Weekend Roundup

All sorts of action in all sports this weekend including NBA/college hoops. Instead of getting to all that I'm going to try to do a basketball roundup tomorrow - basically try to see where we're at with teams.

College Football:
For all the complaints about the BCS selecting the wrong teams to play in the championship game every year, the bigger problem with the system is really that no one wants to play anyone out of conference. That's why Alabama pounded the snot out of Chattanooga and Florida beat up on Florida International Airport. Teams are too afraid of scheduling someone that might actually beat them...I have not been the biggest BCS opponent but honestly the system has to go. For those reasons and for the fact that people talk about it more than the actual game of college football (myself included now I guess).

NFL:
-You know things are bad when the Lions and Browns play in the most exciting game of the week. Nothing like an old-fashioned Brady Quinn and Matthew Stafford shootout. Can it get any worse for Browns fans than to lose on a pass interference on a hail mary? I say we combine the Bills and Browns into one mega team - I say they win 4 games, maybe 5.
-The Giants got back on track with a win over the Falcons. Somehow, they managed to blow a 14 point lead at home before winning in overtime. This had huge playoff implications as it will basically be two NFC East teams, the Falcons and Packers fighting for the two wild card spots. The Giants now have a 1 game advantage and and the tie-break on Atlanta.
-How many people picked Kansas City to knock off Pittsburgh? How about Oakland over Cincinnati? I wouldn't be too alarmed, these types of off-the-wall upsets happen every year around this time. A team sleepwalks into an opposing stadium and the other team shows up. With that said, Pittsburgh severely out-gained KC and if not for a Roethlisberger overtime concussion, probably would have won. I'm sure everyone has seen the Caldwell fumble, but again, this is probably a game the Bengals would have won all things being equal.

As it stands however, the Patriots and Colts have opened up a gap between themselves and the rest of the AFC. No one appears to be quite on the level of either of these two and only Pittsburgh and San Diego probably have the talent to compete with them come playoff time.

On the NFC side, Minnesota and New Orleans have done the same thing (to a lesser degree). New Orleans is the league's most explosive team and Minnesota is the league's best. I'm not sold on any other team except maybe the Eagles and maybe the Giants. That said, this year's playoffs is shaping up to be a year of the bye week teams (at least on paper).

-Watching the Eagles-Bears game last night, one thing became clear: Lovie Smith needs to be fired. This is not a ground-breaking statement, but seriously the man is lose trying to coach an NFL team. The Eagles basically gift-wrapped the Bears the game with sloppy play all night but Lovie refused to get Bellichikian and try to put the game away, instead he was ultra-conservative and decided he wanted field goals, field goals and more field goals.
-Early second quarter, down 10-0, 4th and 2 at the Eagles 27, he opts: Field Goal. This is always a bad decision. Why make your kicker connect from 44 yards on a score that nets you less than half of a touchdown, when you probably pick up the two yards over 50% of the time. Simple math.
-Next possession they break off a 72 yard run to the Eagles 10. Fullback screen, run up the middle, incomplete. 28-yard Field Goal.
-Nearing the end of the second quarter, again, 4th and 5 at the Eagles ten...a chance to take a 13-10 halftime lead instead of walking into the locker room down 10-9, Lovie opts Field Goal.
-Third quarter, he was left no choice, 4th and 13 at the Eagles 31, he opts Field Goal.
-Teams exchange TD's, Chicago gets a 2-point conversion and go up 3 points.

Here is where the worst decision of all is made. Up 3, with 12 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, the Chicago defense comes up with yet another turnover at the Eagles 37. Forte 2 yard loss, incomplete, 9 yard pass. 4th and 3 at the Eagles 31. 48-yard field goal after your kicker has already hit five to go up 6 points against an offense that has been on the verge of breaking through your defense all game (Chicago's defense did a nice job of collecting turnovers and had some timely sacks, but other than that the Eagles moved the ball pretty easily all game). It's so conservative to try to kick again there, of course, Lovie did, and it was blocked. The Eagles went right down the field and scored a touchdown. Then Cutler failed again to put together a game-winning drive and ended the game on a *shocking* interception.
Bottom line, when you have a team as explosive as the Eagles on the ropes, up three in the fourth at the 30 yard line on 4th and less than 5, there is no decision to be made - you go for it. Try to end the game like Bellichik would do (just not when you're at your own 30).

-Not sure how many people caught the MLS finals last night but I was cheering for the Galaxy. Devastating loss to Real Salt Lake in the penalty kicks. Have to wonder if the Glaxay pull it off if their starting keeper didn't get hurt. This game got me pretty fired up for some World Cup action (unexpectedly).