2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 100-80
2013 Advantage/Disadvantage FINAL Record (series only): 22-13-4
It’s the
final Must See Sports of 2013! One last chance for Yours Truly to maximize that
record for the year…. Here goes nothing!
Saturday,
December 28
NCAA
Basketball
#8 Villanova
Wildcats at #2 Syracuse Orange
This is a
big power matchup of former Big East rivals. Syracuse headed for greener
pastures in the ACC after last year. However these schools are quite familiar
with one another and familiarity breeds contempt.
This game is
in the Carrier Dome, where the Orange is very tough to beat. The Orange is an
experienced, senior-led team behind forward C.J. Fair (Sr. – 18 PPG, 5 RPG).
Fair’s decision to return for his senior season is going to go a long way
toward getting the Orange a high seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. In
addition, sophomore forward Jerami Grant (13 PPG, 6 RPG) appears to be evolving
into Fair’s Robin for his Batman.
The Wildcats
are off to a hot, 11-0 start. They are ranked #8 and hope to have a more
satisfying conclusion to their 2014 season than their early exit in last year’s
NCCA Tournament. Senior shooting guard James Bell’s (15 PPG, 7 RPG) performance
will be key.
Villanova
plays fundamentally sound basketball and plays big under the glass. They are
going to offer the toughest challenge that Syracuse (also 11-0) will have faced
all year. The ability to keep Villanova junior forward JayVaughn Pinkston (17
PPG, 5 RPG) contained under the glass with their 2-3 zone defense might be the
X-factor in this game. While the Orange does not have a big notch under their
belt like Nova has from beating then #2 ranked Kansas earlier this season, I
think the Orange look like a serious Final Four contender while Villanova still
appears to be in the developmental stage.
Advantage:
Syracuse
 |
| New conference...same view of C.J. Fair for Nova. 1 |
The
defending national champions travel to visit their re-emerging cross-state
rivals in Lexington. The Cardinals, so far, look just as good as when they cut
down the nets a year ago. Having key players like senior point guard Russ Smith
(17 PPG, 5 APG) and junior power forward Chane Behanan (8 PPG, 6 RPG) returning
to the lineup gives Cardinals Head Coach Rick Pitino a substantial advantage.
His rival
coach, Kentucky’s John Calipari has a different formula. He looks for players
who have the potential to be in the NBA after one year. While Coach Cal has to
spend more time reloading his gun every year, his recipe keeps Kentucky as a
perennial championship contender.
Kentucky has
a host of super freshmen this season. However, the big man on campus is
freshman forward (and all-but-certain 2014 NBA lottery pick) Julius Randle (18
PPG, 11 RPG). He has lived up to the hype that preceded him leading into the
season. Receiving less attention from the media, but not from opposing coaches
and players, is freshman guard Aaron Harrison (15 PPG). The long, quick
Harrison has an impressive range and, in concert with Randle, is a tough puzzle
for opposing defenses to solve.
Both of
these teams are a combined 0-4 against ranked opponents this season, so
something has to give. While Kentucky is at home, in this early season contest
I like Louisville’s experience and ball movement just a bit more.
Advantage:
Louisville
 |
| You're supposed to put a hand in the shooters face, but it takes more than that against Julius Randle. 2 |
Sunday,
December 29
NFL
Green Bay
Packers (7-7-1) at Chicago Bears (8-7)
Aaron
Rodgers (2,218 yds., 15 TD, 4 INT, 67% comp.) is coming back for the Packers.
That changes the landscape. As well as Jay Cutler (2,935 yds., 17 TD, 11 INT,
63% comp.) has been playing and as much as Matt Forte (1,229 yds., 7 TD, 4.6
avg.) has been playing like a man possessed, and in spite of having the home
field advantage at Soldier Field, Rodgers’ return to the lineup is a game
changer.
Rodgers has
been chomping at the bit to return to the lineup. He knows what is at stake.
I’m confident that he is prepared to the nth degree face the Bears. The Bears
were going to have trouble as it is with Packers running Eddie Lacy (1,112 yds,
10 TD, 4.2 avg.), whether Rodgers played or not. Now they have to deal with the
former league MVP.
Advantage:
Packers
 |
| I think he'll have a better seat on the plane this week. 3 |
San
Francisco 49ers (11-4) at Arizona Cardinals (10-5)
The scales
completely tipped in the 49ers’ favor when QB Colin Kaepernick’s (2,887 yds.,
19 TD, 8 INT, 58% comp.; 500 rush yds., 5.7 ypc) favorite target in 2012, wide
receiver Michael Crabtree (16 rec., 255 yds., 1 TD, 4 GP), returned to the
lineup. I expect Arizona to put up a tough fight. However, San Francisco has
the ball-control advantage; they run the ball better and stop the run better
than the Cardinals. As previously mentioned, I think Crabtree, in spite of
playing on the road, is the difference maker in the NFC West showdown.
Advantage:
49ers
 |
| How do you defend Michael Crabtree when he's healthy? This is ridiculous. 4 |
Philadelphia
Eagles (9-6) at Dallas Cowboys (8-7)
We discussed this game at length yesterday in the Hat Trick.
Dallas’ defense is simply too porous to keep them in this critical game.
Considering the injury to Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, (and) barring an
injury to Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (1,476 yds., 9 TD, 5.1 avg.), I
think the Cowboys’ holiday goose is cooked.
Advantage:
Eagles
 |
| Kyle Orton will get the start for the Cowboys. This should be great. By "great", I mean a debacle for Dallas! 5 |
Tuesday,
December 31
NCAA
Football
Chick-Fil-A
Bowl
#24 Duke
Blue Devils vs #21 Texas A&M Aggies
Duke Head
Coach David Cutcliffe, the well-deserved winner of the Walter Camp coach of the
year award, has done something that has not happened in nearly a
quarter-century: reminded the nation that Duke does, in fact, have a football
team. His ability to take a few good men in a few years and make this perennial
doormat in to ACC Coastal Division champions in nothing short of extraordinary.
Still, what
goes up must come down. It will be a two-step process for the Blue Devils.
After being obliterated in the ACC Championship Game by #1 Florida State, led by
Heisman Trophy winning QB Jameis Winston, the Dukies get to be cannon fodder
for the SEC’s Aggies in Johnny Football’s swan song. Duke is legit; they’re not
great.
Duke’s strength
is its defense. Redshirt sophomore free safety Jeremy Cash (109 tak., 4 INT, 4
PD) could have Sunday football in his future, could be next year…most likely will
be two years later. But he is a high motor, high impact player out of
Plantation, Florida who can crash offensive game plans and shut down passing
lanes. Their best known stand out, who will be playing in the NFL next year is senior
wide receiver Jamison Crowder (96 rec., 1,197 yds., 7 TD), who single handedly propels
the Duke offense, in my opinion.
Texas
A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (3,732 yds., 33 TD, 13 INT, 69% comp.; 686
rush yds., 8 rush TD, 5.2 ypc.)), the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, has lit up
the scoreboard against the best defenses, including Alabama and Missouri (in
spite of losses in those games). The closest Robin to this Batman is wide
receiver Mike Evans (65 rec., 1,332 yds., 12 TD). While the Aggies’ defense has
often left much to be desired, I don’t think the Blue Devils have nearly enough
pop in their offense to keep up with Mr. Football and the explosive Aggies for
four quarters.
Advantage:
Texas A&M
 |
| Johnny Football is Texas A&M's leading passer and leading rusher. He's also the leading womanizer, clearly. Without a doubt, he's the #1 "player" in College Station! |
Wednesday,
January 1
HAPPY NEW
YEAR!
NCAA
Football
2014 Rose
Bowl Presented by Vizio
#5 Stanford
Cardinal vs #4 Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State
“shocked the world” with a potent upset over the then-ranked #2 Ohio State
Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game. Actually, they shocked anyone not
familiar with OSU’s annual tradition of choking late in the year when it counts
the most. Anyone familiar with the Big Ten, the Buckeyes underwhelming
performances or Michigan State’s overwhelming defense saw something that should
not have been surprising.
The Cardinal’s
defense is no joke, either. They are going to get a heavy dose of the Spartans’
power back Jeremy Langford (1,338 yds., 17 TD, 5.0 avg.). Langford and the
Spartans O-line will likely face their toughest test of the season. Stanford is
a stingy defense playing in a defense-optional conference. Good luck containing
Cardinal senior linebacker Trent Murphy (58 tak., 14 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD, 5 PD).
Nobody else has this year.
Stanford’s
offense revolves around the running of workhorse running back Tyler Gaffney
(1,618 yds., 20 TD, 5.3 avg.). The Cardinal will run into a tougher defense
than they are used to facing. The Spartans may have the best secondary in the
country. If Gaffney can’t get it going early, passing could prove difficult.
Expect Spartans cornerback Darqueze Dennard (59 tak., 4 INT, 10 PD) a likely
first round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, to line up and weigh down on Stanford’s
Ty Montgomery (58 rec., 937 yds., 10 TD), neutralizing the Cardinal’s best
aerial threat.
Stanford is
a 3.5 point favorite in this game, according to Odds Shark as of December 10,
2013. However, this game favors the Spartans on paper from my personal vantage
point. The game is a bit closer to Stanford’s back yard, though. I think the
Spartans, overlooked and underrated until knocking off Ohio State to win the
Big Ten, keep the party going and pull off a minor upset in the Rose Bowl.
Advantage:
Michigan State
 |
| Considering the weather in East Lansing and the weather is southern California, I'm going to guess that the cheer squad will be able to break out these unis for the first time in a few months. 6 |
Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!
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