Bowl Previews: This Week's Bowls*

We're finally in the home stretch of Bowl Season. The last week before the national championship, when we curse the BCS, the bowls, and the Big Ten for preventing us from enjoying a playoff system, then "punish" the bowls by watching them, allowing them to generate ridiculous revenue from TV ratings.

Tonight - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, LA
#13 Michigan Wolverines (-3) vs. #11 Virginia Tech Hokies
This game sums up why the BCS is a lousy, rigged, slimy system. Teams like Kansas State and Boise State were ranked higher in the BCS. But Michigan and Va-Tech are established powerhouses with big fanbases that will fill hotel rooms, buy tickets and merchandise, and also watch in huge numbers on TV.

Both these teams have excellent defenses. Then again, neither has faced overly impressive opposition. It might just be wishful thinking, because I hate Michigan, but I think Tech wins this game.

VT +3

Wednesday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Discover Orange Bowl - Miami, FL
#23 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #15 Clemson Tigers (-3)
WVU is the best the Big East could muster. More BCS BS as the Big East gets an automatic BCS bid (and an automatic check) no matter how much their conference stinks.

Uncharacteristically, WVU struggled to run the ball, and had a bad defense. Clemson was a pleasant surprise for the ACC. They have some head-shaking losses on their schedule, but also have some impressive wins. They beat Virginia Tech twice. I really can't pick against them. I doubted this Tigers team all year long but they've made me a believer.

Clemson -3

Friday - 8:00 PM - Fox
AT&T Cotton Bowl - Dallas, TX
#8 Kansas State Wildcats vs. #6 Arkansas Razorbacks (-8.5)
And yet another example of BCS shenanigans. The Cotton Bowl is one of the most historic and was once one of the most important bowl games in college football. But somehow a much younger bowl game in Arizona was included in the BCS. The Cotton Bowl gets a small measure of revenge as it's now played in Jerry Jones' mega-stadium, and this year they have one of the most attractive matchups.

K-State lost to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Their biggest win was over Baylor. Arkansas lost to Bama and LSU. Their biggest win was over South Carolina. I think Arkansas is slightly overhyped, and K-State can win this one in Big XII territory. Or at least keep it close.

Wildcats +8.5

Big L in Big D for B's

The Stars came into this game with a mission. They'd been struggling, they wanted to make a statement, and they wanted to do it by being aggressive with their counter-attack and trying to get underneath the Bruins' skin. They accomplished all this.

The Bruins have been making mistakes and playing sloppy periods even when they've been winning games. Saturday night's loss saw more mistakes than usual, a bad bounce, and an opponent that did a good job of taking advantage of those mistakes.

Dallas went up 3-1 in the first. Their second goal came when Milan Lucic drifted too low in the offensive zone, instead of remaining up high while both his linemates were battling for the puck down low. The Stars scored when the puck bounced on Thomas' backside, but they had the opportunity for such good fortune because Lucic made a mistake and a breakaway ensued.

Dallas' third goal came when Chara was sitting in the box after a foolish retaliatory penalty. He did get lightly cross-checked, but there's no way the refs will miss the 6' 9" guy turning around and compressing an opponent in front of the net.

Thomas was also rusty. He hadn't played since the 19th, due mostly to the Bruins playing a very light schedule the last 3 weeks. Thomas' biggest (and perhaps only) limitation is that he's not the type of goalie that can play 75 games in net then be good to go for the playoffs. It's a tough balancing act to keep from getting worn out and also keep him from getting rusty.

One thing I loved about this game, which reminded me why I love this team, is how angrily they played at the end of the 2nd and into the 3rd period. Lucic unleashed two huge hits in the final minutes of the 2nd. Then scored at the start of the 3rd. The Bruins played a strong game in the 3rd, they just dug themselves too big a hole in the 1st and 2nd.

I think they'll be motivated to start their next game off the right way. That game will be Wednesday night in New Jersey.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Buffalo Wild Win

The Patriots have plenty of problems, but one thing you can't accuse them of being is boring. An explosive offense and an easily trampled defense led to a regular season of very exciting games.

When the Bills beat the Patriots, the Pats started with a 21-0 lead then eventually blew it. On Sunday afternoon, the Bills took a 21-0 lead, then blew it. It was a remarkable symmetry, reminiscent of 2003 when the Bills beat the Patriots 31-0 in Week 1, then the Pats beat the Bills 31-0 in Week 17.

I like how well the Patriots offense has adjusted in the middle of games, but I haven't liked how poorly they've started. The Pats can get away with slow offensive starts against the likes of Buffalo and Denver, but against top tier teams like Baltimore or Green Bay, a slow start could lead to a quick end.

The Bills played their part in the Patriots' comeback. There were so many room service interceptions. And good playoff teams will not be turning the ball over so easily.

On the bright side, the Patriots have a week off. They will not have to play a road game in the playoffs. They have a tremendously potent offense with a diverse arsenal of weapons. And all other teams in the playoffs have their own weaknesses. In my opinion, the Patriots have as good a chance as any team, so long as the offense executes.

Patriots host either the Bengals, Steelers, or Broncos on the 14th. Saturday night in Foxborough.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Bowl Previews: Monday's Games*

With the NFL playing on New year's Day, the traiditional bowl games for that day will be played Monday.

Monday - 12:00 PM - ESPNU
Ticketcity Bowl - Dallas, TX
#19 Houston Cougars (-7) vs. #22 Penn State Nittany Lions
PSU won 9 games and had the same conference record as Wisconsin. Then again they didn't have to play Michigan or Michigan State. Houston won 12 games, but the best team they faced was Southern Miss, and that was the one game they lost. This is a good matchup of offense against defense. Houston scored 50.1 per game (1st in the nation), Penn State held opponents to 15.7 per game (5th best). I think PSU will win.

Penn State +7

Monday - 1:00 PM - ABC
Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL
#17 Michigan State vs. #16 Georgia Bulldogs (-3.5)
Both these teams made their conference title games. MSU was just shy of a BCS bid. Georgia's only losses came to Alabama, Boise State, and South Carolina. I'm more impressed with Michigan State's resume. They beat Michigan. They beat Wisconsin. The best team Georgia beat was Auburn, or maybe Georgia Tech.

Michigan State +3.5

Monday - 1:00 PM - ESPN
Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL
#20 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. #9 South Carolina Gamecocks (-2)
South Carolina lost to Auburn and Arkansas and beat Georgia and Clemson. Nebraska also has a good record. They beat Michigan State and Penn State. SC put up 30.1 points per game in the SEC, which is pretty good. They also have a solid defense that should clamp down on Nebraska's one dimensional offense.

South Carolina -2

Monday - 1:00 PM - ESPN2
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Florida Gators (-2)
Normally these teams meeting would be a tantalizing matchup. Instead, it's a pair of 6-6 teams with 3-5 conference records. OSU was able to beat Wisconsin, then lost to every other quality team they played. Florida's wins were against Furman, UAB, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. The game is in Florida's backyard, but I have to pick Ohio State.

OSU +2

Saturday - 5:00 PM - ESPN
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio - Pasadena, CA
#10 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #5 Oregon Ducks (-6)
If not for their October hiccups against Michigan and Ohio State, Wisconsin could be in the title game. If not for a 3 point loss to USC, the Ducks would be in the title game. Wisconsin's defense might be able to slow down the Ducks just enough to allow their offense to keep up. The Badgers can rush the ball and shorten the game. I think that's what they'll do.

Wisconsin +6

Saturday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
#4 Stanford Cardinal vs. #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys
How awesome would it be if a game like this was part of a playoff? Both these teams lost 1 game. And they have a legit gripe for being left out of the title game. Both these teams can score points. Oklahoma State is one of the best passing offenses in the nation. Stanford's offense isn't as explosive, but their defense is much more solid. This should be a fun game to watch. I think the Cowboys will come out on top.

Oklahoma State -4

Bowl Previews: Saturday's Bowls*

All this games will be played on Saturday. Five games in total.

Saturday - 12:00 PM - ESPN
Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas - Houston, TX
Texas A&M Aggies (-10) vs. Northwestern Wildcats
I thought A&M had a legitimate chance to win the Big XII. So keep that in mind while reading my college football picks. A&M lost to some good teams. Northwestern lost to some bad teams along with good teams. A&M took care of business when playing equal/inferior opponents, and the game is less than 100 miles from College Station.

Aggies -10

Saturday - 2:00 PM - CBS
Hyundai Sun Bowl - El Paso, TX
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (-3) vs. Utah Utes
Tech rushes the ball well over 300 yards a game. They do not pass it. Utah struggles to run and pass. However, their defense is pretty stalwart. They allowed fewer than 20 points per game. I think they'll stop Tech's ground attack.

Utah +3

Saturday - 3:30 PM - ABC
AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Memphis, TN
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (-2)
Cincy won 9 games. Vanderbilt won 3. Vanderbilt is in the SEC, but they're in the East. Vandy's wins came against Army, UConn, Elon, Wake Forest, Kentucky, and Ole Miss. I'm not impressed. I'll take Cincinnati.

Bearcats +2

Saturday - 3:30 PM - ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - San Francisco, CA
Illinois Fighting Illini (-3) vs. UCLA Bruins
Illinois won their first 6, lost their last 6. UCLA spread their losses around. In fact, their loss in the Pac-12 title game was the first time they'd lost back-to-back games all season. This game will be an horrific abomination. And I think UCLA will emerge victorious.

UCLA +3

Saturday - 7:30 PM - ESPN
Chick-fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, GA
Virginia Cavaliers vs. #25 Auburn Tigers (-3)
I think Auburn is a bit overrated, just because they're in the SEC West. Virginia had a solid season, and might be satisfied just to make this bowl game against Auburn. I have a gut feeling that they'll win.

Virginia +3

Bowl Previews: Tomorrow's Bowls*

All four of these bowls will be played on Friday. It's a very packed day of football.

Friday - 12:00 PM - ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - Dallas, TX
BYU Cougars vs. Tulsa Hurricanes (-1)
BYU won 9 games as an independent. They lost to Texas, TCU, and Utah, so that's not too shabby. Tulsa's losses are also nothing to be ashamed of (Oklahoma, Boise State, Oklahoma State, Houston). The Hurricanes have a good offense, and I think they'll be able to score against BYU.

Tulsa -1

Friday - 3:20 PM - ESPN
New Era Pinstripe Bowl - Bronx, NY
Rutgers scarlet Knights (-1.5) vs. Iowa State Cyclones
Rutgers will essentially be the home team. ISU only won 2 road games. Their big win came against Oklahoma State, but other than that, they were pretty bad. They struggle to score points, they allow nearly 30 per game. Rutgers has the 12th best scoring defense in the country, and it'll be a surprise if Iowa State puts up any points.

Rutgers -1.5

Friday - 6:40 PM - ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN
Mississippi State Bulldogs (-6.5) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Long title, long school names. To make a long story short, both these teams went 6-6. But Mississippi State's schedule might have been a little tougher out in the SEC West. MSU was 4-0 outside of conference play. Wake Forest was 1-3, and that 1 was against Gardner-Webb.

Mississippi State -6.5

Friday - 10:00 PM - ESPN
Insight Bowl - Tempe, AZ
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. #14 Oklahoma Sooners (-14)
OU can't be happy to be playing in this part of Arizona. The question is, will they be motivated to prove something, or depressed and glum. Iowa is a tough team to figure out. They lost to Iowa State, but also beat Michigan. I think they'll at least make a game of it against a bruised and battered OU team.

Iowa +14

World Juniors: Finland 4, USA 1

The US tried to push around Finland, just as they'd pushed around Denmark. It didn't work. Not only did the Finns stand firm, they actually won the physical battles at the half wall. Finland didn't dominate the game as the score might suggest. But they were the better forechecking team. Their goaltending was also superior. Sami Aittokallio made some brilliant saves for Finland, and American John Gibson let a few pucks squeeze through him. Even if he hadn't, the US wasn't going to win.

The American team essentially must win against the Czech Republic Friday afternoon if they want to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Czechs just got beaten 5-0 by the Canadians, but they were playing the second of back-to-back games and looked extremely tired. They'll bring their best game when they play the USA.

Russia beat Slovakia 3-1 and have won both their games, just like Canada. In a bit of a surprise, Sweden needed a shootout to beat Switzerland 4-3.

Photo Credit:
The Canadian Press

Park Street Station on Christmas

Why not try to spread holiday cheer on the T?



The MBTA was not so cheerful about the prank. The employee who programmed the scrolling marquee to declare the holiday greeting was written up by his bosses, but was not suspended or fired. I think even to be written up for it is a bit Scroogelike.