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Prediction: Red Sox continue dominance of Angels in playoffs 3-0

White Sox vs Rays
Game 1: Thursday 2:30pm (Vazquez vs Shields) TBS
Game 2: Friday 6:00pm (Buehrle vs Kazmir) TBS
Game 3: Sunday TBD (TBA vs Garza) TBS
Game 4: Monday TBD (TBA vs Sonnanstine) TBS
Game 5: Wednesday TBD (TBA vs TBA) TBS

Prediction: White Sox 3-2

Brewers vs Phillies
Game 1: Wednesday 3:00pm (Gallardo vs Hamels) TBS
Game 2: Thursday 6:00pm (Sabathia vs Myers) TBS
Game 3: Saturday 6:30pm (Moyer vs Bush) TBS
Game 4: Sunday TBD (TBA vs Suppan) TBS
Game 5: Tuesday TBD (TBA vs Sabathia) TBS

Prediction: Phillies 3-1

Dodgers vs Cubs
Game 1: Wednesday 6:30pm (Lowe vs Dempster) TBS
Game 2: Thursday 9:30pm (Billingsley vs Zambrano) TBS
Game 3: Saturday 10:00pm (Kuroda vs Harden) TBS
Game 4: Sunday TBD (TBA vs Lily) TBS
Game 5: Tuesday TBD (TBA vs TBA) TBS

Prediction: Dodgers 3-1


ALCS
Red Sox 4 White Sox 2

NLCS
Dodgers 4 Phillies 1

World Series
Red Sox 4 Dodgers 0

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Several other New England schools also play in the FCS including Maine, Massachusetts, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Northeastern.

For the third year I cast votes in the weekly AGS Top 25 poll. This poll is the most accurate poll of the FCS when comparing each seasons playoff field to the preseason poll.

Starting this week I will share my poll with my readers.

1. James Madison (4-1)
Last: defeated Maine 24-10
Next: Saturday vs Hofstra

2. New Hampshire (4-0)
Last: defeated Dartmouth 42-6
Next: October 11 vs William & Mary

3. Cal-Poly (2-1)
Last: defeated Northeastern State 52-18
Next: Saturday vs South Dakota

4. Appalachian State (2-2)
Last: defeated Presbyterian 48-14
Next: Saturday vs #18 Citadel

5. Montana (4-0)
Last: defeated Central Washington 38-35
Next: Saturday at Weber State

6. Delaware (2-2)
Last: defeated Albany 38-7
Next: Saturday at #17 Massachusetts

7. McNeese State (2-1)
Last: defeated Southern Virginia 63-7
Next: Saturday at #19 South Dakota State

8. Villanova (3-1)
Last: defeated then #1 Richmond 26-20
Next: Saturday vs William & Mary

9. Richmond (3-2)
Last: lost to then #17 Villanova 26-20
Next: Saturday at Virginia Military Institute

10. North Dakota State (2-2)
Last: lost to Youngstown State 32-24
Next: Saturday vs #11 Southern Illinois

11. Wofford (3-1)
Last: defeated then #23 Georgia Southern 38-37 in overtime
Next: October 11 vs Chattanooga

12. Southern Illinois (2-1)
Last: defeated then #5 Northern Iowa 27-24
Next: Saturday at #13 North Dakota State

13. Furman (4-1)
Last: defeated Chattanooga 35-10
Next: Saturday vs #14 Elon

14. Northern Iowa (2-2)
Last: lost to then #15 Southern Illinois 27-24
Next: Thursday vs Nicholls State

15. Citadel (3-1)
Last: defeated Western Carolina 34-14
Next: Saturday at #2 Appalachian State

16. Elon (4-1)
Last: defeated Samford 23-17
Next: Saturday at #15 Furman

17. Eastern Washington (2-2)
Last: defeated Idaho State 45-31
Next: Saturday at Portland State

18. Central Arkansas (4-1)
Last: lost to Tulsa 62-34
Next: October 11 vs Sam Houston State

19. Liberty (4-0)
Last: defeated then #24 Youngstown State 31-28
Next: Saturday at Coastal Carolina

20. William & Mary (2-1)
Last: defeated Norfolk State 42-12
Next: Saturday vs #12 Villanova

21. Jacksonville State (3-1)
Last: defeated then #22 Eastern Illinois 23-10
Next: Saturday vs Southeast Missouri State

22. Northern Arizona (3-1)
Last: defeated Northern Colorado 25-22
Next: Saturday vs Sacramento State

23. South Dakota State (3-2)
Last: defeated Stephen F. Austin 50-48
Next: Saturday vs #4 McNeese State

24. Prairie View A&M (4-0)
Last: defeated Morehouse 28-17
Next: Saturday at Grambling State

25. North Dakota (4-1)
Last: lost to Southeastern Louisiana 38-35
Next: October 18 vs Western Washington

Rankings referenced in past and future games are based on the overall AGS poll and not my specific ballot.

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“The biggest problem is the divisional setup in major league baseball. I didn’t like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now,” Steinbrenner wrote. “Baseball went to a multidivision setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn’t fair. You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while we’re not.

I’m not sure how the Dodgers making the playoffs would keep the Yankees out in any format since their in a different league.

Even if Major League Baseball still listed teams as a league instead of divisions, the Yankees would only have the fourth best record among American League teams and thats only by a half game over the Chicago White Sox.

“I’m happy for Joe, but you have to compare the divisions and the competition,” Steinbrenner wrote. “What if the Yankees finish the season with more wins than the Dodgers but the Dodgers make the playoffs? Does that make the Dodgers a better team? No.”

Again he’s using an argument that wouldn’t matter in any format.

Steinbrenner also questioned the legitimacy of the Cardinals’ 2006 title, noting that their 83 regular-season victories were two less than the Phillies’ total, but because of the system, St. Louis reached the playoffs as NL Central champs while Philadelphia lost the wild card race to the Dodgers, who had 88 wins.

“People will say the Cardinals were the best team because they won the World Series,” Steinbrenner wrote. “Well, no, they weren’t. They just got hot at the right time. They didn’t even belong in the playoffs. And neither does a team from the N.L. West this season.”

Someone should ask Hanky if he should be taking shots at World Championship teams since the accomplishments of at least two of the Yankees recent Championships are tainted by steroids.

Of course, the same could be said for the 2000 Yankees, who won the World Series that fall after registering just 87 wins to capture the AL East title. Four other teams in the AL had more victories that season, including a 90-win Indians team that missed the playoffs.

Ahhh and one is tainted by Hanky’s own logic.

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If Matt Cassel can’t be the quarterback who can pass the ball down field and help the offense score points then don’t put him on the field.

We would be better off using the game time in a failed season to develop a younger Kevin O’Connell, because if Cassel can’t be a down field passer now, he never will be, he is completely useless to the New England Patriots.

Losing today was tough to take, it was the Miami Dolphins after all. Several people have used the words “karma is a bitch” or “karma sucks” and while that maybe true, right now I’m not upset about losing to Miami, I am upset with how we managed to lose.

Trailing 21-6 with about a minute left in the first half and knowing Miami gets the ball first in the second half, the Patriots offense went out on the field and continued to good off with the damn short passes.

I don’t care if coverage was tight, at some point you need to say the hell with it, send Randy Moss deep, air it out and let Moss do what he does best, make amazing plays.

Early in the fourth quarter the Patriots had a series that went, incomplete short left, Cassel 2 yard rush, Cassel 2 yard rush, punt. It was clear even before then that this team gave up.

The Patriots have a bye next week and then have back-to-back games out west, first in San Francisco and then in San Diego. It may benefit the team to remain out west between games, if not to save them from the excessive jet lag, than to save the players from seeing the trashing they are sure to take in the media over the next couple weeks.

If the Patriots aren’t competitive in three weeks against the Chargers it will be clear this team is toast for 2008.

At least we have the ability to look forward to the day Tom Brady returns to the huddle for the Patriots.

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Here is a link to the schedule, I will be back in a bit with more on it.

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