Kritik und Lob » the atmosphere. Former GM Hinkie set upon an am

Chris Berman has taken his Swami Sez NFL picks segment, seen on SportsCenter, to ESPN Chalk. Each week during the NFL regular season, hell give his favorite picks against the spread here with a little further analysis.Season record:?26-11 ATS (last week: 2-3)Arizona Cardinals at Carolina PanthersComing off a bye, this is Carolinas last stand. With six losses, the Panthers postseason hopes would basically be finished. Wouldnt you think youre going to get their best effort here, whatever that is at this point? I do worry about Arizona playing five quarters in that very physical 6-6 tie with Seattle on Sunday, but I think the Cardinals will get it done on the field where they were denied a trip to the Super Bowl last season.Score: Arizona 24, Carolina 23Detroit Lions at Houston TexansMatthew Stafford is playing at a very high level, and this Detroit team has the belief it can win every game late in the fourth quarter. Lamar Miller is iffy for this one, which is a factor. Brock Osweiler hasnt done much to justify his big contract yet, but I think hell play a little better at home. Detroit has a tough time scoring here, and Houston gets back on track.Score: Houston 23, Detroit 17Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis ColtsKansas City played a team like this last week in New Orleans, which can score on offense and has a porous defense. This could be a game where Kansas City opens up the downfield attack with Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce. Its hard to expect the Chiefs defense to score a TD on defense every week, but its also foolish to overlook it. Kansas City will do enough to slow down Andrew Luck here and get a big road win.Score: Kansas City 26, Indianapolis 20Green Bay Packers at Atlanta FalconsFor the second straight week, this isnt a pick against Atlanta. Ive been impressed with the Falcons?so far. And I dont believe theyre headed down last seasons path when they stumbled after a 5-0 start. They wont be the first team to lose to Aaron Rodgers. And they wont be the last, either. Rodgers will get this offense on track and the Packers will win on the road.Score: Green Bay 30, Atlanta 27San Diego Chargers at Denver BroncosSan Diego does better than most teams at Mile High. Philip Rivers has a hot hand right now, and this Chargers team is finally playing games for 60 minutes (or longer), instead of 58 or so. At 3-4, San Diego is climbing into the playoff race, and a win here (and a season sweep of Denver) would go a long way toward that goal. Its tough to beat a team twice in 2.5 weeks, but I think the Chargers are capable of it. San Diego will get it done in Denver.Score: San Diego 20, Denver 19 Curry 2 Outlet Store ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. Ua Hovr Outlet ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. http://www.outletunderarmourstore.com/ .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Curry 1 Outlet Store . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Scorpio Shoes Sale . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Sunday in Las Vegas saw No. 1 pick Ben Simmons?handle his first back-to-back games. Afterward, Denzel Valentine dubbed Simmons mini-LeBron.Heres what else was buzzing around the third day of Las Vegas Summer League:Vegas Summer League buzz: Day 2Vegas Summer League buzz: Day 1Michael Beasley: elder statesman?Michael Beasley is entering his ninth season in the NBA, but the former No. 2 pick is still taking part in summer league with the Rockets, after joining Houston for 20 regular-season games plus the playoffs last year. Now 27, Beasley said seeing guys who are 18 and 19 coming into the league makes him feel a bit old, and sometimes he finds himself in an unlikely mentorship role.Guys like Montrezl [Harrell], I see a lot of myself in him, Beasley said after not playing in Houstons second summer league game in Las Vegas. Loud, sometimes obnoxious, misunderstood guy, just a vibrant, fun player to be around. ... You live, you learn, you see young players, and I try to give them a little bit of what I learned and what Ive been through. -- Adam Reisinger, ESPNDunn comes ready-made?Fridays most interesting matchup was Kris Dunn vs. Emmanuel Mudiay. Since then, Ive been polling NBA personnel about who theyd rather have. So far the consensus favors Dunn because of his superior defense. One scout noted that everything he wants Mudiay to do, Dunn already does. That might be a function of age -- Dunn is almost exactly two years older -- but for now Dunn has the upper hand. -- Kevin Pelton, ESPN InsiderTraining day for DenzelAs Valentine spoke to reporters after the Bulls-Sixers game on Sunday night, Simmons walked past the small scrum with a little message.Denzel said he was scared of me out there, Simmons said with a bit of a smile. Valentine and the assorted media started chuckling. The two have gotten to know each other a little bit over time and the Michigan State alumnus certainly isnt afraid of the spotlight that comes with playing against the No.dddddddddddd 1 pick.You got to have poise out there because youre going to be playing against great players every night, Valentine said. You cant get too high or get too low. Just kind of got to stay level through all the good and the bad. I feel like thats how you get better -- is consistency. So I just try to stay poised. -- Nick Friedell, ESPNTrusting the process from afarSimmons star-in-the-making potential has been the buzz of summer league, and although he may not have drafted him, Sam Hinkie is among those in attendance enjoying the atmosphere. Former GM Hinkie set upon an ambitious plan to tear down the Sixers and build a contender around a star from the draft.Hinkie stepped down just three months ago, but his labor looks to have borne fruit as Simmons dazzles in the desert. -- Andrew Han, ESPNAccelerated growth for Miamis youthMiamis Briante Weber on the impact of Dwyane Wades departure on the Heats Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson: Us young guys, we are trying to learn as much as we can from the legends like D-Wade and [Chris Bosh]. Just by him leaving, it took a lot out of us just because we dont really know what to expect. Ive only played 10 games in the NBA, JRich has played about 80 and Justise played the whole season, but we really only have about two years combined under us. With D-Wade leaving, we lost like 13 years of experience which we were trying to use and piggyback off. It looks like we are going to have to grow up faster than we thought. -- Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN ' ' '