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The top ten list of the largest most rotund coaches past or present from the NFL and college.
Number 10 Butterball – Mike Holmgren
Number 9 Blimp – Phil Fulmer
Number 8 Potbelly – Art Shell
Number 7 Chunk – Bill Parcells
Number 6 Plump – Romeo Crennel
Number 5 Lard – Andy Reid
Number 4 Gargantuan – Charlie Weis
Number 3 Roly-poly – Tom Amstutz
Number 2 Jabba the Hut – Ralph Friedgen
Number 1 Whale – Mark Mangino
Kurt Angle a current professional wrester for TNA was arrested over the weekend for breaking a protection order and for possessing steroids. Angle was arrested after he was found circling a coffee shop and staring at his girlfriend who had just hours earlier obtained the protection order against the former Olympic gold wrestler. Police found the growth hormone Hygetropin in Angle’s car and was charged with possession of drugs and paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license and violation his protection order. The 40-year old Angle went on to win his title bout unday night at the TNA pay-per-view event “Hard Justice” so he retained the TNA world title. Justice served!
ABC’s television show sensation “Dancing with the Stars” has released their list of contestants for this year’s show and there seems to be even more athletes than normal this time around. Michael Irvin is the most famous of the athletes and looks to fall in the foot steps of former Cowboy teammate Emmitt Smith who won the show a couple of years back. Other athletes that will compete on the show include Louie Vito a professional snowboarder, former UFC champ Chuck Liddell and another Olympic star in swimmer Natalie Coughlin. Other contestants include singer Aaron Carter, actor Mark Dacascos, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, singer Macy Gray, actor Ashley Hamilton, actress Melissa Joan Hart, model Kathy Ireland, actress Debi Mazar, singer Mya, reality star Kelly Osbourne and singer Donnie Osmond. This is all good and well, but in the end I didn’t plan on watching the show until I also heard our friend Joanna Krupa will also be on the show. I wonder if she will end up blessing out her partner on “Dancing with the Stars” like she previously did to Terrell Owens on “The Superstars”?
5-0 on on Thursday and looking to keep the momentum going today. The over is 8-2-1 in the Angels last 11 road games and the Rays have gone over in 7 of their last nine games. Good luck everyone!
Padres +170
Blue Jays/Rays over 8.5
Angels/Orioles over 10.5
Overall Record:
MLB 72-52-2
College Football 106-92-1
NFL 103-72-5
College Basketball 197-149-6
NHL 1-2
NBA 44-36
NBA forward-guard Quentin Richardson has been swapped more times this summer than a Ken Griffey Junior rookie card at a baseball card show. Richardson has now officially been traded FOUR times just this offseason. The Knickerbockers sent Quentin to Memphis on draft night for lottery pick bust Darko Milicic. Then three weeks later, the Grizz sent him to the LA Clippers for cantankerous Zach Randolph. Then just three days later LA sent him to the Minnesota for Mark “I Can’t Dance” Madsen, Sebastian Telfair and Craig Smith. Finally Richardson was sent to Miami from the T-wolves for veteran center Mark Blount. It seems the Heat truly plan on keeping Q and he will make $8.7 million this coming year which is the final year of his contract. It has to be embarrassing to be shipped around that much in such a short amount of time, but for $8 million you can trade me for an order of nachos and I will still be asmiling.
The trading deadline has come and gone, and, if your favorite team wants to make a trade, a player must pass through waivers. You have probably heard this term (waivers) many times before, but did not know how the process works. Well, it’s your lucky day, here is a brief but informative synopsis of the procedure:
There are four kinds of waivers:
outright
optional
unconditional release
trade
Think about waivers as teams getting permission from other teams to make a roster move. Outright waivers are what happens when teams take a player off the 40-man roster. Optional waivers are for some players (but not all) who are optioned back to the minors but stay on the 40-man roster. Unconditional release waivers are self-explanatory. Trade waivers are what we’re going through now.
Teams can place seven players a day on the waiver wire. Teams routinely do this to nearly every player on the roster. You do this to gather information about a possible trade for now or in the future. Or maybe you waive a few stars to try and hide the fact you’re waiving somebody else you do want to trade.
By default, any player claimed is automatically pulled off waivers unless Major League Baseball is told otherwise.
If a player is claimed and the original team wants to make a deal, clubs have two business days to make a deal. A team can claim players based by league affiliation, lowest winning percentage first. Basically, American League players go through the American League first before they get to the National League teams.
So, if you hear the Dodgers put Players, X, Y and Z on waivers, it doesn’t mean they’re trying to unload them; it’s just the General Manager, giving himself options just in case something does happen.
Surprise Team
Maryland – The ‘08 season started out with the Terps losing to Delaware, but then 2 weeks later defeating Cal. This team was a Jekyll and Hyde winning games they shouldn’t have and losing those they were supposed to win. 2009 promises big time talent due to the recruiting of Ralph Friedgen and friends. Also, Maryland is returning on offense a sophomore playmaker in receiver Torrey Smith who will be taking over for the #7 pick in the NFL Draft Darrius Heyward-Bey. Smith is not as fast, but a more complete receiver overall. Junior running back Da’Rel Scott is back and the 2nd leading ACC rusher has his sights set on back to back first team All ACC. On the defensive side of the ball the new coordinator Don Brown will scheme a ton of blitzes using linebackers Adrian Moten and Demetrius Hartsfield. Maryland’s schedule is pretty easy once they go to Cal for the opening weekend and try to stop the best running back in the nation Jhavid Best. Next comes James Madison, Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers and Clemson all at home before playing at suspect Wake Forest then home against Virginia in a payback game and then to Duke. Could it be that Maryland will be 8-0 when they visit the ACC Sleeper NC State on November 7th?
Disappointing Team
Virginia Tech – Very tough schedule as usual and the loss of Orange Bowl MVP running back Darren Evans is a death blow. Evans was the only running back that had any real game experience so they will have to lean on their defense even more than usual.
Game of the Year
Virginia Tech vs. Alabama in Atlanta. The Chick-fil-A College Kickoff opener isn’t just about Virginia Tech getting off to a good start to their season. The reputation of the ACC to an extent is involved with the outcome of this game. If Virginia Tech could somehow pull off the upset then the ACC would have a top five team and a nice win over a very good SEC team. The ACC can’t afford to have another embarrassing loss like Clemson suffered in this same game last year against Alabama or the blowout Georgia Tech suffered to LSU in the Peach Bowl.
Wagering history
Maryland is 7-4 SU but 1-7 ATS first month of the season last 3 seasons
V Tech last 3 seasons 9-1 SU & ATS on the road against non conf
Miami is on an 11-3 SU & 10-2 ATS run on road when total is 45-49
NC St is on an 11-3 ATS run vs. winning teams
Prediction
Don’t give the BCS berth just yet to Virginia Tech even though most of the media are predicting them to win. Georgia Tech and their wishbone offense is will be much better this year and coach Paul Johnson is a winner. Miami and Florida State are definitely not back to their former powerhouse programs and even though UNC is on the rise they aren’t a top 25 team in the end. So who will win the ACC this year? I am going with NC State and this isn’t a biased selection. That’s right, eight home games and two early tough non-conference foes in South Carolina and Pitt will prepare the Pack for ACC play. The Pack only have four away games and they don’t even start until October 3rd when they drive ninety miles to face a weak Wake Forest team and then back home against Duke. NC State can potentially be 6-0 when they travel to play BC with a new coach and system before they get a week off before heading to Florida St. They do have to play at Virginia Tech in late November which will be very tough to win, but in the end they will make the Championship game.
Russell Wilson an All ACC quarterback is back with another year under his belt and a slew of returning players on both sides so I can see 9-3 record and an ACC BCS crown!
Ian Snell goes tonight for the Mariners and we fully expect for him to get shelled so take the over and we like the under tonight in the Verlander/Bucholz pitching matchup.
Rangers -100
Phillies -130
Phillies/Cubs under 8
Yankees/Mariners over 9
Tigers/Red Sox under 9
Overall Record:
MLB 67-52-2
College Football 106-92-1
NFL 103-72-5
College Basketball 197-149-6
NHL 1-2
NBA 44-36
A couple of months ago we informed you about Gina Carano signing with Strikeforce. The signing set up the most anticipated female fight ever between Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos. Cyborg a Muay Thai striker is 7-1 with five wins by technical knockout. Carano is 7-0 and is also a Muai Thay fighter and has the looks that can kill. Carano will have her hands filled with Cyborg because her power is next to none and is superior to Carano in respect to her ground game. Carano is going to have to really bring it to get past Cyborg this Saturday night on Showtime, but we believe.
Gina Carano pictures
The Big East went through a tough season last year to say the least, but let’s not forget this conference won consecutive BCS games the three previous years. The glaring issue right now is West Virginia isn’t the annual national title contender they were for so many years under Rich Rodriguez and no other Big East team seems ready to step up. That being said, almost every team in the conference this year truly feels they have a chance to win the Big East and cash in on the large BCS payout.
Cincinnati would love to repeat as champions, but they lost a crippling 10 defensive starters from last year’s Orange Bowl team. Quarterback Tony Pike leads a high profile offense under head coach Brian Kelly, but I’m not so sure they can recover from their defensive issues. Rutgers has had great success under coach Schiano in recent years even if they haven’t made the most impressive bowl games. Rutgers has a workable schedule with Pittsburgh, South Florida and West Virginia coming to town so keep an eye on the Scarlet Knights.
South Florida has made big strides in recent years and in 2009 might be the year they put it all together. Star quarterback Matt Grothe is in his senior year and the defense is quite talented as usual. UConn under Randy Edsall continues to focus on getting the best quality of player they can sign and then coach them up to a whole new level. Four players were drafted on the first of the NFL Draft last year which is very impressive for a school that just a few years ago stunk up the football field. Connecticut will still be solid on the defensive side of the ball and you can rest assured they will continue to focus on the rushing game.
Pittsburgh has been picked by many to win the Big East this year based on a fantastic defense along with a good special teams. The big question is how do the Panthers recover from the loss of RB LeSean McCoy in order to generate some semblance of an offense. If they can score a reasonable amount of points then they can win the Big East.
Syracuse and Louisville are the two teams who aren’t in contention this year. There isn’t really much more to say about either team other than the fact Syracuse has former Duke basketball point guard vying for the starting position at quarterback.
Below is a short list of players to keep your eyes on this year in the Big East
LB Reed Williams, Sr. West Virginia
DE George Selvie, Sr. South Florida
WR Mardy Gilyard, Sr. Cincinnati
DE Greg Romeus, Jr. Pittsburgh
QB Matt Grothe, Sr. South Florida
DT Arthur Jones, Sr. Syracuse
RB Noel Devine, Jr. West Virginia
LB Scott Lutrus, Jr. Connecticut
RB Victor Anderson, Soph. Louisville
LB Ryan D’Imperio, Sr. Rutgers
Suprise Team
South Florida – The Bulls have become a more prominent team in recent years, but this could be the one when they get over the hump. A lot of the pressure will ride on the arm and legs of Matt Grothe because you can count on their defense being solid.
Disappointing Team
West Virginia – Mr. Everything quarterback Pat White is long gone and coach Bill Stewart pales in comparison to former head coach Rich Rodriguez. Take these two factors in conjunction with an offensive line overhaul and you have a recipe for disaster.
Game of the Year
South Florida at Pittsburgh. This year is really wide open in the Big East, but this game could be the deciding factor in who wins the conference crown. Look for this game to be a defensive brawl and don’t forget the 26-21 victory Pittsburgh pulled out last year in South Florida