No NFL Team Will Finish with a "0" in Its Record

            Most football fans had taken Green Bay's 13-0 record and Indianapolis' 0-13 record for granted. Everyone assumed for the first time in NFL history there would be an undefeated team and a team that lost every game. However, the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts had different intentions on Sunday.
            Entering their game on Sunday, the Packers had impressively won nineteen games in a row. Also, Green Bay is widely considered the current Super Bowl favorite, which begged the question, "When would the Packers lose again?" While the media may deserve part of the blame for shoving microphones in the players' faces and asking them about their chances on an undefeated season, Green Bay got caught looking too far ahead of themselves. They had three winnable regular season games left. One at Kansas City, followed by home games against the division rivals the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. The Chiefs were having a horrendous year, losing five out of six entering the game against Green Bay and their only wins came against the Vikings, Colts, Raiders (Carson Palmer's first game where Oakland's quarterbacks threw six interceptions), Chargers in overtime, and the Bears with their depleted offense. Green Bay would win handily against the Chicago Bears at home with Jay Cutler and Matt Forte out for the season with injuries. The Packers would then go on to beat the imploding Lions to finish the season. Green Bay would be the #1 seed in the NFC and own the luxuries of a first round bye and home field advantage. However, this scenario is overlooking win number fourteen against the Chiefs.
            Arrowhead Stadium has historically been one of the worst stadiums for opposing players, so Sunday would be no walk in the park for the Packers. The Chiefs has nothing to lose. They are last in the AFC West and were three games below .500 before beating Green Bay. Kansas City has played three different quarterbacks and have unsuccessfully been trying to establish an identity this season. They have two standout players in wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and linebacker Derrick Johnson, but the rest of the Chiefs players are by no means stars. While Kansas City may not have an abundance of individual talent, as a whole they showed real character when their season is over but they still compete for four quarters. The Chiefs were playing to prove themselves against the best team in the league, to be the one blemish on Green Bay's probable 19-1 season. That's something Chiefs players can tell their grandchildren someday--that they were the ones who ended Green Bay's 19-game win streak an perfect season bid. After watching game film, football analysts are still trying to figure out how an underdog like Kansas City was able to knock off the unbeaten giant of the NFL. The biggest explanation to take away is time of possession. The Chiefs had the ball for 36 minutes to Green Bay's 24 minutes.  The Chiefs were able to run seventy plays against the Packers and maintained an even distribution between passing and running the ball. While no single Kansas City running back had a great statistical game, the Chiefs were able to pound the ball down the field on the ground for 140 yards and take a lot of time off the clock. In addition to rushing the ball, newly acquired quarterback Kyle Orton was able to spread out the field on offense by finding ten different receivers for three-hundred yards. The key was to run the ball often and keep Aaron Rodgers on the sideline for as long as possible. Other teams will break down the film of this game and develop similar game plans to limit Green Bay's scoring opportunities.
            Similar to Kansas City, the Indianapolis Colts had a pride factor kick in against the Tennessee Titans. It is absolutely embarrassing to step onto the national spotlight every week and come out on the losing side each time. The Colts had a great opportunity to record their first win against the struggling Titans at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defense stepped up to force two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and they knocked Matt Hasselbeck out of the game. On offense, they took the pressure off of Dan Orlovsky by running the ball for the majority of their offensive plays. Running back Donald Brown had a huge game for Indy, rushing for 161 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. It was great to see the Peyton Manning-less Colts come together and win a game. They may have the opportunity to double their win total against the Texans if Houston decides to rest their starters or on the last game of the season against the dismal Jacksonville Jaguars. 
            It would have been quite a season to have a 16-0 team as well as an 0-16 team, but in the big picture these games will have little to no impact on the playoffs or Super Bowl champion. Green Bay will learn from its mistakes against the Chiefs and will face the Bears on Christmas Day with a whole new energy we have yet to see from the Packers. The Colts will most likely lose their last two games, have the number one overall draft pick and select Andrew Luck.

Xavier May Benefit from Suspensions

            The Xavier Musketeers were essentially without an offense this afternoon when they lost 64-42 against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. Starters Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons, and Dez Wells are serving suspensions from their roles in a brawl against the Cincinnati Bearcats two weeks ago. Holloway and Lyons are averaging nearly eighteen points apiece and Wells is scoring almost ten per game. The Muskies had to rely on players who don't often play in the spotlight, such as Andre Walker, Travis Taylor, Brad Redford, and Dee Davis. Taylor and Davis led the team in scoring with 11 and 10, respectively. While no team wants to get destroyed on their home court like Xavier did today, every player, with the exception of Kenny Frease got more minutes than they usually do. Tu Holloway will return next game against Long Beach State and will guide the Musketeers offense and make sure his teammates are involved. Lyons and Wells will serve three more games of suspension before they return. In these few games, Xavier's bench will get more experience than they would normally so that when they are put in the game in important situations later in the season, they will become bigger contributors. Also, Xavier's rank will slip slightly but not greatly. Everyone knows that Xavier is a completely different team without its trio of star players. Take any team in the country, suspend the best three players, and you have a competely different team. Xavier will remain in the top 15 in the country and will be a better team when all of its players return from suspension.

Reds Pay a Hefty Price for Right-Hander Latos

            Just four offseasons ago, the Cincinnati Reds acquired a young Dominican pitcher, Edinson Volquez, in a major one-for-one trade with the Texas Rangers. The Reds had to send centerfielder Josh Hamilton, who was finally drug-free and putting up promising numbers at the plate, to Texas. In retrospect, the two teams made a blockbuster trade, with Hamilton going on to be a four-time All-Star and the 2010 A.L. MVP while Volquez was an All-Star in 2008 and has been a key pitcher in Cincinnati's rotation.
            Well it is four years later, with Hamilton and Volquez  going in opposite directions, but once again Edinson Volquez is involved in a trade that has shaken up the baseball world. Yesterday morning the Cincinnati Reds and the San Diego Padres finalized a trade that sent Volquez and first baseman Yonder Alonso, as well as minor league players catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitcher Brad Boxberger. What did the Reds receive in return? One player--24-year-old pitcher Mat Latos.

Latos will be the Reds #2 starter in their rotation.
Courtesy of http://profantasybaseball.com/fantasy_baseball_news.php/?p=366

            Latos, an intimidating presence on the mound at 6'6" and 225 lbs. as well as a fastball that has been clocked at 97 mph, has played in the majors for three seasons. His career numbers are quite impressive and are optimistic for the future, which is why the Reds were willing to give up so much talent to acquire him. He is 27-29 with a 1.15 WHIP, 3.37 ERA, and a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. His best season came in 2010, when he went 14-10 with a 1.08 WHIP and a miniscule 2.92 ERA. Each of the past two seasons Latos has started 31 games, totalling just under 200 innings pitched for those years. Latos will be expected to fill the #2 spot in the rotation behind Johnny Cueto for the Reds this season.

            San Diego did very well in this trade. Edinson Volquez, a seven year veteran, is 33-29 in his career along with a 1.50 WHIP and 4.65 ERA. Despite his ability to be a dominant pitcher in the MLB, he has had only one good season in his career. In 2008, Volquez went 17-6 with over 200 strikeouts, a 1.33 WHIP and a 3.21 ERA. He has gradually declined every year since, which may explain why the Reds were willing to get rid of him. He has accumulated only 13 wins over the past three seasons and threw almost as many innings in 2008 as he did the past three years. Last season, his ERA was nearly six and surrendered a career-high 19 homeruns. Edinson Volquez's reputation is also tainted by his 50-game suspension in 2010 for his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Volquez was 5-7 for the Reds last season.
Courtesy of http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/04/reds-pitcher-edinson-volquez-suspended-for-violating-drug-policy/1

            Yonder Alonso has played for Cincinnati in both of his years playing professional baseball. He had limited playing time in 2010, playing in only 22 games. Last year, Alsonso took the field in nearly fifty games and proved to be a solid utility player. He hit .330 with 5 homeruns and 15 RBI's. Alsonso played predominantly in left field since 2010 N.L. MVP Joey Votto occupies first base, Alsonso's primary position. The Reds also featured him at first base and third base. He only committed one error in his twenty games in the field last season. Even though Yonder Alsonso has only briefly played in the league, he shows a lot of upward potential both at the plate and in the field. 

Yonder Alonso batted .330 for the Reds in 2011.
Courtesy of http://bleacherreport.com/articles/587960-mlb-trade-rumors-power-ranking-all-30-teams-top-prospects-who-may-be-moved

            Yasmani Grandal is a 23-year-old Cuban catcher who stands at 6'2" and 205 lb. Grandal has played for four different teams in his two years in the minor leagues, making it from A+ to AAA in the span of five months last summer. Last season he batter .305 with 14 homeruns and 68 RBI's. Fellow prospect Brad Boxberger is a right-handed pitcher, who has taken the mound both as a starter and in relief in his time in the minors. Boxberger has made it from A+ to AAA in two seasons. He has a career 1.26 WHIP, 2.90 ERA, and averages nearly a dozen strikeouts per game.  

            When analyzing what the Cincinnati Reds sent to the Padres, it looks like a lot. And that's because it is. It's probably even too much. The good part of the deal for the Reds is that they know they acquired an great pitcher who has excelled at the highest level. Volquez's career is on the downisde and may have one or two great, 2008-esque seasons left in him if he's lucky. However, the other three former Reds all have untapped potential. Alsonso played well in Cincinnati last year as a utility player. Grandal and Boxberger have flown through Cincinnati's farm system and all signs point to their success in the future.
            The Cincinnati Reds could not pass up the chance to get an excellent pitcher once they saw the two biggest bats in their division, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, find new teams. The Reds are going for the World Series this year. With Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce all in their prime, the Reds are trying to piece together a playoff team for the 2012 season.
              The best case scenario for the Reds is that they go to the playoffs the next two or three seasons and make it past the first round, unlike 2010. With a weak division and a good offense, they should be the favorites to come out of the N.L. Central. If Latos can start at least thirty games while he's in Cincinnati and win twelve to fifteen games, Reds fans will have nothing to complain about. Plus, prospects are often hit-or-miss and Grandal and Boxberger may turn out to be busts for San Diego. However, in the long run, this trade may come back to haunt Cincinnati for giving up three of their best young players. Right now I would say the Reds got the short end of the deal, but only time will tell if that is an accurate assumption.

CP3, Welcome to the LAC

            After multiple failed trades and the NBA stepping in to reject a potential trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, star point guard Chris Paul has landed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The New Orleans Hornets, currently under the ownership of David Stern and the league, agreed to send Chris Paul and two future second-round picks to the Clippers in exchange for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Minnesota's unprotected 2012 first-round pick. The All-Star point guard is in a big market for the first time in his career in L.A. and no longer has to deal with the woes of New Orleans. While the Clippers have a weak bench, they have a very powerful duo with Chris Paul at point and Blake Griffin down low.

Chris Paul averaged 16 points and 10 assists for the Hornets last year.
(Courtesy of http://www.eurweb.com/2011/12/big-move-by-the-lakers-chris-paul-acquired-for-lamar-odom-and-pau-gasol/) 

            In the Pacific Division, the Clippers should be competitive with the Lakers and will finish in the top three teams. After trading Chris Kaman, the Clippers can match up against Gasol and Bynum with DeAndre Jordan and Griffin, but the Clippers big men are much more inexperienced. However, the Lakers already traded 6th Man of the Year, Lamar Odom, to the Dallas Mavericks, and if they continue to trade players, LAC may be the favorite in their division. L.A. made a smart move to get CP3, but they need to develop team chemistry if they want to be a great team. The Miami Heat and Philadelphia Eagles show that signing the best talent available does not translate immediately to wins and championships. LAC also signed Chauncy Billups and DeAndre Jordan this week, putting skilled players along side of Paul. The probable starting lineup of Chris Paul, Chauncy Billups, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan has a unique combination of young players and veterans. The Clippers will be a relevant team this season, which is great for the NBA and the city of Los Angeles. LAC has been quiet in recent years and Chris Paul should provide the spark to take them to the playoffs. With such an exciting offensive team and two of the league's best players, the Los Angeles Clippers have great chances at making the playoffs next year. The Western Conference has a New Orleans team without Chris Paul and David West, the Denver Nuggets have players stuck under contract in China, and the Lakers are growing older and lost one of their best players, which makes the Clippers a viable team for the six or seven seed in the Western Conference in the playoffs.
            It is great to see Chris Paul finally land somewhere so that we can stop hearing about the failed trade offers, but I have lost faith in David Stern in the league after they rejected the three-way trade between the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. After being prompted by NBA owners not involved in the trade, Stern nullified the deal because it didn't make "basketball sense." He thought the Hornets, which are under his control, got the short end of the deal despite the fact that all three general managers were very satisfied with the trade. New Orleans would have come away with three starters--Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, and Kevin Martin-- along with backup point guard Goran Dragic, and future draft picks. Let's see, the Hornets get three starters, improve their bench, and more draft picks to improve their team for the future...all for one starter! How is that a bad trade? The Lakers then showed how strict the NBA was being when they dropped out from the re-submitted trade. L.A. didn't even bother finding out what the league's decision was because they knew it wouldn't be in their favor. In the end, Stern lets CP3 go to the team that the Lakers share their home court and city with, the Los Angeles Clippers. Talk about pouring salt in the wound. David Stern should make his own decisions and not be influenced by owners of NBA teams. This deal complied with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and league rules, yet Stern has the ultimate power to veto. If the Lakers could have pulled off the original three-way trade and then managed to acquire Dwight Howard, there would be yet another Big Three in the NBA--Kobe, CP3, and Howard.
            Instead of another "Dream Team," we have to wake up to the reality that the league comissioner, who never played in the NBA or ran an organization, is making critical decisions about basketball--a sport he does not fully understand. This is the problem with league-owned franchises--they have to face the struggles of being owned by the NBA and the Hornets are suffering the consequences. The New Orleans Hornets need to move to a more basketball-friendly city, find an owner who can run the team properly, or disband. Being owned by the NBA is definitely not in their best interest.

Cincinnati Bearcat Suspensions are Not Enough

            After the brawl between the Xavier Musketeers and Cincinnati Bearcats in the Crosstown Shootout yesterday, UC coach Mick Cronin told the media in the post-game news conference that he was going to watch the game film with Cincinnati's Athletic Director and school president to decide the status of the Bearcats involved. Cronin told the media that they would decide if some of the players deserve to remain on the team. He said that he made all of the players take off their jerseys in the locker room, taking some jerseys off by force. It could be implied from his statement that major suspensions were to be handed out and some players may never play another game for UC. However, University of Cincinnati's decisions on the suspensions were way less than what Cronin had promised.
            Four players were suspended--Yancy Gates, Octavius Ellis, and Cheikh Mbodj are suspended for six games, while Ge'Lawn Guyn, one of the fight provokers, received a one-game suspension. Six games! Really? Despite my allegiance to Xavier in this rivalry, from an unbiased point of view, Gates and Mbodj should have left that game in handcuffs for assault charges. Gates sucker-punched Kenny Frease in the face when Frease was trying to separate the two teams. Mbodj then stomped on Frease's head. The NFL and the media made a huge deal about Ndamukong Suh stomping on an opponent's arm, yet Mbodj's stomp almost went completely under the radar. Gates also landed a punch against Xavier player Landen Amos in the skirmish. There are two correct decisions for the University of Cincinnati to make about Gates' actions--either kick him off the team or give him a minimum of a ten to fifteen game suspension.

Courtesy of http://www.thescore.com/buzz/articles/194204-cincinnati-xavier-basketbrawl

            Mick Cronin is the exact opposite of Teddy Roosevelt, he speaks loudly and carries a small stick. What kind of precedent does this set for future Bearcat basketball players, or any player in the Big East (since the conference stood behind the University of Cincinnati and didn't issue any additional suspensions)? A player can punch multiple opponents in the face and miss less than one quarter of the regular season? I don't know why the police didn't get involved, because that wasn't basketball...that was straight up assault. If Gates did that out in public he would be behind bars right now. Let us not forget that Gates was also suspended last year for breaking team rules. The NCAA better step in and issue harsher suspensions since the University of Cincinnati went easy on themselves. Just because UC issued suspensions before the NCAA does shouldn't pardon them from any league-issued punishments. The only suspension that made sense was Ge'Lawn Guyn's one game suspension. He was one of the ones who provoked the brawl but didn't actually fight anyone. The weak suspensions damage the integrity of the University of Cincinnati and Mick Cronin. They talked up the strict punishments to come to look good in the eyes of the media for the post-game interviews but took the easy, and wrong, way out.

Keys to the Bears vs. Broncos Game

            Tim Tebow's impressive 6-1 record this season as a starter will be tested when he faces the Chicago Bears in Denver today. Tebow will have the hardest time scoring today out of any regular season game this season, but the Broncos will have great chances at winning.

Keys to the Game:
Bears: Force turnovers on defense, getting good field position on special teams, have a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter, scoring on defense/special teams
Broncos: Don't turn the ball over, put pressure on Caleb Hanie, keep the game close in the first three quarters
           
            The Bears defense has wreaked havoc this season, intercepting sixteen passes, forcing eleven fumbles, and recovering nine of them. Tebow will have more pressure than ever to play smart. The few times he throws he will have to place the ball in places where only his receivers can catch the ball. When he scrambles, he'll have to hold onto the ball very tightly because Chicago is the best team in the league at stripping the ball. With Chicago's top two offensive players, Matt Forte and Jay Cutler, out with injuries, the Bears will need the defense to give them the best field position possible so that they can settle for field goals if they can't put the ball in the endzone. Caleb Hanie has struggled in the two games that he has played, completing less than half of his passes. His touchdown to interception ratio is 1:3, throwing three picks in both games. As we saw last year in the playoffs, Hanie does have the ability to perform well, we just haven't seen it in 2011. He may need a few games under his belt to get warmed up, but if that is not the case, a defensive touchdown would be critical to the Bears winning the game. If there was ever a game where Chicago needs  Devin Hester to be a big-time playmaker it's today. If he can get to a least the Bears own forty yard line a two or three times on kickoffs, Chicago will have a much shorter field to work with and will take some of the pressure off of Caleb Hanie. The Chicago Bears will need to have at least a two score lead going into the fourth quarter because of Tim Tebow's ability to lead the Broncos to comeback victories.  The longer the Bears hold onto the ball in the fourth quarter and the more they slow the game down, the less time Tebow will have to put together a potential game-winning drive.

Courtesy of http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6ilGKu3ghRf/Houston+Texans+v+Denver+Broncos/QxLpplhlnIb/Tim+Tebow

            I think that the Chicago Bears will play the Broncos very tough and Tebow will have one of his worst statistical games this season. Chicago's offense is missing too much of its firepower and will struggle offensively. Caleb Hanie will have his best game this season, throwing for 200 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. The Bears will force three turnovers and have one defense or special teams touchdown. However, the Broncos defense will keep the game close in the first three quarters so that Tebow can win the game in the fourth. Denver Broncos win 24-20 over the Chicago Bears in a close game at Denver.

Historic Rivalry Sees the Number One Team Fall: A Breakdown of the Final Two Minutes

            Today was already a big day in college basketball with the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes fall to #14 Kansas by a score of 78-67. Later today, number one ranked Kentucky came to Bloomington, Indiana to battle the 8-0 Hoosiers. Indiana and Kentucky are two of the most successful college basketball programs with a combined twenty-two Final Four appearances, a 167-77 NCAA Tournament record, twelve NCAA Championships, and eighty-seven tournament appearances. Indiana forward Cody Zeller has been in the spotlight recently for having an excellent freshman season up to this point, but the Wildcats had no idea what else would be in store for them at Assembly Hall.

Courtesy of http://www.insidethehall.com/

            Coming out of the official television timeout, there was 2:15 left on the clock with Indiana up 6-67. John Calipari was quesntionably sitting Terrence Jones on the bench for the rest of the game. Kentucky guard Darius Miller might have been very lucky with a no-call on a potential charging foul against him as he spun and then dunked to give his team a one-pont lead. Indiana took the ball down the court and point guard Jordan Hulls drew a foul on Miller, but it was only Kentucky's fourth team foul, so they weren't yet in the bonus. Victor Oladipo drove to the basket only to get blocked by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but he traveled at the end of the playing, turning the ball over to Indiana.  IU coach Tom Crean called a time out and drew up a great play for the Hoosiers. Junior forward Christian Watford received a pass at the elbow, drove to the inside of the lane, made a spin move with his right hand, and laid the ball in acrobatically to put Indiana up by one. On the other end of the court, Marquis Teague blew past Jordan Hulls and made an easy layup to make it 71-70. While there was still forty-five seconds left in the game, it did not look good for Indiana. Kentucky was driving to the basket way too easily and Indiana would have to start fouling soon, putting the Wildcats at the free throw line. Christian Watford missed a jump shot and Anthony Davis rebounded the ball. Davis was heavily pressured and made it across the half court line before he was fouled by Cody Zeller. Luckily for the Hoosiers, Davis is just slightly above a 50% free throw shooter and he missed his one-and-one free throw. Victor Oladipo rebounded the ball, dribbled to the other side of the court, and Crean called a timeout. On the play that Crean drew up, Hulls dribbled to his right, passed it to Zeller on the wing, who handed it off to Oladipo. Oladipo then drove to the basket and made a spin move, but lost control of the ball and Doron Lamb stole the ball. Oladipo had no choice but to foul Lamb and send him to the line to shoot two. Indiana's bench was visibly frustrated and upset because their chance to knock off the number one team in the country seemed to slip through their hands, literally. There were eight seconds left, they were down by one, and Kentucky was shooting two free throws because they were now in the double bonus. Lamb missed his first shot, giving Indiana hope because even if he made the second shot, a three-pointer would win the game. Crean used his final timeout to draw up a play for their final shot. Doron Lamb made his second free throw, giving Kentucky a 72-70 lead. Verdell Jones III received the inbounds pass and dribbled down the court and appeared to drive to the basket, but he picked up his dribble, turned around, and found Christian Watford unguarded beyond the three point arc. Watford shot the ball with two defenders in his face as time expired. The shot was absolutely beautiful as it soared through the air. Swish. Assembly Hall started screaming and all of the Indiana fans threw up their hands. Watford held up his shooting arm as he remained motionless. The IU players celebrated by running to Watford and piling up on the court. ESPN commentator Dan Schulman described Tom Crean's reaction perfectly, "It looks like Tom Crean aged ten years today." Crean was filled with disbelief, joy, and was on the verge of an anxiety attack all at the same time, it appeared. The fans stormed the court and Indiana's players stood up on the scorer's table cheering with the fans.

Courtesy of http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/story/2011-12-10/indiana-kentucky-tom-crean-upset/51786446/1

            Having the top two teams in the nation happened for the second time in the past two years and it will make the rankings very interesting when they are next released. The Syracuse Orange sit at 8-0 at the number three spot and will likely take over the title of the #1 team in the country. However, Ohio State and Kentucky are almost guaranteed to stay within the top ten since the Buckeyes were without their best player Sullinger and lost on the road to an excellent Kansas team. In terms of Kentucky, they lost on a buzzer-beater to a very talented Indiana team who will probably break into the top 25 in the next polls. College basketball fans can't ask for anything more. Great teams have emerged and the top ranked teams have already lost, showing that there is no clear favorite. And the best part? It is only early December, just wait until March and the drama that happens then.

#8 Xavier Dominates Cincinnati During the Game; Cincinnati Wins the Brawl

            Commonly known as the "Crosstown Shootout" in Cincinnati, the annual matchup between the Xavier Musketeers and Cincinnati Bearcats is one of the most anticipated games for both teams because of their huge rivalry. The game was of even more importance because Xavier came into the game as the eighth ranked team in the nation and the Bearcats had nothing to lose. Cincinnati had been ranked earlier in the season before losing to Presbyterian and Marshall. Tu Holloway and the rest of the Musketeers were motivated to have a big win against UC after the comments that Cincinnati guard Sean Kilpatrick made earlier in the week. On a radio interview, Kilpatrick, a largely unknown sophomore guard, said that All-American Tu Holloway wouldn't start at UC because of the talent that the Bearcats have on their roster. He went on to say that he is better than Holloway, despite averaging three fewer points per game, four fewer assists, and two fewer assists, on a worse team I might add. Xavier was at a huge advantage by playing at their home court, the Cintas Center, and having the support of its rowdy student section.
            For the majority of the first half, the game was back and forth, and it seemed to be a toss-up on who would win. With four minutes left in the first half, the score was 25-23 in favor of Xavier. However, poor shooting by the Bearcats and an air-tight Musketeers defense allowed Xavier to close the half on a 9-2 run that put them ahead 34-25 at halftime. Now, a nine point deficit at halftime is nothing in college basketball. At that point, Cincinnati was still in the game; however, that changed quickly. Xavier came out strong in the second half, with their guard trio of Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons, and Dez Wells carrying the way with a combined 27 second half points.
            In the closing seconds of the game, University of Cincinnati guard Dion Dixon air-balled a three point attempt and Tu Holloway and Cincinnati guard Ge'Lawn Guyn exchanged some heated words. Dez Wells ran over in support of Holloway and shoved Guyn to the ground. Unfortunately, the altercation took place right in front of the UC bench and both benches cleared onto the court. Yancy Gates then threw the basketball and Holloway as players started getting into each other's faces. The referees tried to break up the players but there was only so much that a few men can stop much bigger players from fighting. Bearcat center Yancy Gates slugged Xavier center Kenny Frease in the face, leaving Frease to crawl away from the brawl. Ge'Lawn Guyn then tried to attack Xavier guard Brad Redford, but both players were restrained by their coaches.  Gates threw another punch at a Xavier player Landen Amos, while Mark Lyons and Dez Wells were going after a Bearcat player in the corner of the court. Frease walked away from the end of the skirmish with a bruised eye and blood running down his face.

Courtesy of http://search.espn.go.com/uc-xavier-fight/

            Since the Crosstown Shootout turned out to be a 23-point blowout, the main story of the game is the fight. So what are the immediate consequences of the brawl? The NCAA will have to review the film upwards of fifty times to fully understand what happened. There were too many bodies involved and fists flying to comprehend the full picture. It will be very likely that a few players threw punches but there was never a clear camera angle, so they will escape the week without punishment. However, it is guaranteed that players from both teams will be suspended, with the possibility of even harsher punishment from the NCAA or the teams themselves. University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin issued strong words in the post-game news conference, claiming that he was going to evaluate the brawl with the school president and decide if players deserve to remain on the team. I assume he is speaking specifically about Yancy Gates, but any of his players could get booted. Yancy Gates may find himself kicked off of the University of Cincinnati basketball team or minimally a ten game suspension. Ge'Lawn Guyn will be out for probably five games. Tu Holloway may get one game for provoking the entire incident, while Mark Lyons and Dez Wells will most likely get a suspension in the neighborhood of three games. And these were just the players that were clearly involved in the altercation. A few other players will probably be punished by the NCAA as well.

Courtesy of http://search.espn.go.com/uc-xavier-fight/

            While the suspensions will seriously impact both teams since key players were involved, it is more important for Xavier to stay away from suspensions longer than two games. Xavier's next game is Sunday, December 18th against Oral Roberts, so the league will have lots of time to make decisions without feeling rushed. They have three non-conference games before starting A-10 play, the last of which being against #22 Gonzaga. At #8 in the nation, with the potential for an even better rank of anyone in front of them loses, it is crucial that they start conference play undefeated and beat a ranked, non-conference opponent in Gonzaga. As we saw today in the Ohio State vs. Kansas game, the loss of one important player can have a huge impact on the result of the game. While Jared Sullinger wasn't suspended, but rather out with back spasms, Ohio State was a completely different team and loss to Kansas by eleven. Holloway, Lyons, and Wells have been carrying Xavier so far this season and losing any combination of those guards against a quality opponent will not bode well for Xavier's record or ranking.

Courtesy of http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Cincinnati-loses-to-No-8-Xavier-76-53-after-brawl-2394576.php

            It is sad that such a historic, fierce rivalry had to come to blows and it is a disgrace to both schools. Cincinnati's basketball team will likely fall back into having the reputation of being a team full of thugs, which they earned during the Bob Huggins era. I can't imagine what the game would be like if these two teams were to meet in the tournament this season, and next year's Crosstown Shootout will be very tense in the wake of today's brawl.

The Heisman Race

            This year's Heisman Trophy race is one of the most competitive in the history of college football. Even the non-finalist candidates would be strong picks to win the Heisman if they were selected to be in the final group. The five finalists are Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. All of the finalists' teams are in the top 12 teams in college football and they are key players to their teams' successes. Some of the notable players not selected to be finalists are Kellen Moore, Matt Barkley, Case Keenum, and Russel Wilson. It would be near impossible to accurately predict the order that the candidates finish in since there is no player that stands out from the field like current Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did last year. Here is the breakdown of the finalists:

 Montee Ball

Courtesy of http://bloguin.com/crystalballrun/2011-articles/november/the-doak-walker-award-projecting-the-finalist.html 

Bio

University of Wisconsin

Running Back #28

Junior

5' 11" 210 lbs.

            Montee Ball is an absolute powerhouse. Ball rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and 32 touchdowns. Not only is he a strong runner, but he is a dual offensive threat, as a receiver out of the backfield as well. While he only has twenty receptions on the year, six of them were for touchdowns and he accumulated 255 receiving yards. Recently, Ball has been in the national spotlight because he is one touchdown shy of tying Barry Sanders' record of 39 total touchdowns in a single season. Since the Badger running back averages three TD's per game, he should have no problem breaking the record in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Ball led his Wisconsin Badgers to a Big Ten Championship over Michigan State and the Badgers are tenth in the BCS. Montee Ball's best case for the Heisman is his key contributions to Wisconsin's 11-2 record and his historic offensive season. Even a bad game for Ball should allow him to surpass Sanders on the single-season touchdown record. Ball was a consistent performer all year--rushing for over 100 yards and nearly three total touchdowns each game. Every game was a highlight reel for him, so it is hard to point to one or two games in which he especially excelled, because he excelled in every game.

Robert Griffin III

Courtesy of http://nflmocks.com/2011/11/10/2012-nfl-mock-draft-week-10-robert-griffin-iii-top-five/

Bio

Baylor University

Quarterback #10

Junior

6'2" 220 lbs.

            Robert Griffin III is the leading Heisman candidate according to most college football experts. He led the Bears to a 9-3 record while throwing for just shy of 4,000 yards. RGIII is a very efficient passer, throwing for 36 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions this year. His completion percentage was above 70% in the regular season and had a passer rating of 192.3. While he is a pass-first quarterback, Griffin is able to use his legs when he needs to, rushing for nine touchdowns on the season. His 2011 resumé includes wins against the ranked opponents of TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas. Two out of Baylor's three losses were at the hands of two of the top teams in the country-- Oklahoma State and Kansas State. He definitely passes the "eye test" with his electric play and leading the high-octane Baylor offense in one of the toughest college football confereces. While the SEC is often referred to as the best college football conference, the Big 12 is a close second, with five ranked teams, four of which are in the top fourteen in the BCS. Did I mention he broke the passer efficiancy record this season? Griffin had above a 61% completion percentage in all of his games, his best being a 90.5% effort against Stephen F. Austin. In half of Baylor's games, he had above a 200 quarterback rating.

            One of his best moments this year was in the season opener against TCU, when he drove the length of the field with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. He was featured on throwing, rushing, and even a receiving play on the final drive, which help set up the game-winning field goal. Another defining moment for RGIII was against Oklahoma, then the #5 team in the country, when he threw for nearly 500 yards and four scores in a very competitive game.

              With such a close group of finalists, it is difficult to make anyone the favorite, but Robert Griffin III is most likely the front-runner to win the Heisman.

Andrew Luck

Courtesy of http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-01-06/sports/30018354_1_andrew-luck-wrong-decision-dumb-decision

Bio

Stanford University

Quarterback #12

Senior

6'4" 235 lbs.

            On Saturday, we may find out if Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford for another season was the right decision. Winning the Heisman isn't a make or break on if he should have left after last season for the NFL, but he could have no regrets if he wins the most prestigious award in college football. With all of the buzz this week about the Indianapolis Colts potentially drafting Andrew Luck, the casual football fan would have no idea that Luck is even a Heisman finalist. In his final season as a Cardinal, he led Stanford to an 11-1 record. The one loss came to #5 Oregon, which begs the question would Stanford be in the national championship if they had an undefeated season. However, that is an unrelated matter. Luck put up the same kind of numbers that he did in 2010, with 3,170 yards, 35 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Luck is easily the best quarterback prospect in this year's draft class and shows a lot of maturity in the way that he handles himself. Andrew Luck is the biggest reason why Stanford is currently #4 in the BCS. Had he left for the draft last season, Stanford would be lucky to be break the top 20, assuming that they would even be ranked. While Luck doesn't operate with as much flash or ESPN Top Ten-worthy plays as the other finalists do, he is the best overall student-athlete. He has the whole package--a gifted student, a quarterback who lives and breathes the game, and is an overall good person. While the Heisman voters may not be choosing the winner based on a finalist being a "good person," no one could complain if Andrew Luck wins the award.

              He will be remembered for breaking John Elway's touchdown record, putting Stanford's football program on the map, and his overall passing ability. Whether or not Luck wins the Heisman, he is built to have success in the NFL, which he would say is more important than any college award.

Tyrann Mathieu

Courtesy of http://www.thebestdamnpoll.com/Default.aspx?tabid=112&g=posts&m=485283

Bio

Louisiana State University

Cornerback #7

Sophomore

5'9" 175 lbs.

            In recent history, with the Heisman trophy going to the best player on the best, or at least one of the best, team (2010--Cam Newton, 2009--Mark Ingram, 2008--Sam Bradford, 2007--Tim Tebow), Mathieu should feel honored that he is the "representative" from the undefeated #1 team LSU. With a dual-quarterback system at LSU and two running backs that split the carries, no one on LSU's offense was worthy of nomination. Therefore, if someone from LSU was to be a finalist, it had to be a member of the second best defense, in terms of points allowed, in the country. Mathieu being both a sophomore and a defensive player shows how good he is. He has 71 tackles this season, along with 1.5 sacks, two  interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven deflected passes. While a defensive player has won the Heisman, such as Charles Woodson, I can comfortably say the Mathieu won't finish in the top three finalists. He has a knack for getting to the ball and causing mayhem on defense, especially at key times this season for LSU, but defensive players are simply at a disadvantage for winning the Heisman. Also, his small chances of winning may be reduced even more because of his one-game suspension this season. I hope he proves me wrong and is the reason why LSU wins the BCS National Championship, but despite his impressive numbers, he doesn't quite compare to some of the other contenders.

Trent Richardson

Courtesy of http://www.draftinsiders.com/node/1416

Bio

University of Alabama

Running Back #3

Junior

5'11" 224 lbs.

            Trent Richardson has been a huge factor in Alabama's success this season as the #2 team in the country, only behind division rival LSU. This season, he rushed for over 1,500 yards, averaged 6 yards per carry, and scored twenty touchdowns. He was also productive as a receiver with over three hundred yards receiving and three touchdowns. Seeing fellow running back Mark Ingram win the Heisman in 2009 was probably a huge influence on Richardson, seeing what he could become if he worked hard enough. While Richardson doesn't have the offensive numbers that Montee Ball does, Richardson plays in a much tougher conference and will be playing for the national championship in January, unlike Ball. Richardson average roughly 150 all-purpose yards per game and is what makes the Crimson Tide offense go. If Alabama wins the national championship, the win will be attributed to three things: Nick Saban, Alabama's defense, and last but certainly not least, Trent Richardson.

            All five of this year's finalists represent college football very well and any of them, with the exception of Tyrann Mathieu, could realistically win the Heisman. It will be very exciting to watch the awards presentation and see how close the voting was, because I don't think anyone will honestly know the winner until the moment the name is read by the announcer. The beauty of this year's Heisman finalists is that four of the five are underclassmen, so we may mention some of these skilled football players in the same conversation next season. Here is how I see the results turning out:

Robert Griffin III

Trent Richardson

Andrew Luck

Montee Ball

Tyrann Mathieu

            The Baylor Bears will be honored with their first Heisman trophy-winning player in the history of their football program. Andrew Luck will be drafted number one overall in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, mentored by Peyton Manning, start for the Colts full-time in his third season, and be a Pro Bowler by his fourth season. Trent Richardson and Montee Ball will both leave for the draft and be the first two running backs selected. Richardson will find a time where he splits the team's carries with another running back. Ball will be a workhorse and featured back in a high-powered offense. After winning the BCS National Championship and having an excellent game, Tyrann Mathieu will declare for the draft and get selected in the mid-to-late first round.

New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions Preview

            The New Orleans Saints are undefeated at the Superdome this season and I don't see that changing after tonight's game against the Detroit Lions. The Saints have won three straight games and are in great shape to make a run at the Super Bowl. Drew Brees has averaged over three hundred yards and three touchdowns over the past five games and there is no reason why he won't continue to put up big numbers. The Lions defense will be missing Ndamukong Suh because of his two game suspension for stomping on the arm of Green Bay Packers lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. They will also be without key members of their seconday including Chris Houston, Louis Delmas, and Brandon McDonald. On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions will be without running back Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith will most likely see limited snaps due to an ankle injury. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will have to step up their performance if Detroit wants to have any hope at winning in New Orleans. With the three-headed rushing attack of Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, and Darren Sproles the Saints have too many weapons for a lacking Detroit Lions defense to match up against. Also on offense, tight end Jimmy Graham is having a remarkable season and is the Saints leading receiver. Graham can create a lot of mismatches with his size in a Lions secondary filled with backup players.

Courtesy of http://sportsrantz.com/achievements/drew-brees/

Prediction: The New Orleans Saints win 42-24 over the Detroit Lions.
Drew Brees will throw for 350 yards and four touchdowns. Jimmy Graham will have five receptions for eighty yards and one touchdown. The Saints rushing trio combined will have 130 yards and two touchdowns. Matthew Stafford will throw for 250 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Calvin Johnson will have 100 yards receiving and one touchdown.

An Ugly First Half Set Back the Bengals

            Heading into the game against Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals were 7-4 and only one game back of the AFC North division lead. The Bengals had played the Steelers tough at home three weeks ago and now it was Cincinnati's turn to travel to Heinz Field to face one of the best teams in the NFL. This was a crucial game for the Bengals, but a bad first half never let them be competitive against one of the division leaders.
            On the Bengals' opening drive, a touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to tight end Jermaine Gresham was erased by a false start penalty and the following field goal attempt was nullified by a delay of game penalty. On the second try, kicker Mike Nugent's kick was blocked by Cam Heyward.

Courtesy of http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Steelers-stay-hot-crush-Bengals-35-7-2343362.php#photo-1859520

          In the second quarter, a forty-five yard completion from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown set up a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown run. The Bengals then went three and out after three unsuccessful pass plays and punted back to Pittsburgh. On the first play of the drive, Ben Roethlisberger threw a deep pass down the field intended for wide receiver Mike Wallace and defensive pass interference was called on Bengals safety Chris Crocker. The Steelers got the ball at the spot of the penalty, which was Cincinnati's own 20 yard line, and after two Mendenhall rushes, Pittsburgh scored its second touchdown of the game. To make things even worse for the Bengals, on the kickoff after the touchdown, Cincinnati return man Brandon Tate fumbled and the Steelers recovered the ball on Cincinnati's 23 yard line. A few plays later and Pittsburgh scored its third touchdown of the day on a Mike Wallace reception.

Courtesy of http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/

             The Steelers went on to win the game 35-7 after a very dominant performance over Cincinnati. While the Bengals have four fourth quarter comebacks this season, the team has to actually be competitive in the game to give Andy Dalton and Cincinnati's offense a chance to win. The Bengals can't have stupid mistakes like they did on offense in the first quarter and on defense and special teams in the second quarter. In order to win against good teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, turnovers and penalties will kill any team, especially hated division rivals.

The Easiest Touchdown in the History of College Football

            It was as easy as stealing candy from a baby, when University of Cincinnati defensive lineman Walter Stewart took the ball from University of Connecticut quarterback Johnny McEntee in the endzone for a touchdown. A false start penalty followed by a delay of game penalty on UConn on consecutive plays pushed the Huskies back to their own five yard line. McEntee dropped back to pass, was being heavily pressured and when he attempted to throw the ball to avoid a safety, Stewart grabbed the ball. He didn't have to run to the endzone, catch the ball, or pick it up off the ground, so all of the hard work was already done.

Courtesy of http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/

A Mockery of the System

Courtesy of http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2010/lsu-tigers-vs-unc-tar-heels-sept-4-football-analysis/

            Tomorrow's matchup between #1 LSU and #14 Georgia should mean a lot, but because of the flaws of the BCS it has little weight whatsoever. The SEC is best college football conference by a long shot, so one would think its championship game would have a lot of significance. Georgia could win by forty points and LSU will still play in the national championship game. LSU would finish the regular season 12-1 with the advantage in a head-to-head tie breaker against #2 Alabama because of its win against the Crimson Tide earlier this season. The BCS should not rely so much on computers and numbers to decide the rankings. And for the Bulldogs, win or loss, they will play in Outback or Capital One Bowl game. The SEC championship game will have some significance because it decides the winner of the SEC (which honestly doesn't mean much) and if LSU's hopes for an undefeated season are still alive. The title game of the strongest conference in college football needs to have some significance. What if Georgia was the #2 team in the nation with one loss and they were to beat LSU in the SEC Championship. Would they just have a rematch for the national championship? I'm not sure what the changes should be, but it is evident that change is necessary for the BCS. I hope Georgia pounds LSU, so that on January 9th, college football fans can sit back and wonder how the two teams contending for a national championship were chosen.

Return of "The Kid"

            Hockey fans can now have a collective sigh of relief. The best player in the NHL, Sidney Crosby, has returned to the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After being knocked out for the season with a concussion last year, he has made an excellent recovery and shows no signs of being out for most of last year. In six games, he has 2 goals and 9 assists, so at his current pace he will reach 150 points for the season.

Courtesy of http://www.nhlsnipers.com/sidney-crosby-potentially-returning-for-fridays-game/

Philadelphia Eagles Have A Hurt Wing

            The "Dream Team" is quickly going down the drain. After last night's 31-14 loss to the Seattle Seahwaks, the Eagles have fallen to 4-8 and they show no signs of improvement. Vince Young had a pretty horrendous game, going 17-29 for 208 yards, one touchdown and four picks. One interception was due to a bobbled catch by wide receiver Riley Cooper, but the rest were simply horrible passes. Young's arm strength and accuracy were shaky. In the fourth quarter, when Philly was still in the game, the Eagles were driving down the field and Vince Young lobbed a screen pass to LeSean McCoy only to be intercepted by David Hawthorne for a pick six.

Courtesy of http://dailysop.com/2011/01/09/marshawn-lynch-breaks-8-tackles-on-67-yard-td/

            The star of the game was Marshawn Lynch, who rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns on twenty-two carries. His biggest play came at the start of the second quarter when he broke off a forty yard touchdown run. Part of me is wondering if the Eagles' defense thought they were playing two-hand touch football last night, because the could not tackle anyone on Seattle's offense which, shockingly, is what they are paid to do. The first score of the game came when the Seahawks were in the red zone and Lynch ran up the middle only to get stuffed by the crowded line. At least four Eagles defenders got their hands on him, but he kept on powering through and stormed into the endzone.
            I owe Tavaris Jackson an apology. As much as I ripped on him for turning the ball over and not being able to play at a high level, he had an excellent game last night. Jackson was 13-16 for 190 yards and a touchdown. If he can replicate that kind of performance the Seahawks have the potential to be at least an 8-8 or 9-7 sort of team. With an excellent running back in Marshawn Lynch, the pressure is taken off of Jackson, and he just has to make the throws on passing downs. A balanced, or even rushing-oriented offense allows him to make fewer throws and he won't be forced to make the offense go all on his own.

Courtesy of http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/

              To make things worse for Philadelphia, salt was poured in their wound when Nnamdi Asomugha was injured with a head and neck injury and did not return to the field. Once again, DeSean Jackson had an extremely quiet game with only 4 catches for 34 yards. His body language throughout the game showed that he had given up on the team, especially when he failed to make a block for LeSean McCoy on a screen pass down the sideline. His post-game interview showed even more of his frustration when he got upset with the reporters for asking about his interactions with his teammates on offense. With Michael Vick out, the Eagles need LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson to step up on offense and clearly Jackson is checked out for the rest of the year. Jackson has 43 receptions, 698 yards, and two receiving touchdowns this season, not nearly the expected numbers for an explosive player with Pro Bowl worthy talent. All he has been this season in Philadelphia is an under-producing, quitting, locker room distraction, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles check the trade market or simply release him. The Eagles finish their season with games against the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins. My guess is that they will go 2-2, with the possibility of 1-3 in that stretch. If they want to finish this season on a high note, someone in the locker room has to step up. Whether it's Vince Young on offense or Trent Cole on defense, the team needs a strong leader to rally the players. Andy Reid doesn't deserve to get fired. Philadelphia would have a hard time finding a better replacement.
            The Eagles should be a lesson for the rest of the NFL, and all professional sports teams for that matter. Simply signing some of the most talented players does not automatically make you a championship contender. The Eagles are in a similar situation to the Miami Heat before Christmas last year, when they were still trying to figure out their rotations and team chemistry. Philadelphia probably needs a season or two to figure out their defensive schemes with all of their new talent and let team chemistry develop. And most of all, let the rest of the league and media deem you the "Dream Team," not one of your own players, or else the target will be on your back starting Week 1.

Thursday Night Football Week 12 Preview

            Tonight's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks is a battle of mediocrity. The "Dream Team" (Have you learned to hold your tongue yet, Vince Young?) vs. last year's surprise team in the playoffs with a win against the New Orleans Saints. If I would have been asked three years ago what the chances of Vince Young and Tavaris Jackson starting in the NFL in 2011, I would have confidently said less than twenty percent. Vince Young was made for college football not the NFL, which is why he has more career interceptions than touchdowns and nearly forty fumbles in six seasons. He's only thrown for more than 2,000 yards in a season twice and has never been able to make it to the "elite" level. For the Seahawks, Tavaris Jackson is on pace for his best statistical season in his first year in Seattle. The Vikings obviously had talent on defense and in their rushing attack, since Brett Favre was able to take them to the NFC Championship Game, but Jackson was never able to consistenly play well at quarterback.
              There is no question that the Eagles have talent, or they never would have earned the "Dream Team" nickname. However, injuries and egos have set back the team this year, especially with injuries to Michael Vick, Jeremy Maclin, Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie, Nnamdi Asomugha, and LeSean McCoy. Assuming DeSean Jackson decides to show up to team functions, he has big-play capability written all over him on both offense and special teams.
              Both teams are lightyears out of the playoff picture but they both will want to turn their seasons around to save face and end the season better than they started.

Courtesy of  http://www.sportsbully.com/2011/05/three-nfl-rule-changes-will-benefit-desean-jackson-sav-rocca-trent-cole/

Prediction: Assuming LeSean McCoy is healthy and plays tonight, I think Eagles will win 27-20. McCoy will rush for about 100 yards an one touchdown. Vince Young will throw for 200 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. For Seattle, Marshawn Lynch will run for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

2011 Christmas List

            Since today is December 1st, it is officially time to start thinking about Christmas and making a Christmas list. Here is my sports-related Christmas list:

• AFC Wild Card spot for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Jay Cutler's finger to heal towards the three week side of the three-to-ten week recovery period
• A Chicago Bears win on Christmas Day
• Chris Paul traded to the New York Knicks
• Chicago Cubs sign Albert Pujols
• Andy Dalton wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
• Xavier Musketeers finish the season in the top 10 of the polls in basketball
• Jacksonville Jaguars move to Los Angeles