NFL Picks vs. Spread

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

My pool picks in the spreads pool - as I type this Cincinnati is putting the boots to the Ravens, so Week 13 is off to a good start.

16) PITTSBURGH -8.5 over Tampa Bay - YES, I'm taking Roethlisberger and the Steelers against Chuckie's Bucs. Cowher will have them fired up with some speech about playing like who they are - the defending Super Bowl Champs...it'll work this week against the Bucs.

15) NEW ORLEANS -7.5 over San Francisco - The Saints have too much on offence for the 49ers to stay close in this one - even with the 49ers playing better of late. It comes down to this, the 49ers don't show up against good teams...especially when they travel.

14) San Diego -5.5 over BUFFALO - The Bills defence haven't been able to stop anyone lately, that doesn't bode well when L.T. and Phillip Rivers stop by for a visit. The Chargers defence will dominate J.P. Losman and the Bills.

13) Kansas City -3.5 over CLEVELAND - Have you met Hazel Mae? Seriously, I can't see the Chiefs dropping this one as they march towards a Wild Card spot.

12) Dallas -3.5 over NY GIANTS - How about them Cowboys? The Giants are fighting with their coach, fighting amongst themselves and now with the media - the locker room is a mess. Parcells will have his team ready to step on the Giants throat as they take another step towards winning the division.

11) CHICAGO -9.5 over Minnesota - Questions mounting about how legit the Bears are. I wonder that myself, but I can see their defence stepping up and shutting the Vikings out. Bears offence and special teams do enough to cover in this one.

10) NEW ENGLAND -13.5 over Detroit - Tom Brady at home vs Jon Kitna on the road. I can't see Detroit stopping the Patriots offence in this one - and I can't see the Lions putting up much against the Pats D, even if they are banged up.

09) Indianapolis -7.5 over TENNESSEE - Manning and the Colts won't let up against the Titans...not with the Chargers right behind them. If Eli put up 21 first half points against the Titans, imagine what Peyton will do?

08) ST. LOUIS -6.5 over Arizona - Stephen Jackson is going to shred the Cardinals. Bulger should have a big day off play action - don't be fooled by Arizona's late rally against the Vikings...they are awful.

07) CINCINNATI -3.5 over Baltimore - I took Palmer and Chad Johnson over McNair and Lewis.

06) Atlanta -1.5 over WASHINGTON - Ron Mexico...ugh. This pick is more about how bad I think Washington really is vs having any faith in Vick. Falcons put the game in the hands of Warrick Dunn.

05) OAKLAND -3.5 over Houston - This one is a little scary...but the Raiders D has been playing better. Houston doesn't travel well either.

04) Carolina -3.5 over PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles are done - the Panthers will be done if they lose this one...expect some of Carolina's playmakers on both sides of the ball to step up and keep their season alive.

03) Seattle +3.5 over DENVER - This is going to be a field goal game.

02) MIAMI -1.5 over JACKSONVILLE - Two teams I can't really trust...just when you think the Jags might be legit - they blow one. I'm taking Miami coming off a 10 day break.

01) NY Jets -1.5 over GREEN BAY - yuck.

Those are my picks for the week gang...we're off a to a good start with the Bengals winning 13-0 in the fourth. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - just because

Closing Time - Semisonic

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

NFL Thursday

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I still haven't made my picks in the spreads pool - I'll figure something out during the day I guess. I'd ask for suggestions and picks, but the damn firewall at work won't let me access blogspot - go figure; they'll let people send stupid videos through email...but you can't access a website that may or may not have the F bomb on it. Why am I telling you this? Because it was a SLOW night in the NHL last night, and nothing really worth talking about - well, there was the Flyers loss, while all Flyers' losses are great they have become predictable.

Maple Leafs are in Atlanta tonight - still looking for some Hazel Karma.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
The future Captain of the Portuguese National Team, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored the first goal in Manchester United's 3-0 win over Everton. Ya, we think Hazel doesn't do soccer - but if you have read this page before, you know the rule when a "Lusitano" makes news...editor's choice.

Chicago's Tuomo Rutuu scores with 1:49 in the third period to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. It messed up yesterday's three play, but you have to applaud the stinkin' Blackhawks for winning one.

Nashville's Martin Erat scored the winner for the Predators in a 3-2 win over the Flyers.


THURSDAY THREE PLAY
We had a tough night last night going 1-2 and going $105 into the red - leaving our balance sheet for the week at - $230. We'll get it back, starting tonight.

Cincinnati -3 over Baltimore - Carson Palmer is looking like the Palmer of last year, and Baltimore is due to drop one - might as well be tonight. Lay $75 on the Bengals.

Edmonton over Colorado - the Oilers have been playing great lately, even with the loss to Pronger and the Ducks. Lay $ 75 on the Oilers - $165.

Ottawa over Florida - I'm not going to talk about the SenaTards - they'll win...much to my chagrin. Lay $50 on the Tards - $320.

There you have it gang...have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
You are on top of things today and, as long as you don't let your emotions get in the way, you should be able to get things done and advance. Travel plans can be organized quickly. Talk with individuals who can help you get what you want. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - hey, Billy Idol turns FIFTY FREAKIN ONE today...for Billy, and Hazel (the 80's chick - her words...not mine).

Dancing With Myself - Generation X

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

NFL Picks - Straight Up Pool

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

These Thursday Night NFL games make things tough when you have to have your pool picks in by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. Last week was a pretty decent week in terms of winners and losers in the Straight Up pool - so we'll do it again this week.

16) NEW ENGLAND over Detroit - I don't really think I have to explain...do I?

15) CHICAGO over Minnesota - rebound game for the Bears after losing to the Pats. People are questioning the Bears and Rex Grossman - with reason; but, they are much better than the Vikings.

14) PITTSBURGH over Tampa Bay - the Steelers are done, but they won't drop this one at home to the Bucs. The Steelers will play for pride and they'll get it done in front of their home fans.

13) Indianapolis over TENNESSEE - Peyton avenges Eli's loss to Vince Young and the Titans. Seriously, the Colts won't take the Titans lightly...they can't with Tomlinson and the Chargers one win behind.

12) NEW ORLEANS over San Francisco - Both teams are surprises this year, but I'll take New Orleans and their offensive weapons over Alex Smith and the 49ers.

11) ST. LOUIS over Arizona - what is the best cure for a team that is struggling? Play Denny Green and the Cardinals. I don't know if I trust the Rams to cover the spread, but I'll take them straight up.

10) San Diego over BUFFALO - I know everything points to a Chargers win, and I think they will...but there is a niggling doubt about a team playing its third road game in four weeks - and the second time they cross three time zones to play. Chargers are still the play.

09) Kansas City over CLEVELAND - Larry Johnson vs. Rueben Droughans, Trent Green vs. Charlie Frye - you be the judge. Chiefs win this one on their march to the Wild Card.

08) DENVER over Seattle - Mike Shanahan plays keep away and runs the ball all day against Seattle. Seattle isn't all the way back on offence yet, so expect Denver's defence to bring lots of pressure.

07) Dallas over NY GIANTS - Parcells is getting Dallas ready to win the division, while Tom Coughlan is trying to pull the mess that is the NY Giants back together. Another big game for Romo and the Cowboys.

06) Atlanta over WASHINGTON - Ron Mexico gives Washington fans the bird as try to shake the "Coach Killer" tag. Atlanta isn't very good...but the Redskins are worse (even if they did beat the Panthers last week).

05) OAKLAND over Houston - I never thought I would rate the Raiders this high...but I think they get it done with a defence that isn't as bad as people thought they would be.

04) CINCINNATI over Baltimore - Carson Palmer is getting back to where he was last year, and Baltimore is due for a loss...jeezus, how much analysis do you want for a 4 point pick? Take Ocho Cinco.

03) MIAMI over Jacksonville - Dolphins defence wins the game. Harrington is managing games well enough to win...call it a hunch pick.

02) Carolina over PHILADELPHIA - two teams playing way below expectations; the only difference is...THE EAGLES ARE COUNTERFEIT.

01) NY Jets over GREEN BAY - did you ever think there would come a day when you'd pick Chad Pennington over Brett Favre?

That's about it for tonight gang...have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Remember, we have a seat reserved for you on the Cowboys' bus to the Super Bowl.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - just cuz

Precious - Depeche Mode

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

A Miserable Night In The NHL

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

You know what kind of mood I'm in this morning - the Maple Leafs dropped another one to the Bruins, the SenaTards win, and the Habs win in a shootout. The NHL sucked last night. I have one question - "Hazel, what are you doing to us?" The Bruins sweep a mini-series at the ACC? Jayzuss...I think the only way to fix this is for you to bow out of hosting The Buzz - concentrate on the upcoming season of Red Sox Rewind. Think about it Hazel...for Leaf Nation, please.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Anaheim Ducks' defenceman Scott Niedermeyer played in his 1,000th game last night in Edmonton. Niedermeyer's accomplishment was overshadowed by Chris Pronger's return to Edmonton - where Oilers' fans were calling for his head. It kills me to hand out a star to Niedermeyer because he was a Leaf killer when he played for New Jersey - but he's one of the best defencemen of his era, and 1,000 games is quite the accomplishment.

Atlanta Thrashers' winger Marian Hossa had a goal and three assists last night to lead the Thrashers to a 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden last night. He's a former SenaTard, which is a strike against him - but a few more years as a Thrasher will make him A-Ok on this page.

Washington Capitals' goalie Olaf Kolzig made 48 saves to lead the Caps to a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. I told you that I liked the Caps goaltending over the Lightning last night.


WEDNESDAY THREE PLAY
We got off to a bad start yesterday, but wins by the Sharks and the Caps allowed us to break even. The balance sheet stands at - $120 for the week (I mistakenly put - $125 yesterday). Only three games in the NHL tonight -

Nashville over Philadelphia - the Flyers have trouble with speed teams...they don't get much faster than Nashville. Lay $75 on Nashville - $155.

Minnesota over San Jose - San Jose is missing two key players...they got by the Blues without Cheechoo and Michalek, but I don't see it happening against the Wild. Lay $100 on the Wild - $110.

Dallas over Chicago - ya, the Blackhawks have Denis Savard behind the bench now...so what? They are still the Blackhawks. Lay $50 on the Stars - $200.
There you have it...have a great day peeps!

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
Look for any opportunity to branch out and try something new. You will be in dire need of a challenge and, if you don't get it, you will probably make poor choices out of boredom. You will react emotionally regarding a love interest. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - to anyone that wants to talk about the Leafs/Bruins

You Talk Too Much (Shut Up) - Run DMC

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

A Funny Thing Hit Me Today

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

First off, if you have read this page in the past, you know I'm a Los Angeles Dodgers' fan (please, no laughing at the Juan Pierre signing) - but having said that, I've always liked the Red Sox in the American League so I have had more than a passing interest in them (and having said that, yes, I used to watch JZone when I hated the Jays).

I have read with much amusement, the calls to trade Manny Ramirez:

• from compelling arguments made by Boston Globe writers Gordon Edes and Dan Shaughnessy to the inflammotary columns by the Herald's Gerry Callaghan,
  
  
• to the idiotic rants of "Manny not putting out enough effort" by Hazel's self proclaimed number one fan Mike Adams of WEEI, who plans to keep listeners tuning in during the winter by whining about how Manny's injury cost Ortiz the MVP and playing audio clips of Hazel on every commercial break (internet stream);
  
  
• to message board posters who are calling for Theo to trade Manny for a few blue chip prospects or some ridiculous three team trades that involve the Sox getting a superstar in return;
  
  
• to some of the "peeps" on the yahoo board who think Manny should be traded because the Sox can get a couple of decent bats for him (a sentiment echoed on a number of message boards).
  

I don't get it - Manny is money. First off, trading Manny for prospects doesn't make a lot of sense at this point - not when you look at the age of some of their key players. By the time these prospects are solid major leaguers, the likes of Schilling, Wakefield and Varitek will be long gone. I thought the point was to win now - or do the Red Sox and Red Sox Nation want to be competitive for a long time rather than being a legitimate contender now.

Manny plays almost everyday, puts up big numbers and can be counted on to produce when it counts. He may not be the most gifted player athletically - but he continues to produce. He doesn't get into a lot of trouble off the field - he doesn't like the media...but why should he? Why is it important? The best line I heard was that "Boston fans loved Ted Williams and he was a prick!"

That old saying applies here - "Careful what you wish for...you just might get it." The Sox might rid themselves of Manny's contract (which doesn't seem so out of whack when you look at the salaries being handed out now) - and replace him with the likes of J.D. Drew at about $14 Million per year. Think about it Red Sox Nation - do you think your team is going to be better off with Manny or J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo? Trust me...I don't think you want to find out.

Time to update the standings in the Hazelspeeps pools - a tough week for yours truly in both the football and hockey pools.

HAZEL MAE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Our girl Tina keeps rolling, racking up wins and has her team in first place. Our Commish Drisc has dropped to second, but he has locked up a playoff spot so he's resting comfortably; and yours truly is watching Eli Manning bring Hazel Mae's Cowboys down. Standings after Week 12

9-3 Tina's Team - Owned by Tina who is riding Tony Romo all the way to first place.

8-3-1 Fighting Bobcats - Owned by Commish Drisc who enjoyed Thanksgiving with his newborn daughter and two fiesty boys.

6-6 Jack O'Latern - Owned by Hubie who made five roster moves yesterday - he's up to 77 in 12 weeks.

5-7 Ageswimmer - Owned by Bushey - enough said.

4-8 Hazel Mae's Cowboys - Owned by El Presidente, who getting his team ready to beat the Commish's Bobcats this weekend.

3-8-1 Ithaca Commons - Owned by our boy Kevin who checked in last week to give El Pres some props.

Upset of the week - Hazel Mae's Cowboys will upset the heavily favoured Fighting Bobcats.


HAZEL HOCKEY LEAGUE
The Hazel Hockey League had quite the shakeup over the last week. Our resident Steinbrenner Hubie finds himself in first place as of this morning - will surprises never cease? Standing for the week ending November 27:

55.0 - Double DD Bandits - Owned by Hubie who spent today on the waiver wire.

49.0 - Skating Bobcats - Owned by Commish Drisc who did the unthinkable and picked up the New York Islanders 15 year man Rick DiPietro.

45.0 - Weekend Warriors - Owned by our boy Chris who was eating too much leftover turkey to check in this past weekend.

37.5 - Ice Bitches - Owned by Renee who has taken a break from the hockey pool to concentrate on posting her thoughts on this blog.

36.0 - Hazel's Maeple Leafs - Owned by El Presidente who is hating the Bruins these days...even with Hazel hosting The Buzz.

29.5 - Hanson Brothers - Owned by Sparky who doesn't seem to be nearly as interested in the NHL.

That's about it for tonight gang...check back tomorrow for the NFL picks. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - just because

Get A Job - Offspring

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

See Ya Brett

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I should mention that our girl Renee checked in last night with her thoughts from the past week. Scroll down after you read tonight's entry to see what's on Renee's mind - she has a challenge for our readers...check it out and take her up on it. Note: Renee affectionately (I'd like to think) refers to yours truly as "Prez".

Watching last night's game between the Seahawks and the Packers was like watching idiots driving around without winter tires after the first snowfall. Seattle gets 201 yards rushing from Shaun Alexander and survives Matt Hasselbeck's disasterous first half to beat the pathetic Packers. So long Brett.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Seattle's Shaun Alexander rushed for 201 yards on 40 carries last night. We'll see if last night's performance was enough to win it for Hazel Mae's Cowboys in the yahoo pool.

Detroit's Nick Lidstrom had a goal in a win over the Dallas Stars. If you are a regular reader, you'll know that Nick is a member of Hazel's Maeple Leafs.

New Jersey's Patrick Elias had a goal in a losing cause against the Los Angeles Kings. Elias is a teammate of Lidstrom's on the Maeple Leafs.

TUESDAY THREE PLAY
Tough night last night - the Seahawks could only recover enough to push against the Packers and the Devils dropped one in Los Angeles last night, leaving our balance sheet for the week (starting yesterday) at - $125 . Still way up on the year, as we came into this week at + $715 over the first four weeks (I just like to keep mentioning that). Back to the winners tonight.

Toronto over Boston - Maple Leafs get back on track tonight with a win over the Bruins, they'll split the mini-series. Lay $50 on Toronto - $200.

San Jose over St. Louis - the Blues are inconsistent, the Sharks aren't. San Jose has had a couple of brain cramps already this year...tonight won't be another. Lay $50 on San Jose - $185.

Washington over Tampa Bay - I like the Caps goaltending in this one. Its just a hunch, so we'll just lay $30 on the Caps + $175.


HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
You are better off spending time with someone you really care about doing special little things you both enjoy. You might also want to take in an event that will give you information pertinent to your getting ahead. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - wake up song

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns and Roses

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

"Hazie" Monday - The Champs and Chumps

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Before starting tonight's post, I should mention that our girl Renee checked in earlier with her thoughts from the past week. Scroll down after you read tonight's entry to see what's on Renee's mind - she has a challenge for our readers...check it out and take her up on it. Note: Renee affectionately (I'd like to think) refers to yours truly as "Prez".

For those of you who haven't been here before, Monday night entries take a look back at the week or so that was in the world of sports, highlighting some of the more notable performances. To those who have risen above the rest, we award them with an honourary "Hazie" - the lucky few have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them. While Hazel hasn't officially approved this week's winners, we'd like to think she'd give her trademark smile and thumbs up to our selections.

HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS

NHL
The NHL announced its Three Stars for the week - Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning was named First Star, scoring 2 goals and adding 6 assists in three games. Dallas Stars goalie Mike Smith was named the Third Star for posting a 3-0 record, including a shutout, with a 1.73 goals against average and a .917 save percentage.

Anaheim Ducks RW Teemu Selanne was named the league's Second Star. Selanne scored his 500th goal last week - the Finnish Flash is back after a down period in Colorado. Selanne is one of the great Europeans to play the game - a class act and tough as nails.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Captain Mats Sundin returned to the lineup Saturday night to face the Bruins. What made the return notable - and deserving of a Hazie - is that, once again, Sundin returned to the lineup far ahead of the projected timetable (17 days instead of up to 4 weeks). Sundin is the man!


NFL
Dallas Cowboys' QB Tony Romo's performance on Thanksgiving Day deserves another mention. Another 300 yard game with five touchdown passes and no interceptions - the Cowboys have only lost one game with him as the starter...but that one was on Vanderjagt; we'll talk more about him later.

Tennessee Titans' QB Vince Young led his team to a historic comeback victory yesterday against the suddenly pathetic New York Giants. Prior to yesterday, no NFL team had come back from a 21 point deficit with less than 10 minutes to go. On the day, Young was 24/35, for 249 yards and 2 TDs - Young had a key 19 yard run on a 4th and 10, albeit due to a brain cramp on the part of Mathias Kiwanuka who let Young go after having stopped him. Giants' fans, USC Trojans' fans feel your pain. We will grudgingly mention that Adam "Pacman" Jones (a regular on Weird & Whacked Wednesdays) had picked Eli Manning off twice yesterday.

What can you say about the game Patriots' CB Asante Samuel had yesterday? Three interceptions, including one to salt the game away.

As with this morning entry for Hazel's Three Stars, this one won't be popular with Patriots' fans, but Indianapolis Colts' QB Peyton Manning became the youngest QB to reach 3,000 career completions. Enough said about "Archie's boy" - Hazel might grudgingly hand over the hardware, but we'll make up for it by not calling Manning one of Hazel's Heroes.

San Diego Chargers' RB LaDainian Tomlinson makes the cut again. Tomlinson was involved in all three scores in the Chargers' win over the Raiders, rushing for two TDs and throwing for another. The complete package - L.T.


EUROPEAN SOCCER
Ya, we know Hazel doesn't give a rat's ass about European Soccer - though if she did, we'd like to think she's be sporting the maroon and green of Portugal - call this one the "Editor's Choice".

Chelsea defender, and Portuguese international, Ricardo Carvalho scored the game tying goal in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday. He doesn't score often, but he is a player in every sense. Honourable mention goes to Chelsea Manager (future manager of the Portuguese National Team???) Jose Mourinho who gave United's crusty old fart Sir Alex Ferguson a $300 bottle of Portuguese wine - call it gamesmanship or a peace offering, whatever...he should have given it to yours truly - or Hazel, who we think would enjoy a good bottle of wine from God's Country.


HAZEL'S ZEROES - THE CHUMPS

NHL
Before highlighting this week's NHL Chumps, we'll start by saying that we know Hazel wouldn't ok the first two selections (conflict of interest), but sometimes we have to call it like we see them.

Boston Bruins' D Paul Mara decided that he had to defend B's big man Zdeno Chara after getting pasted by Toronto's Darcy Tucker. When the play was over, Mara charged Tucker who was involved in a skirmish with B's forward Marc Savard. The tale of the tape reads as follows: Mara is 6'4" and 219 lbs - Tucker is 5'10" and 178 lbs. Memo to Mara, dude I think Chara can take care of himself - and if you are going to claim you were stepping in to save Savard, he deserved to have his assed kicked for his little slash as Tucker was skating away. If I'm Paul Maurice, Wade Belak dresses tomorrow night - and he is told that his role tomorrow is to kick Mara's ass.

Boston Bruins' C Marc Savard. I watched with amusement (and some confusion) as the cameras caught Savard mouthing the words to the AMERICAN National Anthem like it was a gold medal game in the Olympics. Hey Marc, you are a Franco-Ontarian (you spell your damn name with a "C")...what in the hell are you doing tearing up at another country's anthem? If that wasn't enough, Savard was at his weasel best, slashing Tucker in the back of the leg after Chara was flattened - Mar-C, consider yourself lucky that you only got a shot in the chops for that one, I'd keep my head up tomorrow night if I were you. Note to Bruins' fans; Savard is a chump in every sense of the word, and you'll find out soon enough - he owes last year's success (and 50% of his new contract) to Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa.

Columbus Blue Jackets' new head coach Ken Hitchcock made headlines last week - primarily for being a jackass. Hitchcock first official statement upon being hired to coach Columbus on Wednesday was that "out of respect for the Flyers' organization" he wanted to sit out Friday afternoon's matchup between the Jackets and Flyers. For the record, Columbus lost.

Buffalo Sabres' fans - please stop chanting U-S-A when your team plays a Canadian team. If you check your roster, you would see that you have a grand total of TWO US born players. So I guess my question is who in the hell are you chanting to you bunch of morons.


NFL
Atlanta Falcons QB Ron Mexico had a day to remember yesterday against the New Orleans Saints. Vick was a scintillating 9 for 24 for 84 yards in a loss to the Saints; Vick blamed his receivers for not catching balls (I guess he must have missed Alge Crumpler flipping out when Vick fail to spot him open for the 20th time on the day). To make matters worse, Vick responded to the boos of the twenty-four (or so) fans left in the stands by flipping them the double bird; with the customary after the fact half-assed apology. No, Michael Vick isn't a coach killer - not at all. Atlanta, find a taker for this guy and start over - the Lions or the Raiders might be stupid enough to give up the number one pick in this year's draft for Vick - DO IT.

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlan lost his mind during a post-game conference after making history yesterday in a game with the Titans. Coughlan, who has criticized his team for airing their dirty laundry to the press called out his whole team by saying they were awful, and basically pinning the loss on Manning for the late interception. The Larry Brown of the NFL is about to find himself on the unemployment line - deservedly so if you ask me.

I was disappointed to hear that Michael Irvin offered his thoughts on why Dallas QB Tony Romo has been so successful. I'll start by saying that Irvin was one of my favourite Cowboys' - but his supposed "tongue in cheek" comment about Romo's bloodlines was beyond stupid. Irvin has managed to flaunt the fact that he can get away with saying stuff that would get most people canned in a heartbeat - how about those double standards huh? Michael, please...for Cowboys' fans all over - just stick to screaming "Jacked-Up" as you and the ESPN gang try to manufacture enthusiasm for your pre-game show. Please.

Speaking of former Cowboys - Dallas announced today that they had released Canadian-born K Mike Vanderjagt. Given what he has done this season - I don't think there is anything else to say about "the liquored up kicker".

The Detroit Lions, their fans and organization, for their pathetic display on Thanksgiving Day. The PA Announcer introduced Miami's defence - fine; but after introducing them, he introduced Joey Harrington as the QB, when Harrington wasn't in the tunnel. The introduction brought a chorus of boos from the Lions' faithful. Look, I'm not "Happy Feet" Harrington's biggest fan by any stretch, but for an organization to do that and their fans to boo a guy who busted his ass and gave 110% week in and week out for an awful football team...that is beyond weak. Hey Lions' fans (of which I'm pretty sure none of you are) how do you like Kitna? He made your team a whole lot better didn't he?

I would say something about the performances put in by Rex Grossman, Ben Roethlisberger and the Jakes, Plummer and Delhomme - but what you saw last week weren't necessarily awful performances...I think its more of a case of these guys just regressing to what they are - average to slightly below average NFL QBs.

That's about it for tonight...I know I'm forgetting a few notables on both sides. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world and that you had a great long weekend.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - just cuz

Good People - Jack Johnson

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Thoughts of Renee

WARNING! THE FOLLOWING BLOG ENTRY CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT. IT IS INTENDED FOR IMMATURE SPORTS FANS AND POP CULTURE LOVERS WHO ENJOY READING ....

Now lets get to it shall we?....

BRITNEY SPEARS-MISSION POSSIBLE?
Okay my darling followers I have a mssion for you should you choose to accept it and I hope you do. Britney Spears recently made news for 2 big reasons...

1) Hanging out at a club with Paris Hilton and shedding her pants to dance/hangout in fishnet
stockings. (want to see that :)

2) Getting out of a cab and photographed wearing no panties up her skirt revealing her pussy.(definitely that too)

Your mission? Send me photos in jpeg of Britney in both #1 and #2 situations.

When you have both photos contact the prez and we'll arrange where you can send them to me.
I think Britney's HOT though I think she'd be sexier if she stopped smoking.


DAISUKE MATSUZAKA'S KNICKNAME
The big rage is what do we call this fucking Japanese pitcher. We have to come up with a cool knickname. Its like Red Sox Nation are trying to name a fucking new puppy! If I'm Matzakawa I think of a knickname I friggin like and tell my PR guy to tell Red Sox nation the name to call me. ENOUGH OF LETS NAME THE PITCHER!

Seriously - if you're one of those assholes who got all caught up racking your beer soaked brain coming up with a knickname for Matsuzaka or if you spent a cup of coffees worth of time
debating it then obviously you need to wear a hockey helmet FT in life.


RED SOX COURT DICE K IN LA
Yep the Red Sox brass all flew out to hold their first conversation with the Daisuke Matsuzaka (Dice). Shit if you spent $51 million to talk for a month you may as well get your fucking money's worth. John Henry Tom Werner Larry Lucchino Theo Epstein and Terry
Francona all flew out to see Dice and have dinner with him.

Dice apparantly was thrilled to meet the Sox brass and it was the highlight of his visit to USA.
Says a lot for California huh? No confirmation on whether TV mogul Werner gave Dice a
night of hot monkey love with the actress of his choice.

CONGRATULATIONS PAUL MARA!
For being the first Bruin to fight in months. Toronto's Darcy Tucker who took Mara's fists plans a rematch. YAY!

KRAMER GOES NUTS !
Michael Richards of Kramer fame recently got into a vulgar racist tirade towards a couple of black hecklers.

PUNISHMENT: Put Richards in a prison naked in the black section with no KY jelly to use. He should be gang raped by well hung African American prisoners day and night for 2 months while
his tirade is played. Maybe Richards asshole will be stretched out enough to stick his head up there.

HOTTEST BOSTON FEMALE RADIO VOICE - WZLX FM's HEATHER FORD!
I'm a fan of ladies on the radio. I really am. I love listening to ZLX's news girl and Karlson and
MacKenzie's news lady Heather Ford. She's funny, got a great laugh and has a very sexy voice on the airwaves. She's one of the main reasons I listen to ZLX FM in the morning.


YAY TOM CRUISE GOT MARRIED...
I think the midget Tom Cruise is so fucking gay. I really do. Why can't we get all the celebrity
scientologists on John Travolta's plane and shoot it over the damn sky so that it crashes into L.Ron Hubbard's house?

Best Tom Cruise movie: TopGun and he had those ugly funny looking chest muscles.

STRIPPER 101
A lot of guys ask me what do we do when we have our periods?

We fucking work! Yep. We don't take a week off because of menstruation. Basically we take our tampon cut the string and tuck it up our pussies and go on stage. While we're spread eagled or bending over showing you our twats we're looking in the mirror hoping our string isn't hanging out. We'll run backstage and retuck it. A few times I've seen girls get their periods while on
stage - its not pretty.


A BIG FUUUUUCK YOU! TO MICHAEL VICK!
Falcons QB Michael Vick after losing Sunday came off the field to a round of boos. Hey the Falcs
suck! So Vick drops his helmet and gives the fans the double bird! Mike if you were in the Frozen Tundra you should have had ice balls thrown at you!

You blame your receivers for not catching your passes well Mike if you started throwing like Mike and less like Vicky you'd have an argument. You should be grateful fans show up to see you fuck up the offense.

FANS WANT A NEW DOC!
Yes the Celtics fans have taken to ask for a new Dr. in the house after a dismal Celtics start.
Celts GM - former Blue Jays 3B and apparently deaf Danny Ainge said No!

So your stuck watching the fat assed Celtics Scareleaders.


DREW HOO...
Can someone please for the friggin' life of me explain why the Red Sox want to sign the injury prone JD Drew? This guys no better than Eric Hinske whom we have under contract for shorter money. I would rather sign Trot Nixon for lower money and a 1 year deal.

LOOKING AHEAD TO FA's In 2007
Next years class of baseball FA's look to be more attractive..

SP's: Carlos Zambrano - John Smoltz (he'll retire), Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia.

Red Sox should get Zambrano

CLOSERS: Mariano Rivera (yankee for life)-
Joe Nathan-Trevor Hoffman-Jason Isringhausen....

CATCHERSL Ivan Rodriguez-Jorge Posada (yankee for life) Michael Barrett

INFIELDERS Jeff Kent-Carlos Guillen-Marcus Giles - Rangers hold option on Michael Young

OUTFIELDERS- Ichiro-Vernon Wells, Andruw Jones, Jermaine Dye, Bobby Abreu, Tori Hunter, and Adam Dunn

BOTTOM LINE? A lot of MLB teams saving for this FA class. The Red Sox shedding BIG salaries after 2007 will be very very big shoppers in the 2007 offseason.

I think this is the FA Market the Red Sox are waiting for.

WICKED EARLY RED SOX 2007 SIGNING PREDICTIONS...

SP: Garcia (I think the Cubs or Yanks get Zambrano);

CLOSER: Joe Nathan or Trevor Hoffman (the Sox will spend BIG BUCKS for a top closer)

CATCHER: they'll extend Varitek

INFIELDERS: Jeff Kent.

OF: Andruw Jones and Vernon Wells.


MANNY HEADED WEST THIS WEEKEND
All of MLB expecting Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez to be traded to a west coast team San
Francisco Giants or the LA Dodgers this weekend. Its likely to be a 3 team trade that gets done and Manny will go to the Dodgers with the Dodgers surrendering top pitching prospect Chad Billingsley as one of the players to Boston. I like the idea of shipping Ramirez out and freeing up the money and getting rid of the big drama queen.

The Red Sox will likely get prospects they can combine in a trade to get a stud player or two under contract in a future deal. So with Ramirez gone where does that leave the Red
Sox?

The Red Sox do not want franchise player and poster boy David Ortiz upset or unprotected. I will guarantee you that Epstein has told Ortiz the teams plans regarding Manny's departure.
The Sox unfortunately are signing RF JD Drew who doesn't wield a Manny like bat. The Sox will sign ss Julio Lugo whose not going to scare many pitchers either.

Again what does Boston do? They have 2 options.

1) Rent a veteran LF slugger for a year knowing that in the 2007 FA class you can buy 2 or 3 big FA sluggers.

2)Trade prospects this off season for a LF stud hitter under contract for 2-3 years.

Either way-Manny's gone this weekend. Just hope he inks an extension with the West Coast
team and doesn't opt for FA after '08 to join the Yanks or Blue Jays.


SLY STALLONE....
Yay another Rocky movie followed by another Rambo movie. This is Sly Stallone sending a message to all you 50 somethings that he looks more buff than you.

Of course if you had nothing to do all day but train - could afford top personal trainers, dieticians, plastic surgeons and VIP gyms and got 10s of millions in dollars to undergo this effort I'm sure you guys would.

Its a little short this week but if I get those pics I asked for I'll serve up a bigger/hotter edition of STRIPPER 101.

Til then Grin and Bare It!

XO - Renee

Week 12 Recap

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

So Week 12 is almost in the books - what have we learned?

Well, first off - defensive coordinators around the NFL have caught up to the league's managers; Ben Roethlisberger, David Garrard, Rex Grossman and Jake Plummer all lost this week, the latter has lost his job to a rookie. While managers won this week - Brad Johnson, J.P. Losman and Joey Harrington - all you have to do is look at their records to see that for the most part they are .500 teams. In the case of the Bears, questions are being raised about whether or not Grossman is the guy to get it done for them - unfortunately for Bears' fans, Option B is Brian Griese who isn't exactly what you would call a playmaker.

When it comes right down to it - I don't think the league's managers have the collective respect of their teammates to be looked at as real leaders. You can't win consistently if your QB isn't a playmaker - ask the Pittsburgh Steelers, the defending champs who are going to miss the playoffs this year. The stars lined up for Roethlisberger and the Steelers last year - but the league has caught up to this guy, and are making HIM beat them.

Roethlisberger, Grossman, Plummer - all front runners who manage games when their teams get a lead, but all pretty much incapable of bringing their teams back from deficits.

Second, this week was very telling in terms of teams that were thought to be contenders:

• The Broncos have pretty much given up on their season - with the announcement that Jay Cutler will be starting for Jake Plummer against Seattle, it is pretty evident that Shanahan knows he isn't going to get it done this year and is going to start planning for the future.
  
  
• The Giants collapse to the Titans, giving up 24 points in the 4th quarter en route to their third straight loss, pretty much tells you where this team is going. The Giants are banged up, but so are a lot of teams - playoff teams, contending teams, championship calibre teams find a way to get it done; the Giants haven't, and task master Coughlan is calling out his star QB for poor decision making.
  
  
• The Carolina Panthers can't be taken seriously - by anyone. Some football analysts were warning that the Panthers were capable of stringing a few wins together and being a factor in the NFC this year - not when you drop one to a Redskins' team without their best RB and their number one QB.
  
  
• As Dennis Green so aptly put it - "The Bears are who we thought we were, the Bears are the Bears, they are who we thought they were." Yet another Bears team with a great defence and an inconsistent offence that can't be trusted to show up week in and week out. The Bears 9-2 is primarily thanks to their weak schedule - they aren't as good as their record would have you believe. They forced FIVE New England turnovers and still couldn't get it done - paper tigers if you ask me.
  

We'll leave it at that for now and pick things up again later.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Asante Samuel of the New England Patriots leads off today's list. Samuel had three picks and they all influenced the game - he picked one off in Chicago end, he picked one deep in New England's end to prevent a score and his last pick put the game away for New England.

I know this one won't be popular with Pats' fans - but Indy RB Joseph Addai had a great game against the Eagles. Addai carried the ball 24 times for 171 yards and 4 TDs. That's got to count for something.

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Johan Holmqvist stopped 22 of 23 shots fired at him to lead Tampa to a 3-1 victory over the SenaTards - you know the rule when it comes to beating the Tards...you will ALWAYS get plenty of coverage here.


MONDAY'S THREE PLAY
We had an up and down kind of day yesterday, starting the day at + 330 for the week and finishing the day - $95 to leave the sheet at + $235. The Sabres and Colts both winning means that we made a few bucks on the day to finish the week at + $385. Our overall total for the first four weeks of the Three Play is + $715, which isn't bad.

New Jersey over Los Angeles - Devils are off to a tough start on the western road trip, expect them to get well tonight against the Kings. Lay $75 on New Jersey - $160.

Seattle -10 over Green Bay - Likely Favre's last Monday night game, blah blah - Seattle beats up on a bad Green Bay team tonight. Lay $50 on the Seahawks.

There you have it peeps - have a great one!

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
You can do no wrong today so get things out of the way. Say what needs to be said and move on and upward. It's your time, so enjoy the moment. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the day on Hazelspeeps - wake up song this morning

Flagpole Sitter - Harvey Danger

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Sunday Night Two Play

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

NFL Sunday has been reasonably good so far - we will finish the afternoon in the black. After the 1 p.m. games, the balance sheet stood at + $370 on the week; with the Giants cruising to victory at this point, and the Pats close to covering - we can safely assume we won't drop any dough at 4 p.m. So tonight's plays

Buffalo over NY Rangers - the Sabres lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Canadiens on Friday night, the Rangers will pay for that tonight. Lay $50 on the Sabres - $120.

Indy -10.5 over Philadelphia - Manning vs. Garcia...you be the judge. Lay $100 on the Colts tonight (this one could change before gametime - so check back at about 7:30 p.m. eastern).

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Sunday Afternoon Three Play

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special NFL Sunday afternoon "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

So, we are doing ok this afternoon - the Bengals and Ravens are covering easily and the Panthers are a score away from covering. So two plays for this Sunday afternoon.

NY Giants -3.5 over Tennessee - I know the Giants are banged up and out of sorts...but I can't see them dropping this one to the Titans. This will turn out to be one of the games that Manning goes nuts and looks like a world beater. Lay $75 on the G-men.

New England -4.5 over Chicago - The Bears are about to find out what it takes to beat a championship calibre team. Look for Brady to pick apart the vaunted Bears defence, and Belichick to confuse Grossman with different blitz packages and defensive alignments. Lay $50 on the Pats -4.5.

Good luck gang...have a great one Peeps.

Hazel, I hope your Sunday afternoon is going well.

Song of the afternoon on Hazelspeeps - going back to the Hazelspeeps Greatest Hits

Koteja - Stewart Copeland

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

No Good Karma At The ACC

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special Sunday morning "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Game 1 of the mini-series between the Maple Leafs and the Bruins went to bad guys in black. The Maple Leafs played uninspired hockey for most of the game last night - part of that could have had something to do with the fact that the Bruins scored early and took it to them last night. Me thinks Hazel wasn't at the hanger last night. Oh well, there's always game 2 on Tuesday.

I'll post my NFL pool picks later this morning.


HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Its all about the leather this morning - get your damn minds out of the gutter...I'm talking about goalie gloves.

Atlanta Thrashers' G Keri Lehtonen stopped 37 shots in shutting out the Florida Panthers last night. The Thrashers could be scary this year of Lehtonen continues to play this well - they've got enough offence to blow you out...if they continue to get good goaltending - watch out.

Philadelphia Flyers' G Antero Niittymaki made 29 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens...remember what I said in yesterday's Three Play pick; I should have listened to myself.

San Jose Sharks G Evgeni Nabokov made 24 saves in a 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils.


SUNDAY THREE PLAY
Ok, we had a tough night last night going 1-2 and having to post a - $135 to the balance sheet; still for the week we are + $330 in the black.

Cincinnati -3.5 over Cleveland - the Bengals seem to have it turned around now, too little too late...but its still enough to warrant a play over the Bengals. Lay $100 on the Bengals.

Carolina -4.5 over Washington - I see Carolina's defence dominating in the one...I see Carolina bringing lots of pressure all day long...playing eight in the box. Lay $100 on the Panthers.

Baltimore -3 over Pittsburgh - Everyone is back in love with the Steelers again...why, I don't know. Roethlisberger will find things decidedly tougher this week against the Ravens - they'll make him win it...and I don't think he can. Lay $50 on the Ravens and thank your book for the cheap line.

That's about it for this morning gang...have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
Do whatever it takes to get something you want to do off the ground. If that means traveling or picking up information or going back school, so be it. Now is your chance to turn something you may have done wrong in the past into a right. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - its been a while...

Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Saturday Three Play

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

SATURDAY THREE PLAY
Ok, so we are at + $465 on the balance sheet for the week - so we'll play it relatively safe tonight.

New York Rangers over Pittsburgh - Crosby is likely out, Malkin was shaken up last night - if those two don't go for the Penguins, who is going to score? I like Jagr and the Rangers in this one tonight. Lay $75 on the Rangers - $140.

Toronto over Boston - I normally don't advocate playing on or against the Leafs...I go through enough watching it without having to think of hypothetical $ risked. Sundin coming back should be a lift for the troops - not that they need it, they are better than the Bruins. I can't see Hazel disliking this one too much...even though she hosts The Buzz, she hasn't yet publicly renounced her membership in Leaf Nation. Lay $50 on the Maple Leafs - $200.

Montreal over Philadelphia - the Flyers scratched out a victory over the Blue Jackets yesterday, while Montreal won a squeaker in Buffalo. In years gone by, the play would have been Philly, as the visiting team usualy wins in this matchup. But this year's version of the Flyers are bad - Montreal builds on last night's emotional win. Lay $50 on Montreal - $240.

That's it for today gang...have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world whereever you are this weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - because Hazel "Mae" or may not be home in Toronto to take in this game

The Good Old Hockey Game - Stompin Tom Connors

Oh, the good old hockey game
Is the best game you can name
And the best game you can name
Is the good old hockey game.

Leafs Pop Caps

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Canadian teams proved to be rather rude guests in American cities celebrating Thanksgiving Friday. Hazel's Toronto Maple Leafs crushed Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals last night by a score of 7-1; Toronto scored 4 power play goals last night and got goals from seven different players. Paul Maurice has been urging his players to step up in the absence of Captain Mats Sundin, I'd say they did it in spades last night - responding to a tough loss in Buffalo on Wednesday.

Speaking of Mats Sundine, the Maple Leafs will welcome back their captain as they take on the Bruins tonight at the ACC - hmmmm I wonder if Hazel made it home to watch this one on her American Thanksgiving weekend. Hazel Karma at the ACC tonight?

In other games of note, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres last night by a 2-1 count, with Sheldon Souray scoring the winner with one second left in overtime. The SenaTards beat the Florida Panthers last night - so you know every member of the Army of retards will be talking about the Tards being back...whatever. The Edmonton Oilers completed the Canadian sweep by beating the Blackhawks last night in Edmonton.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Toronto Maple Leafs RW Jeff O'Neill scored a goal and added two assists in the win over the Capitals - O'Neill is one guy who looks rejuvenated under the guidance of Paul Maurice. Never blessed with blazing speed, O'Neill is finding a way to get it done under Maurice's high tempo pressure game. Honourable mention goes to Darcy Tucker who scored his 16th goal of the season and added two assists.

Dallas Stars' D Phillipe Boucher (also a member of Hazel's Maeple Leafs in the yahoo pool) had a hat-trick in the Stars' 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings last night. Boucher, Kaberle, McCabe, Lidstrom and Matt Carle...Hazel's Maeple Leafs have the best D in the pool without a doubt...yes, I expect Renee to chime in and kick my ass for saying that.

St. Louis Blues' Petr Cajanek scored two goals against Detroit last night - while it messed up our evening picks on the Three Play - you have to give him credit. Plus, had you even heard about Petr Cajanek until you read this? Do you think you will ever hear about Petr Cajanek again after you read this? Given that you have said his name three times - you'll probably remember him now. You are welcome Petr.

SATURDAY'S THREE PLAY
After a good start to the day, the Red Wings cost us big last night - luckily the Stars win minimized the damage. So we finished the day at + $50, and a pretty decent + $465 for the week so far - not bad for free picks huh? We'll post the Three Play picks this afternoon with the rest of the NFL Pool picks.

That's about it for this morning - have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
It's time to make your move and to get things done. You can turn something you've been working on into a moneymaker if you connect with individuals who can help you along. Get serious and you will succeed. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - if you are hanging out at the ACC tonight...GO LEAFS GO!

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Way Down Now - World Party

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Cha Ching

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Well, our Friday afternoon Three Play is going pretty well - looks like Arkansas is going down, but the Hurricanes and Wild both won leaving us at + 120 for the afternoon.

We'll go with two games that should be slam dunks (no that doesn't mean I'm ever going to do basketball!).

Detroit over St. Louis - for obvious reasons. Lay $50 on Detroit - $340.

Edmonton over Chicago - the Blackhawks aren't beating anyone these days. Lay $100 on the Oilers - $280.

There is your Friday Night Two Play...good luck if you bet em.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Tom Brady Jr.

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Well, Tony Romo tied a Dallas Cowboys franchise record for TD passes in a single game with five of them against Tampa Bay. Say what you will about about Tampa Bay's depleted defence - but five TD in a game against any NFL defence is impressive. A lot of people are trying to get under the skin of Cowboys' fans by saying that Romo is the next coming of Kurt Warner - a flash in the pan, who will have a good season or two and flicker out into obscurity; well, I prefer to look at it as Romo being more like the next coming of Tom Brady - a guy who came in with little fanfare and got the job done. I'm not saying Romo will be as good as Brady - but he will be better than Warner.

What a great day of football, though I had to tape the Detroit-Miami game (damn work). The Cowboys, Lions and Chiefs all won yesterday...meaning week 12 in the pools is off to a pretty good start.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
It shouldn't come as any surprise that Dallas Cowboys' QB Tony Romo makes the list. Romo continued his great run yesterday by completing 22 of 29 passes for 306 yards and FIVE TDs. What made it all the more impressive was that Romo shrugged off three drops by Terrell Owens and still kept firing. Honourable mention goes to Terry Glenn who caught 4 balls for 89 yards and two TDs. How about them Cowboys? By the way, the seat next to me on the Cowboys' bus to the Super Bowl is reserved for Hazel...she will always be welcomed into the fold.

Yesterday I said that if anyone could mathc LaDainian Tomlinson's 100+ yard game against Denver it would be Kansas City RB Larry Johnson - and dammit it all if I wasn't right. Johnson led the (Hazel's ???) Chiefs to a 19-10 victory over the Broncos, rushing the ball 34 times for 154 yards and a TD. NFL RB 1A proved why he belongs up there with L.T.

Miami's Joey Harrington had a triumphant return to Detroit yesterday - Harrington complete 19 of 29 passes for 213 yards and three TD (though he had a brain cramp at the end of the first quarter and threw a dumb INT at the goal line). Harrington had a pretty good day despite three dropped passes by his receivers. I figure this is likely the only time "Happy Feet" Harrington will make it on the list...next stop for Joey? Dancing with the Stars.

THANKSGIVING DAY TURKEYS
Ok, I had to post this one. Watching the games yesterday - a few people stuck out as looking particularly foolish for their antics on and off the field of play.

Admittedly, I didn't get to watch the Lions/Dolphins game, but I watched the 1st half on tape; that was more than enough to hand out the first two turkey awards.

Lions' WR Roy Williams is front and centre for his first quarter antics. Williams was dominant on the first drive, no question - but to be doing that first down point after making a catch? Dude, its NOT your first NFL game, so act like you've done it before. Second, your team went into the game 2-8...I don't think you should be celebrating anything when your team is playing like that.

Lions' QB Jon Kitna was right behind Williams on the list. Watching this guy walk down the field nodding his head on the first drive and jumping around like he won the Super Bowl on his TD pass was a little too much to take. Again, Jon...you came into the game 2-8, your team has been awful and not above blowing leads - to be jumping around after the opening drive isn't too smart. Dishonourable mention goes to DB Dre Bly, who immediately jumped around looking for a flag on a fair catch of a punt return - Bly signalled for a fair catch, a Miami Dolphins special teamer just touched him after the catch and he was jumping around looking for a flag - and celebrating when the official threw one.

Last but certainly not least - Chuckie. After tearing out of work to get the to the opening kickoff of the Dallas/Tampa Bay game, I got to see the Bucs take the ball in for a TD on the opening drive of the game. That was tough enough to take - but to watch Chuckie celebrating on the sideline, screaming "F'in righht!!!!" after the opening drive was pretty weak. Again, Gruden...your team came in 3-7, your last win was over a pathetic Redskins team missing their number 1 back; you have nothing to be celebrating you jackass. It was fun to see his reaction after every Dallas TD.

I'm not going to pile on Jake Plummer today - I felt kinda bad for him last night with all of the talk that he was playing for his job. Plummer should feel fortunate that he has gotten this much out of Denver - nice knowin ya Jake.

FRIDAY THREE PLAY
Well, we had another great day yesterday going 3-0 and adding $200 to the balance sheet - had you been following our picks this week, you'd be $415 in the black...not bad for 4 days. We'll start off with some afternoon hockey - as tempting as college football is, I don't follow it close enough to make an informed choice, witnessed by the fact that Boston College's loss to the Hurricanes cost me a $150 ticket on Pro-Line.

Minnesota over Phoenix - the Coyotes won their game for the week against the Devils. The Wild are banged up and hurting a little, but they have too much for the Coyotes, especially on home ice where they are dominant. Lay $100 on Wild - $240.

Carolina over Boston - I know the Bruins have been on a decent run as of late and Hazel could likely take in this afternoon matchup - who knows? I just think that the Hurricanes are the kind of team that is going to give the Bruins big problems - they are fast, and their power play can be deadly. With apologies to Hazel, I'm saying lay $50 on the Hurricanes -$135.

Oh what the hell - we're up this week and it will make it interesting.

Arkansas +2 over LSU - after saying I don't do college football, here I am. Playing at home, playing on national television on Thanksgiving weekend - if that isn't enough to motivate the Razorbacks, I don't know what is. Lay $25 on the Razorbacks to cover (and win outright).

We'll try to get back later this after with a night time selection for the three play.

That's about it for this morning - have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Focus on money-making deals, winnings, money owed or any other means that will bring you extra cash and you will make financial gains. Don't let your emotions get involved in your professional dealings. 2 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world and that you are enjoying a safe and happy holiday weekend down there.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - because I'll tune into the Razorbacks and Tigers game this afternoon.

Saturday Night - The Razorbacks (Hazel would have heard of them back in the day in Toronto).

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Thursday Night Two Play

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Thanksgiving Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

How about them Cowboys huh? Cowboys are up 21-10 at halftime and looking they are going to cruise to a 7-4 record. Yes, I left work early to watch the Cowboys today...its American Thanksgiving, its expected! More later.

The Dolphins were the first play today and they covered, so the balance sheet is at + $265 for the week - not bad considering we took a night off. Building on today's win we'll go with two more tonight.

Nashville over Vancouver - the Predators had a bad game last night...expect them to respond against the Canucks. Lay $100 on Nashville - $200.

Kansas City -2.5 over Denver - for Hazel. Lay $50 on the Chiefs tonight...we don't trust Plummer.

Hope all the American peeps are enjoying their Thanksgiving...have a great one.

Hazel, I'm hoping you are having a groovy American Thanksgiving with good friends.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

A very Happy Thanksgiving to our friends south of the border; they do it right down there, eat yourself into a coma on Thursday and take Friday to Sunday to recover. When I think of how many holidays our friends south of the border take - I am reminded of something said about former Blue Jays 3B Kelly Gruber - "Americans would take a day off for a car door opening." Just kidding...enjoy your long weekend.

Tough night in the NHL last night, Leafs lost a tough one in Buffalo - blowing a two goal lead, coming back to from a two goal deficit, and giving up the go ahead goal on an Andrew Raycroft brain cramp; I'm not feeling very thankful today. Mats is back on Saturday to face the Bruins - I'm thankful for that.

SenaTards beat the Flyers last night in overtime - ok SenaTards faithful, tell me your team is back, yeah right! The one thing Hazel may be thankful for is that the Bruins won in a shootout last night - Sid the Kid sat out last night's game against the Bruins.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Boston Bruins Patrice Bergeron had two assists last night in leading the B's to a win over the Penguins.

San Jose Sharks (and former Bruins') C Joe Thornton had a goal and two assists in a win over the L.A. Kings last night - which was good for the Three Play.

Calgary Flames' RW Jarome Iginla scored two goals in a win over the Blackhawks last night.

THURSDAY'S THREE PLAY
We had another good night last night, the Devils loss was costly (- $85), but the Tards and Sharks' wins left us in + $65 in the black. For the week, we'd be at +215. For now, we'll just pick one game...I'm not crazy about it though

Miami -3 over Detroit. Temptation is to take Detroit, given that it is Thanksgiving and its their game...blah blah blah. Detroit is just terrible, come to think of it, the only game they looked good in was against Ron Mexico and the Falcons...and Vick was terrible that day. Take Miami's defence to stuff Kitna and the Kittens.


NFL PICKS VS. THE SPREAD
I don't have time to post them all this morning - so I will post todays game and associated point values...I'll update the complete list later.

07) Miami -2.5 over DETROIT - Miami's defence rules the day in this one. Miami isn't quite "Detroit Lions bad".

10) DALLAS -10.5 over Tampa Bay - Cowboys D stuffs Gradkowski and the Bucs offence today. The Cowboys offence will pose much more of a challenge to the Bucs than the Skins' offence did last week.

02) KANSAS CITY +0.5 over Denver - Happy Thanksgiving Hazel...I hope your cable provider is carrying the NFL Network.

That's about it for this morning gang...Have a great one Peeps!

HAZEL'S THANKSGIVING DAY HOROSCOPE
Discuss your plans and find out more about a project that interests you or someone you want to get to know better. A job opportunity will develop if you express your interest and willingness to learn. 2 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend to you, whether you are spending it in New England or coming home to spend with family and catch the Leafs and Bruins on Saturday!

Song the Day on Hazelspeeps - for American Thanksgiving, an 80's song for Hazel.

I Wanna Be A Cowboy - Boys Don't Cry

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

NFL Picks

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Thanksgiving Day in the US tomorrow means NFL Football - three games tomorrow; so that means our NFL picks had to be in today. I'm doing my picks in the Straight Up pool - I'll look at the spreads pool later and post my picks tomorrow.

16) SAN DIEGO over Oakland - If Denver couldn't stop Tomlinson, do you think Oakland stands a chance? San Diego returns home after two road wins, they won't let down against Aaron Brooks and the Raiders.

15) DALLAS over Tampa Bay - No way Dallas loses this game - this one is for first place. Parcells will have them ready to play and sink the Bucs. Word is that T.O. was too focused on practicing this week to send McNabb a get well text message. Who in the hell would text message someone to say get well?

14) INDIANAPOLIS over Philadelphia - Questions are starting to surface about how legit the Colts are - Manning quiets the doubters on Sunday be beating the Eagles without the Chunky Soup lovin' mama's boy. Garcia gets the start for Philly coming off a Brad Johnson/Chad Pennington like game where he averaged 7+ yards per completion. This one is going to be ugly.

13) SEATTLE over Green Bay - Seattle was embarrassed by San Fran last week - they'll take out their frustrations on a banged up Favre.

12) ST. LOUIS over San Francisco - Good news for the 49ers, Antonio Bryant won't be driving the team bus to the game. Bad news for the 49ers, they are going into the dome - Bulger has a big game to lead the Rams to a victory.

11) Carolina over WASHINGTON - ok, for those of you who missed it last week - No Portis, No Chance for the Skins. Jason Campbell have you met Julius Peppers? Carolina wins this one easily, with Steve Smith leading Hazel Mae's Cowboys to a win...I mean the Carolina Panthers.

10) MINNESOTA over Arizona - I can't believe I'm putting this much faith in that noodle-armed Brad Johnson, but have you seen the Cardinals play? I know Larry Fitzgerald is back...but it was only the Lions last week.

09) N.Y. JETS over Houston - speaking of noodle arms, have you met Chad Pennington? Houston is a team that finds ways to lose - the Jets find ways to win. I'll take the Jets thank you.

08) Cincinnati over CLEVELAND - Carson Palmer and "Ocho Cinco" are heating it up these days - may be a case of a too little, too late - but they'll get in done against the Browns.

07) BALTIMORE over Pittsburgh - the talk of another Steelers run ends this Sunday when they visit the Ravens. The Ravens defence will smother that running game and force Roethlisberger to win it with his arm - haha, that's a funny thought.

06) NEW ENGLAND over Chicago - Expect the Patriots to run the ball against Chicago, and Brady to mix in a few timely long balls; Richard Seymour answers critics with a big game. Chicago finds out what its like to play against the big boys in the NFL.

05) NY GIANTS over Tennessee - Manning is better than what he has shown in the last couple of game (at least Hazel Mae's Cowboys hope so) and Vince Young isn't quite as good as he has shown (not yet anyway). The injury riddled Giants pull out a win to stay tied with Dallas in first.

04) Jacksonville over BUFFALO - the Jags defence will make J.P. Losman look like the J.P. Losman we have seen for most of this season - confused, confounded, and scattered. No Monday Night hangover for the Jags this week.

03) Miami over DETROIT - statement game for Miami - are they just plain bad, or are they "Detroit Lions bad", there's a difference you know. Jason Taylor elevates Miami to just plain bad in a win over the really really really bad Lions.

02) KANSAS CITY over Denver - Hi, welcome to Thoughts of Hazel Mae...have you met Hazel? Seriously, last Sunday night was the beginning of the unravelling of Jake Plummer. If L.T. can go for 100 against the Broncos, you can bet that Larry Johnson can too.

01) ATLANTA over New Orleans - you know the deal with me and Ron Mexico. I don't trust the guy...but the Saints are starting to fall back to earth after a great start. Jim Mora Sr. called Vick a "Coach killer", I think he's right...but we'll let Vick answer that on Sunday.

There you have it gang...I'm going to make my picks against the spreads. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Try Jah Love - Third World

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Bittersweet Day In Europe

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Yes, I am leading off with Champions League soccer action from yesterday - both Portuguese teams won, FC Porto travelled to Moscow and beat CSKA by a 2-0 count and moved into a tie for first place in Group G (2nd place on goal differential); Benfica thrashed FC Copenhagen at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon - bad news is that Manchester United crapped the bed in Scotland losing to Celtic, meaning Benfica has to win in England in their final game of the group stage...yes, I'll be asking for Hazel Karma next month.

Luis Figo welcomes Sporting Lisbon (his first professional team) to Milan as Sporting takes on Inter today - good luck Sporting.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS

Benfica striker Fabrizio Micoli scored two goals in the win over FC Copenhagen. I can't say that Hazel would be done with handing out the hardware to a soccer player...but I'm exercising editorial rights.

New York Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped 34 shots in a 4-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes last night. Jaromir Jagr helped out with two goals - but shutting out the Canes trumps the two goal night.

Edmonton Oilers forward Petr Sykora scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Kiprusoff and the Flames last night.


WEDNESDAY THREE PLAY
We didn't pick anything last night - leaving our total for the week at + $150.

Ottawa over Philadelphia - Flyers coming off a western roadtrip, Tards playing better - all things point to a Tards win...as much as I hate to admit it. Lay $100 on the Tards - $180.

New Jersey over Phoenix - The Coyotes can't seem to beat anyone these days, so don't expect them to start now with Jersey. Lay $50 on the Devils - $170.

San Jose over L.A. Kings - the Sharks were humiliated last night against the Ducks...they'll take it out on the Kings tonight. Lay $50 on the Sharks - $310.

That's about it for this morning gang - check back tonight for NFL picks. Have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
Research other possibilities if you aren't happy with the way things have been going. An older associate will give you a good suggestion that will eliminate some of the stress you've been experiencing. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Fiesta - The Pogues

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

This "Just-in"

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Much to the chagrin of Red Sox Nation and those idiots in New York - David "Big Papi" Ortiz and Derek Jeter were both passed over for the American League's Most Valuable Player award. New Westminster born Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins (and Hazel Mae's Heroes in the yahoo pool) was given the award. Morneau edged out Derek Jeter by 14 points and David by 127 points - the shocker in the voting was that Ortiz didn't get one first place vote.

While everyone outside of Minnesota is ripping the decision - from comparing Morneau's numbers to Jeter's and Ortiz' to comparing Morneau's contributions to his team with those of teammate Joe Mauer - a very good case can be made that Morneau had much less support than Jeter and Ortiz, and the fact that he took a team devoid of any real superstars (other than Santana and Liriano) to the playoffs. Morneau was one of the key figures in the Twins drive for the Wild Card in the A.L. When you combine his numbers with what his team accomplished - Morneau isn't the worst pick as the MVP. While I think Hazel was disappointed that her pal Big Papi didn't take home the hardware - she had to have cracked a bit of a smile that a Canadian took home the honour (Canadian spelling). Bravo Justin!

Season Finale of Rescue Me up here tonight - ya, I know, Renee has reminded me a million times that we are behind up here...whatever - so a quick post tonight.

Week 11 of the NFL in the books and two teams in the Hazel Mae Fantasy Football pool have clinched playoff spots - there will be a dog fight for the last two spots. Standings after week 11 see Commish Drisc and surprising Tina at the top of the heap.

8-2-1 Fighting Bobcats - owned by Commish Drisc who is likely going to tweak his roster as he coasts to the playoffs.

8-3 Tina's Team - owned by Tina who is proving to be a shrewd manager - thank God she isn't in the hockey pool.

5-6 Jack O'Lantern - owned by Hubie who is going to burn out the damn waiver wire if he keeps this up - he is going to be the Triple Crown winner for waiver moves.

4-7 Ageswimmer - owned by Bushey, who has yet to reach out to the peeps.

4-7 Hazel Mae's Cowboys - owned by El Presidente, who celebrated this week's loss by watching the Cowboys beat the Colts.

3-8 Ithaca Commons - owned by our boy Kevin who needs to check in on yahoo to give his peeps an update.

The "Hazel Hockey League" on yahoo saw some movement this week. The top two and bottom two teams flip flopped this week - the scary thing in all this is that Hubie is in 1st and Renee is out of last and movin' on up.

56.0 - Double DD Bandits - owned by Hubie, who just ordered a cup of coffee to celebrate his arrival in the top spot.

50.0 - Weekend Warriors - owned by bakerboy Chris, who has been pretty quiet these days.

45.5 - Skating Bobcats - owned by Drisc, who is always the voice of reason on the board.

40.5 - Hazel's Maeple Leafs - owned by El Presidente who is celebrating American Thanksgiving with the thought of the Maple Leafs being back on track.

30.5 - Ice Bitches - owned by Renee who's team recorded the biggest jump in points.

29.5 - Hanson Brothers - owned by Sparky, who is giving up the dream of the Hazelspeeps double.

That's about it for tonight gang. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Mr. Morneau

Oh Canada - Traditional

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Back On Track

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

A good night for the Toronto Maple Leafs last night with a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Andrew Raycroft was back between the pipes to steady the ship that had been rocking over the last few games. Good news for Hazel and Leaf Nation - Captain Mats Sundin said he is looking to be back for Saturday's game against the Bruins. Once again Sundin returns ahead of schedule and the Leafs didn't suffer too much.

The bad news for Hazel is that the Bruins saw their four game winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers; the silver lining is that the Bruins last few games should have given Hazel plenty to talk about on The Buzz. More bad news, the SenaTards beat the Minnesota Wild last night - ok, it may not be all that bad for Hazel...but I have to suffer these idiots in the SenaTards Army all day today.

The New York Giants got slapped around the second straight week - this time by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dallas is now tied for first in the NFC with the Giants, and look to go a half game up with a win on Turkey Day against the Bucs. The NFC is there for the taking...Go Cowboys! (ahem...a little Hazel Karma would be appreciated on Thursday).

HAZEL'S THREE STARS

Toronto Maple Leafs RW Kyle Wellwood responded to critics who said he had gone missing in the absence of Sundin by scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 4-2 win over the Islanders last night. I think Hazel would be down with highlighting the little guy's performance.

Dallas Stars LW Brenden Morrow scored two goals in a 5-4 victory over the Avalanche last night - given that Dallas was one of the picks in yesterday's Three Play, you know we had to say "Thank you Brenden". Oh yeah, Morrow is also on Hazel's Maeple Leafs' roster in the fantasy hockey pool on hazelspeeps.

Buffalo Sabres' forward Paul Gaustad had two goals and an assist in leading the Sabres to 7-2 shellacking of the Tampa Bay Lightning. As with Morrow, the Three Play gang would like to say "Thank you Paul."


TUESDAY'S THREE PLAY
We started Monday at + $330 over the first three weeks and we finished Monday with 3 big wins and adding +150 to the balance sheet. As you have read, Buffalo and Dallas both won; and Jacksonville completed the night by beating up on the Giants by a count of 26-10. Nice to start the week with a Monday night sweep.

We'll be back later with the picks.

That's about it for today gang - what did you think of Renee's first foray into the world of blogging? Can you tell why she was so popular on the yahoo site? If you haven't read it...scroll down to next entry - her entry was posted after the Monday night Hazies. Have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
A serious look at what you are currently doing and how you are making money should encourage you to strive for something more challenging. Making a move or surrounding yourself with a different environment will be beneficial. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Stand Inside Your Love - Smashing Pumpkins

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!