this snatch will be undergoing some plastic surgery

hang tight while we re-vamp our sagging site

SnatchSPORTS moving to Big East

Come visit our Big East Basketball Blog at www.therealsweetsixteen.wordpress.com!

 

The Real Sweet Sixteen, a blog dedicated exclusively to Big East Men’s Basketball, will make its debut on Monday, September 21st.

The Real Sweet Sixteen will be covering the in’s and out’s of the finest basketball conference in America. We’ll hit Big East recruiting, matchups, headlines, and everything in between.

As for us, the guys behind the blog, we have strong opinions and are not afraid to say what we feel. If we don’t like a coaching decision or a player’s attitude, we’ll tell you so. We do not hold any specific rooting interests, so there won’t be any hidden agendas or bias (although in the interest of full disclosure, we do have a Rutgers alum in our ranks). First and foremost though, we are fans of college basketball, and the Big East provides the best in the country. We also welcome feedback (both positive and negative) on anything we write.

Check back on Monday for our first post, where we rank the conference’s incoming recruiting classes from 1 to 16. And get ready…the college basketball season is only two months away!

2009-2010 English Premier League Preview

The newest edition of the most popular league in the world, the English Premier League, kicks off on Saturday and things could be truly shaking up for the first time in awhile.  Manchester United and Chelsea have been dominating the league the last couple seasons, but with United selling Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Chelsea starting to get older, this might be the year things get a little different.  Here is my prediction with how things will end up.

Finally, Vick Signs with Eagles

Michael Vick is back in the NFL.

According to ESPN.com, Michael Vick has signed a 2-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

NFL Preview: Miami Dolphins

2009 Miami Dolphins

Offense: Chad Pennington helped turn the franchise’s fortunes around last year, leading them to a division title. Miami’s ‘Wildcat’ formation revolutionized the game, and it appears that it could be even more dangerous this year with former West Virginia QB Pat White joining the mix. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams split time in the backfield in ‘08, with Brown especially thriving in the Wildcat. I expect Brown to take on even more of the load this year, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him put up around 1,200 yards on the ground in ‘09. The receiving group is very young, but they have the talent to be effective. Ted Ginn and Greg Camarillo are gonna get the majority of the looks, but guys like Davone Bess, Ernest Wilford, and TE Anthony Fasano are gonna see their share as well. Overall, the Fins offense won’t be explosive, but they will show some flashes of brilliance, and they might even add a few new wrinkles that you haven’t seen before.

Lou Holtz Running For Congress

The former Notre Dame coach and current ESPN college football analyst is turning his attention to running for Congress. Apparently, Holtz has talked to Republican representatives in Florida about challenging incumbent Suzanne Kosmas (D). This according to a story in the Orlando Sentinel.

NFL Preview: San Diego Chargers

2009 San Diego Chargers

Offense: San Diego has one of the better offenses in the AFC when their playmakers are healthy. It was apparent that LaDainian Tomlinson wasn’t at full strength last year, and he had his worst year statistically. He’ll regain some momentum this season. Backup running back Darren Sproles will be counted on more this year to take the load off LT. A big question mark is Philip Rivers’ number one target TE Anthony Gates. One of the premiere tight ends in the game, Gates was also slowed in ‘08 by injuries, but says he’s ready to go and ready to make an impact in the passing game. Rivers showed that he’s a top quarterback last year, and I expect the same from him this year. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson should have another big year, but he also needs help from Malcolm Floyd and Chris Chambers. If healthy, this is an offense that most defenses aren’t looking forward to lining up against.

NFL Preview: Baltimore Ravens

2009 Baltimore Ravens

Offense: The questions as to whether the team would flourish or flounder with rookie head coach John Harbaugh and the addition of a rookie QB Joe Flacco were answered last season when the Ravens ended up in the AFC Championship Game.  Coming into his second season with the purple and black, Flacco will unquestionably improve from his ’08 stat line as chemistry with his receivers should be even better in ‘09. Baltimore didn’t do much in regards to getting Joe more weapons (aside from the addition of washed-up TE L.J. Smith), so it looks like they will be yet again be leaning heavily on the 3-headed monster out of the backfield.  The Ravens ended the season with a steady dose of Willis McGahee, LeRon McClain, and Ray Rice, and should continue using this style to free up holes in the secondary. If the plan holds up, Ravens fans may finally see Mark Clayton have a breakout season. Barring injuries, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Baltimore once again competing for the AFC crown this season.

NFL Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars

2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

Offense: QB David Garrard struggled to start last season, throwing only 1 TD and 4 INTs in the Jags first 3 games (also sacked 9 times). After the minor blemish, Garrard really started feeling the offense and came into his own, only throwing one pick over the next four games. The problem last year was that they didn’t have a dominant group of receivers or even a clear #1 option, which hurt Garrard throughout the season, and put incredible pressure on the running game.  No Jags’ receiver last year had more than 3 TDs or 800 yards, which is exactly why they went out and got Torry Holt. Holt bring tons of talent and experience to an offense that’s on the brink of exploding. After 11 years of service, the Jags made a bold move this offseason by releasing Fragile Fred Taylor. Although the move was shocking, it was a good move for the Jags, as Freddy has obviously peaked and was taking up too much cap room. Taylor recorded his worst year in ‘08, only averaging 3.9 YPC, and was taking too many carries away from Maurice Jones-Drew. The move makes MJD a top-3 RB in the league now. Remember MJD from ‘06? 1300+ total yards, 5.7 YPC, 46 receptions, 15 total TDs? He’s back. The Jags also upgraded on the offensive line, grabbing Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton in the first two rounds of the draft, and signing 3-time Pro Bowler Tra Thomas.

Scumbag of the Week

For the week ending August 1st, I’ll be handing the illustrious Scumbag of the Week label to San Francisco 49er rookie wideout Michael Crabtree for his ghostlike performance at the 49ers training camp this week (i.e. he was a no-show).  The Texas Tech rookie is clearly trying to make a statement that regardless of the fact that he went 10th overall in the ‘09 draft, his talent demands top 3 money.  The Niners seem to think otherwise.

What A Weekend

Another great sports weekend has come to an end. The trade deadline has now passed, training camp has begun, and we almost witnessed a four homerun game. Let’s look at the weekend  that was.

NFL Preview: Seattle Seahawks

2009 Seattle Seahawks

Offense: Seattle had a lot of injuries last year which really hurt this unit. The opening day offensive line played only one game together, and they all ended up on IR at some point last season. Mora will look to run something similar to the West Coast-style offense that the Hawks ran under Mike Holmgren. They brought in T.J. Houshmandzadeh to play opposite Nate Burleson and give them a more balanced passing game. They have one of the better short-yardage situational Tight End’s in the game in John Carlson, who’s entering only his second season. The running game will be led by Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, who will probably share the workload. That tandem would sound a lot better if this were 2004, but the Seattle offense as a whole should still be improved this season.