Last week was rough as I thought it would be for me but on the heels of my Notre Dame Fighting Irish victory at Jerry world yesterday I will be back in business today with a few upset picks this week that haves some very close match ups. I already picked Cleveland to win with a confidence level of 4 and below are the rest of my picks.
Bears 24 Saints 20 (5). Saints have rebounded from last year but there not as good a team on the road.
Patriots 20 Bengals 17(1). I have serious doubts about Andrew Dalton.
Packers 24 Lions 14 (10). Detroit is playing well so far but it's been forever since they have won in Lambeau field.
Titans 20 Chiefs 17 (12). The Chiefs are 4 and 0 by playing Jacksonville and NFC east teams. Finally some real competions brings them to reality.
Colts 24 Seattle 17 (2). This is not an upset. The Colts defense is underrated.
Rams 20 Jaguars 10 (9).
Ravens 28 Dolphins 17 (3). Flacco won't have two bad games in a row.
Giants 23 Eagles 17 (8). I'm declaring early that Chip Kelley's style of offense is not right for the NFL.
Cardinals 20 Panthers 17 (6).
Denver 31 Cowboys 24 (7). If this were in Denver my confidence would be higher.
49er 24 Houston 20 (11). Schaub will throw another pick 6.
Chargers 30 Raiders 10 (13). Never thought I'd say this but Phillip Rivers is on a roll.
Atlanta 35 Jets 7 (14). Falcons have had some tough losses and they will take it out on the Jets.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Friday, September 30, 2011
Rangers season so far
This blog is being written right after the Rangers loss to Tampa Bay in Game 1 of their series with the Devil Rays so I will be coming across as the biggest knee jerk reactionary fan there is. I am writing this with hopes that I am wrong in everything I write here but after seeing what happened to the Rangers today, my fears about them are coming to fruition. Before the season started my concern was one I suspect many had, that without Cliff Lee the Rangers would not be able to make it back to the world series. Despite their best efforts, the Rangers were unable to sign Cliff Lee and Zack Grienke afterward and that is what will hurt them in the playoffs. The pitchers the Rangers have now are good and sometimes great but none are consistenly great to where you would call them the ace of the staff. In the playoffs you inevitably face teams with great hitters or hitters on great hitting streaks and just good pitching is not enough to defeat teams like this. This was shown today as CJ Wilson struggled with a team with hitters that are on good hitting streaks and don't swing at pitches outside the strike zone. Wilson is a good pitcher but is really a number two pitcher and would not be an ace on probably 80% of the teams in major league baseball.
Despite this there is no reason to throw in the towel since Tampa Bay does not have a pitcher on the level of Justin Verlander or Cliff Lee and it is very possible the Ranger hitters can do to Tampa Bay what Tampa Bay did to CJ Wilson today. For now my feelings on the Rangers are the same I had before the season started. A team with great hitting and good pitching but not pitching good enough to get back to the world series.
Rangers, please prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Despite this there is no reason to throw in the towel since Tampa Bay does not have a pitcher on the level of Justin Verlander or Cliff Lee and it is very possible the Ranger hitters can do to Tampa Bay what Tampa Bay did to CJ Wilson today. For now my feelings on the Rangers are the same I had before the season started. A team with great hitting and good pitching but not pitching good enough to get back to the world series.
Rangers, please prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Tree of Life
Normally after viewing a movie I have a good idea if I should recommend it to my friends shortly after I've seen it. In the case of Director Terrence Malick's new movie "The Tree of Life", I have no idea if I should recommend it to anybody as of yet because I don't even know if I liked it. When I saw it in the theatre, there were three people that walked out in the middle of it, two people who applauded it as it ended and the rest I suspect were like me wondering exactly what it was they just saw. "The Tree of Life" is a movie with little, if any, plot and enormous ambition. It is philosphical, spiritual, ambigous and a bit pretentious. The film shows the start of the universe, dinosaurs, the afterlife (at least I think that's what those scenes were toward the end of the movie), a mother and father raising their three sons in the Eisenhower era in Waco, Texas and the eldest son as an adult struggling with the memories of his disciplinarian father and nurturing mother. There are many moments in this movie of genuine beauty. The scene where the mother is holding her infant second child with her older son, who looks to be no more than two years old, standing next to them while observing and trying to play with his younger brother is more touching than anything I've seen in recent years. Terrence Malick has a great touch in capturing the everyday beauty of life that is most often taken for granted and watching that particular scene made me feel like I was was eavesdropping in on someone's treasured home movie. There are also scenes that I had no idea what they were about or how they fit into the movie and I can't remember the last time I was this confused watching a film. Predictably "The Tree of Life" has received very mixed reviews with some critics calling it a bold masterpiece and others calling it a pretentious waste of time. Films like this which are large in scale without a clear narrative storyline almost always get wildly mixed reviews and I will be curious to see if over time "The Tree of Life" is forgotten about or achieves the status of Stanley Kubrick's visionary "2001 A Space Odyssey" which also had walkouts and mixed reviews at the time of its release and is now widely regarded as a masterpiece. I don't know yet how "The Tree of Life" will stand the test of time or if I will like it more when I see it again but I am sure that in making a film of this extraordinary magnitude, Terrence Malick has shown more courage than just about any other filmmaker (this includes James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsesse) today. Nowhere is it said that filmmaking should be only narrative storytelling and with "The Tree of Life" Malick is trying to change the motion picture format and have viewers bring in their own beliefs and upbringings while viewing the film. While I find merit in both the good and bad reviews this film has received, I take exception to those that have said that Malick is making a movie that only he can understand with no concern or respect for the audience. In fact the exact opposite is true. In making a movie that asks the audience to think about the most deeply philosphical questions all of us have to face, Terrence Malick is showing the highest respect for the intelligence of the audience and for this I hope that all fans of the movies will be grateful to him for giving us this film.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Seasons Where History was Made
Sports fans in this area this year can relate to a line in a Rolling Stones song. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you'll find, you get what you need". Fans of the cowboys and rangers before the year the baseball and football seasons started were seeing visions of the first time ever of a team (the cowboys of course) playing at their home stadium in the superbowl and were wondering if the Rangers would ever be sold to Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenburg and doubting the Ranger motto this year "It's time". This year showed why sports is better than the movies or television. What happened to both the Rangers and Cowboys this year could not have been imagined or scripted. In both good and bad ways, fans saw history being made.
First the bad. The Dallas Cowboys at this point in the season are a pathetic 1 and 7. They have given up more than 30 points in the last 3 games. Not since the cowboys expansion team of 1960 has this ever happened. In the history of the NFL, or any other sport for that matter, I cannot think of one team that had such high expectations that performed this poorly. There are so many reasons for this disastrous season and you could write a book the size of "War and Peace" if you wanted to list all of them but the primary one is that their owner/general manager and players bought into the delusion that wearing the star on your helmet makes you a privileged team that is above all other teams in the NFL regardless of commitment and character. The cowboys have already quit on this season so that's enough about these colossal failures, lets move now to the good.
The Texas Rangers for the first time in their franchise history made it to the world series. It would have been great if they would have won but unfortuntately ran into a San Francisco Giant team with a brilliant pitching staff. Great pitching once again beat great hitting but it will not take away the great memories the Rangers provided to their fans this season. The Rangers had the pitching and hitting needed to make it to the world series but the reason they did is because they played like a team. Watching every game this season, you knew no player was interested in his individual statistics or accomplishments. What mattered most was what the final score said and the Rangers made all the sacrifices necessary to get as many wins as they could. Every player had another player's back and was ready to pick someone up when they were down. The main reason the rangers were a great team is the decision Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniel made before the season started in keeping Manager Ron Washington. After Washington admitted to testing positive for cocaine last year most people (myself included) thought the Rangers front office was making a huge mistake in not accepting Washington's resignation and thought he would be a heavy burden on the team. Thankfully, the Ranger front office saw something in Washington that the rest of us saw as the season went along. Washington may not be the best strategic manager in baseball just yet but he has a quality that most other managers would give their right arm for. He gets his players to play their best for him. There are many managers whose players say they like him but Washington's players go a step further. They don't just say they like him, they say that they appreciate his honesty and that he always without failure has their back. This quality resonated throughout the Rangers this season and it was easy to see that the players weren't playing for themselves but for their team and all their fans. After watching the Rangers defeat the Yankees and win the American League Championship series, I felt that the Rangers did not just like their manager but would give their life for him and that he would do the same for any member of his team. Ranger fans like me will be feeling a great deal of gratitude to this year's Rangers team for a long time. We didn't get everything we wanted but we got what we needed and more than we've ever had.
First the bad. The Dallas Cowboys at this point in the season are a pathetic 1 and 7. They have given up more than 30 points in the last 3 games. Not since the cowboys expansion team of 1960 has this ever happened. In the history of the NFL, or any other sport for that matter, I cannot think of one team that had such high expectations that performed this poorly. There are so many reasons for this disastrous season and you could write a book the size of "War and Peace" if you wanted to list all of them but the primary one is that their owner/general manager and players bought into the delusion that wearing the star on your helmet makes you a privileged team that is above all other teams in the NFL regardless of commitment and character. The cowboys have already quit on this season so that's enough about these colossal failures, lets move now to the good.
The Texas Rangers for the first time in their franchise history made it to the world series. It would have been great if they would have won but unfortuntately ran into a San Francisco Giant team with a brilliant pitching staff. Great pitching once again beat great hitting but it will not take away the great memories the Rangers provided to their fans this season. The Rangers had the pitching and hitting needed to make it to the world series but the reason they did is because they played like a team. Watching every game this season, you knew no player was interested in his individual statistics or accomplishments. What mattered most was what the final score said and the Rangers made all the sacrifices necessary to get as many wins as they could. Every player had another player's back and was ready to pick someone up when they were down. The main reason the rangers were a great team is the decision Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniel made before the season started in keeping Manager Ron Washington. After Washington admitted to testing positive for cocaine last year most people (myself included) thought the Rangers front office was making a huge mistake in not accepting Washington's resignation and thought he would be a heavy burden on the team. Thankfully, the Ranger front office saw something in Washington that the rest of us saw as the season went along. Washington may not be the best strategic manager in baseball just yet but he has a quality that most other managers would give their right arm for. He gets his players to play their best for him. There are many managers whose players say they like him but Washington's players go a step further. They don't just say they like him, they say that they appreciate his honesty and that he always without failure has their back. This quality resonated throughout the Rangers this season and it was easy to see that the players weren't playing for themselves but for their team and all their fans. After watching the Rangers defeat the Yankees and win the American League Championship series, I felt that the Rangers did not just like their manager but would give their life for him and that he would do the same for any member of his team. Ranger fans like me will be feeling a great deal of gratitude to this year's Rangers team for a long time. We didn't get everything we wanted but we got what we needed and more than we've ever had.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Rangers in the World Series at Last
There is no doubt now that when the Rangers are healthy, they are the best team in the American League. In their series against the Yankees, the Rangers for the most part outhit, outpiched and outmanaged the Yankees. After Nelson Cruz's two run home run to make the score 5 to 1, the Yankees knew they were defeated and were up against a superior opponent they could not beat. It has been a long time in the making but Ranger fans have finally gotten the chance to see their team in the World Series.
The Rangers will face a different opponent than they are use to in the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The Giants do not have any big name all star hitters but do have an outstanding and deep pitching staff. Their two best pitchers are starters Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain who both have the ability to completely shut down their opponents hitters as evidenced by the fact that Cain has not given up an earned run in more than 13 innings. The Giants like to keep the game close and use timely hitting to score a run late in a game to win. What I doubt we will see is long 4 and 1/2 hour games like we did against the Yankees (Thank God!). What I have a feeling we will seee is close games where the pitching will be the determining factor in who wins. The Ranger hitters must be smart and opportunistic in not swing at pitches out of the strike zone and getting timely hits with runners on base. One concern I have is that designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero will have to play right field since the first two games will be played with National League rules. In close games like these could be, errors are a deciding factor in who wins so the Rangers must be at their best defensively. This has the makings of a great world series with two teams eager to show they belong there and make people aware that there are other teams than the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies in baseball.
The Rangers have been very impressive and have given all Ranger fans great memories already and let's hope some even better ones are coming in the World Series.
Let the games begin!
Go Rangers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Rangers will face a different opponent than they are use to in the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The Giants do not have any big name all star hitters but do have an outstanding and deep pitching staff. Their two best pitchers are starters Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain who both have the ability to completely shut down their opponents hitters as evidenced by the fact that Cain has not given up an earned run in more than 13 innings. The Giants like to keep the game close and use timely hitting to score a run late in a game to win. What I doubt we will see is long 4 and 1/2 hour games like we did against the Yankees (Thank God!). What I have a feeling we will seee is close games where the pitching will be the determining factor in who wins. The Ranger hitters must be smart and opportunistic in not swing at pitches out of the strike zone and getting timely hits with runners on base. One concern I have is that designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero will have to play right field since the first two games will be played with National League rules. In close games like these could be, errors are a deciding factor in who wins so the Rangers must be at their best defensively. This has the makings of a great world series with two teams eager to show they belong there and make people aware that there are other teams than the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies in baseball.
The Rangers have been very impressive and have given all Ranger fans great memories already and let's hope some even better ones are coming in the World Series.
Let the games begin!
Go Rangers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Last Step to the Series
With the Rangers coming home with a 3 to 2 lead in in AL championship series with the Yankees, fans all over the metroplex will be on the edge of their seats watching every pitch tomorrow. For the Rangers to win the series they need to remember what got them there which is timely hitting, smart base running and solid pitching. The Yankees won't give up without a fight so for the Rangers to win tomorrow the hitters need to be patient and not swing at pitches outside the strike zone. The Yankee bullpen has looked vulnerable and the Rangers need to work the pitch count and force Yankee Pitcher Phil Hughes to throw pitches over the the mid portion of the strike zone. The Ranger defense cannot afford to make any errors and what would also help would be a spectacular defensive play. These type of games can turn on either an error or a great defensive play so the Rangers infield and outfield will need to be at their best.
Note to all Ranger fans in the first two rows on the first and third base line. If a Yankee hits a pop foul and you see it is coming toward you, don't try to catch it!! Every out is important and we don't want a Steve Bartman moment to come to Arlington. Support your Rangers and let them make the catch. If the Rangers are at their best they can defeat the Yankees so let's hope Ranger fans can celebrate the Rangers going forward to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!
Note to all Ranger fans in the first two rows on the first and third base line. If a Yankee hits a pop foul and you see it is coming toward you, don't try to catch it!! Every out is important and we don't want a Steve Bartman moment to come to Arlington. Support your Rangers and let them make the catch. If the Rangers are at their best they can defeat the Yankees so let's hope Ranger fans can celebrate the Rangers going forward to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Rangers Biggest Test
Unfortunately the Rangers were unable to put away Tampa Bay in Arlington this weekend. I would like to say I am surprised but Tampa Bay didn't finish the season with 96 wins by luck and the Rangers inability to hit with runners in scoring position and costly errors are some of the reasons we are at game 5 now. This looks to be a very close low scoring game. If Cliff Lee pitches for the Rangers like he did in game 1 they will be in good shape but David Price is unlikely to have two poor outings in a row so for the Rangers to win they must play smart fundamental baseball and get key hits with runners in scoring position. This is the type of game where timely hitting will make you and errors will break you. In game 4, outfielder Nelson Cruz's failure to call Ian Kinsler off for a short fly ball which ended up in an error and the Rays first run cannot happen tomorrow if the Rangers want to win. They would also benefit if Vladimir Guerrero will stop swing at pitches low and outside the strike zone with runners on first and second with one out. I know Guerrero has hit home runs this way but so far all he has gotten is strike outs or double plays in the playoffs and has killed any rallies that the Rangers were leading up to. For the Rangers to win they must be agressive and smart. This is the biggest game in franchise history and let's all hope the Rangers bring out their best game tomorrow.
Go Rangers!!!!!!!!!!
Go Rangers!!!!!!!!!!
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