UVA
Virginia men's basketball lost to Iowa State 60-47 on Thursday while shooting just over 30 percent from the field. I was at the game and it was simply awful. And very aggravating because in both this game vs. ISU and the game before against Seattle, it felt like Virginia was a stop here or there, or a basket here and there, to getting ack into it and it just never happened.
The last three games, Virginia is averaging 50 points per game. We are not going to win any more games this year if we have trouble breaking 50 each game. I really hope this is a just a major slump that everyone eventually shakes. It seems like every year, players always hit slumps but rarely is it an entire team at the same time. So hopefully once we get out f this slump, everyone on the team has had their one major slump for the year.
We've had some injuries lately, and Mike Scott being out against ISU was a surprise to me and certainly hurt us. It's unclear how long he will be out. Maybe chemistry is a problem right now with all the players shuffling around and time will be the thing to cure our woes. Sunday, we play a bad 8-6 LSU team that has some bad losses. If there's a game to get going, this could be it.
-----------------------------------------------------
BOWL PICKS
Noon
TicketCity Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Northwestern
This one's already started but I haven't checked the score : ) I like the high-scoring Wildcats in this one. 31-24.
1:00
Outback Bowl
Florida vs. Penn State
This has the potential to be a great game I think. Urban Meyer's final game vs old, crusty Joe Pa, who already says he wants to coach next year. PSU got better as the year went on, but Florida didn't beat many quality teams this year. The Gators' best win was over South Florida probably (they also beat bowl teams Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia). But just like Maryland, Florida has the extra motivation to send their coach out a winner. I like the Gators barely, 26-24.
Capital One Bowl
No. 16 Alabama vs. No. 9 Michigan State
No one's probably giving the Spartans a chance in this one, but they've been a resilient bunch all year. Motivation is a huge part of bowl games and MSU will definitely be motivated to knock off the Tide. I'm not sure Bama will be, though. This bowl is certainly a downgrade compared to the last three years when Alabama has played in BCS bowls. I like MSU to get the upset and win 31-27.
1:30
Gator Bowl
No. 21 Mississippi State vs. Michigan
Rich Rod could be playing for his job in this one. I personally think the Wolverines should be patient with him, because they've improved in each of his first three years as coach, from 3-9 in year one, to 5-7 last year, to 7-5 this year. I just don't know if Michigan's D--the biggest problem so far on Rich Rod's Wolverines teams--can step it up against MSU, which has a really strong rushing offense. I like the Bulldogs in this one, 35-31. I think Rodriguez should be kept around but I have a feeling if they lose, he will be gone.
5:00
Rose Bowl
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 5 Wisconsin
This should be a spectacular game--I hope. I can see it being excellent and I can also see a blow out in Wisconsin's favor. I think TCU's ready. The Frogs won't be scared of the Badgers. TCU's defense ranks No. 1 in points allowed, and Wisconsin ranks 4th in points per game, having scored 70 points or more three times this season. Something will have to give. TCU has a surprisingly great offense, though, too. The Frogs are tied with Wisconsin, actually, in ppg at 4th in the country and boast the7th best rushing offense in the country. I'd like to pick the Badgers, but non-AQ teams have proven over and over again that this is a game they can win, so I'm going with TCU in what I hope and think is going to be a spectacular game, 31-30.
8:30
Fiesta Bowl
Connecticut vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
I said that probably no one is giving the Spartans a chance against the Tide. Likewise, lots of people will be picking against TCU. But probably the biggest underdog today will be the Huskies of UConn. I think OU is like a 17-point favorite. The Big East has been really bad this season but that is way too high for any bowl game, much less a BCS bowl. The Hukies have been playing since the middle of last season for deceased cornerback Jasper Howard, who was stabbed at a school dance last year. They'll be extra motivated to win this game for him. Oklahoma probably has too much firepower, but I don't want to discount the will of UConn. At the same time, the Sooners have had trouble in BCS games they should win, most notably against Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. And they've lost seven straight BCS bowls. I think it all adds up to a close game, but OU edges UConn, 33-27.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFL picks
There aren't a ton of significant games this week with lots of playoffs spots having been clinched already.
1:00
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
The Saints will take care of business against the Bucs, who have struggled all year against winning teams. New Orleans will be motivated because it has a chance at the No. 1 seed should Atlanta slip up against Carolina. Saints win, 27-17.
4:15
Chicago at Green Bay
Aaron Rodgers got healthy for the Pack just in the nick of time. They rolled last week against New York and they'll do the same this week against a Chicago team which isn't going to be playing for much. The Bears have already beaten the Packers once this season, and they could get the No. 1 seed, but they would need both the Saints and Falcons to lose. They'll poroably know the result of those two games before theirs since they start at 1. Green Bay launches into the playoffs with a lot of momentum with a win over the Bears, 31-20.
Tennessee at Indianapolis
Indy wraps up a division title and playoff spot with a win over the Titans. Peyton Manning and the offense will be ready and clutch in this one. Colts win, 38-24.
Dallas at Philadelphia
Philly is likely to rest players, and Michael Vick probably won't play. Still, the Cowboys have been masters of finding ways to lose this year. I like the Eagles in another close loss for Jason Garrett, 23-21.
8:20
St. Louis at Seattle
Matt Hasselbeck could be out and/or ineffective for the Seahawks and I think that'll be the key. If he's healthy, I think the Seahawks get up for this one game. I'm banking on him being out for most of the game though. Rookie Sam Bradford and the Rams win the NFC West at 8-8, avoiding the situation where Seattle would've been the first division champ with a losing record. St. Louis wins, 24-20.
Virginia men's basketball lost to Iowa State 60-47 on Thursday while shooting just over 30 percent from the field. I was at the game and it was simply awful. And very aggravating because in both this game vs. ISU and the game before against Seattle, it felt like Virginia was a stop here or there, or a basket here and there, to getting ack into it and it just never happened.
The last three games, Virginia is averaging 50 points per game. We are not going to win any more games this year if we have trouble breaking 50 each game. I really hope this is a just a major slump that everyone eventually shakes. It seems like every year, players always hit slumps but rarely is it an entire team at the same time. So hopefully once we get out f this slump, everyone on the team has had their one major slump for the year.
We've had some injuries lately, and Mike Scott being out against ISU was a surprise to me and certainly hurt us. It's unclear how long he will be out. Maybe chemistry is a problem right now with all the players shuffling around and time will be the thing to cure our woes. Sunday, we play a bad 8-6 LSU team that has some bad losses. If there's a game to get going, this could be it.
-----------------------------------------------------
BOWL PICKS
Noon
TicketCity Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Northwestern
This one's already started but I haven't checked the score : ) I like the high-scoring Wildcats in this one. 31-24.
1:00
Outback Bowl
Florida vs. Penn State
This has the potential to be a great game I think. Urban Meyer's final game vs old, crusty Joe Pa, who already says he wants to coach next year. PSU got better as the year went on, but Florida didn't beat many quality teams this year. The Gators' best win was over South Florida probably (they also beat bowl teams Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia). But just like Maryland, Florida has the extra motivation to send their coach out a winner. I like the Gators barely, 26-24.
Capital One Bowl
No. 16 Alabama vs. No. 9 Michigan State
No one's probably giving the Spartans a chance in this one, but they've been a resilient bunch all year. Motivation is a huge part of bowl games and MSU will definitely be motivated to knock off the Tide. I'm not sure Bama will be, though. This bowl is certainly a downgrade compared to the last three years when Alabama has played in BCS bowls. I like MSU to get the upset and win 31-27.
1:30
Gator Bowl
No. 21 Mississippi State vs. Michigan
Rich Rod could be playing for his job in this one. I personally think the Wolverines should be patient with him, because they've improved in each of his first three years as coach, from 3-9 in year one, to 5-7 last year, to 7-5 this year. I just don't know if Michigan's D--the biggest problem so far on Rich Rod's Wolverines teams--can step it up against MSU, which has a really strong rushing offense. I like the Bulldogs in this one, 35-31. I think Rodriguez should be kept around but I have a feeling if they lose, he will be gone.
5:00
Rose Bowl
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 5 Wisconsin
This should be a spectacular game--I hope. I can see it being excellent and I can also see a blow out in Wisconsin's favor. I think TCU's ready. The Frogs won't be scared of the Badgers. TCU's defense ranks No. 1 in points allowed, and Wisconsin ranks 4th in points per game, having scored 70 points or more three times this season. Something will have to give. TCU has a surprisingly great offense, though, too. The Frogs are tied with Wisconsin, actually, in ppg at 4th in the country and boast the7th best rushing offense in the country. I'd like to pick the Badgers, but non-AQ teams have proven over and over again that this is a game they can win, so I'm going with TCU in what I hope and think is going to be a spectacular game, 31-30.
8:30
Fiesta Bowl
Connecticut vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
I said that probably no one is giving the Spartans a chance against the Tide. Likewise, lots of people will be picking against TCU. But probably the biggest underdog today will be the Huskies of UConn. I think OU is like a 17-point favorite. The Big East has been really bad this season but that is way too high for any bowl game, much less a BCS bowl. The Hukies have been playing since the middle of last season for deceased cornerback Jasper Howard, who was stabbed at a school dance last year. They'll be extra motivated to win this game for him. Oklahoma probably has too much firepower, but I don't want to discount the will of UConn. At the same time, the Sooners have had trouble in BCS games they should win, most notably against Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. And they've lost seven straight BCS bowls. I think it all adds up to a close game, but OU edges UConn, 33-27.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFL picks
There aren't a ton of significant games this week with lots of playoffs spots having been clinched already.
1:00
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
The Saints will take care of business against the Bucs, who have struggled all year against winning teams. New Orleans will be motivated because it has a chance at the No. 1 seed should Atlanta slip up against Carolina. Saints win, 27-17.
4:15
Chicago at Green Bay
Aaron Rodgers got healthy for the Pack just in the nick of time. They rolled last week against New York and they'll do the same this week against a Chicago team which isn't going to be playing for much. The Bears have already beaten the Packers once this season, and they could get the No. 1 seed, but they would need both the Saints and Falcons to lose. They'll poroably know the result of those two games before theirs since they start at 1. Green Bay launches into the playoffs with a lot of momentum with a win over the Bears, 31-20.
Tennessee at Indianapolis
Indy wraps up a division title and playoff spot with a win over the Titans. Peyton Manning and the offense will be ready and clutch in this one. Colts win, 38-24.
Dallas at Philadelphia
Philly is likely to rest players, and Michael Vick probably won't play. Still, the Cowboys have been masters of finding ways to lose this year. I like the Eagles in another close loss for Jason Garrett, 23-21.
8:20
St. Louis at Seattle
Matt Hasselbeck could be out and/or ineffective for the Seahawks and I think that'll be the key. If he's healthy, I think the Seahawks get up for this one game. I'm banking on him being out for most of the game though. Rookie Sam Bradford and the Rams win the NFC West at 8-8, avoiding the situation where Seattle would've been the first division champ with a losing record. St. Louis wins, 24-20.
Comments
Post a Comment