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Big 12 Football: Oklahoma Rides Momentum Into 2014

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The Oklahoma Sooners haven’t won the Big 12 football title since 2010, but they enter this season as a heavy favorite to get back on top of the conference and to perhaps do much more. The Sooners status as prohibitive conference favorite and serious national contender is testament to how much the perception of a program can change after two games.

The Gritty San Francisco Giants Keep Plugging Along

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The 2014 baseball season hasn’t been one where everything has broken right for the San Francisco Giants. They got mediocre work from rotation ace Matt Cain and then lost him for the season. Second baseman Marco Scutaro has never gotten his back healthy. First baseman Brandon Belt hasn’t really developed as a hitter and now he’s got a persistent concussion. By rights, San Francisco should be on the outside looking in.

AFC East Preview: Does The Patriot Reign Continue In 2014?

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The New England Patriots have won the AFC East 10 times in the 12 years since the NFL realigned in 2002 to eight divisions of four teams apiece. That doesn’t even include the Patriots’ 2001 run to a Super Bowl title. The reign of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady has to end sometime, doesn’t it? Is this the year?

ACC Football: Florida State Leads A Conference On The Rise

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ACC football finally made its mark in 2013, a year highlighted by Florida State’s dominating regular season and thrilling win over Auburn to claim the national championship. But the season was also marked by Clemson knocking off Ohio State in the Orange Bowl, the feel-good story of Duke, and solid bowl performances from North Carolina, Syracuse and Pitt.

The St. Louis Cardinals Gave Up Too Much In The John Lackey Trade

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There are some trades that simply make you scratch your head, look at the information twice to make sure you processed it correctly, and then leave you wondering what one side or the other was thinking. That’s exactly how I feel about looking at the St. Louis Cardinals’ end of the John Lackey trade made with the Boston Red Sox.

NFC West Preview: Sizing Up The Group Of Death

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Last season the NFC West produced the Super Bowl champ (Seattle Seahawks), the second-best team in the league (San Francisco 49ers), the best non-playoff team (Arizona Cardinals) and the most dangerous fourth-place team (St. Louis Rams). If the U.S. soccer team’s group of four was “The Group of Death” in the World Cup, what does that make the NFC West?

Measuring The Real Market Value Of Jon Lester

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I think the point can best be made by comparing Lester to Los Angeles Dodgers’ starter Zack Greinke, who was on the market prior to the 2013 season. Greinke got a six-year deal with nearly $160 million—more than twice the total value of the offer made to Lester, and nearly $2.5 million higher on a per-year basis.

AFC South Preview: Indianapolis Sets The Tone

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The AFC South is a division in transition, with new coaches for the Tennessee Titans (Ken Wisenhunt) and Houston Texans (Bill O’Brien). The Indianapolis Colts ran away with the AFC South a year ago and with Andrew Luck’s star on the rise, are a solid favorite to make it two straight division titles and three straight playoff trips. Here’s a look at all four AFC South teams, followed by some early predictions.

Who Are The Real Los Angeles Dodgers?

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There’s a curious dichotomy over how the Los Angeles Dodgers are perceived and how they’ve performed on the field. Public perception—as measured by betting odds—says they’re the best team in baseball, a 5-1 favorite to win the World Series. The results on the field say they’re narrowly trailing the San Francisco Giants in the NL West, and are one of four teams tied in the loss column for two wild-card spots. Which is reality?

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