A Weekend of Football

Oh, some exciting football this weekend. Including the dreaded Friday night WVU game. I really hate Friday night Mountaineer games because of the interference with high school football. I really wanted to go to the Bridgeport / Fairmont Sr. matchup Friday but guess I will skip it to watch WVU hopefully beat South Florida. So without further hesitation, some good matchups this weekend:

Fairmont Senior 35 - Bridgeport 24: I like the Polar Bears. They've played a rather challenging schedule that includes Morgantown and University. Bridgeport. Well, Bridgeport sits #4 in the state but might be propped up a bit by an easy schedule. It's worth nothing that South Charleston with one loss is actually ahead of the Indians because of the Indians weak schedule. I like Fairmont.

North Marion 13 - Elkins 6: North Marion grabs their 4th and final win of the season at Elkins on Friday (they play Bridgeport next week.) Finishing 4-6 sounds a lot better than their 1-9 record last season. Elkins has a lot of work to do before next year.

University 28 - Morgantown 24: Morgantown really needs this win to secure their spot in the playoffs. University really wants homefield for the first playoff round again this season. The Mohawk Bowl will be an exciting one with University squeaking out a victory. Morgantown will be the final team to make the 2009 playoffs.

USC 35 - Oregon 20: The Ducks have come a long way since losing to Boise State and the "punch heard 'round the world." But USC is still USC and they win the big ones. They might lose to Washington but they don't lose to top opponents. Add to this the fact that the Trojans are feeling a little disrespected by the polls and you have a USC victory.

Oklahoma State 20 - Texas 17: Oh, it's the big upset. Okie State without Dez Bryant and being looked down on plays the role of spoiler against Colt McCoy and the Longhorns. Mike Gundy finds a way to win this one for two reasons: 1) He's a man. 2) He's 40.

And, lastly,

West Virginia 42 - South Florida 24: I don't know that South Florida is really all that good this year. They had the benefit of a weak schedule to inflate their standing and now that standing is being exposed. Florida State isn't very good and that's their big win. WVU still has a great shot at the Big East crown and this game isn't going to stop them. Of course, it is South Florida on a Friday night so anything could happen but I like WVU. But I can promise you this: If WVU turns the ball over 5 times, they'll lose. Ball protection is key to this game.

And there you have it. Feel free to wager all you want...these are locks.

Football Picks

Another weekend quickly approaches which means it's time to discuss the winners and losers in this week's game of skill and luck known as football.

Fairmont Sr. 35 - Wheeling Park 17: This is a down year for Wheeling Park. Currently at 1-7 and on a 7 game losing streak, the Patriots won't get any relief this weekend. Since Park has such a dismal schedule, the win wont' necessarily help the Polar Bears in the polls but it will still be a victory. The big game is next week when Fairmont visits Bridgeport.

North Marion 24 - Nicholas County 21: An upset? Yep. I said before that once North Marion learned to win, they could easily win 3 in a row. And they did against Buckhannon, Preston and East. Playing Morgantown was tough but the Huskies can bounce back this week. The Grizzlies are shooting for the playoffs but North pulls off the upset and will finish the year 5-5.

Morgantown 38 - John Marshall 21: Morgantown beats bad teams and loses to good teams. Luckily for the Mohigans, John Marshall isn't very good this year. The Mohigans roll as they try to make the 16 team field for the state playoffs.

Penn State 17 - Michigan 14: Close game but as long as JoePa survives, Penn State will win. The Penn State defense clamps down on a "healthy" Tate Forcier and grinds out a victory in the Big House.

Alabama 32 - Tennessee 18: Lane Kiffin someday might be a great coach. Right now, he's just got a big mouth. Alabama's offense actually finds some rhythm and Saban and crew easily handle the Volunteers.

And then there's these two games:

East Fairmont 20 - Buckhannon-Upshur 16: It's going to be a rainy night in Buckhannon tomorrow and the raindrops will mix with the Buckaneers tears as the Bees find a way to win in a close one. I predicted 3-7 for the Bees and they need to win this game to make my prediction come true.

WVU 38 - UConn 24: This really could go either way. If WVU has cured their turnover problems, they can easily handle the Huskies. If WVU turns the ball over a few times, it could go the other way fast. Expect an inspired UConn team following the death of Jasper Howard. If WVU opens the door, UConn walks away with a win. Another rainy game...

Vikings 31 - Pittsburgh 17: I hate to predict a Brett Favre victory but Pittsburgh has really not shown me much that makes me believe they can win this game. Adrian Peterson is scorching defenses and the Vikings defense is good. The fact this game is in Pittsburgh could make a difference but I'd put my money on Minnesota.

It's the Football, Stupid

Get your bets ready...here's the winners (and losers) this week:

Fairmont Senior 45 - Elkins 17: FSHS wins big and still drops to #2 in the state? Sometimes there's no justice. But that's a number. One or two doesn't matter...finishing in the Top 2 will give them homefield throughout the playoffs. The Polar Bears destroy an undermanned Elkins squad.

Morgantown 24 - Brooke 20: Big upset. Brooke is the #1 team in the state and safely in the playoffs while Morgantown is fighting to stay in the playoff hunt. This would be a huge win for Morgantown on the road if they can actually pull it off.

Cincinnati 28 - South Florida 21: Big East matchup between the two undefeated teams on Thursday night. Good game. Cincinnati has too much fire power for South Florida but you have to admit that USF's determination since the loss of Grothe has been impressive. The Bearcats win as they defend their Big East crown.

Oklahoma 35 - Texas 24: There's a rumor out that Colt McCoy might be injured. Mack Brown says there's no truth to it. Either way, Oklahoma pulls a huge upset and rights their ship. Bob Stoops wins the big, non-bowl games and this is no different. Oklahoma comes in with a chip on their shoulder and finds a way to stop the Longhorns' offense and wins this game.

USC 42 - Notre Dame 17: The demise of the Trojans has been greatly exaggerated. This is still one of the best defenses in the country and look for Matt Barkley to find his rhythm against the "lucky" Irish. Notre Dame has just been squeaking by opponents to create buzz for this matchup. The buzz dies quickly in South Bend this weekend.

And three games that I actually care about:

Steelers 24 - Browns 9: I don't know if Pittsburgh has righted the ship or not but it doesn't matter against the Browns. Cleveland is bad. Real bad. If Pittsburgh even shows up for the game, they win. That's how bad Cleveland is.

East Fairmont 14 - Preston 6: Can East Fairmont score 2 touchdowns? Maybe. They actually performed decently against RCB last week. If they can bring some of that momentum into this game, they should squeak by the Knights. Rain and snow are in the forecast so expect a low scoring affair.

WVU 52 - Marshall 24: West Virginia outmans the Thundering Herd just about everywhere. The attempts to build up this game as some great rivalry will be squashed early and often in this game. Noel Devine runs up a good 200+ yards and WVU doesn't turn the ball over and squishes Marshall in their preparation for the Big East schedule.

"You Don't Pay Taxes!"

When Mayor Matt Delligatti said the road levy should not fall behind other levies the voters will be con­sidering this year, Debbie Seifrit shot back with "You don't pay taxes". Delligatti does not pay property taxes because he lives with his parents except when he is staying in Morgantown. And Seifrit is right. It is easy for someone who doesn't pay taxes to say "let's pass a levy."

When do you think the last time was that Jay Rockefeller personally wrote out a check to the IRS? Ever? What about Bob Byrd? Harry Reid? Alan Mollohan? These people are isolated from everyday life. It's easy to pass tax increases on the rich and poor as long as you're not footing the bill. It's easy to say "give health care of everyone" when you pass those costs along to the "rich" and "big business."

I digress...I'll write more on that at a later date. Back to the Fairmont levy argument. The Fairmont City Council passed a resolution to place a road repaving/repairing levy on the May 2010 ballot. The Marion County Library and Marion-Fairmont Transit Authority will also have levies on the 2010 ballot and it's possile the Marion County Board of Education may attempt another bond measure in the near future.

"Under a draft proposal gen­erated by city staff, a proper­ty owner whose property is assessed at $100,000 could pay an additional $75 a year. Homeowners who qualify under the homestead act — senior citizens and disabled people — could pay $50 more in taxes on a home assessed at $100,000. Commercial property owners would pay $150 more in taxes for property assessed at $100,000." - Times-West Virginian

With water prices soaring in the city and the increasing economic pressure, will the citizens of Fairmont be willing to stomach yet another levy? Will seeing 3 or 4 levies on the same ballot turn off voters who will reject all of them? And why is this levy necessary? The citizens of Fairmont, Marion County and West Virginia are already being taxed to death for education, roads, health care, unemployment, government officials and other items of which we may or may not benefit. And with the specter of universal health care taxing looming, who can blame citizens for being wary of another tax?

Debbie Seifrit, I applaud you for standing up for the taxpayers and raising a concern about yet another property tax on the citizens of Fairmont. More people need to stand up for the American taxpayer and show the ways that taxes are creating the dispair in this country. Robbing from everyday citizens is not creating a utopian society. Quite the opposite.

The Coal Hypocrisy

I was struck today by an article I read in which Senator Jay Rockefeller and Representative Nick Rahall called upon Massey Energy to help move Marsh Fork Elementary School away from a coal processing plant. The article struck of such hypocrisy from the Senator and Representative that I had to laugh.

It amazes me that politicians from this state call upon the coal industry, or energy industry in general, to perform charitable deeds while attempting to put these industries out of business. They are essentially robbing these companies with one hand while begging for a donation with the other. With cap-and-trade and additional EPA penalties threatening all the coal industries in West Virginia, how can anyone expect them to make large contributions to charity? These companies are fighting for survival. The taxes on the energy industry is outrageous and new proposed taxes are being introduced everyday.

Massey Energy has a long history of charitable work. In May 2008, Massey donated more than $1 million to create a scholarship fund for college and post-graduate scholarships to help students from Central Appalachia communities pursue engineering and health care degrees. Massey Energy has donated a total of $80,000 to the struggling town of Cedar Grove. The town will use $75,000 to finish building a new park in the center of town, and the remaining $5,000 for athletic activities for middle school children and field trips for the grade school children.

That's only two examples of the charity work that Massey has done. There are several additional examples of the work Massey has done with charities. The same can be said with the other energy companies in the state. And yet the government continually attempts to punish these companies and undermine their ability to do charity work. How can a company that can't turn a profit continue to fund charitable events? It's not possible.

Oh, and for the record, the Senator and Representative were incorrect in their misrepresentation of Massey's position on a new Marsh Fork Elementary. Massey is willing to work with the Raleigh County BOE. The BOE hasn't decided to if they are pursuing a new Marsh Fork yet and will meet tonight to decide.

The Nobel Peace Fraud

The Nobel Peace Prize has long come under attack for some recipients who may not necessarily deserve the award, such as Yasser Arafat, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore and, obviously, Mother Teresa. But the awarding of the prize to Barack Obama is a curious choice. The President has been in office less than a year and has no single significant achievement towards peace.

Sure, the President campaigned on the promise to open dialog and has promised an end to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has promised deals to decrease nuclear arms. He has also promised to turn around the economy, give everyone health care and to personally massage my feet. None of this has come to fruition yet. And yet the Nobel Peace Prize Committee felt it necessary to award their Prize on the bluster of a man who has no accomplishments.

While talking of peace, Obama has had internal discussions of increasing the war on Afghanistan, which may include incursions into Pakistan. While promising direct dialog with Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the administration is looking at options to strategically bomb locations in Iran.

No, this award isn't truly about peace. The left-leaning organization awarded this President the Nobel Peace Prize because he isn't George W. Bush and because he has been on a USA apology tour. The hope is that by awarding Obama for denigrating the United States, he will be encouraged to continue the practice. By making the US weaker, Obama is receiving the support of the world. At the end of the day, that Prize and million dollars is little consolation to the weakening position of this country in the world.

Amazing Football Predictions

Missed last week but I will not miss two weeks in a row. So, without further hesitation, here is some football predictions for this week:

Fairmont Senior 42 - Buckhannon - 13: Fairmont Senior has the opportunity to be the #1 seed in the state high school playoffs. I don't anticipate Buckhannon being able to trip up the Polar Bears this week. Good teams win the ones they are supposed to win and FSHS rolls at home on their way to an NCAC crown.

Morgantown 34 - North Marion 13: The Huskies have a few good wins this season but they are not ready to deal with a team like Morgantown. The Mohigans are fighting to get into the playoffs this year and they should take care of business at home this week.

Florida 24 - LSU 20: With Tebow or without Tebow, Florida finds a way to win. John Brantley is at Florida for a reason: He's a good quarterback. And Florida can win regardless of who leads the charge. LSU is somewhat overrated, especially considering their lack of offensive production. They got lucky last week. Not so lucky this week.

Steelers 24 - Lions 9: Pittsburgh has some issues but not nearly as many as Detroit. Whether Polamolu returns this week or not, Pittsburgh easily handles the Lions.

Robert C. Byrd 38 - East Fairmont 6: The loss to North Marion pretty much ended any dreams of a playoff berth for East. And this Thursday night game just screams blowout. RCB lost to cross-county rival Bridgeport last week and will be looking to roll up some big numbers at East-West Stadium to help their playoff hopes. RCB wins big.

West Virginia 45 - Syracuse 17: Shouldn't be much of a game. Especially if Syracuse commits seven turnovers this week. However, West Virginia could match them if they're not careful. WVU has to fix the turnover issue this week and next before they start facing teams that can beat them. USF, Cincy, Rutgers and Pitt remain the big tests for WVU. Marshall and Syracuse are the easy ones.

A Quick Look at the NFL (Pt. 2)(

With four games down, you can get a pretty good idea where this NFL season is going for most of the teams in the league. So, here's a quick rundown of teams in the AFC and where I see them going.

American Football Conference

New York Jets (3-1): Dirty Sanchez is playing like a franchise quarterback and the Jets may challenge the Patriots for AFC East supremacy. Unfortunately for the Jets, if it's a close race, their last 2 games are against the Colts and Bengals.

New England Patriot (3-1): Looking at New England's schedule, it would be shocking if they don't get 11 wins. The Jets, Colts and Broncos are their biggest challenges. The showdown is November 22 against the Jets.

Miami Dolphins (1-3): Not what everyone expected this year. Pennington is hurt and Pat White hasn't brought much to the team. White may be obsolete with the recent arrival of Thigpen. Bottom feeding in the AFC again.

Buffalo Bills (1-3): Dick Jauron will likely lose his job after this season. The Bills 1-point loss to the Patriots looks like an abomination as they had to another losing season.

Baltimore Ravens (3-1): The Ravens may turn out to be the best team in the AFC this year. A great defense and a developing offense that looks better every game. Should win the AFC North barring injuries.

Cincinnati (3-1): How can you tell? It's a team that could beat Baltimore for the AFC North crown or could collapse and lose the next 12 games. They already have a huge win over Pittsburgh. A second date on November 15th could determine the final team in the playoffs from the AFC.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2): A Super Bowl hangover? Maybe. The loss of Troy Polamolu hurt the defense and the Steelers running game is non-existent. In the competitive AFC, 11 wins might not even make the playoffs. And 11 wins will not win the AFC North. An ultra-difficult schedule will make it a hard season for Pittsburgh to make a run at a repeat.

Cleveland Browns (0-4): Will Eric Magini make it to Year 2? Will Cleveland win a game? Those are the main questions out of the Browns.

Indianapolis Colts (4-0): Payton Manning doing what he does best: win. This team plays New England on November 15th followed by Baltimore on November 22nd. Come out with 2 wins and they control the AFC.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2): Nothing spectacular here...

Houston Texans (2-2): See Jacksonville. A good team but you have to be a great team to compete in the AFC.

Tennessee Titans (0-4): Will Jeff Fisher pack it in after this year? Will this team play Vince Young this year? Titans are underachieving after last year's run.

Denver Broncos (4-0): No one would have guessed the Broncos would still be undefeated but here they are controlling the AFC West. Unfortunately, they'll stumble and end up losing the AFC West to:

San Diego Charges (2-2): A disappointing start but they get a chance to jump right back into the race on October 19th when they host Denver for Monday Night Football.

Oakland Raiders (1-3): JaMarcus Russell is not a long term solution for their quarterback problems. Get a new quarterback in there now and tell your coach to stop punching people.

Kansas City Chiefs (0-4): Is it 2011 yet?

A Quick Look at the NFL

With four games down, you can get a pretty good idea where this NFL season is going for most of the teams in the league. So, here's a quick rundown of teams in the NFC and where I see them going. I'll get to the AFC tomorrow.

National Football Conference

NY Giants (4-0): Look to be on track for another good playoff run. Eli does what he needs to do to win football games. Some tough games down the stretch but they win the NFC East.

Philadelphia Eagles (2-1): Quarterback controversy before the end of the season. As Michael Vick improves, watch for Eagles' fans to demand him become the starter. All the ingredients for an implosion before the end of the year that will cost Andy Reid his job. No playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys (2-2): Tony Romo is feeling the pressure and not stepping up. The Denver game was a microcosm of the Cowboys problems. Plenty of opportunities but not enough execution. No playoffs.

Washington Redskins (2-2): A team with a bloated budget but little to show for it. Might sneak into the playoffs but they haven't proved anything yet.

Minnesota Vikings (3-0): I hate to say it, but the Vikings could be the best team in the NFC. Favre isn't making mistakes and they have a good defense and solid offensive line. Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the NFL. If Favre can refrain from throwing to the wrong team, should be a good year. Tonight's game vs. Green Bay will tell a lot about where this team is going.

Chicago Bears (3-1): Will be battling with Minnesota for supremacy in the NFC North. Should make the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers (2-1): A good team that will be left out because they have to deal with Chicago and Minnesota. But a solid showing despite missing the playoffs.

Detroit Lions (1-3): They have their win. Good for them!

New Orleans Saints (4-0): Drew Brees is a great quarterback. And they have the advantage of being in a division with Carolina and Tampa Bay. They easily win the NFC South.

Atlanta Falcons (2-1): Solid but not great. Matt Ryan is a good quarterback. Unfortunately for Altanta, their schedule doesn't give them much of a chance.

Carolina Panthers (0-3): Battling with Tampa Bay for the worst team in the NFC South. Their first pillow fight is on October 18th.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4): See Carolina.

San Francisco 49ers (3-1): Will surprisingly win the NFC West. It's amazing what Mike Singletary has accomplished. They don't even need Michael Crabtree.

Arizona Cardinals (1-2): A very disappointing season after making it to the Super Bowl last year. Too much drama on this team to win.

Seattle Seahawks (1-3): When your quarterback is Seneca Wallace, things can't be going too well. No playoffs in Seattle.

St. Louis Rams (0-4): This is the team that has the best chance to go 0-16 this year. Bulger probably needs to pack it in and, chances are, he has. The Rams will probably stick with Boller, who really isn't much better. Too many problems to be successful.

Football

I forgot, or neglected, to make predictions this week. But it's already been interesting with West Virginia's attempt to literally fumble a game to Colorado, Fairmont Senior's double-overtime victory over NCAC foe University and East Fairmont's last minute loss at North Marion.

First up, West Virginia and the serious case of fumble-itis that has struck the team. Ten, count them, 10 turnovers in the last 2 games. Nothing alters the course of a game faster than turnovers. It cost West Virginia the game at Auburn and nearly cost them the game versus Colorado. If Colorado had a field goal kicker and took an early lead, it could have changed the playcalling and seriously affected the rest of the game. Luckily for WVU, they never fell behind and overcame serious problems with the ball.

If they do not remedy the turnover issue soon, it will cost them more games this year. Syracuse sounds like an easy game but with Paulus as QB, they have a shot at beating the Mountaineers. He won't panic in a "big game" because of this experience at Duke and, if WVU's offense gives them enough opportunities, the Orange will score. Bill Stewart must find a way to make Brown protect the ball and the other WVU players need to secure the football. WVU got lucky with Colorado...the talent WVU had far surpassed the Buffalos. The same can't be said when they play Cincinnati, USF, Pitt or Rutgers.

East Fairmont's early season woes have gotten worse. Between injuries and general lack of confidence, the Bees find themselves in a 5-game losing streak. It doesn't look promising to break that streak this week when RCB comes to town for a Thursday night Homecoming game. East Fairmont's offense did generate nearly 200 yards in offense but the Bees struggled with 3 interceptions and couldn't move the ball consistently against the Huskies. East Fairmont's lone score came on an interception return for a touchdown. On the flipside, I predicted that North Marion had confidence and knew how to win since their first victory and now they are on a 3-game winning streak. Probably not playoff ready but a team on the rebound. If they really want to prove North Marion is back, they have their opportunity next week when they visit Morgantown.

And, lastly, the team I predicted to win the NCAC is now in the driver's seat following their double-overtime victory over previously unbeaten University. Fairmont Senior made a huge defensive stop to beat the #4 Hawks and will remain the No. 1 team in WV High School football this week. The Polar Bears toughest tests have been passed with wins against RCB, Morgantown and University. The schedule is favorable for Fairmont to win out. Wheeling Park is down this year so the biggest test remains the Oct. 23 showdown against Bridgeport. Fairmont Senior has a good shot at ending the season as the #1 team in the state barring a mental lapse.

Chicago LOSES Olympics

Being the prohibitive favorite and having the President of the United States actually present wasn't enough to win the 2016 Summer Olympics for Chicago. It wasn't even enough to get them out of the first round. What does this say?

Well, first, the United States Olympics Committee obviously has some issues. They've made some people mad and those people have gotten even by eliminating the United States' best Olympic package ever. USOC has had some run-ins with the International Olympic Committee and, obviously, the IOC has gotten even.

Second, President Obama has to be embarrassed by this turn of events. To send Michelle out for most of the week and appear in person and still lose has to sting. Most people, including myself, didn't believe he would attend in person unless he knew it was in the bag. US President's don't like uncertainty...someone on his staff was obviously incorrect.

And, lastly, there's still a lot of resentment towards the United States out there. The "Era of Good Feelings" that Obama has supposedly brought with him wasn't enough to bring the Olympics here in 2016.

It will be interesting to see how Obama responds to this turn of events. In the midst of lowering approval ratings, higher unemployment, economic downturn, health care uncertainty and Afghanistan confusion, Obama desparately needed a victory somewhere. That's why he went to Copenhagen. He needs a win. Instead, he gets to come home without the Olympics and try to piece together a health care bill that it has become increasing obvious that no one wants. I guess it could be worse...he could be David Letterman.