If We Only Knew....

I think this was taken in 2007. At the time, I would have thought that was an "I'm so uncomfortable being around all of these girls" smile.

Big Blue Splash

We've been taking a hiatus from the site until our lives slow down and we're able to bring it back to its former glory. But, I had to break our silence for this...

This is EXACTLY what the Giants needed. There literally could not be a more perfect fit for this team. This is a defense that gave up over 30 points 7 times last season, and over 40 points 5 times (in a schedule that featured both the NFC and AFC west divisions). In fact, you could argue that all of the Giants shortcomings last year boiled down to one major problem: they couldn't protect the middle of the field. That problem has been solved. The return of Kenny Phillips from injury was already a hugely positive step. However, the addition of Antrel Rolle will completely transform this secondary. This is not simply a talented young safety. This is one of the premeire safeties in the NFL. Don't think so? Take a look:



What other guys can make plays like this? Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu,.......and that's it.

The Giants still have what it takes. The pieces are there, and I'm glad to see they're still going full steam ahead despite last season's disappointments.



Also, while we're talking NFL, I can't help but scratch my head at some of the moves the Bears made yesterday. Sure, three great additions. Yes, of course you get Julius Peppers if you have the chance. But, have they already overdone it? They've signed three free agents already, and there is still one HUGE GLARING HOLE that they have failed to address.

A Little Irish Tour 1974 for ya....

It seems highly unlikely that anyone will ever produce a documentary about the rise and fall of the roomofzen, and if they did it probably wouldn't be anywhere near as badass as "Refused Are Fucking Dead" (probably because we are not as badass as Refused). So, instead, I thought people could just watch parts 1,2, and 3 (I think it's broken up into 6 parts on youtube) of that documentary of a sick band touring one of the most epic albums of all time. They play New Noise live on part 3.










Note, this dvd is a great buy. It's also on netfilx.

Sneak Peek of the Nike Air Max LeBron VII

The Cleveland Plain Dealer published some pictures of LeBron James's next sneaker (Air Max LeBron VII), which is yet to be released.

Here they are:






Anybody know where this guy is hoping to land next season? It's hard to tell based on these pictures. That blue and orange would look odd paired with Cleveland's maroon, gold, navy, and white.

This is actually brilliant, because these will be even more sought after if he doesn't end up with the Knicks. So, either way it was smart.

happy new year.

Holiday Wishes from Scal

Week 15 Picks: Video Message Taken on TBJ

After submitting hundreds of e-mails and drunk phone calls to the basketball jones, I finally decided to up my game and make a video. I submitted a question about the NBA All-Defensive team that was first brought up on this site when Babcock, Casten, and I did a NFL picks podcast last season. I am proud to have sparked such enthusiastic discourse.

My question comes 12:24 into the episode below (although the whole episode is great, so watch all of it). It's nice to get Boner Salad some international exposure.

Ep. 486: Cry Foul from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

The Basketball Jones is hands down the best podcast out there, and everyone should be helping them out. You should email feedback@thescore.com (Canadian television network, and also international website that features great liveblogging and Jones videos) and let them know that you want to them to include more basketball jones.


We've got quick-hit picks this week. Here they are:

NEW ORLEANS -7 over Dallas

Green Bay +2 over PITTSBURGH

Miami +3 over TENNESSEE

NEW ENGLAND -7 over Buffalo

Arizona -12.5 over DETROIT

PHILLY -8 over San Francisco

JETS -4.5 over Atlanta

Chicago +11 over BALTIMORE (seems like a steep line to me. But I don't really recommend this. If anything throw Baltimore into a teaser)

KANSAS CITY -2 over Cleveland

Houston -12.5 over ST. LOUIS

SAN DIEGO -6.5 over Cincinnati

DENVER -14 over Oakland

SEATTLE -6.5 over Tampa Bay

MINNESOTA -9 over Carolina

NY Giants -3 over WASHINGTON


10 point teaser of the week: Baltimore -1 over Chicago, Denver -4 over Oakland, and San Diego +3.5 over Cincinnati

Lay it down.

A few tunes to get you through this frigid weekend:

This Is All Your Fault

Plaxico Burress was brought to the Giants to be the ultimate weapon against the Eagles undersized defensive backs. These wide receivers are talented, but they're young and they weren't supposed to have to shoulder the load yet. Hakeem Nicks is having balls bounce off his hands. Mario Manningham can't get his feet down twice on plays that would have been guaranteed touchdowns for Burress. Eli is smart and saavy and he knows where to go with the ball, but what else can he do when these guys can't even stay in bounds?

Bottom line: this game, this season, and certainly last season would have been different if this asshole didn't shoot himself in the leg.


I hate the Eagles, but hats off to them.


I can only hope that Steve Spagnuolo is fired in St. Louis (although I don't think it's likely) so we can get him back here next season. It doesn't even have to be him. Anybody! Bill Sheridan is a joke. This defensive line is an absolute joke right now. I don't know what it is, but I find it hard to believe that every single one of these guys has suddenly "lost it". Maybe it's scheme, maybe they aren't motivated to play for him. Whatever it is, it needs to change. Osi Umenyiora is good. I know he is. Two years ago, he sacked Donovan McNabb 6 times.

I can give Sheridan a pass on the secondary breakdowns. That whole secondary is patchwork. But, the lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks is inexcusable.

The D.E.N.N.I.S. System

This season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has been amazing. The Gang Gives Frank An Intervention was probably the funniest episode of any tv show I have ever seen in my life. And, The D.E.N.N.I.S. System isn't far behind. If you need to kill time before the Giants kickoff tonight, and you haven't seen it yet, why don't you take in Dennis's fool proof plan for seducing women (note, you should probably hit play, then immediately hit pause, and let it load for a couple of minutes).



and, while we're at it, why not see how it turns out at the end:



If you haven't been watching, you can get caught up at Hulu.

Week 14 Picks: Monogamy Just Doesn't Make Sense For Everyone

Also, Jessica Simpson is now dating Billy Corgan. It's weird because even though I know this is hands down the most badass dude she's dated, it feels as if she's hit rock bottom because he's so old. Good for him though, she's way hotter than any of Tiger's mistresses. I guess there are some barriers that not even Tiger can break: chicks will always take rock stars over golfers. I think the world is a happier place that way.





Anyways, the picks:


INDIANAPOLIS -7 over Denver: I'll be shocked if Indy doesn't finish 16-0.

Cincinnati +6.5 over MINNESOTA: I don't want to be hopping on the "this is where Favre totally self destructs" bandwagon, but I can only go by what I see. I said in our pre-season podcast that even if Favre started well, it wouldn't last. It certainly lasted longer than I thought, but now it seems to be coming to an end. 19 yards last week: Adrian Peterson is not healthy.


TAMPA BAY +3 over NY Jets: I'm going with Josh Freeman over Kellen Clemens because he's at home and he threw five picks last week, which means he's going to be extra careful with the ball this week.


KANSAS CITY PK over Buffalo: The Chiefs were embarrassed by a division rival last week. I like them to bounce back a home here.


GREEN BAY -3.5 over Chicago: Two teams on totally opposite paths here. Despite all the fuss over Jay Cutler this off-season, it will be very apparent that he is the inferior quarterback in this matchup.


NEW ORLEANS -10 over Atlanta: The Saints have had some close calls lately, but this Falcons team is done.


Detroit +13.5 over BALTIMORE: Two touchdowns seems a little steep to me. These Lions play hard, and the Ravens are not so intimidating this year.


Miami +2.5 over JACKSONVILLE: Miami has the right kind of swagger. Jacksonville's win over Houston last week only came with Schaub missing time. They are the ultimate "blah" team.


NEW ENGLAND -13 over Carolina: As long as Randy Moss is on time.


HOUSTON -6.5 over Seattle: This Texans team is so much better than their record. I have a feeling they are going to be like the Cardinals. We heard for years and years about how the Cardinals were going to be a surprise team. They'd show flashes, but wouldn't be able to put it together. Then, last season, after we'd all written them off, they finally prove us right. Not this year for the Texans, but they're getting there.


TENNESSEE -13 over St. Louis: Vince Young is questionable, but I don't really know if it even matters. Yeah, he's been great. But it isn't just him. This is a talented team, and they will all benefit from this momentum.


OAKLAND +1 over Washington: Wow, is this tough. The Raiders have to be taken seriously when they play at home. But, the Skins have been playing way over their heads. Still on the West Coast, I'll go with the West Coast team.


San Diego +3 over DALLAS: It will feel strange to be this happy about the Chargers winning.......


NY GIANTS -1 over Philadelphia: The stakes don't get much higher here. I can't talk about it.


Arizona -3.5 over SAN FRANCISCO: The Cardinals are better than the Saints, and they just spanked the Vikings. Assuming they won't have to play a postseason game outdoors in the cold, don't be surprised to see this team in the Super Bowl.


Again, good for you Billy:

Phase 1 Complete

In order for the Giants to redeem this season and reignite the high hopes we all held when the season began, they needed to win two in a row at the start of December. We're halfway there, and I couldn't be happier. It wasn't perfect, but I finally saw the spirit in this team I'd been missing for the past 6 weeks.

Next week won't get any easier, as the Eagles dominated the first meeting and crushed Atlanta today. But, Tony Romo played incredibly well this afternoon (yep, that's the first time I've said something like that). It's hard to imagine a quarterback playing better, and the Giants were able to withstand it. This will be the best I've slept on a Sunday in a long time......


And, don't forget, this still happened:

Week 13: Where There are no Picks, Because Only One Game Matters....

After posting a 75% record last season, we see that I clearly can't pick games worth dick this year. I'm not even going to try this week. The Giants Thanksgiving Day humiliation makes it even less appealing. Have I thought about the NFL all week? No. The Celtics are 9 minutes away from sweeping their roadtrip, Kendrick Perkins is fulfilling his destiny to become the second coming of Robert Parish, and Kevin Garnett isn't looking like a gimp. So, I've been enjoying myself in other ways.....

It's been nice, pretending that football is over and I only have the NBA to worry about, but it's not real. But all I've really been doing is distracting myself from the one game season that awaits on Sunday. Call me crazy, but I still wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants in the NFC championship game if they can win this weekend. Yes, I know the Saints and the Vikings play in the NFC. But, if they can't win this weekend, Big Blue won't even see the postseason. The stakes are that high. I can't think about it. I just need to wait for it, and then experience it. Thank god for Florida Alabama tomorrow. Without it, this matchup with Dallas would consume me.


I've been hooked on Barstool Sports NY ever since it was launched. No site captures the emotions I feel pre and post Giants game more accurately, win or lose. Today, Scott gives us this masterpiece, which sums up exactly how I feel:

"I feel like Hillary Clinton right now. Because no matter how many different vaginas the Giants slide a cigar into, I’m standing by them no matter what. Through thick and thin. Good times and bad. So they can fuck all the fat interns they want, bottom line is that in the NFL, the best teams in the beginning of December are rarely the teams still standing at the end of January. And thats about all I have to hold onto at this point. And because even with Bradshaw questionable, the entire offensive line banged up, the season-long disappearance of Osi and Tuck, Eli’s foot problems, whothefuckknowswhat with Jacobs, the secondary’s weekly toasting, Pierce’s season-ending injury, and Bill Sheridan’s last few weeks as an employee of the New York Giants, there is not a bizarro world fucked up enough where I would ever pick the Cowboys over the Giants. Because I hate the fucking Cowboys and I never want to see that redneck dickhead Jerry Jones win anything."

Amen. You'd be hardpressed to find a scripture more powerful than that anywhere throughout recorded history. For the next three days, this is my rallying cry.

Celtics Finally Find Their Mojo

Forcing 25 turnovers, holding the Raps to 17 in the third, KG 6-6 from the floor, Perk 8-8 from the floor, under 30 minutes for KG, 35 minutes for Pierce, 34 minutes for Ray, all 5 starters in double figures...

Oh yeah, and this, the exact moment that the swagger returned:

Week 12 Picks: Carrying the Load

DETROIT +11 over Green Bay: What type of a person would I be if I picked any differently? I am certainly not advising you to lay down any money here. But, I think it's safe to say that all Americans outside of Wisconsin will be rooting for the Lions tomorrow.


Oakland +13.5 over DALLAS: Dallas hasn't had much time to regroup after their win that felt like a loss over Washington on Sunday, and Oakland is probably feeling pretty good about themselves after knocking off Cincinnati. Now, Oakland is much worse away from the black hole, but I just don't think the Cowboys are capable of blowing anybody out. I like Tony Romo to struggle against a stout secondary. The Cowboys win, but not by two touchdowns.


NY Giants -7 over DENVER: Denver is regressing to the mean as we speak. This is not a playoff team. They were playing over their heads for a long time. On the other hand, I think the Giants are back where they should be. I actually think, special teams aside, that they played a great game against San Diego up until the final minute, when they clearly felt as if they already had the outcome in hand. Eli Manning returned to his early season form on Sunday against Atlanta, and it wasn't just a matter of the Falcons secondary being woeful. For the most part, they had good positioning on the Giants receivers. Eli was fitting the ball into small windows where only his receivers could get it. Manningham, Nicks, Boss, and Steve Smith are growing more confident every week. I know this is a night game in Denver, and I might be letting my fandom get the best of me, but I really don't think so. The G-Men are back.


Indianapolis -3.5 over HOUSTON: Indy might lose a game this season, and my pick will be wrong that week. I won't pick against them.


CINCINNATI -14 over Cleveland: I don't expect the Bengals to take Sunday's loss lightly. They've done more than enough to earn our respect up until this point, but I think this team feels the pressure of doubters every week. As for the Browns, Brady Quinn is certainly looking like the future. But, he's more of a next year or the year after that future. Certainly not a this season future. They may not win another game this season, but hopefully his improvement can be something that they can hang their hats on in the offseason.


MINNESOTA -11 over Chicago: The Vikings very well could be the NFL's best team. There's really no way to definitively separate the teams at the top, but this team can just get you in every way possible. They are very scary.


Washington +9 over PHILADELPHIA: The Redskins have been tougher lately. They are really showing some resolve. I'm not sure if they are trying to play for Jim Zorn, or if they are simply just starting to gel. The performances of Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright over the past two weeks certainly don't reflect very well on Clinton Portis. But, it does mean that maybe he doesn't need to be the workhorse next season if Betts is able to recover from this knee injury. Splitting up the carries between the three next year could be a much more effective approach, as it would keep Portis more fresh. Even with Betts out and Portis in question, I like the Skins to keep it close. They won't win, though.


Miami -3 over BUFFALO: For the first time in my life, I can't get enough of watching the Miami Dolphins. Can we please get some more love for Ricky Williams? People can say what they want about his off the field actions, but we here at roomofzen have never held it against him. I know nothing about what it is like to be a major celebrity who has been diagnosed with clinical depression and social anxiety disorder. I would imagine it's difficult. I also believe that people are allowed to think that their job sucks. On the field, this guy is everything that you could ever want in a player. He is the ultimate workhorse. I don't think I've ever seen a guy more overworked than he was in Miami in his first go-round and he never seemed to wear down. Because the Dolphins run so much, people are worried that Ricky won't be able to take on the primary back responsibilities on his own. Well, he's done it before. And, he seems healthier and happier now than he ever was then. I think he'll be fine.





TENNESSEE -2 over Arizona: Are people really that surprised that Vince Young is playing well? I mean, I didn't think he was a sure thing to play well this season, but by no means had I written him off completely. People forget that he played in the pro bowl his rookie year. The ability has always been there. He just had to fix his head. If you want to see an example of a guy doing that, see above (Ricky Williams) or see the 36 year old quarterback who led the titans to the playoffs last season in Young's absence.




ST. LOUIS +3 over Seattle: Call me crazy. Kyle Boller is under center, and Steven Jackson will be limited with a sprained lower back. But I just have a feeling. That Seattle defense has not been great lately.


ATLANTA -12 over Tampa Bay: The Falcons impressed me on Sunday. Curtis Snelling is the real deal. I think Josh Freeman is too, but it's going to take a while.


NY JETS -3 over Carolina: I don't care about this game.


SAN FRANCISCO -3 Jacksonville: The Jags don't travel well, which is not something I'd expect from a team who never has any fans at its games. The last time they went West, Seattle hung 41 on them.


SAN DIEGO -13.5 over Kansas City: Whatever man. I guess San Diego doesn't suck at football the way they suck at life. The Chiefs aren't going to win three in a row.


BALTIMORE -2.5 over Pittsburgh: I didnt watch Pittsburgh on Sunday, so it was really weird to turn on ESPN and have them say "Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch is out for the season with a broken wrist" while they showed him taking snaps. They didn't mention anything about him being in because of roethlisberger's concussion. I felt like I was in a time warp. Was it 2003? 2005? What the hell was going on. I didn't even know Charlie Batch was still in the league.


New England +3 over NEW ORLEANS: The Patriots are really good. I feel extremely confident about this one.

Happy Thanksgiving:

Embrace the Weekend: KG Says F%(K Your Rookies

First, it was a great TBJ week, and it was capped off with Tas and Skeets selecting our very own Kevin Garnett for their Wanker of the Week:

Ep. 471: Pau Pow!!! from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

The story says that KG was at a commercial shoot at Conseco Fieldhouse this summer, and when he was asked by a Pacers assistant on his way out to meet the Pacers rookies Tyler Hansborough and AJ Price he responded by saying "Fuck your rookies!" and walking out.

I love this story. Unless by "meet" this assistant coach met "have sex with their wives", I'm not exactly sure what he was expecting. People can hate KG all they want, but I stick to my guns that he hasn't changed a bit. He's always been this way, and he was appreciated for it when he was in Minnesota. The only thing that's changed is the quality of his teammates and the size of the market he plays in. People can say what they want, they wish they had guys like this on their team.

Cs at Magic tonight. Fuck their rookies too....and their veterans....and their ron jeremy look alike coach.


And, as if you needed more, don't forget that the world's greatest band will be playing at the Middle East on Saturday night (I know I've posted the Gnashing several times lately...I guess sometimes a song does that to you):