FRIDAY FORECAST

My thoughts and predictions on sporting events that matter this weekend:

SATURDAY:

(1) Texas at (7) Texas Tech, College Football: Will this be when the Red Raiders break through and grab national headlines? Hard to say. They’ve got an explosive offense keyed by two Heisman hopefuls (QB  Graham Harrell and WR Michael Crabtree) but probably lack the defensive chops to stop Colt McCoy and the Burnt Orange from winning in a squeaker. Texas 34, Texas Tech 31.

(8) Florida at (6) Georgia, College Football: Friday was declared a school holiday because so many public education teachers took the day off two years ago that school districts were unable to find enough substitute teachers. So the local powers-that-be decided it was a better use of money to just give everyone the day off. Smart move. The Bulldogs fans will be especially drunk for this one. Georgia 27, Florida 24.

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets, NBA: Can the Lakers win this one by half-a-hundred? Without Marcus Camby, the Nuggets are fools-gold on defense. Like that? Lakers 124, Nuggets 74. 

SUNDAY:

N.Y. Jets (-3) at Buffalo Bills, NFL: Since when did the AFC East get interesting? I guess Brett Favre really is worth watching. Jets 21, Bills 20.

Detroit Lions (-8) at Chicago Bears, NFL: Has the NFC North always been this awful? Didn’t it used to be the black-and-blue division? Looks more like the sack-of-poo division. Bears 9, Lions 3.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+4) at Cincinnati Bengals, NFL: Jack Del Rio didn’t really want to talk about his team’s lackluster performance last week and probably took it out on his team during practice instead. Jaguars 34, Bengals 14.

Baltimore Ravens (EVEN) at Cleveland Browns, NFL: With or without Kellen Winslow, the Browns are inconsistent on offense and porous on defense. The Ravens look like they might have something in Joe Flacco. Ravens 13, Browns 10.

Green Bay Packers (-2.5) at Tennessee Titans, NFL: I like these Titans. They run the ball hard an kills teams with their defense. They a big fat one right here, though. Aaron Rogers proves, at least for one game, that he was worth his huge Halloween contract. Packers 30, Titans 21.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) at Kansas City Chiefs, NFL: If Jon Gruden doesn’t win this game, he should be fred. Buccaneers 17, Chiefs 7.

Arizona Cardinals (+4) at St. Louis Rams, NFL: Huge NFC Worst matchup here. Who am I kidding? This game could end in a 0-0 tie and it wouldn’t matter. Cardinals 0, Rams 0.

Houston Texans (+1) at Minnesota Vikings, NFL: We want Sage! We want Sage! Nobody dares to play QB the way this guy does. Texans 21, Vikings 20.

Miami Dolphins (-1) at Denver Broncos, NFL: Seems like defenses are catching up with the Dolphins’ Wildcat offense. Mike Shanahan will have his team ready. Broncos 24, Dolphins 10.

Atlanta Falcons (+4.5) at Oakland Raiders, NFL: Matt Ryan notches another victory to his rookie total. Falcons 31, Raiders 21.

Dallas Cowboys (-8.5) at N.Y Giants, NFL: No Tony Romo. Maybe no Jason Witten. The Cowboys’ season is in real trouble unless they find a way to win this one — which they won’t. Giants 20, Cowboys 12.

Philadelphia Eagles (+5.5) at Seattle Seahawks, NFL: What is wrong with sports in Seattle these days? At least they can look forward to a clean slate with their new MLS expansion franchise. They’ll need all the optimism they can get after this one. Eagles 42, Seahawks 17.

New England Patriots (EVEN) at Indianapolis Colts, NFL: This game isn’t near what it should be. This will be like two once-great heavyweights trying to trade punches in the first round of a charity fight. Neither will land many but it’s good to see the old guys get after it. Colts 21, Patriots 17.

Lakers look legendary

It’s only been two games, but the Los Angeles Lakers look like the best NBA team I’ve ever seen.

Better than Magic Johnson’s Lakers; better the Michael Jordan’s Bulls; better than Tim Duncan’s Spurs.

Better than the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Lakers.

They’ve beaten the Portland Trail Blazers and the cross-locker room Clippers, true. But damn, they’ve looked impressive doing it, winning by an average of 28 points!

Kobe looks fit. He still turns the ball over at an alarming rate but he’s deadly. Everyone knows that. He is the Black Mamba. I can’t believe guys give him an inch, defensively.

Bynum looks like an emerging monster, on the offensive boards especially. I can’t wait to see him out-quick Shaq and out-maneuver Duncan in the playoffs.

Pau Gasol remains awfully soft. He’s got great post moves but seems recline to just sort of fling the ball at the basket. He should be putting it down team’s throats. Instead, he delivers these half-hearted hook shots. Someone needs to drill some serious toughness into this soft Euro.

The supporting cast (Derek Fisher, Vlad Radmanovic, Lamar Odom, et al) looks more confident thus far. They seem to have an understanding of a better defensive system, playing zone more and rebounding better.

And head coach Phil Jackson looks at least 10 years younger with a clean shave. Say, wasn’t that about the time the Lakers starting winning championships the first time?

Give them an ‘F’

The Philadelphia Phillies phinally won the phucking World Series. Phooey.

The Phillies, since winning that gag-nasty Game 5, have been the toast of sports. I suppose they deserve it. After all, they did sneak past the limping Tampa Bay Rays. But there was little, if anything, that was impressive about this Phillies team. In fact, they’re probably the most unimpressive champion in recent memory, perhaps only dwarfed by the 2005 Chicago White Sox.

These Phillies couldn’t hit and couldn’t drive in a single runner in scoring position. They won with smoke and mirrors and Cole Hamels.

They did win, though, and will reap the rewards.

So now, in the days and weeks to come, they’ll have their little parade and do the talk-show circuit. They’ll have their yuks with Letterman and Leno and eventually end up on the South Lawn of the White House this winter as the last guests of an outgoing president.

I’m guessing J-Roll and Co. will probably give ‘W.’ one of those quaint, if not overused “No. 1″ jerseys he’s been collecting these last eight years.

Funny thing is, ‘W.’ was born on third base and thought he hit a triple, while the Phillies died on third base because nobody could get another hit. Yet both managed to score big in the end.