Music City Bowl Looks To Be A Toss Up

The Music City Bowl, which annually pits the ACC against the SEC, looks to be one of the toughest games to figure out in this bowl season.

I'm excited to say I will be attending this game on Thursday evening and I expect to see a game that could come down to the final possession.

With the game being played at LP Field, it should be predominantly loaded with Tennessee fans.

Here's arguments for both teams on why they will win:

Tennessee's argument

Tennessee could have very easily finished the season 7-5 if not for getting hosed by the refs in the LSU game.

This team has finally hit its stride, winning four in row to end the season. Tyler Bray has also given the Vols some stability at quarterback.

The game may be technically on neutral field, but let's get real here. This will basically be like a home game for the Vols.

North Carolina's argument

One thing that leans heavily in North Carolina's favor is the inexperience in their opponent. A lot of these Freshman and Sophomore on Tennessee may come out skidish to start the game.

The Tar Heels will need to jump on them early, much like they did against Florida State back on November 6th.

The biggest weapon for the Tar Heels is easily T.J. Yates at quarterback. You take out his four-interception game against Virginia Tech, and Yates would be considered a quarterback who rarely turns the ball over.

All season long this team has been playing with a chip on their shoulder after dealing with the multiple suspensions. This season probably should've ended in a better bowl game than the Music City Bowl, but it's still impressive that they even got this far with all they had to deal with as a team.

Final Verdict

In the end I see the inexperience of the Vols ( over 50 Freshmen) will hurt them in this game.

The pro-UT crowd will give the Vols a lift that will keep the game interesting all the way to the end. However, North Carolina will find a way to get the win late in the game.

Look for Yates to carry the Tar Heels to a slim victory over Derek Dooley and the Vols.

Final Score: North Carolina 27, Tennessee 24

NFC Takes Over the NFL Power Rankings

Heading into this season the AFC looked like the dominant conference, but the NFC has narrowed the gap with the emergence of the Falcons and the Eagles.

The Patriots (11-2) still hands down have the number-one spot in the rankings. They've made it look easy over the past few weeks.

In fact, the Patriots haven't scored less than 31 points during their current five-game winning streak.

Coming in a distant second is the Steelers (10-3). These guys will be tough to beat in the playoffs whether they win the AFC North or not.

That defense makes this team a contender for the Super Bowl no matter how they look doing it. If the NFL counted for style points then the Steelers wouldn't be as high, but it doesn't.

In third sits the Eagles (9-4). Now I know what you're thinking. How can you put the Eagles ahead of the Falcons, who are 11-2? For the simple fact that the Falcons don't have Michael Vick. This guy single handily makes the Eagles a playoff team. That defense isn't so bad either.

They also lost to Philly head-to-head in Week 6.

As for the Falcons, who come in fourth on the list, they're a product of their schedule in my opinion. I need more from them.

Six wins over the likes of Carolina, San Francisco, Arizona, Cincy, and Cleveland just doesn't make me a believer of them being any higher that No. 4.

With that said, they will be tough to beat at home.

Rounding out the top five list is the Saints (10-3). They've quietly won six in a row after looking like another ordinary NFC team early in the season.

I don't think a 10-3 defending Super Bowl champion has ever received this little of attention, but they're not getting talked about as much.

A huge showdown with the Falcons in Atlanta comes next week. That game is sandwiched between Baltimore and Tampa Bay, which will be no picnic.

Will found out real quick through these final three games if New Orleans is capable of defending their Super Bowl title.

With the dominating win for the Chargers over the Niners tonight, they are as close as you can get to getting in the Top 5.

I still have trouble putting a team in the top five who needs help from other teams to get in the playoffs. If not for their horrible special teams play, they might be No.1 on this list.

The Ravens join them in knocking on the door of the Top 5 after losing a tough game to Steelers the previous week. They'll most likely finish with one of the AFC wildcards.

Bottom Five

28. Detroit (3-10): This team has played tough football all year and they're so much better than the record. They could easily be 5-8 if not for a questionable call in Week 1, and Ndamukong Suh being forced to kick an extra point. Godspeed Detroit.

29. Arizona (4-9): Decimated by injuries, but they have a manageable remaining schedule to try to save face.

30. Denver (3-10): A later coaching change means this team is going nowhere fast. The Broncos have one win since starting 2-2. Enough said.

31. Cincy (2-11): Really wanted to put this team dead last because they have zero heart at this point. However, I couldn't because they defeated Carolina head-to-head and managed to hang with the Steelers this past week. Still a horrible team, and T.O. needs his bottle now.

32. Carolina (1-12): We all seen this coming heading into the season. No experienced quarterbacks and no help for Steve Smith. This week against Arizona will probably be their last real opportunity to avoid a one-loss season. The other two come against Pittsburgh and Atlanta.

LeBron Makes His Epic Return to Cleveland Tonight

Possibly the most anticipated regular season game in NBA history occurs tonight in Cleveland at Quicken Loan Arena.

Cavaliers guard Mo Williams compared it to an ex-girlfriend coming to your wedding. In this case the ex-girlfriend ditched you for a super model that ended up not being so attractive. At least not so far.

Going into the season many expected the Heat to be better than their record (11-8), and for the Cavaliers to be worse than their record (7-10).

It's hard to imagine how the passionate Cavaliers fans feel heading into this game, and for a lot of them this will be the equivalent of the Cavs winning a championship if the they pull off the win.

Don't be surprise if that happens tonight. We've already seen a few ordinary teams rise up above their normal selves and get the win. The Grizzlies are the only team with a record below .500 to take down the Heat, which was just less than two weeks ago.

The Heat have gotten every team's best shot this season, and the Cavs are going to multiple that by a 100 to try to bring this win home to the Cleveland fans.

Security will be extremely high compared to a normal game and rightfully so.

I'm hoping to see LeBron fail miserably tonight for making a deal with the devil and doing it in the most classless way possible.

With that said, I hope no one does anything overboard tonight, like threatening LeBron's physical health. We all have to step back and remember this is just a game.

Cleveland fans need to focus all that rage into harming LeBron mentally, but certainly not physically in any way. I'm sure some bonehead will go overboard and I hope that person gets the punishment they will deserve by being an idiot.

Moss Won't Talk Super Bowl, But Seems Ready To Go

Well I officially feel like a six-year-old kid on Christmas Eve as we lead up to Randy Moss's debut in a Tennessee Titans uniform.

We won't know for sure how this acquisition will turn out for the Titans, but we'll get a decent idea after tomorrow's game against the Dolphins.

It may be a week longer before we get the opportunity to see how Vince Young does working with Moss, but Kerry Collins is still very much capable of running the offense effectively. We've already seen that once this season against the Jaguars on Monday Night Football.

Moss made his first official interview as a Titan a few days ago and kept it short and sweet. He really didn't have too much interest in talking Super Bowl. Instead he gave the cliche answer of "taking it one game at a time".

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that answer. I think it's important that Moss stays away from negative publicity during his time in Tennessee. No matter what his stats are, if the Titans are successful then he'll be successful as a future player in the NFL.

Moss isn't a young man anymore and the reality is only one team claimed him. Just one and he's a future Hall of Famer. That blows my mind, but clearly teams were afraid of him starting trouble inside the locker room.

They face the Dolphins tomorrow, a team that can't be taken lightly. Much like the Titans themselves, the Dolphins have suffered some tough losses that should've been wins.

With that said, I see no reason why the Titans don't win this game. They're facing a quarterback in Chad Pennington who hasn't taken a snap since early last season.

Hopefully the simple presence of Moss will open things up more for Chris Johnson. On the defensive side of the ball I just don't see the Titans giving up much to the Dolphins.

Expect another close game but in the end I see a modest stat line for Moss in his debut, but a win by the Titans.

It's Official: Randy Moss is a Titan

You read the title correctly. No need to adjust your computer monitor.

Despite 21 other teams having a shot at Randy Moss on the waiver wire before the Titans, Moss is still the newest addition to the Tennessee Titans.

Saying that I'm completely shocked right now would be an understatement. I never saw this coming.

According to multiple sources, the Titans were the only team to put in a waiver claim for Moss. That's shocking in itself.

So now the question is how Moss fits into this offense that is historically, run first and pass short. With Moss on the roster, we're obviously going to see the Titans go deep more often than we're accustomed to.

Even though Moss has major character issues, it's hard to argue with the move. It's instantly going to free up running room for Chris Johnson, who has struggled finding lanes all season.

It also will allow for my space to work in the middle of the field for guys like Bo Scaife and Damian Williams.

With it still unknown how long Kenny Britt will be out for his hamstring injury, this move makes even more sense.

Hopefully the trash of the Patriots and the Vikings will prove to be the Titans' treasure.

The key to this move being a success will depend on whether or not Jeff Fisher can appease Moss, which is something that Brad Childress failed to do with the Vikings.

The Titans still have five division games remaining, including two games each against the Texans and the Colts. Both the Colts and the Texans have high-powered offenses and questionable defenses.

Career Stats for Randy Moss

• 194 games
• 948 receptions (9th all-time)
• 14,778 rec. yards (5th all-time)
• 153 rec. TD's (2nd all-time)
• 76 yards per game (5th all-time)
  

The LeBron Era Starts Off Slow in South Beach

The Celtics have been coined as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA ever since they assembled their own Big Three just a few seasons ago.

They proved that last night by holding the Miami Heat to just nine first quarter points, something that LeBron and company struggled to fight their way out of the rest of the game.

There was way too much one-on-one action going on at the beginning of the game. In fact, LeBron did the best job at trying to get his teammates involved. His unselfishness led to a lot of unforced turnovers, which he pointed out after the game.

Despite not being a big LeBron fan to say the least, I though LeBron played great last night. It almost looked like he was playing for Cleveland all over again, just with different players around him.

In the second half LeBron began to play more of his game and take on the form of the LeBron we all came to know in Cleveland. He began slashing to the basket and putting points on the board while everyone else on the floor were spectators.

He finished with 31 points even after the slow start. His rebound and assist production was down though as he finished with four rebounds and three assists.

Dwyane Wade was almost a non-factor the entire game, and understandably so. He was rusty due to sitting out all but three minutes of the preseason.

Chris Bosh didn't look all that great either if you judge him based on his offensive performance. He still showed how good he is in the rebound department.

It's obviously going to take a few games for LeBron, Wade, and Bosh to learn to play together effectively. They can't all be the players they use to be.

The Celtics proved that they're still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They played smarter from start to finish. This was most likely a preview of a matchup that will most likely happen in this season's Eastern Conference Finals.

It will be interesting to see if LeBron takes on the same approach that he took at the start of last night's game, or will he take on the style of play that he had in Cleveland when he had little help.

What To Expect In Big Ben's Return

Somehow the Steelers managed to not only survive without Ben Roethlisberger, but actually flourish.

They're currently 3-1, with their only loss coming to my preseason Super Bowl favorite, the Baltimore Ravens. The crazy part is the fact that they did most of this with third-string quarterback Charlie Batch.

Now coming off of a bye week they get their franchise quarterback returns to the field after a four-game suspension.

This offense is a lot more dangerous then people give them credit for and Roethlisberger is going to obviously add to that firepower.

Rashard Mendenhall is quickly becoming one of the top running backs in the league, and the wide receivers aren't that bad either with Mike Wallace and Hines Ward.

The Steelers and the Ravens are going to go right down to the wire and the second place team will most likely snatch up one of the wildcards.

As for this weekend Roethlisberger gets a bit of a tune-up game with the Browns coming to town. They have their own questions at quarterback with Colt McCoy getting his first NFL start.

Roethlisberger just has to remember that this team was already a top team without him, so he can't come in and try to do too much. How disastrous would it be if Roethlisberger returns to action and throws a couple picks in a loss?

That's probably not going to happens, but we all know that anything can happen. Just ask the Saints after their loss to Max Hall and the Cardinals last week.

Big Ben's Career Stats

• 127 Passing TD's
• 81 Interceptions
• 91.7 QB Rating
• 19,302 Pass Yards
• 17 Comeback Wins
  

The Doc Is In, And Throws A No-No!

What a way to make your postseason debut! Roy Halladay just became the second pitcher in MLB history to throw a no-hitter in the postseason.

He was one walk away from pitching his second perfect game of the year to add to that.

Halladay painted the corners the entire game and lead with a first-pitch strike most of the game.

The mind blowing statistics go on and on in this one. Halladay threw just 24 balls out of the 104 total pitches he threw. He also took the count to three balls just three times.

Want more? He also added an RBI to his credit in the second inning.

If Halladay continues to pitch like this then there's no way the Phillies go down to anyone out of the National League or the American League. He pitched that good today.

The Phillies will have the luxury of sending him out on short rest if things get sticky in any of their series as well.

Don't forget how good this pitching staff is either. They have Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt still to pitch in the next two games before Halladay takes the mound again on Friday presumably.

It's also important to know that the Reds numbers-wise are the best hitting team in the NL so Halladay didn't do this to just anybody.

As we all expected, the Phillies look to be in good shape at making their third straight trip to the World Series.

Padres, Giants, and Braves: Only Room For Two

Almost every season there is one or two good teams who don't make the playoffs.

It's going to happen this year in the National League for sure.

Padres

Currently the Padres are imploding by losing to teams like the Cubs and the Dodgers. They need to pretty much win out if they want to win the NL West.

They have a little bit more room for error in the wild card race with the Braves, but it's important to remember that the Braves end their season with a series against the Phillies.

That means bad news for the Padres because the Phillies will most likely rest the strong part of their lineup considering they've already clinched the division.

The Padres need to win out against the Cubs and win at least two of three if they want all that hard work they did over the regular season pay off.

Giants

The Giants sit in the best position to make the playoffs out of these three teams. They've done a great job at taking care of teams they're suppose to beat, like the Diamondbacks. The Giants are in the middle of a three-game series with the D'backs right now.

If the Giants sweep the D'backs then that will put a ton of pressure on the Padres going into their season ending series with the Giants.

Even if somehow the Giants do find a way to lose the division, they still have the wild card to most likely fall back on. They have Lincecum going tonight on short rest to make sure that doesn't happen.

Braves

This team gradually began to fall apart after losing Chipper Jones and now Martin Prado is also out for the season. That's a lot to overcome.

They got a huge win against the Marlins earlier today which puts them two games ahead in the NL wild card standings.

The Braves have to be hoping that the Giants sweep the Padres. If that happens then the Braves are in the playoffs regardless of what they do against the Phillies.

To top it all off the Phillies will most likely rest a good chunk of their star power in their finall series of the regular season.

NL West

1. Giants 89-68
2. Padres 87-70 (2 GB)

NL Wild Card

1. Braves 90-69
2. Padres 87-70 (2 GB)
   

Vick Named Full-Time Starter...At Least For Now

Andy Reid couldn't deny it any longer that Michael Vick gives the Eagles a better chance at winning than Kevin Kolb.

The concussion that Kolb suffered in the opener against the Packers may have been just what Vick needed to finally become a full-time starter in the NFL once again.

However, some people are jumping on the Vick bandwagon just a little too soon.

In all reality Vick has played only six quarters and already some people are crowning him as a player that has completely revived his career. Slow down there sweethearts.

His only full-time game came against the Lions, a team that isn't necessarily the cream of the crop when it comes to NFL defenses.

No disrespect to Vick because he did put up great numbers, throwing for nearly 300 yards and two touchdown passes. Maybe the most important statistic is the fact that he has yet to throw an interception.

Next up for the Eagles is the Jaguars, another team that is in the bottom half of the NFL much like the Lions. Don't be surprised if Vick puts up solid numbers against the Jags, which will have the media salivating over him even more about how he is better than ever.

When it comes to Reid's decision to make Vick the starter after just six quarters makes me believe that he never really had that much faith in Kolb to begin with.

Some of the things that Reid has said this week I put way up on the BS meter:

• "This isn't about Kevin Kolb's play."
• "You're talking about Michael Vick as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now."
• About Kolb, "He's going to be a championship-caliber quarterback."

The last quote may be the biggest BS of them all. Not to say that Kolb won't one day be that kind of a quarterback, but for Reid to say that just doesn't make any sense.

If you believed that then you wouldn't be benching him for a guy that only has one start since 2006, and that was against the Lions.

Also to say that Vick is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. That means he's elevating Vick to be one of the best in the league based on six quarters of action.

Something really strange is going on in Philly and as of right now I'm not sure where this mystery might end up.

Reggie Bush Forfeits Heisman, Still Deserves Respect

Something that hasn't happened in the 75-year history of the Heisman Trophy happened today when Reggie Bush announced that he is forfeiting his Heisman Trophy he won in 2005.

Many expected Bush to have his trophy taken away by the Heisman committee, but very few expected him to voluntarily give his Heisman away.

Bush may have did things in his past to merit this situation, but he deserves at least some respect for giving up the most hallowed trophy in all of college sports.

Here is a part of his statement regarding his forfeiting of the trophy:

"I would like to begin in this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust."

Obviously Bush realizes that he made mistakes and that he needs to put this nightmare behind him and that the best way to do that is to own up to his mistakes.

Even though he is physically giving up the Heisman Trophy, you can't erase the memories of college football fans. He'll always be remembered as the winner that year.

It's like when the NCAA takes wins away from a program that is punished for certain violations. You may be able to erase those victories from the record books, but you can't erase the memories of thousands of fans.

Now the speculation will move to whether or not Vince Young will receive the vacated award. He came in a distant second to Bush in the voting that year.

There's no doubt about it that Young put up Heisman-like numbers that year. However, the award should remain vacant because Young didn't win the award the year that he was eligible.

If Young does win the award thanks to Bush's wrong doings then it could end up opening up a can of worms.

Big Week of College Football Up and Coming

The opening week of college football ended in great fashion with Boise State's thrilling victory over Virginia Tech last night against an enormous crowd that was pro-Virginia Tech.

Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend, all I can say is that it's great to be talking about college football again.

This weekend is loaded with heavyweight matchups with major implications on the rest of the season.

• (12) Miami @ (2) Ohio State
• (17) Florida State @ (10) Oklahoma
• (22) Georgia @ (24) South Carolina
• (18) Penn State @ (1) Alabama
  
• Michigan @ Notre Dame
• (7) Oregon @ Tennessee

Where do I begin here?

There are four games this week between two ranked opponents, with the biggest one being Miami and Ohio State.

These two teams haven't played each other since the controversial 2002 National Championship game when pass interference was called on the Hurricanes and leading to the loss.

I'm sure Boise State will be temporarily Hurricanes fans on Saturday in hopes that they can leap frog Ohio State in the rankings.

It's going to be tough for the Hurricanes to win in Columbus despite all of their talent.

Then of course you have another heavyweight matchup between Florida State and Oklahoma.

The Sooners looked horrible in their win over Utah State in the opening weekend. If they play that way against a much more talented Florida State team then they won't only loss, they'll get embarrassed.

In somewhat of an upset I see Florida State winning this game and exposing Oklahoma as a middle of the road team.

Penn State really has their hands full as they travel to Tuscaloosa this weekend. If Penn State wins then the rankings will be all shook up with TCU and Boise State looming at numbers three and four in the rankings.

There are a few other less meaningful, but still important games this weekend as listed above.

One thing I can say about the Oregon-Tennessee matchup is that the Vols have to figure out a way to not get blown out here. Losing is one thing, but getting embarrassed right on Rocky Top would be devastating for the entire team.

In case you forgot, Oregon is coming off a 72-0 blowout over New Mexico this past weekend. The Ducks probably would've hung 100 on New Mexico if not for the Oregon coaches subing in all the backups after the 59-point lead at halftime.

If the Vols manage to make this an interesting game then it will at least give them confidence going forward.

It should be a great weekend of college football action.

Preview For Minnesota-MTSU Season Opener

The Blue Raiders welcome just the fourth ever team from a BCS conference into Floyd Stadium when Minnesota comes tomorrow night.

The Golden Gophers may be bigger, in fact a lot bigger, at offensive line but they're greatly inexperienced compared to the Blue Raiders.

I would go as far as to make the Blue Raiders the favorite in this game if it wasn't for the unfortunate suspension of Dwight Dasher.

Here's are some things that could hinder Minnesota's chances against MTSU:

• Inexperienced, especially on defense
• On the road, not use to the humid conditions
• Third offensive coordinator in four years

Those three factors are huge for the chances at the mild upset for the Blue Raiders.

What's really going to be the true test for the Blue Raiders is stopping the run. The offensive line is way bigger than the defensive front of the Blue Riaders and Minnesota has a senior quarterback.

Even though the quarterback is experienced, he's dealing with his third offensive coordinator in his collegiate career.

It's tough to win on the road in college football no matter where you're at, but the heat and the noise will test this young Minnesota team.

The three previous times the Blue Raiders have welcomed in a BCS-conference school they have played competitive football, and they should be 2-1 in those games if not for a fourth quarter meltdown against Virginia in 2007.

This game will be similar in style to the Mississippi State game from last season. The Blue Raiders lost that game in somewhat convincing fashion because the Mississippi State players eventually just overpowered them with their size and strength.

Minnesota is in the bottom half of the Big Ten so the Blue Raiders aren't getting the cream of the crop here.

They're going to commit to the run game. Here's a stat for you: Minnesota is 11-2 in the last two seasons when they rush for at least 100 yards in a game, and 2-11 when they don't.

If the offense can put points on the board consistently and force this Minnesota offense to pass the ball rather than run it up the gut, then the Blue Raiders will have a great chance to win this game.

Coach Caldwell Giving Resurgence To Vandy Football

It was tough and shocking to see Bobby Johnson retire in mid-July. It left a football program that already has so much ground to make up on the rest of the SEC to make up even more ground.

In came Robbie Caldwell, who was the offensive line coach. Many people compare his charm and personality to Bobby Bowden.

The Vandy players have instantly fallen in love with Caldwell as their coach, and the media likes him as well.

Something as simple as his personality may seem like it doesn't mean anything, but it actually means a lot to recruiting. Those results are already starting to show as Vanderbilt has recently received verbal commitments from a few promising prospects at the quarterback position and fittingly at offensive line.

It's always been tough for Vanderbilt coaches to recruit in SEC country with their strict academic standards and their history of being the doormat of the SEC. A guy with Caldwell's southern charm can go a long way for a program that struggles to keep pace in recruiting in the SEC.

Just to give you a taste of Caldwell's track record in recruiting, he recruited both Torry Holt and Earl Bennett, among other talented players.

As much as Bobby Johnson will be missed by Vandy players and fans alike, Caldwell's hire could be a blessing in disguise.

UFC 118: Boxing vs. MMA

It's been a debate ever since the sport of MMA has become relevant in mainstream society. Is the better fighting sport boxing or mixed martial arts?

We'll finally get to see at least a partial answer tonight at UFC 118 in Boston.

It will be a battle of two men who definitely aren't the prime of their careers, with James"Lights Out" Toney crossing over to MMA for the first time to take on seasoned UFC veteran Randy Couture.

Toney has not been shy of talking smack leading up to this fight, but I'm not so sure he realizes what he's got himself into.

Sure, if he connects with one of his signature punches then it could instantly be lights out for Couture, no pun intended.

I can't see Couture being that clumsy. He's going to be smart and try to put the inexperienced Toney on the mat and keep it as far away from a boxing match as possible.

In other words, make Toney beat you from where he's least comfortable. I find it hard to believe that Toney will be anywhere close to effective on the mat or in any area of MMA other than boxing.

Couture is a better wrestler than Toney, better at muay thai, and better at jiu jitzu.

For me personally it's going to be very satisfying if Toney is put on the mat and tapped out, and I can easily see that happening.

This match is somewhat unpredictable thanks to both men being in their 40's, with Couture at age 47 and Toney at age 42.

If Toney manages to win then it will be a tough blow to MMA as a sport, but it won't be a death sentence. People are still going to continue to choose watching MMA events over the more traditional boxing match.

What it's all going to come down to is the amount of experience, or lack thereof, that each fighter possesses. Couture has trained in MMA for somewhere around 13 years whereas Toney took up the sport over the last few months.

Couture wins by submission.

Tale of the Tape

James Toney (USA)

• 72-6-3 (boxing career) 0-0-0 (MMA career)
  
• Age 42
• 5'10''
• 237 lbs.
• 72'' reach

Randy Couture (USA)

• 18-10 (MMA career)
• Age 47
• 6'1''
• 220 lbs.
• 75'' reach
  

NFL Eyeing An 18-Game Season

An 18-game NFL season has been in the works for a while now and it finally looks like it's going to happen in 2012.

This is obviously great for the fan. Two more games of regular season football and the possibility of more rivalry games being scheduled with the two extra games to work with.

There is a downside to this and Carson Palmer said it best by saying that each games loses a little bit of significance by adding two more regular season games.

If the NFL moves to an 18-game schedule then they should cut the preseason down to two games. It's already too long as it is in my mind.

Obviously the players aren't all on board with this and they're going to want more money if this thing pushes through. This could possibly lead to a strike if the NFL is unwilling to meet the players halfway with this new proposition.

A lot needs to be worked out with this idea of an 18-game schedule, but it's definitely fascinating to think about two more football games to watch every season.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 10-1

Now we're down to the nitty gritty. These guys are elite quarterbacks that instantly make their respective teams Super Bowl contenders.

10. Mark Sanchez (Jets)

Sanchez has struggled a little bit so far this preseason, but I'm confident he'll get the kinks worked out by the start of the regular season. He almost has to if the Jets want to make a legitimate push for the Super Bowl.

If Sanchez can fix his accuracy then he'll be just fine. This could very well end up being his breakout year that puts him among the NFL's best. I'm going out on a limb and saying he's ready to make that jump after last season's solid rookie performance.

9. Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Even with 22 touchdown passes and only 14 interceptions, last season was considered a little bit of a drop-off for Matt Ryan. With all of that aside he's still one of the smarter quarterbacks in the NFL.

You can't forget that he's only be in the NFL for a couple years so it's likely that he's only going to improve from here on out. A turf toe injury and the injury to Michael Turner also contributed to Ryan's disappointing season. He'll have the Falcons competing for a wild card spot thanks greatly to his play at quarterback.

8. Tony Romo (Cowboys)

If Tony Romo wasn't such an erratic quarterback then he would easily be top five on this list, but in all reality he isn't. He seems to always sprinkle in those two or three plays per game that has you scratching your head. Sometimes those bonehead plays can lead your team to a devestating loss.

More often than not this guy does produce solid and sometimes great numbers that makes the Cowboys seem unstoppable. He now has a new weapon in rookie Dez Bryant. Romo is kind of like a young Brett Favre that constantly goes for it all, and most of the time he succeeds.

7. Brett Favre (Vikings)

Speaking of Brett Favre, he cracks this list at No.7 now that we have found out he's returning yet again despite telling us he was hanging them up.

Favre's age is the only thing holding him back and most of the time he pushes through that and puts up the numbers of a 24-year-old superstar. He instantly makes the Vikings the favorite in the NFC. He'll go down as one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, and for being at the ripe age of 40 it's not bad being rated the seventh best quarterback on this list.

6. Joe Flacco (Ravens)

Joe Flacco took that leap forward as an elite NFL quarterback in 2009 when he almost took the Ravens to the AFC championship game. He threw for 21 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in 2009, and that was without the services of Anquan Boldin, along with Derrick Mason and Dante Stallworth.

His numbers are going to increase this season and he'll be among the leaders in all major categories barring any kind of serious injuries.

5. Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

I can't stand the attitued of Phillip Rivers, but I can't deny his skills on the field. He just finds ways to convert first downs and make the Chargers a threat against any team in the league.

He had a breakout year stats-wise in 2009 with 28 touchdowns and a QB rating of 104, good for third in the NFL. If the running game flourishes with rookie Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles then Rivers will push for MVP honors.

4. Tom Brady (Patriots)

Tom Brady hasn't been the same since coming back from his season-ending injury in 2008, but he's still pretty dang good.

There's no reason to think that he won't be better than he was last season. Brady was a little timid coming out of the gate since he was still dealing with the psychological impact of a knee injury.

The second half of the season we saw more of what we're use to from Brady. He's no longer the best quarterback in the NFL, but most NFL teams would still love to have him as their starter.


3. Drew Brees (Saints)

It was tough putting Brees back at No.3 with all of the magic he created for the city of New Orleans in 2009, but my gut just tells me that his production will drop down a bit in 2010.

He'll still be among the leaders in passing yards and touchdowns. It was tough putting him even this far back.


2. Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Aaron Rodgers gets one spot higher than Brees due to the simple fact that he thew four less intereptions and had a less talented offense to work with. Rodgers very rarely throws an interception. In fact, in 2009 he had 12 games where he threw zero interceptions. That is almost unheard of in the NFL these days.

Now if only he could get that elusive first postseason win, but it'll come soon enough. This guy isn't going anywhere and the Packers have a solid team for 2010.

1. Peyton Manning (Colts)

He's done it for years and years now. Peyton Manning just shows no signs of slowing down unlike most quarterbacks who have a few good years before gradually descending into mediocrity.

Not Manning. Well, at least not yet. Manning hasn't thrown less than 27 touchdowns in a season since 2001, and his QB rating consistently pushes 100. He makes running the Colts offense seem like child's play. Whenever the Colts need a quick score, Manning makes three or four passes and next thing you know the Colts are sniffing the goal line. It's simply unbelievable how great Manning continues to be.

There's no reason to think he won't do that yet again in 2010.

Dasher Could Be Out For MTSU

The Blue Raiders could be on the verge of taking a devastating blow to its hopes for the 2010 season if star quarterback Dwight Dasher is suspended by the NCAA for his possible involvement in unpaid loans.

News of this broke out yesterday when someone came out and said Dasher hasn't paid back a loan that exceeds $1,000.

Shortly after that a teammate of Dasher came out and said he is missing money as well and is not sure what could have happened to the money.

This is all under current investigation by multiple organizations including police authorities and the NCAA.

It's important to note that nothing has been proven yet so there should be no judgment placed on Dasher until something is proven.

If Dasher is indeed found guilty and suspended by the NCAA then the Blue Raiders can pretty much kiss their chances goodbye of winning another bowl game this season.

The man that would replace Dasher if he was suspended from playing would be Sophomore Logan Kilgore. He was rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com so the Blue Raiders do have talent to fall back on.

As good as Kilgore may be, I'm not sure he would even do half of what Dasher is capable of doing.

There's little time for all of this to be cleared up as the season opener is just 11 days away against Minnesota.

With the the Blue Raiders being at home, if Dasher is able to play then I give them a decent chance at pulling off a major upset over the Big Ten opponent.

However, if Dasher is forced to miss the game then the Blue Raider almost have no chance at winning with an inexperienced quarterback.

If Kilgore becomes the regular starter then I could see the Blue Raiders saving face in the Sun Belt schedule with the exception of those pesky Trojans from Troy.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 21-11

Alright, we got the bottom of the barrel out of the way in terms of quarterbacks. The middle part of the list features several quarterbacks that can still put up great numbers and win games for their respective teams.

However, each one of these quarterbacks have little quirks that keep them from being one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

21. Sam Bradford ( Rams)

Yes, I'm putting Sam Bradford this high. I just have a gut feeling that he's going to be one of those rookie quarterbacks that plays like he is a veteran.

Don't get me wrong. He'll have some rough games and he'll also have to get use to losing more often than winning. In the end I see Bradford having an impressive rookies season and falling somewhere in the middle of the all the major statistical categories among quarterbacks.

20. Kyle Orton (Broncos)

Kyle Orton is the definition of a conservative quarterback. He had a high completion percentage in 2009 and kept his interception somewhat low at 12. He also managed 21 touchdown passes.

Orton usually struggles greatly against good defenses. He threw three interceptions against Pittsburgh last season and barely eclipsed 150 passing yards against Baltimore. With all of that said, there's plenty of NFL teams that would gladly take Orton as their starting quarterback.

19. Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Matthew Stafford showed me something last season in that game against the Browns and that was that he's got that certain toughness that is required of a successful NFL quarterback. Forget about the fact that it came against the Browns. It still took a lot of toughness to do what he did.

Look for Stafford to take a dramatic leap forward in his sophomore season and give the fans in Detroit a five or six win season thanks largely to Stafford and his toughness.

18. Chad Henne (Dolphins)

We got the chance to see what Chad Henne was all about last season when Chad Pennington went down. Thanks to his smooth transition to the starting role it's now Henne's team going into the season.

Not only that, but now he has Brandon Marshall to throw the ball to. That means good things for his passing stats. Henne has an excellent arm that sometimes gets him into trouble. His interception output will go down in 2010 and his touchdown passes will go up.

17. Matt Cassel (Chiefs)

Matt Cassel is one of the few bright spots in Kansas City. He's a real smart quarterback and we saw that first hand when he took over for Tom Brady two seasons ago.

His numbers went down as the Chiefs starter, but can you blame him? He was surrounded by a bad team and did what he could. Lucky for Cassel he now has coordinator Charlie Weiss making the offensive calls and Weiss has a good history with this, most notably Tom Brady.

Cassel's numbers will benifit from Weiss making the calls.

16. Donovan McNabb (Redskins)

If Donovan McNabb was still with the Eagles then he would be higher on the list, but since he's moving into a new system you have to expect McNabb to take some time adjusting before he returns to his old self.

He's also not getting any younger. Despite his age he's still got one of the better arms in the NFL. Thanks to that arm and his veteran leadership he comes close to cracking the top half of the NFL.

15. Carson Palmer ( Bengals)

There's no denying the fact that Carson Palmer is going to hear an ear-full if he doesn't make Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens happy.

I like the Bengals at making a run at the division title with the Ravens. If Terrell Owens plays like he did just three seasons ago in Dallas then this team will be hard to beat, and Palmer's numbers will be among the best in the NFL. Owens may not be what he use to, but oppossing defenses will still have to respect him and that will free up Ochocinco.

Palmer could very easily end up with 25-plus touchdown passes in 2010. He had 21 last season without Owens.

14. Jay Cutler ( Bears)

If Jay Cutler had a superstar wide receiver to throw the ball to then he would easily be in the top ten on this list, but the is reality he doesn't.

He's still one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL talent-wise. The question is can he turn the talent into throwing less interceptions. Offensive genious Mike Martz has prasied his awareness this offseason so we might be in store for Cutler's breakout year in 2010.

13. Eli Manning (Giants)

The monster of a hit that Eli Manning took the other night in the Giants' preseason matchup with the Jets probably didn't help his confidence at all.

Manning is a good quarterback, but he's not a great quarterback. He makes great plays at times, but not enough to make him an elite quarterback. There's still plenty of time for him to make that leap in his career, but he hasn't reach it yet. He has some great receivers to throw to so all that's left is for Manning to execute.

12. Matt Schaub (Texans)

If you were to take Andre Johnson out of the mix then Matt Schaub would be at least ten spots further back on this list. Johnson provides such a huge target for Schaub to throw to that makes him naturally a better quarterback. That's no knock on Schaub. He does great with what he has to work with.

Any quarterback who throws 29 touchdowns, only 15 interceptions, and manages a 98.6 quarterback rating deserves all the credit in the world.

11. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

Even though Big Ben will miss the first four to six games of the regular season, we're still going to consider him the starter. With that said, Roethlisberger has a lot of pressure on him to perform and not let all of this stuff going on off the field get to him.

What Roethlisberger does on the field isn't always pretty, but it's effective. Much like the late Steve McNair was, Roethlisberger just has this uncanny ability to win no matter what. He may have three interceptions in a game and he'll still find ways to keep his team in the game.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 32-22

Most fantasy football drafts are just a week or two away as the NFL season approaches.

That means that people are starting to make their own personal rankings list for each position. We're going to rank every starting quarterback (or projected starting quarterback) of every NFL team to prepare you for your fantasy draft.

Here are number 32 through 22:

32. Matt Moore (Panthers)

Matt Moore is the projected starter for the Panther as of now. He had good numbers over the last five games of last season but he's still greatly inexperienced as an NFL starter. Jimmy Clausen could very well take over the starting roll if Moore struggles in preseason.

31. Josh Freeman (Buccaneers)

Josh Freeman has the athletic ability to be a great quarterback in this league, but his youth may still hamper him in 2010. Not to mention he doesn't exactly have the best group of receivers to throw to. He did look good in the preseason opener this past week. Freeman is still a couple seasons away from becoming an elite quarterback in the NFL.

30. Trent Edwards (Bills)

Most likely the more experience Trent Edwards will begin the season as the starter for the Bills over Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, that doesn't mean that Edwards is going to have a good year. He's coming off of a year that was plagued by a concussion and an ankle injury. Every now and then he'll show glimpses of being good NFL quarterback, but he's really inconsistent.

29. Vince Young (Titans)

It's so hard to put Vince Young this far back on the list, but he's done hardly anything in his NFL career to put him any higher. He threw another ill-advised interception in the preseason opener. His throwing mechanics have always been one of his greatest weaknesses and it looks like he still hasn't completely fixed that up.

28. Matt Leinart (Cardinals)

The Cardinals are looking at a huge setback from last season's division championship if Matt Leinart doesn't prove that he's finally ready for the NFL. Much like Vince Young, Leinart has never really lived up to his potential. At least he has Larry Fitzgerald to throw the ball to. That will definitely help his numbers a little this season.

27. Jason Campbell (Raiders)

The Raiders haven't had this good of a quarterback in a while, and that's not saying too much. Campbell had a rough time while he was in Washington and now he has to figure out a way to flourish in Oakland. Not an easy task. He's going to have very little to throw to in terms of receivers so expect Campbell to struggle this season on a bad team.

26. Kevin Kolb (Eagles)

Considering Kevin Kolb has only started a few games in his NFL career, it was hard to put him any higher on the list. Obviously Andy Reid sees something in Kolb that allowed him to let go of Donovan McNabb. I expect Kolb to put up average numbers and progressively get better as the season goes along. It doesn't hurt to have an explosive playmaker like Desean Jackson at your disposal.

25. Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)

At one time in his career Matt Hasselbeck was a top ten quarterback in the NFL. Those times have long passed. He's reached the back nine of his career and the only thing he really has to offer anymore is his veteran leadership. He'll have some solid games but he'll also have plenty of shaky performances in 2010.

24. Alex Smith (49ers)

Alex Smith showed last season what he's capable of doing when he's surrounded by a good team. It was really the first time in his career that he was on a good team and he also has a great coach in Mike Singletary. Smith has a talented group of receivers to work with and he ended last season with 18 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. He's still very mistake prone which leaves him pretty far down this list.

23. David Garrard (Jaguars)

David Garrard is one of those quarterbacks that won't dazzle you with 300 yards game and 30 touchdown passes, but he's very effective at managing games. Whenever the Jaguars are forced to throw the football is when Garrard usually struggles. We saw that in 2009 when he threw two interceptions in a game on three different occasions.

22. Jake Delhomme (Browns)

Jake Delhomme seems really excited to be in Cleveland which leads me to believe that he's had a productive offseason. He won't put up Pro Bowl numbers but he will provide the Browns with an intelligent quarterback. His production has dropped as he's gotten older but don't count him out from having a bounce-back year since he's got some new surroundings to work with.

Numbers 21-11 will be posted next!!

NL West Race Heats Up This Weekend

The NL West over the past few seasons has been one of the most watered down divisions in baseball, but that hasn't been the case this season.

Every team in this division, with the exception of the Diamondbacks, could make a last second push for the playoffs.

Even though the Rockies and the Dodgers are within shouting distance, it will most likely come down to the Giants and the Padres.

Oh how fitting. The Giants and Padres have a three-game series this weekend in San Francisco.

If this series wasn't already heated up enough, Giants starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez guaranteed a three-game sweep of the division leading Padres. He also said that once the Giants get into first place there's no looking back.

I'm all for confidence, but I'm not so sure it's smart to get fired up the team with the best record in the NL.

If the Giants do indeed sweep this series then they'll be in first place for the first time since May 5.

There's no way the Giants will sweep this series. They don't even have the heart of their staff pitching this weekend, and Saturday's starter for the Padres is the nearly unstoppable Mat Latos.

Considering how close the wild card race is in the NL, whoever finishes second in this division has a good chance at going home early. That would obviously be crushing for the Padres. They've been in first place pretty much this entire season.

Usually it's the AL East that is getting everyone's attention, but the NL West is getting in on the act this season.

Phillips, Reds Brawl Their Way Out Of First Place

Cardinals centerfielder Colby Rasmus said it best after the three-game sweep of the Reds: "They might have woken up a sleeping giant".

Uh, you think?

I've been waiting on the Cardinals to wake up all season. The key here is they've always stayed within arm's reach of the Reds in the standing, and now they're in sole possession of first place.

I don't see the Cardinals turning back from here. Their next five series are against the Cubs, Brewers, Giants, Pirates, and Nationals. Not exactly would I would call a scary part of the schedule.

Brandon Phillips started yesterday's bench clearing brawl by talking trash like it was the WWE. Then he walked out like he was a future Hall of Famer and tapped Yadier Molina's feet while stepping into the batter's box to open the game.

This eventually led to the ejections of both Dusty Baker and Tony La Russa, which won't be going out for a beer anytime soon.

After that spanking that the Cardinals just handed to his team, Phillips has to be feeling a little foolish.

It's the middle of August and this is when teams either take the shape of a playoff team or fade away into a team struggling for a wild card spot.

All is not lost here for the Reds obviously. I wouldn't mind seeing these two teams meet later on in the playoffs. That would be good television.

NL Central Race

1. Cardinals 64-49
2. Reds 64-51 (1 GB)

NL Wild Card Race

1. Giants 64-50
2. Phillies 63-50 (1/2 GB)
3. Reds 64-51 ( 1/2 GB)

Coaches' Preseason Poll Released

Usually the preseason college football poll comes nowhere close to the final poll released after the season is concluded, but this year's poll still raises plenty of questions.

The top 5 of Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Texas, and Boise State you can't really argue with. Alabama has a ton of starters returning and many expect Terrell Pryor to be the best he's ever been under center for the Buckeyes.

Putting Florida all the way up to No.3 seems a little generous considering we're not sure exactly how great Tim Tebow's replacement is going to be. I would've put them a few spots back.

Here's an eyebrow raiser for me. Putting Oklahoma, a team that finished last season unranked, all the way up at No.8. Seems to me that the Sooners are getting the benefit of the doubt just because of their prestige.

All in all the top 25 seems to be in check with no major surprises. However, Arkansas starting the year off at No.19 also surprised me a bit. Their non-conference schedule is pretty much a joke so they'll get a chance to stay in the top 25 until mid-September when they play at Georgia and then get Alabama at home.

If the Razorbacks get through Georgia they'll most likely be in the top 10 for their battle with the Crimson Tide, which would be a very intriguing matchup.

There were also some teams that didn't make the poll that I was somewhat surprised about. Oklahoma State has been a regular in the top 25 for the past few seasons, but it won't start off that way in 2010. They only managed to get 11 votes in the poll.

Notre Dame will start off on the outside looking in, but starting the season off with a couple wins against Purdue and Michigan would most likely sneak them in.

The two BCS-busters we've all come to know (Boise St. and TCU) got love from the coaches as they will respectively start off in the top ten.

Seeing this poll just makes me even more amped up for college football to get underway. We're getting ready to enter the best time of the sports year!

Can A-Rod Chase Down 762?

OK, so Alex Rodriguez finally reached career home run No.600 today after 46 at-bats since hitting No. 599.

It would be a nice accomplishment if not for his admittance of using performance enhancing drugs.

Now the real question is whether or not he can chase down the current record, which is also tainted by alleged PED use.

As of right now Rodriguez needs 162 homers to reach Barry Bonds. At age 35, Rodriguez probably has four or five years left in the tank of good baseball. After that it's anyone's guess as to how long he might play.

After 101 games Rodriguez has only managed 17 home runs, which is way behind the pace he would need to be at to reach 762 within the next four years.

Rodriguez needs to average about 35 to 40 home runs a season over the next four seasons to have any real chance of breaking that record. Now obviously the longer he plays the lower that average is going to be.

However, I just don't see Rodriguez being anything more than an average hitter after the next four years. His home run production has declined greatly this season, and he's only projected to finish with 26 home runs at his current pace.

He's obviously not getting any younger. Common logic would say that his home run production will gradually decline as he gets older. Therefore it is my belief that Rodriguez will come up a little short of whichever record you want to count.

In the end I see Rodriguez fizzling out somewhere around 700. I'm hoping that I'm right on my prediction because there's no way I want to see someone as egotistical as Alex Rodriguez be crowned the home run king.

If he does get the record, then there will be two asterisks at the top of the home run list in most people's minds.

Career Home Run Leaders

1. Barry Bonds- 762
2. Hank Aaron- 755
3. Babe Ruth-714
4. Willie Mays- 660
5. Ken Griffey Jr.- 630
6. Sammy Sosa- 606
7. Alex Rodriguez- 600
8. Frank Robinson- 586
9. Mark McGwire- 583
10. Jim Thome- 577
    

OK Favre, This Better Be It

Once again Brett Favre has announced his retirement, and once again I'm having a hard time believing it.

When the Vikings take the field for the first game of the regular season and Favre still isn't on the roster, then I'll believe it.

Everyone should keep in mind that he can very easily change his mind at any time during the next month and still be the Vikings starter in Week 1.

The main reason why he's decided to potentially call it quits is due to his ankle that may not be responding to the surgery as well as he would've hoped.

If Favre's retirement ends up being final then there's no reason to push the panic button if you're a Vikings fan. They still have a top five defense and solid offense.

Many of you may be forgetting that Tarvaris Jackson was gradually improving before Favre came into the picture. Not to mention you have Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, and Sidney Rice in your arsenal on offense.

With Favre the Vikings are right there with the Saints for Super Bowl favorites, whereas without him you move them back behind the Cowboys but still a viable contender.

Just like I said after his second retirement from the Jets, I will not be the least bit surprised if Favre is playing football next season.

Bulluck Shows He's Nothing But A Class Act

It's a lot easier to see a player go when they're continuously in trouble with the law, not performing on the field, or just down right a jerk.

Well it's safe to say that Keith Bulluck is neither of those, and he proved that by taking out a full color ad in the Tennessean that personally thanked the fans for his time as a Titan.

He didn't have to do that for me to wish him the best, but now that he did I can't help but slightly be a New York Giants fan next year. Well, I wouldn't go that far.

However, I do want to see Bulluck be successful. Yes, his production was beginning to decline, but you still can't take away the leadership that he supplied to the Titans for ten years.

He was hands down one of the most passionate players I've seen in a Titans uniform outside of the late Steve McNair.

To address the Titans linebacker situation, there's no reason to panic just yet. We still have veteran David Thornton, and Steven Tulloch has already proven that he can be a solid replacement.

Rookie Rennie Curran out of South Carolina is also someone who may end up getting some valuable playing time.

Keith Bulluck's Career with Titans

• Started 127 straight games
• 1,057 tackles ( 769 solo tackles)
• 15 forced fumbles
• 19 interceptions
• Led team in tackles in 2008, 2002-2006
  

Hanynesworth Isn't Cutting It In D.C.

It turns out that the Titans getting rid of Albert Haynesworth last season was a smart decision, and now he's the causing the Redskins problems not just off the field, but on the field as well.

Just a month ago Haynesworth was demanding a trade because he refused to play in the 3-4 defense that the Redskins used. He claimed that he was told by the front office that they would run a 4-3 defense which is what he is use to.

That storm may have temporarily subsided, but now there's a new issue for coach Mike Shanahan. Haynesworth can't even pass the conditioning test.

Last week Haynesworth was given a series of conditioning tests and was unable to complete the second part of it. Since then he has not taken part in any physical activity.

It's one thing if you want to be a drama queen about things and back it up with your play on the field, but when you're grossly out of shape like Haynesworth apparently is then that means you play the way the coaching staff tells you to play.

The Titans are extremely lucky to not have this headache to deal with right now. Most of the fans in D.C. have already turned against Haynesworth and I can't blame them the slightest bit.

This team has the potential to make a wildcard run with the recent addition of Donovan McNabb. Even without Haynesworth the Redskins defense is still top 10 in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Titans have seemed to have done a great job at filtering out the bad apples.

Time to Sniff Out the MLB's Current Frauds

There's plenty unusual suspects that are sitting at the top, or near the top of the standing right now. Most of the time these surprise teams get exposed for the frauds they are early in the playoffs, if not during August.

Here's a few surprise teams and whether they are frauds or legit.

1. Padres (58-39, 1st in NL West): The Padres have been playing good baseball all year long, but it's really hard to figure out why. They rank outside of the top 20 in all the major hitting categories, including 25th in batting average. But then again, their pitching has been spectacular as they lead the MLB in ERA at 3.27. Pitching is so important come playoff time and that will make them very dangerous in the wide open National League. Verdict: Legit
2. Reds (55-45, Tied for 1st in NL Central): It was just recently that the Reds lost 1st place to the Cardinals. This team has a lot of talent in the batter's box anchored by Joey Votto. However, this team has been streaky as of late losing to teams like the Astros and the Nationals. They're somewhat thin at the starting pitching rotation with Johnny Cueto being the most viable option. Verdict: Fraud
3. White Sox (53-44, 1st in AL Central): It's been a while since the White Sox have been relevant in the AL Central. The AL Central will go right down to the last day of the season just like last season with the Tigers and the Twins still in the picture behind the White Sox. One of the selling points of the White Sox is the fact that they're not horrible at anything, but then again they're not reall all that great at anything either. They rank somewhere in the middle in most of the major statisitical categories. In the end I see the Twins winning this division and the White Sox being nowhere near the top of the AL wildcard standing. Sorry sox fans, it was fun while it lasted. Verdict: Fraud
4. Giants (56-43, 2nd in NL West): Here's another team that at one time was relevant every year in the playoff race, but of recent time has been pretty much a cellar dwellar. The Giants finally have some hitting to back up that solid pitching rotation. Buster Posey has proven to be one of the best hitters on this team (he's hitting .479 in July and .371 overall). Aubrey Huff and Juan Uribe have also been dependable this season. No team will want to play them in the playoffs with their pitching rotation. With that said, they'll sneak in as the NL wildcard team. Verdict: Legit