New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Spread Info, Line and Predictions

This weekend the New England Patriots face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that could pave the road in the AFC for the remainder of the season.

The Patriots are off to their typical hot start. They are 5-1 and coming off of a bye week. New England is the early favorite in the AFC, and rightfully so.

The Steelers got off to a slower start, struggling to a 2-2 record to kick off their season. They have now won three straight, much in part to the performance of Ben Roethlisberger.

 

Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When: Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4:15 p.m. EDT

Watch: CBS. DirecTV 712.

Listen: Patriots - Sirius 91. Steelers - Sirius 86.

Live Streaming: NFL.com Audio Pass ($29.99 for year, $27.99 team specific, $9.99 a month)

Betting Line: Patriots -(3)

 

What's At Stake?

The winner of this game becomes the team to beat in the AFC.

Currently, the New England Patriots sit atop the AFC with a 5-1 record. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with a 5-2 record.

After that, there are a bunch of teams that are just a step behind these two. The Ravens, Bengals, Bills, Chargers and many more just aren't quite on the level of these two teams early in the season.

 

Patriots Injury Report

Ras-I Dowling, CB - Hip (Out)

Josh Barrett, S - Thumb (Questionable)

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB - Toe (Questionable)

Albert Haynesworth, DE - Back (Questionable)

Jerod Mayo, LB - Knee (Questionable)

 

Steelers Injury Report

James Harrison, LB - Eye (Out)

Chris Hoke, DT - Neck (Out)

Hines Ward, WR - Ankle (Questionable)

James Farrior, LB - Calf (Questionable)

 

Fantasy Start 'Em, Sit' Em and Sleeper

Start: Mike Wallace, WR (Pittsburgh)

Mike Wallace is quietly becoming an elite wide receiver in the NFL.

Currently, he is ranked third in the league with 730 receiving yards.

Add in the fact that Ben Roethlisberger may be playing the best football of his career and the matchup against the 32nd-ranked pass defense in the league, and that calls for big numbers.

The Patriots defense will likely gameplan around Wallace, but that won't stop him from putting up big numbers.

Sit: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB (New England)

BenJarvus Green-Ellis has become a quality fantasy running back over the last year and a half.

This weekend may be one where you want to leave him on the bench. It's no secret that this game is expected to be a shootout. The ball will be in the air more often than usual.

A mix of limited carries along with Green-Ellis battling through a toe injury could mean a day with lower production than usual from the back.

Sleeper: Antonio Brown, WR (Pittsburgh)

The New England pass defense is atrocious. They know that if they are going to have a shot at holding this Pittsburgh offense, they will need to shut down Mike Wallace.

This will open things up on the other side of the field for Antonio Brown.

Brown received more opportunities last week while Hines Ward has battled through multiple injuries. He finished the game with seven receptions for 102 yards.

He is capable of big things against a shaky pass defense.

 

Keys to New England Win:

The New England Patriots have won eight-straight games coming off bye weeks.

It's no secret that Bill Belichick is one of, if not the best coach in the NFL. The extra week to prepare for the Steelers will be a difference maker.

The Patriots have historically had the Steelers' number in recent years.

If the pass defense can step up and create just a couple turnovers, Tom Brady and the Patriots will walk away with this one.

 

Keys to Pittsburgh Win:

It's all about the pass defense in Pittsburgh.

Currently, the Steelers are allowing just 171.9 passing yards per game this season. Their 5.8 yards per pass attempt is the lowest allowed in the league.

If they are going to have any chance, this defense needs to hold Tom Brady.

The Steelers' offense is going to be able to put up points on the Patriots defense. This one will come down to the Pittsburgh's defense ability to hold Tom Brady.

 

Prediction: 35-31, New England Patriots

Ben Roethlisberger is playing like a top-five quarterback in the league.

However, Tom Brady is playing like a top-two quarterback in the league.

This one is going to be a shootout. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will prove to be too much with an extra week to prepare for the Steelers' defense.

It could come down to the final drive of the game. Tom Brady, like always, will find a way to get the job done.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/915539-new-england-patriots-vs-pittsburgh-steelers-spread-info-line-and-predictions

Jhan Marinez Anibal Sanchez John Baker

World Series Game 6 Pregame Thread

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2011/10/27/2518051/world-series-game-6-pregame-thread

Logan Morrison Mike Stanton Josh Bailey Mark Eaton Trent Hunter Andy Hilbert

MLB Rumors: Mets Will Lose Star Power as Jose Reyes and David Wright Eye Exit

There is the door, for years it had been shut keeping them in. It seems the New York Mets have unlocked the door and toyed with the notion of letting Jose Reyes and David Wright leave right through it. 

There are multiple reports that allege the Mets are setting the stage to have the left side of their infield look extremely different next season. 

If you thought things couldn't possibly be any worse for the mighty Mets, you would be wrong. The key bats in the lineup may soon feature on other National League teams as soon as next year. 

The New York Daily News reports on a confounding strategy in respects to Jose Reyes. You know, that guy that just won the batting title. 

Granted, the idea makes great sense, but I don't like it if they hope to retain Reyes. The Mets plan on low balling the star shortstop and let the market settle itself on Reyes' price tag. 

What should then happen is a clamoring for Reyes services and the realization that he is indeed worth a boatload of money and that he could play for a real winner somewhere else. 

We also have a report from The New York Post to consider. In a few short words, we see that the Mets we have known for a few years may be dead in the water. 

A source close to the organization was cited in the following quote: 

"We'll explore Wright's market. I think considering where we are as an organization, it would be foolish not to at least look at it. However, I expect actually pulling the trigger is a long shot."

The obvious thought is that a shakeup may be exactly what this team needs. As they maneuver past public financial difficulty, they may want to get smaller in the wallet and resemble a more Moneyball-type of franchise. 

There are many that would find fault in giving Reyes a long deal considering his lingering injuries. However, I can't see how losing both Reyes and Wright helps in anyway. 

The Mets are flirting with disaster as they ponder a life without their powerful infield players. That is a future that will have fans walking away in disgust. 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/915118-mlb-rumors-mets-will-lose-star-power-as-jose-reyes-and-david-wright-eye-exit

Andy Greene zach Parise bryce Salvador Wade Belak Martin Erat Marcel Goc

Nelson Cruz: Strained right groin

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2011/10/28/2520119/nelson-cruz-strained-right-groin

New Jersey Devil New York Islanders New York Rangers Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins Boston Bruins

Habs on a two game roll

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night, with Boston?s only goal coming off a misguided faceoff win by Tomas Plekanec (for those who have not seen it, he won the face-off clean?so clean it went right behind Carey Price). This coming after Wednesday?s 5-1 defeat of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Quick hits from the game? Well, PK Subban and Brad Marchand had an epic battle all night, which resulted in one of the most absurd fights I?ve seen of late. Regardless, Marchand and Subban each spent 9 minutes in the penalty box between each scrap - a huge success, I might add, for Brad Marchand. His goal was to get Subban in there for 5 minutes, and he almost doubled it. I?m sure Jacques Martin will be having words with his precocious defenceman.

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tuc/comments/habs_on_a_two_game_rol/

Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres

Buy Hope Solo's U.S. National Jersey To Benefit The Dan Wheldon Memorial Trust

There is a charity auction on eBay for the Dan Wheldon Memorial Trust, and Hope Solo is chipping in.

Solo's signed U.S. National Team #100 commemorative jersey is being auctioned off to benefit Wheldon's fund.

You can bid on her Jersey until November 5th, it's already going for more than $1,000.

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See Also:

• I Wouldn't Touch Groupon's Stock At The IPO Price With A 50-Foot Pole
• It Really Looks Like A Bubble Has Burst
• How People Ruin Their Chances Of Ever Achieving Power

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/bylxVusUxFE/hope-solo-jersey-2011-10

Buffalo Sabres Montreal Canadiens Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leafs Atlanta Trashers Carolina Hurricanes

Introducing The New Planking: Tebowing

Tim Tebow is a very religious person. He often kneels down to pray after something good happens while he's playing.

From this, a new planking has formed. It's called Tebowing:

A baby Tebowing:

Occupy Wall St. Tebowing:

See more Tebowing here >>>

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See Also:

• Face It People, Cam Newton Is Already Better Than Tim Tebow Will Ever Be
• HOLY COW! Everyone Is Freaking Out About The Comeback That Tim Tebow Just Pulled Off
• Tim Tebow Headlines The Biggest Game In The NFL This Week

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/Is92nyqT17g/tebowing-photos-2011-10

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Top 10 Games Outside the EPL: October 28-31

Last week's Top 10 Matches outside the EPL showcased continental European matches. This week I wanted to extend the perspective to include some big matches in both North and South America that should be of note over the weekend.

This week the Serie A really has some of the best fixtures as three made the cut, but it is also prudent to mention Catania vs. Napoli and Cagliari vs. Lazio as two more great matches to see aside from the others mentioned here.

As usual, the games are ordered from the first to last based on when they will air in the eastern United States. If you can spare a match or two away from the EPL, the continental games on offer this week are sure to please.

ESPN2 and ESPN3.com are covering several of them, as are Gol TV, Fox Soccer Channel and Foxsoccer.tv.

Begin Slideshow

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/908198-top-10-games-outside-the-epl-october-28-31

columbus blue jackets detroit red wings nashville predators St Louis Blues Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche

You Sure About That: Weekly Fights Recap

Source: http://www.milehighhockey.com/2011/10/26/2514704/you-sure-about-that-weekly-fights-recap

Brian Wilson Eli Whiteside Mike Fontenot Brett Pill Pat Burrell Jhan Marinez

Gronkowski?s Porn Star Friend Used By Sports Agent After Diamondbacks Games

Adult film star Bibi Jones admitted that a professional sports agent used her to recruit potential clients after attending Arizona Diamondbacks games last season. Jones has become a national celebrity recently after she tweeted two pictures of her and Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski Monday. Yesterday, Gronks felt the need to apologize to the Pats [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nfl/gronkowskis-porn-star-friend-used-by-sports-agent-after-diamondbacks-games/

Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo Brian Wilson Eli Whiteside Mike Fontenot

Avalanche at Flames Recap, Avs tumble 2-4

Source: http://www.milehighhockey.com/2011/10/26/2516566/avalanche-at-flames-recap-avs-triumph-4-3-in-ot

Tyler Eckford Mark Fraser Andy Greene zach Parise bryce Salvador Wade Belak

LeBron James Is Recruiting Steve Nash To Join The Heat So They Can 'Help Each Other' Win Their First Ring

LeBron James may have canceled his NBA world tour plans to spend more time with his family. But he’s found plenty of time to recruit more stars to Miami.

LeBron tweeted this Thursday:

"Maybe @SteveNash in a Heat uni! So we can help each other get our 1^st ring"

Nevermind the fact that Nash is still under contract with the Phoenix Suns for one more season. Or that there’s no way this could work financially whenever the league resumes. 

If LeBron doesn’t think three all-star players are enough to win his first championship, he’s got bigger issues.

This can’t make Mario Chalmers or Mike Bibby, last year’s Heat point guards, too happy either. Then again, Chalmers and Bibby don’t have their own suit collection.

This came just minutes after LeBron requested the addition of former NBA sixth man of the year, Jamal Crawford. At least he is a free agent.

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See Also:

• These Are The Guys Who Are Burning The NBA To The Ground
• LeBron James' New Shoe Will Revolutionize Your Game Like The Big Bang Did To The Universe
• LeBron James And Kobe Bryant Are Headlining An NBA World Tour

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/vSEP3sjkwng/lebron-james-nba-lockout-miami-heat-steve-nash-2011-10

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And Now Watch Saadi Qaddafi In The Longest Substitution Ever

These days, Saadi Qaddafi is in Niger after escaping Tripoli in August.

But there were better times for the fallen leader's son. Saadi played on the Libyan soccer team, and back in 2003, when Libya played Canada in a friendly, he had a little fun.

When he was leaving the game for a substitution, he and another teammate shook every Canadian player's hand on the field.

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See Also:

• Watch An English Soccer Goalie Score On An Incredible Bicycle Kick In Practice
• Soccer Players At The U-17 World Cup Were Fed Steroid-Laced Meat
• Popularity Of Soccer In United States May Have Taken A Big Hit Today

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/VR7IL3RxASw/saadi-qaddafi-soccer-substitution-2011-10

Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners

NFL Season?s 5 Most Essential Smartphone Apps

Viva la smartphone! And viva mas smartphones during NFL season! It’s the time of the year when you the sports fan/tech nerd/social media enthusiast can combine all your passions into one. Today, cell phones are doing a lot more than Alexander Graham Bell could have ever imagined. And with the right app your phone can [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nfl/nfl-seasons-5-most-essential-smartphone-apps/

Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera Kerry Wood Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller Jorge Posada

Cozy In Boston

from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, By now, three weeks into the NHL season, we?ve all grown tired of the word ?hangover.?? It has become almost as synonymous with the 2011-12 Bruins as the term ?Stanley Cup champions?? is with the 2010-11 Black-and-Gold version.

OK, they?re not good right now. We get it. Right? To a degree, yes, but not if we look beyond the catch-all, generic term ?hangover?? and try to identify the root cause of the team?s melancholy.

From where I am watching, which is six floors above the playing surface when the Bruins are on home ice - as they are tonight against Montreal - it looks as though they suffer most from a lack of competition for jobs. It?s not that they are fat cats, or a bunch of prima donnas gone soft from a summer diet of high carbohydrates and higher adulation.

But they look comfortable. Far too comfortable. And that?s how they?ve played for most of the first eight games. If we need a statistic to underscore that, here?s one: Their lead time in those eight games totaled a meager 89:41. In 485 minutes of action, they were ahead on the scoreboard slightly less than 20 percent of the time. Over five of their last six games, in fact, their lead time was 0:00.

continued

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/cozy_in_boston/

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Paying Athletes To Tweet Endorsements Is A Slippery Slope For Companies

Athletes are popular. Which is why they’re some of the most followed people on Twitter.

Now, companies are finding ways to cash in on this popularity.

Last month, Eagles quarterback Mike Vick tweeted: 

“Check out these prizes from the McDonald’s monopoly game” 

The tweet was followed by a link to McDonalds’ website.

Is Vick as excited as the rest of America’s fast food nation to find the elusive Boardwalk game piece? 

CNBC’s Darren Rovell learned he had ulterior motives. McDonald’s is a client of MyLikes, a social media advertising platform. MyLikes hires celebrities like Vick to endorse products via Twitter. 

As Rovell points out, a third party hiring an endorser without their clients’ knowledge is a potentially dangerous proposition. How much background research does MyLikes do on its endorsers to confirm their past doesn’t contradict the product they’re supporting?

Especially for an athlete as polarizing as Vick.

The quarterback tweeted out another advertisement for a kitchen site and received some entertaining responses:

“Dude, I’d rather you look at your recipes to carve up Dallas secondary Sunday night!”

Pay-for-tweets isn’t just for products. Publishers are also using it.

In a questionable journalistic move, the New Orleans Times-Picayune is paying five Saints players to tweet messages referring readers to the newspaper’s sports homepage. 

Will this affect the paper’s portrayals of Saints’ players when the team or individuals struggle? Not at all, says John Hassell, vice president of Advance Digital, owner of the Times-Picayune.

“There’s full transparency. There’s no suggestion that the act of paid endorsement by a player reflects on the coverage of the Times-Picayune,” Hassell told the website. 

Only time will tell what this means for Saints’ coverage. Or the next time Drew Brees throws four interceptions in a game. But media ethics educators are skeptical.

“On its face, that is an obvious conflict of interest,” Al Tompkins, a senior faculty member at The Poynter Institute told the Times-Picayune. “The problem is that you’re creating a dual relationship with the very people you’re covering.”

But it’s also creating highly profitable opportunities for businesses and organizations. Which is why, until the practice backfires, companies will employ this new marketing edge.

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See Also:

• A Ravens Player Got A 15-Yard Penalty For This Monster Hit On A Receiver Last Night
• These Hilarious Tweets Were The Best Part Of Last Night's Awful NFL Game
• The 'Suck For Luck' Campaign To Get NFL Teams To Lose On Purpose Has Gone Mainstream

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/yHPwWmBdqb8/mike-vick-twitter-endorsement-mylikes-mcdonalds-drew-brees-new-orleans-times-picayune-new-orleans-saints-2011-10

Petr Kalus Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen

College Football Picks Against the Spread: Rice vs Houston

We are at that time of year where we get to see good teams play in the middle of the week. Tonight's matchup features the 7-0 Houston Cougars against the 2-5 Rice Owls. 

Didn't say it would be a great matchup, but at least we get to enjoy a great Houston offense.

The Cougars have one of the best passing games in the country which averages 441 yards a game in the air. Quarterback Case Keenum has thrown for over 2,600 yards and 23 touchdowns. He is a huge reason Houston is averaging almost 50 points a game.

Rice on the other hand struggles to score points as they average only 22 points per contest. They don't run the ball well or pass well as they rank in the bottom tier of both categories. 

What really stands out in this game is Houston's high scoring offense against Rice and their defense that gives up 32.6 points per game.

This matchup doesn't look good for Rice at all and what makes it even worse is the fact that the home team is 7-1 against the spread in the last eight meetings.

The Cougars are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games as a favorite of 10.5 points or more and are 4-0 against the spread against a team with a losing record.

Although I don't like betting such high lines usually, it would be very nice to get this line just under four touchdowns.

Pick: Houston -27.5

 

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or Randy.Chambers7@yahoo.com

Bleacher Report is your home for college football for the 2011 season. From scores, news, analysis, live blogs and updates on your favorite teams and the big national games every week, keep it on Bleacher Report for the very latest in college football news.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/913203-college-football-predictions-week-9-picks-against-the-spread-for-the-top-games/entry/143910-college-football-picks-against-the-spread-rice-vs-houston

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NFL Week 8 Picks: The Patriots Offense Will Be Better Than the Steelers Defense

A couple weeks ago, we were speaking about the demise of the once-great Pittsburgh Steelers.

As usual, we were exaggerating. Since losing to the Houston Texans in Week 4, the Steelers have reeled off three straight wins and have taken control of the AFC North. After looking dead in the water (or liquid steel, whichever your prefer), the Steelers appear to be back.

But the oddsmakers are not convinced. At least not so far, as Sunday's tilt against the New England Patriots is concerned, anyway. Per Bodog.com, the Pats are favored by three points.

One can only imagine what the spread would be like if it was the Steelers visiting the Patriots and not the other way around.

At any rate, there's only one way the Pats are actually going to be able to win and cover, and that's by scoring a whole bunch of points. Because the Steelers have been playing some great defense this season, that would seem to be a tricky proposition—especially when you consider how well the Steelers have defended the pass in 2011.

Right now, the Steel Curtain ranks No. 1 in the NFL against the pass, allowing just 171.9 passing yards per game. They would appear to have the advantage on Tom Brady.

But that's just the thing. Nobody ever has the advantage on Tom Brady. Besides which, the Steelers' numbers against the pass are slightly misleading, as they have yet to face a truly elite quarterback.

In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this Sunday's contest is a lot like the last time the Pats and Steelers met in mid-November of 2010. The Steelers came into that game with outstanding defensive numbers, but Brady torched them for 350 yards and three touchdowns and the Pats won 39-26.

Can the Pats hang as many as 39 points on the board again? To be honest, I doubt it. But given the offensive punch they've been packing for the better part of 2011, and given the extra week they've had to prepare for the Steelers, I would say that topping 30 points is a legit possibility.

The Steelers are also going to score points, but I don't think they have quite enough offense to keep pace with the Patriots. This game likely will be a shootout, but I think the Patriots are ultimately going to have more ammo.

Patriots 35, Steelers 31

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/912861-nfl-week-8-picks-patriots-offense-will-be-better-than-steelers-defense

Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen Mark Cullen Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox

Denver Broncos: Why Tim Tebow Must Evolve Game or Embrace Unemployment

It is safe to say that Tebow is the most polarizing player in the NFL—especially since the Denver Broncos drafted him in the first round. Although Tebow earned a win for the Broncos on Sunday, there's no doubt that he must evolve as a quarterback or else he'll be out of a job in a couple of years.

Since Tim Tebow's days as a college superstar, his skills as an NFL quarterback have been discussed ad nauseum by the media. Tebow's skills were on display on Sunday and his performance did little to quell the critics who have constantly claimed that he cannot make the throws necessary to be an NFL quarterback.

Tebow's most ardent supporters will point at his performance against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and say that he just wins. Sure, that's what coaches want from a quarterback: a signal-caller who will go out and win.

However, what Tebow's supporters fail to realize is that their hero's insurmountable comeback came against arguably the worst team in the NFL.

Tebow was 3-for-11 on passes longer than 10 yards. If he wants to succeed in the NFL, he has to be able to complete passes that go for first downs. Even the quarterbacks in the NFL who are known for being short dink and dunk passers are able to complete passes down the field when need be.

Similar to what NFL scouts said coming out of college, Tebow's inability to complete passes down the field can be attributed to his terrible mechanics. Tebow did not step into throws against the Dolphins and his passes often sailed on him. At times, he didn't even look like a quarterback due to how poor his mechanics were.

Furthermore, Tebow constantly failed to evade pressure and held on to the ball for far too long. Tebow's poor decision-making led to the Dolphins sacking him seven times. Prior to Sunday's game, the Dolphins had eight sacks on the season. It's sad when your opponent nearly doubles their sack total on the season.

What makes the sacks even worse is that the Dolphins continually blitzed Tebow and he failed to recognize the poorly hidden blitzes coming towards him. When blitzing players were in Tebow's face, he stubbornly held on to the football and tried to do too much instead of getting rid of it.

There's no doubt that Tebow is a fantastic leader and he steps up in crunch time. However, he will not always get to face the Dolphins. The Dolphins gift-wrapped Sunday's game for Tebow; it's almost like the Dolphins wanted to be part of the legend of Tebow.

Tebow can have all the intangibles in the world, but he has to be able to play well for an entire game for the Broncos to win games. Until Tebow is able to play consistently for an entire game, there is no point in fans anointing him as the comeback kid. Tebow cannot afford to turn on his skills whenever he wants to if he wants to excel as a quarterback.

Fans will get a better look at Tebow during the rest of the season and hopefully he will improve his mechanics and decision making; otherwise, he will get wrecked by opposing defenses. 

Tebow is far from being done in the NFL, but he has a lot to learn if he wants to continue to play as a quarterback. Players cannot get by simply on their heart and will to win in the NFL. 

The sad thing concerning Tebow is that anytime someone says he cannot make the throws necessary to be an NFL quarterback, then that person is branded a hater with blinders on by the Tebow mafia.

If Tebow cannot improve his mechanics and decision-making in the next few years, then Tebow will likely have to listen to the scouts that criticized him coming out of college and either change positions or leave the NFL.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/913063-denver-broncos-2011-why-tim-tebow-must-evolve-game-or-embrace-unemployment

Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo Brian Wilson

Pavel Datsyuk and 14 Other Late Round Draft Picks That Turned into Stars

Many fans get excited about the prospects of free agency every year, but the real power of a team is built through the draft.  Any pieces added through free agency are only final pieces to an ever-changing puzzle.

Picking near the top of the draft is not always easy and bad picks are to be had everywhere, but the real magic happens later in the draft.   The best general managers are able to find great talent deep into the draft. As the draft has grown into a truly worldwide affair, the amount of talent has gotten much deeper.  This makes it easier for players to fall through the cracks.

Some of these players were just late bloomers while others were driven by their draft day snub to prove the experts wrong.  Either way, they made the GM that drafted them look like a genius.

Goalies tend to take a long time to develop and are often drafted later in rounds. While it is interesting to note that 16 goalies were taken before Nikolai Khabibulin or 21 before Henrik Lundqvist, goalies will have their own list and are not included here.

 

Here are the best late round picks in the draft’s history

Begin Slideshow

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/912897-pavel-datsyuk-and-14-other-late-round-draft-picks-that-turned-into-stars

Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes

NFL Season?s 5 Most Essential Smartphone Apps

Viva la smartphone! And viva mas smartphones during NFL season! It’s the time of the year when you the sports fan/tech nerd/social media enthusiast can combine all your passions into one. Today, cell phones are doing a lot more than Alexander Graham Bell could have ever imagined. And with the right app your phone can [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nfl/nfl-seasons-5-most-essential-smartphone-apps/

Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes

WWE Best Tag Teams of Past and Present

Tag teams, tag teams, tag teams. What pops into your head when you hear those beautiful words? E&C. The Hart Foundation. Otunga and Cena...yeah, that one, not so much.

Tag team wrestling has been a staple of the WWE for years, with the Attitude Era spawning numerous teams that took the art of tagging to another level entirely. From the moment Jeff Hardy ate a spear in midair, and maybe even before that, tag team wrestling has become a big part of WWE programming.

For a while there was a lull with teams like Carlton Banks and Fruity Pebbles winning the titles for a day, and teams like The Hart Dynasty been broken up way too early, but recently, the WWE has seemed genuinely invested in restoring the prestige of tag team wrestling, and so far, a good job has been done.

Well, what then is this piece of writing, you ask?

Well, I would like to take you on a journey...OK, that sounded like a line from a bad film. I'd like to take a look with you, the readers, at the various pairings present in the 'E currently. I will be discussing their momentum, their current angles and what can be done to make the teams better, if anything.

Just to clear the air, what this wouldn't be is an article suggesting new tag teams or ranting about how The World's Greatest Tag Team aren't in the WWE yet–I'll leave that to the creative mind of another Bleacher Report writer. Hopefully someone who actually knows anything about Ring of Honor. This is simply a short, precise article about the populace of today's tag team division–nothing more.

Now, with that introduction out of the way, let us look at today's WWE tag teams.

Begin Slideshow

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/912779-a-look-at-the-tag-teams-present-in-the-wwe-today

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Mike Winklejohn Says Georges St-Pierre's Injury Gives Condit More Time to Train

Carlos Condit is very disappointed that he will be unable to compete this weekend at UFC 137. 

Condit was scheduled to face Georges St-Pierre in the main event, but the champion suffered a knee injury that will postpone their title bout until early next year.

Despite the setback, Condit's head trainer, Mike Winklejohn, believes the extended layoff may benefit "The Natural Born Killer."

"In a way, now we can come up with a couple of more things to put us in a couple of better positions for this fight,” Winklejohn said while appearing on Sherdog's Radio Network "Beatdown" show. "Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.”

Winklejohn, alongside Greg Jackson, who has trained both Condit and St-Pierre in the past, said he is enjoying his role in assisting Condit and formulating a game plan to defeat the UFC welterweight champion. While Jackson has remained neutral, and refrained from getting involved with either competitor's training camp, Winklejohn sees it differently. 

"It’s an honor to have worked with him a little bit, but I definitely wasn’t one of his coaches. Heck, I’m excited about having Carlos fight him," he said. "It’s kind of neat to have to game plan against his other coaches up there in Canada. It’s kind of an honor, and we’re excited about doing it.” 

However, until St-Pierre is medically cleared to continue training, Condit must wait patiently. 

"He’s disappointed, but he understands the fight game," he said. "He wants to beat Georges at Georges’ best, so he’s going to wait, and, assuming it doesn’t take too long, Carlos wants to fight him for the title soon.” 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/912773-mike-winklejohn-says-georges-st-pierres-injury-gives-condit-more-time-to-train

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SPORTS CHART OF THE DAY: NFL Teams Are Passing AND Scoring More Than Ever

Thirty years ago, the average number of passing plays* (52.6%) and running plays (47.4%) were almost evenly split and teams were scoring 20.2 points per game. Ten years later, passing plays were up slightly to 54.3 percent. But with a number of rules in place to help the defense, scoring was down to 18.7 points per game. Over the next 15 years, passing plays hovered around 55-56 percent of all plays and scoring in most seasons fell between 20.5 and 21.5 points per game.

But over the last five years, both passing and scoring have been on the rise. And so far this year, the number of passing plays is up to 58.1 percent, up from 56.9 percent a year ago. And so far, teams are scoring 22.5 points per game, the league's highest total in the Super Bowl era.

all data via Pro-Football-Reference.com

* Including sacks

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See Also:

• Barely Anyone Watched The World Series Last Night, But It Still Got Twice As Many Viewers As Football
• Is Peyton Manning Really An MVP Candidate?
• Baseball's Fear Of Modern Technology May Have Doomed The Cardinals In The World Series

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/xYssYPqmcCg/chart-passing-and-scoring-are-on-the-rise-in-the-nfl-2011-10

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Yes, There Are Even Fist Fights In The Lingerie Football League

We told you about the wildly popular Lingerie Football League last week. It's real, and it looks like the LFL players get heated during the games just like NFL players sometimes do.

During the Tampa Bay Breeze and Cleveland Crush game last week, a fight broke out between Julie Rolfe and Tamar Fennel. Punches were thrown, and the refs had to break up the fight.

(video via Guyism):

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• Lingerie Football Wants To Start A Youth League
• Members Of A Lingerie Football League Team Have Quit In Protest Over Their Coach's Dismissal
• Confessions Of An iPhone User Who Recently Switched To Android

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/9QqA4QdyoOc/lingerie-football-league-fight-2011-10

Tyler Eckford Mark Fraser Andy Greene zach Parise bryce Salvador Wade Belak

From Carson Cistulli of Fangraphs.

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2011/10/26/2516504/from-carson-cistulli-of-fangraphs

Atlanta Trashers Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals Arizona Diamondbacks

ESPN?s Nicole Manske Briscoe has Northern Illinois Roots

A native of Roscoe, Illinois, and former Miss Illinois Teen USA, Nicole Briscoe, previously known as Nicole Manske, and today sometimes known as Nicole Manske Briscoe graduated from Hononegah High School in 1998. She and future auto racer/sports advertising megabrand Danica Patrick were cheerleaders there together in 1996. Nicole got a lot of national media [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/sidelineprincesses/espns-nicole-manske-briscoe-has-northern-illinois-roots/

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Video- Best Of Last Night

Ten minutes of NHL action from all of the games last night.

Get a fresh cup of coffee, sit back, then start your day after the video?

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/video-_best_of_last_night/

Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Florida Marlins Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers

Hawks Down Ducks

The Blackhawks have now picked up at least a point in 7 straight games after beating the Ducks in a shoot out last night. Corey Crawford was one shoot out save better than Jonas Hiller to put the Hawks in first place in the Central. Patrick Kane, who didn?t have a point in the last 3 games, had 2 assists and the shoot out winning goal.

Coach Q used the same line up and lines again (a record for him I can assume) to start the game, that he has used for the last several games. Nick Leddy (who I admit, I wasn?t much of a fan of last year) has really improved. Paired up with Keith, he has learned to use him body and stick very effectively this season. The Ducks, coached by Randy Carlyle - and his new 3 year deal- went on the power play first in the game. The Hawks, with their 2nd league best, 94.1% penalty kill, fought them off. There was no score after the first period. The Hawks out shot Anaheim 11 - 5.

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/talk_hawks/comments/hawks_down_ducks/

Joe Callahan Bryan Allen Mark Cullen Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox

An NFL Player Was Charged With Felony Assault After Allegedly Strangling His Girlfriend

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook was charged with felony domestic assault this weekend.

According to a police report on the Minnesota Star today, Cook strangled and hit his girlfriend of 10 months after getting upset that she talked to her ex-boyfriend.

The incident took place at 1:42 a.m. on early Sunday morning.

"Officers observed marks on Victim A’s neck and hemorrhaging in Victim A’s eye that is consistent with strangulation," the report said.

She underwent medical treatment for her injuries.

Cook was released on $40,000 bail, and he proclaimed his innocence via Twitter, saying, "There's always two sides to a story!!"

(story via SportsGrid)

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See Also:

• Tiki Barber Could Become A Tampa Bay Buccaneer This Week
• The Detroit Lions Are Falling Apart, And Now Everyone Is Calling Them A Dirty Team
• Face It People, Cam Newton Is Already Better Than Tim Tebow Will Ever Be

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/lCtd3gh4fmM/vikings-cook-assault-2011-10

Mike Stanton Josh Bailey Mark Eaton Trent Hunter Andy Hilbert Bruno Gervais