Some NFL Series Trivia - Week 14

A few days after I posted my last entry, I realized that it was Week 13, not Week 14. I regret the error, which has now been corrected. Now let's get to the Week 14 series trivia.

Houston vs Jacksonville - In a battle for Kings of the Cellar, Houston leads the series 13-10 and is 5-1 against the Jaguars since 2011. Jacksonville leads the series at home 6-5 and is 4-2 since 2007. They first met and became divisional opponents in Houston's inaugural season in 2002. The Texans won that game 21-19. They never met in the postseason, but they have gone to overtime twice. The overtime series is tied 1-1. They last went to overtime in 2012, with Houston winning 43-37. The last time Houston shut out Jacksonville was 21-0 in 2004. The last time Jacksonville shut out Houston was 27-0 in 2003.

Oakland vs New York Jets - The Raiders lead the series 23-17-2, but the Jets are 4-2 against Oakland since 2003. New York leads the series at home 10-8-1, winning the last three home meetings. They first met in the AFL in 1960, when the Raiders beat the New York Titans 28-27. They met in the postseason four times, with the series tied 2-2. Their first postseason meeting was the 1968 AFL Championship, when the Jets won 27-23 and went on to win Super Bowl III. They played for the AFC Championship in 2002, when Oakland won 30-10 and went on to lose Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They went to overtime twice and the series is tied 1-1. They last went to overtime in 2008. The Raiders won 16-13. The last time the Jets shut out the Raiders was 38-0 in 2009. The last time the Raiders shut out the Jets was in 1985, when the Los Angeles Raiders won 31-0. Their last tie was 28-28 in 1966.

Indianapolis vs Cincinnati - The Colts lead the series 17-9 and are 7-1 against the Bengals since 1998. Cincinnati trails the series at home 3-8, but is 2-1 against Indianapolis since 1996. They first met in 1970 in their only postseason meeting. The Baltimore Colts won that game 17-0 on their way to winning Super Bowl V. This was also the only shutout in the series. They went to overtime once, with the Bengals winning that game 24-21.

Detroit vs Philadelphia - The Eagles lead the series 15-13-2 and is 6-1 against Detroit since 1995. Philadelphia trails the series at home 8-9, but is 4-1 at home since 1995. They first met in 1933, when the Portsmouth Spartans won 25-0. They met in the postseason once, in 1995. Philadelphia won that game 58-37. They went to overtime twice, with the Lions leading 1-0-1. The last time they went to overtime was in 2012, when Detroit won 26-23. The last time Philadelphia shut out Detroit was 12-0 in 1968. The last time Detroit shut out Philadelphia was 21-0 in 1940. Their last tie was 23-23 in 1984.

Kansas City vs Washington - The Chiefs lead the series 7-1, winning the last five meetings. Washington trails the series at home 1-3. Their only win came in 1983, when the Skins won 27-12. They first met in 1971, when Kansas City won 27-20. They never met in the postseason. They never went to overtime, nor are there any shutouts in the series.

Minnesota vs Baltimore - The series is tied 2-2, with Minnesota winning the last meeting in 2009. Baltimore leads the series at home 2-1, winning their last two. They first met in 1998, when the Vikings won 38-28. They never met in the postseason nor did they ever go to overtime. There are no shutouts in the series.

Miami vs Pittsburgh - The Steelers lead the series 13-11, winning the last five meetings. Pittsburgh also leads the series at home, 7-3, winning their last three games against the Dolphins. They first met in 1971, when Miami won 24-21. They met in the postseason three times, with Miami leading 2-1. That includes two AFC Championship games, which is tied 1-1. The winner of every postseason meeting went on to the Super Bowl. Miami won in 1972 and 1984, moving on to winning Super Bowl VII and losing Super Bowl XVIX. The 1972 meeting was a divisional playoff game. Pittsburgh won in 1979 and went on to win Super Bowl XIV. They went to overtime once, in 1994, when the Steelers won 16-13. The last time Pittsburgh shut out Miami was 3-0 in 2007. The last time Miami shut out Pittsburgh was 21-0 in 1998.

Cleveland vs New England - The Browns lead the series 13-9, but New England is 6-2 since 1995. The series is tied in New England at 5-5, with the Patriots winning the last four. They first met in 1971 when the Browns won 27-7. They met in the postseason once, in the 1994 season, when Cleveland won 20-13. They went to overtime once in 1977. The Patriots won that game 30-27. The last time Cleveland shut out New England was 20-0 in 1991. New England has never shut out Cleveland.

Buffalo vs Tampa Bay - The Buccaneers lead the series 6-3, but the series is tied 2-2 since 1991. Tampa Bay leads the series at home 6-2, winning their last two meetings. They first met in Tampa Bay's inaugural season in 1976, when Buffalo won 14-9. They never met in the postseason. They never went to overtime nor has either team shut out the other.

Atlanta vs Green Bay - The Packers lead the series 15-13, with the series tied 2-2 since 2005. Green Bay also leads the series at home 9-5, losing two of their last three meetings at Lambeau Field. They first met in 1966, when Green Bay spanked the Falcons 56-3. They met in the postseason three times and the Packers lead that series 2-1. They last met in the postseason in 2010, when Green Bay won 48-21 on their way to a Super Bowl XLV victory. They went to overtime twice, with the series tied at 1-1. The last time they went to overtime was in 2002, when the Packers won 37-34. The last time Atlanta shut out Green Bay was 20-0 in 1988. The last time Green Bay shut out Atlanta was 23-0 in 1967.

Tennessee vs Denver - The Titans lead the series 22-16-1, but Denver is 3-1 against Tennessee since 2004. However, Denver leads the series at home 10-7-1, with Denver winning their last four meetings. They first met in 1960, when the Houston Oilers won 45-25. They met in the postseason three times, with the Broncos leading the series 2-1. They last met in the postseason in 1992, when the Broncos beat the Houston Oilers 26-24. They never met in overtime nor has either team ever shut out the other.

New York Giants vs San Diego - The series is tied 5-5, but the Chargers won the last two meetings. The series is also tied 2-2 in San Diego, going 1-1 in their last two meetings there. They first met in 1971 when the Giants won 35-17. They never met in the postseason nor have they ever gone to overtime. Neither team has ever shut out the other.

St. Louis vs Arizona - The Rams lead the series 35-33-2, winners of their last three meetings. Arizona trails the series at home 15-16-2, but is 4-2 against the Rams at home since 2007. They first met in 1937, when the Chicago Cardinals beat the Cleveland Rams 6-0. Their only postseason meeting was in 1975, when the Los Angeles Rams beat the St. Louis Cardinals 35-23. They went to overtime three times, with Arizona leading 2-1. They last went to overtime in 2011, when Arizona won 19-13. The last time the Rams shut out the Cardinals was 21-0 in 1979. The last time the Cardinals shut out the Rams was 7-0 in 1942. Their last tie was 24-24 in 1953.

Seattle vs San Francisco - The Seahawks lead the series 15-14, winning the last two meetings. San Francisco leads the series at home 7-3, winning the last four meetings at Candlestick Park. They first met in Seattle's inaugural season in 1976, when the 49ers won 37-21. They never met in the postseason, but they did go to overtime once. San Francisco won that game in 2008, 33-30. The last time Seattle shut out San Francisco was 24-0 in 2007. San Francisco has never shut out Seattle.

Carolina vs New Orleans - The Panthers lead the series 19-17 and swept the series last year. Carolina also leads the series in New Orleans 10-8. but the Saints are 3-1 in the Superdome since 2009. They first met in Carolina's inaugural season of 1995, when the Panthers won 20-3. They never met in the postseason, but they went to overtime once. Carolina won that game in 2003, 23-20. The only shutout in the series was a 13-0 Panther victory in 1997.

Dallas vs Chicago - The Cowboys lead the series 13-10, but the Bears won the last two meetings. Chicago trails the series at home 5-6, but they are 2-1 at Soldier Field since 1996. They first met in Dallas' inaugural season in 1960, when Chicago won 17-7. They met in the postseason twice, with the Cowboys winning both games. The last time they met in the postseason was a Dallas win in 1991, 17-13. They never went to overtime. The only shutout in the series was a 44-0 blowout by the Bears over Dallas in 1985.

The 2-10 Houston Texans are this week's Kings of the Cellar. Honorable mention goes to the 3-9 Washington Redskins, losers of four straight.

Here are some historical scores for this week's matchups on December 5,

1954  Philadelphia 13 - Detroit 13
1965  Los Angeles Rams 27 - St. Louis Cardinals 3
1971  Philadelphia 23 - Detroit 20
1982  Cincinnati 20 - Baltimore Colts 17
1993  Arizona 38 - Los Angeles Rams 10
2004  New England 42 - Cleveland 15
2004  Carolina 32 - New Orleans 21
2010  St. Louis 19 - Arizona 6

Have a great day!!

Some NFL Series Trivia - Week 13

Although it's Week 13, this is the first series trivia entry of the 2013 season. Let's get started.

Jacksonville vs Cleveland - The Jaguars lead the series 9-5, but Cleveland is 5-3 against Jacksonville since 2001. However, the Jags lead the series in the Dawg Pound 5-2. Jacksonville dominated the beginning of this series, going 6-0 the first three seasons they played each other. They first met in 1995. Jacksonville won 23-15. They last met in 2011, with Cleveland winning 14-10. They never met in the postseason nor have they gone to overtime. The only shutout in the series was a 48-0 pasting by the Jaguars over the Browns in 2000.

Chicago vs Minnesota - The Vikings lead the series 53-50-2, but the Bears are 7-2 against Minnesota since 2009. The Vikings also lead the series at home, 32-21 and are 8-3 at home against the Bears since 2002. They first met in 1961, when Chicago won 37-13. They went to overtime four times. THe Bears trail the series 1-3, but won the last overtime game in 2009, 36-30. They met once in the postseason. The Bears won that game, 35-18. The last time Chicago shut out Minnesota was 23-0 in 1986. The last time Minnesota shut out Chicago was 17-0 in 1974. Their last tie was 10-10 in 1967.

Arizona vs Philadelphia -  In a battle of former NFC East opponents, the Cardinals lead the series 57-54-5 and are 4-1 against the Eagles, winning three straight since 2009. However, Philadelphia leads the series at home 28-27-3, going 3-2 against Arizona since 2000. They first met in 1935, when the Chicago Cardinals beat the Eagles 12-3. They first played in Philadelphia in 1937, which ended in a 6-6 tie. They went to overtime three times and have a 1-1-1 record. They last met in overtime in 1998, with Arizona winning 20-17. They met in the postseason three times, all of them deciding the NFL or NFC Championship. The Cardinals lead the postseason series 2-1 and were NFL Champions in 1947, defeating the Eagles 28-21. Arizona won the NFC Championship in 2008 and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. The last time the Eagles shut out the Cardinals, Philadelphia shut out the St, Louis Cardinals 38-0 in 1981. The only time the Cardinals shut out the Eagles, the Chicago Cardinals shut out Philadelphia 13-0 in 1936. Their last tie was 10-10 in 1986.

New England vs Houston - The Patriots lead the series 4-1, only losing to the Texans in 2010. The series is tied 1-1 in Houston. They first met in 2003, which was their only overtime game. New England won that game 23-20. They met in the postseason once, which was a 41-28 Patriot victory last year. There are no shutouts in the series.

Tennessee vs Indianapolis - The Colts lead the series 24-14 and are 9-2 against the Titans, winning the last four games. Indianapolis also leads the series at home 14-7 and are 9-1 against Tennessee since 2002. They first met in 1970, when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Houston Oilers 24-20.  They went to overtime twice and have a 1-1 record. Indy won the last OT in 2012, 19-13. They met in the postseason once, in the 1999 season when Tennessee defeated Indianapolis 19-16, on their way to becoming Super Bowl XXXIV Champions. The only shutout in the series was a 23-0 Colts victory in 2008.

Tampa Bay vs Carolina - The Panthers lead the series 15-11, but the Bucs are 4-3 against Carolina since 2010. Carolina also leads the series at home, 7-6, but that series is tied 4-4 since 2005. They first met in 1995, when Tampa Bay won 20-13. They never met in the postseason, but they did go to overtime twice and have a 1-1 record. The last time they went to overtime was in 2012, when the Buccaneers won 27-21. The only shutout in the series was a 24-0 win by Tampa Bay in 1996.

Miami vs New York Jets - New York leads the series 49-45-1, but the series is tied 3-3 since 2010. The Jets also lead the series at home 27-20, going 4-1 since 2008. They first met in 1966, when the Jets beat the Dolphins 19-14. They met in the postseason once, in the 1982 AFC Championship game. Miami won 23-0 and went on to lose Super Bowl XVII to the Washington Redskins. This was also the last time Miami shut out the Jets. They went to overtime six times. New York owns the overtime series 5-0-1. They last went to overtime in 2012, when the Jets won 23-20. The last time the Jets shut out the Dolphins, was 24-0 in 2001. Their only tie was 28-28 in 1981.

Atlanta vs Buffalo - The Falcons lead the series 6-4, winning the last three. However, Buffalo leads the series at home 3-2, but they're 1-2 against Atlanta in Rich Stadium since 1992. They first met in 1973, when the Bills won 17-6. They never met in the postseason nor have they gone to overtime. The only shutout in the series was in 1977, when the Bills won 3-0.

St. Louis vs San Francisco - The 49ers lead the series 63-62-3, but trail the Rams 8-2-1 since 2008. The series is tied 32-32-1 in San Francisco, but the 49ers are 8-2-1 at home since 2002. They first met in 1950, when the Los Angeles Rams won 35-14. They met once in the postseason, when the 49ers won 30-3. They went to overtime three times. St. Louis leads that series 2-1. They last went to overtime in 2012, when the Rams won 16-13. The last time the 49ers shut out the Rams was 26-0 in 2011. The Rams have never shut out the 49ers.

Denver vs Kansas City - The Chiefs lead the series 56-51, but the Broncos are 9-4 since 2007, winning the last three. Kansas City also leads the series at home 36-17, but Denver is 4-2 in Arrowhead Stadium since 2007. They first met in 1960, when the Dallas Texans beat the Broncos, 17-14. They met in the postseason once, in 1997, when Denver won 14-10, and went on to win Super Bowl XXXII over the Green Bay Packers. They went to overtime five times, with the Broncos leading the series 4-1. They last went to overtime in 2006. Denver won 9-6. The last time Denver shut out Kansas City was 21-0 in 1984. The last time Kansas City shut out Denver was 16-0 in 1970.

Cincinnati vs San Diego - The Chargers lead the series 19-13, but Cincinnati won the last two meetings. San Diego also leads the series at home 10-6 and are 5-2 against the Bengals there since 1992. They first met in 1968, when the Chargers won 29-13. They met in the postseason once, in the 1981 AFC Championship game. The Bengals won 27-7 and went on to lose to San Francisco in Super Bowl XVI. They never went to overtime. The only shutout in the series was a 31-0 Bengals win in 1971.

New York Giants vs Washington - The Giants lead the series 93-65-4, but Washington is 3-1 in the last four meetings. However, Washington trails the series at home, 37-42-2, but they won the last home meetings. They first met in 1932, when the then Boston Braves beat the Giants 14-6. They met in the postseason twice and have a 1-1 record. Their last posteason game was in 1986, when the Giants won 17-0, on their way to beating the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. They went to overtime four times, with the Redskins leading the series 2-1-1. They last went to overtime in 2003, when New York won, 24-21. The last time the Giants shut out the Redskins was 36-0 in 2005. The last time the Redskins shut out the Giants 27-0 in 1979. In a trivia twist, their only other postseason meeting, a divisional playoff game in 1943, was also a shutout, this time, with Washington winning 28-0.

New Orleans Saints vs Seattle Seahawks - The series is tied 6-6, but Seattle is 4-2 against the Saints since 2000. The Seahawks lead the series at home 4-3 and are 3-1 since 2000. They first met in 1976, when the Saints won 56-27. They never went to overtime, but they did meet in the postseason once, in 2011, when Seattle ran all over New Orleans and won 41-36. There are no shutouts in the series.

The 2-9 Houston Texans are this week's Kings of the Cellar and the 5-6-1 Green Bay Packers are the Honorable Mention until Aaron Rodgers returns.

On a different subject, I completed my NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge with a day to spare. The first draft of my second novel, Second Chance, is complete. My next goal is to finish the final draft of my novella, Rickshaw, New Mexico, and publish it before Christmas.


Here are some historical scores for this week's games played December 1,

1963   Minnesota 17 - Chicago 17
1963   Los Angeles Rams 21 - San Francisco 17
1968   New York Jets 35 - Miami 17
1994   Minnesota 33 - Chicago 27 OT
1996   Tampa Bay 24 - Carolina 0
1996   Baltimore 31 - Pittsburgh 17

What's Been Going On Lately?

It's been a few months since my last entry. I apologize to those of you who enjoyed my posts. It's not that I lost interest in writing a blog. The task of writing editing my ebooks has been taking more of my time.

Since my last entry, I released my ebook novelette, The Hunted. The link takes you to the Amazon page. If you have a NOOK, it's The Hunted. Right now, I'm working on a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) project, titled Second Chance.

So will there be more entries? Probably. When I start again, there may be some changes so the entries won't interfere with my other writing, but am not sure what they'll be.

Thanks for reading these posts over the years and I hope more will be coming soon. Just for the fun of it, here are a few historical NFL scores.

On this day, November 20,

1955  Cleveland 41 - Pittsburgh 14
1960  Pittsburgh 14 - Cleveland 10
1964  Boston Patriots 12 - Denver 7
1977  Detroit 16 - Tampa Bay 7
1977  New Orleans 21 - Atlanta 20
1988  Cleveland 27 - Pittsburgh 7

The Jacksonville Jaguars would be this week's Kings of the Cellar, with the NFC East getting the honorable mention over an underachieving Atlanta Falcons team. In that group of scores, the game of the day would have been the 1977 Saints/Falcons game. Atlanta led 20-7 at halftime and Archie Manning brought the Saints back by throwing two touchdown passes to Henry Childs to win the game.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - August 5

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. This has been a week of streaks, so let's have some fun.

   The defending champion Kings of the Cellar 36-74 Houston Astros staved off a ferocious 0-10 collapse by the 40-69 Chicago White Sox to keep a 4.5 game lead on their quest for a repeat. The 43-67 Miami Marlins are inching their way off the radar, but not enough to shake the third place spot. Houston is 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last four. They are 6-25 since June 28 and the Astros still haven't won two games in a row since June 15-16. In their ten game losing streak, the White Sox are 1-13 since July 22. The former leader this season, the 43-67 Miami Marlins, are 5-5 in their last ten games, but lost their last two. Miami is 8-6 since July 22.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 50-61 Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are 1-9 in their last ten games, losing five straight. Philly is 1-13 since July 20. This week, they start the week hosting the Chicago Cubs and end the week at Washington, playing the Nationals. Will they start to win like last week's honorable mention, the Texas Rangers, did? Or will they rival the Chicago White Sox and continue their losing ways?

   We have a different honorable mention this week. Unlike the White Sox, the 67-45 Atlanta Braves have won ten games in a row. Atlanta is also 12-2 since July 22. This week, the Braves go to Washington to play the Nationals and then host the Miami Marlins. Washington will probably break the streak and with Miami's improving play, they could also get a win from the Braves.

  And then there was one. The only remaining team with fewer wins than the 1962 New York Mets and 2003 Detroit Tigers is Houston. The White Sox have the same number of wins as the '62 Mets. After 110 games, the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers were 29-81. The Astros and White Sox should make those records safe for another year in the next week or two.

Other Stuff...

Congrats to the 2013 NFL Hall of Fame inductees, Jonathan Ogden, Dave Robinson, Curley Culp, Bill Parcells, Larry Allen, Warren Sapp, and Cris Carter. All good choices here.

On a sad note, Hall of Famer Art Donovan died today at the age of 88. He was a DT for the Baltimore Colts and played from 1950-61. He played in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" which was the 1958 NFL Championship, when the Colts defeated the New York Giants in overtime 23-17. Donovan was in the Hall of Fame Class of 1968. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Donovan family.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, who should be in the Class of 2014? There are lots of good candidates, especially wide receivers. There are a few names that come to mind, such as Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. However, there are some other names that come to mind: Jerry Kramer of the Green Bay Packers, Sam Mills of the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, Tim Brown of the Oakland Raiders, and Sterling Sharpe of the Green Bay Packers. Unlike many of the pundits, I believe special teamers belong in the Hall, too. The first one who should go is Ray Guy of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.

What about head coaches? The next two who should be inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame are Bill Cowher of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tony Dungy of the Tampa  Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts.

The Drum Corps International World Championship is this week. At this point, it's a dogfight between the defending champion Blue Devils and Carolina Crown. If Carolina Crown pulls off the upset, they will be the first World Class corps from the South to win the DCI Championship and the first southern corps since 1981 to win a DCI championship on any level. In 1981, the Louisiana Southernaires won the DCI Class A Championship. Class A is now Open Class and Open Class from 1981 is now World Class.

I created an Facebook author page, Jon de Silva Author Page. If you enjoy these entries, please visit my page and give it a like. There are links to both of my ebooks. I also messed around and had an Amazon Cover Creator idea for my upcoming e-novelette, The Hunted.  There are also links to interesting articles, such as explaining phases of the moon using Oreo cookies, among others.


Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 29

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update and congrats to the American League All-Stars for their shutout victory over the National League All-Stars. Now let's get started.

   The 35-69 Houston Astros are dominating the competition in their quest to repeat as Kings of the Cellar. They lead the early season leader, the 40-63 Miami Marlins by 5.5 games and they are a full six games ahead of the third place 40-62 Chicago White Sox. The Astros are 5-20 since June 28 and haven't won two games in a row since June 15-16. The Marlins continue to improve, going 5-5 in their last ten games and 5-2 since July 22. Miami is 8-6 since July 10. The White Sox are 3-7 in their last ten games and 1-6 since July 22.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 56-49 Texas Rangers. The Rangers are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last four. Texas is also 3-12 since July 10. They begin the week at home with a three game series against the Los Angeles Angels. Then they host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday and finish the week on the road to take on the Oakland A's. Unless their play improves, expect more of the same this week.

  So how are the Astros doing against the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers? The '62 Mets were 26-78 after 104 games. The '03 Tigers were 28-76 after the same number of games, so it appears the Astros are no threat to either of these records at this time, unless they have an epic collapse.

Other Stuff...

   The Cursed Days of Summer free download promotion for my ebook, The Curse, was a great success. It almost doubled the downloads from when The Acts of 1 was on a free promotion. Both titles are links to their respective Amazon pages.

   As the drum and bugle corps season winds down, it is a dogfight between the Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, and The Cadets. My former corps, the Phantom Regiment is in a fight for fourth place with the Santa Clara Vanguard.


Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 15

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update on this All-Star week. Let's get started.

   The defending champion 33-61 Houston Astros have taken all the beer and are this week's Kings of Cellar. They lead the 35-58 Miami Marlins by 2.5 games. The 37-55 Chicago White Sox bring up the rear and are five games behind the Astros. Since the last update, Houston is 1-4, Miami is 3-3, and Chicago is 3-4.

   This week's honorable mention goes once again to the 42-54 San Diego Padres. They are 2-10 in their last ten games and 2-5 since the last update. They are also 4-18 since June 24. After the All-Star break, the Padres will visit the St. Louis Cardinals for a three game series.

   So how are the defending Kings of the Cellar champions doing against the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers? The '62 Mets were 24-70 after 94 games and the '03 Tigers were 26-68 after the same number of games. At this pace, both records will soon be safe for another year.

Other Stuff...

   On the drum and bugle corps front, Carolina Crown is on pace to be the first corps from the South to win the Drum Corps International World Championship. They have a great show, though the vocals take away from what the horns are doing at times.

   On their way home from Hormel, NY, one of the buses AtlantaCV rode had a breakdown, temporarily stranding members in Virginia. I feel their pain. In 1981, the Louisiana Southernaires were on our way home from DCI Finals in Montreal to New Orleans. My bus broke down in Effingham, IL, stranding us there for three days. At least CV's Bus 3 makes it home today, fresh from a good 2nd place showing in New York.

   I'm currently working on later drafts of a novella and novelette. The novelette already has a cover, thanks to Amazon's Cover Creator. The novella cover is more of a challenge. More details on both ebooks to come.


Will Houston continue their losing ways and repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions? Will Miami have an epic collapse and replace the Astros? Or will some other team come out of nowhere and surprise everybody?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 8

Welcome to this week's Last  Place Update. We have a new leader...same as the old leader.

   The  defending Kings of the Cellar champion 32-57 Houston Astros have overtaken the 32-55 Miami Marlins and are this week's Kings of the Cellar. The Astros lead the Marlins by a game. The 34-51 Chicago White Sox supplanted their former AL Central foes, the 35-52 Milwaukee Brewers, to bring up the rear. Houston is 2-8 in their last ten games and 3-10 since June 23. The Marlins lost their last three and are 5-5 in their last ten games. And this week's newcomers, the White Sox, are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last three. They are also 3-10 since June 23.

   Since the last update, Houston went 2-5, Miami went 3-4, and Milwaukee also went 3-4. The White Sox went 2-4, earning the third slot.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 40-49 San Diego Padres. San Diego is 1-9 in their last ten games and on a nine game losing streak. The Padres are 2-13 since June 24. They have a homestand this week against the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants. The three teams have similar records, so anything is possible. The Padres could have a great or rotten week. They should fare better.

    So how is Houston faring against the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers?  The '62 Mets and '03 Tigers were 24-65 after 89 games. And to continue a theme from last week, the '62 Mets, '03 Tigers, and '13 Astros all lost game #89. At least the '03 Tigers won July 8 that season.

   Will Houston hoard the beer in the cellar or will Miami take another shot at the bottom? How far will the White Sox's losing streak go? Will the '03 Tigers and '62 Mets records be safe for another year by the end of July?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 1

An early Happy Fourth of July to you all!! Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. They fight, they claw their way, and refuse to give up on themselves to keep winning. No, this isn't the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won nine straight. Then who?

   The 29-51 Miami Marlins continue their winning ways and are in a virtual tie with the 30-52 defending Kings of the Cellar champion Houston Astros. The 33-45 New York Mets won six of their last ten games and got booted from third place by the 32-48 Milwaukee Brewers, who are three games behind the Marlins.Miami is 7-3 in their last ten games and 13-7 since June 8. Houston, alas, is 3-7 in their last ten games, losers of their last three. This week's newcomer, the Brewers, are also 3-7 in their last ten games, but they lost five straight.

   Since the last update, Miami went 4-1, Houston went 1-4, and the Mets went 3-3. The Marlins fared better in their last ten games than all of their NL East rivals. They also did better than the NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks and the AL East leading Boston Red Sox. Will Miami leave the beer in the cellar fridge to Houston or will they start to collapse again?

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 39-42 San Francisco Giants. They are 2-8 in their last ten games and 6-13 since June 11. The Giants are on the road this week to play a four game series with the Cincinnati Reds and return home to a three game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They swept the Dodgers the last time they played in San Francisco, but this is the first time they are facing the Reds.

   So how is Miami doing against the '62 Mets and the '03 Tigers? The Marlins are only eleven games behind the Mets' total wins from their inauspicious inaugural season. The '62 Mets were 23-57 after 80 games, but they actually won game number 80, the first in a doubleheader. They lost the second game. The '03 Tigers were doing  worse, with a record of 19-61 after 80 games. They, too, won game number 80 and they won game number 81 to bring their win total to 20. And yes, Miami also won game number 80.

Other Stuff...

   Local New Orleans broadcaster and former New Orleans Saints sideline reporter for WWL 870 AM, Kenny Wilkerson, died this past weekend. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Wilkerson family.

   On the drum corps front, today in 1967, the Des Plaines Vanguard won a contest in Kenosha, WI with a score of 78.80. The Kilties came in second place (74.80), followed by the Blue Stars (74.60), Norwood Park Imperials (74.00), SkyRyders (63.70), and the Madison Scouts (54.70). Of these corps, the Blue Stars and Madison Scouts still compete today. The Kilties compete in the DCA circuit.

   Today in 1985, the Blue Devils won the DCI contest in Norman, OK with a score of 86.90. The Santa Clara Vanguard came in second (84.90), followed by the Phantom Regiment (72.70), Freelancers (58.50), Velvet Knights (58.40), and the California Dons (48.10). The top three still compete at the highest levels today and are current or former DCI champions.

Who will win the catfight between Miami and Houston for the beer in the cellar? How long will the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers' records hold out for until they're safe for another year? Or will there be a collapse by one of the bottom three?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Last Place Update - June 24

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Here's an odd one for you. Who would have thought that the bottom three teams would do as well or have a better ten game stretch than nine of the top ten teams in MLB? Let's get the fun started.

   Even with all this winning, the defending Kings of the Cellar Champion 29-48 Houston Astros have closed the gap on this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 25-50 Miami Marlins to three games. The 30-42 New York Mets bring up the rear at six games behind Miami. Each team went 6-4 in their past ten games, a rarity at this level. Over that stretch, the bottom three performed better than the MLB leading 47-29 St. Louis Cardinals, who went 4-6, and the AL leading 44-32 Texas Rangers, who went 5-5. Of the top ten teams, only the 46-30 Pittsburgh Pirates fared better, going 7-3 during that stretch.

   Since the last update, Miami went 4-3, Houston went 3-4, and the Mets went a respectable 5-3. Each of these teams have had a bit of a turnaround. Is this a sign of how things will be or is it an apparition? Only time will tell.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 44-34 Oakland A's. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, losing four of their last five games. The A's have an interleague homestand this week, hosting the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. Oakland should do some winning this week, but that could go either way.

   So how are the Marlins doing against the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers? After 75 games, the '62 Mets were  21-54 and the '03 Tigers were at a miserable 18-57. The Marlins are four and six games ahead respectively at this time and are on pace to keep those records safe for another year.

Other Stuff...

   Hats off to the 38-36 Toronto Blue Jays for winning 11 straight games.They are also 14-2 since June 5, when they had a 24-34 record. The streak will probably end in Tampa this week, but it is still a great accomplishment.

   Congrats the Miami Heat for winning their second consecutive NBA championship and third overall.

   On to drum and bugle corps trivia. Today in 1972, the Santa Clara Vanguard won the California American Legion State Championship in San Jose, CA, with a score of 78.50. The Stockton Commodores came in second (60.15), followed by the Velvet Knights (56.00), LA Chinese (51.95), and the Royalaires (CA), who scored a 47.75. Of these corps, only the Santa Clara Vanguard is still active. The Stockton Commodores, LA Chinese, and Royalaires stopped competing after the 1976 season. The Velvet Knights stopped competing after the 1996 season, but came back for one season in 2011.

   Today in 1999, the Blue Devils won the DCI contest in Normal, IL, with a score of 75.70. The Cavaliers came in second (73.90), followed by the Glassmen (70.20), Blue Knights (68.20), Phantom Regiment (64.90), Colts (62.70), and Pioneer (53.20). Every corps in this contest is still active today.

How long will the bottom three teams' winning ways continue? Will there be a collapse or will other teams supplant them as Kings of the Cellar? Who will threaten the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers records of futility?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Last Place Update - June 17

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders' all-time worst record of 20-134 is safe for the 114th year in a row.

   The 21-47 Miami Marlins continue to be Kings of the Cellar, leading the 26-44 Houston Astros by four games. The 25-39 New York Mets bring up the rear at six games behind the Marlins. Miami is still the only team in MLB to have less than ten road wins. Will they go over the top this week?

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 3-3, Houston went an even more respectable 4-2, and the Mets represented the bottom by going 2-4. The Marlins are now 5-5 in their last ten games and 8-6 since May 31. The American League's newest team, the Astros,  are 4-6 in their last ten games, winners of their last four. They are also 12-8 since May 27. And then there are the Mets. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, but are 8-10 since May 26.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 38-31 Texas Rangers. The Rangers are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last six games. They are also 6-14 since May 26. Texas faces Oakland and St. Louis this week and the Rangers could find themselves here again next week. Or they could do some winning, like last week's honorable mention, the Cleveland Indians, and win themselves out of the Mention.

   Although the 1899 Spiders' record is safe, the 1962 Mets and the 2003 Detroit Tigers are still out there. The Marlins are faring better than their counterparts of the past right now. The '62 Mets were 19-49 after 68 games. The 2003 Tigers were doing even worse, at 17-51.

Other Stuff...

   The San Antonio Spurs had an impressive win against the Miami Heat last night. However, Miami will win Game 6. Game 7 and the NBA Championship will go to whoever wants it more.

   Today in 1984, the Phantom Regiment won the DCM contest in Grand Rapids, MI with a score of 81.10. This was the first year of the all build-up judging. The Cavaliers came in second (73.40), followed by Pioneer (41.20), Glassmen (32.10), Royal Grenadiers (26.00), and Saginaires (17.00).

   Today in 1972, the 27th Lancers won the Shriner's International contest in Hamilton, ONT, Canada with a score of 81.50. The Blue Stars came in second (78.50), followed by Blue Rock (77.30), Kilties (76.10), Garfield Cadets (75.50), De La Salle Oaklands (74.65), CMCC Warriors (73.70), and Toronto Optimists (68.75).


Will Miami continue to win or will there be an epic collapse? Will the defending Kings of the Cellar Champion Houston Astros overtake the Marlins? Will the Mets continue their losing ways?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 10

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The gap is closing.

   The defending Kings of the Cellar champion 22-42 Houston Astros nudged a little closer to this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 18-44 Miami Marlins. The Marlins now lead by three games. Miami is three wins away from keeping the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record of futility safe for another year. The 23-35 New York Mets bring up the rear by trailing the Marlins by seven games.

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 2-3, winning their last two games. However, in true Kings of the Cellar fashion, Houston went 2-5, losing their last four. The Mets supplanted the Milwaukee Brewers by going 4-6 in their last ten games, losing their last two. The Brewers did a little winning and went 4-3, winning their last three games.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 30-32 Cleveland Indians. Cleveland is 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last seven. They are also 4-15 since May 21. With the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals on the horizon, the Indians may end up here again next week.

  So how are the Marlins doing against some of the worst teams ever? Again, the 1899 Spders' record should be safe for another year. They were 12-50 after 62 games. The Marlins did put a little distance between their record and the 1962 Mets. The '62 Mets were 17-45 after 62 games. The 2003 Detroit Tigers were 16-46 after the same number of games.

Other Stuff...

   Miami and San Antonio are now tied at 1-1. As the Spurs did, the Heat should take at least one game in San Antonio. If Miami wins both games, the series will end when it returns to Miami.

   Today in 1962, the Mets split a double-header with the Chicago Cubs, getting one of their 40 wins that season.

   The Marlins are on pace for a 47-115 record. Their all-time worst season prior to this year (in a non-strike year) was as the Florida Marlins in 1998. They went 54-108 after winning the World Series the year before.

   Today in 1989, in a low scoring contest, Pioneer won the Drum Corps Midwest show in Three Oaks, MI. They scored a 36.00, beating the Belleville Black Knights (27.20), Coachmen (21.00), Joliet Kingsmen (17.00), and the Racine Scouts (11.30). Of this group, only Pioneer and the Racine Scouts still compete today.

Will Miami continue their winning ways and open the door for Houston to repeat? Or will the Marlins collapse and replace the 2003 Tigers or 1962 Mets with their own record of futility?

Stay tuned.  Have a great day!!!

Today in 1958 - Kansas City A's vs Washington Senators

It's been far too long since I did one of these, so let's get started.

   Today in 1958, the Kansas City Athletics invaded Griffith Stadium in our nation's capital to take on the Washington Senators. Ralph Terry of the A's would face off against Camilo Pascual of the Senators.

   It was a defensive struggle throughout. In the bottom of the first, Washington had a man on third, with two outs, but Jim Lemon hit a line drive to deep center field, which Bill Tuttle caught for the third out.

   In the bottom of the third inning, Washington again had a runner in scoring position with two outs, but Roy Sievers grounded out to end the inning. The Senators had a runner in scoring position again in the bottom of the fourth, this time with one out. However, Ken Aspromonte hit into a double play to end the inning. The game was still scoreless after four innings.

   Kansas City finally gets a runner into scoring position in the top of the eighth inning, when Vic Power hit a single and Frank House executed a sacrifice bunt. However, Pascual struck out Woodie Held and Bill Tuttle to end the inning.

   The Senators had a runner in scoring position again in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Albie Pearson hit a double to right field and Sievers hit a sacrifice fly to right field to advance Pearson to third. Then Clint Courtney grounded out to end the inning. The ninth inning went three up and three down for both sides. The game was going to extra innings tied 0-0.

   In the top of the 10th inning, the A's had men on first and second with one out, but hit into a double play to end the inning. In the bottom of the 10th, Pascual hit a triple, with one out, and Terry intentionally walked the next two batters, filling the bases. However, Sievers hit into a line drive to shortstop Joe DeMaestri.

   In the top of the 13th inning, Kansas City threatened again. Vic Power hit a single and House executed a sacrifice bunt, sending Powers to second. Held finally gets his first hit of the game, by hitting a home run. Pascual gets the next two batters out to end the inning. The A's hang on in the bottom of the 13th to defeat the Senators, 2-0.

   Both starting pitchers pitched all 13 innings. Ralph Terry got the win, striking out 7, and going to 3-5. Camilo Pascual struck out 10, but fell to 3-4. Kansas City improved to 23-19, but were still 7 games behind the AL leading New York Yankees. Washington went to 21-25, 6th in the AL. They were 11 games behind the Yankees and a half game behind the 5th place Cleveland Indians.

  Although they had a winning record at this date, the A's finished the season at a disappointing 73-81, 7th in the American League. The Senator finished the season at 61-93 and were 1958's Kings of the Cellar.

Trivia

• There were no Hall of Famers playing or managing in this game:
• This was Harry Craft's second season managing the A's. He managed the team from 1957-59. He also managed the Chicago Cubs from 1960-61 and the Houston Colt .45's (now Astros) from 1962-64.
• This was Cookie Lavagetto's second season managing the Senators. He managed the team from 1957-60. His best season as manager was in 1960, when the Senators finished at 73-81, 5th in the AL. He also managed the Minnesota Twins in two separate stints in 1961.
• This was Craft's best season as manager at 73 wins. His next best record was 66 wins with the A's in 1959 and the Colt .45's in 1963.
• Craft played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1937-42.
• Lavagetto played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934-36) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937-41, 1946-47). He missed the 1942-45 season due to his military service in World War II.
• Billy Hunter of the A's went on to manage the Texas Rangers from 1977-78.
• Jim Lemon went on to manage the Senators in 1968. His team had a record of 65-96.

Complete game stats can be found at Baseball-Reference.com on the box score page at Kansas City A's vs Washington Senators - June 5, 1958 .

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 3

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Now it gets interesting...

   The 16-41 Miami Marlins have taken a commanding lead over the defending Kings of the Cellar Champions, the 20-37 Houston Astros. The Marlins lead Houston by 4 games and the third place 21-34 Milwaukee Brewers by 6 games. However, the Marlins swept the New York Mets this weekend. Houston is also on a winning tear, by winning five straight. Milwaukee bucks this winning trend by going 3-7 in their last ten games and 4-10 since May 19.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 23-31 Kansas City Royals. The Royals are 2-8 in their last ten games and 3-14 since May 17. Kansas City has a homestand against last week's honorable mention, the Minnesota Twins and the defending champion Astros.

   After their three game win streak, Miami put some distance from the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record. The Spiders were 10-47 after 57 games. However, the Marlins are even with the 1962 Mets at 16-41 after the same number of games. And let's not forget a more recent abysmal record of futility, the 2003 Detroit Tigers. They were also 16-41 after 57 games.

Other Stuff...

   Who will win Game 7 tonight between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers? It's Miami's game to lose and they're my pick.

   At one time, this was the first week of competition in drum and bugle corps. The 2013 season kicks off on June 19.

   To stay on topic with drum and bugle corps, today in 1978, the Phantom Regiment won the Illinois Drum Corps Association show (69.95), beating the Guardsmen (60.20), Pioneer (43.95), CapitolAires (35.25), and Phantom Regiment Cadets (26.45). The Phantom Regiment and Guardsmen went on to compete at DCI Finals in Denver, CO. Today, only the Phantom Regiment and Pioneer still compete from those who competed in this show.


Is this the turning point for Houston and Miami? Can they put the 1899 Spiders, 1962 Mets, and 2003 Tigers in the rear view mirrors? Or will they have an epic collapse and break one of these records?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!.

Last Place Update - May 27

Welcome to the first Last Place Update of the 2013 MLB season. Before we get started, today is the day we remember the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and liberty. My message to them and their families is, THANK YOU!!! You are all remembered and appreciated.

   Now let's get started...

   This week's Kings of the Cellar, the 13-37 Miami Marlins, lead the defending Kings of the Cellar champion and newest American League team, the 14-36 Houston Astros, by a game. The Marlins are 2-8 in their last ten games and losers of five straight. They are also 3-15 since May 6. The Astros a faring a little better. They are 4-6 in their last ten games and losers of their last three, a sweep by the Oakland A's. Houston is 4-12 since May 9. The New York Mets bring up the rear and trail Miami by 5.5 games. The Mets are 4-6 in their last ten games and 5-13 since May 8.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 19-28 Minnesota Twins. Minnesota is 1-9 in their last ten games by getting swept by the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and going 1-3 against the Detroit Tigers. Unlike other 1-9 streaks, this collapse followed a 6-3 run from May 5-13.

   At this point, none of the teams in contention for Kings of the Cellar are a real threat to the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, but 1962 New York Mets are a different story. The 1899 Spiders were 9-41 after 50 games. The 1962 Mets were 13-37 after the same number of games. On this date last year, the defending champion Astros were 22-25 and the Chicago Cuber were in the lead with a record of 15-32.

Other Stuff

  A shout out has to go to the Los Angeles Angels. They are on an 8 game winning streak after going 1-5 from May 12-17.

   The San Antonio Spurs can sweep the Memphis Grizzlies with a win tonight. Memphis may pull an upset here, but if the Spurs win and Indiana hangs on for another game or two, this could mean trouble for the Heat if they face a rested Spurs team.

   My new ebook, The Curse, is now available in paperback from Createspace. Click the link on the title to order your copy. To add a little spice to the blurb, Dr. Walter Young said in the novel, "As you now know, it really was a matter of life and death."


Can Miami stay in the lead or will the American League's newest team come back and repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions? Will the Mets make a run and make it interesting? Are one of these teams a real threat to the 1962 Mets or even the 1899 Spiders?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

The Curse

It's finally done!!! It took three years to accomplish, but my first novel, The Curse, is published. It took several hours of brainstorming to get the blurb done. Because there is a lot to the story, when it came to the blurb, less was more. Right now, it's available for the Kindle on Amazon and in the Kindle Owners Lending Library. The paperback should be available through Createspace in the next week or so. I'm waiting for the proof now.

  I made the Facebook announcement this past weekend and got sales almost immediately. Thanks to those who downloaded my ebook.

   Here is the blurb:

Patrick Lowery is a graduating senior at Milneburg State University with a bright future ahead of him. That changed one fateful day when his life turned upside down. As Patrick’s luck worsens, he is convinced that he is cursed. Those he trusts the most seem to be hiding something from him and Patrick becomes obsessed with learning the truth no matter what the cost.

You can click the link here (The Curse) to get your copy. Hope you enjoy it.

Some NFL Draft First Round Trivia

Here we are again. Round 1 is in the books and we have the usual gamut of good picks, bad picks, and trades. A few teams didn't have a pick in this round, such as New England and Tampa Bay. Let's have some fun.

1. The Kansas City Chiefs chose OT Eric Fisher from Central Michigan. Fisher is the first ever Chippewa to be selected with the first pick. This is the second time Kansas City had the first overall pick. The Chiefs also had the first pick in the 1963 AFL Draft and they selected future Hall of Famer Buck Buchanan. 
2. The Jacksonville Jaguars chose OT Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M. Joeckel is the fifth Aggie chosen with this pick. Denver picked LB Von Miller with the second overall pick in 2011. A more infamous Aggie at #2, was in 1992, when Indianapolis picked LB Quentin Coryatt. This is the third time the Jaguars had the second pick. They chose OT Tony Boselli in 1995 and LB Kevin Hardy in 1996. Boselli was one of the best players Jacksonville ever had and Hardy had a respectable NFL career. 
3. The Miami Dolphins made a trade with Oakland to get this pick. The Dolphins selected LB Dion Jordan from Oregon. Jordan is the third Oregon player ever chosen with the third pick. The other two were QB Akili Smith by Cincinnati in 1999 and QB Joey Harrington by Detroit in 2002. Both were busts. This is the first time Miami has had the third pick. 
4. The Philadelphia Eagles chose OT Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. For the first time since 1968, three tackles were chosen with the first four picks. Johnson is the fourth Sooner taken with the fourth pick. Washington chose two, FB Leon Heath  in 1951 and OT Trent Williams in 2010, and RB Joe Washington by San Diego in 1976. Only Heath was a bust. The Eagles had the fourth pick, five other times. Every fourth pick Philly had was a good, except one. The exception was QB Davey O'Brien in 1939, who retired after his second season and joined the FBI. This is the same Davey O'Brien the best college quarterback award is named after. The last time Philadelphia had the fourth pick was in 1984, when they chose WR Kenny Jackson.
5. The Detroit Lions chose DE Ezekiel Ansah from BYU. Ansah is the second Cougar chosen with this pick. The other was QB Jim McMahon by Chicago. This is ironically the fifth time the Lions have had this pick. They have not had any luck with this pick. The first three times were busts (WB Jim Thomason 1941, FB Bob Westfall 1942, and C Joe Watson 1950), one chose to play in the AFL (QB Pete Beathard 1964), but their last #5 pick actually more than a couple of years for the team, DB Bryant Westbrook in 1997. To be fair, Thomason and Westfall fought in WWII before they played. Although Beathard never played a down for the Lions, he played from 1964-73. 
6. The Cleveland Browns chose DE Barkevious Mingo from LSU.  Mingo is the fourth LSU Tiger to be chosen with the #6 pick and LSU picks have fared well here. Two are still playing (DB LaRon Landry in 2007 by Washington and DB Morris Claiborne last year by Dallas) and one is in the Hall of Fame (QB Y.A. Tittle by Detroit in 1948). This is the third time Cleveland had the #6 pick. They first used this pick in 1956 to pick Hall of Fame RB Jim Brown from Syracuse. The other #6 was used in 2004 for TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. from Miami (FL).
7. The Arizona Cardinals chose G Jonathan Cooper from North Carolina. Cooper is the first Tarheel chosen at #7. This is the fifth time the Cardinals had the #7 pick.  Every pick was productive at some level. The last time Arizona had this pick was in 2000, when they picked RB Thomas Jones. He also had the longest playing career of the #7's, playing form 2000-11.
8. Buffalo traded down to get more picks and the St. Louis Rams chose WR Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Austin is the first Mountaineer chosen with this pick. This is also only the second time the Rams had this pick. They last had it in 1969, when the Los Angeles Rams chose RB Larry Smith from Florida. Smith played from 1969-74.
9. The New York Jets chose DB Dee Milliner from Alabama. Milliner is the fourth Crimson Tide player to be chosen with this pick. Only FB Butch Avinger, drafter #9 by Pittsburgh in 1953, was a bust. He played for one year. The last time an Alabama player was chosen with this pick was DB Antonio Langham by Cleveland. This the third time the Jets had this pick. Both of their previous #9's were tight ends who had productive NFL careers (Jerome Barkum in 1972 and Kyle Brady in 1995). 
10. The Tennessee Titans chose OG Chance Warmack from Alabama. Warmack is the first Crimson Tide player taken with this pick. This is also the Titans' first time with this pick, even as the Houston Oilers.
11. To round off the trio of Alabama players, the San Diego Chargers chose OT D.J. Fluker. As with Warmack, Fluker is the first Crimson Tide player ever taken with this pick. This is also San Diego's first time with the #11 pick.
12. From that trade with Miami, the Oakland Raiders picked DB DJ Hayden from Houston. Hayden is the first Cougar player picked 12th. To round out this trio of first timers, this is the Raiders' first time with this pick.
13. In a trade with Tampa Bay, the New York Jets chose DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. Richardson is the second Missouri Tiger chosen with this pick. Hall of Fame TE Kellen Winslow was chosen at #13 by San Diego. Richardson is the second player taken at #13 by the Jets. The last time New York had this pick, they chose DB Burgess Owens from Miami (FL). Owens played from 1973-82. 
14. The Carolina Panthers chose DT Star Lotulelei from Utah. Lotulelei is the first Ute chosen at #14. This is Carolina's second time with this pick. In 1997, they chose DE Jason Peter, who only played for a few years.
15. The New Orleans Saints selected S Kenny Vaccaro from Texas. Vaccaro is the second Longhorn choses at #15. The other was LB Derrick Johnson by Kansas City in 2005, who still plays for them. This is the Saints' first time with the 15th pick.
16. From the trade with St. Louis, the Buffalo Bills chose QB E.J. Manuel from Florida State. Manuel is the second Seminole taken with this pick. DT Travis Johnson was taken #16 by the Houston Texans in 2005. This is the fourth time Buffalo had this pick. The previous three had respectable NFL careers, most notably G Jim Ritcher (1980-95) and RB Ronnie Harmon (1986-97). The last time the Bills had this pick was in 1990, when they chose RB James E. Williams from Fresno State.
17. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected LB Jarvis Jones from Georgia. Jones is the second Bulldog chosen with this pick. Cincinnati chose LB David Pollack in 2005, who only played for a couple of seasons.This is Pittsburgh's fifth time with the #17 pick. They last picked DE Keith Gary from Oklahoma in 1981 and WR Charles Johnson from Colorado in 1994, neither one a bust. The only bust was QB/RB Billy Patterson from Baylor, chosen with this pick (in the third round) in 1939. 
18. In a trade with Dallas, the San Francisco 49ers selected S Eric Reid from LSU. Reid is the second LSU Tiger chosen with this pick. St. Louis picked WR Eddie Kennison in 1996, who played for 13 seasons in the league. This is the third time the 49ers had this pick. They chose DB Mike Holmes from Texas Southern in 1973 and DB Dana Hall from Washington in 1992. 
19. The New York Giants chose OT Justin Pugh from Syracuse. Pugh is the second Orange player chosen at #19. Indianapolis chose WR Marvin Harrison in 1996. This is New York's sixth time with this pick. The last one, DB Prince Amukamura, chosen in 2011, is still with the team. Outside of Amukamura and draft bust DB Henry Moore (1956 - Arkansas), the average career span with this group is seven seasons. 
20. The Chicago Bears selected G Kyle Long from Oregon. Kyle, the son of Hall of Fame DE Howie Long and brother of St. Louis DE Chris Long, is the first Duck chosen at #20. This is Chicago's second time at #20 in the first round. They picked DE Dave Gallagher from Michigan, who played in the league until 1979. However, they had the #20 pick five times in the second round, from 1949-63. Only two were busts, both in consecutive years and both OT's: Clyde Brock from Utah State in 1962 and Steve Barnett from Oregon in 1963.
21. The Cincinnati Bengals picked TE Tyler Eifert from Notre Dame. Eifert is the third Fighting Irish player taken with this pick. In 1997, Jacksonville chose DE Renaldo Wynn and in 2003, Cleveland picked C Jeff Faine. Both had respectable NFL careers and Faine still plays in the league and is now a teammate of Eifert with the Bengals.
22. In a trade with St. Louis, the Atlanta Falcons chose DB Desmond Trufant from Washington. Trufant is the first Huskie picked at #22. This is also the first time the Falcons had this pick.
23. The Minnesota Vikings selected DT Sharrif Floyd from Florida. He is the third Gator chosen with this pick. The Houston Oilers chose OT David W. Williams in 1989 and Oakland chose G Mo Collins in 1998. Both played for several years in the NFL. This is Minnesota's second time with #23. They last had it in 1965 and chose WR Lance Rentzel from Oklahoma, who played for nine seasons. 
24. The Indianapolis Colts, fresh of a successful first overall pick last year, chose DE Bjoern Werner from Florida State. Werner is the second Seminole selected with this pick. Pittsburgh drafted DB J.T. Thomas in 1973, who won four Super Bowls with the team. This is Indy's eighth time with the #24 pick. Their last pick, from 2003, is still playing in the league, TE Dallas Clark from Iowa. Between 1958-63, The Baltimore Colts had this pick in the second round. None of those players selected played past 1969.
25. In a trade with Seattle, the Minnesota Vikings returned to the first round and picked CB Xavier Rhodes from Florida State. Rhodes is the third Seminole player chosen at #25. Atlanta picked DB Bobby Butler in 1981 and San Francisco picked RB Dexter Carter in 1990. Both had respectable NFL careers. This is Minnesota's sixth time with this pick, the last three being on defense. They last chose DT Chris Hovan from Boston College in 2000 with this pick. All of Minnesota's #25 picks played for at least seven years.
26. The Green Bay Packers selected DE Datone Jones from UCLA. This is the first time a Bruin was picked at #26. This is Green Bay's sixth time at #26. They last chose LB Clay Matthews from USC with this pick in 2009. In fact, the last three times the Packers had this pick, they chose linebackers (Matthews, John Anderson from Michigan in 1978 and George Cumby from Oklahoma in 1980). Outside of Matthews, the average career span of Green Bay's #26 picks is eight seasons.
27. The Houston Texans chose WR DeAndre Hopkins from Clemson. Hopkins is the second player from Clemson  to be selected with this pick. Green Bay chose FB/K Fred Cone in 1951. He played for nine seasons. This is Houston's second time with this pick. They last chose LB Jason Babin from Western Michigan. Hopkins could be yet another good pick at #27 for the Texans.
28. The Denver Broncos picked DT Sylvester Williams from North Carolina. Williams is the fourth Tarheel to be chosen at #28. The last Tarheel chosen was DB Thomas Smith by Buffalo in 1993. The other two were T Brian Blados by Cincinnati in 1984 and T Glen Szafaryn by Washington in 1949. All had respectable careers. This is Denver's second time with this pick, last selecting DT Trevor Pryce from Clemson in 1997. He played from 1997-2010.
29. In a trade with New England, the Minnesota Vikings once again returned to the first round and selected WR Cordarrelle Patterson from Tennessee. Patterson is the second Volunteer to be chosen with this pick. The Chicago Cardinals chose E Al Hust in 1943. He served in WWII and played one season with the team in 1946. His career stat is one reception for nine yards. This is Minnesota's fifth time with this pick and except for two, they haven't fared very well. Their lone good pick was their first one, Hall of Fame QB Fran Tarkenton from Georgia in 1961. The other was drafted last year out of Notre Dame, FS Harrison Smith.
30. From that trade with Atlanta, the St. Louis Rams chose LB Alec Ogletree from Georgia. Ogletree is the first Georgia Bulldog ever taken with this pick.  This is St. Louis' first time with this pick in Round 1, but it's their tenth time with this pick in other rounds. They last had this pick in 1992 and the Los Angeles Rams chose DB Steve Israel. Historically, the Rams have not fared very well with this pick. Most of the players were busts and two (a 3rd rounder in 1937 and a 5th rounder in 1948) were cut before the season started. Only Israel played for more than just a few seasons, from 1992-2001.
31. In a trade with San Francisco, the Dallas Cowboys picked C Travis Frederick from Wisconsin. Frederick is Wisconsin's first ever pick at #31. This is also Dallas' first time with this pick.
32. The Baltimore Ravens finished off Round 1 by selecting S Matt Elam from Florida. Elam is the first Gator chosen with the 32nd pick. It is also Baltimore's first time with this pick. When the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, they had the 31st pick in 2001. The Houston Texans started drafting players in 2002.

There you have it. Again, the draft is one big crapshoot. Although this is not considered one of the more talent laden drafts, only time will tell. The NFL Draft is a time of hope and let's hope it produces some great players.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 18

We have a winner! Congrats to the 2013 Kings of the Cellar Champions, the 20-62 Orlando Magic. All of the beer in the cellar is yours. They edged the 21-61 Charlotte Bobcats by a game. The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their sixth game and secured third place at 24-58.

   The Magic overtook the Bobcats, who once led by 4.5 games on March 11, by going 2-16 since March 12. Orlando also ended the season with a three game losing streak.

   So what  happened to the defending champs? Charlotte did some winning and went 8-11 since March 12. Cleveland made a move of their own and went 3-16 during that same stretch.

   The 2013 Honorable Mention goes to the 33-49 Portland Trailblazers, who just ended their season with a 13 game losing streak. The Trailblazers actually had a winning  record on February 4, at 25-23. Then they went downhill, going 8-26 the rest of the way. It was almost as bad as the 6-28 record Orlando posted during that same stretch.

The Last Place Updates are a tongue-in-cheek look, from a fan's perspective, at the worst teams in whatever professional sport is featured. However it's important to remember that only a tiny percent of our population is even good enough to play for a professional sports team. It doesn't matter if that team wins it all or dwells in the cellar, the vast majority of us, myself included, could never make the first cut for a professional sports team, including those in last place. These players on their worst day could easily beat a team of fans on their best day. It's also important to remember and appreciate that it takes a special kind of athlete to earn the privilege to play for a professional sports team, whether it's for only a season or a long, Hall of Fame career.

Other Stuff...

Congrats to the Los Angeles Lakers for winning their last game in overtime against the Houston Rockets, 99-95. That win not only clinched the Lakers a playoff berth, it propelled them into the 7th seed. They will play the San  Antonio Spurs on Sunday. If they continue to play well, the Lakers can do some damage in the playoffs.

   The 8th seeded Houston Rockets will also play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. It will be interesting to see James Harden play his former team.

   Except for the blurb, my ebook, The Curse, is ready. It is also ready for Createspace. Once I write a satisfactory blurb, the novel will be published on Amazon for the Kindle and paperback.

Congrats to all for another successful NBA season. Good  luck to all the teams in the playoffs. May my New Orleans Pelicans contend next year.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 16

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. First of all, thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

   Time to share the beer! That's right. We have a tie. The 20-61 Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic are having a beerfest before the deciding game to see who is this year's Kings of the Cellar. The 24-57 Cleveland Cavaliers returned to the radar and are only a game ahead of the 25-56 Phoenix Suns for the vaunted third place.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went 2-2 and Orlando went 1-2. Cleveland went 0-5 to pull ahead of Phoenix, who went 2-2.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 37-44 Milwaukee Bucks and the 29-52 Washington Wizards. Each team has a five game losing streak. Milwaukee has a good chance to make it six straight when they finish the season at Oklahoma City to play the Thunder. Washington also finishes their season on the road when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls. Again, it could be six straight, but both teams could pull off a win against teams who are resting their starters.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. If Charlotte loses, then they have at least a tie for a repeat championship. If Cleveland loses, then they clinch third place. The Cavaliers should get their loss.

   Orlando travels to Miami to take on the Heat. The Heat should spank the Magic, even without their starters, but every now and then, the Magic pull a rabbit out of their hat...but not this time. Orlando should lose and get at least a share of the beer in the cellar. Orlando should topple Charlotte outright and be the 2013 Kings of the Cellar.

   Phoenix also ends their season on the road. They hit the rarified air of Denver to take on the Denver Nuggets. This should be an easy loss, because unlike the Eastern Conference, the Western Conference playoff slots are still somewhat fluid and the Nuggets still need to play at their best. Phoenix can clinch a tie for third with a loss and a Cavaliers win.

Other Stuff...

   There is a more deserving team for this week's honorable mention, so why weren't they named? It's because that team earned the 2013 Honorable Mention and I wanted to give a couple of other teams a mention.

   The final Last Place Update of the NBA season will be posted this week after the last game.

   The Los Angeles Lakers finish their season at the Staples Center against the visiting Houston Rockets. The Utah Jazz go to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies. If the Lakers win, they're in. If the Lakers lose and the Jazz win, the Jazz are in.

   Yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day and every major league player wore number 42. It was a fitting tribute to a trailblazer of the game and one of the all-time greats.

   If this entry was for baseball, the 2-11 Miami Marlins would be this week's Kings of the Cellar. MLB's Last Place Updates are coming soon. The defending champion 4-9 Houston Astros are two games behind the Marlins.

   The final readthrough for my upcoming novel, The Curse, is done. It's now time to put in the adjustments and get that blurb finished. Once that's done, then it will finally be time to publish.

Who will win Kings of the Cellar? Will the Lakers clinch a playoff spot? Who is the 2013 Honorable Mention?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

National Champions

Congrats to the Louisville Cardinals for winning the NCAA Championship over a Michigan Wolverines team who were up to the challenge. The game had its share of controversy, but it was still an outstanding game. Also, congrats to new Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. Good run and great season, Michigan!!

   Louisville won its third national championship in three tries and the first since 1986. As everybody knows, Pitino became the first men's college basketball coach to win national championships at two different schools. His other national championship team was the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats.

   My Main Entry bracket finished in a tie for second place in The Virtual Beer Tent at 40-23 and 1,110 points. It is also my best performing bracket. In the First Take bracket, my best performing bracket in that group, Take 3, finished in 29,355th place with 660 points.

  The Louisville Lady Cardinals have a chance to do their part in something that hasn't been done since 2004: to have the men's and women's teams from the same university win the national championship in the same season. Chances are, UConn, the last men's and women's teams to do it, will win tonight. Good luck to both teams.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 8

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The race for Kings of the Cellar is getting even tighter.

   Although Orlando is thirsting for some cellar beer, the 18-59 Charlotte Bobcats hold a half game lead over the falling 19-59 Orlando Magic in their quest to repeat as and are this week's, Kings of the Cellar. And they are not alone. The 23-54 Phoenix Suns are on a nine game losing streak and knocked the 24-52 Cleveland Cavaliers off the radar. Cleveland's two wins last week officially took them out of contention for the title. Phoenix is five games behind Charlotte, but a Charlotte loss or Phoenix win eliminates the Suns for Kings of the Cellar.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went 1-2, Cleveland went 2-1, and Orlando whiffed, going 0-3. The Magic are 1-13 since March 12. Phoenix got back on  the radar by going 1-9 in their last ten games and 2-15 since March 6.

   This week's honorable mention goes once again to the Portland Trailblazers. Since last week, Portland went 0-3, eliminating them from playoff contention. The Trailblazers are 2-10 since March 18. That's worse than Charlotte, who are 4-7 during the same period. This week, Portland hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Then the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town on Friday. On Sunday, the Trailblazers go to Denver to take on the Nuggets. This has all the makings of an 0-fer. If they play well, Portland could surprise the Lakers, but that's it. The Trailblazers will probably strike out against their opponents.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte spends most of the week on the road. They travel to Memphis on Tuesday to play the Grizzlies and then go to Detroit to play the Pistons on Friday. The Bobcats return home for the weekend by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Based on how Charlotte has played in recent weeks, they should easily avoid the 0-fer and win a game. And if they continue to improve, the Bobcats could win two.

   Orlando spends the week at home by playing the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday and the Boston Celtics on Saturday. Although they allowed over 100 points only once in the last six games, the Magic will continue their quest to unseat the Charlotte Bobcats as Kings of the Cellar and pull an 0-fer.

   Phoenix goes on a road trip this week. They travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Tuesday, Dallas to play the Mavericks on Wednesday, and end the week in the Midwest by going to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. As with the Magic, this should be an 0-fer for the Suns. They may surprise everybody with one win, but that's it.

Other Stuff...

   Check out the New York Knicks! Having lost four in a row, they're on a 12 game winning streak.  The two main threats to their streak this week is at Chicago on Thursday and Indiana at home on Sunday.

   Veteran QB Vince Young remains unsigned. Chances are he may not be signed at all before the draft. However, don't be surprised if some team signs him between July and September.

   Every team in MLB has at least one win. The 1988 Baltimore Orioles' 0-21 season start record is safe for another year.

  Will Orlando overtake Charlotte for the beer in the cellar? Will Portland turn things around? Will Phoenix even win a game?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Final Four

And the final Cinderella team goes down, but not without a fight. My lone surviving pick, the Louisville Cardinals move on to the national championship game on Monday by beating a Wichita Shockers team that almost shocked Cardinals fans. Great season and great run, Wichita State!

   Michigan took out Syracuse to advance as Louisville's opponent. This is the Wolverines' fifth trip to the national championship game, which they are 1-3. The last time Michigan was in the national championship game, Bill Clinton was president and they lost to North Carolina in 1993. The last time Michigan won the NCAA Championship was in 1989. In their other trips to the championship game, the Wolverines lost to UCLA in 1965 and to the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers in 1976.

   This is Louisville's third trip to the national championship. They won the NCAA Championship in 1980 against UCLA and 1986 against Duke.

   My Main Entry bracket, the lone surviving bracket, moved up and is tied for 6th place in The Virtual Beer Tent with 790 points. I went 1-1. Of course, the Michigan/Syracuse game was an automatic loss. My total standing is 39-23.

   Regardless of what happens Monday, stumpmstr 1, who is in the lead will win The Virtual Beer Tent championship. Those of us with remaining picks all have Louisville winning. If Louisville wins, then the Main Entry bracket will finish in a tie for 2nd. If not, then the current standings will be the final standings.

  In the First Take group, my Take 3 bracket has just maxed out, finishing in 28,826th place with a total of 660 points.  My best performing bracket overall is the Take 2, but it just maxed out at 800 points. The Main Entry bracket is the only one that has Louisville winning it all.

  Will Michigan upset Louisville and win their first championship since 1989? Will Louisville get it together and finish the job by winning their first championship since 1986?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 2

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Like a good roux, the plot thickens what was a runaway repeat. Let the fun begin!

   The last two teams below 20 wins are duking it out for all the beer in the cellar. This week's Kings of the Cellar, the 17-57 Charlotte Bobcats, hold a game and a half lead over the 19-56 Orlando Magic in their quest to repeat as champions.  Charlotte lost their last three games, but the Magic are 1-9 in their last ten games. The 22-51 Cleveland Cavaliers are at the top of the steps of the cellar with their eyes on the beer, hanging out at 4.5 games behind the Bobcats. The Cavs own the longest active losing streak at nine games. Since the last update, Charlotte went 1-3, Orlando went a whopping 1-6, and Cleveland 0-fered, going 0-4.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 33-41 Portland Trailblazers. They beat out a 27-47 Toronto Raptors team that are 2-8 in their last ten games, Why? Because the Trailblazers are still in the hunt for that final playoff spot in the Western Conference and lost five straight. Portland's playoff chances are now slim, at best. The Trailblazers spend this week at home. They host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, the Houston Rockets on Friday, and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Portland may get one win, but they will get eliminated from playoff contention, if not this week, then definitely next week. Their only hope now is a total collapse by both Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte starts the week at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and then host the Miami Heat on Friday. Then the Bobcats visit the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. This has all the makings of an 0-fer, but Charlotte could pull out one win. They definitely won't get their 20th win this week. They probably won't get their 18th win either.

   Road trip!! Orlando hits the road and visits the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, the Chicago Bulls on Friday, and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. As with the Bobcats, this has all the makings of an 0-fer week. However, Orlando is a decent 4th quarter team and could pull off one win, maybe against Cleveland, but that's it.

   Cleveland spends Wednesday at home against the Brooklyn Nets. On Friday, the Cavaliers go to Boston to play the Celtics. Then they end the week at home against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. To keep with the common theme of the day, this also has all the makings of an 0-fer. The key for both Cleveland and Orlando is this game. The winner gets their lone win of the week and the other has an 0-fer, getting one game closer to the beer in the cellar fridge.

Other Stuff...

   The streaks have ended. The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat each lost. Brooklyn now has the longest active win streak at eight games.

   The New Orleans Saints signed QB Luke McCown to a one year deal. Really? Is he the best available quarterback out there? He didn't even make the team last year. They would have done better by signing QB Vince Young to a one year deal.  It's the only blemish on some solid free agent signings.

   Baseball season is here! I'm hoping to write more "Today in..." entries soon and get some actual sports trivia out there. However, there is also the novel and novella that I have to publish and I actually get paid for those, so they have priority.

   Who will get to 20 wins first? Who will get to 60 losses first? Who will take the lead as Kings of the Cellar for good and claim the beer in the fridge?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Elite 8 - Part II

And my lone surviving pick survives to play another day...but at a cost. As everyone already knows, Louisville guard Kevin Ware broke his leg in the Midwest regional final against Duke. Enough has been said about it. I saw enough replays of Joe Theismann's leg break back when it happened to last a lifetime, so it's good that CBS stopped showing the replay.

   The Final Four is now set. Louisville will face the Cinderella team of the tournament, the Wichita State Shockers and Michigan will play Syracuse. I went 1-1 and 80 points, bringing my Main Entry grand total to 38-22 and 630 points.

   In The Virtual  Beer Tent, the Main Entry is still in 8th place and the dead Really? bracket leads with 790 points. This is by no means over and the Really? bracket should drop in the standings this weekend. It is still my best performing bracket overall. In the  First Take group, my now dead Take 3 is the best performing bracket with a score of 660 points. If Louisville wins, then Take 2 will overtake Take 3.

  Can Louisville prevail minus Kevin Ware? Will Wichita State shock the Cardinals and go to the national championship game? Can Syracuse repeat what they did a decade earlier? Will this Michigan team do what the Fab Five couldn't?

Stay tuned.  Have a great day!!!

Elite 8 - Part 1

And the Wichita Shockers continue to earn their name and bring their Cinderella journey to the Final Four.

   The East and West regional brackets are complete and busted in the Main Entry bracket. Syracuse will represent the East and Wichita State will represent the West in the Final Four. I had Ohio State and Indiana going in those brackets, so I got one big goose egg, going 0-2. That keeps my score at 550, but my standings fall to 37-21.

   The Midwest and South play their regional finals today. The South is an automatic loss, but at least Florida and Michigan should make it exciting. I had Georgetown and VCU in the South regional final. Florida should win in a close one to make it to face Syracuse the Final Four.

   I saved the Midwest for last, because my last accurate pick is still there. I have Louisville over Duke (originally Michigan State). If Louisville falters, then my Main Entry bracket will be busted.

  I'm still in 8th place in The Virtual Beer Tent. My best performing bracket is my busted Really? bracket at 630 and in 2nd place. The reason it's still performing is that I chose Michigan and Louisville to make the Final Four. My best performing bracket in the First Take group is the busted Take 3 bracket, with a score of 580 and in 13,409th place. All but the Main Entry brackets have ultimately busted.

  Who will win? Who will fall? Will my Main Entry bracket survive? Help me, Obi-Wan Louisville. You're my only hope.

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!

Sweet 16 - Part II

And the Cinderella journey ends for one team and another #1 goes down. The Elite 8 are set.

Midwest

I went 1-1, scoring 40 points. Louisville moved on, but Duke beat Michigan State. That brings my total to 12-2 and 190 points. In the Elite 8, I picked Louisville over Michigan State, now Duke.

South

Busted, with a grand total 7-8 record and 90 points. The picks record up to this point is 7-7, since this round was 0-2. Alas, Florida ended Florida Gulf Coast's Cinderella journey and moved on to the Elite 8. Congrats Eagles. Record setting job well done! And we're not done. Michigan toppled #1 seed Kansas in overtime, to go to their first Elite 8 since 1994.

West

We covered this yesterday. I have Ohio State over Wisconsin, now Wichita State. Totals so far are 6-8 and 110 points.

East

Another busted regional bracket, with totals of 12-2 and 160 points.


I went 2-6 in this round, with a total of 80 points. Using picks through the Sweet 16, that brings my total to 37-19 and 550 points. Using the grand total numbers in the up to date standings confused things.

We have a new leader. Heat and Canes now has the lead in The Virtual Beer Tent. My Main Entry bracket dropped to 8th place. My best performing bracket in this group is the dead Really?, which is in 2nd place. However, I had Miami winning it all in that bracket. In the First Take group, my best performing bracket and my best bracket overall, is Take 3, which has a score of 580 points and is in 11,261st place.

Who will win? Who will fall? Will Wichita State continue its Cinderella run and surprise everybody?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Sweet 16 - Part I

The horror...the horror. An act of perfection dies a horrible death.

Okay, enough of the drama. Let's get started.

Midwest

These games will be played tonight. I picked Louisville over Oregon and Michigan State over Duke.

South

This bracket is dead. My score is as high as it will go, at 90 points and a record of 7-8.

West

No shock here. Wichita State took care of business against the LaSalle Explorers, but that was an automatic loss any, since I picked Wisconsin to make it to the Elite 8. In the other game, Ohio State beat Arizona in what is why March Madness is so great. This game, as with many others, could have gone either way. So my record for this round is 1-1 and 40 points.

East

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. This is perfection no more. As I would state in the Last Place Update, I pulled an 0-fer. Both of my picks lost, thus officially killing this bracket. Marquette dominated Miami and Syracuse easily dispatched Indiana. I had Indiana playing and beating Miami to go to the Final 4. Oh well. I went 0-2, with 0 points. My final standing and score in this regional bracket is 12-2 and 160 points.


I went 1-3 overall  and 40 points today, bring my overall standing and score in the Main Entry bracket to 36-15 and 510 points. Hopefully, things will fare better tonight. This is still my best performing bracket. I'm still in the lead in The Virtual Beer Tent, but only by ten points. My best performing bracket in the First Take group is Take 3 at 500 points. That bracket is in 5,553rd place in that group.

ESPN reported that there are no more perfect brackets.

Who will prevail? Who will fall? Will Florida Gulf Coast beat Florida tonight and make it to the Elite 8?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - March 25

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Ah, the plot thickens...

   The 16-54 Charlotte Bobcats have been doing some winning. They closed the gap some, but not enough to keep them from being this week's Kings of the Cellar. They are two games ahead of the 18-52 Orlando Magic. The 22-47 Cleveland Cavaliers also returned to the radar, kicking off the New Orleans Hornets and Phoenix Suns.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went a respectable 2-2 and Orlando is making a move against the Bobcats by having an 0-fer, going 0-4. The Hornets went 2-1 and the Suns went 1-3. The Cavaliers are on a five game losing streak.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 34-36 Utah Jazz. The Jazz are 2-8 in their last ten games, with a four game losing streak. Utah is also 2-12 since February 23.  They have allowed over 100 points in the last three games. This week, the Jazz spend most of the week at home. They host the Philadelphia 76ers tonight and the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. On Friday, Utah goes to Portland to play the Trailblazers and then they finish the week at home versus the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Jazz should win at least one or two games this week.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte has a light week, mostly on the road. They host the Orlando Magic Wednesday and hit the road to play the New York Knicks on Friday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Based on their recent success, the Bobcats could go 2-1 or collapse and have an 0-fer. The Magic game is a pick'em and could be either team's only win this week.

   Orlando starts the week at home by facing a spanking by or huge upset of the Miami Heat tonight. Then they go to Charlotte to play the Bobcats on Wednesday and return home to host the Washington Wizards on  Friday. The Magic end the week on Saturday by going to Atlanta to play the Hawks. Orlando could potentially win two games this week. Chances are, they'll have yet again another 0-fer.

   Cleveland spends most of the week at home. They host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Cavs end the week in the Crescent City by visiting the New Orleans Hornets. They could win one or two games or they could whiff and lose them all. Cleveland should win at least one game.

Other Stuff...

   What a great time of year. The NCAA Tournament has been a blast, even though one of my overall brackets is dead and a regional bracket on my Main Entry bracket is dead. Sometimes it's a work in frustration, but it's one that you enjoy.

   I made The Acts of 1 available for the NOOK a while back. It hasn't had the success on Barnes & Noble as it did on Amazon. If this continues, when I publish The Curse, it will start off exclusive to Amazon and in the KDP Select program.

   Which winning streak will end first? Will Miami break the Lakers' record? Will Denver overtake Miami? Or will both teams fall woefully short?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Round of 32 - Part II

Finally, no surprising upsets. Other than the bad picks from the Round of 64, my picks fared better in this round.

Midwest

I went 1-0 yesterday, bringing the total for this round to 4-0 and a point total of 80. I'll gladly take it. My totals for this bracket are 11-1 and 150 points. In the Sweet 16 round, I picked Louisville over Oregon and Michigan State over Duke.

South

How about those Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast? Way to go!

I went 2-1 yesterday, bringing the total to 2-2 and a point total of 40. The Florida Gulf Coast vs San  Diego State is an automatic loss, since I picked Georgetown to beat both teams.My totals for this bracket are 7-5 and 90 points. In the next round, I chose VCU to beat Kansas and Georgetown to beat Florida. Since VCU and Georgetown have already been eliminated, the South bracket is officially dead and the final standings are 7-8 and 90 points. Although I thought Georgetown would make it to the Final Four, I picked against them there, so at least that pick still has hope.

So from here on, I'm pulling for Florida Gulf Coast in this bracket.

West

Once again, I went 1-1, bring the Round of 32 total to 2-2 and 40 points. As stated yesterday, the Ole Miss vs LaSalle game was an automatic loss. This bracket almost died, but Ohio State pulled out the win in the end. This bracket's totals are 5-7 and 70 points. In the Sweet 16 round, the Wichita State vs LaSalle game is an automatic loss, since I picked against both teams in the Round of 64. I chose Ohio State over Arizona and that's a pick 'em game.

East

The streak continues. Both of my picks struggled, but made it through, going 2-0 and 40 points. My round total is 4-0 and 80 points. The bracket total is 12-0 and 160 points. In the next round, I chose Indiana over Syracuse and Miami over Marquette.


I went 6-2 yesterday in the Round of 32, bring my total to 12-4 and 240 points. My overall standing is 35-13 and 470 points. That keeps me in a tie for first in The Virtual Beer Tent with my dead bracket, Really?.

The Main Entry bracket is still my best performing bracket so far. My Take 3 is the best performing bracket I have in the First Take group. It has 460 points and is in 1,964th place. My worst performing bracket that is not dead is my No #1. It has 430 points, placing 12,282.

Note: This week's Last Place Update will be posted later today.

Who will prevail? Who will fall? Will Wichita State and Florida Gulf Coast move on to the Elite 8?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!

Round of 32 - Part I

And the first #1 seed goes down. Gonzaga falls to a team that's earning their nickname, the Shockers. One of my brackets is dead. Let's see how the Main Entry is doing.

Midwest

I went 3-0 here, scoring 60 points. That brings my overall Midwest record to 10-1 and 130 points. Creighton plays Duke and my pick is the Blue Devils (kind of hard to say, if you're a Phantom Regiment alum). As long as Louisville and Michigan State continue to the Elite 8, this should be a solid bracket...

South

...unlike here. I went 0-1, picking VCU over Michigan. My overall South record is now 5-4 and a total of 50 points. There are three games on tap. I picked Kansas over North Carolina (originally Villanova), Florida over Minnesota (originally UCLA), and the Florida Gulf Coast vs San Diego State game is an automatic loss, since I picked Georgetown to win. As stated yesterday, I am pulling for Florida Gulf Coast, though the Aztecs should take care of business.

West

And a #1 falls early, officially killing my Really? bracket. Is Wichita State this year's Cinderella team? Could this be a home state NCAA Championship game, with Wichita State going up against Kansas? If they did, it would be the first time since 1962 that two teams from the same state played for the championship, when Cincinnati beat Ohio State for the NCAA Championship in 1961 and 1962. However, it probably won't happen here.

At least yesterday wasn't a disaster. I went 1-1, scoring 20 points. My West record is now 4-6, with 50 points. That's the best I can do today. The Ole Miss vs LaSalle game is an automatic loss, since I picked against both teams in the first round. I picked Ohio State over Iowa State (originally Notre Dame).

East

So far, so good. I went 2-0 here, scoring 40 points, and still sporting a perfect bracket at 10-0 and 120 points. In today's games, I chose Indiana over Temple, and Miami over Illinois.


A fellow Phantom Regiment alum brought up a good point that should be covered here. Although I've been talking about wins and losses, the point totals from those picks are more important and better reflect the accuracy AND impact of my picks, because they increase in value as the tournament progresses. The win/loss totals reflect the accuracy without the impact.

I went 6-2 so far in the Round of 32, bringing the total to 29-11. Here is why the point totals are more important. The Main Entry scored a 120, bringing my overall score to 350. That puts me in a tie for the lead in The Virtual Beer Tent with my Really? bracket. However. as previously stated, the Really? bracket is officially dead.

The Main Entry is also my best performing bracket right now. My worst performing bracket is the No #1, with an overall score of 310. In the First Take group, my Take 3 bracket has a score of 340, placing 3,450.

Who will stand? Who will fall? Will Wichita State or Florida Gulf Coast be this year's Cinderella team?

Stay tuned.