American Sports Thread

[stew]

I don't think McGwire is a surprise. I was in the states for that HR chase, and just comparing the body shapes of Sosa and McGwire with what they looked like 2 or 3 years previously was stark. I can't believe no one questioned it at the time. Baseball is a shambles.

They did question it.


Baseball is far from a shambles, people are sick of the steroid talk and want to move on, attendences are up and the sport is thriving with the wild card chases every year.

[AZOffaly]

Stew, I meant the integrity of the game is a shambles. It is a game built on the history, the tradition, the aura. Greats like Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and countless others do not deserve to have their place in history taken by cheats like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens and Manny Ramirez. It's a f*cking disgrace what those lads have done to the game.

Baseball may well be doing well financially at the moment, but for an institution that prides itself on the deeds of those that went before, how can they reconcile that with whats going on now, and went on in the late 90s right up to today. They should run those bums out of baseball, and strike their records from the books. And never, ever let them near Cooperstown.

[Rossie11]

For anyone who wants to put money behind their picks:

Cardinals 5/2      Saints 10/31
Ravens 43/20     Colts  5/13
Cowboys 59/50  Vikings  5/7
Jets 11/4           Chargers 2/7

How about this for a price difference
Larry Fitz to score a TD anytime is 8/15 with paddy power whilst only 1/6 to Ladbrokes...
In my book ladbrokes have the price right.. he has 9 in his last 5 playoff games.
Even as a Saints Fan I have to put a few bob on him at them odds

[the Deel Rover]

For anyone who wants to put money behind their picks:

Cardinals 5/2      Saints 10/31
Ravens 43/20     Colts  5/13
Cowboys 59/50  Vikings  5/7
Jets 11/4           Chargers 2/7

How about this for a price difference
Larry Fitz to score a TD anytime is 8/15 with paddy power whilst only 1/6 to Ladbrokes...
In my book ladbrokes have the price right.. he has 9 in his last 5 playoff games.
Even as a Saints Fan I have to put a few bob on him at them odds

so will i Rossie

[Minder]

Cards are a good price, a team with momentum will be hard to stop. The Saints are coming in "cold" after a poor end to the regular season and a week off last week.

[Rossie11]

Agree with you. 5/2 cards is better value than the 11/4 jets.
Saints have all their defensive players back which will help them deal with Larry and co.
The worry I have about the Saints is they have to hit the ground running now after taking foot off the gas lately.
We seen last week that the team who got off to the flyers in Ravens and Cards held on for the win. If the Saints are as sluggish as they were in last 3 regular season games they will get beat.

[lurganblue]

i hope your wrong lads as i have the saints picked from the start in our friends sweep steak for the bowl. it was all looking great a few weeks ago but now its looking dodgy to say the least.

are the ravens a good outside bet?

[AZOffaly]

Well it will test the maxim that defenses win championships. I think it's actually defenses and a run game. If the Saints or Cardinals manage to win the Superbowl, that will be blown out of the water.

On the basis of that statement you would have to fancy The Jets or Baltimore.

[AZOffaly]

Interesting topic/tradition on Mike and Mike (ESPN) at the moment. Every year they do a rating of each team regarding how 'confident' they are in each team in different areas. They rank QBs, Coaches, Offence and Defence, and then tally up all the points to see who should win the matches this weekend, and indeed the Superbowl. They don't claim to rate them in terms of ability, but how confident they are that the area will perform well.

They've just done quarterbacks, and this is their 8 rated. They've less confidence in Manning, Favre and Rivers because of the defenses they are facing this weekend.

1) Brees
2) Warner
3) Manning
4) Favre
5) Rivers
6) Romo
7) Flacco
Sanchez

[AZOffaly]

They've done the Defenses now, again largely based on matchups. Interesting they have all 4 AFC defenses first.

1) Ravens
2) Jets
3) Colts
4) Chargers
5) Cowboys
6) Vikings
7) Saints
Cardinals

[AZOffaly]

Head Coaches now

1) Ken Whisenhunt - Cards
2) John Harbaugh - Ravens
3) Norv Turner - Redskins
4) Sean Payton - Saints
5) Rex Ryan - Jets
6) Jim Caldwell - Colts
7) Wade Philips - Cowboys
Brad Childress - Vikes

[AZOffaly]

Their 'confidence picks' have

Cardinals beating New Orleans
Baltimore beating Indianapolis
Dallas drawing with Minnesota !!
Chargers beating New York

[Rossie11]

Norv Turner - Redskins

You stilll in the 90s AZ??   

[AZOffaly]

Yep , Sorry about that At least I didn't say Marty Schottenheimer

[ballinaman]

San Fran V Denver in Wembley this year 31/10/10 ,announced there. Galwaybayboy will be happy.