NFL season predictions

So here's my predictions for what the divisions and playoffs will look like at the end of the NFL season

AFC East:                                              AFC North:                                        AFC South:

Patriots                                                   Bengals                                              Colts

Jets                                                         Ravens                                               Texans

Bills                                                         Browns                                               Titans

Dolphins                                                  Steelers                                              Jaguars

AFC West

Broncos

Raiders

Chargers

Chiefs

Wildcards

Ravens
Browns

For some reason lots of people have the Dolphins doing decent. I just don't see it. I see the Jets and Bills putting up a minor fight but ultimately loosing out again to Bill Belichek and Tom Brady. In the AFC North you could pretty much put all four teams into a hat and pick them and whatever you get is the standings. The Bengals are looking as strong as they have in a long time. The Browns are up and coming and have the potential to do something for the first time in a long time and the Ravens and Steelers are both old and declining, but it would be foolish to completely count out both. In the AFC South the Colts are going to be very strong ultimately fighting out a Texans team that could either hang around all season or fall flat on their faces. And in the AFC West, who really cares beyond the Broncos? There really isn't much competition there.

NFC East                                         NFC North                                  NFC South
Redskins                                           Packers                                        Falcons
Giants                                               Bears                                            Saints
Cowboys                                          Lions                                             Panthers
Eagles                                               Vikings                                          Buccaneers

NFC West
49ers
Seahawks
Cardinals
Rams

Wildcards
Giants
Seahawks

It will be interesting to see what the Cowboys do in a competitive NFC East. Is Tony Romo a legitimate playoff QB? He hasn't proven it yet, and I don't think he'll get a chance to prove it either this season. Redskins take this division as long as RGIII stays healthy. I'm slightly biased but I have the Packers taking the NFC North. However, there's a bit of a question if their defense can keep up with the highpowered offense and be able to stop other very competitive teams in their division. I think they'll win the division, but come playoff time you need more than a high powered offense. In the South Matt Ryan better make good on his new contract and I think he will. Not only will he win the division, but he's going to win the Falcons a superbowl this year. In the west are two of the best defenses in the league and I think both those teams make the playoffs. The Cardinals and Rams won't be able to match them.

Superbowl pick: Falcons over the Colts
                                                               

Week 1 Picks

Match up (Favourite on left, Underdog on right)                            My Pick
Denver/Baltimore                                                                         Denver
Buffalo/New England                                                                   New England
Chicago/Cincinnati                                                                       Cincinnati
Cleveland/Miami                                                                          Cleveland
Detroit/Minnesota                                                                        Detroit
Indianapolis/Oakland                                                                   Indianapolis
New Orleans/Atlanta                                                                   Atlanta
New York Jets/Tampa Bay                                                         New York Jets
Pittsburgh/Tennessee                                                                   Pittsburgh
Carolina/Seattle                                                                           Seattle
Jacksonville/Kansas City                                                              Kansas City
St. Louis/Arizona                                                                         Arizona
San Francisco/Green Bay                                                             Green Bay
Dallas/New York Giants                                                              New York Giants
Washington/Philadelphia                                                               Washington
San Diego/Houston                                                                      Houston

A half a game suspension???

Heisman trophy winner Johnny Menziel has been suspended half a game by the NCAA. He allegedly accepted money to do autographs and college players supposedly aren't "allowed" to accept money or benefits (so they do other shady, but "legal" deals to get these benefits) for pretty much anything. There's a number of things wrong with this suspension

So here's what I don't get, they can't prove that he did it, so why do they suspend him at all? I'm sure glad Canada's justice system doesn't work that way. "You might have been speeding, we can't prove it but we'll give you the ticket anyway." They either need to prove he did it, or leave the guy alone. He's been in and out of trouble so much the media is blowing up every little thing he does trying to make a story out of it.

Here's the other thing wrong with this. If they think he did it and want to punish him for it, why on earth would you give him half a game??? What's that going to teach other guys? Probably absolutely nothing. More severe suspension haven't stopped teams from giving players illegal benefits so what makes the NCAA think this will? We usually here of what 2-3 suspensions per year for teams giving a player illegal benefits? So how many more are going on that we don't know about and how many is the NCAA turning a blind eye to? Especially potentially in the SEC.

The NCAA either needs to take a hardline approach on this and do its best to completely shut down illegal benefits or make certain benefits legal to open it up a little bit. If they don't we'll keep hearing about suspension from giving these benefits and little petty suspensions like this. I hope they take the hardline approach because otherwise certain schools won't be able to survive.

I sure hope they do something sooon

Darren

Steroids

The MLB is probably the sport which has had the most problems with steroids. The whole A-Rod fiasco, more players other than A-Rod suspended, probably more yet to be suspended, it never ends. The big question here is why do players still do it? Well a radio show (Tim and Sid) on Sportsnet 360 answered this for me. If steroids are going to make a player that much better and their contract is about to expire those steroids could give that player millions of more dollars per year and even an MVP (Ryan Braun would know something about this). In short, despite having the stiffest penalties in all of pro sports the MLB's penalties aren't stiff enough. They should include things like lost salary, and lifetime bans sooner.

The same guy who brought out the MLB players who visited the biogenesis clinic as A-Rod, Braun, and the other athletes has also released a list of players from other leagues involved. He says players from the NCAA, MMA, Tennis, and Boxing also took PEDs from the clinic. Should this really surprise us? Probably not. Does it surprise us? Probably. As long as clinics and companies make them, and as long as players can get rich from an improved performance because of them, players will still take them. 

That's all for now,

Darren

Fantasy Football Team

I just drafted a fantasy football team. Let me know what you think

QB- Aaron Rodgers (GB)

WR- Julio Jones (ATL)

WR- Reggie Wayne (IND)

WR- Mike Willians (TB)

RB- Frank Gore (SF)

RB- Darren McFadden (OAK)

TE- Tony Gonzalez (ATL)

Bench:

QB- Michael Vick (PHI)

WR- Anquan Boldin (SF)

WR- Sidney Rice (SEA)

RB- Rashard Mendenhall (ARI)

TE- Brandon Pettigrew (DET)

Kickers:

Blair Walsh (MIN)

Bench:

Dan Bailey (DAL)

Defense:

San Fransisco 49ers

Intro to myself.

So One day I would like to be a sports radio announcer and this is probably a good way to get used to reporting sports. I am a huge sports fan let me get that out of the way right now. However, it seems that I have a bit of a problem when it comes to picking winning teams. I'm a Blue Jays fan in the MLB. In the NFL I like the Packers and Jets (don't laugh at the jets one please), in the NHL I'm an Oilers fan, and in the NBA I'm more or less neutral but if I had to pick a team it's the Raptors. Oh yeah and in NCAA I like Boise State and Texas (Believe me the definition of futility is cheering for Boise State basketball). I'm going to try and post somewhat regularly so we'll see how that goes, and I'm toying with the idea of giving you my NFL picks each week for who wins and looses. And I'm going to call this right now. The MLB world series is going to have the LA Dodgers defeating the Boston Red Sox. Both teams seem to have it all and Yasiel Puig is just amazing. I think that's all for now.

Darren.