Forty Nines Are Who I Thought They Were

Another season of high expectations, another season of disappointing results.  Last year, the sexy pick were the Arizona Cardinals and they sucked it up.  This year, it was the 49ers with Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Darrell Jackson and that solid defense.  Monday night, the 2-6 Niners traveled to Seattle and got thumped by the ‘hawks, 24-0, "earning" their 7th loss of the season.  This team actually won  it’s first two game, albeit against the Cardinals and the injury plagued Rams.  They’ve lost their last 7 and if I’m not mistaken, should lose at least 5 of their next 7 against the likes of the Browns, Bucs and Bengals. I know everyone’s going to say that Smith was injured, as was Gore and they’re just underachieving. In the 7 games that Smith has started, he’s only thrown 2 touchdowns. Not per game, TOTAL. This is Smith’s 3rd year in the league.  I wonder if it’s time for the 49ers to use their high draft pick next year to draft a quarterback.  Whoops, I forgot, the 49ers traded their pick to those swindling Patriots.  So not only will the Niners suck this year, they will suck next year too. Somewhere, Bill Walsh is turning in his grave.  I wonder if Eddie Debartolo would have let the Niners franchise go to the crapper? A franchise that once was the creme de la creme of the NFL, let alone the NFC has now become the urinal for the rest of the league (no offense Dolphins and Jets).  No, no, they’re that mat on the floor of the urinal where the piddles leak…

The Shanagraph

Travis Henry of the Denver Broncos could be facing a year’s suspension for a positive marijuana test, but now he has a new defense attorney on his side, his coach Mike Shanahan. Shanahan came to the defense of his running back, saying that Henry passed the hair sample test and that he also passed the Shanahan polygragh test. Yes that’s right, Mike Shanahan makes his players take a lie detector test. I haven’t seen Shanahan come to any player’s defense like this before, so he must really believe in Henry’s innocence. I don’t know what the big deal is, does Shanahan have Henry on his fantasy league or something. Just plug Selvin Young in there and let him do the damage. Any running back can flourish in that system, so just stick him back there and cut him loose. The way I see it, Henry needs some time off to spend with his nine children anyway. So we’ll just have to wait and see how this one turns out next week when the NFL comes down with it’s ruling. Until then, players beware, Coach Shanahan knows if you’ve been naughty or nice.

C.C. Takes Cy Cy

It’s a good thing that MLB votes for their awards before the post-season starts, if not C.C. Sabathia would not be the Cy Young Award winner. C.C. who had a stellar regular season, just didn’t show up in the playoffs. Then again this is a regular season award, so let’s give the big man some credit, he was the best pitcher this past season, slightly better than second place finisher Josh Beckett. Beckett on the other hand had a out of this world post-season, leading the Red Sox to the World Series title and pitching like the second coming of Sandy Koufax. I’m not going to take anything away from the big guy, and entering the final season of his contract with the Indians, Sabathia will be paid handsomely. I would just like my aces to show up for the playoffs. So Beckett will just have to take his World Series ring and be happy with that. Sabathia becomes the first Cleveland pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in 35 years, and who knows, the core of this team is coming back next season and with one more year of experience under their belt, 2008 might be the year of the Tribe.

Stephon Marbury: The Real Cancer

On Tuesday, Stephon Marbury, or as his fan likes to call him, Starbury, left practice in Phoenix and went back to NY.  Speculation of this guy unhappy with the team? Is it that time of the year again?  I hate to say it but the NY Knicks need to move this guy while he still has some trade value.  Marbury’s averaging 15 ppgs and almost assists.  There’s gotta be a team in need of a point guard out there (Miami perhaps?). Marbury’s troubles are nothing new.  He couldn’t play with Garnett in Minnesota, was shipped to Phoenix where he almost found a home but his shoot first mentality wasn’t what the Suns were looking for, and now the Knicks. He’s no longer that 20+ ppg man, nor 9+assists. His numbers are still respectable for a B level point guard, but it’s the character issues continue to pop up in the papers.  My advice to Zeke: help your team, get rid of this guy while you still can, build around Randolph and who knows, you might even sneak into the playoffs one day.

Gambler’s Anonymous

I’m sure the majority of you bet on sports games and I’m sure most of you cringe when thinking of the history of your betting. I’m fairly new to how this whole betting thing works; parlays, teasers, reverses, etc…It is CRAZY how you can wager on 5 dollars, parlay up to 12-13 teams and end up winning THOUSANDS…but what are the chances right? And its always a shame when you put in a big parlay, about to win 6-7 thousand but because of ONE team, everything goes up in flames. Some betting tips:

1. Never always go for the favorite. My evidence is this past week in the NFL AND NCAA. How many upsets were there? New Orleans losing at home to the RAMS? Redskins blowing yet ANOTHER lead-dropping to the Eagles? Steelers BARELY winning over the Browns (Steelers didn’t cover), Vikings getting a Krispy Donut, #1 ranked Ohio St losing to Illinois?! Boston College losing AGAIN!? I could go on and on…
2. NEVER bet on Hockey…I swear if you look at the trends, it seems the team that usually wins is the team barely anyone is betting on…seriously, HOCKEY SUCKS when it comes to gambling.
3. Is it rigged? You can’t get mad and say a game was rigged, because IF it really is, I’m sure many of you WON because of it being “rigged”
4. Please try not to gamble on your team because when your team loses the feeling is HORRIBLE…now imagine your team loses AND your wallet becomes thinner…it HURTS

This article contributed by James.

Gambler’s Anonymous

I’m sure the majority of you bet on sports games and I’m sure most of you cringe when thinking of the history of your betting. I’m fairly new to how this whole betting thing works; parlays, teasers, reverses, etc…It is CRAZY how you can wager on 5 dollars, parlay up to 12-13 teams and end up winning THOUSANDS…but what are the chances right? And its always a shame when you put in a big parlay, about to win 6-7 thousand but because of ONE team, everything goes up in flames. Some betting tips:

1. Never always go for the favorite. My evidence is this past week in the NFL AND NCAA. How many upsets were there? New Orleans losing at home to the RAMS? Redskins blowing yet ANOTHER lead-dropping to the Eagles? Steelers BARELY winning over the Browns (Steelers didn’t cover), Vikings getting a Krispy Donut, #1 ranked Ohio St losing to Illinois?! Boston College losing AGAIN!? I could go on and on…
2. NEVER bet on Hockey…I swear if you look at the trends, it seems the team that usually wins is the team barely anyone is betting on…seriously, HOCKEY SUCKS when it comes to gambling.
3. Is it rigged? You can’t get mad and say a game was rigged, because IF it really is, I’m sure many of you WON because of it being “rigged”
4. Please try not to gamble on your team because when your team loses the feeling is HORRIBLE…now imagine your team loses AND your wallet becomes thinner…it HURTS

This article contributed by James.

The Kids In The Hall

NCAA basketball is back and I for one am really excited about this season. This year, like the last, is going to be dominated by freshmen. I can’t remember a deeper freshman class coming in like this one. On Saturday night you had the two premiere freshman in SoCal, Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo leading their teams. Mayo dropped 32 in his debut, albeit a loss, but showed promise and poise for his first game. Love dropped 22 and 13 as No. 2 UCLA rolled. Watch out for Love, as I stated before, this kid is going to be the second coming of Bill Walton. Over in Memphis you have Derrick Rose almost single handedly leading the No. 3 ranked Tigers to victory. In the Big Ten, Eric Gordon made his debut for Indiana and promptly scored 33 points, the most ever for a Hoosier in his first game. However, the one freshman I’m keeping my eye on is Michael “Beastly” Beasley, the 6′9″ forward/center for Kansas State. In his two games for the Wildcats, Beasley has scored 31 points and 24 rebounds, and 30 points and 14 rebounds respectively. Just keep your eye on this kid, because he won’t be in college for long. The rule that the NBA implemented that a kid has to go to college for at least one year is beneficial to all, especially fans of college basketball. Here’s to an exciting season filled with “Diaper Dandies”, apologies to Dick Vitale.

The Shanagraph

Travis Henry of the Denver Broncos could be facing a year’s suspension for a positive marijuana test, but now he has a new defense attorney on his side, his coach Mike Shanahan. Shanahan came to the defense of his running back, saying that Henry passed the hair sample test and that he also passed the Shanahan polygragh test. Yes that’s right, Mike Shanahan makes his players take a lie detector test. I haven’t seen Shanahan come to any player’s defense like this before, so he must really believe in Henry’s innocence. I don’t know what the big deal is, does Shanahan have Henry on his fantasy league or something. Just plug Selvin Young in there and let him do the damage. Any running back can flourish in that system, so just stick him back there and cut him loose. The way I see it, Henry needs some time off to spend with his nine children anyway. So we’ll just have to wait and see how this one turns out next week when the NFL comes down with it’s ruling. Until then, players beware, Coach Shanahan knows if you’ve been naughty or nice.

C.C. Takes Cy Cy

It’s a good thing that MLB votes for their awards before the post-season starts, if not C.C. Sabathia would not be the Cy Young Award winner. C.C. who had a stellar regular season, just didn’t show up in the playoffs. Then again this is a regular season award, so let’s give the big man some credit, he was the best pitcher this past season, slightly better than second place finisher Josh Beckett. Beckett on the other hand had a out of this world post-season, leading the Red Sox to the World Series title and pitching like the second coming of Sandy Koufax. I’m not going to take anything away from the big guy, and entering the final season of his contract with the Indians, Sabathia will be paid handsomely. I would just like my aces to show up for the playoffs. So Beckett will just have to take his World Series ring and be happy with that. Sabathia becomes the first Cleveland pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in 35 years, and who knows, the core of this team is coming back next season and with one more year of experience under their belt, 2008 might be the year of the Tribe.

Top MLB Rookies

The rookies of the year were chosen for Major League Baseball, and in what was one of the closest votes ever, Brewers slugger Ryan Braun edged Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki by two points for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Braun received 17 of 32 first-place votes and finished with 128 points. Tulowitzki got 15 first-place votes and 126 points. Braun was so nervous waiting for the results, he said he had trouble sleeping Sunday night, then woke up early at his condo in Santa Monica and went for a jog to ease his “nervous energy.”

In the A.L., the race was not as close. In fact, in was a landslide. Dustin Pedroia, Boston’s second baseman, became the sixth Red Sox player to win the award and the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. A month into the season, Pedroia was hitting just .172 with no home runs and only two RBI resulting in some Red Sox fans calling for Alex Cora to take over the starting spot. Pedroia ended the season by hitting .317 with eight home runs and 50 RBI. He got 24 of the 28 first place votes and beat out Tampa Bay outfielder Delmon Young in a landslide.