Football Picks [Bound To Go Wrong]
by Chris Clement

Following two positive weeks, we’re struggling after a 5-6 (despite some tough choices). That leaves the record coming into 2007 at a floundering 33-46. Not too impressive.

I am gonna pull rank though and lay out my other BCS projections I forgot to e-mail Pay on time (as I was in Florida visiting my friend known as Anslow). I had Oklahoma covering, USC trouncing Michigan, LSU dismantling Notre Dame, and Louisville sticking it to Wake. No brain surgery there, except I still stand firm that USC is the second-best team in the country. Yes, that means the Gators too. You may say I’m lying, but the $750 I parlayed these picks too (I didn’t put any money on Boise State/Oklahoma as I didn’t know enough about those wacky Broncos…wow, Statue of Liberty to win), and am going to count them. So that would be 3-1 on BCS picks.

It’s NFL Playoff and BCS Title game time! Quick hits with the NFL.

Kansas City @ Indianapolis (-6.5)
Larry Johnson can run it 60 times for all I care. Trent Green is in no shape to lead his team with those key half-dozen throws on the road. Manning clinches it in the 4^th (preparing for next week’s CHOKE) and LJ will exit on the stretcher from mere exhaustion after the game ends.
Pick: Colts [cover]

Dallas @ Seattle (-2.5)
Don’t sleep on Seattle at home. But more importantly, don’t sleep on their disastrously depleted secondary. I’ll give the Boys one last pick as Glenn, Witten, and that guy who drops passes left and right will balance well with the running game to squeak by with a hard-fought FG-margin victory.
Pick: Cowboys [outright]

New York Jets @ New England (-8.5)
I don’t pick these games. Not even a cute one-liner this time. Nope.

New York Giants @ Philadelphia (-6.5)
I feel like Garcia is due for a bad game. But he usually saves those for the second round if I remember correctly (remember that Tampa Bay debacle after the miracle comeback over the Giants a few years back in San Fran?). The Giants are a mess and Tiki doesn’t have half of 230 in him, despite a swiss cheese rush D in Philly always lurking to (not) show up. Iggles cruise.
Pick: Eagles [cover]

BCS Title Game:
Florida vs. Ohio State [-7]
I’ve seem spreads from 5 to 10 over the past few weeks. Consensus has shown 6.5 to 7.5 and today it shows an even touchdown. I hate Florida. I don’t care too much for Ohio State. A few years back I rooted for them, but hated them winning on that bogus pass-INT call versus The U. The Buckeyes are clearly the best team in the nation. Florida had better score on their first few possessions to keep this close; otherwise, it’s over before the half. Tressel will get that fat new contract. Buckeyes roll as the Gators are completely outmatched.
Pick: The Ohio State University [cover]

Oh yeah, a few random NFL notes I wanted to tie-in…

Nick Saban is selfish and overrated. Sure, he’s a great coach. But he won’t win a National Title at Alabama. He won’t even play for one. Check this out. He won’t play in an SEC Title game for at least 4 years. Sure, that might be “his” recruiting class and squad, but Alabama won’t recruit those Auburn guys away. Sure, Saban has produced plenty of NFL talent, but Tommy Tuberville has more than a few NFL guys pushing his name. The Tigers (of Auburn and LSU) are still the class of the SEC West. As for Saban, good riddance. Classless handling of this move, $32 million reasons or not.

A ton of coaches have been fired. Falcons needed to move Jim Mora, whose informal marriage to Greg Knapp may cost him another gig for a year or two. Art Shell should be happy this debacle is over. I wouldn’t fire John Gruden, and the Bucs won’t. I would fire Tom Coughlin. Think the Giants can hire a shrink, and not Tony Robbins, to coach this team of high-maintenance, underachieving clowns? Snyder won’t fire Gibbs unless he goes 1-15 next season. Cowher is officially leaving. It’s time. But when he comes back next year, somebody will have to pay the Steelers with costly draft picks. Jeff Fisher was probably fired before he inserted Vince Young into the lineup. Dennis Green was never going to work in Arizona. Nobody will. I could care less about Parcells and TO. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing them both leave for a year.

Eric Mangini is the Coach of the Year. I love what Payton did, but I’m not so sure he revived New Orleans like all of the gushy ESPN guys want to believe. I suppose it bugs me at times when they point to all of the fans in attendance as being ravaged by the storm. Sure it’s a sports generalization, but are these the citizens of Saint Bernard Parrish or of a wealthier suburb that wasn’t hundreds of feet from the levees? I suppose I don’t think football has this much of an impact in this type of a situation. Then again, I’m not there. As for on the field? Sure, nobody saw Colston coming out like that, but that happens. The talk of Brees’ shoulder was there, but any NFL expert would’ve taken him over Pennington going 10-6 this year. Especially with Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, Joe Horn (yes, he was hurt), and an emerging young D-Line over the likes of the Jets offense (we all know about Chad, but Coles also was feeling some big-time heat for underperforming last year). I know I am a Jets die-hard, but Mangini did much more with less in a tougher conference.

Pennington is the right Comeback Player of the Year. LT is an obvious MVP. I would’ve liked to have seen Brees with more than 4 votes (to LT’s 44). Vince is my lock Offensive Rookie of the Year and ditto for DeMeco Ryans (Chicago’s Mark Anderson is an effective specialist, yet still just a pass-rushing specialist) on the defensive side. The NFL needs to make up for that crap-Pro Bowl snub and tab erry Rodes as a 1^st-team all NFL safety -- either alongside B-Dawk or Arizona’s Adrian Wilson. Ed Reed has been solid, but at a second-team level.

I hate Rodney Harrison. Literally. I don’t dislike him a lot or with a passion. I hate him. He hurts other players. He mocks hurting them by believing his fines help pay for people who need help. Suddenly he wants attention and pity when Tennessee’s Bobby Wade (my new hero) make a legal cut-block on him. It’s hateful, but I hope it hurt Rodney. I’ve had worse done to my knees and I can say I hope it hurt. You’re a dirty player and only recently has the karma pendulum swung back to your side. Sure, he’s a phenomenal talent, but I’m glad he’s out for the Jets game and for the remainder of the playoffs. He doesn’t deserve to be on the field as dirty as he is.

Random Blog Note:
Top 5 Songs of the year: [in order]

1) The Diary of Jane [Breaking Benjamin…gets me HYPED!]

2) Stuntin’ Like My Daddy [Birdman feat. Lil’ Wayne…show me my opponent.]

3) Too Little, Too Late [JoJo…yeah, you read that right…it’s HOT!]

4) When You Were Young [Killers…best rock band going these days]

5) Fly High [Jim Jones…terrible song, but come on…BALLIN!