Top 12 Sports Moments of 2013 Part Two

8. April 24th, Maple Leafs Vs Lightning
The Bolts season was a complete and utter disappointment, but with just two games left there was still something that kept Lightning fans on the edge. Martin St Louis came into the game with a one point lead for the Art Ross Trophy, the award given to the player with the most points (Goals +Assists) in the NHL. In this game Martin St Louis cemented the trophy for himself, recording a hat trick and electrifying the st pete times forum in the process. St Louis became the oldest player to ever win the Art Ross Trophy.

7. August 1st: Mariners Vs Red Sox
Ask any Red Sox fan when they began to believe this team was a team of destiny and most of them will point to this game. Henry Blanco hit a grand slam early for the Mariners to open up a 6-1 lead for them. That five run lead would hold all the way until the ninth. A five run lead in the ninth inning is almost always insurmountable, not even rally cap worthy. But this Sox team mastered hit after hit, and in the end didnt even need two outs to cap off a six run ninth and an amazing comeback. With one out and the winning run on third, Daniel Nava smacked a deep fly ball to center to win the game. The five run ninth inning comeback was the Largest ninth inning comeback by the Sox in over twenty years and ignited a world series run.

6. World Series Game four: Red Sox Vs Cardinals
The Red Sox lost game three in heart wrenching fashion, and faced a must win game in game four to avoid a 3-1 hole. With the game tied at one in the sixth and two outs, bench player Jonny Gomes blasted a three run home run into the bullpen to give the Sox a 4-1 lead ensuring a 2-2 series tie.

5. December 15th: Packers @ Cowboys
The season appeared over. The Packers had rolled over to the Cowboys, helpless they trailed 26-3 at the half. but the Packers rallied for one of the most unlikely and largest comebacks in team, even NFL history. Tramon Williams Interception in the waning minutes sealed a comeback win that would propel the Packers to their third straight division title.

Week One Big Ten Picks

Big Ten basketball starts tomorrow, so lets get to picking! The Badgers begin Big Ten play as the odds on favorite to win the conference so it should be a fun couple of months for Badger fans! Here are the picks for the first week of games

Tuesday
Ohio St @ Purdue: Pick: Purdue
Indiana @ Illinois: Pick: Illinois
Michigan St @ Penn St: Pick: Michigan St
Nebraska @ Iowa: Pick: Iowa

Thursday
Wisconsin @ Northwestern: Pick: Wisconsin
Michigan @ Minnesota: Pick: Michigan

Saturday
Nebraska @ Ohio St: Pick: Ohio St
Michigan St @ Indiana: Pick: Indiana
Penn St @ Illinois: Pick: Illinois

Sunday
Iowa @ Wisconsin: Pick: Wisconsin
Northwestern @ Michigan: Pick: Michigan
Purdue @ Minnesota: Pick: Minnesota

Top 12 Sports Moments of 2013 Part One

the month was March and 2013 was shaping up to be a putrid year in sports for me. The Packers were coming off a humiliating playoff loss, the Red Sox were coming off their worst season in 47 years, the Lighnting were collapsing, and the Magic were flat out terrible. Things have improved dramatically since then. The Bolts rebounded from last year to have a very impressive first half this year, the Packers responded by once again winning their division, and the Red Sox, well, you know. My point is 2013 ended up not being such a bad sports year after all. Starting today over the next three days I will be counting down the top 12 moments of 2013 for my sports teams. Of my six teams, four are included in this countdown, the Magic and Badgers football team did not make it. Here we go:

12. March 29th: Lightning Vs Devils, Jon Coopers first win as head coach.
Just two days after firing head coach Guy Boucher, the Bolts took to the ice for the first time under new coach Jon Cooper hoping to begin a new era in style. Jon Cooper had previously been the coach of the AHL Syracuse Crunch and a staple of his teams have always been resiliency. that was put immediately on display in this one. The Bolts fell into an early 2-0 hole, but came back to tie it at 2 apiece. Then they fell in a hole again, 4-2 with just ten minutes left. They close the gap to within one, but still trailed with less than a minute left. In stunning fashion, Alex Killorn tied the game with merely 20 seconds left, and the Bolts went on to win in a shootout for Coopers first win as new head coach of the Lightning.

11. February 9th: Wisconsin Vs Michigan
The Badgers came into this contest one game behind the Wolverines in the Big ten race. Michigan came into this game as the number three team in the country, and it was pretty clear this was a must win for the Badgers to maintain big ten title hopes. The Badgers opened up an early nine point lead, but Michigan quickly tied it and the rest of the game remained a nail biter. Over the final thirty minutes neither team led by more than 4 points. With 30 seconds left and trailing by two, Jarred Bergren nailed two free throws to tie it. But when Michigan nailed a three with 2 second left, the game appeared over. After the inbounds, Ben Brust was forced to throw up a halfcourt prayer, which he nailed to force over time. Overtime was a defensive grind, with a combined seven points scored, 3 of the 7 coming from another Ben Brust three to break a tie with 43 seconds left. the Badgers won 65-62

10. October 5th, Lightning @ Blackhawks
It was only their second game of the season, but the Lightning already looked hopeless. After last years diaster the Bolts opened the year with an uninspiring 3-1 loss to the Bruins, and appeared headed for an 0-2 start as they trailed the stanley cup champions Blackhawks 2-0 halfway through the third. The rally started off the stick of who else but Marty St Louis, and Purcell followed it up with the tying goal late in the third. The biggest Lightning free agent signing in years, Valterri Filpulla scored the lone goal in the shootout to finish off an unlikely win on the road against the cup champions and begin a very impressive first half of the year for the Bolts.

9. April 20th: Red Sox Vs Royals
It was the first game at Fenway Park since the Boston Marathon bombings. There was a special pregame ceremony to honor the victims and first responders, and it was a very patriotic atmosphere. Adding to it, the Red Sox were off to a surprising 11-4 start, and on a six game winning streak, their longest in four years.  After who else but Big Papi evened the game at 1 in the sixth, the Royals regained a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Still trailing with two outs and two on in the bottom of the eighth, a surprising young star Daniel Nava stepped to the plate and hit a three run shot into the bullpen to send Fenway into a frenzy, give the Sox a 4-2 lead and extend the winning streak to seven games, the longest of the season. Nava, an undrafted player whose contract the Red Sox bought for exactly one dollar, went onto to hit over .300 for the season.

NFL Week 17 Picks

I went 9-7 last week, putting me at 144-95 on the season

Lions @ Vikings: Pick: Vikings
Panthers @ Falcons: Pick: Panthers
Ravens @ Bengals: Pick: Ravens
Texans @ Titans: Pick: Titans
Jaguars @ Colts: Pick: Colts
Jets @ Dolphins: Pick: Dolphins
Redskins @ Giants: Pick: Giants
Browns @ Steelers: Pick: Steelers
Broncos @ Raiders: Pick: Broncos
Bills @ Patriots: Pick: Patriots
Buccaneers @ Saints: Pick: Saints
49ers @ Cardinals: Pick: Cardinals
Chiefs @ Chargers: Pick: Chargers
Rams @ Seahawks: Pick: Seahawks
Packers @ Bears: Pick: Packers
Eagles @ Cowboys: Pick: Eagles

Survivor Pick: I still havent picked the Packers and I am not going the whole season without picking my team.
Pick: Packers

NFL Week 16 Picks

I went a mediocre 8-8 last week, putting me at 135-88 on the season

Dolphins @ Bills: Pick: Dolphins
Vikings @ Bengals: Pick: Bengals
Colts @ Chiefs: Pick: Chiefs
Buccaneers @ Rams: Pick: Rams
Browns @ Jets: Pick: Jets
Cowboys @ Redskins: Pick: Redskins
Saints @ Panthers: Pick: Panthers
Titans @ Jaguars: Pick: Titans
Broncos @ Texans: Pick: Broncos
Giants @ Lions: Pick: Lions
Cardinals @ Seahawks: Pick: Seahawks
Raiders @ Chargers: Pick: Chargers
Patriots @ Ravens: Pick: Ravens
Bears @ Eagles: Pick: Eagles
Steelers @ Packers: Pick: Packers
Falcons @ 49ers: Pick: 49ers

Survivor Pick: well, I made my survivor pick even more pointless by losing again, now 13-2 on the season. Ill still go on though. Now that Ive picked almost half the league, there is not much left. It came down to the Packers, Lions, and Chargers.
Pick: Chargers

NFL Week 15 Picks

I went 11-5 last week, putting me at 127-80 on the season.

Chargers @ Broncos: Pick: Broncos
Packers @ Cowboys: Pick: Cowboys
Redskins @ Falcons: Pick: Falcons
Bears @ Browns: Pick: Bears
Texans @ Colts: Pick: Colts
Patriots @ Dolphins: Pick: Patriots
Eagles @ Vikings: Pick: Eagles
Seahawks @ Giants: Pick: Seahawks
49ers @ Buccaneers: Pick: 49ers
Bills @ Jaguars: Pick: Jaguars
Chiefs @ Raiders: Pick: Chiefs
Jets @ Panthers: Pick: Panthers
Cardinals @ Titans: Pick: Titans
Saints @ Rams: Pick: Saints
Bengals @ Steelers: Pick: Bengals
Ravens @ Lions: Pick: Ravens

Survivor Pick: I am 13-1 in survivor Picks this year, of course the one is all that matters since one loss eliminates you, but Im still going for fun anyways. I cant believe I haven't used the Saints yet, so Ill take them here
Pick: Saints

NFL Week 14 Picks

I went 10-6 last week, putting me at 116-75 on the season.

Texans @ Jaguars: Pick: Texans
Falcons @ Packers: Pick: Packers
Colts @ Bengals: Pick: Bengals
Browns @ Patriots: Pick: Patriots
Raiders @ Jets: Pick: Raiders
Lions @ Eagles: Pick: Eagles
Dolphins @ Steelers: Pick: Steelers
Bills @ Buccaneers: Pick: Buccaneers
Chiefs @ Redskins: Pick: Chiefs
Vikings @ Ravens: Pick: Vikings
Titans @ Broncos: Pick: Broncos
Rams @ Cardinals: Pick: Cardinals
Giants @ Chargers: Pick: Chargers
Seahawks @ 49ers: Pick: 49ers
Panthers @ Saints: Pick: Saints
Cowboys @ Bears: Pick: Cowboys

Survivor Pick: Finally going with Denver
Pick: Broncos

NCAA Week 15 Picks

I went 4-2 in big ten play this week, 2-1 outside it. Two weeks in a row I have successfully picked a double digit underdog to upset an undefeated team. Oklahoma St over Baylor last week and Auburn this week.

Big Ten: 25-13
Outside Big Ten: 29-13

Big Ten Championship pick
For a third straight week Im calling for an undefeated to go down. Give me the tougher more physical Michigan State team to upset an Ohio State team who has won 24 in a row, but has yet to face the pressure they'll face in this one. here's predicting the pressure is to much for them to deal with.

Pac-12 Championship; Arizona St Vs Stanford: Pick: Stanford
SEC Championship: Mizzouri Vs Auburn: Pick: Auburn
ACC Championship: Florida St Vs Duke: Pick: Florida St

Final Big Ten Standings
Leaders Division
1. Ohio St: 8-0
2. Wisconsin: 6-2
3. Indiana: 3-5
4. Illinois: 1-7
5. Purdue: 0-8

Legends Division
1. Michigan St: 8-0
2. Iowa: 5-3
3. Nebraska: 5-3
4. Minnesota: 4-4
5. Michigan: 3-5
6. Northwestern: 1-7

Final SEC Standings
East
1. Missouri: 7-1
2. South Carolina: 6-2
3. Georgia: 5-3
4. Vanderbilt: 4-4
5. Florida: 3-5
6. Tennessee: 2-6
7. Kentucky: 0-8

West
1. Auburn: 7-1
2. Alabama: 7-1
3. LSU: 5-3
4. Texas A&M: 4-4
5. Mississippi St: 3-5
6. Ole Miss: 3-5
7. Arkansas: 0-8

Final ACC Standings
Atlantic
1. Florida St: 8-0
2. Clemson: 7-1
3. Syracuse: 4-4
4. Boston College: 4-4
5. Maryland: 3-5
6. Wake Forest: 2-6
7. NC State: 0-8

Coastal
1. Duke: 6-2
2. Virginia Tech: 5-3
3. Miami: 5-3
4. Georgia Tech: 5-3
5. North Carolina: 4-4
6. Pittsburgh: 3-5
7. Virginia: 0-8

Final Pac-12 Standings
North
1. Stanford: 7-2
2. Oregon: 7-2
3. Washington: 5-4
4. Oregon St: 4-5
5. Washington St: 4-5
6. California: 0-9

South
1. Arizona St: 8-1
2. UCLA: 6-3
3. USC: 6-3
4. Arizona: 4-5
5. Utah: 2-7
6. Colorado: 1-8