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Shanoff’s WUC: NFL Week 4, CFB Duds, 2016

Oct 2, 2009, 11:59 AM UTC

Today’s Calls: Pink cleats vs. neon jerseys, Ravens vs. Pats, Gus Malzahn vs. Monte Kiffin, Sam Bradford vs. LeGarrette Blount, Chicago vs. Rio, Zack Greinke vs. Minnesota and More.â†µ

â†µThe Opening Pitch: Think pink.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe biggest story in the NFL on Sunday -- obviously, the Favre-Packers Eclipse begins starting late Sunday night -- is not the Pats and Ravens in a clash of would-be AFC contenders. It’s not the winless Titans or 1-win Steelers fans in panic mode. It’s not the intriguing battle of defensive Xs vs. offensive Os between the Jets’ Rex Ryan and the Saints’ Sean Payton.â†µ

â†µâ†µWhen fans tune in Sunday, the in-your-face theme will be ... pink.â†µ

â†µâ†µPink sweatbands. Pink towels. Pink accessories. Most notably: Pink shoes.â†µ

â†µâ†µIt’s all in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it will not only help the worthy cause, but allow players to reveal their inner fops -- you know Chad Ochocinco is ALL over this opportunity to go glam. It will brighten the NFL’s otherwise dreary, no-fun policies. In sports bars and fan caves across the country, it will be the No. 1 topic fans will be discussing -- and isn’t that the point?â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Seahawks’ neon-green jersey last week earned mixed reviews (ok: terrible reviews, although I liked them). But I think everyone will be able to get behind this week’s fashion statement.â†µ

â†µâ†µJust call him “Chad Ochopinko.”â†µ

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â†µNFL Week 4 Picks: Bears, Bengals, Colts, Giants, Pats, Bucs, Jaguars, Texans, Saints, Dolphins, 49ers, Cowboys, Steelers, Vikings (Last week: 13-3, Year-to-date: 34-14)â†µ

â†µâ†µFantasy Pick to Click: 49ers RB Glen Coffeeâ†µ

â†µâ†µCFB Weekend Story Line: It’s “Let-Down Saturday.” After last week’s Top 10 upheaval, this week’s few once-promising matchups are suddenly duds, regardless of who wins: â†µ

â†µâ†µ• USC at Cal? Meh: Two Pac-10 also-rans. ... â†µ

â†µâ†µ• LSU at Georgia? Tigers may be country’s most overrated team. ... â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Oklahoma-Miami? Between OU’s first week and Miami last week. ...â†µ

â†µâ†µ(Plus: No Bradford return, which would help spice it up.)â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Even GameDay is uninspired, heading to B.C. for a non-game. ...â†µ

â†µâ†µMost intriguing game of the week: Auburn isn’t ranked in the AP Top 25, but they should be -- and they will be if they beat Tennessee in Knoxville, matching up two geniuses: Auburn OC Gus Malzahn vs. Tennessee DC Monte Kiffin. Worth watching just for that duel.â†µ

â†µâ†µCFB Upset Special: Like Hayes, I’ll take Georgia over LSU in Athens, just to make next week’s LSU-Florida game that much more weird, and I’ll take Stanford over unbeaten UCLA in Palo Alto.â†µ

â†µâ†µThursday Night CFB: Noel Devine for Heisman? At the very least, there isn’t a more electrifying RB in college football -- Jahvid Best and Jeff Demps included. 220 for Devine last night in WVU’s win over Colorado.â†µ

â†µâ†µTebow Watch: John Brantley is prepping like he is starting a week from Saturday. More on this next week, but I think the Gators can beat LSU at LSU with Brantley at QB, rather than Tebow. Brantley is solid, plus the Gators’ sick D, RBs and special teams -- more than enough to win games.â†µ

â†µâ†µLeGarrette Blount back? Hopefully, Oregon will do the right thing and rescind the permanent ban on Blount, allowing Blount back onto the team -- and on the field. If Oregon had “indefinitely” suspended him -- as they should have -- they wouldn’t be in this mess.â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Talking Points: Regular season ends Sunday. The playoff spots are either locked up (Rocktober!) or might as well be. Sorry, Twins fans. ... Zack Greinke can put a punctuation mark on his sick Cy-worthy season with a win over Minnesota. Lincecum has the NL Cy locked up. ... And for Mets fans, the only bliss of the season: It’s over. ... Starting Monday: The awesomeness that is the MLB playoffs. (Yes, casual MLB fans: It’s time to start paying attention.)â†µ

â†µâ†µNHL Season Opener: Picks up where things left off -- Ovie! Two goals and an assist in a Caps W. Will this be the Cup-winning breakthrough season for the team with the league’s best player? Here’s a good omen: The Caps hadn’t won in Boston in regulation since 2000.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Preseason: Nothing crazy happened with the replacement refs, but it feels like everyone is patronizingly tiptoeing around them.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Countdown: No. 27 Grizzlies. For all the young star wattage -- Mayo, Gay -- they were eclipsed when AI signed with the team. That’s not necessarily a bad thing -- as long as Memphis is going to stink, at least AI adds to their telegenic core.â†µ

â†µâ†µCBB: I understand why the NCAA wouldn’t want schools tailoring (or negotiating) letters-of-intent for each individual recruit, but it ignores the common-sense reality that if a kid signs and the coach he wants to play for leaves, the kid gets screwed if he can’t get out of the deal.â†µ

â†µâ†µEndorsements: So, as noted here yesterday, the Nike “endorsement deal” with Vick is more like the company giving Vick a few pairs of shoes. It’s not like they are giving him millions, a signature shoe and an ad campaign.â†µ

â†µâ†µWeird: Ted Williams’ head -- the cryogenically frozen one -- was mistreated at its storage facility. That just ain’t right.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Chicago or Bust. Literally, for Barack Obama and today’s vote on the 2016 Olympic Games. (Sounds like the presentation went well.)â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff.â†µ

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