NFL picks week 16

With two weeks in the regular season left I need to make a move, Loren is now up 6.

San Francisco at St. Louis
Derek - St. Louis. I'd like to pick the 49ers here but I just don't see them winning on the road when they can't even decide who should play QB.
Loren – St. Louis. Really, Derek? I know this is a game with division title implications, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth picking. I guess when you’re somewhere between 6 and 47 games down, you have to throw a few toss-ups into the mix. Why am I taking the Rams? Because I think Sam Bradford has responded well this year and they’re playing at home. If I had my way, though, both of these teams would lose and none of the NFC West teams belong in the playoffs.

Tennessee at Kansas City
Derek - Kansas City. The Chiefs will be able to run the ball on Tennessee and with Cassell back in action I expect to see Bowe have a big day.
Loren – Tennessee. KC won’t be able to stop the ground game. The final two weeks will show that KC is an average football team in a subpar division. Tennessee, meanwhile, won’t make the playoffs but just might finish .500 if they win here and against Indy in the final week.

NY Jets at Chicago
Derek - Chicago. Chicago has the home game and have wrapped the division I think they'll still try to play hard since they can still get a bye the first round. Bears special teams will win it.
Loren – NY Jets. How do the Jets lose to Miami then come back and thump Pittsburgh? I feel like the Jets are the football equivalent of the Wookie defense; they just don’t make sense. They are 4-3 at home but 6-1 on the road. Huh? They only have a +36 point differential but have managed a 10-4 record. Huh? Since Chicago is only 4-3 at home as well, I’ll take the Jets and their stingy D, but I won’t be happy about it.

Houston at Denver
Derek - Houston. Yeah the Broncos are a plain bad team. Houston has nothing to play for but their talent should be enough.
Loren – Houston. Ugh. I think Derek put this game on here hoping I’d take the Broncos and he could get an easy win. No such luck. I’ve abandoned all hope for this god-awful excuse of a team. I hope they win, but I sure won’t be picking them.

NY Giants at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. I'm going with the home team on this one. The Giants had a bad ending to the game last week and I think there might be some carry over. The Pack need a win to stay in playoff contention.
Loren – NY Giants. The G-Men were awfully close to knocking off Philly last week, but close only left them with a gut punch headed into their match up against GB. Still, I like the Giants’ resolve. This is a tough team and I wouldn’t want to take out their frustrations from last week on me.

New Orleans at Atlanta
Derek - New Orleans. The Saints have some of their impact players back and should start gelling now. These teams know each other well and I'll be surprised if it's a high scoring game.
Loren – Atlanta. I told everyone Atlanta would be good this year. Granted, they have wins against SF, Arizona, Seattle, Carolina and St. Louis, but they also have wins against NO, Tampa (2), Green Bay and Baltimore. One of their two losses was in OT against the Steelers in the first week of the season. Since that game, they have gone 12-1. The Saints are giving up too many yards on the ground and Michael Turner is going to make them pay this week.

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NFL Picks week 15

For crying out loud! Loren and I split again, so I'm still 5 back.

Philadelphia at NY Giants
Derek - Philadelphia. I don't see the Giants putting too many points on the board. The Eagles continue to score in bunches and hold on late.
Loren – Philadelphia. With Steve Smith done for the year, Manning has even fewer offensive options. Meanwhile the Eagles continue to roll along. I don’t think the Giants can match the Eagles’ speed for the duration of the game.

New Orleans at Baltimore
Derek - New Orleans. The Saints have a better offense and won't get behind like the Texans did agasinst the Ravens. The Ravens D looked tired at the end and seeing all the stats about games given up in the last quarter makes me think the Saints will win a big game on the road.
Loren – Baltimore. After seeing the way the Texans came back again the Ravens last week, I had to think twice about this one. However, Ray Rice is a wrecking machine to complement the bulldozers on the Raven’s D. I think they’ll wear the Saints down with the help of the home crowd.

Houston at Tennessee
Derek - Houston. Collins hasn't be able to open up jack this year for CJ. The Texans will stick with throwing it to Johnson and running it with Foster, that'll be enought to beat the Titans.
Loren – Tennessee. I never thought I would say this, but now that 65 year old Kerry Collins is under center, I think the Titans have a much better chance to win. He knows how to manage games and should be able to open the field back up for CJ.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. Last year Miami lost to the Colts even though the Fins held the ball for 45:07 and ran for 239 yards. Those stats mean little to the Colts. Every week Manning feels more and more comfotable with his WR.
Loren – Jacksonville. The Colts are giving up 141 rushing yards/game. Jags are second in the league in yards gained on the ground. Unfortunately for them, the roles are almost exactly reversed for the Colts passing vs the Jags secondary. I’m counting on the Jaguars being able to control the clock and keep Manning off the field just enough.

NY Jets at Pittsburgh
Derek - Pittsburgh. This is a classic case of one team playing well and the other ramming their heads to the ground, or is it knees. Plus I can jump back on my early season the J E T S sucks bandwagon.
Loren – Pittsburgh. With all the alternating hype and drama surrounding the Jets, it’s masked the fact that they at a couple of bad plays/bad calls/missed tackles from a 6-8 record. Without a last minute INT against Denver or their OT wins against Detroit and Cleveland, we could be talking about how far out of the playoff picture they are. All that to say I like the Steelers’ chances at home.

Green Bay at New England
Derek - New England. The Pats are good.
Loren – New England. See my comments about the Jets above. Plus, the Pats are taking no prisoners and you couldn’t get me to bet against Brady right now.

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NFL Week 14 picks

Loren and I split our games last week. He got Jacksonville over Tennessee and I got New England's thrashing the Jets. Heck I even said it'd be lopsided win. But that doesn't matter, I remain 5 games back.

Tampa Bay at Washington
Derek - Washington. The Bucs have a lot of starters out for this one and suffered a bummer of a loss last week, I think they'll drop this one on the road.
Loren - Tampa Bay. The Bucs have a below average rush defense and a great pass defense. Who better for them to play than the Redskins who have no rushing attack? And with the Redskins ranking near the bottom in both run and pass defense, this one probably won't even be close.

Oakland at Jacksonville
Derek - Jacksonville. Oakland has to travel all the way across the country in an effort to stop MJD from his getting his 6th 100 yard game in a row.
Loren - Jacksonville. The Raiders want to pound away with the ground game but the Jags have been great lately at plugging holes. The Jags are second in the league in yards on the ground and the the Raiders front line D has been suspect. This will be a war of attrition and I expect the Jags to win at home and stay in 1st place.

Denver at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. This could be one of those games where a team loses their coach and goes on to play better. Unfortuantly the Broncos are just no good.
Loren - Denver. Okay, with the likelihood that Arizona will be starting a rookie QB, I feel fairly confident picking the Broncos. With Josh McDouchebag gone, I think the team will feel that a weight has been lifted from their shoulders and play to have some fun.

Kansas City at San Diego
Derek - San Diego. The Charges will get back on track with their late season surge. KC has a chance to control the ball but without Cassell it's going to be difficult to score TDs.
Loren - San Diego. If the Chiefs had trouble with the Broncos passing attack, they're gonna get floored by what the Chargers bring. I just don't think the Chiefs have the talent to carry themselves to a division title.

New England at Chicago
Derek - New England. This could be a let down game for the Pats. But they are playing too well to lose this one.
Loren - New England. Is there really any reason to pick against them at this point? Well, if you're several games down in a contest with a friend and are desperate to reverse the trend...come on Derek, take the Bears!

Baltimore at Houston
Derek - Baltimore. This could be a good game, high power offense up against a strong D. The Ravens are going to have to score more than 20 but they'll get there.
Loren - Baltimore. The Ravens D shuts down the ground game of the Texans and the Texans don't have enough firepower on defense to keep the Ravens out of the end zone.

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NFL Week 13 picks

Well well well, I was able to pick up a game last week, that leaves me 5 games back. Getting to desperation time.

San Francisco at Green Bay
Loren – Green Bay. No Gore, no chance.
Derek - Green Bay. Yeah uh see, Green Bay is a much better team playing at home.

Denver at Kansas City
Loren - Kansas City. Okay, so the Broncos have finally let me down enough this season that I’m picking the frickin’ Chiefs. Of course, this means the Broncos will inexplicably destroy KC 63-0.
Derek - Kansas City. Loren is supposed to take the Broncos here, oh well. The Chiefs are a suprise team this year and it's not going to stop here.

Jacksonville at Tennessee
Loren – Jacksonville. The Jags mediocre record and negative point differential doesn’t reflect it, but this is a good, hard-nosed football team that is currently tied for 1st in a tough division. Tennessee is a game back, but moving in a different direction with a rookie QB. Jags big in this one.
Derek - Tennessee. The Titans have it at home and have to rely on the running game, not sure if you know this but they have a good running back. The Jags know this too which is why we'll all be surprised by the passing game, Moss will score his first Titans TD.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Loren – Atlanta . I’ve been riding ATL all season and they are living a charmed life right now. The Bucs are better than anyone thought, but not as good as the Falcons.
Derek - Atlanta. I wasn't THAT high on the Falcons, but I might be now. They'll win a close one but a win is a win.

Oakland at San Diego
Loren – San Diego. I’m taking the Bolts at home against a team with future aspiration but current lack of talent.
Derek - San Diego. What a shock the Chargers are making a late season surge. They'll control this game through out.

NY Jets at New England
Loren – NY Jets. They beat the Pats once already this year and they are getting more confident with every hard won game. If any secondary can slow Brady down, it’s this one. Jets in a squeaker.
Derek - New England. It's hard for a team to beat the same team twice in one year. The Pats are going to pull this out in normal Pats style, by beating the Jets big.

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NFL Week 12 picks

Well last week didn't go my way, but what's new. Loren is up by 6 or something like that. On to the picks.

Green Bay at Atlanta

Loren – Atlanta. Why The Falcons have won four tough close games in a row. Matt Ryan looks like he’s regained the form that led people to think he could be a pro-bowl QB. D is still a question but they’ve done enough.

Derek - Green Bay. True the Falcons have won four in a row but they won't make it five. The Packers are the best team in the NFC and will prove it over a tough and probable playoff preview opponent. Green Bay's D is good enough to stop both the Falcons passing and rushing attack.

Jacksonville at NY Giants

Loren – NY Giants. The Giants D will harass and interrupt Garrard all day long and the Jacksonville D isn’t strong enough to keep the game within reach.

Derek - NY Giants. Jacksonville, can hang with most teams for about a half. The Giants D will snuff out the Jags running game and Garrard isn't good enough to make up for it.

Tennessee at Houston

Loren – Tennessee. Maybe now that Vince Young is gone the Titans will get back to their bread and butter, letting the best RB in the league run wild. Houston has the worst passing defense in the league so even Rusty Smith should be able to keep the Texans honest enough to give CJ some running room.

Derek - Houston. With out a QB there will nine guys in the box all day. Johnson will have to earn every yard, sure he'll get his but it won't be enough.

Kansas City at Seattle

Loren – Seattle. KC is still in first place in the AFC West, playing the first place team in the NFC West. Unfortunately, these teams would both be doormats in one of the better divisions. I’ll take Seattle because they’re playing at home.

Derek - Kansas City. The Chiefs have one of if not the best running duo in the NFL. They'll be able to control the ball and pull out a win.

Philadelphia at Chicago

Loren – Philadelphia. The Eagles have crazy momentum, a ton of talent, and a bandwagon weighed down by all the people jumping on it. So why do I hesitate to pick them in this game? They beat statistically superior Giants D last week, but something about playing at Soldier Field makes me nervous. I think this will be a close game between division leaders.

Derek - Philadelphia. Philly is on a roll. This one will be a dog fight. This Vick guys seems to know what he's doing and as good the Bears D is they won't be able to shut down both Vick and McCoy.

San Diego at Indianapolis

Loren - Indianapolis. I picked against Indy last week because I believe Belichick knows how to prepare his D to face the Colts. I have no such confidence in Norv “I’m Getting My Butt Kicked And All I Can Do Is Sit Here And Look Smug” Turner. Indy big in this one.

Derek - Indianapolis. The Colts are a good team right? Right? Well I think they are but I'm not very confident in this pick.

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NFL Week 11 Picks

Loren and I have been disagreeing on close games this season but he usually comes out on top, and after last week he's ballooned his lead to 5 games.

Washington at Tennessee

Derek - Tennessee. Tennessee didn't look that good last week against Miami, but Washington looked terrible vs. Philly. The Titans have the best RB in the game and a new weapon in the receiving core.

Loren - Tennessee. To much drama for the 'Skins, too much ground and pound by the Titans.

Houston at New York Jets

Derek - New York. Fine I'll admit I was wrong on my Jets won't make the playoffs prediction. Their D is good enough to stop Houston's high octane O. Couple that with the Texans inability to do anything on D makes this a Jets win.

Loren - NY Jets. Another middling year for the Texans in which they unexpectedly beat a few good teams (including the Colts) and lose just as many they shouldn't have. Consistency is a word the Texans need to learn. On the other side of the ball, the Jets have won two overtime games in a row. Good teams win those games and gain confidence from them.

Tampa Bay at San Francisco

Derek - Tampa Bay. I don't like taking teams that are traveling across the county, but the 49ers have played up and down this year and Tampa is finding it's groove.

Loren - Tampa Bay. Tampa's MO this year has been to beat the bad teams and lose to the good teams. They're also 3-1 on the road, so it's not difficult to figure out which way to go on this one.

Indianapolis at New England

Derek - Indianapolis. Very tough call for me. I'll go with Manning. I think he's due for a big game and he's been very good against the Pats lately, plus the Pats D is not as good as they're used too.

Loren - New England. Well, we need to have at least one game we differ on, so why not this one? The game is in Foxborough so the Pats have the crowd on their side. This isn't much of an advantage, though, with Manning's ability to use his hands, legs, Morse code and semaphore to communicate with his offense. But I was very impressed with the Pats D last week, and it looks like Belichick has worked his magic again with an under-performing defense.

NY Giants at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia. Should be a good game too, but I think the duel threat of Vick will be enough to score against a good NY D. The Giants on the other hand will have a tough time running the ball.

Loren - Philadelphia. I really, really wanted to take the Giants here, but with the game in Philly, Vick playing with vicious confidence, and the entire Eagles team focusing on not just winning but destroying their opposition, I have to take Philly. Also, Eli Manning is still the Giants' QB. Yeah, definitely Philly.

Denver at San Diego

Derek - San Diego. Chargers are set to make their late season run.Rivers is on pace to break Marino's single season passing mark, and I don't think the Broncos can defend that.

Loren - San Diego. I wish I could take the Broncos here, but the goal is to win my contest with Derek, not make homer picks. The Chargers lead the league in passing yards (although Broncos are second and Orton is still underrated?!?!) and are only 16th in rushing the Broncos are dead last in rushing defense. The Chargers are also 3rd in passing defense. This adds up to a long day for the Broncos unless they can simultaneously plug the holes in the middle and force Rivers into his 3rd and 4th reads. Yeah, I don't think that's happening either.

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Taking over the Talkin' Ball set

Portland Men on Sports good friend Adam was kind enough to give us a quick interview on the Talkin' Ball set after the Blazers home opener this year.

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Now this is fantasy football

Loren and I were talking the other day and Loren came up with an idea for an ultimate fantasy football team. He and I'd each draft a team of all time greats without looking at their stats. Once we have our teams we would look them up and average out their best three year block. I won the coin toss and selected first.

Derek's team

QB - Dan Marino 375

WR - Jerry Rice 374

WR -Chris Carter 298

WR - Issac Bruce 253

RB - Preist Holmes 404

RB - Emmit Smith 357

TE - Tony Gonzalez 231

K - Jason Elam 117

DEF - Chicago Bears 190

Total -2599

Loren's team

QB - Kurt Warner 322

WR - Randy Moss 311

WR - Michael Irving 280

WR - Terrel Owens 323

RB - Marshall Faulk 443

RB - LaDanion Tolmelson 394

TE - Antonio Gates 244

K - Morton Anderson 108

DEF - Tampa Bay Bucs 166

Total - 2591

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NFL Week 10 Picks

Loren and I picked 4 games differently last week ang thanks to 2 overtime come from behind wins he now leads me by 3.

Houston at Jacksonville

Derek - Houston. I think Houstons offense is that much better than the Jags, Houston has shown me something this year and the Jags havn't.

Loren – Jacksonville. I went over and over this one and finally chose the Jags just because they’re at home. Garrard has looked really good in 3 of his last 4 games and has a very respectable 98.8 passer rating. They are also 7th in the league in rushing. They both have soft Ds but Jacksonville has more momentum.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis

Derek - Indianapolis. Cincinnati is just not a complete team, they don't have one player who can beat you. The Colts are too good to lose this game and won't lose back to back efforts very often.

Loren – Indianapolis. I may have accurately predicted the Colts losing to Philly last week, but I still believe the Colts are an elite team. Any team would need a little time to adjust to new faces in the lineup, and I think the Colts are ready to get back on track. Playing in friendly confines will help.

Tennessee at Miami

Derek - Tennessee. Chris Johnson is going to gash the Fins. We'll see if Pennington can lead the Dolphins to TDs instead of FG, but I don't see that happening often.

Loren – Tennessee. I like Miami on paper, but less so on the field. Miami has a shot if they contain Chris Johnson and make the Titans throw the ball, but I don’t think they’ll be able to do that.

Kansas City at Denver

Derek - Kansas City. The Chiefs need to atone for the terrible game vs. the Raiders last week. I see the Chiefs gaining over 150 on the ground and Cassel taking advantage of a bad defense.

Loren – Denver. The Broncos have had a bye week to get healthy and recover. The Chiefs aren’t going to sneak up on anyone the rest of the season. I’m worried about what Jamaal Charles can do against this defense that let the Raiders run roughshod over them, but the plan of attack for the Broncos D should be shutting him down and double teaming Bowe leaving no options for Cassel.

New England at Pittsburgh

Derek - Pittsburgh. I might take the Pats if they were at home but the Steelers are just too good of a team to lose this one, they can play big.

Loren – Pittsburgh. It’s going to be a long night for the Pats. Pitt’s D got a little scare from the Bengals so I expect they’ll come out with a mind to prove they are the elite D in the league. Brady is already hobbling a bit, wait till he’s knocked on his butt for the eighth time.

Philadelphia at Washington

Derek - Philadelphia. Vick is back and that adds a huge element to the Eagles plans. I don't think Washington is going to be able to keep up.

Loren – Philadelphia. I just don’t think the Redskins have the tools to shut down this offense. Even though they are just a game behind the Eagles for second in the division, these look like two teams headed in opposite directions.

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NFL Pick 'em - Week 9

Derek made up a lot of ground last weekend. Maybe at some point I'll figure out to bet with my head and not my heart.

On to this week's picks...

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati

Loren - Pittsburgh. Their D is having an epic year and the Bengals haven't really been clicking on offense. This could be an embarrassing day for the Bengals.

Derek - Pittsburgh. Cincinnati owned the Steelers last year but it should be back to the Steelers running rough shot over the Bengals this time around.

San Diego @ Houston

Loren - Houston. San Diego just is incredibly inconsistent. They lose to Oakland, St. Louis, and New England, but beat the Titans. Who knows what team will show up? The Texans have the firepower to keep Bolts on their heels and are looking to rebound from yet another loss to Indy.

Derek - San Diego. The Chargers are going to step it up one of these weeks and it might as well be this one. Stats wise Rivers is up near the top of the QB world. Now he just needs his D to step up.

Arizona @ Minnesota

Loren - Minnesota. So many expectations resting on the shoulders of some very shaky decision makers. Still, at least both teams think they're still in the hunt for a playoff spot with no one else running away with the divisions they're in. The Cards have been up and down this year while it's mostly been down for Minnesota. Still, AP is a difference maker and I don't want to rest my hopes on Derek Anderson on the road.

Derek - Arizona. I've got about zero faith in either of these teams, but one has a good coach. I'll take that and I'll go with the Cards and the Oregon connection, Anderson is back under center and he's good for one or two games a year.

Indianapolis @ Philadelphia

Loren - Philadelphia. I like the mobility of Vick over the speed of the the Colts' defensive ends. He's going to be able to buy enough time to find the receivers or tuck and run. Both teams are a little banged up, though, so this game will hinge on who steps up.

Derek - Indianapolis. I've said for weeks I'm picking the Colts the rest of the way. Manning isn't going to let this team lose. Did anyone see last weeks game?

Kansas City @ Oakland

Loren - Oakland. It pains me to have to take the Raiders, but I believe Run DMC is leading the league in rushing yards per game. The Raiders have looked good over their last few games but they have a really difficult schedule coming up so they need wins like this to challenge for the division. The KC defense will be on the field too much today and will ultimately cave.

Derek - Kansas City. A battle two surprising teams. My Oakland pick last week got me back in the competition but I can't go with the Raiders too many times in a row.

Miami @ Baltimore

Loren - Baltimore. The Ravens' D isn't quite the horror show it once was but it still has plenty of pop. I like the direction the Dolphins are headed but they just don't have the defense necessary to get the Ravens offense off the field so they can take a few more shots at the end zone.

Derek - Baltimore. Sure Miami hasn't lost on the road but we are talking about a supioror team in the Ravens. Miami will make some plays but won't be able to score much more than they're customary field goals.

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NFL Week 8 picks

Since Loren and I picked the exact smae games last week there was no change. I'm still down three.

Green Bay at NY Jets

Derek - NY Jets. I don't belive in the Jets as a Super Bowl team. I do think they'll win this game, at home with a week off to prepare against a banged up Packers team.

Loren - NY Jets. Derek was saying this wasn't a playoff team before the season began. Now he says they aren't a Super Bowl team. In a couple of weeks he'll be talking about how there's no way this team could win 5 straight championships. I wonder if he has road rash from all this backsliding.

Pittsburgh at New Orleans

Derek - Pittsburgh. The Steelers got lucky last week but showed they have can have big plays now that Big Ben is back. The Saints havn't played well latley and until they get some RB's back they'll be hit and miss.

Loren - Pittsburgh. The Steelers are as tough and good as any team in the league. Unfortunately, the Saints have too many questions right now and not enough answers.

Houston at Indianapolis

Derek - Indianapolis. Houston won one against the Colts, I don't think they'll take two.

Loren - Indianapolis. The Colts have responded well from their early season scares and their offense is clicking. Houston is inconsistent and has a negative point differential on the road against a good team. Easy call even though the Texans might make it interesting.

Miami at Cincinnati

Derek - Miami. They're on the road which seems to be where they want to play. They also are coming off a lose and seem to win those games as well.

Loren - Cincinnati. Bengals break their three game losing streak against a Miami team trying to figure out how to score with their defense since the offense obviously needs help.

Tennessee at San Diego

Derek - Tennessee. Even with the cross country trip I see the Titans running game piling up over 150 yards versus a poor D.

Loren - Tennessee. The Titans have the best point differential in the league by 24 points. San Diego should be better once Vincent Jackson gets up to speed, but that's going to be a while and the season might be gone by then.

Denver at San Francisco

Derek - San Franciso. Hey if the Raiders can put up 59 on the Broncos the 49ers should be able to score 21 and that should be enought to best Baby Jesus's team.

Loren - Denver. The 49ers don't get home field advantage since this game is in England. Denver will work to plug some of the defensive holes highlighted last week and I'd rather trust Orton than Troy Smith.

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Crazy Blazer bet time

For the fourth season in a row the crew and fans of Portland Men on Sports are making crazy Blazer bets. The crazier the better. Anyone who's prediction comes true gets a nice $5 from everyone else.

Derek: Oden, Joel and Camby play a combined 210 games this season.
Loren: Brandon Roy 2010 NBA MVP
Chris: Blazers trade Brandon Roy
Ryan: Blazers win 63
Philipp: Blazers win the NBA Championship
Jacob: Once Oden comes back from injury he will not miss another game this season, the Blazers will also have the best home record in the NBA.

Put your bet in the comment section. No money for you however, just bragging rights. See you at the home opener.

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NFL Picks Week 7

Well Loren and I broke even last week, because the Ravens let the Pats back in to the game, idiots! Anyway...I'm still down by three.

Washington at Chicago

Derek - Chicago. Both these teams are hit and miss. I trust the Bears D and the return game at home.

Loren - Chicago. If the visiting team has a negative point differential and the home team has a positive point differential, you take the home team.

Philadelphia at Tennessee

Derek - Tennessee. Jackson being out of the game is going to have a bigger effect than some think. But this comes down to the Titans D and the RB of theirs.

Loren - Tennesse, The Titans are finally on a roll after being up and down in the early going. I trust their ability to control the clock via the ground game not give up the home run ball.

Pittsburgh at Miami

Derek - Pittsburgh. I'm a Fins fan but I'm not tooooo dumb. The Steelers are the better team and Big Ben is back. Strange note, if the Dolphins lose this one they'll be 0-3 at home and 3-0 on the road.

Loren - Pittsburgh. I'd like to take Miami this week but the Steelers D is just to much. Throw in an offense that clearly responded to the return of Roethlisberger and it's a no brainer.

New England at San Diego

Derek - New England. This could be a trap game but I've got to go with the better team. Brady can lead the Pats through what has become a suspect D and the Chargers O doesn't look that great so far.

Loren - New England. Who would have thought the Chargers would be in last place in the AFC West at this point in the year? But if you have mental lapses (and coverage lapses) on D, an ineffective ground game, and Norv Turner as your coach...it all adds up or, in this case, subtracts down.

Minnesota at Green Bay

Derek - Green Bay. The Packers aren't going to lose two in a row at home. And the crowed will be ALLLLLLLLLL over the Vikings.

Loren - Green Bay. I really tried to talk myself into the Vikings here. They have slightly better defensive numbers, They're coming off a big win and a bye week to prepare. They're offense is better with the addition of Moss. But I don't trust Favre in a close game and I think this might be close. Lambeau give the edge. Plus, I don't want to violate the rule I laid out in the Washington/Chicago game.

NY Giants at Dallas

Derek - NY Giants. I'm officially off the Dallas bandwagon, they screwed me over too much so I'm going with the Giants. Manning can gash the 'Boys D and I think he will.

Loren - Giants. I wish I could pick at least one different team this week but unfortunately I just don't believe any of the other teams are going to win their games. The Cowboys are terrible most of the time and when they're good on offense they're getting killed on defense, and vice versa. I don't trust the Giants that much either but at this point I have to take them over the Cowboys.

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NFL Week 6 picks

No more Dallas picks for me. I'm now down three.

Miami at Green Bay

Derek - Green Bay. I'm staying away from picking my own team. Rodgers should play and that right there should be enough to beat the Fins and start the end to their season.

Loren - Green Bay. I'm only taking the Pack because the game is at Lambeau. The Pack haven't taken the step to become an elite team like I thought they would, but beating a tough Miami team might give them the momentum they need.

Baltimore at New England

Derek - Baltimore. Perhaps I should know by now to stay away from my preseason picks. But I'm going to stick with the Ravens, I think they are learning to be a more offensive team and we'll see that in a few weeks.

Loren - New England. Pats at home and I actually think they'll have a more rounded offense without Moss demanding touches. Also, Hobo Bill will shake up his D a bit like he usually does when they're underperforming. No one commands his players to give all they have like Hobo Bill.

NY Jets at Denver

Derek - NY Jets. While Denver is a tough place to play, they are nothing more than a mid range team, if that. You should know by now I'm not a Jets fan but they are clearly the better team in this case.

Loren - NY Jets. I'd love to take my Broncos, especially considering the kind of year Orton is having. However, Lloyd and Gaffney will be blanketed by Revis and Cromartie. Denver has no running game to speak and a long day in front of them.

Dallas at Minnesota

Derek - Minnesota. Jeez who thought that both of these teams would have 1-3 records right now. I really have no idea what team to pick. So i'm going against my preseason pick here. Yup it's all science now.

Loren - Minnesota. Better talent, even if Favre is not playing. AP can put this team on his back for at least one game. Though, he hasn't done it yet this year. Hmmm....

Indianapolis at Washington

Derek - Indianapolis. I'm about 99% sure I'm taking the Colts for the rest of the year. I think Peyton will lead this team to big things this year, they've faced some adversity already and that's going to get them far this season.

Loren - Indianapolis. The Redskins are too inconsistent to pick them against a team like Indy. I like the 'Skins to come out of the NFC East, but I don't think they're ready to beat one of the upper echelon AFC teams.

Tennessee at Jacksonville

Derek - Tennessee. I think this could be a closer game than some folks think. That being said, or is it typed, the Titans are the better team and should be able to run all over the Jags.

Loren - Jacksonville. The Titans aren't as good as people think they are, and the Jags are better than people realize. Jags are at home on a two game win streak having taken out Indy and the Bills. The Titans have alternated wins and losses this season. Last game? Win.

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NFL Pick 'Em - Week 5

Derek and I split last week's games, with Derek correctly calling Baltimore over Pittsburgh while I got the benefit of his homer pick of Miami over New England. That means we head into this week's games with me in the lead by 2.

Green Bay @ Washington

Loren - Green Bay. Yes, the Pack barely escaped Detroit last week while the 'Skins put a licking on a good Philly team, but I think the Packers come out a little more prepared and with their egos a little more in check. I see another big game for Rodgers.

Derek -Green Bay. I think there's a better team here and I'm going to pick the Packers. They seem to be on the verge of going on a great run, I don't think the Redskins can hand with them all four quarters.

Denver @ Baltimore

Loren - Baltimore. Here's the thing, if I pick Denver they lose and if I pick their opponent they win. So I'm hedging my bets here hoping my reverse jinx will hold true but at the same time picking the team that seems most likely to win this game. Seriously, though, the Ravens secondary isn't anywhere near as good as past years and Orton has been on fire this year. Don't be surprised to see the Broncos miraculously pull this one out on the road.

Derek -Baltimore. Seriously, though Baltimore should win this game hands down. Come on this has to be the easy game of the week right, right?

Kansas City @ Indianapolis

Loren - Indianapolis. It's been a good run for the Chiefs, but all good things come to an end. The Colts are going to decimate the Chiefs and tarnish that unbeaten luster.

Derek -Indianapolis. Peyton + Mad + Determined = Big win. I'm not sure what the spread is in this game but I'd take the Colts all the way, I don't think this one is going to be close.

NY Giants @ Houston

Loren - Houston. One of the harder games to pick this week. Which Houston team will show up? Which Giants team will show up? I like the Texans (dumbest team name in all of sports) to pull it together this week, figure out a way to stop the Giants bull rush, and make some big plays down field.

Derek -Houston. Loren's right this is the hard game to pick this week I can see it going either way but I think Mario Williams can get to Manning and I think Andrea Johnson will have a big day.

Tennessee @ Dallas

Loren - Tennessee. I see the Titans finally gelling this week against a Dallas team that has spent their bye week trying to figure out a host of questions about their team. Chris Johnson has to break loose at some point and while the Dallas run D is better than average, you know CJ is chomping at the bit to get a big game under his belt.

Derek -Dallas. I might as well stick to the Cowboy bandwagon. It's a home game for a team that needs to win and playing at home, I think they can gang up on Johnson and make Young beat them.

Minnesota @ NY Jets

Loren - Minnesota. It may sound silly, but my pick for this game changed with the Moss trade. It's not that I think Moss has a game changing performance for the Vikes, but his acquisition has given pep to a team in need of a boost. A new attitude and a new weapon for Favre translate to win on the road against a tough team.

Derek -Minnesota. Again I'm taking the team that just came off the bye week, I'm not sure who's going to do it but I won't be surprised if Peterson runs through the Jets D.

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Oregon Vs. Stanford

We've heard for years now how Autzen stadium is a loud place to play perhaps one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country. I've attended many games from easy going to boisterous. I was at the Stanford game which pitted the number 4 team in the country versus the number 9 team. Going in this is a game you think would be on the loud side of things. While I found the game to be nice and loud on the Ducks side, I didn't think it was up there with lat years Civil War. But there were some folks who thought it was a bit too loud. The pic below is of a Stanford fan who'd plug his ears anytime there was a bit of noise in the stadium even the OOOOOOOOOOOOO before kickoffs. I guess their no so loud on the farm.

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Week 4 NFL picks

Well here we are in week 4 and after Loren and I split last weeks games I find myself in a usual place. Two picks down. Lets see if I can make up any ground this week.

Denver at Tennessee

Derek - Tennessee. I'm going t ogo with the home team here, I don't think either of these teams are that great and I know Young has had some trouble but I don't see Denver doing much on the ground.

Loren - Tennessee. I learned my lesson last week: don't be a homer. I likely won't remember that for very long, but it should keep me from losing ground this week.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Derek - Baltimore. I may be going out on a bit of a limb here but I don't think Pittsburgh can keep doing what they've been doing with Batch at QB. I still think the Ravens are a Super Bowl caliber team. I guess we'll find out.

Loren - Pittsburgh. The Steelers haven't lost yet, and they know they just need to win this week before they go into the bye and get Roethlisberger back. They have the home crowd on their side, too.

Washington at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia. McNabb is back in town but his team isn't that good and Vick is having a mini resurgence right now. The Eagle fans should cheer McNabb in the intro boo him while playing and go home happy with the W.

Loren - Philadelphia. Too much offense, too hard to contain Vick, and a tough crowd on the road; Eagles going away.

Arizona at San Diego

Derek - San Diego. I know the Chargers arn't on top of their game right now but we all know that's going to change. The Cards are searching for something to get them going but they aren't going to find it here.

Loren - San Diego. Really? This game? I can't think of one positive thing to say about the Cardinals except I'm being forced to start Derek Anderson at QB2 in a fantasy league so I hope he has a big day. Yes, I'm preparing for a loss.

Chicago at NY Giants

Derek - Chicago. I like the Giants at home but I think the Bears are playing really well right now, not blowing teams away but finding big plays when needed. They'll put together another close win.

Loren - Chicago. The Giants aren't nearly as good as the Packers and the Bears hung in for the win last week. As long as Cutler doesn't get turnover happy...wait, now I'm second guessing myself...

New England at Miami

Derek - Miami. The Dolphins blew it for both Loren and I last week, but showed they can pass when needed. The pats D isn't that strong against the pass and Miami will be able to throw on New England to put up some points. If the O doesn't make mistakes they could win easy, but the main factor is the game is in South Florida.

Loren - New England. The Dolphins aren't ready to make the leap yet, and the Patriots aren't ready to give up the crown. Yes, there are serious defensive concerns for the Pats, but the Dolphins can't hang with them on offense and that receiving corps is going to have a field day.

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Week 3 NFL Picks

Here we are for another week of NFL picks. I was down 1 after week one and I would have tied it back up if not for a Redskin meltdown. So I find myself down two after two weeks. On to the picks.

Tennessee at NY Giants

Loren - Tennessee. I've got to think that the Titans are going to break out one of these weeks, and if Young is going to find a rhythm it will be against a weak Giants secondary. Plus, you know, Chris Johnson.

Derek - NY Giants. I think the Giants are going to have a nice comeback game from last week's mess. They have the D to make Tennessee one dimensional and I don't think Young has looked very good lately.

Dallas at Houston

Loren - Houston. The Texans (dumbest team name in sports) have all the momentum and the Cowboys have all the questions. Great intrastate rivalry with the Texans poised to take over top dog status.

Derek - Houston. I'd like to say the Cowboys are going to turn it around, but I'll take the hot team that proved something last week.

Atlanta at New Orleans

Loren - New Orleans. If Turner were fully healthy I'd be tempted to take the Falcons. The Saints are hemorrhaging yards up the middle and Turner is all power. But he's not and Sean Payton is a sharp coach. They'll figure a way to plug the middle and come out on top in this one.

Derek - New Orleans. Brees at home. That is all.

Indianapolis at Denver

Loren - Denver. I'm probably just goofily giving Derek a freebie here. Moreno won't be playing but, at this point, Buckhalter is a bigger threat off the slant or screen and I see Denver putting it in the air quite a bit. Bob Sanders is out and Demaryius Thomas is showing everyone what a big strong target he is. Still, I'm really just being a homer.

Derek - Indianapolis. I think this would be a massacre if it were in Indy, but it's in Denver so it'll only be somewhat lopsided.

NY Jets at Miami

Loren - Miami. I think the Jets are more likely to have drastic swings their quality of play on a weekly basis. The Dolphins are more consistent and look like they are getting better every week.

Derek - Miami. Dolphins look better than expected on the defensive side. The Jets just aren't as good as everyone, but me, thought they'd be. Miami swept them last year and plays them tough in Miami, especially this time of year.

Green Bay at Chicago

Loren - Green Bay. Other than the Broncos/Colts, this is the game I'm looking forward to most. Should be high scoring, lots of passing yards, big hits, and general NFC North mayhem. Cutler is going to have a much better year this year than last, but Green Bay is going to be a total Juggernaut this year. Rodgers is going to make his case this year for being in the same breath as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady.

Derek - Green Bay. Good old fashioned NFC North game. Green Bay can make up for their injured runner while Chicago can't make up for Cutler.

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NFL Pick 'Em - Week 2

Good morning sports fans.

Nice to see we didn't miss a beat from last year with our NFL pick 'em. I'm up a game thanks to Mike Shanahan and a Cowboy's offensive lineman that probably shouldn't show his face in any bars in Dallas for a while.

Now, this isn't NFL pick' em related, but did you see the final play of the Michigan St/Notre Dame game? Spartans, down three in OT, line up for a 40+ yard FG. They run a fake, TE releases down the right side, great block from another player, wide open pass for the TD and game. Guys want to play for a coach with the balls to put it all on the line for a win. Knowing that coach has a brass set might just be the difference that causes a recruit to choose Michigan St over another school. Little things like this can have an avalanche effect in 2 or 3 years and alter the fortunes of your team.

Anyhow, on to the picks.

Pittsburgh @ Tennessee

Loren - Tennessee. If not for a lucky break, the Steelers might be entering this game with an 0-1 record. The Titans offense is clicking much better than Atlanta's was, and they have a defense which will harass Dennis Dixon.

Derek - Tennessee. Even if Big Ben was playing I'd pick the Titans. They look like their going to be good this year. Sure the Steelers will be better against the run, but Johnson is still going to make a bigger impact than anyone on the Steelers.

Seattle @ Denver

Loren - Seattle. As much as I'd like to take Denver (and I think they have a puncher's chance at home), I don't think week one was a fluke for either team. The Broncos will get better but are going to have trouble scoring for a while. The Seahawks are clicking and playing disorganized 49ers team in week 1 was just what the doctor ordered. They'll come in with confidence and leave 2-0.

Derek - Seattle. The one thing Pete Carroll can do is run with momentum. Seattle has that and will continue to roll.

NY Giants @ Indianapolis

Loren - Indy. Don't bet against Manning in two straight games. Peyton, I mean. I see the Colts pulling it together and letting everyone know they aren't dead yet.

Derek - Payton has a message for everyone. He's going to be fine this year and he's going to unleash this meesage for everyone to see.

Baltimore @ Cincinnati

Loren - Baltimore. I'm not taking the Bengals against any halfway decent team until they prove they can play defense. Carson Palmer needs to regain form for the Bengals to succeed and he hasn't looked sharp at all.

Derek - Baltimore. The Ravens D aren't going to let the Bengals score like they did in the second half of the Pats game. Their O is going to be much better this week aswell. I'm thinking they win big.

Houston @ Washington

Loren - Houston. I'm a believer. The Texans (dumbest team name in sports) have a excelling offense, serviceable defense, and an underrated coach. I'm on the bandwagon and even though the Redskins were good to me in week 1, I'm riding the Texans here.

Derek - Washington. Can you say let down week? Sure both of these teams are posed for it, but Washington has a vetern coach and QB and are playing at home.

New England @ NY Jets

Loren - New England. Yes, the backtracking begins now. I'm taking the Patriots and officially

regret taking the Jets to win the division. Overreaction after week 1? Did you see the Jets?

Derek - New England. My fault on not picking New England last week. But we all know my feelings on the Jets. Their BAD, they have NO QB.

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2010 Roofball games

This past Sunday, 9.12.10 the 2010 Roofball Games were held. The Roofball Games are a smaller Roofball event held every other year. There are three events, Time trial, Team competition and the Head-to-head time trial.


Time Trial:

Each player gets 1 minute to score as many points as possible. The record for the most ponits was 56 entering the day. The first competitor Ruben Schug put up a 62, a great beginning to a great day. Later on in the competition Matt Azar also posted a 62. Ruben was able to best Matt in a 30 second throw off to win the gold. New comer Cliff Pfenning took the bronze medal with a 39. As far as the Portland Men on Sports crew I (Derek) scored a 35, Loren 21, and Ryan -14.


Team competition:

The team competition is a bracketed format where three people join up to throw 10 innings. Two players throw three times while an anchor throws 4. Our Portland Men on Sports team comprised of Loren, Ryan and myself were the defending champions and had a lot of confidence going into it. However they only scored a 24 in the opening round but made it through to the finals with the wild card. In the championship round team PMS needed a ping to win on their last throw. I stepped up and threw a ping and caught the ball for good measure. It was nice to win another Roofball Games Gold medal.


Head-to-head Time trial:

The Head-to-head time trial is a tournament style event. Roofballers are matched up and play at the same time with 1:00 minute to score as many points as possible. I received a bye in the first round due to my score in the regular time trial event. Ryan won his first round match up while Loren fell just short. Ryan an I were matched up in the second round. I pulled down the victory but I have to say there was a lot more contact than you'd normally see. I moved on to the semi finals but lost and had to play in the Bronze medal game. I had my best game of the day throwing a 48 and took home the Bronze.

In 2008 Team PMS took home 6 out 9 possible medals in 2010 we had 4. While it wasn't a great day medal count wise it was pretty dang good. The 2010 US Open will be held on 9.26. For more info leave a comment or email president@roofball.org.

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NFL Pick 'Em - Week 1

Happy freakin' NFL season at last, eh sports fans?

As usual, Derek and I will be making our standard six-pack of picks throughout the season with the loser forced to perform a safe but humiliating stunt. Which reminds me, I still haven't given Derek the "John Elway is the greatest QB ever" placard for his car.

On to the picks:

Atlanta @ Pittsburgh

Loren - Atlanta
I think the Falcons will be a strong playoff team this year behind a rebounding Matt Ryan, a healthy Michael Turner, and a breakout year from Roddy White. They just need the defense to perform adequately and that shouldn't be a problem against the Steelers' shuffled offense.

Derek - Pittsburgh.
Sure I'll take the inexperienced QB. Why? Because he has a very experienced team around him. I'm not sold on the Falcons including Matt Ryan. Turner is a great back but he is worked over every game.

Cincinnati @ New England

Loren - New England
This is the pick I'm second guessing myself on. The Pats defense has looked a little ragged and old, not what you want to bet on against an offense like the Bengals. Of course, the Bengals have to prove that offense can really perform and I give the edge to the Pats at home until the Bengals prove it.

Derek - Cincinnati.
I'm taking a risk here but I think the O brothers in Cincinnati will do enough to outscore the Pats.

Dallas @ Washington

Loren - Washington
I said it on the show and I'll say it again: I think these Redskins are gonna surprise some people. Solid coach, healthy Clinton Portis, improved (if controversial) defense. Plus, the Cowboys have looked miserable in the preseason and I don't trust Wade Phillips further than I could throw that chunky egg layer.

Derek - Dallas
You don't need to trust Wade Phillips. But you can trust the more talented experienced team. The Redskins will be better this year than last, but it's not hard to improve from where they were. The 'Boys outscore the Redskins easily.

Baltimore @ NY Jets

Loren - Baltimore
Yes, I did pick the Jets to make the post-season. I may have even (gulp) picked them to win their division. However, I also picked the Ravens to make the post-season and I like them to come out with a strong dose of Ray Rice and control the ball, letting Flacco settle in.

Derek - Baltimore.
I've said it the last two shows, I don't think the Jets are going to be that good. Heck I don't think they have the best D in this game and while Flacco is not a flashy QB he is a solid QB and a lot better than Sanchez.

Arizona @ St Louis

Loren - Arizona.
Though Bradford seems to be doing his best to prove his doubters wrong, and Derek Anderson probably isn't a starting QB on a playoff team, I'm taking the Cards for one reason: Larry Fitzgerald.

Derek - Arizona.
Why are we picking this game? You'll have to ask Loren, I was thinking Green Bay v. Philly but whatever. Arizona a decent team versus St. Louis, possibly the worst team in the league. It's that easy.

Indianapolis at Houston

Loren - Indianapolis
Hey, until these guys stop winning 12 or more games a year, you take 'em every time. The odds are with you. :)

Derek - Indianapolis.
I'm sticking with the Colts (Manning) until someone knocks them off the top of the division. Houston is a solid squad but the Colts are a Superbowl contender.

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Roofball in space

Where would you play Roofball in the Star Wars universe?

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Top 5 Pac-10 teams

On our 8.27.10 show Loren and I came up with our Top 5 Pac-10 teams for the upcoming football season.

Derek
1. Oregon
2. Oregon State
3. Stanford
4. USC
5. Arizona

Loren
1. Oregon
2. Oregon State
3. USC
4. Stanford
5. Washington

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Blast from Roofball past.

Here's a quick video of Loren and I after our terrible play in the second round of the Roofball World Championships last January.

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NFL predictions

On our 8.13 show Loren and I layout out our predictions for the upcoming NFL season. Check them out below.

NFC East:
Derek: Dallas

Loren: Dallas

NFC North:

Derek: Minnesota

Loren: Green Bay

NFC South:

Derek: New Orleans
Loren: New Orleans

NFC West:

Derek: San Francisco
Loren: Arizona

AFC East:
Derek: New England

Loren: New York Jets

AFC North:

Derek: Baltimore
Loren: Baltimore

AFC South:

Derek: Indianapolis
Loren: Indianapolis

AFC West:

Derek: San Diego
Loren: San Diego

NFC Wild Cards:

Derek: New York Giants and Green Bay
Loren: Minnesota and Atlanta

AFC Wild Cards:

Derek: Tennessee and Cincinnati
Loren: New England and Cincinnati

Champion:

Derek: San Diego over Dallas
Loren: Indianapolis over New Orleans

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Top 5 Worst College Mascots

The Top 5 list for our 7.23.10 show was the Top 5 College Mascots. Adam Willis co-hosted. Check out a podcast here.

5. Adam: Vanderbilt Commadors


5. Derek: Stanford Cardinal (Tree)












4. Adam: Wake Forrest Demon Deacons












4. Derek: St. Louis University Billikens












3. Adam: Syracuse Orange and the St. Johns Red Storm











3. Derek: Campbell University Camels












2. Adam: Stanford Cardinal (Tree)












2. Derek: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders












1. Adam: St. Josephs Hawks












1. Derek: Rhode Island School of Design Nards

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