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		<title>NFL Picks: Week Nine</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/11/nfl-picks-week-nine/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/11/nfl-picks-week-nine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Baltimore Ravens]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Bengals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Detroit Lions]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football Picks]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Miami Dolphins]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New England Patriots]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Pittsburgh Steelers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=139</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Happy Belated Halloween Everyone! I haven&#8217;t been online the past few days due to family activities. Boy were those black cupcakes good and we had fun making our &#8220;fangy&#8221; jack-o-latern. I&#8217;ll make sure to take pictures and post them!
That being said, I got up early to get my picks in, last minute. Here&#8217;s how I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Happy Belated Halloween Everyone! I haven&#8217;t been online the past few days due to family activities. Boy were those black cupcakes good and we had fun making our &#8220;fangy&#8221; jack-o-latern. I&#8217;ll make sure to take pictures and post them!</p>
<p>That being said, I got up early to get my picks in, last minute. Here&#8217;s how I did in previous weeks:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/">Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/">Week Four NFL Football Picks - 8-5</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-six-nfl-football-picks/">Week Six NFL Football Picks - 6-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-seven-nfl-football-picks/">Week Seven NFL Football Picks - 7-7</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/nfl-picks-week-eight/">Week Eight NFL Football Picks - 8-6</a></p>
<p>I promise to be up to date on picks and I have a lot more to say on NBA, NHL and NCAA Football, so expect more posts up soon! I promise!</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, November 2, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">New York Jets vs. Buffalo</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Buffalo </p>
<p><font color="red">Detroit vs. Chicago</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Detroit</p>
<p>*This is my shock pick of the week</p>
<p><font color="red">Jacksonville vs. Cincinnati</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Jacksonville</p>
<p><font color="red">Baltimore vs. Cleveland</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Cleveland </p>
<p>*UGH! Hope both teams lose!</p>
<p><font color="red">Green Bay vs. Tennessee</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tennessee</p>
<p><font color="red">Tampa Bay vs. Kansas City</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tampa Bay</p>
<p><font color="red">Arizona vs. St. Louis</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Arizona</p>
<p><font color="red">Houston vs. Minnesota</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Houston </p>
<p><font color="red">Miami vs. Denver</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Denver</p>
<p><font color="red">Atlanta vs. Oakland</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Atlanta</p>
<p><font color="red">Dallas vs. New York Giants</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New York Giants</p>
<p><font color="red">Philadelphia vs. Seattle</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Philadelphia</p>
<p><font color="red">New England vs. Indianapolis</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New England</p>
<p><strong>Monday, October 27, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Pittsburgh vs. Washington</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Pittsburgh</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/football+picks" rel="tag">football picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag"> NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/sports" rel="tag"> sports</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Pittsburgh+Steelers" rel="tag"> Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+England+Patriots" rel="tag"> New England Patriots</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Miami+Dolphins" rel="tag"> Miami Dolphins</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Detroit+Lions" rel="tag"> Detroit Lions</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Tampa+Bay+Buccaneers" rel="tag"> Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Washington+Redskins" rel="tag"> Washington Redskins</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Baltimore+Ravens" rel="tag"> Baltimore Ravens</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cincinnati+Bengals" rel="tag"> Cincinnati Bengals</a></p>
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		<title>NFL Picks: Week Eight</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/nfl-picks-week-eight/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/nfl-picks-week-eight/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Arizona Cardinals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Bears]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football Picks]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Green Bay Packers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New York Jets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Philadelphia]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Week Seven]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=136</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11
Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8
Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7
Week Four NFL Football Picks - 8-5
Week Six NFL Football Picks - 6-8
Week Seven NFL Football Picks - 7-7
Stress, work and other things have gotten me behind again on picks. I&#8217;m promising that once I finish this [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/">Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/">Week Four NFL Football Picks - 8-5</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-six-nfl-football-picks/">Week Six NFL Football Picks - 6-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-seven-nfl-football-picks/">Week Seven NFL Football Picks - 7-7</a></p>
<p>Stress, work and other things have gotten me behind again on picks. I&#8217;m promising that once I finish this big redesign project for our main Literary Illusions sites, I&#8217;ll be updating these picks and this site on a much more regular basis.</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, October 26, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Tampa Bay vs. Dallas</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tampa Bay</p>
<p><font color="red">Washington  vs. Detroit</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Detroit</strong></p>
<p>*This is my shock pick of the week. I think that Detroit might actually win their first game</p>
<p><font color="red">Buffalo vs. Miami</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Buffalo</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">St. Louis vs. New England</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: New England</strong></p>
<p>*tough pick - both teams suck!</p>
<p><font color="red">San Diego vs. New Orleans</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: New Orleans</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Kansas City vs. New York Jets</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: New York Jets</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Atlanta vs. Philadelphia</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Philadelphia</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Arizona vs. Carolina</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Carolina</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Oakland vs. Baltimore</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Baltimore</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Cincinnati vs. Houston</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Houston</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Cleveland vs. Jacksonville</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Jacksonville</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Seattle vs. San Francisco</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: San Francisco</strong></p>
<p><strong>Monday, October 27, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Indianapolis vs. Tennessee</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Tennessee</strong></p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/football+picks" rel="tag">football picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag"> NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/sports" rel="tag"> sports</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Carolina+Panthers" rel="tag"> Carolina Panthers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+York+Jets" rel="tag"> New York Jets</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Philadelphia" rel="tag"> Philadelphia</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Washington+Redskins" rel="tag"> Washington Redskins</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Week+Seven" rel="tag"> Week Seven</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Green+Bay+Packers" rel="tag"> Green Bay Packers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Chicago+Bears" rel="tag"> Chicago Bears</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Arizona+Cardinals" rel="tag"> Arizona Cardinals</a></p>
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		<title>Is it too Soon to Blame Rodriguez?</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/is-it-too-soon-to-blame-rodriguez/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/is-it-too-soon-to-blame-rodriguez/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:03:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NCAA Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[blame]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Michigan Wolverines]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NCAA]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Penn State]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rich Rodriguez]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Steven Threet]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[transition]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=132</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Coach Rich Rodriguez has stepped into a bigger mess than he may have realized. The numbers prove he has the skill to take a losing team and turn it into a winning team within one year. He stepped into the role of head coach at Michigan during a year of transition. He lost the primary [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Coach Rich Rodriguez has stepped into a bigger mess than he may have realized. The numbers prove he has the skill to take a losing team and turn it into a winning team within one year. He stepped into the role of head coach at Michigan during a year of transition. He lost the primary choice for QB he had to OSU. He ended up with a bunch of guys recruited by Lloyd Carr who were unprepared for a spread offense. Most of these guys are inexperienced freshmen, who have a lot of talent, but not much experience.</p>
<p>So, can we blame Rodriguez for Michigan falling apart mid-game or be glad there are definite signs of improvement?</p>
<p>Seriously, if you went into the Penn State game expecting Michigan to win, it was unrealistic. Michigan held its own while it could, but we saw why Penn has one of the top offenses in NCAA football. It&#8217;s hard to beat a team so in sync due to years of working together with a bunch of inexperienced freshman on the field, who still don&#8217;t even know how to work together yet. We saw promise in Steven Threet, but disaster when injury took him out of the game. The defense seemed to stop playing football come the fourth quarter. Not even Graham Cracker (Brandon Graham) could take down the offense.</p>
<p>There is a glimmer of hope through all the muddled darkness and roller coaster of potential wins for Michigan fans. Rodriguez never has a losing season twice. He just doesn&#8217;t. Not in his entire career as a coach. Every first year coaching his numbers have been bleh. The next year, he&#8217;s brought his players out to a winning season. Why can&#8217;t the same be true for Michigan?</p>
<p><span id="more-132"></span>I know we&#8217;ve lost some pretty rough ones. Losing our first MAC game ever hurt nearly as bad as our loss to Appalachian State. Losing to Penn State broke a long record of wins, but this is a turning point for Michigan. That spread offense that trounced all over us in the Appalachian game is making old fashioned football offenses look obsolete. Once we &#8220;get&#8221; the spread, we&#8217;ve shown Michigan has the power to break through. Sam McGuffie and especially Brandon Minor are showing extreme promise under this new system. It&#8217;s only a matter of time before Steven Threet (who is actually quite a good runner if given the chance to break out) gets it and is always able to click on with the rest of the offense.</p>
<p>In truth, the biggest problem is getting protection to ensure he has time to throw. That&#8217;s a big issue right now. If he&#8217;s not connecting, he&#8217;s usually being rushed to throw. The defense also needs to always be on. John (Thompson), Obi (Ezah) and the Brandons (Harrison and Graham) can&#8217;t always be the ones to make the plays. Some other players need to step up and start showing they can defend the team, too. We&#8217;re not seeing that defense we had versus Wisconsin. What happened to them?</p>
<p><center><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<p>So, to answer my question, is it too early to blame Rodriguez? I believe the answer would be yes. He has obviously instilled something into these guys, as seen by early leads versus Illinois and Penn State. Now, he just needs to keep that power going throughout the game. Ultimately, it&#8217;s going to be up to these guys to show they have what it takes. Otherwise, there isn&#8217;t much of anything Rodriguez or anyone else can do for this team.</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on Rich Rodriguez and Michigan? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rich+Rodriguez" rel="tag">Rich Rodriguez</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michigan+Wolverines" rel="tag"> Michigan Wolverines</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Steven+Threet" rel="tag"> Steven Threet</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Penn+State" rel="tag"> Penn State</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blame" rel="tag"> blame</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/football" rel="tag"> football</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCAA" rel="tag"> NCAA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/transition" rel="tag"> transition</a></p>
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		<title>Week Seven: NFL Football Picks</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-seven-nfl-football-picks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-seven-nfl-football-picks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:30:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Arizona Cardinals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Bears]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football Picks]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Green Bay Packers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New York Jets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Philadelphia]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Week Seven]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I really bombed last week. It was practically my worst week ever. Every once in a while this happens, but I am beefing up my picks for later today. Feel free to leave your own picks in the comment area. There were some big surprises last week (who knew Arizona could beat Dallas? Sure seems [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I really bombed last week. It was practically my worst week ever. Every once in a while this happens, but I am beefing up my picks for later today. Feel free to leave your own picks in the comment area. There were some big surprises last week (who knew Arizona could beat Dallas? Sure seems like Dallas has some kind of bad luck charm!), but this upcoming week isn&#8217;t nearly as unpredictable. At least, I like to think so.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/">Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/">Week Four NFL Football Picks - 8-5</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-six-nfl-football-picks/">Week Six NFL Football Picks - 6-8</a></p>
<p>Here are my picks for this week. Honestly, there should be no big surprises as to who wins what game here. The biggest games that might go either way are San Diego vs. Buffalo (Buffalo has a habit of surprising in the most unlikely of wins), Carolina vs. New Orleans (with the way Drew Brees has been playing NOLA should be shoo in to win though), Baltimore vs. Miami (I believe Miami has that win in them), and Indianapolis vs. Green Bay (try to pick which one sucks the least - same with Cleveland vs. Washington).</p>
<p>Shock winners would be Detroit, Minnesota, and New England.</p>
<p>The win I&#8217;d laugh the most about would be: St. Louis. It seems like Romo just ain&#8217;t always on his game, but St. Louis stinks, so a win by them would make Dallas a laughing stock.</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, October 19, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">San Diego Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> San Diego</p>
<p><font color="red">Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Chicago</p>
<p><font color="red">Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Pittsburgh</p>
<p><font color="red">Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tennessee</p>
<p><font color="red">Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Dallas</p>
<p><font color="red">Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Miami</p>
<p><span id="more-127"></span><font color="red">San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New York Giants</p>
<p><font color="red">New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers</font> </p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New Orleans</p>
<p><font color="red">Detroit Lions vs. Houston Texans</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Houston</p>
<p><font color="red">New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New York Jets</p>
<p><font color="red">Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Indianapolis</p>
<p><font color="red">Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Washington</p>
<p><font color="red">Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tampa Bay</p>
<p><strong>Monday, October 20, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Denver Broncos vs. New England</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Denver</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/football+picks" rel="tag">football picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag"> NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/sports" rel="tag"> sports</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Carolina+Panthers" rel="tag"> Carolina Panthers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+York+Jets" rel="tag"> New York Jets</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Philadelphia" rel="tag"> Philadelphia</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Washington+Redskins" rel="tag"> Washington Redskins</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Week+Seven" rel="tag"> Week Seven</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Green+Bay+Packers" rel="tag"> Green Bay Packers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Chicago+Bears" rel="tag"> Chicago Bears</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Arizona+Cardinals" rel="tag"> Arizona Cardinals</a></p>
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		<title>Week Six: NFL Football Picks</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-six-nfl-football-picks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/week-six-nfl-football-picks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:30:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football Picks]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Jacksonville Jaguars]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New England Patriots]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New Orleans Saints]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New York Giants]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Philadelphia]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Philadelphia Eagles]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[San Francisco 49ers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Week Six]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know I missed Week Five, but I&#8217;m really sorry about that. That darn flu virus was going around the house, so it was a hectic week. Still, I don&#8217;t believe in excuses, so here we go. Let&#8217;s get right into my picks for Week Six of the NFL football action.
Let&#8217;s check out my record [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know I missed Week Five, but I&#8217;m really sorry about that. That darn flu virus was going around the house, so it was a hectic week. Still, I don&#8217;t believe in excuses, so here we go. Let&#8217;s get right into my picks for Week Six of the NFL football action.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s check out my record for previous weeks:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/">Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/">Week Four NFL Football Picks - 8-5</a></p>
<p><strong>Sunday, October 11, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Baltimore vs. Indianapolis</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Baltimore</p>
<p><font color="red">Detroit vs. Minnesota</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Detroit</p>
<p><font color="red">New Orleans vs. Oakland</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New Orleans</p>
<p><font color="red">Cincinnati vs. New York Jets</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> NY Jets</p>
<p><font color="red">Chicago vs. Atlanta</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Chicago</p>
<p><font color="red">Carolina vs. Tampa Bay</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Carolina</p>
<p><span id="more-124"></span><font color="red">St. Louis vs. Washington</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Washington</p>
<p><font color="red">Miami vs. Houston</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Miami</p>
<p><font color="red">Jacksonville vs. Denver</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Jacksonville</p>
<p><font color="red">Philadelphia vs. San Francisco</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Philadelphia</p>
<p><font color="red">New England vs. San Diego</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> San Diego</p>
<p><font color="red">Green Bay vs. Seattle</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Green Bay</p>
<p><center><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<p><font color="red">Dalls vs. Arizona</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Dallas</p>
<p><strong>Monday, October 12, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">New York Giants vs. Cleveland</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New York Giants</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/football+picks" rel="tag">football picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag"> NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/sports" rel="tag"> sports</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+York+Giants" rel="tag"> New York Giants</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+Orleans+Saints" rel="tag"> New Orleans Saints</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Philadelphia" rel="tag"> Philadelphia</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/San+Francisco+49ers" rel="tag"> San Francisco 49ers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Week+Six" rel="tag"> Week Six</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jacksonville+Jaguars" rel="tag"> Jacksonville Jaguars</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+England+Patriots" rel="tag"> New England Patriots</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Philadelphia+Eagles" rel="tag"> Philadelphia Eagles</a></p>
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		<title>Toledo Beats Michigan - What a Depressing Game</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/toledo-beats-michigan-what-a-depressing-game/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/toledo-beats-michigan-what-a-depressing-game/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Depressing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[leadership]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rich Rodriguez]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Sam McGuffie]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Toledo Rockets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Tom Amstutz]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[University of Michigan]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Wolverines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=122</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a Michigan fan, I&#8217;m depressed. It had seemed like Michigan had answered some of its questions. It had found a Quarterback that might be able to work on his game. Steven Threet had much work to do, but at least he was consistently being played and showed a lot of improvement during the second [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a Michigan fan, I&#8217;m depressed. It had seemed like Michigan had answered some of its questions. It had found a Quarterback that might be able to work on his game. Steven Threet had much work to do, but at least he was consistently being played and showed a lot of improvement during the second half of Michigan&#8217;s game vs. Wisconsin. Sam McGuffie seemed like the primary back, with Shaw and Minor coming in on occasional plays. Things seemed to be coming together.</p>
<p>Then Illinois happened. I don&#8217;t like Juice Williams. I think he and the Illini play dirty, but he did have a good game, walking all over the Wolverines last week. By the time Toledo drove up U.S. 23 to Ann Arbor, it was pretty much realized that the Wolverines&#8217; confidence was shot. I don&#8217;t blame Rich Rodriguez. He is working with a team not designed for the spread offense he&#8217;s known to win with so well. Many of the new recruits were signed on by Carr before he retired. We can only look to Rodriguez to sign on better, more suited guys for next year and hope the inexperienced take on leadership based roles after experiencing time on the field this year.</p>
<p>This game was truly horrible. Steven Threet played so poorly in this game that Nick Sheridan had to be put in. Sheridan didn&#8217;t play much better. Even K.C. Lopata, who has been one of the most consistent players in the game, ended up boggling a last minute field goal that would have tied the game. These didn&#8217;t look like college athletes. They didn&#8217;t even look good enough to play high school football. It was not a fun game to watch.</p>
<p>There is sadness at Michigan because they deserve so much better. This is the first MAC game they&#8217;ve lost, ever. This is a sign they won&#8217;t be having a winning season. This is a sign they probably won&#8217;t be going to a bowl game. It&#8217;s been YEARS since Michigan had a losing season (I&#8217;m thinking the 1940s) and since they didn&#8217;t go to a bowl game. Rodriguez is doing what he&#8217;s supposed to. He can only do so much before it falls on the shoulders of these players. They boggle plays. They don&#8217;t have confidence. They freeze up on the field. They make stupid mistakes and while they haven&#8217;t really fumbled in their last game, they turned over the ball multiple times with at least three interceptions thrown right into the opposing teams&#8217; hands.</p>
<p>I do have to say that I give kudos to the team from my hometown, the Toledo Rockets and to my cousin, Tom Amstutz (yes, Tom is my cousin (on my grandfather&#8217;s side), but there is no family loyalty when it comes to U of M) who coached a hard fought game. The Toledo Rockets outplayed the Wolverines. They really showed the Wolverines who was boss and they deserved the win because they fought hard enough for it. That being said, I don&#8217;t think this was necessarily the hardest team to beat.</p>
<p><span id="more-122"></span><center><!--adsense--></center></p>
<p>The real issue here is that there is absolutely no leadership on this team. The Wolverines need to suck it up and get some guys who stand out and say, &#8220;hey, this is what happens&#8221;. Freshmen or not, these guys need to be game makers, consistent and play hard. I don&#8217;t feel like these guys are trying or doing their best. They look like amateurs, and save for Sam McGuffie, who did play well with absolutely no support from his young offense, they don&#8217;t look like they belong on a college football field, especially the one at the Big House.</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/University+of+Michigan" rel="tag">University of Michigan</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Toledo+Rockets" rel="tag"> Toledo Rockets</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Wolverines" rel="tag"> Wolverines</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Sam+McGuffie" rel="tag"> Sam McGuffie</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Depressing" rel="tag"> Depressing</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Tom+Amstutz" rel="tag"> Tom Amstutz</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/leadership" rel="tag"> leadership</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rich+Rodriguez" rel="tag"> Rich Rodriguez</a></p>
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		<title>DVD Review: Leatherheads</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/dvd-review-leatherheads/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/dvd-review-leatherheads/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:32:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Sports Movies]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Duluth Bulldogs]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[DVD Review]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[early 20th century]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[George Clooney]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Leatherheads]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Renée Zellweger]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Universal Studios]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=112</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Movie Info:
Writers: Duncan Brantley, Rick Reilly
Director: George Clooney
Cast: George Clooney, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Root, Wayne Duvall, Keith Loneker, Malcolm Goodwin, Matt Bushell, Tommy Hinkley, Tim Griffin, Robert Baker, Nick Paonessa, Nicholas Bourdages
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 4, 2008
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $18.99 Blu-Ray for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style="border: 7px solid; margin: 5px 9px;" src="http://www.literaryillusions.com/photos/LeatherheadsDVD.jpg" alt="Leatherheads DVD Box Art" width="250" height="355" align="right" /><em>Movie Info:</em><br />
<strong>Writers:</strong> Duncan Brantley, Rick Reilly<br />
<strong>Director:</strong> George Clooney<br />
<strong>Cast:</strong> George Clooney, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Root, Wayne Duvall, Keith Loneker, Malcolm Goodwin, Matt Bushell, Tommy Hinkley, Tim Griffin, Robert Baker, Nick Paonessa, Nicholas Bourdages<br />
<strong>Rating:</strong> PG-13<br />
<strong>Studio:</strong> Universal Studios</p>
<p><em>Release Info:</em><br />
<strong>Theatrical Release:</strong> April 4, 2008<br />
<strong>DVD Release Date:</strong> September 23, 2008<br />
<strong>Online Availability:</strong> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BL96JI?tag=notaspunnyasj-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=st1&amp;creativeASIN=B001BL96JI&amp;adid=01A5EWHNZZNF4GCFGSDA">Amazon</a> for $18.99 <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BL96JS?tag=notaspunnyasj-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=st1&amp;creativeASIN=B001BL96JS&amp;adid=01A5EWHNZZNF4GCFGSDA">Blu-Ray</a> for $26.95</p>
<p>I was interested in seeing <em>Leatherheads</em> from the moment I saw the first promos for this movie. I like most of the movies that George Clooney is in and some of the movies that feature Renée Zellweger. I also like the vast majority of movies about sports, especially ones that verge on historical. The latter reason is the main reason I wanted to watch this movie.</p>
<p>While <em>Leatherheads</em> isn&#8217;t the greatest movie I&#8217;ve ever seen or even the greatest sports movie period, it is entertaining. I&#8217;m not a huge comedy fan. I&#8217;m more into sports dramas. Still, there is a certain charm about this film that made me compelled to watch it. I&#8217;m assuming that a major part of this is the excellent acting, because the actual script isn&#8217;t as strong as the acting warrants.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong. I liked this movie. The plot was quite strong in the beginning. It fizzled slightly in the middle, nearly stopped near the end, but picked up again to finish the movie off nicely. Despite the plot bumps, there was never a point where I wanted to turn the movie off. That being said, this isn&#8217;t a movie for  every sport fan.</p>
<p>There is a certain kind of audience that is going to like <em>Leatherheads</em>. Luckily, I fit into this audience. Those who like George or Renée will want to check this out. Those who enjoy period style movies might just want to check this out. Those interested in sports comedies, especially comedies about an earlier time period in America&#8217;s history will definitely want to watch this. Otherwise, I&#8217;m not sure you&#8217;ll like this movie. This is a major reason why I consider <em>Leatherheads</em> a rent before buying kind of movie.</p>
<p><span id="more-112"></span><strong><em>Leatherheads</em> Plot</strong><br />
One of the best things about <em>Leatherheads</em> is all of the realistic, American Football action. I always wanted to see the way Football used to be played. It was so much more dangerous and quite feral compared to today. The outfits are so different with extra padding for less chance of injury not available back in the day. The leatherhead helmets certainly emphasize the dangerous nature of the sport and how far Football truly has come.</p>
<p>Jimmy &#8220;Dodge&#8221; Connolly (George Clooney) is the captain of the Duluth Bulldogs team. It&#8217;s the 1920s and he&#8217;s one of the most experienced players in the professional American Football league. Dodge is trying to do all he can to keep his Bulldogs team going. Rumor has it, the character of Dodge is based on real life American Football player, Johnny &#8220;Blood&#8221; McNally. Dodge has to save not only his team, but pro Football seems to be going down the tubes. Before he retires, he wants to make sure the game is sure to continue onward. This isn&#8217;t easy when the sponsor for the players steps out and the league is about to dismantle.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Dodge is able to convince a college football star and World War I hero, Carter &#8220;the Bullet&#8221; Rutherford (John Krasinski) to join the Bulldogs. This is just the publicity the team needs to renew interest in American Football. Carter is a decorated war hero who was awarded for singlehandedly capturing a group of German soldiers. Of course, not everyone believes this story and he becomes a target of renewed interest now that he&#8217;s not only helping the Bulldogs win their games, but he&#8217;s bringing money and sponsorship back to the pro league.</p>
<p>When Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) shows up to shadow and profile Carter, this Chicago-based newspaper reporter has more than just an interest in Carter and his career as an American Football player. She wants to break a major story concerning Carter and his alleged war &#8220;heroism&#8221;. She vies for his affection, as well as that of Dodge, who knows she&#8217;s on a witch hunt, but doesn&#8217;t tell Carter of her true intentions. Of course, when Carter makes light of the situation, confessing to Lexi that his heroics were more accidental than purposeful, everything hits the fan, causing Carter to reevaluate his place on the Duluth Bulldogs team.</p>
<p>In the meantime, with Dodge renewing interest in the game of pro Football, his worst nightmare happens when the game changes with rules and regulations becoming a normal part of the game. This means that several of the things that made playing football fun have been taken out of the game. Dodge is sad, but his career is nearly over. Ultimately, what it all comes down to is the game of Dodge&#8217;s life and this time, he&#8217;s about to take Carter, a much younger, faster and skilled player on, head to head.</p>
<p><strong>Storyline/Plot:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<strong>Replayability:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<strong>Acting:</strong> 5 out of 5 stars<br />
<strong>Directing:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars</p>
<p><strong>Audio/Visual:</strong><br />
The visual quality for <em>Leatherheads</em> is excellent. The anamorphic widescreen image looks clear. The color palette is bright and vibrant. The skintones look realistic and there is no glare or other blatantly obvious visual problems. The video is displayed at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Overall, there were only minor visual errors if any, at all. This was one of the most impressive aspects of the movie. Not only is the movie good, but it looks good, as well.</p>
<p>The audio for <em>Leatherheads</em> compliments the wonderful image for the movie. The soundtrack is dynamic. I didn&#8217;t need to fiddle with my volume because the sound was even and consistent. The music, dialogue and (infrequent) use of sound effects don&#8217;t overwhelm or override each other. The main track is English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. This track is wonderfully dynamic. There are two other Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in Spanish and French. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French.</p>
<p><strong>Visual:</strong> 4.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<strong>Audio:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars</p>
<p><strong>Bonus Features:</strong><br />
There are a series of bonuses on the <em>Leatherheads</em> DVD. With so many bonuses, let&#8217;s get right into it. The first bonus is a featured commentary with George Clooney, the director and star of <em>Leatherheads</em> and producer, Grant Heslov. There is plenty of information presented as the two examine the scenes, pal around, and discuss what went into creating this film. George Clooney talks about CGI elements added and how he changed specific scenes from their original drafts. There is also a lot of back patting, which is the only negative thing about this commentary.</p>
<p>Up next is nearly 10 minutes worth of deleted scenes. It&#8217;s clear why every single scene was deleted. These scenes didn&#8217;t fit with the rest of the film, but aren&#8217;t entirely horrible. There is a making of featurette called &#8220;Footballs Beginning: The Making of <em>Leatherheads&#8221;</em>. This is over five minutes in length and is your standard making of featurette. I liked how information was provided about the history of the film and the actual film making process. The cast and crew members (including Clooney, the writers and Heslov) weigh in on their thoughts. For a short featurette, this was quite interesting.</p>
<p>The next featurette is nearly double the size of the making of featurette. This featurette is called &#8220;No Pads, No Fear: Creating the Rowdy Football Scenes&#8221;. There were many, rather realistic football scenes and this featurette looks at how they were created. This was especially difficult to accomplish because the crew had the task of keeping the actors safe without pads and other gear that is worn today. The featurette talks with both George Clooney and one of the experts hired to help with the film, football historian and high school coach, TJ Troup.</p>
<p>There are more features and the next one is another featurette. This one is called &#8220;George Clooney: A Leatherheaded Prankster&#8221;. This one is a very short featurette and it looks at the prankster that George Clooney is known for being on set. While cast members are shocked he hasn&#8217;t pulled any pranks, this looks at George planning one and the outcome of his trickery.</p>
<p><center><!--adsense--></center></p>
<p>Finally, there is a five minute long featurette, &#8220;Visual Effects Sequences&#8221;. This is a look at the extensive CGI effects that were used. Many of these effects were used to create the extensive 1920s look and feel that made the movie even more realistic. These effects also were used to create the spectacle of the football scenes, especially the crowds.</p>
<p><strong>Bonus Features</strong>: 4 out of 5 stars</p>
<p><strong>Bottom Line:</strong><br />
If you like American Football, well acted movies and quirky comedies then <em>Leatherheads</em> is going to be right up your alley. This isn&#8217;t brainless, mindless entertainment. It&#8217;s not an action thriller. It&#8217;s a funny, sports inspired story with plenty of old fashioned Football style fun. I like the historical aspect of the film, even if it&#8217;s only loosely based on the story of two different Football players from the era. While I liked this movie, it won&#8217;t be for everyone. I recommend you rent before buying. Otherwise, this film is highly recommended.</p>
<p><strong>Overall Rating:</strong> 4.21 out of 5 stars</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Leatherheads" rel="tag">Leatherheads</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/DVD+Review" rel="tag"> DVD Review</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Universal+Studios" rel="tag"> Universal Studios</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/American+football" rel="tag"> American football</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/George+Clooney" rel="tag"> George Clooney</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Ren%C3%A9e+Zellweger" rel="tag"> Renée Zellweger</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/early+20th+century" rel="tag"> early 20th century</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Duluth+Bulldogs" rel="tag"> Duluth Bulldogs</a></p>
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		<title>A New Era in Michigan Football</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/a-new-era-in-michigan-football/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/10/a-new-era-in-michigan-football/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:43:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dominick</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[College Sports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NCAA Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Ann Arbor]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[College Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Michigan]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NCAA]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rich Rodriguez]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Toledo]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Wolverines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=99</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve been with Michigan for about 17 years. That&#8217;s a major part of my life (I&#8217;m 27). You see, I wasn&#8217;t always a Michigan fan, merely because I didn&#8217;t know any better. I grew up in a Buckeye household, and like all little kids, was forced to wear the obligatory OSU gear my parents made [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style="border: 7px solid; margin: 5px 9px;" src="http://www.literaryillusions.com/photos/sports/UMlogo.jpg" alt="University of Michigan Logo" width="300" height="189" align="right" />I&#8217;ve been with Michigan for about 17 years. That&#8217;s a major part of my life (I&#8217;m 27). You see, I wasn&#8217;t always a Michigan fan, merely because I didn&#8217;t know any better. I grew up in a Buckeye household, and like all little kids, was forced to wear the obligatory OSU gear my parents made me wear. When I went into 5th grade (I was about 10), I started to make my own sports decisions and one of the first was to become a Michigan fan.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll tell you, it wasn&#8217;t easy growing up a Wolverines fan in a home full of Buckeyes. I grew up in a small town right outside Toledo, Ohio. For those who don&#8217;t know much about Toledo, it&#8217;s home to the fiercest UM-OSU rivalry between Ann Arbor and Columbus. Located about 53 miles south of Ann Arbor (1 hour&#8217;s drive) and 140 miles north of Columbus (2.5 hours drive), Toledo is the biggest city between the Big House and the Shoe, making it the ideal place for a fierce UM-OSU rivalry. Nearly half of the city and surrounding area root for the Wolverines and the other half root for the Buckeyes. Considering this is the greatest college football rivalry of all time, things can get kind of crazy!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s funny because you&#8217;d think they&#8217;d be crazy in Ann Arbor and Columbus. Not so. The vast majority of people living in Ann Arbor are for UM. The vast majority of people living in Columbus are for OSU. There is no major rivalry going on in the cities, unless the opposing team and all their fans make their way to said city. It&#8217;s not like Toledo. Toledo is special if for no other reason than that it epitomizes how NCAA football and this massive rivalry have made their way into the lives of the people who consider themselves fans. NCAA football is huge in the Midwest and this rivalry can pit father against daughter, brother against brother and even wife against husband. There is no better (or worse) time in Toledo then in November, on Saturdays, especially *that* Saturday.</p>
<p>Now that you know a little about my history as a Michigan Wolverines fan, I want to talk about the Michigan legacy. I&#8217;ve heard &#8220;winningnest-shminingnest&#8221; Michigan is over&#8221;, &#8220;Michigan has no hope&#8221; and a variety of other negative comments concerning the newly re-formed Michigan team. I never gave up hope that the Wolverines would come back and make me proud. They did just that, beating rival Wisconsin 27-25 in last Saturday&#8217;s game. There is no doubt Michigan has a long way to go, but we&#8217;ve been able to get just a small peek into what new Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez is capable of accomplishing with these guys!</p>
<p>I know there have been naysayers about Rodriguez, but I&#8217;m not one of them. I like him. I think he&#8217;ll be excellent for this team. I&#8217;m glad he&#8217;s the new coach. Sure, they could have hired within Michigan, but after last season, the school needed a boost; something fresh and new. The Big Ten, as a whole, is becoming stale. We&#8217;ve seen the same ol&#8217; same ol&#8217; from schools like OSU. All of these schools need a makeover and now it just happens to be Michigan&#8217;s turn.</p>
<p><span id="more-99"></span>For those who don&#8217;t like Rodriguez, but like Michigan, I say give him a chance. He obviously knows what he&#8217;s doing. Look at how exceptionally well West Virginia played last year. He is the first to say converting to a spread offense takes time, but the Michigan team (many of whom are freshman) seem to be doing enough to have won two games, the latter of which was the comeback of the century! If you recall last year, we were run over by spread offenses. That was part of our problem. Now I&#8217;m seeming a lot of dynamic things going on that I haven&#8217;t seen (very often if at all) in Michigan throughout the years.</p>
<p>These things include:</p>
<p>-QBs making long dashes for first downs and more (Steven Threet&#8217;s 58 yard rush)<br />
-RBs breaking through the line for large gains (Sam McGuffie is going to be a force to be reckoned with after he&#8217;s more comfortable with the spread - Brandon Minor also impressed on Saturday)<br />
-Interceptions leading to TDs<br />
-Punters running before they kick, just in case they can run for a first down - very clever I might add</p>
<p>So, while Rodriguez isn&#8217;t 100% certain how well these guys are going to play each week, he&#8217;s certainly doing all he can to make sure the team improves. I welcome Rodriguez with open arms and hope we get a few more wins this season!</p>
<p><center><!--adsense--></center></p>
<p>I do believe Michigan is entering a new era. New traditions are being made while old ones are respected, some of them resurrected. Football is getting played in a new, modern way that is going to allow Michigan to truly compete with other teams in and out of the league again. I couldn&#8217;t have asked for more for this team. Neither could you. Give Rodriguez a try. If he doesn&#8217;t work out in a year or two, then complain. Otherwise, give the man a chance. He deserves it.</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/College+Football" rel="tag">College Football</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCAA" rel="tag"> NCAA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rich+Rodriguez" rel="tag"> Rich Rodriguez</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michigan" rel="tag"> Michigan</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Wolverines" rel="tag"> Wolverines</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Ann+Arbor" rel="tag"> Ann Arbor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Toledo" rel="tag"> Toledo</a></p>
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		<title>Week Four - NFL Picks</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/week-four-nfl-picks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:52:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashtyn</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Chargers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Jacksonville]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[Patriots]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[picks]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[Week Four]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=96</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m taking a break from the re-design of this website (which should be done in the next day or so). Ok folks, here&#8217;s how I&#8217;ve done so far!
Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11
Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8
Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7
Here&#8217;s my current picks!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
Winner: Cincinnati
Houston [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m taking a break from the re-design of this website (which should be done in the next day or so). Ok folks, here&#8217;s how I&#8217;ve done so far!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks - 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two NFL Footbal Picks - 7-8</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/">Week Three NFL Football Picks - 9-7</a></p>
<p>Here&#8217;s my current picks!</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, September 28, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Cleveland vs. Cincinnati</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Cincinnati</p>
<p><font color="red">Houston vs. Jacksonville</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Jacksonville</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">Atlanta vs. Carolina</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Atlanta</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Denver vs. Kansas City</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Denver</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">San Francisco vs. New Orleans</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: New Orleans</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">Arizona vs. NY Jets</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: NY Jets</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">Green Bay vs. Tampa Bay</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Tampa Bay</strong> </p>
<p><span id="more-96"></span><font color="red">Minnesota vs. Tennessee</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Tennessee</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">San Diego vs. Oakland</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: San Diego</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">Buffalo vs. St Louis</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Buffalo</strong> </p>
<p><font color="red">Washington vs. Dallas</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Dallas</strong> </p>
<p><center><!--adsense--></center></p>
<p><font color="red">Philadelphia vs. Chicago</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Philadelphia</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Monday, September 29, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Pittsburgh</strong></p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag">NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Football" rel="tag"> Football</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Picks" rel="tag"> Picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Week+Four" rel="tag"> Week Four</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jacksonville" rel="tag"> Jacksonville</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NY+Jets" rel="tag"> NY Jets</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NY+Giants" rel="tag"> NY Giants</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Patriots" rel="tag"> Patriots</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Chargers" rel="tag"> Chargers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Steelers" rel="tag"> Steelers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Sport" rel="tag"> Sport</a></p>
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		<title>NFL Football Picks - Week Three</title>
		<link>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-three/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:26:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashtyn</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[American Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Chargers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NY Giants]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[NY Jets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Patriots]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[picks]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Sport]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Steelers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Week Three]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/?p=93</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Okay, the real reason my posts are so slow is because I&#8217;m working on a re-design for this website. I know I should try to get a few more posts up, but come next week, this won&#8217;t be an issue. I&#8217;ve missed discussing the Tigers woes, my opinion on Rich Rodriguez and my Wolverines, and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Okay, the real reason my posts are so slow is because I&#8217;m working on a re-design for this website. I know I should try to get a few more posts up, but come next week, this won&#8217;t be an issue. I&#8217;ve missed discussing the Tigers woes, my opinion on Rich Rodriguez and my Wolverines, and the decline of the overrated Ohio State Buckeyes. Have no fear my fellow readers&#8230;</p>
<p>I (and my commentary) will soon be back with all the sarcastic wit an snarkiness you love to hate.</p>
<p>That being said, I was disappointed with my:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football/">Week One NFL Football Picks where I went 5-11</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourhometeamadvantage.com/2008/09/nfl-football-picks-week-two/#comment-354">Week Two was better when I went 7-8</a></p>
<p>Now, on to my week three picks. I hope you enjoy them and please feel free to post your own picks in my comment section! I&#8217;m looking to award a gift of some sort to the person who posts the most accurate picks this NFL season, so to win that prize, get posting!</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, September 21, 2008</strong></p>
<p><font color="red">Carolina vs. Minnesota</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Carolina</p>
<p>While Carolina almost didn&#8217;t make it last week, I&#8217;m sticking with em!</p>
<p><font color="red">Kansas City vs. Atlanta</font></p>
<p>I&#8217;m betting my money at Atlanta. The Chiefs suck and Atlanta has seen some success with their QB pick, Matt Ryan.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Atlanta</p>
<p><font color="red">Oakland vs. Buffalo</font></p>
<p>I underestimated both Buffalo and Oakland last week. Buffalo beat a semi-decent team while Oakland took on another sucky team. Guess who wins?</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Buffalo</p>
<p><font color="red">Tampa Bay vs. Chicago</font></p>
<p>Tough pick considering both seem to be mediocre teams.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Chicago</p>
<p><font color="red">Houston vs. Tennessee</font></p>
<p>Though I don&#8217;t like either teams, this one is a no-brainer.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Tennessee</p>
<p><font color="red">Cincinnati vs. NY Giants</font></p>
<p>I&#8217;d love for the Bengals to prove me wrong, but I&#8217;m going with the &#8220;smart&#8221; choice.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> NY Giants</p>
<p><font color="red">Miami vs. New England</font></p>
<p>The Patriots managed to hang on for just long enough to win without Tom Brady the last game, but their luck will run out when they face the Chads.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Miami</p>
<p><span id="more-93"></span><font color="red">Arizona vs. Washington</font></p>
<p>Eh, I dislike Arizona.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Washington</p>
<p><font color="red">New Orleans vs. Denver</font></p>
<p>I know I might regret this, but I&#8217;m sticking with the Saints.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> New Orleans</p>
<p><font color="red">St. Louis vs. Seattle</font></p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Seattle</p>
<p><font color="red">Detroit vs. San Francisco</font></p>
<p>I know Detroit hasn&#8217;t won a game, but I have faith they&#8217;ll win this one.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Detroit</p>
<p><font color="red">Cleveland vs. Baltimore</font></p>
<p>I hate both teams, but I think Cleveland might just win its first game.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Cleveland</p>
<p><font color="red">Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia</font></p>
<p>I think Pittsburgh is going to have a good year.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Pittsburgh</p>
<p><font color="red">Jacksonville vs. Indianapolis</font></p>
<p>With Indianapolis not playing especially well, it&#8217;s time for the Jags to pull it all together.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Jacksonville</p>
<p><center><!--adsense--></center></p>
<p><font color="red">Dallas vs. Green Bay</font></p>
<p>Let&#8217;s just hope Jessica Simpson isn&#8217;t in the crowd!</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> Dallas</p>
<p><font color="red">NY Jets vs. San Diego</font></p>
<p>I don&#8217;t like Favre, but the Chargers suck.</p>
<p><strong>Winner:</strong> NY Jets</p>
<p>Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NFL" rel="tag">NFL</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Football" rel="tag"> Football</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Picks" rel="tag"> Picks</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Week+Three" rel="tag"> Week Three</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NY+Jets" rel="tag"> NY Jets</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NY+Giants" rel="tag"> NY Giants</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Patriots" rel="tag"> Patriots</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Chargers" rel="tag"> Chargers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Steelers" rel="tag"> Steelers</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Sport" rel="tag"> Sport</a></p>
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