Liz Torres

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Where I go to school : Emerson College
Where I live : Revere, Mass.

I am a Boston Globe Sports correspondent, who features on high school sports coverage through print and multimedia mediums.

Inquire within: etorres446@gmail.com

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- Liz Torres
  
  Sports Correspondent and Social Media Content Creator at The Boston Globe
  
  Media Production | Greater Boston Area, US
  
  Summary
  
  I am a recent Emerson College graduate with a degree in Print & Multimedia Journalism and with minors in Sociology and in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies. I am seeking a reporting position where I can utilize my specialized skills in multimedia, social media and storytelling.
  
  I have a background in sports but am open to working opportunities in any field. My passion is exploring issues of diversity.
  
  Specialties: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Premier, Final Cut Pro X, Audacity, iMovie, slide shows, social media, ability to handle tasks under time constraints, problem solver, researching, editing, customer service, organizing data, fact checking, conducting interviews, writing and editing stories, editing and publishing multimedia content, SEO, HTML.
  
  Experience
  - Apr 2013 - Present
    Freelance columnist / Cosmopolitan Magazine Latina
    
    • Freelanced first-person accounts for the Latina Like Me column
  - Aug 2011 - Present
    Co-founder, Content Editor and Contributing writer / The League Insiders
    
    • Cultivated the blog and contributed professional and college sports features from the Boston metro area
  - Aug 2008 - Present
    Sports Correspondent and Social Media Content Creator / The Boston Globe
    
    • Covered live events and reported on deadline for print publication and online content
    • Contributed weekly to the high school sports blog and tweeted from tournament games
    • Conducted interviews, reported, edited, researched and fact-checked for daily roundups
    • Produced and edited video packages for the web
    • Year-round specialized reporting in high school volleyball and hockey
    • Created and regulated content using social media while engaging Boston.com High School Sports Facebook audience
  - Jun 2008 - Present
    Senior Resident Assistant and Social Media Content Creator / New England High School Journalism Collaborative
    
    • Organized daily agendas and prepared seminars
    • Edited articles
    • Mentored students
    • Promoted the program by creating a first-ever Facebook page and Twitter account to further engage an audience while attracting program alumni
  - Jul 2012 - Sept 2012
    Contributing Writer and Content Editor / She's Game Sports
    
    • Aggregated sports-related content for web production for the female fan
  - Apr 2012 - Sept 2012
    WriteBoston Summer Journalism Institute Associate / AmeriCorps VISTA
    
    • Mentored 40 high school students, conducted assessments and administrative tasks, and developed lesson plans into a standardized curriculum
    • Copyedited, fact-checked, developed story concepts
    • Accumulated and assessed data using spreadsheets
    • Created content and monitored traffic for the program's Facebook page
  - Jun 2011 - Sept 2011
    Sports Journalism Institute Intern / Sports Journalism Institute
    
    • Participated in workshops with the industry's finest in journalism, ethics and multimedia
    • Conducted interviews and compiled stories for print and online content
    • Compiled daily blogs and game recaps
  - Jun 2011 - Aug 2011
    ESPNHS Intern / ESPN
    
    • Edited and published multimedia content for espnhs.com using HTML
    • Conducted interviews and created web videos using Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premier and created photo galleries
    • Reported from live games and wrote recaps on deadline for web and wrote features for ESPNHS Girl Magazine
    • Created, edited and integrated multimedia platforms on Facebook and mobile
    • Contributed to the ESPNHS Facebook account while integrating web stories, promotions, videos and photos
  - Jul 2008 - Sept 2008
    Freelance Journalist / Prepvolleyball.com
    
    • Accumulated data and research and reported a season preview for online publication
  - Jun 2005 - Jun 2008
    News Editor/ Newsletter Editor-in-chief / New England High School Journalism Collaborative
    
    • Developed story ideas for print productions
    • Conducted interviews and wrote on deadline
    • Edited stories
    • Collaborated with small staff for content
    • Designed layout for the newsletter
  Education
  - 2008 - 2013
    
    Emerson College
    
    Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Print & Multimedia Journalism with minors in Sociology and Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies
    Activities: Campus Conversation on Race and Ethnicity The Berkeley Beacon
  - 2004 - 2008
    
    Revere High School
    
    High School Diploma
    Activities: National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Patriot Newspaper, Yearbook, Technology Club, Culture Club, Student Council
  Additional Information
  - Websites:
    
    Company Website, Blog, Personal Website
  - Honors:
    
    • Nominated for an Emerson Evvy "Best Sports Article" Award, 2012 • Emerson's Ansin Diversity Scholar, 2008 • Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences University of Rochester, 2008 • New England High School Journalism Collaborative Chips Quinn Memorial Scholarship, 2008 • John and Abigail Adams Scholar, 2008 • Student of the Month Achievement presented by the Revere Lodge of Elks, 2008 • Recognition of Superior Achievement & Leadership in the High School Journalism Collaborative, 2007 • Outstanding Achievement in the Editor’s Class School Press Institute S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, 2007 • John Ben Snow Scholar Participant School Press Institute, 2007 • Certificate of Completion in the Editor’s Class at the School Press Institute, 2007 • Certificate of Achievement in High School Journalism Workshop, 2007
  - Interests:
    
    Reading, writing, telling people's stories, video games, scrapbooking.
Tweets

Tweets

Profile
- @KannoYoungs Ha, no problem. Glad everything went well.
  
  May 16, 13 from web in reply to KannoYoungs Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @PatBradleyUSCHO Thank you again for the tip http://t.co/z3iLjd0PeH
  
  May 16, 13 from web in reply to PatBradleyUSCHO Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- VOTE for your favorite boys' #volleyball squad! The winner will be featured next week in my notebook http://t.co/CTdqqcDzuH @GlobeSchools
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @MedfieldAD Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote. http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @ChelmsfordSport Which #volleyball team has best odds at a state title? Vote http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @stjohnsprep Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote. http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week #bostonglobe
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @NNHSTigers Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote. http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week.
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @NHSRockets Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote. http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week.
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Which #volleyball team has the best odds at a state title? Vote. http://t.co/TRAITLw06Y The winner will be featured next week @GlobeSchools
  
  May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- #NewtonSouth takes down #Cambridge, 3-1, read for more http://t.co/0v1D02T8Se #boysvolleyball @GlobeSchools
  
  May 08, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @rsen01 Here's our Top 10 http://t.co/rayUAkll61. #Cambridge #Milford #Lawrence will be the top tier to beat, all w/possible All-Scholastics
  
  May 07, 13 from web in reply to rsen01 Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @rsen01 Thank you for the update! Going to be interesting to see how #StJohnsPrep performs in the postseason. They need more consistency.
  
  May 07, 13 from web in reply to rsen01 Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- #Cambridge #boysvolleyball was knocked out of the top spot, check out this week's Top 10 rankings @Globeschools http://t.co/sFtolM92gW
  
  May 05, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @dawndow1 @globeschools They were just bumped up to No. 4 after an impressive week. Definitely one to watch come tournament time #volleyball
  
  May 04, 13 from Twitter for Mac in reply to dawndow1 Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- #Lawrence stunned team to beat #Milford, a perfect candidate for this week's #volleyball notebook http://t.co/UU96GU2mWb @GlobeSchools
  
  Apr 29, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @Natural_OneDurr @TheEVVYs Thanks chica!
  
  Apr 27, 13 from Tweet Button in reply to Natural_OneDurr Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Very excited to have won an EVVY for Best Sports Article! Thank you!!! @TheEVVYs #awesomeness
  
  Apr 27, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- "I will kill all of you as you killed my brother" -- Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tells police #Watertown
  
  Apr 19, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @Jake_Seiner Are you serious?
  
  Apr 19, 13 from web in reply to Jake_Seiner Reply, Retweet, Favorite
Posts

Posts

Profile
- Cardinals Handle Michigan With Second Half Ease
  
  Apr 09, 13
  
  Orlando, Florida; ESPN's headlines this morning said it nicely- "The 'Ville is Back". Yes, Louisville is back and speaking of come backs, how about that second half? Judging from the score and the effort Michigan put into the first half, most fans didn't expect Louisville to show up and play the way they did coming out to the second. The Cardinals were playing mediocre and Michigan was capitalizing on every move. The first half of the game looked like pools of maize and blue jumping up and down and up and down while the Cardinal red sat in a reflection pond of utter disappointment.
  
  Michigan played an outstanding first half of basketball. Trey Burke was out with 2 fouls, but that didn't stop young Michael "Spike" Albrecht from stepping up to the plate. The Michigan Guard made an impressive 3 with 12:04 left in the half that helped amp up the Michigan fans. Trey Burke finished with 24 points and Michigan ended the game with 27 rebounds and a 52.1 FG pct.
  
  Coach Beilein allowed cameras into his locker room at the half and said this to his players:
  "What a half we just played. Those people paid good money to get those seats out there and we're giving them a show."
  
  That spectacle quickly changed...
  
  AnnArbor
  With Michigan leaving it all on the table at the half, it was Louisville's change of momentum and veteran players like Luke Hancock that ultimately led them to win the game.
  
  Louisville went into the locker room a frustrated team. As Coach Pitino followed his players at the half he said one thing was severely lacking-and that was defense. It was obvious Michigan was capitalizing on every missed opportunity and Rick Pitino made sure his team knew it during halftime.
  
  The Cardinals were reborn again, as they nearly dominated the second half. Hancock made a 14-1 run and scored Louisville's last 11 points. With 6:04 left the Cardinals closed in on Michigan making it a 3 point game. Peyton Siva was a big reason why Louisville gained back their momentum.
  
  "Peyton Siva attacked the paint and then attacked the glass," Jay Bilas said after the game.
  
  Michigan's youth showed in the second half. As Louisville rallied to the end, the Wolverines just couldn't keep up. With Luke Hancock earning MVP and finishing the game with 22 points, it was the Cardinal red that came out victorious.
  
  sbnation
  
  Stats worth mentioning:
  
  Michigan
  27 rebounds
  52.1 FG pct
  T. Burke 24 pnts
  
  Louisville
  32 rebounds
  45.9 FG pct
  L. Hancock 22 pnts, made all five 3-point shots.
  
  Julianna Corso
- Nebraska's Spring Game Turns Into Cancer Patient's Dream
  
  Apr 08, 13
  
  Orlando, Florida; The Cornhuskers may have witnessed one of the greatest TD runs in history as Jack Hoffman, a pediatric cancer patient runs straight for the end zone and scores. A lifelong Nebraska fan and energetic 7 year old boy has completed his dream come true. Battling cancer, Hoffman yearned for the opportunity to run on the field with the rest of the Cornhusker clan-he did just that, and then some. With the entire team behind him, Jack ran hard and fast towards the end zone. He even got an encouraging slap on the head from TE Trey Foster.
  
  Photo: ESPN
  
  It is always good to see sports programs thrive in competition, but it's times like these that keep the players and the program aware of the larger picture in sports. Teaching the youth about perseverance and inspiring those to seek higher opportunities is the most important aspect of college sports.
  
  Here is the video of Jack Hoffman scoring a Nebraska TD.
  Video via ESPN.
  
  http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9142073&categoryid=2378529
- How March Madness Can Help Your Networking Web
  
  Mar 22, 13
  
  Orlando, Florida. (March 22nd, 2013) - It goes without saying that the month of March is dedicated to the beginning of Spring-well that is, if you're not much of a sports fan. But the month of March for those of us who are fully consumed by anything sports related will tell you that March means yet another month of plausible excuses for watching television until 2 a.m. It also means the daily beer drinking average may increase for at least another 31 days.
  
  But have you ever thought about March Madness affecting your networking skills? I mean actually seeing that scribbled piece of paper that has all of your evocative picks on it come to life? You see, the world lives in a different place now then it did when basketball was a celebration of shiny short shorts and high socks. We live in the digital age and that means big things for sports. Companies prowl on the idea that they're ad could roll during the SuperBowl or during March Madness. They pay millions of dollars just for that coveted 30 second roll out. Sounds absolutely insane doesn't it? - It's not.
  
  Now that Twitter has become the face of human interaction between celebrity, athlete, fan, and professional, it's easier to research and hear what people have to say about how Harvard beat UNLV-oh, did I say that? Before social platforms existed, you had a T.V, a radio, and the occasional pool table room, otherwise known as the man cave, to help display your pride for teams. Within those confines, you drank a stiff one, walked around showing off your memorabilia, and argued with your buddies about who should have won that game.
  
  Photo: Wall Street Journal
  
  Unfortunately that's all you really had. No Twitter accounts to retweet stats or post a few newsworthy opinions of your own- didn't have any of that. The communication stopped after you left the house or turned off the T.V.
  
  What we have here is a new age of the way we think about sports- March Madness in particular. For starters, it's a month long and that's 31 days of nonstop talk about the Sweet 16 and the almost swept-away teams like Gonzaga. Twitter has allowed fans alike, including experts to share their stories about it. The conversation of sports is continued for 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You have students talking to other students about it, you have professionals talking to other professionals about it at work, and you have athletes talking about other athletes-maybe not on Twitter, but through closed doors.
  
  Now professionals can leverage their expertise in both fields for a chance at making it big within the company. You hear the boss talking about it, you walk passed his door, and you mentioned a quick blurb on the game and low and behold you have a full blown conversation about basketball. Then that same conversation happens once-a-day for 31 days, then you have a relationship that ultimately helps raise your profile and engage you in the conversation at work.
  
  I was listening to NPR on the way to work the other day, and someone mentioned that the senators were filling out bracket's together-perfect example of what I am trying to say here. This digitized world we live in has allowed the public to integrate work and sports together in a very professional way. Pretty soon that same man who walked by his boss's office is now the new C.O.O of the company-all because of a shared conversation about sports.
  
  Professor Michael Magazine, who works at the University of Cincinnati, said March Madness is a lot like life.
  
  "The life lesson is that we make a lot of decisions that are the right decisions," Magazine says, "but the outcomes don't always come out the way we planned,"Magazine said.
  
  Same goes for the professional world.
  
  Yesterday we had a fire drill in our building. As I was walking down the stairs I overheard a brief conversation between two colleagues.
  
  Colleague 1: "Where's my boss when I need him...I just want to leave now!"
  Colleague 2: "What? Why? So you could go home and watch March Madness?"
  
  The conversation continued for a few minutes. They disagreed on some things, but look what an event such as March Madness did for those two people. It cultivated a relationship, and now they can refer back to that interaction at anytime for substance in a meeting.
  
  Our own President, Mr. Barack Obama has even taken to the polls, predicting Indiana and Louisville would meet in the championship- nice choice by the way Mr. Obama.
  
  Everyone is connected in some way by March Madness this year. Its all over the internet, all over the T.V and all over social media. This month makes networking a little easier-even more entertaining.
- Jim Aruilio's Championship Sunday Picks
  
  Jan 20, 13
  
  No. 4 Baltimore at No. 2New England
  
  A rematch of last years AFC Championship game, and it’s no surprise to see the Patriots back on championship Sunday. The Ravens on the other hand have surprised most people with that double OT win in Denver last week, taking down the number one seed Broncos. The Ravens have given Brady a tough time the last three games they have matched up (2 TDs & 5 INTs) so this wont be a game where Brady puts up forty plus points. The Ravens will do what they did during the regular season matchup, which is try and get Baltimore's speedy receivers one-on-one on the outside and have Flacco throw it up. Certainly getting production from Ray Rice is essential, so that Flacco can free up his talented receiving core, but we all know that slowing down the Pats offense is the key to winning this game. With the chemistry that Brady has developed with his backs, and the production they are getting on third down, I expect this to be a street fight, but the Pats to come out of it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ray Lewis lead his team to a win, but the future hall of famer will have his hands full.
  Pick: Patriots
  
  No. 2 San Francisco at No. 1Atlanta
  
  It’s really crazy to see what Colin Kaepernick is doing right now. After that interception for a TD against Green Bay, I thought we might be seeing the downfall of what was a great move my Jim Harbaugh during the end of the regular season. But he redeemed himself by running for 183 yards (the most ever by a QB in an NFL game). Atlanta barely survived the Seahawks, after allowing them to have a monster second half, and finally got Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez their first playoff victory. With the development of Kaepernick, with the way he can run and throw so effectively, the Falcons playoff run has an early expiration date. The lack of turnovers that the Niners give up, and the way their defense can get after the ball, the Niners look primed to redeem that loss in last years title game and take the next step. I would love to see a Harbaugh Super Bowl.
  Pick: 49ers
- NHL Power Rankings: Shortened Season Edition
  
  Jan 13, 13
  
  The lockout commissioner has spoken. After 16 hours of meeting the two (selfish) sides of the NHL and the NHLPA have come to an agreement to give the best fans in sports some entertainment. Finally. There is a lot of question in regards to this season being eventful since we are looking at a 48-game season. Every game will matter from start to finish, there will be no time for losing streaks and injury ridden teams might as well call it in.
  
  The team who will be standing atop the league at the end will be a young, tough, and fast team healthy enough to endure what will be a season where there is no time to play catch up. Here are the power rankings for the start of the season.
  
  1. New York Rangers
  A young squad that grinds until the final whistle, backed behind Vezina winner Henrik Lundqvist and the addition of Rick Nash gives them the favorite to go all the way this year. Hank will not have that much rest this season, something to keep in mind.
  
  2. Pittsburgh Penguins
  Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are lethal weapons that lead a team of solid role players with James Neil and Pascal Dupis. Marc-Andre Fleury has proved he is a cup worthy goaltender and he'll have to prove it by playing a grueling schedule
  
  3. LA Kings
  Dangerous team that is looking for the cup hangover cure. Another team with all their stars under 30 including hard hitting Dustin Brown and Vezina finalist Jonathan Quick. After breezing through the playoffs this type of season is built for them.
  
  4. Boston Bruins
  Look for Tyler Seguin to step up has their top offensive gun again. The B's are stacked with 4 solid lines that can score and play defense. Only question is does Tukka Rask have what it takes to be the anchor.
  
  5. St. Louis Blues
  The best one-two punch of goaltenders in the league, Elliot and Halak are both worthy of starting and allowing them to alternate every couple games will keep them fresh. But will the talent up front hold them back?
  
  6. Vancouver Canucks
  The time is ticking with the Canucks who get close to Lord Stanley every year. Winning constantly in a weak division in previous years they now have to face improved teams in Minnesota and Colorado. Corey Schneider looks to step into the starting role in net.
  
  7. Chicago Blackhawks
  Lead by Jonathon Toews who is arguably the best leader in the game, the 'Hawks are always in the running for the cup, especially with Kane, Hossa and Keith all on the same team. Crawford or Emery need to step up in net and quick.
  
  8. Minnesota Wild
  I still think they will go under the radar this year even though they have a legitimate chance to win the cup. Adding Parise and Suter this offseason was a huge step in the right direction will also help improve Dany Heatly and Devin Setugucci upfront. Defense does remain their biggest task ahead but with Backstrom in net, he can propel this team to a deep playoff run.
  
  9. Detroit Red Wings
  Simply put, they know how to play hockey and what it takes to win games. However, age is their weakness not their talent. I'm not sure if they can keep up with the fast pace the shortened season will demand. Loaded with talent (Datsyuk, Zetterburg, Kronwall) I see them struggling to keep up towards the end.
  
  10. Philadelphia Flyers
  Knock, knock, Bryzgalov? Anyone home? For a team that is well poised to do damage against their opponents, it is what stands between the pipes that may send this team home early. Get it together Bryz, simple as that.
  
  11. San Jose Sharks
  Speed is the name of their game, not defense, which is why they lack the capability to win playoff games. Expect them to have success in the regular season but not in the playoffs.
  
  12. Washington Capitals
  Ovechkin needs to rely more on his teammates than his talents. Crosby thrives off his teammates and being in the right position all the time. The Caps revolve around Ovi. Change the game plan and develop a system where everyone is involved. Braden Holtby will be fun to watch in net this year.
  
  13. Nashville Predators
  Another team that knows the definition of grinding. They do not have an offensive superstar, they don't score very much but know how to keep the puck out of their own net. Losing Suter is obvious blow to their defense but remains is Weber and Vezina candidate Pekka Rinne who can solely win them games.
  
  14. Carolina Hurricanes
  Addition of Semin and Staal are going to be huge for this team. Cam Ward needs to show up to put this team in serious contention.
  
  15. Buffalo Sabres
  Looking like a real tough team that will win battles in the corners. Solid depth all around with Enis, Pominville, Ellis, and Ennis. Ryan Miller needs to come back from his woeful slump last season.
  
  16. Ottowa Senators
  Showed they could compete with anyone taking the Rangers to 6 games in the playoffs. Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson will be the real leaders behind Alfredson. Craig Anderson shows promise in net.
  
  17. Tampa Bay Lightning
  Adding backup to Pekka Rinne, Anders Lindback isn't going to help their goalie problems. Stamkos will keep coming into his own but the lack of depth doesn't help them going into this short season.
  
  18. Dallas Stars
  Can two 40 year old's propel this team? Jagr and Ray Whitney step in as serious veterans for this team who will have problems scoring. I doubt they can get Jagr the puck enough to win many games this year.
  
  19. Pheonix Coyotes
  Somehow the Coyotes keep plugging. After bankruptcy and always being an underdog, they find a way to make it to the playoffs and win series. Hanging onto Shane Doan keeps the team in tact and another run possible
  
  20. Edmonton Oilers
  Still too young but show a lot of hope in the next coming years.
  
  21. Florida Panthers
  Added some toughness in the offseason but I don't think they will be much of a competitive team this season. I do like Clemonsson to take Theodore's spot.
  
  22. Colorado Avalanche
  I wouldn't be surprised at all if this talented but youthful squad makes a push this season. I think they are still a little too young to make noise just yet.
  
  23. New Jersey Devils
  They lost bad in the offseason losing their leader Parise. Brodeur shows he can still play solid goalie and it looks like Kovy doesn't even want to play in the NHL despite his bogus contract.
  
  24. Calgary Flames
  A great offense does not make up for a mediocre defense. Kiprusoff is another very underrated 'tender.
  
  25. Anaheim Ducks
  Will be interesting to see what Boudreu has in plan for this team. He has plenty of talent to work with even if he couldn't put it together with the Caps.
  
  26. Montreal Canadiens
  Spark plug Brandon Prust comes to the 'Habs to try and bring playoff hockey back to Montreal. Another talented team that could make a splash.
  
  27. New York Islanders
  Going in the right direction with this franchise. By the time they move to Brooklyn I think we will have another solid N.Y. hockey team.
  
  28 Toronto Maple Leafs
  Top runner to get Luongo out of Vancouver but I don't think it's enough to bring the Maple Leafs to the playoffs. Really don't understand the Burke firing either.
  
  29. Winnipeg Jets
  Lack of improvement in the offseason leaves the Jets at the bottom. Give Evander Kane more time to develop.
  
  30. Colombus Blue Jackets
  Losing Rick Nash really just made this team worse. Jack Johnson can't heal that loss.
- Jim Aruilio's Divisional Picks
  
  Jan 12, 13
  
  No. 4 Baltimore at No. 1Denver
  The Ravens head into Denver after handing rookie Andrew Luck and the Colts a loss in last weeks’ wildcard round. Ray Lewis said goodbye to Baltimore fans the proper way, with a win and not one, but two dances that made fans not want to leave. Hopefully that's enough for Baltimore natives, because I just don’t see another win in the cards for their beloved Ravens. The Broncos prepared through the bye week by practicing against their first team defense (first time all year), and are heading into this week as the NFL’s most complete team. Peyton Manning should be able to pick apart this Baltimore defense, even with Ray Lewis in the middle, mainly due to the Broncos success up front. Since Knowshon Moreno has given the Broncos the luxury of a running/play-action dynamic, this offense will be a near impossible one to stop. Denver’s defense will do just fine against Smith and Boldin, but could struggle with tight ends like Dennis Pitta, due to their linebackers’ inability to cover in space. Flacco doesn’t have the consistency as a QB to take down Peyton Manning on the road, look for Von Miller to put him on his back a few times as well.
  Pick: Broncos
  
  No. 3 Green Bay at No. 2San Francisco
  This is an interesting one for me. The Packers should be at a disadvantage here, going up against this San Fran defense with the inability to run the ball. Yes, the Packers have run the ball better of late, but the Niners shouldn’t have too much trouble stopping the run without blitzing. Then there is Colin Kaepernick. I just don’t know if I can trust this kid yet, even if he has played well in his first seven starts. He will have a favorable matchup with Green Bay, due to how poorly they stop the run. Kaepernick should be able to utilize Frank Gore and his own ability to make plays outside the pocket. The Niners will play aggressive outside the hash marks, forcing Aaron Rodgers to throw into tight windows. Although that may be Rodgers’ strength, he wont be able to do it enough against this 49er defense.
  Pick: 49ers
  
  No. 5 Seattle at No. 1Atlanta
  So the big question here is, are the Atlanta Falcons any different from previous teams? They are no new comer to the postseason or regular season success, but they have been miserable in post-season play. They host a hot and rolling Seattle team, with players like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman playing at the top of their games. The Falcons success starts with running the ball. Michael Turner has had a down year to say the least, and they will need him to step up to take some pressure off the ATL receivers. With Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons certainly have the offensive weapons to put up points, but they haven’t faced a defense like this since Week 2 against the Broncos. The Seahawks will allow Russel Wilson to use his mind and body in the read-option, and be his usual efficient self against an inconsistent Atlanta defense. As much as I think Matty Ice has proven himself this year and deserves to win this game, I think the Seahawks just look too good right now and face them at the wrong time.
  Pick: Seahawks
  
  No. 3 Houston at No. 2New England
  The question remains, which Houston team will show up? They simply are a different team when the whole world is watching. They lost to the Packers and Pats in prime time this year, should have lost to the Lions on Thanksgiving, and lost to the Colts in week 17 which cost them a bye week. The Patriots just have too much on their side in this one. They will have Gronk and Hernandez on the field at the same time since I don’t know when, and they should all be healthy after the bye week. Tom Brady will pick apart this Houston secondary (as he did earlier this year) with help from the underrated rushing attack courtesy of Stephen Ridley. Brady and Bilichick will dictate the tempo of this game as they get ahead early, which will take the ball out of Arian Foster and force Matt Schaub to put the ball in the air more than he should.
  Pick: Patriots
- Jim Aruilio's Playoff Picks
  
  Jan 06, 13
  
  No. 5 Indianapolis at No. 4Baltimore
  
  The Colts have certainly impressed a lot of people this year, including me. With six late game wins by Andrew Luck and the Colts, this team could just as easily be watching the playoffs from their couches. The Ravens on the other hand went through some ups and downs, but Joe Flacco continues his playoff streak of five appearances in all five years of his career. After switching offensive coordinators, the Ravens have implemented a more high tempo offense, which benefits both Flacco and Ray Rice, so expect the Colts defense to struggle a bit in that 15 yard range. The Colts offense has been clicking lately, and if you had the opportunity to see the TD pass to Ty Hilton in week 17, you’d know Luck is at the top of his game as well. The Ravens will have to get ahead early in this one, because you simply do not want the game close and the ball in Lucks’ hands. The Ravens absolutely have an added motivation for this one, enjoying one “last ride” with their leader Ray Lewis. I think the Colts will keep it close, but the Ravens defense looks a little more like the bully unit they're accustomed to.
  Pick: Ravens
  
  No. 5 Seattle at No. 4 Washington
  
  When the Redskins gambled just about every draft pick they had and went with RGIII with the second pick in the draft, they definitely had to be sure he was the guy. I don’t think anyone is questioning that now. Then you have Russel Wilson on the other side, who gets taken in the third round and wins the starting job in Seattle and leads his team to a playoffs. Both QBs are great in efficiency, limiting turnovers and using their legs to move the chains. Its crazy to think that Alfred Morris, for the ‘Skins, is another rookie (6^th rd pick). He was second in rushing this year and provides RGIII with a whole other dynamic to the offense. With all of that going on in the capitol, it was easy to overlook Marshawn Lynch this year, who was third in rushing, but nobody overlooked the defense out in Seattle, AKA The Legion of Boom. That’s the x-factor in this one for me. The ‘Hawks defense is among the best in the league and are great in coverage and applying pressure to QBs. It will be a great matchup to see, if their defense can stay disciplined against the Redskins pistol offense. There is no way RGIII and his team won't put up points, but with RGIII a little hobbled and the Seattle defense playing the way they are, I like Seattle on the road.
  Pick: Seahawks
- Jim Aruilio's Playoff Picks
  
  Jan 05, 13
  
  No. 6 Cincinnati at No. 3 Houston
  
  A Rematch of last years' wild-card game, and this isn't the same Bengals team that lost to the Texans last January. The Bengals are riding a hot streak into the playoffs and the Texans watched their first round bye slip out of their fingers down the stretch of the regular season. The big matchup here will be the battle of the trenches. The Bengals led the NFL in sacks with 51, but the Texans can just as easily apply pressure on Andy Dalton. Although both of these teams are great up front, both struggle in coverage, which points to both quarterbacks having success through the air. The question is, who do you take, Andy Dalton or Matt Schaub? Andy Dalton led his team to a three game winning streak to cap off the season, and Matt Schaub's season ended in a 1-3 skid, throwing just one touchdown and three interceptions. Schaub will look to Arian Foster to help control the clock, and Andy Dalton will try and do the same with the "Law Firm" to keep the Texans off balance. If Brian Cushing hadn't gotten hurt, I think the Texans are enjoying a first round bye right now, instead I think they catch a Bengals team at the wrong time, and recieve an early exit from the playoffs. Watch for this one to be close, but the Texans will have too much trouble limiting the big plays of AJ Green.
  Pick: Bengals
  
  No. 6 Minnesota at No. 3 Green Bay
  
  The third contest this year between these two teams will take place on Wild Card weekend in Green Bay. There is really only one thing you will have to watch for in this one, and thats the question whether the Packers will be able to stop Adrian Peterson. Although Christian Ponder had an impressive outing in week 17, the Packers are going to have to stack the box and force Ponder to beat them through the air. The Packers will get Charles Woodson back tonight, and in the cold night of Lambeau field, its hard for me to see Ponder having that same success. The Vikings defense is a very balanced one, so Aaron Rodgers and his handful of offenseive weapons will have to stretch the field by utilizing everyone. Although it has seemed nearly impossible to stop AP, the Packers will do enough to force Ponder into mistakes, and the Packers will take this one at home.
  Pick: Packers
  
  2012 Regular Season Record: 156-83-1
- Jim Aruilio's Week 17 Picks
  
  Dec 30, 12
  
  Chicago at Detroit
  The Bears need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, but they have been a team riddled with injury and bad play the second half of the season. The Lions have played poorly more consistently this season, but I’m taking the home team with a guy chasing down 2,000 receiving yards. Also, the Giants need the Bears to lose.
  Pick: Lions
  
  Jacksonville at Tennessee
  Both of these teams will be without their head coach come Monday morning, and although the Titans’ season isn’t a complete embarrassment, both of them need to go in a different direction in 2013. The Jags have given teams like the Texans and Pats a run this year, but I think this team is more than deserving of the number one pick in April.
  Pick: Titans
  
  Houston at Indianapolis
  With how many times Andrew Luck and the Colts have proven me wrong, no way can I pick against them with Chuck Pagano back on the sidelines. The Texans will be playing for home field advantage, but Matt Schaub has been invisible this past month, which will continue today at Lucas Oil Stadium.
  Pick: Colts
  
  Green Bay at Minnesota
  I really hope that Peterson breaks Dickerson’s record today, but unfortunately I think he will fall short. I’m sure the Viks were hoping that the Packers would be in a position to rest starters this week, but with playoff seeding at stake, the Packers will be playing for a W. This will be a hard fought game, but the Packers superiority on paper will transfer to the field.
  Pick: Packers
  
  Miami at New England
  The Pats are still playing for a first round bye as well, so expect to see Tom Brady and Co. in there for most of this one. For some reason the Pats seem to have trouble against teams from Florida, but I doubt the Dolphins will be able to keep up with the points Tom Bray puts up today. The Pats know how important momentum is going into the playoffs, so expect their road to the conference title game to start this afternoon.
  Pick: Patriots
  
  Carolina at New Orleans
  The Saints have had an odd season this year, one week they look like the dominant team we are used to, and the other they play down to an opponent and get embarrassed on both sides of the line. The Panthers have played well the past few weeks, but with both teams playing for nothing, I like the leadership of the Saints to propel them over Cam Newton and the Panthers.
  Pick: Saints
  
  Philadelphia at New York
  There is a lot that needs to happen for the defending champs to make it to the playoffs, but they will have to win today for anything to matter. The Giants secondary has been torched the past few weeks, but at home against a turnover-prone Eagles squad, the Giants SHOULD roll.
  Pick: Giants
  
  Cleveland at Pittsburg
  The Steelers can’t be too happy they missed the playoffs, and will look to take it out on the Browns today. With the Browns already announcing that they will let go of both their head coach and GM on Monday, the rest of this team is auditioning for a job in 2013. I think this one will be close, but I doubt the Browns sweep the Steelers this season with Big Ben and Mike Tomlin eager to keep this team above .500.
  Pick: Steelers
  
  Tampa Bay at Atlanta
  I’m not sure if the Falcons will play everyone today against the Bucs, but even a less than complete Falcons team will be able to handle a Bucs team that has looked awful lately. The Falcons will continue to try and silence their critics by gaining momentum heading into the playoffs, as the Falcons defense continues to shut down opponents.
  Pick: Falcons
  
  New York at Buffalo
  I’m quite sure the only reason the Jets didn’t go with Tebow today is so he doesn't have the chance to play well and make the Jets front office look worse than they have this year. More surprisingly, Rex sounded like he had confidence in Sanchez against the Bills, because of a week one victory…wow. CJ Spiller against an awful Jets run defense will probably make this one a 7-0 final.
  Pick: Bills
  
  Baltimore at Cincinnati
  With both of these teams in the playoffs, expect them to coast a little bit. The Ravens will be looking to get everyone healthy heading into the first round, and the Bengals defense will do a good enough job of bottling up Ray Rice to get a win.
  Pick: Bengals
  
  Dallas at Washington
  Dallas has looked like a playoff team the past few weeks, and Tony Romo has looked like a pro-bowler the past month, but the injury list of the Cowboys is too long to stop RGIII and Alfred Morris. Remember the Thanksgiving Day game, yea me too.
  Pick: Redskins
  
  Kansas City at Denver
  The last time these teams played, the Chiefs actually hung around, don’t expect that today. By the end of this game, Peyton will be on the bench watching his team win their eleventh straight. I don’t know any team who would want to play in Denver this post season.
  Pick: Broncos
  
  Oakland at San Diego
  In a classic Norv Tuner way, he will win his last game as the Chargers head coach. If the Raiders can generate somewhat of a pass rush against the Chargers, they might have a shot, but regardless, both teams should be in draft mode already.
  Pick: Chargers
  
  Arizona at San Francisco
  The Niners are still trying to fine-tune their new offense with Kaepernick, so look for San Fran to make a statement today coming off that loss to the Seahawks. The Cardinals secondary isn’t one to overlook, so expect Kaepernick to show off his running ability in this one.
  Pick: 49ers
  
  Seattle at St. Louis
  The Rams beat the Seahawks earlier this season, but the ‘Hawks on firing on every cylinder available right now. On top of that, if there were ever a home field advantage in the NFL, it would be in Seattle.
  Pick: Seahawks
- Jim Aruilio's Week 16 Picks
  
  Dec 23, 12
  
  New Orleans at Dallas
  Both of these teams have been inconsistent throughout the season, but only one of them is playing for their season this week. Drew Brees is definitely trying to end this season on positive note, but Dallas’ secondary is better then the Bucs unit. With Demarco Murray looking to be ready this week, I like the Cowboys to make the NFC East race even more nerve racking than it already is.
  Pick: Cowboys
  
  Tennessee at Green Bay
  If Mark Sanchez can throw a touchdown against the Titans, then I don’t know what that means Aaron Rodgers will do against this Tennessee defense. The Packers don’t have a great run defense and the Titans will try and exploit that with Chris Johnson, but the Packers have too many weapons for the Titans to stop.
  Pick: Packers
  
  Indianapolis at Kansas City
  Indianapolis will have a tough time with the Kansas City D-line, but Andrew Luck against Brady Quinn isn’t much of a QB matchup. I’m sure that nobody is following the Chiefs up to this point but after losing Dwayne Bowe last week, Dexter McCluster is in line to get the majority of the targets, I think that about says it all. Indy wins big and clinches a playoff spot.
  Pick: Colts
  
  Buffalo at Miami
  It’s hard to forget what happened to the Bills last week against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. There are a lot of reasons why Dolphins fans can be excited for next season, something I can’t say about Bills fans. I like CJ Spiller a lot, and he will certainly be the number one back next year, but that’s all the Bills have going for them. The Dolphins defense will harass Ryan Fitzpatrick, as Reggie Bush gets revenge on the Bills defense.
  Pick: Dolphins
  
  San Diego at New York
  Greg McElroy will start for the Jets this week, and the roller coaster season continues for the Jets. I am really interested to see whether or not Tebow gets more snaps than he did with Sanchez as number one…but I doubt it. The Chargers have given up on this season, and on Norv Turner, and that loss to the Panthers last week shows that more than ever. The Chargers, without Ryan Matthews, will have a really tough time against this Jets defense, and if the Jets can manage to put some points on the board, it should be enough to make San Diego roll over again.
  Pick: Jets
  
  Washington at Philadelphia
  Looks like RGIII will be in there for the Redskins this week, but I don’t know if it really makes a difference against this unmotivated Eagles team. A few weeks ago I thought that the Redskins were on the outside looking in on the playoff race, and now they have a shot at the division. This weeks game wont be much of a speed bump, as it all might come down to next week’s game against the Cowboys.
  Pick: Redskins
  
  Cincinnati at Pittsburg
  The Steelers are great in these types of games, Big Ben is no newcomer to high-pressure situations and this could be their season. Unfortunately, the Bengals just seem to be the better team right now. The Steelers running game, or lack there of, will be their downfall in this game and their season. Dick LeBeau will throw everything he can at Andy Dalton, but that wont be enough, as the Bengals defensive line will get after Ben early and often.
  Pick: Bengals
  
  St. Louis at Tampa Bay
  Both have these teams have surprised me this year, and I like the direction they both are headed in, but I like the Bucs to end their four game skid this week. The Rams are 2-7 outside of their division, giving the edge to the Bucs at home. Doug Martin will set the tone, giving Freeman the opportunity to get the ball to Vincent Jackson outside the numbers.
  Pick: Buccaneers
  
  Oakland at Carolina
  Cam Newton has done a good job limiting his mistakes the past few weeks, and wont have to do too much to get and hold a lead against this Raiders team. Cam should be able to run and throw against this Raiders defense all day, as the Panthers continue to beat up on the bad teams in this league, which the Raiders certainly qualify for.
  Pick: Panthers
  
  New England at Jacksonville
  I almost feel bad for the Jaguars in this one. With the Pats coming off a loss to the 49ers last week, they will only look to take it out on the Jags this week. I don’t know if the Pats will punt once this week, as they make this one a joke for everyone but Jags’ fans.
  Pick: Patriots
  
  Minnesota at Houston
  Adrian Peterson will have a good day against Houston, only because he simply can’t be stopped. Unfortunately for the Viks, he might be the only one who has a good day. The Texans will force enough mistakes from Christian Ponder, as they use Arian Foster to keep AP off the field as much as possible.
  Pick: Texans
  
  Cleveland at Denver
  If you had to play the Pats in the playoffs, wouldn’t you want to play them at home? If the Broncos win out, they will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, so their season isn’t over yet. The Browns have had their positives this season, but this won’t be one of them, as its unfair to match Brandon Weeden up against Peyton Manning.
  Pick: Broncos
  
  Chicago at Arizona
  Pretty sure Julius Peppers could take on this Arizona offensive line by himself. The Bears have a lot more to play for than the Lions, so don’t put too much thought into the Cardinals win last week. The Bears will lean on Matt Forte to get a win on the road, and keep their playoff hopes alive.
  Pick: Bears
  
  New York at Baltimore
  As a Giant fan, I couldn’t be more nervous about today’s game. The Giants and the Ravens have been two of the more inconsistent teams this season, and have their share of injuries on both sides of the ball. But the Ravens just don’t seem to be the team they have been the last few seasons. With the season on the line, I like Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning to get the job done.
  Pick: Giants
  
  San Francisco at Seattle
  Probably the most compelling game of the week falls on Sunday night. The defensive battle of this game could be the best of the year with the way these two teams are playing. The Seahawks have outscored opponents 108-17 the past two weeks, and could be going up against a Justin Smith-less Niner defense. If that happens that leaves Aldon Smith double covered all night, and the Seahawks to continue their unbeaten streak at home.
  Pick: Seahawks
- Jim Aruilio's "Monday" Night Pick
  
  Dec 22, 12
  
  Atlanta at Detroit
  
  Well the Falcons certainly silenced most, if not all of their critics with last weeks’ embarrassment of the New York Giants. They shut down the Giants' pass rush like they outnumbered them two to one, their receivers had no trouble running right by the Giants secondary, and their defense let up zero points, enough said. The Lions have an opportunity to turn this one into a trap game for Atlanta, but if they can get outplayed by Ryan Lindley and Beanie Wells, pretty sure Atlanta will be ok. The Lions managed just two sacks against what could possibly be the worst O-line in the NFL, so expect Matt Ryan to have the time to air it out early and often tonight. I have the feeling that all Stafford will be worried about is getting Calvin Johnson the receiving yards record, so the Falcons defense should be able to make this one even easier for their offense than it already is.
  
  Pick: Falcons
- Jim Aruilio's Monday Night Pick
  
  Dec 17, 12
  
  New York at Tennessee
  
  After that 49-19 home loss to the Pats back on Thanksgiving, no way did I think that in week 15 we would be talking about the Jets making the playoffs. The Jets need to win out the remainder of their season in order to have a shot at an AFC wildcard spot. Pretty much anything that could have gone wrong, has gone wrong for the Jets this season. They lost their best defensive player in Darrelle Revis, their best offensive player in Santonio Holmes, Mark Sanchez has had a rough season (to say the least), the Tebow experiment has been nothing but a distraction and yet this team could end up in the postseason with a clean slate. The Jets will have to key in on Chris Johnson to have a chance of winning this game, and the Jets will have to rely on Shonn Greene and Bilal Powell, and keep the game out of Sanchez' hands.
  
  Jake Locker certainly has the physical tools to be effective in this league, but hasn't been able to put it all together in his young career. He will have a tough time against this Jets pass defense, so Mike Munchak will give the ball to Johnson as much as possible to try and take advantage of this weak Jets run defense. Although the Jets have had their offensive struggles this season, the Titans have had their struggles on both sides of the ball as well. I'm not sure if the Jets will run the table, but I think they take one step closer tonight, with a tight win over the Titans.
  Pick: Jets
- Jim Aruilio's Week 15 Picks
  
  Dec 16, 12
  
  New York at Atlanta
  Lately, it seems that every time the Giants hint they're the best team in the NFL, they have a huge let down game, most recently, last weeks loss to the Redskins. The Falcons are the only team in the NFC with wins in double-digits, but neither of these teams are newcomers to their current situation. The Falcons have had wins in double digits four of it's last five seasons, and the Giants, well we all know what the Giants have done in that span. Every time the Falcons make some noise in the regular season, they lose in the first round of the playoffs...every time, and last year to the Giants 24-2. I am not sold on the Falcons, simply because they haven’t earned it, the Giants have. Atlanta hasn’t seen a pass rush like the Giants all year, and it'll show as the Giants win in a close one on the road.
  Pick: Giants
  
  Green Bay at Chicago
  The Packers recently took the lead in a competitive NFC North, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be too hard to hold onto it as the Bears are headed in the opposite direction. With the expected return of both Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson today, this defense will be good enough to make this one look more like week two. Although this one is at Soldier Field, the injuries to the Bears defense and Cutlers lingering neck and knee issues, the Packers are set up to have a big day, as the Bears playoff hopes take another hit.
  Pick: Packers
  
  Washington at Cleveland
  The ‘Skins have won four in a row, and the Browns have won three in a row. Although two of those wins for Cleveland came against Oakland and KC, the Browns' defense has looked tough over that stretch. It looks like Kirk Cousins will be starting for the Redskins his afternoon, after doctors advised the Redskins staff that it would be smart to sit RGIII. Kirk looked good last week in a late game win against the Ravens, but battling for an entire NFL game is a different story. I doubt Mike Shannahan will put the game in Cousins' hands, expect him to rely mostly on Alfred Morris and the run game. In the end, I don't think the Redskins will be able to overcome an RGIII-less offense, as the Browns snap Washington's win streak, and continue their own.
  Pick: Browns
  
  Minnesota at St. Louis
  The Vikings have realized that the key to their success is giving AP the ball more than they let Ponder throw it. The Rams have rattled off three straight, primarily due to the strength of their front seven. The Rams aren’t nearly where they want to be offensively, but Sam Bradford has done a good job with a group of average receivers, and should get Amendola back today. With the way the Rams play at home, I think the Rams win another close game, as Chris Long and Robert Quinn give Ponder all he can handle.
  Pick: Rams
  
  Jacksonville at Miami
  The Jags are already looking at mock drafts to see who they’re going to pick in the first round in April. The Dolphins have played better than expected, their defense is an underrated unit, and will cause a lot of problems for this Jags offense. Tannehill will be able to sit back and watch as Reggie Bush takes over this game, and will only have to make a pass here and there as the Dolphins roll over the Jags at home.
  Pick: Dolphins
  
  Tampa Bay at New Orleans
  After last week, my opinion turned fact in regards to how bad the secondary is for the Bucs. With the offense struggling in Tampa, it makes me skeptical to think that they will be able to keep up with the offense of the Saints. New Orleans will have to key in on Doug Martin, but this will come down to the Bucs inability to stop Brees and his handful of targets.
  Pick: Saints
  
  Denver at Baltimore
  Jim Caldwell will step in as offensive coordinator for the Ravens, who has promised to implement a more high-tempo offense going forward. If you’ve watched the Ravens at all this year, you’d know that the main reason for most of their losses has been a lack of touches for Ray Rice. That won’t be the issue this week as the Ravens will try and give the Broncos a heavy dose of Rice. Although this wont matter with the way the Ravens defense has been playing, and without Webb back there for Baltimore, Peyton should be able to pick apart the Ravens, as Von Miller picks apart the Ravens o-line.
  Pick: Broncos
  
  Indianapolis at Houston
  No doubt the Colts and Andy Luck have been a great story this year, and have put together an impressive run to this point. But lets not forget that they could just as easily be a five win team rather than a nine win team. But that’s not the case due to six fourth quarter or OT wins this season. Coming off a tough loss to the Pats on national television, the Texans will be looking forward to sending a message to Andrew Luck at their house, for years to come. They won't let Andrew Luck have the opportunity to win this one late, as JJ Watt gets after him all day. Don't expect the Texans to rock those letterman jackets today.
  Pick: Texans
  
  Seattle at Buffalo
  Coming off a 58-0 blowout of the Cardinals last week, the Seahawks will have to stay grounded and come to play in Toronto against the Bills. Pete Carroll has done a great job with that through the ups and downs of their season, and will piggyback Marshawn Lynch up north against the Bills. With the way Seattle has played on the road, expect this one to be closer than the game they played last week, but Fitzpatrick will have a tough time against this ‘Hawks defense, resulting in a loss, and a future coaching change in Buffalo.
  Pick: Seahawks
  
  Detroit at Arizona
  The Lions have been similar to the Eagles in the fact that they just simply invent ways to lose ballgames, but that won’t be an issue this week when they travel to Arizona, who have lost nine straight. The Cardinals secondary will do the best they can to limit the big plays from Matt Stafford and Megatron, but without a quarterback, you can't win in this league.
  Pick: Lions
  
  Carolina at San Diego
  Cam Newton has been showing signs of his 2011 self lately, and was a big part of the Panthers impressive win last week against the Falcons, and although I picked that win, I don’t think it transfers over to this week. The Chargers win over the Steelers last week isn’t unlike what they usually do, winning late in the season to save face and Norv Turners job. With a talented front seven, and more talent on the offensive side of the ball, the Chargers should be able to exploit a spotty Panther defense. Don’t expect any number of wins to save Norv’s job in the end though.
  Pick: Chargers
  
  Pittsburg at Dallas
  After an impressive win against the Bengals last weekend, the Cowboys have a real opportunity this week against the Steelers. Pittsburg is on the verge of clinching a playoff spot, and will throw every defensive set they have at Tony Romo this week. It’s just too hard for me to pick this Dallas team, even if they are home, too many times has this team failed to come up with a big win. This one will be tight, but the Steelers will out-coach Dallas in this one.
  Pick: Steelers
  
  Kansas City at Oakland
  This game will be riddled with mistakes, turnovers and penalties. Both of these teams are in line for the number one overall pick in April, and this game could very well be the deciding factor. If I could pick neither of these teams I would, but I'll take the team at home in this one.
  Pick: Raiders
  
  San Francisco at New England
  Well the Patriots might very well be the best team in the NFL right now, with an impressive win over the 11-1 Texans on Monday Night Football. Tom Brady was able to do whatever he wanted to against that Houston defense, and he will have another tough test this week with the Niners coming to town. The 49er defense is in better shape then the Texans right now, and will do a better job of slowing down Brady and Co. But in the end I don’t think the San Fran offense will be able to keep up with the Patriot offense, on the road nonetheless.
  Pick: Patriots
- How to Ruin the Greatest Game on Earth
  
  Dec 13, 12
  
  The player's will not cave and good for them. Like I said in my last hockey blog, I don't pay money to see James Dolan sit in his owner's box or charge my credit card to watch Gary Bettman promote himself on national T.V. I pay to see Henrik Lundqvist steal the game and for Pavel Datsyuk to pull a move a normal human specimen can't even imagine.
  
  Give me a break.
  
  I want to boo you Gary Bettman, all you small market owners get over yourselves. Look to your leader, the one who, despite the term, "Americanized" the N.H.L. Nobody in Tampa Bay or in Sunrise, Florida want to watch baseball, why would they want to watch hockey? There is more potential for hockey to live in Quebec City, London (Ontario), even in Seattle than Florida. But, because there is more money in Florida, Gary Bettman will set up shop hoping to gain as many fans as he can so they can buy merchandise and season tickets. Yet, organizations in warm climates do not sell well and these owners want a bigger piece of the pie because of their poor business in a poor market
  
  When you think you can buy fan-hood, you're in the wrong game. Yet, here we are, with a man who can't apprehend how much an ice-hockey game takes out of the human body and demands the mind to think seconds ahead of time. But, he controls the sport where the fans of all fans meet to celebrate. He claims the three lockouts under his belt torment him, however there is no season being played and the fans are subjected to Twitter updates every week that happen to end in misery every single week.
  
  Make a decision and put us out of our misery already. Many beat writers believe there will be a season and that the darkest comes before dawn. Then again, when you look at reports of this weeks demise in negations how can you have hope? It is like being a New York Mets fan after the All-Star Break. Start thinking how you're going to improve your team next year.
  
  As a fan being out of control is the worst part. The war between the greedy and the rugged determines our fate and the possible 250+ days before we see real hockey. To the owners not giving up their ice to the ones who really pay their players salary, I say you shouldn't have bought a team in Phoenix or Dallas or Anaheim. Do some research, realize that there are hockey fans out there that will support a franchise when there is no team. It is not the players fault they compete somewhere where there is no desire for hockey. You are a successful businessman only if you can make a profit, don't try to force money out of your talent because you failed.
  
  The NHL is a joke because besides making money and still playing a season, when they could negotiate while playing a season, they are not and instead losing money. I hope fans realize the implications certain owners put on their customers and don't buy any merchandise, season tickets, or anything else associated with their favorite franchise. These owners aren't worth the fans hard work and they would be better off spending money at a charity event where the money will go to good use.
- Jim Aruilio's Thursday Night Pick
  
  Dec 13, 12
  
  Thursday Night Game: Cincinnati at Philadelphia
  
  The Eagles are coming off a week 14 win against the Bucs, snapping an eight game losing streak. Regardless of a spotty secondary in Tampa, Nick Foles looked good on Sunday, showing signs that he can get the job done in this league. He put it in the air fifty-one times for 381 yards and two TDs. I personally liked the kid at Arizona, I thought he was a big, physical quarterback, and a great student of the game. Since it doesn’t look like Vick will be around next year, Foles might be the long-term answer for the Eagles moving forward, and who knows, maybe they'll let Reid stick around.
  
  Coming off a loss and a short week, the Bengals will be pumped up and looking for a win…luckily they are in Philly. They let a nine point lead get erased in last weeks fourth quarter comeback by the Cowboys, and they will have to win tonight to stay relevant in the wild card hunt. Expect a heavy dose of Green-Ellis tonight coming off the short week, and if they can establish a run game early, they should put this one away quick. Last weeks win shouldn't be looked into too much, the Eagles record shows how they’ve performed this year, with or without Vick. Geno Atkins will run straight through this Eagles offensive line, and AJ Green shouldn't have too much trouble getting his touches with this high priced, lazy secondary for the Eagles.
  Pick: Bengals
  
  Week 13: 9-7
  Week 14: 13-3
  Overall Record: 124-67-1
- Jim Aruilio's Monday Night Pick
  
  Dec 10, 12
  
  Houston at New England
  
  The game that everyone has been waiting for all weekend will kickoff tonight between the Texans and Patriots on Monday Night Football. This heavyweight matchup could be a preview of the AFC Championship game without a doubt. When looking at these two teams, I see a power offense and power defense, especially on third down. The Patriots are the best offense on third down (especially third and short), and the Texans are the best defense on third down, just unleashing their defensive line on Quarterbacks. Tom Brady isn't as effective when he has players like JJ Watt in his face, so a big key to this game will be how well his o-line protects him on the edges, because if they do, Brady should be able to exploit a depleted Houston secondary. The Pats defense has been inconsistent all season, especially in the secondary, and Matt Schaub doesn't make too many mistakes due to an excellent safety blanket in Arian Foster. With Matt Schaub having re-established his chemistry with Andre Johnson recently, this one should be a good old fashion shootout.
  
  This is a really tough pick, especially since it's in New England, but with the injuries to the Pats offense, Wes Welker cant be Brady's target every possession. This one will be close, but the Texans will find a way to win, like they have all season.
  Pick: Texans
- Jim Aruilio's Week 14 Picks
  
  Dec 09, 12
  
  St. Louis at Buffalo - Pick: Rams
  
  Dallas at Cincinnati - Pick: Cowboys
  
  Kansas City at Cleveland - Pick: Browns
  
  Tennessee at Indianapolis - Pick: Colts
  
  Chicago at Minnesota - Pick: Vikings
  
  San Diego at Pittsburg - Pick: Steelers
  
  Philadelphia at Tampa Bay - Pick: Bucs
  
  Baltimore at Washington - Pick: Redskins
  
  Atlanta at Carolina - Pick: Panthers
  
  New York at Jacksonville - Pick: Jets
  
  Miami at San Francisco - Pick: 49ers
  
  Arizona at Seattle - Pick: Seahawks
  
  New Orleans at New York - Pick: Giants
  
  Detroit at Green Bay - Pick: Packers
- Jim Aruilio's Thursday Night Pick
  
  Dec 06, 12
  
  Thursday Night Game: Denver At Oakland
  
  Tonight the Raiders will host the Broncos in another marquee matchup for Thursday night football. Seriously, I wish I were in the room when the NFL was making the Thursday night schedule, because I would have gone in a different direction. The Broncos have just about everything going for them right now. They are enjoying a seven game win streak, just clinched the AFC West, and Peyton Manning looks like his old self, which is bad news for the rest of the NFL.
  
  The Raiders aren’t enjoying as much success. They have lost five straight, and nothing is going right for them on either side of the ball. I must admit, prior to the season, I didn't think this team would make any noise in this division, but I am a little shocked to how disappointing this team has been to Oakland. Believe it or not, they are actually ranked eighth in pass offense, but between injuries to their backfield, Carson Palmer’s weekly mistakes and their defense (last in points per game), this team is still very early in the rebuilding phase. Praying Manti Te'o doesn't go to Oakland.
  
  After a slow start for the Broncos, which had to be expected with Peyton coming back not yet at one hundred percent, Peyton and his receivers seem to be on the same page, and their defense is firing on all cylinders. It’s easy to key in on how well Peyton is playing coming off four neck surgeries, but their defense deserves a lot of credit for their success so far. The Raiders have a set of quick receivers outside the numbers, and the major key for the Broncos defense will be to set Von Miller loose on Carson Palmer, which will cripple their offense without the safety blanket of a running game, which for the Raiders is non-existent.
  
  It’ll be interesting to see how the Broncos come out and play on a short week, and if they can dominate this game from start to finish, I think you are looking at an AFC Championship bound team. The national stage will certainly make the Raiders flaws stand out more than usual, but i dont know if there is much they can do to stop the Broncos from putting up thirty points, the only thing the Raiders do consistently.
  Pick: Broncos
- Jim Aruilio's Monday Night Pick
  
  Dec 03, 12
  
  Monday Night Game: New York At Washington
  
  With all that went on this weekend, I couldn’t be more excited to see the Giants and Redskins battle it out to cap off this week 13 in the NFL. The Giants could essentially end the playoff hopes for RGIII and the Redskins with a win in Washington tonight, and remain two games up on the Cowboys. RGIII has proven that he is someone that you can't silence in a game, just prepare for, and the Giants will have to be well prepared for this rookie tonight, as he plays in his first ever Monday Night game, and he will be ready for it.
  
  In their last meeting, it seemed like the Redskins all but locked the game up with a late game touchdown pass from Robert Griffin to Santana Moss, a dime by the way. But Eli Manning had another fourth quarter comeback up his sleeve when he hit Victor Cruz deep for a TD the following possession, resulting in a Giants victory.
  
  Everyone has heard the sound bites, the Giants defense showed RGIII a lot of respect after that game, and that’s all it was, respect. Not fear. The Giants defense has taken some hits in past weeks for their inability to stop the big play (averaging over 8 yards a play), so believe that they will be geared up and ready to go tonight on a Monday Night Football national stage. The Giants have been one of the few teams to force turnovers from this rookie, and I like their chances to do it again. With the Redskins inability to match up with the Giants receivers, as long as the Giants protect Eli Manning, I like the Giants tonight.
  Pick: Giants
- Are the Yankees Spending the Wrong Money?
  
  Dec 06, 12
  
  This past week the New York Yankees signed veteran pitchers and Yankee legends, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettite. Pettite received 1 year for $12 million dollars and Rivera 1 year for $10 million dollars. Seems a little ridiculous to me.
  
  There is no doubt in my mind that I want to see Rivera hug the mound again and Pettite continue to rack up the most wins in postseason history. But at this cost? $22 million is gone, spent on over age stars. In my opinion it is a step back and raises some questions for the upcoming 2013 season.
  
  Credit: NY Post
  In Rivera's absence, Rafael Soriano stepped up big posting a 2.26 ERA in 69 appearances a stat that Rivera could struggle to match given his age and recent injury. I will never write off the great Mariano Rivera until he demonstrates that he can't throw that perfect cutter anymore or be able to get those last three out for that matter. At his age he is fragile and showing signs of being human instead of a pitching machine. I just believe that this money could have gone towards re-signing Soriano, $10 million is a lot of money, even for the Yanks.
  
  The Yankees need to start building from within and looking at their young players, developing them for the big leagues. They need to spend time molding David Phelps and Ivan Nova, rather than trying to make room for Pettite. I think Pettite will help New York win but I don't think he can go 20 games and be affective as Nova could be. Signing him for that much money for less than 20 quality starts is a waste and The Boss wouldn't agree with that contract.
  
  The Bombers also lost Russel Martin, who signed with the Pirates for $14 million in two years. This adds another position the Yankees should be worried about and spending money on someone like Mike Napoli. Although, according to ESPN.com Napoli won't be a target for the Yankees this offseason. I wouldn't have a problem with focusing on Chris Stewart this offseason. He showed ability behind the plate and during his at bats.
  
  Credit: ESPN.com
  The Yanks also have a gap in the outfield and while many think the Yankees won't pursue Josh Hamilton, I say why not? I understand the risks you take with him but he wants out of Texas after his lifeless performance at the end of the season. Put him on the biggest stage in sports, a stage he prefers to be on (see 2008 Home Run Derby) and he'll excel.
  
  Regardless, spending money on any player is a risk, I just believe there is more progress made in developing young players. I am no expert in money management but the Yankees spent too much on this move. My view is for the future and these contracts don't help, only if they bring a championship back to New York.
- Jim Aruilio's Week 13 Picks
  
  Dec 02, 12
  
  Jacksonville At Buffalo
  The Jags have looked good the past two weeks with Chad Henne under center, moving the ball well through the air against the Texans and Titans, but I for one don’t buy that the vet transforms this Jags offense. Buffalo is a tough place to play late in the year, especially when you are traveling up from Jacksonville, and the front seven for Buffalo has looked better of late. Although Henne has added a dynamic to their offense, he can’t help this team tackle, Spiller and Johnson will have a big game against this Jags defense at home.
  Pick: Bills
  
  Seattle At Chicago
  After watching the Bears play last week, it’s clear how important Jay Cutler is to the Bears’ offense. The Bears are 5-1 at home and the Seahawks are 1-5 on the road, so easy pick right? Not for me. The Bears have been hobbled all week with injuries to Lance Briggs, Matt Forte, Peanut Tillman, and Devin Hester, and it’s still unclear who will be able to go for the Bears this week.
  The Seahawks look like they’ll have Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner at least for one more week until their four game suspension kicks in for using Addarall. That will be a huge loss for the Hawks when it happens, but with them in the lineup and the Bears hurting on defense, I like Seattle in a low scoring game.
  Pick: Seahawks
  
  San Francisco At St. Louis
  Last time these two teams faced off it ended up in a tie. I firmly believe that no game should end up in a tie, especially in the pros, and I bet these two teams feel the same way. Since that tie, both teams have headed in different directions. The 49ers took down the Bears and Saints, and the Rams lost to the Jets, let me say that again, the JETS.
  Regardless of who is under center for San Fran, the Niners look like the best team in football right now. With the weapons they have on both sides of the ball, San Francisco will make the memory of that tie fade quickly.
  Pick: 49ers
  
  New England At Miami
  New England is straight up rolling right now, in every phase. Even though they’ve made games closer then they should be this year, I don’t see this one making the Pats sweat. Tannehill has been a breathe of fresh air for Dolphins fans this year, but the Pats will put too much pressure on him from both sides of the ball. Reggie Bush should have a decent game, but the Pats offense will put this one away early. Don’t be surprised to see another 30-40 point game for New England.
  Pick: Patriots
  
  Arizona At New York
  As much as this should be a get right game for the Jets, they simply don’t have the leadership for a game like that. The Jets offense is terrible, their defense isn’t what their coaches think it is, and their special teams; well you saw that Thanksgiving Day game. The Cardinals don’t have an offense that will light up the scoreboard, but with all the issues for the Jets, on and off the field, they might look pretty good on Sunday. Patrick Peterson gets a TD, and the Cardinals defense wins this one as the Jets offensive struggles continue.
  Pick: Cardinals
  
  Indianapolis At Detroit
  Last week I picked against the Colts, and although it was close, Luck got it done again against the Bills. The Colts continue to impress me week after week, but they haven’t quite had the same magic on the road. The Lions will be ready to go after failing to close out the Texans on Thanksgiving, and should have a quick start coming off a long week. Andrew Luck and the Colts will do their best to keep up with gunslinger Matt Stafford, but in the end it won’t be enough. I hope Luck straps on his cup for this one, Suh and Fariley will get after him early and often.
  Pick: Lions
  
  Minnesota At Green Bay
  Last weeks game against the Giants definitely left a bitter taste in the Packers mouth. Luckily for them, the Vikings have been struggling lately, even AP who coughed the ball up twice against the Bears. There are some serious holes in the Packers o-line, but it’s the same story in Chicago, and the Viks couldn’t take advantage of that, and wont again this week. I think Aaron Rodgers and Co. get their groove back in front of a rowdy Lambeau crowd, who witness plenty of Lambeau Leaps.
  Pick: Packers
  
  Houston At Tennessee
  The Texans have endured several straight weeks of close calls, but that ends this week at Tennessee. The Texans should be able to put the Titans away early, who are coming off a loss to the Jags, and are in complete disarray. That tackle tandem for Tennessee will do their best to silence JJ Watt, but it won’t be enough to keep him away from Locker. If they contain Chris Johnson, this will be a blowout.
  Pick: Texans
  
  Carolina At Kansas City
  Cam Newton has looked really good in the past two weeks, and I expect that to continue against the Chiefs. I do expect the KC offense to look better than it has of late against this Panther defense, but from what we’ve seen in 2012, its in their best interest to snag that first pick in April. The Panthers have played close game after close game against a lot of playoff contenders like the Bears and Falcons, and although there won’t be any playoffs in Carolina, I think they can pull off a win at Arrowhead.
  Pick: Panthers
  
  Tampa Bay At Denver
  Tampa’s playoff hopes will take another hit this week when they head into Denver. The Broncos played a close one against the Chiefs last week and will look to bounce back against the Bucs. The Bucs offense will be able to put points on the board, but without Eric Wright in the secondary, Peyton will pick apart this Bucs defense. Von Miller will make Josh Freeman as uncomfortable as possible in the pocket, making it tough for him to get the ball outside the numbers to Jackson and Williams.
  Pick: Broncos
  
  Cleveland At Oakland
  It looks like Brandon Weeden will be able to go this week so the one percent chance for McCoy to pull off a Kaepernick is out the door. The Raiders are without a doubt the worst team in the NFL right now, and even if they get McFadden back this week, it wont make a difference as long as Carson Palmer is still their QB. Joe Haden will force Palmer to make his usually mistakes and the Browns offense wont have too much trouble scoring on this Raiders defense that has averaged 42-points in their last four games.
  Pick: Browns
  
  Cincinnati at San Diego
  Upset Alert! The Chargers inability to close out games has forced them into another mediocre season. The Bengals have been on a tear lately, and will head into San Diego with a chip on their shoulder, giving the Chargers a chance to exploit a sub par secondary. The Chargers defense will force this team to stay through the air, which has been their strength of late, but this one might come down to a late throw by Phillip Rivers. He is bound to make a play other than throw an interception one of these times, right?
  Pick: Chargers
  
  Pittsburg At Baltimore
  As much as Pittsburg is praying that Big Ben can play this week, I’m pretty doubtful that he will be able to go Sunday. The Ravens have had some tough spots on offense and tough injuries on defense, and have still found ways to win. Roethlisberger certainly makes this game more interesting, but more than likely we’ll see Charlie Batch in there again, which pretty much says it all.
  Pick: Ravens
  
  Philadelphia At Dallas
  In no way do I think the Cowboys have shown they have the ability to win this game, but it’s the Eagles. Philly has been pretty much inventing ways to hand the ball back to their opponent, and look to have completely quit on Andy Reid. Jason Garrett might have a chance to keep Jerry Jones off his back with a win here, as a well-rested Cowboys prolong the Eagles winless streak.
  Pick: Cowboys
- Jim Aruilio's Thursday Night Pick
  
  Nov 29, 12
  Week 12 Recap:
  The overtime between the Texans and Lions was crazy. Both teams had a missed field goal, but the Lions two turnovers cost them the game, on top of Schwartz’s lack of patience.
  Romo’s 441 yards wasn’t enough to dig the Cowboys out of the 28-3 hole RGIII put them in the first half.
  One thing I never thought I’d see; the Jets lose so bad that not even Fireman Ed could stay and watch.
  Sunday we saw how important Jay Cutler is to that Bears offense.
  The Steelers put Charlie Batch out there against the Browns, and the Browns forced eight turnovers. The Steeler's season relies on when Big Ben can suit up again.
  Broncos and Colts win, and it's becoming more and more likely that these two teams will face off in the playoffs. How sick would that be?
  Dolphins win over the Seahawks clouded by the possible PED suspension of Browner and Sherman for using Adderall. I get it.
  Falcons win another close one with a late comeback.
  Are we witnessing a Chad Henne resurrection? His ability to throw the deep ball snaps the Jags 7-game skid.
  I seriously cant stand Phillip Rivers. Ray Rice absolutely shreds the defense on a 4^th and 29, which eventually leads to a victory, and all he can say is "he didnt get it." Rivers just needs to realize that we are about to put him in the same category as Carson Palmer.
  No doubt there is a QB controversy in San Fran, I am a believer that you can’t take the job from Smith because he missed a game with an injury. But Kaepernick definitely showed he has a future as a starter in this league. Apparently Harbaugh likes them both?
  When the Giants flip the switch, they look like the best team in the NFL. Question is…how and when do they flip it.
  Cam Newton’s four total TDs propel the Panthers past the Eagles. That’s two straight months the Eagles haven’t won a game. Yikes.
  Thursday Night Game: New Orleans At Atlanta
  
  Hmmm…it’s so easy to pick the Falcons in this one. They are coming off two impressive wins, beating the Cardinals after Matty Ice threw five interceptions, and a come back win against a hot Bucs squad. They are 10-1 on the season, but people are still hesitant to say they are the best team in the NFL. I am one of those people. Maybe its because they always seem to choke in the playoffs, maybe its because I personally don’t see a complete team when I look at the Falcons (cough Mike Turner), whatever it is, Thursday nights game will be a shootout.
  
  But even with all of that doubt, I like the Falcons at home against this Saints defense. As much as I hate to pick against Drew Brees, I mean the guy is no doubt a future hall of famer, but the Saints just don't have the defense to stop Atlanta, simply put. They had a great team victory against them at home, giving the Falcons their first loss of the season, and the Saints fourth win in four games against the Falcons, but I don't see them sweeping the season series in 2012. I really do believe that nothing has changed in Atlanta, and when it comes down to the playoffs, I don't see them making any noise. I cant put my finger on exactly why I don't have faith in the Falcons, maybe its Mike Smith's hair, but I think they become the first team to eleven on Thursday.
  
  Pick: Falcons
  
  Week 11: 13-1
  Week 12: 10-6
  Overall Record: 102-57-1
- All Aboard the Frustration Station
  
  Nov 29, 12
  
  Julianna Corso
  
  There's a looming fog of silence and disappointment surrounding the Tallahassee area. School is back in session from the Thanksgiving holiday and professors are ready to give out exams, but most importantly, the team is back on their feet and onto the practice field after suffering a blow on Saturday. This weekend's loss, however, isn't the only reason why the Florida State program should be rethinking some key decisions that have been left unclear. Saturday is only a factor to what seems to be a culmination of wavering concerns for the team.
  
  There are two key issues that are preventing the Noles in reaching national championship contention.
  
  1. TURNOVERS: This season alone, the Seminoles have racked up 23 turnovers. That's an average of two per game. That's 23 too many if you want to make it to the championship. No one, and I mean no one, has ever won a national championship or had a perfect undefeated season with 23 turnovers under their belt. The Noles have also fumbled six times on special teams.
  
  Florida State has to stop turning the ball over against good teams. On Saturday, Florida proved to be a solid team, but they're not of championship caliber yet. The Gators had 12 penalties for a total of 101 yards, and FSU just didn't capitalize on Florida's weaknesses and made a good team look great.
  
  2. SCHEDULE: There's nothing glamorous about the ACC in college football. Florida State and Clemson are the only two teams that have 2 losses of less. The next best team is UNC (8-4), and they aren't even bowl eligible. Just to put it into perspective, the Mountain West has more teams going to bowl games then the Atlantic Coast Conference does this year.
  
  The answer for Florida State is not a conference change, though. If teams like FSU wanted to move into a conference such as the SEC, then there should just be one large conglomerate of a conference. Playing teams like Murray State and Savannah State for the first two games of the season is doing the Noles more bad than good. The preseason hype didn't help Florida State, but then to go and play two horrible teams in a row only proves that you can take care of business against teams that are paid to play. Go out with a bang and play an elite team. If you win, you'll earn the respect of the players, coaches, and the media around them. If you lose, the weaknesses are exposed, and you can only improve on that. It's easier to lose early and still climb to the top than it is to lose late in the season. Correct the schedule, and the Noles should continue on the path of progression.
  
  Florida State is a good team. They're stacked with talent, they've got quality coaches, and they recruit well, but the Seminoles have to stop turning the ball over. When that's fixed, FSU could easily be a BCS Championship caliber team -- easily. With an ACC title on the line this weekend, it's safe to say that the Florida State program is back on it's feet and progressing in a positive direction. No one said 10-2 is bad, and the last time the Noles have seen this good of a record was in 2000, when they lost to Miami 24-27. The world will see what the Noles have to say about their loss to Florida on Saturday against Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina at 8pm.
- Jim Aruilio's Monday Night Pick
  
  Nov 26, 12
  
  Carolina At Philadelphia
  
  Two of the most disappointing teams in football will go at it tonight on Monday Night Football. Both of these teams have had rumblings from within about being Superbowl contenders the past two seasons, and this year they have combined for just five wins. There is no one problem for either of these teams, the laundry list of issues runs deep for both of them.
  
  A lot of people have chosen to put the blame on Andy Reid in Philly, but I don’t see it that way, and if the Eagles let him go in the offseason, I guarantee he'll be hired in a heartbeat by someone else. After the huge signing of Nnamdi Asomugha last year, everyone expected one of their strengths to be their defensive secondary; it has actually been one of their weakness. Although Asomugha was one of the most feared DBs in football for years in Oakland, no QB seems to be afraid to throw it his way in Philly. Mike Vick hasn’t helped much on the offensive side of the ball, but his offensive line has a lot to do with that. That offensive line is pretty much an entire unit of second-string players, with the exception of Evan Mathis. When Vick actually does get the ball off, or make a good play with his legs to get out of trouble, he has frequently put the ball on the ground, or into the hands of his opponent (9 INT/5 FUM). As I said it’s hard to point the finger at one particular problem, but needless to say it’ll take time to turn around this team, in which is in complete disarray.
  
  Then there is the 2-8 Carolina Panthers. I have to admit, I expected Cam Newton to be the beneficiary of a full training camp and pre-season this year, but instead he is headlining a list called, The Sophomore Slump. They have been close, losing three games on the road by a total of nine points, usually due to a breakdown in the fourth quarter, and sometimes in the final seconds. One can wonder if Cam has the right players around him, because apparently the 89 million dollars in his backfield isn’t getting it done. They should honestly have two guys rushing for 1,000 yards this season, and instead they will be lucky to have one. I will say their receiving core is a little thin, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of production they have had on offense this season.
  
  Todd Bowles and Ron Rivera are supposed to be defensive masterminds, and the nice way to put it is their respective defenses have missed a big play here and there. I do expect Ron Rivera’s unit to force Foles to turn the ball over a few times, hopefully his o-line can keep him upright for a few passes tonight. I think Cam has a big game tonight, as his team controls the ball for the vast majority of the game.
  Pick: Panthers
- MLB Team Off-Season Report: Los Angeles Angels
  
  Nov 26, 12
  
  Chris Valk
  
  Despite a lineup that will remain relatively unchanged since last year, the Angels are a difficult team for any prognosticator to pin down. The offensive production will be first rate, but the level of exceptionalism is up in the air. And the difference between A and A+ production is important. A 2012 team, whose fourth and fifth spots in the rotation had names like Haren and Greinke, that failed to make the playoffs will have to get all they can from names like Trumbo, Pujols, Morales, and Bourjos in 2013. That means continued development, fulfillment of the mandate of an exorbitant payroll, all around health, and pleasant surprises from a talented set of players with less years under their belt than the millions in a certain first baseman’s salary. It’s a young team with a lot of potential. Though for my money, we’ll have to wait until after this year, with more time to address the needs of the devastated pitching staff, to see it come to fruition. LA will continue to pursue Greinke, but odds are this team will be entering the season with an unproven starting rotation (even CJ Wilson must answer fears and doubts after recovering from surgery). Same goes for the bullpen. With a larger than desired payroll, but a solid farm system and exciting young talent, they’re banking their success on pleasant surprises rather than drastic moves.
  
  C – Chris Ianetta
  1B – Albert Pujols
  2B – Howie Kendrick
  SS – Erick Aybar
  3B – Alberto Callaspo
  LF – Mike Trout
  CF – Peter Bourjos
  RF – Mark Trumbo
  DH – Kendrys Morales
  U – Vernon Wells
  
  SP – CJ Wilson
  SP – Jered Weaver
  SP – Jerome Williams
  SP – Garrett Richards
  SP – Barry Enright
  
  CL – Ernesto Frieri
  RP – Kevin Jepsen
  RP – Scott Downs
  RP – Jordan Walden
  RP – Nick Maronde
  
  Top Prospects
  Cole Calhoun – OF
  Cam Bedrosian – RHP
  Travis Witherspoon – OF
  Nick Mutz – RHP
  Daniel Tillman – RHP
  
  Potential Free Agent Signings
  Zach Grenkie – RHP
  Kyuji Fujikawa – RHP
  
  Key Off-Season Transactions
  OF, Torii Hunter to Detroit Tigers
  3B, Macier Izturis to Blue Jays
  RHP, Ervin Santana to Royals
  RHP, Dan Haren to Free Agency
  RHP, Zach Grenkie to Free Agency
Where I go to school : Emerson College

Where I go to school : Emerson College
- 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Ma
Where I live : Revere, Mass.

Where I live : Revere, Mass.
- Revere, MA, USA