'You pick it' Response

My response was once again chosen to be featured for the ‘You pick it’ feature on Bill Williamson’s AFC West blog. Check out what I had to say about the Herm Edwards firing as well as the responses of others on the ESPN blog.

Should Derrick Thomas and Shannon Sharpe Be in the Hall of Fame?

It's a legitimate question and one that was asked by Bill Williamson on his AFC West blog this week. My response is among the ones he included in his follow-up post today.

Super Bowl XLIII That Guy

Last year I debuted my Super Bowl That Guy column, noting that there’s always some little-known player who rises to the occasion for the big game. Click to read last year’s column for some perspective.

To refresh your mind, here are the rules to qualify for That Guy status as we head into Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Rules to qualify as That Guy in a Super Bowl:

1. Starting quarterbacks are automatically ruled out. That means no Kurt Warner and no Ben Roethlisberger.
   
   
2. Pro Bowl selections are also overqualified. That means that, in addition to Warner, receievers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, safety Adrian Wilson and special teamer Sean Morey are ineligible for Arizona. For the Steelers, linebackers James Harrison and James Farrior and safety Troy Polamalu are off limits.
   
   
3. Fantasy football studs are ineligible. This net catches several players already ruled out. Add to those names: Willie Parker, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.
   
   
4. Veterans with a significant playoff history. Deshea Townsend and Aaron Smith each have at least 10 years of experience and a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers already. They’re exempt. On the Arizona side, there’s a lot less playoff experience, but Edgerrin James definitely qualifies.
   
   
5. No repeats. If you were already named That Guy in a Super Bowl, you can never be him again. The Steelers’ That Guy from Super Bowl XL, Antwaan Randle-El, is no longer with the team. No one on either team has ever been That Guy before.

Arizona Cardinals top five nominees for Super Bowl XLIII That Guy

5. Mike Gandy, LT
Protecting Kurt Warner will be a key to the Cardinals’ success. Gandy is in charge of protecting Warner’s blindside against the Steelers’ rush that will feature NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison.

4. Matt Leinart, QB
The one-time golden boy has been relegated to the bench, but if Gandy and company fail to protect Warner, the Heisman-trophy winner Leinart will be called upon. Warner has managed to stay healthy this season, so there’s no indication that he’ll go down. But the Steelers’ defense is the best and arguably hardest hitting in the league. What a chance that would be for someone who was once the guy at USC to become That Guy in the Super Bowl.

3. Bertrand Berry, DE
The 11-year veteran had played in just two playoff games prior to this season, losing both. But after starting just four games during the season, he’s started in all three Cardinals playoff victories this year and recorded two sacks. He knows that Super Bowl opportunities do not come around regularly and that should motivate him to get some pressure on Ben Roethlisberger.

2. Tim Hightower, RB
After scoring six touchdowns in a reserve role, the rookie runner started seven of the team’s final nine regular season games, but he scored just four times as a starter. Nonetheless, he remains an important complement to Edgerrin James and will need to contribute if the Cardinals have any hopes of mounting a rushing attack against the Steelers’ vaunted run defense.

1. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB
In his first postseason run, the rookie corner has been stellar, tallying 15 tackles and two interceptions during Arizona’s playoff run. Whether he’s matched up against Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward or deep-threat Santonio Holmes, Rodgers-Cromartie is going to be tested by the Steelers receivers. If he can win his share of those battles, the Cardinals just might win the war.

Pittsburgh Steelers top five nominees for Super Bowl XLIII That Guy

5. Dennis Dixon, QB
This is the ultimate long-shot, but hear me out. The Steelers always seem to know when to run the trick play. They ran one to perfection in Super Bowl XL when wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El hooked up on a touchdown pass to fellow wideout Hines Ward. Who was the offensive coordinator then? Ken Whisenhunt, now head coach of the Cardinals. Wouldn’t the Steelers love to kill the Cards coach with a dose of his own medicine? And, if so, Dixon, the athletic rookie from Oregon could figure prominently. If he gets onto the field, keep an eye on him.

*4. Limas Sweed, WR
The rookie wideout is my brother Mike’s pick, so I’ll list him, but after his drop last week against the Ravens, I just don’t see it happening for Sweed. To hear more of Mike’s thoughts on the game, check out the first episode of The Winning Hand Sportscast available for download or streamed on MattHubert.com

3. LaMarr Woodley, LB
The third-year linebacker from Michigan is also the third-ranking linebacker for the Steelers, but that’s only because he plays alongside the best linebacking crew in the NFL with James Harrison and James Farrior. The young’n of the bunch, Woodley is every bit as capable of making big plays, and with the attention the others demand, he may find himself free to make some of those plays against the Cardinals.

2. Heath Miller, TE
He’s not Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates, but Miller fits the mold of a Pittsburgh Steelers tight end. He’s a big body, great blocker and, next to Hines Ward, seems to be Roethlisberger’s go-to target on third down. Tight end is a position not being talked about much in this game, but Miller has the edge and that could pay dividends for the Steelers.

1. Mewelde Moore, RB
When Willie Parker was injured earlier this year, Moore was more than a serviceable fill-in. In the four games he started, Moore averaged 20 carries for 90 yards (4.5 yards/carry) with three rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown. Parker broke through with a big effort in the Steelers’ last Super Bowl while playing somewhat in the shadow of Jerome Bettis. Parker doesn’t cast quite as large a shadow as The Bus did, but Moore will look to follow in his footsteps.

My Pick for Super Bowl XLIII That Guy
Steve Breaston, WR/returner, Arizona

The Rationale
The Cardinals are a pass-first offense. Their quarterback and both starting receivers are Pro Bowl starters. Surely the Steelers will do everything they can to limit the number of passes directed toward Fitzgerald and Boldin. Naturally that leads to additional opportunities for the number three man, Steve Breaston. His numbers for the year: 77 receptions, 1,006 yards and 3 touchdowns. Not too shabby. And that doesn’t even factor in his electrifying ability as a kick/punt return specialist, which is where he really made his mark in college at Michigan. As a multi-dimensional weapon, Breaston is a leading threat to take That Guy honors on Sunday.

Matt’s Super Bowl XLIII pick
Arizona 24, Pittsburgh 20

The Winning Hand Sporstcast with Matt and Mike Hubert 1/27/09

The debut of The Winning Hand Sportscast with Matt & Mike Hubert is loaded with sports chat.

Matt deals the face cards to Barack Obama, the late Kay Yow and Jay McGwire. The brothers continue to share a brain when it comes to picking NBA all-stars. And they finally make their picks for Super Bowl XLIII.

All that and more in the first installment of The Winning Hand Sportscast.

There are several options to listen:

• Streaming using the podcast player at the top right of the page on MattHubert.com
• Download the MP3 file to listen on your computer whenever you want
  
• Subscribe to the podcast feed using your favorite RSS reader.

Will the Raiders Ever Hire a Coach?

In this week's "You pick it" question on Bill Williamson's AFC West blog, I followed my heart and talked about the Raiders, specifically Al Davis and his inability to make a decision regarding the team's head coaching position.

I don't know if Williamson puts these responses in any order, but it's always nice to have the pole position of prominence and my comments are featured first this week.

Change is Coming to MattHubert.com

Yes, change is coming to the site in the form of a brand new podcast. This past week's show (1/20/09) was officially the final MattHubert.com podcast, but it's not the last time you'll hear my brother Mike and I discuss the hottest topics in the world of sports.

Next week MattHubert.com will debut a brand new podcast, "The Winning Hand Sportscast with Matt & Mike Hubert." While you shouldn't expect a drop-off in quality, you should expect a brand new format. The new show will have a new opening/closing theme, but more importantly, its content will be more organized and include featured segments including "King," "Queen," and "Jack" Ass of the Week awards, "Ace" predictions and more.

No, we won't be talking poker, Texas Hold 'em or any other card games, but we will be shuffling through the deck to talk about a variety of issues from the world of sports every week. As with the old show, we'll focus primarily on pro and college basketball and football, but no sports topic is off limits.

The decision to change the show was made primarily to give Mike more stake in the podcast as it clearly was more than just my project. But I also wanted to give the podcast its own identity to differentiate our work on the podcast from my writing on the site. Both the writing and podcast will remain hosted together on MattHubert.com.

So thanks to everyone who has listened to the MattHubert.com podcast since we first launched last December. Mike and I certainly hope you'll stick with us and find the new show even more entertaining.

We generally record Tuesday evening. Then I put it through some simple post-production. I generally have it uploaded to the Internet by 11 p.m. Tuesday night. It's not a schedule that is 100 percent set in stone, but we try to stick to it as much as possible. Of course, the best part of a podcast is that you can download it, store it on your iPod and listen to it on the go whenever you have 30 minutes (give or take) of downtime.

As with the old podcast, we'll work to get The Winning Hand Sportscast listed on iTunes as soon as possible. In the meantime, I hope you keep coming back to the site to hear our insights on the sports world.

Podcast 1/20/09

This week Matt & Mike start to breakdown the matchup in Super Bowl XLIII. Plus, they talk Lakers-Cavs, NBA All-Star starters, college basketball and more.

Listen to the podcast streaming using the player at the top right of the page. Download it here. Or download it from the iTunes store.

President Obama

On this historic inauguration day, I can't help but post an Obama link. Not only does he represent hope and change in America. He also has the best change-of-pace dribble of any president. Thanks to Jessie for passing along this story of how basketball shaped Obama growing up.

A Guide to Fandom and Team Loyalty

The other day at work someone asked me a question: “Is a person allowed to have more than one team?” The question was asked with the suggestion that I could support the Steelers in addition to the Raiders. I quickly slammed the brakes on that idea.

The simple answer is no, you can’t have more than one team. That would be like being married to two wives. But while polygamy is clearly defined, polyfandom is a bit more complicated. So, let me do the honors of breaking down the rules of sports fandom once and for all.

As far as I’m concerned, your team allegiances should pretty much be set by the time you’re learning to read. By that point, you’re either fully indoctrinated by your diehard parents or have been swayed by something—a player, a jersey color, a team name—to choose to call a team your own. Let’s hope that something wasn’t that the said was always winning. Nobody likes a bandwagon.

Once, you’ve got your teams, there’s no turning back.* The fact that the Raiders have set an NFL record as the first team to ever lose 11 or more games in five straight seasons doesn’t change the fact that I support the silver and black 100 percent. Michigan football missed a bowl for the first time in my lifetime. But I’m no less enthused for next season, and have three—count ‘em—three Michigan calendars displayed in my office right now (Page-A-Day desk calendar, mousepad calendar and a wall calendar.

Once your team is eliminated from the playoffs, it’s fine to pick a team to root for, but the rule is to go for the underdog, unlikely and unproven team. Do not jump upon the bandwagon of the hottest team. Do not cheer for a rival team. And if your underdog does win, don’t gloat or enjoy it too much. It’s not your team.

It’s also important to note the difference between professional and college sports. The guidelines are a bit more lax for college allegiances but not much. In the NFL, there are 32 teams. The NBA has 30 as does the NHL and MLB. Meanwhile, there are well over 100 Division I NCAA football and basketball programs. So, it’s permissible to flirt with a second college team permitted that they play in a different conference. Most times the rooting interests will never cross paths, but you need to have a clear number one designated if they ever should meet.

For me, it’s Michigan. I like UCLA, but if they ever play Michigan (as they did earlier this season), there’s no doubt in my mind who I’m rooting for. Maize and blue all the way! If you hesitate or need to weigh the pros and cons of one of your teams beating the other, you’re in serious trouble of being labeled a non-serious fan. Don’t hedge your bets. Pick a horse, saddle up and enjoy the ride. It may be bumpy along the way, but the finish line means more if you were riding from the start.

Being a true sports fan isn’t that hard (even if being a Raiders fan is). It requires commitment, loyalty, enthusiasm and optimism. “There’s always next year” beats “I think I’ll just switch and cheer for someone else this year” any day. So make your allegiances clear. Stand proud when they win. Stay firm when they lose. And you’ll be just fine. Trust me.

*Exceptions apply if you’re a fan of the team in your city and that team that moves away (Cleveland Browns fans should not have cheered for the Ravens) or your city suddenly gets a new team (People in Charlotte were free to switch to become Bobcats fans when the franchise began a few years ago.)

Super Bowl History in the Making

Super Bowl XLIII will feature a matchup of two franchises on different ends of the Super Bowl history spectrum, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Take a look at the chart on the left, detailing the NFL's 32 teams and 42-year Super Bowl history leading up to this season. Either team will make history with a win.

The Steelers, playing in their seventh Super Bowl and second in four years, can break a tie with Dallas and San Francisco to become the first team to win six Super Bowls.

On the flipside, the Cardinals are appearing in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, leaving just five teams without a Super Bowl appearance.

The Cardinals will attempt to become the 18th NFL franchise to win the Vince Lombardi trophy. The Steelers will attempt to become the first franchise to have enough rings to start loading up a second hand.

The smashmouth tradition of the Steelers against the high-octane offense, nobody-believed-in-us Cardinals. It's Super Bowl XLIII, and it's 13 days away, so expect plenty of hype, stories, analysis and predictions between now and kickoff on Feb. 1.

Calling all bandwagons! Calling all bandwagons! Last call!

If you’re a bandwagon fan (you know who you are), now’s your last chance to make a choice. But choose wisely. You don’t want to choose to suddenly become a “longtime supporter” of one of the four remaining NFL teams only to see them stumble one game short of the Super Bowl.

If you wait until the Super Bowl, you miss out on the two-week hype-fest. If you wait until after the Super Bowl, well, that’s just pathetic. To be a bandwagon fan, you’re OK with sacrificing a lot of your loyalty and self-respect, but if you care to salvage whatever bit you have left, you have to make a choice now. So, which bandwagon should you latch on to? Here’s my guide for you, the lowly bandwagon fan. (2007 Patriots AFC Championship shirts sold separately.)

Pittsburgh Steelers
I live in Pennsylvania, so I know all about the Keystone state’s bandwagon fans. And boy do they love the Steelers, especially when they’re winning. Just let them tell you about their love of the Steelers. Or don’t ask. They’ll probably tell you anyway.

Does the prospect of cheering for someone named Big Ben excite you? If you can’t spell his last name, that’s OK. If you don’t know what college he played at, hear someone say “Miami,” and think it’d be cool to cheer for someone from The U, then Big Ben and the Steelers are a perfect bandwagon pick.

Want to cheer for someone because of their long-flowing mane? You’ve got Troy Poly-pola…oh well, you can just call all your players by their first names! Ben, Troy, Willie. Yeah, it’s like you’re all buddies hanging out together.

Plus, you play in a field named after a ketchup company. That has to whet your appetite as a bandwagon fan. And guess what? You have a receiver named Hines, too! OK, so it’s spelled differently and there’s really no correlation whatsoever, but Hines at Heinz sounds cool! Maybe you should buy his jersey at Wal-Mart!

Philadelphia Eagles
The team from the eastern part of the state is not quite as popular where I live, but do they ever have a bandwagon buy-in for you?! Beards. Playoff beards are the craze in Philadelphia. So join in the fun and stop shaving. Or, if you’re like me and unable to grow a beard on command, buy a fake beard.

Get a Santa Claus beard while you’re at it. Wait, scratch that idea. The Eagles fans once booed Santa Claus—even though their current coach is resembling him more and more by the day. But a regular beard will make you as much a part of the team as caveman Kevin Curtis. If you’ve never heard of Kevin Curtis, you’re a perfect candidate to hop aboard the Eagles bandwagon.

For what it’s worth, they’re being labeled as “this year’s Giants,” the team that won the Super Bowl last year. Of course, they could also face the fate of this year’s Giants and lose an upset to an unsuspecting bird of prey.

Arizona Cardinals
Well, I actually don’t know if the Cardinals are birds of prey. But they’re birds of pray(er) led by the religious and revived ageless Kurt Warner. You may even have hopped on his bandwagon before with the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

I’ve maintained for years now that the Cardinals have the smallest national following. As recently as a few months ago, I was asking my brother if he knew a single Cardinals fan. Neither one of us could do so. It may be the only team that I don’t know a single fan of.

Be a part of history and join the Cardinals bandwagon. Plenty of good seats are still available. As an added bonus, they’re the only team left playing in a warm-weather city. So, if you really want to go all-out as a bandwagon and move to follow them, at least you’ll be living in the warmth of Phoenix when they sink back into NFL obscurity.

Baltimore Ravens
If you have any Cleveland Browns fans as friends, I advise you to stay away from this bandwagon choice. The prospect of the Ravens winning a second Super Bowl before the Browns ever play in one is painful even for me, a diehard Raiders fan.

But if you don’t have any Cleveland tie-ins, you may want to invest in becoming a Ravens fan. Whether you’re a fan of Edgar Allen Poe, the color purple or uninventive offense, the Ravens have you covered.

The Ravens are great for bandwagon fans because you’re not supposed to know the names of their offensive players. They’re just there to keep the field warm for the defense. And since bandwagon fans are already a demographic that is not looked upon fondly by diehards around the league, you’ll have no problem becoming the instant rival of two fanbases—Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

Bandwagon fans of the NFL, the options are there for the taking. As for me, you may have already heard my picks on the podcast earlier this week. If not, here’s who I’m taking in the championship games

Pittsburgh over Baltimore
Philadelphia over Arizona

Yes, I’m forecasting an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl. But don’t worry, you won’t find me riding either one of those bandwagons. Nope, I’m staying out of it and just hoping for close, competitive games the rest of the way.

(OK, and maybe nudging the Cardinals bandwagon just a bit to keep it’s unlikely wheels a-turnin’.

Matt's 2009 NFL Playoff Predictions Tally
LAST WEEK: 2-2
Overall: 5-3

AFC West You Pick It Response

You know the drill by now. Bill Williamson has a "You pick it" question on his AFC West blog each week. More often than not, I write in with my response and, fortuntaely, Williamson often posts my remarks. This week, I opted to chime in on the Chargers seeing their season come to an end.

Reviewing Lakers-Spurs from 1/14/09

A moral victory. A good loss. Generally, I don’t buy into those ideas. But I really don’t know how else to classify this game. The Lakers were playing the second game of a back-to-back Texas-double-dip in San Antonio. It was the Spurs’ first game against the hated Lakers since L.A. knocked them out of the Western Conference Finals last year. And the Lakers were suiting up without Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton. Plus, the Lakers had upcoming showcase games against Orlando and Cleveland.

All the ingredients were in place for a blowout. But Kobe Bryant and company had other ideas.

After falling behind by 11 points in the fourth quarter, Bryant spearheaded a comeback effort that saw the Lakers take the lead. Josh Powell—this year’s Ronny Turiaf—even contributed in a big way, nailing three fourth quarter jumpers when Bryant was double-teamed on the pick ‘n roll.

Then, after Tim Duncan scored on a ridiculous flip shot to give the Spurs a one-point advantage, Kobe drained what appeared to be a dagger three, prompting him to break out the Sam Cassell testicle dance. Unreal.

There was still time on the clock, however. The Spurs found Roger Mason Jr. in the corner when Derek Fisher unsuccessfully gambled for a steal. Mason hit the shot and caught the body of an out-of-position Fisher, to earn a bonus free throw that put San Antonio up by one.

The Lakers brought the ball up for a final possession with 10 seconds remaining. Kobe was again double-teamed and passed to Trevor Ariza at the top of the key. As he drove, he was bumped by Manu Ginobli, who was trying to rotate to take a charge. The bump affected Ariza’s footing and he was called for a travel, effectively ending the game and securing a 112-111 win for San Antonio.

It was incredibly frustrating to watch the final play sequences as a Lakers fan, but I came away form this game feeling more encouraged than disappointed. Their were plenty of plays that, had they gone the other way, would have won the game for the Lakers, including a silly foul by Ariza at the end of the first quarter and a buzzer-beating three from Ginobli to end the third.

It was a big win for the Spurs, no doubt. But the Lakers have plenty to feel good about, too:

• Kobe Bryant is playing the game better than ever.
  He’s not the athlete he was when he teamed with Shaq to win three titles, but this Kobe is better. He’s still a world-class athlete, but he’s also mastered the subtleties of the game in a way no one since Jordan has. He knows how to pick his spots offensively. He knows how to get his teammates involved and make them better. And he is a tireless, ferocious defender with infectious tenacity.
  
  
• Their depth is a blessing.
  The good news about all the Lakers injuries is that they have such a capable bench. They essentially played the Spurs with just two guards—Bryant and Fisher. The versatility of players like Ariza and Lamar Odom allows them to adapt as well as any team in the NBA. This game also had to boost the confidence of Josh Powell, the new guy in the Lakers locker room this season. He’ll surely be called upon at some point in May or June, and this game will be one that gives him confidence to play those big minutes.
  
  
• Bynum is progressing.
  He’s not Dwight Howard, but he’s not Greg Oden either. Bynum is coming back from last year’s injury-shortened season, and he’s making a difference. He went toe-to-toe with Tim Duncan for parts of this game, and the young fella held his own. He could have done more on the boards, but his defense definitely seemed to bother Duncan.
  
  
• They showed some heart.
  With everything stacked against them, it would have been easy for the Lakers to have mailed this one in after they fell behind in the fourth quarter with both Bryant and Pau Gasol on the bench. Instead, they mounted an impressive comeback with textbook offensive execution and some timely stops on defense. That sort of fourth quarter execution sans the final two plays is what will win games in the playoffs.

I cannot say with absolute certainty that the Lakers are the best team in the league, but they are in the conversation. I do believe they have the most talented roster. And if they’re able to give this effort in the playoffs, watch out.

At full strength, it’s hard to imagine them not winning this game. So, congratulations to the Spurs for winning what I would call the most entertaining game of the NBA season so far. Getting Fisher on the losing-end of a close call in San Antonio was probably poetic justice. But the Spurs are still chasing the Lakers in the standings, and I like L.A.’s chances of remaining the best in the West this season.

AFC West Sound Off Response

With the Chargers’ loss on Sunday, the season is over for the AFC West. But Bill Williamson’s AFC West blog forges ahead. As always, Bill had a “Sound Off” question of the week. This time he asked if the Denver Broncos made the right hire by naming Josh McDaniels head coach. To read my thoughts and the responses of others, check out the full post on ESPN.com.

Finally, Something Good Comes From the BCS

This year's college football season got off to a bad start for me when Michigan lost its home opener to Utah. Of course, I had no idea back then that Utah would finish the season undefeated and Michigan would win just three games. Fortunately for me, there was a good ending to the season, in part thanks to Utah.

In Erie Times-News columnist Duane Rankin's BCS challenge, I correctly predicted Utah would defeat Alabama. I also picked USC, Texas, Virginia Tech and Florida to give me a 5-0 mark and the win.

Rankin wrote a column about my "historic" undefeated run through the BCS, which ran today in the sports section of the Erie Times-News and on goerie.com.

Here's some of what Rankin wrote:

Matt Hubert made history.

He's the first to go 5-0 in my Bowl Championship Series bowl contest.

Considering he's a Michigan fan, this was likely the best news he had all college football season, but you have to give the 24-year-old Erie resident credit.

Out of the 35 contest entrants, Hubert and Jeff Taylor, 49, of Millcreek Township, entered the BCS title game with 4-0 records.

Hubert picked Florida. Taylor went with Oklahoma.

Florida won 24-14.

Taylor figured Oklahoma was done when it failed to score twice from the goal line in the first half.

As for Hubert, Tim Tebow is why he picked the Gators.

Hubert should send Tebow a thank-you card. The Florida junior quarterback threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 109 yards.

So for making history, Hubert won a Michigan T-shirt, a calendar that plays the school's fight song and a 2007 Michigan-Penn State game program from when the Wolverines beat the Nittany Lions in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Congratulations, Matt.

Thanks, Duane. Now I'm just hoping Michigan can get back to its winning ways in '09 so my bowl-picking success isn't the highlight of another college football season.

Podcast 1/13/09

This week, Matt & Mike discuss the Baseball Hall of Fame, the struggles of the Tar Heels and Celtics, and the AFC and NFC Championship games. Plus, they feel bad for the Browns fans (well, one of them does).

Listen using the Podcast Player on the MattHubert.com home page, iTunes, or click to download here.

AFC West Story of the Week

It's a busy time of year in the sports world, and you can tell it's rubbing off on me. Three posts in one night! The hat trick comes, once again, by virtue of my thoughts being included on Bill Williamson's AFC West blog. This time I'm weighing in on the AFC West story of the week, which I believe was the Chargers playoff win over the Colts.

2009 NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview

I didn’t write a column with last weekend’s wild card round picks. It was right after the holidays. I was in a time crunch. Blah blah blah. Anyway, I didn’t write a column, but I posted my usual playoff picks, and I went 3-1.

By not thinking (and writing) too much, I didn’t talk myself into any bad picks. The only game I missed was the Chargers-Colts battle, and that game was the closest of them all, eventually being settled in overtime in favor of San Diego thanks to career nights for backup running back Darren Sproies and punter Mike Scifres.

So, after the silent treatment was successful, I’m doing the obvious—completely abandoning that winning strategy and writing a picks column for the divisional round. I’m feeling good after winning Erie Times-News sports columnist Duane Rankin’s BCS challenge with a clean sweep, 5-0, of the big college bowl games. Now it’s time for me to go pro with the picks for this weekend.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans
The first team to 10 may very well win this game. These teams play similar grind-it-out styles that depend on their defenses and running games. The primary contrast comes at quarterback. The Ravens will play rookie Joe Flacco. The Titans will start 36-year-old veteran Kerry Collins, whose first playoff start came Jan. 5, 1997. Flacco was 11 years old. Collins hasn’t exactly had a Hall of Fame career, but I think his wisdom and Flacco’s inexperience will be the difference in this one.

My pick: Tennessee 13, Baltimore 3

Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
This game looks to be the biggest mismatch of the weekend. Carolina was 8-0 at home this season, and Arizona was just 3-5 on the road. Plus, the Cardinals may be without Anquan Boldin, allowing the Panthers to put extra attention on Larry Fitzgerald. Expect Kurt Warner to keep it close for a half, but then the Panthers’ will pull away to win going away.

My pick: Carolina 34, Arizona 17

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Last year, the Giants were in the Eagles’ role, heading to Dallas for a divisional round matchup on the road as an underdog. So the Giants won’t be blindsided by Donovan McNabb and company. But they also won’t be fully equipped to beat them. The absence of Plaxico Burress hurt the Giants down the stretch this season, and it will hurt against the Eagles. Their Earth, Wind & Fire running game of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw should be effective. But with Eli Manning lacking Burress as a deep threat, the passing attack is limited—something that the Eagles’ aggressive blitz scheme should be able to exploit.

My pick: Philadelphia 27, New York 24

San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
For the second week in a row, the Chargers game looks like the toughest one to pick. My thoughts on this one, re-printed below, were also included on Bill Williamson’s AFC West blog.

Records are irrelevant in the playoffs, so it doesn’t matter that the Chargers are 9-8 and the Steelers are 12-4. Things that do matter? Defense (advantage Steelers, number one in the league). Peaking at the right time (advantage Chargers, winners of five in a row). Injuries (Call it even between Tomlinson?s groin and Roethlisberger?s head). This game has all the makings of a slugfest much like the 11-10 result from earlier this season. And in the past three seasons, the Super Bowl winner has not had a first round bye. While that bodes well for San Diego, no one has been more battle-tested this year than the Steelers. Their rigorous schedule should have them well-prepared for the grind of playoff football. Polamalu picks off Rivers late to seal the deal.

My pick: Steelers 20, Chargers 13.

Matt's 2009 NFL Playoff Predictions Tally
LAST WEEK: 3-1
Overall: 3-1

A Difference in Coaching Styles

There’s a very interesting post up on Forum Blue & Gold right now about lessons in losing. Specifically, it talks about the differences in the way that Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers have handled the rough patches their teams have endured early this season.

Many fans—myself included—often get on Jackson and the Lakers for seemingly not bringing it every night and playing down to the level of their competition. Similarly, Rivers’ Celtics—since acquiring Kevin Garnett—have been routinely praised for giving maximum effort at all times, as if every game determined the NBA champion.

The Celtics’ model, and Garnett in particular, is a high school coach’s dream. The idea of giving 100 percent effort is a good thing. However, the practice of it may be problematic. The Celtics played more than 100 games last year. Their core of players is not young by NBA standards and they lost key contributors from last year’s team including James Posey and P.J. Brown. So, it’s only natural that giving the same continous all-out effort game after game would leave them even more drained this season.

Their recent losing skid, which has seen them drop six of their last eight games, is drawing a lot of attention. But it’s not a phenomenal event. Winning 27 of their first 29 was the phenomenal thing. They were playing above their talent, and now they’ve dropped to earth. Their goal of winning the NBA title remains very much a possibility.

But in order for that to happen, Rivers is going to have to find a way to refocus his team. They are not the ’96 Bulls. Seventy wins isn’t happening. They may hit 60, but that’s irrelevant. The goal is to be playing your best in May and June. Boston better hope that they didn’t already peak in November and December.

I felt the need to comment on the subject, but I don't want to steal its thunder. It's an excellent post, especially if you’re a Lakers fan who agonizes over the occasional loss to Sacramento. Read it. It will make you feel a lot better about the whole situation in Lakerland.

The SEC Owns the BCS

Tim Tebow against Sam Bradford. Urban Meyer vs. Bob Stoops. The SEC against the Big 12. Florida vs. Oklahoma. This year’s BCS National Championship is loaded with intriguing storylines, but the most interesting may be the SEC’s domination of the BCS.

If Florida beats Oklahoma (and they are favored to do so), the Gators will win their second BCS National Championship in three years. It would also make the SEC a perfect 5-0 in the title game since the BCS originated in 1998. Tennessee won that first year. LSU won in 2003 and again last year. And Florida won in 2006.

How good has the SEC been? At 4-0, they aren’t just the best conference in the BCS era—they’re dominant. No other conference has won more than two BCS National Championships and. No other conference even has a winning record in the big game. The Pac-10 is closest at 1-1 thanks to USC.

Here’s the breakdown:

BCS National Championship Success
SEC: 4-0
Pac-10: 1-1
Big 12: 2-3
ACC: 1-2
Big East: 1-2
Big Ten: 1-2

Not that Oklahoma needs any added incentive. They represent the Big 12, and will play in a record fourth BCS National Championship. However, they are just 1-2 in the big game under Coach Stoops.

And conference success on the big stage means more than just bragging rights. It means more media attention. It means a boost in recruiting. And, if everyone plays their cards right, it breeds more success. The SEC’s Georgia Bulldogs began the season as the nation’s top team. Alabama, also of the SEC held the #1 ranking for several weeks. Florida now holds that spot and looks to finish the season on top.

Win or lose, the Gators will be among the top teams again next year along with several other SEC schools. The SEC is 4-2 in the ’08-’09 bowl season heading into the finale. The one loss that sticks out came against an opponent from the Mountain West conference. How come they never get a shot at the BCS?

But until the little guy gets a shot or a playoff system is instituted, the big bad SEC is going to remain king. Tonight, expect plenty of offense from both sides. But in the end, Tebow and the team speed of the Gators is too much for the Sooners.

Florida 42, Oklahoma 35 is the pick.

ESPN Switches Announcers. Other NBA Switcheroos to Follow?

Perhaps more than any announcer today, Dick Vitale is synonymous with his one sport—college basketball. But tonight, the bald, one-eyed basketball wacko who beat the ziggy and became a PTP’er will take part in an ESPN gimmick that features a switcheroo of announcing crews.

Vitale will team with play-by-play man Dan Shulman to call the NBA game between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. Meanwhile the crew of Mike Tirico, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy will call the college contest between Duke and Davidson.

Is it a ploy by ESPN to drum up ratings? Of course. Will it work? Maybe. Will I be watching? You better believe it.

I love both of these announcing booths to begin with. Vitale is a polarizing figure. Either you love his passion for the game or you’re annoyed by his over-the-top enthusiastic delivery. Personally, I love it, and can’t wait to hear his take on the NBA action. And Jackson and Van Gundy are the best analyst duo in the NBA as far as I’m concerned, so it’ll be interesting to hear their views on the college game and the pro prospects in the game, especially Davidson star Stephen Curry.

Dick Vitale’s one-game announcing stint has me thinking about other one-time switches I’d like to see in the NBA this season.

• Referees and Coaches
  Imagine Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Stan Van Gundy working a heated contest between the Boston and Cleveland as Celtics Coach Dick Bavetta and Cavs Coach Joey Crawford had to be restrained on the sidelines. Jackson wouldn’t even need to carry a whistle.
  
  
• Fans and Announcers
  Who wouldn’t want to win the contest that meant you and your best friend could call a game on the air? And wouldn’t It be great to see the regular commentators stuck in the nosebleed seats behind a family with crying children and beside that drunk obnoxious guy you always seem to end up seated near?
  
  
• College Team and Pro Team
  The NHL has tweaked the sport and made January 1 a showcase date with an outdoor game the past two years. Why can’t basketball follow suit? Take college basketball’s top-ranked team as of December 25 and pit them against the team with the worst record in the NBA in a New Year’s Day showdown. Play the first half with NBA rules (for two 12-minute quarters) and the second half with NCAA rules (for one 20-minute half). Imagine seeing early-entry players Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook and the (at the time) 4-win Oklahoma City Thunder suit up against senior Tyler Hansbrough and the (at the time) undefeated University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
  
  
• 3-Point Shot and Dunk
  Fans love dunks. But what if, for one game, a dunk was worth 3 points and everything else—including shots from beyond the arc—was worth only 2? Sure, it penalizes the short players and lousy leapers, but it would give players who can dunk—and in the NBA, that’s almost everyone— extra incentive to take it to the hoop and finish strong.
  
  
• NBA Rules and Playground Rules
  The notion of defining “playground rules” sort of violates the whole spirit of playground basketball to begin with, but there are a few staples that I think are musts. Winner’s ball/make it take it…whatever you call it…would be in effect. There is no time set, but rather a score total. First team to 100 wins. Players call their own fouls. Tie-ups go to the defense. And perhaps most importantly, trash-talking is allowed and encouraged. Mic’ing the court might be a good idea. They have to play the game on HBO for mature language, but it’d be worth it.

Looking Back at 2008 and Ahead at 2009

2008 was a great year for sports. Michael Phelps’ record-setting 8 gold medals highlighted the most exciting Olympic Games of my lifetime, which also included a gold medal for the Redeem Team in Men’s basketball as well as excitement in gymnastics from Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson and on the track from Usain Bolt.

In the NFL, the New England Patriots started the season 18-0 only to lose in one of the most dramatic and surprising Super Bowl outcomes of all-time against Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

The NBA saw the resurgence of its two most storied franchises when the Boston Celtics met the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, won by Boston in six games.

College sports featured another upset-filled football season that saw a slew of top teams knocked off down the stretch, eventually setting up an LSU vs. Ohio State matchup in the BCS title game, which LSU won handily. And in basketball, Kansas ended the David-and-Goliath-like run of Davidson before upending Memphis thanks to a clutch shot from Mario Chalmers that will be replayed every March from now on.

Major League Baseball featured a season in which the previously-forever-futile Tampa Bay Rays removed the ‘Devil’ and beat out the Evil Empire New York Yankees and their Boston brethren to win the AL East and, eventually, the pennant before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. For the City of Brotherly Love, it was their first title in the major four sports since 1983.

And in the NHL (yes, hockey reporting on MattHubert.com), Sid Crosby grew up as he led his Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals where they fell to the Detroit Red Wings.

Yes, it was a good year for sports—just not for my teams in sports.

Most of my teams failed, plain and simple. But even those that had good seasons ended up breaking my heart.

The Lakers exceeded preseason expectations, but their Finals performance was disastrous—blowing a 24-point lead at home in Game 4 and folding to lose Game 6—and the series—by 39 points. The fact that this happened against archrival Boston was what hurt most of all, though, and all the year’s successes were mitigated by six lackluster games leaving me feeling empty and betrayed.

Likewise, in college hoops, UCLA had a strong season, riding freshman Kevin Love to the Final Four. It was the Bruins’ third straight trip to the Final Four, and with Love filling the void that had seemingly cost them in two previous losses—a formidable presence down low—it seemed like this was the year. But Love shot just 4-11 and Memphis outscored UCLA 40-28 in the second half to pull away for a victory that the Tigers controlled pretty much the whole way.

And if the Lakers and Bruins’ season-ending losses stung, at least they had some wins to get them there. The Raiders finished out the ’08 campaign with back-to-back victories to salvage something from a lost season, but they still finished 5-11, which made them the first team in NFL history to have five seasons in a row with at least 11 losses. They also fired coach Lane Kiffin, making interim Tom Cable the Raiders’ fifth head coach in six years.

Things were no better in the college ranks where Michigan won just three games, lost five games at the Big House, and missed a bowl for the first time since 1974.

In baseball, the A’s weren’t even relevant, and though they’ve been competitive in the decade, have never made a World Series appearance during the Moneyball era.

But 2008 is over, so it’s time to focus on the future.

Here now are 10 predictions, fears and dreams for 2009—five for the sports world at large and five focusing on my teams—the Lakers, Raiders, Michigan, UCLA and the Athletics.

Predictions

1. The Raiders will not make it a sixth straight year of 11-or-more losses, but they won’t break the .500 mark either.
2. Lamar Odom will not be a Laker at the start of the 2009-10 season.
3. Michigan will play in a bowl game in 2009.
4. In basketball, Michigan will not only make it to the tournament, they’ll advance to the Sweet 16, further than my other team, UCLA, who will see its run of Final Four appearances snapped by an upset on the first weekend of the tournament.
5. With a few call-ups to bolster their staff, the A’s will return to the postseason.
6. Tim Tebow will return to Florida and attempt to become a two-time Heisman and three-time national champion.
7. With teams aware of his singular talent, Stephon Curry and Davidson will get tripped up in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
8. LeBron James will supplant Kobe Bryant as NBA MVP.
9. Tiger Woods will once again be the best golfer, winning two majors. (For the record, that’s hockey and golf in the same post.)
10. Matt Cassell will start Week 1 for the New England Patriots—not Tom Brady.

Fears

1. Jamarcus Russell fails to develop as a quarterback in 2009, forcing the Raiders to start over (again) at quarterback.
2. Andrew Bynum will reinjure himself, handicapping the Lakers’ playoff chances again this year.
3. Terrelle Pryor will be to Michigan what Troy Smith was with the added pain that he almost chose to play for the Wolverines.
4. Jrue Holiday will follow Kevin Love’s lead and be one-and-done, off to the NBA after his freshman season.
5. The Angels become the Yankees of the West, leaving Oakland in the dust when it comes to money for free agents.
6. The Celtics sign Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett wills him to play as well as he did when the two took the Timberwolves to the playoffs in the 90s.
7. Tom Brady makes a full recovery, and the Patriots regain their 2007 form.
8. College football signs a 10-year extension to keep the current BCS system in place.
9. USC’s football team stays focused for a full season.
10. The Steelers win the Super Bowl, bringing out the annoying droves of fair-weather Steelers fans in all their black and gold glory.

Dreams

1. Al Davis sells the Raiders organization to give them a fresh start and a chance to win again.
2. The Lakers find a way to combine the defense and athleticism of Trevor Ariza, size and three-point shooting of Vladimir Radmanovich, and basketball IQ and passing ability of Luke Walton to form a complete small forward.
3. Michigan finds a freshman quarterback with the skills to run Rodriguez’s offense and the mind to handle Big Ten defenses.
4. Michigan re-hangs the banners from the Fab Five’s Final Four appearances.
5. A prominent free agent spurns the Yankees to sign with the A’s for less money because he prefers the A’s green uniforms to the Yankees’ green.
6. My team wins a fantasy football championship.
7. Major League Baseball institutes a salary cap to level the playing field and keep the Yankees in check.
8. Sportscasters stop pointing out the obvious and provide actual insight.
9. A Web site develops a jersey shop where you can order any player from any team from any era. My first order? Pooh Richardson circa 1990 with the Minnesota Timberwolves. I don’t know why, but that’s my dream.
10. The Lakers host (and win) Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Beyonce is the halftime entertainment. And I have courtside seats next to Jack Nicholson to take it all in.

NFL Playoff Picks

Four road favorites should make for an interesting opening round of the 2009 NFL playoffs. Something tells me that at least one of the road favorites will fall, and it might be the one you least expect.

My picks:

AFC
Indianapolis over San Diego
Baltimore over Miami

NFC
Arizona over Atlanta
Philadelphia over Minnesota