8 Reasons Rex Grossman will win Super Bowl XLI

The Chicago Bears, after a fast start to the season fizzled by inconsistencies, will be in the big dance after all.

Just when you thought Rex Grossman will fuck this up for the ''monsters of the midway,'' he played just enough to hold on to that first round bye, just enough to win two straight games in the playoffs and yup, just enough to earn his Bears the invite to Super Bowl XLI.

Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman will be facing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts at Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida. A lot of them folks are counting the Bears out already, but hey, they made it THIS far.

Can Rex Grossman, with his ups and downs throughout the season, win it all in Miami, Florida on Feb.4? Can the young Bears quarterback find just enough will to hold on for one more win? He could. And here are 8 reasons why.

ONE reason, as big boss OddJack puts it, Grossman has Brian Urlacher on defense. Grossman can rely on Urlacher to bail him out on any given game. We saw that during the regular season when Grossman played like a jackass against the Arizona Cardinals. Urlacher just refused to lose that game, and yep, they stormed right back to win it after being down, if my memory serves me right, 21-0. Amazing.

Grossman also has this two-headed monster running with the football, Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, TWO more reasons why Rex may just win the Super Bowl. These guys can take over the offense if Grossman finds himself shooting blanks again. And boy, these two guys can run with it like the best of them.

Thomas Jones is the faster more agile back while Benson is the stronger ''twin.'' Quite a scary combination.

TWO more reasons why Grossman can win the Super Bowl this year is his lust and desire to get the first down, no matter what it takes. In the NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints, Rex Grossman was a perfect TWO of TWO on fourth down. If Tom Brady and the Patriots excel on third, the Chicago Bears are starting to find their groove on fourth.

THREE final reasons why young Rex can win it all, is the fact that all he needs to do is win his third straight game in what is turning out to be a new season these Bears has woken up to. They were hot at the start of the regular season but, after suffering their first loss to the Miami Dolphins, they have, all of a sudden, fallen from grace, so to speak.

The Bears were not the same since and their last regular season game against the Green Bay Packers showed us just by how much these Bears have changed since the first five weeks of the season.

However, as we know it in these post-season wars, regular season records don't mean squat in the playoffs. Grossman knew that, and he knew too that the playoffs will give him another chance to prove himself. Rex Grossman was able to beat Seattle, then New Orleans. On Feb.4, Rex Grossman will go for his THIRD straight as he looks to beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Check out 18 reasons why Peyton Manning will win Super Bowl XLI.

Can Rex Grossman lead the Chicago Bears to win Super Bowl XLI? Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

If you're one of the Indianapolis Colts or the Chicago Bears, how do you prepare for Super Bowl XLI?

How should I know?!?

This season, the Indianapolis Colts, champions of the AFC, will meet the ''monsters of the midway,'' the Chicago Bears of the NFC, at Miami, Florida for Super Bowl XLI.

Yep, it's all going down in Miami, home of the stupid Miami Dolphins, and the equally pathetic Miami Heat. At least Miami will see winners for a change this year eh? Hell, Miami will see two of 'em.

So as Colts head coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears head honcho Lovie Smith prepare for their highly-anticipated NFL Football championship game, proclaiming them as the first African American men to coach a Super Bowl, how do you prepare for a single game of this magnitude?

You see, unlike the NBA, the MLB and the NHL, NFL Football doesn't have those best-of-seven series wars where two opposing teams race on who will win four games first. In the NFL, it's a ''one game take all'' showdown and with that being said, there's no room for mistakes.

I guess that's what makes the Super Bowl special.

Well, for former NFL Football head coach Dan Reeves, his advice is simple, enjoy the Super Bowl experience, but don't forget the reason you're there.

Dan Reeves laughed when asked how he handled the Super Bowl preparations and hype. He led Denver to the Super Bowl after the 1986, '87 and '89 seasons, then took the Atlanta Falcons to the title game after the 1998 season.

''You're asking the wrong guy,'' Reeves said, chuckling. ''You're talking to a guy who lost four as a head coach. I can tell you I tried it every which way.''

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Pacing the Indiana Pacers at this point of NBA Season

The halfway point of the NBA Basketball season has finally come to pass.

Yep, it has been 41 games already and we have already seen numerous things took place that we taught we'll never see. One of which was of course Allen Iverson being traded by the Philadelphia 76ers to the Denver Nuggets.

We also saw the now infamous Knicks – Nuggets brawl, the sequel to that war at the Palace of Auburn Hills between the Pistons and the Pacers. Oh yeah, speaking of the Pistons, we saw Detroit sign Chris Webber. And if that wasn't newsworthy enough, Webber decided to wear number 84.

But perhaps no team has this much going on after the first half of the season as the Indiana Pacers.

Get this, they had a tough road schedule, they played inconsistently, then they saw Jermaine O'Neal play worthy of Defensive Player of the Year honors and then they traded two starters, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington, trading the latter again in the very year they got him back from Atlanta.

All of these in the first 41 games of the NBA Basketball season.

A fast start was the last thing anybody expected from the Indiana Pacers after they added eight new players last summer. But fans didn't expect losses to struggling teams like Minnesota, Charlotte and Boston, either, or to see their big offseason acquisition traded before the midpoint of the season.

As of press time, the Indiana Pacers are hovering around .500 and in a weak Eastern Conference, that could be good enough for a high playoff seeding in April.

''We've been up and down,'' Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. ''I'm pleased with the record because with the schedule, we could have been taken out of it early with the new players. Now we have to protect our home court, and with the trade, we have to come together real quick.''

Either that or they will make another cockamamie deal again.

Can the Indiana Pacers make it to the NBA Playoffs? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Five Things to Look Forward to in the coming F1 Season that will start with the Australian GP

In case you guys don't know it yet, Michael Schumacher won't be returning for the 2007 F1 season.

Life without Schumi in Formula One begins when this year's battles start in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix on March 18. Yep, we won't be seeing that famous German chin but hey, there's still a lot of them left to look forward to coming to this new season.

Here's five of them.

ONE World Champion will be representing a different team as Fernando Alonso will be driving for McLaren Mercedes after two championship seasons with Renault.

TWO new rookies from Britain will be tested in this brand new F1 season. Lewis Hamilton and Anthony Davidson, regarded as the future of Formula One, will compete in their first full seasons with F1. Hamilton will ride alongside Kimi Raikkonen with McLaren Mercedes while Davidson will join the once all-Japanese Super Aguri team.

THREE top teams of Formula One will have new ace drivers. World Champions Renault will be pinning their championship hopes on Giancarlo Fisichella after the departure of Fernando Alonso, who's now with McLaren Mercedes. As for Ferrari, they are hoping newly acquired Kimi Raikkonen can carry the red scarlet Scuderia in this post Michael Schumacher era.

FOUR teams have an equal chance of winning it all this year. Unlike last year when it was all about Renault and Ferrari, McLaren now has a decent chance of winning the F1 title with the defending F1 champion, Fernando Alonso, under their wing. Honda, on the other hand, has everything going for them with the improving tandem of Jenson Button and ex-Ferrari driver, Rubens Barrichello.

FIVE new drivers will be on the grid this season. Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Adrian Sutil will be making their F1 debuts while Anthony Davidson and Alex Wurz will be making their respective F1 comebacks.

Who will win the F1 drivers championship? Bodog has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 5/4

Fernando Alonso 9/5

Giancarlo Fisichella 18/1

Jenson Button 11/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Road to Super Bowl XLI showed Tom Brady IS Human

Well well well, Tom Brady is human after all.

Yep, Tom Brady and his improbable march towards Super Bowl XLI without any big name wideouts to throw the football to ended with a resounding halt.

Last Sunday was nothing new to Brady, that is driving the football to at least inside the opponent's 30-yard line with less than two minutes remaining in a game. Yep, the New England Patriots quarterback was in the exact position again, needing to score to win a huge NFL Football playoff game.

However, unlike Tom Brady's previous dramatic comebacks, this one was a little different. He needed a touchdown, instead of a field goal, with his Patriots down to the Indianapolis Colts 38-34.

When you've been as inconsistent as Tom Brady has been through the course of the season, summoning perfection in the final moments isn't easy. And so Brady showed he was human last night, throwing an interception into the waiting arms of Colts' rookie defensive back Marlin Jackson on Indianapolis' 35-yard line with 20 seconds left on the clock.

It was a JACKASS decision by Tom Brady to throw a desperation pass that led to the interception with still more than a couple of seconds left in the game. Well, in fairness to Brady, the Patriots had no choice but to run desperation plays.

The Patriots were desperate and their final drive showed exactly that.

''I was trying to go to Ben [Watson] and he undercut it,'' said Tom Brady of the interception. ''I tried to force it in there. In hindsight you always wish that you threw it away. I was just trying to get rid of it quick.''

Well, you got rid of it alright Tom, together with your team's chances of a championship this season. Well, for what it's worth, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat will join you soon.

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

“We don't need Fernando Alonso to win in F1,” - Stupid Team Renault Big Boss Flavio Briatore

Yeah yeah yeah, Renault big boss Flavio Briatore is running his mouth again.

You have to wonder when will this fat boy stop eh? Yep, Flavio Briatore, after saying that McLaren won't win with Fernando Alonso, he's now saying that they can even with the defection of their former ace driver.

It seems Flavio is really taking Fernando Alonso's departure to McLaren Mercedes hard eh? Yep, Briatore, (we've been talking about this guy a lot now haven't we?) the flamboyant Italian head honcho of team Renault, is leading the revamped Anglo-French team (and by revamped, I do mean revamped, down to their new stupid unis...) into the new F1 season.

Giancarlo Fisichella will be returning for Flavio Briatore as Giancarlo will probably be taking Alonso's spot as Renault's no.1 driver. Rookie Heikki Kovalainen will play second fiddle to Fisi.

Speaking at the launch of Renault's 2007 challenger in Amsterdam, Flavio Briatore said, ''This is not a one-man band. I always believe it is the team that is most important.''

''We showed that with Benetton and now with Renault. Four championships with a very efficient budget in two years shows that. We have lost Fernando, who was an asset, but after he left, the team has extra motivation. Everyone in the factory has been working extra hard.''

At least that's what Flavio Briatore hopes if he wants to even have a chance in the coming F1 season against McLaren Mercedes and of course, Ferrari. And yeah, you can bet that Flavio is hoping Fisi can fill those big shoes Fernando left.

''Fisichella, for me, is better this year. I'm sure Heikki will push him a lot. He is not under more pressure, I think when you have Fernando Alonso as your team-mate that is more pressure.''

''Everyone has been talking about Fernando, but we won the constructors' championship with the points of Fisichella as well in both years. Fisichella has the talent to win, but he must concentrate, and think about working better with the team. You have to work very hard to be number one in your job.''

Can Giancarlo Fisichella lead Renault to another F1 title? Who will win the F1 drivers championship? Bodog has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 5/4

Fernando Alonso 9/5

Giancarlo Fisichella 18/1

Jenson Button 11/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas hates Duke

Does that mean he might give up one NBA Basketball season and play for the Tar Heels for a chance to punish them Devils?

Yep, you read it, apparently, Gilbert Arenas hate Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski when he cut Arenas from the U.S. national team. Now that he's a 40-point superstar any given night, he vows to score 85 when he gets the chance to play against Mike Krzyzewski and his Duke Blue Devils.

For now, he would have to be contend with punishing Krzyzewski's assistants, Phoenix Suns coach Mike D' Antoni and Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan.

Arenas scored 54 points against the Phoenix Suns last month and has said his next 50-point game will come against the Trail Blazers on Feb.11, prompting D'Antoni to say, ''I can't wait to see what he does against Duke. He's gonna kill Duke.''

He he... Ya' think?

''He'd like to see what I'm going to do against Duke,'' Arenas wrote in a posting on his blog. ''I thought it was funny because if I have the chance to go back to college, I'll give up one NBA season to play against Duke.''

''One college game that's five fouls, right? 40-minute game at Duke, they got soft rims I'd probably score 84 or 85. I wouldn't pass the ball. I wouldn't even think about passing it. It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2K7 game, you just shoot with one person,'' he wrote.

Gilbert Arenas, nicknamed Agent Zero by the Washington Wizards, have the nation's capital talking about zeros. Oh yeah, he has them wearing zeros too. And you can bet that his agent will be talking about more zeros if the Wizards wanna' keep this guy for the long haul.

Gilbert Arenas apparently has played well enough to go past Vince Carter for a starting spot in the Eastern Conference All-Star lineup.

Can Gilbert Arenas lead the Washington Wizards to the NBA Playoffs? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Terrell Owens missed Super Bowl XLI, so he's hating on Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells now?

Yep, it seems being away from NFL Football for weeks won't stop T.O. from running his mouth.

Well, especially now that Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, a thorn in Owens' life (sort of..) is retiring. There were rumors that Terrell Owens, probably the weirdest and most controversial wideout in NFL Football these days, described the Cowboys locker room environment ''difficult,'' saying that Parcells' cockamamie old-school offense hurt the team.

Um... T.O., it was YOU who dropped all of them passes remember? Of course you do, hell, you led the league this season in that very statistical category dumbass.

''When I talked to [Parcells] for the first time we left an impression on each other. I still think he is a great guy. But he is like my grandmother. You love the person, but they are stuck in their old-school ways. You can't move them from their way of thought,'' Terrell Owens told a newspaper in an interview.

Afterwards, Owens claimed that he compared his grandmother to Bill Parcells NOT to take a shot at the retiring head coach. According to him, it's his way of saying that the legendary (hint: OLD) coach is a guy that has his ways of coaching.

Owens says he tried to practice hard and play hard last season, but he did feel that Parcells mocked him during the preseason when he was injured.

''I think that by him saying that I need to get on the practice field and I that I needed to show him what I can do, I just felt him knowing the type of player that I am and what I've done to play through injuries I felt like he kind of made a mockery out of me in front of the media to say that,'' Owens said.

''In that sense I kind of lost a sense of respect. But other than that I didn't allow it to deter me of how I practiced because I was seriously injured.''

Oh just shut up and hope that next season, you're hands would be as good as your blabbering pie-hole.

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Manning and Brady go for the AFC Championship...

How many times have we seen Peyton Manning and Tom Brady stood opposite each other in a huge football game?

Yep, it's all happening again as Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the right to advance to Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida.

Fate sure had her way in this one eh? Both the Colts and the Patriots were able to survive two weeks of the NFL Football playoffs, each failing to have that important first round bye. Well, apparently, it didn't matter as Indianapolis upset the Ravens in Baltimore after beating the Chiefs at home while New England just recently shocked the Chargers in San Diego after destroying the pesky Jets at Foxboro.

So, with two arch-rivals going at it for the last time this season, let's find out for both sides if it will be the day Peyton Manning advances to the Super Bowl for the first time or will it still be a Tom Brady holiday?

First, let's start with mah' boy, Peyton Manning. Peyton needs to keep throwing the football (duh!) between the hashes and up the seams to tight end Dallas Clark. New England already knows Peyton likes to throw the football to Marvin Harrison on one side and to Reggie Wayne on the other. Having a third option like Dallas Clark will confuse the Patriots a little bit.

Both Harrison and Wayne are the two main options in the Indianapolis Colts offense but Clark provides the Colts a different dimension and, when he is flexed into the slot, is a difficult matchup for any defense. Because the cornerbacks need help from the safeties to cover the wide receivers, Clark becomes almost impossible to bracket sometimes.

For the Colts' sake, let's sure hope so.

As for Tom Brady, well... I LIED. I'm rooting for the Indianapolis Colts to advance to Super Bowl XLI here and I'd be DAMNED if I give those Patriots any advice. He he... Go Colts!

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts pass the New England Patriots? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Championship game.

New England Patriots +3

Indianapolis Colts -3

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

... while the Saints and the Bears battle for NFC Title

Yep, as good as this AFC Championship game between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will be, the NFC will have its fair share of excitement.

The New Orleans Saints continue their improbable march this season as they meet the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship game. If you asked anyone who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLI, no one will probably be picking the Saints or the Bears. Who knew both of these NFL Football teams would have the season they had this year?

The New Orleans Saints, yes, they were a team coming off from the devastation Hurricane Katrina brought to Louisiana. We all heard about it. We all felt sorry for New Orleans, especially for the New Orleans Saints, whipping boys of football the last couple of years.

Well, look at where they are now, only a win away from a Super Bowl, the biggest game, the grandest stage in all of American sports, possibly ALL of sports besides the World Cup. The Saints were a ''feel good'' story at the start of the season, now, they are a ''feel good'' story AND a very good team. Probably because of their electrifying rookie, Reggie Bush.

On the other end of the field, we have the Chicago Bears, electrifying the nation with a hot start for the season nobody saw coming. The Bears will come into this NFC Championship game with something to prove. Nobody's giving the Bears, specifically Rex Grossman, that much credit, even after knocking out the defending NFC Champions, Seattle Seahawks.

Just like their first playoff game against Seattle, everything will revolve around Rex Grossman as they look to advance to the Super Bowl and in turn, silence their doubters.

If the Chicago Bears can knock the high-octane New Orleans Saints offense, ranked first in the league during the regular season, off the field on third down, Chicago will see their beloved Bears march for Miami, Florida and play whoever comes out of the AFC at Super Bowl XLI.

Go Bears!

Can Rex Grossman lead the Chicago Bears pass the New Orleans Saints? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Championship game.

New Orleans Saints +3

Chicago Bears -3

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Will the 84 of Chris Webber Help the Pistons in 313?

Number 84, Chris Webber, finally made his debut with the Detroit Pistons in a losing effort to the Utah Jazz.

Uh oh... Was that a sign of things to come as Michigan's prodigal son made his return at the Palace of Auburn Hills? Well, for what it's worth, Detroit Pistons team president Joe Dumars always wanted C-Webb and now, he finally has him.

About six years ago, Pistons team president Joe Dumars invited free-agent Chris Webber to his home for a meeting. It was there that Webber told Dumars that he had decided to re-sign with the Sacramento Kings.

Dumars, disappointed, ended the meeting with a message.

''I said, 'Well, we're going to win a championship anyway,''' Dumars recalled. That was back in 2004, when the Pistons did win the championship, destroying probably the best lineup the Los Angeles Lakers franchise came up with throughout its existence in NBA Basketball.

But now he's getting what he always wanted, the chance to win one with Webber.

Speaking at a news conference, Webber said he's excited to play in the area where he grew up, attended high school and became a college star at Michigan.

''Honestly, I'm excited about being home in Detroit,'' Webber said. ''But I'm more excited about being on this team. If this was not a good team, it would not be that much fun to be at home if you're playing and not winning.''

''But this team was already great before I got here, and so in no way am I acting like I'm coming in here to be a savior. (Of course not dumbass!) I'm part of a great machine already, and that's the good thing about it.''

Joe Dumars has long coveted Chris Webber... er... I mean Webber's game, his great hands, passing skills, offensive versatility and high basketball IQ. He admitted that Webber, 33, is not the flashy player he once was. But in the Pistons' system, flash counts for little.

Man, I sure hope you're right Joe.

Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Michael Schumacher just dissed NASCAR Folks. He he...

Believe it, arguably the most popular entity in auto racing has just dissed NASCAR. He he...

The seven-time Formula One world champion was asked about Juan Pablo Montoya and his former rival's switch from F1 to NASCAR. ''Personally, I wouldn't do it,'' Michael Schumacher said. ''What do you do in NASCAR? What is exciting there? I can't see that, running around on ovals.''

NICE ONE! Jeez... I was waiting for somebody to finally see what a joke NASCAR Racing is. I couldn't agree more with ya' Schumi... And by saying that I must say that I'm now one of your biggest fans.

Coming from a world champion like Michael Schumacher, he just single-handedly brought NASCAR's popularity down a notch. He he... Much to the dismay of NASCAR drivers and fans alike. Especially this guy, his former arch nemesis, Juan Pablo Montoya.

Michael Schumacher apparently can't understand why Juan Pablo Montoya would leave Formula One for NASCAR. Montoya, for his part, doesn't seem to care what the seven-time world champion thinks.

He adds, ''Schumacher in America is nobody.''

Yeah, suuure... and nobody from your neighborhood know what a fucking Ferrari is right? Well, in fairness to Juan Pablo, he did do some great things in an F1 car, the only problem was, he was always second fiddle to Schumi.

NASCAR gives the disgruntled F1 driver another crack at super stardom, hell, he already has a strong fan base in the United States. Well, they don't have much of a choice with this sport anyway.

''People don't understand what a big challenge this style of racing is,'' Montoya said. ''Michael Schumacher, just take him to Homestead (Fla.) and tell him to stay half a second off the pace. He would have a heart attack.''

Gibberish.

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Patriots QB Tom Brady to Marry Bill Belichick

Okay okay, maybe Tom Brady won't, but hey, at least they do have this ''relationship.''

Yep, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the player-coach tandem that can rival some of the best player-coach duos in any other sport, have this relationship fueled by that competitive spirit that both share. Well, that's what they say anyway.

Maybe there is a duo out there in another sport that can lay claim to being the best coach-player combination, such as Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan of the six-time NBA World Champions Chicago Bulls. It just doesn't seem possible to vault anyone to the head of the class when you consider what the New England Patriots have in Belichick and Brady.

Perhaps the best love team in football? No?

The relationship between the genius coach and the clutch quarterback is at the foundation of the success of the Patriots. It's in the special Tuesday meetings they've shared the past years during off days. It's in the tremendous amount of respect they have for one another.

Of course, none of this would be possible if Belichick kept Brady on the bench and stayed with Drew Bledsoe. He he... And to think the exact same thing happened to Bledsoe again this season through a guy named Tony Romo? He he...

''It's very good with coach Belichick. I think I've said before, we have the same goals,'' Tom Brady said. ''We meet at the beginning of every week and just get a feel for what he saw in the previous game and what he sees in the upcoming opponent. We do the same (on Tuesdays). Sometimes it's all football. Sometimes we talk about other stuff. We've been doing that for four years. So it's a great relationship.''

A gay one too.

Can the Tom Brady – Bill Belichick tandem lead the New England Patriots pass the Indianapolis Colts? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Championship game.

New England Patriots +3

Indianapolis Colts -3

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Tenacious Texas Triangle Lording Over NBA Basketball

Yep, finally, all THREE Texas teams are doing good simultaneously.

The Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, three teams from the state of Texas, are just tearing up the competition these days. Before, it was either two teams doing good and one being left out or one on top and the rest SUCK.

Remember when the Rockets of Hakeem Olajuwon went at it against David Robinson and his Spurs? Clearly one of the league's best rivalries of all-time. Where was Dallas back then? Umm... They just kept on losing and losing until they were bad enough to draft the likes of Jason Kidd and a young German named Dirk.

When the Dallas Mavericks finally found a way to win some games, the Rockets suddenly started losing some despite having a formidable tandem in Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. The Spurs were still there though, behind the strong play of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

Well, we all know what happened next, the Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs, were able to get to the NBA Finals only to be screwed out of the title by Miami.

THIS SEASON, all three NBA Basketball teams have the NBA title in their sights. And they're playing awesome basketball too. And to make things more interesting, the Miami Heat, the team that screwed a Texas team in the finals, looks more of a longshot to win it all these days.

The Mavericks, the Spurs and the Rockets all rank 1,2 and 3 respectively in a very competitive Southwest Division.

Too bad for the equally talented New Orleans / Oklahoma city (hey, somebody tell these guys already to decide which city will they represent... jeez...) Hornets eh? They have a young and talented player in Chris Paul but as good as this guy is, little CP3 is no match to these Texas giants; San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and (ohmigod!) Houston's seven-foot tower, Yao Ming.

Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Colts on the same Road as the Super Bowl XL Champs?

It seems the Colts this season are taking a similar path taken by the Steelers en route to their win at Super Bowl XL last year.

Yep, the Indianapolis Colts will be facing the New England Patriots for a berth at Super Bowl XLI. Their road to Miami, Florida is not over as the AFC Championship game on Sunday will definitely be harder, considering that Tom Brady has always denied Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts in the playoffs.

Hell, ''harder'' could very well be an understatement. And yep, the road to get here was tough and will be tougher indeed. Tough but not unique. You see, the Pittsburgh Steelers team who won Super Bowl XL last year took a very similar one.

The Indianapolis Colts last year was as dominant in the regular season as they are this year. However, last season's ''perfect scenario'' went up in smoke when the Colts fell at home to Pittsburgh 21-18 in the second round.

The Colts' encore performance this season hasn't been flawless, only fruitful. After becoming the first NFL team to start consecutive seasons 9-0, they lost four games in a six-week stretch. Uncharacteristic errors on offense and a leaky run defense proved to be too burdensome to continually overcome.

The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled a similar path. They finished the 2004 season with a 14-game winning streak and secured the No.1 seed and with a 15-1 record. But after sidestepping an upset bid by the New York Jets in the divisional round, they were pummeled at home by New England 41-27 in the AFC Championship Game.

Pittsburgh's encore culminated with its fifth Super Bowl title. But the Steelers' championship path hardly was smooth. Consecutive losses to Baltimore, the Colts and Cincinnati in late November dropped them to 7-5 and threatened to extinguish their playoff hopes.

Hmm... Eerily similar eh? Can the Indianapolis Colts complete what is turning out to be a path taken by the Black and Gold last year? Well, they have to knock the New England Patriots out first.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts pass the New England Patriots? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Championship game.

New England Patriots +3

Indianapolis Colts -3

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Don't ask Dikembe Mutombo his age mmmkay?

Apparently, Dikembe Mutombo is sick of these jokes about his age.

Yep, something's pissing off Mt. Mutombo again. After being taunted by a fan and being called a monkey months ago, Dikembe could be seeing his therapist again soon after this.

For all ya'll who didn't know, Dikembe Mutombo was ridiculed about his race in one of Houston's preseason games. Dikembe Mutombo was playing center for the Houston Rockets when he got into it with a fan. Apparently, the fan screamed out racist slurs at the seven-foot center in the third quarter of their preseason game against the Orlando Magic.

''I am not going to take that. He was insulting my race, my family, my integrity. For him to call me a monkey, that should not happen today,'' Dikembe Mutombo said.

Well, Dikembe's troubles did not end there. No siree. It turns out, jokes about Dikembe's age has been circulating for some time now, dating as far back from his college days in Georgetown and now, he's saying he wants these jokes to stop. Well, his wife told him anyway.

''My wife [Rose] just mentioned that to me a few days ago,'' Mutombo said. ''She said 'Honey, I think this joke has gone on too long and it has to stop. Is there a way you can tell the commissioner during the All-Star break to let the world know that this thing needs to stop, from a media standpoint all the way to the players?'''

''It really doesn't disturb me, but it hurts when your wife starts feeling uncomfortable about it. Even my daughter [Carrie] says, 'Daddy, why are they talking about your age?' She's nine years old and she knows about it.''

''When people think your father is a liar, it makes you look bad in front of your children,'' Mutombo said. ''Kids don't know when it's a joke and when it's not a joke. It never bothered me before, but it starts bothering me more as I'm getting questions from my wife [and] especially my daughter. She left me a voice message in the middle of a game [recently that said], 'Daddy, they're talking about your age on TV. That's not funny.'''

Rumor has it that Dikembe Mutombo is well over 50. Or not. He he...

Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Patriots gun for Chargers and MVP LaDainian Tomlinson

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is 7-2 against MVPs.

Yup, that is the score whenever Bill Belichick faces these NFL MVPs in the post-season. In this AFC Divisional Playoff weekend, Belichick's New England Patriots will be facing this season's monster MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and the rest of the San Diego Chargers.

For the Patriots' sake, Belichick is hoping Tomlinson will be the eight MVP to go down Sunday.

Bill Belichick has already defeated his former protoge last week when the New England Patriots literally destroyed Eric Mangini and his New York Jets, 37-16, to advance to the AFC Divisional Playoffs. It was an NFL Football playoff game played at Foxboro, a place where the Patriots always play at a high level.

On Sunday, they will visit this season's no.1 seeded team in the AFC at San Diego. Playing away from home against now one of the most dominating running backs the league has ever seen, a playoff win Sunday will be as hard as ever. Yep, even for wonder boy Tom Brady.

After all, LaDainian Tomlinson is not just any other player NFL Football has awarded its MVP trophy. Tomlinson, the league's scoring leader, rushing leader, total yardage leader, Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, (whew!) has had a couple of good days at the office against the Patriots.

In his last two games against them, he has rushed for 217 and 134 yards and scored twice in each contest, both Chargers victories. Last season, San Diego routed New England 41-17 at Gillette Stadium, prompting San Diego Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer to question whether the ever-resilient Patriots had sustained one loss too many.

''They came in and did what they wanted to do,'' recalled New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork after Sunday's wild-card win over Eric Mangini and the Jets. ''And it's not like anything has changed. They're still rolling.''

Hmm... Perhaps Wilfork has given it up already even before he gets the chance to play these red hot Chargers eh? The New England Patriots visit the hottest team in the AFC, the San Diego Chargers, in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. The Chargers are heavy favorites coming into this one but as we all know, anything can happen ANY GIVEN SUNDAY. (Just wanted to let that one out for Mr. Al Pacino...)

Can Tom Brady lead the New England Patriots pass the San Diego Chargers? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Divisional Playoff game.

New England Patriots +5

San Diego Chargers -5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Buckeye enters draft as NFL welcomes Anthony Gonzales

I guess you can say this is a ''consolation'' for this Buckeye.

After a disappointing 41-14 loss to the Florida Gators in the recently held BCS national championship, ultimately ending what could've been an undefeated year for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Buckeyes wideout Anthony Gonzales declared his entry to the NFL Draft.

Yep, Anthony Gonzales, the crazy Caucasian who opted to live alone in a tent, thinking it would help his game more than just practicing, will enter the NFL Draft. Yep, he actually believed that sleeping inside a tent would help his game on the field. No kidding, he actually believed this. Well, I guess the Florida Gators took care of that, in emphatic fashion. He he...

To say that Gonzales had a disappointing game against the Gators at Glendale could be an understatement. After leading the Buckeyes in receiving yards, he put up miserable numbers in the BCS national championship, making a mere TWO receptions for a measly 11 yards.

Yep, that was all there is to it. Maybe this is why he decided to just skip his senior year in Ohio State and just go pro, hoping he'll forget such a miserable outing in a game they should've won.

''Obviously, it's the toughest thing I've ever had to do in my life,'' Anthony Gonzales said at an emotional news conference in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Befitting a philosophy major, Gonzalez said he carefully weighed the pros and cons for leaving early and for staying.

''Basically, the best-case scenario of leaving would be maybe you sneak into the first round. The worst-case scenario, maybe you fall down some draft boards. Am I OK with the worst-case scenario there? Yes, I guess I am,'' Gonzales said.

''The reality of the game of football is the worst-case scenario is I could show up the first day of spring ball and something terrible could happen and I may never be able to play this game and fulfill all the dreams that I wanted to,'' Gonzales added.

What if he, together with the rest of the Ohio State Buckeyes, won that fateful BCS national championship game? Would it change his decision of leaving Ohio State this early? You bet.

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Bears Welcome Playoff Test as Seahawks Visit Sunday

Can the Chicago Bears survive the visiting Seattle Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks, after a season full of injuries, injuries like the one dealt to 2006 MVP Shaun Alexander, franchise QB Matt Hasselbeck and shutdown corner Marcus Trufant, the Seahawks are slowly getting healthy. And last Saturday, their incredible win over the Dallas Cowboys just got them a whole lot ''healthier.''

Heck, after watching Dallas Cowboys superstar Tony Romo, FUMBLE the football in what should've been the go-ahead field goal, the Seahawks are now in an all-time high as they have now resurrected what should've been a fucked-up season. One thing's for sure though, Shaun Alexander won't be doing any Madden covers in this lifetime. He he...

Well, last Saturday's game is all over with and it's time for the next stage, the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears have been waiting for two weeks to get the foul taste of defeat handed to them by them Packers off of their mouths. They will have a chance to do just that when the Seattle Seahawks visit them at Soldier Field for the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

You just know that Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith is praying for Rex Grossman to not fuck this up for them.

Yep, if Chicago Bears QB Rex Grossman plays solid in four quarters and doesn't screw up like he did against the Packers, the Bears would win. Other than New York Giants QB Eli Manning, no quarterback in the playoffs has been under as much scrutiny as Grossman.

Despite his hot start to the NFL Football season, Grossman has been horrible lately. He found a way to ''top'' his 1.3 quarterback rating against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13 by posting a miserable 0.0 rating in the season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Fans want him benched. Lovie Smith continues to support him but it's pretty evident a bad start could earn him the quick hook.

This will be a tough game for the Chicago Bears on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks will look to advance to the NFC conference championships at Soldier Field. Puh-lease Rex, bring your fucking brains on Sunday.

Can Rex Grossman lead the Chicago Bears pass the Seattle Seahawks? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Divisional Playoff game.

Chicago Bears -8.5

Seattle Seahawks +8.5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

David Beckham beckons for Los Angeles Galaxy

Yep, Posh Spice's Spice Boy is headed for the U-S-of-A.

David Beckham apparently has agreed to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy and join America's own Major League Soccer. Probably to bring some sense to what has been one big miserable joke.

David Beckham joining to Major League Soccer could very well be the biggest news to come to the league since Alan Rothenberg and his money men first revealed details of the operation prior to its 1996 launch.

''This is a huge step forward for the league, that we can attract someone of that stature means so much,'' New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol said.

Beckham's move from Real Madrid to the MLS will certainly give the sport a little hype in a country where the Tony Romos and the Kobe Bryants rule. Now that Beckham is in the U.S., can the United States win the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Africa now?

David Beckham was asked about his move from Real Madrid to the Los Angeles Galaxy and play at the MLS and he had this to say.

''I've played now for two of the biggest clubs in the world. I've played at the highest level for 15 years and now I think I need another challenge,'' Beckham said.

Beckham's contract with Real Madrid runs out at the end of the season and he has been negotiating a new deal that would keep him at the Bernabeu until 2009. On Wednesday Real sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said that Beckham's contract with the Spanish giants had not been renewed.

But the club later denied that the star midfielder was on his way out, stressing that negotiations over a new deal were still ongoing.

So much for that bullshit eh?

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New Orleans Brees too much for Eagles to Fly On?

The Philadelphia Eagles are in an all-time high. The New Orleans Saints have the exact same thing.

Yes, both teams are looking to go on and ride what is now a Cinderella story for these two cities. Philadelphia and New Orleans have been through a lot and on Saturday, they will each fuel all that emotion for a win in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

The Saints would definitely be another huge test for Jeff Garcia's will to win. They barely edge the New York Giants last Sunday via a David Akers field goal to lift them 23-20 over NYC. The Eagles were just fortunate enough to advance. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid doesn't feel the same way though.

With the divisional-round game against the New Orleans Saints coming up very quickly, this is a time for him to build the team's confidence and not dwell on the mistakes and inconsistencies that made the opening win tougher than it needed to be.

''I don't want to say that we dodged a bullet,'' Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. ''I think our guys played very hard, and we knew it was going to be one of those knock-down, drag-out fights. That's how it is when we play the Giants. They're all the same. The game comes right down to the end, and this one wasn't any different.''

As for the New Orleans Saints, they are already a feel-good story since the NFL Football season started.

After playing away from home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina last year, the New Orleans Saints brought NFL Football back to the Superdome this season and now, they are on the verge of bringing the NFL Playoffs home on Saturday as well.

Having said that, we will be bombarded once again with images of ruined New Orleans, of brackish eave-high water, of refugees on the rooftops, intercut with slow-motion montages of Reggie Bush and Drew Brees and cheering fans. The happy, sappy tale of the feisty Saints' giving their devastated city something to believe in is irresistible for the national media.

''It means so much to the city,'' New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. ''People come up to me in the streets and tell me how much it means to them. That makes it mean so much more than just football.''

Well, one Cinderella story will end Saturday when the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles meet. It's a shame that one Cinderella story has to end this early but hey, we might see ourselves cheering for both teams when it's time to play some football.

Can Jeff Garcia lead the Philadelphia Eagles pass the New Orleans Saints? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Divisional Playoff game.

Philadelphia Eagles +5

New Orleans Saints -5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

The Best of the Best in NBA Basketball

And NO, the Miami Heat ain't in it. Ha ha!

Isn't the world all nice and sweet again with the stupid Miami Heat having all this trouble as we head to the NBA All Star break? Yep, the first half of the NBA Basketball season is about to end and the Miami Heat is still, as John Madden puts it, FUMBLING and BUMBLING all around.

He he...

So, with the Miami Heat quickly becoming the pathetic whipping boys of the league, who's the top dawg? Well, the Detroit Pistons ain't it yet but you just know that they will, sooner or later.

Here are the top teams of NBA Basketball as of press time.

Dallas Mavericks. Yep, Dirk Nowitzki and his boys are back at it again, picking up where they they left off after being screwed by Miami and those NBA referees during the last NBA Championship series. Of course, when you're the no.1 team in the NBA, you must have AT LEAST two All-Stars. Having said that, Josh Howard MUST go to Vegas for the All-Star game. Although I still doubt if he can get the invite.

Los Angeles Lakers. Oh yeah, Tinseltown is back in contention for the NBA title. After a year of being as pathetic as Miami has these days, the Lakers are back playing great basketball again. Is it because of Kobe's new no.24 jersey? Um... NO... It's because of Kobe's newly found maturity.

Cleveland Cavaliers. As much as I hate to put the rival Cavs in here, I have to with the way these guys are playing as of late. Of course, the Cavaliers are still being led by LeBron James and I don't see anything that can change that. Stopping the Cavs this season is still as simple as ever, just like last year, STOP LeBRON.

Of course, whenever I do this ''top teams in the NBA'' thing, you just know that the Detroit Pistons are doing good. Heck, why would I bother doing this anyway if the Pistons are playing like Miami? This season, the Pistons are playing without Ben Wallace and it seems the Pistons don't miss the big guy at all.

They are still one of the top teams in the East and they are still the team that will put Miami out of its misery. After kicking LeBron's ass all around the court of course.

Can the Detroit Pistons reach the NBA Finals? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Can Colts Cool Ravens Rage on AFC Playoff Saturday?

It's offense versus defense at the AFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday in Baltimore.

Yep, the Indianapolis Colts, having survived the futile effort put up by the Kansas City Chiefs last Saturday, will move on to yet another Saturday showdown. THIS TIME, they will be visiting the Baltimore Ravens and no, Baltimore won't try to outrun them at the scoreboard.

They will simply stop Indianapolis. Plain and simple.

Time and time again, we hear about how great the Baltimore Ravens defense is. Heck, I can't even stop writing about it here on OddJack. On Saturday, expect the Baltimore defense to crank it up a level higher.

The Ravens will win this AFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday if Baltimore's defense gets Peyton Manning moving his feet in the pocket. The Ravens were second in the league in sacks (60) and first in sack yards (418), and the unit featured five players with five or more sacks, led by defensive end Trevor Pryce, with 13.

However, just like Baltimore, Indianapolis will also have their own defense as the key to winning this NFL Football game.

All the talk was about Indianapolis' defense and how it will ultimately cost Peyton Manning yet another post-season. Well, if the Colts defense can have the same effort as they have against the Chiefs last Saturday, holding Kansas City without any first downs for the entire first half of the game, the Colts just might pull this one off.

If it so happens that this becomes a shootout, Peyton Manning will have the edge over Ravens QB, Steve McNair. McNair, as good as he still is, is no longer the playmaker he once was when he was with the Tennessee Titans. McNair doesn't move well outside the pocket and that means Colts defensive monsters like Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will have one big purple target to unload on.

Peyton Manning continues to be patient throwing the ball to his secondary receivers. The big-play guys in the Colts' No.2-ranked passing game, of course, are wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, both of whom went over the 1,000-yard mark again in 2006.

But the Indianapolis passing attack is even more productive when Manning gets tight end Dallas Clark and, in recent weeks, rookie tailback Joseph ''I'll cry if I die'' Addai in the mix.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts pass the Baltimore Ravens? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Divisional Playoff game.

Indianapolis Colts +3.5

Baltimore Ravens -3.5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Shaquille O'Neal could be Heading Back to Los Angeles

Relax Miami Heat fans, before you send Shaq a bunch of hate mail, read this.

As ya'll know, the Miami Heat this season is nowhere in comparison to the Miami Heat team that got lucky winning the NBA Championship. They are more than a few games below .500 and things seem to go even worse when Pat Riley took a leave of absence to fix his somewhat ailing knees and hips.

Perhaps the biggest factor of Miami's demise this season is the absence of Shaquille O'Neal. Since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, this seven-foot monstrosity has been susceptible to early-season injuries. Now I don't know if Shaq is really getting hurt more as he ages or he's just doing this on purpose, only caring about post-season play.

Well, on Jan.15, Shaquille O'Neal could be heading back to Los Angeles. Nope, the stupid Miami Heat won't trade away this guy yet, but on Jan.15, he could be available for the Miami Heat when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.

Now ya'll Heat fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Hell, who would want an overweight, aging nuisance anyway?

Shaquille O'Neal will take the final stage of his knee rehabilitation on the road and might return to the Miami Heat lineup by its Jan.15 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

O'Neal is recovering from Nov.19 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and has missed 24 games. But coach Pat Riley said that the Heat center will soon start running and practicing with the team.

''He's to the point where it's time,'' said Pat Riley, who would not set a specific date for O'Neal's return. ''He's been on the bike and the treadmill. He's really worked to be ready and now the test is when he starts to pound up and down the court. But now, we're in the stage of 'He's back. Thank you, God.' We have to make sure he stays back.''

Well, if I was coaching this stupid team, I would just sit Shaq for the rest of this already lost NBA Basketball season and just play him next November.

Can the Miami Heat make it to the NBA Playoffs? Um... NO. Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Patriots and Jets, Belichick and Mangini, IT IS ON

Bill Belichick hates Eric Mangini. Eric Mangini doesn't like Bill Belichick.

Yep, such is the story whenever we talk about the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. It seems whenever these two NFL Football teams meet on one playing field, the face-off between the two coaches is bigger than the battle at hand between the two competing sets of athletes in separate uniforms.

You see, the feud between the two coaches began when Mangini decided to leave Belichick in New England. It was Belichick who gave Mangini his first break in the NFL, appointing him as his assistant coach with the New England Patriots. It shocked Belichick when his protoge decided to leave the Patriots for a head coaching job with the New York Jets.

The two couldn't stand each other ever since.

Belichick has refused to refer to the New York Jets coach by name since Mangini left after serving five years as his defensive backs coach and last season as defensive coordinator, helping the New England Patriots win three Super Bowl titles.

After one of their NFL Football games where they met each other on opposing sidelines, Bill Belichick exchanged a cold handshake with Eric Mangini in the middle of the muddy field. This is after Mangini shocked the Patriots and the rest of NFL Football with a win at Foxboro, 17-14.

Their first midfield meeting after the Patriots won in New York this season wasn't a study in warmth either.

Despite this somewhat ''colorful'' relationship, it seems like the playoffs have thawed the personal Cold War between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his former assistant, Jets head coach Eric Mangini.

''When I was at New England with Bill I thought that he made outstanding adjustments and I think that's a very good staff,'' said Mangini. ''I think he's an excellent evaluator of talent in terms of players and coaches.''

As for Belichick? He had this to say about his former protoge coming to their huge AFC wildcard playoff encounter.

''The bottom line is that the Jets are a good football team. Eric's (yep, he finally referred to the Jets head coach by his first name...) done a good job with them and his staff has done a good job. They got a lot of great players. They're playing as well as anybody in the league right now.''

I don't know what to make of this sudden ''peace'' between the two head coaches but one thing's for sure, come Sunday, each will be gunning for the other guy's head as they look to advance to the next round.

Can Eric Mangini lead the New York Jets pass his mentor and the rest of the New England Patriots? Here are the odds from All Star Sportsbook on this huge AFC wildcard playoff game.

New York Jets +9

New England Patriots -9

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