Divisional Round
This is my favorite weekend of NFL football bar none. Four home crowds going nuts. Everything on the line. Great story lines….
My main interest, as usual, will be in the individual players I have picked at draftkings. I’m not betting on the games. But it’s fun to throw out predictions and with Booby doing nothing but digging into the deepest depths of his navel it seems like a good time to talk football…
Atlanta -3 vs Philly. I like Philly here. Money line bet. +130. If this game was in Hotlanta I would take them but I see the Philly D holding Ryan and his overrated offense at bay and Foles doing enough to get this done….
Tenn +13.5 vs NE. I would probably take Tenn and the points but I wouldn’t bet this game with 3 better opportunities this weekend….
Jax +7 vs Pitt. I would not only take Jax I would take them on the money line at +280. That D is legit and Pitt is shrouded in hype. Not even the great Stix song *Renegade* will be able to help them. Although I can see why that gets the crowd and the players going, that is a great song to play in a stadium. I don’t care if AB plays, he’s hurt, and Bell should have trouble moving forward against the D. Big Ben sucks and if Fournette gets going they are going to win that game outright.
New Orleans +5 vs Minn. Again, if this game was in NO I might take those points. But Minn has a great D and I firmly believe that if Keenum was going to fall apart he would have done it already. At home with a roused crowd and Brees out of his dome I see the Vikings winning this one big…..
Who you guys like?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
RIP Keith Jackson. One of the all time greats. College Football Saturday’s haven’t been the same without him.
yeah just saw that very sad. He was tops.
idk about QB matchups, betting on Foles and Bortles and against Brees… Always liked Brees for taking down Manning and favored Colts in SB.
Ain’t nothing stopping the Patriots this season, IMO.
I can still get pretty annoyed at last year’s Super Bowl if I stop and think about it.
Sorry to hear about Keith Jackson. Two greats gone in the past two weeks. RIP.
I always felt a little sorry for Jackson on those baseball playoff broadcasts with Howard Cosell. Jackson knew that on every big play Cosell was going to break in and steal the call from Jackson.
Cue the Chambliss video…
Yes, great example.
Coincidentally, MLB Network has a special show called “50 best calls in baseball history” airing next week. Jackson has no chance of making the list, with Cosell stealing his calls all the time.
I fully expect Russ Hodges’ call of Thomson’s HR to be #1. How could it not be?
I’m sure Jack Buck’s call of the Ozzie Smith pennant-winning HR will be top 10. “Go crazy, folks, go crazy!”
I don’t expect to see much of Vin Scully on the list. He wasn’t a “big call” kind of guy. He tended to just back away from the mic and let the crowd noise be the audio, which is fine in its own way.
On the Gibson HR, Scully is eloquent with: “In a season full of the improbable, the impossible has happened.” Although I suspect he had that phrase already in his hip-pocket ready to use when a moment presented itself. And that’s not a bad thing. Certainly it’s OK for broadcasters to be prepared for big moments.
My problem with Scully’s call is the HR call itself. “She is gone!”
“She is gone”? I’m not sure that works real well.
I prefer Jack Buck’s call on the radio for that HR: “I can’t believe what I just saw!”
Maybe both calls make the top 50, which is unique. Two memorable calls for the same event.
I know this is blasphemy, but I think Russ Hodges’ call is highly overrated. Just a bunch of screaming which is completely understandable but I don’t think that makes it a great call…
I remember Keith Jackson calling the ’86 Mets-Astros NLCS, Cosell was long gone from baseball by then so maybe Jackson’s got a big call from that series.
I don’t bet, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Falcons take the Eagles. They looked good agains the Rams last week, especially their defense. The Eagles are seriously hamstrung without Wentz, so their D is going to need to have a huge game.
NE is going to wax TN. Steelers and Vikings are my picks, but that second game is really intriguing.
I’m pretty much off all your picks, Flav. Bortles and Case? Not in a million years. Alt and Philly can go either way but Ryan wins out over Foles.
Saints have won on the road all season and I don’t see a problem here.
Crazy thing is the niners beat half the current AFC playoff teams. That bodes well for next year.
I would agree with the Flappers that said a ballpark dimension change is at least being discussed a bit by the Giants ownership and front office. Probably tabled for a much later discussion, but it has surely appeared a bit on their radar. The Giants, under Baer, keep an ear to the ground regarding what the fans are talking about. They don’t perceive a huge wave forming yet, but who knows down the road.
Putting up some type of pre-fab wall to cut off the deep right-center would be an easy thing to do. Maybe Baer does it later as a gift to Posey and Crawford. Crawford has already made public some grumblings about the dimensions.
Flav and Chuck are really fucking with my mind as it relates to how to go with my Draft Kings lineup. On the one hand, Flav is a prognosticator savant but Chuck really knows the NFL. Hmmm.
Very true, WJ…
Well we didn’t talk about players. I’m certainly not playing Foles today. But I only have one Brees out of 20 teams. And I’m off pretty much all the WRs in the Pitt/Jax game. If fournette a
Is finding his way that clock is gonna get eaten up pretty good. That could easily happen.
If the weather in NJ is any indication, it’s going to be pretty cold and windy at the Linc later today, which may not bode well for a dome team like the Falcons. Hope I’m wrong.
I think you’re right and I hope you’re right.
Whether or not it deserves to remain at #1, it’s still a lot of fun to listen to.
And it maybe influenced Jack Buck’s two biggest baseball calls.
Hodges: They’re going crazy!
Buck: Go crazy, folks!
Hodges: I can’t believe it!
Buck: I can’t believe what I just saw!
And it goes without saying that it’s not a Dodger fan favorite. 🙂
As you all probably know, the clubhouses at the Polo Grounds were located out the centerfield gate, and the film clip shows the Dodgers taking that long sad march.
Maybe NY Giants fans in the 50s debated moving in the CF fence.
Macdog, no doubt, even though it would gave negated the value of their greatest asset.
Not an all-time top 30 call, maybe not even the most memorable of the game.
RIP Giants outfield defense
This has been posted on the Flap before, but it’s always good fun; a mash-up of Hodges’ call with Ishi’s HR.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sUq_ctom2qI
By the way Blade, a point about your “ca taxes” comment. It’s not as bad as u think. Pro athletes pay taxes in every state they play in. So if you play 18 games in Texas for instance, you pay the Texas tax rate on those 18 games. It’s still bad in CA but a lot of your taxes get paid at other, lower state rates
No state income tax in TX…
Just realized, other than that Mark Wahlberg movie, this is the first time I’ve ever rooted for the Eagles.
3 different Eagles muff the punt. Wow.
Ryan looks scared. He’s throwing shit passes.
This is actually unfolding just as I thought. atl offense isn’t very good, Philly D very good, Foles staying out of the way and not losing it
Astros get Gerrit Cole.
I actually thought Atlanta was going to pull that game off…anyone but the Patriots is who I am rooting for…
And IMO Keith Jackson was beyond one of the greats but simply the greatest.
No one will ever top Shanahan’s brain-dead play-calling with the Super Bowl all but wrapped up last year, but Atlanta’s OC came close with those four plays at the end.
warriors blasting Toronto with 81 point half. Up 25. Raptors had won 13 of last 14 at home.
And it looks like the Astros did not give up either their top pitching prospect nor top hitting prospect for Cole…Musgrove is nothing more than a mid-range arm going back to Pirares that Beede clearly has more upside. Pirates get a reliever and couple hitting prospects.
Again, I think the Giants could have put more on the table and been willing tibpick up McCutchen and maybe sweeten the pot further. But no sign the Giants are bothering to show up. Bum, Cole And Cueto as 1-2-3 would have been maybe best in baseball…
“There’s a new home run champion of all time and it’s Henry Aaron.”
Always liked that call by Milo Hamilton. Very cool moment in baseball too. Vid shows Dodger 2b congratulating him as he rounds bases.
wow Toronto came all the way back to within 1, lost in last minute by 2
Yup, nevertheless the Warriors had a better second half. There is no Electoral College in sports.
The team with least tax-friendly schedule: Los Angeles Dodgers . . . the Dodgers win the NL West crown for most taxes paid at 7.42% of their salaries, edging out the Giants (7.37%) and Padres (7.28%).
Seattle plays in the most tax-friendly division in baseball, the AL West. Although two teams from this division are in California, three are all in tax-free states. Mariners players will pay roughly 2.23% of their salaries to various state and local governments, just edging out the Rangers, who will pay 2.31% and the Astros, who will pay 2.38%.
A-Gon to Mets:
Mets will get him for a pretty minimal salary. Could be a nice pick-up for them if his body cooperates.
I just went over to the Giant website to take a look at the 40 man roster.
There is no way this team loses less than 90 games.
They are every bit as bad as Blade (especially) has been saying…
Fair enough, but even Baer knows fanbase won’t settle for Mac Parker Pence and Gorks in the OF. Grab a bat or two, one of whom can patrol CF and hit, should have .500 team if pitching allows lot fewer runs. NL especially such a have/have not league now.
Pitt is totally overrated (just like the Atl offense). This is gonna be fun to watch. My dislike for Roth is on par with my dislike for Kobe
You’re spot on as usual.
got some fairly exciting stuff going on at DK, too. Not gonna sweat missing out on the ML bet for Philly and Jax if this works out like I think it’s going to.
Fournette looks done. Mother Fuck.
Guy I know who grew up near Pitt who went back there over Holiday showed a pic on FB of Harris scooping up ball off the turf ( very questionable call that likely wouldn’t stand today) I think from an airport. Never ever liked Steelers, nor Roth.
Bortles having dang good game so far. Hope Jags D doesn’t revert to the one Garappolo lit up.
Say what you will about Big Ben. He’s got some balls. I fault the OC for the stupid 4th down calls that have backfired. They send Worthless up the middle on both of those and they likely convert.
his td throws today have been fucking amazing
Pittsburgh’s defense is flat awful. When you make Bortles look good, you are bound to lose. No pressure at all from the front four. Pittsburgh needs to blitz.
just gave up another TD pass to the running back on the fake, nobody near the guy. Most of Borltes passes have been short stuff like the screens or 8 yrd passes that turn into good gains and first downs, game mgr. stuff.
Wow. Tomlin’s wearing this game. A LOT of dumb decisions in this game. They should have forced Jax to get a couple first downs deep in their territory. 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning..
That was some of the worst play calling I have ever seen.
This season may be New England’s cakewalkiest cakewalk yet to the Super Bowl.
Yeah, that sucks. Jax may be able to slow down Brady and Co. but that is a tough row to hoe.
Missed the Minn game till now. WTF? Saints playing like the Aints.
Damn. NO fakes themselves out of a TD and then the pick. Minn with the no-look deflection. How cool would it be to see Minn finally win the whole enchilada?
I was pretty proud of myself for nailing a +280 Jax (along with Philly winning and Minn is “winning big” right now) but this OL wins the prediction prize for what he said after last week’s game….
I’m starting to think the Vikings are cursed like the Chiefs
Great kick! Thielen saved Keenum’s ass on that back footed lob into traffic.
Crazy game. Keenum is throwing ducks and getting away with it,
Moment of truth coming up for Vikes defense.
And the truth is harsh.
I don’t believe what I just saw!
Unreal. THe DB just has to tackle him in bounds and the game is over. Instead he whiffs.
Georgia’s D lasted only six days as worst last-play collapse.
Well, that was unexpected.
good for Keenum and the Vikes. Underdog QB like him deserves something crazy like this.
That finish was very similar to Michael Crabtree’s game winning TD for Texas Tech against Texas that kept the Horns out of the National Championship game in 2007.
Actually I think it was 2008.
I have to admit, Joe Buck’s call of that final play was damn good.
i thought his call on the Ishi hr was perfect. That dude does seem to be in the right place at the right time when epic shit goes down
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTi3qhiWAAETeWh?format=jpg
That would make a good Sports Illustrated cover.
#43 got posterized.
MLB Network’s 2018 all-time top 50 broadcaster moments list. Some highlights:
23. Jon Miller calls Ruben Rivera’s bad baserunning.
22. Kuiper calls Bonds 756th HR.
12. Jack Brickhouse calls the Mays catch in the ’54 Series
3. Scully calls the Gibson HR.
2. Buck calls the Gibson HR.
1. Russ Hodges still at #1.
I remember Miller’s call on Rivera’s adventure around (and around) the bases. Pretty funny.
Got another US trip looming and thought I’d get a chance to see some spring training in Scottsdale this time. Unfortunately, I arrive in AZ on 2/9 and leave for SF on 2/27 before flying back to Vietnam, so… I don’t think much will be happening that early. Might still drive over to the park, get some whiff of spring baseball…
Of course, at this rate, won’t be much new to see. I do recall some previous “new” things I saw in Scottsdale: AJ P-zinski’s first at-bat (meak ground-out to the pitcher) and also Merkin Valdez’ first appearance (I remember being a little excited about that). Fizzle and fade. Best part about going was always sippin’ a cold brew in the soft desert springtime sunshine…..
Or meek, actually…
First spring training game is Feb. 23 at home, Giants got two more at home Feb. 25-26.
Thanks for that piece of info, maybe can catch a game. John, I’ll also be in Joisey earlier in Feb. but only for a handful of days, maybe have time to meet for lunch one day…..
Saw none of these NFL playoffs, but I did just see the final play highlight of that Vikings/Saints game. So, how long before the Saints waive that doofus DB? All you need do is let the guy catch the ball, tackle him inbounds, and you win the game. I assume the Saints D coaches said just don’t let them get behind you…
Some highlights of the MLB Network’s top 25 pitching performances of all time:
12. Cain’s perfect game
6. Bumgarner game 7 vs. KC.
Both higher ranked than Kershaw’s no-hitter.
Schilling’s bloody sock game didn’t make the list.
At #1 they have Morris’ 7th game extra inning shutout in the World Series.
There was no love for Christy Mathewson who threw three shutouts in the 1905 World Series.
I don’t think anyone anywhere in the world predicted Keenum, Bortles, and Foles as being starting QBs in the conference championship games. Keenum being the least likely. he was throwing ducks and somehow got away with it. It just goes to show how huge parity is in the NFL.
With a halfway decent draft/FA period, the 49ers are solid contenders. Seattle is going south in a big way. AZ is a turd. LA is the team to beat in the West, and the Eagles in the East. Minnesota has to figure out who they are going to ride with between Bridgewater, Bradford, and Keenum. Keenum being the least likely guy. Dallas, Washington, Detroit, the Giants, Bears, Atl all look to be middle of the road crap, Carolina could come back strong, but for now it looks like the niners could jump near the top of the NFC.