College Basketball Weekly Preview – December 28- January 3

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Now on to this week’s preview of college basketball.

Last Week

Last week I correctly predicted both of the games I previewed.  Texas handled a tough Michigan State team, and West Virginia won once again to keep their record perfect.  There was some shakeup in my Top 25, but overall it was fairly accurate.

In other news from last week, Kentucky became the first college basketball program in history to reach 2,000 wins.

My Top 25

Here is my Top 25 for this week:

1. Texas- The Longhorns showed once again that they are the real deal.  Texas defeated Michigan State, and have now beat two Top 10 teams this year.  They have proved themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

2. Kansas- Yes, Kansas is still undefeated and they are a very powerful team.  But until they play someone in the Top 25, they won’t be #1 in my book.

3. Kentucky- John Wall is electric, and their weaknesses are getting lesser as the season goes on.  The Wildcats are a Final Four contender for sure.

4.- Syracuse-  The Orange have been fantastic this year.  Wins against several ranked teams and an undefeated record put Syracuse in the Top 5 in almost any poll.

5. West Virginia- The Mountaineers are a surprise this season.  They remained undefeated with a win over Ole Miss this week, which gave me the nudge to put them in the Top 5 this week.

6- Duke

7- Purdue

8- Villanova

9- UConn

10- Michigan State

11- UNC

12- Kansas State

13. Georgetown

14- Tennessee

15- Mississippi

16- Dayton

17- New Mexico

18- Clemson

19- Texas A&M

20- Temple

21- UAB

22- Wisconsin

23- Gonzaga

24- Florida State

25- Georgia Tech

Big Matchups

West Virginia vs. Purdue (January 1 2:30 pm)

This looks to be a matchup between two undefeated, Top 10 teams.  Both teams can earn some national respect.  Whomever wins this game will most definitely be in the Top 5 next week in all polls.  Devin Ebanks is an electric player, and I look for him to have a great game.  I’m picking the Mountaineers to win this contest.

Louisville vs. Kentucky (January 2 3:00pm)

This has been a much-hyped game.  Rick Pitino will face his old team, and this is a big rivalry in the state of Kentucky.  However, I don’t think this one will even be close.  I think the Wildcats will blow out the Cardinals.  I’m talking double-digits.

Clemson vs. Duke (January 3 7:45 pm)

This is the biggest ACC opener.  The game features two Top 25 teams who have the strength to win the ACC, in my opinion.  I’m picking Duke to win this game, and I expect a great game from Blue Devils PG Jon Scheyer, who is red hot at the moment.

Have a Happy New Year!

Posted by Ben

NBA Christmas

Christmas is only a day away and along with celebrating the holiday comes some high-profile NBA games. The term “big game” is relative, but here are the two “big games” that I recommend watching.

Boston at Orlando (2:30, ABC)

When these two Eastern Conference powers go head-to-head it could turn into an instant classic. Both teams are first in their respective divisions with 22 wins apiece and rank 1-2 in the Eastern Conference. Expect Orlando to keep firing away from the 3-point line as they take the most shots from beyond the arc in the league at 28.1 a game. Boston holds their opponents to 92 points per game on average which ranks first in the NBA. These two teams have differences in their respective styles of playing, but it should be a close one. I’ll take Orlando – even though Boston has won 9 of their last 10 – by a slim margin of victory.

Cleveland at Los Angeles (5pm, ABC)

Two of NBA’s superstars will share the stage in this East-West matchup. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are without question two of the league’s best players; however, a more important individual matchup will take place on the blocks. Last year the Lakers won both of their games against the Cavaliers with the main reason being Pau Gasol. Gasol averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds in those two games; more than Kobe or LeBron. This year the Cavaliers have former Laker Shaquille O’Neal who should help in neutralizing Gasol to an extent even though (at this point in Shaq’s career) Gasol is definitely more skilled. This should be an interesting game to watch as both teams lead their respective divisions and have at least 22 wins apiece. I’ll pick the Lakers to win by more than expected.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Posted by Tom

Favre Needs Break, Should be Benched

Tensions are high with the Minnesota Vikings this week, after a “heated discussion” between quarterback Brett Favre and coach Brad Childress.

If you don’t already know what happened, I’ll fill you in. It all started with a conversation on the Vikings sideline Sunday. Brad Childress was looking to bench Favre in the game against the Panthers on Sunday, while the Vikings were up 7-6. Brett Favre adamantly disagreed, and went on to play the rest of the game. Minnesota was eventually beaten 26-7, as the Carolina Panthers scored 20 unanswered points in the 4^th quarter. Favre also threw an interception in the final minutes of the game.

Now the debate has begun on whether Brett Favre should be benched for the rest of the regular season.

I believe he should be benched. Brett Favre has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in the last few games, signaling that he needs to take a break before the playoff run that the Vikings may make.

The Vikings don‘t want to make the same mistake that the Jets made last year. Favre was outstanding for most of last season as quarterback of the Jets, but his level of play trailed off at the end. The Jets were in playoff contention all year, but failed to make them. The Vikings certainly don’t want the same thing to happen to them.

Also, it’s not as if their backup isn’t a good quarterback. Their 2^nd stringer is Tavaris Jackson, a former NFL starter (and would have started this year if not for Favre). The Vikings would still have a great leader at the helm of the offense, and would still have a great chance of winning out.

Minnesota has already clinched a playoff spot, so why not give your starting QB a rest?

Benching Favre would be a great decision by Brad Childress.

Posted by Ben

MLB Trade

A recent trade between the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees has brought much discussion about the Yankee’s pitching. The key players in the trade were Javier Vazquez and Melky Cabrera. Vazquez, a starting pitcher, placed fourth in the NL Cy Young voting in 2009. Cabrera was New York’s starting center field for most of the past three years and had 13 home runs and 68 RBIs in 2009. New York will add another great pitcher to their starting rotation which will include CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettite, and most likely Joba Chamberlain. Every one of these pitchers are tough and will make it hard for opponents to put runs on the board. Atlanta will improve their outfielders bats as Cabrera should be a starter from day one. Even thought the Braves had a surplus of starting pitching, it was interesting that they dealt Vazquez, who had a high number of strikeouts and pitched a good deal of innings. The Yankees have already added Granderson which will more than make up for the loss of Cabrera; however, as of right now, if any outfielder gets injured, there isn’t much depth on the bench. Now that Hideki Matsui has signed with the Los Angeles Angels and Johnny Damon appears to be moving on, the #1 backup is Brett Gardner. With all this said, there is still a lot of time left in the offseason for teams to get their roster ready for opening day.

Posted by Tom

College Basketball Weekly Preview – December 21-27

First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone! Thanks for reading our blog. To get updates on new posts and updates, follow us on Twitter at ben_clayandclay and tom_clayandclay. I hope that all of you have a great Christmas season.

This is my second installment of the College Basketball Weekly Preview. This week brings some interesting matchups, and some challenges to undefeated teams. Without going any further, here is my preview for this week.

My Predictions from Last Week

I am happy to say that I predicted two correct outcomes from the big games I wrote about last week. Duke beat Gonzaga 76-41, and Texas beat UNC 103-90. Both of these games had a much larger margin of victory than anyone expected though. Gonzaga could never get going offensively, and Texas’ depth held the Tarheels at bay.

My Top 15 proved pretty accurate from last week. I have decided to go with the standard from now on, however, and write a Top 25. Now on to my previews and predictions for next week.

My Top 25

Like I said earlier, I am extending my top-ranked teams to a Top 25. This is the standard across the sports writing world, so it makes sense to do it. Here are my 25 best teams in the country:

1. Texas- I might get a bad wrap for this, but there are a lot of reasons to put Texas at #1. First of all, they passed a major test, beating Top 10 team North Carolina. This undefeated team has now been tested, unlike the Kansas Jayhawks.

2. Kansas- Like I said earlier, Kansas loses the #1 ranking in my eyes because of their dreadfully easy schedule. Once they beat a decent Top 25 team, they will be given the # 1 ranking again.

3. Kentucky- The Wildcats can only get better. Freshmen John Wall, Patrick Patterson, and DeMarcus Cousins are all spectacular. Kentucky will go very far this season.

4. Syracuse- The Orange are still undefeated, and deserve to be in the Top 5 with the schedule they’ve played.

5. Purdue- The Boilermakers are still undefeated, and will be the frontrunner for the Big 10, which is a very tough conference this year.

6. Duke

7. West Virginia

8. Villanova

9. Michigan State

10. UConn

11. UNC

12. Mississippi

13. Kansas State

14. New Mexico

15. Texas A&M

16. Georgetown

17. Dayton

18. Florida
19. St. Johns

20. Clemson

21. Butler

22. Temple

23. Ohio State

24. Florida State

25. Georgia Tech

Big Matchups

Michigan State vs. Texas (Tuesday 7:00 pm)

The Longhorns will get tested once again as the play #9 Michigan State this Tuesday. The Spartans have proved to be a small disappointment in the early season, but they seem to be on track and could give Texas a run for their money. However, I don’t think Michigan State has it in them to win this game. Texas’ stunning depth will hold the Spartans at bay. Look for the Longhorns to win this game in the second half.

Mississippi vs. West Virginia (Wednesday 7:30 pm)

Both teams can make a statement in this game. The undefeated Mountaineers could get another win against a ranked team, and Mississippi could get some more national respect. While Mississippi is a good basketball team, I think West Virginia will be a national powerhouse, and they will win this game fairly comfortably.

Notes

–I found it difficult to pick my teams for the Top 10. So many teams were upset that were from 6-10 the week before. Florida, Georgetown, and many others were beaten.

–Texas looks like the real deal. I really believe they may be a better team than the Kansas Jayhawks. Their depth is a huge weapon. They can practically put anyone off the bench on the floor, and they will be productive. UNC learned that lesson at Cowboys Stadium last Saturday

–Florida State makes the debut in my poll and in many others with an impressive overtime win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Other new coming teams are Temple and St. Johns.

–Kentucky is on the verge of its 2,000^th win. They could get it easily with a win against Drexel this week.

Posted by Ben

NFL Week 15

With the arrival of Week 15 in the NFL comes my weekly post of the games to watch – here they are:

Dallas at New Orleans (Saturday, 8:20pm)

New Orleans remains undefeated at 13-0 while Dallas has dropped their last two games and are sitting 2nd in the NFC East at 8-5. Dallas hasn’t played well in December for quite a while as the last season they had a winning record in the 12th month was in 1996. The Saints have won five straight against Dallas – all in December – and could clinch home-field advantage with a win tomorrow night. The featured players will likely be starting quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tony Romo. Both teams rely on their passing game more than the average team and the defenses feed off getting a early lead and trying to hold it. Will New Orleans be able to stay undefeated? Or will Dallas break out of their December slump?

Green Bay at Pittsburgh (Sunday, 4:15pm)

The Steelers are coming in on an unbelievable 5 game losing streak in which they have lost to teams such as the Chiefs, Raiders, and the Browns. To make the playoffs they will have to win out and hope that some of the other potential wild-card teams will struggle. On the other hand, the Packers are one of the hottest teams in the league having won 5 in a row and will clinch a playoff berth with a win. Green Bay’s defense has played great lately and has 9 interceptions over the last 3 games. Pittsburgh will have to do a better job protecting their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who has been sacked 38 times this season. With snow being forecasted expect more runs and shorter pass attempts in Pittsburgh.

Miami at Tennessee (Sunday, 1pm)

Both teams are in the hunt for a playoff spot, but a loss will make it tough for both teams, especially Tennessee. Running backs Chris Johnson and Ricky Williams will be the matchup to watch as both already have at least 10 touchdowns and 975 yards on the ground. Young quarterbacks Chad Henne and Vince Young have a tough assignment as both teams playoffs hopes could either be strengthened or crushed after this game is decided.

If you haven’t already, you can subscribe to our blog via email by clicking on the “Sign me up” button on the right. Have a great weekend!

Posted by Tom

Big 10 Looking Towards Expansion

The Big 10 is looking to add another team to the conference. The conference, who, by the way, has eleven teams, has considered expansion many times over the years, including in 2000 and 1993.

The last team to join was Penn. State, which has been quite a successful addition for the Big 10.

The most likely reason for expansion is to create a conference championship game in football. The conference is looking to follow in the footsteps of the SEC, ACC, and Big 12. In theory, there would be 2 divisions with 6 teams apiece, and a championship game at the end of the year. This is the model of the previously mentioned conferences.

Although the Big 10 has stated they are looking at expansion plans, conference officials have stated that an official decision will not be made for at least 12 to 18 months.

A common rumor is that the expansion plan is another shot at luring Notre Dame into joining the league. The Fighting Irish, a football independent, has a very lucrative television contract and would make quite a bit of money for the league. Most sports teams from Notre Dame compete in the Big East. The Catholic university has rejected a previous offer.

Other schools that may be pursued are the University of Missouri, Syracuse, and several other teams from the Big East.

My pick, if Notre Dame rejects an offer, is Nebraska. This will most likely not happen, but it would be a good fit for both the Big 10 and the Cornhuskers. Nebraska would be an instant football power, and they would get more publicity if they leave the Big 12, where they are often lost among the other football powerhouses of the conference.

On a lighter note, talk has began if the conference would change the name from the Big 10 should expansion occur. The “Other Big 12” and other humorous names have been tossed around on online message boards.

I believe that the expansion of the Big 12 is a good idea, and it would be very profitable for the conference. We will have to see how the expansion pursuit unfolds.

Posted by Ben

Roy Halladay to the Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies finally got Roy Halladay today in a three-team trade that included nine players. The Phillies gave up Cliff Lee and three minor leaguers for Halladay and also got $6 million from Toronto. Toronto shipped Michael Taylor, one of their newly acquired minor leaguers, to the Oakland Athletics for third baseman Brett Wallace. Cliff Lee was traded to Seattle for three prospects. It isn’t really clear who went for who in the Seattle trade as details are still being released, but we do know that the Phillies and Mariners improved their starting pitching. Halladay and Lee will both become the #1 starters on their respective teams and be expected to compete for the Cy Young. In giving up Lee the Phillies lost their best postseason pitcher from last year; Philly fans are hoping that Cole Hamels will improve from last year and pitch like he did when he won the 2008 World Series MVP. The Mariners now have two star pitchers, Lee and Felix Hernandez, that should limit opposing team’s runs scored and not put pressure on their offense to score a lot of runs.

Posted by Tom

College Basketball Weekly Preview – December 14-20

This week I will begin a new series of articles. Every Monday I will preview the week of college basketball games. The previews will include a top 15, my picks for the biggest games of the week, and so on.

Here is the preview for the week of December 14-20:

My Top 15

1. Kansas

2. Kentucky

3. Texas

4. Syracuse

5. Purdue

6. West Virginia

7. Tennessee

8. Duke

9. Florida

10. UNC

11. Georgetown

12. Michigan State

13. UConn

14. Georgia Tech

15. Texas Tech

The Biggest Games

This weeks does not bring a lot of big games to the table. It’s around exam times, so there aren’t as many games, let alone any games between ranked opponents. But here are a few that stand out from the rest:

Gonzaga at Duke (Saturday 4:00 pm)

This match-up between two highly ranked teams will be one of the first big games for Duke. Gonzaga has a few losses on its record, but it has some great wins. The Bulldogs are a great mid-major, and they may give the Blue Devils some problems. However, Duke looks strong as well. Freshman Mason Plumlee has stated that he is now 100% after coming off of a wrist injury. Couple that with Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, and Nolan Smith, and I think Duke will get the win here.

UNC vs. Texas (Texas Stadium 2:00 pm)

These two Top 10 teams will battle in the new, huge Texas Stadium. Both of these team have huge tournament aspirations. This game is just yet another test of the young Tarheel team, who has arguably the toughest schedule in the country. Texas is Top 5 nationally, and I believe they can challenge the Kansas Jayhawks for the Big 12 title. This will be a close game. I’m picking Texas to get the win, but this game could easily go the other way. If UNC holds down their turnovers, they have a great chance. However, if they let the turnovers rack up, and they play sloppily, the Longhorns will easily win this contest.

Notes

–At first, Butler started the season rough, with two losses. But they rebounded easily with a win against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Had they lost to OSU, they would have most likely had zero wins against ranked teams. This certainly helps the Bulldogs’ chances at making the post-season.

–Talk has began to circulate about expanding the NCAA Tournament. Many have called for a varying number of added teams. Some have even suggested that the tournament be doubled in size. I believe that the tournament is fine as it is. Every team that deserves a birth, in my opinion, does. The best tournament in all of postseason sports doesn’t need any changes. Leave it be.

Starting next week, I will start a recap of the previous week. I will see how my Top 15 fared, how the big games turned out, and so on. Keep checking back every Monday for your NCAA college basketball preview.

Posted by Ben

Kelly’s the Man

What many people (including me) said would happen, did yesterday.

Cincinatti coach Brian Kelly was named the new Notre Dame head coach.  He made the announcement to his team during a private banquet.

He has said that he will not be coaching the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl, against Florida.

Many Cincinatti players are upset over the decision.  Many claimed that Kelly said he was staying at Cincinatti, and they felt like there was a great deal of lying in the whole situation.  We will have to see what becomes of that whole situation.

Kelly has been very successful in his coaching career, most notably with an undefeated regular season this year.  The unbeaten record earned the Bearcats the BCS bowl bid.  He is known for bringing programs from mediocrity to greatness, which is what Notre Dame needs right now.

Best of luck to the Fighting Irish and Brian Kelly

Posted by Ben