Hump Day Headlines

In this week's version of Hump Day Headlines, we discuss someone you probably hadn't heard of until yesterday, the Braves newest Lowe, the Giants wanting Plax back, and a magical night for Orlando...

• America, meet Jodie Meeks.  The six-foot four inch junior from Norcross, Georgia now holds the University of Kentucky's record for most points in a single game.  With his eye-popping 54 point effort yesterday against Tennessee, Meeks broke Dan Issel's 39-year school record.  And by the way, UK beat the #24 Volunteers 90-72.  (Issel set the previous record with 53 points at Mississippi in 1970.)  This achievement, while astounding, is not completely surprising.  Entering last night's game Meeks was averaging 24 points per game, and was shooting a nice 46% from the field.  In fact, already once this season Meeks flirted with history, when he dropped 46 on Appalachian State December 20th.  Meeks ranked 5th in the nation in scoring entering last night's contest, and will likely move up after his historic night, considering he was just 0.6 points behind Notre Dame's Luke Harangody for fourth in the country.  And maybe most impressive about this night for Meeks?  He shot a whopping 68% from the field, 15-22, and hit TEN three pointers.  Yes, 10-15 from beyond the arc.  (Imagine if Marv Albert had called this game.  Meeks, from downtown, YES!)  He didn't miss a free throw either, going 14-14 from the line, and had eight rebounds and four assists to boot.  Who says Billy Gillispie couldn't turn Kentucky around?  At 13-4, and 2-0 in SEC play, this team has rebounded from it's annual season opening shocker when it lost to Virginia Military in game one.  With Meeks leading this bunch, they could be scary come tourney time.
• Quietly, or maybe not so much, the Atlanta Braves are becoming a legitimate team to compete for the division that they once won 14 times in a row.  After losing John Smoltz to the Red Sox, General Manager Frank Wren spent no time trying to acquire another pitcher.  Derek Lowe is set to sign a sixty million dollar contract with the Braves that keeps him in the A-T-L for the next four years.  The 35-year old sinker baller went 14-11 last year with the Dodgers and had a nice 3.24 ERA, but was absolutely nasty down the stretch.  He allowed 3 runs just twice in his last thirteen starts, which included the playoffs, and won six of his last seven regular season decisions.  He'll be at the top of a rotation that now includes Javier Vazquez, who they acquired from the White Sox for four prospects, and Japanese All-Star Kenshin Kawakami.  The NL East may very well be the best division in the National League this year, and now the defending champion Phillies and the paper champion Mets may have another serious contender to deal with.  And we haven't even mentioned the Marlins.
• Sometimes athletes, even when they're complete morons, are still valuable despite their off field problems.  The Giants passing offense was dreadful without Plaxico Burress.  They were 11-1 with the man who shot himself in the leg, and then dropped three of four without him to finish the season and were erased from the playoffs by the Eagles last week at Giants Stadium.  And over those four weeks prior to the playoff loss, Eli Manning had a QB rating of 69.8 (bad) and threw just two touchdowns in that stretch.  Now he and his teammates want him back, despite all the off the field garbage they dealt with.  "I think he will be back," tailback Brandon Jacobs said after the team lost to the Eagles Sunday.  "I think he should be back.  I don't think he has a bad bone in his body, and I think everyone deserves a second chance."  Translation:  we don't have any good receivers other than Plax, and without him, we're not any good!  With Plax, the Giants passing offense averaged about 1.6 touchdowns per contest.  Without him, it averaged just over half a pass TD per game.  And, since you can't throw half a touchdown, the Giants offense was pretty darn bad without him.  So, Mayor Bloomberg, if you're a Giants fan, let Plax off the hook so he can revive the Giants passing game!  Oh, and by the way, he's in court again because a car he leased was impounded with damages in Pennsylvania.  So I guess letting him off the hook now may not be so easy.
• While Jodie Meeks was making the headlines in college buckets, the Orlando Magic made the headlines in the professional ranks.  The Magic made an NBA record 23 three point shots in a 139-107 blowout of the lowly Sacramento Kings.  Jameer Nelson hit all five treys he attempted, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu each hit three of them, and J.J. Redick and Keith Bogans hit four each off the bench to contribute to the mark.  (NINE Magic players hit at least one three-pointer.)  The Magic are an impressive 31-8 this season, and coming into last night's game ranked third in the NBA in 3-point percentage (39.3).  With this kind of shooting, they're definitely going to be a force in the Eastern Conference and contend for the Finals.    And, lost in this incredible shooting night, the Magic got another typically great performance from Dwight Howard, who poured in 25 with 15 rebounds.   Howard shot 80% from the field, hit 9-11 free throws, and also had four steals.  What a Magical night for Orlando in Sacramento.

Everything You Need To Get Ready For the the NFL's Divisional Round

Philadelphia (+4) @ New York:

Often, it's said that when two teams face each other three times in the same season, it's difficult for one team to win all three of those game. Don't worry about that here.

Often, you can look towards home-field, and handicap a game based on which team has that advantage. Don't look at that here either.

Really, don't look for any sort of cute indicators. Both teams won games during the year on the other's home field, neither game decided by more than a touchdown. The Giants, after a bye week, are just about fully healthy. Justin Tuck is going to play, even if it's only on one leg. The Eagles are nicked up, but, nothing out of the ordinary or not to be expected this deep into the season.

It's going to be absolutely freezing at the Meadowlands today, so expect both teams, despite Andy Reid's wishes, to run the ball, a lot. We all know how tough the Giants run game can be but the Eagles can be just as difficult to handle if only because of their versatility. Keep in mind, Brian Westbrook might not be your prototypical back, but he did have one of his best games on the ground this year in New York (err...New Jersey). Also, as they showed last week, the Eagles don't necessarily have to run the ball to keep Westbrook involved. Screens and short passes to him and my man Kevin Curtis will be the name of the day.

No question, tough game to pick. About a two months ago, it was impossible to predict against the Giants. They were running over people, just ripping up the NFC. Then Plaxico and Pierce did their best Bonnie and Clyde impression, Brandon Jacobs got hurt, and they became human. The Eagles, on the other hand, have been (pardon the corny pun) flying. With the points not being much difference here, I'm taking the Eagles. Jim Johnson's D will have the G-Men scrambling all day, and the Eagles will find a way to keep it simple with Westbrook. Close game, but Eagles and the points.

Scott's Pick: Philly Jordan's Pick:  New York

San Diego (+6) @ Pittsburgh:

Here's my thing, so far as San Diego's concerned: they're playing with house money because they don't have their star running back, and, they know they really shouldn't be in the playoffs. Did they earn their spot? Sure they did. But, most any team worth the fibers stitched on their jerseys (read: not Denver) would've sealed the deal with a 3 game lead and 3 to play. Good for San Diego that Denver stinks.

That all considered, San Diego's got a tough task today.  While it does seem like the ever-frequent image of LT is of one sullen superstar sitting in an over-sized coat on the sidelines come playoff time, fact is, dude is hurt, again.  So, it's up to Darren Sproles.  The odds are supremely stacked against him.  Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a 100 yard rusher all season.  In fact, including this year's preseason, this season and last year's playoffs and season, they've only allowed one 100 yard rusher in the last 27 games.  It was amusing watch Sproles scat his way all over the field last week, such a similar result ain't gonna happen.

So, Philip Rivers, it all falls on you.  Pissed off you didn't make the Pro Bowl (how on Earth did that happen, by the way)?  Show the world (read:  15 people that watch the "joy" that is the NFL's all-star game) that you deserved to be there.  Though, Brett Favre did his best to show he didn't belong in the season's final weeks, and no one seemed to notice.  

While it isn't likely to be raining or snowing Pittsburgh today, the weather, as in New Jersey, will surely be dreadful and close to frostbite inducing (again, read:  not a lot of scoring or enjoyable play).  Low scoring affair that this game seems destined to be, Pittsburgh has to be the way to go.

To go all Winston Churchill on you, it's time that the Iron Curtain closes on the dream that has been the Chargers season. 

Or something like that.

  

Scott's Pick:  Pittsburgh Jordan's Pick: San Diego