Wednesday night's Knicks defeat to the Wizards was a pathetic as they come.  The Wizards won 113-102 and it was their first road win of the season.  The final score was actually closer than the real results as the Knicks rallied late to make it somewhat respectable.

I received two separate reports on the pain of last night's loss.  My roommate, MTA Ray, said that the Knicks took an early 9-2 lead and quit after the Wizards took a timeout.  Basketball Brant took his niece to her first basketball game and the Knicks owe her and her Uncle Brant an apology.  I am afraid that she will be traumatized for life and hate her loving Uncle Brant.  Basketball Brant almost got out of his seat to show the Knicks how we used to play defense in college pick-up games.

Posted by an increasingly depressed and impatient Tank in NY.

Thanks to the Chokeaholic Giants and Chiefs (14 point lead late in the game), the Tank was 9-7 last week.  The Colts and Raiders upsets didn't help either.  Anyway, without further ado, please find my predicted winning picks in bold below:

Locks:

The Bengals should clobber the visiting Raiders.

The Broncos have a new quarterback but the Chargers are at home and on a roll.

Should Win:

The Steelers beat the visiting Browns.

The Falcons beat the Buccaneers at home.

The Ravens beat the Chiefs.

The Colts should bounce-back against the Jaguars.

The Vikings beat the hapless Lions.

The Patriots over the improving and host Dolphins.

The Packers woes should continue against the improving 49ers.

The Seahawks should get by the improving Cardinals.

As it pains me to write this, the Jets should roll over the Bills.

As bad Rex Grossman was with only 34 yards passing last week, they still found a way to win thanks to their defense.  Grossman's quarterback rating was 1.3, almost the lowest mathematically possible and the lowest I have ever seen and heard, as most quarterbacks average in the high double digits or low triple digits.  The Bears should beat the Rams.

Avoid Picking:

The Eagles are alive and kicking and should beat the struggling but talented Redskins.  If Hall of Fame Coach Bill Gibbs can't figure the Redskins out, how should the rest of us?  

The Titans are improving but at the Texans.

As much as I want the real America's Team to win, the Saints, they are at the Cowboys and without the Tank's brother from another mother Hollis Thomas. 

Protest:

I didn't even want to waste my time and yours condemning the Giants. Their issues are too numerous for me to write and you to read.  Bottom Line: The Giants should have drafted Phillip Rivers instead of Eli Manning and gave up way too much, i.e. a third round pick in 2004 and the first and fifth round pick in 2005.  Eli doesn't have his brother Peyton's arm to deal with the swirling winds of Giants Stadium nor his father's heart and drive.  Remember, Eli's Old Miss teams were not as good as Peyton's Tennessee teams and the same will hold true in the NFL.  Undisciplined clowns like Plaxico Burress getting untimely and illogical penalties don't help.  They are more stressed out than the Tank.  Coach Tom Coughlin deserves better and may get an injury pass but no extension going into the final year of his contract next season.  Best wishes to RB Tiki Barber and GM Ernie Accorsi in their announced retirements after the season.

Posted by The Tank in NY.

After #2 USC was upset by UCLA on Saturday, the chaos began.  Who would be the #2 seed to face #1 Ohio State in the national championship series?

Florida Coach Urban Meyer has been a frequent critic of the Broken Computer System, AKA the Bowl Championship Series.  However, after beating Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship game, Coach Meyer's criticism diminished after his successful campaigning for the #2 ranking and seed.  I understand Coach Meyer's politicking though Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr thought his comments were "inappropriate".

When the computers stopped calculating, Florida was the #2 seed by about .0111 of a point so Florida has the honor of meeting Ohio State for the national championship.  To add fuel to the fire, Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel did not vote, he abstained.  He abstained because he probably felt he was between a rock and a hard place.  If he voted for Michigan as #2, he would have been accused as a Big Ten Apologist.  If he voted for Florida as #2, he would have been accused as sticking it to Michigan.  I can understand Coach Tressel's position because if he had to face Michigan and lost in the national championship game, he would have beaten them during the regular season, then lost to them for the BCS National Championship, and then been the #2 team.

As much as the Tank uses and loves computers, the Tank has long espoused a true playoff format.  Granted, football is too demanding for a Field of 65 or 64 basketball teams or even a Sweet 16 (though Division III Football can pull it off), but the major college football powers (MCFP) can handle a Final Four.  The Regular Season and Conference Championships finish in early December.  The #1 team plays the #4 team on the same day or weekend in mid to late December that the #2 team plays the #3 team.  A couple of weeks later in early January, the winners of #1 versus #4 game plays the winner of the #2 versus #3 game.  The winner of that game is the national champion.

How difficult is it?  It's a win for everyone because the Tank would have closure and be able to sleep better knowing that there is a true national champion.  Right now, there is $1.2 Billion in economic impact to the host cities this season alone and "[i]n the first eight years of the BCS system, more than $50 million was distributed to conferences that do not have an annual automatic berth in the system."  The MCFP would benefit because they could have more big MONEY games.  Imagine that!  More money for the MCFP, a real national championship, and closure for the Tank.  Everyone is happy.  I am not even questioning where the rest of the money goes nor possible conflicts of interest between Mr. Mike Slive being the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Commissioner and the BCS Coordinator.     

College football has the best regular season.  Why can't it have an awesome playoff system like college basketball?  Settle it on the field, NOT by computers and politicking alumni, boosters, and coaches.  Let's hope the MCFP come to their senses soon and institutes a real playoff system or they will alienate their fans like the Tank.  I just want a real playoff system with a real champion.

Posted by the Tank in NY yearning for real College Football National Championship Closure.

Problem: To boot, the Knicks are saddled with Steve "Team Cancer" Francis, "Starbury", and Eddie Curry.  I thought manning the Baseball Suicide Hotline and Corporate Crisis Hotline was bad enough; ESPN 1050 AM hosts Max Kellerman and Stephen A. Smith openly questioned the underperforming Knicks on their radio shows earlier this week.  For instance, Kellerman preferred that Curry succumb "to a heart attack and die on the court" rather than not hustle on defense.  Stephen A.'s critique was slightly less critical in promising to "crucify" Marbury if he ever refers to himself as "Starbury" ever again without backing it up. 

Solution: The Tank almost witnessed the Knicks first home victory against the LeBron James and the Cavs a couple weeks ago in a close 102-96 loss.  A couple of days later, Steve took his sister, Carol, and her children, Matthew and Allison, to the Knicks first and only home victory over the Wizards.

Since the Knicks have not yet accepted my earlier business plan to the Knicks owner James L. Dolan for my Danish friend Tina to travel back to the City as she witnessed the Knicks first home victory last season, I propose that Steve, his sister and her children be the Knicks official good luck charms.  Under terms to be disclosed publicly at a later date, I have built in incentive clauses for each victory that Steve/Carol/Matthew/Allison attend that will ensure (1) happy Knicks fans and critics, (2) a fuller and more profitable Madison $quare Garden, and (3) the financial security of Steve, his loved ones, and The Tank, their fearless and reasonable agent.  If the Knicks win five home games out of the next 34 home games this season, Matthew and Allison are going to be the earliest retirees in their grade school classes.  Thundersticks for all their classmates.

Dear Mr. Dolan,

You are currently paying $62 million to players no longer on your team and thus they can not help you win.  I have the "good luck charms" solution to help the Knicks win their home games, boost attendance and increase revenue for you.  Please "focus" on the Knicks for a mere moment instead of your mid-life crisis rock band, accept the mutually beneficial terms (legalese not included to bore our beloved readers), and sign on the dotted line -- many thanks in advance.

Sincerely and Go Knicks!

The Tank

Posted by an anxious and hopeful Tank in NY.

The Tank thankfully went 2-1 in his college picks last week, touch wood.  My predicted winners are in bold in decreasing order of probability.

#2 USC should handily beat cross-town rival UCLA to set up a BCS Championship Showdown with Ohio State.

#8 Oklahoma beats #19 Nebraska in the Big Twelve Championship Game in Kansas City, Missouri.

Sorry Kathleen, #15 West Virginia is at home and will get by #13 Rutgers.

The Tank was impressed by #16 Wake Forest's win over Boston College on Saturday, November 4, as he was preparing for the NYC Marathon.  #23 Georgia Tech is tough and gave Notre Dame a run for its money earlier this season.  Wake Forest beats Georgia Tech in a close game on neutral turf in Jacksonville, Florida, in the ACC Championship Game.

Game to Avoid Picking:

#4 Florida should beat #8 Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game.  If USC slips in their 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time game, Florida has a chance to leapfrog #3 Michigan and get to meet Ohio State.  However, the Florida game doesn't start until 6 p.m. Eastern and USC should be in control by then.  After they let me down last week against LSU (the only pick that went wrong), Arkansas might bounce back as Florida's national championship dreams perish. 

Posted by the Tank in NY.

The picks start early this week because the NFL Network's TV Game Thursday night.  Remember, the Tank's picks are different from Vegas because I predict the winner in bold, NOT the team to beat the point spread or under/over which can both change up to kickoff.  Furthermore, Vegas wants the "vig" or to balance out the gambling money are pushed to balance the money between the teams.  

Disclaimer: Though the Tank was thankfully 11-5 last week (touch wood), past performance is NOT an indicator of future performance.  Please don't bet the farm and/or your paycheck on these games as I already manning the Baseball Suicide Hotline and about to start the Knicks Hotline.  Good luck!

"Locks":

Bears beat the visiting Vikings.

The Patriots should pummel the visiting Lions.

Should Win:

The Colts should beat an improving Titans team led by Vince Young.

The Jets go into tough Lambeau Field and beat the Packers in a close game.

Kansas City is coming off a big Thanksgiving win against Jake Plummer and the Broncos. (Darn you Plummer!) Furthermore, Priest Holmes is out for the season. Cleveland is improving this season but the Chiefs should barely carry the day.

San Diego travels from the beach for the blustry Buffalo. The Chargers should win by a touchdown or less.

The Rams beat the visiting Cardinals.

The Saints, America's Team, beats the visiting 49ers.  Go Saints!

The Raiders gets a slight edge because they host the tough Texans.

In a Florida showdown, the Dolphins hit a bump in the road against the visiting Jaguars.

The Steelers show some pride and beat the Bucs who rarely play well in the cold.  Big Ben has more injuries than the Tank.  He needs to get healthy on the bench.  Please start Charlie Batch.

The Seahawks should beat the Broncos though Jake Plummer is not starting.  Let the Jay Cuttler era begin.  I knew I should have picked the Chiefs last week.

The Panthers beat the Eagles.

Games to Avoid Picking (if possible):

Baltimore at Cincinnati.  This is a trap game because Baltimore is coming off a shutout of the Steelers but the Bengals need to win to stay in the playoff hunt and are at home.  The Bengals win a very close game. 

Atlanta at Washington.  Washington is coming off a big win and the Falcons are coming off a big loss which is the opposite of what I predicted last week.  Michael Vick won't realize his true potential until the Falcons design an offense around him.  I don't know how many more years I'll have to wait but they'll probably do it this weekend since I pick the Redskins to win.

Cowboys at Giants. The Giants COLLAPSED last week against the Titans.  They are due to win, MUST WIN, and are at home.  If any of these three factors was absent, I would pick the Cowboys.  If they lose this one, I am may not ever pick the Giants ever again.

Posted by the Tank in NY.