The Drubbing

Last week i was a little better, going 2-2 in my picks.  These playoffs are a joke.  Sure the “ratings” are the highest i 16 years, but all but 1 game has been a blow out and decided before the 2nd half.  I can’t remember a more boring set of playoff games in the NFL.  Also, did you know that all underdogs who have covered the spread, have won outright?  Thats unreal.  Off to the games:

Jets at Colts (-8.5)

That is an absurdly high line for, once again, a Colts team that does not blow teams out (thanks Ravens for laying a turd burger on me last week).  I think the Colts will win, but it will be close so i am taking the Jets and the points.  I hope this game ends in a tie and neither team can advance to the Super Bowl.

Vikings at Saints (-3.5)

Lets see, we have a defense that lives off big play turnovers, and a QB with the history of throwing it to the wrong colored team multiple times in big situations.  I am taking the Saints.  And i am hoping they continue on to win the SB, for the city’s first NFL Championship.

Alrighty,  whelp last week i proclaimed myself the Drubbing God of the week…this week i am the Goat of the week after going 0-4.  Those games were absurd.  3 blowouts and one overthrow in OT followed by a face mask fumble recovery for winning TD play.  Lets see if i can redeem myself this week.

Cards at Saints (-7)

The cards are an enigma.  They can beat anyone in the league or they can lose to anyone in the league.  It just depends on what Cards team shows up.  I think this will be a close game, or an Arizona win.  With that said, i am taking the points and the Cards.

Ravens at Colts (-6.5)

The Ravens absolutely destroyed my Patriots.  I can’t remember purposely not watching the 4th Quarter of a Patriots playoff game ever in my lifetime.  Well last weekend was the first time.  Now, will the Ravens suffer a let down after a huge win? Possibly.  But, the Colts do not blow teams out this year, they just don’t.  Because of that, i don’t think the Colts, if they win, will cover the spread.  Let’s go Ravens.

‘Boys at Vikings (-3)

God i wish neither team can win.  Romo or Favre, that is as close to my personal hell in choosing teams as it can get.  Outside of choosing Manning vs Manning in the Super Bowl.  If that happens my eyes may start bleeding.  Anywho, i think the Vikings can stuff the run with the wall of Williams and force the Cowboys to be one dimensional.  I got the Vikes covering the spread and winning fairly easily.  Yup, i am taking Favre to hopefully hand off the ball to the running backs 30-40 times.

Jets at Chargers (-7)

This is a tough one.  I think the Chargers will win, and god i hope they win, but its a bad, bad, match-up for them.  I am going to take the Jets (wincing) and the points as i believe it will be a low scoring affair.

American Needle is a small sports hat manufacturing company that you may have never heard of unless you’re a hat aficionado. But they are at the center of a Supreme Court case, pitted against the NFL, that has been building during 2009 and is set to kick off tomorrow. At the core of the argument is whether or not the NFL, a collection of individual teams, can act as a single entity. That is how the NFL signed their exclusive equipment and apparel deal with Reebok and that is how the NFL and Reebok have attempted to edge out American Needle from the lucrative apparel market.
Continue reading “The biggest sports story of 2009 that no one is talking about” →

Writing for The Drubbing has some perks.  On top of the mass amounts of fame, money and women, i also get to have the final say in the articles.  So, i am brandishing myself, Ryan Doyle, the Drubbing God of the week.

During the 2009-2010 NFL season i somehow transformed into the modern day Jimmy the Greek.  Let me explain.  I finished #1 in a group of people that picked every NFL game against the spread each week.  I finished with a 140-113 record against the spread, pretty unreal.  Imagine if gambling was legal and money was involved, i would have won quite a lot of money from the 20+ person pot.  I was on fire all year.  I finished picking the most game correct from my group only once the entire year (and even that one i tied with someone else), but i finished 2nd 6 weeks.  That my friends is a model of consistency.  I used a combination of first instincts and taking the points when the Colts and Steelers were favored (both teams grossly over valued all season long) and rode that all season long.

So with that said, here are my picks for the Wildcard weekend:
Continue reading “The Drubbing God of the week… Me” →

Pro Bowl linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lamar Woodley stated earlier this week,

“Cincinnati is probably going to go into New York and lay down for the Jets and not play them hard just because they’re not going to want to see Pittsburgh in it. All of them lay down,” Woodley said “No one wants to see Pittsburgh in it. That’s just how it is. Everybody knows we’re a dangerous team once we get into the playoffs, no matter how we played the whole year. Once we get into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a playoff team.”

Woodley is referring to the Bengals and Patriots, being the teams “laying down” this coming weekend as they have nothing to play for if they win/lose as each team has already locked up their division and a playoff birth.  Someone should tell Lamar that Cincinnati and New England took care of their schedule, won the games they needed to win, and because they played well have the option of trying to win the game, or resting their players.  Maybe instead of worrying about how the rest of the NFL is afraid of Pittsburgh, the Steelers should have won games against such powerhouses like Kansas City, Cleveland, Oakland and Chicago (a combined 18-42).  Last year the New England Patriots, without the league’s reigning MVP for most of the season, went 11-5 and DID NOT make the playoffs.  Not once did we hear a peep from their players (sure you heard a lot from me, but i am an annoying fan).

One more thing,

“Once we get into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a playoff team.”

I am pretty sure that any team that makes the playoffs, are indeed a playoff team, but i digress.  So Lamar, for accusing teams of being “afraid” of you instead of taking care of the NFL’s bottom dwellers, you get the Drubbing Ass Of the Week plaque.  Enjoy it while you sit on your couch in January watching football.

Win or Lose, i will disrespect your team with trash talking. Hey, at least i am a consistent.

Only Bart Scott can make Joey Porter look rationale and respectful.  With Bart’s latest interview after the Jet’s 2nd loss of the year to the Dolphins he responded with this gem:

“They’re a great team. They’ll probably contend for the Super Bowl. They have a tremendous offense, great running backs, a great quarterback, a great tight end. They are stacked across the board. I’m serious. They are great.

“Like I said, they have a great team. They have a tremendous offense and they showed it today. They are Super Bowl contenders and they will probably take it all the way.”

It may feel good to talk trash and win, but make sure you take the humble pie when you lose, Bart.  Talk trash after you lose, TWICE, showing it was not a fluke and just swallow your pride and act like a grown ass man (said in my best Mark Jackson imitation).  No buddy likes a sore loser, and right now i hate to say it (OK, i love saying it) the J-E-T-S team that came out like gangbusters is starting to sound and look a lot like a whiny, disrespectful, and more and more average football team.  My favorite part of the article is Dungy’s response:

“My mother used to say, ‘When you win, say very little. When you lose, say less. Bart Scott said too much today. When a team beats you twice, give them credit and go home…And I have to disagree with Rex Ryan, they didn’t outplay Miami. Miami’s got three-return touchdowns. That’s part of the game. They’ve got more points than you do.”

Maybe before the Jets hired Rex, they should have let him read-up on the rule book saying that Offense, Defense AND Special Teams are all a part of the game.  When the playoffs start in January, someone may have to tell Ryan, Bart and the Jets that as much as they think they outplayed teams, no one wants to listen to a team that did not make the post season.

So the poor man’s Grand Mama, Larry “Penn St” Johnson is complaining about his coach….shocker.  So 2 good years of running behind a VERY good offensive line that included William Roaf, Will Shields, and Tony Gonzalez gives you the ability to trash anyone? This is hardly the career of someone who should be listened to:

The only record LJ holds, is the career rushing attempts in a single season.  One would think this would be enough to shut up a player, but the TO of running backs apparently doesn’t think he gets the ball enough. He has clashed with Dick Vermeil in the past, and now Todd Haley is feeling the brunt of Larry’s rage.  There is no need to call anyone names, never mind your coach.  I mean British cigarettes are harmful and cause cancer if used for prolonged periods of times, not cool LJ, not cool.
Continue reading “Larry Johnson, the Drubbing ASS of the week” →

The NFL has some bad teams. I mean really bad. St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions to name a few. Teams so bad even their home-town fans don’t want to watch them. Watching the Atlanta Falcons stomp the San Francisco 49ers 45-10 is fun in the first half, if your a Falcons fan. But after that it gets boring, pathetic and embarrassing to watch.

Fortunately we can look to the European football leagues for a solution. Split the league up into two divisions by level of competition. [Note: NCAA football has a similar configuration, but until they get a playoff system in their premier league, they're not worthy of being a model for anyone else.] This can easily be accomplished and here’s how we do it.
Continue reading “What American football can learn from European football” →

First, I know I have been gone for awhile. Lets not dwell on it. Second, I have recently been asked by a nice lady friend to try and help her with an NFL picks pool. In pursuit of making this fair lady happy, I have actually done research and tried to pick well. So, I figured I would post those picks here. Their selections come out on Wednesday, and I am not even sure what lines they use. You have to pick every game with the spread and add a lock of the week and a point total for the Monday night game. Here goes (HOME TEAMS IN CAPS):

Continue reading “NFL Picks” →

It’s Sunday morning, you are waking up and stumbling to the TV to sober up and watch NFL football.  You prep the snacks, check the fridge for some beverages and throw on your favorite team’s jersey.  You fire up your laptop and check all your fantasy teams.  Yup, its your favorite day of the week.  Now, you turn on the tube and make a critical decision.  Which NFL pre-game show do you watch?  Which show will entertain you for the next hour and a half with updates, insight and entertainment?  Lucky for you i have broken down the shows:

CBS – James Brown, Boomer, Dan, Shannon and Coach Cowher.  Cowher, might as well have Steely McBeam giving opinions while eating a Rothlesberger sandwich and drinking an IC beer.  Getting an unbiased answer out of Cowher with regards to Pittsburgh is like asking Fox to analyze the Democratic party without slanting the facts, don’t hold your breath.  This show is only good for comedy.  Whether its watching Boomer take shots at Dan, or listening to Shannon try and talk there is always comedy.  However, that is all you get, comedy and no insight.  The occasional Charlie Casserole report is fairly interesting.  It’s like he only comes on to TV to show the Houston fans, “See i was right about not drafting Reggie Bush”.
Continue reading “Best NFL Pre-game show?” →