Demon Deacons Top Duke

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons, ranked fourth in the country, defeated the Duke Blue Devils 70-68 in Wake Forest. The Blue Devils were ranked #1 in the country, but now it is likely they will lose that spot when the next rankings come out on Monday. The Demon Deacons previously held the #1 spot in the country as well. They lost that spot when they lost their first game of the season against the Virginia Tech Hokies at home.

Wake Forest made sure that they were very physical with Duke's offense. Duke shot only 33% from the field in the game, and they weren't good from the three-point line as well. Wake Forest only shot 40% from the field also, and that is why the game ended up close. Wake Forest had a 13 point lead in the second half but let Duke back into the game.

The final minute of the game was dramatic. Duke's Gerald Henderson tied the game up at 68 with under 20 seconds left in the game. Wake Forest's Jeff Teague drove down the court and missed the basket. It was rebounded by Henderson but he traveled with 2 seconds left. So Wake Forest's coach Dino Gaudio drew up a clever play with Wake Forest's James Johnson getting the ball for the easy basket. It worked and that was the difference in the game.

This game was a classic college basketball game. Both teams have the potential of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. It's now interesting to see who will become the new #1 team when the new rankings come out. UConn is my pick for the new #1 spot because they have been good all season. Oklahoma also has a shot at becoming the new #1 team but I think they're a long shot. Duke also has a chance at staying #1 but that is highly unlikely as well. Wake Forest has played well all season with the exception of their loss to Virginia Tech and they should get heavy consideration for #1. With that said, I don't think they can beat UConn so they're deserving of #1.

Williams With Career-High 43, Bobcats Stun Lakers

Mo Williams, guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, had a career-high 43 points against the Sacramento Kings in their 117-110 home win. Forward Lebron James, who is the team leader in scoring, had a triple-double, scoring 23 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Williams also had 11 assists in his huge effort to keep the Cavaliers undefeated at home. They are now 21-0 at home, which is one of the best starts at home in franchise history.

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers were stunned by the Charlotte Bobcats, losing 117-110 also, but in double-overtime. The Lakers, who own the best record in the Western Conference, have now only lost two home games all year. The Bobcats played well, shooting 47% from the field and making nine three-pointers. Bobcats guard Raymond Felton almost had a triple-double, with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was fouled out for the first time this season. He had 38 points and eight rebounds.

Mo Williams has added a scoring threat to the Cavaliers, and that is why the Cavaliers now look like serious contenders for an NBA championship. When Williams was with the Milwaukee Bucks, he proved that he can score, even with scorer Michael Redd on that team. For the Lakers, this is a bad loss. The Bobcats are not a bad team, but the Lakers showed they could not match up with the youth and athleticism the Bobcats have. The Lakers have lost 5 of the last 6 games against the Bobcats, so this is clearly not a fluke win for them.

Redd Lost For Season

Michael Redd, shooting guard for Milwaukee Bucks, has now been lost for the rest of the season because of a torn ACL and torn MCL in his left knee. His injury occurred on Saturday night, when the Bucks played host to the Sacramento Kings. Redd was the Bucks leading scorer, averaging over 20 points per game this season.

The injury occurred in the third quarter when Redd landed on teammate Luke Ridnour. Redd immediately went to the floor and it was clear he had a knee injury. He hobbled off the court with little assistance from the trainer. An MRI exam later determined the extent of the injury, which now forces Redd to miss the entire season. He already missed 13 games earlier this season due to an ankle injury that happened against the New York Knicks in November.

The Bucks are currently in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. With the loss of Redd, players like Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva will have to step up. Center Andrew Bogut has been sidelined the past several games with back spasms, so his return will be critical as well. Even though the Bucks are in eighth place, they have a losing record, with a 22-25 record. They are a couple of games over the New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Charlotte Bobcats for that spot.

The loss of Redd is huge for the Bucks. I don't think the Bucks are going to make the playoffs in his absence for several reasons. I think the Nets, who have a healthy Devin Harris and Vince Carter, and the Knicks, who can explode offensively almost every game, now have a better chance of making the playoffs than the Bucks. Richard Jefferson is going to step it up for them, but it's not going to be enough and he is not the guy to be doing all the scoring on a successful team.

Kent Calls It Quits

Jeff Kent, who has been a valuable second baseman for several teams over his 17-year career, has retired. Kent is known for his six productive seasons with the San Francisco Giants, where he was paired with slugger Barry Bonds to form a dangerous combination in the middle of the lineup. Among his six seasons with the Giants was a World Series appearance in the 2002 World Series. The Giants lost that series to the Anaheim Angels in seven games.

Kent won the 2000 NL MVP over his teammate Bonds, and was a five-time All-Star selection. In that 2000 season, Kent had a .334 batting average with 33 home runs and 125 runs batted in. Kent's production with the Giants was always consistent, and that helped the team stay consistent in the playoff race, despite not winning a World Series.

Kent was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1989 but was traded to the New York Mets in the middle of the 1992 season. The Blue Jays went on to win the World Series later that year, where Kent missed an opportunity to win a championship. He spent a couple of seasons with the Mets and then was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1996. The next year, the Indians traded Kent to the Giants, where he stayed until 2004. He would play for the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers to finish his career.

I believe Kent was very instrumental to the Giants. He consistently drove in runs when the team needed them. He was a big reason the Giants came so close to winning a World Series, even though many people may believe Barry Bonds was the only reason. I believe he has been with a lot of teams in his career because of his attitude. He's been known to have a temper, and that may not have sat well with the teams he was on. However, I believe he belongs in Cooperstown in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Mourning Retires

Alonzo Mourning, who was remembered for helping the Miami Heat into successful seasons and being a 7-time All-Star, has announced his retirement. Mourning spent 15 seasons in the NBA, with the Charlotte Hornets, the Heat and the New Jersey Nets. Mourning was drafted by the Hornets in the 1992 NBA Draft second overall.

After a couple of seasons with the Hornets, Heat coach Pat Riley brought Mourning in through a trade. From that moment on, the Heat became contenders in the Eastern Conference every year. When Michael Jordan retired before the strike-shortened 1999 season, many thought it was the Heat's turn to win a championship. They had the top seed in the Eastern Conference but were stunned in the first round by the New York Knicks, who eventually became the first #8 seed to advance to the NBA Finals after wins against the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers.

In 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with a career-threatening kidney disease that forced him to miss most of the 2000-2001 season. His kidney disease worsened over time, forcing him to miss the 2002-2003 season. He received a kidney transplant in 2003, and after the transplant, he continued to play. Mourning won a championship with the Heat in 2006 as a backup to center Shaquille O'Neal. In 2007, Mourning suffered a devastating knee injury. He tried to come back from it, but decided to give it up and retire.

At the time Mourning was playing at his best, there were centers in the NBA who were dominant also. Patrick Ewing of the Knicks and Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers were playing very well. So were Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets and David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs. While Mourning's offensive game was not up to par like those other centers, his defense and his tenacity was unmatched. Mourning gave his all in every game, and many Heat fans will miss that. Mourning, in my opinion, should definitely be in the Hall of Fame.

Former Falcons DT Dead

Former defensive tackle Shane Dronett, who played for the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons in a ten-year NFL career, was found dead at his home. He was only 38. Dronett was found dead at his home near Atlanta in response to a possible suicide. The body is in the process of being examined, but as of now, there is no cause of death that is known at this time.

Dronett played for the Texas Longhorns in college before being drafted by the Broncos in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played with the Broncos for several seasons before going to the Falcons. He briefly played for the Detroit Lions before being released. Dronett was brought to the Falcons by Dan Reeves, who was the head coach of the Falcons at the time.

In 1992, Reeves was the head coach of the Broncos when Dronett was drafted. Dronett was an instrumental part of the Falcons 1998 season, when they advanced to Super Bowl XXXIII. Dronett played in all 16 games and in all three playoff games that year, starting all of them. The Falcons lost to Dronett's former team, the Broncos, 34-19, in that Super Bowl.

For the NFL family, this is sad news. Football is widely regarded as a dangerous game and that could be a reason why Dronett possibly killed himself. It's not officially reported as a suicide, but police responded to a possible suicide. It has also been reported that he had a brain tumor in the recent past. This is an unfortunate event for Dronett's family. For people who knew him well, they will miss him.

Jets Tab Ryan As Head Coach

The New York Jets have hired Rex Ryan, who was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, as their new head coach. This hiring came immediately after the Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship hours before. Some people said it was evident the Jets wanted Ryan because most teams have already filled their coaching vacancies while the Jets still waited. It was presumed that the Jets were waiting for the Ravens to be eliminated so they can hire him.

The Jets are coming off of a 9-7 season, in which was a failure to many. The Jets were 8-3 after giving the Tennessee Titans their first loss of the season in Tennessee. After that game, it went downhill. The Jets lost four of their final games to be eliminated from playoff contention. Most of the blame went to head coach Eric Mangini and quarterback Brett Favre. Mangini was fired a day after the season and Favre is contemplating retirement, so he may not be there.

Ryan is a defensive minded coach who likes to use the 3-4 system, something the Jets currently use. Their defense was decent for the season, but they can play better defense. The offense is the question mark with Favre's struggles, and that is going to be a question mark with his potential retirement.

I don't know if this hire will work. I think the Jets should keep offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer because Ryan does not specialize in offense and may not know who to bring in. The Jets just had Eric Mangini, who was the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots before he came to the Jets. I don't think this hire will make a difference. I don't think the Jets needed to fire Mangini in the first place.

Steelers Wins AFC Crown

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to the Super Bowl for the second time in four years with their 23-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers now have a chance to have the most Super Bowl victories if they win. They currently have five, and are tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers will play the Arizona Cardinals, who won the NFC Championship Game over the Philadelphia Eagles, in Super Bowl XLIII.

The Steelers used tough defense and enough offense to beat the Ravens. Both teams came in with great defenses. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wasn't that good, with a completion percentage under 50 percent. However, he didn't turn the ball over, a key part of the Ravens road wins over the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans in the playoffs.

The Ravens did what they haven't done previously in the playoffs. They turned the ball over. Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco threw three interceptions, and only completed 13 of his 30 pass attempts. The Ravens defensively were solid as well, but were hurt by Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes touchdown reception and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu interception return for a touchdown.

This was a typical Ravens against Steelers matchup. I believed the Ravens had a shot at winning the game because the Steelers offense isn't good. However, Steelers linebacker Lamar Woodley proved his point. The Steelers caused turnovers by the Ravens offense, which was the deciding factor in the game. I believe the Steelers will win the Super Bowl, behind their defensive play. The Steelers cannot win offensively because quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not good enough.

Cardinals To Super Bowl

The Arizona Cardinals have punched their first ticket to the Super Bowl by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 32-25 in the NFC Championship Game. The Cardinals, who have long been considered the laughingstock of the league, has now made it only five teams in the NFL who haven't appeared in a Super Bowl. The Cardinals surprised everyone by beating the Eagles, and have surprised many for getting that far as well.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, who already has a Super Bowl ring and a Super Bowl MVP as a member of the 1999 St. Louis Rams, was excellent in the game. He threw four touchdown passes, with three of them to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, overall, had nine receptions for 152 yards. He surpassed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice for most receptions yards in the playoffs. Fitzgerald now has 419 yards with one more game to play.

On the other hand, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was not good. The Eagles fell behind 24-6 because of poor defensive play and poor play from McNabb. McNabb, however, led a comeback in which the Eagles took a 25-24 lead in the 4th quarter. That didn't last as the Cardinals were able to march down the field and score another touchdown. The Eagles had one last chance, but wide receiver Kevin Curtis dropped a pass on 4th and 10 to end it with under two minutes remaining.

A lot of people are shocked that the Cardinals beat the Eagles. I am not surprised at all. I don't believe both teams are the best in the conference anyway. They happen to be hot at the right time, just like the New York Giants last year. I thought this game would go to the home team because they have more momentum with their home crowd. The Cardinals offense are hard to stop as well. Kurt Warner was comfortable in the first half throwing in the pocket. That had to change and it did for a while, but Warner found a groove again in the last drive.

Rams Hire Spagnuolo

The St. Louis Rams have hired Steve Spagnuolo, who was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, to become their new head coach. Spagnuolo has been one of the hottest candidates for head coaching jobs the past two seasons. In the 2007 season, his first with the Giants, he led a defense that was able to win the Super Bowl against the power New England Patriots offense.

That offseason, he got many interviews but turned down a chance to become a head coach to lead the Giants defense again to another Super Bowl. The Giants failed to do that this season, despite having the best record in the NFC. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles at home in the NFC Divisional Round, ending their season.

Spagnuolo takes over a team that went 2-14 last season. They started out 0-5, which led to the firing of Scott Linehan. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett took over as the coach and was a little successful at first, winning games against the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. But they went back to losing and it was clear they needed a complete change. The did interview Haslett for the position, since he was only the interim, but they eliminated him.

The decision to hire Spagnuolo will hinge on certain things. Spagnuolo is a defensive specialist, and the Rams offense, with quarterback Marc Bulger, struggled mightily this season along with the defense. They will need to retool their offense, starting with getting another quarterback. I believe in a couple of years, Spagnuolo will be able to revamp the defense. The only problem is the offense.

Buccaneers Fire Gruden

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired head coach Jon Gruden, in a move that was unexpected to many. The Buccaneers finished the season on a terrible note, losing their last four games after going 9-3 in their first 12 games. Those last two losses were especially devastating, as they came against the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders, with both of them at home.

Up until that game against Chargers, the Buccaneers were 6-0 at home. The loss against the Raiders cost them a playoff spot, which went to the Philadelphia Eagles. In those last four losses, the Buccaneers defense started to slip. This came after defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said that he was joining his son Lane Kiffin at the University of Tennessee.

Gruden was the coach of the Buccaneers since the 2002 season, when he won the Super Bowl against his former team, the Oakland Raiders. Gruden was hired after the Buccaneers fired Tony Dungy. Dungy just announced his retirement from coaching after a successful coaching stint with the Indianapolis Colts, including winning a Super Bowl.

This firing of Gruden is definitely surprising. I didn't think Gruden was in trouble after finishing 9-7. Also, this firing comes kind of late, when teams are already starting to hire head coaches. There are still a couple of viable candidates available. However, I don't understand what direction they're trying to go in. I think this could end up being a mistake.

Lions Hire Schwartz As Head Coach

The Detroit Lions, who went 0-16 this past regular season, have hired Jim Schwartz as their new head coach. Schwartz was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans for several seasons, including this past season, when the Titans went 13-3 and had one of the best defenses in the NFL. Their season ended prematurely when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens at home in the AFC Divisional Round.

The Lions have completed the worst season since the 1976 season, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 0-14 in their first season. The Lions immediately fired head coach Rod Marinelli. Earlier in the season, they fired team president Matt Millen, who has been responsible for running the Lions into the ground the past eight seasons.

Poor decisions from Millen in free agency and from the draft has led to the Lions owning the worst record in the decade. They have lost 10 or more games numerous times in the decade. However, they started off great last season, starting the season at 6-2. However, they lost seven of their last eight games to finish at 7-9 and miss the playoffs.

The hiring of Schwartz, in my opinion, probably won't make a difference initially for the Lions. I say that for a couple of reasons. One, the Lions have to draft a quarterback with their first pick and I don't think there's a quarterback that's NFL ready in this year's draft. I believe the Lions can get back on track in a couple of years the same way the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons were able to get back on track so quickly this season.

Broncos Tab McDaniels As Coach

The Denver Broncos hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. This comes as a surprise to some as some people thought the Broncos would hire a defensive minded coach after coming off of an offensive minded coach in Mike Shanahan. They also struggled defensively last year, and that led to their late season collapse which resulted in them missing the playoffs after having an 8-5 record.

McDaniels was the man behind the Patriots offensive explosion in the 2007 season, where the Patriots went undefeated at 16-0 in the regular season. The season, however, didn't finish the way they wanted it to, as they lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII in February of 2008 in one of the greatest upsets in sports history. That season, quarterback Tom Brady had a record 50 touchdown passes and wide receiver Randy Moss had a record 23 touchdown receptions.

McDaniels takes over a team that was previously led for the past 14 seasons by Shanahan. Shanahan won two Super Bowls with the Broncos, when Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway was quarterback. Since then, they only have one playoff victory. McDaniels also has to change the culture of the defense, which was last in the league in takeaways.

I think the switch from Shanahan to McDaniels won't do much for the Broncos. Their defense needs to improve for them to be successful, because they already have the offensive pieces in quarterback Jay Cuter and wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal.

Dungy Retires

Tony Dungy has decided to retire as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Dungy spent seven seasons in Indianapolis and the previous six in Tampa with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has been extremely successful as coach of both teams. When he took the head coaching job for the Buccaneers, the Buccaneers had only made the playoffs three times in the past twenty years. In his six seasons alone in Tampa, the Buccaneers made the playoffs four times.

Dungy was fired in 2001 after the Buccaneers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. The Colts wasted no time picking him up. They did so a couple of months after. Dungy brought his success from Tampa to Indianapolis. The Colts have been to the playoffs every year since Dungy arrived. Dungy was 85-27 in his seven seasons as coach of the Colts, and 7-6 in the playoffs.

Dungy's biggest accomplishment was becoming the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl XLI in Miami. The previos year, the Colts almost finished the season undefeated, starting 13-0 before their first loss. The season ended in disappointment as Dungy's oldest son James committed suicide, and then the Colts lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their first playoff game.

Dungy is among the most successful head coaches and the most successful African-American head coach in the NFL. I think the Colts will probably struggle a bit in his absence, but as long as they have a healthy Peyton Manning, they will be making runs at championships every year. Dungy has affected many people in the NFL today, and his presence will be missed.

Steelers Advance

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the San Diego Chargers 35-24 in the AFC Divisional Round to advance to the AFC Championship game. The Steelers became the only home team to win in this round, with the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and New York Giants all losing at home. The Steelers will now play the AFC North division rival Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game on January 18.

The Chargers jumped out in front early with quarterback Philip Rivers throwing a touchdown pass of 41 yards to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. After they took a 10-7 lead, it all went downhill. The Steelers scored 21 unanswered points, building a 28-10 lead. The stingy Steelers defense was responsible for holding the Chargers to 10 points after their hot start.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 17 of 26 for 181 yards and a touchdown pass, making it a productive day. Philip Rivers was productive as well, throwing for 308 yards and three touchdown passes. Steelers running back Willie Parker had 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns to help the Steelers win.

This game was not surprising to me at all. The only surprising part of the game was the fact that the Steelers were able to put 35 points on the board. The offense still wasn't explosive, but they got the job done and Willie Parker looked very good, just what the Steelers need at this time. For the Chargers, they were coming into the game hot, winning five straight games. But they couldn't get it done and their defense was a reason why. They couldn't stop the Steelers offense, which isn't really that good. The absence of running back Ladainian Tomlinson was also felt, as Darren Sproles was asked to carry the load, which he isn't capable of.

Eagles Knock Out Defending Champs

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the defending champion New York Giants 23-11in the NFC Divisional Round, making the Giants the third home team to lose in the divisional round this playoffs. This was billed as a tough matchup for both teams for several reasons. First, the Giants and Eagles are only separated by less than 100 miles. They are also division foes in the NFC East.

The Eagles got the first big score of the game when quarterback Donovan McNabb ran in a yard for a touchdown to give them a 7-3 lead. That was after they got good field position because of defensive back Asante Samuel's interception of Giants quarterback Eli Manning. The game was close at halftime, with the score being 10-8. The Giants took an 11-10 lead early in the third quarter after defensive lineman Fred Robbins.

That was the last time the Giants had the lead. The Eagles scored 13 unanswered points and made key defensive stops to top the Giants. McNabb didn't have a good game but he made plays when he needed to. That was the opposite for Manning. Manning was only 15 of 29 for 169 yards and two interceptions. He didn't throw a touchdown pass, and the Giants as a team didn't score a touchdown either.

I believe there were differences in both teams that determined the outcome. For the Eagles, they proved that they are a legit contender. McNabb has reinvented himself after the benching against the Baltimore Ravens in November. Even though running back Brian Westbrook hasn't run the ball well, he is a threat in open space and he has come through. For the Giants, they sorely missed Plaxico Burress and could've used a healthy Justin Tuck. They also could've used kicker Lawrence Tynes, because of the two missed field goals from 44-year-old John Carney.

Cardinals Shock Panthers

The Arizona Cardinals stunned Carolina Panthers fan and the country, beating the Panthers 33-13 in Charlotte in the NFC Divisional Round. For the Cardinals, they go to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in their history. The Panthers lost the game in a simple way. They turned the ball over way too much.

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions and fumbled the ball away to cost his team a trip to the NFC Championship Game. The game started off well for the Panthers, who took a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter on running back Jonathan Stewart's 9 yard touchdown run. It turned sour quickly for the Panthers.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was instrumental in building a 27-7 halftime lead for the Cardinals. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald had a great game also, with 8 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown. Running backs Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower combined for 133 yards rushing and the Cardinals defense, who weren't that good during the regular season, created many turnovers.

This was an outcome I did not see coming. The Cardinals struggled going into the playoffs and I saw them as possibly the worst playoff team. But they have taken down two NFC South teams en route to the NFC Championship Game. While they have been successful in the first two rounds, I do not see them coming close to the New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles, the two teams that battle to play them next week. I see the Cardinals run coming to an end next week.

Ravens Stun Titans

The Baltimore Ravens stunned the #1 seed Tennessee Titans, beating them 13-10 in a close, defensive battle. The game was close throughout, with the game tied at 7 at halftime. However, two turnovers in the second quarter by the Titans swung the momentum to the Ravens. The Ravens held the momentum throughout the second half.

Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco was not impressive, but didn't turn the ball over for the second straight playoff game. He threw a touchdown pass to Derrick Mason in the first quarter. The only touchdown for the Titans was a Chris Johnson 8 yard run in the first quarter as well. Kerry Collins played good enough to win but he made one mistake, throwing an interception to the Ravens defensive back Samari Rolle.

In the fourth quarter, Titans tight end Alge Crumpler had a costly turnover when he fumbled the ball inside of the 5 yard line with the Titans down 10-7. The Titans got the ball back and kicked a field goal to tie it up, but they were driving for the possible go-ahead score. With under a minute left in the game, Ravens kicker Matt Stover kicked a 43 yard field goal to put them ahead.

The Ravens and Titans play a similar game so I figured that this game would come down to the end. I was still surprised the Ravens were able to win the game with a rookie quarterback. In the Ravens last drive, the play clock appeared to be on zero, which should've warranted a delay of game penalty. Instead, Flacco completed a long pass to tight end Todd Heap. That was huge. Without that play, I don't believe the Ravens win the game.

In Epic East Battle, Cavs Top Celtics

In a battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers might have shown why they are the best team in the conference. The Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics 98-83 in Cleveland, with forward Lebron James scoring 38 points. James also had 7 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with his 38 points.

After the Celtics started the season 27-2, they have started to go downhill fast. They have lost seven of their last nine games, including losses to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats and the New York Knicks. They even lost a home game to the Houston Rockets, a team with lofty preseason expectations who haven't lived up to those expectations yet. Forward Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Celtics, and Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined for only 23 points.

The Cavaliers are now 19-0 at home with that win, and now have the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 29-6 record. The Cavaliers got contributions from Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams, and they also got contributions from Daniel Gibson off the bench.

I believe the Celtics are reeling for several reasons. Lately, the talk has been about adding New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury to their team, which maybe a distraction. They also don't have a good bench to rely on, which makes it difficult to trust the players other than Garnett, Pierce and Allen. I believe the Celtics will get better, but it won't be better than the Cavaliers and they will be Eastern Conference champions.

Florida Beats Oklahoma, Take Title

The Florida Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in the BCS National Championship Game to win the championship. The Gators used stifling defense, just as they had all year, to defeat the high-powered offense of the Sooners. The Sooners came into the game scoring 60 points in five consecutive games prior to this game. They only managed 14 in this game, proving that they haven't played a good defense all year.

Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford had a decent game for the Sooners, but had two interceptions in the game. The Gators defense were able to take Bradford out of his game a little bit. The absence of running back Demarco Murray was felt a little as well. Running back Chris Brown still had 110 yards rushing but was unable to get into the end zone, especially on a critical red zone possession in the game.

Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow wasn't completely good either. He threw a career-high two interceptions, but still ran the ball for 109 yards. Running back Percy Harvin ran for 122 yards on only 9 carries, constantly using his speed in the open field.

There was debate leading up to the game as to whether Oklahoma or Texas belonged in the title game. There was debate recently about whether Utah should have consideration for the title after convincingly beating Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. I believe Utah is the true champion because they had a good non-conference schedule and they haven't lost. Florida's loss to Ole Miss earlier in the season has proven to be not that bad of a loss as Ole Miss has gone on to become a good team.

Jones Released

Adam "Pacman" Jones, defensive back for the Dallas Cowboys, has been released by the Cowboys amid new allegations that has come up involving Jones. In the new allegations brought up against Jones, it was reported by ESPN's John Barr that Jones ordered people to shoot someone in an Atlanta nightclub back in June of 2007.

At that time, Jones was on suspension from the NFL because of his conduct off the field already being a major problem. Jones was suspended the entire 2007 season. Police are not actively investigating the allegations at this moment.

While these allegations have been made, Jones has been strong to deny them. In Jones's comments about the situation and his release, he expressed disappointment toward ESPN for reporting the story. He also stated that there will be a lawsuit filed against ESPN for reporting the story. Jones has been involved in over 10 off-the-field incidents since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2005. The Titans traded him to the Cowboys after they expressed that they no longer wanted him because of his off-the-field troubles.

In this case, I believe there are two scenarios. The first scenario is that the allegations are true, and Jones did commit such a stupid and senseless act in the nightclub in Atlanta. The other scenario is that it never happened and it is now being brought up to derail his NFL career. I have reason to believe both is true. However, I cannot understand why this wasn't brought up while he was on suspension. I truly believe this is an attempt to kick him out of the league for good.

Texas Tops Ohio State In Fiesta Bowl

The Texas Longhorns defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 24-21 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Texas needed their final drive to win the game. They were down 21-17 with 2:05 to go. But Longhorns' quarterback Colt McCoy led the comeback for the Longhorns, driving 78 yards for the winning play. With 16 seconds left, McCoy threw a pass to wide receiver Quan Cosby, who ran it to the endzone for a 26 yard touchdown catch.

For the Buckeyes, this is their third straight loss in BCS bowl games. Since beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2006 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, they have been to a BCS bowl game each year and have lost. The last two BCS bowl games they were a part of were in the national championship game. In 2007, they lost the national championship game to the Florida Gators 41-14 when they were undefeated coming into the game and ranked #1. In 2008, they lost to LSU in the national championship game when LSU were a two-loss team. They were the first team to have two losses to be in the national championship.

Some have felt that the Longhorns belonged in the national championship game. Instead, Oklahoma plays Florida for the crown. Many have felt like the Longhorns needed to win this game convincingly to make a strong case. However, they didn't do that. It'll be interesting to see how the voters vote at the end of the national championship game.

Eagles Beat Vikings, Advance To Divisional Round

The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings 26-14 behind poor play from the Vikings' offense. Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb had 300 yards passing, completing 23 of 34 passes and a touchdown pass. On the other hand, Vikings' quarterback Tarvaris Jackson struggled. He was 15 of 35 for 164 yards and an interception.

The interception Jackson threw was a costly one. It was picked off by Eagles' defensive back Asante Samuel and he returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. That gave the Eagles a 16-7 lead. For Samuel, it was his fourth interception returned for a touchdown in the postseason, setting a new record. He had his three previous interception touchdown returns with the New England Patriots, where he won two championship rings.

Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson was responsible for the two touchdowns. His first touchdown run was a 40 yard touchdown run. His second was a three yard run. Both scores came in the second quarter, the only quarter the Vikings scored in.

This game happened to be very predictable. The Vikings' offense struggled against the Eagles' blitzes. They have struggled against opposing blitzes all year. The Eagles also got a big play from running back Brian Westbrook. That was definitely needed if the Eagles were going to win and they got it. The Eagles will now face the defending champion New York Giants in the divisional round.

Ravens Trash Dolphins

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Miami Dolphins 27-9 in the AFC Wild Card round. This was an interesting matchup for several reasons. Last season, both teams were terrible, with the Dolphins only winning one game and the Ravens winning only five games. The Dolphins were the best team in the NFL in offensive turnovers, only having 13 all season. However, the Ravens were the best team in the NFL in creating turnovers.

The Ravens' defense proved to be a little too much for Dolphins' quarterback Chad Pennington. Pennington, who only threw seven interceptions the entire regular season, threw four against the Ravens. Two of them were to Ravens' safety Ed Reed, who returned one of them for a touchdown. Overall, Pennington was 25 of 38 for 252 yards and a touchdown to go along with the four interceptions.

Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco didn't have good numbers, but he did score a touchdown on a run. Overall, he was 9 of 23 for 135 yards. The Ravens offense got off to a bad start when fullback Leron McClain fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Dolphins' linebacker Joey Porter. The Dolphins scored a field goal off that turnover. However, that would be all for the Ravens as they shut down the Dolphins.

I anticipated the outcome of this game happening just as it did. The Ravens defense was just too good for a mediocre offense like the Dolphins. Pennington was stellar all year, and their Wildcat offense tricked a lot of teams. However, it didn't fool the Ravens in the regular season and it didn't fool them yesterday. The Ravens will face the Tennessee Titans next week, in a game that will surely not include a lot of scoring.

Colts Lose To Chargers In Overtime

The San Diego Chargers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 in overtime and eliminated the Colts from the playoffs for a second straight year. This time the game was in San Diego, and the Chargers continued their momentum from their last four regular season wins, including winning the last one to win the AFC West division. The Colts were also on a hot streak, winning their last nine regular season games.

Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning was good, going 25 of 42 for 310 yards and a touchdown. The Colts running game, however, was non-existent as it has been all season. Running back Joseph Addai only had 44 yards and Dominic Rhodes had only 12 yards. Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers wasn't equally as effective as Manning, but did a good job. He was 20 of 36 for 217 yards and an interception.

Chargers' running back Darren Sproles was very effective. He ran for 105 yards on 22 carries, including the game winning run in overtime. LaDainian Tomlinson only had 5 carries for 25 yards, as he was bothered by a groin injury. The Chargers signed running back Michael Bennett because they thought they would be thin at the position with Tomlinson's injury.

The Chargers benefited from playing at home. With an 8-8 record, they should've been the road team. The Colts finished at 12-4 for no reason. They don't even get a home game. The Colts, however, needed to win that game to prove themselves legit and they failed to the Chargers again. This does not prove the Chargers are better. This game proves that the Colts are failures and the playoff system needs to change to allow the team with the better record to have home-field advantage.

Cardinals Top Falcons, Advance To Divisional Round

The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 to advance to the NFC Divisional Round to face either the New York Giants or Carolina Panthers. Coming into the game, the Falcons were listed as the favorites because of the way the Cardinals finished the season. They locked up the NFC West division about a month ago, but went into a slide shortly after, including losses to the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots where they were down 28-0 at halftime in each game.

Falcons' rookie quarterback Matt Ryan was effective in the first half, despite throwing an interception early in the first quarter. It started to fall apart in the second half, when Ryan threw another interception and was sacked in the end zone for a safety. Meanwhile, Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner was effective.

Warner was 19 of 32 for 271 yards and two touchdowns and an interception, whic occurred in the first half. Running back Edgerrin James finally got a lot of carries and was effective, carrying the ball 16 times for 73 yards. James has been secondary to rookie running back Tim Hightower all season, and James has publicly stated that he will not come back after this season. The Falcons running game was non-existent. Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner only had 42 yards on 18 carries.

In this game, three things were pretty evident. First, Ryan wasn't ready to handle the pressure of being in the playoffs. Secondly, the Cardinals were riding the wave of home-field advantage. Finally, the playoff format needs to be changed to where the team with the better record gets home-field advantage. I believe the Falcons lost because they were uncomfortable playing on the road, and it's not fair to the Falcons. The NFL needs to consider changing that.

Utah Wins Sugar Bowl

The Utah Utes, a non-BCS conference school, has won the Allstate Sugar Bowl by defeating SEC power Alabama Crimson Tide 31-17 in the New Orleans Superdome. Utah came into the game undefeated at 12-0, while Alabama was coming in off of a loss in the SEC Championship game to Florida Gators. Alabama was ranked #1 for most of the season, but lost that spot when they lost to the Gators. In a season that had a couple of non-BCS conference schools who may have deserved a BCS game, the Utes clearly proved to the country that they belonged in a BCS game.

Utes quarterback Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, easily winning the game's most outstanding player. The Utes jumped on top of the Crimson Tide early, jumping out to a 21-0 lead. The Crimson Tide were never able to recover. Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson was not effective, only throwing one touchdown pass while throwing two interceptions. Their running game wasn't effective as it has been all year as well. Glen Coffee only had 36 yards rushing while Mark Ingram had 28 yards.

A big part of the reason for their bad running game today may have been attributed to the suspension of their best offensive linemen. Left tackle Andre Smith was suspended for the game. The reasons for his suspension is not immediately clear but there has been speculation that he was dealing with an agent. Many people believe that Smith will be a high first-round draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

I believe Alabama is a better football team than Utah. The struggles for Alabama came from John Parker Wilson and running backs Glen Coffee and Mark Ingram. Therefore, I believe Alabama lost for one reason. They lost because of the absence of Andre Smith. I believe, with Smith in the game, that Alabama would've won it in a close one. However, with their best player being of the offensive line, they were not able to protect or run block as effectively as it could've been had he been there.

Manning Wins MVP Award

Peyton Manning was named the NFL's Most Valuable player today, which gives him his third MVP award. This past regular season, Manning experienced difficulties in getting the Indianapolis Colts to a 12-4 record. He had surgery in July to remove a bursa sac in his knee. Manning then had to rehab thereafter, forcing him to miss practice time during training camp. The beginning of the regular season didn't go so well for Manning and the Colts either. The Colts started off 3-4, losing their first two home games to the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams didn't make the playoffs this season. After their Monday night loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Colts didn't lose another game. They finished the season on a 9 game winning streak. Their record wasn't good enough to win the division however. The Titans finished the season at 13-3, winning the AFC South division. Manning joins New York Jets' quarterback Brett Favre as the only players in NFL history to win the NFL MVP award three times. Manning won the MVP award in 2003, sharing it with quarterback Steve McNair. He also won it in 2004. Manning clearly beat out Miami Dolphins' quarterback Chad Pennington and Atlanta Falcons' running back Michael Turner for the award. Manning clearly deserved the award, as his performance late in the season proved to be the best. After their rocky start, Manning never panicked and just led the Colts to victory in each of the last nine games, while downplaying the severity of his left knee surgery. While Pennington, Turner, and other players played well for their respective teams, no one was more valuable than Manning. The Colts would not be a playoff team without Manning. They are clearly better with him playing effectively.