See Red

Or so we hope. Santana's going to be great for us, or great for the Yankees. I see it going one of those two ways. And if the difference between the two is moving Ellsbury, then you have to move Ellsbury. I'd much rather do it without moving Ellsbury... but that's not the situation we're discussing here.

Us logical thinkers have to stick together, right? Don't get me wrong, I like Ellsbury a great deal more than I like Crisp and think he'll be a much better player for us but it's Johan f***ing Santana. And if losing Ellsbury is what it takes for Johan to play in Boston next year as opposed to New York... it has to be done.

If a deal doesn't get done because the Red Sox are unwilling to part ways with Jacoby Ellsbury then I think they're making a huge mistake.

I'm picking Green Bay. They can spread the field, and that's how you beat the Dallas defense.

If it's offered he'll take it.

Hope Nebraska gets their asses kicked under Osbourne. Please, Nebraska, get someone who'll go back to your schools running ways -- at the very least, it made you interesting and gave you an identity.

Ooh... ooh... ooh... speaking of the Jets... Man-genius doesn't look so great now, does he? Five bucks to whoever can fit the words "clueless", "overwhelmed", or other like words into his name like people had prematurely done with "genius". And speaking of him, that Belichick coaching tree, save for Romeo Crennel -- and even with the Browns success, you won't convince me he's a good head coach -- isn't looking so great these days between Mangini and Weis. Guys like Saban don't count because, well, he was a terrible pro coach and he coached under BB when Belichick was a s***** head coach.

Haren had a 4.15 ERA after the all-star break last year. I don't think he's as good as his last year numbers indicate because even during the first half, his FIP wasn't anywhere near his ERA and his BABIP was ridiculously low... and predictably, his ERA started to tail more towards his high FIP as his BABIP went up. But he is only 27 and locked up on the cheap until 2009, ain't he?

Insane. I can't help but wish I watched that game until I remember it was Dolphins/Steelers and the final score was 3-0.

Does Heinz field have any sort of drainage? I know Invesco Field at Mile High does. In fact, excess water can be sucked out of the field within minutes. It's heated, too. And 3 of every 100 strands of grass is fake. :dunno:

It might've been. One thing about fieldturf, which I'm assuming is what they used, is that it does take a bit to get worn in and play like grass, which I think is what made the Patriots switching to it so surprising. Whether that played into anything... I don't know, I won't claim to be an expert on the matter or to have watched the game. I'd have a hard time believing that the result of sticking with the original turf or grass or whatever it was would result in a worse game, though.

He was one of my favorite players in the NFL to watch -- just as he was when he was in College. Absolutely tragic. Way too young.

Last year was the first year of the Championship game being it's own seperate thing. Remember, the game was played in Glendale, Arizona. The Fiesta Bowl was also played in Glendale, Arizona (Oklahoma vs. Boise State). I guess what they're doing is alternating which bowl game or bowl game's city will host the game. For instance, while last year they played it in the stadium where the Fiesta Bowl is played, this year they're playing it in New Orleans, where the Sugar Bowl is played. They figured out a way to squeeze a tad bit more revenue out of the current system without going to a playoff. I think another benefit is that it lets the BCS Bowl Games keep their conference ties as much as possible. But yeah, there's five BCS bowls, now. The Championship game being completely seperate from the other four.

I'm not sure all of the rules regarding the bowl games but here's what I know for sure, based on who I think will win in conference Championship games. Ohio State will play West Virginia in the National Championship game. LSU will play in the Sugar Bowl. I say will because I think they will win the SEC. USC will play in the Rose Bowl... probably against Georgia since I think Rose Bowl would get first pick and there's absolutely no reason for them not to take Georgia considering how well they travel and would be ranked #3. Virginia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl. I think they beat Boston College this time around. Oklahoma will play in the Fiesta Bowl, since I think they'll win the Big XII. I think, faced with the decision to pick Mizzou or Kansas, Missouri plays in a BCS Bowl, leaving Kansas the odd man out from the Big XII since a conference can only have two representatives. I think the Orange Bowl gets the next pick, and at this point, all better choices are already locked into bowl games, so the Orange Bowl takes Missouri. The Fiesta Bowl gets next at-large pick, and they turn down the opportunity to pit Oklahoma against ANOTHER WAC team because Arizona State is guaranteed to travel better than Hawaii because, well, they don't even have to travel! The Sugar Bowl, getting the last pick, takes Hawaii, who beats Washington in the final week. So here you have it... winners in bold. Championship - West Virginia vs. Ohio State Rose Bowl - USC vs. Georgia Orange Bowl - Virginia Tech vs. Missouri Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma vs. Arizona State Sugar Bowl - LSU vs. Hawaii

Very, very cool. On another note, I love when entire crowd's sing National Anthems... it sounds amazing.

I've been kind of half-ass following the game on gamecast and I was just about to ask... is this game actually happening? 0-0 until 20 seconds left? And more importantly, how does Marty Booker make a kick return and get the tackle on the play? Silly Gamecast.

The point is that a team is being punished for not playing anybody when they actively go out and try to play good teams, but the good teams are too afraid to play them, even when offered $750k. In a nutshell... Hawaii wanted to start their season in Ann Arbor, but Michigan wanted no part of them, and scheduled App State instead. Hawaii was scheduled to play Michigan State... but the Spartans paid $250k to cancel the game. So what did Hawaii do? They tried to replace the Spartans with the Trojans... the USC Trojans... but USC would have no part in that either. Because Michigan State got out as late as they did, it left Hawaii scrambling for an opponent. Besides, Kansas' schedule is every bit as bad. How do you penalize this team? They'll play anybody that's willing to play them... but the "better teams" are too scared to play them.

Colorado beat Oklahoma and KSU beat Texas... the week before OU and Texas played one another. You don't think that played into it a bit? I've watched Colorado a number of times... I watched them struggle against Colorado State, possibly the worst team in the country. They are not good. Besides, Stanford beat USC... does that make them good? App State beat Michigan... are they anything more than a good 1-AA team? Kansas hasn't beaten a top 25 team... they haven't beat a team that's anywhere NEAR the top 25. Beating Boise State is way more impressive than anybody that Kansas has beat... and the score doesn't indicate how much better Missouri was than Kansas. I don't see how you can hold Hawaii's strength of schedule against them where big conference teams are scared to go play them. Besides, as I said... in a season in which teams are being rewarded for NOT LOSING... how can you punish an undefeated team?

Can someone explain to me how Kansas is #5 when they haven't even beaten a team that qualifies as one of the "other teams recieving votes" on a top 25 poll, yet Hawaii, who's at least beat a ranked team, sits at 12? It's not that I think Hawaii deserves to be in a position where they could possibly play in the National championship game... but Jesus... they're unbeaten, they deserve mentioning, and definetely to play in a BCS Bowl. Hawaii may play a weak schedule but it's not their fault -- teams from BCS conferences won't go to the island to play them. Michigan State was schedule to play, but opted out at the last moment. They open next season in Gainesville but the Gators won't let it be a home and home.

Extremely unfortunate. I hope for the best.

Not really "my team", considering I lose no sleep if they win or lose and don't, at all, follow them, but I tend to cheer for Arsenal after I grew to like them while playing with them in a soccer video game. I do like soccer... and I'd be a huge fan if I lived across the Atlantic but it's so damn hard to follow the EPL out here. I guess they're doing alright? By the way... complete non-homer pick... I'm picking Arsenal to win it all. Whatever "it all" is. I do want their jersey though... go figure. :lol:

Yep. But a lot of teams benefit from Conference Championship games. It's one more game against a highly ranked opponent -- Florida last year comes to mind. I believe they used the SEC Championship game to spring into #2. Unfortunately, Georgia won't be playing in the SEC Championship game this year -- because if they had been, I think them winning the SEC would be enough to leapfrog them over Ohio State, even with their two losses, because Ohio State is not that good -- but we shouldn't get into that because it's moot. I sure wish they were, though, because that would make things very interesting. My prediction? West Virginia vs. Ohio State in a very lopsided WVU win. This year, and maybe this year only... I love the BCS. The whole regular season this year really has been like a playoff. I think the regular season loses something if there were to be a playoff -- but if they do eventually go to a playoff, make it four teams, and not eight. By the way, Nebraska needs to bring somebody in that'll bring back the run, run, run offense to Lincoln. If nothing else it made 'em a lot of fun to watch. Plus, I don't think teams play offenses like that enough to justify putting in a great deal of time trying to figure out how to stop it. One thing's for sure... if you're comparing the NFL to College Football this year and asking which one better... it's not even close. This college football season has been as exciting as I've ever seen. edit: By the way, I hate the Gators but I don't want to live in a world where somebody who's done what Tebow has done isn't the Heisman winner.