MMBSD: Foodless Blogging

Well it's repenting day...so a few quick thoughts while I count down the hours/minutes/seconds until I can start eating again.

NFL
After a year of the rookie QBs last, could it be that we see history repeating itself? Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez seem to have immediately improved their teams. While I'm still skeptical either will achieve the fortune that Baltimore or Atlanta did last year it's still a remarkable feat (quick note: has anyone checked to make sure Jim Zorn is still alive following Washington's loss?)

I'm uncertain if they are under the radar or not but the Colts offense seems to be clicking on all cylinders. Manning and a stable of fast skilled position players makes the Colts scoring threat as potent as I can remember. However the run defense (which Arizona refused to attack) still seems porous without oft-injured Bob Sanders. This achilles heel is precisely something that Baltimore could exploit. All signs after game 3 point to the Ravens being the AFC favorite....

As always the NFC keeps its wide open ways with hard to predict outcomes. The Eagles, Giants, Vikings, Bears, and Saints have all their pluses and minuses. One team that might have been exposed this week was Atlanta. Before the Patriots game they seemed on the verge of being front runners but a pounding by the Pats makes Atlanta look mortal and more in line with a wildcard spot.


College Football
Probably the most impressive display this weekend was by Alabama. They simply dismantled a Bobby Petrino offense that had been previously clicking away. Ryan Mallet went from 5 touchdowns last week to being road kill. Alabama's status was further bolstered by V-Tech's thrashing of The U. While bragging and swagger were back leading up to game (signified by Colonel Ray Lewis's choice of bulletproof sweatervest) V-Tech showed that all roads to the ACC crown still run through Blacksberg. V-Tech's defense, which Alabama had previously shredded, was too much for Miami.

Meanwhile no team looked worse than Cal. After a week of hype and USC looking to be on the ropes, Cal decided to take the road only alcoholics usually take...face planting in front of tons of people. Oregon put on some wonderfully horrendous throw back unis and then made Cal look even worse. I don't think this means USC is now a lock for the Pac 10 title (as they need to still travel to Cal and Oregon) but their chances look a lot better.

NBA
I know it seems crazy but NBA training camps start up today. YEAH! There are two storylines I think to follow this preseason...Garnett and Artest. Is KG healthy? I haven't heard any reports that say he is...and the Celtics Championship hopes rest on his gimpy knees. As I'm sure Gutsy in his forthcoming preview will note one of the keys to the Lakers season is if Phil/Kobe can somehow convince Artest not to be a ball hog.