NFL Week 16 Recap

Well sports fans, I hope this post finds you healthy, happy and hopefully not still sitting on Santa's lap. (If he didn't give you that Matchbox car by now, you're just not getting it.) I hope everyone had (or is having) a great holiday season, and also managed to sneak in some NFL, NBA or college bowl games in between opening up presents and acquiring food baby twins with the family.

Playoff football is almost upon us, and for the most part, the playoff teams have been decided. Most teams now are only play for pride or trying to get a higher seed. Indianapolis...hell, I don't even know what they're doing. Its almost like they pledged as a team to suck this season to get Andrew Luck, but no one told Dan Orlovsky that when they picked him up midway through the season.

So wait...I'm supposed to TRY and throw a pick in the red zone?

Lions fans may remember Dan Orlovsky from the dark days of Lions football, for his famous running out of the end zone safety which pretty much wrapped up the Lions 0-16 season in one fell swoop.  If you haven't ever seen that, watch this. I mean, this team is on the cusp of acquiring the first pick of the draft, and most likely Andrew Luck. No team has ever had a better reason to suck, and all of the sudden, the Colts are gonna screw it up by going on a win streak to end the season. This has got to be the worst season to be a Colts fan, ever.

In other news, congratulations to Saints QB Drew Brees, who broke the NFL record for single season passing yards in last nights win. The record, set by Dan Marino in 1984, was 5,084 yards, and on his final pass of the night, Brees hit 5,087 yards on the season, with one game left to play this season.

With the culmination of the NFL season and college bowl season, as well as the start of the NBA season, my ability to cover all of these on the blog will be inconsistent at best. More than likely, I'll try to focus on some of the college bowl games over the final NFL games, and once both of those seasons are over, will be covering basketball almost exclusively, both college and NBA. Please keep reading and giving me feedback, either one is always appreciated!


UPDATE:  As pointed out to me by a commentor, I did not give the Detroit Lions their deserved dues for making the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Having grown up in Michigan, I have always hoped for the success of the Lions and now that they have finally worked their way to a successful season it is obvious they have much to be proud about. No doubt the team will face tough match ups in the postseason, but they have come a long way and, if they stay healthy and keep a calm head, they have a great chance to beat any team they meet in the playoffs. This is team who wanted to succeed not only for their own personal benefits, but for that of their hometown, a place many in America think of as a "dying" city. I wish the Lions the best of luck in the playoffs.

NBA Update: Preseason Impressions and Acquisitions

Since my last post concerning the NBA, the flurry of trades, re-signing and free agent pickups has continued. In addition to the obvious winners (Clippers, Mavericks, Knicks), many teams have taken advantage of new rules and a jam packed free agent market to augment their rosters. In  fact, I'd say its great for the NBA, as the very nature of the league seems to be shifting. The reigning champions have shaken up their roster, along with several of the perennial power teams like the Lakers, Celtics and the Knicks.

After seeing several of these new look teams in action, It seems to me that the Clippers could be serious contenders in the West, as well as the Heat and the Knicks in the East. Without Phil Jackson at the helm and with Kobe Bryant's health in serious decline, coupled with the loss of important sixth man Lamar Odom, the Lakers seem all too vulnerable this season and could have relinquished their status as the best team in L.A. The Heat, I believe, will benefit from a reduced media following and significantly less scrutiny as they look  to build on the success of last season. Adding depth on the front line has been the most significant need for Miami, and with newcomer Eddy Curry they may have found that missing piece.

And last but not least, the Knicks. The Knicks added a very solid piece to their team by signing free agent center Tyson Chandler, and in doing so removed a pivotal piece from the championship Mavericks. They also attained great point guard depth by signing Baron Davis and Mike Bibby to add to their great core of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

A few other quick notes:

Boston did well this offseason. They traded away Glen "Big Baby" Davis for Brandon Bass, a cheaper (and better) player, as well as acquired a lot of great depth throughout their roster. Losing Jeff Green for the season was unfortunate, but as is always the case, someone will step up.

As a Pistons fan, this team continues to befuddle me and give me more and more reasons to not watch them anymore. SG Richard Hamilton is the latest and one of the last players from that 2004 championship team to leave Detroit, with Tayshaun Prince being the last. I'll never know what the front office saw wrong from that team, but several awful years later and I'm wishing to be back in the old days.


There are still a lot of free agents to sign around the league, as well as a few possible trades that could affect this season in a big way. Make sure you keep checking back for the latest news and my take on where each trade or signing leaves the team that made it.

Week 15 NFL Predictions

Chances are, if you read this or other sports blogs, you may be at least a casual fan of sports, and possibly the NFL. If that is the case, then you may be familiar with the recent, widespread rule changes that have hit the teams and players hard.( You see what I did there? Hit? Yeah. Bad.I Know.) League commissioner Roger Goodell has an idea in his head of what he would like to see the NFL become. His ideas....are not popular. In today's article, I though I'd give his job a try, make some hypothetical changes of my own. First, lets start with the way the game is broadcast to us fans..

Step 1: Change the announcers
There's a trend in the league that you become a player, play your career, retire, then you either coach for a while and then do broadcasting, or you go open up some other business venture, usually involving  a car wash, strip club or Ponzi scheme. Most NFL broadcasters today are former players or coaches, and alot of times I hear people say "ugh, I wish these announcers would stop talking about their old careers. No one cares." Prayer answered, my friend. If he were still with us, I think Billy Mays would have been a great announcer.
"The running back cuts to the outside, hit HARD at the sideline and Ooh!, he's got a nasty stain on that knee there. A nice dose of Oxi-Clean would get that right out!".

I can't make your kid popular, but I can make him clean!

Boom. Football commentary on the spot, and you also figured out how to get that ketchup stain out of little Jimmy's nice Ralph Lauren cardigan.

Step 2. Change the Vendors
Ok, well the first step here is actually to make the games cheaper to attend. Two tickets to the Lions game and I've paid enough for my entire family to see Cats! on Broadway. Ridiculous. Next, we have the food. $6.00 hot dog, $4.00 chips and cheese, $3.50 for a bag of Skittles. Get rid of all that, and lets get in there a Taco Bell, a Popeye's, Subway and a Mr. You's Chinese food. And lets get the same prices that they normally sell food at. Boom.


Step 3.Change the way players get rewarded.
Nowadays, when players leave the field, they normally head over to the oxygen tanks for a couple long breaths of pure oxygen bliss, whether they did a good job or a bad job on the field. I'm thinking you send the guys who screw up over to a CO2 tank instead. Nothing says "don't fumble the ball on the goal line again" like not being able to breath. Ehh, who am I kidding, that's just a joke. But honestly, no one would take a job where they had to tell those 350 pound lineman that they get the CO2 tank instead. Nothing says medical bills like....well, you get the picture.


Well, there's probably a lot more things that I'd change, but those are a few of the important ones. Now onto the recap of last weeks predictions and the new picks for this week.

Last week:
Committed Fan: 11-5
ESPN: 14-2

Running Score
Committed Fan: 135-69
ESPN: 146-58


Atlanta vs. Jacksonville
ESPN: Atlanta
Committed Fan: Atlanta


Miami vs. Buffalo
ESPN Pick: Buffalo
Committed Fan: Miami

Indianapolis vs. Tennessee
ESPN Pick: Tennessee
Committed Fan Pick: Tennessee

Green Bay vs. Kansas City
ESPN Pick:Green Bay
Committed Fan Pick: Green Bay

Cincinnati vs. St. Louis
ESPN Pick: Cincinnati
Committed Fan Pick: Cincinnati

New Orleans vs. Minnesota
ESPN Pick: New Orleans
Committed Fan Pick: New Orleans

Washington vs. New York Giants
ESPN Pick: New York
Committed Fan Pick: New York 

 Carolina vs. Houston
 ESPN Pick: Houston
 Committed Fan Pick: Carolina

 Detroit vs. Oakland

 ESPN Pick: Detroit
 Committed Fan Pick: Detroit

Denver vs. New England

ESPN Pick: New England
Committed Fan Pick: New England

Philadelphia vs. New York Jets
ESPN Pick: Philadelphia
Committed Fan Pick: New York Jets

Arizona vs. Cleveland

ESPN Pick: Arizona
Committed Fan Pick: Arizona

Baltimore vs. San Diego
ESPN Pick: Baltimore
Committed Fan Pick: Baltimore

San Francisco vs. Pittsburgh
ESPN Pick: San Francisco
Committed Fan Pick: San Francisco

Seattle vs. Chicago
ESPN Pick: Seattle
Committed Fan Pick: Chicago

Dallas vs. Tampa Bay
ESPN Pick: Dallas
Committed Fan Pick: Dallas


Awful Decision of the Week: Buccaneers WR Preston Parker attempted to field a punt deep inside his own territory with his team leading 14-0. Upon catching the ball, he was nailed by RB Montell Owens and fumbled. The ball was scooped up by a Jags player and returned for a touchdown. The Jaguars then scored 41 straight points to run away with the victory.

Player of the Week: Cardinals QB John Skelton, who, after being benched by the team last week, responded to Kevin Kolb being knocked out of the game in a big way, throwing for 282 yards and 3 touchdowns en route to leading the Cardinals to an unlikely big win over San Francisco.

The New NBA: Trades, Analysis and Progress

I've always applauded a team that was never too comfortable in the off-season. It seems to me that if you're opponent is out getting better in that time, there's something you could be doing to get better as well. Its been just a few shorts days since the NBA lockout was settled and the first business day of the NBA season began, and already a flurry of activity has taken place around the league. So, to recap, here's a few of the big trades that have taken place around the league and their effect on the upcoming season.

The Tyson Chandler deal:
Free agent center Tyson Chandler was one of the more coveted free agents this week, and the Knicks have won the rights to his services, in exchange for sending center Ronny Turiaf to Washington and trading guard Andy Rautins to Dallas. Some other small considerations were sent to Washington and New York as well. I really think this trade makes New York a whole lot better, with Chandler being a strong defensive and rebounding presence alongside Amare Stoudemire, who is a known scorer and a sub par rebounder. Along with small forward Carmelo Anthony, this team can go either large up front or smaller, with Amare playing the center and Anthony player power forward. It gives the Knicks great versatility and with Dwight Howard potentially leaving to go out west,  a great shot to win the East.



Jeff Green, Brandon Bass in Boston
The Celtics made a few minor (but important) moves this week, trading Glen "Big Baby" Davis away for Brandon Bass, a tougher, hard working player who is a lethal shooter. They then re-signed Jeff Green, a versatile scorer who can play small forward or power forward while also stepping out to hit the three ball. Davis could score, but so can Bass and Green, and I think by signing Bass the team upgraded their toughness while taking away a vital bench player from a rival in the East.

Bulls interested in Hamilton, Howard
The Chicago Bulls remain one of the NBA's most aggressive teams, following up last summer's free agent frenzy with some enterprising ideas this winter. The team could look to sign soon to be ex-Piston Richard Hamilton, a veteran scorer with championship experience, while also hoping to be in the running for Magic center Dwight Howard, by far the most coveted big man in the market this week. Securing Howard would make the Bulls a big force in the east almost immediately, but just getting Hamilton wouldn't be too shabby either.


While these are the moves that have been made so far, they will not be the only ones, and I predict we will see some very interesting deals start to materialize for the likes of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Keep checking back to the Committed Fan for more info as it becomes available!

Week 14 NFL Predictions

Good Morning football fans!

Before I start off today, I'd like to apologize for the lack of a post on Tuesday. I seem to have stumbled into one of the busier times of the year and well, honestly, other things took priority. In any case, here I am, and since you're reading this, there you are, so let's get on with it. If you don't know the drill by now, every week in this column, I compare and predict NFL game predictions with ESPN. So far, the running score is as follows:

ESPN: 132-56
Committed Fan: 124-64


And now:

Tampa Bay vs. Jacksonville
ESPN: Jacksonville
Committed Fan: Jacksonville

Houston vs. Cincinnati
ESPN: Houston
Committed Fan: Houston

Minnesota vs. Detroit
ESPN: Detroit
Committed Fan: Detroit

New Orleans vs. Tennessee
ESPN Pick: New Orleans
Committed Fan: New Orleans

Philadelphia vs. Miami
ESPN Pick: Philadelphia
Committed Fan: Miami

New York (Jets) vs. Kansas City
ESPN: New York Jets
Committed Fan: New York Jets

New England vs. Washington
ESPN: New England
Committed Fan: New England

Carolina vs. Atlanta
ESPN: Atlanta
Committed Fan: Carolina

Baltimore vs. Indianapolis
ESPN: Baltimore
Committed Fan: Baltimore

San Francisco vs. Arizona
ESPN: San Francisco
Committed Fan: San Francisco

Oakland vs. Green Bay
ESPN: Green Bay
Committed Fan: Green Bay

Buffalo vs. San Diego
ESPN: San Diego
Committed Fan: Buffalo

New York (Giants) vs. Dallas
ESPN: Dallas
Committed Fan: New York

Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
ESPN: Pittsburgh
Committed Fan: Pittsburgh

Seattle vs. St. Louis
ESPN: Seattle
Committed Fan: Seattle

Chicago vs. Denver
ESPN: Denver
Committed Fan: Chicago




Awful Decision of the Week: Vikings QB Christian Ponder throws a costly pick inside his own 50 yard line, setting the Broncos up with perfect field position to win the game with a field goal, completing a Viking meltdown of epic proportion.

Player of the Week: Titans RB Chris Johnson, who has essentially be a non factor this entire season, decided to make an appearance on Sunday, rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, helping Tennessee beat the slumping Bills.



In the Huddle: This week's topic is the alarming and growing trend of fighting in the NFL. Lately, it has become more of an issue, with players stretching the boundaries to see how far they can get without being flagged- or worse.  Yes, seemingly since the now infamous Jim Schwartz-Jim Harbaugh hand shaking incident, players around the league have been going outside the boundaries of fair and ethical play on an alarming basis. Detroit itself has been plagued by a rash of stupid, careless physicality that has seen one of their starters suspended by the league and possibly a few others benched by the coach. Now, I understand the notion of not getting pushed around or intimidated, to show the league you can hit with the best of them and that you aren't going to just lay down. Really, I do, and I'm totally for  Detroit and any other team trying to do just that. However, there is a right and a wrong way to do that.  In this day and age, when the league seeks to help reduce injuries to its players, it is way too soft on fighting. Once guys start taking cheap shots after the play, then the injuries will start to pile up. To stop the fighting from escalating into a bigger problem, the NFL needs to take a stronger stance on fighting now, and suspend and fine every player who throws a punch, pushes a referee, takes a cheap shot after the play or in any way tries to injure another player in any non football way. Football is a physical sport, and thats how its always been meant to be played, but there is no place for fighting in the NFL. Period. Grown men should learn to handle their emotions and their bodies better, or they have no business playing football.

Week 13 Predictions

Hello sports fans. Its that time of the week again where I predict the results of this weeks games and keep a running count of how well my predictions match up with those made by ESPN. Only this week, I've decided to make a change that allows me to get through this post quicker and also cuts right to the chase. I will no longer post score predictions for these games, only the winner that I project and the winner that ESPN projects. I do this because of the near impossibility of trying to guess a game score, something that I liken to guessing a woman's age (which is never a good idea, because you'll always be wrong, and there's no real way to win there anyways).  Also, instead of offering an explanation as to why either team will win, a generic offering that bares a striking similarity to a holiday fruitcake that gets re-gifted, I'm going to try and spice up the post in other ways. So, without further ado, enjoy.

Running Score:
ESPN: 119-53
Committed Fan: 113-59


Chicago vs. Kansas City
ESPN: Chicago
Committed Fan: Chicago


Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
ESPN Pick: Tampa Bay
Committed Fan : Carolina

Buffalo vs. Tennessee
ESPN: Tennessee
Committed Fan: Tennessee

Oakland vs. Miami
ESPN: Miami
Committed Fan: Oakland

Denver vs. Minnesota
ESPN: Denver
Committed Fan Pick: Minnesota

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
ESPN: Pittsburgh
Committed Fan: Pittsburgh

New England vs. Indianapolis
ESPN: New England
Committed Fan: New England

New York Jets vs. Washington
ESPN: New York 
Committed Fan Pick: New York Jets

Houston vs. Atlanta
ESPN Pick: Atlanta
Committed Fan Pick: Houston

Baltimore vs. Cleveland
ESPN Pick: Baltimore
Committed Fan: Baltimore

Green Bay vs. New York Giants
ESPN: Green Bay
Committed Fan: Green Bay

Dallas vs. Arizona
ESPN:Dallas
Committed Fan: Dallas

San Francisco vs. St.Louis
ESPN: San Francisco
Committed Fan: San Francisco

San Diego vs. Jacksonville
ESPN: San Diego
Committed Fan: Jacksonville

Philadelphia vs. Seattle
ESPN: Seattle
Committed Fan: Philadelphia

New Orleans vs. Detroit
ESPN: New Orleans
Committed Fan: New Orleans



Awful Decision of the Week: A tie, between Detroit Lions DT Ndamukong Suh curb stomping a downed Green Bay Packer or Bills WR Stevie Johnson mimicing a Plaxico Burress self inflicted gunshot wound to the leg before flying a "jet" and crashing it into the ground as part of an elaborate touchdown celebration.

Player of the Week: Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, after completing 24 of 38 passes for 363 yards and 4 touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, as he turned a game against the Giants into a rout.



In the Huddle: In this section, I'll pick an issue that is being openly discussed or something that has struck me personally as worth discussing. In this post, I will speak about NFL coaches and the revolving door that is head coaching in the league.


Jack Del Rio was fired this week, ending his tenure as coach of the Jaguars in a short, merciless maneuver. Del Rio is one of only two men to ever coach the Jaguars, and had led them to just a few games under .500 (69-73) during his tenure. What I don't understand is not why Del Rio was fired, but why he ran the team the way he did this season, knowing full well his job rested on winning. Team owner  Wayne Weaver told Del Rio at the start of the season that if the team missed the playoffs this season, he was done. Why then, knowing his job rested precariously on this season, did Del Rio cut his talented (albeit inconsistent) starter David Garrard just days before the season began and then turn the reigns over to career backup Luke McCown? Why, after that call did not work out in Del Rio's favor, did he then decide to go with an untested rookie QB Blaine Gabbert? Gabbert has been awful as a starter for the Jags, but has been given the run of the team week in and week out.  Del Rio definitely earned his firing, and it seems that it was time, because he was losing it if he thought either one of those guys could save his job.

We still have a few more weeks to go in the season, and there are several coaches that are still on the hot seat, such as Jim Caldwell in Indianapolis and Steve Spanguolo in St. Louis. Lets just hope those two have the common sense to try and save their jobs, and have the common sense not to give Ryan Leaf or Eric Couch a call.