Second Annual Stu's Eye Bracket Showdown

It's that time of the year again folks. March f'n Madness!

We all know it, we all love it. It's the time of the year where you pour over your brackets, join office pools, don't go to work, skip classes and just enjoy the best two days of the sports calendar year.

This year, as last year, K-Mart and I will go mano e mano in what will be the Thunderdome of bracket showdowns.

There will be blood raining from the skies, the skies will darken, families will cower in fear and children will cry when it's all said and done.

Or we'll both just sit in the dark holding our brackets wondering where it all went so hideously wrong.

You know, what happens every year.

Tom's Bracket:



K-Mart's Bracket:

"CURSED" NO MORE!

WE DID IT!!!!!!!! 25 YEARS OF LOSING IS OVER!


For the first time in my life, a Philadelphia team has won the championship. I couldn't be happier. This feels good.

Overrated? Nah.

One can only be wondering what was going through Terrelle's mind in that picture... I hope it's something like "I should have gone to Penn State". If anyone missed the Penn State/Ohio State game last night, shame on you. It's probably the best game I've seen since... well the 2005 Penn State/Ohio State game (and I'm not just saying that because we won). In a college football season that has seen two top ten teams combine to score 90 points (I thought the SEC was known for defense?), seen the Big 12 quarterbacks put up insane passing numbers, and is seeing Michigan get ready to miss the postseason for the first time in 34 years, Penn State and Ohio State reminded everyone that low scoring, hard hitting defensive games are just as exciting as watching Georgia beat LSU 52-38.

Penn State came into this game ranked 3rd in the nation, and were actually favored against #10 Ohio State even though it has been 30 years since Penn State beat Ohio State in Columbus. Despite being favored, everyone and their mother was picking against Penn State this game... admittedly, even myself. The game stayed close throughout the game, and was a near mirror of the 2006 Penn State/Ohio State tilt. Both teams struggled to do anything on offense in the first half until Darryl Clark found Graham Zug wide open for a 46 yard pass. Unfortunately, Penn State went right back to struggling on offense and had to settle for a FG. Ohio State came right back and engineered a nice drive and tied it up as the half ended. Ohio State added another field goal in the third quarter, as Kevin Kelly missed one early in the 4th. Ohio State moved into their clock killing drive when... Terrelle Pryor ruined everything. He neglected to follow the planned play and tried to bounce a QB sneak outside when Mark Rubin came in and jarred the ball lose. Pryor was about to fall on the ball when Tyrell Sales made a heads up play and batted it away and Navarro Bowman eventually recovered on OSU's 38. Pat Devlin came in for the injured Darryl Clark, and Penn State's running game finally started to gain some traction. A few Evan Royster runs and a pass interference call on OSU landed Penn State at OSU's 1 yard line when Devlin ran it in for the touchdown and the lead. Penn State stymied Ohio State on their next drive, and then Royster took over and used his legs to drive Penn State into field goal territory. Kelly didn't miss this time and Penn State took a 13-6 lead. Pryor had one more shot to tie the game, but he threw an interception to Lydell Sargent in the endzone and that iced the game.

Downtown State College exploded once the game ended and all of Penn State emptied into Beaver Avenue to celebrate (read: riot). It was pretty well controlled until the riot police decided that they were tired of us being out there and started macing the crowd. I myself had a cop go out of his way to elbow me in the stomach. I'm not pleased with how they handled themselves.

But Penn State proved they belong. They have an excellent shot at going 12-0, and with a little bit of luck, they could be playing for a national title come January. LETS GO STATE!

We Have a Fever, the Only Cure is... Less Cowbell?

So the 2008 World Series is upon us. This season it pits the NL East Champions Philadelphia Phillies against the AL East Champions Tampa Bay Rays. The Phillies are trying to end a 25 year title drought in the city of Philadelphia, while the Rays are trying to complete their worst-to-first run in typical Disney style. Tom and I decided it was a good idea to break down what we're expecting from this series.
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K-Mart's Prediction

What's Good:
We aren't seeing Manny vs. Boston. Two weeks ago, ESPN was fawning over the chance of having Manny Ramirez and his LA Dodgers to exact some measure of revenge against Boston for the tumultuous end he experienced there. It's also nice to see two high powered offenses go at it in one of the friendliest hitter's parks in the nation, Citizens Bank Park. This likely won't be a quick series either. I can't fathom either team sweeping this series.

What's Bad:
The faux fans in Tampa get validation for being fans for about a month. We have to listen to them shaking their cowbells and Dick Vitale rail on how "his" Rays are awesome. Jamie Moyer breaks down again.

What to Expect:
Cowbells in Tampa, raucous fans in Philly. Lot's of scoring. The Phils bullpen proves the difference in this series.

The Prediction:
Phillies win in 5. They steal game one in Tropicana Field, then sweep their games at home. The Phillies really want to win this at home.

The MVP:
Chase Utley. Utley continues his hot streak and finally starts driving in some runs.
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T. Kinslow's Prediction

What's Good: No more FrankTV ads and the rest of TBS' awful postseason coverage. God that was so bad. Like really bad. It was Seussical bad. Chip Carey is terrible, he was slurping the Rays all postseason long and really just had a lack of professionalism. Buck Martinez was...well...Buck Martinez, which mean's he's horrendous. Whoever that other guy was terible too. Also, tell Craig Sager to get his ass to the Men's Warehouse and get a real suit.

What's Bad: The sound of cowbells ringing in your ears long after the series has ended. Man those things are awful. They just sum up why I hate that loser fan base. Combine that with the blue Mohawks and we should just lump them into the Axis of Evil right now.

Axis of Evil

1. Iraq
2. Iran
3. North Korea
4. Tampa Bay Rays Fans

What to Expect: Home runs, and lots of them, especially in that homer dome in Philadelphia.

The Prediction: Phils in six. Anyone but Tampa, go Phils.

The MVP: Shane Victorino. It's always guys like Victorino that usually walk away with the MVP award. He should have won the NLCS MVP so look for Victorino to have another big series.

The City of Tampa Bay Can Sit On Their Thumbs

There, I said it.

This group of "fans" makes me wanna wretch. Just look at all of them dancing around with those fresh Rays caps on, with the tags still on them. They can take their annoying ass cowbells and sit on them. The fans suck, the stadium sucks, the city sucks and they don't deserve to enjoy a winning baseball team. I hope the Rays move to a city that will always support them. I don't care where, it could be in Moscow, Russia and go by the name the Moscow Bolsheviks for all I care.

I don't get what it is with these loser cities that don't go all year to watch these teams, then they make the playoffs and they all act like they're diehards. They should be put in a rocket and fired directly into the sun. I really hope that the Phillies destroy them. I mean just bludgeon them into a slow, painful, merciful end.

As good as the Rays were, and they were the better team, I just don't get how Joe Maddon gets so much credit. He overmanaged the whole series and nearly cost his team a trip to the World Series. How many high draft picks did Tampa have for years? I mean, if this were a football team, people would be like, well it's about time they made something of themselves. But all of a sudden Joe Maddon is a genius. Give me a break. If he's a genius, Terry Francona's a member of MENSA...and he's a moron.

On another note, if TBS gets another playoff game again, I'll cry. Chip Carey is awful, I'm sick of hearing about FrankTV, and if I come home to see Steve Harvey on my TV when a ball game should be on again, I may hurt someone.

Turning my attention to the Red Sox....

Go away Jason Varitek. Go far, far, far, FAR away. Go so far away that I forget who you even were. You fossil. You had one hit, ONE HIT in the whole series. You couldn't even call a good game anymore. How many fastballs can you throw to Evan Longoria before you realize that he's going to hit them, and far. You suck, that is all.

Coco Crisp, die slow. Learn how to slide in to second you jackass.

Alex Cora, go away. I'm looking at you too Julio Lugo.

I've never seen a team get so far with 7-9 hitters so pathetic. I mean every time I saw the names Varitek, Cora, Kotsay and someone I'm forgetting, I knew we were going hitless. Something needs to be done about that in the offseason.

Make a play for Mark Texieria and try to move Lowell for bullpen help. Combine that with a trade for one of Texas' young catchers and we're in business. Make sure Jed Lowrie is the starter next year at shortstop and try to get Jacoby Ellsbury's head out of his ass.

Yes, I'm bitter. Tampa doesn't deserve this team. Go Phils.

The March to 100: Win #99

This was the big one. The Phillies up 3-1 on the Dodgers in the NLCS pull off a HUGE win against Manny Ramirez and the rest of the Dodgers. Jimmy Rollins started off the game with a lead-off homerun. Sound familiar? He did the same thing against the Brewers last series and they clinched the series in that game. Ryan Howard had a big game going 3 for 4. Shane Victorino had a great game out in the field, and Cole Hamels was his usual shut down self for 7 innings. Ryan Madson came in gassed up and was throwing 97 miles an hour before giving way for Lights-Out-Lidge in the 9th. I can't believe it. 4 more games!

This is it Boys!

Phils @ Dodgers. Game 5. Phils hold a 3-1 series lead. Cole Hamels who has been lights out this post season goes up against Chad Billingsly who the Phils knocked around for 8 runs in game 2.

I talked to my panel of experts today about their thoughts about tonight's game. This is what I got:

Greg Martin: Are you just looking for blog fodder?

Woody Decasere: 6-2 Phillies

Wayne Deitrich: Hamels goes 6, gives up 3 runs. Madson then lidge. Billingsley rocked early. We score 8. I feel like Feliz and Utley have a big game tonight. LA fans are the worst, they have given up already. I've got my 1980 Phillies stein with the Inquirer page printed on it. I'M ALL SET TO ROCK!

So there you have it.

My prediction? Phillies win 4-1. Lidge stays perfect on saves.