We've got NFL, NCAA football and even a little NBA talk... enjoy!
kboenitz: welcome folks to another weekly edition of kb and the muggins sports talk
Original Muggins: welcome, thanks for reading
kboenitz: before we get started... josiah, you and i both enjoy Scrubs, right?
Original Muggins: of course
kboenitz: and we would both agree that john c. mcginley is a talented actor?
Original Muggins: yes
kboenitz: but haven't you had enough of the "more taste league" commercials?
Original Muggins: i have had enough of the same ones, they need some variety
Original Muggins: great idea, great personality, but yes, like most great commercials, let's move on
kboenitz: indeed
kboenitz: ok, lets hop right into NFL news
Original Muggins: sounds good
kboenitz: lets talk about, in my opinion, the biggest game of the week, the skins and eagles
kboenitz: are the redskins this good, or are the eagles just losing it?
Original Muggins: i think the redskins played a great game, and they have played many great games, but any time you don't turn the ball over you are going to win games
Original Muggins: the skins have turned it over once i believe in five games
Original Muggins: but they have only squeaked out victories in most games and even lost one
Original Muggins: i don't think that bodes well for them because i don't see them with three turnovers at the end of the year
kboenitz: yes, but i think we can both agree that they've come a very long way since losing on opening night to the giants
kboenitz: jason campbell has come so far with the west coast offense and he's done it very quickly, adjusting with zorns way of thinking
Original Muggins: i agree
kboenitz: but you still put the eagles in front of the skins in the nfc east?
Original Muggins: fully healthy yes, but they are not
kboenitz: and we are waiting to see what happens with westbrook
Original Muggins: exactly
kboenitz: ok
kboenitz: now we have miami and atlanta, but looking considerably better than last year, whos turnaround are you more impressed with, and who do you think has the brighter future this season?
Original Muggins: i think i have to go with the dolphins being more impressive
Original Muggins: for once, they have beat the chargers and patriots, not the lions packers and chiefs or whoever it was
Original Muggins: and second, they had less personel changing
Original Muggins: falcons got turner and a good rookie qb, etc... and they are rightly showing improvement
Original Muggins: the dolphins are out of nowhere
kboenitz: how much can we credit parcells?
Original Muggins: i don't know, it's always hard to say
Original Muggins: but i think the falcons have a brighter season
kboenitz: true, you don't know exactly what he's doing
Original Muggins: they have more potential, i think the dolphins will be figured out very soon
kboenitz: you think the falcons have a brighter season with how much you love the bucs and panthers?
Original Muggins: haha yeah, it's a tough division, but so is the afc east
kboenitz: im guessing by brighter, you dont mean playoffs, but just a positive turnaround?
Original Muggins: yeah
Original Muggins: what about you?
kboenitz: well early on in the season, i thought it was only going to take about 9 wins to take down any of the other 3 NFC divisions
kboenitz: and that might still be the case, with the nfc south teams playing each other, but i think id take the panthers and bucs over the falcons head to head
kboenitz: so i do like them playing outside their division but its tough in the south
Original Muggins: yeah
kboenitz: and i definitely dont think miami will overtake buffalo
kboenitz: and the afc wild card will be very competitive
Original Muggins: i think we can agree that probably neither are playoff bound
kboenitz: right, but down the road... who knows
kboenitz: ok, we can't go a week without talking about dallas
kboenitz: its sad, but true
Original Muggins: neither can the media
kboenitz: hey, we're the media!
Original Muggins: haha indeed- what do you make of the pacman jones shenanigan?
kboenitz: well we'll get to that, we have to preface it with all the stuff that went down this weekend
Original Muggins: okay go right ahead
kboenitz: 1. we have the cowboys barely escaping the bengals
kboenitz: 2. terrell owens crying after his game winning touchdown and saying that he was going through personal problems
Original Muggins: like having an ego the size of russia...
kboenitz: 3. tony romo and wade phillips getting very defensive at the dallas media for jumping on them after a win
kboenitz: and then we get to 4. pacman jones fighting with his own body guard
kboenitz: i don't think the pacman jones thing is as big as it was originally made out to be
kboenitz: and his team says they wont discipline him for it
Original Muggins: haha yeah convenient.... with larry fitzgerald coming up and terrance newman out with injury
kboenitz: haha true
kboenitz: but with all this, is dallas just a ticking time bomb?
Original Muggins: it's funny, i'd always had a problem with dallas fans in general, but never the organization, but now i just think the organization is going downhill
Original Muggins: they are making too many concessions, too many compromises, to coddle TO, to allow Pacman a little freedom
Original Muggins: and i think they are scared of the cardinals
kboenitz: well jerry jones has always been attracted to the dramatic types of players, and i think its finally coming back to bite him
Original Muggins: yeah exactly
kboenitz: its kind of like the days of irvin and deion sanders
kboenitz: but the difference is, back then they were winning super bowls
Original Muggins: yeah, except they won
kboenitz: haha ya
Original Muggins: i don't think that this team is as good as everybody thought it was
kboenitz: and the drama just makes them worse
Original Muggins: and furthermore, i think the NFC east as a whole is actually OVER rated
kboenitz: ooooh letting the sparks fly now
kboenitz: go on
Original Muggins: just looking at those teams, the giants are certainly impressive, as are the skins, but who have the giants played? and have the skins really "beat" anybody or just slid into those victories... the eagles aren't handling injuries very well and I think the cowboys cannot win in the postseason with the current attitude that surrounds the team
Original Muggins: it's the best division in football- i'll give you that
Original Muggins: but people are talking about how head and shoulders they are, i tell you if you take the NFC east i'll take the rest of the NFL to win the super bowl
kboenitz: well we'll see about that down the road, the giants will eventually play some good teams
kboenitz: and the cowboys have some time to right the ship before the playoffs
Original Muggins: true
Original Muggins: lots of football to be played
kboenitz: true
Original Muggins: but the cardinals will win this weekend
Original Muggins: just so ya know
kboenitz: is that a guarantee?
Original Muggins: eh...i'll guarantee a game
Original Muggins: cardinals lose by 3 or win
kboenitz: haha ok
kboenitz: the dallas- phoenix/arizona cardinals rivalry goes back a long time
kboenitz: that game's almost a home game for dallas
Original Muggins: haha that's what they say, but they are something like 2-8 there in the last ten
kboenitz: well we'll see
kboenitz: ok moving on to college football
kboenitz: theres a somewhat important game this weekend, eh?
Original Muggins: just a little
kboenitz: the facebook statuses say it all
kboenitz: everyones pumped up for 1 vs 5, tx- ou this weekend
Original Muggins: it's as good as it gets in the big 12
kboenitz: its true, its the big game of the season
kboenitz: the game that USED to decide who from the big 12 was gonna have a shot at the national title
kboenitz: is it as big now with other legit teams in the big 12?
Original Muggins: haha yeah, it still kinda does- what did missouri do last year in the big 12 championship game?
Original Muggins: i think missouri is great, but i need results
kboenitz: well that game is next week, for now, lets talk about tx
Original Muggins: okay
kboenitz: wheres there edge coming from?
kboenitz: their
Original Muggins: honestly, looking at this game, i see complete even
kboenitz: both with very high powered offenses
kboenitz: and legitimate defenses as well
kboenitz: even personnel seems pretty close
Original Muggins: people always talk about how OU was better last year so they are better, but things change so much in college football and both have proven to be excellent this year
kboenitz: and colt mccoy has really stepped up
Original Muggins: i'm looking at two dead even teams, until one of them steps up this week
kboenitz: heres my question for you
kboenitz: if jamaal charles had stayed, would texas be a lock for this game?
Original Muggins: not a lock. never a lock. but a favorite for sure
kboenitz: i agree, and thats where i think texas has to get their advantage from
kboenitz: and the running game will honestly have to be led by mccoy
Original Muggins: yeah, not a bad thing though
kboenitz: his ability to run the ball has somewhat covered the loss of charles, and i think its very important for this team
kboenitz: and while i dont always agree with a very mobile quarterback, i think its essential for mccoy to do what he needs to do for this team to win
Original Muggins: so you think the edge for texas comes if mccoy can get out and run?
kboenitz: i do
kboenitz: unfortunately, i think that OU is gonna be ready for that
kboenitz: and i think they'll really come after mccoy
Original Muggins: yeah, they will
kboenitz: we'll get to predictions later in the show
Original Muggins: but one thing i've learned from being a texas fan is that mack brown is as good as it gets at making half time adjustments
Original Muggins: so don't count texas out
kboenitz: well im sure he'll have to make a few
kboenitz: ok, the other big game of the week
kboenitz: lsu -- florida
Original Muggins: yeah, florida faces essential title elimination here
Original Muggins: theoretically
kboenitz: so can they step up?
Original Muggins: i don't think they do
Original Muggins: i think they do, but lsu steps up further
Original Muggins: they still have that spirit from last year
Original Muggins: and i don't think last week was a fluke for miss
kboenitz: they definitely do, but these SEC games can go either way
kboenitz: but LSU does traditionally play very well in the swamp
Original Muggins: i thought it was in baton rouge?
kboenitz: is it?
Original Muggins: i might be wrong
kboenitz: its in gainesville
Original Muggins: okay
Original Muggins: well yeah, it could go either way
Original Muggins: too early to tell who will come out of the SEC
kboenitz: the matchup to watch will be tebow against the LSU line
Original Muggins: yeah, and i think he will struggle
kboenitz: but he's gotta have some sort of fire in him
Original Muggins: i think this might be his biggest game so far in the last two years
Original Muggins: because if he doesn't come with that fire, that leaves so many questions on his end
kboenitz: true, and florida as a whole
kboenitz: but some teams have a chance to sneak in even closer to the top with these games
kboenitz: namely penn state and vanderbilt
Original Muggins: yes they do
kboenitz: who are you liking out of these two?
Original Muggins: i like vandy, but schedule favors penn state so penn state has a better chance
kboenitz: i agree, and theyre high up there as it is
Original Muggins: yeah, gonna have to lose to one of those crappy big 10 teams
kboenitz: penn state with a somewhat tough test this week against wisconsin, more on that later
kboenitz: ok, lets quickly talk some NBA!
Original Muggins: woot
kboenitz: its preseason!
kboenitz: the games that matter!
kboenitz: just 3 things i want to hit real quick though
Original Muggins: haha yeah, stephon marbury was on the bench behind chris duhon yesterday
Original Muggins: must matter
kboenitz: haha
kboenitz: 1. how will artest fit in in houston?
kboenitz: is there a buzz over there josiah?
Original Muggins: i think he brings the tough mentality that houston needs, whether or not mcgrady and yao buy into that is another question
Original Muggins: there is a huge buzz
Original Muggins: i mean, with the disappointing end to the astros season and the 0-4 texans, they are ALL ready for the rockets right now
kboenitz: haha well this could be a good year for the rockets
kboenitz: but artest could be just like TO and come and tear your team apart
Original Muggins: haha i think artest has less ego and more self awareness
kboenitz: i said from the beginning that this was probably a mistake, and it might come back to bite the rockets
kboenitz: well we'll see
kboenitz: but if he doesnt fit in there, we could see some fireworks
kboenitz: but they did let him score like 12 of the first 15 in their opener
kboenitz: so i think they want him to be happy
Original Muggins: whenever i have seen artest he wants to win, no matter how, he doesn't need to score
Original Muggins: he doesn't even care for rules sometimes
Original Muggins: he wants to win
Original Muggins: i don't like him
Original Muggins: but i think he fits in here
kboenitz: haha well he might get the shot if yao and mcgrady stays healthy
kboenitz: ok number 2
kboenitz: oden has a strong first showing as a blazer, how much do we have to watch out for oden and portland?
Original Muggins: eh.... that man child has a long way to go i think
Original Muggins: what is your take?
kboenitz: i like portland to be one of the top teams in the west
Original Muggins: wow
kboenitz: theyre young and they play with a lot of fire
kboenitz: and they were extremely good last year and only getting better
kboenitz: they might be my pick to win the northwest
Original Muggins: i would like to see them up there for a change of guard, with the hornets, but i still see them sitting right below the hornets-spurs-lakers-suns plateau
Original Muggins: and rockets of course
kboenitz: right, the west continues to get better
kboenitz: but that brings me to my next point
kboenitz: can anyone beat the lakers?
kboenitz: they made it to the finals without bynum, and now he's back
Original Muggins: yeah, i don't think he makes that much difference in the end
kboenitz: really?
Original Muggins: it comes down to kobe in close games, he takes all the shots
kboenitz: thats true, but combining bynum with gasol gives them a very poweful front court
Original Muggins: yeah, they are very scary
Original Muggins: but i gotta go with the hornets out west
Original Muggins: pun intended
kboenitz: haha
kboenitz: well we'll have our nba predictions in a later week
Original Muggins: of course
kboenitz: its baseball time!
Original Muggins: i just don't think in today's NBA you can say any team is a lock for anything
Original Muggins: okay moving on
kboenitz: true
kboenitz: ok, we have the final four
Original Muggins: our teams are still alive!
kboenitz: tampa bay rays, boston red sox, philly phillies, and la dodgers
kboenitz: haha we're gods of baseball
kboenitz: and i still like our predictions, but how great is it for the rays to be here?
Original Muggins: i love seeing it
kboenitz: bottom of the mlb last year, now playing to go to the world series
Original Muggins: in any sport, a turnaround like that is great for the sport
kboenitz: and to watch the underdogs, the underpaid guys go out and play for the game, is amazing
Original Muggins: yeah, love it
Original Muggins: but they are going to run into a wall here
Original Muggins: haha
kboenitz: haha we'll see, they've played well against the sox all season
kboenitz: but once again, theres only one october
Original Muggins: there's your phrase
kboenitz: and the sox know how to take care of business
Original Muggins: yeah, i'm sticking with the phillies red sox
kboenitz: ya, over in the NL
kboenitz: it was vindication to watch both NL central teams go down
Original Muggins: haha i bet
kboenitz: ya, and i really dont like the cubs
kboenitz: and i love this whole curse thing
kboenitz: and i continue to wonder what steve bartman is doing these days
Original Muggins: if i only knew who that is...
kboenitz: but dodgers- phillies, we like the phillies, lets move on
kboenitz: haha ill explain it to you someday
Original Muggins: sounds good
kboenitz: ready for your fantasy tip of the week?
Original Muggins: yessir
kboenitz: go
Original Muggins: back to the draft, because i can't give too much about the season since i'm playing against most of you readers
Original Muggins: drafting team defenses is useless
kboenitz: no mercy from the owner of the waddling penguins
Original Muggins: well here are some of our draft results: DAL taken fifth round, Houston, Chicago, San Diego, New England taken seventh
Original Muggins: MIN and JAC taken eighth
Original Muggins: etc..
Original Muggins: i think it is just as effective to play defenses each week who play turnover prone offenses
Original Muggins: i didn't draft a DEF until the fifteenth round of the draft, and my defenses have put up a total of 62 points on the year (for perspective, only three defenses have beat that, Tennessee (12th round) chicago and Tampa Bay (undrafted)
Original Muggins: i just pick from the free agents each week who has a favorable match up
Original Muggins: in the seventh round, with those terrible defenses, you could have picked players like michael turner and greg jennings if you were lucky
Original Muggins: so it's a waste of a pick
kboenitz: well thats a little bit of a strategy tip, now you have to beat nathan miller, whos ready on monday night to start the add/dropping
Original Muggins: you can never predict defenses, and a lot of a good defensive performance is a bad offensive line
Original Muggins: i think i'm done
kboenitz: true, but i did like my san diego defense until merriman got hurt
kboenitz: and theyve done pretty well for me
kboenitz: anyhoo my obscure sports spotlight for the week falls onto the world series of poker
kboenitz: there probably isnt anyone reading this who watches it as religiously as i do, but let me give you an update
Original Muggins: oooh... kyle's dream
kboenitz: were down to about 200 people left, and 4 of the biggest names still playing, phil hellmuth, mike matusow, gus hansen and allen cunningham
kboenitz: if you need entertainment, watch a phil hellmuth whine-fest, theyre my favorite
kboenitz: and theres sure to be more to come
kboenitz: i know how this plays out because i actually follow it when its happening, but theres plenty of drama still to come
kboenitz: and a lot of people would say its boring to sit and watch people playing cards, but i really don't think it is, the personality is amusing, and sometimes the bad beats are just incredible, i wouldnt recommend watching if you don't know how to play, but if you understand the game, i think its great
kboenitz: and i'm still not sure how theyre doing the final table live, when last year it took 16 hours, but i can't wait to watch that too
Original Muggins: however, it is not a good place to learn how to play, because they typically only show the highly contested hands and are often short handed
kboenitz: very true
kboenitz: ok, on to the pick em contest
kboenitz: last week, i squeaked out a victory
Original Muggins: haha yeah, 17-14
Original Muggins: kentucky couldn't pull it off
kboenitz: haha so close though
kboenitz: i won by one game
kboenitz: we're keeping a running total though
Original Muggins: grr
kboenitz: currently its 8-4 to 7-5
kboenitz: quickly going through the pro games
kboenitz: Carolina at Tampa Bay
Original Muggins: panthers
Original Muggins: my superbowl team!
kboenitz: haha ok, ill go with the bucs
kboenitz: Miami at Houston
Original Muggins: ooh...good game...houston gets off the schnide
kboenitz: ill take the texans too, at home
kboenitz: chicago at atlanta
Original Muggins: bears big
kboenitz: im liking the bears too, but you never know which falcons team will show up
Original Muggins: (and the texans were another reason i lost last week...choked!)
kboenitz: ok baltimore at indy?
Original Muggins: i like the ravens to give manning a rough day
Original Muggins: i'll take 'em
kboenitz: i think im gonna take indy, but i hope leron mcclain has 6 touchdowns against a bad run defense
kboenitz: you know what, i dont think my picks match up with my john litzler nfl pick em... oh well
Original Muggins: haha this is the trump
kboenitz: dallas at arizona
Original Muggins: CARDINALS!
Original Muggins: watch out cowboys
kboenitz: im takin the cowboys
kboenitz: jacksonville at denver
Original Muggins: another very tough game...i'll take the broncos
Original Muggins: matt prater is gonna hit a 64 yarder
kboenitz: ill take MJD, Garrad and the jags to put up 40+ and win
Original Muggins: haha a good fantasy weekend for you in store?
kboenitz: 150+
Original Muggins: that'll be the day
kboenitz: haha ok, on to college
kboenitz: TX-OU
Original Muggins: I'm dead split on this, so i gotta go with the homeboys
Original Muggins: UT
kboenitz: as am i, and in fear of the beatdown i would take if i picked OU and texas won, ill go UT
kboenitz: another big 12 game 17 okie state at 3 missouri
Original Muggins: missouri
kboenitz: ill take missouri, and i think the over under for points in this game is set at 130
kboenitz: 6. penn state at wisconsin
Original Muggins: penn state.
kboenitz: one of us has to go out on a limb here, and im gonna say wisconsin
kboenitz: lsu at florida
Original Muggins: LSU
kboenitz: lsu
kboenitz: iowa state at baylor
Original Muggins: haha...i love how this game made it on here
Original Muggins: i'll take baylor
Original Muggins: even though i don't know her
kboenitz: there arent that many good games this week
kboenitz: but the good ones are enough, im taking the cyclones after the scare they put on kansas last week
kboenitz: and tennessee at 10 georgia
Original Muggins: another good game... georgi
kboenitz: georgia
Original Muggins: but mark my words: let me down again and i'll leave you
kboenitz: haha
kboenitz: you hear that moreno?
kboenitz: dont lose josiah
kboenitz: ok, time for just one mail today
kboenitz: and its from daniel v.
kboenitz: back to the NFL
kboenitz: The Titans, undefeated still. Can their defense continue to carry their offense all the way? Are they a legitimate playoff/super bowl team? And of course, will we ever see VY again?
Original Muggins: I'll take the first part: yes, they are as legit as legit goes
Original Muggins: they have passion, defensive power, and an offense that can make first downs with a solid running game and a good manager at quarterback
Original Muggins: i said it weeks ago and i still say it, best team in the league
kboenitz: i think we will not be seeing VY again this year, unless kerry collins goes down with arthritis... he's managed the team well all year, and continues to do what needs to be done, theres no need to switch it
Original Muggins: yes, i think giving VY the year on the bench is not the worst thing for his career
Original Muggins: or the titans
Original Muggins: so it works for everybody
kboenitz: true, and kerry collins can't go on forever, and vince could learn a thing or two
kboenitz: ok rant time!
kboenitz: ready josiah?
Original Muggins: yes
kboenitz: go
Original Muggins: i want to give a shout out to my man, kurt warner
kboenitz: the double glove
Original Muggins: he is the most upstanding man i have seen in the NFL... it's hard to see competitve atheletes today also be humble, but warner nails this attitude on and off the field
Original Muggins: every week on friday night he has a lower class family round his house for dinner, then buys them great seats for the game (if it's a home game) to try and teach his kids how blessed they are for having a dad who can provide like that
Original Muggins: he also does so much for charity behind the scenes it's crazy
Original Muggins: he truly lives a life that should be followed, he is a role model in the face of guys like TO and pacman jones that tarnisht the reputation of the nfl
Original Muggins: and furthermore, he is a darn good football player. Loses the football too much, a little aloof, but barring that crazy day in new york he has ONE turnover on the year
Original Muggins: not so bad at all
kboenitz: well said, and i didnt know all that about kurt warner
Original Muggins: i think he takes the cardinals out there and beats the cowboys
Original Muggins: kurt warner is the man.
kboenitz: and i was very impressed how hard he took anquan boldins injury
kboenitz: he really cares
Original Muggins: yeah, seriously
Original Muggins: and if he retires this year, it's been a great run
Original Muggins: he was truly an nfl great.
Original Muggins: in my opinion
kboenitz: ok for my rant i'd like to discuss the joke that is refereeing these days... by my count, we've now had 4 games that were blown on a referee's call
Original Muggins: from grocery store to mvp to grocery store back to fame
Original Muggins: go ahead
kboenitz: just to list them, we had broncos-chargers and the fumble call, broncos-saints and the offsides call, the roughing the passer call in the titans-ravens game, and the facemask fumble call in the saints-vikings
kboenitz: i know these refs are human, but there needs to be some sort of accountability for missed calls
kboenitz: they need to extend instant replay to include penalty calls, because this can not continue to happen
kboenitz: each year, a playoff team or a non playoff team can be decided by one game, thats what makes the nfl season so exciting, that every game matters, and they should be decided by the players, not the guys in black and white
kboenitz: and thats all i have to say about that
Original Muggins: well said
Original Muggins: if only there was an easy solution
Original Muggins: maybe they'll look at that replay idea in the offseason
kboenitz: why not instant replay for calls?
kboenitz: whats the harm?
Original Muggins: probably too many replays...like holding is a judgment thing
kboenitz: i guess so
Original Muggins: there is a technical hold on just about every play in football, you just gotta get away with it
kboenitz: hmm well somoene needs to fix it
kboenitz: ok thats all we have for today folks, thanks for reading
kboenitz: everyone be safe up in dallas
Original Muggins: well said
kboenitz: and enjoy any fun, or out of the ordinary things that might be happening
Original Muggins: i'm sure anybody who fits that description will have a great and successful weekend
kboenitz: indeed
kboenitz: adios
Original Muggins: peace
1 comment:
I don't know what Josiah wants from the Redskins... I wouldn't expect them to blow out Dallas and Philly, getting a win in those places is enough.
Post a Comment