I'm Officially Announcing My Candidacy To Be An NBA GM

Charles Barkley has came out recently that he wants a job being a general manager in the NBA. He hasn't been the only person to lobby for this position. Deadspin recently wrote a review for Bill Simmons' book, "The Book of Basketball," and said it was a 700-page resumé to be an NBA GM. I guess since everyone else is doing it, why not me?

Dear NBA Owners,

My name is Bobby Roberts, but I am known around the internet as "Sweetbob." I am writing you to officially announce my candidacy for a general manager position with one of your teams. I know that there are more qualified than me and probably know more about the game than me, but c'mon, it would be a fun gig!

Here is the scenario, remember the movie "Eddie" starring the great Whoopi Goldberg? It would be a real-life version, but hopefully a lot more entertaining. Once I am announced as your new general manager, just imagine all of the press that your team would get. I would be on big news programs like "ESPN's First Take" or "Last Call with Carson Daly."

I'm from Indiana, so I have that going for me. Larry Bird didn't have any executive experience before he got the gig in Indiana and look what he's done! He's been the #9 seed in the East the last few years, what an amazing job he has done. I also went to an Indiana University affiliate, the same college that pumped out great NBA executives like Isiah Thomas and Mark Cuban.

I am throwing my hat in the ring for the same reason why Charles Barkley and Bill Simmons did...why not? It seems like a pretty easy job. I'm currently an accountant, so I can figure out salary cap numbers or if not, I can just try out trade on ESPN's Trade Machine. I think everyone deserves a shot, maybe we should start a lottery system where everyone has a year to turn an NBA team around. Think about it, maybe you can use those ping pong balls that you use for the NBA Draft. Everyone deserves a chance to mess it up, right?

Sincerely,
Bobby Roberts

America's White Boy at Sports Media 360

Hey guys, I just arrived in Cleveland, OH for the Sports Media 360 conference. I will be meeting up some fellow bloggers and hopefully get some useful knowledge from the great panels tomorrow. I will try to get some pictures up at some point this weekend. If you're in the Cleveland area, stop by the Renaissance Hotel, it should be a pretty fun conference the next couple of days.

My (Failed) Attempt To Get Bill Simmons To Write For "America's White Boy"

I read on Deadspin that Bill Simmons would like to start up a website and become the underdog once again. He is currently under contract with ESPN, but this is something that he could possibly do once his contract ends. I am here to offer him a position here at America's White Boy. Why spend the capital to start a new website when you have a fairly okay one right here. I have to admit, he probably has more perks at ESPN, even if he is rarely in Bristol, CT. Here is my failed attempt at luring Bill Simmons to write for us.

"America's White Boy" isn't the biggest sports blog on the internet, it's only has a page rank of 4 on Google, but hey I won't censor you. You can talk about basically anything, I'll allow it. If you want to write a 540,000 word post about how Christina Hendricks' boobs are better than Salma Hayek's boobs, go ahead! You could even invite a porn star in your fantasy basketball league, although considering your possible bad blood with your soon-to-be former employer ESPN, you may have to use Yahoo for your league.

You probably won't be able to land huge interviews for podcasts, I don't have the bandwith for downloads. Although I will give you creative freedom to do some nice "Top 10" posts, I hear they do well on Digg and Reddit. Think about it...

As far as pay goes, you have enough money, right? "The Book Of Basketball" is going sell a few million copies and I'm sure you'll end up as an NBA GM at some point. I know the Milwaukee gig didn't work out, but once the Zombie Sonics GM quits, the job is all yours. Also, please disregard my post on Gunaxin.com about your possible General Manager position with an NBA team. It was meant as tongue-in-cheek, like your constant ribbing of Mike Dunleavy. If you get enough traffic, maybe I can get a pair of Columbus Crew tickets, 'cause I hear that you like soccer.

I have one condition of employment, you would have to move to Columbus, OH. I know, it could be a dealbreaker, but I have to know what my possible employers are doing. I do watch NFL games every weekend, but I doubt my 27-inch Sanyo television compares to Jimmy Kimmel's set-up, but hey, free Raising Cane's chicken fingers and White Castle to eat and all the Old Style that you can drink.

In closing, I am the definition of an underdog. I am an accountant during the day and I write for three websites at night. I would write if only one person would read my posts. Sure, I do get some advertising money, but I've used it to upgrade my laptop, buy my URL, and be able to attend a blogger conference this weekend. I write to explain my point of view and I hope to make a career out of it at some point. If it's either here on this site or somewhere else, I love writing. I have been a sports fan since I was a little boy and my fondess memories were watching Chicago Cubs games with my dad. I know athletes aren't perfect and most are barely role models, but there are times that I forget that and get lost in games that make me feel like a kid again. To modify a quote from "Almost Famous,"What Do I love about sports?....Everything."

Review - "Baseball Americana" by Harry Katz

Harper Collins has published a great coffee table book entitled "Baseball Americana." It's by Harry Katz, Frank Ceresi, Phil Michel, Wilson McBee, and Susan Reyburn, it's a lot of people's names, but it's a big book. There are so many great pictures and information in this book from the Library of Congress. There's even a panoramic picture of the first Black World Series in 1924. Here is my review of "Baseball Americana"...

I'm a huge baseball fan and when I can read a book about the historical past of baseball, I jump at the opportunity. Some of the things in "Baseball Americana" are things that aren't shown in any other book. Some of the material that this books includes are a picture baseball being played in 1787, the first ever baseball card, a rare color photograph of Satchel Paige, and even a lithograph of the first ever professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869.

The book goes in a chronological order that is easy to follow. If you are more interested in the period of 1900-1920, it's easy to find all of the information and pictures that go along with that time period. One of my favorite things in the book are old rate advertisements that the baseball players were in. There's even one of Jackie Robinson endorsing Chesterfield cigarettes, I doubt that would go over well these days. No matter what team you follow, you will find something in "Baseball Americana" that you will enjoy.

This huge coffee table book is a conversation piece and a great book to pick up and instantly start thumbing through. I sat down and read the entire book in about a day, but when you start looking at the magnificent photography, it could last you weeks.

If you are a fan of baseball, you will find things in this book that aren't even in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. It's an amazing collection of pictures, stories, old cartoons depicting baseball, and much more. It's a must read and at $29.99, it's a steal. Here is a Youtube video with some of the pictures from the book.

NCAA Football - Week 8 Betting Picks

I went 9-4 picking against the spread last week and I'm still fuming over the Notre Dame/USC game. I'm a fan of the Fighting Irish, but they pick the one week that I pick USC to cover to play very well against the Trojans. I have a lot of teams covering the spread this week, but you may find my upset pick of the week pretty interesting. Can we have another good week ATS? I feel pretty confident, but here are my NCAA Football picks against the spread for Week 8.

I'm staying away from a few teams this week. I'm not touching Oklahoma (because of Sam Bradford), Cincinnati (because of Tony Pike), and UConn (because of the murder of a player). Those games are very unpredictable and I would stay away.

Tulsa (-7.5) at UTEP (+7.5) - My pick is Tulsa

Tulsa had a close game against Boise State last week, but fell short by a touchdown. They have an explosive offensive and UTEP won't be able to keep up. Tulsa will win this game by two touchdowns.

Florida State (+2.5) at North Carolina (-2.5) - My pick is Florida State

The Seminoles have had a pretty bad year so far, but North Carolina has been very unimpressive against BCS schools. This game is a must-win if they have any aspirations on going to a bowl game this year. Florida State will win this game, but I feel it will be close.

Georgia Tech (-5.5) at Virginia (+5.5) - My pick is Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech had an impressive win against Virginia Tech last week. The Hokies couldn't stop their running game and Virginia won't be able to do it either. I'll give the points and take Georgia Tech.

Arkansas (+6) at Mississippi (-6) - My pick is Arkansas

Who knew that Bobby Petrino would get Arkansas playing well this soon? They almost knocked off Florida last week and I've seen a few Ole Miss games this year and they are pretenders. Give me the points and I'll take Arkansas.

Oklahoma State (-9.5) at Baylor (+9.5) - My pick is Oklahoma State

Even without Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State has looked pretty good and Baylor has been very inconsistent. I believe 9.5 points is a pretty big point spread, but the Cowboys will cover it.

Ball State (-2.5) at Eastern Michigan (+2.5) - My pick is Ball State

Neither of these teams have won a game this season, but Ball State's offense is better than Eastern Michigan's defense. Give me my old alma mater and the Cardinals will get their first win.

Buffalo (+5) at Western Michigan (-5) - My pick is Western Michigan

Buffalo was a cinderella team last year, but they haven't looked like a pumpkin this year. Western Michigan hasn't had as good of a year as last either, but they are a much better team. I'll take Western Michigan ATS of 5.

Clemson (+5) at Miami (FL) (-5) - My pick is Miami (FL)

This line seems pretty low with Miami with only one loss. They have looked very good since they lost to the Hokies. Clemson are only a .500 team and they have to travel to Miami. I'll take Miami all day ATS, this should be an easy cover.

Boston College (+8) at Notre Dame (-8) - My pick is Notre Dame

Notre Dame is a team that I haven't been able to predict. I have been wrong nearly every week with this team and I even refused to make a pick in the Notre Dame game for about three weeks. Their games have been pretty close the last four weeks, but Boston College haven't looked very good. BC does have a pretty long winning streak against Notre Dame, but this will be the year that the Irish will win and cover the spread.

Penn State (-4.5) at Michigan (+4.5) - My pick is Penn State

Can we finally say that Michigan isn't very good? I know they looked good at the beginning of the year, but they have looked pretty bad against the Big Ten so far. Penn State was my preseason pick to win the Big Ten and I'm sticking with them. JoePa will win this game and cover the spread.

UCLA (+7.5) at Arizona (-7.5) - My pick is UCLA

This one is my upset pick of the week. UCLA has a three game losing streak, but Arizona is a little bit over-rated. Their wins have come against Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, Oregon State, and a close win against Stanford. I feel that UCLA could go in there and make it a close game. I'm not saying UCLA will win, but it will be within a touchdown.

Iowa (pick'em) at Michigan State (pick'em) - My pick is Iowa

I've been perfect this year on picking Iowa games. Michigan State has been playing well, but Iowa has a perfect record since changing their quarterback at mid-season last year. Iowa is the real deal and they will win this game in East Lansing.

Auburn (+7.5) at LSU (-7.5) - My pick is LSU

LSU is coming off of a bye week and Auburn lost to Kentucky. LSU is a very good team and they want to do as much to erase the memory of the Florida loss. They will beat Auburn by two touchdowns and cover the spread.

These picks are for entertainment purposes.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta has went from laughing stock to playoff team in the matter of five seasons. They have built their team through the draft and hiring head coach Mike Woodson has improved this team greatly. Can the Hawks surpass Boston or Cleveland this season? Is Jeff Teague a potential Rookie Of The Year candidate? Is Horford/Smith/Williams the best young front-court in the league? Here is our 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Atlanta Hawks.

Additions/Subtractions - Atlanta seems to have finally turned the corner and became a perennial playoff team. They didn't make too many moves this off-season, in hopes of their young talent developing. They did trade Acie Law and Speedy Claxton to Golden State for guard Jamal Crawford. They also improved their back-court by signing Juan Dixon and drafting Jeff Teague. They are building around their young talent and their team is shaping up pretty well.

2009-10 Expectations - The Hawks had one of their best seasons since Dominique Wilkins was winning slam-dunk contests. They hope to build on a 47-35 season last year and make a leap into the 2nd-round of the playoffs and beyond. A potential starting line-up of Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, and Al Horford gives them one of the best line-ups in the East. When you add in Jeff Teague into the mix, they have one of the youngest and best rotations. I really like them this year and could surprise some people. They are in the 2nd-tier of good teams in the East and they could possibly move into the same conversation as Orlando, Cleveland, and Boston. If everyone can stay healthy, this team can do some major things this year.

2009-10 Predictions - Jeff Teague was a steal where Atlanta drafted him. He will be the future point guard of the Hawks and a season under the wing of Bibby can only make him better. He will be a first-team All-Rookie and will finish in the top-5 in the Rookie Of The Year voting. Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Joe Johnson will have career years and possibly two of the three will be named to the All-Star team. They will improve on their 47 win total last year and if everyone can stay healthy, their ceiling of wins could be around 55 this year. Don't sleep on Atlanta, they will have a great year, if only they can get some fans in the Atlanta area to go to games.

2009-10 Win Total - 53-29

2009-10 NBA Preview: Orlando Magic

The Magic had a dream season last year, but fell short in the NBA Finals. They made a lot of changes to their roster, but are they a better team? A lot of teams in the East went out and tried to improve their teams and the Magic tried to keep up. Can Vince Carter stay healthy this year? Will the Magic miss Hedo Turkoglu? Who is the whitest guy on the team, Jason Williams or J.J. Redick? Here is our 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Orlando Magic.

Additions/Subtractions - For a team coming off of an NBA Finals appearance, this team has done a lot to change their roster. One of the biggest trades this off-season was when they traded Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston to New Jersey for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. The Magic had to do something to fill void that Hedo Turkoglu left. He is more athletic than the "Turkish Jordan," but he's getting up their age and you can't bet that he'll be healthy for the entire season. They also went out and signed Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes. Bass is expected to split time with Ryan Anderson and Matt Barnes is a nice option off the bench. Also, they signed "White Chocolate" Jason Williams, who is coming out of retirement to back-up Jameer Nelson. The Magic could have lost Marcin Gortat, but matched the offer than Houston gave him. He's a nice insurance policy in case Dwight Howard gets injured.

2009-10 Expectations - The Magic had a great season last year and they are building this team to win the NBA championship. They had to keep up with San Antonio, Los Angeles, Boston, and Cleveland with their off-season roster moves. If they don't win a ring this year, the team would consider this season as a loss. They hope to have Jameer Nelson for the entire season. He looked like a franchise player before he tore his labrum last year. Dwight Howard will have to have another MVP-caliber season for the Magic to match their success from last year. He demanded double-teams, but with Bass/Anderson splitting time at PF, you would think that they would be in the market for a better option before the trading deadline. Rashard Lewis could move to PF and put Vince Carter at SF and Michael Pietrus would be at SG, but Lewis would lose his length-advantage playing PF. The Magic have to have a better record than the Celtics and Cavaliers going into the playoffs, because home-field advantage is huge for those teams and they have to take that away to have a shot in beating them.

2009-10 Prediction - It's going to be very difficult for the Magic to duplicate the success of last season. All of the better teams in the East have improved and the Celtics didn't match up well with them last year, but that changed with them signing Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels. Vince Carter will not playing in more than 65 games and this could very well be his last season. He has a lot of miles on those knees and he isn't the high-flying star that played in Toronto, but he's still pretty good. Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard will be All-Stars, but this team stays around the same win total as last season. They will end the season as a #3, right behind Boston and Cleveland.

2009-10 Win Total - 58-24

2009-10 NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls had one of the best playoff series ever against the Boston Celtics last year. Unfortunately for fans, it was in the first round, but the level of play in that series was only equaled by the NBA Finals. Derrick Rose had a great rookie season and a late-season trade with the Kings was the best trade deadline transaction last year. Will the Bulls miss Ben Gordon? Can Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah finally develop? Here is our 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Chicago Bulls.

Additions/Subtractions - I'm not going to say that the Chicago Bulls will not miss Ben Gordon, but he wasn't a starter on Chicago. He may have played starter minutes as the sixth-man, but he was very inconsistent. When they made the trade with the Kings last year to acquire John Salmons, he was their insurance policy if Gordon left in the off-season. This team shouldn't look that different from the team that lost against the Celtics in the first-round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jannero Pargo is with the team again after being with the Hornets the last two seasons, they signed the often banged-up Jerome James, and they have two very good draft picks. James Johnson will be a work in progress with a very high upside and Taj Gibson could be more NBA-ready. They expect big things from these guys and they should be starters in a couple years.

2009-10 Expectations - NBA teams aren't supposed to have playoff seasons with a new coach and rookie point guard, but Chicago did that. They set the bar high for this season with the great playoff series against the Celtics last year and the emergence of Derrick Rose as a NBA superstar. The expectations for this team is very high and anything less than a playoff appearance would be disappointing. They have to get to the 2nd round for this team to feel good about the season. Derrick Rose had an injury and will start the season a little banged up, but the Bulls will be a very fun team to watch. They have players that can fun the fast break and with Brad Miller, a true low-post center. Chicago wants Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas to take it to the next level and live up to their high draft pick status. Thomas was rough when the Bulls drafted him and has had moments of looking like a future star, but he isn't consistent. Noah has developed into a good rebounder, but his offensive game hasn't improved very much.

2009-10 Prediction - This team is full of winnners at the collegiate level. Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas all were on winners in college and sometimes that's all a team needs, players who know how to win. I believe Chicago has the ability to win close games. Derrick Rose and John Salmons will be All-Stars this season. Chicago could use some more depth at small forward, if can get a deal for a nice back-up SF near the trade deadline, they should jump at that. The Bulls will start off slow, but as they usually go, turn it up in the 2nd-half of the season and get into the playoffs. I don't see a huge jump in their win total, but they should end up as the #5 or #6 seed and hopefully avoid the Boston Celtics in the first-round of the playoffs.

2009-10 Win Total - 46-36

NFL Week 7: Fantasy Football Sit/Start

Week 6 was a great week for many fantasy football stars and this week should be the same. There are some very favorable match-ups. I made some nice picks last week and I hope I helped you win your league. I advised to sit Brandon Jacobs and Mark Sanchez and told you to start Jeremy Shockey and Rashard Mendenhall. I hope I can help out this week with my Sit'em or Start'em for Week 7.

Before I start, I just want to ask you a question. The Colts are playing the Rams this week, can they surpass the 59-0 score the Patriots laid on the Titans? I think it will be pretty darn close to it. Without further adieu, here are my picks...

START'EM

Peyton Manning - He had a bye week to rest and now he has the Rams throw against in a glorified scrimmage game for the Colts.

DeAngelo Williams - Carolina has finally given up on Jake Delhomme and are going to start running the ball on every down. Pick up Jonathan Stewart if he's available in your league as well.

Marques Colston - Drew Brees likes to spread the ball around, but he'll get his touches against Miami this weekend.

Hines Ward - He is off to a great start this year and Ben Roethlisberger is really looking for him. He'll have a nice game against Minnesota.

Thomas Jones - I wasn't very high on him, but with Mark Sanchez looking like Jake Delhomme, I would expect the Jets to run the ball more.

Cedric Benson - Benson will be out for blood against his old team. The Bears haven't been too consistent against the run and he's been on fire.

Miles Austin - Can he duplicate the 250 yard performance? No, but he'll get a lot of targets against the Falcons.

Donald Driver - Give me a good veteran receiver against the Browns secondary any week. Aaron Rodgers will be looking for him all game.

Sidney Rice - I had him as my sleeper pick for the Vikings at the beginning of the year and he has turned into Favre's #1 deep target. He'll stretch PIttsburgh's secondary and get a few deep balls.

Green Bay Defense - Until Derek Anderson looks like a professional quarterback, start any defense that he plays against.

Vernon Davis - I liked him about every week and I think he'll have a nice game against the Texans. He's coming off of a bye and he'll be rested.

Frank Gore - Speaking of 49ers coming off of the bye, Gore will be back from his ankle sprain. The Texans are bad against the run and his will be a nice return for him.

Jacoby Jones - He is turning into a better option than Kevin Walter in Houston. He has speed and can do damage after the catch.

Johnny Knox - He's becoming Jay Cutler's favorite target in the passing attack and he'll get his share of targets against the Bengals.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis - DEEP LEAGUE START - The Patriots aren't completely sold on Laurence Maroney and they'll have a nice lead at halftime, so expect a lot of carries from the backfield in the 2nd half against Tampa Bay.


SIT'EM

Eli Manning - His injury scares me and I am not sure if he'll be 100%. He didn't look right against the Saints

Both Steve Smiths - I don't like the Carolina verson because the Panthers do not trust Delhomme at all. The Giants version will need Manning to be 100% healthy to be effective.

Brandon Jacobs - I hate to be so Giants heavy with my Sit'ems, but how bad has he looked this year? Big running backs tend to show their age faster than smaller running backs.

Steve Slaton - If he can't start getting the running game going, they will be forced to use Chris Brown more in games. If he has a couple more mediocre weeks, he could be in danger of losing his starting job.

Braylon Edwards - Mark Sanchez will not throwing as much against Oakland and Edwards still isn't fully into the offense yet.

Matt Forte - Yes, another disappointing 1st-round running back. I've been anti-Forte for most of the year and he still looks slow. How can a guy age 10 years after his rookie season?

Mohammed Massaquoi - He might be the #1 receiver in Cleveland, but if the QB can't get him the ball, what is he worth? Green Bay's secondary is great and will be a blanket on the Browns receivers all game.

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense - They are usually an automatic start, but I fear Minnesota's offense. They are really clicking right now and Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre could have nice weeks.

Roy Williams - Tony Romo seems to have given up on him and he's not completely healthy. I would stay away from him this week.

Chris Cooley - Until the Redskins get their offense in order, I would stay away from Cooley and any other player on the Redskins.

Jeremy Maclin - I fear that he could be a one-week wonder. Rookie wide receivers are very unpredictable and it's all about matchups. I would stay away from him this week.

Bernard Berrian - Sidney Rice is the deep threat on the Vikings. That used to be Berrian's job, 'cause he isn't much of a possession receiver. If he doesn't have the deep routes, he's not very useful.

The Titans Should Trade For Brady Quinn

The trading deadline is tomorrow and the Tennessee Titans are currently sitting at 0-6 and seem hesitant about using Vince Young at quarterback. They are sticking with the Kerry Collins, even during their 59-0 beatdown from New England, Young made a brief cameo in the 4th quarter. They need help at quarterback, why not trade for Brady Quinn? It makes sense right?

They had a quick leash with Quinn after letting him start the first three games of the season. Derek Anderson appears to be their starting quarterback. The Cleveland Browns reportedly turned down a 1st round pick for Brady Quinn this offseason. They had a new coaching staff and they weren't sure what they had in the young quarterback from Notre Dame. They would be lucky to get a 3rd-round pick for him right now.

I am proposing a deal that would be beneficial to both teams. The Browns would trade Brady Quinn to the Titans for Javon Ringer and a 6th round pick. The Titans already have Chris Johnson and Lendale White and Cleveland is in need of a young, game-changing running back. Quinn is a younger version of Kerry Collins, plus about 30 extra pounds of muscle. I think it would be good for both sides, why would they make this trade?

Tennessee clearly doesn't think of Vince Young as their future franchise quarterback or he would have already taken over the team. In college, Quinn proved that all he needs is a good tight-end (John Carlson was his target at Notre Dame), a good running game, and a tall receiver (Jeff Samardzija at Notre Dame, but could be Kenny Britt for the Titans). He is a pretty accurate quarterback, but he has never received any significant playing time in the NFL and it would be worth the risk. If they keep losing games, they would get a top 5 pick and possible get a guy like Jake Locker or Colt McCoy. A top 5 pick that is a quarterback gets around 40 million dollars in guaranteed money. You can get Quinn at a bargain and his upside would be just as high as Locker, who didn't even win a game at Washington last season.

On the other side of the coin, Javon Ringer was a touchdown machine at Michigan State last year. I watched plenty of his games and he reminded me of a Maurice Jones-Drew, without the definitive pass-catching ability. The Browns currently have the elderly Jamal Lewis, the injured James Davis, and a career back-up in Jerome Harrison. Ringer would help boost the offense and get the ball moving.

This deal makes sense from both sides. This deal is completely fictional and has no basis of fact or rumor. I was just thinking about what a waste of talent Brady Quinn is sitting on the sidelines and how the Titans doesn't seem to want Vince Young playing, but Kerry Collins isn't doing the job either. Either way, I would love for this trade to go down, but as we know about the NFL trading deadline, these types of deals rarely ever happen.

NFL Week 6: What We Learned

A lot of big fantasy football stars had big days today. Tom Brady, Ray Rice, DeAngelo Williams, and Randy Moss all had big days. A lot of good teams looked great and a few bad teams just looked horrible. A few surprises happened, but nothing that would jump off of the page, except for the Raiders beating the Eagles, I don't know many people who would have predicted that. Here is what we learned during Week 6 in the 2009 NFL season.

- The Cincinnati Bengals aren't as good as we thought they were. When the Bengals are favored in a game, they are 2-13 against the spread. They love the part of underdog, but when they are supposed to win, they choke.

- Matt Schaub is finally starting to play like a franchise quarterback. Sure, having Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels receiving balls helps, but Steve Slaton hasn't done anything this year. The Texans are starting to look like a possible playoff team.

- The Patriots look like they are back to their 2007 form. They beat the Titans 59-0 and CBS actually changed the game to a more competitive game in the 3rd quarter. Tom Brady looks like he's back and that only makes Randy Moss play even harder. Oh by the way, Laurence Maroney is alive, who knew? I liked him when he was a rookie, but he fell out of favor with the coaches and he was in a black void in New England.

- Tennessee needs to start Vince Young. Kerry Collins is nearly as old as Brett Favre and you have a lot of money vested in Young. You need to see what you have, or this season could be a complete loss. If this season ends and you still have no idea if Young can be a starter in this league, you're not doing your job as talent evaluators.

- The Atlanta Falcons looked just as good as last week. The running game never got going, but Matt Ryan loves Tony Gonzalez.

- Jay Cutler still has some things to work out. He looks like he really loves Johnny Knox, but he can't rely on him all game. I'm also worried about Matt Forte, he had another rough game against a solid team. It seems like he can only gain yards against the Lions, but I could probably put up a 100+ yard game against Detroit.

- Speaking of the Lions, they were without Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson...did they have a chance against Green Bay? It was a worthless game and the Lions didn't put up a single point.

- I want to congratulate the Packers on beating up a the B-team that the Lions put out on the field. They should have put up Madden-like numbers in this game, but only beat them 26-0.

- We learned that Ray Rice is the true #1 running back in Baltimore and that the Vikings are a better team.

- The Vikings are truly Favre's team. Adrian Peterson will not have a great fantasy year, because the gunslinger is calling the plays. Also, thanks to the pre-game, Peterson has a crazy shoe fetish.

- The Saints are a really good team. They beat the Giants and they put up a ton of points against them. I think we can put them as the #1 team in the NFC, they are even better than Minnesota.

- I know Eli Manning isn't 100%, but the Giants got handed a really bad loss. Their defense should be ashamed, they are better than that.

- Mark Sanchez looked like a rookie today. He threw 5 interceptions and 4 of those were definitely his fault.

- The Bills surprised me today, even if Sanchez won the game for the Bills.

- The Browns are still bad, it doesn't matter who is playing quarterback.

- Hines Ward had a good game against Cleveland, does that surprise you? The Ohio teams in the AFC have been padding his stats since he came into the league.

- Carolina can win, despite Jake Delhomme. They really put the handcuffs on him in this game. He only threw 65 yards and they clearly don't trust him. Just keep handing the ball off to Williams and Stewart, Jake.

- Tampa Bay has to win a game at some point, right? I don't know if I learned that today, but how could they drop this much in one season.

- Jim Zorn should have been fired three weeks ago, but he has job security. I learned that if you want to never be fired, make sure that you're the only one that knows the passwords to the computers. They can't get rid of you.

- I predicted that the Chiefs would win 6 games this season. I don't look as dumb now, only five more to go!

- The Jaguars are bipolar, they need meds. You don't know which team is going to be on the field.

- We learned that the Rams are almost an NFL team. It took them a little extra time to lose the game this week, congratulations Rams.

- I thought Seattle was back, but Arizona put the brakes on that. The Cardinals played a nearly perfect first quarter and it deflated Seattle's hopes.