Last Week Recap: I was 1-3 last week.  I am 6-4 on the season.

This Week's Fearless Picks:

#8 Florida loses at #6 Georgia.  This will be an offensive barn burner.

#1 Texas wins an offensive shootout at #7 Texas Tech.

Local Teams Outlook:

Louisville wins at Syracuse.

Posted by The Tank in NY.

Last night's World Series Game 5 game looked more like a mud football game than a baseball game.  The announcers were making more football analogies "making the fair catch signal" than baseball ones.  It was so bad that one of the umpires suspended the Infield Fly Rule either because the rain was so bad (or because he couldn't see too well). 

MLB dodged a big bullet as Carlos Pena singled home Upton to tie the game at 2 with 2 out in the top of the sixth inning.  The rain was so bad that the World Series was suspended at the bottom of the 6th inning with a 2-2. 

Imagine if the Rays didn't tie the game and the rain continued.  If the umpires had the grounds crew to come out and the weather worsened which it did as forecasted.  The Phillies would have won the World Series 2-1 in a rain shortened game.  How would you have liked that?  OK, probably most people don't care about the Rays or Phillies but fair is fair.

People should demand that MLB mandate retractable roofs that I wrote way back in 2006 as climate change continues to take its toll.  Rain delays didn't help the Yankees and Mets in 2006.

Citizens Bank Park in Philly is a brand new stadium.  They have no excuse.  When will MLB learn?  Maybe when TV ratings go down as people don't want to watch rain delays and watch other things like I did on Saturday night (Ohio State versus Penn State) or last night (C-Span).

Posted by a frustrated Tank writing in the pouring rain.

It's that time of year again for my cousin Mirko, his best friend Lubo, and I to put our money where our mouths are with annual NBA teams.  Well, no money but lots of bragging rights on the line.

2007-2008 Recap: I was unfortunately correct last year as I predicted a Celtics victory in the Finals.

2008-2009 Outlook: The Lakers make up for their poor performance in Game 6 of the Finals and take it home this year.


Eastern Conference:
1. Boston Celtics
2. Orlando Magic
3. Detroit Pistons
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Chicago Bulls
8. Toronto Raptors

Dark Horse: Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, NJ Nets.

Conference Champion: Celtics

Western Conference:
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. New Orleans Hornets
3. Utah Jazz
4. Phoenix Suns
5. Houston Rockets
6. Dallas Mavericks
7. San Antonio Spurs
8. Portland Trailblazers

Dark Horse: Golden State, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers.

Conference Champion: Lakers

NBA Champion: Lakers


Local Teams: It's a mixed bag for our local teams this year.  You can't get more painful than the Knicks' 23 wins.  I have a call into Heather Locklear for some pain killers and a date. 

Seriously, I like Coach D'Antoni and his up tempo style.  He doesn't have the players he wants/needs yet (Lebron and/or D-Wade) but the team seems energized.  Everyone wants to move on from the post-Isiah Thomas era.

Knicks: 34 wins.

The Nets made lots of changes in the off-season.  Nenad Kristic signed with a Russian team.  I can't believe that Vince Carter is starting his tenth season in the NBA.  The Nets success will depend upon the success of rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts.  If the newcomers can adjust and gell, the Nets can make a run at the playoffs.

Nets: 32 wins.

Posted by an psyched Tank in NY.

After a 90 minute rain delay to start the game, 45 year young Jamie Moyer pitched a great game for his hometown Phillies.  He was in line to get the win but the Rays tied the game at 4 in the 8th.

Taking a page from the classic movie "Major League", Bruntlett took one for the team and was hit by a pitch.

With Victorino trying to bunt, Balfour threw a wild pitch and Bruntlett advanced to third on the wild throw to center field.

Joe Madden brought in right fielder and former infielder Zobrist to play in the unorthodox five man infield.  Zobrist traded his outfielder's glove for an infielder's glove   

After two intentional walks, Ruiz came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs.

Ruiz chopped a ball half way down the third baseline.  Longoria scooped the ball up, dove, and overthrew Navarro.  Bruntlett scores and the Phillies won 5-4.  The Phillies unfortunately lead the World Series two games to one.

Tonight's / this morning's game ended at 1:48 a.m., a few minutes after Steve and I left the best All Star Game ever in July.

Posted by a tired and disappointed Tank in NY.

Last Week Review: I was 2-1 last week and 2-1 on the season..  The Raiders played better than I thought and the Jets disappointed.


This Week's Fearless Picks:

The Giants lose at the Steelers.  Though Santonio Holmes' season (and career) might be up in smoke, the Steelers are 5-1 and have home field advantage.  Let's see who gets the better of the rivalry between 2004 Draft class quarterbacks Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.

The Jets beat the Chiefs.

The Bills beat the Dolphins.

Posted by The Tank in NY.

Last Week Review: I was 5-1 last week and season.  I suspected a Rutgers upset over Connecticut but didn't pick it.  I would have been perfect.  Darn it!

This Week's Fearless Picks:
#8 Texas Tech wins at #23 Kansas.

#6 Oklahoma State wins at #1 Texas.

#7 Georgia loses at #13 LSU.  This is the second toughest game of the week to pick.  This is a game of the year nominee in the making.  Georgia is tough but home field advantage makes the difference.

#3 Penn State loses at #9 Ohio State.  This is the toughest game of the week to pick.  This is a game of the year nominee in the making.  Ditto home field advantage.

Posted by The Tank in NY.

Yes you read that correctly. After long deliberation, Steve has decided to let bygones be bygones and root for the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. The reason is very simple, the Phillies represent the National League, and the National League East for that matter. They clearly were the better team this year down the stretch zooming past the Mets and taking care of business in the NLDS and NLCS.

This is a holdover from childhood. You root for your league. This year is very hard, but I am doing it. (While still hoping that Jimmy Rollins goes 0-entire series.) Last year I rooted for the Red Sox since I wanted it to enhance the rivalry with the Yankees and in 2006 I was still too shell-shocked to root for anyone. I am back supporting the National League.

The Tank picked the Rays to win the World Series and he may be right. The Rays have better pitching, but the Phillies have a rock star line up. Good pitching shuts down good hitting so the Rays may have an edge. The Rays don’t have any super duper stars in the lineup, but rather a ton of young guys who all seem to hit .300 and have speed.

Last night Philly ace, 24-year-old lefty Cole Hamels, won the game 3-2. Yesterday was a must-win game for the Phillies since Hamels is their ace and the Rays have more depth compared to the Phillies in the back end of the rotation. Hamels can’t pitch each game, so the Rays have to win tonight if they want to stay in the game. However, the Home Run park up in Philly may give the young Rays hitters a chance to explore. Anything can happen.

Posted by Steve in New York

Unlike the other major two party Presidential candidates, The Tank is taking a stand that the Tampa Bay Rays will win the World Series in six games over the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Senator McCain claims that Senator Obama is flip-flopping on the issue as both states represent important swing states:

"At a small rally at a factory in Bensalem, Pa., McCain said, "'I'm not dumb enough to get mixed up in a World Series between swing states, but I think I may have detected a little pattern with Senator Obama. When he's campaigning in Philadelphia, he roots for the Phillies, and when he's campaigning in Tampa Bay, he shows love to the Rays.'"

If there is a Game 6, Senator Obama has purchased 30 minutes of TV on Fox which will broadcast the World Series.  The start time of the game will be delayed.

The Rays have the momentum and home field advantage gained when Steve, Kathleen, Jack, and I attended the greatest All Star Game ever at the Stadium in July.  We'll see how cold the Phillies bats are after a long time off as the Rockies were last year and the Tigers in 2006.  

Senator McCain should take a stand and Senator Obama should stop his alleged flip-flopping.  That's why I launched this Baseball Integrity Presidential bid.  If there is no baseball integrity, what can we expect on other issues of the day? 

Posted by The Tank on the road to the White House.

Though SATT focus on baseball and football, the NHL is in full swing.  The 2008-2009 season started with two victories over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague.  The Rangers had momentum coming back home and lead the Eastern Conference with 13 points though the Canadiens have three games in hand and are only two points back.  I have listened to some games on the radio and intend to get to the Garden to watch some of the action in person this season.

The Rangers lost young prospect to Alexei Cherepanov at 19 years of age to heart issues during a recent game for Avangard Omsk in the Russian Continental Hockey League (KHL).  Alexei broke Pavel Bure's record goals record.  Alexei was learning the professional hockey ropes from teammate and former Ranger Jagomir Jagr.  Alexei had a bright future and it's tragic that he passed so soon.  May his memory be eternal.

Posted by a saddened Tank in NY.

Averted Apocalypse #1: After blowing a seven run lead on Wednesday night with only seven outs left, the Rays lost to the Red Sox in a possible ALCS clincher in Game 5 and in Game 6 on Saturday night. 

As Steve blogged the other day, I feared the Rays would lose Game 7.  Given my loyalties to the Yankees and Mets, I would face the worst baseball apocalypse, a Red Sox - Phillies World Series. 

I would be faced an emotional challenge as formidable as the one I did last month in Nepal.  But, I would have nowhere to run or hike to.  How would I cope?  Who would I root for?  I have always rooted for a team in some game, except Georgetown versus Notre Dame in the 2007 Big East Tournament.

The Rays spared me and the world such a fate by winning Game 7 last night by 3-1.  I am really grateful to the Rays for that.  I agree with Editor in Chief and Perma Guest Outlaw Jack and grateful to him for pointing out the magic factor, the Zim, AKA Don Zimmer.  Zim was an under appreciated factor in the Yankees success in the past decade.  He was the "check and balance" in many of Joe Torre's decisions.  Torre knew how to manage the players' egos and keep the media in check.  Torre was a true manager and Zim was the chief strategist whose baseball instincts were impeccable.  After Zim was unceremoniously let go from the Yankees, the Yankees have yet to win another World Series.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Zim resides in Tampa and is currently a senior consultant to the Rays.

Given the Rays small market and fans nationwide focused on Mannywood versus the Red Sox, Fox TV executives are officially on suicide watch.

Go Rays!


Averted Apocalypse #2: Joba Chamberlain was arrested on Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges over the weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Joba was wrong and apologized for his reckless actions.  Most importantly, no one was hurt, thank God!  The innocent citizens of Lincoln, Joba, and the Yankees dodged a big bullet, touch wood.

Posted by a grateful Tank in NY.