The Official Sports Addict Bracket

Well, the time has come to unveil the official Sports Addict bracket. Right before tip-off, you might want to print off this one-page summary sheet from Czabe.com and bring it with you to the watering hole to watch the games – it has a bullet on every team, their coach, key player, conference and records. Awesome. There are not a ton of upsets outside the first or second round, but I don’t see that much talent outside of the top seeds.

MIDWEST BRACKET

First Round:
#1 Kansas over #16 Lehigh
#9 N. Iowa over #8 UNLV
#5 Michigan St. over #12 New Mexico State
#4 Maryland over #13 Houston
#6 Tennessee over #11 San Diego State
#3 Georgetown over #14 Ohio
#10 Georgia Tech over #7 Oklahoma State
#2 Ohio State over #15 UC-Santa Barbara

Kansas, Ohio State and Georgetown will hardly break a sweat and will likely cover the spreads. Northern Iowa plays enough defense to stop the Rebels and don’t turn the ball over, a recipe for an early round victory. Do you want to bet against Tom Izzo against an inferior team? Me neither. Houston coach Tom Penders has a great record of getting to the tourney, but a terrible record once there. The nation’s leading scorer Aubrey Coleman should match up with the Terp’s Greivis Vasquez in one of the best individual matchups of the first round. Tennessee has been hit or miss all season, and they play a frenetic style of play, similar to San Diego State. The difference is the Vols have better athletes. Georgia Tech has more widespread talent that can make up for the best single talent, James Anderson.

Second Round:
#1 Kansas over #9 N. Iowa
#5 Michigan St. over #4 Maryland
#3 Georgetown over #6 Tennessee
#2 Ohio State over #10 Georgia Tech

Mostly chalk, with the only exception being Michigan State. The Spartans have had chemistry issues of late, but I don’t like Tom Izzo any time other than the NCAA tournament. N. Iowa will keep it close with Kansas and put a scare into the Jayhawks.

Sweet 16:
#1 Kansas over #5 Michigan State
#2 Ohio State over #3 Georgetown

Kansas defense will keep the Spartans from scoring enough to keep up. Collins can dominate Lucas and the Spartans don’t have the inside presence to handle Aldrich and the Morris twins. The key for the Buckeyes will be the ability of Dallas Lauderdale to slow Greg Monroe and keep him off the glass. Georgetown has no one to match up with Turner on the perimeter, when they also have Buford and Lighty slashing and Diebler from the perimeter. This could be the best game of the entire sweet 16.

Elite Eight:
#1 Kansas over #2 Ohio State

The depth of the Jayhawks will be the difference. Ohio State has as much talent as Kansas in the starting five, but Kansas has the ability to bring waves of reinforcements. Thad Motta doesn’t have that luxury. The Jayhawks are the best team in the country and survive a very tough bracket to advance to Indianapolis.

WEST BRACKET

1st Round:
#1 Syracuse over #16 Vermont
#9 Florida State over #8 Gonzaga
#12 UTEP over #5 Butler
#13 Murray State over #4 Vanderbilt
#6 Xavier over #11 Minnesota
#3 Pittsburgh over #14 Oakland
#7 BYU over #10 Florida
#2 Kansas State over #15 North Texas

Syracuse is probably still annoyed by their opening round loss in 2005, and won’t need their injured center to blast past the Catamounts. Kansas State will run past the Mean Green and Pittsburgh will smother the Detroit suburb school, Oakland. Florida State’s defense will be enough to swallow up America’s favorite underdog Gonzaga, which will hamper secretary brackets all over the country (“I love that they’re called the Zags and aren’t they a small school that upsets teams?”) Butler’s only size is a slow 6’8” center who can’t handle anyone outside of their weak conference. Well UTEP has a 6’11” forward and 6’9” Derrick Caracter who is too quick for the Bulldog’s Matt Howard. And the Miners then bring the offensive speed of Randy Culpepper. Murray State can score with anyone and average over 10 steals a game, which is a bad match up for a Vandy team that turns it over all too willingly. (If Butler & Vandy get to the second round, the match up of Howard & Ogilvy might cause fans to think they’re watching a game in 1950 based on the slow, plodding play of the centers) Minnesota and Florida were both lucky to make the field and their stays will be short.

2nd Round:
#1 Syracuse over #9 Florida State
#12 UTEP over #13 Murray State
#3 Pittsburgh over #6 Xavier
#7 BYU over #2 Kansas State

Florida State can’t crack the ‘Cuse zone. The Miners continue their run with more offense. Xavier has the ability to beat Pitt, but the Panther defense and grit after a tough Big East season carries them through. The Kansas State-BYU game has given me nightmares, because I want to believe that BYU could ride the hot hand of Jimmer Fredette all the way to the Elite Eight. I want to believe that the discipline of the Cougars will outdo the volatile emotions of Kevin Martin and the Wildcats. But K-State can shoot it with both guards and have an effective swingman in Curtis Kelly. I am picking the smart kids to fluster Kansas State causing them to lose their poise.

Sweet 16:
#1 Syracuse over #12 UTEP
#7 BYU over #3 Pittsburgh

The Orange is not deep, which could make this a potential upset as the Miners try to push the pace. Yet Syracuse has too many weapons for UTEP to handle, and by this point, they will start to get some contributions back from Arinze Onuaku. BYU continues their run with shooting that can overcome the physical Panther defense. Jimmer Fredette becomes the tournament sweetheart like Stephen Curry did at Davidson.

Elite Eight:
#1 Syracuse over #7 BYU

The clock strikes midnight on this year’s Cinderella when the Syracuse zone causes problems for the BYU team. The Orange are long and athletic which will cause problems for BYU’s shooters, finally slowing down Fredette. Wes Johnson completes his transformation from an unknown transfer to a key cog on a Final Four team, securing his spot in the NBA lottery next season. Jim Boeheim does caps what possibly has been his best coaching season with a trip to the final four with a team without a top-50 recruit and a team that started the season unranked.

EAST BRACKET

1st Round:
#1 Kentucky over #16 East Tennessee State
#8 Texas over #9 Wake Forest
#5 Temple over #12 Cornell
#4 Wisconsin over #13 Wofford
#6 Marquette over #11 Washington
#3 New Mexico over #14 Montana
#10 Missouri over #7 Clemson
#2 West Virginia over #15 Morgan State

Barely an upset in the first round in the East bracket. Kentucky, West Virginia and Wisconsin should not be tested in their games (good gawd did I just curse my Badgers? Probably. I take it back. Wofford is really, really good and Wisconsin will have to play really well to beat this solid group of players despite the fact that their school name resembles the sound a dog makes more than it does a prestigious university) Texas has more raw talent than the Demon Deacons in a battle of underachieving and slumping squads. Temple’s defense will slow the hot shooting Big Red of Cornell and send Randy Whitman’s kid home. Darrington Hobson by himself is enough to carry the Lobos past Montana. There is no safer bet in the NCAA tournament than Oliver Purnell losing in the first round, he’s 0-5.

2nd Round:
#1 Kentucky over #8 Texas
#4 Wisconsin over #5 Temple
#6 Marquette over #3 New Mexico
#2 West Virginia over #10 Missouri

Texas has the raw talent to stay close to Kentucky, but since they haven’t put it together all season, why would they do it now? Kentucky will have two nice games to get their youngster jitters out before the toughest part of the bracket gets to them. Wisconsin plays a similar style to Temple, only better. They have veteran guard play and the Owls have no one to contend with Jon Leuer. Marquette will be able to dominate the Lobos physically and has the guards to match up with Hobson in the only second round upset in this bracket. West Virginia has the talent to overwhelm the Tigers, even if the Mountaineers are not at their best.

Sweet 16:
#1 Kentucky over #4 Wisconsin
#2 West Virginia over #6 Marquette

Both Wisconsin-based teams get the bounce in Syracuse. The Badgers have the talent, experience and defense to stymie the potent Kentucky attack, and the homer in me wants to pick Bo Ryan’s crew to keep going. If they win, it would not be a monster surprise, but the inside tandem of Cousins and Patterson will be really tough matchup for Leuer and Nankovil. Marquette’s run will be fueled by heart and energy, which won’t be enough to get past their conference rival. West Virginia has the perimeter players to keep up with the Golden Eagles, and has an inside presence that Buzz’s boys can’t match.

Elite Eight:
#1 Kentucky over #2 West Virginia

After Kentucky has survived the athleticism of Texas, and the grind of playing against the Badgers, they will not be surprised by the style of the Mountaineers. Kentucky has a minimum of 3 NBA players on the court at almost all times, and they will be able to overwhelm the game Huggins’ squad.

SOUTH BRACKET

1st Round:
#1 Duke over #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff
#9 Louisville over #8 California
#5 Texas A&M over #12 Utah State
#4 Purdue over #13 Siena
#11 Old Dominion over #6 Notre Dame
#3 Baylor over #14 Sam Houston State
#7 Richmond over #10 St. Mary’s
#2 Villanova over #15 Robert Morris

The top 3 seeds should cruise through with blowouts, and the fact Arkansas Pine-Bluff gets to say they have won a tournament game by virtue of winning the play-in game is all the evidence I need to confirm how opposed I am to expansion. Louisville hasn’t beaten anyone of consequence outside of Syracuse (twice), and has lost to UNLV, Charlotte and Western Carolina. That concerns me, yet the Pac-10 has been awful, so I’ll take the Cards over the Bears. Utah State had no business getting an at-large bid and should be easily dismissed by the Aggies. Everyone wants to bury Purdue without Hummel but this Siena team is not as good as their past squads that won in the first round in 2009 and 2008. Purdue still has E’Twan Moore, JaJuan Johnson and Deon Grant, which will be enough to get past the Saints. Old Dominion can play the slow style Notre Dame has adopted, and the Irish are confused what to do with Harangody. Richmond’s backcourt will be enough to lead the Spiders past a solid St. Mary’s squad that is happy just to finally get past Gonzaga and into the tournament.

2nd Round:
#1 Duke over #9 Louisville
#5 Texas A&M over #4 Purdue
#3 Baylor over #11 Old Dominion
#2 Villanova over #7 Richmond

Duke’s discipline will be able to handle the Louisville pressure, allowing the Blue Devils to advance. Purdue can get past a mid-major without Robbie Hummel, but it’s a different ballgame going up against a tough Aggie team lead by Donald Sloan. Baylor’s defense will stifle the Monarchs and will blow them out. The only thing that is worrisome about the Bears in the early rounds is their lack of tournament experience, but thankfully they will not face a very tough test, even if Notre Dame manages to be their second round opponent. Villanova has guards and experience that can neutralize the Richmond attack. It is another game for the Wildcats to get back to their early season form when they got as high as #2 in the country.

Sweet 16:
#1 Duke over #5 Texas A&M
#2 Villanova over #3 Baylor

Everyone wants to find a reason to knock out the Dukies early, yet there has not been a team yet that can match up with them. Texas A&M will have the advantage of playing Duke in Houston, but Sloan can be matched by Nolan Smith and the Aggies will have a tough time if Singler gets hot. Villanova will also face a hostile crowd in Houston against Baylor, but their experienced backcourt will be the difference against the Bears defense.

Elite Eight:
#2 Villanova over #1 Duke
Just like last season, Villanova has the perimeter players to match up and best the Duke guards. Scottie Reynolds gets another trip to the Final Four and he combines with the best pair of Coreys (Stokes & Fisher) since Corey Haim and Corey Feldman.

FINAL FOUR

#1 Kansas over #1 Syracuse
#1 Kentucky over #2 Villanova

CHAMPIONSHIP

Kansas Jayhawks over Kentucky Wildcats

Kansas is too deep and too talented with too many weapons for Syracuse to stop. Kentucky’s inside game is too much for Villanova. This sets up a coaching rematch from the 2008 final between Bill Self’s Kansas squad and John Calipari’s Memphis team. Calipari once again has a freshman point guard leading the charge, but this time John Wall is not as poised and mature at Kentucky as Derrick Rose was in 2008. The senior leadership of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldridge will be too much for the Wildcats to stop. Bill Self collects his second title, and cements his legacy among the great coaches in the game. It’s time for Rock-Chalk-Jayhawk to ring down from the rafters at Lucas Oil Stadium when Kansas cuts down the nets.

Degenerate Friday!!

UPDATE: Make sure to check back on Monday after Selection Sunday - I'll be setting up a free bracket challenge with an opportunity to win swag from your favorite college team.

Selection Sunday arrives this weekend, and that kicks off the Degenerate Christmas that is the NCAA Tournament. I guess it’s actually more like Hanukah with the multiple days of gambling gifts, but since there are actually 10 days with games, it falls right between the 8 days of Hanukah and the 12 days of Christmas. So let’s just call it the Degenerate Holiday Season!

This is actually the first weekend since I invented Degenerate Friday to start the 2009 NFL season that I am not going to make a gambling pick for the weekend. Why? Because the only real gambling options are the conference tournament championships, which will depend upon the games during the day today, so it’s not as compelling of a read later in the day. I have picked things like Olympic hockey and baseball futures in recent weeks, and two weeks ago I already made my NCAA futures best value bets, so this weekend, I am attempting to show some restraint. Save the money up for that huge wager on Thursday or Friday to take Sienna to cover the spread, Villanova to not cover the spread in their first round game, or loading up on Texas losing their first game no matter who they play. Texas started the year 17-0 and went 7-9 after that. Ouch. If you absolutely have to scratch that itch and find some sweet action this weekend? Bet on Jimmy Johnson winning the NASCAR race or find a prop bet on how many times Clark Kellogg says “tremendous athlete” or “this year’s George Mason” during the CBS selection show. Or if all else fails, head to your local Indian casino and play blackjack for a couple hours after bar time……….

Instead, just a couple quick hits get you ready for Selection Sunday, then check back next week as The Sports Addict will break down the brackets unlike anywhere else. (I actually have no idea what that means – it just sounds really dramatic and better than saying I will have a break down like Lindsay Lohan, meaning it will be crazy. I should probably be quiet before she tries to sue me for $100 million like she did with eTrade.)

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Does the Syracuse loss hurt their seeding? No, not at all. They are still among the top 4 teams in the country despite their mini slump to end the year. They will likely slide firmly into the 3rd #1 seed, which means based on the s-curve system that they will be paired with the second best #2 seed, which could be someone like Duke or West Virginia. The obvious bigger issue is the health of their center, Arinze Onuaku, who busted up his knee yesterday in the Syracuse loss to Georgetown. Their seed is secure, but their place as a lock to get to the elite eight might have taken a serious hit. Then again, they won’t need him for their first game, and if they get placed in a Friday-Sunday bracket, he will have almost 10 days to rest assuming there is not serious damage to the knee.

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While anyone that knows me knows that I am not a fan of Marquette, I have to admit that I like the effort that Buzz Williams gets from his team. They are not the most talented team, and they have a glaring lack of size, but they play with a ton of heart and have a ton of experience in close games – they lost 7 Big East games by a total of 21 points. Depending upon the matchup in the tournament, they could be a dangerous first round opponent. Will I be rooting for them? Probably not – there’s still too deep of wounds from Kevin O’Neill ruining Shannon Smith’s confidence and "Tan Tommy" Crean acting as if he created basketball and his leadership was the reason Marquette got to the Final Four (overlooking that guy Dwayne Wade, maybe you’ve heard of him?). But I’m coming around…..and maybe it’s just because of Buzz’s dancing/celebration skills……. …….
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I tried to watch a Moutain West tournament game yesterday – San Diego State against Colorado State. I really tried to watch it with an open mind, wanting to like San Diego State and have them among the teams I believe can strike a first round upset or at least a cover. Ugh, it is as painful as trying to sit through Gossip Girl when they’re focusing on Dan Humphries & Vanessa Abrams – you just want to get back to the big leagues with a scene involving Serena or Blair. The first half of the game was full of dust ups and guys posturing after every foul, and I lost interest quickly. Thankfully the game stayed close and SDSU remained disciplined enough to hold on for the victory. I don’t see them being competitive in the first round of the tournament – assuming they get in.

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I just saw a headline that Jennifer Hudson is going to sing “One Shining Moment” at the end of the tournament instead of the traditional version sang by David Barrett (up until 1994), Teddy Pendergrass (94-99) & Luther Vandross (03-09). While I have absolutely nothing against Jennifer Hudson – I respect her singing, and she’s been through a lot personally – is she really the right person? I’m not a fan of the change, but mainly because I remember being a little kid and my parents letting me stay up after the championship game ended until I saw “One Shining Moment.” I’ll reserve judgement on Hudson until I hear her version on April 5th. If this video doesn’t get you ready for the tournament – I don’t know what will. (check out the sweater Lou Carnesecca sports at the 42 second mark)

UNLV 1990 One Shining Moment Movies & TV SPIKE.com

Tuesday Ramblings - Set Up For Failure

Maybe I should take it as a sign about the people that live in my apartment building. Or maybe like that ridiculous movie coming out “Hot Tub Time Machine” my elevator is a portal into “Crazy World.” Either way, I should know that when I enter my elevator with other people, it’s set up for failure. I’ve written in the past about the crazy old lady who didn’t want her cat to make any friends or hear that it was on its way to be put to sleep. I’ve also shared the elevator with a guy in a full “American Ganster” fur coat & hat – head to toe fur. Well yesterday I ran across another interesting person in the elevator. As I enter the building and head to the elevator, the slightly older woman (probably late 50’s?) is at the elevator already. I’m generally the type of person that doesn’t talk to strangers in the elevator other than a head nod with a smile and a slightly audible “hi” at most. Well this lady is looking at me and it’s obvious she wants to talk or at least say something. So what are my options? I’m trapped in the elevator with her and I can only stare down for so long while her look is burning a hole in the side of my head. So I look up and casually mention something about the weather warming up. And then the craziness begins………..she starts in on how it’s the brightness, not the temperature that makes her happy every morning. She can handle cold weather if it’s bright out and the sun is shining. It just makes her feel better and she’s a happier person and her bird sings prettier when the sun is out, and on and on. I immediately regret my decision to make an innocent comment about the weather. Thankfully we get to her floor, and she steps out and the door finally closed. All I could think to myself was, “Well, that’s what you get for talking to people in the ‘Portal to Crazy’ elevator.”

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People continue to talk about whether the NHL will be able to parlay the success and interest in Olympic hockey into an increase in fans for the sport. It won’t. Unfortunately for the hockey players, while the other Olympic heroes like Lindsey Vonn (debatable, but she has good management), the figure skating guy – Evan something? – and the others are all on the talk show tour for the next week and securing endorsement deals, the hockey players are right back to work. Ryan Miller doesn’t have a chance to sit down with Jay Leno or Jimmy Kimmel and wear a Canadian tuxedo, or a mounty costume to settle a bet. He has to get ready for a rematch with Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. The NHL is using the Olympic success to set itself up for disappointment.

In addition, it wasn’t the hockey that drew us in. If it was the US versus Canada in the curling gold medal match, the ratings would have been similar. It was the border battle in an event where they were on the field/ice/court at the same time (unlike skiing, bobsledding, skating, etc) in a sport that is among the competitors – along with NASCAR, soccer and golf – for the #4 sport in America. We were watching for national pride and rivalry, and not for hockey. Just like we are going to watch the newest Dancing With The Stars because of Erin Andrews, not because of the dancing. And Andrews appears to be the favorite to win considering she was a dancer in college – not a pole dancer, sorry – and she’s up against people like Pam Anderson, Chad Ochocinco and Buzz Aldrin. Yes, the 80-something year old Buzz Aldrin. I hope they have a defibrillator on set.

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Michael Jordan is in the process of finalizing his majority ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats. Should the people of Charlotte be excited or fearful? I think Jordan is setting the Bobcats up for continued disappointment. After cementing his place as the greatest player to ever live during his time with the Chicago Bulls, his post-Bulls career has been…well…basically a clusterf#ck. He returned to play with the Wizards when it was obvious his skills had withered and his body didn’t have the burst he needed. He then moved on to the Wizard’s director of player personnel, where he drafted Kwame Brown with the first pick and five years later took Adam Morrison with the third pick. He was fired and bought a part of the Bobcats. He brought in his friend Rod Higgins as the GM, and hired fellow Tar Heel Larry Brown as the head coach. He was regularly accused of being absent from the team and having a lack of interest. And now he’s taking a majority owner position?

Does Jordan really want to be involved in basketball or does he just not know what else to do? He has enough money and freedom to live on an island and never have another worry in the world. It seems like MJ wants to get away from the game, but that competitive nature and fire that drove him to be the best ever flares up every once and a while and he finds a way to get back into the game. Then once he’s there, he realizes why he left and doesn’t have the dedication to go through with it.

It’s a strange place for Jordan to be – unlikely to succeed. Look at past stars that went on to the front office and it is littered with failure: Wes Unseld, Elgin Baylor and Isiah Thomas. Brooklyn Decker is a great swimsuit model. Does that mean she can act? We’re going to find out as she has been cast in her first movie.

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Syracuse ascended to the #1 ranking this week for the first time since the 1989-90 season. In that season, they had Derrick Coleman, Sherman Doughlas & Billy Owens but the top ranking was just a set up for failure in the tournament against Willie Burton and Minnesota. Consider this a teaser for tomorrow’s article……it will be a Wednesday Ranking for college basketball linking in 1990. 1990 was the year when mall hair was in, Quantum Leap was a top television show, Kathy Bates won an Oscar for best actress in Misery, and the Dow was at 2,600.

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Week 11 Hangover - Love/Hate

This week we're leading off with the hates........no real reason. It's my site, I'm in charge.

HATE

- It’s a known fact that Syracuse basketball plays great at Madison Square Garden in NY. Well I went there Friday night to watch the Orange dismantle the UNC Tar Heels in the 2K Sports Championship. And their fans are something to behold, with the majority of them having the physical attributes of two of the school’s famous point guards of the past: the face of Jerry McNamara (balding, whispy attempt at a goatee) and the body of Sherman Douglas (round – as wide as they are tall). Short, fat, awkward fans wearing their orange jerseys over button-down shirts, or over nothing at all, but ALWAYS complimented by a fat gold chain. And those are just the women. I’ve never been there, but based on their fans on Friday, I would assume that Syracuse’s campus is on wheels, double-wide, and could be hooked up to a large truck to tour the country.

- Despite the Bengals crapping themselves against the Raiders, these are not the “same old Bengals” that always find a way to lose. Thanks to the rest of their division losing, they didn’t give up any ground and are still in a position of strength. Losing without Cedric Benson after a horrific fumble in the last 40 seconds on a kickoff after giving up the tying touchdown is a terrible loss, but not crippling to the season. They get the Lions and Browns in the next two weeks, so they immediately have a chance to blow out an inferior opponent and prove it was a blip, not a pattern. The Raiders have continued to play hard for Tom Cable despite having a QB who couldn’t throw and an WR who can’t catch. What a difference replacing a joke in JaMarcus Russell with a below average option in Bruce Gradkowski makes.

- Can someone please explain the appeal of Lady Gaga? I really don’t get it. She’s a hideous freak with minimal talents. Oh, and her music stinks too. I don’t get her whole schtick of wearing outrageous outfits and acting like an idiot. I mean, why wouldn’t the American Music Awards spend more time showing Carrie Underwood? Or Mary J. Blige? Or anyone else for that matter? And yet for some reason, Gaga is all over the place and gets accolades within the music community, but she terrifies me and I have to immediately change the channel if her freaky mugg crosses the screen.

- The Broncos are officially in big trouble. After their improbably 6-0 start, they dropped their 4th straight, getting mauled at home by the Chargers. They are now a game out of the division lead and face turmoil, with some of their players accusing each other of quitting or not caring enough, including Brandon Marshall & Knowshon Moreno fighting on the sidelines.

- Losing to Northwestern was a complete embarrassment for Wisconsin on Saturday. They started the day with an outside chance to tie for the Big Ten championship, and went to bed tied for 4th place, and having purple footprints all over their backsides. Their defense couldn’t slow down the Northwestern offense, the Badger offense couldn’t produce points (2 turnovers) in their last three possessions, and WR Isaac Anderson showed off his stone hands for another week. Pitiful. Another trip to the Outback Bowl for the Badgers?

LOVE

- Matthew Stafford gave a glimpse of why he may have been worthy of that top pick in the draft and could potentially help the Lions franchise rise from the ashes. Granted it was against the hapless Browns, but this game amazingly turned into one of the more compelling football games of the entire season, resulting in a 38-37 shootout win for the Lions. Stafford dislocated his non-throwing shoulder on the second-to-last play of the game, but was able to elude the medical staff and get back into the game to throw the game winning touchdown, after a pass interference call and a strange timeout by Eric Mangini. Had Mangini not called timeout, Daunte Culpepper would have had to take the final snap. So it was yet another bad decision by Mangini in a season full of them, and it allowed Stafford to show his grit and make the winning throw. He threw for 5 touchdowns in the game, besting Brady Quinn’s 4 touchdowns. Amazingly, The Browns had only scored 5 offensive TDs all season before this game, and Quinn led them to 4 TDs in this game. Stafford proved he has the potential to lead the franchise in this game, and maybe we need to give Quinn a chance to mature into his position of leading the team. Or maybe his girlfriend from draft night knew something ahead of time, and didn’t stick around.

- The NFL underdogs rose up. With the Raiders beating the Bengals, the Chiefs shocking the Steelers, and the Redskins and Bills barely dropping games against the Cowboys and Jaguars, respectively, the meek of the league had a surprising resurgence. During the first half of the year, the oddsmakers couldn’t make spreads wide enough as these poor teams continued to get blown out every week. But this week there were only 4 of the 15 games that were decided by more than one score. It will be interesting to see if the spreads begin to get a little tighter down the stretch in the coming weeks.

- It’s going to be a great coaching carousel this off-season, in both college and the NFL. The Notre Dame job will be open (even Charlie Weis himself said he won’t be surprised if he’s let go), and there will likely be anywhere from 7-10 openings in the NFL, some in prestigious places like the Cowboys or Redskins and others in less desirable places like Cleveland and Buffalo. First, let’s stop the Urban Meyer to Notre Dame rumors – that is not happening. We’ve covered that in the past. But an interesting opening that might pop up after this weekend? LSU, where Les Miles flubbed a game against Ole Miss that could cost his team and school a BCS berth. Down by 2 points, the Bayou Bengals inexplicably let 17-18 seconds run off the clock before completing a pass with one second remaining at the 6 yard line. Instead of trying to sprint the FG unit on the field, or running a play for a touchdown, they tried to spike the ball. Of course, a spike takes one second and the clock runs out, game over. After the game, Miles was asked who made the call to spike the ball, and he responded that he DIDN’T KNOW!! Blink, blink…..stare…….Uh-oh. Miles has never been Nick Saban, and won a national championship with most of Saban’s players, and something like this could be enough to get him bounced out of town. And it doesn’t even involve whatever is going on in the background of this picture…….not that there’s anything wrong with it.

- Aaron Rodgers erasing all doubt about who the best QB from the 2005 draft. Rodgers dominated the 49ers defense and has produced some great numbers this season, nearly 2800 yards, 19 TDs, and a QB rating of 102.6. While he is still likely a distant 5th in the MVP race behind Favre, Manning, Brees and Brady, he has been tremendous in keeping the Packers in the playoff hunt despite playing behind the leakiest offensive line in the league. And speaking of Favre, he may be playing as well as he has played since 1997, and as much as it pains me, he is right up there in the MVP discussion, and likely the favorite at this point. He has only thrown 3 interceptions all year, easily the least by any QB that has started every game (McNabb & Rodgers have the next fewest with 5).

- Wes Welker continues to light up the stat sheets. It is now time to stop looking at him as an interesting little mighty might and start to mention him with the best receivers in the league. The guy led the league in catches in 2007, was 2nd in 2008, and is the league leader thus far in 2009. After lighting up the Jets for 15 catches for 192 yards, he has 79 catches in 9 games, which is ahead of the pace he was on the past 2 years when he ended with over 110 catches each year. He is Tom Brady’s security blanket and has the ability to stop and start on a dime as if he controls his legs with a joystick.