Friday, September 11, 2009
Rain reigns supreme
The high school football season opener for the Portsmouth and Mount Hope was pushed back a day because of heavy rain and lightning in Bristol. The non-league matchup between the Patriots, who play in Division I, and Huskies, who are in Division II-A, will be made up tonight at 7 p.m.
Super Bowl XLIV: Who wins?
Here we are, one game into the NFL season, and my fantasy team is already falling apart. That being said, it’s time make our obligatory predictions for the season. Everyone does it, because everyone has an opinion, but rarely is anyone right.
Until now. Both Josh Krueger and myself believe we’ve got all the answers, and we’re willing to unveil them for you today.
SCOTT: Predicting the entire season is sort of like filling out your NCAA bracket in the sense that you have to go game by game. Instead, I go division by division, and pick the strongest teams in those divisions. Then, like the bracket, things get whittled down to the end. So here we go.
AFC
East: Patriots 14-2
North: Steelers 11-5
South: Titans 10-6
West: Chargers 11-5
Wild cards: Colts 10-6, Dolphins 10-6
NFC
East: Giants 12-4
North: Vikings 11-5
South: Panthers 10-6
West: Cardinals 9-7
Wild cards: Eagles 10-6, Falcons 10-6
AFC wild card: I like the Titans over the Dolphins, and the Chargers over the Colts (Peyton can’t seem to be the Bolts).
Divisional: Pats cruise against the Titans (just like in the 2003 season, when it was 10 degrees outside), and Steelers stop the Chargers.
Championship: Another great game between these two teams, and another Patriots win, 41-27 (sound familiar?).
NFC wild card: Eagles beat the Panthers, and Cardinals (just like last year) send the Falcons home.
Divisional: Vikings ran their way past the Eagles, while Cardinals upset the G-Men in New York.
Championship: One more championship run for Brett Favre as the Vikings outlast the Cardinals, 31-30.
Super Bowl XLIV
Patriots 38, Vikings 20. New England gives No. 4 a little payback for mailing it in at the end of last season.
JOSH: When most of these predictions come true by season’s end, I’ll be annoyed that I didn’t put any money on them when I was in Vegas a couple months ago. But such is the life of a wuss afraid to part with his money.
Anyway, this year’s NFL division, and wild card, winners will be as follows:
AFC
East: Patriots 13-3
North: Steelers 12-4
South: Colts 11-5
West: Chargers 11-5
Wild cards: Texans 10-6, Ravens 10-6.
NFC
East: Eagles 11-5
North: Packers 10-6
South: Saints 11-5
West: um, can we disqualify the West and put a real team from another division in instead? No? OK, Seahawks 9-7.
(Note: I realize the NFC champion came from the West last year, but the Cardinals are primed for the Super Bowl loser jinx and the rest of that division is a joke.)
Wild cards: Giants 10-6, Cowboys 10-6.
Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs?
AFC wild card: Favorites prevail in the first week, with the Chargers taking down the Ravens and the Colts beating the Texans.
Divisional: Colts head to New England and lose 147-133 (if my buddy Andy still was stationed in Vegas, I’d have him put a Benjamin on the over in that game). The Chargers upset the defending champs in Pittsburgh.
Championship: Chargers-Pats for the AFC title and, as much as I hate to say it, the Patriots prevail. Damn, that hurt to type.
NFC wild card: Packers rock the Cowboys in Lambeau, Giants treat the Seahawks like a J.V. team, which makes sense, seeing as how the NFC West is a J.V. division.
Divisional: The Saints win a shootout with the Packers (that one hurts, too). The Eagles make it two out of three against the Giants on the season.
Championship: A perennial threat to lose the NFC championship game, the Eagles will do something rare and actually win one. And then …
Super Bowl XLIV
Eagles 35, Patriots 31
I look forward to the imminent slew of comments about what an idiot I am.
Until now. Both Josh Krueger and myself believe we’ve got all the answers, and we’re willing to unveil them for you today.
SCOTT: Predicting the entire season is sort of like filling out your NCAA bracket in the sense that you have to go game by game. Instead, I go division by division, and pick the strongest teams in those divisions. Then, like the bracket, things get whittled down to the end. So here we go.
AFC
East: Patriots 14-2
North: Steelers 11-5
South: Titans 10-6
West: Chargers 11-5
Wild cards: Colts 10-6, Dolphins 10-6
NFC
East: Giants 12-4
North: Vikings 11-5
South: Panthers 10-6
West: Cardinals 9-7
Wild cards: Eagles 10-6, Falcons 10-6
AFC wild card: I like the Titans over the Dolphins, and the Chargers over the Colts (Peyton can’t seem to be the Bolts).
Divisional: Pats cruise against the Titans (just like in the 2003 season, when it was 10 degrees outside), and Steelers stop the Chargers.
Championship: Another great game between these two teams, and another Patriots win, 41-27 (sound familiar?).
NFC wild card: Eagles beat the Panthers, and Cardinals (just like last year) send the Falcons home.
Divisional: Vikings ran their way past the Eagles, while Cardinals upset the G-Men in New York.
Championship: One more championship run for Brett Favre as the Vikings outlast the Cardinals, 31-30.
Super Bowl XLIV
Patriots 38, Vikings 20. New England gives No. 4 a little payback for mailing it in at the end of last season.
JOSH: When most of these predictions come true by season’s end, I’ll be annoyed that I didn’t put any money on them when I was in Vegas a couple months ago. But such is the life of a wuss afraid to part with his money.
Anyway, this year’s NFL division, and wild card, winners will be as follows:
AFC
East: Patriots 13-3
North: Steelers 12-4
South: Colts 11-5
West: Chargers 11-5
Wild cards: Texans 10-6, Ravens 10-6.
NFC
East: Eagles 11-5
North: Packers 10-6
South: Saints 11-5
West: um, can we disqualify the West and put a real team from another division in instead? No? OK, Seahawks 9-7.
(Note: I realize the NFC champion came from the West last year, but the Cardinals are primed for the Super Bowl loser jinx and the rest of that division is a joke.)
Wild cards: Giants 10-6, Cowboys 10-6.
Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs?
AFC wild card: Favorites prevail in the first week, with the Chargers taking down the Ravens and the Colts beating the Texans.
Divisional: Colts head to New England and lose 147-133 (if my buddy Andy still was stationed in Vegas, I’d have him put a Benjamin on the over in that game). The Chargers upset the defending champs in Pittsburgh.
Championship: Chargers-Pats for the AFC title and, as much as I hate to say it, the Patriots prevail. Damn, that hurt to type.
NFC wild card: Packers rock the Cowboys in Lambeau, Giants treat the Seahawks like a J.V. team, which makes sense, seeing as how the NFC West is a J.V. division.
Divisional: The Saints win a shootout with the Packers (that one hurts, too). The Eagles make it two out of three against the Giants on the season.
Championship: A perennial threat to lose the NFC championship game, the Eagles will do something rare and actually win one. And then …
Super Bowl XLIV
Eagles 35, Patriots 31
I look forward to the imminent slew of comments about what an idiot I am.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The eye of the beholder
As a competitor and quarterback that plays at an extremely high level, Terrelle Pryor undoubtedly wears his heart on his sleeve while suiting up for The Ohio State University. It’s why the fans who pack themselves into the Horseshoe.
But those fans don’t want him to wear anything else, especially if it involves Michael Vick.
During last Saturday’s victory over Navy, Pryor wore two eyeblack stickers — one paid homage to his sister, and the other said “Vick.” Buckeye fans have been up in arms since, calling him every name in the book for supporting a convicted felon.
After the game, Pryor had a little slip of the tongue, saying, “Not everybody is the perfect person in the world. Everyone does — kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me. I just feel that people need to give him a chance.”
Not everyone kills people, murders people or steals. He’s wrong in that sense, but he is allowed to express his opinions the same way you and I are. He’s not a robot, he’s not a product of a machine. Just like you and me, he’s got his own emotions.
Before his arrest and subsequent jail time, Michael Vick was one of the game’s best quarterbacks, a Pro Bowler. For young African American football players, it’s easy to see why Vick was so beloved, and Pryor, who has been likened to Vick for his ability to scramble, wanted to show support for his longtime idol on the football field.
Unfortunately, some OSU fans can’t handle that. Well, I have news for you people. You need him a hell of a lot more than he needs you. Try beating USC this weekend without him. Try winning a Big 10 title without him. Try winning a national championship with him. It won’t happen.
Fans can be very fickle people. If Pryor throws for four touchdowns this weekend and leads the Buckeyes to a win over the Trojans, he could have “Go Blue” under his eyes and they’ll be there to cheer him on.
But those fans don’t want him to wear anything else, especially if it involves Michael Vick.
During last Saturday’s victory over Navy, Pryor wore two eyeblack stickers — one paid homage to his sister, and the other said “Vick.” Buckeye fans have been up in arms since, calling him every name in the book for supporting a convicted felon.
After the game, Pryor had a little slip of the tongue, saying, “Not everybody is the perfect person in the world. Everyone does — kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me. I just feel that people need to give him a chance.”
Not everyone kills people, murders people or steals. He’s wrong in that sense, but he is allowed to express his opinions the same way you and I are. He’s not a robot, he’s not a product of a machine. Just like you and me, he’s got his own emotions.
Before his arrest and subsequent jail time, Michael Vick was one of the game’s best quarterbacks, a Pro Bowler. For young African American football players, it’s easy to see why Vick was so beloved, and Pryor, who has been likened to Vick for his ability to scramble, wanted to show support for his longtime idol on the football field.
Unfortunately, some OSU fans can’t handle that. Well, I have news for you people. You need him a hell of a lot more than he needs you. Try beating USC this weekend without him. Try winning a Big 10 title without him. Try winning a national championship with him. It won’t happen.
Fans can be very fickle people. If Pryor throws for four touchdowns this weekend and leads the Buckeyes to a win over the Trojans, he could have “Go Blue” under his eyes and they’ll be there to cheer him on.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
R.I. high school football preseason poll
Taking a cue from other states, a number media members from several publications came together to devise a Top 20 poll for Rhode Island high schools. With the season on the horizon, here are the preseason rankings:
Top 20 (first-place votes in parenthesis)
1. La Salle (5) 138
2. Barrington (2) 135
3. South Kingstown 124
4. Cranston East 112
5. East Providence 102
6. Portsmouth 87
7. Tolman 80
8. Tiverton 70
9t. Bishop Hendricken 62
9t. Westerly 62
11. Middletown 58
12. St. Raphael 46
13. West Warwick 44
14. Woonsocket 40
15. Cumberland 38
16. Ponaganset 32
17. Johnston 26
18. Lincoln 25
19. Shea 23
20t. Hope 21
20t. North Kingstown 21
Others receiving votes: Cranston West (17), Mount Hope (17), Narragansett (16), Moses Brown (11), Central (9), Toll Gate (9), Warwick Veterans (9), Exeter-West Greenwich (8), Rogers (8), North Providence (3), Pilgrim (2), East Greenwich (1).
As a newspaper that serves Newport County, we’re lucky enough to have all four of our teams getting at least at few votes, if not being ranked. Check in on Tuesdays for the weekly rankings.
To get a full preview of Rogers, Portsmouth, Middletown and Tiverton high schools, as well as Salve Regina University, pick up today’s Newport Daily News, which contains the annual Fall Sports Preview.
Top 20 (first-place votes in parenthesis)
1. La Salle (5) 138
2. Barrington (2) 135
3. South Kingstown 124
4. Cranston East 112
5. East Providence 102
6. Portsmouth 87
7. Tolman 80
8. Tiverton 70
9t. Bishop Hendricken 62
9t. Westerly 62
11. Middletown 58
12. St. Raphael 46
13. West Warwick 44
14. Woonsocket 40
15. Cumberland 38
16. Ponaganset 32
17. Johnston 26
18. Lincoln 25
19. Shea 23
20t. Hope 21
20t. North Kingstown 21
Others receiving votes: Cranston West (17), Mount Hope (17), Narragansett (16), Moses Brown (11), Central (9), Toll Gate (9), Warwick Veterans (9), Exeter-West Greenwich (8), Rogers (8), North Providence (3), Pilgrim (2), East Greenwich (1).
As a newspaper that serves Newport County, we’re lucky enough to have all four of our teams getting at least at few votes, if not being ranked. Check in on Tuesdays for the weekly rankings.
To get a full preview of Rogers, Portsmouth, Middletown and Tiverton high schools, as well as Salve Regina University, pick up today’s Newport Daily News, which contains the annual Fall Sports Preview.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Open competition
A few random thoughts about Melanie Oudin and her improbable run to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open:
- Can you imagine if Oudin, who is 17, were playing for a high school tennis team right now? She’s spent the past week picking off some of the top names in women’s professional tennis, and before the end of the month, she’ll celebrate her 18th birthday.
Most tennis players her age just started practice a couple weeks ago for the upcoming fall season and are lamenting the fact that their summer vacation is over.
Turning pro seems like the right call for Oudin, and even if she hadn't done so last February, it's unlikely she'd be playing for her high school. But, if she went to school around here, it would be fun to watch her run roughshod over her competition.
- As much as I want to root for this kid, the media people covering the Open are making it difficult. They talk her up so much and, regardless of what anyone else does, she’s the story. Somebody even had the gall to ask Roger Federer about her after he advanced to the quarterfinals on Monday.
Roger Federer! The guy who is on the verge of winning this tournament for the sixth straight time, which no one has done in nearly 100 years has to answer questions about a player he’ll never face.
As always, though, Federer was classy in his response, saying, “Nice for a change that somebody’s coming up we haven’t heard about much before.”
It’s a good thing I’m not a world-class tennis player, because I wouldn’t have been as cordial.
- That said, I’m putting all the media hype aside and I am rooting for Oudin — and Kim Clijsters, who is a really good story that’s getting virtually ignored. Oudin has a great chance to get to the final, where she’ll more than likely get smacked around by Serena Williams, who has yet to be challenged in this tournament. But that’s another reason I’m rooting for Oudin and Clijsters: I’m sick to death of the Williams sisters. They’ve been great for the sport, no doubt, and have dominated the women’s game for a decade, which is pretty rare in tennis. But enough, already. It’s way past time for someone to supplant Venus and Serena as the biggest names in the game.
A few more wins, and Oudin could be well on her way.
- Can you imagine if Oudin, who is 17, were playing for a high school tennis team right now? She’s spent the past week picking off some of the top names in women’s professional tennis, and before the end of the month, she’ll celebrate her 18th birthday.
Most tennis players her age just started practice a couple weeks ago for the upcoming fall season and are lamenting the fact that their summer vacation is over.
Turning pro seems like the right call for Oudin, and even if she hadn't done so last February, it's unlikely she'd be playing for her high school. But, if she went to school around here, it would be fun to watch her run roughshod over her competition.
- As much as I want to root for this kid, the media people covering the Open are making it difficult. They talk her up so much and, regardless of what anyone else does, she’s the story. Somebody even had the gall to ask Roger Federer about her after he advanced to the quarterfinals on Monday.
Roger Federer! The guy who is on the verge of winning this tournament for the sixth straight time, which no one has done in nearly 100 years has to answer questions about a player he’ll never face.
As always, though, Federer was classy in his response, saying, “Nice for a change that somebody’s coming up we haven’t heard about much before.”
It’s a good thing I’m not a world-class tennis player, because I wouldn’t have been as cordial.
- That said, I’m putting all the media hype aside and I am rooting for Oudin — and Kim Clijsters, who is a really good story that’s getting virtually ignored. Oudin has a great chance to get to the final, where she’ll more than likely get smacked around by Serena Williams, who has yet to be challenged in this tournament. But that’s another reason I’m rooting for Oudin and Clijsters: I’m sick to death of the Williams sisters. They’ve been great for the sport, no doubt, and have dominated the women’s game for a decade, which is pretty rare in tennis. But enough, already. It’s way past time for someone to supplant Venus and Serena as the biggest names in the game.
A few more wins, and Oudin could be well on her way.
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