Tids and Bits

A little less than 2 hours until the Mount plays at Robert Morris tonight. I'm real excited to see what happens. I think the Mount has steadily been improving of late. I'd like to see a big game from Kelly Beidler. The junior has been doing most of his scoring away from the basket. I'd like to see him get a few buckets inside tonight. I've also noticed that his long range jumper % seems to increase by the closer he is to the baseline. The more he moves away from it, the less the J goes in.

So who is the best quarterback in the NFL? I think there are probably four guys who would legitimately vie for that title right now. Drew Brees, Payton Manning, Brett Favre, and Tom Brady. Favre has been remarkable this year and he has lowered his INT rate to a level where I'd say he fits into this conversation. Manning is still the guy I'd have the most confidence in - and would seem like the no brainer pick. Brees would be the one that you'd think you'd have the highest upside with and might be the most spectacular, but he'd still scare you a little with his lack of "big game" experience. No such knock on Brady. He's the epitome of big game - and his record speaks for itself. If I had to pick for one game and one game only, I think I'd take Manning. But if I was picking for long-term it would obviously be Brees. How about one season? This season. I'd throw Brady out - and that isn't easy to do, and then it would really get tough. But I think I'd go with Brees. He has impressed me the most this year.

Speaking of Brees. Marques Colston is one of his top receivers. The wideout is a product of Susquehanna Twp in the Harrisburg area and also Hofstra University. Hofstra announced yesterday it is dropping its football program. So is Northeastern. That is big time news - and it will be interesting to see if any other 1-AA schools follow suit.

Arizona seems to have a firm grip on the NFC West with a 2-game lead and only five to play. But don't count out my Niners just yet. The Division could turn in a hurry. Arizona plays Minnesota this weekend, while the Niners battle Seattle. If those games go as projected, the lead will be just one when the two teams meet in Week 14. Since SF already won a previous matchup between the two, the Niners could move into first place after Week 14 - if things go their way over the next two weeks. Just a case where the lead isn't quite as big as it looks in the morning papers. Of course, there is virtually no margin for error for San Fran either.