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NFL Power Rankings: Week Four

Posted: 29th September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in NFL
Many questioned my rankings last week, when I placed Cincinnati 13thùthree spots ahead of Pittsburgh. I did that because the Bengals had just beaten the Packers, who defeated the Bears in Week One, who downed the Steelers the following week. Makes sense, right? Not to some readers. "If the Bengals and the Steelers played right now, who would win?" they asked incredulously. á"You can't honestly say the Steelers are worse." Cincinnati 23, Pittsburgh ...

Yankees Look To Clinch Division This Weekend Vs. Red Sox

Posted: 24th September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in MLB
After clinching a playoff spot with an impressive series win in Anaheim, the Yankees head home for their final regular season showdown with the Red Sox as New York attempts to put away the AL East once and for all. Entering Thursday's action, the Bombers hold a five-game lead in the loss column with a magic number of five.  That means even if Boston beats Kansas City on Thursday, the Yanks ...

NFL Power Rankings: Week 3

Posted: 22nd September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in NFL
The Bengals' 31-24 upset win over the Packers at Lambeau Field really shook up the rankings, as Cincinnati jumped from 25th to 13th in front of Green Bay.  Then Pittsburgh lost to Chicago, dropping the top-ranked Steelers all the way down to 16th, behind the Bears, who lost to the Packers in Week 1.  The big winner in all this was 2-0 Denver, which leaped from 24th to 12th, thanks to its ...
The Yankees' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is just one, but what they do once they reach the postseason may be decided this week. New York (95-55) opens with a three-game series at its recent nemesis and AL West leaders, the Los Angeles Angels (89-60), and then returns home for a final three-game set against the arch rival and Wild Card-leading Boston Red Sox (89-59). The Bombers lead the Sox ...

Slip, Slip, Jorge: Why Posada Is to Blame for the Yankees-Blue Jays Brawl

Posted: 16th September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in MLB
Jorge Posada's hot-headed nature has often been applauded because it usually leads to the catcher defending his Yankee teammates, but on Tuesday night against the Blue Jays, Posada's temper put New York in a dangerous situation. The trouble began when Joe Girardi inserted Mark Melancon into a 7-2 game in the seventh. The rookie reliever has been wild all season, racking up 10 walks, four hit batters, and three wild pitches ...

NFL Power Rankings: Week Two

Posted: 15th September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in NFL
The first week of the NFL season began with an overtime thriller on Thursday and ended with a couple last-minute touchdowns on Monday.  So, now that we've seen all 32 teams play, I present to you my first Power Rankings of 2009.   1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) The defending Super Bowl champs did little to hurt their standing atop these rankings with a thrilling 13-10 victory over Tennessee on opening night.  Safety Troy ...

From Heaven to Earth: Yankees-Angels Is One Devil of a Playoff Preview

Posted: 13th September 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in MLB
Now that Derek Jeter has finally passed Lou Gehrig as the franchise's all-time hit leader and the Yankees have completed an easy 17-game stretch against four teams with tee times this October, it's time for New York to come back down to earth and focus on the playoffs. And what better way to do that than to face the second-best team in the league and recent Yankee nemesis, the Los Angeles ...