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I think you know what SI's sign of apocalypse will be this week. Washington Wizards PG Gilbert Arenas was fined $25,000 for NOT speaking to the media. The team was fined the same amount. The self coined ôHibachiö is feeling cold. This guy never used to shut up! Countless press conference and interview rants and raves. The commercials, nicknames, video games and blog posts are all a thing ...

NFL Week Four Picks: Sweet and Sour

Posted: 2nd October 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
After three weeks of football, the only certainty is the lousiness of certain teams. The Rams, Browns, Bucs, and Chiefs are all junk. All the other teams have plenty of questions to be answered. HereÆs hoping this week is as exciting as last week.áOakland at HoustonùWill Steve Slaton ever score a touchdown? If there was ever a week to pick one upàthis is it. Texans 21-13áNew York at Kansas CityùArrowhead ...

MLB Payroll Versus Performance: Yankees Walk a Straight Line

Posted: 1st October 2009 by Eric Ball in MLB
Recently, I came across a very interesting graph showing the overall increase or decrease of a baseball team's wins compared to money the teamáspent. Each team's ranking as far as team payrolláis contrasted witháthe overall record up to this point in the 2009 regular season. The New York Yankees spent the most and have the most wins, so they have a straight line.á The only other team that'sáwalkingáa straight line between salary and ...

Cincinnati Bengals: If You Can’t Beat EM, Join Em

Posted: 30th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
Three days after the franchises biggest win in nearly five years, nobody is dancing through the streets in Cincinnati. Things are different for the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals.áThe Bengals hadnÆt beaten the Steelers in Cincinnati since Æ01, and had lost five in a row overall. After SundayÆs 23-20 victory, hope has sprung in a sports depressed city. áGone are the thugs; gone are the over paid veterans cashing in one last fat ...

Cincinnati Bengals: Redeem Team Crashes the Party in Green Bay

Posted: 21st September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
Going into the season most experts figured the Cincinnati Bengals would be 1-1. But I doubt anybody could have mapped out the path to 1-1 the Bengals took. After last week’s heartbreaking loss to Denver, the Bengals came into Lambeau Field (having never won a game there) and dominated the (1-1) Green Bay Packers 31-24. For most of the game it seemed as if the Bengals were their own worst enemy. Cincinnati ...

NFL Week Two Picks: More Questions Then Answers

Posted: 18th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
Week one answered a few questions but created even more. Week two will answer some, but will leave fans more confused then ever. Ladies and gentlemen, the 2009 NFL! Carolina at Atlanta- Jake Delhomme is already on the hot seat and needs, at the very least, a turnover free performance. After having 11 in consecutive games, fans in Carolina are ready to put Delhomme on the chopping block. The good news ...

Redskins, Panthers, Texans: No Need to Press Panic Button

Posted: 16th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
Football games create colossal amounts of over-reacting. It makes sense; there are only 16 games in a season compared to 162 games in baseball. But frantic fans are ready to jump ship on their team after only one game. Let’s take a look at three teams that shouldn’t be panicking…yet.  1.) Redskins—The Meadowlands is not an easy place to play by any stretch of the imagination. The Giants are a Super Bowl ...

Cincinnati Bengals: Offensively Challanged in Week One

Posted: 14th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
Sunday's Cincinnati Bengals-Denver Broncos game was a cold, brutal example of the old saying, "It aint over, till the fat lady sings."  A brilliant drive by QB Carson Palmer put the Bengals up 7-6 with under 40 seconds left to play. But then the football gods struck. With 38 seconds to go, QB Kyle Orton threw a deep ball that was deflected into the air off of CB Leon Hall's hands and ...

NFC Season Preview: Big Things In Big Packages

Posted: 11th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
The NFC will be better than the AFC this year. Check my AFC preview here. The Super Bowl winner will come from this conference. Let’s take a look at some picks that are sure to win somebody some dough in Vegas. NFC East 1. Redskins (10-6)—This division will be tight but I give the Skins an edge.  Jason Campbell is in desperation mode, and so is his coach Jim Zorn.  The addition ...

Hard Knocks No. 5: Final Cuts

Posted: 10th September 2009 by Eric Ball in NFL
The series finale of Hard Knocks focused on the Bengals organization trying to cut the team down to 53. The opening scene is coach Marvin Lewis talking to all the first and second year players. He tells them how important the final preseason game is, telling them there are jobs still available. After Chad OchoCinco drops a pass, safety Roy William tells him to stop dropping balls. Chad defensively replies by telling ...