Shorty's SuperBowl Pick

A clean sweep in the Championship round two weeks ago pushed us to 6-4 so far this postseason and 31-12 over the past three plus years (let's face facts gentlemen, Shorty's a playoff beast). Like everyone else I've gone back and forth with my SuperBowl pick which is natural when you have an extra week to second guess yourself. In the end however, it's always the safest to bet with your initial gut reaction. In this case for me it's to go with the Indianpolis Colts. While it would shock me in the least bit to see the Saints pull off a back door cover or ever an overall victory, I have to go with Peyton Manning against that New Orleans defense. The Saints put constant pressure on Brett Favre and forced the Vikings into a trillion turnovers in the NFC title game. The problem Sean Payton and company face this week is that the Colts generally don't turn the ball over. I expect Drew Brees to put some points on the board so if I had pick the over/under I'd take the over although I'm not nearly as confident in that pick. I'd tell you to throw some cash on Manning for SB MVP but he's such a heavy favorite that it's not even worth it. Instead I'd suggest the 15-1 odds on Donald Brown scoring the game's first touchdown. Should be a good game with plenty of action between two high powered offenses. If the game is anything like the last two years, we are in for quite a treat. Fearless Prediction: Indianapolis 35 - New Orleans 27

Indianapolis (-5)

My AT&T U-Verse Chat Convo...

Welcome to AT&T. My name is Wayne.

Wayne: I will be happy to answer your questions regarding AT&T U-verse products. To start, could you please tell me which state you're located in and the zip code? you: 06450
Wayne: To start, could you please tell me which state you're located in?
you: CT
Wayne: Are you an existing AT&T Home Phone customer?
you: no
Wayne: Are you interested in AT&T U-verse Voice online today?
you: I have been informed that you CANNOT "pause, rewind, fast forward, etc." using a non-DVR remote on AT&T U-Verse...is this information accurate?
Wayne: I will be happy to assist with that.
you: ?
Wayne: You can pause with the non-DVR remote.
Wayne: Have you checked the availability for AT&T U-Verse at your location online today?
you: not rewind or fast forward though, correct?
you: you aren't a human being, are you?
Wayne: Yes, it is correct.
Wayne: Yes, i am a liveperson.
you: "it" is correct?
Wayne: Yes,
you: what exactly is "it"?
you: 'I' am correct?
you: Is it possible to attain a second DVR receiver?
Wayne: you can not rewind or fast forward though in non-DVR remote.
you: if so, how much does that cost?
you: is this technology going to be available at any point in the near future?
Wayne: Yes, but for that you have to call to customer care department.
you: thanks for your help Wayne-o!
Wayne: We do not have any information on that as we are chat representative.
Wayne: well come!
you: you will never convince me that you were a living human...
you: know why?
you: humans say "Welcome!"
you: not Well come...
you: nice try though...
Wayne: Do you have anymore questions for me? I would be happy to assist you with them.
you: see ya robot
Wayne: I am not robot. Human make mistake not robot.

Championship Game Picks

Our Playoff hot streak came to a crashing halt last weekend as we went a piss poor 1-3 dropping us to 4-4 so far this postseason and 29-12 over the past three plus years. We have no choice but to bounce back in a major way this weekend. The Jets continue to amaze me and honestly I wouldn't be stunned to see them pull out a victory in Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon. That said, my guess is that Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark run Kerry Rhodes ragged and the Colts head to Miami off a two touchdown victory. The Chargers played into Rex Ryan's hands last week but I don't see the Colts falling into that trap. The Indy defense is weak in the secondary but is fast at linebacker and on the D-line meaning Mark Sanchez is going to need to come up big if the Jets are going to prevail and I just think that's too much pressure for a rookie quarterback. Not to mention the fact that the Colts have heard nothing but flack all week heading into this game about how it's their fault that the Jets are even in this situation. I can't see Manning putting up anything but a virtuoso performance after having to watch first hand as the Jets slaughtered the Colts junior varsity squad a few days after Christmas. Fearless Prediction: Indianapolis 27 - NY Jets 16

The nightcap should be a shootout as the Superdome hosts Brett Favre and the Vikings. Minnesota and New Orleans both looked spectacular in dominant victories last weekend and I truly think this game is a toss up. Drew Brees is one of the premier QB's in the league (God I wish the Fish had taken him over Culpepper a few years back) and the living legend Favre has been on his A game the last few weeks. The guy who I think makes the difference this weekend? Adrian Peterson. It's amazing to me how a player who is legitimately one of the best athletes in the league has flown under the radar throughout this postseason. Granted, AP hasn't had a great game since the midway point of the regular season, but I have a hunch he is due for a breakout performance late Sunday evening. Of course, he could always put the pigskin on the carpet a few times as he has been known to do and could adversely affect the outcome in that manner, but I think he's going to have a coming out party. On the other side of the ball I believe Jared Allen will put enough pressure on Brees to cause a few turnovers and very seldom does Reggie Bush put together consecutive stud performances. Sorry Saints fans, but your franchise has too much of a losing tradition. Who Dat? Dat the Purple People Eaters heading to the SuperBowl. Fearless Prediction: Minnesota 38 - New Orleans 28

Minnesota (+4)
Indianapolis (-8)

WHO'S NEXT?!

While we have seen some young up and coming fighters knock off some solid veterans and/or champs, I pose this question. Who is the next up and comer that will be champ? Now it might have to take a couple more fights for some of these fighters to get their shot but here are few names in the UFC that could be closer then you may think. (Note: I am choosing UFC fighters because some of the other companies have too many variables to know if they have true champs or up and comers to take those spots.) Now if you have some other choices then my picks feel free to express your reasoning.

Paul "Semtex" Daley (23-8-2)- This English welterweight brawler is known for his intense power and wrestling background. Recent wins over solid fighters in Martin Kampmann and Dustin Hazlett should wake up GSP's ire. While GSP has recently retracted statements about wrestling in the Olympics, he should be concerned about this guy. 'Semtex' is strong and has KO power in his hands. Is a solid wrestler and good muay thai fighter. As Matt Serra has proven, it only takes one punch to become champ. I think this is someone that can push GSP to the limit. Daley's recent losses have come to Strikeforce champ Jake Shields and solid veteran Nick Thompson in a match that was very even throughout the fight. I think if he wins one more match in convincing fashion, he'll see GSP shortly thereafter.

Jon "Bones" Jones (9-1-0)- In his recent domination over Matt Hamill, 'Bones' made a stupid young mistake in landing downward elbows to disqualify him but trust me,anyone who watched this young fighter knows that it is a loss that know one will care about. He punished Hamill in all facets of the match. This NY fighter is a college wrestling champ and a innovative striker. His length keeps people away while he lands kicks and punches from different angles. He also is comfortable on the ground working on his BJJ. Although still very raw, the Light heavies are on notice, this kid is getting better with every fight and could eventually get a title shot. I think, regardless of who is champ, he could be a good match up for Machida or Rua. The only concern that I have about 'Bones' is does he have a good enough chin to take shots from those big punchers in the division.

Cain Velasquez (7-0-0)- I love this guy, and anyone who has watched his matches must feel the same way. He has shown that although he has taken some big punches (Kongo) and barley made it through some of his fights, he is good enough using his All-American wrestling background to bang out guys on the ground. He is a relentless fighter finishing his fights by just pounding out his opponents until the refs stop them. He has to get through a couple more big matches before he gets the title shot. If he beats "Minotauro" Nogueira and winner of Mir/Carwin then he will deserve a shot at Brock (who by the way says he is coming back possibly at UFC 114). Velasquez uses his wrestling to control the match and then pounds his opponents with a great ground and pound game. He is also getting better with his stand up, working out at the American Kickboxing Academy in California. (Other fighters that work out there are Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and Mike Swick along with a ton of other superstars that have come through there during training for matches).

Some Other Contenders:

Frankie Edgar (Lightweight)

Gegard Mousasi (Strikeforce, Middle/Light heavyweight)

Junior dos Santos (Heavyweight)

Demian Maia (Middleweight)

Divisional Playoffs Picks

Another NFL Playoff week, another payday for Short-Dog. Picking up right where we left off last season, Shorty came through with a 3-1 record last weekend upping his career playoff total to 28-9. This weekend's lines are all a tad bit higher than last weekend and although I have a pretty good feeling about how to take these games straight up, the lines are a wee bit tricky. Saturday's opening contest may actually be the toughest game to call. The Cardinals are a playoff tested bunch with a Hall of Fame Quarterback headed into New Orleans to take on a Saints team that lost their last three down the stretch after clinching the #1 seed. My gut tells me that the New Orleans defense will prove a tougher opponent than the Packers secondary last week, but I like Kurt Warner getting a touchdown to keep it close. Saturday night I'll take the Colts to win by double digits against a very good Ravens squad. I wouldn't be stunned to see Baltimore give Indianapolis a run for it's money, but I'm gonna stick with Peyton Manning to make enough plays at home to win a 27-16 type game.

While Saturday's spreads are somewhat scary, Sunday should provide some gambling relief. I absolutely love Dallas to beat the Vikings outright in Minnesota so I'll gladly take the field goal. With the exception of the Giants game, Brett Favre and company have looked awful the last quarter of the season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys enter as the hottest team in the NFC and appear destined for a spot in the title game. Finally, no way do the Jets keep things close against San Diego. Sure, the New York defense is very good but so is the high powered Chargers offense. The difference in the game will be the ineptitude of the Jet offense. San Diego will stack the box and alow Braylon Edwards to continue dropping balls to the tune of a 24-6 shellacking.

Arizona (+7)
Indianapolis (-7)

Dallas (+3)
San Diego (-8)

New Mixtape: War Machine

Postseason Picks: Opening Round

So the regular season is over and unfortunately I finished five games behind the Doctor in our weekly picks. We both finished over .500 but wound up with identical negative money banks. Forget all that. The postseason is upon us and Shorty has dominated to the tune of 25-8 over the past three years. I expect to be just as productive this time around if not more. I have a feeling that this weekend's games will be the toughest to pick if only because three of the match ups are actually rematches from last weekend. It's nearly impossible to gage just how much effort and game planning a few of the teams put forth knowing they were likely to see these very same teams in the opening round of the playoffs. Starting in Cincinnati, I would expect the Bengals to show much more life at home and I'd take Carson Palmer over Mark Sanchez any day of the week. Yet, I have a sneaky suspicion that last Sunday Night's debacle might provide Gang Green with enough confidence to pull off the upset. On Saturday Night I expect a last second field goal to decide things one way or another and while I have a hunch Tony Romo is due for his first playoff victory, I'll take the Eagles getting the points.

On Sunday I love the Ravens on the road to knock off the Patroits. This doesn't have as much to do with the tragic Wes Welker injury as it does with the New England defense's inability to stop anyone this year, specifically on the ground in big spots. Baltimore should have won the game they played early in the regular season and I expect Ray Rice to have a huge game on Sunday. Finally, late Sunday afternoon I'm taking the Cardinals to upend the Packers. Originally, I had intended on taking all four underdogs this weekend but the more I hear people picking Green Bay as their sleeper SuperBowl pick, the more I sense they will get knocked off by an Arizona team that has the offensive weapons to replace an injured Anquan Boldin. And now, guess what? I am taking all four underdogs. The spread in this game swung a full four points and now I have the defending NFC champs getting points at home? I'll take it. So there you have it, enjoy the UNDERDOG weekend and I even threw in a few little teasers for you...

NY Jets (+3)
Philadelphia (+4)

Baltimore (+3.5)
Arizona (+2)

Three Team Sweetheart Teaser = Jets (+13), Eagles (+14) & Ravens (+13.5)
RISK $50 to win $45

Jets (+9) & Eagles (+10)
RISK $50 to win $45

UFC 108 Results/ WEC & UFC Fight Nite Preview

UFC 108 Results

While I heard there was much concern over the this card, true MMA fans watched a fantastic display of young up and coming fighters and some tremendous KO's. The prelims aired on Spike were even awesome fights. Again, Jake Ellenberger brawled, Kampmann bounced back with a submission, Jim Miller (1st rd. arm bar submission), 'Semtex' Daley and Junior dos Santos (MAJOR KO's) all proved they are knocking on the door of the UFC elite with impressive wins. Sam Stout and Joe Lauzon had the fight of the night. Stout looked like the prospect many thought he could become. He dominated Lauzon in the stand up game and dominated the 3rd round to close the show for unanimous decision. In the main event, Rashad Evans went back to his wrestling background to frustrate Thiago Silva in the first 2 rounds only to almost blow it in the 3rd round by trying to stand and throw punches with the better puncher. With about a minute and a half left in the fight Silva rocked Evans but didn't have enough in the tank to finish him off. Rumors are that Evans and Rampage will fight on the March card, UFC 111.

WEC Jan. 10- Varner vs. Henderson

This young and explosive little brother to UFC, WEC is getting better and better all the time. This card is probably the best yet. Don't change the channel when these fights come on. All will be fast moving and explosive. Up and coming fighters Mackens Semezier (beat Wagney Fabiano) and Dave Jansen (dominated Rich Crunkilton) are on the card. Semezier and Jansen are well rounded fighters who can punch and are very solid on the ground. Their opponents better be at the top of their games or it will be over quick. Mike Brown, who is coming off a loss to Jose Aldo, will fight newcomer Anthony Morrison. The "California Kid" is back, fully healthy and more determined to get back to the top than ever. He is fighting veteran Raphael Accuncao, a BJJ artist with a good chin. Faber will have to stay active and innovative to beat Accuncao because his opponent is patient and will use openings to attack. In the main event, Champ Jamie Varner is coming back from injuries to battle Interim Champ Ben Henderson. If you watched the battle between Varner and Cerrone, ramp up the intensity 10x and that's what this fight will be like. Henderson has a motor like no other. He puts constant pressure on his opponents and is good standing up and exceptional with take downs. Unfortunately, Varner is the same way. Both are tremendous wrestlers and big punchers. I look for this fight to go the distance, I love both but I am truly impressed with Henderson, split decision to take the belt.

UFC Fight Night

The fight nights that the UFC put on is a great way to get some exposure for the young guys coming to the UFC. Many are former fighters from the show and some are guys coming from some smaller companies and all they need is a shot to show what they can do. Although many of these fights will not be televised or may end quick, this is where you will get to possibly see the next great fighter. That next great fighter is in the main event. Gray "The Bully" Maynard has already fought some of the who's who of the lightweight division and won by pounding and slamming and "bullying" them to victories. Some of the people he has beaten are Frankie Edgar and Jim Miller (top contenders in 155 lb), Rich Clementi and former champ Roger Huerta. His opponent is resident big mouth Nate Diaz. Diaz is a tough, solid fighter but doesn't have the resume nor the background to talk. I think he brings his brothers bravado with him when he fights but has only beaten lower tier fighters and has no big win to place his hat on. Diaz is a tough kid but his mouth overshadows his ability. "Bully" will do just that to win unanimous decision. Other fighters on the card to watch are fan favorite Amir Sadollah, Nik Lentz and possible fight of the night Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael Dos Anjos.

G.O.A.T. = International Poker Sensation

My boy Eliezier "The G.O.A.T." Gonzalez fancies himself quite the poker player these days. When not traveling the nation saving lives and making it safe for the rest of us on American Soil, he is attempting to take our money on the green felt tables. The Prince look alike is just lucky he didn't sit at the same table as myself at the most recent annual Jonny Fid Classic on Christmas weekend. For those of you into Poker he has put together quite an interesting little writeup as a start to his new blog over on PocketFives.com and I'll be looking forward to more posts in the future. Best of luck GOAT!

"I'm doing everything I possibly can to not burst with emotion at this point, so I do what I know best! I play weak! I take off my ear buds, slouch down in my seat, fold my arms, blow out a big sigh, and go into acting mode. I give it a few seconds to marinate, and I give player 6 the up and down a few times. After a few minutes, I toss my $100 chip into the pot, like it's some big chore or something. The river brings another meaningless card, and I can't even remember what it was. I sit there and look at player 6, and I noticed that he aaaaaaalmost acted out of turn. He grabbed a stack of about $300 and motioned forward, but the dealer reminded him that the action was on me. Seeing this tell, let me know that he had a big hand, and he couldn't wait to get those chips in the pot. So I sat for a few seconds longer and let his anxiousness overcome him. He looks at me and says "Do you check?" I say back to him, "No, no, not yet." I can tell he wants to bet it so bad, that he's about to come out of his seat. So finally, I say, "Yeah, I check!" Player 6 takes that stack of about $300 and pushes it into the pot. I come over the top of him or all I have left, which at this point is about $475, and he calls. He turns over, get this..... K-9 off-suit!!! K-9 off-suit, for $40 pre-flop? WTF? I turn over my AA's showing my Full House, and he's crushed! Like I said, there's plenty of money to be made at the Atlantis this week!"

Read the rest of Eli's blog @ PokerFives

NFL Picks: Week 17 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

Indianapolis (+8) <--------> Buffalo (-8)
Carolina (-9) <--------> Carolina (-9)
Jacksonville (+2) <--------> Jacksonville (+2)
Chicago (-3)<--------> Chicago (-3) $50
Atlanta (-2)<--------> Atlanta (-2) $50
Houston (-7)<--------> Houston (-7)
Pittsburgh (-3)<-------->Pittsburgh (-3)
NY Giants (+8)<--------> Minnesota (-8)
San Francisco (-8)<--------> San Francisco (-8)
Dallas (-3) $50<--------> Philadelphia (+3) $50
Arizona (-3) $50<-------> Green Bay (+3)
Oakland (+10.5) <-------> Baltimore (-10.5)
Denver (-10) <--------> Denver (-10)
San Diego (-3.5) $50 <-------> San Diego (-3.5)
Tennessee (-6) $50<-------> Tennessee (-6) $50
Cincinnati (+10)<-------> NY Jets (-10)

Sixteen Week Totals

Shorty (126-123-5) -$200
Lovins (131-118-5) -$200

Dynamite Results/ UFC 108 Preview

DYNAMITE 2009

The great thing about what Dream and Strikeforce do is co-promote. Now I can understand why Dana White doesn't want or need to do it but I think by co-promoting you get fights that wouldn't normally happen. As the Dynamite card was happening hours ago for the Japanese New Year, some of those fights occurred. This was a card that had Dream vs. Sengoku fighters, a Super hulk fight, K-1 fights as well as some Strikeforce fighters who came over to fight. Now it is hard to route for fighters or even know many of them because they fight in Japan but let me tell you it is only a matter of time that they will be introduced to the US. In a kickboxing match, Japanese legend, Masato, beat Andy Souwer in a back and forth battle. The main event was to be considered Masato swan song and a farewell. Although not a dominating performance, Masato landed the cleaner and and more effective strikes to receive a unanimous decision. Some names that you may know that also fought in the card in the MMA fights were built up with decent names but lacked actual good competitive fights. Gegard Mousasi (Strikeforce) pounded out 38 yr old Gary Goodridge and Alistair Overeem (Strikeforce/K-1) landed a devastating knee in the first minute to end the night for Kazuyuki Fujita as he fell through the ropes. Although Overeem and Mousasi are major fighters in the sport today, their opponents are washed up losing 8 of their last 10 fights combined. Short lived career in UFC, Shinya Aoki went back to fight in Japan and snapped the arm of his opponent Hirota's with a hammerlock. I'm guessing he didn't say "Uncle" because it popped. Ouch! Melvin MANhoef came out swinging and finished his foe landing some big bombs in the 1st round. Although he is not a great MMA fighter he does throw bombs and I think would be a great opponent for Kimbo. There would be no running, no ground game, just big time blows. This overall was a great card, I got to see some Japanese fighters who I wasn't too familiar with and the competition was good but the thing that the Japanese do well is stay active.

UFC 108

Although the card lost its luster when Rampage suddenly retired instead of fighting co-trainer of TUF Rashad Evans, it is still a very good card with some lesser known stars getting an opportunity to show what they got and Thiago Silva is no slouch as a fill in to fight Evans. There are some big time strikers like Paul "Semtex" Daley and Martin "Hitman" Kampmann in fights as well as some tremendous grapplers like Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller. There are some unknowns that have battled big names who are also worth watching; Jake Ellenberger battled former WEC champ Carlos Condit to lose a very close decision and what I think is the fight of the night, Junior Dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel. Dos Santos has beat two former stars of MMA. In his first UFC fight, he KO'd Fabricio Werdum in the 1st round and dominated Cro Cop in his last fight at UFC 103. He is a big fighter (6'4) with great length when striking with both hands and feet. He also is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist with a solid ground game. Gilbert Yvel is a Dutch Muay Thai fighter who can throw big time punches and kicks. If he comes in with the right mindset, he could KO many in the UFC. Unfortunately, Yvel some times comes into fights uninspired and in bad shape. If that is the case, he'll look to end it early and then get dominated until he quits mentally, which you will see by him only throwing lackluster punches and receiving punishment. As for the main event, pay attention because it could end quickly. Both men are big punchers, Evans more with speed than power, but nevertheless, can win that way. Silva was not ready to fight the caliber of fighter of Machida but has KO'd James Irvin, Houston Alexander and Keith Jardine all in the 1st round. Evans has had a tremendous rise to the top of the light heavyweight division but I think that his arrogance hampers his ability. He is fast, strong and can finish fights but has proved that he is prone to get caught with solid punches by good fighters. Machida put an exclamation point on that by landing precise and powerful punches to make "Suga" melt into the cage mat. Now I am an admitted Evans hater, I do respect his ability and think that he will come into the fight prepared and focused. I also think he wants to put a show on for his future opponent, who will likely be sitting ringside.... can you say Evans vs. Rampage UFC 11??

Top Ten Films of 2009

1. Inglourious Basterds

2. Hurt Locker
3. 500 Days of Summer
4. The Road
5. Up in the Air
6. Paranormal Activity
7. The Hangover
8. District 9
9. Avatar
10. Star Trek

Honorable Mention:
Brothers
Public Enemies
Watchmen
Taken

(Films I did not see include 'Big Fan', 'The Messenger' & 'Moon')

Top 25 Films of the Past Decade

1. The Departed
2. Mystic River
3. Almost Famous
4. No Country for Old Men
5. City of God
6. There Will be Blood
7. Memento
8. Lost in Translation
9. Catch Me if You Can
10. 300
11. Little Miss Sunshine
12. 25th Hour
13. Slumdog Millionaire
14. Dark Knight
15. Munich
16. Garden State
17. Michael Clayton
18. Blow
19. History of Violence
20. Traffic
21. 8 Mile
22. Crash
23. Road to Perdition
24. Children of Men
25. Kill Bill

Honorable Mention:
Last King of Scotland
Donnie Darko
Hotel Rwanda
Zodiac
Brokeback Mountain

*List does not include any films from 2009*

PITBULL'S BAAAACK!

I would love to tell all you readers that I was on a tiger hunt in the African jungles or won lotto and went into a alcoholic haze while partying all over the world but you know that none of that happened (well maybe the alcohol part). But I have been working on my MMA portion of this blog to make it better than ever before. I have been doing some behind the scenes work to be more knowledgeable about this phenomenal sport that will soon take over the world. So I am announcing that at the beginning of the new year I will post every Thursday about the upcoming bouts (including Dream, Strikeforce, UFC, WEC and some smaller venues) as well as topics for my fans to get an opportunity to argue, discuss and give me some feedback from my readers. For instance: a possible topic will be "Who do you think is the best fighter in the world?" or "Why I think (fill in fighters name) is a douchebag?" Also, I would welcome questions that the readers may have that pertain to the pugilistic arts or suggestions about topics that you may want to discuss as readers. I appreciate the followers being patient while I have been out. Look for my first preview of the upcoming Dream (Dec. 31) and UFC (Jan. 2)events this Thursday.

NFL Picks: Week 16 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

San Diego (+3) <--------> Tennessee (-3)
Green Bay (-14) <--------> Green Bay (-14)
Oakland (+3) <--------> Oakland (+3)
Cincinnati (-14)<--------> Kansas City (+14)
Buffalo (+9)<--------> Atlanta (-9)
Houston (+3)<--------> Miami (-3) $25
NY Giants (-8)<--------> NY Giants (-8) $100
New Orleans (-14)<--------> New Orleans (-14)
New England (-9) <--------> New England (-9)
Baltimore (+3) $50<--------> Pittsburgh (-3)
Arizona (-14.5) <-------> Arizona (-14.5)
Detroit (+13) <-------> San Francisco (-13)
Denver (+7) $50<--------> Denver (+7)
NY Jets (+6) $50<-------> Indianapolis (-6)
Dallas (-7) $50<-------> Dallas (-7) $50
Minnesota (-7) <-------> Minnesota (-7) $25

Fifteen Week Totals

Shorty (108-110-4) -$350
Lovins (111-107-4) -$100

NFL Picks: Week 15 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

Indianapolis (3.5) $50 <-------->Indianapolis (3.5)
Dallas (+8) <-------->Dallas (+8)
Tennessee (-3) <-------->Miami (+3)
New England (-7.5) $50 <-------->New England (-7.5)
Arizona (-12) <-------->Arizona (-12)
Philadelphia (-8)<-------->Philadelphia (-8) $75
NY Jets (-3) $50<-------->NY Jets (-3)
Chicago (+11)<-------->Baltimore (-11)
Kansas City (-1.5)<-------->Kansas City (-1.5)
Houston (--) <-------->Houston (--)
San Diego (-7) <-------->Cincinnati (+7)
Oakland (+14)<------->Denver (-14)
Seattle (-7) <------->Seattle (-7) $50
Pittsburgh (+1) <-------->Green Bay (-1) $50
Minnesota (-9) <------->Minnesota (-9)
NY Giants (-3) $50<------->NY Giants (-3) $25

Fourteen Week Totals

Shorty (101-102-3) -$350
Lovins (104-99-3) -$100

NFL Picks: Week 14 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

Cleveland (+10.5) <--------> Pittsburgh (-10.5)
Denver (+7) <-------->Denver (+7) $50
Cincinnati (+7) <-------->Minnesota (-7)
NY Jets (-4) <-------->NY Jets (-4)
Kansas City (+2) <-------->Kansas City (+2)$25
Chicago (+5) <-------->Green Bay (-5)
New Orleans (-10.5) $50 <-------->New Orleans (-10.5)
Detroit (+14) <-------->Baltimore (-14)
Jacksonville (-3) <-------->Miami (+3) $25
New England (-13) $50<-------->New England (-13) $25
Seattle (+7)<-------->Houston (-7)
St. Louis (+13)<------->Tennessee (-13)
Washington (-1) $50<------->Oakland (+1)
San Diego (+3) $50 <-------->San Diego (+3) $50
Philadelphia (-1.5) <------->Philadelphia (-1.5)
Arizona (-4) <------->Arizona (-4) $25

Thirteen Week Totals
Shorty (96-91-3) -$350
Lovins (95-92-3) -$50

December Mixtape: "The Situation"

Sorry about the lack of posts recently (seems like I'm saying that every other week these days) but school kicked my ass this past month. The good news? We're all done and I'll be posting on a much more regular basis over the next month before I begin student teaching. The new mixtape is now up on the right side of the page. Enjoy your weekend and be on the lookout for these couple of things:

Saturday night ESPN's 30 for 30 returns with a look at "The U" during the 1980 glory years

Army could join Navy as bowl eligible with an upset victory on Saturday afternoon

Dolphins & Jaguars play in a virtual playoff game on Sunday afternoon in J-Ville

NFL Picks: Week 13 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

NY Jets (-3) <--------> NY Jets (-3) $50
Denver (-6) <-------->Denver (-6) $50
Pittsburgh (-15)<-------->Oakland (+15)
Houston (-2) <-------->Houston (-2)
New England (-5.5) <-------->Miami (+5.5)
Tennessee (+7) <-------->Tennessee (+7)
Philadelphia (-5) $50<-------->Philadelphia (-5) $50
Detroit (+13.5) <-------->Cincinnati (-13.5)
New Orleans (-10) $50 <--------> New Orleans (-10)
Tampa Bay (+5) <-------->Tampa Bay (+5)
Chicago (-9) $50 <-------->Chicago (-9)
San Francisco (-1) <--------> San Francisco (-1) $50
San Diego (-14) <-------> San Diego (-14)
Dallas (-1.5) $50 <-------> NY Giants (+1.5)
Arizona (+3.5) <-------->Minnesota (-3.5)
Baltimore (+3.5) <-------> Green Bay (-3.5)

The United Brothers,"Throw the Mortgage on it", Absolutely 110%, Sure Thing Teaser of the Week =

Ten Week Totals
SHORTY (91-80-3) -$250
LOVINS (88-83-3) -$150

Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week...

"Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week" is a weekly feature where I link to a few blog posts which I found interesting during the week. Every Friday we focus on sports, movies, television and whatever else is going on in the world. The weekly feature regularly showcases new music downloads and video clips.

*I acknowledge the fact that I've been super stingy with posts recently, so I decided to provide a double dose of links today. I hope you enjoy...

College Football Championship Weekend Preview - Spit Blood

Ari Fleischer's BCS opinions - Daily Beast

'Brothers' opens this weekend nationwide; here is a quick review - Roger Ebert

Fist pumping recap of MTV's Jersey Shore - Guest of a Guest

World Cup Draw: live blog - Major League Soccer Talk

Young Jeezy & Gucci Mane truce live on air w/ DJ Drama - Miss Info

Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction premieres this weekend - HBO

Headline of the Week: "Katy Perry's breasts are not Tiger Woods" - The Superficial

Padma Lakshmi gets saucy - Page Six

Jay's 'Empire State of Mind' vs. Frank's 'New York, New York' - The Boombox

Hump Day Hottie

Rachel Uchitel

Minimal Thoughts Monday

I'll make this quick since I'm in the middle of a major project for my Math, Science & Technology course. Tiger, Tiger, Tiger...by now I'm assuming you all know the story of Eldrick Woods' car crash Thanksgiving night and the numerous rumors over his alleged infidelities which may have been the cause of his fleeing his own home at 2AM that evening. This story has legs folks and if Tiger thinks he is going to sneak away quietly having only issued his recent statement applauding his Swedish Nanny wife as a hero, boy does he have another thing coming. It was actually humorous watching mainstream media outlets initially attempting to report this as a straight story with Elin as a courageous wife attempting to free her husband from the truck with a golf club. Seriously? On the same day that the National Inquirer put out a story about Tiger spending time in Austrailia with Rachel Uchitel? Doubt it. Not when Eldrick reportedly at least entertained the thought of purchasing a 'Kobe Special' earlier in the week...

Does anyone else find some irony in the fact that Sports Illustrated announced this morning that Tiger's buddy Derek Jeter was named Sportsman of the Year?

NFL Picks: Week 12 (Shorty vs Lovins)

Shorty vs. Lovins

Green Bay (-11) <--------> Green Bay (-11)
Dallas (-14) <-------->Dallas (-14)
Denver (+7)<-------->NY Giants (-7)
Indianapolis (-3.5) $50 <-------->Indianapolis (-3.5)
Cleveland (+14) <-------->Cincinnati (-14)
Philadelphia (-9) $25 <-------->Philadelphia (-9) $50
Buffalo (+3.5) <-------->Miami (-3.5)
Seattle (-3) $50 <--------> Seattle (-3) $50
Tampa Bay (+13) <-------->Atlanta (-13)
Carolina (+3) $25 <-------->Carolina (+3) $50
San Francisco (-3.5) <--------> San Francisco (-3.5) $50
San Diego (-14) <-------> San Diego (-14)
Chicago (+11) <-------> Minnesota (-11)
Tennessee (-3) <-------->Tennessee (-3)
Baltimore (-8.5) <-------> Baltimore (-8.5)
New England (+3) $50 <-------->New England (+3)

The United Brothers, 3-Team Turkey Day,"Throw the Mortgage on it", Absolutely 110%, Sure Thing Teaser of the Week = Green Bay (-1), Oakland (+24) and Denver (+17)

Ten Week Totals
Shorty (81-75-2) -$250 (5-5) teaser
Lovins (81-75-2) -$150 (5-5) teaser

Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week...

"Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week" is a weekly feature where I link to a few blog posts which I found interesting during the week. Every Friday we focus on sports, movies, television and whatever else is going on in the world. The weekly feature regularly showcases new music downloads and video clips. I hope you enjoy...

College Hoops version of Colts-Pats rivalry takes place tonight in the NIT Final - New York Post

LOST: Season Six premiere now only two months away - Entertainment Weekly (Doc Jensen)

Colt McCoy re-emerges as Heisman Favorite after last night's showcase game against rival Texas A&M - Sporting News

Lupe Fiasco: Enemy of the State Mixtape - Miss Info

Is Allen Iverson a lock for the Hall of Fame? - Straight to the League

Greatest Television Day Of The Year

I love Thanksgiving, you love Thanksgiving, we all love Thanksgiving. The food, the family, the football. Forget the football for just a second and let me explain why Turkey Day is also the greatest day for television programming all year. Memorial Day & Independence Day are two holidays which usually embrace the 'boob-tube' by offering various Rocky marathons and the like, but this year Thanksgiving provides the most impressive tv lineup that I can ever remember. Don't believe me? Look for yourself:

AMC (7:30 AM) -- Roll right out of bed and into the Godfather Trilogy

SyFY (8AM) -- James Bond Marathon

NBC (9AM) -- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

SpikeTV (9:30 AM) -- Band of Brothers Marathon is perfect DVR material for those who have never seen the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg produced classic mini-series

G4TV (11AM) -- Back to back Bruce Lee (Fist of Fury & Way of the Dragon) followed by the greatest Vampire movie of all-time, The Lost Boys

VH1 (12PM) -- Hip Hop Behind the Music featuring episodes chronicling the careers of T.I., Lil Wayne & 50 Cent

FX (12PM) -- Running the original Home Alone continuously the entire day

ESPN (3PM) -- Re-showing the entire impressive 30 for 30 series

ABC (8PM) -- Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special

Hump Day Hottie

Shakira

NFL Playoff Predictions

Every year right around Thanksgiving is the time when you really start glancing at the NFL schedule and trying to figure out where your respective team stands in terms of a possible postseason birth. This year while the NFC appears to be pretty much scripted for the most part, the AFC is a muddled mess behind Indianapolis & New England, specifically in the AFC North where the Steelers, Bengals & Ravens all fell this past weekend. The following is my prediction for how the regular season will round out over the final six weekends:

AFC Playoff Picture
1. Indianapolis (14-2) BYE
2. San Diego (12-4) BYE

3. Cincinnati (11-5) vs 6. Miami (9-7)
4. New England (11-5) vs 5. Pittsburgh (10-6)

Outside Looking In
Denver (9-7) Baltimore (8-8) Houston (8-8) Jacksonville (8-8)
Tennessee (7-9) NY Jets (6-10)

NFC Playoff Picture
1. Minnesota (13-3) BYE
2. New Orleans (12-4) BYE

3. Arizona (10-6) vs 6. Green Bay (9-7)
4. New York Giants (10-6) vs 5. Dallas (10-6)

Outside Looking In
Philly (9-7) Atlanta (9-7) San Fran (8-8)
Carolina (6-10) Chicago (6-10)

Hova Throws Subliminal Shots @ 50

Connecticut Pride

If you don't live in the state, it's difficult to fully grasp the significance of Saturday afternoon's thrilling upset victory in South Bend. I had someone ask me over the weekend why everyone was making such a big deal about this game. I stopped and thought about it before realizing that you would be hard pressed to find a game between two mediocre Division I programs with more at stake than in Saturday's double OT classic. Start with the Irish and the obvious theme of Charlie Weis being driven out as head coach of Notre Dame. Going into the game everyone involved knew what the implications of another home loss would be. That's why the Fighting Irish players walked out of the tunnel arm in arm led by their beleaguered coach. The only problem for the Domers that day is that they were playing against a Connecticut team with heavy hearts who knew that this would be their last chance to honor their fallen teammate...and boy, did they ever make the most of it. The Huskies have only been a Division I-A program for just under a decade now and although they have been to a few Bowl games and even won one while Dan Orlovsky was behind the center, this game was clearly the most important in the history of UConn football.

Playing in front of 80,000 and a national audience, Randy Edsall's hard nosed Huskies ran the ball down the throats of Notre Dame and showed a type of perseverance that they hadn't shown in their three consecutive heart-breaking losses immediately following the tragic death of cornerback Jasper Howard. The roller coaster ride that was the final two minutes of regulation proved to be a perfect metaphor for the madness of the Huskies season. Only this time, Connecticut would fight through a missed field goal, at least one (if not two) questionable holding calls and Edsall's own overcautiousness which nearly cost them the game. This time, finally, the Huskies would finish out a game and in doing so, have salvaged a broken season. For the next few years when Connecticut brings recruits to Storrs in an attempt to sway them to sign to play for the Huskies, right before mentioning that UConn had three players taken in the first two rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft, they will be able to show the video clip of Coach Edsall, teary-eyed immediately following the game, telling the family of Jasper Howard that the game ball is coming home to them. If I had to guess, I would bet that Edsall will have this program in a BCS Bowl game within the next five seasons. If you think that sounds crazy, imagine what you would have said five years ago if I had told you that the Huskies were going to head into South Bend and thump the Fighting Irish right before the eyes of Touchdown Jesus...

NFL Picks: Week 11 (Shorty vs Lovins)

This weeks picks are gonna be a Thriller!!!!!

Shorty vs. Lovins

Detroit (-3) <-------->Detroit (-3)
Buffalo (+9)<-------->Jacksonville (-9)
Pittsburgh (-10) <-------->Pittsburgh (-10) $50
Indianapolis (-2) $50 <-------->Baltimore (+2)
Atlanta (+7) <--------> Atlanta (+7)
San Francisco (+7) <--------> San Francisco (+7)
Minnesota (-11)<--------> Minnesota (-11) $25
Dallas (-11) <-------->Dallas (-11)
New Orleans (-11) <-------->New Orleans (-11)
New England (-11) $25 <--------> New England (-11)
Arizona (-9)<-------->Arizona (-9) $75
Oakland (+10)<--------> Cincinnati (-10)
San Diego (-3) $100 <------->San Diego (-3)$25
Philadelphia (-3) <------->Philadelphia (-3) $25
Tennessee (+4.5) $25<-------->Tennessee (+4.5)

The United Brothers, "Throw the Mortgage on it", Absolutely 110%, Sure Thing Teaser of the Week = Pittsburgh (-4) and New England (-5)

Ten Week Totals
Shorty (71-71-2) -$400 (4-5) teaser
Lovins (73-69-2) -$100 (4-5) teaser

Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week...

"Shorty's $$$ Picks of the Week" is a weekly feature where I link to a few blog posts which I found interesting during the week. Every Friday we focus on sports, movies, television and whatever else is going on in the world. The weekly feature regularly showcases new music downloads and video clips. I hope you enjoy...

I apologize for the lack of content lately due to schoolwork, but here's a peek at the best new blog in the industry to hold you over until my triumphant return - Lazy Eyed Girl

UConn football to play for the first time in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus tomorrow - Connecticut Sports Law

Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare setting all sorts of sales records - LA Times

From the people who brought you 'F' My Life & Texts from Last Night - Sh*t My GF Says

Thierry Henry's Handball heard round the world - 200 Percent

Hump Day Hottie

Leighton Meester