Over the last 4 to 5 months I have been yelled at, called an idiot and damn near involved in a bar fight. What could cause such circumstances you ask? Mark McGwire. Well not just him but my passion for my beloved sport of baseball and my stern belief that human beings are not only inflicted with serious memory loss but also an apparent lack of understanding of "The Big Picture".

Without much shock it was revealed Tuesday at 2:00pm EST that Mr. McGwire would not be elected into the Hall Of Fame and instead will be made an example for other athletes who think to use performance enhancing drugs. Back in 98 we as baseball fans and sports fans in general were rewarded with such an amazing performance it virtually locked up our nation and stole our collective hearts. Our reward was a 3 month span in which our TVs were tuned and our thoughts were fixed on one man (and Sammy taggin along) who helped us forget what we all hate about Pro Sports after the 94 baseball strike. Breaking the single season home run record made us forget the hatred of money in sports. Now that its time to pay him back for that gift and a career of achievements (583 Homeruns) over 75% of baseball writers who reaped the rewards from that season, now decide to cast him aside and ignore what is their ultimate responsibility. That is to remain objective and keep from playing judge and jury or trying to prove a point. Last I checked playing god was not part of the job of sports writer but rather it should be to provide insight for passionate readers to digest.

True fans utter these words during a conversation, "I am a (insert sport) fan first above everything". This to me is something these weasels forget when they use their ink filled swords and showcase their elitist attitude. Mark is/was not perfect. Mark probably succomed to pressures of performing at a high level. Mark in all reality gives the impression that he used something to enhance his performance. Yeah and who was innocent during this time? There is absolutely no way of knowing and we will never know. Albert Belle? Cecil Fielder? Brady Anderson? Roger Clemens? How about Albert Pujols today?


It seems that Mark McGwire suffers from bad timing since he is the first qualified ball player from this "steroid era" to be up for nomination. He leads the way for a whole line of suspected "cheaters" and unfortunately will take the brunt of the punishment however unneccesary it seems to be. Shawn Merriman used steroids this season for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL and it took all of 2 months to forgive him. Mark McGwire was accused and never proven of using steroids and he will be condemned for the rest of his life. Is it fair? No not really. Hopefully from this a few things can be learned by everyone.


-Hall of Fame sites are for the fans and truly are museums for those fans
-The voting system is flawed and sports writers with agendas have way too much control
-Fans over time have drifted further and further away from the opinion of writers
-By Tony Gwynn not getting 100% of the vote this year we now have data that some of these guys are mentally disabled


Either way you look at it there is no right or wrong answer on this issue but rather just a series of unfortunate events. Not just one person who loses out but potentially many sports fans across the world. Whether or not you admit it, we all celebrated Big Mac and some were looking to celebrate again with him in July. Though he will not receive a bronze statue, this baseball fan will always find Mark McGwire among the best in Baseball history and deserving of a spot the Hall Of Fame.




As always this list of HD Sports Programming is shown by day and categorized by sport but…Please check your local listings for channels and availability.
Games and Times are listed in RED.....Games and Times in BLUE are do not miss.


Wednesday 1/10/07
NBA
7:00pm EST: Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Charlotte Bobcats vs. Detroit Pistons (Regional) FSN D in 720p
7:30pm EST: Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics (Regional) FSN NE in 1080i
9:00pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets ESPNHD in 720p
10:00pm EST: Miami Heat vs. Seattle SuperSonics (Regional) FSN NW in 720p

College Basketball
7:00pm EST: Duke vs. Georgia Tech ESPNHD in 720p
7:00pm EST: Pittsburgh vs. DePaul ESPN2HD in 720p

NHL
10:30pm EST: Edmonton Oilers vs. San Jose Sharks (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i

Other Programming
7:00am EST/12:30pm EST - Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone HDNET in 1080i
Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul - Chris Paul sounds like an interesting interview after his 2006 Rookie of the Year accomplishment. I watched him at Wake Forest but honestly I have never heard him interviewed. As for Carmelo I really only want to know where he learned his special fighting techniques displayed against the Knicks this year. Punch and Run seems like a beginning to a Carmelo Anthony Fighting school soon to open in Denver.




Thursday 1/11/07
College Basketball
7:00pm EST: St. Johns vs. Seton Hall ESPNHD in 720p

NHL
7:00pm EST: N.Y. Islanders vs. Boston Bruins (Regional) NESN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Ottawa Senators vs. N.Y. Rangers (Regional) MSG in 1080i
8:30pm EST: Anaheim Mighty Ducks vs. Dallas Stars HDNet in 1080i
8:30pm EST: Anaheim Mighty Ducks vs. Dallas Stars (Regional) FSN SW in 720p
9:00pm EST: Calgary Flames vs. Colorado Avalanche (Regional) Altitude in 1080i
10:30pm EST: L.A. Kings vs. San Jose Sharks (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i

NBA
8:00pm EST: N.J. Nets vs. Chicago Bulls TNT-HD in 1080i
10:30pm EST: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Phoenix Suns TNT-HD in 1080i


Other Programming
7:00am EST/12:30pm EST: Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone HDNET in 1080i
Lawrence Taylor - With two Super Bowl wins, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and the 1986 NFL MVP, plus a million dollar season with the Miami Sharks. Guest appearances on "Blitz the League" and admirably telling children "Don't smoke crack" in "The Water Boy". One of my favorite Linebackers of all time and star of the most gruesome hit on a quarterback ever when he broke the leg of Joe Theisman. Must watch!

8:00pm EST: Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone HDNET in 1080i
Best '06 - Over the course of the year Roy Firestone sat down with the biggest names in Sports and Entertainment. From Dwayne
Wade and LaDainian Tomlinson to Shaun Alexander, Albert Pujols and Hank Aaron, Firestone spoke with the iconic figures that have made sports history or are in the process of writing their names in the history books. We'll take a look back at the best interviews and moments from the third season of Face 2 Face. Good time to catch up on missed episodes if you just started tuning into HDNET.





Friday 1/12/07
NBA
7:00pm EST: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Atlanta Hawks vs. Detroit Pistons (Regional) FSN D in 720p
7:30pm EST: Toronto Raptors vs. Boston Celtics (Regional) FSN NE in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Detroit Pistons vs. Atlanta Hawks (Regional) FSN S in 720p
8:00pm EST: Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Hornets ESPNHD in 720p
10:30pm EST: Utah Jazz vs. Seattle SuperSonics (Regional) FSN NW in 720p
10:30pm EST: Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i
10:30pm EST: Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets ESPNHD in 720p


Other Programming
7:00am EST/12:30pm EST Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone HDNET in 1080i
Carson Palmer, Ben Roethlisberger - Roy Firestone sits down with two of most intriguing stories of the year in the NFL. In 2005 Carson Palmer led the Cincinnati Bengals to an 11-5 record and the AFC North division title. He became the first Bengals quarterback to finish with a 100+ passer rating and threw a league leading 32 touchdown passes. During the second play of the 2005 Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carson Palmer was sacked and tore his ACL and his MCL. He was carted off the field and the Bengals eventually went on to lose to the Steelers. In the second half of this show Firestone sits down with the quarterback of that Steelers team, Ben Roethlisberger. "Big Ben" and the Steelers went on to win the 2005 Super Bowl making him the youngest quarterback to ever win the game. During the off-season, Roethlisberger was involved in a motorcycle accident in downtown Pittsburgh. Rushed to the hospital, Roethlisberger suffered various facial fractures including a broken upper and lower jaw and a broken nose.

9:30pm EST/12:30pm EST Friday Fight Night HDNET in 1080i
Best of '06 - HDNet revisits some of the greatest bouts, brutal knockouts and spectacular moments from a years worth of Friday Fight Nights. From HDNet Boxing to World Extreme Cagefighting, host Ron Kruck introduces you to some of the amazing athletes, their mind-boggling fights and their stories in and out of the ring.





Saturday 1/13/07
NFL
4:30pm EST: Divisional Playoffs -- Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens CBS in 1080i
This game is so tough because there is no way to tell which Colts team will show up for the game. Is it the swiss cheese run defense we came to know all season? Is it the tough balanced D with a well balanced Offense we know of the last few weeks? Either way I just think something bad could happen to McNair at any moment and that is too scary if you are a Ravens fan during the playoffs. Jamal Lewis will be a big factor only if the Ravens get an early lead but I dont think that will happen so........Indianapolis 24 - Baltimore Ravens 13.

8:00pm EST: Divisional Playoffs -- Philadelphia Eagles vs. New Orleans Saints FOX in 720p
I think it’s about Midnight and our young Cindarella Jeff Garcia will lose not one but both slippers this weekend in New Orleans. The Saints are better in so many ways that this almost looks too good for them to move on to the NFC Championship. I do think this will be reasonably close and probably the best game of the weekend but.....the New Orleans Saints 37 - Philadelphia 31

College Football
12:00pm EST: North-South All-Star Classic ESPN2HD in 720p

NHL
2:00pm EST: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers NBC in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings (Regional) FSN D in 720p
9:00pm EST: San Jose Sharks vs. Phoenix Coyotes HDNet in 1080i
9:00pm EST: Phoenix Coyotes vs. San Jose Sharks (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i

NBA
7:30pm EST: Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons (Local) WMYD in 1080i
8:00pm EST: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Chicago Bulls (Local) WGN in 1080i
10:00pm EST: Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings (Regional) CSN in 1080i
10:30pm EST: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. L.A. Clippers (Local) KTLA in 1080i

College Basketball
9:00pm EST: Georgetown vs. Pittsburgh ESPNHD in 720p

Other Programming
7:00am EST/12:30pm EST Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone HDNET in 1080i
Ladainian Tomlinson - Repeat from last week but is a really good interview if you missed it.





Sunday 1/14/07
NFL
1:00pm EST: Divisional Playoffs -- Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears FOX in 720p
If there was one team this weekend I would not like to be a fan of the most it would be the Bears. Can you imagine the guys from Saturday night live all having heart attacks at once when Lovie Smith refuses to pull out Grossman after 3 Ints? Its an image I cannot get out of my head with all those Illinois heart patients going nose first into some super-nachos. This has a great chance at going under the total this weekend and I can't see one team scoring anymore than 3 TDs. But I do see a lot of field goals and if I am going with history I really like Josh Brown winning this game by a Field Goal......Seattle 20 - DAAAAAAAAAA Bears 17. As of right now the Seattle Seagulls are +325 to win which means they are a HUGE underdog and I like it.

4:30pm EST: Divisional Playoffs -- New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers CBS in 1080i
Right on, we get a matchup of the perrenial favorite against the hot to trot San Diego SuperChargers. Rodney Harrison seems to be a game time decision and the way Bill Belichik handles his injury reports I figure Harrison not only has no injuries but will probably be giving Bill piggy back rides for their own amusement. In addition let me list the things I like about the Chargers: Ladainian, _________ hmmmmm sorry I can't think of anymore than that. Rookie QB - Check, Marty Shottenheimer - Checkmate. It’s risky taking two underdogs to win outright in one day especially on the road but what the hell.......New England Patriots 24 - San Diego Chargers 23. (on the flip side this could easliy be San Diego 48 - Patriots 14 but I am going with my gut here)


College Basketball
5:30pm EST: Duke Blue Devils vs. Miami Hurricanes FSN-HD

College Football
8:30pm EST: Hula Bowl - Honolulu ESPNHD in 720p



Monday 1/15/07
NBA
12:00pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Chicago Bulls NBA/INHD in 1080i

NHL
1:00pm EST: Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins (Regional) NESN in 1080i
7:00pm EST: Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Redwings Versus / INHD in 1080i

NBA
2:00pm EST: Toronto vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Regional) CSN in 1080i
2:00pm EST: San Antonio Spurs vs. Chicago Bulls (Local) WGN in 1080i
2:00pm EST: Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks (Regional) FSN S in 720p
3:30pm EST: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Detroit Pistons (Regional) FSN D in 720p
3:30pm EST: Indiana Pacers vs. N.J. Nets (Regional) YES in 1080i
4:00pm EST: L.A. Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors (Regional) FSN BA in 1080i
7:30pm EST: Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies TNT-HD in 1080i
10:00pm EST: Miami Heat vs. L.A. Lakers TNT-HD in 1080i

College Basketball
7:00pm EST: Marquette vs. Louisville ESPNHD in 720p
9:00pm EST: Missouri vs. Kansas ESPNHD in 720p




Tuesday 1/16/07
College Basketball
7:00pm EST: Iowa vs. Indiana ESPNHD in 720p
9:00pm EST: Kentucky vs. South Carolina ESPNHD in 720p

NHL
7:30pm EST: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers (Regional) FSN FL in 720p
Still available is the free Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup DVD to anyone who replies to this post. Seriously if you are a hockey fan or like the Hurricanes you win the DVD. Just let me know, No Questions Asked!



7:30pm EST: Nashville Predators vs. Detroit Red Wings (Regional) FSN D in 720p
7:30pm EST: Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes (Regional) FSN S in 720p

NBA
9:30pm EST: Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks (Regional) HDNet in 1080i
10:00pm EST: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Seattle SuperSonics (Regional) FSN NW in 720p
10:00pm EST: Seattle Supersonics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Regional) FSN Ohio in 720p

So since people have been asking who I am picking this weekend against the spread I thought I would just throw a post out there for those interested.

Game 1
Colts +3.5 over Ravens
For the reasons I outlined above I just think the Ravens D is getting too much play here and there is severe short term memory when it comes to the Colts with playoff wins. They win their first games but lose their championship matchups. Colts are getting better and Peyton manning was 2 (not his fault) picks from having an amazing 32 for 38 passing last week. (and they say it was a bad performance).
My Play = Colts +165 to win outright

Game 2
Saints -5 over Eagles
The Saints are my pick for the best team in the NFL right now. That may surprise you when the major sports outlets show them as the number 7 team in the playoffs. I have been burned twice now by Garcia and if this happens again I may be forced to buy a Garcia Browns/Lions jersey for better luck.
My Play = Saints -5

Scary Games:
Game 3
Seahawks +9 over Chicago
Way too many people have been jumping on this pick since Thursday but now you see the big money being played on the Bears. Thats fine but this has major upset written all over it ladies and gents. Bears will be fired up but if you are betting on the Seahawks playing bad because of the weather remember they play in one of the most miserable places in the US......South Seattle right on the Puget Sound.
My Play = Seahawks +325 to win outright

Game 4
Patriots +5 over San Diego
As I mentioned before I am not a big fan of San Diego (at least this season). I have heard there will be around 10-12K Patriots fans in attendance from my friends in the LA area and from the last weather report its going to be around 50 degrees at Kickoff. That may not be really cold but its more like a home game for the Pats. Out of the entire list of games this one is by far the scariest but I see the light.
My Play = Patriots +190 to win outright

I love underdogs and especially motivated underdogs who love playing in the playoffs. Have a great time watching the NFL this weekend everyone and best of luck.