My Top 100 Movies

When you think about great movies, what do you think of? Do you think of the classics, or the guilty pleasures? Do you think of your childhood, or your adulthood? Do you want movies that make you think, or movies that make you cry? Do you want an epic film that you watch once or twice, or do you want something you will watch 100 times? It's questions like these that make it virtually impossible to create an unanimous opinion on what the greatest movies of all-time are. So when you read the list below, understand that it is MY list, and not THE list.

What kinds of movies do I like? Generally speaking, I like action, comedy, thrillers, mob movies and sci-fi. Not really hardcore sci-fi, I guess you could call it popular sci-fi. I like sports movies like anyone else, but unlike most people I hold them to higher standards, and frankly most sports movies just aren't that good. I'll watch almost anything once, but I have never acquired the taste for the horror or foreign film genres, and romance and drama aren't really prevalent in my collection, though they are certainly there.

Below is the list of my favorite 100 movies of all-time, with comments for each. I would say that the Top 15-20 on this list would be very tough to crack in the future, but I never say never. 21-100 is actually kind of fluid, and I've already rearranged it a few times. In addition, it's safe to say I've forgotten a few movies here, most likely because I do not own them, and had a harder time remembering them. There are also some movies, like "300", which I want to see and anticipate cracking this list but as of yet have not seen. Without further adieu, here we go, in reverse order:

100. Sin City - A graphic novel brought to life, this makes the list for all it does right, but much of the story is anti-climactic and tied together poorly. But anything with Jessica Alba dancing on a table gets bonus points.
99. The Boondock Saints - Note - Movies taking place in Boston or involving people from Boston get a big boost, and this one certainly qualifies. Big-time cult movie that isn't high on acting, but has a great story.
98. Aladdin - My Arab nature comes through. I've seen this movie roughly 100 times.
97. Blues Brothers - I too was once on a mission from God. Mission accomplished!
96. Knocked Up - This one has the best chance of rising drastically on this list in the coming years. Superbad could debut very high as well, I'm excited for that one.
95. Miracle - Great performance by Kurt Russell, and so much BU Terrier pride on hand, how can you go wrong?
94. The Chronicles of Riddick - I like the first one better, but this one still kicked ass. Vin Diesel is underrated.
93. Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels - Most people will probably say Snatch is better, but this story strikes more of a chord with me.
92. Van Wilder - Write that down.
91. A Few Good Men - Tom Cruise at his finest, and the always underrated Kevin Pollak checks in for the second time.
90. Road Trip - You know, 'cause it's your dog.
89. Mystery, Alaska - Ridiculous premise, but great movie, one of the few sports movies that had the balls to let the protagonists lose the big game.
88. The Bourne Supremacy - Ultimatum was good but ultimately didn't live up to the hype. Supremacy certainly did though. This one had more action but I liked the story of Identity better.
87. Swordfish - Halle Berry sunbathing, John Travolta body doubles, Hugh Jackman playing golf in his bath towel, Don Cheadle screaming at everyone and an ex-wife turned porn star. What's not in this movie?
86. Backdraft - If you don't tear up a little when Kurt Russell dies, well then you probably don't have a soul. Sorry, that sucks for you.
85. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Easily my least favorite of the three, and it's not close. I always thought they made Treebeard WAY too short.
84. Slap Shot - This will do it for hockey movies on the list, though you could make the case that this was really a comedy. I was just trying to capture the spirit of the thing, Reg.
83. The 40-Year Old Virgin - French toast, anyone?
82. Superman Returns - Way underrated, one of the saddest moments of 2006 was watching everyone flock to the Pirates sequel and ignore Superman Returns.
81. Star Wars Episode III: Return of the Sith - It was awesome, and it's not fair to George Lucas that everyone had their own idea of how it should end. Realistically, he did very well, but in the end I think some of the pieces didn't fit, and it didn't end the way I imagined it would. This one could be ranked too low though.
80. The Silence of the Lambs - Quid pro quo, Clarice. They really have bastardized this classic by turning it into a series.
79. Con Air - Great popcorn movie, and a truly incredible cast, including a "just-before-his-big-break" appearance by Dave Chappelle.
78. Ocean's Eleven (new) - Unless we're in Reno, we're in Barney.
77. Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom - Kali-maaaaaaaaa!! Shorty!
76. Lethal Weapon IV - Why can't we be friends? It's fried rice, you plick!
75. 48 Hours - Eddie Murphy's first movie was an instant classic.
74. The Girl Next Door - Elisha Cuthbert melts the screen in this "redemption of a loser" tale. The juice was definitely worth the squeeze.
73. Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle - Ever hang glide to a White Castle? Ya, me either, but I wanted to after watching this movie.
72. Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade - We named the dog Indiana!
71. XXX - No, not some weird porno. The spy flick with Vin Diesel, Samuel L. and Asia Argento. File under Pleasures, Guilty.
70. Mean Girls - My girl Lindsay might smell like coke, but her sexy Santa dance with Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried is SO fetch.
69. Die Hard with a Vengeance - Do I believe 1/8 of the stuff that happens in this movie could really happen in real life? Hell no. That doesn't mean I don't love this movie. Is your brother an a***ole?
68. Saving Silverman - Why would that happen, in a world? I only know the Navy Seals signals! Is it possible for this movie to be more underrated?
67. Spider-Man 2 - Another great sequel that some get carried away with and say was better than the first one. Sorry, no. Still a very good movie though!
66. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Now here was a series that ended well. Even without James Cameron at the helm, this one didn't disappoint.
65. Back to the Future, Part 2 - I said I wish I could go back to the beginning of the season, and put some money on the Cubbies!
64. Rounders - The movie that started the poker revolution, and Damon and Norton are a dynamite duo. Oh yeah, and there's that Malkovich guy, and his Oreos.
63. Rocky II - Follow up to a classic was just as good. Hard to choose which sequel I liked better between II, III and IV (and the well done Rocky Balboa), but ultimately III and IV are a little too gimmicky.
62. Rocky - You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.
61. Family Guy Presents: Stewie Griffin, The Untold Story - You know, feel free to say no to this, but...would you shave my coin purse?
60. Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black - The first one in the series of three, if you count the animated middle movie. Which I obviously do.
59. Bad Boys - The perfect buddy cop movie? Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly gets into the argument. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
58. Wedding Crashers - This one probably seems a little low given the nature of my list, but I just didn't like it as much as everyone else did. But it's still awesome, you old sailor you!
57. Lethal Weapon II - My favorite of the four Lethal Weapons. Diplomatic immunity!
56. Running Scared (old) - The most underrated movie of all-time? It could be - Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, Dan Hedaya, Joe Pantoliano, Jimmy Smits. Good times. I stumbled onto this one on TNT once, and have seen it approximately 300 times since.
55. National Treasure - My wife's favorite, and one fun ride. Nic Cage rocks this movie out. Does anyone play the crotchety old man better than Jon Voight?
54. Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Yoda fights? Yoda fights!!!! And the clones are the Storm Troopers? Cool.
53. The Bourne Identity - Do you get the headaches? Not from watching this movie I don't!
52. Menace II Society - Most will say Boyz N Da Hood was the better flick, but not for me. I don't know about no Kansas!
51. The Departed - Mark Wahlberg may have given the finest Bostonian performance of all-time in this one. I'm the guy who does his job, you must be the other guy!
50. Back to the Future - Run for it Marty!
49. Total Recall - See you at the pahty Richter!
48. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - I feel shocked! This one could definitely be a little low...
47. The Fugitive - One of the best thrillers of them all, it kept me guessing until the end.
46. Coming to America - Who can resist the charm of Cleo McDowell? I know I can't.
45. Billy Madison - That's quack-tastic!
44. Independence Day - Sorry Jill.
43. Beverly Hills Cop - Another Eddie classic. 'We're not gonna fall for the banana in the tail pipe?' Try to sound more masculine. 'Look man, I ain't gonna fall for no banana in my tailpipe!' Thanks for teaching me how to talk Eddie!
42. Goldeneye - My favorite Bond movie featuring one of the all-time bad guys in Sean Bean. Boys with toys!
41. The Incredibles - Knowing that even Mr. Incredible can get fat makes me feel less guilty about my own weight.
40. Stripes - The army has never been this much fun. You're a lean, mean, fighting machine!
39. i Robot - Another Will Smith sci-fi popcorn movie. And this one has the ultimate "that guy", James Cromwell, plus Bridget Moynahan in leather. Boo-yah!
38. Enemy of the State - Did somebody say Will Smith? This thriller is like a high tech version of The Fugitive, and is a scary reminder of why there needs to people watching the watchers. And that you should hide Christmas gifts from your kids very, very carefully.
37. The Program - Easily my favorite football movie. We all know that Kane is Able.
36. True Lies - Jamie Lee's striptease scene is one of the all-time greats. Good enough story, and a great cast including Tia Carrere and Eliza Dushku before she grew up and got super hot.
35. Spaceballs - One of the greatest spoof movies of all-time. Crap like Scary Movie can't hold a candle to Spaceballs.
34. The Godfather - Part II takes forever, Part III I still haven't watched, but Part I is one of the classics. Canoli's are good.
33. Happy Gilmore - It's all in the hips, hey!
32. Spider-Man - With great power comes great responsibility. And Macho Man Randy Savage!
31. Ghostbusters - Where do those stairs go? They go up.
30. Trading Places - Oh Dan Akroyd, where have you gone?
29. The Terminator - One of the rare first movies that wasn't as good as the sequel, but this movie still kicked major tail.
28. The Princess Bride - To not love it is inconceivable!
27. Live Free or Die Hard - 2007 really has been the summer of movies, has it not?
26. Top Gun - When isn't it time to bust the tower?
25. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - I don't know if you know it, but this movie is kind of a big deal.
24. Goodfellas - I can't believe Henry Hill is still alive. Ray Liotta puts down one of the all-time great performances in this one. I wish I got $100 just for keeping the ice cold. 'Cause let me tell you, I keep my ice really, really cold.
23. The Rock - Great cast, great story, great explosions. And I even used a scene from it for a presentation in AP World History during high school.
22. Transformers: The Movie - Not the cartoon version, the 2007 version. The one that took everyone's name, and kicked absolutely everyone's a$$. PRRRRRIMMMMEEEEEEE!!!!!! MEGA-TRON!!!!!!!
21. V for Vendetta - For the record, Natalie Portman is still hot with her head shaved.
20. Die Hard - This original holds up very well in my opinion. Staying in a hotel on the same block as Nakatomi Towers was one of the great thrills of my life. Is that sad? Wait, don't answer that...
19. Animal House - Hard to believe that this one wasn't green lighted until Donald Sutherland signed on to give it "star power." This movie really does have it all. Toga, toga, TOGA!
18. Casino - My friend and I weren't really old enough to see this, and were warned before going in about how bloody it was. Like we cared!
17. Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Cool, my own Terminator! Little known fact - this movie features a soon-to-be-smoking hot Nikki Cox as a kid. Also, lots of stuff blows up, and Linda Hamilton learns to trust Ahnold.
16. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Extended Version) - The last one cuts off a lot of the story, not that you could possibly fit it all in - even in the Extended Version - but it still did it justice in my opinion.
15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Version) - My favorite of the three because I tend to like the origination angles better, but it's a close call between these two. That Peter Jackson isn't being allowed to direct The Hobbit is a disgrace.
14. Batman Begins - This is so much better than the Michael Keaton/Jack Nicholson version it's like night and day. Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes and Michael Caine are all severely underrated.
13. Office Space - So many quotes, so little time. Almost makes you wonder why King of the Hill sucks so much. Oh wait, King of the Hill doesn't have Jennifer Aniston in her prime. Never mind.
12. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - The first live action plus cartoon/CGI is still a masterpiece all these years later. To this day, I still get goosebumps when Roger finally reads ole Marvin Acme's will. Disappearing, re-appearing ink. Boy that Acme, what a genius!
11. Scarface - This movie has influenced everyone from the hip hop community all the way to Saddam Hussein, who actually named his money laundering outfit "Montana Management." As Kramer would say, a story like that's GOTTA BE TRUE! It's easily my favorite gangster/mob movie.
10. Major League - Followed by easily my favorite baseball/sports movie. This is the standard against how all sports movies should be judged. Underdog story? Check. Great cast? Check. Believable love story? Check. Real teams used? Check. Dramatic finish? Check. Also, the Spring Training location, Hi Corbett Field, is where the Rockies hold their Spring Training.
9. Friday - 'Cause it's Friday, you ain't got no job, and you ain't got sh** to do! Ice Cube's coming out party more as a writer than an actor, but after Friday he managed to land roles in big budget flicks Anaconda and Three Kings.
8. Gladiator - Is it possible that I could ranked this movie too low? I almost feel like it is, but there's only so many spots left!
7. Old School - In the wake of "Frat Pack" comedy that this movie spawned, I almost feel like it's now underrated. To me though, it's the best of the bunch and always will be.
6. The Simpsons Movie - Wow. I have heard some complaints (too much Homer, not enough side characters, wacky story), but they all flat to me. This movie rocked, plain and simple. Spider pig, Spider pig, does whatever a Spider pig does! I only wish it could go higher, but I'm not going to cop out and combine trilogy movies into one ranking (see below).
5. The Shawshank Redemption - One of my favorite things about this movie is that some people never like to give Stephen King credit for it. That man is a genius, and it's really too bad so many of his other books/short stories have been absolutely butchered on the big and small screen alike.
4. Braveheart - SLAVES are made in such ways! Mel Gibson gives the performance of three lifetimes (like you didn't know that).
3. Star Wars, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Finally, we've reached the top three. George Lucas holds exclusive province here. I can honestly say I have purchased these three movies in at least three different formats - the original edition on VHS, the Special Edition on VHS and the Special Edition on DVD. There is no doubt that when I upgrade to BluRay or HD DVD that I will buy all three again.
2. Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back - Back in the days, I used to like "Jedi" more than Empire Strikes Back, but over the years several people, most notably my cousin and noted film grouch Danny, have sold me on the merits of this one over "Jedi".
1. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope - Did I mention I like origination stories the most? You would think then, why don't I have Episode I on this list? Well, truth be told, it was originally, but it ended up getting bumped off when I remembered some other movies I really liked. But this one takes the cake, because even though it's Episode IV, the others will always feel like prequels, a feeling that was only enhanced when I thought Lucas didn't do a fantastic job tying Episode III's details to dovetail with Episode IV's.

So there it is, 100 movies. I don't know why I bothered to rank them, and like I said before, I could probably switch a lot of these around. I could also probably find another 25-50 to add to this list, but I don't really think it would be worth the effort. Heck, this might not have been worth the effort. But I did it anyways!

It Couldn't Be More Over

Yes, the Patriots lost Corey Dillon. Yes, the Patriots lost Daniel Graham. Yes, the Patriots lost Tully Bunta-Cain. Yes, Junior Seau may not be returning. And yes, there would be much sadness from this corner if Troy Brown is not back. But having said all of that, the 2007 NFL season is already over. The Patriots were openly questioned last year in most circles for not spending their cap money. At this point though, it is quite clear that the Patriots have been gearing up for 2007, and they were not going to be denied. Look at the additions the team has made in free agency/trades this off-season:

LB Adalius Thomas
WR Randy Moss
WR Donte Stallworth
WR Kelley Washington
WR Wes Welker
CB Tory James
TE Kyle Brady
RB Sammy Morris
LS Tony Case

Yesterday in the draft, the Pats also nabbed S Brandon Meriweather out of Miami. He is a guy who had some issues in school, but he is the next in the long line of Miami safeties, the last two being Sean Taylor and Ed Reed. Those two guys are pretty good, and if Meriweather is even 2/3 of those guys the Pats got a steal on him with the 24th pick.

As if the Pats aren't rich enough already, they have ALREADY re-loaded for next year's draft, picking up an extra first rounder and third rounder.

But let's get back to the players already acquired. Last year, the Patriots found themselves scuffling depth-wise in the AFC Championship. At WR, you had Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown, and Jabar Gaffney. With the moves made this off-season, the highest any of those three will rank on the Pats depth chart is fourth, and that will only be if Caldwell beats out Washington or Welker for that fourth spot.

Last year in the AFC Championship, the Patriots suited up Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, James Sanders, Artrell Hawkins, Chad Scott, Rashad Baker, and Ray Mickens in the defensive secondary. Nevermind that with an off-season to get healthy, the Patriots will get back Rodney Harrison, Eugune Wilson, and Randall Gay from injuries. Add to that the off-season additions of James and Meriweather, and now players like Hawkins, Sanders, and Scott, who filled in admirably for injured players last year will be relegated to the back of the depth chart. Sanders and Hawkins were the starting safeties in the AFC Championship last year, now they will be 4th and 5th on the depth chart. That kind of depth simply can not be understated.

The Pats lost Dillon, but in picking up Sammy Morris, still have four players who can carry the rock in Lawrence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Morris, and Heath Evans. And if the Pats need to go beyond those guys, there's Garrett Mills, a 4th round pick last season.

Are the Patriots still vulnerable at LB depth behind Thomas, Tedy Bruschi, Rosey Colvin, Mike Vrabel, and Larry Izzo? Probably. Eric Alexander was a valuable back up, and even started in the AFC Championship last year, but he didn't exactly cover himself in glory. Then there is Pierre Woods, an athletic LB from Michigan signed as undrafted Free Agent last season. Last year in the AFC Championship he had two special team tackles, best on the team. He made All Big Ten teams at Michigan, and played TE and basketball in high school, so he can certainly get after it. Finally, there is Corey Mays, a LB the team signed as an undrafted Free Agent out of Notre Dame last year. You might remember Mays as the guy who forced Terence Wilkins to fumble in the second quarter of last year's AFC Championship. Mays also started all 12 games as a Senior at Notre Dame. Are Woods and Mays the kind of guys you want out there for 25 snaps a game for 16 games? Probably not. Can they fill in for a quarter, a half, a game, two games? They sure seem like they can.

Are the Patriots still vulnerable at Offensive Line depth? Sure. But in three playoff games last year, the Pats offensive line allowed only 4 sacks - 1 to the Jets, 2 to the Chargers, and 1 to the Colts. That was when the Pats were spreading the field with guys like Gaffney, Kelvin Kight, and Ben Watson lined up wide at WR. Now the Patriots will spread the field with 5+ quality wide outs, 2 big-time pass catching TE's in Watson and David Thomas, and three RB's with Maroney, Faulk, and Morris. There will be no Dillon to catch passes 6 yards deep in the backfield and not make it back to the line. Any Pats RB will now be able to catch the ball out of the backfield. This all begs the question - who in their right mind would think about blitzing the Pats? With Tom Brady's quick release and now legitimate weapons all over the field, anyone who blitzes the Patriots next year is going to pay, and pay dearly. In the end, that is good news for the Pats offensive line, who should face considerably less pressure than they did last year, when teams tried more than ever to send blitz after blitz at Brady and Co.

The Patriots will have a tough schedule in 2007. They don't have their bye until Week 10. They have to play 5 prime time games. Not counting the Jets, they have to face 6 playoff teams from 2006, plus the Bengals and Steelers. That's 10 very difficult games on the docket, and it won't be easy. But 2006 wasn't exactly a cake walk, and the Pats were still one of the four best teams in the league, one quarter away from the Super Bowl, and they had considerably less talent. Unlike 2006, there is now a CLEAR Super Bowl favorite, and it resides in Foxborough, MA.

MLB 2007

After the crushing realization that I didn't do too well in my 2007 NCAA Tournament bracket, and the depressing finish of BU Hockey's season, one that assuredly crushed John Curry's already slim chances to win the Hobey Baker award, it's time to officially move on to baseball season. And with my three fantasy league drafts in the books, it's time to make my predictions for the 2007 MLB season.

One theme is pretty clear in the early going - there are no dominant teams. Like every season, some will emerge with more wins than others, that is the nature of the beast, but there are no 1998 Yankees or 2001 Mariners in this group of teams. Every team has flaws - some simply have fewer than others. And with that, let's move on to the picks themselves.

I wouldn't call my process overtly scientific, nor would I call it one that strictly adheres to my gut. One thing I did do was to make sure my totals match up mathematically, that there are 2,430 wins and 2,430 losses accounted for. I also tend to look at the individual team as well as the aggregate division. For instance, I firmly believe that the AL Central and NL West are the two best divisions in baseball. Likewise, I believe the AL West is the worst division, with the NL East and NL Central also competing for that title. Finally, once wins and losses are divvied up, I look at the teams 1-30 to see if they logically match up as a double check. In making the picks, I use BP's 2007 PECOTA projections, SI's and Rotowire's projected lineups, and 2006 statistics as resources. Without further ado:

AL East...W...L...RANK
NYA......94...68...1
BOS.......89...73...5
BAL.......78...84...20
TBA.......76...86...21
TOR.......76...86...22

While the Yankees are certainly not without their holes, the Red Sox simply have too many question marks to be viewed as favorites. Forgetting the obvious questions about how Matsuzaka will perform, there are questions about health (Papelbon, Timlin, Schilling, Wakefield, Varitek), performance (Lugo & Drew moving to the AL, Crisp and Beckett rebound, Pedroia's emergence), and who will do what in the bullpen. While the last should be a minor concern with so many veterans, the former two are of paramount importance. If everything breaks right for Boston, they could finally dethrone the Yankees. But the law of averages says it won't, and with Philip Hughes the Yankees have the mid-season bullet that the Sox simply don't possess. As for Toronto dropping to last, I don't see what they have done that merits consideration for anything else. They lost Ted Lilly and replaced him with retreads. According to Will Carroll's Positional Health Reports, the Jays and Royals are the only two teams with 4 red lights in the starting rotation, and the depth behind the front five isn't exactly Hall of Fame worthy. Meanwhile, Tampa's offense could be eye opening, and Baltimore's rotation should be improved, and at the very least has less question marks than Toronto's.

AL Central...W...L...RANK
CLE.............91...71...3
MIN............90...72...4
DET............86...76...10
CHA............86...76...11
KCA............69...93...28

Simply the best division in baseball. While some would argue that these teams will beat up on each other, forcing the Wild Card to come out of a division, that is simple foolishness. It certainly didn't play out that way last year, and it won't happen this year either. With the depth Cleveland has added through free agency in the outfield and bullpen and in the rotation through their farm system, they are better equipped than anyone in the division to make a big run. Also look for Victor Martinez to move out from behind the plate more frequently, something that should help his offense. The only projection that troubles me here is Detroit. If Sheffield can return to form, and their starters can avoid the burnout that plagued the White Sox after their title run, they could make things even more interesting. However, it is also possible that players like Brandon Inge, Marcus Thames, and Nate Robertson turned in career years, and that the Tigers got post-major-injury-career years from the likes of Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, and the middle probably won't get them to October.

AL West...W...L...RANK
LAA........81...81...15
OAK .......78...84...19
TEX........72...90...27
SEA ........68...94...29

Two things to note. First, this is the only division where I have only one team at .500 or better, and the Angels at 15th are the lowest overall rank for a division winner. Simply put, the Angels didn't do much to make themselves better in 2007. They will get Howie Kendrick and Gary Matthews Jr., but I don't know that the latter will be of much help. The corner outfielders are about as mobile as parking cones, and the corner infielders haven't been productive since the heydays of Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon. With Juan Rivera out until June, the onus will be on the older players like Garrett Anderson to play more and on more consecutive days, something that probably won't work out too well. The rotation is stellar, and a full year of Jered Weaver should he be healthy is probably just what the doctor ordered. However, the offense will once again hold them back from being great. Fortunately for the Angels, the rest of the division isn't much to write home about. Entrusting the A's rotation to Rich Harden is about as smart as trusting Theodore Bagwell to do the right thing - it's probably not a good idea. The jury is still out on him - and Bobby Crosby, Mark Ellis, and Mark Kotsay - until he/they prove they can stay upright for a full season. Also, wishcasting Mike Piazza into a Frank Thomas-like savior seems convenient in March, but is likely fools gold. Piazza will still be good, and worth the money paid him, but the last time he put up 39 HR's and 114 RBI's in a season no one in this country knew who Osama Bin Laden was. Finally, some people are touting the Rangers as a sleeper pick. That is probably more reflective of the division being weak than the Rangers being good. Sometimes a sleeper is a legitimate sleeper, and sometimes people are grasping at straws.

NL East...W...L... RANK
NYN......93...69...2
PHI.......87...75...8
ATL......80...82...17
FLN......76...86...23
WAS.....60...102...30

Watching a Braves vs. Phillies game the other day, I was treated to the analysis that the Braves are the team to beat in the NL East this year; their failure in 2006 a blip on the screen for the still-proud franchise. Sorry, not buying it. The story goes that a revamped bullpen and a minor drop offensively (at worst) from Marcus Giles to Kelly Johnson and Adam LaRoche to Scott Thorman will leave the Braves better balanced and stronger overall. But that doesn't solve the problem of how Atlanta will keep runs off the board. With a rookie and a converted outfielder on the right side of the diamond, and an aging superstar with declining range at 3B, the Braves infield defense should be a sieve. Not to mention that after John Smoltz, the rotation is no picnic. Simply put, the Mets have a great core on offense that they added to with Moises Alou, and will likely get better production out of a more mature Lastings Milledge in 2007 as well. The Mets rotation certainly has some question marks, but Omar Minaya, Willie Randolph, and Rick Peterson have to be given the benefit of the doubt at this point. And Pedro will be wearing Superman's cape come September...

NL Central...W...L...RANK
MIL.............86...76...9
STL.............84...80...13
CHN............81...81...16
PIT.............80...82...18
CIN.............74...88...25
HOU...........73...89...26

While the Mets braintrust has earned the benefit of the doubt, the same can not be said for the Astros. While the Tim Purpura era got off to a great start, some of the decisions made following the 2005 run are downright befuddling, and unfairly or not, it is time to question whether Purpura rode Gerry Hunsicker's coattails to his team's pennant-winning 2005 season. As Joe Sheehan wrote recently over at BP, the Astros don't allocate their resources efficiently, and really don't seem to care either. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has found a way to keep Bill Hall to in the lineup, maximizing Hall's flexibility and getting the best bats into the starting lineup. With a healthy Ben Sheets as the backbone, youngsters like Corey Hart, and a more stable bullpen now that Derrick Turnbow has been demoted, the Brewers are primed for the run many people predicted would happen last year. The Cardinals will be what they were last year - a .500 team that wins a couple extra games thanks to Albert Pujols, but that won't cut it this season. The Cubs spent a lot of money on Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, but they doesn't pitch, and Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis aren't going to be good enough upgrades to make the Cubs contenders.

NL West...W...L...RANK
LAN........89...73...6
COL........88...74...7
ARI........86...76...12
SDN.......83...79...14
SFN........76...86...24

The theme in this division is depth. The Dodgers and Rockies have more of it than anyone. In LA, the Dodgers go two deep at almost every position on the diamond. Their B lineup looks like this:

C Mike Lieberthal
1B James Loney
2B Marlon Anderson
3B Andy LaRoche
SS Ramon Martinez
LF Jason Repko
CF Brady Clark
RF Matt Kemp

This lineup wouldn't win you a division on its own, but with 3 primetime prospects, a former All-Star at catcher, and solid citizens filling in elsewhere, this just goes to show how deep LA is. This isn't to mention the fact that they have 8 pitchers capable of handling the starter role, and 2 closers in Saito and Broxton. Simply put, they have a lot of bullets in their proverbial bandolier.

The Rockies aren't very different. Jeff Baker, Steve Finley, Yorvit Torrealba, and Jamey Carroll give the Rockies a dynamic bench capable of filling in at all positions on the diamond. The rotation, while not top heavy, is very balanced and will have reinforcements. BH Kim can step in for a faltering member if not traded, and Brian Lawrence is well on his way to contributing after missing all of 2006. Add to that possible call-ups for guys like Ubaldo Jimenez, Oscar Rivera, and Franklin Morales by season's end, and the Rockies will not succumb to the emergency waiver wire pickups like they have in the past. Furthermore, their top four offensive core of Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Todd Helton, and Brad Hawpe is the best in the division. The Diamondbacks and Padres will be entertaining teams to watch and certainly a case can be made for either team. However, the quality of the depth in San Diego doesn't stack up to that of Colorado and LA, particularly in a rotation with two 40+ pitchers. Also, the likelihood of so many young players all living up to expectations at the same time in Arizona is unlikely, leaving the D'Backs a year away from taking the NL by storm. The West is going to be a hard fought division, and when all the Baby'Backs really hit their stride in 2008, it will be even more of a dog fight.

PLAYOFFS
AL
1 New York Yankees over 4 Minnesota Twins in 5 games
2 Cleveland Indians over 3 Los Angeles Angels in 3 games
...
2 Cleveland Indians over 1 New York Yankees in 6 games

NL
1 New York Mets over 4 Colorado Rockies in 4 games
3 Milwaukee Brewers over 2 Los Angeles Dodgers in 4 games
...
1 New York Mets over 3 Milwaukee Brewers in 6 games

Cleveland Indians over New York Mets in 7 games

AWARDS
AL MVP: Derek Jeter
NL MVP: Carlos Beltran
AL Cy Young: CC Sabathia
NL Cy Young: Ben Sheets
AL ROY: Alex Gordon - Philip Hughes will be the pick if he graduates to NY before Memorial Day
NL ROY: Chris Young

Can we play ball already?

Top 15 Remixes of All-Time

In my iPod, I have a play list entitled “Remix”, containing all 205 remixes that I have in my iPod. I don’t know about you, but I always like to hear a remix. Maybe it’s my creative nature, I like to hear a different take on things, or perhaps it’s just the signal from the artist that this song was special, so we released two versions of it. Whatever it is, I’m always excited to hear one. And like all things that excite me, I tend to be pretty critical of each and every one. In that spirit, here is my list of the 15 best remixes of all time.

There are a few criteria that go into the rankings. First, what differed from the original? Something should be different; otherwise it wouldn’t be a remix. Often, it is the addition or subtraction (mainly addition) of a featured artist. If that is the only addition to the song, then that verse needs to be exceptional. Another piece of criteria was the significance of the song. The significance could be measured by commercial appeal, the effect it had on the music industry, etc. And lastly, the all important question – would you rather listen to the regular version or the remix? With that, let’s get to it. The 20 are in no particular order, and afterwards a list of honorable mentions.

The Notorious B.I.G. - One More Chance Remix - This is probably the greatest remix of all-time. The original is one of the lesser songs on Biggie's debut CD, Ready To Die, and the remix is a total reversal from the original. With lines like "I'm not only a client, I'm the playa president" it exhibits Biggie's true genius.

R Kelly - Ignition Remix - Fellas to the left...this song comes at the nadir of R. Kelly's remixes, and with this one he finally hit the one that never gets old. It's bouncy, it's fun, it's well written.

Lil’ Kim - Not Tonight Remix f/ Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Elliot, & Angie Martinez - The ultimate females only song, from the movie soundtrack for Nothing To Lose, this song was a big hit fronting for an otherwise forgettable movie. The original appeared on Lil' Kim's debut CD, Hardcore.

Mary J Blije - Real Love Remix f/ The Notorious B.I.G. - This was the ultimate Puffy moment, using his specialty - the remix - to pimp his two best stars, Mary J and Biggie. Biggie simply added a verse on the end, but the extra drums in the beat really make it kick.

SWV - Anything Remix f/ Wu Tang Clan - Wu-Tang rarely guest appeared as a unit on anything besides their own albums. This song was a big hit without the remix, but the remix really topped it off nice. "Another chapter from the Wu-Tang book!" Often overlooked in the greatness of the Wu Tang dynasty is how they seamlessly transitioned between the ultra commercial like Mariah Carey, Jodeci, and SWV and the ultimate underground like Dreddy Kruger, Ras Kass, and R.A. the Rugged Man.

Mariah Carey - Fantasy Remix f/ Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Whether with an assist from Puffy, Jermaine Dupri, or DJ Clue, Mariah has continuously added extra income and bolstered her rep in the urban community using remixes with rappers. There are a lot of great Mariah remixes, but this one set the whole summer off back in the day. This one was the ultimate, one of the few Mariah remixes (along wit Honey) that got regular airplay on the radio, instead of just showing up on CD singles.

112 - Only You Remix f/ The Notorious B.I.G. and Ma$e - One of the first songs, along with You Can't Hold Me Down, where we saw Ma$e on a track. This was a big deal because with this strategy Puffy really helped establish the theory that you break a new artist in on other people's records to gauge interest. In addition, Only You was 112's breakout hit, and arguably the biggest hit of their career. A remix with 112, Biggie, and Ma$e is pure genius.

2Pac - California Love Remix f/ Dr. Dre - California, knows how to party! On a CD of big hits, this one was the biggest. The remix was so good they didn't even bother releasing the original. 2Pac's first big hit after he was released from prison was one of the all-time classics.

DMX - Ruff Ryders Anthem Remix f/ Eve, Drag-On, & The Lox - This one was a DJ Clue remix. The original Ruff Ryders Anthem was kind of mid-tempo, so it was hard to pinpoint when to bang it in the club. The remix was sped up, and they threw all the important Ruff Ryders on the track, saving X for last. Everyone rips the track hard, and it sort of is a bit depressing when you think of what could have been had they all stayed at the top of their games. The Lox are still banging out hits, but X is slippin', Eve is focusing on acting, and Drag-On basically disappeared.

Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day Radio Remix edit - File this one under the "different beat" type of remix. In contrast to the original, this one has a breezy, kind of Motown feel to it, giving the lyrics new air in which to breathe. Good times.

Mariah Carey - Honey So So Def Remix f/ Da Brat & Jermaine Dupri - Honey was so good that it got two remixes. The more commercial remix featured Ma$e and The Lox and had its own video. This one was a little more under the radar, and sort of jacked the "All About the Benjamins" beat. Of all of Mariah's underrated "B side" remixes, this one is easily the best.

NaS - Street Dreams f/ R Kelly - Call it the pimped out remix, the joining of two legends. Perhaps this is where the "R" got the inspiration to pump out all his remixes?

Puff Daddy - It’s All About the Benjamins Rock Remix f/ The Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim, The Lox, Fuzz Bubble - One of the last projects Biggie did before he passed, this one was during the rock-rap craze. Fuzz Bubble was the first rock act Puffy signed to Bad Boy, and this remix was the first project he put them on. They didn't disappoint in their first go round, the beat definitely kicked.

Juvenile - HA Jay-Z Remix f/ Jay-Z - It seemed like there 30 remixes to this song, but the Jay-Z version signaled the legitimacy of southern rap. If Juvenile was good enough for Jay-Z to lay down a verse with, then he must have been pretty good right? Well, in retrospect, no he wasn't. But this remix helped kicked off a slew of southern rappers, which depending on your viewpoint, was good or bad for hip hop.

LL Cool J - I Shot Ya f/ Foxy Brown, Keith Murray, Fat Joe, & Prodigy - Just a great group of emcees going to war on a great battle track. As a bonus, this was one of the last times Keith Murray and Foxy actually shined on a track.

Honorable Mention:

• De La Soul - Stakes is High Remix f/ Mos Def - Mighty Mos' first song.
• Gangstarr - You Know My Steez Remix f/ Lady of Rage & Kurupt - What a combination of artists!
• Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says Remix f/ Lady Luck, Redman, Method Man, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and Busta Rhymes - Big-time posse track for big-time club banger.
  
• Talib Kweli - Get By Remix f/ Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes - Another great combo of A-listers.
  
• A Tribe Called Quest f/ Faith Evans - Stressed Out (Baby Phife Version) - Can't have a best of list without the Tribe. With so many masterpieces, they didn't have a lot of remixes, so this one is the tops.
  

Biggie Duets Album Review

My sister got me The Notorius B.I.G. – Duets, The Final Chapter for Christmas, which was nice of her. Of course, it would have been nicer if she has not opened it and downloaded it onto her iPod before she gave it to me, but that’s neither here nor there I suppose. I was mildly excited about it. I wasn’t planning on buying the album, but I got excited when I received it. Opening the album, it’s easy to get excited, despite the ad inserts. The artwork is cool, especially the pictures of him walking around in shorts and a polo shirt. The picture of Biggie and Puffy all dressed up is cool as well. Too many thank yous, but what can you do. Let’s get it into it, taking a look at each track individually, with a grade for each one just for extra. I was looking for a couple things – well done songs/concepts, real duets, Biggie lyrics I haven’t heard before, etc.

1. B.I.G. live in Jamaica INTRO
Cool intro, I had never heard it, so bonus points for that. I always like getting live stuff, especially from someone who has died, as I don’t have the opportunity to see them live anymore. Grade: A

2. it has been said f/ Diddy, Eminem, and Obie Trice
Good transition from the intro, but this isn’t Eminem at his best – lyrically or musically. When listening to it on headphones the beat is a bit much. Obie Trice is good, but Puffy is full of shit saying that he made Biggie what he was. I also have a tough time believing that he has played a significant role in T-yanna’s upbringing, but I suppose it’s possible. However, this song DOESN’T HAVE BIGGIE ON IT. How can it be a Biggie song if he’s not on it? I mean, if he’s not on it, why do I care? Grade: Automatic F

3. spit your game f/ Twista and Bone Thugs N Harmony
A good beat here by Swizz Beats. It’s interesting how they cut off Biggie’s verse before he says “bone and BIG” even though Bone is on this song. I always like Twista and Bone Thugs, but Bone is sub par here and there are other people I’d like to see rap on a Biggie track than these guys. Grade: C+

4. whatchu want – The Commission – Jay-Z and Notorius B.I.G.
Love the beat here, very original, and it fits Biggie well. I’ve never heard these Biggie verses, very nice stuff. It’s interesting that they list it as The Commission – I’ve never seen that before, and The Commission was supposed to have way more people in it…This is the first real duet, and a good verse by Jay-Z. Grade: A+

5. get your grind on f/ Big Pun, Fat Joe, and Freeway
This beat sucks, it doesn’t fit Biggie’s verses here at all. Freeway is a worthless and illogical choice, and Fat Joe has been better. This should have just been Big Pun and Biggie, the other two water down the track. Grade: C- (and only cause of Pun, otherwise this is a D)

6. living the life f/ Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Faith Evans, Cheri Dennis, and Bobby Valentino
I love his lyrics here, I always forget they were on Born Again. I love having faith evans here, and while I hate in Ludacris general, he turns in a good verse (for him). Snoop does well here too, but in the end it seems like too much for one song. The other two seem pointless, hardly notice them. Grade: B-

7. the greatest rapper INTERLUDE
This is Biggie’s son CJ. I love it, great touch. Grade: A+

8. 1970 Somethin’ f/ The Game and Faith Evans
This is one of my favorite tracks – The Game is a good choice here. He’s an up and comer with legitimate chops, he’s not just some clown. Faith again on the track, I love that. This one also has a duet feel to it. Grade: A-

9. Nasty Girl f/ Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge and Avery Storm
This one has one demerit – why Jagged Edge? This should be 112 here. Nelly is good here, Diddy fits on songs like this, and he copied a lot of the old lyrics which meant you didn’t have to suffer through too much of his crap rapping. The beat and concept was very well done by Jazze Pha. And I always thought that Nasty Boy was underrated, girls liked the lyrics, but didn’t like the other stuff in the song. The wife gave this one her stamp of approval. Grade: B+ (would be A- with 112)

10. living in pain f/ 2Pac, Mary J. Blige, and Nas
Biggie and 2Pac’s lyrics are actually an unreleased Biggie and 2Pac song called House of Pain. There’s a new beat (decent), a verse from Nas (good) and a hook by Mary J Blije (very good). Would have expected a little better from Just Blaze, but the beat doesn’t take away from the song. Grade: B

11. I’m with whateva f/ Lil’ Wayne, Juelz Santana, and Jim Jones
This is the kind of song that drags the album down. Lil’ Wayne is okay, he’s better than some of the other Cash Money clowns, and Juelz Santana is one level under ok - not quite completely worthless, but certainly below average. Unfortunately, Jim Jones is useless. I don’t understand the rationale behind picking Santana and Jones over Cam’ron, or someone different altogether. Also, Biggie does not appear on this track. The beat by Stevie J is tight, with the Halloween beat mixed in, but no Biggie means – Grade: Automatic F

12. beef f/ Mobb Deep
Awesome. Biggie and the Mobb, this is the true essence of a Duets album. The original beat was tight, but you can’t screw with a Havoc beat, he does it justice. Lyrically, they keep the cadence right. Proper. Grade: A- (would be an A if it was an unreleased Biggie/Mobb song, there has to be at least one, no?)

13. my dad INTERLUDE
Again, nice touch with his kids here, this one his daughter T-yanna. Grade: A+

14. hustler’s story f/ Scarface, Akon, and Big Gee of Boyz N Da Hood
Ok, here’s the deal. If you need to list your group next to your name, like “Big Gee of Boyz N Da Hood”, then you’re not big enough to be on the Biggie Duets album. Take this verse out and you’ve got a winner. So why is he on the track? Well, coincidentally, he’s signed to a new Diddy venture called Bad Boy South. Never heard of the producer, but the beat is good. ‘Face is always on his game, and Akon is an up and comer, his voice is kind of contagious. He could have a Nate Dogg-like run of success if he plays his cards right and knows his role. Grade: B-

15. breakin’ old habits f/ T.I. and Slim Thug
Really? T.I. and Slim Thug? This track is completely unnecessary. I guess T.I. has a good rep, and from what I’ve heard, Slim Thug is pretty decent. But again, who are these guys compared to Biggie? They’re doormen, bellhops. It’s insulting. And I like Biggie’s verse here, it’s tremendous, one of the hidden gems from No Way Out. That saves it from being an F. Grade: D-

16. ultimate rush f/ Missy Elliot
I love Missy. She does a good job here, as does Scott Storch - the song is well done. But isn’t this Lil’ Kim’s song? The chorus is taken from Lil’ Kim’s album - she should be on the track. Why do I, the user, have to suffer because Puffy and Kim had a falling out? Bull. This is one big example of Puffy exerting too much control over the project. Biggie’s verse though is hard to place, I think I’ve heard part of it, but I don’t know on what. Bonus points for that. Grade: A- (upgrade for originality, beat, being an actual duet with someone worthy, but downgrade for it not being Lil’ Kim)

17. mi casa f/ R. Kelly and Charlie Wilson
DJ Green Lantern! Love that guy. Although I guess there were three other producers on the track, so how much credit does he get? I don’t understand why there are two hook singers on this track. Was R Kelly too busy to record the rest of the song? It’s overkill. Biggie and R Kelly on Life After Death was a classic, there is no need to mess with that formula. Plus, Charlie Wilson wasn’t that good. I mean, if you’re putting someone else on here, make it Nate Dogg or a real singer like Babyface or something. Grade: C+

18. little homie INTERLUDE
Good stuff from Lil’ Caese. But again, you have to wonder how he didn’t get on an actual track. How is he less qualified than a Slim Thug or a Jim Jones? Grade: A-

19. hold ya head f/ Bob Marley
Awesome stuff, this song was produced by Boston’s own Clinton Sparks. Bob Marley is an awesome touch, and the beat is tight. But this is essentially a remix of Suicidal Thoughts, which is one of the underlying problems with this album. Grade: A-

20. just a memory f/ The Clipse
Clipse is a good choice here. You’re Nobody Till Somebody Kills You was underrated, so that was a good choice here if another song had to be recycled. Like the chorus too – it’s produced by Scram Jones, but has kind of a DJ Premier feel to it. Well done overall. Grade: A

21. wake up f/ Korn
This is a throwaway track. Yes, we know Biggie sounds well over a rock beat, we learned on the All About the Benjamins Rock Remix. This was always a good track by Biggie though, glad this was included. Unfortunately, Korn is a little too dark here for my tastes, and the overall tone of the song is kind of lost as a result. Lastly, I’d rather just have another rap song here. I mean, this is the last original release for Biggie, did they need to pander to alternative kids with a rock jam? I don’t think this song is necessary. Grade: D+

22. love is everlasting OUTRO
A fitting capper to the album to put his mom Voletta. I don’t know if that is an original poem she wrote, or something she lifted from somewhere, but I don’t think that matters one bit. It was a nice poem, and a nice touch to end his “last album” with his mom. Grade: A+

This album has its highlights. Songs like Whachu Want, 1970’ Somethin’, Nasty Girl, Beef, and Just A Memory. Living in Pain, Ultimate Rush and Hold Ya Head are notable as well. But there is too much garbage here. Throwaway artists like Korn, Charlie Wilson, Slim Thug, Freeway, etc. should never be involved in a project like this. Some of this is overkill, some of it is wanting to pander to every person, like teenagers who probably don’t know Biggie at all and will be looking at the guest artists to determine if they purchase the CD. This CD is likely to be a cash cow no matter who is on it, so why waste time with chumps? To pander to the kiddies that’s why. Not only are there other rappers that would have been dream songs who were left out - guys like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Q-Tip, Wu-Tang, Beastie Boys, DMX, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Cormega, Guru, just to name a few. Then there are all the old players from the old Bad Boy camp that are conspicuously absent – Ma$e, The Lox, Lil’ Kim, Junior MAFIA, 112, Craig Mack, Black Rob, etc. How are artists like this passed over for artists like Korn or Freeway? That’s unfathomable. It’s not just the rappers either. Where’s DJ Premier? Dr. Dre? DJ Clue? Funkmaster Flex? Yes, Swizz Beatz, Eminem, Jazze Pha, Just Blaze, Havoc, Stevie J, Clinton Sparks, and Scott Storch produced songs for the album. That’s all good. Some of the guys I’ve never heard of, like Danja and Reefa did well, but I could care less about producers like Sean C, Coptic, or Chink Santana. I’d rather have one of those other guys, or an Alchemist, Ali Shaheed, Q-Tip, or a D-Dot track. The only thing I can think of as a reason here is saving money, not wanting to pay for premium beats.

Then there is the fact that a lot of these songs are essentially remixes of old Biggie songs. Hold Ya Head is an awesome track, but it really should be called Suicidal Thoughts Remix. Same with Mi Casa, Get Your Grind On, 1970 Somethin’, Nasty Girl, and Beef. At least with Nasty Girl and Beef the names are at least similar, and any big Biggie fan would realize that 1970 Somethin’ was an old lyric right away. But looking at some of my underground Biggie stuff I know there are verses they could have used but chose to use old songs instead. Perhaps this was the producers and guest artist’s decision, but I have a hard time believing that. Diddy exerts so much control over things that the blame has to rest with him.

Overall, this is an average album. There are some great tracks here, but there is a lot of filler. There are some great guests, but a lot of crappy ones. There are some great producers, but a few unknown ones (at least to me). Lastly, there is too much recycled Biggie material. You’re telling me there aren’t more unreleased Biggie lyrics in the vault they couldn’t have used for this project? I refuse to believe that. This album has been rumored for a long time. I expect nothing but perfection because perfect is what it would have been had Biggie been alive for it. Every song should be at LEAST a B+, but that's not the case. In the end, Diddy watered it down too much to keep production costs low and add guests not worthy of the album to pander to a younger or different market than true hip-hop fans. I suppose I should expect that after Born Again, but I had hoped for better. In the end though, it’s Biggie, and I’ll take him anyway I can get him.

New Title

I figured that since I don't really talk about baseball on the blog anymore, that I would change the title. Love to hear feedback on it. It has a double meaning, let me know if you get both meanings...

One more update: my darling wife passed the hardest 1/4 of the CPA exam. As long as she passes the other three by 5-31-07, she'll be a certified CPA. Yee haw!

Coming Soon: Album Review of Biggie Duets

Updates and Predictions

Fantasy football season went swimmingly, and I was victorious, ripping off a 44 point victory in the Finals on the strength of superior performances by Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, and the Bears D in Week 16. The only disappointment of the season, Kevin Jones, was tempered by picking up Cadillac Williams in Round 10, and I got excellent value there.

In fantasy baseball, I've been adding to my stockpile of pitching in my Scoresheet league, picking up Mark Buehrle, Ervin Santana, and Jeremy Sowers. I also traded for Bengie Molina.

I had a great Christmas and New Year's, getting to see everyone in both mine and my wife's family over the holidays. I also got to take in the Pats at Jets games in the Meadowlands, where I was able to get to watch the players warm up on the field. Good times all around.

I never got around to making any NBA predictions this season, but things don't look good for the Celtics thus far. Doc Rivers really needs to play Big Al more. If he continuously gets into foul trouble, then it would seem to me that he needs to learn how to play WITH fouls so he can learn to be more graceful. Yanking him every time he picks up a couple quick fouls isn't going to help his development.

Got a lot of books and DVD's for Christmas, it could be a long time before I'm back in this space, I have a lot of media to enjoy. Speaking of media(s), King Kong was excellent. I especially enjoyed the T-Rex fights and the Brontosaurus stampede. Overall, a very nice film. Jack Black rulz. Saw 40-Year Old Virgin also. As with Anchorman, I'm upset with myself for not having seen that in the theater. Great flick. "You know how I know you're gay? Cause you listen to Coldplay."

And finally, it's NFL Playoffs time. A lot has changed in the past month. Three AFC teams with nine of more wins will miss the playoffs, that's how jacked the conference is. Anyone who thinks the Super Bowl champ will come from the NFC is dreaming. The runs by Miami, Washington, and NE have been fun to watch. San Diego's drop off has been disappointing. Without further ado, on to the picks:

AFC:
Jacksonville at New England - NE 33 -Jacksonville 14

Overall statistics matter little in this game, as New England has begun to dominate with their best players back in the lineup. After starting a mere 3-3, the Pats went 7-3 down the stretch, with the last loss tempered by the fact that they played the 2nd team most of the game. A lot will be made of the fact that the Jags finished 8-1, but their only loss was to the only good team they played: Indy. The other wins? Houston twice, Tennessee twice, Baltimore, Arizona, Cleveland, and San Francisco. Not exactly setting the world on fire with that schedule.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - Cincy 39 -Pittsburgh 36

The third meeting of the season, and this one should be more like the game earlier this month. Cincy's offense is good enough to carry them far in these playoffs, and it will carry the day against the Steelers, as Big Ben is still not right.

New England at Indianapolis - NE 42-Indy 31

In the first game, the line was 4 points. This was a game that featured a hobbling Corey Dillon, no Kevin Faulk, no Richard Seymour, and a secondary that was still gelling. The two keys here are Faulk and Seymour. Confronted with zone coverage from Indy most of the night, Brady spread the ball around a lot, and a lot of his 22 completions were dump offs. Having Kevin Faulk would have led to a lot more YAC on said dumpoffs, which would have helped open up the zone downfield and get the Pats better looks. Having Seymour would have turned a lot of those 8-9 yard Edge runs into 2-4 Edge runs. There will be other angles to digest and hash out, but I think those are the biggest.

Cincinnati at Denver - Cincy 28 -Denver 24

The key to beating Denver is getting an early lead and forcing them to pass from the pocket. Jake Plummer is not a good pocket passer. He is most effective when rolling out and utilizing play-action. Cincy is a horrible matchup for Denver because they can score points in a hurry. Expect this to happen. Denver will keep it close by forcing some turnovers after they fall behind, but will ultimately lose.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP - New England at Cincinnati - New England 24 - Cincinnati 9

Cincy will meet their doom here, as NE will be able to put the clamps on Rudi Johnson, forcing Cincy to be one dimensional and taking advantage of the predictability. The Pats will focus on clock-killin' Corey Dillon, who will get the ultimate revenge by sticking it to his former city and helping carry New England back to its 3rd straight Super Bowl.

NFC:
Washington at Tampa Bay -Washington 27, Tampa Bay 14

Washington is the hottest team in football right now. Tampa Bay will be trusting two green horns, Chris Simms and Cadillac Williams, to help them emerge victorious. Not buying. Tampa will fail to generate a lot of offense against the 'Skins hot D, and Washington will get the impressive road win.

Carolina at New York Giants - Carolina 21 - NY 20

This is the hardest game to pick out of the Wild Card matchups. I could see this one going either way. I am going to defer to Carolina because I had them as preseason favorites. Though they have not dominated like many thought possible, they have enough to get it done against the Giants. Barely. Expect a great performance by Tiki Barber to keep this thing close, and a good effort by Eli Manning. In the end, this game will be won on defense, and Carolina has the edge in that department.

Washington at Seattle - Washington 35 - Seattle 31

This is another tough call, but in the end, I can't stomach myself to believe a quarterback from Boston College has what it takes to lead his team to victory. Riding a guy during fantasy football season is one thing, backing him in the playoffs is quite another. Hasselbeck will make a key mistake at the wrong time, just like last year. Also, Washington will not be too banged up for this game, as they will have the chance to rest their regulars at the end of the Tampa Bay game.

Carolina at Chicago - Chicago 14 - Carolina 9

Just like in their last matchup, the Panthers will not reach the end zone, but they will claw out two more field goals. The Bears will do just enough on offense to win this game against what is a very good Carolina defense.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Washington at Chicago - Chicago 21 - Washington 16

The two best defenses in the NFL square off in this game, and the game will be won on defense, as each team will bring home a touchdown on defense - the Bears with an interception return for TD, the 'Skins on a sack, QB fumble, and a rumble to the promise land. However, the Bears will win the battle of field position, giving their offense the shorter field, which in the end will lead to more points for the new Monsters of the Midway.

SUPER BOWL XL - Chicago vs. New England - New England 30 - Chicago 10

That's right, the Super Bowl XX rematch. Oh the media is going to have a field day with this one. And while there won't be any Refrigerator Perry, there will be Ever-Able Mike Vrabel, catching a touchdown. You'll see all the tricks come out of Belichick's bag in this one - reverses, flea flickers, no down lineman, 3 safeties, etc., etc. The Bears do not usually get so drastic with their play calling, and their tendencies on offense will be easy to exploit.

In the Bears losses (not counting the Week 17 loss) they lost because the other team had a lot of options. Cincy, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh all had good performances on offense against the Bears, and the Pats offensive attack is as multi-dimensional, if not more. The Bears have been best at stopping the pass, but with a healthy Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk, and Patrick Pass the Pats will mix up their running game, bringing different looks and churning out the yards.

Offensively, the Bears biggest strength is their running game. This is also the Pats biggest strength on defense. In short, the Bears aren't doing anything offensively against New England. Thomas Jones will be stuffed, and Grossman will be forced into obvious passing downs all day. In fact, the Bears will only be able to muster a field goal offensively, their lone touchdown coming on the defense's one big break of the day.

This will be the game that cements the Patriots as the greatest team of all-time, Tom Brady as the greatest QB of all-time, and Bill Belichick the greatest coach of all-time. You're probably thinking, "typical Paul, always picking the home team". Perhaps there is a bit of that in the mix. However, as good as the Bears defense is, the Patriots simply have too many weapons to throw at them.