Anyone for this week’s picks? — John


First of all, I apologize to John and Phil; when you go to small schools like Albright (as I did) you have to write about other schools.

St. Joe’s-Penn on Saturday night at the Palestra. SJU is playing all its games at the Palestra this year as their Field House gets refurbished. SJU has started 4-0 in conference and is currently in second place. They now jump out of conference to face Big 5 rival Penn. Apparently you have to be smart to go to Penn but not be a very good basketball player. They stink this year. Their coach will be fired at the end of the year. St. Joe’s has reeled off 5 consecutive victories and will make it 6 on Saturday night. SJU 78 - Penn 51.

Wake Forest-Duke next Wednesday evening. Although Wake lost last night at home to a mediocre Virginia Tech team it is clear to me that they were looking ahead to the Duke game. They now have a week off to think about the loss and take on Duke. Duke will get the calls but Wake will get the win. Let’s go 78-65.

Lastly, Pennsbury High School made it 53 consecutive league wins last night in High School Basketball. To put that in persepective the last time they lost a league game was the night before the Eagles played New England in the Super Bowl. — Dave


Humility stopped by Winston-Salem last night and paid a visit to the previously undefeated Demon Deacons. Hopefully, his lesson will stick with the squad for a while (at least until Duke comes to town). But I'll hold off on my pick for that match-up until next week, when I'll also discuss my thoughts on the outcome of a certain American football game to be played on 2/1 in Tampa.

So in the meantime, I'll go back to picking Chelsea matches.

The Blues narrowly pulled out a win in the final moments at home against lowly Stoke City last Saturday, it is then with nothing but blind optimism that I say they'll handle Ipswich Town in an FA Cup match. — Phil

I’ll weigh in on two college hoops games: 1) Upset alert: On Saturday, resurgent Baylor moseys into Norman and hands fellow Big 12 foe Oklahoma their 1st league loss, and 2nd loss overall for the season. Bears win, 79-71.

2) The resurgent Highlanders of the New Jersey Institute of Technology try to capitalize on their 1-game win streak (which followed a 51-game losing streak) by toppling the Lancers of Longwood University. They don’t, and lose 81–61, and begin another losing streak. — Kurt


The NHL All-Star game is this Sunday. The bad news: Jeff Carter is the only Philadelphia Flyer on the roster. The good news: I've been looking forward to this game all season, because it marks the point at which I can start watching the Flyers. Long seasons have driven me to wait out the first half and see where the chips fall. Now the positioning begins. I expect good things from the Flyers this year. But I digress, on to the All-Star break.

Brace yourself for the fastest game on ice. First, some amazing competitive events on Saturday such as the Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, the NHL Youngstar game, Accuracy Shooting, Hardest Shot, and Elimination Shootout. I can't even begin to pick a winner for these events, so you will just have to wait and see. However, for Sunday's main event, I will have to go with the East. Why? I just told you I don't watch hockey until after the All-Star break—I don't have a reason. — Troy V. of Yardley


I’ve been experiencing a slight sleep-disfunction stage the last week or so, and I think it’s making me a little crazy. I thought I sent my pick and some as-always amusing wisecracks, but I can’t find them in my “Sent” folder or in my In-box. Did I dream that I sent them? If I’m dreaming about anything to do with you guys, that REALLY frightens me.

I picked (at least in my dreams) a Maryland upset of Duke Saturday, since maybe the Dookies will suffer Wake-itis and look past the Terps. Also, I’m going to “Mink” up my record by picking a gimme: St. Joe’s over Penn Saturday night. — John