My (Bad) NFL Playoff Picks: An Explanation

Today, I was a loser. Really. I announced my picks to win in this weekend’s NFL Playoff matchups earlier this afternoon, and today I came up empty. The bad thing is I’m 0-2 this so far weekend and my track record for picking big games (Auburn vs. Alabama, SEC Championship, Sugar Bowl, NCAA Football National Championship). The good thing is I’ve realized the problem: I’m picking mostly with my heart, not my brain.

You see, I picked the Ravens to beat the Steelers, Falcons to beat the Packers, Patriots over the Jets, and Bears over the Seahawks. The Ravens signed my friend and former teammate James Hardy to a future contract earlier this week, Ray Lewis is one of my all-time favorite players, and I just love to watch Ray Rice. I ignored to recognize the fact that Ben Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls and is much better than Joe Flacco. I also chose to turn from the Steelers greater ability to make big plays. I should’ve listened to Colin Cowherd earlier in the week when he talked about the teams who made more explosive plays (runs over 15 yards or more, passes of 25 or more) did better in the playoffs.

The same was the case for the Falcons. My former college running back coach, Gerald Brown, is now the running back coach for the Falcons, and I love Michael Turner in the Falcons’ running game. I should’ve recognized Aaron Rodgers’ greatness and the Packers’ big play ability. Silly me.

I’m hoping tomorrow goes much better for me. I mean, a .500 record for the weekend isn’t so bad is it?

Yelawolf, Slaughterhouse Get Shady

After much deliberation, Slaughterhouse has joined Shady Records and Interscope Records. There were rumored problems in getting member, Joel Ortiz cleared from Koch Records, but the deal was worked out. The group has already recorded with Eminem in Detroit, which is good news for fans anxious to hear their new material.

Alabama-bred rapper, Yelawolf, who was already signed with Interscope Records, which released his most recent mixtape Trunk Muzik 0-60, has made the in-house move to sign with Eminem’s Shady Records as well.

The new signees along with Eminem appear on the cover of XXL’s February issue.

XXL has released these quotes:
Eminem: Yelawolf and Slaughterhouse, it’s kinda phase two of Shady. It’s the new generation of Shady Records and as we’re trying to rebuild our label, it’s exciting for hip-hop and with all of these forces coming together and with what everybody’s capable of on the mic, it’s gonna be fun.”

Yelawolf: “Considering where I’m from and the shit I’ve been through, it’s hard to put into words what partnering with Shady means to me, my team at Ghet-O-Vision, and my state of Alabama. I can tell you that when you’re willing to give your life up to see a dream through, the reward is great. And now that I’ve become an apprentice to one of the greatest artists in the world, my potential reaches beyond anything I ever imagined. Let’s kill this shit.”