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 Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Beat The Blogger Matchups
Posted by Tuff Stuff
This
week's
matchups are now posted along with the Blogger picks so you know what you are up against. Make
sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his  choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Oct. 3
LSU at Georgia (Georgia)
Oklahoma at Miami (Oklahoma)
NFL Football
Sunday, Oct. 4
Cincinnati at Cleveland (Cincinnati)
Baltimore at New England (Baltimore)
Tampa Bay at Washington (Washington)
Tennessee at Jacksonville (Tennessee) (Doubler)
New York Jets at New Orleans (New Orleans)
Buffalo at Miami (Buffalo)
St. Louis at San Francisco (San Francisco)
San Diego at Pittsburgh (San Diego)
Tie-breaker Total points in San Diego/Pittsburgh game (41)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 8:37:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Not So Deep Thoughts: How bout a TO for T.O
Posted by Tuff Stuff
I guess when your history suggests that an implosion is only a question
away, you're going to encounter one member of the media after another
who comes in with the sole agenda of lighting your fuse. So is the life
of Bills receiver Terrell Owens.
After Buffalo suffered a lopsided 27-7 loss to New Orleans on Sunday in
which Owens had his 185-game consecutive game streak with at least one
reception snapped, the reporters swarmed T.O. at the post-game press
conference with many set on trippin his trigger.
In the past it hasn't taken much to set T.O. off, but despite the
frustration of the home loss and the fact that his nearly 12-year long
streak came to an end, T.O. was biting. Not sure if past media
firestorms fueled by his controversial comments played a part in the
new, non-confrontational T.O. or if it's just a matter of the
35-year-old finally getting it. But whatever the case may be, I applaud
the restraint Owens demonstrated Sunday and hope to see more of the
same as the Bills struggles likely continue throughout the season.
To better understand the baiting T.O. faced on Sunday, I've provided
the back-and-forth of the press conference so you can judge for
yourself.
Reporter: "Do you think you and (Lee) Evans are being wasted?"
T.O.: "We're just going with the plays that are called."
Reporter: "You could say no, that you're not being wasted."
T.O.: "I'm just going with the plays that are called."
Reporter: "Do you like the plays that are called?"
T.O.: "Whether I like them or don't, just going with the plays that are called."
Reporter: "What about the decisions that are made [by Edwards] after the plays are called?"
T.O.: "I don't know. You have to ask him."
Reporter: "No, I'm asking you what you think."
T.O.: "Nah. I don't want to answer that."
Reporter: "I'll ask him when I'm done with you."
T.O.: "I don't want to answer that because whatever I say, you guys are going to turn it to however you want to say it."
Reporter: "We'll print exactly."
T.O.: "Well, I just answered you, sir."
Before you make your own judgment, consider that the Bills are playing
with a sub-par quarterback in Trent Edwards, a clueless coach in Dick
Jauron and the team has been without it's No. 1 running back in
Marshawn Lynch the first three weeks of the season. Those factors
coupled with a heart-breaking loss to the Patriots in Week 1 would
likely increase the level of frustration of any player and would have
likely caused the "old" T.O. to add to the list of QBs he's thrown
under the bus.
Fortunate the "new" T.O. took the high ride and has apparently learned
from his past indescrestions. Whether or not the "new" T.O. can
continue to do so if the losses continue to mount in Buffalo and he
remains an overlooked option on a mediocre team remains to be seen. But
for all the times the media has used T.O. as a poster boy for spoiled,
overpaid athletes, I wanted to be one of the first to congratulate him
for finally doing the right thing and not fueling the fires.
Monday, September 28, 2009 5:59:08 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Beat The Blogger Results
Posted by Tuff Stuff
While there were several impressive totals in this week's Beat the Blogger contest, John Nelson posted a score of 10 and won the prize by virtue of his
tiebreaker. For his efforts, Nelson will be receiving a signed 8-by-10 photo.
This
week's
matchups will be posted on Tuesday along with the Blogger picks so you know what you are up against. Make
sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 26
Miami at Virginia Tech (Virginia Tech)
Michigan State at Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 27
Washington at Detroit (Detroit)
San Francisco at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Atlanta at New England (New England)
Tennessee at N.Y. Jets (N.Y. Jets)
Jacksonville at Houston (Jacksonville)
Chicago at Seattle (Chicago)
Denver at Oakland (Denver)
Indianapolis at Arizona (Indianapolis)
Tie-breaker Total points in Indianapolis/Arizona game (41)
Monday, September 28, 2009 3:46:01 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Beat The Blogger Picks
Posted by Tuff Stuff
Congratulations to last week's winner Kevin Cross.
Cross posted a score of 10 and won the prize by virtue of his
tiebreaker and he'll be receiving a signed 8-by-10 photo for his
efforts.
This
week's
matchups are posted below with the Blogger's picks in parenthesis so make
sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 26
Miami at Virginia Tech (Miami)
Michigan State at Wisconsin (Michigan State)(Doubler)
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 27
Washington at Detroit (Detroit)
San Francisco at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Atlanta at New England (New England)
Tennessee at N.Y. Jets (Tennessee)
Jacksonville at Houston (Houston)
Chicago at Seattle (Chicago)
Denver at Oakland (Oakland)
Indianapolis at Arizona (Indianapolis)
Tie-breaker Total points in Indianapolis/Arizona game (51)
Friday, September 25, 2009 2:46:22 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Beat The Blogger Matchups
Posted by Tuff Stuff
Congratulations to last week's winner Kevin Cross.
Cross posted a score of 10 and won the prize by virtue of his
tiebreaker and he'll be receiving a signed 8-by-10 photo for his
efforts.
This
week's
matchups are posted below with the Blogger's picks to follow later today so make
sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 26
Miami at Virginia Tech
Michigan State at Wisconsin
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 27
Washington at Detroit
San Francisco at Minnesota
Atlanta at New England
Tennessee at N.Y. Jets
Jacksonville at Houston
Chicago at Seattle
Denver at Oakland
Indianapolis at Arizona
Tie-breaker Total points in Indianapolis/Arizona game
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 4:28:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Not So Deep Thoughts: Twitter, is this thing on?
Posted by Tuff Stuff
By now, we've all heard of Twitter. You know the social networking
forum that allows us to instantly access the thoughts and feelings of
our friends, favorite musicians, celebrities and our favorite athletes.
The idea is simple. You log on, list the people you'd like to "follow"
and when they have something to say, you're alerted that they've posted
a message. For the most part it's all good, innocent enough, and
sometimes even informative.
We've all seen athletes being interviewed regarding a hot-button topic
like a devastating loss, or worse yet, a devastating loss caused by a
player's mistake. You know the drill. The player is often relegated to
one-word answers which provides little insight into the situation and
we as fans are left to wonder what truly happened. The interviewer
continues to dig in and rephrase the questions but the athlete doesn't
budge. It will sometimes lead to a "no-comment" response and in some
situations, it escalates into a profanity-laced shouting match that
never provides any answers at all and often leads athletes to shy away
from the media altogether. But that's where Twitter is different.
The beauty of Twitter from a sports fan's perspective is that because
the posts are made away from the media in a non-confrontational
setting, athletes tend to open up more and say a lot more than they
typically would in an interview session. Because the setup of making a
post is the same as texting a buddy, we often get the thoughts and
feelings the player is really thinking versus the canned responses
we've all become accustomed to hearing and I for one am all for
true-speak versus BS. And we in the media are always looking for the
truth rather than the same ole cliche-riddled responses we've come to
expect.
But for whatever reason, those "twittering" or making "tweets" often
encounter a disconnect with the very same public their opening
themselves up to. Some don't understand just like when you say
something stupid or controversial during an interview and it will
quickly becomes public and spreads like wildfire around the country,
the same holds true when you make a stupid post on Twitter.
I find it hard to believe that athletes don't realize this as they're
telling their fan base to f-off or stereotyping us all into
minimum-wage Fryolater operators. And Twitter doesn't discriminate
either. Whether you're a Pro Bowl player or a guy who has yet to see
any on-field action, the power of the "tweets" you make and the
consequent repercussions are equally damning. Sure, you can later
delete the post, but by then the damage has been done or you wouldn't
be deleting it.
This recent rash of NFL "tweets" has already caused many teams to ban
its players from making posts and it won't be long before the NFL and
the other leagues expand the no-Tweet zone across the board. If players
could just learn to provide us fans with the insider knowledge we all
crave and leave the disparaging comments inside like they've been doing
before all this modern technology came along, we could all learn to
embrace Twitter and what it offers. Until then, keep it simple guys and
learn from the mistakes of others. Tweet about how pissed you got when
the oposing left tackle chop blocked you on the fourth-and-inches play
at the goaline and leave the finger-flipping, fan-base hating for your
private e-mails to your teammates.
For ESPN's take on this topic, click here.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 3:19:15 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Beat The Blogger Results
Posted by Tuff Stuff
Sorry for not posting the results sooner but after a wild Badger-Packer
game weekend, I needed a day off to recovery from all the festivities.
For one lucky contestant, Kevin Cross, it was worth the wait.
Cross posted a score of 10 and won the prize by virtue of his
tiebreaker and he'll be receiving a signed 8-by-10 photo for his
efforts.
This
week's
matchups will be posted later today or first thing Wednesday so make
sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 19
Nebraska at Virginia Tech (Virginia Tech)
Florida State at BYU (Florida State)
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 20
Carolina at Atlanta (Atlanta)
New England at NY Jets (NY Jets)
New Orleans at Philadelphia (New Orleans)
Baltimore at San Diego (Baltimore)
Seattle at San Francisco (San Francisco)
Cleveland at Denver (Denver)
Tampa Bay at Buffalo (Buffalo)
NY Giants at Dallas (NY Giants)
Tie-breaker Total points in NY Giants/Dallas game (63)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:58:37 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, September 18, 2009
Beat The Blogger Picks
Posted by Tuff Stuff
This
week's
matchups are will again be NFL or college football games which will hopefully allow the Blogger a
chance to get back to respectability. The matchups and the Blogger picks are below in parenthesis so you know what you're up against.Make sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 19
Nebraska at Virginia Tech (Virginia Tech)
Florida State at BYU (BYU)
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 20
Carolina at Atlanta (Carolina)
New England at NY Jets (New England)
New Orleans at Philadelphia (New Orleans)
Baltimore at San Diego (San Diego)
Seattle at San Francisco (Seattle)
Cleveland at Denver (Cleveland)(doubler)
Tampa Bay at Buffalo (Buffalo)
NY Giants at Dallas (Dallas)
Tie-breaker Total points in NY Giants/Dallas game (42)
Friday, September 18, 2009 6:38:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Beat The Blogger Matchups
Posted by Tuff Stuff
This
week's
matchups are will again be NFL or college football games which will hopefully allow the Blogger a
chance to get back to respectability. The matchups will be posted soon so make sure you
check back andget your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 19
Nebraska at Virginia Tech
Florida State at BYU
NFL Football
Sunday, Sept. 20
Carolina at Atlanta
New England at NY Jets
New Orleans at Philadelphia
Baltimore at San Diego
Seattle at San Francisco
Cleveland at Denver
Tampa Bay at Buffalo
NY Giants at Dallas
Tie-breaker Total points in NY Giants/Dallas game
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 4:18:05 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Not So Deep Thoughts: NFL's Week 1 Proves Only One Thing
Posted by Tuff Stuff
I watched as much NFL football as humanly possible this past week and after all the smoke cleared, I didn't see anything that makes me believe there will be a clear-cut favorite to win the Super Bowl once December and January roll around. Former commissioner Pete Rozelle was always a big proponent of parity in the league and if the Week 1 results are any indication, Rozelle and anybody else who believes in the "On any given Sunday (and Thursday and Monday) philosophy would/will love the 2009 campaign.
I realize its only the first week of the season and it often takes time for teams to gel and develop the continuity needed to make an extended postseason run, but usually a team or two will shine right out of the gate, making others stand up and take notice and that didn't happen. While some might say "what about the Saints and Eagles, they both won convincingly?" Sure, but considering their lopsided victories came against the Lions and a Carolina team that gift-wrapped the win with seven turnovers, the jury is still out on those two.
The defending champion Steelers eked out a 13-10 win over a good Tennessee team but managed just 36 rushing yards and needed an overtime rally to do so. And speaking of gift-wrapped wins, the Patriots were outplayed for 58 minutes by a Bills team many estimated to win four games all year and only pulled out the victory because of a huge mistake made in the final two minutes. Likewise for San Diego who needed a last-minute drive to get the win against an Oakland squad picked by many to finish last in one of the worst divisions in the NFL.
Seattle looked dominating in a 28-0 win at home but let's face it, the win came against the Rams and their battling the Chiefs and Lions for basement supremacy. Somehow Kansas City managed to stick around with a highly favored Baltimore team, with the Ravens breaking a 24-24 tie in the final five minutes to avoid the upset. The defending NFC champion Cardinals lost 20-16 at home to the "upstart" 49ers and preseason darling Green Bay needed a late fourth-quarter rally to survive at home against a depleted Bears squad. The Giants picked up a big divisional win against Washington but if there is a more-predictable offense in the league than the Redskins I'd hate to see it.
So, there must have been atleast one team that stood out from the rest in Week 1, wasn't there? Actually there was and it was the New York Jets. Fueled by a balanced attack that produced 462 total yards while allowing just 183 to Houston, the Jets were easily the most impressive team I saw in Week 1. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez did what he had to and Thomas Jones proved he's stiill one of the 10 best running backs in the league and the Jets defense limited Texans running back Steve Slaton to 19 yards on the ground and held the game's top receiever, Andre Johnson, to 35 yards.
But before we cram into the Jets bandwagon like college kids piling into a volkswagon in search of a new Guinness-book record, let's remember that the theme of the 2009 NFL season is parity. While a team or two will eventually post a record that would reflect domination, this year will likely end just like it started with a ton of nail bitters, last-second heroics and no clear-cut favorites. In other words, a season for Rozelle and bookies everywhere to cherish for years to come.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 2:54:30 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, September 14, 2009
Beat the Blogger results
Posted by Tuff Stuff
We had an unusual situtation in this week's Beat the Blogger contest. We had two contestants post scores of 10 but one forgot to post his tie-breaker. But instead of being a stickler, I've decided that a score of 10 is prize worthy despite the mental lapse. Because of that, James and robslope will both be receiving a prize. Congrats to both.
This
week's
matchups are will again be NFL or college football games which will hopefully allow the Blogger a
chance to get back to respectability. The matchups will be posted soon so make sure you
check back andget your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with winning picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 12
Notre Dame at Michigan (Michigan)
USC at Ohio State (USC)
Sunday, Sept. 13
Jacksonville at Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
Dallas at Tampa Bay (Dallas)
Philadelphia at Carolina (Philadelphia)
NY Jets at Houston (NY Jets)
Washington at NY Giants (NY Giants)
San Francisco at Arizona (San Francisco)
St. Louis at Seattle (Seattle)
Chicago at Green Bay (Green Bay)
Tie-breaker Total points in Chicago/Green Bay game (36)
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:13:37 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, September 11, 2009
Not So Deep Thoughts: Stuff Happens in Pittsburgh
Posted by Tuff Stuff
Hello, my name is Scott and I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I've been on
the bandwagon ever since I was four or five years old after watching
the Steelers defeat the Vikings in Super Bowl IX and I have no plans of
ever leaving Steeler Nation. I make that announcement for all of you
who read the first line and said "Here we go, another guy who likes
Pittsburgh because their the Super Bowl champs."
I have to admit I was very surprised when the Steelers rattled off wins
in nine of their last 10 games to claim the Lombardi Trophy for the
sixth time last year. I guess I just didn't think they had the "Stuff"
Super Bowl  champions are made of. You know the "Stuff," it's the
ability to switch on the fly in the middle of game, the ability to
shrug off disaster and focus on what's next instead of what might have
been. It's the ability to bear down when the game is on the line and
get it done, someway, somehow.
The Steelers did exactly that last year during their title run and no better example of my point was Santonio Holmes' toe-tapping, game-winner in last year's big game. Not only was it one of
the best catches you'll ever see, Super Bowl or otherwise, it was also the epitomy of the Steelers character.
What
made Holme's catch even more spectacular was the fact that just three plays
earlier, Holmes had dropped a very catchable ball and it briefly
appeared that the miscue could lead to one of those haunting moments that
defines a player's career (see Jackie Smith, Dallas Cowboys SB XIII).
But seconds later, Holmes put the setback in the rear view and
concentrated on the task at hand and made a catch other receivers can
only dream, erasing the drop and etching the catch in our minds forever.
Fast forward to Thursday Night's 2009 opener against Tennessee and the
"Stuff" the Steelers are made of came shining through once again.
Despite a running game as non-existent as Chris Berman's
insightfulness, several costly penalties and turnovers, and a defensive
effort that looked mediocre at best, Pittsburgh still managed to pull
out the 13-10 win.
A prime example of the Steelers "Stuff" was displayed by Pittsburgh
receiver Hines Ward. During the final two minutes of a 10-10 game, Ward
caught a pass over the middle around the Titans' 20 yard line, broke
free and was one missed tackle from scoring the game-winner. Instead,
Ward was ball-jacked from behind by Tennessee's Michael Griffin near
the five yard line and fumbled with the Titans recovering to end the
threat. Ward was obviously distraught after going from hero to goat in
the matter of seconds and had to be consoled by teammates on the
sidelines in the plays leading up to the overtime session.
But unlike others who had come up empty in similar clutch moments, Ward
was able to stop sulking and put the disaster behind him long enough to
contribute two first-down receptions in overtime which helped set up the game-winning field goal. How many times have you
seen a player in a similarly adverse situation compound the problem by
losing focus, losing his cool, and he and his team ultimately losing the game?
Other examples of the Steelers "Stuff" were demonstrated by the
Pittsburgh coaching staff for abandoning its anemic running game in favor
of an up-tempo, no-huddle offense down the stretch. Not really Pittsburgh's preferred style of play but recognizing the situation and adjusting before its too late are always preferred over losing. Now this move
didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out but we've all see the
bull-headed coach who continues to run the ball despite having no
success and Mike Tomlin and his staff deserve credit for recognizing
their team's inefficiencies and changing gears.
Losing All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu to a second-quarter knee injury
would have spelled disaster for many lesser teams and initially it did
for the World Champions, too. With Polamalu in the locker room, Ryan
Clark replaced him and Tennessee's offense was quick to take advantage
of the dropoff in talent. But as he has so many times before,
Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau made an adjustment (Steelers blitzed
less and limited Clark's role in the zone coverage schemes) and the
crisis was averted. See, making adjustments and the ability to play with the cards they've been dealt, two more exapmples of the Steelers "Stuff."
I guess my point of all this is the Steelers don't have more talent
than all of the other teams in the league. In fact, it could be argued they'd probably rank
in the middle of the pack as far as star-caliber players go. But what
they do have is tenacity, resiliency, metal toughness and perhaps above
all else, short memories. Oh yeah, and having a cold-blooded pump-faking signal-caller with a propensity to come up big when it matters most also helps but you get my point. That's the kind of "Stuff" needed to win the
big games and that's what Pittsburgh had last year and what 31 other
teams lacked. It appears that despite all the changes made in the
offseason and all the new faces in new places, Pittsburgh still has the
"Stuff" needed to become a champion.
Friday, September 11, 2009 6:51:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Beat The Blogger Matchups
Posted by Tuff Stuff
The Blogger is embarrassed to report he posted his worst score
in the history of the Beat The Blogger contest, managing to correctly
pick just two of the 10 matchups. Fortunately for the contestants, that
just makes it easier to win and Mike Pattison did just that with a score of 8 to claim this week's weekly prize.
This
week's
matchups are all NFL or college football games which will hopefully allow the Blogger a
chance to get back to respectability. The matchups are posted below so make sure you
get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game, designate a doubler and include your tie-breaker to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with Blogger picks in parenthesis
College FB
Saturday, Sept. 12
Notre Dame at Michigan (Notre Dame)(Doubler)
USC at Ohio State (Ohio State)
Sunday, Sept. 13
Jacksonville at Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
Dallas at Tampa Bay (Dallas)
Philadelphia at Carolina (Carolina)
NY Jets at Houston (Houston)
Washington at NY Giants (NY Giants)
San Francisco at Arizona (Arizona)
St. Louis at Seattle (Seattle)
Chicago at Green Bay (Green Bay)
Tie-breaker Total points in Chicago/Green Bay game (41)
Wednesday, September 09, 2009 10:13:29 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Not So Deep Thoughts: Don't Sleep On The Cardinals
Posted by Tuff Stuff
It seems like just yesterday that the all of the baseball experts were handing out their predictions for the 2009 campaign. You remember, the guys that said the Cubs would battle the Brewers for the NL Central crown just like they did in 2008.
Many predicted that because they had better starting pitching, Chicago would end up pulling away late but Milwaukee would likely be the top contender for the Wild Card spot. Fast forward to six months later (ie. now) and those same guys are now singing the praises of the best team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals. And although I'm not a big fan of the flip-flopping going on and all the Cardinals bandwagon jumping, they are the best team going so they did get it right, eventually.
Not sure how almost everybody forgot about the Cardinals, but I seem to remember several so-called "experts" predicting the Brewers, Cubs and even the Astros would finish ahead of St. Louis. Fueled by the best starting rotation in the majors, a Hall of Fame manager, arguably the game's best closer, not to mention the best hitter in several decades if not ever, and it's easy to see why the Cardinals are running away with the division so many predicted would come down to the season's final days.
Armed with this year's NL Cy Young winner in Chris Carpenter, one of his top competitors for the award in Adam Wainwright, and unheralded Joel Pineiro and the Cards trio of starters combined for a 47-19 record with a 2.70 ERA. Then factor in Ryan Franklin's 1.67 ERA and the fact that he's converted 37 of 40 save chances and you'll see why St. Louis has been able to open up baseball's biggest lead of any of the divisions.
Offensively, the Yankees and the Phillies might be a little tougher from top to bottom but you won't find any weak spots in the Cards lineup either. If table-setters like Brendan Ryan and Skip Schumaker can consisting get on base as they have all season, St. Louis power hitters, Ryan Ludwick, Mark DeRosa, Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols (not to mention they just got proven postseason veteran Troy Glaus back) will take care of the rest.
If the Cards do have a weakness, it would be that they don't have a lot of team speed. But if you give me the best staff, the best manager, the best closer and the best hitter in the league, I'll take my chances losing the stolen base category with any opponent. As we've seen the last couple of years, any team can get hot down the stretch and go on a postseason tear so who knows. But unlike virtually everybody did in the preseason, I won't overlooking the Cardinals this postseason.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009 2:51:48 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Beat The Blogger Results
Posted by Tuff Stuff
The Blogger is embarrassed to report he posted his worst score in the history of the Beat The Blogger contest, managing to correctly pick just two of the 10 matchups. Fortunately for the contestants, that just makes it easier to win and Mike Pattison did just that with a score of 8 to claim this week's weekly prize.
This
week's matchups are all NFL games which will hopefully allow the Blogger a chance to get back to respectability. Check back later to see the matchups and make sure you
get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with Winning picks in parenthesis
MLB
Saturday, Sept. 5
San Francisco at Milwaukee (SF)
Philadelphia at Houston (Houston)
Detroit at Tampa Bay (Detroit)
LA Angels at Kansas City (LA)
Saturday, Sept. 6
Minnesota at Cleveland (Cleveland)
Chicago Cubs at NY Mets (NY Mets)
Cincinnat at Atlanta (Cincinnati)
Florida at Washington (Washington)
Arizona at Colorado (Colorado)
Tie-breaker Total points in Arizona/Colorado game (18)
Tuesday, September 08, 2009 2:42:14 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, September 03, 2009
Not So Deep Look Into NFL's Crystal Ball
Posted by Tuff Stuff
With the start of the 2009 NFL season just one week away, (and amen to
that) it's time to look into the crystal ball and see what we're in
store for this year.
My first prediction is that other than a handful of Turducken-loving, Batman-watching, one-syllable talking fans that put him on the map in
the first place, no one will even notice John Madden is not broadcasting anymore. Other than ESPN's Chris Berman,
Madden will forever be remembered as the most overrated broadcaster in
the history of sports. Now, that's not to say there isn't plenty of
work to do before that landscape is totally cleaned up but you have to
start somewhere. I also predict that the great passion and excitement
that likely landed Jon Gruden the MNF job in the first place will eventually
become his downfall.
We get it Jon, you're easily excitable when it
comes to the game of football, but let's not carried away in describing
those six-yard circle routes as though you just saw the greatest play in the history of the game. Pace yourself, you've got five more months
before you can leave Jaws and Tirico in the rear view and start
interviewing for the vacant Lions head coaching job.
As for the players, I predict that Brett Favre will become a
media darling/juggernaut by using a country-boy, Elvis-like twang while tearing
up during a press conference recalling how his daughter envisioned him
winning another Supper Bowl title, which then inspired him to return to
the game for yet another year. Wait, that already happened. As for the
Ironman's future, I predict an above-average performance throughout the
regular season culminating with another disappointing conclusion in the
NFC Championship game where he does what he's done so many times before, force the issue and make a huge mistake. With a top-tier defense behind him and the best
running back in all of the land ready to carry the load and lessen the
level of contribution needed to succeed, Favre will flourish in the
land of 10,000 interceptions, I mean lakes.
Other quarterbacks to keep an eye on will be Tom Brady and Tony Romo.
While many are predicting Brady will pick up right where he left off in
his record-setting season two years ago, I don't see it happening.
While I do believe Brady is a lock for 25-plus TD passes, the numbers
he put up in 2007 just don't come along very often and with no real
threat of a running game, Patriots opponents will try to minimize the
damage with prevent-style coverage schemes.
As for Romo, he likely won't miss the constant headaches that Terrell Owens supplied regularly in Big D but he will miss his productivity. With Roy Williams dinged up and a shell of his former underachieving self anyway, Romo will be missing T.O. more than Jessica Simpson by Week 3. Jason Witten
is one of the league's best tight ends but he'll be covered tighter
than a pickle jar all year leaving Romo with a limited arsenal which
could lead to dozens of interceptions being displayed on those big
screens at the new stadium.
As for Terrell Owens, I predict he will have a big year
statistically but he'll also have his share of "what was I thinking
signing with Buffalo days" moments where he'll end up begging for a Jeff Garcia
trade. Let the record show that Bills starter Trent Edwards isn't an
NFL-caliber quarterback. Not sure if T.O thought Bills management said Trent Dilfer
was running the Bills show when he signed or what, but the now-retired
Dilfer would be a huge upgrade from Edwards and it likely won't be long
before T.O. points that out to the Bills media and Edwards himself.
Fortunately for T.O. Fantasy Football owners like myself, Buffalo will
likely find itself down early and often allowing Owens to get his
numbers in garbage time.
I also predict the Baltimore Ravens defense will be average this
year. For years, football fans have come to expect greatness from this
unit but age and the loss of their defensive coordinator (Rex Ryan) will leave these birds dreaming of a Tony Siragusa comeback. Not don't get me wrong, I don't think Baltimore will be Lions bad or even Chiefs bad, I'm just saying the won't be the dominating unit we've all gotten used to seeing year after year.
Well, there's a few clueless, I mean fearless predictions for you. Not buying them? Let me hear about yours. Make a post in the "Comments" section below and let your voice be heard.
Thursday, September 03, 2009 5:38:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Beat The Blogger Matchups
Posted by Tuff Stuff
The Blogger reverted back to his struggling ways, managing just four correct picks but it likely wouldn't have mattered much, as Jeff Arends posted a nine to win this week's weekly prize in the Beat The Blogger contest.
This week's matchups are all MLB matchups because most of the NFL preseason games will be played on Thursday night and we want to give contestants plenty of time to get their picks posted. Check back and make sure you get your picks posted prior to the
week's first game to be eligible to win. Good luck and spread the word
and help grow the contest.
While I
enjoy giving prizes to several people vs. having just one weekly
winner, from this point forward contestants will be asked to provide a tie-breaker on the week's last game so we narrow our winner down to one. Contestants
will now be asked to predict the total score from the last game on the
list and the closest to the actual score will be deemed the winner). I'll also require contestants to post their e-mail address with their picks so I can track down the winners easier.
For those unfamiliar with the Beat the Blogger contest,
the idea is simple. The Blogger posts 10 matchups each week and then
selects his choices for the winners of those matchups. Contestants
enter the Beat the Blogger contest by clicking on the "Comment" section below the post with the matchups and then select their own 10 winners. You can also designate one of your picks as a "Doubler"
and you will receive an extra point if you're correct so don't forget
to designate your "Doubler" pick and increase your chances of winning.
If you Beat The Blogger's total and post the high score for the week, you win. The regular weekly prize is an authentic signed 8-by-10 color photo of stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Marshall Faulk, Santonio Holmes, Gale Sayers, Catfish Hunter
and many more. From time to time, the Blogger will sweeten the pot for
the weekly contest so look for special prize packages.
This week's Matchups with Blogger picks in parenthesis
MLB
Saturday, Sept. 5
San Francisco at Milwaukee (Milwaukee)(Doubler)
Philadelphia at Houston (Houston)
Detroit at Tampa Bay (Tampa Bay)
LA Angels at Kansas City (Kansas City)
Saturday, Sept. 6
Minnesota at Cleveland (Minnesota)
Chicago Cubs at NY Mets (Chicago)
Cincinnat at Atlanta (Atlanta)
Florida at Washington (Florida)
Arizona at Colorado (Colorado)
Tie-breaker Total points in Arizona/Colorado game (9)
Wednesday, September 02, 2009 4:26:38 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Not So Deep Thoughts: Little Help Here
Posted by Tuff Stuff
I recently came up with an idea for a series that I planned to debut in the next issue of Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly. The basic idea was to interview the top executives from the three top card companies and discuss the state of the industry from each perspective and afford them the opportunity to answer some of the most frequently asked questions we hear regarding their respective companies.
The title of the series will be "Ask the Execs" and its scheduled to debut in the November cover issue. I say "scheduled to" because despite numerous e-mails and dozens of phone calls, I'm still trying to finalize and confirm the participation from some of the hobby heavyweights. Trying to get confirmation from these guys is like trying to pull teeth from a pissed off Pitbull. I realize that everyone's time is important but you'd think I was trying to secure interviews with Tiger, MJ and The Pope
Anyway, the premise of the series is to ask the questions our readers want the answers to, end the confusion that has accompanied the recent rash of exclusive licensing deals being awarded to individual companies and provide a general look into the future of each company.
 The series will also provide our readers with the rare opportunity to present their own questions to the company executives themselves and have them answer their questions directly via our website. I can't tell you how many times we've gotten complaints or concerns regarding the  practices of the card manufacturers. Whether it be unfulfilled redemption cards, poor customer service or undervalued products, the number of calls and e-mails we receive regarding issues like that is somewhat alarming.
Because of that and the abundance of major news stories that has stormed through the hobby in recent months, I figured there was no better time for a series like this, now I just hope we'll get the cooperation we need to pull it off. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009 3:55:22 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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