Bored

Starters aren't announced until January 3rd. AFC QB: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis; Steve McNair, Tennessee; Trent Green, Kansas City RB: Priest Holmes, Kansas City; Jamal Lewis, Baltimore; Clinton Portis, Denver FB: Tony Richardson, Kansas City WR: Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis; Chad Johnson, Cincinnati; Hines Ward, Pittsburgh; Derrick Mason, Tennessee TE: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City; Todd Heap, Baltimore T: Jonathan Ogden, Baltimore; Willie Anderson, Cincinnati; Willie Roaf, Kansas City G: Alan Faneca, Pittsburgh; Will Shields, Kansas City; Ruben Brown, Buffalo C: Kevin Mawae, New York; Tom Nalen, Denver DE: Adewale Ogunleye, Miami; Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis; Shaun Ellis, New York DT: Richard Seymour, New England; Marcus Stroud, Jacksonville; Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh OLB: Keith Bulluck, Tennessee; Peter Boulware, Baltimore; Takeo Spikes, Buffalo ILB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore; Zach Thomas, Miami CB: Chris McAlister, Baltimore; Ty Law, New England; Patrick Surtain, Miami FS: Brock Marion, Miami; Jerome Woods, Kansas City SS: Ed Reed, Baltimore K: Mike Vanderjagt, Indianapolis P: Craig Hentrich, Tennessee KR: Dante Hall, Kansas City ST: Adalius Thomas, Baltimore NFC QB: Daunte Culpepper, Minnesota; Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia; Brett Favre, Green Bay RB: Deuce McAllister, New Orleans; Ahman Green, Green Bay; Stephen Davis, Carolina FB: Fred Beasley, San Francisco WR: Randy Moss, Minnesota; Torry Holt, St. Louis; Terrell Owens, San Francisco; Anquan Boldin, Arizona TE: Alge Crumpler, Atlanta; Jeremy Shockey, New York T: Orlando Pace, St. Louis; Flozell Adams, Dallas; Walter Jones, Seattle G: Larry Allen, Dallas; LeCharles Bentley, New Orleans; Marco Rivera, Green Bay C: Olin Kreutz, Chicago; Matt Birk, Minnesota DE: Michael Strahan, New York; Leonard Little, St. Louis; Simeon Rice, Tampa Bay DT: Kris Jenkins, Carolina; La'Roi Glover, Dallas; Warren Sapp, Tampa Bay OLB: Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay; Julian Peterson, San Francisco; LaVar Arrington, Washington ILB: Brian Urlacher, Chicago; Keith Brooking, Atlanta CB: Dre' Bly, Detroit; Troy Vincent, Philadelphia; Champ Bailey, Washington FS: Aeneas Williams, St. Louis; Roy Williams, Dallas SS: Corey Chavous, Minnesota K: Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis P: Todd Sauerbrun, Carolina KR: Jerry Azumah, Chicago ST: Alex Bannister, Seattle

According the A's website they are about to trade for Chris Hammond from the Yankees for a couple of scrub prospects. Yesterday the San Francisco Chronicle and today the Oakland Tribune say the A's are close to signing Arthur Rhodes and the plan is him to be their closer. It's not unheard of a career middle reliever to turn into a solid closer (see Tim Worrell last year) but its still a pretty big risk but guess they didn't want to spend the money on an inconsistent Ugueth Urbina or bother to fix the head of Armando Beneitz.

Its not listed because it took place in November. http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...ST&f=30&t=44978

Thanks to CanadianChris someone had the balls to change their pick to Louisville and that will be last of any pick changing for the remainder of the contest. As for the rest of you, your a bunch of pussies!!! Well ya I didn't change my pick either but hey I was one of only two people who picked Cal in the Insight Bowl and I'm a Stanford fan so I'm no pussy!

Well like I said Beane might just turn around trade him too or they might trade Duchscherer. If they do hang on to Redman my theory is that Beane is finding it impossible to find affordable ways to improve their offense, plus they still have spend some money to sign a closer, so figures it never hurts to have as much pitching as possible especially when their offense on paper looks so bad.

Not unless some brave soul decides to change their pick to Louisville before the game. If you've seen the original thread for the contest I'm allowing one person to change their pick for the GMAC Bowl only since no one has gone against Miami of Ohio and its the only game where eveyrone picked the same team. So at this moment the game will really mean nothing to the contest because either everyone will be a winner or everyone will be a loser.

HAHAHAHAHAHA I love it. Scheduling conflicts? Scott Keith suicide watch is on...now.

Breaking news...and shame on my fellow A's fans for ever doubting the evil genius Billy Beane Actually knowing Beane, Redman might be traded again but hey I'm happy with this and damn only giving up a middle reliever to get him.

Mariner fans rejoice! Omar Vizquel's knees have saved your GM from his own stupidity...Vizquel failed his physical. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1687504

Standings (ya through one game but I'm Bored) 1. MarvinisaLunatic 6 2GOLD 6 cartman 6 The Mighty Damaramu 6 Cuban Linx 6 Kotzenjunge 6 bps "The Truth" 21 6 JHawk 6 Bored 6 Landon Griffin 6 HarleyQuinn 6 Choken One 6 13. Agent Bond34 0 razazteca 0 Rob E Dangerously 0 teke184 0 the pinjockey 0 phoenixrising 0 Gatornibs 0 bravesfan 0 CanadianChris 0 Edwin MacPhitso 0 Vern Gagne 0

Tonight's Game New Orleans Bowl: Memphis vs. North Texas worth 6 pts. We have a 12-11 split in the picks for this game (only the Silicon Valley Bowl has a split like it) so even though its not worth many points it could go a long way to deciding the winner of the contest. Here is the breakdown for who picked who for tonight's game: Memphis (12) - MarvinisaLunatic, 2GOLD, cartman, The Mighty Damaramu, Cuban Linx, Kotzenjunge, bps "The Truth" 21, JHawk, Bored, Landon Griffin, HarleyQuinn, Choken One North Texas (11) - Agent Bond34, razazteca, Rob E Dangerously, teke184, the pinjockey, phoenixrising, Gatornibs, bravesfan, CanadianChris, Edwin MacPhitso, Vern Gagne

Okay the deadline has passed and no more picks can be accepted or edited, accpet for two things. First I need Choken to make a pick for the Music City Bowl (already pm'd him) tonight or I'll void his picks. Second since no one picked Louisville in the GMAC Bowl if anyone wants to change their pick to Louisville by the kick off of 7:30 PM EST/4:30 PM PST on Thursday I will allow it. Please PM me if you change your pick for that game and that game only. No other games can be edited.

Rant it doesn't make sense to you trade a better hitter, 8-years younger, who makes less money for a washed up former all-star? Your crazy! It makes sense Bill Bavasi as he apparantly has the Mariners on the same 20 years of mediocrity plan that he had with the Angels.

Here is the Keys to the 2003 New Orleans Bowl from collegefootballnews.com

Ya but Miller is better so I'd assume they would trade to have Barrett be the back-up to whoever they sign. That being said now I'm hearing its not Miller to the A's but just a prospect. I'm confused.

That's what I suspected although its usually a minor leaguer. Guess that means the Cubs are definently getting Pudge or Lopez.

*shakes fist at double post* "Shake harder boy!"

As thought...the A's already traded Michael Barrett to the Cubs for a PTBNL. So they traded him for a PTBNL to get a PTBNL. Um, okay. A's also re-signed Ricardo Rincon to a two-year deal.

Its just an individual honor and the AP All-American team is considered the most important one. There are all-star games after the bowls in January (Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game are the two biggest ones) but they have nothing to do with the All-American selections and are just showcases for NFL scouts.

Didn't feel like this deserved its own topic and has nothing to do with the bowls so figured I'd dig up the old college football topic. Here are the AP All-American Teams, announced yetserday: 1st Team Offense Quarterback: Jason White, Oklahoma, senior. Running backs: Chris Perry, Michigan, senior; Darren Sproles, Kansas State, junior. Wide receivers: Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh, sophomore; Mike Williams, Southern California, sophomore. Tight end: Kellen Winslow, Miami, junior. Center: Jake Grove, Virginia Tech, senior. Guards-Tackles: Shawn Andrews, Arkansas, junior; Alex Barron, Florida State, junior; Robert Gallery, Iowa, senior; Jacob Rogers, Southern California, senior. Kicker: Nate Kaeding, Iowa, senior. All-Purpose: Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma, junior. Defense Linemen: David Ball, UCLA, senior; Tommie Harris, Oklahoma, junior; Chad Lavalais, LSU, senior; Kenechi Udeze, Southern California, junior. Linebackers: Derrick Johnson, Texas, junior; Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma, senior; Grant Wiley, West Virginia, senior. Backs: Will Allen, Ohio State, senior; Keiwan Ratliff, Florida, senior; Derrick Strait, Oklahoma, senior; Sean Taylor, Miami, junior. Punter: Dustin Colquitt, Tennessee, junior 2nd Team Offense Quarterback: Eli Manning, Mississippi Running backs: Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech; Michael Turner, Northern Illinois. Wide receivers: Mark Clayton, Oklahoma; Rashaun Woods, Oklahoma State. Tight end: Ben Troupe, Florida. Center: Ben Wilkerson, LSU. Guards-Tackles: David Baas, Michigan; Jamaal Brown, Oklahoma; Tony Pape, Michigan; Stephen Peterman, LSU. Kicker: Nick Browne, TCU. All-purpose: Derek Abney, Kentucky. Defense Linemen: David Pollack, Georgia; Shaun Phillips, Purdue; Bo Schobel, TCU; Will Smith, Ohio State. Linebackers: Josh Buhl, Kansas State; Karlos Dansby, Auburn; Jonathan Vilma, Miami. Backs: Josh Bullocks, Nebraska; Will Poole, Southern California; Bob Sanders, Iowa; Corey Webster, LSU. Punter: Tom Malone, Southern California 3rd Team Offense Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger, Miami (Ohio). Running backs: Steven Jackson, Oregon State; Quincy Wilson, West Virginia. Wide receivers: Michael Clayton, LSU; Roy Williams, Texas. Tight end: Kris Wilson, Pittsburgh. Center: Greg Eslinger, Minnesota. Guards-Tackles: Vernon Carey, Miami; Tillman Holloway, Texas; Alex Stepanovich, Ohio State; Claude Terrell, New Mexico. Kicker: Jonathan Nichols, Mississippi. All-purpose: Skyler Green, LSU. Defense Linemen: Dan Cody, Oklahoma; Shaun Cody, Southern California, Darnell Dockett, Florida State; Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma. Linebackers: Rod Davis, Southern Mississippi; Michael Boulware, Florida State; D.J. Williams, Miami. Backs: Sean Jones, Georgia; Antrel Rolle, Miami; Stuart Schweigert, Purdue; Nathan Vasher, Texas. Punter: B.J. Sander, Ohio State.

Hey spending $9 million on Scott Spiezio was a great move! Apparantly the A's aren't going to hang on Michael Barrett and he will end up being in another deal although every rumored deal the A's are in it hasn't worked yet this offseason. Talking to the Cubs about Damian Miller and a surprising rumor has surfaced about them talking to the Marlins about Mark Redman. Guess you can never have enough pitching although who knows they may just package him in another deal or someone got Mark Redman and catcher Mike Redmond mixed up.

Let's see tied for 3rd in picks for but have no shot at the playoffs. On top of that the week I play the worst team in the league he only gets ONE game wrong. *goes and cries*

I don't know what Michael Barrett is going to do for the A's and I wouldn't be surprised if Adam Melhuse beats him out for the starting job. But that's not the point, its just the mentality of fans to think because a GM traded for Player A (Barrett), that means they didn't make an effort to trade for Player B (Lo Duca) and that they could have had the better Player B without any problems. Its just inability to see the big picture that bothers me. Hey if Beane could sign Ivan Rodriguez he would but because of the owner he works for he can't. If Beane could have completed a trade with Paul Lo Duca without giving up a shitload of talent he would have. This certainly hasn't been Beane's best offseason but he just doesn't have much to work with. Personally I think Beane should leave the A's as he can't win here anymore with this ownership. Every year there is going to be somebody leaving (Chavez 2004, Hudson 2005, Zito and Mulder 2006) and there is absolutely nothing he can do about it because the owner will not allow him to spend the money to keep these players. Because of this he now has a growing group of fans, who were spoiled by his great moves of the past, who scapegoat him for these player's leaving and his inability to replace them with equal or better players. You'd think even the dumbest fan could figure out that its hard to replace a Miguel Tejada with someone just as good or better than him at a much lower price but apparantly that's not the case. I don't want him to leave but if I were him I would with such an ungrateful fanbase and an ownership that handcuffs his ability to do his job.

Why are sports fans morons? Having to listen to A's fans rip Billy Beane for getting Michael Barrett and some how that means he wanted him more than Paul Lo Duca and Jason Kendall. WHAT THE FUCK???? I just don't get it sometimes. Gee I think if Beane could have pulled off a trade for Lo Duca or Kendall he'd have done it. Of course if they traded their prize prospect Joe Blanton for either of them they'd all be ripping Beane for that. God this shit gets annoying.

Okay 24 hours until the deadline to make picks and to see if anyone wants to be brave and pick Louisville in the GMAC Bowl.