Winding Down an Incredible Career

10...9…8…the clock ticks down as the game is coming to a close. Lakers tied 86-86. It was a scene that Laker fans had seen a hundred times. It’s the 4^th quarter. Kobe has the ball. Everyone in the stadium is standing up, expecting to see Kobe do what he has done numerous times while wearing that purple and gold jersey, make the game winning shot.

7…6…5…Kobe dribbles to the left wing as another defender leans toward Kobe’s direction. The other team, The Denver Nuggets, know that there’s no way Kobe will pass the ball. 4…3…2…1…

Kobe turns, does his signature fade away and releases the ball at the height of his jump. The ball arcs high above the defender and looks like it is heading home towards the basket. As the ball descends it spins a bit to its right and hits the back of the rim and misses. The entire stadium gasps. No one can believe that Kobe missed, not even the other team. The game heads to overtime where the Lakers lose, 101-94. This has been the story for Kobe and the Lakers so far this season. As of right now the Lakers are 6-16, half of a game above worst place in the Western Conference.

This season has been a difficult one for Laker fans. There have been numerous injuries already in the season, such as heralded rookie Julius Randle missing the whole season with a broken leg that occurred in the first game of the season. The worst part about the season, Laker fans might admit, is watching Kobe end his career on such a dreadful team.  He is shooting the lowest field goal percentage of his career 39% while attempting 22.4 shots a game. Also this season he just broke the record for the most missed shots ever by an NBA player. He’s near the bottom for 3 pointers as well 29%. Laker fans are seeing their superhero become mortal in right front of their eyes.

Born in Philadelphia in 1978, Kobe has always had basketball blood in him. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant was an NBA player who also played in the Euro League. Kobe lived in Italy for seven years while his father played basketball. Soccer was the most popular sport in Italy and they would rarely show NBA games on TV so Kobe had his grandmother send him tapes from the United States. As he watched more basketball, he started to become a fan of Laker legend Magic Johnson.

Bryant would return to the States for high school and would proceed to dominate his competition. He led his high school team, the Lower Marion Aces to their first championship while averaging 30.8 points, 12 rebounds. Kobe was one of the first high school basketball players to jump straight to the NBA without going to college. Even though he was highly heralded coming out of high school Kobe fell to 13^th in the 1996 NBA draft. The Charlotte Hornets drafted him and then proceeded to trade him to the Lakers. The Lakers would pair him up with Shaquille O’Neal and they would go on to form one of the greatest duos of all time, winning three championships in a row from 2000-2002.

Kobe has been one of the most polarizing athletes in recent memory. Every basketball fan, whether they love or hate him, has a strong opinion on Kobe. No matter what your opinion of Kobe is, it is hard to deny that he is one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen. His resume speaks for himself. Sixteen time all-star Eleven time all NBA first team Five time NBA champion Two time Finals MVP and he is currently 4^th all time in all time scoring. In addition he has broken numerous Laker records, such as: most games played, points, minutes, shots made, and many more.

Kobe is known for his extremely competitive mindset in which he will do anything it takes to win. Kobe has flown all the way to Germany to have a knee surgery done that is banned in the United States so that he could extend his playing career. Although his competitive mindset has gotten winning results, it has also turned away teammates such as Dwight Howard who couldn’t handle playing with him.

What the future has in store for Kobe is up in the air as of right now. Kobe has stated that he plans on retiring after his contract expires at the end of next season. I don’t think anyone would blame him for retiring; after playing nineteen seasons in the NBA in addition to the all the playoff games Kobe has played, his body has taken a lot of wear and tear. Kobe is currently twelfth all time in minutes played. Kobe is also third all time in playoff minutes with 8,641, which equals up to an extra season in just playoff games. These heavy minutes could be one of the reasons why Kobe was injured the past two seasons. He suffered a torn Achilles in April 2013 and in December he suffered his second injury of 2013 with a lateral tibial plateau fracture.

Kobe is in a difficult situation with this Lakers team. They are not competitive enough for the playoffs and the chances of Kobe getting his sixth ring are slimmer and slimmer as the end of his career approaches. He has battled through adversity before when Shaq left town in 2004, but that was when he was young and in the prime of his career. As each game goes by it gets closer to the end of one of the best careers the NBA has seen. When Kobe finally retires it will not only be a loss for Lakers fans but a loss for basketball in general.  

NFL Week 12 Picks

Week 12 brings a lot of games that are important to teams' playoff hopes. This is also an important week for fantasy football players as the playoffs start in Week 14.

Browns (6-4) vs Falcons (4-6)- The week the everyone has been waiting for, Josh Gordon is finally back. The offense will surely get a much needed boost getting its best player back. The Browns defense has been good enough to keep them competitive in all of their games. With Joe Haden the secondary has been good in keeping receivers in check. The Falcons have been disappointing this season and even though they play better at home I think the Browns pull this one out. In Flash Gordon we trust. Browns 24 Falcons 21

Titans (2-8) vs Eagles (7-3)- The Eagles got run over by the Packers in Lambeau field last week. They looked far from the the explosive offense that they looked like for most of the season. The Titans played a close game vs the Steelers on MNF, but that had more to do with the Steelers playing down their opponents like they have this season. The Eagles should get back on track vs the Titans at home. Eagles 33 Titans 21

Lions (7-3) vs Patriots (8-2)- Ever since their lost to the Chiefs, the Patriots have looked like the best team in the league. Their offense is on fire and with a healthy Gronk it's tough to see any team stop them. The Lions field one of the best defenses in the league and will need to pressure Tom Brady to be competitive in this game. The Lions will keep the game competitive but it won't be enough to stop the Patriots at home. Patriots 30 Lions 20

Packers (7-3) vs Vikings (4-6)- The Packers offense has been running through teams, scoring 52 points in their last two game. The last time these teams played the Packers won 42-10. It will be tough for the Vikings to stop Aaron Rodgers who has been playing like the best QB in the league. The Packers should win going away. Packers 38 Vikings 23

(1-9) Jaguars vs (6-4) Colts- The Colts are a good team but they have had trouble against the elite teams. Lucky for them the Jaguars are far from that. The loss of Ahmad Bradshaw will hurt and they will have to rely on Trent Richardson and Dan Herron, but Andrew Luck should have an easy time passing this weak defense. The Colts will take care of business at home against the Jaguars. Colts 37 Jaguars 20

(6-3-1) Bengals vs Texans (5-5)- Each week Andy Dalton looks like a different QB. He had a great game last week vs the Saints after looking terrible against the Browns. In the competitive AFC South the Bengals need to win for a chance to win the division. If Arian Foster doesn't play it severely hurts the Texans and they can't afford that against this good Bengals defense. I think the Bengals eke out a win on the road, but it will depend on which Andy Daltons comes to play this Sunday. Bengals 28 Texans 24

(2-8) Buccaneers vs (4-6) Bears- The Bears finally got their offense to click last week, even if it was against the Vikings. The Bears will need to secondary to play well to stop Vincent Jackson and rookie phenom Mike Evans. The Bucs have been in a couple of close games this year and their record looks worse than they actually. But the Bears should play well once again at home and pull out the win. Bears 30 Bucaneers 24

(9-1) Cardinals vs (6-4) Seahawks- The Cardinals have been able to pull out victories even with all of their injuries. The Cardinals defense has been great in all facets and is good enough to win games by themselves. The Seahawks haven't been playing as well as last year but are still formidable at home. The Seahawks have a tough schedule coming up and will need this victory to make the playoffs. Expect Marshawn Lynch to have a big game as the Seahawks get an important victory at home. Seahawks 27 Cardinals 21

(4-6) Rams vs (6-4)- The Chargers have cooled off after their hot start and will need a lengthy winning streak to make the playoffs. The Rams have been one of the most unpredictable teams this season. with victories over the Broncos, Seahawks, and the 49ers. Makes you wonder what their record would be without all of their injuries. The Chargers offense should have a big game vs this depleted defense. The Chargers take this one at home. Chargers 33 Rams 24

(6-4) Dolphins vs Broncos (7-3)- The Broncos have suffered two disappointing losses in the last three weeks. The Rams defense completely shut down Peyton Manning and the Broncos lost Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas. The Broncos should still be able to put up points on the Dolphins defense, but I wouldn't expect seeing the same Broncos team like the one we saw at the beginning of the season. Broncos bounce back at home and get the win. Broncos 31 Dolphins 24

(3-7) Redskins vs (6-4) 49ers- After the Redskins beat the Cowboys on MNF, they haven't been able to put together a good game. The questions keep coming up with RGIII and his health and even his coaches are wondering when and if he is going to be healthy enough to play. The 49ers have been playing good football as of late and will need any victory they can get in the highly contested NFC. They should be able to score on a weak Redskins defense. 49ers 27 Redskins 17

(7-3) Cowboys vs (3-7) Giants- The Giants have been disappointing this season, with Eli Manning turning the ball over too much. The Cowboys have lost 2 of their last 3 and will need to win in order to keep themselves in the race of division lead vs the Eagles. These NFC East games are always competitive and the Giants will bring their best game vs the Cowboys. The game will be close but the Cowboys have too much talent to lose this game that they desperately need. Cowboys 30 Giants 24

(2-8) Jets vs (5-5) Bills- This game was postponed due to the heavy snow in Buffalo and will be played Monday Night in Detroit. The Jets have looked much better on offense with Michael Vick and don't look like the terrible offense team of before. The Jets will look to salvage something of their season after a bad start. The Bills have had two disappointing losses that all but knocked them out of the playoffs. Kyle Orton has looked better than E.J Manuel but their offense isn't good enough to put up points. I think the Jets should win this one in Detroit. Jets 24 Bills 21

(6-4) Ravens vs (4-6) Saints- The Saints have been mediocre this season but are still in hunt for the NFC South because of all the teams in the division have been playing bad as well. The Ravens need a win to keep up with the AFC North and will have a huge hill to climb with a loss. The Saints usually play well at home and Drew Brees has a good record on Monday Night but it will come down to the defense to stop the Ravens. The Saints pull out this win at home in a high scoring game. Saints 38 Ravens 35

Season: (20-8)

Week 13 CFB Pick

The CFB season is almost over with most teams having only 2 more games left. Rivalry week is next week so there are not too many big games this week, so I decided to pick the most important game of the week (in my opinion).

19 USC (7-3) vs 9 UCLA (8-2)- This heated crosstown rivalry has huge stakes in 2014. The winner is in good position for the lead in the PAC-12 South and a chance to make it to the Rose Bowl. UCLA has been playing much better football as of late, winning their last 4 and jumping into the top 10. The Bruins have an extremely slim chance of making the playoffs and they would have to win the rest of their games and hope that teams in front of them fell. Their season can still be a success and it starts with a win agains their hated rivals. The Trojans have been wildly inconsistent this season, looking like a top 10 team in some games and then looking like an unranked team the next. They have a lot of great talent on their team and if they play to their capabilities this is a solid football team. USC has to rely on the play of Cody Kessler to beat the Bruins and I don't think he's that good of a quarterback. Brett Hundley can do much more things with the ball and can spread the field. For that reason I give the Bruins the slight edge over the Trojans. UCLA 34 USC 30

Season: (17-9)

Week 12 CFB Picks

Week 12 is going to give us a clearer picture of the playoffs. We have a great slate off games, especially in the east.

8 Ohio State (8-1) vs 25 (7-2) Minnesota- This Big Ten matchup will go a long way in deciding the who will play in the Big Ten championship. Ohio State has won 7 in a row since their loss to Virginia Tech and are in the conversation to make the playoffs. Minnesota provides a good road test, but a surging Ohio State should put together a good game once again to keep their winning streak going. Ohio State 34 Minnesota 24

1 Mississippi State (9-0) vs 5 Alabama (8-1)- Surprisingly, the #1 team in the country are 9.5 underdogs in this road game vs Alabama. This SEC matchup will essentially knock the loser out of the playoffs, which would be heartbreaking for a Mississippi State team that has been near the top of the rankings for most of the season. Alabama just edged LSU in overtime last week and have won 4 in a row since their loss. Alabama has been very good at home and should continue their winning ways that will likely put them at the top of the rankings next week. Alabama 27 Mississippi 24

3 Florida State (9-0) vs Miami (6-3)- This is a game between to of the most storied schools in college football history. Amid all the controversy FSU has put together an undefeated season so far and are prime for a playoff run. Their toughest game the rest of the season will be this road test for Miami. You know the Hurricanes would like nothing better than to ruin their bitter rivals perfect season. FSU has too many weapons on offense and will pass this road test vs Miami. Florida State 40 Miami 24

9 Auburn (7-2) vs 15 Georgia (7-2)- Auburn had a stunning loss to Texas A&M last week. They would need to win the rest of their games for a shot at the playoffs. Georgia still has a chance, but it starts with beating Auburn at home. The Bulldogs will get their star running back in Todd Gurley back which should do wonders for their offense. I pick a motivated Georgia team to beat Auburn at home. Georgia 33 Auburn 27

16 Nebraska (8-1) vs 20 Wisconsin (7-2)- In a Big Ten west matchup between two ranked teams, Nebraska and Wisconsin go at it to determine first place in the division. Both of these love to run the ball.  Nebraska is 10th in rushing yards in the FBS and Wisconsin is 5th. Wisconsin and their superb defense will make enough plays to knock off Nebraska at home.  Wisconsin 24 Nebraska 20

Season: (12-9)  

Thursday Week 11 NFL Pick

This Thursday we have an AFC East matchup between the (5-4) Buffalo Bills and (5-4) Miami Dolphins. Both of these teams are two games behind the Patriots in the division. Kyle Orton replaced the struggling E.J. Manuel a couple of weeks ago but the Bills have not lost stride. These teams would be in the hunt for the wildcard if the AFC wasn't so competitive. This game will drop the loser to 5-5 and put them in a deep whole for the playoffs. I pick Miami to win this game on the road with Ryan Tannehill quietly playing good football. Dolphins 24 Buffalo 20

Season: (19-8)

Week 11 CFB Picks

This Saturday brings us a huge number of important games. Week 11 will go a long way in deciding what teams will be playing in the playoffs. Hope you have a comfortable place to watch games on Saturday because chances are you won't be leaving your spot in front of the TV.

5 Alabama (7-1) vs 16 LSU (7-2)- In Week 9 LSU earned a huge victory in which they knocked off Ole Miss at home. The Tigers gave up only 7 points to the then #3 team in the country in an impressive defensive showing. Week 11 brings the rival Crimson Tide to Death Valley. Alabama has been on fire on offense recently, scoring 93 points in their last two games. The Tide have been playing their best football on the last two weeks with the offense clicking and their defense has been excellent as always, allowing only 14 point per game (2nd in the FBS). Alabama will score just enough points to escape Death Valley with a victory. Alabama 24 LSU 23

7 Kansas State (7-1) vs 6 TCU (7-1)- This is a huge Big 12 matchup that may as well decide who wins the conference. Kansas State has quietly been one of the most consistent teams in the country with their Snyder ball. Their only loss is to #3 Auburn. TCU is coming off of a thriller vs West Virginia where they won on a last second field goal. Defense will be at a minimum in with these two high scoring offenses.  Kansas State will make enough plays to steal a win vs TCU. Kansas State 40 TCU 34

14 Ohio State (7-1) vs 8 Michigan State (7-1)- After Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech in Week 2, it seemed like their season was lost. But they haven't lost a game since and are dark horses for the playoffs. It's a longshot but the first step is Saturday vs Michigan State. The Spartan's only loss is to #4 Oregon early in the season in a game where they had the lead until the 3rd quarter. The Spartans are the better all around team, don't be surprised if the Buckeyes keep it tight in the 4th quarter. Michigan State 33 Ohio State 26

10 Notre Dame (7-1) vs 9 Arizona State (7-1)- Both of these teams can make a huge statement for their playoff chances with a win here. If ASU can win out, including the PAC-12 championship, they should be able to earn a spot in the playoff. A win for Notre Dame here would add an impressive win to their resume and make the voters heavily consider the Fighting Irish for the playoff. A loss for either one of these teams all but knocks them out of contention. ASU will score enough points on offense to beat the Fighting Irish in Tempe. Arizona State 31 Notre Dame 27

12 Baylor (7-1) vs 15 Oklahoma (6-2)- Baylor was looking make a dent in the playoff race but a devastating loss to West Virginia all but derailed their chances. If they can win out, they might have a chance but it's a long road. The Bears are going to Oklahoma, where the Sooners two losses are to the top two teams in the conference Kansas State and TCU. Baylor has a prolific passing attack with Bryce Petty but their running game is also lethal. The Bears will knock off the Sooners in Norman in a high scoring game. Baylor 45 Oklahoma 38

#4 Oregon (7-1) vs  #17 Utah (6-2)- In the past few weeks the Ducks have looked like the best team in the country. They just cracked the top 4 in the playoffs and are looking every bit like a national contender with their injured players coming back. Utah has been one of the surprising teams this season, but just suffered a tough loss to Arizona State last week. Had Utah won last week this game would have been a matchup between two Top 10 teams. Although Utah has been playing good football this season, the Ducks are just too talented and should win comfortably. Oregon 45 Utah 30

Season: (8-7)

Week 9 NFL Picks

The 2014 NFL season is more than half way over already, seems like it was Week 1 yesterday. Lets get into the picks.

Buccaneers (1-6) vs Browns (4-3)- The Buccaneers have been one of the worst teams in the league so far and are mess on both sides of the ball. Doug Martin has been injured and Mike Glennon can't get his receivers the ball. The Browns should win this at home. Browns 24 Buccaneers 17

Cardinals (6-1) vs Cowboys (6-2)- In a matchup of two division leaders that nobody expected, the Cardinals go to the Jerrydome to play the Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off of a stunning loss to the Redskins on MNF. Paired with a great defense, Carson Palmer has been consistent enough to make the Cardinals quietly one of the best teams in the league. The Cardinals go to Dallas and knock off the Cowboys. Cardinals 27 Cowboys 24

Eagles (5-2) vs Texans (4-4)- The Eagles visit the Texans in this inter-conference showdown. Philadelphia and their high potent offense has been leading them so far this season with the Eagles averaging 29.0 points a game. J.J Watt can't stop the Eagles by himself and the Texans will have trouble stopping Nick Foles. Eagles 30 Texans 21

Jets (1-7) vs Chiefs (4-3)- Geno Smith was god-awful last week for the Jets and got benched. Michael Vick will start this week vs the Chiefs. The Chiefs have been good at home averaging 28 ppg in their 3 home games. The Jets have been stagnant on offense and their defense gives up too many big plays. Vick may make a difference but not enough for the Jets to win the game. Chiefs 31 Jets 20

Jaguars (1-7) vs Bengals (4-2-1)- After two disappointing games vs the Panthers and Colts, the Bengals scored an impressive win over the Ravens last week. On the other hand the Jaguars have been a mess on both sides of the ball. Starting Denard Robinson at running back has helped the offense but it is not enough for this dysfunctional offense. The Bengals should win this game easily at home. Bengals 34 Jaguars 17

Chargers (5-3) vs Dolphins (4-3)- The Dolphins have quietly been one of the surprises of the season, with the resurgence of Mike Wallace boosting the offense. The Chargers are led behind Phillip Rivers, who is having a career season. Rivers and Antonio Gates have made this offense one of the best in the league. The Dolphins don't have enough playmakers on defense to stop the Chargers offense. San Diego wins this game on the road. Chargers 30 Dolphins 23

Redskins (3-5) vs Vikings (3-5)- The Redskins are coming off the biggest upset of the NFL season, beating the Cowboys in Dallas. Robert Griffin III will be back for this game coming off of an ankle injury. The Redskins have many weapons on offense and having Griffin back should only help. For the Vikings, rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater has been good but inconsistent. An underrated Redskins defense should cause problems for Bridgewater and force him into turnovers. The Redskins win this in Minnesota. Redskins 26 Vikings 20

Broncos (6-1) vs Patriots (6-2)- In the game that everyone is talking about, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady face off yet again. These two quarterbacks have been near the NFL best even in the late stages of their careers. This game should be a shootout with both teams fielding extremely potent offenses. In the last regular season meeting the game went to overtime with it being decided on a turnover. It should be another thriller as the Broncos make more plays on defense and edge the Patriots. Broncos 38 Patriots 35

Raiders (0-7) vs Seahawks (4-3)- The Raiders have been abysmal this season. They've been a mess on both sides of the ball and still haven't won a game even though they play a last place schedule. David Carr and Kahlil Mack have shown signs of being future stars but the rest of the team is not doing them any favors. The Seahawks and their fans will have an early Thanksgiving and feast on this Raiders team. Seahawks 31 Raiders 14

Ravens (5-3) vs Steelers (5-3)- This AFC North rivalry has produced some great games. Both of these teams dislike each other and definitely circle this game on the calendar at the beginning of the year. Ben Roethlisberger had a career day last week, passing for 522 yards and 6 touchdowns vs the Colts. Expect him and Antonio Brown to have another good game against a banged up Ravens secondary. Steelers 35 Ravens 30

Colts (5-3) vs Giants (3-4)- Andrew Luck is continuing his great season with 22 touchdowns and 9 interceptions so far. T.Y Hilton is having a great season and the Colts offense has been clicking on all cylinders. The defense has been shaky at times but good enough for the Colts to win in this weak division. The Giants are coming off of a much needed bye last week. They have lost their last two games and have only beat mediocre teams so far this season. The Giants may make it interesting for a little bit but, Luck should have no problem exposing the inept Giants defense. Colts 33 Giants 24

Season: (11-5)

Week 10 CFB Picks

This week brings us a great slate of ranked games. #2 FSU escaped on Thursday vs #25 Louisville, let's see if there are any upsets on Saturday.

#7 TCU (6-1) vs #20 West Virginia (6-2)- This is a ranked battle between two Big 12 teams that are looking to have a statement win with this game. Both of these teams have been surprises this season, not many expected them to be competing for a Big 12 title. This game has huge Big 12 title implications, putting the winner in a great position to win the conference. I like West Virginia winning this game in Morgantown. West Virginia 34 TCU 31

#3 Auburn (6-1) vs #4 Ole Miss (7-1)- Ole Miss just saw its undefeated season die in Death Valley at the hands of LSU. The offense was stagnant as they only put up 7 points in the loss. Auburn has been solid all season, their only loss has been to #1 Mississippi State. Their offense is centered around the running game which is 10th in the nation. Expect Auburn to dominate time of possession and beat Ole Miss at home. Auburn 27 Ole Miss 23

#17 Utah (6-1) vs #14 Arizona State (6-1)- This is a huge matchup in the PAC-12 that will go a long way in deciding the PAC-12 South. These two teams have high powered offenses that can score at will. Utah is coming off of a nail-biter vs USC, but they lost WR Dres Anderson for the rest of the season. Arizona State soundly beat Washington last week with a 24-10 win, with their offense clicking in the 4th quarter. Arizona State should take care of business at home. Arizona State 33 Utah 24

#12 Arizona (6-1) vs 22 UCLA (6-2)- UCLA has been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Many picked them to make the college football playoff, but UCLA has shown it is not worth a playoff spot. Arizona has been a surprise in the PAC-12. They beat Oregon in Autzen and would be undefeated if not for a missed 36 yard field goal vs USC. Freshman quarterback Anu Solomon has played great for Arizona this season, he has 20 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. For UCLA to win this game, their defense has to step up and control the Arizona offense. I want to pick Arizona because they have been the better team this season, but something tells me UCLA will put together a good game at home. UCLA 40 Arizona 33

Stanford (5-3)- vs #5 Oregon (7-1)- Two years. Two heartbreaking losses. The last two years Oregon has had their season and national title hopes ruined by Stanford. Since this is a weaker Stanford team than recent years, it would make a third straight loss even more devastating. Stanford seems to always have the perfect game plan to shut down Marcus Mariota, Stanford is the only PAC-12 team that he has never beat in his collegiate career. A loss for Oregon would surely knock them out of the playoff race, something that Stanford would love to do in their disappointing season. With their offense firing at all cylinders in the last few games, I think Oregon should win this game in Autzen. If not, another loss to Stanford will make Oregon fans alike will want to burn any tree they see. Oregon 38 Stanford 28

Season: (5-5)

NFL Thursday Pick Week 9

Saints visit the Panthers in Carolina in this NFC South showdown. The Saints are coming off of a good home win over the Packers. The Panthers lost in the last minute to the Seattle Seahawks at home. Both of these teams have been disappointing this season with the Saints record (3-4) and the Panthers (3-4-1). I would pick the Saints after a good win against an excellent Packers team but the Saints have been awful on the road (0-3). The Panthers defense should be able to force enough turnovers for the win. Panthers 27 Saints 21

Season: (11-4)

Week 10 CFB Pick

Thursday brings a great game, two ranked teams in Florida State and Louisville. Florida State has looked good but not unbeatable. FSU looked shakey vs Syracuse and barely survived vs Norte Dame. They have to play against a Louisville team that is playing good football, winning 4 of their last 5. I have the Cardinals pulling an upset. Louisville 30 FSU 27

Season (5-4)

Week 9 Friday CFB Pick

We have a PAC-12 matchup on Friday 12 Oregon @ Cal. The game will be played at the brand new Levi Stadium in houses the 49ers. Oregon is coming off two resounding victories following their lone loss vs Arizona. They have outscored their last two opponents 87-50. With the help of players coming back from injury, especially OL Jake Fisher, the Oregon offense is starting to click. On the other hand the Cal Bears have struggled after starting 4-1. They've lost their last two games to Washington and UCLA. But even with their recent losing streak they are third in the PAC-12 North just behind Oregon and Stanford. They are 2-3 in the conference with wins over Washington State and Colorado. The Bears will have a tough time keeping the high powered Ducks in check. Mariota should have another big game in an easy win for Oregon. Oregon 46 California 21

Season (4-4)

NFL Week 7 Picks

Falcons (2-4) vs Ravens (4-2)- This Falcons team has lost 4 of their last 5 and has no semblance of a defense. Look for a potent Ravens offense to burn them for a lot of points at home. Ravens 30 Falcons 21

Titans (2-4) vs Washington football team (1-5)- Both of these teams have question marks with their quarterback situation because of injuries. Expect an ugly, turnover filled affair. Washington wins this at home. Washington 23 Titans 20

Seahawks (3-2) vs Rams (1-4)- The Rams kept the game close on Monday Night against the 49ers but couldn't do enough on offense to win the game. Look for an angry Seahawk team that just lost at home to the Cowboys. Seahawks 28 Rams 17

Browns (3-2) vs Jaguars (0-6)- The winless Jags are looking for their first win of the season against a red hot Browns team who has won 3 of their last 4 including a thrashing of the Steelers last week. Sorry Jags fans, you're going to have to wait another week for your first win. Browns 28 Jaguars 20

Bengals (3-1-1) vs Colts (4-2)- After starting off the season 3-0, the Bengals have disappointed in their last two games. Andrew Luck has been excellent this season, especially at home. Look for Luck and the Colts to have another good game. Colts 35 Bengals 24

Dolphins (2-3) vs Bears (3-3)- The Bears are coming off of a huge win over the Falcons and their offense is running on all cylinders. Ryan Tannehill has been inconsistent all season and too much of a liability. The Bears should force enough turnovers to open this game up. Bears 33 Dolphins 21

Saints (2-3) vs Lions (4-2)- The Saints have been very bad on the road and Jimmy Graham for this game doesn't help. The Lions defense should make this a long day for Drew Brees and company. Lions 27 Saints 20

Panthers (3-2-1) vs Packers (4-2)- The Panthers have been wildly inconsistent this season, showing flashes of a great team some games and then getting blown out in others. I predict a bad game for a Panthers team that isn't good on the road playing against the streaking Packers. Packers 37 Panthers 28

Chiefs (2-3) vs Chargers (5-1)- The Chargers have been one of the best teams in the NFL thus far. The Chiefs are better than their 2-3 record shows but will have trouble stopping Phillip Rivers and the Charger offense. Chargers 27 Cheifs 20

Cardinals (4-1) vs Raiders (0-5)- The Cardinals have a solid record despite of their injuries at quarterback. A good reason for that is because of their superb defense. Look for that Cardinal D to force a lot of turnovers against a weak Raider offense. Cardinals 27 Raiders 17

Giants (3-3) vs Cowboys (5-1)- The Cowboys have shocked everyone and looked like one of the best teams in the NFL so far. They will be playing against a Giants offense that had a huge loss in Victor Cruz. Look for Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray to have a huge game against an inconsistent Giants defense. Cowboys 30 Giants 21

49ers (4-2) vs Broncos (4-1)- Peyton Manning is 3 touchdowns away from breaking the all time record. On the other side Colin Kaepernick has turned the ball over a lot this season. An under rated Broncos defense will force him to make mistakes. Broncos 38 49ers 28

Texans (3-3) vs Steelers (3-3)- The Texans have been competitive in all of their games this season and could be 4-2 or even 5-1 with a few breaks. The Steelers on the other hand have either blown teams out or been blown out themselves; you don't know which Steelers team is going to show up on the football field. Even with all the inconsistenties I think the Steelers should pull out a win at home. Steelers 31 Texans 24

This week: (1-0) Season: (2-0)

Thursday College Pick Week 8

We have our third straight PAC-12 showdown on Thursday night, with the  20 Utah Utes (4-1) and the Oregon Beavers (4-1) facing off in Corvallis. Both teams are 4-1 but Utah has the momentum, stunning the UCLA Bruins in Pasadena in Week 6. This is Utah's best start since 2010 when they started 8-0. This is a big game for both teams, the winner of this game will be near the top of their respective division and ranked around the Top 20 in next weeks poll. I'm going to go with Utes to knock of the Beavers in Oregon in a close one. Utah 31 Oregon State 24

Last week (4-4)

Thursday Week 7 Pick

In Week 7 we have an AFC East rivalry matchup between the New York Jets (1-5) and the New England Patriots (4-2). The Patriots are coming off of a two game winning streak where they have outscored their opponents 80-39. Tom Brady has been red hot during this streak and has silenced any doubters who thought Father Time was catching up to him. But, the Patriots suffered a huge blow, losing Stevan Ridley for the season who tore his ACL and MCL against the Bills last week. Shane Vereen will now get most of the carries in this limited backfield, but look for Bill Belicheck to change things up and give Brandon Bolden and James White some touches.

On the other side, the New York Jets have lost five in a row and have had no semblance of an offense. Geno Smith has had a terrible season, ranking near dead last in almost all passing metrics. The team is putting up a measly 16.0 points per game, ahead of only Oakland and Jacksonville. The Jets have also been giving up the ball a lot this season, posting a -7 turnover ratio. They have turned the ball over 10 times but have only forced 3 turnovers. If the Jets had a silver lining this season it would be their defense. Ranking 15th in opponent passing yards and 8th in opponent rushing yards, the Jets defense is the only reason they haven't been blown out of every game this season.

The teams split the season series last year, with both games being decided by a field goal. This rivalry matchup is usually a close game, coming down to the 4th quarter. I see the Jets making it competitive for two and a half quarters before the Patriots pull away. Although if Geno Smith starts turning the ball over, this game could get ugly quick. New England 30 New York 17

Last week: (1-0)

NFL Week 7 Power Rankings

Let's look at the top 15 teams heading into Week 7:

1. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)- How 'bout them Cowboys? Earning possibly the best win of the season for any team so far, beating the Seahawks in Seattle where they had only one loss at since 2012. The defense looks great, the offense line looks even better, and DeMarco Murray looks like the MVP. You have to feel good if you're a Cowboys fans right now.

2.  Denver Broncos (4-1)- It wasn't pretty but the Broncos beat the Jets 31-17 in New York. The offense keeps chugging along with Peyton only 3 touchdowns away from breaking the all time record. The Broncos get a home test next week when the 49ers come to town.

3. San Diego Chargers (5-1)- The Raiders put up a bigger fight than anyone expected, but divisional road games are never easy. Phillip Rivers had another good game, passing for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Chargers may have found a hidden gem in Brandon Oliver, the rookie running back has put up 215 yards and 2 touchdowns in the last 2 games. He has done a great job of filling in the role of injured Ryan Matthews.

4. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)- The Seahawks were throughly outplayed in the loss to the Cowboys. Some late turnovers made the final score look reasonable. The offense was completely stagnant against the Cowboys defense, putting up only 206 total yards. It doesn't get easier for the Super Bowl champs as their next two games are on the road at St. Louis and at Carolina.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)- LeSean McCoy had his best game of the season, running for 149 against the Giants. The Eagles defense played great, recording 8 sacks of Eli Manning and holding the Giants offense to 2/14 on 3rd down. The Eagles have a bye next week.

6. Arizona Cardinals (4-1)- One of the most underrated teams in the league, the Cardinals sit on top of the NFC West. They have been winning despite rotating through three different quarterbacks. Their defense has been outstanding save for their one loss against the Broncos in Denver. Arizona travels to Oakland in Week 7.

7. San Francisco 49ers (4-2)- The 49ers slept walk through the first half against the Rams on Monday Night, losing 14-3 before Brandon Lloyd's 80 yard touchdown. They outscored the Rams 21-3 in the second half and shut down the Rams offense sacking Austin Davis five times. The 49ers are on a 3 game winning streak after starting 1-2.

8. Green Bay Packers (4-2)- Aaron Rodgers led a late 4th quarter comeback as he threw a game winning touchdown to Andrew Quarless with 3 seconds left. Rodgers has been fantastic this season, throwing 15 touchdowns to only one interception. Like the 49ers the Packers are on a three game winning streak after starting 1-2. In Week 7 they face Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

9. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)- The Colts looked prime for another Thursday Night blowout, leading the Texans 24-0 after the first quarter. The Houston J.J Watt's would make it interesting but the Colts would pull out a victory. T.Y Hilton had a huge game with 233 receiving yards; Andrew Luck has been tearing up defenses, leading the league in yards and touchdowns.

10. New England Patriots (4-2)- After getting blown out by the Chiefs on Monday Night, the Patriots have had two resounding victories, outscoring their opponents 80-39. Tom Brady looks like his old self, passing for 653 yards, 6 touchdowns and zero interceptions during the Pats two game winning streak. They get a good opportunity to push the streak to three when the stumbling Jets come into Foxborough on Thursday.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1-1)- After giving up just 33 points in their first three games the Bengals have given up an astounding 80 points in their last two. The toe injury to A.J Green doesn't help either, as he is questionable for Week 7. The Bengals now face the Colts and red-hot Andrew Luck in Lucas Oil Stadium. If they are looking for a solid defensive performance, there's a good chance it won't be this game.

12. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)- Joe Flacco looked elite on Sunday, passing for four touchdowns in the first quarter. The Ravens also got 111 rushing yards from Justin Forsett. Expect Steve and Torrey Smith to have big games once again vs the Falcons weak secondary in Week 7.

13. Detroit Lions (4-2)- In what is quite possibly the best defense in the NFL, the Detroit Lions have been holding opposing teams to only 13.7 points per game, including 44 points in their last 4 games. The offense has struggled a bit with Calvin Johnson's ankle injury, but with a defense as good as the Lions they will be competitive in every game.

14. Chicago Bears (3-3)- The Bears had another impressive road win in Atlanta, holding the Falcons to only 13 points. Jay Cutler had 381 passing yards and Matt Forte had two touchdowns and 157 total yards. In Week 7 the Bears will look for their first home win of the season vs the Dolphins.

15. Cleveland Browns (3-2)- This team has surprised everyone this season, winning 3 of their last four. Both of their losses have come on game winning field goals with zeroes on the clock; otherwise we could be looking at a 5-0 Browns team. Ben Tate and Isaiah Crowell have more than 200 yards each in what has been a successful running back committee. Brian Hoyer has been playing well enough to keep the Browns in every game this season and the offense will only get better when Josh Gordon comes back. The Browns have three very winnable games next, playing the Jaguars, Raiders, and Buccaneers.

Live from Oregon vs UCLA

On Saturday I went to my first college football game, Oregon vs UCLA. Thanks to my friend who attends UCLA, I was able to sit in the student section for the game. It was an awesome experience and it was great to watch two ranked teams play right in front of me. I have been watching Oregon for about 6 years and it was something special to see the high flying Ducks up close. Oregon and UCLA also happen to be two of my favorite teams in college football so I was extremely

Both of the teams have two possible first round picks in next years NFL draft in Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley. Each quarterback has been putting up great numbers this season. Hundley has 11 touchdowns to 3 interceptions while leading the FBS in passing completion and on the other side Mariota has 17 touchdowns to 0 interceptions while having the highest quarterback rating in the FBS. In addition there are NFL prospects on both sides of the field for both teams. Myles Jack linebacker (and sometimes running back) is a versatile player for the Bruins who will surely be drafted early in the NFL draft. Someone who caught my eye was Jake Fisher. He had missed the last two games for the Ducks with a lower leg injury. With Fisher back in the lineup, the Ducks run game looked completely different. Mariota and friends were able to pressure the Bruins defense with all sorts of sweeps, bootlegs, and screen passes. The Ducks had only 144 rushing yards against Arizona, which was much less than their season average of 217 yards (good for 27th in the nation). On Saturday the Ducks looked much more like their normal selves, gashing the Bruins for 258 yards on the ground and adding 210 passing yards from Mariota. One has to wonder if the Ducks would have won against Arizona if Fisher was healthy.

The Ducks offense has a lot of great athletes such as Thomas Tyner, Byron Marshall, and Royce Freeman. These guys can make any offense lethal and score instantly when they have the ball. But the Oregon offense goes to another gear when Mariota runs like he is capable of. Already one of the most accurate passers in the nation Mariota becomes unstoppable when he runs with the ball. Against UCLA he had 7 rushes for 75 yards and two touchdowns. He has been a Heisman candidate all season and one has to think he'll be invited to New York come December.

Week 7 College Football Picks

After last weeks crazy group of games, Week 7 can prove to be just as wild with a some great games, including 5 matchups between ranked teams. Let's hope for more chaos!

*Note I won't be picking every Top 25 matchup, just the ones I feel are the most important*

Friday Game:
Washington State (2-4) @ 25 Stanford (3-2)- Stanford is coming off of a disappointing loss to rival Notre Dame in a game they know they should've won. Even with two losses this Stanford defense is still one of the best in the country, allowing only 8.6 points a game (first in the FBS). They should take care of a mediocre Washington State team at home in this PAC-12 North matchup. Stanford 30 Washington State 14

2 Auburn (5-0) @ 3 Mississippi State (5-0)- Last week was possibly the best ever in the state of Mississippi. This week...not so much. I expect a great Auburn defense to stand tall and beat Mississippi in a close one. Auburn 33 Mississippi State 27

3 Ole Miss (5-0) @ 14 Texas A&M (5-1)- Ole Miss is coming off of a great game in which they upset Alabama. But their undefeated season stops in College Station as Texas A&M and their high potent offense is too much. Texas A&M 37 Ole Miss 30

9 TCU (4-0) @ 5 Baylor (5-0)- TCU has been one of the surprise teams this season. Baylor has a great offense as well as an underrated defense. Baylor beats TCU behind a good game from Bryce Petty. Baylor 40 TCU 28

7 Alabama (4-1) @ Arkansas (3-2)- Alabama was stunned against Ole Miss and are going to be angry playing Arkansas. Alabama wins this game behind their strong rushing attack. Alabama 37 Arkansas 20

USC (3-2) @ 10 Arizona (5-0)- The Wildcats are coming off of a huge upset against the Oregon Duck, but are surprising underdogs in this game vs the Trojans. At home Arizona beats an inconsistent USC team. Arizona 38 USC 31

13 Georgia (4-1) @ 23 Missouri (4-1)- Georgia will be playing without star running back Todd Gurley following his suspension. Missouri pulls off the upset at home. Missouri 28 Georgia 24

18 Oregon (4-1) @ 12 UCLA (4-1)- Both teams are coming off disappointing losses at home that hurt their playoff hopes. Look for Oregon to get back on track and exploit UCLA's inconsistent defense. Expect a big game from Mariota here. Oregon 45 UCLA 35

Thursday Week 6 Pick

Ah the dreaded Thursday game. For some reason the NFL thought giving two teams a week short rest and less time to prepare would make for good football. Turns out these games are terrible...who would've thought right?? Anyways I have some good news, this weeks game might not make your eyes bleed! In this AFC South battle the winner of this game will takeover sole possession of first place. So we should be getting a good football game unlike the last few weeks.

The 3-2 Houston Texans are coming off a tough loss to the Dallas Cowboys in overtime, meanwhile the 3-2 Indianapolis Colts just beat the Baltimore Ravens at home. Both of these teams have MVP caliber players on the field today, the Texans bringing out defensive phenom J.J Watt who is terrorizing offenses as usual. The Colts have their gunslinger Andrew Luck who has lit up defenses in the first 5 games.

This year Watt has also decided to add scoring to his game, scoring two touchdowns, one of off a goal line fake from Ryan Fitzpatrick and one 80 yard interception return. Two touchdowns is the same amount that Calvin Johnson has had this season and more than Matt Forte, LeSean McCoy, and Le'Veon Bell.

On the other side of the ball is the Colts third year quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck has been on fire to start the season, leading the league in passing while throwing for more than 300 yards in every game except one. He has 14 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, as well as 2 rushing touchdowns. Luck has been successful versus the Texans boasting a 3-1 record against the divisional rivals in his short career.

A bright spot for the Texans is their running back Arian Foster. He has shrugged off naysayers who said that he wouldn't be able to come back from injuries. Foster is third in rushing in the league, coming off 157 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys last week.

I would feel more comfortable picking the Texans if not for the inconsistent play of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He hasn't been bad, but I don't think he'll be good enough to pick apart a solid Colts defense. For that reason I am picking the Colts. Indianapolis 30 Houston 21

Enjoy the Thursday game and lets hope it's a good one!

Welcome to my blog!

I have been a sports fan my whole life and it is something I'm very passionate about. I try to keep up with as many different sports as I can. I'll admit that there are sports that I have no idea about but I think I have basic knowledge in most sports. For this blog I will mostly be talking about basketball (college and NBA) and football (college and NFL). I don't want to talk about sports I don't have too much knowledge about because that would be an insult to the readers. I will try to have NFL rankings  and college football rankings every week. In addition I'll have some prediction articles for college and NFL. With the baseball playoffs going on, I'll try to cover them as much as I can. This something completely new to me so I expect their to be some growing pains. As you will see in my pieces sports is something I really care about so please feel free to comment or email me your opinions.