If You Can't Tweet 'Em... (Part 2)

In my last post, I hypothesized that Facebook is slowly turning into Twitter, but I never really explained why, other than ranting about people putting hashtags in their Facebook statuses.  It's much more than just that, especially given all the changes that Facebook has made recently.

First, there's the new feature where Facebook users can "subscribe" to other users, which basically means they can see what said users are posting without having to be friends with them.  You can subscribe to your friends, coworkers, celebrities, or even random strangers you've never met before, and follow along with everything that goes on in their lives.  Hel-LOOO?  Isn't this exactly what Twitter is for?

The other big change they've made is the ticker in the upper-right corner of the News Feed.  With this little doohickey, every little thing that each of your friends does on Facebook is displayed in real time for you to see.  Every status they write, every person they friend, every page they like, and every comment they write - even to someone who isn't one of your friends.  That's right.  Every.  Freakin'.  Thing.  This is the part of the new Facebook that bothers me the most.  If I really wanted to know everything each one of my 800+ "friends" was doing, I'd get a Twitter account.  Not to mention that the scroll bar on the ticker is way too impossibly narrow for one with even the most steady of hands and 20/10 vision to manipulate using a standard computer mouse, let alone the touchpad or TrackPoint on a laptop. 

But what really rolls my twelve-sided dice about these new changes to Facebook is that I no longer have any control whatsoever over who sees my every move and what they can or can't see.  That means that every time I write a comment on someone else's status or photo, all of my "friends" can not only read what I wrote, but they can also see the original post by said someone.  And the worst part is, where I once could limit the visibility of my posts to just my friends, or restrict it even further than that, I no longer have control over these privacy settings.  Instead, I have to cross my fingers and hope that each of my "friends" will take 10-15 seconds of their precious time to scroll down to my name, hover over it with their mouse, wait for the info box to appear, hover over the "Subscribed" button, wait for the menu to pop up, and uncheck "Comments and Likes."  Yeah, it's only 10-15 seconds, but when you consider that I have, as I mentioned earlier, over 800 "friends" on Facebook - which is actually kinda low compared to a lot of my colleagues - that means it would take, if my calculations are correct, well over two hours to do this for my entire friend list, which robs me of all motivation to even start such a herculean task with even a few of my "friends."  And if I lack the will to do that for my "friends," what makes me so sure they'd be willing to do the same for me without me having to twist their arm a little?  Statistics is not my strong suit as a mathematician (that job falls to my good friends and fellow bloggers Jonathon and Jonathan), but I can tell y'all for sure that I don't like those odds. 

Were it not for the fact that being able to post on Facebook helps me keep in touch with my friends a lot more easily and has gotten me out of a few minor jams (like finding people to help me move stuff into my new apartment, or helping me recover a paycheck that fell out of my coat pocket on the way home), I would seriously consider deactivating my Facebook account.  I don't know about everyone else, but I for one am getting sick and tired of all these changes that Facebook keeps making, when all we wanted in the first place was a "Dislike" button.  The way I see it, Mark Zuckerberg (I'm resisting the temptation to make an obscene rhyming pun on his last name here) just realized how much competition he's getting from Twitter, so he decided to turn Facebook into a fancier version of Twitter to appease all the Twitterites.  In other words, to repeat the old adage that I concluded my last post with, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. 

But seriously, Zuck, grow a friggin' spine and stop selling out to The Man.  Or at least have the courtesy to give us a little more advance notice before you start messing with our accounts.  I mean, you don't just randomly overhaul someone's car, computer, or house without telling them first and convincing them that what you're doing will actually make things better for them.  So why would you do the same thing to the Facebook accounts of millions of people you don't even know? 

Okay, I'm done ranting... at least until the next major overhaul of Facebook happens.  As a final note, I humbly ask everyone who reads this and is friends with me on Facebook to please do me a favor and take just 15 seconds to unsubscribe from my "Comments and Likes."  (I outlined the steps a few paragraphs earlier.)  I'll do the same for all of you, even if it's only a few friends at a time. 

Stay frosty, y'all! 

B-)

If You Can't Tweet 'Em... (Part 1)

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's completely pissed off about this new look that Facebook has.  Just when I'm finally getting used to the last big change they made, they go and revamp it completely, just to mess with me.  And last night, I saw on MSNBC.com that they're gonna make yet another big change pretty soon, turning the Wall into something called a Timeline or some other shitake mushroom like that.  It hasn't happened to my profile yet, but from what I saw from the preview, I'm not too impressed.

The harsh reality is, Facebook is slowly turning into Twitter, and I don't like it one bit.  I do not have a Twitter, and I never will, because I really don't need to know what Katy Perry ate for breakfast this morning or every other little insignificant thing that's going on in everyone's life, and I already waste enough time on Facebook as it is.  It was already annoying enough when Twitter crept into my Facebook news feed.  I was okay with people linking their Twitter posts to their Facebooks, but then it evolved (or should I say degenerated?) to the point where people were typing their Facebook statuses in Twitter format, plaguing my eyes with hashtags throughout their posts.  Every time I see one of those random phrases with a # in front of it - especially in the middle of a sentence - it makes me want to reach through my wireless router and beat the offending poster about the head and torso, all the while screaming, "THIS AIN'T F**KIN' TWITTER, YOU F**KIN' MORON!"  People who put hashtags in their statuses should be crucified on a cross that's shaped like one of those #'s.  (*Bonus points to anyone who knows what the grammatical name for the pound sign is.) 

Okay, so maybe I'm being a little overdramaculous (in the words of Dubya).  But still, it makes it hard to read when you have a #randompunctuationmark with a #bunchofwordsstrungtogether in the middle of a sentence like that.  #andthoserandomwordstringsafterwardlikethisarealsoannoying.  See what I mean?  That's why, a few weeks ago, I decided to strike back at the Tweeters (Twitterers?  Not sure what they're called...) who constantly pollute my Facebook by inserting random hashtags throughout my Facebook status.  The next level will be to hashtag random, insignificant words like "#the", "#and", "#etc".  I'm not sure if it'll actually set anything off on Twitter, but I'm pretty sure at the very least it'll annoy the hell out of those hashtagging bastards.  It almost sounds like I'm caving in, but I see it as more like striking back at them with their own weapons.  Like they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I've barely even scratched the surface of my main argument - that Facebook is slowly turning into Twitter - but I don't feel like writing a really long post that I might not finish tonight (my attention span has been getting shorter and shorter these days), and I should give all of y'all out there in Reader Land some time to digest this first rant.  I promise, I'll finish things up soon, if not tonight or tomorrow.  Till then, #stayfrostyyall!

B-)

NFL Week 3 Predictions

Ok, first of all, I think I need to come up with a better title for these posts, since I've noticed that my sports-related posts aren't getting as many views as the rest of my posts have been.  Maybe if I have a more epic title for this series, people might be more inclined to take a gander at them.  (Or not.)  I'm open to any and all suggestions. 

Anywhoooo, I fared much better last week than I did the first week, going 11-5 to bring my overall record to 18-14 so far.  Here's the rundown of this week's games: 

Patriots over Bills

• Buffalo's off to a good start so far, but I'm not ready to have them beating New England just yet.  The Pats looked pretty sharp against San Diego last week, while the Bills just barely eked out a win over the Raiders.  Give Buffalo credit, though, they never say die. 

Panthers over Jaguars

• Another excellent performance by Cam Newton last week.  It's just too bad Carolina's defense sucks.  It's about time Newton got a win, and the Jags seem to be the team to get one from after the stinker they put up against the Jets last week.  

Bengals over 49ers

• Neither of these teams seem like much to brag about, but Cincy's at least got some semblance of having its act together.  The Niners, meanwhile, blew a ten-point lead to Dallas, and are still lacking on defense.  

Browns over Dolphins

• I'm not quite ready to say the Browns are the real deal just yet, as it was only a Peyton Manning-less Colts team that they beat last week, but given Miami's struggles on both sides of the ball, especially on defense, I think Cleveland has the edge here. 

Lions over Vikings

• Detroit looks like it's headed in the right direction after slaughtering Kansas City.  The Vikes just look like they're lost, even with Adrian Peterson, who shouldn't expect to gain much yardage against Ndamukong Suh and the Lions' D-line.  

Texans over Saints

• This one's gonna be a shootout, I'll tell ya that much.  But for some strange reason, I think Houston's defense looks a little better than New Orleans' does.  

Eagles over Giants

• Michael Vick's injured again... what else is new?  The Eagles' so-called "Dream Team" defense didn't really look the part last week at Atlanta, but they should be able to handle a banged-up Giants team whose quarterback is highly prone to throwing picks.  

Titans over Broncos

• The Titans somehow managed to tame the Ravens last week.  CJ2K should just be starting to get back into form by this Sunday.  

Jets over Raiders

• Oakland's still got some issues to work out on defense... the Jets obviously don't after trouncing Jacksonville.  

Chargers over Chiefs

• Losing S Eric Berry for the season was bad enough for the Chiefs, but now they'll have to go the rest of the season without Pro Bowl RB Jamaal Charles.  The Chargers haven't been playing like the team I predicted to win the Superbowl - they looked pretty sad last week against the Patriots - but they shouldn't have a problem with Kansas City.  

Ravens over Rams

• I'm still trying to figure out how the Ravens managed to lay an egg against Tennessee last week, but their hard-hitting defense should be able to handle St. Louis' offense.  

Packers over Bears

• I'm starting to get a little worried about Green Bay's defense after seeing them give up over 400 yards to Cam Newton and the Panthers last week, but their offense should be enough for them to win this NFC Championship rematch.  The once-fearsome Bears D looked anything but at New Orleans last week.  

Cardinals over Seahawks

• What's the difference between Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson?  One of them actually gives his team a chance to win games.  

Buccaneers over Falcons

• I almost called this one the other way, until I remembered what a friend of mine told me two weeks ago: that Atlanta's a much different team on the road.  This game is an excellent opportunity for either of these two contenders for the NFC South title to assert itself early on.  

Steelers over Colts

• Shutting out the Seahawks for the second straight game was just what the doctor ordered for Pittsburgh after the debacle in Baltimore.  Not sure if the doctor could prescribe anything for the Colts' woes, though.  This would have been a much more exciting matchup if Peyton Manning was playing.  Now it's just a game that would make me downright ashamed of my team if they lost.  

Redskins over Cowboys

• With Tony Romo's status in question, and Dallas' defense still with a lot of questions, the surging Skins have this one in the bag.  Though I gotta say, Romo is one tough cookie, playing with a punctured lung like that last week.  

Stay frosty, y'all!  And GO CLEMSON!

B-)

I Am Troy Davis

I normally refrain from writing about political topics on my blog because of the controversy I know it generates, but tonight something happened that troubles me deeply, and this is all I can think about right now.

This evening, Troy Anthony Davis was executed by the state of Georgia for the 1989 murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail.  Those of you who haven't been following the news lately will probably just say, "Big deal, so another murderer died.  Good riddance!"  However, this is a big deal - a very big deal, indeed - when you look at the circumstances surrounding the case.  There was no physical evidence to link Troy Davis to the crime.  Instead, he was convicted solely on eyewitness testimony, but seven of the nine witnesses against him later recanted their testimony, and an eighth witness was suggested by several of the other seven as the real murderer.

I'm gonna come right out and say that I oppose the death penalty in all circumstances.  I won't go into all the details of why I oppose it, as that's not the point I'm trying to make here tonight.  I can't even say for sure whether Troy Davis was really innocent or guilty, and my heart goes out to the family of Officer MacPhail.  But whether you support the death penalty or not, the death sentence should never have been an option when the case against Davis was as flimsy as this.  The legal principle behind the death penalty is that it should only be used when the accused can be proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt.  Seven eyewitnesses changing their stories and a lack of physical evidence seems like pretty reasonable doubt to me.  And yet Georgia's state clemency board and the courts on every level of government, from the state court to the U.S. Supreme Court, saw fit to ignore that doubt and allow the state to kill a man who, for all we know, could very well have been innocent.  

What happened tonight in Georgia was more than just a miscarriage of justice.   

What happened tonight was a deliberate abortion of justice in the womb. 

One of campaign slogans used by the thousands of protesters in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to each of the four execution dates that Troy Davis faced consisted of four simple words: "I am Troy Davis."  I never really understood what they meant by that, but in the aftermath of his execution, I'm finally beginning to understand.  Davis' case should serve as a wake-up call to America and the entire world - maybe not necessarily to abolish the death penalty, but just to look more closely at where justice is lacking.  One man in Georgia may have lost his battle for justice tonight, but the fight for justice in the world is far from over.  The moral obligation to work and pray for justice in the world now rests upon the shoulders of each one of us.  In each one of us lies the power to fix the injustices that happen in our world, be it in our own government, in our own country, or beyond our borders.

Troy Davis may be dead, but his quest for truth and justice lives on in each one of us.  We all have a never-ending struggle to make right the wrongs of the world.  That is why I can say, in unison with those hundreds of thousands of men and women who fought for the life of a man on Georgia's death row...

I am Troy Davis.

You are Troy Davis.

We are all Troy Davis. 

NFL Week 2 Predictions

Last week was not my week. And I'm not just saying that because of the shameful performance at Baltimore by those impostors in black and gold. I'm saying it because I went a pitiful 7-9 with my predictions. Hopefully, I can do better this week. So here goes...

Bills over Raiders

• Even disregarding that record-tying 63-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland looked pretty good in its 23-20 win over the Broncos on Monday night. The Raiders went undefeated against AFC West opponents last year, but will need major improvement against opponents outside the division if they want to make the playoffs this year. Their first big test comes this Sunday against a Bills team that put up 41 points against Kansas City and held them to a single touchdown.

Packers over Panthers

• Cam Newton looked pretty darn impressive in his NFL debut last week, but I'm not ready to say that he's the real deal just yet, as it was against Arizona. If he can beat the Packers, I just might start to change my mind.

Lions over Chiefs

• Losing safety Eric Berry for the season only makes things worse for Kansas City after their humiliating loss to Buffalo last week. Having to face a suddenly rejuvenated Detroit team is not the salve that Todd Haley was looking for.

Browns over Colts

• Come on, the Colts can't be that bad without Peyton Manning, can they? Well, when you manage only a single touchdown against what was the worst pass defense in the NFL last season, all bets are off.

Buccaneers over Vikings

• A big test for a young Bucs defense against Adrian Peterson. The rest of the Vikings still need to get their act together.

Bears over Saints

• The Bears took care of business against Atlanta last week, and this week they face another tough NFC South opponent in New Orleans. This one was tough to decide, because the Saints have a powerful offense and will have the home crowd on their side, but I'm not entirely sold on their defense after watching them spot Green Bay 42 last week.

Jets over Jaguars

• Luke McCown and the Jags eked out a win over the Titans last week. They won't be so lucky against Darelle Revis and the Gang Green defense.

Steelers over Seahawks

• Seahawks fans are still bitching about the officiating in Superbowl XL, and interestingly, the same ref from that game (Bill Leavy) will be working the second rematch of that game this week. For the Steelers, though, that's the least of their worries after getting completely annihilated by the Ravens last week. To say they looked bad in all aspects of the game would be a hideous understatement. If they can't get things done against Seattle this week, then there's reason to be concerned.

Ravens over Titans

• Kinda hard not to pick Baltimore after what they did to the Steelers last week.

Redskins over Cardinals

• Rex Grossman looked pretty good against the Giants last week. Could this be the start of a major turnaround in Washington?

Cowboys over 49ers

• Dallas put up a good fight against the Jets last week, but once again, Tony Romo cost his team the game. Meanwhile, the Niners came out of nowhere to crush the Seahawks, thanks to two touchdowns on special teams by Ted Ginn, Jr. Neither side looks too good on defense, but the Cowboys at least have some playmakers on offense, while San Francisco's offense still needs to find its groove.

Broncos over Bengals

• Quite a few experts have been raving about Cincy's defense. They'll get challenged this week as they face last year's leader in receiving yardage, Brandon Lloyd. The Bengals haven't won at Mile High since 1975.

Texans over Dolphins

• Even if Arian Foster doesn't play, the Texans' offense should have no trouble with Miami, especially with the Dolphins' home-field disadvantage as of late. Not to mention Miami's defense got absolutely manhandled by the Patriots on Monday night.

Chargers over Patriots

• A possible preview of the AFC Championship Game, with two of the league's best offenses. I'm going with San Diego on the strength of their defense. And who knows, hopefully Nick Novak will be a major improvement over Nate Kaeding in the kicking game.

Eagles over Falcons

• The big story on Sunday night will be Michael Vick's return to Atlanta. It'll be interesting to see how the Falcons fans receive their former quarterback. This should be a very good matchup both offensively and defensively, but after the Falcons' abysmal performance in Chicago last week, I'm leaning a little more towards Philly for this one.

Rams over Giants

• The Giants are battling injuries on defense, and the Rams are battling injuries to several of their key offensive players. Given Eli Manning's penchant for miscues, St. Louis will get the win, but it's not gonna be pretty.

Stay frosty, y'all! B-)

NFL Week 1 Predictions

Football is finally here! After months of waiting, worrying that there might not even be an NFL season this year, the excitement of the NFL begins anew tomorrow afternoon. (Well, the main part of the schedule does, since the opening game was already last Thursday, but you know what I mean.) And what better way to show our national pride on the anniversary of 9/11 than with America's favorite Sunday pastime?

I usually try to predict all the games each weekend during the week before, but this time will be the first that I've officially posted my picks for regular-season games. Hopefully, I'll be able to do this every week. I'm not planning to give a detailed preview of every game like I do with the playoffs, since I really don't have that kind of time or energy, but I might provide some brief comments on selected games, and most likely on every Steelers game. So here goes:

Steelers over Ravens

• With the division race being as close as it's been for the last few years, a win here will go a long way for either team. I won't be surprised if they split their series again this year, but at the start of the season, the Ravens still need a little bit of time for all their new pieces to gel, while the Steelers remain relatively unchanged from last year.
  

Falcons over Bears

• Both have great defenses, but Atlanta has a much better offense.
  

Browns over Bengals
Texans over Colts

• Indy's toast without Peyton Manning.
  

Titans over Jaguars

• How will the Jags respond to their sudden change at quarterback? And will CJ2K be fresh enough after his holdout to make an impact for the Titans?
  

Chiefs over Bills
Eagles over Rams

• The first big test for both the Eagles' "Dream Team" defense and the up-and-coming Sam Bradford.
  

Buccaneers over Lions

• Another battle of what looks to be two great defenses this season.
  

Panthers over Cardinals

• This was a tough one , but I like Carolina's defense over Arizona's.
  

Chargers over Vikings
Seahawks over 49ers
Giants over Redskins
Jets over Cowboys

• It's brother against brother as Rob Ryan's defense tries to stop Rex Ryan's Jets.
  

Patriots over Dolphins
Raiders over Broncos

As a final note, I think the NFL really screwed the pooch with this week's schedule. Pittsburgh and the Giants should have been given home games on Sunday, seeing as how it will be the tenth anniversary of September 11. I can understand that the Giants and Jets share a stadium, and at least one New York team has a home game, but Pittsburgh should have been given a chance to pay tribute to those who were killed on United 93. Just sayin'...

Stay frosty, y'all! God bless America, and GO STEELERS!!

B-)

2011 NFL Season Preview - Part 2 (AFC)

In my last post, I outlined my picks for the NFC teams, so now it's time for me to make my predictions for the AFC.

AFC East

• Bills - Losing LB Paul Posluszny to the Jaguars hurts their defense a little, but Buffalo's D still shows some promise with players like LB Shawne Merriman and rookie DE Marcell Dareus. On offense, RB C.J. Spiller will need to step up his game this year if the Bills want to compete in a tough division.
  
• Dolphins - Their running game has a lot of potential with Reggie Bush and rookie Daniel Thomas, and they've got a couple of playmakers on defense with LB Cameron Wake and CB Vontae Davis, which makes Miami capable of playing a physical game. The big question mark here is with QB Chad Henne, who took a step back last season. With a more consistent performance from Henne, the Dolphins could turn some heads this season.
  
• Patriots - Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth? How many d-bags can you fit on one team? Regardless, New England already had one of the best offenses in the league, as well as a formidable front seven that now benefits from the additions of both Haynesworth and DE Shaun Ellis. Their young secondary, led by CB Devin McCourty, is a year older and a year wiser. If Bill Belichick can straighten out Ochocinco and Haynesworth like he did with Randy Moss, the Patriots could once again be the team to beat this season.
  
• Jets - They may have lost Shaun Ellis to the Patriots, but the Gang Green still have one of the better defenses in the league. CB's Darelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie will continue to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Mark Sanchez has two new targets in Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason, and has a solid offensive line to protect him.
  

Division Winner: Jets. Yeah, it sounds kinda strange. But New York showed that they could go toe-to-toe with New England in the playoffs last season, and they've got the better defense. I just don't think the Patriots' secondary is ready to handle Sanchez and the Jets' receiving corps just yet. Expect a close battle all season long, with the runner-up taking a wild card spot.

AFC North

• Ravens - Baltimore is trying to get younger, having cut several longtime veterans like Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, and Kelly Gregg. WR Lee Evans gives Joe Flacco a more dynamic target, and Pro Bowler Andre Gurode will bolster the Ravens' offensive line. They'll most likely make the playoffs on the strength of their defense alone, but will the upgrades on offense be enough to get them over the top?
  
• Bengals - Picking up CB Nate Clements should make Cincy's defense more respectable, but their offense has a lot of growing to do, especially with a new quarterback in Andy Dalton.
  
• Browns - RB Peyton Hillis was a pleasant surprise last season, and QB Colt McCoy should give Cleveland fans a lot to look forward to in the next few years, but their defense still needs a little work.
  
• Steelers - There's been a lot of talk about Pittsburgh's defense getting old, but there's nothing to convince me that they won't be as physical as ever. What does concern me, though, is their shoddy play at cornerback, which cost them the Superbowl last year, and their failure to adequately address the situation in the offseason. On offense, though, there shouldn't be any worries, especially since Ben Roethlisberger will be playing a full season this year and has a wide array of receivers to throw to. Keep a close eye on second-year WR Antonio Brown, who looked pretty impressive in the preseason and could have a breakout year.
  

Division Winner: Steelers. You could just as easily convince me that the Ravens will win the division, but the Steelers are more cohesive and have a few more weapons on offense. It's gonna be a close one, though, just like it was last season.

AFC South

• Colts - The big story in Indy is that Peyton Manning won't be playing when the season starts. Kerry Collins will have to shake the rust off pretty quickly for the Colts to stay on track.
  
• Texans - They've got a killer offense with QB Matt Schaub, WR Andre Johnson, and last year's rushing champion, Arian Foster. What kept the Texans out of contention last year, however, was their defense. Will CB Jonathan Joseph and S Danieal Manning be enough to turn around a pass defense that was dead last in the league?
  
• Jaguars - Remind me never to play poker with Jack Del Rio! David Garrard is out at QB after a last-minute cut, and Luke McCown is now the starter in Jacksonville. Losing WR Mike Sims-Walker to the Rams doesn't help their passing game much, either. The Jags did, however, upgrade their defense with the additions of LB's Paul Posluszny and Clint Session, DE Matt Roth, and FS Dawan Landry.
  
• Titans - With the drama of RB Chris Johnson's holdout now behind them, the Titans can now focus on trying to improve after what has been a disappointing last two seasons. Tennessee is counting on Matt Hasselbeck to hold down the fort until rookie Jake Locker is ready to take the reins at quarterback. The Titans's hopes this season rest on their defense, led by CB Cortland Finnegan and FS Michael Griffin. It helped that they picked up LB Barrett Ruud to replace Stephen Tulloch, as well as SS Jordan Babineaux.
  

Division Winner: Texans. All four teams in this division have some sort of issue. The Colts and Texans both had issues on defense, but with Manning's injury and Garrard's release by the Jags, Houston is now the only team with a solid quarterback situation. Even if Manning was still playing, I was going to consider the Colts' era of division dominance over anyway. The Jaguars are still a work in progress, especially on offense, but things are looking up for them. The Titans need to shore up their defensive line, and the Colts' have practically no defense at all. Houston at least took some measures in the offseason to address its issues on defense, making them the most well-rounded team in the division. I really think the Texans have what it takes to make their first playoff appearance in franchise history this year.

AFC West

• Broncos - An absolute train wreck last season under Josh McDaniels. Hopefully, new head coach John Fox can get Denver back on the right track. They still haven't quite figured out their quarterback situation and where backup Tim Tebow fits in with this franchise. We'll see how long Kyle Orton lasts. Defense shows some promise, but don't expect any miracles in the Mile High City just yet.
  
• Chiefs - Kansas City had the league's top rushing attack, and their passing game got better with the addition of WR Steve Breaston. Their defense, however, still needs some time to grow.
  
• Raiders - It looked like things were looking up for the Raiders last season. On offense, RB Darren McFadden and WR's Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey show a lot of promise, and former Giants TE Kevin Boss should also contribute greatly. The big question is how Oakland will handle the loss of their top defensive player, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, to the Eagles.
  
• Chargers - No L.T.? No problem! The Chargers still led the league in both offense and defense last season, but their abysmal performance on special teams kept them out of the playoffs. Their offense lost RB Darren Sproles to the Saints, but Ryan Matthews and Mike Tolbert are more than ready to shoulder the load. LB Takeo Spikes adds more punch to an already ferocious defense. If PK Nate Kaeding can overcome his perennial tendency to choke in the playoffs, San Diego could very well hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.

Division Winner: Chargers. With their special teams woes hopefully fixed this season, and very little major turnover on either side of the ball, there shouldn't be anything stopping San Diego from dominating opponents this season. The Chiefs could possibly be in contention for a wild-card spot.

Wild Cards
I'm considering the Patriots, Ravens, and Chiefs for the two wild-card spots. The Jaguars, Titans, Broncos, and Raiders should be more competitive in a year or so. The Colts might be in contention if Peyton Manning can get back to Pro Bowl form early enough, but that's a pretty big "if" at this point in time. The Ravens look pretty solid on both sides of the ball (they just have the misfortune of being stuck in the same division as the Steelers), so I'll give them the fifth seed easily. Which leaves KC and the Pats, which both have strong, dynamic offenses but need a little work on defense. Tom Brady vs. his former backup Matt Cassel... interesting... Gotta go with Brady on this one. It's kind of a no-brainer. Besides, New England's defense is just a notch better than Kansas City's.
Fifth Seed: Ravens
Sixth Seed: Patriots

Playoff Predictions

Seeding: 1) Chargers, 2) Steelers, 3) Texans, 4) Jets, 5) Ravens, 6) Patriots
Wild Card: Texans over Patriots, Ravens over Jets.
Divisional: Chargers over Ravens, Steelers over Texans.
AFC Championship: Chargers over Steelers. (Hate to bet against my own team, but I'm afraid Pittsburgh's failure to address its cornerback situation will cost them in the end.)
Superbowl XLVI: Chargers over Packers.

Stay tuned for my picks for Week 1. I'm off to a good start so far with the Packers' win over the Saints on Thursday night.

Stay frosty, y'all! And GO TIGERS!!!

B-)

2011 NFL Season Preview - Part 1 (NFC)

Are you ready for some football?

After being faced this summer with the possibility of the NFL being locked out this season, I sure as hell am! Especially after having to watch the Rays half-assing their way through every game and the Pirates getting my hopes up for a couple weeks in July, only to go right back to sucking horribly again for the nineteenth straight season, I'm so glad I won't have to wait until hockey season to see a decent performance from one of my teams.

So what I'm hoping to do, now that I've actually got the time, is do a weekly post on the NFL with my predictions for each game. But first, it would be fitting to look at where the teams stand right now and try to predict who will be the big winners this season. I'll break it down division by division and pick the winners from each one, followed by my picks for the wild cards and the playoffs. This post will have my predictions for the NFC.

NFC East

• Cowboys - They got off to a disappointing start last season, but quickly found their groove after Jason Garrett took over as head coach midway through the season. QB Tony Romo is back after being out for most of last season. Big D has plenty of potential playmakers on offense - WR's Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, RB's Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, and of course TE Jason Witten - but they still some question marks on the defensive side. They just don't seem as tough on defense as they used to be, and they did relatively little in the offseason to fix it. I can see them having a winning season, but they've still got some work to do if they want to make the playoffs.
• Giants - I've got a pretty good feeling about these guys. They've already got a pretty solid defense, even with Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora expected to be out for the first couple of weeks, as well as a strong running back tandem in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. If Eli Manning can bring down his interception total from last season, they could go pretty far.
• Eagles - The big story this offseason was the Eagles picking up a ton of high-caliber players on defense, including DE Jason Babin, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DT Cullen Jenkins, and the big prize this offseason, CB Nnamdi Asomugha. On paper, Philly's got a defense that could be the most fearsome anyone has seen in recent years. Their offense ain't too shabby, either - not when you've got the explosive DeSean Jackson and the versatile Michael Vick. The only caveat here is Vick's tendency to get hurt a lot, but even if he does miss a few games, the recently acquired Vince Young is a more than capable back-up. If their vaunted “Dream Team” defense meshes well, Philly will do some serious damage this season.
• Redskins – They’ve finally rid themselves of the plague that was Albert Haynesworth, but they’ve still got a long way to go before they’re back in contention, especially with Rex Grossman at quarterback.

Division Winner: Eagles. They're the only team in this division that seems pretty solid on both sides of the ball. Expect the Giants to finish in a strong second and possibly contend for a wild-card spot.

NFC North

• Bears - One of the better defenses in the league, but Jay Cutler's inconsistency at QB has me a little worried for them.
  
• Lions - The team that everyone's talking about this season. They already have a formidable defensive line with Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh, and picking up former Titans LB Stephen Tulloch this year should further bolster their D. On offense, they've got a reliable pair of receivers in Nate Burleson and Pro Bowler Calvin Johnson. Matthew Stafford has the potential to be a great quarterback in the NFL, but only if he can avoid the injuries that cut short both of his first two seasons.
  
• Packers - There's very little stopping the Pack from repeating as Superbowl champions. The only major hit their defense took was losing Cullen Jenkins to Philadelphia, but with the depth they've got on defense, that doesn't figure to be much of a problem. Aaron Rodgers and his numerous talented receivers should once again tear enemy defenses apart. Plus, RB Ryan Grant will be back this season.
  
• Vikings - They may have lost DE Pat Williams to retirement, but they've still got a pretty tough defense, not to mention RB Adrian Peterson. And hey, Donovan McNabb can't be that much worse for them at quarterback than Brett Favre was, can he?

Division Winner: Packers. All four of these teams are capable of making the playoffs, but Green Bay is solid at pretty much every position. Most of their players are young and can only get better. I'm still trying to figure out how they managed to only finish second last year. Chicago's key players on defense are getting old, Detroit has some question marks in their secondary as well as Stafford's health to worry about. If the Vikes can squeeze one more good season out of McNabb, they've got as good of a chance as anyone of going pretty far.

NFC South

• Falcons - They've got a lot of talented players on both sides of the ball, and drafting WR Julio Jones should give an already dynamic offense even more punch. Their defense also got better with the addition of Vikings DE Ray Edwards.
  
• Panthers - Is Cam Newton the answer at quarterback? Only time will tell. Regardless, they've still got a little bit of growing up to do before they're back in the thick of things.
  
• Saints - Former Charger Darren Sproles and former Hesiman Trophy winner Mark Ingram give New Orleans an explosive pair of running backs to complement QB Drew Brees, making an offense that was already one of the league's best even more fearsome. Losing safety Darren Sharper might hurt their defense a little, though.
  
• Buccaneers - QB Josh Freeman was a pleasant surprise last season, and RB LeGarrette Blount should also make a big dent in opposing defenses, but they're somewhat lacking in big-play wide receivers. Tampa's strength lies in their defense, and they came up big in the draft this year with two highly touted defensive linemen in Iowa's Adrian Claybourne and my man Da'Quan Bowers from Clemson. If those two break out early in the season, look out!
  

Division Winner: Falcons. Don't get me wrong, the Saints are good, but Atlanta seems to have the better defense this season. The Bucs have a better defense than both of them, but I'm not really sold on their offense just yet. Expect a close competition among all three of these teams, and at least one of the runners-up to nail down a wild-cart spot.

NFC West

• Cardinals - Their lack of an even semi-decent quarterback in the wake of Kurt Warner's retirement really hurt them last season, so this year the Cardinals are putting their faith in former Eagles backup Kevin Kolb. They also picked up longtime Ravens stalwart Todd Heap to give Kolb another capable target alongside Pro Bowl WR Larry Fitzgerald. What worries me about Arizona, however is their defense, which just isn't as good as it was when they went to the Superbowl in 2008. Hopefully, rookie CB Patrick Peterson will make an impact this season.
  
• Rams - Like the Lions, also a highly intriguing team. QB Sam Bradford looked like a born leader in his rookie season last year, and can only get better, especially now that he's got Mike Sims-Walker to throw to in addition to the up-and-coming Danny Amendola. Pro Bowl RB Stephen Jackson makes St. Louis' offense very well-rounded. Their defense isn't much to write home about, but it should come into its own pretty soon with players like LB James Laurinaitis, SS Quintin Mikell, and DE Robert Quinn, this year's first-round draft pick.
  
• 49ers - Even without CB Nate Clements, San Francisco's defense still has a few proven players, like LB Patrick Willis and SS Donte Whitner. They also have a few playmakers on offense in RB Frank Gore and WR's Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards, but their big problem is their lack of a capable quarterback. Alex Smith will be on a short leash this year, with rookie Colin Kaepernick waiting to take over the starting job. They have potential, but seem to lack motivation.
  
• Seahawks - Last year, they became the first team to make the playoffs with a losing record. With Matt Hasselbeck now in Tennessee, Seattle will turn to former Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson to lead the offense. The Seahawks gave Jackson a familiar target in former Vikings WR Sidney Rice, as well as a Pro Bowl tight end in Zach Miller, and they have RB Marshawn Lynch to round out the offense, but that's about all they've got going for them. Their defense, which was already near the bottom of the league last season, has only gotten worse with the loss of LB Lofa Tatupu, which means Seattle will be hard-pressed to repeat as division champions this season.
  

Division Winner: Rams. In a generally weak division, they're the only team that seems to be on the rise. Arizona and Seattle both look good on offense, but both leave a lot to be desired on defense, while St. Louis' defense is starting to come into its own. The 49ers still have a lot of kinks to work out before they're ready to make a serious playoff run.

Wild Cards
The Giants, Vikings, Saints, and Buccaneers all merit consideration for the two wild card spots. Detroit still has some work to do on their running game and their secondary, and I'll consider Chicago once Jay Cutler and their offense start showing a little more consistency. This is a pretty tough call here. Minnesota's got the pieces for a good team, but they've got a brutal schedule that includes the NFC South teams, and Donovan McNabb hasn't exactly looked at his best recently. The Giants have an easy schedule against the NFC West, but they also have to face Green Bay, New Orleans, and New England. They've got the defense and the running game, but I'm not really sold on their passing game, given Eli Manning's high number of interceptions last season. I think the Saints can probably make it on the strength of their offense, and their defense isn't half bad, either. Tampa Bay shows a lot of promise on both sides of the ball, especially on defense.
Fifth Seed: Saints
Sixth Seed: Buccaneers

Playoff Predictions

Seeding: 1) Packers, 2) Eagles, 3) Falcons, 4) Rams, 5) Saints, 6) Buccaneers
Wild Card: Saints over Rams, Falcons over Buccaneers.
Divisional: Packers over Saints, Eagles over Falcons.
NFC Championship: Packers over Eagles.

And finally, since the season opener is tomorrow night, I should get my prediction in for that game. Both the Saints and the Packers have really good offenses, but I'm going with Green Bay to win this one since they've got the better defense.

Stay tuned for my predictions for the AFC and the Superbowl (probably tomorrow), as well as my picks for Week 1 (probably on Friday or Saturday).

B-)