Money Makers Championship Weekend
January 17, 2009
by Mike De Marco… Many people are in agreement that championship Weekend is the most entertaining of the entire NFL season, including the Super Bowl. I am one that agrees with that assumption, and am greatly looking forward to this weeks match-ups. There are many possible Super Bowl story lines that will come to fruition Sunday night. An all Pennsylvania Super Bowl? Ray Lewis or Donovan McNabb back in the show? Ken Wisenhunt against his former employer? Thing is, you can’t bet on story lines.
Arizona +4 over Philadelphia:
For the first time in NFL history a road team is favored by more than 3 points in a Championship game. I am totally against the notion that the Eagles are favored in this one. This line has been posted on nothing other than Public perception. You see, the Eagles are the Chic pic after road wins in New York and Minnesota. The Cards have been very impressive in disposing the Falcons and Panthers. The home crowd will be very very loud in Arizona and I for see Arizona lighting up an Eagles secondary that has not been tested at all in the Post Season. Kurt Warner nows how to attack a secondary and will be dangerous if the Eagles decide to blitz too much as they have been guilty of in the past. Home Cooking prevails here as the Cards make their first ever Super Bowl appearance.
Baltimore +6 over Pittsburgh:
To be honest I like the Steelers to prevail in this game, just not by 6 points. This will be heck of a physical contest where defense will prevail for both sides. The Raven defense has been exceptional down the stretch, and the Steelers D ranked number 1 in the league against both the run and the pass so as you can see points will be at a premium. These teams have met twice this season with the Steelers winning both. One in Overtime, and the other on a last second touchdown that is still being questioned. Can it be “Third times a charm” for the Ravens? In my opinion it will come down to which quarterback makes the play to win the game and I know Ben Roethlisberger has been there before. Joe Flacco? Not sure if he will handle the pressure of playing a road Championship game. I am calling an Arizona-Pittsburgh
Super Bowl.
Make sure to check in next week where I will have all my Prop selections for you.
Blue and White Midseason Awards
January 17, 2009
by Shane House… Coming into this season, there were not a lot of expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now that I think about it, the only real expectation was that the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to shoot for the first pick overall in this years draft and grab John Tavares.
But with that now a far dream, all we can now hope for is that the team does badly enough where we fall into the top five and stay there—which we are currently at right now.
But until then, we have to handout awards to these players because they have worked hard and deserve them.
Who will win the coveted Dougy Gilmour award? Or who will receive the Aki Berg Award?
The Jamie Macoun Award – Ian White
This Award goes to the player who has the sickest facial hair on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Come on. Ryan Hollweg has a great one, too but nothing can beat Ian White’s. Hell, my friends don’t even say his name anymore, we just chant “Mo” to the television screen like off “The Simpsons.”
Considerations: Ryan Hollweg
The Andrew Raycroft Award – Andrew Raycraft
This Award goes to a player who, after performing at a low level for the Leafs, goes on to another team to perform very well.
No other player even comes close to exhibiting these qualities then Andrew Raycroft. He played so badly for the Toronto Maple Leafs and then goes on to perform very well for the Colorado Avalanche.
Considerations: Kyle Wellwood, Alex Steen
The Bryan McCabe Award - Tomas Kaberle
This Award goes to the most hated player who is the most booed and churped player on the Toronto Maple Leafs, both on and off the ice.
This was a difficult decision for me because there was no clear whipping boy for the media this year, this was close.
But if you combine stupid decisions combined with disappointing play, Tomas Kaberle has been under the most scrutiny and wins this award. Wouldn’t have imagined him for this award last year.
Consideration: Jason Blake, Pavel Kubina, Vesa Toskala
The Aki Berg Award – Ryan Hollweg
This Award goes to the player that shows the biggest plug qualities on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This was an easy decision because Ryan Hollweg all the qualities of a plug. He contributes nothing to the team, he makes a lot of mistakes, and nobody wants him around. Let’s hope he is a one time winner.
Considerations: Jason Blake, Pavel Kubina
The John Pohl Award -Jeff Finger
This Award goes to the player who has the funniest name while being able to make funny slogans/comments about.
Although his name may be simple, a smelly finger can go a long way. You can put anything with this name and it is just fun to say.
Considerations: None
The Lonny Bohonos Award – Jeremy Williams
This Award goes to the player that most surprises everybody by performing past expectations.
This award was easy to hand to Jeremy Williams because nobody thought he would play at the level he has been playing at. Lets hope he can keep it up.
Considerations: John Mitchell, Mike Van Ryn, Ian White
The Tie Domi Award – Jamal
This award goes to the player who shows the most combined grit and enforcing ability on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This was a tough decision because nobody has really come out as the enforcer of this team. But the award had to go out to somebody so I decided to give it to Jamal. He has shown the most consistent amount of grit and fight all season.
Consideration: Ryan Hollweg, Andre Deveaux
The Sergei Berezin Award - Grabovski
This award goes to the player with the sickest dangles, combined with the best hair on the team.
This award was an easy decision for me because Grabovski has shown that he can pullout a sick dangle at least once a game. That combined with his golden locks made him an easy pick for this award.
Consideration: Pavel Kubina, Jason Blake
The Doug Gilmour Award - Ian White
This Award goes to the player that demonstrates the most leadership qualities while also showing determination towards winning.
This was a tough decision not because of the amount of leadership, but the lack of leadership on this team. So I had to look for players who lead by example and show determination and nobody shows this more then Ian White.
He fought through adversity to become a top player for this team and he never gives up.
Considerations: Dominic Moore, Curtis Joseph
The Wendel Clark Award – Luke
This Award goes to the player that is most favored by fans.
This kid was an instant celebrity when he made the team this year and it has not stopped. Everybody who is a hockey fan in Toronto knows about this guy and would do anything for him.
Considerations: Dominic Moore, Ian White, Curtis Joseph
The Borje Salming Award – Kubina
This Award goes to the player who plays very good defense, while contributing on offense.
This was a tough decision because there are two players who have played better then Kubina.
One has been White and the other has been Van Ryn. The problem was that Van Ryn has been injured a lot while Ian White offense came a lot from him playing forward. Becasue of this, I chose Kubina.
He has played very well so far and deserves it.
Considerations: Mike Van Ryn, Ian White, Tomas Kaberle
The Nikolai Borschevsky Award - Ponikarovsky
This Award goes to the leading goal scorer of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Although it be by a small margin, Ponikarovsky is the leading scorer of the Toronto Maple Leafs with 14 goals so far. Which is more then half of what Jeff Carter has with 29 goals.
Considerations: Nik Antropov (13), Niklas Hagman (11), Mikhail Grabovski (12)
The Mats Sundin Award – Nik Antropov
This Award Goes to the player that scores the most points on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Nik Antropov has been, for the most part, the most consistent player for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He currently leads the Leafs by one point with 33 points. Which is exactly half of what Crosby has who has 66.
Considerations: Matt Stajan (32), Alexei Ponikarovsky (30), Tomas Kaberle (26)
Jason Blake Comes Up Big
January 17, 2009
by Eyebleaf… It’s true; I drafted Jason Blake in my fantasy hockey league way back in September.
You know why?
Because I believed in the little guy.
And he rewarded my faith in him the other night.
Yes, he most certainly did.
Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers: Edgar Allan Poe’s Playoff
January 17, 2009
Next Monday, old Edgar Allan Poe turns 200.
Next Sunday his namesakes, the Baltimore Ravens, play the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with an overtime or three, the game might just end at the stroke of midnight.
So if ye feel spirits swirling where three rivers meet, or if ye feel the Steelers are making a descent into a defensive maelstrom, perhaps play a penny or three on Poe’s people.
Not that Baltimore was very lucky for Poe; after all, he did die there after being found in a delirium. But then nothing was ever very lucky for Poe. Burdened with debt, addiction, illness, and dying loves, he danced his entire tortured life along the edges of early death.
And now he has a giant Raven bird running onto the field to celebrate his 200th birthday. Perhaps Poe would just chuckle at that and order another double whiskey with a laudanum chaser, and tell you to never bet the devil your head.
Will the Ravens preside over the fall of the house of Rooney circa 2009 or will that be left to the Rooney estate lawyers?
Will Ed Reed be Ben Roethlisberger’s personal imp of the perverse? Will a black cat cross Big Ben’s path?
Raven Linebacker Ray Lewis’s career has certainly had a touch of the Gothic. After his tell tale heart trials, does he think everything he see’s or seems is but a dream within a dream? When he plays his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that’s been dreaming, but he loudly proclaims he is God’s chose son.