Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions: Week 11

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In 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Mass., created a new indoor game. In this game, players dribbled a soccer ball around a court and earned points by shooting the ball into a peach basket. Today, basketball remains one the world’s most popular sports.

Football and basketball are different. Football stadiums are large structures. Basketball arenas are smaller, more intimate facilities. Football players, shielded by helmets, face masks and pads, perform like Roman Empire gladiators. Basketball players wear a simpler uniform consisting of a jersey, shorts and sneakers and display their talents and skills with the same dramatic flair as Broadway actors.

There is less parity in basketball. Since David Stern became commissioner of the National Basketball Association in 1984, eight different franchises have won NBA championships. Fourteen different National Football League teams have won the Super Bowl.

There are similarities. Lucas Oil Stadium, the Georgia Dome and Ford Field have hosted Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four games. NFL players Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Julius Peppers played college basketball. Football and basketball coaches both have a range of interesting characters from the wise Vince Lombardi and Phil Jackson, to the stern Tom Landry and Larry Brown to the zany Jimmy Johnson and Bob Knight.

In honor of slam dunks, steals, three pointers and technical fouls, the Week 11 predictions theme is basketball.

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Miami Dolphins (4-5) at Buffalo Bills (3-6)-Nov. 15-8:20 p.m.-NFL Network

The Los Angeles Clippers, formally the Buffalo Braves, played in Western New York from 1970-78. Since the Braves moved away, the Bills are 271-294. Imagine, Buffalo sports fans: Chris Paul and Blake Griffin playing at First Niagara Center. Oh well.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Miami

Pollock’s Pick: Buffalo

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Green Bay Packers (6-3) at Detroit Lions (4-5)-Nov. 18-1 p.m.-Fox

The University of Kentucky won its fifth national championship in 1978. This year, the program won its eighth title. The school’s triumph will doom Green Bay this week. The Packers are 1-6 in Week 11 games in years Kentucky wins the national championship.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Detroit

Pollock’s Pick: Green Bay

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New York Jets (3-6) at St. Louis Rams (3-5-1)-Nov. 18-1 p.m.-CBS

John Calipari coached this year’s Kentucky national championship team. He has coached four teams that reached the Final Four. The Jets are 6-7 in November games during those seasons. The Rams are 2-11-1. However, the National Collegiate  Athletic Association vacated two of those appearances due to player eligibility and academic issues.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: St. Louis

Pollock’s Pick: St. Louis

“Space Jam” remains a favorite film of the ‘90s generation

St. Bonaventure University senior Kyle Zappia recalls he first saw the film Space Jam when he was six years old and immediately loved it. He says to him there was nothing better than National Basketball Association players and Looney Tunes characters coming together on screen.

“It seemed unreal to me,” remembers Zappia, a journalism and mass communication major. “That’s why I loved it.”

He compares the film to two musical artists of different genres uniting to make great entertainment.

“Something about these combinations doesn’t feel right, but when they combine forces, they make magic,” says Zappia. “That’s exactly what Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny did in Space Jam.”

Space Jam, released in 1996, remains a popular film with people who grew up in the 1990s. Eight college students say the movie effectively brings together different pop culture elements, allows them to remember the past and is one of the decade’s definitive childhood films.

Manning to become another iconic athlete to change teams

On Wednesday, the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts released quarterback Peyton Manning after he missed the 2011 season following neck surgery. In 14 years with Indianapolis, Manning threw 399 touchdown passes, won four league most valuable player awards and guided the Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI. Assuming he joins a new team, Manning’s departure becomes another example of an iconic athlete changing teams late in their career.

Brett Favre on the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings

Following the 2007 season, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre retired. He changed his mind during the summer and reported to Packers training camp. The Packers traded him to the New York Jets. In one season in New York, Favre threw 22 touchdown passes and interceptions.

Favre spent the final two seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. In 2009, he threw 33 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions, leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. After a disappointing 2010 season, Favre retired again.