Friday, October 30, 2009

Big weekend

This is one of those big sports weekends that can only happen in the fall when there is football, baseball, basketball and hockey going all at the same time. Tonight pistons home opener against the team formally known as the sonics, tomorrow you have a big cmu game at 3:30 vs BC, they win, and they will be ranked in the top 25, it is as simple as that. Also my Mt P kids have a playoff game tomorrow at 1pm, I also hear there is a world series of some kind still going on, but I can not confirm that, I really have stopped watching after the tigers were done. I went to the bar last night after the CMU Basketball tip off dinner, and it was on a few tvs, but I didn't really watch any of it, I actually watch way more of UNC-Va tech- which was a very good game, and UNC got a big win, and the spurs-bulls/ den-blazer game, since I love basketball. CMU men's and women's basketball teams also start this weekend on Sunday in EX games, so that will be fun. The Giants also have a big game on Sunday vs the Eagles. It is a big game since they have lost two in a row, and they already have wins vs the skins and cowboys, and if they beat Phili they would be 3-0 in the division with 2 of those wins on the road, so this is a very very big sports weekend. I also would really like the wings to start playing better. They keep digging themselves big holes. They were down 4-0 last night to the Oilers, only to tie the game at 5, and then loose in a shootout.. really guys... come on. Go CMU, Go mt oilers, Go giants, go pistons, go wings... and for my grandma dunning go yanks. I'm right, you're wrong.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

one down, 81 to go

Pistons looked good last night in their first game of the year, sure it was the Griz, and sadly the Pistons can't play them all the time, but they did what they had to do, they played well and won by over 20. They have the team formally known as the Sonics on Friday on the home opener, so hopefully that will be a win too. But they need to, they have a few easy wins to start before they play some real teams. But Gordon looked good, and RIP did too, until he tweaked his ankle, but they only dressed 10, and did well, so that is a positive. I hear the Phils beat the yanks last night in game one of the world series, but I didn't see one pitch, so I can not confirm or deny that. I'm right, you're wrong

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Yeah Basketball... NBA picks

Basketball is back, the NBA starts tonight, which means it is time for my preseason picks.


East:

1) Boston- I like their moves, and KG will be healthy enough to have a good year, they know their window is closing, and their time is now or never.

2) Cavs- Lebron is still Lebron, but Shaq is not Shaq anymore, plus their biggest problem, defending the pick and roll, just got bigger, and slower

3) Magic- Dwight Howard... that's it, moving on

4) Heat- D Wade, he will be enough, plus a not so tough division

5) Hawks- I still like this team, will they actually get over the hump and win a playoff series, and make a run?

6) Pistons- Maybe a little kool aid being drank by me, but I think they still have enough to make the playoffs in the east, and without the AI distraction they can improve on last year

7) Wizards- here's hoping agent 0 doesn't get hurt, if he does, I like the Raptors to take this spot

8) Bulls- I think they have enough to make the playoffs again, D Rose should be better, and they could even be in that 6-7 range.

Celtics-Bulls- Celtics in 5

Cavs-Wizards- Cavs in 5

Magic-Pistons- ok, so the pistons are always good against the Magic, so why stop now, again, maybe a little kool aid, but Pistons in 6

Heat-Hawks- I like the Heat to get the Hawks back in another great series, Heat in 7

Celtics-Heat- Celtics in 6

Cavs-Pistons- Cavs are too good even for me to pick my pistons, Cavs in 5

Celtics-Cavs- Celtics in 6. Cavs weakness on defense will show, on the pick n roll, and pick and pops, sheed and kg hitting mid range shots to deaf, with shaq not coming out on them.


West:

1) Lakers- really do I need to say anything else

2) Spurs- Man they should be very good as well

3) Jazz- Here is where it gets fun, after the top two, there is about 10 teams you can make a case for, I will pick the Jazz here

4) Horents- CP3 will lead them to the 4 seed

5) Blazers- I think they will still be solid enough to make it to the 4/5 matchup

6) Denver- A small drop off, but they still will be a very good team

7) Mavs- I really don't like them, but they have enough to make the playoffs I think, since the Rockets will not without Yao, and I just don't know about the Suns.

8) Clippers/Griz- yeah I went there, this is my sleeper. The Clippers shouldn't suck, with b diddy, gordon, thorton, camby, kaman, and then griffen once he gets back, and the griz with ai, rugy gay, oj mayo and co, they can score, and I think it is their time to take the next step and make the playoffs. The Suns are too old, the rockets have no Yao, and I feel like taking a chance.


Lakers-Clippers/griz-Lakers in 4

Spurs-Mavs- Spurs in 5

Jazz-Denver- this should be a good one, Jazz find a way, Jazz in 7

Horent-Blazers-This should be a great series. I like the Blazers to win this in 7

Lakers-Blazers- Lakers in 5

Spurs-Jazz- Spurs in 5

Lakers-Spurs- This should be a great series, in my mind their are 4 teams clearly better then the rest in the NBA, and they will all make it to the conference finals. Lakers find a way to win in 7, as the Spurs give it all they have


Finals

Lakers-Celtics- It's what the NBA wants, and they will get it.. Lakers will repeat, and win in 6

MVP: Kobe
Rookie of the Year: James Harden
Def Player of the Year: Dwight Howard
Most Improved: Kevin love

I'm right, you're wrong

Monday, October 26, 2009

weekend wrap up

Well good thing my Chippewas keep rolling beating BG 24-10. My Mt Pleasant boys also won big 45-7 to finish the regular season 9-0. Moving on to the playoffs vs North Branch for game one, on Saturday at 1pm at CMU, due to field problems at Mt. Pleasant. Sunday wasn't so good as the Giants for some reason, wanted to throw the ball too much, instead of run Jacobs, and lost to the Cards 24-17 at home. You can't have that, 2 losses in a row, does not make me happy at all. Eli throws 3 picks and looks like me in Madden throwing in to triple coverage. So frustrating. Other things to talk about that happened this weekend:


-PSU killed Michigan, Tate needs to learn Michigan doesn't have nice weather, deal with it kid, it wasn't even that bad, mid 40's and rainy is a nice fall day

-MSU did what only MSU would do, loosing on the last play to Iowa with 2 seconds left, at home. After playing well on defense all day, they made the great choice to play prevent defense the last drive, and watch Iowa drive down the field very easily. MSU played well, but just couldn't make one more play

-Both FL and Bama didn't look too good against Tenn and Miss State respectively. That is going to happen, the winner of the SEC title game will still play Texas for the National title.

-Clemson had a nice win at da U. They played very well and showed a lot wining at the road. Nice win for that program, the ACC is crazy

-The Bears got killed, Cinci is 5-2, WTF. Carson looked like 2004 yesterday

-Saints were down 24-3 and won, and still put up over 40, that is crazy. Mia really gave that one away, they just blew up, plus the Saints are good.

-The Yanks won last night, giving us a Yanks-Phils world series, The Angles really feel apart in the 8th on back to back sac bunts with two errors in a row, to give the Yanks some insurance. I set the over/under of pitches watched by me in this world series at 20.

Tomorrow the NBA season starts, and I will be doing my picks for the year. I'm right, you're wrong.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Baseball still isn't over?

It's news to me, since the Tigers lost I haven't really followed the playoffs at all, but I saw that the Phils are back in the world series, that still wouldn't start for another week, yet the Yanks will close it out today as well, so there will be a long break again. Which will let everyone forget about it again, while they watch football, or get ready for basketball. CMU has added a few nice pieces for their 2010 class. I am very excited about it. But this years team should be good too. I am looking forward to the basketball season starting with actually games. Both college and NBA, and then in mid November High School. I love this time of year. I got to go out golfing on Tuesday and it was very nice. Fall golf in Michigan is one of the nicest things you can do. Other then that, I don't really have anything else to add. I am just working and staying busy, but soon I will do my NBA picks. I'm right, you're wrong.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Styles 3 elite showcase

This weekend in Midland at Northwood University some of the best players in the state of Michigan took part in a elite event to honor the late son of Saginaw highs basketball coach Lou Dawkins. With drill stations and other test in the mourning and games in the afternoon it was a great event for all that took place. And while not everyone who was original going to be there made it, there was still lots and lots of talent. Here are just some of the players that stood out. (in no order)


Tommie McCune- Saginaw High- 2011-6'8- Long, athletic, does have some touch on the shot, though I would still play him to shoot first cause if he is in the lane, you are going to get dunked on.

Alex Gauna-Eaton Rapids-2010-6'8- Was only there on Saturday but this MSU commit played very well. Big strong body, tough kid, who has a nice touch on the mid range shot, has some 3 range, but needs to work on it a little, and get some better foot speed. He is a force down low though and played very well.

Matt Costello- Bay City Western-2012-6'9- Long and thin, needs to get a little stronger, but Matt has all the skills and is a very very good player. He can do it all. Handles and moves well for someone his size.

Evan Bruinsma-West Michigan Christian-2010-6'6-Another long thin player, but EB played tough and he can finish in a crowd. I got to see him a lot as I coached him during a CMU camp this summer, and it was good to see him again, he can do everything well, but doesn't wow you, just a good basketball player.

Dwaun Anderson-Suttons Bay-2011-6'4- He was only there on Sunday, but my god did he put on a show. I lost count of how many big time dunks he had, drive the lane, dunk over people, tip dunks, he even went backdoor on a inbounds play and slamed one home. Showed some range too and defender very well at times. He is going to be a good one. And that is the understatement of the year.

Brandon Crane-Midland High-2010-7'0- I have to give Brandon credit, he has put some work in, and has gotten better. He still has some work to be done of course, but he is doing some nice things. He still needs to get stronger for he is still long long long, and thin, but he has added some and he showed some nice touch. It was nice to work with him a little bit, and I really wish I could work with him more, because he really is a nice young man, who has his head on straight. He is looking at some ivy league and patriot league schools.

Kellon McCormick-ND Prep-2012-6'7- Was only there Sunday as he came with his father, ten year NBA vet Tim, who was the guest speaker in the mourning and did a great job. Kellon does not play like his dad right now. He is a shooter, hit 3 or 4 3s in the one game that I watched him play, and has a nice touch. He is long and I think there is no doubt he isn't done growing yet, he is someone to keep a eye out for in the next few years.

Michael Hundley-Detroit Renaissance-2011-6'9-Hundley is long and lean as well. He may he be skinner then Cane was at this age. He does have some nice skills however, and is another name to keep a eye out for in the next few years. He is long.

Kody Chandler-Schoolcraft-2011-5'11-Just when I have recovered from the butt kicking he gave us this spring the team I was coaching this weekend plays Kody's team the first game and he just flat out goes off. The kid can flat out shoot the basketball, but he is more then just a shooter. He can handle, he can get to the basket, and he moves well without the ball. I personally think he is way underrated, the kid can flat out play IMO.

And many many more. One person I would like to add who came on Sunday was Patrick Lucas-Perry, the 5'10 PG from the class B State champs Flint Powers, who is a top 5 players in the class of 2011 for sure, and best PG, hands down IMO. Even though he hurt his knee in football he came to watch, because he loves basketball that much, and wanted to check it out, he was there with one of his high school and AAU teammates Pierre Brackett, who is a very talented 6'3 wing in his own right in the 2011 class. I had a chance to talk to PLP a little bit and I can't tell you how great of a young man he is. As great as he is on the court, and he is, he is a joy to watch play, I think he is even a better person, and just a joy to talk with. Very humble and respectful and you really couldn't ask for anything more. Maurice Jones also stopped by on Sunday, and it was good to see him and congratulate "Pookie" on his USC commitment. I'm right, you're wrong.

Tough loss

Saturday was one of the best days for me as a sports fan with CMU beating western 34-23 for the 4th straight time, and 5th time in the last 6 years. It was great, and the Chippewas continue to play very well. Then Sunday came and the Giants got killed. It is one thing to lose a game, I knew they were not going to go undefeated and loosing to the Saints on the road is not a bad loss, but they got destroyed, they were not even close. That could become a very big factor come the playoffs, but there is a long way to go before we have to worry about that. Other then that, the weekend was good. College football we had a few things happen, I want to quickly touch on.

-It turned out I was right, Fl had a little let down after the LSU game and needed a late FG to beat Arkansas.

-ND hung around for awhile with USC, and actually made it a close game.

-OSU needs to find a QB who knows how to throw the football

-Michigan should not play Delaware state ever, especially in the middle of the year.. I really wish the NCAA would put in a rule, where d1 teams could only play a non d1 team once every 4 years.. at the most... really.. just stop. I know they had the app state game a few years ago, but come on.. this shouldn't happen

-All in all, CMU won, western lost, msu won and Michigan won, it was a great Saturday in Michigan. I'm right, you're wrong.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Happy day for me

Today is the first day for college basketball programs to start practicing and that makes me very happy, as basketball season is officially here. But this weekend also has some big football games to think about as well.


For me the biggest is the Central-Western game tomorrow at 3:30pm, we have won the last 3 years and 4 of the last 5, so hopefully that can continue in kzoo.

Fl has to be ready for a possible letdown after a big LSU win, and Arkansas can throw and score some points, but FL should win by 3 scores at least.

Bama is going to show how bad South Car is, and easily beat them

USC is going to show how bad ND is, but maybe, just maybe, ND can keep it close

Va Tech going to UGA Tech could be a tough game for them. I think that will be a good game, but Va Tech will win.

Of course the big game nationally is Texas-OK. with Bradford back I really think OK can win, but Texas is playing for much more then OK is, and I think they are going to win.

I am sure there are more, but right now that is all that comes to mind. I got to go get some work done. I'm right, you're wrong

Monday, October 12, 2009

Great weekend

Between my high school kids, my favorite college and favorite pro teams, they won by a combined score of 135-15. CMU finally played like they should against EMU and won 56-8, and the Giants easily beat the Raiders, who suck, 44-7. Now that baseball is over, for me at least, I am all about watching great football games, and also college basketball practice starts this Friday. I am pumped. A few things to talk about this week in college football:

Fl Showed they are the best team in the Nation
besides Fl, bama, and maybe LSU the SEC isn't as good as they use to be
Michigan had 5 Turnovers on the road and still only lost by 2, Iowa may be overrated more then I even thought
Bradford is back and the Texas-Ok game this weekend should be great.

I'm right, you're wrong

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

I guess I like the Tigers more then I thought

I normally think of baseball as something to watch during the summer before football and basketball starts. But since I have been watching almost every Tiger game for the last few years, I am definitely taking last night's loss hard. Having a 7 run lead in September you feel good about it, but the Twins go 17-4 in their last 21 and the Tigers play well under 500 to set up a one game play in at the dome. Even though the Tigers could have won on Thursday at home against the Twins, and clinched and not have to worry about any of this, but oh well. There was so many chances in that game, runners on 1st and 3rd one out, don't score, bases loaded one out, don't score, just time and time again. Rayburn dives to try to make a catch that becomes a triple instead of just a single, just over and over again. I just had nothing left. when the game was over, I just feel to the floor, I had nothing left, I got up, drank a beer real quick, did a shot over the phone with my buddy Dan, had another beer, and went to bed. I was a beaten man. I am sure there was a lot of great moments for the Tigers this season, but right now I am having trouble remember any of them. It would have been better if they just lost 10-0 last night, or maybe even lose 100 games and never have a chance. There are a lot of questions moving forward, but those will be answered in time. Now I can just take a few steps back, enjoy the fact that the Tigers were in first for most of the year and played exciting meaningful games in the fall, got us to football, hockey, and basketball is right around the corner, so I guess the Tigers did their job. I am not done being a Tiger fan, and next year I will be back thinking positive that the Tigers can win the division. Rick pitched well, and if we can lock up Jackson, having Verlander, Jackson and Rick is a great start to your rotation. All is not lost, it is just tough right now, and for the next few days. The Wings could help if they beat the Blackhawks tomorrow, and I will feel much better if my Chippewas win on Saturday, the heeling process will begin. If you want to read my tweets during the game, you can check them out on www.twitter.com/sman. I will share the best text I got last night from the many I got from my friends. The award goes to my friend Dan who texted me this gem after Cabera's homer.
"I hope he didn't hit his wife as hard as he hit that."
I laughed for a good long time.. for the record by no means do I condone any violence towards women, so I hope that isn't a problem for him. But way to get hammered and go 0 for 11 in the biggest weekend of the year, way to earn your money Cabera. I'm right, you're wrong.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

So worried

Today is the day, at 5pm the Tigers and Twins play in what all Tiger fans hope is the last Twins game played in the dome. We are sending a pitcher to the mound that is only 20 years old, but for the most part had a very good rookie season. The Twins have Scott Baker who has been very good, especially lately and against the Tigers. I am very worried, and nervous but right now I am staying positive. You got to have faith. I plain on tweeting during the game tonight, and then I will post them on here as a running diary. Should be a entertaining day. Go Tigers. I'm right, you're wrong.

Monday, October 5, 2009

College football week 5 wrap up

Another great week of college football, man this time of year is great, here are just a few things on it.

-MSU-Michigan was a great game, MSU came out quick and ready to play, which you knew they had to, but then tried their best to give it away. Tate and Michigan made some plays, but needed to make one more. Great OT rivalry football game

-USC showed us that they are still good, and Cal was way overrated.

- LSU is a little overrated but still very good. UGA played them tough. Big game this week with Fl at LSU, at night... could be a very good one.. Fl watch out

- da U responded nicely with a good win over OK. Sure they are still playing without Bradford but they are still good, and that is a great win. To play free show, uga tech, va tech and OK the first 4 games of the year and survive it 3-1 is very good. They are not all the way back to being where they were, but they are much better. I think they could still win the ACC, Va Tech is also good, but on a neutral site in good weather, I think it would be a very good game.

-CMU had a nice win at Buffalo. 20-13 had some people upset, but a win is a win, especially a road conference game. So I was happy. Now EMU is up for homecoming. Looking forward to another great week. I'm right, you're wrong.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

I have to wait more

So after loosing the first two games of the series vs the White Sox and the Twins wining against KC, both teams won today setting up a one game play in game at the dome on Tuesday at 5. It will be the last regular season game at the metro dome and I am hoping it will be the last game ever. It is going to be tough, the Tigers normally don't play well there anyway, and that place will be rocking. I know have to wait two days to find out if the Tigers will win the central, and go to the playoffs, or will their season be done. 162 games not enough to settle it, lets play one more. What more could you want as a sports fan, sure it would have been better for the team and their chances against the Yanks to win on Thursday against the Twins, clinch and then set the rotation and not have to worry about it. But you got to love drama. I just hope they can find a way. Come on Tigers, you can do it. I'm right, you're wrong.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Really Jim

The Tigers had a chance to clinch the Central today and what did Jim Leyland do, rest Poly, and change the lineup a lot, a lineup that scored 7 runs the day before. But the day game after the night game, so we rest guys. How about clinching today and then resting them for the entire weekend, setting your rotation and bullpen, and not having to worry about it. So they get beat 8-3 today and the lead is 2 with 3 to play. They still are ok, but why worry about it, just clinch and move on. But now I have to worry about it this weekend, when all I wanted to do this weekend was watch football, hockey and relax. Now I have to worry about the Tigers too, Thanks Jim. I'm right, you're wrong.

One more to go

After a big 7-2 win last night the Tigers are now up 3 with 4 games left. They have one more against the Twins today and the way I look at it, it is the biggest game of the year. A win today would mean the tigers would clinch the central and be able to set up their rotation on the proper days rest. They wouldn't even have to worry about the weekend series with the White Sox, and that would be great. I am pumped and ready to go, and will be listening to the game as much as I can, at work.

NHL season also starts today, the Wings play tomorrow, so that should be fun. I am really going to try to follow Hockey more this year, and not just wait for the playoffs, since they are so sweet. I'm right, you're wrong