Sports Central | Articles and Columns

« December 2005 | Main | February 2006 »

January 31, 2006

A Look at NFL Coaching Changes

Five Quick Hits

* I don't normally advertise for other writers, but ESPN's Michael Smith has a really good, level-headed take on race and the latest round of NFL coaching hires.

* Salon's King Kaufman wrote a nice piece about games being broadcast on NFL Network.

* The Super Bowl should be played on a rotating schedule, with each team hosting the game once every 32 years. How nuts is it that the Super Bowl is never at Lambeau Field?

* Big congrats to Amelie Mauresmo and Roger Federer. Major boos and hisses for Nicolas Kiefer.

* The 49ers lost their offensive coordinator to a head coaching position, and I'm pretty sure they're going to be better off with Norv Turner.

***

In the two-week run-up to the Super Bowl, many fans and observers of the NFL are turning their attention to coaching moves around the league. After all, there are only so many times you can hear about Shaun Alexander's contract or Dan Marino's phone call to Ben Roethlisberger.

As analysts examine the league's coaching moves, some are noticing that all of the league's new head coaches are white. This was supposed to be a banner year for minority hiring, with highly-regarded candidates including (but not limited to) Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. With the only remaining vacancy in Oakland, those defense-oriented coaches are unlikely to get a shot, although there is speculation that Art Shell may get another shot at coaching the silver and black. For now, however, the smart money is on Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who is white.

And to think that less than a year ago I wrote an entire article asserting that the NFL's minority hiring policies were working. Looks like I was wrong.

Anyway, here's a brief breakdown for each team with a new head coach.

Buffalo Bills — Dick Jauron

I'm going in alphabetical order, but this strange situation is a good place to start. Bills management decided after the season to retain head coach Mike Mularkey, but days after his status was revealed to be secure, Mularkey resigned. Now he's signed on to replace Scott Linehan as offensive coordinator in Miami, and the Bills have hired Jauron.

Jauron most recently concluded a five-game shift as interim head coach of the Lions, but his hiring has more to do with his five years as head coach of the Bears. Jauron got his start as an assistant for Marv Levy in Buffalo and initially made his name working with Mike Holmgren in Green Bay and for Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville.

Jauron epitomizes the mistake of hiring a re-tread just to get a guy with experience. In five years with the Bears, Jauron had one winning season and lost his only playoff game. His work with Detroit in the two years since has been unremarkable. What has Jauron shown that would merit putting him in charge of a team?

With so many coaching moves this offseason, there were bound to be some uninspiring hires, but wouldn't it make sense to take a chance on a guy like Rivera — who might be great — rather than someone like Jauron, who is almost certainly mediocre?

The caveat to this, and any other move I criticize, is that Jauron could be terrific this time around. If you look over the past four seasons, though, predicting coaches' success hasn't been a terribly difficult task, and in contrast to someone like Bill Belichick, Jauron hasn't redeemed himself as a superior assistant. Despite talented defensive players like Shaun Rogers and Dre' Bly, the Lions ranked in the bottom half of the league in both yards and points allowed during Jauron's tenure as defensive coordinator.

Notable assistant hirings — Steve Fairchild, former offensive coordinator of the Rams, will have the same position in Buffalo. Jauron's background is on defense, so it's likely that Fairchild will have some latitude in his the way he runs the offense.

The bottom line — Jauron should be okay — nothing disastrous — but he'll be gone within four or five years.

Detroit Lions — Rod Marinelli

This year's coaching hires are remarkable for the collective inexperience of the league's new head coaches. Marinelli is especially noteworthy, though, because he has never been a coordinator. For the last four seasons, he has been Tampa Bay's assistant head coach/defensive line.

While he may not have the same pedigree as someone like Gary Kubiak, perhaps the most worrisome aspect of this hiring is that it was made by Matt Millen. Detroit's GM has a, shall we say, less than sterling record of hiring head coaches. I'm dubious that Marinelli will be a better head coach than Steve Mariucci.

It would be easy to say that the Lions have nowhere to go but up, but they could still go even. This organization has developed a culture of losing that will be difficult for it to shake, and I doubt Millen or Marinelli will be around long enough to see that happen.

Notable assistant hirings — Donnie Henderson is on board as defensive coordinator, after holding the same position with the New York Jets. Henderson is regarded well and has even been interviewed for head coaching vacancies. It's a nice start for Marinelli's staff.

The bottom line — I don't know enough about Marinelli to issue a blanket condemnation of this hiring, but it seems awfully weak. This team presents an enormous challenge to its new head coach, and I strongly doubt that Marinelli is up to the task. The Lions are impatient for success, and Millen's successor will probably want to bring his own man, so I give Marinelli three years.

Green Bay Packers — Mike McCarthy

The strangest hiring of all, which is a strong statement. McCarthy spent last season as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately, the Niners finished dead last in total offense, yards per play, first downs, third down conversion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, passer rating, and interception percentage. Say what you will about Marinelli's lack of experience as a coordinator, at least he isn't a proven failure.

Who gives a promotion to the leader of the league's worst offense? I know McCarthy didn't have much to work with in San Francisco, but there's simply no way an above-average coordinator allows his team to perform so badly. The 49ers weren't just last in all those categories; in many, they were worst by a wide margin.

Prior to his less than distinguished work with San Francisco, McCarthy ran the offense in New Orleans, with better results. But what he was apparently hired for is his relationship with Packer legend Brett Favre, who may retire this offseason. Conventional wisdom is that the presence of a familiar coach will encourage Favre to play for one more season, and McCarthy fits that description. He was Green Bay's quarterbacks coach in 1999. However, as another strike against the new coach in Titletown, Favre — playing with a hand injury — had one of his worst seasons in '99, and indicated this weekend that he is leaning towards retirement. Are we to three strikes yet?

No matter how you slice it, this hiring looks bad.

Notable assistant hirings — Defensive line coach Bob Sanders was promoted to defensive coordinator, replacing Jim Bates, who left after being passed over for the head coaching position. Green Bay's defensive line was the strongest piece of that unit, but Bates leaves big shoes to fill. Tom Clements joins the Packers as QB coach, his fifth team in the last eight seasons.

The bottom line — The first step in a long rebuilding project. McCarthy is the second-youngest head coach in the league, and I may be underestimating him, but he's got a steep uphill battle. Four years.

Houston Texans — Gary Kubiak

I'm not just here to be mean. Kubiak and Brad Childress, among all the league's new top dogs, come closest to being a Marvin Lewis or Lovie Smith. Kubiak has been a respected coordinator for a decade, and in my mind, this move makes sense. The Texans — unlike Buffalo, Detroit, and Green Bay — had to fire their coach, Dom Capers, after a 2-14 season left fans ready to revolt. And Kubiak, whose background is on offense, is a logical choice to address the team's struggles in that area, working with potential stars such as David Carr, Domanick Davis, and whoever the team drafts this April.

I'm not entirely sold on Kubiak — Lewis and Smith were near 100%, and I don't see that here — but there's not a lot to criticize in this move. It's refreshing, too, that the team was willing to wait an extra week or two to get the best guy available.

Notable assistant hirings — Kubiak hasn't had time to do much with the staff yet.

The bottom line — There are a lot of problems to fix, so don't expect immediate success.

Kansas City Chiefs — Herman Edwards

Shockingly, the only transfer this offseason. Jim Haslett, Mariucci, Mike Martz, Mike Sherman, and Mike Tice were all fired this year, and all were rumored to be getting new head coaching gigs for 2006. Barring an unexpected move by the Raiders, none will. Only Haslett even has a job right now.

The situation in Kansas City is a peculiar one. Dick Vermeil, one of the most beloved men in the NFL, retired after going 44-36 during his five seasons at the helm in Kansas City. All reports seem to indicate that his retirement was voluntary, although there have been rumors to the contrary. Even before the season was over, it was well-known that the front office hoped to replace Vermeil with Edwards, then the head coach of the Jets.

I don't have space to go through the ins and outs of the strange process that brought Edwards to Kansas City, but that process concluded with the Chiefs sending a fourth-round pick to New York in exchange for the rights to Edwards. It can be seen as a win-win situation. The Jets get a draft pick to replace the coach they didn't really want any more, and the Chiefs get the coach they did want on the cheap. Most observers, however, wonder how New York got ripped off so badly.

I think Edwards is a pretty good coach, and a fourth-round pick is a meager price to give up for a known quantity.

Notable assistant hirings — The most notable assistant coaching move in KC has been the departure of assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Al Saunders.

The bottom line — I don't see Edwards as significantly better or worse than Vermeil. Expect the Chiefs to continue as an upper-middle team in the short term.

Minnesota Vikings — Brad Childress

Childress has been a hot coaching name since 2002, his first year as offensive coordinator of the Eagles. He was the first head coach hired after the end of the 2005 regular season, and the Vikings have reason to be optimistic. The team has a ton of talent on the roster, and if Childress can get his players to perform, Minnesota should be a contender in the NFC as soon as next season.

The biggest knock against Childress is that head coach Andy Reid called the plays in Philadelphia, a duty normally reserved for the offensive coordinator. Fans will remember, though, that the team's playcalling this season was miserable, with twice as many passes as runs. The Eagles finished 26th in time of possession and 30th in third down percentage.

As with Kubiak in Houston, I'm not crazy about this, but it's hard to find anything definite to criticize.

Notable assistant hirings — Childress has filled out his staff, but there aren't any big names here.

The bottom line — There's potential here for both short-term and long-term success.

New Orleans Saints — Sean Payton

I use "New Orleans" loosely, since the team's status for the future is still in question. Wherever the team plays, though, Payton is its new head coach. With so many compelling choices out there, it's hard to say which new coach steps into the worst situation, but you could make a strong case for Payton. His team is in utter disarray, and his first job will be to get the whole group going in the same direction.

Payton has an impressive résumé as an offensive assistant, most recently in Dallas under Bill Parcells. The Tuna's coaching tree has been hot recently. Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin, and Romeo Crennel are all former Parcells assistants, as are first-time head coaches Eric Mangini (Jets) and Payton.

Payton is another reasonable hire, so I hope you didn't read the first three entries and assume I was going to be ripping everyone. Alphabetical order, and most of the crappy hires came before 'M.'

Notable assistant hirings — Both coordinator positions have been filled, but the most interesting development involves Joe Vitt, the interim head coach who guided St. Louis in 2005. Vitt has been named linebackers coach and assistant head coach.

The bottom line — Payton has sort of slipped under my radar, but as I write this, I feel strangely optimistic on his behalf. That could change.

New York Jets — Eric Mangini

McCarthy was the league's youngest coach for five days. Mangini has him beat by more than seven years. Heck, Mangini is only four days older than his own starting center, Kevin Mawae. Mangini was 2 years old when Rod Marinelli got his first high school coaching job. He was 12 when Joe Gibbs won his first Super Bowl. He was still in the womb when Marty Schottenheimer's NFL playing career ended. You get the idea.

Mangini was chosen on the strength of his connections to Belichick. When Crennel left for Cleveland, Young Eric was promoted to defensive coordinator. A year later, he's head coach of the Jets. This season, New England's defense ranked 26th overall, 17th in points allowed, and 31st in pass defense. With Crennel in charge the year before, those numbers were ninth, second, and 17th.

Ninth to 26th. Second to 17th. Seventeen to 31. You can't even pin those drops on injuries, because Troy Brown played DB for most of the 2004 season. Ty Law was gone, but he barely played in '04. Tedy Bruschi played more than half the season. And don't forget, the Bills (28th in total offense) and Jets (31st) — whom New England played twice each — were really bad this year, after pretty good seasons in 2004.

Without doubt, the Jets hired Mangini because Belichick liked Mangini, and because GM Terry Bradway knew Young Eric from his days as a Jets assistant under Parcells. By the way, in case anyone is wondering, I don't plan on regularly using "Young Eric" the way I use "Little Manning" to demean Peyton's little brother, but there are only so many times you can use the name "Mangini" in a five-paragraph summary. It's been eight already, plus another earlier in the column.

Whatever you call him, the team's new head coach steps into a decent situation that also calls for some rebuilding. Curtis Martin looked done last year, even before he was injured, and if it's too early to give up on Chad Pennington — which it might not be — it's certainly past time to make sure there's a reliable backup available. It will be interesting to see how Mangini handles the team's issues. People will keep hiring Belichick assistants until they start failing.

Notable assistant hirings — Brian Schottenheimer is on board as offensive coordinator. As quarterbacks coach in San Diego, he oversaw the Drew Brees renaissance.

The bottom line — Mangini isn't a sure thing, but he's worth taking a chance on. Better to roll the dice with someone like Mangini ( that's 11, if you're counting) than roll out a re-tread like Haslett or a fruitcake like Martz.

St. Louis Rams — Scott Linehan

Twice, Daunte Culpepper helped Linehan get this job. First, Culpepper was magnificent with Linehan as his offensive coordinator in Minnesota. Then, the Viking offense — and Culpepper in particular — fell apart without him. Meanwhile, Linehan's Gus Frerotte-led offense in Miami ranked in the top half of the league. Minnesota finished behind Baltimore.

What the Rams said with this hiring is that they wanted another coach like Martz, only not crazy. Linehan's background is on offense, and he prefers passing to running. The organization's idea is that if Marc Bulger can stay healthy, the offense will be fine running the same way it has in the past. The defense needs some work, but nothing a talented coordinator can't take care of.

Linehan is another young guy — he's only 42 — and he doesn't have a lot of NFL experience. Mangini has been in the league longer than Linehan. But during his brief tenure with the Vikings and Dolphins, Linehan has shown that, at the very least, he's a pretty good offensive coordinator.

Notable assistant hirings — Haslett will be Linehan's defensive coordinator, which is a pretty big deal.

The bottom line — The Rams are past contention, and they need a major kick-start, possibly even some pretty serious rebuilding. I don't know whether or not Linehan is the man to get that done, but I don't anticipate a rapid drop-off in production with him in charge of the team.

Movers and Shakers

Two teams have made big news with their assistant hirings this offseason. The Dolphins replaced Linehan with Mularkey, and added Bates as their defensive coordinator. Nick Saban has assembled quite a staff in Miami. But it's nothing compared to Washington, where Daniel Snyder has decided to buy his championship with assistant coaches, since Deion Sanders and Steve Spurrier didn't work out.

Washington's coaching staff currently includes Joe Gibbs, Al Saunders, Gregg Williams, Joe Bugel, Greg Blache, and Jerry Gray. Gibbs is a Hall of Famer, and his staff includes three former head coaches and four former defensive coordinators. Saunders, Williams, and Blache will all be hot head coaching prospects if Washington does well in 2006.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:33 PM | Comments (1)

Fighting For Truth

ESPN.com's Gene Wojciechowski recently wrote a column to dispel the 10 biggest myths about sports fans. I was planning on a mailbag column this week, but I cannot accept ESPN writers flat-out lying in articles.

He made a few points, such as sports fans aren't allowed to drop f-bombs all the time. However, for the most part, he just whined and cried about how sports fans are too rowdy and have no effect on games or teams. I had one recurring thought while reading it — it really must be hell to get old.

Due to his tirade against whipper-snappers, I think it's time to put into perspective the 10 fan myths he deals with so we can get a better sense of the truth involved (hint: sports fans may be slightly more important than Gene W thinks).

Myth No. 1

Dude, my ticket pays their salaries. So if I'm dipping into my wallet, I'm ripping into the players and coaches.

Gene's take — Dude, your single-game $32 Cubs ticket doesn't even pay for a shin guard, much less Kerry Wood's $9.5 million salary. So why don't you do us all a favor and suck on a pine-tar rag.

Sports Gospel's take — Gene goes on to say that buying a ticket doesn't give a fan the right to drop f-bombs and harass players and I agree with that. That being said, if the fan isn't using profanity, heckle away. You can't say things about J.J. Redick's sister, but you can talk all the trash on his game you want. Some players feed off of it, some players let it get to their head, but it's always going to be in sports, and you can't take heckling out of sports. If you don't want to hear it when you go to games, go watch girls high school soccer.

Myth No. 2

Without me, there is no team.

Gene's take — Yeah, the teams love your money. In some cases, ticket sales support player payrolls, especially in the NHL, where the television contracts pale in comparison with, say, the massive NFL broadcast rights fees ... So it turns out you're not exactly a co-CEO. Quit acting like you own the place.

Sports Gospel's take — Sorry, Gene, this is no myth. I simply don't understand what he is doing saying something like this. I understand that columnists are supposed to get people talking, but they aren't supposed to sacrifice their integrity to achieve that. Does he honestly believe that the average fan isn't important because teams get most of their money from TV deals?

Gene, just who the hell do you think is watching these games? A magical community of elves whose lives consist of making cookies and watching sports on TV? Does he think each one of Shawn Kemp's children has their own television? Wake up, the people watching the games on TV are ... ready for it ... here's the shocker ... I think it needs more dramatic build up ... here we go ... it should be painfully obvious by now ... I don't know why I keep doing this ... time to reveal it ... yes, SPORTS FANS!

Without the fans, there are no big TV deals, there are no big contracts, and there are no fancy stadiums. What are sports teams without fans? Prison basketball. Great athletes, fantastic action, but ultimately, it doesn't matter because no one that isn't playing cares.

Myth No. 3

We're the 12th Man. Our team needs us.

Gene's take — Your team needs you to spend lots of money and disrupt the other team's snap count. That's it.

Those 12th Man banners and flags are wonderful, they really are, but let's get something straight: You're not the one who knocked Nick Goings into the land of CAT scans; that was Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu. And safety Troy Polamalu and the Steelers didn't need the 12th Man's help as they won three consecutive road games to reach the Super Bowl.

Sports Gospel's take — Everyone, please forgive Gene. He's had a hard life, what with the walking to school uphill both ways in three feet of snow and whatnot, so give him a break. Honestly, sports fans don't have an impact on games?! Really? Have you ever been to a college basketball game? What's your next take, GW, maybe a column on how the beer prices at sporting events are fair and ticket prices are too low? Maybe you can write about how Alex Rodriguez doesn't make enough money when you compare him to losers like teachers and the men and women of our armed forces?

I've been to far too many games where sports fans have had an impact on the outcome to come out and say they don't matter. I've interviewed far too many athletes that have talked about how they feed off the crowd's energy and heard far too many coaches and commentators talk about how important it is to take the crowd out of the game to simply say that fans are good for nothing. Weak, Gene, weak.

Myth No. 4

The referee deserved it. He cost us the game.

Gene's take — No referee deserves to be hit in the back of the head with a half-full plastic beer bottle. If caught, the bottle throwers should have to spend five minutes in a very small room with NFL ref/weightlifter Ed Hochuli.

Sports Gospel's take — I agree with the bottle thing, but honestly, how many times does the ref get hit in the head with a bottle? More importantly, what sports fan is throwing a bottle with beer still in it? Still, outside of profanity and throwing things, give the refs all the hell you want. Referees know what they are getting into before they put on the stripes and if they make a bad call, I encourage fans to get on them. Give 'em hell, most of them suck, anyway. That said, it can be lame when fans blame losses on refs because the officiating is usually consistently poor.

Of course, it's still no excuse for fans to chant profanities or anything like that (this is a big problem with the college sections). I also think the BS chant is weak and that fan sections could do much better. For instance, I'm a big fan of the following anti-ref chant.

Cheer section leader, yelling (different from a cheerleader): Hey, ref!
Fans, yelling back: Hey, ref!
CSL: Get off your knees!
Fans: Get off your knees!
CSL: You're blowing the game!
Fans: You're blowing the game!

Myth No. 5

I sit in the Bob Uecker seats. I'm so far away from home plate I need a connecting flight to reach the field. So, trust me, the players can't hear a word I'm screaming.

Gene's take — No, but the dad and his 7-year-old kid to your right can hear you just fine. So can the elderly couple to your left. And the mom and her two daughters in the row in front of you are going to need new ear canals by the fourth inning.

I'm not saying to sit on your hands. But maybe everybody in Section 604 doesn't need to know exactly where you think Barry Bonds ought to stick his bat.

Sports Gospel's take — I've never heard fans argue this before, but whatever. Makes sense, don't yell profanities and such because there are usually little kids at these games. Of course, I think you do have a right to be as loud as you want. If you want to go crazy, go for it. Just keep it clean.

Myth No. 6

I sit near courtside. The players and coaches know we're just ragging on them in good fun.

Gene's take — Sure they do. That's why, if it were legal, they'd like to beat you to a fine pulp, pour the pulp into a FedEx envelope, and overnight your remains to the next of kin. But they can't, so they pretend not to hear a 5'6" cosmetic surgeon with a rent-a-date tell them how to D-up on Kobe.

There should be a rule: You can only rag on Peyton Manning for throwing an interception if Manning can rag on you for, say, miss-slicing the honey-baked ham at the deli. ("Cut ... that ... meat, you worthless piece of minimum-wage slime.'')

Sports Gospel's take — Who the hell does Gene think are playing these games? Serial killers? Beating you to a fine pulp and then mailing your bloody remains to your next of kin? Part of me has to think athletes have a thicker skin than that. Of course, if what Gene claims is true (which it rarely is), then the last thing you want is for the coaches and players to think it's just good fun. If they are that pissed off about what you yell, then you have already won — you've succeeded at getting into their heads, which will affect their play. This is where heckling truly pays off.

I am still somewhat confused as to why he hates sports fans. Yes, all surgeons are 5'6" and pay for sex, Gene, very clever. I know it may not look like it from the press box, but there are actually real sports fans in the lower bowl and if Kobe doesn't like them telling him how to play defense, then maybe Kobe should go get a job in the real world (that high school diploma will take him far). Make no mistake, it's not like putting a basketball through a hoop is some great gift to society, he's just lucky people like watching basketball. Heckling is part of sports and if athletes can't deal with it, then they shouldn't be playing.

As far as the whole "you can't rag on Peyton Manning for throwing an interception unless he can rag on you for doing your job wrong" rule, well, it is completely off base. Still, rather than argue about how the rules are different for entertainers, I will simply flat-out agree to this. I officially welcome Peyton Manning to rag on me for anything. I will even allow him to be present while I'm working on columns so he can heckle me while I type.

In fact, I will even let him follow me around for as long as he would like, heckling me on every misstep in my life, from jaywalking to lunch choices. I think it would be a blast to have Peyton Manning following you around and criticizing you all the time. If any of Peyton's people are reading this, drop me an e-mail and we will set this up. Actually, I extend this offer to any professional athlete. Good rule, Gene, I accept.

Myth No. 7

It's a ball game, not a Washington think tank.

Gene's take — I'm not saying fans should wear tweed and discuss Chaucer between innings. Cheer. Boo. Enjoy an adult beverage or two. But it is only a game, not the Battle of Stalingrad.

Sports Gospel's take — Again, I've never heard anyone say anything like this. Still, it's impossible to refute, because it is a ball game. There is a basic premise that you could take in about a million different directions, and it will always be impossible to argue it.

It's a ball game, not a stack of delicious pancakes.

It's a ball game, not a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty.

It's a ball game, not a bright orange street sign.

Myth No. 8

If the players trash talk, so can I.

Gene's take — The players are actually playing in the game. You're shelling salted peanuts and making sure your daughter doesn't lose her American Girl doll. So maybe it's time you quit acting as though you have to stop Dwight Freeney.

Sports Gospel's take — I don't really buy into this, either. I think sports fans should talk as much trash as they want. It may make them look ignorant when the team loses or like a complete jerk, but that's only if they go overboard. It's up to them, but I'm not going to say sports fans can't talk trash to each other — that is just insane.

Myth No. 9

If they don't want me to drink, they shouldn't sell beer.

Gene's take — Teams want you to drink. They just don't want you to need a liver transplant by halftime.

Teams make a lot of serious money on beer and liquor concessions. A cup of stadium brew that costs you $7 might cost them 50 cents or so. So let's not pretend a pro franchise wants you to conduct an AA meeting at the game.

But if you're spending more time in front of a beer stand or urinal than you are watching Dontrelle Willis pitch, then maybe you ought to be at a bar, not a ball game. I love beer. I'd like to date a keg. But there's nothing worse than sitting in front of four lugs whose blood-alcohol levels are so high they think A-Rod is a car part.

Sports Gospel's take — I agree with this. Drink up, sports fans, but don't get retarded drunk. It just will not end well for you. It may end up good for me, but that's only if you are stupid enough to go on the field and someone destroys you.

Myth No. 10

There's no way that right-winger can climb over the Plexiglas and get me.

Gene's take — Why don't you mention that to Ottawa's Brian McGrattan or Toronto's Tie Domi. But first, insult their mothers.

Sports Gospel's take — He was really hurting to come up with 10 myths. I'll bite though and will insult Tie Domi's mother next time I sit behind a penalty box. After all, how hard can it hurt to get hit with a walker?

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:55 PM | Comments (0)

Super Bowl XL Office Pool Propositions

1. Winner: Pittsburgh/Seattle
2. Versus spread: Pittsburgh –4/Seattle +4
3. Total points: over/under 46 ½
4. Total points, first quarter: over/under 10 ½
5. Total points, second quarter: over/under 12 ½
6. Total points, third quarter: over/under 13 ½
7. Total points, fourth quarter: over/under 10 ½
8. Team winning coin toss: Pittsburgh/Seattle
9. Coin lands on: heads/tails
10. Team receiving opening kickoff: Pittsburgh/Seattle
11. Shaun Alexander rushing yards: over/under 88 ½
12. Jerome Bettis rushes: over/under 13 ½
13. Matt Hasselbeck passing yards: over/under 247 ½
14. Joey Porter sacks: over/under 1 ½
15. Alexander rushes: over/under 22 ½
16. Darrell Jackson receptions: over/under 5 ½
17. Josh Brown field goals: over/under 2 ½
18. Starting yard line of game's first possession: over/under 28 ½
19. Largest lead of any team at any point: over/under 7 ½
20. Ben Roethlisberger completions: over/under 19 ½
21. Troy Polamalu interceptions: over/under ½
22. James Farrior tackles: over/under 6 ½
23. Rocky Bernard sacks: over/under ½
24. Seattle turnovers: over/under 1 ½
25. Marcus Trufant interceptions: over/under ½
26. Bill Cowher red-flag challenges overturned: over/under ½
27. Matt Hasselback passing attempts: over/under 27 ½
28. Alexander touchdowns: over/under 1 ½
29. Bettis touchdowns: over/under ½
30. Hines Ward receptions: over/under 4 ½
31. Pittsburgh time of possession: over/under 32:46 ½
32. Seattle time of possession: over/under 30:08 ½
33. Length of longest Jeff Reed field goal: over/under 41 ½
34. Josh Brown extra point conversions: over/under 2 ½
35. Jeff Reed extra point conversions: over/under 2 ½
36. Pittsburgh first downs: over/under 19 ½
37. Seattle first downs: over/under 19 ½
38. Jersey number of first Steeler to score a touchdown: over/under 39 ½
39. Jersey number of first Seahawk to score a touchdown: over/under 37 ½
40. Yardage length of first touchdown by Steelers: over/under 3 ½ yards
41. Yardage length of first Seahawks touchdown: over/under 5 ½ yards
42. Halftime/ versus spread: Seahawks + 1 ½ /Steelers – 1 ½
43. Jerramy Stevens receptions: over/under 2 ½
44. Add final score for both teams; sum is odd/even
45. First penalty called on offense/defense
46. Time remaining on clock at second half two minute warning: over/under 1:59 ½
47. Bettis yards per carry average: over/under 3.85
48. Joe Jurevicious touchdowns: over/under ½
49. Points scored (both teams) in final two minutes: over/under 3 ½
50. Referee's number: over/under 73 ½
51. Pittsburgh penalties: over/under 7 ½
52. Seattle penalties: over/under 7 ½
53. Length of first penalty: over/under 5 ½
54. Burger King commercials aired during Super Bowl: over/under ½
55. Touchdowns scored by the Burger King in first BK commercial: over/under ½
56. Total yards, both teams: over/under 681 ½
57. Will score be tied at any point in the fourth quarter? yes/no

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 2:34 PM | Comments (1)

January 30, 2006

I Hate Mondays: A Little Respect

Respect is earned, not given. But even so, the Seattle Seahawks, who finished the regular season with 13 wins and have advanced to Super Bowl XL with relative ease, are having a tough time garnering respect.

A cursory glance at the betting line indicates that the AFC's sixth seed, the Pittsburgh Steelers, are a four-point favorite over the NFC's top seed. The spread is simply a representation of the public's opinion, but it's quite obvious that they don't like the Seahawks to win the game.

Hidden up in the Pacific Northwest, the Seahawks have never really caught the attention of the masses. Just this year, their defense encompassed seven new starters, their defensive coordinator, Ray Rhodes, suffered a mild stroke, starting free safety Ken Hamlin was beaten into critical condition outside of a Seattle nightclub, running back Shaun Alexander set a new NFL record for touchdowns in a season, and he was also named the MVP of the league. If this was the New York Giants or the Dallas Cowboys, everyone would be dwelling on the adversity and the accomplishments, but in Seattle, they get their brief praise and everyone just moves on.

Last year, when Peyton Manning set a new record for the most passing touchdowns in a season, or even back in 2003, when Priest Holmes toppled Marshall Faulk's touchdown record, there was endless talk about the achievements. Not only that, the media tracked the week-to-week trails of these players throughout the season, projecting whether they would trump the benchmarks or not. Meanwhile, Shaun Alexander puts together one of the best seasons ever for an NFL running back with a rushing title, a touchdown title, and an MVP trophy, yet his time in the spotlight is ephemeral.

The Super Bowl is about storylines and quite frankly, the perception is that the Steelers are just the better fairy-tale.

There's the Bus, Jerome Bettis, who has yet to win a Super Bowl, trying to complete his quest for a ring in his hometown of Detroit. There's the promise, the one where Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger vowed to bring Bettis to the Super Bowl during the waning minutes of a painful loss to the New England Patriots in the 2005 AFC Championship Game. And there's Ben Roethlisberger, attempting to become the youngest quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl.

Even Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino had some words of encouragement for the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger, when he advised him to cherish his championship opportunities because he may not get another chance.

But in the eyes of the casual fan, the Seahawks are short of stories.

Their postseason history is quite limited. They have only had seven appearances in 29 years and this will be the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl appearance. They have produced only one Hall of Famer, wide receiver Steve Largent, and even his retired number was unretired when Jerry Rice joined the Seahawks for what would be his final season.

They are just the unknown, small-town aggressor that is the mild obstacle keeping the protagonist from his glory.

But just because they won't make you feel all warm and tingly inside if they win doesn't mean that you should side with the other team.

The Steelers may be wearing their white road uniforms in an attempt to convince themselves that they are the underdog, but it is clear who the challenger really is.

The Seattle Seahawks and respect mix like Mondays and me.

"When I was a kid, if a guy got killed in a western movie, I always wondered who got his horse." — George Carlin

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 5:53 PM | Comments (1)

Garnett Needs a "New" Jersey

Kevin McHale, if you somehow stumble upon this, take heed. Trade Kevin Garnett. Trade him now and rebuild in Minnesota.

Garnett has poured his heart and soul into Minnesota basketball, virtually carrying the franchise on his shoulders for the last decade. He will always be loved and revered in the land of 10,000 lakes, but it's time for him to be sent to a contender in the best interest of his career and the T-Wolves organization.

The question then becomes, "Where?" I've got a nice solution that isn't at all affected by my geographical location ... okay, it is somewhat. But I say there'd be no better destination for the "Big Ticket" than right outside the "Big Apple" in the swamps of New Jersey.

For years, subliminal rumors have floated around area newspapers about the Nets' lust for KG. Ever since the departure of Kenyon Martin — who not signing to a max contract may not be such a bad idea after all — the Nets have Nenad, I mean "needed," a powerful post presence. Garnett is the ultimate power forward outside of San Antonio and imagine what a combo of Jason Kidd, Garnett, Vince Carter, and possibly Richard Jefferson could mean.

Now if any trade was to go down, the Nets would most likely have to move Carter or Jefferson. But with both being able to play the two and three positions, losing one may not be as damaging to this team as it would another. There would also need to be first round picks, which the Nets have thanks to the Los Angeles Clippers and if McHale were smart, he would want a budding talent, as well. So trade Nenad Krstic, too. The kid has tons of potential, but we're talking about MVP, Hall of Fame, a top-10 power forward of all-time here.

Let's look over the trade, Garnett for Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic, and two first-round picks. Seems not too shabby. The Nets would have arguably the best triad in the NBA with Garnett, Kidd, and Carter that could finally pose a solid threat to Detroit and Miami. Though their bench may be thin, they have solid role players who can fill the same role when it was basically only Kidd, Jefferson, and Martin a few years ago. It would also hopefully allow recent additions like Marc Jackson and Jeff McInnis to play a bigger role in Lawrence Frank's grand scheme. Minnesota, on the other hand, would get younger and more athletic, adding the recent acquisition of Ricky Davis.

It seems as Minny has already begun the rebuilding process, getting rid of Wally World and The Candy Man. The first bell has been rung and now it's time for McHale to make the next obvious move.

Jason Kidd's prime playing days are dwindling and we can never know how healthy or determined, for that matter, V.C. will stay. The chance is now for Rod Thorn to make a devastating power play on the NBA. If not, this team stays a perennial second-round playoff exit, wasting the talents of Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson. Adding Garnett would propel the Nets from pretender to immediate contender and hopefully end for tabloid back page covers of Isiah's scandals and Larry Brown's blunders.

All right, so maybe it is all just a pipe dream. But one that I'm sure would shake the foundations of the basketball world. It's almost trade deadline time and the hot stove is heating up. The K.G. rumors will float around every major market from here until the end of February, but there's one location that at least one person right here would love to see him in, and that's sporting No. 21 in the navy, red, and silver of the Nets.

Posted by Seth Berkman at 12:17 PM | Comments (3)

Random College Basketball Thoughts

Lots of Surprises in ACC

The Duke Blue Devils are hot. The Virginia Tech Hokies are not. Those are the only constants, as the conference season heats up. What a wild ride it's been so far in the conference. The Blue Devils are the only undefeated team in conference play and except for a narrow 77-75 win over Virginia Tech at the beginning of the season, the Blue Devils have been virtually untouchable in conference with their only loss coming against Georgetown two weeks ago.

But the story in the ACC might not be what's going on at the top of the conference, but rather it's what's happening in the middle that appears the most intriguing. Boston College, Florida State, North Carolina, and Miami are all 3-3 in the conference, with each team having played each other at least once.

I admit I was wrong about Boston College and Miami. Heading into their first season in the conference, no one, including me, gave either team a chance to compete in arguably the most competitive conference in the country. But they have so far. Given that both teams came from a weaker conference in the Big East (yes, the Big East was a weaker conference, but not anymore), the battle for last place in the conference appeared inevitable.

But to my surprise, both have fared extremely well in the conference. As it stands now, Boston College has an inside track to steal one the conference's NCAA tournament bids. As far as the other three teams in the equation, let's be serious. Before the season started, no one gave North Carolina even a fighter's chance of making back to the Final Four. While I'm not saying they have their tickets Indianapolis, but they'll be one of the 65 teams in the tournament. Florida State and Miami, however — not happening.

Big East Blunders

It's seems like this happens every year. You know, the Big East has a great team that is undefeated and manages to become ranked in top 10. We've all seen it before with Pittsburgh a couple of years ago and now this year with Pittsburgh and Villanova. It boggles my mind how Big East teams continue to be more overrated year after year. Both Pittsburgh and Villanova began the season undefeated, both powering their way to the top 10. But what's the use? We've all know the script. Each team will finish with maybe five or six losses and then get bounced in the second round of tournament.

Granted, the Big East is a tougher conference this year with the additions Louisville, Marquette, DePaul, and Cincinnati, making the Big East another one of those sought-after Super Conferences. But let's be serious (there's that word again), Connecticut is the only school in the conference that has shot of doing anything spectacular in the tournament. While people in Philadelphia might have flashbacks of 1985, let me borrow a phrase from the great philosopher Rick Pitino. "Ed Pinckney is not coming through that door, folks."

Knockout in Knoxville?

Of course not, but what the heck is wrong with Tennessee Lady Volunteers? I mean, two losses in the same week. That's not Pat Summit basketball. Of course, one of those losses came against No. 1 Duke. But losing to Kentucky, that's not Pat Summit basketball. A loss in the conference this early in the season, that's not Pat Summit basketball.

Let's dissect this, shall we? The Lady Volunteers have one of the nation's best players in Candace Parker and maybe Kentucky is a good team. After all, the Lady Wildcats are 15-4 and in fourth place in the conference. But honestly, Rupp Arena hasn't seen much in the way of great women's basketball, so I guess Kentucky was overdue for some success. But again, that wasn't Pat Summit basketball. Pat Summit basketball is going 34-1 or 35-0 en route to at least — at least — a birth in the title game. Pat Summit teams don't lose two straight games. That just doesn't happen. The Lady Vols better get their act together because the SEC is tough — really tough.

Scheduling Gone Horribly Wrong?

Year after year, it's the same story. Mid-major schools padding their schedules with superior teams hoping to gain some added exposure for their respective schools. What's the point? It never happens. Sure, Hampton University beat Iowa State in the first round of the 2001 NCAA tournament, a matchup of the No. 2 and No. 15 seeds. Yeah, the image of Hampton players picking up their coach, as he kicked his legs in the air, was priceless. So was the image of Bryce Drew diving on the floor in celebration of hitting the biggest shot of his life.

But seriously (there's that word again), these things rarely happen in the regular season. What's the use of a school such as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), playing a school like Illinois early in the season? The smaller school isn't getting exposure for getting drubbed by the more powerful school. It just doesn't make any sense. It's pointless.

Here's an example — Morgan State (another MEAC school) is currently 0-17. Sure, they're terrible, but the bulk of their losses came at the beginning of the season against superior teams such as Washington, Florida, Miami, and Virginia Tech. By the time conference play started, they were already 0-11. That's not fair to the players. Sure, it's an experience that they can tell their grandchildren about. But it's got to be crushing for these kids, knowing they're getting on a plane or bus, traveling thousands of miles, just to lose — and lose badly.

This doesn't make sense and the NCAA should step in and do something about it. Force these schools to schedule non-conference games against teams where the games will be competitive. One game against a major school is enough. The players get the experience and you get to test your program against the nation's elite. But nine or 10 games are road kill, simply road kill.

Posted by Andre Watson at 11:51 AM | Comments (15)

January 28, 2006

Cowhering in Fear

"A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning."

Vince Lombardi? George Halas? Brett Favre?

Billie Jean King, actually. Amazing that a tennis pro knows more about the value of victory than the majority of football pundits.

We hear it all the time when the discussion turns to sports history — when debate is focused on a certain player or coach and his place within the context of that history. We hear how winning — despite being the undeniable objective of every team that wasn't the 1983-84 Pittsburgh Penguins — shouldn't be the determining factor when it comes to immortality. Ignore that Ernie Banks never earned a ring. Forget that Charles Barkley couldn't outshine his peers for a championship. Place Dan Marino on the same altar as John Elway and Joe Montana, even if he blew his only shot at the Lombardi Trophy.

Notice how they don't call it the Bud Grant Trophy or the Marv Levy Trophy? Both of those guys frequented the Super Bowl more often than Vinny did — it's just that Lombardi actually won the thing. Twice.

As we approach Super Bowl XL, we focus our attention on a pair of very different coaches. Seattle's Mike Holmgren won Super Bowl XXXI and looks like one of your dad's drinking buddies. Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher lost Super Bowl XXX and looks like the physical education teacher who made you cry in the ninth-grade locker room.

Should Holmgren win this championship game, his place in NFL history is cemented: he will become the first coach to win the Super Bowl with two different franchises. That's something even Bill Parcells hasn't been able to do, despite hopping from team to team more than Kent Graham in the last 10 seasons. If Holmgren wins, the Pro Football Hall of Fame should be chiseling his bust moments after Matt Hasselbeck tells us which Disney park he'll be attending.

Some believe Cowher has already qualified for the Hall of Fame based on his 14 years as Steelers coach. And by "some," I mean the two random knuckleheads I heard on ESPN Radio last weekend who treated the notion that Cowher was a Hall of Famer with the same blasé attitude one might have upon hearing Britney Spears was barefoot while pregnant. (I'm fairly certain one of the aforementioned knuckleheads was Sean Salisbury, whose NFL job stability made Kent Graham's look like Troy Aikman's.)

Did I miss the memo where Cowher's election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was switched from "possible" to "impending?" Doesn't he have to — and please stop me if is this outrageous notion offends your rational sensibilities as a God-fearing citizen — actually accomplish something, anything, worthy of enshrinement?

Through the 2005 season, Cowher is 141-82-1 in the regular season, 10-9 in the postseason with a loss in the Super Bowl thanks to Neil O'Donnell. He has a .603 winning percentage, which is better than Chuck Noll's (.564) over 23 seasons with Pittsburgh.

Of course, Noll was 16-8 in the postseason and won four Super Bowls. Which means Cowher shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence. As Noll.

Cowher has to win this game against Seattle, or another Bowl down the line, to merit a spot in the Hall of Fame. There are currently 20 coaches in Canton, with John Madden (a two-time Bowl winner) among the finalists for 2006. The majority of the coaches that were on the sidelines during the Super Bowl era have rings. Those who do not are, by and large, special cases:

George Allen never had a losing season, has the second-best winning percentage among coaches in NFL history, and was a defensive innovator.

Sid Gillman was ... Sid Gillman. Unless I missed that time when Cowher invented throwing the deep ball, I'm pretty sure there's no comparison here.

Hank Stram never won the Super Bowl, but won three AFL titles. He also innovated the "moving pocket," the two-tight end set and many of the defense sets the current Steelers have perfected.

The two Super Bowl era coaches in the Hall of Fame without a Bowl victory are both complete anomalies. Bud Grant won 10 of 11 division titles from 1968-1978 and made four Super Bowls. Marv Levy also made four Bowls — in a row — with the Buffalo Bills, who were first in the AFC in winning percentage for nearly a decade.

That Levy is in Canton leaves the door open for Cowher more than any other coach's enshrinement, especially if the Steelers make another Bowl following this one (should they lose). Since Cowher took over in Pittsburgh, the Steelers have been in six conference championship games, winning twice. They've made the postseason in 10 of his 14 seasons. There's no denying that Cowher will leave, when he leaves, as one of professional football's most successful coaches for wins and losses.

But is that enough?

Admittedly, I'm as much the Canton Nazi as I am the Cooperstown Nazi (as you'll see in my new book, "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History," which in a shameful plug I will remind you is available on Amazon.com as we speak). The Cooperstown Nazi is, like Seinfeld's Soup Nazi, a cantankerous curmudgeon who does not put up with substandard behavior or failure to meet certain protocols. If you can't be named amongst the truly immortal names in your chosen profession without straining credibility or common sense ... then NO PLAQUE FOR YOU!

Same goes for football. If Cowher ends up losing this game against Seattle and then fails to win a Super Bowl before handing over the Steelers to whomever coaches them for the following two decades, is he elite? Is he immortal? Can you put him next to Noll, Lombardi, Landry, and Gibbs without wondering if the ringless belongs next to the Lords of the Rings?

Face it: until he wins the Super Bowl, the only reason Bill Cowher should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is so we can find out what the official sculptor does with that chin.

Greg Wyshynski is the Features Editor for SportsFan Magazine in Washington, DC, and the Senior Sports Editor for The Connection Newspapers of Northern Virginia. His book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History" will be published in spring 2006. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 11:55 AM | Comments (5)

Fools Gold Yet Again For Yankees?

How many times have we seen this movie play out before? The Yankees make a supersized move over the offseason that vaults them back into first place in the AL East, and back into the Fall Classic in all the preseason media predictions, and in the minds of fans nationwide.

With Johnny Damon supplanting Bernie Williams in center, this team simply can't lose. This lineup is the new Murderer's Row. World Series number 27 is simply on layaway, guaranteed to be delivered in late October. Fans of baseball parity everywhere are outraged yet again. Another title bought by George Steinbrenner's greed.

Funny the critics said all those things last year when the Bombers acquired lefty starter Randy Johnson. Johnson was last seen in the Bronx coughing up Game 3 of the ALDS to the tune of an early, ugly 5-0 deficit. The Yankee bats responded to seemingly bail out their aging ace, but the Angels had already sunk their teeth in, and would not relent until they had the game and the series.

In '04, the Yankees surely were on their way to title number 27. With the acquisitions of Gary Sheffield, and the game's ultimate five-tool player, Alex Rodriguez, how could they lose? Their hated rivals, the then-cursed Red Sox, were left fuming as the Yankees swooped in and stole A-Rod from right under their nose, as the Sox had tried and failed all winter to lock up Rodriguez. Yet the Yankees ultimately stole the star shortstop's heart on that Valentine's Day, and Boston was left with more questions of The Curse. Curt Schilling to Boston seemed like a footnote compared to this signing, many seemed to think. Eight months later, on a Yankee Stadium uncharacteristically engulfed in fans and players all wearing red, I think we all remember how that turned out.

2003 saw the Yankees import their star talent, but still with the same buzz. Highly-coveted Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, and the Japanese star known as Godzilla, Hideki Matsui, had both signed with the Yankees. Adding Contreras to a rotation that already had Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, and David Wells would spell doom for American League hitters, while Matsui in an already overwhelmingly powerful lineup would provide an endless barrage of home runs with which to dominate the game of baseball. As it turned out, they held their breath and hung on for dear life against Boston in the ALCS in what may have been Babe Ruth's final masterpiece from the great beyond. Then a staggering, exhausted Yankee team was swallowed up by The Little Marlins Team That Could in the '03 Fall Classic.

In 2002, Jason Giambi said goodbye to his home and newfound fame and popularity in Oakland to shave the facial hair (and with it, his personality). The-Yankees-are-bad-for-baseball bandwagon was in full swing. How could any other team win a championship if the Yankees had such a monopoly on big-name free agents? How could it be right to so blatantly buy another title in this manner?

Giambi's right field pull swing at Yankee Stadium surely spelled murder to any team that opposed them. Especially when they were putting their postseason leads in the hands of such reliable veterans as Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, (back-to-back home runs by Garrett Anderson and Troy Glaus in the eighth inning of Game 2 at home), Mike Mussina, (a 6-1 lead turning into a 9-6 loss in Game 3), and David Wells (serving up 8 runs in the fifth inning of Game 4). And yes, this loss came to an Angels team that was pre-Vlad Guerrero. Giambi batted .357 in the four-game series with 1 HR and 3 RBIs. Few fans can actually remember any of those hits.

Finally, what could have been more certain than 2001? The core of the Yankee dynasty was still intact, and in addition, the hot new acquisition was Mike Mussina to their already solid pitching rotation. To add that to the team of Chuck Knoblauch, Paul O'Neill, Scott Brosius, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Tino Martinez, Mike Stanton, and all the other beloved "true Yankees" of the past, the dynasty seemed headed for a fourth consecutive title ring.

Yet the team was nearly knocked out in the first round by a quick left-right combination from surprise contender Oakland before reaching the World Series where Arizona's Schilling and Johnson traded blows with ninth-inning Yankee rallies in what Baseball Tonight's Peter Gammons referred to as "the most implausible World Series of all-time." The ending certainly ensured that, as Mariano Rivera, who is commonly referred to as "the Hammer of God," gave up the tying and winning runs in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series. Mussina's postseason was solid throughout, never suffering a loss, and even memorable, winning a brilliant 1-0 duel over Barry Zito in an elimination Game 3 of the ALDS. Yet he could not save them from their fate, and the dynasty has been in shambles ever since.

All of these blockbuster acquisitions, with the exception of Jose Contreras, who was last seen winning championships with his new friends by the south side of Chicago, have remained together on the Yankees. They simply add a new star every year, only to see what little difference it ultimately makes in the month of October. And with a legion of Yankee-hating baseball fans who believe that Brian Cashman and George Steinbrenner are the root of all evil (after all, they are the "Evil Empire," aren't they?) and unfairly buying championships, many forget that Major League Baseball has now had six different World Series champions over the past six years.

Between the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Angels, Marlins, Red Sox, and White Sox, the formula for winning in October has been written and expressed very differently from year to year. In fact, one may argue that a specific formula for such a task simply does not exist.

The White Sox won with superior pitching and minimal but timely hitting. The Angels of 2002 won almost entirely with a lineup that got hot at the right time and innings filled with six-, seven-, and eight-run rallies to overcome mediocre pitching. The Marlins won with a young, unproven pitching staff and a lineup of hitters who were strangers to the extra-base hit, but compensated with tons of aggression on the basepaths. Arizona won their rings almost entirely on the backs of their two-headed monster of Schilling and Johnson leading the pitching staff ... and one clutch ninth-inning rally.

There is also that elusive, inexplicable elixir known as team chemistry. It isn't entirely necessary to win, as the '70s Yankees once proved, and sometimes winning creates the illusion of chemistry. Yet since 2002, many have claimed that all of these all-stars the Yankees have accumulated have not, and will not mesh well together. Who knows what level or how much of an impact that will continue to have? But one thing is certain: there are no longer any guarantees for a Yankee team in October, regardless of what names show up on the opening day roster.

Posted by Bill Hazell at 11:32 AM | Comments (5)

January 27, 2006

The Book of Prognostication: Jan. 27

Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. That skier guy. Bode Miller. Everybody look — Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Bode Miller. Whoa, Bode Miller. Bird? Plane? Bode Miller? Yep, Bode Miller.

Okay, that should about do it. I apologize for the first paragraph, but when a guy pulls a gun on you and asks for your money, what do you do? Do you try to fight valiantly back, to show the guy that you don't take no guff from anyone? Or, like most sane people, do you just give the man your wallet and hope that he will go away? Most people will go with the latter, and seeing as how I'm not exactly geographically set to throw down with Bode Miller, he can have my wallet as long as he promises to go away.

For those of you who don't own a television, read the newspapers, listen to the radio, peruse the Internet, scan the skies for smoke signals, or converse with carrier pigeons, Bode Miller is a skier for the United States and will be competing in the 2006 Winter Olympics in a few weeks in Italy. We are currently in that pre-Olympic "let's hype up the hot female athletes and the crazy-guy-athletes-that-no-one-will-care-about-unless-they make-you-care-about-them" phase, so now people think this skier is important.

Bode Miller has taken well to his platform and has used it to spout off about how he skies under the influence of alcohol and about how Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong cheat. Unfortunately, as we are still a few weeks from the Olympics, we are forced to hear more outrageous statements from Miller.

The funny part about all of this is he claims that he loathes excessive media attention. He reminds me of the obnoxiously drunk girl at a party who will spend five minutes trying to tell you she's not drunk, and then the next time you see her, she's trying to pour an inanimate object into her drink. Bottom line: he's not fooling anyone.

Does he care about Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong? Probably not. Like any attention-whore, he just wants people to notice him. And I think it's in all of our best interests if we comply, with no questions asked, so he will just go away. He won't go quietly, as he will probably go kicking and screaming and maybe even with a desperate Michael Phelps-esque DUI, but that's a fair price to pay for his disappearance.

Anyway, I know my NFL picks have hit a rut. And I know the Steelers won last week and probably won because I didn't end up using the black magic like I said I would. I can explain all of that, and I will also make up for all of it by giving you my NCAA tourney dark horse (which will undoubtedly help you recoup any money you have lost from my picks yet, and it will secure you financially for days to come), but that comes next week in the Super Bowl extravaganza.

In this edition of the picks, I'm going straight to college basketball games, which is where I earn my keep. Obviously, they don't put lines out this far in advance, so I'll give you my prediction, but if you want to keep it safe, then play the moneyline.

As always, BetOnSports.com is giving an additional 10% signup bonus to all Sports Gospel readers, so make sure to type in "Sports Gospel Promo" to get your bonus. On to the picks.

Saturday Picks

No. 5 Texas over No. 22 Oklahoma

This game is at Oklahoma, but frankly, if Texas is giving any less than 12 points, throw the house behind the Longhorns. Oklahoma shouldn't be ranked and Texas might not even lose another Big 12 game. Oklahoma's frontcourt duo of Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout is woefully overrated and Longhorn senior P.J. Tucker has been playing good basketball lately.

Arizona over No. 25 North Carolina

This is one of those games that could go either way, depending on if North Carolina decides to show up. Arizona needs this game more than UNC, so I would expect to see Hassan Adams and company handle the Tar Heels by 5-8 points. It will definitely be a game worth watching.

Xavier over Dayton

This game will fly under a lot of radars, but should have a ridiculous line. If Xavier is giving any less than 10 points, steal as much money as you can, use it to hire a group of thieves, begin robbing cities and countries of any disposable income you can acquire, and put it all on the Muskies. They are coming off a pair of tough losses, which may make the line under 10, and are at home against an inferior Dayton squad. Dayton, meanwhile, is coming off a pair of wins over some of the worst programs in Division 1 basketball. Dayton hasn't beaten Xavier in Cincinnati in decades and they certainly won't do it with inferior talent on Saturday.

Sunday Picks

Minnesota over No. 11 Indiana

Minnesota should be getting around 7-9 points in this game, so if you like to feel adventurous, take the Golden Gophers. They are tough to beat at home and have a talented, yet underachieving team. They stand a solid chance of upsetting the Hoosiers and definitely are worth an extra glance when looking at the weekend's games.

Ohio over Miami (OH)

This game will certainly fly under most radars, but it's Abercrombie U visiting the No. 2 party school in the nation. My suggestion — throw your money behind what school you would rather attend. If you wager on Miami, then pop-up your collar so people everywhere will realize you are a loser. The Bobcats are coming into this game after a tough road loss, but they have the most talent in the MAC and are a strong team at home. Ohio wins this matchup by at least five, but likely closer to 10-12 points.

Monday Picks

No. 1 UConn over No. 10 Pittsburgh

This is an intriguing matchup because you never know which UConn team will show up. Still, the Huskies should be strong enough to beat an overrated Pitt team by a good 8-12 points. They are the top-ranked team in the nation for a reason and they will prove it on Monday.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:47 PM | Comments (5)

January 26, 2006

Tressel Out, Mason in as OSU Coach

So it's been, what, about three weeks since college football exited stage left, and I do miss it already.

I am not sure what to do with myself until then. Oh sure, college basketball is fun. Golf is a pleasant diversion, as always. My poker habit is becoming an addiction. But these are all just Cheetos when my stomach desires a steak.

What can I do except fire up EA Sports NCAA Football 2005, play Arkansas State against Buffalo, and write 4,000 words on it?

First quarter: I lose the toss, and receive the kickoff. I receive the ball at my own 15 and know I must instantly must juke left or else...

Just kidding. As pathetic as my column gimmicks are (very), not even I can slink to those sadistic depths. I just wanted to make my Editor/Publisher, Marc James, read that and say, "Oh, come on! I'm not publishing this! I ... oh, okay. Whew!" (Mission accomplished. — Ed)

I realize, though, that college football never sleeps. It's just the on-field action itself that goes on hiatus. News, injuries, recruiting, intrigue, drama — it all continues to unfold around the clock, every day all year. So what's in the college football news bucket right now? I've already cracked a corner of it, and I can smell the honey barbecue grease. Mm mm!

Dateline Minneapolis

As much as I hated high school, the metaphors it engenders know no ends. You remember that girl who would try desperately to be popular, so hard that she would even occasionally succeed, and be taken in by the cool kids for about a week and a half? Perhaps her card was stamped when she became the quarterback's temporary following a drunken tryst.

After a grace period, however, she would inevitably do something (get caught picking her nose, wearing her gray acid-washed jeans from eighth grade) that exposed her as rough trade, and the cool kids would cast her asunder, humiliated. The princely quarterback would look for a diplomatic, pseudo-reasonable excuse to dump her. Two hours later after the worst day ever unfolded, she's slamming the door to her bedroom, screaming to her parents, "It's not FAIR! You don't understand ANYTHING!" and settling down in her bed for a good cry.

That's Minnesota, if high school is the Big 10. Some kids are destined to always sit at the losers' table (like Indiana and ... Indiana), but everyone else eventually climbs the mountain all the way to the top. To be sure, every member school has represented the Big 10 in the Rose Bowl or the BCS since 1988 except Minnesota and Indiana (and Minnesota's drought goes back to 1962, Indiana's to 1968).

This doesn't stop the fact that every year Minnesota charges out of the gate like gangbusters. Sure, their weak non-conference scheduling is legendary, but they somehow look special in those games anyway. Often, they will start out the Big 10 season with a small winning streak, and then the team is on everyone's radar and every Gopher fan is living the life of Riley. This is always the point they bust out the acid wash. Their one-dimensional offense is dissected, they start dropping games, and horrified Gopher fans start hearing the infamous "They're all going to laugh at you!" loop from Carrie in their heads.

And I didn't even explore the metaphorical possibilities their pathetic stadium situation promises.

But that stadium situation may be one of the reasons why the cool quarterback, (in this case, highly-respected coach Glen Mason), has not yet signed the extension he has reportedly agreed to. Everything I read on his lack of a signature indicates that it's just some minor "contract language" issues, and that he's agreed in principle.

I love a good conspiracy theory, however, and I submit to you the possibility that the rumors are true that the NCAA is going to bring the hammer down on Ohio State's football program, Jim Tressel will be sacrificed, this story will break any second now, and Mason wants to be available to jump on the Buckeye ship with both feet as fast as he can when it happens.

It's no secret that Mason interviewed for the Ohio State job when John Cooper got the axe, and was very likely the Buckeye brass' second choice.

Not that I would believe any of this is going to happen, not for a second. If it did, I would be too devastated as an OSU alumnus myself to take pride in my scoop. But I've been wanting to try my hand at tabloid journalism for quite awhile, and it was time. It was just time.

In fact, my true prediction is that there are no NCAA penalties awaiting the Buckeye football program if they are even still under investigation, it's a very secretive one), Mason will sign, crank out five more years of 4-4 and 3-5 Big 10 seasons (perhaps one at 5-3), and the Gopher backers will find fresh tear stains on their pillow. It's just not FAIR!

Posted by Kevin Beane at 2:51 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Remember the (New York) Titans

To say that the New York Jets lack their own identity would be an understatement. They have played their "home" games in another state and in a building that the team mistakenly calls the Meadowlands when it's actually Giants Stadium. They try to pull the wool over everyone's eyes with the name trick and covering the blue walls with green bunting.

The truth is they haven't had a legitimate home game since Terry Bradshaw picked them apart in the final game at Shea Stadium in 1983.

It was always stated by team officials that one day the Jets would return to New York. Where they belong. Where their fan base is located. As soon as the lease at Giants Stadium (excuse me, I mean the Meadowlands — I am paraphrasing Jets officials) ends, they would come home.

One of the obvious issues was where they going to play. Current Jets owner Woody Johnson had a grand idea to build a stadium in Manhattan that would have doubled as an Olympic stadium. And part of the deal would have included millions of dollars in public money. Not only did he choose the most expensive place he could find for this proposal, but was banking (no pun intended) on New York City winning an improbable 2012 Olympic bid. No backup plan was in place. Officials in Queens had offered the Jets a place where a football stadium could be built. They wanted to sit down and discuss the possibly.

With them in the event, the Manhattan stadium either was not passed or a less expensive location was needed. They were politely rebuffed and told that Queens was not an option.

Of course, the West Side Stadium as it was called, was voted down and was not even close to ever getting done. All of a sudden, the Jets were stuck. A big part of their campaign was they wanted their own stadium back home in New York.

Every Jet fan was relieved to see the Queens offer revisited. The only other plan was for the Jets to join the Giants on a brand new stadium in New Jersey that was already set. There was no way the Jets would make the same mistake twice, would they?

They appeased some by sitting down with the Queens officials, but by that point, it was already known that they favored the Jersey plan. The New York Jets then signed a 99-year agreement with the Giants and officially announced their commitment. To further alienate their real fans, they also announced that they will be moving their team headquarters and training camp from Long Island to Jersey.

They should do the obvious and rename both teams, or at least make it look good and call them the NY/NJ Jets and Giants, like the XFL Hitmen and WLAF Knights did. Until then, the possibility of New York being considered for an expansion or relocated team are nil.

It's actually unfair to the people of New Jersey. Why should the Nets and Devils be geographically correct? And they play in the same Meadowlands complex.

Many unanswered questions. Typical Jets.

Posted by Joe Pietaro at 2:37 PM | Comments (2)

January 25, 2006

Olympics Athletes Face Double Standard

Big media and corporate sponsorship of sporting events in the United States have become as big a story these days as the sports and athletes they themselves sponsor, with nary an opportunity missed by advertisers and networks alike to promote themselves.

Whether it is the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the National Collegiate Athletics Association, or the United States Olympics teams, the broadcasting rights and contracts and their respective advertising dollars rule. But unfortunately, how individual sports and their respective athletes are treated by such entities varies, and especially if the athlete is on the U.S. Winter Olympics team.

There are a bevy of ironies that most sports fans are aware of when it comes to "non-professional" athletes and teams. For starters, the Winter Olympics is not given the gravitas that the Summer Olympic Games enjoy every four years. In fact, most American spectator-sports fans are hardly cognizant that the 2006 Winter Olympics' Opening Ceremonies are set for February 10, 2006 in Torino, Italy, a mere five days following the NFL's Super Bowl XL.

These days, the Super Bowl trumps all other sports for television viewership in the U.S., although not historically. And we cannot blame the failure of promoting the Winter Olympics and its respective sports on the success of the NFL. However, we can be critical of the non-existent coverage, for example, of World Cup skiing since the 2002 Winter Olympics, and arguably the most broadly-appealing event of the Winter Games, as a truly competitive sport, maybe with the exception of ice hockey. After all, people in the U.S. do ski. And even though figure skating is a big draw, we all know that it is more a presentation that an athletic competition. And how many of us go on curling vacations?

Years ago, the World Championships for skiing were featured on broadcast television, namely on ABC Sports. Nowadays, sports fans are lucky if they happen to catch it on the obscure cable television network, Outdoor Life, which on occasion and inconsistently provides taped coverage of the U.S. Ski Team, usually a week to 10 days even after the event has taken place. What a great way to promote interest!

Then, we have the hypocrisy of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team and the United States Olympics Committee, which wants to have it both ways. They need the television coverage and sponsors and expect their athletes to tow the party line in being "part of the team." However, virtually almost all the Olympic athletes compete as individuals.

There is also the rub that the American people do not have the appetite for winter sports. But with little exposure every four years except for two weeks of coverage, you cannot blame the fans. On top of that, the USOC expects the U.S. Olympic team to display exceptional behavior above and beyond those in the professional sports community, since its athletes represent the U.S. on the world's stage. Others argue that an Olympian should not be treated any differently than say U.S. tennis champion, Andy Roddick, who competes for the World Tennis Association or even golfer Tiger Woods when competing in Professional Golfers Association events.

That brings us to the latest media frenzy regarding 2005 World Cup Skiing Champion, Bode Miller. For those of us who have more than a five-minute memory, you may recall that Miller won two silver medals during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT. In fact, television ratings and American awareness of the Winter Olympics are said to have surpassed expectations in 2002, because the Games were held just months after the September 11, 2001 attack on the U.S., and the Olympics offered an opportunity for Americans to "heal." Therefore, those who normally would not watch the Winter Olympics did and Bode Miller was one of the feel-good stories of the Games.

Bode Miller was not expected to medal in 2002 and walked off with the silver in both the alpine combined and giant slalom races. He nearly fell down during the course of one of his races, but still managed to finish second. Miller was hardly a lost story of the 2002 Winter Games. But for those potential new fans who could have come aboard since or those of us who would have liked to follow Miller's career since, we have been locked out.

In 2005, Miller spent 250 days on the road, competing nearly six months predominantly in Europe, where he is far better known. He became the first American skier in 22 years to win the overall World Cup Skiing Championship title. He competed in all four alpine skiing disciplines on the slopes which includes the downhill, the slalom, the giant slalom, the Super-G, and the combined, which is one downhill run followed by two slalom runs. If you tried really hard, you perhaps heard about it by seeing it on the Internet or deeply buried in your favorite sports section.

But on January 8, 2006 infotainment television show "60-Minutes," once heralded as the best news magazine program on television, featured an interview piece with Bode Miller by Bob Simon. Unfortunately, "60 Minutes" chose to go the way of most tabloids these days by emphasizing Miller's controversial remarks concerning tying one on after ski races and then having to pay the price the next day, in addition to his criticism about the drug testing system for World Cup athletes by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

It presented a rather skewed look at Miller, but according to the sports media, has now put the Winter Olympics back on the map and that now Americans will finally start caring about winter sports. Hopefully, most sports fans find that rather insulting, along with the piece by "60 Minutes," which has become so desperate for TV ratings these days they have stooped to the level of tabloid journalism.

The broadcast networks and the USOC underestimate the sophistication of the American viewing public. We are fed a daily diet of indiscretions and inappropriate behavior including felonies committed by both professional and college athletes. Most fans do not like it, but accept it and even give athletes the benefit of the doubt, while others sadly have just become numb to such activities. But now we have a world champion athlete, given nearly no positive coverage for four years, and he mentions that he goes out and downs a few cool ones after his ski races and we are supposed to be shocked and outraged. Yet, we are also expected to care deeply because he is on the U.S. Winter Olympics team headed for Torino and must hold him to a higher standard.

Confused yet? The truth is, Bode Miller, not unlike a lot of athletes, does not conform to some of what his coaches say and even chooses to travel apart from the team. He trains on his own, as well, and since he entered the World Cup circuit in 2001, has never been one to keep his yap shut. So what's this all about, anyway? Sounds like the quickest way to stir up interest for the Winter Olympics is to create controversy. In fact, it's a lot cheaper for the USOC and Winter Olympics broadcast host, NBC, to fuel such stories. Instead of raising awareness of lesser-known athletes deserving of attention, make sure to get them in the news every four years, any way you can, even it is at the expense of their achievements.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2006

Super Bowl XL Preview

Five Quick Hits

* The Australian Open is my favorite tennis tournament, and Martina Hingis' comeback only adds to its appeal. Props to ESPN2 for its extensive coverage.

* Analyst Brad Gilbert (also a former player and coach) bears a stunning resemblance to Don Flamenco, of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! fame.

* Note to everyone: sweet heaven, please stop calling it Super Bowl Extra Large. It's not that clever, and it was only funny the first time.

* I really liked Dana Jacobson on SportsCenter. I can't stand her on Cold Pizza. And I don't even watch Cold Pizza.

* Jake Plummer was wretched against the Steelers, but Cardinals fans have to feel pretty burned right now. Plummer clearly has the talent to lead his team deep into the playoffs, but Bill Bidwill never surrounded him with a team.

***

There are so many coaching moves going on that they have almost overshadowed postseason play at times. Head coaches aren't the only big moves, either. The Al Saunders hiring in Washington is a big deal, Jim Bates is gone in Green Bay, and Miami has grabbed former head coaches Mike Mularkey and Dom Capers to be its coordinators.

Since there are no games next weekend, I'll check in next Tuesday with analysis of the most important hirings of the offseason, updated Super Bowl thoughts, and maybe a breakdown of this year's Hall of Fame class. For now, though, let's get right to the conference championship games.

Championship Game Roundups

Pittsburgh @ Denver

This wasn't just about Ben Roethlisberger and Jake Plummer, but the play of the two quarterbacks certainly summed up each team's performance. Roethlisberger was on fire. He came out passing, threw for two touchdowns, and ran for another to seal the game. He threw for 15 first downs and posted a 124.9 passer rating, the first time all season that Denver allowed an opposing passer to top 100. In short, Roethlisberger came up big in his team's biggest game.

Plummer, on the other hand, played a lot like Big Ben did in last year's championship game against the Patriots. He looked overwhelmed, and his decision-making was spotty. Plummer threw two gimme interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 66.4, his lowest since Week 5.

There was more to this game than the quarterbacks, though. Plummer didn't get much help from his offensive line. He was sacked three times and avoided several others with sheer athleticism. Denver's playcalling was also questionable. Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell carried the ball a combined 14 times, less than half the total of Pittsburgh's lead runners, Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker.

Steeler linebacker Joey Porter was in Plummer's face all afternoon. He was even blitzing on playaction. If the other team's best pass-rusher isn't respecting your run-fakes, you attack him by running the ball. The Broncos never did that. They were down 24-3 at halftime, and that's a big deficit to overcome, but when your offense is getting whipped the way Denver's was, you can't give up on your bread and butter. But that's exactly what the Broncos did, instead putting the ball in the hands of a QB who was having a terrible game. If you can score a couple times, then you can worry about the clock. The pass-heavy strategy was understandable late in the game, but it played into Pittsburgh's blitzes.

The Denver defense wasn't any better. It did a pretty good job against the run, but nothing against Roethlisberger. The Broncos blitzed a ton, but they never seemed to get any pressure. The Steelers always had the perfect call. If the defense brought five, they blocked with five or six. If the defense blitzed with six, they blocked with six or seven. When your blitzes are ineffective, you call off the dogs and put more DBs in coverage. Denver did that, and still couldn't stop the Steelers.

Pittsburgh converted six of its seven first-half third downs. Halfway through the second quarter, the Steelers had third-and-10. The Broncos rushed three men, and dropped everyone else into coverage. Roethlisberger found Hines Ward wide open for a first down. And I mean wide open. It was that kind of day.

Carolina @ Seattle

In blowouts like we saw this weekend, you can't boil the games down to a single factor. But please consider the importance of running the football. I've been harping on it all postseason, and if it seems like I keep repeating it, notice that the running teams keep winning. Pittsburgh and Seattle handed the ball off a combined 75 times on Sunday. Denver and Carolina combined for — get ready — 23. No team ever has or ever will win a championship game with only nine carries, which the Panthers tried against Seattle.

Carolina was already down to its third-string running back, Nick Goings, when the game began. But Goings is a solid runner who's been effective before. When the Panthers really gave up on the run was at the end of the first quarter, when Goings launched himself head first at Lofa Tatupu and suffered a concussion. His replacement, Jamal Robertson, got four carries in the remaining three quarters. No other Panther, except QB Jake Delhomme, had a rushing attempt.

It's especially important to run the ball when your quarterback isn't playing well. Delhomme was streaky all season, and he had his worst game yet against Seattle, going 0-for-6 with two interceptions in the first quarter, and finishing with a passer rating of 34.9. On Delhomme's first interception, he tried to hit Steve Smith between five Seahawk defenders. Seattle took away Smith, Goings KO-ed himself, and Delhomme took care of the rest.

The Seahawk offense put up 34 points against a Carolina defense that ranked third in yards allowed and hadn't allowed 30 points all season. They did it, like the Steelers, by using the pass to set up the run. Through a combination of turnovers, solid running game, and excellence from QB Matt Hasselbeck, the 'Hawks controlled time of possession for 41:51, more than twice as long as Carolina. Underestimate this offense at your own risk.

The Crystal Ball

Super Bowl XL: Seahawks vs. Steelers
Detroit, Michigan

Right now, this Super Bowl doesn't have the same pedigree as last year's matchup. The Seahawks are the best team from a weak NFC, but the Steelers went 11-5, finished second in their own division, and reached the big game by getting hot at the right time, not by dominating throughout the year. We won't be talking about either of these teams as the greatest of all-time.

That's not to say that they aren't great teams, or that XL won't be a good game. Neither side has a glaring weakness. Both have elite quarterbacks and strong running games anchored by stellar offensive line play. Each has a good defense with an effective pass rush and a playmaking linebacker. Both head coaches have been to the Super Bowl, and both teams are on a roll.

Aside from their meaningless Week 17 matchup against Green Bay, the Seahawks have won 13 games in a row and averaged over 30 points per game since the bye, scoring at least three touchdowns against everyone but Washington. Hasselbeck hasn't had a passer rating below 96 since Thanksgiving.

Pittsburgh has won seven in a row, including road wins over the top three seeds in the AFC playoffs. Other than last week's dramatic finish in Indianapolis, they've won all seven games by double-digits. Roethlisberger's passer rating in the playoffs is 124.8. The defense has logged 12 sacks this postseason, against the three least-sacked teams in the NFL. The Bengals, Colts, and Broncos all allowed season-high sacks against Pittsburgh.

On paper, Seattle has the personnel to fight that. The Seahawks' offensive line may be the best in football, and if not, it's certainly close. On paper, though, Indianapolis and Denver don't allow a combined eight sacks, either. Mike Holmgren's first priority has to be protecting his quarterback from Pittsburgh's blitzes. He can do that by running early and often, and throwing screens in obvious passing situations. I don't think Seattle can win if Shaun Alexander doesn't carry the ball 30 times.

On defense, the Seahawks need to rattle Big Ben. The Steelers are unbeatable when he's on his game, and if he doesn't have at least one turnover, Seattle loses. Early pressure is key, but as we saw in Denver, that's easier said than done. The Seahawks also need to watch for gadget plays. I guarantee Pittsburgh will try at least one. Remember the onside kick in Super Bowl XXX, or the Antwaan Randle El-to-Roethlisberger-to-Cedrick Wilson play against Cincinnati? Those are game-breaking plays, and Seattle can't be victimized by them.

For Pittsburgh to win, it needs to play mistake-free on offense. An early turnover or two could seal this game. Roethlisberger has proved he can be a big-game QB, but the Steelers really aren't put together to come from behind, so they can't beat themselves. That could mean limiting Willie Parker's touches, since he seemed to have trouble holding onto the ball against Denver. Ken Whisenhunt seems to have Pittsburgh's offense clicking on all cylinders, and if it plays the way it has been, the Steelers will be fine.

Likewise, the defense needs to keep up the good work. Contain Alexander early, make the Seahawks feel like they need to throw, and bring the house to pressure Hasselbeck. Seattle's offense, and its quarterback in particular, have not gotten enough credit, and I think the Steelers could be surprised at how good a unit they're facing. In the end, though, the key is stopping Alexander. Take him out of the game, and Seattle loses.

The intangibles of this matchup are hard to pin down, but I've become a big believer in "just happy to be here" syndrome, and I think the team less likely to have a problem with it is Pittsburgh. The Steelers went 15-1 last year and couldn't close the deal. This time around, they feel like they need to vindicate themselves. On the flip side, Pittsburgh is favored in this matchup, and that helps ... Seattle. It's become evident in the last year or two — and especially the last week or two — that Bill Cowher's team plays better as the underdog. If either side comes into the game overconfident or underprepared, that team will lose by 20 points. Maybe more.

I think Pittsburgh has turned the corner.

Steelers 24, Seahawks 17.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 3:19 PM | Comments (2)

How to Fix the Lingerie Bowl

In theory, the Lingerie Bowl is a fantastic idea. There are few things that could be better suited for halftime of the Super Bowl than ridiculously-hot women prancing around in their underwear. Against the odds, it ended up as an overwhelming flop. That is unacceptable to me as an American, so I have figured out how the Lingerie Bowl could be saved with one simple addition — fat chicks.

There are probably two reactions for most males that read that last line. They either spat coffee out on their computer screens or they had a heart attack. But thanks to paper towels and the fact that most buildings are equipped with emergency defibrillators, there are no lingering health ramifications outside of a jump-start to your day. Now that we have all had some time to calm down and think about what I said, let me repeat it — the one thing the Lingerie Bowl needs is fat chicks.

If you look at how the bowl is set up, there are essentially two teams full of gorgeous women wearing very little clothing. That is great and everything, but there is no real emotional attachment to one team or the other. It would be like your favorite team playing against your second favorite team with the only catch being that they play the game with a drab all-star game-esque intensity level. Everything changes if one of those teams is filled with overweight celebrities like Kristie Alley and Star Jones.

The first thing that happens is that the audience is split right down the middle. All males, naturally, will root for the underdog team of hotties (for the same reasons guys root for Maria Sharapova and not Ivi Mandic). Women, on the other hand, will be rooting vehemently against the team of girls hotter than they are. This stems largely from their festering resentment of these outrageously-hot supermodels and actresses who go to extreme means to look perfect and help shatter the self-esteems of girls everywhere.

Nevertheless, the battle lines will be clearly drawn. This would be the matchup of the knockouts versus the can-knock-you-outs. The kid's meal versus the extra value meal. It would be the Lady Davids against the Things That Ate Goliath.

I think it's important to mention that, because it is the Lingerie Bowl, both teams will be wearing their underthings. Of course, it's also important that Team Hot will be outfitted by Victoria's Secret while Team Big will be outfitted by the company that makes those tarps that cover the infield when it rains. The next area that needs to be addressed is the obvious advantage Team Big would have.

This is a simple issue to fix. Team Hot will simply increase their athleticism by recruiting a few of the more attractive athletes, like Jennie Finch and Heather Mitts. That will help on the offensive side of the ball, but I haven't clearly figured out how to offset the defensive disadvantage.

I think the logical solution would be to recruit some of the tougher WWE divas so Team Hot could have some people who know how to properly execute a body slam or takedown. I'm also toying with the idea of making Dennis Rodman a player-coach for Team Hot's defense and letting him lingerie-it-up so he can lay out a few vicious hits on the Rosie O'Donnells of Team Big. The funny thing is that, while I could actually believe Rodman getting behind something like this, it wouldn't even be the low point of his career.

A big change that this will have on the game is in the actually game play itself. Coaching will become vital and the days of three yards and a cloud of lingerie football would be long gone. Trick plays that rely on speed and athleticism would be vital for Team Hot to even be competitive in this game. This will result in wide-open play and more scoring for Team Hot, which ultimately means more sexy endzone celebrations. I'm struggling to find the flaws in all of this.

Who couldn't get behind a game where you could have a coked-out Lindsay Lohan take an option pitch and then get obliterated by Queen Latifah? Or where you could have Heather Mitts dropping a few Reggie Bush moves to get into the open field and then race down the sideline to the endzone while being chased by Kristie Alley and Lori Beth Denberg? It would look like a slow-motion version of the running of the bulls in Pamplona. The icing on the cake would be if it involves a Dennis Rodman so desperate for a paycheck that he is clad in women's underwear and brutally tackling Rosie O'Donnell.

At the end of the day, you are left with something that is highly offensive, yet mildly entertaining (which is better than highly offensive and completely boring). If the right people could be coerced into participating, it could be a more intriguing matchup than the Super Bowl. The promotion and marketing possibilities are endless. As hard as it is for me to say, fat chicks could be the saviors of the Lingerie Bowl.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 2:51 PM | Comments (2)

The Significance of Kobe's Big Night

Sunday evening, the attention of sports fans throughout America briefly drifted from their fixation with the NFL playoffs to the NBA. And for once, it was actually basketball that they were drawn to, not a vicious brawl or the antics of some primadonna superstar. Well, at least there wasn't a brawl.

Sunday night, 27-year-old Kobe Bryant lit up the Toronto Raptors and in turn the NBA record books for an astounding 81 points. That total is second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100 for most points ever to be scored in a NBA game.

Kobe has had big nights this year and throughout his career, but this was just insane.

This season alone, Kobe has put up three 50-plus-point games. Bryant had 50 against the cross-town and suddenly popular rival Los Angeles Clippers. He had 51 in a loss to the Sacramento Kings. And he netted a jaw dropping 62 against Dallas in only three quarters of play. He's had 40 points or more in 12 games this season.

During the 2002-03 season, Kobe became one of only three players in the history of the NBA to score at least 40 points in nine consecutive games. In just his 10th year in the NBA, Bryant has an unreal 52 games with at least 40 points.

But this performance puts everything else that he has had done up to this point to shame. Kobe was 28-of-46 from the floor, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc. Many people accuse Bryant of shooting the ball too much, and they would be right in most instances. Forty-six shots is a ton of attempts for even the biggest gunner. But when a player of Kobe's caliber and talent is shooting the ball at a 61 percent clip, you give him the ball and get out of the way.

To put this incredible achievement into perspective, one only needs to look at the record books. Michael Jordan, the golden child of the NBA, could only manage 69 points for his career-high. And that was in an overtime game. Larry "Legend" Bird could only muster 60. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, never topped 60. The only players not nicknamed "The Stilt" to ever make it close were David Thompson (73) and Elgin Baylor (71).

Sunday, Phil Jackson and the Lakers did what they've been doing all season: let Kobe take them as far as he can. And believe it or not, it's actually worked so far for the Lakers. At least more than last season.

The Lakers are 22-19, which has to be a big surprise to nearly everyone that saw them play last season. Last year, the Lakers finished 34-48, 28 games behind Pacific division champion Phoenix, and 11 games behind the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, Memphis. They were a miserable team and Kobe was the only reason that the Staples Center didn‘t have as many open seats as the TD Waterhouse in Orlando.

If the playoffs started today, the Lakers would be the No. 7 seed coming out of the West, right behind the L.A. Clippers. They also sit just 4.5 games behind Phoenix, who is the No. 2 seed at the moment.

The only significant addition to this year's Lake Show was the re-hiring of the triangle guru, Phil Jackson. Unless you're one of those that count Smush Parker and Kwame Brown as significant additions.

This is exactly what Kobe wanted to happen in L.A.. He seems to have a Jordan-complex. He wanted to get rid of Shaq so he could have a chance to prove he was the best player in the NBA. He wanted a Phil Jackson-coached team centered completely around himself with nothing but role players to fill out the starting lineup and roster.

And maybe he has the right idea. The Bulls never had a center of much quality. The likes of Bill Wennington, Will Perdue, Bill Cartwright, and Luc Longley were about as productive as Chris Mihm, Slava Medvedenko, and Andrew Bynum are now. Maybe the Lakers could be a Scottie Pippen-esque player away from the Finals. Just as long as that Pippen impersonator isn't Lamar Odom.

Sunday night showed that Kobe is capable of beating a team single-handedly. Despite Bryant's 26 at the half Sunday, the Lakers still trailed the Raptors 63-49 at the break and trailed 71-53 in the third quarter. Kobe then took it upon himself to drop 55 points in the second half. And don't think the Lakers didn't need every one of those 55 second half points. That total was second to only Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 59 points in the second half of that 1962 game in New York when he dropped 100.

Of the 12 games that Kobe scored 40 or more this season, the Lakers have won eight. Of the 52 games in his career that he scored 40 or more, L.A. is 36-16.

Kobe leads the league in points per game at 35.9, which is 16 points above his career average. He's shooting a solid 45 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc, while grabbing just under 6 boards and dishing 4 assists. He's displaying an all-around game not found very often in today's NBA outside of LeBron James.

If the season were to end today, no matter what your personal views are on Kobe Bryant, he has to be the league's MVP. He has taken a team full of people that no wants and has turned them into a playoff contender. He has the ability to elevate his game offensively to places no one else in the game today can go.

And the scary part of it all, is he can probably get more than 81. The sky is the limit with Kobe in this situation. Many times with this club this year, he is the only viable scoring option on the floor. He has been extraordinarily durable this season at over 40 minutes per game. If he gets in a groove similar to the one he was in on Sunday, who knows how many he can score.

So whether you're a Kobe fan or not, as long as you're a fan of basketball, you have to love the grace and ability that Kobe exudes on the court. The excitement that he brings to the game can only make the NBA stronger. And the more he scores, the more fans start to forget about all the bad things that have happened in the NBA over the past year or so. It could be similar to the effect of the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run race that rejuvenated baseball.

Everyone knows that Kobe has contributed to the black eye that the league currently wears. However, if he continues on this current path and keeps his nose clean, he can let his game do the talking from now on.

Posted by Chris Cornell at 2:31 PM | Comments (6)

January 23, 2006

Why Do Browns Fans Still Hate Steelers?

As a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, I grew up learning to hate the Pittsburgh Steelers. I had to hate their colors, their emblem, Three Rivers Stadium, and anything else that was Steeler-related. I hated Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, and I especially hated Jack Lambert (how could a guy from nearby Kent State University play for the nefarious Steelers?).

Chuck Noll? Hated him! Art Rooney? Hated him, too. I was, of course, too young at the time to fully comprehend this intense malice — it was enough just to be told by my elders that as a Cleveland Browns fan, it was my sworn duty to be a devout hater of anything Pittsburgh born and bred.

So I hated throughout my youth and well into my adulthood.

Then, something strange happened. Art Modell packed up the Browns one night, drove them to Baltimore, and Cleveland was left without a team. Suddenly, the rivalry that fed the thirst for Pittsburgh blood was gone and, remarkably, my hatred of the Steelers subsided, as well.

Of course, as any self-respecting football fan knows, the Browns returned to Cleveland a few years later (a completely-rebuilt expansion team, hiding beneath the historic nickname and colors), and the Browns/Steelers legend was to be revitalized.

Seven years later, the rivalry continues to lie dormant. The average Browns fan, however, continues to hate Pittsburgh with tireless ferocity. Which, I suppose, makes me a bit of an aberration as a Browns backer. My hatred, you see, has disappeared, almost as mysteriously as the Browns did a decade ago.

Much to the chagrin of my comrades, who are dying a bit more with each Steeler playoff victory, I find myself actually rooting for Pittsburgh in this year's postseason. In fact, I'm quite unabashed in my newfound role of Black and Gold cheerleader, recently telling my friends and family that I hoped Pittsburgh would defeat Indianapolis and even advance to the Super Bowl.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not one of those ridiculous converts, who have grown so tired of watching Pittsburgh throttle Cleveland every year that they simply decided to turncoat completely. No, I am still a Browns fan through and through. I love Cleveland, even though I curse much of what they do. I root hard for them weekly, finding myself completely miserable and depleted by their hapless efforts. And I'll do it again next year and the next.

So, why am I pulling for the once-hated Steelers? It's difficult for even me to understand. The long and short of it is I simply can't find any reason to hate. I'm not a kid anymore. I don't need to blindly follow the orders of big brothers telling me it's just the way we do things as Browns fans.

I also don't see an existing rivalry. A rivalry implies the chance that your team will win occasionally. They are geographic in nature, which these battles continue to be, but when there is complete dominance by one team, the rivalry dies. Can anyone in his right mind believe that the Steelers feel that they have a rivalry with the Browns? More likely, they look at the schedule and check off two sure-fire victories each season.

Finally, if there was anything I understood about the rivalry as a kid, it was that many of the old, aforementioned Steelers were built for hating. Lambert was mean and nasty. Bradshaw just didn't come off smart enough to be a winner. Noll always looked calculating and arrogant. And Harris was always running out of bounds, just before getting waxed by a charging defensive back. All of this, plus the fact that the Browns won once in awhile, made for a legitimate rivalry and some real hatred.

The Steeler team I see now is nothing like this. Bill Cowher can be annoying with his sideline antics, but he is a decent, hard-working coach and a good family man. He's got the longest tenure of any coach in the NFL with one team (an astonishing 14 years), which certainly merits respect and admiration.

Ben Roethlisberger, fresh out of Miami of Ohio, is calm and cool and has all the makings of a great quarterback. Jerome Bettis is soon-to-be a Hall of Famer and is one of the kindest guys in football. Then, there is rookie Troy Polamalu. Not that I'm a religious man, but this guy prays after every down, and he doesn't do it to draw attention to himself. He is both a spiritual man and a fierce competitor. Browns fans would love to have him in Cleveland.

Many detractors say Cowher can't win the big one. He's already won one championship game, and the win over Indy was truly awe-inspiring. To me, he's an easy guy to root for. When the Steelers played Dallas in the Super Bowl in 1996, Cowher's young daughter told him that win or lose, he'd always be a hero to her.

He lost on that day. A decade later, I'm sure Cowher is still a hero to his daughter. This year, I hope he'll be a winner, too.

Mark Barnes is a novelist, regular contributor to fantasy football site 4for4.com, and NFL football radio analyst. He appears weekly on ESPN radio in High Point, NC and on WBAL in Baltimore, MD, where he discusses pro football and fantasy sports. Mark's novel, "The League," is the first-ever published work of fiction with a plot based on the dangers of a multi-million-dollar fantasy football league. Learn more about "The League" and Mark's work at NFLStory.com.

Posted by Mark Barnes at 6:27 PM | Comments (25)

I Hate Mondays: Old-Fashioned

If you are looking for a lesson on how to play football, just watch the Pittsburgh Steelers go to work in the playoffs.

They are not flashy, they are not finesse, and they are not an offensive or defensive juggernaut.

They don't have a quarterback with over 4,000 passing yards, they don't have the NFL's leading rusher, and they don't have a wide receiver who spends hours pre-planning touchdown celebrations.

They don't have a defense that led the NFL in takeaways, sacks, or scoring, and they didn't rank highly in critical categories such as defensive third-down conversion percentage and passing defense.

So what has propelled them to Super Bowl in 2006?

Game planning, execution, and avoiding mistakes.

Starting with game planning, Bill Cowher and his coaching staff has done an excellent job of shielding their own Achilles heel, while exposing the weaknesses of their three playoff opponents.

The Steelers' main frailty is when they fall behind early and are forced to rely heavily on the passing game to recuperate. In the Steelers' three playoff games, they have played with the lead the majority of the time.

The second aspect of their wise game planning that stands out is their decision to pass the ball early in football games. Every analyst, coordinator, and pundit thought that the Steelers' only road to victory was by way of their running game. While that is true, the Steelers have come out early in each game with a passing emphasis. They have caught their opponents completely off-guard, particularly the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

When you look at the execution of the Steelers in their three playoff games, one can only be impressed.

The Steelers have averaged 115 rushing yards per game in the postseason, which is almost 25 yards less than they averaged in the regular season.

But Ben Roethlisberger can't survive without a running game, right?

The supposed janitor, manager, or guy who just makes the first downs in between the times that the Steelers run the ball, has completed 49-of-74 pass attempts for 680 yards, 8 TDs, and 1 INT.

Want more evidence of flawless execution? After 16 regular season games, the Steelers only converted 35.4% of their third-downs and allowed opponents to convert 39.7% of their third-downs attempts.

In the playoffs, they've shaped up, converting 22-of-41 attempts (54%) while opponents have only converted 17-of-40 attempts (42.5%).

And lastly, the Steelers have avoided costly mistakes that have paralyzed their very opponents. They have a +4 turnover ratio in the playoffs and have committed fewer penalties than their opponents in two of the three games.

By the way, the Steelers were on the road for all three of those games.

In Lehman's terms, they just play a smart brand of football.

It's seems like a simple strategy, but quite obviously, not everyone can stick to the blue print.

Bill Cowher football and the Bengals, Broncos, and Colts mix like Mondays and me.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction." — Winston Churchill

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:48 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2006

Lineage Important to Programs' Success

At most schools, a dream season revolves around a once-in-a-lifetime player, a team that has everything go right during a dream season, or a great coach that puts their program in the spotlight during his tenure, only to see the success fade when the coach leaves.

Three schools that are intertwined have withstood those barometers and have had success regardless of their coach, All-Americans, and superstars that have come and left early for NBA riches. Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina have a basketball lineage that dates back to the sport's founder, Dr. James Naismith.

Naismith founded basketball at Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1888. He was asked to come up with a sport to occupy students' time during the winter. After the sport became successful, Naismith migrated to Lawrence, Kansas in 1891 and became KU's first head coach. Remarkably, Naismith remains the only Kansas coach with a losing record. Naismith also felt that coaches were unnecessary. He theorized that basketball was meant to be played and not coached.

Kansas

One of Naismith's pupils was Forrest "Phog" Allen. Allen was one of college basketball's earliest "celebrity" coaches. He was an innovator of the game, introducing the concept of recruiting and developed the matchup zone defense. He was also instrumental in pushing basketball to become an official Olympic sport and played a major part in the creation of the NCAA tournament.

Allen had a number of prominent former players and assistant coaches that made major impacts on the sport heading their own programs. Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Dick Harp, Ted Owens, and Ralph Miller are among the notable coaches that either played and/or coached under Owens.

Harp succeeded Allen at Kansas and led the Jayhawks to the national runner-up in 1957. The 54-53 loss to North Carolina in triple overtime was one of the most memorable championship games in NCAA tournament history. Harp also coached the legendary Wilt Chamberlain during his tenure.

Ted Owens sat on the KU bench for 19 seasons following Harp. A .657 winning percentage, two Final Fours, and future NBA players Jo Jo White, Darnell Valentine, and Dave Robisch were part of the Kansas mystique with Owens in Lawrence. He led the Jayhawks to seven NCAA tournaments and two Final Fours.

Larry Brown became only the sixth coach in KU history when he took over for Owens in 1984. It took him only three seasons to get the Jayhawks back to the Final Four. Two years after that, Danny Manning and the Miracles had an improbable run to the 1988 national championship. His five-year stay in Lawrence was one of the longest stops in Brown's career and the '88 championship is still the last one for KU.

Roy Williams began his legendary career and continued the North Carolina/Kansas pipeline when he took over the top job from fellow Heel alum Brown in 1989. Smith recommended Williams to his alma mater after turning them down himself. Williams' first season at KU was difficult, as the Jayhawks were not given a chance to defend their title. The NCAA put Kansas on probation for violations under Brown. Two Final Fours in the early '90s put unfair expectations on Williams, It was nine years before Williams took KU back to college basketball's Holy land. He led Kansas to the Final Four in last two seasons. Future NBA stars that played for Williams at KU include Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz, Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden, and Nick Collison.

As with Allen, Brown and Williams had a multitude of assistants that moved on to head their own programs. Any successful coaching tree in college basketball will likely lead back to Lawrence. Memphis' John Calipari and current Jayhawk mentor Bill Self were assistants under Brown at Kansas. Williams had former Florida State and Tulsa coach Steve Robinson, Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings, Wichita State Chief and KU alum Mark Turgeon, former Oregon and Tennessee coach Jerry Green, and former NC boss Matt Doherty on his staffs. Williams' tenure might go down as the most successful run at a school without a national championship. His record was 418-101, with four Final Four appearances, including two losses in the national championship game.

North Carolina

Williams felt the calling to his alma mater to continue the North Carolina tradition. North Carolina has produced some of the biggest stars in the history of basketball — on the sidelines, NBA front offices, and on the court. Carolina has astounding tradition. Every coach but Doherty and Tom Scott has taken the Tar Heels to at least one Final Four since 1946. North Carolina made its first NCAA tournament in 1941 and advanced to the Final Four for the first time in '46.

When Frank McGuire took over in 1952, North Carolina's fate as one of the nation's best teams was sealed. He led the Tar Heels to the national championship and an undefeated season in 1957. At UNC, he coached future NBA executives and coaches like Billy Cunningham, Brown, Donnie Walsh, and Doug Moe. McGuire also brought on Smith as an assistant. When McGuire left to coach the Philadelphia Warriors, Smith took over in 1961.

Serving as an assistant to McGuire and playing for Allen at Kansas gave Smith credentials as close to the royal family that college basketball could have. In his first season, the Heel faithful hang Smith in effigy as Carolina went 8-9. The 1961-62 season would be Smith's only losing one in 36 years. Superstars under Smith included Bob McAdoo, Phil Ford, James Worthy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse, Antawn Jamison, and Vince Carter.

Smith retired after the 1997 season as the winningest coach in NCAA history. He reached the mark during the Tar Heels' run to the Final Four in the '97 tournament. His 36 years a North Carolina brought 879 wins, nine Final Four appearances, 15 ACC regular season championships, 13 ACC tournaments championships, and multitude of All-Americans. His legacy will always be felt throughout college basketball. His four corners stall tactic forced college basketball to adopt the shot clock in 1986.

Bill Guthridge succeeded Smith and had an extremely successful three-year run. He reached two Final Fours and posted an 80-28 record. Prior to his stint fronting the UNC program, he was Smith's top assistant for 30 years. Led by returning stars Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter, the Heels advanced to the Final Four in Guthridge's first season. During his three seasons in Chapel Hill, North Carolina advanced to two Final Fours. The 80 wins and two Final Fours during his first three seasons tied a record.

Matt Doherty seemed like the perfect successor to Guthridge. He had both North Carolina and Kansas pedigrees, was a member of the 1982 national championship team at UNC, and coached under Williams at Kansas. Many Tar Heel faithful cried that Doherty was their second choice after Williams turned down his alma mater.

A 26-7 record and a share of the ACC championship began the Doherty era. It looked as though the UNC train would continue to roll. He was unable to sustain the success of the first season. The weight of two consecutive years missing the NCAA tournament, and a player revolt after his third season did Doherty in. The Heels finished 8-20 in his second season and then lost in the NIT quarterfinals following the end of year three. Players that he recruited turned against him.

The 8-20 season ended a string of impressive Carolina streaks. Thirty-seven years finishing in the top three in the ACC, 31 years with at least 20 victories, and 27 consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament ended with the disastrous 2001 season. With the Tar Heels' future at a crossroads, Williams's felt the pull to return to Chapel Hill too great to turn down for a second time in four years.

Williams was out to prove that nothing was finer than Carolina. It took just two years to turn around the Tar Heels' fortunes. With holdovers from the Guthridge and Doherty eras, Williams had a ton of talent to return North Carolina to the nation's elite programs. Seniors Jackie Manual, Melvin Scott, and Jawad Williams remained from Guthridge's tenure. The seniors were the team leaders. Manuel and Scott were key role players, and Williams was the third leading scorer.

Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, and Sean May were the cornerstones of Doherty's first freshman class. May became the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. May, Felton, McCants, and freshman Marvin Williams were all first-round picks in the 2005 NBA draft. The 2005 Tar Heels will be remembered as the team that restored the pride in Chapel Hill and gave Williams his first NCAA championship. The title eliminated the stigma that Williams can't win the biggest games.

Kentucky

Any discussion about the history and success of Kentucky basketball must begin with Adolph Rupp. Similar to Dean Smith, Rupp was a Kansas graduate who played under Phog Allen. Rupp arrived at Kentucky in 1930 from Freeport, Illinois High School. Rupp is credited with developing the fast break and would become the winningest coach in college basketball history when he retired, a record that Smith eventually broke. Rupp achieved four NCAA championships ('48, '49, '51, and '58), one Olympic Gold Medal ('48), coached 23 All-Americans, and finished 879-190. Protégés that have headed their own programs and NBA teams include Joe B. Hall, Dan Issel, and Pat Riley.

Hall took over the UK program following Rupp's retirement in 1972. Under Hall, Kentucky advanced to Final Fours in '75, '78, and '84. The '78 team captured the national championship. His teams finished 373-156 in 19 years. Hall retired at the end of the 1985 season.

Eddie Sutton succeeded Hall. In four seasons, his teams went 88-39. His best season was a 32-4 finished in 1986, his first year in Lexington. Scandal, turmoil, attrition, and a 13-19 season in 1989 did Sutton in. He resigned after the '89 season. Sutton left the cupboard bare for Rick Pitino. Eric Manual was kicked out of school after allegations that someone took the SAT for him and Chris Mills transferred to Arizona with the revelation that someone associated with the Kentucky program had sent Mills' father $10,000.

Sutton left as the only coach since Rupp not to lead the Wildcats to a national championship. Scandal had occurred at Kentucky in the past. After a point-shaving scandal, Kentucky was put on probation by the NCAA and did not field a team during the 1953 season.

Pitino arrived at Kentucky having led Boston University and Providence to the NCAA tournament and the New York Knicks to the NBA playoffs. Pitino assured UK fans he would build a winner immediately. His first season, the 'Cats were on probation and finished 14-14. With the program still on probation in 1991, Kentucky finished with the SEC's best record and appeared to becoming one of the conference's most dominant programs again. Pitino had grander plans.

In 1992, only Christian Laettner's miracle shot prevented the Unforgettables from getting to the Final Four in their first season off probation. Jamal Mashburn helped get Kentucky to the Final Four in 1993. Another Elite Eight appearance in 1995 behind star freshman Antoine Walker had Pitino on the edge of a mini-dynasty.

Kentucky dominated the 1996 season, culminating with the school's sixth NCAA title. Walker highlighted a star-studded roster. His teammates included future NBA players Nazr Mohammed, Derek Anderson, Tony Delk, and Ron Mercer. Mercer, Anderson, and Mohammed returned for the 1997 season. In Pitino's last game at Kentucky, only an overtime loss to Arizona prevented a second consecutive national championship. Later that spring, Pitino was tabbed to become the head coach and general manager of the Boston Celtics.

Pitino's former assistant Tubby Smith was chosen to succeed him. Smith became Kentucky's first African-American coach. Kentucky captured its second national championship in three seasons during Smith's first year in Lexington. His 219 wins during his first eight seasons equaled Pitino in the same time span. He has been named National Coach of the year three times and taken Kentucky to the Elite Eight three times. The 1998 Final Four appearance is their only trip under Smith.

In the ultra competitive world of college basketball, sustained success is difficult. The formula of a star player or a decade of success during a coach's tenure is the norm for most successful programs. Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina have been the nation's elite programs since the inception of college basketball. The three have combined to reach a Final Four in every decade and capture a national championship in every decade except the 1960s.

KU, UK, and UNC have been able to sustain success through coaching changes, scandals, and star players moving on. High-profile coaches are always attracted to these programs because of their sustained success and star players want to play at the most prestigious schools. Kentucky, Kansas, and North Carolina represent the royalty of the college hardwood. The pageantry, loyal fan support, and a high percentage of nationally-televised games, along with their tradition, should ensure success in Lawrence, Lexington, and Chapel Hill for decades to come.

Posted by Alan Rubenstein at 4:15 PM | Comments (2)

Please Shut Up, Peyton

Plausible deniability.

According to Wikipedia, it's the term given to the creation of loose and informal chains of command in government, which allow controversial instructions given by high-ranking officials to be denied if they become public.

According to me, it's a concept Peyton Manning really needs to wrap his brain around.

The White House has been leaking like the plumbing on the Titanic. Who takes the fall? Bush? Cheney? Nope ... it's a grown man named "Scooter."

Plausible deniability.

The United States military has made it a policy to torture "terror" suspects in super-duper top-secret jails placed around the world. Who takes the fall? Rummy? Condi? Probably, in the end, some Lynndie England-esque rube who's snapping souvenir photos of a guy in a dog collar that's about to get electrocuted.

Plausible deniability.

People in power should keep their noses clean. That's the difference between presidents and assistants for national security affairs to the vice president. That's the difference between cabinet secretaries and soldiers. That's the difference between criminal masterminds and the guy the cops end up busting.

Who's more menacing: Goldfinger or Oddjob? One had a hat he could use as a weapon; the other had a laser that could roast your nuts. You tell me.

We all know Peyton's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier because he is, after all, Archie's son and did, after all, attend the University of Tennessee. But he is considered to be the best quarterback in the NFL, heading into his sixth Pro Bowl. He is considered one of the brightest stars in the league — so bright that the NFL will actually fix games for him, according to Joey Porter.

Peyton was the unquestioned leader of what many considered to be the team to beat for the Super Bowl championship. True story: the Indy Star had already written 16 chapters of a book about the Colts' Super Bowl season when the team was eliminated. Now they might was well turn the thing over to James Frey and have him pretend the team did end up winning it all.

The Colts were a team of destiny — Manning's destiny.

Then came the Steelers. Then came 21-18.

And then Peyton started talking. "I'm trying to be a good teammate here. Let's just say we had some problems in protection. I'll give Pittsburgh credit for the blitzes and their rush. Those guys rushed. But we did have some protection problems," he said after the loss.

Plausible deniability? Try an implausible irrationality. I know emotions are high and blame needs to be shared when your championship dreams are crushed in such a heartbreaking way, but what the hell was he thinking? He's the captain, and now he's slagging the hardest working men on the ship in front of the media after a game in which his QB rating was 90.9? This should not be coming from Peyton Manning. These are sentiments that Reggie Wayne or Dallas Clark or Brandon Stokley should be making for Peyton. This is criticism that Tony Dungy should be publicizing and then absorbing the backlash for. This is scuttlebutt leaked to the press after Peyton's had it out behind closed doors with his line.

This is not something Peyton Manning, as the leader of this football team, should have to or choose to say to the media, because now he looks like the biggest dick on the planet.

From the great DJ Gallo on ESPN's Page2:

"There are some people who will call Peyton Manning the dreaded 'C' word today. Yeah ... 'choker.' But calling him a choker simply isn't fair, because Peyton Manning is far more than someone who fails when it counts year after year after year. For instance, he's also someone who throws his teammates under the bus, which — it goes without saying — is something every quarterback and team leader should try to do whenever possible."

From Mark Kreidler of the Sacramento Bee:

"As solid a citizen as Manning appears to be — good-guy public image, socially conscious, lighthearted commercials, provider of Hurricane Katrina aid — it's just an incredibly lunkheaded thing to say, even in the wake of a tough loss."

From Bob Plain on TheSimon.com:

"It will be hard for Manning to rally the troops for another go-around, especially since this was by far the best team Manning will probably ever play for. Perhaps the Colts' best bet is to dump Manning and bring in a less talented, less expensive quarterback."

Bill Polian, team president of the Indianapolis Colts, has rushed to his investment's defense over the last few days, including this response on Colts.com:

"You're never going to be 100 percent politically correct in that situation. I don't worry about it. I told the team this morning, 'Everything that is written and said is irrelevant. Understand that it's irrelevant and don't even bother with it. Don't listen to it. Don't read it. Just move on. Let's get better.' I'm not going to put a lot of stock in that. I think far too much is made of what's said. Sometimes, their agenda can become your agenda and if that happens, you lose."

What a load of crap! The quarterback for the best offense in football laid the blame for his shortcomings at the feet of his offensive linemen — all in the name of being a "good teammate." Polian can paint it as a poor choice of words amplified by a nefarious media eager to tear down the Colts and good guy Manning — in reality, it was a team leader turning on his brothers in their most dire moment.

Tom Brady gets his linemen in credit card commercials.

Peyton Manning blames them for playoff losses.

I guess that's why one guy is two rings away from a full hand, and the other guy is rapidly becoming this generation's Dan Marino.

The bottom line is that Manning has fractured a sacred trust between himself and his team with this unbelievably classless and selfish post-game statement. That his comments were valid is beside the point. If he has a beef with the line, keep it in the locker room. If the media needs to be involved in order to get the point across, then have someone else be the messenger so a squeaky-clean image and the stature of being a virtuous leader can remain intact for Manning.

There are seven months before training camp. That's enough time to find some henchmen, Peyton, so you can keep that pie hole shut after losses like this, and keep from insulting the only men who are paid to care whether or not you end up on your ass after every play.

Down the Amazon

My friend Andrew Stanger up in New York let me in on a fun game he's been playing in anticipation of my book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History," which will hit the streets in April.

He's been going on Amazon.com to see where the book is ranked and what books are currently more popular in the Amazon rankings. This amuses him for two reasons:

My book isn't available yet, hence the ranking is quite high.

He's an idiot that is amused by the tint and contrast buttons on his monitor, let alone a functioning web page like Amazon.com.

So, thanks to Stanger, I will present each week my competition on the Amazon.com rankings, where I was No. 891,646 yesterday. Which meant my book was less popular than:

* No. 891,645: "International Litigation Strategies and Practice: International Practitioner's Deskbook Series (International Practitioner's Deskbook Series)" by Legum Barton.

* No. 891,639. "Song of the Soul: An Introduction to the Namokar Mantra and the Science of Sound" by H. H. Acharya Sushil Kumarji Maharaj (Out of Print — Limited Availability).

That's right ... I'm losing a book you can't even buy anymore. Sheesh!

Random Thoughts

I was really feeling good about the New York Jets bringing in Eric Mangini as their head coach until Giants Fan sitting next to me at work called him "Mangina"...

Meanwhile, Patriots Fan — an old favorite in this column — has been wondering why I haven't addressed New England's playoff flop this season in the JQ. I would have been happy to share some thoughts this week ... but after hearing Theo Epstein is back with the Red Sox, I imagine he and the rest of the Sons of Sam Horn will be too busy fellating each other while watching their 2004 ALCS highlight DVDs for the next several weeks to read whatever it is I'd have written...

That said, I am upset that the Pats couldn't knock off Denver because it brings the Broncos one step closer to creating the single most unappealing Super Bowl matchup in recent memory: Denver and Carolina. Bleech! I might be watching for the commercials this year if those two yawners are playing...

The Pittsburgh Penguins are for sale, and Mario Lemieux has indicated that the only way to keep the franchise in Pittsburgh is if a new arena is built by a casino, and that's if it gets a slot machine license in the city.

So the only way to save the sport is with slot machines.

It was bad enough when hockey was being compared to soccer — now it's sunk down to horse racing's level?

And finally, Howard Stern revealed that he's had a nose job within the last nine years.

And having seen him within the last nine years, I really, really hope he kept his receipt...

Greg Wyshynski is the Features Editor for SportsFan Magazine in Washington, DC, and the Senior Sports Editor for The Connection Newspapers of Northern Virginia. His book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History" will be published in spring 2006. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 12:38 AM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2006

Next Bus Stop: Denver

With each and every Steelers victory, another plane ticket must be purchased, not only for each player, but for myself and good friend, Mike Worysz. You see, we decided at the game in Cincinnati to ride this all the way until it is over. It didn't even seem possible to get this far, as a No. 6 seed has never made it to the championship game. If this was going to happen, Mike and I were going to watch history together. Look for us this Sunday, in section 342, row 16, club level, Steelers side.

How could the Steelers even compete against the Colts? Weren't they pounded 26-7 on Monday Night Football earlier in the year by the same team? Weren't they playing a well-rested Colts team? Wasn't this game being played in the loud RCA Dome? This wasn't just another road game, this was unthinkable.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was asked about having success on the road:

"Everybody's against you and all we have is us and that's what makes this team so strong. We've done a great job of that all year. We could hear our fans out there. They're awesome. They're getting it loud at times and when Peyton's at home telling the crowd to be quiet, that's our guys. We come out and play tough and hopefully, we can keep it going."

Thanks Ben, I'll make sure to rest my voice for Denver. Glad you appreciate it.

I was so close, I could hear Coach Cowher screaming to the players. It was amazing to see my team put up a 21-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. No one gave them a chance and they took it to the Colts all day long.

I have an incredible picture of the Steelers players waving the crowd goodbye. It was first-and-goal for the offense, and the Steelers had Jerome Bettis in the backfield. You can see the offense in the corner of the picture.

Freeze here for a moment. It is over. Everyone in the stadium knew it. I can remember feeling such a relief. It was time to enjoy the victory.

Then, the dream turned into a nightmare. Bettis fumbled and the ball popped out. The goal line offense wasn't going to stop this disaster! I felt horrible for Jerome. All I could think of was the Sports Illustrated cover picturing Jerome Bettis spiking the ball in Cincinnati the week before. The caption read "Oh, Yeah! Jerome Bettis and the Steelers Drive Into Indianapolis."

All I was thinking was, "Oh No!" I knew that SI curse was real. Then Big Ben made "The Tackle." Thanks again, Ben.

The last five minutes of that game were so intense, I was shaking to the point Mike was seriously trying to calm me down. It felt like I was having a seizure or anxiety attack. I was in utter shock. I couldn't give up now. Not after coming this far.

When they lined up for the kick at the end, with 21 seconds remaining, I was thinking overtime.

I only had one trick left in my bag.

I did this thing to jinx the kicker. It goes something like this:

You make the Texas longhorn symbol and flick your fingers at the kicker. The pointer and the pinky represent each post. I learned this at a Steelers bar a while ago. You can only do it on big kicks in big games. I have done this move three times in my life and it worked every time.

When Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt's attempt went wide right, I knew my curse had even more clout than the Sports Illustrated one. Vanderjagt is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. That's a fact. He hasn't missed the entire season at home. I really believe in my jinx, so if I wasn't there, we may be talking about a different story today!

Back on top of the world! Back to living the dream!

I know how quickly it can end. I have waited my entire life and I am still waiting. I can't even tell you what I am waiting for because I am so paranoid.

I have to go to Denver — everyone is telling me it is not even an option anymore. It can all quickly come to an end, so I am just enjoying the moment.

The odds are still against the Steelers, they are underdogs again, going on the road, but who knows?

I have 40 things on my mind, 40 things I can't even talk about. Either way, I'll be watching next year, just waiting for "the one." I know, because it is in my blood.

Growing up as a child in Pittsburgh, I learned that hard work will pay off, that family is important, and that the Steelers are your extended family. I truly understood exactly what that meant when I left the city to find work elsewhere.

No matter where you live in the country, once a Steelers fan, always a Steelers fan.

I don't really ever feel like I am at home anymore, but when I see someone wearing the black and gold, I am already there. It is more than just football.

There is not a more stable organization in Pittsburgh than the Steelers. Even when the steel mills were leaving and the city took a downturn, the Steelers remained. The team, organization, and history truly reflect the blue-collar mentality Pittsburghers have within themselves.

This week's AFC Championship Game against the Broncos brings back many memories for me. It was only a few years back, the 1997 season that the Steelers were poised for another championship run. In January 1998 of that season, the Steelers hosted the Denver Broncos for the right to play in the big game. The town was electric, the vibe was intense, and the hunger for a victory was obvious.

I can remember my dad, who operates a tow truck company with the same class and hard work that defines Pittsburgh, my ultimate role model, getting into the act, as well. See, it was truly special for me because he wasn't the biggest Steelers fan. He didn't really understand the game and spent his childhood working.

But for this one particular game, he decided to host a "Bash the Bronco" tailgate at his automotive shop, which is located 10 minutes north of Pittsburgh. Ferra's Automotive was turned into Steelers headquarters that day. There was music blasting, food being passed around, cars honking, and Terrible Towels waving proudly in the air.

I remember his "bash" made the news and I was bragging to all my friends about it. I realized he was doing this, not for himself, but for all those that loved the Steelers just as much as his son did.

That is something I will never forget.

The game didn't turn out as planned, the Steelers lost by three points in a 24-21 upset to John Elway's Broncos. It hurt badly at the time, but the memories my dad created for me were more important and it took years to truly appreciate how much fun that time was, regardless of the outcome.

As I planned to write about that this week, an e-mail appeared from my father. Yep, he was at it again.

Right now, there are camera crews from every news station in Pittsburgh preparing for another "Bash the Bronco." Once again, I find myself bragging to my friends about it. Painted Denver's colors with No. 16 and Jake the Snake painted on the side, the truck is prepared to be beaten by Steelers fans wearing a No. 7 helmet and holding a sledge hammer all day long.

Chills jumped through my dad's body to mine when he sent me an e-mail earlier this week.

Apparently, while his workers were preparing the Old Ford Bronco for a beating of a lifetime, a discovery was made. Sitting inside the vehicle was a cassette player holding one mixed tape.

Of all the tapes in the world, the possibilities were endless. But there was only one tape that would truly make this Bronco Special.

It was a tape of the Steelers' fight songs, from the 1970s.

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 8:43 PM | Comments (3)

The Return of the 30-Point Scorer

Their names aren't Carter, Shaq, Garnett, or McGrady. They never played in the Final Four. Yet super scorers are back in then NBA. Recalling the days of Michael and Dominique, or Dantley and English, players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson are scoring 40 on the regular, and Gilbert Arenas is right on their heels. Why the explosion, and why these particular players?

Through 36 games, Kobe Bryant is averaging a Jordanesque 34.2 ppg. Leading a team where he is no longer shackled by Shaq's presence, Bryant hoists a league-leading 27 shots a night. To his credit, he also shoots 10.5 free throws a game, third in the league to Iverson and Dwyane Wade. But he is not alone in the 30-point stratosphere.

King LeBron James, all of 21, averages 31.1 per night on 50.3% shooting. Many years, this average would lead the NBA in scoring, even back during the early 1970s of Jerry West and the-then Lew Alcindor (when teams tallied 115 points a game). Of course, James' all-around digits are astounding, he passes and rebounds, too. Though high school seniors may no longer enter the NBA draft straightaway, he remains the best argument to the contrary.

A.I., for his part, is netting 33.2 per contest, despite the presence of Chris Webber. Arenas and Wade are just under 29 per game. When you read this leader board, you half expect see names like Vandeweghe, Free, and King. This is a good thing. Part of the reason is that overall scoring is up. Iverson has always been a top-three scorer. LeBron has so much game for his age, it's just a matter of time before we realize he's not only a superior passer to Jordan, but a much larger man than M.J. was at the same age.

Gilbert Arenas is the definition of a scorer. He has the frame, the mentality, and the marksmanship. He can also shoot it a little more this season, what with Larry Hughes departed (and running with James). In Miami, Shaquille O'Neal is more than happy to see Dwyane Wade light up opponents, because the Southeast division leaders have another shot at a ring they feel Wade's playoff injury of last season robbed them of. Sure, the Pistons boast the flashy W-L mark (30-5 at this writing), but the Heat start two future Hall of Famers, and are coached by one. If Shaq had any issues, they were resolved when Stan Van Gundy stepped down.

What does it all mean? Well, for starters, the league's pace is finally catching up with the talent level. Lightning guards such as Steve Nash and Tony Parker have ignited the trend to fast break. The enforcement of hand-checking rules has freed up slashers of the Bryant/Wade stripe. And LeBron will carry his club until even more help arrives. Look for more of the same. Paul Pierce is soloing in Beantown without former mate Antoine Walker (not exactly gun shy himself, but now a supporting cast member to Shaq and D-Wade). And when Amare Stoudemire returns to Phoenix — watch out.

This is a new breed of highlight reel stars. Most are on the shy side of their 25th birthdays. One of the most misleading terms in professional basketball is "great defensive player." During the 1961-62 campaign, when Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50 points a game, Celtics' stopper Bill Russell "held" him to 41 points a game. A decade later, Baltimore Bullet Earl Monroe would score a stylish 35-40 even when blanketed by Knick ballhawk Walt Frazier. And though Sidney Moncrief and Gerald Wilkins proved more effective than others against Michael Jordan, to say they stopped him would be lying. We all remember Hakeem's highlight reverse "Dream Shake" vs. all-defensive teamer David Robinson.

Thus, on a given night, Kobe (who recently notched 62 vs. Dallas in only three quarters), A.I., LeBron, and the rest are capable of far above their averages. It's a revival. Should the scoring race come down to the wire, perhaps we'll be treated to a closing day battle like the year David Thompson hit 73 and George Gervin 63, or the time Shaq and David Robinson closed it out with "The Admiral" dropping 71 on the Clippers.

Posted by Bijan C. Bayne at 3:58 PM | Comments (0)

NFL Playoff Thoughts and Observations

Here is a little secret I can let you all in on: it is hard to get to the Super Bowl! Yep, that's right. Apparently, it's not easy to get to, let alone win, the ultimate game in the National Football League's single elimination tournament.

As exhibit A, I would like to present the Indianapolis Colts. Coming in at 13-3, with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in a inhospitable dome. They had a bevy of weapons:

* Perennial MVP candidate quarterback Peyton Manning.
* Targets like wide-outs Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stockley, plus tight end Dallas Clark.
* Often underrated running back Edgerrin James.

This year, their defense had finally stepped up and played the kind of tough and opportunistic defense that Tony Dungy was known for. Every thing was lined up, right? Heck, Denver even knocked off their arch nemesis the New England Patriots. Have you seen the last few playoff games Denver has played at Indy? Not pretty.

So much like USC in the National Championship Game, many in the media began to describe the Colts victory on Sunday as a lock. "Didn't you see the Monday Night Football game in November?" they asked. This team is too good to choke at home against a team they already beat handily. "Didn't you hear Joey Porter talking trash?" No way the Colts come out flat. Most brought up the fact that the Colts hadn't played a meaningful game in a month only to dismiss it.

Well, we all saw what happened on Sunday. If not for a few bad calls — and one horrendous one — and a fluke fumble, the Steelers would have beaten the Colts by at least two touchdowns. Yet, even with more help than any team had a right to expect the Colts still couldn't manage to pull out the win. The plain fact of the matter is that the Steelers came out swinging and the Colts never really recovered.

Suddenly, the magical season had come to a very ugly end. Peyton Manning had lost another big game and uncharacteristically blamed it on his offensive line in public. Colts fans were so shocked they weren't even sure head coach Tony Dungy would come back.

Ironically, you know who could have offered some consolation? The Pittsburgh Steelers. You see this is the same franchise and coach who lost four out of five AFC Championships at home. Who were the Indianapolis Colts of last year? The Pittsburgh Steelers!

After Tommy Maddox — try saying that name without cringing — went down with an injury, rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger took over and never lost a game in the regular season. The Steelers went 15-1, beat both the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots handily, and earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Heck, the Steelers beat the Buffalo Bills — who were trying to qualify for the playoffs — with their backups! This team was on a roll and the road to the Super Bowl went through Steel Town.

Except that their rookie QB was running on fumes and they had a inauspicious record in the postseason:

* In 1994, the 12-4 Steelers lost to the San Diego Chargers 17-13 coming up a yard short of the end zone in the final minutes.

* The next year, the Steelers made it to the Super Bowl only to lose to the dreaded Dallas Cowboys. In the AFC Championship Game, they managed to beat the Indianapolis Colts only after a desperation hail-mary pass fell to the ground after having landed on a Colts receiver's chest.

* In 1997, the 11-5 Steelers were again one play away from going to the Super Bowl, but instead lost to the Denver Broncos, 24-21.

* In 2001, the 13-3, and number one seed, Steelers managed to play horrendously on special teams and fall to the New England Patriots 24-17.

Do you see the pattern here? Steelers get on a roll, clinch home-field advantage, and manage to lose an excruciatingly painful AFC Championships Game. Last year, they looked unbeatable heading into the playoffs and they eked out a win against the New York Jets only to get steamrolled by the New England Patriots in the Conference Championship Game. This year, they figured they would try it the hard way. So far it is working.

Why the history lesson? Because fans are almost always too hard on good teams that lose these type of games. You think I have a Pittsburgh bias? We don't even have to leave the state of Pennsylvania to find more examples. Switch to the NFC and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tony Dungy mentioned this in his press conference. The Eagles lost three NFC Conference Championship games in a row at home before getting to the Super Bowl, only to lose to those perennial dream killers, the Patriots. The San Francisco 49ers lost two NFC Championships Games in a row to the Dallas Cowboys before getting back to the Super Bowl in 1994. Winning these games is hard.

Let's face it, professional football is a cruel and unusual mistress. Winning and losing can be a matter of inches. That odd-shaped ball bounces in weird ways and it is hard to keep a handle on. Ask Mike Vanderjagt. Ask Jerome Bettis. Ask Troy Brown. Ask Champ Bailey. Ask Edell Shepherd.

The games aren't decided on talent alone, nor are they always fair. Ask Carson Palmer. Ask DeShaun Foster. Ask Tiki Barber. Ask Asante Samuel. Ask Troy Polamalu. Ask Julius Peppers. Sometimes it is the weather, sometimes it is a fluke play or injury, sometimes it is a bad call, sometimes it is a lack of concentration, sometimes the other team just plays better on that particular day. Let me repeat: getting to the Super Bowl is hard.

Having said all of that, allow me to offer some scatter shot thoughts and observations:

* The Denver Broncos are a good team. You don't get to 13-3 in their division without being good. But they felt more lucky than good in beating the Patriots. Two huge calls changed the nature of that game — along with the Pats five turnovers. The by now infamous pass interference call gave the Broncos the ball on the one-yard line which they turned into a touchdown. When Ben Watson, in one of the more remarkable feats of hustle I have ever seen, chased down Champ Bailey, I really thought that ball went through the end zone and out of bounds. I realize that was a tough call, but had I been the ref I would have called it a touchback. That play also gave the Broncos first and goal and led to seven points. I don't know if it was the altitude or what, but the breaks went Denver's way in that game. I am not sure I would count on that twice.

* Watching the Redskins' offense was painful. I literally didn't want to watch that game it was so bad. The Seahawks gave the Redskins every opportunity to win that game and the offense was incapable of doing anything with it. I can't believe some people picked them to beat the Seahawks!

* Nobody has explained to me why the Colts gave up on the running game. I realize the Steelers have a good run defense, but down 14-0 in the first quarter, the Colts acted like they were down three scores with two minutes to go. Coach Dungy, are you familiar with a little something called the screen play? Misdirection? On third-and-two, it might be worth considering a running play. I mean the Colts just insisted on drooping back to pass even though the biggest problem was pass protection. It was odd.

* It is also beyond me why people picked the Bears to win on Sunday. Do you honestly think you can just throw a quarterback into the lineup and win playoff games? I am surprised the game was as close as it was. The Bears' defense was overrated the whole season anyway. They played Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota twice each, not too mention the Browns, Saints, and 49ers! Any decent defense should have good numbers against those teams. When they played the Steelers in December, I think it was clear they were in trouble. Pittsburgh beat them 21-9 and they shut down the offense in the fourth quarter.

* Still, the inability to cover Steve Smith was ridiculous. I realize on a number of occasions the defender slipped, but still that is no excuse not to have safety help on the Panthers' only real offensive weapon. Lovie Smith was Coach of the Year, right?

Winners

* Bill Cowher — Even though everyone expected the Colts to win, another playoff loss — especially a blowout — would have hurt. Instead, he rolls out a great game plan and pulls off a huge upset. He proved he can rise to the expectations of the big game.

* The Steelers offensive line — They gave Roethlisberger time to throw and he made Indy pay. They are the key to the Steelers' offense. When they play well, they win. They certainly redeemed themselves after their bad game on MNF.

* Matt Hasselback — When his star running back, and league MVP, went down Hasselback stepped up and led his team. With Alexander out and the turnovers it could have turned ugly. Of course, the Redskins' offense helped out, but still he made plays when he needed to. If he does it against Carolina, then we will know that he has truly kicked it up a notch.

* Steve Smith — I don't care what the coverage is, this guy is tearing up teams every which way. Teams have to know he is the "go to guy" and yet they can't seem to stop him. He simply finds the end zone.

Losers

* Peyton Manning — It might not be fair, but he will have a monkey on his back until he can prove he can take a game over and win it when the chips are down.

* The New England Patriots — The media love affair with this team has finally come to an end. Thank goodness.

* The officiating — I can't remember a weekend of games so marred by bad calls and missed calls. These were not marginal calls either, many of them were horrendous and could have changed the outcome of the game. If it takes full-time officials to get better calls, then I am all for it at this point. This kind of officiating can't continue.

I am excited about the upcoming games. All four teams play good defense and are evenly matched (at least on paper). These are the type of games that make me wonder how people bet on the NFL.

This weekend, let's hope for some exciting action on the field and an absence of controversy for the men in stripes.

Posted by Kevin Holtsberry at 11:56 AM | Comments (4)

January 19, 2006

NFL Predictions: Conference Championships

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Pittsburgh @ Denver

"He missed it!"

Those words were uttered countless times when Indianapolis kicker Mike Vanderjagt's 46-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, preserving the Steelers' shocking 21-18 win over the Colts.

"'Wide' right?" asks Steelers head coach Bill Cowher. "You must mean 'double' wide right. He missed that by a good trailer park's distance. If Vanderjagt were a liquor, he'd be called 'Canadian Missed.' Mix that with Vanderjagt's soft drink of choice, Choke, and you get a drink called the 'Idiot Kicker.' I love Canada. Anyway, I think I said 'he missed it' several times before Vanderjagt's kick. But, of course, I was referring to all the calls missed by the officials. Home-field advantage, especially in the AFC this year, means a game in your backyard and officials in your back pocket."

Luckily, at least in the Steelers' case, the bad calls that went against them did not cost them the game. It did, however, leave a bitter taste in the mouth of Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter, who accused the officials of "cheating" for the Colts.

"Was that an AFC crew working the game?" asks Porter. "Of course it was. But it this case, 'AFC' doesn't mean 'American Football Conference,' it stands for 'Anything For the Colts.' Those officials obviously don't know what an interception is. Just ask Troy Polamalu. That's was the worst call I'd ever seen, at least until the officials' next bad call. I'm surprised Tony Dungy didn't challenge the officials' call of 'no good' on Vanderjagt's kick. The replay officials obviously would have overturned the call. Whatever the NFL fines me for my justified comments, I will pay in pennies."

Hey, chill out, Joey. If the United States Olympic Committee can grant figure skater Michelle Kwan a free pass into the 2006 Olympics because she's choked in her previous two Games, then, by gosh, the NFL can try and gift the Colts into the next round.

In a weekend of rematches of regular season games, the Broncos were the only team to match their regular season win. Denver forced five turnovers to end the Patriots' run at a third straight Super Bowl, 27-13.

"First of all," says Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, "we'd like to thank the Steelers for knocking out the Colts, thus giving us the AFC championship at home. And, we'd like to thank the officials for a few favorable calls. It's obvious the NFL wanted a Broncos/Colts championship game."

Jake Plummer led the Broncos on touchdown drives of one, one, and seven yards, solidifying his status as "the NFL's most average quarterback, who, after nine years in the league, finally gets his break and falls into a situation that might win him a Super Bowl."

"Man, that title won't fit on a belt buckle," says Plummer, considering corn rows for his beard after an inspirational talk with Randy Moss, "nor will it fit on a t-shirt, or a vanity license plate, so what good is it to me? All I know is it takes nerves of steel to guide my team on such lengthy scoring drives. You think it's easy handing off to Mike Anderson for one-yard touchdowns? Well, it is. It's very easy."

The stakes will be high for Sunday's first conference championship. Pittsburgh will look to become the first number six seed to reach the Super Bowl. If they succeed, they will have won three road games to get there. The Steelers have lost their last four AFC Championship games under Cowher, but all of those have been at home. Will they fare better on the road? Or, will the physical toll of two playoff games and the rarefied air in Denver doom the Steelers?

"I'll make the stakes even higher," says Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "Jake Plummer, let's make this a 'beard versus beard' match. The loser must shave his beard with a rusty straight razor."

"The bet's on, Big Ben!" replies Plummer. "Let's add these stipulations: no shaving cream, no count outs, and no disqualification."

"Let me in on this," says Cowher. "Shanahan, I'll put my lower jaw and flying spittle on the line against your beady, darting eyes."

Pittsburgh is the hottest team in the playoffs right now. If they rattled Peyton Manning lat Sunday, just imagine what they can do to Jake Plummer. The only player with more hair than Plummer, Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu, will make life miserable for the Denver signal-caller. The Steeler defense was only on the field against Indianapolis for 25 minutes, so they should be fairly rested. It's the year of the road team.

Steelers win, 24-23.

Carolina @ Seattle

Seattle rock-and-roll icon and guitar virtuoso, the late Jimi Hendrix, once asked "Are You Experienced?" Well, the Panthers can confidently say that "Yes, we are experienced." Many on the Panthers' current roster played in the Super Bowl two years ago, after they whipped the Eagles in Philly for the NFC crown. So, an NFC championship game on the road is nothing new.

"Yeah, and another deceased Seattle celebrity, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, once said, 'Damn, I'm married to one crazy bitch," reports Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren. "Can I compare that to anything the least bit football related? Well, I could, but we'd be here longer than it takes to spritz Jimmy Johnson's hair. The point is, I've been to a Super Bowl before as a head coach. The difference is, I've won it before. The Panthers can't say that. Well, they could say it, but they'd be liars. Now, excuse me while I kiss the sky."

Seattle beat the Redskins 20-10 to advance to the NFC title game, despite an injury to league MVP and rushing leader Shaun Alexander, who was knocked out midway through the first quarter with a concussion.

"Hey, I'm not the first person who's been knocked silly and awakened in the Emerald City," says Alexander, petting his small, black terrier Toto. "I'm still a little woozy, but luckily, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion will help me get to the Super Bowl. Hey, who's that man with his head in the curtains?"

It's not the great and powerful Oz — it's probably an NFL official with his head stuck in the replay camera preparing to blow another call. But you could ask him for an unscrambled brain anyway. Answer me this, Shaun. Why couldn't you get your tailback in the game after your "concussion?" You were perfectly capable of bouncing up and down and applauding your team. You looked like a cheerleader out there.

"I wasn't ready, okay," replies Alexander.

Ready, okay? See, you're even starting to talk like a cheerleader.

Just as the Steelers made the Indianapolis offense look ordinary, the Panthers made the Chicago defense look ordinary, or even less than ordinary. The Panthers scored 29 points and racked up 434 yards of total offense against a Bears unit that had surrendered an average of 12.6 points and 282 yards per game. Wide receiver Steve Smith torched the Bears for twelve catches for 218 yards and two long touchdown catches. In two games versus the Bears this year, Smith had 26 catches and 387 yards receiving.

"Monsters of the Midway?" asks an unimpressed Smith. "It's more like 'Muppets of the Midway.' Kermit, Elmo, Vasher, Tillman, Azumah, Bert, Ernie? None of those fools can check me. And none of those fools, MVP voters, that is, checked my name when it came voting time. This is the revenge of Steve Smith. My name's not Stephen A. Smith, but, quite frankly, I'm offended I didn't get a single MVP vote. Maybe I should ask for a recount, because all the suckers that got votes, Alexander, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Tiki Barber, and Carson Palmer, are either out of the playoffs or fighting dizzy spells. Here's some quick playoff statistics: me, four touchdowns, no concussions. The league MVP: no touchdowns, one concussion."

"Somebody give Steve Smith the respect he deserves," yells Panthers coach John Fox. "I'd like to quote my favorite Seattle band, Heart. Steve is a magic man, momma. He's a bad animal, and Seattle defense, he's gonna go crazy on you."

Obviously, Smith will grace the cover of the Seattle game plan. Is there a way to stop him that doesn't require two defenders? Probably not. Expect the Seahawks to double-cover Smith all day, and force Jake Delhomme to throw to his other receivers. And don't think the Carolina rush attack will lose much with DeShaun Foster out. Nick Goings proved himself last year as a more than worthy backup. Anyway, with Smith drawing so much attention, there should be room to run.

Seattle has ridden Alexander all year, but they proved last week that they can win without him. Matt Hasselbeck and Darrell Jackson hooked up nine times for 143 yards and a touchdown last week. If Alexander is the least bit tentative coming back from a concussion, he will quickly become a non-factor. I expect Alexander to play a tough game and prove he deserves the MVP.

Things don't start well for the Panthers, though. Delhomme enjoys a delicious pre-game meal of Bojangle's chicken. Once the game starts, Delhomme, still hungry for the taste of fried chicken, begins to lick his fingers like a man possessed. For someone like Delhomme, who licks his fingers quite often anyway, that is a problem. He fumbles the Panthers' first snap, and Seattle recovers. Alexander later bounces in from four yards out, and the Seahawks take a quick 7-0 lead. The Panthers regroup, and get the ball into Smith's hands in any way possible. That includes receptions, runs, direct snaps — Smith even throws a pass to himself.

The Panthers return to the Super Bowl with a 27-24 win.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 2:54 PM | Comments (0)

Bearcat Basketball Taking Hit After Hit

Doesn't it always seem to go that you don't know what you have until it's gone? For the University of Cincinnati men's basketball program, that has seemed to be the case numerous times. On August 24, 2005, the Bearcats found themselves without a leader, without a fixture at the school for over a decade. They found themselves without the man that had 499 wins and 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances with UC — Bob Huggins.

Cincinnati's President Nancy Zimpher forced Huggins to either resign or be fired. He chose the latter. This came right before the Bearcats got their first taste of Big East basketball. This couldn't have come at a worse time. Right away, college basketball analysts were saying that the Bearcats would not even make the tournament, news that is tough for UC fans to hear after 14 years of being spoiled.

This team is seemingly quite used to bad luck, as it lost its star player, Kenyon Martin, in the Conference USA Tournament in 2000 with a broken fibula. Martin was no doubt the most dominating player in college basketball that year and led his team to a 16-0 record in conference play, with 29 total wins before losing to Tulsa in the second round of the Tournament. That year became an "only if" season after UC spent 12 weeks as the nation's number one team.

Then with Huggins gone, as well as Jason Maxiell, the Bearcats' leading scorer who was headed to the NBA, Cincinnati wasn't poised for a great season, let alone a good one. But Andy Kennedy took over as interim head coach, and as UC's first real test of the year on Nov. 29, Dayton destroyed the Bearcats at home 75-66 in an ugly game, after which, Kennedy apologized to the city and fans.

By that, I mean the few fans still in attendance. Cincinnati didn't know what kind of fans it lost until they were gone. Bearcats basketball attendance had plummeted by about 3,000 people so that only 8,300 fans were showing up to fill an arena that can hold over 13,000. There was no atmosphere. The student section was anemic. Dayton's few fans at that game were louder than all UC admirers combined.

President Zimpher must have been proud. This is what she wanted. I'll bet all those fans weren't in attendance were in their dorm rooms at night studying and doing homework. I'm sure they weren't partying at all. I'm sure that because Huggins was forced out that every student is now the model-student just because they don't have a "bad" role model anymore. Give me a break.

Perhaps it was a wake-up call. A wake-up call to fans that the team needs more support than ever before. A wake-up call to the players that they'll have to be the ones to make up for the recruits who left when Huggins left. A wake-up call to the interim coach that the challenge before him is bigger than the space on his head without hair.

Though they lost the next game, they played along pretty closely with Memphis, a remarkably tough top-five team this year. Yet after that, they went on to destroy every foe they faced, even Dayton and Ohio. Cincinnati can thank freshman guard Devan Downey for that, averaging 13.3 ppg. Downey took over games, hitting fade away shots and driving to the basket, making nearly every shot he took. Senior forward Eric Hicks took control of the post game, averaging 15.1 ppg, and another senior, James White, stepped up with 17.6 ppg.

All of the sudden, the Bearcats came out of nowhere and were at one point in first place in the Big East, undeniably the strongest basketball conference in the country. Though they barely lost to Connecticut on Jan. 9, Cincinnati's 10-game winning streak started drawing more and more fans back to the Shoe. Things were looking up for a basketball program with a lot of dark clouds over it.

That is, things were. Things were looking up until senior guard Armein Kirkland tore his ACL in the Connecticut game. Things were looking up until fans discovered Kirkland would be out for the rest of the season. Things were looking up until Cincinnati's depth took a remarkable hit.

Now you're saying to yourself, Kirkland had barely the team's fourth-most points per game and his field goal percentage was only about 35%. Why would the team miss that?

Turns out, this Texas native offered more than just points. He provided minutes. He provided stellar defense. He provided senior leadership. He provided intelligence. Did you know that he got a 1200 on his SAT test? Bet you didn't. Bet you only knew about Cincinnati's reputation as a "thug school." That's because it's the only thing that the national media draws on. Huggins sure never got props for recruiting a smart basketball player.

Cincinnati didn't know what it had until it was gone. When Kirkland got injured while driving to the basket against the Huskies, he was one game removed from his breakout game of the year. He was riding a hot streak, ready to take the Bearcats to the next level, ready to prove analysts and fans all wrong. He was on a mission in his final collegiate season. That breakout game was at Marquette on Jan. 7, in which he scored 14 points and had 5 steals in 37 minutes to lead UC to a 70-66 win over the team that just upset Connecticut on the same floor.

When Kirkland got injured, he had played all 12 minutes of the first half and already had 14 points. There's no doubt that Connecticut would have suffered back-to-back losses had Kirkland not made that fateful cut, but Cincinnati's future does have a lot of doubt.

They now only have eight scholarship players. Eight! And Jihad Muhammad does not even count. Whenever the ball is in his hands, it's trouble. He not only takes horrible low-percentage shots from three feet behind the arc, but he can't make them, either. He not only throws the ball up in the air as an ugly shot attempt, but he turns the ball over, too. Against the Huskies, Muhammad played 17 minutes for zero points, two fouls, and two turnovers. This coming from a senior guard.

After losing to Syracuse at home on Jan. 14 by 19 points, Big East competition doesn't get any easier for the Bearcats and their lack of depth. Eventually Hicks, White, and Downey are going to be overused and burned out, and Cincinnati will drop in the standings. In fact, they were so desperate for bodies that they recruited a couple football players to fill the void against the Orange and for the rest of the season. Because they were so good at playing football this year (4-7), they thought they'd test their luck! Though Connor Barwin, the freshman tight end for Cincinnati, did give some quality minutes, no midseason walk-on is anything like what the Bearcats would have had if fate had not gone the wrong way.

Cincinnati must have realized by now what it has lost, yet it's dark times like these that cannot be forgotten when the dust finally settles in the Shoe. Remember what it's like, support the Bearcats, and know you never ever want to get back to this point.

Posted by Sara Normand at 2:34 PM | Comments (3)

January 18, 2006

The Continued Greening of the Green

It was the dunk that rocked a summer.

Only the month before his professional debut in the Vegas Summer League, 6'8" Gerald Green had finished high school at Houston's Gulf Shores Academy and was selected in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Now he was drawing the attention of fans, players, and coaches in this, his first game, becoming a headline act in the wake of one spectacular play.

Collecting a bounce pass from Celtics teammate Will Bynum on the left side of the key, Green spun off his defender and drove to the basket. Mark Bortz, the Los Angeles Clippers' 6'11" forward, slid over to seal his lane, but arrived just in time to land a supporting role in the summer league's highlights video. Green towered over Bortz for a tomahawk dunk that brought the crowd at Cox Pavilion to its feet.

Boston Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge later categorized Green's dunk as "one of the best" he'd ever seen. More to the point, it injected some much-needed reaffirmation into the youth movement instituted by Ainge since joining the Celtics front office in the spring of 2003.

Gerald Green had been projected to go no lower than sixth in the draft, but was passed over at that slot by the Portland Trailblazers after declining their invitation to a workout. Ainge figured on Green sliding a bit, but the high school standout was only a fleeting fantasy to Boston, which selected 18th. Yet, with each successive pick, he remained available. Indiana, selecting just ahead of the Celtics, opted for the more seasoned Danny Granger and Green became a lasting reality to the Celtics.

The 2005 draft was Ainge's third at the Celtics' helm. It also marked the third consecutive draft in which Boston expended a first-round pick in acquiring a high school prospect. After swapping first-round picks with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2003, The Green came away with Kendrick Perkins, an 18-year-old center from Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas. In 2004, Boston made 19-year-old Al Jefferson from Prentiss High School in Mississippi its first selection. Now, the 2005 draft brought in the 19-year-old Green.

But all is not rosy in Boston. Ainge's paradigm of displacing veterans by drafting youth has not sat well with many fans who wonder what was broken that now requires such fixing,

Three years before, the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference finals after winning 49 games — their highest in a decade. That success was achieved by augmenting a core of internally developed players with some veteran leadership acquired via trades and free agency.

The next season — their last before Ainge's arrival — Boston won 44 games and got as far as the Eastern Conference semifinals despite the losses of veterans Kenny Anderson, Rodney Rogers, and Vitaly Potapenko. It marked their first back-to-back winning seasons since Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale wore green.

Ainge was hired after that 2002-03 season and inherited a squad that appeared to have the ingredients for a perennial run at an NBA title, a quest that had already eluded them for longer than any period in their franchise history.

For the next two years, Boston again made the playoffs under Ainge's watch, culminating with their first Atlantic Division crown since 1992 last season. However, first round eliminations in both years kept Ainge at work over his simmering pot.

Boston had opened the 2002-03 season with the league's 11th youngest roster at 26.7 years. Today, some three years later, the average age of The Green has now decreased two full years to 24.7. Of its 15 roster positions, nine are occupied by selections from Ainge's three drafts to date.

With youth comes frustration. Nonetheless, Ainge appears willing to suffer a few growing pains, despite fan intolerance. Following the 2003-04 season, he brought in Doc Rivers, the former Orlando Magic coach widely reputed for his strength in player development, to help manage that pain.

Now in his second year, Rivers' Celtics display the intra-game inconsistencies that are, in his mind, the most telltale symptom of youth. The most agonizing of these occur on the defensive end where the young Celtics' failure to maintain a 48-minute intensity has cost them big leads and last-second losses. Currently, Boston's 14-23 record is a mere game removed from the cellar of the Atlantic Division.

The 2002-03 squad that Ainge assumed was 12th in team defense, surrendering 93.1 points per game. By contrast, the 2005-06 Celtics allow opponents 101.5 points per game, a slide to 27th among the 30 franchises. In 37 games to date, they've allowed 100 or more points 22 times, compiling a 3-19 record in the process. They've lost leads on opponents' final shots four times, three coming in the bizarre week just concluded.

That recent stretch of generosity started in a Saturday night game in Washington when Gilbert Arenas hit two free throws in the final seconds to earn a one-point victory for the Wizards. Two days later in Boston, Jerry Stackhouse of the Dallas Mavericks hit a tie-breaking bucket at the buzzer. The following Friday, Kyle Korver's three-pointer at the buzzer provided Philadelphia a third overtime period in which the 76ers ultimately prevailed.

"This was by far the worst, the toughest," Rivers told the Boston Herald after the Philadelphia game. "I'll second-guess every decision I made, and everything we did."

He's not alone in a region where second-guessing is a second nature. The grumbling that began as early as Ainge's first year when he traded the popular Antoine Walker for the first time has gained volume and diction in recent weeks. Fans are increasingly disgruntled with Ainge's direction and Rivers' inability to mesh youth and success.

As for Gerald Green, he may well be in the toughest period of his professional career, as well. The future of the Boston Celtics was assigned to the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA's Developmental League earlier this month. The move, which was timed to coincide with an upcoming road schedule that promises limited practice and no play time for Green, was billed as an opportunity rather than a demotion.

"He's progressing just as we expected," Ainge commented over Green's assignment. "We think this is a step in the right direction. This allows Gerald more of an opportunity to continue developing his game."

And, for the foreseeable future, less of an opportunity for both the Executive Director of Basketball Operations and head coach to improve their club.

Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers have demonstrated the patience to wait out Green and his peers. Unfortunately for each, Celtics fans have begun demonstrating to the contrary.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)

One Conference Standing Alone

With the NFL season coming to a close, the college basketball season is starting to heat up. All across the nation, conferences are trying to stake their claim as the best conference in America. While the ACC has the defending NCAA champion (North Carolina) and the current No. 1 team (Duke), and the Big 10 has four teams in the Top 25, the Big East has shown through the first couple of weeks of 2006, that it is the best conference in college basketball.

Led by No. 3 Connecticut, the Big East has six teams currently ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. They also have three teams, with No. 7 Villanova, and No. 9 Pittsburgh joining Connecticut in the top 10 of that same poll. The conference also is home to one of the last three undefeated teams in college basketball. The conference has really been elevated by the additions of the five schools from Conference USA.

Cincinnati, South Florida, Marquette, DePaul, and Louisville have elevated the Big East to a 16 team "Super Conference." Louisville has already pushed Pittsburgh to the brink of defeat before the Panthers won 61-57 on Sunday. Marquette has showed that it can play in the Big East by giving the Huskies of Connecticut their first defeat of the season, a 94-79 thumping on January 3rd. Steve Novak had 41 points and 16 rebounds in that game, putting him in elite company as he joined only Allen Iverson and Troy Murphy as the only players to score 30 or more points in their Big East debut.

Add this to the returning core teams of the Big East (Connecticut, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, etc.) and it gets rather easy to see why some analysts say that the Big East has a shot to get 10 teams into the NCAA tournament in March. Syracuse has won 12 straight coming into their showdown with the Huskies on Monday night, while West Virginia is first in the conference having handed Villanova their first loss of the season back on January 8th.

The conference also has a group of rising teams that give the conference the balance that separates the Big East from the other conferences. These teams include Rutgers, who has a tough home arena (ask Villanova) and a streaky guard in Quincy Douby, Georgetown, who are trying to restore the glory days with sophomore Jeff Green and John Thompson III, and Notre Dame, with Colin Quinn and their three-point shooters.

The Big East conference also has a shot to get multiple teams into the Final Four this year, as several teams have postseason experience that will come handy in March. Louisville was in the Final Four last year, while West Virginia made it to the Elite Eight. Connecticut won the tournament in 2004, while Syracuse won the title in 2003. Marquette also participated in the Final Four that year.

There are the optimists who say that once the Big East gets into the meat of conference play that the Big East teams will begin to cancel each other out as they defeat each other. Indeed, there will be a lot of defeats within the conference, but why is that going to be looked at as a bad thing? Is a conference stronger or weaker by having one dominant team or an overall great conference where if you don’t bring your top game every night you will lose? That is a question that the NCAA tournament committee will have to ponder come March.

Posted by Alfons Prince at 11:32 AM | Comments (1)

Don't Count Out Red Sox Just Yet

It seems like quite a few fans and media members are already writing off the 2006 Boston Red Sox.

I constantly keep hearing people say that they are a third-place team. Heck, I even heard one member of the Boston media say on sports radio's WEEI that they would win 74 games this year.

And while the Red Sox probably will open this season with more questions marks than they have had in years, it is a bit absurd to be making all of these doom and gloom predictions. The Red Sox have the potential to be very good, possibly even great this year.

Boston's lineup may not be as relentless as it was from 2003-2005, but they will still score a ton of runs. If Manny Ramirez returns — which appears more and more likely each — he and David Ortiz will combine for a 1-2 punch that can match any duo in baseball. These two last year totaled for 92 home runs while slugging .599. Jason Varitek can also hit, as he is coming off a season in which he hammered 22 home runs while posting an .856 OPS.

The rest of Boston's lineup features quite a few guys who can get on base. Newly-acquired second baseman Mark Loretta has had an on-base percentage of .372, .391, and .360 the last three years. First baseman Kevin Youkilis, in a small sample size, has gotten on-base at a .376 clip in his career. Right fielder Trot Nixon has a career OBP of .366. The wildcard here is newcomer Mike Lowell, who after five seasons of being an above-average hitter, had a horrific year last year. If he can bounce back, it will give the Red Sox a very productive bat at third base.

A lot has been made about the loss of Johnny Damon in center field. While the Red Sox may not be able to replace Damon's production, it's probably not as big of a loss as people think. Damon hit 10 home runs last year and got on base at a .366 clip — sold numbers, yes — but it's not as if this guy is putting up Albert Pujols-like production.

Edgar Renteria is no longer with Boston, which means they will not have to shell out $10 million a season to watch him make 30 errors while posting a .335 OBP.

On the pitching front, Boston has the potential to be much better. Their bullpen last year pitched 426 innings while posting a 5.15 ERA, which was worst in the league. Bullpens are very unpredictable, yes, but it's probably a safe bet to say that they will not be as bad this year.

Closer Keith Foulke was horrible in 2005, but if he is healthy, there is little reason to think he will not bounce back. Prior to last year, Foulke had eight seasons in a row in which he was an above-average reliever. With Mike Timlin, along with the additions of Guillermo Mota, Rudy Seanez, and Julian Tavarez, the Red Sox potentially have a very deep bullpen. At the very least it will likely be better than it was last year.

Curt Schilling is no lock to bounce back to his 2004 form, but I highly doubt many people expect another season of 93.3 innings of 5.69 ERA baseball. Newly-acquired Josh Beckett has yet to throw 200 innings, but six of the nine times he has landed on the DL were due to blister problems. If he can stay relatively healthy he is one of the best young pitchers in the game. Assuming none of the following get traded, the Red Sox still have Matt Clement, Tim Wakefield, David Wells, and Bronson Arroyo, all quality arms.

Those people writing off the Red Sox seem to forget that this team won 95 games last year, despite little production from Schilling and Foulke. If a few things go right for them this year, there is little reason to think they will not be championship contenders once again.

Posted by Eric Maus at 11:22 AM | Comments (7)

January 17, 2006

NFL Divisional Weekend Roundup

Five Quick Hits

* Against Seattle, John Hall missed a 36-yard field goal and his kickoffs came up awfully short. Hall hasn't been the same since he returned from injury in Week 9.

* Now that both the Patriots and USC have lost, we should be able to go several years without hearing the term "three-peat."

* Great Hall of Fame finalists again this year. A maximum of six can be enshrined, and there should be six this year. I like Reggie White, Warren Moon, Thurman Thomas, Art Monk, and both Seniors Candidates (John Madden and Rayfield Wright).

* Tiki Barber and Peyton Manning should have plenty to talk about at the Pro Bowl. Manning — like Barber last week — was unwise to say what he did, but he was right. When did the Colts turn into the Texans?

* The RCA Dome was too loud when the Colts' offense was on the field. They got a false start on their own two-point conversion.

***

There was a lot of talk last week about the great coaching matchups in the divisional round of the playoffs. That was appropriate, because coaching was a decisive factor in all four games, but we also saw several teams thoroughly out-coached.

No team looked more lost this weekend than the Colts. I've probably seen a team more badly out-coached, at some time or another, but I can't think of one. Early in the game, the Indianapolis defense focused on stopping the run, and rightly so, but they left the middle of the field open for short- and medium-range passes, getting killed and not making any adjustment until halftime.

The offense, meanwhile, was somehow surprised that the Steelers were blitzing. Not only is Pittsburgh a blitzing team, but its coaching staff would have to be devoid of brains not to try to copy the blueprint for success against Indianapolis, as laid out by the Patriots and Chargers, which is to take advantage of the 3-4 defensive alignment to bring pressure from unexpected places. That's the tip of the iceberg, but I'll get to more in the game summary.

What is going on with Joe Gibbs? There's no coach in the league I have more respect for, but while Gregg Williams and Greg Blache are looking more brilliant every day, Gibbs' offense has been abysmal. That is not a team that can pass twice as often as it runs and still be successful.

Chicago's Ron Turner had the same problem. Against a good, aggressive defense, he put the ball in Rex Grossman's hands 41 times. Grossman was the least experienced QB in the playoffs, and he gave a valiant effort, but finished with 192 yards and a 54.1 passer rating, worst of all eight QBs this weekend in both categories. Grossman had the most attempts, but the fewest yards. More blame should go to Chicago's coaching staff, for putting the game in Grossman's hands, than to the quarterback who couldn't put up 30 points against the Panthers.

I'm not going to criticize Bill Belichick's coaching. The man's a living legend, and he didn't commit those turnovers. But the NFL has got to do something about Belichick's gamesmanship, calling for measurements on third or fourth down with a yard and a half to go. It helps the Patriots to have that extra time, so Belichick isn't going to stop until the league makes him. There needs to be a stricter standard about when coaches can ask for measurements. Also, a question to ponder this offseason: in the Belichick/media relationship, who hates who more? Have you seen the man's press conferences?

In case it seems unfair to give Belichick a free pass, I do wonder about Troy Brown's fumble. The Pats initially had all 11 men on the line, and Brown retreated to cover the punt rather than lining up as a deep safety. It must have affected his concentration and timing. If it was fair to criticize Bill Cowher for trying an onside kick against Indianapolis in Week 12 — and I don't think it was, actually — then it's equally fair to question Belichick for using the unusual formation against Denver.

Divisional Roundups

Washington @ Seattle

As thoroughly as Washington's defense manhandled Tampa Bay, I think Seattle's coaching staff saw something it liked in the way the Buccaneers played Williams' defense. The Seahawks started the game with a lot of three-receiver sets, and Washington usually covered one of them with a linebacker. The story of the game was the way Matt Hasselbeck and Darrell Jackson were able to step up after Shaun Alexander's concussion, attacking Washington's injury-plagued defensive backfield and putting up 20 points against this excellent defense, despite two special teams turnovers and a lost fumble by Alexander.

One reason for Seattle's success passing the ball was that Hasselbeck didn't get sacked all game. Washington's defensive line seemed more focused on trying to block Hasselbeck's passes than in hitting him. During the game, Daryl Johnston wondered aloud several times why Washington wasn't blitzing more. The answer is because they were getting killed on blitzes. The first one generated no pressure, and Jackson beat Shawn Springs down the sideline for a big gain. I counted seven times that Williams sent more than four pass rushers, and five of them resulted in first downs, including a touchdown. No sacks. That's why, Moose.

Hasselbeck did seem out of rhythm for a while in the second quarter, when he was leaving the pocket and looking for running lanes instead of open receivers, but that didn't last long. In fairness, Williams and Blache probably spent most of the week focused on stopping Alexander, so they were caught slightly off guard when presented with an offense geared toward the NFC's best (healthy) quarterback. The Seahawks deserve credit, though, for continuing to run after Alexander's injury. In all four games, the team with more rushing attempts won.

When all was said and done, however, Seattle's offense may have been less important to this game than Washington's. Who finishes a game with three turnovers and only scores 10 points? Seattle's defense is good, but the Steel Curtain it ain't. The Seahawks used standard defensive personnel, but on most plays they brought a DB up to the line (usually strong safety Michael Boulware). That discouraged Gibbs from running the ball, and the offense fell apart without Clinton Portis as its backbone.

Mark Brunell looked tentative in the first half, and according to my notes I issued my first call for Patrick Ramsey 1:06 into the second quarter. At halftime, Brunell was 7-of-15 for 38 yards, averaging 2.5 yards per attempt. It sounds brutal, but if Gibbs wants to be successful next season, he needs to plan his offense around a quarterback other than Brunell. He's been hurt three seasons in a row now, and his ability to create plays is pretty limited at this stage of his career. Brunell definitely had his moments this year, but he's better-suited at this point to a Brad Johnson-type backup role.

Part of Washington's problem was the offensive line, and in particular the right guard position. Ray Brown, who retired after the game, was getting killed. That's in my second-quarter notes, and when Cory Raymer replaced him at the beginning of the second half, I assumed it was a coaching move. As it turned out, Raymer was even worse — he looked like he was moving in slow motion — and Brown, who had been struggling with cramps, came back into the game.

Johnston highlighted a play on which Portis went right, and Brown wandered toward the sideline instead of going upfield and blocking for him. He didn't so much as touch anyone on the play. Tony Siragusa, who actually provided some nice commentary from the field, complained, "Don't you dare point out a guy who's been in the league 20 years." Johnston apologized, but he was right. Brown was awful, especially on that play, and his poor performance was part of why Washington didn't advance to the NFC Championship Game. It was a common theme this weekend, from Brown to Peyton Manning's linemen. Analysts have a responsibility to the fans to analyze what is happening and why. It's dishonest and disrespectful to the thousands of viewers to cover for a guy just because he's a veteran. I like Brown quite a bit, but a bad play is a bad play.

The announcers may have been too light on Brown, but they were too hard on Raymer at least once. Near the end of the third quarter, Bryce Fisher sacked Brunell and forced a fumble. The announcers tried to blame the play on Raymer. Seattle only rushed three men, and Fisher was double-teamed by Jon Jansen and Robert Royal. Blame them for letting him through, not Raymer for missing the triple-team. On a strange play earlier in the quarter, Washington tried to block Grant Wistrom with wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is listed at 172 pounds, making him one of the lightest players in the league. Wistrom, who outweighs him by about 100 pounds, burst into the backfield and tackled Ladell Betts for a three-yard loss. Not hard to see that one coming.

I liked the way Jimmy Johnson summed things up: "Washington was giving a great effort, but they weren't crisp." Seattle lost the turnover battle and its best player, but still won by two scores.

New England @ Denver

I'm always a little burned out after the early game — you're probably a little burned out just from reading my summary — so I have fewer notes on the late game, and this is a good time to bring up officiating. This weekend's was terrible. The Washington/Seattle game, handled by Ron Winter's crew, was pretty good, although the tuck rule did make an appearance early in the third quarter. The other three were not okay.

This game's referee was Jeff Triplette, who's bad enough at his job that he was demoted for several years. Triplette is the guy who blinded Orlando Brown by throwing his flag into Brown's eye. On Saturday, Triplette's crew blew an obvious call less than four minutes into the game. Stephen Alexander flinched and was called for a false start, but on the other side of the line, Richard Seymour was three yards offsides before the ball was snapped. Only the penalty on Alexander was called, and Seymour's infraction was much more obvious.

After that, of course, was the second-worst call of the weekend, the phantom pass interference call on Asante Samuel. The side judge, with the best view of the play, kept his flag in his pocket, and the call was made instead by the back judge. There was a lot of contact between Ashley Lelie and Samuel, but it looked like it was incidental or initiated by Lelie, who easily could have been flagged on the play. You can't make a questionable call like that in the end zone. The officials also ruled Samuel's second-quarter interception as incomplete, but that was corrected on a replay review.

Later in the game, officials missed George Foster's false start on a Jason Elam field goal. There was also some controversy about Champ Bailey's goal-line fumble, but I'll let the refs off the hook for that one. There was no definitive evidence either way. And while announcers tried to excuse Bailey by saying he was tired, I'm not buying it. Bailey has spent two seasons in Denver, and he had a straight shot down the sideline. Ben Watson, who outweighs Bailey by 60 pounds, is not used to the altitude, and he had to run further than Bailey, but Watson wasn't tired. Was Bailey worn out? Maybe. Was he showboating? Definitely.

Denver looked like the better team in the first half, but couldn't put points on the board until the interference call on Samuel. The Broncos went into the locker room up seven points at halftime, but you couldn't help feeling like they were letting New England stick around too long. The Eagles did the same thing in last year's Super Bowl. Jake Plummer was doing okay, but he'd made two big mistakes, on a fourth-down pass over Lelie's head, and the interception by Samuel. He did make a nice play with just over four minutes left in the game, sliding in bounds instead of throwing the ball away, which kept the clock running.

I don't have a lot of criticism for Denver's coaching staff — I mean, they beat New England in the playoffs — but early in the fourth quarter, I yelled at my television, "Why do you keep throwing?!" Mike Anderson had only 19 carries, and Tatum Bell just six. All's well that ends well, but the Broncos' offense will have to be sharper than that against Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

I'm 5-3 in my picks this postseason (30-11 overall), and nailed both of Saturday's games, but I picked the Colts by two touchdowns, so this may seem like an odd place to start quoting last week's predictions. "[The Steelers] play a 3-4 defense, which gives Indianapolis fits ... Cowher and his defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, should spend all week studying tape of the San Diego Chargers, and use Joey Porter the same way Marty Schottenheimer and Wade Phillips used Shawne Merriman. Manning generally beats blitzes, but when teams beat him, it's usually with a strong pass rush that gets him uncomfortable in the pocket."

I doubt Cowher or LeBeau reads my column, but that's exactly the blueprint they used to attack Manning. Halfway through the first quarter, it was clear that the Colts' QB was uncomfortable. He was moving his feet too much and looked unsure of himself and his receivers. SI's Don Banks noticed, "[Manning] looked rattled more than I can ever remember seeing when he wasn't playing the Patriots."

The biggest problem was on the offensive line. I foolishly selected Tarik Glenn for my all-pro team, based on his strong play in the beginning and middle of the season. If he let up a little after the Colts had clinched homefield advantage, who could blame him? Glenn was miserable on Sunday. He had one of the worst games I've seen from an offensive lineman all season. His teammates weren't much better, and I don't understand why they sometimes flipped responsibilities, so that — for instance — a guard was taking the outside man while the tackle stayed inside. Terrible strategy against Pittsburgh's speed rush.

Unwise playcalling made the problem even worse. 1:07 into the second quarter, I wrote, "Stop throwing the ball." Some time in the third quarter, in all caps: "NOT RUNNING ENOUGH." Edgerrin James had just 13 carries against Pittsburgh. You attack a blitzing defense with running plays and screens, but Indianapolis did neither. If Manning was the one calling all those passes, he dug his own grave. If not, his coaches did Manning and the rest of the team an enormous disservice. Even if Manning was the primary playcaller, though, how do the coaches not tell him to give James some more action? That's just bad coaching.

The Steelers beat Indianapolis on the other side of the ball, too. They took special advantage of Dwight Freeney, who goes for a sack on every play. Including runs. Freeney made some nice plays, especially early in the game, but he was a decided liability in the second half, when the Steelers were running on almost every play, and he was still going after Ben Roethlisberger. With the d-line getting manhandled, it seemed like all the tackles were made by DBs — cornerback Nick Harper led the team — and Pittsburgh's running backs got a lot of extra yards by falling forward.

It might have helped to bring an eighth man toward the line — in obvious running situations, at the very least — but that never happened. With 9:15 remaining in the third quarter, the Steelers had Jerome Bettis in on third-and-one. Bettis is not a good receiver or an exceptional pass-blocker, but the Colts somehow failed to realize the likelihood of a handoff to Bettis, and he picked up three yards. That's one example out of many.

The officiating in this game was so miserable I could do a whole article on it, but I'll try to keep this concise. Early in the second quarter, officials missed a pass interference call on Marlin Jackson. I think Antwaan Randle El may have lost the call because he's a whiner. Randle El throws a hissyfit every time there's an incompletion thrown in his direction, so now officials don't trust him when it really happens.

On the play in which Roethlisberger was hurt, he fumbled the ball. I have no idea, as many replays as CBS showed of the play, how the announcers failed to notice that the ball came loose before Roethlisberger was down.

On the game's most controversial call, Peter Morelli overturned a ruling on the field that Troy Polamalu had intercepted a pass. Even if you missed the game for some reason, you've probably seen the replays. Terrible, unjustifiable call. Inexcusable abuse of the "indisputable visual evidence" clause of the league's replay rules. Morelli took a correct call and made it wrong. The league has admitted his mistake, but it should lead us to question Morelli's partiality, or at least his competency. Tuck Rule, Part II.

On the play before Polamalu's "incompletion," the Steelers called off their pass rush and dropped into coverage. Manning hit Reggie Wayne for 24 yards (one day prevent defense will finally die). It was one of the few mistakes Pittsburgh made all day. Russ Grimm and, to a lesser extent, Ken Whisenhunt are the Steeler assistants getting head coach buzz, but it sure seems like defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau — who went 12-33 as head coach of the Bengals — deserves another shot. Slowing down Manning may be easy in theory, but only a handful of coaches — with exceptional personnel, no less — can do it.

The game got very exciting at the end of the third quarter, when Manning waved the punt team off the field and then hit Brandon Stokley for a first down, setting up a 50-yard TD pass two plays later. Tony Dungy says that he intended to go for it all along, and I'm not sure I believe that, but even if it's true, that was a classic moment.

Indianapolis closed to within three before a sack at their own two-yard line seemed to seal the game. However, Jerome Byner — er, Bettis — fumbled, and Harper returned the ball to Indy's 42. I got up off the couch, and said at least three times, "I don't know if I've seen anything quite like this." It had the feel of destiny.

Manning immediately hit two passes to put the Colts in field goal range, then missed one to Wayne in the end zone, and that destiny feeling started to crack. Then, on third-and-two, with 0:25 and two timeouts, another incomplete pass. If they'd run the ball on that play, I think the Colts would have won. Instead, they had fourth down, and Scott Norwood — uh, I mean Mike Vanderjagt — came on to try a 46-yard field goal. It was a long kick, hardly a gimme, but he hadn't missed at home all season. The kick was so wide right it made Dick Cheney look like Ralph Nader.

Bill Cowher was 0-3 on the road at the start of this postseason. Now he's won two in a row. No sixth seed — out of 27 — had ever advanced to its conference championship game. Now the Steelers have done that. No team that started 12-0 had ever failed to reach the conference championship. Now the Colts have ended that streak. The Steelers beat a team that was the league's best during the regular season, one that had embarrassed them in front of a national audience, 26-7 in a "Monday Night Football" game that wasn't even as close as the score. Now they've dismantled Indianapolis in the playoffs. For sheer drama, this was a game for the ages.

Carolina @ Chicago

Let's get the officiating out of the way early in this one. If Polamalu's interception was incomplete, there's no way Justin Gage's *wink* "down by contact" was a catch. Early in the second quarter, the refs missed a late hit by Charles Tillman, and with 2:33 left in the game, umpire Roy Ellison failed to notice the playclock hit zero at least a full second before the ball was snapped. This game was done by Walt Coleman's crew. Coleman is the referee who oversaw the "snow job" in the 2001 season, the one that will always be known as "the tuck rule game".

Chicago's defense picked a bad day to have its worst game of the season, allowing more yards than in any previous contest, and more points than any but their meaningless Week 17 game against Minnesota. Last week, I said, "If Delhomme has a great game, the Panthers will win. That's a chance Chicago is willing to take." Well, Delhomme had a great game, and the Panthers won, but the Bears didn't put up much of a fight.

Tillman is one of the league's best cornerbacks, but he is not fast enough to cover Steve Smith, and he was beaten several times before the Bears finally started covering Smith with Nathan Vasher or Jerry Azumah instead. Smith finished the game with 12 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns, plus three carries for 26 yards. When he scored his second TD, near the end of the third quarter, I was shocked that the Bears weren't double-covering him.

It's not like it's a secret that Delhomme likes to throw to Smith, and he was tearing Chicago's defense apart. If you're Lovie Smith, you have to adjust and force Carolina to do something else. Shut down Steve Smith, and the Panthers don't have enough weapons to win. Or maybe they do, but at least make them prove it. Single coverage on Smith definitely wasn't working, so it's just common sense to try something else.

Chicago's offense and defense didn't do each other any favors on Sunday. The Bears scored three TDs for only the fourth time all season and still lost because the defense couldn't stop Smith. The offense ran 42 pass plays and couldn't keep the defense off the field. Chicago somehow picked up six first downs via penalty and still managed to punt seven times.

Grossman looked awful in the first half, starting 3-of-15 for 2 yards. Yet in the first three quarters, Chicago ran on only eight of its 21 first downs. The worst time to pass, though, was on fourth-and-one at the end of the game. Grossman had completed an abysmal 42.5% of his passes, and with the game on the line, he threw another incomplete pass to end the Bears' chances. A handoff or QB sneak would have made much more sense, and — hindsight is 20/20 — replays make obvious that Grossman could have picked up the first down on a quarterback draw. The middle of the field was wide open, and he probably would have gained four or five yards. First down, spike the ball, keep the game going. Instead, Delhomme knelt once and the game was over.

The Crystal Ball

Pittsburgh @ Denver

Pittsburgh played better this weekend than Denver did, but I'm taking the home team. The Broncos are 9-0 at home, and they match up against the Steelers much better than the Colts did. Mike Shanahan and John Fox are the two best coaches remaining in the postseason, and Shanahan isn't going to be out-coached the way Dungy and his staff were.

The Broncos need to protect Jake Plummer, and they'll do that by running the ball, rolling Plummer out, and — simply put — playing good football on the line. Denver plays in the same division as San Diego, so Shanahan has had plenty of looks at a 3-4 defense with a talented pass-rushing linebacker (Merriman). The danger against the Steelers is that you let them control the clock, and the Broncos will have to commit to the run in a way they failed to against New England. Either that, or get five turnovers again.

On defense, Denver can't allow the Steelers to strike early, but their priority has to be shutting down the run. The team's speedy linebackers should be able to contain Willie Parker as long as they don't get too hyped up and overpursue. When Bettis is in, always assume it's a run. Eight in the box, but your corners have to keep their assignments, because Cowher isn't afraid to let Bettis throw.

For the Steelers to win, they need to force Plummer into a bad game. They'll do that the same way they did against Indianapolis, by bringing pressure from unexpected places. Against Indy, they frequently sent two linemen, plus Porter and Polamalu. Other times, three linemen. Sometimes Polamalu dropped back. Clark Haggans came in from the left side of the line. Pittsburgh needs to confuse Plummer into making mistakes. To do that, they need to take away his comfort zone: the running game. Make Plummer feel like he has to win it himself.

On offense, the Steelers are fine using early passes to set up the run later on. What they can't do is get into a shootout, allowing Denver to control the pace of the game. They should run when they can, and pass when they have to. Early interceptions could turn the game, and that's harder for Pittsburgh to overcome than Denver, so protecting the ball is essential.

Pittsburgh may well be the better team, but Denver's been terrific at home and Shanahan has the postseason pedigree, so I say Broncos by a touchdown.

Carolina @ Seattle

The Panthers have been on fire the last three weeks, and I'm scared to pick against them. In 2003, I picked against Carolina three weeks in a row. They beat the Rams in double-overtime, then went to Philadelphia and knocked off the top-seeded Eagles. I like this year's Carolina team better than that one, and I liked that year's Eagles more than this year's Seahawks. I think Fox has a substantial coaching edge on Mike Holmgren, and I believe the Panthers are calmer and more confident.

They'll have to win without DeShaun Foster, though. Nick Goings will be the primary ball-carrier, and you might reasonably expect to see He Hate Me (Rod Smart) in the backfield a few times. Foster has game-breaking talent, but Goings is a solid runner who can keep the chains moving and the defense honest. The latter is the more important point, because Carolina needs another big game from Smith if they're going to move on. He doesn't need 218 again, but he probably has to break 100. Jake Delhomme has to take care of the ball, which is sometimes a problem for him.

On defense, the priority has to be shutting down Alexander, who will probably be at or near 100%. And while stopping the run must be the first priority, it can't be at the expense of leaving things open for Hasselbeck, who is the most dangerous quarterback still in the postseason.

Julius Peppers is banged up, but he'll need to have a big game, because it's unlikely that Mike Rucker is going to have a great deal of success against Walter Jones. There will be a major burden, too, on Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble, and Ricky Manning, Jr. They'll need to be active in run defense, but they'll also have a lot of responsibility shutting down Seattle's receivers, since Carolina's linebackers will have to respect the run.

If Seattle is going to win, it will be with a big game from Alexander. 120 yards and two touchdowns, something like that. Hasselbeck can throw an interception and it won't be the end of the world, but the Seahawks need to take better care of the football than they did against Washington.

On defense, the key is slowing Smith. I'd double-cover him until the Panthers prove they can win without him. Delhomme is prone to mistakes, and he tends to key in on one receiver, so if you clamp down on Smith, he could get frustrated and start forcing things. The Seahawks also need to respect Goings, and pressure on Delhomme wouldn't hurt.

Crowd noise could also be a factor. Prior to Saturday's game, Johnston was in the booth shouting his comments to be heard above the cheers. Siragusa called Seattle's the loudest stadium in the NFL. Weather might also be a factor, as the forecast calls for rain.

Seattle is probably the better team, and it's 9-0 at home this season, but all the intangibles point to Carolina, and I got into trouble by using this reasoning to take Chicago last week. My head says Seattle, but my gut says Carolina. I think the Panthers have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl — Seattle can't beat either AFC contender — but I'm taking the Seahawks this weekend. My gut is usually wrong. Seattle by six.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:42 PM | Comments (3)

Why God Hates the Colts

After the shocking loss to the Steelers, Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Tarik Glenn tried to quiet some of the in-team finger pointing by reminding the press it was a team loss. "Football's a game of a 53-man roster," he told the AP. "You just can't put the blame on one man." He's right — you can't place the blame on one man. I believe, however, you can place the blame on one deity — the "lord."

There is no question that this was the most shocking playoff loss since the Patriots knocked off the Rams to start their dynasty. Everyone in the country that didn't play for the Pittsburgh Steelers had wagered heavily on the Colts (including the Zebras ... oh, and probably the refs, too). A banged-up Pittsburgh team was walking into Indianapolis to take on the best team in football this year, who is led by the best quarterback in football. It was a given, with the Patriots knocked out early, that the Colts were Super Bowl bound.

Shortly after the loss, Colts kicker/goat Mike Vanderjagt explained how he felt by saying he was in extreme disbelief. "From the [Troy] Polamalu interception reversal to Jerome's [Bettis] fumble, everything seemed to be lined up in our favor. I guess the lord forgot about the football team," he said.

Vanderjagt brings up a very interesting point. I don't know him personally, so I can't say whether he meant the Christian Lord, whether it was the Lord of the Flies, or even the Lord of the Dance, but frankly, it doesn't matter. I can accept that bigger things were at play here. The problem is that the lord (whoever it is) certainly didn't forget about the team, he simply hates them.

Mike needs to accept reality and stop making apologies. Vanderjagt thinks the lord forgot, but isn't he supposed to be perfect? Did the lord simply forget to mark the date on his calendar, or was he distracted by the latest season of "24"? (I assume the lord gets all TV shows one day ahead of time as there has to be some perks to the job. Also, I know that if I was lord, I might be distracted from time to time by TV. I guess that's why I'm not lord.) I suppose the lord could have been on vacation and given his powers to a common man, a la Bruce Almighty, which may or may not have been based off a true story, but I doubt any deity is vacationing this early in the year.

Things in that game were just too eerie. Consider the plight of Nick Harper. His wife "accidentally" stabs him days before the game, making him questionable to play. Then, at the most critical juncture of the game, he comes up with a big fumble recovery and starts racing down the field. On any regular day, he has the speed and the confidence to run right past Ben Roethlisberger and off into the sunset with a win, but he had just enough self-doubt stemming from his wounds to try and wait for blockers and was tackled instead. That play was like a knife in the knee of the Colts' chance at victory (I made this pun only because I think there is some sort of prize for being the one-millionth person to say this).

Seriously, though, if the lord "forgot" about the game, the Colts would've won by four touchdowns. I think I'm enjoying their fall from heavenly-favor too much and I know this has to hurt even more for Vanderjagt. (I know a lot of people loved believing the Red Sox were cursed, but I think it's even better when the lord openly hates your team. That could just be me.) Things seemed to be too good to be true that the Colts were a field-goal kick away from overtime with under a minute to go. In a cruel twist of fate, the most accurate kicker in NFL history missed a 46-yarder and let the Steelers advance. Burned.

That may be bad, but it has to really grind his gears when you look at the rest of the lord's body of work in sports. Freddy Mitchell is a great example. The only reason the trash-talking wideout is playing professional football is, according to Freddie, because of the lord's great work on his hands.

And who can forget how much the lord respects Deion Sanders? After all, it was the lord who once told Deion to pay an auto shop considerably less than he owed for his car repairs. He certainly didn't "forget" about Deion (of course, don't make the mistake that the lord handled all of Prime Time's finances, as he never helped Sanders cut his child support checks on time). Funny that Fred-Ex and Prime Time end up on the lord's "likes" column, while an idiot, liquored-up kicker and the Colts sit firmly entrenched on the "dislikes" side.

Still, even with the lord's clear disdain for the Indianapolis Colts, I cringe when I read that quote from Vanderjagt. It's one thing when Peyton "It Wasn't My Fault We Lost" Manning throws his offensive line under the bus, but it's an entirely different situation when Vanderjagt is calling out the lord. I understand it's the heat of the moment, but, well, I can't say I would be surprised if it's a little stormy when Mike takes to the golf course this summer.

Even Peyton Manning knows this has to be a bad thing. After the game, he said, "It certainly takes time to move on from a game like this and try to make peace with the football gods." I wasn't aware of Vanderjagt's comments until the day after, but he clearly isn't alone in his theory/excuse.

Now, most people like to argue that the lord surely has better things to do with his time, but who are they to speak for the lord? They can't know he isn't involved in sports anymore than desperate-for-answers football players know that he is. Given Indy's recent playoff history, maybe Vanderjagt is on to something. Or maybe he still is an idiot, liquored-up kicker.

Either way, I can't say I would be surprised to see a pair of foster kids roaming the sidelines in Indianapolis next season, flapping their arms up and down during crucial points of the game in the off chance that there really are angels in the end zone.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:55 PM | Comments (2)

Sports' Greatest Individual Winners

Seeing as how I live in the suburban New York area as I said in my previous article, I was listening to ESPN Radio and the Michael K show and he was talking about Mark Messier seeing as how Thursday was the official retirement of Messier's No. 11 into the rafters of Madison Square Garden. While talking about Messier, Michael K got onto the topic of discussing who the greatest winners of all-time were.

Now, Michael K naturally dubbed Mark Messier the greatest on one sole consideration: that he won his six Stanley Cups with different teams. He wasn't taking anything away from other great champions like Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, but the thing that set Messier apart from these players is that he won a title after going to a new team, something that Michael Jordan was very far from once he didn't have Scottie Pippen anymore.

Thus, in response to Michael K's claim, I have decided to compile a list of who I think the greatest sports winners of all-time are. One quick note, it is going to be hard for a baseball player to make the list considering that is the sport where a player's impact is possibly felt less than all other sports.

1) Eusébio

To leave this player off of the list would be a crime. Even though he played his entire career on one team (how is that a detriment in this list?), it is hard to miss the fact that he managed to win the Portuguese League Championship 12 times from 1961-1974, and the Mexican and NASL Championships in 1976, while leading Benefica to four Portuguese Cup titles. Another fact that is hard to ignore is that he scored a whopping total of 727 goals in 715 matches with Benefica.

2) Bill Russell

You may be wondering after reading down the list further why Russell made it and I didn't include Wilt "The Big Dipper" Chamberlain. It may be that Wilt was a better player, but Bill Russell won NBA titles with the Celtics in '57, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '68, '69, as well as winning a gold medal in the Olympics in '56, and two NCAA championships with San Francisco in '55 and '56. Simply put, the guy just won titles. If you count all of them he won fourteen titles in fifteen seasons at the levels in which he played, and if that doesn't constitute a winner, then I don't know what does.

3) Bryan Trottier

When you think of great winners, his name doesn't usually come up. Fact is, though, that he managed to win six Stanley Cups as well, four with the Islanders ('80, '81, '82, '83), and two with the Penguins ('91, '92). Add to that the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1979 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1980 and you've got yourself a winner of the same pedigree as Mark Messier. There was also a time when Trottier was an assistant in Colorado in 2002, when they managed to win a Cup for Ray Borque.

4) Mark Messier

It's hard to argue with Michael K here. The Captain scored almost 700 times while assisting on almost 1200 more goals en route to winning five Stanley Cups with Edmonton and one with the Rangers. He also took home the Hart Memorial Trophy twice in '90 and '92 and the Conn Smythe in Edmonton's '84 Cup season.

5) Ronaldo

O Fenômeno has managed to win the Dutch Cup in '96 with PSV Eindhoven, the Cup Winner's Cup with Barça in '97, the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan in '98, the Intercontinental Cup and European Super Cup with Réal Madrid in '02, and La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup with Réal in '03. Oh, yeah, and there are also the two World Cup titles with Brazil to go along with Copa América in '97 and '99. How could you not put him on this list?

6) Lilian Thuram

This French National managed to win titles with three different teams: the French Cup with Monaco in 1991, UEFA Cup, Italian Cup, and Italian SuperCup with Parma in 99, Serie A titles in 2002, 2003, and 2005 with the Italian SuperCup in '02 and '03 with Juventus to go along with a World Cup title in 1998 with the French national team. Considering the requirements, you can't leave Thuram off the list.

7) Michael Jordan

Say what you want about his only winning in Chicago and only winning with Scottie Pippen, but the fact is that he won the Finals MVP in every one of the six NBA titles that the Bulls won during his tenure in the Windy City. Aside from his endless multitude of personal records, there is also that whole 72-10 Bulls regular season record in 1995-1996, three wins better than number two, the Lakers of 1971-1972. The simple fact is, he knew how to win — he just didn't have the materials in all of his ventures.

8) Diego Maradona

Maradona won the Argentine League with Boca Juniors in 1981, the King's Cup and Cup Winner's Cup with Barça in 1982, and 1987's Italian League and Italian Cup, 1989's UEFA Cup, 1990's Italian League, and 1991's Italian Super Cup with SSC Napoli. This to go along with a World Youth Championship in 1979 and the World Cup in 1986, where he seemingly ran past defenders as they looked on in amazement against England.

9) Terry Bradshaw

I was tempted to put Tom Brady on this list because of his uncanny playoff record, but the fact is the Steelers of the '70s led by Bradshaw were just great. They won four Super Bowls in six seasons, with Bradshaw being voted the MVP twice. He also led the Steelers to the AFC Championship game two other times. Brady will move ahead of Bradshaw if the Patriots manage to rewrite history this season, but for now Bradshaw is ahead in terms of just being able to win.

10) Robert Horry

Say what you want about this pick, but you can't argue with six NBA titles on three different teams. Sure, he didn't average too many points but how can you tell me that you can't remember a Robert Horry shot to win a game in the NBA finals for his team. Even role players can be winners, but since he's a role player, that puts him at the bottom of this list.

Honorable Mentions

Jean Beliveau

Stanley Cup: '56, '57, '58, '59, '60, '65, '66, '68, '69, '71; Hart: '56, '64; Conn Smythe: '65

Tom Brady

Super Bowl: '01-'02, '03-'04, '04-'05; Super Bowl MVP: '01-'02, '03-'04; Career postseason record: 12-1, including college

Now I've noticed recently that people can be somewhat nasty (offensive comments are deleted) when it comes to commenting on the site, so instead of just bashing my top 10, supply a list of your own if you're going to comment as I'd love to see what other people think.

Notes

* Last Wednesday night, Duke yet again showed that they're a very good team and a very likely candidate for the national championship after a pasting of Maryland by 24. I loved it seeing as how I'm a huge Duke fan.

* The Packers are officially in rebuilding mode after hiring 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy. Maybe Brett Favre will take this sign and run with it into retirement.

Posted by Jeff Pohlmeyer at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2006

Memphis Finds the Best of Both Worlds

The Memphis Tigers thought they'd be on the outside looking in, trying to squint through the window and see the Big East party, the one they wanted to be a part of.

They're still looking in, but now they're making faces on the windows and laughing and smiling, all because outside hasn't been too bad a place to be.

Thanks to a brutal non-conference schedule that's netted them plenty of national respect, the Tigers — the only bona-fide basketball power left in Conference USA after five teams left for the Big East — are ranked sixth in the nation. They've got a 15-2 record. They're ranked second in the RPI. They could easily go undefeated the rest of the way, and while their weak conference schedule will hurt them when it comes to seeding, the selection committee won't be able to ignore their non-conference slate.

All of which means the Memphis Tigers might be wondering why they ever wanted to be in the Big East. Getting snubbed when the nation's best basketball conference was being engineered two years ago suddenly doesn't feel so bad. Because the Tigers have found the best of both worlds.

Head coach John Calipari has kept the cupboard stocked with talent. Enough talent to compete with the nation's best. And he put together the type of schedule that would allow the Tigers to do that. And they have, notching impressive wins over Gonzaga, UCLA, Alabama, Purdue, Cincinnati, and Mississippi while giving No. 1 Duke its toughest test of the season.

And now, while the coaches of nearly every other elite program are bracing themselves for the rough-and-tumble grind of conference play, Calipari can't help but feel a little relaxed, at least more relaxed than, say, Rick Pitino.

Certainly, Memphis' Conference USA schedule won't be a cakewalk. UAB makes everybody sweat, and teams like Houston and Tulsa are never pushovers. But there's no doubt that the Tigers have it pretty easy in C-USA. And that means, come March, the Tigers should be rested, healthy, and eager for a test. Those Big East teams? They'll be licking their wounds.

And that's why this whole conference shuffling might not have been such a bad thing, even if it didn't seem that way at first. And it probably didn't.

When the Big East started to reassemble itself following the departures of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, it quickly became apparent that a basketball super-conference was the goal. And it also became apparent that Conference USA was the perfect place to pull from. Half the teams in the league had bigger aspirations.

Memphis was one of those teams. A powerful basketball program with a big-name head coach. A solid football program poised to take the next step. And the kind of fan support and passion that belongs in a big-time conference.

But for whatever reason, Memphis didn't get the call. Maybe the city is too far west for a conference with "East" in its name.

The general consensus about Memphis' situation as a C-USA leftover went something like this: poor Memphis.

I don't think anybody's saying that now.

Of course, there's obviously something to be said for playing in a tough conference. There's a reason five C-USA schools jumped ship when the Big East came calling. They know that even a .500 record in the Big East gives them a good shot at an NCAA tourney bid. And it's obviously crucial for a team to get tested. Otherwise, wilting in March is a distinct possibility. And the accepted idea is that it's best to take those tests in conference play. People can point to Gonzaga — a power team in a weak conference that's struggled in recent NCAA tournaments — as proof of that fact.

But Memphis had to play the hand it was dealt. And so far the Tigers have played it pretty well. They've done everything they can, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if it paid off in March.

And maybe then, everybody else will be scrambling for the door, trying to join the Tigers on the outside looking in.

Posted by William Geoghegan at 1:07 PM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: Challenging Replay

If you ask the general public, they will tell you that BCS doesn't do many things right. But after reviewing their postseason and comparing it with the NFL's postseason, it's obvious they do at least one thing right.

Instant replay.

I want to throw my red flag and challenge the NFL's system of reviewing plays.

No, it's not because there has been a seemingly inordinate amount of recent playoff games that have been affected by interesting judgments by the referees.

Asante Samuel's pass interference on Ashley Lelie and Peyton Manning's incomplete pass to Troy Polamalu do raise an eyebrow, but that is nothing out of the ordinary.

In the past, football games have been left with noticeable zebra fingerprints and the games in the future will continue to have that same imprint, as well.

Accept it as just part of the game.

But I'm wondering why the system to review those inevitable questionable calls has to be so arduous on the professional level?

After watching the Rose Bowl, their system appears to be somewhat ideal.

When a play is under review, it is analyzed by a group of off-field officials in a booth upstairs.

But on the pro level, why do the on-field officials have to hop under a hood to review their own decisions?

They are heavily scrutinized and incessantly criticized to begin with, now you add another straw to the camel's back by forcing an official to double-back on what one head coach deems to be a wrong ruling.

It makes more sense to have a separate crew, one who did not make the original call on the field, review the play and make an unbiased decision.

That's not to say that a ref who has made a bad call would purposely let a play stand because of an ego trip, but it is best not to give him that option.

Students don't mark their own exams and employees don't evaluate their own performances. Impartial (well, hopefully) third parties do that.

That is why an independent booth of referees, who have all the visual access required to make the proper conclusion, makes a smarter solution.

Although trepidations in regards to honesty, to this point anyways, are quite minute, the other noticeable different between the BCS replays and the NFL replays is length in time.

When the NFL first introduced video replay, most television broadcasts would have a 90-second timer on screen while the refs were checking the play. Since most replays now take much longer, usually ranging between two and five minutes, we don't see that countdown anymore.

With the Rose Bowl reviews, it seemed that by the time the referee had made it to the sideline, a decision had already been prepared in the booth upstairs. Then, all that the on-field crew had to do was relay that message back to the public.

This concept of dividing the video replay labor is faster and more efficient than what the NFL currently offers.

If you combine that idea with the NFL's version of how a challenge is initiated (coach throws the red flag or call is made from upstairs if there is two minutes or less left in the half), that would give you the ideal system.

The NFL's video replay and the BCS' video replay mix like Mondays and me.

"Have confidence that if you have done a little thing well, you can do a bigger thing well, too." — David Malcolm Storey

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2006

A Sirius Proposition

I received a bright, gleaming new Trapper Keeper for Christmas.

Or maybe it was a Nintendo Entertainment System. Or the latest Transformers figure. Or a Topps factory set.

Meanwhile, somewhere else on Dec. 25, another happy little lad was getting a Sega Entertainment System. Or a Go-Bots figure. Or a Fleer factory set. Or whatever the hell the alternative is for a Trapper Keeper.

They're all fads, all "status symbols" when your biggest concern in life is boasting in the halls of your school about the holiday treasures you found under the tree. Inevitably, there's going to be someone who claims their treasure, although ultimately similar, shines more brightly than yours.

My Trapper Keeper was actually a Sirius Satellite Radio S50 receiver. Just like if you're a Fleer guy or a Topps guy, a Nintendo guy or a Sega guy, you're evidently either a Sirius guy or an XM guy. After exploring this new media landscape for the last few weeks, I can say unequivocally that either "team" is damn lucky — trust me, if you're still listening to terrestrial radio, you won't be in five years when the rest of the country catches up with the revolution.

Sure, it's corny, but suiting up with SatRad feels like joining a team. You feel like one of the cool kids, bumming smokes in a clubhouse somewhere in the woods behind the church. I remember speaking with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after his appearance at the National Press Club about the league's jump from Sirius to XM next season. He said it came down to the fact that XM came to them — that the NHL, a league so odious to media that it needed to enter into a public access contract with NBC just to get its games on broadcast television, felt needed. You get that feeling when you listen to any of the nearly 200 channels on these services: they want you to want them. They want to give you something you can't get on "free" radio. They want all this talk about revolution and independence to be more than just buzzwords on Howard Stern's press releases.

Stern ... understand something, dear readers. I grew up in Jersey. I went to school in Jersey. Where other kids were raised on orange juice and cereal, I was raised on Baba Booey and lesbian strippers. Save the "Iusedtolistenbuthesucksnow" rants. It's hardwired in me. So naturally I'm going to follow him to SatRad.

His first shows have been different, uneven, but ultimately exhilarating. The freedom to use the kind of language any adult is free to use in conversations not being monitored by the government has created new spins on some moldy topics. For the most part, the crew has been reinvigorated. They sound like a bunch of kids who found a box of their father's girlie magazines, with his B.B. gun on one side of them and his ATM code on the other.

Example: a conversation earlier this week with a stripper who had sex with one of Stern's henchmen. On the old Stern show, this conversation is bleeped, blotted, and cut to pieces by some guy on a dump button. On Sirius, it plays out in explicit, gory, and hilarious detail. And it's not just the scatological references that make the difference — it's the simple, adult words you can no longer say under the FCC's tyranny. Dirty condom, for example. That would have been edited out, as would have a few seconds of conversation surrounding the nasty verbiage. It's nice to hear the show without feeling you're on "Quantum Leap," jumping a few seconds ahead every time someone makes a reference to sex.

Another innovation worth mentioning, even if it's a limited one: the addition of George "Mr. Sulu" Takai as the show's announcer. A constant source of humor for years on the Stern show when he was closeted, the newly-outed actor was live in studio during the first week. This led to the dawning of perhaps the greatest romance since Doug and Jackie Christie: that of Mr. Sulu and rotund Jersey boy comedian Artie Lange. Never before have a homo and a homophobe shared such awkward flirtation so openly. What a pair they'd make: the king of McGriddles and the Queen of the Enterprise. (With all due respect to Nichelle Nichols and Kate Mulgrew.)

Stern's channels are a bombastic adventure in egomania, but would you expect any less from a guy who starred in his own movie version of a book he wrote about his own life? There's actually a "postgame" call-in show following the morning program on Sirius, so callers can dissect what bits worked and did not work. There's a "super fan round table" that allows Stern's most rabid acolytes to spout off about their leader. There's even an entire news channel dedicated to vital topics like Howard's lunch. If it sounds pointless and obsessive, that's because it is. But who else is pulling this off? Sean Hannity? Say what you will, but there's an audience for this.

What it comes back to is choice. It's something SatRad provides in a way corporately whored terrestrial radio cannot. There is a Jimmy Buffet station 12 clicks away from an old-school rap station. There's an all-Elvis station eight clicks away from an all-new wave station. There's a Grand Ole Opry station five clicks away from an all-gay station. I don't know where you live, but I'm pretty sure I'm not getting that variety on commercial radio.

That said, it's more than a little disappointing that there isn't an abundance of choice when it comes to Sirius sports talk.

Not to point too fine a point on it, but it totally blows, actually.

I enjoy sports talk radio, but living in Washington, DC, that's not really an option, unless you want to hear five hours of counting the hairs on Joe Gibbs's ass. Yet on Sirius, there aren't many alternatives. There's ESPN Radio, a monolith that has to be so many things to so many listeners that it's only a buffet when it should be a three-course meal. There's a simulcast of ESPNews, which doesn't exactly translate without the ability to see the highlights being described. There's Sports Byline USA, in which a cadre of Jim Rome-ian hosts spend hours making mountains out of molehills. There's the all-NFL channel, which is a great listen, but not up to the standards of the NFL Network on television. There's an NBA channel that appears to broadcast more play-by-play of "classic" games than offer original content — so far, it's a waste. And then there are several sports stations that offer play-by-play at night of NBA, NHL and college games, and appear to have NASCAR talk shows during the day.

How could a service that offers Howard Stern and Martha Stewart be so narrow-minded when it comes to sports talk? You have more options for country music than for jock chat on Sirius. Does that make sense?

Part of the problem is the competition. XM, the other cool kid in town, has FOX Sports Radio and Sporting News Radio, leaving Sirius to make due without the No. 2 and 3 sports talk syndicators in America. So what's the alternative?

Before SatRad, I used to listen to a lot of streaming audio on the Internet. I'd pick up a sports talk station in Minnesota, one down in Florida, one up in Toronto. It was fascinating to hear different takes on the same subjects, shaded by geography and personality. It was also interesting to get neighborhood flavor and explanation on topics that might warrant a four-inch story in my local newspaper.

Do the same thing on Sirius. It has traffic and weather for 21 different cities in America. Now give me sports talk from about eight of them, and you'll have revolutionized the medium.

Why shouldn't a transplanted New Yorker in New Mexico have the chance to hear Mike and the Mad Dog rant about the Knicks on WFAN? Why shouldn't a national audience be given the opportunity to hear 24 hours of self-loathing on WEEI in Boston and WGN in Chicago? Why shouldn't we all have the unrivaled joy of hearing WIP in Philly on the day after an Eagles loss?

Think of Sirius as a shopping mall. The hip-hop fans have their store. The rock fans have their store. The conservative talk and liberal talk fans have their store. What do sports fans have? A department store, filled with homogeny in every aisle.

Sirius claims it "will change the way you listen to radio forever." When it comes to sports talk, I claim bull-poopie. (Damn FCC). C'mon, Sirius: I like being one of the cool kids. Now give me some damn innovation, or I might have to start playing Sega...

Big Pimpin'

A little housekeeping before I offer some Hall of Fame thoughts.

My first book, "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History," evidently has a release day, according to Amazon: April 25. I would naturally encourage anyone who's ever enjoyed the column to get the book, because you're going to laugh, then get pissed, then laugh again, and then hopefully run out and buy 25 more copies for friends, relatives, and for use as coasters. Hopefully, I might have the chance to meet some of you if I'm out promoting the thing in the spring. Details to follow.

Also, I have two new weekly writing projects I wanted to make you aware of. First is SportsFan Magazine's Pop Sports Quiz, which is an eight-question satirical test on current events in sports and pop culture. It's a trick I've tried a few times in this column, and now it's weekly on SFM. The second is on a website called NationsPunched.com, an affiliate of a great movie site called Chud.com. Basically, it's a bunch of bitter knuckleheads ranting about whatever draws their ire — in other words, right up my alley. Here's a tirade on smoking bans in DCfor your reading pleasure.

Here ends the self-fellatio...

Cooperstown Follies

As many of you know, I'm the Cooperstown Nazi. If you're not one of the truly legendary players in the history of Major League Baseball, "no plaque for you!" If I can't mention you in the same breath as Cobb, Young, Ruth, Mantle, Mays, and Aaron without choking back the bile of mediocrity, "no plaque for you!"

My Hall of Fame is for mythical heroes. My Hall of Fame demands that a player be one of the top five or six of his generation, or have the kind of timeless impact on the game where his contributions are acknowledged long after he stopped lacing up the cleats. If I ran the National Baseball Hall of Fame, I'd purge the rolls of about 75% of the current honorees. There are just too many all-stars, award hogs, and stat whores masquerading as baseball royalty for my tastes.

But Cooperstown is Cooperstown, and Bruce Sutter is going to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. So be it.

But if he is, why are Jim Rice and Goose Gossage not? Both missed the mark in this year's vote, and will certainly miss in next year's bumper crop of first-ballot stars. Do they deserve enshrinement?

A better question: what would their enshrinement mean for baseball? If Rice gets in, it's because he was able to hit 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI in an era before juicing (both the ball and the players). If Gossage gets in, it's because he amassed 310 saves back when a save actually had some statistical significance.

If either of them ever gets in, it will be a nod by the writers that the game has changed. That yesterday's stats, miniscule in comparison with today's numbers, are somehow more meaningful.

That wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Greg Wyshynski is the Features Editor for SportsFan Magazine in Washington, DC, and the Senior Sports Editor for The Connection Newspapers of Northern Virginia. His book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History" will be published in Spring 2006. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 7:50 PM | Comments (1)

January 13, 2006

Next Bus Stop: Indianapolis

In Cincinnati, the fans of section 108 treated us with respect. (Even after I dumped an entire beer all over the place watching the flea flicker play that put a fork in the Bengals' season.) A big thanks to those fans, as many Steeler fans were harassed that day. I realize that home teams don't want the opposition's fans there, but to make public statements about it is just plain dangerous. Mix in the intensity of the playoffs and about seven hours worth of drinking, and it can get ugly.

As Cincinnati did last weekend, the front office of the Steelers' latest playoff opponent is attempting to erect a roadblock in front of the Steelers Nation, whose members are known to invade opponents' stadiums by the thousands.

The Colts administration sent an e-mail requesting that ticket holders keep their home dome a "sea of blue." The Indianapolis Star reported that the message read, "We are asking those of you who have tickets, but cannot attend the game, to do everything possible to make sure that your tickets end up in the hands of Colts fans.

It was signed: Coach Tony Dungy and President Bill Polian.

Not only is that a compliment to the power of Steeler fans, but an embarrassment for the fans of Indianapolis. You would never see such a thing on the Steelers website. It wouldn't be necessary, as the fans of Pittsburgh would be occupying the seats. That being said, you can always find a ticket to any game. Even the most diehard fan has his/her price.

Some people seem to forget it is still just a game. When the president of the Colts organization suggested that, "Our fans are critical to our success on the field, so if you cannot be there, please make sure that someone who bleeds blue is in your seat." That takes the fun out of it. I enjoy seeing the Steelers play in other stadiums, but I don't want my life threatened because of this. When the management of the team supports this, it gives irrational fans every excuse.

And another thing, I know when Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel in the 1970s that he had no idea that it would become the trademark of every Steeler fan's wardrobe. What I find ironic is that teams playing against the Steelers happen to give out "rally towels" for that particular game. It happened in San Diego when I went for the Monday night game this year, it happened last weekend in Cincinnati. Anyone want to bet me about what they will be giving out this weekend in Indianapolis?

Now, I know the towel is just a brilliant idea, but Myron Cope was never known as a genius.

Message to the other 31 NFL teams: the towel is ours and it has magic. Get your own gimmick. I am sure your marketing department can be a little more creative than copying a towel (without the magic, of course). But go ahead and continue, it just gives our towel even more power. So, thanks in advance.

I'd like to also give a special thanks to Mike Worysz, who is not even a Steelers fan, but has adopted the team to make this incredible journey with me through the playoffs. He is a Jets fan and if they ever rebound and make it to the big dance, I'll be there with him.

I didn't speak about the actual game for a reason. The Colts beat up on the Steelers last time, which means absolutely nothing. I speak from experience, as the Patriots whipped the Steelers after getting dominated in the same building last year.

The Steelers are nine-point underdogs and no one is giving them a chance. I am preparing myself to enjoy the trip regardless, but there is no other place I would rather be if they happen to pull off the impossible.

Sure, the Colts have Peyton Manning, but he has been stopped before. Which leads me to my quote of the day: "The Steelers are going to hit 'em so hard, Archie is going to feel it." — Phil Flaherty, Bethesda, Maryland and diehard Steelers fan

From the eyes of the national media, this game doesn't even need to be played. The Colts win and play the Patriots, the team that has ended Peyton's playoff aspirations the past two seasons.

Guess what, this isn't a scripted movie. The Steelers still have to show up. I'll be right behind them, in section 137, four rows behind the Steelers' bench.

It is a 53-man roster and one usher that just won't go away.

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 5:51 PM | Comments (3)

NBA, You Call This a Sport? (Part 2)

With my picks for this season's playoffs down the drain and things all screwed up (I did better in the past), it's time to continue the rant against the NBA.

The first thing that I'm going to start with is a comment from someone named "ok" in my last article. Ok said, "So what…without the NBA you won't have a job right now." Well, that's not entirely true because writing for sports websites isn't quite my job just yet. I don't get paid to do this even though I would love to, so without the NBA, I most definitely do still have a job. On that note, also, even if I were getting paid for this, there is a multitude of sports that are more entertaining than the NBA that I could watch and write about considering this is only the second piece I've written on the subject, but thanks for the comments.

Now, on to business. One thing that really grinds my gears about the NBA (see the "Family Guy" movie) goes back to the relationship of NBA players with their coaches. Aside from the fact that a team would much rather let go of their coach than a star player, even if he is a disruption, the media puts these people unjustly up on pedestals. I live in the suburban New York area, so when I drive home from my non-sports writing job, I listen to Michael K on 1050 ESPN Radio and he talks left and right about the Knicks and what's wrong with the team, and finally someone has gotten it right.

Stephon Marbury thinks that he is God's gift to New York basketball and he walks around acting like it. He has been praised his entire career for being a "superstar" when he hasn't been able to do much of anything in NYC. I'm going to give all of the readers of this a hint as to why he hasn't been able to do much of anything this season in New York, though, and it's because of Larry Brown. It's not the fact that Larry Brown can't coach, though, as we've seen in other cities, but it's because Marbury is apparently too good to listen to his coach. Oh, I'm sorry, Steph, I didn't realize that a career 20.5 points per game, three rebounds per game, and eight assists per game while shooting under .500 from the field with a career .318 three-point percentage made you invincible.

Players have been praised way too much by the media and by the public in general. Kobe Bryant had a public feud with Shaquille O'Neal that arguably ruins the season for the Lakers in which they were built to win a championship along with Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and does anyone get in trouble? No, not really. Sure, they shipped Shaq out of town, but it's not like that was against his wishes or anything.

The NFL is getting out of hand, as well, but look at what happened when T.O. started being a detriment to his team, he got suspended and then put on the inactive list. Keyshawn Johnson was deactivated a couple years ago because he was acting out in a way that was harmful to his team.

That's what people don't seem to realize in the NBA, basketball was meant as a team game. There are five players that are supposed to play the game, not just one or two superstars. Rookie Chris Paul for the Hornets played on Tuesday night against the Pistons with a torn ligament in his hand, which is a commendable feat, but he got the headline on ESPN.com in the loss while shooting 4-of-14 with 3 rebounds and 5 assists for 13 points. What about Richard Hamilton scoring 30 on 57% shooting, or even what about David West, on Paul's own team, going for 20 points with 6 rebounds?

ESPN and Sports Illustrated and a lot of media don't care about what actually happens in basketball, but more about the hype surrounding a player. It has even gotten to the point where a player's potential is more valuable on draft day that what he can actually do. Excuse me, but I didn't know that NBA teams employed psychics to know how a player is going to do fresh out of high school against no competition. Sure, they get it right sometimes, like LeBron James and Jermaine O'Neal, but it's sad to see how many Kwame Browns had to get drafted before the league realized that they needed these kids to actually realize some of their potential before trying them out against real basketball players.

Now my last little beef for now has to do with TNT and other stations that air basketball playoff games is the way that they advertise the playoffs. Their advertisements on TV typically go along with a player or a 12-year-old saying something along the lines of, "Win ... or go home." Oh, I'm sorry — I didn't realize that the whole seven-game-series thing wasn't taking place. Win or go home should be changed to something like, "Win ... or win four out of your last remaining games or go home." You don't see baseball playoff ads being plugged like that.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with having a seven-game format, but there are two sports that come to mind that have playoffs where it's win or go home: NCAA basketball (you know, the real kind of basketball), and the NFL. I know that's not really a flaw of the NBA, but more of TNT itself, but it's just another NBA-related thing that annoys me, so I thought it deserved to go in there.

Stay tuned to an eventual part three (I wrote an eight-page paper in college on why the NCAA was better than the NBA).

Notes

* Kentucky was ranked in the top 10 by both polls this preseason, how the hell did they just lose to Vanderbilt on their home court? Good luck to Tubby Smith trying to get this team out of the proverbial gutter.

* Dave Andreychuk was just placed on waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning, essentially ending his career since he's not fast enough to keep up. Too bad it had to end this way, the guy's been a great player and had a great career.

Posted by Jeff Pohlmeyer at 5:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2006

NFL Weekly Predictions: Divisional Round

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Washington @ Seattle

After reviewing the game tape of Washington's 17-10 win in Tampa Bay last week, Seattle defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes has devised a plan to stop the Redskins' offense.

"That's right," says Rhodes. "It's very simple. To prevent the 'Skins from scoring, we must concentrate on one thing: keeping the Washington offense on the field. How do you score 17 points on 120 yards of total offense?"

Ask the Chicago Bears.

The Redskins' defense set up one offensive touchdown on LaVar Arrington's interception, and safety Sean Taylor scored one outright on a 51-yard fumble return. Taylor was ejected in the third quarter for spitting in the face of Tampa running back Michael Pittman, and Taylor was later fined $17,000 by the league.

"That's all under appeal," says Taylor. "Under the advice of my legal counsel, William Romanowski, Esquire, I can only make the following statement: if you didn't see spit, you must acquit. Now, should anyone need to contact me, I'll be on the golf course looking for the real spitter."

As is the case with each of the divisional games this weekend, the Washington/Seattle contest is a rematch of a regular season game. Seattle was the only one of the top seeds to lose the regular season game. The Redskins won 20-17 in overtime in Week 4. That game was in Washington — Seattle will be looking for revenge in the cozy confines of Qwest Field in Seattle, where the Seahawks are 8-0.

"I'm Coach Joe Gibbs," says the Redskins' head honcho. "Do you see these three fingers? Notice the three Super Bowl rings on them? That leaves me two ringless fingers, index and thumb, with which to form a 'zero,' which is the amount of concern I give to the Seahawks' supposed home-field advantage. The Redskins can go anywhere and win, whether it be Qwest Field, a Quest minivan, A Tribe Called Quest, Johnny Quest, you name it. Those fools in Seattle can't even spell 'quest.'"

The key for Seattle, of course, is the running of Shaun Alexander, the league's leading rusher and most valuable player. Seattle's strength is running to the left, behind left tackle Walter Jones and left guard Steve Hutchinson.

"That's right," says Seattle coach Mike Holmgren. "Our offense leans further left than Rolling Stone magazine. We know that defense is the Redskins' strength. And they know our offense is our strength. We'll have to strap our helmets on extra tight, and I guess we should wear our face shields since Sean Taylor will be playing."

There's no question that Washington's defense will keep them in the game — and there's no question their offense may take them out of it. Alexander and the Seattle offense can put twenty points on the board. Can Washington match that? Not without the help of turnovers or a bomb to Santana Moss. They won't get that against the rested, home-standing Seahawks. Alexander is held in check, but Matt Hasselbeck throws for two touchdowns.

Seattle wins, 24-13.

New England @ Denver

If the Patriots are to defend their two Super Bowl wins, they'll have to go through Denver to do so.

"If we go through Denver," says Tom Brady, "and take a left at Indianapolis, that should lead us straight to Detroit for the Super Bowl. Unlike all the other teams remaining in the playoffs, we don't need directions to get there."

The injury-plagued Patriots lost 28-20 in Week 6 to the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos rushed for 178 yards in that game. That loss left the Patriots with a 3-3 record. The Broncos got 114 yards from Tatum Bell and 57 yards from Mike Anderson in rushing for 178 yards. Anderson rushed for 1,014 yards on the year, adding another 1,000-yard rush season to Mike Shanahan's resume, while Bell just missed 1,000 by 79 yards.

"Pimping ain't easy," explains Shanahan, "especially when you're pimpin' thousand-yard rushers. Tatum didn't quite make it, so he just might get a pimp slap. We know the Patriots will try to stop our running game. If they do, I feel supremely confident that John Elway, I mean, Jake Plummer, can pick up the slack and lead us to victory."

Quarterbacks may very well decide the outcome of this game. If that's the case, who would you rather have on your side, Brady or Plummer? Brady has 10 consecutive playoff wins, while Plummer is 1-3 in his playoff career. And that one win came with the Arizona Cardinals.

"Arizona made the playoffs? Has Plummer been growing that beard since that last playoff win?" asks Belichick. "He's awfully scraggly-looking. Is that poor guy homeless? I'd gladly hand Jake some change on the street, but I surely wouldn't hand him the ball with a trip to the AFC championship on the line. Besides, Brady's just as handy trimming his beard as he is carving up defenses."

Back in Week 6, the Patriots weren't even taking playoffs. Now, they're talking Super Bowl and they're talking dynasty, not Dynasty as in a Joan Collins/Linda Evans catfight (although that would make a great Super Bowl half time spectacle). The Pats are talking three-straight Super Bowls and four of the last five. Now that's a dynasty.

So, when the Patriots take over on their own 18-yard line with 2:09 remaining in the game and the score tied 20-20, Brady has three things on his mind: 1) the Patriots' dynasty, 2) advancing into field goal range, and 3) leading his team on a signature "drive" on the turf of the quarterback who made "The Drive" famous. Brady leads the Pats to the Denver 27-yard line, where Adam Vinatieri, whose right foot is more lethal than Marcus Vick's, nails the game-winning 44-yard field goal.

As Brady leaves the field, he makes eye contact with Elway on the Bronco sideline. Elway winks at Brady, tosses him a Coors Light, and hands him a flaming torch. Brady, oblivious to the symbolism of "passing the torch," grabs the torch and heads toward Turin, Italy to light the Olympic flame for the XX Winter Games.

New England wins, 23-20.

Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

There's a metallic theme for the Colts this week as they prepare for their first meaningful game in about five weeks. Can the Colts forge another win over the Men of Steel, as they did in Week 12's 26-7 win over Pittsburgh? Or, will Indy's well-oiled machine fall victim to possible rust induced by resting starters for the last month?

"What are you, a blacksmith?" asks Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher. "If so, how about putting some leaden horseshoes on a few select Colts, namely Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, and Reggie Wayne. And chain your anvil to the foot of Peyton Manning, will you? Some blinders on the eyes and a feed bag over the mouth would add a nice touch, as well. If you do all that, and the Colts come out flat from their bye month, then I like our chances."

The Colts clichéd home-field advantage throughout the playoffs way back on December 11th. Since then, they've done very little, except develop a new-found disdain for practice, as well as making thumb-twiddling an art form.

"You've heard of the term 'stir crazy,' haven't you?" asks Indy wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

Oh yes, Marvin. A great movie. Anytime you pair two comic masterminds like Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, the laughs just don't stop.

"True. But I wasn't talking about the movie," says Harrison. "I mean we're 'stir crazy,' as in bored as heck. We miss life in the fast lane, surely make you lose your mind. If a miracle should happen and Pittsburgh wins this game, then the notion of clinching home-field advantage early will be questioned forever."

"Okay, it's my turn to bitch about something," says Manning. "Everyone places so much importance on having the playoff bye week. Well, we got it weeks ago, but now everyone thinks we've had too much time off. But the bye week is secondary to home-field throughout. If we didn't have home-field, we may have to go to Denver, New England, or Pittsburgh. It's chilly in those places. If I can't set the thermostat to a cozy 74 degrees and play on a soft, yet firm, turf, then I'm not happy. 'Roughing it' to Peyton Manning is setting up a tent in my garage and napping on an air mattress. If I even hear about snow in New England, I wet my pants."

In their Week 12 loss to the Colts, the Steelers were burned for an 80-yard touchdown pass on the Colts' first play from scrimmage. Last week, Carson Palmer hit Chris Henry for a 66-yard completion on the Cincinnati's second play from scrimmage. Pittsburgh must prevent the big play, and on offense, they must create some big plays of their own.

"We've got just the plan for that," says Cowher. "You saw our direct snap to Antwaan Randle El, who lateralled to Ben Roethlisberger, who then passed to Cedric Wilson for a touchdown. I've got something else up my sleeve for the Colts."

What? Your arm?

"No, something even more diabolical," says Cowher. "I call it 'The Immaculate Deception.' I can't reveal any details, but we'll run it on the first play of our first possession in the second quarter."

The Colts aren't fooled. It takes awhile for the Indy offense to rebound from their inactivity (one possession), but Manning hits Reggie Wayne with a 23-yard TD pass on their second possession. Edgerrin James rushes for 105 yards, and the Colts never look back.

Indianapolis wins, 27-16.

Carolina @ Chicago

Meow! The Panthers made cats proud everywhere, as they were the only team with a mascot of the feline persuasion to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. The Panthers advanced with a methodical 23-0 dismantling of the Giants, while the Jaguars and Bengals fell in the AFC. Steve Smith scored two touchdowns against the Giants, and will lead the Panthers to Chicago, where Carolina was whipped 13-3 by the Bears in week eleven.

"That was then, this is now," says Smith, who had 14 catches for 169 yards against the Bears in November. "I think I was the only one who got off the bus at Soldier Field that day. You'd have thought we were playing the 1985 Bears. Gosh, in 1985, I was dominating, and sometimes getting ejected from, Pop Warner league games. Anyway, that Week 11 game meant nothing. This one does.

"I see the Bears have been talking a little trash. Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye has said we don't deserve any hype. Last week, Giants' defensive end Oso Umenyiora had some choice words before we whipped New York. What's the deal? Are defensive ends with way too many vowels in their names the only ones that can talk trash? Don't they realize there's no more room for material on the Panthers' bulletin board. Between pictures of me scoring and pictures of our cheerleaders 'scoring,' that bulletin board is full."

In their 13-3 win, the Bears sacked Jake Delhomme eight times, and held the Panthers to 55 yards rushing. Kyle Orton was under center for the Bears then — he's been kicked to the curb in favor of Rex Grossman, who has a stronger arm, but has only started seven games in his career.

"We like Rex's ability to throw the ball downfield," says Chicago coach Lovie Smith. "Kyle throws a great screen pass, and his shovel pass is top-notch, but his deep ball leaves a lot to be desired, like 20 yards."

This game will be a battle of defense, field position, conservative play calling, and turnovers. Both defenses will contain the opposition's running attacks. That will leave much of the game in the hands of the respective quarterbacks. It's not a question of which quarterback will do more, but which will be asked to do less. Give Carolina the edge here; Delhomme has Smith as a target, and often, Smith makes big plays out of simple passes. Of course, a big play in this game may simply be a 20-yard gain, or a defensive touchdown. The Bears, meanwhile, are certainly capable of the defensive touchdown.

This is a tough game to call. One play may make the difference. And that play will likely be made by one of the playmakers. And, since Carolina's playmaker, Smith, plays on offense, I give the edge to the Panthers. Chicago's playmakers are on defense, and they could go the entire game without touching the ball. And you can't score without the ball.

Carolina wins, 13-9.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 2:53 PM | Comments (2)

The Hilarious Case of Marcus Vick

At what point does a tragic study become a ridiculous study? At what point do gravity's forces become humorous rather than grave?

Wherever that point is, we will have to call it the Vick Point. Marcus Vick was a tragic figure at first — argued by some to have more raw natural talent than his brother, he had a couple of scrapes with team policy and the law, and we wondered whether he'd be able to fulfill his promise, or become another after-school special.

It would've been tragic if he simply would've gone down the second path. But the fact that he's running down the second path, laughing madly and urinating on the first path is why fewer and fewer people are shaking their heads at his plight. He makes Maurice Clarett look like Kurt Warner.

To recap just the last month in the life of "New Mexico," as a much cleverer writer than myself has dubbed him, he has:

* Got busted for going 38 mph in a 25 zone ... on a suspended license.

* Stomped on Elvis Dumervil's calf in the Gator Bowl, and then lied about having apologized to Dumervil (unless Dumervil is the one lying, but ... c'mon.)

* Gets kicked off the Virginia Tech team for these transgressions, after already being on a sort of final warning for his myriad legal and team-rules problems leading up to the Gator Bowl.

Then came his real piece de resistance. According to the police charges, some teenagers were cracking on him in the parking lot of a Mickey D's ... so he did what we would do in that situation, and showed the kids he was packing.

Who other than robbers and Ted Nugent takes a gun to McDonald's? Perhaps he didn't realize he was still wearing the pants with the gun in them. Happens to me all the time. I'll be fishing for that last nickel to complete my Big Mac combo meal and I have to empty out my pockets to find it — my wallet, my keys, my gun, an old tissue, losing lottery tickets — ah, there it is.

Come to think of it, there may be some good reasons to take your heater to McDonalds. Y'know how sometimes you put your cup under the soda dispenser of your choice, take that first sip, and it turns out to be all seltzer? Let's see how quick they replace that Sprite syrup now!

It's acceptable to pull a gun on McDonalds employees or customers for the following reasons:

1. They won't sell you a Sausage McMuffin at 10:35 AM.

2. They only give you one hot mustard packet for your 20-piece Chicken McNugget.

3. Customer is standing over the soda fountains so no one can access any of them until they've finished pouring their drink and drinks for their five friends. Pistol-whipping also okay in this situation.

4. They so charged you for a second McChicken sandwich, but didn't give it to you, and now you have to drive all the back, or suffer.

5. Teenagers call you a has-been.

My best guess to what the teenagers said was, "Quarter Pounder with extra pickles? That's not in the playbook ... but it should be!"

In light of it all, I hope to see New Mexico in the real life version of The Longest Yard soon, as well as an entire episode this weekend on VH1's "Best Week Ever" devoted to him.

Oh yeah, he also declared for the NFL draft! Any takers?

Posted by Kevin Beane at 2:31 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Remembering Baseball Legends Lost (Pt. 2)

Sometimes, we miss making due tribute to those who left us in a given year, but also left us even a single memory over the years, never mind coaching two from the Orient to MLB greatness. Or, in one case, a baby step toward the liberation of Major League Baseball players. Remember these gentlemen, too. They became safe at home in 2005:

Bob Carpenter — The 1940s pitcher for the New York Giants, not the longtime Philadelphia Phillies owner. He had his best of five major league seasons with the 1941 Giants, going 11-6 in 19 starts and 10 relief appearances. Divided his final big league season (1947) between the Giants and the Chicago Cubs. He talked his father into moving the family to Florida for the sake of the old man's health, and attended a baseball school (where he learned a sharp curve ball) run by his future manager, Hall of Famer Bill Terry.

Danny Gardella — An outfielder whom the New York Giants discovered working in a wartime shipyard in his native New York, Gardella had a promising 1945 (18 bombs, 71 RBI, .426 slugging percentage), but spurned a $4,500 1946 contract, jumped to the Mexican League ... and sued to challenge baseball's old reserve system, after Commissioner Happy Chandler blacklisted all the major leaguers who jumped to the Mexican League. (Those included St. Louis Cardinals pitching star Max Lanier and future New York Giants pitching star Sal Maglie.)

The lawsuit argued that Gardella was bound by clause, but not by actual contract. A federal district court threw the suit out in 1948, but a panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 1949 that the Gardella suit deserved to go to trial — a ruling that shook baseball into settling with the outfielder for $29,000 and lifting the Mexican League blacklist. Gardella signed with but played only one game for the 1950 St. Louis Cardinals, but his suit proved a significant step toward the eventual elimination of the old reserve system.

Kent Hadley — A spare part first baseman for the late 1950s Kansas City Athletics and the 1960 New York Yankees, Hadley had a better playing career in Japan, for seven seasons with the Nankai Hawks following his major league days. He was the first non-Japanese player to hit one over the fence in his first at-bat in Japan (tagging an outbound fastball from Junichi Nakajima), and he evened up the 1964 Japan Series against Yomiuri at two games each with a 14th-inning, walk-off bomb off Minoru Murayama. He once said his time in Japan enabled him to play under three Hall of Fame managers: Rod Dedeaux (the legendary USC baseball coach is in ABCA Hall of Fame), Casey Stengel, and Kazuto Tsuruoka (Japan Hall of Fame).

But Hadley is probably remembered best for being part of the trade that made a Yankee out of Roger Maris: Maris, Hadley, and middle infielder Joe DeMaestri were shipped to the Yankees for former World Series perfectionist Don Larsen, outfielders Hank Bauer and Norm Siebern, and future Original Met legend Marv Throneberry.

Eddie Miksis — Immortalized in "The Chicago Cubs, Overdue," by George F. Will: "Every litter must have its runt, but my Cubs were almost all runts. Topps baseball bubble-gum cards always struggled to say something nice about each player. All they could say about Cubs' infielder Eddie Miksis was that in 1951 he was 10th in the league in stolen bases, with 11." But they also could have said Miksis was the pinch-runner (for Pete Reiser) who scored the game-winning run, when Brooklyn Dodgers pinch-hitter Cookie Lavagetto's walk-off double wrecked New York Yankee pitcher Bill Bevens's bid for the first no-hitter in World Series history, in 1947.

They were probably too nice to say, however, that Miksis was one of the principals in a deal that caused an unidentified Dodger executive to crow, "Gentlemen, we have just traded for the pennant" — the utility infielder was swapped with catcher Bruce Edwards, outfielder Gene Hermanski, and pitcher Joe Hatten to the Cubs for three spare parts (infielder Wayne Terwilliger, catcher Rube Walker — later, the man who coached the splendid New York Mets pitching staffs of 1967-73 to greatness — and pitcher Johnny Schmitz), and respected left fielder Andy Pafko.

Akira Ogi — Kintetsu and Orix manager in Japan, whom Hideo Nomo (at Kintetsu) and Ichiro Suzuki (at Orix) credited with coaching them to MLB readiness. Ichiro in particular felt beholden to Ogi, who rebuilt his confidence after his previous manager, Shozo Doi, believed Ichiro wouldn't hit with his batting style. (This suggests, too, that Ogi encouraged rather than tried to alter Nomo's distinctive straight-overhead stop-time windup and corkscrew, arm-straight-back delivery.) According to JapanBaseballDaily.com's Gary Garland, Ichiro was so grief stricken by Ogi's death that he went into seclusion for three days and declined to speak to reporters.

Marius Russo — Pitcher for the 1939-43 and 1946 New York Yankees, who won 14 regular season games twice (in 1940 and 1941), but proved deadly in the World Series. He started against and beat Fred Fitzsimmons and the Brooklyn Dodgers 2-1 on a four-hitter in the third game of the 1941 Series, and beating the St. Louis Cardinals and (in relief) eventual 1946 Series hero Harry Brecheen by the same score in the fourth game of the 1943 Series.

This time, the lone run against him was unearned: Cardinal first baseman Ray Sanders reached on Yankee shortstop Frank Crosetti's error, took third on left fielder Danny Lithwiler's double, and (following an intentional walk to Marty Marion), scored as pinch-hitter Frank Demaree (for St. Louis starting pitcher Max Lanier) reached on Yankee third baseman Billy Johnson's error. Russo himself made up the scoring difference with a little atonement help from Crosetti: he whacked a leadoff double off Brecheen to open the top of the eighth and scored on Crosetti's sacrifice fly.

Jack Sanford — The short-lived first baseman for the 1940-41 and 1946 Washington Senators, not the fine pitcher for the late 1950s Philadelphia Phillies and pre-Juan Marichal ace of the early 1960s San Francisco Giants. Sanford's rookie season was an offensive wash, but a defensive promise, and he started 1941 on the strong side of the plate (2-for-5 with a triple and a run scored in three games) before getting the call for World War II with the Army Air Force, playing and coaching on baseball teams around the service. He returned for six games with the 1946 Senators, fielding well but hitting weakly, and he left professional baseball for a career as a college coach, retiring from Barton College after coaching its baseball team to their first conference championship in 1984.

Bill Voiselle — Nicknamed Big Bill at 6'4", he was the starting and losing pitcher for the Boston Braves in the deciding sixth game of the 1948 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, even though Warren Spahn in relief surrendered the game-winning run in the eighth inning. Voiselle's best major league season was a wartime season, 1944, when he went 21-16 with a 3.02 ERA for the New York Giants. He followed with 14-14, 4.49, as the National League's regulars began finding their way back during the 1945 season. In June 1947, he was traded to the Braves in the deal that reunited former St. Louis Cardinals pitching star Mort Cooper with his catcher brother, Walker.

Don't miss part one of "Remembering Baseball Legends Lost!"

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 2:17 PM | Comments (1)

January 11, 2006

A Perfect Union

The late Jimmy Hoffa — wherever he is buried — would be proud, as 2005 turned out to be the year of the union in sports.

John Lennon, who was murdered 20 years ago, would not. If he were alive today, he'd say, "All we are saying is give (labor) peace a chance."

While Ricky Williams hopes the powers that be will someday legalize it, his former league is busy unionizing it. After HBO's Bob Costas noted that the NFL was viewed as a "model of labor peace, with owners and players both prospering," CNNSI.com's Peter King chimed in with a dose of reality, citing NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw as saying he is "very alarmed at the lack of progress" toward a new CBA. Upshaw said earlier in the year of the state of CBA negotiations, "It's not belief that we won't get a deal done. It's not a threat. It's the reality of where we are."

Where we were was in a landscape where three of the four major sports faced serious labor issues in 2005.

Tiger Woods let us know that even the lovable gentlemen of golf are not unaware of the idea of unionization, saying if the PGA Tour mandated tournament appearances, "then you're going to get into maybe a players' union."

The National Labor Relations Act guarantees the right "to organize and to bargain collectively ... or to refrain from all such activity." So if you can't beat 'em, join ... a union, right?

In that spirit, here are some groups that in '05 considered going the way of the Teamsters:

Participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee — The students who competed in the 78th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee on June 1-2 less than a week before the event sent a letter to sponsor E.W. Scripps demanding an increased percentage (from zero) of revenue generated by Scripps from the competition. Since no one at Scripps actually knew what the company did or how it made money, the spellers were offered instead a free thesaurus and a guest appearance by renowned filmmaker and grown-up geek Peter Jackson at the pre-event party.

A deal seemed imminent until Scripps' memo of understanding spelled "receive" incorrectly, at which time negotiations broke down. The SNSB union President said, "We as spellers can not in good faith participate in a competition sponsored by a company that fails to adhere to basic spelling rules." When asked to elaborate, the union head deadpanned, "I before e except after c."

Current and former cast members of MTV's "Road Rules" and "Real World" — Led by "Wanna Be a VJ" winner Jesse Camp, the current and former cast members of MTV's "Real World" and "Road Rules" formed the Real World Road Rules Association (RWRR). While Camp never appeared in either show, he was quick to mention that he knows "a thing or two about 15 minutes of fame." The cast members threatened to not appear in any more seasons of the shows, including "Gauntlet," "Inferno," "Battle of the Sexes," or any other crossover show, if they were not granted assurances by the shows' producers that they would not get ridiculed (or pummeled, as was the case with Danny in the Austin season) in public during filming.

The shows' producers responded with the following statement: "We've reviewed the request of the RWRR Association and have determined that since most of the casts are, in fact, annoying tools, there is not much we can do about the public ridiculing. Furthermore, if any cast member chooses to break the terms of his or her contract and not continue with a show, we will replace them with another too ... uh, I mean cast member."

Poker players — Talking about the possibility of simultaneous lockouts by the NBA and NHL, ABC's Al Michaels said, "Pretty soon, the only sport left playing will be poker, and then they'll unionize." Well, it almost happened. The short-lived Poker Players Players' Union Web site read, "The focus of the PPPU is to make sure the players who brought this sport such incredible popularity are compensated accordingly for the sport's tremendous boom." The PPPU hoped to gain the support of all the world's best players.

A PPPU spokesperson in a statement said, "We're prepared to boycott the 2006 WSOP if our demands are not met." These demands included regular coverage in the first 15 minutes of ESPN's "SportsCenter" and a presence by at least one of the top 10 players in the world at every major celebrity game.

The spokesperson added, "We want representation at these celebrity games, which we consider an additional source of guaranteed income. And unlike the celebrities, we reserve the right not to donate our winnings to charity." Notable celebrity poker players include Don Cheadle, Coolio and Sarah Silverman, all of whom had no comment. The PPA also wanted "real commentators, not Norm Chad."

IFOCE — The International Federation of Competitive Eating (www.ifoce.com), as part of its attempt to become an Olympic sport, considered forming a union in an effort to obtain funding from the USOC. The union's first initiative would have been to set up a "feeder" program in junior high schools across the country. The Federation was to try to capitalize on the countless number of unsanctioned eating contests that take place in school lunchrooms each day. Japanese sensation Takeru Kobayashi, who is widely recognized as the world's best eater, currently dominates the sport. "If the U.S. is to develop someone who can challenge Kobayashi's record of 57 cow brains in 15 minutes, he or she will have to start early," said the IFOCE Commissioner. "Plucking the top eaters from the cafeterias and putting them into rigorous, organized training programs is the first step."

World RPS Society — The World Rock Paper Scissors Society's mission statement says it "is involved in many areas of the sport." (www.rpschamps.com). That's right, it's a sport. It's no NASCAR, but judging by the media exposure (CBC, BBC, Rolling Stone magazine, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"), it's a sport on the rise. But rumors of performance-enhancing drugs, possible intervention by Congress, and biased officiating almost forced the top players to unionize.

One participant ousted early from the '05 tournament pulled a (Jeff) Van Gundy and said an RPS "official not working the 2005 event" told him that referees were looking specifically at left-handed throwers. The unnamed source: "We need to bond to protect our rights. Right now our sport is being cut up (presumably with a scissors) and, if this negative attention and publicity continue, we will fold (like paper). We are truly caught between a rock and a hard place."

Other groups that threatened, but ultimately settled: People for the Ethical Treatment of Terrell Owens (PETTO); What Brown Can Do For Us, which represented the rights of teams interested or rumored to be interested in acquiring the services of vagabond coach Larry Brown; Capture the Flag Association; Union of National Pro Fastpitch Fantasy League Owners #151.

Let's hope for peace in 2006 — both in labor and on earth.

Posted by Danny Sternfield at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Best Team Didn't Play in the Rose Bowl

In deference to Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Reggie Bush, and a host of other truly great players for both national champion, Texas, and Rose Bowl loser, USC, none of these splendid young athletes play for the NCAA's best college football team. Now, I'm sure you may be on the edge of your seat ready to hurl something at your computer screen, wishing it were my head, but before you do something crazy, check out the rationalization behind this bold statement.

Ohio State is the best team in the land. Now, it's difficult to put the word undoubtedly in front of best, because of the ongoing menace to college football, known as the BCS. If the four best teams, OSU, Texas, USC, and Penn State, could have taken part in a playoff, the Buckeyes would have prevailed and proven that they were superior.

Now, the naysayer will certainly note Ohio State's two losses, one each to Texas and Penn State, as the most obvious evidence that the Buckeyes fall short in comparison to these other three. Remember, though, OSU played the national champs in its second game of the season with a confused Troy Smith, playing in his first contest of the year, and alternating possessions with sub-par backup quarterback Justin Zwick. In spite of this shortcoming, the Buckeyes dominated much of the game, which included a dropped touchdown pass by tight end Ryan Hamby that would have all but sealed a Buckeye victory.

There is no excuse for the loss to the Nittany Lions. I would simply place an asterisk next to the game with a note that Smith had not yet evolved into the remarkable quarterback that he is now, and this is where the argument turns.

The Buckeyes' talent is indisputable. Obviously, there is only one Reggie Bush and one Vince Young. It wasn't more than the blink of an eye, though, after OSU dismantled a very good Notre Dame team in the Fiesta Bowl, that experts were already calling Ted Ginn the new Reggie Bush and Smith a Heisman hopeful. Ginn's athleticism and speed are virtually immeasurable. He is a legitimate game-breaker. His counterpart at wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, who will gallop into the NFL draft a year early, just may be the first wide receiver taken. Throw in a host of stellar backup receivers and very able tight ends, and this receiving corps is unmatched.

Since the departure of malcontent Maurice Clarrett, the OSU running game has suffered. That is, until the emergence of Antonio Pittman, who shredded Notre Dame for over 160 yards, punctuated by a scintillating 60-yard jaunt in the waning moments that capped the 33-20 win, in a game that was never really that close. Pittman is no Bush, but he gives the Buckeyes a power running game that keeps defenses, frightened to death of the vertical prowess of the OSU passing game, completely off-balance.

And then there's Smith. Can anyone argue with the freakish evolution of this young man from the first seven games of the year to the last five? Early in the year, Smith looked as though he'd never seen a football. He ran with his head down, missed open receivers, and fumbled all too often. Somehow, in a little over a month, he has become a virtuoso in cleats. His accuracy is uncanny, he escapes would-be sackers with Houdini-like acumen, and he leads like the best generals in history. Smith is not only a candidate for next year's Heisman Trophy, he may enter the season as the prohibitive favorite.

Remarkably, all of this praise has come without mentioning A.J. Hawk — an absolute Superman at linebacker, who can break the backs of the best offensive weapons on the planet. Need an answer to Leinart, Bush, and Young? Hawk has it in a unique blend of speed, agility, and open-field awareness not seen since Lawrence Taylor. Hawk is part of the fiercest linebacking corp since some of the old Steeler teams. Throw in a fast secondary, and the mastermind of head coach Jim Tressel, and you have a top-ranked defense, built to stifle even the most explosive teams.

Speaking of Tressel, he never loses the big game. He's 3-0 in Fiesta Bowls, including a 2002 championship game victory over a Miami, regarded by many as one of the best college teams ever. Including his time at Division I-AA Youngstown State, Tressel has won an astonishing five national titles

This is the recipe of a team that finished 10-2 and was playing nearly flawless football. Disregard the two losses, throw the Buckeyes into a playoff, and Texas would still be searching for its first national title.

Mark Barnes is a novelist, regular contributor to fantasy football site 4for4.com, and NFL football radio analyst. He appears weekly on ESPN radio in High Point, NC and on WBAL in Baltimore, MD, where he discusses pro football and fantasy sports. Mark's novel, "The League," is the first-ever published work of fiction with a plot based on the dangers of a multi-million-dollar fantasy football league. Learn more about "The League" and Mark's work at NFLStory.com.

Posted by Mark Barnes at 10:59 AM | Comments (62)

January 10, 2006

NFL Wildcard Roundup

Five Quick Hits

* Marcus Vick's recent arrest doesn't affect my view of how NFL teams should look at him, because I already thought he was poison. I wouldn't draft him in any round or sign him to any contract. The guy makes Lawrence Phillips look like a sure thing.

* Terrific shot of Vince Young with confetti showering over him after the Rose Bowl. Young looked like, well, like a pro playing with college kids.

* The AP's all-pro team isn't too bad this year, but I don't understand why everyone loves Brian Moorman. Punter is one of the few positions at which the stats tell the story, and what they say about Moorman is that all his punts get returned.

* Steve Young hates Michael Irvin. You can tell.

* Brad Childress coached a talented, mobile quarterback in Philadelphia. Now he'll coach Daunte Culpepper in Minnesota. The Vikings could be a team to watch next season.

***

You had to really like defense to enjoy Saturday's games, but both were genuinely well-played defensive battles, and only Washington's offense really stunk things up. The first matchup of this postseason featured two very similar teams. Both offenses rely on a dynamic young running back and a fast, big-play receiver, without much action from the rest of the receiving corps. Each frequently uses two tight ends, with a lot of max protection. Both defenses are top-10, keyed by a pair of great outside linebackers, Derrick Brooks and Marcus Washington. There's a defensive mastermind on both sidelines.

In close games, better special teams are often the difference, and one of the most surprising things about Washington's victory was that Tampa Bay won the special teams battle. John Hall's kickoffs consistently came up short, and the Bucs started most of their first-half possessions near the 40-yard line. Derrick Frost, although he did a nice job of running down Mark Jones, may be the worst punter in the NFL. And Antonio Brown muffed a punt, which could have been the difference in the game if the Bucs had recovered.

While both defenses were exceptional — you couldn't ask for a better defensive game — both offenses made mistakes. Tampa's, I thought, was not going after the Washington secondary. I realize Chris Simms threw 38 passes, but with Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers out, Gregg Williams was missing his top two cornerbacks. Number three cornerback Walt Harris also missed a few plays after he got shaken up, and free safety Sean Taylor missed most of the second half after getting ejected. The Bucs were a fingertip away from breaking the game open on Edell Shepherd's dropped touchdown catch, and more shots like that probably would have produced some points.

Having said that, though, Joe Theismann needs to get off of Joey Galloway's jock. How many times during Saturday's broadcast did he use Galloway's name? I stopped counting after 500.

Wildcard Roundups

Washington @ Tampa Bay

This was the hardest game of the weekend to predict. Last week, I picked the Buccaneers, but by Friday, I was convinced Washington would win it. With Tampa on a slide, and Joe Gibbs' playoff history, maybe I hadn't given Washington enough credit. I had also sort of forgotten Mark Brunell's extensive playoff experience, and Tampa's trouble with Clinton Portis, who had rushed for over 140 yards in both of his game against the Bucs. As it turns out, Portis had a blah game, Brunell was awful, and Gibbs never tried to put the game away, but at least I was kind of right about Tampa being on a slide.

In a strange way, this may be one of the most memorable wildcard games in NFL history. The most lasting legacy, unfortunately, is liable to be Sean Taylor spitting in Michael Pittman's face. Hopefully, we'll also remember the battle between two great defenses. The deciding factor, ultimately, was that while the Bucs could stop Washington's punchless offense, it couldn't create turnovers. In contrast, the Washington defense contained Tampa's running game and came up with big plays that led to scores.

Gibbs and Gregg Williams came into the game with a clear plan in mind, and dictated to Jon Gruden's offense all afternoon. They stuffed Cadillac Williams, took away the deep ball, and dared Chris Simms to beat them underneath. It was a brilliant strategy for dealing with a young quarterback. All those short throws by Simms meant Washington's defense was on the field a lot, but each snap was an opportunity for Washington to make a big play. The defense was a turnover machine at the end of the season, and with Simms dropping back 41 times, it came up with three sacks and two interceptions.

Simms is getting a lot of credit for his play in the game, and he certainly played better than his 56.7 passer rating would imply, but he's not going to make anyone forget his dad just yet. I still think Brian Griese is better — although Griese's not going to make anyone forget his dad, either.

On the other side of the ball, Tampa Bay's defense played a tremendous game, and it should have been enough to win. Washington's offense was terrible, as well, and that combination is how it wound up with a miserable total of 120 yards and a staggering 2.4 yards per play. Certainly, injuries played a role. Brunell was hurting beforehand, Portis got banged up during the game, Chris Samuels got hurt and had to miss the last series, James Thrash broke him thumb, and Ray Brown stayed 43. But the Bucs played great defense, and Washington stunk.

Ronde Barber had a pretty quiet game, but so did Santana Moss. Simeon Rice tore apart Samuels, posting a sack and a season-high six tackles. Samuels got three all-pro votes this season, which is a joke. He's a little above average, but nowhere near elite. That said, not all of Rice's impact was Samuels' fault. Washington left him unblocked on draws, and at least twice Rice crashed the play for a loss. I can only assume that Gibbs and his staff thought Rice would overrun the draw. If so, it was one of many mistakes Washington made on offense. Gibbs bottled things up in the second half, and he probably would have passed even less if Portis had been healthy.

Jacksonville @ New England

Let's get this out of the way: the difference between Byron Leftwich and David Garrard is not 25 points. I probably would have started Garrard against New England — I've always believed that you don't bench the hot hand — and I'm not convinced that Leftwich is the better player, but I don't think Jacksonville would have won with Joe Montana at quarterback. The Jaguars looked like a team that knew it was beat, and I suspect Jack Del Río's decision to start Leftwich was more about next season than this one.

The most striking aspect of the game was Jacksonville's inefficiency on offense. It didn't rival Washington's, but it wasn't pretty. The Jags went 1-for-12 on third downs and had only one rushing first down the entire game. Fred Taylor had eight carries. Leftwich, who is not known for his mobility, led the team in rushing. He and Garrard were sacked a combined six times. And yes, Jimmy Smith dropped a pass. Life goes on. (Unless you're talking about Jacksonville's playoff life. That's over.)

Tom Brady and Kevin Faulk were the offensive stars for New England, but the most amazing stat was the Patriots' fumbles. New England had four fumbles, and none was recovered by the Jaguars. The game also provided a remarkable example of Brady's slowness, when he was outrun by Marcus Stroud, who is listed at 312 pounds. I feel bad for Mike Peterson, Del Río's middle linebacker, who had a great regular season, but showed up on the highlight reels this weekend after failing to make a tackle on Ben Watson. Peterson injured his wrist in Week 17 and the cast he wore on Saturday diminished his ability to get a grip on Watson.

Injured quarterbacks and linebackers aside, though, I don't think the Jaguars ever had a chance in this game.

Carolina @ New York

It was ill-advised for Tiki Barber to publicly say that he thought the Giants were out-coached, and I was surprised to hear it from him, but I'm in complete agreement. In fact, I'm baffled at how poorly Tom Coughlin and his staff adjusted during the game, to say nothing of their clearly inadequate gameplanning beforehand.

Let's start with New York's defense. The Panthers came out running, attacking the Giants' injury-depleted linebacking corps and keeping pressure off of Jake Delhomme. Coughlin and his defensive coordinator, Tim Lewis, never adjusted. All game, the runs were there. DeShaun Foster and Nick Goings combined for 214 rushing yards and a 5.5 average. At some point, you have to brings guys to the line to stop the run, especially in the second half, when the Giants were down three scores and watching Carolina bleed the clock.

We all know Steve Smith is a force, but Delhomme has been inconsistent all season, and he did not look good on Sunday. Certainly not as good as Foster. The Giants should have played to stop Foster and Goings, and challenged Delhomme to keep the offense going. It's likely that the Panthers would have won anyway, but that's a common-sense adjustment if there ever was one. Some credit is due, too, to John Fox and his staff, who responded to the Giants' injuries with a run-heavy gameplan.

On offense, Coughlin never found a way to get his best player involved. The Giants rode Barber to the playoffs, but against Carolina he only got 13 carries and three catches. That's like being the old Chicago Bulls and saying, “Well, they're double-teaming Jordan. Let's see if Toni Kukoc can win it for us.” On a related note, let's not even pretend any more that there's discussion as to who got the better end of the Eli Manning trade. San Diego got one of the league's better kickers, a veteran tackle, the 2005 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and a young quarterback who could still turn out to be better than Little Manning.

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati

What's an AFC playoff game without quarterback intrigue? Carson Palmer's first-quarter injury set the tone for the game, but the Bengals didn't give up, and Jon Kitna had a decent game in relief. While things certainly would have been different with Palmer at the controls, I don't think Cincinnati would have won even if he hadn't gone down. Just a guess, and loyal readers know I don't think Palmer is the second coming of Johnny Unitas, but the Steelers just looked more ready on Sunday.

I'm not trying to accuse the Bengals of poor preparation, because there was no indication of that, but the Steelers looked like they were just taking care of business, winning a game they were supposed to win and doing it their way. Pittsburgh converted more than half of its third downs, sacked Kitna four times, and had 50% more runs than passes.

The focus has been on Cincinnati's offense without Palmer, which didn't score in the second half, but don't forget a defense that couldn't stop the Steelers. Pittsburgh had 144 rushing yards and had no turnovers, while Ben Roethlisberger averaged 9.2 yards per pass and was sacked only once.

The Crystal Ball

Washington @ Seattle

If Washington were playing Chicago, I might worry about picking the Bears. In Seattle, though, I think the Seahawks cruise. I don't want to underestimate Gibbs and Williams, and Washington does have reason for optimism. Against Tampa, the team played one of the worst offensive games imaginable and still won. It's almost inconceivable that they'll replicate that miserable performance against Seattle's 17th-ranked defense, and Washington was able to (more or less) contain Shaun Alexander when the teams met in Week 4.

The other side of this is that Seattle was 8-0 at home this season, while Washington is 5-4 on the road, including a 2-4 mark against teams that finished with winning records. Even more importantly, the visitors are far from healthy. Brunell, Portis, Samuels, and Thrash will be playing through injuries. Right guard Randy Thomas is on injured reserve, and Renaldo Wynn, who broke his leg against the Bucs, has joined him. Every cornerback on the team is playing hurt.

And Seattle matches up well against Washington. The 'Hawks allowed just 3.6 yards per rush this season, and only five rushing TDs, by far the best mark in the NFC. That means the game will be in the hands of Brunell, who hasn't looked right since he was injured against the Giants.

If the matchup were close, I might give this game to Washington on intangibles like coaching and momentum. Washington will play better offensively, and the Seahawks won't hang 40 points on that defense, but I'll take Seattle by 10.

New England @ Denver

I honestly don't know what I would do if the Patriots were playing at Indianapolis. Probably flip a coin. But I like Denver in this one. I think Mike Shanahan can hold his own against Bill Belichick, and I like Denver's 8-0 home record. New England is 5-3 on the road, and Brady's passer rating is 20 points lower than at home. The Broncos beat New England earlier this season, which actually puts the onus on Denver, since the Patriots are sure to make adjustments, and Shanahan has to guess what those will be.

Shutting down the run will be key for the Patriots, and they did an admirable job against Jacksonville, but what really hurt the Patriots when these teams met in Week 6 were Jake Plummer and Denver's defense. The Broncos finished the season tied for third in scoring defense, and in the Week 6 matchup, Brady completed only half his passes. New England is a much better team now than they were then, but with Corey Dillon and Tedy Bruschi in questionable health, Troy Brown back at DB, and the Broncos with an extra week of rest, Denver still has the edge.

The game could easily turn on special teams. If it were in Foxborough, I wouldn't hesitate to bet on the Pats. In Denver, though, the Broncos will be tough to beat. They'll need a good game from Plummer, and they probably have to force at least one turnover. I'm not totally confident in the pick, so I'll say Denver by four.

Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

Bill Cowher got his first postseason road win this past weekend. He's not going to get the second one on Sunday. The Steelers are a very good team, playing with a lot of confidence, and they're 7-2 on the road this season. They play a 3-4 defense, which gives Indianapolis fits, and they've got a big, physical, offensive front to attack Indy's undersized defense.

How much is that going to mean, though, against a team that was the NFL's best this season? These teams met six weeks ago, and the Colts ran away with a 26-7 victory. And while Roethlisberger wasn't totally healthy in that game, it's unlikely that the Colts will have 106 yards in penalties this time around. Pittsburgh's defensive backs were trounced by the Colts' receiving corps, and Edgerrin James had 124 rushing yards.

What the previous meeting came down to was that the Colts were more physical, especially on the offensive line. James had holes to run through. Peyton Manning had time to throw. If the Steelers are going to be competitive, they need to put pressure on Manning. Cowher and his defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, should spend all week studying tape of the San Diego Chargers, and use Joey Porter the same way Marty Schottenheimer and Wade Phillips used Shawne Merriman.

Manning generally beats blitzes, but when teams beat him, it's usually with a strong pass rush that gets him uncomfortable in the pocket. The Steelers will need big plays from their defense to win, and they can't get into a shootout. If I were Pittsburgh's offensive braintrust, I'd go after the guys returning from injury who haven't played in a month, and I'd try to throw in Jason David's direction. The key will be establishing Willie Parker.

On paper, Pittsburgh has a good shot. In reality, the Colts win by two touchdowns.

Carolina @ Chicago

The first time these teams met — that's right, all four divisional games are rematches — Chicago sacked Delhomme eight times. That's unlikely to happen again, but there's a better chance of Delhomme going down eight times than there is of Foster running for 150 against Chicago's defense. Make no mistake, the Bears are not going to let Foster and Goings beat them. If Delhomme has a great game, the Panthers will win. That's a chance Chicago is willing to take.

The wildcard here is Rex Grossman. If he plays well, the Bears could run away with this in a big way. If he plays like Kyle Orton, the game should be close. And if he makes a bunch of mistakes, he can room with Steve Bartman. Grossman's an unknown quantity, and Lovie Smith should try to limit his role in this game, putting the burden on the running game and the defense. Carolina, naturally, will try to take away the run and force Grossman to throw. The way he responds should determine Chicago's success on offense.

There are too many ifs for Carolina, and the team's inconsistency will be plain to see against a solid team like Chicago. Bears by 10.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:46 PM | Comments (2)

Wild Thing, I Think I Love You

If you thought Charlie Sheen was the only "Wild Thing" in Cleveland, you are dearly wrong.

There's a Brazilian mass of hair, muscle, and energy that is just waiting to claim the nickname for himself.

Anderson Varejao made a mark for himself last year for the Cavaliers, playing with a relentless determination that piled up points on the offensive boards and with fans.

After years of Ricky "Wrong Way" Davis and Shawn "Way Overweight" Kemp, fans in the Northeast Ohio area found Varejao's brand of basketball something refreshing. His coaches saw the same thing, and quickly made Varejao a frequent contributor off the bench.

This year, however, Varejao has been forced to sit and watch his teammates after suffering a shoulder injury during a summer tournament in South America.

In his absence, free agent acquisitions Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, and Donyell Marshall have brought the Cavs legitimate three-point threats and a much-needed defensive presence.

What the Cavs have lacked, though, even before the recent injury to Hughes, is that special something that elevates a team from "good" to "contender." Surely, Mike Brown's offense has taken the team time to learn, and the Cavs still suffer from spurts of poor transition defense, but they have been able to overcome these problems to claim the second best record in the Eastern Conference.

This special something that they are lacking, though, is the thing that allows them to beat the Detroit Pistons one night and lose to the Houston Rockets a couple of days later.

As Charles Barkley said during halftime of the Rockets game, the Cavaliers are good, but they are not contenders. A good record doesn't necessarily mean a great team.

Enter "Wild Thing."

Is Anderson Varejao to the Cavs what Dennis Rodman was to the Bulls and Lakers?

Absolutely.

Defense, energy, physical presence, and relentless competitive streak are their shared characteristics.

The wild hair and tattoos, while bonuses, are less relevant similarities.

To say that Varejao's return is enough to balance the loss of Hughes would be ridiculous. Varejao can't defend the best guards on opposing teams, nor can he pour in 20-25 points a game. However, he can balance the interior defense alongside Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden, and his energy will certainly help keep the Cavs from dipping into long stretches of stagnant, lackadaisical play.

Yes, one player can help make the difference between "good" and "contender."

LeBron James, Ilgauskas, Hughes, Marshall, Jones, Gooden, and Snow are a great bunch to have playing together. But "Wild Thing" is going to have an immeasurable impact on this team after his return.

When you see the Brazilian mop of hair suit up, you will see Cleveland start to play with a swagger, and you will see them beat the likes of the Rockets on a consistent basis. And then, you will know they are a contender.

To look at the box score of those games, one might not guess that Varejao is the reason, but to watch the game, it would be almost impossible not to know.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 4:41 PM | Comments (0)

The NHL's Halfway Home

Amazingly, we've made it through half of the NHL season. It doesn't seem like that long ago that any discussion regarding the league centered around salary caps and cost certainty.

Now the league is getting ready to jump into the Turin Olympics and teams are prepping for the stretch run into the Stanley Cup playoffs. The New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators haven't fallen off yet, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin remain neck-and-neck, and the defending Stanley Cup champions are still struggling to find their rhythm. Here's a look at some of the storylines sure to dominate the second half of the season:

Trade deadline — The trade deadline has been moved up to the beginning of March instead of the ridiculously-late date that it formerly resided on. This, along with the salary cap, will make it difficult for teams to make trades. Look for teams that are still in the playoff hunt and have room under the cap to make deals, though it's highly improbable that movement as significant as the Joe Thornton deal will occur.

Trending up — The Atlanta Thrashers finally got their No. 1 goalie back when rookie phenom Kari Lehtonen returned to the lineup. The team has clawed back into the playoff hunt with a tenuous hold on the last playoff spot. However, with a high-powered offense and some stability in net, don't be surprised if Atlanta's winning ways propels them even further up the standings.

Similarly, the ship has righted in San Jose since the arrival of Joe Thornton. With the Sharks' 1-2 punch of Thornton and Patrick Marleau up the middle, San Jose has the toughest center combination this side of Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier. Though the Sharks are still lacking on the blue line, Western Conference foes clamoring for the eight spot will have to watch out as the Sharks put the heat on.

Fading away — The St. Louis Blues are having their worst season in decades, waning fan support, and an ownership in limbo. Oh, for the days of Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis — or even Brett Hull and Wayne Gretzky. Instead, Blues fans can look forward to the prospects they will get for trading Keith Tkachuk and Doug Weight. Larry Pleau probably wishes he never made the Ladislav Nagy/Michal Handzus for Keith Tkachuk trade.

Still plugging — Let's be honest — the Washington Capitals will not make the playoffs. They probably won't get close. Still, the team is all about Alexander Ovechkin and his meteoric rise to superstardom. The Caps work hard, led by Ovechkin and, well, not a lot else. They'll be in the running for the Phil Kessel draft pick, but their fans should take solace in the fact that the team is going to be very good in several years.

The kid — And of course, there's the other rookie in the NHL. Sid the Kid is experiencing a hype backlash right now, but his numbers prove that Sidney Crosby is delivering as expected. Sure, he's shown some irrationality that comes with being an 18-year-old rookie, but that's to expected and forgiven. What's really telling about Crosby — and the Pens — is how their work ethic and overall success has changed since Michel Therien demanded more discipline and team play from his roster. Since then, Crosby has only gotten better.

Mo' money — The salary cap is going up — how far probably depends on a number of things, including the television and ticket success that will hopefully follow the Turin Olympics. Teams will start to prep for this by February, either by clearing space on a lost-cause season to chase big free agents or by acquiring more parts for a big run in the playoffs.

Dreaming of gold — Though the time zone difference will make the games a pain to watch live, there's no doubt that Olympic hockey is something special to behold. As always, three or four teams have rosters that could win it all, but it's hard to argue with Team Canada — a squad so deep that any combination of its 80-player long list could have put together a gold medal team. Of course, in single elimination tournaments, all it takes is one bad bounce or one bad game and a team of Hall of Famers can be eliminated.

Posted by Mike Chen at 4:40 PM | Comments (0)

I've Got the Magic Stick

It truly was a wild weekend of sports. Little did I know how wild it was going to be or that it would end with me making my first foray into black magic.

Let me explain. On Sunday, like many other loyal Cincinnatians, I was dressed head-to-toe in my orange and black. The 15-year playoff drought was over and it was a day of celebration for Bengals fans everywhere. I even broke out my Jungle Towel for the first time since the day I purchased it (I banished it at the end of the 2003 season when we narrowly missed the playoffs, vowing that it wouldn't return until we were in the playoffs). If we were going to go down to Pittsburgh, so be it, but it wouldn't be without a fight.

Then, on the second play of the game, it's over. Just like that, after building for months and months (actually, years and years), it's just over without even really getting started. That only isn't fair, it is garbage. I simply refuse to let things go down this way, so I decided to take a page out of Hammurabi's book and extract my revenge on Pittsburgh. There was only one way to get even and that required a turn to the dark side.

I made my jump to the dark side, without any prompting from my father, by securing a copy of the "Sports Fan Voodoo Kit" by Voodini. (Seriously, if you name your kid Voodini, you have to assume he's going to be involved with some sort of Voodoo. I think, by this law, I will end up naming my kid "Reallyrichstockbroker" just to see if it works.) It seemed like a simple concept and easy recipe for revenge — "Take charge of the game with Voodoo!"

Of course, if my Voodoo skills were going to be in top form for Pittsburgh's tilt with Indy this weekend, I had to have a little tune-up. No one can just pick up a dummy and start poking it and expect it go smoothly (unless your name is Ron Mexico), so I was determined to pickup a few tricks to help down the Steelers. That tune-up was the Cincinnati/UConn college basketball game.

Now, I have to confess, I have another reason for getting involved in black magic (as if anyone needed a reason). This Thursday is the debut of my new picks column. That's right, Sports Gospel part deux, back by unpopular demand. It's not going to be one of those boring "here are some big games and my useless two cents" columns, and that is mainly because I'm not restricting myself to big games.

I don't really know exactly at how it will unfold or evolve, but it will mainly involve me picking games or props that, if copied, will make you look like a genius. It doesn't matter if you are wagering money (via BetOnSports.com of course, which will be giving you loyal readers a variety of bonuses over the coming weeks), bits of string, or just favors among friends (I'm not here to judge you) — I will give you a surefire way to win, either betting with me or against me. I guess time will tell in that regard.

I figured that if I was going to do a picks column that I would have to start with some momentum and that there was only one surefire way to guarantee victory. And that is the second reason for my first foray into black magic. I took UConn -9 at home against Cincinnati and, after briefly studying my Voodoo dummy and taking out one of the needles, settled in for tipoff. The following is a blow-by-blow account of how game one of the Sports Fan Voodoo era went down.

I started by just watching the first five minutes of the game. Things weren't going well for UConn as the Bearcats and Huskies were tied at 10 and Cincinnati was looking ready to start a run. I was having none of that. As the Huskies went down the court, I stuck the needle square in the "score" part of the UConn side. UConn scored. As the Bearcats went down the court, I put it square on the "miss it" area. Cincinnati missed it. I went through this again with the same results, only this time UC turned the ball over with their offensive possession.

Feeling smug, I decided to step outside the simple realm of miss-its and scores and started pinning the "homecourt advantage" area of the UConn side. The crowd erupted (not really) only for UC to promptly knock down a three. The Bearcats would get a block, run down the court, and hit another shot, despite the fact that I was now furiously stabbing the "miss it" area of the dummy. Nevertheless, as UConn called a timeout, I figured it was time to give the Huskies a pep talk.

This seemed simple enough as the book said all I had to do was pin the "pep talk" area of the dummy and then whisper my words of encouragement into the dummy's ear. I didn't know exactly what to say to fire up my team given it was the first pep talk I had ever given at the college D-I level, but I merely gave them a:

"Boys, it is time to get going. Look at the team on the other bench. It's freaking Cincinnati, the same team that lost to Dayton. They are garbage and suck as basketball almost as much as the suck at the game of life. And by game of life I mean actually living life, not just sucking at a board game. Then again, I know a few of you were caught for stealing laptops. But as I like to say, you never get caught on your first time doing something, so you guys are much better at hiding your indiscretions than the Bearcats and that, gentlemen, is why we deserve to win this game."

This spurred my team to promptly take a two-point lead and from that point until halftime I stayed strictly back in the "miss-it" and "score!" areas. I led UConn to a marginal five-point lead at half, still under what I needed to cover. It was in the second half when I came into a league of my own, however.

Second half highlights:

1. Jihad Muhammad — I have never seen Sports Fan Voodoo work as it did against him. Every time I hit the "miss-it" against him, I was rewarded with a brick from Jihad. The official count for the night was Me: 6, Jihad: 0. The Voodoo must have some lasting effects, though, as Jihad kept missing shots without my help and finished at 0-9.

2. Hilton Armstrong's monster dunk for the Huskies came shortly after I pinned the "slam dunk!" area, which qualified for the freakiest moment of the game since the rest of my Voodoo was fairly simplistic and general.

3. UConn built a double-digit lead on my "miss-it" and "score!/it's good!" strategy (I switched to "it's good!" in the second half because I think the score area is for hockey ... whatever).

4. With UConn up 11 with under a minute to go, they sent UC superfrosh Devan Downey to the line for a one-for-one. I pinned the weak knees area of the UC side, Downey missed his free throw, and then UConn covered with an 11-point win.

At the end of the day, my first experiment with black magic didn't end all that poorly. However, I'm still left with all sorts of ethical questions, including, "ifs it wrong to use Voodoo to influence a college game?" and, "what kind of a person would actually use black magic to win a bet?" Another question would be, "what happens when I come up against a team that has a fan who also owns a Sports Fan Voodoo kit?" I guess I will cross that bridge when I get there, but for now, I am thankful that there aren't too many sports fans who read Harry Potter.

Screw the ethical questions, remember this: I am 1-0 when using black magic to influence games and Pittsburgh, I'm coming for you.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

January 9, 2006

Where Did They Go Wrong?

The NFL regular season is complete. With the playoff teams moving on, other teams are left thinking about next season. Before thinking forward, though, some teams should cast their minds back to last August to look for hints at where the problems with their team lie.

Fortunately, here at Sports Central, we have come across recorded conversations between representatives of several NFL teams. These lost tapes, captured before the start of the season, explain a great deal and go a long way to illustrating exactly where the strategy for this season may have been incorrectly plotted.

I know you can't believe that we actually have these conversations, but read them for yourself. If they only knew then what we know now.

After a 9-7 season and one game away from the playoffs, the Buffalo Bills were thinking they were only a few plays or key players from ending their five-year absence from the postseason. See what was planned for this season to get the Bills to the next level.

Owner Ralph Wilson — So Mike, what do you have planned this year that will get us to the next level?

Coach Mike Mularkey — You are going to love it, Mr. Wilson. We are going to confuse our opposition. We will use the unexpected to our advantage. Imagine this, 4th-and-1 at midfield, what play would you expect?

Wilson — A running play to Willis McGahee, one of the best backs in the league, a guy who rarely loses yards.

Mularkey — Exactly what I thought you would say. But no way. We will run our flanker option pass down the field. Or a reverse, or flea flicker. See, no one will expect it. Surprise is to our advantage.

Wilson — Wow. So instead of giving it to a guy who has done it before, we will put the game in the hands of someone who has never been in the position before? Where do you think of these things?

Mularkey — I stay up for days at a time to work on these things.

Wilson — How about our QB?

Mularkey — Drew Bledsoe has to go. He just can't lead a team anymore. I am going to anoint J.P. Losman the starter without any competition. You know, just give him the job.

Wilson — And then throw in a lot of trickery and gadget plays. Just like Kordell Stewart?

Mularkey — Who? Oh yeah, sure, him. Anyway, it will be sweet. Losman may pass, run, lateral, and then go out for a pass himself. It's all about putting guys in unfamiliar situations.

Wilson — Us or the opposition?

The Bills are not the only team that game-planned for this season. Here is an exclusive conversation between Philadelphia Eagle head coach Andy Reid and CEO Jeff Lurie.

Lurie — Coach, we were so close. Who would have thought that the Patriots would have kicked a last second field goal to win a Super Bowl? I never thought I would see that. What do we do next? You have to admit, our two-minute offense at the end of the game was weak.

Reid — Yeah, it could have been better, but don't you worry. Next year, we will ratchet up the tempo of the offense. You know that running game stuff? Well, none of that. All pass all the time. Throw it left, throw it right, throw it short, throw it deep. Pass, pass, pass!

Lurie — Wow. Pass it all the time. Where do you think of these things? Won't other teams catch on and just double-team Terrell Owens and blitz our QB? Won't we have our defense on the field too much of the time?

Reid — No way. Did you see Owens in the Super Bowl? What a selfless effort! He came back from that injury and was our best player in the game. He's going to be a star this year. He will be in the headlines week after week for everything he says and everything he does. Oh, I heard he has a new agent.

Lurie — Oh yeah, I hadn't heard. I'm sure he's a great guy. We have such a great team thing going on here in Philadelphia. I mean we went out there and saved Owens from going to Baltimore or staying in San Francisco. He and Donovan are so close and will be a great duo, just like [Dan] Marino and [Mark] Clayton. Who would mess this up?

This is great stuff here. You really get the inside scoop on how teams think and prepare for the upcoming NFL season. Now, hindsight is 20-20, but put yourself in their shoes. Didn't things look great in August?

Here is what Oakland Raiders head coach Norv Turner and Manager of the General Partner Al Davis spoke about before the season.

Davis — Look, Norv, the General Partner here in Raider Nation isn't happy. We need to win now and win big. Do you understand? Just win, baby!

Turner — Don't worry Mr. Davis, the Raiders you know and love will be back this season.

Davis — So we will throw it down the field? You know, the vertical passing game?

Turner — Yes! Picture it, Kerry Collins to Randy Moss down the sideline, Collins to Moss on the post. Moss deep patterns everywhere. Collins throwing it deep all the time.

Davis — So like in Minnesota, just throw it deep without any game plan? Wow. Where do you think of these things?

Turner — Well, you told me.

Davis — Yes, of course. Now about this LaMont Jordan, now he wasn't first string in New York, what makes you think that he can be a starting back in Oakland?

Turner — Well, you told me.

Davis — Yes, of course. Now remember, Norm...

Turner — That's Norv.

Davis — Yes, of course. You know that if you don't win, I'll ... I mean the General Partner ... will fire you. Here in Raider Nation, we have a commitment to excellence. Win or go home and if you can't effectively do what I say, then I'll find someone else to listen to what I tell them.

Turner — I understand, this is after all the Raiders.

Davis — Did I ever tell you that I should have fired that Art Shell after his first year?

There you have it, some insider information. Our last conversation is one that took place between Minnesota Viking owner Zygi Wilf and head coach Mike Tice just days before the season began back in September.

Wilf — Mike, here we are just days before the season is to begin in September. You have been getting a pass here in Minnesota the last few seasons and it isn't because you are the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and previous ownership here didn't want to spend on a coach.

Tice — Oh, I know. We need to win today. But look at our roster. We have made some huge signings on defense and look to be a real contender this year.

Wilf — Yes, we are the trendy pick for the Super Bowl at least on the NFC side this year. But I have a concern.

Tice — You mean how will we replace the explosive play of Randy Moss with an unproven draft pick?

Wilf — No, that wasn't it.

Tice — You mean, how stable is our running game with our main man, Onterrio Smith being suspended after being found with a strange piece of apparatus meant to fool drug tests?

Wilf — No, that wasn't it.

Tice — You mean how will our team chemistry come together with all the new signings?

Wilf — Yes, that's it.

Tice — I was wondering that myself, but I'm not worried now.

Wilf — Oh?

Tice — Yeah, Daunte Culpepper called me and he has this great idea of getting the guys together and going on a boat cruise. He said it will be great for team chemistry and will really bring the guys together.

Wilf — Well, then, we don't have anything to worry about at all, do we?

Posted by Jeff Moore at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

The Inauguration of a Superconference?

All of college basketball went back to their respective corners this week to begin to conference "half" of the season. The second stanza of the song pulls teams back from their national streetbrawl to more familiar neighborhoods. And while these "court gangs" are still looking for their ultimate prize, a kind of bond forms.

The old-schoolers might have a sense of what I'm saying. At a younger age, you might have had some beef with some other kid from two doors down. But when some other band of misfits came messing around on your turf, you guys put down the petty arguments and defended your block. And I bet that if you take a minute, you'll find pride in those neighbors of yours that have done well for themselves, in some respect.

It's pretty similar in those pack of conferences that dot the country. From coaches, to players, to even some fans, an affiliation with a group of teams can be just as gratifying as rooting for an own school, especially when your squad doesn't quite cut it in the postseason department.

This could garner a lot of attention for that one team making into the Dance from the Metro Atlantic, SWAC, or Big West conferences. Groups including as many as 14 universities can only pin their hopes on one school to instill shock in a nation and pride in their region.

Even looking at the big guns, most multi-bid leagues see 12-team status as a nice round number. But then there are our friends from the Big East, who can't seem to wait until their next buffet binge. These guys continue to push their stomach's limit.

In terms of modern power conferences, the SEC set the standard back in 1990, but since inviting in Arkansas and South Carolina, they've stuck at 12 schools. The same is true for the Big 12 (and the more recent addition of the ACC), while the number 11 has satisfied Big 10 tastes.

Not the Big East. When the existing members welcomed Rutgers, West Virginia, and Notre Dame into their basketball family in 1995, the league ballooned to a whopping 13 schools. The conference loosened its belt a bit more as they inhaled Virginia Tech just after the turn of the millennium.

Heading into this season, the conference seemed to lose a bit of its hefty stature. Miami, Va Tech, and Boston College all bolted for the ACC, leaving behind a more mediocre, 11-team conference. Oh, but there were no worries in the Northeast. Just like Takeru Kobayashi before he sets foot on Coney Island, this was the fast before the gorgefest.

Enter Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, DePaul, and South Florida. Five teams looking for a step up, a bigger stage, and a bit of history. Trust me, they got it now. Even before a ball hit the floor, people everywhere rubbernecked to stare at a 16-team juggernaut. This week, the giganto-league began its mark on human society. And like its peers, the group is out to show other blocks that it's the roughest, toughest, baddest gang around.

But what do you do with a conference that's so huge. Get to the Sweet 16? How could you they ever be shut out? Make Final Fours? There's too much talent in-league for long droughts. Win national titles? Sure, but that's too easy.

Now, if it were up to me, I'd provide the type of challenge that would be suiting of a conference this magnificent, this grandiose, or this glutinous.

There's only one goal for a collection of teams that's this stacked with talent, from the last bench player all the up to the coach. Can they get at least 10 teams into the NCAA tournament?

Before this year, it didn't seem like an option for achievement. Even with 14 teams in a conference, it's almost impossible to make sure that 71% (10/14) of your league participants were worthy of NCAA tournament status. The new infusion of talent, plus a decrease in the percentages (10/16 or 62.5%), makes the scale tip much more in your favor.

That leads me to make a prediction that by 2015, the Big East will get double-digit teams into at least one Big Dance.

"Come on. You're kidding, right? You can't possibly think this will happen when seven is the most a conference has sent to the tournament since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985?"

It's true. No conference has put more than seven in a tourney the past 20 years. But one of those leagues was the Big East (seven out of night back in 1991). There are better programs in the small conferences today. However, that doesn't stop the big powers from continually throwing in six to seven squads each year.

I understand that this proclamation defies all logic. Even with a down year in a couple of major conferences, it would still be a gigantic stretch for this scenario to happen. Then again, we are talking about an event that likes to choose its participants based on tough schedules and quality wins or losses. A league with teams that are seen as powerhouses, whether in the regular or postseason, definitely helps that image.

Just as teams can go 7-9 in the ACC and have the possibility of squeaking into the Dance, you now have to make the same case for the Big East. Entering this first week of conference play, nine teams already stacked up nine or more wins. Twelve squads had at least eight victories. Those results combined with a 7-9 or 8-8 could turn the heads of the tournament selection committee in a future setting.

Oh yeah, and don't forget that conference party at Madison Square Garden every year. The Big East tournament may not always provide the big payoff for a .500 record team, but it can really help. For a perfect example, look back at West Virginia's run last season.

So, to Mike Tranghese and the rest of the Big East (of the Mississippi) conference, this is your mission. Should you choose to except it, the ultimate goal will be more than one championship. It will amount to history. Plus, if you get that many teams in, at least one of them has to reach the Final Four. Right?

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: Thrash Can Mash

It's a bird ... it's a plane ... no, it is a bird.

I know, sometimes it's a little difficult to recognize that logo on the center of the Atlanta Thrashers' chest, but regardless of their outfit, the team is flying up the standings.

After a horrific start to the season, the Thrashers are now one of the most dangerous opponents in the NHL.

Just 3-8-0 after the month of October, the Thrashers finally started to flap their wings over the past month. Since December 13th, they have pieced together a 9-2-2 run.

With a brief holdout from superstar forward Ilya Kovalchuk and incessant injuries to every Thrashers goaltender, it was reasonable for the team to start the season as sluggishly as they did.

But now that rookie goaltender Michael Garnett has found his game and Kari Lehtonen, the team's original starter, has recovered from a groin injury, the Thrashers have become more consistent.

There were never any concerns about the Thrashers' offensive prowess. They have scored the third-most goals in the NHL and their power play percentage (21.8%) is also ranked third overall. With forwards Marc Savard, Ilya Kovalchuk, Slava Kozlov, Peter Bondra, and Marian Hossa, it is pretty evident that the Thrashers can light up the lamp.

The trepidations have always been in regards to how the Thrashers perform in their own defensive end. In the franchise's existence, they have never really had a reliable goaltender, but the Garnett and Lehtonen tandem looks to be the best combination of backstops yet.

It is no coincidence that the Thrashers have caught fire of late. They have won four of their last five games and Lehtonen has played in all of them, allowing an average of 2.8 goals per game. The math is simple: Atlanta averages 3.6 goals per game on offense and if they allow less than three goals per game on consistent basis, they will likely win.

Lehtonen has been tabbed as the Thrashers' top goalie and the man of the future, but Garnett has been a pleasant surprise. In his first 13 NHL starts, Garnett posted a 3.69 GAA while he was getting his feet wet. Since then, his stellar play has propelled the Thrashers into the playoff hunt, as his GAA is a sparkling 2.00 in his past seven starts.

The Thrashers are a very young team who is just starting to climb to their peak. Head coach Bob Hartley can be credited for turning the potential into a credible on-ice product and he will likely be one of the favorites for the Jack Adams Award at the end of the year

Atlanta has yet to venture into the postseason but now that they have found a scoring punch, a reliable goaltender and a smart coach, they seem poised to make their first appearance. Their blue line may be a little thin on talent, but even so, I don't think they are an enviable first-round opponent.

The Atlanta Thrashers and the NHL playoffs mix like Mondays and me.

"Adventure is not outside a man, it is within." — David Grayson

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

January 7, 2006

Rose Bowl Finishes Off Exciting Bowl Season

Wow! Bravo! Encore! What an exciting college football bowl season it was that just ended. It seemed there were more exciting games that came right down to the wire than there have been in a while, which made just about every game worth watching. Even some of the "who gives a care" bowls made me watch from the point that I tuned in to the end.

Of the 28 bowls played this season, only five were what I would consider as blowouts — games won by more than two touchdowns. Another seven were decided by between 8-14 points. The rest were all games that came down to a touchdown or less to determine the winner, most of those ending in late-game or overtime heroics.

The first nail-biter was the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22 when California nearly let a 21-point fourth-quarter lead slip away, but held on for a 35-28 win over BYU. Next was the Nevada Bowl on Christmas Eve. In the first overtime game of the college postseason, Nevada took advantage of a missed extra point in OT to steal a 49-48 victory over Central Florida.

The day after Christmas saw Memphis stave off a furious comeback by Akron in the final three minutes of the Motor City Bowl to prevail 38-31. The next day, the Insight Bowl saw Arizona State come from behind in the fourth quarter to keep Rutgers from picking up its first bowl victory 45-40.

Both games on Dec. 28 were classics. In the MPC Computers Bowl, Boston College intercepted a pass in the end zone with a half a minute left in the game to beat Boise State 27-21. Then, in the Alamo Bowl, a surreal ending reminiscent of Cal/Stanford in 1982 saw the Nebraska bench pour onto the field as Michigan lateralled and lateralled and lateralled before being stopped short in a 32-28 Husker win.

In the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 29, Oregon came up short in a comeback bid against Oklahoma when the Sooners intercepted a pass at their 10-yard line with 33 seconds left to preserve a 17-14 win. A day later, both the Music City Bowl and Independence Bowl had great games. In the former, Virginia kicked a field goal with just over a minute to go to defeat Minnesota 34-31 — then Missouri stormed back from being down 21-0 to Florida in the first quarter by scoring a touchdown with about two minutes left to win 38-31.

In the Liberty Bowl on New Year’s Eve, Tulsa picked off two passes in the fourth quarter and scored the winning touchdown with less than three minutes left to defeat Fresno State 31-24. And, in the Houston Bowl, TCU hit a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to hang on to a 27-24 win over Iowa State.

A couple of the first games of 2006 were down to the wire. In the Outback Bowl, Florida recovered an onside kick with just over a minute remaining after Iowa kicked a field goal to pull within a touchdown, 31-24. Then, in the Cotton Bowl, Alabama nailed a 45-yard field goal as time ran out to edge Texas Tech, 13-10.

In the much-ballyhooed BCS matchups, three of the four ended up being dynamite games. In the Sugar Bowl, despite a 28-0 second quarter lead for West Virginia, the Mountaineers had to hold on for dear life as Georgia came storming back in a 38-35 win. Three overtimes in the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Florida State is all that needs to be said, other than the Nittany Lions prevailed, 26-23. And of course, who could forget the Rose Bowl for the national championship? Heisman Trophy runner-up Vince Young scrambled for the go-ahead touchdown with 19 seconds left to give Texas the title over two-time defending champs Southern California.

So, despite all the moaning and groaning many of us college football fans do about the BCS, and which team it leaves out and which team gets jilted from a shot at the title, the bowl season continues to be fun and intriguing, no matter how much we might not "care" about some games. And while many of us still clamor for a playoff system, the bowls still provide an adequate alternative and allow many schools that would otherwise miss out on the postseason to still participate.

What are your favorite 2005 bowl memories? Talk back below!

Posted by Adam Russell at 10:27 PM | Comments (1)

Good Riddance to Bad Coaches

As of this writing, the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs were still working out the details on compensation for head coach Herman Edwards, who is expected to end months of obvious speculation and half-hearted non-denials by replacing Dick Vermeil, who retired after a good cry.

I imagine the compensation will be a few mid-round draft picks, either in one season or split between two. Whatever they settle on, it's never going to be as fair and equitable as the package I've created:

The Chiefs, upon hiring Edwards as head coach, must hire PBS's Jim Lehrer to interview Bill Parcells over the course of several days. He'll have him evaluate and grade the entire Jets roster. He'll have him create a draft board, and rank the free agents the Jets could bring in under the cap. Then Lehrer will present this information to Jets owner Woody Johnson, most likely in an hour-long NOVA special format. Afterwards, viewers can purchase a copy of the program, and receive a lovely tote bag, as well.

This way, the Jets can enter the 2006 season with a Bill Parcells team. You know, just like the ones Herm Edwards rode the coattails of for three playoff appearances and a pair of postseason victories.

Edwards is a great "people person" coach, and was able to keep these teams playing hard through adversity, save for this season's complete disgrace. But he's a horrible game manager, bad to the point were I firmly believe the Jets might have been a Super Bowl team had it not been for his ineptitude. Edwards is the worst kind of NFL coach: someone who's committed to not losing, rather than winning. To call him conservative would be an insult to Bill Bennett.

You can play small ball if you're Parcells, and you have a defense that can confidently handle the pressures of constantly maintaining a slim margin of victory. But Herm never had L.T., Carl Banks, Willie McGinest, or Ty Law ... well, at least the Ty Law who didn't look completely overmatched on most plays. And he sure as hell never had Bill Belichick organizing his defense. Playing the kind of football Edwards played was never going to work on a game-by-game basis, and especially in the postseason.

So going to Kansas City makes sense for Edwards, from a coaching perspective. It's the safe choice, a comfort zone. Why take on a challenge like rebuilding a team you helped demolish when you can immediately upgrade at quarterback, wide receiver, running back, and tight end; enter into a mutual admiration society with management that could bring you the contract your warped mind thinks you deserve; and trade the New York media for the Midwest media? It's really no different than opting for a field goal instead of going for a touchdown — the only Herm Edwards decision is a cosseted decision.

Loyalty? What, to a team that gave him a head-coaching break? To a team that already renegotiated his contract once before its expiration, but refused to do so again after a 4-12 season? Loyalty schmoyalty, I guess.

(An aside: are the Jets exempt from the Rooney Rule this offseason having had an African-American head coach for the last five years, or can they still be considered hatemongering racists if they don't give Art Shell his five minutes?)

Perhaps the only Listerine for the mouth funk this season left behind is to send Herm packing and then dump general manager Terry Bradway. Edwards is gonzo, but it appears Bradway will remain, which is just balls-out insane. He's drafted exactly one Pro Bowl player, and that player will be the starting wide receiver for the Washington Redskins this weekend in an NFC wildcard game. Give Bradway credit for taking linebacker Jonathan Vilma in 2004, and you can't kill him for Dewayne Robertson at D-line in 2003, because there really wasn't anything else worth taking for the Jets. But there's no question that his free agent and trade moves have been an utter disgrace (Doug Jolley!) and that he drafted a kicker in the second round of the draft last season. A kicker!

But Herm and Bradway have gotten a pass during their tenures. Many Jets fans, me included, were blinded by the fact that this pathetic moribund franchise was suddenly a perennial playoff contender on their watch. But clearly, as the 2005 season makes its finals spirals around the bowl, the Jets were winning despite these clowns. This season may have been lost when quarterback Chad Pennington's porcelain shoulder was injured (again) and a myriad of other manpower losses followed. But there's always been a part of me that wonders how much of that was bad luck, and how much of that was players shutting it down during a mislaid season, getting ready for a healthy and happy 2006. Perhaps some of them got the idea from their coach's mindset.

So the Jets need a coach (and a QB, a RB, another WR, several OLs, an NT, a CB ... but they're money at punter, and that PK they drafted better fracking work out or so help me...). But they're not the only team that needs a coach. Kansas City appears to have filled its vacancy with Edwards. If I ruled the NFL, the following jobs would go to:

New Orleans: Pete Carroll. Because that might be the only way to keep Matt Leinart from pulling a John Elway (or an Eli Manning) when the Saints draft him.

Oakland: Mike Martz. No, he doesn't have the temperament to be the Raiders' coach. After the death of Bill Martin, only three people on Earth actually do: Jon Gruden, Esa Tikkanen, and Rowdy Roddy Piper. But Martz is an offensive genius, and the Raiders have the same kinds of pieces he had in St. Louis, including a mediocre quarterback. He won't have "the greatest show on turf" anymore — but he'll have a wide receiver who loves grass, and that has to count for something.

Houston: Tom DeLay. The guy knows what it takes to win in the Lone Star State, which is something the Texans obviously don't. Keep in mind, however, that he might need to take a leave of absence for about 5-10 years at some point.

Green Bay: If Brett Favre stays, hire John Madden. That way these too can consummate their long-lasting love affair with a professional relationship. It'll be like "Brokeback Mountain," except Jake Gyllenhaal will look like Frank Caliendo.

If Favre goes, I'd hire Earl Campbell, who'd automatically become the healthiest running back in the Packers' organization.

Minnesota: Word is that the Vikings are going to hire Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress, who did a great job not calling the plays in Philly. I think they're completely missing the most obvious choice: Joe Francis. Sure, his football experience might be contained to putting on a PPV halftime show, but are you telling me that the founder of "Girls Gone Wild" wouldn't be a perfect fit for the Captains of the Sex Boat?

Detroit: Does it matter? With Matt Millen and Joey Heatherton ... er, Harrington, the only way the Lions are going to look good is you compare their fortunes with those of the American automotive industry.

St. Louis: They could hire a more defensive-minded coach, like the Bears' Ron Rivera. Or they can just wait for Vermeil to unretire ... again.

New York Jets: As soon as word spread that Edwards was all but gone, WFAN in NY was lit up by the usual fan fantasy candidates. Some of them were interesting (Jim Fassel with the Jets ... hmmmm), while others were hilarious (Jimmy Johnson, who hates the cold so much I'm pretty sure he doesn't take ice in his drinks).

Whoever takes the job will have one season in which to make a last grasp at postseason glory. Curtis Martin will be back with a vengeance, and the defense is two players away from really being something special. If the Porcelain Princess can stay healthy under center, the Jets have the pieces for a final run before Curtis becomes a backup and the team needs some retooling.

But the bottom line for the Jets has never been the coach — it's the guy building the team. Could anyone have been successful with Blair Thomas or Browning Nagle or any of the other disasters in Jets' history? So if Bradway doesn't get his act together, the team's cooked.

Take another shot, or hit the reset button? That's the question the Jets must answer.

That's the question Herman Edwards didn't want to answer.

Greg Wyshynski is the Features Editor for SportsFan Magazine in Washington, DC, and the Senior Sports Editor for The Connection Newspapers of Northern Virginia. His book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History" will be published in Spring 2006. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)

PGA Tour Already in Trouble?

Well, it's another year on the calendar and another year on the PGA Tour schedule. Traditionally, the Tour kicks off its year with the winners-only Mercedes Championships in Hawaii. This year, though, it doesn't seem like there is as much prestige and importance placed upon this event. Sure, the overwhelming number of Tour winners from last year will be in Hawaii. Hell, if they haven't been there since last week, then they are out of their minds.

But, there are some noticeable absences this week that diminish the quality of the season opener. It was already bad enough that Ernie Els and President's Cup hero Chris DiMarco could not qualify. Now, though, the tournament has indicated that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen, and Padraig Harrington will not be playing in this year's event. That leaves three top-10 ranked players in the field.

On any normal week, having three of the world's ten best in the field would be quite a coup. Tournament directors salivate about that kind of field strength. For the Mercedes Championships, though, this is a major disappointment. The Mercedes traditionally draws half, if not more, of the world's top ranked players. The above mentioned missing names are all in the top 10. That means, in a perfect world, the Mercedes could have had seven out of the world's top 10 on their grounds this week. That kind of thing only happens five to seven times per year.

Now, though, there is not much zip to the first event of the 2006 season. Sure, there are still the other winners of last season in Hawaii — including Vijay Singh and Jason Gore. But the event stands out because of the concentration of first-time winners and perennial champions. Now, that mix is skewed more toward first-timers and lesser-known players. The Mercedes, then, has lost its identity for this rendition.

The tournament makeup is an auspicious start to the 2006 season. During the year, the PGA Tour will negotiate its television contract, which has the FedEx Cup as its cornerstone selling tool. The Cup presumes that there will be more consistent Tour participation by top stars as they should be inclined to attempt to win the season-long points race. Except, what if the players are not enticed? What if the FedEx Cup turns out to be nothing more than what the World Golf Championships events have become? Or something worse?

The lack of participation from the starting gate in the 2006 season does not seem to indicate that the FedEx Cup will be good for the Tour. Think about it — next season, the Mercedes will be a free shot at points for the prior season's winners. There is no cut, and you are almost guaranteed to finish in a position to earn points. Yet, if the points and money are not enough of a motivator for the top players to get in the game in January (in Hawaii), then what good is the FedEx Cup? If I were a Tour official, I would be concerned.

Usually, I am not an alarmist. I tend to look at the larger picture and wait for a pattern to emerge. Unfortunately, though, the combination of the very busy "offseason" for many top stars combined with this less-than-desirable field for the Mercedes seems to indicate the formulation of a pattern. The Tour needs to find a way, or some political clout, that can compel the best players to be very active this year. Otherwise, the Tour's contract for the next several years will suffer, purses will stagnate or drop, and the game will not be able to continue to grow in popularity.

Perhaps, though, this is just an aberration in the history of the event. After all, this is the first time in the history of the Mercedes that this kind of absence has happened. Regardless, though, this story will continue to be crucial this year — perhaps one of the most important themes to the season. Whether conscious or not, if the pattern emerges and continues, the players will only be hurting themselves in the future.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

January 6, 2006

NFL Weekly Predictions: Wildcard Round

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Washington @ Tampa Bay

Can Saturday's wildcard game between the Redskins and Bucs match Week 10's 36-35 Tampa victory for excitement?

"Sure, we can match it as far as excitement is concerned," says Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. "Now, if you're talking incompetence by the officials, this game will come nowhere near that which was displayed in the first game. It's simple: to win this game, we've got to keep Mike Alstott out of the end zone, especially on game-winning two-point conversion attempts. I thought we had done that in the first game, but unfortunately, the NFL employs several vision-impaired officials, and they all were at that fateful game."

Alstott rushed for only 21 yards back on November 13th, but among those 21 yards were two short touchdown runs. And the aforementioned game-winning two-point conversion came from one yard out after the Redskins were called for an off-sides penalty while blocking the extra point attempt. Again, Alstott will see short-yardage duty Saturday, but the bulk of the Bucs' carries will go to Cadillac Williams.

Washington will counter with Clinton Portis, who rushed for 144 yards and one touchdown versus Tampa in Week 10.

"I get my yards the old-fashioned way," Portis says. "I earn them. And my momma takes care of obnoxious, beer-throwing fans the old-fashioned way: she punches them in the face."

Last week in Philadelphia, Portis' mother, Rhonnel Hearn, punch a female Eagles fan in the face after the fan tossed a beer at Hearn.

"Oh no," explains Hearn. "It wasn't a beer thrown at me. Some crazy lady was trying to force some Chunky Soup down my throat. When I refused, she threw some hot chowder on me. So, I dropped her with a meat hook to the left cheek. I didn't get a good look at her, but she was wearing a No. 5 Donovan McNabb jersey."

Finally, someone put an end to the nuisance that is Edna McNabb. Football players don't eat Chunky Soup. Well, maybe David Akers does, but no other Eagles do.

"Let that be a lesson to any Tampa fans that may feel froggy towards Portis' mother," says Bucs coach John Gruden. "She will be in the stands. Do not, I repeat, do not mess with her. If you have a problem with Rhonnell Hearn, take care of it like any respectable lady in Tampa would do: it a bathroom stall at Banana Joe's. Thank you."

This is an evenly-matched game, and the Redskins and Bucs have many similarities. They are both quarterbacked by steady if not spectacular left-handers, Mark Brunell and Chris Simms, often made better by lighting-fast receivers, Santana Moss and Joey Galloway. They both have shifty and powerful backs in Portis and Cadillac Williams. Both teams sport top-10 defenses. And both are coached by former Super Bowl winners with the initials "J.G." Will any of this have any bearing on the outcome? Probably not, but you have to give the Bucs credit for having a pirate ship in their end zone. And Chris Simms will be riding the high of a Texas national championship.

Simms throws for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and Tampa's top-ranked defense forces three turnovers.

Bucs win, 22-17.

Jacksonville @ New England

Was it me, or did it seem that the Patriots and Bengals weren't trying too hard to secure the number three AFC seed? A win by the Pats last Sunday, along with Cincinnati's 37-3 loss in Kansas City, would have earned them the three seed and a first-round matchup against the Steelers. Instead, New England chose to rest several starters and lost 26-24 to the Dolphins, thus taking the four-seed and a wildcard game against the Jaguars, not the Steelers. Sounds like they wanted to play the Jaguars. That's blatant disrespect to your team, Jack Del Rio.

"We're not gonna take it!" replies Del Rio. "No! We ain't gonna take it! Oh, we're not gonna take it anymore! Oh, you're so condescending — your gall is never-ending. We don't want nothin', not a thing from you. Your life is trite and jaded, boring and confiscated if that's your best, your best won't do."

"Dang! Did Del Rio just go Twisted Sister on me?" asks Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "Well, he gives me no option but to go Quiet Riot, or, better yet, Winger on his tail. Del Rio, you're 'headed for a heartbreak.' How about this, J.D.R? You'll only score 17!"

"Wow, Belichick," replies Del Rio. "I didn't take you for a metal fan. But it's no surprise that you're fond of the music by a band fronted by a man named Kip."

"Bang your head! Metal health'll drive you mad," Belichick returns. "I'll 'warrant' you this, Jack. We will 'slaughter' you, and your 'Cinderella' story will come to an end, leaving you on 'skid row.'"

While the two esteemed coaches reminisce about 1980s hair metal, I'll talk football. Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Byron Leftwich have recently lobbied in the media, proclaiming their respective teams the most disrespected. Disrespected? Come on, Tom. The Patriots, disrespected? Everybody respects the Patriots. You're eight-point favorites over a Jacksonville team with a better record. The Jags lost two games to the Colts by a combined margin of 15 points. You and your Patriots played the Colts once and lost by 19 points. I don't hear the Jaguars remotely mentioned as being a threat to the Colts.

However, a lot of observers think New England can challenge the Colts. That's respect, especially since a win over the Colts would have to be in Indianapolis over a completely rested Indy squad. You lost to them by nineteen in New England. If you weren't respected a great deal, no one would give you a chance in that game. And look at me! I'm giving you respect. I've already got the Pats advancing to the second round.

As for you, Leftwich, you do have a point. Jacksonville isn't getting a whole lot of respect. Beat the Pats, and your problem is solved. But talk about not getting respect. Look at your teammate, David Garrard. In your absence due to an ankle injury, he's led the Jags to a 5-1 record.

"And I respect him for that," says Leftwich.

Apparently, your coach doesn't. You're getting the start and Garrard's getting the shaft. And I bet the Patriots will be happy to see a quarterback who has no chance of escaping their rush. Sure, maybe you can throw the ball a little further, but at least Garrard's got two good wheels. So stop your whining about lack of respect. And tell your offensive lineman they might have to carry you down the field if you re-injure that ankle.

Jacksonville is entering the playoff "land of certain death," Gillette Stadium for a playoff game. The Patriots have won nine-straight there since 1998, although the last team to beat them in the playoffs in New England was Jacksonville. If Tom Brady thinks the Patriots are being disrespected, then, by golly, he'll go out and get them some. Brady throws for two touchdowns, and New England keys its defense around forcing Leftwich to move in the pocket, which he can't.

New England wins, 24-13.

With the game firmly in hand in the fourth quarter, Belichick sends in Doug Flutie to run the "Statue of Liberty" play.

Carolina @ New York Giants

What was Week 17's most lasting image? Shaun Alexander breaking Priest Holmes' touchdown record? The ovation for Brett Favre at Lambeau Field? Joe Gibbs leading the Redskins to a win in Philly and a playoff berth? Mike Tice getting fired before he could shake Lovie Smith's hand at midfield? Randy Moss pulling the lever and seeing Norv Turner fall through a trap door in his office?

"You call those 'lasting images?'" says Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. "Lasting images, my ass!"

That's right, Jake. In a weekend of memorable moments, the most replayed of those moments was you tearing the seat of your pants in Atlanta and exposing your left buttocks.

"Exposure's the name of the game," says Panthers head coach John Fox. "Especially in the Panthers' organization. Unfortunately for us all, Jake reveals himself on national television, while our two naughty cheerleaders choose to get freaky in a bathroom stall, which, sadly, was non-televised. Why, oh why couldn't Jake have been in the bathroom stall? Is there no justice in this world?"

"Luckily," says Delhomme, "we're in New York. I can head right over to the Garment District and have my pants professionally-repaired, should I have another wardrobe malfunction. If I find out that Justin Timberlake had anything to do with this, heads will roll."

The Giants remained fully-clothed in last Saturday's 30-21 win in Oakland. Tiki Barber scored on a 95-yard touchdown run, on his way to 203 yards rushing, to lead the Giants to victory, which secured the NFC East crown. If the Giants are to make a Super Bowl run, Barber will have to lead them there.

"Can you imagine a Manning versus Manning Super Bowl?" asks Giants quarterack Eli Manning.

Yes, I can imagine it. I can also imagine a Kyle Orton/Kyle Boller Super Bowl, and a Josh McCown/David Carr Super Bowl, or a Burt Reynolds/Adam Sandler Super Bowl. I think you'd be more likely to see King Kong climbing the Empire State Building before you'd see a Manning versus Manning Super Bowl.

"Hey, I saw that," says Eli Manning, "in the theater. I got into a PG-13 movie without having my ID checked."

The rushing attacks of the Panthers and Giants will be the keys to the games. Carolina's DeShaun Foster rushed for 165 yards last week at Atlanta, only the second time a Panther had rushed for over 100 this year. Barber, on the other hand, rushed for over 200 yards three times this year. That explosiveness should give the Giants the edge, and home-field advantage (the Giants were 8-1 at the Meadowlands this year) doesn't hurt.

New York wins, 24-21.

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati

It's the rubber match between the Steelers and the Bengals, and in the previous two meetings, the visiting team won. In week seven in Cincinnati, the Steelers won 27-13. At Heinz Field on December 4th, the Bengals struck back with a 38-31 win. Does that give the visiting Steelers the edge in this game?

"I don't know about that," says Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher. "Hey, I'm just happy to have a job. Head coaches were dropping like passes to Lions' receivers, especially those named Mike. Anyway, I do know this: we're road tested. We're 6-2 on the road. The last time I checked, the turf at Paul Brown Stadium is green, just like it is in every stadium with turf. Show me some green, and we'll run on it."

"Show me some green, and I'll place a bet with it," says former Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose, dropping five large on the Bengals to cover, as well as one grand that no rappers will be shot in the month of February. And $500 that Lynn Swann will be elected governor of Pennsylvania.

The Steelers clinched a playoff spot last week with a 35-21 win over Detroit, rushing 44 times for 221 yards in doing so. Willie Parker had 135 of those yards, while Jerome Bettis scored on three short rushing touchdowns.

"That's our story and we're sticking to it," says Bettis. "We call it 'Fast Willie and the Bus.'"

Doesn't that air on ABC at eight o'clock, followed by Sanford and Son at nine and Chico and the Man at 10?

The Bengals counter with Palmer and Johnson, Carson and Chad, which sounds like two roommates in a Sigma Chi fraternity house, but is actually one of the most feared passing connections in the NFL. In the two games against the Steelers, Johnson did not catch a touchdown pass.

"That will change on Sunday," says Johnson. "Scoring a touchdown is secondary to the celebration I have planned for the end zone. Should I score, I will reveal a magic lantern, rub it, and be granted three wishes, which I will parlay in to three wins, which will put us in the Super Bowl."

"I'll make sure Chad gets a touchdown," says Palmer. "Heck, Joey Harrington threw for three scores against the Steeler defense last Sunday. I'm slightly better than Harrington, aren't I? After all, I'm from USC. I've played in the Rose Bowl. What has Ben Roethlisberger played in? The Motor City Bowl?"

"Hey, Carson," replies Roethlisberger. "I've lost more AFC Championships than you've played playoff games."

The Steelers dominated time of possession in both previous games, and won in Cincy thanks to a 221-to-91 yard edge in rushing. The Bengals out-rushed the Steelers in Pittsburgh 102-to-95. The moral is not "team that rushes for more yards wins." But, to have a chance, the Bengals cannot allow the Steelers a big rushing game, and they must score first, deny the Steelers the lead, force the pass, and create turnovers. And that's easier said than done. Bettis and Parker are healthy, and their contrasting styles will frustrate the Cincy defense.

Steelers win, 26-21.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 2:57 PM | Comments (8)

Steelers/Bengals Preview From Section 108

Welcome to the playoffs, Cincinnati! The last time you were here, I was a dominant second baseman in little league. I am not sure that Bengals fans will know what to expect, and I surely hope their players don't. Bill Cowher's team will need all the help they can get because the Steelers, the sixth seed in the AFC, just doesn't have a prayer if you consider history a good judge of the future.

Since the NFL went to the six-team playoff format in 1990, six seeds are 1-14 in first-round playoff games and have been outscored 31-16 in the process. Since 1990, road teams are 18-42 in the wildcard round.

The Steelers have played three road games under Cowher and have lost all three, in overtime at Kansas City in 1993, via a blowout at New England in 1996, and in overtime at Tennessee in 2002.

The issue confronting them now is not whether they can win three straight on the road and make it to the Super Bowl, but can they win one away from home?

They'll have every chance in Cincinnati.

The playoff security expected following a 15-1 parade through the 2004 regular season was blown away on Dec. 4, when the Steelers fell to the Bengals, 38-31, at Heinz Field.

This game created a so-called changing of the guard in the AFC North this year, as the Bengals beat out the Steelers for the division title, Cincinnati's first crown since winning the old AFC Central in 1990.

It was a game that left Bengals fans looking forward to a rematch with the Colts and infuriated Steelers Nation.

The Steelers were on a three-game losing streak, the division was virtually locked up by the former "Bungles," and the Steelers would need help just to make the playoffs.

The Steelers became a desperate team and they responded down the stretch as championship-caliber teams must. During the Steelers' three-game losing streak in Weeks 10-12, they averaged 83.6 yards rushing and failed to break 100. During their current four-game winning streak, they're averaging 185 rushing yards with a low of 142 in an 18-3 win over the Minnesota Vikings. "The running game is always going to be important for us," offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said.

While the Steelers seem to be getting back to doing what they do well, the Cincinnati Bengals finished the regular season with two of their worst games. The AFC North champions are playing like anything but a champion heading into their first-round game against the Steelers.

Larry Johnson and the Chiefs shredded a Cincinnati defense that rested few starters after allowing 30 points to a Bills team that couldn't outscore the Jets in Week 17. Not much confidence can be built for a playoff run after someone smashes you with 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the worst loss in the three-year tenure of your savior head coach — no matter the circumstances surrounding the game. In reality, it was not just that game that has outsiders doubting the team.

The Bengals went 4-3 in the last seven games and gave up an average of 30 points per game. They allowed 45, 29, 31, 20, 17, 32, and 37 points down the stretch, putting themselves in the position of having to outscore teams to beat them.

Instead of riding momentum, the Bengals (11-5) are trying to get back on their feet. How would they be able to do that? Time to dip into the overflowing well of confidence Chad Johnson has for his team.

"How do you stop us?" Johnson asked. "Seriously. Have you ever thought about that? You're in the playoffs and you've got [Carson] Palmer, [Chad] Johnson, Housh, Tab [Perry], Rudi [Johnson], [Chris] Perry is back. Too many weapons. Too many weapons. We'll be fine."

The Bengals have reason to believe they will be just fine.

Anchored by AFC all-pro tackle Willie Anderson, the offensive line allowed the club's all-time low 21 sacks in '05.

The team finished 2005 with an NFL-best +24 turnover differential and surrendered the fewest lost fumbles in the league (6). The defense seized an NFL-best 31 INTs. Rookie LB Odell Thurman posted 5 INTs to lead all rookies and tied for most in NFL.

That's pretty good, isn't that right, Chad? "Thanks to higher authority, I can't open my mouth, period, all week," Johnson said. No need, you have talked enough already. In fact, you and T.J. Howsyourmomma's actions have already given the Steelers plenty of bulletin board material.

As he walked off Heinz Field, Houshmandzadeh asked a member of the Bengals support staff to hand him a Terrible Towel. When one was provided, he sat down in the visitors tunnel and shined his football cleats with the golden cloth. Then, he twirled the towel over his head as he walked down the runway toward the Bengals' locker room.

Weren't expecting to face the Steelers again, were you, T.J.?

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing," Houshmandzadeh said. "Chad and I had something planned during the game, but I told him to wait until near the end. The Steelers spoiled it by scoring a late touchdown (with 2:59 left), so we never got a chance to do it."

The Steelers would like to spoil more than just a touchdown dance this Sunday.

"It is nice that they beat us that time," Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El said. "The reason I said it was nice because it makes us hungry to go out there and play them. We have something to prove because they beat us last time. We need to let them know what we are all about when it comes to being the bully on the block."

Let the word wars begin.

"We still need to exorcise some demons," Bengals OL Willie Anderson said. "I still don't think that we put that perception in a lot of people's heads (to rest) in one year's time. Pittsburgh is a team that we needed to play. This is traditionally, year-in and year-out, the biggest, baddest, and toughest team in football. If we're going to get over the hump, I think it needs to be Pittsburgh."

Right, I am sure the entire city of Cincinnati was just thrilled to face a team that is 6-0 all-time in playoffs vs. division foes. A team that is 20-8 vs. CIN under head coach Bill Cowher — his most wins vs. any team.

"We love the matchup with Pittsburgh," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "They love playing us. It's always a great, competitive game. It gets your mind ready. When you have Pittsburgh coming in, you've got to get focused. ... Our fans are so excited just for a playoff game, then on top of it, we get to play Pittsburgh. I'm feeling the goose bumps right now."

You may be feeling goose bumps now, Carson, you may be feeling an angry Steelers defense come Sunday.

"They had one good season, but they still haven't done anything yet," Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said. "We still have to go out there and do what we are capable of doing and see what happens."

And the Steelers have some fire power of their own. In fact, they present the only starting quarterback with playoff experience.

"I'm not going to go out and play not to make a mistake this year," Ben Roethlisberger said. "I'm going to go out to win football games and play as good as I can to help this team win. It came from a feeling like (I) lost it last year for the team, for making mistakes and not wanting to do it again and not wanting to make the same mistakes twice.

They also have rookie TE Heath Miller, who has notched more TD catches (6) than any AFC TE in playoffs.

All-Star LB Joey Porter (10.5) and LB Clark Haggans (9.0) combine for NFL's top sack total by LB tandem.

WR/PR Antwaan Randle El has PR of 35+ yds in three games in row. Randle El is NFL's only player with two punt return TDs in 2005.

The real battle for the North goes through Cincinnati this Sunday.

"There will be a lot of excitement in that stadium, their first playoff game in a long time," said Cowher. "It's a big, big challenge for us. We certainly have to play better than the last time we played them."

I think at this time of year, you have to be playing good football. The last time we played these guys, we had four turnovers and on our kickoff coverage, we gave them the ball at the three-yard line at one time, mid-field at another time, we were not very good at covering kicks. If you do that against this football team, who is as explosive offensively as they are, and it is an uphill battle.

With Cincinnati being just on the other end of the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, plenty of Steelers fans annually make the trip. Before the Bengals became a playoff team this season, Steelers' fans often outnumbered the home fans during games in Cincinnati.

"We know there are going to be people there rooting for us and that makes a big difference when you're on the road," Steelers WR Hines Ward said. "It gives you a lift."

"Our fans travel well," said Steelers OL Kendell Simmons, using a phrase usually associated with college football and bowl games. "We never feel like we're truly on the road and we definitely feel like we're home in Cincinnati."

And if you ask Jerome Bettis, he really is looking to go to his hometown, home of this year's Super Bowl.

No question. That's the goal. That's been the goal from day one. Early in the season, I had some shirts that said "Detroit or Bust." That's all we're playing for, and I told the guys in the locker room that we had to get there because I'm running out of time, so I put some extra pressure on those guys.

"It's like Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier, two heavyweights that once held the (heavyweight title) belt," Ward said. "We had the crown and now (the Bengals) have the crown. Let's go at it toe-to-toe and see who the champion is, once and for all."

Sunday at 4:30 PM EST, the fight begins. Look for me, I'll be the only usher in section 108 not working.

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 1:33 PM | Comments (2)

Wildcard to Super Bowl: Playoffs Preview

It's been a while since I've done this, but it needs to be done. I got lazy towards the end of the season, and I'm grateful that I didn't publish my bowl picks because I'm doing so poorly in that that my girlfriend is tied with me going into the Rose Bowl with her picking USC and my Texas pick.

What I'm about to do is something that I've done in the past (obviously, not for a website, though) and that is pick the NFL playoffs. No, not just the games round-by-round, but I'm going to actually pick all the way through the playoffs — kind of like in March Madness. This will obviously make for more difficult, but I think I might have some success, considering two years ago when the Pats beat the Panthers, I went 8-3. So, that being said, onto the picks.

Wildcard Round

Washington Redskins (10-6) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

This one should be an interesting one. They played a close offensive explosion earlier in the year with the Bucs barely winning. I'll be extremely surprised, though, if these two manage to put up 71 points again this week, though. The 'Skins have been scoring very well, but the Bucs' defense is better than the Cowboys'. Expect this one to come down to a late field goal.

Bucs 20, Redskins 17

Carolina Panthers (11-5) @ New York Giants (11-5)

You've got to wonder which of these two teams is going to show up. Whenever people were ready to crown the Panthers as the class of the NFC, they would play down to competition and lose, but then they showed the stuff that made them numerous Super Bowl picks. The Giants are the same way, almost beating the Seahawks, and then not showing up against the Redskins. The way Tiki Barber's playing right now, though, it's hard to pick against them.

Giants 28, Panthers 23

Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) @ New England Patriots (10-6)

The Pats have been playing well recently and they have a good defense yet again. The Jaguars need David Garrard to play flawlessly if they want to beat the Pats in Foxboro this weekend. It's going to be cold, and the Pats are going to be hitting hard. The Jags' defense is good, as well, but Tom Brady will add to his playoff legacy this weekend.

Pats 27, Jags 13

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)

These two teams split their regular-season meetings, with both teams winning away. The Bengals have come a long way maturity-wise since their dismantling at home in the middle of the season, but the Steelers are coming off of some huge momentum wins and they're riding a four-game winning streak. This game will be about the rushing and Pittsburgh's defense is better at stopping that than Cincinnati's.

Steelers 24, Bengals 21

Divisional Round

Giants @ Seattle Seahawks (13-3)

The Giants played unbelievably close in Week 12 and could have won three times on Jay Feely missed kicks. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades, though, and Seattle is now the number one seed and the Giants have to go on the road. This one is going to be a good one with two titans of rushing facing off yet again. Last time that happened for the Giants, they won 27-17 against Kansas City and Larry Johnson.

Giants 31, Seahawks 27

Buccaneers @ Chicago Bears (11-5)

The Bucs are going to Chicago and they're trying to win a playoff game? I think they've only won in games where the starting temperature was below 40° once against Philly a few years ago. The Bears defense is giving up 12.6 points a game, and the last time the Bucs went on the cold road to face a good defense, the Patriots slapped them in the mouth.

Bears 13, Bucs 9

Patriots @ Denver Broncos (13-3)

This has the possibility of being the best game of the divisional weekend. The Broncos slipped under the media's radar and landed the number two seed. Honestly, what media outlet lower than 5,000 feet above sea level was talking about the Broncos this season? It was all about the Colts, the Bengals' great run, and the Patriots falling from grace in the AFC. All the while the Broncos have gone out and done what they needed to do to win games, and they're peaking at the right time. The Pats, on the other hand, might be looking towards a possible rematch with the Colts in the AFC Championship game. Shame on them.

Broncos 31, Pats 21

Steelers @ Indianapolis Colts (14-2)

Colts fans are left reminiscing about the days when there was talk of their beloved franchise setting records as the first team to win 19 games in a single season. Now that that distraction is behind them, it's down to business. The Steelers are another team that is peaking at the right time after a mid-to-late-season mini-slump. They're strong in the running game and they ask Big Ben to throw only enough to not screw up and they're very good at that. The problem is that the last time these two teams met in Indy the Colts won 26-7 and the game wasn't even as close as the score might show.

Colts 34, Steelers 13

Conference Championships

Giants @ Bears

Cinderella didn't have an ankle problem, and Jeremy Shockey does. Eli Manning isn't nearly mature enough to lead his team yet in the big games, and the Bears are going to be able to focus on stopping Tiki Barber. They'll be able to do that to a point, but Tiki alone shouldn't be enough to penetrate the Bears' defense. The Bears will have trouble scoring this season, as well, but seven of their 11 wins have come by 10 points or less. They were demoralized last week in Minnesota, but the dome in Minneapolis isn't quite Soldier Field in mid-January.

Bears 16, Giants 12>

Broncos @ Colts

The last time these two teams met, the Colts taught the Broncos a lesson in how to play football, winning 49-24 in the wildcard round of last year's playoffs. This is a different Broncos team, though, with Jake Plummer playing the best football of his career. The two-headed rushing attack of Tatum Bell and Mike Anderson is nothing to scoff at, either. This is the Colts we're talking about, though. The Colts are just too good, and it's been their year all season. This is the coming out of Peyton Manning and getting that damn monkey off of his back. Forget last year's record-setting year, this year is destiny, and the Broncos aren't going to keep up enough to give a good fight.

Colts 49, Broncos 21

Super Bowl XL

Bears vs. Colts, from Detroit, MI

Quickly, put yourself back in August of this past year. The NFL preseason is about to kick off, and you're talking to one of your buddies and he says that the Colts will be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl this season to which you easily nod your head in agreement.

Then, two minutes later, the same friend says that they'll be playing against the Bears, which makes you feel his forehead and wonder if something is wrong. What are the Bears doing in the Super Bowl? It goes along with the old saying that defense wins championships. NFC championships, to be exact. This is Peyton's year, there isn't anything that is going to stop him, and he'll finally be able to be put in the category of being better than Tom Brady (sorry, but Peyton is a better quarterback, while Brady is a better leader).

Colts 31, Bears 10

Notes

* Is it just me, or did UConn not look like they could compete for a Big East title, let alone a national title against Marquette? I understand Steve Novak had his best game ever, but come on, Marquette?

* Chelsea is so good that other Premier League leading managers are already conceding the season to the Blues and it's just passed its halfway mark. Chelsea are even already 1-2 favorites to win the Premier League next season. And people say the Yankees are too free with their money.

Posted by Jeff Pohlmeyer at 1:06 PM | Comments (0)

January 4, 2006

SC's 2005 NFL All-Pro Team

In the past, my all-pro team has been listed at the end of the Week 17 Power Rankings, but this year, it gets its own column, partially because I'm doing things a little differently this time.

The last three seasons, I've followed the long-standing Associated Press tradition of naming two defensive tackles and two inside linebackers, meaning the team has 12 defenders. This year, I'm extending that to a third wide receiver, a second tight end, and a fifth defensive back.

The AP's team makes sense because about a quarter of the league uses a 3-4 defense that employs one interior lineman and two inside linebackers. Additionally, at this point in the league's development, many teams use three-receiver and two-tight end sets as often as they utilize a fullback. And to counter those offenses, every team needs a good nickel back.

I will never join the AP's new policy of naming two running backs and a fullback, since no team uses such a formation with any frequency. I'll list each position in the order I picked the players, so you'll know which receiver is my third, which tight end is my second, and so on.

Quarterback: Peyton Manning (IND)
Last Year: Peyton Manning (IND)

Manning was the front-runner all season. I also considered Tom Brady (NE) and Carson Palmer (CIN), but Manning is simply more in control of the game than any player I've seen in the last decade. Palmer will probably win AP's top position, because the voters prefer to pick people who have breakout seasons. The consistently great players make a lot of Pro Bowls, but they often get snubbed on all-pro teams. Warren Moon, who made nine Pro Bowls but only one all-pro team, is a good example. Tommy Kramer, Don Majkowski, and Mark Rypien combined to make as many all-pro teams as Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, and Moon put together.

I'm not saying Palmer will be a Majkowski — he looks more like a Kelly or Moon — but this award goes to the best player, and there's no way that Palmer is better right now than Manning. Peyton's arm is as good as anyone's, his play-fakes are the best I've ever seen, he doesn't take sacks, and he controls the game from the line of scrimmage, in total command of his own offense, and frequently the opposing defense, as well.

Brady is second on my list, but the focus seems to be on Manning and Palmer. This shouldn't be the only criterion, but I think the Bengals still win the AFC North if Peyton is their quarterback, and I know the Colts don't start 13-0 with Palmer. Brady and Palmer will probably get theirs someday, but I'm not going against the best player just because he's won it before.

Running Back: Tiki Barber (NYG)
Last Year: Tiki Barber (NYG)

I had this entry written a couple weeks ago, with Shaun Alexander (SEA) winning, but I changed it after Barber's third 200-yard performance of the season. Several backs had great seasons, but Alexander and Barber were the only ones in serious contention. While Alexander's talents were showcased by arguably the best offensive line in the league, there's no arguing with his production. Alexander used his opportunities to showcase exceptional speed, great agility, and keen balance, an underappreciated necessity for runners.

The power has always been there, and for his first several years in the league, many people pegged Alexander as primarily a power runner, without great speed or cutting ability, but he showed both this year, and he always seems to come up big in short-yardage and goal-line situations. The line helps a ton, but I'm sold on what Alexander did in the open field and goal-to-go situations.

Tiki had less to work with, though, and seemed to create big plays by sheer force of will. Barber is a terrific all-around back, good at blocking and receiving, effective inside and outside. He's got great vision, and he's a very tough runner who never assumes he can't break a tackle.

Fullback: Tony Richardson (KC)
Last Year: Tony Richardson (KC)

I thought this was going to be the year I finally took someone else, but instead, I'm going with Richardson for the third time in a row. Also in the running were Mack Strong (SEA), Lorenzo Neal (SD), and Chris Cooley (WAS), whose blocking has really improved over the last year. What really sold me on Richardson was the way Larry Johnson took off when Priest Holmes got hurt. Johnson is a great runner, and like Alexander, he benefits from a terrific line, but Richardson's terrific lead blocking keyed the team's rushing game, which ranked in the NFL's top five in yards, average, TDs, and first downs.

Wide Receiver: Steve Smith (CAR), Santana Moss (WAS), Hines Ward (PIT)
Last Year: Marvin Harrison (IND), Terrell Owens (PHI)

Smith and Moss have all the stats, but they're even better than the numbers show. Both played on teams that got little from their other wide receivers, but they were dynamic with the ball in their hands. They finished first and second, respectively, in receiving yards, but they weren't just downfield threats. Smith and Moss also led the league in yards after catch, by a wide margin. Smith had 729, Moss 600. Only two other receivers topped 400: Anquan Boldin (ARI), who had 500, and Rod Smith (DEN), with 418. Ward, my third receiver, didn't put up big numbers in Pittsburgh's run-first offense, but he was the team's only receiving threat, leading the Steelers in catches by 30, in yards by 417, and in TDs by five.

Tight End: Antonio Gates (SD), Chris Cooley (WAS)
Last Year: Tony Gonzalez (KC)

Gates is beyond discussion at this point, but Cooley, who plays a hybrid FB-TE position in Joe Gibbs' scheme, was a close call over Gonzalez, Todd Heap (BAL), and Jeremy Shockey (NYG). Normally, one of the two tight ends is primarily a blocker, so Alge Crumpler (ATL) would seem like a reasonable choice, but I've seen him drop so many balls this year that I'm willing to take a lesser blocker.

Center: Jeff Hartings (PIT)
Last Year: Kevin Mawae (NYJ)

Probably the hardest position to choose this year, and I changed my vote three times while working on this article, going back and forth between Hartings, Jeff Saturday (IND), Casey Wiegmann (KC), and Tom Nalen (DEN). Needless to say, the AFC owns this position.

Guard: Steve Hutchinson (SEA), Brian Waters (KC)
Last Year: Alan Faneca (PIT), Brian Waters (KC)

Hutchinson was a lock, and has been most of the season, but Waters beat out Faneca, Kynan Forney (ATL), and his own teammate, Will Shields (KC). It's tough sorting out Kansas City's offensive line, because everyone is so good. That makes the guys next to them look good, too, and it can be tough to distinguish the true standout if you don't know the actual line calls. In this particular case, you've got Shields pulling to the left, and Waters covering Trent Green's blindside. The run-blocks are probably more important for the team, but Waters is great at sealing his man, and he gets the nod.

Offensive Tackle: Walter Jones (SEA), Tarik Glenn (IND)
Last Year: William Roaf (KC), Tarik Glenn (IND)

I agonized over who to pair with Jones. I had Glenn penciled in for most of the season, but he didn't play well against San Diego or Seattle, letting others into the picture. He got a boost, though, when I took Colts center Jeff Saturday off my list, because I couldn't imagine not having any offensive linemen from Indianapolis, which ranked third in total offense and allowed the fewest sacks in the league this year. Roaf, when he was healthy, was easily one of the top two tackles in the league, but he only played in 10 games.

I realize I took two left guards and two left tackles. It would be easy to replace Waters with Forney or Shields, and Glenn with Willie Anderson (CIN) or Jon Jansen (WAS), but I'm looking for the best players, and the distinction between playing to the left or right of the center isn't sufficient for me to pass over the player I feel is best.

Defensive Tackle: Cornelius Griffin (WAS), Tommie Harris (CHI)
Last Year: Richard Seymour (NE), Cornelius Griffin (WAS)

Washington's defense fell apart when Griffin was out of the lineup in the middle of the season. The team is 9-2 when he's healthy. Harris, who anchors Chicago's league-leading defense, edged John Henderson (JAC) for the last spot. Seymour, who's actually a 3-4 defensive end, looked incredible at times, but he missed four games with an injury and didn't look great in his first few weeks back.

Defensive End: Osi Umenyiora (NYG), Simeon Rice (TB)
Last Year: Julius Peppers (CAR), Aaron Schobel (BUF)

Umenyiora was dominant in the middle of the season, but he's looked average-to-bad the last three weeks. Against the Chiefs, Umenyiora was held totally in check by Roaf. He was ineffective at Washington in Week 16, and despite recording two sacks, he didn't have a great game against the Raiders. Earlier in the season, though, Umenyiora was a game-changing force, and he's still my top defensive end.

The second position had more candidates than any other spot on my team, but I eventually narrowed it to Rice, Dwight Freeney (IND), and Michael Strahan (NYG). Freeney is a lock for AP's team, and he'll probably get some DPOY votes. Everyone says he's terrific, but I've seen a lot of Freeney, and he's just not the player the hype makes him out to be. I eventually decided on Rice, who actually plays the way people say Freeney does.

Outside Linebacker: Shawne Merriman (SD), Keith Bulluck (TEN)
Last Year: Takeo Spikes (BUF), Willie McGinest (NE)

I've seen very little of Tennessee this season, and it's hard to believe that anyone from the team's 29th-ranked scoring defense is worthy, but Bulluck has been among the league's best for years. In a year without any slam dunks at the position, I'll trust the analysts who swear Bulluck has been playing the way he did in 2003 and 2004. He edged Derrick Brooks (TB), Cato June (IND), and Lance Briggs (CHI) as a player in space, while Merriman just beat Joey Porter (PIT) as a pass-rusher.

Inside Linebacker: Brian Urlacher (CHI), Mike Peterson (JAC)
Last Year: James Farrior (PIT), Donnie Edwards (SD)

Urlacher is on everyone's list; Peterson is on almost no one's. What they have in common is great help. Peterson plays behind the human wall formed by Henderson and Marcus Stroud. Urlacher is surrounded by the best defensive cast in the league. That kind of help makes it easy to look good, but both make the most of their opportunities.

Cornerback: Ronde Barber (TB), Ken Lucas (CAR), Rashean Mathis (JAC)
Last Year: Ronde Barber (TB), Chris McAlister (BAL)

You'd like a ball-hawk for the nickel spot, so it was tempting to take someone like Deltha O'Neal (CIN) or Nathan Vasher (CHI). Champ Bailey (DEN) has been exceptional at times, but he's too inconsistent for my tastes. Lucas has six interceptions this season, so he counts as a ball-hawk, while no corner plays the run better than Barber. Mathis edged Charles Tillman (CHI) and Bailey for the last spot.

Free Safety: Sean Taylor (WAS)
Last Year: Brian Dawkins (PHI)

Taylor and Darren Sharper (MIN) were the only guys I planned to look at, but on impulse, I examined Chris Hope (PIT) and Dawkins. I was shocked at the stats posted by Philadelphia's defensive leader this season. Statistically, Dawkins was better this season than last year. He had more tackles, more sacks, more forced fumbles, and more than twice as many passes broken up. I ended up ranking Dawkins ahead of Sharper, who had nine picks and led the NFL in interception return yards, but wasn't much more than a ball-hawk. Taylor's game-clinching Week 17 touchdown on a fumble return sold me on taking him. He combines the big-play element presented by Sharper with Dawkins' lethal solo tackles. Free safeties should be playmakers, and this year no one fit the bill like Taylor.

Strong Safety: Troy Polamalu (PIT)
Last Year: Ed Reed (BAL)

Other strong safeties had nice seasons, but Polamalu has been in control of this position since about Week 4. He's slowed down a little, but the man was just all over the field.

Kicker: Neil Rackers (ARI)
Last Year: Adam Vinatieri (NE)

I didn't look at anyone else for this spot. Rackers broke the NFL record for field goals in a season, going 40/42, with no misses under 40 yards. Also, he sent two kickoffs through the uprights in Mexico City.

Punter: Mike Scifres (SD)
Last Year: Mike Scifres (SD)

This was between Scifres, Mitch Berger (NO), and Shane Lechler (OAK). At the last minute, I threw in the Pro Bowl punters, as well, but neither measured up. Josh Bidwell (TB) had way too many touchbacks, and Brian Moorman (BUF) never forced fair catches. Lechler had the best gross average of the remaining three, but he was behind in more significant stats, like net average, percentage of punts returned, and ratio of touchbacks to punts downed inside the 20-yard-line. Berger was phenomenal at keeping his kicks out of the endzone, but more than half of Scifres' punts ended in fair catches. That's amazing. He kicks a beautiful ball, and Scifres is my choice.

Kick Returner: Terrence McGee (BUF)
Last Year: Dante Hall (KC)

McGee and Jerome Mathis (HOU) were the only candidates. I always try to pick someone who returns both kickoffs and punts, which McGee doesn't, but Mathis didn't have much success as a punt returner this season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Tiki Barber (NYG)
Last Year: Peyton Manning (IND)

It's tempting to give this to Shaun Alexander, as a reward for his record-breaking season, and for passing him over at running back. But this is the best offensive player in the league, and if Barber's a better RB, Alexander can't win this one. It was also tempting to choose Manning, the league's best quarterback. But even Manning didn't excel the way Barber did, playing his best football at the end of the season when the Giants' passing game was somewhere between uselessness and liability.

Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Polamalu (PIT)
Last Year: Ed Reed (BAL)

Last year, Reed and James Farrior were the only candidates. This season didn't have any standouts like that. Cornelius Griffin and Richard Seymour might have been possibilities if they hadn't gotten hurt. Osi Umenyiora seemed like a great choice until Week 15. My final list of possibilities, though, included Shawne Merriman, Brian Urlacher, Ronde Barber, Sean Taylor, and Polamalu.

I tried not to hold it against Merriman that he's a rookie, but he is a pass-rush specialist, and probably not dominant enough in that capacity to justify this award. Urlacher is the safe pick, a popular player on the league's best defense, but I think the hype is bigger than reality. Barber has great stats, but that can be deceiving for a cornerback. Taylor is still developing, and for all his big plays, he also made mistakes and wasn't as consistent as I'd have liked. Polamalu disappeared at times during the second half of the season.

I cut the young guys, Merriman and Taylor, leaving Urlacher and a pair of DBs. Both Barber and Polamalu had some down games, and it's hard for CBs, especially, to have the kind of impact that justifies a Player of the Year award. Middle linebackers, in contrast, are all over the field, natural candidates for honors like this.

However, when I saw Chicago this year, Urlacher was nothing special. Polamalu, though, seemed at times to have a magnetic attraction to the ball, so he was always around the play. I take him more by default than anything else — this is my least enthusiastic POY ever — but I believe he's the best choice.

Most Valuable Player: Tiki Barber (NYG)
Last Year: Peyton Manning (IND)

Barber, Manning, and Alexander were the only candidates. I took Barber for basically the same reasons you've already read, but any of the three would be a reasonable choice.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cadillac Williams (TB)
Last Year: Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)

Williams wasn't a lock for this. As late as Week 15, I was planning to take Logan Mankins (NE), the Patriots' left guard. Williams, though, was so explosive when he was healthy, and the Bucs are clearly a different team when he's on the field.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Shawne Merriman (SD)
Last Year: Jonathan Vilma (NYJ)

No one else was close. It's strange to say that after a season in which several rookie defenders showed great promise, but Merriman was in a league of his own.

Coach of the Year: Tony Dungy (IND)
Last Year: Bill Belichick (NE)

Dungy barely won out over Lovie Smith (CHI) and Marvin Lewis (CIN), although the Bengals' weak finish made this a two-man race. I wouldn't fault anyone for taking Smith, who led the Bears to a division title and first-round bye after I picked them to finish 3-13. Dungy, though, led the league's best team. He brought the young defense together and turned it into one of the NFL's best units. For 13 weeks, the Colts met all comers, and this could be the season that puts Dungy in the Hall of Fame.

Assistant Coach of the Year: Tom Moore (IND)
Last Year: Tom Moore (IND)

A lot of people like Gregg Williams (WAS) here, but Washington's defense was decidedly subpar in the middle of the season. I prefer Ron Rivera (CHI). The best assistant coaching jobs of the 2005 season, though, may have been turned in by offensive specialists. Ken Whisenhunt (PIT) has had the fortitude to stick with the run, which many teams say they want to do, without following through. Moore's Colts used a balanced offense to attack whatever the defense gave them.

Many candidates for this honor suffer from shared credit: Rivera with Lovie Smith, Whisenhunt with Bill Cowher, and Moore with Peyton Manning. That could lead back to someone like Williams or Monte Kiffin (TB), but I'll stick with Moore, whose offense was just as good this year as it was when I gave him this award in 2004. Some day, though, I will figure out a way to give this to a special teams coach.

2005 All-Pro Team

QB Peyton Manning, IND
RB Tiki Barber, NYG
FB Tony Richardson, KC
WR Steve Smith, CAR
WR Santana Moss, WAS
WR Hines Ward, PIT
TE Antonio Gates, SD
HB Chris Cooley, WAS
C Jeff Hartings, PIT
G Steve Hutchinson, SEA
G Brian Waters, KC
OT Walter Jones, SEA
OT Tarik Glenn, IND

DT Cornelius Griffin, WAS
DT Tommie Harris, CHI
DE Osi Umenyiora, NYG
DE Simeon Rice, TB
OLB Shawne Merriman, SD
OLB Keith Bulluck, TEN
ILB Brian Urlacher, CHI
ILB Mike Peterson, JAC
CB Ronde Barber, TB
CB Ken Lucas, CAR
DB Rashean Mathis, JAC
FS Sean Taylor, WAS
SS Troy Polamalu, PIT

K Neil Rackers, ARI
P Mike Scifres, SD
KR Terrence McGee, BUF

Off POY — Tiki Barber, NYG
Def POY — Troy Polamalu, PIT
MVP — Tiki Barber, NYG
Off Rookie — Cadillac Williams, TB
Def Rookie — Shawne Merriman, SD
Coach — Tony Dungy, IND
Assistant — Tom Moore, IND

Posted by Brad Oremland at 7:58 PM | Comments (1)

Irish on Road Back to Glory

34-20. The eighth straight bowl loss for Notre Dame and they lost in a convincing fashion, giving up 617 total yards to the Buckeyes in the process. As a huge Notre Dame fan, not only did I have to see a great season come to a crushing end, but it was also at the hands of one of the programs I despise most in college football. Now, we have all the Notre Dame haters coming out of the woodwork and we even had Brent Musburger actually talking crap to Charlie Weis during the game. Do I care? Not even a little bit.

Don't get me wrong, I am definitely someone who takes sports far too seriously. Not only that, but I am a diehard Notre Dame fan. I grew up on Notre Dame football. Some of my greatest memories involve Notre Dame. What's not to love? Great tradition, great fans, classy program, preferential treatment, they are always on TV, and every other college football fan is jealous of your program. Rightfully so, when you are rooting for God's team. (Note to everyone: that was a joke, not a good one, but still a joke. Everyone knows God doesn't have a favorite team. Jesus does though, and that team is Notre Dame.)

Usually after a crushing loss like this, I would sulk for a while, be generally unpleasant for a day or two, and avoid every Notre Dame-hating friend at all costs. I would send harassing calls straight to voice mail and e-mails convincing me to eat crow to my vegetarian friends. (This is another joke. No one really has vegetarian friends.) This game was different, though — I answered the calls from the very beginning, even returning calls I missed while taking abuse from those Ohio State fans that were in line first.

This time, I say bring it on, haters — I am ready for your best shot. It is crucial for you to get it out of your system now, because you don't have much longer. I am 100% behind Charlie Weis and I have no doubt that he is going to bring Notre Dame back to where they used to be. This isn't a case of, "well, I'm not sure he really is the right guy, but I'll support him anyway" or, "this guy is great for now, but he's going to leave eventually for a better job," this is simply a, "he is the guy."

It was clear that Ohio State was the better team in the Fiesta Bowl. They were more talented. I was made painfully aware of that every time a Notre Dame corner decided the best way to defend Ted Ginn, Jr. or Santonio Holmes was to fall down and hope that the receiver would trip over them. I can deal with it, though, and that's because of what Weis did with what he had this year and with the recruiting he has done thus far. He has been kicking Mike Golic-sized ass on the recruiting trail and is already bringing top-level athletes back to South Bend. Amazingly, at least to disgraced Irish alum Paul Hornung, Weis is able to recruit the black athlete without lowering academic standards.

Sure, the haters that like to stir things up will say, "Hey, Ty [Willingham] had a better start than Charlie did and he didn't get an extension, Notre Dame is racist!" Of course, it's the fact that they don't want to look at the situation for what it is that makes them a hater.

First, Ty's first team was blown out three times, all of them embarrassing losses, while Charlie's team was in every single game this year.

Second, Charlie is a Notre Dame guy. That's the difference (well, one of them) between Weis and Willingham and, to some extent, Davie. He loves the university, much like Lou Holtz did. Weis graduated from Notre Dame and gets what ND is all about. Finally, he is just a better coach. No one could blame him for having an Aaron Taylor sized-head after his coaching successes, but he is still an incredibly humble person. Still, I could care less what blowhards say about Weis, because at the end of the day, I know he is going to be a great coach.

***

(Side note: As far as blowhards go, I now have Brent Musburger at the top of the list. Listening to him during the Fiesta Bowl was downright painful. ABC absolutely drilled the whole "Brady Quinn's sister is dating A.J. Hawk" storyline into the ground and then followed that up by mentioning it another five times. Shortly after that, Buckeye Josh Huston kicked off the ball to start the game. I don't know why this was such a big deal to ABC, but it was embarrassing to listen to him babble about Laura Quinn and downright infuriating to hear him make cute jokes about her while ignoring penalties and other action on the field.)

It reached the height of absurdity when, after Hawk sacked Irish QB Brady Quinn, Musburger noted that Hawk probably whispered into Brady's ear that he should tell his sister to pick a different team next time. Right. Just like how he whispers into the ears of other players he tackles that he doesn't think too highly of them as far as their ability at playing the game of football is concerned.

Granted, I know he can't say that Hawk whispered something about railing Quinn's sister, but why even make an attempt at a lame joke like that? Just let it go. It even went beyond beating a dead horse, by the end of the game, he was swinging at glue. My friend will place all the blame on the producers at ABC, who definitely share some blame here, but I'm not giving Musburger a free pass.)

***

Even in defeat, I still think it's a great time to be a Notre Dame fan. Haters, you better be bringing your good stuff in the coming days and weeks, because it won't be long before you have to resort to cheap shots and Catholic jokes. I'm not going to go as far as to borrow a horribly inappropriate line from Takeo Spikes and claim I feel like a slave who just got his papers, but I can take comfort in knowing that Notre Dame is finally on the road back to glory.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 5:21 PM | Comments (4)

January 3, 2006

NFL Week 17 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* Top three announcers this season: Daryl Johnston, Dan Dierdorf, Troy Aikman. Usually, I name a play-by-play guy, but there was no one deserving this year.

* Doug Flutie is my hero.

* Super Bowl XL: Colts over Seahawks.

* Is Michael Irvin trying to steal a job from Drew Rosenhaus? How much of a shill can he be?

* NFC division champions finished a combined 29-4 at home this season.

***

Coaches call the first Monday after the regular season "Black Monday." It's the day when owners fire the coaches they couldn't wait to can, and this year's Black Monday was one of the "blackest" ever. Four head coaches lost their jobs on January 2nd, but if you count the Sunday terminations of Mike Tice and Dick Vermeil, the total is six, nearly a third of all non-playoff teams. With the Lions unlikely to retain interim head man Dick Jauron, and several other openings likely, it's not out of the question that 10 teams could have a new head coach next season.

One of the reasons so many teams are looking for new coaches is that there are not 32 people who are qualified to be NFL head coaches. It's an exceptionally difficult job, and few have the necessary combination of intelligence, work ethic, public and private people skills, knowledge of the game, and personnel evaluation. Coaches also have to be able to find qualified assistants, and delegate to them. They must handle the media. They have to convince players they care, but be willing to part with them. The point is, the coach must possess a tremendous number of diverse talents.

With so many teams eager to replace their top coaches, I'm not sure whom they're going to turn to. There's not an obvious choice out there this year. Gregg Williams is getting a lot of attention, and he's probably the best bet right now. There are other hot coordinators out there, but none with the kind of can't-miss pedigree Marvin Lewis or Lovie Smith established as coordinators.

Barring an unexpected exodus of big-name college coaches, re-treads figure to get a lot of interviews in the coming weeks. Besides Williams, expect teams to consider Jim Fassel, Dick LeBeau, and maybe Steve Mariucci or Jauron. Even some of the coaches fired on Monday could get a chance somewhere else in 2006, most notably Jim Haslett and Mike Martz.

What's missing from those potential hires, though, is anyone who will satisfy the league's minority-hiring policy, which requires teams to at least interview a person of color for any head-coaching opening. While there are several successful coordinators who might fit the bill, I can't help thinking that Art Shell, who was the first African-American head coach of the NFL's modern era, is probably one of the best choices available.

If you're looking for something slightly left-of-center from the conventional wisdom, consider some interim head coaches who've never gotten a full season to prove themselves: Joe Vitt, Jim Bates, and Terry Robiskie. Vitt coached out the season for St. Louis, Bates led the league's seventh-ranked defense in Green Bay and might be a reasonable choice for the opening there, and Robiskie, the wide receivers coach in Cleveland, got a 1,000-yard season out of Antonio Bryant after Braylon Edwards went down. I don't expect any of those guys to get so much as an interview, but they'd be on my list.

I'll address further coaching developments in Five Quick Hits during the playoffs, but for now, we move on to the final power rankings of the 2005 season. Rankings are for right now, year-end strength. Brackets indicate previous rank.

1. Indianapolis Colts [1] — When was the last time a team won a game with 11 rushing yards and no rushing first downs? I don't know, but I bet it had to do with playing the Cardinals. A week ago, I was prepared to pick against Indianapolis in the playoffs. Heck, two days ago I was thinking about taking Denver or New England to win the Super Bowl. I'm not sure why I'm back on the Colts train, but in three years of picking the Super Bowl at season's end, I haven't been right yet. In 2002, I liked Oakland over Philly. In 2003, I said New England over Philly, which was half-right. Last year, I took Pittsburgh over Philly. It's a good thing for me that the Eagles missed the playoffs this time.

2. Seattle Seahawks [3] — No team in the NFC should even challenge them this postseason, but Mike Holmgren's teams seem to struggle in big games. Last year's 0-3 mark against the Rams (who went 6-9 against everyone else) is proof enough, but Holmgren has lost his last five postseason games. He could never get the Packers past Dallas, and lost to Denver as a two-touchdown favorite in Super Bowl XXXII. Even the Super Bowl he won was a bit of a choke job. Green Bay was the much better team, but if Desmond Howard doesn't play the game of his life, or Drew Bledsoe only throws three interceptions, New England might have won. The Seahawks sweep the NFC and lose in the Super Bowl.

3. New England Patriots [2] — Prediction isn't normally my specialty, but I'm 25-8 (.758) picking the postseason for Sports Central. I don't always cherrypick like this, but ... there's no way the Patriots are going to lose on Saturday. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady at home in the playoffs? Jacksonville's a good team, so I guess an upset could go down, but I'd have to be really stupid to pick against the Pats in this one.

4. Denver Broncos [5] — Saturday's game provided an opportunity to watch one of the game's best centers, Tom Nalen, take on one of the best nose tackles, San Diego's Jamal Williams. Neither had a clear edge. During the game, umpire Jim Quirk hurled a flag into the facemask of Charger LB Stephen Cooper. I mean, he really threw it. Officials need to stop doing that.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers [4] — Ben Roethlisberger had a nasty game against Detroit. That's bad nasty, not good nasty. Big Ben had a season-low seven completions and failed to throw a TD for only the second time all season. Expect better Sunday against the Bengals' 28th-ranked defense. In two games against Cincinnati this season, Roethlisberger had a 95.9 passer rating. Steelers by 13.

6. Chicago Bears [6] — My all-pro team and 2005 awards will be posted later this week, and I'm still waffling on Defensive Player of the Year. Brian Urlacher is the popular pick, but I haven't been hugely impressed with him. He had no statistical impact against Minnesota, so I'm assuming he didn't play very long. Regardless, I'm not convinced that Urlacher is the best player on that defense.

7. Kansas City Chiefs [10] — Everyone says the Chargers are the best team not to make the playoffs this year, maybe ever. The Chiefs, though, went 10-6, including an extremely impressive 5-2 run to end the season. They mauled the Texans, beat New England and Denver, lost tough road games to the Cowboys and Giants, and ended by handling San Diego and Cincinnati, with a score of combined 57-10 in those last two games.

8. Carolina Panthers [13] — Outscored opponents by 132, the second-best mark in the conference. After their first drive, FOX ran a graphic that mentioned Jake Delhomme's touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl, and "Key Play: Repair of Delhomme's pants." As Terry Bradshaw, of FOX's pre-game show, would say, "That's funny." Unlike the forced laughs on ESPN's NFL pre-game show. If Irvin is back next season, I may start sleeping an extra hour on Sundays.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars [16] — David Garrard has been effective as the starter, so it's not a given that Byron Leftwich gives them the best chance to win. It probably is a given, though, that Leftwich will start against New England. Now that Mike Tice has been fired, Jack Del Río is the NFL's lowest-paid head coach.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [12] — This team is still playing, so it's not entirely appropriate to speculate on its future, but it will be interesting to see where Brian Griese plays next year. The Bucs have looked vulnerable the last three weeks. They were blown out in New England, needed overtime to beat the Falcons at home, and let New Orleans stick around well into the fourth quarter. I'm taking them to win on Saturday, because Washington is beaten up and doesn't play well on the road, but I'm not happy about it.

11. Washington Redskins [8] — Beaten up, and they don't play well on the road. Mark Brunell did not look good at Philadelphia — Patrick Ramsey probably should have started, or at least subbed in. Phillip Daniels has had a monster second half of the season. Of coaches who have made the postseason more than once, Joe Gibbs has the third-best record in history (16-5), trailing only Vince Lombardi and Belichick. I hate picking against him, but on the road against another good coaching staff, and with Shawn Springs and Brunell hurting, I'll say Tampa.

12. New York Giants [9] — One of two NFC teams to score 400 points this year, they're also the only NFC playoff team to allow at least 300. Tiki Barber had his third 200-yard rushing game of the season, tied with O.J. Simpson for the second-highest total ever. Part of Barber's success is the downfield blocking of Plaxico Burress, who is threatening to take the title of "best blocking wide receiver" from his old teammate, Hines Ward. The Giants open the postseason at home against Carolina, but their linebacking corps is in shambles, and I'll take the inconsistent Panthers to advance.

13. Cincinnati Bengals [7] — No team in either conference is limping into the playoffs like Cincinnati. I know they didn't go 100% against Kansas City, but even your backups shouldn't lose 37-3. The Bengals were outgained 537-161. They gave up 8.5 yards per play on defense and averaged just 2.9 on offense. Combine that with a loss to Buffalo the week before, and this team is slumping at the wrong time.

14. San Diego Chargers [11] — It's not giving away much of tomorrow's article to say that Antonio Gates is my all-pro tight end. Early in the second quarter, he turned a two-yard gain into a 12-yard first down. On the play, Gates made John Lynch miss, made D.J. Williams miss twice, made Keith Burns miss, and turned Nick Ferguson around so hard that the Bronco safety fell down. One of the best individual plays I saw all season.

15. Miami Dolphins [15] — Scored three safeties this season. The league record is four, but the 1984 Rams got three in one game against the Giants. Wonder what Bill Parcells said at the press conference afterwards? Miami finished the year with six straight wins and will be a chic pick next season, but I think they'll be middle-of-the-pack. The Ricky Williams reclamation went surprisingly well, and it should be interesting to see what happens with him and Ronnie Brown.

16. Dallas Cowboys [14] — Last week, the Rams lost to San Francisco, and this week, they beat Dallas. Right tackle Rob Petitti got positively wrecked by Leonard Little, and Drew Bledsoe had another rough outing. Keyshawn Johnson had a pretty good game, but he seems to have developed a fumble problem.

17. Minnesota Vikings [18] — No one feels good about the way Tice was fired. He probably deserved to lose his job, but not in the locker room minutes after a season-ending win. A number of Vikings players were very upset by the bush-league way Zygi Wilf treated their coach.

18. Atlanta Falcons [17] — Lost four of their last five. Matt Schaub continues to show potential, and it's reasonable at this point to ask whether he might be a better quarterback than Michael Vick. If the Falcons decide he is not, they might want to consider trading him. There are probably teams that would consider giving up a low first-round or high second-round draft pick in exchange for Schaub.

19. Baltimore Ravens [19] — Best home record in their division, beating out the Bengals and Steelers. Baltimore went 0-8 on the road, giving it the biggest home/away difference in the NFL this year (+6). Todd Heap quietly had a very good season.

20. Philadelphia Eagles [20] — Played hard, and for a half, they looked good. The backup quarterbacks were never up to the task, combining — in seven games — for 1,396 passing yards, five TDs, 11 interceptions, a 47.9 completion percentage, and a 53.0 passer rating. Also, Koy Detmer has got to get rid of his heinous neck-beard.

21. Cleveland Browns [21] — Dennis Northcutt will never be a star, but he's been a reliable performer for Cleveland for years. There's a nice foundation in place for this team to build on. The Browns probably won't contend in 2006, but Romeo Crennel appears to have this club headed in the right direction.

22. St. Louis Rams [25] — Played inspired defense against the Cowboys. Big Game Torry Holt was on my fantasy team again this season, and I won my league for the second year in a row. I'm indebted to Torry, Tiki, Tom, Shaun, and Chad, plus a host of role players that at times included Kelly Holcomb. Go team.

23. Arizona Cardinals [23] — In average yards per rush, the team's leaders were (in order): WR Larry Fitzgerald (5.1), QB Josh McCown (4.8), WR Anquan Boldin (3.8), backup RB Damien Anderson (3.5 on two carries), and rookie RB J.J. Arrington (3.3). The team's leading rusher, Marcel Shipp, finished at 2.9. Unfortunately, Reggie Bush probably won't be available with the 10th pick in next April's draft.

24. New York Jets [28] — Bush probably won't be available with the fourth pick, either, so expect a chorus of boos on draft day. Rumors about Herm Edwards abound, and it sounds like he's probably going to Kansas City. To know how I feel about the non-stop, no-actual-information discussions about Edwards and Parcells, refer to the Green Bay section below.

25. Buffalo Bills [22] — Willis McGahee had his first 100-yard rushing day in eight weeks, and they lost. A lot of people around the league will be watching to see what the team does with Eric Moulds this offseason.

26. Detroit Lions [27] — Joey Harrington outplayed Roethlisberger, and he may have saved his job in Detroit, but it will probably depend on who's coaching the team next season. Matt Millen is deeply unpopular, and he'd love to make the kind of big splash Daniel Snyder got when he lured Joe Gibbs out of retirement in 2004. Pete Carroll fits the bill, but if he's pinning his hopes on Carroll leaving USC and choosing the dysfunctional Lions, Millen might as well try to get Bill Walsh.

27. San Francisco 49ers [30] — Finished with a one-point loss at Jacksonville and two wins to close the season. This is the first time all season I've ranked them higher than 30. I was rooting for them to be the first team to spend an entire season in the bottom three, but the Niners have earned their way into the 20s.

28. Oakland Raiders [24] — Lost six in a row and eight of their last nine. By all accounts, Norv Turner is dead in the water — he may have been fired by the time you read this — but I think Al Davis should give him another year. He's not the second coming of John Madden, but Norv has done some good things, and I'm not convinced that Davis can get anyone better right now.

29. Green Bay Packers [29] — Aikman made my best announcers list pretty much because when Joe Buck was pestering him — during the Washington/Philadelphia game — about Brett Favre retiring, Aikman shot back, "Is that not the most worn-out subject?" It is. You got the feeling this week that the media was more interested in people retiring than actually playing or coaching.

30. New Orleans Saints [32] — Good move by FOX switching from the Panthers' blowout to Bucs/Saints, which was in question until the final minutes. The Saints had the odd distinction of finishing 20th in total offense, but 31st in scoring. They have the second choice in the draft, and many observers expect them to take Matt Leinart. If the new coaching staff isn't crazy about Leinart, though, this team has a lot of other holes, and they might trade their pick to another team interested in the USC quarterback.

31. Tennessee Titans [26] — Own the third pick in April's draft, and the priority should be getting someone who can contribute immediately. The Titans suffered from a lack of consistency this season. They need a quarterback and running back who can stay healthy. They need reliable offensive and defensive linemen. A good middle linebacker to complement Keith Bulluck and a veteran to lead the young secondary. Basically, a lot of help.

32. Houston Texans [31] — Domanick Davis had some injury problems this year, but when he was healthy, Davis looked like a top-10 back. Bush is the kind of talent that's hard to pass by, but it doesn't make sense to trap him on the same roster as Davis. If I were Charley Casserly, I'd try to get a two-firsts, two-seconds kind of trade for the first draft pick, or else shop Davis.

The All-Loser Team

Don't miss my real all-pro team in a column later this week, but in the spirit of giving, it's time for the fourth annual All-Loser Team, an all-star team composed entirely of players whose teams missed the postseason.

QB Drew Brees, SD
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
FB Tony Richardson, KC
WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
WR Anquan Boldin, ARI
TE Antonio Gates, SD
C Casey Wiegmann, KC
G Brian Waters, KC
G Kynan Forney, ATL
OT Willie Roaf, KC
OT Orlando Pace, STL

DT Jamal Williams, SD
DT Pat Williams, MIN
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, TEN
DE Jason Taylor, MIA
OLB Keith Bulluck, TEN
OLB Shawne Merriman, SD
ILB Zach Thomas, MIA
CB DeAngelo Hall, ATL
CB Ty Law, NYJ
FS Darren Sharper, MIN
SS Michael Lewis, PHI

K Neil Rackers, ARI
P Mike Scifres, SD
KR Terrence McGee, BUF

Honorable Mentions: Larry Johnson (RB, KC); Torry Holt (WR, STL); Will Shields (G, KC); Rod Coleman (DT, ATL); Aaron Schobel (DE, BUF); Leonard Little (DE, STL)

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you enjoy the upcoming all-pro column and next weekend's playoff games.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:15 PM | Comments (4)

Can Anybody Spare $104.50?

Should you suddenly have a wealthy relative die, invent the next generation of Velcro, or discover oil on your property, you might, with some careful financial planning and a little scrimping here and there, be able to afford to attend an NBA game in person. That's right! You and your friends, stationed just three tiers of seats away from your favorite stars, will get a live visual account of the contest.

Of course, the action you're seeing at this moment is actually a couple minutes old, because, well, light only travels so fast. And don't hold your breath on the sound — that upper bowl might as well have a different zip code.

Yeah, the NBA may want you to "love this game," but if you also love to eat and stay out of debt, $54 for your average game ticket is likely a bit of a stretch. And that's before you spring for nachos and a beer.

Oh, you want to bring a friend?

As any NBA fan knows, the Association cares about its image like a Victoria's Secret model cares about her weight. David Stern's dress code at the beginning of the season was the latest in a long line of strategies to get paying customers into the arena.

I don't know about you, but Kobe Bryant can show up to the Staples Center in a red wig and floppy shoes for all I care. If a ticket in Section 1530, a hot dog, and parking have me dropping a quick hundred, FOX Sports Net starts to look pretty good.

Here's a little test. The next time you find yourself not paying $150 to enjoy your favorite team in person, check out the stands and see if you can find somebody under 18 sitting where they don't need an oxygen tank and a backup parachute. Frankie Muniz from FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle" doesn't count, cheaters. And those are Clippers games — they don't count, either.

Hey, Commissioner, you want to know why you need a dress code? The folks that liked the thug image aren't wild about spending this month's paycheck to hang from the rafters for two-and-a-half hours.

This isn't the NFL, where $4 billion per year in TV revenue will pretty much keep the lights on for most franchises whether the fannies are in the seats or not. With 41 home dates to sell each season, it's good to see the Sacramento Kings charging their fans an extra 4.4 percent this year after being thumped by Seattle SuperSonics in the first round of the 2005 playoffs.

Just think what will happen after this season if they continue to monopolize the Pacific Division cellar: instead of a halftime show where fans scramble to grab cash, the ushers will walk through the aisles and empty your pockets.

Are they trying? Sure. Most teams offer multi-game packages or discounts for groups, which is great if you can round up 150 of your closest friends and convince them that they'd be better off giving the rent money to the Lakers this month. Heck, if you order the jumbo dog, you can cut it in half and share it with your neighbor for a measly $4 apiece.

As a league that relies on attendance and support from its youngest demographic, the NBA is doing its best to price its fans right out of the market. Most kids have a better chance of getting courtside as players than as fans.

But then again, what's the big deal, anyway? All those empty seats in the lower bowl, reserved for tax write-off fans who never show, have a certain charm all their own, don't they? Sure, the opposing team knows how to withstand relentless heckling from diehard season ticket holders, but how will they respond to silence?

Jack up the prices a little higher, and see how they react to playing in an empty gym. Just think of the savings! You could play the games at the YMCA down the street! No need to build these pesky arenas!

For you, Loyal NBA Fan, a word of advice:

Saving up for that season ticket package? Go with the flat-screen TV instead — the picture's out of this world, and that $7 buys a lot more beer in the cans.

Posted by Zach Jones at 2:25 PM | Comments (1)

January 2, 2006

Gonzaga's New Year's Resolution

Gonzaga's New Year's resolution should be simple — the Final Four. Anything less is unacceptable. The last seven years, the 'Zags have both exceeded and succumbed to expectations. And this year might represent the last opportunity Gonzaga has to make a noticeable impact for quite some time.

In 1999, the loveable Bulldogs from Spokane left an indelible imprint on the NCAA tournament. As a 10-seed, they made it all the way to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual champion Connecticut. But instead of gracefully bowing out of the national spotlight as so many Cinderellas do, the 'Zags repeated their success in each of the following two seasons, where they made it back to the Sweet 16 as a 10- and 12-seed respectively.

2002 was the first year the 'Zags miss-stepped since coming to national prominence. After deriding the NCAA tournament committee for receiving what was considered to be a low six-seed, Gonzaga was eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

The next year, Gonzaga was seeded ninth, and got bounced out of the tournament in the second round in a memorable double-overtime game to Arizona. In 2004, Gonzaga was given their highest seeding ever in the tournament, but the second-seeded ‘Zags got thumped by Nevada in the second round. And last year, the 'Zags continued their disappointing tournament run, where as a three-seed they were knocked out in the second round for a third consecutive year.

There is reason for optimism this season, though. Last year, Illinois and North Carolina were clearly the two best teams in the country. Granted, each received either a minor scare (Villanova) or a major one (Arizona), but they both proved to make about 70% of pools and prognostications correct when they each eventually reached the championship game.

This year, there are no teams that are as good as those two teams were last year. Despite being undefeated and ranked first and second, Duke and Connecticut are both extremely vulnerable. Although they are both talented, I'm sure Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Calhoun would agree they have had better teams in the past.

The 'Zags also have one of the best players in the country in pure scorer Adam Morrison. He can score any way imaginable, and has the type of personality where he can put a team on his back the way Danny Manning or Carmelo Anthony has done in the past.

The rest of Morrison's supporting cast is also good enough to help make a run. Derek Ravio keeps defenses honest with his outside shooting, and J.P Batista adds enough down low to add another element to the 'Zags' offense.

It may be now or never for Gonzaga. Morrison is NBA bound after the season. Powerhouse schools like Duke, Connecticut, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc. will be more experienced than they are this year. The 'Zags have proved they can play with the country's elite teams this year, losing in close games to Memphis and Washington, as well as beating Michigan State.

It's time to stop being everyone's darling and become everyone's nightmare. Gonzaga receives plenty of accolades in the papers, but they need to produce on the court. A Final Four is within reach for the Bulldogs, now let's see if Gonzaga can go out and earn the respect that everyone claims they have for them.

Posted by Piet Van Leer at 1:05 PM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: Two-For-One

Saying the words "NHL" and "expansion" in the same sentence may induce vomiting more severely than the most potent ipecac, but don't worry, I'm suggesting a different kind of expansion.

The NHL is already over-saturated, so adding another team doesn't make sense to anyone except Gary Bettman, but adding a second team in a hot market could prove to be lucrative.

Toronto, Canada is one of the hottest NHL markets around. Trying to find a pair of stubs to see the Maple Leafs is like trying to get a date with Paris Hilton. If you don't have bags of money to burn, then good luck.

Yeah, it's that tough. It's on par with trying to get your hands on New York Yankees, Manchester United, or New England Patriots tickets.

The pool of passes thins very quickly as local business groups buy up large chunks of tickets even before opening night. Most reasonable brokerages sell off their hotcakes swiftly, which forces the average fan to deal with old-fashioned scalpers and online scalpers, both of whom charge roughly double the face value.

In simple economical terms, the demand is higher than the supply at this point, which means it's time to opening up another shop.

With the Maple Leafs entrenched virtually as south as it comes, there is room for a second franchise up north.

It's not really a novel concept to have more than two franchises from one sport in the same city. The city of Los Angeles has two NBA teams and the city of New York has two NFL and MLB teams.

The city of Toronto is definitely capable of supporting two NHL teams.

Obviously, the kingpin that is Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) would not be thrilled to have a competitor spring up on its territory, but there is enough money to go around for everyone.

Right now, a trip to watch the Maple Leafs play at the Air Canada Centre in the heart of downtown Toronto will cost you no less than $35 per person. That is, if you walk there, ignore the concessions, and sit in the very last row on the highest level. If you do factor in some parking and a seat upgrade, it becomes clear that not everyone can afford this kind of entertainment.

So while the affluent can still bleed their blue and white, a more reasonably-priced option up north would definitely appeal to those who don't currently go to the ACC.

The further away you venture from downtown, the cheaper the land is. Hence, the construction of a new building would be millions cheaper than if it were planted in the core of the city.

But the league does not need to expand to 31 teams to give Toronto a second one. They could and should move one of the numerous teams that are struggling at the box office.

An easy excuse can be made for a lack of attendance in New Jersey or Washington, as those teams are not competitive. But teams like Carolina and Nashville, who rank third and fourth in their respective conferences, rank 24th and 26th in attendance this season.

Winning is supposed to fill up the seats, but apparently there is little interest no matter how competitive their teams are.

If the trends continue, a moving day is inevitable and the city of Toronto should be seriously considered.

Expansion and relocation mix like Mondays and me.

"Like dear St. Francis of Assisi, I am wedded to poverty, but in my case, the marriage is not a success." — Oscar Wilde

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

Remembering Baseball Legends Lost

Sometimes, we miss making due tribute to those who left us in a given year, but also left us even a single memory over the years, never mind a pocketful of them. Remember, too, these who became safe at home this year:

Lyman Bostock, Sr. — Negro Leagues first baseman and the father the namesake major league outfielder shot to death at the peak of his career.

Don Blasingame — Major league infielder (Jim Brosnan usually called him Blaze), later a manager in Japanese baseball.

Nelson Briles — Best known for two achievements on the mound: the two-hitter he threw that brought the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates to within a game of overthrowing the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and his periodic bellyflopping after following through on a pitch. It became such a trademark that the personable Briles even did it in Old-Timers' Games.

Bob Casey — Popular Metrodome ballpark announcer, famous for his exaggerations of Minnesota Twins' names as he announced them at bat, perhaps none more signature than: "The center fielder — Kirbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Puckett!" (It sounded like nothing more than Kirbeeeeeeeeeeeeeee on television, what with the reverberating din liquidising the applause and cheering inside the big old gasbag.)

Bob Broeg — Hall of Fame sportswriter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Broeg eventually revealed that the Cardinals players never actually threatened to boycott if the Brooklyn Dodgers brought up Jackie Robinson, but the alleged threat (which brought a reprimand from National League president Ford Frick) was mulcted by writers in other cities (particularly Stanley Woodward of the New York Herald-Tribune) from comments made by the Cardinals' then-owner, Sam Breadon. Broeg covered Cardinal pennant winners in 1946, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, and 1985. He must have had great fortitude to go with his legendary laughter: he started his career covering the St. Louis Browns, switching to the Cardinals in 1946.

Chico Car-ra-skell! (as White Sox announcers invariably pronounced his name) — The bridge between Luke (Ol' Aches and Pains) Appling and Luis (Little Looie) Aparicio, the first Latino to be picked for an All-Star Game, Carrasquel himself had pressed the White Sox to sign and groom Aparicio, his fellow Venezuelan, which amounted to signing his own death warrant: the White Sox swapped Carrasquel to the Cleveland Indians at mid-decade.

Nick Colosi — The answer to the following trivia question: name the only Copacabana maitre d' who also put in time (1968-1982) as a major league umpire.

Harry Dalton — The mastermind of the trade that still makes Dick Wagner's name mud in Cincinnati: Dalton, as the Baltimore Orioles' general manager, managed to get away with the larceny of swapping pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson to the Reds in exchange for the "old 30" Frank Robinson.

Marv Grissom — The answer to this trivia question: name the reliever who ended up the winning pitcher in the Willie Mays "Catch" World Series opener. Later a pitching coach whose ritual included leaving a baseball in the shoe of the day's starting pitcher — in the right shoe for a right-hander, in the left shoe for a left-hander. (He told a 1962 Los Angeles Angels rookie lefthander, getting his first major league start, "Win, kid, or you're gone." The kid's name: Bo Belinsky, who wouldn't be gone until he reeled off a major league career-opening five-game winning streak, the fourth of which was the no-hitter he rode to fame, fortune, sex symbolism, dissipated talent, and 28 lifetime wins in eight major league seasons.)

Cesaer Gutierrez — Utility infielder whose 15 minutes of fame came when he went 7-for-7 for the Detroit Tigers against the Cleveland Indians in a June 21, 1970 extra-inning contest: six singles and a double. Gutierrez tied the major league record for consecutive hits without an out — Rennie Stennett tied it in due course.

Elrod Hendricks — Smart catcher who often got half the credit for the Baltimore Orioles' four 20-game winners in 1970. Hendricks was also the single longest-tenured coach in Oriole history, a popular figure in Baltimore on and off the field (often the face of the franchise for his tireless community activity), and only his stroke earlier this season prompted the Orioles to think of moving him to an off-field position.

Bob Kennedy — A survivor of the infamous Chicago Cubs "College of Coaches" experiment of the early-to-mid 1960s, Kennedy became the first Oakland Athletics manager, after the team moved from Kansas City. His charges included Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Sal Bando, Lew Krausse, and Bert Campaneris.

Al Lopez — Respected defensive catcher (and one of Casey Stengel's favorite players, during the hard times managing the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves); respected major league manager. Shepherded the 1954 Cleveland Indians to a record 111-win season (since eclipsed by the 2001 Seattle Mariners) and an American League pennant (they were squashed in four straight by the New York Giants), and the 1959 "Go-Go" Chicago White Sox to the American League pennant (they fell in six to the Los Angeles Dodgers). He was the oldest living Hall of Famer at the time of his death.

Herb Moford — Pitched in relief in the first regular-season game in New York Mets history, in 1962, and became the only Met pitcher on the day to surrender no runs during his appearance. Obviously, Moford just didn't get what being an Original Met was all about. Oh, he lived up to Perfesser Stengel's observation ("He'll get the ball over the plate"), maybe too well (21 hits, 15 runs, 12 earned as an Original Met), but he also had a 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio (four punch-outs and one pass as an Original Met). Clearly Moford didn't understand the way things were supposed to be and, when he was sent to minors, the former Cardinal, Detroit Tiger, and Boston Red Sox decided retirement was the better part of valor.

Charlie Muse — The father of the modern batting helmet. After years of various experiments, Muse under Branch Rickey's aegis developed one that the Pittsburgh Pirates of 1952-53 began to wear, which slowly caught on elsewhere around the major leagues.

Mickey Owen — Major league catcher who handled his entry into the hall of World Series infamy with dignity. Even after Red Smith composed this memorable doggerel that pretty much bags his moment:

Oh, them Brooklyn wights have seen strange sights but the strangest they ever did see was today revealed in Ebbets Field — when Owen fumbled strike three!

Owen's fumble, allowing Tommy Henrich to reach first safely in the ninth, opening the door for a punishing Yankee comeback win in the 1941 World Series, was recalled only too vividly when the Los Angeles Angels' reserve catcher Josh Paul (since cashiered) and the Chicago White Sox's regular catcher A.J. Pierzynski collaborated on strike three in this year's American League Championship Series.

Vic Power — A decent hitter who was better remembered as perhaps the single most slick and effective-fielding first baseman until Keith Hernandez came down the proverbial pike. Power was originally a Yankee product, in a time when the Yankees' administrators still struggled with whether to promote a black player (regardless of whether he was Africa-American or, in Power's case, black Latino), and he never missed an opportunity to rub it in ("I like to beat the Jankees") after the Yankees gave up on him, but he had a particularly good game against them.

Ted (Double Duty) Radcliffe — The nickname almost made the writers forget his real name. That'd teach him to catch one game of a doubleheader and pitch a shutout in the nightcap. Not to mention going to six Negro Leagues All-Star Games: three behind the plate and three on the mound. What they didn't forget: his endearing personality and his ability.

Chuck Thompson — It seemed almost like forever that he had been the voice of the Baltimore Orioles, which he began in 1955 and continued well into the 1990s. He was elected to the Hall of Fame's broadcast wing in 1993.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 12:35 PM | Comments (3)