Week 17 NFL Picks

Wow. This is the last NFL picks post for the season. Next time we'll get to crown a winner.

As I mentioned on Facebook and Twitter last week, we will have a playoff contest posted on the blog at the conclusion of this weekend's games. There will be a prize, I promise!

Here's our final regular season picks. Next year I hope we get all of our contributors in on the action.

MattGameCody
ColtsColts at Bills
Colts
PanthersSaints at Panthers
Saints
JaguarsJaguars at Browns
Jaguars
PatriotsPatriots at Texans
Texans
VikingsGiants at Vikings
Vikings
49ers49ers at Rams
49ers
FalconsFalcons at Buccaneers
Falcons
DolphinsSteelers at Dolphins
Steelers
BearsBears at Lions
Bears
CowboysEagles at Cowboys
Eagles
BroncosChiefs at Broncos
Broncos
RavensRavens at Raiders
Ravens
TitansTitans at Seahawks
Titans
ChargersRedskins at Chargers
Chargers
PackersPackers at Cardinals
Cardinals
JetsBengals at Jets
Bengals
11-5
Last Week
9-7
154-86
Overall Record159-81

Week 16 NFL Picks

So close to the end of the season. Matt and Cody posted matching 10-6 records during Week 15. With two weeks left in the regular season, Cody still holds a seven-game lead on Matt.

Happy Holidays to all. We'll be back in a more complete capacity after Jan. 11.

MattGameCody
ChargersChargers at Titans
Chargers
BengalsChiefs at Bengals
Bengals
FalconsBills at Falcons
Falcons
PackersSeahawks at Packers
Packers
GiantsPanthers at Giants
Giants
SaintsBuccaneers at Saints
Saints
SteelersRavens at Steelers
Ravens
PatriotsJaguars at Patriots
Jaguars
BrownsRaiders at Browns
Browns
DolphinsTexans at Dolphins
Dolphins
CardinalsRams at Cardinals
Cardinals
49ersLions at 49ers
49ers
EaglesBroncos at Eagles
Eagles
ColtsJets at Colts
Colts
CowboysCowboys at Redskins
Cowboys
VikingsVikings at Bears
Vikings
10-6
Last Week
10-6
143-81
Overall Record150-74

Dec. 17 Show Preview

Wow. It's hard to believe, but tonight's show will be the last of the semester. We've come a long ways in a short amount of time, and we hope you've enjoyed it.

As always, listen to us live on WCKS The Whale or here on the blog tonight at 10:05!

Tonight's show topics:
  • GVSU Football
  • NFL Picks
  • Detroit Lions
  • Tiger Woods
  • Big Trade in Baseball
  • Big Ten Conference
  • The Final Word
Hope you can listen in!

Week 15 NFL Picks

The NFL gods giveth, and the NFL gods taketh away.

A week after Cody's rough weekend set Matt up for an improbable comeback, Matt had a rough weekend of his own (combined with Cody's top-dog performance).

MattGameCody
Colts
Colts at Jaguars
Colts
SaintsCowboys at Saints
Saints
Eagles49ers at Eagles
Eagles
TexansTexans at Rams
Texans
RavensBears at Ravens
Ravens
ChiefsBrowns at Chiefs
Chiefs
CardinalsCardinals at Lions
Cardinals
PatriotsPatriots at Bills
Patriots
TitansDolphins at Titans
Dolphins
FalconsFalcons at Jets
Falcons
BroncosRaiders at Broncos
Broncos
BengalsBengals at Chargers
Chargers
SteelersPackers at Steelers
Steelers
SeahawksBuccaneers at Seahawks
Seahawks
VikingsVikings at Panthers
Vikings
GiantsGiants at Redskins
Giants
10-6
Last Week
14-2
133-75
Overall Record140-68

First donations come rolling in!

We want to thank everyone who responded to our pop can, change and charity donation drive tonight. Every little bit of money raised helps our project and Habitat for Humanity.

Currently, we have raised $10.80 for Habitat for Humanity and have come much closer to moving our bottom line out of the red.

Specifically, we would like to thank these people for their generous donations:
  • Tara Aday
  • Chris Slagh and Liz Koopman
  • The Girls at Copper Beech C105
  • The Girls at Campus West B14
  • The Girls at 48 West T4
  • The Girls at Country Place I10
  • The Guys at Country Place K2
  • The Girls at Meadows Crossings C6
  • The Guys at Campus View 4335
  • The Girls at Campus View 10217
What a great start to the holiday season! Be sure to tune in Thursday night at 10:05 p.m. for our final show of the semester.

Viral Video: Paying homage to SportsCenter

Matt's NFL Playoff Picture

Week 14 of the NFL season has reached us, and there is plenty left to speculate about playoff spots. Here's how I see it unfolding:

NFC Division Winners (presented in order of seeding):
New Orleans Saints
Minnesota Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles
Arizona Cardinals

NFC Wildcards:
Green Bay Packers
Dallas Cowboys

AFC Division Winners (presented in order of seeding):
Indianapolis Colts
Cincinnati Bengals
San Diego Chargers
New England Patriots

AFC Wildcards:
Denver Broncos
Baltimore Ravens

Wildcard Round:
Packers over Cardinals
Eagles over Cowboys
Chargers over Ravens
Patriots over Broncos

Divisional Round:
Saints over Packers
Vikings over Eagles
Colts over Patriots
Bengals over Chargers

Championship Round:
Vikings over Saints
Colts over Bengals

Super Bowl:
Vikings over Colts

Ok, I know my picks are biased based on my love for the Vikings. The predictions look particularly bad because Minnesota is coming off a bad loss against Arizona. But, Antoine Winfield's coming back to secure the secondary, and the Viking's dominating offensive line will be at full strength.

Just you watch, The Brett Favre fairy tale will have a happy ending after all.

Dec. 10 Show Preview

Matt and I are extremely excited to get another show going tonight at 10 p.m. It's our second-to-last show of the semester, so let's break a listener record tonight!

We make for an excellent break from studying and go great with a nice warm cup of hot chocolate.

Tonight's show topics:
  • GVSU Football in D2 National Championship Game
  • NFL Picks
  • Tim Donaghy
  • Curtis Granderson Trade
  • Final Word Segment
  • Tennessee Volunteers Under Investigation
Hope you can listen in!

JT: Shaq failure means South Beach better be prepared to handle LeBron James-Dwayne Wade duo

It could come from Hollywood:

The Adventures of Diesel and Flash II:
The Next Rise to Power featuring LeBron James


“Shaquille O’Neal and Dwayne Wade team up again to deliver another blockbuster, saving the city of Miami from basketball mediocrity. Like all great duos the two parted ways looking for brighter pastures. But, when the city of Miami came calling, Diesel and Flash again came to the rescue.”

I’m not predicting a third Shaq trade in two years. Instead, Shaq is going to be providing South Beach with a duo of such magnitude you could previously only create it on NBA Live.

The Shaq Experiment in Cleveland is a failure. In 2010, LeBron James will be heading south to Miami.

There, I said it.

Bring on the hate mail and tell me I’m crazy. Better yet, show me some numbers and prove me wrong. I’ve been a critic since I saw the trade come across the bottom line on June 26 and I’m not backing down now.

There’s a reason Team USA doesn’t win a gold medal in every single Olympics. There’s a reason the New York Yankees don’t win the World Series every year. There’s a reason the Detroit Pistons knocked off Shaq’s hall-of-fame Lakers in 2004. It’s called chemistry.

If you could just grab the best talent and spew it on the court, why would we pay coaches and general managers so much?

The Shaq experiment was destined to fail from the start.

What makes LeBron James great? It sure isn’t his jump shot (he’s not Kobe Bryant). It’s not his amazing ball skills and quickness (he’s not D-Wade). It is LeBron’s ability to drive to the rim with his 6-foot-8-inch, 250-pound frame. He very well may be better at driving through the lane than anyone in NBA history. He is a freight train in perfect control, able to glide through the air and deliver with such force that shot blockers need not apply. When he begins his drive, you are at his mercy.

This isn’t to say LeBron James doesn’t have a good jump shot, or that he doesn’t have exceptional ball handling skills and quickness. But, when you take away his drive you take away his identity. The funny thing is, the only person that has proven, and will continue to prove, able to take away LeBron's greatest strength is his own center, Shaquille O’Neal.

Ten years ago, LeBron and Shaq may have made a fantastic pair. But in order to get by Orlando and Boston in the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers will need more than an aging O'Neal clogging the lane.

When Shaq hogs the paint, it forces LeBron to switch to his secondary weapon: his jump shot. It’s like when Ohio State asks Terrelle Pryor to step back and pass too much, you just have to let the kid play.

What’s ironic is the Cavaliers were right in grabbing a Phoenix center, they just grabbed the wrong one. Could you imagine a mobile and agile Amare Stoudemire running the pick-and-roll with the King?

All this only builds up to the NBA’s shuffle and deal off-season in 2010, when James will reportedly test the free agent market if Cleveland can’t surround him with a cast capable of winning a championship.

One of the teams which can afford James is the Miami Heat. There has been plenty of speculation LeBron would love to join his friend and Olympic teammate Dwayne Wade down in Miami.

We can only imagine the possibilities. Would the chemistry be there? It sure looked like it was in Beijing during the Olympics.

(Rumors have spread the Heat could fit Chris Bosh on the payroll as well if the right general manager steps in. I’m not willing to tread those waters yet.)

I understand only 20 or so games have been played this season, and much is still to be hashed out. But when everything goes to hell in Cleveland (e.g. they don’t advance past the second round of the playoffs), you heard it here first.

(Kudos to Keith Allison for the photo off of Wikimedia Commons. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 license.)

Cody: Austin Jackson could be the next Curtis Granderson for the Detroit Tigers

ESPN is reporting a three-way trade which, among many things, would send Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees and land minor league outfield prospect Austin Jackson in Detroit.

It's funny how two years time can change a team's direction. Not long ago, it was the Tigers who shipped off prospects (Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller) for well-established talent (Miguel Cabrera). Now, Detroit finds themselves on the other side, dealing a starter and all-star (Granderson) for up-and-coming talent (Jackson).

Losing will take its toll on any organization in any sport. Instead of spending big money to gear up for one more World Series run next season, it appears the Tigers' front office is content to go through another painful rebuilding phase.

Granted, Granderson's performance last season was far from perfect. A .249 batting average and .327 OBP is hardly what any team wants from its lead off hitter. But, Granderson plays a solid center field in spacious Comerica Park and is a great member of the community. Defense and community outreach are always overlooked, but are vital to the success of a baseball team.

Thankfully, the Tigers may be receiving a right-handed reincarnation of Granderson in Jackson. Although he is still raw, Jackson has progressed steadily through the Yankee's farm system and is considered a top-50 prospect.

The 22-year-old was named the International League Rookie of the Year in 2009 as a member of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (AAA). He hit a flat .300 in 504 at bats, and had a .354 OBP.

Scouts peg Jackson as an everyday center fielder who is good at many things, but not great at any. He has above-average speed (24 stolen bases in 2009), but lacks power (only 4 home runs in 2009, or 1 per every 126 at bats). Playing in 96 games as a center fielder last season, he had only one error in 209 chances.

Jackson could be ready to be an everyday starter as early as next spring, so it will be interesting to see how the Tigers bring him along. Within the past decade, Detroit has been traditionally conservative in how they have handled outfield prospects.

Granderson spent parts of two seasons with the Tigers before becoming the everyday center fielder in 2006. Before being shipped to Florida in the Cabrera deal, Cameron Maybin had spent only 24 games in the majors.

In Jackson's case, the Tigers may have to rush as there is little proven talent available to play center field in Motown.

Ryan Raburn showed promise with the bat and glove last year, but started only five games in center.

Clete Thomas seems to be the most likely opening-day starter, as he filled in for an injured Granderson two seasons ago and has played a substancial amount of center field in the minor leagues.

Both Thomas and Raburn played pivotal roles as backups last season behind the aging Magglio Ordonez and oft-injured Carlos Guillen. Those roles will fall to Wilkin Ramirez and Don Kelly should either Thomas or Raburn be thrust into a starting role.

Seeing Granderson go will not be easy for many, especially since he is headed to the evil empire that is the Yankees. At the very least, the Tigers picked up an outstanding prospect to replace him.

(Kudos to TheKuLeR for the photo off of Wikimedia Commons. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.)

Week 14 NFL Picks

Ouch. A rough weekend for Cody.

Matt wins this battle, but Cody still holds the overall lead.

The race is heating up as we near the end of the regular season, with Matt only three games behind thanks to Cody's worse record of the season.

MattGameCody
SteelersSteelers at Browns
Steelers
SaintsSaints at Falcons
Saints
RavensLions at Ravens
Ravens
PackersPackers at Bears
Packers
ColtsBroncos at Colts
Colts
BillsBills at Chiefs
Bills
PatriotsPanthers at Patriots
Patriots
JetsJets at Buccaneers
Jets
VikingsBengals at Vikings
Vikings
JaguarsDolphins at Jaguars
Dolphins
SeahawksSeahawks at Texans
Texans
TitansRams at Titans
Titans
RaidersRedskins at Raiders
Redskins
CowboysChargers at Cowboys
Chargers
EaglesEagles at Giants
Eagles
CardinalsCardinals at 49ers
Cardinals
9-7
Last Week
6-10
123-69
Overall Record126-66

Viral Video: 'Bama Bound

Cody: Loss of Jimmy Berezik shouldn't be GVSU's biggest concern

The news of Jimmy Berezik's second playoff suspension in as many years has begun to make its way around the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University.

Thankfully, when the Lakers face off against Carson-Newman College today in the NCAA Division 2 national semifinal, they will be well prepared to handle the absence of GVSU's all-time leading rusher.

In last year's playoff loss to Minnesota-Duluth, Berezik's suspension meant all-purpose back Blake Smolen had to spend the majority of the game in the backfield. Although Smolen racked up 139 yards on 27 carries, his absence on the on edges greatly hurt the offense.

This year, P.T. Gates and Justin Sherrod have emerged as legitimate second and third running backs. Gates arguably ran better than Berezik last week in the rematch against Minnesota-Duluth, and he will get his chance to show why he was a Division 1-recruit today against Carson-Newman.

Berezik's absence pales in comparison to the hole left by Andre Thomas on the defensive line. Facing a complicated triple-option scheme, it was imperative for an already banged up Lakers defense to be as close to full strength as possible.

Now with Thomas, his backup Ryan Wheat and reserve linebacker Blair Hollis all suspended for the rest of the season, GVSU's national championship hopes will fall on a patchwork defense.

The Lakers have worked far too hard for a few suspensions to ruin their season. Look for GVSU to punch its tickets to Alabama this afternoon against Carson-Newman.

GVSU 35, Carson-Newman 17

Arseneau: U-of-M football 'ready to take the next step'

We would like to welcome Bryan Arseneau to The Sunny and C Network. He was the first official applicant to be a contributor on the blog, and he starts his time here with this column.

A second season of disgust for the University of Michigan football team has finally come to an end in Ann Arbor, with the Wolverines missing a bowl game for the second straight year.

Alleged practice violations have cast a dark shadow over the coaching staff, leaving many to wonder if head coach Rich Rodriguez should be concerned for his job.

However, as I watched the Ohio State game which officially ended Michigan’s season, I couldn’t help but feel Rich Rod and his football team were on the right track. Despite two disappointing years, I believe we saw a Michigan team which is only a year removed from being a Big Ten Conference title contender.

The youth of the current Wolverine squad gives them a great returning roster. Linebacker Brandon Graham and running back Brandon Minor will be the only two key players lost this offseason.

With many returners -- such as Tate Forcier, Michael Shaw and Donovan Warren -- getting more acclimated to the systems of both Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, next year's team will gain more consistancy. Even though Rich Rod hasn’t posted a great record in his time in Ann Arbor, he has been able to give many underclassmen valuable experience that will help this team take the next step forward.

Rodriguez continues to bring in top-10 recruiting classes, constantly improving the abilities of his system. When Rich Rod was brought into Ann Arbor, he was given a team with a severe lack of talent. He has proven in the past to have an extremely proficient attack when he has all of the pieces for his system.

Michigan's conference schedule is about as favorable as they could hope for next season -- Michigan State, Iowa, and Wisconsin all travel to the Big House. I realize Michigan has to make road trips to Happy Valley and Columbus, but Penn State will graduate quarterback Daryll Clark, a major part of its offense for the past two seasons. If there ever was a good time to travel to Happy Valley, next year may be as good as any.

I still believe in Rich Rodriguez and his ability to build a national championship-contending football team, despite his 8-16 record and two consecutive bowl-less seasons.

This years team's made progress from last season, and at times looked like a dominating squad. The biggest improvement needing to be made is consistency.

Michigan's offense was able to move the football, finishing fourth in the Big Ten in scoring offense. But, they were a young team that rode the tide of highs and lows.

The Wolverines shot themselves in the foot in too many key situations to win the close games this season, but the ability to close out games comes with experience. By playing underclassmen the past two years, Rich Rodriguez has built a foundation of talent and experience for this Wolverine program to build upon.

Now, Michigan is ready to take the next step -- a step out of the Big Ten cellar.

JT: Will Notre Dame's return to glory be the Brian Kelly story?

We would like to welcome Jason Thompson to The Sunny and C Network. JT, as he would like to be known, will be one of our regular contributors. He will also be a guest on tonight's edition of The Sunny and C Show to discuss Notre Dame football.

Another no-show last week by the Notre Dame defense against Stanford left everyone with little to speculate regarding the future of coach Charlie Weis.

After a five-year tenure (or internship, as some fans will call it), a 6-6 record became unacceptable to the Irish faithful. Quite frankly, Weis only made it to Monday because it would have been politically incorrect for a Catholic university to fire someone on a Sunday.

An era is over, and Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick has begun his search to find the man to bring Notre Dame “back to glory.”

Can Notre Dame – with their high academic standards and less than spectacular campus location – ever reclaim the dominance lost when Lou Holtz left in 1996? Do players want to play at Notre Dame anymore? Are the Irish even relevant to a generation that has seen nothing but undelivered promises from the “storied program?”

Most of these questions are irrelevant because as coaches like Brian Kelly, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban have shown, the story in college football begins and ends with the head coach. Just about any school can be one hire away from plunging onto the national scene.

That being said, who can right the ship in South Bend?

Remember, Notre Dame isn’t your typical job.

In-state recruits don’t exist, so you had better be a great recruiter.

You must be an ace with the media because from the minute you sign up, you will be relentlessly questioned and second guessed.

Finally you will need to be one of the “good old boys.” There are a lot of old-fashioned Irish alumni digging deep into their pockets to buyout Weis’ mistake of a contract, so they better like you at face value.

With all of that in mind, isn't the search fairly simple?

Its a two-tier process consisting of three coaches: Meyer, Kelly, and Bob Stoops.

After multiple failures, Swarbrick can’t afford to get cute and look at a Gary Patterson, a Butch Davis or a Jim Harbaugh. They need someone with hardware and a name.

Swarbrick owes it to the Irish fan base to throw the kitchen sink at Meyer. They underbid him in 2004 and lost out to Florida. Notre Dame is still close to the heart of Meyer, and if Swarbrick could bring him to South Bend everything in the world would be right again.

Likely? No. Meyer has already publicly shot down the idea of ever leaving Florida, even after admitting Notre Dame is his dream job. But then again, Saban did the same thing to Alabama until the pot was sweetened. So Irish nation can dream right?

Once Swarbrick fulfills his obligation and forces Urban Meyer to tell him no, it comes down to Stoops and Kelly – pick your order.

It took Stoops far too long to dismiss the rumors of him coming to South Bend, and nobody should be shocked if more rumors start surfacing in the coming weeks. Stoops is said to feel underappreciated in Oklahoma, and his midwest-Catholic roots would fit right in at Notre Dame.

Kelly, one of our own from Grand Valley, is neck and neck with Stoops. Kelley has had success wherever he has gone, and nobody needs to be reminded of what he has done with average talent in Cincinnati this year.

The knocks on Kelly are his unproven track record on the recruiting trail and a lack of Division 1 hardware. But, if he is the second coming of Meyer like some have proclaimed, can Notre Dame afford to pass him up?

In addition, all speculation says Kelly will be half way to South Bend before he hangs up the phone with Swarbrick.

With loads of excitement and speculation surrounding the Irish football program, don’t be surprised if little noise is leaked out of South Bend in the coming days.

All three of the coaches still have bowl games with their current teams, and Notre Dame can’t afford for any of them to pull a Les Miles and bail because word was leaked too early. On paper, two of the three are still in the national title hunt, and, as Miles showed us, no future job can pull a coach away from that.

Pending the games on Saturday, this is how the coaching search will shake out:

If...

...Notre Dame hires before Saturday - Stoops (only one of the three not in the title hunt)

...Texas wins - Kelly becomes available (statistically out of title hunt)

...Florida loses - Meyer becomes available (out of title hunt)

...Texas loses and Florida wins - Kelly and Meyer are locked up

...Notre Dame doesn't hire before the National Championship game (a game not featuring Cincinnati) - Notre Dame fans can get excited

Here are the odds, Las Vegas style:

Kelly 1:1 – Up and coming, open to the idea, makes the most sense
Stoops 2:1 – Brings the hardware and a name, but leaving Oklahoma will be hard
Meyer 7:1 – Best coach in America, good coaches don't move much
The Field 8:1 – Any other selection better panout or Swarbrick is fired

Rumors and controversy will surround not only the Notre Dame football program, but programs around the country as more names are thrown into the Irish coaching mix. We’ve seen these insecurities already, as rumored candidates Jim Harbaugh and Gary Patterson were given large contract extensions by their universities as added insureance.

Notre Dame has a huge decision to make in the coming weeks, maybe one of the biggest in school history. Time is of the essence, as recruits grow restless of being committed to a leaderless program.

The Irish have missed on their past three coaches. If Notre Dame misses on another, they could slip farther into irrelevance, effectively crushing the dreams fans have for a “return to glory.”

Dec. 3 Show Preview

The weather may be cooling down here in Allendale (where we are supposed to get 1-to-3 inches of snow today), but The Sunny and C Show is red hot.

We're coming back from our Thanksgiving hiatus with an all-new show segment and great show news.

College football correspondent Jason Thompson will be joining us during a portion of tonight's show for a look at what is happening down at Notre Dame now that Charlie Weis has been fired.

Tonight's lineup:
  • GVSU football set to play Carson-Newman in NCAA Division 2 semifinals
  • Notre Dame football
  • NFL Picks
  • Tiger Woods
  • The Final Word (Allen Iverson, Jerry Jones, and more)
  • Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders
  • Project Updates
It's going to be a fun show. Be sure to listen in at The Whale or watch/listen here on the blog. The show will start at about 10:05 p.m.

Sizing It Up: Breakin' glass with a nine iron

Wednesday's edition of Sizing It Up:

Edwin Jackson would sweeten deal for Chicago Cubs - Bleacher Nation
As a Detroit Tigers fan, I have been following this closely. I still find it hard to believe the Tigers would want to shop Curtis Granderson and Jackson, but business is business, I guess.

Tiger Woods car crash: A public relations nightmare
- Blessay from America
Great points on how Tiger should have handled the whole car crash nightmare. The author is right: Just show up in person and everyone will quickly forget about the whole mess.

Ex-track star Marion Jones might play in WNBA - Pleasant Dreams To quote: "What the hell is the NBA thinking?"

Charlie Weis FINALLY out at Notre Dame - Too Old for Maxim, Too Young for Esquire
Biting commentary on Monday's firing of Weis. Finally, some one else who doesn't understand why anyone would want to come to coach Notre Dame.

Matt's holiday wishlist: Sports fan style

Flipping the calendar to December means the holidays are just around the corner. With the big guy checking his list once or twice, here's what he could grant me:

1) Vikings Super Bowl Victory - It will be a long time before the stars align for the purple and gold again. Brett Favre is having an MVP-caliber season and should be rewarded for his efforts.

2) Milwaukee Bucks Playoff Birth - Michael Redd is a shadow of his old self, but rookie point guard Brandon Jennings is living up to his hype. As long as front man Andrew Bogut can stay healthy, the Bucks have a shot in the weak Eastern Conference.

3) Chris Bosh to the Detroit Pistons (Free Agency 2010) - Bosh is a talented front-court man who would fit well with the Pistons' offense. He would be a good compliment to whoever Detroit decides to put at center, as Bosh would provide enough scoring punch for the both of them.

4) Keep Curtis Granderson a Detroit Tiger - He's MY Tiger, and I would like him to remain as such. The Tigers should hold onto him and let the contracts of Carlos Guillen, Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson come of the books after this upcoming season.

5) Michigan State Spartans NCAA Basketball National Championship - They got to the finals last year and were just happy to be there against a far superior North Carolina team. An early loss to Florida doesn't help much for the confidence, but tonight's rematch against the Tarheels should say a lot about how the season will go.

Since it's the holiday season, the sports gods should be in the mood for giving.

Minus number four, I don't believe I'm asking for too much. Am I?

Week 13 NFL Picks

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

The holiday proved to be pretty good to both of us, although Cody's 12-4 finish resulted in him gaining yet another game on Matt (11-5).

Once again this week we have a lot of differences. It should be fun!

MattGameCody
JetsJets at Bills
Bills
EaglesEagles at Falcons
Falcons
PanthersBuccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers
BearsRams at Bears
Bears
ColtsTitans at Colts
Colts
BroncosBroncos at Chiefs
Broncos
SaintsSaints at Redskins
Saints
SteelersRaiders at Steelers
Steelers
TexansTexans at Jaguars
Texans
PatriotsPatriots at Dolphins
Patriots
BengalsLions at Bengals
Bengals
ChargersChargers at Browns
Chargers
CowboysCowboys at Giants
Cowboys
49ers49ers at Seahawks
49ers
VikingsVikings at Cardinals
Vikings
RavensRavens at Packers
Ravens
11-5
Last Week
12-4
114-62
Overall Record120-56