Must See Sports - Final Weekend of December, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010


San Antonio Spurs at Orlando Magic

Clash of the Titans as East meets West.... The Spurs have the NBA's best record at 25-3. Much like the New England Patriots in the NFL, they are a cold-steel, well oiled machine that just keeps bulldozing its competition in spite of age. Of course, Greg Popovich has not been busted with surveillance of the opposing bench during timeouts, but the Spurs, the team of the 2000s, much like the Pats, appear poised to make a legitimate run at what would be their fifth Western Conference title in twelve seasons.

Howard vs Duncan: worth the price of admission 1

Orlando, the Eastern Conference champion from two seasons ago and projected front runner in the East this season, has hit some speed bumps in the early part of the 2010-2011 season. The Magic, expected to contend with the Bulls, Celtics and Heat (within the Southeast division) for Eastern Conference seeding, have also fallen behind the emerging Atlanta Hawks and the reemerging New York Knicks in the conference race. The acquisition of guard Gilbert "Agent Zero" Arenas from the Washington Wizards, in spite of his personal baggage, is sure to help the Magic blow through those speed bumps with more ease offensively.

Tim Duncan vs Dwight Howard is the headline of this matchup, but Arenas and guards Manu Ginobli  and Tony Parker of the Spurs could be the determinants of victory or defeat in this contest. Orlando is solid and I fully expect them to have home court in the first round of the playoffs when the regular season is over. However, the Spurs are blazing hot and Magic are not.

Advantage: Spurs


Georgetown Hoyas (9) at Memphis Tigers (17)

If the college game is what gets your fire stoked, get ready for a great matchup of two Big Dance regulars in this nationally televised contest on ESPN2. Both teams are off to a good start, each with just one loss. The Hoyas 1-2 punch of guard Austin Freeman and forward Julian Vaughn are going to give the Tigers a handful. Memphis has coach John Pastner appears to have the team in position to dominate Conference USA, again, in 2011. Everyman Wesely Witherspoon appeared to have been as productive as he was a season ago, but knee problems are expected to keep him out of the lineup until January. This will give others, such as Tigers guard Joe Jackson (11 PPG, 4 APG) an opportunity to step up in the spotlight. However, Georgetown is loaded while Memphis is limping.

Advantage: Georgetown

Saturday, December 25, 2010


Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers

Regular season basketball games, in my opinion, only warrant a limited amount of attention in November and December. This is a rare exception. Through this point in the season, this will be the NBA's game of the year. If I need to explain why and you are not new to following NBA basketball or residing under a rock, then please put the pot down. You are using too much.

LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade square off with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom in this Christmas Day spectacular. For me personally, the NBA regular season "really" begins when the Lakers play on Christmas Day. If this matchup lives up to the hype, The King and the Black Mamba should kick the rest of the season off with a bang.

Phil Jackson is not happy about playing every Christmas. Thank you for your sacrifice for our entertainment, Coach! 2

This matchup is tough to pick. The Lakers are at home, but have had some inexplicable stumbles out of the gate at times this season. The Heat got off to a so-so start, but are on fire and red hot right now (pun intended). Still, 3,000 miles is a long way to travel and there is no place like home for the holidays.
Advantage: Lakers 

Sunday, December 26, 2010

New York Jets (10-4) at Chicago Bears (10-4)

This is a big, critical game for both teams. The Jets need this win to cling to their slim hopes of catching the New England Patriots and winning the AFC East and to further secure their chances of a playoff berth. The Bears, the 2010 NFC North Division Champions, are battling, in all probability, the Philadelphia Eagles for the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs and the first round bye that accompanies it.

The Bears have been building up steam in recent weeks, with the defense continuing to play lights-out football and Jay Cutler appearing to find a comfort zone as Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith and Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz knock on wood. The Bears offensive line, of late, appears to be narrowing its Swiss-cheese like holes, too, with Cutler being sacked only three times in the past two weeks. That is nothing to brag about, but for the Bears, it is a marked improvement over the embarrassing performances the team had in protecting the QB beforehand.

The Jets have been consistently inconsistent. Save for the shellacking suffered at the hands of the New England Patriots in Foxboro, the defense has been consistently stingy. However, the offense, particularly the play of quarterback Mark Sanchez, has been Jekyll and Hyde. One would think that the solid, clutch performance at Pittsburgh last week would be a confidence booster for Sanchez, but Jets fans have ridden the Sanchez Mountain Roller Coaster before.

I would hope it will take more than a "Goddamn snack" to get this scandal off of Coach Ryan's plate.

To boot, the Jets are dealing with yet another sex related scandal involving Michelle Ryan, wife of Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan. There have been reports circulating that Mrs. Ryan posted a foot fetish video on the Internet. Coach Ryan responded by saying that it is a personal matter, which I believe is the correct choice. However, this must weigh on his mind. How could it not?

The Bears are at home. The Bears are steadily building steam. The Jets are up and down. And the Jets continue to be dogged by off-field issues.

Advantage: Bears

San Francisco 49ers (5-9) at St. Louis Rams (6-8)

I believe in giving every game the coverage it deserves. This is a matchup of a first place team in December against a team, one game back, chasing it for the division title. the winner of the game will probably be the 7-9 team to host a first round playoff game against the runner up in the NFC South, with a record possibly as high as 12-4.

The Rams are at home.

Advantage: Rams


New York Giants (9-5) at Green Bay Packers (8-6)

This is a battle for survival. With the Giants of New York traveling to face the Packers of Green Bay, the Packers will be eliminated if the Giants triumph in an exhilarating fashion, for example, by kicking an oblong ball, made out of pigskin, through a big metal "H". Tom Coughlin and his team need to recover from the deflating blow dealt to them by the tie breaking punt return for a touchdown by the Philadelphia Eagles DeSean Jackson as time expired. A loss to the Packers does not necessarily eliminate the Giants, but the giants will no longer control its playoff destiny.

"If you want to keep working here, stay off the drugs." 4

Both teams have been dealt some recent hard knocks. However the Packers will regain the services of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, recovered from a concussion and cleared to play, The game is also in Lambeau Field in December. The Giants, on the other hand, are consistently finding ways to keep teams in games that should be out of reach.

Advantage: Packers

Monday, December 27, 2010


New Orleans Saints (10-4) at Atlanta Falcons (12-2)

Four words: game of the year. The Saints travel to Atlanta to keep their longshot hopes of winning the NFC South alive. Falcons wide receiver Roddy White gave the Saints and their fans some blazing hot bulletin board material with his inflammatory Tweet regarding the Defending Super Bowl Champions and the city of New Orleans.

What the hell kind of name is "Roddy"? Sounds like a children's fishing pole! 5

Even with a win, the Saints can only win the NFC South, and earn a first round bye, with a home win in their season finale against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a team the Saints beat in Tampa, but has not swept in eight years) and a loss by Atlanta to NFC South foe Carolina (2-12). However, a Saints win will lock up a playoff berth and move the Saints closer of a worst case scenario of having to play a 7-9 team in the first round of the playoffs.

The Falcons lock up home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a win on Monday Night Football. Matt Ryan is 19-1 in his career as a starter when playing in the Georgia Dome. This will be a barn burner.

Advantage: Falcons


Connecticut Huskies (4) at Pittsburgh Panthers (6)

Two Big East heavyweights square off on ESPN2. If you are a college basketball junkie, not fan of the NFL, (okay I doubt you fall into that category if you are a Hat Trick reader) or the MNF game gets out of hand, this is a compelling alternative. One of my favorite college coaching personalities, Connecticut's Jim Calhoun, brings his unbeaten Huskies to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers.

Huskies guard Kemba Walker is lighting up the stat sheet, thus far, but he and UConn are facing their first big test of the season. Panthers senior guard Brad Wanamaker will help defend Pitt's home floor. This is a difficult matchup to call, in part because it is so early in the season. Pittsburgh did suffer a loss to Tennessee earlier in December, perhaps an indicator of how the Panthers may fare against tougher opponents. When in doubt, bet on Coach Calhoun.

Advantage: Connceticut

If you bet against me and you lose, you don't deserve your money. NOT A DIME BACK! 6

Wednesday, December 29, 2010


Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets

I have a right to get my homer on every now and then. The Hornets will face their toughest Western Conference test at home this season. The Hornets have looked great, particularly against tough opponents, at times this season. At other times, one may question the focus of the team and the Hornets, in the games they lose, appear to be losing due to mental errors and not lack of talent.

7

The Lakers have been equally curious in their losses, with a shocking loss against the woeful (Brandon Jennings-less) Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week and a four game losing streak in November. The Lakers are traveling a long way to what is certain to be a packed house at The Hive in New Orleans. I have been to several of these Lakers games in person, however, and Kobe Bryant appears to always rise to the occasion in The Hive.

Advantage: Lakers


Don't forget to vote in today's polls!
1) Image from life.com
2) Image from upi.com
3) Image from zimbio.com
4) Image from movieclips.com
5) Image from ajc.com
6) Image from technorati.com
7) Image from fanhouse.com