RANDOMIZATION: I FEEL A DRAFT (4/26/08)

Random thoughts on the NFL Draft, followed by a few other things...

• Jake Long was a safe pick for Miami. With how bad they were last year, Bill Parcells knows he can't afford to take chances. He already has a running back in Ronnie Brown, and drafting a potential health/character risk in McFadden would have been a mistake. He wasn't sure about Matt Ryan as a franchise quarterback. This just makes sense for them. Oh, and on the heels of the impact Joe Thomas made in Cleveland last year, it's not a half-bad idea.
• The Rams did the right thing. Chris Long is going to be really good, and he gives them some versatility on the defensive line. As much as I believe McFadden is the best player available, it's hard to justify taking him when you already have Stephen Jackson. He's pretty good, I hear.
• Matt Ryan? Really? Talk about a panic move by Atlanta. I am thinking Arthur Blank didn't make his fortune by panicking. Why here? The Falcons need defensive line help. They have some patchwork veterans at the quarterback position who can hold down the fort if you solidify around them, and Ryan isn't going to make this team any better without that help, either.
• I love McFadden going to Oakland. Look for a potential Adrian Peterson-like impact.
• Kansas City should have moved down. Or taken Vernon Gholston. It's probably the second mistake out of the first five picks in the draft.

With the Vikings moving out of the first round, the excitement around here isn't quite as high as usual. The Packers pick 30th, but speculation is centering around a trade-down. It makes sense, as Green Bay doesn't have any major needs that are likely to be filled with that first-round pick. General manager Ted Thompson loves stockpiling picks, so it's always an option to move down.

The Allen trade. More here. It's interesting to say the least. As I wrote earlier this week, I don't like the idea of giving up three upper-round picks and giving out a big contract for a guy. First off, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the Vikings to win. They're going to have to do it with questions at quarterback and along the offensive line. Those are major holes you can get help on with those draft picks. However, the Vikings decided they needed to fill a major hole at defensive end, and getting a proven commodity in Allen was worth giving up the draft picks and money. It's truly a defensible position, even if my conclusion isn't the same.

RANDOMIZATION: 04/21/08

Is he the answer? I wish I knew. I've had trouble making up my mind about the potential of the Vikings acquiring defensive end Jared Allen from Kansas City.

On one hand, there are the statistics, including 15.5 sacks last year. Oh, and Allen missed two games last season because of a suspension. You can't deny this talent. Allen is a world-class pass-rusher, and the Vikings are in desperate need of people who are actually capable of getting to the opposing quarterback.

On the other hand, Allen's past is checkered. He was suspended last year after getting arrested for drunk driving. Drinking is a big enough issue for the Chiefs that they don't appear in re-signing a legitimate star player for anything close to market value. They'd rather take whatever draft picks they can get for him and move on with their rebuilding.

For Minnesota to get Allen, they have to either sign him to an offer sheet and give up two first-round picks as compensation (Allen is Kansas City's designated franchise player), or they have to agree to a trade with Kansas City. Allen visited Minnesota over the weekend, and wasn't horrified with the state of the organization appeared impressed enough to sign there.

Now, there's the matter of working out a deal, should this be what the Vikings want to do.

Should this be what the Vikings want to do?

I'd have no problem whatsoever with the concept of making a deal for Allen, but this is costly in two areas for Minnesota.

First, they have to give up some sort of draft-pick compensation. A franchise player who signs elsewhere without a trade being worked out is worth two first-round picks. Kansas City won't get that from Minnesota (or anyone else) in a trade, but they are getting at least a first-rounder, and you can probably throw in a second first-day pick with that. So the Vikings are looking at giving up two first-day picks in a solid draft just to get the right to sign Allen.

And then there's the matter of signing Allen. He won't come cheap. Last summer, Dwight Freeney of Indianapolis got a six-year, $72 million deal, including $30 million in guarantees. I'm not saying Allen will ask for as much or more money, but you can bet something close to it is in store.

Kevin Seifert of the Star Tribune has an interesting point on another issue in the Allen story, which is whether the Vikings should try to get this done this week, or wait until after the NFL Draft.

By most accounts, the Vikings could have Allen today if they send Kansas City their first- and second-round picks in this weekend’s draft. That’s a premium price, one they might be able to lower into a first-and-third package by the end of this week. (As we’ve previously reported, the Vikings are close to an agreement with Allen’s agent on a multi-year contract extension.)

As the suggestion goes, the Vikings would sign Allen after the draft to a formal offer sheet for franchise players. The Chiefs would have the option to match, but they almost certainly would pass and accept the mandatory compensation according to NFL rules: The Vikings’ next two first-round draft picks, in 2009 and 2010.

True, the Vikings would enter the 2008 season with Allen plus a full draft class, including the No. 17 overall pick. But unless we’re missing something, this strategy seems to be a classic mortgage of the future in order to win now.

I tend to agree. Pay the price now and get it over with. If Allen isn't the answer by himself, the Vikings are going to need those 2009 and 2010 first-rounders to help stock the roster and build a winner around him.

Work out a trade. This can't be hard, considering how desperate the Chiefs are to rebuild. That said, I'm just not sold that this is the best move for the Vikings. This is a solid draft, and while the Vikings undoubtedly have the money, it's not necessarily the best idea to build a team through free agency and high-priced, high-profile moves.

NBA playoffs uncovering a new, bright star. I was pretty confident that the NBA season passed without me missing anything significant until I started flipping channels during Saturday's Boston-Montreal hockey game.

Basketball fans are probably going to be mad at me for this, but I have to be honest. I probably watched two hours of various NBA games this season, and it was mainly to see how badly the Timberwolves were getting slaughtered (usually pretty badly). The most I watched of any single game was Minnesota's win over Phoenix January 23. Al Jefferson was a monster that night, putting up a 39-15. Wow.

Anyway, I flipped to ESPNHD Saturday during the second intermission of the hockey game. I was mesmerized. Chris Paul is amazing. He simply took over the third quarter of the New Orleans-Dallas game, lifting his team from a double-digit halftime hole into a lead and eventually a double-digit victory. He's not a me-first player at all, and you can tell the Hornets players are killing themselves to help him out.

Paul had 35 points and ten assists for the night, and I have to think the Hornets made believers out of a lot of people, if only for one night. People make too much out of experience in the playoffs. Paul's talent is enough to overcome a general lack of experience. Granted, there are going to be pressure situations in this series, and there will be spots that Paul doesn't come up big in. When that happens, he'll be asked about his lack of playoff experience.

Brush it off.

At some point, New Orleans will be eliminated (it's highly unlikely that they are good enough to win a title this year). When they go out, people will blame their youth. The reality, as FanHouse's Matt Watson points out (sort of), is that "experience" is a media creation. When it's convenient to point it out, it's a big deal. But no one wants to point out that a guy like Tracy McGrady has a wealth of playoff experience, and that he's usually stepped up in the playoffs.

Don't sweat it. The "new NHL" is a myth, too. Sometimes, the media is misled and doesn't bother to do their research. Sometimes, they just make stuff up because they think we're stupid.

End of Wild. This is going to be a tough offseason for Minnesota. They have 13 total free agents (restricted and unrestricted), and it's likely that there will be impressive roster turnover, something that's not been common for the Wild.

Pavol Demitra (pictured) and Brian Rolston are among the unrestricted free agents, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard highlights the list of restricted free agents (read more here).

Michael Russo did a fantastic job covering the Wild this season, and he has another fine blog post up today talking about the offseason conundrum.

I will tell you Jacques (Lemaire) said this decision to or not to return is no different than any season. He’s up there in age (62) and wants to make sure he still has the fire and has certain questions answered by (GM) Doug Risebrough.

He did say he’s never had a harder time getting a team to play like a team in the regular season. He felt the team played exactly the way he finally wanted it to in the playoffs, and that’s why it’s a shame they’re out.

– Rolston reiterated he wants to be back, as did Pavol Demitra, Todd Fedoruk, Aaron Voros and Radivojevic. Matt Foy doubts he’ll be back. I did not see Keith Carney, and I’m not sure if Kent got him, but he’ll almost certainly play elsewhere (and will be missed by his teammates).

– PM Bouchard wants a long-term deal. Marian Gaborik did say an extension would be good this summer because a Marian Hossa-like distraction could ruin the team.

I've said already that I think Gaborik should be traded, but I'm starting to flip-flop on that a bit. And it's only been two days.

I do think Demitra should be allowed to move on unless the price is right (barely a raise off the $4.5 million he made). Rolston needs to be brought back unless someone makes him a stupid offer. If that's the case, let him go, because he's not worth tying up any large amount of the cap over.

But the Gaborik saga is interesting. I hope his future isn't tied to Demitra's, because I'm certain Demitra is on his way out. He was a passenger for most of the playoff series, and I wasn't happy with how he performed in a contract year.

Yost Tracker: 1. I'm not so mad about Brewers manager Ned Yost using closer Eric Gagne a fourth straight day. Frankly, he threw good pitches that were hit out of the ballpark. I can deal with that, because it's going to happen. Similarly, guys will get away with bad pitches that become outs. Oh, well.

Had "using a closer with a history of arm problems for a fourth straight day" been Yost's only crime, we wouldn't be here today.

Instead, Yost didn't stop screwing up Sunday's game in Cincinnati.

After deciding to lift Gagne, he went to Salomon Torres. This would be fine, except that the Reds had a gaggle of left-handers due up, and left-handed (and rubber-armed) reliever Brian Shouse was sitting in the bullpen.

Torres is right-handed, Ned, you idiot!

Reds win.

Yosted.

The first time is always special. Enjoy it, because we'll have forgotten about it by the time he does this for the fifteenth time.

RANDOMIZATION: 04/15/08

Did you pay your taxes? Wait, I already did this bit two years ago. Sorry.

Kiszla strikes again. I wrote about this here. In summary, Mark Kiszla is a columnist for the Denver Post. He is one of these guys that just writes about whatever the big story is at the time. He's not a beat writer for the Avalanche or Nuggets or Broncos or any single team. Just a columnist. And he sucks at his job. Instead of provoking thought and expressing his thoughts and opinions, Kiszla would rather incite and anger. It's a rather annoying trend that sportswriters tend to carry with them. I don't know if it's all the bad press box food, or if they're born that way.

Michael Russo, who covers the Wild for the Star Tribune and does a wonderful job, says fans should calm down. In reality, he's right. Kiszla got the reaction he wanted out of his hatchet job on the Wild. Fans are irate with him, mainly because his rant came across as completely uninformed and ignorant about how hockey works.

Russo's point is pretty simple. This guy's a moron, he doesn't know anything, and it shouldn't bother you that he doesn't like the Wild, how they play, or what they wear. Russo, however, is clearly losing patience with the ignorance that spews from the Denver media when it comes to the Avalanche and the NHL.

I’m not into ripping other writers. But at some point here in Denver, the Avs jerseys should come off and impartiality and professionalism should trickle back into the business.

I’m sure I’ll be regretting that line later today, but I’ve bit my tongue all series.

Surely, Russo's tired of Kiszla's crap, especially when the prospect of dealing with the likes of Woody Paige and Jim Armstrong still exists before the series is over. Oh, and the Avalanche beat writer at the Denver Post is potentially unstable, too. Fun!

I feel sorry for any real hockey fans in Denver, and there are many (I've met a few of them). The fanbase is full of a bunch of bandwagoners, and the media there is clueless about anything that doesn't involve John Elway.

As for the hockey...The Wild are in a good spot tonight. They'll have to weather a storm, as Colorado knows they have to win to avoid a 3-1 series hole. While it's nice to not be the team with all the pressure on them (as Minnesota would be if they had lost last night), things aren't yet all rosy with the Wild. Their top three available defensemen (Brent Burns, Kim Johnsson, and Martin Skoula) have all played admirably well, but all are playing a lot more minutes than they're accustomed to. This is going to be a problem if the series goes long, and a Colorado win tonight ensures at least six games.

So while Colorado has a lot of heat on them tonight, the Wild can't lollygag through this one. This is the time to show some killer instinct. A five-game series win would be huge for the Wild, as it would allow these defensemen to rest, and it would allow Nick Schultz to work himself back into shape so he can play again in the second round.

Minnesota hasn't scored a first- or second-period goal in this series yet (six in the third and two in overtime). To get that coveted 3-1 advantage, the Wild probably need to reverse this trend. It would help to get Marian Gaborik going, and they took a huge step in that direction last night. Gaborik led the team with nine shots on goal. If he can keep putting that kind of pressure on the Avalanche defense, it's bound to pay off for him.

In other series in the West, Dallas is mere minutes away from their shot at a 3-0 lead over Anaheim. No one gave them much of a chance in this series, and for them to have a 2-0 lead is shocking enough. The Stars need to do it. Even though Anaheim is the defending champion and completely befuddled by their poor play in the first two games, Dallas has pressure on them tonight. They don't want to let the experienced and tough Ducks back in the series.

San Jose is on their way to another classic playoff collapse, this time in the first round against Calgary. Will this one cost Ron Wilson his job?

Give plenty of credit to Boston for hanging in there against Montreal. The same can't be said for Ottawa, who is in the midst of folding like a cheap tent against Pittsburgh. It's somewhat fitting that it is the only first-round series still with a chance to end in a sweep. Ottawa did little down the stretch, and they just can't match up with Pittsburgh's high-end talent because of all their injuries.

I loved what Sean Avery did Sunday night in New York. I also understand the league's position, especially when it comes to the prospect of copycats and further hijinx from Avery. But I still laugh when I see the video, and I think people who talk about this being some sort of "black eye" on the NHL are being silly. Avery is a pest, and he'll think of other exciting ways to get under the skin of Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. The two don't exactly exchange Christmas cards every year.

NBA Playoffs. Who cares?

NFL schedule is out. Only in the NFL could this be a story. Some key dates, and then I'll bring you the Packers and Vikings schedules.

Week One
Thursday, September 4: Redskins at Giants
Sunday, September 7: Bears at Colts
Monday, September 8: Vikings at Packers and Broncos at Raiders

Week Six
Patriots at Chargers

Week Nine
Cowboys at Giants
Patriots at Colts

Week Thirteen
THANKSGIVING
Titans at Lions
Seahawks at Cowboys
Cardinals at Eagles

Week Fifteen
Giants at Cowboys

VIKINGS SCHEDULE

Wk	Date	Matchup	Time
1	Sept. 8 (Mon.)	at Green Bay Packers	7 p.m.
2	Sept. 14	Indianapolis Colts	1 p.m.
3	Sept. 21	Carolina Panthers	1 p.m.
4	Sept. 28	at Tennessee Titans	1 p.m.
5	Oct. 6 (Mon.)	at New Orleans Saints	8:30 p.m.
6	Oct. 12	Detroit Lions	1 p.m.
7	Oct. 19	at Chicago Bears	1 p.m.
8	Oct. 26	Bye
9	Nov. 2	Houston Texans	1 p.m.
10	Nov. 9	Green Bay Packers	1 p.m.
11	Nov. 16	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1 p.m.
12	Nov. 23	at Jacksonville Jaguars	1 p.m.
13	Nov. 30	Chicago Bears*	8:15 p.m.
14	Dec. 7	at Detroit Lions	1 p.m.
15	Dec. 14	at Arizona Cardinals	4:05 p.m.
16	Dec. 21	Atlanta Falcons	1 p.m.
17	Dec. 28	New York Giants	1 p.m.

PACKERS SCHEDULE

Wk	Date	Matchup	Time
1	Sept. 8 (Mon.)	Minnesota Vikings	7 p.m.
2	Sept. 14	at Detroit Lions	1 p.m.
3	Sept. 21	Dallas Cowboys	8:15 p.m.
4	Sept. 28	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1 p.m.
5	Oct. 5	Atlanta Falcons	1 p.m.
6	Oct. 12	at Seattle Seahawks	4:15 p.m.
7	Oct. 19	Indianapolis Colts	4:15 p.m.
8	Oct. 26	Bye
9	Nov. 2	at Tennessee Titans	1 p.m.
10	Nov. 9	at Minnesota Vikings	1 p.m.
11	Nov. 16	Chicago Bears	1 p.m.
12	Nov. 24 (Mon.)	at New Orleans Saints	8:30 p.m.
13	Nov. 30	Carolina Panthers	1 p.m.
14	Dec. 7	Houston Texans	1 p.m.
15	Dec. 14	at Jacksonville Jaguars	1 p.m.
16	Dec. 22 (Mon.)	at Chicago Bears	8:30 p.m.
17	Dec. 28	Detroit Lions	1 p.m.

RANDOMIZATION: 04/07/08

The new building is coming! Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty Monday signed the controversial bonding bill into law. He used his line-item veto power to cut the bill by around $200 million, but he left in funding for the expansion of the DECC. The new complex will house UMD hockey and open in time for the 2010 season.

Obviously, I'm thrilled and grateful that the Governor used his line-item veto, rather than playing more political games with the idiotic DFL. They can't listen and follow requests and instructions, but this wasn't the time for lessons or immature messages. This and many other projects can now move forward, and the Legislature can continue to argue, bicker, and do nothing try to get their work done before the end of the session.

(This wasn't just a good day for UMD hockey. The bill included money for the new events center in Bemidji, a facility that will likely save the Bemidji State program from a possible demise. It also had in it money for work at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, though the building is still expected to look like a large concrete block from the inside.)

NHL Playoffs. I hate to send you elsewhere, but my comrades and I will have complete playoff coverage here. Work there is going to keep me very busy, especially as long as Minnesota is alive, but I'll try to keep this updated more often than I have been (wouldn't take much).

As for the pairings, I have a few quick-hit thoughts. First off, the most interesting first-round matchup is Philadelphia vs Washington. The Capitals are white-hot, having picked up 22 points out of a possible 24 (!) in their last 12 games. Amazing run. However, Philadelphia is also playing well, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games. The physical Flyers will give Washington's skill players fits, and the goaltending matchup (Biron vs Huet) features guys who were tossed aside by other teams (Biron was in Buffalo, while Huet played for Montreal).

The worst matchup isn't Boston vs Montreal. Yes, the Bruins went oh-fer in eight games against Montreal, but they're bound to win one here. They're playing well, and the Canadiens are dealing with injuries. The worst matchup is probably Detroit vs Nashville. Dan Ellis might keep the Predators in most of the games, but they don't have a chance to win with the offense they field. Games can't end in 0-0 ties in the playoffs, and teams can't kill the clock to take their chances in a shootout.

I mean no disrespect... But I've probably watched less of this year's NCAA Tournament than ever before. It's not the NCAA's fault, as they've done nothing new to suck the life out of the event. It's not CBS' fault. Outside of a few fumbles when it comes to switching to more compelling games, I think they do a great job. Gus Johnson gets a lot of love from these folks, and most of it is warranted. Jim Nantz isn't terrible, though it drives me nuts that he thinks about how to call a major moment before it happens. Billy Packer gets way too much grief. He's sharp, insightful, and usually only crabby when he should be.

Anyway, it's not their fault the basketball has been dreadful. One out of four regional finals was interesting, and that one didn't go the right way (Kansas-Davidson). Sorry, but four number-one seeds in the Final Four isn't interesting. It might show that the best teams are there, but people don't watch the NCAA Tournament to see the best teams. They watch the NCAA Tournament to see that special Cinderella story. Cinderella isn't in San Antonio. Instead, the favorites are left, and it's not as much fun.

As for the championship game, Memphis and Kansas should provide an up-tempo affair. Both teams want to run, they have great athletes, and they can shoot the lights out. The game should be high scoring, and it should be the best game of the tournament. I like Memphis, because in my opinion, they'll have at least the two best players on the floor (Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose ... Joey Dorsey has to fit in here somewhere, too).

(Since I said all of this, Kansas probably wins 63-44.)

RANDOMIZATION: 04/03/08

So, yeah. I'm here. I'm alive. Every month, I think I'm going to update this thing more. Then I slack. I suck. Right now, I'm on my couch, enjoying the Lightning-Capitals game in sparkling high definition. Not even Joe Beninati could screw this night up.

Random thoughts on things that have already happened or are about to happen. Feel free to follow along...

• Michigan is the best college hockey team I've seen as we head into the Frozen Four. North Dakota didn't play terribly well in the Midwest Regional, and I'm not confident in their chances. Boston College is fast, and their goalie doesn't appear easily rattled. Frankly, I'm not a huge Notre Dame fan, meaning they'll probably wax Michigan in the semifinals.
• Despite all the controversy, the NCAA Selection Committee did a good job. The actual selections were made for them, as they are obligated to follow the stringent criteria. The committee didn't pick Wisconsin. The system did. The only decision the committee made that could be fairly criticized was their call to protect the top two national seeds by not making them play in regionals featuring host schools. The Colorado Springs and Madison regionals had to take their host teams (CC and Wisconsin), and the committee was right to send Michigan and Miami out east to neutral regionals. Here's hoping future selection committees follow that precedent.
  
• Please, Washington, make the NHL playoffs. And knock out someone not named "Carolina". If Boston or Philadelphia end up golfing next week, we're all winners. For that matter, Ottawa is practically useless with how they've been playing.
• I was hoping that fun, young, exuberant Edmonton team would make it out West. It's a longshot, but it would be cool as hell to see Chicago make it. I'm not anti-Nashville, but they've yet to show me much in the postseason, despite having home-ice advantage a couple times.
• The NCAA Basketball Tournament can't afford to be boring. Basketball is just not a terribly exciting sport, and the tournament - no matter the tradition - needs some compelling storylines in order to keep the viewers around. This tournament now lacks that. No one is going to care about an all-favorite Final Four, especially when it includes traditional powers like UCLA, North Carolina, and Kansas. Memphis is the only one of the bunch that can claim to be an underdog, and it's only by default because they're from a smaller conference.
• Wisconsin's shooting woes might have blown the best chance they'll have at the Final Four under Bo Ryan. Great coach, but the style he coaches leaves the team really prone to long shooting slumps that can cost them big games. Strangely enough, when those shooting slumps happen, it seems to have a real impact on the team's normally strong free-throw shooting.
• I couldn't agree more with Michael David Smith's take on the NFL's attempt to stop the trend of players letting their hair hang out of their helmets. This is petty, stupid, and could be seen by the oversensitive crowd as being racist. I have no problem with the NFL going so far as to regulate the length of a player's socks, or the color of their shoes. That's part of a uniform. Hair is not part of a uniform. This isn't a restaurant, where problems can be had by someone letting their hair hang out and fly around everywhere. People who care about the length of players' hair have entirely too much time on their hands.
• Chris Henry is in trouble again. Shocking. This time, it cost him his job in Cincinnati, and it's worth noting it's likely to cost him his NFL career. Words cannot describe how sad it is to see someone waste their gifts because they're too stupid to stay out of trouble.
  
• The Phoenix Suns were widely criticized for making the trade for Shaquille O'Neal. Well, now that Shawn Marion has shut it down for the year in Miami, and O'Neal is more and more of a fit in Phoenix's wide-open attack, the trade doesn't look so stupid. The race for eighth in the West is intriguing, with Dallas suddenly fighting for a spot against Denver and Golden State. Denver is probably the least likely of the three to make it when you consider how often they get blown out (something like 15 losses by double-digits). However, they have great talent, and Dallas is reeling with Dirk Nowitzki out. Golden State is simply the most exciting team in the sport, and one has to hope they make it. In the East, nobody cares. Just like pretty much every year.
• Baseball is underway. No major stories yet, though it's nice to see teams like Tampa Bay and Washington off to good starts. However, it's just too early to tell if those teams can sustain anything positive. I think it'll be interesting to see how the National League races develop. The Mets are hardly a slam-dunk to win the East, with Philadelphia and Atlanta both potential contenders. The Nationals would like to think they can win, but I don't see them hitting enough. In the Central, everyone is picking the Cubs, but it's as if they forgot how long Milwaukee held the lead in the division last year. It's not like the Brewers are going to disappear, even if their manager is a bit of an idiot.

NON-SPORTS WARNING...Is this really a surprise? Seriously. How could anyone think this is a big deal? At this point, the Clintons are going to have to steal the nomination from Obama. I wouldn't put it past them, but that's what it will take. At this stage, he's winning the delegate battle, the fundraising battle, and he has all the momentum. Hillary should play it smart, take a potential spot as the vice president on the ticket (because that would be a sure victory, no matter who McCain chooses as a running mate), and stop acting as if she has a good chance to win the nomination (unless Camp Clinton already has a plan in place to steal it).

RANDOMIZATION: 01/24/08

So how does this work? I get up at 2:40am today, because my wife woke me, having realized (correctly) that there were some items I had to take on the Lowell trip that were sitting in my office. My work office, that is. We had forgotten to run there and pick them up Wednesday night.

(So how lucky am I? Not only is my wife a huge hockey fan, but she is also perceptive enough to figure out the things I'm forgetting for my trip.)

Good thing we got up early. I got dressed, went to put my shoes on, and snapped the lace of my black dress shoes in half. That necessitated a quick run to Walgreens on the way to the airport.

(When you start wondering why stores are open 24/7, think about this one. The idiot who snaps his shoelace while getting dressed at 3am to go to the airport and catch a 5:15am flight needs to be able to get a new shoelace somewhere.)

So, yeah. Why can't I get to sleep? Ugh. And I've already seen Inside the NFL tonight.

Okposo follow-up. Original ranting here. The question I had originally was whether Okposo bolted or the Islanders "persuaded" him to sign somehow.

That question has been answered, and it takes some of the sting off what Okposo did. Some.

Word from two extremely reliable sources is that Okposo was given a deadline to sign a contract with the Islanders. Not signing would have meant Okposo was running the risk of not being offered a deal this summer. This has surely made a few laps around message boards, but I'm a little bit more confident in it now than I was when I read it on a message board.

I called Garth Snow's move "bush-league" in my original post on the matter. I feel very strongly now that my use of "bush-league" was an insult to other "bush-league" stunts that have been pulled over time.

One can only hope that the NHL and the NCAA can come to some sort of accord over this ridiculous behavior. There's a really good reason why this isn't allowed in any other sport, and it's time for hockey to close the loophole.

Take all the kids you want in the summer. But once they've started a season, leave them alone.

More ref stuff. Original ranting/reporting here. And here. You know what happened there. I have two more updates, both courtesy of UMD media colleague Kevin Pates.

First, it appears that Denver/Wisconsin referee Randy Schmidt has been bumped from at least one weekend assignment. The league confirmed that Schmidt has been taken off the series he was scheduled to work this weekend (he wasn't scheduled for any games last weekend). No further comment from the WCHA, so this is going to be week-to-week speculation until either we find out he has been suspended for a longer period or fired, or he turns up officiating a WCHA series.

Also, WCHA referee Todd Anderson got yelled at after he grabbed UMD's Michael Gergen by the jersey Friday night at the DECC. Anderson was run into by Gergen during a UMD rush (unintentionally). The two exchanged words, and then Anderson was seen by 5,000-plus people to be grabbing Gergen by the jersey to make sure the conversation continued.

Even if Gergen told Anderson to "get the (bleep) out of the way, (bleep)", Anderson was out of line. I don't know exactly what happened, though Gergen told both Pates and me that he didn't say any such thing. Frankly, I don't care what he said. He didn't run into Anderson on purpose. You could argue that Anderson shouldn't have been where he was on the ice (I don't know the protocol on this, but it just seemed like an odd place for a ref to hang out), and Gergen was trying to make an offensive play.

That said, I thought Anderson called a pretty darned good weekend in that UMD-Minnesota series. It's the second straight time I've seen him get run over by a UMD player while trying to work at the DECC. Perhaps he should request that he only see the Bulldogs on Olympic ice. Dude's tough as nails, because he bounced up both times and kept on going. Good for him.

RANDOMIZATION: 01/16/08

Disallowed goal revisited. I have received many a response via e-mail and otherwise to my post about the WCHA and their Friday controversy in Denver. I want to thank all those with whom I have corresponded, whether we agree about what has happened or not.

I have a couple of things I'd like to add to what I said before.

First off, someone brought up a valid point. While referee Randy Schmidt is ultimately to blame for much of what went wrong, there were two other officials working on the ice with him, along with a replay official. They have to share some of the blame, too, because they had a responsibility to communicate what they saw with Schmidt and didn't do that.

Secondly, WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod has broken his "silence" on this topic, speaking to - among others - Todd Milewski of The Capital Times in Madison.

(The commish gets a bit of a pass for his previous silence on the matter, as he was in Nashville for important NCAA-related stuff.)

He said he looked into the possibility that there was a clock malfunction, and he said that Denver senior associate athletic director Ron Grahame did find a glitch in the TV system that adds 0.0 between 1.0 and 0.9.

That, however, wasn't the issue to the commissioner.

"The issue was simply in the instructions that Randy (Schmidt, the referee) gave to the operator of the replay equipment: run it down to zero and stop it," McLeod said. "And, to me, that was the wrong instruction. He should have gone further back. And he would have seen because what he saw definitely was that the puck was not in the net, but what he didn't see was the puck had crossed the line and come out. It was a human error."

I trust the commissioner when he says it was a human error. I also recognize that it was more than just one guy who messed up, though Schmidt bears the ultimate responsibility (and reading between the lines, it sounds like he is going to be pretty heavily disciplined or fired).

The WCHA has a bit of work to do to restore their reputation, and I'm sure that the officials will reminded of all the protocol for review situations. None of this will get Wisconsin their point back, but there's no fair way to do that. McLeod is right. Giving Wisconsin a point will cause St. Cloud State to look at what happened to them, as they were on the wrong side of Schmidt's other unfortunate mistake this season.

Schmidt has seen his share of controversy already this season, and the latest one might not be over yet.

I've been told by a reliable source that McLeod is planning on being in Duluth for at least one game of the UMD-Minnesota series this weekend. If I get a chance to sit down with him, I'll let you know about what is said.

How to win a road NFL game this weekend. For the Chargers and Giants, I have one tip that is more important than anything else.

Take the tape of your Week Two game (San Diego and the Giants were both bludgeoned by their title game opponents in Week Two) and set it on fire. Make it a public ceremony.

Don't watch it. And whatever you do, don't take anything that happened and act like you can learn from it for this week.

Both San Diego and New York are better than they were in Week Two, and that's a good start. But it's also worth noting that Green Bay and New England aren't the same, either. The Patriots aren't going to carbon-copy their Week Two game plan, because that's just not how Bill Belichick operates. They'll come up with some different wrinkles on each side of the ball, so if the Chargers are insistent on learning lessons from that 38-14 defeat, they're probably wasting their time. Outside of playing pure fundamental football (which they didn't play in the earlier meeting), there's nothing San Diego can learn to do.

The Giants lost 35-13 to Green Bay in Week Two. Back then, the Packers didn't even muster the threat of a running game, and Brett Favre was not good throwing the ball deep. The pass defense was shaky because of poor play at safety, and the Pack didn't look like a Super Bowl contender.

If New York shows up prepared to play the same Green Bay team they played in September, they'll get worked by as many (if not more) points.

RANDOMIZATION: 01/10/08

Favre returning. Maybe.

"I am trying to enjoy [the hot streak the Packers are on] because this could be my last game in Green Bay. For the first time in three years, I haven't thought this could be my last game. I would like to continue longer."

It's better than being completely indecisive on the topic, I suppose.

But the "this could be my last game in Green Bay" part confuses me, especially when you put it in the same paragraph as "I would like to continue longer".

Brett, if you'd like to keep playing, no one in Green Bay is going to stop you from doing it.

Not even Aaron Rodgers.

(Though this brings up a topic that not many people have discussed today. Why not trade Aaron Rodgers to a team in need of a quarterback? The guy had a rock-solid preseason, and he was nothing short of superb when Favre was injured against Dallas. Sure, it's a risk, because Rodgers is starting to look like a guy who would be really good in this offense. But if you can help out at a different position [not a lock, mind you], why wouldn't you consider it?)

Now go finish getting ready for the playoff game Saturday. It's time to get back to the NFC Championship Game.

Divisional Playoff Weekend. This brings us to football picks for this weekend. Since the Packer game is first on the schedule, we'll start there.

Seattle at Green Bay. The Packers are a rather solid favorite in this game, but should they be such an overwhelming pick? Seattle is going to pose problems for the Packers' offensive line, which doesn't allow sacks in large part because the offense is designed to prevent them with quick, rhythmic passing. However, the Seahawks are solid enough in the secondary that their pass rush, led by Patrick Kerney, will have an impact on this game.

In a "normal" Green Bay season (normal as defined by "since Mike Holmgren got there"), the Packers would simply counter this with screen passes meant to attack Seattle's rather average linebackers (exception: Julian Peterson) and keep the defensive line from overpursuing. This is not a normal Packer team. They're not particularly good at screen passes, and it probably doesn't bode well for that part of this game. To keep the defensive line from being all over Favre, Ryan Grant needs to have a big day running the ball. I expect to see a lot of Favre in the shotgun, and I wouldn't be shocked to see a few draw plays run out of the shotgun spread, all in the name of keeping the defense honest.

In the end, Seattle's poor running game will hurt them, and Green Bay will do enough to Matt Hasselbeck to keep Seattle at bay.
The pick: Green Bay

Jacksonville at New England. ESPN.com's Jeremy Green thinks Jacksonville is going to win.

I think he's nuts.

Listen, the Jaguars have that cute two-headed running game with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. They have a quarterback who doesn't screw up much. They don't shoot themselves in the foot with dumb penalties. The weather - if it's crappy - won't bother them, as they've already won twice in Pittsburgh, including a snow game and a night game.

But who's going to cover Randy Moss? Wes Welker? Donte Stallworth? Ben Watson?

Who's going to deal with Kevin Faulk out of the backfield? Or Laurence Maroney?

If the Jaguars can't get heat with their front four, who's going to hit Tom Brady? They're going to be too busy using linebackers and extra defensive backs to cover up the holes in their coverage.

Too many flaws in the Jaguars' game. IF they can run the ball consistently, take care of the ball better than they did in Pittsburgh last week, and get a few breaks, they have a shot. But it's too much to ask.
The pick: New England

San Diego at Indianapolis: Toughest call of the weekend. The Chargers have a shot, but much of their shot depends on the health of TE Antonio Gates, who was injured in the Wild Card win over Tennessee. If Gates can't go, the Chargers have to lean too much on the wide receivers and Philip Rivers for my taste. Rivers is much better when he has his big target in Gates. Otherwise, the primary receivers (Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers) are too inconsistent. They're going to have to be great Sunday, because you know the Colts will do all they can to take away LaDainian Tomlinson.

Indianapolis figures to have Marvin Harrison back, and that should help Peyton Manning a great deal, considering he will feel the heat all afternoon from the Chargers defense.

I think the Chargers have a shot. I'd like them even more if they had Antonio Gates, or if they didn't have to travel all the way across the country to play this game (their record this year jumping multiple time zones isn't great). But Tomlinson is eager to rebound off a rough game against Tennessee, and Rivers was sure comfortable throwing that deep ball last week. That dimension may be enough to counter the (potential) loss of Gates. And if Gates plays, I'm much more confident about this.
The pick: San Diego

N.Y. Giants at Dallas. Maybe the Giants have a real shot here, but this is still Eli Manning. And he's on the road. I just don't trust him much.

No Jessica Simpson at this game probably means Tony Romo will play well, though she was nowhere to be found in Week 17, and Romo was pure garbage in that game.

Dallas rebounds from that Washington loss by beating the Giants at home, and they prepare to lose to Green Bay next Sunday. I called that now, probably because I'm stupid.
The pick: Dallas

RANDOMIZATION: 01/09/08

What did we miss? The two-week hiatus (was planned to be one, but you know how that goes) allowed us to miss a bunch of stuff here. The NFL playoffs started after New England finished a 16-0 regular season. The NHL played a hockey game outside, allowing cynical media members to get a bunch more ammunition to make fun of the league. The Timberwolves lost a bunch of games. Then they won one.

Oh, and a national television commentator suggested that a bunch of golfers lynch Tiger Woods. We'll start there.

Context matters. I don't know much about Kelly Tilghman. She seems like a rather nice-looking young lady, and she did quickly apologize for her stupid statement.

However, weren't we down this road in April? And didn't everyone scream that Don Imus needed to get fired?

Think about that. In one corner, you have a guy who is paid to try to be funny. He was also being paid to push the envelope and be controversial. In the other, you have a woman who is paid to do play-by-play, and is probably not being asked to push anything or be even remotely controversial.

So why didn't anyone cry that Tilghman should be fired?

Please note: I am not advocating that she lose her job. I thought it was a travesty when Imus got fired, and I would have thought the same had The Golf Channel dropped the hammer on Tilghman. But why is she skating, while Imus was raked over the coals?

(Credit here to Tiger Woods, too. Woods quickly has tried to remove himself from the controversy. Moving on is the best thing to do here. Now that I've made my dumb statements on this, we'll do exactly that.)

NFL playoff quick hits. The Packers don't have a layup on Saturday, but should win. Jacksonville's physicality will only matter if David Garrard is sharper than he was in Pittsburgh last week. Oh, and they're playing the Patriots, so not much will matter if the Patriots are as ready to play as I expect them to be. This isn't the week to look for an upset of that juggernaut. The Colts need a healthy Marvin Harrison to win, but the Chargers may need Antonio Gates more. Too bad Jessica Simpson won't be on hand in Dallas Sunday, as her squeeze is likely to fare better against that beaten-up Giants secondary than Jeff Garcia did. That's fine. Maybe we can arrange for her appearance in some sort of skimpy, Dukes of Hazzard-esque item at the NFC Championship Game.

RANDOMIZATION: 12/18/07

Christmas schedule. Posting will be practically non-existent from Friday through Tuesday, as we go into full Christmas mode around here. In typical "radio people" fashion, we're doing our Christmas party on January 11*, naturally on a date that I can't attend.

(* - This isn't a slam on the company I work for at all. Radio people are perpetually late, to the point where I have tricked myself I have to be at a 7:00pm hockey game by 4:45pm.)

I allowed myself to get roped into this Secret Santa deal. When I get something from someone, I'm probably supposed to guess who got it for me. I'm not going to have any idea. Why do we do this? I mean, there's probably a 65% chance I'll get something related to the Packers or UMD. Odds might even be higher than that for all I know. The normal line you get is that "we all need to get to know each other", but does anyone really do that? No. Instead, we just assume that since the girl in the sales cubicle down the aisle really likes dogs, we should get her something related to dogs. What if she doesn't want anything related to dogs? Then we just look stupid.

And why am I ranting about Secret Santa?

Mitchell Report fallout. First off, I'm one of those people who believes that if you've been caught in this report, you should just be a man and come clean.

See, even if Mitchell says you did steroids in 1994, it's not like you didn't think there was something wrong with doing steroids. After all, they were banned everywhere, including society. Odds are that you knew this and knew you were simply taking advantage of spineless, clueless leadership in baseball.

But for you to deny taking steroids at this point is kind of childish. Stupid, too.

With that said, what might be even worse than denying it altogether is trying to make me believe that all these guys just took stuff once. That's it. Just that one time to recover from an injury, or out of whatever reason, but only once! Or maybe you just took HGH because you were hurt all the time.

Seriously, do you think I just fell off the proverbial turnip truck?

Do you think the cop believes you when you told him you've never driven drunk or sped before?

Do you think the boss believes you when you told him you've never snuck in the back door ten minutes late before?

I suppose your spouse believes you when you say that you've never made out with the gardener before?

Stop. Just stop. If your answer is "Well, I only did it once, and if I offended anyone, I apologize", then just don't bother, because I don't want to hear it anymore. It's been five days, and I'm already sick of it.

Congrats on the stupidity, NFL. The Pro Bowl system is so broken that words don't even describe it. The rosters have been announced, and it's probably a good thing no one watches the game, because this is ridiculous. As expected, the 12-2 Cowboys put a lot of guys on the NFC team. But 11 is a bit much, especially considering that the other 12-2 NFC team, Green Bay, has four.

Hilariously, Green Bay's best defensive player, Nick Barnett, isn't going. Neither is their best defensive back, Charles Woodson. Instead, the Packer defense sends the deserving Aaron Kampman and the not-so-much Al Harris. Apparently, the majority of the Pro Bowl voters don't get the NFL Network, because they didn't see Harris have a horrifically bad night against Terrell Owens and the Cowboys a few weeks back.

On the other side of the ball, Brett Favre and Donald Driver are going, as they should be. Where the hell is Mark Tauscher? Am I the only one that noticed Scott Wells having a great year in the middle of that offensive line?

Meanwhile, the 8-6 Vikings have seven players on the NFC roster. Seven?

What?

(Side note: Congrats to the voters on their posthumous voting of Sean Taylor as an NFC starter. That was a super gesture, and hopefully leads to a ceremony in Hawai'i honoring his memory one last time.)

Seven?

(Including starting NFC safety Darren Sharper, who might be having his worst season as a pro. Seriously? I mean, you're better off with Atari Bigby.)

I mean, who are you people kidding? Even when you factor the 30% or so of the selected players that won't bother to play, opening up holes for alternates, this is beyond a joke.

On the other hand, it underscores what the Packers have been selling us, and each other, all season long about this being a team and not a group carried by outstanding individuals. I'll take 12-2, a bye week, and four Pro Bowlers any day over 8-6, fighting for the playoffs, and seven Pro Bowlers.

(/rant)

RANDOMIZATION: JUICED UP EDITION WITH NFL PICKS!

Clemens finally called out. Obviously, George Mitchell did his homework. Well, actually there are some who don't think he did.

"Roger (Clemens) has been repeatedly tested for these substances and he has never tested positive," Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement. "There has never been one shred of tangible evidence that he ever used these substances and yet he is being slandered today."

Well, Rusty (can I call you Rusty?), if it's slander, I would fully expect that a lawsuit is forthcoming, correct?

I won't hold my breath.

Mitchell's conclusions, well-documented all over the media and blogosphere, are pretty simple.

1. Baseball has a serious problem
2. The commissioner's office and players' union stuck their heads in the sand and ignored warning signs.
3. If the game is ever going to be cleaned up, it has to start now, and it will take cooperation to make it happen.

I hate to oversimplify, but this is pretty much what those 400-plus pages were all about. The naming of names was a necessary step, but it does nothing more than to add a soap-opera quality to this story. People wanted to hear names, and people wanted to know who was (allegedly) involved.

I'm not here to convict Roger Clemens. Not Andy Pettitte, either. For that matter, I'm not trying to throw F.P. Santangelo under the bus.

I just want to be able to watch baseball without wondering if the guy on the mound, the guy at the plate, or the guy selling hot dogs is on steroids. Probably an idealist thing at this point, but I'm still hopeful.

Overall, the Mitchell Report can only be a jumping-off point. From here, Senator Mitchell can do nothing. It's now up to Bud Selig and Donald Fehr. And even though it was 12 years ago, these are the guys who are reponsible for the cancellation of a World Series. Let's not forget that. If you trust them, you're a better and more trustworthy soul than I.

Don't fret. Barry has still never failed a drug test. This seems to me to be a bit of an issue when it comes to the legitimacy of tests.

Barry Bonds and his supporters often pointed to the fact that the home run king never flunked a drug test administered by Major League Baseball. The Mitchell Report suggests why: it appears Bonds received advanced warning of two tests in 2003. According to the report, Bonds was tested for steroid use on May 28 and June 4, 2003 as part of MLB's first attempt at formal detection. The report cites a San Francisco Chronicle report that it had obtained a tape recording of Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson boasting he received advanced notice of the testing. Anderson purportedly said on the recording that he was told the 2003 testing would occur in late May or early June. "Therefore," the report said, "if the report of this conversation is accurate Anderson correctly predicted the dates of testing, at least for his client Barry Bonds."

For starters, it's obviously easier to somehow circumvent the testing system if you know when you are going to be tested.

Of course, had Bonds tested positive, he wouldn't have been suspended in 2003. Not only that, but he continues to insist that he didn't know those things were steroids.

Yeah, right, Barry. And I didn't know that Twinkies were bad for me, either.

Oh, yeah. Football. Some picks for you.

Last week: 11-5 Season: 135-77

Home team in CAPS
Denver over HOUSTON (gotta be honest)
SAN FRANCISCO over Cincinnati
Buffalo over CLEVELAND
Tennessee over KANSAS CITY
Green Bay over ST. LOUIS
MIAMI over Baltimore
NEW ENGLAND over N.Y. Jets
NEW ORLEANS over Arizona
PITTSBURGH over Jacksonville
TAMPA BAY over Atlanta
CAROLINA over Seattle
Indianapolis over OAKLAND
DALLAS over Philadelphia
SAN DIEGO over Detroit
Washington over N.Y. GIANTS
MINNESOTA over Chicago

RANDOMIZATION: 12/12/07

Petrino to Arkansas. There is no defending the snake-like behavior of former Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino. The guy has a history of going back on his word, and he has a history of trying to leverage employers for raises by threatening to work elsewhere. This is the third contract that Petrino has signed in less than 18 months, and there's no reason to think that Arkansas will be his last stop as he scorches his way across the country.

ESPN's Pat Forde probably summed it up most effectively:

The disingenuous drifter doesn't love you or any other fan base. He doesn't love any school or any NFL franchise. He loves himself, his playbook and his bank account.

That's it. Don't expect it to change.

Bobby Petrino will return your embrace, Hog fans. But while he's hugging you he'll be looking over your shoulder, scanning the terrain for his next hook-up.

Even in a profession rife with dishonest posturing, Petrino is singularly mercenary. Loyalty, allegiance, commitment and honesty are foreign concepts to him. It must be a sad existence.

Ouch. This smacks of a human being who doesn't care about anything but himself. He likes to talk about doing what's best for his family, but his family can't possibly like the public image he's carved out for himself, and his family can't possibly like moving this much.

Trust me. I've moved before. It sucks.

There's nothing illegal about being selfish and phony. Politicians have made careers out of this kind of behavior, and it no longer surprises anyone when the lies and deception become public.

Not all football coaches are like this. Some of them actually keep their promises. Some of them actually mean it when they talk about how wonderful a place is and how much they like it there. Some of them actually mean it when they say that a particular position is their "dream job". Others are serious when they talk about not wanting to move away from the home they've made.

Bobby Petrino isn't the only coach who doesn't have these values. He's the latest, and he's one of the most notorious. If you're an Arkansas football fan, you can expect a lot of on-field success, probably not a lot of off-field issues, and plenty of rumors about where your coach is going to go next. Along with those rumors will come the occasional contract extension and raise at Arkansas. They mean everything in the world to Petrino, until it's time to leverage for more.

Mitchell report due. Thursday is a big day for baseball, as former U.S. Senator George Mitchell's report on steroid use in the game is going to be released.

It's to be expected that we'll get leaks over the next 12-15 hours before the actual release of the report (2pm ET Thursday). The first of those leaks is rather innocent, as it appears Mitchell will blame both baseball and the union for the drug issues in the game.

Mitchell's report is also expected to call for the testing system to be turned over to an independent company, and he will also say he believes baseball needs to test more frequently and make the system more transparent.

This report is the culmination of a 20-month investigation into drug use in baseball by Mitchell, who was given free reign by commissioner Bud Selig to conduct this investigation. Selig will not appear at Mitchell's news conference Thursday, instead holding his own news conference a couple hours after Mitchell. The union will follow with a news conference of their own closer to dinner hour.

Reports are that Mitchell will name close to 80 current and former players, but he will also state his investigation was hampered by an overall lack of cooperation. So what will he reveal? How rampant a problem is this? How much worse is the reality versus what Mitchell will present? Will Selig and the union do enough about the problem to satisfy the American public?

80 names is a lot, even if you add in a few former players who wouldn't surprise you all that much. But is the sports world prepared to see names of guys we would never suspect?

It just gets worse for the Knicks. No one is shocked that this team sucks. That was expected after all these years of letting Isiah Thomas make the basketball decisions.

However, what is truly shocking is how messed-up owner James Dolan apparently wants to let this franchise get before he pulls the plug on Thomas' disastrous reign as coach and personnel hatchet-wielder.

The whole sexual harassment mess was bad enough, but now Thomas has developed a warped viewpoint about this current team, and who is to blame for the putrid on-court product being displayed at Madison Square Garden.

Following the boo-infested defeat, which dropped the Knicks (6-14) a season-low eight games below .500, Mara Altschuler, who said she is a longtime season-ticket holder, rushed to the press table to complain that Thomas had lectured the fans behind the bench for not being more supportive.

According to Altschuler, Thomas said, "We're missing layups because you're booing." Altschuler, who worked 16 years for CBS News, said Thomas turned to make his stream of remarks in the third and fourth quarters, directing it to the first couple of rows.

I swear that I'm not making this up. This is too rich for me to make up.

Stop booing this group of multi-millionaires. You're making them upset, and you're making them play badly.

Before you ask, that 104-59 loss to the Celtics was played in Boston. Maybe the Knicks were upset because the Celtics fans were laughing so hard.

RANDOMIZATION: 12/11/07

Two weeks away. Are you ready? Didn't think so. My advice is to start getting ready. It will be here before you know it.

By the way, the name of the "winter holiday" is "Christmas". I have nothing but respect for all religions, and I'm not here to start a holy argument. That's not what we're about here.

But this one drives me nuts. The name of the day is "Christmas". Even if you aren't a practicing Christian, December 25 is Christmas. The calendar says so. Similarly, Hanukkah shows up on my calendar, even though I don't celebrate it. If you choose to celebrate Hanukkah, then I wish you a happy Hanukkah. If you choose to celebrate Christmas, I wish you a merry Christmas.

This isn't difficult. Call the day what it is. It's not meant to offend anyone, and it's not meant to alienate anyone. As much as I hate to say something like this, if my observance of Christmas offends you, I wish I had your life. In my life, I don't have the time or ability to worry about insignificant bullcrap like that.

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. No matter what you celebrate, may the next three or so weeks be nothing but joyous for you and your family.

Now to step off my soapbox...

Miles to Michigan??? This won't go away, as Some Guy noted on FanHouse December 1, until Michigan introduces Somebody Not Named Les Miles as their new football coach. And since Michigan hasn't done that yet, it isn't going away.

Turns out Les Miles talked to Michigan last week. Now, Miles says he's just being a good alum and trying to help M's feeble coaching search. But the fact that there is still communication leaves open the chance that I'll get my wish, and Miles will take the job after OMG SIGNING THAT EXTENSION.

So who Not Named Les Miles is there? Schiano's out. Ferentz doesn't appear to be a serious candidate. Has Michigan somehow overvalued a job at one of the great traditions in college sports? Will they be stuck with the overly unattractive Mike DeBord? Why can't they get a great candidate? Are they better off with a top I-AA (er, FCS) coach or highly-regarded I-A (er, FBS) assistant?

Frankly, I think the high-priced, high-profile move is overrated. The Wolverines have a great program, but they could get by very well doing what Ohio State did. It's very much about getting the right guy and making a good fit for the program, instead of just throwing some money at a guy like Les Miles who might not be as good a coach as his LSU teams sometimes make him look.

(Please note that my wish for Miles to take the Michigan job has nothing to do with what's best for Michigan. It's all about the comedy.)

Quick hockey note. NHL goal number two for Matt Niskanen last night in Dallas. The former Bulldog scored from the blue line in the first period, and he added two assists for a career-high three points in the game. Niskanen now has 11 points (2-9) and a plus-five in 31 games for the Stars.

He's playing great for Dallas, and it's high time that he get some time on the power play more consistently. Put him with Sergei Zubov on the point, and you'll really start to see what he can do offensively. Oh, and he got his ride "pimped" last week, too.

Way to go, Marty Turco. Nicely done. Follow the link above to get to more pictures (bigger, too) of the work that was done.

Rik Jordan heard about Niskanen getting a pie in the face on his 21st birthday last week, and he noted that it's a sign of how well Matt's been received in the locker room. I couldn't agree more. They must like him, and they must respect him, because they're treating him as one of their own.

It's something that doesn't always happen with a rookie.

RANDOMIZING THE TURKEY

Posting will light over the weekend, as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday by eating entirely too much and watching some football, most of which will not be very good.

I'll also be in Grand Forks for the least glamorous road trip of the hockey season so far. Sure, Ralph Engelstad Arena is gorgeous, but Grand Forks is, well, less nice than Denver and Colorado Springs. It's nothing against the place, really, but it won't be 70 degrees, and there are no mountain views in North Dakota. Trees can be hard to find, too.

(Hey, idiot! It's the holidays! Stop making relentless fun of North Dakota!)

OK.

The hockey should be good. I'm sure we'll have more on that as we move on here.

Right now, we have football games to select winners for. Wish me luck. We'll start with the NFL because the Big Ten season is over.

Last week: 12-4
Season: 107-57

Green Bay at Detroit: Two weeks ago, this was a tossup. The Packers were winning a ton of close games, even against inferior opponents, and the Lions were coming off a 44-7 thrashing of a Denver team that was thought to be at least decent. Since then, the Lions have gone south, losing to Arizona and the Giants, while Green Bay has beaten Minnesota and Carolina (hardly New England and Dallas, admittedly) by a combined 65-17. The blowout wins may have overinflated the team's confidence, but I think close wins tend to do more to inflate a team's opinion of itself. The big wins were a relief for this Packer fan, because it showed me they could take care of business against teams they should be able to handle. The pressure's all on the Lions here. They're not as good as Green Bay, but they can win if they force turnovers and run the football. However, they know this division becomes a foregone conclusion if Green Bay wins, because it's a four-game margin with five to play. And that's what will happen.
The pick: Green Bay

N.Y. Jets at Dallas: Maybe the NFL should try flex scheduling for Thanksgiving Day.
The pick: Dallas

Indianapolis at Atlanta: Really.
The pick: Indianapolis

Other games (home team in CAPS)
Tennessee over CINCINNATI
CLEVELAND over Houston
KANSAS CITY over Oakland
ST. LOUIS over Seattle
N.Y. GIANTS over Minnesota
TAMPA BAY over Washington
New Orleans over CAROLINA
JACKSONVILLE over Buffalo
ARIZONA over San Francisco
CHICAGO over Denver
SAN DIEGO over Baltimore
NEW ENGLAND over Philadelphia
PITTSBURGH over Miami

In college football, Kansas and Hawai'i are the only two remaining unbeatens in I-A (er, FBS). Give yourself a pat on the back if you saw this coming in September.

They're both playing big games this weekend, and both are the designated home teams. I say "designated" because Kansas was stupid enough to let this game be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Sure, it will be a great atmosphere, but KU needs this game at Lawrence, not at a neutral field.

Not many games in college football this weekend, but there are a couple doozies.

Last week: 6-4
Season: 119-55

Missouri vs. Kansas: The crowd will be jumpin', and the Big 12 North title is up for grabs. I look at Kansas as being a more balanced team offense to defense. They have a confident QB in Todd Reesing, and Brandon McAnderson leads a running game that is averaging more than 200 yards per game. Reesing and Missouri's Chase Daniel have combined for 60 touchdowns and just 13 picks this year, but Reesing's offense is probably a little better (even though Missouri gets more total yards per game). I think freshman Jeremy Maclin is the big difference for the Tigers, who don't run the ball as well as KU. He's a dynamic playmaker who is coming off a record-setting day at Kansas State. In this game, I'll take the team that presents more balance on both sides of the ball, even though they were dumb enough to give up a home game for this.
The pick: Kansas

Boise State at Hawai'i: This has been set up as the de-facto WAC championship game ever since the schedule came out. Hawai'i enjoys a unique home-field advantage, and their point differentials against common opponents are skewed a bit by the injury issues suffered by QB Colt Brennan. Brennan is expected to play in this game, and he's the reason I'm taking the Warriors. Hawai'i protects home field, wins this game, and sets themselves up for a BCS bowl bid, where they are still likely to get absolutely waxed by someone good.
The pick: Hawai'i

Other picks (home team in CAPS)
ARIZONA STATE over Southern California
TEXAS A&M over Texas
WEST VIRGINIA over Connecticut
Virginia Tech over VIRGINIA
BYU over Utah

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!

RANDOMIZATION: 11/16/07 OH AND PICKS TOO

If you can follow along, I should throw in a prize at the end. I should, but I won't.

• UMD sweeps Michigan Tech? I hope so, but a split or three points is more likely. This is a tough team to sweep, being that they rarely get outworked and they have really solid goaltending.
• Barry Bonds got indicted. Call me crazy, but the most intriguing revelation in the indictment is that he has apparently tested positive for steroids. So much for that argument in your denials lies, Barry. Have fun in hell, watching ARod break that record. Legitimately.
• Speaking of ARod, it's amazing what can happen when you keep Scott Boras out of things.
• Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie doesn't have a contract yet. He was hired in April. Next time you whine about your workplace dragging their feet on something, keep this in mind. It happens to rich people, too. Then again, we should all be so lucky as to work under a memorandum of understanding that requires that we be paid $2.3 million per year.
• The Brewers have an undeserving Rookie of the Year in Ryan Braun. I mean, the guy is fantastic, but I would have voted for Troy Tulowitzki first and second if I had a vote. Better all-around player this year. Next week, the Brewers might get the payback, as I tend to believe Matt Holliday or Jimmy Rollins will be an undeserving MVP over Prince Fielder. This one isn't as clear-cut as I thought Braun v Tulowitzki was, so it's harder to figure out.
• Best pitcher in the AL in 2007: C.C. Sabathia. After the voters gave the 2005 Cy Young to Bartolo Colon over the immensely superior Johan Santana, I wondered if they could get one right. Kudos.
• Hats off to all our area football teams and players. Only one team (Cook County) got to the Metrodome, but it was a fun season nonetheless. If I had a vote for Area Player of the Year, I'd give it to Matt Kilpo of Duluth East. No one meant more to his team, even if East's record wasn't all that impressive.
• Someone buy Marian Gaborik a new groin.
• Pavol Demitra, too.
• UMD volleyball coach Jim Boos is a fantastic guy to talk to. His team is unbelieveable. The 28-1 Bulldogs are two wins away from the Elite Eight in Division II as I type this, and if they can make it, they've at least got a very real shot to host the event for the first time ever.

On to picks. We'll start with the college games.

Last week: 13-8
Season: 113-49

Home team in CAPS
Wisconsin over MINNESOTA
Ohio State over MICHIGAN
Purdue over INDIANA
MICHIGAN STATE over Penn State
ILLINOIS over Northwestern
IOWA over Western Michigan
Oklahoma over TEXAS TECH
West Virginia over CINCINNATI
GEORGIA over Kentucky
CLEMSON over Boston College

...and the NFL

Last week: 7-7
Season: 95-53

Home team in CAPS
GREEN BAY over Carolina
MINNESOTA over Oakland
Tampa Bay over ATLANTA
CINCINNATI over Arizona
DETROIT over N.Y. Giants
INDIANAPOLIS over Kansas City
PHILADELPHIA over Miami
JACKSONVILLE over San Diego
Cleveland over BALTIMORE
HOUSTON over New Orleans
Pittsburgh over N.Y. JETS
DALLAS over Washington
SAN FRANCISCO over St. Louis
SEATTLE over Chicago
New England over BUFFALO
DENVER over Tennessee

RANDOMIZATION: 11/05/07

A bit later in the day than usual, but oh, well. I have a few quick-hit thoughts.

Bye weeks suck. Best wishes to UMD freshman D Evan Oberg, who was injured during practice last week. He'll be out until January, from the sounds of it. Hopefully, the fact that he suffered a lower-body injury won't set him too far back as far as conditioning goes, and he'll make a quick return to the lineup once he's healthy. But the future is bright for Oberg, so let's get him healthy first.

Speaking of hockey...the Gophers are 0-4 in the WCHA. This has not happened since, well, ever. And I doubt that anyone around the league will be singing songs of sympathy for UMTC. Minnesota hasn't finished outside the top five in the league since 1997-1998, when Doug Woog was still the coach. That was also the last time they missed the Final Five. They're due.

Also, as a reminder, I'll be with the Bulldogs in Colorado Springs starting on Thursday. Colorado College should present the toughest test UMD has faced so far (no offense to Denver). With CC playing on Olympic ice out there, the weekend should be quite interesting. I'll be there for a preview later this week, and more stuff from our road trip during the weekend.

Skipping CDGate? This might be the stupidest thing ever. Apparently, the Patriots whined complained to the NFL about what they alleged was piped-in crowd noise at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis Sunday. The allegation appeared to originate from this particular sequence (I first saw the video at Awful Announcing):



It's not normal for me to be able to call upon experience working in radio. But this isn't a "skipping CD", as stated by some moron in the media or with the Patriots.

My first clue? The audio was nowhere to be found on Westwood One's national radio broadcast, which I was listening to at the time.

It sounds nothing like a skipping CD, really. It sounds more like feedback, which is what CBS seems to believe it was.

Seems like a few moonbats in Patriots Nation tried a bit too hard to get some controversy at the expense of their rival in Indianapolis. Try harder. This is just dumb, and it's a greater waste of time than most of the crap that came out about this game.

Hoops! College basketball is underway. Some teams are beating the crap out of lower-division teams in exhibition games. Others, like Michigan State, are losing overtime games to lower-division teams. Minnesota students are already chanting Tubby's name, and all he did was lead them past Minnesota State.

I'm too busy to get into serious team previews, but Blue Ribbon did a bang-up job on all of Division I. You can read their work on ESPN.com ($).

What I will tell you: Despite the loss to Grand Valley State, Michigan State will be a player in the Big Ten. Despite the loss of Alando Tucker, so will Wisconsin. Despite the fact that their biggest star is their head coach, the Gophers will make the postseason. I love this Indiana team, though I still don't know if Kelvin Sampson can get them to the Final Four.

Outside the Big Ten, I expect North Carolina to have a quality team. I think UCLA is going to be very good. I don't know what will happen in the Big East, but I look at Marquette as being a contender.

Basically, I don't know. Same as college football.

RANDOMIZATION: 10/04/07

Niskanen update. He played about 15 minutes in last night's season-opening loss to Colorado. Outside of a blocked shot, he didn't do anything statistically notable in those 17 shifts. He was solid handling the puck, he did what he needed to do when it came to passing, and he didn't get beaten by anyone in the defensive zone. He didn't remind anyone of Bobby Orr, but Niskanen also didn't do anything to make you think he'll be the first one sent back to Iowa as soon as the Stars are inclined to make a roster move.

Now that might happen, mind you. But I have no more reason to believe it will now than I did before the game.

Side note: Niskanen knows the Iron Range was watching. And he got some love on Versus last night. They talked about how he's from Virginia (he's actually from Mountain Iron), and commentators Joe Beninati and Daryl Reaugh relayed a funny story.

Seems like someone in the press corps for last night's game saw Niskanen's name and assumed he was Finnish (as in "from Finland"). The reporter asked Niskanen how good his English was, which left open the easy zing "Outside of a Minnesota accent, it's pretty good".

Much funnier on TV, I guess.

Stars send down two other college stars. Most UMD fans, I'm sure, are aware of Junior Lessard. I don't need to explain what he's been doing, except to tell you that he was sent down again and is starting the season at Iowa.

Also starting the season at Iowa is former Michigan Tech star Chris Conner. While Lessard's failure to make the Stars' opening-night roster wasn't much of a surprise to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, he seems downright peeved that Conner was sent down:

This isn't the end of the world. Conner can come up at any time and probably will get his chance to become an NHL regular before Christmas. But it's the Stars' job to put their best lineup on the ice for every game, and they're not doing that right now.

I think he's right. There's a side to this whole thing that I'm not totally in sync with, and that's the point where a young player merits making a team. I understand that you don't want to have a young player rotting in the press box when he can be playing in the minors, but it's kind of a waste of Conner's career to keep him in Iowa when he's clearly ready to play in the NHL. I'd say the same thing about Lessard, but I do think there is a flaw in his game (speed and defensive coverage) that makes it tough for the Stars to call him up for anything but the perfect fit.

Great. More controversy that will be stupid. Remember the Kenny Rogers thing last year? Well, it might be on the verge of happening again. Check this one out:

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle downplayed video that showed closer Manny Corpas pouring liquid on his body in the bullpen before pitching against Philadelphia in Game 1 of the NL Division Series.

Corpas was caught by TBS cameras on Wednesday taking a sip of a liquid out of a cup and then pouring some down the back of his neck and all over the front of his jersey. Corpas, who earned the save in Colorado's 4-2 win, patted his chest and rubbed his fingers before throwing a pitch.

Now, this is probably not a big deal no matter what. I loved the ESPN.com story header: "Rockies' Corpas got jersey wet before pitching". For a moment, I was wondering if the baseball playoffs had wandered into a Girls Gone Wild video shoot.

I don't know how it works in terms of the rules, but this strikes me as much ado about nothing. The Phillies didn't comment on it, which is the correct response. Maybe ignoring it will allow it to go away after a round of "Around the Horn", "PTI", and "Baseball Tonight" arguing.