The NBA is coming! The NBA is coming! I guess I am just one of the handful of people from around the country who really get into NBA basketball … and this little bit of news today made me go from feeling slightly under the weather to a lot better in no time.

KG and Sheed teaming up on the front line? I don’t care if their best days are behind them, that’s a duo that’s going to be scary good if healthy. And, to top it all off, it might be the greatest trash-talking big man tandem in the history of the league. Now that I think about it a little more, there’s no real ”might be” about it, it’s got to be a lock. I think it’s going to be a fun year to be a Celtics fan.

- Padraic

Small wonder the Journal sports department has been left in its own corner, separated from the regular newsroom. I’m sure the features, news and copy desk people were getting tired of the noise.
And this time of year, with college and pro football seasons at full song, the din reaches a zenith, with all the innate team loyalties clashing.
The Journal sports staph (sic) and their major college and NFL team affiliations are: Andrew Cutler (Boise State, Denver Broncos) Jeff Budlong (Iowa, Pittsburgh Steelers), Padraic Duffy (Notre Dame, Kansas City Chiefs), Lenn Davis (Oklahoma, Minnesota Vikings-in-exile (as long as Favre and Childress are there)), Joshua R. Russo (Nebraska, definitely, San Diego Chargers, maybe) and me (No real college alliance, but I do join Budlong as a Steelers fan). Part-timer Michelle Stadel is our Switzerland, showing true intelligence and staying out of the fray entirely.
It should be pointed out here that Cutler is the only actual alum of his college team. Budlong and Russo are natives of their respective states. Duffy’s tie to Notre Dame is self-explanatory, and I have no idea what makes Davis a Boomer Sooner.
It should also be pointed out that Go Big Red Russo makes a great show of shifting loyalties on a weekly basis to opponents of any of the above.
So you can imagine what a typical Saturday night is like in the sports department. Lots and lots of “My team is the greatest. Your team (stinks)” talk.
Most times it’s a lot of fun. Sometimes it’s enough to make your brain explode.–Jim H.

With Michael Vick taking the field in his first regular season game Sunday, there was this little bit of news in the sports department the Vick should have no expectation to be a starting quarterback.

And I ask: Why shouldn’t he?

Vick is not an old athlete, and you could argue that the year in prison kept him from a year of NFL hits. Once he learns a system, he should be considered just as dangerous as when he was the highest-paid player in the league a few years back. He still has his speed and agility. And does Kevin Kolb really scare anybody? Even with more than 300 passing yards last weekend, I’d still take Vick to keep the linebackers scared.

I do not condone what he did with the dogs. But the guy served his time, his debt to society. Now that he is in the league, Vick should have all the confidence in the world that he could - and should,be a starter in the NFL.

- Russo

In college football each week, there is one question: Who’s next.

No, it not about who is the next great team. It’s about the next top 10 team to take a tumble in the rankings.

So far, we have seen these huge upsets:
Oklahoma lost to BYU, with the Cougars later losing to Florida State
Oklahoma State lost to the likes of, wait for it, Houston
USC lost to Washington, which was winless last season
And just when we haven’t seen it all, Ole Miss lost to unranked South Carolina last night

Here are the games for the AP top 10 this week.

No. 1 Florida at Kentucky, 6 p.m.
No. 2 Texas vs. UTEP, 3:30 p.m.
No. 3 Alabama vs. Arkansas, 3:30 p.m.
No. 5 Penn State vs. Iowa, 8 p.m.
No. 6 California at Oregon, 3:30 p.m.
No. 7 LSU at Mississippi State, 12:20 p.m.
No. 8 Boise State at Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Miami at No. 11 Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m.

Which of these games presents the best chance of an upset?

- Russo

Chat with the Journal’s Josh Russo at 7:30 p.m. about Friday night’s high school football games.

Chat with the Journal’s Padraic Duffy about high school football.

Here are the Rapid City Journal’s picks for football games this weekend:

Week 4
Russo, Andrew, Jeff, Jim, Padraic, Lenn, Michelle
Philip at Wall
Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Wall
Hot Springs at Custer
H.S., H.S., H.S., H.S., H.S., H.S., H.S.
Belle Fourche at Lead-Deadwood
Belle, Belle, Belle, Belle, Belle, Belle, Belle
Winner at St. Thomas More
Winner, Winner, STM, NO PICK, STM, STM, STM
White River at New Underwood
W.R., W.R., N.U., N.U., W.R., W.R., W.R.
R.C. Central at S.F. Washington
SFW, RCC, SFW, SFW, SFW, SFW, SFW
S.F. Roosevelt at R.C. Stevens
RCS, RCS, RCS, RCS, RCS, RCS, RCS
Sturgis at S.F. Lincoln
Sturgis, Sturgis, SFL, Sturgis, Sturgis, SFL, SFL
Douglas at Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Harrisburg
Black Hills State at Dakota State
BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU
S.D. School of Mines at Mayville State
Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines
Chadron State at Nebraska-Kearney
CSC, UNK, UNK, UNK, UNK, UNK, UNK
Mississippi (2-0) at South Carolina (2-1)
Ole Miss, Ole Miss, Ole Miss, Ole Miss, Ole Miss, Ole Miss, Ole Miss
Iowa (3-0) at Penn St. (3-0)
Penn St., Penn St., Iowa, Penn St., Penn St., Iowa, Iowa
Miami (2-0) at Virginia Tech (2-1)
Miami, Miami, Miami, Miami, Miami, VT, VT
SE Louisiana (2-1) at South Dakota (2-1)
USD, USD, USD, USD, USD, USD, USD
S. Dakota St. (2-0) at Illinois St. (1-2)
SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU
Notre Dame (2-1) at Purdue (1-2)
ND, Purdue, ND, ND, ND, ND, ND
Washington at Detroit
Redskins, Lions, Redskins, Redskins, Lions, Lions, Redskins
Tennessee at N.Y. Jets
Jets, Titans, Titans, Titans, Jets, Jets, Jets
Green Bay at St. Louis
Packers, Packers, Packers, Packers, Packers, Packers, Packers
Cleveland at Baltimore
Ravens, Ravens, Ravens, Ravens, Ravens, Ravens, Ravens
San Francisco at Minnesota
Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Niners, Vikings, Niners
Jacksonville at Houston
Texans, Texans, Texans, Texans, Texans, Texans, Texans
Atlanta at New England
Falcons, Patriots, Patriots, Patriots, Patriots, Patriots, Falcons
N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay
Giants, Giants, Giants, Giants, Giants, Giants, Giants
Kansas City at Philadelphia
Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles
Chicago at Seattle
Bears, Bears, Bears, Bears, Bears, Bears, Seahawks
New Orleans at Buffalo
Saints, Saints, Saints, Saints, Saints, Saints, Saints
Miami at San Diego
Chargers, Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins, Chargers, Chargers, Chargers
Denver at Oakland
Raiders, Broncos, Raiders, Broncos, Raiders, Raiders, Raiders
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Bengals, Steelers, Steelers
Indianapolis at Arizona
Cardinals, Cardinals, Colts, Colts, Cardinals, Colts, Colts
Carolina at Dallas
Cowboys, Panthers, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys

NOTE: Making the 32 football picks each week are Journal sports editor Andrew Cutler, assistant sports editor Jeff Budlong, copy editor Josh Russo, reporters Jim Holland and Padraic Duffy, and Journal sports employees Lenn Davis and Michelle Stadel. Russo selects the games each week from high school, local college, national college and NFL schedules.

- Russo

Not that there’s ever a bad weekend to get out and watch some football, this one promises to be a great weekend.
Rapid City Stevens hosts Sioux Falls Roosevelt in the Raider homecoming game. Last week Stevens was “that close” to scoring a late winning touchdown over Sioux Falls O’Gorman and led the Knights 3-0 at the half. There’s a feeling the Raiders have a real shot at Roosevelt after pushing O’Gorman so far last week. Add a little extra homecoming fire to the mix, and…
Then there’s the St. Thomas More-Winner matchup of No. 2 ranked teams (Winner in 11B, and More in 11A). Winner handed More its first regular season loss since 2003 last year, and also ousted the Cavs from the playoffs (Winner was an 11A team last year). The Warriors have a stout running attack, and the Cavs have a strong passing game and a great kicker in Kevin Robb.
It’s hard to believe this week marks the halfway point of the high school regular season. It’s going fast. Get out and enjoy it while you can at a football field near you. — Jim H

After Week 3 of the Journal’s football picks, sports editor Andrew Cutler still has the lead with a 75-19 record, but Padraic Duffy and Jeff Budlong only trail by a game, 74-20. I remain in last with a 65-25 record, but there is still plenty of time.

Of the unique picks this week, Michelle stood out as the only person to pick the Jets in their win over the Patriots.

Here are the Week 3 results (winners in bold):

Week 3
Russo, Andrew, Jeff, Jim, Padraic, Lenn, Michelle
Wall at Kadoka
Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall
Belle Fourche at West Central
W.C., W.C., W.C., W.C., W.C., W.C., Belle
St. Thomas More at Hot Springs
STM, STM, STM, STM, STM, STM, STM
S.F. Lincoln at R.C. Central
SFL, SFL, SFL, SFL, SFL, RCC, SFL
R.C. Stevens at S.F. O’Gorman
SFO, SFO, SFO, SFO, SFO, SFO, SFO
S.F. Washington at Sturgis
SFW, SFW, SFW, SFW, SFW, Sturgis, SFW
Douglas at Chamberlain
Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, Cubs, Cubs
Red Cloud at Hill City
Hill City, Hill City, Hill City, R.C., R.C., Hill City, Hill City
New Underwood vs. Philip
Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip, Philip
Newell vs. Oelrichs
Newell, Newell, Oelrichs, Newell, Newell, Newell, Newell
Custer vs. Stanley County
S.C., S.C., S.C., S.C., S.C., S.C., S.C.
Bennett County at Lead-Deadwood
B.C., B.C., B.C., B.C., B.C., B.C., B.C.
Mayville State at Black Hills State
BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU, BHSU
Dakota State at S.D. School of Mines
Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines, Mines
Tennessee (1-1) at Florida (2-0)
Florida, Florida, Florida, Florida, Florida, Florida, Florida
Nebraska (2-0) at Virginia Tech (1-1)
Huskers, VT, VT, VT, VT, VT, Huskers
Michigan St. (1-1) at Notre Dame (1-1)
ND, ND, Mich. St., ND, ND, ND, Mich. St.
Arizona (2-0) at Iowa (2-0)
Arizona, Arizona, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa, Arizona, Iowa
Indiana St. (0-3) at S. Dakota St. (1-0)
SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU, SDSU
Tulsa (2-0) at Oklahoma (1-1)
OU, OU, OU, Tulsa, OU, OU, OU
Texas Tech (2-0) at Texas (2-0)
Texas, Texas, Texas, Tech, Texas, Texas, Texas
Wyoming (1-1) at Colorado (0-2)
Wyoming, Colorado, Colorado, Wyoming, Colorado, Wyoming, Wyoming
Minnesota at Detroit
Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings
New England at N.Y. Jets
Pats, Pats, Pats, Pats, Pats, Pats, Jets
New Orleans at Philadelphia
Saints, Saints, Saints, Saints, Eagles, Saints, Saints
Pittsburgh at Chicago
Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Steelers, Steelers
Baltimore at San Diego
Chargers, Chargers, Ravens, Chargers, Ravens, Ravens, Chargers
Cleveland at Denver
Browns, Broncos, Broncos, Broncos, Browns, Broncos, Broncos
N.Y. Giants at Dallas
Giants, Giants, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys
Indianapolis at Miami
Colts, Colts, Dolphins, Colts, Dolphins, Colts, Colts

WEEK 3
Russo, Andrew, Jeff, Jim, Padraic, Lenn, Michelle
21-9, 24-6, 24-6, 22-8, 25-5, 20-10, 18-12

OVERALL
Russo, Andrew, Jeff, Jim, Padraic, Lenn, Michelle
65-29, 75-19, 74-20, 70-24, 74-20, 69-25, 66-28

- Russo

Props to the local high school football teams. Sure, the Sioux Falls schools swept the matchups with Stevens, Central, Sturgis and Spearfish, but Stevens was one good downfield block away from a late go ahead TD over O’Gorman, and Central played Lincoln tough until late in their game at O’Harra Stadium.
And we’re certainly not forgetting Douglas’ win over Chamberlain, or Belle Fourche’s great showing against perennial 11A powerhouse West Central. The Broncs led WC 14-3 at halftime. Central and Stevens also led at the half. The point of all this? East River pundits continue to crow about the dominance of their teams. The W’s were mostly on the East River side, but the gap may be closing. WR teams aren’t the automatic pushover these days.