Roses are Green, Ohio is Blue

Michigan State takes down Ohio State 24-24 and claims the Big Ten title and it's first trip to the Rose Bowl since the `87 season.

And exciting game from start to finish, Michigan State was able to grind out a victory on the ground led by tailback Jeremy Langford, who became the first back to run for over 100 yards against Ohio State this year.
He finished with 128 yards and his 26 yard touchdown run with just over two minutes left sealed the upset win for the Spartans.

Defense still wins championships.  After the offensive shootout of the SEC championship, it was refreshing to see a key defensive stand set up the game sealing touchdown.
It's refreshing to see defense at all in this day and age of college football lets be real here.

The game was ridiculously back and forth.  Why ridiculously?
MSU scored the first 17
OSU the next 24
MSU the final 17.
How silly is that?

Conor Cook was named the game's MVP throwing 3 touchdowns, a pick, and 304 yards, leading his victory to the Rose Bowl.

Pound Green, Pound.  Michigan State pounded the rock and beat OSU by playing their game.  A championship well deserved.

Didn't I tell you guys that MSU would win?  Cuz I picked Ohio.

You're welcome East Lansing, now Sparty on to Pasadena.

Big Ten Title: OSU vs MSU

One team everyone expected.  The other, only the diehard fans expected.

Michigan State and Ohio State square off tomorrow for the rights to a trip to Pasadena.
Same destination, but two different goals.

The undefeated and second ranked Buckeyes look to represent the Big Ten in the National Championship against (most likely Florida State.

Whilst Michigan State looks to earn its first trip back to the Rose Bowl since 1987.

Two teams enter!  Both will leave! But only one can win! (EPIC VOICE OVER)

WHO WILL IT BE?!?!

The opposite of whatever I pick...
So I should pick... Ohio State then right?

Okay for seriousness though, I'm taking the Buckeyes, but in a close one.

Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde are a two man wrecking crew.  It's hard to keep them both in check, especially Miller who has become a legit passing threat under Urban Meyer.
The defense isn't spectacular, I mean Michigan put 41 points up on them, but it should be good enough to stop MSU's offense, which is ten times better than it was at the beginning of the season.

If any team (in the Big Ten) is gonna beat Ohio State, it's gonna be MSU.
Michigan State defends better than anyone in the conference and it's not even a debate.  MSU has the top ranked rush defense and are fully capable of neutralizing Ohio State's rushing attack.

A low-scoring affair favors the Spartans.
But if it turns into a shootout, the Buckeyes will take it.

I'm going 31-24, Ohio State wins and stays undefeated.

But I desperately hope I'm wrong.

Thoughts?  Comments, questions, concerns?

Unluck of the Draw: US Gets Group of Death

The World Cup groups are now official and it's confirmed:  The United States of America are in the "Group of Death."

The US, which were the highest ranked team (17) in pot C for the draw, are now the third best ranked team in their group, which consists of Germany (4) Portugal (16) and Ghana (23.)

Things could not have gone much worse for the Americans.

The Yanks have come along way in soccer, and have a chance at advancing, but unfortunately for the US their trip to Brazil just got a little more unpleasant.


As it stands right now, I don't see the US getting more than three points, four points at best if they draw Portugal.  But they could get less than that very easily as well.

But they could get more.

Germany will run the table of this group.  They are a powerhouse and a World Cup favorite.  "But Dave, didn't we beat Germany?"  Yes we did... their B and C team.  Germany is my early World Cup pick, I see them cruising through the group.

Ghana worries me.  Not only because they've knocked us out of the past two World Cup teams but they have strong center backs and fast, youthful forwards that could wreak havoc on our slow, inexperienced back line.

And Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo, who's probably ecstatic at the though of playing against the aforementioned back line.  But Portugal is beatable... Their keeper is questionable and so is their team speed outside of CRon.

With Groups like C and H existing, the US definitely got the short end of the stick, and now face the very likely scenario of an early Brazil exit.

Let's hope I'm wrong.

Here are the group drawings

Jurgen Klinsmann's thoughts

Fister Traded, Nathan Added

Well this has been a busy two days for Los Tigres.

Yesterday, we were shocked with the Doug Fister trade to the Nationals for utility man Steve Lombardozzi, Robbie Ray and Ian Krol.

Not exactly the return Tiger fans wished for when the news broke Fister was traded.
Quite frankly, I don't blame them.  We got a switch hitting Don Kelly, (wannabe cuz no one can be Don Kelly,) a minor league starter and a bullpen guy.

Ian Krol will probably have the most immediate impact player.  Lombardozzi will make the team, but probably as a Ramon Santiago replacement.  Or even, as inconceivable as this may seem, replace Don Kelly, who just signed a 1-yr $1 mil deal hours before the trade.

Robbie Ray isn't there yet, so he'll probably have a year starting in Toledo.

The arms are solid arms with potential, both Ray and Krol are 22 years-old.

But as Dombrowski said after the trade, "we're not done."

Today it was announced the Tigers have agreed in principal to a deal with free agent closer Joe Nathan.
The deal is reportedly worth $20 million over two years.
Nathan, 39, posted 43 saves in 46 opportunities, a solid era of 1.39 ERA and a .90 WHIP

I don't need to tell you guys that Nathan has been a Tiger killer throughout his big league career, but I will anyways... Because I care.

Nathan is a perfect 36-for-36 in save opportunities against Detroit with an ERA of 1.44 and 10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
So if ya can't beat em, get him to join your team.

In other baseball news, my coveted free agent Carlos Beltran is reportedly close to signing with KC, so once again I hope the plan isn't for Detroit to sign Shin-Soo Choo.
And no, I don't want him because of that reason that is in your head.  I don't want him because he hits about as well as I do against lefties, with just as many strikeouts.  He's going to cost too much money for a guy that is so easy to get out in the playoffs.
I say playoffs because that's when managers carry an extra pitcher.  He would never face a righty in a late-game situation in the postseason.

But I digress.  Yes, I understand the hate towards the Fister trade.  In fact I'm on your side.  A guy with as much on-paper value as Fister, the return should have been much higher.  Teams have gotten more for rent-a-players than we got for giving up a guy that has two-years of club control left.

But, keep the faith in Dombrowsi.  Remember the Granderson deal?  Looked bad to us fans then, maybe he struck gold again.

Brady Hoke Gutsy Decision, Right or Wrong?

Michigan lost to Ohio State as many of us predicted... But they lost by a single point, and not by like 20... which is what I thought.

Michigan rallied from down 14 in the fourth quarter to tie it, gave up the lead, marched down the field and scored to tie it again...

So we all thought.

Brady Hoke, with one timeout and 35 seconds (give or take) left elected to go for the win right then and there.

A stone-cold cohonas kinda move...

Unfortunately, like everything else this season... It did not go according to plan.
Gardner threw into coverage and was picked off trying to throw to Dileo... To Little Drew Dileo.

I believe it was the right decision but the wrong play call.
Michigan literally had nothing left to play for except this game.  OSU is undefeated and has aspirations of being in the National Title.
Why not try to ruin your arch rivals hopes and dreams on one play?

I am okay with the triple stack formation, but the play should have been Funchess post/fade to the corner and throw a jump ball.  The move would have (most likely) isolated him on an undersized corner or safety.  Plus he used his height and athleticism to score on the previous play.

Regardless, Michigan failed.  Came up short.  Once again.

This season goes down as an utter failure.  A win against Ohio State would have just made it taste worse.  Like adding salt to really dry and bland potatoes.  It's still terrible, but hey, at least it tastes less like cardboard.

Lions Dominate; End 0-9 Thanksgiving Drought

Who woulda thunk it?  The Lions absolutely man-handled the Packers 40-10 to get themselves back in the drivers seat for the Division title.
After two really bad losses, this win is mucho importante.  (awwwyeah fake Spanish.)

The Lions put up 600 yards of offense.  AND turned the ball over four times.  It was nice to see the Lions not let setbacks kill them like they did the past two weeks.

Imagine if they had taken care of business against Pittsburgh and Tampa?

The Army of Cheeseheads will of course point to the fact hat Rodgers did not play.  But let's face the facts children.  Flynn was sacked seven times.  Rodgers would have been pretty much just as ineffective if the Packers blocked the same way.

This game was won on the because the Lions dominated the trenches.  Green Bay could not run nor could they stop the run.  And when you can't stop the Lions from running, Matthew Stafford is going to have a very good day, and he did, minus his interceptions.

This was the best the Lions looked pretty much all season.

But if they want to be a real playoff threat, they have got to cut down the turnovers.

Four turnovers in a playoff game won't end this well.

It's just nice to see the Lions overcome the typical Lions mistakes.

Enjoy this win Lions fans, and of course,  Happy Thanksgiving.

The Prince has Left the Building

In huge major news, that I saw no rumors of beforehand...

The Tigers have traded Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler.  Straight up.

Dave Dombrowski just proves to us all once again that he is the mad wizard of trading.  This is an unbelievably amazing trade for both teams, but especially our Tigers.

This has huge implications beyond picking up a stud second baseman with a legitimate bat.  This deal opens the gateway for more moves, and and and I can't control my excitement!

First of all, Miggy will probably be moving back to first base.  He will happily do it.  He wants to win.  He moved to 1st, back to 3rd, I don't see why he wouldn't do it again.

But why would he move to first? You so thoughtlessly wonder...  Cuz Nick Castellanos is moving back to his natural position of third base.  He had been in left field for 17 months just because we needed to find him a spot.  Well now he's playing third and we'll see if those years of holding on to him were worth it.  I am convinced he's going to be a stud.

Kinsler provides a consistent top of the order bat who can hit leadoff or second.  Might be Jackson, Kinsler, Hunter, Miggy, V-Mart for the 1-5 next season.  Get excited about that people.

On the other side of this, this will be good for Texas and Prince.  Arlington has a "jet stream" for left handed hitters that make it very easy for hitters like Prince to hit 40+ bombs.  It's a very friendly home run park, and as we learned these past two years, if Prince isn't hitting bombs, he's hitting pop ups or grounders to the second baseman.

But remember this, while both have big contracts, nothing quite compares to the contract we were stuck with when it comes to Prince Fielder.  Ideally, he would have been an anchor for... nine years (still can't say it without laughing.)  But bottom line is he had $168 million of guaranteed money left.  Kinsler has around $62 million left.  That's $100 million saved. ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

Dr. Evil would be proud.

Here's the deal.  That money can go to Mad Maxwell and Miggy because they'll be due a lot of money soon.  Also frees up money to reshape that bullpen, and hopefully bring in Joe Nathan.  Veteran closer, wants to win, still has great stuff, mutual interest, perfect fit.

Also, expect a Porcello deal to bring in a possible new left fielder and bullpen.

Get excited people.