The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/21)

Yeah, let me know how this works out...

Week 16 picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/20)

The image of a man whose only two options
are Buffalo and Toronto...

Eric Wood hates on Toronto, the Jets bench Mark Sanchez, Josh Brent causes more trouble, and Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/18)

This hasn't turned out quite as expected...

20 basketball questions with Laney.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/17)

Week 15 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/14)

'South Park' Roger Goodell would at least be funny...

Week 15 picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/13)

Guess these kick returns aren't all that important...

The Pats thump the Texans, the bounty suspensions are lifted, the NFL ponders a major change, and Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/12)

MVP?

20 questions with Laney, basketball style.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/10)

Aldon Smith is a bad man.

Robert Griffin gets a scare, Adrian Peterson and Aldon Smith approach records, the Packers reclaim their division, and more from Week 14.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/7)

Seriously, how can anyone like this clown?

Week 14 picks and Bold Predictions.


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Mark Sanchez and Sunk Costs

Sanchez's best position, right here!

The word ‘circus’ has been attributed to the 2012 New York Jets on at least 15,000 occasions. The description is accurate, sure, but it doesn’t nearly begin to describe what is happening this year in the green version of MetLife Stadium. It just…falls short – like calling Ron Artest odd. Of course he’s odd! Did you not see him charge into the seats in Detroit (DETROIT, OF ALL PLACES!) to assault a fan?! And ‘odd’ is all you can come up with?

Similarly, ‘circus’ just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Think bigger, like an entire convention of clowns filling the new Texas Stadium. Thousands of clowns, all dressed up in their creepy makeup and goofy clothes, all milling about this giant stadium in search of some child to abduct and literally scare to death. *SHIVERS* 

The conventions most recent speaker was, once again, its president and leading member, Mr. Rex Ryan.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/5)

The.......Pelicans???

The Hornets get a new name, Bret Bielema gets a new job, the Redskins down the Giants, Doug Martin states his case for ROY, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/4)

Seems like Nerlens and the team need plenty more one-on-one
coaching time from Calipari.

Kentucky falls out of the rankings, Syracuse and Florida impress early, and more from the college basketball world.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (12/3)

Game on!

The Colts shock the Lions late, the 49ers QB controversy deepens, and more from Week 13.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/30)

Week 13 picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/29)

The Eagles misery worsens, Jamaal Charles gets an autograph, the 49ers soap opera continues, and Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/27)

Andrew Bynum's afro is simultaneously
the biggest surprise and disappointment
this season.

Surprises and disappointments from the basketball world.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/26)

A new Thanksgiving tradition...

Week 12 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/21)

Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!

A Thanksgiving podcast featuring Colin Kaepernick, Week 12 picks, and Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/19)

Not a great time to be a star of an AFC contender.

Week 11 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/16)

Is beating us at NFL picks really child's play? We'll find out...

Week 11 picks, with a twist...a new contestant joins the fray to embarrass the BDT crew.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/15)

Bye-bye, Steelers season.

Devastating injury week in the NFL, plus Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/14)

Going to be a lot of yelling this year...

Kentucky loses to Duke, Michigan St. bounces back against Kansas, and more from the college basketball world.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/13)

Failing up...the real American dream.

The Lakers make a surprising hire, the Knicks get off to a hot start, James Harden cools down, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/12)

Uh-oh...

Week 10 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/9)

This wasn't supposed to happen so quickly...

The Colts crush the Jaguars, plus Week 10 picks.


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How Good are the Falcons?

Matt Ryan has played at an elite level, but have the
Falcons as a whole done that?

With their (ugly) prime time win over Dallas last Sunday night, the Atlanta Falcons improved to 8-0. Eight wins, zero losses, the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL. However, despite their unblemished record, questions remain. Is this team that good?

Of course they’re good – no one is really questioning that. You don’t get to 8-0 on sheer luck alone, after all. Atlanta has one of the best WR tandems in recent memory, an MVP candidate at QB, a Hall of Famer at TE, and a collection of solid talent at pretty much every spot. Basically, they’re not the Arizona Cardinals, trashing out completely unexplainable wins with next to no talent. But 8-0 puts them in some pretty elite company, company I’m not sure they necessarily belong in.

Since 1980, a grand total of 15 teams have started their season 8-0. That’s 33 years of football, and only 15 teams have made it to the halfway mark without a defeat. Some of these teams we now look to as historical, legendary squads that transcend the game. They are truly the elite of the elite…and there the Falcons are, right in the middle of them. For perspective, let’s take a closer look at the 15 teams on this list:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/8)

Because some things are more important than sportsmanship.

Andy Reid moves closer to the unemployment line, Sean Payton rumors swirl, and Joakim Noah tries to win Big Macs...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/6)

Trying to make sense of the nonsensical...

James Harden blows up and the Lakers stumble out of the gate, plus college basketball picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/5)

This seems to be working out just fine.

Week 9 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/2)

For a mere 4th round pick, the man in this mugshot
could be yours!

The Chargers beat the Chiefs, the Pats take a risk, and more...plus Week 9 picks.


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The Matt Barkley Sweepstakes - Week 8 Update

What's that? You were wondering why the Chiefs
are the favorites? Well...

If it weren’t for the NFL’s penchant for stupidly reaching for unworthy QB’s in the draft, I’d drop all these clowns. It just doesn’t seem like these guys are top overall pick type players, even though I happen to like them all a great deal. However, with two of my three “Favorites” needing a QB, you can bet at least one of these guys gets his name called at or very near the top of the draft. On the plus side, at least there’s drama in the draft his year!

Let’s see where things stand through seven weeks:

Franken-post

Happy late Halloween from a very lazy blogger...

In honor of Halloween (yes, I know I'm a bit behind), I'm putting out the most horrifying of all blog posts...a terrifying hybrid of basketball and football information! Basically, I wanted to write about James Harden AND do my Power Rankings without taking the time to expand them into full posts. Thus, Franken-post.

--------------------------

Unlike the NFL, the NBA has an active trade market that sees player swaps on a fairly consistent basis. Small fish like Robin Lopez and Dorell Wright are typically the types of players dealt, but deals involving far bigger fish such as Dwight Howard are not uncommon. To that end, it’s not surprising to see a player the caliber of James Harden being dealt. Just another day at the NBA office, basically.

Does that mean the James Harden trade isn’t shocking? Of course not! The timing of the deal and the circumstances surrounding the deal make this one of the most unusual, if not the most unusual, trades in memory. A young, burgeoning star is traded away from the defending Western Conference champions, who, by the way, are a team chock-full of young, burgeoning stars, and this coming just mere days before the start of the new season. The chemistry that group had…tossed out. The determination of this group to take that final step towards conquering the NBA...irrevocably damaged. The formation of a new NBA dynasty…potentially shattered. Make no mistake; this was a monumentally shocking trade, and one that very well could come to define not only the 2012-2013 season, but also the next decade of the NBA.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (11/1)

ANTHONY!!!!!!!

James Harden and Anthony Davis blow up in their debuts, Michael Vick keeps his starting job, and Bold Predictions.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/31)

Prince, you lucky piece of crap...

The Celtics drop the opener to the Heat, James Harden is traded, Indiana tops the initial CBB polls, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/30)

THE BIGGIE SIZE!!! I WANT THE BIGGIE
SIZE!!!

The 49ers and Broncos win big, Romeo Crennel is confused, the Eagles ponder significant changes, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/29)

Just when I thought we had lost every way possible...

Week 8 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/26)

The Vikings may have lost, but we learned a
valuable lesson tonight. Don't EVER mess with
Jared Allen. Just leave him alone.

The Bucs hammer the Vikings and Week 8 picks.


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The Matt Barkley Sweepstakes: Week 7 Update

No, Matt, not #2 anymore.

All right, I give in. Joke’s on me. Just two weeks ago the outcome of this race seemed set in stone, with Geno Smith being the runaway #1 pick and the Cleveland Browns punting their way to an 0-16 record. Now? Well, other than the Browns still unnecessarily punting all the time, I don’t know what to think. On the NFL side, there are a number of teams still very much in the picture, but who the heck knows which college prospect is in that picture! Geno has put together two clunkers in a row, Matt Barkley has yet to perform against a team that isn’t Colorado or some other garbage school, E.J. Manuel is still surrounded by question marks, and the rest of the prospects have quickly fallen by the wayside. At this point it’s feasible that no QB will go in the top 5, though recent draft history suggests that somebody will reach for one of these guys. As for which one, however, your guess is as good as mine.

Let’s see where things stand through seven weeks:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/25)

Better not criticize or Warren Moon will come and get you!

DeAngelo Hall tweaks the Giants and Warren Moon busts out the 'race card'...plus Bold Predictions!


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Meet the AFC, The New NBA Eastern Conference

How'd that work out for you, Pat?

For the better part of the 2000’s, the NBA had a major balance issue. The Western Conference soared far above their Eastern counterparts, regularly turning the Finals into a prolonged version of the victory formation rather than a climactic battle. Dynastic teams such as the Lakers and Spurs were the obvious standouts, but the West also featured other powerful squads such as the Mavs and Kings, both of which would have easily been the class of the East. From the end of the Bulls dynasty in 1998 up until now, the West has won 10 championships in 14 seasons, has produced 72 teams with 50 or more wins, has seen 10 teams with winning records miss the playoffs, and has seen exactly 0 teams with non-winning records make the playoffs. Contrast that to the East, who has produced just 33 teams with 50 or more wins, has seen just 2 winning teams miss the playoffs, and has seen a whopping 20 non-winning teams make the playoffs.

I mention this not because my mind is slowly being consumed by basketball – though that is indeed true – but because we’re seeing a similar development in the NFL. It was no secret prior to the season that the AFC was the weaker of the two conferences, but few could have foreseen just how lopsided it would be. At least then it appeared as if there would be a strong top end, but even that has fallen apart. The Ravens, once a strong Super Bowl contender, have been ravaged by debilitating injuries to their defense as well as further Joe Flacco related issues. They were just trounced by 30 points. And then there are the Patriots, who blew yet another big 4th quarter lead and continue to look like a team on the decline. Even the Texans, clearly the class of the conference, have issues. Not only have they lost Brian Cushing for the season, but they were basically publically executed by the Packers on national TV.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/24)

Can Lebron and the Heat repeat? Here's hoping not...

NBA over/unders.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/23)

The Bears take down the Lions, the Patriots face serious questions, MJD gets bad news, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/22)

Week 7 recap including the death of the Ravens, a near disaster in New England, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/19)

Tough to beat anyone, much less the 49ers, when you
don't catch these.

The 49ers win ugly vs. the Seahawks and Week 7 picks.


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The Geno Smith Sweepstakes: Week 6 Update

Poor Geno couldn't escape Texas Tech...or the curse
of Prince's support!

How would I describe the Geno Smith Sweepstakes? Chaos. Complete and utter chaos. Just one week ago it looked like we had this thing all sorted out. Geno was a runaway #1 pick after annihilating Texas and the Browns were a mortal lock for 0-16 and the #1 pick. Now, Geno is coming off a rough outing (and a crushing loss) and the Browns random win has them in a 6 way tie for worst in the league. What will happen next? Your guess is as good as mine!

Let's sort through the wreckage after Week 6:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/18)

Blame Prince!

Kevin Love breaks his hand, the Jets "call out" the Pats, and more...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/17)

"Well, you see, we don't actually need Julio Jones because
I'm gonna draft this guy named Greg Little. Trust me, he'll
be great!"

Black Tuesday in the NFL, as the axe falls on Mike Holmgren and Juan Castillo, plus Power Rankings.


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Is Michael Vick Done?

Is Vick's turnover epidemic permanent?

So here’s a newsflash for everyone – Michael Vick and the Eagles are a mess. A complete and utter mess. Philly currently sits just one game out in the NFC East at 3-3, but that really doesn’t tell the story of how bad things have been. The highlights (lowlights) of their season include:

- Losing their last two and three of their last four.
- Coughing up fourth quarter leads in each of their last three games.
- Winning their three games by a combined total of just 4 points.
- Nearly losing to the Browns, which is the worst fate imaginable.

Worse yet, the Eagles seem to be their own worst enemy, turning the ball over at an alarming rate and doing everything in their power to turn the entire city of Philadelphia against them.

Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising considering what happened last year, but it bears watching anytime a team wastes as much talent as the Eagles have. After all, the Eagles were supposed to be leading the NFC in categories such as points, yards and wins; not fumbles and total giveaways. Yet, here we are, six games into the 2012 season, and the “Dream Team” is at or near the bottom of not only those categories, but also penalties and third down conversion rate. The quarterback can’t hold onto the ball, the head coach is practically a wanted man and the fans are ready to riot. It’s entirely possible that this iteration of the Philadelphia Eagles is one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/16)

No way Ray's career ends this way, right?

Denver rallies to beat San Diego, the Ravens defense suffers catastrophe, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/15)

Welcome back, Packers offense.

Week 6 recap including a huge Green Bay statement, a muddled AFC picture, a pair of clock management fiascos, and more.


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How Bad is Blaine Gabbert?

Can Gabbert salvage his career?

If you’ve spent any amount of time listening to our podcasts or reading our posts, you should be well aware of the very strong feelings we have towards Blaine Gabbert. Not a feeling of hatred, mind you, as it would seem almost immoral to actually hate someone like him. What would be the point? What good would it do to actually hate someone playing with such an obvious handicap? You wouldn’t hate an elderly person for forgetting where they parked, would you? So why hate Gabbert when he clearly doesn’t have the talent to be an NFL quarterback?

Nevertheless, Gabbert is an NFL quarterback – and a terrible one, at that. Handicap (lack of talent) or no, the heavy criticism and widespread mocking are completely warranted. His 19 career starts have been a complete disaster, begging the questions of a.) why he was ever drafted so high and b.) why in the world Jacksonville continually runs him out there. As to the first question…I have no earthly idea. Heading into the draft, I called Gabbert a “second or third round prospect, at best” and even that seems like a gross overvaluation given how things have turned out.  As to the second question…I once again have no earthly idea. Stupidity? Arrogance? Stupidity and arrogance? Who knows?

What we do know is that Gabbert has been bad, but given his age and inexperience, it’s worth wondering just how bad he’s actually been. Young starting QB’s typically struggle, after all. Maybe the Blaine Gabbert Experiment hasn’t gone as poorly as we all thought. 

Uh, no. Not even close. 

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/12)

Somehow, this is still a story...

The Titans upset the Steelers, Mike Vick gets a a dog, the NFL drops the ball, and more...plus Week 6 picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/11)

Brady and I are very excited to have tied
up Bold Predictions...and yes, I checked
the tape!

Rex Ryan does some waffling, Lance Armstrong gets thrown under the bus, and Kentucky loads up for 2013...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Geno Smith Sweepstakes: Week 5 Update

So, I guess he's for real...

So, about this whole Geno Smith thing…does anybody have any questions? Anybody? No, didn’t think so.  Not after what Geno did to Texas on Saturday. Make no mistake, the Longhorns defense is no joke. Granted, I wouldn’t put them up there with the Alabama’s or the LSU’s of the world, but with four players currently projected as first or second round picks, they certainly have enough talent to present a formidable challenge. Not only did Geno decimate that challenge, he did so at DKR Memorial Stadium, an always difficult and hostile environment. So yeah, this guy is good and there’s almost no chance Matt Barkley or any other clown catches up to him in this race.

But while the drama is sapped from one half of the race, the drama in the other half is just starting to heat up. In fact, you could argue that the drama will only intensify now that Geno has clearly established himself as an elite prospect. Teams that were previously on the fence about tanking their seasons now have ample motivation to do crazy/fishy things such as put guys on IR when they clearly could return, call long passing plays on 4th and inches (a Pat Shurmur specialty), and make mysterious switches to players such as Terrelle Pryor (or mysteriously stick with players such as BADGABMAXULTRA). Game on, people!

Let’s see where things stand through five weeks:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/10)

Uh-oh

Rex Ryan supports Sanchez, the Texans suffer a huge loss, and Roger Goodell upholds the Saints' suspensions, plus Power Rankings.


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