UVA
After leading at the half of their last three games, the Cavaliers finally preserved a lead in the second half today in a 72-64 win at home vs. Georgia Tech. Virginia moves to 11-8 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. The Hoos were on fire today, hitting on 7 of 8 3s in the first half and 10 of 15 overall. Virginia shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half while limiting Georgia Tech to 27 points. Virginia extended its lead to 18 in the second and Georgia Tech never threatened. The final eight-point margin was closer than the game actually was.
I watched the game live since it was at noon and before I had to go into work. I recorded it though and may watch again and discuss it some more. But it was great to see the hard work and effort of the team finally pay off. The Cavs could be 5-0 right now in the ACC if things had fallen their way. The Duke game was truly surprising and I'll go ahead and concede that loss. Not just anyone goes into Cameron Indoor and wins. But UNC at home was a game Virginia should have won and it seems like they certainly had their chances Tuesday at BC even though I was unable to see it (it wasn't on TV). To be 2-3 and to have had an opportunity to be 4-1 in the ACC without Mike Scott is great. I would have thought wins would be hard to come by without Scott. The team is really starting to gel I think after experiencing some ups and downs and injuries and inconsistencies this season.
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NFC TITLE GAME
The Bears and Packers square off in a rivalry showdown Sunday to determine the NFC participant in the Super Bowl. The Bears have the home field, but I like the Pack in this one. I think Aaron Rodgers is the best, or at least playing the best, of the four QBs left in the playoffs. And I'm not down on Chicago. No way should the Packers underestimate them--and of course they won't, these bitter rivals going back to the 1920s--because the Bears are a really good football team. Jay Cutler has his problems under center from time to time but he's also capable of big-time games. And the Bears defense is back to being nasty after taking a year or so off. The Packers D is nothing to sneeze at either though. The playoff teams left have some awesome defenses, and the Packers could be the best with AJ Hawk, Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson manning the unit. I have a lot of respect for the Bears, I really do, but a team that may have the best QB and defense left is going to get my pick to win this game when the Bears probably don't have the firepower on offense to take the game over. Green Bay wins, 20-16.
AFC TITLE GAME
The Jets have trashed talked, danced and strutted their way into the AFC title game, thought of still as upstarts even though they made it to this point last year as well. The Steelers have quietly gone about their business and find themselves on the verge of another Super Bowl appearance and possibly their 7th world championship. Sunday in Pittsburgh could be Jets QB Mark Sanchez's coming out party, or a chance for all his naysayers to say, "See, we told you he actually isn't that great." Beating the Colts D and Pats D is one thing, in seasons where those defenses weren't that solid anyway, but going into Steelers country and beating the Pittsburgh defense would really be quite a remarkable feat for a QB that many people think isn't in the top 10, maybe 15 starters in the league. Of course, he won't be alone. He should get quite a lift from Rex Ryan and his defense, which has flown around and created havoc the past two weeks for two of the best QBs to ever grace the NFL landscape. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are not as mobile as Ben Roethlisberger though, so Big Ben could create a new and big problem for the Jets on D. Whether they blitz or sit back in the passing lanes like they did against Brady, Ben can move and find open receivers. The Jets won in Pittsburgh for the first time ever in Week 15, but the Steelers didn't have Troy Polamalu on defense or Heath Miller (WAHOOWA) on offense for that game. Pittsburgh has played significantly better over the past two seasons on defense when Polamalu's in the game. I think it'll be a tough, grind-it-out-contest, but I like the Steelers, 16-13.
Enjoy championship Sunday everyone.
Picks record last week: 3-1; Playoffs record: 4-4; Overall record: 137-96
After leading at the half of their last three games, the Cavaliers finally preserved a lead in the second half today in a 72-64 win at home vs. Georgia Tech. Virginia moves to 11-8 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. The Hoos were on fire today, hitting on 7 of 8 3s in the first half and 10 of 15 overall. Virginia shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half while limiting Georgia Tech to 27 points. Virginia extended its lead to 18 in the second and Georgia Tech never threatened. The final eight-point margin was closer than the game actually was.
I watched the game live since it was at noon and before I had to go into work. I recorded it though and may watch again and discuss it some more. But it was great to see the hard work and effort of the team finally pay off. The Cavs could be 5-0 right now in the ACC if things had fallen their way. The Duke game was truly surprising and I'll go ahead and concede that loss. Not just anyone goes into Cameron Indoor and wins. But UNC at home was a game Virginia should have won and it seems like they certainly had their chances Tuesday at BC even though I was unable to see it (it wasn't on TV). To be 2-3 and to have had an opportunity to be 4-1 in the ACC without Mike Scott is great. I would have thought wins would be hard to come by without Scott. The team is really starting to gel I think after experiencing some ups and downs and injuries and inconsistencies this season.
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NFC TITLE GAME
The Bears and Packers square off in a rivalry showdown Sunday to determine the NFC participant in the Super Bowl. The Bears have the home field, but I like the Pack in this one. I think Aaron Rodgers is the best, or at least playing the best, of the four QBs left in the playoffs. And I'm not down on Chicago. No way should the Packers underestimate them--and of course they won't, these bitter rivals going back to the 1920s--because the Bears are a really good football team. Jay Cutler has his problems under center from time to time but he's also capable of big-time games. And the Bears defense is back to being nasty after taking a year or so off. The Packers D is nothing to sneeze at either though. The playoff teams left have some awesome defenses, and the Packers could be the best with AJ Hawk, Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson manning the unit. I have a lot of respect for the Bears, I really do, but a team that may have the best QB and defense left is going to get my pick to win this game when the Bears probably don't have the firepower on offense to take the game over. Green Bay wins, 20-16.
AFC TITLE GAME
The Jets have trashed talked, danced and strutted their way into the AFC title game, thought of still as upstarts even though they made it to this point last year as well. The Steelers have quietly gone about their business and find themselves on the verge of another Super Bowl appearance and possibly their 7th world championship. Sunday in Pittsburgh could be Jets QB Mark Sanchez's coming out party, or a chance for all his naysayers to say, "See, we told you he actually isn't that great." Beating the Colts D and Pats D is one thing, in seasons where those defenses weren't that solid anyway, but going into Steelers country and beating the Pittsburgh defense would really be quite a remarkable feat for a QB that many people think isn't in the top 10, maybe 15 starters in the league. Of course, he won't be alone. He should get quite a lift from Rex Ryan and his defense, which has flown around and created havoc the past two weeks for two of the best QBs to ever grace the NFL landscape. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are not as mobile as Ben Roethlisberger though, so Big Ben could create a new and big problem for the Jets on D. Whether they blitz or sit back in the passing lanes like they did against Brady, Ben can move and find open receivers. The Jets won in Pittsburgh for the first time ever in Week 15, but the Steelers didn't have Troy Polamalu on defense or Heath Miller (WAHOOWA) on offense for that game. Pittsburgh has played significantly better over the past two seasons on defense when Polamalu's in the game. I think it'll be a tough, grind-it-out-contest, but I like the Steelers, 16-13.
Enjoy championship Sunday everyone.
Picks record last week: 3-1; Playoffs record: 4-4; Overall record: 137-96
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