NFL - Last Week of the Regular Season

Please forgive the lack of pictures (and formatting)...I am writing this post on my iPhone at an airport bar :P

Games to Watch @ the Sports Bar
Cowboys (8-7) - Redskins (9/6) 5PM
This is an absolute must-win for each team if they want in on the playoffs. The Cowboys are missing 5 of their starters due to injury, but QB Tony Romo has come through in the clutch lately. Redskins have a chance of winning the NFC East for the first time since '99 if QB RG3 keeps up his strong play w/minimal turnovers.

Packers (11-4) - Vikings (9-6) 1PM
Packers want to win this game to keep their #2 seed in the playoffs for the 1st week bye. Vikings need the W to make the playoffs; they will have their work cut out for them but have home field advantage and comeback story of the year (or dare I say all of football history?) with running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson tore his ACL in December of last year and rehabbed amazingly well to have such a rock star season this year (11TDs in 15 games and just under 1900 rushing yds).

Texans (12-3) - Colts (10-5) 10AM
The Texans have never won in Indianapolis but have the winningest road record in the NFL with 6-1. Their motivation to win is to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first week bye. Colts QB Andrew Luck has been badly off his mark for the last four games, so he needs to shape up and get his head back in the game to win. Texans beast of a defensive end JJ Watt hopes to keep Luck off kilter. Watt just needs 2.5 sacks to own the single-season record.

NINERS NOTES
The Cardinals suck. Period. The Niners need to KILL this game with a resounding W to show the rest of the league they're ready to throw down in the playoffs. I'm most worried about the injured Bash Brother, Justin Smith (who up until last week had the longest playing streak in the NFL, which is CRAZY considering he's on the D-line), it's speculated that he won't play until the 2013 season due to 4months of rehab for the detached bone spur and partially torn tricep...ick! Also out for the season is wide receiver Mario Manningham due to a knee injury sustained last week :/ On a brighter note, nine 49ers have been selected as starters for this year's Pro Bowl - inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman, free safety Dashon Goldson, running back Frank Gore, guard Mike Iupati, outside linebacker Aldon Smith, defensive tackle Justin Smith, tackle Joe Staley, strong safety Donte Whitner and inside linebacker Patrick Willis. Way to go!!

MISC NOTES OF SUCKITUDE
* Womp vs. Womp (Jets @ Bills) - both head coaches are prob going to get fired on Black Monday
* Bye-bye Tebow - after this failed experiment as a Jet, he's likely headed to Jacksonville next season
* Lions are on a 7-game losing streak
* Super Bowl Curse - reining SBXLVI champs need to win against the Eagles (w/QB Vick back) AND need the Cowboys, Vikings, and Bears to lose for a chance at the playoffs (suck it, Eli!!)

One last note - the Broncos are the hottest team in the league right now (on a 10-game win streak) and they've won these games, hands down. No botched calls or plays or nail-biters. They just win.

Brady doesn't look so hot as a loser...

NINERS!!!

YAY!! So pretty much everything I wanted to happen in football happened yesterday -- Eli Manning choked and the Giants were shutout, the Texans beat the Colts, the Redskins won without RG3, Adrian Peterson showed the Rams how boss he is, but most importantly my 49ers beat the Patriots in Foxborough. Last night's 49ers-Patriots game was probably the best Sunday night football this season. The 49ers stunned the Pats (and most of America) in the first half by only allowing 3 points, but the Patriots made adjustments by changing the tempo of the game and put out a valiant effort for a comeback. While watching the second half it was literally hard for me to breathe! The 9ers were really caught off guard with the Pats' no huddle situations, but thankfully they were able to withstand the Pats back-to-back-to-back-to-back touchdowns. The weather also made this an exciting game as there were lots of turnovers and botched snaps...for a while it looked like they were playing a game of hot potato since no one could hang on to the ball.

With this win, the 49ers have CLINCHED a playoff spot! Now they just have to beat the Seahawks next week to ensure their win of the NFC West :)

Warriors Shout-Out

I know I haven't written at all about the current basketball season even though we're already 20+ games in, but I NEED to mention how super amazingly awesome the Golden State Warriors have been doing! They just finished a 7-game road trip and came up on top 6-1. 6-1 <-- Franchise-setting record!! Yay Dubs!

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images / SF
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Warriors-beat-Atlanta-wrap-up-6-1-trip-4121667.php#ixzz2FCiBhN9X

BTW, David Lee, pictured above, has a killer stat line so far this season and fans are hoping that the Warriors current rise on the NBA radar will give him the exposure to get a well-deserved spot in next year's All-Star game (he's been snubbed in the past while on another team).

Random 90's Throwback
For those of you not into my NBA team of choice, this Blake Griffin (LA Clippers power forward) Kia commercial makes me feel old...he travels to 1995 to talk to his 6yr old self (I was a tween in '95). He does get props for (or I should say whatever fancy doo-dad in the Kia gets props for) choosing Montell Jordan's jam This Is How We Do It.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1h1aVorUjc

NFL Week 15 - Things to Know @ the Sports Bar

As the season winds down, some match-ups become CRUCIAL while others are snoozefests. Here's what you need to know:

THE GAME TO WATCH - 49ers (9-3-1) @ Patriots (10-3) 5PM

Possible Super Bowl preview? The Patriots score the most points in the league while the 49ers defense allows the least amount of points in the league. If you scroll down or have read any previous posts, you should know who I'm rooting for :P It won't be an easy task to come up with the W (the Patriots have not lost after Week 8 at home since 2008, ack!), but if the 49ers can get to Patriots QB Tom Brady and keep him off his rhythm, the Niners can take this game (assuming QB Colin Kaepernick has a near-perfect game). Eek, can't wait until 5:20PM!!!


QUICK NOTES

• Redskins (7-6) - Browns (5-8): Redskins are on a 4-game win streak, but without QB RG3 due to a knee injury sustained last week. The Browns are on a 3-game win streak, but this is a must-win game for the Redskins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
• Vikings (7-6) - Rams (6-6-1): Vikings are holding on to their playoff hopes and need to get lanes open for Adrian Peterson to do his thing. Bad news for them: the Rams are on a 3-game win streak and haven't allowed a 100+yd rusher since Week 8.
• Giants (8-5) - Falcons (11-2): Although most analysts are picking the Giants to win, QB Eli Manning hasn't been all that consistent this year. I'm hoping the Falcons are pissed about losing last week and feed off the home advantage. Although they've already clinched their division, winning this game gives them a chance to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs and home field advantage for the entirety of the NFC playoffs.
• These ^^^ three games are at 10am, the only game worth watching at 1pm is...
• Steelers (7-6) - Cowboys (7-6): Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger fell flat on his first game back from injury last week, so I expect him to be firing on all cylinders. Cowboys are hanging on to their playoff hopes so hard that WR Dez Bryant has a fractured finger, but is still opting to play (which could cause a long-term injury)

RANDOM TEBOW

Apparently, he's trying out his nonexistent acting chops in a TiVo commercial...hmm Tebow for TiVO?? The kids in this totally have more stage presence in their little pinkies :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6Lk4sjTks

BCS 101...Kinda

Since Laurie is in finals mode, this blog has been devoid of any updates on NCAA FB, so here's a quick run-down on the college bowl game situation and some info on the BCS, Bowl Championship Series.

The BCS governs which teams will play in five official bowl games. 

• National Championship Game - #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Alabama 01.07.13
• Rose Bowl - Wisconsin vs. #6 Stanford 01.01.13
• Orange Bowl - #15 Northern Illinois vs. #12 Florida State 01.01.13
• Sugar Bowl - #21 Louisville vs. #3 Florida 01.02.13
• Fiesta Bowl - #4 Oregon vs. #5 Kansas State 01.03.13

The 25+ other bowl games are essentially 3-hr long commercials for the corporation sponsoring it. These bowl games are good (A) for players - school pride and getting that last W for the season, (B) for the school/conference - since they get $$$ for participating in the game, and (C) for the corporate sponsors - EVERYONE fast-forwards commercials nowadays, so this is how you force your brand down an NCAA FB fan's throat.

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There has been TONS of controversy about the BCS rankings since its inception in 1998, which is why a new 4-team playoff system will be introduced after the 2014 season. In general, this is how the BCS works -- there are rankings assigned to teams through three different avenues 

1. The Harris Interactive Poll - various former players, coaches, media, administrators 
2. Coaches Poll - 59 head coaches of Bowl Subdivision Schools
3. Computer Rankings - six different computer rankings are used and averaged, throwing out the high and low scores 

with each poll equally receiving 1/3 of the weight. I KNOW THIS IS CONFUSING...many people have likened this process to monkeys on typewriters or any other combo of witchcraft and wizardry. Obviously these polls are filled with subjectivity...here is a parody from last year that further illustrates why the BCS doesn't make any sense.  We've only got a couple more years of this headache, so yay to that!

Think about it...
Following a Playoff Bracket >>>> Trying to figure out who's in the lead in the polls mentioned above

NFL Week 14 - Games Worth Noting

** Thoughts and prayers go out to the Cowboys organization for losing player Jerry Brown in a fatal car accident early Saturday morning with nose tackle Josh Brent at the wheel.

Ravens 28 - Redskins 31/OT 
Although Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (RG3) got injured during the last minutes of regulation, the Redskins were able to tie up the game to force OT and rally for their fourth straight win. RG3's injury is currently ruled as a sprained knee; fans are awaiting further testing to see if he'll be able to play against the Browns next week. 

RG3-under-pressure-pre-injury-USA-Today-Sports-Images.jpg

Bears 14 - Vikings 21
On paper, the Bears look pretty good with an 8-5 season record, but they have dropped four of their last five games, presumably due to all the injuries that have plagued their team. Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson (who is having a rockstar season overall) had an amazing game and rushed for 154yds, bringing his season total to 1,600. Peterson now has his sights set on rushing 2,000yds this season, which is a BIG deal, since only six players have reached this mark in NFL history.

Chargers 34 - Steelers 24
I have about the same regard of the Chargers, as I do the Raiders - I don't hate them, but it's nice to see California teams do well (BTW the Chargers are the ONLY SoCal team I am marginally ok with, haterade for all the rest). The Chargers are def not as talented as they used to be, but they managed to get their first W at Heinz Field and spoil the return of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (side note: if this blog becomes a total bust, at least I have learned how to spell Big Ben's last name correctly :P) The Chargers dominated the game and scored 2 TDs in the span of 12 seconds in the third quarter. Hopefully this game serves as a wake-up call for the Steelers and they get their head back in the game if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.


Dolphins 13 - 49ers 27

Before 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's epic 50yd TD run late in the fourth quarter, one of the biggest things that fans cheered for at the SF Saloon (the 49ers bar in LA) was when Dolphins linebacker Jonathan Freeny attempted to down a punt at the 3-yd line but accidentally carried it into the endzone, resulting in a touchback. Let me repeat this - we cheered HARD for a touchback! The first half was lackluster to say the least, but luckily the Niners woke up enough to finally score some TDs in the second half.

Random 49ers Pop Culture Notable - Coach Jim Harbaugh was on Saved by the Bell (The College Years)!!! Although it's def not an Emmy award-winning performance, it's still pretty cool. He played Screech's cousin :)

Miscellany
- The Seahawks SPANKED the Cardinals with a 58pt shutout
- Panther's QB Cam Newton exacted revenge over the Falcons running 118yds, throwing 287yds and 2TDs
- Giants runningback David Wilson absolutely shined with 327 all-purpose yards in their win against the Saints
- MNF: The Texans have the best record in the league, but still managed to suck it hard against the Patriots

Sunday...BLEH!!!

OMFG #$&*^%^#@(!#*&@($)^!!!!!!

 I am NOT happy about football today. Some all-round crap happened (or as other people would call it - "exciting football"... whatever). I am pissed about the Niners losing in OT against the Rams and annoyed that the Colts and the Steelers both snuck in wins in the last few seconds.

Niners 13 - Rams 16: I didn't even bother to write anything up about this game because it seemed like a gimme. The 9ers D played well! They only allowed two 50+yd field goals as legitimate earned scores...the Rams' first two points came from a botched safety call and their sole TD came from a stupid turnover by the 9ers' rookie QB, Colin Kaepernick. The 9ers offense definitely did NOT produce; Kaepernick had less than five minutes left in the game with the Niners up 10-2. All he had to do was run the clock with some short, ground plays for the win, but no...the Rams forced OT with the TD (& 2pt conversion) off Kaep's turnover. The Niners lost it in OT with a dropped pass that would have easily gone into the end zone and a missed field goal after getting prime field positioning. BAH. I don't think Alex Smith would have lost the game. Harbaugh - put Alex back in!!

Colts 35 - Lions 33: The Lions had this game...that is until Colts QB Andrew Luck decided to throw two TDs in the last three minutes of the game, the last of which happened with just seconds remaining on the clock. Luck went to Stanfurd and is vying against RG3 (and others but mostly RG3) for rookie of the year, so I don't want him to do well.

Steelers 23 - Ravens 20: This game was decided by a field goal that was scored in the last three seconds. The Ravens were ahead going into the fourth quarter, but the Steelers ancient fossil of a back-up to the back-up QB (Charlie Batch, 37yrs old) played a solid game and threw a TD pass to tie and got his team down the field far enough to score the game-winning field goal.

OTHER NOTABLES

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Winning in the wake of tragedy - Chiefs prevail over the Panthers at home 27-21. This was the Chiefs best game of the season, but a somber one. Many people are conflicted because not only did a player (Jovan Belcher) die, but a child is left orphaned since Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend (Kasandra Perkins) before taking his own life. One Chiefs player especially affected by these events is running back Jamaal Charles, who is cousins with Perkins...such a sad event for all those involved :(   

Bears Upset - Seahawks beat the Bears in OT 23-17 with a great showing from Seattle's rookie QB Russell Wilson. The Seahawks marched 97yds down the field to score a TD with less than a minute left in regulation, but the Bears were able to kick the game-tieing field goal as the clock expired. The game had a crazy ending with a Seahawks TD -- the receiver who scored the touchdown (Sidney Rice) was hit really hard coming into the end zone and the ball was knocked loose. After further review the TD ruling stood and the Seahawks won the game.

WORST GAME OF THE SEASON - Cardinals 6 - Jets 7. This game was SO bad that Jets starting QB Mark Sanchez was taken out even though Tebow wasn't available. They should have put that cute 9yr old girl QB Sam Gordon, she would have at least made it interesting. 

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Broncos & Patriots clinch their divisions - They both won, big whoop.

GO BEARS! - Happy Birthday Aaron Rodgers! Glad you got a W on your birthday (even though I loathe the Packers) :)

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NFL Week 13 Weekend Preview

**First off, condolences to the Kansas City Chiefs organization and family of linebacker Jovan Belcher. If you haven't heard by now -- Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend then committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager at Arrowhead Stadium Saturday.

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10AM GAMES
Colts (7-4) - Lions (4-7): This should be a fun game to watch because both QBs like to throw long passes and have the top two receivers in the league (Lions' Calvin Johnson is 1st w/1,257 receiving yards and Colts' Reggie Wayne is 2nd w/1,105yds). The Lions have lost their past three games, but the Colts don't fare very well on the road.


Cardinals (4-7) - Jets (4-7): The Cardinals won their first 4 games, but dropped the last 7. The Jets have been equally craptastic, underperforming the entire season, but have won the last three meetings, so the slight advantage goes to them. FUN FACT: Jets' QB Mark Sanchez (OC native and U$C alum) dated Eva Longoria. They broke-up around the end of October supposedly because he was bummed about his team's sucky record. Also! Packers' QB (and Cal alum) Aaron Rodgers commented on Sanchez' GQ spread and said “That’s embarrassing. Page 94 of the GQ thing here. That’s terrible.”

1PM GAMES

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Steelers (6-5) - Ravens (9-2): Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger is out (still recovering from a dislocated rib and shoulder sprain) and their back-up QB Charlie Batch doesn't have a stellar record. Not only did the Ravens beat the Steelers during their Week 11 match-up, but they have won their last 15 consecutive home games. The only silver lining for the Steelers is that their Safety Troy Polamalu (U$C alum with crazy hair insured by Head & Shoulders for $1million) is back after missing seven games due to a calf injury.

Browns (3-8) - Raiders (3-8): or should I say Womp vs. Womp. The Browns have the #3 overall pick of this year's draft (but don't have much else going for them), whereas the Raiders have been going through some drama. Not only did four of its players get fined $26K each for a fight during last week's game against the Bengals, but it looks like their linebacker Rolando McClain got kicked off the team got suspended for two games for being an all-around punk. McClain also vented on his facebook page saying he wants to play for a "real team"...no bueno, dude! you've just landed yourself a spot on the bench for the rest of the season.

5PM GAME - Eagles (3-8) - Cowboys (5-6)
The Eagles lost against Dallas three weeks ago, and most analysts predict this game will be more of the same. These teams were expected to do much better this season; I think the powers that be scheduled this as the evening game thinking it would be a good adjfhkss;;;;;;;;;;afgjj...oops, just fell asleep at my keyboard! Yawn to this game!
MNF - Giants (7-4) - Redskins (5-6)
RG3 is really good with his play-action fakes and can run with the ball too, so I'm hoping this trips up the Giants' defense and the Redskins upset last year's Super Bowl champs. The Redskins are playing to keep their playoff hopes alive and also looking to get their W against the Giants since the Giants eked out a win over them with a long touchdown in the last two minutes of their Week 7 game.

NFL Week 13 Thursday Preview

Saints (5-6) vs. Falcons (10-1)

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Sooo, the Saints' bus got egged on the tarmac at the airport after arriving in Atlanta. Egged! By fans of a 10-1 team! The Falcons are tied with the Texans for the winningest teams in the league, but the Falcons' sole loss was at the hand of division rival, the Saints. This is an absolute must-win game for the Saints if they want to have any hope of making it to the playoffs, so there's a lot riding on this game for them. You would think that winning against a 5-6 team wouldn't mean much to the Falcons, but Atlanta has lost 7 of the last 9 meetings with the Saints; the Falcons do NOT want to get swept.


Random Mancandy

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Ok, so I know he got waived before the start of the season, but Devin Goda did play three preseason games for the Baltimore Ravens before he went on to continue his modeling career. Abs...enjoy ;)

NFL Week 12 - Turkey Day Recap + Sunday Preview

Aloha! I have been traipsing around the Big Island of Hawaii, so please excuse the lack of a turkey day football preview. Ten minutes of the Cowboys-Redskins game is the extent of exposure I've had to any live sports while on Hawaii Standard Time, but here's a little Turkey Day football knowledge for you - 

• There are three games that are played on Thanksgiving (Lions vs. ___, Cowboys vs. ___, & League Choice for the night/primetime game)
• The Lions have been hosting since the 30's
• The Cowboys have been hosting since the 60's
• The use of throwback jerseys happens frequently

As you prob already know, this past Thursday the Lions lost to the Texans in OT (31-34), the Cowboys lost to the Redskins (31-38), and the Patriots murdered the Jets (49-19).

SUNDAY
49ers - Smith or Kaepernick? This is THE big question of the week and will be scrutinized for the rest of the season by the entire league. The niner's starting QB Alex Smith suffered a concussion a couple weeks ago and was not cleared to play last week, so Colin Kaepernick stepped in and had an amazing game. Smith has a 19-5-1 record over the past two seasons, which is really good, so giving the start to a back-up QB (which is most likely going to happen) who had one great game is kind of F'ed...if I were Alex I'd be pissed. Oh, and I guess I should mention that the 49ers (7-2-1) are playing the Saints (5-5). The Saints are ranked 32nd in the league (AKA LAST PLACE) in defense and they have a couple injured players on their O-line. The Niners defense is ranked 2nd in the league and their outside linebacker Aldon Smith is scary good (just 2 sacks shy of tying a record you prob don't care about). Advantage def goes to the Niners. 

10AM Games

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2012-11/73161307.jpg

Vikings (6-4) - Bears (7-3): These teams are vying for 1st place in the NFC North and they're playing each other twice in the next three weeks. The Bears are coming off a short week with an embarrassing loss to the Niners, but will have their starting QB Jay Cutler back. The Vikings have lost 10 of the last 11 games in Chicago, so they'll need to do a lot for history not to repeat itself.

Falcons (9-1) - Bucs (6-4): The Falcons obviously have a better record (and the edge in this game), but the Bucs are on a 4-game win streak. Watch their running game against the Falcon's struggling run defense; if the Bucs can expose this they may sneak up and upset the Falcons.

5PM Game
Packers (7-3) - Giants (6-4): As a 49ers fan I want both teams to lose :) I'm hoping for a tie, but wishful thinking aside, the Packers have won in New Jersey (Yes, the NY Giants play in NJ) the last four times. Also, Giant's QB Eli Manning hasn't thrown a TD since Week 7. So with Eli's latest suckitude and with Aaron Rodgers all-around awesomeness, I think the Packers will eke this one out. 

Don't worry, I'll soak up a little extra sun for you :)

NINERS!!!

Bears 7 - 49ers 32

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Wow. Colin Kaepernick (CK-7) made me forget about Alex Smith tonight. Smith was not cleared to play after the concussion he sustained last week, so MNF became a battle of back-up QBs...actually, this wasn't a battle at all. CK-7 (UNR alum - Wolf Pack!) threw some laser passes for big plays and dominated the field while maintaining composure in the pocket. Da Bears' QB Jason Campbell, on the other hand, threw two interceptions and got sacked 6 times, 5.5 of which were done by Aldon Smith. With this monster game, Aldon has passed the Broncos' famous sack dancer, Von Miller, for the league lead in sacks. Woot. Woot.

In summary, THE NINERS ARE AMAZEBALLS! 

Weekend College Football Recap!

Ok, so I'm sure this is now people's ONLY source of football news, and you're all just dying to know WHAT HAPPENED this weekend!  Ok, that's sarcasm, you're mostly Zylah and my friends and you probably know exactly what happened this weekend.  But if you don't, here are the important things to know (and talk about) when you're wasting time at work tomorrow:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL (and only college football, because I was busy getting serious about greyhounds at the bar today)

The BIGGEST news is that USC somehow lost to UCLA, just kidding, Stanford beat No. 2 Oregon and Baylor killed No. 1 K-State!  So if you've been paying attention at all, there were 3 undefeated teams after 'Bama's upset last week.  Now, Notre Dame is the only undefeated team and superduper close to being in the BCS title game!  This upsets some college football fans because (as we discussed last week) it now looks like 'Bama WILL probably be in the title game.  (My much more sporty friend Zylah tells me that people don't like the SEC teams because they have won the last 6 BCS championships.  That sounds like middle school shit guys.)

Other unrelated questions - Where the hell is Baylor, and why does the mascot look like a not-as-smart Oski?

Ok, so if you live in LA, you probably watched USC play some terrible football on Saturday.  The Trojans started out poorly, and the the Bruins were able to get 24 points before USC pulled things together....a little.  The final game score was 38-28 but more importantly, Barkley got sacked, hard, by Barr (UCLA) in the fourth quarter and was unable to complete the game.  The internets tells me that he will not be playing in the USC/Notre Dame next week, so it sounds like he's preety hurt. 

So here's your summary: Oregon and K-State lost, Stanford and Baylor beat those respective teams, Notre Dame is probably going to the title game, and USC seriously sucks at football.

Other notable news

Get ready for some excitement.  Zylah and I will be highlighting some hot football players this week.  Maybe that will get some of you to actually watch the games, because more football drinking buddies are always welcome!

DISCLAIMER!  I have a thing for Jared Allen, it's weird, just go with it.  I promise we will cover better looking players!

And Tebow, every lady loves Tebow.  Tebow makes you want to love Jesus.  Truth.

Also, super important, the Broncos won.  Yay Peyton!

Sunday's NFL Recap

Steelers - Ravens

http://blog.steelers.com/2012/10/25/players-excited-to-wear-jerseys/

First things first...can the Steelers get rid of their throwback jerseys like, NOW?! Even though they resemble Cal's Rally Comm uniforms, these jerseys hurt my eyes...ugh!

Photo Courtesy of UCRC Historian

The Steelers are def not their best when without Roethlisberger; back-up QB Leftwich got sacked multiple times and intercepted in this poor outing. One of ESPN's headlines read "Baltimore is Boss" - 'nuff said.

Falcons - Cardinals

Atlanta's QB Matt Ryan threw FIVE interceptions. AND STILL WON. This was not a pretty game, especially considering that the Falcons were undefeated two weeks ago and the Cardinals were on a five-game losing streaking coming into the game.

The RG3 Show (aka Redskins - Eagles)

http://www.thepigskinreport.com/2012/09/nfl-player-of-the-week-rg3-flacco-take-home-week-1-honors/

I know I didn't mention this match-up in my preview (this game determined last place in the NFC East, snore!), but I have a crush on RG3 (Robert Griffin III). Or I just respect smart athletes like him and Washington Wizards' Emeka Okafor ;) --> their Wiki pages are linked if you care to know about their academic accolades. Current Washington Redskins QB and last year's Heisman Trophy winner played a nearly perfect game against the Eagles, throwing 4 TDs. I'm sure whoever had him in their fantasy league absolutely killed it this week. Sorry Eagles fans - sucks that your team is on a 6-game losing streak. Wompity-womp indeed.

Miscellany

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The other three games I mentioned in the preview - Packers/Lions, Colts/Patriots, and Chargers/Broncos - all ended up the way I predicted. 
Packers/Lions - GB's QB Aaron Rodgers didn't play his best game, but pulled through.
Colts/Patriots - The Pats scored 59pts and annihilated the Colts. Brady threw 3TDs. Luck (suck it, Stanfurd!) threw 3 interceptions.
Chargers/Broncos - Peyton Manning just tied John Elway for 2nd most wins ever for starting QBs, but Broncos' linebacker Von Miller (who has a penchant for hipster glasses) stole the spotlight with his sack dance (sounds dirty, I know :P) and all-around stellar performance. He sacked Chargers' QB Philip Rivers not once, not twice, but three times! and forced two fumbles. BTW, I just youtubed "Von Miller sack dance" (I'll wait for you to watch a couple of the clips). He does these sack dances for charity, so he gets a gold star for monetizing altruistic showboating :)

Games that went into OT 
Browns/Cowboys - Dallas' QB Tony Romo choked during the first half of the game, but rallied in the end despite losing a fumble to beat the now 2-8 Browns.
Bucs/Panthers - Panthers were up 21-10 with 6min left in the 4th quarter, but couldn't hold on as the Bucs came from behind and beat them in OT. 
Jaguars/Texans - The 1-9 Jaguars were on their way to the biggest upset of the week up 34-10 with 12min left in the 4th, but the 9-1 Texans prevailed. Their QB Matt Schaub threw for 527yds. 527!! ...not bad, especially considering he only threw for 95yds the week prior.

MNF - Bears/49ers
This will be a battle of the D-lines. I'm hoping that the 9ers' O-line protects Alex Smith better - no more concussions, please! Side note - I've been rather arts & crafts-y as of late and made this clip for the game (FYI it's made out of felt, beads, wire, and red glitter glue...obviously things I had just lying around the house). GO NINERS!!!

NFL Week 11 Preview

10AM GAMES

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Packers (6-3) - Lions (4-5): Green Bay has won 12 of the past 13 meet-ups and Aaron Rodgers (Cal alum | Go Bears!) is a rockstar QB and has the best on-the-road QB rating. The Packers have a couple injuries on their D-line, but the strength of their offense should carry them through the game.

Cardinals (4-5) - Falcons (8-1): The Falcons finally fell off their undefeated pedestal last week with a loss to the Saints, but have also won their last 8 home games. Nothing too exciting here, but if the Falcons intercept the ball, the Cardinals' QB will be owner of a stat of shame - being picked off at least once in the past 13 games...ouch!

1PM GAMES

http://www.vman.com/site/issue/5/FALL-2012

Colts (6-3) - Patriots (6-3): This rivalry game is the game to watch, since it's most likely a preview into the playoffs. Gisele's hubby Tom Brady has been solid leading the Pats' 3-game win streak. The Colts are faring just as well with a 4-game win streak of their own. Andrew Luck, the Colts' rookie QB (and Stanfurd alum, ick), is def living up to expectations, but needs to have a nearly perfect day to win in New England.

Chargers (4-5) - Broncos (6-3): Peyton Manning has been amazing, setting new records pretty much every week. Although the Chargers have won 11 of the last 13 head-to-head bouts, the Broncos have won the last two and have more momentum going into this matchup. Sorry Chargers fans, but you've already lost to the Broncos this season during Week 6  (completely spanked by allowing the Broncos to score 35 unanswered points in the second half), so I don't see this game going your way at all.

5PM GAME

Ravens (7-2) - Steelers (6-3): The Steeler's starting QB Ben Roethlisberger is out with a shoulder injury and back-up QB Byron Leftwich is in. Leftwich has lost his past 6 starts, so he's got an uphill battle to pull of his first W. The Ravens, on the other hand, won both of their two meetings last year and are looking strong.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL 

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Bears (7-2) - 49ers (6-2-1): Both teams' QBs sustained head injuries last week. The 9ers' Alex Smith is likely to play while the Bears' Jay Cutler (aka Mr. Kristin Cavallari) is def out. Both teams are in first place in their respective NFC divisions, but the Bears have not won in San Francisco since the '80s, so advantage goes to the home team.

**Important Note from Laurie:   Seriously, Someone comment, SOMEONE. I know of least 10 people who have viewed the site.  For godsake, just say SOMETHING!**

"Cute" NFL Logos

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671229/rebranding-every-team-in-the-nfl#6

Before I give you my cursory low-down on NFL match-ups for this weekend, I thought you might enjoy this - http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671229/rebranding-every-team-in-the-nfl#1 - this dude put together concept logos for various NFL teams (a totally un-commissioned pet project). The only one I actually like is the 49ers one, and I'm not just saying that because I am a diehard fan. For the most part I think these logos are too girlie and he forces incorporating a football way too much. I think the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins logos are cute, but I doubt that any professional sports team would want their logo to evoke the word "cute". Anyway, this tidbit of info could score you brownie points with dudes (fun guessing game maybe), but it's perfect sports fodder with other girls - doesn't the NY Jets' logo look like a bug??

And Here We Go!!!

We (see bottom for who "we" are) are here to save you from making embarrassing remarks at the bar this weekend or from being otherwise unable to engage in meaningful conversation with other human beings during football season!   (True Story:  the words "who is Phil Jackson" came out of Laurie's mouth at a sports bar last weekend).  Hopefully we can prevent future incidents like this and be mildly entertaining at the same time!


COLLEGE FOOTBALL

What everyone should already know:  
Prior to last week, the top 4 teams, K-State, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Alabama were all undefeated.  But, on Saturday, to the enjoyment of a LOT of college football fans (who I guess don't like the former #1 team), Bama lost....

wompwomp.

Notre Dame, Bama, and K-State pretty much have gimme games against some not-so-awesome teams.  Nothing super exciting there.

The notable matchup in the top 3 is OREGON (2) vs. STANFORD (13).  (Here's what wins you brownie points at the bar)  Oregon has pretty much OWNED Stanford in the past, winning 9 of the past 10 meetings.  Additionally, the Oregon Ducks have home field advantage over the Stanford Cardinals.  Can we also point out that Stanfurd's mascot is a TREE?  So there's that too...

Another notable matchup this weekend (and kind of important for anyone located in southern California) - USC (18) vs. UCLA (17) - AKA the Battle for LA.  Let's be honest, both these teams kind of suck right now, so if you're not actually in L.A.... move on.

The Trojans have won 12 of the last 13 games against the Bruins, but UCLA's new coach (Jim Mora) has been able to bring the team from pretty bad over the past several years to less bad this year.  On the other hand, USC's coach (Lane Kiffin) has been making all kind of questionable decisions this year (and his student manager recently got fired for deflating game balls - BIG deal).  Fight on! 

So that wraps up what is going on in NCAA football this weekend.  So you're all covered for Saturday, You're welcome.

NFL

All you need to know...

Who We Are

College friends of over 10 years, Zylah and Laurie share a lot of interests, except Zylah is a die-hard sports fan who grew up listening to sports radio on her way to school in the morning (her teams are the Niners, SF Giants, Golden State Warriors, and of course, CAL).  On the other hand, Laurie is a newly minted USC and Broncos fan and does the bare minimum to hold up conversations at sporting events.