Candidates to replace Jerry Kill as Minnesota head coach

Yesterday, it was announced that Jerry Kill would retire effective immediately due to health issues. Here are some candidates to replace Kill as Minnesota's head football coach.

1. Tracy Claeys, Defensive Coordinator, Minnesota
2. Rod Carey, Head Coach, Northern Illinois
3. Dave Aranda, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
4. Pete Lembo, Head Coach, Ball State
5. Troy Calhoun, Head Coach, Air Force
6. Matt Campbell, Head Coach, Toledo
7. Ed Warinner, Offensive Coordinator, Ohio State

2015 College Football Week 9 Bowl Projections

Here are my bowl projections for week nine of the College Football season. The first College Football playoff standings will be released this upcoming Tuesday night.

College Football Playoff Projections
Capital One Orange Bowl- December 31st, 4:00 or 8:00, ESPN: (1) Ohio State vs (4) Alabama
Goodyear Cotton Bowl- December 31st, 4:00 or 8:00, ESPN: (2) Baylor vs (3) Clemson

New Years Six Projections
Peach Bowl- December 31st, 12:00, ESPN: Notre Dame vs Florida State
Fiesta Bowl- January 1st, 1:00, ESPN: Florida vs Memphis
Rose Bowl- January 1st, 5:00, ESPN: Michigan State vs Stanford
Sugar Bowl- January 1st, 8:30, ESPN: LSU vs TCU

Rest of the Bowl Schedule
Gidlan New Mexico Bowl- December 19th, 2:00, ESPN: Rice vs San Jose State
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl- December 19th, 3:30, ABC: Boise State vs Arizona
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl- December 19th, 5:30, ESPN: Northern Illinois vs Arkansas State
AutoNation Cure Bowl- December 19th, 7:00, CBSSN: Tulsa vs South Alabama
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- December 19th, 9:00, ESPN: FIU vs Appalachian State
Miami Beach Bowl- December 21st, 2:30, ESPN: Houston vs Marshall
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl- December 22nd, 3:30, ESPN: Bowling Green vs Air Force
Boca Raton Bowl- December 22nd, 7:00, ESPN: Temple vs Western Michigan
San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl- December 23rd, 4:30, ESPN: Utah State vs Oregon
GoDaddy Bowl- December 23rd, 8:00, ESPN: Toledo vs Georgia Southern
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl- December 24th, 12:00, ESPN: Western Kentucky vs Ohio
Hawaii Bowl- December 24th, 8:00, ESPN: Cincinnati vs BYU
St. Petersburg Bowl- December 26th, 11:00AM, ESPN: South Florida vs Southern Miss
Hyundai Sun Bowl- December 26th, 2:00, CBS: Louisville vs Washington State
Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl- December 26th, 2:20, ESPN: Kansas State vs Louisiana Tech
New Era Pinstripe Bowl- December 26th, 3:30, ABC: North Carolina State vs Minnesota
Camping World Independence Bowl- December 26th, 5:45, ESPN: Virginia Tech vs Tennessee
Foster Farms Bowl- December 26th, 9:15, ESPN: California vs Wisconsin
Military Bowl- December 28th, 2:30, ESPN2: Georgia Tech vs Navy
Quick Lane Bowl- December 28th, 5:00, ESPN: Indiana vs Miami (FL)
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl- December 29th, 2:00, ESPN: San Diego State vs Illinois
Russell Athletic Bowl- December 29th, 5:30, ESPN: Duke vs Oklahoma
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl- December 29th, 7:30, CBSSN: Central Michigan vs Nevada
AdvoCare 1000 Texas Bowl- December 29th, 9:00, ESPN: Missouri vs West Virginia
Birmingham Bowl- December 30th, 12:00, ESPN: East Carolina vs Arkansas
Belk Bowl- December 30th, 3:30, ESPN: Kentucky vs North Carolina
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- December 30th, 7:00, ESPN: Auburn vs Northwestern
National University Holiday Bowl- December 30th, 10:30, ESPN: UCLA vs Penn State
Outback Bowl- January 1st, 12:00, ESPN2: Michigan vs Georgia
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl- January 1st, 1:00, ABC: Ole Miss vs Iowa
TaxSlayer Bowl- January 2nd, 12:00, ESPN: Texas A&M vs Pittsburgh
AutoZone Liberty Bowl- January 2nd, 3:20, ESPN: Mississippi State vs Texas Tech
Valero Alamo Bowl- January 2nd, 6:45, ESPN: Oklahoma State vs Utah
Cactus Bowl- January 2nd, 10:45, ESPN: Texas vs USC

2015 NFL Week 8 Picks

Here are my picks for week eight of the 2015 NFL season.

Thursday, October 29th
Miami Dolphins (3-3) vs New England Patriots (6-0)- 8:25, CBS/NFLN: Miami is coming off a terrific home win over the Houston Texans in which they destroyed their opponent for the second straight week. New England is coming off a big divisional home win over the New York Jets. This should be a fun game even though the Pats are dealing with injuries. Despite those injuries, the Pats will find a way to win yet again to remain unbeaten.
Prediction: New England 31, Miami 20.

Sunday, November 1st
Detroit Lions (1-6) vs Kansas City Chiefs (2-5)- 9:30, FOX: This is the third game that will be played in London this season. Detroit is coming off a home loss against the Minnesota Vikings. Kansas City is coming off a home win over the Ben Rothlisberger-less Pittsburgh Steelers. Both of these teams have been disappointing this season but that said, the Chiefs are missing Jamaal Charles and the Lions still have Calvin Johnson to make big plays for them and that will be the difference here.
Prediction: Detroit 24, Kansas City 20.

Minnesota Vikings (4-2) vs Chicago Bears (2-4)- 1:00, FOX: Minnesota is coming off a big road win in Detroit against the Lions. The Bears are coming off their bye and two weeks ago, they lost a tough one in overtime in Detroit against the Lions as well. This was a tough call, but I like the Vikings to stay hot here and win another divisional road game.
Prediction: Minnesota 24, Chicago 23.

Arizona Cardinals (5-2) vs Cleveland Browns (2-5)- 1:00, FOX: Arizona is coming off a Monday Night home win over the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland is coming off a loss in St. Louis against the Rams. The Cardinals are just the better team here as I can see their defense picking off whoever starts for quarterback for the Browns whether it's Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel since McCown is dealing with a shoulder injury.
Prediction: Arizona 30, Cleveland 20.

San Diego Chargers (2-5) vs Baltimore Ravens (1-6)- 1:00, CBS: San Diego is coming off a disappointing home loss against the Oakland Raiders. Baltimore is coming off yet another close loss from Monday night in Glendale against the Cardinals. This was probably the toughest game to pick this week as I think Philip Rivers puts up big numbers against a bad Raven defense as he leads the Bolts to a road win.
Prediction: San Diego 30, Baltimore 27.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) vs Atlanta Falcons (6-1)- 1:00, FOX: Tampa Bay is coming off a bad loss in Landover against the Redskins in which they were up 24-0 in. Atlanta is coming off a win in Nashville over the Titans in which they didn't look good at all. I like the Falcons to win big here at home over a lowly Bucs team.
Prediction: Atlanta 34, Tampa Bay 17.

New York Giants (4-3) vs New Orleans Saints (3-4)- 1:00, FOX: New York is coming off a big divisional home win over the Tony Romo-less Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans is coming off a big road win in Indianapolis against the Colts, in which they almost blew a 27-0 lead as Indy scored 21 unanswered points. I expect this to be a shootout and for Eli Manning and the Giants to come on top here because they're the better team here.
Prediction: NY Giants 33, New Orleans 27.

Tennessee Titans (1-5) vs Houston Texans (2-5)- 1:00, CBS: Tennessee is coming off a tough loss at home against the Atlanta Falcons. Houston is coming off a disastrous loss in Miami against the Dolphins. The Texans are a mess right now and Marcus Mariota should be back this week for the Titans and their optimistic about it so I'll take them here to snap their five-game losing streak.
Prediction: Tennessee 24, Houston 16.

Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)- 1:00, CBS: Cincinnati is coming off their bye week and two weeks ago they won in Orchard Park against the Bills. Pittsburgh is coming off a loss in Kansas City against the Chiefs, but the good news is that Ben Rothlisberger looks like he'll be back this week. This is a big game in the division but with Rothlisberger potentially back this week, the Steelers will be motivated and they'll hand the Bengals their first loss of the season.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 31, Cincinnati 24.

San Francisco 49ers (2-5) vs St. Louis Rams (3-3)- 1:00, FOX: San Francisco is coming off a disappointing home loss against the Seattle Seahawks. St. Louis is coming off a nice home win over the Cleveland Browns. The Rams defense has been terrific so far this season and expect that to continue against the struggling Colin Kaepernick and the Niners. This may be a bit of a risk but the Rams are my lock of the week.
Prediction: St. Louis 27, San Francisco 16.

New York Jets (4-2) vs Oakland Raiders (3-3)- 4:25, CBS: New York is coming off a tough divisional road loss in Foxboro against the Patriots. Oakland is coming off a huge divisional road win in San Diego against the Chargers. There may be a bit of a letdown for both teams here, but I like the Jets here to bounce back and win.
Prediction: NY Jets 26, Oakland 23.

Seattle Seahawks (3-4) vs Dallas Cowboys (2-4)- 4:25, FOX: Seattle is coming off a huge divisional road win in Santa Clara against the 49ers. Dallas is coming off a divisional road loss at MetLife against the New York Giants. I do think the Cowboys will keep it close here, but the Seahawks defense will make the plays when they have to and send the Boys to their fifth straight loss without Tony Romo.
Prediction: Seattle 27, Dallas 24.

Green Bay Packers (6-0) vs Denver Broncos (6-0)- 8:30, NBC: This is the biggest game of the week and arguably the NFL season so far. Both teams are coming off their byes. Two weeks ago, Green Bay won a close one at home over the San Diego Chargers and Denver won in overtime in Cleveland against the Browns. Yes, I get it, Peyton Manning hasn't been the same guy this season, but I like that Broncos defense to step up against the Packers, who haven't been world beaters on offense the last few weeks. Give me the home team here, who are surprisingly underdogs.
Prediction: Denver 23, Green Bay 20.

Monday, November 2nd
Indianapolis Colts (3-5) vs Carolina Panthers (6-0)- 8:30, ESPN: Indianapolis is coming off a fairly disappointing loss at home against the New Orleans Saints. Carolina is coming off a big Sunday night home win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panthers are the better team here and I expect them to remain unbeaten here and beat a lets face it.... an overrated Colts team.
Prediction: Carolina 30, Indianapolis 17.

2015 College Football Week 9 Picks

Here are my picks for week nine of the 2015 College Football season.

Thursday, October 29th
North Carolina (6-1; 3-0) at (23) Pittsburgh (6-1; 4-0)- 7:00, ESPN: This is a huge game in the ACC Coastal that could very well determine the division. I like Pitt to win this one at home thanks to clutch plays in the fourth quarter, which they've been doing all season long.
Pick: Pittsburgh

West Virginia (3-3; 0-3) at (5) TCU (7-0; 4-0)- 7:30, FS1: The Horned Frogs defense isn't good, so expect the Mountaineers to hang in this one.
Pick: TCU

Western Michigan (4-3; 3-0) at Eastern Michigan (1-7; 0-4)- 7:30, CBSSN
Pick: Western Michigan

Buffalo (3-4; 1-2) at Miami (OH) (1-7; 0-4)- 7:30, ESPN3
Pick: Buffalo

Texas State (2-4; 1-1) at Georgia Southern (5-2; 3-1)- 7:30, ESPNU
Pick: Georgia Southern

Oregon (4-3; 2-2) at Arizona State (4-3; 2-2)- 10:30, ESPN
Pick: Arizona State

Friday, October 30th
Louisville (3-4; 2-2) at Wake Forest (3-5; 1-2)- 7:00, ESPN2
Pick: Louisville

East Carolina (4-4; 2-2) at Connecticut (3-5; 1-3)- 7:00, ESPNU
Pick: East Carolina

Louisiana Tech (5-3; 3-1) at Rice (4-3; 2-1)- 8:00, FS1
Pick: Louisiana Tech

Wyoming (1-7; 1-3) at Utah State (4-3; 3-1)- 10:15, ESPN2
Pick: Utah State

Saturday, October 31st
Western Kentucky (6-2; 4-0) at Old Dominion (3-4; 1-2)- 12:00
Pick: Western Kentucky

UCF (0-8; 0-4) at Cincinnati (4-3; 1-2)- 12:00, ESPNEWS
Pick: Cincinnati

South Florida (4-3; 2-1) at Navy (5-1; 3-0)- 12:00, CBSSN
Pick: Navy

Illinois (4-3; 1-2) at Penn State (6-2; 3-1)- 12:00, ESPN2
Pick: Penn State

Nebraska (3-5; 1-3) at Purdue (1-6; 0-3)- 12:00, ESPNU
Pick: Nebraska

Rutgers (3-4; 1-3) at Wisconsin (6-2; 3-1)- 12:00, BTN
Pick: Wisconsin

(19) Ole Miss (6-2; 3-1) at Auburn (4-3; 1-3)- 12:00, ESPN: This was a tough call but I like the Tigers at home. This is likely one that I may end up regretting, though.
Pick: Auburn

South Carolina (3-4; 1-4) at Texas A&M (5-2; 2-2)- 12:00, SECN
Pick: Texas A&M

Syracuse (3-4; 1-2) at (17) Florida State (6-1; 4-1)- 12:00, ABC
Pick: Florida State

Virginia Tech (3-5; 1-3) at Boston College (3-5; 0-3)- 12:30, ESPN3
Pick: Virginia Tech

Massachusetts (1-6; 0-3) at Ball State (2-6; 1-3)- 1:00, ESPN3
Pick: Ball State

Central Michigan (4-4; 3-1) at Akron (3-4; 1-2)- 2:00, ESPN3
Pick: Central Michigan

UTEP (3-4; 1-2) at Southern Miss (5-3; 3-1)- 2:30, FSN
Pick: Southern Miss

Georgia Tech (3-5; 1-4) at Virginia (2-5; 1-2)- 3:00, ESPN3: I see a letdown here after that big win for the Yellow Jackets. Upset special here.
Pick: Virginia

USC (4-3; 2-2) at California (5-2; 2-2)- 3:00, FOX: The Trojans played great last weekend and the Bears haven't looked good at all lately. USC takes this one on the road.
Pick: USC

Colorado (4-4; 1-3) at (24) UCLA (5-2; 2-2)- 3:00, Pac-12N
Pick: UCLA

(3) Clemson (7-0; 4-0) at NC State (5-2; 1-2)- 3:30, ABC/ESPN2: This should be a good one as the Wolf Pack will keep it closer than the experts think.
Pick: Clemson

Georgia (5-2; 3-2) vs (11) Florida (6-1; 4-1)- 3:30, CBS: This game will be played at EverBank field in Jacksonville. The Gators will have somewhat of a homefield advantage here since the game is still in Florida. The Bulldogs will keep this one close, but the Gators will win.
Pick: Florida

Marshall (6-2; 4-0) at Charlotte (2-5; 0-4)- 3:30
Pick: Marshall

FIU (4-4; 2-2) at Florida Atlantic (1-6; 1-3)- 3:30
Pick: FIU

(14) Oklahoma (6-1; 3-1) at Kansas (0-7; 0-4)- 3:30, FS1
Pick: Oklahoma

(12) Oklahoma State (7-0; 4-0) at Texas Tech (5-3; 2-3)- 3:30, ESPN: Big game here in the Big-12. The Cowboys have are unbeaten and that continues here although the Red Raiders keep it close.
Pick: Oklahoma State

Maryland (2-5; 0-3) at (10) Iowa (7-0; 3-0)- 3:30, ABC/ESPN2
Pick: Iowa

Boise State (6-2; 3-1) at UNLV (2-5; 1-2)- 3:30, ESPNU
Pick: Boise State


San Diego State (5-3; 4-0) at Colorado State (3-4; 1-2)- 3:30, CBSSN
Pick: San Diego State

Troy (2-5; 1-2) at Appalachian State (6-1; 3-0)- 3:30, ESPN3
Pick: Appalachian State

Tulsa (3-4; 0-3) at SMU (1-6; 0-3)- 4:00, ESPNEWS
Pick: Tulsa

Tennessee-Martin (5-2; 4-1) at Arkansas (3-4; 2-2)- 4:00, SECN
Pick: Arkansas

Louisiana-Monroe (1-6; 0-3) at Louisiana-Lafayette (2-4; 1-1)- 5:00, ESPN3
Pick: Louisiana-Lafayette

Georgia State (2-4; 1-1) at Arkansas State (4-3; 3-0)- 7:00, ESPN3
Pick: Arkansas State

Tulane (2-5; 1-3) at (16) Memphis (7-0; 3-0)- 7:00, CBSSN
Pick: Memphis

Oregon State (2-5; 0-4) at (13) Utah (6-1; 3-1)- 7:00, Pac-12N
Pick: Utah

Vanderbilt (3-4; 1-3) at (18) Houston (7-0; 4-0)- 7:00, ESPN2
Pick: Houston

Miami (FL) (4-3; 1-2) at (22) Duke (6-1; 3-0)- 7:00, ESPNU
Pick: Duke

(15) Michigan (5-2; 2-1) at Minnesota (4-3; 1-2)- 7:00, ESPN: Expect the Wolverines to win a close one as they rebound from the heartbreaker against the Spartans.
Pick: Michigan

Texas (3-4; 2-2) at Iowa State (2-5; 1-3)- 7:00, FS1: The Longhorns may have just turned their season around after the debacle against the Horned Frogs from a few weeks back. I like them here to keep it going.
Pick: Texas

UTSA (1-6; 1-2) at North Texas (0-7; 0-4)- 7:00
Pick: UTSA

Tennessee (3-4; 1-3) at Kentucky (4-3; 2-3)- 7:30, SECN
Pick: Kentucky

(9) Notre Dame (6-1) at (21) Temple (7-0; 4-0)- 8:00, ABC: This should be a terrific game that has very big implications of the College Football Playoff. ESPN's College GameDay will be on site for  this one as well. I expect this to be a fun game and I like the Fighting Irish here to get a big road win.
Pick: Notre Dame

Idaho (3-4; 2-2) at New Mexico State (0-7; 0-3)- 8:00, ESPN3
Pick: Idaho


Air Force (4-3; 3-1) at Hawaii (2-6; 0-4)- 10:30, CBSSN
Pick: Air Force

(8) Stanford (6-1; 5-0) at Washington State (5-2; 3-1)- 10:30, ESPN: This may just be the best game of the weekend. Wazzu is home and I'm tempted to pick them here to pull off the upset, but the Cardinal are just the better team here.
Pick: Stanford

Arizona (5-3; 2-3) at Washington (3-4; 1-3)- 11:00, FS1
Pick: Arizona

2015 College Football Week 9 Schedule & Announcers

Here is the schedule for week nine of the College Football season with announcers (if necessary).

10/29- North Carolina at (23) Pittsburgh; 7:00, ESPN: Adam Amin, Kelly Stouffer, Marty Smith
10/29- West Virginia at (5) TCU; 7:30, FS1: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Molly McGrath
10/29- Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan; 7:30, CBSSN: Ben Holden, Jay Feely, John Schriffen
10/29- Buffalo at Miami (OH); 7:30, ESPN3: Jim Barbar & Dustin Fox
10/29- Texas State at Georgia Southern; 7:30, ESPNU: Mark Neely & Jay Walker
10/29- Oregon at Arizona State; 10:30, ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, David Pollack, Kaylee Hartung
10/30- Louisville at Wake Forest; 7:00, ESPN2: Dave Flemming, Mack Brown, Allison Williams
10/30- East Carolina at Connecticut; 7:00, ESPNU: Eamon McAnaney & Rocky Boiman
10/30- Louisiana Tech at Rice; 8:00, FS1: Greg Wolfe & George Wrighster
10/30- Wyoming at Utah State; 10:15, ESPN2: Mike Couzens & Cole Cubelic
10/31- Western Kentucky at Old Dominion; 12:00, FSN: Brendan Burke, Ben Leber, Christian Steckel
10/31- UCF at Cincinnati; 12:00, ESPNEWS: Jim Barbar & Rene Ingoglia
10/31- South Florida at Navy; 12:00, CBSSN: John Sadak, Randy Cross, Sheehan Stanwick Burch
10/31- Illinois at Penn State; 12:00, ESPN2: Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, Paul Carcaterra
10/31- Nebraska at Purdue; 12:00, ESPNU: Anish Shroff & Ahmad Brooks
10/31- Rutgers at Wisconsin; 12:00, BTN: Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
10/31- (19) Ole Miss at Auburn; 12:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Brian Griese, Tom Luginbill
10/31- South Carolina at Texas A&M; 12:00, SECN: Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Laura Rutledge
10/31- Syracuse at (17) Florida State; 12:00, ABC: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Todd McShay
10/31- Virginia Tech at Boston College; 12:30, ESPN3: Tim Brant, Dave Archer, Roddy Jones
10/31- Massachusetts at Ball State; 1:00, ESPN3: Dan Gutowsky & Mark Herrmann
10/31- Central Michigan at Akron; 2:00, ESPN3: Michael Reghi & Jerod Cherry
10/31- UTEP at Southern Miss; 2:30, FSN: Mike Morgan, J.C. Pearson, Steffi Sorensen
10/31- Georgia Tech at Virginia; 3:00, ESPN3: Wes Durham, James Bates, Jenn Hildreth
10/31- USC at California; 3:00, FOX: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Molly McGrath
10/31- Colorado at (24) UCLA; 3:00, Pac-12N: Roxy Bernstein, Glenn Parker, Jill Savage
10/31- (3) Clemson at NC State; 3:30, ABC/ESPN2: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Jerry Punch
10/31- Georgia vs (11) Florida; 3:30, CBS (EverBank Field): Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce
10/31- Marshall at Charlotte; 3:30, FSN: Mark Followill, Brian Baldinger, Lesley McCaslin
10/31- FIU at Florida Atlantic; 3:30, ASN: Jeff McCarragher, Michael Young, Monica McNutt
10/31- (14) Oklahoma at Kansas; 3:30, FS1: Joe Davis, Brady Quinn, Kris Budden
10/31- (12) Oklahoma State at Texas Tech; 3:30, ESPN: Dave Lamont, Ray Bentley, Dawn Davenport
10/31- Maryland at (10) Iowa; 3:30, ABC/ESPN2: Adam Amin, Kelly Stouffer, Olivia Harlan
10/31- Boise State at UNLV; 3:30, ESPNU: Clay Matvick & John Congemi
10/31- San Diego State at Colorado State; 3:30, CBSSN: Carter Blackburn, Aaron Taylor, Jenny Dell
10/31- Troy at Appalachian State; 3:30, ESPN3: Dave Weekley & Al Groh
10/31- Tulsa at SMU; 4:00, ESPNEWS: Jason Benetti & David Diaz-Infante
10/31- Tennessee-Martin at Arkansas; 4:00, SECN: Dave Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Kayce Smith
10/31- Louisiana-Monroe at Louisiana-Lafayette; 5:00, ESPN3: Drew Fellios & Forrest Conoly
10/31- Georgia State at Arkansas State; 7:00, ESPN3: Tiffany Greene & Doug Graber
10/31- Tulane at (16) Memphis; 7:00, CBSSN: Dave Ryan, Jay Feely, Lauren Gardner
10/31- Oregon State at (13) Utah; 7:00, Pac-12N: Kevin Calabro, Yogi Roth, Lewis Johnson
10/31- Vanderbilt at (18) Houston; 7:00, ESPN2: Mark Jones, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich
10/31- Miami (FL) at (22) Duke; 7:00, ESPNU: Allen Bestwick & Dan Hawkins
10/31- (15) Michigan at Minnesota; 7:00, ESPN: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe
10/31- Texas at Iowa State; 7:00, FS1: Tim Brando & Spencer Tillman
10/31- UTSA at North Texas; 7:00, ASN: Ron Thulin & Keith Moreland
10/31- Tennessee at Kentucky; 7:30, SECN: Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer, Maria Taylor
10/31- (9) Notre Dame at (21) Temple; 8:00, ABC: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox
10/31- Idaho at New Mexico State; 8:00, ESPN3: Jeff Siembida & Danny Knee
10/31- Air Force at Hawaii; 10:30, CBSSN: Rich Waltz, Adam Archuleta, Cassie Gallo
10/31- (8) Stanford at Washington State; 10:30, ESPN: Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Shannon Spake
10/31- Arizona at Washington; 11:00, FS1: Jon Anik & Petros Papadakis

2015-16 NBA National TV Schedule

Here is the National TV schedule for the 2015-16 NBA season with announcers.

10/27- Cavaliers vs Bulls; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, David Aldridge
10/27- Pelicans vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Craig Sager
10/28- Spurs vs Thunder; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Doris Burke
10/28- Timberwolves vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Mark Jackson, JA Adande
10/29- Hawks vs Knicks; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Rachel Nichols
10/29- Mavericks vs Clippers; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
10/30- Heat vs Cavaliers; 7:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Hubie Brown
10/30- Warriors vs Rockets; 9:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, Jeff Van Gundy, Chris Broussard
11/4- Knicks vs Cavaliers; 8:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard
11/4- Clippers vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, JA Adande
11/5- Thunder vs Bulls; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Craig Sager
11/5- Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
11/6- Heat vs Pacers; 8:00, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, Jon Barry, JA Adande
11/6- Rockets vs Kings; 10:30, ESPN: Marc Kestecher & Mark Jackson
11/11- Clippers vs Mavericks; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, JA Adande
11/11- Spurs vs Trail Blazers; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Doug Collins, Chris Broussard
11/12- Warriors vs Timberwolves; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Brent Barry, David Aldridge
11/12- Clippers vs Suns; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Rachel Nichols
11/18- Pelicans vs Thunder; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard
11/18- Bulls vs Suns; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Mark Jackson
11/19- Bucks vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Brent Barry, Grant Hill, Craig Sager
11/19- Warriors vs Clippers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Rachel Nichols
11/20- Spurs vs Pelicans; 8:00, ESPN: Marc Kestecher, Jon Barry, Israel Gutierrez
11/20- Bulls vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, Jeff Van Gundy, JA Adande
11/22- Warriors vs Nuggets; 8:00, ESPN: Marc Kestecher, Hubie Brown, JA Adande
11/24- Celtics vs Hawks; 8:00, TNT: Brian Anderson, Reggie Miller, Mike Fratello, Craig Sager
11/24- Lakers vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Grant Hill, Kristen Ledlow
12/3- Thunder vs Heat; 7:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
12/3- Spurs vs Grizzlies; 9:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Brent Barry, Craig Sager
12/4- Nets vs Knicks; 7:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Hubie Brown
12/4- Cavaliers vs Pelicans; 9:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, Doug Collins, Israel Gutierrez
12/9- Bulls vs Celtics; 7:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Jeff Van Gundy
12/9- Hawks vs Mavericks; 9:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco & Hubie Brown
12/10- Clippers vs Bulls; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, David Aldridge
12/10- Knicks vs Kings; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Charles Barkley, Rachel Nichols
12/11- Heat vs Pacers; 7:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Doug Collins
12/11- Lakers vs Spurs; 9:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Israel Gutierrez
12/16- Grizzlies vs Bulls; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Tirico & Hubie Brown
12/16- Suns vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Mark Jones, Mark Jackson, JA Adande
12/17- Thunder vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Craig Sager
12/17- Rockets vs Lakers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Lewis Johnson
12/18- Clippers vs Spurs; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez
12/18- Pelicans vs Suns; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Mark Jackson
12/25- Pelicans vs Heat; 12:30, ESPN: Mark Jones, Kara Lawson, Israel Gutierrez
12/25- Bulls vs Thunder; 2:30, ABC: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard
12/25- Cavaliers vs Warriors; 5:00, ABC: Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Heather Cox
12/25- Spurs vs Rockets; 8:00, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, P.J. Carlesimo, Cassidy Hubbarth
12/25- Clippers vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, JA Adande
1/6- Knicks vs Heat; 7:00, ESPN: Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson
1/6- Grizzlies vs Thunder; 9:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown, Israel Gutierrez
1/7- Celtics vs Bulls; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Lewis Johnson
1/7- Lakers vs Kings; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, David Aldridge
1/8- Cavaliers vs Timberwolves; 8:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Chris Broussard
1/8- Thunder vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, JA Adande
1/13- Pacers vs Celtics; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Hubie Brown
1/13- Heat vs Clippers; 10:30, ESPN: Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson
1/14- Cavaliers vs Spurs; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Craig Sager
1/14- Lakers vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Allie La Force
1/15- Timberwolves vs Thunder; 7:00, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco & Doug Collins
1/15- Cavaliers vs Rockets; 9:30, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez
1/18- Pelicans vs Grizzlies; 2:30, ESPN: Mark Jones, Jon Barry, Cassidy Hubbarth
1/18- Warriors vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
1/18- Rockets vs Clippers; 10:30, TNT: Brian Anderson, Reggie Miller, Kristen Ledlow
1/20- Warriors vs Bulls; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Heather Cox
1/20- Hawks vs Trail Blazers; 10:30, ESPN: Mark Jones & Jon Barry
1/21- Clippers vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Craig Sager
1/21- Spurs vs Suns; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Lewis Johnson
1/22- Heat vs Raptors; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Tirico & Doris Burke
1/22- Pacers vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, JA Adande
1/23- Bulls vs Cavaliers; 8:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
1/27- Rockets vs Spurs; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez
1/27- Mavericks vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, JA Adande
1/28- Knicks vs Raptors; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Kristen Ledlow
1/28- Bulls vs Lakers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, David Aldridge
1/30- Spurs vs Cavaliers; 8:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Heather Cox
1/31- Bulls vs Clippers; 3:30, ABC: Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard
2/3- Warriors vs Wizards; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Doug Collins, Jay Bilas
2/3- Timberwolves vs Clippers; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Jay Williams
2/4- Knicks vs Pistons; 7:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber, Craig Sager
2/4- Lakers vs Pelicans; 9:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Brent Barry, Rosalyn Gold-Owunde
2/5- Pacers vs Hawks; 7:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Hubie Brown
2/5- Spurs vs Mavericks; 9:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Jeff Van Gundy
2/6- Thunder vs Warriors; 9:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
2/7- Clippers vs Heat; 2:00, ABC: Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox
2/9- Spurs vs Heat; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber, Craig Sager
2/9- Rockets vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Brent Barry, Rosalyn Gold-Owunde
2/10- Lakers vs Cavaliers; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Mark Jackson
2/10- Rockets vs Trail Blazers; 10:30, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco & Doug Collins
2/11- Pelicans vs Thunder; 8:00, TNT: Brian Anderson, Mike Fratello, Allie LaForce
2/18- Bulls vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Allie LaForce
2/18- Spurs vs Clippers; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Grant Hill, Stacey Dales
2/19- Pacers vs Thunder; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox
2/19- Celtics vs Jazz; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Jon Barry
2/20- Warriors vs Clippers; 8:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
2/21- Cavaliers vs Thunder; 3:30, ABC: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox
2/21- Lakers vs Bulls; 8:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Jon Barry
2/24- Wizards vs Bulls; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Jon Barry
2/24- Spurs vs Kings; 10:30, ESPN: Mark Jones & Mark Jackson
2/25- Thunder vs Pelicans; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, Craig Sager
2/25- Rockets vs Trail Blazers; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Grant Hill, Stacey Dales
2/26- Bulls vs Hawks; 8:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Doris Burke
2/26- Grizzlies vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Jon Barry
2/27- Warriors vs Thunder; 8:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
3/2- Pistons vs Spurs; 8:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Jeff Van Gundy
3/2- Thunder vs Clippers; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, JA Adande
3/3- Spurs vs Pelicans; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Craig Sager
3/3- Thunder vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Brent Barry, Kristen Ledlow
3/4- Wizards vs Cavaliers; 8:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, Chris Broussard
3/4- Hawks vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Tirico & Hubie Brown
3/5- Rockets vs Bulls; 8:00, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
3/6- Warriors vs Lakers; 3:30, ABC: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox
3/9- Grizzlies vs Celtics; 7:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Jon Barry
3/9- Clippers vs Thunder; 9:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Chris Broussard
3/10- Bulls vs Spurs; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Craig Sager
3/10- Cavaliers vs Lakers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Brent Barry, Ric Bucher
3/12- Thunder vs Spurs; 8:30, ABC: Mike Tirico, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
3/13- Cavaliers vs Clippers; 3:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox
3/14- Pistons vs Wizards; 8:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Doris Burke
3/14- Cavaliers vs Jazz; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, JA Adande
3/16- Thunder vs Celtics; 7:00, ESPN: Ryan Ruocco & Doug Collins
3/16- Clippers vs Rockets; 9:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Hubie Brown
3/19- Warriors vs Spurs; 8:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
3/22- Rockets vs Thunder; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, David Aldridge
3/22- Grizzlies vs Lakers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, Ros Gold-Owunde
3/23- Knicks vs Bulls; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen & Jon Barry
3/23- Clippers vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Dave Pasch & Doug Collins
3/29- Rockets vs Cavaliers; 8:00, TNT: Spero Dedes, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
3/29- Wizards vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Brent Barry, Craig Sager
3/31- Bulls vs Rockets; 7:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Craig Sager
3/31- Clippers vs Thunder; 9:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Stacey Dales
4/1- Cavaliers vs Hawks; 8:00, ESPN: Mark Jones, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard
4/1- Celtics vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Barry, JA Adande
4/3- Thunder vs Rockets; 3:30, ABC: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
4/5- Pistons vs Heat; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Kevin McHale, David Aldridge
4/5- Timberwolves vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Lewis Johnson
4/6- Cavaliers vs Pacers; 7:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Doug Collins, Doris Burke
4/6- Rockets vs Mavericks; 9:30, ESPN: Mike Breen & Jeff Van Gundy
4/7- Bulls vs Heat; 8:00, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, Craig Sager
4/7- Spurs vs Warriors; 10:30, TNT: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, Lewis Johnson
4/9- Warriors vs Grizzlies; 8:00, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Doris Burke
4/9- Cavaliers vs Bulls; 8:30, ABC: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Lisa Salters
4/12- Thunder vs Spurs; 8:00, TNT: Marv Albert, Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Lewis Johnson
4/12- Grizzlies vs Clippers; 10:30, TNT: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, David Aldridge
4/13- Heat vs Celtics; 8:00, ESPN: Mark Jones & Jon Barry
4/13- Grizzlies vs Warriors; 10:30, ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Doris Burke
4/13- Jazz vs Lakers; 10:30, ESPN2: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Lisa Salters

Candidates to replace George O'Leary as UCF head coach

Today, it was announced that George O'Leary will retire effective immediately. UCF is an ugly 0-7 on the season. Here are some candidates to replace O'Leary as UCF head coach.

1. Jeff Brohm, Head Coach, Western Kentucky
2. Kirby Smart, Defensive Coordinator, Alabama
3. Geoff Collins, Defensive Coordinator, Florida
4. DJ Durkin, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan
5. Mario Cristobal, Offensive Line Coach, Alabama

Candidates to replace Al Golden as Miami head coach

Today, it was announced that the "U" had fired head football coach Al Golden after the worst loss in school history against Clemson. Here are some candidates to replace Golden as Miami head coach.

1. Mario Cristobal, Offensive Line Coach, Alabama
2. Rob Chudzinski, Associate Head Coach, Indianapolis Colts
3. Dana Holgersen, Head Coach, West Virginia
4. Greg Schiano, Former Rutgers/Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach
5. Doc Holliday, Head Coach, Marshall
6. Winston Moss, Assistant Head Coach, Green Bay Packers
7. Butch Davis, Former Miami/North Carolina Head Coach
8. Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach, Arizona
9. Jeff Brohm, Head Coach, Western Kentucky
10. Tom Herman, Head Coach, Houston
11. Justin Fuente, Head Coach, Memphis
12. Tommy Tuberville, Head Coach, Cincinnati
13. Larry Fedora, Head Coach, North Carolina
14. Frank Wilson, Associate Head Coach, LSU
15. Mark Richt, Head Coach, Georgia
16. Lane Kiffin, Offensive Coordinator, Alabama

2015 World Series Prediction

Here is my prediction for the 2015 World Series.

(A1) Kansas City Royals vs (N3) New York Mets: This should be a fun matchup as these two teams like to end championship droughts that last into the 1980's. The Royals have played to their identity by putting the ball in play and creating ways to manufacture runs. The Mets have road their hot pitching and the bat of NLCS MVP Daniel Murphy, who has homered in six (!!) straight games, to the Fall Classic. Both teams offenses have been solid throughout the playoffs led by the likes of Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, and ALCS MVP Alcedes Escobar for the Royals and Murphy, David Wright, and Yoenis Cespedes for the Mets, who hurt his shoulder in the game four clincher in Chicago. Cespedes should be ready to go for Tuesday, though. The Mets have the clear starting pitching edge, here with Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Steven Matz in line to start. The Royals starting pitching has been good enough for them to win two series's with Johnny Cueto, Yordano Ventura and Edinson Volquez with Chris Young giving them a good start too. The Royals have the bullpen edge with closer Wade Davis, Ryan Madson, and Kelvin Herrera. The Mets bullpen has been great too led by closer Jeurys Familia, Tyler Clippard, and Bartolo Colon. This should be a very fun and well played series, but it like the Mets to take this one behind their great pitching to win their first World Series title since 1986.
Prediction: Mets in six games.

World Series MVP Pick: Jeurys Familia.

2015-16 NBA Awards Predictions

Here are my NBA Awards predictions for the 2015-16 season.

MVP- Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder: Durant is back from his broken foot injury, but considering him coming off an injury, this is a risky pick. Durant is in a contract year and he'll be motivated this season as the Thunder look to do big things this season.
Runner up: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers.

Defensive Player of the Year- Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans: Davis is just an amazing player on both ends and you can argue he's the leagues best player right now. His defense has improved year after year and expect him to lead or be near the top in more defensive categories. I wouldn't be surprised if he took home MVP honors this season too.
Runner up: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs.

Most Improved Player- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards: Beal is a rising star in this league and he'll show it this season. He should improve on both sides this season as he shown some flashes in the playoffs last season as well.
Runner up: Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons.

Sixth Man of the Year- Jason Terry, Houston Rockets: Terry was a terrific pickup by the Rockets last season and he did a nice job off the bench and starting (when injuries came up). I expect him to have a nice impact for Houston once again.
Runner up: Andre Igoudala, Golden State Warriors.

Rookie of the Year- Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves: Towns was the first overall pick in the draft last summer and he'll show it this season. Kevin Garnett will be mentoring Towns and that will be a bonus. This should be a close race all season.
Runner up: Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers.

Coach of the Year- Quinn Snyder, Utah Jazz: Snyder did a nice job with the Jazz last season despite only winning 38 games. I had picked the Jazz to make the playoffs as the 8-seed in the West and if that happens, Snyder will get a lot of credit.
Runner up: Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder.

Executive of the Year- RC Buford, San Antonio Spurs: Buford is the best executive in the NBA. Gregg Popovich deserves credit too since he's the President of Basketball Operations. The team signed LaMarcus Aldridge, extended Kawhi Leonard, and re-signed Danny Green in the offseason and it will pay big dividends if it results in a championship as I predicted.
Runner up: David Griffin, Cleveland Cavaliers.

2015-16 NBA Predictions

Here are my predictions for the 2015-16 NBA season.

Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (55-27)- There is no doubt that the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James is still the best player on the planet and this team (when healthy) is arguably his best team he's going to be on. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are still recovering from their injuries they suffered in the playoffs, but are supposed to participate in training camp although they won't be ready to start the season. Iman Shumpert had wrist surgery and is out for the first two months of the season. Role players such as JR Smith, Timofey Mozgov, and Matthew Dellavedova will help out while three of their five starters are out with injuries. Tristian Thompson signed his contract extension and that's great for the Cavs because he's a key piece for them. Despite the team being banged up right now, they'll be healthy come later in the season and expect another big run from this team.

2. Chicago Bulls (50-32)- Out of town is Tom Thibodeau and in town is Fred Hoiberg. This team remains the same as last year pretty much. Derrick Rose fractured his left orbital during training camp and this is hope he'll be ready for the season opener. Jimmy Butler played like a franchise player last season and ran away with most improved honors last season by emerging as a great two-way player. Mike Dunleavy is also a quality two-way wing player as well. The front court is stacked but there are two declining players in Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic are great options for the Bulls as well. Two of those four Bulls bigs I mentioned will come off the bench and there is talk that Noah may come off the bench, so that's interesting to watch. Tony Snell is a nice perimeter guy that will come off the bench and play with the second unit. Aaron Brooks is a quality back up point guard that will help them off the bench and will probably start if Rose misses games throughout the season. This team should be a bit more healthier and Butler is poised for another big year, so expect them to do some damage in the East this season.

3. Miami Heat (47-35)- Miami is perhaps the biggest wild card in the league this season in terms of health and how far they can go this season. Dwayne Wade is getting older, but he's still a very good player when healthy. Groan Dragic re-signed with the team in free agency after the team traded for him. Chris Bosh is back from his blood clot incident. Hassan Whiteside wants to prove last season was no fluke for him. Luol Deng opted in his contract so he's still around. Those five players I just listed are their starting five. That may be the best starting five in the East. Their bench is also pretty good too with guys like lottery pick Justice Winslow, Chris Andersen, Amar'e Stoudemire, Gerald Green, and Mario Chalmers. It will be interesting to see how this season plays out for Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra and it they will certainly be a tough out this season.

4. Atlanta Hawks (47-35)- Atlanta was definitely the most surprising team in the NBA last season after finishing with the East's best record. Mike Budenholzer is among the leagues best coaches and he gets a lot out of his players. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroeder are a good point guard duo. Thabo Sefolosha is recovering from his leg injury that he suffered in that ugly incident last spring. Kyle Korver is still around and he's among the best three-point shooters in the league. DeMarre Carroll signed with Toronto this offseason and he will be missed. The Hawks have a great frontcourt with Paul Milsap, Al Horford, and Tiago Splitter will join them this season after being traded from San Antonio. The bench consists of Schroeder, Splitter, and Tim Hardaway Jr, who came over in a trade from New York. This is still a good basketball team, but it won't replicate it's success from last season.

5. Washington Wizards (46-36)- Washington has been a solid team in the East over the last two seasons and it should continue this season. John Wall is arguably a top-five point guard in the league right now. Bradley Beal should continue to improve his game this season. Paul Pierce will be missed on this team, but Jared Dudley isn't a bad option to replace Pierce and Otto Porter Jr showed some signs of improvement in the playoffs last season. Their front court has aging guys in Nene and Marcin Gortat, but their still quality players who can get the job done. The bench isn't to shabby either with guys like Porter, Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair, Ramon Sessions, and Alan Anderson. This should be a fun team to watch, but if they don't perform to expectations, Randy Wittman may get axed.

6. Toronto Raptors (46-36)- Toronto is a very interesting team to watch this season because they were a tail of two teams last season. They got off to a terrific start last season and than they faltered at the end, which led for them to be swept in the first round last season. Kyle Lowry is a good point guard. DeMar DeRozan is a pretty good player as well. Terrence Ross hasn't lived up to expectations thus far in his career. DeMarre Carroll will help them on both ends. The Raps will miss Amir Johnson as he left for Boston in free agency. Jonas Valančiūnas should improve this season as well. They will also miss Geravis Vasquez, who they traded over to Milwaukee in the offseason. Their bench got weaker since they lost Johnson, Vasquez, and Lou Williams in the offseason although Luis Scola, Bismack Byambo, and Cory Joseph are solid additions to their bench. I do think this is a playoff team still, but the pressure is on Dwayne Casey this season and he may get a pink slip if they don't live up to expectations, either.

7. Milwaukee Bucks (45-37)- Jason Kidd's squad was also one of the more surprising teams last season by making the playoffs and pushing the Chicago Bulls to six games in the first round. This squad is very intriguing this season as well. Greg Monroe gives the Bucks much needed scoring in the post although he's a liability defensively. Jabari Parker returns after tearing his ACL last season and he should be a scoring threat. One of the more intriguing young players in the league is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who Kidd may use at all five positions. Khris Middleton has emerged as one of the more underrated two-way players in the game. Michael-Carter Williams can't really shoot, so it would be interesting how they use him. Geravis Vasquez was a good pickup and he should help them off the bench. John Henson, Chris Copeland, and OJ Mayo are also solid bench options. I probably should have them higher than this, but I think a slow start is possibly in the cards here.

8. Indiana Pacers (44-38)- Frank Vogel's squad went through a pretty big overhaul during the offseason. Paul George is back from his bad leg injury and the Pacers want to start him at power forward since they want to be a small ball team. Jordan Hill and lottery pick Miles Turner are the options at the center spot and they'll start one of those players as Roy Hibbert was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. David West also left this offseason as a free agent as he signed with the San Antonio Spurs. Monta Ellis joined this team as a free agent and it gives the Pacers another scoring option to go with George. Chase Buddinger is likely a starter on this team as well. George Hill is still around as the starting point guard. Solomon Hill, Rodney Stuckey, and Ian Mahinmi are viable bench options as well. Vogel gets a lot out of his players year after year and a healthy George should lead this team to the postseason.

9. Detroit Pistons (40-42)- Detroit is an interesting team coming into the season. I don't think the loss of Greg Monroe will hurt them very much because they have Andre Drummond, who's a quality big man with a lot of potential. Ersan İlyasova is the new starting power forward after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks and he's not a bad option. Lottery pick Stanley Johnson has shown potential in the preseason and he should help them now and long term. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a lottery pick a few years back and he should be better going forward. Reggie Jackson is back and he was overpaid over the summer and now he has to prove he's worth the money. Brandon Jennings is still recovering from his torn ACL from last winter and likely won't be back until December. The bench is pretty solid too with guys like Marcus Morris, Danny Granger, and Aaron Baynes. Jennings will likely come off the bench when he comes back from injury too. Expect Stan Van Gundy's club to be better than last season, but to fall short of the playoffs.

10. Boston Celtics (37-45)- Brad Stevens is a top-five coach in this league and he gets a lot out of his players. Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas are a nice point guard duo. Avery Bradley has quietly improved year after year. Jae Crowder was a nice pickup for the team that came in the Rajon Rondo trade last season. Amir Johnson and David Lee were nice offseason pickups for the C's as well. Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger are still around and that gives Boston nice front court depth. Perry Jones was picked up in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and he has a lot to prove. James Young should see more playing time this season as well. I do not think last seasons run was that much of a fluke, but I feel that some of the competition has passed them by.

11. New York Knicks (35-47)- Coming off their worst season in franchise history, Phil Jackson had the cap space to overhaul his team and he did just that. They may not have landed the big fish, but they added some nice players and drafted pretty well. Lottery pick Kristaps Prozingis probably won't contribute much this season and probably won't peak for another two-three years. Jerian Grant was another nice pickup as they traded Tim Hardaway Jr for Grant's rights at the draft. Jose Calderon will likely start at point guard though. Aaron Afflalo and Robin Lopez were solid offseason pickups and will help. Most importantly, Carmelo Anthony returns from his knee injury and he's looked like himself in limited preseason action. The Knicks bench will consist of guys like Kyle O'Quinn, Derrick Williams, Kevin Seraphin, Langston Galloway, and Cleanthony Early. Derek Fisher is still an unknown as a coach since the Knicks tanked last season so that's something to watch. A return to the playoffs can't be ruled out entirely, but like I said about the Celtics, the competition is better now.

12. Charlotte Hornets (33-49)- Charlotte was one of the more disappointing teams in the league last season as many experts thought they were a playoff lock last season. The Lance Stephenson experiment was an utter disaster as he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Spencer Hawes. Nic Batum is in town now after being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is likely out for the season with a shoulder injury. Al Jefferson is one of the better centers in the league and he should have a good season. Kemba Walker is a solid point guard and Jeremy Lin is in town to back him up. Jeremy Lamb is in town now and he has something to prove. Lottery pick Frank Kaminsky should have a nice impact as well. The Kidd-Gilchrist injury will cost Charlotte a few wins, but they probably would still fall short if he were healthy too. The pressure is on Steve Clifford to get back to the playoffs this season or else he may be axed.

13. Brooklyn Nets (32-50)- Brooklyn has been a solid basketball team the last few years, but I think we see a drop off this season. Deron Williams was a massive disappointment with the Nets in his tenure and they bought him out over the summer and he signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Brook Lopez and Thad Young re-signed with the team in the offseason and they helped them to the playoffs last season. Jarrett Jack is now the starting point guard now that Williams is gone. Bogan Bogdanovic was good for them last season and he should start for them. Joe Johnson is still in town, but he's a likely trade candidate since he's on an expiring contract. Former Knicks Shane Larkin and Andrea Bargnani had their moments last season on a bad team, so it should be interesting to see how they fit on this team. Mason Plumlee was traded on draft night to the Portland Trail Blazers for the rights of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who should be an interesting part of what Brooklyn tries to do. Lionel Hollins is a solid coach, but his roster has gotten a lot worse (and the team will miss Williams, Plumlee, and Alan Anderson) while the competition has improved.

14. Orlando Magic (30-52)- Orlando is a very interesting team to watch with a nice young nucleus in place for new head coach Scott Skyles. Elfrid Payton was pretty solid last season as a rookie at the point. Victor Oladipo has a lot of upside and he should have another good season. Lottery pick Mario Hezonja is an intriguing player who should have a nice impact on the team. Tobias Harris re-signed with the team and he is a good scoring option. Aaron Gordon has a lot to prove in his second season as well. Nikola Vucevic has improved the last few years and his improvement has shown that Orlando may have won that Dwight Howard trade. The bench is actually pretty solid with guys like CJ Watson, Channing Frye, Evan Fournier and Jason Smith. The Magic will be a lot better this season, but the win-loss record won't show it.

15. Philadelphia 76ers (18-64)- Philadelphia is flat out awful and for the third straight season, they will be the worst team in the NBA. They did actually make a good draft selection with lottery pick Jhalil Okafor, who will be a candidate for Rookie of the Year and will be a franchise player in the future. Nerlens Noel pairs with Okafor in the front court and is coming off a fine rookie season. The starting back court will be Tony Wroten and Nik Stauskas. Jerami Grant will probably be starting at the small forward position. Joel Embiid is possibly becoming a draft bust by not playing at all due to injuries. I feel sorry for Brett Brown, who has his players play hard for the most part, but just aren't talented. Expect Philadelphia to have the worst record in the NBA this season.

Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors (60-22)- The defending champs should absolutely be considered to be the favorites to repeat as NBA Champions, but Vegas disagrees. I don't care what Vegas thinks. Steve Kerr is arguably the leagues second best coach already. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry is arguably the best point guard in the NBA right now. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green improved big time last season. Andrew Bogut is dealing with a broken nose, but he should be fine soon. Harrison Barnes also improved last season. Reigning Finals MVP Andre Igoudala is a great sixth man off the bench. The rest of the bench is pretty darn good with guys like Shaun Livingston, Festus Ezeli, Marreese Speights, and Leonardo Barbosa. This team is amazing and it would be no shock if they repeat as champs although it maybe harder this time around.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)- People better lookout because the Thunder are back and healthy. Out of town is Scott Brooks and replacing him is Billy Donovan. Kevin Durant is back from his foot injuries and he's looked like himself in preseason play. Russell Westbrook is awesome as well and he's poised for a big year as well as Durant, who's in a contract year. Serge Ibaka should also be healthy and ready to go this season as well. The depth on this Thunder team is pretty solid with guys like Kyle Singler, Enes Kanter (although he's a defensive liability), Steven Adams, and Anthony Morrow. Dion Waiters is one of the leagues more polarizing players who hasn't lived up to his high draft selection since Cleveland drafted him. Andre Roberson will likely start the season as the starting
P shooting guard, but I'm sure Sam Presti will make a deadline acquisition to try to upgrade the position. Like I said, the Thunder will be back in the playoffs and it shouldn't be a surprise if they hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy come June.

3. Los Angeles Clippers (57-25)- This could be the best team in Clippers franchise history. Doc Rivers is still a great head coach and he has a lot to work with. Chris Paul is still one of the leagues elite point guards. Blake Griffin is getting better every single year. DeAndre Jordan is back after agreeing to sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Paul, Griffin, and Jordan all made an All-NBA team last season. JJ Redick is one of the more underrated players in this league. Paul Pierce is in town now and is reunited with Rivers. Lance Stephenson was acquired in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets after a disastrous season last year. Josh Smith should be a nice fit on this team as well. Jamal Crawford brings instant offense all the time and he should be among the best sixth man in the league. The depth is a lot better as well with guys like Smith, Crawford, Pablo Prigioni, Wesley Johnson, Glen Davis and Cole Aldrich. This team can absolutely make the finals, but we shall see how the new additions play out first.

4. San Antonio Spurs (57-25)- San Antonio probably had the best offseason of any team (and they usually do). LaMarcus Aldridge joins Tim Duncan and Boris Diaw in a great front court rotation with Diaw coming off the bench. David West joined the team in the offseason and took a significant pay cut to do so and will come off the bench as well. Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard re-upped with the Spurs in the offseason and there a terrific wing duo on the perimeter and Leonard is quietly making his way into the conversation of whether he's a top-ten player in the league and I believe he is making his case. There is some chatter that Tony Parker is declining, but I need to see it to believe it. The bench is solid with West, Diaw, Patty Mills, and Manu Ginobili. Gregg Popovich is the leagues best coach and yet another championship could very well be in the cards.

5. Houston Rockets (55-27)- Houston is coming off a surprising appearance in the Western Conference Finals and their looking to build off that (don't forget some of their players were injured during the playoffs last spring). James Harden looks to build off his MVP caliber season. Ty Lawson comes over in a trade with the Denver Nuggets and he joins Harden in the backcourt. Trevor Ariza is a fine two-way player who fit right in with the Rockets last season and he should be good again this season. It's usually a mystery at who starts at the power forward position for the Rockets whether it's Donatas Motiejūnas or Terrence Jones. Dwight Howard may not be the same guy he was when he was with Orlando, but he still can give you double-doubles on a nightly basis. The Rockets bench is pretty solid with guys like Corey Brewer, Patrick Beverley, and Jason Terry. Expect the Rockets to be contenders and a tough out in the West yet again.

6. Memphis Grizzlies (54-28)- Memphis has been in the mix in the West the last few seasons know and expect that to continue. Marc Gasol re-signed with the team in the offseason and he and Zach Randolph are still a big part of their "Grit-N-Grind" identity. Mike Conley is one of the more underrated point guards in this league. The Grizzlies have always had different starting wings and right now they are slated to be Courtney Lee and Jeff Green, who aren't bad options. The bench is pretty solid with guys like Beno Udrih, Tony Allen, Matt Barnes, and Vince Carter. Dave Joerger is an underrated coach in this league and he's done a great job the last two seasons. Expect Memphis to be a force to be wrecked with once again this season.

7. New Orleans Pelicans (47-35)- New Orleans is poised to take the next step after making the playoffs last season only to be swept against the defending champs. Anthony Davis is only going to get better and will supplant LeBron James some point as the leagues best player (if he didn't already yet). Jrue Holiday looks to be healthy and ready to go, but Tyreke Evans is not. Evans is out for about two months since he had knee surgery. Eric Gordon is coming off a solid season from a year ago. Omer Asik's production has declined last season so that's a bit of a concern. Ryan Andersen is always a threat from three-point range and he's a great sixth man off the bench. Quincy Pondexter was a great pickup in a midseason trade last season, but now he's dealing with knee injury and expects to be ready for the season. Norris Cole, also a midseason pickup from last season is dealing with a sprained knee. The injury bug may hit this team early on in the season, but Davis is good enough to carry them early on before everyone is back and healthy.

8. Utah Jazz (45-37)- Utah is a trendy pick to be the eighth seed and they deserve to be. They were one of the better teams in the NBA after the All-Star break last season and I believe they build on that. Rudy Gobert will be a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year this season. Derrick Favors is one of the more underrated players at his position. Gordon Hayward improved last season after a down season in 2013-14. Alec Burks is a nice player who shown improvement last season. Trey Burke will likely start the season at the point now that Dante Exum is out for the season with a torn ACL. The bench isn't too shabby either with guys like Elijah Milsap, Rodney Hood, and Trevor Booker. Expect the Jazz to take the West's final playoff spot.

9. Phoenix Suns (41-41)- Phoenix is also an interesting team to watch this season. They surprisingly were a finalist to sign LaMarcus Aldridge, but ultimately didn't sign him and signed Tyson Chandler instead, who will help them big time and give them rim protection. Markieff Morris and TJ Warren probably will start at the forward positions. The backcourt duo of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight will be interesting to see how it plays out for a full season. The bench is pretty solid this season with guys like PJ Tucker, Alex Len, Archie Goodwin, and Mirza Teletovic. The Suns can't be ruled out for the playoffs but I think they fall short.

10. Dallas Mavericks (35-47)- Dallas is somewhat of an interesting team this season as they seem to be heading in the wrong direction. Everyone knows about the DeAndre Jordan fiasco by now and instead they ended up signing Sam Dalembert, Zaza Pachulia, and JaVale McGee? Those players are no where as good as Jordan and Dalembert, who was horrible last season on the Knicks will probably be the starter. Dirk Nowitzki is still around, but his game is clearly declining. Chandler Parsons was is coming off knee surgery and he may not be ready for the season. Wesley Matthews coming off a torn ACL and he probably won't be the same player for a while. Deron Williams replaces the disaster that was Rajon Rondo at the point and Williams has been dealing with injuries this preseason as well. The bench is not very good either and that features guys like McGee, Pachulia, JJ Barea, Devin Harris, Ray Felton, and Charlie Villanueva. I feel sorry for Rick Carlisle and it wouldn't be shocking if he pulled a Jim Harbaugh and left after a disappointing season.

11. Sacramento Kings (33-49)- Sacramento is a very intriguing team this season. DeMarcus Cousins has proven to be a franchise player the last few seasons. Willie-Cauley Stein was an interesting selection for the Kings in the draft and he'll likely start at power forward. Rudy Gay is still around and he's a good scorer. Ben McLemore has shown some improvement last season and I think he'll improve more this season. Rajon Rondo is in town now and I have no idea how that will play out because he was a mess in Dallas last season after being traded from Boston. The bench improved over the offseason and it features guys like Marco Belinelli, Kosta Koufos, Darren Collison, and Caron Butler. George Karl is a very good head coach and it's well documented about him and Cousins possibly not getting along. A playoff appearance can't be ruled out entirely but I don't see it because of the rumored turmoil going on and the Western Conference just being too good.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-52)- Minnesota is a team that's quietly on the rise. Karl-Anthony Towns was the first pick in the draft last summer and he'll be a Rookie of the Year candidate. Andrew Wiggins was terrific last season and taking home Rookie of the Year honors as well and I expect him to be even better this season. Ricky Rubio is still in town and he should be pretty good. Zach LaVine has shown he can be good but he needs to be more consistent. Kevin Garnett is back for another season and that's a good thing from a leadership standpoint and he'll be a great mentor to these young players. Kevin Martin is still in town, but he's a possible trade bait. Nikola Pekovic is a great offensive center and he could be trade bait as well. Gorgui Dieng is a nice player who has shown potential the last few seasons. Flip Saunders is a solid head coach, but he's dealing with cancer and hopefully he'll get better soon as Sam Mitchell will be the interim head coach. The Wolves will show improvement, but the record won't show it.

13. Los Angeles Lakers (28-54)- The Lakers look to be better than the last two seasons and we shall see. D'Angelo Russell was selected with the second overall pick in the draft and he has struggled in the preseason, but he should be good down the road. Julius Randle is back after suffering a broken leg  in last seasons opener and it will be interesting to see how he plays. Roy Hibbert comes over in a trade with the Indiana Pacers and he will bring rim protection. Jordan Clarkson was great as a rookie last season and he should build off of it. And most importantly, Kobe Bryant is back for another season and it's possible that he may retire after the season. The bench is OK with guys like Lou Williams, Nick Young, and Brandon Bass. This team can score, but the defense without Hibbert on the floor will be a mess. Byron Scott has a lot of work to cut out for him if this team wants to make some noise in the West.

14. Portland Trail Blazers (27-55)- This team absolutely fell apart over the offseason. LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Nic Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Aaron Afflalo are all gone. Damian Lillard is the only starter from last season that's still on the team after signing a mega contract extension during the offseason. The rest of the starting lineup will likely consist of CJ McCollum, Mo Harkless, Ed Davis, and Mason Plumlee. That's a drop off from Matthews, Batum, Aldridge, and Lopez. The rest of the roster consists of guys like Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Chris Kaman. This team is going to be terrible, but Lillard will put up his stats.

15. Denver Nuggets (25-57)- Denver is a weird team coming into this season. They traded away Ty Lawson than drafted Emmanuel Mudiay, who looked terrific in the preseason and is a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler are still around and there's a chance those guys are traded this season. Jusuf Nurkic showed potential last season and he should be better this season. The bench is OK with guys like Darrell Arthur, Randy Foye, Mike Miller, and Jameer Nelson. Mike Malone is the new head coach and he has a lot of work to cut out from this roster. There's a chance a fire sale is coming and the Lawson trade may just be the start of it.

- 2016 NBA Playoffs

Quarterfinals
(E1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (E8) Indiana Pacers: Paul George will give LeBron James and the Cavs a fight, but the depth on the Pacers won't be enough.
Prediction: Cavaliers in five games.

(E2) Chicago Bulls vs (E7) Milwaukee Bucks: Jason Kidd's squad will put up a fight yet again but the Bulls pull this one out.
Prediction: Bulls in six games.

(E3) Miami Heat vs (E6) Toronto Raptors: This should be a fun series between these two teams. I like the Heat in this one lead by their great starting lineup over a Raptors team that may not be great.
Prediction: Heat in six games.

(E4) Atlanta Hawks vs (E5) Washington Wizards: Here's a rematch of the second round matchup from last season. The Wizards probably should have won that series last season and I think they pull it off here behind John Wall.
Prediction: Wizards in six games.

(W1) Golden State Warriors vs (W8) Utah Jazz: The Jazz are a team on the rise, but the Warriors will still take this one in a short series.
Prediction: Warriors in four games.

(W2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (W7) New Orleans Pelicans: This should be a fun series as Anthony Davis will give a motivated Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook a scare.
Prediction: Thunder in six games.

(W3) Los Angeles Clippers vs (W6) Memphis Grizzlies: These two teams have had great playoff series's against each other in the past and it should be the case here. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will lead the Clippers to the second round in a classic.
Prediction: Clippers in seven games.

(W4) San Antonio Spurs vs (W5) Houston Rockets: This should be a classic as well. The Spurs are built for the playoffs and they'll take the series behind Kawhi Leonard defending James Harden pretty darn well.
Prediction: Spurs in seven games.

Semi-Finals
(E1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (E5) Washington Wizards: This should be a fun series. The Wiz should make this interesting, but LeBron and Company will prevail.
Prediction: Cavaliers in six games.

(E2) Chicago Bulls vs (E3) Miami Heat: This series screams classic! I love it but home court advantage will be the difference here as the Bulls will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Prediction: Bulls in seven games.

(W1) Golden State Warriors vs (W4) San Antonio Spurs: These teams met in the playoffs in 2013 and the Warriors were up at the time. This series will be great but the Spurs will pull it out this time as they seem to have the Warriors number.
Prediction: Spurs in six games.

(W2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (W3) Los Angeles Clippers: This is a rematch from two years ago's semi-finals. The Clippers get their revenge here as they advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.
Prediction: Clippers in six games.

Conference Finals
(E1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (E2) Chicago Bulls: Here's a rematch of the Semi's from last season. Let's hope everyone is healthy though. This should be a good one as LeBron leads the Cavs to their second straight finals.
Prediction: Cavaliers in seven games.

(W3) Los Angeles Clippers vs (W4) San Antonio Spurs: Here's a rematch of last seasons first round classic. Expect another classic, but the Spurs will advance to their third finals in four seasons.
Prediction: Spurs in seven games.

2016 NBA Finals
(E1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (W4) San Antonio Spurs: This would be an epic matchup. I see this similar to the finals between LeBron's Heat and the Spurs from 2013. The Spurs would have homecourt here because they would have the better regular season record. Like I said, this would be a classic, but the Spurs lead by the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and 2014 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard will win their sixth title in franchise history.
Prediction: Spurs in seven games.

Candidates to replace Don Mattingly as Dodgers manager

Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Don Mattingly parted ways. This should come as no surprise as the Dodgers analytic happy front office can hire it's own manager. Here are some candidates to replace Mattingly as Dodgers manager.

1. Dave Martinez, Bench Coach, Chicago Cubs
2. Gabe Kapler, Director of Player Development, Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Bud Black, Former San Diego Padres Manager
4. Tim Wallach, Bench Coach, Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Ron Roenicke, Former Milwaukee Brewers Manager
6. Dusty Baker, Former Cincinnati Reds Manager
7. Cal Ripken, Analyst, TBS
8. Tim Bogar, Special Assistant, Los Angeles Angels
9. Bo Porter, Former Houston Astros Manager
10. Bruce Bochy, Manager, San Francisco Giants