Maddux Sports Blog

It is Halloween but there is also another noteworthy event going on Tuesday as the 2006 NBA season opens tonight. Fans and sports bettors are being treated to a double header of games as the Chicago Bulls visit the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns travel to the Staples Center to square off against the Lakers. Maddux Sports will be releasing it’s first member NBA picks of the season today so be sure to get on board for a daily or season package. But first let’s get to a small preview for the 2 games.

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Yes– that’s the headline. Who would have thought it?! That in week 8 of the NFL season the lowly Oakland Raiders and the Super Bowl Championship Pittsburgh Steelers would have the exact same record—2 and 5? Not only that, but Oakland’s second win came against the Steelers! Ouch!

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It’s official, QB Ben Rothlisberger will play today after suffering a concussion last week (his second such injury in six months). A report on ESPN.com today casts doubt on the NFL’s policy regarding head injury and the man in charge of that policy—Elliot Pellman.

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The QB shuffle is an off-field play that certainly affects on-field play. In week eight of the 2006-07 NFL season, it’s become a major preoccupation with certain teams either because of injury or poor performance or both. But one shuffle above all had more drama than any other. It was the one that occurred last Monday night and continues into this evening.

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Last week, Steeler QB “Big Ben� Roethlisberger had his bell rung by the Atlanta Hawks and found himself on the sideline for the rest of the game. Backup, nine-year veteran QB Charlie Batch came in and, as he has done all season, acquitted himself well. In the six games that the 2- 4 Steelers have played this season, Batch has played in less than six quarters, yet he has as many touch down passes as Roethlisberger (five) and has thrown zero interceptions to Roethlisberger’s seven.

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There will be a lot written and produced about basketball legend Red Auerbach in the coming days. The Celtics will dedicate this season to him and there will be innumerable tributes. For years Auerbach held the record for season wins (938) and playoff wins (99) by a coach. In season wins, he’s been passed by Lenny Wilkins (1332), Larry Brown (1239), Don Nelson (1190), Pat Riley (1151), Jerry Sloan (984) and Bill Fitch (944). Phil Jackson (179), Pat Riley (179) and Larry Brown (120) have all passed him in playoff wins.

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Last week, Michael Vick decided to do something the running back… I mean quarterback… has rarely done—throw the ball for touchdowns! Opening his game up like he did against the Steelers should make this week’s opponent, the Bengals, wonder exactly how they should defend this usually run-happy offense. And didn’t Atlanta front office folks look real smart in their signing of the ever-youthful kicker Morten Anderson about a month ago when their starting field goal man Michael Koenen showed more inconsistency than gas pump prices?

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Both Cincinnati (AFC North) and Carolina (NFC South) are in second place in their conferences—Cincinnati is one-half game behind the AFC North’s leading Baltimore Ravens and Carolina is one game hind the NFC South’s top New Orleans Saints. Both Carolina and New Orleans have bye weeks and will play one another next week. The Bengals are given the 3-point home field edge in this one.

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Rutgers (1-0 Big East, 6-0 Overall) is sitting right around 19th in all national polls (16th in the BCS). Pittsburgh (2-0 Big East, 6-1 Overall) is close to making it into the AP Top-25 (they were 26th this week). Both are in the Big East and both teams have given that conference more credence than it’s had in recent years.

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Georgia has lost two-in-a-row and this time to unranked and SEC East cellar dweller Vanderbilt! With last week’s loss to #13 Tennessee (51-33) and now a 24-22 loss to the Commodores, expect #16 Georgia to plummet further in the national rankings. Still on Georgia’s dance card are the toughest part of its season– #2 Florida, #11 Auburn and #13 Georgia Tech.

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The Pittsburgh (1-3) Steelers host the Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) at 4 pm today with the home team favored by 6.5 to 7 points. It sounds fair, except when you consider the recent breakdown in the Steeler offense and the ability of the Chiefs to overcome the loss of QB Trent Green. Pittsburgh has lost its last three games (Jacksonville 9-0, Cincinnati 28-20 and San Diego 23-13), after winning its opener against Miami (28-17). The Chiefs lost their first two– to Cincinnati (10-23) and Denver (6-9)– and have recently beaten San Francisco (41-0) and Arizona (23-20).

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Tonight fans of the Mixed Martial Arts scene are being treated to a free show on Spike TV. The UFC is calling this “The Final Chapter�. In their third and final fight Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz will square off.

In their first bout in November of 2002, Ortiz stopped Shamrock after the third round. A rematch at UFC 61 in July saw Ortiz halt ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ again, but the stoppage by referee Herb Dean was seen as premature by many fans, leading to Tuesday’s third bout, which will be aired live on Spike TV beginning at 8pm.

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The unranked Arkansas Razorbacks were not very polite visitors today as they went to the #2 Auburn Tigers’ home and beat them 27-10 in a major upset. RB Darren McFadden carried the ball 28 times, gaining a total of 144 yards and scoring 1 TD. His score came on a break away 63-yard run with five minutes left to go in the second quarter.

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In week six of the NCAA Football season, this match-up between the #9 LSU Tigers and the #5 Florida Gators has ramifications in the SEC and the Top-25 nationally. The big game is scheduled for October 7, 2006 at 3:30 pm in the Gators’ Swamp.

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There are four games this week that pit schools ranked in the top-25 against one another. They are games that, along with true upsets, stand to either help solidify or alter a schools ranking. Here’s a look at #11 Oregon Vs. #16 California (October 7, 2006 at 8 pm ET)

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