FRIDAY RANDOM THOUGHTS

It's a Friday before a holiday weekend, which also happens to be the first one of the college football season. My picks for Thursday were abysmal and I was only saved from going zero for the night by an expected blowout win by Arizona State. So I have to come back from a 1 - 3 start, but it's a long season and hope springs eternal.

College Football Kicks Off: As I watched Texas A&M dismantle South Carolina last night, I couldn't help but wonder whether the Aggies are that good or if the Gamecocks are a bit overrated. If it's the former, then the rest of the SEC West had better be on notice that the post-Manziel offense for Texas A&M will be very formidable. On the other hand, I saw a lot of missed tackles and blown assignments by a South Carolina defense that didn't really look ready to play against a very good freshman quarterback. I had picked the Gamecocks to hold serve at home, but they were never in this one. As the season unfolds, we'll be better able to evaluate the performance of both teams. Could Texas A&M be this year's Auburn? It's just too early to tell.

Josh Gordon Needs to Take His Punishment: The troubled Cleveland Brown wide receiver was handed a season-long suspension for his third violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. This is a very talented young man who has repeatedly been in trouble, going back to his days at Baylor. We can all agree that the public opinion of marijuana use is definitely shifting, but the fact remains that it is illegal in almost every state and clearly against the rules of the NFL. Millions of working Americans are subject to testing for illegal drug use and face harsh disciplinary action for failing those tests. In many cases, three times would result in termination. At least Gordon gets to come back. He needs to shut up and get his act together.

Where's the U.S. in the U.S. Open? The top seeded American men's tennis player in the U.S. Open that is currently in its first week of competition is number 13 John Isner. There are a lot of great and compelling players in the tournament, but with the exception of Serena Williams on the women's side, none of them come from the United States. It's inexplicable to me that the USTA hasn't been able to generate enough interest in its game to develop good, competitive young players. And by the way, Isner is 29, Willams 32. Not exactly a strong youth movement.

NFL Comes to the Table: Domestic violence is a huge problem in this country and has been, for the most part, largely ignored. It doesn't help that the very group that is responsible for protecting the public, law enforcement professionals, are primarily male and live in a violent world. I don't believe there is ever a valid reason for a man to strike a woman, or vice versa. Hopefully the NFL's decision to punish violent offenders will send a message to the macho group that beating up on women is a cowardly and totally unacceptable act.

Coaches Bail, Athletes Have To Stay

Obviously, It’s All About Winning:

Let’s see, Bobby Petrino is now the head football coach at the University of Louisville, which begins its first season in the ACC. No big deal, right? I mean let’s face it, the guy can flat out recruit and coach football players. His teams win, and win in exciting fashion. They must really like him at Louisville, considering they hired him for the second time after taking the Cardinals to four bowl games and leading them to two top ten national rankings in four seasons from 2003 – 2006.

But now this is where it gets interesting. Petrino, despite pledging allegiance to Louisville, secretly flirted with other head coaching positions, most notably Auburn, before leaving college behind for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. He thought he was going to have a healthy Michael Vick in the prime of his quarterback career to build around. But Vick had a little problem with a dog fighting ring and ended up spending some time away at the expense of the American taxpayers. Not one to sit still for long, Petrino bailed on Falcons owner Arthur Blank and his team after thirteen games when Arkansas came calling in the fall of 2007.

After turning the Razorback program around and propelling them to a top five ranking after defeating Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl, things looked pretty bright in Fayetteville. A good core of returning players, a decent recruiting class and three consecutive bowl games had Arkansas on everyone’s radar screen for the 2012 season. Then Petrino made multiple errors in judgment that ultimately cost him his job. A motorcycle accident with a recently hired employee on the back of his bike could have possibly, just possibly gotten him a stern slap on the wrist from Athletic Director Jeff Long. But lying about the incident and being found to have cut some corners to hire his motorcycle passenger were just too much for the university to tolerate. Long ultimately did the right thing and the program has yet to recover.

What I think is interesting is that in an environment where we hear a lot about character and integrity, at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter to many Athletic Directors as long as they have winning programs that generate a lot of revenue. Just look at Lane Kiffin who was fired at USC last year. That guy bounces around like a ping pong ball on a rocky driveway. He was at Tennessee for one season before bailing on the Volunteers to go back to USC.

The hypocrisy in all of this is that the student-athletes (I had a hard time typing that, just so you know) aren’t given the same kind of freedom. If they want to transfer, it costs them a season of eligibility and they have to sit out a year of competition. In some conferences, they aren’t even allowed to go to another school in the same league. Heck, we hear a lot about paying the players, but what about taking changing the rules and letting these kids transfer without penalty if their coach bails out on them for another million bucks? The long term coach is a thing of the past, it seems, and so should the archaic transfer rules for kids that think they're going to play for a coaching staff, only to have to deal with a group of new leaders with whom they have no relationship.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WEEK ONE PREDICTIONS

After over seven months of having to convince ourselves that the NBA, early season Major League Baseball, golf's four major championships, hockey and even the World Cup somehow passed for sports, it's time for what we've been craving since Florida State's exciting victory over Auburn. COLLEGE FOOTBALL!

And to think that finally, the conclusion to the upcoming season will be a four team (soon to be eight teams) playoff that will give us a true champion of the sport. Florida State goes into the season as the odds on favorite, but that's usually just a kiss of death. But if the Seminoles can get out of North Texas (for those that don't know, it used to be known as Dallas) with an opening victory over Oklahoma State, who besides Clemson will really be able to derail them until they face Virginia Tech (okay, that's just blatant homer talk) in the ACC Championship game?

Although the opening weekend is mostly made up of FCS schools looking for big paydays to lose to high powered FBS programs, there are a few big early season matchups that could ultimately influence who will be in that final four come season's end.

As in seasons' past, I include all games that involve top 25 teams, plus selected games of the power conference teams. As an alum of Virginia Tech and a resident of Northwest Arkansas, games involving the Hokies and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks are always included in the predictions.


Thursday, August 28

(21) Texas A&M  @ (9) South Carolina: Both teams lost high profile athletes that dominated any coverage last season. But Johnnie Football and Jadeveon Clowney are both at the next level, so we'll see what's left in College Station and Columbia. Manziel was able to compensate for a terrible Aggie defense, while the Gamecocks have balance on both sides of the football. This one won't even be close. South Carolina 34 Texas A&M 20.

Boise State @ (18) Ole Miss: If Ole Miss wasn't in the SEC, would anyone think they were a top 20 team? So you lose to really good teams. You have to win games to impress me, and they won't win this one. Boise State 27 Ole Miss 24.

Weber St. @ (19) Arizona State: I really like Arizona State, but we won't get a good gauge of their team this week. Weber St. has won four games in the last two years and replaced their coach after last season's 2-10 campaign. Arizona St. 57 Weber St. 10

Rutgers @ Washington State: Rutgers begins their first season in the Big Ten by traveling across the country to face the Cougars. Both teams had identical 6 - 7 records last season. I'll go with the home team in this one. Washington St. 27 Rutgers 24

Friday, August 29

Jacksonville State @ (8) Michigan State: Jacksonville State advance to the second round of the FCS playoffs last season, so the Spartans need to be paying attention to this one. Big Ten teams have proved to be vulnerable to these apparent walk overs in the past. But I think the Michigan State defense will prevail. Michigan State 31 Jacksonville State 14

Colorado State @ Colorado: We don't usually see big rivalry games to open the season, but this one  traditionally comes in week 1. Last year, Colorado kicked off what ended up being a disappointing 4 - 8 year by defeating the Rams, who finished with a bowl victory over Washington State. Look for a different result this time. Colorado State 30 Colorado 27

Saturday, August 30

(5) Ohio State @ Navy (Baltimore): Navy's ground oriented offense can always cause problems for opponents. Ohio State will be starting a freshman QB following Braxton Miller's season ending injury. The game will be in Baltimore before a large crowd, many of which will be looking for an inspiring performance from the home standing underdog. Navy is a formidable opponent that won games against Big Ten and ACC opponents last year. They also gave Notre Dame all they could handle in a 38 - 34 loss. Surprise in Kingstown. Navy 27 Ohio State 24

(7) UCLA @ Virginia: There are real problems with Virginia's football program and Jim Mora has UCLA on the rise. This will be an old fashioned butt kicking in Charlottesville. Of course, my Hokie roots have no impact on this pick.  UCLA 51 Virginia 14

West Virginia @ (2) Alabama: At some point you have to figure the Crimson Tide will stub a toe. But after struggling through a 4 - 8 season, it's hard to believe the Mountaineers will provide the door jam that will get in the way of Alabama's big toe. Alabama 34 West Virginia 13.

Rice @ (17) Notre Dame: As usual, the Irish are grossly overranked, especially this season as they are in the midst of an academic scandal within their football program. Rice was an overachiever last season, going 9 - 3 in the regular season and advancing to the Liberty Bowl where they got ripped by Mississippi State. If there was a time for the Owls to surprise Notre Dame, this would be it. But not this time. Close, but no cigar. Notre Dame 30 Rice 27 

South Dakota State @ (24) Missouri: Another game matching a strong FCS division team against a top 25 (okay, according to the polls) program. I don't think Missouri will come close to their success of a season ago, and there's a good chance that the Jackrabbits, yes, the Jackrabbits, could be a formidable opening week foe for the Tigers. But as much as I think Missouri will fail to follow up on 2013, they'll probably prevail in this one. Missouri 31 South Dakota State 20

Florida Atlantic @ (22) Nebraska: The FCS Owls finished last season with four consecutive victories and even defeated FBS South Florida after losses to Miami and East Carolina to start the 2013 campaign. I'm not a huge Nebraska fan, mainly because the team reflects the inconsistency and volatility of head coach Bo Pelini. But the 'Huskers should be able to get by FAU.
Nebraska 28 Florida Atlantic 17

Arkansas @ (6) Auburn: This game is compelling for a number of reasons. Can Auburn duplicate last season's success, much of which came in close (okay, some call lucky) wins? Is Arkansas coach Bret Bielema playing it close to the vest or are the Razorbacks just not very good? Auburn is coming off a season where they were 13 seconds from a national championship. Arkansas was horrible, losing its final nine games to finish 3 - 9. Auburn QB Nick Marshall will sit this one out, but it probably won't matter. Auburn 27 Arkansas 17.

UC Davis @ (11) Stanford: If this was a wine making competition, then my money would be on the Aggies. Unfortunately, this is big time college football and the only stomping will be by the Cardinal. Stanford 45 UC Davis 14.

(16) Clemson @ (12) Georgia: In what both teams hope will be a national championship elimination game, the outcome could come down to a big play late in the game. Clemson lost a couple of big weapons on offense and will need to find replacements quickly to derail the Bulldogs. I'm not sure they can do it. Georgia 24 Clemson 20

Liberty @ (23) North Carolina: I don't think I buy into the Tar Heels' preseason ranking, but they'll have enough to defeat the Flames, coming off a respectable 8 - 4 season in FCS.
North Carolina 34 Liberty 16

Louisiana Tech @ (4) Oklahoma: The Sooners shouldn't have much to worry about as they attempt to carry that number four rating to the playoffs in January. Oklahoma 41 La. Tech 14

Stephen F. Austin @ (20) Kansas St.: The Lumberjacks give up a lot of points, not a great formula for pulling a big opening week upset on the road against a ranked opponent.
Kansas State 45 Stephen F. Austin 14

Fresno State @ (15) USC: This contest is a replay of the Las Vegas Bowl in which the Trojans overwhelmed Fresno State, a team I thought was overrated all season long. I don't see this one ending much differently, especially since new USC head coach Steve Sarkisian has had a full preseason to put his stamp on the team. USC 34 Fresno State 14

(1) Florida State vs. Oklahoma State (Arlington, TX): Jerry Jones' billion dollar house will play host to this game, a pretty good one to gauge whether the Seminoles have what it takes to repeat as national champions. The crowd should be overwhelmingly  partisan for the Cowboys, who despite a lot of recent success, enters the season unranked. Florida State 30 Oklahoma State 20

(14) Wisconsin vs. (13) LSU (Houston, TX): LSU is ranked pretty highly for a team that lost a lot of talent from last season. Both teams played brilliantly at times last season, and looked rather average at others. Despite what will be a big LSU crowd in Reliant Stadium, I like Wisconsin to pull a minor upset. Wisconsin 27 LSU 24

(25) Washington @ Hawaii: Steve Sarkisian left Chris Peterson a Washington program that is on the rise. The Rainbows are considering dropping football. This doesn't bode well for Hawaii.
Washington 37 Hawaii 13

South Dakota @ (3) Oregon: This game won't do anything in Oregon's attempt to make the playoffs. South Dakota is a mediocre FCS team and running up the score won't help the Ducks' cause.
Oregon 47 South Dakota 10.

William and Mary @ Virginia Tech: It wasn't that long ago that the highly regarded Hokies lost to FCS  James Madison following a close loss to Boise State. Although the Tribe is a pretty good FCS team, I look for the Hokies to have enough for an opening victory. Virginia Tech 27 William and Mary 13.

Sunday, August 31

SMU @ (10) Baylor: SMU went 5 - 7 a year ago and at times gave up a lot of points. Baylor went 11-2 and except for their loss for Oklahoma State, scored a lot of points. This one could be ridiculously lopsided. Baylor 56  SMU 27

Miami, FL @ Louisville: In another bowl game rematch, the Cardinals are welcoming back Bobby Petrino and playing their first game in the ACC against a former national power that has yet to win an ACC title. The Hurricanes are trying desperately to recapture that past glory. The fact that Louisville would hire Petrino again will be the subject of an upcoming blog. The Hurricanes rose to #6 in the rankings last season before getting drilled by Florida State and Virginia Tech. Charlie Strong left Louisville in very good shape so I don't see how much could have changed in the last eight months.     Louisville 30  Miami, FL 28

SOCHI OLYMPICS ATHLETIC TRAITOR

RUSSIA, REALLY?: Today, American Vic Wild won his second snowboarding gold medal of the Olympic Games while competing for Russia. Wild, who married a Russian Olympian, is nothing short of a total athletic traitor. I'm sure Wild would maintain he has the right to do whatever he wants within the rules of international competition. I maintain that I have the right to voice whatever opinion I have of his reprehensible decision. I don't know much about his background or history, but I'm pretty sure he benefited greatly from the freedom and opportunity our great country has to offer. This smells like a money grab to me while Wild chooses to take his "loyalties" to his new country. As far as I'm concerned, the guy can stay there and be denied entry back to this country at such time he decides that his birthplace may offer a better deal. Sorry pal, you had your chance. If Wild thinks Vladimir Putin will care about him after his snowboarding days are over, I think he'll be unpleasantly surprised.

MORE OLYMPICS: The men's Olympic hockey team laid a giant egg today against Finland, losing 5 - 0 in the bronze medal game. I can understand that there was a letdown after losing a tough 1 - 0 game to Canada on Friday. But you've got to be kidding me. The real travesty is that the U.S. - Canada game came in the semifinals, not the finals. Despite losing today, I can't help but think that the Americans would have been able to take care of Finland had the game been a semifinal matchup. The overtime win over a strong Russia team denied the Americans the chance to be seeded first in the knockout stage, setting up the semifinal against Canada. Once again, the U.S. will have to wait four more years to get their first gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. But again, 5 - 0 to Finland? Really?

TOO MUCH INFORMATION: I think we may have reached a saturation point when it comes to the NFL. ESPN today was running results from the NFL Combine on its screen tracker. I now know who ran the fourth-fastest forty yard dash among tight ends. Thank goodness, because I'm not sure I would have been able to muster the energy to go to church tomorrow morning without that knowledge. Of course, I haven't yet seen who posted the fifth best time among wide receivers, so I may have to attend a later service...

RAISING MONEY FOR MARKETING: I'm in the process of raising money to market my first book "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel" and subsequent publications in the same series. You can click on the link below to get more information about contributing to the effort.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/679450/wdgi/6365361

GUESS WHAT, CANADA'S HOCKEY TEAMS ARE REALLY GOOD

BIG SURPRISE?: So the Canadians have kicked serious you know what in hockey and curling at the Olympics. Both sports involve a lot of ice, something that last time I checked, doesn't naturally exist in a large part of the United States at anytime during the year. But what's really interesting is that the national sport of our wonderful neighbors to the north is neither of the sports at which they excelled in Sochi. Most Americans would probably be surprised to hear that lacrosse is Canada's national sport. Of course, most Americans would probably be surprised to hear anything about lacrosse, or curling, or even hockey for that matter. If it's not about football, maybe basketball and, well, to a lesser extent, baseball, we don't seem to care too much. Unless of course you happen to be twelve years old and spend almost every weekend playing soccer. Or if you're an adult and the U.S. soccer team is making a run in the World Cup. So unlike Canada, which has two or three sports that almost every citizen plays at some point, we Americans have a large number of sports we participate in and/or watch, including golf and tennis. I'm not surprised at the success of Canada in curling and hockey, and I congratulate those teams on their success and accomplishment.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL DOWN TO THE WIRE: Syracuse lost this week, but given the lack of success of undefeated teams in the NCAA tournament since Indiana finished unbeaten in 1976, Orange coach Jim Boeheim probably isn't all that upset. Now they get to head into tonight's rematch against Duke simply trying to get a big win, instead of having the added pressure of staying perfect on the season. The first game between these two teams was a classic, and I expect a similar contest this evening. After a little bit of a struggle at mid-season, Duke is rounding into form and both of these teams could find themselves trying to make jump shots in a 100,000 seat stadium come the first weekend in April.

RAISING MONEY FOR MARKETING: I'm in the process of raising money to market my first book "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel" and subsequent publications in the same series. You can click on the link below to get more information about contributing to the effort.

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SUPER BOWL UNHYPE AND PREDICTION

Super Bowl Preview: I'm not sure how many times we can hear the following:

• ·        A Broncos win would solidify Peyton Manning's legacy
• ·        The top ranked defense has only lost the Super Bowl once
• ·        The top ranked offense has lost a bunch of them
• ·        The Seahawks secondary will give Manning a difficult time
• ·        The weather could be a big, no wait, shouldn't be a big, no wait, if the game goes long enough, it might be a big...
• ·        Marshawn Lnch needs to play well to keep Peyton Manning off the field
• ·        Russell Wilson needs to play well to keep Peyton Manning off the field
• ·        Broncos coach John Fox missed a month with heart problems, yet his team is one win from a  Super Bowl championship

Instead of trying to add anything to the overwhelming hype for one football game, I'm going to think back on some of my own Super Bowl memories before making my prediction for today's game...

• ·        Growing up, I was a huge Baltimore Colt and Johnny Unitas fan. The Colts had rolled through their regular season schedule in 1968, posting a 13 - 1 record and rode a wave of momentum into the Super Bowl against the AFL's New York Jets in Miami's Orange Bowl. Unitas, very much like Peyton Manning, was trying to add a second world championship to his storied resume. Jets' QB Joe Namath instead created his own legacy, leading the prohibitive underdogs to a huge upset victory. To this day, it is the single most disappointing sporting event I can remember.

• ·        By the time 1972 rolled around, I had become a Washington Redskin fan and behind energetic and optimistic George Allen, of whom Seahawks coach Pete Carroll reminds me, advanced to the Super Bowl against the undefeated Miami Dolphins. Miami's defense stymied the Redskins' offense that day and won, 14 - 7. The only score for the 'Skins was the infamous pick six thrown by Dolphins' kicker Garo Yepremian.

• ·        My close friend in high school and college, John Dean, was a big Oakland Raiders fan. Of course, until 1977, the Raiders had a frustrating postseason history, especially against the Pittsburgh Steelers. We were sophomores at Virginia Tech when the Raiders finally made it to the Super Bowl behind QB Ken Stabler and coach John Madden. That Sunday, we got dumped with a couple of feet of snow in Blacksburg and I remember walking from my dorm to John's apartment to watch the game. The Raiders were playing another frustrated team, the Minnesota Vikings, who had lost three of the last seven Super Bowls. Happily for John and the Raider nation, Oakland won 32 - 14, and to make things even better, classes were cancelled for the only time in my five and a half years at Virginia Tech.

• ·        In 1982, the NFL season was shortened by a strike, which also altered the postseason. But when the dust settled, my Redskins had advanced to the Super Bowl once again to play the Miami Dolphins. Coach Joe Gibbs had brought the 'Skins back from mediocrity and re-energized the fan base. Outgoing QB Joe Theismann and outrageous RB John Riggins led an otherwise blue collar group to Pasadena. Late in the game, the outcome was still in the balance when John Riggins broke off the left side of the line in what I believe is the greatest play in Super Bowl history. It wasn't just great because it turned out to be the clinching touchdown, but because it also began a run of four Super Bowl appearances and three wins in ten years for the Redskins. Eventually, Joe Gibbs would leave for NASCAR, but not before setting the stage for his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As Redskins fans, we've suffered through over twenty years of frustration, but that one play still looms large in our collective memory.

• ·        The following season, the Redskins waltzed through the season 15 - 1 and rolled their two playoff opponents for the right to play the Raiders in the Super Bowl. In what may be the biggest upset in history, the overconfident and underprepared 'Skins were embarrassed by Marcus Allen and the Raider defense 38 - 9.

• ·        Mike Ditka led what was perhaps the most dominating team in recent memory against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in 1986. There was no way this one was going to be a contest from the beginning, and it didn't surprise anyone that the Bears won 46 - 10. The biggest surprise might have been that the Pats even scored at all. But my memory is one that I believe was a show of arrogance or perhaps lack of judgment by the Bears coach. Late in the game, the Bears were knocking on the door for a touchdown, something the great Walter Payton had yet to get in his career. Instead of giving the ball to the future hall of famer and now late Payton, the Bears chose instead to run a gimmick play to defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry. I have always thought the move showed incredible disrespect for Payton.

• ·        In 1988, I had just had knee surgery when the Redskins met John Elway and the favored Broncos in the Super Bowl. I was attending a party and because the 'Skins were playing, probably had more than my share of adult beverages prior to the start of the game. By the time the second quarter started, Denver had jumped out to a 10 - 0 lead, and it didn't look good for Washington. It took a long time to hobble to the bathroom, so I decided to go as the 'Skins took over deep in their own territory. While taking care of, well you know, the room erupted in cheers as Doug Williams, the first African American to start at QB in the Super Bowl, hit Gary Clark for a long touchdown pass. The next couple of times I made my way to the bathroom, the 'Skins scored a touchdown. I finally saw the next one that gave Washington a 28 - 10 lead on their way to a 35 -10 halftime lead and ultimately a 42 - 10 victory.

• ·        It's interesting to be in another country on Super Bowl Sunday. It's especially interesting when you actually live in the city of one of the teams playing in the game. In 2003, Tampa Bay was playing the Oakland Raiders in San Diego. I was in Munich, Germany on business and had flown in earlier in the day. Of course, the game doesn't start until 11:30 pm in Germany. The hotel had a nice lobby bar and there were a few Americans staying at the hotel and we had assembled there to watch the game.  I don't remember much about the game itself, but what I do recall is that the play by play was in German and unlike the broadcast in the U.S., they played the same two or three commercials throughout the game. Just before halftime, it was just me and a guy from Orlando left and the bartender informed us that the place was closing. Instead of kicking us out, however, he put a bucket of beers and the remote on table. All he asked was that we turn off the television and put the bucket on the bar when we were done. I didn't make it to the end of  the game, but I did make it to the office on time later that morning!

Prediction:  If you've seen my predictions all season, you know I sometimes pick with my heart. Anyone reading this has no doubt heard the experts break down the X's and O's, generally agreeing that defense wins championships. But great quarterbacks also win championships, whether it was Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Bret Favre, John Elway, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.  Today, I'm going with the team led by who I believe is the best quarterback in the history of the game.

Denver Broncos  27   Seattle Seahawks  23

FRIDAY THOUGHTS ON MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, THE NFL, TENNIS AND TIGER WOODS

Maddux Goes Logo-less:  Greg Maddux has decided not to have a logo on the cap his Baseball Hall of Fame bust will bear. As a Braves fan, I would have liked him to have chosen an Atlanta logo, but he played eleven or twelve seasons with each team and had similar success from a statistical perspective. The main difference was that the Braves were winning division titles, pennants and a World Series during his tenure in Atlanta. Of course, the Cubs' frustrations are well documented, so it certainly wasn't Greg Maddux' s fault that they failed to win a title during his two stints in Chicago. I totally support the Hall of Famer's decision to go into the shrine without a logo. Unlike longtime Brave teammate Tom Glavine, who will have the Atlanta logo on his bust, Maddux can easily be claimed by fans in both Chicago and Atlanta. Likewise, Tony LaRussa, who managed in Chicago, Oakland and St. Louis, declined to commit to a logo. He led two of those teams to World Series appearances and titles, so I once again understand his choice. I'm sure Cardinals fans will make a case for the St. Louis logo, but I don't generally make it a habit of caring much about what Cards fans think. I know, I know, it's petty and childish, but that's just how it is.

Nadal ousts Federer:   Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Australian Open. That's not usually a big story with all of the Super Bowl hype ramping up, as well as college basketball in full conference swing. But what's at stake at this point is Federer's seemingly invincible record of 17 grand slam titles. In an era when there are other very good players, such as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray winning majors, it's hard to believe that Nadal, at age twenty seven, can capture his fifteenth with a win on Saturday. Or is it Sunday, or is it Friday? I really can't keep track when things happen in Australia. Anyway, my point is that Nadal, especially with his dominance at the French Open, certainly has the capability to surpass Federer. And a win this weekend would give him a big boost.

Tiger Back in Action:  Tiger Woods returned to the golf course yesterday, shooting a 72 on the South Course at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California in the Farmers Insurance Open. The South is the tougher of the two courses, so the round the number one player in the world shot appeared to be mediocre, putting him in a tie for 63rd. However, the North course, which Woods will play today, is traditionally far easier than the South.  In round one, it played an average of four shots less than the other track. Tiger has won seven times at this tournament, in addition to a U.S. Open at the same venue. He's probably a little rusty, although Woods didn't use that term in describing his round. Unlike last season, this is Tiger's first tournament of the season with no European Tour warm-up. Now that the fourteen major winner has re-established himself as the top player in the world, there are really only four tournaments that will matter to most golf fans when it comes to Tiger: The Masters, The U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the PGA. He hasn't won one of those since 2008 and time is running out on the thirty-eight year old's assault on Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 career major tournament wins.  So even if Woods comes back and wins for the eighth time at Torrey Pines, it won't matter all that much until he tees it up in April at Augusta National.

Browns Finally Hire a Coach: It was starting to look like the Cleveland Browns might have to hire a high school offensive coordinator to be their third coach in as many seasons. In a league where parity is not only encouraged, but generally realized, the Browns haven't won more than five games since 2007. Really, and they think a new head coach will solve the problem? In that same timeframe, only five teams have failed to make a playoff appearance and the Browns ended up taking a coach from one of the others, the Buffalo Bills. However, Mike Pettine only spent a year in Buffalo and had defensive success with the Ravens and the Jets. So perhaps the Browns can overcome front office issues and finally start winning some football  games, but I wouldn't bet on it.

WEDNESDAY MUSINGS

College Bowl Pick Recap: Although it's old news now, I just wanted to report how my bowl picks went, especially since I went to the trouble to make them all. I got off to a horrid start, missing three out of four on the first day. But eventually, I rebounded well enough to post a 19 - 14 record, not bad considering that I vastly underestimated the ability of the bottom of the SEC and ACC  to come through with victories. Overall, however, I'm pleased with my performance, especially down the stretch and in the national championship game. For the season I was 229 - 86 for a 73% winning percentage. Now we only have to wait seven more months before it starts all over again.

NFL Playoff Pick Recap: After going 1 - 3 on wildcard weekend, I came back to even my record at 5 - 5 for the playoffs. Wins by Denver and Seattle capped the comeback. Denver made it through to the Super Bowl a year late, overcoming last year's disappointing loss to Baltimore in the divisional round. The Seattle - San Francisco game was as good as anyone could have hoped for, eventually hinging an outstanding play by Seattle DB Richard Sherman. As a Peyton Manning fan, I was particularly pleased to see the Broncos easily handle the Patriots, setting up a classic struggle between the top offense against the best defense in the Super Bowl. You'll have to wait until next week for my pick in that one.

NBA Update: Now that we've reached the halfway point in the NBA season, I feel it's time to weigh in. The Eastern Conference is pathetic, sporting just three teams over .500. However, the race to secure seeding to avoid first round series against Indiana and Miami will be intense.  With the Heat resting players in back to back game situations, I have a difficult time seeing them catching Indiana for the top seed. But it appears Miami is more focused on entering the playoffs rested than on getting there as the number one team. A wild card for Miami may well be Greg Oden, who is seeing action for the first time in almost five years. If he can continue to contribute quality minutes, Oden may just be a factor against the Pacers in the conference finals. The Pacers should cruise through the regular season, then hope they can do what they've failed to do the past three years: unseat the Heat in the playoffs. The Western Conference is once again led by Oklahoma City and San Antonio, but is very deep and could provide a lot of surprising teams come playoff time. Whether it's just a fluke or because of the competition in the West, there is a huge disparity in the quality of teams in the two conferences. By the time we get to the finals in June, despite the depth of talent in the West, whoever comes out of that conference might just be too worn out to put up a good fight against Indiana or Miami.

NHL Commentary: While I like watching hockey, especially during the playoffs when I have a team to support, the brawl between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks illustrates all that is wrong with the sport. The league's response further illustrates how far out of touch the commissioner is with the attitude of other sports and the direction they are headed, especially when it comes to violence and protecting the players. It was clearly the intention of Flames' coach Bob Hartley to instigate some type of altercation when he started the game with his fourth line comprised of enforcers or "goons". When Canucks' coach John Tortorella countered with a similar line, the inevitable occurred. After the dust, or in this case, ice crystals settled, several players had been penalized or ejected. Tortorella, in defense of his team, tried to enter the Flames' locker room following the first period. So in its infinite wisdom, the league suspended Tortorella fifteen days, during which he'll miss six games. But Hartley, the instigator, was fined $25,000, a sum which will undoubtedly be reimbursed by the team in some fashion. So one guy gets six games and the other coach gets a slap on the wrist and a pat on the back for perpetuating the violence that the NHL mistakenly thinks draws fans. Really? And the guys in the suits wonder why their only national television contract is with the NBS Sports Network and most sports fans don't know  icing from a cupcake.

 A-Rod and PED's: Pete Rose got banned for life from baseball for betting on his own team as a manager, thus eliminating him from Hall of Fame consideration as a player despite being the all time leader in hits. But Alex Rodriguez, despite his repeated attempts to gain a competitive advantage as a player through his use of PED's, is still around and intends to return for the 2015 season after serving a one year suspension. The NHL is pretty bad, but Major League Baseball is right behind them on the train wreck list. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. So let's recap, shall we? MLB is hit by a strike in 1994, eliminating the postseason. Upon getting back on the field and trying to bring fans back into ballparks, home runs and scoring increase dramatically, as well as the size of the players. The sport applauds the power outburst, turning a blind eye to the obvious use of PED's. An entire generation of players had to make a decision to use or lose, at least from a competitive standpoint. Barry Bonds in particular was forced to watch as players with less skill surpassed him statistically. Without any substantive action by the commissioner and with resistance by the players' union to drug testing, what we now routinely look at as banned substances were not in fact against the rules. Faced with a competitive environment where income and longevity was, and still is, based on productivity, most players chose to use PED's and the sport not only ignored the phenomenon, but celebrated the players' historic accomplishments.  Only after public and media speculation did the players and the sport ban PED's. But what do we do about Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and the countless others who had the unfortunate luck to be playing and excelling during that era? In retrospect, anyone can self righteously be critical of their decision, but is that really fair? Can you imagine hitting a stretch of highway without a speed limit sign, hitting the gas pedal and redlining your car at 160, knowing you're jeopardizing your life and probably anyone else on the road? But hey, it's not illegal. Then fast forward a couple of years and you get a summons in the mail, telling you they'd changed the speed limit on that highway and you were now being charged with reckless driving.  And to add insult to injury, they were only going after the people with the really fast cars. The people who couldn't go 160, but who topped out at 115, well, they're "under the radar". I'm not here to let Bonds and Clemens totally off the hook, but to throw them under the bus is wrong. And what about A-Rod? Well, the rules have changed, he knew it and continued to use, despite having natural skills that needed little or no enhancement. As far as I'm concerned, I'll give him a pass on the early use, but at this point his suspension should be permanent.

NFL FINAL FOUR PICKS

We're down to the Final Four in the NFL, none of which is a surprise. A case can be made for any of the four teams to end up in the Super Bowl. Even though the Broncos are the only one of the conference championship participants that haven't been to the Big Game in the last eight years, they have a quarterback that has been there twice. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, despite making five appearances and winners of three out of four from 2002 to 2005, haven't been able to win one since that great run. The San Francisco 49ers are trying to get back to the Super Bowl after losing to the Ravens, something no team has done since the Buffalo Bills of twenty years ago. And Seattle, the team many thought was the best throughout the season, is attempting to ride their home field advantage to an appearance they hope will lead them to their first ever championship. My record for the playoffs is a disappointing 3 - 5, but I was able to go .500 last week. Two of those five losses were for failing to pick San Francisco. Will I make the same mistake again today? Read on to see whether I do or not.

New England Patriots (13 - 4) 30 @ Denver Broncos (14 - 3) 34: The big story today will most likely be the mild weather in Denver. Much has been written about QB Peyton Manning's inability to play well in cold weather.  Unfortunately for Manning, the weather might be good, but so are the New England Patriots. One of my friends, a die hard Boston sports fan, believes this is the best coaching job he's seen from head coach Bill Belichick. I would have to agree, considering all of the receiving weapons that they lost during the off season. Last week, the Pats ran the ball down the throat of the Indianapolis Colts, but there's no guarantee that they'll try that again today. The Broncos secondary is vulnerable, so this could turn into a shootout. While I like what New England has been able to do this season, including a huge comeback win against the Broncos in Foxboro, I think Manning will find a way to make enough plays to stay ahead and keep the pressure on Brady. At the end of the day, this is shaping up to be another classic game between the top two quarterbacks of their generation and two of the best of all time. I'll take the Broncos, with both my head and my heart.

San Francisco Forty-Niners (14 - 4) 20 @ Seattle Seahawks (14 - 3) 23: This may be the most difficult pick I've had to make the entire season. The Niners are coming off a beat down of a strong Carolina team on the road. The Seahawks have the most intimidating home environment in the league. San Francisco can run the ball and plays tenacious defense. Seattle can make life miserable for opposing offenses, especially with all of the crowd noise at home. The 'Niners' last two visits to Seattle have been disastrous. If that's on their mind today, then the Seahawks may have already won. More important is the way these two teams match up, and even in their losses to San Francisco, Seattle has been able to shut down their opponent's offense. The 'Niners have a great receiving corps, but Vernon Davis, Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree will be facing one of the great secondaries I've ever seen. The ability of Seattle to handle those receivers playing man-to-man allows the Seahawks to minimize the scrambling ability of San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick. I'll have to go against the 'Niners again because I don't see how they are considerably better than the teams that got blown out on their last two visits to Seattle.

NFL PLAYOFF PICKS

Last Week: 1 - 3

Season: 177 - 100 - 1

New Orleans (12  - 5) 23 @ Seattle (13 - 3) 28: The Saints broke their winless streak in road playoff games against the Packers last week.  Seattle had its vulnerability at home exposed by Arizona, so this may not be the slam dunk for the Seahawks it may have been a couple of weeks ago.  In week 13, New Orleans got creamed in Seattle, their only big loss of the season. This week, Saints head coach Sean Payton had a Seahawks logo painted on the New Orleans practice field. That's a little like Dorothy clicking her heels and saying there's no place like home, there's no...Well, you get the point. Because for the Saints, despite the last second victory against a depleted Green Bay team last week, there really isn't any place like home, and the same goes for Seattle. It's easy to get swayed by victories in the wild card round, because the best teams had byes, but Seattle had the week off because throughout the season they were the top team in the conference, especially at home. These are the same teams that played earlier in the season, and New Orleans is going on the road for the fourth time in five weeks. I'll take the home team to pound the Saints again.

Indianapolis (12 - 5) 31 @ New England (12 - 4) 27: Same teams, different Colts' QB. These two franchises have met twelve times in the last ten years, with the Pats holding a 7 - 5 edge, 2 - 1 in the playoffs. Indy QB Andrew Luck's only appearance against Brady & Co. was a 59 - 24 shellacking last season. The Colts are coming off a miraculous comeback win over the Chiefs, while the Patriots took last week to try to get healthy and have Brady continue to increase his comfort level with a patchwork of skill players. Indianapolis has some impressive wins, including at San Francisco and Kansas City. The Patriots, despite losses and injuries to receivers and running backs, somehow managed a 12 - 4 season and a first round bye, going undefeated at home.  For some reason, I just don't feel good about New England tonight. The Colts, despite a terrible first half defensively against Kansas City, has some momentum and can play with anyone in the league. I'm taking Indy in an upset.

San Francisco (13 - 4)  17 @ Carolina (12 - 4) 20: The 'Niners appear to be back in Super Bowl form, but they are heading into the home stadium of the hottest team in the league. The Panthers have won eleven of twelve and twelve of fourteen after an 0 - 2 start. They've only allowed more than twenty points in three games all season. Earlier this year, Carolina squeaked by San Francisco on the road, 10 - 9. Both these teams play tough defense and have good, young quarterbacks to guide their offenses which rely on the run to control the clock. This game is virtually a toss-up for me. The big question will be how a young Carolina team plays in their first playoff game since winning the NFC South in 2008, a four season absence. The Panthers defense totally dominated 49ers' QB Colin Kaepernick in their first meeting, and this time the crowd will be on their side as well. I like what the Panthers have done and I expect them to be traveling to Seattle next week with a shot at the Super Bowl on the line.

San Diego (10 - 7) 24 @ Denver (13 - 3) 30 : The Chargers are about to play what amounts to their fifth straight playoff game. They went into Denver week 13 and knocked off the Broncos to keep their playoff hopes alive. This is a hot team, not unlike the Ravens last year, the team that knocked off Peyton Manning in the same round.  I'm not necessarily sold on the Broncos, but I'm not ready to give up on Manning's chance at another Super Bowl. These teams split their season meetings, but Denver's had a week to rest and prepare for Philip Rivers and Chargers offense. However, a bigger concern for the Broncos should be the San Diego defense, which did as well a job as anyone all season in slowing down Peyton Manning.  But I think as well as the Chargers are playing, I expect the veteran Denver QB to have a better day to keep his season alive.