KO'd

This is happening.

Happy Thanksgiving

The Official Holiday of Roomofzen.

Foil in the Oven: Week 13 Picks

It's looking more and more like there may not be a week 13 picks podcast. There are no rifts or disputes. Things are just as harmonious as ever here at the roomofzen. But, we've all got to hit the road for Thanksgiving.

I was a pathetic 9-7 last week, but I always bounce back:


Tennessee over Detroit: I really like this Detroit team in the same way I liked the '06-'07 Celtics. I watched that Celtics team every night, even though I knew the odds of them winning were very slim each time (especially once they started trying to lose on purpose). But, they were fun to watch. They worked really hard. I was watching Rajon Rondo and Al Jefferson come of age. Anybody who watched that spring was probably not surprised to see Leon Powe come on strong in the playoffs last year. Their effort and potential made me feel a lot better about watching them lose constantly. I assume Detroit fans feel the same way. There is nothing shameful about the way this Lions team is losing. They play hard. Calvin Johnson is turning out highlight reel caliber catches every week. Daunte Culpepper is making a lot of mistakes, but it's an exciting change and at least he's airing it out. I appreciate the way they've been able to go 0-11, and I actually look forward to watching them on Thanksgiving. That being said, they can't stop the run and that does not bode well. The Titans are giving 11 here and I like them to cover.


Dallas over Seattle: Dallas finally got back to business last week. I expect them to hold form on Thanksgiving. Don't be deceived, though, by two straight lopsided home wins against NFC West teams. I don't think they can do this against everyone, and I expect them to continue underachieving. Dallas giving 10.5, and I expect them to cover. I'd like to thank the NFL for these riveting Thanksgiving Day matchups.



Philadelphia over Arizona: You need to separate yourself from everything you see on ESPN. Think for yourself please. Look, the Eagles have the 6th best defense and the 9th best offense in the NFL. They are not a bad team. The Cardinals, despite everything that we see and hear, are flawed. Their run game is weak. They have also turned in piss poor performances on the East coast. Kurt Warner is having a great year, but he does have a tendency to cough the ball up against pressure. The Eagles are at home. They've been listening all week to experts discussing them as if they are no better than the Rams or Lions. Jim Johnson will bring heavy pressure against the Cards. I like Philly here.

This is an NFL Network game, which is too bad. It's tough to leave the family to go to a bar to watch football.

One more thought here: I would like nothing more than to see Donovan McNabb go somewhere new after this season, win a super bowl, and rub it in the faces of Philadelphia fans. They booed him on the way in. All he did was make the Eagles one of the NFL's top teams for over half a decade despite being surrounded, for most of the time, by receivers that are not good enough to start for anybody else (James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Freddie Mitchell.....). The one good receiver his organization brought in is a cancer. McNabb has gotten no help from this organization. He's laid his body on the line time and time again. People seemed to turn a negative eye on him after the Rush Limbaugh situation, over which he had no control. And now, because this team is not good enough or healthy enough to compete in the NFC East, Philly fans are disrespecting him on the way out. This guy has done a great job. If you want to point the finger, point it at Andy Reid. He pulled McNabb at halftime of a 3 point game! In doing so, he put a young Kevin Colb out there against the Baltimore Ravens defense! In doing so, he ensured a loss for his team.



Buffalo over San Francisco: Marcus Stroud will stuff Frank Gore. Marshawn Lynch will go for over 100, and the Bills will control this one throughout. Mike Singletary dropping his pants on the sideline to reveal a pair of long johns would be priceless.



Indy over Cleveland: Brady Quinn is done for the year, which means Derek Anderson and his sub-50% completion rate are back. The Colts are starting to look like one of those teams that could go from the wildcard spot to the super bowl.



Baltimore over Cincinnati: The Bengals have 10 days rest, which means absolutely nothing here but I think I should mention it. The Ravens are giving 7 here and they should cover. They have been playing very sound football, and I expect them to keep Cincy out of the end zone.

Another note here: Ocho Cinco was benched last week because he refused his assistant coaches orders to sit up straight in his chair during a team meeting. This went on until Chad walked out. Now, I'm not condoning Chad's actions. He does make millions to do his job. BUT, this story makes me very curious to learn more about the priorities of the Bengals coaching staff. We've got guys breaking the law left and right. Chris Henry never missed any more time than what the NFL mandated despite numerous brushes with the law. We've got guys arguing with each other on the sidelines constantly. We've had guys publicly scorning their front office and coaches. Really, this team has NEVER taken action against one of their players unless the NFL mandated it. And yet, Chad Ocho Cinco finds himself suspended for refusing to sit up straight. I can't believe they even asked him to sit up straight. It's like trying to fill the grand canyon with a garden hose.



Carolina over Green Bay: The Panthers are pretenders. There's no question. We saw their true colors last week. However, they can run the ball, and Green Bay's run defense has been VERY shotty. My gut tells me to go with the Packers at home here, but my head says Carolina stuffs it down their throats.



Miami over St. Louis: There is no line for this game. From what I hear, it's because people are waiting to hear some injury news for the Rams (I think Marc Bulger). Rather than delve into it, I'll handicapp it. Miami is on the road, and I like them -8.5 .



Tampa Bay over New Orleans: The Saints are back on the road, and this has let down written all over it. Drew Brees is, in my opinion, the MVP right now. This team would not have won a single game without his brilliant play. They've been incredibly banged up, and his play has not faltered. Brees will play well in this one, but it won't be enough.



Giants over Washington: I've had this game pegged for a Giants loss for the past month. However, the play of the Redskins has really declined since then. Big Blue will keep the Skins' running game in check, and that means trouble for the Washington offense. The wildcard factor here is Sean Taylor being inducted into the Redskins Ring of Fame and how that will affect the emotions of the game.


San Diego over Atlanta: I hate to do this. Atlanta looks great, and San Diego is never going to come around. But, this game is on the West Coast, and I think the Chargers will be looking to bounce back. They could overtake Denver in the AFC West, not that it matters. Whoever wins the AFC West will get dumped by a wild card team (potentially Indy).



Pittsburgh over New England: This will be a great game. Matt Cassell has looked outstanding, but I don't think he can replicate those numbers in this one. The Steelers defense is just too good. At the same time, Pittsburgh can't run the ball and they do not do a good job protecting Big Ben. Pittsburgh wins this one in the final minutes.



Broncos over Jets: This is a bad pick, but I can't take this media lovefest with the Jets anymore. I can't stand people on ESPN comparing the Jets and Packers. You'd have to literally know nothing about football to say that the Jets are in a better position than the Packers right now. Favre was a temporary solution. Where do they go after this season? Aaron Rodgers and those young Packers receivers have a bright, bright future. I hate the Jets. The Broncos have a horrible defense, but they can put up a lot of points. I guess I'm picking that Cutler outslings Favre.



Oakland over Kansas City: Oakland is better than you think. They are undeniably better than Kansas City.



Vikings over Bears: I like the Vikings at home. Kyle Orton doesn't look totally healthy and I don't think Matt Forte has a big day against the Vikings run defense.



Houston over Jacksonville: This game sucks. I feel like everyone overestimates the Jags because, like the Chargers, we all expect them to come around eventually. They won't. They're not good. Houston is not good either, but I think they are more likely to come up with some big plays from Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton.

Eddy Jordan

I feel somewhat obligated to comment on the Wizard's firing of Eddy Jordan. I really liked Eddy Jordan as a person: always well-spoken, articulate, positive in his demeanor, never belittling the press or acting like an asshole. That type of attitude and comportment is hard to find in the NBA these days.

Jordan was also a successful product of DC public schools, graduated college, and played very well in the NBA; I think he's an excellent role model for black kids in DC and I am very sad to see him go.

The irony is that Washington Post writers are claiming that the reason behind Jordan's firing is the way the Wizard's played defense; basically they say that because the team made the playoffs over the last few years and because they scored so many points (usually in the top five in points scored), everyone ignored the bad defense they played night after night. Now, after losing 10 games in a row, the Post argues that defense has always been Jordan's achilles heel.

This is true to a certain extent, but the Wizards improved to the 12th in the league from dead-last last year, and they were making strides; Haywood, until he was injured, was leading the league in blocks (or at least top five) and I think that under Jordan, he was turning into a good presence in the paint.

Of course you can also look at the injuries to Gilbert, Haywood and the trading of Roger Mason, whose nasty on the Spurs right now, for reasons as to why the Wizards suck so badly right now.

Why don't we fire Grunfeld along with Jordan instead of just firing Jordan and leaving the league with one less black coach who is a stellar example to all?

Better yet, why don't people question why Arenas got 110 million dollars, thereby ruining our cap situation for the 2010 bonanza coming up, despite his injury problems? This is the GM's fault for signing this injury prone, overpaid player and not Jordan's fault, right?

Grunfeld also resigned Andre Blatche this year and he's nothing but Kwame Brown redux. I have no idea why they resigned him, other than his size and occasional tendency to hit the three pointer.

Put the signings aside for a minute and think about how the Wizards have not noticeably improved over the last few years while other teams have. Wilbon says it best in his recent column:

"There's no arguing that. Atlanta, Philly, New York, Miami, Toronto, Milwaukee -- they all got better over the summer. The Wizards gave Arenas $111 million and he hasn't played one second, and we don't know when he will or what he'll look like when he does. Every time the Wizards lose a game it looks like keeping Arenas, especially at that price, was an enormous mistake. Grunfeld made a very nice draft pick in JaVale McGee, but the kid needs a couple of years to become a consistent impact player."

The ultimate irony in Jordan's firing, however, was again the idea of defense. When Jordan played in the league, he was known as a fierce defender and very good at getting steals (averaged close to two steals throughout his career). In 1979, on the Nets, he was second in the league in steals so you know Jordan excepts and understands the importance of defense!

I hope Jordan lands on a good team and I also hope that he leads his future team to success. Washington will miss him.

Baroness Returns And Dominates Us Again

As it always does before a holiday, work had piled up over the weekend. The last thing I needed, I thought, was to be heading out late on a cold Sunday night to go to a concert at the Middle East. And yet, I couldn't resist the urge. As soon as I walked through the doors, I realized that I had made the right move. This show was, indeed, exactly what I needed.

Throughout the existence of the roomofzen, we have never missed a Baroness show in New England. The first concert we ever reviewed was a Baroness show at the Middle East (I also just came across Babcock's post from when we saw them in March). Ted Gilbert, who writes for our site (and with whom an interview is published in the current issue of Rue Morgue magazine) works for their label, Relapse Records. We have posted about ten times more Baroness videos on this site than we have any other band. We have mentioned their most recent album, the Red Album (hands down the best album released in 2007. Revolver Magazine named it the best metal album of 2007.), at least 100 times on this site. I would certainly not claim that they are the official band of the roomofzen (and we have certainly not contacted them about this possibility, as it would really benefit them in no way), but they are definitely our favorite. Their shows are the best we've seen, bar none. Sunday, November 23rd at the Middle East was no exception.


The show was kicked off by Boston's own Motherboar, about whom I had heard a great deal but never actually seen live. I have heard multiple people compare them to Motorhead, which pretty much automatically makes them awesome. We arrived a little late to their set, right as they began to play their Underwater Trilogy. What I saw of their performance sucked me right in. There was a ton of energy on stage and the music was sick (everything I've heard from Raise the Death Toll is great). I am definitely going to make a point of seeing them again.


Next up was Coliseum, another Relapse band that had been traveling with Baroness throughout the duration of the tour (and who opened for Rancid this summer). This trio from Louisville, KY had much more of a punk/hardcore sound and feel to them than Baroness and their performance gave us all the forceful kick in the face that we were craving.





As great as the music from Coliseum was, my favorite part of the set came towards the end, when lead singer and guitarist Ryan Patterson addressed the crowd. He thanked everyone for coming out, and talked about how appreciative he was to the crowd regardless of whether or not they were there for Coliseum. He spoke at length about how many people he knows that are in bands who don't have homes to go back to because they put so much of their passion, time, and resources into their music.

At the end of Patterson's address he said, "this time on this stage means the fucking world to us." We already knew that to be true. Coliseum sent that message to us with the raw energy and the honesty with which they performed. But actually hearing the words spoken had a huge impact on me and reminded me why I had come to the Middle East on that cold Sunday evening. I had come to see something real. Bands like these and shows like these are where we can still find the real essence of music. While millions of Americans were at home Sunday night watching plastic musicians churn out manufactured bullshit on the American Music Awards, we were seeing three bands that were bearing their souls to us and presenting us with something authentic and original that we could take or leave. Maybe I'm not explaining it right, but it was fucking badass. See Coliseum and buy No Salvation.


I don't need to tell you that Baroness took the stage around 11 for the final performance of the tour and fucking killed every note. They get better every time we see them, and are hands down the best live act on the planet. The setlist was different from the last shows we've seen. They opened with The Birthing instead of Rays On Pinion (which came later), but still closed with O'Appalachia. This was also the first time we've seen them since Peter Adams joined the group. If I had to pick a highlight of the show, I'd say that Wanderlust was particularly sick. But, there is really no way to break down or describe a live Baroness performance. It's impossible to do it justice. They are so raw and aggresive on stage, and yet the melodies are overwhelmingly present but unpredictable. If you haven't had the pleasure of a live show yet, then you're missing out. If you don't own their CDs (particularly the Red Album), then you must not value our opinion very much because this is about the 500th time we've told you.

I was there with Riley and Salsich, and all three of us agreed afterward that the goblet of rock had never tasted quite so potent as it did on that evening. Now, four days later, we all remain thoroughly quenched.

I don't know when they'll be back in New England, but I can't wait. As always, the roomofzen will be there.


Wanderlust:





Rays on Pinion:





Red Sky:

Release McNabb, Fire Andy Reid

As a Redskins fan, what could make you happier than seeing the Eagles implode before your very eyes?

Off the top of my head, not a whole lot.

Maybe a Dallas loss would put the icing on the cake, but watching McNabb on the bench is like getting an early Christmas present.

McNabb already made himself look like a total fool when he claimed that he was "unaware of the tie rule in professional football." Eight interceptions later, he's sitting on the bench after his assistant coach broke the bad news.

Andy Reid could have at least given him the courtesy of a face-to-face benching, but instead he was too busy coaching himself out of a job (or ordering take-out from Denny's).

McNabb should have quit last year when had the chance. But now, breaking down the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles is like taking a walk down mediocre boulevard. (And as a lifelong Redskins fan, I feel highly qualified to perform this analysis; long-time readers of the roomofzen and Patriots fans would agree I think)

Simply put, the Eagles lost their best receiver when they released Terrell Owens three years ago. Releasing TO was the right move at the time, but they should have signed someone to take his place.

Instead the Eagles put their faith in a Quarterback well past his prime and thanks to his injury last year, the organization had a convenient excuse to fall back on when they lost 8 games. Fake comment from the Eagles GM:

"We don't need more offense than LJ or Westbrook. We can always draft a few guys and have Donovan mentor them. What we need is defense and game-changing turnovers. Get me Rosenhaus on the line. (P.S we're terrible even with McNabb)"

Instead of realizing the need for a deep-threat like TO, they signed Asante Samuel chosing to address their supposed weakness in defense and turnover production. This was a mistake of epic proportions, as much as I like Asante Samuel as a player and person.

Why? Lito Shepherd, Sheldon Brown and B-Dawkins were getting the job done without Asante Samuel. And since the Eagles had no offense last year, their defense was constantly on their heels and getting creamed.

I know they have Westbrook and I agree with everyone who says he's one of the best running backs in football. But when is the guy healthy? Unlike Clinton Portis, whose actually smaller than Westbrook, the guy is always injured and complaining about some ailment. One day it's ribs, the next day it's his tampon.

So combine an injury prone McNabb with a running back who never plays, and now you have the Philadelphia Eagles. Even their tight-end, LJ Smith, can't go two plays without an injury so who is McNabb supposed to throw to right now?

The Eagles made the mistake of being irrationally attached to an injury-prone QB well beyond his prime. It was as if Reid and McNabb made the agreement to go down in flames together instead of quitting or letting Kolb get PT....that is until now, when Reid let his boy McNabb out to dry.

Maybe those Reid legal bills are piling up?

Fly, Eagles Fly!

Myron Rolle: a Rhodes Scholar and an FSU Safety

The roomofzen would like to extend a congratulations to Florida State safety Myron Rolle, who this weekend became the first ever Florida State football player to win a Rhodes Scholarship. It's always nice to read about guys like Rolle (who is an aspiring neurosurgeon) who stand as such strong counter-examples against all of the negative stereotypes we hear about division 1 student athletes.

Sounds like he's got a big decision to make. Personally, I'd still choose the NFL. He can always pursue his interests after he's made his millions. People will say that he'll lose his drive, but this guy earned a Rhodes Scholarship despite being presented with all of the distractions and shortcuts that I'm sure are available to FSU players. I doubt that motivation will go away just because of money.

Welcome to the Weekend

Ween - Orpheum 10/19/07 - My Own Bare Hands

Detroit No Longer the Standard

The Detroit Pistons have been the standard in the Eastern Conference for 5 years now. Although they have only appeared in the Finals twice during that stretch, they have been the consistent mark of excellence by which all other East teams need to be measured in order to be taken seriously. The Heat in 06, The Cavs in 07, the Celtics in 08...all of these teams needed to knock off Detroit in order to gain the respect of their critics. And they did. The irony here is that the Pistons have not won the Eastern Conference since 2005. And yet, every year they are showered with respect and accolades usually reserved for reigning champions.

The Pistons are not heroes. Instead, they are the abyss through which heroes must pass. In order to defeat the machine, a hero must rise up and take their game to new and fabled heights. Dwayne Wade emerged from his battle with Detroit more mature and primed to turn in the greatest Finals performance in NBA history. The next year, LeBron James came of age right before our eyes. We had seen the obvious flashes of potential, but it wasn't until King James found himself backed into a corner by the 5 headed monster from the Motor City that he was able to channel that potential into jaw-dropping, legendary greatness. That's what it takes to beat this team. A superstar. And yet, strangely, they have never had a player like this.


They run like a machine. They are mechanically flawless. There are no weaknesses to exploit. And on top of that, they make their own mismatches. Their 7-footer can knock down 3s with astonishing regularity. Rip Hamilton is the ultimate irritant who can get any defender to leave his feet. If their point guard can't beat you off the dribble, he'll post you up down on the low block. Their team defense is like a sleeper hold, slowing your life functions until you're barely able to breathe at all. It's virtually impossible to beat them just by playing sound team basketball, because there's no way that you do it as well as them. They are not superstars. Instead, they are the fire that forges superstars. They are the ultimate test. At least they were. After last night, it's pretty clear to me that those days are gone.






Last night was one of those games that you circle on your calendar as soon as the schedules are released. We all expected another epic battle. An Eastern Conference Finals preview. Hell, I was still thinking that way as I was making my way to my seat last night. The first matchup was a fluke, I thought, this would be much more difficult. Never did I expect that the Big Three would each see less than 30 minutes of floor time. Never did I expect that we'd see Gabe Pruitt and Patrick O'Bryant out on the floor for the Celtics to gain some garbage time experience. Never did I expect that fans would be exiting the arena after just three quarters because the outcome had already been secured. Now, this Pistons team has had some impressive victories, and I know it seems premature to close the book on them while they're still finding their new selves after the AI trade, but I'm doing it. The Pistons are no longer the Pistons. There are still many credible threats to the Celtics in the East this season, but they are coming from different places.


I love the trade that Joe Dumars made to bring in Allen Iverson, because I think that it will pay huge dividends down the line. Essentially, I think it will allow the Pistons to rebuild before they ever sink too low. But, this move kills them in the short term. First, they don't take care of the ball. The Celtics had 11 steals last night, and the Pistons just looked horrible in transition. Second, they can't score points in the paint. Antonio McDyess was a very underrated piece of the Pistons attack, as was the ability of Chauncey Billups to use his size down on the block. Third, their defense is full of holes. Rajon Rondo had his way with them last night. Finally, they lack depth. Stuckey and Maxiell. That's about it. Leon Powe, Tony Allen, Eddie House, Brian Scalabrine (yes...fine..I said it), and Glen Davis dominated the Pistons bench last night.


Now, some of these issues will be relieved if Antonio McDyess returns. He will help them to improve in the paint on both ends. This will also give them another solid bench player in Kwame Brown. However, McDyess will not be enough to salvage this team.


People say that we can't take too much away from the two Detroit-Boston matchups so far this season, but I don't understand why. Exactly what are we waiting to see from Allen Iverson? People say "oh, they're just getting used to playing with Iverson. He's a totally different player than Chauncey Billups." Are we supposed to wait for him to establish some kind of consistent offensive rhythm with this unit? The Nuggets were waiting for that too....FOR 2 YEARS! It's not going to happen, especially not over a few months. Either Allen Iverson is his team's identity or his team has no identity. That's the way it has been for his entire career. In Philadelphia, he was the identity for a long time. That worked during the dark ages of the Eastern Conference, as he once led his team far enough for them to be the Lakers' sacrificial lamb. Under Iverson, the Pistons will be exciting and they will most likely have a good record. But, they will not establish an identity and they will not take care of the basketball. AI has always taken too many shots and he has always turned the ball over. They will continue to give up points. Chauncey Billups used to thwart opponents' possessions before they ever really built any momentum. AI works on defense (I'm not saying it's an effort thing) but the results appear to be the bare minimum. Can the Pistons beat the Celtics as currently constructed (plus McDyess)? In a single game, absolutely. In a playoff game or two, sure. In a 7 game series? Not a chance. What they're doing this season flies completely in the face of the way they were constructed.


The Pistons will be back. This trade assured that. But, for the time being, the shift in power in the East is complete. The new standard has been established. The road in the East runs through Boston. The Pistons can get in line for their shot.

Roomofzen Podcast Episode #5: Week 12 Picks

Babcock and I briefly touch on Kevin Garnett's suspension, and then delve into what we expect in Week 12. If we had a gun to our head and we had to hire Marvin Lewis or Andy Reid as our head coach, who would we pick? Are either of us taking the Lions to pick up their first win? The Titans to pick up their first loss? Who is living the better life right now, Kurt Warner or Matt Leinart? Has Matt Leinart slept with Kurt Warner's wife? We have all your answers here. Enjoy.....



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Uncle Tupelo: New Madrid

Q-Bitch

I noticed during the game last night that Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce were going back and forth during the fourth quarter while Pierce was at the free throw line. Q-Rich was jawing at Paul, who was talking back but smiling and knocking down his free throws. So, I wasn't surprised to read on Ball Don't Lie today that Q-Rich once again felt the need to speak out against the Celtics. You'll remember that he did this last year as well.


Here are his comments:


"I think a few of those guys know they can't just say anything to us," said Richardson. "I'm just real curious to see what those guys will be saying if we weren't in a basketball league, and didn't have referees. I mean it wouldn’t be the same story. I mean they are the world champions and rah-rah-rah, but the tough part I don't factor."

"I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but 'til you do something, it don't mean nothing. Some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you ain't been in the league long enough to talk to people like that. I don't have a lot of respect for that. Like I said, I'd be curious to hear what they have to say in a different setting, I'd be very curious to see that."




............So, if I understand correctly, it sounds like he wants to play a game without referees. Is that correct? Were the referees the problem? Maybe I'm misinterpreting. Also, apparently he comes from a neighborhood where you your talk doesn't mean anything...sorry...where your talk doesn't mean NOTHING...until you do something. This is surprising since the Knicks haven't beaten the Celtics in the regular season since he started opening his mouth about them last year. You'd think he'd stop, especially after losing to a Celtics team that rolled out Scal instead of KG. Also, apparently talking means nothing, yet he'd be interested to see what the Celtics would say in a different setting. I'm not sure why he wants to know what they'd say and why that matters if talking means nothing, or what other setting he is referencing. This is all very confusing.

Musings

Now that we're 10 games into the NFL regular season, I can safely say that the Redskins and Eagles do not deserve playoff births. (That's not to say that they won't get them, but only that they don't deserve them right now.)

The Eagles tied the Bengals which is probably the worst team in the NFL.

The Redskins couldn't beat Dallas at home, on Prime-time TV, a week after being destroyed and humiliated by the Steelers.

Both teams are just flat-out pathetic after sparking early-season interest with huge wins over Pittsburgh (Philly) and Dallas (Redskins).

I'm not about to argue that the Cowboys are "good now" after beating the lowly Redskins. Remember that the 'Skins almost lost to the Lions and unequivocally lost to the Rams. That's like saying the Redskins have a strong 6-4 record against winning teams...you would be lying right through your teeth and laughed out of the nearest sports bar. I could be wrong, but the Cowboys have to beat someone good for me to take them seriously these next few weeks.

And I'm not about to start hyping a team that's starting Donovan McNabb right now. From footballguys.com:

"In a loss to the Giants and a tie against the Bengals, McNabb was intercepted a total of four times and lost a fumble. In those two games, he completed 45 of 94 passes (47.9 percent). His passer rating against the Giants was 80.1. Against the Bengals, it was 50.9 as he went 28 for 58 with three interceptions."

So that leaves us with the New York football Giants and the smug Nick Larocque loving every moment of this potential repeat. Can you say the word, "Dynasty" with the New York Giants? Unfortunately the answer is "yes" this year.

Ask yourself the following questions: 1) who in the NFL can beat the Giants right now? 2) Who could do it in the playoffs?

In their one loss to the Browns, the Giants showed uncharacteristic weakness on the road (the Giants had won 11/12 on the road going into the Browns game), but Eli Manning threw 3 interceptions, and I think it's safe to assume that won't happen in the playoffs. The Giants also gave up 455 yards of offense, which is strange because the Giants have one of the stingiest defenses in the league this year. I think the Browns loss was an anomaly for the Giants, but I could be wrong.

So let's assume the Giants continue winning and secure home field advantage in the playoffs. And then let's assume the Cardinals, Panthers, Packers, Redskins and Cowboys (assuming they turn it around these next few weeks) make the playoffs.

- The Cardinals function as a perpetual house of cards; they almost lost to San Francisco for god-sake.

- The Panthers don't have a solid win over a legitimate team so far (if they beat the Giants in three weeks, I will obviously change my mind)

- The Bears have QB problems (injuries, sub-par play) and receiver problems

- The Packers are extremely inconsistent and inexperienced; odds have it that a rookie QB won't lead his team over the Giants anyway.

- Dallas is soft like putty

- The Redskins can't close games, nor do they have a QB who will remain healthy with their current offensive line; it's only a matter of time before Campbell gets his leg broken with the Redskins' current pass-pro

So that leave us with the Giants until someone can convince me otherwise. In my next post, I will tackle the AFC, but the Steelers have to be healthy for them to even have a shot.

The 2007-08 Patriots Brought Us Back Down to Earth

Domination. Dynasty. Dee best team in the league. Ever.

The 2007-08 Patriots sure had a good shot to claim association rights for all these words and phrases. After slapping around the already weary and beat up San Diego Chargers for their 4th AFC Title in 7 years, most fans were feeling pretty good about a week 17 re-match with the New York football Giants. I knew we had a legit shot. I think most people in Boston and New England were in the “cautiously optimistic” caucus, knowing full well that there are no sure things in sports.

Even for the more-dominant-than-usual Patriots.

After all, we hearty frost-bitten New Englanduhs were only a year removed from one of the worst playoff defeats in Boston sports history. Losing to the Colts in that gad-dang velodrome out in the heartland was far worse than losing Game 6 of the World Series in 1986. Since I grew up a FAN (not an obsessive-compulsive devotee) of the Red Sox, I didn’t know that Buckner doffing that ground ball only evened the series at 3 games apiece until I was 21 years old. All that time, until that one fateful night watching a NESN retrospective on the magical Boston sports season of 1985-1986 in which all 4 of our professional teams were in the finals, I had assumed that clip was in fact depicting the Mets clinching the title. I was too busy growing up, being a weird kid in Natick, playing football, throwing the shot-put and applying to college, to realize that NO, stupid!!!! The damn Sox had Game 7, and an extra day thanks to rain, to redeem themselves and blew that too. Sure, Game 6 was devastating. They were a strike away from having the Series crown. But it carried way too much weight in this town.

Two years removed from the sweet relief of the 2004 World Series title, and having won 3 Super Bowls since 2002, the dark days of 1986 were a distant memory on Sunday, January 21, 2007. But what would go down on this day was worse. It stung more. The ’86 Sox were close. And broke a lot of hearts – but they really just cut through scar tissue and refreshed old wounds. The Patriots of recent memory had been different. We were supposed to go into Indy and beat a good team whose defense, up until the playoffs, had underachieved mightily. Matchups be damned. Dwight Freeney going against Matt Light and whoever the other tackle was? Light plays up in big games. Bob Sanders covering wideouts like Jabar Gaffney and an aging Troy Brown? It had never been a problem before. Know why? “We got Bra-dy, cha---cha, cha-cha-cha!!!”

That’s right, we had Brady. Recent history had told us loud and clear that the Pats’ defense had to play well, but not spectactular, against Peyton. We had Kevin Faulk, one of the best and most versatile situational backs out there. We had a veteran / rookie team of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. The offense looked as good as it ever had. Plus, we had Brady.

Since Brady took the helm, a slightly modernized Walsh-style offense thrived. And won games. But not today. Too many well-thrown balls dropped. A defensive effort that was good enough to give us a chance, but without the punch to put Peyton’s ass on the carpet often enough to rattle him or take the ball out of his hands with turnovers. So we went home defeated.

Then came the most exciting Patriots’ offseason since drafting Drew Bledsoe at the dawn of the Parcells Era. The ultra-value investors of the Patriots’ coaching and management staff decided to grab a few blue chip wideouts to go with their superstar quarterback. We got Wes Welker. We got Donte Stallworth. And most importantly, we got Randy Moss. The Patriots stacked up like never before. Already picked as a contender yet again, they had a superstar QB, solid defense capable of improving, and a 2nd year running back in Maroney who showed signs that he’d blossom in 2007. We had an elusive, tough, and speedy bulldog of a wideout in Welker who not only fit in the playbook, he fit in the fans’ hearts as the scrappy underdog. And Randy effing Moss.

Tom Brady was more excited for 2007 than he was on his first date with Gisele. And for good reason: Moss re-defined the deep ball during his years with the Vikings, to paraphrase Chris Carter on HBO’s Inside the NFL. A team that was a couple plays away from an exciting AFC win title, and would have beat that wide-eyed Bears squad by 17, now had an all-world wideout with whom their all-world QB could pick apart defenses.

To say we were the Super Bowl favorites heading into the 2007-08 season was a platitude rivaled only by saying something akin to “My, it is soooo nice outside today!” while wasting a July day reclining on a beach in Maine. We’d go 14-2, and beat whoever the NFC sent to Arizona. That was my prediction that July, sitting on that beach in Maine. Barring devastating injuries, smooth sailing was in store for these New England Patriots. A team that won the right way, with class, pride, and an unrelenting determination was going to win their 4th NFL Championship. I felt it in the cockles of my heart, dammnit!

Like the 49ers and Giants teams of the 80’s and early 90’s, the Patriots had swagger, personality, star power, and a defense, and fans whose devotion rivals that of the craziest NFL fan base in the country. They had not been denied their perfect regular season. They would enjoy the extra week off given the best team in the AFC, and of course home games throughout the playoffs.

Two weeks after defeating Green Bay, the Giants rolled into the desert drooling and snarling. Riding high on a playoff run almost as improbable as that of the 2001-2002 Patriots, having broken the sunburned balls, slapped around Dallas as if they had stolen their prom date, and pulled of a win in the most frozen condition the Tundra had ever seen on an infamy-preventing, career-redeeming field goal by Tynes in OT. Not only were they white-hot and peaking at the right time of the year, their week 17 near-miss against the “unbeateable” Patsies was still fresh in their minds, and thus they were still playing as if each Sunday were their last. Not Brett Favre-Mississippi-drama-queen-debutante style. They played inspired, with fire under their asses, and ice in their veins.

Pats fans moan about the Giants’ victory, citing the lucky grab towards the end of the game, insisting still that Eli is not that good of a quarterback. He played well enough for them to win, and the Giants’ defense had the gameplan they needed to win. Pretty simple really: if Brady is getting knocked down, he can’t throw to Moss or Welker or anybody else.

So now that the wounds from the Patriots’ loss to the Giants on that cold dark evening have long since scarred over, I can look back and say that the team is better off having lost that game. No parade, no rolling rally, no dancing in the streets. I love Boston, I love Boston fans, but let’s face it, some are just as annoying as that Jersey kid with a Yankees cap on, talking shit on Lansdowne Street. It wasn’t enough in 2007 for New England to worship the team, we needed the whole league, the national press, the whole damn world to be glowing from this win. We became the very type of fans that we despise with such ardor - we became entitled.

Thank you, David Tyree. Thanks Osi. Thanks Eli. The winter was cold, but the Celtics won and the summer was gorgeous.

Tuesday Heavy Metal...

Why the hell not? Enjoy your Tuesday with this semi-Ozzy tribute band and of course, some relatively new Slayer...

Ridiculous

This suspension seems unnecessary to me, particularly when a double technical was called in the game. I specifically remember the officials reviewing this, and the announcers saying that Paul Pierce kept yelling that there was a conspiracy. I am more inclined to agree with him after hearing about this suspension. But, hopefully the Cs can still knock off the better than expected Knicks, and KG will get a little more rest before Thursday's showdown with Detroit.

The Roomofzen Archives Presents: Pt 1

Through the wonders of modern technology the Roomofzen has recently been able to unearth some of its earliest works. Much like the National Archives, the Roomofzen Archives contains substantial amounts of material: transcripts of conversations and speeches, voicemail recordings, letters, memoirs, and other various documents and media.

For the first time ever these Archives are being opened up and unleashed upon you, our loyal readers.

In our first installment of the Roomofzen Archives Presents, we take a trip back to the spring of 2005, a simpler happier time. A time when the words "financial crisis" meant that you had only $54 to your name, and you needed $2 more to buy that stale keg of PBR from your local proprietor of Beer, smut and plastic novelty items. (with $4 more you could get the keg and the "fake poo", but, I digress)

No matter where you found yourself at this period in time, chances are there was intramural softball in the air; its scent as sweet and pungent as the perfume of a promiscuous young woman wafting up from the basement stairs of a houseparty. These were the days my friends. The following is a transcript of a pregame speech given prior to a game featuring the now legendary Cleveland Steamers of Bowdoin College Intramural Softball fame. The tales of the Steamers' dominance have spanned the globe, proliferated by the men who took the field in her name, and by those who fell before her. The speech itself appears in its entirety exactly as it was written and delivered nearly 4 years ago... but the names have been changed to protect those involved.

Like the Free Masons, the Cleveland Steamers are a secretive group, meeting in obscure locations, sometimes wearing costumes to disguise themselves. Sometimes this costume is a Pirate, other times it is an overwieght guy who lives at home with his parents. This is the first time that any documentation of their existence has appeared in print so consider yourselves lucky. Consider yourselves steamed.

**************************************************

Cleveland Steamers vs. France Sucks
Monday April 18, 2005 5:30 pm

*To be read with above average intensity:


My Fellow Steamers,

In the wake of our awesome victory this Thursday past, it is important to remember the words of the wise and benevolent prophet of Gunt, who upon his pilgrimage to the farthest shores of Choad, knelt before the Oracle of Plump Promiscuous Women and wept for those souls who found sinful satisfaction in their softball abilities and had become lackadaisical on the mound, in the field, at the plate, and more importantly, in their worship of the Gods of Softball.

From high up in the kingdom of Intramuralis the Gods took a break from riding sick motorcycles and fucking really hot chicks and drinking beer, and looked down upon these men with much scorn, and much rancor.

Have we forgotten the humiliation we felt walking off the field last year after tasting defeat at the hands of the inferior team that takes the field against us today? Look at Jones, really look at him good, and if Michaels is slinking around all fucking blazed take a look at him too. Smith is probably just as high and Peterman is quiet but beware, his demeanor is meant to lure you into a state of comfort allowing him to mock and defile each and every one of you.

Now take a look at Eisermann… tell me who Steams more Gunts than him? Take a look around at yourselves men, and ask yourself the same question. Who Steams more Gunts?

(Pause for effect)


We must take the field today, like an army of gerbils on mescaline. I don’t know what that means but our salvation and eternal softball glory lies within this quest. So the scripture has foretold, the Steamers shall rise again from the ashes and claim their rightful seat at the throne of A League softball. This quest continues today. I suggest we kick some ass and Steam the Gunt.

Steamers on 3, amen.

Earth, Wind, and Fire

I don't think Ray Lewis is ready.

Technical Note For Podcast Listeners

As you see, we have a new and more professional podcast player now. The one issue is that all of these players always show the most recent episode. For example, right now, they all play episode 4. If you would like to listen to earlier ones, just click on "posts" (round button on the players) and a drag menu will open up giving you all of the episodes to choose from. You can also go to our page and subscribe (soon we'll be on itunes).

Thanks,
The Oracle

Chad Ford Breaks Down This Summer's Free Agents

Chad Ford breaks down the 2009 free agent class that has been flying under the radar with 2010 being the summer of LeBron. The Pistons will be about 40 million under the cap this summer and it will be interesting to see how much they're willing to spend. There are certainly some guys that could help them on this list, but I'd have to believe all teams that are in a position to spend big may want to play it conservative so as to give themselves a chance at the King.......sucks to be a free agent in 09.

Anyways, he breaks it down by unrestricted, restricted, and early termination/player option (but in reverse order).

Some names that stick out:

Chris Wilcox: Has been grinding away in relative anonymity, but impresses me every time I see him. Super athletic and effective both ends.

Ben Gordon: Would probably like to go to a team that allows it's leading scorers to start games.

Lamar Odom: Is just to good to be riding the pine for the Lakers. I'm not taking issue with Phil Jackson, but there are a lot of teams out there that would love to have this guy in their starting rotation. Obviously inconsistency and being sent to the bench in a contract year will cost him a lot of money.

Ron Artest: I would love it if the Pistons signed him. That would be the greatest storyline of the year. Not only would his style of play fit that city to a tee, but him playing 41 games a night in the Palace of Auburn Hills would be priceless. This has to happen.

Shawn Marion: It's unfortunate that injuries, questions about his motivation, and concerns about the fact that team success does not appear to be a high priority for him have all overshadowed his versatility and defensive brilliance over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, he will get paid. This is the kind of player teams want.

Sheed: As Chad said, it's unlikely that Sheed will be seeing top tier money. However, don't underestimate the impact he could have with a fresh start.

The Answer: AI can still put up points and assists with the best of them (see last night against the Warriors). But, the explosion that he has lost through the years makes it harder to look past his turnovers, low field goal percentage, and defensive shortcomings. He's still exciting, but the days of him taking the 76ers on his back and willing them to victory seem like a distant memory at this point.

Leon Powe and Glen Davis: Both are restricted, and I hope that both stay in green. Powe's not going anywhere. I can't imagine Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers would let Leon get away. I hope Big Baby will stay, but it's hard to know. If he keeps playing at a high level this season, somebody might be willing to overpay, and I can't imagine the Celtics would match if it's too much.

Charlie Villanueva: I am a UCONN fan, and I still don't know what the hype is all about. I've been hearing great things for almost a decade. All I see a guy that plays flat every night, is lazy on defense, and has no eyebrows. But, somebody will make him a big offer I'm sure.

The most intriguing names come from the list of players who have early termination options. That is where you can find Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Hedo Turkoglu, Eddy Curry, Al Harrington, and Jermaine O'Neal. Obviously, the plausibility of these guys leaving varies greatly. Kobe's not going anywhere (what a difference a year makes), Eddy Curry is almost certainly gone, Jamal Crawford has big money in New York but is playing well enough to possibly land in a more stable environment, and we'll have to wait and see with the rest.

Week 11 Picks

Here are my week 11 picks. I was 11-2 last week.

These are just the winners. If you want to hear us breakdown the matchups and evaluate the pointspreads, give a listen to episode 3 of the podcast.

Patriots over Jets- I won't change it

Atlanta at home over Denver

Carolina at home over Detroit

Philly over the Bengals in Cincinnati (Eagles don't cover)

KC gets a win over New Orleans at home

Giants over Ravens

Tampa wins at home against the Vikings

Green Bay over Chicago

Colts over Texans

Miami wins at home against the Raiders

San Francisco over St. Louis

Arizona over Seattle

Jacksonville hands Tennessee their first loss

Pittsburgh over San Diego

Dallas over Washington on Sunday night

Cleveland over Buffalo on Monday night

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

Believe it.

Roomofzen Podcast Episode #4: The Dynamite is Defective. We'll Have to go Around.

In Episode 4, Ted and I wax poetic about the greatness of the NFC East and do our best to insult just about every other division in the process. But, if you can get past that, we do offer some thoughts on both the Ravens and Giants and we offer an in-depth analysis of the upcoming matchup between the Redskins and Cowboys (which is without a doubt the biggest game of the week). Who needs these games more, and what impact will they have on the division going forward? Is this a must-win for Dallas? You'll just have to listen.

Note: We tried to squeeze some NBA talk at the beginning (Celts coming off a huge win, and Ted's Wizards coming off their first win), but by the time we were done this was another 2 hour job. So, I chopped off the NBA, and this is now well under an hour just like we like it. So, if you're surprised to hear Ted starting things off instead of my graceful "uhhh, ok, this is.....the roomofzen podcast.....episode 4", it's because I edited out the first hour or so.



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Genghis Tron: Board Up The House



Sick.

There Are No Words........

Sick. (via freeTA42)

You know it when you see it...

We are approaching Sports Nirvana, a state of mind characterized by a complete and utter immersion into the world of professional sports. Consider:

- The NHL in full swing, dominating the frozen tundra of America

- The NFL crashing through hi-def screens, threatening to erode worker profitability and deepen our economic downturn through endless fan obsession and fantasy competition

- The NBA slashing and burning its way through ESPN & TNT, giving us more player tattoos and press conferences than we've ever seen before; meanwhile Charles Barkley loses in craps, but eats away his guilt through expert analysis on TNT and buffet dinners at the Ritz

- Mixed Martial Arts blitzkrieging the national scene and proffering fights of untold brutality and sheer madness which disgust yet fascinate us on the weekend PPV circuit; Why watch this seedy display of human cock-fighting? Anderson Silva, the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, is slowly making his ascent to the Mt. Everest of ass-kickery. Rumor has it that a fight with Rampage is on the horizon, so watching MMA will be worthwhile as this storyline unfolds and shatters through our televisions.

There is no better time than the present to be a reader of the RoomofZen because we offer spiritual insights into this strange world. It's a world filled with heroes like Superman Dwight Howard or Chief Clinton Portis. But it's also filled with villains like Kobe Bryant or Sean Avery, the resident fashion-expert on the Dallas Stars. (Sidenote: does anyone in the US or Canada like Sean Avery?)

The journey to Sports Nirvana, much like a 3d-IMAX which expands and intrigues your senses, is bolstered by a sound-track which celebrates the animal spirit within us all:





Think of Sports Nirvana as the apex of a guitar solo by Slash or Dave Mustaine, delivered to a drunken frenzy of OzzFest die-hards on a hot summer's eve. Or, think of the roomofzen and it's quest to Sports Nirvana as that GNR-Motley Crue tour in the early 90s which saw Nikki Sixx die and then come back to life, figuratively speaking. That tour had to kick more ass than possible.

In any event, the essence of complete and utter awesomeness is professional sports coupled with heavy metal and a healthy dose of guitar solos right now. I'd hate to see you miss any of it these next few weeks and months...

Roomofzen Podcast Episode #3: Week 11 Picks with Fries and Coleslaw

In an effort to make these podcasts more user friendly, we are trying to record shorter, and more focused segments. In this segment, special guest Brandon Casten helps Babcock and I break down Week 11 in the NFL.



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Drive By Truckers: Zip City

It's Fucking Great To Be Alive

If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times: If you are looking for proof that Rock and Roll is alive and well you don't need to look any further than the Drive By Truckers. Last night LaRocque and I along with two of our most devoted followers had the pleasure of seeing DBT live at the Orpheum Theatre. (And by 'pleasure' I mean 'gnarly guitar shredding good fortune').

I'll give it to you straight. The mainstream music outlets would have you thinking that contemporary rock and roll is all about skinny jeans and emo bangs or europeans in suits spewing a thinly veiled and tiny-sacked version of techno through lips glistening with their sisters lip gloss. (Fact: all techno blows. I can only contribute its popularity to the potency of designer drugs and the prevalence of self loathing in modern society.)

The Drive By Truckers hit you hard with three snarling electric guitars. Its electric guitars to the dome. It's Les Pauls and Telecasters down your throat and out your asshole. We were all asking for it, and we got what we deserved. Amps and wattage aside, the songs are superbly written; insightful, enlightening, gritty, honest, and sometimes haunting. Go out and buy a Drive By Truckers CD right now. You'll be doing yourself and everyone within ear shot of your stereo a favor.

Fuck Yeah.

NFL Week 10 Picks

Listen to the Podcast Episode 2 for the analysis.

Here are my Week 10 picks (I obviously didn't pick the Thursday night game):

Atlanta over New Orleans

Tennessee wins at Chicago

Jacksonville crushes Detroit

Miami beats Seattle at home

With Favre gone, Green Bay won't struggle as much in domes. In fact, it will play to their strength (speedy receivers). I like them to beat the Vikings at the Metrodome.

Patriots beat the Bills and go on to win the AFC East

Jets beat the Rams at home

Baltimore over Houston

Oakland over Carolina in the Black Hole

Indy over Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh stops the run, but do you really want to put the ball in Peyton Manning's hands? Even with his inconsistent play this year, I like Indy in this one.

San Diego over KC

Giants go to Philly and get a big win

Cardinals drop the Niners hard, Mike Singletary drops his drawers on the field this time to make a point.

Righteous Jam

This ought to get your Saturday started right.

Mudcrutch "Scare Easy"

Podcast Notes...

Here are my notes and talking points from last night's Podcast. Obviously I couldn't get to all of them, but I'm posting them anyway.

Boston at 4-1, Detroit and Atlanta undefeated, and Cleveland is beginning to dominate with Lebron (I think he dropped 41 on the Bulls last night). Boston, minus their loss to Indiana on Saturday, looks terrific. Their win against the Rockets on Election night was very impressive because many people are picking Houston to dominate the Western conference this year because of their Artest pickup.

Artest is the TO of professional basketball – the guy has mounds of talent, looks good on paper, and at times plays like an all-star. He’s also had a long career with plenty of accolades along the way. But off the court he is a nightmare, just like TO. Let’s review his off the court behavior, going all the way back to his rookie season with the Bulls in 1999:

- He tried to work for Circuit City during his rookie season to get an employee discount on items
- On the Pacers, he attended practice in a bathrobe and humiliated himself repeatedly.
- Later that season, Artest asked for a month off to promote an R&B album on his record label, but was denied
- He destroyed a camera at MSG in 2003 and was suspended for three games
- He tried to fight Heat coach Pat Riley and was suspended four games
- Of course he was part of the infamous bench clearing brawl
- Showed up on the cover of Penthouse in 2005
- In 2007, he was called out by authorities for not having fed his dog Socks; the dogs seized his dog and only returned it after Artest promised to feed it daily
- One month later, artest was arrested for domestic abuse in Sacramento

All I can say is buyer beware. What looks good on paper doesn’t always pan out in the locker-room.

The Knicks are still making waves off the court instead of on the court; as to what they’ll do with Starberry, it’s anyone’s guess, but my sense is that they should wait him out and wait for him to take a buyout so they look tough and don’t get bitched around as the new coach and gm combo…that would restore some adult leadership in that franchise which has been lacking.

AI-trade is genius because the Pistons can step up Maxiell, who they just signed to an extension, and give him more minutes than they have in the past; on any other NBA team, he would be a starter or major and consistent contributor. I also like their distinct mix of youth and experience, which gives them an energetic “win now” mentality; AI, Sheed, and Hamilton hold down the fort while Prince and Maxiell do the dirty work. Forde, from ESPN, sums up the trade best when he talks about the emergence of Stuckey, whom everyone at ESPN seems to love (on and off TV):

“Second, the emergence of Rodney Stuckey made Billups expendable. Dumars believes Stuckey is the point guard of the future in Detroit. Billups has four more years on his contract, and Dumars didn't want Stuckey playing a sixth man role that long.

While it's likely Iverson will start in the backcourt with Richard Hamilton this season, when Iverson hits free agency next year, Stuckey should take over as the starting point guard in Detroit. Stuckey has proven to be an explosive scorer. His point guard skills are still in question, but the Pistons believe he'll be just fine with more experience. Many around the league see Stuckey as a young Baron Davis type of point guard. He had better be, because Dumars is showing extraordinary faith in him by making this move.

To a lesser extent, moving McDyess is also about providing opportunity for young players -- in particular, the emerging frontcourt of Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson. The Pistons are high on both players and want to know by the summer if they have what it takes to anchor the Pistons' inside game. Third, trading Billups and McDyess for Iverson will clear significant salary cap space for the Pistons. If Dumars lets both Iverson and Detroit's other significant free agent, Rasheed Wallace, walk next summer, the team will be approximately $21 to $22 million under the cap.”

AI is the Dan Marino of basketball. From a Detroit newspaper I read yesterday (quote):

- He has averaged more points in NBA history than everyone except Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.
- He has put in more minutes per night than everyone except Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson.
- He has recorded more steals in league history than all but four other players.
- Allen Iverson has done all of that and then some through what is now his 12th NBA campaign.

Yet he still hasn’t won a championship and this may be his best chance he’ll ever get.

The Wizards continue to struggle without Gilbert Arenas. For the past two seasons, we’ve started off without Arenas and despite his absence, we’ve never gone 0-3. That said, there have been plenty of bright spots in this season so far:

- Play of Javale McGee, 2nd rounder out of Nevada; 7’6, has a jumper and can drive to the basket – a true big man, so to speak which is good because Haywood is out until December
- Play of Nick Young, 3rd year player whose beginning to put it together on offense
- Juan Dixon, former MD guy, is getting solid minutes
- It’s only a matter of time until this Wizards team puts it together, but we still shouldn’t have signed Arenas to 110 million dollars

The Western Conference, as usual, looks amazing this year. The Jazz and Lakers are undefeated, Phoenix is off to a hot start at 4-1, and both Houston and New Orleans are at 3-1, dominating like they did last year.

The AI trade certainly alters things in the Western Conference. The Nuggets are going to drop off without AI and Melo scoring 100 plus points per night. The Nuggets rebuilding year gives other teams in the Western conference breathing room this year, and prevents a repeat of last year where you had 40 plus win teams in the west not making the playoffs.

Redskins:

- Poor fan turnout at FedEx Field, which gave everyone the wrong impression of Redskins fans if you watched MNF; MNF, by the way, had the second largest telecast in cable tv history
- Wilbon wrote a column about this in the Post and he’s dead on: too many drunk and obnoxious fans at the Redskins stadium; the traffic is a mess, the tickets are expensive, the parking sucks, and there is no place besides the stadium to hang out if you’re not tailgating; so why drop so much cash to go through that experience, see fights break out, and have people just get wasted and talk trash?
- Zorn is going to be compared to Turner if he keeps this offense unproductive
- Campbell may not be our QB of the future and I’ve said this all along
- That said, we had the ability to compete against the Steelers without their best player and we couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity’; as Coach Sully said, turnovers = death
- We let Leftwhich kill us which is totally unacceptable if we even have a shot at going somewhere in the playoffs this year
- The Giants, of course, look nasty and I am afraid to play them in four weeks

ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE GIANTS BEAT THE STEELERS WITHOUT STEEL CITIES THREE BEST PLAYERS. From the Pittsburgh Tribune:

“The other loss, to the New York Giants, is another matter. It went almost unnoted that the Steelers lost to the defending Super Bowl champions, in a game they might have won, without three important offensive starters -- running back Willie Parker, left tackle Marvel Smith and wide receiver Santonio Holmes. That they played the Giants so well without such key players should be considered a positive.”

The Steelers also shut down the league’s best running back, holding him to 50 yards after he ran for 120 the past five games…bottom line, this Steelers team is legit.

Sean Taylor's is being posthumously inducted into the Redskins ring of honor. From ESPN.com,

"The Washington Redskins will honor safety Sean Taylor before the Nov. 30 game with the New York Giants, inducting him into the team's Ring of Fame one year after his slaying. Taylor was shot while home in Florida with his family last year. He died on Nov. 27.

"It's appropriate that Sean joins our Ring of Fame after a stellar career cut short far too soon," Redskins owner Daniel Snyder said in a statement released by the team. "His life touched so many of us in such deep and lasting ways. His presence is all around us, in our organization and among our fans."

Taylor, who was 24, will be the 43rd member of the Redskins organization admitted into the Ring of Fame, which honors those who have made distinguished contributions to the team. He is the first since Gary Clark entered on Oct. 7, 2007. The ceremony will feature a tribute and messages from former teammates as well as the presentation of a commemorative plaque to members of Taylor's family.

Taylor, who left behind a baby daughter, was a two-time Pro Bowl selection after the Redskins made him the fifth pick of the 2004 NFL draft following an all-American career at the University of Miami. He possessed a dazzling array of size, speed, instincts, athleticism and range and was developing into one of the most complete safeties in the NFL before his death.

The Redskins rallied to reach the playoffs following his funeral last season, winning four straight games, and a placard in his honor has hung at FedEx Field since his passing. His lockers at FedEx Field and Redskins Park have also been kept in place as he left them in remembrance."

Thursday night football is back which is still pretty annoying, especially when they put on good games which you can’t watch at home unless you have Comcast which sucks anyway (note: they don’t have it on Dish Network or any other cable network except Comcast..all three cable providers are also in litigation with NFL network).

Apparently the NFL network’s viewership is up, but their customers are down because Dish Network removed the channel and therefore 4 million customers from their cable package; lets just hope they all get rid of it or allow the senate to bitch them around like they did last year when specter forced goodell to view the Giants – Patriots game on NBC and cbs despite their reservations.

There are not a lot of good matchups this weekend, which is unusual: Indy Pittsburgh will be good; Buffalo-New England will be good; Tennessee-Chicago would have been good if Orton is healthy So the game of the week is clearly the Eagles-Giants

Roomofzen Podcast Episode #2: Avocados Grease the Wheels of Progress

Episode 2 is in the books. We tried to script things a little more this week........and ended up going longer (a full 2 hours) than we did last week. Who knew that these microphone headsets would feel so good. But, there's some really good stuff in there. Ted joined us for the first 40 minutes or so, which was a great addition. We've decided that next week we are going to record separate 30 minute segments to post on different days. One will be an NFL picks segment, one will be a Celtics segment, and one will be an overall NBA segment. We like to go off on tangents, and that can be entertaining during a 30 minute show. Not so much when the show is 2 hours. We think shorter, more focused segments will be an improvement for our listeners. For the time being, it is long. I think it would lend itself well to a long car ride. So, if you're going to be driving anywhere this weekend you may want to open it in a new window (click on the blue icon on the right side of the player), download the file, burn it to a CD, and enjoy the sweet sounds of the roomofzen on the road.


Here it is, Episode 2, in all its 120 minutes of glory. There are less mistakes this week than last week. Ted once refers to the Indiana Pacers as the Indianapolis Pacers (which is indeed the city in which they play). Also, Babcock and I discuss the implications of AI in Detroit and somehow get lost on a tangent (big surprise) before we can even discuss the cap space he will free up this summer (which is really the whole reason they made the move anyways). But, other than that, it's pretty solid:

Boomp3.com


In case you don't have time for the whole thing, here is a guide to how episode 2 breaks down (if you open it in a new window, you can skip around pretty easily):

first fifteen minutes: Reader e-mail (be warned, we talk about the NHL)

Rest of the first hour: NBA talk (Babcock and I use our powers of persuasion to convince Ted that Ron Artest was a huge addition to the Rockets and that the Celtics win on Tuesday night was a big one)

Second hour: NFL picks, Analysis of Van Gundy/Jackson duo, and why we're glad Comcast Sports Net fired Cousey.


Also, we weren't able to get our musical intro. Babcock did attend the first ever Boner Salad recording session on Tuesday evening, which will forever be known as "The Lost Session" since there is no recording of which to speak. You can expect a post from him on that experience soon. We expect that music to be ready in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, please accept this Blind Melon video:




Again, please stay tuned for next week when we present you with smaller and more digestable segments.


In case you missed it, here is Episode #1 from last week.

To get you ready for the weekend...

If I was elected President of the United States, I would play this song on repeat in the Rose Garden and I would also use it as intro music for my press conferences.. Or, if I just lost an election and I was feeling down, I would listen to this song to cheer me up...rock and roll, baby!

Some Wednesday Tunes

Bane: What Holds Us Down. Badass........



Podcast Episode #2 coming tomorrow night. Topics will include Perk and Big Baby's dominance of Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady's defensive deficiencies, and Babcock's random observations about hot female optometrists. Should be a good one.

God Bless America and Blockbuster Trades

Trades of this magnitude so rarely happen these days. Superstars in this era usually change teams through free agency or are unloaded for rebuilding (see KG to Celtics for the Al Jefferson prize pack). In fact, the only recent trade I can think of that got my fires burning like this one was the Clinton Portis-Champ Bailey deal. There was no more fitting time than the eve of election day for this to happen, because there is nothing more American than the Blockbuster trade.

The Nuggets now have Chauncey Billups locked up through 2011, with a team option for 2012. I love this move for them. They have seemed like a team desperate for some kind of identity for several years now. After Allen Iverson was brought on board, the question everyone was asking was "Can AI and Melo share the ball." The answer to that question was yes, but it proved to be inconsequential. What we should have been asking was whether or not AI and Melo sharing the ball was a recipe for success.

With Andre Miller out and AI in, the Nuggets offense lacked method and rhythm. Looking more like members of the And 1 tour than a professional basketball team, their inefficiency on offense was jaw-dropping. Furthermore, they were giving up well over 100 points per night despite having a All-NBA defensive player in the middle (the now departed Marcus Camby). There seemed to be no master plan in place, and without Marcus Camby this team seemed destined to disappear into irrelevant oblivion in 08-09. Things will be different now.

Billups will provide veteran leadership, championship experience and moxie, and the offensive stability that has been so lacking. He's got some great weapons in Melo, JR Smith, Kenyon, Martin, and Nene. I expect them to be utilized more effectively than we have ever seen. How could Carmelo Anthony, now in his sixth season, ever be expected to flourish as nothing more than one of the revolving planets in Denver's Answercentric offense? Don't get me wrong, I love AI. He is the essence of spectator sports. He is supremely talented and exciting, and he gives every ounce of what he has every night regardless of the score or his team's current standing. But, he takes a lot of shots. He also turns the ball over a lot, and his overall level of play has also declined. Billups will protect the ball more and shoot less. This will lead to more efficient, methodical, and effective possessions for Denver. Chauncey is also an improvement on the defensive end, where he defends on the ball extremely well.


Although the circumstances have been different, Detroit has also been stuck in a rut. They have been clinging to a song that has grown tired and stale. After failing to make it out of the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year, Joe Dumars made it clear that nobody's job was safe. Chauncey Billups is the logical choice for the chopping block. The length of his contract handcuffs the pistons, who see their point guard of the future in Rodney Stuckey. It still remains to be seen how AI will fit into Detroit's offensive system, which has traditionally been a more grinding half-court scheme. But, nobody can deny that this team needs a change. They need a shot of life. They also need to score more points. They have brought in the ultimate competitor, and a guy who has the third highest scoring average of all time.

Regardless of how things play out in Detroit this season, this was the right move. This trade is not about what Allen Iverson can do in 08-09. This move is really about Allen Iverson's expiring contract. Now, don't confuse that with Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. There is a real talented superstar to go along with it, and I expect AI to have a great season in Detroit. But, what fueled this move for Joe Dumars was the cap space that it will open up this summer. Iverson and Rasheed Wallace's contracts alone will wipe 34 million dollars off of Detroit's books, allowing them to rebuild without ever needing to sink too low. I'm sure it was hard for Joe Dumars to pull the trigger on this one, and I'm sure Detroit fans are sad to part with the floor general that has guided them through so many great years. However, this is the nature of pro sports in the 21st century, and I think Dumars has set his team up very well for the future.