College Football Picks: Week 11

I was feeling a little under the weather, so I didn't get my picks in before the Louisville/Rutgers game, but suffice to say that was an excellent one. Rutgers for the Title? If they beat West Virginia on December 2nd, I have to think they at least get some consideration. Anyway, on to the 5 biggest games this weekend, with just a quick word so I can continue with the college basketball previews.

South Carolina @ (6) Florida
Steve Spurrier's return to the Swamp... too much Chris Leak, too much Gator defense. FLORIDA 27-14.

Georgia @ (5) Auburn
Georgia's not the same team it's been in the past few years... a national title berth is not out of the question for Auburn if they win out. AUBURN 23-10.

Nebraska @ (24) Texas A&M
Big conference game. Nebraska is playing to clinch their division title, but the Aggies are playing better and are at home. TEXAS A&M 26-24.

(21) Oregon @ (7) USC
This is new territory for USC, with one loss on their resume. Still, they've got a solid defense and one of the most explosive and balanced offenses in the nation. USC 38-28.

(13) Tennessee @ (11) Arkansas
I really think the Razorbacks are one of the most underrated teams... Jones & McFadden are dynamite in the backfield, and that defense is tough. ARKANSAS 17-13.

Last Week: 3-2
Season: 34-16

College Basketball Preview: Big East

This conference may not have the star power it had last year, but it's still extremely deep and extremely talented. And with all the varying styles from these 16 teams, should be a lot of fun to watch.

Player of the Year: After the departure of a lot of good players, this race is pretty open. The frontrunner is probably Aaron Gray, the big man for Pittsburgh. He gave serious thought about declaring for the draft before returning for his senior year, and Pitt reaps all the benefits. He's about a 20-10 guy, which is real rare in college basketball. He's also solid defensively and a good passer down low. Next there are a couple of big men from Georgetown. Roy Hibbert is huge at 7'3'', and can be a great scorer down low. However, Jeff Green is the more complete player. He can score down low, take his game outside a little more, and is one of the top passing big men in the country. But there's more to the conference than just big men. Dominic James was the Freshman of the Year for Marquette last year, and should be even better this year with a bigger role. He's lightning quick off the dribble, which allows him to consistently get by his man and finish strong at the basket.

There are also some darkhorses for Player of the Year. One is Curtis Sumpter of Villanova. Coming off of major knee injuries, he will be a candidate if he can stay healthy. He's very skilled for his size, and can play inside or hit the outside shot. If he had been healthy last year, Jay Wright's squad may have been the ones cutting down the nets. Another, bigger darkhorse is Juan Palacios of Louisville, a guy I really like. He's got great versatility offensively, and should see his stature rise on a Louisville team that will be improved this year. But in the end, I'm a sucker for the little man, and I think Dominic James will be the best player in the conference, and the Big East Player of the Year.

Freshmen to Watch: The guy that everyone seems to be most high on is Paul Harris of Syracuse. Jim Boeheim's been relentless in his praise of Harris, even saying that Cuse will run some man-to-man this year because of Harris' defensive prowess.. Harris is very versatile, very good defensively, and should contribute immediately to a deep Syracuse squad. Connecticut lost a lot of talent this offseason, but don't feel sorry for them, as they've got freshmen that can step in immediately. First is 7'3'' Hasheem Thabeet, a defensive force down low. There's also Jerome Dyson, who could be the Day 1 starter at SG for the Huskies. Elsewhere, Scottie Reynolds should help in some way offset the loss of the 3 guards for Villanova, and Derrick Caracter can be a nice weapon inside for Louisville if he can stay out of trouble.

Breakout Players: First, let's start with the big guys. Jeff Adrien didn't get to play a ton last year for that deep Connecticut team, but he made the most of it when he did. He's a tough inside scorer, and a good rebounder for his size. Only a sophomore, he's the leader of UConn. If DePaul is going to make it to the Tourney, they will need solid play from sophomore Wilson Chandler, who's a rock down low.

But while the biggest stars play in the post, a lot of the emerging threats are guards. AJ Price has missed the last 2 years for UConn for various reasons, but with Marcus Williams gone, the PG spot is all his. For the Orange, Eric Devendorf started as a freshman, and showed he's got the attitude to be a star in the Big East. He'll be more of a scoring threat this year with G-Mac gone, and should excel in that role. For Villanova, Mike Nardi had to take a backseat to Foye, Allen, and Lowry last year, but he'll have a bigger job as playmaker in addition to his outside shooting. And finally, now that Carl Krauser is gone, that should put LeVance Fields in the starting role. He was very good off the bench last year, and as a sophomore he'll be a very capable starter.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Pittsburgh
2. Syracuse
3. Marquette
4. Georgetown
5. Connecticut
6. Villanova
7. Louisville
8. DePaul
9. West Virginia
10. St. John's
11. Notre Dame
12. Providence
13. Cincinnati
14. Rutgers
15. Seton Hall
16. South Florida

College Basketball Preview: Big 10

As we return to the college basketball previews, it's time for the Big 12, the new home of Greg Oden (for at least a year).

Player of the Year: This list has to start with Alando Tucker from Wisconsin. The returning senior averaged nearly 20 points per game last year, and can do it all offensively. He can hit the outside shot, and at 6'6'', he can go inside and post up smaller players. He's very versatile and experienced which makes him the frontrunner for what will be a very good Wisconsin squad. Continuing with the senior theme is Adam Haluska from Iowa. One of the main holdovers from last year's tournament squad, Haluska will be a leader for the Hawkeyes with his outside shooting and toughness.

Kelvin Sampson's biggest move this offseason was to convince DJ White to stay with the Hoosiers rather than transfer to UAB. If he can stay healthy, he's a real good looking player for the Hoosiers. Then there is the Buckeyes... Greg Oden is the guy that everyone talks about, and he has a chance if he plays up to his potential after he returns from injury, but don't overlook Jamar Butler. He was the leader and PG last year, and has the talent and leadership to be the Buckeyes best player this year. But in the end, it's all about Alando Tucker... too good, and playing for the team that I think will win the Big 10.

Freshmen to Watch: There's this guy named Greg Oden that's supposed to be pretty good... #1 prospect in the country, probable #1 pick in the NBA Draft assuming he comes out after this year. So Ohio St. has that going for them, which is nice. Here's what else they have going for them- Daequan Cook and Mike Conley. Both should contribute this year, and Cook may even start. For Michigan St., wing player Raymar Morgan and Isaiah Dahlman should have a chance to contribute right away after the Spartans lost their top 3 scorers from last season.

Breakout Players: Let's start at the top with the Badgers and big man Brian Butch. He was very highly touted, and while he has played decently well in his first couple of years, he's been a mild disappointment. But he should excel this year, with all the talent around and and the experience to go along with his talent. For Indiana, Earl Calloway should be studly at PG. In the NCAA Tournament loss against Gonzaga he nearly had a triple double (13 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds). He should be a leader in the backcourt. The Illini lost their leader Dee Brown, but Brian Randle should grow and become their best player this year. The Spartans lost their top 3 scorers as mentioned, but Drew Neitzel returns and should become one of the best players in the Big 10. He's a good passer, ballhandler, and shooter, which is something he'll be called on to do more of. Lastly, the Gophers don't have a lot of hope this year, but if they're going to have success it must come from Spencer Tollackson. The big man has the ability, he just has to remain consistent.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Wisconsin
2. Indiana
3. Ohio St.
4. Illinois
5. Michigan
6. Michigan St.
7. Penn St.
8. Iowa
9. Purdue
10. Minnesota
11. Northwestern

I should also mention that if you want and need more in-depth coverage of the Big Ten, Big Ten Wonk is a great, great site. All the Big Ten writing you'll ever need right there.

Links and such

I'm all about giving here, which is why I'll give you some links that I enjoyed in the hopes that you too may enjoy them. Well, that and I had to write a paper that I just finished, and don't have time right now to continue my college basketball previews. But that's a secret for just you and I, so rest assured those will start back up tomorrow.

Anyway, enough inane rambling. Here's what you should check out:

- Pretty cool new project I have a small part of and you should all check out (if you know what's good for you)... The Water Cooler Online.

- Deadspin has all of your Harold Reynolds news. And frankly, if I could sue ESPN for turning to crap the past couple of years, I'd consider it.

- It's ok Insomniac, 1 out of 4 ain't bad. It's not like my football picks were any better.

- I'm pretty sure Raja Bell's site is the worst on the internet. As always, YAYSports is on top of things. (have I mentioned before how much I love YAYsports! NBA? Because I do)

- WBRS reports that the Notre Dame game won't be on national TV this week... poor poor Irish fans.

- Jeff Brantley won't be on ESPN next year... who do I write the check to for making this possible?

- The Philadelphia 76ers are 3-0... there's a long ways to go, but what a great start. Guess Iverson isn't wearing down quite yet.

- If you still haven't read it, my Big 12 Preview... if you have read it alread, go play outside before it gets too cold.

College Basketball Preview: Big 12

We started things off with the ACC Preview, now it's time to move on to the next major conference, the Big 12, a conference that had an influx of solid coaches (more on that later) which will only help the league in the long run.

Player of the Year: Loads of candidates here, but we have to start at the top, and that is the Kansas Jayhawks, who have a couple of candidates. First is Brandon Rush, who shot nearly 50% from downtown last year, is athletic, and rebounds well. As a freshman he averaged 13.5 PPG and about 6 rebounds per contest. His teammate Julian Wright is equally skilled. At 6'8'' he causes matchup problems, can get to the hoop, finish, and find the open man. Just has all the skills you'd want in a wing man.

Moving away from Kansas, there are still a lot of great candidates. From up-and-comer Texas A&M there is guard Acie Law and post Joseph Jones. Law is solid on both ends of the floor and is a very good outside shooter. Jones flirted with going to the draft before deciding to return to school. These guys are a big reason why there is lots of excitement in Aggie-Land this year. Elsewhere in Texas, Jarrious Jackson returns for his senior year at Texas Tech. He's seemingly been in Lubbock forever (at least to me), and will be a leader for TT. He's very quick and herky-jerky off the dribble, has a great floater in the lane, and keeps the defender honest with a nice outside jumper. Other candidates include JamesOn Curry of Oklahoma St. (was it really only two years ago he was on the team with John Lucas, Joey Graham, Ivan McFarlin, & Co. making a run in the Tourney?), Richard Roby of Colorado, and maybe even Kevin Durant of Texas.

But then it comes down to it, I think Brandon Rush is the best player in the Big 12. Combine that with him being on what should be an excellent team, and that equals up to him being my preseason Big 12 Player of the Year.

Freshmen to Watch: Judging from all of the scouting reports, this list starts with Kevin Durant of Texas. He is one of the top 2 incoming freshmen in the nation (along with Greg Oden), and should have immediate impact for the Longhorns. He's athletic, finishes at the rim, and can shoot from outside. This will likely be his only season in Austin. Also for the Longhorns is DJ Augustine in the backcourt, who will also get big minutes from Day 1. Kansas returns lots of guys, but they've also got talent coming in, with players like Darrell Arthur and Sherron Collins. At the very least, they will push the incumbent starters for playing time and could supplant them in the lineup at some point. For new coach Bob Huggins at Kansas St., the 7'3'' BIG man Jason Bennett will be counted on early, as will JUCO Transfer (close enough) SG Blake Young.

Breakout Players: One candidate is Curtis Jerrells from Baylor, a guy many may not know but is a real nice looking player. Baylor looks to be much improved this year, and Jerrells is at the heart of that. Then there is Martin Zeno from Texas Tech. He was very good as a freshman, but struggled a little bit last year according to Bobby Knight. Still, I like this lefty's game, and he can score in a variety of ways as a #2 option to Jarrious Jackson. Iowa St. lost a lot of guys, but Rahshon Clark will be back, and should emerge for the Cyclones in the absence of the two guards from last year. Last is AJ Abrams, one of the lone holdovers that was a big contributor for the Texas Longhorns last year. Only a sophomore, he will have to take on a big leadership role for Texas as well as handling the ball very often.

What else to Watch: I hinted at it earlier, but there are lots of new coaches in the Big 12. Most notably is Bob Huggins for Kansas St., but there are lots of intriguing questions surrounding the rest. Will Mike Anderson's up-and-down style from UAB work with Mizzou in the Big 12? Can Greg McDermott continue with the success he had in the MVC? Can Sean Sutton continue the work of Eddie Sutton? Can Jeff Capel continue the success of the past tournament runs Kelvin Sampson had (without the scandals)? All the more reasons that the Big 12 will be one of the more interesting conferences in the nation this year.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Kansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas
4. Kansas St.
5. Oklahoma St.
6. Texas Tech
7. Baylor
8. Oklahoma
9. Colorado
10. Iowa St.
11. Missouri
12. Nebraska

NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 9

Very busy weekend for me, so I'll just give my picks.

Green Bay (+3) over Buffalo

Tennessee (+9.5) over Jacksonville

New Orleans (-1) over Tampa Bay

Chicago (-13.5) over Miami

St. Louis (-2) over Kansas City

New York Giants (-13) over Houston

Dallas (-3) over Washington

Cincinnati (+3) over Baltimore

Detroit (+5) over Atlanta

San Francisco (+5) over Minnesota

Denver (+3) over Pittsburgh

San Diego (-12.5) over Cleveland

New England (-3) over Indianapolis

Oakland (+7) over Seattle

Last Week: 5-9
Season: 52-56-6

College Basketball Preview: ACC

Amazingly and thankfully, the NCAA Basketball season is approaching quickly, which is good because it's the sport I enjoy most. So like the my NBA previews right before this and College Football Preview, it's time to look at the major conference previews. No rest for the weary!

Player of the Year: For the most part, this is a league of skilled big men (and great freshmen, as we'll learn later). Any discussion here starts with Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, who might the favorite for National Player of the Year. He averaged 19 and 8 as a true freshman, and has just a great feel around the basket. Next in line is Jerad Dudley from Boston College. He's been great alongside Craig Smith, but now is his time to shine. He can play inside/outside, rebound well, and he's an excellent passer. Another skilled big man with a chance is Josh McRoberts of Duke. He flirted with the NBA before deciding to come back, and he's the best ballhandling big man in the country, and extremely athletic. And with Greg Paulus out to start the year, they'll need him to have a big impact early. Other candidates are Al Thornton of Florida St., Reyshawn Terry of North Carolina, and JR Reynolds of Virginia. However, when it comes down it, I don't think anyone will be able to beat out Tyler Hansbrough.

Freshmen to Watch: Well we have to start at North Carolina, where they grabbed what were considered the #1 HS prospects at PF, SG, and PG with Brandan Wright, Wayne Ellington, and Tywon Lawson respectively. All three should contribute in some way to an already young and talented Tar Heel squad. Not far behind UNC's class is Duke's, which features SF Gerald Henderson, SG Jon Scheyer, and late signee Lance Thomas. With the departures of Shelden and JJ, as well as the injury to Paulus, these guys will be looked on early as well. And the trifecta in the ACC as far as good freshmen go is Georgia Tech, led by Thaddeus Young. and Javaris Crittenton. Both were top 15 prospects, though Thaddeus Young is consensus top 10. At 6'8'', he can create shots for himself and should immediately be a very solid scorer.

Breakout Players: There are a couple of guys I really like off of Boston College. One is Tyrese Rice, who was the backup PG last year, but assumes the starting role with Louis Hinnant gone. Rice is a dyanmic scorer with a very quick release on his jumper. Next is Sean Williams, a beast of a man down low. He's exceptionally athletic, which makes him one of the best shot blockers in the conference. Here's something I wrote after the BC Sweet 16 game last year:

Human beings are just simply not supposed to do what Sean Williams did to block Kyle Lowry's shot at the end of regulation. He came from the other side of the lane to block that thing. One of the better blocks I've ever seen.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. North Carolina
2. Boston College
3. Duke
4. Georgia Tech
5. Maryland
6. Florida St.
7. Virginia
8. NC State
9. Wake Forest
10. Clemson
11. Virginia Tech
12. Miami