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By Ben Maller

This week Ben Maller gives you his opinion where free agent slugger Jim Thome should sign. Ben thinks that if Thome signs with this team they could become a playoff team right away. Big Ben also breaks down the big NFL and college games this weekend to give you the insider stats and stories you need to know.

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Thursday, November 07, 2002

Thome perfect for Phille

By Ben Maller

Jim Thome's best bet to get back to the World Series is to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Baseball's hot stove league is heating up and the biggest catch is the Indians free agent slugger. Thome hit 52 homers this season and is looking for one of those mega contracts that the Phillies claim that they are going to offer.

Philadelphia went 80-81 last season finishing 21.5 games behind Atlanta in the NL East. That sounds bad but the fact is the core of young players is in place to have a big turnaround in 2003.

Their are lots of good young hitters led by Pat Burrell who had a break out year in left with 37 HR's and 116 RBI's and Bobby Abreu has been a solid right fielder for several years. Jimmy Rollins was an All-Star shortstop and Mike Lieberthall is one of the better signal callers in the game. Thome would be the perfect bat to place in the cleanup slot with Rollins, Abreu & Placido Polanco batting atop the lineup. The Phils also could sign Giants free agent 3B David Bell and move Polanco to second base.

All-Star Vincente Padilla a 14 game winner last season leads a group of young pitchers that includes Randy Wolf who had a 2.10era after the all-star game last year and youngster Brett Myers. The Phillies are said to want to add Mariners free agent Jamie Moyer and Atlanta's Glavine to lead the young starters.

If the free agents come and produce as expected the NL East could be the Phillies for years to come.

Atlanta figures to lose either Tom Glavine or Greg Maddux or maybe both in free agency. The Mets are locked in with big money contracts for busts like Mo Vaughn, Roger Cedeno and Jeremy Burntiz. The Expos don't have any future until they get new owners and the Marlins are reportedly trying to trade guys like Mike Lowell and Preston Wilson because they are about to make big money.

Thome could go back to Cleveland but the Indians have said they are not trying to win until at least 2005. The Phillies are set up for years to come and with Randy Johnson & Curt Schilling getting older in Arizona and Dusty Baker and Jeff Kent about to leave the Giants the place to be in the National League could be of all places Philadelphia.

Hot Sports Opinions

Oklahoma plays a Texas A & M team that could be playing to keep their coach R.C. Slocum's job. The Sooners have a player who is putting up Roy Williams like numbers. For the second week in a row, Oklahoma free safety Brandon Everage has been named the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week. Everage spearheaded OU's defensive effort against Colorado with 17 tackles, one interception that he returned 64 yards and two passes broken up. The tackle total was the 3rd highest ever posted by a Sooner defensive back.

Miami's Larry Coker is now 20-0 as head coach of the Hurricanes. Since 1980, the Canes are 79-9 in games played in November/December.

Ohio State has been stellar of late defensively, allowing just 17 points in the last three games, NONE in the second half. Purdue should give the Buckeyes a battle. Purdue's five losses this season have been by a combined 22 points (seven at Notre Dame, three vs. Wake Forest, three at Iowa, seven at Illinois and two vs. Michigan). Keep in mind the Buckeyes have struggled in all three of their road games this season

The Irish hold a 65-9-1 (.873) edge in the series with the Midshipmen, including a current 38-game winning streak that is the longest against one opponent in NCAA history. Notre Dame is 29-1 (.967) against the academies since 1986, including a 15-0 mark away from home.

Miami has looked pretty average against Rutgers, West Virginia and Florida State the last few weeks. The Canes' better crank it up or they will lose against what is an average Tennessee team at Rocky Top. The Vols are without there best playmaker Kelley Washington and might not have enough punch on offense.

Oregon has the best chance of anyone in the Pac-10 to keep Washington State out of the Rose Bowl. Oregon has better skill players than the Cougars but the problem is the Ducks secondary is not very good.

I'm looking forward to seeing Maryland play this weekend. The Terps have won six straight games and they get a North Carolina State team coming off a loss to Georgia Tech.

Steve Spurrier of the Skins who should have been with the Jags will coach his first regular season game in the state of Florida since leaving the Gators last season (The Skins did play at Tampa Bay in the preseason, and won 40-10). Spurrier’s Gators were 10-1 playing in Jacksonville.

Falcons’ QB Michael Vick has as many rushing touchdowns this season (4) as passing touchdowns, and hasn’t thrown a TD pass in his last four games. Vick is getting lots of attention but has to do a better job passing the ball. Atlanta plays a Steelers defense that can be beaten by the pass.

The Bengals will be looking to score a point in Baltimore for the first time in four years. The Ravens have shutout the Bengals in each of the last three meetings in Baltimore, by a combined score of 75-0.

Tony Dungy has to take some heat for the Colts poor play this season. Indianapolis has often come out not ready to play. In their four losses this season, the Colts have fallen behind Miami (21-0), Pittsburgh (21-0), Washington (20-0) and Tennessee (20-0) before halftime.

While Keyshawn Johnson, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss get all the attention Colts’ WR Marvin Harrison leads the NFL with 69 receptions.

I'm not sold on Aaron Brooks as a big time quarterback but i can't argue with the results in New Orleans. The Saints have scored 20 or more points in every game this season, but have also allowed 20 or more points in every game. The become the fourth teams in NFL history to score 20 or more and allow 20 or more in their first eight games (New York Giants- 1967; Cincinnati Bengals-1985; St. Louis Rams-2000).

When will Detroit win again on the road? The Lions have lost 12 straight road games, and 11 straight road games vs. the Packers who they play Sunday (including playoffs).

Tennesse has done a nice job turning things around after a horrible start. The Titans have reeled off three straight wins, after a 1-4 start. Tennessee averaged just 69 yards rushing in the first five games with a minum-5 turnover ratio. In the last three games they have averaged 136 yards rushing with a plus-4 turnover ratio.

Giants coach Jim Fassell figures to have another big day calling plays against Minnesota. The Vikings have allowed more points than any other NFC team, mostly because they allow more big plays than any other team in football (48 plays of 20+ yards allowed).

The Rams have no margin for error after an 0-5 start. St. Louis plays the Chargers this week having rolled off three straight wins. In those three games Marshall Faulk has averaged 173 yards rushing per game and scored six touchdowns. He played college ball at San Diego State, but has averaged just 40 rush yards per game in five career games vs. the Chargers.

Arizona WR David Boston had a break out season a year ago but has not followed it up this year. Boston has not scored a touchdown in seven straight games.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermiel has done a hell of a job with running backs over the last few years. Kansas City's Priest Holmes has 15 touchdowns in just eight games, putting him on pace to shatter Marshall Faulk’s NFL record of 26 touchdowns set in 2000. Holmes also leads all NFL players in touches (241) and total yards from scrimmage (1297).

New England snapped its four-game losing streak last week in Buffalo. The Pats are 4-0 this season when scoring 17 or more, and 0-4 when scoring under 17. The Patriots play a Bears team that has allowed 17 or more points in all but one game this season.

Ricky Williams is the most important player on the Dolphins. Miami is 4-0 when Williams rushes for 100 yards this season (1-3 when he doesn’t). Without a viable passing game, Williams is not as much as a threat. Luckily, he’s facing the AFC’s worst rush defense in the Jets this week.

Whats wrong with the Raiders offense? Oakland, the league's highest scoring team at 40.5 points per outing a month ago, have averaged 16 points in their past four games.

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Monday, November 04, 2002

Monday Morning Quarterback

By Ben Maller

Steve Spurrier is doing with the Redskins what he did at Florida. He's beating up on the Vanderbilts of the NFL. Washington's wins are against the Seahawks, Colts, Cardinals and Titans. Only Tennessee has a real chance at the playoffs.

Bill Callahan looks like the Ron Zook of the NFL. He's a guy that is in way over his head. The Raiders have lost four straight games there season is in the "Black Hole" This is when the head coach has to step up and motivate his team and get them focused. Does anyone think that Callahan can do this for the Raiders?

The Chargers played like some of the great San Diego teams of the last five years on Sunday. You talk about a team not being ready to play after a bye week. Wow! What did these guys do on there time off? They made the Jets look like a real NFL team.

Tom Brady is still perfect in "Bowl" games as an NFL QB. Brady and the Patriots beat Drew Bledsoe and the Bills in the "Bledsoe Bowl." Brady had to play a solid game if for no other reason then to shutup the angry Pats fans who call sports talk radio.

The 49ers had a Joe Montana like stretch against the Raiders. I'm still trying to figure out how the Niners held the ball for the final 15-plus minutes of the 4th quarter and overtime in the win. Its hard to believe that Oakland couldn't get one stop.

Cincinnati can't even win at losing. The dreams of an imperfect season went up in smoke with a win against the Texans. The Bengals had played like the team many people thought was on the cusp of becoming good.

Giants coach Jim Fassel might have a future as an offensive coordinator. Big Blue beat the Jaguars and actually scored 24 points. Fassel took over the play-calling duties from Sean Payton the offensive coordinator.

To say the Vikings don't travel well is the understatement of the NFL season. Minnesota has lost 15 straight road games. Do they still get meal money?

Tommy Maddux is doing everything that Kordell Stewart didn't do for the Steelers. I'm close to jumping on the Pittsburgh bandwagon after they won their fourth straight game.

Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith ran for just 39 yards on 16 carries against a poor Lions defense.

I don't understand why the fans in Detroit chanted Barry! Barry! For retired running back Barry Sanders who QUIT on the Lions and the fans.

College Football

Rutgers was a quarter away from pulling off the greatest upset in the history of college football. The Scarlet Knights had a 17-14 lead heading into the 4th quarter against Miami. The Hurricanes brought a 29-game winning streak into the game.

I'm guessing alot of Gator fans have mixed feelings beating Georgia. Its cool to beat an undefeated team but now Ron Zook gets off the hook for his poor coaching job this season.

The fraud that was Notre Dame's undefeated season finally is over. Boston College did the right thing. The Eagles let the Irish blow the game on offense.

Bob Stoops is on the way to playing in the National Championship game for the second time in three years. The most amazing thing about this is that the Sooners have done it without a star quarterback. Josh Hypel and Nate Hybl are not going to be remembered as stars.

I hope that Ty Willingham's team didn't wear the green jerseys for marketing reasons. My first reaction when seeing Notre Dame come out in the alternative gear was man they are going to make a killing at the consection stands.

Baylor fired coach Kevin Steele after a loss to Texas Tech. Next up Bobby Williams at Michigan State and many more to follow.

Random Thoughts

Kobe Bryant will go down as the greatest player in NBA history when his career is over. Its amusing how each season someone on the national level writes an attack story on Kobe and each time he gets better and the Lakers win the title.

How do the Denver Nuggets and 16 point underdogs beat the Portland Trail Blazers over the weekend in Portland? This Nuggets team is the worst collection of talent i've seen in the NBA in 10 years. It looks like Denver is trying to lose on purpose.

The Clippers look like a lost team. Its early but the Clips have no focus and you get the feeling that guys like Lamar Odom, Elton Brand and Andre Miller are going to play for stats and contracts instead of wins and the playoffs.

Sidney Lowe will probably be fired by the end of the month as Grizzlies coach. Memphis actually has some talent this year unlike years past. Problem is you wouldn't know it by watching them play.

I wouldn't be shocked if the Phillies end up with Tom Glavine, Jeff Kent and David Bell. Most teams are going to shy away from the free agent market.

Look for Greg Maddux to end up with the San Diego Padres.

If Dusty Baker takes the Cubs job then who manages the NL all-star team next year?
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