"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller
Last night I got to witness some mini-history as the Washington Nationals clinched a playoff spot. The crowd was quite electric in watching a DC based baseball team punch its ticket to the post season for the first time since 1933. Of course last night's win only guarantees one extra game at this point, but its a start. When you go to a sporting event, or even watch it at home, you never know what type of history you'll see. Not every game will produce a memorable result, but every once in a while you will get to say "I was there" and those memories might just last forever.
This weekend might just produce one of those jaw dropping, wish I was watching, tell all your friends moments. Those moments that are etched in the hearts and souls of the die hard fans. They will make you weep with sorrow and cry in ecstasy. To this day every time I see Kirk Gibson limp around the bases after hitting the game winning home run off of Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, I well up in anger and fling the remote across the room. I was 10 years old. It was the first time I cried while watching sports. I was hooked for life.
Here's what you should be watching this weekend in the hopes that you catch one of those indelible moments:
10. Houston Texans at Denver Broncos
The incredibly tough schedule that faces Denver to start the season continues this week as they host my Super Bowl winner Houston. After already facing Pittsburgh and Atlanta, the Broncos still have New England and San Diego on the road before their bye week (with Oakland as well) and then New Orleans coming out of the break. Peyton Manning looked downright awful to start on Monday night, but rebounded to give the Broncos a sporting chance. There have been very little issues for the Texans so far this season. They have handled both the mediocre Dolphins and inept Jaguars with relative ease for their 2-0 start. Behind the two headed monster of Arian Foster and Ben Tate (184 yards, 3 TD's) and a very good defense, it has been just like early 2011 before all the injuries hit when the Texans were the breakout team of the season. Final Score: Houston 30 Denver 24
9. Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals
Fresh off of clinching a playoff spot, the Washington Nationals will now turn their focus into wrapping up the N.L. East crown. They host the surging Milwaukee Brewers who have come out of nowhere to threaten for a playoff spot. They have leapfrogged practically the entire National League in the last 30 days with a 22-6 record since August 19th when they were 12.5 games out of the 2nd Wild Card spot. Today they have passed six teams and are only 2.5 games out from making the playoffs. The turnaround has been quite remarkable and has been spearheaded by reigning MVP Ryan Braun who has put together yet another MVP season with 40 home runs, 105 RBI and a current 6.6 WAR for you SABR nerds out there. For Washington, their magic number is 7 meaning they could theoretically wrap up the division as early as Monday with some help from Philadelphia. Realistically these two teams split the four game and Washington clinches on the road.
8. #22 Arizona Wildcats at #3 Oregon Ducks
More west coast football taking the big stage. After last weekends shocking Stanford upset of #2 ranked USC, the Oregon Ducks now have a chance to stake their claim as BCS Championship contenders. Sure the talk will be all about what horrific concoction Oregon rolls out for their jersey of choice, but after we get past that it will be all about their high powered offense. They are currently averaging 54 points a game against inferior competition, but I don't think Arizona will want to do much to slow the pace of the game down. In their only competitive game, the Wildcats won a shootout against then #18 ranked Oklahoma St. 59-38. That is the type of scoring I'm hoping for in this game. Arizona will do their damage in the air behind Matt Scott who has nearly 1000 yards passing already while Oregon will run the ball early and often with Kenjon Barner and do everything athlete De'Anthony Thomas. Thomas leads the Ducks in receiving with 11 receptions and 3 touchdowns, but he also has 13 rushes at 17.5 yards per carry and 4 more scores. That's some silly production to start the season. Final Score: Oregon 55 Arizona 34
7. Oakland Athletics at New York Yankees
So we meet again...unfortunately not for the last time. The team that can't spend enough versus the team that doesn't have any money to spend. The Bronx Bombers versus Moneyball. The future Yankees versus the current Yankees. $197 million payroll vs. $55 million payroll. East coast bias versus a team that is trying to leave its home city. All the differences and yet these two teams come into the final two weeks of play separated by a single game. The Yankees lead the A.L. East by 1 game over the Baltimore Orioles who are tied for the Wild Card lead with the Athletics. Oakland has lost their only 3 veteran starters within the last month and are now completely reliant on a bunch of rookies and castoffs in their rotation. New York on the other hand has recently re-added veteran Andy Pettitte to the rotation which already has former Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia. Oakland is hanging together with bubble gum and fishing line, but this weekend could be a disaster if the pitching doesn't hold up. I see the Yankees winning at least two with a real chance at a sweep.
6. #18 Michigan Wolverines at #11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Is it time to take Notre Dame seriously? This would normally be the type of game where the Irish would fall flat after a huge win, but maybe this year version is different. Michigan has picked themselves up off the mat after being throttled by Alabama with wins over Air Force and Massachusetts who aren't quite at the same level as the defending champion, #1 ranked Crimson Tide. Frankly I don't know what to make of Michigan just yet, and that makes me think maybe they can win this one. The key will be how Denard Robinson handles another good defensive unit. We saw him struggle mightily against Alabama, but Notre Dame is no Alabama. Classic trap game here: Michigan 26 Notre Dame 23
5. #15 Kansas St. Wildcats at #6 Oklahoma Sooners
Quick story: Kansas St. always makes me remember a quarterback they once had, Chad May who wore #5. May 5...my birthday, I always liked him for that reason. This Wildcats team is much more competitive than they were with May at the helm, but this week they head to Norman, OK to face a much better Sooners team. Fans will be hoping for a more competitive game than last seasons that ended in a 58-17 blowout in favor of Oklahoma. The scary thought is that game was in Manhattan, KS and it might be even uglier this year around. If anything at least we will get to watch stud quarterback Landry Jones try and carve apart the Wildcats secondary (505 yards passing last year) once again. It will be a bit closer this go around but the story will remain the same Oklahoma 42 Kansas St. 24
4. Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels
That loud sound you hear in southern California is the clock ticking away on the Angels season. Every time they make a mini surge they drop a series that they have to win. After winning the first game at home against Texas, they dropped the final two of the key series. With only 12 games remaining the Angels now face the arduous task of making up 5 games on either the Orioles or the Athletics to attempt to salvage a disappointing season. Their opponent, the Chicago White Sox have everything to play for. They have a slim two game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the A.L. Central and will give the Angels fits. I think Chicago wins two of three (okay...I really really really hope they do) and puts a near virtual end to the Angles season...YOU CAN PUT THAT ON THE BOARD....YESSSSS!!!!
3. New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
I know NBC was hoping for a 2-0 vs. 2-0 battle between these two Super Bowl contenders when the schedule was release. I definitely know that nobody foresaw the loser of this game dropping to 1-2 on the early season. Both teams lost games last week that they should have won. The Patriots with Tom Brady at quarterback had only lost once at home and never in a home opener until last week. They looked awful and lost starting TE Aaron Hernandez for at least a month with an ankle injury. The Ravens had a 10 point halftime lead and a six point fourth quarter lead, both of which they blew losing by a single point. This will be their second prime time, nationally televised game and the schedulers at the NFL will do them no favors as they have to play again four nights after this game. I think Baltimore responds at home with a 27-23 victory.
2. PGA Tour Championship
So it all comes down to this. Can Rory run away with the title by winning his 3rd straight event? Can Tiger come all the way back and hoist the trophy again? Will he quit mid stream because he is too intimidated by Rory? Will Phil come out of nowhere to get back to the top of the mountain? All we can hope for all three of them to be with a shot or two of each other on Sunday afternoon. The NFL season is still early enough that you can miss out on a couple games and settle in for some top notch golf with abundant story lines. I've said it before and I'll say it again, fans must savor weekends like this where the generational gap will be crossing paths. There will only be a small window where we get Tiger and Phil playing top notch golf along with the newest wunderkind in Rory. Just the fact that I can write this entire preview and not use a single last name says all you need to know about the popularity of these three golfers. For the record I have to go with Rory to put a cherry on top of his stellar run here at the end of the season with another victory.
1. #10 Clemson Tigers at #4 Florida St. Seminoles
It's been a while since Florida St. has been this good. Even though they have not played any quality opponents, they have done exactly what has been asked out of them by stomping the living crap out of them. Through their first three games they have outscored their opponents 176-3. That is not a misprint. Clemson vows to be a bit more of a test with the likes of Tajh Boyd, Andre Ellington, Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins all a threat to score every time they get their hands on the ball. If the offense of Clemson can find a way to penetrate the stout Florida St. offense this game could get really exciting. Last season with very similar rosters, Clemson won 35-30 at home, this year it will be the other way around as Florida St. will hold serve and win a shootout 37-24.
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