Forget Kobe Bryant.
Forget, for now, Steve Nash’s return to the Lakers and what it means.
The Lakers don’t end the nonsense that has been the first two months of the NBA season and start to act like the dominant team we all thought they’d be until Dwight Howard plays like Dwight Howard.
It kind of sucks to be Doc Rivers these days.
His team has showed little sign of life as it meanders through the first third on the NBA schedule, the new players brought on board to give the team depth haven’t come close to performing the way anyone in Boston thought they would, and on Christmas Day the Celts start a 4-game road trip in Brooklyn and includes three games on the West Coast.
When it is Duke and not hardwood it is hard to get excited. This year’s team isn’t a total pushover but I am not sure they are ready to win a bowl game just yet.
Thinking (way) ahead here.
Let’s say the Clippers are for real and let’s say they go deep into the playoffs.
Let’s say that they actually win the championship.
The Holiday Bowl has a history of playing host to high-scoring football games, and it wouldn’t surprise anybody if that same trend played out Thursday, Dec. 27 between the Baylor Bears and the UCLA Bruins. These two teams combined for 79.2 points per game in the regular season, but the bigger story is that they allowed a combined 64.1. If you like offensive football, tune in for this one.
The Independence Bowl should feel like a home game for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, who are clashing in their home state with some visitors from the Midwest – the MAC’s Ohio Bobcats.
For the Dallas Mavericks, it’s time to start grinding.
It’s been two months since Dirk Nowitzki underwent knee surgery, and while he is expected back shortly after Christmas, the team knows that his return to the lineup means only that his training camp will start.
A huge battle in the AFC North that should eliminate the loser from playoff contention. Cincinnati has been owned by the Steelers lately and this would be a very opportune time for the Bengals to break their hold.
In 2012, Virginia Tech has not had a very Virginia Tech season. The Blacksburg squad led seemingly forever by head coach Frank Beamer has a sterling reputation for churning out winning seasons, yet the Hokies limped to a .500 mark this season.
Western Kentucky is in a bowl game, but they made more news after the season when they announced that they would be giving ex-Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino another chance.
Washington needs to keep things going to remain in the playoff hunt. They are lucky to be getting a team in as bad shape as the Eagles are even if they are a division rival. RGIII is still iffy at this point.
San Francisco’s victory in New England last Sunday night had every Broncos fan smiling, because if Denver can take care of business by beating Cleveland and Kansas City (both at home) over the next two weeks, the Broncs will get a bye in the field round of the playoffs.
Something’s happening; what it is ain’t exactly clear.
The lyrics from the old song by the 1960s folk group Buffalo Springfield applie now to the Los Angeles Clippers, who have won 11 straight games and demanded a place at the table with the powers (Oklahoma City, San Antonio) of the Western Conference.
BYU is an under-considered basketball program. Sure they got a lot of attention during the Jimmer era but this is a good program on the whole and their move to the West Coast Conference forces them to play good competition all season long.
So little has gone right for the Jacksonville Jaguars over the last few years that it seems almost unfair that they will have to face New England the week AFTER the Patriots were taken down on prime time by the 49ers.
Headline: Packers Look to Keep Playoff March Going – Host Titans in Week 16
The newly crowned NFC North Champion Green Bay Packers will be looking to keep the momentum going this week as they build for what they hope is a long playoff run. This week they host a Tennessee team that has long been out of the playoff picture but will have motivation as they try to stake claim for next year’s squad.
