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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Rainmen Head Into Weekend With New Faces and New Expectations

Former NBA player Kirk Snyder is one of the Rainmen's most recent acquisitions.
by Peter Clarke
To say the last couple weeks were busy in the PBL and for the Rainmen would be an understatement.

In chronological order:

They signed former NBA guard/forward, changed coaches and saw one of their competitors fold, changing the dynamic of their conference and of the league.

It was announced last week that former NBA guard Kirk Snyder would be joining the Rainmen. The six foot six guard drafted in the first round in 2004 averaged 6.3 points in 16.8 minutes per game during his time in the NBA playing for the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

His career was brought to a standstill when an undiagnosed mental health condition caused let to conviction for aggravated assault.

Now being treated and with recommendations from his trial judge, his lawyers and new general manage Andre Levingston, he is set to make his debut in the Metro Centre on Saturday night against Maritime rivals, the Saint John Millrats.

If Snyder gets back to form, he could easily lead the Rainmen in the scoring department and to a possible title.

If that wasn’t enough to spark serious title talk in Halifax, the Rainmen have recruited former NBA standout Mike Evans to be their new head coach after Less Berry resigned from the team to pursue other careers.

Evans has a great pedigree. As a former three-point marksman, he was selected 21st overall in the 1978 NBA draft and was well traveled in the NBA. He has had a bit of coaching experience with the Denver Nuggets and even the Toronto Raptors and has also worked as a scout in the NBA.

While Berry was an excellent coach, this sudden infusion of talent could give fans something they’ve never seen before in both talent and play style.

Sadder news broke this week, however. The Vermont Frostheaves have folded and the PBL quickly held a dispersal draft. The Rainmen were able to pick up guard/forward Julian Allen and waived the productive Tommy Mitchell.

There have been a lot of changes to the Rainmen roster this year, which is not uncommon so it has been hard for fans to keep track of and get to know the many new faces on the team this year. But with high profile names being added to the score sheet, it could be the catalyst for a Rainmen popularity growth spurt and the Rainmen are heading into the weekend with a lot of eyes on them.

If there was a game to go to this year, it would be this Saturday to see how these guys perform first hand. See you there.


Peter Clarke lives in Halifax. Follow him on twitter @rainmenblogger and check out his website at http://rainmen.kingsjournalism.com.


Monday, January 24, 2011

Sportstream Athlete Profile: Joey Haywood

Joey Haywood is the nation's leading scorer averaging 29 points per game.
by Armaan Ahluwalia
Playing basketball in the AUS is not an easy task. Dominating in the AUS is even more tricky. That is one thing that Joey Haywood has managed to do very well while playing for the St. Mary’s Huskies. Joey is on fire, having another stellar year for the Huskies as they currently make a push for the AUS playoffs. So far in the 2010/11 Haywood has been dominant with some amazing performances and great statistics. He is in the top 10 of almost every major statistic through 11 games in the season and looks on pace to keep that with his great play. Haligonia Sports asked him a few questions about basketball, and other things.


Current Team: St.Mary’s University
Height: 6’1
Date of Birth: September 3rd, 1984
Where you are from: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Position: PG
Where you played High School/Club: Magee Secondary Highschool in Vancouver
Favourite Player: Allen Iverson
Favourite Team: Chicago Bulls
Player you model your game after: Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings
How old were you when you started playing: First started at age 7
Why Basketball: Because you can use different moves to beat your defender and make them look dumb. Not expensive to play. All you need is a ball and a hoop.
What is it like being a student-athlete: It is hard because you have to balance school work and basketball.
Pre Game Rituals: spending time with my family, nap, and shower before the game.
Whats the most listened song on your IPod: Jamie fox album.
Why is the AUS so tough: A lot of players from the states that used to play division 1 and the east coast is known for having the best players in the country.
Best Player in the World: Micheal Jordan
Dream Lineup, with you in it: Allen Iverson, Micheal Jordan, Black Griffin, D.Howard and my self
Hobbies: Video games and DC and Marvel Animation Movies
Best Skill: Dribbling
Area of your game that needs work: Defense
Favourite Coach and why: I say Ross Quackenbush because he always gives me knew things to work on at the end of the season and always wants me to expand my game even more. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to display my talent on the court. Not a lot of people and coaches believed in my game and i thank coach for accepting and believing in me.
What are your goals Short and Long term: Short term is to graduate with a degree and play in the NBA or overseas. Long term: personal basketball trainer and own a 24hr basketball gym. Work with troubled kids.
Favourite Movie: Rocky 4
Role Model: Micheal Jordan
Goals for the year: AUS championship and be National Champs.
Most famous person in your cell phone: Roberto Young aka Exile And1 mixtape tour player.
One Crazy thing about you: Love to laugh
Favourite Food: chinese and pizza
Dream Vacation Destination: Egypt
In your free time you are: hanging out with my family and watching basketball.
IPhone or Blackberry: I own a Blackberry but should've got an Iphone
Armaan Ahluwalia is a writer for the Dal Gazette and has his own website, www.1inthestands.wordpress.com. Follow Armaan on twitter @therealbrindian
Sportstream is the webcasting home of the Saint Mary's Huskies, Halifax Rainmen, Metro Marauders, and the AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Email us at sportstreamatlantic@gmail.com follow us on twitter @_sportstream_

Sunday, January 23, 2011

NFL Championship Preview; Pick Six (seed)

Rex Ryan and Marc Sanchez have won four playoff games on the road in the last two years.


by Armaan Ahluwalia

One win and you are in the biggest game of the year. Thats right one more victory and you are in Superbowl 45 in Dallas Texas. This weeks matchups are set to be good ones as one of the oldest rivalries takes place again and a new one starts. Last week I went 3-1 the only loss the surprising victory by the New York Jets who took down the highly favoured Patriots in stunning fashion.

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.


These teams met earlier in the season where the Jets prevailed in a crucial game. The Jets had lost a two games in a row, one beating by New England and a bad loss at home against the Miami Dolphins. They then proceed to get their act together and pull out a thrilling 22-17 victory against the Steelers at Hinez Field in the cold.

This week will be no different as these teams are both going for a superbowl berth and this will be a great defensive battle. When Pittsburgh has the ball the key matchup will be Big Ben vs. the Jets Secondary. I like the Jets secondary to win this one because of the fact that Revis Island, Cromartie, and Wilson will be dominant. When the Jets have the ball the key matchup will be Mark Sanchez vs. the Steelers front 7. Can the steelers get to Mark Sanchez as his accuracy and pocket presence has always been a thing of question.

Another factor to add to this matchup is the fact that probowl saftey Troy Polamalu was not active in the previous matchup. His ability to see many things that other safetys miss is extremely priceless and will be a huge asset to the defense. The X factor for the Jets will be Shonn Greene. If he can get a solid run game started with LT against this stingy steelers defense it will be key to victory.

This game will be decided in the 4th quarter as both of these teams never quit and bring quality defenses to the table. I have been going against the Jets for too long, and they keep proving me and everyone else wrong that they are contenders. Look for the Jets to establish the running game earlier and continue pounding the ball down the Steelers throat. Don’t look for Pittsburgh to throw in the towel early or late in this game. Big Ben knows how to win and will certainly bring it.


Jets 23 – Steelers 20.


Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears


This is easily one of the most intense/storied/greatest rivalries in all of professional football. With their rivalry starting early in the 30′s these teams have met a record 182 times and will make 183 this sunday at Soldier Field. This marks only the 2nd time that these teams have met in the postseason, a game in which the Bears took in dominating fashion. This year the 2 clubs have met well twice as they are in the NFC north a competitive division which was very tight this year as well with good teams. Chicago won the first time 20-17 at Soldier field. The second time Green Bay won 10-3 at Lambeau Field another great place wth such storied history.

This matchup will be super entertaining in the sense that both teams are really rolling and with the history that these teams bring. The Packers have grounded the Eagles and Falcons in consistent weeks and have showed no signs of slowing down. The Bears came off a victory last week against the surprising Seahawks who beat the defending champ Saints. When the Packers have the ball the key matchup will be Aaron Rodgers vs. the Bears front 7. Aaron rodgers is on fire, and had an amazing game against the Falcons last week were he nearly went perfect in the rout. The Bears front seven has been compared to the monsters of the midway back then, not nearly as good but still a dominanting defense who knows how to play football. The other matchup is going to be Jay Cutler vs. Clay Matthews/ BJ Raji. Culter is starting to get comfortable under martz and it is starting to show. The crazy gun slinger has started to set his feet and make passes to a receiving core which is less than star filled. On the other side you have BJ Raji who is eating up O-Lines whole and disrupting the run game. While Clay Matthews is scaring QB’s, RB’s and everyone on the other team with his crazy will to get to the QB and get rid of anyone in the way. Also his long hair doesnt help by making him any less scary. If Culter can stay up right which was a problem earlier on in the season, the Bears will be good.

Both games in the regular season came down to big plays, a fumble forced by Urlacher and in the other game it was an INT thrown by Jay Culter late in the game. The X factors this game for Chicago will be Devin Hester. His ability to change the game by either, returning punts/kicks for major yards or punting out of bounds or squibbing the ball, or playing WR, running the ball whatever it is Devin Hester does it. On the other side the X factor is going to be James Starks. Starks a virtually unknown before this season. He will need to be consistent and gain some quality yards to establish a run game against a stingy Bears defense.

This game will also be close just due to the level of these teams and how good they are. It will come down to one big play which changes the game late. I like Rodgers and the Packers to come out of the Soldier field with a victory as the cold is not an issue for a team which plays in the cold all the time. Rodgers is just too much and should slowly pick apart the Bears. Look for the Bears to get a run game going with Matt Forte pounding the ball.


Packers 27 – Bears 21


Armaan Ahluwalia writes for the Dal Gazette and is a regular contributor to Haligonia Sports. Check out his website www.1inthestands.wordpress.com and follow him on twitter @therealbrindian.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Derek Vs. the Spread: Championship Sunday

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers will host the Jets at 7:00 Atlantic on Sunday.
by Derek Leblanc


So we are back for week three of Derek vs. the Spread and I can say is where did that week come from. After a solid first week of going 3-1, I ended up going 1-3 last week. The only part that got me mad was that the Seahawks miss the spread by one point. I am not surprised that the Jets won because I said the Pats defense is bad although me being a fan of the team maybe clouded my judgement. While the last two weeks I have been breaking down each team on how they will win, I figure a better way to pick winners this time is to analyze the games that the four teams played against each other. Let’s get to it.

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)


Week 15-Jets 22 vs. Steelers 17
When we go back to the game that these two teams played, we got a good one. When you look at the stats, The Steelers had played better in every aspect of offense expect for special teams where the Steelers are one of the worse in the league. The Steelers had more passing and rushing yards and had a solid game. The game was so close that the Steelers would have won if the receivers made the catches on the final drive. Big Ben was able to take the Jets down the field for the most part and Rashad Mendenhall was able to rush for 99 yards on 17 carries. That is good considering that the Jets rush defense is top five in the league. While the Steelers were able to have more production, the Jets still had a good game on defense. They were able to take advantage of their banged up offensive line and sacked Ben Roethlisberger three times. One play of the defensive was the clincher for the game when Jason Taylor tackled Mewelde Moore for a safety. The only problem they really had was the world’s fastest football player in Mike Wallace. Now when we reserve the roles, the Jets had some problems at times on the offensive side but were able to capitalize on their opportunities. On the run, the Jets while on paper did not have a good run game overall, looks can be deceiving. While LaDainian Tomlinson and Shoun Greene only run for 48 and 40 yards. Combined they only ran the ball 23 times but both guys had 5.3 and 4.8 yards per carry and that was the most by one team against the Steelers this year. If they run the ball more they can get to the Steelers. Mark Sanchez also had a good game going 19 for 29 for 170 yards with no picks and he also rushed for a touchdown. While the numbers are not what you expect to win a game it did get the job done that day. The Defense if they want to win have to get more pressure on Sanchez because he was only sacked once in the game and if you give any quarterback in the league time he will find the right person. There was really only thing that can make a difference in this game and that is that Troy Polamalu was still sidelined during the week 15 match. Now I said in last week’s article that he is the heart and soul of the team and he can be a difference maker in this game if he can grab and interception or break pass the Jets offensive line. He has thou been missing practice this week so while he should play he will not be 100%.
Outcome-While most experts say that the Jets offense will be the problem, I think it can be the defense that will have to change the game. The Steelers offensive line is banged up so they have make sure they can breakthrough and get to Big Ben. Unlike last week where Darrelle Revis had the assignment of guarding Deion Branch, do you put him on Hines Wards or Mike Wallace for pass protection? While he will probably play against Wallace in the game I think that will be the mistake and I expect Hines Ward to have a big game grabbing lots of short passes. Steelers will go to their third super bowl in six years and they will cover the 3.5 points.



Green Bay (-3) vs. Chicago
Week 3-Packers 17 vs. Bears 20
Week 17-Bears 3 vs. Packers 10


What we seen in week 17 could be a sign of what we will see on Sunday and that is an all-defensive affair but I think if we want to get a better look at how this game will be played on Sunday that we have to go back to their confrontation in week three. While the Bears may have won the game, again the looks can be deceiving. When you look at every aspect of the game the packers were either even or better than the bears. While both teams were able to stop each other on the run and in returns, Aaron Rodgers was able to take care of the Bears front 7 could not touch him at all. Rodgers threw for 316 yards and the only mistake he made was a pick he threw to Lance Briggs in the first half. From what we seen from Rodgers in the first two weeks of the postseason, he should have another big game on Sunday. On the defensive side, the Packers were able to sack Jay Cutler three times, pick him off once and were able to stop them on a fourth down. So while you see all this information, the reason the Packers lost that game was because of penalties. Green Bay gave up 18 in that game for 152 yards. Out of all those calls most of them were coming from the offensive line. That can be understood because you do not want guys like Lance Briggs or Julius Peppers hurting your star player so if the Bears want to win this game, they will have to try and get into their heads, however the cheese heads were able to calm down in the final week of the season.
Outcome-As long as the Packers don’t get too many flags thrown against them in this game, it is there’s to lose. They have the better offense and defense and as long as they do not kick the ball to Devin Hester, DA BEARS will not be getting a chance to do a remix of the ever so classic Super Bowl Shuffle.



Derek LeBlanc is a huge NFL football fan and is a mixed martial arts writer who writes for www.topmmanews.com. He resides in Halifax and can be reached at dleblanc@topmmanews.com.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Two Wild Nights In AUS Men's Basketball

Jim Charters and his defending champion Capers won a classic over the X-Men on Wednesday night.

by Bill McLean


One game was highlighted by a brilliant individual performance that will become a thing of legend at the Tower in Halifax. The other game a double overtime thriller between bitter rivals that had a jam packed Oland Centre on it's feet for over an hour.

It was midweek madness in AUS men's basketball fans and it will likely be remembered as the two most exciting days of the regular season. Joey Haywood of Saint Mary's, the nation's leading scorer, racking up 37 points in the second half of a Huskies victory over their Halifax rivals, the Dalhousie Tigers; and the defending champion Cape Breton Capers marching into Antigonish and getting a huge win over Saint Francis Xavier in a game that could have been the best in the country so far this season.

On Tuesday night, Haywood added to his legacy with his second mind boggling performance at the Tower in as many games. Coming off his CIS Player of the week performance versus UPEI in which he scored 46 points, Haywood hit six three pointers, and nine of ten foul shots all in the second half to lead his Huskies (5-7, 16 pts) to victory over the second place and nationally ranked Tigers (6-3, 20 pts).

Haywood was held scoreless in the first quarter and had only four points at the break. Newcomer Tory Fassett kept the Huskies in the game with 13 points in the opening half and finished the game with a very respectable 21. But as the third quarter entered it's middle stages, the game became the property of Joey Haywood.
Defended by athletic Tigers Juleous Grant and Stephen Lopez all night, Haywood exploded and put on a show that may have never been seen before at the Tower. After missing his first six shots of the game, Haywood would make 13 of 19 the rest of the way, many combined with a dazzling array of crossovers and step backs that had the Huskies faithful gasping in disbelief and cheering wildly.

In the end it was just another day at the office for the country's leading scorer and a confidence boosting win for a Huskies team that is trying to develop cohesiveness and stability as the stretch drive approaches.
Not to be outdone, the X-Men and Capers put on a show that was watched from coast to coast and will have CIS basketball enthusiasts buzzing as the weekend approaches.

In a jam packed Oland Centre that featured a “white out” by hundreds of X faithful and the “Orange Army” from Cape Breton who never sat down the entire game, the Capers and X-Men played a classic that cemented their rivalry as the greatest in the country.

The teams exchanged leads from start to finish, and just when it looked like one team had seized control, the other would come storming back. The X-Men staging an improbable comeback at the end of regulation, and the Capers pushing the game to double overtime with a comeback of their own in the first extra session.

There was the bruising Philip Nkruma having a battle of words with X-Men football players on the baseline; Steve Konchalski and Jim Charters waving their arms frantically and marching up and down the sidelines; Christian Upshaw and Will Silver with steals and three point shots that brought the crowd to a frenzy; and of course the dancing Capers fans banging on drums throughout the entire game.

It was a game that both teams deserved to win, but only the Capers did, reminding all of us once again that the champs still own the AUS, and that they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Now that Cape Breton has walked into Oland Centre and beaten the conference's darlings of the national rankings, just maybe the coaches across the country will finally see fit to put the Capers in there as well.



Bill McLean hosts Bill McLean Sports Show every tuesday morning on ckdu.ca/88.1 FM in Halifax. Follow Bill on twitter @haligoniasports and email him at haligoniasports@gmail.com.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Huskies on Haligonia; Haywood vs. Farine, Round Two From the Tower

Joey Haywood and the Huskies battle Simon Farine and the Tigers tonight on haligonia.
by Bill McLean
Joey Haywood’s Saint Mary’s Huskies have been trying to gel on the fly this season after the graduation of Mark Mclaughlin and Ike Ichegbu, and the influx of talented newcomers like Tony Fassett. Haywood has taken in upon himself to keep the team afloat in the AUS by leading the nation in scoring while Ross Quackenbush tries to right the good ship Husky.
Simon Farine’s Tigers have added some talented pieces to a talented core of returnees and are loaded for a championship run. John Campbell thinks his team can compete for an AUS championship this season and is counting on newcomers like Alex Arthur and Juleous Grant to figure prominently in the chase.
The Tigers and Huskies meet for the second time this season tonight at the Tower at 8:00 on
www.live.haligonia.ca. The Huskies won the first game in November in a thriller, 92-86, behind thirty points from Haywood. The victory was the Huskies first of the season and the Tiger’s first loss.

Since then the Huskies have split six games while the Tigers have won three of four. Dalhousie enters tonight’s game ranked #10 in the country (tied with Toronto) and sitting in second place in the AUS. Despite their struggles, the Huskies are in fourth place and just two points behind Saint Francis Xavier for third.
Haywood is averaging 27.6 ppg and was selected as CIS Player of the Week in early January by virtue of his brilliant performance versus UPEI at the Tower. Haywood scored 45 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added 8 assists in leading the Huskies to an overtime victory.
Tony Fassett has developed into a secondary offensive threat averaging 16 ppg and 6 rpg. Returnee Demittri Harris has averaged 11 ppg for a Huskies team that is still learning how to play together with six new faces on the roster. The team’s lack of cohesiveness has been particularly glaring on the defensive end where they are surrendering 90 points a game.
The Tigers have upgraded their team athleticism and depth off the bench but are still trying to define roles and establish rotation. Fifth year senior Joe Schow has been an anchor in the post averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds a game. Juleous Grant has averaged 11 ppg and given the Tigers an athletic swingman who can match the athleticism of the Cape Breton Capers and Saint Francis Xavier X-Men.

Bill McLean will have the call from the Tower.


Meet the Tigers
Record- 6 Wins, 2 Losses – 20 points
Last Game – 77-57 Win over UPEI

Tigers to Watch
Simon Farine- Fifth year guard averages 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game.
Joe Schow- Tenacious competitor averages 14 points and 9 rebounds in the post.
Juleous Grant- Athletic, sweet shooting newcomer averaging 10.5 ppg.


Ladies and Gentlemen….Your Saint Mary’s Huskies
Record- 4 Wins, 7 Losses- 14 points.
Last Game- 88-84 loss to UPEI

Huskies to Watch

Joey Haywood- Nation’s leading scorer averaging 27 ppg on 57 % shooting from the floor.
Tony Fassett- First year player averages 16 points and 9 rebounds.
Demittri Harris- Sparkplug and streaky, averages 11 points per game.


Huskies Notes
After struggling early in the season, Simon Marr is increasing his scoring averages. The big post is averaging 7.5 ppg and 4.5 rpg. Marr had 15 points and 5 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to UPEI…….Harry Ezenibe has been solid off the bench averaging 8 ppg and 6 rpg…..this is only the Huskies fourth home game this season and they enter with a 2-1 record at the Tower. They’ll play four home games in the next 8 days……The Huskies are second in scoring offence (88 ppg) but second to last in scoring defense (90 ppg)…..The Huskies are in last place in turnover margin with a -4.0.



Follow us on facebook (haligonia sports) and on twitter @haligoniasports.

Huskies on Haligonia; SMU and the Tigers Set for Battle at the Tower

The three point shooting of Robbi Daley will play a huge role in tonight's game vs. Dalhousie.


by Bill McLean


After nearly going from worst to first in 2010, Scott Munro and his Saint Mary's Huskies were expected to be one of the top contenders in the AUS women's basketball conference this season. So far the campaign has been a struggle for the Huskies, even with the nation's leading scorer, Justine Colley, averaging 24 ppg.

Anna Stammberger's Dalhousie Tigers were expected to suffer through a rebuilding year after losing five stellar seniors from last season but the Tigers have won two games in a row and are on the cusp of getting into the mix for a playoff spot.

The seventh place Tigers and fifth place Huskies will renew acquaintances tonight at the Tower at 6:00 Atlantic. The game will be webcast on www.live.haligonia.ca.

The Huskies defeated the Tigers 77-75 at the Tower in late November in a thriller which featured a huge Tigers comeback and a game winning shot in the dying seconds by Colley. (Watch replay of game here http://live.haligonia.ca/halifax-ns/sports/173-sports-video/17263-replay-smu-huskies-basketball-november-23-2010.html). Colley finished with 25 points and Robbi Daley added 21 points on five three pointers.

Both teams are coming off close victories over UPEI in Charlottetown versus the rebuilding Panthers. The Huskies last loss was an 84-59 thumping at the hands of the UNB Varsity Reds last Friday in Fredericton. The Tigers are riding a wave of confidence after getting their signature win of the season last weekend over the Cape Breton Capers at Dalplex.

The Huskies will need another commanding performance from the dynamic duo of Colley and Susanne Canvin ( 11 ppg, 12 rpg) if they are going to hold off the Tigers. Meanwhile the Tigers will be looking for balanced scoring from a group of starters that have been all averaging double figures the last three games.

Mavs Gillis will have the call from the Tower.


Meet the Tigers
Record- 3 Wins, 5 Losses – 10 points
Last Game- 80-70 Win over UPEI

Tigers To Watch
Patricia McNeil
– Second year guard averaging 12.5 ppg. Averaged 18 points in last 3 games.
Anna Von Maltzahn – Second year swing player averaging 11 ppg and 6 rpg. Versatile performer, plays the top of the Tigers 3-2 zone.
Courtney Thompson- Sparkplug first year guard averaging 12 ppg. Excels in the open court and getting to the basket.

Ladies and Gentleman, Your Saint Mary's Huskies!

Record- 5 Wins, 6 Losses – 14 points
Last Game- 76-70 Win over UPEI

Huskies to Watch
Justine Colley- Nation's leading scorer with 24 ppg.
Susanne Canvin – Ms. Double Double averaging 11 points and 12 rebounds a game.
Robbi Daley- Three point specialist may be the X Factor in tonight's game. Her ability to hit the three vs. The Tiger zone will be a huge factor in determining the outcome.

Huskies Notes

Huskies are 2-5 in their last seven games....Huskies signature win was a 93-90 win in Sydney over the Cape Breton Capers in October....lack of depth has been a serious issue for the Huskies with not one bench player averaging over three points per game.....with a win the Huskies will move into a three way tie for third with Saint Francis Xavier and Memorial.....the Huskies will be looking to get on a hot streak with four home games in the next 8 days.....the Huskies are second in the conference in free throw percentage averaging 75 % on the season and second in field goal percentage averaging 41 %.


Questions or Comments to sports@haligonia.ca. Check us out on Facebook (haligonia sports) and follow us on twitter @haligoniasports.

Divisional Weekend Wrap Up; Sixth Seeds are Rolling

Ladainian Tomlinson finally got some personal revenge on the New England Patriots.
by Armaan Ahluwalia


Divisional weekend is now in the rear view mirror and championship weekend is the next stop on the road to North Texas and Superbowl 45. This past weekend was filled with upsets and predictable games in what was certainly an exciting game set. Im going to break down each matchup what happened, how they got there and so on.

Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore, Final score: 31 -24. Well it was safe to say that this game was really close, but as far as Pittsburgh – Baltimore games go, this one was won by a long shot. The Ravens went into the locker room taking an early 21-7 lead with which they had their feet on the gas pedal not letting up. One of the touchdowns was scored by defensive lineman Redding who picked up the ball as 21 other people on the field assumed the play was over. The second half or 3rd quarter more specifically was when the steelers decided to show up and steal the party. Roethlisberger than proceed to throw 2 TD’s one to Miller and Ward. Both teams traded field goals in the 4th quarter to keep the game tied up but after that on a 3rd and 19 they went deep to Antonio Brown who caught a 58 yard pass and went out of bounds at the 2 yard line. Mendenhall than pushed it in and scored the winning touchdown.

Key mistakes made by Flacco who lost one fumble and threw and interception became costly as Pittsburgh turned them into points off turnovers. Ray Rice also committed a fumble something he was thought to be immune to which again costed the Baltimore Ravens key possession of the football. Pittsburgh strong defense helped stop a possible second half blow out by the Ravens. With the victory Pittsburgh will return to the AFC championship game for the 3rd time in 6 years.

Green Bay vs. Atlanta: Final Score: 48 – 21. This one was only close till the end of the 2nd quarter. The Green Bay Packers plain and simple put a beat down on the opposition home team. Aaron Rodgers had a nearly perfect game going 31/36 – 366 yards and 3 TD’s along with one rushing TD. The Falcons had no answer for the Packers offense as they steam rolled them consistently putting up 3 offensive and 4 total touchdowns in the 2nd quarter alone. Including a clocking running out 70 yard interception returned back for a TD to end the half. The wheels came off the high flying Atlanta Falcons who just looked slow and tired. Even coming off the free bye week for finishing 1st in the conference wasnt enough to help them. This now is the second upset that the Packers have done in as many weeks with solid play from a defense and Aaron Rodgers.

Matt Ryan showed his young playoff experience as he made 2 interceptions, 1 going all the way for a touchdown opening up a 14 point lead at the time. The running game was unable to get started as they only amounted 48 yards rushing the entire game. Ryan was sacked 5 times in the ball game from a terrifying defence which has been lead by Clay Matthews and BJ Raji, not to mention a decent secondary as well.

Chicago vs. Seattle: Final Score: 35 – 24. Could lightning strike twice? Aparently not. The cinderella Seahawks of a week ago managed to pull off a great upset against the Saints but were not so lucky to do so at soldier field. The Chicago Bears easily defeated the Seahawks with a misleading score. The Bears were leading 28 -3 going into the 4th quarter when the Bears let off the gas a little bit and cruised into a victory. Matt Hasselbeck played another great game throwing for 258 yards and 3 TD’s and the key stat, no INT’s. So what happened if Hasselbeck played a great game why didnt they win? Well it was Jay Cutler getting it done on the other side of the ball. Cutler threw for 274 yards and 2 TD’s also no INT’s. Culter also rushed for 2 TD’s and the bears established a solid old school smash mouth football running game with Forte, Taylor and Cutler running a few times on scrambles. Plain and simple the Seahawks lost that amazing Lynch who was held 2 yards on 4 carries, hardly the game he had the previous week.

Cutler played extremely well and thats thanks to a great running game which ate up the weaker Seahawks D-Line. Greg Olsen also helped with 113 yards and a TD. Devin Hester remained contained but the Bears were just too much on offense and defense which made a difference in the end over a weaker Seattle team.

New York Jets vs. New England Patriots: Final Score: 28 – 21. This was easily the best game this weekend or at worst the second best game and how fitting that it was the last game of the weekend as well. There was a lot of talk going on before this game and it added a lot more fuel to the fire of the newly established rivalry between these two teams. The game started off kind of shaky for the #1 AFC seed. Brady threw an early INT which was almost returned for a TD had Crumpler not made the tackle. Well that should have been easy points right? Nope the Jets shot themselves in the foot and missed a short field goal after going backwards instead of forwards. The pats took an early 3-0 lead going into the 2nd quarter.

The Jets took over from there and didnt look back scoring 2 TD’s in the 2nd quarter both on passes from Mark Sanchez who engineered 2 great drives down the field. Holmes also had a touchdown in the corner on a spectacular grab which was almost as good as his superbowl catch with the steelers. The 4th quarter was the final pull away for the Jets as they scored 2 more TD’s as the Pats were only able to put up a TD and a field goal therefore costing them the game.

Mark Sanchez played extremely well as he went 16/25 194 yards and 3 TD’s and 0 INT’s. With a solid running attack with LT and Greene to balance nicely. Brady was sacked 5 times in the game as Ellis got to him twice in the 1st quarter alone. Brady looked shaky through out the game and was afraid to put the ball to someone else other than Crumpler and Branch who were both covered well. The Jets defence and their shutdown corners (Revis and Cromartie) made a huge difference causing a lot of coverage sacks or Brady throwing the ball away which made the difference.

To sum up the week, both the #1 seeds were ousted and both the #6 seeds are moving on to the championship game which will both be held by the #2 seeds. Check back later on in the week when I break down the championship games.


Armaan Ahluwalia is a writer with the Dalhousie Gazette. Check out his website at www.1inthestands.wordpress.com and follow him on twitter @therealbrindian.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Rainmen End Week on High Note

Kavon Jones had a double double for the Rainmen with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
by Petec Clarke
THE GIST OF IT
In a week that saw ice and snow blow into Halifax, the Rainmen looked way colder than their southern rival, Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry out of Oklahoma. It was a classic case of not playing all four quarters for the Rainmen.

After a strong 24 point first quarter, the defending PBL champion Cavalry held Halifax to 13 in the second quarter and ran the score up very quickly.

As a result, the Rainmen were playing catch up for the whole second half and it obviously took its toll. That isn’t to say they didn’t do well. The Rainmen owned the rest of the game wining both the third and fourth quarters by two points each. In the end though it wasn’t enough to catch up to the run and gun Cavalry.

That all changed when Kentucky came to town on Saturday night though. The Rainmen dominated the Stallions.

To say this game was a one sided affair would be an understatement. Halifax controlled the game at both end of the floor and did not take the foot off the gas for the full 48 minutes.

The Stallions were limited to 29 points for the first half, scoring an embarrassing 12 points in the opening quarter, which really set the tone for the rest of the game.

WHO DID IT
The Rainmen had a frustrating loss to the defending champion Cavalry but still managed to have consistent production for the stat sheet.

They were led by starting point guard Taliek Brown with 18 points six rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Kavon Jones came up with a big double-double, 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Mike Mercer chipped in with 15, Josh Dollard scored 13 and Eric Crookshank continued his excellent bench production with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Despite these strong numbers from the Rainmen’s key players they were not able to get a leg up on the stalwart Cavalry.

Everyone one the Rainmen squad was able to contribute to the big win over Kentucky on Saturday.

Tommy Mitchell who racked up 19 points led them.

Brown was excellent again with 18 points and seven assists.

Mercer also had 18 as he took advantage of running the floor with Brown.

Dollard and Jones each had 13 as they came off the bench together.

Desmond Ferguson had a decent night too. He was three for six from downtown with 12 points in total.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
On Tuesday against the Cavs, the Rainmen did not execute well on the defensive end. When the Cavs weren’t running on the Rainmen, they were playing a perfect pick and roll offense and the Rainmen were not closing out on the poppers.

If you take away that second quarter, the Rainmen would have won, but that’s not how things work.

It wasn’t a total loss however. Kavon Jones really came into his own in front of the home crowd. He is proving to be the emotional heart of this year’s Rainmen team. He is fired up no matter what the game situation is and has been playing with great energy.

It’s surprising to watch Jones because he is a big man with incredible ball handling skills. Not many power forwards will face up their man to do a few size-up dribbles before taking it to the hoop.

On Saturday night against the Stallions it was clear that Halifax was playing with a chip on their shoulders. They had something to prove to their fans and to themselves.

They did that and then some in the first half. The Rainmen were playing as a team. Everyone was getting touches and contributing. By the end of the first half, all but one player on the roster for the Rainmen had scored. They were revved up and playing at a pace that no one saw against the Cavs.

Taliek Brown ran a very good offense in Saturday’s game. He can push the ball up the floor fast or play slow and use the clock. What is surprising about him is how quietly he seems to rack up points. In this past week he has scored 36 points without much flash – he simply plays good fundamental basketball and plays within himself, avoiding tough shots.

The same cannot be said for his backup Tajuan Porter however.

Porter is a proven three-point marksman but has not been able to find his groove in the Rainmen offense. He scored only sick against the Cavs and only three against Kentucky.

Part of this might have to do with his position at the point. He can handle the ball but it might help the Rainmen to experiment with Porter playing off the ball more and coming off screens to spot up. He is simply too small of a guy to be shooting with a defender in his face. Hopefully Porter’s offense will come as the season progresses.

HECKLER’S ROW BURN OF THE WEEK
“Hey 50, Strick said finish your breakfast, not everyone else’s”


Peter Clarke is a graduate of Kings with a degree in Journalism. Check out his blog at http://rainmen.kingsjournalism.com/ and follow hom on twitter @rainmenblogger.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Rainmen Gameday; Halifax Looks to Get Back on Track Vs. Kentucky

Taliek Brown has been a steady presence so far for the Rainmen
by Jared Hochman
The Halifax Rainmen will look to get back to their winning ways on Saturday when the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions step into the storm at the Metro Centre.

Catch the action on Haligonia.ca at 7 p.m. Bill and Mavs will have the call.

Halifax (2-1) started the season with two victories, but dropped its most recent decision 105-94 on Tuesday to Lawton-Fort Sill.

Point guard Taliek Brown led the Rainmen with 18 points and six players placed in double figures. Offense wasn’t the problem, however, as it was the defense that let Halifax down.

The Cavaliers were the first opponent to shoot better than 50 per cent for the game (52.2) and reach the 100-point plateau against Halifax this season. Halifax also struggled in the 3-point department, going just 2-for-18 from behind the arc.

Halifax should be able to get its defense back on track against Kentucky, a squad that is the second-worst scoring team in the PBL.

The Bluegrass Stallions are led by former Kentucky State power forward Kenny Jones, who averages 19.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but the team shoots just 42.8 per cent from the field and is an abysmal 21.1 per cent from beyond the 3-point line, a league worst.

Halifax will look to continue its balanced attack, as it has had a different leading scorer each night. Mike Mercer leads the Rainmen with 16.7 points per game, but six other players, including Kavon Jones (15.7), Brown (15.3) and Desmond Ferguson (13.7) also average better than 12 points per contest.

The Rainmen will also look to get back to what is quickly becoming their trademark, and that is going to work on the offensive glass. Halifax leads the PBL with 17 offensive rebounds per game. All those second-and-third chances at the basket translate to easy baskets and less empty possessions.

Veteran Eric Crookshank is again at the heart of the team’s post presence, averaging 5.7 offensive boards per game and 13 rebounds overall. Jones is the other half of the Rainmen’s interior-duo, grabbing 4.3 offensive and 8.7 total rebounds per night.

Halifax owns a rebounding margin of plus-5.67 per game, whereas Kentucky is -5.25. If the Rainmen can continue to control the glass and continue Kentucky’s cold shooting, they should be able to notch their first non-division win and continue the march back to the PBL playoffs.

Jared Hochman is a graduate of the University of King’s College journalism program. You can follow him on Twitter @ JaredLHochman.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

AUS Women`s Basketball Preview; Colley vs. Colbourne in Fredericton the Main Event

It`s a battle of the top 2 scorers in the country when Justine Colley and the Huskies travel to Fredericton to play Claire Colbourne`s first place UNB Varsity Reds.
by Bill McLean
Put up your dukes.

The top two scorers in CIS women's basketball go head to head this weekend in Fredericton when the Saint Mary's Huskies (4-5, 10 pts) visit the UNB Varsity Reds (7-1, 18 pts) in a pivotal four point game.

The Huskie's Justine Colley leads the country in scoring with 24 points per game, while Claire Colbourne of the Reds is close behind averaging just over 22 points.

Colley, the second year dynamo from East Preston, is coming off a 33 point performance versus the Panthers at the Tower. Colbourne, a six foot freshman from Calgary, has been the biggest impact player in the country and has combined with veteran Amanda Sharpe (18 ppg) to propel the Reds to a #5 ranking in the CIS, one season after missing the AUS playoffs.

The fifth place Huskies have eight points in the standings on the line with their road trip to UNB and UPEI. The first place Reds will be looking to keep momentum building from their dominating two game sweep of the Memorial Seahawks last weekend.

In other women's basketball action:

Friday/Saturday – Acadia (4-4, 12 pts) at Cape Breton (6-3, 16 pts) - Outstanding battle of athletic basketball teams. The rejuvenated Axewomen travel to Sydney hot off back to back wins in Wolfville over Saint Mary's and St FX, riding the coattails of the CIS player of the week, Emma Duinker. Duinker averaged 24 ppg over the weekend for an Acadia team that is suddenly looking like an upper tier team in the conference. The Capers are coming off an upset loss to the Dalhousie Tigers due to an uncharacteristic fourth quarter collapse. The Capers may be hurting in the middle as Stephanie Toxopeus was noticeably hobbling on sunday versus the Tigers, and Denisha Haywood was benched for the remaining ten minutes of the 71-67 loss at Dalplex. However, 5th year senior Kari Everitt is back from injury and dominating once again. Everitt's sizzling two game performance versus the Tigers in which she totalled 51 points could have easily garnered her AUS player of the week honours.

Friday/Saturday – Memorial (4-4, 14 pts) at Saint Francis Xavier (5-2, 14 pts) – Doug Partridge's Seahawks are in uncharted territory coming off an unprecedented weekend long thrashing on their home court in St. John's. Memorial was outscored by the UNB Varsity Reds by a whopping 45 points in the two game set that had a lot of AUS pundits and observers rubbing their eyes in disbelief. The X-Women will be looking to rebound after an upset loss last weekend versus Acadia. The teams are currently tied for third place with 14 points each.

Friday- Dalhousie (2-5, 6 pts) at UPEI (0-8) – The Tigers have gone from a lock to finish seventh to an up and coming team hell bent on a playoff berth by virtue of one huge victory this past sunday. The Tiger's improbable win over the Capers has put the team only four points behind Saint Mary's for the last playoff spot and given hope to a group of youngsters that was supposed to be building towards next season. If Anna Stammberger's Tigers can travel to UPEI with a focused effort they should get 4 easy points and put themselves in position for a playoff run.

Saturday – Saint Mary's at UPEI- The return of Susanne Canvin to UPEI should be a romp for a Huskies team that will likely be coming off a loss to UNB and desperate for a four point win in the standings. However, Carly Clarke's rebuilding Panthers haven't won a conference game since Clarke took over at the start of the 2009 season. With the sixth and seventh place teams visiting this weekend, count on her hard working group of freshman and sophomores to make a serious charge at the Huskies and Tigers in Charlottetown.



Noteworthy Statlines from last weekend
(CIS Athlete of the Week) Emma Duinker, Acadia- 25 pts, 9 rebs vs. St FX (80-75 W)
Justine Colley, SMU- 33 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assists vs. UPEI (79-53 W)
Susanne Canvin, SMU- 11 pts, 16 rebs vs. UPEI (79-53 W)
Alexandria Forsey, MUN- 25 pts, 9 rebs vs. UNB (78-94 L)
Anna Von Maltzahn, Dalhousie- 18 pts, 10 rebs vs. CBU (71-67 W)
Leah Corby, UNB- 24 pts vs MUN (94-65 W)
Kari Everitt, CBU- 26 pts, 8 rebs vs. Dalhousie (77-66 W)
Patricia McNeil, Dalhousie- 24 pts vs. CBU (66--77 L)


Email us at sports@haligonia.ca. Follow us on facebook (haligonia sports) and on twitter @haligoniasports.

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview

After surviving an injury plagued regular season, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are primed for a run at the Super Bowl.
by Armaan Ahluwalia
It's approaching fast, only a few more weeks till the Super Bowl in Dallas and we are left with 8 teams who could possibly all take home the title. If the divisional round is anything like the wild card games we are in for a treat as the wild card was exciting and full of surprises.


Ravens at Steelers


The first game of the weekend is on saturday at 5pm atlantic time which has the Baltimore Ravens heading to Heinz field in the keystone state to battle it out with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This happens to be the 3rd time that these teams will meet this year. This game is becoming a trend as they end up seeing each other in the playoffs. Both of these teams are tough physical teams and expect a shoot-out. When they played earlier this year both games were decided by 3 points, and they both were defensive battles going down to the wire with less than 20 points being scored in both games.

With Baltimore coming off a huge victory at Arrowhead Stadium, where they looked sharp they are in good standing to compete with the tough Steelers. I would expect this game to be decided by at the max 7 points, as both teams have stellar defenses. The matchup to watch when the Steelers have the ball will be the Steelers offensive line which has been weak vs the strong defensive front 7 which will give them lots of problems. When the Ravens have the ball the matchup to look out for will be Joe Flacco vs. Troy Polamalu. Polamalu has given Flacco huge amounts of problems over the years as he is one of the best safetys in the league and is all over the field and reads QB’s like no one else.

This game could go either way, I know that is such a cliche but these teams are so evenly matched its amazing. Both offences have weapons with Big Ben, Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, and Rashard Mendenhall. On the Ravens they have Flacco, Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin, and Todd Heap. Their defenses are both evenly matched with the Ravens having the slight advantage. When it comes down to it, it will be the Ravens defense vs. the Steelers offense. I like the Steelers to pull out of this one with Big Bens experience in the last 2 minutes of the game being the game changer.

Steelers 14 – Ravens 10


Packers at Falcons


The other Saturday game features the Packers and the high flying Falcons who own the #1 seed. The Pack are coming off a huge victory in the city of brotherly love over Vick and the high octane offense which had many people picking them all the way to the finals. That soon changed as the defense had other ideas and stopped Vick and company.

This game has a few advantages for the Falcons as they have home field advantage where Matty Ice Ryan has an almost perfect record. The Packers have been relying on their passing game and Aaron Rodgers who has been great for their them in key situations. The key match-ups in this game are as follows. When the Packers have the ball it will be the Falcons secondary vs. Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers picks apart defenses and it doesnt matter who they are, it will be interesting to see if they can apply enough pressure to break down Rodgers. When the Falcons have the ball the matchup to watch will be Matt Ryan vs. Clay Matthews. Ryan will need to stand up right for the Falcons to have a chance against a good secondary and front 7. Basically a good overall defense, he needs to be standing not picking himself up from the turf. Dom Capers has done a great job of using BJ Raji and Matthews who got after Vick a very mobile QB.

This game will be a mid range shootout, in the sense that their will be some scoring but it wont get Packers – Cardinals crazy. I like the Packers to upset the Falcons in this one as the Packers defense gave Philli way to much trouble. Look for the cheese heads to ground yet another high flying team which gets in their way.

Packers 27 – Falcons 23


Seahawks at Bears


The first Sunday game travels to Chicago where the Bears take on the surprising Seahawks. The Seahawks came off a jaw dropping performance against the heavily favoured Saints. The game took place at Qwest field where it has gained a reputation of being one of the loudest stadiums in all of the NFL. That combined with Hasselbeck’s great performance and Marshawn Lynch who just destroyed the Saints defence with his 67 yard run throwing players off of him and breaking tackles left, right and center.

The matchups to watch in this game will be Devin Hester vs. the Seahawks Special Teams. The electric Hester is a game changer and can make for great field position which will help the offense. The other matchup will be the Bears front 7 vs. Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is a powerfull runner and will be relied upon to carry the load.

The Seahawks beat the defending champ Saints last week, but that was at Qwest field. This week they go to a hostile Bears stadium where its not the same crowd cheering for you. This would be a stretch for the Hawks to win, but who knows if they could pull it off? I like the Bears, Cutler, Forte and Hester to pull away into the Championship game.

Bears 31 – Seahawks 17


Jets at Patriots


The final game in the week has to be one of the most anticipated games of the divisional round. It has the New England Patriots facing off against the New York Jets for the 3rd time this year in Foxborough, Mass. The last time these teams met the Jets got hammered. Like they had nothing, they lost 45-3. That is brutal. For a team looking good they got beat down hard. The Pats havent looked back and finished the year 14-2 and dominating playoff teams on the way to their #1 spot. Antonio Cromartie has been adding some fuel to the fire as he called Tom Brady and Ass—- in the press this past weekend going out saying that he taunted the Jets in their big loss. This is making for a much better atmosphere in New England as both teams get ready to battle.

The matchups will be key to this game as when the Pats have the ball the matchup will be Tom Brady vs. Cromartie/Wilson/Revis. I put all of them in there because well Revis is always a battle but is almost a sure victory and Cromartie will be a good contest and they might take advantage of rookie Kyle Wilson which could make a difference. When the Jets have the ball it will be LT/Greene vs. Pats front 7. This will be key because if the Jets win this they will not have to use Mark Sanchez who is still learning and is a little bit inexperienced.

In this game I like the Patriots to come out at home and beat the Jets, but this game will not be like that last as the Jets defense will come to play and the offense will not be that big of a disappointment. Brady will be, well Brady.

Patriots 24 – Jets 20

In other news, coaching positions are slowly starting to fill up as teams make their decisions for the future. So far Leslie Frazier – Vikings, Jason Garrett – Cowboys, Jim Harbaugh – 49ers, Ron Rivea – Panthers, Pat Shurmur – Browns, and just a few hours ago John Fox signed with the Broncos.


Armaan Ahluwalia is a writer for the Dalhousie Gazette. Check out his blog at www.1inthestands.wordpress.com and follow him on twitter @therealbrindian.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Derek vs.The Spread: Divisional Playoffs

Tom Brady hates the New York Jets...and they hate him.
by Derek Leblanc
Welcome to week 2 of Derek vs. the spread and I can’t help but pat myself on the back after going 3-1 in both my spread picks and straight up winners. The only team that cost me was the Seahawks and the 12th man. New Orleans secondary could not get it done but I am sure there are a few Saints fan thought that Drew Brees being on the cover of Madden hurt them. The one trend that looked good last week three road teams winning. While it is hard to see that happening again, I can see it happening again, so let’s get right to it.


Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)
Ravens-When we watched the Ravens beat up on the Chiefs last week, it was really the only game that people knew how it was going to end up. It won't be any different this week but this game will be a lot of closer between these division rivals. Baltimore will depend on their defense to get them through this one and they will need to get more help from their secondary. Baltimore should be able to stop Steelers running back Rashad Mendenhalll and keep them going to the air. While the Ravens were able to stop Matt Cassel last week it will be hard to stop Big Ben. The Ravens secondary was ranked 21st this season but they did not have Ed Reed for the first six game. Reed and the rest of the secondary will have to have a big game and stop deep threat Mike Wallace if they want to go to the championship game. It will be hard because we know Reed will miss practice on the fact that his brother is missing so the fact Reed will play, you have to give him props. While the secondary is the key for the win so will the passing game. Joe Flacco may not be the best qb in the league but he is reliable and does not turn the ball over that much. If he and Anquan Boldin and Todd Heap have a big day, they could get it down.
Steelers-When it comes to the Steelers, they usually have the upper hand when it comes to beating the Ravens. The Ravens did beat them in week 3 you can argue that QB Ben Roethlisberger was still serving his four game suspension and if Jeff Reed didn't miss that field goal in the second half that the Steelers could have won that game. With the boys from steel town they have the upper head during the game on each end of the gridiron. The Steelers have the second best defense during the regular season and were the best on the run. Guys like James Harrison and James Farrior were able to stop the Ravens both times this season holding them under 100 yards. While we talk about the front seven we can't forget about Tory Palamalou who is really the heart and soul of this team. While most people will say Big Ben, they still went 3-1 without him this year and the Steelers went 9-7 last year where Polamalu missed most of the season due to a nagging leg injury, The only part with the Steelers that I do have to question is the offensive line, They have been good this year but they have had three starters go out for the season. Veterans like 17 year nab Flozell Adams will have to be a big help and prevent guys like Terreal Suggs and Ray Lewis from getting to the quarterback. The offense will be fine with threats like Heath Miller, Hines Ward and Mike Wallace.
Outcome-This game is the hardest to pick between the two because the last four games they have played each other have all been decided by a field goal. I think the winner will be on what future secondary hall of famer will have the better game between Reed and Polamalu. I think Mr. Head and Shoulders and his thicker looking hair will get the win but it will be another close game but the Ravens will just get enough to cover the three point spread.



Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
Green Bay-While most weeks this season I was watching the greatest invention known to man as NFL Red zone, the rare week I didn't see it on week 12 which gave me a great game between Green Bay and Atlanta were the Falcons won 20-17 . While the easy thing to do would to pick the Falcons again, the stats would say otherwise. In that game that Packers pretty much won every battle and it is the one that has been setting them back all season and that is team rushing. The top rusher that day was quarterback Aaron Rodgers who got 56 yards. If they can get somewhat of the same effort that James Starks gave them against the Eagles last week then the Packers should be able to go in and upset the best team in the NFC. The Packers played a very good game last week and were able to stop the Eagles and were able to stop Michael Vick on the run attack. Vick was still able to throw for 292 yards and with DeSean Jackson being banged up and David Akers missed two field goals which would have gotten the Eagles the game. The offense for the part was still good and Aaron Rodgers and his vast targets taking the Philadelphia to school. If the Packers want to head to Chicago or Seattle next week then there secondary will have to play like they have all season expect the last game they played and they will be one step closer to getting to Dallas.
Atlanta-When you look at the stats closely, Atlanta final rankings for offense and defense were at 16th. While they are both respectable spots, you wonder how this team went 13-3 in the season. There are plenty of reason this team has success, the main one is that they don't do stupid things with the ball. Head Coach John Smith has put the right pieces together and has a winning product. On offense we see that Matt Ryan is on the verge of being an elite quarterback in the league and if he can win his first playoff game Saturday he can go in the conversation with Manning, Brees and Brady. They got Michael Turner and Jason Snelling running the ball and they got one of the league’s best receivers in Roddy White and the best tight end of all time in Tony Gonzalez. On the defensive side, while they don't have a big name star on that side, they do manage to get the job done. There pass defense is ranked 15th in the past with an underrated player like Frank Grimes. On the front end they were 12th best against the rush with veteran John Abraham anchoring up the middle. I also got to think that with Gonzalez playing in his 12th season that the team will want to rally around to get him a super bowl ring. As long as the Falcons do not turn the ball over they should be able to get enough offense to make the Packers worried and put them in a panic.
Outcome-Liked I said last week that you got to dance with the one that brought you and I will stick by that and get the Packers to cover the spread and win outright. While Atlanta has been one of the best teams this year, I think that the Packers rushing attack will be better than last time they played and that will be the difference maker.



Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (-10)
Seattle-What to say about the Seattle Seahawks, while myself and plenty of others people thought they had no chance last week against the Saints. The one of the things I said that could make a difference and it helped was the crowd, otherwise known as the 12th man. The fans is Seattle were so loud during Marshawn Lynch's 64 td run with the best stiff arm of all time that it registered on the rector scale. Lynch and the rest of the offense were able to hang loose and played their best game of the year and Matt Hasselbeck played like he did five years ago. The defense was still another story. While they may have won the game, the defense did still not look that good. Drew Brees was still able to throw over 300 yards passing but the Seahawks were able to stop the run but that was against the Saints fourth running back on the depth chart. The big plus is the that the Seahawks did beat the Bears week 9 at home 23-20 so they have the confidence and if they play loose I think Seattle can get a win again.
Chicago-Now while I may have shown disrespect to the Seahawks last week, it will be nowhere the disrespect that I will show to the Bears this week. The only reason this team even got a first round bye was because they have the best front seven in the league headed by Lance Briggs and Brain Urlacher and the best kick-off man of all time in Devin Hester. While they have these pieces, everything else is overhyped. There secondary was ranked 20th which is ok but it does cost the Bears some games at times. Their offense was even worse being ranked 22nd on the run, 28th on the pass which got them ranked 30th overall and there offensive line is one of the weakness in the league. Finally we cannot forget about the reincarnation of Jeff George in Jay Cutler. While he has one of the best arms in the league, he makes stupid decisions and throws too many picks. While you can say he doesn't have the pieces with the Bears, he had guys like Brandon Marshall in Denver and still had problems. It is like the episode of South Park where Stan and Kyle said that you suck but my dad said you could be good someday. Everyone is waiting for that moment but I think this is the best we will see him. Cutler can get nervous at times and this being his first playoff game, I can only imagine what he will be like on Sunday. If the Bears want to win this game, there front seven need to get to Hasselback and let Elliot Gould kick a few field goals to seal the deal
Outcome-While a lot of people will be looking to ride high with Seattle to beat the spread, I will be doing the same and I think they will win outright and go to the NFC championship.
 


New York Jets vs. New England Patriots (-8.5)
Patriots-For anyone who does know me, I am a Patriots fan. While everyone is pretty much ready to hand the Lombardi trophy to them, they can be beaten and you have to look at their defense. The Pats were ranked 25th in yards per game and were 30th in the secondary only ahead of the Eagles and the Texans which meant that linebacker Jared Mayo had to play back a lot to prevent yards after the catch. The only bright spot in the back end of the field is rookie Devin McCourty who was able to get 7 interceptions have him in talks for defensive rookie of the year. It will be hard for McCourty to handle the pressure for the secondary in his first playoff game; thank god he is only facing Mark Sanchez. While the pass defense was bad the run was still good which ranked 11th. It is hard to consider because of the team’s best players in defensive end Ty Warren has been out for the season. Vince Wilfork has been carrying more of the load and has stepped up to the challenge. The only thing I can hope is that when Wolfork is a free agent in the offseason that they will reward the league's best nose tackle for this. With the offense, all I got to say is Tom Brady. He has had one of his best seasons and he only threw 4 picks and the offense as a whole only turned the ball over 10 times. The receivers and running have been good and we got two stars in the making at tight end with Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. The unsung hero of the offense this year has been veteran tight end in Agle Crumpler. While only catching the ball six times this year, he has been helping the two young guys and has been on the field most of the time being an extra blocker on the offensive line. The Patriots will have no problem on the offensive side with the front five they have.
Jets-Say what you will about Rex Ryan and his talking but he has been getting the job done. In just two years, Ryan has already got the most postseason wins for the Jets and is the only coach in team history to have win in the playoffs in back to back seasons. He has also done this without playing a game at home in the meadowlands. Ryan has done a good job with this team and the defense and special teams and we did see that last weekend in the win against the Colts. Besides that one drive the Colts made late in the fourth quarter and defensive back Darrelle Revis held Reggie Wayne to just one yard. While the defense was able to put a stop on things, there running attack did the same. They were able to control the clock and there time of possession in the game was. LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene were able to rush for in the game. The only part of the game that was a problem was Mark Sanchez. He was able to make a big drive to get them into field goal range to win but he looked rusty for the most part missing over half of his passes. He can handle the pressure thou because with the three wins has won more games than any Jets QB. He has been having shoulder troubles the last few weeks so that could be the issue, well that and receiver Santino Holmes missing too many catches. He still does have Braylon Edwards who has gotten rid of his past of being a butterfingers. One of my closet friends Jon McDonald did point out that Edwards has only dropped two balls this year. I think if Sanchez can get the ball to him then there will be plenty of pissed off Patriots fans like myself and plenty of other people who will lose money picking the Patriots at the start of the playoffs.
Outcome-While that +8.5 is pretty temping to take with the Jets, it just won't happen. Tom Brady has been too automatic this season and in the playoffs where he is 15-4 lifetime. Don’t forget with Brady that he has won 26 of his last 27 games in Foxboro. While the Jets will play a better game than that 45-3 spanking they got in week 13 it won't be enough to get to a second straight AFC championship.



Derek LeBlanc is a huge NFL football fan and is a mixed martial arts writer who writes for www.topmmanews.com. He resides in Halifax and can be reached at dleblanc@topmmanews.com.

Rainmen Fall to Cavalry

Eric Crookshank had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Rainmen in a loss to the PBL Champs.
by Joel McDougall
After a two day delay, the Halifax Rainmen took the court against the PBL defending champs, Fort-Sill Cavalry. The 2-0 Rainmen saw this match-up as a good early season test against a quality opponent.

Halifax held their own and battled the Cavalry hard for three out of the four quarters, but a bad second was the difference. The Rainmen were never able to claw all the way back.

If you omit the second quarter, there was only a two point difference between each team in the other three quarters, with the Rainmen holding the advantage in the final two frames.

But a 26-13 second quarter gave the Cavalry a comfortable lead and defending champs rarely squander such opportunities.

After Fort-Sill started the second quarter on a 10-0 run, the Rainmen lost a bit of focus and poise. They began rushing shots and making bad decisions with the ball; not the way to stop a drought.

The Cavalry were led by Elvin Mims who put up 24 points (20 in the second half) to go a long with his six boards, two assists and two blocks.

For the Rainmen, Taliek Brown led the way with 18 points. Kavon Jones (16 pts, 11 rebs) and Eric Crookshank (12 pts, 15 rebs) each had posted a double-double.

Jones’ play, or lack thereof, may have been the x-factor for the Rainmen loss. When in the game, Jones proved to be a force on the boards and putting up points.

The big man saw limtied action in the first half though. After picking up two quick fouls in the first quarter, Jones took a spot on the bench. He came back in the second, but only managed about two minutes before picking up another foul. He only saw a total of about five minutes of action in the half.

Another contributing factor to his low minutes could have been a collision that saw Jones hit the deck hard in the first quarter. Drivng to the bucket, the Cavalry defender came in hard on Jones and sent him to the floor. Jones was slow to get up, but initially stayed in the game.

By the end of the third quarter, it seemed the Rainmen were beginning to claw their way back from the 15-point deficit at the half, and momentum was swinging their way.

Crookshank and Marshall Mitchell hooked up on a pretty alley-oop that got the crowd back into the game late in the third. Not long after Crookshank nailed a buzzer-beating trey to end the quarter.

A few late fouls, helped Halifax pull close with a few minutes left, getting within eight at one point, but ultimately they couldn’t makeup the ground they’d lost in the second Q.

After the game, Cavalry coach Michael Ray acknowledged the talent on the Halifax team, but attributed the difference to having a relatively consistent roster over the last few seasons.

The Rainmen return to action Saturday at 7 pm at the Metro Centre as they go head-to-head with the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions.
Joel McDougall is a writer and broadcaster living in Halifax. Visit Joel's website at www.route19.wordpress.com and follow him on twitter @jmdougall.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

#1 Capers at #2 Tigers Highlights Busy Opening Weekend of AUS Action

Simon Farine (left) and Joe Schow (right) welcome the undefeated Cape Breton Capers to the Dalplex this weekend.
by Bill McLean
A battle of the top two teams in AUS men's basketball highlights a busy weekend of action as the varsity season kicks off the second term.

Defending champion and first place Cape Breton (7-0, 20p) will face the second place Dalhousie Tigers (4-1, 14p) at the Dalplex in a two game set beginning Saturday night at 8:00. The second game will tip off at 4:00 on Sunday.

The Capers are home after a holidays tour of China, while the Tigers are coming off a loss to St Francis Xavier in the championship game of the Rod Shoveller Memorial Tournament over the weekend.

The Capers may have the best starting lineup in the AUS with Paris Carter, Jimmy Dorsey, Phillip Nkrumah, and Tremaine Fraser all averaging double figures. Cape Breton is the highest scoring team in the conference and lead in turnover margin with a lofty 5.29.

For the Tigers, fifth year senior Simon Farine is once again the leading scorer averaging 15 ppg, while Joe Schow is averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds. The Tigers are the second best defensive team in the AUS surrendering only 75 ppg and have finally added a transition attack with the addition of several athletic players.

“We'll need Simon, Schow, Juleous Grant, and Alex Arthur to really play well if we're going to have a chance” said Tigers Head Coach John Campbell earlier this week. “We're hoping we can get them into foul trouble and create some match up problems.”

If you can't make it out to Dalplex the game can be seen on ssncanada.ca.

Also this weekend in Men's Basketball:

Saturday, St FX (3-2, 8p) vs. UPEI (1-5, 2p) - The X-Men try to build on their Rod Shoveller championship and take care of business at home vs. Panthers.

Saturday/Sunday - UNB (3-3, 6p) vs. MUN (1-5, 4p) – A tough weekend trip to St. John's for UNB to begin the term. The two game set could go a long way in determining the final playoff spot.

Saturday, SMU (2-5, 6p) vs. Acadia (3-3, 8p) - The health of Justin Boutlier for Acadia is key in this match up. Huskies will be looking to get a tough road win as they continue to gel.

Sunday, St FX vs. Acadia- Battle of outstanding guards, Christian Upshaw vs. Anthony Sears. Owen Classen of Acadia could give the X-Men a huge match up problem.

Sunday, UPEI vs. SMU- Mannock Lual of the Panthers could have a huge game here. A must win game for a Huskies team struggling to find an identity.


Women's Basketball

Saturday/Sunday, Cape Breton (5-2, 14p) vs. Dalhousie (1-4, 4p)
– Big trouble for the Tigers. Anna Stammberger's youthful team struggles with full court pressure, and the Capers excel at applying it.

Saturday/Sunday, UNB (5-1, 14p) vs. MUN (4-2, 14p) – These teams are tied for first place. They split a weekend set in Fredericton in November. Claire Colbourne is averaging 24 ppg for the Reds.

Saturday, UPEI (0-6) vs. St FX (4-1, 12p) – Could be a struggle for Carly Clarke's rebuilding Panthers. The X-Women are deep and athletic.

Saturday, SMU (3-4, 6p) vs. Acadia (2-4, 6p) – These teams combined for the 4th highest scoring game in CIS women's history back in October at the Tower. Justine Colley is averaging 22 ppg for the Huskies while Emma Duinker averages 21 for Acadia.

Sunday, UPEI vs. SMU – Expect the Huskies Susanne Canvin to have a huge game versus her former team.

Sunday, St Fx vs Acadia- An outstanding match up of athletic teams. The key will be how Acadia handles the full court pressure of the X-Women.

Men's Hockey

Dalhousie (8-8) vs. UPEI (9-5-2) - The nationally ranked Panthers feature the three top scorers in the AUS in Matt Carter (29p), Cory Vitarelli (24), and Michael MacIsaac (23, tied with Hunter Tremblay of UNB). UPEI will looking to bounce back after losing to Acadia last night. The Tigers were on the cusp of their first national ranking in years but this weekend trip to UNB (Tigers lost 5-0) and UPEI may set them back. Highly touted recruit Zach Harden is making debut for Dalhousie.

Acadia (8-6-2) at UNB (12-4) – The Axemen got a huge win at PEI last night but will be in tough vs. (arguably) the best team in the country. The Reds got revenge on Dalhousie last night with a 5-0 shellacking and will be looking for the same against Acadia who beat them 3-2 in Wolfville in November.

St.Thomas (2-11-3) vs. Saint Mary's (11-4-1) – The national champs are a virtual lock at the Forum versus a Tommies team that would appear to be rebuilding and destined for the basement this season.

Moncton (5-9-2) vs. St FX (9-6-1) – Moncton got whipped by Saint Mary's last night while the X-Men had no problem with STU. Moncton has added some high profile recruits and will be looking for a huge road win to close the gap on 6th place Dalhousie in the standings. The X-Men have proven to be the conference's streakiest team. They started the season with a four game winning streak, then lost six in a row, and have now won five of their last six with the only loss in overtime at STU.

Women's Volleyball

The first place Saint Mary's Huskies (6-4) have a tough weekend trip to New Brunswick. Tonight they'll play Moncton (5-4) and tomorrow they'll be in Fredericton visiting UNB (5-5). Moncton and UNB are tied for second place. St FX (4-5) is only two points behind in third and will travel to play the Capers (2-7). The AUS women's volleyball standings have been a logjam the last couple of years so every match will be critical down the stretch.


Women's Hockey

Lesley Jordan's Dalhousie Tigers (6-4-3) finally beat the Mount Allison Mounties (5-6-1) last night at the DMA. The Mounties had beaten the Tigers twice already this season and were well on their way to a third win behind the stellar play of goaltender Janelle Hulan. Laura Shearer scored for Dalhousie in the third period to tie the game at one, and Robin Nicholson scored in overtime to give the struggling Tigers a much needed victory. The Tigers had lost 5 of their last 6 before the holiday break. The Tigers outshot the Mounties 41-9.

SMU Huskies (4-6-2)at Moncton Aigles Bleues(9-3-1) – Moncton's Marieve Provost is the AUS all time leading scorer and she may be having her best season of her career. Provost leads all scorers with 32 points, 13 ahead of Janelle Parent of the X-Women in second place. Lisa Jordan's Huskies are rebuilding after winning the AUS championship last season.

St FX (11-0) at STU (6-6-1) – The powerhouse X-Women are undefeated, nationally ranked, and have their sights focused on an AUS championship. The Tommies are scrappy and will be looking to keep pace with Dalhousie in the middle of the pack.


Email us at sports@haligonia.ca. Check us out on facebook (Haligonia Sports) and follow us on twitter @haligoniasports.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Derek Vs. the Spread: Wild Card Weekend

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Peyton Manning and the Colts are in tough vs. the New York Jets.
By Derek LeBlanc

Hello everyone, it has been awhile since I have written anything for Haligonia Sports but with my favourite time of the year being the NFL playoffs, I decided to make picks for this postseason and so how well I really know my football and see how I do against the spread. With wild card weekend starting on Saturday afternoon we have no time for chit chat so let’s get to the point

New Orleans (-11) vs. Seattle

Saints-When it comes to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks, this is the Saints game to lose. The two teams played against each other back in week 11 and we see that there offense is still powerful even thou they were plagued with injuries to running backs, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Chris Ivory was good at times but he and Thomas have been put on IR so they will not play which leaves the rushing up to Bush and some carries for Juilias Jones. Drew Brees can still throw the ball and with all the targets around him like Marques Colston for example and had the numbers to show for it. The thing that would catch people by surprise is that the Saints defense was ranked 6th in yards per game and 3rd in pass defense. The Saints had a bad break or two and they are better than that 10-6 record indicates and can win big games like the Monday nighter in Atlanta.
Seahawks-When it comes to the Seahawks, I am reminded of the saying if you don’t have anything nice to say about them, don’t say anything at all. Anyone who watches football knows if they didn’t play in the NFC West that they would have been out of playoff contention by Thanksgiving. Their offense is ranked 28th in the league and are in the bottom 5 of rushing where is really the only chance they really have to beat them. We now know that Matt Hasselback will be starting but how healthy is he going into this game. While there offense is bad, the defense is not much better in which they were ranked 26th. Plus this team is young with really only Hasselback and secondary veteran Lawyer Malloy with major playoff experience coming off the top of my head. The only positives I see for them are there are the Seahawks fans (Known as the 12th man) were opponents find it hard to play in that stadium. Also they do have special team’s returner Leon Washington who was able to get 3 touchdowns this year after coming back from a broken fibula in week 7 last year while playing for the Jets.
Outcome-We seen what the Saints did to them in week 11 and I do not think it will not be much different the second time around. I expect the Saints to control the ball on offense and stop on defense and take the Seahawks to town and have no problem winning by more than there 11 point spread.

New York Jets vs. Indianapolis (-3)
Colts-Out of all the games to be matched up in the 1st round, The Indy Colts and New York Jets game is the hardest to pick. I think the only east bet is that it will be a close game between the two. With the Colts all you have to do is say the name Peyton Manning. When it is all said and done he will either have every record for a quarterback or will be in the top 3. The only thing with Peyton is for a couple of weeks he was looking more like his brother Eli. He had 11 picks between weeks 11-13 with all of them loses to the Patriots, Cowboys and Chargers. Exactly when you look at their records this season with teams that did 500 or better they ended up going 3-5. We also seen that without Joseph Addai that their running game was in worse shape than it was before but you can’t count their offense out as they ranked 4th in total yards with the injuries they had up front. The defense has also seen their share of hurt players with guys like Gary Brackett missing some time and Bob Sanders missing the season as well. There pass defense was ok but they have trouble stopping the run. They still have Dwight Freeny and Robert Mathis up front so they can still get to the quarterback. With the team winning four straight to end the season and most of their starters back, you cannot afford to take the Colts lightly.
Jets- It has been a rollercoaster year for the team from Darrell Revis’s holdout, the harassing of a female reporter during a preseason game and the foot fetish videos of coach’s Rex Ryan’s wife. Still the Jets had a good season for the most part going 11-5. The defense was still there bread and butter going 3rd in both yards per game and rush defense and there pass d finishing in the top 10. There was a big loss on the secondary when safety Jim Leonard went out for the season but with Colts tight end Dallas Clark also gone for the year, Manning won’t be able to get the ball up the middle. On the offensive side, while we see some growth out of second year QB Mark Sanchez, near the end of the season he was having some troubles. Also with a bum shoulder they got to hope Sanchez can go 100% and be smarter like he was at the start of the year. The jets depend on their running game of Shawn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson which was solid this year. This is will the Jets will attack because the Colts are ranked 25th on rushing yards per game this year. There is also special team’s standout Brad Smith as well so there is that threat to add on. Basically the game lays on Mark Sanchez and the Jets receiving core to not to turn the ball over.

Outcome-While my mind says to take the safe bet is the Colts, I just can’t see it happening. Sure Manning can throw for 400 yards at any time, his offense as a hole is to banged up for the Jets defense not to take advantage of. I think the Jets can run the ball down the Colts throat and send them packing early.

Baltimore (-3) vs. Kansas City
Chiefs-I don’t anyone predicted that Kansas City Chiefs would make the playoffs but they are here and they are a team on the rise. We see that this team has a great run game with their three headed monster of Thomas Jones, Jamal Charles and Dexter McCluster. When seen improves from Matt Cassell and he now has a number one target in Dywane Bowe. They have young defense with some future stars in Derrick Johnson and Eric Berry. The only problem with them is even thou they won the AFC West, the only team they beat with a 500 record or better was against the Chargers in week 1. I think they can surprise this week because while they beat up on lesser teams, they still went 7-1 at home.
Ravens-When it comes to the Ravens, we all know that they are a defensive minded that can hit at will with their backbone of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. We did see in games thou against the Bills and Texans were the defense showed some signs of weakness and blow 4th quarter leads. They will still able to rank 10th overall in defense and 5ht against the run which can be a big help for them because the Chiefs depend on that run game. Besides there d, we have seen that there offense is improving ever since Joe Flacco has been taken the snaps. While I still find that he hasn’t got to the elite level yet he has been doing better each year and with the targets like Anquan Boldin. The heart and soul of the Ravens thou is the running game behind him. Ray Rice is the most underrated running back in the game, Willis McGahee is solid as a backup and they have the best fullback in the game in Le’ron McClain. I think the Ravens can surprise people this post season.

Outcome-When you look at it both teams are really similar. While the offense is the same the Ravens defense is better the Chiefs. It will be a good learning experience at Arrowhead for KC but they have another year or two before they can start causing problems for AFC teams.

Green Bay vs. Philadelphia (-3)
Green Bay-On paper it looked like the Green Bay Packers were going to be in playing in Dallas no problem at the start of the season. While things changed with injuries throughout the season, they are still a big threat in the NFC. We see that Aaron Rodgers is one of the top five qb’s in football and has all the cheese heads saying Brett who. Rodgers has great cannon and has reliable weapons in Donald Lee, Donald Driver, Jori Nelson and Greg Jennings. On the defense, while various players went down this season, the team was still able to ranked 5th in the league. Clay Matthews was able to avoid the sophomore slump and grab 13.5 sacks while battling a hamstring and they still have current defensive player of the year and former Heisman winner Charles Woodson. The only problem the Packers have that there is no running game this season. They lost Ryan Grant in the first game and had to put him on injured reserve and no one has been able to fill his void. The offensive line while better this year but they still need improvement as well as we seen with the running game suffering and the concussion that Rodgers took against the Redskins.
Eagles-After Donavan McNabb was traded in the offseason, no one thought that the Philadelphia Eagles would finish dead last in the always competitive NFC East. While I had predicted on the Bill McLean Sports show that the Eagles would surprise everyone I thought it was going to be done with Kevin Kolb taking the snaps instead we seen the rebirth of Michael Vick. While he has been able to run the ball he finally has something that he really didn’t with Atlanta, receivers to throw the ball too. He has solid guys like Jeremy McClain, Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson who is also a threat on kick and punt returns. They also have LeSean McCoy to run in the backfield and all those weapons made the Eagles the number two offense. They do not have a great defense thou but they are good enough to get the job done. They have top guys like Trent Cole and Asante Samuel who does have two super rings with the New England Patriots. They will be missing some key guys as secondary man Ellis Hobbs is gone for the season and maybe his career and linebacker Stewart Bradley out for the playoffs but with the Packers running game the way it is he won’t be missed this week anyways.
Outcome-While both teams are great and can easily win the NFC, there is one stat that makes the difference. Cam Stewart from The Score television network brought up that the Eagles secondary gave 31 receiving touchdowns this year, only ahead of the Houston Texans. I picked Green Bay at the start of the year to win it all and like Shania Twain said, You got to dance with the one the brought you. Packers +3.

Derek LeBlanc is a mixed martial arts reporter who writes for topmmanews.com. He resides in Halifax and can be reached at dleblanc@topmmanews.com