East Regional - Boston
at Pittsburgh
1 Syracuse 16 UNC-Asheville/Stony Brook
8 Iowa St. 9 St. Louis
at Portland
5 Florida St. 12 Kansas St.
4 Indiana 13 Middle Tennessee St.
at Albuquerque
6 Mississippi St. 11 Northwestern
3 UNLV 14 Bucknell
at Omaha
7 Southern Miss 10 UConn
2 Kansas 15 Loyola (Md)
South Regional - Atlanta
at Omaha
1 Missouri 16 Long Island
8 Cal 9 West Virginia
at Portland
5 San Diego St. 12 Seton Hall
4 Wisconsin 13 Oral Roberts
at Columbus
6 St. Mary's 11 Purdue
3 Georgetown 14 Akron
at Greensboro
7 Temple 10 Harvard
2 North Carolina 15 Weber St.
Midwest Regional - St. Louis
at Louisville
1 Kentucky 16 Norfolk St./Mississippi Valley St.
8 Creighton 9 Murray St.
at Nashville
5 Michigan 12 BYU/Arizona
4 Louisville 13 Nevada
at Albuquerque
6 Notre Dame 11 Illinois
3 Baylor 14 Belmont
at Columbus
7 Vanderbilt 10 NC State
2 Michigan St. 15 Drexel
West Regional - Phoenix
at Pittsburgh
1 Ohio St. 16 Texas-Arlington
8 New Mexico 9 Nevada
at Nashville
5 Virginia 12 Minnesota/Oregon
4 Florida 13 Long Beach St.
at Louisville
6 Gonzaga 11 Texas
3 Marquette 14 Davidson
at Greensboro
7 Wichita St. 10 Cincinnati
2 Duke 15 Cleveland St.
Last Four In: BYU, Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona
First Four Out: Alabama, Miami, Xavier, Wyoming
Next Four Out: Colorado St., South Florida, Arkansas, Washington
** The Final Four matchups would be East vs. South and Midwest vs. West
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
NFL - Look Ahead to 2012
It happened again. There were 6 teams that made the playoffs this year that did not last year. This is the 16th season in a row in which there were at least 5 new teams in the playoffs. That trend says that you can expect the same in 2012. The NFL landscape changes every season. Here is a look ahead at who the best and most improved teams could be in each division in 2012.
AFC East
Best: New England. Is there any question here? The Patriots made it to another Super Bowl in 2011, despite not having the best talent. Tom Brady was magnificent throughout the regular season, and Bill Belechick still knows which buttons to push. New England has 4 draft picks in Rounds 1 and 2 of the NFL Draft which means they should be able to stockpile more talent.
Most Improved: Miami. The Dolphins were a much better team in the 2nd half of the 2011 season. Miami began the year 0-7 before finishing 6-10. Their management team has made no secret about the fact that they want to upgrade at QB and won't be afraid to spend money. There have been whispers about Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn bringing their talents to South Beach. If they do land one of these men, look for it to make an immediate impact.
AFC North
Best: Baltimore. This is always a tough one call because Baltimore and Pittsburgh are so evenly matched. Well last year I said that I would go with Pittsburgh until Baltimore could prove that they could beat the Steelers. The Ravens beat them twice this year and advanced further in the playoffs. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are getting older but I think they have one more solid year ahead of them. And Terrell Suggs won Defensive Player of the Year, not Lewis or Reed.
Most Improved: Cleveland. There is really no choice here but the Browns. The only way Baltimore could improve is by going to the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh would have to win 12+ games, and Cincinnati would have to win a playoff game. I don't think any of that will happen. The Browns took a step back this year, so the only way to go is up. They have some solid pieces to build around on defense, but their offense was putrid. They draft 4th overall and should be able to get a playmaker such as Robert Griffin III, Justin Blackmon, or Trent Richardson.
AFC South
Best: Houston. The Texans finally got over the hump this season. They were 7-3 before Matt Schaub got hurt. Even without Schaub, Houston won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the 1st time in franchise history. They had a slew of injuries on top of Schaub's. Schaub, Mario Williams, and Andre Johnson should all be healthy next season. The Texans are solid on both sides of the ball and could be a heavy contender to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl next season.
Most Improved: Indianapolis. The Colts lost Peyton Manning for the year and were abysmal because of it. It looks like Peyton's days in Indy are numbered. All signs point towards Andrew Luck being the Colts selection with the 1st pick of the NFL Draft. Indianapolis still has some talent on their squad. Don't expect Luck to bring it out in them like Manning did for so many years. But there is enough in the cupboard for Indianapolis to move from 2-14 to 6-10 next season.
AFC West
Best: San Diego. Once again, there is no doubt that the Chargers have the most talented roster in the AFC West. Their season actually started out bright this year, but they had mid-season swoon in which they lost 6 straight games and ultimately cost them the AFC West. They decided to retain Norv Turner, which means he will get another crack at getting Phillip Rivers and the rest of this squad over the hump. If San Diego doesn't reach the playoffs again next year, it will be a disgrace.
Most Improved: Kansas City. The Chiefs were derailed by injuries from the very beginning of the season. Their All-Pro RB Jamaal Charles was lost for the year in Week 1. Matt Cassel was lost for the year about midway through the season. They could never generate any momentum. New coach, Romeo Crennel got the team playing well after he took over for the fired Todd Haley. Crennel lead Kansas City to a 2-1 record that included handing Green Bay their only loss. Rejuvenated by Crennel and their health, the Chiefs should be much better in 2012.
NFC East
Best: NY Giants. Though I'm not completely sold that the Eagles can't overtake this division in 2012, I have to go with the defending Super Bowl champs. The Giants exceeded all expectations this year, and Eli Manning had the best season of his career. They were outstanding from Christmas on, as they won their 2nd Super Bowl in 5 years. Last time they defended a title, they finished the year 12-4 but were bounced early in the playoffs. They know how difficult it is to repeat as it hasn't been done since 1998. They have the talent coming back to defend the NFC East title at the very least.
Most Improved: Philadelphia. This is a no-brainer. The Eagles have so much talent on their team that they should be ashamed of their 8-8 record in 2011. Philly came into the season dubbed as "The Dream Team" and never lived up to expectations. They never came close to contending at that level. They were 4-8 at one point before winning their last 4 games of the year to finish at .500. The Eagles have a ton of talent on their squad. In each of the last 4 seasons there has been a team in the Super Bowl that didn't qualify for the playoffs the previous season. The Eagles could help that trend continue.
NFC North
Best: Green Bay. It looked like the Packers were on their way to repeating as Super Bowl champs for much of the year. They were steamrolling the competition on their way to a 15-1 record. Aaron Rodgers had one of the best seasons a QB has ever had and won the NFL MVP. The defense let them down quite a bit this year, but Clay Matthews, BJ Raji, and Charles Woodson will all be returning to turn that around. Green Bay ran into a buzzsaw in the Giants in the postseason which derailed their dreams of repeating. They should be right back in the hunt in 2012.
Most Improved: Chicago. The Bears were playing very good football until they lost Jay Cutler to a season ending injury in Week 11. At the time of his injury, Chicago was 7-3 and looked like they were definitely headed towards the playoffs. Cutler was playing some of the best football of his career. If he can pick up where he left off the Bears will be on the right track. Lovie Smith's squad is no stranger to winning. The Bears will be back in the mix next season.
NFC South
Best: New Orleans. The Saints were as explosive as ever this year. Drew Brees set an NFL record for passing yards, breaking Dan Marino's 27-year old record with 5,476. If not for Aaron Rodgers' incredible year, Brees certainly would have won MVP. New Orleans won their final 8 games of the regular season in route to a 13-3 record. They were clicking on all cylinders and appeared to be a Super Bowl favorite, but lost in the final seconds in San Francisco during the Divisional round. They should be in contention for another possible Super Bowl run.
Most Improved: Carolina. Cam Newton surpassed all expectations this year. Despite, being taken with 1st overall pick of the NFL Draft the majority of analysts were skeptical on how his skills would translate to the NFL. All he did was pass for over 4,000 yards, run for 15 TDs, and make the Pro Bowl. By doing all this, the Panthers increased their win total by 4 from 2010. Steve Smith's career was rejuvenated as he reverted back to his All Pro days. If the defense continues to improve and the Panthers can get more consistency from the RB tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart, they will continue to be on the rise in 2012.
NFC West
Best: San Francisco. The 49ers came out of nowhere this year to become one of the best teams in the NFL. Nobody saw this coming. Jim Harbaugh came to the Bay Area and lead a renaissance of 49er football. Alex Smith played mistake free ball, and Frank Gore and a bruising defense lead the way to a 13-win season. This team lost in the NFC Championship in heartbreaking fashion. Poor Kyle Williams fumbled twice on punt returns, paving the way for the Giants to win the Super Bowl. Harbaugh will have his team as hungry as ever heading into next season.
Most Improved: Arizona. The Cardinals continued to improve every week throughout the 2011 season. They began the year 1-6 and finished 8-8. It will be interesting to see what happens at the QB position. the Cards spent a lot of money on Kevin Kolb last offseason. Kolb struggled with injuries through most of the season and never lived up to the hype. Now there are whispers that Arizona could pursue Peyton Manning. If Manning came to the desert and was able to stay healthy, the Cardinals would immediately become a contender. There are a lot of ifs though. A couple things are certain. Larry Fitzgerald is a bona find star, and Beanie Wells is a star in the making.
AFC East
Best: New England. Is there any question here? The Patriots made it to another Super Bowl in 2011, despite not having the best talent. Tom Brady was magnificent throughout the regular season, and Bill Belechick still knows which buttons to push. New England has 4 draft picks in Rounds 1 and 2 of the NFL Draft which means they should be able to stockpile more talent.
Most Improved: Miami. The Dolphins were a much better team in the 2nd half of the 2011 season. Miami began the year 0-7 before finishing 6-10. Their management team has made no secret about the fact that they want to upgrade at QB and won't be afraid to spend money. There have been whispers about Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn bringing their talents to South Beach. If they do land one of these men, look for it to make an immediate impact.
AFC North
Best: Baltimore. This is always a tough one call because Baltimore and Pittsburgh are so evenly matched. Well last year I said that I would go with Pittsburgh until Baltimore could prove that they could beat the Steelers. The Ravens beat them twice this year and advanced further in the playoffs. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are getting older but I think they have one more solid year ahead of them. And Terrell Suggs won Defensive Player of the Year, not Lewis or Reed.
Most Improved: Cleveland. There is really no choice here but the Browns. The only way Baltimore could improve is by going to the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh would have to win 12+ games, and Cincinnati would have to win a playoff game. I don't think any of that will happen. The Browns took a step back this year, so the only way to go is up. They have some solid pieces to build around on defense, but their offense was putrid. They draft 4th overall and should be able to get a playmaker such as Robert Griffin III, Justin Blackmon, or Trent Richardson.
AFC South
Best: Houston. The Texans finally got over the hump this season. They were 7-3 before Matt Schaub got hurt. Even without Schaub, Houston won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the 1st time in franchise history. They had a slew of injuries on top of Schaub's. Schaub, Mario Williams, and Andre Johnson should all be healthy next season. The Texans are solid on both sides of the ball and could be a heavy contender to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl next season.
Most Improved: Indianapolis. The Colts lost Peyton Manning for the year and were abysmal because of it. It looks like Peyton's days in Indy are numbered. All signs point towards Andrew Luck being the Colts selection with the 1st pick of the NFL Draft. Indianapolis still has some talent on their squad. Don't expect Luck to bring it out in them like Manning did for so many years. But there is enough in the cupboard for Indianapolis to move from 2-14 to 6-10 next season.
AFC West
Best: San Diego. Once again, there is no doubt that the Chargers have the most talented roster in the AFC West. Their season actually started out bright this year, but they had mid-season swoon in which they lost 6 straight games and ultimately cost them the AFC West. They decided to retain Norv Turner, which means he will get another crack at getting Phillip Rivers and the rest of this squad over the hump. If San Diego doesn't reach the playoffs again next year, it will be a disgrace.
Most Improved: Kansas City. The Chiefs were derailed by injuries from the very beginning of the season. Their All-Pro RB Jamaal Charles was lost for the year in Week 1. Matt Cassel was lost for the year about midway through the season. They could never generate any momentum. New coach, Romeo Crennel got the team playing well after he took over for the fired Todd Haley. Crennel lead Kansas City to a 2-1 record that included handing Green Bay their only loss. Rejuvenated by Crennel and their health, the Chiefs should be much better in 2012.
NFC East
Best: NY Giants. Though I'm not completely sold that the Eagles can't overtake this division in 2012, I have to go with the defending Super Bowl champs. The Giants exceeded all expectations this year, and Eli Manning had the best season of his career. They were outstanding from Christmas on, as they won their 2nd Super Bowl in 5 years. Last time they defended a title, they finished the year 12-4 but were bounced early in the playoffs. They know how difficult it is to repeat as it hasn't been done since 1998. They have the talent coming back to defend the NFC East title at the very least.
Most Improved: Philadelphia. This is a no-brainer. The Eagles have so much talent on their team that they should be ashamed of their 8-8 record in 2011. Philly came into the season dubbed as "The Dream Team" and never lived up to expectations. They never came close to contending at that level. They were 4-8 at one point before winning their last 4 games of the year to finish at .500. The Eagles have a ton of talent on their squad. In each of the last 4 seasons there has been a team in the Super Bowl that didn't qualify for the playoffs the previous season. The Eagles could help that trend continue.
NFC North
Best: Green Bay. It looked like the Packers were on their way to repeating as Super Bowl champs for much of the year. They were steamrolling the competition on their way to a 15-1 record. Aaron Rodgers had one of the best seasons a QB has ever had and won the NFL MVP. The defense let them down quite a bit this year, but Clay Matthews, BJ Raji, and Charles Woodson will all be returning to turn that around. Green Bay ran into a buzzsaw in the Giants in the postseason which derailed their dreams of repeating. They should be right back in the hunt in 2012.
Most Improved: Chicago. The Bears were playing very good football until they lost Jay Cutler to a season ending injury in Week 11. At the time of his injury, Chicago was 7-3 and looked like they were definitely headed towards the playoffs. Cutler was playing some of the best football of his career. If he can pick up where he left off the Bears will be on the right track. Lovie Smith's squad is no stranger to winning. The Bears will be back in the mix next season.
NFC South
Best: New Orleans. The Saints were as explosive as ever this year. Drew Brees set an NFL record for passing yards, breaking Dan Marino's 27-year old record with 5,476. If not for Aaron Rodgers' incredible year, Brees certainly would have won MVP. New Orleans won their final 8 games of the regular season in route to a 13-3 record. They were clicking on all cylinders and appeared to be a Super Bowl favorite, but lost in the final seconds in San Francisco during the Divisional round. They should be in contention for another possible Super Bowl run.
Most Improved: Carolina. Cam Newton surpassed all expectations this year. Despite, being taken with 1st overall pick of the NFL Draft the majority of analysts were skeptical on how his skills would translate to the NFL. All he did was pass for over 4,000 yards, run for 15 TDs, and make the Pro Bowl. By doing all this, the Panthers increased their win total by 4 from 2010. Steve Smith's career was rejuvenated as he reverted back to his All Pro days. If the defense continues to improve and the Panthers can get more consistency from the RB tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart, they will continue to be on the rise in 2012.
NFC West
Best: San Francisco. The 49ers came out of nowhere this year to become one of the best teams in the NFL. Nobody saw this coming. Jim Harbaugh came to the Bay Area and lead a renaissance of 49er football. Alex Smith played mistake free ball, and Frank Gore and a bruising defense lead the way to a 13-win season. This team lost in the NFC Championship in heartbreaking fashion. Poor Kyle Williams fumbled twice on punt returns, paving the way for the Giants to win the Super Bowl. Harbaugh will have his team as hungry as ever heading into next season.
Most Improved: Arizona. The Cardinals continued to improve every week throughout the 2011 season. They began the year 1-6 and finished 8-8. It will be interesting to see what happens at the QB position. the Cards spent a lot of money on Kevin Kolb last offseason. Kolb struggled with injuries through most of the season and never lived up to the hype. Now there are whispers that Arizona could pursue Peyton Manning. If Manning came to the desert and was able to stay healthy, the Cardinals would immediately become a contender. There are a lot of ifs though. A couple things are certain. Larry Fitzgerald is a bona find star, and Beanie Wells is a star in the making.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Super Bowl XLVI - Recap
NY Giants 21 New England 17
Super Bowl XLVI was another one for the ages. When it was all said and done, the 2011 NFL season ended with the New York Giants hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. The Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl for the 2nd time in 5 years, this time by a final score of 21-17. This made the G-Men just the 5th team in NFL history to win 4 or more Super Bowls.
Eli Manning completed the best season of his career by winning his 2nd Super Bowl and 2nd Super Bowl MVP. Eli officially moved outside of Peyton's shadow as he was 30-40 for 296 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INT. This included a beautiful 38-yard pass to Mario Manningham on the Giants' final drive that will go down in Super Bowl lore. Manning also received plenty of help from his defense. The Giants D made Tom Brady look uncomfortable throughout the game. On the Patriots 1st play from scrimmage Brady was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone, resulting in a safety. From that moment on you could sense that this could be the Giants' night.
The Giants lead 9-0 after the 1st Quarter. Following the safety, Eli Manning lead his team down the field and finished it off with a TD pass to Victor Cruz. Tom Brady promptly answered by putting 10 points on the board for New England to give them a 10-9 lead at the half. The Patriots opened up the 2nd Half with another TD drive to extend the lead to 17-9. Lawrence Tynes tacked on a couple FGs later in the 3rd Quarter to cut the deficit to 17-15 heading into the final 15 minutes. The Patriots had a chance to put the game away with about 5 minutes to play and the score still 17-15. With the ball already in Giants territory, Tom Brady had a wide open Wes Welker that would have got the ball down to the Giants 20. In atypical Brady fashion, the ball was thrown a bit high and behind Welker. And despite the ball hitting the sure-handed Welker in the hands, Welker dropped the ball giving the Giants life. Eli took over at his own 12-yard line and lead the G-Men on an 88-yard TD drive that included the miraculous pass to Manningham, and ultimately won the Super Bowl for the Giants.
Eli Manning made the comment before the season started that he was an elite NFL QB. Many snickered at that notion. Nobody is doubting that anymore. Eli is certainly among the NFL's top QBs. His coach, Tom Coughlin also won his 2nd Super Bowl, which possibly took him from the hot seat to the door step of the Hall of Fame. The Giants were 7-7 at one point in the season, and finished as Super Bowl Champs. Proving once again that you just have to get hot at the right time to earn a ring. The Lombardi Trophy is returning to the Big Apple for the 2nd time in 5 years, as the New York Giants are wold champions!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
NCAA Basketball - NCAA Tournament Projections
East Regional - Boston
at Pittsburgh
1 Syracuse 16 Stony Brook / Mississippi Valley St.
8 New Mexico 9 Temple
at Portland
5 Indiana 12 Arkansas / Colorado St.
4 St. Mary's 13 Long Beach St.
at Nashville
6 Louisville 11 Washington
3 Florida 14 Nevada
at Greensboro
7 Harvard 10 Illinois
2 North Carolina 15 Drexel
South Regional - Atlanta
at Pittsburgh
1 Ohio St. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 Iowa St. 9 Southern Miss
at Louisville
5 Mississippi St. 12 BYU / Wyoming
4 Marquette 13 Akron
at Albuquerque
6 Michigan 11 Cincinnati
3 UNLV 14 Iona
at Albuquerque
7 Virginia 10 Alabama
2 Baylor 15 Weber St.
Midwest Regional - St. Louis
at Louisville
1 Kentucky 16 Norfolk St. / Northwestern St.
8 Wichita St. 9 Notre Dame
at Portland
5 Wisconsin 12 Kansas St.
4 Murray St. 13 Middle Tennessee St.
at Columbus
6 Florida St. 11 Xavier
3 Georgetown 14 Davidson
at Omaha
7 Gonzaga 10 Purdue
2 Kansas 15 Bucknell
West Regional - Phoenix
at Omaha
1 Missouri 16 Long Island
8 West Virginia 9 Cal
at Nashville
5 San Diego St. 12 NC State
4 Creighton 13 Oral Roberts
at Columbus
6 Vanderbilt 11 St. Louis
3 Michigan St. 14 Cleveland St.
at Greensboro
7 UConn 10 Memphis
2 Duke 15 Belmont
* The Final Four matchups would be East vs. South and Midwest vs. West
at Pittsburgh
1 Syracuse 16 Stony Brook / Mississippi Valley St.
8 New Mexico 9 Temple
at Portland
5 Indiana 12 Arkansas / Colorado St.
4 St. Mary's 13 Long Beach St.
at Nashville
6 Louisville 11 Washington
3 Florida 14 Nevada
at Greensboro
7 Harvard 10 Illinois
2 North Carolina 15 Drexel
South Regional - Atlanta
at Pittsburgh
1 Ohio St. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 Iowa St. 9 Southern Miss
at Louisville
5 Mississippi St. 12 BYU / Wyoming
4 Marquette 13 Akron
at Albuquerque
6 Michigan 11 Cincinnati
3 UNLV 14 Iona
at Albuquerque
7 Virginia 10 Alabama
2 Baylor 15 Weber St.
Midwest Regional - St. Louis
at Louisville
1 Kentucky 16 Norfolk St. / Northwestern St.
8 Wichita St. 9 Notre Dame
at Portland
5 Wisconsin 12 Kansas St.
4 Murray St. 13 Middle Tennessee St.
at Columbus
6 Florida St. 11 Xavier
3 Georgetown 14 Davidson
at Omaha
7 Gonzaga 10 Purdue
2 Kansas 15 Bucknell
West Regional - Phoenix
at Omaha
1 Missouri 16 Long Island
8 West Virginia 9 Cal
at Nashville
5 San Diego St. 12 NC State
4 Creighton 13 Oral Roberts
at Columbus
6 Vanderbilt 11 St. Louis
3 Michigan St. 14 Cleveland St.
at Greensboro
7 UConn 10 Memphis
2 Duke 15 Belmont
* The Final Four matchups would be East vs. South and Midwest vs. West
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