These are the picks for the 2005 season. Bold represents the team selected to win. Games in red represent the Upset of the Week. At the bottom, The weekly and overall records for the season appear at the bottom. These picks are based purely on winners and losers with no consideration from the spread. The spread is only used to determine upsets for the Upset of the Week.
Two things are on my mind:
LAST WEEK, FORMER WNBA champion and three-time MVP Sheryl Swoopes announced she is gay. She is the first high profile female athlete since Martina Navratilova to come out. A big difference between the two is Swoopes came out as a player in a team sport. Other former team sport players came out, but wait until they retire. Swoopes will continue playing. The announcement made headlines, but didn't cause a ripple of controversy.
And maybe it's a sign that society is advancing to the point gay athletes will be accepted.
Not so quick. Swoopes says there may be as many lesbians as straight players in the WNBA. Whether that's accurate or not isn't the issue. Women aren't scared by homosexuality. For men, it's a different matter. Most aren't bothered by Swoopes' announcement or the details revealed about an average WNBA locker. Heck, a lot of dudes probably began fantasizing about what goes on in the showers.
But remove the "W" from the acronym, and men become horrified. The players males respect so much can't be gay. Sports is too tough for a gay athlete. Sure they can be figure skaters or curlers, but they can't be in the huddle for a basketball, football, hockey, or soccer team.
Ain't that a load of crap. If a male player comes out that after his playing days, how many people would say, "I would had never thought he was gay?" Esera Tuaolo played nine years in the NFL and did his job like many of his peers. If he wasn't strong enough or tough enough, he wouldn't had lasted nine years in the league. But Tuaolo likely would had been run out of the league by fans, the media, and teammates if he told the world he was gay during his career.
Society isn't quite ready for a male in a team sport to come out. Maybe one day, but not soon.
IT HAS BEEN VERY A CHALLENGING season for the New Orleans Saints. But it has been much harder for the fans. Sure players and fans alike had losses due to hurricane Katrina. But at least players have hundreds of thousands of dollars to make repairs or transplant friends and family. Many fans had barely anything and lost all of what they owned, leaving them with only the local team they followed closely.
And maybe that could be gone by next year as well. Owner Tom Benson is being romanced by the governor of San Antonio to move the team, and it seems like Benson is close to getting in bed. When asked point blank whether he's going to move the Saints or return to the Superdome, his answer was a non-committal wait until the end of the year.
Benson will try to use the natural disaster to his advantage. The Louisiana Superdome suffered a lot of damage from the hurricane and it might not be fixed in time for the season opener. That would give Benson the right to cancel his lease and allow him to pick up the Saints and go.
But the team's future isn't in Benson's hands alone. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue created a eight-man panel of league owners to advise him on the Saints situation. That could mean the Saints stay put, but also could lead to the team being moved to Los Angeles, finally placing a team back in the very valued t.v. market. As for Saints fans, the small market they represented got smaller after the hurricane and the league doesn't seem interested.
What a putrid way to treat fans. Many supported the team through the many losing seasons. The NFL has the money to help rebuild the damaged dome. The league could upgrade the Superdome with the amenities fans want and luxury boxes Benson would covet. It would be cheaper than building a new stadium in L.A., an area that no longer is interested in a pro football. If Benson or the league takes away the Saints from the people of Louisiana, it would be the ultimate in disrespect.
Talking about respect, I restored some of mine with a 11-3 week. Hopefully my momentum is building.
Cincinnati at Baltimore - W
Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis is holding himself back so he can cash in when he reaches free agency. But there's a catch. You can't cash in if you're not punching in every game. By not giving it his all, Lewis and the Ravens get checked by the Bengals.
Tennessee at Cleveland - L
RB Reuben Droughns will start for the Browns, even though he was arrested for DUI on Tuesday. Whether he needs a ride to the stadium is unknown. The bigger concern is can Droughns consistently see the hole or will he see three. No prob with the Titans' vision as they claim a W.
Houston at Jacksonville - W
At least Houston doesn't have to worry about going winless. Now they can focus on playing football and playing loose. Except for the offensive line. If they play loose, quarterback David Carr goes down several times. There won't be much stopping the Jaguars d-line and the 'Ville stomps the Texans.
Oakland at Kansas City - W
The drought is over. K.C. tight end Tony Gonzalez finally caught his first touchdown of the season. Unfortunately the time between clamoring for better usage and his first score should be a concern. Gonzalez needs to keep speaking in hopes his touches keep escalating. This would be a good time to get Tony the ball. He'll make a difference in a Chiefs win.
Atlanta at Miami - W
It was the shoes. Atlanta CB DeAngelo Hall was caught wearing a rival's pair of sneakers during the Monday night game and lost his shoe deal. Hall won't be wearing The Pump anymore, but he can select pumps, flats, sandals or flip-flops after signing with Payless. With new kicks, Hall and the Falcons give the Dolphins the boot.
Detroit at Minnesota - L
The bad news for the Vikings is QB Daunte Culpepper is done for the year, tearing three of the four ligaments in his right knee. The worse news is now he has plenty of vacation time to maybe go on a cruise (screen his travel agent). Without Culpepper, the Lions sink Minnesota.
Chicago at New Orleans - L
Saints owner Tom Benson told league commissioner Paul Tagliabue that personally he will never return to the New Orleans area again. The fans will really miss him. Without Benson and the controversy surrounding him hovering over the team, the Saints give the "home" fans what they want.
San Diego at New York Jets - W
The Jets offense has problems. Their four QBs have a combined three touchdown passes between them. That ties them with S.D.'s LaDanian Tomlinson's three scoring connections. L.T. keeps on scoring faster than New York as the Chargers squash the Jets.
Carolina at Tampa Bay - W
Defensive end Simeon Rice will be back in the starting lineup after being sent home before the game last week. The reasons were disclosed but the truth was Rice got caught stealing a robe from the hotel and he didn't take one for head coach Jon Gruden. Having Rice back is nice, but it won't be enough to stop the Panthers.
Seattle at Arizona - W
For the 83rd time, 'Zona head coach Dennis Green switched QBs back to Kurt Warner. The motivation is Warner will get Green half off on his post-game meal at Denny's. The savings will be nice, but they can't save this game. The Seahawks come out on top.
New York Giants at San Francisco - W
The 49ers will start their fourth QB of the season, handing the duties to Cody Pickett. But by inserting Pickett into the starting lineup, San Fran loses a valuable special teamer. Pickett won't like being hit, since he's used to delivering blows. Pickett and the Niners fold to the Giants.
Pittsburgh at Green Bay - L
Thanks to surgery, Ben Roethlisberger will not be under center to take on Green Bay. In his place is Charlie Batch who comes into this game on a 10-game losing streak. Somewhere within that streak must be a loss to G.B. Something's never change as Batch fails in his eleventh consecutive start to the Packers.
Philadelphia at Washington - W
Dr. TO gave a mis-diagnosis earlier this week, saying wide out Terrell Owens wouldn't be able to play for the next two weeks. After participating in practice, Owens was upgraded to questionable. Whether he plays or not, the Eagles offense will flatline as the Redskins suffocate Philly.
Indianapolis at New England - Monday Night - L
Indy head coach Tony Dungy didn't begin preparations for the Patriots until Wednesday, trying to tell his team this is just another game. Somehow I doubt this game wasn't on the players' minds over the bye week. With two weeks to look forward to this match-up, the Colts think too much and play tentatively and the Patriots steal the Upset of the Week.
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Super Bowl XL