Heisman Update (Week 2)

Week 2, how did they do?

Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia, 2-0
18-28, 213 yards, 2 TDs in 56-17 win over Central Michigan
Total: 31-49, 488 yards, 4 TDs

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri, 2-0
65 total yards, TD in 52-3 win over SE Missouri State
Total: 299 total yards, 2 TDs

Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State, 2-0
DNP
Total: 13 rush, 111 yards, TD

Pat White, QB, West Virginia, 1-1
11-18, 72 yards, 20 rush, 97 yards in 24-3 loss to East Carolina
Total: 280 pass yards, 5 TDs, 160 rush yards

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georiga, 2-0
18 rush, 168 yards, 3 TD, 3 rec., 30 yards in 56-17 win over Central Michigan
Total: 26 rush, 227 yards, 8.7 avg., 6 TDs, 5 rec., 83 yards

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech, 2-0
7 receptions, 158 yards, TD, in 35-19 win over Nevada
Total: 16 rec., 231 yards, 2 TDs

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida, 2-0
21-35, 256 yards, 2 TDs, 13 rush, 55 yards
Total: 393 pass yards, 3 TDs, 92 rush yards

Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech, 2-0
19-46, 297 yards, TD, 2 INTs in 35-19 win over Nevada
Total: 833 pass yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, rush TD

The Sports Brief's MMA Rankings (9/9/08)

Once again this is the rankings for all of MMA, but just for the weight classes recognized by the UFC. Not a lot has happened in the ring or octagon since the last rankings besides last weekend’s UFC 88, however many exciting match ups have been scheduled/ rumored for the rest of 2008. Also with so many fighters moving up or down in weight classes (i.e. Anderson Silva, Rich Franklin, Brandon Vera, B.J. Penn, etc.), where do you put them? Besse and I have stated that a fighter must be at least booked to fight in the same division for 2 fights in a row to officially move divisions. Let’s see how the top 10’s look entering football season…

Heavyweight:

1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
3. Randy Couture
4. Andrei Arlovski
5. Josh Barnett
6. Tim Sylvia
7. Fabricio Werdum
8. Alistair Overeem
9. Frank Mir
10. Brock Lesnar

Ben Rothwell, Heath Herring, Chiek Kongo, Gabriel Gonzaga, Aleksander Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop

Fedor is hurt and will miss the 2nd Affliction show. But how about these fights still to come in the next 2-3 months: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir (December), Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett (October), and of course the return of the UFC Champ Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar (November). And before all of those match ups is one I’m really looking forward to. The on again, off again fight between Alistair Overeem and Mirko Cro Cop is back on, and happening on September 23rd as part of the Dream 6 card. Two former Pride stars going head to head, should be great.

Light Heavyweight:

1. Forrest Griffin
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Lyoto Machida
4. Wanderlei Silva
5. Rashad Evans
6. Maurcio ‘Shogun’ Rua
7. Chuck Liddell
8. Thiago Silva
9. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
10. Keith Jardine

Babalu Sobral, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Tito Ortiz, Vladimir Matyushenko, Brandon Vera

The only shake up since July’s rankings is right here in the ultra competitive Light Heavyweight division. Rashad Evans (prev. 10th) KTFO of Liddell (prev. 3rd) vaults him up to 5th in our poll. Sugar won’t leap frog everyone, after all his previous highlights were a draw to Tito Ortiz and a win over Michael Bisping who is now a middleweight. Evans now gets the title shot with Forrest in a TUF winners show down. Rumors are circulating that Liddell wants to fight Anderson Silva. Really? Chuck is 1-3 last 4 fights with devastating KOs by Rampage and Evans, a decision loss to Jardine, and a decision win against Wanderlei. His last knockout was back in 2006 vs. Tito, who Dana White says isn’t a good fighter anymore. I would never say anything bad about Liddell in fear that he may read it, but hey Dana everything you’ve said about Tito in the cage is coming back to you in the form of the Iceman. And as for Tito, looked like he was headed to Affliction, then EliteXC, now who knows?

Middleweight:

1. Anderson Silva
2. Matt Lindland
3. Dan Henderson
4. Rich Franklin
5. Paulo Filho
6. Cung Le
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Yushin Okami
9. Nathan Marquardt
10. Frank Trigg

Patrick Cote, Frank Shamrock, Kazuo Misaki, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Thales Leites, Chris Leben. Michael Bisping, Ricardo Almeida, Demian Maia, Gegard Mousasi

Dream 6 on September 23rd features the middleweight grand prix. Not big names but great fighters like Gegard Mousasi set to compete. Rich Franklin beat Matt Hamill at 205, should be interesting to see if he stays up there or comes back down to 185. I’d love to see him fight Dan Henderson, but after a solid win on the same card, Hendo is thinking he can take down A. Silva if given another chance. Problem is, Silva is fighting Patrick Cote coming up then I wouldn’t be surprised if he fights Liddell or another LHW. Also Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen 2 has been pushed back from September to November 5th.

This seems like the best place also to say RIP Evan Tanner. The former UFC middleweight champ was found dead in California. He was 37.

Welterweight:

1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Diego Sanchez
t-7. Matt Hughes
t-7. Matt Serra
9. Karo Parisyan
10. Carlos Condit

Nick Thompson, Mike Swick, Marcus Davis, Drew Fickett, Jay Hieron

The super fight that everyone is waiting for on Super Bowl weekend will affect the welterweight and lightweight divisions. GSP vs. Penn II. Get excited. Thiago Alves will meet Diego Sanchez next month as well with a title shot looming for the winner. Not sure who Fitch will fight in his first fight back from losing to St. Pierre. Karo was a late scratch from UFC 88. And let’s book Hughes vs. Serra so we can break our tie for 7th here. It’s still amazing to me that guys like Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell can look so unbeatable, and then in a short time get absolutely worked. That’s the nature of the beast, as they say.

Lightweight:

1. BJ Penn
2. Takanori Gomi
3. Eddie Alverez
4. Joachim Hansen
5. Shinya Aoki
6. JZ Cavalcante
7. Josh Thomson
8. Tatsuya Kawajiri
9. Sean Sherk
10. Gilbert Melendez

Kenny Florian, KJ Noons, Nick Diaz, Victor Ribero, Joe Stevenson, Roger Huerta, Frankie Edgar

As you can see many of the best lightweights fight outside of the UFC. Two of their best, however, will meet in November as Kenny Florian squares off against Joe Stevenson. Ken Flo probably deserves a title shot after beating Huerta, but since Penn is fighting GSP, he doesn’t want to sit around a wait. You have to appreciate that.

Pound 4 Pound

1. Anderson Silva
2. Fedor Emelianenko
3. Georges St. Pierre
4. BJ Penn
5. Urijah Faber
6. Miguel Torres
7. Takanori Gomi
8. Forrest Griffin
9. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
10. Quinton Jackson

UFC 88 Results

Rashad Evans def. Chuck Liddell via violent KO - 1:51 of round 2
(You'll see this next on Ultimate Knockouts 6. Watching this on TV you had no idea how long it took the Iceman to get back to his feet. This was vicious. He was out. Not until after Rashad's interview by Joe Rogan did you see Hackelman and the rest of Liddell's corner holding him up ala Weekend at Bernie's or dare I say Weekend at Bernie's II. Just unbelievable. Who fights Forrest now for the Light Heavyweight title? We shall see.)

Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill via TKO - 0:39 of round 3

Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares via unanimous decision

Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampmann via TKO - 1:21 of round 1

Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown via split decision

UNDERCARD:

Kurt Pellegrino def. Thiago Tavares via unanimous decision.

Tim Boetsch def. Mike Patt via TKO - 2:03 of round 1.

Jason MacDonald def. Jason Lambert via submission - 1:20 of round 2.

Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro via split decision.

How we did...

Keefe UFC 88 Picks: 8-1, (14-5 overall)

Besse UFC 88 Picks: 5-4, (13-6 overall)

UFC 88 predictions

With tomorrow night marking the first time the UFC invades Atlanta, GA, that means it’s time for The Sports Brief to predict the outcomes of each fight. Keefe is busy preparing for his show today, so he was only able to bless us with outcomes. But I’ve included a brief analysis on how I think each fight will play out.

At UFC 87, I went 8-2 with my picks while Rich came in at 6-4. With a lot of close, interesting match-ups on tap for UFC 88, however, those early standings could change quickly. I can’t wait to find out…

Main Event

Chuck Liddell v. Rashad Evans

This is a striker v. wrestler matchup, and Liddell has always had tremendous success in fights like these. Evans is a very accomplished wrestler with an undefeated record, and while he showed some good skills in the 3rd round of his fight against Tito Ortiz, it was a 1-point deduction to Ortiz that kept his unblemished record in tact.

Bottom line is that Liddell’s sprawl is one of the best in the business. Even when Ortiz got him down in their entertaining rematch, he popped right back up onto his feet. Expect to see plenty of that tomorrow night. And when Liddell isn’t sprawling, he’ll be popping Evans in the face numerous times before forcing a referee stoppage towards the end of the second round.

Chuck Liddell wins via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Keefe says: Chuck Liddell def. Rashad Evans via (T)KO in 2nd

Televised Bouts

Rich Franklin v. Matt Hamill

An interesting clash here at 205, mainly because Franklin returns to a division he once left due to being too small and at a disadvantage in terms of strength. At middleweight, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone more physically gifted than Franklin. But at light heavy, and against Hamill, he’ll face a significant size and strength advantage. Which plays right into Hamill’s game. He likes to come forward and maul his opponents, and he’s a highly skilled wrestler with crafty takedowns. Hamill is ever improving, but the one downside is his striking. It’s powerful, but sloppy.

I actually see this playing out much like his fight against a current middleweight fighter who recently left the 205-lb. division in Michael Bisping. This will be a grinding three round fight that sees flashes of brilliance and moments for both fighters. But in the end, I think Franklin’s experience, his polished striking and his savvy ground defense will earn him the checkmark on all three scorecards. Look for Hamill to once again impress, though, and earn himself another big fight down the road. Something tells me he’ll be headlining a UFC Fight Night against Stephan Bonnar once “The American Psycho” recovers from his knee injury. You’ll remember these two were originally scheduled to be the co-main event to Florian and Lauzon back in April.

Rich Franklin wins via unanimous decision
Keefe says: Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill via decision

Dan Henderson v. Rousimar Palhares

Henderson swears he can beat Anderson Silva if given another crack at him. And you know what? I believe him. But he’s got a serious submission artist staring him in the face on Saturday night. Did you see Palhares’ submission win over Ivan Salaverry at UFC 84? Ridiculous transition into an armbar, and it earned him submission of the night. What’s interesting is that Henderson’s revered wrestling background may get him into trouble here. If this goes to the ground for a long period of time, I have no doubt that Palhares could seize a limb and break it. And three of Henderson’s seven losses have come by submission (one to each Nogueira brother). But I think Henderson keeps this on the feet and slugs away, scores a takedown or two, grounds and pounds briefly and then retreats to his feet. Palhares may put a scare into him at some point, but I think this will be a great step back for “Dangerous.” Or is it “Hollywood”? Whatever.

Dan Henderson wins via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Keefe says: Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares via (T)KO in the 1st

Karo Parisyan v. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

I’m calling it now. This will be the most exciting fight of the night. Parisyan claims to be motivated and says he actually trained for this fight. Can you imagine if there’s any truth to him saying he never really trained for fights up until now? Wow. That could have serious implications moving forward for the Armenian. But Yoshida is on a nine fight win streak, including that amazing submission over “War Machine” at UFC 84 that was just painful to watch. I honestly felt bad for Koppenhaver. Although not as bad as I did for Ed Herman when he got choked out and pounded out by Demian Maia at the same time.

Anyway, Parisyan has never been submitted and has been (T)KO’d only twice in his career. Once in his last fight against Alves – which had a questionable stoppage – and earlier in his career against Sean Sherk. His fight against Diego Sanchez showed how tough and durable his chin is, and I think it will prevail here.

Karo Parisyan wins via unanimous decision
Keefe says: Karo Parisyan def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida via decision

Martin Kampmann v. Nate Marquardt

This card is loaded with toss ups, and here is another one. Kampmann, coming off a knee injury, looked solid in his submission win over Jorge Rivera. It was a good test for his health and an opportunity to knock off ring rust. But now he takes on Marquardt, who is as tough as they come in the UFC’s middleweight division. A pair of point deductions against Thales Leites cost him a win in his last fight, but it’s obvious as to who dominated that fight.

In this one, I think Kampmann’s ability to utilize his kickboxing will be the factor. I think he’ll try and break down Marquardt early with leg kicks and brief combinations on his feet. Eventually Marquardt will go for a takedown, and I think that’s where people underestimate Kampmann’s submission game.

Martin Kampmann wins via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 3rd round
Keefe says: Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampann via submission in the 1st

Preliminary bouts

Besse: Thiago Tavares wins via submission (triangle choke) in the 3rd round
Keefe: Kurt Pellegrino def. Thiago Tavares via submission in the 2nd

Besse: Tim Boetsch wins via unanimous decision
Keefe: Tim Boetsch def. Mike Patt via (T)KO in the 1st

Besse: Dong Hyun Kim wins via KTFO in the 1st round
Keefe: Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown via (T)KO in the 3rd

Besse: Jason McDonald wins via any submission he pleases in the 1st round
Keefe: Jason McDonald def. Jason Lambert via submission in the 2nd

Besse: Roan Carneiro wins via unanimous decision
Keefe: Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro via decision

Let us know your thoughts on tomorrow’s action. If you like what you see, check out more from The Sports Brief at http://sportsbrief.blogspot.com/

You can e-mail us at sportsbrief@gmail.com

-Bess

The Sports Brief's NFL Predictions for 2008

With tonight's Giants-Redskins season opener, the 2008 NFL season is finally upon us. Which can only mean one thing...NFL predictions from The Sports Brief! We've got division winners, our playoff predictions along with individual awards and Week 1 picks with the spreads. So check it out and let us know what you think. We'll be keeping a running tally on the weekly picks, and we've added in a random submission of picks every week to see if our "expertise" holds up against pure luck. That and my picks are the ones I submit to my father's office pool every week. So I'm hoping to bank on these puppies bigtime.

And so, here goes nothing...

Division winners:

AFC East
Besse: Patriots
Keefe: Patriots

AFC North
Besse: Steelers
Keefe: Browns

AFC South
Besse: Jaguars
Keefe: Colts

AFC West
Besse: Chargers
Keefe: Chargers

Wildcard
Besse: Colts; Jets
Keefe: Texans; Jets

Wildcard weekend
Besse: Colts over Chargers; Jets over Steelers
Keefe: Colts over Texans; Jets over Browns

Divisional round
Besse: Patriots over Jets; Jaguars over Colts
Keefe: Pats over Jets; Chargers over Colts

AFC Championship
Besse: Patriots over Jaguars
Keefe: Patriots over Chargers

NFC East
Besse: Cowboys
Keefe: Cowboys

NFC North
Besse: Packers
Keefe: Vikings

NFC South
Besse: Saints
Keefe: Saints

NFC West
Besse: Seahawks
Keefe: Seahawks

Wildcard
Besse: Vikings; Giants
Keefe: Eagles; Packers

Wildcard weekend
Besse: Seahawks over Giants; Vikings over Packers
Keefe: Eagles over Vikings; Seahawks over Packers

Divisional round
Besse: Saints over Seahawks; Cowboys over Vikings
Keefe: Cowboys over Seahawks; Saints over Eagles

NFC Championship
Besse: Cowboys over Saints
Keefe: Cowboys over Saints

Super Bowl
Besse: Patriots over Cowboys
Keefe: Patriots over Cowboys

MVP
Besse: Tom Brady, Patriots (let’s face it, this team sucks without him)
Keefe: Tony Romo, Cowboys

Defensive POY
Besse: Patrick Willis, 49ers
Keefe: Mario Williams, Texans

Coach of the Year
Besse: Sean Payton, Saints
Keefe: Romeo Crennel, Browns

Offensive ROY
Besse: Steve Slaton, Texans
Keefe: Chris Johnson, Titans

Defensive ROY
Besse: Vernon Gholston, Jets
Keefe: Jerod Mayo, Patriots

Sleeper team
Besse: Carolina Panthers…to the Super Bowl if Jake Delhomme stays healthy.
Keefe: Have Browns and Texans in the playoffs, but I think the Raiders will surprise as well, maybe 2nd in the AFC West.

As mentioned earlier, The Sports Brief is proud to announce that we will be submitting out picks every week for every NFL game on the schedule. We will keep a running tally for both Besse and Keefe, as well as include picks for the “test dummy.” The test dummy, whom we will call Random Ron, may vary on a weekly basis, but its picks will be made through various activities such as flipping a coin, throwing darts, etc. This week, the test dummy’s picks were made by the flip of a coin. Heads for the home team and tails for the away team.
Without further ado, the picks for Week 1 are…

Besse:
Redskins (+3.5)
Saints (-3.5)
Jets (-2.5)
Bengals (+1.5)
Falcons (+3.5)
Rams (+7.5)
Seahawks (+0.5)
Jaguars (-2.5)
Patriots (-16.5)
Steelers (-6.5)
Chargers (-9.5)
Cowboys (-5.5)
Cardinals (-2.5)
Colts (-9.5)
Vikings (+2.5)
Raiders (+2.5)

Keefe:
Redskins (+3.5)
Saints (-3.5)
Jets (-2.5)
Bengals (+1.5)
Lions (-3.5)
Eagles (-7.5)
Bills (-0.5)
Jaguars (-2.5)
Patriots (-16.5)
Texans (+6.5)
Chargers (-9.5)
Cowboys (-5.5)
49ers (+2.5)
Colts (-9.5)
Vikings (+2.5)
Raiders (+2.5)

Random Ron:
Giants (-3.5)
Saints (-3.5)
Dolphins (+2.5)
Ravens (-1.5)
Falcons (+3.5)
Rams (+7.5)
Seahawks (+0.5)
Titans (+2.5)
Chiefs (+16.5)
Steelers (-6.5)
Panthers (+9.5)
Cowboys (-5.5)
Cardinals (-2.5)
Bears (+9.5)
Vikings (+2.5)
Raiders (+2.5)

Let us know what you think, and feel free to e-mail us sportsbrief@gmail.com

-Bess

The Red Sox Starting Nine (Questions) for September

1. How will Josh Beckett return from the DL?

This is clearly the most pressing issue facing Boston right now. Beckett was and still is the ace of the pitching staff, despite the fact that he certainly has not pitched up to his standards in 2008. Perhaps it was all the BBQ and beer he consumed in the offseason, but Beckett hasn’t been right all year. And 11-9 with a 4.35 ERA is awful unless you’re one of the Paul Byrds of the world. But the bottom line is Beckett will be the key to another World Series run. The Sox seem to control their own fate in terms of the Wildcard, and while the AL East crown isn’t out of grasp, the Wildcard isn’t as daunting a task. Expect to see Francona and Co. slowly bring Beckett back, because Boston will be better served pushing him deeper into games and on shorter rest come October. Fully healthy, only one potential playoff team has an ace that can match up with Beckett (John Lackey), and Boston will be in better shape if it sends Dice-K in game 2 and Lester in game 3. And if history tells us anything, Beckett will be asking for the ball in game 4. If he’s healthy enough to.

2. Can the bullpen get it to Papelbon with a lead?

Aside from K-Rod and possibly Joe Nathan and Mariano Rivera, Papelbon is the most dominate closer in the American League if not all of baseball. But what good is a closer if the bullpen can’t hold a lead. The most glaring error in my eyes at the trade deadline was Boston’s reluctance to make a move for relief help. Last year it was Delcarmen (7th) and Okajima (8th), but this year it’s been a revolving door and varied cast of characters. No one seems to want to step up and assume a key role in pressure situations. That being said, this could make things more difficult than expected for Boston to make the postseason. If they do, the starters will be forced to work deeper into games and could result in the Red Sox needing a 4th starter. Not good. Wakefield, Byrd, Bucholz, Colon, et al. simply won’t be acceptable in playoff baseball, and if Justin Masterson is thrust into the role, he may not be able to go further than five innings. That’s four innings out of your bullpen. Gross. Masterson could be the wildcard here, however. Right now he seems like the best option in the 7th inning and could potentially stretch it out to two if needed. But if Okajima can avoid giving up the longball then maybe, just maybe he’ll do, and Papelbon will get some key save opportunities. Either than or the Sox offense of ’03 and ’04 would be welcome.

3. Will Lester hold up?

120, 150, 180. That’s Lester’s total innings at the professional level over the past three season. And a hard fought battle with cancer mixed in there, as well. He hit 97 in the first inning with his fastball, so right now he’s not showing any signs of slowing down. The best thing for Sox will be to secure a playoff spot early and rest their rising star down the stretch so he’s fresh for the playoffs. Looking back on 2007, you can bet that Sabathia (241 IP) and Carmona (215 IP) were worn out in the ALDS and ALCS against New York and Boston. And it showed. Last year Boston had Beckett, Schilling and then Dice-K, and over the course of the regular season, Lester has made Sox fans forget Schilling with ease. But if he and/or Beckett aren’t at full steam down the stretch, Schilling’s grittiness and determination when it mattered will be sorely missed.

4. Can Lowell (oblique) and Drew (back) return to the lineup?

As well as Youkilis, Lowrie and Jeff Bailey have done in Lowell’s absence, the regular third baseman will be welcomed back with open arms. Sean Casey is now on the DL, and “the Mayor” had been a tremendous addition to the clubhouse and lineup on a part-time basis. Can guys like Youk and Pedroia keep up this torrid pace of hitting? Maybe, but even so a veteran presence like Lowell is key in a postseason race. Picture this lineup: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz, Lowell, Youkilis, Drew (if healthy), Bay, Varitek and Lowrie. That’s pretty ridiculous.

5. Is Lowrie your shortstop for the rest of 2008?

Absolutely. For the rest of 2008, and into 2009 and beyond. Julio Lugo should just mail it in and the Sox should just bite the bullet on this one. Do this city a favor. That was another classic misread by Theo and I say the organization just buy out his contract and send him on his way. Lowrie drove in more runs in the month of August than Lugo did all season. And he has more homeruns…with two. Not only that, but Lowrie has been an on-base machine and can hit almost anywhere in that lineup because of just that. Showing improved defensive skills, he hasn’t been a liability in the field skeptics thought he’d be and has made all the routine plays. Can’t ask for much more out of the young kid.

6. Will Clay Bucholz pitch again at the major league level in 2008?

I hope not. Not to say he’ll be another Bud Smith of sorts, but Bucholz isn’t showing an impressive arsenal of stuff. In fact, my brother’s little league team banged him around the park for six runs over the first two innings in a game that ended in the mercy rule just last week. Not only does his stuff suck, but his attitude and demeanor are brutal too. I think we see more of Michael Bowden down the stretch than we do Bucholz. And I’m not sure we’ll see a whole lot of Bowden either. In fact I think we’ll see more of Keefe and I down the stretch than we do Bucholz. If I have my way, he’ll be starting 2009 in Portland.

7. How many no-name Nancies will we have to watch in September?

It’s already begun in tonight’s game against Baltimore. Jonathan Van Every? David Ross? Craig Smith? It’s nights like these I’m glad I can’t afford tickets to Fenway anymore. Not that the fans even notice as Boston will continue to sell out for the next hundred years. Which leads me to…

8. Should Boston’s attendance record even be compared with Cleveland’s?

Let’s be honest here: the only reason the Red Sox are poised to break this record is because all it takes is a few players’ wives and other family members to show up in order to call it a sell out. It’s the smallest park in baseball and while they continue to announce sell out attendances over 37,000, it’s because they keep jamming more seats in between seats and there are probably a couple thousand idiots dumb enough to stand for nine innings. The whole thing is over played and can’t hold a candle to the Jacobs (now Progressive) Field streak back in the 90’s when Manny was just a 7-hole hitter for that Indians ball club.

9. Pedroia for MVP?

Yea, the same guy people wanted out of the lineup and back in Pawtucket back in April of last year. He should be the front runner right now. Both Josh Hamilton and the Rangers have seen a significant drop off, and no every day players on the Angels or Rays have numbers that jump out at you. Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye make solid cases over in Chicago, but they could easily steal votes from each other although Quentin is probably the team MVP.

Look at Pedroia’s numbers: .330/16/75 with a .376 OBP and .872 OPS…for a 2nd baseman! He leads the league in average, hits, runs scored, multi-hit games and is third in doubles. And he’s tossed in 17 steals while playing a phenomenal 2nd base. The injury to Ian Kinsler strengthens his case because it now makes him the league’s most productive 2nd baseman. And he’s done all this with the departure of Manny Ramirez and significant injuries to Mike Lowell, JD Drew and David Ortiz. Even Youkilis has been falling ill as of late and seen limited action. After hitting .260 in the month of May, Pedroia hit .356 in June, .350 in July and then a stout .374 in August to go with his six homers and 20 RBI. Pretty good resume, and as much as I dislike him as a person, I have to admit he’s been the most valuable player to an AL team this season. Barring a strong final month by the likes of Quentin, Dye or dare I say, K-Rod, Pedroia should be the odds on favorite down the stretch.

What are your thoughts on these issues heading into the final month of play? Send us any others I may have overlooked and enjoy the final sprint to October.

-Bess

Heisman Update (Week 1)

Throughout the college football season I will monitor my “Big 8” Heisman picks with some stats and analysis from each week. Let’s cut the small talk and see how they did. (Note: Maclin and Wells both left their respective games with injury, but should be back.)

Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
13-21, 275 yards, 2 TD in 45-21 Win over Georgia Southern

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
234 total yards, TD, (99 yard KR TD) in 52-42 Win over #20 Illinois

Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
13 rush, 111 yards, TD in 43-0 Win over Youngstown State

Pat White, QB, West Virginia
25-33, 208 yards, 5 TD, INT, 9 rush, 63 yards in 48-21 Win over Villanova

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georiga
8 rush, 59 yards, 3 TD, 2 receptions, 56 yards in 45-21 Win over Georgia Southern

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
9 receptions, 73 yards, TD in 49-24 Win over Eastern Washington

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
9-14, 137, TD, 9 rush, 37 yards in 56-10 Win over Hawaii

Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech
43-58, 536 yards, 2 TD, INT, rush TD in 49-24 Win over Eastern Washington


-Keefe