MLB Preview, Final Four notes with some Tigger, D-Mac and Big Ben

Hold on to your seats kids, I'm rooting for Puke U. this Saturday against West Virginia.
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Yup, go Puke.

With the Heels in the NIT and my brackets ruined on the tourney's third day, I'm reduced to cheering for the best story (see Bulldogs, Butler U.).
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Oh the irony....big, bad Puke against the little guy for the title. Remember, the gym at Butler was the one used in the iconic "Hoosiers" film, scene of the greatest upset ever on the big screen and the same court with the foul line that is the same distance as our court back in Hickory.

Still, I'm destined for aggravation this year, Puke over Michigan State in the final.
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Donovan McNabb to the Raiders? I'm all over that one. JaMarcus Russell is one of the biggest busts of all time and, quite frankly, blows. I don't care about his roster bonus due in May, I don't have to write the check. Mr. Davis does.
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San Diego is done and rebuilding behind a QB still in puberty, Denver sucks and Kansas City will need to drop down to the Arena Football League to have a chance at a playoff berth.
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Heard Tigger has another presser coming on Monday.
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Here's a question for him..........Who cares?
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While you owe me nothing, either spill your guts and play some golf OR keep your pie-hole shut and play some golf.
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I'm not interested in another press conference where you say nothing, so I won't waste my time and, lets be very clear - my opinion is the only one that matters here. HA!
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BREAKING NEWS - Ben Roethlisberger has thrown his hat in the ring in the D-Bag of the Year voting, along with Gilbert Arenas and Lane Kiffin.
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Dude, heed this free advice......there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a love machine - yep, hehe - but do it right way. Seriously.
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Opening day in Major League Baseball is just a scant few hours away. After drafting the best team in fantasy baseball history, I'm all over the season this year---post season picks at bottom.
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AL East - The only thing I hate more than the Yankee TV announcers are the Yankee radio announcers so I won't pick them.....Still haven't forgiven the Red Sox for beating my A's in the 1975 playoffs when I was 10 so I hope they suck...Last I checked, Toronto is in another country and I'm still pissed that the skirt-wearing, purse-carrying Sidney Crosby scored the OT winner in the Olympics so they are out of the pool...Balitmore is building a nice, young team but they have no chance.
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I'll take Tampa Bay to win the East. Boston takes the Wild Card as the Yankees get old, fast.
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AL Central - Don't really care enough to waste time ripping these teams....Getting Jake Peavy will turn out to be the best move of the season. As long as he stays healthy, Peavy will be the difference in the Central for the ChiSox as they outlast Minnesota and Detroit.
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AL West - Los Angeles "Don't call me Anaheim" lost a ton of talent and replaced it with nothing....Seattle added Milton Bradley so you know they have no clue and Texas has never found a balance of offense and pitching.

No bias here.....the A's surprise the West with their pitching staff and win the West.
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NL East - Have to like Florida's chances now that the MLB brass and player's union have leaned of them to part with some of their revenue-sharing cabbage....Washington is building but are still far away...Atlanta will go full bore for Bobby Cox in his last year and the New York Mess are awful.
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With Roy Halladay in tow, the Phitin' Phils win another division title, Atlanta qualifies for another playoff berth before another playoff failure.
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NL Central - They need more teams in this division.....Pittsburgh? No....Houston? No...Milwaukee? Not bad, but not enough pitching to win the division....Would root hard for the Cubbies to break the 358-year hex but don't see it happening...Cincinnati might be the sleeper team in baseball but this isn't the year.
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St. Louis has the best player in baseball in Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday will recover from the fly ball to the cookies in the playoffs and have a huge season in helping the Cards - and my fantasy team.
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NL West - One Dodger owner wants $1 million a MONTH alimony from the other owner. That isn't even funny. Get a job like the rest of us....San Diego has no cash flow and even less talent....San Fran hung in there last year with little talent. They won't do it again....Can't figure out the D-Backs, they should be better but aren't.
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The thinking here is the Rockies will put it all together this year and claim the West.
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Playoff Predictions
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AL First Round - Tampa Bay over Oakland and Chicago over Boston.
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NL First Round - Philadelphia over Colorado, St. Louis over Atlanta.
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AL Champion - Tampa Bay Rays
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NL Champion - St. Louis Cardinals
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World Series Champion - Tampa Bay Rays in six over St. Louis.
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AL MVP - Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay
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NL MVP - Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado
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AL Cy Young - Jake Peavy
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NL Cy Young - Roy Halladay
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Most importantly.............Tri State Baseball Champ - Team Pugsley 2010

Hey Santa, just making sure your list is up to date

Just the kind of guy I am, always thinking of others and forever giving......I thought I'd help jolly 'ole St. Nick with his Christmas list this year and he readies to pack up the sleigh---secretly hoping he overlooks the "naughty" part of the deal when he stops by my humble abode............

For Ndamukong Suh, a big, fat contract befitting the top pick in the 2010 NFL draft after ignorant Heisman voters placed him fourth in the balloting......To Randy Moss, some heart and desire to offset the declining skill set and horsesh*t attitude....To Fans of the New York Yankees, some humility and the realization the universe does not center around the obnoxiousness emitted by their fans thru the horrific sounds and finger-nail scratching broadcasts of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

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To Tiger Woods, a HUGE package filled with some privacy to deal with his family issues (it is none of my business so i won't comment), and a parachute to soften the free-fall of his public persona that can only compare to my friend Gasper's fantasy baseball team every June...For Tim Tebow, a fair and decent shot in the NFL. I don't think he has any shot at success at QB, but he is a class act....A chance at a championship for Roy Halladay and for him to lead Team Pugsley back to TSBF fantasy baseball glory.

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To the City of New Orleans,a Super Bowl championship. The memory of Hurricane Katrina will live forever, a Super Bowl title would do wonders for the folks on the Bayou....Fans of the New York Giants, a 2009 season void of the playoffs....Boxer Manny Pacquiao, a win over Floyd Mayweather in March in the Fight of the Century.
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For Raymond Guy, his rightful place in the NFL Hall of Fame...To the Dallas Cowboy organization....some class--i think i requested this last year, Mr. Claus forgot----obviously.....For the NBA, a reason for me to care again after 12 years of ambivalence....A quick maturation period for the 09-10 North Carolina Tar Heel basketball team....A rules manual for Kentucky coach John Calipari.

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For our brave service men and women around the world, safety with hopes that all will be home soon. Sadly, there are too many d-bags on the planet to realistically hope for world peace, but I am grateful each and every day for the effort of our true heroes.

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For my bride, a better me this year. The best is yet to come.

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For me, the luckiest man in the world, I don't need a whole lot. Although, tickets to the Winter Classic would be nice with a much bigger prize in sight in June for my beloved Boston Bruins.