NFL Season Preview

Well kids, despite the squabbles between owners and players, the NFL will have a season in 2011 after all. You can look no further than this blog for the correct predictions for this season's outcome. Here now are my well informed picks for how the teams will finish this season.

*Denotes playoff teams

NFC

East-
1. Eagles* (Vick and all of his new flashy teammates take time to get on the same page, but when they do, look out)
2. Cowboys (Year two under Jason Garrett is good, but there's still something preventing this team from going all the way, could it be all the lofty expectations?)
3. Giants (G-Men have some good games and threaten to make the playoffs, but can't get it done in a very tough division)
4. Redskins (Shanahan is a long way removed from his Super Bowl wins, and it shows as his team struggles again with no franchise players)

South-
1. Falcons* (They unseat the Saints as the class of this division with strong Matty Ice and his very talented Offensive crew)
2. Saints* (Drew and Co. still have some gas left in the tank and will be dangerous as a hungry Wild Card team)
3. Buccaneers (It's too bad they are in this division because they have all the elements of a playoff contender, unlike anybody in the NFC West)
4. Panthers (Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen? That's just one of many problems that this rebuilding team will have to deal with this year)

North-
1. Packers* (I hate to be a homer, but the Super Bowl champs look just as good, if not better than last year as they welcome back some good players who spent last year on IR)
2. Bears* (With a flurry of off season moves, the Bears take time to get rolling, but finish strong and snag the Wild Card)
3. Lions (Detroit is finally moving in the right direction, and they will brutalize opponents with their D-line of Suh and Fairley)
4. Vikings (There's work to be done in Minnesota where a lot of new pieces need to be put in place including at QB with a rookie vs. a veteran)

West-
1. Cardinals* (After a sub-par 2010, Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgeral lead the red birds back to the playoffs)
2. Seahawks (A lot of new players show promise for the future, but not the immediate future)
3. Rams (Stafford keeps his team moving in the right direction with some impressive wins, but just not enough of them)
4. 49ers (Jim Harbaugh's first year will be rocky, but his boy Andrew Luck might await in the 2012 draft)

AFC

East-
1. Patriots* (Brady likes playing with his new teammates and gets back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 18-1)
2. Jets* (The Jets do all they can to get to the big game, but they just don't have enough offense when it counts against the team above them)
3. Dolphins (They have some talent, but not enough at the skill positions to unseat the Pats or Jets)
4. Bills (They show flashes of greatness, but they are basically the JV team in this high powered division)

South-
1. Colts* (It must be getting old for the other teams in this division because all Manning and the Colts do is win every single year)
2. Jaguars (Once again, the Jags threaten and almost unseat the Colts, but they lack a QB to put them over the top)
3. Texans (They will also play the role of bridesmaid in the South, as Arian Foster has another season of over 1,000 yards)
4. Titans (Matt Hasselbeck comes in to help groom their QB of the future in a rebuilding year for Tennessee)

North-
1. Ravens* (My pick to win the AFC last year will be strong again with a bruising D and solid O led by Joe Flacco)
2. Browns* (I'm going rogue and picking everyone's favorite losers to make the playoffs for the first time since they came back to the league- Payton Hillis is my boy!)
3. Steelers (Losing the Super Bowl takes its toll on Pittsburgh and they just barely miss out on the playoffs)
4. Bengals (Controversy hurts this already struggling club like it always does- despite some talent at a few positions)

West-
1. Chiefs* (I picked them last year and they didn't disappoint, so maybe they'll get even farther this year, eh?)
2. Chargers (Despite a few showy free agent signings, the Bolts can't quite get past their slightly more efficient rivals in KC)
3. Raiders (New coach, same average team. Maybe they'll surprise us and scare the teams above them, but I doubt it)
4. Broncos (Tebow or Orton? It can't be easy for new coach John Fox, and it won't be. This team won't do much)

AFC Championship- PATRIOTS over RAVENS
NFC Championship- PACKERS over EAGLES
SUPER BOWL XLVI- PACKERS over PATRIOTS

I'm picking my boys from Green Bay to repeat. I know that seems lame, but I didn't pick them last year, so I feel okay picking them this year. GO PACK GO!

Fun Facts

Forgive my recent dearth of blog posts, I have been busy with my other love- Boondoggle. I will now enlighten you with some facts, true facts, about stuff.

Comedian and actor Ben Stein worked as a speech writer and lawyer for President Richard Nixon.

April 16 is International Record Store Day. Thanks to NPR for that one.

Sportscaster and former football player Ahmad Rashad's real name is Bobby Moore.

Jimmy Fallon isn't funny.

The first choice to play James Bond was Cary Grant, but he was passed over after he made it clear to the producers he would only do one film and not a whole series.

Ringo Starr is the oldest Beatle.

The Metropolitan Police (London) are nicknamed 'Bobbies' as a tribute to the founder of the police force, Sir Robert Peel.

There is a small percentage of the population that are considered 'short sleepers' who only need 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night and can function as well as those who get 8 or 9 hours a night.

Now don't you feel smarter?

Titletown

Now that the smoke has cleared and I have had time to reflect, I am pleased to feature my team- Super Bowl XLV Champion Green Bay Packers on the blog. It was so much fun to see the Packers win the big game this year, especially in the wake of the last few mediocre years and the fact that the team suffered so many injuries to key players this season. It is a testament to the leaders and coaches of this team that they were able to overcome such huge obstacles to win football's biggest prize. At the heart of the Packers' triumphant group were quarterback Aaron Rodgers, cornerback Charles Woodson and linebacker Clay Matthews. These three men set a high standard, and instilled in their team a will to overcome any of the slew of obstacles that threatened their season.

The Packers became the first NFC six seed to win the Super Bowl, and only the second six seed in the history of the NFL. I am excited for the future of this team because they are the second youngest team in the league, and will hopefully be less injury prone next season (if there is one). The return of players like Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant will undoubtedly help the Packers get back to the Super Bowl in the years to come. The legacy of this incarnation of the team has been cemented, and allowed every cheesehead to forget that other quarterback- Brent something.

The Greatest Rivalry

Forget Yanks/Sox or Duke/North Carolina, the greatest and most enduring sports rivalry is the Chicago Bears vs. the Green Bay Packers. Starting in 1921, these teams have met on the gridiron in many a hard hitting, muddy, snowy game that helped shape the modern NFL. Sunday, they will meet in the biggest and most important game in the long history of this rivalry. The winner of Sunday's game at Soldier Field will go to the Super Bowl.

The Packers last went to the big game in 1997, losing to the Denver Broncos. The Bears played in the Super Bowl more recently in 2007, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. It would be huge for either team to make it to the championship, and that is why we will see what is likely to be the most hard-fought, knock down, drag out fight in either team's history. I have watched many a Bears/Packers game over the years, but have been underwhelmed by many of them because while they were fun games, none were for the right to advance to football's most coveted opportunity. Whatever happens on Sunday will be the culmination of the work of so many great Packers and Bears players that went at it over the past 90 years. Hallas, Lombardi, Lambeau, Butkus, Ditka, Hornung, Starr, Sayers, Payton, White, Singletary, Favre. Whose name will go to the top of this illustrious list with a win this weekend?

Woodson, Urlacher, Rodgers? Time will tell, I guess. I just hope to God it isn't Cutler. I don't like him.

(For maximum effect, read this while listening to the classic NFL Films song- A New Game)

Worst Sports Franchises

There are certain teams in every sport that never cease to make terrible choices and are perennial bottom feeders. Here now, are three of the worst.

WORST FRANCHISES

L.A. Clippers

These guys could screw up a cup of coffee. Year after year the Clippers fail to even attempt to come close to dethroning the Lakers as L.A.'s favorite team. As far back as I can remember they have been losers and laughingstocks. They continually fail to keep good players and make huge mistakes with who they bring in as free agents. Blake Griffin is a legit star, but knowing the Clippers, they will find a way to lose him too.

Detroit Lions

I feel bad for Lions fans. They are forced to live in a city that has been deeply affected by the bad economy, and then to escape the hardships they have to go watch the only team to ever go 0-16 in NFL history. Trying to overcome the culture of losing is tough, but the current management seems to be on the right track. Let's hope they can do it and get the Lions of this list.


Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't even watch baseball, but I know enough to know that this team stinks, and has for along time. Even when it seems like they have a good team and some momentum, the front office dumps their good players and sends the team back to the MLB cellar. Good thing that the citizens of Pittsburgh have the Penguins and Steelers to root for.

Why the BCS Sucks

I am like many who feel that the BCS is a huge joke that robs fans and college football teams of a real chance to win the national title. Imagine any other sport, professional or collegiate, that allows a biased and imperfect ranking system to determine which team is the National Champion. It wouldn't happen in the NFL, NBA or any other college sport. That is the main reason that the BCS system needs to go. It would be unthinkable to any sports fan for the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament to be done away with in favor of an arbitrary ranking system that allowed only two chosen teams to play for the championship. Anything is possible if there is a playoff, but instead we get whatever SEC team that wins the conference title, and a Big 12 or Pac 10 team in the BCS Championship, while other, possibly more deserving teams get relegated to lesser bowls. It still angers me that the great Utah team that beat mighty Alabama in the Sugar Bowl a few years back didn't get a chance to play for a title and wound up at number two at season's end.

The system is flawed beyond belief and even as those in favor of it try to make valid arguments for it, we all know the real reason why they want to keep the status quo. Money. Money is the driving force behind why we don't have a playoff in college football. The big automatic qualifying conferences want to keep it a closed shop so that they can line their pockets, but year after year the AQ conferences are challenged by the TCUs and Utahs and Boise States of the world, and a mockery is made of the precious BCS. You can't sit here and tell me any ACC or Big East team is better than either TCU or Boise State this year because they aren't. Unless the big time conferences get their act together and put some good football teams on the field, the argument for keeping the current format gets thinner every year.

I hope that eventually teams will have the opportunity to have a playoff and see who really is the best team in the country. For now, it seems we are left wondering whether or not we have seen the best matchups the NCAA has to offer. The almighty dollar rules the landscape, not the spirit of honest competition.

Things I Think

Here are some thoughts from the Brain of Bentley.

I think the Monday Night Football announcing crew of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron 'Jaws' Jaworski is the best in the business.

I think a really scary idea for a horror film would be something called 'Mickey Rouke's Hands.'

I think that there needs to be some kind of law for how long holiday decorations are allowed to stay up. I'm always appalled when I see nasty rotten pumpkins in December, or Christmas wreaths, lights and garlands in June. I know there aren't a lot of decorations for holidays like Arbor Day, but that's okay.

I think I enjoy certain household tasks. Laundry and vacuuming are my top two. I'm not so excited about washing dishes.

I think it is really hard and kind of a mistake to re-make and re-cast iconic roles that are synonymous with certain actors. This isn't always true (See J.J. Abrams' Star Trek) and I hope it isn't true for Jeff Bridges in the new version of True Grit. I like Jeff Bridges, but I don't think he can fill John Wayne's shoes.

I think I am very lucky that Mary Anne Wetzel agreed to marry me.

I think Robert Downey Jr. would be fun to hang out with.

I think that the McRib is McNasty. I had my first one the other day, and I was underwhelmed beyond belief. The meat was grey and unidentifiable, the pickles were limp and the barbeque sauce had no flavor.

I think the best and most unbeatable super hero team would be, Iron Man, Wolverine, Batman and Hawkman. Why Hawkman, you say? Every team needs someone that nobody likes.

I think it's time for dinner.

Things I Think- Back To School Edition

Even though I'm not in school anymore, I find this to be a magical time of year that makes me nostalgic for my time in high school and college.

I think going to buy school supplies is fun. New pens and folders were always a favorite.

I think it is a must to watch National Lampoon's Animal House this time of year.

I think it's great to sit out on the quad at college with your friends and watch all the other students bustle around. Maybe even watch the hippie kids play frisbee.

I think the best school lunch box I ever had was my Ghostbusters lunch box. I also had a Bravestarr one that was pretty awesome.

I think night classes are a nice change of pace from having class all day, every day. One of my favorite classes ever was a night class called- Nazi Germany.

I think college football makes the fall and the return to school so much fun. Go Utes!

I think getting to know some Sorority girls is a good way to enhance your social life if you're a male college student. My wife is a Kappa, I know what I'm talking about.

I think joining some kind of club or being involved in some extracurricular activity like say, yearbook, is a good idea.

I think I'll go drink some Tang out of my Ghostbusters Thermos.

I Like You

Here are a few people that I admire/enjoy/think you should be aware of.

LILY ALLEN

Her songs are much more thoughtful, interesting and humorous than other female pop stars. She also writes them herself which is a huge deal considering that so many current artists don't. She's clever, savvy and kind of adorable. The other great thing about Lily is that her best song is a very cheerful telling off to George W. Bush called-  F*** You. Cheers, Lily.

AARON RODGERS

This guy has been nearly perfect since he took over for Brett Favre two years ago. Nobody, including me, thought he would be able to replace Favre, but he has done nothing but make amazing throws, win games and lead one of the most storied franchises in sports out of the ashes of Favre's messy departure. I would be shocked if there is a Packers fan out there who is lamenting the loss of Favre. If they are, they haven't been paying attention because Aaron Rodgers is a stud.

JON HAMM

As Mad Men's Don Draper, he is awesomely cool, but he's almost as cool in real life. I wrongly poo-pooed Mad Men for years, but now that I like it I can't help but be a fan of Jon Hamm. Unlike d bags like Marky Mark, Hamm is great at making fun of himself and his image. For a great example, watch 'Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women' from Saturday Night Live or his guest spot on 'Between Two Ferns.' I hear his middle name is 'Honeybaked.'

NFL Season Preview

Drew Brees- QB New Orleans Saints

Chris Johnson- RB Tennessee Titans

Forget ESPN, Sports Illustrated and all those other "authorities," Conned! is your home for the best, most entertaining and accurate Football prognosticating in the blogosphere. Having done a good deal of research, I am now ready to give you my picks, prospects and preview for the 2010 football season. Enjoy!

2010 NFL Standings-
(*- Denotes Playoff Team)

NFC

East-
1. Cowboys* ('boys play well, but the pressure to play the Super Bowl at home is too much to handle)
2. Redskins (McNabb makes Eagles pay for trading him, and Shanahan builds his 3-4 toward a 2011 playoff berth)
3. Eagles (Vick and Kolb do their best, but it isn't enough to make the playoffs)
4. Giants (Too many injuries and losses mount for the once strong N.Y. Football Giants. Sorry, Eli)

South-
1. Saints* (Brees and Co. return to the big game behind high powered 'O', opportunistic 'D' and Sean Peyton's great coaching)
2. Falcons* (Ryan leads his team back to the playoffs, and maybe the birds even win a game as a Wild Card)
3. Buccaneers (Improvements abound for the Bucs, but there's too much competition in this division)
4. Panthers (Jimmy Clausen takes over at QB mid-season for this rebuilding bunch)

North-
1. Packers* (Rodgers gets the Pack to the NFC Championship, but the Super Bowl will have to wait 'til 2011)
2. Vikings* (Whether Favre plays or not, this team is loaded, and will be a Wild Card at worst)
3. Bears (Cutler and the defense improve, but not enough to save Lovie Smith's job)
4. Lions (Lions keep moving forward, but it's too tough in this division to be any better than 6-10)

West-
1. 49ers* (Niners get back to the playoffs behind Gore, Smith and Coach Singletary's punishing Defense)
2. Seahawks (Carroll's first year is semi-successful, but not like he is used to- let's say 7-9)
3. Cardinals (Leinart ain't Warner, and it shows as Arizona goes backward)
4. Rams (St. Louis shows signs of future greatness with some surprising wins behind rookie Bradford)

AFC

East-
1. Jets* (Rex's kids get it done, despite high expectations, but have some work to do to go all the way)
2. Patriots* (Tom looks strong, but the no-name defense lets the Pats down in the playoffs)
3. Dolphins (Henne is a star in the making, but the fish need some more help to win in this division)
4. Bills (Buffalo isn't going to do much. Did anybody think they would?)

South-
1. Colts* (Playoffs prove to be the Colts undoing again, as Manning struggles without a running game)
2. Texans (Houston just misses the playoffs again, 8-8 is becoming a habit)
3. Titans (Vince Young and Chris Johnson are studs, but there's not much else there)
4. Jaguars (Maurice Jones-Drew is a great fantasy pick, but sadly these guys are playing in the reality of the NFL)

North-
1. Ravens* (Flacco, Rice and the defense are at that critical point to make the leap to the top of the league)
2. Bengals* (The T.O. experiment works until the Bengals fold in the playoffs)
3. Steelers (Big Ben's 4-6 game absence hurts Pittsburgh and they never recover)
4. Browns (Cleveland is better in 2010 under Holmgren, but it's a long road back for the nation's most depressing sports town)

West-
1. Chiefs* (I'm being bold and saying upstart Kansas City dethrones the Chargers as the class of the West)
2. Chargers (Injuries and Norv Turner's milquetoast coaching doom the Bolts chances, despite the arm of Philip Rivers)
3. Broncos (Tebow ends up starting by week 10 when the Broncos season is mathematically over)
4. Raiders (Al Davis' team gets better, but it's pretty hard to polish a turd)

NFC Championship- SAINTS over PACKERS
AFC Championship- RAVENS over JETS
Super Bowl XLV- RAVENS over SAINTS

There you have it, kids. I welcome any comments about my picks. Discussion is good. Football is good. Discussions about football are great.

Farewell, Brett (that's sarcasm)

So, apparently Brett Favre is retiring. I'm so sad. Boo hoo. I'd actually be sad though if he hadn't retired and unretired, retired and unretired so many times already. Dude, just make a decision and stick with it. Ordering pizza with Brett must be impossible. "I'll have Hawaiian. No actually I'll have cheese. I don't know though, that Hawaiian looked pretty good." Jesus.

I'm really happy, though that the Vikings are being held hostage by Favre's decision because of my deep dislike for them. Favre did this retirement tango for years with my beloved Packers until they finally grew the onions to tell him to go away and do it to another team. Indeed he did, and the Vikings seem perfectly happy to cater to Favre and his ego, even while his teammates are working hard at training camp, and the team's two other quarterbacks sit around wondering if this is more Favre bull plop or the real deal.

Do us all a favor, Brett, retire this time. Not because you torched the Packers twice last year, and not because ESPN will probably go out of business when all this speculation about you finally goes away, but because you have worn out your welcome. Some people say that Brett has earned the right to do this because of his many years of greatness, but I say- NO. Just like any indecisive person, he needs to be slapped for all this waffling. Be it retirement or pizza, eventually Brett will be forced to come to a decision, and it won't be his anymore. And by the way, we're getting pepperoni and olives- that's final.

PAC 12

Just like every other graduate and fan of the University of Utah, I was very pleased to see the Utes join the ranks of the PAC 10 Conference last week. Having been on hand for the Utes' two best football seasons ever, it was great validation for the hard work the athletic program has done to make our football team a national power. It is so nice to know that the next time the Utes go undefeated, they are more than likely going to be in the BCS Championship game because they are now a member of a BCS Conference.

With all that said, the BCS is still garbage and needs to be changed. I can solace myself, however, with the fact that in addition to usual rival, BYU, the Utes will have a much more interesting schedule- every year. USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Cal and Oregon will be filling Rice-Eccles Stadium with a better vibe than the likes of Mountain West opponents Colorado State and Wyoming ever could, and I mean no disrespect to those schools. Football is clearly the main focus of this blog entry, and the primary reason behind the invitation for Utah to join the PAC 10, but the move to the bigger conference has other effects as well.

The revenue that will be generated by the move will be beneficial for the school's athletic program, and all its teams, as well as the University of Utah's non-athletes. I hope that the money will get to all the programs at my alma mater that need it, and make the U a better institution overall. Also, there is a prestige that comes with being mentioned in the same breath with schools like Cal and Stanford that will hopefully make a diploma from Utah worth more to those who have one. I am really banking on this, by the way. I have always felt like the University of Utah was a very good, maybe even great, school, and this move to the PAC 10 simply reinforces the belief of many that the U is now in its rightful spot as one of the best universities in the western United States. GO UTES!

Things I Think- Sporting Edition

Sports are the great equalizer. Everyone from the richest of the rich, to the poorest of the poor can enjoy a game of football, basketball, baseball or even curling. Whether in person or on T.V., sports are dramatic, redemptive and heart-wrenching. I love sports, some more than others, but I follow the ones I like quite religiously. On top of reading Sports Illustrated, I also watch Sports Center and Pardon the Interruption daily on ESPN. As such, I have some thoughts on the sporting world.

I think that people need to pick a team to cheer for and remain loyal to that team- FOREVER. Nothing bugs me more than people who jump from team to team just because they are winners. Also, I dislike people who don't root for their hometown teams and instead follow some sexier, big market team like oh, I don't know, The LAKERS! For the record, I follow the Jazz in basketball, the Packers in football, the Cubs in baseball and the Calgary Flames in hockey. If I ever root for someone else, you can kick me in the pills.

I think that NCAA March Madness is awesome the way it is. Lately there has been talk of expanding the tournament from 64 to 96 teams, and I hate that idea. If the field were expanded it would completely devalue getting a bid, and it would make filling out a bracket ridiculously difficult. Don't mess with the most perfect thing in sports!

I think that the best sports movies are Rocky, Raging Bull, Miracle and Hoosiers.

I think USC, Notre Dame, Lakers and Yankees fans are annoyingly smug.

I think any attempt to lengthen the playoffs or regular season of any sport is a mistake and is so obviously just a way for owners to make more money.

I think it would be nice if I could get into soccer because we have a team here in Salt Lake that just won the MLS Cup, but I can't.

I think Tiger Woods needs to come out of hiding and address the media. The longer he stays away, the worse it will be when he returns. It has been said that winning is the greatest deodorant, but I'm not sure that just putting up some W's in tournaments will be enough to redeem Tiger.

I think that Tiger should have been more like Arnold Palmer, who is a legend in the ass-getting department, but kept his business on the down-low.

I think PTI is on. Bye.

Best Quarterbacks Ever

With this crappy Brett Favre saga going on, it has made me think about his place among the all time greats. I have decided to make a list of the QBs that I think are the best in NFL history. Yes, Favre is among them despite his on again/off again/on again drama with the Vikings, and before that the Jets, and before that my Packers.  

10. Steve Young

Nice arm, won Super Bowl, followed #1 with class and quality. Nice mobility too.

9. Dan Marino

Had the records, but what did he ever win? He won my heart in Ace Ventura.

8. John Elway

Most would have him higher, but I hate John Elway. He lost how many Super Bowls before Terrell Davis won him two? P.S. I hate John Elway.

7. Troy Aikman

Took Big D to three Super Bowls, and won them all. 

6. Johnny Unitas

The crew cut was a hairstyle you could set your watch by, he was the gold standard for a long time and led the Colts to a few championships.

5. Peyton Manning

Cool, calm, smart. Multiple MVP and won a Super Bowl while turning around a moribund franchise. Good commercials too. Still the best Manning.

4. Tom Brady

Big winner, this guy. He's here for that, and because he's married to Gisele.

3. Terry Bradshaw

Another winner, and got the Steelers on the map as the best franchise in the league.

2. Brett Favre

Has all the records, 3 MVPs, Super Bowl victory and is the definition of iron man.  He just had to ruin it by going to the Vikes.

1. Joe Montana

He just won. Period.