NFL week 1

Football is back, fall should be exciting as we start the Journey toward super bowl XLVIII in New Jersey.

week 1:
1.  The Chicago Bears are going to take a step back at least early on, I don't know if I like the marriage with the coach.  The Cincinnati Bengals are hot and a lot of people like them this year.  I'll pick the Bengals (+3) on the road in Chicago.  Cinncinatti Bengals +3
2.  Green Bay is in San Francisco this week, the Packers are the class of their division but the 49ers a loaded they've made a bunch of good singings this offseason.  I'll take the San Francisco 49ers (-4.5) over the Green Bay Packers.  San Francisco 49ers -4.5  
3.  The New York Giants have had some preseason stumbles as the season nears and they get healthy.  The Dallas Cowboys have some injury questions to answer as far as I am concerned.  I'll go with the NY Giants (+3.5) in the place where they are undefeated since it's opening over the Dallas Cowboys.  NY Giants +3.5 

NFL season preview

Tomorrow night we start the road to Super Bowl XLVIII, to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey home of the New York Jets and Giants.  The start of another NFL season is just hours away with the Baltimore Ravens visiting the Denver Broncos.  Many teams made off season moves to try and get to the promised land.
In the NFC we have many good teams.  Starting in the East the New York Giants are back with what should be a good defense, that offensive line has been shuffled yet again but they always find a way. The Giants have a new backup to Eli Manning, in Curtis Painter but Eli's favorite targets are back in Victor Cruz (multi Year deal) and Hakeem Nicks.  The Dallas Cowboys seem to be battling a lot of injuries early on.  In Washington Robert Griffin III is back from his knee injury, we'll see if the Redskins use him any differently or if they keep him in the spread option where he has to scramble and usually looks fragile doing it.  The Philadelphia Eagles have brought in Chip Kelly from Oregon to run his hurry up offense, we'll see how Michael Vick handles the change and how that offensive will work in the NFL.  In the North the Packers are back with all of their weapons for Aaron Rodgers, the Chicago Bears defense may be back and the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings might surprise people.  In the South the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gonna surprise and the Atlanta Falcons could be headed back to the NFC Championship.  Out West is defiantly a two team race with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, both teams are loaded with talent.
In the AFC we also have some very good teams.  In the East the New York Jets are a mess with a coach that should have been fired with the GM, the New GM doesn't talk to any body.  They also have four quarterbacks which is never good, and no receiving weapons for those guys to throw to.  The Miami Dolphins are going to surprise people, the New England Patriots released Tim Tebow but thats besides the point they always find a way.  The Baltimore Ravens should be good again although they have changed a lot of pieces on that team.  A lot of people are vey high on the Cincinnati Bengals who will surprise people.                          

NFC East:                                                    AFC East:
NY Giants (10-6)                                       New England Patriots
Dallas Cowboys                                         Miami Dolphins-WC  
Washington Redskins                                 Buffalo Bills
Philadelphia Eagles                                     NY Jets (5-11)

North:                                                           North
Packers                                                       Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions- WC

South:                                                         South:
Falcons                                                       Houston Texans
                                                                   Indianapolis Colts- WC
West:
San Francisco 49ers                                  West:
Seattle Seahawks- WC                             Denver Broncos

MLB stretch run

Labor Day is on of the last mileposts of the Major League season and we have some good division races going on around the league.  Lets start in the American League (AL) where there are some races but no dominant teams in my opinion.  In the East it is a battle between the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, unless there is a systemic shift with Boston loosing and coming back to the pack they'll win the division.  The Detroit Tigers have a healthy lead over the Cleveland Indians in the Central, but if the Tigers don't get Miguel Cabrera right before the playoffs start they may not be around long.  There is a good race between the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics in the AL West the Rangers seem to be putting together the parts at the right time but the A's seem to be that young and hungry team, I'll go with the A's.  In the AL Wild Card it seems as though the team that fails to win the West will get one spot and Tampa Bay, Baltimore and the New York Yankees will battle for the second Wild Card.  Those three teams play each other a lot down the stretch, I believe the second Wild Card will come down to the wire, i'll go with Texas and the Yankees.  Over in the National League (NL) where I believe a dominant team does reside.  In the East the Atlanta Braves have run and hid in that division, but I think they may be able to come unwound in a playoff series.  Three teams will get in from the Central, between the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates one team will win that division and the other two will take the two Wild Cards.  I actually like Pittsburgh (who hasn't had a winning season since 1992) to win the division.  The Los Angles Dodgers have jumped out to a big lead in the West and have continued to add some pieces to get better. Reds and Cardinals in the NL Wild Card.          

Power rankings:
1) Los Angles Dodgers
2) Detroit Tigers
3) Atlanta Braves
4) Pittsburgh Pirates
5) Boston Red Sox
6) St. Louis Cardinals
7) Oakland A's

Yankee Playoff Chances

After today it got a bit murkier but the New York Yankees have been playing well, outside of that last road trip 3-3 in Tampa Bay and Toronto.  I give the Yankees a real shot at October baseball as they put together a little comeback in recent weeks.  The Yankees are professionals, they know whats in front of them an opportunity and thats what they have a real opportunity.   The Yankees are finally healthy after having a bunch of big injuries up until the last few weeks.  The kids that came up never quit and along with Joe Girardi and the coaching staff this team never fell below .500 all season.  Joe Girardi should be the manager of the year after managing all the different faces that have been on this roster this year due to all the injuries, some to key players and keeping the team above .500 the whole time.  Now that the reinforcements are back, (Jeter, A-Rod, Grandson) this team has shown its capable of going on some extended runs.  They are going to have to go on probably a 18-9 (9 over. 500) run the rest of the season, to get to 90 wins which probably gets you a wild card spot.  They have a lot of games left against divisional foes, some of which are in the wild card race as well.  I say 90 wins probably gets you a wild card because I think thats their most realistic opportunity for the postseason, Boston still has a 8 game lead in the loss column for the division and are 26 games over .500.  I would love for the Yankees to have a 1978 comeback and win the division but I think thats a long shot, they have a better shot at a wild card where their only 5 out in the loss column, from the second spot.