vtred predicts the Mets will win 98 Games

On themikefrancesa.com one very optimistic Mets fan said the following:

98 wins for the Mets this year...mark it down...done!

98 wins, well, to put it in perspective, no NL team has won 98 wins since the St. Louis Cardinals won 100 games in 2005. These predictions are all in good fun, and for a talented team like the Mets, 2010 is going to be a fun watch!

Special thanks to themikefrancesa.com for the added juice and inspiration (TheMikeFrancesa.com Website)

Butler, West Virginia, Michigan State... the Season of Miracles

On the Dave in the City Podcast I went over all the upsets that littered this year's College Basketball Tournament. Syracuse, Ohio State, Kentucky, Marquette, Kansas... GONE, GONE, GONE, GONE, GONE.

It's a fun one this year, and now you have a chance for a team, Butler, to win its first ever Championship in the 64+1 Tournament Era. Same goes for West Virginia... heck, the last time they made the tournament Jerry West was on it!

So are you ready? Set? ...MADNESS!!

Dave joins the Duke Bandwagon

I'm shocked, just as you are... but I think Duke is pretty good.

They're more physical than I thought.

They're better defensively than I thought.

They're experienced, just as I thought, but they were certainly prepared and didn't let up.

What can I say? I underestimated the Duke Blue Devils. Congratulations to them for making the Final Four.

The Perfect Weekend

Here are LA teams since Wednesday, leading up to this morning's game between the Lakers and Magic:

Lakers: 0-2
Clippers: 0-3
UCLA: 0-2
USC: 0-2
Kings: 0-2

Now THAT's losing! Nothing like "The Perfect Weekend" to buoy those spirits in the Southland. The rain seems to be fitting for a lousy sports weekend such as this.

Bob Miller Misses a Kings Game... It's News!

First, before going on... WHO DAT!!!! Saints win the Super Bowl. Did I call it?

Onward....

I got home in West LA just a few minutes ago and come to find out that Jim Fox started to comment on the LA Kings to start the 3rd period. Then the period started, and he kept going!

I was shocked. Where was Bob Miller? --the Longtime, Legendary, Very Good Hockey Play by Play man Bob Miller?

As it turns out, he is missing today's game due to illness, for the first time since 2002. All reports indicate it's not a serious illness, and interestingly enough Bob Miller misses a good number of Kings games for other reasons. For example, a good number of games are not televised due to scheduling conflicts or the little-known rule that FSN will not produce road telecasts North of the Border.

Even so, this is a momentous occasion and a rare one. Get well soon, Mr. Miller!

Note: Jim Fox and Radio Analyst Daryl Evans are covering the Canadiens/Kings game in Bob's absence. To be honest, Jim is doing a pretty good job. Reminds me of the one time Chick Hearn had laryngitis and Stu Lantz did play by play for the second half. They even got Derek Fisher off the bench to help provide color commentary.

The only man in America who picks the Saints to win the Super Bowl

Well, friends, here it is: Super Bowl Week.

On the "Dave in the City" podcast, I begin a series of podcasts about why I think the Saints are the team which will bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

There are long odds, to be sure. The Colts are a 5.5 point favorite, Peyton Manning is the reigning NFL MVP, and Indianapolis has Super Bowl Experience to boot! Even so, I am undeterred in my pick. Here's why:

1. Dwight Freeney means more to the Colts than we know, and he won't be 100%. We learned earlier today that Dwight Freeney has a torn ligament which may be more severe than we think. Freeney will play, but he'll be only half as effective on the pass rush.

2. The Colts appear to be the superior offense, but look at the teams they played against. They faced an up-and-down Baltimore Ravens squad and a mediocre (at best) New York Jets team led by Rookie QB Mark Sanchez. It's easy to look like a good offense when the other team can't score points.

3. Defensively I give the edge to the Saints. The Colts have the aforementioned Freeney, but with or without him, the D looks slow and overmatched. This would be the first time, I think, the Colts secondary has faced multiple competent receivers. Baltimore featured only Mason. New York featured only Cotchery. With New Orleans, you get Colston, Moore, and Henderson. I'm not about to say the Saints defense is a picnic, but I'd be more confident placing a bet on their pass coverage vs Indy's pass coverage.

4. The "Chip On Their Shoulder". The Saints are almost universally panned as a Super Bowl contender. Most experts believe they "can" win the game, but almost everyone I know has given the edge to the Colts. Just about everyone has roundly criticized New Orleans for their lackluster defensive performance in the NFC Championship game. The Saints couldn't put the game away. The Saints gave up the ball too many times. The Saints had an awful passing performance in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Yet, I honestly think the Vikings had more to do with this than the Saints inherent problems "closing games." Come now, this isn't baseball! If you're good, you're good!

I've seen the Saints go toe to toe with many of the league's best teams this season: The Patriots, the Jets, the Cowboys (in a loss), and so on. Who's to stop them from keeping it close with Indy? And WHO, dare I ask, is to stop this Saints team from taking it all? In the end, I think the better defense wins, and if you ask me, that defense lies in New Orleans. Sharper and Co. will make it happen.

Week 17: For the last time this year, Dave's LOCKS of the Week

The year is just about over sports fans, but before we close out 2009, let's get into the last LOTW of the decade... Letting the ball drop on

Dave's (3)
LOCKS (2...)
of the Week (1......!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should all aquaintance be forgot, blah blah blah... you know, that "Auld Lang Syne" song has nothing to do with "year" or "new". It's have been nice if they mixed in the words "Happy New Year" in there.... awwwwwww well!

How ye be fellers?? Ready to do one more LOCKS of the Week this season? I sure am!

I went 1-2 last week, but hope to finish off strong. so here we go, TO THE PICKS!

Talk about "dropping the ball" how about what happened with the Colts last week, throwing the game against the Jets. 3rd quarter... AH LETS JUST SUB IN OUR BENCH PLAYERS... I'm still made about it! Grrr!! Why didn't they want to at least try to go for the perfect season? Very curious.

Anyhow, there is a very unusual case with the Colts final regular season game at Buffalo. It turns out that the Bills are an 8 point favorite. I can't remember the last time the Bills were an 8 point favorite against anybody! Just goes to show how awful the Colts' second stringers are. Nevertheless, I'm picking the Colts to cover the spread (+8) because I can't fathom the Bills scoring enough points to make up that margin. ONWARD...

Next, we stop in at the Meadowlands for Giants' Stadium's last game. Although the G-men played the week before, the Jets will have the honor of hosting the stadium's final regular season game. The Jets are facing Cincinnati, and it seems like the Bungles are all by throwing this game too. IN theory, the Jets, 10 point home favorites, would be s cinch to fly over the Bungles onto a playoff berth.

But these are the Jets we're talking about. Even if JT O'Sullivan throws 5 interceptions, somehow I feel like the Bungles will make this interesting. I dare say take the points (+10) and watch Cincy cover as NY struggles to score points.

And finally for our LOCKS of the Week Season, we go to Minneapolis. The Vikings are playing the Giants in a game they really didn't want any part of. Because they botched opportunities vs Chicago and Carolina, among others, the Vikes are now forced to play all their starters just to salvage a bye week. With Minnesota in such desperation, who knows what will happen?! However, given how much the G-men have struggled defensively, and let's face it, they've out and out QUIT by now, I'll give the nod to the Vikes to cover -9 at home.

Folks, it's been a great year bringing LOCKS of the Week to you and I wish you a wonderful happy new year. Be safe!

Happyyyyy NEW YEAR!!! on

Dave's (tweeee!)
LOCKS (yaaaay!)
of the Week (BOOM!)

See y'all next season!

To review: IND (+8) at BUF; CIN (+10) at NYJ; MIN (-9) at home