Kizarvexis

Well the AFC has pretty much determined who will go to the playoffs - now it is mostly a matter of seeding. 1. 13-2 New England Patriots (East Champ & bye) 2. 12-3 Kansas City Chiefs (West Champ & bye) 3. 11-4 Indianapolis Colts (HtH over Titans for Division title) 4. 9-6 Baltimore Ravens (1 game up on Bengals for Division title) 5. 11-4 Tennessee Titans 6. 10-5 Denver Broncos (cliched 6th seed and can be 5th seed if they win and either the Titans or Colts lose) The 8-7 Cincinnati Bengals can take the AFC North away from the Ravens if Baltimore loses to Pittsburgh and the Bengals beat the Browns. If KC beats Chicago and NE loses to Buffalo, KC gets HFA. Otherwise, NE gets HFA. ======== The NFC is much murkier because of tonights Green Bay at Oakland MNF matchup. 1. 12-3 St. Louis Rams (West Champ & bye) 2. 11-4 Philadelphia Eagles (clinched playoff spot) 3. 10-5 Carolina Panthers (South Champ) 4. 9-6 Minnesota Vikings 5. 10-5 Dallas Cowboys 6. 9-6 Seattle Seahawks 7. 8-6 Green Bay Packers Seattle needs to stay 1 game ahead of Green Bay/Minnesota to get a wild card spot. Failing that, Seattle has the SOV tiebreaker over Dallas to get a wild card spot if Dallas loses to New Orleans and Seattle beats San Francisco. If the Packers lose at Oakland tonight, they will need Seattle to lose at San Francisco and they will need to beat Denver to get the 6th seed. If the Packers beat Oakland, then they be the 6th seed because of the head-to-head tie breaker over Seattle and will need to stay tied with Seattle to get a wild card if Minnesota wins the division. The NFC North will not be decided until next week no matter what happens tonight. The Packers and Vikings split their meetings and both have 4-2 division records. If the Packers and Vikings end up tied after next week, they will go to the common games or strength of victory tie breaker to decide the NFC North. If Philadelphia loses at Washington and Dallas wins at New Orleans, then Dallas wins the NFC East and gets a bye (StL gets HFA). Otherwise, the Eagles win the East and clich a bye and possibly HFA if St. Louis loses to Detroit. If Philadelphia beats Washington and St. Louis loses to Detroit, then Philadelphia has HFA. Otherwise, St. Louis has HFA. I think that covers the NFC, but I may have missed something in all the scenarios. Kizarvexis

Well, Arizona (Min) and San Diego (Oak) are in the race for the #1 pick in 2004. The Bucs will have a pick somewhere between 11 and 19 depending on how everyone falls in the 7-9 to 8-8 bracket. Since the top 10 players picked seem to always want tip top dollar, 11-19 shouldn't be that bad - especially as the Bucs will have over $7M in dead cap space. Does anyone know of any good LT that should fall in the 11-19 range? Kizarvexis

Well, depending how how the Bucs and Saints games go next week, the Bucs will finish either 2nd or 3rd in the NFC South. The Bucs play Tennessee and the Saints play Dallas. If the Bucs win and the Saints lose, then the Bucs will be 2nd in the NFC South and will play the following opponents. Home Games Saints Panthers Falcons Broncos Chiefs 49ers Seahawks Cowboys or Eagles (If Wash beats Phi at FedEx field) Away Games @Saints @Panthers @Falcons @Raiders @Chargers @Rams @Cardinals @Packers or @Vikings (Depends on who finishes 2nd) ==== If the Saints win vs Dallas or if both the Bucs and Saints lose, then the Bucs will be 3rd in the NFC South and will play the following opponents. Home Games Saints Panthers Falcons Broncos Chiefs 49ers Seahawks Redskins Away Games @Saints @Panthers @Falcons @Raiders @Chargers @Rams @Cardinals @Bears Kizarvexis

Well, my rebuttal made it to the article. Here it is if you don't want to click on the link above.

USFFAN posted a link to this article on the other board. I posted a long opinion to the Journal Inquirer that offered corrections and some additional info. It hasn't been posted yet and I neglected to copy my post. But here's the article. The article goes on to make more mistakes and tries to make the point that UCONN was better in their 2nd I-A season than USF was in their 2nd I-A season. Have fun ripping it apart. Kizarvexis

I've heard that they do, but I don't have a link. I believe it was in one of the Tampa newspaper articles that came out after the USF to BE announcement. Kizarvexis

Well considering that KJ is under contract for 4 more years and evidently is not willing to do anything next year and to have a bad attitude this year, the Bucs are saving money. $8.2M for nothing next year (and even more in later years) or $1M back to the cap to sign someone else. (Like a replacement for Walker. ) Kizarvexis ::drinker::

Not really. In the NFL, unless your salary is guaranteed, you don't get it if you are cut. So, this year KJ counts ~$4.5M against the cap. $2.9M base salary (according to NFLPA.org) and $1.625M prorated signing bonus ($13M over 8 years). In 2004, KJ gets $8.2M in salary and bonuses according to the article above. But if the Bucs cut/trade KJ before April 1st, 2004, they are only hit with a $7.25 in accelerated cap charges, which is the signing bonus(es) and any guaranteed $ in the contract. That $7.25M would be almost $1M less than he would be making if he was still on the team through 2004, the above mentioned $8.2M. So the Bucs can save money by cutting/trading KJ before April 1st. Now, if the Bucs wait until after April 1st, 2004, they have to pay KJ a roster bonus, which is guaranteed $ (IIRC) and would count against the '04 cap if he is cut/traded later. The only reason I can see the Bucs doing that is if they need to spread the cap hit over 2 seasons and cut/trade KJ after June 1st. IMO, unless some team doesn't want to risk trying to get KJ in FA, the Bucs will cut him March 31st. Kizarvexis

Not a good time to be named Johnson WOW! If Mr. Kirwan is correct with his numbers, cutting/trading Key before April 1st, 2004 would SAVE money. Kizarvexis

Well the Globetrotters used to play college teams all the time according to a Globetrotter history book I used to have. It had some stories of the really wild places that the Globetrotters have played, including in an empty pool! Remember the game at UCONN with the 40+ mph wind? Well it was similar as the pool floor was slanted, so the team going downhill would score and the other would catch up when they switched sides. Kizarvexis

You know, the record is 222-0. Cumberland vs Georgia Tech Oct 7th, 1916 Kizarvexis

As I understand it, the AD was let go, but the rest of the Athletic staff is now under another department in the university. I believe it is a department right under the president allowing him a more hands on approach to spreading the SEC $ to where he wants it to go. Kizarvexis

Why would Vandy leave the money? Vandy didn't do away with athletics, just put the Athletic department under another part of the university, instead of letting it be it's own department. According the to Vandy president this was done to have a tighter rein on the Athletic department. Kizarvexis

I highlighted the only problem I have with your reply. ABC controls the BCS money and while I agree that each BCS conference wants another slot in the BCS, if ABC wants the BE market, then the BE will stay in the BCS. IMO, that was why USF was added to the BE - the 13th TV market. USF's potential was just a benny for the BE, IMO. I think the number of the non-BCS vs the BCS schools will be a big political factor if the BCS after 2006 is similar to what is in place now. IMO, the best scenario for the BE is for a 5th bowl to be added with one or both slots going to the current non-BCS conferences. That would make the BE keeping its autobid a lock. Kizarvexis

Ok, let me see if I have all this straight. Old Hockey A Win was 2 pts A Tie was 1 pt for each team A Loss (OT or not) got you nothing. New Hockey A Win is 2 pts A Tie is 1 pt for each team A regulation Loss gets you nothing. An OT loss gets you 1 pt and the winning team 2 pts. So if that is right, then the points handed out for OT games where 1 team wins went from 2 to 3. Shouldn't the number of points handed out for a win in regulation have gone up to 3 as well? Were there problems with teams playing safe to get 1 pt in OT before they added the new rule? Ex. During a soccer tournament, if both teams only need one point to advance to the next round and they are tied near the end of the game, both teams will stand around and let the clock run out. Did this use to happen in Hockey too? Kizarvexis

That's only true IF you make the postseason and not really then. The difference between a 1st seed and the 6th can make a big difference - at least in football anyways. Kizarvexis Thanks for the info.

I've never really followed hockey as I have never been to a game or even watched a complete game on TV. I had heard the Lightning were doing well and have a ticket combo for the Thursday night Lightning game and the Friday night USF Homecoming game. I went to check to see if the Lightning played a game before Thurs and I noticed the stangeness above. Now I find it even weirder if the Lightning have beaten Atlanta in a OT game as well, but are still behind in the points! Kizarvexis

How is 6-0-0 worse than 5-1-2? ??? Atlanta is 5-1-2 and has 13 points. The Lightning are 6-0-0 and have 12 points. Boston (5-2-2) also has 12 points. I just don't get why the points are set up the way they are. Just seems wrong for a undefeated team to be behind 1 loss, 2 tie team. Kizarvexis An avowed hockey newbie.

Well it's too bad that ESPN had him pulled. His TMQ articles were funny. Maybe someone else will pick up the TMQ series. Kizarvexis

Gregg Easterbrooks Tuesday Morning Quarterback series is gone from ESPN. ESPN had this to say. "To our readers: Tuesday Morning Quarterback will no longer be available on ESPN.com." Anyone know why? Kizarvexis