Conference Championship weekend

Last weekend, some of you may have heard me on the Chris Russell radio show talking about my predictions, and giving smack about figuring him as a "Bee Gee" type of guy in mourning.

Well, we had some laughs and got into the games at hand, where I brought up a possible Super Bowl predication.

How about a Raiders vs. Eagles Championship? The Black Hole/Raider Nation vs. The Eagles' Nest. That would be an historical game.

Well, for the first time in Super Bowl History the focus of the Super Bowl would be on the fans.

It could happen after this weekend, so let's look at the games.

Tennessee Titans vs. the Oakland Raider

Anyone who knows anything about the NFL and follows it closely knows that this year is "DO or DIE" for Al Davis and his Oakland Raiders. After this season the team's cap comes full circle and detonates in their faces with a lot of veterans looking at "greed agency." And the hit is going to make a dent in the team's roster, because the Raiders are looking to be $50 mil over line.

As for the Titans, they played gritty, grimy ball this year looking to get back to the dream they lost by one yard to the Baltimore Ravens. They can taste it again, but I don't think they have the weapons to stop the Raiders receivers. I look for the Raiders to win by 10 at home.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa is on a roll under John "Chucky" Gruden, and they think just because they beat a defenseless Chicago Bears team in 40 degrees that they've broken their cold weather jinx.

Well, the forecast for Vet Stadium this weekend is 20 degrees or less, and a possible wind chill. If the Eagles were smart, they'd turn up the heat in Tampa Bay's locker room to 90 degrees and make them feel right at home, then when they hit the field that 20 degrees would feel like 10 below. Let's see Sapp's fat a** handle that. I look for the Eagles to win by seven.

Well, it was a sad time here in New England last weekend as sportswriters and sportscasters paid their respects to The Boston Globe's senior sports writer Will McDonough.

This guy knew his stuff about the NFL, and he had some serious connections to get the inside scoop. At times he did push the envelope, but the one time I did not agree with him was the time he wrote an article two days before the Pats were about to take on the Packers in the Super Bowl.

Everyone in New England was on a high, and there was a Super Bowl blitz around here like you've never seen. And with Bill Parcells around, everyone was looking towards the future until "that" day. The day Will's article got published about Parcells' house being up for sale, and the rumors of him having dealings with the Hess Family. (The Hess Family were owners of the New York Jets.)

In what was considered a "boring" media week for the Pats, then became all Tuna-hype, as team members were bombarded with questions about Bill leaving. I think this caught the team off guard, and from that day they lost their focus on what needed to be done to beat the Packers.

To make matters worse, Tuna didn't even fly home with the team after the loss.

Other than that. Will knew his stuff, and people respected him from coast to coast.

So, on that note, I'd like to send my blessings and prayers out to his family.

Comments, email Sinista1@msn.com.