NBA 2018 PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND PREDICTIONS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TORONTO RAPTORS VERSUS WASHINGTON WIZARDS

I miss the old Washington Bullets name. Since Harry Potter is popular, Wizards make sense. Who do you think could win in a fight: Harry Potter or Orko from HE-MAN?

Loved the Raptors new logo over their old one with the barney looking dinosaur.

The old Bullets logo can be used as a Chicago team.

Let’s get serious. This series will go all the way to game 7. I do like John Wall being back for the Wizards. I know the Raptors have been playing poorly of late. However, I think the Raptors take this series with the deeper bench.

RAPTORS IN 7 (4-3)

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VERSUS INDIANA PACERS

I would love to see the Pacers upset the King Lebron. I see the Pacers able to get a few games in this series. However, Lebron has a switch and he will be on fire. The coach is back and that will add to the Cavaliers taking this one in six games.

We will have to wait at least another round to figure out where Lebron James will play next season.

CAVALIERS IN SIX GAMES (4-2)

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VERSUS MIAMI HEAT

This series I will call the Alamo. This I believe will be Dwayne Wade’s final stand. Wade will help his team take two games. The Sixers are too young, too talented, and that will leave the Miami Heat in the dust.

76ERS IN SIX GAMES (4-2)

BOSTON CELTICS VERSUS MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Without Kyrie Irving, the Celtics will still hold off the Bucks. Brad Stevens will out coach the Bucks and come up with a great plan to advance to the next round. Bucks are young and upcoming. They have arrived. They will be back again and get better at the same time.

CELTICS IN SIX GAMES (4-2)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

HOUSTON ROCKETS VERSUS MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Happy to see the Timberwolves make it to the playoffs. They snapped a drought. I think injuries that occurred this year prevented the Timberwolves from getting a much higher seed. It took a last win in the last game to squeeze in there and now face the top dog, the Houston Rockets. James Harden as MVP, is all I have to say in this series. It would take Jimmy Butler to play like Michael Jordan in each game of this series to give the Timber wolves a slim chance.

Maybe Derrick Rose will be the X-FACTOR

ROCKETS IN THE SWEEP (4-0)

SAN ANTONIO SPURS VERSUS GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

It was not that long ago this would be the game of the day. The Spurs are not the Spurs like they use to be. Even without Stephen Curry not playing in this series, Warriors just still have too many weapons for one of the best coaches in NBA history to overcome.

WARRIORS IN 5 GAMES (4-1)

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS VERSUS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

This will be one of best series in the first round. Maybe the Trailblazers hire Bobby Portis to give Nikola Mirotic another punch to the face.

I think Anthony Davis becomes too hard to handle for the Blazers. However, this goes to seven games.

PELICANS IN 7 GAMES (4-3)

OKLAHOMA THUNDER VERSUS UTAH JAZZ

The Jazz making the playoffs is a very nice story this year especially after losing Heyward to the Celtics. The Thunder have 3 future hall of famers in Westbrook, Paul, and George. Finally they come together and play better than they did in regular season. They hit the playoff switch and easily dispatch the Jazz.

THUNDER IN 5 GAMES (4-1)

It does not matter who you put in the Bears’ front office these days. You’re always left scratching your head wondering what the hell the Bears brass were thinking. This week they let their 2016 leading receiver walk out the door for nothing. Cameron Meredith is now a New Orleans Saint. Before the 2017 season, the Bears let Alshon Jefferey walk out the door. Alshon Jefferey who actually is a quality star receiver in the league. No worries Ryan Pace, he went on to help the Eagles win the Superbowl. I think the Ryan Pace way of thinking was he would put all his money down like Krusty the Clown in the Simpsons on the Washington Generals thinking they were due against the Harlem Globetrotters.

Cameron Meredith came to the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He was a local kid from St Joseph’s high school. He went to Illinois State and actually was quarterback. He learned to play wide receiver as his chances at quarterback were very slim at best.  In 2016, he took the league by storm catching 66 balls for 888 yards… not too shabby in 14 games. Add 4 touchdowns to the mix and this was turning out to be finding a gem in the ruff.  Then in preseason last year, penciled in as the number one receiver, one play ends his season for good. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL.

The Bears could have tendered Cameron last month at second round level which would of been an extra million dollars over the no compensation level they did. The extra million would make other teams give up a draft pick if they signed him to an offer sheet. If the Bears  declined to sign, they would have at least had another pick.  However their choice let him walk out the door and head to New Orleans.

Maybe the Bears do not need another medical project. Since they still have the broken lamp in Kevin White. Then they signed damaged goods from Jacksonville in Allen Robinson. Say Robinson can not find his old form. I think we all know, except for the Bears brass, that Kevin White is a total bust. Now you have two strikes. If Cameron Meredith comes back healthy with Drew Brees as his quarterback, that is going to be strike three. It will be another year without having options for Mitch Trubisky to throw to. The face of the franchise coming into his second year. The second year brings the sophomore slump, and many go through it. Without weapons you’re going to have another year without Santa Clause. Another year Bears fans have coal in their stocking from the Bears’ brass.

This comes down to two medical staffs.  The Saints and the Bears. Both have looked at the X-rays. Both have seen Cameron Meredith in person. Who will have egg on their face at the end of this one? Will Ryan Pace blame the Saints using voodoo on Cameron in helping him catch 80 balls this season after everything is said and done. I think they had Cameron on the cheap and they should have kept him. The more options, maybe one of the MASH victims come out as one of your aces in the hole. If I had to choose I would have kept Cameron and tossed the broken lamp, Kevin White, in the trash. I do see Ryan Pace at the poor man’s casino in Vegas. Dealing with an agent and trying to guess how many fingers he’s holding up behind his back to land somebody in the dollar bin to balance out his rickety core of crap he assembled. Business as usual at Halas Hall.

2018 NHL PREDICTIONS THE WILD SHAMROCK WAY

FIRST ROUND BEST OUT SEVEN MATCH UP’S

OUR “SHE IS A LESBIAN” PREDICTIONS IN ROUND ONE

EASTERN CONFERENCE (SYRACUSE BULL DOGS)

BOSTON BRUINS VERSUS TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Dr. Hook McCracken’s  prediction Boston Wins the series in 7  games (4-3)

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING VERSUS NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Ogie Ogilthorpe’s prediction  Lightning SWEEP (4-0)

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VERSUS WASHINGTON CAPITALS

CLARENCE “SCREAMING BUFFALO” SWAMPTOWN prediction Capitals in six games (4-2)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VERSUS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

ROSS “MAD DOG ” MADISON prediction Penguins in 5 games (4-1)

WESTERN CONFERENCE (CHARLESTOWN CHIEFS)

COLORADO AVALANCHE VERSUS NASHVILLE PREDATORS

REGGIE DUNLAP’S PREDICTION PREDATORS IN 4 GAMES (4-0)

SAN JOSE SHARKS VERSUS ANAHEIM DUCKS

THE HANSON BROTHERS CAME UP WITH SHARKS WINNING IN 6 GAMES (4-2)

LAS VEGAS KNIGHTS VERSUS LOS ANGELES KINGS

NED BRADEN’S PREDICTION VEGAS IN 7 (4-3)

WINNIPEG JETS VERSUS MINNESOTA WILD

DAVE “THE KILLER” CARLSON PREDICTS WINNIPEG IN 5 GAMES (4-1)

This is my NFL team of just wackos. Many of them have gotten in trouble with the law. All of them are just nutso in the head. In some way they have made their name the crazy way on and off the field. We have wife beaters on this team. So look away at some of these nut jobs if the names and faces make you cringe. I also have an owner of this team. I even have a front office. Plus a coaching staff.

TEAM NAME

Since Cincinnati Bengals love to collect convicts that is the perfect town for our team.

Our team name Cincinnati Crazies

The team president message

Offense

Our team lack a good quarterback..

QB Johnny Football Manziel

QB Todd Marinvovich

QB Ryan Leaf

We have some great talent at our skill positions.

RB O.J Simpson

RB Lawrence Phillips

RB Ray Rice

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

WR Zay Jones Bills

WR Brandon Marshall

WR Terrell Owens

WR Michael Irvun

WR Rae Carruth

TE Aaron Hernandez

TE Marty Bennent

Our offensive line needs a supply line of drugs to keep things moving.

C Barret Robbins

OL Nate Newton

OL Jonathan Martin

OL Richie Incognito

OL Victor Riley

OL Justin Strzelczyk

Defense

Our defense is filled with that crazy spirit.

DL Dexter Manley

DL Greg Hardy

DL Alonzo Spellman

DL Ray McDonald

DL Michael Bennett

DL Ndamukong Suh

LB Hollywood Henderson

LB Ray Lewis

LB Lawrence Taylor

SECONDARY

CB Richard Sherman

CB Pac-man Jones

CB Corey Fuller

CB Eugene Robinson

Special teams

Kicker Martin Gramatica

Punter Todd Sauerbrun

Kick Returner David Meggett

Head coach: Jerry Glanville

Assistant  coach: Crazy Joe Davola

Other coaches

Quarterbacks coach Mike Vick

Team doctor

Dr. Johnny Fever

Cincinnati Crazy Cheer leaders

Team owner

Lonnie Anderson

Coach Bruce Weber and Coach Porter Moser have lots in common. Both of these coaches are well traveled. Both these coaches are well traveled down the roads in the state of Illinois. You can say over the last 20 years, if these two were not the respected leaders of these teams that they guided their programs into the tournament, then this state would be worse than the Illinois budget. Maybe not worse than the Cook County taxes. Pretty close though. Coach Bruce Weber has left the state to coach Kansas State. While Porter Moser has taken the Loyola program to the brink of a final four appearance. Both high seeds and many experts think they probably should have never made it to the Elite 8. Tonight the season will end for one of them. To this point, both have done a very nice job with their program.

Before Loyola, Coach Porter Moser spent four seasons at Illinois State. The Redbirds play in the Missouri Valley Conference where Moser compiled up more losses than wins. Record wise he is one of the worse coaches in Redbird history. He found himself out of a job. He then was hired by Loyola. He came in and had to build a new foundation. In his first year, Loyola struggled with 7 wins to 23 defeats. They were 1-17 in the Horizon league in which the school played at the time. Then Loyola moved to familiar grounds for Coach Moser. The Missouri Valley conference. It was like a roller coaster up and down for seasons. Finally lucky year seven, Loyola makes it to the tournament for the first time since 1985. They came in as a number eleven seed. That did not stop the Ramblers. They have won three games and find themselves one game away from the final four.

Many remember Coach Bruce Weber for taking over for Billy Selfish at the University of Illinois. The team was stacked with Self talent and Billy Boy was salivating over his new  Kansas job. Before the Illinois job, Coach Bruce Weber was doing well at Southern Illinois. He had guided that school to the sweet 16. He found himself having a makeshift funeral for Bill Self to kind of unite him and his players. It worked and in 2005, the Fighting Illini went all the way to the championship. I remember that game against North Carolina. Foul trouble for a few key Illini players did the team in, which prevented the final exclamation point on a magical season. It still was a great year, close but no cigar. After that, Bruce Weber had to recruit his own guys and the school sunk slowly in quicksand that led to them axing Weber like the school scalped Chief Illiniwik. Like most coaches do, they pack up their belongings and move on. He then took the job at Kansas State. Imagine when that state talks about basketball… it’s all Jay Hawks all the time. Coach Weber and his team came into the tournament as a number nine seed. They won two games before meeting Kentucky, a team run by a Snake who always slithers around scooping up NBA potential talent. However Weber, without one of his best players the first two games who only played ten minutes against Kentucky, was able to get past the Snake and his Wild Cats. Now Coach Weber finds himself one win away from getting his second team into the final four.

This year’s tournament has made some very cool history. Obviously a number 16 taking down a number one would make anybody happy unless you go to that school or have money riding on it. Tonight’s game between Loyola and Kansas state is a number nine and number 11. Those two seeds have never played each other at this point of the tournament. It’s too bad these two teams could not meet in the final four or the championship. One good coach will prevail to the next round. One will be going home. Love to see either one of these teams win the whole thing.  Kansas State has never won the tournament. While Loyola won it a long time ago in a galaxy far far away in 1964. I have nothing that connects me to either team as a fan of these universities. I do have the Chicago connection. I will be rooting for Loyola in this one. I want to see the local school win. I would love to see the small school take down the big dogs. If Kansas State does win, I would love to see Weber face Self for the National Championship. Seeing Kansas State beat Kansas would be another great ending. This tournament has that feel of St. Patrick driving all the snakes out of Ireland. We need coaches like Moser and Weber to drive these snake-like car salesmen out of basketball.

MY ELITE 8 PREDICTIONS

LOYOLA OVER KANSAS STATE

FLORIDA STATE OVER MICHIGAN

NOVA OVER TEXAS TECH

DUKE OVER KANSAS

The Bears have started to address one of their weak spots last year in free agency. The wide receiver position. Chicago is known as where wide receivers go to die. After the Mike Glennon experiment blew up at the science fair, the Bears ended up playing their first round draft pick, their future, the face of the franchise… Mitchel Trubisky. He was thrown to the wolves and showed some flashes of great stuff. This great stuff with a wide receivers group that was horrible.

Bears have lots to spend so they went out and signed two receivers. Allen Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Plus, they added Taylor Gabriel from the Atlanta Falcons. Robinson will be slated as the Bears’ number one guy. While Gabriel is a slot type receiver and comes in on third downs. Allen Robinson in 2015 had 80 catches 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2016 he had 73 catches 883 yards with six touchdowns. Last year out for the whole season with torn ACL. Then Taylor Gabriel last year caught 33 balls for 378 yards and 1 touchdown. He suffered a foot problem. Here we go again. The Bears buy their receivers from the shopping cart of marked down items at the market. Just because the can of beans is dented, that will not stop the Bears brass from picking it up and bringing to the cashier.

Last year the Bears put all of their eggs in the Kevin White basket. White was the 7th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 season. He has played a whopping 5 regular season games in his career. Then in Preseason they saw their best receiver from the previous year go down as well with a season ending injury. They had Kendall Wright who you can say at least he showed up and played every game. His numbers were 59 catches with 614 yards with one touchdown. However it got worst.  Another stellar free agent in Markus Wheaton was fighting off a few injuries before he even made his debut. Thank God we paid him 5 million for his three catches for 51 yards. Then they had to play Josh Bellamy. I call him rock hands because he drops everything when he’s wide open, not a man in the area. Only reason he is on the team is because he can play special teams. He’s like that position player in baseball that will pitch an inning in a blow out. The Bears did trade for Dontrelle Inman who arrived from the Chargers. I believe he was the best guy we had and only played 8 games caught 23 balls for 334 yards with a touchdown.

If the Bears do not draft a receiver, which they should, or maybe even two. They have Robinson, White, and the jury will still be out on Meredith coming off major injuries. Cam Meredith’s great season before last year could just of been a fluke. I hope not. But he does not have a track record. Plus he had multiple knee ligaments tear. He will be a wild card. Kevin White is also a wild card. Then you still got Wheaton hanging around. To me the Bears still need to reshape this wide receiver core. Plenty of work needs to be done.

First you have to look in the mirror. It’s time to bounce Kevin White out the door. Enough, he seems like an old girlfriend you know you will not marry. Then I would send Markus Wheaton packing, he’s useless. Cameron Meredith you hold onto. He will be your project. I would sign Inman back. I like him him as a tall target in the red zone. I would also take a gamble on second tier free agent receiver and bring him in for just in case because the more bodies the better. He has to be the guy with a track record. He has to be a guy that has something to prove. Maybe a Jordan Matthews. He got hurt with the Bills last year. The year before he did very well with the Eagles. I know what you’re thinking, another guy another injury. Another idea is another former Jaguar, Allen Hurns.  Then you draft a receiver as well. Then you better hope Robinson can play like he did in 2016 and stay healthy.  I think Gabriel will fit in nicely with other threats on the field. Now you have formed a group of guys that can help the team, but most importantly give the face of the Bears franchise some weapons. They waited too late with Jay Cutler. Glennon never had a chance. The more weapons the better. Help Mitchell Trubisky out. For Christ sakes stay out of the cart with all the damage goods. Buy a normal can with a normal label.

They said it could not be done. They said that about the Chicago Cubs beating the goat that jinxed the team for over a hundred years.  It’s never been done. No 16th seed has ever beaten a number one seed until yesterday. Yes, UMBC took down number one Virginia. Who or what the hell is UMBC? I had to google this because to me it sounds like an office for the government. University of Maryland Baltimore County. I’m thinking the Wire first thing, when I think of Baltimore. They are nicknamed the Retrievers. Yes, picture a yellowish golden dog panting after it fetched the Frisbee in the back yard. Not a Michael Vick junk yard dog sent out to fight other dogs in the Thunder-dome.

UMBC has only been around since 1966. They have made three appearances in the tournament prior to this year. Last time coming in 2008. Before that, back to back years in 1979 and 1980. They were a 20.5 underdog.

UMBC came in with a 21-13 record. They won the America East Tournament to punch their ticket into the NCAA tournament. They were not one of those play-in teams in the first round as they pulled off this shocker. It was not a buzzer beater, they literally kicked Virginia’s arse up and down the court. It was 74-54 final. Senior guard Jarius Lyles will have something to tell his grandchildren. Even if he does not do anything else in life, he came up big with 28 points.

Everyone loves the Cinderella story. That’s what March madness is all about. I always wondered about these schools that came in the tournament, obviously they come in on a winning streak as they punched their ticket from their conference tournament.  They come in red hot, so to see them just upset teams all the way to the championship would be amazing. It reminds of that Loyola Marymont team that went really far. They were on a mission because they lost Hank Gathers Jr who passed away. They dedicated that tournament to him and played with high emotions. That made an awesome story. I would love to see a 16th seed continue to wreck havoc against all sorts of foes that get in the way.

How would feel if you were in Virginia’s shoes? To be a part of history in a bad way. These are some stats I found from CBS.COM regarding people’s brackets.

99.4 % of people had Virginia over UMBC

95.1% had Virginia advancing to the sweet 16

55.6% had Virginia in the final four

41.1% had Virginia in the championship game

23.4 had Virginia winning it all.

Lets hope UMBC continues their march through the brackets and become bracket busters the rest of the way.

THE BEST SHOT OF THE TOURNAMENT IN ROUND TWO

Donte Ingram’s shot sank number six seed Miami as Loyola advanced to the round.

Loyola Chicago has not been to the tournament since 1985. They came in number 11 seed and they wiped out the Hurricanes. I love this story partly because I live in Chicago. It’s hard to believe the state of Illinois and Chicago never have multiple teams in the tournament each year. The murder capital of the world, we are labeled. Besides all the killings and slayings, we are known for manufacturing basketball talent. Obviously it leaves town and goes to other states. For years and I’m talking years, the State of Illinois does not get one college in the tournament. Last year Northwestern shocked us. That was fun. Look at Loyola, their last time in this tournament, 1985. That’s insane. Loyola won it back in 1963 when they beat Mississippi State which was a game known at the time that had racist intentions from Mississippi because Loyola had four black players starting. How the world has changed. However 1963 seems long ago, but truly it is not that long ago.

The Buffalo Bulls is another great story of the first round. They came in a 13th seed and they took down Arizona who came in as a 4 seed. Arizona was a popular pick by the people to get to the final four. It’s a big time program. They have some future NBA players. Plus they have some big men down low. However the Wildcats find themselves in a little trouble before they even tipped off against the Bulls. According to reports, Coach Sean Miller was recorded offering a recruit money to play for his program. Besides that incident, Arizona came in as the favorite. They came in expecting to get deep in the tournament but No Bull about it they came in and got their butts handed to them by the University of Buffalo.

It was a first for the Bulls as in first win ever in the big tournament. Their quickness as their three guard attack was able to maneuver around the Wild Cat big men like a turnstile. Then Buffalo threw lots of big bodies after the Wild Cat big men on defense. Reminded me of hack a Shaq. When Coach Phil Jackson was coaching the Chicago Bulls and  just sent out bodies to foul Shaquille O’Neal to put in on the line in a playoff match up. But the Buffalo defenders had some game in them against the Wild Cat big men. They fouled them and also played some great defense. This resulted in a close first half. However then the Bulls went on a run shooting threes and attacking the rim and playing stellar defense to move on to next round with a match up against Kentucky. Love to see them take down that questionable school in Kentucky.

BIGGEST SECOND ROUND UPSET: #13 BUFFALO OVER #4 ARIZONA

OUR FINAL FOUR: VIRGINIA, XAVIER, NOVA, AUBURN

CHAMPIONSHIP: XAVIER VERSUS NOVA

CHAMPION: XAVIER

WE MIGHT OF BEEN OVER SERVED WHEN WE FILLED OUT THIS BRACKET.

Every Sunday the Wild Shamrock blog will fill you in on the happenings of the NFL. Mostly about free agent signings and trades and predictions about where players will end up.

THE LEGION OF BOOM ERA IS OVER

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: This is one of the few teams in the league I can not stand. Love seeing the tear down of the legion of doom, but at the same time it sucks. Tear downs do happen due to the salary cap in the NFL. But it’s a league where one year you can go first to worst, then the following year you can jump from worst to first. I do love seeing defenses stay together, especially great ones in a pass happy league. Plus in the league is fun to hate certain teams. These are the teams that have all the villains not chilling. However I do like when these teams fall. That’s what’s been going on in Seattle. Even though they still won 9 games and almost made it to the playoffs. But they paid all these villains big time money, now they have to tear it down. Sherman cut. Michael Bennett traded to the Eagles.  More moves pending. Now if they can get the ring leader, Pete Carrol, the heave ho, it would be very delightful. Maybe he would go back to his USC job and try to cheat out another national championship. Ooops they took that away.

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LEGION OF DOOM WITH THE TEAM PICTURE

ONE TEAM’S JUNK IS ANOTHER TEAM’S TREASURE:

THE SUPERBOWL CHAMPS ADDED A BIG PIECE TO THEIR PIE.

It seems to me the Bennett Brothers would be problems on a bad team or a younger one. Bad locker room guys.

PHILADELPHIA: The Eagles have landed Michael Bennett. This guy will improve an Eagles line that is already pretty damn good. Loved how they pressured Tom Brady at the end of the Superbowl. Michael Bennett is one of the best in the league over the last five years. Plus the Eagles are Superbowl champs and have plenty of people to keep Michael Bennett in line.

MEANWHILE: Poor Marty Bennett was cut by the Patriots. Remember he was the one who had no gas left in the tank in Green Bay. Then the Patriots come calling and his injuries are forgotten. He eventually got derailed before the playoffs started.

SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers are a team you hate some years and like other years. Before, Kaepernick liked to get his needs dirty and blowing wind about his stands. I thought he was quite annoying in his hey day flexing his arms, showing off his tats, and making a simple first down. Then last year they get Jimmy Garoppolo who I may add is undefeated behind center. So maybe I might like them. Not any more. They signed Richard Sherman. The biggest cheap shot artist in the league. You know he was going to stay in the division to haunt his former team. That’s the kind of citizen he is.

If he can play well like he is capable of, this move will help the 49er defense. Especially the 49ers are on the rise because of Jimmy. It’s always good to solidify your defense at the same time. However if his injury comes back to haunt him, this move can back fire. Villains usually go down at the end of the movie. Could the locker room be in jeopardy as well with this tool in the shed?

LA RAMS: Rams have been very busy as they are improving their defense. Especially the secondary. They signed Green Bay Packers veteran, Sam Shields, and then they traded for two other secondary pieces. Two very good talents but two interesting  personalities. First Marcus Peters from the Chiefs who loves to steal referees’ flags and throw them in the stands.

Perhaps Peters is looking for something to do after his playing days are over. Then you traded for Denver’s corner back Aqib Talib. Now Michael Crabtree for the Raiders can wear his jewelry proud so Talib will have to find another way to get his family or his gal gifts for Christmas.

This looks like a great secondary on paper. Plus the Rams’ defensive coordinator is Wade Phillips who will get the most out of his units.

BUFFALO: They have never been too crazy about Taylor. It seems like they could never find something better on the open market so they end up keeping Taylor. With lots of options out of the free agent market. Lots of great choices in the draft. They have traded Taylor to the Browns. Bills have been collecting draft picks like hoarders. This move they get another high pick. Plus they shave 10.5 million off their salary cap. I think they need one of those quarterbacks from the draft. I also think they should add a bridge type quarterback to the mix as well.

CLEVELAND IS ROCKING: The Browns have been very busy so far. First they traded for Dolphins wide out Landry. Then they added Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor to the mix. They traded last years quarterback they drafted, Deshone Kizer, to the Packers. If I were Brett Hundley, I would be pissed off  with that news as he did pretty decent last year backing up Rodgers.

Jarvis Landry is a nice pick up. However the money you will pay him, he’s not worth it. He’s a slot guy – many catches, but not a lot of yards after the catch is my problem with him and for that type of money.

Tyrod Taylor is a guy that can get the Browns some wins especially after going 0-16. Taylor does not turn over the ball. Interceptions have been a big problem in Brownie land. He will have better weapons to throw to than he had in Buffalo. As long as Josh Gordon does not go off on drinking binges and stays away from the Mary Jane brownies, this team with a few more moves could turn their franchise around. I think they should draft another quarterback as well. Just to have that position covered for once.

Dedicated Fans participate in the Cleveland Browns Perfect Season Parade outside FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on January 6, 2018. After finishing the NFL season a ?perfect? 0-16 the Browns decided to have a parade. (Photo by Max Arnold/Sipa USA)

QUARTERBACK PREDICTIONS

So Taylor is the first quarterback chip to head to another team. Where do the rest of the free agent quarterbacks land?

OUR MADAM SHAMROCK HAS SOME IDEAS

QUARTERBACK           TEAM

DREW BREES                STAYS WITH THE SAINTS

KIRK COUSINS               MINNESOTA

NICK FOLES                   STAYS WITH THE EAGLES

A.J MCCARRON               CARDINALS

SAM BRADFORD             BRONCOS

CASE KEENUM                BILLS

TERRY BRIDGEWATER   JETS

JOSH MCCOWN                JETS

Madam Shamrock occasionally likes to drink, especially around St.Paddy’s Day. We will see if her mind or her crystal ball is cloudy or clear on these predictions.

The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to collect former bulls. Maybe Tom Thibodeau has seen the light at the local church. Former Bulls head coach is on a mission from God. His mission is getting  the band back together. He was able to orchestrate a trade with the Bulls in the off season and got his lead singer in Jimmy Butler. Then they have Taj Gibson on the drums. Jamal Crawford on the keys. Let’s not forget Aaron Brooks on the sax.  Now the Thibodeau has added Derrick Rose. Since he is a part time player, he can play the triangle. Might be asking too much for Rose also to handle the maracas. Now the Timberwolves should seek out Joakim Noah and add him to the horn section of other X bulls they can gather up.

People still argue today that  Tom Thibodeau ran Rose and others in the ground in Chicago? Thibodeau had a mind set never leave your foot off the gas petal. The same philosophy as Bill Belichick has running the Evil Empire Patriots. How did the Eagles beat the Patriots in the Superbowl? By not using the Atlanta Falcons second half  play book in their Superbowl appearance and making sure they kept going for the jugular. Derrick Rose went down with a knee injury late in a game the Bulls had wrapped up. It was a playoff game. Derrick’s knee could of of went out the following game in the first quarter as well. Thibodeau continued to win despite the Bulls front office craziness. He continued to win even though the front office did not help him add new talent to the mix. They even ignored the coaches’ suggestions on players in the draft. Look how that turned out. The front office hoped and prayed that Rose would come back. Rose did. But he was not the same player like he was in 2011 when he was the MVP of the league. John Paxson and Gar Foreman put all the eggs in Rose’s basket and all’s they came up with was scrambled eggs of a mess. They eventually chased the coach out of town. Then traded all the pieces they had. Now the Bulls are all about tanking for draft picks these days.

Derrick Rose started the season in Cleveland. He needed a few weeks to find himself and do a little soul searching. He ended up coming back to play for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers were not doing so well so they decided to trade Rose to the Jazz. Actually Cleveland got rid of another X bull in Dwayne Wade as they sent him back to Miami. Meanwhile Rose was released by the Jazz and never even suited up for them. This tells me most of the Bull’s players through the days of Thibodeau and after are not even worth it. All of Paxson and Foreman’s guys. As their dollar values should be dropped to paying them pesos. Rose I believe does not have a lot left in the tank to offer. I’m sure he will work a few minutes off the bench for the Timberwolves down the stretch in a few games. It depends if he still has his posse telling the organization when he is available to play like in those years after the injuries. The Bulls kept hoping Rose’s buddies would give the Bulls permission to play him more than once a week.  Paxson and Gar Foreman let Rose handcuff them and still paid him big money for what? The Bulls slowly sank in Lake Michigan. While Paxson and Foreman dressed up like women and pushed the kids aside and abandoned ship. They should have unloaded him way earlier. Eventually it was too late to come up with something on the fly as they tried. This led the Bulls to get rid of Taj Gibson who was a great rebounder and played very well on defense. Him and Jimmy Butler were the only two Bulls players that were worth something. As the draft picks were left on the roster, you scratched your head and wondered why they chose him or him.

The Timberwolves will use Rose if needed. He will come off the bench to rest players if needed. Maybe you get a slight spark from him here and there. He is not going to take over a game for your team. If they do get anything it will be coach Thibodeau that will get anything left out of a guy who’s just a shell of himself and far away from the player he used to be. A guy that was worried 20 million dollars would not be enough to provide for his family. It’s the addition of Jimmy Butler that has this team playoff bound. Guys like Gibson will get the dirty jobs done. Overall if the Timberwolves can stay healthy I think they can get deep in the playoffs with the guys they already have. They have to get Jimmy back to health. If so they might be able to merge to the second round this go around, not like those Garnett teams who were unable to get out of the first round.  In the future if I was Thibs, I would stay away from X Chicago Musicians. They will need to add another major guitar player to the mix in the future to get past the Golden State festival. They will find out they also will need another triangle player after a few games, after they see that the red rose at one point soon has wilted away completely.