A Little Roundball Chit-Chat

It looks like Kyrie Irving had a banner night against the Trailblazers.  Congrats on the 55 points. He was the man on fire last night.

Notre Dame beat Duke just days after Coach K notched his 1,000th win.  I know the Blue Devils won't let this keep them down.

Unranked Georgia Tech took down Miami while Purdue showed up Indiana. Not bad, not bad at all.

In women's hoops, the always formidable UCONN annihilated poor ECU.  Sorry, Lady Pirates!

Lady Grid out.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Cub

Rest in peace, Mr. Cub! We lost Ernie Banks today, and any baseball fan worth his salt will mourn the passing of one of the best short stops ever. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977; it was well-deserved.

Lady Grid out.

More "---"Gate?

They call it "DeflateGate." This is a few years after "SpyGate." I just don’t know what to say about the deflated footballs from Sunday’s AFC Championship game except to throw a Yellow Flag of Shame!  In fact, it’s a blanket-sized Yellow Flag of Shame.  Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

In more positive gridiron news, former Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Dallas QB Jon Kitna is going to coach football at Waxahachie High School. Go, Indians!

Lady Grid out.

Spot-On!

"There'll be no living with her now after this." - Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Let's get the negatives over with first.  My prediction of final scores was off in left field.  Some of my fantasy players didn't earn as many points as I liked; however, they kept me in the 90 plus percentage on ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge. I'm content with that result.

Those cardiac Seahawks made me nervous until the tide went their way: onside kick recovery, touchdown, winning the coin toss in the OT, and scoring the winning TD.  There are no words.  The Patriots drubbed the Colts in a big way. Now we get to wait for the Pro Bowl selection with Michael Irvin and Cris Carter on Wednesday. I'll watch with interest but not really have any dogs in this hunt. Until another day, friends.

Lady Grid out.

Whoop! Whoop!

The Aggie basketball team won against LSU in LSU's gym this afternoon.  Another win is good news to me.  I've been busy with my regular day job as an educator and now turn my focus to what I love: sports, specifically football.

I’m going with Seattle and New England to win this weekend.  I just have a feeling that it’ll be those two teams in the Super Bowl on February 1.  For my fantasy team, I’m selecting Seattle Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson, RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Doug Baldwin, TE Luke Wilson, K Steven Hauschka, and the defense.  For the New England Patriots, I’m selecting QB Tom Brady, RB Shane Vereen, and WR Julian Edelman.  I sure hope I’m not left holding the bag since I have to keep this roster through the Super Bowl.  We’ll see what happens.

Seahawks - 42, Packers – 27

Patriots – 38, Colts, 21

Lady Grid out.

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

Time for a little checklist:

1. Jason Garrett has a new deal on his contract.  John Fox is out at Denver. Rex Ryan and Jim Kelly were spotted drinking suds. Hmm.
2. LeBron returns, and the Cavs still lose.
3. The Mavericks beat the Kings.
4. The Spurs lose to the Wizards.
5. Pacquaio is ready for Mayweather.  This will be interesting since Mayweather's been chomping at the big for a ring date with Manny.  The initial report is for a May 2 fight in Las Vegas. Ding ding!

It's early Wednesday morning, folks.

Lady Grid out.

You'll Remember Me?

I guess that Fall Out Boy song they play on ESPN has been fulfilled; it's the one titled "Centuries" that samples Suzanne Vega's song "Tom's Diner."  Congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes.  Hubby didn't like them punching in the last touchdown with less than one minute to go.  He'd have preferred victory formation instead.  Coach Meyer must have wanted to make a statement about his number four ranked team beating number one then number two in successive games.

In NBA news, only one home team won. The Boston Celtics beat New Orleans while Brooklyn, Toronto, and Chicago lost to Houston, Detroit, and Orlando, respectively.  I'm keeping my eyes on the Pistons.  They're playing with a chip on their shoulder.  No one's really knocked it off yet. I know they don't throw flags in the NBA, but I'm throwing one at Kevin Garnett for head-butting Houston's Dwight Howard.  Tsk!

Lady Grid out.

Monday, Monday

The first ever College Football Playoff Championship is underway, and I didn't tell you who I want to win.  That's a good question deserving an answer. Go Buckeyes!

That reversal on the catch by Dez Bryant was heartbreaking, but who's to say that Rodgers and crew wouldn't have marched it back down, kicked a field goal, and had the same result of a win? Who's to say that the Dallas defense would have held tough to secure a ticket to the Pacific Northwest and the Hawks' Nest? We can't live in the "what ifs," no matter how tempting it is to languish among dreams. Sometimes, the team you want to win does win, and the team you want to win loses. It's life, and that's okay with me.  I remember that there's always next year.

Lady Grid out.

Home Teams 2-0

The Panthers made an effort but came up short.  My son is disappointed with the result but is plotting next season’s run to Super Bowl 50 even as we speak. The craziness of the end of the first half with Graham Gano kicking three times despite the boing-boing doings of Kam Chancellor was worth the price of admission.  Sheer madness!  The Ravens gave the Patriots a good, exciting game, but the Patriot magic worked again. Poof!  My fantasy players netted me 99 points, so I am in the lead with my family this week.  I’m hoping for some more points today.

Sunday, January 10, 2015

Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field will be televised on Fox about five minutes after high noon. The experts tout this as the most anticipated game of the weekend with references to the infamous Ice Bowl of 1967. The Cowboys are 8-0 on the road; the Packers are 8-0 at home.  Something has to give. Will Aaron Rodgers’ calf be healed enough to play today and one week from today against the Seahawks? Will DeMarco Murray rack up some respectable yardage against a Clay Matthews-led defense?  Excitement abounds as the Lady gets the chili preparations underway. This is the game of destiny.  This is the time for dreams to be fulfilled.  Cowboys – 35, Packers 28.

In the seemingly anti-climatic second game of the day, the Denver Broncos host the fiery Indianapolis Colts at Mile High Stadium just about twenty minutes before tea time. Peyton gets to rely on his running game.  The Colts don’t have a running game.  The Broncos defense wants the opportunity to swarm the backfield and harass Andrew Luck whenever he steps on the field.  Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware live for this type of action.  Broncos – 38, Colts – 24.

Today’s ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge roster has Green Bay Packers WR Randall Cobb, K Mason Crosby, and defense along with Denver Broncos RB C.J. Anderson.

Lady Grid out.

Let the Games Begin!

The NFL divisional playoff weekend has finally arrived.  I’m planning what I should cook for dinner tomorrow and may experiment with brisket tacos for the game time meal.  We’ll see what happens.  My husband and son have made their brackets through the Super Bowl and discussions have commenced.  Let’s see now.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium broadcast on NBC with a kick-off time set for 3:35 CST.  The Ravens have given the Patriots a little trouble in the past few years and denied them the opportunity to progress farther. This game isn’t a gimme on either side. Gronkowski is in the lineup; Ray Rice is out of the lineup.  Joe Flacco is unflappable during the post-season.  Tom Brady and Coach Belichick have had an extra week to plot strategies. Mama always tells me “Study long, study wrong” when we play dominoes.  I’m not allowed to push this weekend, so I’ll going to say Ravens – 27, Patriots – 21.

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks at Century Link Field broadcast on Fox with a kick-off time set for 7:15 CST.  Did the Panthers start to peak at the right time? Will the Legion of Boom crush the Panthers hopes? Unfortunately, one of Cam’s best former weapons will have finished his game on the other side of the country in a Ravens’ uniform by the time this game begins. The Seattle Seahawks have some nasty surprises in store for Riverboat Ron’s crew.  Seahawks – 31, Panthers – 17.

My ESPN Gridiron Challenge roster has Baltimore Ravens RB Justin Forsett and QB Joe Flacco, active today.  I have Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman, and New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski. The rest of the team plays tomorrow. When you can’t afford to buy who you really want, it stinks.  That’s life, folks.  

The North Dakota State Bison engage in a championship battle against the Illinois State Redbirds at Toyota Stadium around noon today in NCAA Division I Football action.  Go Bison!

Lady Grid out.

Midweek Musings

The top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats are all smiles since they managed to edge Ole Miss by three points last night. Congratulations.  My Aggies have some work to complete after being downed by the Crimson Tide on the hardwood with a disappointing 65-44 score.  Ugh. It’s good to see that Villanova is on the right track after their 90-72 win over St. John’s.  Perhaps the Red Storm will have more success when they play the Providence Friars on week from tonight. So far, they’re 0-3 in the Big East.

The only top-25 game in women's hoops had number five Baylor trouncing Big 12 rival Kansas State 74-44.  What a drubbing!

The Pistons rallied past the Spurs; my son will be unhappy about that. Oh well, we can’t always have the results we want in sporting events.  Maybe the Spurs will eclipse the Phoenix Suns on Friday evening.

Lady Grid out.

There You Have It

Most importantly, I send my condolences to the beloved daughters and family of ESPN's Stuart Scott. Your wit and "Boo-yah!" will be missed. Your courage against the relentless enemy showed us all how to live.  Listening to your colleagues and friends speak about your legacy makes me wish I had known you personally as my own friend.  Thank you, sir.  Rest in peace.

On to the gridiron action for the weekend.  Will wonders never cease? I picked three out of four wild card game outcomes correctly.  Dallas beat the Lions and will head to Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers.  Seattle is anxiously awaiting the Carolina Panthers who took apart the Arizona Cardinals. Baltimore visits New England on Saturday, and they know how to play well in Foxboro.  Lastly, the Denver Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts.  My predictions will be posted later on this week.

I had fun back in the classroom today.  Lady Grid out.

Wild Card Weekend - Part Deux

Florida helped the SEC cap off a winning bowl record for the 2014 season.  Woo-hoo!  I read a few comments about the SEC's successes and failures after Alabama's defeat; twelve out of fourteen teams attended post-season bowls.  That speaks for itself.  Will it happen again? I can't say; however, it happened this year.  Today has Toledo and Arkansas State.  I'm sticking with the Toledo Rockets to down the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

How about those Panthers?  I predicted (guessed) their score correctly and missed the Cards' mark by one point.  No, I'm still not headed to Las Vegas.  Who would have foreseen the special teams foibles and head-scratching plays before the first snap? Good luck next week, Carolina.  We'll see where you play next week.

The AFC edition of the wild card was no less exciting.  The Ravens don't read history books; they rewrite them.  Terrell Suggs and the rest of the Ravens harassed Big Ben and made the gap left by the injured LeVeon Bell obvious and painful.  We'll see them in Foxboro in six days to face the always dangerous New England Patriots.

It's back to work with my young charges as a teacher tomorrow.  I'm rested and ready for them.  Lady Grid out.

Wild Card Weekend–Woo-hoo!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The early game features Arizona Cardinals in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers. It’s interesting to note that in head-to-head match-ups, the Panthers are leading the series 7-5. The Cardinals will start QB Ryan Lindley; he’s their best hope after injuries beset the QB depth chart. He will try his best, but Carolina has new energy coursing through their locker room and a few “old timers” with a score to settle.  Panthers – 27, Cardinals - 17

The late game pits division rivals Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers against one another for the third and final time this season. They split meetings during the regular season, but it’s Heinz Field.  Steelers Nation won’t be denied again.  History has been on their side when they encounter one another in Pennsylvania.  Steelers – 31, Ravens – 28.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

The early game belongs to the AFC; the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Indianapolis Colts. This won’t be pretty, Bengal Nation.  With A.C. Green questionable after working through concussion protocols, I see them mounting a Herculean effort, but the Colts just won’t back down from snap number one.  Colts – 35, Bengals – 20

The Detroit Lions visit the Dallas Cowboys in the late game. The Cowboys have a 4-4 home record; the Lions have a 4-4 away record.  It won’t be even Stevens once the dust settles.  Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate will give the Cowboys D some fits.  The Lions D with Mr. Suh in attendance will do their best to restrain the stellar efforts of DeMarco Murray.  It won’t be enough to contain the ‘Boys.  Cowboys – 28, Lions – 13.

College Bowl Wrap-Up/Picks for January 2-4, 2015:

1. Armed Forces Bowl – Houston vs. Pitt, WRONG!
2. TaxSlayer Bowl – Iowa vs. Tennessee, WRONG!
3. Alamo Bowl – Kansas State vs. UCLA, WRONG!
4. Cactus Bowl – Washington vs. Oklahoma State, WRONG!
5. Birmingham Bowl – East Carolina vs. Florida (The lone bowl game of the day)
6. GoDaddy Bowl – Toledo vs. Arkansas State (The lone collegiate bowl game on Sunday)

Even I cannot believe that I picked every single Friday game incorrectly.  Yergh!

That's all for now, folks.  Lady Grid out.

It's the O-zone Bowl

If you'd told me that number one Alabama would lose to Ohio State University by the margin at the end of the game, I'd have laughed.  I'm not laughing now. Congratulations to the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes on being the first two teams to play in the new national championship game on Monday, January 12.  Good luck as you prepare for the inaugural match-up.

January 1 was not a good day for my predictions; I went down swinging with a record of 2-3.  The SEC is now 5-5 in bowl games with two more teams prepared to play this weekend. Let's hope there's a little Friday magic in the predictions listed below.

January 2 Bowl Predictions:

1. Armed Forces Bowl: Houston Cougars vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
2. TaxSlayer Bowl: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Tennessee Volunteers
3. Alamo Bowl: Kansas State Wildcats vs. UCLA Bruins
4. Cactus Bowl: Washington Huskies vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

NFL Wild Card games will begin on Saturday, and it will be a fun time all around!

Lady Grid out.

Happy 2015!!!

Good morning and a Happy New Year to you!  I pray this day finds you well.

The SEC has most of its teams involved in bowls this season.  That is a testament to the strength of the conference and not just one program. Not all teams have come away with a win, but it still rates a nod of the head in a gesture of ultimate coolness acknowledgement.

Here are my first predictions for the new year:

1. Outback Bowl: Auburn Tigers vs. Wisconsin Badgers
2. Cotton Bowl: Michigan State Spartans vs. Baylor Bears
3. Citrus Bowl:  Missouri Tigers vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
4. Rose Bowl:  Oregon Ducks vs. Florida State Seminoles
5. Sugar Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

My bowl prediction tally was 1-2 on December 31, 2014. That's all right, it's all in fun anyway. Enjoy your black-eyed peas if you eat them. They don't top my list of favorite foods, and I've not eaten one since leaving home as a young adult.  When Mama made food, we ate it. Period. She is an absolute sweetheart–all five feet and one and one-half inches of her–but you just don't mess with Mama. Period.

Lady Grid out.