The Phat Guy Knows

NFL Preview 2011

Dan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:41:22 +0000

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

To All NFL Fans,

The lockout ended and we had a full preseason other the annual Hall of Fame game. Now the regular season is upon us and we preview the 2011 NFL season. The Green Bay Packers, last year’s Super Bowl Champions, opens up as the favorite to repeat this year according to many analysts. Only seven times in the history of the game (New England was the last in 2005) has a team repeated as Super Bowl Champions. It is the Patriots once again that Las Vegas lists as the odds on favorite (5:1) to win it all this year. The Packers are a close second in at 6:1 odds.

Some story lines of interest to start the NFL season: The Indianapolis Colts will open the season for the first time in 209 games without Peyton Manning under center. In that same span, the Chicago Bears have had 17 different starting quarterbacks. The Colts have also had some media interest as of late because of former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. The former Ohio State Buckeye’s National Championship coach is joining the Colt’s staff and requested a 6 game suspension, one more than much maligned Terrelle Pryor received from Roger Goodell. Another closely watched team is the Dallas Cowboys. The Boys have hired Rex Ryan’s brother Rob to crank up the defense and help get the Cowboys back to prominence. The quarterback situation has been much discussed in Denver as a preseason storyline. Tim Tebow started camp as the heir apparent to John Elway and ended it as the third string QB behind Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn.

In the AFC, the team that looks to challenge the Patriots is the San Diego Chargers. Phillip Rivers appears ready to make the jump as a top tier quarterback and lead his team to the promised land. In the Central Division, perennial powers Pittsburgh and Baltimore will fight for the title, with an improved Cleveland Browns team as a potential sleeper. Pat Shurmer’s west coast offense is a perfect fit for Colt McCoy. Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets should be in the mix all year long as they try to get past the AFC Championship game this year. The Houston Texas are a team that with some breaks could make some noise as well.

In the NFC, a team in the Packer’s owned Central Division, the Chicago Bears, have title hopes if Jay Cutler can play at a high level all year long. The New York Giants plan on being in the mix, but they will have to overcome numerous defensive injuries. If Micheal Vick puts up MVP type numbers again, the Eagles like their chances of dethroning Green Bay. Atlanta and New Orleans, out of the South division, look to be contenders in the NFC as well.

Enjoy the season,

Matthew “Bubba” Harris

Get Cheap NFL tickets like Bears tickets, Colts tickets, Browns tickets, Packer tickets and NFL Super Bowl tickets from BubbasGotTickets.com.

College Football Preview 2011

Dan — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:40:16 +0000

Photo Courtesy of The BoiseExperiment.com

by Matthew “Bubba” Harris

The 2011 off-season in college football was arguably the most eventful that we have ever seen. If the on field play matches the theatrics off the field we are in for some exciting drama. For many top programs, such as Ohio State, Oregon, Auburn, and Miami the season could not get here fast enough, due to negative NCAA investigations surrounding their programs. Not all off season drama was bad. Nebraska began bracing for its first ever season in the Big 10 and Utah awaited a start in the Pac 12. The marquee independant school, Notre Dame, also has many questions and eyes on them as they try to move forward after the death of a student video worker and attempt to return to national prominence.

The preseason favorite to win the BCS Championship is a school out of the Big 12, Oklahoma, not the Southeastern Conference. The SEC has produced the past 5 National Champions, the last time a non SEC school won the title was in 2005 when Texas was victorious. The Longhorns are members of the Big 12.

Oklahoma has 15 starters back from last years 12-2 team. The Sooners have a coach in Bob Stoops, that is familiar with the national spotlight. Stoops and his players do not shy away from the expectations. The word out of the Sooner locker room is championship or bust.

Schools out of the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, and Pac 12 all have tough enough schedules to navigate to get to the BCS Title game, but once again solid programs with an easier schedule will likely weigh into the top rankings for much of the season. #5 Boise St. beating ranked Georgia should put the Broncos in the running. Another team that may benefit from an easier schedule is #13 Virginia Tech who does not play a single preseason ranked team.

Buy college football tickets at BubbasGotTickets.com.

Texas A&M football tickets, Texas Longhorns football schedule, Alabama football tickets, Nebraska football schedule.

NHL Quick Look 2011-12

Dan — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:37:33 +0000

Photo courtesy of AP

Steven Stamkos makes chicken feed compared to Alex Ovechkin, but he became the youngest player ever to score 100 goals in the National Hockey League. Yep, quicker than Ovechkin, faster than Gretzky and Lemieux.

Three years into the NHL, the Canadian born Stamkos only makes less than an eighth of what Ovechkin does ($875,000 vs $9 million). Incidentally, Ovechkin is becoming the LeBron James of hockey. The 26 year old Russian seems to struggle to perform when it matters! Let’s hope for his sake, this only happens on the ice!

Finish is what the Boston Bruins did last year for the first time since 1972, taking home the Stanley Cup in a 4-3 thriller over the Canucks. Not since the magic of NHL legend Bobby Orr had the Bruins won a title.

So who will shine and who will lead in 2011-12? It is a good bet to say Stamkos and Ovechkin will be sure not to disappoint. Despite the 8 million dollar difference in salary, these two guys are going to lead the league on offense and perform fairly equally for their respective teams.

Vancouver may not have won the championship, but they had an amazing regular season last year. The Canucks won 27 road games during the regular season on the way to the best record in the league, 54-19-9.

Eleven year veteran Roberto Luongo returns to the net to prevent opponents from achieving their goals, literally. The 10 million dollar man won 38 regular season games last year and showed the league he is a top performer..

The Winter Classic is slated for January 2, 2012 and is supposed to be played in Citizens Bank Park. The deal is still being firmed up but we know the game will be Rangers vs Flyers.

The 2011-12 NHL season looks to be another exciting year for hockey fans everywhere. Tickets are available for all games from BubbasGotTickets.com.

Boston Bruins schedule, Canucks schedule, Oilers schedule, Winnipeg Jets schedule, Toronto Maple Leafs schedule, Pittsburgh Penguins schedule.

Broadway’s Show of the Century?

Dan — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:37:25 +0000

*photo copyright Joan Marcus

When South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone joined forces with Robert Lopez for a Broadway experiment, they had no idea what to expect. What they have created is a laugh out loud comedy that audiences in the Eugene O’neill Theater cannot get enough of. The smash hit musical has already been called the best production on the Century. This is huge for the trio as Wicked has owned Broadway since it opened in October of 2003.

We are all familiar with two young guys in white shirts, who call themselves elders, showing up at our door early in the evening or a weekend afternoon. We try to hide somewhere we cannot be seen in our house until they move on to our neighbor. The two characters in The Book of Mormon make you want to answer the door!

Elder Price, played by Andrew Rannells, is at the top of his class and will be the “perfect” example of Joe Smith if he goes to Orlando (his ideal landing spot).

Elder Cunningham has never been good at anything. Played by Josh Gad, this chubby teenager wants to succeed and seeks out the approval of his fellow missionary.

Orlando turns into Uganda and neither of the two are ready for what they venture into. They venture into hilarity and this is a show for all adults to see.

Tony Award winner Nikki M. James plays a young African girl in the jungle that the Elder’s encounter.

Maybe the most original Broadway hit in history, this show is not for all audiences as it contains many sexual overtones and language only a sailor would be used to.

This show is every bit of 5 stars.

Get your Book of Mormon tickets today at BubbasGotTickets.com.

Say it Izzo So….LeBron to Become Player-Coach of the Cavaliers?

Dan — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:24:42 +0000

Photo courtesy of Tim Black

In 1968, player-coach Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship over the Lakers. In a shocking text message to a high school friend, LeBron James has mentioned that he may become the first player-coach to attempt to accomplish the same feat.

It really makes sense. If the Cleveland Cavaliers want to keep what could be the best athlete of all-time, why not give the controls to him?

Is James ready for a challenge with so much responsibility?

He is the two-time reigning MVP in the NBA. Why not go for Coach of the Year and MVP next year?

Many Cavaliers fans would argue that James already runs the team and Mike Brown was just a formality. Brown and GM Danny Ferry were unable to achieve the ultimate success of an NBA title and exited Cleveland. Cavs fans will agree to whatever it takes to keep the King in their beloved city.

Tom Izzo was in Cleveland on Thursday to entertain the thought of replacing Brown, but his apprehension may have pushed LeBron to step into what would be one of the most storied moves in the history of the NBA.

Fans will have to wait and see whether James actually can talk Cavs owner Dan Gilbert into letting him hold a dual role.

Cleveland Cavaliers tickets sales would sky rocket if this signing truly takes place. Fans filled the seats last year as the Cavaliers had the best regular season record in the league. Those same seats could be empty without their hometown hero in 2010-2011.

Stay tuned!

Contributing Source: Author’s Imagination