RT and Koski NFL Pick Challenge: Week 2

Last week was a massacre. Koski goes 3-0. The Packers saved RT on Sunday night, but a double dose of losing was in store for MNF. Can RT turn it around in Week 2? We'll let him try, just for fun.

RT(1-2)

• Titans -6.5 v. Texans.
  The Titans are a much better team than people think and they get to play an overrated Texans team at home. I don’t understand how the line in this game isn’t at least 10.
  
• Steelers -1 @ Bears
  No Urlacher, No Receivers, No Bears.
• Panthers + 6.5 @ Falcons
  The Panthers and Delhomme rebound from a terrible loss to cover against the Falcons.

Koski (3-0)

• Oakland +3 @ Chiefs
  Darren McFadden destroyed the Chiefs at Arrowhead last season, Matt Cassel may play, but is still hurt and Richard Seymour has really improved the Raiders D-line.
• Packers -9.5 v. Bengals
  The Packers left a lot of points on the field last week and they are going to get them back against the Bengals.
• Chargers -3 v. Ravens
  The Chargers' offense rebounds in home opener against a Ravens team that gave up 24 points to the Chiefs at home last week.

Week 1 Results
Koski: 49ers +6.5 @ ARI, Cowboys -6 @ TB, Vikings -4.5 @CLE
RT: Packers -3.5 v. CHI, Patriots -11 v. BUF, Chargers -9 @ OAK

Did Bonds Steal MVPs from Pujols?

Backgroud: I was listening to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports on Fitz and Brooks yesterday talk about Albert Pujols and his incredible career thus far. In his nine seasons, Pujols lowest seasonal batting average is .314, lowest number of homeruns is 32 and lowest OPS is .955. Pujols is defining himself as THE player of this generation. Yet, last year Pujols won only his second MVP award. This got me thinking about the number of MVPs Pujols should have. Albert Pujols finished second in MVP voting in 2002 and 2003 and finihsed third in 2004. All three of those MVPs were won by Barry Lamar Bonds. So, I posed the question to RT, Did Barry Bonds steal MVP awards from Albert Pujols? Take it, RT.

No. Bonds only stole one MVP from Pujols and that came in 2004. The Giants failed to make the playoffs and Pujols led the Cardinals to a central division crown. The Cardinals won the division by 13 games over the Astros who won the wild card that year. I have always believed that the MVP should come from a team that has made the playoffs or a guy that has had a season that is far superior to any other player in the league. In 2001, I would argue that the MVP should have gone to Luis Gonzalez and not Bonds or Pujols.

Of course, the steroid issue is the big elephant in the room and everyone wants to cling to Pujols as the only clean guy in the game during the second or third most tainted era in baseball history. (You tell me what’s worse – A) Throwing the World Series, B) Not letting minorities play the game or C) Having players taking performance enhancing drugs beyond the usual greenies and 6 cups of coffee) As long as “the list” remains sealed and biased congressmen conduct reports about performance enhancing drugs and never set foot in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela or Japan, we cannot say with any kind of certainty that a certain player was clean.

As a result, it can be legitimately argued that Bonds might not have been the most deserving candidate for the 2001 and 2004 MVPs but to say he stole multiple MVPs from Pujols is incorrect.

Here's how the numbers compared:
2002___Avg_Runs_HR_RBI_OPS
Bonds__.370_117_46_110_1.381
Pujols__.314_118_34_127_.955

2003
Bonds__.341_111_45_90_1.278
Pujols__.359_137_43_124_1.106

2004
Bonds__.362_129_45_101_1.422
Pujols__.334_133_46_123_1.072

Wire Check - 9/16/09

Baseball

The Giants scored some more runs last night and Zito struck out nine Rockies. Believe it. [SFGate]

Don't try and explain it, just enjoy it while it lasts. [Merc]

The A's play spoiler against the Rangers. Still, nobody cares. [SFGate]

Football

Jed York applies some public pressure by offering to meet face to face with Crabtree and his agent. Your move, Crabby. [Press Democrat]

Basketball

Kawakami points out the hypocrisy that is the NBA. [Merc]

Wire Check - 9/15/09

Baseball

* Can imagine how good the pitching would be in major league baseball if every pitcher pitched like they were in the twilight of their career? Also, Tomko wins again [SF Gate]

* The teaser line for this game on espn.com was (is) "Lincecum shakes balky back to stun Rockies". FACT: It is not possible for the defending and soon to be again Cy Young award winner to stun anybody with good pitching. [ESPN]

* We aren't in this thing despite what the Bay Area media is saying. Please remember they get paid by the teams to give you a reason to buy tickets. [SJ Mercury]

Football

* Cam Inman thinks the Raiders aren't hopeless. No word on if he thinks that because JaMarcus Russell can throw the ball hard. [CC Times]

* What is more likely - A) The Raiders are much better than people thought and they have a chance of going .500 this season or B) The Chargers had a bad night, the Raiders had a great night and the Raiders still couldn't beat the Chargers. I will go with B and the rest of the Bay Area media that gets paid by the teams to cover their games will go with A. Feel free to make your own decision. [SF Gate]

* NOTE: If you bet against the Raiders in every game this season and trade it correctly your return will be the S&P 500 for the rest of this year. Game 1: $100 bet - $20 return. We are 20% so far. But don't worry ... the Raiders have hope this season just like the A's have a chance to make the playoffs.

Wire Check - 9/14/09

Football

Bruce Jenkins' thoughts on Sunday Week 1 of the 2009 NFL season. [SFGate]

Yes, it was an ugly win for the 49ers. Isn't there another tag line though? [Ratto] [Kawakami]

I think Cam Inman had the best assignment yesterday. Go watch football with Madden and then write about it. [CC Times]

Gwen Knapp reminds us that it wasn't just the offenses that had a rough game yesterday. Ref Don Carey was fumbling all over the place. [SFGate]

Tonight is a big litmus test for JaMarcus Russell. MNF against a strong defense. Can he handle it? [CC Times]

Hockey

After the first Heatley trade rumors were denied, another Heatley trade happened. Good move, giving up Cheechoo and Michalek and getting a shooting assassin. [Merc]

Baseball

From Friday, some actual A's writing worth reading. The A's top hitting prospects. [CC Times]

Apparently, Tim Lincecum uses the Magic 8 Ball when responding to whether he pitches tonight: "All signs point to yes." [SFGate]

Wire Check - 9/11/09

Hockey

* That's right - I am starting off with a hockey story. Everyone knows that I don't bother rooting for the Sharks because the will break your heart more than any other professional franchise in the USA today. Every year they play well and fizzle in the playoffs. Numerous people have asked me why I root for the Giants because they basically do the same thing. My response has always been that besides 2003 I never expected the Giants to go to the World Series. However, I have had a change of heart. (Save me the hypocrite emails). While the Giants continually fail to pull the trigger on a big trade or signing (Vlad, Manny, Holiday, Victor Martinez ...), the Sharks are on the verge of trading their captain because Sharks management knows "we can not win the Stanley Cup with or without you". This trade might blow in their face but at least they are going for it! Is anyone listening on the third floor of the Giants Building!?!?

Baseball

* Speaking of teams not going for it - the Giants have decided not to play Buster Posey because he might struggle and they would fail to make the playoffs. So why is Edgar Renteria, Kevin Fransen and Travis Ishikawa playing at all?

* Skip down to question #2. I love the concept of someone asking a yes or no question and your answer is ... yes and no. Henry - stick to breaking news and stop writing articles.

* Sometimes I wonder if I am the only person that realizes the Giants playoff run ended on August 24th. What is the point of talking about a playoff rotation? Unless it is September 2010, I really don't this article is relevant. Is his next article is he going to write about how Andy Roddick can still win the 2009 US Open?

* It took me 3 minutes to stop laughing after I read this headline. Why are newspapers going out of business again?

Football

* The Madden cover curse continues.

* I want to know the answer to this question, why should the Niners play Frank Gore in more than 10 games? There is no reason to put miles on his tires in a season where 9-7 is the best they can be. Playing him in all 16 games is like a NASCAR driver driving his race car to each race.

* Today is full of great articles - the headline of this article is "Seymour stays away, likely won't play Monday". Wait a second, the guy that is 50/50 on even showing up is unlikely to play on Monday. Where else can you get this kind of hard hitting news than the Contra Costa Times!?

Thoughts and Questions: NFL Season Opener

* Is Jeff Fisher the best coach in the NFL who has not led a team to a Super Bowl Title?

* The Steelers are not going to the Super Bowl if this guy does not play better.

* Al Michaels could make any broadcast team seem world class. Football fans will miss him more when he is gone than they will miss John Madden now.

* What was Vince Young more likely to do after the game? Study the play book or hang out with this guy.

* Does anybody care more than Hines Ward? Answer ... NO

* If you had five questions to ask God at the gates of heaven, isn't question number 4: Why do NFL teams continue to play prevent defense at the end of a game?

FINAL THOUGHT: Don't Sleep on the Titans.