Paul Tagliabue.

The most notable were the indefinite suspension of Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick after he pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy and the one-year suspension of Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones after numerous run-ins with police.

Commisioner Goodell has contuinued his to insure of a fair NFL with no unfair advantage being acquired by another team. As I said, Whatever punishment Commisioner Goodell sees fit was appropriate, and this punishment certainly does fit the crime. Severe attempts to gain an advantage (like stealing signs, or as I like to call it, cheating,) will have a severe punishment. The Patriots are finding out right now the hard way:

Cheaters Never Prosper.

Lewis Hamilton's Formula One Race Team fined $100 Million For Spying

(It's not very often that I will blog on Formula One Racing, but this story caught my attention so I decided to blog about it.)

Just lke Bill Bellichick's team, the New England Patriots, Lewis Hamilton's McClaren Team is learning that spying doesn't pay.

The Story of the Patriots Spying Rocked the Football World. The Story of McClaren Spying has rocked the world on the other side of the pond.

Accused of using leaked secret data from its main rival Ferrari, the Formula One team McLaren was hit with a record $100 million fine Thursday by the World Motor Sport Council in the biggest scandal to hit auto racing's premier circuit.
Although McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso escaped punishment Thursday, the espionage claims have rocked the sport and tainted McLaren's lead in the drivers' standings.

The team, also stripped of its constructors' points, already was battling accusations that it had used team orders to decide which driver would win races this season. Now, it is facing a new crisis.

And it's not the only major sports franchise accused of espionage. The New England Patriots have been accused of violating league rules by videotaping New York Jets coaches sending defensive signals to players. And at the women's World Cup in China, Denmark team officials found two men with video cameras sitting behind a two-way mirror in a hotel conference room where the team was about to hold a strategy meeting.

The F1 case broke in July when a 780-page technical dossier on Ferrari cars was found at the home of McLaren's chief designer, Mike Coughlan, who was later suspended. Ferrari mechanic Nigel Stepney, who allegedly supplied the documents, was fired.

McLaren escaped censure by the World Motor Sport Council in July due to insufficient evidence that Ferrari's technical documents were misused. But Honda's revelations that Stepney and Coughlan had approached team boss Nick Fry in June about joining the F1 team whipped up further concerns over Ferrari's intellectual property.

The $100 million fine imposed on McLaren is 40 times larger than the previous F1 record ($2.5 million).

Still, Dennis argued the fine is effectively halved because McLaren doesn't have to forfeit any revenue it's earned this season. He added that the financial strength of McLaren also would help absorb the impact of the fine.

Rich Hill Pitches Cubs into A Tie For First Place

The Cubs' luck may have finally changed.

Ryan Dempster survived a nail-biting ninth and Cliff Floyd homered to back Rich Hill to boost the Cubs to a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros Wednesday night. Chicago is back in a tie for first place with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.

Rich Hill, who ranks last in the Majors in run support, got just enough. The left-hander struck out seven, walked three, and gave up three hits, including Mark Loretta's leadoff homer in the seventh, to post his 16th quality start of the season.

With the Cubs leading, 3-1, Mark Loretta singled to lead off the Astros ninth, but instead of a routine two, three-hopper to first baseman Derrek Lee, the ball deflected off the first-base bag into shallow right.

Pinch-hitter Mike Lamb then dropped an RBI triple into the gap in right-center to close to 3-2. One out later, Dempster walked pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro, prompting a visit from Piniella. Eric Munson was up, and Piniella's only message was that he was a perfect double play candidate.

Munson bounced the ball to Lee, who got off the bag quickly and made a perfect feed to shortstop Ryan Theriot, who then fired to Dempster covering at first.

The Cubs take on Houston in the finale of this series. Steve Tracsel is on the mound for the Cubbies, while Woody Williams is on the mound for the Houston Astros.

If the Cubs win tonight, they will have sole possession of first place in the National League Central, since the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers do not play tonight.

Both New York Quarterbacks Are In A World Of Hurt

Both Chad Pennington and Eli Manning are feeling the injury bug.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning took some snaps, made a few handoffs and tossed lightly to test his bruised right shoulder on Wednesday.
Manning did not practice and coach Tom Coughlin gave no indication whether he would play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.
Backup QB Jared Lorenzen took snaps with the first team, and would make his first career start Sunday if Manning can't play.

Meanwhile, on the other side of New York...

As badly as Jets quarterback Chad Pennington was limping Sunday night, it would have been a stretch of the imagination to picture him practicing this week.
Yet there he was, limbering up Wednesday with the rest of his teammates, lifting his right foot to his left thigh in a lower-body stretch and jogging across the grass practice field and back without any obvious discomfort.

The high ankle sprain that Pennington sustained in the third quarter of the Jets’ 38-14 loss against the New England Patriots, looked as if it would sideline him for the foreseeable future, starting with Sunday’s game at Baltimore.

If Pennington cannot play, Kellen Clemens, a second-year player, will make his debut as an N.F.L. starter against the Ravens, whose defense was ranked No. 1 in the league last year. But the 31-year-old Pennington made it clear both on and off the field that he was determined to shake it off.

Both New York Quarterbacks are in a world of hurt, and both are vital to their team's success. Let's hope they are both not out for very long, as the New York Teams need their Starting Quarterbacks for them to have any hope at all of making the playoffs.

Bill Belichick: Genius Or Cheater?

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules Sunday when they videotaped defensive signals by the New York Jets' coaches, according to league sources.

NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from a Patriots video assistant on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.

Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents.

The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on Tuesday that no official decision has been made and that the club has not been notified.

The league also was reviewing a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during Sunday's game, sources said. The team did not have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game.

This is a very serious allegation for the Patriots to be dealing with...again. This isn't even the first time that the Patriots have been accused of Stealing Signals. But, in New England Head Coach Bill Bellichick's Defense, teams have done it before, including the Dolphins, when they beat down the Patriots 21-0 in 2006.

The mere fact that this comes up again for Bill Belichick and the Patriots' yet again makes me a little concerned. For the sake of the Patriots, I certainly hope these charges are false, but they have come up before. Whatever punishment Commisionner Goodell sees fit is appropriate.

Coach Belichick, get ready to deal with the consrquence of your team stealing signs from the Jets, as that is just Downright Cheating.

In other Football News, Brady Quinn may be the Starting Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns after Charlie Frye was traded to Seattle for a Sixth Round Draft Choice, The Washington Redskins have signed veteran Wide Receiver Reche Caldwell, and the Tennesee Titans acquired veteran Defensive player Bryce Fisher from Seattle.

Kevin Everett has voluntary movement in his arms and legs, and he may be able to walk again after all, so that is some good news, but he is not out of the woods yet, so keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Surgeon: Everett has life-threatening spinal-cord injury

Kevin Everett sustained a "catastrophic" and life-threatening spinal-cord injury while trying to make a tackle during the Buffalo Bills' season opener and is unlikely to walk again, the surgeon who operated on him Monday said.

"A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," orthopedic surgeon Andrew Cappuccino said. "I believe there will be some permanent neurologic deficit."

Everett was hurt Sunday after he ducked his head while tackling the Denver Broncos' Domenik Hixon during the second-half kickoff. Everett dropped face-first to the ground after his helmet hit Hixon high on the left shoulder and side of the helmet.

Cappuccino noted the 25-year-old reserve tight end did have touch sensation throughout his body and also showed signs of movement. But he cautioned that Everett's injury was life-threatening because he was still susceptible to blood clots, infection and breathing failure.

Everett is in the intensive care unit of Buffalo's Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital, where he is under sedation and breathing through a respirator as doctors wait for the swelling to lessen. Cappuccino said it will take up to three days to determine the severity of the injury and the recovery process.

During the operation, Cappuccino repaired a break between the third and fourth vertebrae and also alleviated the pressure on the spinal cord. The process included a bone graft and the insertion of a plate and four screws.

This is a very serious situation that shows the dangers of Football. I hope that everyone will say a prayer for him tonight, as his life and his ability as a fully-functioning human being are both in the balance. I would like to offer my prayers and condolences to the family of Kevin Everett.

NFL Week One Preview

Rex Grossman has a tough assignment taking on Shawne Merriman and the tough San Diego Chargers Defense.


UPDATE: THIS BLOG POST WAS FIRDT UPDATED SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH WITH THE SCORES FROM EVERY GAME UNTIL THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME SCORE. THIS BLOG POST WAS UPDATED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH WITH THE SCORE OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME. THIS BLOG POST WAS UPDATED ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, WITH THE SCORES OF THE MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAMES.

The NFL Kickoff Weekend kicked off Thursday Night, as the Indianapolis Colts beat down the New Orleans Saints 41-10.

Here's a preview of the rest of the games on the schedule.

Early Games

Atlanta at Minnesota, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Adrian Peterson may have a field day in this game. He'll be running wild. Expect Pat Williams to sack Joey Harrington at least once in this game.
MINNESOTA OVER ATLANTA.

FINAL SCORE: MINNESOTA 24, ATLANTA 3

Carolina at St. Louis, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Jake Delhomme and Marc Bulger will both have good days in this game. This game has the potential to be an offensive shootout. Torry Holt and Issac Bruce are two good veteran Wide Recievers, and I expect them to help St. Louis get the victory.
ST LOUIS OVER CAROLINA

FINAL SCORE: CAROLINA 27, ST LOUIS 13

Denver at Buffalo, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Two Quarterbacks take the field that are expected to take the next step in this game, Jay Cutler for Denver and J.P. Losman for Buffalo. Whoever wins this game takes that big first step to helping their team improve. I pick Denver over Buffalo because Denver is the more complete team.
DENVER OVER BUFFALO.

FINAL SCORE: DENVER 15, BUFFALO 14

Kanasas City at Houston, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Two teams that are rebuilding at the Quarterback Spot. Damon Huard takes over for the Chiefs, while Matt Schaub takes over for the Texans. I'm going with the Chiefs to win because Larry Johnson will be running all over the Texans defense.
KANSAS CITY OVER HOUSTON.

FINAL SCORE: HOUSTON 20, KANSAS CITY 3

Miami at Washington, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Dolphins Head Coach Cam Cameron has a lot of pressure on him his rookie season. Trent Green will be handing the ball of to Ronnie Brown many times in this game. Miami is the better team, and I expect Miami to win this game.
Miami Over Washington.

FINAL SCORE: WASHINGTON 16, MIAMI 13 (OT)

New England at New York Jets, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Tom Brady will be throwing the ball deep to Randy Moss in this game, and I expect Brady to have the better game than Chad Pennington. Pennington will try to keep pace with Brady, but New England's tough defense will ensure that doesn't happen.
NEW ENGLAND OVER NEW YORK JETS

FINAL SCORE: NEW ENGLAND 36. MEW YORK JETS 14

Philladelphia at Green Bay, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Donovan McNabb needs to stay healthy, or he may get the Byron Leftwhich treatment from Head Coach Andy Reid. I expect Philly to win this game, as Green Bay would be considered a rebuilding team if Brett Favre wasn't there anymore.
PHILLADELPHIA OVER GREEN BAY.

FINAL SCORE: GREEN BAY 16, PHILLADELPHIA 13

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: Pittsburgh will win this game. Ben Rothelisberger will throw to his heart's content. Charlie Frye will be the starting Quarterback for the Browns in at least this game.
PITTSBURGH OVER CLEVELAND.

FINAL SCORE: PITTSBURGH 34, CLEVELAND 7

Tennesee at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM EST
Analysis: This is David Garrard's First Game in his First full season as the Starting Quarterback of the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor are two very good running backs. Vince Young has lost two recievers from last season, so expect him to scramble more often than he did last season. I take Jacksonville over Tennesee because of the running of Jones-Drew and Taylor. Don't count out Tennesee, but I think Jacksonville will win.
JACKSONVILLE OVER TENNESEE.

FINAL SCORE: TENNESEE 13, JACKSONVILLE 10


Late Games
Chicago at San Diego, 4:15 PM EST (THE GAME OF THE WEEK)
Analysis: This is, in my opinion, the Game of the Week. Rex Grossman will have a tough time getting anything started for the Bears against Shawne Merriman and this tough San Diego Defense. Norv Turner will get his first win as Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers.
SAN DIEGO OVER CHICAGO

FINAL SCORE: SAN DIEGO 14, CHICAGO 3

Detroit at Oakland: 4:15 PM EST
Analysis: Many people were expecting this game to be the battle of the Number One Draft Pick taking on the Number Two Draft Pick, but it looks like JaMarcus Russell, the Number One Pick, may not even agree to a contract to start the season. Calvin Johnson will be the target of Jon Kitna early and often, and that may be enough to stop the veteran Daunte Culpepper and his veteran Wide Receiver Jerry Porter, who is now the number one receiver after The Raiders traded Randy Moss to New England.
DETROIT OVER OAKLAND

FINAL SCORE: DETROIT 36, OAKLAND 21

Tampa Bay at Seattle: 4:15 PM EST
Analysis: Tight End Jaramy Stevens played in Super Bowl XL with the Seattle Seahawks, and now he is with the Buccaneers, playing the Seahawks. Sean Alexander will have a good day on the ground, and Matt Hasselbeck will have a great day through the air as he passes often for Deion Branch.
SEATTLE OVER TAMPA BAY.

FINAL SCORE: SEATTLE 20, TAMPA BAY 6

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

New York Giants at Dallas, 8:15 PM EST
Analysis: This is the second game that I am wailting for. Tony Romo and Eli Manning are both expected to improve this season. The Giants are reeling from the loss of Tiki Barber, but Brandon Jacobs is a faster version of Tiki Barber. Dallas hasn't really lost much in the retirement of Bill Parcells, as Wade Phillips is going to improve Dallas defensively this season. Tony Romo will be throwing the ball deep for Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, who suddenly becomes the number two receiver after Terry Glenn is out with an injury. Michael Strahan is back, but he may not even play in this game, and, even if he does, I don't expect him to be a factor because he will be nowhere close to 100 percent.
DALLAS OVER NEW YORK GIANTS.

FINAL SCORE: DALLAS 45, NEW YORK GIANTS 35

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Baltimore at Cincinnatti, 7:00 PM EST
Analysis: this is a big AFC North Matchup, both of these teams think they have what it takes to win the division. I am going with Baltimore becuse of the defense and the veteran offense. Willis McGahee will run for a lot of yards in this game. Expect Carson Palmer and "Ocho Cinco" Chad Johnson, to go deep early and often. Bengals Fans will be expecting an endzone celbration from Chad Johnson, but Ed Reed will be playing him tough. Bengals still have T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but the loss of Chris Henry for the first half of the season hurts Cincinnatti's passing attack.
BALTIMORE OVER CINCINNATTI.

FINAL SCORE: CINCINNATTI 27, BALTIMORE 20

Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 PM EST
Analysis: Matt Leinart is expected by Cardinals fans to take Arizona to the top of the NFC West, which won't happen as long as Alex Smith is throwing to Vernon Davis and Frank Gore is running the daylight out of the mediocre Cardinals defense.
SAN FRANCISCO OVER ARIZONA.

FINAL SCORE: SAN FRANCISCO 20, ARIZONA 17

This is what you can expect to see every Saturday on The Power Zone, a preview of every game of the week with analysis. On Tuesday, I will update this blog with the final scores of each game.

Enjoy Your Sunday! Watch the Games!

Colts Beat Down Saints in NFL Season Opener, 41-10

At first glance, the score gives the impression that the game was totally one-sided in favor of Peyton Manning and the Colts, but that wasn't quite how it happened.

The Indianapolis Colts really payed attention to whatever Head Coach Tony Dungy was telling them, because three long drives later (and an interception return for a touchdown near the end of the game) Indianapolis showed New Orleans how they were able to win Super Bowl XLI last season.

Peyton Manning was just 8-of-17 for 101 yards in the first half, 66 of those yards on two completions: the 27-yard TD to Harrison, plus 39 on a throw to tight end Dallas Clark that set up Adam Vinatieri's 33-yard field goal that tied the game at 10.

The game was tied 10-10 after a sloppy first half.

But Peyton Manning led two quick TD drives in the first 8:49 of the second half as the Colts put up 24 points in 20 minutes after intermission. On the first drive, Manning hit Harrison for 42 yards to set up a 2-yard TD run by Addai. Then the Super Bowl MVP came right back to throw a 28-yard TD pass to Wayne.

The Manning-Wayne 45-yarder made it 34-10 five minutes into the fourth quarter and Matt Giordano's 83-yard interception return sealed the deal.

Indianpolis was superb defensively. They were constantly in the Dime Prevent defense and the Cover Two Defense. That's why they gave up a lot of yards on the run, but did not get burned against the pass.

One guy you really have to feel sorry for is cornerback Jason David. Here's a guy who wins the Super Bowl with the Colts, the team that drafted him, and then he leaves them to get a big payday from the New Orleans Saints. I was expecting Davud to rough up Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, just like I'm sure he used to do in practice when he was a Colt, but, it turned out that he was the guy getting burned. You do have to give David some credit though, as he stripped the football loose and ended up taking the fumble all the way back for the game tying touchdown.

It will be tough for Indianapolis as they attempt to become the first team since the Patriots to win two consecutive Super Bowls in the 21st Century, but Indy will be tough to beat if they play all season like they did last night.

NFL Preview: NFC South

Drew Brees and the Saints are Ready to Go Marching In for another NFC South Title.



The Suprise Team for the 2006 Season was the New Orleans Saints. The Saints were revitalized by the Cannon Right Arm of Drew Brees, and by the running of the elusive runner Reggie Bush, whether it was returning kicks and punts or running out of the backfield. The Saints also were able to turn Seventh Round Draft Choice Marques Colston out of Hofstra into the steal of the draft. Tbe Saints are ready for an Offensive Showdown vs the Colts Tommorow Night on NBC. The Saints will win the NFC South Easily, as they have no competition. The Saints have the potential to go to the Super Bowl. These guys aren't The 'Aints anymore.

Prediction: 11-5, 1st Place.

So, how did teams like Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta going to fare this season? keep Reading.

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers were many people's pick to go to the Super Bowl last season. They didn't even make the playoffs, fizzling out at 8-8. The inconsistent play of jake Delhomme last season, for his sake, has to stop. If it doesn't, expect Carolina to bring in David Carr, who will never take enough Asprin to have relief from all of the headaches he suffers from being repeatedly thrown to the turf time after time in Houston. DeShaun and DeAngelo Williams will be a good 1-2 Punch for Carolina. Jullius Peppers will rack up the sacks. The sudden retirement of Mike Minter will hurt Carolina's Secondary. Carolina has a shot to make the playoffs, but only only if Jake Delhomme looks like the Jake of 2004 which took Carolina to the Super Bowl, not the 2007 Jake, which was almost as consistent as Rex Grossman in Chicago.

Prediction: 9-7, 2nd Place.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: The Tampa Buccaneers are reeling from the loss of Mike Alstott for at least this season. Cato June will help the Baccaneers linebacking. The loss of Simeon Rice hurts Tampa Bay defensively. Chris Simms is still trying to come back from a ruptured spleen. Cadilac Williams may for 1,000 yards this season. Jeff Garcia wass a good option option for Tampa Bay, as he is better than every other Tampa Bay Quarterback. This team won't look like the 2003 Bucs, which means Jon Gruden may be on the way out in Tampa bay.

Prediction: 7-9, 3rd Place.

ATLANTA FALCONS: The Mike Vick situation eliminates Atlanta's Season. Period. They would have finished 7-9 with him. They may not even win three games without him. Joey Harrington has not proved himself on any team he has won the Starting Quarterback job in. Joe Horn is a good veteran receiver, but his numbers will go way down. Jerious Norwood and Jamaal Anderson will be two bright spots on this team, but don't look for any more. Atlanta will finish 2-14 without Mike Vick, and Atlanta will look for another Quarterback, possiblt Brian Brohm of Louisville, so Head Coach Bobby Petrino can institute the Spread Offense, just like he had at Louisville.

Prediction: 2-14, 4th Place.

That Concludes our NFL Previews. To See the NFL Previews by thmselves, click on the Label "NFL Preview" at the end of the post. Opening Day is tommorow! Don't miss it! Colts vs Saints Tommorow Night on NBC!

NFL Preview: NFC West

Shaun Alexander is the best running back in the NFC, and he will help Seattle win the NFC West again.



The Seattle Seahawks in 2006 compiled a 14-2 record and advanced all the way to the Super Bowl. where they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The following Season, they advanced to the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, where they were defeated by the Chicago Bears on a last second, game winning Field Goal. Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, and Deion Branch headline the best offense in the NFC West. The defense in Seattle is pretty good as well, headlined by LineBacker Lofa Tatupu and CornerBack Kelly Herndon is the also one of the best in the NFC. There is no doubt in my mind that Seattle will win the NFC West again.

Prediction: 12-4, 1st Place.

So, how did teams like San Francisco, St Louis, and Arizona fare in their efforts to keep up? Keep Reading.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers: San Francisco is on the rise. The team mant did not expect to win five games won seven games, including a thrilling barnburner of a game on the NFL Network where San Francisco, trailing by 17 points, scored 24 unanswered point to take the victory 24-17. It was the Greatest Game in the History of Thursday Night Football, and the greatest finish to a game nobody saw since "The Heidi Bowl."

San Francisco has lost Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner, as he is now the Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers. Alex Smith really took a step forward last season, as he really got comfortable throwing to Tight End Vernon Davis. The 49ers Defense continues to get better, and San Francisco has a shot to get above .500 this season.

Prediction: 9-7 2nd Place.

ST. LOUIS RAMS: The Saint Lous Rams have made some improvements, the biggest being the acquisition of Kick Returner Dante Hall from Kansas City. Hall needs just one more return touchdown to become the all time leader in returns for touchdowns. Marc Bulger is till in St. Louis, as is Torry Holt and Issac Bruce. Marshall Faulk is retired, but the Rams have the perfect guy to fill his cleats in Steven Jackson. He's gonna be something, provided the hard turf of the Edward Jones Dome doesn't tear up his knees. The Rams don't have much of a defense anymore, but their offense is still there, and Offense, as always, is how you win in St. Louis. That Being said, The Rams are going to have Jackson rush for 1,000 yards, and Marc Bulger will light it up in the passing game. I just don't trust their defense, and that will be their downfall.

Prediction: 7-9, 3rd Place.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: The Cardinals' New Stadium in Glendale, Arizona will be the site for Super Bowl XLII. The Cardinals have a lot of upside offensively, with second year man Matt Leinart, Running Back Edgerrin James, and Wide Receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals have also brought Ken Whisenhunt from Pittsburgh, replacing Dennis Green as head Coach. Arizona has the offense. However, they have no defense, and this team, like Moses and the Israelites, will be stuck wandering in the desert for the Promised Land.

Our Next, and Final NFL Preview takes us to the NFC South. Will the Saints go Marching In for another division title? Is Jeff Garcia going to revitalize the Sinking Ship of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Has the Michael Vick Saga Doomed Atlanta for years to come? Find out in the next(and last)NFL Preview.

NFL Preview: NFC North

Brian Urlacher is the heart of the Chicago Bears Defense,and the defense is why the Bears will win the NFC North Again.


The Chicago Bears of 2006 had the greatest season in 22 years. The Bears made it all the way to the Super Bowl, before "Mr. Inconsistent" Rex Grossman started fumbling snaps and throwing interceptions, throwing away Chicago's chance for their first Super Bowl Title since the days of "Sweetness" Walter Payton, and "Da Fridge" William Perry. The Bears still have the best defense in the entire NFC, so that alone chalks them up to win at least 11 games this season. Add to that the fact that no other team in the NFC North appears ready to make a run at the Bears, and the Bears, as long as Rex Grossman becomes more consistent, will have a shot at the Super Bowl again this season.

Prediction:11-5, 1st Place.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: Yes, Cheeseheads, Brett Favre is back to attempt to become all time Touchdown Pass King, but he doesn't have any descent receivers. Javon Walker is gone, and Michael Jennings is a questionmark. Ahman Green is also no longer with the Packers, but, with his career winding down anyway, I don't it would have made much of a difference. One thing Green Bay does have working for them is their linebacking Corps, heralded by A.J. Hawk out of Ohio State. If it wasn't for Brian Urlacher, we would be calling A.J. Hawk the best linebacker in the NFC North. Mike McCarthy may suprise people this season if some real breakout players emerge in the regular season. I just don't see it happening.

Prediction: 7-9, 2nd Place.


MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Tavaris Jackson may be ready to emerge as a premiere Quarterback this season. Adrian Peterson will rush for 1,000 yards behind Steve Hutchinson and will help Minnesota win games. Troy Williamson needs to show more consistency in the Wide Reciever department. The Vikings Secondary is starting to age. Minnesota will take one step forward with Adrian Peterson, but will take two steps back in the aging defense. Is Tavaris Jackson ready to step up? If so, this team may be in contention until midway through the season.

Prediction: 6-10, 3rd Place.

DETROIT LIONS: There is optemism in Detroit behind Calvin Johnson, and he will be a great player on a terrible Detroit Lions team. Jon Kitna is so-so, and Kevin Jones and T.J. Duckett won't be able to run for a whole lot. Detroit's defense is terrible. The Lions will have to deal without Dre Bly, as they traded him away. Yes, there is optemism in Detroit, but under this Matt Millen Franchise, it won't be there for long.

Prediction: 4-12, 4th Place.


Our Next NFL Preview takes us to the NFC West. Will the loss of Norv Turner hurt Alex Smith in the development department? Is Arizona finally ready to win the division? Find out in the Next NFL Preview.

NFL Preview: NFC East

Tono Romo has a fire in his belly, and is ready to come back and lead Dallas to an NFC East Crown.

The Cowboys have a new Head Coach and have high expectations for him. Wade Phillips, the Son of Houston Oilers Coach "Bum" Phillips, is much more laid back than "The Tuna", Bill Parcells ever was. Tony Romo took over for the veteran Drew Bledsoe, and Romo instantly helped improve the Cowboys, as Romo was able to use his agility to make quick throws behind the weak Cowboy Offensive line. Bledsoe, on the other hand, was your classic Drop Back Passer, and was not able to get time from the Cowboy Offensive line, meaning many sacks on the Veteran QB. Tony Romo will step it up next year, albeit without Cowboys Quarterback Coach Wade Wilson, who was suspended five Regular Season Games for Using Human Growth Hormone! Unbelievable! When was the last time you heard of a Coach using HGH? Wow! Despite the loss of Wilson, the Cowboys still have veteran Wide Recieivers Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, and Jason Witten continues to improve as a blocker and a receiver. Jullius Jones and Marion Barber are the best 1-2 Punch in the NFC North. The Cowboy defense is good as well, as DeMarcus Ware will put a hurt on many opposing Quarterbacks this season. As long as Tony Romo is not holding for field goals this season, expect Dallas to win the NFC East.

Prediction: 11-5, 1st Place.

PHILLADELPHIA EAGLES: The Eagles still have Donovan McNabb, but they have lost theie "Insurance Policy" in Jeff Garcia. Jeff came up huge for Philly as he helped them go to the playoffs. Garcia is now in the sinking Ship of Tampa Bay. The Eagles traded their first round pick to the Cowboys, and then used their second round pick to select Kevin Kolb, out of Houston. Many people are saying this is McNabb's last chance. If he does not start all sixteen games healthy, many are saying he will not be the Eagles' Qaurterback Next Season. I like McNabb, and I hope that does not happen. Jevon Kearse missed all of last season, and is going to come back rejuvinated. Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins are the two best corners in the NFC East. Takeo Spikes will help the Eagles Linebacking Corps. The Eagles do not have a real Number One Threat for a Wide Receiver, and the release of vetaran linbacker Jeremiah Trotter angered many in "Eagle Nation." The release of Jeremy Bloom will also hurt Philladelphia.

Prediction: 10-6, 2nd Place.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS: The Redskins have Hall Of Fame Coach Joe Gibbs, but Joe has just a bunch of Ordinary Players. Clinton Portis and Lidell Betts are two very good runners, almost as good as Jullius Jones and Marion Barber in Dallas. The Redskin defense will continue to hit hard, with Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry out of LSU. The secondary does not cover well, and the Redskins front four must improve att Bringing Pressure to the opposing Quarterback. Jason Campell will have some growing pains in his first full season under center, and the Redskins offensive line just is not very good, but the trade for Pete Kendall helps that a little bit.

Pediction: 7-9, 3rd Place.

NEW YORK GIANTS: Osi Umenyiora could become something special. Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress are two good New York Receivers.
Eli Manning has shown signs of being gun-shy in New York, and he must improve. Defense ouside of Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora not that great. Giants have huge shoes to fill now that Tiki Barber is retired. Tom Couglin may not be back as Giants Coach after this season. There are too many distractions and discord for this team to contend in the East, which is not good news for Tom Coughlin.

Prediction: 6-10, 4th Place.

The Next NFL Preview will take us to the NFC North. Will Rex Grossman be able to become consistent this season? Will Devin Hester be able to make as much of an impact as he did last season? Will Detroit win 10 games with the addition of Calvin Johnson? Find out in the next NFL Preview.

NFL Preview: AFC West

LaDanian Tomlinson was "Mr. Do-It All" for the San Diego Chargers last season, and he will help the Chargers win the AFC West Again.



The San Diego Chargers finsihed the Regular Season 14-2 Last Season and had a two touchdown lead on the New England Patriots before the Chragers gave the game away. Tom Brady led the Patriots back from the fourteen point defecit and knocked the Chargers out of the postseason. The San Diego Chargers then, inexplicably, fired Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer, replacing him with San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner. The Coach may be different, but the Coach's phillosophy and players are the same, meaning San Diego wins the division again and will face New England in the AFC Championship Game (Week 2, Chargers face the Patriots in New England on Sunday Night Football.)The Offense is great as Phillip Rivers is the Quarterback of the most explosive running game in the league. The defense is great as Shawne Merriman was a mosnster last year, and he will help San Diego this year as long as he is on the field. The Special Teams is great as well, as Michael Turner will be fielding kicks and punts, and he has the speed of Devin Hester.

Prediction: 12-4, 1st Place.

So, what are the teams like Denver, Oakland, and Kansas going to do? Keep Reading.

DENVER BRONCOS: Champ Bailey is the meaning of the word "Shutdown Corner." Quarterbacks won't even look to his side of the field because they know he can run back interceptions for touchdowns every time he gets an interception. Travis Henry may keep the Denver tradition alive of a 1,000 yard rusher. Javon Walker is one of the best Wide Receivers in Football. Green Bay is still sorry they traded him away. Jay Cutler is a precision passer and could be ready to lead the "Mile High City" to a Playoff Appearance. The death of Cornerback Darrent Williams and Running Back Darrren Nash are, without question, going to be tough for this team to overcome. Special Teams, outside of Veteran Kicker Jason Elam, is a questionmark.

Prediction: 10-6, 2nd Place

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: The Chiefs have Larry Johnson, and Priest Holmes may be ready to come back late in the season. Tony Gonzalez is going to be the focal point of Damon Huard and the Kansas City Offense. Derrick Johnson is the primary Linebacker, and he may be ready for a Pro Bowl Season.Damon Huard has spent most of his career as a backup, but seemed to flourish last year when called on to take over for Trent Green, and that's why he's the starter, although Brodie Croyle will be the Chiefs Starting QB a few years from now. The trading away of Trent Green is understandable, as he was a questionmark entering the season, but now that he has been traded away, Kansas City has lost that Veteran Leadership. Larry Johnson needs to cut down on the load, or his shelf life in the NFL may keep decreasing.

Prediction: 7-9, 3rd Place.

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders have a new head coach, Lane Kiffin, who comes over from the University of Southern California. Defense has some standouts. Michael Huff could have a good year this season. Dominic Rhodes and Michael Bush could be a good 1-2 Punch.The Raiders Quarterback Issue is their Achilles Heel, whether it is Daunte Culpepper or JaMarcus Russell, they are going to feel the abscence of Randy Moss in the Passing game. The Raiders will finish fourth in this division, as they are just the worst team in the best division of the AFC.

Prediction: 4-12, 4th Place

That Concludes the AFC Preview. The Next NFL Preview will focus on the NFC East. Will Philladelphia win the division if Donovan McNabb is injured again? Will Tony Romo flourish under new Head Coach Wade Phillips? Find Out in the Next NFL Preview.