This Weekend's 3 You Gotta See

1) The Major League Baseball Playoffs: Can the Cubbies regroup and turn their luck around in Hollywood? Will the Brewers get off the mat at home after their ace was knocked out in Philly? Can the Rays keep their dream season going after a resounding Game 1 victory over Ozzie and the Sox? And will divine intervention come through and help the Angels get over the hump against the defending world champion Red Sox? This is in spite of TBS having the worst coverage in the history of baseball on TV. I have major issues with (in no particular order of annoyance) Chip Carey having no clue, Craig Sager hurting my eyes with his wardrobe, Frank TV commercials – enough said, and finally Cal, Eck, and Curtis Granderson - really good at baseball, really bad in the studio.

2) College Football - #14 Ohio State @ #18 Wisconsin, Saturday, 8:00 – ABC: Hands down the most intriguing matchup in the college game this weekend. I’ll step out on a limb and guess that beers and brats will be consumed at alarming rates at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin absolutely needs this game to stay in championship contention after a devastating loss in the Big House last weekend after leading by 19 at half, can PJ Hill bounce back in front of the hometown crowd? As for the Buckeyes, watch out America. I’ll lay this out there right now – Like it or not, Ohio State will run the table in the Big 10 and will be right there for national championship game contention. My reasoning, when they were blown out by USC in the Coliseum, it was Terrelle Pryor’s first real game and it was played without their starting tailback Beanie Wells, the best RB in the country. Last week, starting for the first time together, the Bucks ran up 250 rushing yards and I believe as Pryor gains more experience and Wells gets more healthy this team will solidify itself as the Big 10’s best. Apologies Penn State fans.

3) NFL – the Tennessee Titans @ the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 1:00 – CBS: No real big time juicy games in the professional ranks this week. Last week I thought Baltimore going to Pittsburgh would be a classic – and it was. This game will be almost a carbon copy. While dominating defenses and game management offenses may be a little boring at times, they do create exciting endings. I feel as though now, after over 4 years in Baltimore, I’m finally appreciating the Ravens D and just how good it is. No one in the NFL brings it harder and more intense than its leader, Ray Lewis. Off the field, like him or not, whatever – but on the field he is a man possessed. Steelers rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall fractured his shoulder by not falling awkwardly – but by just the sheer force of a textbook shoulder-to-shoulder hit by #52… think about that and let it sink in. He broke the man’s shoulder on 1 hit, scary.

Under the Radar Bonus Upset Pick – Top 10 Big 12 Teams Going on the Road, in Conference: Last week I nailed one when I called Maryland over Clemson in Death Valley. This week I may be copping out a little taking 3 chances, but I guarantee at least 1 of 3 Big 12 heavy favorites will go down on the road on Saturday. Keep an eye on #4 Missouri @ Nebraska, #5 Texas @ Colorado, and #7 Texas Tech @ Kansas State. Like the SEC, teams in the Big 12 are cannibals and over the length of the conference schedule they will devour each other alive as the few try to make a run for a national title. Lincoln, Boulder, and Manhattan are tough places to play for anyone, especially when you’ve got a target on your back.