Wild Card Weekend / National Championship / Hall of Fame

 For my first blog of 2016, I'll start with the beginning of the NFL Playoffs as Wild Card Weekend takes center stage.

AFC/Kansas City at Houston 4:35EST ABC/ESPN - I think this will be the least interesting of the four wild card games. Kansas City is hitting on all cylinders and I think they will overwhelm the Texans as their late season run will end up in a quick exit.

AFC/Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 8:15EST CBS - This would be my most intriguing of the weekend. Pittsburgh has stumbled down the stretch but got in by beating Cleveland and the Jets losing to Buffalo. Cincinnati has to go in with a backup quarterback in AJ McCarron who has played decently filling in for Andy Dalton. In their two games this season, both times the road team won and that will hold true again. I pick the Steelers to win a close low scoring game late.

NFC/Seattle at Minnesota 1:00EST NBC - My favorite game of the weekend because of I love cold weather and bad weather football. With this forecast to be one of the coldest games on record, this game so has my interest. The Seahawks blew out the Vikings during the regular season in Seattle. The Vikings get payback as Adrian Peterson controls the game on the ground.

NFC/Green Bay at Washington 4:40EST FOX - Green Bay has struggled down the stretch while Washington has improved steadily as the season progressed. While on paper they are going in opposite directions, I think the Packers take advantage of a clean slate and win this game in a blowout. You like that Kirk Cousins?!

Moving to college football's National Championship game on Monday night,  I like Clemson to defeat Alabama. The Tigers have been doubted by many all season long despite proving in on the field week after week and this game will be no different. Clemson will win this one going away and we will get to see another dance for Head Coach Dabo Sweeney.

Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Piazza were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this week. Piazza is of note as the first of suspected PED users to gain entry which will be interesting to see if that opens the door for others. My friend, blog reader and fellow Braves fan Rick from Tallahassee has posed the question that harkens back to pre-PED about whether Atlanta Braves legend Dale Murphy should be in the HOF. Murphy had an outstanding career with some of these credentials:

7× All-Star (1980, 1982–1987); 2× NL MVP (1982, 1983); 5× Gold Glove Award (1982–1986); 4× Silver Slugger Award (1982–1985); 2× NL home run leader (1984, 1985) 2× NL RBI leader (1982, 1983)

I think he should be and admit some of that is some homerism and because of his All American clean image (comparable to Roger Staubach in football). He was a dominant player in a 5 year period on a bad team where the only time he had protection of another prominent hitter in the batting order was when Bob Horner was healthy. What is keeping him out? I think the first few wasted seasons as catcher and first baseman where he struggled as an infielder and in turn at the plate. He blossomed once he moved to the outfield and when Joe Torre managed the Braves, he seemed to unlock all of Murph's talents. The other reason are his lifetime stats: 
Batting average .265
Hits 2,111
HR 398
RBI 1,266

Numbers at the beginning and end of his career hurt his overall numbers. I think his prolific numbers of his MVP and HR leading years should carry more weight and have him in the Hall.

​Be on the lookout for a new podcast next week.

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