NFL Pick'ems - Week 16 Results, Week 17 Picks

SI.com's Peter King-- who was in last place all season-- has been on a roll recently. You'd have to go back to Week 12 to find the last time King didn't at least tie for the weekly win. King moves himself into third place, two points behind Simon for second. Mike has a four point lead going into the final week of games. Pete Prisco's steady decline has him in last place for the first time this season. The experts were 9-1 in their consensus picks, with the G-Men's loss in Baltimore being the only upset.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 15 Results, Week 16 Picks

The Christmas holidays have a knack for getting in the way of more important things like football and sports blogs. Unfortunately, the Redshirt Freshmen fell victim to the Yuletide season and were unable to post their Week 16 picks before the Saturday night game in Detroit. We did however make our picks in private and will share them with you, along with our results from way back in Week 15...

SI.com's Peter King wins another week and moves into 3rd place in front of a slumping Pete Prisco. Mike remains in the lead after a solid week, as Simon remains in 2nd, now just one game ahead of King.

NBA Quarterly: The All-Disappointment Team

The NBA season has reached the quarter mark. Let's take a look at some players who haven't lived up to their expectations so far with the first ever All-Disappointment team.

Point Guard: Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

It's not that Rondo has been particularly bad this season. It more of a "we saw you play at an unbelievable level in the playoffs, and hoped you could keep it up but haven't"-type thing (man that sounded catchier in my head). Rondo paced the Celtics in the 2011-12 NBA Playoffs, averaging 17.3 points-per-game to go along with 11.9 assists and 6.7 rebounds. He was particularly amazing in the Eastern Conference Finals as he went toe-to-toe with LeBron, and was narrowly edged out. That performance had me thinking Rondo would be in the MVP discussion in 2012-13, but so far the Celtics have struggled and Rondo seems to be shrinking a little in the spotlight. Rondo has never been a good shooter, but this season he often doesn't even look to score, as time after time he passes up good looks for himself in order to rack up an assist. You averaged over 17 points against the NBA Champs, Rajon! Step it up!

NFL Pick'ems - Week 14 Results, Week 15 Picks

Peter King is the Week 14 victor but still finds himself in last place overall. The SI.com columnist's only misses came on consensus picks, with the exception of Minnesota's win over the Bears, which Pete Prisco predicted. Prisco missed on two would-be consensus games, as he took chances on Buffalo and Jacksonville at home. Simon and Mike had nearly identical picks in Week 14, save for the Monday nighter. After New England's blowout win, Simon moves one game closer to Mike for the lead.

MLB Transactions Round Up

The RS Freshmen take a look at the flurry of transactions that transpired in a busy weekend in the MLB.

The Nationals signed SP Dan Haren on December 7.

Dan Haren, SP – Washington Nationals – Signed, 1 year, $13 million

The Nationals signed Haren to add to an impressive rotation which already includes Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmerman. While Haren, 32, is certainly on the decline in his career, he should prove to be a capable replacement for Edwin Jackson. Back issues and a career-high ERA certainly hampered Haren's value after the Angels declined his option for 2013, but if Haren is anything like his 2008-2011 self (3.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP), the Nationals may well have a bargain in an experienced NL pitcher who could excel in the back end of the rotation.

Breaking Up With Andrea Bargnani

We were both so young when we first met

Andrea, it’s just not working anymore. No, no... let me finish. We had a good run, but I think it’s time to move on. 

Sure, there were good times. In 2006, when you came into the league as the 1st overall pick, I couldn’t wait to see you night after night. Things even got serious a couple times: remember your first few years in the league? When we made the playoffs two straight seasons? I thought I’d never get over Vince, but you helped with that. 

Or remember last season? When you started off at an All-Star level? That was fun too. But you just couldn't keep it up Andrea. So let’s be honest with each other here: it’s been unravelling for a while now. I know it’s hard to hear, but deep down I think you knew this was coming.

Raptors Reaction: Dec 5 @ Sacramento Kings

I honestly feel like the Raptors are a better team than the Kings, but it sure didn't show last night. DeMarcus Cousins was his usual beastly self (even as his confidence is shot), and the Raptors just couldn't keep pace. Boy, I'm starting to think it could be a long season.

The Good:

• Kyle Lowry had a fantastic game, leading the team with 34 points. He added 11 assists and got to the line a ton (12-for-12), but ultimately it wasn't enough. I like Lowry a lot, but every now and then he takes a terrible three-pointer. Once he knocks that off, I'm getting a Lowry jersey (until then, I'll stick with the player tee).
• DeMar DeRozan's jump shot is the best it's ever been, and is constantly improving. I hated on the contract extension he was given earlier in the year, but man has he looked good this season. The one negative from his game last night was his inability to get to the line. He attempted only 2 free throws all night... and missed both.
• Ed Davis keeps giving the Raptors great minutes off the bench. He netted 13 points, added 11 rebounds and definitely outplayed the starting power forward (more on that later).
• Mickael Pietrus has somehow been a nice addition. I thought he was washed-up, but he's been pretty impressive. Apparently his name is floating around in trade rumors, but currently he's one of the best Raptors on the floor on any given night.

Hitting the Links: December 6 2012

Yesterday's best on-the-field links:

• J.R. Smith capped off the Knicks' win over the Charlotte Bobcats with this dirty step-back jumper. I'm starting to believe in New York.
• Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to reach 30,000 points in NBA history. More importantly, the Lakers didn't completely fall apart and actually beat New Orleans 103-87.
• The Raptors managed to lose another one, falling to the Sacramento Kings 107-100. The most disappointing part for the Raps has to be the decline in their defense from last season. Kyle Lowry had a great game, but Toronto just couldn't stop DeMarcus Cousins
• The Clippers' hot start continued, as they beat the Mavericks 112-90 in Los Angeles. Caron Butler dunked all over Chris Kaman.
• Here's the rest of the NBA scoreboard for a busy Wednesday night.
• Giving you some Canadian content for the play of the night, as the Raps' Ed Davis threw-down on former teammate James Johnson.

Outside the lines:

• We're all surprised the Wizards beat the Heat. But this Washington-area television host is kind of an ass about it.
• Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway just wants to party!
• Keeping it in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions may have released the worst calendar ever.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 13 Results, Week 14 Picks

Prisco, King and Dow all found different ways to get to 11-5 in Week 13. King hit on Seattle and Washington's wins but incorrectly picked Oakland, while Prisco was the lone man to pick the Chiefs. Dow was alone in cashing in on Andrew Luck's late game heroics, building on his lead. Simon (9-7) remains in second.

Hitting the Links: December 5 2012

The best on-field links of the night:

• Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook were a two-man team in Oklahoma City's 117-111 win in Brooklyn. They scored a combined 57 points on 18-for-33 shooting. Also, Durant just missed throwing down a dunk-of-the-year candidate. 

Rookie QB Power Rankings III

1. (1) Robert Griffin III - Washington Redskins (6-6)

67.1 Comp. %, 2,660 yards, 17 TD, 4 INT, 104.4 QB Rtg., 714 rush yards, 6 TD

Since the last Rookie QB Power Rankings, RGIII has thrown for 882 yards and 9 TDs with just 1 INT, leading his team to three division wins in the process, including a Monday night win over the Giants. During the game, RGIII set the rookie record for rushing yards for a QB. Watching Griffin run the option out of the Pistol is truly a thing of beauty, as it's nearly impossible to predict from play to play who is going to end up with the ball. When Griffin runs the play-action, he is the most effective QB in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. As of Week 12, Griffin's 12.5 yards per attempt during the play-action is the best figure in the NFL, while his 5.7 YPA during standard pass plays ranks him dead last. Griffin's passer rating is also the league's best out of play-action, compared to 8^th when not faking the run. While RGIII hasn't rushed for a TD since Week 6, it is clear that, in the right system, “Bobby Three Sticks” is currently the most dangerous rookie behind centre in the NFL.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 12 Results

Mike is now in the lead for the first time since Week 1 after a 12-4 performance highlighted by his 49ers and Redskins picks. Simon moves into second while Prisco remains in third after being alone in correctly picking Miami and incorrectly picking San Diego. Peter King overrated the impact of Houston's tough schedule leading into their Thursday game against the Lions, just one of his many faults en route to an 8-8 week.

Week 13 Picks

Simon	Matchup	Mike
NO	Saints @ Falcons	ATL
CHI	Seahawks @ Bears	CHI
HOU	Texans @ Titans	HOU
NE	Patriots @ Dolphins	NE
BUF	Jaguars @ Bills	BUF
DET	Colts @ Lions	IND
CAR	Panthers @ Chiefs	CAR
GB	Vikings @ Packers	GB
SF	49ers @ Rams	SF
NYJ	Cardinals @ Jets	NYJ
DEN	Buccaneers @ Broncos	DEN
BAL	Steelers @ Ravens	BAL
CIN	Bengals @ Chargers	CIN
CLE	Browns @ Raiders	CLE
DAL	Eagles @ Cowboys	DAL
NYG	Giants @ Redskins	NYG

Raptors Reaction: Nov 28 @ Memphis Grizzlies

Another ugly game for the Raptors. Andrea Bargnani was out of the line-up, which intruiged me since his name is in the middle of all sorts of trade rumors. I viewed this as a chance to see what the Raptors offense would look like if Bargs gets shipped out of town. My optimism quickly eroded, though, as it was announced Linas Kleiza would be in the starting lineup. Essesntially, the Raptors replaced one offensive black-hole (Bargnani) with another (Kleiza). I hate Linas Kleiza, and last night was a shining example of why. But I'll touch on that a little more in the good and the bad from last night (last night was heavy on the bad).

Raptors Reaction: Nov. 27 @ Houston Rockets

This one got ugly early, and the Raptors were never really a threat to win. After a string of close losses, the Raps just never showed up in this one, proving that being blown out is always worse than losing a tight game late. Here's some reaction from the game:

The Good:

• Terrence Ross easily played his best game as a pro, logging 36 minutes while scoring 19 points, and shooting over 50% from the field. James Harden blew by him a couple times, but Ross held his own overall on the defensive end as well. Hopefully this will translate into more minutes for the rookie. Oh and he did this. And this... and this.
• Kyle Lowry has got to be one of the best rebounding point guards in the league. He struggled to score in this game, and forced things a little bit offensively, but he grabbed 8 boards in the game (note: this is good for Lowry personally, but the fact that the starting point guard led the team in rebounds is terrible).
• Ed Davis had another good game off the bench, scoring 12 points and nabbing 4 rebounds in only 21 minutes. He struggles on the defensive end, but usually provides a scoring threat off the bench. I'll take the good with the bad on this one, as I still think the Raptors bench stinks overall.
• Andrea Bargnani's first half was nice, as he scored 19 points.

NBA MVP Power Rankings: November 23

The NBA Season is approximately 8.2% over. Normally this point of the year isn't marked with anything significant, but that's not the case at rsfreshmen. Here, the 8.2 mark is a crucial part of the season, as it means we revisit the NBA MVP candidates.

There are some changes from the Pre-Season Power Rankings (spoiler alert: Andrew Bynum is not on the list this time around), but the man atop the list remains the same.

We could be seeing this image again soon...
LeBron's hairline would be pushed back a couple
inches, of course

1. LeBron James, SF, Miami Heat (24.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 6.6 apg, 52.4 FG%)

It seems like Dwyane Wade's role on the Heat gets smaller each game, and that's completely justifiable since LeBron is in full beast-mode. It's becoming increasingly evident that LBJ is a once-in-a-generation player, so my advice going forward is just sit back, and enjoy the show.

2. Kobe Bryant, SG, Los Angeles Lakers (27.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.2 apg, 53.1 FG%)

My favorite part of Mike D'Antoni's debut as head coach of the Lakers was how he used Kobe. The Black Mamba was continually used as the ball handler in pick-and-rolls (with Pau Gasol as the picker/ roller), and it definitely passed the eye test (even if the Lakers' second game under D'Antoni was a little lack-luster). Steve Nash is still a week—or more—away, and I'm thinking Kobe will continue to be the main ball-handler until Nash is back. That's a good thing for the Lakers, as he's not only shooting at a career-high level, he's got his highest per-game assist total since 2007-08.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 11 Results, Week 12 Picks

Cue the comeback! Dow, with an unprecedented 14-0 week, is now nipping at my heels for the top spot. Meanwhile, King had an impressive 13-1 week (although his week 11 picks at si.com didn't include the Thursday night game), while Prisco faltered. Prisco was the only one to pick Miami, Carolina and Pittsburgh... and all those teams lost. Here are the results from last week, and the overall standings:

NFL Pick'ems - Week 10 Results, Week 11 Picks

There were 11 consensus picks in Week 10, three of which were incorrect. Both the Giants and the Dolphins were M.I.A. last weekend while the league's first tie since 2008 conveniently adds another column to our overall records. Pete Prisco wins the week and moves into second place. He was also the only prognosticator to correctly pick Minnesota and Houston's victories. Simon remains in first place while Mike slips to third. Peter King is still in last place, 3 games behind Mike.

Mike D'Antoni will keep the Lakers Competitive

The Los Angeles Lakers have a new head coach, and it isn't their old one. As was first reported last night, the Lakers passed on former head coach Phil Jackson, and have agreed on a 3-year deal with Mike D'Antoni. So far, the move has been met with mixed reactions, although I'm hearing more negative reviews than positive. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, Steve Kerr and Chris Broussard have all crushed the signing. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke jumped in as well, saying only Phil Jackson could "salvage the season" for the Lakers.

My take on the whole thing isn't that harsh though. I'm not sure the season is really in jeopardy, as Mr. Plaschke suggests. After all, the Lakers are only 2 games back in their division, and D'Antoni has coached exactly zero games so far. Oh, and then there's the fact that THEY'VE ONLY PLAYED 7 GAMES! Mike D'Antoni should be able to keep this team in the mix throughout the rest of the year.

NFL Pick'em Week 9 Results, Week 10 Picks

After 10 weeks, Simon leads the pack after an impressive 12-2 week, and was the only "expert" to pick  his boys, the Saints. Mike is two behind Simon in second place after an 11-3 week. CBSSports' Pete Prisco slips down to third as he was the only one to miss on Denver and Baltimore's victories. SI.com's Peter King remains in last, just three games behind Prisco. The experts went 8-2 in their consensus picks, with Indy and Carolina providing the upsets.

Raptors Reaction: Nov 6 @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Some thoughts after the Raptors' embarrassing 108-88 loss to the Thunder:

• First, this was a horrible loss. Sure, the Raptors were going against one of the best teams in the league, but they just got out-classed the entire game. It's not even like Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant had huge games. No, it was Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha and Hasheem Thabeet that combined to take the Thunder to a win...
• Of course, the biggest story from this game was the injury to Kyle Lowry. He rolled his ankle in the second quarter, has been ruled out for tonight's game in Dallas. This is huge for the Raps. If Lowry ends up missing a big chunk of time, Toronto loses any hope of reaching the playoffs.

Nets vs. Raptors Reaction: It's Lowry's Team

Early reaction following Toronto's 107-100 loss to the Brooklyn Nets:

After last night, the Raptors should
be Lowry's team
(Courtesy: Associated Press)

• My big question after the Raptors' season opener was who would take the ball in his hands at the end of games. Who was going to be the guy? After last night, it's got to be Kyle Lowry. He took a couple ill-advised deep jumpers, and turned the ball over a couple times in the Raptors' awful second quarter, but the numbers speak for themselves: 28 points, 8 boards, 8 assists, all while shooting just under 50% from the floor. It's your team now, Kyle.
• Just a couple days after I (and pretty much everyone else) crushed DeMar DeRozan's new contract, he came up big for the Raps, netting 25 points. In classic DeRozan fashion, he didn't do much else to fill the stat sheet, nabbing only 3 rebounds, to go with 1 assist and 1 steal. He got the the foul line 10-times which is a great sign going forward.
• I can not for the life of me understand the Raptors coaching staff's interest in Aaron Gray. He played 19 minutes last night, and scored 3 points while grabbing 4 boards. I think he was out there to try to defend Brook Lopez, but Gray got abused on D too (Lopez finished with 27 points). Just not a great game for Gray.
• What makes Gray's night worse, is that Jonas Valanciunas only played 12 minutes... don't get that one.

The DeMar DeRozan Contract: A(nother) Colangelo Mistake

Just over a week ago, I finished an article noting that I was pretty sure Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo "will do a couple more things to convince me he's an idiot". Well, only one day into the season, he did just that. That has to be some kind of record.

     

The move in question here is the re-signing of DeMar DeRozan (a 4-year, $38 million contract) on Wednesday night. Before we get too deep into this, I want to make it clear that I do not in fact dislike DeRozan. Everything you hear about him suggests that he is a great guy, and he plays a passable shooting-guard. No, this is all about how Colangelo handcuffed the entire franchise for the immediate future in one ill-timed move.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 8 Results, Week 9 Picks

Pete Prisco regained sole possession of 1^st place after going 11-3 in Week 8, despite being the only predictor to pick the Cowboys over the Giants. Simon moves into 2^nd after a solid 10-win week. While Mike was the only person to predict Cleveland's home win, he also was the only one to pick Seattle, Cleveland and the Jets in losing efforts. Peter King remains in last place but narrows the gap with an 11-3 week. There were 7 consensus picks in Week 8, with Minnesota's Thursday night loss to the Bucs being the only upset.

Nov 1 Quick Hits: Raptors Reaction

Instant reaction following the Raptors’ 90-88 loss to the Indiana Pacers:

Kyle Lowry looked great in his Raptors debut

• Taking a playoff-calibre team like the Pacers to the wire is an encouraging start for the Raps. But keep in mind Indiana was playing without their best scorer in Danny Granger. The game was still a nice showing, but it also suggests the Raptors won’t be able to compete with top talent in the NBA yet
• Kyle Lowry exceeded expectations. He looked fantastic all night, other than when he was blown by for the game-winning basket. No need to face-guard that far out, Kyle
• Rookie Jonas Valanciunas also had a good Raptors debut. His time was limited due to foul trouble, but he still managed 12 points and 10 rebounds. That’s a promising start
• The best thing about the Lowry acquisition is that Calderon is now the backup point guard. As a starter, Calderon was too slow to match up with top-tier point guards. Running the second unit (and being one of their main scoring options) seems like a perfect fit for Jose
• I thought Andrea Bargnani had improved his aggressiveness and rebounding last year. One game into this season, and it looks like he’s reverted back to his old ways. He was awful on the boards, and settled for too many jumpers
• The main thing I took away from the game was the Raptors’ need of a closer. They fell apart down the stretch, and completely blew a late 4^th quarter lead—all because they don’t have a guy who can put the team on his shoulders, and get some late buckets. Bargnani isn’t a closer (his attempted game-tying shot was horrible), and the Raptors need to find “the guy” quickly

2012-13 NBA Preview: Predictions

Biggest Surprise (team)

Daugulis: Atlanta Hawks

Some people will write these guys off, since they lost Joe Johnson. But let's all take a deep breath, and remember that Johnson was (still is) the worst contract in the NBA. Certainly, that suggests that he isn't a true franchise player, even if he is getting paid like one. This year's Hawks will be led by Josh Smith (in a contract year), and Al Horford, two young big men who will give most teams matchup problems. They added long-range shooting in Anthony Morrow and Kyle Korver, and also have an elite wing defender in DeShawn Stevenson. This team is a lock for the playoffs in my mind, and could end up hosting a first-round playoff series.

Korver moves from one playoff team to another

Dow: New Orleans Hornets 

Rookie QB Power Rankings II

After 8 weeks, there is little change from our last Rookie QB Power Rankings. Only Russell Wilson moves up, replacing Ryan Tannehill for the 3^rd spot. Check back in another 3 weeks for our next instalment. 

Current Ranking (Previous Ranking)

1. (1) Robert Griffin III - Washington Redskins (3-5)

66.8 Comp. %, 1,778 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT, 97.3 QB Rtg., 476 rush yards, 6 TD

RGIII rushed for 182 yards and 2 TDs against Minnesota

Oct. 28 Quick Hits: James Harden Trade Reaction

In a surprising move, the Oklahoma City Thunder dealt James Harden to the Houston Rockets just a couple days before the start of the NBA season. Here's what it means for both teams:

Houston Rockets:

Obviously, they view Harden as a franchise-defining player. They gave up Kevin Martin (who will become a free agent after the season), Jeremy Lamb (the 12th overall pick in the draft a couple months ago) and 3 future draft picks. That's a steep price, and a package you don't part with unless you think you're getting top-tier guy in return.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 7 Results, Week 8 Picks

Week 7 saw the four prognosticators agree across the board on 8 matchups, with 7 being correct (the Titans' last minute win over Buffalo being the lone incorrect consensus pick). Mike won the week with 11 correct picks and thus pulls into a tie for first with Simon and CBSSports' Pete Prisco. Mike was the lone "expert" to take a chance on the Redskins who couldn't pull it out against the G-Men, but was alone in picking the Steelers' Sunday night victory. Prisco was the only one who picked the Bucs (losers to the Saints), while SI.com's Peter King was alone in picking Baltimore, who got torn apart by the Texans. Simon took a chance on Cleveland, and, well, that almost never pans out.

NBA Preview: Pre-Season MVP Power Rankings

LeBron James is an animal. If you weren’t convinced he’s the best player on the planet, last years’ playoff run sealed it. In fact, all you really needed to see was his Game 6 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics. He won that game pretty much by himself.

Because of LBJ’s ridiculous playoff performance, he sits atop the NBA MVP Power Rankings. In fact, heading into the year he is the heavy favorite for the hardware. Here’s how the rest of the guys rank:

LeBron can't possibly get better this year...
right?

1. LeBron James, SF, Miami Heat

​Pros: As mentioned, the guy is a beast. He’s coming off career highs in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and rebounds. What’s really scary for the rest of the league is that he may just be entering his prime years now.

​Cons: N/A; LeBron is the odds-on favorite for the MVP trophy.

2. Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder

Pros: Durant should be coming back extra-hungry after getting thoroughly outplayed by the Heat in the Finals last year. His peripheral numbers are getting better, as he’s coming off career-highs in assists and rebounds per game.

NBA 2012-13 Preview: This Year's Fun-But-Not-Good Teams

The NBA playoffs are always incredibly entertaining. The great teams rise to the top, and end up trotting out some unreal series every season. This year will be no exception. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch Kobe, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard take on Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in a 7 game series, am I right? A revenge-fuelled Celtics team squaring off against LeBron and the defending champs? Yes, please.

But it’s not just the deep-end of the playoffs that make for entertaining basketball in the NBA. Every year, there are some bad teams, some teams that never threaten to make it particularly deep in the playoffs that end up being super-fun to watch. Here’s a break-down of 5 squads that could emerge as 2012-2013’s top not-great-but-entertaining team.

Why I Will Be A Raptors Fan (at least for this season)

As a kid, I was a big-time Toronto Raptors fan. I suffered through the Vince Carter departure. I suffered through the Rob Babcock era. I briefly celebrated as Bryan Colangelo came in and instantly turned the team around. And I watched them fall apart after just one-and-a-half successful, Colangelo-fuelled seasons. But, for the last couple seasons, I have hated the Raps.

Back in the glory days, I was all-in on the Raps. I swear, there were a couple years where Vince Carter hit 90% of the game-winning shot attempts he took (note: this is definitely not a real stat). But it wasn’t just Vince that got me hooked, it was the whole team. They had a core of players that fans could easily get behind.

Alvin Williams, and the rest of the Raptors' role
players, helped make the Vince Carter era so great

All of Toronto loved JYD. He may not have ever averaged more than 10 points per game during his time in T.O., but damnit, we loved watching Jerome Williams hustle around the court. Antonio Davis? I know at least one of my buddies had his replica jersey. Alvin Williams was an awesome guy to have running the point for this team, and when he couldn’t play, Chris Childs stepped right in. As a kid, I just loved this group. The Raps’ role players had almost as much to do with my fan-ness as Vince did.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 6 Results, Week 7 Picks

In Week 6, the four “experts” went 4-2 on their consensus picks, with the Titans and Browns providing the upsets. Simon was the only person to predict two NFC road upsets; the Giants' domination of San Fran and the Lions' OT win in Philly. Mike was alone in predicting Buffalo's win against the Cardinals while only Peter King picked Seattle's upset over the Patriots. Simon pulls into a tie for 1^st place with Pete Prisco, who was the only one who failed to pick Denver's win on Monday night.

Peyton led Denver to an historic yet predictable
comeback win over the Chargers on Monday night.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 5 Results, Week 6 Picks

Week 5 produced some interesting results. The four "experts" went 9-2 in their unanimous picks, with Indy and the 'Phins providing the upsets. Peter King was the only expert to correctly pick Seattle's victory over the Panthers, while Mike was the only one who failed to predict New Orleans' first victory of the season. Simon moves out of a tie with Mike and within one game of the leader Pete Prisco, who sits at 50-27. Peter King moves closer to the rest of the pack with an impressive 12-2 week.

Reggie Bush had 72 total yards and a TD in Miami's upset

Rookie QB Power Rankings

At the outset of this NFL season, a record five teams named a rookie as their starting quarterback. Two of these decisions were obvious; Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were drafted number one and two overall to teams that were in desperate need of a starting QB.

The decisions to start the remaining three rookies ranged from moderately surprising to highly questionable. Russell Wilson was drafted 76^th overall to a team that just spent $26 million on a sought-after but unproven free agent QB (Matt Flynn). Ryan Tannehill was named the starter in Miami, even though Matt Moore had relative success with the Dolphins in 2011. And in Cleveland, 28 year-old first rounder Brandon Weeden got the start over incumbent Colt McCoy, the winningest QB in NCAA history.

So how have these rookies fared in their brief careers, attempting to succeed in the most important position in North American pro sports? The Redshirt Freshmen will track these QBs during their inaugural season with the Rookie QB Power Rankings.

NFL Quarterly Review: AFC East

AFC East

MVP: Tom Brady

Surprise surprise, Brady is tearing up the league again. The Patriots seem to have found a bit of a running game this year, a bonus for Brady which should take a little bit of pressure off of him... as if he needed it.

LVP: Mark Sanchez

NFL Quarterly Review: AFC West

AFC West

MVP: Peyton Manning

Manning has lived up to the hype in 2012

If it weren’t for the egg Manning laid against the Falcons (he was bad for 3 quarters, at least), he would have unreal numbers on the year. As it stands, his numbers are just really good instead of awesome. The Broncos can live with that. Heading into the year, I was one of the many who thought there was no way Peyton was going to come back and be the same player he was before his plethora of neck surgeries. Well, Manning has shut me up. Although, his arm does look a little weak, doesn’t it?...

NFL Quarterly Review: AFC North

AFC North

MVP: Joe Flacco

Analysts all over the place were predicting a bigger role for Flacco than seen in previous years, and so far they’ve been right. Torrey Smith is turning into a top-tear wideout for the Ravens, while Ray Rice continues to catch ball out of the backfield, and Dennis Pitta is slowly emerging as one of Flacco’s favorite targets. I wonder what happens to the Ravens’ offense once winter sets in and it becomes tough to throw the ball in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati, but so far Flacco—and his 95.8 quarterback rating—looks great.

NFL Quarterly Review: AFC South

AFC South

MVP: Arian Foster

Expect to see Foster's
signature celebration a lot

He’s been in beast mode this year so far. He can run through people, he can run around people, and—with that defense playing so well—he’s going to run a lot. In fact, that’s the only negative when it comes to Foster. Currently he’s on pace to rush the ball well over 400 times this year. That’s too much, especially with Ben Tate on the team, who is perhaps the best backup running back in the game. Even if coach Gary Kubiak lessens Foster’s role a bit going forward, he’s in for another big year.

NFL Quarterly Review: NFC South

NFC SOUTH

MVP: Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan and Mike Smith have the Falcons Rolling

This one’s not even close. The only other person in the conversation is Sean Payton, since without him the Saints have completely fallen apart. But, since Payton isn't a player (and, since I'm going to spend some time ripping apart the Saints in a bit anyway), the MVP has got to go to Matt Ryan. Matty Ice has not only been the best player in the NFC South through 4 weeks, he’s been the best offensive player in the entire league. This right here is an MVP season in the making. Instead of giving any sort of analysis, I’ll just list Ryan’s stats to make my point: completing 69.4% of his passes, 11 touchdowns to only 2 picks, averaging over 290 passing yards per game, quarterback rating of 112.1. Point proven.

NFL Quarterly Review: NFC East

The NFL regular season is a quarter over, and with that, let’s take a look at how all the divisions stack up so far. Who are the MVPs, players who need to step up (let’s call them LVPs), players to watch going forward, and favorites to win the division crowns?

NFC EAST

MVP: Robert Griffin III

The Redskins were predicted to be at the bottom of the division, and yet 4 games in, they’re still in the mix. For that, the Skins can thank RGIII, as he has accounted for 8 total TDs, while only throwing 1 interception on the way to a quarterback rating of 103.2. He’s also completing just under 70% of his passes. Man, he’s good.

NFL Quarterly Review: NFC North

The NFL regular season is a quarter over, and with that, let’s take a look at how all the divisions stack up so far. Who are the MVPs, players who need to step up (let’s call them LVPs), players to watch going forward, and favorites to win the division crowns?

NFC NORTH

MVP: Bears’ D

Off to a weird start—giving the MVP to a defensive unit rather than a player—but hear me out. So far, Chicago has looked like the class of the division, and most of that is thanks to their D. The Bears have allowed the fewest points in the division (5th fewest in the league, heading into the weekend), are always a threat to score (as evidenced on Monday night), and are allowing opposing teams to convert only 26.1% of third downs (second only to Houston). These guys either get the ball back to their offense, or take it to the house themselves. 

Julius Peppers and co. have silenced opposing offenses this year

MLB Wild-Card Round Preview

Tomorrow, Major League Baseball's new expanded wild-card system will be unveiled, and the teams involved are a bit of a surprise. The Redshirt Freshmen will try to make some sense of the wild-card matchups after what has been a largely senseless 2012 season.

AL Wild-Card – Baltimore Orioles (93-69) @ Texas Rangers (93-69)

NFL Pick'ems - Weeks 3 & 4 Results, Week 5 Picks

Week 3	Simon	Mike	Prisco	King	Result
NYG @ CAR	NYG	CAR	NYG	CAR	NYG
TB @ DAL	DAL	TB	DAL	DAL	DAL
JAC @ IND	IND	IND	IND	IND	JAC
BUF @ CLE	BUF	BUF	BUF	CLE	BUF
NYJ @ MIA	NYJ	NYJ	MIA	NYJ	NYJ
KC @ NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	KC
CIN @ WAS	WAS	WAS	CIN	CIN	CIN
STL @ CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI	STL	CHI
SF @ MIN	SF	SF	SF	SF	MIN
DET @ TEN	DET	DET	TEN	DET	TEN
ATL @ SD	SD	ATL	SD	ATL	ATL
PHI @ ARI	PHI	PHI	ARI	PHI	ARI
PIT @ OAK	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	OAK
HOU @ DEN	HOU	HOU	DEN	HOU	HOU
NE @ BAL	NE	NE	NE	BAL	NE
GB @ SEA	GB	GB	GB	GB	SEA

NFL Quarterly Review: NFC West

The NFL regular season is a quarter over, and with that, let’s take a look at how all the divisions stack up so far. Who are the MVPs, players who need to step up (let’s call them LVPs), players to watch going forward, and favorites to win the division crowns?

NFC WEST

MVP: Kevin Kolb

Sure, the Cardinals are 25th in the league in passing offense, and second last in total offense. And, sure, Kolb has only completed 62% of his passes. The Cardinals are 4-0, and that’s the only stat that really matters in the NFL. Kolb came in late in the game in Week 1, and has led the team to 4 straight victories. Sure, he hasn’t been great. But he’s put his team at the top of the division.

Somehow, Kolb has takend the Card to 4-0

NFL Pick'ems - Week 4

Here are our Week 4 picks. We will be combining our Week 3 and 4 results post, which will be available on Tuesday.

Simon	Matchup	Mike
BAL	Browns @ Ravens	BAL
NE	Patriots @ Bills	NE
SF	49ers @ Jets	SF
SEA	Seahawks @ Rams	SEA
ATL	Carolina @ Atlanta	ATL
DET	Vikings @ Lions	DET
SD	Chargers @ Chiefs	SD
HOU	Titans @ Texans	HOU
CIN	Bengals @ Jaguars	CIN
DEN	Raiders @ Broncos	DEN
ARI	Dolphins @ Cardinals	ARI
TB	Redskins @ Buccaneers	WAS
GB	Saints @ Packers	GB
NYG	Giants @ Eagles	NYG
CHI	Bears @ Cowboys	CHI

NFL Week 4: Thursday Pick

We're headed to the Sky Dome to watch the Jays take on the Yanks tonight, so the rest of the picks will be up tomorrow or Saturday.

For the record, we're both taking Baltimore tonight... so we're both starting off 1-0 this week...

What To Watch For in Week 3: The New Defensive NFL

9 of the last 11 Associated Press NFL MVPs have been quarterbacks.

The last truly defensive oriented team to win the Super Bowl was the 2002-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (you could make a case here for the 2007-08 Giants as a defence-first team).

The main faces of the league currently are, in order: Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. 

And yet, heading into week 3, the spread-em’-out NFL seems to be waining, replaced by a hard-nosed, defensive minded league.

With no D to support them, QBs like Drew Brees
and Matt Stafford could struggle this year

NFL Pick'ems - Week 3

Simon (20-12)	Matchup	Mike (20-12)
NYG	Giants @ Panthers	CAR
DAL	Buccaneers @ Cowboys	TB
IND	Jaguars @ Colts	IND
BUF	Bills @ Browns	BUF
NYJ	Jets @ Dolphins	NYJ
NO	Chiefs @ Saints	NO
WAS	Bengals @ Redskins	WAS
CHI	Rams @ Bears	CHI
SF	49ers @ Vikings	SF
DET	Lions @ Titans	DET
SD	Falcons @ Chargers	ATL
PHI	Eagles @ Cardinals	PHI
PIT	Steelers @ Raiders	PIT
HOU	Texans @ Broncos	HOU
NE	Patriots @ Ravens	NE
GB	Packers @ Seahawks	GB

NFL Pick'ems - Week 2 Results

	Simon	Mike	Pete Prisco	Peter King	Result
CHI @ GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB
TB @ NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG	TB	NYG
OAK @ MIA	OAK	OAK	OAK	OAK	MIA
HOU @ JAC	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU
CLE @ CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN
KC @ BUF	BUF	KC	BUF	BUF	BUF
BAL@ PHI	BAL	BAL	PHI	BAL	PHI
NO @ CAR	NO	NO	CAR	NO	CAR
ARI @ NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ARI
MIN @ IND	IND	MIN	IND	IND	IND
WAS @ STL	STL	WAS	STL	WAS	STL
DAL @ SEA	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	SEA
NYG @ PIT	NYJ	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT
TEN @ SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD
DET @ SF	SF	SF	SF	SF	SF
DEN @ ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	DEN	ATL

Pete Prisco (23-9) moves into the lead with an impressive 13 correct picks. Simon (20-12) stays consistent with another 10-6 week and is now tied with Mike, who only managed 8 correct selections. Peter King (17-15) remains in last place.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 2

Simon	Matchups	Mike
GB	Bears @ Packers	GB
NYG	Buccaneers @ Giants	NYG
OAK	Raiders @ Dolphins	OAK
HOU	Texans @ Jaguars	HOU
CIN	Browns @ Bengals	CIN
BUF	Chiefs @ Bills	KC
BAL	Ravens @ Eagles	BAL
NO	Saints @ Panthers	NO
NE	Cardinals @ Patriots	NE
IND	Vikings @ Colts	MIN
STL	Redskins @ Rams	WAS
DAL	Cowboys @ Seahawks	DAL
NYJ	Jets @ Steelers	PIT
SD	Titans @ Chargers	SD
SF	Lions @ 49ers	SF
ATL	Broncos @ Falcons	ATL

NFL Pick'ems - Week 1 Results

Here's how the Freshmen fared in Week 1.  We will being comparing our results to those made by CBS Sports' Pete Prisco and SI.com's Peter King this season.

NFL Pick'ems - Week 1

The NFL season is upon us a day earlier than usual this year, and we can all thank Barack Obama for it. Accordingly, the Redshirt Freshmen will begin their season-long, head-to-head pick'ems 24 hours early. Check back next week to see who's in the lead after Week 1, and how we stacked up against expert prognosticators from across the Interweb.

Simon	Matchups	Mike
NYG	Cowboys @ Giants	NYG
CHI	Colts @ Bears	CHI
ATL	Falcons @ Chiefs	ATL
PHI	Eagles @ Browns	PHI
NO	Redskins @ Saints	NO
DET	Rams @ Lions	DET
NE	Patriots @ Titans	NE
JAC	Jaguars @ Vikings	MIN
NYJ	Bills @ Jets	NYJ
HOU	Dolphins @ Texans	HOU
SEA	Seahawks @ Cardinals	ARI
GB	49ers @ Packers	GB
TB	Panthers @ Buccaneers	TB
PIT	Steelers @ Broncos	DEN
BAL	Bengals @ Ravens	BAL
SD	Chargers @ Raiders	OAK

2012 NFL Predictions (that may, or may not, happen)

I am not an expert on the NFL, despite what I may say after several pints. But, with the start of the NFL season mere hours away, and with all the NFL predictions flying around these days, I thought, “hey, I could sound like an authority too!” With that, here are 3 predictions for the upcoming season that are safe bets in my books.

Prediction #1: The San Diego Chargers will win the AFC West

Why it’s bold: I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Peyton Manning now plays in the AFC West, lining up as the starting quarterback for the Broncos. With that, many pundits are penciling in the Broncos—the winner of the division last year—as the favorites. Meanwhile, Peter King of Sports Illustrated has the Chiefs taking the division title, while some, like Bill Simmons, have the Raiders as a dark-horse team as well (as per his podcast). Through all of this, the Chargers have been getting little attention. It seems that people are finally tired of riding the perpetually underachieving Chargers.

Can Norv Turner finally get the Chargers to play to their potential?
COURTESY: US PRESSWIRE

Dwight Howard Trade: The (early) End of an Era?

Does this pair make the Lakers title favorites again?

For most fans, the 2012 NBA Finals seemed like a primer for the next decade. It really started to look like the 2010’s were going to be the era of Durant vs. LeBron, much like the 80’s were dominated by Bird vs. Magic. Unlike the 80's, though, this era was going to have a definitive hero (Durant's Thunder) and villain (LeBron's Heat). It was going to be awesome. And then Dwight Howard screwed it up for everyone.

NFL Position Battles: Overrated and Underrated

As training camps open across the NFL, football fans everywhere will soon be flooded with discussions of “position battles”. While there are, in some cases, some very interesting camp competitions featuring potential impact players, local newspapers and national columnists alike will try to turn some irrelevant competitions into headlines as well. Not all position battles are created equal.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most overrated, and underrated, position battles going into training camp. A lot of ink will be spilled over most of these battles, but only some will truly shape the season.

Overrated Battles:

3. Randy Moss vs. Mario Manningham – 49ers WR 2

Quick Hits July 27: Noteworthy NHL Transactions

• Rick Nash is finally out in Columbus and on his way to the New York Rangers, and to me, that's not the most interesting piece of this move. That accolade would go the fact that Blue Jackets' GM Scott Howson waited this long to receive so little for his team's most valuable commodity.

Quick Hits July 25: Manny and Hanley

Courtesy: US PRESSWIRE

Is it 2008 again? Because the déjà vu factor is through the roof for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Four years ago, LA was fighting for a playoff spot, but struggling on offense. They decided to make a move for an extremely talented offensive player, who was known to be a headache off the diamond. Fast forward, and the Dodgers have done the exact same thing.

In 2008 it was Manny Ramirez; in 2012 it’s Hanley Ramirez.

Three New Raptors Who Will Shape 2012-13

Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields—the two newest Toronto Raptors—were introduced yesterday in a press conference. The two guards add depth to an already crowded back-court, and both players should see significant playing time this season. However, they aren’t the only new pieces the Raps will see in 2012-13. Lowry and Fields are good additions to be sure, but when paired with Jonas Valanciunas—the Raptors first pick in the 2011 draft—the signs point to a drastically different team from the 2011-12 model.

A Toronto Raptors Fan's Approach to the NBA Draft

I hate the NBA Draft.

As a Raptors fan, one might think that Draft Day is a time for optimism for me; a time where a team middling in the lower ranks of the NBA can re-tool with young talent, and ignite a fan base. Instead, Draft Day looms over me like a dentist appointment over a grade schooler.

MLB First Third Review - NL Central

Chicago Cubs


MVP: Ryan Dempster


Dempster didn't get his first victory until June 5, which was in almost every case due to his team's horrific offence. With an excellent ERA (2.11) and WHIP (1.02), along with an opponent's batting average of 2.04, it's quite clear why Dempster is rumoured to be on the move to a contender before the deadline.