Sports Unleashed

Everyone knows Dave and Ryan are going to talk plenty of NFL Conference Championship football in Episode 52, but, how about a little San Diego State Aztec basketball too?

Free Subscriptions

Listener line: 661-750-2321 or Email feedback@wotmn.tv

Show Notes

With Wednesday night’s 68-55 Mountain West Conference victory over Air Force, the Aztecs (20-0, 5-0) extended the nation’s longest-active and school-record winning streak to 20 games and became Division I’s first 20-game winner this season. The Aztecs, despite logging 20 victories in each of the past five seasons, had never been ranked before this season. They now own their highest-ever spot (No. 6) in the AP poll, an impressive RPI (No. 2) and — dare we say this — legitimate hope for an NCAA championship. This is an basketball team of unsung veterans, late bloomers, transfers, former projects and Pac-10 scouting oversights who play hard, play unselfishly and play together. A team that is very easy to root for…

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears. Gone is the element of surprise in this matchup of the NFL’s longest standing rivalry. The Bears won in Week 3 (20-17), and Green Bay won in Week 17 (10-3). The chess match between Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz and Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers could be one to remember. Jay Cutler has done an excellent job of playing within himself, but his history of risk-taking is well-known, and Green Bay is excellent at getting to quarterbacks and forcing bad decisions. Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be making any mistakes right now. The QB matchup could very well be the difference in this battle. We like the Pack.

New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers. Two great defenses. In fact, the Steelers may have the best run defense in football over the past decade.  We anticipate a low-scoring affair and the team that plays mistake-free football will prevail. The Jets were perfect with no turnovers against the Pats, and when Sanchez & Co. don’t give the ball away, the Jets usually win. The Steelers were second in the NFL during the regular season at plus-17 in turnover/takeaway ratio (35 takeaways), and their defense is capable of controlling a game with turnovers that give the offense short fields. Sanchez has a habit of making mistakes early in a game before he settles down, but against Pittsburgh he cannot afford to get into an early hole. If that happens, the Steelers will eat up clock with the run game and let their defense take over. Sports Unleashed is putting it’s money on the Steelers.

Next week, the crew is going to dig DEEP into the Superbowl matchup. Until then, enjoy your sports weekend!

In this week’s episode, Dave and Ryan discuss the sloppy BCS National Championship game and look ahead to NFL’s divisional round of the playoffs.

Free Subscriptions

Listener line: 661-750-2321 or Email feedback@wotmn.tv

Show Notes

After waiting 37 days to see No. 1 Auburn play No. 2 Oregon in Monday night’s Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, we ended up watching 55 minutes of what looked more like the Toilet Bowl and only about five minutes of what we actually hoped to see.  It was hard to view the game without a deflated feeling, because you knew the game might have been so much more.  NFL conference champions earning a bye wait two weeks before playing in the Super Bowl, and college basketball’s two finalists from a 68-team bracket wait about 48 hours before playing a championship game. No sport waits as long as college football to decide its champion.  While the SUL cast believes Auburn and Oregon were the two teams most deserving, the ridiculous layoff is just more evidence that you cannot spell BCS without BS.

The NFL playoffs move and and Dave and Ryan cannot wait for this weekend’s games.  The sports world is treated to Baltimore at Pittsburgh, Green Bay at Atlanta, New York Jets at New England and last, and possibly least, Seattle at Chicago. Baltimore won the first meeting with Pittsburgh thanks to a comeback victory led by Joe Flacco, but lost the second meeting mainly due to the return of Ben Roethlisberger.  Round 3 should be one heck of a hard-hitting affair.  Matt Ryan has a career 20-2 record at the Georgia Dome (with his only losses to the Denver Broncos his rookie year and the Saints this season).  Aaron Rodgers isn’t the greatest in close games.  This game figures to be very close and we like the home team.  The Jets get a real test this week. After beating the Indianapolis Colts in Indy after a last second field goal, the Jets go to New England to play the 14-2 Patriots.  The Jets may be the most overrated team in the NFL, and they sure talk a good game, but we don’t think they can back it up against Tom Terrific this week.  In a tough division, the Bears came out on top, overcoming plenty of flaws as the season went on.  As great as the Seahawks beating the Saints was, we can’t get over the fact that they’re in the playoffs with a sub-.500 record.

Enjoy!

It is 2011 and the Sports Unleashed crew have reason to celebrate.  Milestone episode number 50!  In this week’s show, the guys discuss the evolution of the college quarterback, NFL’s wildcard weekend and some news and notes from the NBA.

Free Subscriptions

Listener line: 661-750-2321 or Email feedback@wotmn.tv

Show Notes

‘Single wing’ became the ‘Wildcat’.  ‘Shotgun’ formation evolved into the ‘Spread offense’.  College football is constantly evolving and the quarterback position is at the forefront.  Have you noticed an increased number of traditional pocket-passing quarterbacks in these bowl games?  There is still plenty of variety in the college football landscape.  For example,  Andrew Luck is your classic Pocket Passer in the mold of greats like Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and Tom Brady. Cam Newton on the other hand is an athletic freak of nature with a strong arm like Michael Vick or Randall Cunningham. Both have had great success in short careers at the college level.  In addition to Luck, Ryan Mallett, Kellen Moore, Stephen Garcia and a host of other prefer to throw from the pocket.  Many believe that these types of quarterbacks translate the best to the NFL.  Do you agree?

The NFL playoffs have arrived!  Almost every team that needed help to reach the playoffs or better their postseason lots didn’t get it. Of the clubs that controlled their own postseason destinies, all but two, Kansas City and St. Louis, posted wins.  This has set the stage for the first-round games: Green Bay at Philadelphia, Baltimore at Kansas City, the New York Jets at Indianapolis and New Orleans at Seattle.  Dave and Ryan preview each of the games and give you their predictions.

If you haven’t heard the rags to riches story of Ted Williams (no, not that Ted Williams) yet, you are in for a treat.  Meet the homeless man with the golden voice who is finally catching a big break.

Enjoy, and Happy New Year!