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November 30, 2009

New Jersey Nets: Historically Bad

Last week, I asked, "If I gave you 5-1 odds that Lawrence Frank would be the coach of the New Jersey Nets by the end of the week, would you take that bet?"

Had anyone have actually taken me up on that bet, I'd be beating down your door trying to collect right now.

On Sunday afternoon, the Nets officially fired Lawrence Frank, the winningest coach in franchise history, and the longest tenured head coach in the Eastern Conference.

Later the same day, the Nets were embarrassed by the Lakers 106-87, in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the 19-point margin would indicate. The loss moves the Nets to 0-17 on the season, tied for the worst start to a season in NBA history. The combination of injuries and a complete lack of talent on the roster are the main reason for this historically bad start.

Having said that ... (sorry I couldn't help myself, I keep re-watching the "Curb" season finale on HBO), Lawrence Frank does deserve some of the blame for the 0-17 start.

Even at his best, Frank is no offensive genius. In his five full seasons as head coach, the Nets have never finished better than 15th in the NBA in points per game. Four of the five seasons, they ranked 24th or worse.

And while points per game isn't always an indicator of how good a team is offensively (some teams, the Nets for example, play at a much slower pace, meaning there are fewer possessions in a game, resulting in less scoring), there are other indicators that the Nets need a shift in philosophy if they are going to get out of this rut.

In Frank's five seasons, the Nets ranked, in order, 29th, 27th, 22nd, 26th, and 24th in the league in field goal percentage. This season they have the worst field goal percentage of all 30 NBA teams.

Some other factors that led to the firing:

The Nets lost 10 of the 16 games under Frank this season by double-digits.

They have lost 21 of their last 22 road games.

They have not increased their win total over the previous season in four years.

The Nets have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs under Frank after making back-to-back NBA Finals in the two seasons before he took over.

Having said that...

It's foolish to put all the blame on Lawrence Frank for the Nets' historically bad start.

Their roster is atrocious. I said in the preview that the only things I like about this team is Jay-Z owning 1.8% of them and Brook Lopez.

So far, I'm dead on with that one.

Through 17 games, Lopez is averaging 18.4 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.35 blocks per game while shooting 47% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. Those are All-NBA team-type numbers for a center.

Now look at the rest of the roster. Rafer Alston summed it up best when he compared them to a poker hand, calling this Nets team "a pair of 2s."

Chris Douglas-Roberts is their second leading scorer at 17.2 points per game, but that is more by default due to the minutes he's getting than anything else. His percentages across the board are right around where they were last season, he just happens to be playing three times more minutes than last season because of the injuries.

I think CDR has actually shown some flashes of being a solid pro this season, but when he's your best perimeter scorer, that's not acceptable.

Devin Harris, last season's top scorer, has played just six games this season due to injury.

Yi Jianlian has played four games.

Courtney Lee has played nine games.

The Nets injury report has five players listed as "out indefinitely" right now.

Those things aren't Lawrence Frank's fault. His job is to take the players on this roster and get the most out of what he's got to work with. As bad as it sounds, I think Frank has done just that.

0-17 is terrible, but what can you do with this team? Against the Blazers this week, the Nets started Lopez, Douglas-Roberts, Trenton Hassell, Josh Boone, and Rafer Alston. You try winning a game with that starting lineup.

On Sunday night against the Lakers, the Nets as a team were outscored by Kobe Bryant 13-12 in the first quarter.

The head coach is always the one who takes the fall in situations like this, but the bulk of the blame belongs to the "architects" of this team, Team President Rod Thorn and GM Kiki Vandeweghe.

Those are the guys the left Frank with bare cupboards going into the season and expected him to cook a five-course meal.

Having said that...

If the rumors of Kiki Vandeweghe taking over as head coach for the rest of the season are true, I'm all for it, for the same reason I liked Jeff Bower being selected as Byron Scott's successor in New Orleans.

Too often in the NBA GMs consistently put together terribly mismatched rosters season after season and then fire the head coach after a season or two he if can't win with the sorry team he's been handed.

Like every other professional sport, the NBA is a copycat league. I hope more teams in the league start taking the approach that the Hornets and (potentially) the Nets are taking by essentially telling the GM, "Okay, you can fire the head coach. But you put this group of players together, now go prove to me that they really can win games or you're next to be fired."

The sexy move around the league the past two seasons is to fire the head coach as soon as things get ugly. Just once I want an owner to step up to a GM and say, "You know what, I like our head coach, you just gave him nothing to work with" and fire a GM over a coach.

It's gotten to the point that I actually feel bad for the Nets and their fans. It's one thing when a team completely quits on a coach, but it's another to see a team work hard night after night only to come up woefully short. The Nets fought back to make the final score somewhat respectable against the Lakers on Sunday. They did the same thing on Friday night in Sacramento.

It's hard not to root for this team to start to put something together, so they can at least have something to show for all the effort they are giving.

Having said that...

The Nets have already tied a record for futility and are going nowhere fast. If you're going to be historically inept, don't be half-assed about it. The '73 Sixers only won nine games.

When you're playing with a pair of 2s, why not go all-in and see if you can't make something out of this season, even if that something is the record for fewest wins in a season?

After all, no one remembers 15-win teams, but no one will forget the worst team in NBA history.

And at this rate, there's a good chance that the 2009-10 Nets will be remembered.

Scott Shepherd writes about the NBA every Monday for Sports Central. His blog, Diary of an NBA Junkie, is updated several times a week.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:21 AM | Comments (1)

November 29, 2009

Oh Marynell

Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee in the 1950s, women sports in high schools existed only as P.E. classes. Yet in the seventh grade while playing in the backyard with her older brother and her male cousins, Marynell Meadors decided that coaching was going to be her profession. Her biggest role models were elementary school teachers, a junior high principal, and a female basketball coach who put emphasis on hard work and fairness. She got her Bachelors and Masters in Physical Education and Physiology of Exercise from Middle Tennessee State University. Besides basketball, she played softball, tennis, and volleyball at MTSU. Her first job was at Tennessee Tech where she coached tennis, softball, and basketball for a budget of $100 dollars per sport.

Eventually, Marynell stayed with basketball and won over 300 games with Tennessee Tech before moving on to Florida State for a few years. In the WNBA expansion year of 1997, Marynell was named GM and coach with the Charlotte Sting. She took Charlotte to two playoff appearances before being fired in the middle of her third season. Staying in the WNBA, she became a scouting director for the Miami Sol in 2000 until the team folded in 2002. She went back to college as an assistant coach for Pitt Panthers under Agnus Berenato before returning to the WNBA as an assistant to the Washington Mystics in 2005. She served for three years with the Mystics before being named GM and coach again to the new WNBA expansion team, the Atlanta Dream, in 2007.

I like her persistent stubbornness of finding players through unconventional methods. She doesn't rely on hype or players coming to her. Instead, she sells her team to potential prospects. For instance, she convinced Chamique Holdsclaw to come out of retirement after about two years. She drafted Tamera Young from James Madison instead of players from bigger programs like Connecticut, Tennessee, and Stanford. As a scouting director for the Miami Sol, she signed the youngest WNBA rookie in Brazilian Iziane Castro Marques, from Florida International, as a free agent. Finally, as a college scout for Pittsburgh, she discovered Shavonte Zellous of Jones High in Orlando, Florida. Shavonte was a track star at Jones, but very raw when it came to basketball. However, Marynell noticed her potential that she could create her own shot without an offensive set play.

Lot of scouts and GM's tend to get individual players, but not try to build a team. In Marynell's case, she gets players and builds teams. She likes players who believe in hard work andfair play. When she was Charlotte, she built a solid nucleus of players such as Vicky Bullett, Andrea Stinson, Dawn Staley, and Rhonda Mapp who had those characteristics. As a scouting directing for the Sol, she built a solid nucleus of Ruth Riley, Sheri Sam, Yelena Baranova, and Sandy Brondello. When they folded, these players continued to play at a high level with the same characteristics. Now in Atlanta, she has those type of players in Erika DeSouza, Shalee Lehning, Sancho Little, Michelle Snow, and Angel McCoughtry with success and continuity.

If Marynell isn't able to continue her work as a WNBA coach, I would like to see an NBA team give her a job as a scout director. Maybe with the Memphis Grizzlies or the Charlotte Bobcats? She is able to find players whom others overlook and is able to attract star players. What stands out with Marynell as a scout is she goes to the players instead of the players coming to her. With these ingredients, she builds team chemistry through hard work and sportsmanship. I nominate Marynell Meadors as the best finder of talent in professional basketball.

Posted by Davan Mani at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

November 26, 2009

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 12

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Miami @ Buffalo (+3)

In the wake of Dick Jauron's firing in Buffalo, owner Ralph Wilson has promised sweeping changes to the organization, indicating that, indeed, "nobody circles the wagons in such a large radius as the Buffalo Bills." The Bills have lost three straight after last Sunday's 18-15 loss in Jacksonville, and will face a Miami team that pounded them 38-10 in Week 4.

"As you may have heard," says Wilson, "we've contacted Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher about the job. They've both declined, and oddly enough, both spurned the offer with the same words: 'You couldn't pay me enough to coach the Bills.' They're absolutely right, though. I can't afford those guys. What I can afford is another Dick Jauron-like coach, a defensive-minded fellow with little to no imagination and creativity when it comes to offense. Those guys are a dime a dozen, and usually not worth a nickel."

Despite the loss of Ronnie Brown for the season, the Dolphins running game didn't suffer in last Thursday's win over the Panthers. The Bills shoddy run defense can expect a healthy dose of Ricky Williams.

"We've don't need the 'wildcat' to run all over teams," says Tony Sparano. "Ricky's probably the greatest player to come out of the CFL since Warren Moon, and he's without a doubt the greatest to come off of THC in the history of the game. And this Miami franchise has so many owners, Bills fans will see the largest collection of 'Fin-gers' once we have the game in hand."

Williams rushes for 121 yards and a touchdown, and the Dolphins win, 24-17.

Seattle @ St. Louis (+1)

In an NFC West battle in which the word "implications" won't be used, the 1-9 Rams and running back Steven Jackson host the 3-7 Seahawks. Jackson leads the NFC in rushing with 1,031 yards, and became the first Ram to record five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

"Here in Seattle," says Jim Mora, "we definitely know a beast when we see one. Whether it's Bigfoot, teeny-bopping werewolves and vampires, or Courtney Love, we know when something should be feared. And we fear Jackson. Most people, including Vanilla Ice, would agree that no Ram has induced that much fright since Suge Knight. And, with Marc Bulger out for the year, we can expect even more of Jackson. In St. Louis, the popular saying in regards to Jackson is 'Ewe the man.'"

In last week's 35-9 loss in Minnesota, the Seahawks rushed for a grand total of 4 yards.

"I believe that offense is called the 'run and moot,'" says Steve Spagnuolo. "Hopefully, we'll have similar success at stopping the run. However, I think the Seahawks will try to throw more against us, and target T.J. Houshmandzadeh, not only to gain yardage, but to keep him happy. By all means, you need to keep that guy happy. Speaking of werewolves and vampires, T.J. looks a little bit like both. I imagine he avoids Coors Light beer and garlic."

Seattle wins, 24-20.

Washington @ Philadelphia (-9)

Offensive woes continue to plague the 3-7 Redskins. In last week's 7-6 loss in Dallas, Washington managed only 2 field goals, and two misses by Shawn Suisham likely cost them the game. With the Eagles up next, Jim Zorn knows the 'Skins will need more than the 14 points they've averaged so far this year.

"There were more 'scores' in Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address than we managed in Dallas," says Zorn. "If that's the case at Lincoln Financial Field, then we'll certainly go down again."

"I feel somewhat vindicated that our offense hasn't improved with Sherman Lewis calling the plays. But what was to be expected? With an expert bingo caller making the decisions, it's no surprise that our offense has been 'benign.'

The Eagles snapped a two-game skid with a big 24-20 win in Chicago, buoyed by big-play threat DeSean Jackson and quarterback Donovan McNabb. And, Philly was solid on the ground, rushing for 157 yards.

"I think we've proven we can succeed without Brian Westbrook," says McNabb. "I know two concussions is a lot to overcome, but if anyone can do it, it's Brian. He is one tough customer, and I have no doubts that he can fight through the effects of those concussions when given the okay to play. Heck, of all people, I should know. I played for two whole years with a 'headache' when Terrell Owens was here."

What's the most thankless job in the NFL? Bill Belichick's video assistant? Travis Henry's nanny? Cleveland Browns general manager? None of those. It's a Redskins defender.

The Washington defense keeps them in the game, but the Eagles pull away late for the win.

Eagles win, 23-16.

Arizona @ Tennessee (-1)

The Titans won their fourth straight, a 20-17 decision over the home-standing Texans, a game notable as Vince Young's return to his hometown of Houston, as well as for the unceasing praise from the Monday Night Football booth.

"Some of Bud Adams decisions have been questionable," says Jeff Fisher, "but not his adamance that I start Vince after our 0-6 start to the season. Bud can put a finger anywhere, including on the pulse of a franchise. He can even put 'finger print' in the Buffalo News, offering Bills fans an apology for his middle finger outburst. That's a totally selfless act. Bud's got more class in his middle finger than most people have in their index finger."

"As for the MNF's crew constant adoration of Vince, well, it was excessive. If Mike Fratello is the 'Czar of the Telestrator,' then Jon Gruden is the 'Czar of the Exaggerator.' Did I really hear Gruden crooning Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight'? Has he heard the song 'Wonderlic Tonight?' Coincidentally, both of those songs could go no higher than number one."

Kurt Warner suffered a head injury in the Cardinals 21-13 win over St. Louis, but it looks as though he'll play Sunday, although the Cardinals are taking a cautionary approach.

"Roughly translated," says Warner, "that means we don't want to tell the Titans Matt Leinart is playing until the latest possible time. I'm not sure Matt can quite appreciate what it's like to have your brain jarred in such a manner. 'Jello shot' has an entirely different meaning to him."

One team's winning streak will end on Sunday. And since the Cards have a comfortable lead in the NFC West, with Warner's status questionable, it's a perfect time for Arizona to "tank it."

Titans win, 27-22.

Indianapolis @ Houston (+3½)

The Colts are 10-0 after another narrow win, a 17-15 escape in Baltimore. Indianapolis has now won its last four games by a total of 10 points. One of those was a three-point win in Houston in Week 9, a loss the Texans have designs on avenging this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Hey, you've got to hand it to the Colts," says Gary Kubiak. "Heck, everyone's 'handing it' to the Colts, like Bill Belichick, and the Ravens offense, for example. But we've got more to offer that teams like the Patriots and Ravens. Unlike those teams, we've got the opportunity to hand Indy two wins. It's that spirit of giving that will have the Colts appropriately giving thanks in accordance with the holiday season."

Houston has lost its last two, both division games, by three points, and on both occasions, kicker Kris Brown missed field goals that would have sent the game into overtime.

"Believe me," says Brown, "I'm really disappointed. But as they say in this business, 'kickers have to have a short memory.' So, you can't get down on yourself when you miss. Luckily, when I try to 'kick myself,' I miss.

What's worse than the despair brought about by two tough division losses? A third. Peyton Manning throws for 2 touchdowns, and the Colts down the Texans, 27-21.

Cleveland @ Cincinnati (-14)

Hey, maybe LeBron James could play for the Browns. After Cleveland surrendered 416 yards passing and 5 touchdown scores to Matthew Stafford in a 38-37 loss to the Lions, it's apparent James could contribute on defense, maybe as a speed-rushing defensive end. Of course, that's assuming James, as an NFL player, could still operate under NBA rules, particularly the one forbidding blocking.

"It's an affront to all NFL players, present and past, for James to assume he could play at this level," says Chad Ochocinco. "I think James would be more suited to address a more glaring need for the Browns — the coaching position. But seriously, talking about James and football is like talking about me and humility. They just don't go together. So, as far as James and football go, everyone needs to shut the 'F' up."

"Now, I won't be sending any 'gifts' to the members of the Cleveland defensive backfield. The gift of gab is the gift that I have, and it's the only one Marvin Lewis will allow me to offer the opposing team. Besides, I don't take 'gag' orders from anyone."

Former Green Bay and Seattle coach Mike Holmgren has expressed his interest in working for the Browns and assisting in the turnaround of the struggling franchise. The Browns are 1-9 and in desperate need of guidance.

"Hey, what do you get when you cross Eric Mangini and Mike Holmgren?" asks Brady Quinn. "You get University of Kansas head coach Mark Mangino. Anyway, I think Holmgren would be a great addition. We need someone who's more concerned with the health of his own team than with injuries of the other team."

Bengals win, 27-9.

Carolina @ NY Jets (-3)

Mark Sanchez and Jake Delhomme have thrown 16 and 14 interceptions, numbers topped by only Jay Cutler's 18. While Delhomme and Sanchez have had their moments, most of their play this year has been unworthy of praise.

"As a big fan of hot dogs," say Sanchez, "I call that 'holding the relish.' And speaking of hot dog toppings, onions are a lot like Jets football — they both make Rex Ryan cry. Whatever you do, don't call him an 'S.O.B.' He might just do it."

At a disappointing 4-6 after last year's NFC South-winning year, the futures of Delhomme and head coach John Fox are up in the air.

"If you're talking about Jake's future," says John Fox, "it's best to describe it like you would his throws — 'pass tense.' Unfortunately, Jake signed a contract extension in April. In his case, you don't have to wait for the 'money shot;' it already is."

"Now, Sanchez is a lot like Joe Namath. He's a true entertainer. You never know what he's going to show up with, whether it be a hot dog, a hastily prepared statement, or an 'Apple' turnover. Jake lacks the cinematic flair, but like Sanchez, he lacks a key ingredient needed to be a good passer — aim."

The Jets and Panthers will both employ similar strategies, and that's a game plan that requires as little passing as possible. Edge to the Panthers — they've had an extra three days to design plays in which Delhomme takes the snap from center, hands off to a running back, and then remains as inconspicuous as possible.

Carolina wins, 24-23.

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta (-11½)

After a tough overtime loss to the Giants, the Falcons are 5-5 and further out of the NFC's wild card race, with three 6-4 teams ahead of them. Now, after two losses on the road, Atlanta returns to the confines of the Georgia Dome, where they are a perfect 4-0.

"We've got Georgia on our minds," says Mike Smith. "And even a blind man like Ray Charles can see that with kicker Jason Elam, we don't got the right one, baby. That's why we've brought in several kickers for tryout, and if one of those in particular wins the job, a Yugoslavian named Gus, he'll join Elam as a fellow kicker who looks like an ass."

In Tampa, the Bucs demoted defensive coordinator Jim Bates after the Saints posted 38 points last Sunday. Bates took over for former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, and Bates moved the defense away for the 'Tampa 2' defense made so successful by Kiffin.

"Jim got demoted because he 'de-Monte'd," says Morris. "And the decision is not open to 'de-Bates.'"

Falcons win, 30-17.

Kansas City @ San Diego (-13½)

The Chargers are in sole possession of the AFC West lead after a convincing 32-3 win in Denver, made even more satisfying after Josh McDaniels' comments in some pre-game banter that the Broncos "owned" the Chargers.

"Usually," says Shaun Phillips, "when I'm accosted by a 33-year-old white man in a hoody and a baseball cap, it's for Shawne Merriman's autograph. It's not often an NFL coach trash-talks you, unless of course you find yourself on the Atlanta Falcons sideline."

"As for those people who say we're peaking at the right time, well, that's just foolish. Yes, we're peaking, but is now the right time? No. We want to be peaking in late January and early February. Last year, we peaked at the right time. This year, though, we want to earn a playoff home game, and not have it handed to us just because we won the division."

In last week's 27-24 win over Pittsburgh, the Chiefs proved that primitive, Stone Age weaponry can overcome those forged from steel.

"And a knee to the head makes a handy tool as well," says Todd Haley. "As for the Chargers, we're hoping to catch them in an overconfident state. Right now, they're riding high, and are so full of themselves that they need changing. And speaking of dirty laundry, did Antonio Cromartie really nail someone in the head with a champagne bottle? The real question here is what was Cromartie even doing with a champagne bottle? The Chargers haven't won anything yet."

Cromartie's transgression won't tarnish San Diego's image, not with model citizen Philip Rivers on the team. He lives such a clean life, he's got a permanent milk mustache.

Chargers win, 32-14.

Jacksonville @ San Francisco (-3)

Two former linebackers-turned-coaches square off in San Francisco when Jack Del Rio and the Jaguars face the 49ers, helmed by "Samuarai" Mike Singletary. After a promising 3-1 start to the season, the 49ers have lost five of six, while the Jags have won three in a row and four of five.

"I have a ton of respect for Del Rio," says Singletary, "not only as a former linebacker, but also as a coach, as well as a human being. He was every bit the linebacker that I was, except without the Super Bowl ring, the Asian-flavored nickname, and the mad rap skills."

The Jaguars have won three in a row to improve to 6-4, a distant four games behind the Colts, but well within the playoff hunt.

"Hey, I'm a big fan of Singletary as well," says Del Rio. "When he speaks, you listen, much like you would if former 49er great Ronnie Lott were to endorse 'Stub Hub.' Now, Sunday's game will be a battle between two of the league's best backs, Maurice Jones-Drew and Frank Gore. If you tire easily of hearing about players with low centers of gravity, then this is not the game for you."

San Francisco wins, 23-17.

Chicago @ Minnesota (-10½)

Brett Favre established a career high for completion percentage, connecting on 88% of his passes in a 35-9 win over Seattle last week. Favre was 22-of-25 for 213 yards, and threw scoring strikes to four different receivers.

"Hey, I'm not even sure Jay Cutler has four different receivers," says Favre. "But he's great at compensating for that by throwing to the defense."

Things are rough in Chicago. Jay Cutler leads the league with 18 interceptions, and rumors mill is churning with the notion that Lovie Smith will be fired unless the Bears pull out a win in Minnesota, where the Vikings are 5-0.

"Like Favre," says Cutler, "I was supposed to be the savior of my new team. It hasn't quite worked out so well. Brett is widely considered the 'heavenly Favre.' But I'm not without my own divinity. Shoot, there are lots of people in Chicago that would like to see me 'spirited' away."

Vikings win, 30-17.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore (-2½)

Losses were aplenty in the AFC North last week, as all four division teams went down in defeat, leaving the division rankings intact and the Bengals still on top. The Ravens dropped a winnable 17-15 decision to the Colts, while the Steelers were stunned in overtime 27-24 in Kansas City. In that game, Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of the game with a concussion and backup Charlie Batch broke his wrist in relief.

"I've been cleared to play," says Roethlisberger, "and after Adam Lambert's performance at the American Music Awards, I should be cleared of all pending sexual assault charges, as well. Losing to the Chiefs was big; had we won that, I could have sat this one out while the cobwebs cleared. Now, this game is a must-win, and with Charlie Batch out, it would have been extremely unfair to throw third-stringer Dennis Dixon into the fire. Especially against a Ravens defense eager to take their anger towards Brady Quinn out on any quarterback. Me? I relish the opportunity. I've won two Super Bowls, so I've been 'king for a day.' Now's my chance to be 'Quinn for a day.'"

At 5-5, the Ravens need a win to enhance their playoff resume, as well as their confidence. A win over the Steelers would give Baltimore second place in the division.

"Hey, if Chris Johnson can boldly predict the Titans to win 10 straight games," says Ray Lewis, "then who's to say I can't predict five in a row for this team? Because I just did."

Steelers win, 26-16.

New England @ New Orleans (-3)

Tom Brady and the Patriots head to New Orleans for a huge Monday night showdown with the undefeated Saints. New England understands the pressure of remaining undefeated, as the Patriots were a perfect 16-0 in the 2008 regular season.

"It's imperative that we get off to a fast start against the Saints," says Tom Brady. "If you want to suck the life out of the Saints, then the best way, besides trading your entire draft for Ricky Williams, is to score two quick touchdowns. It's hard to call a game between the NFL's top two offenses a 'war.' In 'wars,' there's usually 'defense.'"

The Saints will score their share of points against the Patriots. Preventing the Pats from scoring will be their key to victory. To do so, New Orleans' opportunistic defensive backfield will have to slow Wes Welker and Randy Moss.

"Welker is sneaky-good," says Darren Sharper, "and Moss makes the game look so effortless. He puts the 'funk' in 'perfunctory.'"

New England wins, 41-38.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 36

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson finished fifth at Homestead, easily clinching his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship by a comfortable 141 points over Mark Martin. Johnson surpassed Cale Yarborough's mark of three straight titles, set from 1976 to 1978.

"Listen closely," Johnson said, admiring the Sprint Cup. "If you say 'repeat' into the Cup, it echoes three times."

"'V' is for 'victory'. And 'V' is also for '5,' which is what I'll be gunning for next year. Call it 'Five in Dime,' because it will be 'Johnson in 2010.'"

2. Mark Martin — Needing a miracle at Homestead, Martin didn't get it, coming home 12th in the Ford 400 and finishing second yet again in the championship race.

"Always the bridesmaid," Martin said, "never the bride. I figure if I hang around long enough, Jimmie Johnson will toss me the racer's equivalent of a garter, the fan belt, one of these days."

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon finished sixth at Homestead as teammate Jimmie Johnson clinched his fourth Sprint Cup championship, matching Gordon's title haul. Gordon finished third in the point standings, as Hendrick Motorsports finished 1-2-3.

"It's with the utmost respect," Gordon said, "when I say that Jimmie Johnson's 'got my number.'"

4. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin took over late in the Ford 400, leading the final 45 laps to take the checkered and his fourth win of the year. It was no doubt a satisfying win for Hamlin, but not nearly as satisfying as spinning Brad Keselowski in Saturday's Nationwide series Ford 300.

"I won the battle," said Hamlin, "but Jimmie Johnson won the war. And Keselowski lost both. It's funny. When I spun Keselowski on Saturday, he was more in control of his car that he ever was."

5. Kurt Busch — Busch led 43 laps at Homestead and finished fourth, his ninth top-five result of the year. He finished fourth in the point standings, 211 out of first.

"This is a result that we can build on for next year," Busch said. "I'm really excited about where this team is headed. However, it's with a bit of unease that I say I'm concerned about being the teammate of Brad Keselowski next year. That might have me looking for another team. As I'm sure Keselowski can relate, that's called 'reckless abandon.'"

6. Tony Stewart — While all eyes were on the developing Denny Hamlin/Brad Keselowski feud, Stewart and Juan Montoya actually gave people something to look at. Stewart sent Montoya into the wall on lap 116 after contact from the No. 14 cut Montoya's tire. Montoya retaliated on lap 155, bumping and spinning Stewart. Stewart recovered to finish 22nd.

"Not only was Montoya black flagged," Stewart said, "and rightly so. But from now on, he should be forced to carry a yellow flag at all times, because, everyone knows that the caution flies when there's a 'foreign object' on the track."

7. Juan Montoya — Montoya was black flagged by NASCAR officials after intentionally wrecking Tony Stewart on lap 166. Earlier, Stewart had nudged Montoya into the wall in retaliation for an incident on lap 116. Montoya finished 38th, and finished the year eighth in the points.

"You know what they say," Montoya said. "'Where there's 'Smoke,' there's usually a fire.' And I was just doing my civic duty by trying to 'put it out.' Unfortunately for the fans, this feud won't be resolved on the track, although taking into account the hot tempers of the two principals, don't be surprised if one or both ends up in 'track-tion.'"

"For the immediate future, though, there should be some very entertainingly awkward moments at the NASCAR awards banquet."

8. Greg Biffle — Biffle closed the year with a 14th in the Ford 400, and finished seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, 321 out of first. Biffle and Carl Edwards, the only two Roush Fenway drivers in the Chase, finished the year with no wins.

"Regardless of what Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray say," Biffle said, "myself and Carl are not collectively known as 'Biff and the Stiff.' At Homestead, the only Fords at the top of the race results were the sponsors."

9. Carl Edwards — Edwards posted only his third top-10 finish of the Chase, scoring a seventh in the Ford 400. He finished 11th in the point standings, 534 out of first.

"After nine wins last year," said Edwards, "it's certainly disheartening to end the season without a single win. I honestly thought I would be the man to dethrone the king. So, my season could be summarized with 'Frisbees, Flipping, and Flopping.' And, yes, the Aflac duck, like myself, can lay an egg."

10. Kasey Kahne — Kahne finished 17th at Homestead, closing out the year in tenth in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"Jimmie Johnson's accomplishments have been an inspiration to drivers and fans alike," Kahne said. "He's inspired fellow drivers to try their best to unseat his championship run, and he's inspired fans to stop watching unless we do."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

November 25, 2009

NFL Week 11 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* NFL.com keeps getting worse. Now you have to go to 17 different pages to see the entire season schedule. It used to just be one. The league is deliberately making things harder for its users.

* Jon Gruden asked on Monday night whom Chris Johnson should be compared to. Isn't it obvious? Tony Dorsett.

* The Mighty MJD on Denver's QB situation: "[Chris] Simms was bad enough for [Josh] McDaniels to decide that it was worth risking the long-term health of his starting quarterback. I never understood why McDaniels didn't go back to Simms when it was clear that the game was decided, though." I didn't understand why, either.

* There's no such thing as a 17-point play. Rex Ryan called timeout with :05 left in the game, down 31-14. At best, that wastes everyone's time. At worst, someone gets hurt. Did Rex not hear about the end of the Cleveland game last week?

* The Cardinals are one of the oldest teams in the NFL, but they've been terrible for much of their history, so statistics like this keep popping up now that they're good: the team is 5-0 on the road for the first time since 1948, when the Chicago Cardinals made the NFL Championship Game.

***

We're just past midseason, and in last week's comments section, a small debate arose over what power rankings mean. With apologies to my regular readers, I'd like to explain how I view them, and why I think mine are the best NFL power rankings you'll find.

Some people feel that power rankings should basically just copy and paste the standings. I think that's pointless. If that's what you want, just look at the standings themselves. Maybe something like that makes sense in college football, where teams play radically different schedules and the postseason makes no sense, but in the NFL it's a waste of time.

My power rankings are designed to tell you who the best teams are right now. This column is for recreational purposes only, but if, hypothetically, you wanted to bet on games, my rankings would be a much better guide than, say, ESPN's. What this means is that I'm looking exclusively at recent results. Week 1 is ancient history. Those games before your star player got hurt? Different team. And a close loss to a good team, like Baltimore's heartbreaker against Indianapolis, is more impressive than a close win over a bad team, like Detroit's victory over the Browns. Nobody in their right mind thinks the Lions played better this weekend than the Ravens, and good power rankings should reflect that.

If this makes sense to you, I think you'll appreciate the rankings below. If it's not what you were looking for, almost every major sports website has the traditional rankings that I think are pointless. But really, save yourself some time and just go to the standings.

And now, on to the rankings themselves. Brackets show previous rank.

1. Indianapolis Colts [1] — This is amazing: their last four games have been decided by 1, 2, 3, and 4 points. That's interesting for the coincidence, but worrisome for the Colts. They've been held below 20 points in three of the last four weeks, and the defense is too reliant on big plays. Indianapolis ranks near the middle of the pack in yards allowed, but leads the NFL in points allowed because of good field position and timely turnovers. No matter how good your ballhawks are, there's a lot of luck involved in turnovers, and if you don't get them one week, that can cause problems. I'm mistrustful of "bend, don't break" defenses.

2. New Orleans Saints [3] — Fell behind 7-0, then went on a 38-0 run for an easy victory. The Saints have scored 48 touchdowns this season, 11 more than anyone else and about 5.5 times as many as the Raiders (9). This weekend was the sixth time in 2009 that New Orleans has scored at least 5 touchdowns in a game. New Orleans is one of three teams with a turnover differential of +10 or better. The unsung hero is defensive end Will Smith, who leads the team with 8.5 sacks, more than any two of his teammates combined. New Orleans can clinch the NFC South this week with a win and a Falcons loss.

3. New England Patriots [2] — Laurence Maroney had a breakout game, with 77 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he wasn't New England's best player this weekend. Tom Brady went 28-for-41 with 310 yards, a touchdown, and no turnovers, but he wasn't New England's best player this weekend. Leigh Bodden intercepted three passes and returned one of them for a touchdown, and even he probably wasn't New England's best player this weekend, because Wes Welker caught 15 passes for 192 yards. Welker leads the NFL in receptions despite missing 2½ games.

4. San Diego Chargers [8] — For the second season in a row, they've overcome a substantial deficit to pass Denver for the division lead. San Diego has won five in a row, including three straight against opponents with winning records. This seems kind of unfair, and I feel awful about it, but I'm not going to vote for Vincent Jackson for the Pro Bowl this year. He's having a great season, and he deserves to go. But my ballot is: Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, and Welker. I think it's pretty obvious that those are the top four wide receivers in the AFC right now.

5. Minnesota Vikings [6] — They're still untested, with a laughable .360 strength of schedule, but I've been waiting all season for the Vikings to dominate an opponent, really put them away, and they finally did it this weekend. Minnesota has some tough opponents coming up soon, and those games should tell us more about this team heading into the postseason. In the meantime, can we dispense with the absurd idea that their quarterback is a legitimate MVP candidate? He's not even the most valuable player on his own team (Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen), and he's certainly not the best QB in the league (where would their respective teams be without Peyton Manning and Drew Brees?).

6. Cincinnati Bengals [4] — I'm prepared to chalk this up to a letdown game after they completed the season sweep of Pittsburgh. Bernard Scott played well, so I don't think this was about Cedric Benson's absence. The four turnovers probably had something to do with it. You have to think they'll bounce back, with the next two games at home, against Cleveland and Detroit.

7. Tennessee Titans [11] — Statistically, Vince Young didn't have a great game on Monday night: 116 yards, 84.7 passer rating, a turnover. He did pass for a touchdown and rush for 73 yards. Young was much more impressive than those numbers communicate. He seemed to make a play whenever he needed to, his decision-making was sound, his throws were accurate, and the threat he presents as a runner opened up opportunities in both the air and ground attacks. With Young on the bench, Donovan McNabb in the pocket, and Michael Vick in prison, we didn't see any truly dynamic running QBs last season, and Young reminded us this week why they create such headaches for opposing defenses.

8. Arizona Cardinals [7] — It sounds like Kurt Warner intends to play next week, despite "concussion-like" symptoms that caused him to miss the second half on Sunday. Concussions have been a big story in the NFL this season, but players and teams still aren't taking them seriously enough. Mixed martial arts has a higher safety standard in this area than the NFL does. If a UFC fighter gets a concussion, he'll land on medical suspension for at least 45 days, often longer. In the NFL, he's usually back after missing one or two weeks. As recently as two or three seasons ago, concussions weren't seen as a big deal. If a player got a concussion, I assumed he would be back in action the next weekend, and he usually was. The more research becomes available on this topic, the more clear it becomes how serious concussions are for the future health of the athletes involved. Players, teams, and the league need to do a better job of keeping players with head injuries out of dangerous situations. The Cardinals are going to win their division, and I think it would make a lot of sense for Matt Leinart to play in Week 12 while Warner gets his head right.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers [5] — They're 3-0 when Troy Polamalu plays the whole game, 3-4 when he doesn't — including uncharacteristic losses to Chicago and Kansas City in their first games without him. I don't think that's a coincidence, but I'm also not reading not a whole lot into this week's loss. Pittsburgh outplayed KC in most aspects of the game, out-gaining them almost 2:1, winning time of possession by 2:1, and making twice as many first downs. The Steelers lost because of turnovers and special teams. The latter is a recurring problem that needs to be fixed.

10. Dallas Cowboys [10] — Where has the offense gone? Dallas scored more than 30 points in four of its first seven games, but now has been held to 7 points in back-to-back weeks. Miles Austin's productivity has dried up now that defenses treat him as a go-to receiver, and Jason Witten is having the worst season of his career. Does any offensive coordinator in the league get less out of the talent in his lineup than Jason Garrett?

11. Philadelphia Eagles [15] — Another unimpressive victory. The Eagles have only looked really good once in the last six weeks, when they blasted the Giants 40-17 in Week 8. Their other games during that time have been losses or ugly wins. The offensive is explosive but inconsistent, and that's the main issue right now. There's nothing wrong with the defense that a few guys getting healthy won't fix.

12. Baltimore Ravens [12] — A decade's worth of tough losses crammed into one season. The Ravens are +66 in point differential this season, despite their 5-5 record. They've lost by 6, 3, 2, 10, and 2, to teams with a combined record of 40-10. It's hard to rank them any higher than this when they keep losing, and their last win (over Cleveland) was not impressive, but with an easier schedule — or just a few balls bouncing differently — the Ravens could have three or four more wins.

13. Houston Texans [9] — When your pass attack is as good as Houston's, it can be tempting to relegate the ground game to a formality, but running the ball has hidden benefits. It gives your defense time to rest and keeps the opponents' on the field. It sets up play-action to help your passing game. Even apart from that, it slows down opposing pass rushes and makes their defensive play-calls and gameplanning harder. It also significantly improves your ball control and chances of making first downs. Look at the best third-down conversion rates in the league. It's the Colts, who have been on top for most of the Peyton Manning era, and a bunch of teams with good running games. Look at the bottom: teams with bad offenses, plus the Eagles and Cardinals, who have good offenses but can't run. Houston needs to commit to Steve Slaton. The fumble-itis that got him benched was unacceptable, but he's a weapon, and the team is underperforming if he's not getting 20 touches a game.

14. Miami Dolphins [14] — Ronnie Brown will miss the remainder of the season, but Ricky Williams looks ready to step up in Brown's absence. Williams was the story on Thursday night, but Chad Henne is now 5-2 as starter, with the losses coming to the Patriots and Saints. No shame in that. Henne isn't Peyton Manning, but he's a good fit for this team right now, and there's every reason to believe he'll develop with time. It's too early for any kind of Henne bandwagon, but he's off to a promising start. The Dolphins should look for a receiver in the offseason to give him some weapons.

15. Green Bay Packers [16] — Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith will always be connected by the 2005 draft. The 49ers chose Smith, and Rodgers unexpectedly fell to 23rd in the draft. Smith started a few games as a rookie, whereas Rodgers sat on the bench and didn't start a game until his fourth season. Obviously, they've developed in different environments, but it seems clear now that the Packers made the better choice. Green Bay lost two defensive starters in the win last weekend. They're really going to miss Al Harris.

16. New York Giants [18] — Their overtime win against Atlanta prompted an incredibly self-righteous and surprisingly ill-informed comment from Bob Costas. I personally don't think the NFL's overtime system is bad enough that it needs fixing, but it isn't perfect, and I understand the appeal of making a coin-flip less consequential. Rather than any of Costas' loony suggestions, here are two easy possibilities: move up the kickoff, or play a timed period instead of sudden death. Until 1994, when kickoffs were moved from the 35-yard line to the 30, the team that lost the coin toss actually had a better record in overtime than the team that won the toss. Wouldn't it make more sense to move the kickoff five yards than to eliminate special teams? Alternatively, instead of a bizarre "sudden death +1" scheme in which it's not sudden death if the coin-flip winner scores on its first possession (which Costas actually suggested), how about an 8-minute or 10-minute overtime period with no sudden death? Rather than partially scrap sudden death, just play an extra 2/3 of a quarter and see who's winning when time runs out. That's fair, and it doesn't require any radical rules changes or confusing and counter-intuitive overtime policies. There are simple solutions to this issue.

17. Carolina Panthers [13] — The reshuffled offensive line played pretty well on Thursday, but they obviously miss injured LT Jordan Gross. Jake Delhomme actually played reasonably well against Miami, but there needs to be more balance in the offense. The passing game has been a liability all year, and this team was successful last season by running when it could and throwing when it had to. DeAngelo Williams should get 15-20 carries every game.

18. Atlanta Falcons [17] — Defense is a huge issue. The Falcons rank 28th in yards allowed and have given up at least 4 touchdowns in four of the last five weeks. Atlanta also has homesickness. The team is 4-0 at home, 1-5 on the road.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars [21] — Regular readers know that I often forecast doom and gloom for running backs with heavy workloads. My recent concerns have centered around Cedric Benson and Michael Turner, both of whom got hurt in Week 10 and were unable to play this weekend. I mention this because Maurice Jones-Drew has three straight games with at least 24 carries and is only 3 attempts from tying his career-high. I know he's your best weapon, but you've got to think long-term about these things.

20. San Francisco 49ers [20] — Lost five of their last six. There's a pretty substantial gap between 19th and 20th this week. The Niners' offense put some nice things together in the second half against Green Bay, but the defense just got massacred. I don't understand letting Alex Smith throw 33 times when Frank Gore only gets 7 carries. This is an issue that affects not only the offense, but the defense, as well. The 49ers only made 11 first downs and had 18:21 time of possession, a 23-minute deficit. No defense can stay fresh when it's on the field that long.

21. Washington Redskins [23] — Injuries are part of the problem, but this team has had the same issues for most of the decade: the offense can't score and the defense doesn't generate turnovers. Washington is 29th in scoring, tied for last in interceptions, and -5 in turnover differential. Jason Campbell has done some good things the last few weeks, and he's not really any worse than the quarterbacks who preceded him in Washington, but this is never going to be an effective offense until it has a QB who can read defenses and throw downfield in ways that Campbell is not able to. Rebuilding the offensive line is a necessity, as well. On defense, part of the issue is scheme: this unit tries to keep everything in front of it, rather than gambling for interceptions or blitzing aggressively. Part of it is personnel. An elite cornerback would do wonders for this team, especially if Albert Haynesworth can stay healthy to draw double-teams and create opportunities for Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo.

22. New York Jets [24] — They've lost three in a row and six of the last seven. Everyone in the 20s is terrible, or they would rank lower than this. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez has become a real liability. The Jets aren't a serious playoff contender at this point, so it's not necessarily a bad idea for him to keep playing, but the coaches need to be aware of his confidence level, and if he starts to lose faith in himself, they might want to sit him a few games for his own good.

23. Chicago Bears [25] — Lost three in a row and five of the last six. Peanut Tillman kept them in the Sunday night game by forcing 3 fumbles, but the defense suffered several key breakdowns, and the offense was unable to mount sustained drives. This team misses its running game a great deal.

24. Kansas City Chiefs [29] — Two wins in a row, and three of their last five. They have the same record as Buffalo, Seattle, and Washington, though they're generally perceived not to be as good as those teams because their success is more recent. Matt Cassel now has twice as many TD passes as interceptions, and the team has played its best football without Larry Johnson. It would be helpful if Cassel threw the ball away rather than taking sacks.

25. Seattle Seahawks [22] — Not competitive in Week 11. The Seahawks were out-gained 2:1, lost time of possession by 25 minutes, converted only one third down, and were held to four rushing yards. This team is getting worse, not better, as the season continues.

26. Buffalo Bills [26] — I don't know what they accomplished by firing Dick Jauron now instead of in January, and other than making T.O. happy, I feel the same way about benching Trent Edwards for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Edwards hasn't played well this season, but no one else on that unit has, either, and unlike Fitzpatrick, Edwards has an upside.

27. Denver Broncos [19] — Obviously, this is an incredibly low rank for a 6-4 team. But has anyone played worse in the last month than Denver? I mean anyone, including the Browns. Since the bye, Denver has lost four straight games, all by double-digits, including a decisive loss to punchless Washington and three humiliating blowouts. Over that time, the Broncos have been outscored 117-37, against teams with a combined record of 21-19. During the same period, Cleveland has been outscored 115-46, against teams with a combined record of 17-23. I don't see much of a difference. This team seems to have totally fallen apart, and I think a reasonable argument could be made for ranking them even lower. Has anyone played worse in the last month?

28. Oakland Raiders [30] — How are we supposed to evaluate this team? They beat the Eagles and the Bengals, but lost to the Chiefs and looked like an FCS team in their games against the Giants and Jets. They probably deserve to be higher than this, but I need to see some consistency first. Oakland is last in the NFL in scoring.

29. St. Louis Rams [28] — They've played a tough schedule that includes teams with the three best records in the league (Colts, Saints, Vikings), plus the Cardinals, who are tied for fourth. They have a winnable game next week, at home against Seattle. The Seahawks won their first meeting this season, 28-0 in Week 1, and next week's game will give us an idea about how each team has changed in the meantime.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [27] — This team used to be known for its defense. Only once this season have the Bucs held an opponent below 20 points (Week 4 vs. Washington). They have been outscored by 130 points this season, third-worst in the NFL.

31. Detroit Lions [31] — Dramatic last-second victory could be a sign that this team is moving in the right direction, getting beyond its culture of losing. Or it could mean that the Browns are just really bad. Detroit has allowed a disgraceful 110.3 passer rating to opposing QBs this season. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are battling injuries and may be unavailable for the team's annual Thanksgiving game.

32. Cleveland Browns [32] — When I'm feeling down after a tough loss, nothing cheers me up like a good poem. Here's a haiku I wrote for the Browns:

You lost to Detroit.
At least you scored in this game.
It sucks to be you.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:56 AM | Comments (5)

Thanksgiving Prep: Setting the Table

I will confess; this was the first Saturday where I was able to, unfettered, watch an entire day's worth of college football. Don't yell at me. I play rugby and our games are on Saturday. So lay off; I've been watching during Saturday evenings and nights.

Now, the major plot-line of this season (one with no developments this weekend) is the number of teams with nothing in the loss column. And folks, it's getting real late. Assuming TCU and Boise State don't get completely and utterly shafted, we could have five undefeated teams in BCS bowls. And how fun would that be? Four could win. That's what I'm rooting for: chaos. Then the head honchos will have to admit the system isn't working. HA! (Aw, who am I kidding?)

This weekend, meanwhile, turned out to be pretty weak matchup-wise, so thanks for welcoming me back to free Saturdays, NCAA. No one in the top 10 played anyone mildly threatening. Just one game between ranked teams (three were ranked vs. almost-ranked). But even in an off week, there were plenty of dramatics and plot lines, with the smoke clearing in the Pac-10 race, the second party in the ACC title game determined, and multiple cases of unfathomably horrid late-game coaching. And since national angles made little headway this week, here's a rundown: what happened, and what we learned from the third-to-last week of college football.

Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28 (Thursday)

What happened: The Cowboys snuck past a bad Colorado team. Also, they learned with QB Zach Robinson out: Alex Cate, bad (started, went 0-for-9 with a pick); Brandon Weeden, good (10-16, 268 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs).

What it means: They remain in the BCS hunt, hopefully in the back of the line needing help. And if they have a problem with two non-BCS teams going over them they shouldn't have lost to Houston.

Ohio State 21, Michigan 10

Really, this oft-lauded rivalry is not really relevant now thanks to Michigan's worthlessness. Ohio State is still the class of a mediocre conference which, again, peaked with Iowa-over-Arizona and Michigan-over-Notre Dame. And while Rich Rodriguez deserves another couple more years to get his system working at Michigan, this season was putrid. At a big program like that, the leash is not very long and it gets tight in a hurry. Ask Charlie Weis a couple games down.

Florida A Lot, Florida International 3

What happened: A November scrimmage.

What it means: Nothing.

Alabama 45, Tennessee Chattanooga 0

What happened: Tennessee Chattanooga added Alabama to the list of other teams that have beaten them: Appalachian State, Elon, Georgia Southern, and Furman. Yay, SoCon.

What it means: Nick Saban takes his foot off the throttle earlier than Urban Meyer (10 second-half points). Then again, it was an FCS team loaded with players rejected by Sun Belt teams like, well, Florida International.

Clemson 34, Virginia 21

What happened: Clemson pulled away from Virginia in the second half, beating a team that it should have beat. (If you know Clemson, you know this is no given.)

What it means: Clemson will play in the ACC title game for the first time. Of course it wouldn't be a Clemson season if the results were clean cut. Their two ACC losses, both close, came against Georgia Tech (10-1, and in the title game with Clemson), and Maryland (0-6 ACC, 1-9 overall against Not Clemson in '09). Still, Clemson finally got there, and somewhere Terry Bowden is sad.

Connecticut 33, Notre Dame 30 (2 OT)

What happened: An incredible game overshadowed by the pending doom resonating through Notre Dame Stadium. The way this season has transformed for the Irish, no one there could have believed this would end well. And it didn't. Cue TV shots of fans crying. Female fans also shed tears.

What it means: Charlie Weis will probably be fired. In a hilarious twist (well, funny for us, sad for him) it will come in a season where his team is bowl eligible and hasn't lost a single game by more than 7. But with Irish fans, you'd be better off calling the Four Horsemen sissy-boys than calling consecutive losses to Navy, Pittsburgh, and UConn acceptable moral victories. A good (and pissed) Stanford team might be willing to provide a proper sendoff for Weis.

Cal 34, Stanford 28

What happened: In a game in which both teams made comebacks, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was intercepted at the three by Mike Mohamed with 1:42 left. This was mystifying. A Toby Gerhart reception (on which he carried two defenders on his back for the last few yards) had gained the Cardinal 29 yards to the 13. So clock was no longer a factor, and the 235-pound back had also bulldozed for 139 yards on 20 carries. Most defenders would rather tackle a bonfire. And you have four downs to get the next 10 yards. So why would you throw the ball to the end zone two straight plays?

If anything, you want to take time off the clock. And did I mention you have a human wrecking ball and Heisman candidate at tailback ... who has 1,531 yards rushing on the year, with 23 touchdowns, including ALL FOUR Saturday? And Luck has had a great freshman year, but had completed just 10-of-28 passes before those final two plays. One play-fake I get. And on third- and fourth-and-long, maybe the hand is forced. But you don't give Gerhart a shot (or four) to give some Bears a piggy-back ride into the end zone? And the announcers/analysts I've heard/read seemed to have no issue with that? Am I taking crazy pills? Do I need to start taking crazy pills?

What it means: Stanford finishes 6-3 in the Pac-10, Rose Bowl shot crushed. (It would have been later that night regardless, but this was an arch-rival they had beaten once since 2001.) Oregon State losing to Oregon could result in a mega-tie there. Cal (must beat Washington), and the USC/Arizona winner (each would also have to dispatch an inferior arch-rival) could join Oregon State and Stanford at that mark. There's never been less separating the Holliday, Sun, Emerald, and Vegas Bowls.

Mississippi 25, LSU 23

What happened: If the decisions by Stanford left me confused, this one left me Googling the reservation policies of local mental institutions. LSU spiked the ball on a play starting with one second left. Let that sink into your skull a minute. In another rivalry game between competitive teams looking to improve their bowl lot, LSU had pulled rabbits out of the hat all night, including the slickest onside kick recovery I've ever seen. But the one thing they needed (other than the two-point conversion after their TD with 1:17 left) was one extra second to kick a field goal after a 42-yard, fourth-down miracle bomb to get to the six.

Of course, that second and more like it had been readily available after the previous mistake, a misguided screen pass (which came after a sack that took them out of long field goal range). Over 25 seconds were left at the end of that screen. Nine remained when they realized, yeah, probably a good spot for a timeout. Because, you know, if by some act of the football gods we survive this 4th-and-26, we'll be in field goal range, and the clock will stop just long enough for chains to move. So we might want time for a spike before the impending field goal.

And Les Miles was running down the sideline violently mimicking the spiking motion to his quarterback in the confusion after miracle bomb. No field goal team ready, no wherewithal to realize there was no time for a spike. Brilliant.

What it means: LSU fans now realize that Les Miles is not Nick Saban. And Ole Miss climbs into a virtual tie with the Tigers for the third spot in the pecking order for SEC Bowl spots. Both will be playing on New Years Day anyway, so mostly, pride is the real gain. Or in this case, loss.

Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2 OT)

What happened: The most incredible game of the day. Several ties and lead changes, two overtimes, and Jeremiah Masoli had a career night with 6 touchdowns (3 running and 3 passing), 284 yards passing, and 61 more rushing.

Frosh LaMichael James pitched in 117 yards on just 19 carries, and had people saying LeGarrette Who? (And caustically wondering how Oregon kept finding running backs in France.) But down seven with 2:58 to play and the ball at their own 20, it was Masoli that carried the load. Outside of two big James carries for 25 yards, the ball was put in Masoli's hands on each of the other 13 plays in the drive. With 0:28 left on 4th-and-5 at the 23, he completed an 8-yard pass to Eric Mahel (also a monster: 12 catches, 114 yards, 2 scores). Then he hit Ed Dickson from eight out with just six seconds left.

After that, Oregon was not to be stopped. The opening drive of OT took five plays to hit paydirt (thanks to James' 21-yard run to the four) and after Arizona tied it and then settled for a field goal to go up 41-38, the last drive of OT took the Ducks just four plays (thanks to Masoli's 23-yard pass to Dickson to the two). And who plowed in for the winning score? Who else?

What it means: Arizona will not play in its first Rose Bowl. A Pac-10 that started the week with four teams in the race now has two. Oregon will be the team to formally end USC's reign with a win over Oregon State. A loss, and Oregon State will tie Oregon for the title and head off to the Rose Bowl. The Civil War just got a lot less civil.

Enjoy your rivalry games this week. And the turkey. Oh, the turkey.

Posted by Kyle Jahner at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

NFL Weekly Predictions: Thanksgiving

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Green Bay @ Detroit (+10½)

Detroit's stunning 38-37 win over the Browns last week certainly gives the Lions a measure of momentum heading into their annual Thanksgiving Day game, this time against NFC North division rival Green Bay. After Matthew Stafford found Brandon Pettigrew for a 1-yard touchdown pass on the game's final play, pandemonium reigned in Detroit, the likes of which haven't been seen since the doors opened to festival seating at the Bob Seger concert at Cobo Hall back in 1977.

"Unlike last year," says Stafford, "there's hope for a win on Thanksgiving this year. We've got two wins under our belt, and with success, to use the term loosely, fans come to expect even more. As such, Lions fans have become so demanding that they're expecting a win on Thanksgiving by the home team."

"As you know, I made that last play with a separated shoulder. And I suffered a dislocated knee earlier this year. So do me a favor. On Thanksgiving, after the turkey's gone and it's time to tear the wishbone in two, should that wishbone break your way, put in a wish for bones remaining in their sockets."

Aaron Rodgers' mouth must be watering at the thought of facing a Detroit defense that surrendered 304 yards passing and 4 touchdown passes to Brady Quinn last week. Rodgers threw for 344 against the 49ers, and suffered only two sacks, a marked improvement to the protection issues he's often faced this year.

"Those offensive line issues are behind us," said Rodgers. "We've effectively removed the 'drop' from the three-, five-, and seven-step drop. This A-Rod's 'slugging' percentage is tumbling towards the Mendoza Line. No longer do my linemen worry about 'roughing the passer.' Now it's a case of 'roughing the passé.'"

With Stafford and Johnson likely to sit, or at best, play hurt, the Lions offense will suffer. And Rodgers should have his way through the air. Rodgers throws for 278 yards and 3 scores, and the Packers win, 34-17.

Oakland @ Dallas (-14)

An unlikely hero emerged in Oakland as Bruce Gradkowski, starting in place of the benched JaMarcus Russell, helped the Raiders to a 20-17 upset win over Cincinnati. Gradkowski's 29-yard pass to Louis Murphy with 33 seconds left tied the game, setting the stage for Sebastian Janikowski's game-winning field goal after a Bengal fumble.

"During this time of year," says Gradkowski, "I'm thankful for many things. But mostly for the fact that Al Davis prefers white meat over dark meat. I understand that I'm likely just a temporary fill-in while JaMarcus gets his head on straight and heals his bruised ribs. No, he didn't take any vicious hits; it's the result of me nudging him in the side to wake him up in meetings. JaMarcus' study habits leave a lot to be desired. Often I've tried talking 'Xs and Os' with JaMarcus. Inevitably, he always ends up asking 'Who's move is it?' Or it results in some unwanted hugs and kisses."

With a tenuous one-game lead in the NFC East, the Cowboys have a lot to play for, and can ill-afford a let down against the 3-7 Raiders. A lackluster 7-6 win over the Redskins kept the 'Boys on top of the NFC East.

"A 7-6 win?" says Tony Romo. "I guess we won in a tiebreaker, and such an unimpressive win is sure to create a 'racket' here in Dallas. And that certainly seems to be the case with the altercation between Dave Campo and Terrence Newman. Coaches and players should never become physically involved, unless that coach is an attractive, blonde model/actress/singer. Campo and Newman crossed the line, and are guilty of a 'double fault.' Usually, no good can come of such a confrontation, but there are exceptions — Newman's shove of Campo was the best 'jam' we've ever seen from Terrence in years."

Dallas will need wins over inferior opponents to maintain their division lead, and remain on track for an early playoff exit against the Giants or Eagles. Dallas is clearly the better team, but you never know which raider team will show up. As they proved last week against the Bengals, sometimes the stars align, as do the liver spots on Al Davis' face, and the Raiders play with inspiration.

But not Thursday. The Dallas rush harasses Gradkowski, and Romo throws two scores to Patrick Crayton, while Roy Williams proves that Thanksgiving is not only a time for turkey legs, but "alligator arms," as well.

Dallas wins, 31-13.

NY Giants @ Denver (+5)

With an overtime win over the Falcons, the Giants ended a four-game losing streak, and will now face a Denver unit reeling from their own four-game skid. Collectively, the Giants and Broncos surrendered 66 points last week, and unless their respective defenses can return to early-season form, disappointment is sure to follow.

"Last week saw me 'eating crow' after the Chargers whipped us," says Josh McDaniels. "If we, in fact, 'owned' the Chargers, then they 'repossessed' themselves. So suffice it to say I won't be talking any trash to the Giants before the game. On Thanksgiving, I plan to do nothing but 'talk turkey,' and engage the Giants in a spirited discussion over what my most glaring flaw is — being overrated or being underage."

The Giants racked up 456 yards of offense against the Falcons, but that kind of yardage will be likely harder to come by in the altitude at Mile High Stadium against a Bronco defense eager to recapture early season glory.

"Hey, we're looking for our 'mojo', too," says Tom Coughlin. "As in the case of the Broncos, it's probably locked deep inside the magic of past Super Bowl wins. For us, I'm guessing a cavity search of Plaxico Burress would turn up some of that lost 'mojo.' But I'd prefer to find it somewhere else."

With some of the Broncos bickering amongst themselves, it's time for McDaniels to "take ownership" and get their minds right, because there's obviously been a failure to communicate. Or, in simpler terms, he could just tell Marshall he needs a huge game from him.

Marshall catches 8 passes for 123 yards and 2 scores, and the Broncos win, 24-21.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:49 AM | Comments (2)

November 24, 2009

Stamkos: Tampa Bay's New MVP

One year ago, Steven Stamkos' former coach, Barry Melrose, lashed out at the entire Tampa Bay organization and, in particular, said that Stamkos was not ready for the NHL due to its size and physicality. However, in the second half of his rookie year, Stamkos put up roughly a point per game and turned into a key cog for the rebuilding Tampa Bay Lightning. He starred at the World Championships and has been the best player in the entire state of Florida so far this season.

Not ready for the NHL? There's a reason why Melrose hasn't been offered another coaching gig after his disastrous stint in Tampa Bay. Not only is Stamkos ready for the NHL, he's been one of the league's best players this season and is making it difficult for Team Canada's Olympic decision makers to ignore him. Oh, and against the Anaheim Ducks, he put in what many are already calling the goal of the year — a sliding-on-his-butt mid-air knock in of the puck past Jonas Hiller.

He's more than ready. In fact, could Stamkos be an early candidate for the Hart Trophy in just his second year? Let's look at his numbers. While he isn't matching the early-season output of surprising Anze Kopitar, Stamkos is still clicking at better than a point per game. He's playing all situations, averaging just about as much special teams time per game Vincent Lecavalier. In fact, through 20 games, Stamkos averaged a few seconds more of total ice time per game than Lecavalier.

Is it fair to include shootout stats? Probably not, since the individual trick-shots take away from the team element of the game. Still, you can pencil in Stamkos, along with Lecavalier, as one of only two guys to put the puck in the net in the over-overtime session.

Stamkos is producing in all situations, as well, with a half-dozen power play goals along with the Lightning's lone shorthanded tally at the quarter pole of the season. While he's not eating up the same shorthanded ice time as, say, Jeff Halpern or Ryan Malone, those guys also occupy a different defensive role on the team. The fact that he's able to contribute well to the shorthanded squad in his sophomore campaign still indicates quite a bit about the development of his game and his on-ice maturity.

The 20-year-old star is even doing well at face-offs, winning 50.6% of them while taking a significant portion of draws. Face-offs are typically the last thing to come around for a star player; look at the face-off percentages over the careers of guys like Sidney Crosby, Mike Modano, or Joe Thornton and you'll see that it took a few years for them to get up there. At 20 games into the season, that's enough of a sample size to say that Stamkos is pretty reliable (though not one of the best) at face-offs, and that's absolutely key to having an all-around game.

If this pace keeps up, there's no doubt that Stamkos will be Tampa's team MVP at the end of the season. Is that enough to warrant Hart Trophy consideration? That may all depend on how the Lightning fair this season. Tampa's quietly put together a pretty strong run, playing at a few games over .500 and well into the thick of the playoff race. Lecavalier's been struggling off and on all season while St. Louis has shuffled around the lines, partially to try and kick-start Lecavalier. Why does coach Rick Tocchet feel he can do that? Simple — because Stamkos is playing at a level where he can create offense through his speed, passing, or shot all by himself, and while it helps to have a go-go-go linemate like St. Louis, Stamkos can carry the load himself.

In other words, Stamkos has been the steady force that has consistently powered the Lightning through thick and thin. Should he keep this up, he'll probably wind up somewhere in the league's top 10 in scoring while playing in all situations and leading a team revival into the playoffs.

Isn't that what you usually want in a Hart Trophy candidate? The answer is generally yes, though the Professional Hockey Writers Association usually take a season or two to catch on to a rising star, especially in a smaller media market. Because of that, there's no doubt that Stamkos will eventually be in the running for a Hart Trophy — but it'll most likely be next season. For now, a return to the playoffs will more than suffice for Tampa fans.

Posted by Mike Chen at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)

November 23, 2009

NBA Burning Questions

It was a slow week in the NBA. When the biggest news is that an above-average player, in the case Stephen Jackson, gets traded from one terrible team to another, you have to think outside the box to come up with a good topic to write about.

And when thinking outside the box doesn't lead you to a good enough topic, there's only one solution: a series of random rhetorical questions.

We're about a month into the season and there was no huge story this week, so what better time than now to get a few of the burning questions I've had about this NBA season off my chest.

They are, in no particular order whatsoever:

Is it me, or are the tampering rules in the NBA an extremely thick shade of gray? Worldwide Wes and LeBron's agent, Leon Rose, were sitting in Jay-Z's seats for Saturday's slugfest between the Knicks and Nets. Wes can throw Eddy Curry's name out there all he wants, but make no mistake, those two would have been there to add fuel to the "In case you forgot, LeBron's a free agent in 2010!" fire regardless of whether or not one of Wes' "nephews" is trying to make a comeback.

I'm not the only one who is sorely disappointed that the reports of Marv Albert fist-fighting 50 Cent in the green room of the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Show on Wednesday night turned out to be exaggerated, right?

Can we please implement an age limit in the NBA? Not on players, but on announcers. This week, 71-year-old Ralph Lawler was suspended for one game from his Los Angeles Clippers play-by-play duties by FOX Sports for making insensitive remarks about Iranian-born Memphis Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi. Lawler is three generations older than the players he's covering, and now he's saying things so embarrassing that he needs to be reprimanded. Probably time for a youth-movement for the Staples Center's JV squad's broadcast team, no?

Can the NBA start engraving Brandon Jennings' name on the Rookie of the Year trophy now, kind of like how they do at the British Open?

If I gave you 5-1 odds that Lawrence Frank would be the coach of the New Jersey Nets by the end of the week, would you take that bet?

I can't figure it out. Exactly whose house do the Miami Heat play in?

Is there a better nickname in the league than Rodrigue Beaubois' "Roddy Buckets?"

Is there a worse nickname than Kevin Durant's "Durantula." Seriously. The guy's a superstar, how about a better nickname?

What was worse for the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday: having the best points against average in the league and still allowing 108 points to the Warriors, or being the only them this season not to score at least 100 points against them?

Can we all agree that Jonas Jerebko starting for the Detroit Pistons is one small step forward for the country of Sweden and one giant leap backwards for the Pistons, who are less than two seasons removed from six straight trips to the Conference Finals?

Was there a funnier headline this week than "Grizzlies sign Jamaal Tinsley?"

Do you think Phil Jackson just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Okay" when Kobe Bryant came to camp this season and told him, "I've decided to become the best post player in the league?"

Is it too early to start mentioning the Hawks in the conversation for possible Eastern Conference champs?

Is it too late to take back my prediction of only 14 wins for the Sacramento Kings? I watched them play a little bit this week; this could very easily be a 30-win team. My mistake.

Is Jameer Nelson now officially "injury-prone?"

Should I be disappointed or ecstatic about the reports that Ricky Rubio is really struggling to start the season in Europe?

Has a superstar ever made his return to the starting lineup with less fanfare than Pau Gasol got when he made his season debut against the Bulls on Thursday night?

Will someone in the league either do something really awesome or really crazy so I can have something better to write about next week?

Scott Shepherd writes about the NBA every Monday for Sports Central. His blog, Diary of an NBA Junkie, is updated several times a week.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:17 AM | Comments (2)

Hope Rises For Arizona Basketball

The past few years have been a rough ride for Arizona men's basketball fans. From the lackluster last few years of the Lute Olson era, to the disastrous scream-and-fuss Kevin O'Neal era, to the overmatched-but-has-a-heart Russ Pennell era, Arizona had become a program of reputation and some talent, but nowhere near the dominance of old.

And things didn't look like they were going to get much better this offseason. Not only did the program have virtually no recruits, they suffered the defections of Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill to the NBA. And when the coaching search went from no-way-in hell candidates Rick Pitino and John Calipari to actually getting turned down by (gulp) Tim Floyd, the future looked pretty dark.

But as the cliché goes, sometimes it's the darkest right before the dawn.

In an all-time blessing in disguise, the failed courtship of Floyd turned into the hiring of Sean Miller from Xavier, a far better candidate to re-establish the Wildcats as a power in the Pac-10 and around the country (as opposed to the corrupt one-and-done farm USC was under Floyd).

And Miller immediately began fixing the gaps on the Wildcats' roster.

In came former Xavier recruit Kyryl Natyazhko, a 6-10, 250 lb. center ranked as the 39th-best prospect by Scouts, Inc.

In came 6-6 forward Solomon Hill, the 54th-ranked prospect in the class of 2009 who had originally committed to the Wildcats, then decided to head to USC, then decided to hit Arizona after all.

In came 6-8 forward Derrick Williams, ranked 72nd, and Kevin Parrom, 86th, and Lamont "Momo" Jones, who averaged 21.3 points and 8 assists per game as a senior in leading Oak Hill Academy to a 41-1 record and a No. 2 overall ranking in the final USA Today prep top 25 poll.

Add to that a senior point guard in Nic Wise, a second-team All-Pac-10 selection as a junior and on the preseason Wooden Award top 50 list as a senior, and you have a chance.

And if the Wildcats' first two games are any indication, it looks like Miller, Wise, and the young Wildcats have every intention of taking advantage of their opportunity is a rebuilding Pac-10.

In beating Northern Arizona and Rice to open the season 2-0, the Wildcats have showed what you might expect of a team with a load of young talent — flashes of excellence with some bad habits like too often settling for jump shots and lapses on defense when presented with a double-digit lead.

Arizona has also been cold from three-point range (where have you gone Zane Johnson?), and have turned the ball over too much, especially with Wise and junior Jamelle Horne combining to average 9 per game.

But still, to understand how much seemingly meaningless wins over Northern Arizona and Rice actually mean, you have to go back to how things looked nine months ago. The program was headed for total destruction, one of those Indiana-type meltdowns where even teams like Oregon State can laugh at you.

Now not only can Arizona look to continue their consecutive NCAA tournament streaks at 26 (one shy of North Carolina's all-time record), but Arizona fans can actually dare to think about seeding and making a run.

Will it happen? Perhaps, perhaps not. But there's hope, for this season and for the future. And for all those Wildcats fans who wondered how the hell the program would get along without Olson, hope is a wonderful thing.

Posted by Joshua Duffy at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)

November 21, 2009

Trump Headlining a Golf Tour a Bad Idea

In Ron Sirak's Golf World piece highlighting his five critical points for the LPGA Tour to resolve, he brings up the possibility that the LPGA Tour could face stiff competition if the likes of Donald Trump or Rupert Murdoch made a big money investment in their own golf tour, put together a network TV deal, and created a string of no-cut worldwide events to lure in the best players from the LPGA Tour.

Well, there's actually a precedent — other than the USFL — to suggest that such a thing may not work out so well. It was called the U.S. Pro Golf Tour. And I know about it from personal experience.

Back in 2006, I was working with Greens Worldwide, a sports management and marketing company, on doing some work to promote their U.S. Pro Golf Tour on my 19th Hole Golf Show podcast. It was a modest schedule in 2006, including an event in the DC suburbs of northern Virginia. I stopped by the tournament there in Fredericksburg, talked to their leading money winner and two-time winner Lee Williams (he qualified for the U.S. Open that year at Winged Foot), and they even had a banner on their tournament tower for the 19th Hole Golf Show. It was pretty rad for me.

The company had signed a deal with FOX Sports Net to broadcast their tournament schedule in one-hour blocks, except for the Tour Championship, which would get two hours.

The folks behind the U.S. Pro Golf Tour were telling me that they had something big in the works in the summer of '06. They were going to put themselves on the map and become serious competition for the Nationwide Tour and European Tour.

They lined up Donald Trump.

Trump was going to present an event equally as unique as the ADT Championship format hosted at his Palm Beach course. The Trump Million Dollar Invitational was an event played at his digs in the Grenadines. The format would whittle down the field to 10 competitors through 54 holes of stroke play qualifying. The top 10 would carry over to the final day of competition.

Those players would then engage in a nine-hole playoff to determine the million dollar champion. After each hole, any ties would be settled with a skills competition, like a putting or chipping contest. The worst player would be eliminated until the final two players dueled it out on the last hole to win the money.

Australian Stuart Deane won the million dollars on the first playoff hole after the nine holes were completed. It was by far the biggest paycheck of his pro life — definitely eclipsing the money he earned for finishing 59th at the PGA Tour's New Orleans event earlier that year.

Starting in 2007, Trump was going to have his name plastered all over the USPGT's four major championships. All of them would be named after him and they would be contested at his courses in the United States with purses ranging from $1.5 million to a $5 million match play event. His total commitment would be $10.1 million. Even further, there would be a GoTrump.com Cup, presented to the player with the lowest scoring average.

"There is no doubt the talent level is among the highest in the world, and we’re pleased to be an integral part of four major championships on the USPGT schedule," said Mr. Trump.

No doubt — like everything Trump — that his name would be the centerpiece of this organization. But then suddenly, Trump took his name and his money out of the U.S. Pro Golf Tour.

In a hastily-worded release just two days into 2007, when his commitment was set to begin, Trump announced his withdrawal from the five-year agreement. He cited management changes at Greens Worldwide — the parent of the U.S. Pro Golf Tour — as the reason. According to language in his memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Pro Golf Tour, it was well within his rights.

"Although we firmly believe in what the U.S. Pro Golf Tour is doing for the game of golf by giving young professionals an international platform to showcase their talents, we've elected to exercise our option and step back until the new management presents a revised business plan," said Ashley Cooper, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for Trump Golf Properties.

The management change? Found Tom Kidd — now back with the company — left the organization and left its members high and dry after taking a $200,000 bonus.

That was basically the death knell for the U.S. Pro Golf Tour. The 2007 season was cancelled entirely and all 450 members that paid dues for the year were told that the Tour would honor those fees in 2008.

In late 2007, a management company named SportsQuest, Inc., signed on with Greens Worldwide — whose stock price was basically zero at that point — to be presenting sponsor for the entire U.S. Pro Golf Tour season for three years. Their deal ends next season. In order to attract more sponsors, the U.S. Pro Golf Tour promised the world to investors: prime time airtime, pro-am clinics, even tickets to other major events in golf.

The 2008 season was to have had five events with a total purse of $4,220,000. All events were to be played using the Trump Million Dollar Invitational format — splitting prize money between the stroke play and playoff formats. The season never got off of the ground, but USPGT player Bryan DeCorso even went on to win the Nationwide Tour's South Georgia Classic.

This season, Jefferson Starship joined the party to perform at the U.S. Pro Golf Tour's events. No joke. But, it never got going.

Even still, the U.S. Pro Golf Tour has operating agreements with SportsQuest and a broadcast production partner in EPIC Corporation. In the agreement announcement with EPIC in March 2008 — for the '09-'11 seasons that may never come — the Tour was still using Trump's name:

"The USPGT has previously conducted the TRUMP Million Dollar International televised on ESPN and ESPN Internationally."

It is tough to stop a crook and a bad business model. In fact, it was probably Trump's eye that kept him from being embarrassed even more so. Most people would never have heard about this investment decision gone awry for Donald Trump were it not for this piece.

The LPGA Tour clearly has a better business model — a 60-year one, in fact. Donald Trump's involvement with that Tour, now terminated, was a much more sophisticated relationship. Trump has since moved onto bigger things, like hosting the U.S. Junior Amateur and pressing for bigger championships at his Bedminster course.

But those were also-ran relationships with bigger entities. With the U.S. Pro Golf Tour, he was basically calling all of the shots. And it never got off of the ground. Perhaps if Trump were to try to challenge the LPGA Tour and build his own women's tour, he would be much more prudent and learn lessons from the U.S. Pro Golf Tour.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2009

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 11

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Miami @ Carolina (-3½)

Believe it or not, the Panthers are just one game out of a wild card spot after Sunday's 28-19 win over the Falcons. At 4-5, Carolina trails four other teams with 5-4 records, and although the playoffs are months away, Carolina's fortunes have vastly improved lately. They'll try to keep that momentum rolling when the Dolphins visit Bank Of America Stadium on Thursday night.

"Hey, what happens when the 'wildcat' meets a Panther?'" says Steve Smith. "The same thing that happens when a Panther meets a Panther for a bathroom rendezvous — 'fur' flies. If there's one thing Panther cheerleaders aren't, it's shy. Talk about a direct 'snap-per.'"

"Anyway, after two touchdowns last week, it looks like Jake Delhomme and I are finally on the same page — the sports page. We're actually appearing in the box score. For much of this season, without a lot of action coming my way, the grind of the season was getting to me. I felt like I was punching a 'time clock,' which, despite rumors to the contrary, is not Ken Lucas' nickname."

Regardless of all the talk that the "wildcat" is losing its newness and is therefore less successful, the Dolphins still prefer to run it like it's going out of style. Last week, Miami rushed for 199 yards against the Buccaneers, with Ricky Williams posting 102 of those.

"The Panthers are playing like the team that won the NFC South last year," says Williams, "so it won't be easy in North Carolina. I'm not sure why they call it the 'Tar Heel State,' but I can only surmise that tar is as pesky on one's heels as it is in one's pipe. That's not from personal experience; of course I learned it second-hand."

The rushing attacks of both teams will dictate the pace of the game, but Steve Smith gives the Panthers an edge, mostly because he can catch the ball. Smith scores on a 14-yard pass from Delhomme late, then celebrates in the end zone with a pose imitating teammate Captain Munnerlin, an act which is not forbidden by the NFL.

Carolina wins, 27-20.

Pittsburgh @ Kansas City (+10)

The Steelers lost their showdown with the Bengals, dropping an 18-12 decision that essentially gave control of the division to Cincinnati. At 7-3, Pittsburgh trails the 8-2 Bengals by only a game, but with two head-to-head wins, Cincy has a decided edge in the AFC North.

"When it comes to Chad Ochocinco's shenanigans," says Ben Roethlisberger, "Marvin Lewis 'cuts the mustard.' Having our asses handed to us at Heinz Field? That doesn't cut the mustard."

"As for the rumors that Larry Johnson was to become a Steeler, well, they were unfounded. We knew that Johnson never could have co-existed on the same team with cornerback William Gay, so we recommended L.J. to the Bengals, and those suckers took the bait. If we can't beat 'em, then the least we can do is undermine their team chemistry."

The Chiefs will face the Steelers without leading receiver Dwayne Bowe, who was suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug (PED) policy.

"Apparently, Dwayne's 'Bowe-d' up on something," says Todd Haley. "Therefore, he's been placed on the 'ICUPED'ed' list as mandated by the league."

Do the Steelers really need Troy Polamalu to beat the Chiefs? No, and they surely don't need Larry Johnson. Despite two losses to the Bengals, the Steelers are in great position for the playoffs, and decent position to win the division. Cincinnati controls its destiny, but if signing Johnson is their first act of "controlling its destiny," then Pittsburgh has them right where they want them.

Roethlisberger throws for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Steelers' defense sacks Matt Cassel 5 times and forces 2 turnovers.

Pittsburgh wins, 26-7.

Atlanta @ NY Giants (-6½)

The Giants have lost four straight, while the Falcons are likewise slumping, losers of three of their last five games. Atlanta lost 28-19 last Sunday in Carolina, despite out-gaining the Panthers, as two Matt Ryan interceptions ended drives prematurely.

"Matt seems to be going through a rough patch in which very little's going right," says Mike Smith. "He's a lot like DeAngelo Hall — they're both 'cursed.' I think a lot of this started with Matt's role in one of ESPN "SportsCenter" promos. Matt looks as uncomfortable behind the camera as he does behind center right now. Unlike Peyton Manning, Matt's got the charisma of a goal post. Sadly, that's even less than Eli Manning."

As the Giants can tell you, a 5-0 start is not so impressive followed for a four-game losing streak. Amazingly, the Giants lead the league in total defense, and are fifth in total offense.

"That just makes no sense to me," says Tom Coughlin, "which is probably why I continually wear this incredulous look on my face. Our losses in games are matched only by my loss of patience. And our troubles can't be blamed on one aspect of the game. We've been horrible on both sides of the ball, as well as special teams. One would think with such a team of 'Giant killers,' we'd be better than 5-4. But that's life. C'est la G-ie."

With Michael Turner out with a sprained ankle, the offensive burden will fall on Ryan and the receiving corps. Is that necessarily bad news? Probably only for the Giants defensive backs, who can barely check the weather, much less a receiver. But Coughlin has a plan, and that's to pressure Ryan unmercifully and take his chances. And give the ball to Brandon Jacobs.

New York wins, 28-24.

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (+11½)

The Saints are a perfect 9-0 after a surprisingly tough 28-23 win in St. Louis, boosted by 2 touchdowns from Reggie Bush. But the Saints were anything but dominant, and the Rams were in New Orleans territory before a Marc Bulger interception ended the game.

"Reggie's not just another pretty face," says Sean Payton. "He just dates one. We won't allow the Buccaneers to put a 'wrench' in our plans. However, we don't have a problem at all with Reggie putting a 'wench' in them. In fact, having a Kardashian in the locker room is quite convenient. She loves beaded necklaces, and she's just like a convertible — she doesn't mind putting the top down. And while we're on the subject of 'booty,' the Buccaneers and their pirate ship will present a 'stern' test for us. I'm sure knocking us from the ranks of the undefeated is on their 'Buc-it list.'"

The Bucs appear to have found the quarterback of their future in Josh Freeman, who, in only his second start, played well, nearly leading the Bucs to an upset over the Dolphins. Freeman will be tested by a Saints defense that leads the NFL in interceptions.

"It's apparent that this team is making progress," says Raheem Morris. "Here in Tampa, that's equivalent to saying Warren Sapp's spit cup is half full instead of half empty. Freeman may be only 21, but his knowledge of the game is 'a-vast.'"

Are the Saints the team to beat in the NFC? You can just say "N.O.," or, if you're a Vikings fan and believe that the Saints' rush defense precludes them from that distinction, then you can just say "no."

New Orleans wins, 27-20.

Buffalo @ Jacksonville (-8)

It's a battle of small market teams as the struggling Bills head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars and Maurice Jones-Drew, known to some as the "Short Bus," while known to some fantasy owners as the 'Knee-Jerk." Last week against the Jets, Jones-Drew took a knee on the Jets one-yard line with the Jags trailing 22-21. Jacksonville then ran the clock down, and Josh Scobee kicked the winning field goal as time expired.

"Hey, for all you fantasy owners," says Jones-Drew, "don't blame me. Blame it on Rio. It was Jack Del Rio's idea. Who knew the 'killer' instinct he's been preaching about was directed at my fantasy owners who desperately needed the points? But that's just Jack's conservative nature. He's no Sarah Palin, though. His idea of 'going rogue' is going for it on third down."

On Tuesday, the Bills fired head coach Dick Jauron, citing a desire to take the team in a different direction — up. Owner Ralph Wilson, unlike his aged counterpart Bud Adams in Tennessee, gave this Bill the "boot," and not the "finger."

"It was time to say 'sa-Jauron-a,'" said Wilson. "Sometimes, you have to take a 'Buffalo stance.' I'm sorry we had to cut Dick loose, but he won't leave here without a severance 'package.' We've replaced Jauron with assistant Perry Fewell, who may be somewhat anonymous in football circles, but is known throughout the music industry as the founder and lead singer of Jane's Addiction. You see, in the NFL world of hirings and firings, 'nothing's shocking.'"

Jones-Drew should have a big day against the Bills defense, a unit ranked last in the league. So, it would seem that the only person able to stop Jones-Drew is himself.

MJ-D rushes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns, then later 'takes a knee' to the groin from a disgruntled fan and fantasy player who breeches security.

Jacksonville wins, 27-16.

Cleveland @ Detroit (-3½)

When two 1-8 teams collide, does it make a sound? And, would a tree in the forest, fallen or standing, really give a damn about this game? Probably not. This game was obviously scheduled as part of the NFL's "Misery Loves Company" campaign, which matches underprivileged teams to those with similarly needy status.

"Looks like a perfect fit," says Eric Mangini. "How I wish I could say that about a starting quarterback selection. Now, it looks like Brady Quinn has raised the ire of the Ravens with a cut block that injured Terrell Suggs. Quinn will no doubt lose some money over that. Heck, that will be the first time anyone says 'fine' in regards to something Brady did on the field. And the Ravens aren't likely to forget what he did. There will be a bounty on Brady when the Browns and Ravens meet next year. I'm interested to see whether the money collected in Baltimore exceeds what's been collected already here in Cleveland to 'take out' Quinn."

The Lions are looking at Sunday's game as a tune-up for their Thanksgiving Day game with the Packers.

"I think both of these teams can identify with turkeys," says Matthew Stafford, known as the 'Lion Tamer' by star wideout Calvin Johnson. "Like turkeys, we're both defenseless victims."

Detroit wins, 22-11.

Washington @ Dallas (-13)

Of course it was too early to overly praise the Cowboys after a win in Philadelphia gave them the NFC East lead. With a load of momentum, Tony Romo and the 'Boys went to Green Bay and were shutdown by the Packers, 17-7. Now the Redskins, fresh off an upset win over the Broncos, visit Cowboys Stadium

"It's funny," says Tony Romo. "As soon as we establish ourselves as the 'team to beat,' we seem to take it literally. 'Premature infatuation' seems to be a real problem with this team. Our bandwagon sees more action than that of Alcoholics Anonymous."

The Redskins could pull to within two games of the division lead with a win in Dallas. It will be Washington's first visit to Dallas' new stadium in Arlington.

"If such a structure exists than can contain both the egos of Daniel Snyder and Jerry Jones," says Jim Zorn, "then that's the place. Too bad it's not underwater, or in outer space. Anyway, we can't let our win over the Broncos go to our heads. Success in this league can be very fleeting, as can the time that Chris Simms spends in the game, which happened to be long enough to mount a comeback while the Denver offense stalled. But let's be fair. Simms was playing without a spleen, which is akin to coaching without any pride."

"Now, I know the Cowboys are heavily favored, we should have something for them. I know I will. I just won a contest on the Redskins web site to call one play in the game. By golly, I'm going to make it count. So look for the fullback dive over right tackle."

Dallas wins, 27-20.

Seattle @ Minnesota (-11)

In last week's 27-10 win over the Lions last week, the Vikings powered by Detroit behind the strength of Brett Favre's arm (344 yards passing) and Adrian Peterson's legs (133 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns). But the hands of Peterson (2 fumbles) kept the Vikes from taking complete control of the game until late.

"All this talk of body parts in Minnesota can mean one of two things," says Brett Favre. "Either there's a 'Whizzinator' on the loose, or there's new video from a Lake Minnetonka cruise to be analyzed. Jared Allen's the big game hunter, so we'll let him track down the beast while the rest of us take a hands-on approach to film study."

"As for Adrian and his fumbling issues, 'All Day' most certainly can't refer to his grip. Everyone is aware of his fumbling issues, so he should expect a lot a grabbing, tugging, and pulling from defenders, which is the same treatment I got from Brad Childress in the offseason."

Turnovers will be a key component to the game, and Jim Mora knows the Seahawks will need to force their share to hang with the Vikings.

"We'll certainly be looking for takeaways," says Mora. "But I suspect Peterson and his teammates will be well aware of our intentions. They're always on their toes when 'strippers' come to town."

Vikings win, 27-19.

Indianapolis @ Baltimore (-1)

With an assist from Bill Belichick, the Colts are 9-0 and two games ahead of the Bengals in the race for playoff home-field advantage. A loss to the Patriots was nearly in the books until the Patriots eschewed a punt on 4th-and-2, and instead went for the first down. Tom Brady's pass to Kevin Faulk was stopped short by defensive back Melvin Bullitt.

"Unlike Faulk," says Peyton Manning, "we dodged a 'Bullitt,' and in turn gave Belichick a 'Melvin.'"

"But that game certainly told us a lot about ourselves, especially the fact that the Patriots are much more adept at stopping themselves than we are of stopping them."

"Now, I don't think Baltimore's Jim Harbaugh would duplicate Belichick's decision. I'm sure Harbaugh would punt it and rely on his defense. But should he? The Baltimore defense isn't what it used to be. In fact, if a shutout can possibly be underwhelming, then the Ravens' 16-0 blanking of the Browns was just that. This isn't the suffocating, Ray Lewis-led defense of the Ravens Super Bowl year. This is the Ray of 'Lite' defense."

It's been a frustrating year so far for the Ravens, made even more so on Monday night when Brady Quinn's cut block injured linebacker Terrell Suggs, a play that had Ray Lewis and his teammates seething.

"Son of a whore," quoth the Raven. "Son of a whore. I don't think we have to worry about Manning cheap shots. First of all, Manning is not at all known for his blocking skills. Second of all, the Colts would never put him in a position to even attempt a block. That's what's so ironic about the Quinn/Suggs situation. Obviously, Eric Mangini called a play in which he knew Quinn would meet Suggs, with the intention being that Quinn would get laid out, and therefore not meet playing time bonuses. Instead, Quinn got lucky, and laid Suggs out. It's just another example of another Mangini plan going awry."

Do my eyes deceive me, or are the Colts actually underdogs? If a certain Washington running back named Ladell was currency, you can best believe I'd be placing my "Betts" on the Colts. Or should I? Is this that game that happens every year in which the Colts run defense is exposed for a quarter-mile of rushing yards?

Manning picks apart the Baltimore defense, throwing for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns. Reggie Wayne catches two of those, and the Colts overcome a lackluster defensive effort to win, 31-27.

San Francisco @ Green Bay (-5½)

Despite facing the usual protection issues, Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a big 17-7 win over Dallas last week, a victory that for now gives Green bay hope in what will be a tight battle for the two wild card spots. Rodgers was sacked 4 times, but scored on a one-yard run and threw a TD pass.

"I feel it's my duty to put this team on my back," says Rodgers. "After all the times they've put me on my back, I think I owe them."

Like the Packers, the 49ers picked up a much-needed win, beating the Bears 10-6 last Thursday. The 49ers pressured Jay Cutler into 5 interceptions, and will likely employ a similar strategy to disrupt Rodgers.

"Rodgers and Cutler have one thing in common," says Mike Singletary. "No, it's not that they're good quarterbacks, because Cutler's got nothing in common with a good quarterback. It's that neither knows when to throw the ball away."

Packers win, 20-16.

Arizona @ St. Louis (+9½)

Kurt Warner and the 6-3 Cardinals make the pilgrimage to St. Louis to face the 1-8 Rams. It will likely be an emotional homecoming for Warner, who led the Rams to the franchise's only Super Bowl in 2001.

"I'll always have a soft spot for the Rams," says Warner. "They resurrected my career, the first time. Going from bagging groceries to winning the Super Bowl and being the most valuable player? That's the greatest story ever told, or at least the second greatest story ever told."

"I like to believe I'm responsible for returning two franchises to glory, and giving the fans in those cities reason to cheer. I'm no faith healer, I just play one on the field."

"Judging by Beanie Wells' performance in last week's win, it looks as though we've finally got a solid rushing dimension to balance our offense. That should come in handy in the playoffs when a run attack is necessary in winter's uncertain weather. Wait a minute, though. Will there even be an outdoor game in the NFC playoffs this year? All four division leaders play indoors, so is a running game that necessary? Sounds like a vast, right wing conspiracy to me, one that as a staunch Republican supporter, I could really get behind."

The Rams played the NFC South division-leading Saints tough last week, and hope for a repeat performance against the Cardinals, who lead the West.

"Warner may be a St. Louis icon," says linebacker James Laurinaitis, "but he won't see the same welcome when he arrives at the Gateway Arch as he will when he arrives at heaven's pearly gates. We plan to throw everything we've got at him, including clotheslines, pile drivers, shoulder blocks, arm bars, scripted plays, blasphemy, and so much pressure that he'll be proclaiming 'What a rush!'"

Arizona wins, 30-24.

NY Jets @ New England (-11)

If he could turn back time, would Bill Belichick reconsider his decision to gamble on 4th-and-2 from his own 28 with a 34-28 lead over Peyton Manning and the Colts?

"Would I reconsider it?" says Belichick. "Yes, I would reconsider it, hopefully long enough for Tom Brady to realize that the wise thing to do in that situation would be to take a delay of game penalty. It takes a certain amount of arrogance to make that call in the first place, and even more to say I'd do it again. I'm haughty by nature, not because I hate you. Now, I'm down with 'O.P.P.-robrium.'"

The Jets 16-9 win over the Patriots in week two seems like a distant memory. Since then, New York is 2-5 and struggling defensively. And they know the Pats haven't forgotten that early beat down, and they're likely still stinging from their shocking loss to the Colts.

"We all know Belichick's a known cheater," says Mark Sanchez. "Who knew he was guilty of cheating himself? And yet he says he would do it again. Would that be called 'fourth and too?'"

"Of course the Patriots don't take too kindly to embarrassing defeat. When they're out for revenge, they're a lot like Oprah Winfrey — they can drop 50 before you know it. We know we'll have to play as well as, if not better, than we did in week two. Personally, I won't rest easy until the game, and a weiner, are in hand."

The Patriots come out fired up, and casually march 80 yards on their first possession for a score. Instead of kicking the extra point, Belichick again decides to 'go for two,' and this time succeeds, as Brady finds Ben Watson for the conversion. Rex Ryan cries at this show of gamesmanship, and the rout is on.

New England wins, 37-20.

Cincinnati @ Oakland (+9½)

With the AFC North well in hand after last Sunday's 18-12 win in Pittsburgh, the Bengals can turn their attention to more trivial things, like the Raiders.

"I think the Steelers are stunned that we've beaten them twice," says Carson Palmer. "I'm sure they didn't expect us to take them down at Heinz Field. But what's the best way to remove a 'line in the sand?' By 'sweeping' it away, of course."

"Marvin Lewis now has the kind of team he's always wanted, one that is defined by an attacking defense and an efficient, mistake-free offense. It took him awhile, but Marvin's finally been able to put his best defenders on the field instead of in the courtroom."

In Oakland's 16-10 loss to the Chiefs last week, JaMarcus Russell was a dismal 9-of-24 for 67 yards, an effort that got him benched, but not punched, by Tom Cable. Bruce Gradkowski took over at quarterback and was worse, throwing 2 interceptions.

"No. 2 was stinking up the joint," says Tom Cable, "so I had no choice but to pull him. That's doing what any decent-minded person would do — I executed a courtesy flush."

"Now, for this franchise, choosing a quarterback is a lot like choosing a head coach — it's a 'hit or miss' exercise. Of course, in the case of my selection as coach, it's both 'hit and miss.'"

With Cedric Benson injured, the Bengals signed former Kansas City troublemaker Larry Johnson to reinforce their rushing attack, a development that left many observers spitting their drinks out in surprise. Some even denounced their sexuality. Hopefully, for the sake of the Bengals and their postseason aspirations, Johnson will "run in" to a game before he has a "run-in" with the law.

Cincinnati wins, 23-7.

San Diego @ Denver (+3)

Boom! Boom! Pow! Just like that, the Broncos have lost three straight, while the hot Chargers have reeled off three wins in a row, leaving the two rivals deadlocked at the top in the AFC West. Barring a tie, that will change when the two meet at Invesco Field in Denver.

"As Kyle Orton's ankle injury indicated," says Josh McDaniels, "this team doesn't function well without him. And this team with Chris Simms at quarterback? Well, let's just say it's a case of 'no guts, no glory.'"

The Chargers hope to avenge a Week 6 34-23 loss to the Broncos in San Diego that left San Diego 3-3 and questioning themselves. Since then, the Chargers have rebounded with three consecutive wins.

"Things couldn't get much better for me personally," says Philip Rivers. "We've won three, the Broncos have lost three, and Jay Cutler doesn't need me to taunt him when Bears fans are perfectly capable, and more than willing."

"Here in San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson has just become an expectant father, and Shawne Merriman is being sued by Tila Tequila. So L.T. has some late-night feedings to look forward to, while Merri' Poppins has a late-night beating to regret. It looks like both situations could use a 'pacifier.'"

San Diego wins, 27-21.

Philadelphia @ Chicago (+1)

When the Bears brought Jay Cutler to Chicago, the primary reason was the belief that he could do things that Rex Grossman couldn't. Well, they were right. Last Thursday, Cutler tossed 5 picks in a 10-6 loss in San Francisco. It was Cutler's second game this year with four or more interceptions, something Grossman never did, although he certainly had the talent.

"Cutler puts the 'inept' in 'interception,'" says Lovie Smith. "Usually, a team relies on its defense to force a change of possession. Cutler's pretty good at doing that himself. But we've had 10 days to put all that behind us, which is two days for every Cutler interception."

The Eagles have lost two straight, but trail the Cowboys by only a game in the NFC East, a division which seems to have lost its luster as the top-to-bottom power center of the NFC. It would be no stretch to say that all four teams are struggling, and Philly's problems can mostly be attributed to red zone futility.

"I'm not one to regurgitate statistics," says Donovan McNabb, "but if I jam my finger down my throat, I can. We're ranked 22nd in red zone efficiency. That's not good. You could paint the town red and we still couldn't cash in. And the Bears aren't much better. Save for Sammy Sosa's skin color, 'red' is the most talked about color right now in Chicago."

Chicago makes it 2-0 against Pennsylvania. Bears win, 29-27.

Tennessee @ Houston (-3½)

Could Chris Johnson be on to something? Several weeks ago, when the Titans were languishing at 0-6, Johnson vowed that Tennessee would eventually finish 10-6 and make the playoffs. Since then, the Titans have won three in a row and Johnson has been on a tear.

"Even owner Bud Adams agrees," says Johnson. "We've been 'flipping' awesome lately. That old-timer rains fingers down on Bills like Pacman Jones rains bills down on strippers. It's surprising that no one, not even arthritis, had the foresight to stop him. Now Commissioner Roger Goodell has rained down a 'bill' for $250,000. If that's not clearly a case of age discrimination, I don't know what is. If a player does that, he wouldn't be fined anything close to that amount."

The Texans are 5-4 and in the thick of the race for a playoff wild card position. They'll need a big game from quarterback Matt Schaub to stay in the race.

"I'll put my arm up against Vince Young's any day," says Schaub, "and my fingers up against Bud Adams.' Really, what's an 86-year-old man doing flipping the bird? The only finger he should be worrying about is that of his proctologist."

Texans win, 30-27.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 3:15 PM | Comments (0)

Raiders, Bengals Look Foolish

The Raiders (well, Tom Cable, who frightens me) have decided to bench JaMarcus Russell in favor of Bruce Gradkowski the rest of the year.

The knock on Russell is that he has been "inconsistent." His career completion percentage is just 51.7%. They are getting an upgrade in that statistic with Gradkowski, who has thrown in his career for a whopping 53% success rate.

Maybe Gradkowski has been lighting it up in practice. I don't know. But I do know that for every other statistical category, Russell holds a career edge, and his career QB rating is seven points higher than Gradkowski, with a better TD-INT ratio, and a much higher adjusted yards per pass attempt average. Finally, the Raiders have tons more invested in Russell. This move is just Oakland spinning their wheels.

It's amusing, too, to compare Russell's last game, the one that prompted this decision, with Gradkowski's last start, a year ago with the Browns.

Russell: 8-of-23, 64 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Gradkowski: 5-of-16, 18 yards,0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Quite an upgrade you are making there, Cable. I won't even mention that third-stringer, Charlie Frye, has better career numbers than both of them.

The Raiders aren't alone in making questionable moves this week. The Raiders' opponents on Sunday, the Bengals, picked up Larry Johnson. Sure, it's a great fit in keeping with the Bengals' need to lead the league in arrests, dysfunction, and anger management problems.

But this is a banner year for the Bengals. They're 7-2. They are fresh off a sweep of the mighty Steelers, and one of the reasons for the resurgence is the surprising play of Cedric Benson, who is sixth in the NFL in rushing.

If you analyze the numbers a little more closely, this one at least makes devil's advocate sense. Benson has been too hurt to practice this week and the Bengals have worked him a lot — Benson leads the NFL in carries, and in fact has over 20 carries more than anyone in the league except for Steven Jackson.

So instead of bringing a hothead former starter that could potentially cause a locker room rift and give cause for Benson to grumble (although he has said all the right things so far), why not maintain the team chemistry you have fostered over this successful year and spell Benson as needed with Brian Leonard and Bernard Scott?

Leonard's career stats don't blow anyone away, but he got plenty of work as Steven Jackson's understudy in 2007, including an 100-yard game. Rookie Scott hasn't embarrassed himself, either. But forget them now, with the arrival of Johnson they likely will have less than 10 carries the rest of the way out between them. Johnson, at this point, belongs in the CFL.

So, strangely, this translates to a game this week with interesting sub-plots. My whimsical prediction is that Gradkowski will be terrible, but between Benson being banged up and Johnson not knowing the playbook yet, the Bengals will still be forced to throw, and the Raiders aren't that bad against the pass. Or Benson won't improve enough to play, and Johnson will dominate in his place, causing a huge schism in what should be the Bengals' greatest season since the '80s. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and the Bengals fixed it.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 11:57 AM | Comments (3)

November 18, 2009

Bashing the BCS

The BCS is ruining the college football regular season. For the past few years, the few people who still fully support the system (aside from those reaping enormous monetary gains due to its implementation) have cited the excitement felt at every game as reason enough to continue relying on it. They say only giving two teams a chance at the national title makes every regular season game feel like a playoff game.

Until this year, while many disagreed with their ultimate conclusion, some believed the people who supported the BCS were arguing a valid point in asserting that every game matters. But now, more than ever, it's clear that their argument doesn't hold any water.

In 2007, it was Boise State. This year, it's TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State again. All undefeated, all with at least two impressive wins, all without a snowball's chance at even being given an opportunity to win a national championship. The Boise State team in 2007 proved that they deserved that chance, as they beat an extremely talented Oklahoma team that featured Adrian Peterson in the backfield. But for some reason, the BCS supporters were unwavering in their belief that the current system was, and still is, the best available option.

If they were right, and if every game really mattered, the rankings would change drastically throughout the year based on the performance of each team every week, and this would include mixing up the top spots in the polls. But that won't happen this year. At the beginning of the year, most people said the top two teams would end up being the winner of the Florida vs. Alabama SEC Championship Game and Texas. Fast-forward three months, and it's still the same top three. We're still expecting the same formula for determining the national championship matchup.

If the ultimate goal of football, or any team sport, is to win the championship game, and only the top two teams in the nation will get a chance to win that game, why does every game matter for the other 118 teams this year? If Florida can win by 10 points against an unranked opponent, and TCU can win by 27 points against a top-20 opponent, all without any movement in the top five spots of the polls, what, besides a playoff system, can give TCU, or any of the other 118 FBS teams, a fighting chance this year?

Some will say that allowing a top team to drop in the rankings, despite being undefeated, is unfair. But these people must keep in mind that the initial rankings are based on an offseason poll. If we use the logic that being undefeated protects a team from falling from a top spot, we are then putting far too much stock in the preseason poll. We are saying that being impressive on paper, and then playing mediocre football during the regular season, is enough to earn a chance at the national title game, but winning against good teams isn't. We're playing the season on paper, rather than letting the players play it on the field.

I understand that right and wrong in sports is hard to determine. Bill Belichick will forever be questioned about his decision to go for it on fourth down inside his own 30-yard line on Sunday night. But an ultimate determination of whether that call was right or wrong cannot be reached unanimously. Some will say Peyton Manning was going to lead his team to a touchdown with two minutes left whether he had to go 30 yards or 80 yards, so it was the right call. Others will say you've got to trust your defense to not give up 80 or so yards in that situation, especially considering they had already intercepted two of Manning's passes that night.

The same basic idea is true of the BCS. We will never have both sides of the argument come to an agreement on whether the system is right or wrong. But, like Belichick, what we can do is use each failure as an opportunity to change for the better. If Belichick makes that call a few more times in his career, and it only works once, he'll wisely decide not to go that route anymore.

In a similar manner, if we continue to see that there are consistently multiple teams not getting the chance at the national title that they deserve, we need to change the way we do things. Even if there is occasionally a year that the team that is clearly the best wins the championship game, we need to look at the bigger picture. One successful year does not make the current system the best one, just like one successful fourth down conversion in an attempt like the one Sunday night doesn't mean it's necessarily the right call.

It's not a matter of right and wrong anymore. What really matters is that the BCS has failed so much more than it has succeeded — we cannot continue to rely on it. TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State deserve much better than what they've been given this year. They've all earned at least a chance to play in the national championship game, and it's a chance they won't get.

Posted by Paul Foeller at 11:30 AM | Comments (8)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 35

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson dominated in Phoenix, whipping the field for his fourth victory of the Chase. He led 238 of 312 laps in the desert, and needs only to finish 25th or better to clinch the Sprint Cup.

"My wreck in Texas may have opened the door," Johnson said, "but my performance in Phoenix certainly closed it. So things went from 'slammed' to 'slammed shut.'"

"In any case, it doesn't matter if my quest for the Cup goes slightly astray, I'll still be yelling 'Four!' to my competitors as a warning to 'watch out.'"

2. Mark Martin — Martin finished fourth in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 in Phoenix, losing 31 points to leader and race winner Jimmie Johnson. Martin trails by 108, and is the only driver with a mathematical chance to overtake Johnson.

"Here in Phoenix," said Martin, "it was pretty much left up to the weather to put the heat on Jimmie."

"Now, I probably won't win the Cup this year, but there's nothing wrong with second place, although with me, it grows tiresome. But if I didn't feel confidently about next year, I never would have re-upped with Hendrick Motorsports for 2010. I guess you could say I'm coming back for 'seconds.'"

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon's ninth-place finish in Phoenix, coupled with Jimmie Johnson's win, knocked Gordon out of contention for a chance to win the Sprint Cup. When Johnson starts Sunday at Homestead, Gordon will be officially eliminated.

"I'm really disappointed that we don't at least have a shot," Gordon said. "It hurts to know that all Jimmie has to do is start, and we're 'finished.' But we're not dead yet. There's a chance, albeit a very slight one, that Johnson won't qualify for the race. Sure, it's unlikely, but there are times when a wacky Mayan prophecy is all you have left to cling to."

4. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin posted his 14th top-five finish of the year with a third in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. Hamlin moved up three spots to eighth in the point standings, 322 out of first.

"Jimmie Johnson's fourth Sprint Cup title aside," Hamlin said, "the biggest story in NASCAR now is my feud with Brad Keselowski. NASCAR called the brash young star into the hauler before Sunday's race, probably to tell him that 'brash' rhymes with 'crash.' I've already vowed to wreck him at Homestead. I'm not sure where my front bumper will meet his back bumper, but I do know that 'FedEx' will mark the spot."

5. Kurt Busch — Busch led 69 laps in Phoenix and came home sixth, his 20th top-10 result of the year. Busch's No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge led the first 52 laps and was seemingly the only other car on the track capable of remotely challenging Jimmie Johnson's No. 48.

"I though we 'had something' for Johnson," Busch said. "That 'something' was nothing more than a goodbye wave as he blew by me. But I'm sure Jimmie can smell victory. It smells like champagne and dust — the champagne he'll be drinking, and the dust we're already eating."

6. Juan Montoya — Montoya finished eighth in Phoenix, his 18th top-10 finish of the year. He remained sixth in the points, and trails Jimmie Johnson by 289.

"I guess my hopes of becoming the first Hispanic NASCAR champion are over," Montoya said. "At least heading in to Phoenix, there was a chance. Afterwards, there's nada chance."

7. Tony Stewart — Stewart was one of several cars collected in a lap 169 crash started when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. got loose on the narrow back straightaway. Stewart eventually finished 25th, two laps down, and held on to fifth in the points, 285 out of first.

"It looks like Jimmie brought his 'A' game to Phoenix," Biffle said, "while everyone else brought their 'B' game, or worse. Some, like Junior, brought their 'E' games.

8. Greg Biffle — Biffle finished 14th in Phoenix, and is seventh in the point standings, 321 out of first.

"The race at Homestead will be nothing more than a 400 mile victory parade," Biffle said. "It will be just like any parade — there will be clowns, erratic driving, and the man everyone came to see. No, not Santa Claus, but Jimmie Johnson."

9. Kasey Kahne — Kahne came home 15th in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500, and maintained the 10th spot in the standings, where he is 476 out of first.

"With Jimmie Johnson's fourth title imminent," Kahne said, "there's very little left to the imagination, except for the rumors of Danica Patrick joining NASCAR. I'm imagining it right now. The day that Patrick signs with a NASCAR team will be anything but a 'Dog Day Afternoon,' and I'll be the one leading the 'Danica! Danica! Danica!' chant."

10. Carl Edwards — Edwards remained winless in Cup races this year, finishing 16th in Phoenix. After nine wins last year, Edwards looked like a shoo-in to contend for the Cup, but 2009 has been a series of disappointments.

"I won this race last year," Edwards said, "and defending that victory would put a positive spin on the season. And I'm sure Mark Martin would like to see a 'positive spin', as well, which in his case would be another early wreck by Jimmie Johnson."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2009

NFL Week 10 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* Adrian Peterson's fumble problem reared its head again this week, with All Day losing the ball twice against Detroit. Peterson is a phenomenal talent, but 13 fumbles in the last season and a half is way too many. He needs to correct this.

* The Colts' margins of victory this season, in ascending order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 17, 21, 22, and 36 points. More than half of their games have been decided by 4 or less. That's either pretty lucky or really clutch.

* We all make fun of kickers for their half-hearted tackle attempts, but this week Dallas punter Mat McBriar actually forced a fumble. Respect.

* If you have first-and-goal from the one-yard line, don't challenge looking for the touchdown. You'll probably score one anyway — in four tries, a pro team should be able to make a yard — with the added benefit of resting your defense, tiring your opponents', and saving a challenge, not to mention that you might lose your challenge. Under 50% of all challenges get reversed, so if you do throw the red flag, there's a good chance you end up with first-and-one anyway, but minus a challenge, a timeout, and two minutes of your life that you will never get back.

* For years, the incompetent Jeff Triplette and corrupt-seeming Walt Coleman have vied for the title of NFL's worst referee. Triplette, who this week overturned two debatable calls and twice tried to review unreviewable plays, edged ahead in Week 10.

***

It's rare that big sporting events live up to the hype. For the first few years of the Colts/Patriots rivalry, the series was one-sided in New England's favor. In recent years, though, the matchup has seldom disappointed: 27-20 Colts, 38-34 Colts, 24-20 Pats, 18-15 Colts, 35-34 Colts. Don't let that 4-1 record since 2006 fool you: the Colts don't own New England the way the Patriots dominated this series from 2001-04. That's four wins by a touchdown or less, two of them involving improbable comebacks.

Sunday night's contest not only lived up to the hype, it exceeded it. That was the game of the year. Yeah, I would have liked to see crisper defense from the Colts in the first half and from the Patriots in the fourth quarter. But those offenses performed at otherworldly levels, and no game all season was more intense or dramatic. Nights like Sunday are why the NFL is the most popular sports league in the United States.

Naturally, a lot of people are questioning Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th-and-2 from his own 30-yard line. The Patriots didn't make the first down, and the Colts won the game, so obviously his decision didn't work out. But was it really such a bad idea? If you're a Colts fan, are you more worried about going 70 yards or about the Pats making the first down? I'd rather see them punt, and trust my offense to move the ball.

What are the chances of making the two yards? Are they really any lower than the chances of the Colts driving for a touchdown with two minutes and a timeout? This is what Peyton Manning does. I mean, if the ref spots the ball half a yard differently, the Pats run out the clock and win by 6. On those last two drives, New England's defense didn't look like it was up to stopping the Colts, and I'm not so sure Belichick didn't make the right decision.

Now, can we just drop this? It's awful that this debate is overshadowing a great game. We should be celebrating an awesome game, not dissecting a single play. I was impressed with both teams, and that's reflected in this week's rankings. Brackets show last week's rank.

1. Indianapolis Colts [2] — Broke out of their scoring slump (32 points in previous two games combined) by dropping 35 on the Patriots, who came into Week 10 with the second-ranked scoring defense in the NFL. Last season, I wondered if Peyton Manning might be the greatest comeback quarterback in history. I don't even think it's a question any more. He is.

2. New England Patriots [3] — Impressive in defeat. How do you stop this offense? Randy Moss is as dangerous at 32 as he was at 22, and leads the NFL in receiving yards. Prior to this week, no one had scored more than 23 points against Indianapolis this season. The Patriots had that many by halftime. Anyone who's mad that I jumped New England ahead of the Saints, we'll settle this thing in Week 12, when the Patriots travel to New Orleans.

3. New Orleans Saints [1] — Yeah, they're still undefeated, but there are cracks in the armor. The Rams, who are so bad that they have an outside shot at breaking the all-time record for worst point differential, scored a season-high 23 points against New Orleans, outgaining the Saints and winning time of possession. New Orleans' last five opponents have all scored at least 20 points, and run defense looks like a vulnerability, with opponents averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. Only four teams have allowed more rushing TDs this season than the Saints. The team is also dealing with multiple injuries in its defensive backfield.

4. Cincinnati Bengals [7] — Ever since the Bengals stopped being terrible (they were 19-61 from 1998-02), this has been an offense-oriented team, held back by its defense. This year, the defense is great (11th in yards allowed, second in points allowed), and the offense is statistically below-average (17th in yardage, 19th in scoring). Carson Palmer is having a good year, but not a great one (223 ypg, 88.1 passer rating), while both cornerbacks and whoever plays right defensive end (Antwan Odom and Jonathan Fanene) are performing like Pro Bowlers. The Bengals are 5-0 in their division, with the remaining contest at home against Cleveland.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers [4] — Troy Polamalu is hurt again, so maybe they should be lower than this. I'll give it a week and see how they look, but for now, I'm keeping the Steelers ahead of a Minnesota team they beat less than a month ago. Losing to Cincinnati is nothing to be ashamed of. Ben Roethlisberger is a good quarterback, but I hope this loss will quiet, at least temporarily, the assertion that he is a great one.

6. Minnesota Vikings [5] — Yawn. Another win over a terrible opponent. Almost half of Minnesota's games (4/9) have been against teams that are 1-8. If anything meaningful came out of the Vikings' win this week, it was the continued development of third-year wideout Sidney Rice, who leads the NFC with 786 receiving yards. Rice has over 100 yards in three of the last four games.

7. Arizona Cardinals [6] — DB Brian McFadden had a rough game this week, getting called for three major penalties: two pass interference and a facemask, 51 yards altogether. The Cardinals rank an alarming 30th in pass defense, but that's just because opponents throw against them a lot. They're actually above-average in opponents' passer rating (81.4, 15th). The Cardinals are usually winning, and have a good run defense, so even though their pass defense is fine, the opposition would rather take its chances in the air. Arizona has won five of its last six.

8. San Diego Chargers [14] — I gave them up for dead after the Week 6 home loss to Denver, but now the Chargers have won four in a row and the Broncos have lost three straight. Both teams are 6-3, and San Diego can take sole possession of first place in the AFC West with a win in Denver next week. Last week, I lamented that Baltimore RB Ray Rice is likely to miss the Pro Bowl despite his great performance this season. The same is true for Charger QB Philip Rivers. He's having a great season, but it will be tough to edge Manning, Tom Brady, and Matt Schaub. Rivers didn't even make the Pro Bowl last season, when he may have been the best quarterback in the whole league. Even Roethlisberger has a better chance, though he shouldn't.

9. Houston Texans [10] — Perceived as an all-offense team, but the defense has really come around. After giving up 86 points in the first three weeks (28.7 ppg), the Texans have allowed just 102 in the six games since (17.0 ppg). They now rank basically the same in points scored (14th) and allowed (15th). First-round draft pick Brian Cushing is a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, with 78 tackles, 8 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, and a safety.

10. Dallas Cowboys [8] — I've been saying it since before the season began: the Cowboys are a frustratingly up-and-down team, with a few more ups than downs. They'll have games like this week's loss to Green Bay, but they've still won four of the last five and they lead the NFC East. More worrisome than the defeat, Dallas lost two starters this weekend: RT Marc Colombo for the year, and DB Ken Hamlin for at least three games.

11. Tennessee Titans [18] — I realize this is an unorthodox ranking for a 3-6 team. But I think it's clear at this point that the 3-0 Vince Young Titans, who average 35 points a game, are a different team than the 0-6 Kerry Collins Titans, who averaged 14. Since the bye, Tennessee has scored more than twice as many points (105) as its opponents (57).

12. Baltimore Ravens [12] — With apologies to the Patriots, let's give the "Poor Timeout Management" award of the week to Baltimore, which used all of its first-half timeouts 5:15 into the first quarter. I don't think I've ever seen that, and I lived in St. Louis during the Mike Martz era. This was an ugly win for the Ravens. The passing game was nowhere to be found, Steve Hauschka missed another short field goal, and Terrell Suggs injured his knee. I was impressed with punter Sam Koch (and his coverage team), who pinned Josh Cribbs to the sidelines without sacrificing distance, and landed four punts inside the 20 without any touchbacks.

13. Carolina Panthers [17] — Since starting 0-3, they've won four of the last six, including two against teams with winning records (Arizona and Atlanta). Jake Delhomme in the wins: 5 TD, 3 INT, 83.9 passer rating. Delhomme in the losses: 2 TD, 10 INT, 58.8 passer rating. He's gone three straight games without an interception, and the Panthers can win when he takes care of the ball.

14. Miami Dolphins [11] — Ronnie Brown injured an ankle and probably won't be available for Thursday's game in Carolina. The Dolphins have already played a terrible schedule, and it doesn't get any easier: four of the next five games are on the road, and the remaining home dates are against New England, Houston, and Pittsburgh.

15. Philadelphia Eagles [15] — On Sunday, Brian Westbrook suffered his second concussion of the season. I'm not a doctor, and I don't know anything about Westbrook's personal situation, but I think he should retire. Westbrook has had a lot of trouble staying healthy the last two years, and it's not worth sacrificing his future outside of football to test his skills as a 30-year-old running back. I've always like Westbrook, and he should be proud of what he's already accomplished. You don't play around with head injuries.

16. Green Bay Packers [20] — On the CBS pregame show, Charley Casserley said that 60% of Aaron Rodgers' sacks this year have been his fault, rather than his blockers'. Rodgers took another five sacks this week, giving him a double-digit edge (41-29) on Matt Cassel for the dubious league lead. But for the first time all season, I saw Rodgers looking to throw the ball away. He even got called for intentional grounding, which could be seen as a perverse step in the right direction.

17. Atlanta Falcons [13] — I realize I'm beating this to death, so I'm going to stop for a couple weeks after this, but Matt Ryan is just falling apart. He's had a passer rating under 70 in four of the last five games, and his season rating is 78.8, which ranks between Shaun Hill and Chad Henne. The Falcons are 2-3 during his slump, and would probably be winless if not for Michael Turner's heroics over the same period. Turner injured an ankle this week.

18. New York Giants [16] — This was a good weekend for the Giants, with both Dallas and Philadelphia losing. But if you look at the remaining schedule, it's hard to see New York winning enough games to recapture its division lead. In the next two weeks, they face the slumping Falcons and Broncos, followed by home games against the Cowboys and Eagles. I think the Giants need to win three of those four to have a realistic shot at the division title.

19. Denver Broncos [9] — Three straight double-digit losses. Since the bye, Denver has been outscored 85-34 by teams with a combined record of 14-13. Kyle Orton is likely to play in Week 11, and that's good news, but his inability to throw downfield has become a huge issue. Yeah, I know he had the two bombs to Brandon Marshall on Sunday. There was no one within 15 yards of the guy. Hunter Smith could have hit those.

20. San Francisco 49ers [23] — After a victory like Thursday night's, should Niners fans feel happy, or just relieved? When your team is +4 in interceptions, the game shouldn't come down to the last play. The offense struggled badly against a Chicago defense that had been awful. We all know Frank Gore can play, but the passing game is a huge question mark. Even the defense allowed Chicago to move the ball too easily. You're not going to get five interceptions every game.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars [25] — Can we please can the phony controversy about Maurice Jones-Drew kneeling to run the clock instead of scoring a touchdown? Look, I'm sorry he hurt your fantasy team. He's on mine, too. He's even on his own! Jones-Drew even apologized to his fantasy owners after the game. Let's just accept his apology and move on.

22. Seattle Seahawks [22] — Lost a penalty-filled game in Arizona, with both squads called for triple-digit penalty yards. The two teams combined for 20 fouls and 249 yards worth of flags. Justin Forsett played well (123 rush yards, TD) after Julius Jones left the game with an injury.

23. Washington Redskins [26] — Best offensive game of the season. Ladell Betts is nothing special as a backup or third-down specialist, but he always seems to play well as a featured back when Clinton Portis is hurt. Washington had a season-high 174 rushing yards on Sunday, losing yardage only once in 40 attempts. Jason Campbell has three straight games with a passer rating over 90, and all three against teams with winning records.

24. New York Jets [19] — In Week 2, they beat the Patriots. Stop laughing, I'm not kidding. This week, the Jets travel to New England for the rematch. The Pats have Wes Welker and Jerod Mayo back, whereas the Jets have lost Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington. The Patriots are 0-3 on the road, but 5-0 at home (they're 1-0 at neutral sites). The opening line for this game is Patriots by 10½. Just saying.

25. Chicago Bears [21] — Jay Cutler led the NFL in red zone interceptions last season (4). He leads the league in red zone interceptions this season, as well, with enough (5) that no one else is likely to catch him. No, Mr. Delhomme, that wasn't a challenge. Thursday was Cutler's third three-interception game of the 2009 season. His turnover problem seems to be a particular issue in big games and at the most critical moments. You know who Cutler reminds me of? Rex Grossman. Cutler's supporting cast in Denver was good enough to hide some of the problems, but now that he's in Chicago, he looks an awful lot like Bad Rex.

26. Buffalo Bills [24] — Second straight loss by more than 20 points, and the Terrell Owens Watch is on. Some analysts speculated this week that T.O. is intentionally acting out, trying to get the Bills to cut him. What does it say about Owens that this is even a possibility? Buffalo knew what it was getting into by signing Owens, and I have no sympathy.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [27] — Two highest point totals of the season in the two games with Josh Freeman at quarterback, but Freeman had four fumbles this week (only one lost). Kellen Winslow Jr. had 7 catches for 102 yards against Miami. A good tight end is a young QB's best friend.

28. St. Louis Rams [30] — Respectable in their last two games, beating Detroit and scaring the undefeated Saints. Steven Jackson has 414 rushing yards in the last three games.

29. Kansas City Chiefs [29] — Won in Oakland for the seventh season in a row. That's the most consecutive wins any team has ever had against the Raiders in Oakland. What makes this particularly amazing is that the Chiefs are not any good. They're 47-58 over those seven seasons, including an embarrassing 8-33 the last three years. To be fair, the Raiders have won their last three games in Kansas City. This series has the opposite of home field advantage.

30. Oakland Raiders [28] — They're terrible. I don't want to talk about them, and you can't make me.

31. Detroit Lions [31] — Six straight losses since their win over Washington, but there's a huge opportunity next week, when the Browns travel to Detroit. I'll go ahead and call it right now: 13-13 tie. Come on, neither of these teams ever wins.

32. Cleveland Browns [32] — Cleveland's coaches obviously do not trust Brady Quinn. I don't think he can throw downfield, and I think the Browns know it. That's why they stayed with Derek Anderson despite his abysmal play, and that's why they didn't let Quinn throw anything but bubble screens on Monday night. What a pointless play. Even if they could complete it — and at 13-for-31, they usually couldn't — it wasn't going for any yardage. If you won't throw downfield, you might as well just run the ball. Cleveland's offense could not realistically be any worse.

The Browns' coaching staff deserves vehement criticism for its playcalling at the end of the game. Down 16-0 with :20 left, the game is over. Run it once and let the clock run out. Instead, they ran three plays, including one of those with the crazy laterals. Even if it scored, that's not a 16-point play. You still lose. It didn't score, but Cribbs, arguably the Browns' best player, was injured on the play, carted off the field, and taken to a hospital. Awesome job, Browns.

A Special Comment About Jon Gruden

Something needs to be said about this. If you think I'm just cranky and choose to stop reading now, that's fine, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the column.

Several times Monday night, viewers heard Jon Gruden complain — and he sounded genuinely resentful — that Ron Jaworski always has statistics to back up his arguments. Gruden prefers truthiness to actual truth, and sometimes he simply makes things up:

* In Week 5, Gruden stated that Ricky Williams was "off to the best start of his career." Now, that's an opinion, so it can't technically be wrong. But it really is. Williams got off to a much better start in 2002. This is like saying that William Hung is a better singer than Paul McCartney. Fine, it's not factually incorrect. But you're wrong. I doubt Gruden would even defend the statement if you let him think about it. He just said it because it felt right at the time.

* In Week 6, Gruden called Jamal Williams "a six- or seven-time Pro Bowler." He's a three-time Pro Bowler. What inspires someone to just make something up like that?

* In Week 7, Gruden said that DeSean Jackson had been more explosive through the first six weeks of the season than anyone in NFL history. A little later, he claimed that Donovan McNabb throws the deep ball "as often and as well" as anyone in the league. Again, these are opinions. But they're crazy.

* This week, Gruden asserted that the Ravens led the NFL in turnover differential last year. Either he caught himself, or someone in the booth prodded him, and he then admitted that they might not have. They were third, +13. But Gruden was basically saying, if it's not true, it ought to be. Someone who twists events to fit what he already believes has no value as an analyst, because he's untrustworthy. This is the same reason that Trent Dilfer is so odious. Nothing is going to change what he believes, including being wrong.

I've written before that Gruden is a huge upgrade over Tony Kornheiser, and I still believe that, strongly. Not only is Gruden capable of actual analysis, he loves football. He gets excited during games, and I appreciate that. Kornheiser doesn't even like football, and he tried to change the subject when Jaworski and Mike Tirico were discussing a game. I'm grateful for the change. But it's upsetting that Gruden has such a casual disregard for the truth. What is wrong with someone who makes things up like that, who lies simply because he can? Why on earth does it bother him that Jaws mixes facts in with his opinions?

I suspect that someone at ESPN has already spoken to Gruden about his tendency to make up statistics, but this simply cannot continue. If you present a statistic to your audience, it needs to be true. If you're just voicing an opinion, it should be clearly presented as one, not masqueraded as fact.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:31 AM | Comments (11)

November 16, 2009

Brandon Jennings Ushers in a New Era

Here's a list of players for you: Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Earl Monroe, Elgin Baylor, and Brandon Jennings.

That's the entire list of NBA rookies to ever score 55 or more points in a game.

If you didn't know Brandon Jennings story before Saturday, you certainly know it now. Jennings was the high school player that last season decided to forego playing college basketball to play professionally in Italy. Depending on who you ask, it was either a slap in the face to the system that now requires players to be 19-years-old and a year removed from high school to enter the NBA draft, or a backup plan because Jennings' test scores were not good enough to get him into any major colleges.

Either way, six months ago, if you would have called Jennings' one and only season as a professional a success, many people would have laughed at you.

After being ranked as the number one high school prospect by ESPN.com and Scouts.com, and the number four high school player in the nation by Rivals.com, Jennings struggled in Italy, averaging only 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game for Lottomatica Roma.

After Lottomatica Roma qualified for Euroleague play (it's a little different overseas, so I'll let the always reliable Wikipedia explain what that means), Jennings averaged 7.6 points per game, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 16 games.

After a less than impressive showing in Italy, Jennings saw his draft stock plummet. He went from being a projected top-five pick to not even showing up for the NBA draft and sitting in the green room for fear of embarrassment of having to wait around, maybe even until the second round according to some insiders.

In less than a year, Brandon Jennings went from hoops phenom to the butt of jokes, all because he decided to play professionally overseas instead of do what everyone else does and play one year of college ball. I even poked fun at him on Twitter on draft day after reading that he wasn't going to be in the green room.

You know who's laughing now? Brandon Jennings.

That's because, in just his seventh career NBA game Saturday night, Jennings' 55 points nearly broke the 39-year-old record for points scored by a rookie, set by Wilt Chamberlain in February of 1960. Jennings missed the record by three points, having to settle for the fifth highest scoring game ever recorded by a rookie.

Now, just three weeks into the NBA season, Jennings, the 10th overall selection by the Milwaukee Bucks, is the one and only candidate for Rookie of the Year.

He missed a triple-double by just one rebound and one assist in his first-ever NBA game. He backed that up with 24- and 25-point efforts in his second and third NBA games, respectively.

On Wednesday, he dropped for 32 points and 9 assists in a win against a very solid Denver Nuggets team.

On Saturday, he delivered what Hall of Famer Don Nelson called "probably the best rookie performance I've ever witnessed in 30-some years coaching."

For the season, Jennings is averaging 25.6 points per game (good for eighth-best in the NBA), 5.1 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.

All this and he never went through the charade of majoring in "general studies" for a year in college.

You know who else is laughing right now? Sonny Vaccaro.

Vaccaro is the 69-year-old "sports marketing executive" who has an ax to grind with the NCAA for some reason. He's the guy that signed Michael Jordan to Nike. He's the guy that signed Kobe Bryant to Adidas. He's the guy the co-founded the first-ever high school basketball all-star game.

He's also the man responsible for taking Brandon Jennings overseas.

Vaccaro served as an advisor and mentor to Jennings when he decided to try and skip college and play overseas. He essentially landed Jennings his $1.4 million contract with Lottomatica Roma and helped broker the $2 million deal Jennings signed with Under Armour shortly after.

Jennings isn't Vaccaro's only protégé. Earlier this summer, Vaccaro assisted Jeremy Tyler in signing a contract with Maccabi Haifa.

Is the name "Jeremy Tyler" not ringing a bell? Let me help you out: he's the 6'11" prep star that is skipping his senior year of high school to play basketball overseas in an effort to become a more polished NBA prospect.

It might sound crazy, but why not? Tyler averaged over 28 points per game as a junior. There was no competition at the high school level, and he's clearly got the potential to be an NBA player someday.

Why does he need another year of high school basketball before he becomes a professional? Tennis players and golfers turn pro as early as 13- or 14-years-old. Surely, a 17-year-old basketball player should have the same options in front of him, right?

Thanks to in large part to Vaccaro, this particular 17-year-old now does.

So does this make Brandon Jennings a trail blazer or someone who ran out of options?

The answer is probably a little of both. The fact is, it looks like college would have been Jennings' first choice. It was the test scores, not the promise of big money and professional experience, that had Jennings packing for Italy.

But that doesn't change the end result. The bottom line is that prep stars all over the country with aspirations of being in the NBA one day are watching Brandon Jennings succeed right now and thinking, "why not me?"

Just last week, Latavious Williams became the first player to ever bypass college and enter the NBDL draft. He was selected in the first round by the Tulsa 66ers. As of last season, one out of every four NBA players had D-League experience.

What is the better option for a person that wants to become a professional basketball player: getting paid to play in a league that is in existence solely to help people become NBA players, or playing for a school for free that just wants to exploit its basketball program for more money, with your basketball playing future serving as an unimportant afterthought?

To me, I can't believe it took someone this long to go the D-League route.

Sure, Brandon Jennings going overseas wasn't exactly the most conventional path. His draft stock took a hit because of it. But that doesn't mean it wasn't the right move.

Think back to the mid-'90s, back when the Kevin Garnett's and Kobe Bryant's of the world were making the leap from high school to the NBA. You think that their draft stocks didn't suffer because they didn't bother to go through the motions of a year of college?

We're talking about two of the greatest players to ever play the game, and they were drafted fifth and 13th, respectively. You think it was their ability or the fact that they came from unfamiliar territory that caused them not to be number one picks?

Brandon Jennings, whether it was his intentions or not, has paved the way for a generation of players to explore options other the college to get to the NBA, much like Garnett and Kobe in the '90s.

Just like K.G. and Kobe opened the door for guys like LeBron James and Dwight Howard to be selected first overall, Brandon Jennings has opened the door for someone.

It might not be Jeremy Tyler or Latavious Williams, but someday soon there will be someone who skips college and plays a year overseas or in the D-League that gets drafted first overall.

And when they do, they'll be able to point to Brandon Jennings and say, "that's the reason I didn't need to go to college."

The best part about it is that they'll be able to say if from the comfort of the NBA Draft Green Room, because teams are no longer going to be scared of a player who doesn't toil away in college for a year.

All thanks to Brandon Jennings.

Scott Shepherd writes about the NBA every Monday for Sports Central. His blog, Diary of an NBA Junkie, is updated several times a week.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:04 AM | Comments (1)

November 14, 2009

Review: Agassi "Opens" Up

CBS news is probably the last news broadcast and network I would ever watch. For a multitude of reasons, but mainly because I don't fancy Katie Couric. Not in the least. Her move from morning show talk and news to serious journalism never worked in my mind, and still doesn't. I'm sure she would disagree, but hey, it's my opinion.

But just the other night, I found myself turning on CBS to watch Katie. Not because I found her suddenly interesting, but because Andre Agassi was about to give his first one-on-one interview to Couric on "60 Minutes." I was very curious to see how close she would come to a serious question or if she would throw him a series of softballs.

Agassi was appearing to talk about his new autobiography, "Open," which comes right in time for the holiday season. I just finished reading it, and I must say it was an interesting read. After reading many of the passages, I immediately flashed to moments over the past two decades where I had the opportunity to meet, interview, or just talk with him. Now it all makes sense. "Open" challenges everything you thought you knew about the renegade youth who turned into tennis' most loved champion.

Most of the media, and especially Katie Couric, continues to focus on his admission that he used crystal meth. Katie asked him several times, maybe several more then she should have, about how many times did he use meth. Clearly, Agassi was uncomfortable revealing the explicit details, however, he honestly answered that he used it for about a year. It was 1997, the year that wasn't for Andre. Everyone knows that was the year after his marriage to Brooke Shields when his ranking fell from the top all the way to 141. For most of us, we thought that might be the cause of the ranking drop.

There are numerous examples where top athletes get married or enter a serious relationship and their performance drops or they have slumps. So for Andre to have suffered an athletic slip after the marriage would not have raised too many eyebrows ... initially. But Andre started to slip more and more. His playing schedule became sporadic, and he only made one major tournament appearance. I now remember seeing him in Miami that year and thinking that something was wrong. Maybe his marriage was on a rocky start. I remember what my marriage was like in the early years, especially with me traveling so much. So the look in his eyes, his look of edgy exhaustion, I could explain away.

I now look back at seeing him play Kenny Flach in D.C. in July a few months later. I remember how off he looked, how to me something more had to be going on. I had talked with several tennis insiders I knew back then, and while we all agreed that he certainly wasn't the Andre we had all known before, I am pretty sure none of us could have imagined he was deep into crystal meth usage. I was going to look at pictures of him that year for this article, but thought better of it. What good would it do? I now know what was the real cause of his fall.

I am not condoning his drug use, not in the least. I also won't be like his compatriots and become high and mighty. Unlike Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Marion Jones, and a host of other high-profile, highly-paid athletes, Andre didn't use performance-enhancing drugs. I am pretty sure crystal meth is not something one uses to improve themselves physically. If you aren't convinced, take a look at former gold medal-winning figure skater Nicole Bobek after her arrest for running a meth ring and using it regularly.

Marat Safin, Martina Navratilova, and just about any tennis player who would talk has been asked about the revelation, and most have responded to it like he had used performance-enhancers. Sorry, Marat. First, Andre dealt with his personal hell poorly, but then came back with a vengeance. He personally went back down to the tennis minors and worked his way back up from the bottom. Maybe if you had done that, well, you might have had a better overall career. And Martina, how long did it take you to admit you were gay?

But Marat, you were right in your thoughts that Andre's admission now doesn't make up for his lying then. I personally feel for all the players who beat him that year, as his admissions now cheapens the victories. My fellow New Jerseyan, Justin Gimelstob, was one of those who beat him that year. Justin may be the only player who has no issues with Andre now that the truth is known. At least that is what he has stated publicly. Good for you, Justin.

I have to ask, what would any of us do if we were raised as Andre was, had only an eighth grade education, knew nothing beyond tennis, and were trapped in a personal hell? Most of us probably would have turned out much worse. I haven't ever walked in Andre's shoes, but after reading this book, I feel like I know those shoes.

"Open" is a very candid book, something that I always thought Andre was, but now know in many ways he wasn't. Andre reveals his life as one personal hell, not of his choosing — from him having no choice to start in tennis, hating the game almost from his first days on the court, his younger years living a renegade lifestyle that was completely opposite his internal personality, staying in a marriage that maybe from the beginning he knew was wrong, all the way to being conflicted to this day by his feelings for the one thing that made him who he is today and has earned him the life he has.

The story is fascinating, yet sad, frustrating and angering, yet endearing, as well. I don't want to call this a book about tennis because it is not. Tennis dominates many of the pages because that was the only life he ever knew, but this book is so much more then just a life between the net and the baseline.

I read a dozen or so biographies and autobiographies a year, and maybe over 150 in my lifetime. This one is in my top three. I am not sure I have ever come across a personal story as candid as this one. I can't find anything in between the lines that is not genuine. There is no hidden agenda. He clearly doesn't need the money. What he has revealed has not endeared him more, but has instead caused a very negative personal backlash. Agassi wrote the book as his personal confessional.

So, Andre, you are brave. You have more courage than I and most of your contemporaries. I hope the book gives you the relief you seek. I hope everyone goes out and reads your story. You are no longer an idol. You are now a life lesson.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 11:56 AM | Comments (6)

November 13, 2009

The MLB Anti-Team of the Decade

With Major League Baseball's first decade of the 21st century complete, the time has come to crown one team as the "Team of the Decade." There are many candidates to choose from, to be sure. While only two teams have won multiple titles heading into this offseason (Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees), several others started the postseason in position to join that list: St. Louis, L.A. (of Anaheim), and of course the Phillies, who started the '09 playoffs with hopes of repeating as champ in back-to-back seasons.

With bookend titles in the decade, the resume cannot be ignored for the Yankees. They lead the world in regular season wins this decade (over 950), lead in playoff appearances (9), and have earned multiple rings. One would think their status as "Team of the Decade" is a slam-dunk, and while I would love to disprove this (I've never tried to hide my distaste for Pinstripers), I cannot, so were this to be an article on identifying the most deserving all-decade team, my work here would be done.

Alas, our esteemed site editor would never accept a two paragraph article, so let's shift gears a bit and go in a totally different direction. Who is the "Anti-Team of the Decade?" Ah, this is a question that bears much more research and the all-important subjective viewpoint of a biased sports blogger like myself; much more my style!

The Rules

This is the easy part. The team in question must be bad — not just run-of-the-mill wins/losses bad, but terrible on a more philosophical level. A team worthy of such distinction as "Anti-Team" should not only possess the obligatory poor management/underachieving player combination, but must also exhibit an uncanny ability to alienate its own fan base. Obviously, such a team cannot have won a World Series title this decade and it is strongly recommended that a candidate team not have hoisted any pennant whatsoever, though this isn't a firm requirement as long as such pennants are few and far between and were accompanied with supremely high expectations. Oh, and to those of you that want to throw out semantics and insist that the decade runs from 2001-2010, sit down and shut up. Please.

The Candidates

There are 22 qualified teams if you eliminate the title winners of this decade (Phillies, BoSox, Cards, ChiSox, Marlins, Angels, Diamondbacks, Yankees). Further, Atlanta (6 division titles), Oakland (4), Minnesota (4), and the Cubs (3) are discounted, as is Houston, who combined their three postseason trips with a World Series loss. This leaves us with 17 realistic eligible teams that are in the running — or "also-running," if you will: Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Indians, Mets, Blue Jays, Rangers, Rockies, Padres, Reds, Brewers, Tigers, Nationals/Expos, Orioles, Rays, Pirates, Royals.

The Contest

The Dodgers have won 865 games this decade, good for seventh on the decade list. They've also brought home two division titles and a wild card berth. Most importantly, they haven't ostracized their fan-base or created any undue stress among the general baseball-watching population, so they are our first team to be cut from contention. San Francisco also gets lopped off this list of contenders with their three postseason appearances and five-year stretch to start the decade where they averaged just under 95 wins per season.

The Rockies are the next team to be discounted, which may surprise a few as there are obviously higher profile teams still on the list that may have had more success this decade. However, Colorado is a team that has consistently outperformed their payroll, bringing unexpected joy to their loyal fans sporadically, which is completely contrary to the sort of effect we want our "Anti-Team" to have on its fan base. Likewise, the Seattle Mariners are booted due to their propensity to perform at or just above expectation levels (even if those expectations are that of a non-contending also-ran) factored in with the startling fact that they own the record for single season wins (116), which they achieved early this decade. Four down, 13 left standing.

Next off our list are the Kansas City Royals. File this one under "What the hell do you expect?" Yes, they trade away their young stars just before they become young superstars. True, their fan base is long suffering and does have "glory years" against which to measure today's gory years. But the ownership is very cognizant of playing the money card with that fan base and the "baseball experience" at Kauffman Stadium is one that has few peers. The ownership doesn't overcharge for their sorry product and doesn't insult its fans by making them feel like they are actually trying to compete in the name of selling a few more tickets. For this, I cannot punish a group of sadomasochistic (minus the sexual overtones) fans.

The Texas Rangers are the next group that is least like the others. Though the decade hasn't been particularly fruitful for the Rangers or their fans, the team hasn't lost less than 71 games since the turn of the century and Texas typically trots out an entertaining lineup that scores lots of runs and gives up just as many. If anything, their only real failing is identifying a reliable closer and throwing a few extra bucks at a starter here or a starter there. The Cleveland Indians also get a pass, as they consistently march out a middle-priced group of middle-of-the-road professional players with a star mixed in every now and then. Granted, there have been some front-office botch-jobs turned in with this franchise, but these failings pale in comparison to those of some of the others on the list.

Toronto and Milwaukee are both going to be left off the short list, as well. Toronto has been relatively consistent if not maddeningly average over the balance of the decade and they do play in the same division as two of the all-decade greats, so they get the benefit of the doubt. The Brew Crew is an up-and-coming bunch that has done more with less, particularly in the latter stages of the decade, and they too are faced with a consistently stout set of division rivals. The Rays saved themselves with their last two seasons, though their early-decade ineptitude nearly kept them as legit contenders even with their recent resurgence.

The final two to not make the cut are the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds. In the case of the Reds, this team is bad and has been grossly mismanaged, but they do put a decent team on the field that has been known to play well early and have proven to be tough outs for contenders late in the season. The Padres have had their moments this decade, but the wheels have fallen off and there doesn't seem to be a reprieve in sight. However, due to their run of success that ended suddenly with a crushing "play-in game" loss to Colorado in 2007, San Diego doesn't quite qualify as one of the worst five teams of the decade.

And then, there were five. The remaining five teams are each equally flawed, but for very different reasons. There are your unmitigated disasters, your maddeningly inconsistent personnel groupings as well as your real head-scratchers. Each should be given some recognition for their unmatched futility, but there must be only one left standing, so below is a blow-by-blow breakdown for each of the finalists, in no particular order:

Pittsburgh Pirates — Oh boy. I mean OOOOOHHHH BBBOOOOYYY!!! Only the aforementioned Royals have lost more this decade, and the Pirates dry spell runs closer to two decades nowadays. No good players — I mean zero — even the marginally talented get shipped out by the annual trading deadline. They screw up their draft signings, they overcharge for tickets, they have stale, uninteresting uniforms ... there isn't much else to say beyond yes, this is a legit contender for "Anti-Team of the Decade."

Detroit Tigers — Their one playoff appearance this decade (2006) was a wildcard berth that they "earned" by losing their last five games to get passed in the standings by a red-hot Twins team on the season's last day. Sound familiar? Detroit is a franchise that has the best of intentions, but they enter each season with expectations that go unfulfilled; when they are expected to be awful, they compete, and when they are expected to compete, they underachieve. Worse, in those seasons where they are missing one key piece to solidify their chances (like in 2009), they fail to identify that missing piece and don't work to address it through midseason trade. If you are a Tiger fan, I feel for you, and I am a Cub fan, so think about that irony for a minute!

Washington Nationals (aka Montreal Expos) — Though they have been laughingly pathetic for quite some time, this franchise nearly gets a free pass from me as they have been abused by the system. When in Montreal, more should have been done to rescue the franchise, but instead, the league issued its death sentence on the Expos, hung them out to dry (and lose all its fan base) and forced them to move to the Nation's Capitol, which has as much interest in baseball as I do politics. It will take several more years for the franchise to fully recover, though they did start to show signs in 2009, remarkably winning their last seven games against playoff-caliber opposition. But they did still win only 59 games, so that free pass wouldn't be warranted.

Baltimore Orioles — If there were a photo of baseball mismanagement, it would certainly include the Oriole logo. Poor financial decisions (Sammy Sosa? Really?) abound in B-More and the team hasn't been even relatively competitive in years. No 80-win seasons to hang their hat on, a bloated payroll, a litany of injury issues, no stability in the front office — the future is bleak and the past is something of nightmares for anyone that fancies themselves an Oriole die-hard. I'll put it this way, when you are concerned that moving the Nationals to your neighborhood may cut into your bottom line, you have done a piss-poor job marketing yourself and establishing a presence among your fans.

New York Mets — What the?! Seriously, the Mets on this list? Afraid so. Yes, I know they played in the decade-opening World Series against the Yankees, and they've even mixed in a division title this decade, but let's reassess the facts. Fact No. 1: the Mets have had one of the top five highest payrolls in baseball through each year this decade. Fact No. 2: during the decade, the Mets finished last twice and more than 20-games out of first on the season's last day four times. Fact No. 3: not including the two playoff seasons ('00 and '06), in the three seasons that New York entered the final week of the season in first or within striking distance of first (three or less games back) this decade, the Mets won four and lost six in their last 10 games in each of those seasons. Fact No. 4: the Mets blew division leads of greater than three games during the season's last two weeks twice in the decade. The only other team this decade to accomplish the same feat while missing playoffs entirely was Detroit this season.

The Verdict

After careful consideration of the facts, for me it comes down to two very different franchises when determining the ultimate loser in this contest. As I mentioned, the Nationals are bad, but more of an unfortunate bad than an insultingly ineffective bad. The Orioles are a cautionary tale of how not to spend your money, but in the grand scheme of things, they have been victimized by a litany of steroid-pumping vets (Miguel Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa, et al) that fell over the hill as they settled in for Baltimore, which makes them more of a wrong place-wrong time team than an unmitigated failure.

And the Tigers, while surely a head-scratching conundrum of a situation, have never really headed into a season capturing the hearts and minds of the masses who anticipate a deep championship run, so their failings are not totally unexpected early in the decade (though the more recent collapses due give them far more credence as our "Anti-Team" than they should have).

Who's left? One is a team that never can seem to get it right and doesn't seem to want to either admit defeat ("Oh, we'll be better this season, just watch!") or commit to iterative progress ("Yes, we traded our best young talent away ... again ... for nothing!"). The other is a team that annually goes for the gusto with big, bold, pricey moves, but doesn't understand the importance of moderation, role players, or strong, stable management. Which is worse? You tell me. But for my money, and for theirs I would suspect, those New York Mets have brought frustration, unmet (or is it un-"Met") expectations, overpaid underachievement, and terrifically bad judgment to its fan base in never-before-seen doses. For this reason, there is no other logical verdict.

Congratulations to the New York Mets, this decades "Anti-Team." How about that? The best and the worst off this decade summed up by one simple musical refrain; Frank Sinatra, eat your heart out!

New York, New York indeed!

Posted by Matt Thomas at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2009

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 10

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Chicago @ San Francisco (-4)

The NFL Network's first game this season feature two teams quickly becoming afterthoughts in the playoff conversation. The Bears are 4-4 after a 41-21 home loss to the Cardinals, while the 49ers are 3-5.

"The Bears can't stop the pass," says Mike Singletary, "and we can't stop the run. And the Village People Can't Stop the Music. There was no rapping linebacker in that group, which is unfortunate for me, because I've always fancied myself in a flowing neckerchief. Now, if you're aware of my coaching style, you know that I've got to be a macho man. Hopefully, that attitude will rub off on my players, because we really need to be physical to win."

In a losing effort, Jay Cutler had a big day against Arizona, throwing for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Bears had to abandon the run early after falling behind 31-7, so it wasn't the type of big numbers Cutler desired.

"I think there's a name for a game like that," says Cutler. "It's called 'Cut' and Pasted.' When you dig yourself a whole early, there's not much else you can do except fight to get out of it. If that entails throwing exclusively on every down, or sucker-punching a defenseless Cardinal, then so be it. Interestingly enough, in that game, there was one defenseless Cardinal, and 11 defense-less Bears."

Chicago wins, 23-22.

Detroit @ Minnesota (-15½)

The Vikings enjoyed a much-needed bye, a week off made even more special when Minnesota's three NFC North counterparts all lost, further cushioning their lead in the division. At 7-1, Minnesota leads Green Bay and Chicago by three games.

"As you know," says Brett Favre, "I've got no problem 'distancing' myself from teams, particularly the Packers. And I mean that geographically and personally. But I've got no ill will towards Aaron Rodgers. In fact, he makes my toughness look downright girlish. Besides our ties to the Packer, we've got one thing in common — right now, that Packer offensive line is doing neither one of us any good."

"As for the Lions, they should know that I haven't lost a game in Minneapolis when the temperature was below a climate-controlled 75º
Fahrenheit."

The Lions are 1-7 and frustration is building. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson were seen bickering on the sidelines in Seattle, a confrontation both later downplayed.

"It's no big deal," says Johnson. "Our publicists have advised us to say we were just arguing over who would get the free pair of tickets to the Red Wings game. Truthfully, I whipped out my Keyshawn Johnson impression and told Stafford to 'get me the damn ball.' Matthew didn't take too kindly to that, and laced me with a string of profanities, which is the first thing he's 'thrown' at me in a while. Of course, when he does throw to me, it's an 'overthrow.' And that's exactly what I'd like Coach Schwartz to do — 'overthrow' Stafford in favor of Daunte Culpepper."

With the Lions struggling and the Vikings rested from a bye week, this one could be over early. Adrian Peterson rushes for 140 yards and 2 scores, and Minnesota picks off Stafford 3 times.

Minnesota wins, 37-13.

Denver @ Washington (+4½)

How bad is the situation in Washington? Not only are the Redskins 2-6, but the Sherman Lewis play-calling experiment has made little or no difference. In addition, DeAngelo Hall has accused Falcons coach Mike Smith of cursing at him on the sidelines in Atlanta. Not to be outdone, former 'Skins John Riggins and Joe Theismann can't agree on proper etiquette in regards to criticizing owner Daniel Snyder.

"I should speak up and say 'stop the madness!'" says Jim Zorn, "but under my limited duties as head coach, that's no longer my job. But it sure is entertaining to watch. You have to take what Riggins says with a grain of salt, or two shots of whiskey. He's always been very opinionated, whether speaking from under a table at a black-tie, White House dinner, or from his platform on talk radio."

"As for Hall, his mouth is like an opposing receiver — he just can't cover it. And if Smith did curse at him, I'm sure it's nothing DeAngelo hasn't heard from a coach before. In Snyder's case, he's just an incompetent owner, a 'brass' monkey, if you will. He may be the 'Indian head,' but he's not worth a nickel."

After a 6-0 start, the Broncos have lost two straight, including a 28-10 loss to the Steelers on Monday night. After early success throwing, Kyle Orton was atrocious, throwing 3 interceptions after only tossing one pick in seven previous games.

"Hey, I never said I wasn't a 'down to earth' guy," says Orton. "Look, if you spend enough time with Rex Grossman, then some of his talent is bound to rub off on you. That's what happened on Monday. As for the Redskins, they're a victim of piss-poor ownership. That's why Snyder needs to 'relieve himself' of his duties."

Prior to the game, Zorn gives the greatest motivational speech of his life, closing his talk with the words "Gentlemen, start your Injuns!" The Skins come out blazing, and take a 10-0 lead. Then the Broncos reel off 42 unanswered points. Not really, but Denver fans always appreciate a little Super Bowl XXII humor.

Denver wins, 24-16.

Tampa Bay @ Miami (-9)

What's the biggest news in the state of Florida? The Jaguars are back to .500, like the capacity of their stadium? Nope. Joey Porter is a motivational "speaker" on par with Tony Robbins? Nope. Raheem Morris has accepted an invitation from Grand Master Flash to rejoin the "Furious Five?" Nope. It's the Bucs' 38-28 win last Sunday over the Packers, Tampa's first win of the year, a victory led by rookie Josh Freeman's 3 touchdowns in his first start.

"Hey, it wasn't too long ago that my parents handed me the 'keys to the car,'" says the 21-year old Freeman. "I scored three times that day, as well. Anyway, many people think my performance was just an aberration, and things just went my way. That may very well be. But it's not like I did it against an untalented defensive backfield. Charles Woodson and Al Harris are Pro Bowl cornerbacks. So, yes, that game may be a case of being overrated. I'm just not sure I'm the one who's overrated."

The Dolphins are arguably the best 3-5 team in the league, and desperately need a win, especially over a team of which they are clearly better.

"Despite our record," says Ricky Williams, "we think very highly of ourselves. But not as highly as Joey Porter thinks of ourselves. It seems that whenever Joey opens his big mouth, he motivates the other team into whipping us. Hopefully, he'll stop this habit of 'thrash' talk."

Miami wins, 27-13.

Buffalo @ Tennessee (-6½)

After their 34-27 win over the 49ers last week, the Titans have won two in a row after a dismal 0-6 start to the season. Running back Chris Johnson, who leads the NFL with 959 yards, earlier said that the Titans could win their last ten games and make the playoffs.

"I admire Chris' confidence," says Jeff Fisher. "But we have to be realistic. Consequently, as people told me to 'take that shirt off,' Chris needs to 'keep his pants on.' He's obviously as talented at 'jumping to conclusions' as he is at 'rushing to fruition.' Heck, and I though LenDale White was the one with 'stretch' marks."

For the Bills, Trent Edwards will return at quarterback after missing two games with a concussion. In his absence, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bills to a 1-1 record.

"I've heard the rumors that the Bills showed interest in signing Vick," says Edwards. "And some of my teammates have expressed their support for Vick. That's just shortsighted thinking. What if this franchise moves to Canada, like many have predicted? Then what? Vick's a convicted felon. Sure he can clear waivers, but can he clear customs?"

"But let's be serious. This game is about one thing, and that's revenge for 2000's 'Music City Miracle,' in which the Bills were robbed of a playoff win in Tennessee. That play has been analyzed incessantly in Buffalo by independent, biased parties, and the same conclusion has always been drawn — that the officials for that game were half-blind, which is equivalent to viewing that play through a 'Music City Monacle.'"

With the Bills geared to stop Chris Johnson, the Titans open up their passing game. Vince Young throws for a score and rushes for another, and Tennessee wins, 24-20.

New Orleans @ St. Louis (-14)

For the second time in three weeks, the Saints overcame a large early deficit to win and keep their record unblemished. Last week, the Panthers jumped to a 14-0 lead before New Orleans eventually prevailed 30-20. On Sunday, Drew Brees and his cohorts hope to get an early jump on the 1-7 Rams, who had a Week 9 bye.

"Obviously, we need to stop getting into early holes," says Sean Payton. "Or do we? As long as we pull out the win, everything's okay. I think Reggie Bush can attest that there's something to be said for good 'behind.' Dating Kim Kardashian will do that. What I wouldn't give to get past third base with her, because baby got 'back, back, back.' And I hear Reggie and Kim are together again. Honestly, I can't blame Reggie for 'running back' to her."

Despite their 1-7 record, the Rams have reason to be confident. They captured their first win in Week 8, enjoyed a bye in Week 9, and face a Saints defense that has lately been proven susceptible to the run. The Rams will lean heavily on running back Steven Jackson, who leads the NFC in rushing, to move the chains and keep Drew Brees and the Saints offense off the field.

"Clearly, we're not the 'Best of the West,'" says Jackson. "But I'm definitely the 'Beast From the Least."

Once again, the Saints fall behind early, as the league's lowest-scoring team takes what the Rams consider a huge lead, 6-0. But the Saints methodically rebound, scoring three second-quarter touchdowns in the span of 1:58.

New Orleans wins, 37-19.

Jacksonville @ NY Jets (-6)

Since their 3-0 start, the Jets are 1-4, and the early buzz has somewhat quieted, although New York is certainly well within the thick of the playoff hunt. A bye week has given the team a chance to regroup, study film, and formulate strategy for a strong finish to the season.

"It's hard to quantify success or failure when your record is 4-4," says Mark Sanchez, "and your season so far has been defined by your quarterback eating a hot dog on the sideline. I'm surprised that was such a big deal. No one raised an eyebrow last week, when I was caught applying eye black near a hot dog stand. But I can't complain. The hot dog incident has brought me more fame than my play. There's no shame in being nicknamed 'Bun Length.' However, I absolutely refuse to sign any hot dogs."

The Jaguars are 4-4, and the jury is still out on whether Jack Del Rio's team has the fortitude to make a strong playoff run. Maurice Jones-Drew sure does, with 759 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, tops among all running backs. He'll have to produce if the Jags are to upset the Jets in the Meadowlands.

"Frankly, I'm disgusted by all the double entendres related to Sanchez' hot dog-eating incident," says Jones-Drew. "It amounts to nothing more than Jet 'skeez.' Incidentally, I expect my work load to be heavy, because our quarterback David Garrard is in the 'dog' house."

The Jets clog the running lanes early, forcing Garrard into two interceptions. Sanchez throws for 187 yards and a touchdown, but later causes an uproar when he's spotted buttering toast on the sidelines.

Jets win, 31-16.

Atlanta @ Carolina (+1)

Despite their 3-5 record, a wild card playoff spot is not out of the question for the Panthers. Carolina has shown improvement in the last two weeks, taking down the NFC West-leading Cardinals two weeks ago, and giving the Saints early trouble before dropping a 30-20 decision.

"We've rushed for 452 yards in the last two games," says John Fox, "so we're getting back to what we do best. And we're not asking much of Jake Delhomme. This is a very simple offense. Even a rookie could explain it to Jake. Or a caveman. It's a variation of the offense that Warren Moon piloted with the Houston Oilers in the early '90s. We call it the 'run and run.'"

The Falcons beat the Panthers in Week 2, and duplicating that feat will be a bit tougher in Charlotte.

"I'll obviously be keeping a low profile on the sidelines," says Mike Smith, "while the NFL investigates DeAngelo Hall's claims that I cursed at him. Since when is it a crime to do the 'Dirty Bird' on my own sidelines?"

The Falcons will try to do something that Fox himself is reluctant to do — make Delhomme throw the ball. Steve Smith might even see some one-on-one coverage. In the en, though, a Delhomme turnover will cost them the game.

Falcons win, 23-19.

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (-6)

After a dominating 28-10 win in Denver, the Steelers are 6-2 and deadlocked with the visiting Bengals in the AFC North. Barring a tie, and the resulting confusion of Donovan McNabb, one team will emerge with sole possession of the division lead.

"Right now, I feel we're at full strength," says Hines Ward. "Everyone's healthy, including Troy Polamalu, who not only makes opposing offensive coordinators cringe, but bald men, as well. Troy's hair is nearly becoming as famous as Troy himself. Isn't it? Isn't it? But he's no Brian Bosworth. Troy may be the most lethal combination of speed and power the NFL has ever seen. He's what drives this defense. When Dick LeBeau turns him loose, which is known as giving Troy the 'Steel Sign,' he's most dangerous."

"In addition, I was voted the 'NFL's Dirtiest Player' by my peers. It's a real honor to join the likes of Conrad Dobler, Jack Tatum, Bill Romanowski, and Ric Flair and be recognized as one of the dirtiest players in the game. Ironically, the voters who 'recognized' me for this honor are the same players who don't 'recognize' me on the field, right before I level them with a blindside hit."

The Bengals head to Heinz Field with a 4-0 division record, including an earlier win over the Steelers. With a win Sunday, Cincy would need only a win over the Browns to complete the division sweep.

"Maybe a win will finally get us the respect we deserve," says Chad Ochocinco. "We are solid on both sides of the ball. The numbers don't lie. We are, in fact, a 'total' team, so all I have to say to the Steelers is 'come get sum.'"

Pittsburgh wins, 22-17.

Kansas City @ Oakland (-2)

The 1-7 Chiefs visit Oakland to face the 2-6 Raiders in a battle of AFC West rivals whose off-the-field issues have provided more drama than anything that's occurred on the field. The Chiefs released Larry Johnson, and allegations of a history of violence continue to dog Tom Cable.

"As you've heard," says Al Davis, "Cable's ex-wife and a former girlfriend have alleged that he abused them. This news, coupled with Randy Hanson's charges that Cable punched him, certainly leaves the Raider organization with a black eye. For the eye-patched Raiders, that's two eyes obstructed, which would have to explain why no one could corroborate Hanson's story, even though several apparently witnessed it. It seems to be a Cable 'cabal,' of which I'm a part of."

"Now, Cable and I have discussed the abuse allegations at great length. By 'great length', I mean it took us forever to address all of them. But I think we made progress. I'm from the NFL's 'old school.' Never did I realize that talking 'smack' could be so productive."

Johnson was released early this week and has already cleared waivers. In place of Johnson, former University of Texas speedster Jamaal Charles will start.

"Larry Johnson had to go," says Todd Haley. "Since I've been here, I've preached a 'take no prisoners' approach to the game. And since Larry was destined for prison, we couldn't take him any more. And we didn't 'slur' our speech when we told him so. Now, I'm sure Larry will find another home. But for Christ's sake, don't mention anything about him 'playing for the other team.' I don't think he'd take that too well."

"As for the Raiders, distractions like those they've faced have historically proven either to tear a team apart or bring them closer together. I think the latter applies here. If there's one thing Cable is capable of doing, it's making the Raiders a team of 'world-beaters.'"

Oakland wins, 27-16.

Dallas @ Green Bay (+1½)

After a big 20-16 win in Philadelphia, the Cowboys sit firmly atop the NFC East, proudly surveying their territory like Ben Cartwright gazing out over the Ponderosa, which pales in comparison to the size of Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. But this game is at Lambeau Field, site of the "Ice Bowl," the 1967 NFL Championship Game won by the Packers, 21-17.

"Well, life as the Dallas quarterback isn't an episode of Bonanza," says Tony Romo. "There's not always a happy ending. Sure, we're sitting on top of the world right now, but from up here, there's only one place to go, and that's down. It's the 'Leon Lett Effect.' In Dallas, there's always a Don Beebe ready to bring you down. Whether it's a Tweet from Terrell Owens, a whine from Roy Williams, or the publication of compromising photos of Jason Witten and I, something will go wrong. When it does, however, I'll have Jerry Jones, my personal 'Ben Cartwright,' to shield me from criticism, which is usually deserved."

Speaking of 'protection,' protection breakdowns plagued the Packers again last week in Tampa, where the Bucs' pass rush took down Aaron Rodgers 6 times. It won't get any easier when Dallas comes to town, as the Cowboys are tied for sixth in the league in sacks, with 21.

"The Yankees' Alex Rodriguez may be the latest 'Mr. October,'" says Rodgers, "but this A-Rod is 'Mr. Knocked-Over.' I'm like David Carr with talent. I've been sacked 37 times this year, which puts me on pace to sample more grass than Ricky Williams. I can taste-test the turf of 32 NFL field and identified at least 22 of them. As for the Cowboys, I fully expect a nail-biter. Thanks to my offensive line, practically all of our games are 'knock-down, drag-outs.'"

Is it time for a Cowboy letdown? It's always is. But like a Romo-led playoff victory, it's "past-due."

The Packers jump out to a 10-0 lead, but the Cowboys running game wears down the Packer defense, and Romo throws a strike to Patrick Crayton for the game-winning score.

Dallas wins, 24-20.

Philadelphia @ San Diego (-1)

Two of the best quarterbacks never to have won a Super Bowl face off in San Diego, as Donovan McNabb leads the Eagle against Philip Rivers and the Chargers. Both teams are 5-3 and in second in their respective divisions.

"I guess Donovan and I both have 'monkeys' on our backs," says Philip Rivers. "We're both looking to rid ourselves of animals. Obviously, McNabb's had more success leaving wildlife behind, because he's left 'yak' on the field on numerous occasions."

"Now, before information gets skewed, let's just clarify that Lawrence Taylor was the 'L.T.' arrested a few days ago for leaving the scene of an accident. It wasn't LaDainian Tomlinson. It couldn't have been. Heck, LaDainian almost always stops on contact."

Without the versatility of Brian Westbrook, the Eagles' offense was simply "pedestrian" in last week's 20-16 loss to the Cowboys. That would explain why David Akers "walked" on to the field for three field goals, as the offense stalled. Red zone efficiency will be tantamount to success in Sunday's contest in San Diego.

"Tantamount?" says Donovan McNabb. "I love that word, especially when used as a verb. Anyway, we need this game just as badly as the Chargers. And, in case anyone's forgotten, particularly a former felon who thinks he deserves more playing time, the quarterback of this team is named 'McNabb,' not 'VcNabb.'"

Eagles win, 26-23.

Seattle @ Arizona (-9)

The Cards have opened up a two-game lead in the NFC West, thanks in part to a 41-21 win in Chicago, Arizona's fourth road win of the year. Unfortunately on Sunday, Arizona hosts the 3-5 Seahawks at University Of Phoenix Stadium, where the Cardinals are 1-3.

"Hey, I think Anquan Boldin speaks for all of us," says Kurt Warner, "when he says he 'hates it here.' I think we'd all be happier going on the road, although Anquan would like to do so permanently. His unhappiness is well-documented, and somewhat tiresome. But I, of all people, won't be the one to condemn him for 'preaching to the choir.'"

Seattle could pull to within a game of the NFC West lead with an upset win over the Cardinals. The 'Hawks suffered a 27-3 loss in Week 6 when the teams last met.

"Hey, the Cardinals aren't the only team dealing with diva-like behavior from a receiver," says Matt Hasselbeck. "Heck, T.J. Houshmanzadeh comes to every meeting wearing a ponytail. My sister-in-law, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, has even tagged T.J. to co-host an upcoming episode of The View. Maybe that will satisfy his need for 'air' time."

The Cards have played like men on the road. However, at University Of Phoenix Stadium, they been nothing but 'home' boys. That changes this Sunday, after Whisenhunt forces his squad to circle Glendale for nine hours in a plane to simulate an East Coast trip.

"'Homey' doesn't play that," says the 'Whis.'

Arizona wins, 31-17.

New England @ Indianapolis (-3)

Whenever the Patriots and Colts meet, the potential for an epic contest is always a possibility. With the Patriots at 6-2 and the Colts perfect at 8-0, playoff-seeding implications are aplenty. Barring an indoor snowstorm and the appearance of Ty Law, the Patriots will play the role of underdog.

"It's always fun comparing Super Bowl rings with Peyton Manning," says Tom Brady. "I'm sure it gives him an 'IN-feriority complex.' You know, when this rivalry started, we were always the favorite, and the Colts were the upstarts. Now, the shoe's on the other foot, and the ring's on the other finger, or fingers."

"I think we know better than to trash talk Brady," says Manning. "Sure, Joey Porter says Brady gets his own 'set of rules,' and that's probably true. Brady's called for so many yellow flags, local speedway officials have already asked him to man the flag stand at the Indianapolis 500 next year."

"But I can't get into a war of words. I'm the consummate professional; Brady's the consummate procreator."

Can the Patriots defense confuse Manning without Ty Law and Rodney Harrison, the dirtiest announcer in the game? Probably not. Will Brady have a field day with a Colts secondary missing Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson? Probably so. It looks like a shootout.

Indianapolis wins, 35-30.

Baltimore @ Cleveland (+11)

A bye week in Cleveland brought a shake-up in the front office, as general manager George Kokinis was fired on November 3rd. But Eric Mangini is still the head coach, and barring a dramatic turnaround in Cleveland, his time may be severely limited.

"The last time I checked," says Eric Mangini, "there was still a 'head' in front of 'coach' in my title. Until someone has my 'head,' which, judging by the fans' displeasure here, is a legitimate possibility, I'm still in charge. Until someone tells me different, excluding those outspoken Dawg Pounders, I shall remain."

"As for choosing a quarterback, I made a decision on Tuesday and named Brady Quinn the starter. I don't think most people realize how tough it is to choose between Quinn and Derek Anderson. Give me a 'starters' pistol and a blindfold, and I could name you a starter in no time."

The Ravens are 4-4 after getting outmuscled by Cincinnati last week. Losses never go over well with Ray Lewis, nor does questioning the ability of the Baltimore defense, which has so far failed to strike the usual fear in opponents.

"Only in Cleveland will you hear two distinct types of 'boos,'" says Ray Lewis. "One for the opponent, and one for the Browns. As for the coach, he's a 'dead Man-gini walking.' After we whip the Browns, I think you'll hear ESPN's Monday Night Countdown crew yelling 'C'mon Man-gini!'"

Ravens win, 27-3.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:42 AM | Comments (1)

In Defense of Goliath

There are plenty of losers in sports, but none is bigger than Goliath. The Washington Generals may have had a terrible losing streak to the Harlem Globetrotters, but no one under the age of 30 knows who the Globetrotters are anymore, so they can fade to obscurity. Goliath, meanwhile, hasn't stopped losing.

A quick Google alert to "Goliath" pulls up quite the rap sheet of the behemoth's misery.

"After a decade of losing to Toledo, CMU finally killed Goliath. Ten years of misery finally broken. CMU is now on a streak of its own..."

"Denison slays Goliath to take title..."

"David slays Goliath ... twice! Holy Trinity wins flag football championship..."

And, in what is probably the most down-to-earth and realistic use of the story, this headline from a website in Ireland.

"Boxing: David slays Goliath to conquer the world."

So, for all you people who laughed at the conspiracy-theorists warning us about a one-world government, it's time for a plate of crow. Apparently, a boxer has taken over the entire world. Which, in my opinion, must have made for a highly entertaining match.

Forget fighting for things like "championship belts" and "money." Fighting for political power is the way it should be. It's like a WWE match, but instead of the "loser leaves the company match," it's a "loser controls everything ever" match.

Of course, the website was referencing David Haye's win over Nikolai Valuev, which was monumental. If you're like me and not sure how monumental, allow this website to sum it up.

"It was probably the most surprising, if not sensational, result in the annals of unarmed combat since the original David toppled Goliath almost 3,000 ago."

I love how the writer uses "probably" there, like there possibly could be some epic hand-to-hand battle he's forgetting about that happened in the year 500 B.C.

And the thing that kills me about 99% of the stories that invoke this age-old anecdote ... every single one of them is to report about David's unbelievable upset over Goliath. It's about how "the little guy" overcame the big power. Every one of those stories misses the entire point about David and Goliath. It's perhaps the greatest flaw in all of journalism.

In the fight of David vs. Goliath, Goliath was the underdog. In fact, he's probably the biggest underdog in the history of competition (I'm not even limiting it to unarmed, as our friend in Ireland tends to do).

Everyone is quick to point out Goliath's size advantage but they forget the crucial, and most obvious, part of the story. DAVID HAS THE POWER OF GOD ON HIS SIDE! That's like putting Brock Lesnar in the cage with Harry Potter. Lesnar doesn't stand a chance. He couldn't even land a punch before he'd be turned into a toad or a mop or some other magical cliché.

Think of the worst officiating disaster you can possibly imagine. Every sports fan has one or two extreme injustices that should come to mind quickly. Now, imagine that times one billion and you have what happened to Goliath.

Goliath played by the rules. He probably lifted weights. You can assume he started fighting people on his own skill level and gradually worked his way up the ladder through his dedication and work ethic (combined with his physical gifts, of course).

David, meanwhile, benefited from the ultimate performance-enhancer — Yahweh. That, my friends, is complete bullshit. Goliath, despite doing things the right way, never had a prayer. That was as far from a fair fight as you can get. It would've been a fairer fight to have Goliath fight a team that included all the Transformers in the cartoon's history, three of the five Power Rangers, and that soccer girl that pulls everyone's hair.

And here's the thing that really pisses me off. David didn't even try to hide his performance-enhancer. He didn't barely win and then take credit for the success. He didn't try to hide it from his people. He didn't try to downplay. He literally said, "Hey, Goliath, I have the power of God on my side and I'm going to use it to kill you with a little rock. Because I don't respect you. I won't even beat you like a man. I'm just going to pick something up from the ground and smack you with it to show everyone what a little bitch you are. Then I'm going to cut your head off and give it to someone."

Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly like that. But he did talk a lot of shit beforehand, and he did tell Goliath he was going to cut his head off after the fight. And then he did it. And everyone for the rest of eternity acted like it was such a big upset.

Think about it like this. If you have a homely looking friend, with no game at all, who manages to snag a model-quality chick in a bar, everyone is impressed. They are floored. It will be talked as long as man has the function to speak. But if your friend reveals to everyone that he used a roofie to hook up with the model? No one is impressed.

That's not skill. That's not inspiring. That's date-rape. And that's what everyone is supporting when they bring up David and Goliath. It's time to put an end to this practice once and for all.

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 11:15 AM | Comments (5)

November 11, 2009

A Looming Heisman Travesty?

Every year, the Heisman Trophy goes to "the most outstanding player in college football." If you follow the sport, you know that this more accurately means "the most outstanding skill position player on a top team with most of its games televised." Until the past two years, with the wins by Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford, the additional qualifier of junior or senior could be added. Eight of the past nine years, the award has gone to quarterbacks, with the only exception being Reggie Bush's virtuoso all-purpose 2005 season.

Under those criteria, there are only four realistic contenders for the stiff arm at this fairly late point in the season: Florida's Tim Tebow, Alabama's Mark Ingram, Texas' Colt McCoy and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen. Unfortunately, I have to rule out Houston's Case Keenum, who is putting up numbers usually reserved for quarterbacks from Texas Tech or Hawaii. Keenum does not have the name (or team) recognition that the others do. The Cougars' quarterback also suffers from what HeismanPundit.com calls the 'Andre Ware rule' in that a quarterback from a school whose stats are seen as in someway an artificially inflated due to the system he plays in cannot win the award again.

And I would go so far as to add another disclaimer to that. A player from a smaller conference, in this the BCS era, needs for his team to dispose of all comers in a dominating way with that player being the chief reason. Houston defeated Tulsa Saturday night by the skin of its teeth, scoring 9 points in the last 21 seconds. This reason, along with Boise State's relative lack of team dominance in WAC play, might not only cost the Broncos a BCS at-large, but also severely diminish any faint hope QB Kellen Moore had at the Heisman.

So then let's focus on the four main contenders. To quote each player's season-long statistical totals would be somewhat redundant. You will see them many more times between now and the second Saturday in December. There's also an argument to be made that season-long statistics don't matter as much as you think. After all, if they did, Tim Tebow wouldn't be in the hunt while averaging under 200 yards passing a game, and Eric Crouch (albeit an option quarterback) wouldn't have won with more interceptions than touchdowns in 2001.

It is extremely important, however, to focus on big game performances. After all, the games that the most voters watch leave the biggest impressions on the voters. For the purposes of this column, I'm counting big games as rivalry games or games where the opponent was in the top 20.

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

@ Michigan, 25-42, 336 yards, 3 TD (loss)
vs. Michigan, State 22-31, 300 yards, 2 TD (win)
vs. USC, 24-43, 260 yards, 2 TD (loss)
vs. Boston College, 26-39, 246 yards, 2 TD (win)
vs. Navy, 37-51, 452 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT (loss)

Clausen likely has the most impressive statistics of any of the quarterbacks in the race with 20 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions for the year. In the five above games, the touchdown-to-interception ratio becomes 11-1. Clausen has also been remarkably clutch, despite the Irish's disappointing defense and even if his team shouldn't have made the games so close to begin with. However, the quarterback was most definitely not clutch in Saturday's loss unexpected loss to Navy, throwing a costly interception and sputtering on a potential game-tying drive. Clausen will probably finish with the best stats of the QBs, but what could have been a 10-2 season with an Orange Bowl berth will most likely finish 9-3 or 8-4 with a Gator Bowl or Sun Bowl slot. His team's record, more than anything else, will cost Clausen.

Tim Tebow, Florida

vs. Tennessee, 14-19, 115 yards, 1 INT, 76 yards rushing, 1 TD
@ LSU, 11-16, 134 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
vs. Georgia, 15-21, 164 yards, 2 TD, 85 yards rushing, 2 TD
(all wins)

I'm just going to go ahead and say what no one in the media seems to have the stones to say: If these numbers and performances were put up by anybody else other than Tim Tebow, we would simply be looking at an above average player. Not a Heisman-worthy player. In fact, linebacker Brandon Spikes has been more outstanding than Tebow this season as part of a Florida defense that has been on top of its game all year (eye-gouge excepted). Tebow's candidacy was helped by a signature performance in Jacksonville against Georgia, but that has really been the only time 2009 Tebow has looked like the 2008 and 2007 versions of himself.

It can be said that Tebow playing against LSU was a valiant effort of some sort, and I won't try to take the other side by proselytizing that playing after the concussion was some grave life-endangering mistake. After all, Tebow was medically cleared to play. However, the Florida leader didn't look like himself in that game, and with the way the defense was playing, backup John Brantley likely could have won that game. Even if Tebow and the Gators win the remainder of their games, including against Alabama in the SEC title game, Tebow should not win the award for the second time.

Colt McCoy, Texas

vs. Texas Tech, 24-34, 205 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
vs. Oklahoma, 21-39, 127 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
@ Oklahoma State, 16-21, 171 yards, 1 TD
(all wins)

Let's just say Sam Bradford plays the whole game for Oklahoma against the Longhorns in Dallas, and McCoy puts in the same below-average performance he did that day. There's no way to know for sure, of course, but my educated guess is that a Bradford-led offense would be able to post more than 16 points. If Texas would have lost that game, there's no way we're talking about McCoy for Heisman in a serious manner. Why? Because you might not realize it, but the Big 12 is awful this year. Texas might end up as the only team in that conference to have less than two losses at the end of the season. There is a slight possibility that the winner of the North division could wind up not being bowl-eligible.

The factors causing the Big 12's lackluster year are obviously not the Longhorns' doing (the injury to Bradford, Dez Bryant's suspension, collapses by Kansas and Missouri), but McCoy has not exactly put in Heisman-worthy, dominating performances to this point. In recent blowout wins against Missouri and Oklahoma State, McCoy has been very good, but not outstanding as the qualifications state. To that point, McCoy has been intercepted in all but one of Texas' games so far this season. Saturday's stats-inflating win against Central Florida should mean nothing to voters, but likely will.

Mark Ingram, Alabama

vs. Virginia Tech, 26 carries, 150 yards, 1 TD, 1 TD receiving
@ Mississippi, 28 carries, 172 yards, 1 TD
vs. Tennessee, 18 carries, 99 yards
vs. LSU, 22 carries, 144 yards
(all wins)

Three weeks ago, I wrote that Alabama was the team to beat this season. Despite the close call against Tennessee, I not only stand by that statement, but I am willing to say that Ingram should be the Heisman favorite. It shouldn't even be close. Furthermore, it shouldn't matter if the Tide lose to Florida in the SEC title game. Ingram has been that much more impressive than all of the other contenders.

The sophomore running back has been bottled up just once this season, against Arkansas in a game in which the Tide blew out the Hogs. While Julio Jones had the defining play in the comeback win against LSU, Ingram helped ice the game with a strong, power-running performance. Ingram's season is all the more incredible when you consider that he has gotten just over half of the Tide's total carries (175 of 366), and has not fumbled once. As I alluded to in the previous column, Ingram has had his top six rushing totals in conference games or in games against ranked teams. He has also not had a bad, or even average game in all of the big games he has played. None of the other three main contenders can say the same thing.

Admit it, before this season, Ingram was not on your radar for the Heisman Trophy. He wasn't on anybody's, meaning that he had to be that much more impressive than the preseason favorites, just like an unranked team in the preseason has to be that much better than the preseason top 10. Thus far, he has been. But what happens if Ingram has an average game (50-80 yards) against Florida while Tebow has a good, but not great game in the same game? On the same night, McCoy could have a field day against Kansas State, Nebraska or whoever comes out of the rabble known as the Big 12 North.

Does one average game overshadow the body of work for the entire year? For some voters, it undoubtedly will. If that somehow swings the Heisman to Tebow or McCoy, it will be one of the greatest Heisman travesties of my lifetime.

Posted by Ross Lancaster at 11:44 AM | Comments (5)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 34

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson's worst fears were realized on lap three at Texas Motor Speedway, when contact between David Reutimann and Sam Hornish sent the No. 48 spinning. Johnson grazed the wall and rebounded into Hornish, severely damaging the Lowe's Chevy. After about an hour in the garage, Johnson returned in a rebuilt car, and eventually finished 38th. His points lead is now 73 over Mark Martin.

"I came to the Lone Star state as the 'lone star' of the Chase," Johnson said. "Instead of opening up a can of 'whoop ass,' someone else opened up a can of 'dumb ass.' But I guess I got what I deserved. When you choose to drive door-to-door with the likes of Sam Hornish, Jr., things like that happen. All too often in races this year, me, and other drivers, have found themselves asking 'What in the Sam Hornish is going on here?'"

"You probably noticed I remained in the car while my crew made extensive repairs. Was I uncomfortable? Heck now. With a 184-point lead going into Texas, I had a pretty nice 'seat cushion' to keep me happy."

2. Mark Martin — Martin finished fourth in the Dickies 500, his 13th top-five finish of the year. Martin entered the race 184 points behind Jimmie Johnson, but now trails by only 73 after an early accident left Johnson with a crippled car and a 38th-place finish.

"I think an updated version of a Led Zeppelin classic is in order after what happened to Jimmie Johnson," Martin said. "I just can't get the words of 'When The Chevy Breaks' out of my head. There's not doubt that when Johnson wrecked, the first words out of his mouth were 'I'll be dammed.'"

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon started from the pole in the Dickies 500 and finished 13th, a disappointing result made more disappointing by teammate Jimmie Johnson's 38th-place result. Johnson wrecked early, opening the door for his pursuers to make up considerable ground.

"In addition to spinning trying to avoid Carl Edwards and Juan Montoya," Gordon said, "we also had trouble finding the right feel for the car. We never got the handling like we wanted it. So, considering Jimmie Johnson's early wreck, we had so much to gain, but everything 'too loose.'"

4. Kurt Busch — Busch took the lead in Texas with two laps to go when his brother Kyle ran out of gas, and the elder Busch claimed his second win of the year. Busch improved two spots in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Jimmie Johnson by 176.

"I've really have to give Pat Tryson credit for making the fuel call that won us this race," Busch said. "I guess he's the one that should be wearing the post-race '10-gallon hat.' Hey, do you know why the good Lord gave me ears? To keep this cowboy hat from covering my eyes."

5. Tony Stewart — Stewart fought his way to a sixth in the Dickies 500, as adjustments steadily improved the No. 14 Old Spice Chevy but never made it as fast as it needed to be to contend for the win. He is now fifth in the point standings, 178 out of first.

"We never could quite get over the hump," Stewart said. "But that hasn't stopped me from doing the 'Hump-ty Dance,' and I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom. But I won't lie. I think in Phoenix, Jimmie Johnson will 'bounce back,' this time not into the path of Sam Hornish, Jr., and win in Phoenix, and all but clinch the Sprint Cup. Amazingly, that will be the third time in this Chase that Johnson has 'all but' clinched the title."

6. Ryan Newman — Newman finished 12th in the Dickies 500, and fell one spot in the point standings to ninth, where he trails Jimmie Johnson by 324.

"Jimmie Johnson's troubles added some drama to the Chase," Newman said. "I'm surprised Johnson didn't go the safe route like he did at Talladega. Apparently, he wanted to come in here and send a 'Tex' message.' But delivery was denied."

7. Juan Montoya — Montoya got loose on lap 174, hitting the wall and taking out Carl Edwards, with Jeff Gordon spinning to avoid contact. With considerable damage, Montoya's No. 42 Dodge was in the garage for lengthy repairs, and Montoya eventually finished 37th. He is now sixth in the points, 236 out of first.

"The car just went out from under me," Montoya said. "It was as if someone has 'Griese-d' the wheels. It looks as though the 'taco jinx' continues to curse me. 'Tex-Mex' wasn't on the menu here, but 'Tex-Wrecks' was."

8. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin scored his second runner-up finish of the Chase, finishing second behind Kurt Busch in Texas. Hamlin now trails Jimmie Johnson by 327 in the point standings with two races remaining.

"Hey, if you took out my four worst finishes in the Chase," said Hamlin, "I'd have four DNFs. But I plan on going for the wins in the last two races, not only for the glory, but also to build momentum for next year, although that momentum will probably be gone by December. I drive the FedEx-sponsored car, but I refuse to 'mail it in.'"

9. Greg Biffle — Biffle finished eighth in the Dickies 500, joining fourth-place finished and Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth in the top 10. Biffle is seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, 247 out of first.

"Who says the Chase format needs tweaking?" Biffle said. "What needs 'tweaking' is Jimmie Johnson, for even putting himself in that position in the first place. I think it's funny that although Johnson returned with a 'black hood' after his wreck, he was anything but an executioner."

10. Kyle Busch — Busch dominated in Texas, leading 232 of 333 laps before running out of fuel with two laps to go, giving the lead to his brother Kurt, who went on to win. The failed fuel gamble cost Busch a spot in history, as he was looking to become the first driver to sweep the truck series, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup races at one venue.

"In my situation," Busch said, "why not go for broke? As it was, I didn't get the 'break.' Besides, this is just another failure I can pin on Steve Addington, thereby justifying his departure. Isn't it funny? One Busch brother crew chief is leaving voluntarily, while another is leaving involuntarily. That reminds me of my final days at Hendrick Motorsports, when the two most overheard phrases were 'I don't want to be here' and 'I don't want you here.'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2009

NFL Week 9 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* The NCAA, and the BCS in particular, are exceedingly corrupt organizations. Yahoo!'s Dan Wetzel has a good piece this week on one of the many unfairnesses in modern college football.

* Anquan Boldin, I've supported you in the past, but disrespecting your coach and deliberately sabotaging your team are not cool. Really, is anyone but the Raiders going to want you after this?

* Why did Pittsburgh returner Stefan Logan keep running kicks out from halfway through the end zone on Monday night? He only made it back to the 20 once, and barely. I know you're fast, kid, but learn to love touchbacks when the kickoff is that deep.

* Nice win by Fëdor Emelianenko this weekend, but how many fans did Jake Shields lose with his boring, lay-and-pray tactics? Props to CBS for televising MMA, but get a real announcing crew. This one was unforgivably bad.

* San Diego's once-great rushing game is dead: LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles combined for 23 yards on 13 attempts this week. The Chargers are last in the NFL in rushing yards and average.

***

This isn't fair at all, but I suspect Ray Rice is going to miss the Pro Bowl. He'll lose out to Cedric Benson (CIN), Chris Johnson (TEN), and Maurice Jones-Drew (JAC). Those guys are all having good seasons. Johnson leads the league in rushing, Benson is second, and Jones-Drew leads the NFL in touchdowns. But Rice belongs, too. The AFC has four Pro Bowl-quality RBs this season, and Rice is going to miss out because he doesn't have the name recognition. Compare Benson to Rice, and see whom you prefer:

		Att	Yds	Avg	Rec Yd	TD
Benson	198	837	4.23	66		6
Rice		108	573	5.31	436		6

Does Benson's 264-yard rushing advantage make up for Rice's 370-yard receiving advantage? Yeah, it probably does. But Rice's average per carry is a full yard higher than Benson's, and he hasn't fumbled all season. Rice leads all RBs in receptions and receiving yards, and he trails only Johnson in yards from scrimmage. Rice is the best receiving RB in the league this season — maybe not quite Marshall Faulk, but probably comparable to Tiki Barber or Brian Westbrook a few years ago. He deserves a trip to the Pro Bowl. So do the other three, but at least they'll get to go.

We're halfway through the 2009 regular season. Brackets indicate last week's rank.

1. New Orleans Saints [1] — Big-play defense continues to make big plays, but also showing some cracks. Will Smith had another multi-sack week, and the Saints' defense scored its seventh return TD of the season, but New Orleans now ranks in the middle of the pack in yards allowed (16th) and points allowed (19th). That's cause for concern. On the other hand, this week New Orleans won by double-digits for the seventh time this season.

2. Indianapolis Colts [2] — Struggled to score points the last two weeks, moving the ball between the 20s, but settling for field goals in the red zone. That trend needs to end next week against New England, or the Colts' winning streak will end instead. I know you've heard this already, but Peyton Manning threw 40 passes in the first half this week.

3. New England Patriots [3] — I can't decide who is more dangerous, Randy Moss or Wes Welker. The impulse is to say Moss, because he's such a big-play threat. But Welker is incredibly reliable, and New England's offense looked lost without him in Weeks 2 and 3. In fact, Welker averages more catches, yards, and touchdowns per game than Moss. It is very rare for a team to have two receivers this good at the same time.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers [4] — Wins over Minnesota and Denver in their last two games, five straight victories altogether, and undefeated with Troy Polamalu in the lineup. This was Pittsburgh's first real road win of the season (they also won at Detroit, which doesn't count), and now the Steelers head home — where they are 4-0 — for a huge matchup with the Bengals, and first place in the AFC North on the line. Great games Monday night from backups Tyrone Carter (2 INT) and Keyaron Fox (8 tackles).

5. Minnesota Vikings [6] — I don't understand why everyone else ranks them third. Their defense is only average, and they've played a soft schedule. At the beginning of the season, when most people saw Minnesota as a borderline top-10 team and the Packers were favored to win the NFC North, we all said that the Vikings would get off to a good start because of their schedule. We were right, and Green Bay being worse than we expected doesn't change Minnesota from a good team into an elite one. Hey, 7-1 deserves respect, and top-five is a position of respect. But the Vikings haven't beaten anyone good — every team they have defeated this season lost in Week 9, except the Rams and Browns, who had byes but may be the two worst teams in the league — and they haven't been impressive on the road. I've got a dollar* that says if the Vikings and Dolphins swapped schedules, Minnesota would be 3-5 and Miami would be 7-1. The Vikings are definitely a good team, but they're overrated, and I don't see why we should believe they're as good as the Patriots or Steelers. That said, they'll probably be 10-1 before they lose again.

* Please don't fine me, Mr. Goodell. And don't fine Sideshow Chad, either. He was obviously joking.

6. Arizona Cardinals [8] — Kurt Warner threw 5 TD passes this week, but they also had their best rushing game of the season. Arizona is 4-1 since its bye, all quality wins (good opponent or a blowout victory), and the loss a fluke in which Warner committed six turnovers. Circle December 6th on your calendar: Minnesota at Arizona. We could see a rematch of that one in January.

7. Cincinnati Bengals [12] — I thought the defense would get noticeably weaker without Antwan Odom, who was placed on injured reserve after posting 8 sacks in six games. They don't seem to miss him. Jonathan Fanene has played well in Odom's place, and the Bengals have won six of seven since the last-second loss to Denver in their opener. Early in the second quarter this week, Cincinnati had more first downs than Baltimore had offensive plays.

8. Dallas Cowboys [13] — Credit Miles Austin, or the bye week, or something else if you want. The Cowboys are on a roll. In the last three weeks, they're 3-0 against decent opposition (13-11), outscoring opponents 95-54. Tony Romo has been especially good during that stretch: 291 ypg, 7 TD, 1 INT, 111.3 passer rating. I don't understand why NBC tried so hard to sell its audience this week on the notion that Dallas/Philadelphia is the biggest rivalry in the NFC East. Anyone who follows football even a little knows that it is Dallas/Washington, a legendary rivalry on par with Bears/Packers and Browns/Steelers. Look, all the rivalries in the NFC East are good, and that includes Cowboys/Eagles. But better than Dallas/Washington? Get real.

9. Denver Broncos [5] — They're not good enough to overcome turnovers, and it is obvious at this point that the offense has real problems. The pass attack looked great on the first drive, confusing the Steelers with play-action and picking on CB William Gay. The drive led to a field goal, and Denver's offense did nothing for the rest of the game (186 yards, 9 first downs, 0 points), with their lone touchdown coming from the defense. The Broncos don't stretch the field vertically, and until they do, they're going to have trouble scoring, problems moving the chains. And where was Elvis Dumervil all night? Fine, he got half a sack. It was the dude's only tackle in the game. Half a tackle. I realize offenses are focusing on Dumervil now, but impact players have an impact even when they're getting double-teamed, which Dumervil usually wasn't. In fact, tight end Heath Miller regularly handled him one-on-one. Miller is a good blocker, but he's still a tight end. Come on, Elvis.

10. Houston Texans [9] — There is obviously a curse on this team's starting running back. One week after Steve Slaton was benched for fumbling, replacement Ryan Moats lost a fumble against Indianapolis. Houston blew a number of opportunities to beat the Colts this week, including over 100 penalty yards and a missed 42-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

11. Miami Dolphins [7] — Better than their 3-5 record suggests. Those five losses all came against teams with winning records, and Miami is the only team to face both the Saints and Colts. If we assume those are automatic losses — and let's add at New England as another one — the Dolphins are "morally" 3-2. The schedule is easier the next few weeks, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Dolphins are 6-5 when the Patriots come to Miami for the rematch.

12. Baltimore Ravens [11] — The defense missed Haloti Ngata this week, but the bigger issue is their passing game. At the beginning of the season, Joe Flacco was a fireball, and he's slowed down. We could just attribute that to tougher competition in recent weeks, but what concerns me is that Flacco is playing differently. Specifically, he's not hitting his wide receivers. This week, RB Ray Rice and TE Todd Heap combined for more than twice as many yards (115) as WRs Derrick Mason, Kelley Washington, and Mark Clayton (56). Rice, Heap, and FB Le'Ron McClain totaled 13 catches, the wideouts only 5. Think it was just this game? For the season, Baltimore WRs account for under 55% of the team's passing yardage, and Rice is poised to become the team's leader in receiving yards. The Ravens went 1/10 on third down conversions this week. That will happen when all you throw are screens and check-downs, though in fairness to Baltimore, Cincinnati's DBs played awfully well this week.

13. Atlanta Falcons [10] — Tore apart Washington's injury-decimated offensive line, and Michael Turner has just exploded in the last two weeks (317 yds, 8.3 avg, 3 TD). That's the good news. The bad news is that a victory over Washington should be automatic, and this game was close (24-17) in the fourth quarter. The bad news is that Atlanta has lost two of its last three and still can't win on the road (5-8 since the beginning of last season). And the really bad news is that the passing game is regressing. In the first four games, Matt Ryan passed for 977 yards, +5 TD/INT, and a 102.9 passer rating, with only two sacks. In the last four games, Ryan has 807 yards, -2 TD/INT, a 63.2 rating, and 10 sacks. Defenses are going to key on Turner, and if Ryan can't turn it back on, the Falcons will be in trouble.

14. San Diego Chargers [17] — Losing with :30 remaining, when karma from the Eli Manning trade rose up and won the game for them. First Philip Rivers threw a touchdown pass to tie the game. Then Nate Kaeding kicked an extra point to give San Diego the lead. And finally, Shawne Merriman sacked Manning to end the game. Rivers, Kaeding, and Merriman are the three players the Chargers obtained as a result of the trade that sent Eli to New York. People disagree about whether Manning or Rivers is a better quarterback (I'd rather have Rivers), but when you add Kaeding and Merriman, the whole thing is a no-brainer. Normally, I would say it's unfair to compare a player like that, but Eli and his daddy demanded this trade, so it's totally fair. The Chargers won the trade. Eli, you weren't worth it.

15. Philadelphia Eagles [14] — I would like to officially join two groups: first, those who question Andy Reid's decision to attempt a 52-yard field goal with 4:33 left, no timeouts, and down seven. Even making the field goal — which was far from a sure thing — means you still need a touchdown, big guy. You go for it or you punt. The other group is those who don't think Reid and the Eagles should have been in that situation in the first place. Walt Coleman makes by far the strangest replay rulings in the league, year after year. I am all for strict interpretations of "indisputable visual evidence," but I don't see how you can rule that Donovan McNabb didn't get the first down on his quarterback sneak earlier in the quarter. He pretty obviously made it.

16. New York Giants [15] — This is a stunning statistic: the Giants lead the NFL in yards allowed, but they rank 21st in points allowed. That is a huge discrepancy, an enormous discrepancy, and I absolutely cannot explain it. The Giants haven't allowed a single touchdown this season to opposing special teams or defenses. They tend to give up big plays, which means opponents make their yards count, but even that doesn't explain such a weird difference. The Giants also lead the NFL in time of possession (34:23), averaging a nine-minute advantage over their opponents.

17. Carolina Panthers [21] — Why do they move up four spots after a loss? Partly it's just that they're further removed from their horrible start to the season, but it also has to do with the teams above them. Green Bay, Chicago, and San Francisco all had ugly outings in Week 9 that necessitated dropping them, so I feel like I really just bumped Carolina ahead of the Jets.

18. Tennessee Titans [24] — Two-game winning streak, both with Vince Young at quarterback, and they've averaged 32 points in those two games. This after starting 0-6 and averaging 14 points per game. Young is obviously part of the improvement, but the real love should go to Chris Johnson, who has rushed for 363 yards and 4 touchdowns in the last two weeks. For the season, Johnson leads all rushers by over 100 yards, and is averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. As much as I love Adrian Peterson, Johnson may be the best running back in the NFL.

19. New York Jets [20] — Four losses in their last five games. The win was against Oakland. Why are they ranked this high? Well, look at who's below them.

20. Green Bay Packers [16] — Coming into this weekend, the Buccaneers only had 11 sacks, 1.6 per game. They quadrupled that against Green Bay, sacking Aaron Rodgers 6 times. Part of the problem is their terrible offensive line, and part is Rodgers, who won't throw the ball away. Let's also acknowledge that giving up 38 points to the Bucs, whose previous high was 21, is unacceptable. Special teams were an issue.

21. Chicago Bears [18] — Their Week 2 win against a Pittsburgh team missing Troy Polamalu is ancient history, and the Bears are struggling in a big way. They're 1-3 since the bye, with the win against Cleveland and two of the losses ugly blowouts. The Bears are bad enough that there's blame to go around, but start with the defense, which has allowed more than 40 points twice in the last three weeks.

22. Seattle Seahawks [22] — Seattle travels farther for its road games than any other team in the league. Even when the Seahawks are good, they can have trouble in away games, and this year, they're 0-3. Coming up in the next three weeks: three straight road games, two against good teams and one against the Rams.

23. San Francisco 49ers [19] — Raise your hand if you think the "Alex Smith is all grown up" bandwagon was a little premature. In the loss to Tennessee, Smith had 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles, and a partridge in a pear tree. For the season, he's 0-2 as starter and has basically the same passer rating (83.3) as Shaun Hill (79.6), whom he replaced.

24. Buffalo Bills [23] — One of three teams that fired its offensive coordinator right before the season. Those three teams (the others are Tampa and KC) are a combined 5-19. They rank 28th, 29th, and 30th in yards per game. They're 25th, 27th, and 28th in scoring. Maybe they'd be even lower if they'd kept their OCs in place, but it's hard to imagine any of them have improved much.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars [25] — Lowest-ranked 4-4 team. In the last five weeks, they have two wins, two losses, and a bye. The wins, both by just a field goal, came at home against Kansas City and St. Louis, both of whom are awful. A good team beats those opponents by double-digits. The losses were against 2-6 Tennessee and 3-5 Seattle, the latter a 41-0 massacre. So against opponents with a combined record of 7-25 (.219), Jacksonville went 2-2 and got outscored 112-60. The Jaguars are not playing well.

26. Washington Redskins [26] — Major penalty problems against the Falcons: 10 for 88 yards, including four Atlanta first downs, two of them on fourth down. Their patchwork offensive line almost got Jason Campbell killed on Sunday. Ladell Betts played well in relief of an injured Clinton Portis, and there's no realistic way their offense can get any worse, so I wouldn't anticipate a dropoff while Portis is out of the lineup. If the team has a bright spot in this lost season, it's rookie pass rusher Brian Orakpo, whose 5.5 sacks have helped the team achieve a legitimate pass rush for the first time since LaVar Arrington.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [32] — Last week, I raised the possibility of Tampa finishing 0-16. If you're superstitious about these things, and I am a little, I'm glad to have possibly played a role in their finally getting a win. I don't want anyone to go 0-16.

28. Oakland Raiders [27] — Since this was their bye week, let's just list the statistical categories in which the Raiders are last or second-to-last: yards gained, points scored, touchdowns, yards per play, first downs, time of possession, turnover differential, fumbles lost, passing yards, yards per attempt, completions, completion percentage, passing TDs, passer rating, and rushing TDs allowed.

29. Kansas City Chiefs [28] — The only team in the NFL without a rushing TD this season, they finally cut Larry Johnson, who hasn't been effective in three years, but has earned negative attention off the field. Step in the right direction.

30. St. Louis Rams [30] — Halfway through the 2009 season, the Rams have been outscored by 144 points, on pace for -288, which would be an NFL record. The current mark is held by the expansion 1976 Buccaneers (-287 in a 14-game season). Last year's winless Lions finished at -249. I don't think St. Louis will match the record, but they could edge Detroit for the worst margin since realignment. The Raiders (-123) and Browns (-131) are bad enough to be part of this discussion, as well.

31. Detroit Lions [31] — Since the beginning of last season, the Lions are 1-23. But during that stretch, they have led after the first quarter 9 times, almost 40% of their games. They've led at halftime 7 times, after the third quarter 4 times. Hope just slowly slips away. This year, the Lions have actually outscored opponents 50-45 in the first quarter, but they've been outpointed 192-88 the rest of the way. Detroit hasn't scored in the third quarter since Week 1.

32. Cleveland Browns [29] — I'm not sure why I dropped them from 29th to 32nd during the bye week. They're just so bad. If they lose by less than 20 this week, I'll probably move them back up a little.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:56 AM | Comments (4)

Stop Blaming the Yankees

The morning after the New York Yankees won their 27th World Series championship, I was bombarded with complaint after complaint about how the Yankees bought their victories over the Phillies.

I've never quite understood this logic. Did they spend more than they were allowed? Did they circumvent the rules blocking other teams from signing free agents? The answer is no, but you wouldn't know it from browsing message boards and forum discussions.

One writer said the Yankees "destroyed baseball." How so? Is what the Yankees are doing any different than what Toronto did in 1993 when it won the World Series and had the highest payroll in the league?

Instead of tearing down the Yankees, let's complain about the kind of system that allows the Yankees to do what they're doing. Let's rant and rave about how a capless system allows the sort of economic inequity that's developed between coastal cities and Midwestern towns.

For example, the left side of the Yankees infield made $52 million this season. That's more than Pittsburgh spent on their entire roster. And San Diego. And Florida.

So you're not frustrated with the system as much as you are of the Yankees dynasty. Don't give me that. Dynasties are just as prevalent, if not more so, in other sports. Since 2000, New York has won two World Series championships. In that same time span, the New England Patriots have won three Lombardi trophies, the Pittsburgh Steelers have won two, the Lakers have won four NBA titles, the San Antonio Spurs have won three, and the New Jersey Devils have hoisted the Stanley Cup twice.

New York has had deep pockets since they started, but it hasn't always won championships. In fact, between 1982 and 1995, the Yankees didn't even win their division, much less a pennant.

If bigger spending results in winning championships, how could the Mets outspend the Marlins by $103 million and finish 17 games behind them? Or how could the Tigers outspend the Twins by $62 million and finish a game behind? The Mets had a 2009 payroll of over $149 million and had the third-worst record (70-92) in the NL. Colorado spent less than half of what the Mets did and made the postseason. So did St. Louis. And Minnesota.

To say that the Yankees are winning this much because of money trees that only seem to grow in New York is ignorant and insensitive to the scouts who pour over film and stat books, general managers who assemble these teams and the coaches that develop them. Do the Yankees have deeper pockets? Yes, absolutely. But of the 15 teams in the bottom half of spending, seven finished above .500. And of the 15 teams in the top half of spending, nine finished above .500.

Posted by Ryan Day at 11:53 AM | Comments (4)

November 9, 2009

Who is Allen Iverson?

It was inevitable, really.

The writing was on the wall as soon as he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies on September 10th.

On Saturday, it became official: Allen Iverson has been granted a leave of absence from the Grizzlies, and sources close to the situation are telling reporters that it doesn't look like he'll be rejoining the team any time soon, if at all.

Officially, the team is charting up the hiatus as a "personal issue" that Iverson is addressing at his offseason home in Atlanta.

Those of us with any common sense can see that the "personal issue" in question here is a bruised ego.

Iverson missed all of the preseason and the first three regular season games with a hamstring injury. He made his return to action on Monday, coming off the bench and scoring 11 points in Memphis' overtime loss to the Kings in Sacramento.

He complained about his role after the game.

He came off the bench again on Wednesday and scored 18 in a losing effort in Golden State to the Warriors.

He complained about his role after the game.

Iverson came off the bench and scored 8 points in 21 minutes in a blowout loss to the Clippers on Friday.

He complained about his role after the game.

On Saturday, Iverson was granted a leave of absence from the team, and his days with the Grizzlies are likely done. His line for season: three games played, $3.5 million in salary, three postgame press conferences questioning his role.

Many people, including myself, thought that the signing of Allen Iverson was nothing more than a ploy to sell more tickets in Memphis. Iverson never played a home game for the Grizzlies.

Now, just two weeks into his 14th NBA season, Allen Iverson's career looks to be finished.

And after a decade and a half of having Allen Iverson play a prominent role in the world of basketball, the question still remains: who is Allen Iverson?

Ask that question to five different basketball fans and you'll get five different answers.

To some, he's the greatest little man to ever play the game. He's a player that defied the odds. In a generation that saw players get bigger and stronger than ever before, he came in at six-feet-tall on stilts, and weighed 150 only when walking from the shower to the towel rack, yet he was better than players literally twice his size.

To others, he's the best pure scoring point guard to ever play. A guy that you knew that as long as the ball was in his hands it was possible for his team to score on any given possession.

Some would say he was everything wrong with the NBA for a long time: he was a score-first guard who made sure he got his 30 points per game and hoped that everything else fell into place.

He was the player that ushered in an era of point guards who grew up thinking it was okay to score every trip down the floor. It's because of Iverson the league went through a drought of true point guards entering the draft because everyone wanted to be Allen Iverson instead of John Stockton, those people would argue.

Some will tell you that he was the reason for the dress code. He set the trend of wearing baggy jeans and hats at press conferences, an outfit that later became banned by the NBA during postgame interviews.

The what-have-you-done-for-me lately fans will remember Iverson as the egotistical, me-above-the-team player that was sent home by three different teams in four years because he was a cancer to the team.

But most of all, people will tell you that he's the guy that didn't like to practice.

So, if Allen Iverson has played his last NBA game, and it certainly looks as if he has, which Allen Iverson will you chose to remember?

That's the real question here. How do you want to remember A.I.?

Because, you see, Allen Iverson is all of those things that I just listed.

He was arguably the best little man to ever play the game. He was the best scoring point guard to ever play. He did usher in an era of shoot-first six-footers. He was the person that everyone immediately pictured when the league announced a dress code. He was the malcontent that was sent home by three different teams.

For better or for worse, that's who Allen Iverson is.

It's all about how you want to view him.

Over the past year or so, Iverson have given us little to no reason to want to remember him for all of the great things he's accomplished. He's morphed into a sideshow; an easy target. He's kind of player you want to root against, now more than ever.

Iverson had a chance to end his career in a lot of different ways. There's no denying the fact that he can still play. Sure, he may not be the guy that can drop 30 without breaking a sweat anymore, but he can still score.

Look around the league. How many contending teams could use a spark off the bench like Iverson? If Allen Iverson didn't come with so much baggage, teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, and Cavs wouldn't have been beating down Iverson's door looking for a sixth man this summer?

Instead, all Iverson could generate was a mid-level deal from one of the least successful franchises in all of sports. All because he wasn't willing to accept the fact that he's not the player he once was.

Iverson said this week to look back at his career and you'll see that he's never come off the bench before, and he doesn't want to start now.

That's a real shame. If Iverson's pride would have allowed him to be a sixth man, he could have been the "X" factor for some team this spring. He could have been the guy that came off the bench and sparked a 20-5 run to start the second quarter of an NBA Finals game.

He could have been the guy that locked up in an epic fourth quarter shootout with another shooting guard in the playoffs.

He could have been the old veteran celebrating on the podium at the presentation of the Larry O'Brien Trophy telling Stuart Scott, "You have no idea how this feels" and everyone would have loved him for it.

Instead, he's the guy that got sent home by the Grizzlies after two weeks and never played again.

Allen Iverson had the opportunity to write a great ending to one of the most compelling stories the NBA has every told, but his pride got in the way.

Now his story has no ending. He's not riding off into the sunset with a ring like David Robinson, or leaving it all on the floor year after year only to come up short like Stockton and Karl Malone.

He's at his offseason home in Atlanta, dealing with a "personal issue."

For better or worse, that's who Allen Iverson is.

Scott Shepherd writes about the NBA every Monday for Sports Central. His blog, Diary of an NBA Junkie, is updated several times a week.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:33 AM | Comments (5)

NFL MVP Watch List

Going into 2009, there seemed like few other possibilities for MVP besides Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady. Of course, those four are in the running as they have been and will continue to be for a few years to come, but there are some surprises at the top of the MVP watch list.

Brett Favre

I think most people expected the Vikings to be better with Favre at the helm, but did anybody expect Favre to be doing this well? I didn't.

Aaron Rodgers

Perhaps he's not on your watch list, but he should be. With the highest quarterback rating at the end of Week 8, Rodgers needs to stay healthy despite being sacked an average of more than once a quarter, but if Green Bay can win their way into the playoffs, Rodgers has a serious shot at the trophy.

Kyle Orton

Wow, the Broncos are good. Kyle Orton is playing well. Is anybody else confused? Ultimately, Orton won't have the numbers in yards or touchdowns to compete with other winning quarterbacks, but he's still toward the top.

Cedric Benson

Where did this streak of solid play come from? Benson is well on his way to averaging over 100 yards per game and sending the Bengals to the playoffs. In a division filled with the power defenses of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, it seemed unlikely this was possible.

Steve Smith

Yes, the Giants' Steve Smith. He's fallen off the pace in recent weeks as the Giants have struggled, but he should have a 100-reception, 1,300-yard season and that's nothing to sneer at.

Matt Schaub

He'll have to keep the interceptions down and move the Texans to their first playoff appearance, but Schaub looks pretty solid out there.

***

After these surprises, there are those who would be in the running for MVP if their teams weren't so incredibly terrible — the If Their Teams Were Good MVPs (ITTWGMVPs).

Chris Johnson

Two giant games have him leading the NFL in rushing through eight weeks, but a lack of touchdowns and a lack of Titans' wins have the possibility of Johnson snagging an MVP at zero.

Maurice Jones-Drew

The Jags could turn it around, but Jones-Drew's potential 20+ touchdowns could have him in the running so long as the Jags get close to 8-8.

Stephen Jackson

Scoring his first touchdown against Detroit doesn't help, but he's racking up the yardage for a pathetic Rams team.

Posted by Andrew Jones at 11:30 AM | Comments (1)

November 7, 2009

AFC Contenders and Pretenders

Also see: NFC Contenders and Pretenders

As we get to the midpoint of the NFL season, the contenders start to separate themselves from the pretenders. Heading into Week 9, the Indianapolis Colts remain as the lone unbeaten team in the AFC with the Broncos holding tight with just one loss. The Bengals and Steelers sit atop the AFC North at 5-2, with the Bengals holding the head-to-head tie-breaker after beating the Steelers a few weeks ago. The Patriots sit comfortably atop the AFC East and as long as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are around, they should never be taken lightly. So the question remains, who are the contenders and who are the pretenders in the AFC right now?

Indianapolis Colts

It is hard to find anyone in the league playing as well as Peyton Manning and the Colts right now. Manning has thrown for at least 300 yards in six of the Colts' seven games this year, emerging as an early favorite to take home another MVP trophy.

With Manning locked in and the defense allowing only 13 points a game, it is hard to imagine anyone wresting the top spot in the AFC away from them right now. They still have some good tests remaining on the schedule with two games against the Texans, and games with the Patriots and Ravens on tap for the month of November. After that stretch, it is fairly smooth sailing with just the Broncos and the fading Jets left on the schedule with a bunch of also-rans.

With a three-game lead over the second-place Texans, the Colts all but have the AFC South wrapped up and barring major injury should win at least 12 or 13 games this season without too much trouble this season. If they clinch home-field, they will be the odds-on favorites to come out of the AFC, but if they have to go to Pittsburgh, Denver, or New England in January, then all bets are off.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos arguably played the best ball in the league over the first seven weeks of the season. Then came Week 8 and the Ravens, who pummeled the Broncos to the tune of 30-7 this week. It is going to be interesting to see how the Broncos rebound this weekend when the Steelers come to town. The Broncos remain in the number two spot, but could go into a funk if they do not rebound against Pittsburgh on Monday night.

After the Steelers, the Broncos still have games with the Colts and Eagles sprinkled amongst games against the Redskins and the rest of the AFC West. They have a game with the Giants on the slate Thanksgiving night, as well.

The Broncos are still the team to beat in the West and should easily win 11 or 12 games this season. It all hinges on how well they bounce back from the loss to Baltimore. Is it just one of those cases of a good team having a bad day or did the Ravens give everyone else the blueprint to beating Josh McDaniels?

New England Patriots

The Patriots are always going to be a team nobody wants to see in the playoffs. It does not get more scary than facing Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in a big game. They have both been there before and are masters at coming through in the clutch. The main keys to the Pats' success this winter revolve around getting some consistency out of the running game and keeping key players on defense healthy for the stretch run. The Pats have gotten healthy feasting on the dregs of the league in the Titans and Buccaneers.

Just how many of their ills they have fixed the past two weeks will be discovered when they face the Dolphins, Colts, and Jets coming out of their bye week. The Dolphins have not lost to an AFC East opponent this year, they will be traveling to Indy to take on the Colts, and the Jets already own a victory against the Pats this season.

The Pats currently own a two-game lead over the Jets and Dolphins in the division and wins against them would all but warp up the division for New England. They are also considered to be a notch below the league's elite that includes the Colts, Broncos, Vikings, and Saints. Beating the Colts would put the Patriots right back in the discussion as being one of the league's elite teams.

They also have games against the Saints and Texans remaining on the schedule. If the Pats are still a legit contender, they will win 12 games this year. If not, they are looking at maybe 10 wins this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are a tipped pass and a bad half away from being 7-0 coming out of this week's bye. The Bengals are a tough team to figure as they keep taking games down to the wire this year. They lost on a last-minute play to the Broncos and beat the Steelers, yet they let the Browns take them to overtime, lost at home to the Texans, and buried the Bears.

The fact that the Bengals have won so many nail-biters this year gives them some toughness and character; they now know they can win those tough, close games that they would have tanked down the stretch in the past. Few are running the ball as well as Cedric Benson is this year, Carson Palmer seems to have settled in and found his groove the past three weeks, and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has the defense flying to the ball and playing better than it ever has under Marvin Lewis.

The Bengals' biggest speed bump could be whether they find someone who can pickup the pass rush without Antwan Odom out for the rest of the year. Odom has 8 of the team's 17 sacks and they are lacking someone who can get to the quarterback on a consistent basis without him. An anemic pass rush was a big weakness for the Bengals last season.

Cincinnati gets right back at it facing division rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh right out of its bye week. The Bengals then have a soft stretch in the schedule where they face the Raiders, Browns, and Lions before facing the Vikings in Week 14.

If things go their way, the Bengals could win 12 games and with four games remaining against teams that currently hold two or fewer wins, they should easily win at least 10 games this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

After dropping two of their first three games, the Steelers seem to have shaken off the Super Bowl hangover and have reeled off four straight wins, including handing the Vikings their first loss of the season. Rashard Mendenhall has rejuvenated what was a stagnant running game the first three weeks. Mendenhall is averaging 93 yards and has scored 4 touchdowns since being inserted into the starting lineup in Week 4.

The Steelers have games against the Broncos and Bengals and two still to play against the Ravens. They also have games left against the Browns, Raiders, and Chiefs ,making them a virtual lock to win at least 8 games this year.

Pittsburgh should win at least 11 or 12 this year and the upcoming game against the Bengals in Week 10 could very well end up deciding who wins the AFC North this season.

Houston Texans

At 5-3 for the first time in franchise history, the Texans appear to be poised to make their first ever playoff appearance. Like the Bengals, this is another team that is tough to pin down. The Texans lost their first two games at home to the Jets and Jaguars this season, yet they are 3-1 on the road, including a win at Cincinnati. One thing that is disconcerting is they seem to take halves of games off. They let the Cardinals get up 21-0 in the first half before falling short 28-21 in the second half. They were up 21-0 at the half against San Francisco, only to end up edging them out 24-21 in the end.

This weekend's game in Indianapolis will go a long way in telling us just how good this team really is. They still have two contests against Indy, and a game against the Pats, which will be tough ones for them to pull off. There are also games against the Jags, Titans, Rams, Dolphins, and Seahawks remaining. All are very winnable games, but given they have lost to the Jags and a middling Jets team some of these could go either way. They should beat the Titans, Rams, and 'Hawks with little trouble, but the Jags and 'Phins could be tough ones for them.

Either way, this team could easily win 10 or 11 games or end up with 7 or 8 wins depending on how consistent they play the second half of the season. This is still a relatively young team that is trying to find an identity and figure out how to win games. A win against Indy could propel them to a huge season and a bad loss could send them reeling back to mediocrity. However, it ends up I am not sure the Texans are a team that is going to do any serious damage in the postseason this go around.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are currently on the outside looking in, but the thing to keep in mind about this team is they have a history of finishing seasons on a high note. They have not lost a game in the month of December since the '05 season and have won at least one playoff game each of the last two seasons. The Chargers have the talent to beat anyone on any given Sunday, but I am not sure they have the leadership at the top to be taken seriously. Head coach Norv Turner seems to have a bad habit of finding ways to inexplicably lose big games.

Baltimore Ravens

Beating the Broncos makes the Ravens a team to keep an eye on the second half of the season. With the Colts, Steelers, and Bengals looming on the schedule in three of the next four weeks, the Ravens will have a chance to get right back into the thick of things in the AFC. If they win those three games, they are potentially 8-3 and right back in the discussion as one of the league's best teams. If they lose two or three of those games, they are looking at being 5-6 or 6-5 and thinking about next season.

Republished with permission from PopPickle.

Posted by Eric Engberg at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

November 6, 2009

Andre Agassi is Still a Legend

Even Andre Agassi himself did not predict this kind of success from the pre-release promotional stunt for his book "Open," due to come out on November 9. Few excerpts of the book released to the media are meticulously chosen, including the crystal meth use and comments about his troublesome relationship with his father. Few days later, they became the talk of every major sports publication, with still to come, an appearance on "60 Minutes."

For all the noise that it is generating, believe it or not, it is not the first time news in the tennis world. Other players, such as Magnus Norman and some South American players have already evoked Andre Agassi's drug use in the past. This player said this, that player said that, so say we all! Then what? At the end of all this, will Andre Agassi's past accomplishments lose any of their valor? Will this cast a shadow over his career? Will the hundreds of children that he is helping through his foundation look at him differently? I hardly doubt it.

Agassi used crystal meth back in 1997. It was during a tough time in his career, perhaps the apogee of his crisis as a tennis player, when he fell out of the top 100 and looked like he may disappear into oblivion and be remembered only as one of the most under-achieving talents of the game's history. There is nothing to condone there. He also admits that he lied about his use of the substance.

Yes! He actually says that he "lied."

He uses the one so-called "dreadful" admission word that, no matter how many negatives can come out of it, shows frankness and openness, compared to the hundreds of words of a public apology read in a statement that resembles the artificial grouping of words that you may read in a clinical instruction manual.

This is an autobiography, where the reader is expecting to read any number of confessions or insights on the writer that he or she cannot read from regular source of information. It is often on a personal level. Not only does Agassi satisfy that curiosity, but he does it candidly, not offering the usual "I have embarrassed everyone, I apologize for any unfortunate consequences that this irresponsible behavior may have caused, blah-blah" type of public apology that comes only after being caught and having no other choice but to control the damage, and lacking any sincerity.

Although rare, it is not a first; Pat Cash offered similarly frank confessions in his "Uncovered" that came out in 2002. To this day, it remains the best autobiographical book by a tennis star that I have ever read. I am thrilled to see that finally someone else may have decided take the same approach.

Sometimes, one can tell whether the move was favorable or not by looking at who is attacking it with zeal. Martina Navratilova, who will interview anybody (and everybody) who has a camera to remain in the spotlight, and who fills her commentator moments on TV by taking a page (or pages) out of Marquis de Sade's books to "lower" everyone else in order to keep herself "elevated," was fast to criticize Agassi. Coming from someone who once got mad on live TV at a show host for not having her face included in a Slam generic that showed ephemeral images of the game's history, I would say Agassi and his publishers struck all the right cords in their efforts to generate publicity for the upcoming book.

As I maintained above, Agassi will remain a legend regardless of the outcome of all this media chatter. From all the pre-release signals, the book is destined to sell well. When the dust settles, everyone will know that he was not the only who has done this during the times where the control of banned substances was not as strictly policed as today.

John McEnroe, whose book, while entertaining, is not a candid autobiography by any means (one has to read Tatum O'Neal's autobiography to discover the depth of McEnroe's drug use), Vitas Gerulaitis and others have been known to use drugs; some past players have openly speculated that other players, such as Thomas Muster, and yes, even Martina Navratilova herself, have been known to have used performance-enhancing substances.

Agassi is perhaps in that group of players who may have never gotten away with what he did in today's strict drug policies. However, I would speculate that this "group," while remaining smaller than those of most other sports, is not a tiny group either, and that his offense would be minor compared to most others in it. On the other hand, he is one of the very few who are "big" enough to write about it in his autobiography.

You can call it a "publicity stunt" (I do, especially considering that he has picked the Pulitzer-Prize winning J.R. Moehringer as his co-writer); you can call it a "sell-out." What seems certain is that the book should be as entertaining as what Agassi the tennis player has shown as during his career on the court. In the least, all indications show that it will satisfy the criteria of writing an "open" autobiography in the true sense, and not the limited version of "self" that the writer wants everyone else to see and applaud.

Posted by Mert Ertunga at 11:28 AM | Comments (7)

NFC Contenders and Pretenders

As we get to the midpoint of the NFL season, the contenders are starting to separate themselves from the pretenders.The Saints remain as the lone unbeaten team in the NFC, with the Vikings nipping at their heels with just one loss. The Eagles and Cowboys sit atop the NFC East at 5-2, with the Eagles holding the tie-breaker due to Dallas losing to the Giants earlier in the season. So, the question remains who are the contenders and who are the pretenders in the NFC right now.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints have to be considered the odds-on favorites to claim the top playoff spot in the NFC right now. They have answered the bell week-after-week and have looked impressive in doing so. The question with the Saints is do they have that signature win that one can look to as being overly impressive? Yes, they wiped the Eagles out in Week 2, but, keep in mind they were going against an Eagles team that was starting Kevin Kolb for the first time in his career.

Would the Eagles have won that game with Donovan McNabb at the helm? Who knows? It is hard to say, but it is not hard to see that the Eagles' offense is more dynamic when McNabb is under center as opposed to Kolb.

The schedule sets up rather nicely for the Saints with no real challenging road games left on the schedule. They square off against the Panthers, Rams, and Buccaneers before the Patriots come to town in what should be their toughest test remaining on the schedule. The Saints could very well run the table this season, but keep in mind that it is tough to win 16 games in the NFL and there is always the chance that they slip-up and lose a game they should not.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are 7-1, but I am not entirely sold on them being a legit Super Bowl team. Yes, Brett Favre is playing great and yes, they are scoring a ton of points. But the defense does not perform as well as the hype around it suggests that it should. They have given up more points this year than an elite defense probably should have.

The schedule has been relatively soft and the only current playoff-caliber team they have played thus far this year they lost to in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The other teams they have beaten with winning records, the Packers and Ravens, are fringe playoff teams right now and the Ravens gave them all they could handle.

The remaining schedule sets up nicely for the Vikings with Arizona, Cincinnati, and a trip to Chicago looming as its toughest tests. Theoretically, the toughest remaining game on the schedule for the Vikings is the Giants in Week 17, but they are fading quickly right now and may not be much of a challenge by the time the end of the season rolls around.

Keep in mind that since the turn of the century, Favre is just 3-5 and has thrown just 11 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in playoff games. Also, Brad Childress' next playoff win will be the first of his career.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles would probably rate as the No. 3 team in the pecking order of the NFC right now as they sit atop arguably the deepest division in the conference. The two biggest arguments against them right now are a loss to the lowly Raiders and getting their barn doors blown off against the Saints.

Keep in mind, as mentioned above, the Eagles played the Saints without McNabb at quarterback and the offense is completely different with him at the helm. The loss to the Raiders is not so much of a concern considering the Eagles seem to be making a habit of losing at least one game a year to a team they have no business losing to as of late.

The remaining schedule is not going to be easy with some games they should win and some that are going to be nail-biters. They still have trips to Dallas, Chicago, and the Meadowlands to deal with as well as Atlanta. There is also a trip back out to the coast to face the Chargers and we all know how the last trip out west ended up with an embarrassing loss to the Raiders. If this team is for real this season, they should win 11 or 12 games and the NFC East, and if not, they end up with 9 or 10 wins and a wild card berth.

The one thing that is encouraging is the way they have rebounded from the loss to the Raiders. The only thing that keeps creeping into the back of my mind is the Redskins are a sorry state of affairs this year and the Giants seem to be in a tailspin ever since the Saints buried them three weeks ago in a loser-leave-town match.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have not done a lot to convince me they are anything more than a pretender right now. Sure, they are on a roll, but a lot of that has to do with playing mediocre-to-bad defenses the past few weeks. Tony Romo is not throwing interceptions, but one does not see his completion percentage getting any better, either. He is simply benefiting from playing against secondaries that do not force many turnovers and pedestrian pass rushes that do not force opposing quarterbacks into making bad throws.

This weekend's game against a Philadelphia defense that gets after the quarterback and owns 14 interceptions will go a long way to prove whether or not the Cowboys have found a rhythm in the passing game or if they have simply tricked us into believing they are for real by throwing for a bunch of touchdowns against mediocre defenses.

The one big thing in their favor is their remaining schedule is softer than the Eagles and they should not be tested as much down the stretch. What remains to be seen is whether Romo packs it in in three or four weeks like he normally does and whether the Jekyll and Hyde routine is over for the Dallas offense.

New York Giants

After starting the season 5-0, the Giants are looking more and more like pretenders with each passing week. They face an uphill battle with a banged up secondary and a quarterback who seems to be going throw another mental meltdown in Eli Manning.

Manning started the year like a guy who deserved the fat contract extension he received this summer, throwing 10 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions in the Giants' first five games. Since then, he has thrown 3 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in the Giants' last three contests completing less than 50% of his throws, as well. We have seen this from Manning in the past where he looks like a rookie quarterback playing in his first game as opposed to the guy who won a Super Bowl two seasons ago. If Manning pulls out of his funk, the Giants can realistically still win 10 or 11 games and get into the playoffs. If not, then they are looking at a 7- or 8-win season.

Even if Manning recovers the Giants have too many glaring on deficiencies on defense to seriously contend in the postseason. The banged up secondary, playing without Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips, will not stand up against teams like Philadelphia and New Orleans who love to take shots downfield with big pass plays. Both the Eagles and Saints have burned the Giants the past three weeks with big pass plays down the field for touchdowns.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons hold some wins that make us believe they are a legit team but in reality they are not quite there just yet. They have lost their only two road games against playoff-caliber squads to the Patriots and Cowboys. They lost on the road in Arizona last season in the playoffs and odds are they are going to have to win on the road in the playoffs this time around if they want to get to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta is a nice up-and-coming team, but they have too many deficiencies and need to learn how to win big games on the road for them be taken seriously as Super Bowl contenders.

NFC West

Nobody in the NFC West can be taken seriously right now. The 49ers started the season strong, but as they play more and more teams outside of their division they are being exposed as frauds.

Arizona look as though they were turning the corner last weekend when they walked out of the Meadowlands against a well-regarded Giants team. But, as it turns out, the Giants are looking like a team that is fading out of contention with each passing week. This week's loss to the Panthers has me really questioning how much this Cardinals team has to offer when the post season rolls around. Legit teams do not lose at home to teams playing as poorly as the Panthers have this season. It would have been one thing if they had to fly cross-country to play the Panthers, but they did not. Not only was it a matter of Kurt Warner turning it over 6 times, but the Panthers rolled them for 270 yards on the ground. The Cardinals simply did not show up for that game and handed to the Panthers.

Chicago Bears

The Bears are lacking consistency and that's why they should not be taken seriously right now. They look great one week, then lay an egg the next. When it boils right down to it, they have one win to hang their hats on against the Steelers and they were lucky to come away with that one. The Bears seem to be lacking the firepower on offense and are missing some key players on defense to make a deep playoff run.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are in the same boat as the Bears. They simply are not playing consistently enough to contend right now. Three of the Packers' four wins have come against the Lions, Rams, and Browns, who have three wins amongst them. Their other win came against a 4-3 Bears team. They have lost all three of their games against opponents with more than four wins, losing to the Vikings twice and the Bengals.

The Packers' main issue is with the offensive line. They keep giving up field position because they cannot protect Aaron Rodgers on a consistent basis. Rodgers has been sacked 31 times in just 7 games this season and it is tough for any team to win when their quarterback is taking over 4 sacks a game. The fact that Rodgers has thrown 14 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions thus far is a pretty amazing accomplishment in and of itself.

The Packers still could sneak into the playoffs, but they are likely going to get knocked out the instant they go up against a team that can get after the quarterback.

Republished with permission from PopPickle.

Posted by Eric Engberg at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2009

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 9

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

Baltimore @ Cincinnati (+3)

Week 8 was a bye week for the Bengals. For the Bengals of old, bye weeks were always good to tie up loose legal ends, or possibly meet with the commissioner and discuss terms of suspension. Not the 2009 Bengals. Their bye week was spent on more standard endeavors, like rest, relaxation, and publicizing a new social network.

"That's Chad Ochocinco for you," says Carson Palmer. "You know, in times past, we've had trouble with players who were 'trigger' happy; now we've got one who's 'Twitter' happy. The guy's a social butterfly. If he were as ambitious on the field as he is off, he'd be as great as he already thinks he is. Chad's taking Twitter to a new level of exposure. Call it a 'Twitter World Order.'"

"Yeah, it's just too 'Tweet,'" says Ochocinco. "I'm easily the most media-savvy player the NFL has ever seen. I'm the only one who can keep pace on the information superhighway. It's easy when you talk a mile a minute all the time."

The Ravens busted out of a three game losing streak in style, overwhelming the previously undefeated Broncos 30-7. Now they're chomping at the bit to avenge Week 5's 17-14 loss to Cincinnati in Baltimore.

"Hey, I've got jungle fever," says Ray Lewis. "I guess that would explain these wild, erratic convulsions that seemingly always take place during player introductions. Me? I'm not one to connect with people on-line. I prefer to communicate face-to-face, and in the case of media moguls like Ochocinco, helmet-to-helmet. I'm great friends with Chad off the field, but on the field, I'd give anything for a chance to tear Ochocinco a new uno.'"

Do the Bengals get any respect? Obviously not. They're leading the NFC North and they're coming off a bye week, yet they're still three-point underdogs. That can't sit in their craws well. I'm willing to bet that Pete Rose has money on the home team. But the Ravens won't let the North race become a two-team race between the Bengals and Steelers.

Joe Flacco throws for 234 yards and 2 scores, and the Ravens win, 27-20. Afterwards, Flacco puts his gear up for sale, with proceeds going to charity, at a local Starbucks, where one unwitting fan forks over $1,200 for a "cup a Joe."

Miami @ New England (-10½)

The Patriots returned from London with a 5-2 record after a 33-14 win over the Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium. New England put on an offensive show, and the trip was a particularly fruitful one for Randy Moss, who seemed to be a fan favorite of the British.

"They love me over there," says Moss. "I think I've singlehandedly created a Patriot fan base over there. Even here in Foxboro, I can still hear their appreciative applause. That's one case of the 'claps' I don't mind bringing home."

"If only fans in Green Bay would treat me with such due respect. It still amazes me. You moon a crowd in Green Bay, and people avoid you like the plague. In England, when you moon a crowd, they 'bum' rush you."

In Miami, Ted Ginn responded to criticism of his pass-catching ability by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns in the Dolphins 30-25 win over the Jets. Ginn had 100-yard and 101-yard TD returns in the third quarter, becoming the first player with two returns of 100 yards or more in the same game.

"Ted may have trouble catching passes," says Chad Henne, "but if you give him a good four seconds to calculate and analyze the trajectory of a descending football, more times than not, he'll make the catch easily. That must be that engineering degree at work. And, with the Patriots scoring 94 points in their last two games, we can expect them to play right into our hands, with a lot of kickoffs to Ted."

With an extra week to prepare, Bill Belichick's had plenty of time to locate bootleg video of the Fins practicing the "wildcat" and kick returns. And if that requires him to drop quarters into the slot for five minute segments, then, by golly, he'll gladly watch a peep show down at the video shop on the shady side of town.

New England wins, 31-17.

Washington @ Atlanta (-10)

After a 27-17 Monday night loss to Philadelphia two weeks ago, it appears that Sherman Lewis' play-calling is no better than Jim Zorn's, an issue that sent general manager Vinny Cerrato and owner Daniel Snyder scampering to interview additional bingo callers with NFL play-calling aspirations.

"I said it before and I'll say it again," says Cerrato. "This team is 'playoff material.' And our coach, Jim Zorn, is 'payoff' material — we'll be buying out his contract soon."

"And speaking of Bingo, when you spend $100 million to sign Albert Haynesworth, it doesn't leave a lot of 'free space' to address other glaring, and numerous issues. Like, for example, a quarterback. Jason Campbell is 'mmm mmm bad.' Of course, with proper coaching, he could be the next Gus Frerotte."

The Falcons dropped a 35-27 decision in New Orleans to fall to 4-3, three games back of the Saints.

"I'm not sure I could tolerate what Zorn is going through," says Mike Smith. "Snyder has single-handedly sucked the life out of the Redskins. What he needs to do is suck the 'suck' out of that team, and that would be by relieving himself of his duties."

Former Falcon and current Redskin DeAngelo Hall has said he'll cry if Washington beats Atlanta. Heck, I thought only Steve Smith could do that. I guess if the 'Skins win, it will be a real "tearjerk-er."

Atlanta wins, 23-17.

Green Bay @ Tampa Bay (-11)

With thoughts of exacting revenge on Brett Favre now retired, the Packers can set their sights on more attainable goals, like beating the Buccaneers, or snatching a wild card playoff berth. Green Bay fell 38-26 to the Vikings as Favre out-dueled his replacement, Aaron Rodgers, at Lambeau Field.

"I wanted that win badly," says Aaron Rodgers, "for my own selfish reasons. I think Favre, of all people, can respect that. But revenge will have to wait. The Vikes completed the sweep, so that ship has sailed. Luckily, there's another boat in Tampa, and like the Bucs, it's not going anywhere."

"As you know, I've been sacked 31 times this year, with almost half of those courtesy of the Vikings. I think I need to have a 'birds and the bees' talk with my offensive line and tell 'em the same thing my daddy told me: 'Where protection?'"

The Bucs and head coach Raheem Morris made a quarterback switch in their bye week, and rookie Josh Freeman will start against the Packers over Josh Johnson.

"I hear Rodgers had a street named after him in Green Bay," says Morris. "Was it a cul de sack? Anyway, Rodgers is a good role model for my young quarterbacks to follow. Despite being sacked that often, he maintains a good attitude. If you're going down that much, you've got to know how to 'pick yourself up' to remain successful."

Usually, it's quarterbacks gifting their offensive linemen with fancy watches. Not in Green Bay. Each of Rodger's offensive linemen presented their quarterback with a pocket watch, with a note wishing Rodgers luck "finding time" to throw.

Rodgers throws for 225 yards and 2 scores, and Ryan Grant rushes for 138 yards and a touchdown.

Green Bay wins, 29-13.

Arizona @ Chicago (-3)

Despite a sloppy 34-21 loss to the Panthers in Arizona last week, the Cardinals maintained the lead in the NFC West, as the 49ers lost in Indianapolis. Arizona's No. 1-ranked rushing defense gave up a whopping 270 yards on the ground to Carolina as the Cards three-game win streak was snapped.

"One game, we're flying to the ball," says Ken Whisenhunt. "In true bird fashion, the next game, we're laying eggs. I've seen better rush defense from a wet paper sack."

"Obviously, the win over the Giants went to out heads. Then our heads went up our asses. So, if you're talking division title, and you want to crown them, then crown their asses, not their heads, because they don't deserve it right now. We had the rest of the NFC West worried that we'd run away with the division, but we let 'em off the hook."

The Bears are 4-3 and trail the NFC North-leading Vikings by two games. Notwithstanding a 17-14 win over the Steelers in week, the Bears other three wins have come against opponents with a combined 4-18 record.

"Hey, why not steal candy from babies?" says Lovie Smith. "You've heard of the movie I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, right? Well, when playing the likes of the Lions, Seahawks, and Browns, it's wise to take an 'I'm Gonna Git You Suck-ers' attitude."

"Arizona won't be easy pickings, although five of Kurt Warner's passes against the Panthers would say otherwise."

Cardinals win, 23-17.

Houston @ Indianapolis (-9½)

If the Texans are to make a race of the AFC South, they'll face the daunting task of beating the Colts at home. With a win, Houston would trail Indy by only two games; a loss, and they would face a four-game deficit with only seven games to play.

"If we want to run with the big dogs," says Matt Schaub, "we'll have to do so on their porch. But are the Colts the 'big dogs,' or are they merely a 'dog and pony' show? I think the 49ers exposed some weaknesses in the Colts. So, it's up to us to go in to Lucas Oil Stadium and find out for ourselves if there truly is some substance to the Colts, or if in fact they're nothing more than 'bologna ponies.'"

The Colts escaped a well-prepared San Francisco team last week, beating the 49ers, 18-14, without the aid of a Peyton Manning touchdown pass. It was the first time Manning had failed to throw a TD pass in nearly a year.

"As you know, Joseph Addai tossed our only touchdown pass against the 49ers," says Manning. "I've got no problem letting a running back win a game for me if I can't. Heck, it worked in Super Bowl XLI. As for the Texans, Owen Daniels is out and Andre Johnson is hurting, so the potent Houston passing game may not be as potent as usual. If that's the case, our job is to keep the ball out of Steve Slaton's hands. If his recent benching is any indication, he may do it for us."

Indianapolis wins, 30-24.

Kansas City @ Jacksonville (-6½)

In Kansas City, the story is all about Larry Johnson. Johnson was to be suspended for two games for making gay slurs and criticizing coach Todd Haley on Johnson's Twitter account. However, the Chiefs backed off of the two game suspension, and Johnson now will only be banned for one game.

"Making gay slurs on your Twitter account?" says Haley. "That's akin to rushing for 2.7 yards per carry, because they'll both get you time off the field. Ironically, Larry's the one making gay slurs, but he's also the one putting a foot in his mouth. But I didn't come here to 'L.J.-bash.' It's not all about Larry Johnson. There's no 'I' in team. There's also no 'L' and 'J' in team, at least for the game in Jacksonville."

The Jaguars have their own disgruntled running back in Maurice Jones-Drew, the "Short Bus," who refuses to air dirty laundry on social websites. In fact, when 'MJ-D' gets 'PO-D,' he instead practices civil disobedience, and voices his displeasure non-violently, like, for instance, rushing for 177 yards on eight carries.

"That's over 20 yards a carry," says Jones-Drew. "Who's calling plays for this team? I think even some old-timer calling party games in an old folks home can see that whenever I touch the ball, it's 'BINGO!' Besides, the few people who actually pay to see a Jaguar game come to see me get the ball. Yeah, I know, that's not a lot of people. Trust me, I know it's easier to fully evacuate Jacksonville Municipal Stadium than it is to sell it out. But you get what you pay for. That's why Jack Del Rio is our coach."

Jones-Drew rushes for 144 yards and two scores, and Jacksonville wins, 27-24.

Carolina @ New Orleans (-14½)

The Saints are 7-0, one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the league. After giving up an average of 29 points in their last three victories, New Orleans needs a strong defensive showing to take some pressure off of their offense.

"We're certainly aware of the Panthers running attack," says Sean Payton, "but I think they'll try to surprise us and come out throwing. Despite his troubles, Delhomme's no slouch. Our defense respects him. In fact, they're a lot like him — they both lead the league in interceptions."

After manhandling the defending NFC champion Cardinals 34-21 last week, the 3-4 Panthers have a measurable amount of momentum for probably the first time this year. Carolina rushed for 270 yards on their way to avenging last season's playoff loss to the Cards.

"You know," says John Fox, "there was a time when our opponents wondered how to keep Jake Delhomme from beating them. How times have changed. Now we're the ones wondering how to keep Delhomme from beating us. Lately, Jake's been so erratic that I think he'd blow a kiss."

"But running the ball effectively seems to be our modus operandi, which I believe is Latin for 'having no choice.' Contrary to Coach Payton's thoughts, our game plan against the Saints will be a steady diet of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Hopefully, that will leave a bad taste in the Saints mouths."

New Orleans wins, 33-27.

Detroit @ Seattle (-10)

Matthew Stafford and his bum left knee head to Seattle to face the 2-5 Seahawks, another squad struggling with injury issues. Stafford was erratic last week in his first game back since injuring his knee against the Bears. He'll face a Seahawks team desperate for a win to keep pace in the NFC West, where the Cards lead the division with a 4-3 record.

"Stafford should best beware of what he may encounter here," says Jim Mora, Jr. "If you'll recall, the last time a knee, Detroit, and the Pacific Northwest intersected, Tonya Harding's goons whacked Nancy Kerrigan's knee in Motown."

"Why, why, why on earth would Mora bring up something like that?" says Stafford. "I know Harding's a big deal up in that area, but so is Bigfoot, and he's better looking, and nowhere near the type of publicity hound as Harding. Plus, he's undefeated in his boxing career."

"Anyway, why are we even talking about Tonya Harding? Is that just an easy way of segueing into proclaiming the Seahawks as 'lead pipe' locks against us?"

The Seattle offense has put up only 20 points in their last two games, and if you ask receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, he'll tell you the most reasonable solution is to get him the ball more often.

"I can look in the seats at Qwest Field and see that fans are losing interest," says Houshmandzadeh. "The Seahawks used to personify excitement in the Pacific Northwest. Now, people are more hyped about the upcoming release of the new Twilight movie than they are about a Seahawks game. Can I blame them? No. Heck, I'd rather see New Moon than watch an 'old ass' quarterback not throw me the ball."

Matt Hasselbeck and Houshmandzadeh reconnect with two scores, and the Seahawks prevail, 27-9.

Tennessee @ San Francisco (-5½)

The Titans finally excused themselves from the ranks of the winless, throttling the Jaguars, 30-14, behind 224 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns from Chris Johnson, as well as a flawless day from Vince Young, who got the start in the wake of the Titans 0-6 start.

"Johnson rushing certainly made my day much easier," says Young, "but I made my own contributions, going 15-of-18 for 125 yards. I guess you can now call our offense 'Dash and 'Dump.'"

"Now, I fully expect to get the start against San Fran this Sunday. I assume this isn't a 'one and done' deal, a phrase which would certainly describe my experience taking the Wonderlic test. But I'm thankful I got the start against the Jags. It gave me some much-needed confidence, and it's good to have a start under my belt. Besides, I didn't want to have my 'coming out' party in San Francisco, of all places."

Despite a tough loss in Indy that left the 49ers 3-4, head coach Mike Singletary insisted the team would win enough games to go to the playoffs.

"I've got to stand up for a fellow member of the coaching fraternity," says Mike Singletary, "and show my support for Jeff Fisher. If he wants to wear a Peyton Manning jersey, that's fine by me. I really don't understand why people are talking 'shirt' about Fisher. There's no reason he should feel 'shirt-faced' about such an innocent act."

Can the 49ers stop Chris Johnson? Can the Titans stop Vernon Davis? The answer's probably no on both accounts, but San Fran will stack the line to stop Johnson and force Young to beat them. Young may be ready to start, but he can't "finish."

San Francisco wins, 28-20.

San Diego @ NY Giants (-3½)

Philip Rivers and Eli Manning will forever be linked by the 2004 NFL draft, in which Manning was selected first by the Chargers, then traded to the Giants for Rivers, whom the Giants selected fourth. The two young quarterbacks will meet in Giants Stadium on Sunday, with their respective teams heading in opposite directions — the Chargers have won two straight, while the G-Men have dropped their last three.

"Of course, everyone knows that Manning had publicly refused to play for the Chargers if they drafted him," says Rivers. "Well, you can stop the John Elway comparisons right there. Sure, they're both 'draft dodgers,' but until Eli can give an overrated coach two Super Bowl wins, he won't be mentioned in the same breath with Elway."

"Less than a month ago, the Giants were undefeated and topping the list of many power rankings. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. And we thought Plaxico Burress' fall from grace was quick. It seems the G-Men, like Burress, have nearly lost their manhood."

If the Chargers are to win on the road, they'll have to get some pressure on Manning. Shawne Merriman, once one of the most feared sack artists in the league, has managed only two sacks so far this year.

"One has to wonder," says Manning, "whether Merriman's past success can be attributed to performance-enhancing drugs. It seems odd that as soon as he got 'clean,' he'd be 'washed up.'"

It's time for the Giants to get back to what they do best — running the ball first and allowing Manning to throw wobbly passes into single coverage later. River will keep the Chargers close by taking advantage of the Giants defensive backfield, which lately has shown less coverage than a fishnet bikini.

New York wins, 24-19.

Dallas @ Philadelphia (-3)

When these two teams last met, it was the final week of the 2008 season, with playoff implications on the line for both teams. That game ended with a 44-6 Philly win, which the Eagles rode all the way to the NFC Championship Game. This time, the stakes aren't as high, but first place in the NFC East awaits the winner.

"I've got some good news and some bad news," says Tony Romo. "I'm treating this like a playoff game. That's good news for the Eagles and bad news for the Cowboys."

"As for rumors of a brewing controversy over me getting each of my receivers enough touches, well, that's nothing new to me. Heck, I can't tell you how many times last year I was accused of inappropriate 'touching.' Anyway, I'm not at all like Jessica Simpson — there's not enough of me to spread around."

With a win, the Eagles would not only take sole possession of first in the division, but they'd also proudly sport three consecutive wins over division opponents.

"I fully expect the Cowboys to come here with their game faces on," says Donovan McNabb. "Last year, they came in the same way, but left unable to even face themselves, with their heads hung so low they could see their tails between their legs."

"On Sunday, they'll have to deal with the hottest player in the league, DeSean Jackson, who's a threat to cross the goal line any time he steps on the field. We just hope he has the ball when he does it."

Philadelphia wins, 30-26.

Pittsburgh @ Denver (+3)

Excitement is building for Monday night's game in the mile high environs of Invesco Field, so much so that Monday Night Football analyst John Gruden has already started excitedly over-exaggerating various aspects of the matchup.

"Hey, they don't call in 'Mile Hy-perbole Stadium' for nothing," says a giddy Gruden. "Troy Polamalu's hair is so luxurious, it's been proven impenetrable by the Cleveland Browns offense. James Harrison is so strong, he can lift three Samoan nose tackles with one arm! Kyle Orton's rebirth as the Broncos quarterback is the greatest resurrection since Jesus Christ's. Wow! That's exhilarating! I haven't embellished something this much since naming Keyshawn Johnson a No. 1 receiver."

Gruden's unbridled excitement is such that his partners in the Monday Night Football booth, Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski, are often assigned "contain" by the show directors.

Anyway, the Broncos 30-7 loss to the Ravens raised question about their legitimacy as an AFC power. Denver can address those questions, and silence them, with a win against the Steelers, who have won four in a row after a 1-2 start.

"Obviously, the Ravens gave Denver some looks they hadn't seen before," says Polamalu. "I think that look was called a 'defense.' Are the Broncos for real? I think you'll see that the Broncos are a lot like questionable hot-air balloon stories — they always come back down to earth."

"How many people have we proved wrong this year?" says Josh McDaniels. "More than Alex Trebek, my friend. Despite a loss, our philosophy will not change. Six wins is a fine accomplishment, but we've got so much more potential. Heck, if Travis Henry would have stopped at six, he would have only achieved half of his potential."

Steelers win, 26-16.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

World Series Game 6: A Long Time Coming

Well, now we know how Joe Girardi's gamble on a three-man, three-days-rest World Series rotation worked for him. It won the Yankees a 27th World Series title. Okay, so Hideki Matsui pretty much won Game 6. A mere technicality, sort of.

And now we know how Charlie Manuel's refusal to gamble on his regular rotation, sticking to the script strictly even in the World Series, worked for him, too. It sends the Phillies home wondering what might have been. When they're not wondering whether the first thing that greets Jimmy (The Prognosticator) Rollins in spring training should be a strap of duct tape around his big yap.

Manuel's refusal to shift the script and send Cliff Lee to the Game 4 mound wasn't the only reason the Phillies didn't push the Yankees back enough for a seventh-game shot at becoming the first National League team since the Big Red Machine to win back-to-back Series.

And the first Japanese player to win a World Series MVP — not to mention tying ancient Yankee Bobby Richardson's record for runs batted in in a single Series game (6) — wasn't the only reason the Yankees dismantled the Philadelphians. It only seemed that way Wednesday night.

The Phillies had every opportunity to dismantle an Andy Pettitte on short rest and shorter stuff and batted for the most part as though they wouldn't recognize a hittable pitch in batting practice. The Yankees had every opportunity to dismantle a Pedro Martinez on full rest and nothing but his heart to carry him on the night.

They'd been there before with him. That time they merely won a pennant, when Grady Little let Martinez's heart overrule his loss of repertoire on the night, and a fellow named Matsui smacked a two-run double before coming home himself in short enough order, tying a game the Red Sox had banked, enabling an epic extra-inning duel that ended with Tim Wakefield opening the 11th with a knuckleball whose itinerary was the left field seats on Aaron Boone Airlines.

Five years later, they merely won a World Series when Manuel let Martinez's heart overrule his fading repertoire. Game 2 already saw Martinez holding things to a one-all tie in the sixth when Matsui seven-ironed a low changeup over the left field fence. Wednesday night, bottom of the second, Martinez simply put his changeup to bed and worked Matsui with the fastball that's now as good as a changeup for its lack of velocity. And Matsui worked it off the rim of the upper deck, barely inside the foul pole.

Now, bottom of the third, Manuel had rookie left-hander J.A. Happ warm and ready in the bullpen, the Yankees had the bases loaded, and Martinez again had Matsui to face. And again Matsui didn't look like the guy who hit below .200 lifetime against Pedro in the regular season. This time, though, he laced a mere two-run single up the pipe.

Two innings later, with Martinez out of the game and the Yankees fast and loose with a four-run lead, Matsui got his shot at Happ. And Happ got to watch Matsui's drive short-hop the right center field fence for a two-run double.

The Phillies probably should have been grateful that Matsui came up a triple short of hitting for the two-run cycle. They're probably wondering just how on earth Mark Teixiera managed to sneak a one-run single into the Matsui Show. When they're not wondering how they could lose a World Series in which Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record for single Series bombs.

The answers aren't that hard to find. They merely begin with Ryan Howard setting a Series record for strikeouts (13) and learning too late to hit his pitch rather than flail at offerings he has no business trying to meet. They merely continue with Cole Hamels imploding in Game 3, half their hitters unable to summon up their former patience, a bullpen that had to shake off regular-season injuries only to become Manuel's least trusted commodity in the Series, and a closer who'd gone from 2008 hero to 2009 liability despite an early round of postseason competence.

You can probably throw in questions as to why Manuel couldn't find more room for Happ in the Series than two and a third innings, all thrown in relief, after the rook went 12-9 with a 2.93 ERA on the regular season. Especially with the Yankees sporting a left-handed lineup. Should it have been Happ rather than Joe Blanton in Game 4, if Manuel — aware enough that he'd taken Happ out of his element (his words) as it was — was that bent on refusing to send Lee to work on short rest?

And how many chances did the Phillies squander otherwise Wednesday night? They had a one-out single from Victorino to start the game before Utley, who's only human, after all, ended it dialing Area Code 4-6-3.

They had Jayson Werth (a walk, a wild pitch) on second with one out and stranded him when Pedro Feliz fouled out to catcher Jorge Posada in the second. They had first and second (two walks, one of which followed a passed ball allowing Werth to take second) in the fourth and Feliz ended it with a grounder to third.

With the Yankees up by a mere 3 runs after four, they had Carlos Ruiz — who'd scored the lone Philadelphia run on Rollins's sacrifice fly in the top of the third — on with a one-out walk, before Rollins dialed Area Code 5-4-3 to end the top of the fifth.

After Howard finally unloaded in the sixth, they had a man on second (Raul Ibanez, a dunker double) and Pettitte out of the game, and again Feliz grounded out to third to end the inning.

They got first and second in the seventh on Damaso Marte and Utley, of all people, couldn't check his swing and got rung up for the side. There went the Phillies' last, best chance for a comeback. Especially with Howard swishing out for No. 13 to open the eighth. And guess who got the bullpen call, survived a two-out double (Ibanez) then, and a one-out walk in the ninth, not to mention a tenacious last-stand at-bat from Victorino before the ground out that meant game, set, and Series?

The four Yankees who've been there for every World Series triumph since the club began snapping back to greatness in the mid-1990s — Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and The Mariano — could only think about diving in and whooping it up.

Except maybe Posada, at first. He couldn't resist hanging back behind the plate, after The Mariano ended it in his customary style by luring a game-ending ground out and then galloping toward first to join in the party. Just to take it all in.

Already the winner of 18 postseason games, a record, Pettitte also pitched and won the clinchers for all three postseason sets this time around. That makes six such clinching wins on his postseason resume.

Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez — who piled up 18 postseason RBIs to set a Yankee record and treated the run like his personal coming-out party, which is precisely what it was after too many fall frustrations, crowning a season that began in scandal and surgery and finished with a flourish concurrent to his pleasing humanization — hoisted the championship trophy high for the Yankee Stadium faithful, and carried it to the clubhouse amid a swarm of celebratory teammates.

By Yankee standards — the ones that say you're in a severe drought when you're going 12 months between World Series titles — their 27th World Series triumph was a very long, sometimes surreal eight years in the making.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2009

USC's Paper Trojans

Saturday was a monumental night in the college football world. The Oregon Ducks, left for dead on Boise's blue turf just two months ago, most likely brought an end to USC's run of Pac-10 titles with their 47-20 thrashing of the Trojans. The Ducks gashed the Trojan defense in unfathomable ways. Had the SC marching band led the team off the field, it probably would have played "The World Turned Upside Down" as the British did following their defeat at Yorktown that ended the Revolution.

But the developments of Saturday night stretch beyond this season. Considering this keystone beating and several other Pac-10 slip-ups in years past, it seems that the endeared and envied Trojan program isn't nearly the monument to football dominance that we thought it was.

Like any good rumor, it's important to find where the lie was born. So who started this rumor of Southern Cal's preeminence? I blame the Midwest, the media, and the average football fan.

Over the past half-decade or so, the Big Ten has decayed into a Midwestern monolith of mediocrity (and as an alum, that hurts me as much as anyone). While other conferences have stocked Pro Bowl rosters and excelled in bowl games, the Big Ten has slumped. Sure, Ohio State and Penn State have had their positive moments, but the conference's rank and file members have lagged. So why do a few down years from Michigan, Purdue, and Minnesota affect USC? Because the champs of the once-proud conference have been under-tested and unproven when they meet the Trojans in the Rose Bowl.

And there's another culprit in Big Ten country responsible for USC's over-inflation: Notre Dame. The matchup between the two traditional powers will always draw strong ratings. So when the Trojans have obliterated weak Irish teams in the past few seasons, the significance has been overstated. Were we as impressed when SC knocked off Virginia, Arizona, or other programs that have fluctuated between below average and consistently mediocre?

In the clarity of hindsight, it seems SC's victories against the Big Ten and Notre Dame have artificially inflated opinions of the program. This, of course, isn't the Trojans fault; they took on Ohio State twice out of conference and they can only play the competition their bowl lines up for them. However, looking back on this decade, what Trojan wins should we big impressed by? The title game win over Oklahoma tops the list, but then what?

While the sad state of Midwestern football has contributed the USC mirage, at least it was an indirect result. After all, those teams presumably were at least trying to counteract the Trojan mystique (though, at times, that presumption might have been debated). But what of those who have directly caused elevation of USC's image? It's time to hold the media and fans responsible.

There are too many aluminum-foil hat caliber conspiracy theories about SC. Some will tell you their Los Angeles market presence gets them a pass from the NCAA. Others would tell you that same locale gets them preferential treatment from their TV partners, namely ESPN/ABC. And while those factors may or may not have a small amount of relevance, there's a much more reasonable explanation to the layperson's infatuation with the Men of Troy: style.

The Trojans are like the prime rib carving station of your Saturday football buffet. Compared to the cooked-to-mush vegetables, days-old pasta, and mystery meat of other programs, USC games are much more appetizing to watch.

First, the Trojans run a pro-style offense, the endangered species of college football. You won't see the Trojans pounding variations of the triple option all day. You won't see 98 versions of screen passes or every back and receiver on the roster catching a quick slant. Instead, you'll see plays that look awfully similar to those we love on Sundays: draws and counters in the run game, legitimate posts and deep outs when they pass it. Think about the last time you watched Florida, Penn State, or Georgia Tech. How many times did the ball travel from the quarterback's hand past the edge of the original TV frame? That contrast is part of the USC intoxication.

On a related note, the Trojans recruit and produce NFL talent. Obviously, having better players makes SC more attractive, but they don't just grab headlines on the field. While Tim Tebow seems inspired by names like Luke, John, and Matthew, wasn't it more fun when Matt Leinart channeled Paris and Brynn?

And what about their leader, Pete Carroll? Carroll stands out from his collegiate peers not only for his record of success, but more so for his demeanor. In a profession infested by loud-mouths, snake oil salesmen, and the vanilla-est of quotes, Carroll is refreshing. Perhaps he has the benefit of perspective from his miserable NFL experience, but nobody seems to have as much fun doing his job than the SC head coach. The Trojans employ (hmm, pun intended?) the most interesting talent in the NCAA. That infatuates us.

And this brings the point back to this column's original revelation: the 2000s USC teams have been as much about sizzle as steak, at least on the national stage. To be fair, that's part of college football. After all, this is a sport where players pick their schools based on a crude courting season called recruiting and the postseason depends on a panel of beauty pageant judges to determine which two teams are sexiest. Should we be surprised that a critical review of the sport's top program shows less substance between the lines than we've been led to believe?

So what does this mean for SC's future? In the near future, the Trojans will likely be a candidate for a BCS at large berth (I'd guess the Fiesta bowl would love to have them). And if the Trojans roll through some of their remaining games, we'll hear about their wins at Ohio State and Notre Dame and how good they've looked at times. Heck, they'll probably win that Fiesta Bowl if they end up there against TCU or Boise State. But further down the road, the cracks will show. It took centuries, but eventually Rome fell under the weight of its own grandeur and generations of gilding. It seems the Men of Troy might face the same end.

Posted by Corrie Trouw at 11:49 AM | Comments (3)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 33

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson avoided disaster at Talladega, running quietly in the back of the pack for most of the race while strategizing for a strong run to the finish. As two late-race pileups picked off some of his closest pursuers, and fuel problems hampered others, Johnson coasted to a sixth-place finish, and now leads Mark Martin by 184 points.

"I guess you could say we laid 'Lowe's,'" Johnson said. "Anyway, I kind of like the view from behind."

"I admittedly didn't sleep well leading up to the race. But after those two big wrecks, you could say I slept like a champ on Sunday night."

2. Mark Martin — Martin's No. 5 Pop Tarts Chevrolet briefly went airborne in the race-ending crash in the Amp Energy 500, just seven laps after Ryan Newman went skyward and flipped numerous times. Both emerged unharmed, but Martin's already slim chances of catching Jimmie Johnson were rendered even slimmer. With three races remaining, Martin faces a 184-point deficit.

"When a Rick Hendrick's car leaves the ground," Martin said, "it's only fitting to say the same thing Jimi Hendrix would say in the same situation: 'Excuse me while I kiss the sky.'"

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon ran out of fuel under caution three laps from the end at Talladega, but got a push from a tow truck back to the pits. After refueling, Gordon was collected in a crash on the final lap, and finished 20th when the dust had settled. He remained third in the points, but trails Jimmie Johnson by an almost insurmountable 192 points.

"Jimmie always seems to find a way to skirt disaster," says Gordon. "That reminded me of my own 'skirt disaster,' which is how I got into a failed marriage with a former Miss Winston Cup."

4. Juan Montoya — Like Jeff Gordon, Montoya ran out of fuel under caution before coasting to the pits for fuel, only to be sucked into the final lap incident. Montoya finished 19th, and with Jimmie Johnson's sixth-place result, saw his narrow Cup hopes practically vanish. Montoya is fourth in the points, 239 out of first.

"Ironically, in a gas shortage situation," Montoya said, "I actually wish I was eating a taco. I guess Bob Griese really is an astute announcer, and obviously ahead of his time."

5. Kasey Kahne — Kahne finished second in the Amp Energy 500, avoiding the accidents that cost him in the other three restrictor plate races this year. Kane moved up two spots in the Sprint Cup point standings to ninth, and trails Jimmie Johnson by 414.

"Talladega races are interesting for the crashes," Kahne said, "and very little else. The race went smoothly until the end, then all hell broke loose. I was lucky to avoid those two big crashes. Usually, when I see two 'big ones,' I like to put myself right in the middle of them."

6. Kurt Busch — Busch survived an eventful day at Talladega that saw his beaten and battered No. 2 Miller Lite Chevy come home in 30th. In addition to various scrapes throughout the race, Busch was sent spinning by a bump from Brad Keselowski, contact of which triggered the second and final "Big One."

"One day, Keselowski's wrecking me," Busch said, "and the next day, he's my teammate at Penske Racing. And I thought Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman was the most volatile set of teammates ever at Penske."

7. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin led 11 early laps at Talladega, but an expired engine on lap 138 ended his day early, sending him to the garage with a 38th-place finish. Hamlin fell two spots to 11th in the points, 448 out of first.

"Only in NASCAR can a rule change be implemented on the day of the race," Hamlin said. "I guess NASCAR felt the need to take action for whatever reason, and they certainly succeeded, because the took all the action out of Sunday's race."

8. Tony Stewart — On lap 183, Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet was sent into the wall, clipped by teammate Ryan Newman's No. 39, which was hit by the car of Marcos Ambrose. Stewart's day ended unspectacularly, while Newman faced just the opposite, going airborne and tumbling through the infield grass. Stewart finished 35th, suffering his first DNF of the season, and now is 279 out of first in the point standings.

"Indeed, I was having trouble staying awake during the race," Stewart said. "I told Ryan Newman to wake me when it's over, and he did, with flying colors. But it's not surprising that a race that was a 'sleeper' was won by a sleeper."

9. Carl Edwards — Edwards led two laps and finished 14th at Talladega, avoiding the two late wrecks that littered the track and scrambled several fuel strategies. Edwards is now tenth in the point standings, 437 behind Jimmie Johnson.

"Hey, congratulations are in order for Jamie McMurray," Edwards said. "Ironically, his No. 26 Ford is sponsored by Crown Royal, which is exactly what we'll be doing to Jimmie Johnson in three weeks."

10. Ryan Newman — Newman's day at Talladega ended in spectacular fashion when his No. 39 Chevrolet went airborne on lap 183 after contact with Marcos Ambrose and Tony Stewart. Thankfully, Newman was unhurt, although shaken, and finished 36th. He is eighth in the point standings, 402 out of first.

"I'm sure this isn't what NASCAR wanted to see," Newman said. "The only person they wanted to see 'tumbling' was Jimmie Johnson, preferably from his perch high above the point standings. As it is, it's not the race for the Sprint Cup that's warming up, but the fat lady, who's ready to warble the opening notes to 'Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye' as we speak."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

November 3, 2009

World Series Game 5: Cutting to the Chase

Chase Utley doesn't always have to see C.C. Sabathia in order to take Yankee pitching deep and, while he's at it, tie Reggie Jackson's record for bombs in a single World Series.

The Phillies don't always have to get frozen by Yankee threats in the top of the ninth, no matter how stubbornly Johnny Damon refuses to give in, take it like a manperson, and not even think about picking up his sixth hit in two Series games.

Cliff Lee doesn't always have to look like Sandy Koufax to keep the Yankees from getting their bats into an uproar, and it helps to remind him that even Koufax had his (extremely rare) days getting waxed by the big boys — even if they weren't named Alex Rodriguez in the top of the seventh.

And the Phillies don't always have to go meekly into that none-too-good gray November night. But whether they go fighting or send the Yankees away as empty-handed in the end as they managed to send them Monday night, however, is going to depend on factors beyond their control that should have been theirs to control.

There isn't anything much in the way of precipitation seen in the offing for the Bronx over the next several days. Unless it's the showering of abuse Yankee fans are likely to send Pedro Martinez's way when he hits the bump for Game 6.

But all of a sudden there's a change in the weather in the Philadelphia clubhouse.

The good change: the Phillies are beginning to think they can produce the impossible again. You tend to feel that way when the Yankees turn on the pressure in the top of the ninth and the worst you have to show for it is one measly run slipping home while Derek Jeter, of all people, is dialing Area Code 6-4-3, though you can feel the heavy sigh of relief when Ryan Madson flicks away another Damon hit and swishes Mark Teixiera for the game.

Utley had the big hand in resurrecting that attitude in the first place. A big hand and two big flies, to be precise.

With first and second (Jimmy [The Tongue] Rollins: leadoff walk; Shane Victorino: drilled on the knuckles while pulling back a bunt) and nobody out, Utley caught on that A.J. Burnett — working short rest — didn't have much in the way of control early, and he wasn't about to let the Yankee right-hander rediscover it, either. Utley sent the first pitch he saw about three or four rows into the right field seats.

Six innings later, with Burnett long gone and the Phillies fast and loose in a Yankee bullpen that hasn't been a guaranteed lock if the chances that The Mariano will be needed to mark the bill paid are slim and none, with slim already leaving the building, Utley proved that sometimes what you need is a Coke. Phil, that is. He wrestled the reliever to a leadoff full count before sending one about six rows behind the landing strip of his first launch.

"That's hard to do in batting practice sometimes," Damon marveled, "and he's doing it in World Series games. He's found a groove ... Hopefully, we have something better planned for him on Wednesday."

If Utley has his way, the better plans involve Andy Pettitte being somewhat less than his 16-postseason-game-winning self and something yummy to send onto the Number 4 El, while Martinez commits patricide against the short-rested Yankee.

If he does, he'll leave Charlie Manuel with a big decision on his head. Manuel is the manager who would sooner have run Game 5 from his dentist's chair than send Lee to the mound on short rest. Now he's thinking about whether to send Lee out on two days' rest come Thursday.

This after Lee on Monday shook off a first-inning Yankee run, and held his own while his mates enjoyed a rollicking romp, until he ran out of petrol in the Yankee seventh and A-Rod didn't give him any viable chance of getting to the nearest filling station, driving one that snuck past a diving Raul Ibanez in left for a two-run double and an end to his evening.

Ibanez got his in the bottom of the seventh, too. Things go better with Coke for Ibanez, it seems, the left fielder continuing to snap out of his own Series hitting funk by launching one into roughly Utley's zip code for the eighth Philadelphia run.

"As far as my availability," Lee told reporters after the Phillies held on for an 8-6 guaranteed return to the Bronx, "I'm available."

"We don't know about that yet," Manuel said. "I'll talk to him about what he thinks about if he can pitch at all or something."

They may be having the same conversation in the Yankee clubhouse. And Joe Girardi has some serious thinking to do, as well. He's already taking the heat for trying to beat the Phillies with a three-man, three-days'-rest rotation, and he's probably feeling it getting a little warmer under his seat now that he's been reminded how ineffective Burnett has been, historically, on three days' rest.

"It's the worst feeling in the world," Burnett said bravely after Game 5 was gone, "to have the chance to do something special and to fail like that."

It may be a worse feeling if Pettitte drops any kind of hint that he's feeling less than his customary self come Wednesday. Joe Girardi says if Pettitte says he's feeling good, he's going. Feeling good and looking good have differences a World Series tends to amplify louder than the bass lines in a hip-hop concert. And Girardi can't afford to have his ears blown out like that right now.

The Yankees may have a bullpen that's dubious at best unless there's a big chance of getting the game to The Mariano, but the Phillies have bullpen issues of his own. From the look of things Monday night, Brad Lidge wasn't going to get anywhere near the mound unless every last alternative had been exhausted. The Phillies didn't look like they were willing to take that many risks with the Yankees managing to chip their way back to within two of tying it up in the top of the ninth, and Lidge in Game 4 didn't look at all like the guy who'd re-horsed himself earlier in this postseason.

And the Yankees still have command of the Series. "We just have to remember," Damon said, "that we are up in the Series. They still have to beat us two times."

These Phillies aren't exactly afraid of challenges. Nor do they need anyone to remind them that the willing spirit may not always be enough. They'd just rather not think about it right now. Chase Utley made it that much easier for them not to think that way.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 1:21 PM | Comments (0)

NFL Week 8 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* Aaron Rodgers was sacked 6 times this week. Three of them were due to blocking problems, and three were his fault. I don't know why Rodgers won't throw the ball away, but it needs to start happening.

* The Saints' defense has scored more touchdowns this season (6) than the Browns' offense (5).

* Ted Ginn is starting to remind me of Desmond Howard. College star, top-10 draft pick, underwhelming as a receiver, but a great return man. It's too early to give up entirely on Ginn as a receiver, but that comparison rings true to me.

* What parallel universe have we entered, where everyone in the NFC West loses except St. Louis?

* Chris Berman is a very poor judge of honesty.

***

Baltimore has had rough luck with officiating this season, ending up on the wrong end of controversial decisions in two close losses last month. That rough luck struck again on Sunday, though fortunately, it didn't affect the outcome of the game. On the Ravens' second drive, Walt Coleman's officiating crew missed a clear holding call on the defender covering Derrick Mason. After complaining to the referee, Mason walked to the Baltimore sideline and slammed his helmet to the ground. He was whistled for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Talk about shooting the messenger. In fairness to Coleman and his crew, they did a good job the rest of the game.

Moving on to the power rankings, brackets show last week's rank.

1. New Orleans Saints [1] — Overwhelming favorites to win the NFC South. They have a three-game lead, a head-to-head win over their only serious competition, and the easiest remaining schedule in the league. The Saints have proven in consecutive weeks that they are good enough to overcome four turnovers, even against tough opponents. But if they're going to be a serious contender in January, they need to take better care of the ball. Drew Brees is the Saints' best player every time they take the field, but defensive end Will Smith played a whale of a game on Monday night.

2. Indianapolis Colts [2] — Would you believe their defense, which leads the NFL in points allowed, is better than the offense? Fine, I don't believe it either, but this team can play on both sides of the ball. Dwight Freeney is having his best season in years (8 sacks), Robert Mathis is right there with him (6), and Bob Sanders is healthy again. Only one opponent (Miami) has scored 20 points in a game against the Colts this year.

3. New England Patriots [4] — Is it a little bit of a concern that their only road win this season is against 0-7 Tampa Bay? Big divisional game next week against Miami: the Dolphins gave New England trouble last season, stealing the AFC East and keeping the Pats out of the postseason. The Dolphins look like their main competition again this year, but a win in Week 9 would give New England a three-game lead and a very good chance of winning the division.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers [5] — Is there a more competitive division this season than the AFC North? I guess maybe the NFC East, which is actually very similar. Both divisions have a recent Super Bowl winner (Steelers and Giants), a perennial playoff team (Ravens and Eagles), a chump with no offense (Cleveland and Washington), and a team we're not really sure about yet, loaded with both talent and question marks (Cincinnati and Dallas).

5. Denver Broncos [3] — No one questions the defense, ranked first in yards allowed and second in points. Offense, however, is an issue. They're just not getting much production on that side of the ball. The offense has played virtually mistake-free; the Broncos aren't going to beat themselves. But against good teams, sometimes you need to put points on the scoreboard, and I just don't think that's something you're going to see from a Kyle Orton offense. Denver has scored 30 points in a game only once this season, when Eddie Royal contributed 2 touchdowns on special teams.

6. Minnesota Vikings [7] — As good as this defense is reputed to be, you would expect it to rank in the top 10. It doesn't. In fact, the Vikings' defense is statistically below average, 19th in both yardage and points. A good pass rush has failed to cover up their deficiencies in coverage, and opponents have averaged 28 points per game against Minnesota in the last three weeks. The only opponents they've held under 20 were the Lions and Rams; even the hapless Browns posted 20 (a season-high) against the Vikings.

7. Miami Dolphins [11] — Don't sleep on the Dolphins. They don't win pretty, and they actually have a losing record (3-4). But they've played a horrific schedule (.635) — Buffalo is their only opponent under .500, and the Dolphins won that game by four touchdowns. They've won three of their last four (scoring at least 30 points in each game), with the loss to New Orleans.

8. Arizona Cardinals [6] — They remind me of the Eagles. Good defense, offense that lives and dies with the passing game, and wildly uneven performances from week to week. The Cardinals are still a good team, they just need Kurt Warner to not turn the ball over six times.

9. Houston Texans [12] — I like Steve Slaton a lot, but after Sunday's game, I don't see how he can be the starting running back. Slaton already has a season's worth of fumbles (7, including 5 lost). And that's a bad season. LaDainian Tomlinson only has 7 fumbles in the last five seasons combined. Slaton has only averaged 3.1 yards per attempt, and Ryan Moats (126 rush yards, 3 TD) was clearly Houston's Week 8 MVP. Moats should start next week.

10. Atlanta Falcons [9] — Matt Ryan's passer rating the last three weeks: 68.4, 66.1, 46.6. He has not been playing well recently. Steve Young said after Monday's loss that Ryan "is the best sophomore quarterback in the history of the game." This is utterly untrue, to the point that it's not even a legitimate opinion. I think there is a great deal of question whether Ryan is even a better sophomore quarterback than Joe Flacco, and he certainly doesn't compare to Dan Marino, who in his second season set NFL records for passing yards and touchdowns, led the NFL in passer rating, won league MVP, and guided his team to a 14-2 record and Super Bowl appearance. That was probably the greatest season by any quarterback in NFL history. Ryan is a good QB, but let's stay in the realm of reality here.

11. Baltimore Ravens [16] — Broke a three-game losing streak by routing a previously undefeated opponent. Last season, four Ravens topped 250 receiving yards. This season, five Ravens are already above that mark: Derrick Mason (421), Ray Rice (349), Kelley Washington (325), Mark Clayton (303), and Todd Heap (278). Rice, this year, has probably passed Brian Westbrook as the greatest dual threat in the NFL. Rice leads all RBs in receiving yards.

12. Cincinnati Bengals [13] — The next two weeks will be critical for Cincinnati. In Week 9, the Bengals host Baltimore, and in Week 10, they travel to Pittsburgh. Winning both games would not only give the Bengals a solid lead in the AFC North, it would also insure that Cincinnati wins any tie-breakers for the division crown.

13. Dallas Cowboys [15] — Dismissed as a contender after a couple of rough outings from Tony Romo, but we've known all along that this was an up-and-down, inconsistent team. Now the Cowboys are 5-2, with a chance to take sole possession of first place in the NFC East by winning in Philadelphia next week. I mention this every week now, but they really should run the ball more often. As a great running team (5.4 yds/att) with three viable ball-carriers, why do you call more passes than runs in a three-touchdown blowout?

14. Philadelphia Eagles [14] — Some of us feel that the Eagles could be more effective by doing certain things differently — balance in the offensive play-calling comes to mind — but they have an identity. This is a team that wins with big plays, on both offense and defense. Philadelphia is an NFL-best +12 in turnovers, and on Sunday, the team had three TDs of more than 40 yards.

15. New York Giants [8] — Three straight losses and three obvious problems. One is pass defense. I don't know if the Saints exposed a weakness, or if it's been there all along and teams like Oakland and Kansas City just couldn't exploit it. But the Giants have allowed 112 points in their last three games, and their vulnerability to big plays has become particularly apparent. Second, they're committing too many turnovers. Eli Manning has thrown 8 interceptions, and the Giants are tied with Houston for most lost fumbles. Third, although this remains a pretty good team between the 20s, its success in gaining and preventing yards isn't translating to the scoreboard. We were all excited about Steve Smith's emergence as a top receiver to replace Plaxico Burress, but he doesn't have Burress' play-making ability. Kicker Lawrence Tynes leads the NFL in scoring, mostly because the team can't find the end zone and keeps settling for field goals.

16. Green Bay Packers [10] — Was there really a question about how Packer fans would greet a self-centered, traitor QB this weekend? Of course they booed him. They're good fans. The Packers are hard to rank, because the Vikings are the only team with more than one win whom they have faced in the last six weeks.

17. San Diego Chargers [17] — Cut Chris Chambers just a year after trading a second-round pick for him. Chambers always showed potential, but never demonstrated the consistency teams look for in a go-to receiver, posting only one 1,000-yard season in his eight-year career. Chambers will get picked up somewhere else, but he's 31 and his best days are behind him. Part of the reason San Diego cut Chambers is the emergence of Vincent Jackson. Only Reggie Wayne has better receiving statistics than Jackson right now. He's having a Pro Bowl-worthy season.

18. Chicago Bears [18] — Clearly a better team at home than on the road. At Soldier Field, the Bears are 3-0, with a win over Pittsburgh and a pair of blowout victories against overmatched cupcakes. Away from Chicago, the Bears are 1-3, with the win a last-second victory over Seattle.

19. San Francisco 49ers [19] — They've lost three in a row, and four of the last five, but against a killer schedule. Subtract St. Louis (whom they beat 35-0), and the other four opponents boast a combined record of 23-7 (.767). They lost to the Vikings, Texans, and Colts — all ranked in my top ten — by 3, 3, and 4, all on the road. It's still too early to say much about the quarterback change to Alex Smith, but Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree make this a much more dangerous offense.

20. New York Jets [20] — Out-gained Miami 378-104, but if you add return yardage, the difference is only 538-422. Include net punting yards, and it's 773-719, virtually equal. Special teams are a crucial part of the game, and coaches ignore them at their own risk. Rex Ryan has the potential to be a very good head coach in this league, but if he really thinks the Jets outplayed Miami on Sunday, he's not paying enough attention to the kicking game. His defense played a great game, but you can't give up three return touchdowns (2 kickoffs, 1 fumble recovery) and expect to win.

21. Carolina Panthers [24] — Juggernaut alert! The Panthers have won three of their last four, and the running game has finally gotten on track. The problem: those last four games were against 2-5 Washington, 0-7 Tampa, 3-5 Buffalo, and 4-3 Arizona. Hey, three wins are great, but I'll be impressed when you do it against teams with a better winning percentage than .310.

22. Seattle Seahawks [21] — Not competitive against good teams. The Seahawks have been blown out in three of their last four games. Injuries have been an issue, and the team still has yet to rebuild a running game that collapsed after the departures of Steve Hutchinson and Shaun Alexander.

23. Buffalo Bills [23] — With a good game against Houston, Ryan Fitzpatrick might have been able to spark a quarterback controversy. After his 117-yard, 2-interception performance, I think Trent Edwards' job is safe. Rookie DB Jairus Byrd intercepted two more passes this week, and is now tied for the NFL lead, with seven on the season.

24. Tennessee Titans [30] — Vince Young played well on Sunday, but let's not get carried away. Jacksonville is terrible, Chris Johnson won't run for 200 yards every week, and Young isn't going to suit up on defense, where the biggest problems are. The Titans allow 400 yards and 30 points per game, second-to-worst and worst in the league, respectively.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars [22] — Collapsing after a respectable 2-2 start. In the last three weeks, Jacksonville has lost a 41-0 rout in Seattle, gone to overtime against the awful Rams, and given Tennessee its first win of the season. David Garrard over that three-game stretch: 0 TD, 4 INT, 64.0 passer rating — against weak defenses.

26. Washington Redskins [25] — Let's take the occasion of their bye week to dispense with an oft-repeated falsehood: Daniel Snyder does not want to win. Look, I'm sure Snyder would prefer to win games — he doesn't want to lose. But he would rather lose his way than win someone else's. If this guy really cared about winning, he would have turned the team over to a real GM, and he would have done it years ago. I mean, Snyder has owned the team for a decade, and presided over its longest run of prolonged failure in about 40 years. If he really wants to win, all he has to do is give up control. All of it. That means no input on assistant coaches, or on players, and no more letting players go over the coach's head by coming to you. Just sign the checks and get out of the way. This will happen when pigs fly, the Lions win the Super Bowl, and I marry Arianny Celeste.

27. Oakland Raiders [27] — Several weeks ago, I mentioned the possibility of a team breaking the NFL record for fewest points in a 16-game season. The current record is 140 (8.8 per game), by the 1992 Seattle Seahawks. Halfway through the season, three teams are on pace to challenge that mark. The Raiders and Browns both have 78 points (9.8), and the Rams have 77 (9.6). The '92 'Hawks are the only team to average fewer than 10 ppg in a 16-game season, which means those three teams are on pace to be among the five worst offenses in the 30-year history of the 16-game schedule. Oakland scored 36 points in its two games against the Chargers this season, and 42 against everyone else combined, an average of just 7 points per game.

28. Kansas City Chiefs [28] — Rank 30th in both offense and defense. They should probably be 30th here, too.

29. Cleveland Browns [26] — Cut ties with general manager George Kokinis, less than 10 months after his hiring. There's obviously a lot wrong, so that may have been a good move, but most of the problems are not Kokinis' fault. The Browns' offense was terrible last season, too. He didn't draft Brady Quinn or sign Derek Anderson to a extension, and he didn't hire head coach Eric Mangini. This team went 4-12 last year without any help from Kokinis.

30. St. Louis Rams [31] — Unfortunately for the Rams, the league office ruled on Monday that beating the Lions "doesn't actually count," so the team's 17-game losing streak is still alive.

31. Detroit Lions [29] — They know how awful a winless season is, so they took pity on the Rams. I mean, why not? Nice thing to do for another team, higher draft pick, and it's not like they were going to the playoffs anyway. It's not like anyone could lose to St. Louis without trying to, right?

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [32] — Now the only winless team in the league. I'm not convinced that they're actually the worst team — is it really possible to be appreciably worse than the other bottom-five teams? — but they have a tough schedule and a legitimate chance of going 0-16. None of their remaining home games are against teams with losing records, and their easiest opponent is probably Seattle in Week 15. The Bucs have already lost in Washington and Buffalo, and they lost to Carolina at home. None of the remaining games appear any easier than those three.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:52 AM | Comments (2)

Umpire Woes Rest With MLB Operations

As we sit back and take in the 2009 Fall Classic, historically, it was the latest start ever for a World Series, commencing October 28, 2009 and to possibly conclude as late as November 5, 2009, should a Game 7 be necessary.

But let us not digress, as there are more problems that should keep the minds of the brain trust of Major League Baseball, Inc. occupied, after a horrid conclusion in the umpiring department during the 2009 American League Division Series, the National League Division Series, the American League Championship Series, as well as the National League Championship Series.

However, contrary to the public outrage by supposed baseball fans, sports radio, and sports TV talk show hosts, most of whom could care less about MLB during its regular season, there is reason for cooler heads to preside. Before knee-jerk cries for instant replay actually become a reality, it is essential that the underlying umpiring problems be examined.

Former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent (1989-1992), in an October 18, 2009 New York Times editorial, stated that, "Major League Baseball does not train its own umpires and therefore it has not established practices that would attract the best people. Those who wish to enter the profession attend schools run by former umpires. But these are entirely private businesses; the commissioner of baseball doesn't control the curriculum or manage the training."

What Fay Vincent is alluding to is the fact that without a uniform standard overseen by MLB, simply implanting new technology will not solve the systemic problem, demonstrated by numerous 2009 postseason bad calls, most notably one by Phil Cuzzi in the ALDS Game 2, when the Twins' Joe Mauer hit a potential double to left field, clearly within fair territory, but called a foul ball, and in the ALCS Game 4, when Tim McClelland blew the call at third base with two Yankee base-runners clearly off the bag and yet calling only Jorge Posada out and not Robinson Cano, as well.

What each of those two most egregious calls has in common is that both umpires were exactly where they needed to be. They were both right on top of the plays, yet still missed the calls. They were not bang-bang plays such as a stolen base play or a runner beating out a throw to first base. The problem was clearly one of ineptitude by the umps.

Necessary to understand the gravity of blown calls during the all important MLB postseason contests, however, is to put them into some type of historical context. Obviously, incorrect calls have been part of baseball lore since the introduction of the first professional umpire in 1876.

But the advent of technology will not correct MLB's systemic problems with the training of umpires, the selection process and evaluation for postseason umpire assignments, and the remaining political tightrope between the World Umpires Association (WUA), the umpires' union, and MLB.

Firstly, the infrastructure that oversees MLB umpiring must be a priority for MLB Operations. To wit, the MLB commissioner should give its MLB Operations, which presides over its MLB Umpiring Operations, autonomy in providing it with its own budget, the necessary resources that would give it more umpire supervisors — it currently has seven — better training resources and better compensation at the minor league level. Currently, the average minor league umpire averages a salary of $1,900 per month, with a maximum of $20,000 per season. Additionally, most minor leagues umpires serve in the minor leagues an average of 10 years.

MLB also needs independent evaluators, rather than strictly relying upon MLB umpires, or private umpiring schools, strictly run as private enterprises by present and former MLB umpires. MLB has never provided any training schools, financing, nor oversight for its up-and-coming umpires headed to the major leagues.

But MLB wants it both ways. It does not invest in the quality of training or evaluation of its umps, yet now requires umpires to compete with, in many cases, television's super slow motion replays, MLB's Pitchf/x and Hitf/x technologies, radar technology, and other high-tech camera equipment all installed at MLB ballparks, without giving access to or benefit of such technology to its umps.

Not unlike its refusal to use an independent lab and auditor for its illegal substance abuse testing program of its players, MLB may have to revisit its head-in-the-sand approach to many of its policies; and in this most recent bugaboo; its umpire training, evaluation and postseason selection process.

And with regard to the selection process, that also must be overhauled. As a last-ditch effort to save face, due to the repeated gaffes by the 2009 postseason umpiring crews, MLB decided to go with an all-senior World Series crew of six. Since 1983, MLB has selected one or two World Series umps who previously never had worked the World Series. But clearly, seniority or past experience is not necessarily the solution, as Tim McClelland's 28 years of MLB experience did not prevent his blown calls in Game 4 of the ALCS.

More problematic is that no umpires are allowed to work the World Series two postseasons in a row. Add to that, no umpires are allowed to work consecutive postseason series in one year. Therefore, no umpires who worked the 2009 ALCS or NLCS will be working the World Series, though they may have had outstanding regular seasons or did good jobs in World Series past.

Additionally, out of the 68 full-time MLB umpires, a dozen, including seven crew chiefs from the 2009 season, are either injured or ill and were not available for postseason assignments. That means less umps were available to choose from in the experience arena.

This current selection process for postseason umpiring assignments is actually quite recent in that there were no Division Championship Series (DCS) prior to 1995, and now the DCS is the only pool of 24 from which MLB may select those who can work the World Series. Prior to that, the criterion was obviously different. And this year, as just decided by MLB, no DCS umpire who has not worked a prior World Series will be eligible for such assignment.

Another concern is the postseason bonuses paid to MLB umpires. Not only do the postseason crews get a paltry $15,000 for working the DCS and a $20,000 reward for each umpire working the LCS and the same reward for those working the World Series, but some level of financial compensation is awarded all 68 MLB umpires, whether or not they worked the postseason or had less than favorable regular season performance reviews. Therefore, this means there is less of a financial remuneration for the postseason working crews and such is a disincentive for other umpires to excel.

There are a combination of MLB executives and employees including: Executive VP of Baseball Operations, Vice President of Umpiring, seven Umpire Supervisors, Special Assistant to the Vice President of Umpiring, Director of Umpire Administration, MLB Umpire Administration Specialist, 11 Umpire Observers, amongst other extraneous personnel that comprise MLB's oversight of umpiring. How this translates into due diligence of its umpiring postseason selection process remains an open question.

The criteria for postseason selection considers regular season strike zone performance, situational management, plays handled, number of missed calls, overall umpiring knowledge, pace of game, in-season supervisor comments, mobility, hustle-focus-demeanor, and experience. But how objective or scientific these measures are applied by former umpires and MLB suits remains a red flag.

Also to note, for the instant replay proponents, it has taken years for the National Football League to streamline its replay technology in coordination with its on-field officials. And for those who can no longer recall, the NFL initially instituted instant replay in 1986 and it lasted through the 1992 season.

However, after the 1992 season, NFL owners voted to discontinue its use, which at that time was used at the discretion of the referees. It did not return until 1999 and at such time, two coach challenges were allowed per game per team only to be amended once again in 2004 when each coach was provided a third challenge if the first two challenges were proven successful.

Although the reason given for the NFL's ending instant-replay after the 1992 season was due to length of game, an overriding concern in MLB, it still remains a question as to whether the replays resolve all challenged calls, as the referees must still consider the NFL's ever-changing rule book and its phantom whistles, fumbles versus tucks, and the limitations of the naked eye, even in slow-mo.

In sum, if MLB intends to do right by its teams, its players, and its fans, then it must play a role in the development of MLB umpires; much like that which it does for its minor league players. Also, minor league officials hire minor league umpires, doing business as a separate entity from that of the major leagues. Therefore, it works in a vacuum and eliminates the potential for cohesiveness and assurance for a natural progression to the MLB level for its umpires.

Without the necessary resources and training guaranteed by MLB, in spite of potential discordant collective bargaining issues and politics, we will never be assured that the best quality product is on the field. Financial reward for performance excellence and postseason assignments, as well as fair compensation in the minor leagues is also essential for its umpires' success.

So as the WUA collective bargaining agreement with MLB expires as of December 31, 2009, on the heels of one of the most demoralizing postseason umpiring performances in the past 25 years, it might serve as a silver lining for MLB to take the time to rethink its approach before MLB becomes overly dependent upon technology, which has its place, rather than first addressing the heart of good officiating.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

November 2, 2009

The Unlikely New Mr. Clutch

Where were you when Alex Rodriguez buried his choker label into the left field corner of Citizens Bank Park? Perhaps he was wearing the road gray New York uniform, but on Sunday night, A-Rod earned his pinstripes once and for all.

By now, you all know the story. A-Rod went 2-for-15 in the '05 ALDS against the Angels. No homers, no RBI, and grounded into a costly double-play in the ninth inning of the final game. They lost in five games. In '06, he managed to top himself, 1-for-14 and down to eighth in the batting order. This time, a loss in four games to Detroit. In '07, he hit a somewhat respectable 4-for-15 (that's .267) against the Indians, but still no homers or RBI, save for a meaningless solo shot in the ninth inning of the final game when they trailed by 3. This meant another loss in four games. As A-Rod failed, so failed the Yankees.

Of course, in this year's Twins and Angels series, A-Rod played like the MVP of the '05 and '07 regular season would have, hitting one game-changing clout after another and racking up some impressive RBI totals, as well.

Just as his demons and critics had reappeared after the first two games of this 2009 World Series thanks to his horrid line of 0-for-8 with 6 strikeouts, Alex regained his composure in the City of Brotherly Shove. Suddenly, he has everything to do with the Yankees startling 3-1 lead over this impressive Phillies team.

Yes, he still consistently swings and misses at that first pitch down and away and out of the strike zone and the Phillies' staff knows this. Yet the psychological impact of his past struggles seem to have been sent violently away like another line drive off his mighty bat.

It was once thought that if A-Rod would ever wear a-ring, he would have to be carried to the championship by his Yankee teammates in spite of him. But with 15 postseason RBI and counting, Alex continues to carry them.

His two World Series hits statistically do not outweigh his 6 strikeouts or his paltry .143 batting average over these first four games, and yet they make all the difference in this series. His first one took out the security camera for a Mission Impossible-style home run and 2 key RBIs. His most recent one came in a 4-4 Game, two-out in the ninth and the winning run on third; the biggest spot for any hitter in this 2009 World Series. Who knew 2-for-14 in the World Series could ever be considered clutch?

Making the victorious double down the left field line off closer Brad Lidge more satisfying for Rodriguez was the fact that this Phillies pitching staff had now drilled Rodriguez on three separate occasions by three different pitchers over the past two games. On the first late Sunday night of November, Rodriguez returned the favor and drilled a Lidge offering right back.

It appears that in this postseason, at least one game in each series would qualify for a Yankee Classic; and in each of these classic games, Rodriguez has gotten the big hit off the other team's closer, be it Joe Nathan, Brian Fuentes, or Lidge, to either force extra innings or decide the game.

Game 4 of the World Series did not have the makings of a memorable contest to begin with. C.C. Sabathia vs. Joe Blanton was supposed to be a mismatch, and when the Yanks scored twice in the top of the first, things seemed headed that way. Yet Sabathia has never really gotten comfortable in this series, and the Phils came back to tie the game by the bottom of the fourth. Chase Utley continued to be a thorn in Sabathia's hefty side with a long double off the top of the wall that begged for a protruding camera to no avail, and another long solo home run to cut the lead to 4-3.

While Blanton wasn't great, he pitched better than expected to a Yankee lineup that had hammered him in the past. Joe the Pitcher, as he is affectionately referred to in Philly, kept his team away from the dreaded big inning and kept his team in the game while his offense battled back from two deficits.

Joba Chamberlain seemed to be on his way back to 2007 form with a dominant eighth inning performance until Pedro Feliz finally caught up to a hard fastball he liked with 2 outs and 2 strikes and sent it into the Philly night to tie the game at 4. The Phillies now had all the momentum and the valuable last licks at home in what had the potential to be an extra inning game.

Had A-Rod made the final out in the top of the ninth, the Yanks would have been in the dreaded position of knowing any one pitch to the unnerving Phillies' lineup could end up in the seats and end the game. Had the Yanks given this game up, the series would have taken a very similar form to the '03 Fall Classic, when the Yanks let the Marlins up off the mat in an extra inning thriller on the road in Game 4 to tie the series at 2. Florida capitalized to then win Games 5 and 6 to finish out the series and they weren't half as scary as this Phillies team.

This is not to say that there have not been many other heroes in the Yankees 3-1 series lead over Philadelphia. Many will write columns about the play of Johnny Damon and his gritty ninth inning at-bat followed by the brilliant one-man double-steal routine. Others may appreciate the clutch RBI of Posada or Hideki Matsui's 2 home runs, or even how many home runs (7) the Phillies have been hitting despite their 3-1 deficit. Yet after we, the media, have been killing A-Rod for so long about not coming through in the postseason, this column has been a long time coming.

While the Phillies are not dead, they are certainly on life support. The Yankees may clinch this championship number 27 on Monday night in Philly, or perhaps Wednesday or Thursday night in the Bronx. Once that happens, Alex Rodriguez, not unlike Peyton Manning a few years ago, will be remembered first and foremost for being one of the great talents and great players of his generation, and not for his failures when it matters most.

As you know, the series is not yet over. The Yanks still need to win one more game, and it may be up to Alex Rodriguez to drive in one more important run in a tight game to clinch the title, maybe even earn one last glorious Yankee Stadium pie courtesy of A.J. Burnett.

I like his chances.

Posted by Bill Hazell at 1:43 PM | Comments (0)

NBA Trick or Treat

Halloween season is awesome for several reasons, some of which include: there's always candy lying around the house for about a month, it gives girls an excuse to leave the house wearing next to nothing, and it always coincides with the start of the NBA season.

In honor of Halloween, let's take a look back at the first week of the NBA season with a little segment we'll call "Trick or Treat" to see which teams and players hot starts were the real deal, and which ones tricked us.

Boston Celtics: Treat

The Celtics looked great in all four of their games this week, winning by an average of over 19 points per game. Their opening night win in Cleveland was impressive, especially considering the double-digit deficit they overcame in the first quarter.

But the real Treat was the following night. I said in the preview that Boston has to fight two different things to be elite this season: boredom and fatigue. It doesn't get much more boring than playing the Bobcats, and nothing takes its toll on a team like the back end of a back-to-back.

Well, neither proved to be an issue as the C's cruised to 92-59 victory over the 'Cats the night after leaving it all on the floor in Cleveland.

Boston is the real deal.

Phoenix Suns: Trick

It's hard to argue with a 3-0 start to the season, but let's not start talking about the Phoenix Suns being "back" just yet. They played against the Clippers, Timberwolves, and Warriors. Those teams started the season a combined 1-8. It's not exactly the cream of the crop out West.

Let's see what happens this week when Phoenix has to go on the road and play Miami, Orlando, Boston, and Washington.

By this time next week, 3-0 will be a distant memory after four straight doses of reality for the Suns.

Carmelo Anthony: Treat

Here's a stat for you: Carmelo scored 113 points in 116 minutes this week. He averaged 37.7 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and even added 1.3 steals over his first three games.

And, did anyone see his dunk on Wednesday night?

We're one week into a six-month NBA season, and already we have a front-runner for play of the year. The replay doesn't even do it justice. Watching it live, I jumped up off my couch and scrambled for my phone so I could shoot of a "Did you just see 'Melo!!!???" text to anyone I thought that might be watching the game. The crowd gave him like a three-minute standing ovation. It was just an absolutely great play.

After he threw it down, you can see Anthony yelling, "I'm back" over and over. I'm not exactly sure where he went, but if he plays with that kind of a chip on his shoulder all season, we could be in for something special from 'Melo this season.

Danilo Gallinari: Trick

I'm not trying to take anything away from the guy, he played great this week. But let's face it; he made 18 three-pointers in three games. He's on pace to make 492 three's this season. The record is 243.

My guess is that this number comes down a bit in the coming weeks.

Gilbert Arenas: Treat

Gilbert Arenas looks like the Gilbert Arenas of old so far this season. He averaged 28 points and 6.7 assists per game in the first week and has looked very impressive in doing so.

After playing just 15 games in the past two seasons combined, Arenas looks like he has his explosiveness back and is finishing at the rim like he hasn't missed a beat. He's shooting 50% from deep, and he's getting his teammates involved.

It's only three games, and like most people I'm still hesitant to call this his "comeback season." But after a fast start like this, it's hard not to wonder what the Wizards might look like for a full season if they can keep him healthy and get Antawn Jamison back sooner rather than later.

Washington's 2-1 start is already better than any week they had last season and Arenas is the main reason why. It's going to be interesting to see if they can build on this, or if it was just a mirage.

Greg Oden: Trick

Oden started all four games for the Blazers this week, which in itself is a small miracle. But, not surprising to anyone who has followed his career, he tallied 5 fouls in three of the games, and 4 in the other.

He said this preseason that he finally understands how to play defense without fouling. But if his first four games are any indication, that statement is untrue.

Oden leads the league in blocks per game right now at 2.8 per contest, but it's the fouls that are going to continue to define his career.

6.5 points per game, 10 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks are decent numbers, but for a player that was drafted number one overall three years ago, that's just not good enough. Especially when you consider the fact that the player that should have gone first overall, Kevin Durant, is playing great.

Oden will always be compared to Durant because of the fact that they came into the league together. But unless he steps it up, the comparison he's most likely to continue to get is one to Sam Bowie (Bowie's numbers through two seasons dwarf what Oden has done to this point in his career, by the way).

I hope Oden can put it together and evolve into a dominant NBA center. But the more I watch him, the less likely that seems.

For Oden's sake, and for the sake of the league in general, I hope that he proves me wrong.

Scott Shepherd writes about the NBA every Monday for Sports Central. His blog, Diary of an NBA Junkie, is updated several times a week.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

World Series Game 4: Damon Rides Again

With one daring baserunning play, abetted by the overshift his mate at the plate inspired Sunday night, Johnny Damon made it clear enough that these New York Yankees don't necessarily need to swing long-range bats all the time to put the Philadelphia Phillies on the brink of making Jimmy Rollins look like an inside-out prophet.

Even if the Phillies go to the bomb squad to tie up a game that almost made manager Charlie Manuel look like genius enough for saving Cliff Lee for a Game Five. Almost.

And if you should discover that the Phillies have begun wondering why on earth Manuel didn't shift the script, hold Joe Blanton a day, send Lee — whose offer to do precisely this was spurned by the skipper — out on three days' rest anyway, and wrap Rollins's big yap in duct tape, you shouldn't be surprised.

The Phillies in five? Now that they're in win-or-be-gone mode in their own playpen for Lee in Game 5 Monday night, they stand chance enough of making Rollins' prediction of a five-game Series come true in the Empire Emeritus's favor.

Damon had the stickiest fingers and the fattest hand of them all to do with that.

Those years of running into inanimate objects on behalf of hauling flies, shortening extra base hits in the outfield, and building runs have taken toll enough on Damon. But he doesn't behave like it with a World Series on the line. He didn't in helping the Boston Red Sox snap that 86-year title drought and he doesn't on behalf of the team he helped vanquish in the worst. pennant. collapse. ever. to get to that snap in the first place.

He may have found new life as a power hitter during the regular season, but Damon couldn't resist reverting to classic Idiot form after dumping a two-out, full-count quail off Phillies closer Brad Lidge that left fielder Raul Ibanez couldn't reach before it hit the grass. Spotting an opening when the Phillies shifted their defensive weight toward the first base half of the field, defensing Mark Teixiera, Damon watched a Lidge slider hit the deck and he hit the gas, stealing second on a low-deck throw up from catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Then he eluded scrambling third baseman Pedro Feliz, who took the throw up from home as part of that Teixiera shift and knew only too well third base was defenseless. As did Damon, who'd popped up like a jack-in-the-box from his slide into second, spotted the uncovered pad, and stole it unmolested before Lidge plunked Teixiera to set up the corners for Alex Rodriguez.

"I think what I had to see before I started running for third base," Damon told reporters after the Yankees had the 7-4 Game 4 win secured, "was how [Feliz] caught the [throw]. I knew it [pulled] him off [the base]. I'm just glad when I started running I still had some of my young legs behind me. It worked out, because being at third base it took away a tough slider in the dirt. Alex got two fastballs. It did work out for us."

Rodriguez's own first-inning plunk prodded the umpires to hand down the warnings to both sides in the first, never mind that not even the Yankees were going to accuse Blanton of anything even distantly related to a purpose pitch. Now, hitless on the night to this point with a pair of fly-outs to center and a pounding swishout from Phillies reliever Ryan Madson, A-Rod set himself for a one-strike Lidge service and took maybe the biggest swing of his postseason life to date.

He hammered it to the left field track, bouncing it off the W.A. Mason sign on the fence, sending Damon home with the tiebreaker and sending Teixiera to third. A-Rod had only been waiting his entire career to deliver what proved a game-winning World Series hit, and the best news of all was that it was merely the prelude to a Yankee kiss.

Because Jorge Posada, likewise hitless on the night, though it was his sacrifice fly in the first that sent home the second Yankee run before a single Phillie had seen a plate appearance, singled home Tex and the Rod. Guaranteeing the Yankees' gilt-edged last-inning insurance, for a ninth that should have seen a pinch hitter for Lidge followed by the real lineup meat: Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley at least, perhaps Howard and Jayson Werth at most.

Nobody needed FOX announcer Joe Buck and Tim McCarver to remind them The Mariano had never blown a three-run save in his entire formidable postseason career and wasn't about to start now, either. Not with Teixiera holding his coat, especially. The Yankee first baseman must have told The Mariano to relax and just let them hit it his way. He handled all three chances in the Philadelphia ninth, sandwiching a flaring Rollins popup with two unassisted ground outs.

That wasn't the result the Phillies thought possible when Chase Utley, who'd opened his side's scoring with a first-inning RBI double, drove C.C. Sabathia out of the game after a gutsy outing by driving a 1-2 slider some twelve rows up the right field bleachers in the bottom of the seventh.

Or, when Pedro Feliz — all 1-for-11 of him in the Series to that point — rudely interrupted Yankee reliever Joba Chamberlain's plans of striking out the side in the bottom of the eighth by wringing Chamberlain to a two-out full count before ringing the left field bleachers to tie it up at four.

Not that the Phillies needed Jayson Werth to go 0-for-3 with an intentional walk and two men stranded. Or Raul Ibanez to go 0-for-4 with three swishouts and three men stranded. Or Ruiz to go 0-for-3 with an intentional walk and a swishout. Did I mention Rollins going 1-for-5? Howard going 1-for-4 and doing nothing when he hit with men on?

Squaring off with an 8.18 lifetime ERA against the Empire Emeritus, Blanton did everything he could with what he had. If you didn't count the four runs the Yankees pried out of him in the first and the fifth innings, Blanton otherwise looked almost exactly the way the Phillies prayed he'd look if they were going to have to hit Game 4 without Lee on the bump. All he really needed was a way to keep Damon and Derek Jeter out of the batter's box.

The number one and two Yankee hitters had hand enough in all the Yankee scoring prior to the ninth inning showing of Damon Rides Again, going 4-for-7 with 2 runs scored and 2 driven in. Jeter opened the game with a base hit and scored on Teixiera's unassisted ground out to first baseman Howard, then singled home Nick Swisher (a leadoff walk) in the fifth; Damon doubled Jeter to third in the first, eventually scoring on Posada's sacrifice fly, then singled home Melky Cabrera (a base hit) in the fifth.

Blanton otherwise ended up striking out seven in six innings' work, including called third strikes on his first four punchouts, and outpacing Sabathia for first-pitch strikes, 18-13. He kept the Yankees to three full counts and ended two of them with strikeouts. Sabathia, for his part, otherwise looked mostly like his customary self, stranding seven Phillies before Utley made it 4-for-6 against the big left-hander, compared to 5-for-45 by the rest of the Phillies against him.

Lidge hadn't yet appeared in the Series and it showed. He needed a full count to swish Jeter with one out in the ninth, and once Damon had pulled his unprecedented one-man double theft Lidge was probably robbed of his best pitch, the slider that breaks sharply enough down to lure a hitter into futility while risking a wild pitch that allows fresh life to awakening giants.

Something needs to reawaken the Phillies' sleeping giants. Something not wearing a Yankee uniform with grand theft squared in its heart.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

November 1, 2009

World Series Game 3: The Camera Blinked

It may have been the first time a World Series game turned on a television camera ricochet. Not to mention leaving Internet followers puzzled. How the hell could the Yankees hang up a two-spot when the play-by-play read, as it did for the first several minutes after the inning ended:

• * Johnny Damon flied out to center.
• * Mark Teixiera walked.
• * Alex Rodriguez doubled to right, Teixiera to third.
• * Jorge Posada grounded out to shortstop.
• * Robinson Cano fouled out to catcher.
• * End of inning. (2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors.)

If that's the way the inning really went, everybody raving about Yankee power sure did know what they were talking about. Either Posada had nailed the most powerful groundout in World Series history, or Cano had hit the most powerful foul pop of all-time.

But there was A-Rod, trying to snap his way out of a World Series slump, with the Empire Emeritus down by three in the top of the fourth, standing proudly enough on second base and chatting amiably with Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard lingering near second, A-Rod was perhaps more than a little sympathetic to Howard's Series struggling. (The Phillies' bombardier has devolved from the National League Championship Series MVP to a 2-for-13, 9-punchout question mark.)

Only Yankee manager Joe Girardi saw something not quite right when A-Rod followed a swinging strike by driving a Cole Hamels service the other way, to the right field corner, where it looked as though it bounced above the fence and ricocheted back onto the field.

"I thought I saw it hit the camera," said Rodriguez after the Yankees nailed the 8-5 Game 3 win. "But I wasn't sure. I mean, that Plexiglass over there is kind of tough to see from home plate."

Girardi buttonholed right field ump Jeff Nelson (no relation to the one-time Yankee reliever), and provoked a conference among all six arbiters who ducked under the stands posthaste. Moments later they came back with the word. That clean enough double was actually a two-run bomb — the ball had hit a television camera off the right field fence.

It kind of figured — A-Rod's words, not mine — that the first instant-replay reversal in Series history was triggered by the guy who'd triggered the first anytime instant-replay reversal overall a year earlier. Whether the ball actually would have cleared the rail atop the fence had the camera lens not extended over it will probably prove a debating point.

And that two-run bomb began the unraveling of Hamels, who'd been pitching rather handily until he faced what began as second and third with one out and who actually shook off the unusual launch to turn Posada and Cano aside without breaking that much stride.

"I think the key for us was grind out at-bats, swing at strikes, and not beat ourselves," A-Rod said of Hamels. "Cole's a great competitor, And, you know, he had us going, and the home run got us going a little bit."

By the time the Yankees finished him off in the top of the fifth, Hamels looked nothing like the 2008 World Series MVP and everything like the suddenly shaky pitcher he'd been all postseason long. No wonder the Yankees could look and laugh knowingly when Andy Pettitte — of all people — became their first pitcher to land an RBI since future best-selling author Jim Bouton did it in the 1964 Series, and a game-tying one at that.

Pettitte lined a first-pitch single up the pipe to send home Nick Swisher, another Yankee trying to shove his way out of a postseason funk when he ripped a 2-2 service into the left field corner to open the inning. Derek Jeter followed up with a first-pitch single to push Pettitte to second, Damon looked at a strike before hammering home Pettitte and Jeter with a for-real double into the right field corner, and Teixiera went from being in the hole 1-2 to a walk, ending Hamels' evening on the last note the Philadelphia left-hander wanted to play.

For the first three innings, however, Hamels looked every inch the defending Series MVP, if you didn't count his leadoff, first-pitch plunk on A-Rod to open the top of the second. And Pettitte for the first two innings or so looked little enough like the man who now held the all-time record for postseason wins and stood a decent chance, assuming his retirement isn't imminent and the Yankees don't devolve into a mishmash from here, of becoming perhaps the first postseason 20-game winner ever.

Some including Pettitte himself thought the opening rain delay had something to say about that. "I've had a lot of rain delays, you know, this year already," he said with a shuddering chuckle after the game, "and I feel like I've been pitching in a lot of rain. It affected me a little bit today. I was heated up and ready to go, it felt like I was in a real good place mentally, and right as I was about to walk out the door and go to the bullpen they shut me down ... I wasn't quite as locked in (in the first two innings) ... It never really felt like it felt really good in places."

The Phillies knew better than to let the moment escape. Pettitte almost re-horsed himself after Jimmy Rollins swatted his first pitch of the game for a clean single to left — if there was any moment emblematic of the bulk of Pettitte's postseason life it was his bullish follow-up battle with Chase Utley after Shane Victorino popped out, fighting back from a 3-1 deficit to drop in a called strike, shake off two fouls, and then swish the Philadelphia second baseman and guiding force as if he'd known in advance he'd had Utley's bat drilled in the right spot on the barrel.

That was the first inning. An inning later, however, Pettitte looked as though he couldn't find a strike by a labor union — which, by the way, was what Philadelphia's (transit, that is) promised to shun until at least after the Series moves back to New York, assuming it does.

He got behind Jayson Werth 3-0 to open the Philadelphia second, dropped in a called strike, got a foul second strike, and then got struck but good when Werth hammered the full-count service about twelve rows up the left field bleachers. He got behind the next three Phillies and erased only the first of the trio, swishing Raul Ibanez on three straight after opening with ball one, while Pedro Feliz doubled to right and Carlos Ruiz walked.

Hamels didn't even wait for ball one: he bunted and, of all things, beat it out to load the pads for Rollins, who walked on a 3-1 count in which the strike didn't show up until after ball three. He got ahead of Shane Victorino on two fast strikes but even that wasn't good enough to keep Victorino from sending home the third Phillie run with a sacrifice fly close enough to the left field track.

But Pettitte managed to ease himself from slovenly to sure the longer the game went on. So did the Yankee bats. Swisher showed his fifth-inning opener was a mere warmup when he drove a 2-2 fastball over the left field fence with one out in the Yankee sixth, doubling their advantage. Pettitte even flicked off Jayson Werth's leadoff bomb in the bottom of the inning with a 2-2 swishout of Ibanez and a full-count swishout of Feliz, and worked pinch-hitter (for Phillies reliever J.A. Happ) Eric Bruntlett for a fly-out to right as though Ruiz's walk in the interim was a mere setup.

By the top of the seventh, the Yankees were stripping the Phillies' bullpen in earnest. Chad Durbin went from 1-2 on Damon to walking him, then striking out Teixiera while Damon stole second and plunking A-Rod before feeding Posada the wrong full-count pitch, Posada lining it to left for the RBI single. Brett Myers only thought he had it made when he got the first two Yankees (Swisher on a fly, Melky Cabrera on the swish) out in the eighth, but then came Hideki Matsui — pinch hitting for Joba Chamberlain, who'd worked a flawless Philadelphia seventh — to disabuse him with an inside-out launch two rows into the bleachers.

They weren't about to let the Phillies strip their pen, either. All it took was Ruiz sending Phil Hughes's one-out, 1-1 service into the bleachers and in came The Mariano. Three pitches, two outs, and 8-5 was the Yankee win.

This leaves Phillies manager Charlie Manuel with a possible decision to make. He'd already confounded observers by picking Joe Blanton to start Game 4, rather than Cliff Lee on slightly short rest. That may have assumed the Phillies getting fat and happy in their home yard. But that assumption may have disappeared with the Yankees taking the Series lead.

Almost in the blink of a camera's eye.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)