The Sports Weekend

What a great weekend of sports we have ahead of us.  

The World Series gets underway this weekend with the St Louis Cardinals traveling to Boston to face the Red Sox in Game 1 Saturday night.  Could this series be any more exciting than the ALCS or NLCS?  I highly doubt it but I'm looking forward to see what both teams have to offer.   Of these two teams, which player would you rather have right now?  On one hand is Papi, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz.  He is batting .429 and has three game-winning hits this postseason.  Manny Ramirez might be the American League MVP but Papi is Mr October in Boston this fall.

 Another dinger for Ortiz.

On the otherhand is St Louis first baseman Albert Pujols (pronounced Pu-HOLES for those of you who don't know...including me four months ago).  In the NLCS, Pujols batted .500 with four homers and nine RBI's.  Not bad.  When Barry Bonds retires maybe Pujols will get an NL MVP.   He deserves it.

Also on Saturday the college football season rolls along.  The best matchup of the weekend takes place in West Lafayette, Indiana where Michigan squares up against Purdue.  Purdue should be undefeated but Kyle Orton, senior QB for the Boilers, fumbled the ball away with 2 minutes left and blew Purdue's chances at a national title, the Rose Bowl, and the Heisman Trophy for himself.   Congratulations Kyle, you ruined your teams year.  How does that make you feel?   Tell him what you think of his performance against UW by e-mailing him:  KOrton@Purdue.edu

Another great game is the Alabama-Tennessee game.  The Tide blame Phillip Fulmer for being sanctioned by the NCAA.  Need a good read?  Read about what the fans of Alabama think about Fulmer here.  Talk about a nasty rivalry. 

 Tide fans LOVE Fulmer...like Red Sox fans love George Steinbrenner.

The Wisconsin Badgers, still undefeated because of that Orton fumble which was run into the endzone for the go ahead TD, face Northwestern in Madison.  The Badgers have to watch out for a letdown after such a big win last weekend.  Wisconsin lost 16-7 last year to the Wildcats.   It won't happen this year.   Wisconsin moves to 8-0.  

On Sunday the New England Patriots face the NY J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS.  The last time these two teams faced off Jets QB Chad Pennington had five interceptions.  If the Jets want to stay undefeated Pennington can not turn the ball over at all.   Both teams are undefeated but somebody is going home with a loss.  That team will be the Jets.  Tom Brady and the Pats win again.  

Looking for some REAL excitement this weekend?  The National Bullriding World Finals take place on Friday night.  I mean, what's not to love?  I don't know exactly.  Bullriding is not my cup of tea.  Do I look like a person who wants to be bucked off a 2000 lb bull?   Right.  

My Top Eight Sporting Events This Weekend

1. Manchester United vs Arsenal -- Top two teams in England the past ten years face off.  Arsenal hasn't lost in 49 games.  Yes, thats right, 49 games.  Man U need to start getting goals from their amazing strike force of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney or they are going to have no chance to win the Premiership this year (This is MY top eight list remember which is why this is #1).

2. St Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox -- Game 1 is Saturday night.  It's a good thing this matchup comes down to more than just managing because Tony LaRussa would whip Terry Francona in a managing contest...if there was such a thing.  Can Boston 'Reverse the Curse?'   Yes.  Bosox in 6.

3. New York Jets at New England Patriots -- explained above.  Tom Brady won't let the Pats lose.

4. Northwestern at Wisconsin -- Anthony Davis rushes for 200 yards.  John Stocco keeps playing with composure.  Wisconsin wins.

5. Michigan at Purdue -- Come on Kyle, I know you are a better QB than what you showed last weekend.  And another thing...Stop acting like you were playing so great by taking the lead over the Badgers.  Wisconsin's defense line, the best in the country, was out.   Every single one of them.  Just another reason to smile at your fumble last weekend.

6. Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers -- So Favre looked great last weekend.  Can somebody explain to me why he can't do that week in and week out?  If the Pack draft Orton next year I'm becoming a Bear fan...or maybe a Viking fan.  At least they are good.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts -- Colts ran rampant over the Jags in their last matchup.  Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich has a bad ankle but will play.  Can anybody else see Leftwich getting the Steve McNair syndrome very, VERY early in his career?   He will always play, hurt or not, but does that help or hurt him in the long run?  

8. Miami (Fla.) at North Carolina State -- Canes QB Brock Berlin is going to fall apart sometime.  It will happen sooner than later.  Bank on it.  

"That is damn good scotch. I could do a commercial for this stuff. Mmmmm, boy that Hennigans goes down smooth. And afterwords you don't even smell. That's right folks. I just had three shots of Hennigans and I don't smell. Imagine, you can walk around drunk all day. That's Hennigans, the no-smell, no-tell, scotch."

-Cosmo Kramer