Can The Lakers Actually Make The Playoffs?

The Lakers won their third game in a row Tuesday over the New Orleans Pelicans. (Mine as well get used to calling them the Pelicans and to all the haters is the Hornets much better?) The Lakers have clearly shown a philosophic change in their wins over Pistons, Thunder, and Pelicans. They have shown a slowed down pace that is beneficial for this veteran roster. Kobe Bryant has taking over the reigns as the main orchestrator of the offense from Steve Nash. Kobe has had 39 assists during this three game winning streak. The most he's ever had over three games in any point of his career. Steve Nash one of the greatest shooters of all time is playing efficient off the ball in his shooting guard role. Paul Gasol is starting to resemble the player that gave Team USA all it could handle this summer in London. And Dwight Howard who I bashed as early as last week has looked more emotionally committed and has kept his public comments this past week team oriented. So can the Lakers actually make the playoffs?

 

With the Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Grizzlies, Warriors, and Nuggets all but locks for the playoffs. That would leave the Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Jazz to battle it out with the Lakers for the remaining two playoff spots. Currently the Rockets and Jazz are in the lead with same winning percentage with records of 25-22 and 24-21 respectively. The Trail Blazers sit at 23-22 in ninth in the conference. That leaves the Lakers currently four games out of a playoff spot at 20-25.

When you take a look at the schedules the Lakers will have to play 21 road games as opposed to 16 home games the rest of the way. Their road games begin with their seven game trip starting tomorrow in Phoenix against the Suns. If the Lakers want any shot at making the playoffs they really need to go 5-2 on this road trip. The Trail Blazers have to play three more times on the road than at home in the Rose Garden. The Rockets have an equal number of home road games and the Jazz have the easiest route as they will have four more home games than road the rest of the season. Strength of schedule wise, the Rockets have the toughest road remaining with more games left against the premier teams than any of the four. The Jazz mean while not only have more home dates than any of the four, but also have the easiest slate ahead of them as well.

 

The Trail Blazers have gotten superb play from rookie Damian Lillard who is on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. He has shown the poise and explosiveness that could one day make him an All Star in the NBA. Speaking of All Stars LaMarcus Aldridge was named to the team for his second time this year, even though I feel Marc Gasol was a much more deserving candidate this year. While they have also had better than expected years from Nicholas Batum and JJ Hickson, I feel that they are still need a year more of Lillard progression to his game before making the playoffs.

The Jazz's outstanding front court talent and depth has been the main reason for their success this season. Al Jefferson is averaging 17 PPG and 9.6 RPG this season. Paul Millsap has played well starting all 45 games for the Jazz at power forward this year. Then there's the young and talented Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter who both look ready for more minutes than the Jazz can currently provide. They could use some of that depth to acquire a play making wing player as the Jazz's roster is currently devoid of one. They are currently starting Jamaal Tinsley, Randy Foye, and Marvin Williams. How any of those players are starting in the NBA let alone all three together is just astonishing.

The Rockets have been as exciting as any team to watch this season with James Harden showing he is worth every bit of the 80 million dollar extension the Rockets signed him too after acquiring the Olympian from the Thunder. Omer Asik acquired this summer from the Bulls has shown he can flourish as starter and dominant rebounder is the NBA. Also have had good years turned in by Marcus Morris, Jeremy Lin, and Chandler Parsons. The Rockets problem is they don't offer much depth after those five which could be a problem as the season winds down and the grind of an 82 game schedule begins to take its toll.

 

The Lakers clearly have the superior talent of the four teams but also have the most ground to make up. With Kobe becoming the main facilitator of the offense with his pass first approach the Lakers look much more cohesive and explosive. The Trail Blazers despite having ROY Damian Lillard are still at least a year away from the playoffs. Despite front court depth and favorable schedule, lack of offensive creator on wing will haunt Jazz in late game situations. So, Yes the Lakers will make the playoffs as the eighth seed with the Rockets taking the seventh seed. It's an uphill battle the rest of the way but I just don't see the Jazz or Trail Blazers keeping these Kobe pass first Lakers from the playoffs.

Where Could Alex Smith End Up Next Year?

So we have one of those rare Super Bowl weeks where not two quarterbacks are regularly covered but three quarterbacks are. Here the Alex Smith story is one of the 5 biggest story lines at Superbowl week including: two brother coaches, Ray Lewis' last game, Kaepernick's meteoric rise, and Obama's football safety remarks. And unless Kaepernick suffers some injury or the 49ers blow out the Ravens and Harbaugh gives Smith a series late. The next time that Alex Smith will play on in a NFL game won't be until the coming season. So unless one of the QB desperate teams just has to have Smith and pulls the trigger on a trade, he will more than likely be cut prior to the March 14th deadline where the 49ers would have to pay 1 million as opposed to 3 million to cut him after March 14th. So where will Alex Smith end up?



There are nine teams with QB situations that could spur them to make a change this off-season. Those nine teams are the Cardinals, Vikings, Browns, Raiders, Chiefs, Jets, Bills, Titans, are Jaguars. Now of those teams I don't see Bills making a change from Fitzpatrick to Smith when they have so much money committed already to a game manager type QB. Jets are too cap stricken to sign him outright and need to improve all over the field to trade picks for Smith. Titans I feel would prefer to give the young Jake Locker more time over bringing in Smith. Same situation with the playoff Vikings and their young starter in Christian Ponder. And the Raiders want a homegrown QB they're tired of QB retreads like Carson Palmer and Smith. So that leaves the Cardinals, Browns, Chiefs, and Jaguars as the likely spots Alex Smith could be starting next season.

If Alex Smith is the vindictive and revenge type, the fuck you destination of quarterback desperate teams would be the Arizona Cardinals. He would be able to face division opponent San Fran twice a year. What better way to prove that your to better QB over Kap, if he believes so, then go to a division rival. (clearly Kap is the better QB) He would have weapons in Larry Fitzgerald and Malcolm Floyd to throw to. But the Cardinals had the worst O-Line in football this year and Smith is a game manager not game changer. He would also have to face the Seahawks and upstart Rams 4 times a year, as the NFC West is arguably the NFL deepest division.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have overhauled the front office and have former Seahawks defensive Gus Bradley as their new coach. Blaine Gabbert has only ever looked good in shorts and a t-shirt during combine workouts. Chad Henne in his five years in the league has yet to throw more TD than INT in a season. The AFC South is home to the Texans and Colts who both made the playoffs this year and the Titans certainly aren't the NFL's doormat team. So if Bradley liked what he saw in Smith in his four years in Seattle and thinks he can with him. Then he should look no further then his predecessor's one year existence as evidence that winning is what matters.



The Cleveland Browns have similarly cleaned house with Mike Holmgren's departure. Mike Lombardi and Rob Chudzinski lead the way and I can't see them tying their success to a 29 year old second year player Brandon Weeden who was a poltergeist in a season of young QBs. The Browns have some pieces in a decent O-line based around LT Joe Thomas and last years 3rd overall pick Trent Richardson at RB. Yet the AFC North is the deepest division in the AFC and the Browns are clearly the whipping boy of the division. The Ravens are in the Super Bowl, Bengals made the playoffs for the second year in a row behind the young passing tandem of Dalton and Green, and the Steelers still have two time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger. Making a brutal six games on the schedule each season.

Kansas City to me is the most logical landing place for Smith. They have the number one overall pick in an unusually down year for quarterbacks. New head coach Andy Reid is known for bring out the best in a variety of quarterbacks. The Chiefs despite their league worst 2-14 record still featured five Pro Bowlers. An above average O-line and solid running game with Jamal Charles to aid in play action passing game. The Chiefs play in the worse division of the four possible landed spots for Smith. Sure Manning and the Broncos are there but the Raiders and Chargers provide four winnable games a year. The Chiefs provide the best complement of talent and winnable schedule that could prove favorable for Alex Smith.



So next September Alex Smith will be wearing another uniform. The revenge destination is the Arizona Cardinals and sensible locations in Cleveland and Jacksonville. But Alex Smith's quickest route back to the playoffs is in Kansas City. And the playoffs is where true redemption is earned.

Hi I'm Tim Duncan from the San Antonio Spurs Remember Us?

Over the last 20 years we've had several organizations stake their claim to dynasty status. The Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, and New England Patriots have all established themselves in that illustrious group. Only one team if its even possible became a dynasty quietly. And only one player in any sport became the greatest ever to play their position quietly. Even so that just what San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan accomplished, they climbed up to the rarest of air quietly.

Were half way through the season and once again the spotlight has been many places this season but it hasn't been seen in San Antonio. The most attention the Spurs have recieved was when David Stern fined the organization 250,000 because Gregg Popovich sent Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green prior to the team's nationally televised game in Miami. Other than that the national attention has been on the Thunder, Heat, Knicks, Clippers, and Lakers this season. 

But here the Spurs are with an NBA best record of 36-11.Tim Duncan is turning back the clock posting a 24.93 PER across 30 MPG. Tony Parker just received Western Conference Player of the Week and is playing as well as any point guard in the league this season. Prior though talking heads gave more focus to the play of New York Knicks backup point Jason Kidd then to Parker's. Manu Ginobili has played in 39 of the Spurs 47 games this season and Popovich has kept him below 24 MPG as to protect his oft injured star's playoff effectiveness.

No coach or organization managers the rigors of an 82 game schedule like the Spurs. They have had 13 players appear in at least 30 games this season. With players such as Tiago Splitter, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Jackson, and Boris Diaw the Spurs boast the deepest team in the league. Yet the Clippers bench is the one that receives the national acclaim this season. This is the same Clippers team that got swept at the hands of the Spurs in the Western Conference Semis last year. 

Everyone seems to forget the 20 game wining streak the Spurs carried into game three of the Western Conference Finals last year. Then the Thunder won 4 straight games that each came down to the waning seconds before being decided. The much larger Thabo Sefolosha being assigned to Parker prior to game three was the turning point in the series. It allowed the Thunder to curb Spurs potent offensive attack enough to prevail as Western champs. It just feels as if people have already made travel plans for LA and OKC for the Western Finals this year.

The Spurs have the best coach in the league in Gregg Popovich. There getting a Renaissance year from Tim Duncan. Tony Parker is have arguably his best year he has ever had. Ginobili has stayed healthy and effective this year with flashes of brilliance. No team has a deeper or more quality bench. You can go ahead and book those flight for LA and OKC. Write in the Thunder to repeat as Western champs with ink. But don't be surprised if you see Pop, Duncan, and the Spurs do a little more writing in the tale of quietest dynasty of the 21st century. Don't be surprised if you see the Spurs hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy this June.

Hey Celtics the NBA Is No Place For Sentimentality

The Celtics lost Rajon Rondo for the rest of the season on Sunday, when it was discovered he tore his ACL at some point during Fridays game with the Hawks. Despite this news Paul Peirce and Kevin Garnett led the Celtics to a gritty double overtime victory over the Miami Heat in Ray Allen's return to Boston. After the game Doc Rivers said in response to Rondo's knee injury, "We'll find someone that's already in our locker room who will step up, You can write the obituary, but I'm not. We're going nowhere." Yet that's exactly what I'm doing. The Celtics have no shot to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy this June. Not without Rondo who earned his first All Star start this season and has clearly become the Celtics best and most important player. 

Who is this player or players Doc says will step up to fill the Rondo void. Jason Terry? Terry has looked old and slow this year. Even in his prime Jet never flew like Rondo. Avery Bradley? An absolute nuisance on the wing on the defensive side of the ball, but struggles to hit open shots and not much of a creator. Courtney Lee? He is a player best coming off bench to provide solid D and corner threes. Jeff Green? Played solid D on Lebron Sunday but is non existent on offensive side of ball. When I look at the Celtics roster I see a team that is headed to swiftly losing in the first round if they even make the playoffs at all. 

Now the Celtics are an average NBA team and they're old on top of it. They find themselves in the NBA wasteland too good for the lottery and too shitty to really challenge for the title. Now people will say Garnett, Peirce, Rivers, and wisdom are enough to challenge the Heat, Knicks, Bulls, and Pacers in the East. Yet all those teams are considerably younger, bigger, and quicker than the Celtics. Boston should stash some TNT in the locker room and blow this roster up. 

Do the Celtics really want to keep Garnett and Pierce around just because they can't envision them in another team's uniform? Do they really want to honor the 08 title so much as to sacrifice a shot at the next 5 championships. Now Garnett and Pierce can still contribute to a title contender over the next year or two. But there won't be a title contender in Boston in that time frame. That's why Danny Ainge and the Celtics should use Rondo's injury as the catalyst to transition to the future. 

They should trade not one but both Garnett and Pierce for the best haul of young players, draft picks, and cap space they can get from contenders looking to push their rosters over the top before next February trade deadline. Using the rest of the season to position themselves as best as possible in the lottery and evaluate talent on roster. Then next year Rondo can return to a younger team with a lottery pick player, Sullinger, and the others brought in on the trades. Use the cap space to make a run at a player like Kevin Love, Dwight Howard, Rudy Gay, Demarcus Cousins, or Josh Smith over the next two years. 

 

The Celtics have had a great run over the last five years and should always remember the "Big 3" fondly. But should use Garnett and Pierce's trade value to improve their championship window over the next decade. Move them now before father time ruins their value. Don't keep them around to use as nails to close that championship window. They should heed the advice of Thomas Jefferson, "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past". So, hurry up Celtics the clock is ticking.

Was Derrick Rose's Absence A Good Thing For The Chicago Bulls?

Since the end of last season there have been a plethora of story lines in the NBA atmosphere. Beginning with the coronation of Lebron James as king of the basketball world after his MVP, Finals championship, and Olympic gold medal. Then it was the Lakers winning the off season with acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Next you had the Thunder trade Olympian James Harden to Houston for financial concerns. Immediately there after we had James Harden begin his Rockets career doing his best Isiah Thomas impersonation. We had the Knicks and Carmelo's red hot start. Followed by the Honey Nut Cheerios incident. And nothing has been as captivating as the Titanic level of the Lakers failure this year. Yet none of this story lines will be as important to shaping this and future playoffs such as extended absence of Derrick Rose due to a torn ACL.



I know it's a tough to wrap your head how Derrick Rose's injury could be a good thing. I know it sounds silly to agree with addition by subtraction especially when that subtraction is your MVP point guard. Yet this was something from the old adage what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. This extended absence has allowed the rest of the team to take initiative on the offense side of the ball.

Now last year's playoffs came to a screeching halt at the end of game one when Derrick Rose fell to United Center floor writhing in pain. But the year before the Bulls season came to a screeching halt when confronted with the Miami Heats suffocating D in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat were able to nullify most of Derrick Rose effectiveness and there was no one else who could meaningfully contribute on the offense side of the ball when the stakes got highest. The end result was the Bulls going home in 5 quick games. Not Carlos Boozer who they brought in from Utah to help ease the offensive burden on Rose's shoulders. Not the two time national champion from Florida, Joakim Noah. Nor Luol Deng who had made great strides  during the regular season but still wasn't ready to carry a team offensively for stretches in the post season. When faced with the intense Miami defense the entire Chicago Bulls roster came up short.



So that's why Derrick Rose's absence has been so important this year. It has forced Boozer, Deng, and Noah to each at times learn how to be comfortable and efficient with being the focal point of a NBA offense. Boozer after a sluggish start this season he has played at an All-Star level the last 2 months averaging 20 and 10 over that time. Deng who achieved his second All-Star appearance this year has made great strides with his shot selection as his threes have gone down from 4 a game last two years to just 2.7 this year. His field goal percentage has risen from .414 last year to .442 this year and scoring over 2 more points per game than last year. This is all a by product of attacking the rim more often than in previous seasons. Yet no one has come further in Rose's absence than Joakim Noah who earned his first All Star appearance. A player who was known for energy, rebounding, and defense coming into this season has blossomed this season. Noah is averaging career highs in points, assists, blocks, steals, ft %, shots attempted, minutes played, and tied for career high in rebounds.



With nothing but positive updates coming from Derrick Rose's rehab and return date sometime after All Star weekend. He will be returning to a team much more formidable than the one he left in pain last playoffs. The emergence of Noah, the return to Utah form of Carlos Boozer, and the more aggressive offense of Deng. The progress of the team as a whole on the offensive side of the ball will lead to a much deadlier attack when the postseason rolls around and not just this year but for years to come.

Dwight Howard The Talented Team Terminator

Dwight Howard over the past 2 years has claimed the title of the most hated man in the NBA. Last season there was still enough ill will still lurking towards LeBron about "The Decision" and taking his talents to South Beach. Yet after Lebron' championship coronation and Dwight's embarrassing exit from Orlando. The pressure was now on Dwight to prove that his decision to force his way to "greener pastures" was just the first step to becoming a championship corner stone. Now we are half way through the season and Dwight has failed miserably in nearly every way a championship leader is judged. He looks disinterested and his lethargic play is down right repulsive. A three time NBA defensive player of the year shouldn't look like his shoes are made of cement when it comes to help side defense. A player of his caliber and size shouldn't disappear for the long stretches he has this season.



Now Dwight apologists will use his off season back surgery as the reason for his lethargic help side D. That Dwight is only at 70% of his athletic peak. And his numbers this year are still as impressive as any other big man in the league. That the problems for this Laker season should be laid at another's door. That Kobe's stellar offensive season has come at the expense of Dwight's touches. And Mike Browns Princeton system wasn't utilizing Dwight's talents. Neither has D'Antoni's seven seconds or less philosophy. They would leave you to believe that the blame is not Dwight's.

Still everyone has the right to be on the wrong side of an opinion, beauty of this country. Because Dwight is the player most responsible for the Lakers woes this season and the second most person responsible in the Lakers organization to Jim Buss the second generation owner. First and foremost 70% of Dwight Howard still should be one of the 3 best big men in the world. That regardless of what offensive system it should explain lack of passion and lethargic play we have seen from Dwight this year. If Dwight is going to be a  great championship center that he has to learn to prosper with a dominant wing player such as Kobe. And great players learn to shoulder the criticism for their team whether they deserve it or not.



It seems that someone who a year ago was considered a top 3 NBA player, somehow never learned there is no I in TEAM. That he still hasn't discovered the secret of basketball, that it takes a team to move as one to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy. And to be fair its not entirely his fault, his entire life his presence on a team meant that he was the focal point. In high school and AAU he was a god among mortals obviously the team would just fall in behind Dwight coach included. Then he was drafted number 1 overall and went to a team the coddled his every whim and brought in players only that fit with Dwight as the center piece. Now for the first time in his life Dwight is in a position, where everything isn't being choreographed around him. That for the first time he has to learn how to blend his talents with those around him as to bring out the teams full potential. Dwight Howard just seems more focused on me basketball and not team basketball.

Time is the most valuable commodity we have as human beings and Dwight Howard is wasting it. He doesn't have that many more years to build the foundation required for championships. He can't just go from team to team and one expect the right chemistry to be there waiting for him. He doesn't realize that the right chemistry is earned through time and effort put in. That its earned through sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears. At this rate  there will be no rings on Dwight's fingers till he learns to sacrifice the thoughts of me and replace them with thoughts of team.

Tiger Ready To Prowl Again? We Will See At Augusta

The PGA season really kicks off this weekend when the first true field will show up for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. By true field I mean when Tiger Woods is at least in the field and as I think about that impulse, I realize I miss Tiger Woods. I miss the Tiger Woods pre Nov 09. I miss the Tiger that was a natural born killer with a golf club. I miss the Tiger that dominated golf for well over a decade. I miss the Tiger who wins four majors in a row. I miss the Tiger who wins the 2000 US Open by 15 strokes. I miss the Tiger who tears his ACL during the 08 finishes Sunday tied and goes out and wins on Monday with another 18. I miss the Tiger who wins majors. I miss the Tiger when he went into the weekend with a lead his victory was as sure as the sunrise. I miss the Tiger Woods that eviscerated paired opponents mearly with his presence. I miss the Tiger who made it a fair question of him or the field every week he showed up. I miss Tiger.

After the events of that November 09 night something changed in Tiger mentally. Being drug threw the mud in tabloids, on the internet, beauty shops, and every water cooler in America. His extensive extra martial affairs were the worlds gossip fodder. The drama and snowball had grown so huge he spent weeks at a rehab center for his sex addiction. All of this was the first time anyone associated the name Tiger Woods with anything other than perfection. It was first time Tiger had been cast in a light that could bring him shame. First time that Tiger showed that he was human. A human who has vices and makes bad decisions. Yet a human whose closet gets cleaned by the world with a microscope. He had swung every female opinion against in a weekend. Through all this the killer inside Tiger died. His eyes don't show that fierceness they once resonated. He doesn't stalk the golf course with the same swagger as he once did. Could he return to the level of dominating play we had all grown accustomed too?

It's been three years since that November and it finally feels like he is close again. I had worried at times his mental focus that set him apart from every other mortal with a golf club was lost forever. That his ears had grown too large that he listens and worries too much what people have to say about him. But with 4 wins and 10 top 3 finishes last year he seems to be turning the corner. As with all wounds time can heal them all. As the time passed the public scrutiny faded and questions focused back on his game and not on his blackberry. As that time has gone Tiger has shown he  can close out tournaments again but can he close majors. Cause Tiger knows better than anyone if he doesn't get to 19 majors than he can stake claim to summit of golf gods. That 19 majors is what its going to take to slay the golden bear and lay to rest any discussion whose the beat golfer of all time.

So Tiger debuts on the PGA this weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Where he has won 7 times the most any player has won at a single course. But while I'm excited to see him play I'm eager for the second weekend in April. When he returns to the familiar grounds of Augusta. The same grounds that way back 1997 that he began his assault on the record books of golf. I'm curious to see if he's ready in 2013 to return to winning majors. I miss seeing Tiger in that Sunday red closing the day at the top of the leader board. I miss the Tiger Championship swagger. In 2012 we got a hint of it, and in 2013 I'm ready to see it.

Jim Harbaugh Knows Football and Joe Flacco says SHOW ME THE MONEY!

So by around 3:50 Sunday afternoon I was in the midst of sinking into a deep despair. As a lifelong 49ers fan seeing the first quarter of yesterday NFC championship game come to a close felt like they were worrisomely close to closing the door on the 2012 season. The 49ers were down ten, the vaunted Kaepernick O has -2 yards, Julio Jones was doing his best Jerry Rice impression, and the Falcons just looked to be the more inspired and determined team to punch their tickets to New Orleans. And to make matters worse the Falcons would extend their advantage to 17 points early in the second quarter. It felt like were headed of another off-season of woulda, coulda, and shouldas to be pondered over as the days till September were counted down.

Just as most prisoners of the moment I couldn’t see the whole picture clearly. I should have remembered to just the week prior. When Colin Kaepernick threw the early pick six against Green Bay, he was immediately shown on the sidelines mouthing the words “I got this”, and preceded to take the Green Bay defense to school on the 49ers pistol run option. The beauty of the pistol run option is when run correctly is just near impossible to stop. The Falcons came into the game determined to not let Kaepernick have any of his highlight TD runs. That was perfectly fine with Kaepernick who let Gore and James do the damage on the ground. Then use the play action of the pistol to keep the linebackers frozen all game and the middle of the field 10 yards down field was clear skies for Veron Davis all day. The maturity of a second year QB to not only stay calm down 17-0 but to see what the defense was giving and let his teammates take advantage of their weaknesses was incredible.

Still when it comes to these 49ers there is no return to the Super Bowl and no return the top tier of NFL teams without Jim Harbaugh. Just as Michael Jordan was born to dominate basketball games, Ted Williams to hit baseballs, Tiger Woods to hit golf balls, and Jerry Rice to catch footballs, Jim Harbaugh was born to coach football. He took over a team that was saddled with a losing mentality that comes from a decade of mediocrity and bottom dwelling. In a year in which he had no off-season due to the lockout to implement his “system” he took those perpetual losers to the very cusp of the Super Bowl. Then when confronted with the idea of it's not broke then don't fix it, he simply trusted his gut and said i can make it better and promoted Colin Kaepernick to starter. One thing is crystal clear Jim Harbaugh knows football and how to keep his finger on the pulse of the heart of his team. When his team fell behind 17 points was he ranting and raving up the sidelines, no he was just stoic watching the event exuding the faith and confidence his team needed from its leader. Then later in the 2nd half the emotion to push his team over the top.


Yet Jim won't be the only knowledgeable Harbaugh in New Orleans as his brother John's Ravens won the AFC title due to the stellar play of Ray Lewis and the defense but more importantly the sensational play of Joe Flacco. Coming into the season on the last year of his contract people wondered if he was top dollar. I'd hope Ravens fans could remember the Kyle Boller days and look at the Cardinals, Jaguars, and Browns of the world. Remember that life without a franchise quarterback can pretty depressing. So when you find a quarterback that can take you to five straight playoff appearances and 3 out of 5 AFC championships games its usually a good idea to keep him around and happy. Flacco might not be the type to lead a dink and dunk drive like the Brady and Petyons of the world. But as long he boasts the strongest arm in the league and receivers like Boldin and Smith the Ravens passing game will have an explosive threat that will allow them to beat the beat teams in the NFL. I'd like to think that Flacco had a moment with his agent like Cuba Gooding Jr in Jerry McGuire, SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!



 It's going to be an awkward family moment waiting for the Harbaughs after the game in New Orleans one brother pure elation the other devastated over the incomplete ending on a successful season. Ray Lewis has an opportunity to go out on top with the fairly tale ending. Joe Flacco could push for a top 5 QB in the league acclaim. Kaepernick could start a revolution of the modern offense with the option pass QB. Yet one thing is certain already those Harbaughs sure know football and I can't wait for the show in New Orleans

Huh What? NFL champ picks, Teo, and Armstrong

Hang on, What? An Odd week in Sports

The week leading up to the conference championships for the NFL is usually dominated by talking heads endlessly bantering back on forth on their opinions of match ups and favorites heading into the weekend. Turn to 2013 and the sports world in consumed with a dead imaginary girlfriend and a bully on a bike. Hang on, what? Did I just punch it to 88 in the Delorian and find myself back in Mrs. Williamson’s second grade class again? It feels oddly reminiscent of talks I would expect to have then, concerned with things such as the bully at the end of the block with this nice mountain bike and the creepy kid in the corner who keeps talking about his best friend Jet who we all know is made up. I just pinched myself and yes it is 2013 and Manti Te’o and Lance Armstrong have taken over the airwaves.

Now I am as guilty as anyone at letting my attention be captivated this week by these stories and I’m a 49ers fan. I should spend this week consumed with injury updates and secondary match ups, yet I’m watching Opera and episodes of a show called Catfish. Yet, it would be like driving past a car crash and not craning your neck for an extended look. The human impulse of curiosity just won’t allow it. What are the odds we ever see the headline “Heisman Finalist’s Dead Girlfriend Never Existed” 1,000,000 to 1? 10,000,000 to 1? It still seems so irrational to me that the biggest star on football centric campus was dating online at all, yet dating a girl online who didn’t exist. He could literally have any girl on campus he wanted, yet he is spending his time texting and talking on the phone with a girl supposedly half a world away. This also happens the same week that the face probably most associated with the global disease of cancer, Lance Armstrong, after 13 years of denial and countless lawsuits (Lance couldn’t even remember all the people he sued just said it was a lot) goes on television with Oprah of all people for a confession. It was just that a confession not an apology, the only time he seemed truly contrite was when he explained he wished he told the people in his inner circle he was conceding the fight to the USADA that they had all stood by him and fought all those years. On a side note I thought steroids was suppose shrink your balls, cause the Lance on the Oprah set was admiring the size of his own balls and still not understanding who we the American public wouldn’t admire his set of cajones with him.

Just a crazy week in sports and before I spend the whole time rambling about the drama of the world lets focus back to the rightful bearer of out January attention and that’s THE NFL PLAYOFFS. First let’s focus on the game my heart is not attached to and that’s Ravens vs. Patriots. We get a rematch last years AFC championship that came down to a last second field goal and an early regular season match up decided by a last second field goal. That sentence and that sentence alone is the reason I’m taking the Ravens in this game. The Ravens are GETTING EIGHT POINTS as of writing this Friday afternoon, EIGHT POINTS!!!!!!! There are few teams outside their division that know each other as well as the Ravens and Patriots know each other. Tom Brady knows Ray Lewis is a steak and eggs guy in the morning and Ray knows Tom just can’t get his day started without Honey Nut Cheerios and a banana. They just know each other well and good teams that know each other well usually are decided by one score and by my calculation even if the Patriots win say 38-31 that’s only seven. Take the eight points and thank me on Monday morning.

THE PICK: Patriots 34 Ravens 31 (Ravens +8 OVER Patriots)

Now onto the centerpiece of my weekend the NFC championship featuring the 49ers vs. Falcons. A little background I have a been a 49ers fan since six years old, grew up with Steve Young and Jerry Rice and that transitioned Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens. Yet after 2002 the franchise basically laid dormant for an entire decade, that was until last year and the arrival of Jim Harbaugh. Now here we are our second year in a row the favored in the NFC championship game. This year we look across at another “prototypical quarterback” trying to push their way up the ladder on NFL quarterback greatness. Just like last year another litany of talented receivers. Yet this year we don’t see a dominating defensive line like the Giants had last year, nor do we see a simple ball control offense on the 49ers side. Enter Colin Kaepernick coming off the most dominating combination of running and passing in one game in playoff history. With all that said do the 49ers deserve the four and a half point favorite status they enjoying entering Sunday? The answer is no if this game was in San Fran sure I could see giving four and half points but not on the road vs. a top 10 QB who always seems to win field goal games at home. In a game that I know will be decided by one score one way or another let it be a Falcons 27-21 or Falcons 31-28 or 49ers 31-28 or 49ers 31-24. I’ll take three out of four plausible scenarios over one out of four.

THE PICK: 49ers 31 Falcons 28 (Falcons +4.5 over 49ers)

Taking the points in both but expecting the favorites to win outright. Who knows these games might end up being as crazy as the sports stories this week here’s to hoping they are Cheers!