Must See Sports - First Weekend of January, 2011

We are singing Auld Lang Syne here at The Daily Hat Trick. The new year is upon us, as is a new week of cannot miss, must see sporting events. With the last week of the regular season in the National Football League approaching, there are sure to be dramatic happenings in the world of sports in the next seven days.


Thursday, December 30, 2010

New York Knicks at Orlando Magic

Tonight is a great night for basketball fans. This game is the first of a double header on TNT. Personally, even if the matchup is not that great, the guys in the TNT studio, particularly "Sir" Charles Barkley, offer more than enough entertainment for the evening. Even the Dwyane Wade/Charles Barkley T-Mobile commercials, akin to Brian & Stewie from "Family Guy", are fun to watch ("GET ME OUTTA HERE").

The New York Knicks are a resurgent franchise, but they have still yet to crack the shells of the big boys in the Eastern Conference in spite of a recent win over the Chicago Bulls, with recent, though competitive, losses to the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Tonight offers the Knicks another opportunity to climb another notch on its ladder of rebirth.

The Magic have been a streaky Jekyl and Hyde of late, riding a four game winning streak after having lost 8 of their prior 9 games. The Magic appear to be in "Jekyl" mode at the moment, with recent convincing wins over San Antonio, with the league's best record, and Boston, with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Orlando is at home.

Advantage: Magic

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks

The Spurs take their NBA best record to Southwest Division rival Dallas for a battle of Texan titans of the hardwood. The Mavericks have lost two games in the last 5 weeks, winning 16 of their last 18. The Spurs have only lost four games all season. Someone has gotta go!

Spurs guard Manu Ginobli remains red hot and Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki is having another MVP-contending season. However, Nowitzki is nursing a sore knee. His playing status will be a game-time decision. No Dirk...no dice against the Spurs.

Advantage: Spurs 

I wonder if Tim Duncan had halitosis that night. 1

Friday, December 31, 2010

NCAA Men's Basketball
Kentucky Wildcats (12) and Louisville Cardinals (20)

NCAA Basketball 10

Who says New Years Eve is a dud for sports? This Top 25, intrastate rivalry should provide all of the pre-party adrenaline one could need to ring in 2011. CBS will carry this matchup of larger-than-life programs and coaches. John Calipari, who seems to continue to find a way to keep winning every season, will match wits with Rick Pitino, who, hopefully, has no clandestine dinner reservations after the game.

Rick Pitino (left) and John Calipari (right). Spare me from the mob jokes in the comments section; they're old. 2

Louisville is on its home court. The Kentucky Wildcats lost John Wall and Eric Bledsoe to the NBA draft after last season. That is all I can say for the Cardinals. Kentucky does not rebuild; it reloads. Forward Terrance Jones and fellow freshman guard Brandon Knight appear to be the 2011 version of the 1-2 punch Calipari had last season in Wall and Bledsoe. Calipari will continue reloading while Pitino may be planning for how his team can be revisiting the Top 25 after this contest.

Advantage: Kentucky 

Saturday, January 1, 2010

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio
Wisconsin Badgers (5) vs Texas Christian University Horned Frogs (3)

You know, nothing quite says New Years Day like a game of FOOTBALL!!! Come on, everyone! "FOOTBALL!"

TCU plays the role of BCS Buster in the 2010 college football season as it makes yet another attempt to demonstrate to the college football world how ridiculous the exclusionary characteristics of the BCS system mke absolutely no sense, except to those profiting from it. The Wisconsin Badgers, surprising winners of the Big 10 in 2010, play in the "Granddaddy of Them All", the Rose Bowl, for the first time in 10 years.

TCU is favored by three points. I understand that the Horned Frogs are in the Top 5 nationally for points scored and points allowed. However, Wisconsin has three running backs in James White, John Clay, and Montee Ball who have combined for over 2,500 yards on the ground with a Big 10 schedule. Call me "Missouri" because TCU is going to have to "show me"!

Advantage: Wisconsin

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6) at New Orleans Saints (11-4)

Week 17 in the NFL.... Judgment Day.... It gets no bigger than this...matchup of two NFC South rivals who could either dramatically impact the NFC playoffs, with the outcome of this game, or have no impact whatsoever. The Saints come off of, what in my opinion was, their most impressive win of the season. The Saints rallied from behind in the fourth quarter on the road against the NFC-leading Atlanta Falcons. With a win over the Buccaneers and a Falcons plane crash, food poisoning, or wholesale team arrest (all of which, I would imagine, would lead to a loss by forfeit to the 2-13 Carolina Panthers), the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints would clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

The Buccaneers are in a fight for their playoff lives. The Bucs will reach the playoffs if they can beat the Saints in the Superdome (possible), the Green Bay Packers lose at home to the Chicago Bears (not likely, considering the Bears will probably be locked into the #2 spot in the NFC by kickoff), and the New York Giants lose at the Washington Redskins (not likely on paper, but the Giants have been totally inconsistent and unpredictable lately). In short, both teams may be rewarded with a win, but probably will not.

Both teams have a lot to prove. The Buccaneers, playoffs or not, have taken giant steps from their 3-13 performance in 2009. The Saints want to head into the playoffs with a full head of steam, building on the momentum of their win over the Falcons. The Saints fans and players have not likely forgotten that one of the three Buccaneers wins in 2009 was an overtime win in the Superdome, preventing the Saints from clinching the #1 seed in the NFC, at that time.

The Saints have not swept the Bucs since 2006, and only once in the past eight years. They are hot. They are at home. They are due.

Advantage: Saints

Matt Bryant's game winning field goal in the Superdome in 2009. The Saints have payback on their minds. 3

Chicago Bears (11-4) at Green Bay Packers (9-6)

The Bears have wrapped up a first round bye and are probably cemented into the second seed in the NFC. The Packers control their own destiny for a playoff spot. The Bears will know, with certainty, whether or not their razor-slim hopes of getting the #1 seed are alive by kickoff. Regardless, the Packers have a sense of urgency, the Packers are at home (where they rarely lose in December), and Aaron Rodgers is healthy. In contrast, the Bears will probably have every incentive to rest their starters by kickoff.

Advantage: Packers

St. Louis Rams (7-8) at Seattle Seahawks (6-9)

The team that wins this game wins the NFC West and will likely host the defending champion New Orleans Saints in the first round. Yawn.... Guess...I dunno...I should pick someone. It's a sports blog. Sunday Night Football and all...somebody will watch. Sigh....

The Rams are at home...I suppose. Any good lunch specials today?

Advantage: Rams

Aren't there going to be some infomercials on TV Sunday night? 4

 Monday, January 3, 2011

Discover Orange Bowl
Stanford Cardinal (4) vs Virginia Tech Hokies (13)

Most casual fans of college football have heard of Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck. Should Luck declare himself eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft (assuming that there is an NFL in 2011), most analysts project that he will be the first player chosen. On Monday night, the nation will get to feast its eyes on the Luck Show.

Andrew Luck: "I'm riiiich! Biotch!" 5

Virginia Tech, champions of the Atlantic Coastal Conference, rebounded from a tough loss to Boise State and an absolutely embarrassing loss the following week against James Madison to climb to the #13 ranking and a BCS bowl appearance. Truth be told, Virginia Tech may be playing the best football of any team in the country, with the exceptions of Auburn and Oregon. Hokies senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the 2010 ACC Player of the Year, is playing the best football of his college career. He has always been a running threat and has thrown the ball very efficiently in 2010.

Pac-10 champion Stanford is ranked higher. Andrew Luck is likely auditioning for the Carolina Panthers in this game. However, Virginia Tech has been superb after stumbling out of the gate this season. I think the Hokies are flying under the radar and will play like they have something to prove. I have seen similar scenarios in the past in which a team like Stanford has arrived for a coronation while a team like Virginia Tech arrives for fight. Pac-10 football is soft, too.

Advantage: Virginia Tech


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Ohio State Buckeyes (6) vs Arkansas Razorbacks (8)

Big Ten (really, the "Big Eleven", soon to be "Big Twelve") versus SEC. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet is likely to be a first round pick and the Razorbacks have been playing very sound, mistake-free football in the second half of the season.

Ohio State is dealing with distractions from the pending five game suspensions of several players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The players sold their personal game memorabilia, an NCAA rules violation. The players will travel with the team and play in the Sugar Bowl, as the suspensions do not take effect until the 2011 season.

Ohio State dominates the Big Ten every year, but they did not even do that in 2010. They usually lay an egg in bowl games. The SEC typically dominates in bowl games, especially against Big Ten opponents. The Buckeyes have problems. The Razorbacks are playing with increased confidence. And Ryan Mallett is playing for his first contract negotiation.

Advantage: Arkansas


NCAA Men's Basketball
Connecticut (4) at Notre Dame (15)

Connecticut Head Coach Jim Calhoun tries to rally his troops after suffering its first loss loss to Pittsburgh. Notre Dame, after a convincing win over Top 10 Big East rival Gerogetown, is currently the top team in the Big East. Notre Dame senior forward Tim Abromatis and senior guard Ben Hansbrough have an opportunity to build on an impressive performance against Georgetown (20 points and 17 points, respectively). It is tough for me to pick against any team with coach Calhoun or UConn guard Kemba Walker, who scored 31 points in the loss to Pitt, but I believe in momentum, balance, and the ability of home court (especially in a big conference game) to tip the scales. Notre Dame has a golden opportunity to pull off a big upset win and garner the attention of the college basketball world..

Advantage: Notre Dame

Coach Calhoun: "Daily WHAT Trick? Who picked Notre Dame? My best advice to you? SHUT UP!" 6

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns

The Lakers are consistently inconsistent and have some obvious issues at the point guard position. Kobe Bryant cannot do everything himself. Nonetheless, the Lake Show went on the road an whipped a talented New Orleans Hornets team, dominating under the boards. The Phoenix Suns are just BAD. After beginning the year with a manageable 11-11 start, the Suns have plummeted, dropping 8 of their last 10 games.

This is one way to stop Kobe. 7

Still, Steve Nash vs Kobe Bryant makes for good television. Since the Suns are dead last in the NBA in defense (though second in offense), we should see a lot of baskets scored. Points are good! And technically, this is a matchup of the first and second place teams (Lakers: 22-10; Suns: 13-17) in the Pacific Division.

Alright, it's the only nationally televised game on Wednesday (ESPN), Kobe is playing, and I didn't have anything better for Wednesday! THERE! I admit it; this game sucks.

Advantage: Lakers

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1) Image from Zimbio.com
2) Image from wildcatworld.com
3) Image from daylife.com
4) image from washingtonpost.com
5) Image from sfexaminer.com
6) Image from espn.com
7) Image from sfgate.com