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October 31, 2011

Maybe We Get Our Goats at Last

Now this is more like it. Less than a full day after the Texas Rangers lost a World Series they came to within a strike of winning twice in two innings, Nelson Cruz — who promised to sign autographs at a Mesquite, Texas sporting goods establishment after the Series, no matter whether the Rangers won or lost — was slightly stunned to see 400 people show up, none of whom had murder in their hearts.

"I was shocked to see all the people. It made me feel happy and it made the pain go away quickly," the right fielder told reporters. "It definitely shows how good they are as fans. They support us all year. They're behind us whatever happens."

Maybe, little by little, enough people are beginning to wise up about the goat business. Maybe, little by little, they're even beginning to get the idea that a postseason goat doesn't always deserve the goat horns because he didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to do.

Cruz got hung with the goat horns in the ninth inning of Game Six. Rangers manager Ron Washington ordered the outfield, including Cruz, into the no-doubles defense. Moments after they re-aligned, with the Rangers a strike away from their first World Series rings ever, David Freese drove a full-count pitch to the right field wall. Cruz reached helplessly for the ball that sailed just past his reach, ricocheted off the wall, and shot back to the infield, allowing the Cardinals to tie it up for the first time on their final strike.

Granted that hitting eight home runs in the postseason just ended had to have helped a little bit. Maybe, too, there's a little residual sympathy at play, considering Cruz–playing despite a groin strain–looked like he'd hit number nine in the top of the sixth, Game Seven, until Allen Craig pulled it back from over the left field fence with a staggering catch. At the very least, Cruz plays before the kind of fan base that acknowledges, and exercises, what should have been obvious in the cases of, for openers, Donnie Moore, Bill Buckner, Don Denkinger, Ralph Branca, Grady Little. Ron Washington manages for that kind of fan base, too.

It's a shame the Rangers' brass decided there'd be no fan rally this year. "If we didn't win," spokesman John Blake said Saturday, "we didn't think it merited it." Where was he when Nelson Cruz was basking in the love at the Academy Sports and Outdoors? Four hundred people swarmed the right fielder to tell him, in effect, he merited it. He, and the Rangers, had tried, and done their absolute best with what they had, and they failed.

Unless you want to count some dubious strategy on Washington's part, they didn't exactly roll over and play dead. There's a difference between being gassed and refusing to breathe. There's an entire state of Texas ready to show the Rangers the love. They're even willing to forgive Nolan Ryan for his rash prediction that the Rangers would win it in — you guessed it — six.

And there's an entire Rangers ballclub, notwithstanding one or two changes in the key parts to come, ready to go out and try it again in 2012.

Would Blake and the Rangers' brass rather be Moore and the 1986 California Angels? He had the Angels to within a foul tip of the World Series. Then Dave Henderson caught unlikely hold of a second knee-high, outer-edge forkball and sent it over the left field fence. That sent Buckner and the '86 Red Sox to new life and, soon enough, the World Series, where they...

A few years later, following merciless abuse in Anaheim Stadium and the collapse of his baseball career, Moore–whose agent swore he never got over losing the Angels' shot at their first World Series–shot his wife and then, to death, himself.

Would the Ranger brass like to be Denkinger, who not only blew a call that helped open the way for the Kansas City Royals to thwart what looked like a Cardinals World Series triumph but turned up behind the plate the next night? It wasn't Denkinger's idea for the Cardinals to implode in Game 7; nobody told those Cardinals not to shake off six and bear down for seven, but Denkinger–an otherwise competent and distinguished umpire–had to live with death threats, a radio DJ exposing his address and telephone number, and a police car in the driveway of his Iowa home–for his own protection. Today Denkinger is an outspoken enough advocate of official instant replay in the championship rounds. It only took almost three decades to rehabilitate his image.

Would they rather that the only ones who can get them through this defeat be the family priest? That's the only way Ralph Branca managed to survive having served the pitch Bobby Thomson clobbered for the Shot Heard ‘Round the World. That and eventually forging a sweet friendship with Thomson that ended only upon Thomson's death a year and a half ago.

The Rangers aren't about to pink Washington over some or any of his strategic mistakes in this World Series. The 2003 Red Sox showed how foolish that was. Grady Little committed to Pedro Martinez's heart and Jorge Posada hit a Game Seven-tying two-run double. In the bottom of the 11th, Tim Wakefield's gallant relief ended when Aaron Boone hit the inning's first pitch into the left field seats for game, set, and American League pennant. There went Little's job, lest Red Sox Nation kill either Little or the front office.

Until the Red Sox finally returned to the Promised Land a year later — and do you notice how Yankee fans don't even think of hanging The Mariano with the goat horns over Dave Roberts's grand theft second base? — Johnny Pesky would tell anyone who asked him, "To this day, people think I'm the sonofabitch who lost the [1946] World Series." "Johnny Pesky held the ball" took greater hold than the forgotten truth, that Leon Culberson's throw in was high enough to keep Pesky from whipping around immediately for a stab at Enos Slaughter playing the Road Runner on his way home. Pesky was made of stronger stuff. He basked in his friendship with Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, and Bobby Doerr, eventually became a respected Red Sox minor league manager and teacher, and remains the franchise's grand old man.

Unfortunately, this year's Red Sox wiped even the 2007 Mets out of the rogues' gallery. Their collapse was so stunning that even the Atlanta Braves, collapsing in damn near equal fashion, aren't facing their fan base's firing squads. Manager Terry Francona hung the goat horns upon himself and resigned the day after. Maybe he figured he'd better don the horns before Red Sox Nation jammed them down his throat. Except that nobody was quite as ready to blame him as they were ... well, practically anyone in the Red Sox clubhouse–except, maybe, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Jonathan Papelbon–who a) moved, b) breathed, and/or were c) caught within twenty feet of any fried chicken spread or tub of beer.

We have our periodic hiccups, still, but by and large baseball fans are getting past the goat bit. Or, at least, getting past wanting to send them to the guillotine. Washington's strategic mistakes are almost nothing compared to those made by Little. Or, by Gene Mauch. (He pitched Jim Bunning and Chris Short on two days' rest, dog-housed his fine third starter, Art Mahaffey, over a surprise steal of home by a Cincinnati rookie on the best pickoff move in the National League, refused to trust his bullpen, and watched his 1964 Phillies lose 10 straight and, in short order, a pennant they had in the bank.) Or by Tommy Lasorda.

Was any managerial move of the past quarter-century more egregious than Lasorda deciding it was safe for Tom Niedenfeuer to pitch to Jack Clark with first base open and the Dodgers one out from the 1985 World Series. All Jack the Ripper decided was that it was even safer to hit a 3-run homer and send the Cardinals to the World Series, which they would lose after … no, it was not Denkinger's fault. He wasn't the first or last bad call in a World Series, and nobody told the Cardinals to blow themselves up in Game 7.

But notice what's happening with the Rangers. Time was when losing was considered the next worst thing to mortal sin. Time was when losing equaled a character flaw. Time was when a genuinely sensitive man like Donnie Moore could bury himself in guilt, then kill himself in guilt, when there was no cause for guilt, only nobody within or around his circle ever seemed to make more than a cursory effort at convincing him.

These Rangers needed no such bracing up. If Nelson Cruz can go from barely missing David Freese's last-strike game-tyer to basking in the love of a 400-strong sporting goods store crowd, then maybe we're growing up to the point where we can admit, acknowledge, and accept that there's one rule in sports that nobody can overcome: Somebody has to lose.

If you lost doing the best you could with what you had, it's not mortal sin, it's merely being mortal. And should we ask the tired question of whom among you wouldn't have given their right arm to be where those goats were–or would have borne up better having failed despite doing your best? Would you like to do your job in front of 55,000 live customers watching you work and about 25 million people watching you on television?

The Rangers' front office should have let the Rangers' fans remind them of all that and more once again. They didn't win the World Series, but they didn't exactly throw it away. Why not let their fans remind them of that? Or would they feel better if their fans decided to run Nelson Cruz out of town on the proverbial rail?

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 3:12 PM | Comments (2)

WEC and Strikeforce Cast-Offs Shine

Five Quick Hits

* UFC 137 may have been the last time we see B.J. Penn and Mirko Filipovic fight. If so — and I doubt they'll both stay retired — it's a historic night for MMA, losing two legends at one event. If you haven't already seen Cagepotato's tribute to Cro Cop, check it out.

* Viacom's purchase of Bellator could be a game-changer in MMA. With the rapid dissolution of Strikeforce, Bellator is attracting more and more talent, especially in the lighter weight classes. There just isn't room for all these guys in the UFC, and Bellator has hit gold with a few of its prospects.

* Bellator's heavyweight and light heavyweight talent are not impressive. Its welterweight, featherweight, and bantamweight classes, though, are plenty good. There are multiple UFC-caliber fighters in those divisions.

* Mayhem Miller is right: Michael Bisping is a dick. But so are Mayhem and his assistant coach Ryan Parsons. If you constantly needle a guy, you can't expect him to be a sweetheart in return. Especially if he's a dick like Michael Bisping. It is true that shooting a double (and immediately getting swept!) at the stare-down is pretty bush.

* Also, Parsons somehow comes off as just as much of a dick as Bisping, which requires being an incredible a-hole. And as unpopular as Bisping is, it's silly to suggest that he's the most hated man in MMA. Josh Koscheck, hands down. Kos walks into an arena and the place explodes into booing.

***

It wasn't all that long ago UFC fighters were scoffing at WEC transplants. They weren't anywhere near the skill level in the UFC, we were told, and the winner of the Ben Henderson/Anthony Pettis match was going to get slaughtered in his UFC title fight. That bout didn't materialize because of the draw in Edgar/Maynard II, but the WEC talent has acquitted itself nicely.

Henderson is in line for a shot at the belt after breaking Jim Miller's 7-fight win streak. Donald Cerrone is 4-0 in the UFC, including finishes of Charles Oliveira and Dennis Siver. Bart Palaszewski just KO-ed Tyson Griffin. Jose Aldo beat Kenny Florian. Pettis, 1-1 in the UFC and still on the short list of lightweight title contenders, is the most disappointing one in this group. Former WEC champs Brian Stann and Carlos Condit have become UFC standouts, as well.

But Saturday night wasn't just a showcase for the WEC's Cerrone and Palaszewski. It also proved that Nick Diaz, out of the UFC for 5½ years, can compete with the best talent in any organization, as he dominated B.J. Penn for his 11th win in a row. For a long time now, most fans have believed that the best fighters in Strikeforce — guys like Alistair Overeem, Gilbert Melendez, and Diaz — could hang with anyone in the UFC. Diaz's performance this weekend doesn't necessarily prove that, but it certainly provides some validation for that viewpoint.

Now if we could just get Shinya Aoki and a few of the Bellator guys into the Octagon...

November 2011 UFC Rankings

The rankings below are exclusively for the UFC, so you won't see names like Nate Marquardt or Pat Curran on these lists. I know there are widespread rumors concerning Strikeforce fighters moving to the UFC, but until they have fights officially set, they're not ranked here.

Heavyweight (206-265 lbs)

1. Cain Velasquez
2. Junior Dos Santos
3. Alistair Overeem
4. Brock Lesnar
5. Shane Carwin
6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
7. Frank Mir
8. Roy Nelson
9. Brendan Schaub
10. Cheick Kongo

Make it Happen: Nelson vs. Kongo

Because who else are they going to fight? When Strikeforce finally goes off life support, the refugees from the Heavyweight Grand Prix will bring some much-needed variety to the UFC heavyweight division, which has been recycling matchups among a handful of elite guys. Here's hoping Josh Barnett can mend his fences with Dana White at least to the Tito level, so fans can see how the UFC's best fare against the best from Strikeforce. Speaking of which...

Thank You, UFC, For: Overeem vs. Lesnar

Mixed martial arts fans have been wanting to see this for a couple of years now, and it's the perfect fight for Overeem in his UFC debut.

Light Heavyweight (186-205)

1. Jon Jones
2. Maurício "Shogun" Rua
3. Lyoto Machida
4. Rashad Evans
5. Dan Henderson
6. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
7. Forrest Griffin
8. Phil Davis
9. Vladimir Matyushenko
10. Alexander Gustafsson

Make it Happen: Griffin vs. Rampage

The UFC has pushed too many rematches the last year or so, but this makes sense for both fighters, and their title fight a couple years back was awfully close. Both Griffin and 'Page have been taking a long time between fights, though, so if one of them is holding this up, the other could face the winner of the expected bout between Matyushenko and Gustafsson.

Thank You, UFC, For: Jones vs. Machida

I know some people don't think Machida has earned this title shot. That's because they're forgetting how awful the judges' decision was in his loss to Jackson. I'm thrilled for this fight, because I believe Machida provides the most interesting stylistic matchup for Jones. The people criticizing this matchup, in my opinion, aren't applying critical thinking to the issue. With Rashad sidelined by injury, this was a great fight to make. Also, thank you for Rua vs. Henderson.

Middleweight (171-185)

1. Anderson Silva
2. Chael Sonnen
3. Yushin Okami
4. Michael Bisping
5. Vitor Belfort
6. Brian Stann
7. Mark Muñoz
8. Demian Maia
9. Jason "Mayhem" Miller
10. Chris Leben

Make it Happen: Maia vs. Rousimar Palhares

Maia used to be one of my favorite fighters, but his stand-up game is not entertaining. Put him against another submissions specialist and let's see which is the superior grappler.

Thank You, UFC, For: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le

Realistically, neither guy is a contender at this point, but as a fan, you can't not be looking forward to this.

Welterweight (156-170)

1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Nick Diaz
3. Jon Fitch
4. Carlos Condit
5. B.J. Penn
6. Jake Ellenberger
7. Jake Shields
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Diego Sanchez
10. Martin Kampmann

Make it Happen: Shields vs. Koscheck

As far as any fight involving Jake Shields can be interesting, this one should be. Kos certainly has the better striking game, and he's a good wrestler, but is he good enough to stay off the mat against Shields? Let's find out, so we can stop talking about one of these guys as a top-10 welterweight, and make room in the rankings for Anthony Johnson, and the winners of Rick Story vs. Kampmann and Rory MacDonald vs. Brian Ebersole.

And since everyone is speculating about Condit's next fight, I'd suggest that Diego Sanchez or Rumble Johnson might be reasonable. Ellenberger might make sense, too, but if he beats Condit, it'd be tough to deny him a shot at the belt, and I don't know if the UFC wants to market Ellenberger in a title fight yet. I feel like his name recognition is still pretty low outside of hard-core fans. Johnson, and especially Sanchez, have a little higher profile, and they've got exciting styles that are easy to promote.

Thank You, UFC, For: St-Pierre vs. Diaz

I've liked Carlos Condit since the WEC days, but this fight has to happen. Please show up at the presser this time, Nick.

Lightweight (146-155)

1. Frankie Edgar
2. Gray Maynard
3. Ben Henderson
4. Jim Miller
5. Kenny Florian
6. Anthony Pettis
7. Donald Cerrone
8. Clay Guida
9. Joe Lauzon
10. Melvin Guillard

Make it Happen: see below

Most of the top guys don't have fights on their calendar right now, so the division is wide open. Who should Cerrone fight next, for instance? Joe Lauzon makes a lot of sense to me, but you could also give him Pettis or Florian. Or Evan Dunham. Or Matt Wiman. Or Gilbert Melendez, or pretty much anyone else listed above.

Thank You, UFC, For: Henderson vs. Guida

Even if Melendez signs with the UFC, I think the winner of this fight has to get a shot at the belt. Give Melendez a fight against anyone else in the top 10, and scoot him into the title fight if he wins. Florian vs. Melendez could be pretty interesting.

Featherweight (136-145)

1. Jose Aldo
2. Mark Hominick
3. Chad Mendes
4. Erik Koch
5. Diego Nunes
6. Dustin Poirier
7. Mike Brown
8. Darren Elkins
9. Bart Palaszewski
10. Robert Peralta

Make it Happen: Brown vs. Hatsu Hioki

A real test for the Japanese fighter, who won unimpressively in his UFC debut.

Thank You, UFC, For: Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter

This is the weakest division in the UFC, and it could desperately use an infusion of talent from Bellator and/or Japan. I'd love to see what Patricio Freire or Hiroyuki Takaya could do in the UFC. Some of the guys from the current season of TUF could be competitive in this division very quickly.

Bantamweight (126-135)

1. Dominick Cruz
2. Urijah Faber
3. Joseph Benavidez
4. Brian Bowles
5. Miguel Torres
6. Demetrious Johnson
7. Scott Jorgensen
8. Brad Pickett
9. Eddie Wineland
10. Renan Barão

Make it Happen: Jorgensen vs. winner of Torres/Nick Pace

How did Torres end up in a fight with a nobody like Pace, anyhow? If he wins, Jorgensen is a reasonable next opponent. Failing that, I'd love to see Torres against the loser of Faber/Bowles.

Thank You, UFC, For: Faber vs. Bowles

I know Urijah has only been at 135 for about a year, but it seems strange somehow that these two have never met in the cage. The winner has clearly earned a title shot in this shallow division.

UFC on FOX

Yeah, Leben vs. Muñoz is first. We'll come back to that one. The UFC's debut on a major network is probably the MMA story of the year, which is saying something. We've had the biggest show in UFC history (UFC 129), the promotion's return to Brazil (UFC 134), the purchase of Strikeforce, the growth of Bellator, the decline of Fëdor Emelianenko, the rise of Jon Jones, the struggles of Japanese MMA, and plenty more. This one has the biggest long-term implications. FOX is really doing right by the UFC, promoting the event heavily, and a strong event could change the future of the sport as dramatically as Griffin vs. Bonnar did.

Heavyweights are easy to promote — everyone understands a Heavyweight Championship fight — but it's a risky move when catering to casual fans, because heavyweight fights often tend to be slower-paced (and thus less entertaining) than the lighter weight classes. Velasquez and Dos Santos are exceptions to that rule; I can't remember either of them in a boring fight. The danger, I suppose, would be that Velasquez gives so much respect to Junior's striking that he takes him to the mat and keeps him there, with Dos Santos using his ground skills to nullify the champ's ground-and-pound.

I know that's a pretty specific concern, but it's not at all inconceivable, and the stakes are awfully high, with the UFC almost certainly playing to its largest audience ever. The fight itself could go either way, but I'm guessing Velasquez, with the more well-rounded game, retains the title.

The other major fight on the FOX card is a presumed title eliminator between Benson Henderson and Clay Guida. I've been burned before, underestimating judges' affection for a human carpet, but I think Henderson is the more dynamic and well-rounded fighter. I can't imagine Guida finishing him, and Henderson has the skills to put Guida in trouble from any position. I say Ben wins a split decision or a submission via some form of choke.

There are some other decent-looking fights on the card, but the only one with any kind of immediate title implications is Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza. Poirier has won three in a row, including an upset over Josh Grispi, when the latter was the number one contender at featherweight. Garza is officially 11-1, and coming off his flying triangle victory at UFC 129. I can't imagine the winner will get a shot at the belt, but he'll probably be "in the mix", as Dana White likes to say. I lean slightly towards Poirier, I guess.

At UFC 138 (this coming Saturday, November 5th), I'll take Muñoz over Leben and Pickett over Barão, plus Thiago Alves to get back on track against some Congolese/Swedish guy. Terry Etim, who hasn't fought in a year and a half, makes his return at this event, while Che Mills — one of the favorites to win the US vs. UK season of TUF — finally makes his UFC debut after being upset by James Wilks in the qualifying. I'm cautiously picking both Brits to win, but I expect Anthony Njokuani to ruin Paul Taylor, who is game but outclassed.

Wrapping up the Bellator Season Five tournaments, I'm betting on Eduardo Dantas to top Alexis Vila, Ben Saunders to outclass Douglas Lima, and Alexander Shlemenko to ruin Vitor Vianna. That said, I think all the current Bellator belt-holders win their next title defense, except for Christian M'Pumbu and Zoila Frausto Gurgel, because who the hell knows when those fights will be, and Joe Warren, whom I don't think can beat Freire or Curran.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2011

From the Brink to Valhalla

Nelson Cruz's walk-off grand slam in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series? Gone with his other eight postseason record-tying bombs. Ian Kinsler's theft of second, channeling Dave Roberts, to spark a World Series-tying rally in the first place? You won't even find it on the police blotter now. The Rally Squirrel? Who the hell needed him?

Albert Pujols channeling Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson in Game 3? Fuggedabouddit. Derek Holland's masterpiece pitching in Game 4 of the World Series? Prove it. (And those were the two events that helped turn this World Series from good to great in the first place.)

Tony La Russa's Game 5 bullpen bollix, asking for Jason Motte when the party on the other end of the phone heard Lance Lynn, and La Russa ended up with Mark Rzepczynski having to face lefty-feasting Mike Napoli? What bollix? What tie-breaking two-run double?

Game 6 placed them all under the wipeout cloth, from the St. Louis Cardinals's two down-to-the-last-strike game-tiers to David Freese's first-pitch 11th-inning walk-off bomb. Then Game 7 put the cloth down and wiped all the rest of it clean into oblivion. All of it except the Cardinals hoisting a World Series trophy nobody was willing to bet they'd even see on television when August began.

When the World Series was getting underway, I marveled sadly at the apparent lack of enthusiasm New York seemed to show for the silver anniversary of the 1986 Mets — they who were down to their final strike of the Series, until a pair of shaky relievers allowed them to tie it up and a shaky grounder skipped through the ankles of a first baseman playing entirely on heart.

Those Mets got topped by this year's St. Louis Cardinals in two ways: 1) The Cardinals were anything but runaway division winners. 2) Those Mets were down to their final strike once, in the 10th inning of Game 6. These Cardinals in their Game 6 were down to their final strike twice, in the ninth and the 10th, before Freese the hometown kid — whose two-run triple on strike two in the bottom of the ninth started the surreality — finished what he started by hitting Mark Lowe's first 11th-inning service over the center field fence.

Now, let's be real here. Game 7 wasn't even half as surreal as Game 6, for which the Rangers might be grateful enough in time. Or maybe not. A team who went into the World Series as 1000-to-1 favorites to win it came out of it as dead ducks, with Freese himself starting their misery all over again in the bottom of the first Friday night, after the Rangers opened with a 2-0 lead off a surprisingly shaky Chris Carpenter.

Not that they thought they had it made, exactly, when Josh Hamilton and Michael Young hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the top. But when Freese batted with two on and two out in the bottom, and lined a two-run double to the left center field warning track, it was as if the kid nobody knew at season's beginning was suddenly man of the house in Busch Stadium, letting the Texas boys know they weren't dealing with a bunch of pushovers anymore. If they ever were.

"I've never been with a group of guys who had the will to come back the way [our team] did," said Berkman after the game, the aging veteran who looked washed up last winter, after we only thought he'd had his final shot at postseason glory as a non-waiver trade Yankee, after he'd been part of a Houston Astros team overmatched by the 2005 Chicago White Sox. "We felt pretty good (after Game 6), but when you win a game like that the adrenaline carries over."

And when these Cardinals — these scrappers who seemed to believe that one out was a nuisance, two outs a challenge, and two strikes the moment to separate the men from the boys — got into a Ranger bullpen that wasn't supposed to be as skittish as it looked in the final Series rounds, they almost didn't even have to try any rough stuff. The Rangers proved more than willing to hand them the insurance policy, in the fifth inning, when Scott Feldman presented Yadier Molina with a bases-loaded walk and C.J. Wilson relieved him to hit Rafael Furcal on the leg with his first pitch.

Did anybody even think about telling the Rangers to bear down and get the runs fast because Carpenter didn't look like his usual no-nonsense self for the first two innings? Inexplicably, Carpenter seemed almost entirely reliant on a fastball that turned into a grapefruit, leaving his formidable breaking balls somewhere in the back of his mind. He had to dispatch Napoli the hard way in the top of the second, after Napoli hit a fat pitch on a line to left before throwing the Texas catcher out himself on David Murphy's bouncer to the third base side of the mound.

Somehow, in the middle of Texas starter Matt Harrison bunting Murphy to second — maybe the only time the Rangers bunted as if they knew what they were doing — and Kinsler taking a four-pitch walk before barely escaping a second pickoff (he'd been picked clean after opening the game with a base hit), before Elvis Andrus grounded out back to the mound, St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan got through to Carpenter and reminded him about his own big breaking balls and their proclivity toward finding the right edges of the strike zone, even a zone as narrow as plate umpire Jerry Layne's seemed to be.

Carpenter took the reminder to heart and had his way with the Rangers for the rest of his evening's work. The concurrent problem was the Cardinals having their way with the Rangers, and it only began with Allen Craig, the super-sub, who could have been the Series MVP had it not been for Freese's 10th-dimension heroics, and was starting Game 7 in place of injured Matt Holliday, taking a full-count pitch over the right field fence with one out in the bottom of the third.

And that belt, which put the Cardinals ahead to stay as things turned out, didn't hurt even half as much as what Craig did in the top of the sixth, leaping over the left field fence to pull Cruz's certain home run back over the rail for the out that might have broken the Rangers' backs once and for all.

When the Rangers couldn't cash in Murphy's seventh inning-opening ground rule double, the Cardinals added insult to injury in the bottom of the inning, with Mike Adams on the mound for Texas and Lance Berkman (infield single) and Freese (walk) aboard and Molina nudging one up the pipe for the RBI single, Berkman scoring amidst an almost inexplicable cutoff on the throw in from center.

"We beat a heckuva team," Freese said graciously after it was over and he'd been named the Series MVP, right on the heel of winning the National League Championship Series MVP. "Those guys fight and fight and fight." He was too polite, too disbelieving in his own feats of derring-do, to allow the thought that the Cardinals had taken the fight out of the Rangers at last.

"Sometimes," lamented Rangers manager Ron Washington, "when the opportunity is in your presence, you certainly can't let it get away. Being so close, just having one pitch to be made and one out to be gotten, it could have been a different story. But when you're a champion, you keep fighting. ... We got beat by a good club."

Unfortunately, the Rangers also got beaten by themselves. It wasn't a terrific idea to go to the no-doubles defense a second time, in the tenth inning of Game 6, after Freese burned them in that defense in the ninth, making Cruz look like the Series goat when he couldn't reach far enough to stop Freese's drive from banging off the right field wall.

It wasn't a terrific idea for Washington to order an intentional walk to Freese with men on second and third in the fifth, setting up the RBI walk to Molina and the bases-loaded plunk to Furcal.

It wasn't a terrific idea to order Andrus to bunt after Kinsler's leadoff single in the top of the fifth, not his usually fly early-order men hitting, only to watch in horror as Hamilton's popup on the foul side of third base ended up in Freese's glove when the third baseman leaned over the rail and held onto the ball as he hit the ground.

But it was nobody's fault that Neftali Feliz, the Texas closer who came into Game 6 without ever blowing a postseason save, picked the wrong night to blow his first such save opportunity, or that the Rangers' bullpen — which included three starters — spent the final two games working eight and two-thirds innings, allowing 14 hits including two bombs, walking eight, hitting two, surrendering eight runs, and blowing two leads that should have given the Rangers their franchise-first World Series rings.

And why wasn't C.J. Wilson — who'd have been going on three days' rest with the rain delay that pushed Game 6 back a night, and who pitched five and a third in Game 5 surrendering only one earned run — on the mound to start Game 7 instead of Harrison, who couldn't get out of the fourth inning in Game 3? Holland might have been available on near-regular rest, too, except that Washington had begun to doubt his regular bullpen bulls in Game 6. He got a brilliant two innings' relief out of Holland Thursday night but that, too, might have helped cost him too dearly in the end.

Washington insisted on staying in rotation, but that may have helped cost him a World Championship he still had a chance to win. La Russa read the rain delay as an opportunity to send his best starter out for Game 7 and it helped him win a world championship.

And when Jason Motte turned the Rangers away in the ninth — you can't say he did it quietly, considering the Busch Stadium racket — getting Cruz on a lazy fly to right center, getting Napoli on a big hopper to third that Daniel Descalso, spelling Freese, pulled down neatly enough to throw him out by a few steps, and getting Murphy on a fly out to Craig in left, the Cardinals had finished anticlimactically what they started surrealistically the night before.

Actually, the Cardinals started the whole thing in August, when they picked themselves off from a thrashing by the Los Angeles Dodgers that included the Dodgers' first three-game sweep in St. Louis in almost two decades, the Cardinals now having lost eight of their previous 11, and the Dodgers — who had only one player (Matt Kemp) who could hit with anything smaller than a vault door — scoring 21 runs in the set.

They sat 10 back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and 10 and a half out in the wild card picture. Brewers outfielder Nyjer Morgan would soon be crowing about "Alberta" Pujols and his eyesight after a Brewers loss to the Cardinals that included emptying dugouts and bullpens when Morgan heaved a bolt of tobacco at Carpenter following a ninth-inning punch-out.

That was then. Oh, boy, this is now. These Cardinals, perhaps David Freese and Allen Craig in particular, may not have to pick up a check for a steak in St. Louis for maybe the rest of their lives. Nyjer Morgan — does anyone remember his seeing-eye single off J.J. Putz in the bottom of the tenth to clinch the Brewers' trip to the NLCS anymore? — won't have too hard a time finding people willing to pick up the tabs for his crow, either.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 4:53 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2011

Newton's Attitude Unites Charlotte

Even though the Carolina Panthers are dead-last in the NFC South this season, something incredible is taking place in the city of Charlotte this fall.

While Cam Newton was already a household name before the Panthers drafted him out of Auburn, he is definitely reaching superstar status here in the Queen City. You can't go anywhere in Charlotte without seeing a fan wearing Newton's No. 1 jersey.

With the NBA unfortunately still in lockout mode, clearly sports fans in Charlotte are clinging to the Panthers each week for their helping of professional football and I think Newton is the best thing on the menu in these parts.

When it comes to understanding the Charlotte sports scene, I'm a total outsider. I'm from sports-rabid Boston, but now live outside of the city. When I first arrived here in 2008, I was often told that Panthers fans aren't loyal and they leave by halftime. I've been watching the games closely on television this season and I don't see any mass exodus at halftime.

Newton and the Panthers have clearly been competitive each week and are far better than their 2-5 record suggests.

One of the things I find fascinating about Newton is his uncanny ability to rush the ball. He leads the team in scoring with seven touchdowns and tied the rookie record on Sunday against Washington.

Newton's touchdown against Washington in the 3rd quarter was absolutely superb. When at first he appeared to hand the ball off to Jonathan Stewart, Newton rolled out of the pocket unbeknownst and went 16 yards to the end zone.

What I really enjoy about watching Newton is his utter lack of fear of carrying the football. Earlier in the game against Washington, Newton was throttled at the goal line by London Fletcher. With 3rd and goal on Washington's eight-yard-line, Newton couldn't find a receiver and took matters into his own hands. I love that about this guy.

Instead of throwing the ball out of bounds and setting up a field goal, Newton decided to go for it. Newton's gutsy move didn't payoff but it clearly showed his determination to do whatever it takes to put points on the scoreboard.

Newton's numbers as a quarterback to need improvement. He's thrown nine interceptions in seven starts, so far. But against Washington, Newton had zero interceptions and was 18-for-23 with 256 yards. The only other game in which Newton had not thrown an interception was in a 16-10 victory against Jacksonville on Sept. 25.

Newton's thrown three picks in two games this season and that's OK. He's a rookie and it appears that Newton is improving each week.

What Newton and the Panthers must do at home this Sunday is beat Minnesota. The Vikings come into Bank of America Stadium limping at 1-6. After the benching of veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb, Christian Ponder debuted in his first start and nearly beat the defending Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers.

By beating Minnesota, it would be the perfect way for the Panthers to sail into their bye week, with a record of 3-5. There's no reason whatsoever that Carolina cannot finish the 2011 season at 8-8. The Panthers host Tennessee after the bye week and could likely win that game, too.

Here's to hoping that Newton remains healthy this season. Charlotte sports fans need a leader and Newton's just the guy.

In the years to come, surely Carolina's front office can continue to build a Super Bowl winning organization around Newton. Look at what the Detroit Lions are doing this season. Although it remains unclear whether or not quarterback Matthew Stafford will start against Denver Sunday, you've got to think that this team can definitely win the wild card and make the playoffs if Stafford remains injury free.

It will be interesting to see what the Panthers do against Detroit when they visit the Motor City on Nov. 20.

What I like about this year's Panthers are that they remain interesting. First-year head coach Ron Rivera has found something here. Something that should last for many years to come.

Posted by David Exum at 5:57 PM | Comments (4)

Let's Get Surreal

Who could have imagined this kind of World Series game — Yogi Berra, or Rube Goldberg? How many times have you heard Berra's Law — it ain't over until it's over — cited and quoted, and how many times have you seen it proven only too true?

That many? Well, you didn't really see it until you saw it, and if you were watching Game 6 of this World Series Thursday night, oh, brother, did you saw it.

"If that's not the best postseason game of all time," Lance Berkman huffed and puffed, when it was over in a 10-9 St. Louis Cardinals win that not even the Cardinals, never mind the Texas Rangers, can quite believe happened, "I don't know what is."

Actually, it was probably the best or at least in the top three of all time from the opening pitch of the ninth inning until David Freese's leadoff bomb in the bottom of the 11th finished its flight — two innings after his standup triple tied it up at seven with the Cardinals down to the first of two final strikes in the first of two such innings on the night. At minimum Game 6 was the most surrealistically breathless two and a half innings in World Series history preceded by eight of maybe the ugliest World Series innings fathomable.

"I been in this game a hundred years but I see new ways to lose I never knew were invented yet," Casey Stengel used to crow about his 1962 New York Mets. "I don't know what to call it," said one of his outfielders on that crew, Richie Ashburn, nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career, "but I know I've never seen it before."

If the Ol' Perfesser and Mr. Putt Putt were watching Thursday night's follies from his bleacher seat in the Elysian Fields beyond, they were probably sprinkling some seasoning on their crow. Maybe a little pepper, a little horseradish, and a lot of seasoned salt. "Amazin'" would have been the understatement of the century. You could hear them now, marveling they'd seen new ways to win that they never knew were invented yet.

They wouldn't know what to call it, but they know they'd never seen it before. Neither had we. Certainly not coming down to your final strike of the Series twice in two innings, tying it up both times, then winning it with a first-pitch launch in the bottom of the 11th.

And we get the first Game 7 since the Anaheim Angels flattened the San Francisco Giants following some late-inning Game 6 heroics. Only those Angels had nothing on these Cardinals. Those Angels did it the easy way compared to this, and those Giants didn't have half the moxie of these Texas Rangers trying to hold them off. At least Ron Washington didn't even think of trying to give the game ball to one of his suddenly-beleaguered pitchers the way Dusty Baker did with Russ Ortiz.

But the Rangers now have to play a seventh game in which the advantage of momentum might seem to be in the Cardinals' hands. Don't bank on that one just yet, though, folks. The most unpredictable sport can be predicted to promise this much: this Game 7 isn't likely to be won the easy way by either side.

God only knows the Rangers, who had their first World Series title ever a strike within their grasp twice in two innings, know how it feels to lose it the hard way. And God only knows the Cardinals, who seemed to be doing everything in their power since the middle of Game 5 to hand the Series to the Rangers on a steaming hot plate, know how it feels to win the harder way.

To the Rangers, you simply say: shake hands with the 2002 San Francisco Giants. Have one on the house, courtesy of the 1986 Boston Red Sox. For dessert, a slice of humble pie, courtesy of the 1985 Cardinals. Now pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off, try to forget that Ron Washington made sure Derek Holland (Game 4 hero, with eight and a third shutout innings; Game 6 star with stellar middle relief) won't be available even to face one hitter, and start Game 7 without even thinking about Game 6.

The '02 Giants couldn't. '86 Red Sox couldn't. The '85 Cardinals — oh, boy, they couldn't. Friday night is going to be the Rangers' hour to man up full. It's also going to be both sides' hour to prove they can actually play blemish free baseball to close the season and have one or the other come away with a title that has no margin for mayhem attached to it.

Good luck with that. What the hell kind of fun would that be? You don't really expect this World Series to end with a whimper after the bang that got it to this point in the first place, do you?

With Jason Motte working the ninth in a save situation that really meant saving the Cardinals from any fate worse than two runs by which to commit Series suicide, the fun began in earnest when Motte jammed Nelson Cruz into a bouncer back to the box, walked Mike Napoli (who was probably going to win the Series MVP award if the Rangers managed to close it out), got David Murphy (a mid-game replacement) to force Napoli on a hopper to shortstop, and got pinch hitter Endy Chavez (once a postseason hero himself, as a 2006 Met) to fly out to right.

Washington brought in his closer, Neftali Feliz, to nail down his third Series save and the Rangers' first Series rings. Feliz opened by swishing Ryan Theriot (also a mid-game replacement) but Albert Pujols lined one to the back of left field for a standup double. Berkman took a four pitch walk, but Feliz nailed Allen Craig on a called third strike, throwing maybe the filthiest slider of the game and just hitting the zone. Washington ordered the Rangers into the no-doubles defense, and Freese — facing Feliz for the first time in the Series — was brought down to his and the Cardinals' final strike.

But Freese, the National League Championship Series MVP, drove a strike two pitch off the right field wall just beyond Cruz's reach, the ball bounding back toward the infield and Pujols and Berkman scoring as Freese pulled into third standing up.

This was be better than the Cardinals deserved, after spending most of the night fielding like Little Leaguers, running the bases like little old ladies, pitching — as did Lance Lynn in serving back-to-back bombs to Beltre and Cruz in the seventh — as though they were anxious to see just how far the Rangers' power men could send balls in flight, and seeing one of their own, Matt Holliday, get picked off with the bases loaded and one out, costing him a pinkie bruise that will keep him out of Game 7, while still being unable to solve Holland.

Busch Stadium's hysteria lasted just long enough for Elvis Andrus to slash a one-out single up the pipe in the top of the tenth and Josh Hamilton, on the first pitch, to drive it over the right center field fence. Another two-run Texas lead. And another final strike facing the Cardinals in the bottom of the inning, with Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay aboard thanks to back-to-back inning-opening singles and standing in scoring position when Kyle Lohse — the better bunter among the pitchers to which La Russa was left on his bench — bunted them over neatly enough, but Theriot, facing Scott Feldman spelling Darren Oliver, bounced out to third.

After Washington ordered Pujols walked to load the pads despite having a right-hander-to-right-hander matchup, and with the Rangers again in the no-doubles defense, Berkman shook off the second final-strike and lofted a quail to center that dropped in to send home Jay with the tying run. Jake Westbrook kept the Rangers to one uncatchable single from Napoli in the top of the 11th, and Washington sent Mark Lowe out to open the bottom against Freese.

What about the Rangers, who didn't look too pretty themselves with Young committing two errors at first base that led to a couple of unearned Cardinal runs, no Ranger able to bunt unless he had a plank for a bat, and a spell of three consecutive walks to force home another Cardinal run? They would find out when Lowe squared off against Freese.

One pitch. One changeup that hung like a tuxedo in a valet's closet. One flight over the center field fence.

"I'm just about out of breath," Freese laughed to reporters on the field afterward. "I just got beat up by 30 guys."

Tony La Russa — whose Game 5 bullpen communication breakdown got as close as it gets to wrecking his reputation as a master tactician and foresighted strategist, and who probably owes his team Hawaiian vacations for pulling that reputation back out of the incinerator, for the time being, anyway — could only say, "You had to see it to believe it."

Except that La Russa sounded as if he really didn't believe it. As if anybody really can just yet.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2011

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 8

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

New Orleans @ St. Louis (+13)

The 5-2 Saints, fresh off a 62-7 destruction of the Colts, head to St. Louis to face the winless Rams, 34-7 victims of Dallas last week. New Orleans set franchise records for most points in a game and largest margin of victory.

"I've always heard of the helplessness experienced by a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," Sean Payton. "Take it from me, it's not so bad.

"I don't want to say we could beat the Rams with our hands tied behind our backs, because we can't. But we could certainly give them a run for their money. We didn't let up against the Colts; hopefully we won't let down in St. Louis."

The Rams are 0-6 and dead last in the NFC West. After competing for the division title last year, the Rams have regressed, and average only 9 points per game.

"We're just looking for positives," said Steve Spagnuolo. "And nine is a positive number. But the Saints' '9' is much more impressive than our 9, or our '11,' for that matter."

Some consider this a "trap" game for the Saints. It's not. In order for a "trap" to work, something has to be "caught," and in the Rams injury-plagued passing attack, not much does.

Mark Ingram rushes for 2 touchdowns, and Drew Brees and the Saints shake off a slow start that has them only up 6-0 after the first quarter.

New Orleans wins, 35-17.

Jacksonville @ Houston (-9)

The Texans surged to the AFC South lead, whipping the Titans 41-7 in Tennessee to take the outright division lead. Houston looks to go 3-0 in division games with a win over the 2-5 Jaguars.

"There's good news and bad," Gary Kubiak. "The good news: the division is ours to win. The bad news: it's also ours to lose. We're turning heads in the South, mainly because Peyton Manning can't turn his."

The Jags shocked the Ravens 12-7 on Monday Night Football behind a stifling defense and four Josh Scobee field goals, three of which were over 50 yards.

"I'm fired up," Jack Del Rio said. "And that's a step up from being just 'fired,' which was a possibility had we lost. We're now 2-5 and only 2 games behind the 4-3 Texans. That sounds like a backhanded insult of the Texans. The South is a tightly-packed division; there are three teams in the South within two games of each other. Some call that a 'bunch' of crap. I call it competition at its finest."

After Monday night's exhilarating win over the Ravens, the Jaguars must be emotionally spent, which is as close to a "spending" spree as you'll ever see in Jacksonville.

Houston wins, 27-16.

Minnesota @ Carolina (-4)

The Vikings fell 33-27 to the Packers in Christian Ponder's debut at quarterback, as Minnesota's fourth-quarter comeback fell short. Ponder was 13-of-32 for 219 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

"I think Ponder accounted well for himself, at least on two of his 32 passes," said Leslie Frazier, who, unbeknownst to most, has an identical twin sister named 'Larry.' "Donovan McNabb was upset at his benching last week. So, while he was 'losing his religion,' we were gaining one. Like former Carolina coach John Fox, I'm starting a 'Christian' again this week."

The Panthers upended the Redskins 33-20, led by Cam Newton, who registered 315 total yards, including his 7th rushing touchdown of the year, which tied Vince Young's rookie record.

"I tied Young's record after only seven games," Newton said. "I tied his Wonderlic score after only one question. Anyway, a Minnesota/Carolina matchup begs the question: what do you get when two Panthers cheerleaders hook up in a bathroom stall on a cruise boat on Lake Minnetonka? Seafood."

Adrian Peterson rushes for 154 yards and 2 scores, and Minnesota wins, 28-24.

Arizona @ Baltimore (-13)

Kevin Kolb and the Cardinals will face the ultimate test in Baltimore against the NFL's No. 1 defense, on the day before Halloween, in the birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe, no less. The Ravens lead the AFC North with a 6-1 record, and their stingy defense allows only 13 points per game.

"I'm not a fan of the Ravens," Kolb said. "Nor am I a fan of 'the Raven.' They both scare me. But the Cardinals pay me too much to be scared. If the Cardinals have anything to do with the House Of Usher falling, it will be because they defaulted on the second mortgage they took out tot acquire me."

The favored Ravens were shocked 12-7 by the home-standing Jaguars on Monday night, as Baltimore managed only 146 yards total offense, including 34 on the ground. Quarterback Joe Flacco passed for only one yard in the first half.

"What a turnabout," Ray Lewis said. "We're usually the team that dominates defensively. Not only did the Jags impose their will, they simply imposed. They stole our thunder, our lightning, and our identity. Speaking of 'identity theft,' it appears someone or something took Flacco and replaced him with another quarterback who will never lead a team to a Super Bowl."

The Ravens bounce back with a vengeance, and Lewis knocks Kolb out of the game with a big sack in the second quarter. While standing over his prey, Lewis recites Poe's "The Premature Burial." Later, during post-game interviews, Lewis presents an original poem chronicling the Kolb/Lewis saga, called "Rich Man, Poe Man."

Ray Rice records 146 total yards, and Flacco quintuples his first half output from Monday on his first pass, a 5-yard completion to Ed Dickson.

Baltimore wins, 30-14.

Indianapolis @ Tennessee (-9)

The Titans were spanked 41-7 last week by the visiting Texans, who shut down the Titans, holding the Tennessee offense to 148 total yards. The winless Colts make a visit to LP Field next, looking for the upset.

"Maybe signing Chris Johnson to a contract extension wasn't such a good idea," Mike Munchak said. "We call it a 'deposit slip.' I'm still waiting on Johnson to flash that 4.24 40 speed somewhere other than on a trip to the bank. If Adrian Peterson is nicknamed 'All Day,' then Johnson should be called 'Some Day.'"

The Colts winless season got even worse as they were smashed 62-7 in New Orleans last Sunday night. The 62 points put Indy's points against total at 225, easily the worst in the league.

"We recently employed Jim Tressel as a consultant," Peyton Manning said. "When asked if he had any suggestions for the team, Tressel, not surprisingly, had 'no valid answers.'

"Anyway, I've heard rumors that the Colts may trade me if they are able to draft Andrew Luck. That may work out for me. If Indy keeps sucking, I may want out myself just as much as they want Luck in. So, under either scenario, 'Luck' is on my side."

Trade Manning? Doubtful. But if Indy's going to pull the trigger, now's the time. If the going rate for Carson Palmer is two first-round picks, then the market dictates that the Colts can expect 10-12 first-rounders for Manning.

Johnson rushes for 256 (inches, not yards) and scores on a 27-inch scamper to close the first half. Matt Hasselbeck throws for 246 yards and 2 scores, and the Titans win, 24-19.

Miami @ NY Giants (-10)

The winless Dolphins remained that way after blowing a 15-0 fourth quarter lead to Denver, eventually losing 18-15 in overtime. Tony Sparano's decision to go for a two-point conversion with a 12-0 lead may have cost Miami the win, and may ultimately cost Sparano his job.

"In hindsight," Sparano said, "I probably made the wrong decision. That's a sentiment to which our owner, Stephen Ross, can surely relate. Now I know that a winless team should probably go for 'one' before going for 'two.'"

The Giants lead the NFC East with a 4-2 record, returning from their Week 7 bye rested and rejuvenated, and the G-Men are relatively healthy for the Dolphins visit to MetLife Stadium.

"Indeed," Tom Coughlin said. "We are healthy. In fact, we are so healthy, it may be difficult, nay, impossible, to properly fake an injury. We're waiting anxiously to hear Brandon Marshall's plans for the game. Is he going to go 'rogue' and get himself thrown out by the second quarter? I doubt that will happen. Officials don't eject players for being irrelevant. Otherwise, we'd be without a quarterback."

Marshall doesn't go "rogue," but he does go "commando," arriving on the field in uniform sans underwear. However, that doesn't improve his ability to catch, as Marshall treats several passes thrown his way like live grenades.

The Giants intercept Matt Moore twice, and Brandon Jacobs rushes for 65 yards and a touchdown.

New York wins, 33-16.

Detroit @ Denver (+3)

In a comeback worthy of scripture, Tim Tebow led the Broncos back from a 15-0 fourth-quarter deficit to an unlikely 18-15 overtime win in Miami. Tebow threw 2 touchdown passes and ran for the game-tying two-point conversion before Matt Prater's 52-yard field goal won it.

"I'm no miracle worker," Tebow said. "I just play one on the field. I can't part the Red Sea, but I'm not color blind, so I can 'see the red part.' I don't speak to a 'burning bush,' although Reggie Bush looked quite angry when we exchanged post-game pleasantries. Chalk another one up for the 'Christian Left.'"

The Lions lost for the second-straight week, falling to the visiting Falcons 23-16. Detroit is now 5-2 and needs a win desperately to right their ship.

"A 2-game losing streak is not that big of a deal," Jim Schwartz said, "at least not in relative terms in Detroit. But we do need a win, and I do need to shake the hand of a losing coach. John Fox's previous tenure at Carolina makes him a perfect candidate.

"We know Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium will be rocking and holy rolling on Sunday. If nothing else, Tebow has brought 'faith' to Denver. His fanatical fans, whom are easily excitable, are known as the 'Overzealots.' We're on a crusade to eliminate Tebow by whatever means necessary, or by whatever means unnecessary, which usually means a dirty, yet legal, Ndamukong Suh hit. Suh's critics have often said he needs to get closer to Jesus. This is his best chance."

After a fourth-quarter sack of Tebow that seals Detroit's win, Suh surprisingly compliments the Denver quarterback, telling him he "was a good college quarterback." Then, in more fitting fashion, Suh insults Tebow, by saying he "still is."

Calvin Johnson faces double-teams all day, but breaks free in the third quarter for a 3-yard touchdown catch. Brandon Pettigrew grabs another TD catch, and the Lions defense steps up, holding the Broncos to 213 total yards.

Detroit wins, 24-17.

Washington @ Buffalo (-4)

The 4-2 Bills find themselves sandwiched in the AFC East standings by the 5-1 Patriots and 4-3 Jets, with the 0-6 Dolphins leading the Colts and Rams atop the "Joy! Luck Club" standings. A rested Buffalo team hosts the 3-3 Redskins, with a home date with the Jets awaiting in Week 9.

"Buffalo's loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI still weighs heavily on these fans," Fred Jackson said. "And I can think of no better way to exorcise those demons than to give a whipping in Toronto to a current Washington team that is about as far removed from the Super Bowl as possible. This game will be played in the Rogers Centre, which, contrary to what a Cheesehead may claim, is not named for Scott Wells, Aaron Rodgers' center."

After a 3-1 start, the Redskins have lost two in a row, and have looked bad in doing so. In last week's 33-20 loss to Carolina, Tim Hightower was lost for the year with a torn ACL, while Santana Moss' broken hand will keep him out for two months.

"This won't help our already troubled offense," Mike Shanahan said. "Some say the Redskins 'Capitol Offense' should be punishable by death."

Buffalo wins, 27-20.

Cincinnati @ Seattle (+2½)

Are the 4-2 Bengals a team on the rise? If they are not, they will be, after unloading Carson Palmer to the Raiders for two future first-round picks.

"Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna give up two first-round picks for Carson Palmer?" said Cincinnati owner Mike Brown. "The Raiders gave us two picks on Tuesday. In turn, Palmer gave Oakland three picks on Sunday. I call that a 'fair trade,' and, apparently, so does Oakland. Luckily for the Raiders, I chose to hold on to this oceanfront property here in Cincinnati.

"Never underestimate the hunting capabilities of the Bengal tiger, especially for a bargain."

The Seahawks were a picture of offensive ineptitude last week, with only 137 total yards and nine first downs in a 6-3 loss in Cleveland. Yardage may be even tougher to come by against Cincinnati, as the Bengals sport the NFL's second-rated defense.

"Speaking of 'second-rate,'" Pete Carroll said, "how about my quarterbacks? They're flaw-inspiring.

"Like the Raiders, I would give anything for a quarterback with a USC pedigree. Unlike the Raiders, I wouldn't give everything. Still, 'everything' is still less than what I gave to have Reggie Bush come play for me."

Cincinnati wins, 19-13.

New England @ Pittsburgh (+1½)

The 5-1 Patriots visit to 5-2 Pittsburgh is easily Week 8's marquee matchup, and pits three-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady against two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger in a contest that could have playoff-seeding implications down the road.

"Obviously," Tom Brady said, "Big Ben and I are measured by our Super Bowl performances. We're also judged by our utilization of bathrooms. I use it strictly for 'business'; Big Ben uses it for pleasure."

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers know a win over the favored Patriots will take the perfect game plan.

"Bill Belichick has had two weeks to prepare," Tomlin said. "Although his wardrobe won't reflect that, his game plan will. I have nothing but respect for the Patriots, and I refuse to speak badly of them. But that doesn't mean James Harrison can't. But since he's out, we've brought in a special guest to slander New England. That guest is none other than Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear."

"All I have to do is speak," Smear said, "and the Pats get 'Smear-ed.'"

After a defensive-minded first half, in which the Patriots take a 13-10 lead into the locker room, the offense opens up in the second half. Roethlisberger connects with Mike Wallace on a long pass late in the fourth, which sets up Rashard Mendenhall's short touchdown run.

Pittsburgh wins, 27-23.

Cleveland @ San Francisco (-9½)

The 49ers enjoyed a bye week, resting, healing, and reveling in their 5-1 record, a record that surely deserves an overzealous pat on the back and a hearty handshake. On Sunday, San Fran and head coach Jim Harbaugh welcome the 3-3 Browns, 6-3 victors over the Seahawks.

"I'd like to forget my dustup with Jim Schwartz from two weeks ago," Harbaugh said. "That's going to be hard, since the Browns are coached by Pat Shurmur. But before I shake any hands, we plan to shut down the Browns running attack. To do so, we'll adopt the same motto that the Browns live by: 'Peyton Hillis Must Be Stopped.' Incidentally, EA Sports has adopted a similar motto: 'Peyton Hillis Must Be Stopped, From Ever Again Appearing on the Cover of the Madden Football Game.' Anyway, we're not offering Hillis a contract, either."

San Francisco wins, 30-13.

Dallas @ Philadelphia (-3½)

The 2-4 Eagles host the 3-3 Cowboys in a critical NFC East contest that Philly needs to stay afloat in the division. The Eagles entered their bye week with a crucial 20-13 win over the Redskins in Week 6.

"Dallas is 3-3," Michael Vick said. "That's about as even as it gets. And that's exactly what you'd expect from a team that can explode and implode in the same game. I expect a dogfight. Both teams need to bring their 'A' games. What's more likely in a game featuring a 2-4 and 3-3 team is that we'll simply bring a game."

The Cowboys bounced back from Week 6's painful loss in New England to beat the winless Rams 34-7. A win would keep Dallas hot on the tail of the Giants for the NFC East lead.

"Dez Bryant says we are unbeatable," Tony Romo said. "Obviously, the only thing that 'can't be beat' is Dez's skills at hyperbole.

"You may have heard that my wife and I are expecting a child. I'm thrilled. Not only because I'm going to be a father, but because this is the first completion I've made to the 'other team' that I've been congratulated for."

Dallas wins, 24-21.

San Diego @ Kansas City (+3½)

The Chiefs roared back into the AFC West picture, blanking the Raiders 28-0 in Oakland. Coupled with San Diego's loss to the Jets, the Chiefs, at 3-3, are only one game out of the division lead.

"Hated rivals will clash on Sunday," Todd Haley said. "Hopefully, though, Matt Cassel and I can keep our differences bottled up. I may be the most hated coach in the NFL, and in Kansas City. But I demand a lot from my players. If they can't give it to me, I 'give it back' to them, usually with camera rolling."

The Chargers blew a 21-10 first-half lead at MetLife Stadium, and went scoreless in the second half in falling 27-21 to the Jets.

"Our two-minute offense left a lot to be desired," Norv Turner said. "Like two more minutes. It's called a 'two-minute drill'; obviously, ours lacks the 'drilling' part.

"Anyway, I hear Rex Ryan is talking again, telling us to 'stay classy.' I refuse to get into a war of words with Ryan, because I'll lose. Rex can talk to the hand, or, if he prefers, the foot. As of now, I'm ceasing all communication with Ryan through the media. From now on, any conversation with Ryan will be with imaginary words, on imaginary phones with, most importantly, 'imaginary rings.'"

It's a critical game in the West, and there will likely be a playoff atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium. And that could be a problem for both teams, because AFC West teams can't win a playoff game.

San Diego wins, 22-20.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 7:51 PM | Comments (0)

Big Ten Logos, Past and Present

It's time again to foray into the history and the currency of logos at the Slant Pattern. This time, we will look at the Big Ten. Most of the logos come from the always awesome ChrisCreamer.com.

Penn State

They've been using the same primary logo since 1962, and why not? It's solid. I am also quite fond of their script, and wish they would return it to their end zones rather than the block letters they've been using for the last few years.

The term "Nittany," by the way, comes from nearby Mount Nittany, which was indeed home to prides of mountain lions in the 19th century.

Ohio State

I bleed scarlet and gray, but their primary logo seems drab to me. Still, it's not as bad as the "logo" they were giving the TV networks to use the the late 1980s. I mean, this cannot rightfully be called a logo, right? Give me one of their buckeye-leaf alternates, which maintains a collegiate feel while still adding a state-specific flair.

Michigan

Drab and uninteresting, like their rivals'. I have the same complaint about Michigan as I do about UCLA. If your nickname is a fearsome animal, use it in your logo! They used to, up until 1983.

Michigan State

They've gone through several iterations of their spartan head, including this one that is not happy. Their actual mascot's costume still looks like that. From 1966-72, one of their logos was this guy. I am sad to report that this chap no longer attends MSU games due to the bans on smoking and outside food and beverages.

Indiana

Very, very little to report on here and no interesting past logos. I will say as "classic" ones go, I like this one better than the others, it reminds me of a candlestick. I wonder if that's intentional.

Purdue

Now this is more like it in terms of sheer hilarity. You've probably seen their primary logo. It's nice. But sometimes that locomotive comes to life, as Thomas the Tank Engine's evil twin. Their mascot, Purdue Pete, likes to play basketball in gold socks pulled up all the way. Of course, he gets ejected almost immediately every game, as the refs frown on the hammer he brings on the court. Afterwards, Pete chastises himself with a slap to the head, although it may be because he wore dress shoes for manual labor.

Illinois

They had to retire their main logo in 2003 due to the Native Americans-as-mascots backlash. It's a shame, I love this logo and how symmetrical it is. Did you know where the word "Illinois" comes from? That's right — the headdresses of the original natives.

Northwestern

I've always liked the stylized N. Their logo for most of the sixties was a wildcat who seems to be seeing something just shocking. As the Wildcats, you would expect their mascot to be just that. But no. It's the elusive rabbit-rat-dog.

Iowa

The hawkeye head is iconic, so I'm surprised to learn it's only been around since 1979. They have one alternate logo, and I guess it's primarily for the bowling team because STEEE-RIKE!

Wisconsin

I look at a lot of high school football helmet web pages, and I do believe that besides the Kansas State Wildcat, the Wisconsin "W" is copied more than any other logo. As far as alternates, at least they use the animal, but if he must be clothed, perhaps put him in something that students have worn since 1965.

Minnesota

Sigh. We can't get schools with nicknames like the Bruins or Wolverines to incorporate those animals into their logos, but we get a freaking gopher in multiple poses. It's not right, I tell you.

Nebraska

In the early 1990s when Nebraska was king of the football world, I heard a school official lamenting that their merchandise isn't purchased much outside the state and the school is struggling to capture some national merchandising cache. Oh, you don't say. At least their original logo looks ready to do something rapey with that ear of corn which is ... well, it's bold, anyway.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 1:10 PM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2011

Strength in Unity

The poor organization at the U.S. Open was the end of the line for many of the top players. For the fourth year in succession, the men's final was held over until the third Monday, and all it did was murky the USTA's reputation even further. They would later be slated for the poor way in which they handled Serena Williams' outburst, and that didn't do them any good either.

The USTA can't control the rain, but they can change their scheduling, and they can provide facilities to help deal with the rain. They can't use rain as an excuse. Take Wimbledon as an example.

Britain is typically wetter than the U.S. (although the states are more prone to torrential rain), and it has rained consistently at Wimbledon for almost every year in living memory. But it is incredibly rare for play to be held over to a third Monday. In fact, it is more impressive, in that most years, the organizers have to work without the middle Sunday, meaning that usually play is restricted to just 13 days, instead of the 15 days at Flushing Meadows.

It may sound like I'm just flogging a dead horse, but there have to be significant changes made.

Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray have all expressed their feelings on the matter of being sent out in the wet conditions. All were concerned about player safety and felt they weren't being protected by tournament officials, and although Roddick may have crossed a line with his rude and arrogant behavior towards officials, he had a point.

Their incompetence was almost beyond belief. They tried dabbing up water seeping up from underneath the courts with a towel, hovering a split patch on the court, and the lowest of the low was when one official jogged onto court with a roll of gaffer tape. I mean, what was that going to do?

What might have happened next? PVA Glue? Some good old Pritt Stick? Perhaps they would invest in a needle and threat and sow the court back to health? Or would a better use of time and money have been to simply stick up a "wet floor" sign and let them get on with play?

Why did the officials resort to such ludicrous methods when the answer was staring them in the face? The answer was that changes should have been made years ago. One year with a third Monday, understandable; two years, unfortunate; three is ridiculous and four is unacceptable.

More recently, news has come to light that the USTA are seriously considering changing the scheduling of the tournament so that the men's final will be held — regardless of whether it rains or not — on the third Monday. This is not fixing the problem! It is simply making the mistakes of the past four years official. "We can't cope with the rain, so let's just move the men's final to Monday permanently — it'll save us further embarrassment in the long run." Well, it won't. And it simply declares the organization an utter shambles. There were, and still are, solutions available.

Why aren't there covers for the courts when it rains? Yes, there is a drainage system, but apparently it can't cope with very much water. Surely when it rains, or light rain takes a turn for the worse, covers can be dragged across the court in the same way they are at Roland Garros and at Wimbledon. Then when the rain ceases, the courts are dry or simply need a quick wipe, and the players can be sent on without too much fuss. This would have allowed hours and hours more time for matches this year and it should have been implemented.

And what about the questions surrounding a roof on Arthur Ashe? Why isn't there one? Well, that's a good questions, and the answer is that there will be. Jeff Tarango, former player and USTA official, confirmed there are plans for a roof on Arthur Ashe, and that they are in advanced stages. The USTA, on the other hand, claim there are no plans, and deny Tarango has any inside knowledge.

But this begs the question, if there aren't plans, why not? And if there are, why lie? Surely it makes matters worse, because near enough everyone wants to see a roof, and they've got the funds for it.

This year's U.S. Open fiasco was not so significant that it caused the players to see for the first time that changes must be made; it was merely a catalyst for the events that followed, or will soon follow.

Some of the top players, Nadal in particular, have been grumbling for some time about the crammed nature of the schedule.

For some players, it is not a problem, because they will be unlikely to make it past the second or third round of a tournament, and so they have plenty of time to recover and train for upcoming matches, but if you're right at the top of the game, consistently making quarters, semis, and finals, you're playing more matches than other people, week in, week out, and it can really wear your body down.

Nadal's Achilles heel has always been the clay court season, with back-to-back tournaments from Monte Carlo all the way to Paris, with hardly a week's break. That's five tournaments in seven weeks, three of them compulsory, another his home tournament, and the fifth worth 1,000 ranking points. So he doesn't have much choice.

The wearing down of the body can be shown most recently by Novak Djokovic, who has a stunning record this year — he's played 67 matches this year and has only lost 3 times. The two most recent losses were not completed matches, as he had to retire injured due to the sheer volume of matches played over a short period of time.

Now, Andy Murray claims players could strike over the harsh scheduling, and that this is not his voice, and that it is no hollow threat, either. There are many players who are prepared to take strike action, and if they did, it could be cataclysmic for the tennis world. Big names pulling out of tournaments mean fewer spectators and less revenue and that is not something tournament directors want.

So players have been muttering amongst themselves for some time and little good has been said. The tournament directors at Shanghai said they would get the players together for a conference and see what needed to be done to improve the tour. Whether or not this happened is yet to be seen, but it is doubtful — surely they would wait for Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, neither of whom attended the tournament.

But one thing is for sure, now the players are coming together in unity, there will be some changes to the tour. It might not be this year of even 2012, but change is coming and the world of tennis will soon usher in a new order, where the players are more content, and — more importantly — not battling injuries.

Posted by Angus Saul at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 32

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards — Edwards avoided danger for the duration of the Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega, hanging back for most of the race before capturing an 11th-place finish. His finish was better than all but three Chase rivals, and left him with a 14-point lead in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"I'm still winless in the Chase," Edwards said. "In this case, though, I 'won' for losing. But who says you need to win races to win the Cup? I plan to keep 'doing what I've been doing.' I feel that should be enough to keep Jimmie Johnson from doing what he's been doing."

2. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth moved into second place in the point standings with an 18th at Talladega. He led 21 laps early, and lost ground after the final restart with three laps remaining when he lost contact with draft partner David Ragan. Kenseth lost a bit of ground to points leader Carl Edwards, and now trails his Roush Fenway teammate by 14.

"Under most circumstances," Kenseth said, "I would be happy with this much 'separation' between Edwards and myself. It takes the appeal of another Sprint Cup championship to make me want to 'get close' to Carl."

3. Brad Keselowski — With a fourth-place finish at Talladega, Keselowski leaped right back into the championship conversation. He moved up three places in the point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 18 with four races remaining.

"You're darn right I'm in the conversation," Keselowski said. "I'm being talked about as a legitimate contender for the Sprint Cup. There was a time in my career when 'being in the conversation' meant I was arguing with another competitor, like Carl Edwards or Kyle Busch. I may not be the most popular driver in the garage. Heck, I'm probably even less popular in my car. But I know how to win. That doesn't necessarily give me an advantage over anyone else, because it's surely possible to win the Cup without actually 'winning' anything."

4. Tony Stewart — Stewart led 30 laps at Talladega, and was up front with victory on his mind with a restart pending with three laps remaining in the race. But Stewart's No.14 Chevy lost the draft and was shuffled back as Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer left the field. Stewart recovered to finish a solid seventh, and is now fourth in the point standings, 19 behind Carl Edwards.

"Much like a good day of business for the Mayfield clan," Stewart said, "I had a lot of good pushers. I hooked up with Paul Menard late in the race, but he abandoned me due to team orders. Team orders? I thought I was done with Formula 1 after driving Lewis Hamilton's McLaren in June. Suffice it to say I'm not happy with Menard. A little warning would have been appreciated. He's not, and there is no, 'Paul revere.'"

5. Kevin Harvick — After five-straight finishes of 12th or better to start the Chase, Harvick's luck ran out when he was collected in a lap 104 crash. After a visit to the garage, Harvick eventually finished 32nd, 13 laps back, and dropped four places in the point standings to fifth, 26 out of first.

"The No. 29 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet was solid," Harvick said. "I was leading on lap 100, than by lap 104, I was wrecked. Much like Jimmy Johns quick delivery, we were 'on the doorstep,' and before you could blink, we were 'out of there.'"

6. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson finished 26th in the Good Sam Club 500 after he and Hendrick drafting partner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. found no luck making a run to the front. Johnson is now seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Carl Edwards by 50.

"A 'Big One' happened at Talladega on lap 104," Johnson said. "The 'Big One' happened on October 15th at Charlotte when I slammed the wall."

7. Kyle Busch — Busch's No. 18 Toyota was damaged in the same lap 104 wreck that took out Kevin Harvick. Busch finished 33rd, and is now sixth in the point standings, 40 out of the lead.

"Harvick and I found ourselves in the same boat," Busch said. "And it now appears we're up the same creek."

8. Kurt Busch — Busch slammed the spinning car of Bobby Labonte on lap 173, ending the day for the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge. His day was done, and his 36th-place finish dropped him one place to eighth in the point standings, 52 out of first.

"Despite such a horrible finish," Busch said, "my language on the radio was clean and profanity-free. That's because I didn't even have time to curse before ramming Labonte's car."

9. Clint Bowyer — Bowyer dove around Richard Childress teammate Jeff Burton on the last lap to snap a 34-race winless streak in winning the Good Sam Club 500. Bowyer and Burton pulled away from the field on the final restart and cruised around Talladega's 2.66-mile circuit unchallenged until Bowyer's winning move.

"I've said my goodbye's to Richard Childress Racing," Bowyer said. "I felt it only fitting that I gave Burton a personal farewell."

10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt, always a threat to win at Talladega, finished a disappointing 25th, as he and drafting partner Jimmie Johnson never found a groove to take them to the front. Earnhardt remained ninth in the point standings, where he is 60 out of first.

"It's too bad I couldn't help Jimmie," Earnhardt said. "But I take full responsibility. With the laps winding down, Jimmie said, 'It's do or die time!' Unfortunately, I thought he said, 'It's Diet Dew time!'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2011

NFL Week 7 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* There was so much poor officiating this weekend that I don't want to single out any one crew, because that might imply that all the others did a good job. Horrendous officiating this weekend, and this season in general. Replay reviews have been better, and everything else has been worse.

* Wow, the Raiders gave up a fortune to get Carson Palmer out of retirement. I like Palmer, but it's hard to believe he's worth it. And as Boomer Esiason suggested, it's hard to believe a team with a GM would have made that deal. Nothing against Palmer, but that price tag was wildly inflated, and the Bengals almost certainly would have accepted less.

* I understand why the NFLPA doesn't want HGH testing, but it has to happen. Baseball lost a lot credibility by denying its steroid problem, and the NFL doesn't want to go down that path.

* Six teams debuted a new QB in Week 7, three by necessity and three by choice. The new guys went 1-5, with only Tommie Frazier Tim Tebow getting a win.

* Congratulations to Tony Gonzalez, who this weekend became the NFL's second-leading receiver of all-time, behind only Jerry Rice.

***

My colleague David Exum wrote an article last week arguing that Ken Stabler should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Certainly Stabler was a fine QB, but none of David's arguments for why Stabler should be in make any sense. He wrote, "One of the main reasons I truly believe that Stabler belongs in the Hall of Fame is because he guided his team to a Super Bowl victory." So did Jim Plunkett, Joe Theismann, Jim McMahon, Phil Simms, Doug Williams, Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, and Eli Manning. None of those guys are in the Hall of Fame, and none of them should be.

David apparently thinks it is a point in Stabler's favor that he ranks 47th in career passing yardage. 47th? Is that supposed to be impressive? Vinny Testaverde is 7th and Kerry Collins is 10th. I guess those guys must be mortal locks for Canton. Comparisons to HOF QBs from previous eras don't hold up. Seasons get longer, careers last longer thanks to modern training and medical care, rules and strategies change ... I could use stats to show that Jon Kitna was a better quarterback than Stabler, which is absurd. But so is using career passing yardage as a career barometer. Devoid of context, it's not a meaningful stat.

Stabler was selected to play in four Pro Bowls and was selected first-team All-Pro in 1974. Those are not Hall of Fame numbers. Other non-HOF QBs with at least four Pro Bowl selections or AFL All-Star Games: Kenny Anderson, Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Boomer Esiason, Roman Gabriel, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, John Hadl (6), Jim Hart, Jack Kemp (7), Daryle Lamonica (5), Donovan McNabb (6). First-team All-Pro? Johnny Lujack, Gabriel, Brodie, Earl Morrall, Hadl, Bert Jones, Brian Sipe, Ken Anderson, Theismann, Esiason, Cunningham, and Gannon twice. Those are not unique honors for Hall of Fame caliber players. They are common honors for very good ones.

David also cited Stabler winning 100 of his first 150 games, neglecting to mention Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Ray Guy, Ted Hendricks, Jim Otto, Art Shell, Jack Tatum, Gene Upshaw, or Phil Villapiano. Come on, put Joey Harrington on that team and he'll make the playoffs every year. Stabler was a very good quarterback, but there are lots of very good quarterbacks. Matt Hasselbeck is a very good quarterback. Mark Brunell and Steve McNair were very good quarterbacks. So were Cunningham and Hadl and Brodie, and a dozen other players. It's the standouts who get enshrined in Canton. Stabler was probably something like the 8th-best QB of his own era, similar to someone like Esiason or Gannon. That's awfully impressive, and deserves to be remembered, but it's not worthy of the Hall of Fame.

On to the power rankings, brackets show last week's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers [1] — Thom Brennaman has been better as an announcer this year than in the past, but he still doesn't know the NFL. "You know, it's easy for a lot of us to forget about the pressure for Mike McCarthy when you're taking over for Mike Holmgren." McCarthy became the Packers' head coach in 2006, seven years after Holmgren left for Seattle. Both Ray Rhodes and Mike Sherman were head coaches in Green Bay between Holmgren and McCarthy. That's like saying that Holmgren had it rough taking over for Vince Lombardi. Aaron Rodgers took several unnecessary sacks this week. A coverage sack (which means the same thing as "quarterback's fault") loses yardage you could save by throwing the ball away, and that could have been important in an uncomfortably close 6-point win over the Vikings. More importantly, Rodgers absolutely must not get hurt. He can't let himself take unnecessary hits.

2. New England Patriots [3] — Banged up on the defensive line, with four players on either injured reserve or the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. That includes Mike Wright, who last year led the Patriots in sacks. That means the rotation includes Gerard Warren, who was cut at the end of preseason, and second-year player Kyle Love. In addition to those two, there's Vince Wilfork, plus four established players in their first years with the team: Mark Anderson, Andre Carter, Shaun Ellis, and Albert Haynesworth. It will be interesting to see if the defense settles in or wears out as the season continues. My bet is wears out, but we'll see how things go.

3. New Orleans Saints [4] — Until their meaningless last drive, gained over 40 yards (and scored) on every possession of the game, finishing with 557 yards, 36 first downs, and 62 points. Even in an ugly blowout, you can still learn about a team. Did you notice that tight end Jimmy Graham didn't play a snap in the fourth quarter? It's because he doesn't block. Graham is having a great season, one that would earn serious Pro Bowl consideration at wide receiver, but he was only in the game for a handful of running plays on Sunday night. I don't know if he's a bad blocker, but for that reason or some other, the Saints use him almost exclusively as a receiver. Even famously one-dimensional "receiving tight ends" like Dallas Clark don't leave the field whenever there's a run called. Graham does.

4. Baltimore Ravens [2] — You could make a reasonable argument that the Week 2 loss to Tennessee was a fluke, and you could make a reasonable argument that this week's ugly loss to Jacksonville was a fluke. But if you have two fluke losses in only six games, are they really flukes? Add in the atrocious offense performance against the Jets, and it's hard not to conclude that Baltimore has serious problems moving the ball.

5. San Francisco 49ers [5] — They're obviously going to run away with the NFC West, and if they're as good as they appear, they'll probably get to 9-1 before their next really tough game. Three of the next four are at home, and only one of those is against a team with a winning record (the 4-2 Giants travel to San Francisco in Week 10).

6. Pittsburgh Steelers [8] — Placed longtime DE Aaron Smith on injured reserve for the third season in a row, fourth time in the last five years. Smith is 35 now, and you have to wonder how much longer he can play at this point. The Steelers didn't have much trouble against Arizona, but they have a nasty three-game stretch before the bye in Week 11: Patriots, Ravens, at Bengals. They could go 3-0 or 0-3 during that stretch, and neither one would be a huge surprise.

7. Chicago Bears [11] — Another terrible performance from Jay Cutler and the passing game, another great one from Matt Forte and the defense. With a questionable offensive line and non-descript receiving corps, it's tough to put all the blame on Cutler for his line against the Bucs in London: 218 yards, TD, 2 INT, 60.2 passer rating. But it's also pretty clear that Cutler wasn't the hero on Sunday. Forte (145 yds, 5.8 avg, TD) continues to have an amazing season, but this win was first and foremost about the defense that picked off Josh Freeman four times. Brian Urlacher got his third pick of the season, already tying the second-best mark of his career.

8. Buffalo Bills [10] — Move up two places during their bye, not because I especially have faith in them (I don't), but because of the injuries to Matthew Stafford and Jason Campbell.

9. Detroit Lions [6] — Went just 1/12 on third downs and lost time of possession by almost 10 minutes (9:54). This season, the Lions are an abysmal 26/94 on third downs, 31st in the NFL (only Miami is worse). This supposedly explosive offense is largely Calvin Johnson, who has scored 10 of the team's 21 touchdowns. In Week 7, Johnson accounted for 115 of Matthew Stafford's 183 passing yards (63%). Brandon Pettigrew is a pretty good tight end, but it would really help if the team could find another wide receiver to move the chains on third down and take advantage when opponents double-team Megatron. Stafford is day to day with an ankle injury, but the team has a bye in Week 9, so it might make sense to rest him next week and have him come back close to 100% in Week 10.

10. Houston Texans [12] — Arian Foster did his best on Sunday to make sports fans forget about what Albert Pujols did on Saturday. Foster finished with 115 rushing yards, 119 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns. Backup RB Ben Tate also rushed for over 100 yards, while Matt Schaub passed for 296 with 2 TDs and a 147.7 rating. Houston is one of seven teams averaging over 400 yards of offense, but it also has a top-10 defense. Difference-maker in 2011: former Bengal Johnathan Joseph, who is 5th on the team in tackles and tied for 5th in the NFL in pass knockdowns, with a team-leading 3 interceptions.

11. New York Jets [15] — Darrelle Revis knocked down three passes this week, including his fourth interception of the season. Revis trails only Kansas City's Brandon Flowers in passes defensed and only Charles Woodson in INTs. Not bad for somebody who doesn't get thrown at much. I'm trying to think of the last time a cornerback was as dominant as Revis has been the last three years or so. Everyone compares him to Deion Sanders, but I've always thought Deion was a little overrated, and the name I'm coming up with is Mel Blount. In the 1970s. The Jets are 4-0 at home, 0-3 on the road.

12. San Diego Chargers [7] — Outscored 17-0 in the second half. Part of me feels like Rex Ryan, that this is a tremendously talented team that consistently underachieves, giving away winnable games. In particular, Philip Rivers has more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (7), with the lowest passer rating of his career. But the Chargers are 4-2, undefeated at home, and leading the AFC West, including a 2-0 division record. The schedule is awfully tough over the next month, but for now, San Diego is still the team to beat in the AFC West.

13. Dallas Cowboys [16] — Let's start with DeMarco Murray, who rushed for 253 yards against the monstrously bad St. Louis defense. Murray's mark is the 9th-highest single-game total in NFL history, though that doesn't mean as much as it used to: eight of the top 10 have come in the 2000s. Tony Romo had a solid game (2 TD, 107.3 rating), while the defense got standout performances from Abram Elam and Mike Jenkins. Elam made three tackles behind the line of scrimmage, with a forced fumble and the recovery. Jenkins defended three passes, including his first interception of the season.

14. Atlanta Falcons [19] — On the CBS pregame show, Shannon Sharpe declared that the Falcons were 19-3 when Michael Turner rushes for 100 yards, and I'm sure I wasn't the only thinking, "Doesn't everyone win most of the time they rush for 100 yards?" Well, mostly. Since 2008, teams with a 100-yard rusher are 312-111 (.738). And some teams are even better than Atlanta, who rose to 20-3 this weekend. The Giants are 13-0 when Ahmad Bradshaw or Brandon Jacobs hits the century mark. The Bears are 10-1 when Matt Forte gets to 100, and the Panthers are 8-1 when Jonathan Stewart does. The Bengals are 12-2 when Cedric Benson hits triple figures, while the Packers with Ryan Grant and the Steelers with Rashard Mendenhall are both 6-1. So while Atlanta's figure with Turner is very good, it's hardly unique. The Falcons are also 2-0 when Jason Snelling reaches 100 subbing for Turner.

The worst marks? In 2008, the Bills went 0-3 when Marshawn Lynch rushed for 100 yards, compared to 7-6 when he didn't. Since '08, the Rams are 4-11 when Steven Jackson hits 100. Obviously, a lot of this is about the team. Do you run because you're ahead, or because you have no other way of moving the ball?

15. Kansas City Chiefs [25] — Three straight victories; moving up the rankings quickly now. Matt Cassel's two giveaways were overshadowed by the performance of his defense, which came away with 6 picks. Everyone saw the highlights of Brandon Flowers' pick-six, but Flowers now leads the NFL in passes defended (15), and he's tied for 2nd in INTs (4). Derrick Johnson added 12 solo tackles, and KC notched its first shutout win since 2006 (41-0 vs. San Francisco).

16. Oakland Raiders [9] — After years of mediocrity in Washington, who'd have thought Jason Campbell would be missed so much? Washington would love to have him back at this point, and Oakland just imploded without him this week. Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer threw three picks each, including a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns, and the Raiders got shut out by Kansas City for the third time in the history of the rivalry. Darren McFadden sprained a foot this week, but early indications are that he'll be back in action after the Week 8 bye.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [13] — Lost to the Bears at their home field ... Wembley Stadium. The Buccaneers are 3-1 in Tampa, and it's not at all unrealistic to think their 24-18 loss in London might have been a 24-18 victory in a true home game. Insult to injury, their head-to-head loss to the 4-3 Bears could have playoff tiebreaker implications in January. Speaking of injuries, RB Earnest Graham tore his Achilles at Wembley and will miss the remainder of the season. Josh Freeman, who threw 6 INTs all of last season, already has 10 this year, most in the NFL.

18. Cincinnati Bengals [17] — Statistically elite defense, 4th in points allowed and 2nd in yards allowed, has feasted on weak opposition. The Browns (23), Broncos (25), 49ers (27), Bills (10), Jaguars (32), and Colts (30) boast five of the worst offenses in the league. AFC North defenses get an easy ride this season, but tell me Cincinnati has a great defense when they can shut down the Packers, Saints, or Patriots.

19. New York Giants [18] — First place in the NFC East, but does that really mean anything right now? The Giants lost to Seattle by double-digits, would have lost to Arizona if the ref knew the rules, and lost to Washington when Rex Grossman was still the quarterback. The Giants have done some things right, but the second half of their schedule is much nastier than the first half, and I suspect they'll fade.

20. Philadelphia Eagles [20] — This season, teams coming off the bye are 3-9. If that's the bad news, the good is that the Eagles now have three games in a row at home, and four of the next five. A win over Dallas in Week 8 would put Philadelphia right back into the NFC East race after their 1-4 start. A loss would leave the 2-5 Eagles very unlikely to reach the postseason.

21. Tennessee Titans [14] — Second straight blowout loss after they opened 3-1. Chris Johnson fantasy owners, it is time to accept that CJ2K is not an every-week starter. The Titans are the worst rushing team in the league, by a huge margin. They average 64.3 yards per game, 20% worse than 31st-place Seattle (80 yds/gm). There are actually 11 teams averaging more than twice as many rushing yards as Tennessee. The Titans average 3.04 yards per carry, ¼-yard worse than the 31st-place Giants (3.28). Nineteen teams average at least a yard more than Tennessee, and four average at least 2 yards better. Johnson owners can leave him in waiting for the real C.J. to please stand up, but it's more likely that you're going to keep getting burned.

22. Carolina Panthers [26] — Did anyone else notice that play-by-play announcer Chris Myers said Greg Olsen was "split out to the right" on a play when he was lined up tight to the left? Or that Tim Ryan called Cam Newton a triple-threat? Okay: running, passing, and ... what? Receiving? Tackling? I bet he'd be a decent return man, actually. Newton still has more INTs (9) than passing TDs (8), but his combined rushing + passing TD total (15) ranks 5th in the NFL, behind only Rodgers, Brees, Tom Brady, and Stafford. Steve Smith (143 rec yds) continues to have a terrific season.

23. Washington Redskins [21] — Injuries continue to mount. A week after losing two offensive linemen and tight end Chris Cooley, the team also watched Tim Hightower, Santana Moss, and London Fletcher go down. Of those losses, Hightower is probably the least problematic, while Kory Lichtensteiger and Moss are the most. Trent Williams and Fletcher should be back soon, but Lichtensteiger is out for the year, and Moss for 1-2 months. Moss' absence leaves tight end Fred Davis as probably the team's best receiver, followed by ... Jabar Gaffney, maybe? The injuries don't leave new QB John Beck in an easy position to succeed.

24. Cleveland Browns [23] — On a day when Montario Hardesty proved he can run just as inefficiently as Peyton Hillis (2.9 avg) and Colt McCoy probably would have helped the team by faking an injury so Seneca Wallace could play, the defense delivered a victory, holding Seattle to 9 first downs, 137 yards, and 3 points. Cleveland had a staggering 25:52 edge in time of possession, and yet only won by a field goal. The Browns have scored 20 points in a game only once this season, Week 2 against the Colts.

25. Denver Broncos [24] — At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Charlie Ward Tim Tebow was 3-of-8 for 24 yards, with 4 sacks for 22 yards. That's 2 yards. He did have 6 rushes for 48 yards. That's 18 plays, 50 yards, which is still terrible. I know he "just wins games", but I'm not at all sold that this guy can play quarterback in the NFL. If Tebow weren't white, he'd be a running back or a safety or something. I don't think beating the winless Dolphins proves anything.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars [28] — On a night when Maurice Jones-Drew fumbled 18 times (not really) and Blaine Gabbert completed just 9 passes (yes really) for 93 yards (yes, really), they won with great defense — especially in the secondary — and four field goals from Josh Scobee, including three from beyond 50 yards. Scobee has become one of the elite kickers in the NFL.

27. Seattle Seahawks [22] — Offense was missing QB Tarvaris Jackson and RB Marshawn Lynch. Like, actually missing them. I know those guys aren't exactly Aaron Rodgers and Arian Foster, but Seattle's offense was awful this weekend. DE Chris Clemons, who last year recorded 11 sacks in his first season as a full-time starter, already has 6 this year, including 4 in the last two games.

28. Minnesota Vikings [29] — Last week, I wrote that Adrian Peterson hasn't earned comparisons to Jim Brown, Walter Payton, O.J. Simpson, and Eric Dickerson. I stand by that, but man, what a run on the last play of the third quarter this week. Not being Brown or Simpson doesn't mean you're not a special player. Peterson has been one of the three or four best RBs in the NFL every year of his career, and if that sounds more like Tony Dorsett or Ricky Watters than Eric Dickerson, it's still pretty damn good. Christian Ponder appeared to provide a spark for the offense.

29. Arizona Cardinals [31] — From 2008-09, Kurt Warner passed for 8,336 yards — about 265 per game — with 56 TDs and 28 INTs. In the year and a half since Warner retired, Arizona QBs have thrown for 4,839 yards — about 220 per game — with 17 TDs and 27 picks. It's too early to cast judgment on Kevin Kolb, but certainly he's been a disappointment so far. Beanie Wells is expected to miss two games following his injury this week.

30. Miami Dolphins [27] — Gave up a 15-0 lead in the last three minutes and lost in overtime. Miami sacked Tebow 7 times this week, went 3-for-3 on field goals, and only committed two penalties, but couldn't put enough points on the board to win. Fewest TDs this season: Rams (5), Jags (6), Dolphins (7). No one else is below 10.

31. Indianapolis Colts [30] — On Jimmy Graham's first TD reception, four Colts backed off at the last second to let him make the catch. Very strange play. I appreciate Michele Tafoya's professionalism: even with the Colts down 55 in the fourth quarter, she interrupted her report from the sideline so she wouldn't talk over the play. Less than halfway through the season, the Colts have more losses than in any of the previous nine seasons.

32. St. Louis Rams [32] — Hard to imagine anyone being worse than the Colts after Sunday night's humiliating beatdown, but the Rams are a special kind of awful. They've been outscored 171-56, and they just gave up 253 yards to a guy who had 71 career rushing yards before that. Not to be mean, but I'm kind of rooting for the Rams to have the worst record this year so we can see if they'll draft Andrew Luck in 2012. If he's as good as the hype, it's not too early to give up on Sam Bradford.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 6:50 PM | Comments (3)

MLB Files Lawsuit on Manner of Exposed Finances

Major League Baseball should be enjoying the fruits of an above-average 2011 postseason performance, which will be crucial to the impending expiration of its Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association on December 31, 2011.

Additionally, TV broadcasters and their advertisers are keen on seeing the length of both 2011 League Championship Series and now the current World Series to extend as deep into October as possible.

And could it be that MLB commissioner, Bud Selig, et al., lucked out this year with back-to-back appearances by the Texas Rangers in the 2010 and the 2011 World Series facing the St. Louis Cardinals, thought to be done for the season back in August?

But because it is more about the money game in MLB, albeit also the case for the other professional sports, there is a prevailing defiance by MLB that pokes out its ugly head every now and again from within its realms.

No stranger to pettiness and a cloak-and-dagger management style, MLB beholds the kind of high-handedness once only reserved for certain factions of government and within the corporate world.

At a time during this postseason when MLB should be building its fan base, especially in light of another impending CBA negotiation that sports fans have otherwise had a belly full of this year, MLB remains tone deaf.

To wit, lost amongst the more sensational sports headlines these past few weeks is another day in court sought by MLB, giving new meaning to the term arrogance.

In New York State Supreme Court on October 7, 2011, MLB filed a claim against Beazley Insurance Co., Inc. d/b/a Beazley Co., one of six of its insurers that MLB believes could have leaked financial data to Deadspin.com, which was published in August 2010, and an Associated Press story also written at that time.

The premise of the story by the AP and the data Deadspin.com published revolved around the financial statements of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Tampa By Rays, and the Seattle Mariners from 2007-2008; the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners from 2008-2009; and a workbook containing a draft of the finances of the Texas Rangers from 2007-2008, which preceded the club's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed in May 2010.

MLB's purpose of its filing for injunctive relief is to force Beazley Co., a Lloyd's of London syndicated company, to admit it broke its confidentiality agreement with MLB. Through the preliminary discovery process, MLB intends to prove Beazley's malfeasance through legal access to Beazley's documentation.

Beazley contends it did its own internal audit and has no indication that any person in its organization leaked the financial statements to the press. Therefore, this is a game of chicken that can only end up with egg on MLB's proverbial face. The deed is done, regardless of whom, of potential thousands of people who may have leaked the information. And ultimately the leaked data could have come from within MLB's very own offices.

But the matter of the leaked financial figures that showed that the aforementioned teams had previously claimed that they were in the red and were actually making a profit is not the lawsuit's matter of contention. Rather, "The information contained in the financial statements is confidential, and publication of the financial statements is detrimental to MLB, to the teams within its organizational structure, and specifically to the Subject Clubs," according to the filed claim by MLB for injunctive relief.

The claim also indicated that 10 MLB teams had handed over confidential financial statements to no less than 20 insurers in 2010. And MLB claims the relevance is because it was looking for liability insurance for its Board of Directors. Why MLB is so convinced that Beazley is the lone culprit is a mystery. And the connection between the release of financial statements of individual clubs and its liability coverage for its own board remains to be seen.

Also important to MLB is that it should be recognized as a private corporation, without any legal obligation to publicly disclose its finances and sources of revenue, or even salaries of its executives — including Bud Selig's — unlike that of a publicly-held corporation.

MLB hides behind "the curtain" in a way not dissimilar to the one used by the Wizard of Oz. And Bud Selig might truly believe, in his own world, that he is not far removed from being the Great and Powerful Oz, himself — accountable to no one.

But with the federal anti-trust exemptions that MLB enjoys; the public-private partnerships for taxpayer-funded stadiums nationwide; public funds for the necessary infrastructure and garages for such stadiums and tax abatements and tax free bonds issued by municipalities; fan patronage of game tickets, stadium concessions, parking and merchandise, and MLB.TV subscription media; its affiliation with non-profit organizations; broadcasting contracts with partners over publicly owned airwaves; are only a few that come to mind of "public" entities intertwined within the daily management and businesses of MLB.

And the ultimate insult to fans is that MLB tries to pawn itself off as a business as innocuous as the neighborhood deli.

But the primary question on behalf of not only consumers of MLB, but also taxpayers and even the MLBPA, is if the leaked financial statements are even accurate. Without "open books," MLB baseball and its clubs have various mechanisms available to them allowing them to squirrel away certain expenses and revenue income without them appearing as such on a balance sheet. And to that end, even the IRS most likely does not have the correct numbers, either.

And both federal and state governments have enabled such fuzzy math not only from MLB, but as we have seen with the NFL and especially during this current NBA lockout.

Cities and states are so hungry for additional revenue and potential jobs that things are only expected to get worse in terms of finding accurate numbers among thieves.

For example, there is an abuse of accounting practices throughout all of the professional sports leagues according to many Certified Public Accountants, in the field. It is essentially a case of how far they can push the envelope without being caught. And in MLB, the jury is still out as to whether any of its teams are truly losing money — not unlike claims from the NBA — in spite of revenue sharing and the luxury tax.

Although a financial statement of MLB's projected 2001 earnings was presented to the House Judiciary Committee when Bud Selig testified before it on December 6, 2001, his testimony then was about how "between 1995 and 1999, only three teams — 10 percent of the industry — the New York Yankees, the Colorado Rockies, and the Cleveland Indians, were profitable. During that five-year period, on operations alone, the industry lost in excess of $1 billion figures," according then to Mr. Selig. So this is indeed a topic near and dear to his heart. But the question is was he telling the truth then or is he lying now about MLB's prosperity?

Unfortunately, we the public are no closer to getting accurate figures on MLB genuine revenues — in spite of this soon to be negotiated CBA — than we are to cracking the code to the vault in the U.S. mint. And it is not enough to take MLB at its word, given all of its hide-the-ball accounting practices.

Given the timing of MLB's lawsuit against one its own insurers, could its timing be any worse? Instead of spending resources this postseason to bring young fans into the game of baseball and to maybe win back many whom they lost long ago in the 1990s, MLB is seemingly squandering any goodwill left towards it and chooses to maintain an image of the Big Bad Wolf.

While the NBA is in peril of losing its entire 2011-2012 season, also over fuzzy math, NBA Commissioner David Stern claims that 23 of its teams were in the red for the 2010-2011 season, arguably one of its most popular years in its history. The National Basketball League Players Association (NBAPA) believes only eight teams were in the red; again, non-disclosure of accurate figures presides.

As noted, MLB is counting on good viewing numbers from the TV ratings following this 2011 World Series. But if it does not keep itself from getting in its own way on many fronts, its fan base will continue to erode. Of note, according to the TV ratings from the 2010 postseason, the age of the average viewer was 52-years-old.

Finally, unless MLB gets some serious treatment for its myopia, it will continue to conveniently bend reality for its own endeavors of self-entitlement.

And that begs the question: will MLB also wind up in lockout mode?

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 11:48 AM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2011

"High Hit" Rule Needs Addressing

I'm all about player safety in football. Since my boys play the game, the last thing I want to see is one of them getting carted off on a stretcher with a neck or head injury. Heck, my oldest son lost half of his senior season in high school because his humerus got snapped in half from landing on the ball wrong. Seeing him get loaded into an ambulance and following it to the hospital was one of the saddest and most frightening moments of my life.

But his injury occurred on a freak play. It wasn't the result of someone "head hunting" him or making a vicious hit. It just happened. But lately in football, from the top down, commissioners and league presidents have been trying to eliminate the routine plays that cause injury, most notably the so-called helmet-to-helmet hits, hitting a defenseless receiver and any tackle that occurs above the shoulder pads. Again, player safety is of utmost importance to me, but it appears there is a lack of consistency when interpreting these rules, especially at the college level.

I'll use last night's game between Oregon State and my alma mater Washington State as an example. Twice, Cougar defenders were flagged for unnecessary roughness for tackles that were above the shoulder pads. Both times, even the TV announcers disagreed with the penalties. Why? Because the rules were interpreted incorrectly.

The first penalty was for a hit under the chin — not helmet-to-helmet, or even leading with the head — with the shoulder and forearm. It looked like a nasty hit, but it was as clean as this morning's laundry. Another reason it was an incorrect call was because the receiver had already caught the ball and had taken several steps to move upfield. He was no longer considered a "defenseless receiver" but a ballcarrier. The hit was completely legal and clean, but a penalty was called anyway. The announcer made the comment that if a running back was hit that way, there would be no foul. But because it was on a passing play, the officials automatically think they have to protect the receiver no matter the chronology of the play.

The second instance involved slight helmet-to-helmet contact, but nothing that would cause any damage to the receiver. It wasn't straight-on or broadside, just a glancing blow — maybe a penalty, but maybe not. However, when the penalty was announced, the referee indicated the personal foul was committed after the play. Not true. Nothing happened after the play, and what happened during the play could have been a penalty or not.

Where the glaring inconsistency occurred was near the end of the game when an Oregon State defender grabbed the WSU quarterback after he had thrown a pass, shoved him back several steps, and then slung him to the ground face-first. No penalty — clearly roughing the passer, but no flag was to be found. Whatever happened to protecting the quarterback at all cost?

So, in light of these inconsistencies, I have two suggestions that would either help to clear up the confusion as to what is a penalty-worthy hit, or that could eliminate that type of tackle altogether.

The first suggestion is to allow those types of penalties to be reviewable. They're judgment calls anyway, so why not let the replay official take a look and say, "No, that really wasn't a helmet-to-helmet hit. Even though it might have looked that way at full speed, the tape shows the defender made a clean hit and should not be penalized." Every other judgment call in college football is reviewable — was it a correct spot, was it really a fumble, was it really an incomplete pass? Why not add to the list, "Was it really an illegal hit?"

The second suggestion is to reduce the amount and size of pads that players wear so that self-preservation comes back into the hitters' minds. Rugby players play with little or no pads, and they don't seem to have the same rate of head and neck injuries that American football players do.

Also, have you ever watched film footage of games prior to 1950, before the plastic helmet and facemask came into widespread use? Those guys rarely tackled above the waist, let alone above the shoulders. With light, sparse pads and thin leather helmets with no facemasks, the guy hitting the ballcarrier was as likely to inflict as much damage on himself as he was his target. Players didn't hit — they tackled. Tackling is a lost art in the modern game. Players want to make the big "hit" rather than the fundamentally sound tackle. It looks better on the highlight shows. But if you take away their fearlessness to make that kind of a hit because they are less protected, they'll stop doing it.

But whatever the solution is, the issue of consistency needs to be addressed. The TV guys agreed that when a defender gets flagged for what he believes is a clean, legal hit, he gets confused as to what he can and can't do to bring a ballcarrier down. The same holds true for corners and safeties covering receivers. Sometimes the pass interference rule is just as inconsistent as the illegal hit rule. But that's for another article.

The bottom line, though, is that college football rule makers are handcuffing defenses in the name of player safety. And, while it opens up the offenses for exciting, high scoring games, it also frustrates the defenses that seemingly can't touch an offensive player carrying the ball. And if the best offense is a good defense, well … you get my point.

Posted by Adam Russell at 6:31 PM | Comments (0)

Better Than You Think

There are three college basketball teams that aren't being talked about as elite right now that should be. Let's take a look at those teams, along with a player on each team that might have a breakout year.

Butler Bulldogs

Some think of them as the darlings of mid-major schools, and other are left unimpressed, but this year's Butler team isn't going to be much worse than the 2010-2011 version that made it to the national championship game. I'm not saying they'll make it that far again — I don't think they will — but their level of talent is comparable to last year's squad. Some players, like incoming freshman Roosevelt Jones, have very high ceilings and haven't yet had a chance to show what they can do with 25-30 minutes per game.

One player to watch may be Sophomore Khyle Marshall. He only played more than 26 minutes one time last year, and in that game he recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The 6'6" Forward may get considerable playing time with Matt Howard gone, and if he does, don't surprised if he averages something in the vicinity of his numbers from that game.

Villanova Wildcats

Head coach Jay Wright has led this team to the Sweet 16 or farther in four of the last seven years, and I think he'll do it again this year. They had their second worst year under Wright (as far as conference standing in the Big East) last year, but look for them to bounce back this year. Think more along the lines of 10-8 or 11-7 in the Big East, and 25-8 overall. The 2011-2012 team should look a lot like the 2009-2010 team by the end of the year.

The Wildcats player to watch should be Maalik Wayns. The junior guard averaged nearly 14 points per game last year, and should be able to top those numbers this year. He may not be the most talented or even the most explosive player on the team, but I think he'll be the most consistent. Don't be surprised if averages near 19 points per game this year, something he did last year in every game in which he shot 40% or better from the field.

Wichita State Shockers

Last year's Shockers team hit their stride a little too late, but still ended the year with 29 wins and a NIT championship. The team this year looks different, but not too much worse. They have not one, but two seven-foot centers, and they have one of the hottest coaches in the country right now.

Most surprising to me is how far off of most people's radar they are. The sexy pick in the MVC appears to be the Creighton Blue Jays, who are a fantastic team, but I think they'll play second fiddle to Shockers this year. Wichita State's average victory in their NIT championship run was 76-60, including wins over teams that had received votes in top 25 polls previously in the year. They'll continue that kind of success this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they won 30 games.

A player to watch for Wichita State is Garrett Stutz, a 7'0" junior center. In games in which he scored 10 or more points last year, the Shockers were 10-0, but they were 6-7 when he scored 5 or less. He didn't play much last year (he never played more than 23 minutes in a single game), but in games in which he played at least 20 minutes, he averaged 14 points per game. If he's given the playing time he probably deserves, he could average around 16 points and 8 rebounds per game this year.

Posted by Paul Foeller at 1:55 PM | Comments (1)

October 23, 2011

A Long Time Gone

Even 39 years after the Russians beat the American basketball team in the gold medal game at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the event inspires "we wuz robbed" anger from those old enough to remember the longest three seconds in sport's history.

Hardly rivaling in magnitude the massacre of Israeli athletes and coaches mere days before, the game was emblematic of an era when ideological conflict between the free and communist worlds masqueraded as kumbaya moments and athletic competition.

If as anthropologists insist sports is warfare by alternate means, the first defeat of the American basketball team was far more than "whatever can go wrong will go wrong" happenstance. As window to history, it was a signature Cold War moment less about its final outcome than about a long time gone when Russia was the evil empire, the World Trade Center was newly opened, and terrorism was something others worried about.

Coming into the championship game, the Americans had a 63-game winning streak in Olympic competition and dating back to 1936 had won seven successive gold medals. But even before the game started, it should have been apparent that U.S. dominance was about to end.

At the least, the game pitted 19- and 20-year-old-college sophomore and juniors against bigger more battle-tested Russian professionals. Devoid of college seniors attending NBA rookie camps, what the team lacked in age was nothing compared to what it relatively lacked in experience. According to U.S. assistant coach John Bach, "The Soviets had played almost 400 games together. We had played 12 exhibition games and the trials."

Beyond deficiencies in age and experience, the U.S. was also lacking the best player in the nation. Bill Walton, the College Player of the Year, refused to try out for the team. And because Swen Nater, Walton's backup center at UCLA, left the team unhappy with his playing time, the red, white, and blue lacked a top quality low-post presence. However, even absent size and experience, the Americans still might have won had they also not suffered from a self-inflicted wound.

Instead of a pass and run up-tempo style, Hank Iba, the legendary but retired coach of Oklahoma State, employed a slowdown European style the Russians were familiar with. Far more harmful to the more explosive American squad than the offensively-challenged Soviets, a pace limiting possessions was a recipe for close games and potential disaster. And if further proof was needed that Iba shot his team in its sneakers, the U.S. changed to a fast-break game after Munich and would not lose for another 16 years.

The game started badly for the Americans and would only get worse. The Soviets scored the first 7 points and by halftime, their lead stood at five. With just over 12 minutes to play and down by 4, an unknown Russian sub flagrantly fouled Dwight Jones, America's top scorer and second leading rebounder. Jones raised his fist, a scuffle ensued, and both were ejected. Whether the fight was orchestrated may never be known, but what is undeniable is that with less than 10 minutes left, the Soviet advantage ballooned to 10.

With just over six minutes to go and up by 8, the Russian lead began to melt in the heat of a full-court American press. At the 46-second mark and ahead 49-48, the Soviets inbounded the ball and worked the clock down to ten seconds. After a blocked shot, Illinois State guard Doug Collins swiped a pass, drove to the rack, was undercut, and slid into the basket support. Later claiming he was knocked out, the soon-to-be first pick of the NBA draft went to the foul line for two shots. In what has been called "the most pressure-packed free throws in basketball history," Collins did not miss.

With three seconds to play, America up by one and protecting its first lead of the game, the Soviets inbounded the ball. As the ball reached mid-court, the Brazilian referee, seeing a "disturbance," halted the game with one second to play.

The "disturbance" was Soviet players and coaches running up and down the sideline frantically waving for a stoppage of play. Claiming they had called a timeout before Collins' free throws, a horn sounding just before his second foul shot signaled that request had come between his attempts, but was waived off by the referees. The distinction of when the Russians called a timeout was crucial.

Under international rules, once the ball is handed to the foul-shooter, a timeout request is invalid until the ball is inbounded. Yet conferring with the head of the International Basketball Federation having no authority during the game, the clock was reset to three seconds and the Soviets were granted an illegal timeout. It was not the only time the Russians would be spared that day.

As in a bad dream, the Russians again inbounded the ball, missed a desperation shot, and almost immediately a buzzer sounded, signaling an apparent American victory. But again it was not to be. In prematurely beginning play after the first clock stoppage, the game-clock had not been reset to the time standing still three-second standard. The Russian coach protested, the American celebration was stopped, the teams were ordered back on the floor, and the clock was again set to three seconds. For the Americans trapped in a twilight zone time warp, it was a deja vu horror show. For the Russians, it was proof of reincarnation.

Since twice being saved from defeat was apparently not enough, the Russians were given still a third chance for victory. With so little time remaining and inbounding the ball from under their own basket, that chance rested on a full court "Hail Mary" pass followed by a quick shot. Of course, with the Americans also realizing this, that scenario should have been nearly impossible. However, as was the case with so much that day, what should have been was a far cry from what turned out to be.

Guarding the inbounds pass, Tom McMillan was ordered to back off by the referee giving Ivan Edeshko a clear lane to throw the ball down the court. Once McMillan retreated almost out of the gym, the passer had an unobstructed view of 6'8" Alexsander Belov waiting under the American basket. With 7'2" Tom Burleson inexplicably sitting on the bench, and guarded by the far shorter Jim Forbes, BeLov caught the 90-foot pass, pivoted, bumped Forbes, and banked in a layup for the win. An eternity separating heaven and hell, the last three seconds of the game had taken 22 minutes to play.

To finalize what Bud Greenspan the well-known chronicler of the Olympic Games called "the biggest robbery in the history of the Olympics," the U.S. filed a formal complaint protesting the officiating of the game. With the five-member panel voting along political lines, the outcome was never in doubt. Although the Italian and Puerto Rican officials thought the American appeal had merit, communist bloc functionaries from Cuba, Poland, and Hungary sided with the Soviets. Little noticed and less it mattered, after the protest failed the official scorekeeper of the game stood up in front of his colleagues and proclaimed that the wrong team had won.

In the end, whatever the larger Cold War implications of what many believe ranks among the greatest injustices in the history of sports, its impact comes down to the most personal of levels. Whether the game's outcome resulted from officiating incompetence, an innocent but unfortunate confluence of events, or a cloak-and-dagger conspiracy, matters little for those denied their chance for athletic immortality.

For the 12 Americans on the team, the anniversary of the game last month once again prompted reflection on a long time gone that will haunt them forever. But for those believing that nothing happens by chance, perhaps they should have known they were destined to lose. For moments before he took the court in listening to "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted," Doug Collins had no way to know its "happiness is just an illusion" lyric could not have been more appropriate for the trials he and his team were about to face.

Posted by Neil Bright at 3:06 PM | Comments (2)

Ken Stabler Belongs in Hall of Fame

During the 1970s, some of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time played in the National Football League.

Without a doubt, franchise-type quarterbacks such as Terry Bradshaw, Joe Namath, Roger Staubach, and Fran Tarkenton are today enshrined forever in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Each one of these quarterbacks did amazing things during their careers and rightfully deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Each one of them contributed greatly to the meteoric rise of the NFL during their era and are a large part as to why pro football in America remains so popular throughout the world.

What remains puzzling is why a certain quarterback named Ken Stabler remains on the outside of the Hall of Fame, waiting patiently to get in.

For a number of years, Ken "The Snake" Stabler and the Silver and Black of the Oakland Raiders were a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. The 1976 Raiders reached the mountain top by winning Super Bowl XI after going a miraculous 13-1 in the regular season.

One of the main reasons I truly believe that Stabler belongs in the Hall of Fame is because he guided his team to a Super Bowl victory. Although Stabler threw only one touchdown pass in Super Bowl XI, the Raiders crushed the mighty Minnesota Vikings, 32-14.

While I'm not trying to compare Stabler to Bradshaw, "The Snake" passed for only 61 yards less than Bradshaw during his career. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Bradshaw is 46th in all-time passing yards, while Stabler is 47th. Shouldn't that account for something?

Another thing to consider when comparing Stabler's career passing yards to other quarterbacks of his caliber who are in the Hall of Fame is this: Namath is in the Hall of Fame, but didn't throw as many yards in his career as Stabler. The same can be said for other Hall of Fame quarterbacks that didn't throw as many yards as Stabler (George Blanda, Bobby Layne and Bob Griese). Even the great Bart Starr didn't throw for as many yards as Stabler, but is in the Hall of Fame.

Although several columnists throughout the years have written that Stabler isn't deserving because he threw too many interceptions, instead of touchdowns is a silly comparison. Namath is in the Hall of Fame, but also threw more interceptions in his career, too. When comparing Stabler and Namath for career passing touchdowns, guess who threw more? You got it, Stabler by 194 to 173.

As I previously wrote earlier this month when Al Davis passed away, Stabler was an icon for legions of kids playing sandlot football during the 1970s. Even though Stabler and the Raiders never had the squeaky clean image of Staubach and the Dallas Cowboys during the 1970s, it doesn't mean that Stabler didn't contribute greatly to the game.

Another interesting statistic about Stabler to consider for why he should be in the Hall of Fame is he was the fastest quarterback to win 100 games (in 150 games), even faster than Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas.

If you look up Stabler's career statistics at Pro-Football-Reference.com, you'll also notice a section entitled "similar players." Several Hall of Fame quarterbacks had similar careers, yet Stabler isn't in the Hall of Fame.

I could list other accomplishments of Stabler's, as well. Stabler was selected to play in four Pro Bowls and was selected first-team All-Pro in 1974.

Stabler had grit, poise, and that tremendous "just win, baby" attitude that shouldn't be ignored any longer. This man belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Period.

Posted by David Exum at 1:42 PM | Comments (5)

October 22, 2011

Memphis, Arizona On Parallel Paths

On Friday, March 18, 2011, two college basketball programs used to the national spotlight met in a first-round NCAA tournament game at the Bank of Oklahoma Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It was the type of game that would have been a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight matchup just a few years ago. Now it was a 12-5 matchup in the first round, with neither team expected to last the weekend.

Arizona, in the second season under Sean Miller, was back in the tournament for the first time since the messy transition out of the Lute Olson era broke a 25-year streak of NCAA tournament appearances.

Memphis, in the second season under Josh Pastner, was back in the tournament for the first time since former coach John Calipari ditched them for the brighter blue lights of Kentucky, taking his stream of future NBA all-star point guards with him to Lexington.

Both teams had rebuilt from scratch on the fly, and a win in this game would give them extra ammunition as they hit the recruiting trail. The facts it was a 12-5 game and Pastner was a former player on Arizona's 1997 title squad added an extra layer of intrigue.

The game was back and forth, with Memphis using their superior length and athleticism to harass Arizona into a slop fest. Memphis shot out to a 10-1 lead over the first four minutes, and held a 65-61 lead with a little more than six minutes to play.

In the end, though, Arizona prevailed 77-75 thanks to some clutch free throws from LaMont Jones (now at Iona) and a game-saving block by Derrick Williams, the second pick in June's NBA draft. The Wildcats would go on to beat Texas by one in the second round, then crush Duke in the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual champion Connecticut in the Elite Eight.

Pastner, meanwhile, was left to wonder how much of his super-talented-yet-often-undisciplined squad would hang around for another year in lieu of going pro.

Now seven months since that game in Tulsa, both Miller and Pastner are gearing up for another run.

Although the Wildcats lost Williams, they add a solid recruiting class of four featuring point guard Josiah Turner (ESPNU No. 15 in his class), shooting guard Nick Johnson (No. 22), and power forwards Angelo Chol (No. 61), and Sidiki Johnson (No. 94).

Miller will need the freshmen to contribute immediately, especially Turner and Johnson. While Arizona returns several main contributors like Kyle Fog and Solomon Hill, Williams was the difference between NIT first round and NCAA Elite Eight last year, and someone is going to have to be the new star.

(Next year's class is also loaded, with top-10 forwards Brandon Ashley and Grant Jerrett already signed on. ESPN has them ranked as the top class in the nation, although Shabazz Muhammad could push UCLA to the top spot if he heads to Westwood.)

Meanwhile, Pastner didn't need major reinforcements. He just needed budding stars Will Barton and Joe Jackson to stick around so they could use the experiences of an up-and-down freshman season to take a major step forward in the sophomore seasons.

Not only did Pastner get his wish with those two, he also added hometown freshman forward Adonis Thomas (No. 9 nationally) to a rotation that remained virtually intact from last season. And to make sure that everybody was ready to go, he added strength and conditioning coach Frank Matrisciano, aka "Hell's Trainer," a guy who won't tell anybody how old he is and trains special forces soldiers among his other hobbies.

(Weird people, those strength and conditioning coaches. Useful, but weird.)

Of course getting in shape is one thing. Winning on the court is another matter entirely. The weights don't block your game-winning shots like Williams or drain contested three-pointers like UConn's Kemba Walker did to the Wildcats.

Arizona has one of the tougher non-conference schedules in the country lined up with trips to Florida, Madison Square Garden to face St. John's, and Seattle to play Gonzaga. They also draw a road trip to California and Stanford as part of the Pac-12's new unbalanced schedule. (They skip the Oregon road trip this year and have home-and-home series with the Washington schools in the Pac-12 North and all five of the other Pac-12 South schools.)

Not to be outdone, Pastner's Tigers start off the season with a trip to Hawaii as part of the Maui Invitational with a first-round game against Michigan, then either Tennessee or Duke in the second round. Road trips to Miami, Louisville and Georgetown come later in December. Conference USA is no Pac-12, but that won't make the Tigers any less dangerous come March.

The Arizona and Memphis programs were already linked by Pastner, but that connection deepened this offseason when he hired former Wildcats stars Damon Stoudamire and Luke Walton as assistant coaches. Memphis has too much tradition of its own to just throw an "Arizona East" label on it, but it's getting pretty close.

For now, though, the two programs will continue to grow on parallel, non-intersecting paths. Unless of course they happen to meet again in five months.

Here's betting that if they do, it won't be in the first round.

Posted by Joshua Duffy at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)

Sox One Rally Beer Short of a Six-Pack

In New York and Philadelphia, the respective American and National League frontrunners flamed out a fortnight ago. The new Mr. October was discovered in Texas, Prince Fielder bid adieu to Milwaukee, and the World Series opened last week in the least likely of host cities only a month ago.

Nonetheless, Boston has been the Mecca of baseball conscience throughout the postseason, as off-field hijinks on Yawkey Way have made the Red Sox an October equivalent of the on-field train wreck they were in September. You just can't take your eyes off them, and no one is.

The harvest month began innocuously enough in these parts with the obligatory manager firing that typically accompanies the worst post-Labor Day collapse in MLB history. That was followed by assorted Who's-to-blame? polls all won by GM Theo Epstein in landslide plurality, and a bounty on him that is getting nastier the longer it takes Chicago to ante up and free him of the remaining term of his contract. In return, Red Sox Nation only asks that the Cubs take some of Theo's garbage along with him. Even a child is expected to clean up after himself, so why can't they grab a mop and soak up the $46 million balance on John Lackey's deal?

The second week of October was when things started getting real strange — even in a land where the GM once disguised himself in a gorilla suit, and the star designated hitter recently interrupted a press conference to complain about an official scorer then claimed he wants to play somewhere a little less dramatic.

The usual frivolity surrounding Yankee Elimination Day was overshadowed this year by reports of players drinking beer and romping down fried chicken while playing video games. Yes, in the clubhouse. And yes, during games. Okay, even in the dugout during games. Still, it's curious to us New Englanders that this would be so newsworthy. We all need help from the bottle to get through a Red Sox game, so why should players be any different? Besides, it is called rally beer. When your team wins only two of the 62 games in which they trailed after seven innings — the worst record in baseball, by the way — the rally cause needs all the help it can get. Turns out the beer really couldn't prevent imminent disappointment from happening and you'd wake to one helluva headache each September morn, but eventually you forgot about the losing.

Within another week, fans were once again reminded how the Red Sox organization is a lot like the mob: once you're in, you can't get out alive. A smooth exit didn't happen for Nomar Garciaparra or Pedro Martinez or Johnny Damon, and it wasn't happening for Tito Francona either. "Team sources" gutted the former manager and laid his innards bare for media hyenas across the country to pick at the carcass of his personal life in what became the public relations equivalent of a chemical warfare attack. It went way beyond the boundaries of human decency.

That Boston Globe piece set in motion the most bizarre series of finger-pointing and CYA maneuvers the sports world has ever seen. Fast forward to last Friday. Red Sox principal owner John Henry sheds the Cloak of Invisibility that he'd worn for three weeks and walks into the studio of one of Boston's two all-sports radio stations. He spends an unprecedented 70 minutes of air time distancing ownership from Francona's departure, the leaks about Tito's health and marital problems, and beer and chicken. Although well-received by the Boston media, Henry's visit backfires when he disavows any role in the Carl Crawford signing and his credibility on other matters is questioned both in the course of the interview and in the fact-checking that follows.

In just the past few days, we've had Jon Lester fessing up to the occasional rally beer and, of course, piling on his former manager, too. Almost immediately, "team sources" tweeted that his was not an entirely truthful account. Really, Mr. Henry? Don't worry. Nobody believes Lester had only one beer any more than they believe you had no knowledge of the goings on in either the clubhouse or dugout. Now Red Sox pitchers have started individually refuting the dugout story, but more witnesses have come forward putting beer in the dugout. What will come out next? Back-strapped beer tanks with under-the-collar siphon tubes they can carry to the mound?

Only a week ago, the Red Sox were just another overpaid and underachieving team not unlike the Phillies or Yankees. Today, Yawkey Way is now hosting happy hours in the dugout, holding its GM hostage, bashing a manager who delivered two titles to Boston, filling the airwaves with damage-controlling rhetoric, and dissing their $142 million left fielder, all before one pitch had been thrown in the World Series. They've even managed the near-impossible by disgracing the entire Red Sox Nation.

Baseball fans regard our team much as we do our children. One minute, we're proud of what they've accomplished; the next, we scold them for what they didn't do. Each of us lives by the unwritten rule that we alone can be critical of our kids, and we'll defend them before the outside world. The same goes for our team. I will turn on a Yankees fan who tells me Boston's starting pitching is suspect, just as fast as I'll turn on a neighbor who complains that my son's violin playing is making her dog howl.

But every so often, a baseball team will do the unconscionable. They'll go beyond where our kids would ever venture, beyond where any self-respecting fan can follow. That's how it is with the Boston Red Sox.

For years, we've had to put up with petulant behavior, hypersensitive feelings, questionable injuries, even quitting. Imagine explaining to your kids why Manny Ramirez left the bat on his shoulder for three straight strikes, or why being credited for every last RBI is so important to David Ortiz. To everyone else, we insist that both were instrumental in bringing Boston its only two titles in 91 years. But the antics by players, coaches, and front office — both between and beyond the foul lines — over the past two months demand to be answered with revolt. Our capacity for abuse has been tested daily since Labor Day, and the infrastructure of loyalty that bound the many generations of fans to team has cracked.

Right about now, you may think that God is not too popular within the watershed of the Charles River on account of His master plan this autumn. On the contrary, He is as caring and giving as ever here in Boston. After all, we may have lost a team we can respect and be proud of, but we've gained back our Sunday nights, don't have to listen to David Ortiz bitch about not being penciled in at first base tonight in St. Louis, and, best of all, no one's been hung over in a month.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 1:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2011

Fall Not-So-Classic

Wednesday night was Game 1 of the 2011 World Series and the minds of most sports fans hovered over one of the following thoughts:

- Will Carson Palmer start at quarterback for the Oakland Raiders this weekend?
- Is anyone really surprised that Rex Grossman got benched?
- I wonder how awesome Tim Tebow will be this weekend.*
- I wonder how much Tim Tebow will suck this weekend.**
- I wonder if I'm going to see that hot chick in the Eagles jersey at the bar again this weekend…
- Could I ever actually date an Eagles fan?

* fans in Denver
** fans everywhere else

Wait, what?

This is the World Series we're talking about. The culmination of a 162-game dogfight in which the best last two teams remaining go head-to-head in a best-of-seven battle and all fans want is more football?

Something is wrong with this.

Obviously, football's popularity has dwarfed that of baseball over the last decade and a half in the United States. This cannot be denied. But nevertheless, I cannot remember the last time I was less excited about a World Series (besides 2010, and 2009, and 2008 ... you get the point).

Yes, one factor is that the two teams playing are not "mine." However, I have grown up a diehard Cubs fan so, by that logic, I would have never cared about any World Series (cut to Louie crying in his shower like Tobias Funke on "Arrested Development"). That argument simply doesn't stand up.

I remember forcing my mom to buy me a foam tomahawk in 1991 because I couldn't wait to see Ron Gant, Dave Justice, or Fred McGriff clear the bases again. I remember jumping up and down almost as ridiculously as Joe Carter did when that sinking line-drive off of Mitch Williams disappeared beyond the left-field wall in the SkyDome in '93. Hell, I remember saying a prayer for Byung-Hyung Kim after he served up his 28th consecutive home run ball to the New York Yankees in 2001 (note: that number may be a little low).

To be honest, the last World Series I remember truly looking forward to dates all the way back to 2002, when Bionic Barry Bonds took on the Anaheim Angels by himself. Steroids aside, that was an exciting series. It had grit (David Eckstein), courage (Troy Percival), despair (Robb Nen), and a villain (Bonds). It had the perfect mixture of drama.

Gene Wojciechowski wrote a compelling article on ESPN.com offering suggestions to "fix" the Series. His ideas are all fodder for conversation, but could anything really repair the World Series?

I don't think so.

In my opinion, the World Series is not broken, the rest of the Major League Baseball season is. The reason that MLB playoffs were so enthralling for decades upon decades was that it was a rare commodity. It was nothing like regular season. All games were televised. The American League could play against the National League. And you were guaranteed that two of the best four teams would get what they deserved — a chance to go down in history.

Modern baseball has watered this down. For one, every game is now televised for every team all season. It's simply not that exciting to say that all the games will be on (especially when Joe Buck seems to announce literally 100% of nationally-televised events).

Secondly, interleague play has destroyed the mystique of AL vs. NL. I sometimes feel like the only person who still considers the two leagues to be separate entities. That's because, at this point, they really are not.

Third — and something I do not expect many to agree with — division realignment in 1993 was tragic in a way that many true fans do not quite notice. It almost entirely trivialized the 162-game journey teams took to get to the finish line. Over the course of that many games, a winning team needs to have a solid rotation, stingy defense, and a consistent lineup (e.g. 2011 Phillies, any Atlanta Braves team in the '90s).

However, in order to win during the playoffs, a team needs one (maybe two) good hot starter(s), a little bit of luck, and one dominant hot hitter (ladies and gentlemen, your 2011 St. Louis Cardinals). That's all. The formula for getting to the playoffs and getting through the playoffs is totally different. This is like taking a few of the top finishers in a marathon and then asking them to immediately run a 100-yard dash in order to claim the prize money.

It's no wonder that the highest-rated game from last year's World Series earned a 9-point Nielsen share (compare this to the 8 share earned by Game 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals and the [are you kidding me?] 71 share earned by the 2011 Super Bowl). To put it into perspective, the lowest-rated World Series game between 1984 and 2001 was a 9.4 — still higher than last year's most watched game.

Thus, in order to bring allure back to America's Pastime, the problem must be nipped in the bud (and drastically):

1) 154-game season.

2) No more interleague play.

3) Revive AL West/East and NL West/East as the only divisions (which would require the addition of a salary cap and major luxury tax fines against teams that go over).

4) Eliminate the best-of-five ALDS/NLDS (where 116-win seasons go to die).

5) Kindly (or not so kindly) ask Joe Buck to leave the premises.

Fans will then see the most deserving teams, most compelling players, and most competitive games.

I know that money won't allow it (lose the revenue of an entire series?) and that fans would never have it, but if baseball ever wants another memorable Fall Classic, it's time to look back at how things used to be before the wheel was reinvented.

Posted by Louie Centanni at 6:08 PM | Comments (1)

WTA Tour Championships Preview

The WTA Tour Championships are approaching and though the lineup isn't yet finalized as of this writing, it's time to take a look at what's in store.

On September 5th, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova became the first players to book their place in the Tour Championships. Being the first to secure a spot is always impressive, but even more so considering neither of them won a slam in 2011.

Wozniacki continued to underachieve at the major tournaments, but managed to win six titles throughout the year. At the Slams, she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the U.S. Open, whilst she could only manage a third round and fourth round and Roland Garros and Wimbledon, respectively. Despite holding on to her No. 1 ranking, it has been quite a disappointing year for the Dane who needs to prove she can do it on the big stage and maybe she can do that by going, improving on her runner-up position at last year's Tour Championships.

Sharapova, on the other hand, has only won two titles this year, but unlike Wozniacki reached a Slam final. The Russian reached the Wimbledon final before putting in a rather underwhelming performance against Petra Kvitova. It was the same story a month earlier, as well. At Roland Garros, she appeared to be in fine form, as she reached the semifinals where she had a torrid time as her serve capitulated.

Of the two of them, it is more likely that Sharapova will leave Istanbul with the title. Sharapova has probably had the slightly more consistent year, perhaps proven by the fact that she occupies the No. 2 spot in the race, having only played 14 tournaments. The rest of the top 10 have played at least 17. Furthermore, of the six others that have secured their spot, she only has a losing record against one of them and that is Kvitova. Wozniacki, however, only has a winning record over two of them, which perhaps explains why she has yet to make that major breakthrough.

Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka were next to reach the Tour Championships. Kvitova has won five titles, though her year will be best remembered for lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish at Wimbledon. After that triumph, her form dipped as she lost to Andrea Petkovic twice in the U.S. Open Series and then became the first Wimbledon Champion to lose in the first round of the U.S. Open. Perhaps the pressure of winning a Slam and the expectations thereafter were a bit too much for the young Czech.

Azarenka, for the for the last couple of years, has had much the same criticism thrown her way as Wozniacki. Azarenka is a proven talent, something she proved again in 2011 by winning two titles, but like Wozniacki, she has never taken that form and reproduced it at Slams. She did make a small stride towards one day winning a major as she reached her first Slam semifinal at Wimbledon. Once again, like Wozniacki, her record against the other competitors in Istanbul is far from excellent.

Besides Kvitova, two of the other three Slam winners will be in Istanbul. Li Na who won at Roland Garros and Sam Stosur who won the U.S. Open. Kim Clijsters is the other Slam winner, but she hasn't done enough to qualify for the year-end tournament.

Na made headlines at the start of the year when she became the first Chinese player to reach a Slam final, only for it to end in disappointment, but that wouldn't be the case at the French Open. Even though clay is far from her strongest surface, Na put together are remarkable two weeks and capped it off beautifully with a really good performance against the defending champion, Francesca Schiavone. Na became a sensation overnight and in a similar manner to Kvitova, she began to falter on court. She exited Wimbledon in the second round and the U.S. Open in round one. Her total lack of form since June is a concern and going into the WTA Tour Championships, she has to be the big outsider to take the title.

Stosur had a very poor start to the year, especially given how well 2010 had gone for her. In 2010, she reached her first Slam final at Roland Garros and when she lost there, there were some voices saying that she had blown her one chance at a major title. If her tennis before the U.S. Open Series was anything to go by, then those voices were correct, but somewhat against the odds, she reached the U.S. Open final, where she faced Serena Williams. Despite nobody giving her a chance, Stosur annihilated her 6-4, 6-2. Stosur will not be amongst those expected to win in Istanbul and it really is hard to make a case for her given that in 15 matches, she has never beaten Sharapova, Kvitova or Azarenka. However, she does like to defy the odds, but they do seem too hard to defy this time.

Vera Zvonareva completes the list of players that have confirmed their spot. The Russian was someone else who didn't have the same standard of season as 2010, but she did win two titles in 2011, whereas she only won one in 2010. Her record at the our Championships has been very good, including a runner-up place in 2008 and despite not being in the best form, she is capable of causing a surprise or two.

The final spot will be filled by Agnieszka Radwanska, Marion Bartoli, or Andrea Petkovic, but it would be a major shock if Radwanska doesn't take her place in Istanbul since she only needs to get past the first round in the Kremlin Cup as of this writing. Since the start of the U.S. Open Series, Radwanska has been playing some very good tennis, but she did under perform at the U.S. Open, whilst Bartoli has been consistent throughout the year and excelled at Roland Garros and then again a month later at Wimbledon.

Predicting who will make the semifinals or even win the tournament is slightly more difficult without knowing the groups, but given her pedigree and her record against most of the players in the tournament, it's hard to see past Sharapova.

Posted by Luke Broadbent at 11:23 AM | Comments (3)

October 20, 2011

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 7

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

San Diego @ NY Jets (E)

The 4-1 Chargers are rested after a bye week, and they'll travel to MetLife Stadium to face the Jets, who ended a three-game losing streak with a 24-6 win over the Dolphins last Monday.

"There's nothing wrong with an October trip to the Meadowlands," said Philip Rivers. "It's those January trips the Jets make to Quallcomm Stadium that are a problem. But this is not the Jets teams of old. Their confidence is shaken. The only 'swagger' they wear now is Old Spice, and they still stink. I'll do the trash-talking on Sunday, and I'll start by making a guarantee — than Rex Ryan will make a guarantee."

The Jets need a win to keep up with the Patriots, the AFC East pacesetters with a 5-1 record. New York's Monday night win capped a week in which many people, players included, questioned the team's commitment.

"That's unacceptable," Rex Ryan said. "Nobody points fingers around here except me, and any acquaintance of Antonio Cromartie seeking child support. Unfortunately, determining culpability on the field isn't as easy as a paternity test. Joe Namath says I'm 'too nice?' Well, he's right. For our mediocre 3-3 record, I'm giving everybody credit."

Hours before Sunday's kickoff, controversial photos of Rivers surface in the obscure Christian fashion magazine Je(sus)Q. In the spread, Rivers is seen wearing sensible khakis, accented with a Bible belt, and a cotton polo shirt. The uproar is over minutes later after a complaint from Mark Sanchez results in the mags being yanked from the newsstands.

San Diego's Vincent Jackson is matched up with Darrelle Revis, and gets stuck on "Revis Island," which limits Rivers' options. However, Malcolm Floyd visits "Cromartie Island," and as Cromartie's well-branched family tree can attest, everybody and her sister, once on "Cromartie Island," easily gets off.

Rivers throws for 246 yards and 2 scores to Floyd. San Diego wins, 26-22.

Houston @ Tennessee (-3)

The Titans emerged from their bye week with sole possession of the AFC South lead after the Texans lost in Baltimore last week. With a win on Sunday at LP Field, the Titans would own the outright lead in the South.

"It's great when you can do nothing and still 'win,'" Chris Johnson said. "I should know. It's the only thing I've done well this year. My yards per rush average is not much to speak of, but it's way better than my yards per dollar average."

After a 2-0 start, the Texans are 1-3 in their last four games, their latest defeat a 29-14 defeat at the hands of the Ravens. However, with a win in Tennessee, Houston would again be on top of the AFC South.

"Does this team lack toughness?" Gary Kubiak said. "If a team is a reflection of their coach, then the answer is 'yes.' I can only 'go to war' one way, and that's with a deck of cards. Maybe I need to be more like Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz and be more passionate. If we win, maybe I'll grab a handful of Mike Munchak's backside and tussle his hair, and see if that makes me a 'players' coach' in the eyes of onlookers."

Johnson breaks a hundred (dollar bill at a downtown Nashville strip club after the game), after rushing for 98 yards and a score. But a gutsy effort from Matt Schaub, who plays with a sore knee, leads the Texans to the win.

Houston wins, 24-23.

Washington @ Carolina (-3)

After playing within himself for the first four weeks of the season, Rex Grossman finally played up to expectations, throwing four interceptions in Washington's 20-13 loss to the Eagles. Grossman was benched in in the fourth quarter in favor of John Beck, who led the 'Skins to their only touchdown.

"That was the sorriest imitation of a quarterback I've ever seen," Mike Shanahan said. "That makes Grossman 'Rex in Affect.'

"No one ever said Rex was a 'game-changer. He's not. He's a 'season-changer.' That doesn't mean he's not my starter. I still have to evaluate game tape. If Rex hires an Academy Award-winning editor to edit the tape, then he may have a good chance to start."

The Panthers fell to 1-5 after last week's 31-17 loss in Atlanta. There's mounting frustration in Charlotte, and quarterback Cam Newton has not been afraid to express it.

"I may be a rookie," Cam Newton said, "but I'm not afraid to look a teammate in the eye and say, 'Yes, I did accept money to play at Auburn. And I also accepted money to play at Carolina. However, unlike many of my teammates, I've earned it. At both places.' If that's not leadership, then I don't know what is."

Beck gets the start, because Grossman is a "Loser," baby. The Redskins bounce back and win 23-20 behind a gritty defensive effort that forces 3 turnovers.

Chicago @ Tampa Bay (-1½)

The Bucs bounced back from week 5's humiliating 48-3 loss to the 49ers with a gutsy 26-20 win over the Saints last week, which put Tampa on top in the NFC South. They'll take on the 3-3 Bears in London's Wembley Stadium.

"Our lopsided loss to the 49ers was an aberration," Raheem Morris said, "much like Trent Dilfer with a Super Bowl ring, or Warren Sapp without a dip, or Jay Cutler with time to throw.

"We've played in London before, so we'll feel right at home. So at home, in fact, that the British royals have renamed their residence 'Buc-ingham Palace' for the week. Personally, I'm excited to meet Queen Elizabeth. I've never been with a Queen. She's never been with a black man. We could kill two birds with one stone if she'd allow be the honor of 'nighting' her. She is so money, and so monarchy."

Jay Cutler finds the going tough against the Buccaneers defense. Four sacks and 2 turnovers later, Tampa leaves the country with a 24-17 win.

Seattle @ Cleveland (-3)

The 2-3 Seahawks head to Cleveland's Dawg Pound, where the 2-3 Browns await. Seattle is second in the NFC West behind the 5-1 49ers, who, if the regular-season ended today, would have a playoff bye.

"If the playoffs ended today," Pete Carroll said, "the 49ers would win the division with five wins, just two less that we had last year in our 7-9, division-winning campaign. It's not often you can compliment a team for running away with the division, in Week 7.

"I'm surprised that Jim Harbaugh took the time to stop patting himself on the back to pat someone else on the back. Jim Schwartz should be honored. I've had my run-ins with Harbaugh before. Once, after his Stanford team ran up the score on my USC team, I famously asked him 'What's your deal?' About a year-and-a-half later I found out — five years, $25 million. That's chump change. USC would have paid me that to leave had I not resigned."

The Browns are 2-3 after last week's 24-17 loss in Oakland, and are the only team in the AFC North with a losing record, good for last in the North and second in the NFC West.

"So, Pete Carroll is recruiting Lebron James?" said Pat Shurmur. "Carroll is the perfect man for the job. After all, he's recruited pro athletes for an amateur team before. And this is no different. There might not be an NBA season, which people probably wouldn't notice until after the Super Bowl, so it's possible James could join the team in some capacity. If he does, let's just hope ESPN doesn't make his signing a one-hour special."

Cleveland wins, 23-16.

Atlanta @ Detroit (-4½)

The Lions are no longer undefeated after the visiting 49ers and confident coach Jim Harbaugh vanquished Detroit 25-19 at Ford Field last Sunday. The Lions will face another team with an upset on their minds when the Falcons visit.

"I like my hand like I like my martinis," Schwartz said. "Shaken, not stirred. I think it was obvious that after a loss in such an intense game, a handshake and a pat on the back was not what I needed. What I really needed was a hug. I came from Tennessee, birthplace of Elvis Presley. If I could get Presley to give Harbaugh a message, the King would sing 'Love Me Tender.'"

The Falcons leaned on workhorse running back Michael Turner to power past the Panthers 31-17 last week. As San Francisco showed, a power running game is one of the keys to beating the Lions.

"Detroit can expect heavy does of Turner," Mike Smith said, "and equally heavy doses of 'MSG,' which is the substance, totally legal, known as 'Mike Smith Goading' Jim Schwartz into a meltdown."

Turner powers for 110 yards and a score, and Matt Ryan throws for 2 touchdowns. Matt Bryant's 39-yard field goal gives the Falcons a 30-27 win.

After the game, Smith joy buzzes Schwartz in the post-game handshake, sending Schwartz stumbling off the field in a rage.

Denver @ Miami (-3)

John Fox could abstain no longer from starting Tim Tebow, so Tebow's bible-thumping exuberance will be on display when the Broncos head to Miami to face the winless Dolphins. Tebow will start in front of Kyle Orton, who was inconsistent in Denver's first four games.

"Denver fans expecting a miracle," Tebow said, "may be disappointed, or just stupid. But have faith, Tebow Nation. Given that the city of Miami has a ridiculously low water table, I could conceivably walk on water after a good thunderstorm. What you're likely to see, however, is something equally as rare as a miracle, but not nearly as impressive. That would be my patented jump-pass, the most un-NFL maneuver in the NFL."

The 0-5 Dolphins are a team in need, although a savior is well down the list, after quarterback, coach, running back, and mentally-stable wide receiver. Miami could manage only two field goals in last Monday's 24-6 loss to the Jets.

"First the good news," Tony Sparano said. "We've got a five-game losing streak. The bad news: that may just be the first of possibly three five-game losing streaks this year."

Brandon Marshall goes off against his former team, with seven catches for 147 yards and two scores. Tebow doesn't walk on water, and is only moderately more successful running on grass.

Miami wins, 26-21.

Pittsburgh @ Arizona (+4)

It's a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers beat the Cardinals 27-23 in Tampa. While the Steelers are still led by Ben Roethlisberger and an attacking defense, the Cardinals bear little resemblance to 2008's NFC champions.

"That was then," Ken Whisenhunt said. "This is now. And, judging by Kevin Kolb's play, now is not a good time. If you've been paying attention to Kolb, you're obviously in the same boat as the Cardinals organization — you've been 'paying' too much for Kolb.

I understand Ben Roethlisberger has fond memories of Arizona, particularly Lake Havasu during Spring Break 2002. Things won't be as hospitable for him this time."

The Steelers faced a surprisingly tough Jaguars team last week at Heinz Field, building a quick 17-0 lead and holding on for a 17-13 win. Pittsburgh is 4-2 and trails the Ravens in the AFC North.

"I don't think we'll be meeting the Cardinals in the Super Bowl this year," Mike Tomlin said. "In fact, I doubt we'll be meeting any team there."

The fired-up Cardinals erupt early, racing to a 13-0 lead. But the Steelers, led by Roethlisberger, come back late to take a 24-21 lead. Ryan Clark picks off Kolb to end the game.

Kansas City @ Oakland (-3½)

AFC West rivals collide when the Chiefs invade O.co Coliseum, also known as the "'O' Hole," but more familiarly as the "Black Hole." Kansas City seeks their third win of the year after an 0-3 start.

"And I'm more familiarly known as the 'A Hole,'" Todd Haley said. "Or at least to Matt Cassel. Matt and I have our differences, and one similarity— we're both only decent at what we do. I try to be respectful of my criticisms. Therefore, we practice a unique 'coach-quarterback privilege,' in which I don't tell anyone he's worth a damn.

"I hear that the Raiders need a quarterback. Big deal. When haven't the Raiders needed a quarterback? They've won Super Bowls without quarterbacks."

The Raiders beat the Browns 24-17 last week, but lost quarterback Jason Campbell for the year due to a broken collarbone. On Tuesday, Oakland acquired Carson Palmer in a trade with Cincinnati for two first-round picks.

"I never thought this would happen," Palmer said. "I didn't think Mike Brown would budge from his position. As it is, I'm going from one 'Black Hole' to another. I'd like to thank Brown for allowing this to happen. But mostly, I'd like to thank Andy Dalton for allowing this to happen."

Raiders win, 22-15.

Green Bay @ Minnesota (+9½)

After a 310-yard, 3-touchdown performance in a 24-3 win over the Rams, Aaron Rodgers has 17 TD passes on the year, putting him on pace to break Tom Brady's NFL record of 50.

"What's the difference between Brett Favre's shadow and that of Tom Brady?" Aaron Rodgers said. "Brady's leaves at sundown. Anyway, we're not looking past the Vikings to our Thanksgiving showdown with the Lions in Detroit. We can feast now, and feast later."

The Vikings are a disappointing 1-5 after Sunday night's 33-10 loss in Chicago. Adrian Peterson was held to 39 yards on the ground, and Donovan McNabb was again ineffective, held to 179 yards passing against a Bears defense that sacked him 5 times.

"Maybe signing a $100 million contract extension wasn't such a good idea," Peterson said. "Alas, I'm locked in to a five-year deal, and the trade deadline has passed, as well. In essence, nothing has changed, because I have nowhere to run."

As the team's captains meet at midfield, the roof of the Mall of America collapses under the weight of Vikings fan lowered expectations. Luckily, that means it drops only a few inches, and no one is hurt, or notices, for that matter. The Packers win the toss, and elect to receive, and elect to win.

Rodgers throws for 378 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Green Bay wins, 35-20.

St. Louis @ Dallas (-10½)

The Rams managed a paltry three points in last week's 24-3 loss in Green Bay, adding to the misery of an 0-5 start. The Rams are averaging an NFL-low 9.2 points per game, decent for a backup power forward, but not in the offensive-minded NFL.

"That's 'Lloyd' with two 'L's,'" Steve Spagnuolo said. "And this team welcomes anything with fewer 'Ls' than we. I think we've conceded the division to the 49ers. But that doesn't mean we can't improve our standing in the West. Third place seems like a reasonable goal. If we achieve that, we can comfortably call ourselves the 'Greatest 'Show' on Earth.'"

The Cowboys had the Patriots on the ropes last week, leading 16-13 late before Tom Brady engineered a game-winning touchdown drive. Dallas had the ball, a 16-13 lead, and full knowledge of Tom Brady's late-game brilliance, yet head coach Jason Garrett still chose the conservative route, with three running plays.

"That's Garrett's 'Puss' and Boots' game plan," Jerry Jones said, "which involved overly-safe play-calling that resulted mostly in field goals. Garrett essentially took the balls out of Tony Romo's hands. If Romo's balls aren't in his own hands, then they should be in mine."

If someone's not angry with Romo, then they're angry with Garrett, or Jones. Wisely, the 'Boys try a different approach, and get angry with their opponent.

Dallas wins, 27-13.

Indianapolis @ New Orleans (-14)

While a Curtis Painter/Drew Brees matchup at quarterback doesn't remotely compare to a Peyton Manning/Brees matchup, it's better than a Curtis Painter/Andy Dalton contest, which fans were treated to last week in Cincinnati.

"Curtis has learned what it takes to be an NFL starter," Jim Caldwell said. "That should serve him well next year, when he learns what it takes to be an NFL third-stringer, behind Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. In actuality, we should call him 'Curtis Primer,' because pretty soon, he won't be seen again."

The Saints lost a physical 26-20 NFC South showdown in Tampa last week. In that game, New Orleans head coach Sean Payton broke his leg when he was hit by Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.

"Coach got 'Plaxico Burress-ed,'" Drew Brees explained. "In other words, he was injured with a 'self'-inflicted wound."

Prior to the game, Manning gives Painter his one-sentence scouting report of the New Orleans defense: "beware the slant to Reggie Wayne."

New Orleans wins, 30-23.

Baltimore @ Jacksonville (+9)

Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert faces the intimidating Ravens defense just one week after taking on Pittsburgh's unit in a 17-13 Jaguars loss in Pittsburgh. Baltimore ranks third in the league in total defense, while the Steelers hold the top spot.

"That's what I call a 'trial by fire,'" Jack Del Rio said. "And if we don't start winning soon, Wayne Weaver will fire me without trial, or hesitation.

"I hear John Gruden signed a five-year extension to remain with Monday Night Football. I wonder if Ron Jaworski will be around for five more years. Probably not. Five more years of biting his tongue, and he won't have one left."

Baltimore wins, 23-12.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 7:13 PM | Comments (0)

NFL Nonsense

Over the past week, the NFL has had a few ridiculous happenings, all three of which need a solid rant.

Why don't we start in Minnesota?

I proclaim my home state the land of 10,000 old quarterbacks who can't make it through the season. Not as catchy, but equally true. Leslie Frazier made it known on Tuesday that Christian Ponder would be starting in Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, as Donavan McNabb has led the Vikings to a 1-5 record. This was inevitable after week three, maybe even Week 2. Without a legitimate shot at the playoffs, the Vikings want to see if Ponder can be their guy for the future.

I don't know what is wrong in Minnesota. Before the complete embarrassment at Chicago, the Vikings looked good at one point or another in pretty much every game. Adrian Peterson is himself. Jared Allen is having his best year yet. Percy Harvin looks sharp when he isn't complaining about his head, stomach, or little toe hurting. Their running game is ranked third in the NFL and their run defense is ranked fourth. They are crap (31st) in passing and mediocre (24th) against the pass, but what else would you expect from the Vikings? What is the problem?

Well, they are completely undisciplined. Penalties are hindering them beyond any coach's worst nightmare. Against San Diego, the Vikes had 9 penalties for 78 yards, giving away 5 first downs on penalties to the already-potent Chargers. Against Detroit, 10 penalties for 79 yards. Other teams have more penalties for more yards, but none shoots themselves in the foot more aptly than the Vikings. They have given up 11 first downs on penalties, nearly two every single game. Each penalty seems to take away a first down, give away a first down, or completely kill a drive. They simply cannot overcome their mistakes.

Another problem, that will be solved by Ponder in my opinion is third down conversions. The Vikes are at 36% right now on third down conversions. This is McNabb's true failing. After Peterson rushes for 4 yards twice, McNabb can't complete a two yard throw to keep the chains moving. Ponder should be able to pick up those short yardage third downs with his legs … and throw a 2-yard pass, as well.

It is my theory, that had there been no lockout, the Vikings would not have pursued McNabb. That is completely unprovable, I know. But Ponder not having the chance to play with the team through the summer really hurt his chances of being ready to lead the team. The Vikings were looking for a bandage fix and McNabb fit the bill … well, the bandage lasted 10 games fewer than expected. No big deal. I still wish I could see more of Joe Webb, the best third-string quarterback in the NFL. That kid has some potential if anybody ever decides to give him a look.

But what many people probably overlook in this Christian Ponder situation is that the Vikings are trying to get a stadium deal through the Minnesota legislature and their complete crap play can't have helped their cause. A special session was just called for earlier in the week and will take place from November 21-23 and that may decide the fate of the Vikings in Minnesota. It may also delay a decision until spring and beyond, but this is the time for the Vikings to show there is hope for their future in Minnesota. McNabb is not the future.

People may get behind Ponder, even if he loses. They just want to see potential for victory in 2012 and beyond. I'm not saying the entire fate of the NFL in Minnesota rests on Ponder, but he could have a real impact and that's no overstatement. And yes, I think the decision to start Ponder in Week 7 was at least 50% motivated by a reaction to the Minnesota politics.

Minnesota remains one of the most talented teams in the league. They also remain 1-5 when they could easily be 5-1.

Let's move on to Oakland and Cincinnati.

When Jason Campbell went down with a broken collarbone, pretty much everybody could guess as to the Raiders' potential moves: contact David Garrard, contact Carson Palmer and the Bengals, if those don't pan out, contact Denver and Kyle Orton, if those don't pan out, call Brett Favre. If he's not available, see if Jeff George is still alive.

I'll admit, the Palmer deal was a surprise to me on many levels. Firstly, that the Bengals allowed a trade was a surprise given their attitude about the entire situation. Secondly, that the Raiders were willing to give up (potentially) two first round picks for Palmer is just baffling. First round picks are a premium and letting two go for one guy means that guy is pretty special and he can bring your team to a new level.

The Bengals got the better end of the deal. Jason Campbell is nothing more than a serviceable quarterback. With him, the Raiders may have gone 9-7 or 10-6, possibly 11-5 and been on the cusp of the playoffs in the midst of a strong AFC.

With Palmer, that might change by a game, if Palmer is on his game. Perhaps they'll find themselves at 10-6 or 11-5, still playing in the first week of the playoffs against a very strong opponent.

But how different would it have been with Kyle Boller? 8-8, 9-7, or 10-6? Still in the playoffs? If the Raiders had more pieces of the puzzle to make a run at the Super Bowl, I could see this panning out, but they simply won't get there this year, not with all of the power in the AFC.
But what this trade has done for the Bengals is huge. The Raiders will probably have a pick somewhere between 20 and 25. The Bengals will probably have a similar pick in the 2012 draft. One or both of those picks could easily be leveraged to get a higher pick not named Andrew Luck. Andy Dalton to A.J. Green looks pretty good. Imagine how good Andy Dalton to Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon would look. Or think about the Bengals with USC's Matt Kalil at left tackle.

This trade could easily make the 2012 AFC North the best division in football and it's already pretty good.

Finally, to San Francisco and Detroit, where coaches cuss and yell and pretend they're going to fight each other.

Give me a break. Players are tending to defend the actions of Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwarz and I must say I disagree. Football is an emotional sport, an emotional game. Yeah, I get it, but if you can't shake the hand of the coach across the field and say 10 civil words after a win or a loss, you shouldn't be a coach in the NFL. We can do better.

I know, Schwarz and Harbaugh are both doing a hell of a job on clubs that have been poor for many recent years. Both are in the running for coach of the year at this point, but what I saw this past Sunday was not coach of the year material.

To Harbaugh I say: beating Detroit is not winning the Super Bowl. Try to contain yourself. If you beat Baltimore in Week 12, are you going to wet your pants?

I know Harbaugh is a winning coach, a success story with an under-talented team, but this guy has no class. He runs up the score too often and his attitude takes meaning away from his team's victory, shining the spotlight onto himself. I'm sure the 49ers are glad to have him, but disciplinary action should have been taken. Not fining these coaches fails to send the message that such uncontrolled behavior is unacceptable. Players are getting fined left and right for hard hits, regardless of intent. Coaches should be held accountable, as well. It should have started with Harbaugh and Schwarz. No fine set a bad precedent.

To Schwartz I say: overreact much? Seriously, go back and watch the tape of yourself after your win over the Vikings or Cowboys. You're no better than Harbaugh.

Schwartz and Harbaugh's ridiculously stubborn attitudes about apologizing make me want to vomit. Schwarz called the situation "regrettable," while Harbaugh said apologies were just excuses. For God's sake, when you make a mistake, you apologize. It is common human decency. You both made mistakes; you can both apologize. Nobody will think you giant wimps for saying you are sorry for what you did. Not doing so means that you don't recognize that you were acting like a complete baby.

I wouldn't follow anyone who refuses to apologize for mistakes. Both these guys might be the driving forces behind two winning football teams, but not taking responsibility for one's actions and appropriately apologizing will not mean continued winning that is built to last.

Posted by Andrew Jones at 6:13 PM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2011

How the Players Can Win the NBA Lockout

The NBA lockout has forced cancellation of the preseason and now the first two weeks of the regular season. The buzzword for the start of the season is now Christmas. Each side of the lockout is digging in for the long haul and waiting to call each other's bluff.

There is no outcry by fans like there was in football about the possible loss of a season. Losing regular season games for some fans is a step in a positive direction. Many fans want to fast-forward to the playoffs every year and the lockout only helps that situation.

This sporting labor impasse doesn't have the clear villain and hero component of other labor disputes. It is tough to side with the players because the salary structure of the NBA is out of control, but it isn't their fault the owners can't help themselves when it comes to paying players and finding loopholes in the system to do so. It is tough to blame the players for taking advantage of the system and getting paid and tough to blame the owners for wanting to change the system. Both parties are at fault and from all news accounts, both sides seem to acknowledge the system is broken.

The players have tried to get public opinion on their side by jokingly talking about working retail or playing football or trying to organize a Twitter campaign and even threatening to play overseas. None of this has mattered to fans or given the players leverage during negotiations. It is tough to imagine players making $10 an hour when their NBA salary is millions. The Twitter campaign fell flat as people complained the players' tweets were bothersome. Finally, many overseas leagues are not worth playing in because of low salary and the leagues are demanding players play a full season regardless if the lockout is ended (China).

The NBA players have one thing that the owners don't have and that is their talent. It is their talent that needs to be leveraged to win the lockout. Their current barnstorming games are a good start, but the real answer lies in what Amar'e Stoudemire has hinted at and that is a players league.

There are many reasons that a lockout league will work, but there are a few hurdles to starting the league. The bottom line is simple, basketball is the one major sport that can leverage its talent in a way no other league can.

A players league should not be considered a long-term solution to the NBA lockout nor an alternative the NBA. The point in a players league is to get the game back in front of the fans and show the owners that they are needed, but the game lies with the players and the game of basketball can go on without owners. Also, if pressed, a players league can sustain the players in the short-term and could be a viable business for the long-term. It would also give the fans a reason to support the players and put pressure on the owners to resolve the lockout.

The players league would need teams, places to play, a TV contract, and insurance. As each one of those issues is addressed, the most difficult issue of insurance would eventually come to the new league.

Teams

Teams would be owned by players and any partners players would want to bring in their business. Each team would need to have as the majority owner a current player or group of players. Any player who would want to play is eligible for a draft that would be held. The number of teams is limited by the number of interested players and owners. If rosters are 10 players and 100 players are interested, then it is 10 teams. If more than 11 groups are interested, but there are only players for 10 teams, a bidding war is started for the 10 spots.

The most likely scenario is that there will be 15 to 20 teams in the new league with a mix of stars and role players. Many players would sit out, but judging by the participation and success of the barnstorming games, many may want to play.

Salaries would be based on revenue of the league. All revenue would be put into one pot and then would be divided 50% to the players and 50% to the owners. It is by no means a perfect system and one where there would not necessarily be a lot of money generated. Trying to compete with the NBA is not the point in the league. It is meant to be a temporary home for the players and to provide leverage for the players in their negotiations to end the lockout. This league is about leverage.

The Stadium Issue

Basketball can be played almost anywhere with a minimum investment. All that is needed is a court, a ball, a net, and some bleachers. Technically, all of the major sports can be played with a minimum investment, but basketball's cost of entry is not a helmet, bat, ball, gloves, or a manicured field. The game of basketball can be played indoors and outdoors on a wood court or pavement and soon on an aircraft carrier.

Games are already being played in alternative venues as part of the players' barnstorming tour. There are a lot of smaller minor league hockey stadiums that will not host 20,000 people, but sell-out crowds of 10,000 wouldn't be as it appears because average NBA attendance was around 17,000 last season. NBA owners would see stadiums filled, people who want basketball, and realize none of that is happening under their watch.

Additionally, it would allow the players to take the game of basketball to new venues. The outdoor game for the NHL has been a huge success and college basketball will have a game on an aircraft carrier, so why can't NBA players have games on the beach or at casinos or in rotating cities? Instead of teams beholden to cities, what if teams scheduled games in cities that were hungry for NBA quality games? What if this league scheduled games in Las Vegas, Seattle, Tampa, Mexico City, and London?

Instead of league organized by city, the league would be organized by owners and would play around the world in a structured format. Promoters would book exotic venues for teams to play in for a limited engagement. Finally, the NBA would have NFL-like scarcity of games. Cities would be exposed to multiple teams and fans could root for multiple teams. Fans would be rooting for the game of basketball and the players. The current NBA model has owners holding fans hostage for their loyalty. What if there were no home cities only players and teams to root for?

Television Contract

The most likely home for these games is the soon to be rebranded Versus Network, FOX, and CBS Sports Network. TBS, TNT, ABC, and ESPN are beholden to the NBA and probably wouldn't want to air the games. Versus is about to become NBC Sports in January and like CBS Sports Network, it is looking for content. The first deal Versus had with the NHL benefited both the league and Versus with little to no risk to either group and would be a good model for the new league. The deal was no rights fees and shared ad revenue.

Insurance

It is hard to believe that with all of the above in place, the new league would be unable to secure insurance. There are many fledgling professional leagues (minor league hockey and baseball) in operation that are able to secure insurance coverage.

The most important part of this league is to understand the purpose is to provide leverage for the players. Owners are waiting for the season to start and the players to start missing checks and that is a large part of the leverage they hold. If players can prove to owners that they can replace some of that money with a league of their own and that they can hold out as long as it takes to get the deal they want, then the players will take back some of the power the owners have.

Posted by Vito Curcuru at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 31

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards — Edwards scored his third-straight top-five finish, posting a third in the Bank of America 500. Edwards increased his lead in the point standings, and now holds a 5-point advantage over Kevin Harvick.

"A third place when Jimmie Johnson finishes 34th," Edwards said, "sure feels a lot better than a third place when he finishes first. But if there's one place to make a huge comeback in the points, it's Talladega. I just hope I'm still 'running' when the race ends. That is, I hope my car is still running at the end."

2. Kevin Harvick — Harvick finished sixth at Charlotte, matching his result at Kansas last week, and stayed right on the tail of Carl Edwards, who finished third. Harvick now trails Edwards by 5.

"It's interesting," Harvick said, "that the top 2 drivers in the point standings don't have a single win in the Chase. Dare I say, "Consistency wins championships." NASCAR doesn't want to hear that, especially after a Matt Kenseth win."

3. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth passed Kyle Busch on a restart with 25 laps to go and cruised to the win in the Bank of America 500. It was Kenseth's fourth consecutive top-six finish, and powered him forward two places in the standings, where he trails Carl Edwards by seven.

"Please understand if I'm characteristically silent," Kenseth said. "It's because I'm thanking my sponsors."

4. Kyle Busch — Busch led a race-high 111 laps at Charlotte, but lost the lead 25 laps from the end when Matt Kenseth nosed by on a restart. Busch held off Carl Edwards down the stretch for second, and improved four places in the point standings to fourth, 18 out of first.

"I'm certainly pleased," Busch said. "I started last after an engine change and still managed a runner-up finish. Obviously, I have better success when I start last than when I start first. Carl and I really battled in the closing laps. As you probably saw, he stuck his head into my car and had a few words for me. I was shocked — that, judging by Carl's high opinion of himself, that his head would even fit in the car."

5. Tony Stewart — Stewart bounced back from two Chase-killing finishes in Dover and Kansas with a ninth at Charlotte, his 14th top-10 result of the year. Stewart is 25 points out of the lead in the point standings with five races remaining.

"I've been declared 'dead' and then 'alive' more than any Chaser," Stewart said. "Luckily, I have sponsors for next year, so there's no danger of anyone pulling the 'plug' on me."

6. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson's wave of momentum after winning at Kansas came to a stunning halt when he slammed the Charlotte Motor Speedway wall 17 laps from the end in the Bank of America 500. He finished 34th, and fell from third to eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 35 out of first.

"That was one heck of an 'impact,'" Johnson said. "And I hit the wall pretty hard, too.

"My detractors often say I'm too 'vanilla.' Not any more, because I just made the Chase a lot more interesting."

7. Kurt Busch — Busch finished 13th in the Bank of America 500 and dropped one spot in the Sprint Cup point standings to seventh, 27 out of first.

"I won't shed a tear for the plight of Jimmie Johnson," Busch said. "But I know what he must be feeling. I've taken 'hard rights' like that before myself. It hurt the next day, mostly in my jaw. But I believe Jimmie will be feeling this for about five weeks."

8. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski struggled at Charlotte, finishing one lap down in 16th. He fell two places in the point standings to sixth, 25 out of first.

"I'm 25 off the lead," Keselowski said, "but only two ahead of my Penske teammate Kurt Busch. We may be too far back to be considered legitimate contenders for the Sprint Cup. That's okay, because we're used to being no one's favorites."

9. Ryan Newman — Newman led six laps at Charlotte and finished tenth, his first top-10 in the last four races. He improved one place to tenth in the point standings and is 61 out of first.

"I may be out of contention for the Sprint Cup," Newman said, "but I've got a great seat to watch the second half of the Chase develop. There are possibly seven drivers with a chance to win the Cup. It will be interesting to see things unfold, and which drivers fold."

10. Jeff Gordon — Gordon was working on a potential top-10 finish when contact with Kasey Kahne sent him for a spin on a lap 43 restart. He finished 21st, and is now 11th in the point standings, 66 out of first.

"Jimmie Johnson may be down," Gordon said, "but he's not out. I guarantee you he's still visualizing winning the Chase. Jimmie's still intent on winning an historic sixth-straight Sprint Cup title. He's thinking 'margin of victory,' while most of his detractors are thinking a non-historic 'marginal victory' by some first-time Cup winner."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2011

NFL Week 6 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. Especially the Cardinals, who went 15-5 down the stretch, erasing a deficit of more than 10 games to win the NL wild card, then beating the two best teams in the NL to reach the World Series.

* Midway through the first quarter on Monday night, ESPN missed the entire play and never showed a replay. They had a close-up of a receiver who never even laid a block. The same thing happened about five minutes into the second quarter. This is totally unacceptable.

* Will some football team please hire Brian Billick as an offensive consultant or something? Just so I don't face legal charges for choking him? Anything that gets him off TV. The man can barely speak, and his repeated use of the non-word "trickeration" is slowly driving me mad.

* Does anyone else feel like it's false advertising that all of Miller Lite's commercials are based on the premise that their beer has more taste? Come on, tap water has more taste than Miller Lite.

* The only thing uglier than Howie Long's purple tie this weekend? Green Bay's hideous throwback uniforms. There's a reason they switched away from those by the time we had color TV.

***

This weekend, NBC's Bob Costas compared Adrian Peterson, in a fawning interview, to O.J. Simpson and Eric Dickerson. He also reluctantly admitted that Jim Brown might have been as good as All Day, but he wouldn't hear of comparisons to Walter Payton, who supposedly lacked Peterson's speed. Peterson has had four very good seasons, none of them anything like as good as Simpson in the mid-70s or Dickerson in the mid-80s or Payton in the late 1970s or Brown ever.

Peterson is a very talented player, and it's true that he combines speed and power. But like no one since O.J. and Dickerson? What, did Costas just pick two Hall of Fame RBs out of a hat? The Dickerson comparison I can understand, though Dickerson was better than AP*. But O.J.? Simpson didn't have Peterson's power, and All Day doesn't nearly have Simpson's speed, agility, balance, or ability to read the field.

* Eric Dickerson's first four seasons, and Adrian Peterson's first four seasons:

ED: 6,968 yds, 4.8 avg, 55 TD
AP: 5,782 yds, 4.8 avg, 52 TD

Peterson has about 300 more receiving yards, but — call me crazy — I still don't think that earns him comparisons to Dickerson. Peterson's career-high in rushing yardage, by far, was 1,760 in 2008. Dickerson rushed for more yards than that three out of his first four years. He was also one of the two best RBs in the NFL (him or Herschel Walker) in 1987 and '88. At this point, has Peterson even earned comparisons to Terrell Davis, much less guys like Dickerson and Payton who were elite RBs for nearly a decade? Those are top-10 all-time RBs. Peterson, if he retired today, might or might not be top-50.

This reminds me of last season, when Jon Gruden described Maurice Jones-Drew as a combination of the best attributes of Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders. Peterson and MJD are both great running backs, but these comparisons, frankly, are nonsense. On to the power rankings, brackets indicate last week's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers [1] — Won by double-digits for the third week in a row. Their average margin of victory this season is two touchdowns (13.8), and while that includes a few cupcakes, it also includes good teams like the Saints and Bears. I know it's only Week 6, but barring injury, it's very hard to see anyone other than Aaron Rodgers as NFL MVP. Clay Matthews was only credited with 1 tackle this week, but he had 3 hits on the quarterback (including a sack) and batted down 3 passes.

2. Baltimore Ravens [2] — Got another big game from Ray Rice (101 rushing, 60 receiving) and rode five Billy Cundiff field goals to a 29-14 win. Why was Rice still in the game, running out the clock, with Baltimore leading by 15 and only 3:30 remaining? Ricky Williams can run into a wall of defenders just as easily as Rice can, and if Williams gets hurt, it won't ruin your season.

3. New England Patriots [5] — Last season, Tom Brady threw 4 interceptions. On Sunday, he tossed his 8th, already doubling last year's sensational total. The Patriots rank last in the NFL in defensive yardage allowed: 423.7 per game, which would challenge the record held by the 1981 Baltimore Colts (424.6). However, New England is actually above average in points allowed (22.5/gm), ranking 14th. Vince Wilfork, his 2 INTs notwithstanding, does not look like his usual self this year. I don't know if he's quietly nursing an injury, or if being enormous has taken some awful toll on him, or if this is just a down year, but he's not consistently getting the same kind of penetration he has in the past. This was the first time all season that New England didn't score at least 30 points.

4. New Orleans Saints [4] — I'm not going to draw too many conclusions from their loss in Tampa. The Saints just played their third straight road game, going 2-1 during that stretch. They're still tied for first in the NFC South, and they've got to like the upcoming schedule: they face the winless Colts and Rams, then a chance for revenge against the Bucs at home in Week 9. Head coach Sean Payton broke his tibia and tore his MCL in Sunday's loss. He is probable for Week 7, but fantasy owners may want to pick up Jim Schwartz or Mike Shanahan just in case.

5. San Francisco 49ers [10] — I don't really believe the 49ers are the 5th-best team in the NFL. This is almost exactly the same roster that went 6-10 against a pathetic schedule last year. The Niners rank 28th in offensive yardage, and if Frank Gore can't stay healthy, I don't know how they'll move the ball. Let's be clear: just because the team won does not mean the quarterback played well. You can win even when your QB has a terrible game. Alex Smith did not have a terrible game against Detroit, exactly, but his performance (125 yards, 60.0 rating) won't make fans forget Joe Montana or Steve Young — or even Jeff Garcia — any time soon.

I ranked San Francisco here based on their extremely impressive results. They're 5-1, with the only loss in overtime. They beat the previously undefeated Lions and annihilated the Bucs in Week 5. They're playing good football. But at this level, you don't go from one of the worst teams in the league to one of the best without some major change in personnel. I know people are pointing to new head coach Jim Harbaugh, and obviously he deserves credit for the team's progress, but I just don't see it holding up for 16 games. Professional athletes, adults, don't alternate between a win or a tank job based just on the coach. In recent years, we've seen a lot of first-year coaches experience early success without sustaining it: Josh McDaniels (started 6-0), Jim Zorn (started 6-2), Tony Sparano (11-5), and Eric Mangini (remember when he was Mangenius?) all come to mind.

6. Detroit Lions [3] — Jim Harbaugh's rough handshake at the end of the game struck me as disrespectful, but the more I saw the replays — and I've seen quite a few now — the more I blame Schwartz more for over-reacting and escalating the situation than I do Harbaugh for being a dick about the handshake. In the wake of the postgame scuffle, it seems to have escaped everyone's notice that the 49ers committed 15 penalties (!) in Week 6, for 120 yards and four Detroit first downs, and Jahvid Best suffered another concussion this week. Pity the Falcons; I think the Lions bounce back big at home in Week 7.

7. San Diego Chargers [7] — All season, this has been a tough team to rank, because it's largely untested. The Chargers are 4-0 against teams with losing records, and if you win all the games you're supposed to, you're obviously doing something right. They lost at New England in Week 2. So, apparently they're worse than the Patriots and better than the Broncos. Hmm. We're about to learn a lot more, though, as San Diego now has two in a row on the road, followed by tough home games against the Packers and Raiders.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers [8] — Defense has settled in to a familiar position: best in the league in yards allowed. This despite ongoing injuries to starters Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith, and James Harrison that kept them off the field in Week 6. Starting safeties Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu also left the game, Clark with a shoulder injury and Troy with concussion-like symptoms (whatever that means), but Polamalu's status reportedly was not serious, and he's expected on the field in Week 7. If this team ever gets fully healthy again, watch out. Against Jacksonville, the Steelers punted on every possession in the second half.

9. Oakland Raiders [9] — Lost starting quarterback Jason Campbell, for at least a month and probably more, with a broken collarbone. Kyle Boller and Terrell Pryor are the backups, but with legitimate playoff aspirations, the Raiders are also looking into outside help, reportedly including an attempt to trade for Carson Palmer before Tuesday's deadline. I hate that the NFL does so much to discourage trades. The structure of the salary cap makes player-for-player trades almost unheard of, and those are fascinating from a fan's perspective, plus the trade deadline is way too early, basically a third of the way through the season.

10. Buffalo Bills [6] — Live by the turnover, die by the turnover. They opened 4-1 because they consistently won the turnover battle, but when that turned against them this week (2 INT, no takeaways), Fred Jackson's mighty performance (121 rush yards, 7.6 average, TD, 47 receiving yards) wasn't enough. Jackson is 30. How did it take the league this long to discover him? I realize Coe College, and D-III in general, are not hotbeds of NFL talent, but don't we have scouts for this sort of thing? And coaches? This is Jackson's sixth season in Buffalo, and he's just now getting a chance as the full-time RB.

11. Chicago Bears [12] — Two quarterbacks, all stats are combined passing, sacks, and rushing:

Who are these guys? They're both Jay Cutler. QB A is Cutler with the Broncos, and QB B is Cutler with the Bears. Baby Jay has now played 37 games with each franchise, and the difference in his numbers is striking. In Denver, Cutler attempted 1,220 passes and took 51 sacks — 1,271 total plays. In Chicago, 1,187 pass attempts and 106 sacks — 1,293 plays, almost exactly the same total. With the Broncos, though, those plays yielded almost 1,000 yards more.

If I was re-writing my piece on the greatest kick returners in NFL history, I would rank Devin Hester higher than I did last summer, maybe 2nd all-time. I still wouldn't kick away from him on kickoffs — I wouldn't kick away from anyone on kickoffs — but I'd make sure my punts went out of bounds or had plenty of hang time. A good punter should be able to hang 'em up there for the coverage team without sacrificing distance the way you usually do punting out of bounds. Nothing wrong with 40 yards and a fair catch.

12. Houston Texans [11] — Not the same team without Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. Against Baltimore, running back Arian Foster led the Texans in receptions and targets for the second week in a row. Johnson has only played 3½ games (out of 6), but he still leads Houston in receptions and receiving yards. Foster (also 3½ games) is third on the team in both categories, with tight end Owen Daniels second. Matt Schaub simply has no confidence in Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [16] — Well, I was wrong. Based on the relatively poor record of teams slated to play in London the following week, as well as the Saints' general toughness, I stated last week that Tampa Bay was going to lose in Week 6. My bad. I still think it's a rip-off that one of the Bucs' "home" games in 2011 will be played at a neutral site. DB Coach Jimmy Lake pulled a Gramatica on Sunday, tearing his own patella tendon when he jumped in the air to celebrate an interception. Lake will have surgery after the team returns from London.

14. Tennessee Titans [13] — Most important game of Week 7? Texans at Titans, winner is the favorite to capture the crown in the AFC South. Andre Johnson will probably be back soon, and if Tennessee can't win at home, with Johnson on the sidelines, they almost certainly can't outlast Houston for the division title.

15. New York Jets [14] — Won big on the scoreboard, 24-6, but the offense looked awful again. They stayed in the game because of Darrelle Revis, and the Dolphins' incompetence. If Mark Sanchez didn't play for a team with a good offensive line and a great defense, he'd be Tim Couch or J.P. Losman, or the obvious comparison, Matt Leinart. If you can stick around until the second half, sometimes Sanchez settles in and plays well, but he's still incredibly inconsistent.

16. Dallas Cowboys [15] — Haven't played anyone with a losing record: 3-3 Jets, 5-1 Niners, 3-2 Washington, 5-1 Lions, 5-1 Patriots. That's a combined 21-8 (.724), basically like facing someone who's 12-4 every week. This is why we have power rankings, so you can separate the 2-3 Cowboys from the 2-3 Browns. Dallas is out-gaining its opponents by an average of 100 yards a game (actually 102), but has been outscored by six points (1.2/gm). That's mostly about turnovers, of course. If you haven't yet read Andy Behrens' take on the latest Dallas defeat, follow the link and give it a look. Money quote: "When a coach manages the final minutes as [Jason] Garrett did, it's almost as if they're playing for a blameless loss rather than a win." Most common (and most frustrating) coaching mistake in the NFL.

17. Cincinnati Bengals [18] — They beat the Bills in Week 4, but their other wins came against the 2-3 Browns, 1-5 Jaguars, and 0-6 Colts. They also are the only team to lose to the Broncos this season. I don't think the Bengals are a bad team, but I do believe they're 4-2 more because of an easy schedule than because they're unusually good. Rookie QB Andy Dalton had his best game as a pro against Indianapolis: 25-of-32 for 264 yards and a touchdown, with no sacks and no interceptions. Dalton and fellow rookie A.J. Green look like wins from this year's draft.

18. New York Giants [23] — First victory over a really quality opponent, but I remain concerned about the offensive line. Ahmad Bradshaw's 3 touchdowns notwithstanding, this win was largely about the defense, which recorded three sacks and two Corey Webster interceptions. It is interesting that the Giants, who have struggled in the red zone all year, scored three 1-yard rushing TDs with Bradshaw carrying the ball instead of 6-4, 264-lb behemoth Brandon Jacobs.

19. Atlanta Falcons [17] — Controlled the clock with Michael Turner (27 att, 139 yds, 2 TD) and kept Matt Ryan comfortable (14-of-22, 1 sack). Roddy White had a disappointing game for his fantasy owners (2 rec, 21 yds) but a pretty good one in real life, drawing 53 yards' worth of penalty yardage on a pair of interference calls in the end zone. Atlanta got a nice bend-don't-break performance from its defense, which yielded five drives of 9 plays or more, but came away with 3 interceptions to keep points off the scoreboard. The Falcons travel to Detroit in Week 7, with the Lions favored by 3.5. That seems way too low to me. Three lines that look appealing this week: Lions -3.5 vs. Atlanta, Steelers -3.5 at Arizona, Colts +14 at New Orleans.

20. Philadelphia Eagles [20] — They shut down Washington's run game, intercepted Rex Grossman four times, got 126 rushing yards from LeSean McCoy, won time of possession by more than a quarter (16 minutes) ... and only won by a touchdown. If John Beck had come in a little earlier, or a couple of bounces gone differently, Philadelphia easily might have lost its fifth straight. A win is a win, but the problems are still there. Bill Leavy's officiating crew mishandled this game early, calling several ticky-tack penalties with major consequences, missing others, and handing down a debatable replay ruling.

21. Washington Redskins [19] — Facing a divisional rival, with an extra week to prepare coming off the bye, and playing at home, they still laid an unholy egg. In a vintage "Bad Rex" performance, Grossman threw four interceptions before Shanahan mercifully pulled him in favor of Beck. I don't know who the better choice is going forward, but Grossman was just going to get more desperate and rattled if he stayed in there. No one was going to benefit except the Eagles and maybe Jim Hardy. Grossman also got Chris Cooley hurt, leading him directly into a devastating hit by Nnamdi Asomugha. Who ever thought you'd hear a stadium chanting, "We want Beck!" after his disappointing tenure in Miami? Washington's much-improved offensive line suffered two injuries this weekend.

22. Seattle Seahawks [22] — Aaron Curry seemed like a steal as the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft. Just two years later, the Seahawks have traded him to Oakland for a throwaway draft pick and a conditional fifth-rounder, with Seattle agreeing to pay most of Curry's 2011 salary. I know Curry has struggled, but it's hard not to think they've given up on him too easily. At this point, though, Curry represents one of the biggest draft busts of the last decade.

23. Cleveland Browns [21] — Not to pick on the Browns, but compare them to Dallas. Everyone the Browns have beaten is winless (Colts, Dolphins), and their losses are to good teams, but not great ones (Bengals, Titans, Raiders). The Cowboys topped San Francisco, almost beat the Patriots and Lions. Those are vastly different ways to get to 2-3. Peyton Hillis' apparent inability to stay healthy is becoming troublesome. I know he's looking for a new contract, but his difficulties staying on the field have got to scare a lot of people away.

24. Denver Broncos [24] — Traded Brandon Lloyd to the Rams for a couple of footballs and a tackling dummy. Lloyd led the NFL in receiving yards last season (1,448). Okay, the trade was really for a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick, depending on Lloyd's performance. But still, most fifth-rounders don't even make the team. They basically gave him away. The Broncos also are reportedly shopping Eddie Royal — maybe he's gone by the time you're reading this. I know Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas have shown promise, but you're hardly going to get Pat White Tim Tebow comfortable as quarterback by trading away both of his starting receivers.

25. Kansas City Chiefs [25] — They lost last year, but for whatever reason, they usually play well in Oakland. Kansas City has three straight home games after that one, including two more division games, so it's not totally inconceivable that they could get back into the AFC West race. It will be interesting to see what Jackie Battle does going forward.

26. Carolina Panthers [27] — INT Leaders in 2011: Cam Newton and Rex Grossman, 9 each; Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Michael Vick, 8 each. Newton led the Panthers in rushing this week, but he also tossed three picks. Rookies make mistakes, and Carolina is understandably excited about Newton, but I think he and the team would benefit from reeling things in a bit. Put a little more of the burden on Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, and don't ask Newton to do quite so much. He's a remarkable talent; don't let him burn out or lose confidence in himself.

27. Miami Dolphins [26] — Defense kept them in the game. The Dolphins forced three-and-outs on the Jets' first four possessions, but fell behind anyway when they gave up a touchdown on offense (Revis INT return). It would have been interesting to see how differently this game might have turned out if (A) the Dolphins didn't repeatedly drop on-target passes, or (B) there were more on-target passes. Matt Moore repeatedly under-threw his receivers on Monday night, and did not look in synch with his offense.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars [31] — Rise three spots based less on their close loss to Pittsburgh than the increasingly dismal performances of the Vikings and Colts. The Cardinals, who were off this week, got caught in the same tide because they lost to Minnesota by 24.

29. Minnesota Vikings [28] — Cris Collinsworth on the Vikings: "It's amazing that these two quarterbacks have played pretty well and they're getting hammered like this." I agree. Donovan McNabb and Christian Ponder didn't look like Fran Tarkenton back there, but they also didn't look like the problem on Sunday night. The Bears bottled up Adrian Peterson, and neither QB was able to fully take advantage, but I blame that more on the receivers than the passers. Minnesota's offense was the least of its problems this weekend, with special teams being the biggest. Punter Chris Kluwe played an awful game, Ryan Longwell shanked a short field goal, and Hester's return TD basically ended the game.

I wouldn't want to defend McNabb's play this season, but at what point do you blame the coach? This is a team with one of the best running backs in football, a defense that is loaded with talent, and a quarterback who can manage the game, with only 2 INTs in six weeks. But they're having special teams meltdowns, they couldn't take advantage of Chicago's offensive line, and the whole unit just kind of seems psyched out. It's awfully hard to pin all that on McNabb.

30. Indianapolis Colts [29] — They rank 31st in offense (285 yds/gm) and 27th in defense (393 yds/gm), a deficit of 108 yards per game. They're also 28th in scoring (17.3 ppg) and 29th in points allowed (27.2 ppg). They only have one real blowout loss (to Houston in Week 1), but they're playing poorly in all phases of the game. Curtis Painter has done some good things, and I don't blame him, but I think this team gave up when it lost Peyton Manning. I recently read where in 2009, GM Bill Polian suggested that Dallas Clark was the Colts' MVP. Hahahahahahahahahaha.

31. Arizona Cardinals [30] — Haven't played anyone real tough yet, but things are about to get real, with consecutive games against the Steelers and Ravens. Arizona has lost four in a row, including the Vikings' only win of the season. They miss Karlos Dansby much more than the Dolphins benefit from having him.

32. St. Louis Rams [32] — Six teams had their byes in Week 5. All but one (Ravens) lost in Week 6. Not that a trainwreck like the Rams needed any excuse to lose to the Packers. Sam Bradford has been sacked 21 times, most in the NFL, even though St. Louis has already had its bye, and he will miss the next couple weeks with a high ankle sprain. A.J. Feeley replaces him. I didn't realize Feeley, 34, was still in the league. The Rams don't even have good backups. They're averaging under 10 points per game.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:55 PM | Comments (2)

Running of the Bulls

The Milwaukee Brewers, with apologies to Dave Anderson, died with their boots. They were buried at the mercy of the St. Louis Cardinals' seemingly bottomless bullpen. The officiating minister was a fellow who once seemed so burned out by baseball that he thought a ring on his cell phone while sitting in a Burger King, buried in the San Diego organization, informing him he'd been traded to the Cardinals, was a practical joke, at first.

Nobody's laughing at the Rev. David Freese now. But everyone except citizens of Milwaukee might be laughing with the National League Championship Series's most valuable player.

In St. Louis, of course, they may be ready to name a candy bar after him. Freese's Pieces, anyone? It isn't everyone who comes up from oblivion to out-slug Albert Pujols when Pujols is having the best postseason set of his career, or drives home a ferocious exclamation point on it Sunday night with a first-inning blast that merely starts the Cardinals en route a secured trip to the World Series.

Those who watched the wild ride of the Texas Rangers Saturday night, when they polished off the game but gimpy Detroit Tigers with an 11-5 blowout that may have had even the eyes of Texas gazing sympathetically upon Tiger fans and their heroes, may have watched Sunday night with a distinct feeling, as Yogi Berra might say, of déjà vu all over again.

Oh, some of the details were a little different. The Cardinals didn't get anywhere near to hanging a single-inning nine-spot on the Brewers. They had to settle for spreading the first nine over the first three innings, sandwiching a single run in the second between two slices of four in the first and the third. And it only began with Freese's first-inning launch.

Milwaukee starting pitcher Shaun Marcum, who'd been one of the Brewers leading blights approaching Game 6, had only one goal entering the game — with his Brewers down 3-2 in the NLCS, he wanted to see a seventh game, aces up. "I think I'm on the bandwagon with everybody in here," he told reporters, "probably everybody in the country that wants to see Yo(vanni Gallardo) versus (Chris) Carp(enter) in Game 7. I'm going to try to get the ball to Yo."

The Cardinals, who'd already fractured the Brewers' well-earned aura of home field invincibility when they won Game Two, probably wanted to see it over and done with as fast as possible back in Miller Park, without having even to think about a seventh game. And when the bottom of the ninth was over Sunday night, after Jon Jay went airborne to the center field wall to haul down pinch-hitter George Katteras's drive and St. Louis closer Jason Motte swished Mark Kotsay on three straight pitches for game, set, and National League pennant, the Cardinals had buried the Brewers 12-6 and made an absolute shambles out of the Brewers' vaunted home-field advantage.

As things turned out, Marcum could barely get the ball to Chris Narveson, never mind to Yo, after the Cardinals battered him for a four-run first. Freese had a lot to say about that. With two aboard after Lance Berkman singled home Jon Jay and Marcum himself gunned Pujols down at the plate on a hopper back to the box, Freese hit Marcum's first service to him over the left field fence.

Narveson, in turn, could barely get the ball to LaTroy Hawkins after the Cardinals battered him for five runs in an inning and two thirds. Pujols merely opened those proceedings with a leadoff solo bomb. Freese merely continued them when, with Matt Holliday aboard with a one-out single, he sent a double to the rear end of right field to set up second and third. After a pass to Yadier Molina to load the pads, Nick Punto lofted a sacrifice fly to score Holliday. And Allen Craig, pinch-hitting for St. Louis starter Edwin Jackson, drove home Freese and Molina with a single up the pipe.

Did Jackson have it anywhere near as tough? Not exactly. But here was one of the hallmarks of the set — Tony La Russa hasn't been afraid to reach into his bullpen for one of his so-far formidable bulls all postseason long, and he didn't wait for the Brewers to wreak any more havoc than four runs out of Jackson before he reached for Fernando Salas.

La Russa has learned some of his lessons the hard way. He may have cost himself a World Series in 1990, when he refused to disobey his established book and bring in his Hall of Fame closer in waiting, Dennis Eckersley, earlier than the ninth inning, never mind that he had leads still to protect, and the Cincinnati Reds made him pay for those decisions with their unlikely Series sweep.

That was then, this is now. This time, La Russa didn't wait for his orders from The Book. This time, he reached into a bullpen that seemed to contain a limitless supply of bulls only too ready, willing, and able to charge, and performed a double-duty dynamic, throttling the Brewers' vaunted offense and exposing the Brewers' wounding flaw, their porous defense.

This is why the Cardinals get to dance with the Rangers come Wednesday, why Pujols gets at least one more chance to win a World Series ring in Redbirds silks, and why the Brewers go home for the winter after their most formidable weapons, and this season's most formidable home cooking, got neutered at the worst possible time. Their quest to become baseball's first team to win pennants in each league will have to wait a little longer.

What Marcum, Narveson, and Jackson had in common was letting Game Six turn into the next best thing to sending slow-pitch softball pitchers up against both sides' Paul Bunyans in the early innings. Hawkins turned in the first harmless inning of the Brewer staff's night, thanks in big part to a sleek inning-ending double play that was probably the best piece of defense the Brewers played all LCS.

Corey Hart answered Freese and company to lead off the Milwaukee first with a 2-2 launch over the center field fence. Rafael Furcal answered Narveson's top-of-the-second-opening back-to-back swishouts with a 1-0 deposit over the left field fence. Rickie Weeks opened the bottom of the second with an 0-1 take-that! blast off Jackson, and Jonathan Lucroy hollered and-that-too! with a one-out, 3-1 two-run launch pulling the Brewers to within a mere run.

After Pujols and company had their top-of-the-fourth fun, the Brewers answered with back-to-back one-out doubles by Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Yuniesky Betancourt off St. Louis reliever Fernando Salas in the bottom. But then came the top of the fifth, and the Cardinals went off to the races, in large part thanks to those gimpy Milwaukee gloves. Poor Hairston's in particular.

Scion of a well-liked baseball family, Hairston's Game Five boot–in which he saw Cardinal pitcher Jaime Garcia's grounder take a hop and skip through his legs, allowing two Redbirds to score, right after his magnificent dive and run-saving grab of Punto's slasher, back to back in the second inning–may yet go down in Beersville infamy. (Those wails of sympathy you heard wafting in from the outside were Red Sox fans remembering Bill Buckner and Cub fans remembering Leon Durham.) Now, desperately trying a fast shove to second baseman Weeks on Molina's first-and-third, nobody-out hopper up the pipe, Hairston could only watch in horror as the ball sailed past Weeks, allowing Holliday home and Freese and Molina to third and second, respectively. One out later, pinch-hitting for Salas, Adron Chambers — is it safe to call the Cardinals' the no-name offence? — sent Freese home with a sacrifice fly.

11-5, Cardinals. And the Brewers could only watch, wonder, and pray as La Russa yet again went to his pen so often you could hear Abbott & Costello calling the play-by-play, sort of:

ABBOTT: You really have to know something about big-league baseball, Lou.
COSTELLO: I know all about baseball.
ABBOTT: All right. Suppose there's a left-handed pitcher pitcher pitching. Whaddya do?
COSTELLO: I put in a right-handed batter.
ABBOTT: Now, suppose there's a right-handed pitcher pitching?
COSTELLO: I put in a left-handed batter.
ABBOTT: But now I trick you — I take out the right-handed pitcher and put in the left-handed pitcher.
COSTELLO: And I double-cross you. I take out my left-handed batter and put in a right-handed batter.
ABBOTT: Now, wait a minute. Where are you getting all those right-handed batters?
COSTELLO: The same place where you're gettin' all those left-handed pitchers!

Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke only wished he could have had Costello next to him on the bench. Not to mention the kind of bench depth that might have neutralized La Russa's running of the bulls. Of the 162 outs the Cardinals had to record to nail down the NLCS, 86 were rung up by the bullpen. That's more than half the Brewer outs in the set.

The Brewers, on the other hand, aided and abetted the bull run with seven errors in the final two games of the set.

And it may have been their final set with Prince Fielder leading the big boppers. He tried to be circumspect after it was all over, but he left hints enough that his next home silks would be emblazoned with something other than "Brewers" on the breast. They said it all season long and they said it again while the Cardinals celebrated their pennant, that the Brewers' signing of Ryan Braun to a long-term deal may have made it difficult to impossible to keep Fielder on board.

"Playing here was awesome, I'm just glad I was able to have the amount of fun I had," Fielder said, laconically enough for a man who knew the Brewers had been built to win it all this year while he was still part of it. "We gave it what we got and that's all you can do. As long as I can play as hard as I can, I can sleep at night … I love these guys. I've been playing with most of 'em since I was eighteen and this organization has been good to me."

Pujols, too, can hit free agency after the Cardinals' season ends, perhaps with a second World Series ring for their larger-than-life first baseman. He doesn't have to think about it just yet. And it's very likely that, should the Cardinals leave the Rangers behind this year, as the unlikely San Francisco Giants did last year, the Cardinals may have an easier time keeping their chief bombardier than the Brewers will theirs.

First, though, they've got a job to do, and it may not be as hard a job as anyone thinks. The Cardinals have been through worse times this season. Trading talented but troubled and troublesome outfielder Colby Rasmus to Toronto on July 27 got them roasted and basted. Especially when the Cardinals looked as lame as they did for the month following the deal. But then they noticed the Atlanta Braves beginning to lose a grip on what was once a ten and a half game lead in the wild card race and figured they had something to play for, after all.

Make note of those whom the Redbirds obtained in the Rasmus deal. Jackson, relievers Octavio Dotel and Mark Rzepczynski, and outfield reserve Mark Patterson. Make note, too, of whom they obtained shortly thereafter. Arthur Rhodes, a two-decade relief specialist, signed as a free agent after the Rangers released him. Rafael Furcal, veteran shortstop, in a trade. And make note that every last one of them had more than a little something to do with the Cardinals being where they are now.

"That's a crazy trade to make. But it paid off huge," Punto says of the Rasmus deal. "There's no way we're here today without Dotel. Dotel was amazing. Rzepcynski. Getting Furcal. Jackson. Arthur. We went after it. For the first month it didn't look too good, because we just weren't playing good baseball. I remember Tony saying, 'Hey, this team is better.' It was very true."

The Brewers, like the Phillies in the division series before them, just learned that the hard way. It's not unreasonable to think the Rangers, whose manager can be just as cunning as La Russa when he needs to be, may yet stand to learn a similar lesson later this week.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 2:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 17, 2011

College Football Midseason Awards

As we reach the halfway point of the college football season, we've discovered a lot over the past seven weeks. And, while realizing that we have a lot more to find out before this season ends, it's time to celebrate what this season has delivered so far.

Let's not waste time and get right to it.

Coach of the Half Season

There's a lot of coaches who have done masterful jobs so far. While we have to give credit to LSU's Les Miles for guiding his team through a brutal non-conference slate, he's not the winner. Neither is Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, who has led the Cowboys to waters that seem to have belonged only to their in-state brethren.

The coach who deserves the crown is Clemson's Dabo Swinney, who went from the hot seat to the hot name in short time. His Tigers stand undefeated and seventh in the initial BCS standings and clearly have been the class of the ACC. Clemson's relatively easy waltz at Virginia Tech was hands down one of the most impressive road performances of the season.

However, championship teams are made when their backs are against the wall and things don't look good. Last week's comeback win over Maryland send a clear message to College Football Nation that the Tigers are anything but a fluke. The ACC Player of the Year award is Tajh Boyd's to lose, and Clemson looks destined for a BCS game. Credit Swinney for putting the pieces together.

The Half Season Heisman Winner

I love, love Trent Richardson's dazzling run against Ole Miss last Saturday and without question, he deserves serious Heisman hype. And while we can all stand back and admire Andrew Luck's brilliance at Stanford, for right now, I'm going with Wisconsin's Russell Wilson. Wisconsin was a solid team before Wilson, but they've become simply lethal after adding him. Wilson brings speed options to a team noted for power running. He adds dimensions to the Badgers that weren't there for years and it's made a difference to the tune of nothing but absolute domination so far in Madison. So, unless the Badgers show any signs of weakening, Wilson gets the nod.

Defensive Player of the Half Season

I could give this to either the entire Alabama defense or LSU defense. However, when one thinks defense in college football, one thinks of the Honey Badger. Tyrone Mathieu of LSU has made Tiger fans forget all about Patrick Peterson, who wasn't all that bad himself. Mathieu has been nothing but nightmarish for college quarterbacks and is the master key to one of the best defenses in college football. Mathieu deserves Heisman credit of his own. Has November 5th arrived yet?

Game of the Half Season

There's an awful lot of games to choose from this year, but every time I thought about this category, my mind slipped to that first night game in Ann Arbor. Michigan/Notre Dame was absolutely spectacular football, especially in the last two minutes. It was a fantastic chess match between Brady Hoke and Brian Kelly, ending in dramatic fashion with Denard Robinson's game-winnng pass to Roy Roundtree, capping an incredible 28-point fourth quarter comeback win for the Wolverines. Make no mistake, this game really stung Notre Dame fans for good reason, but watching that game was just plain fun. It's that sort of drama that creates college football fanatics nationwide.

And, while we're at it, the current BCS bowl projections are...

BCS Title Game — LSU vs. Oklahoma (let's face it, when the title game is in New Orleans, LSU always seems to find a way to be there)
Sugar Bowl — Alabama vs. Oklahoma State
Orange Bowl — Clemson vs. West Virginia
Rose Bowl — Stanford vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta Bowl — Oregon vs. Boise State

Posted by Jean Neuberger at 3:34 PM | Comments (0)

Hold Those Tigers

Jim Leyland was emphatic enough. Seeing Justin Verlander on the mound again this postseason was going to be the best thing, he said, because it would come in the World Series. As for the rest of the American League Championship Series, Verlander wouldn't even be a topic.

Not in the Detroit Tigers' manager's mind, anyway. And it proved a moot point after the game, gutsy, but gimpy Tigers took one of the worst elimination beatings in postseason history in Arlington Saturday night.

If the Tigers or their minions weren't going to see Verlander the rest of the postseason, it's probably wise not to ponder just yet what they will see as they make for a winter's worth of introspection preceding a more promising than you think 2012. Let the Tigers recuperate. These game, gutsy, but gimpy Tigers just didn't have enough left to throttle a troop of Texas Rangers who've been treating this postseason like their personal piñata party, and just steamrolled the Tigers, 15-5, driving home about 15 exclamation points well before the postgame party began.

We, on the other hand, can see only too well.

And it only begins with Nelson Cruz making the Tiger pitching staff his personal World Series batting practice. That, in turn, only begins with shaking off a 1-for-15 division series against Tampa Bay by becoming the Show's first man ever to end an extra-innings postseason contest with a grand slam. It merely continues with the three-run bomb he dropped in the extras in Game Four, letting Neftali Feliz take the mound all but daring the Tigers to swing on him while he secured it. It merely concludes with six post-season bombs for a second straight year — you can look it up: not even Mr. October has ever done that — the sixth really hitting the Tigers where it hurt.

With the Rangers already up 13-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Cruz squared up against Brad Penny — it came down to that for Leyland's parched and battered bullpen — and hit the first service he saw over the left field fence with Mike Napoli (2-out single) aboard, three hitters after Michael Young took Penny over the center field fence solo.

The sad part of it is that the Tigers won't feel half the hurt from those two seventh-inning bombs as they will from the third inning. Will they need third parties to remind them that starter Max Scherzer — who entered Game 6 with a 2.70 postseason ERA in the first place — took the mound with a 2-0 lead? That Miguel Cabrera, who'd acquitted himself so nicely this postseason, and Jhonny Peralta, accounted for both runs with solo launchings into the right field seats? Will they remember that Scherzer looked to be cruising rather decently, all things considered, when he opened the Texas third by getting Ian Kinsler to ground out to third?

Will they even remember that their starting rotation, even with Verlander being considerably less than Verlander this season (and was there anything more stomach-churning than the hyperbole attached to Verlander's Game Five performance when a great pitcher was merely gutsy and barely had much of his best working?), was actually getting the Tigers deeper into LCS games than the Rangers'? Even in Game 6, the Rangers' starter couldn't get them that far, even when Derek Holland had a cruiseable 9-2 lead to open the fifth Saturday night.

Holland could have dared the Tigers to swing at will. In fact, that's just about what happened. He allowed Brandon Inge a 1-out single; one groundout later, Holland allowed Austin Jackson to see a slider that had the right field seats tagged as its final destination. It cut the Texas lead to a somewhat manageable 5 runs.

Except that that may take awhile to remember, too, because by that time the Tigers must have figured nothing mattered anymore, and what if it did? Kinsler's grounder was the only out Scherzer would get in that surrealistic third. A walk to Elvis Andrus. A single to left by Josh Hamilton. A two-run double by Young that missed kissing the left field foul line by inches. A single up the pipe by Adrian Beltre allowing Young to come home. A called first strike to Napoli followed by four straight balls. A two-strike count to Cruz followed by four more straight balls, setting up ducks on the pond and sending Scherzer to the shower.

Then Leyland went to Daniel Schlereth, who hadn't been heard from all postseason. And Schlereth lasted just long enough to surrender a 2-run single to David Murphy on 2-1. Leyland hooked Schlereth for Rick Porcello. Porcello opened by getting Craig Gentry — an early-season call-up when Cruz went to the disabled list, who stuck around valuably enough as one after another Ranger outfielder spent time on the list — to whack one to second base, but with Porcello covering second on the play Murphy was called safe on a hair's-breadth play. And Kinsler returned to slice a single to left, sending home Cruz and Murphy and letting the Rangers take second and third again when Detroit left fielder Delmon Young miscued on the throw in.

Cabrera stopped the bleeding for a few moments when he picked Andrus's grounder and fired a strike home to get Gentry. Porcello handed Hamilton a free pass to re-load the pads for a hoped-for inning-ending out. Except that Young decided Cruz shouldn't be the only Ranger with postseason history on his mind. He lashed another RBI double, this time to right, for two more runs. Okay, it's not as flashy as Cruz setting postseason series records with two extra-inning bombs, 6 bombs overall, and 13 RBIs, but breaking out of a postseason that threatened to be one Young might prefer to forget with his second RBI double in the same inning — the first man to do it in any League Championship Series.

Young simply couldn't resist come the seventh, either, when his ball-two blast off Penny made him the only Ranger not named Cruz to find the seats in the set.

These Tigers had plenty of moments where they looked for all the world as though nothing, not even the local medical community, was going to keep them from a World Series date, maybe even a rematch with the Cardinals — again. (They've met in three previous Series; the Cardinals have a 2-1 lead in those contests.) Moments such as Ramon Santiago helping to stanch early Game 3 bleeding by stepping on second and throwing a bullet to first for an inning-ending, rally-killing first-inning double play.

Moments such as Inge staring down Alexi Ogando's 0-2 bullet and sending it over the left field fence to tie Game 4 in the seventh.

Moments such as Victor Martinez picking the sixth inning of Game 5 to hit his first triple of 2011, driving Cabrera home in the bargain.

Moments such as Doug Fister, the remarkable non-waiver trade deadline pickup and arguably the Tigers' best postseason pitcher this time around, shaking off that Game 3 first-inning bleed by keeping the Rangers to a pair of runs over seven and two-thirds to put the Tigers back into the series in the first place.

Moments such as Phil Coke's gutsy game-finishing relief, when he was the only thing left to call serviceable in the Tiger bullpen in Game 5, sending the set back to Arlington in the first place.

Moments such as Verlander setting up Coke's performance with his own 133-pitch outing that was way more guts than repertoire, throwing that many pitches because the Tiger bullpen was so spent.

Moments such as Scherzer keeping the Rangers to a mere three runs in Game 2.

Moments such as Jose Valverde, the Tigers' regular closer/clown/comedian, escaping a no-out, ducks-on-the-pond jam in the ninth in Game 1, to send the thing to extra innings in the first place.

Moments such as battered catcher Alex Avila managing somehow to hit one out to the opposite field against C.J. Wilson in Game 5.

Moments such as Ryan Raburn hitting a 3-run bomb in Game 2 to give the Tigers a lead at a point when it looked like they couldn't hit with hangar doors.

Moments such as Cabrera breaking a one-all tie in the fifth in Game 3 with a 2-out, 2-run double, sending the Tigers toward their first LCS win, and his pad-hopping Game 5 double launching a 4-run inning.

These Tigers had given everything they had and a lot that wasn't even left in the tank. These Rangers, however, had a little more of everything to throw back at those gimpily gallant Tigers, and a lot that not even the Rangers themselves thought could be possible. That's why they're waiting, at this writing, to see whether they get the Cardinals or the Milwaukee Brewers for a World Series dance.

Even that brain-bending third inning Saturday night can't kill this much for the Tigers: Unlike a lot of teams depleted enough by injuries, they put every drop of heart they had into this one. It wasn't their fault that the Rangers had the depth to go with the heart. The better team did win. But nobody — including and especially the Rangers, the American League's first back-to-back World Series representative since the 2000-2001 Yankees — is going to say they beat a lesser team, or a team that had no business being there in the first place.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 3:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2011

A Study In Defeat

Playoff elimination: it's the day of reckoning every player and fan dreads, regardless of the sport. Some fans of terrible teams lament that they would love to have a team performing well enough to get eliminated in the playoffs. Tell this to Chicago fans in 2003, who just had an ESPN documentary done about the dark side of their loyalty to the Cubs.

We have had compelling LCS games to enjoy thus far. Nelson Cruz showed off and hit a walk-off Grand Slam when all his team needed to win was a sacrifice fly. Albert Pujols got 4 extra base hits in Game 2 with a home run and Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun went on an all-out power-hitting tear for two games for Milwaukee in a 1-1 deadlocked series. Plus, who knows which Brewers' turn it is to insult Chris Carpenter?

But what about the playoff casualties this year? Those left in the wake of these teams include the Yankees, Phillies, Rays, and Diamondbacks. None of them could have been happy to see their season end, but these teams can be split very clearly into two camps. The Yankees and Phillies — two teams of complete robust statistical machines of power and precision that inexcusably came up short — and the Rays and Diamondbacks, two teams that were not expected to get anywhere near the postseason, overachieved, and will be remembered far more for their victories than their final defeat.

The similarities between the post-mortem in New York and Philadelphia are eerie. The two East Coast major media markets have reputations of being tough to please and unforgiving with both fans and media. Both teams were favorites to advance to the World Series, had home field advantage throughout, and had a nationally well-known cast of stars and big names returning from years past. Both teams had won a single World Series in the past few years, the Yankees in 2009, the Phillies in 2008, and yet both had teams talented enough to win multiple titles.

As the Yankees and Phillies comfortably won their playoff openers, they would both drop the second game at home, tying the series at 1.

After the middle games were split in both series, Game 5 for each team was a surprising yet all-too-familiar story of the home team's big bats not coming up with any clutch hits in numerous big situations. For the Yankees, Ivan Nova was lit-up in the first inning for back-to-back home runs by Don Kelly and Delmon Young. While the story seemed to be manager Girardi playing matchup from the third inning on with his pitchers, he managed to limit the damage, only allowing 1 more run the rest of the way. The Yankee hitters failures then took center stage in the next day's sports pages.

In the fourth inning, Jorge Posada singled with runners on first and second. Alex Rodriguez was held up at third with 1 out. He would remain stranded there by starter Doug Fister as Martin and then Gardner failed to get runs in with the bases loaded. In the seventh, the Yanks loaded the bases with 1 out again, down by 2. An RBI walk from Teixeira was all they could muster. Jeter's winning home run bid in the eighth only had warning track power and the heart of the order went down meekly in the ninth to closer Jose Valverde. Ultimately ,the pinstripes were done in by a lack of big hits by the big hitters in their lineup.

Game 5 for the Phillies also saw a first inning deficit as Roy Halladay gave up a leadoff triple to Rafael Furcal and then an RBI double to Skip Schumacher for what would be the game's only run. Halladay's efforts to keep the game scoreless for the next 7 innings were downright heroic, but in vein. This also due to a robust lineup's inability to score even a single run against Chris Carpenter, who pitched the full 9 shutout innings to silence the Phillies' bats and their crowd.

Even the two teams' long-established hitting stars, Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard, both developing a reputation for disappearing in postseason, went 2-for-18 and 2-for-19, respectively.

Due to the heavy expectations on these teams, both seasons have to be considered a failure and a disappointment for all they were unable to accomplish in the postseason, fair or not. Many were left to wonder how mostly the same group of players managed to come through in so many of these big spots in their championship years of 2008 and 2009, respectively, when they seemed so inept now.

The other half of this story is one of the two most recent expansion teams. Tampa Bay and Arizona both entered the league in 1998. The anti-New York and Philly markets, both teams play in very low-pressure (for Tampa Bay fans, I'm being kind here) environments from the fans and media. The D-Backs took to winning quickly by 2001 and while the Rays were a joke for a full decade, their 2008 team became an incredible worst-to-first story by knocking off the Red Sox and getting to the World Series. After their 2010 team lost several big names, they were not expected to contend in '11, and for the most part, they didn't … until they got blazing- hot at the very end of the season.

The 2011 Tampa Bay Rays story will be retold just as much, if not more, than the story of their 2008 team. While the antsy Red Sox frittered away a 9-game lead over a span of weeks, the Rays showcased superior pitching and manager Joe Maddon had them ready to play day after day.

It wasn't enough for the Rays to sweep the Yankees on the final weekend of the season, they had to win the finale in perhaps the most dramatic way possible. Overcoming a 7-run deficit, a 2-out Dan Johnson home run tied it in the ninth and a 12th inning Evan Longoria home run just over the kiddie-size fence down the left field line clinched the Rays the wild card a mere three minutes after Jonathan Papelbon had blown his final save opportunity of the year in Baltimore. While many fans clamored for a one-game playoff, the drama of this final day of the regular season was greater than any one-game playoff could have provided, and the Rays proved to be Cinderella men once again.

As a result, their first round division series loss to the Texas Rangers becomes merely a footnote in all of this, overlooked by what they had overcome. Years from now, some fans may remember that Adrian Beltre hit 3 home runs in the clinching Game 4 of the series for the Rangers. Other than that, there was little memorable about the series and fans will always remember their 2011 Rays team fondly.

The Arizona Diamondbacks were also not given a chance to compete in 2011. Picked to finish dead-last in the division by all the experts, manager Kirk Gibson led a team that was 19th in baseball in batting average. No one in their lineup even came close to hitting .300 or driving in 100 runs (Justin Upton came the closest, with a .289 and 88, respectively). Instead, they relied on a Cy Young season from a pitcher that no one had previously thought worth a damn. Ian Kennedy was a former Yankee castoff just last season; this season, he is the NL Cy Young favorite.

While there was no dramatic finish to their regular season the way there was for the Rays, the fact remains that Arizona came from nowhere (they had not made the postseason since 2007, which featured a largely different cast) and dominated a division they were expected to finish last in, which includes the defending world champion San Francisco Giants.

The first round draw for the Diamondbacks was against the high-octane offense of the Milwaukee Brewers. Unlike the Yankees and Phillies, the Brewers offensive studs have hit the ball a ton this postseason. As expected the Brewers won both their first two games at home and seemed to have complete control of the series.

D-Backs manager Gibson was famous for his never-say-die attitude as a player. This year, his team showed this same resiliency as they thoroughly dominated the Brewers in Games 3 and 4 in Arizona. Amazingly, the offensively challenged club belted a grand slam in each game to put things out of reach. They won the two games by a combined score of 18-7. Again, the little team from the desert got to prove wrong all the critics who gave them no shot.

Game 5 turned out to be a tight pitcher's duel between aces Yovani Gallardo and Kennedy. While the Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth, Arizona batted in the top of the ninth down to their last 3 outs. Again, they came back with a late rally. A Gerardo Parra double, Sean Burroughs single, and a Willie Bloomquist bunt single tied the game at 2 to ultimately force extra innings. The game finally ended in the 10th on a Nyjer Morgan RBI single, giving the Brewers the decisive win.

While the loss was heartbreaking for the Diamondbacks, even the cynics had to take note that the team battled back even in their final defeat against a heavily favored opponent, battled back from a 2-0 series deficit and in the ninth inning of Game 5; to cap a brilliantly overachieving season.

As the offseason has just begun for the four teams bounced out in the ALDS, two of these teams can enjoy the postseason with some sort of piece of mind and satisfaction in what they accomplished. In Philly and New York however, no matter how cold the coming months get, the fans, writers, and media will keep them in the hot seat all winter long.

Posted by Bill Hazell at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2011

Cowboys No Match For Brady and Patriots

There was once a time whenever the Dallas Cowboys visited the New England Patriots it was destined to be an afternoon of discontent in Foxboro, MA.

Hailed as "America's Team," the Cowboys rattled off seven consecutive victories against New England from 1971 to 1996.

Not anymore, folks.

Although the Patriots are 3-7 lifetime against Dallas, they've beaten them three straight times since 1999. The Patriots have also out-scored Dallas by 40 points in there last three meetings.

The last time the two teams met in Foxboro (2003), former place kicker Adam Vinatieri booted a pair of field goals and former running back Antowain Smith scored the lone touchdown as the Pats blanked Dallas, 12-0. It remains the only meeting between the two clubs in which the other was shutout.

The last time the Patriots played in Dallas, Brady and company manhandled the Cowboys, 48-27 (2007). It's only the second time in the series that one of the teams scored more than 40 points. The first time was in 1971 when the two teams met for the first time. The Cowboys routed New England, 44-21 at Texas Stadium.

When the two teams met the last time in 2007, both were undefeated at 5-0. The Patriots that season went on to a 16-0 regular season, but lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants.

Even as good as the Patriots are this season, there are some weaknesses. New England is dead last in pass defense giving up 1,633 yards. Dallas, meanwhile, is No. 1 in stopping the run and linebacker DeMarcus Ware has played well.

Without a doubt, Tom Brady is definitely playing better since throwing four interceptions in a losing effort against Buffalo in Week 3. Brady was picked off against the Jets last week, but threw for 321 yards and a touchdown. New England running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis had a career-best outing as he rushed for 136 yards and 2 scores.

Brady is ranked the second in the league behind New Orleans' Drew Brees. If you compare statistics between Brady and Brees, it makes no sense to me why Brady isn't ranked the No. 1 passer in the NFL. Maybe it's got something to do with those four interceptions he threw against Buffalo. If Brady has a big day against Dallas, maybe he'll be No. 1 come Monday morning on Pro-football-Reference.com.

Clearly, Brady is the better signal caller compared to Dallas quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys are 2-2 in the NFC East and Romo is ranked 23rd. The Cowboys are coming off a did bye week, but that shouldn't be a factor against New England.

Romo is likely to have receiver Miles Austin back in the lineup. Austin hasn't played since he caught 3 touchdown passes against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 due to a hamstring injury.

Dallas running back Felix Jones did bust over 100 yards in a victory over Washington in Week 3 but had just 57 yards against the undefeated Detroit Lions the following week. Jones, the leading rusher on the team, has just one TD this season. Green-Ellis is by far the better back statistically considering he's outscored Jones (5 TDs) and out-rushed him (333 to 241).

On the sidelines, there's no comparison between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Dallas coach Jason Garrett. Obviously, the edge here is with New England. The one advantage Dallas does has is in defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, brother of Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan, who was the defensive coordinator last season for the Cleveland Browns, held the Patriots to just 14 points in Cleveland's decisive victory in 2010. Cleveland was the last team to allow New England to score 14 or less points.

If the Cowboys do beat the Patriots, it will be a turning point for them after their collapse against the Detroit Lions in Week 4.

"They've been a marquee franchise in this league for the last decade," said Garrett. "They have great players and great coaches and they're a team that everyone in this league has studied over the last 10 years. Even though we haven't played them, we have watched them and hopefully we can gain some kind of advantage."

Garrett has high praise for Brady.

"He's just a rare player and one of the all-time greats to play his position," said Garrett. "He's a guy who has been to the mountain top as a starting quarterback of three Super Bowl championship teams, statistically he's done everything you can do in the league and when you're a good as he is the game probably slows down and he certainly demonstrates that one a weekly basis."

Garrett also realizes that this year's Patriots are simply loaded when it comes to talent.

"They're outstanding and it starts with (Brady)," said Garrett. "They have so many weapons. They're very good on the offensive line. They have great tight ends. They have receivers that play really, really well in that scheme. They're play-making type guys. They're getting their running game going. They're very systematic and execute very well. They're awfully good and it will be an excellent challenge for our football team to slow them down."

Slow them down, maybe. Dallas beating New England, not likely.

Posted by David Exum at 9:49 PM | Comments (6)

October 13, 2011

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 6

Note: the quotes in this article are fiction.

Carolina @ Atlanta (-5½)

The Panthers suffered another narrow defeat, losing 30-27 to the Saints last week to fall to 1-4, last in the NFC South. Carolina's four defeats have come by a total of 22 points, so the Falcons can't expect a cakewalk in the Georgia Dome on Sunday.

"I've heard the term 'close, but no cigar' much too often," Cam Newton said. "Not this year, but back when my father was taking offers from colleges for my services. We play teams especially tough in Charlotte. The only ass-whipping you see on our field comes courtesy of Steve Smith. He's single-handedly responsible for the 'fight' in us."

The Falcons stormed out to a 14-0 lead last Sunday night against the Packers, then went scoreless for the remainder of the game in a 25-14 loss. The defeat left the Falcons 2-3, just one game ahead of the Panthers, and two behind the division-leading Saints.

"The Packers dropped 25 unanswered points on us," Mike Smith said. "That pales in comparison to the number of unanswered questions we're faced with. Like 'what the hell?' Or 'how the hell?' And 'what's Matt Ryan's problem?'"

The Falcons get it together against a defense they can handle. Ryan throws for 2 scores, and Michael Turner punches one in from short range.

Atlanta wins, 34-24.

Philadelphia @ Washington (-1)

The Eagles are 1-4 after four Michael Vick interceptions hastened a 31-24 loss in Buffalo last week. It was the latest in a series of disappointments that has left a team many considered a Super Bowl contender mired in the NFC East cellar.

"Those were the least of our mistakes," Andy Reid said. "As head coach, I have to take responsibility for all the mistakes. And I do. Not really, but I'm hoping this will rally the team around me. I'm not sure it will work, though, but I'm sure Vick will appreciate my 'guilty' plea."

Washington leads the NFC East with a 3-1 record, and Rex Grossman's prediction of a division championship seems plausible, if not likely.

"The Eagles are done," Rex Grossman said. "The Giants are a disaster in the works, and Dallas is Dallas. We'll win the division the same way I won the starting quarterback job — by process of elimination."

After starting the season in a "can't lose" situation, the Eagles now find themselves in a "must-win" situation, which they better get used to, because it will last through the year.

The Philadelphia defense has been exposed often this year, with many Eagles caught out of position, including their defensive coordinator. In DC, the defense is temporarily straightened out, and they intercept Grossman twice.

Philadelphia wins, 22-20.

St. Louis @ Green Bay (-14)

If the Rams are to end their winless drought, they have to do so the hard way, with a win over the undefeated and defending world champion Packers, in Lambeau Field, no less. The Rams are rested after a bye week, but it will take more than fresh legs to upset the Packers.

"Indeed," said Steve Spagnuolo. "Fresh legs won't be enough, unless they are fresh frog legs, which, when boiled in a kettle with eye of newt, the tears of Dick Vermeil, and the stubble of Kurt Warner, creates a voodoo potion bound to curse the Packers. But only if we can get their starters to drink it."

Green Bay bounced back from a slow start last Sunday in Atlanta, scoring 25 straight points to erase a 14-0 deficit. The Packers are undefeated, and will have to guard against a letdown in Lambeau Field.

"Brett Favre has a street named after him in Green Bay," Aaron Rodgers said. "I hear it ends at an interception, I mean an intersection. Anyway, I hope to have my own road someday, preferably a bypass around Favre Boulevard.

"As for the Rams, we won't take them lightly, and we won't take them seriously. No offense, but the Rams have no offense."

Rodgers shakes off a slow start and throws for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Green Bay wins, 38-17.

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh (-13)

For the time being, it appears the Steelers have remedied their offensive line problems. In last week's 38-17 win over Tennessee, Ben Roethlisberger found the time to throw for five touchdowns, and was sacked only once.

"I'm thrilled to be sacked only once," Roethlisberger said. "So thrilled, in fact, that I became the first offensive player to do a 'sack' dance. To show my appreciation to my offensive linemen, I went out and bought them watches with no faces, because they should be ashamed to show theirs after what I've experienced in the first four weeks."

Rookie Blaine Gabbert will start for the Jaguars, and will face a Pittsburgh defense ranked second in the league in total defense.

"Blaine, you're playing a game, you never can win, girl," Jack Del Rio said. "Pardon my homage to Jefferson Airplane, but I don't want Blaine setting his expectations too high. Our owner, Wayne Weaver, doesn't want me setting my expectations too high, either. That's why I won't hear him singing me another classic rock staple, Jackson Browne's 'Stay.'"

The over/under on this game is 39.5. That point total sounds right on the money. That means the Jags could make NFL history by becoming the first team to lose a game by the score of 39 to .5. But that's impossible, much like a Jaguar win at Heinz Field.

Pittsburgh wins, 27-9.

Buffalo @ NY Giants (-3)

Despite a 3-2 record, the Giants are struggling after a 36-25 loss in the Meadowlands to the lowly Seahawks. With the G-Men driving for the go-ahead score with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning threw his third interception of the game, which was returned 94 yards by Brandon Browner for a touchdown.

"I'm livid," Tom Coughlin said. "If Eli says he's in a class with Tom Brady, he should play like it. If Eli says he's in a class with Buffalo's Harvard-educated Ryan Fitzpatrick, then Eli would be wearing the dunce cap in that class. If Eli's not careful, he'll be the second Manning watching from the sidelines."

The Bills sit proudly atop the AFC East with a 4-1 record, backed by the devotion of a loyal contingent filled with rabid fans. In years past, that kind of fan support was unheard of, except for the Goo Goo Dolls. Now, the Bills are the hottest thing in New York.

"We whipped the Eagles last week," Fitzpatrick said, "and we'll whip the Giants on Sunday. Later in the season, we'll beat the Redskins and Cowboys. Then, we can say we've done something the Buffalo's four-time Super Bowl losers couldn't, and that's beat an NFC East team."

It's nip and tuck from the start. Down 20-19, the Bills and Fitzpatrick mount a late charge as time runs down in the fourth quarter. Rian Lindell lines up for a 47-yard field goal, but pushes it wide right.

New York wins 20-19.

San Francisco @ Detroit (-6)

The red-hot Lions will put their undefeated record on the line against the equally as red-hot 49ers, who, at 4-1, lead the NFC West by two games. Right now, first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh looks like the leading candidate for the NFL's coach of the year.

"With apologies to Joe Montana and Dwight Clark," Harbaugh said, "they're calling me 'The Catch' in San Francisco now.

"We have 4 wins and a 2-game lead in the West. In this division, that's grounds for putting the champagne on ice. We won't back down to the Lions. 5-0 records don't impress me, unless it's in Super Bowls. I want to 'get to six' just like Jim Schwartz, except, as coach of the 49ers, my expectations are just a bit loftier."

The Lions remained undefeated, subduing the Bears 24-13 on Monday night in Detroit, where cars are made and Stripper Busses are made to leave. Jahvid Best scored on an 88-yard run, while Calvin Johnson hooked up with Matthew Stafford for a 73-yard TD reception.

"We're two wins away from a 7-0 start," Johnson said, "and three wins away from finally being mentioned in a Kid Rock song. Kid is obviously more talented at dropping names than Hank Williams, Jr."

The 49ers gear their defense towards stopping Johnson, which entails jams at the line of scrimmage, double-teaming, ridiculing the size of Johnson's hands, and other forms of negative reinforcement. In the end, Johnson gets the last laugh, as Detroit's goal-line offense, called "Calvin and Lobs," comes through again as Stafford hits his favorite target for a 2-yard score.

Detroit wins, 27-24.

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati (-7)

The Colts are 0-5 after blowing a 24-7 lead in a 28-24 loss to the Chiefs last week. Curtis Painter had his best day as a Colt, throwing for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns, but only managed 40 of those yards in the second half.

"We've had no luck in the win column," Jim Caldwell said. "That's okay, because we hope to find 'Luck' in the loss column.

"If I had to choose a replacement for Peyton Manning, Painter would not be my No. 1 pick. And speaking of 'No. 1 pick,' we'd like to use that to select Luck, assuming we remain winless. This is a perfect situation for Luck. Is there a better place to learn as a quarterback than growing up with Peyton Manning? Sure, it didn't quite work so well for Eli, but I think Luck will reap all the benefits."

Are the Bengals the NFL biggest surprise? After last Sunday's 30-20 win in Jacksonville, Cincy is 3-2 and boasts the NFL's top-ranked defense.

"We're winning with defense," Marvin Lewis. "For once, our players can say that, and not their lawyers. This is Cincinnati. There are no more surprises. Unless we win a playoff game. Then I'll be surprised."

Cincinnati wins, 22-17.

Cleveland @ Oakland (-7)

What goes down when this much Brown goes to the Black Hole?

"Hopefully, all of it," Hue Jackson said. "We've had success running the ball, so we're going to keep doing what we've been doing, which is rushing to our opponent's 35-yard line, stalling, then bringing out Sebastian Janikowski to kick an over-50-yard field goal. He's good from any distance, and even better from close range, where he can slip a mickey into a drink, then 'kick it' later."

The Browns are 2-2, last in the AFC North, and will need to contain the Raiders powerful run game to pull the upset. The Browns are ranked 26th against the run, giving up 124 yards per game.

"We'll stop the run in Oakland the same way it's stopped in Cleveland," Colt McCoy said. "With strep throat. What is it with players named 'Peyton' and mysterious 'neck' ailments? I worked out with Brett Favre this summer. I know he'd never miss a game for strep throat. Hillis will have to live this down, and that won't be easy in Oakland, where I'm sure at least one fan will offer him a bowl of 'chicken' soup."

Hillis hears an earful from the Black Hole faithful, who chide him with chants of "you suck, but have trouble swallowing." Hillis responds with a short touchdown run in the first quarter. The Raiders, in turn, respond with their own ground attack, and take a hard-fought 23-20 win.

Houston @ Baltimore (-7)

The Ravens lead the AFC South with a 3-1 record, and with a bye week under their belts, should be more than ready to face the Texans, led by quarterback Matt Schaub and running back Arian Foster. The 3-2 Texans, however, will be without Andre Johnson and Mario Williams, arguably their two best players.

"It's hard to identify the Texans 'best' player," Ray Lewis said. "My guess it's one with a bad hamstring. Houston has a lot of 'great' players. They just don't have a lot of 'good' ones."

The Texans are 3-2 and tied with the Titans atop the AFC South. A loss at home to Oakland kept Houston from sole possession of the South lead.

"That was a game we should have won," Gary Kubiak said. "Unfortunately, the Texans have made a habit of not doing things they should. Like firing me, for example."

Ray Lewis makes the 327th greatest pre-game speech of his career, and in a purely symbolic gesture, the eleven Baltimore starters carry their offensive counterparts onto the field.

Defense wins some championships, but it always beats the Texans.

Baltimore wins, 34-20.

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (+5)

The Bucs, a week removed from a 48-3 thrashing in San Francisco, host the NFC South-leading Saints, and a Tampa win would forge a tie in the division.

"Forty-eight points is totally uncalled for," Raheem Morris said. "It's not good when you let the 49ers nearly live up to their name. They played like a team possessed; we played like a team regressed. On a lighter note, Tampa lost the 2015 Super Bowl to Arizona. There won't be a Super Bowl in Tampa, and unless we improve, there won't be a Tampa in the Super Bowl."

The high-powered Saints offense is scoring at a 31 points per game clip, better than 27 teams in the league, and, more importantly, better than their defense, which surrenders 25 points per game.

"So our defense isn't that good," Sean Payton said. "Here's a French quarter, call someone who cares. And speaking of French Quarter, our fans there have faith in our defense. Their rallying cry is 'Oui, Believe.' In actuality, our defense makes our offense better. As in, when our defense leaves the field, the offense says, 'we better score.'"

The Bucs win the opening coin toss, and defer to the Saints. Oddly, the Saints choose to kick off, and surprise the Bucs with an onside kick, which the Saints recover. Then, to start the second half, the Saints again onside kick, and recover. The extra possessions pay off, and the Saints close the game with a John Kasay field goal.

New Orleans wins, 29-27.

Dallas @ New England (-7)

The Cowboys have had two weeks to contemplate their monumental collapse against the Lions, and that's good, because it takes at least 14 days for Jerry Jones to sing a soothing lullaby to every single Cowboy player and coach. Jones may be the most "hands-on" owner in professional sports not to be accused of sexual harassment by someone.

"Jerry's the only owner every to be accused of tampering by his own team," Tony Romo said. "He's like Leon Lett and a blocked punt — he doesn't realize he needs to get as far away as possible. He needs to realize I don't need a pat on the back. I need a run play called."

It's safe to say the Patriots and Bill Bellichick have scoured hours of videotape, surreptitiously obtained or not, of the Cowboys. And in review of that footage, they have no doubt pinpointed weaknesses in the Dallas attack.

"Surprisingly," Bill Belichick said, "the Cowboys have only one weakness — leading. Romo is good at throwing caution to the wind; he's even better at throwing footballs to the opposition."

The Cowboys race to an early 13-3 lead, and hold on, thanks to a game-clinching, 11-play drive in which Romo goes 0-for-0 passing.

Dallas wins, 36-30.

Minnesota @ Chicago (-3)

The 1-4 Vikings face the 2-2 Bears on Sunday Night Football in an intriguing matchup that will certainly raise a number of questions. The most important question being this: Can NBC's start flex-scheduling early? Because most of America, Minneapolis and Chicago included, would like to see the Cowboys and Patriots in prime time.

"I concur," Leslie Frazier said. "Two consecutive weeks of the Bears in prime time is too much. Almost as bad as one week of the Vikings in prime time.

"But there are some interesting story lines in the game. One of which is Donovan McNabb returning to his hometown. We're hoping he might stay."

The Bears defense steps up, and shuts down Adrian Peterson, forcing McNabb to throwing downs. Instead, he throws up.

Robbie Gould kicks four field goals, and Chicago wins 26-19.

Miami @ NY Jets (-9)

Are you ready for some football? The Dolphins don't appear to be, after an 0-4 start and the loss of quarterback Chad Henne to a shoulder injury. Matt Moore will start, backed up by Sage Rosenfels.

"I hear Hank Williams, Jr. is angry at ESPN for dropping him," Tony Sparano said. "Apparently, he's 'teed' off, and I'm guessing he did so in a threesome with Adolf Hitler and Benjamin Netanyahu. Williams needs to leave the inappropriate political commentary to the experts at FOX News. He should know his place. I know mine. If we lose, it's six feet under below the north end zone at MetLife Stadium."

The struggling Jets are 2-3 after their third-consecutive defeat, a 30-21 loss in New England in which the Patriots beat the Jets at their own game.

"I didn't go to Foxboro to kiss Bill Belichick's rings," Rex Ryan said. "However, if they were on his feet, I'd have considered it. It's early in the season, but I have to make changes. One is trading Derrick Mason to the Texans. The other is possibly moving offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to defensive coordinator. My guess is at either position, he'd be good at stopping our offense."

Jets win, 27-14.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 7:44 PM | Comments (0)

Week 1 College Basketball Preview

As the college football season gets into full swing, we will soon have yet another "favorite sports time of the year" for this writer. I have written columns about my love of Labor Day Weekend and March Madness before, so as you might glean, college football and basketball are my favorite sports (although it seems wrong to exclude the NFL from that).

November is when college basketball and college football converge for 3-4 weeks. I enjoy the early season of college basketball for the same reason I like the first few weeks of college football: interesting non-conference matchups. We know every year we will have the usual slate of conference games but when, I ask you, will Boise State play Georgia again?

The college basketball season kicks off as always with the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (next year, the charity sponsor will be the Wounded Warrior Project).

I complain about this every year, but for the uninitiated, Coaches vs. Cancer used to be a much more interesting tournament. Four big-time schools would host three minnows on their home court, and the winner of each of the four mini-tournaments would meet in New York City to determine an overall champion.

Then one year, Gardner-Webb knocked off Kentucky in one of the preliminary tournaments, stamping their ticket to New York City. Tournament organizers said to themselves, "Now, instead of legions of Kentucky fans buying tickets, we will have eight Gardner-Webb fans making the trip. WE'RE LOSING MONEY, DAMN IT! WE'RE LOSING MONEY!"

So they changed the format so that the four host schools, no matter what, are the ones to go to NYC to fight for the championship, and the other schools in the preliminary tournaments are just along for the ride, and play each other in these complicated consolation tournaments.

Well, I'm happy to report that this year, the tournament organizers (the Gazelle Group) are getting a comeuppance of sorts. First, the four marquee teams are a bit down from years past: Arizona, St. John's, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. (Mississippi State? Really?)

Second, they had an extremely hard time finding schools to fill out the field. I mean, really hard. In fact, they couldn't do it. Texas A&M will only have one game, against Liberty, in their preliminary tournament.

But the schools they did get for the consolation tournaments ... wow. The field includes not one, not two, but three Division 2 schools ... and keep in mind that there are over 300 Division 1 college basketball programs. We have Hiram, a small liberal-arts school not far from my hometown of Akron (Akron will be participating, too, in the Mississippi State pod), The University of District Columbia, which isn't even the most notable historically black college in Washington, DC (that would be Howard, if you were curious), and my personal favorite, Indiana-Kokomo, entering their very first year of even having a basketball program.

Why is the tournament struggling so hard to find teams, to the point that they can't even completely fill out the bracket with the dregs of Division 1 and 2? I'm really not sure. There must be a lot of traveling and accommodation costs involved and little or no payout from the tournament. That's my best guess.

So the very, very first game of the season will be William & Mary at St. John's, Monday November 7th at 7 PM Eastern on ESPNU. Although William & Mary play in a tough conference, The Colonial, which has given us Final Four teams like VCU and George Mason in recent years, the Tribe are not among the conference powerhouses and St. John's should win easily.

My pick to win the tournament is Arizona over Texas A&M. I expect Arizona and A&M to have little trouble with St. John's and Mississippi State, respectively, in the semifinals. They both return loaded from their NCAA Tournament teams last year, but Arizona made it all the way to the Elite Eight.

Other notable games in the first week:

Michigan State vs. North Carolina (Friday November 11th, 7 PM EST)

This game would have been even better a few years ago, when Michigan State was still elite. As it is, it's most notable for its venue. The game will be played on an aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson.

Oregon vs. Vanderbilt (Friday November 11th, 10 PM EST)

This seems to be the only other game involving two teams from "Big Six" conferences. Vanderbilt will be looking to build on their recent success, having made the Big Dance four of the past five seasons. Oregon is a little bit farther behind the curve, having not made the NCAA tournament since 2008. They did win the CBI postseason tournament last year.

BYU at Utah State (Friday November 11th, 9 PM EST)

This matchup is the only one of the first week of teams who finished last year in the polls (pre-tournament anyway): BYU was No. 10 and Utah State was No. 19. While it may be inaccurate to call a Utah State win an "upset," BYU of course is the more prosperous program. However, they will have to make do without Jimmer Fredette on the road in a rivalry game. Unfortunately, as of now the game is only on local television in Southern Utah. Hopefully a national network will pick it up, or it will be streamed online.

Belmont at Duke (Friday November 11th, 9 PM EST)

Duke never seems to look past lesser opponents, but if they do here, watch out. Belmont made the NCAA tournament last year, as they have in four of the last six years. In 2008, they played Duke in the tournament. They lost, 71-70.

Wright State at Ohio State (Friday November 11th, 9 PM EST)

Duke may not look past lesser opponents, but Ohio State has, with ignoble losses to San Francisco and Valparaiso, among others, in the last 10 years. Wright State was strong in the Horizon League last year, and one of the teams they took down last season was Butler.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 12:32 PM | Comments (3)

October 12, 2011

Top Five NHL Storylines of 2011-12

Hockey in Winnipeg! Brain scans in Pittsburgh! More of the same in Washington!

Welcome back, folks. The 2011-12 NHL season is upon us, leaving behind one of sports' most difficult offseasons. Much has been written about the tragedies that occurred off the ice, and with all due respect to those, it's time to begin the healing process and that starts with looking at what's happening on the ice. Here are your top five storylines for the new NHL season.

5. Florida's Spending Spree

What happens when you get a bold new GM with $31 million in cap space to spend? You get Dale Tallon, the Florida Panthers, and a host of overpaid free agents. Tallon's spending spree — which was to get to the cap floor, not ceiling — put extra money into the pockets of guys who were over the hill (Ed Jovanovski) or only showed flashes of potential (Sean Bergenheim). Will any of it work?

The best-case scenario is that guys like Bergenheim and Tomas Fleischmann bring consistency to their previous moments of brilliance while Jovanovski and Brian Campbell lead by example. The worst-case scenario is, well, a mediocre team staying at the bottom of the standings. With much more depth (though no top-line depth) this season, there's no doubt the Panthers have a better roster on paper. How much better? That's the grand chemistry experiment.

4. Washington/San Jose Go For it ... Again

Despite totally different coaching styles, roster philosophies, and team histories, the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals are linked together as underachievers. The Sharks shed some of the underachiever image with back-to-back conference final appearances, while the Caps still retain the identity of playoff choker. Regardless, these two teams are among the best in the regular season, and some level of extreme makeover means that nothing less than the Cup equals success. Washington finally has a No. 1 goalie in Tomas Vokoun, while San Jose gets speedier and more defensive with its cap dollars. Will it work? The only way to judge these teams is to look at who's skating in June.

3. Winnipeg's Return

It's almost funny how swiftly the return of the Winnipeg Jets came to be after the will-they/won't-they drama involved with Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes ownership. Instead of public blustering or grand proclamations, True North simply came in with a lot of money, little baggage, and an ample opportunity — the troubles in Atlanta were different from other teams, as no local group stepped up and the ongoing legal battles of the Atlanta Spirit group gave everyone, including the league, a headache. This story won't necessarily have a happy ending, though — the Jets overhauled everything but the roster, so the question really comes down to how long the goodwill will last if and when the team losses.

2. Sidney Crosby's Brain

It feels like Sidney Crosby's return is imminent — the former league MVP and Stanley Cup champion is pushing himself hard in practice and he's not avoiding the media at all. Still, the consequences of an injury lasting 9+ months is that the question of concussions will follow Crosby pretty much his entire career.

Concussions are fickle things, and he could even theoretically have a recurring symptom following the morning skate of his comeback game. With such a high-profile player battling the NHL's biggest injury foe, all eyes will be on Crosby. That may seem like status quo, but things like whiplash, memory, and headaches will replace goals, assists, and face-offs, at least for the time being.

1. Shanny's Suspensions

New discipline sheriff Brendan Shanahan hasn't been shy about handing out suspensions in the preseason, and there's no reason to think he'll let up when the games count. Shanahan has publicly stated that he hopes his explanation videos not only appease the curious eye, they act as a teaching tool for what is and what isn't acceptable.

For years, many critics have pointed the fingers at the players for not showing self-discipline with head hits and/or dangerous hits. With stiffer punishments and one of their own in charge, this early wave of disciplinary action will hopefully change the culture of the league. With the overriding theme of education and transparency, Shanahan's approach is right — it's up to the players to decide if this will be effective.

Posted by Mike Chen at 8:30 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 30

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson dominated at Kansas, leading 197 of 272 laps, and easily pulled away from the challenge of Kasey Kahne to win the Hollywood Casino 400. It was Johnson's second win of the year, and vaulted him to within four of the Sprint Cup points lead.

"I'm not 'done,'" Johnson said. "I'm just getting started. If you're looking for volunteers to say 'you were wrong' to those people who counted me out, well, count me in.

"A win in Kansas means I'll celebrate with Kansas. The band, not the state. I led nearly every lap, and won handily, leaving 42 cars as 'Dust in My Wind.' I struggled early in the Chase, but Chad Knaus told me to keep digging and things would turn around. He was right, and his suggestions to 'Carry on Wayward Son' proved prescient."

2. Carl Edwards — Edwards overcame race-long handling issues, falling a lap down at one point, and stormed back to finish fifth at Kansas. He maintained the Sprint Cup points lead, and holds a 1-point lead over Kevin Harvick, with Jimmie Johnson only 4 back.

"We really came back from the brink," Edwards said. "The car was junk for most of the day, but with a lot of adjustments and tweaks, we were able to pull one out of our Aflac.

"Harvick finished sixth, so he could just as easily be in the points lead had I not held him off. It was a great battle for fifth, but in light of Johnson's dominance, Harvick and I might as well be battling for second."

3. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski raced to a third-place finish at Kansas, his ninth top-five result of the year. He improved two places in the point standings to fourth, and trails Carl Edwards by 11.

"I'm by far the youngest Chase competitor," Keselowski said. "And of all the twenty-something's in the Chase, I'm the only one making a mark. So, you describe our impact on the Chase as 'youth is served,' but you can describe my impact on the Chase as one 'serving of youth.'"

4. Kevin Harvick — Harvick finished sixth in the Hollywood Casino 400, earning his 16th top-10 finish of the year. Harvick fell out of a tie in the points lead, and now trails Carl Edwards, who finished fifth, by one.

"I'm only one point out of the lead," Harvick said, "yet everyone seems ready to hand Jimmie Johnson his sixth Sprint Cup title, even though he's 4 behind the lead. Well, it's way too early for me to concede the title to Johnson. I have no qualms about making a 'concession stand.'"

5. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth led 26 laps and posted a solid fourth at Kansas, his ninth top-five result of the year. He jumped two spots in the point standings to fifth, and trails Carl Edwards by 12.

"I trail Edwards by 12?" Kenseth asked. "Is that in 'cool points?' Anyway, I'm the driver that's been hovering around, waiting to make a move. Unfortunately, if all you do is hover, then your championship hopes just won't float."

6. Kyle Busch — Busch just missed a top-10 finish at Kansas, coming home 11th in the Hollywood Casino 400. With four races down in the Chase, Busch is now eighth in the point standings, 20 out of first.

"I'm not worried about 'insurmountable leads,'" Busch said. "It's 'insurmountable deficits' that concern me."

7. Tony Stewart — Stewart let a certain top-10 finish slip away when he slid past his pit stall during the race's final caution. The lengthy pit stop cost him several positions, and he restarted 17th before finishing 15th. Stewart tumbled four spots in the point standings to seventh, 19 out of first.

"A mere two races ago," Stewart said, "I was leading the Sprint Cup point standings. Now I'm in seventh. So my pit mishap at Kansas is no big deal, considering I've had longer 'slides' before."

8. Kurt Busch — Busch, last week's winner at Dover, finished 13th in the Hollywood Casino 400 after a losing ground on the race's final restart. Busch dropped two places to sixth in the point standings, and is now 16 out of first.

"One week after I smoked him for the win at Dover," Busch said, "Jimmie Johnson goes out and wins at Kansas, and wins so handily that he's practically anointed champion. What does Johnson hate more? Losing to me, or losing in general?"

9. Jeff Gordon — Gordon's engine blew with four laps to go at Kansas and he finished 34th, which could prove to be fatal to his championship hopes. He is now 47 points out of the lead with six races remaining in the Chase.

"They call Jimmie Johnson 'five-time,'" Gordon said. "It's a nickname I've longed to possess. The bad news: they won't be calling me that this year. The good news: the nickname will likely be available next year."

10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt finished 14th in the Hollywood Casino 400, and moved up one spot in the point standings to ninth, 43 out of first.

"Jimmie Johnson looks like a solid bet to win his sixth Sprint Cup championship," Earnhardt said. "If that happens, then it's a perfect example of 'deJJa vu.'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2011

NFL Week 5 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* You've surely heard by now that Raiders owner Al Davis passed away over the weekend. His influence on professional football cannot be overstated. Davis was a titan of the game, hugely influential with regards to both on-field strategy and off-field maneuvering. More on Davis in the Raiders summary.

* I am increasingly certain that Brian Billick thinks "trickeration" is a real word, not just something you say once in a while to be funny. If this continues, I may have to kill him.

* Brandon Meriweather is the dirtiest player in the NFL.

* Sebastian Janikowski is having one of the greatest seasons ever by a placekicker. In five games, he has five field goals of at least 50 yards, including three this weekend (a single-game record) and a record-tying 63-yarder in Denver in Week 1.

* ESPN repeatedly missed the beginning of the play on Monday night. This is supposedly a professional broadcast.

***

Sometimes in sports, a narrative arises in defiance of reality. It becomes conventional wisdom that a good player like David Garrard or Kyle Orton or Tony Romo stinks and needs to be replaced. Garrard, with no decent receivers to throw to, did a great job of avoiding mistakes and creating plays with his feet. Orton looked like a top-10 QB for most of last season. Romo is among the best quarterbacks of this generation.

The flip side of this is the completely undeserved hype that comes to surround mediocre players like Sam Bradford and Rex Grossman and Jason Campbell. This week, Dan Marino, doing the highlights, called Campbell "solid on the day, 15-for-35." Whoa, hang on. How is 15-for-35 solid? That's 42.9% completion percentage. That hasn't been "solid" in 40 years. It's like there's an unspoken agreement among the media and less-educated fans to promote the absurd idea that (for instance) Bradford and Grossman are not only better than Orton and Romo, but so much better that the former should be praised and the latter should be benched, or perhaps cut outright to try their luck in the CFL.

I don't know where this comes from. But it's mindless at best, dishonest or so careless as to be the same thing, and on the side that sets out to destroy the career of someone like Orton or Romo, it's really, really messed up. Who are you going to believe, Don Banks and Marino, or your lyin' eyes? Maybe it's not your eyes that are lying. Brackets show last week's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers [1] — Of the several big comebacks in Week 5, surely this was the least surprising. I have run out of good things to say about Aaron Rodgers. Pick any positive adjective that can remotely be applied to football, and it's true. The injury to Chad Clifton is cause for concern, but not panic. Rookie Derek Sherrod looked shaky at times, but I was impressed by Marshall Newhouse, who took over for Clifton at left tackle. The announcers made much too big a deal about the young tackles. Newhouse looked good.

2. Baltimore Ravens [2] — In each of their three wins, the Ravens scored over 30 points: 35, 37, 34. They held their opponents to an average of 10. In Week 2, they lost to the Titans, 26-13. Fluke. The Ravens are the only team in the NFL to score at least twice as many points as they have given up: 119-57. The Rams are the only team to allow at least twice as many: 46-113.

3. Detroit Lions [6] — It's hard to evaluate their defense against an offensive line as awful as Chicago's, but the Lions — now 5-0 for the first time in the last fifty-five seasons — are clearly for real. There are a lot of good players here, but the one you can't get away from is Calvin Johnson. His amazing TD receptions last week notwithstanding, Johnson is one of those players who often makes it look easy. We're all used to kickers leading the NFL in scoring, but right now, it's Johnson and his 9 touchdowns. Kicker Jason Hanson is tied (with John Kasay) for second. Hanson and Kasay are a combined 212 years old. Just kidding, they're both 41. But that's still pretty old to be kicking so effectively. Matthew Stafford needs to a better job of protecting his receivers. On Monday, he led both Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew into devastating hits.

4. New Orleans Saints [3] — Uncomfortably close win over the 1-4 Panthers, but that's four in a row for New Orleans, and the Saints now lead the NFL in third-down percentage (58.7%). 41-year-old John Kasay, who joined the Saints less than two weeks before the start of the regular season, leads all NFL kickers in scoring (see above). This is his 18th season connecting on a field goal of at least 50 yards. New Orleans has a critical game in Week 6, traveling to Tampa with the Buccaneers looking to rebound from a humiliating loss. A win would put the Saints 2½ games up in the NFC South.

5. New England Patriots [5] — It's not terribly surprising that five quarterbacks are on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season record for passing yardage. What is a little surprising is that Wes Welker and Minnesota's Jared Allen appear poised to seriously challenge the single-season marks for receptions and receiving yards (Welker), and sacks (Allen). Welker has 45 catches for 740 yards, which projects to 144 receptions and 2,368 yards. The records are 143 (Marvin Harrison, 2002) and 1,848 (Jerry Rice, 1995). As long as I'm making ridiculous projections after five games, though, Tom Brady's career high in interceptions is 14, and he's on pace for 19. New England's linebacking corps looks awfully suspect without Jerod Mayo.

6. Buffalo Bills [9] — Rank 30th in yards allowed, 422 per game. It's a misleading figure. Great offensive teams give up many more yards and points than poor offenses, and strange as it may seem after last year, when Buffalo ranked 28th in scoring (17.7 pts/gm), the Bills look like a great offensive team. I must have mentioned this a thousand times, but I believe Washington's 1983 Super Bowl-losing team was one of the 10 or 20 best teams in history, including those that did win championships. That team featured a record-setting offense, with a defense that was only so-so by the most common statistical measures. But Washington led the NFL in rushing defense and interceptions, actually set a single-season record for takeaways. Their 12th-ranked defense was probably the best in the NFL. Buffalo does not have the best defense in the NFL, but it's not fourth-worst, either. The Bills lead the NFL in takeaways (16), averaging better than three per game.

7. San Diego Chargers [7] — General manager A.J. Smith attracts a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, but San Diego just keeps churning out quality running backs. LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Darren Sproles, now Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert. LT is a future Hall of Famer, Turner is a perennial Pro Bowler in Atlanta, and Mathews appears to have a very bright future if he can stay healthy. Through five games, Mathews has 413 rush yards (4.9 avg) and 261 receiving yards, trailing only Matt Forte, Fred Jackson, and Welker in yards from scrimmage. San Diego has the fewest punts of any team in the league (12).

8. Pittsburgh Steelers [8] — Ben Roethlisberger is supposed to be hurt, right? And the offensive line is pretty much just finding fat guys on the street and putting them in uniform, as I understand it. So why was Big Ben still in the game with a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter? The Steelers played a very impressive game in spite of their many injuries, but some performances got blown out of proportion.

I remember realizing last season that Dan Dierdorf, who does not offer any special insight as an analyst, had become one of my favorite announcers. Sometimes you just get comfortable with someone, I guess. I felt that way about John Madden, too. But this season, Dierdorf is so caught up in hyping the stars that he is getting on my last nerve. This Sunday, he kept making up different scenarios in which Troy Polamalu would have made a fantastic play. If that throw went to a whole different location, Troy would have intercepted it. This is the worst type of "analysis" you can get from an announcer: if reality were different, this is what would have happened. Look, if Dierdorf were in charge, Troy Polamalu would be President of the Universe, and our intergalactic enemies would cower before his lush mane of hair. But in real life, Polamalu is just a very good player who does a good job of being near the ball. He's nowhere near the player he was in his mid-20s. You want an if, Dierdorf? If Polamalu were 25, he might have gotten to that interception.

9. Oakland Raiders [10] — Over the past decade or so, I believe Al Davis was the worst owner in the NFL, doing incredible harm to the team he loved. But that's not the way Davis should be remembered. His accomplishments as a coach, owner, league commissioner, and general innovator are too many to name, but let me focus on the Raiders. Davis crafted a dynasty that once put together 16 winning seasons in a row. From 1965-1986, the Raiders played in 11 AFL or AFC Championship Games, won three Super Bowls, and had only one losing season. That is an amazing 22-year run, making it to the final four every other year for more than two decades.

The best summary I heard about Al Davis on Sunday came from NBC's Bob Costas, who offered a picture of Davis that was respectful, but honest and frank. Lots of people hated Al Davis, but a lot of people loved him, too. Nine Hall of Famers have chosen Davis to present them for induction, far more than any other individual: Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, and John Madden. That list doesn't even include Howie Long, who was on the verge of tears when he spoke about Davis on the FOX pre-game show. Head coach Hue Jackson sobbed on the sideline after Michael Huff's game-clinching interception. Davis leaves a tremendous, absolutely unique legacy, and an indelible print on the game he devoted his life to.

10. San Francisco 49ers [19] — Every once in a while, a truly mediocre player comes out of nowhere with a great season. Derek Anderson in 2007, Steve Beuerlein in 1999, Erik Kramer in '95, Don Majkowski, and so on. Through five games, Alex Smith has a passer rating of 104.1, almost 30 points above his career average and more than 20 above his previous high. Maybe it's his year. The Niners rank 27th in offensive yardage, but 7th in scoring.

11. Houston Texans [4] — Totally healthy, I still believe they'd be top-five. But Andre Johnson remains out of action, and Mario Williams will miss the rest of the year with a torn pectoral muscle. Williams will likely be replaced by second-round draft choice Brooks Reed. That makes the AFC South a lot more interesting. Statistically, Houston outplayed the Raiders in Week 5: almost 200 more yards, almost twice as many first downs. Oakland won on turnovers and special teams. Houston needs to improve its red zone play. It would really help to get Arian Foster and Johnson on the field at the same time.

12. Chicago Bears [12] — The offensive line is a disaster, the right tackle position in particular. Frank Omiyale was benched for the second game in a row, but it's not like they have Anthony Muñoz waiting to fill in. Besides, Omiyale only committed one of the Bears' NINE false start penalties against Detroit. Altogether the two teams combined for 26 penalties for 198 yards. Classic Mike Martz: on Chicago's second drive, the Bears squandered two timeouts, a replay challenge, and five Detroit penalties without managing any points. This is probably too high a ranking for a team with so many problems, but last year's Bears ranked 30th in yardage and 21st in scoring, and they won the NFC North.

13. Tennessee Titans [14] — I've written repeatedly in recent years that the NFL doesn't have any great offensive tackles right now. You have to go back to Walter Jones and Jonathan Ogden, circa 2005, to find anyone I'd say stands out on a historical level. It's too early in his career to be comparing the guy to Ogden, but I really like Michael Roos. I know everyone talks about David Stewart at right tackle, and he's okay, too, but Roos is quite clearly the superior player, and right now I'd say he's the best OT in the league. Tennessee really could have used Jason Babin on Sunday.

14. New York Jets [11] — The Patriots have too many weapons, and whenever the Jets shut one of them down, someone else stepped up. New York's pass defense is quite good, but they're vulnerable on the ground, and the offense stinks. Getting Nick Mangold back helps, but Shonn Greene is inconsistent, LaDainian Tomlinson is five years past his prime, and Mark Sanchez is unreliable. Sanchez needs to take the next step, and he probably needs to do it soon if the Jets are going to make the playoffs.

15. Dallas Cowboys [15] — They're the only team to beat San Francisco, and they're the only team to beat Washington, and one of the teams they've lost to is undefeated. With the Eagles in full-blown panic mode, I'd say Dallas is the front-runner, right now, to win the NFC East.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [13] — As much of a laughingstock as this team was during its first 20 years, Sunday's 48-3 defeat in San Francisco tied the worst loss in franchise history. The Bucs are 3-2, and the teams they've lost to are a combined 9-1, so there's no need to panic. That said, Tampa is going to lose again next week. Playing the Saints is tough enough already, but teams traveling to London's Wembley Stadium are 2-6 the week before. The eventual Super Bowl-champion Giants won in '07, and the Patriots handled Tennessee in '09. Everyone else has lost the week before their big trip. Tampa has a "home" game at Wembley in Week 7.

17. Atlanta Falcons [16] — With about a minute remaining in the third quarter, Sean Weatherspoon left the game with what looked very much like a concussion. In the fourth quarter, he was back on the field. I don't think that's supposed to happen. The Falcons haven't lost to anyone bad (Bears, Bucs, Packers), but they're 2-3, and the wins have come by a combined six points. Atlanta has already lost as many games as all of last season (13-3). To make matters worse, Julio Jones left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. Tony Gonzalez, meanwhile, passed Tim Brown on the all-time receptions list (4th) and Art Monk for career receiving yards (14th). Gonzalez is the best tight end in history.

18. Cincinnati Bengals [21] — I am not going to be happy if the Bengals sneak into the playoffs just because this is their year to face the NFC West, and the AFC South in a down year. Cincinnati ranks 3rd in the NFL in pass defense, but tied for last with only 1 interception all season. Opposing passers have an 84.6 passer rating against the Bengals, 16th in the NFL, and I think that's a more accurate measure of their quality than 3rd. Kicker Mike Nugent, who is 11/11 on field goal attempts, missed an extra point in Week 5.

19. Washington Redskins [17] — On a personal level, I really, really dislike Deion Sanders. As an analyst for NFL Network, though, Sanders does good work. I usually agree with him, and I appreciate that he speaks his mind. I have always hated Michael Irvin as an analyst; he's all about building and maintaining his connections, and that makes him unreliable. But on Sunday night, when Irvin and Sanders clashed about the state of the NFC East, I thought Irvin was right and Sanders was wrong.

The argument in a nutshell was this: Sanders posited that Rex Grossman was probably the best QB in the NFC East right now, and that Washington would likely win the division. Irvin said he was crazy. I agree entirely with Irvin (who picked Dallas to win the division, for what it's worth). I believe — with a great deal of confidence — that Grossman is the worst starting QB in the NFC East. Here, look at their numbers:

I realize the stats don't tell everything, but is that even close? Grossman has the lowest passer rating, the fewest touchdowns, by far the fewest yards per game. These numbers include sacks and rushing, by the way. And Grossman did all this against opponents who are a combined 6-12 (.333). If you're playing a bunch of teams who are collectively on track to go 5-11, you'd better be 3-1.

Forget Romo and Vick for a sec, how do you put Grossman ahead of Manning? Eli is sixth in the NFL in passing yards, fifth in TD passes, and fourth in passer rating. Or how about what Vick has done against good defenses like San Francisco and Buffalo? Or Romo, who beat Grossman head-to-head while missing his best receiver, half his offensive line, and part of his lung? I live in an NFC East market, so I've seen each team at least three times, except Dallas, whom I've seen twice. All of these players lack consistency, but when it comes to inconsistency, no one can hold a candle to Good Rex/Bad Rex. I have nothing against Grossman personally — he actually seems like a pretty chill guy — but to suggest that he's the best quarterback in the division is lunacy. Even to suggest that he might not be the worst indicates very questionable judgment.

20. Philadelphia Eagles [20] — Committed five turnovers and lost their fourth in a row. Last season, everyone was going nuts about Michael Vick in part because he didn't throw many interceptions. But a lot of luck goes into INTs, and Vick's performance was at least somewhat of a fluke. He already has more picks this year (7) than all of last season (6). The Eagles look worse every week.

21. Cleveland Browns [22] — It's their bye week, so there's not much to say, but check this out. Doing some research this week, I discovered an old player for the 1927-28 Dayton Triangles named Walter Tin Kit Achiu. What's great, though, is that Achiu apparently was not known as Walter, or even Tin Kit. He was better known by his nickname, Sneeze. He also apparently was sometimes called Chink, which is lovely. Achiu was Hawaiian.

22. Seattle Seahawks [26] — More than half the points in their 36-25 victory were scored in the fourth quarter: 20-11, Seattle. My favorite play in football is anything that results in a safety. I parade around my living room with my arms up in the referee's "safety" symbol whenever it happens. Anthony Hargrove's safety this weekend was probably the difference in the game. With the score 30-25 (instead of 28-25), the Giants had to go for a touchdown instead of kicking a field goal to send the game into overtime. The pass got intercepted, and, well, you know the rest. Charlie Whitehurst played well in relief of Tarvaris Jackson, but the 'Hawks have a bye in Week 6, so it's possible Jackson could be back for Seattle's next game.

23. New York Giants [18] — Another game, another busy week for punter Steve Weatherford. The Giants went 1/12 on third downs, dropping them to 29% on the season, 4th-worst in the NFL. The biggest problem is probably the offensive line, so long the team's most stable and dependable asset. This year, Eli Manning is running for his life, and the RBs are struggling. The Giants' 3.2 average per carry ranks 31st in the NFL, ahead of only the Titans.

24. Denver Broncos [23] — The fans will riot if Orton returns as the starter. It's not that I have anything against Kordell Stewart Tim Tebow, but his skill set appears to drastically limit Denver's options on offense. No one questions Eric Crouch Tim Tebow's leadership or desire — or running ability — but he seems a little lost in what everyone agrees is a passing league. Maybe Bobby Douglass Tim Tebow will be just as effective in Denver as he was at Florida, but no NFL team has been successful with this kind of quarterback in 70 years.

25. Kansas City Chiefs [29] — After an unspeakably atrocious opening to the season, getting outscored 89-10, the Chiefs have looked pretty much like we expected for the last three weeks. Matt Cassel's passer rating by game: 64.5, 44.5, 102.1, 102.7, 138.9. He won't throw 4 TD passes every week, but if he can avoid turnovers and get the ball to Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City will return to the middle section of these rankings very quickly.

26. Miami Dolphins [24] — The schedule doesn't get any easier coming out of the bye (a visit to the Jets), but they've got some guys coming back from injury, and that can make a big difference. I'm interested to see more from rookie RB Daniel Thomas.

27. Carolina Panthers [27] — Following Steve Smith's impressive 54-yard score, Olindo Mare's extra point attempt was blocked, the second week in a row he's had a kick blocked. Julius Peppers deflected his 34-yard field goal attempt in Week 4. The Panthers keep losing close games, and that's better than losing blowouts, but little things like this are often the difference between winning and losing. At some point, you'd like to see them utilize Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams more consistently.

28. Minnesota Vikings [30] — Leaned on Adrian Peterson and coasted to their first win of the season. Jared Allen is quietly off to the kind of start that gets people talking about Defensive Player of the Year. Allen sacked Kevin Kolb twice this week (for 27 yards), bringing his total to 8.5 on the season. The single-season record is 22.5, by Michael Strahan in 2001. Allen is on pace for 27, with at least half a sack in each game so far.

29. Indianapolis Colts [25] — Scored 24 points in Week 5, a season-high. Last season, a Week 5 matchup with Kansas City was the first time the Colts didn't score 24 or above. This is a totally different team without Peyton Manning, but at least with Curtis Painter they're putting some drives together and scoring touchdowns. Joseph Addai's hamstring injury does not appear to be serious. Not that it really seems to matter.

30. Arizona Cardinals [28] — Held off the Panthers in Week 1, but now they've lost four straight. I'd like to see them try to use LaRod Stephens-Howling the way the Saints do with Darren Sproles. Listed at 5-6, 190 lbs, Sproles is about the same size as LSH, and he's been a tremendous playmaker for New Orleans. The Cardinals need a spark, and Stephens-Howling is a sparkplug. He actually has been an even more successful kick returner than Sproles:

Stephens-Howling has a better average and more TDs. He does good things if you can get him the ball in space. The Cardinals should make an effort to do so more often.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars [31] — Four losses in a row since their opening-week win over Tennessee. The Jags rank 32nd in offensive yards per game and 31st in points per game, ahead of only the dismal Rams. Even veteran punter Matt Turk is having an awful year, with a terrible net average (32.8), 5 touchbacks, and no fair catches.

32. St. Louis Rams [32] — Sam Bradford is 75-of-151 this year, a 49.7% completion percentage. League-wide, completion percentage — which has been rising for about three decades — is about the same as it has been the last few years. But that's a bit skewed by the statistical influence of a few teams that throw a lot: the Packers (71.3%), Saints (69.4), Patriots (67.9), Chargers (67.2) ... almost half the league is below 60%, including three completing under half their passes: the Rams, Colts, and Ravens. The 2008-09 Browns are the only teams since 2002 to finish with a completion percentage below 50%.

If all this means anything after only five weeks, what is it? Well, partly just that a number of teams are playing inexperienced QBs, but I also believe we may finally be witnessing a reversal of the 25-year-trend toward shorter and shorter passes, with coaches who watched Green Bay win Super Bowl XLV rediscovering the deep ball. I hope I'm right, as that kind of football is a lot of fun to watch.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)

Woeful Eagles Remain Grounded in NFC East

Don't look now, but the NFC East is up for grabs.

Predicted by some experts to be the team to beat this season, the Philadelphia Eagles have lost four straight, are last in their division and Michael Vick leads the NFC with 7 interceptions.

The Eagles desperately must find a way to win as they visit the division-leading Washington Redskins this week. After giving the St. Louis Rams their fourth straight defeat on Oct. 2, the Redskins bye week couldn't have come at a better time.

The Redskins are ready, rested, and probably are looking to feast on Vick and his Eagles.

Philadelphia's defense needs to work all week on figuring out how to stop Washington running back Ryan Torain. Against the Rams, Torain rushed for season-high 135 yards and TD.

Washington quarterback Rex Grossman is 12th in passing in the NFC, while Vick is seventh. I don't see Grossman overpowering the Eagles in the air and if Philly can contain Torain, they could possibly win this game.

Maybe the Eagles could figure out a way to get Vick the ball more since he led his team in rushing against Buffalo with 90 yards on 5 carries.

Let's not put all the blame on Vick. He's just one guy and you've got to admire coach Andy Reid for blaming himself for the loss against the Bills.

"I'm No. 1. There's nobody to blame but me and that's how I look at it," said Reid. "I start with me and I take full responsibility. It's my football team."

Whether or not Reid and Eagles turn this season around, you've got to like a guy that can take the blame and not pass the buck. Reid didn't turn the ball over five times against Buffalo, but he takes the blame for it and that kind of coaching mentality might be the thing that keeps him employed for the rest of the season.

What I also like about Reid was his composure during his press conference after losing to Buffalo. This man is clearly not panicking.

"Listen, we're in this one game at a time, man," said Reid. "I'm not looking at playoffs ... I'm looking at one game at a time. We'll fix the problems here and get on with Washington."

When asked if his job was on the line, Reid answered:

"In the National Football League your job's on the line every week, man."

Reid didn't waste time comparing this year's team with last year's Eagles. You've got to appreciate that kind of thinking because his team is now 1-4 and cannot look back to last season.

Reid's shown that he can rally the troops and make the playoffs. At this time last year, the Eagles were 2-2, finished 10-6 but lost to Green Bay in the wild card game.

"Every year is different in the (NFL)," said Reid. "We are what we are right now and we're going to get better. We have no excuses for a thing. We've got to get better."

Unfortunately, Vick's 4 interceptions against Buffalo is unacceptable. After four games this season, Vick has more interceptions (7) than he did in all of last season. His four picks against Buffalo mark the worst of his career.

But Vick didn't make excuses, either.

"An interception is an interception," said Vick. "You just can't have them in this game."

When explaining one of his interceptions, Vick realized he shouldn't have thrown the ball and should have allowed himself to be sacked.

"That was a game changer because it was 14-7 and then it was 21-7 and we find ourselves in a hole and trying to fight our way out," said Vick. "Those things can't happen."

Is firing Reid or benching Vick the solution? Absolutely not. I believe Reid will fix his team and beat Washington and march all the way into the playoffs, as they've done before.

The Eagles are just too talented to fold and give up.

"We've just got to put it together for all four quarters and all phases of the game," said Vick.

Despite losing to Buffalo, Reid explained he liked his team's effort and you can't fault the Eagles for that.

"As the game went on, we continued to get better," said Reid. "The thing that has to change and that's obvious is the turnovers. You eliminate the turnovers and you have better results."

Posted by David Exum at 11:53 AM | Comments (2)

October 10, 2011

Collision Course

October is a time of sorting in college football. Teams have largely ceased to play non-conference opposition for the balance of the season, and have now moved into the meat of the season, conference play, whereby seasons will largely be judged. The remaining three Saturdays will order conference races to a greater degree, culminating in conference titles and divisions being clinched in November and December.

Yet, at the upper echelon of college football, the grand prize of the national title should be decided on November 5 when LSU plays Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

In reality, neither school can lay claim to the BCS title for more than another two months after that game. However, the dominance the Tigers and Crimson Tide have displayed makes a triumph in Tuscaloosa nearly equivalent with raising the crystal football on January 9.

Yes, every team in the country still has half or more of its 2011 schedule remaining. Yes, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Stanford, and Clemson have all been impressive and could all wind up undefeated. But from that group, only Wisconsin has been nearly as impressive all-around as LSU and Alabama.

In a conference that often takes flack for not scheduling challenging non-conference games away from home, LSU played and handled two possible BCS bowl participants in Oregon and West Virginia outside of the SEC. On Saturday, a Florida team starting its third-string QB was no match for a Tigers team giving up a smidge over 250 yards a contest. And somehow, LSU has managed to hit 6-0 without any Les Miles fourth-quarter magic, as had been on display at this time last year in LSU's then-perfect campaign.

The one game where LSU may struggle outside of the November showdown against Alabama is against Arkansas, in a series in which the Hogs have won three of the last four meetings. Based on all of the SEC teams' resumes, Arkansas appears to be the third best team in the conference, and better than anyone in the East. Amazingly, on that side of the conference, previously left-for-dead Georgia may be the East favorite, given Florida and South Carolina's quarterback issues. The West-East comparison in the conference is not unlike a year ago, and means that whichever team wins in four weeks time in Tuscaloosa is a near shoe-in to take the conference crown.

Alabama hasn't had the amount of tests LSU has, but excelled at home against Arkansas and against a then-slightly healthier Florida team in Gainesville. Outside of LSU, Alabama doesn't really have another great test left on the schedule. One could count playing at Auburn as a hurdle due to the rivalry, especially due to the tree-related events of the past year, but eastern Alabama's Tigers are lucky to not have four losses to this point in the season.

In several ways, LSU and Alabama are mirror images of each other. Top-ranked defenses by talent and statistics anchor both teams. Offensively, excellent running attacks led by LSU's Spencer Ware and Alabama's Trent Richardson set up the pass for quarterbacks that appear to be improving in the Tigers' Jarrett Lee and the Tide's Alex McCarron.

LSU and Alabama have been the two best teams in the country so far, but the national significance of their upcoming head-to-head clash speaks to the other national title contenders, as well. Oklahoma unleashed a dominant display against Texas, and the Sooners' passing game is unparalleled in the nation. However, Oklahoma struggles to run the ball. As Oregon showed last year, you can be unbelievably good in one offensive area, but at some point, a strong defense will be able to counter that strength. Furthermore, the Big 12 is tougher than many currently realize, and Oklahoma still has road tests at Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Wisconsin looks the part as contender and might pose the biggest challenge to a 14-0 SEC Champion national title. Russell Wilson has made an offense once synonymous with between-the-tackles power running and conservative passing into a multi-chromatic beast. Looking at the Badgers' remaining schedule, it's tough to see a loss (color me a non-believer in Illinois' 6-0 start), but it has to be noted that Wisconsin hasn't played away from Camp Randall yet. Bret Bielema's squad will also have to contend with the new Big Ten championship game. However, in recent history, SEC teams have gone against seemingly unstoppable attacks in national title games before finding a way to scheme against what the offense does best combined with exceptional athletic talent. See the BCS title games of 2006, 2008 and 2010 for evidence.

Stanford is 5-0 and ranked highly, but the Cardinal's best win is against middling UCLA. Oregon is the toughest test remaining. The Pac-12 now also has a championship game, but the South Division is a collection of average and below-average clubs. With that conference down to an extent, one wonders if undefeated Stanford would even have a chance of making the BCS title game in a scenario where LSU/Alabama, Wisconsin, and/or Oklahoma are unbeaten.

Clemson and Georgia Tech are each unblemished in 2011 and meet in less than three weeks. Even if both teams get to October 29 without a loss, each faces difficult contests thereafter, South Carolina for Clemson; and Virginia Tech and Georgia for Georgia Tech. The Tigers and Yellow Jackets may have to face off again in the ACC title game.

Finally, we come to Boise State. It may not be fair, but an undefeated Broncos team would surely fall behind every major-conference unbeaten, and might even be behind a one-loss Oregon or LSU/Alabama (whichever loses on November 5). With TCU playing as bad as it has defensively in years, and Air Force playing at an inconsistent level, the Mountain West is just not in a position of strength. If Georgia were to somehow finish with two losses going into the bowls, it would help Boise greatly. But even then, it's nearly impossible to see them jump a 13-0 Wisconsin or 12-0 Oklahoma.

Other teams have looked stellar after six weeks of college football, but none have done it in the fashion that LSU and Alabama have. Given the respect the SEC commands after winning five BCS titles in a row, the winner of the head-to-head game should stay No. 1 the rest of the regular season. No matter who comes out of that game, each team will have played its fiercest contest against the best opposition. In a season where the big games haven't lived up to the billing or have been no contests, an LSU/Alabama clash should be worth the wait.

Posted by Ross Lancaster at 6:46 PM | Comments (1)

The Boys Are Back

When young sensation Keegan Bradley sank that final putt and the championships were his, he became the third ever player to win a major on his or her first outing, beaten to that honor by two more Americans — Francis Ouimet at the U.S. Open in 1913, and Ben Curtis in the British Open 2003.

The 25-year-old caused a stir, exploding onto the scene to land the prestigious PGA Championships, and the world cried out, "Who is he? I've never heard of him!"

Well, those of us who've had a dig around have since uncovered he is a real golfing thoroughbred. His father is a PGA professional, and those who recognized Bradley's surname and thought, "Where have I heard that before?" Plenty of places, most likely. It's quite a common surname. But in relation to golf, another bearer of the name was Pat Bradley, possibly one of the best female golfers of all-time.

He's got some big boots to fill. Tiger Woods left American golf in limbo and some of the young players have found it tough to step up to the mark. These are big boots that need filling, and so far, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, and Bubba Watson have performed well, but not quite well enough at the highest level of the sport. But there's still no doubt about it — a youthful American takeover is certainly on the cards.

There might be a little huffing and puffing amongst some of the older players, having played on tour for years and never managed to clinch one of those four prized trophies. But don't worry about them, the huffing and puffing will stop once they reach the buggy.

It is more frustrating for them, perhaps, that these young legs have come along and swept them off the course, forcing seasoned veterans to miss the cut and depart the championships early. Like they had a fighting chance anyway.

And it wasn't young folks on the up that people had already tipped for a major, in the years to come. No, that would have been acceptable. These were players they'd scarcely heard of. That can leave a bitter taste.

But where before the future of American golf was dark and unforgiving, there is new light appearing. Yes, the good old days when Tiger won everything are over. Will he win again? Probably, but with Keegan Bradley and his fellow leaders on the final day, there is hope once more.

So who were these players who have sprung onto the world stage, serving the purpose of revitalizing the game for their country. There was Jason Dufner, a workhorse who has stayed under the radar until the age of 34; Brendan Steel, a newcomer to majors; and Scott Verplank, a veteran enjoying a late show of form.

And America need not worry, this is no flash in the pan. Young hope Ricky Fowler shone playing alongside Rory McIlroy, and outclassed him for much of the British Open, and has a heap of talent still to showcase. And with a 6-over and in the middle of the pack at the end of the final day in Atlanta, he is moving from strength to strength.

So with three youngsters providing the leading light, and with strength in depth in the ranks behind, what is to stop them taking major after major from here on in, the way Tiger did not so very long ago?

Well, there is still some stiff competition ahead. Players who aren't going to lie down upon Bradley's approach. Players like McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer. There are a whole host of these players across the pond that have what it takes to land a major — some already have.

But this brings me nicely around to another subject I feel I must broach. The Ryder Cup.

In 2010, Graeme McDowell, U.S. Open champion at the time, snatched victory for Europe with one hole to play — a victory Europe should have had wrapped up hours earlier. At the press conference afterwards, the American side struggled to stem tears after a valiant fightback wasn't quite enough in the end.

What will the next Ryder Cup bring? It is a long way off yet, I know, but surely the speculation is already beginning. Before Keegan Bradley's emphatic victory, Ireland had taken three of the past six majors with victories for McDowell, McIlroy, and Darren Clarke, with Germany's Martin Kaymer taking the PGA Championship late in 2010.

Europe has Donald, Westwood, and McIlroy as the world No. 1, 2, and 3 to boot, so that should hold some weight amongst bookmakers worldwide. It would certainly be perceived as advantageous.

The United States has a smear on their reputation to get clean. The Solheim Cup — the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup — was taken by Europe 15 points to 13 in a close run final day. And in the amateur equivalent of the men's event, the Walker Cup, the American's were beaten again 14 points to 12 by the boys from Great Britain and Ireland. So their reputation really relies on a good win at next year's Ryder Cup.

But really, the way I see it, and the way golfers across the United States will see it, is that Thin Lizzy really hit the nail on the head. The boys are back in town.

Posted by Angus Saul at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)

October 9, 2011

The Mighty Have Fallen

With the second-best regular-season record in baseball, the New York Yankees couldn't out-hit their pitching issues while the Detroit Tigers figured out ways to hang in against both the Empire Emeritus's batting holes and pitching inconsistencies. With the best regular season in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies couldn't out-pitch their hitting issues, while the tenacious St. Louis Cardinals — who weren't even supposed to be in the postseason picture, you may remember — figured out ways to make the ballyhooed Four Aces resemble the Four Lads.

Now the mighty have fallen. Did I mention that they fell before their home audiences, ending in cascades of boos that make you shudder at the senses of entitlement that have come to surround some fans and riveting baseball on the field be damned?

It's not that anybody might have expected anything less than an all guns blazing Game Five pitching duel to settle a National League Division Series. But I don't think anyone really expected the lone run of the game to cross the plate on a first-inning double while golf-and-fish buddies Chris Carpenter and Roy Halladay went at it the rest of the way. And, considering his injury history, I don't think anyone really expected Carpenter, game as he usually is, to outlast Halladay and go the distance no matter how delicious the matchup looked on the marquee.

Except, maybe, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. Maybe.

Remember: these Cardinals needed the Atlanta Braves's stupefying plotz and a little help from the Phillies themselves to get here in the first place. La Russa may take a back seat to few men for believing in his ability to claw his way out from under an avalanche, but it may stretch even the most surrealistic imagination to believe going in that they could overcome Halladay and the Phillies' firepower in Game 1. From there:

* The Phillies staked Cliff Lee to a 4-0 lead in Game 2 and the Cardinals still found ways to keep the Phillies' boots off their throats.

* The Cardinals lost Game Three only because Ben Francisco came, seemingly out of nowhere, or at least from deep in the Phillies' afterthoughts, to bat for Cole Hamels and hit a 3-run homer into the visitors' bullpen at Busch Stadium.

* The Phillies may have thought they had it made for Game Four, sending Roy Oswalt out to the mound against a team he's manhandled well enough in his postseason career, but David Freese thought nothing of the sort. He dragged the Cardinals over Oswalt's hump with a 2-run double in the fourth and a 2-run bomb in the sixth. Until then, Freese had been a measly 2-for-12 in the series and the Phillies were probably planning for him to be a reasonably easy out.

* The top of the Phillies lineup (Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley) acquitted themselves well enough. Hell, those two pieces were bristling — Rollins entering Game Five hitting .563, slugging .813, and reaching base to the tune of a .588 on-base percentage, Utley equaling the slugging and on-base percentage while batting .462 to the same point. Yet the scoring between the teams broke even at 20 runs each, and it wasn't enough to get the Phillies past round one.

* Ryan Howard went 2-for-19 in the set, ending the clincher somewhat ignominiously by grounding out to end the game, set, and match, and going down in a sad heap after feeling a pop in his Achilles tendon as he broke out of the batter's box.

* After that eleven-run Game 1 explosion, the Phillies played mostly as though they had no powder left in their lineup or bench guns. Five Phillies — Hunter Pence (the right-handed power acquisition at the non-waiver trade deadline), Raul Ibanez, Howard, Placido Polanco, and Carlos Ruiz — who hit .250 or better on the regular season hit .211 (Pence) or worse, way worse (from Ruiz's .059 to Ibanez's .200, with Howard and Polanco each going .105) in the division series.

Some think the Phillies' age caught up to them at last; the average age was 31. Some think they bore a distinct resemblance to the early-Aughts Yankees, overloaded with veteran savvy but unable to match it to complete across-the-board talent and winning but one World Series. Some people thought the Phillies got awfully old, awfully quick, though others in the same conversation brushed it off and noted that they could still bloody well play.

The Cardinals' average age was a mere two years younger. In baseball years, Carpenter took the Game Five mound as the oldest rotation member (36); the rotation's average age is 30. In baseball years, two years makes a difference enough over a long season's grind even if you did need somebody else to take a complete swan dive off the mountaintop to hit the rocks below. Carpenter is also two years older than Halladay.

And Carpenter may have put things into stronger perspective in the middle of the Cardinals' champagne shampoo. "I think guys we're just relaxed and having fun," he told reporters. "We put ourselves into position where everybody was expecting us to have no chance and we just started playing like the team we knew we were. And we were fortunate to get some help back into it with Atlanta losing and we were playing well the rest of that month."

He went out in Game 5 and pitched a masterpiece against a best-bud who was pitching his own heart and soul out and came up one buck short. To find any previous 1-0 pitching wins in postseason sudden death, you have to cross decades, back to Jack Morris in the 1991 World Series and Ralph Terry (who needed help from Bobby Richardson's glove snapping Willie McCovey's bullet liner to end it) in the 1962 World Series. Since the 1960s, only six pitchers have won any 1-0 postseason game, if not necessarily a sudden-death one: Carpenter, Morris, Vida Blue, Mike Scott, Curt Schilling, and Tim Lincecum.

Make note of this: while the Braves were going Hindenburg, the Cardinals spent September going 18-8, never losing more than two straight, and putting together winning streaks of five, four, and three while they were at it. The Phillies spent September going 15-14, including a horrific eight-game losing streak and a spell of dropping three out of four to the Cardinals themselves.

Make note of this, too: with the Phillies getting the heave-ho a day after the Yankees got theirs, the biggest payrolls in baseball are nowhere near the League Championship Series, never mind the World Series. "Competitive balance" and "parity" and "salary cap" yappers, please make note: baseball has a great chance, even if the Cardinals hang in, hang on, maybe even get a rematch with the Detroit Tigers, and take the lease on the Promised Land, to continue as the one sport since the advent of free agency to crown more individual World Series champions without a salary cap than the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL with salary caps have crowned different league champions in the same era.

Still, the Cardinals actually held off on pulling the corks when it was all over. They waited for Carpenter. He'd been buttonholed for television interviews after the masterpiece was done, and they weren't going to start the party without him. Let the Phillies have the Four Aces, they must have been thinking when he arrived in the clubhouse at last, Elvis has entered the building.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 4:33 PM | Comments (0)

Just Win, Baby: Remembering Al Davis

As a kid growing up in Boston in the 1970s and completely obsessed with anything to do with professional sports, I couldn't help admiring Al Davis, who passed away Saturday at the age of 82, and his rebellious Oakland Raiders.

"I had a dream ... that someday, I would build the finest organization in professional sports," David told NFL Films.

Who can forget the likes of Oakland's quarterback Ken "The Snake" Stabler? Kids in my neighborhood idolized plenty of giants from that era such as Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw. But for me and my friends, we couldn't help being mystified by Davis, Stabler, and tight end Dave Casper.

Even though I was only 10 years of age at the time, I'll never forget that 1976 playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Raiders. Earlier that year the Patriots crushed Oakland at home, the Raiders' only loss during the regular season.

When the two teams faced off in the wild card game, I thought for sure the Patriots would roll over Davis' Raiders once again. Late in the fourth quarter the Patriots had the lead until Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton was penalized for roughing the passer. The ball was spotted on the 1-yard line and it was first and goal for Davis and his Raiders.

I'll never forget my father screaming at the television set that the Patriots had been ripped off. With 10 seconds remaining and the Patriots ahead, 21-17, "The Snake" snapped the ball, rolled out of the pocket, and scored on a quarterback keeper.

That was the day, Saturday, Dec. 18, 1976, in which Al Davis and his Oakland Raiders became the villain to me and my friends.

From that day on, whenever my friends and I would play a pickup game of football, one of the teams would always be the Oakland Raiders.

Longtime Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan said it best on an NFL Films program entitled "The 10 Most Controversial Calls in Football."

"They (Patriots) were the best team in football and they got screwed," said Ryan.

But no matter what you think of that pivotal 1976 playoff game, Al Davis and his contributions to professional football are like no other. Davis, who has enshrined nine players into the Hall of Fame, to me was always much more than just some executive who bankrolled a team and sat in a luxury box during every home game.

It's important to remember that Davis and other owners like Billy Sullivan (founder of the then Boston Patriots) took a chance and were pioneers of the American Football League.

What Davis and other owners did at the time took guts. While those teams didn't play against the NFL until years later (1969), they introduced professional football to areas of the country that only watched it on television at the time.

Davis was such a visionary, too. His slogans like "Just Win, baby" and "Commitment to Excellence" are enduring images to sports fan all across the country and especially for me.

Besides all the great players that played for Davis, he should also be remembered for bringing to football fans the greatness of John Madden. Under Madden's tutelage, the Raiders won six division titles during the 1970s, including Super Bowl XI.

May he rest in peace.

Posted by David Exum at 12:53 PM | Comments (1)

October 8, 2011

Grudge Match: Bruins Ready For Lightning

Although the Boston Bruins lost their home-opener against the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday, surely Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas can continue his winning ways against the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday night.

Thomas guided the Bruins to an impressive 3-0-0 record against Tampa Bay last season and in the playoffs.

Despite scoring just a single goal against Philadelphia in Thursday's, 2-1, loss, hopefully Boston can rebound and win its first game as defending Stanley Cup champions. Bruins' center Brad Marchand scored the lone goal against Philadelphia goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.

Thomas was extremely impressive for Boston against Philadelphia by stopping a total of 29 shots. Boston's defense was especially tough in the third period as the Flyers got only four shots on net.

Boston forward Tyler Seguin earned his first assist of the season in the loss against Philadelphia.

"It's just about finding that switch to get into game mode and turn the page," said Seguin, who had 11 goals and 11 assists last season.

Something important to point out is the fact that Boston's goal against the Flyers occurred during a power play. The Bruins lacked the ability last season to score on the power play and hopefully this is something they've worked out for the coming campaign.

Hard to believe that the Bruins are not favored by one of the top sports publications to win the Stanley Cup. Although it hasn't been accomplished since the Detroit Red Wings (1997-98), if the Bruins remain healthy and Thomas remains hot, they can do it.

The Bruins are relying heavily on David Krejci and Milan Lucic to put up the kind of numbers they both did last season. Each player finished the year with 62 total points. Lucic led the team in scoring with a total of 30 goals and Krejci had the most assists (49).

I don't agree that Boston is suffering from any post Stanley Cup hangover. This team is full of scrappy players that fought hard to win last year's championship. Plenty of people thought Vancouver would sweep Boston in the Stanley Cup finals and that just wasn't so.

Boston is and remains the team to beat in the NHL and until they're beat they ride into this season as Stanley Cup champions, a title Beantown hasn't had graced on its beloved hockey club since 1972.

Posted by David Exum at 1:31 PM | Comments (1)

Don't Count Out Jimmie Johnson

I don't think I'll ever understand why some race fans can't embrace five-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

His accomplishment of winning five consecutive championships is something that all race fans should celebrate, no matter who their favorite driver is. Johnson is the epitome of greatness, especially considering he is also knocking on the door of winning his sixth championship this season.

I've read plenty of stories online that proclaim "Double J" doesn't have it in him to win a sixth championship and I beg to differ. With seven races remaining, Johnson is fifth in the Chase standings, a mere 13 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.

Johnson and longtime crew chief Chad Knaus may have hit a snag in 2011, but I doubt that's going to last forever. Although Johnson's won only won race this season (Talladega), some of his best tracks are coming up.

Consider this: of the final seven races this season, Johnson has won at each at least once or more except Homestead. That's really unprecedented and not something that every driver has on his resume.

This week's race in Kansas Johnson won from the pole in 2008. Earlier this season at Kansas, Johnson started deep in the field (31st) and still finished in the top 10 (seventh). Next weekend's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Johnson should surely be considered the odds-on favorite considering he's won there six times.

Honestly, I don't see anybody or anything stopping Johnson from winning his sixth consecutive Cup title this season. I'm sure he'll win at least three, maybe four of the last seven races, too.

I've provided some statistical comparisons to why race fans should appreciate Johnson's accomplishments, now I want to delve into his character.

I don't know Johnson personally, but I truly believe he's not as "vanilla" as so many fans make his out to be. Just because he's from California and not from the South doesn't mean he shouldn't be regarded as one of the greatest stock car drivers who ever lived.

I'd take Johnson or the late Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, or Cale Yarborough.

For some reason, some race fans are locked into the nostalgia of NASCAR and can't see beyond Dale Earnhardt tying Richard Petty for seven Cup titles. Mark my words, when all is said and done, Johnson will smash that record and win 10, possibly 11 Cup championships before he calls it a career.

I'm not saying that Harvick or any other driver competing in the Chase isn't worthy of winning this year's championship, what I am trying to say is that Johnson's accomplishments need to be appreciated more by race fans and the media that follow the sport.

Posted by David Exum at 10:10 AM | Comments (1)

October 7, 2011

Francona Leaves the Ship His Crew Sank

Adrian Gonzalez simply couldn't resist intoning, "It was God's will that we not make the playoffs." Who would have thought reaching for the sop of predestination would make Carl Crawford look better in the aftermath than he did on the field all season long?

And was it God's will that Terry Francona, arguably the most successful manager in Boston Red Sox history, should end the season not with a sixth trip to the postseason in eight seasons on the bridge, but with a walk away from the ship his own crew sank and a fall on his own sword?

Crawford never once flinched from taking the blame for failing to secure what became Robert Andino's game-winning, season-losing RBI single. He lunged for the dying quail and the ball hit the edges of his glove. Crawford spent 2011 looking like anything but the Gold Glove-fielding, run-scoring, near-impossible out the Tampa Bay Rays let go to free agency last winter. But he spent the hour after the Rays finished what the Red Sox started with their unconscionable September slide saying, "If I should have caught it, I could have caught it."

Now Francona has taken the fall for the Red Sox's plunge. Statements from owner John Henry, general manager Theo Epstein, and Francona himself suggest Francona declared a new voice was needed at last and it was best to move on, leaving the Red Sox room not to invoke his 2012 option. So Francona wasn't fired, he fell on his own sword. That may yet prove to be a lot more solid than one of his players invoking God's will, whether or not God would have invoked it, but it doesn't make any less painful Francona's departure.

It was one thing to invoke God's will over those 86 years between 1918 and 2004. Those years produced transdimensional heartbreak that came from honest effort. It's something else to invoke God's will over one season that ended with too many people questioning whether there was a heartbeat and an honest effort. Too many people wondering whether the Red Sox — who'd shoved back when pinned to the wall facing their final strike of a likely 2004 American League Championship Series sweep-out, and who took only three years to slip a second World Series ring of the Aughts onto their fingers — became what they and theirs once despised, overly faithful in their own greatness.

Baseball may have its ways of humbling the hubris-hugged, but the manner in which these Red Sox had their hubris blown up in their faces may yet take a very long time to overcome. When you open a season leaving people to wonder at your demise, pick up and pounce and then leave people wondering only the margin by which you leave everyone else behind, and finish by leaving people to ask whether the real Boston Red Sox would please stand up, it's going to leave marks slightly worse than the marks of 1946, 1948, 1949, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1986, and 2003.

When Leon Culberson, sent to spell Dominic DiMaggio in center field, threw a little too high to Johnny Pesky as Enos Slaughter turned the basepaths into a track meet, it might have left Pesky with the unfair image of holding the ball just long enough but nobody accused anyone of a lack of effort.

When Joe McCarthy started Denny Galehouse instead of Mel Parnell, everyone assumed the brainy McCarthy must have known what he was doing. When McCarthy lifted Ellis Kinder, only Kinder questioned the boss's thinking but nobody else thought the great McCarthy could have suffered a brain fart. When Dick Williams sent Jim Lonborg to the mound on two days' rest after being unable to open the World Series with his Cy Young Award winner-in-waiting, nobody questioned the move because everybody would have screamed blue murder if Williams had sent a more fresh arm not named Lonborg, a 22-game winner, to the Game Seven mound. You meet ace (Bob Gibson, in this case) with ace, right? The fact that Lonborg was gassed would have been irrelevant to the screamers.

When Luis Aparicio stumbled around third base, nobody once thought that a Hall of Famer in waiting who had done the heavy lifting in restoring the stolen base over a decade earlier wasn't trying to get home good and strong. When Darrell Johnson lifted Jim Willoughby, there might have been some grumbles but few suggested Johnson's brains had gone to bed. When Bill Lee threw Tony Perez an eephus, everyone knew Lee was throwing a variation of what he earned most of his living on, the slow curve, and everyone but Perez knew that Perez couldn't hit one of those with a door. When Bucky Dent found the far side of the Green Monster, it was early enough yet that the Red Sox could come back, right?

When Mookie Wilson's grounder took the weird hop and glanced below Bill Buckner's mitt and through his wicket, after the Red Sox had been a strike away from breaking the actual or alleged curse, some of us reminded ourselves that there would still be a seventh game to play. When Grady Little played Johnny Keane to Pedro Martinez's Bob Gibson in Yankee Stadium (Keane had said famously, explaining why he never thought of lifting Gibson in a hammer-and-tongs Game 7, 1964, "I had a commitment to his heart"), only the truly sour among Red Sox Nation would (and did) condemn Little for standing by his man, who'd insisted he still had something left in his empty tank.

Little's execution after that ALCS allowed people one and all to forget that, after the Yankees tied it up, it went to an extra-innings showdown between Tim Wakefield's butterfly and The Mariano's cutter, a three-inning showdown that ended only when the first knuckler Wakefield served (to Aaron Boone) was served into the left field seats. But while it was happening, and Wakefield and The Mariano threw everything they had of their single-pitch repertoires while the Yankees and the Red Sox picked and pecked gamely but to little produce until the bottom of the eleventh, nobody was complaining when a good old hair-raiser was in the works.

Now, the Terry Francona Red Sox go a second straight season without a trip to the cotillion. And for the first time since he shepherded the Red Sox through the breaking of the (actual or alleged) curse and its most successful spell (including a second World Series triumph) possibly ever, people question the Red Sox heart.

The evidence exhibits include the Red Sox never once winning two in a row after they swept a 27 August day-night doubleheader from the Oakland Athletics.

They include stupefying blowouts against the Toronto Blue Jays and losses in between each and every one of them.

They include a rookie no-name named Ryan Lavarnway hitting 2 bombs in Baltimore 27 September, thus hitting his way into the number five slot in the 28 September lineup ... and taking an 0-for-5 collar haplessly enough while his mates were slowly but surely finishing the deflation they'd begun almost a month earlier.

They include, reportedly, the starting rotation quaffing a few too many brewskis between starts. This one, however, is just a little bit on the side of the ridiculous. The 2004 Idiots reveled in their pre-game shots and won it all playing a script Eugene O'Neill himself couldn't have forged. Apparently, it's only safe to sip the spirits when you're winning the hard way.

They include, reportedly, waftings from and around Yawkey Way that Francona was all but asleep at the tiller, or at least catching a few too many cat naps, or maybe believing a little too arduously in his own surety, while the rats were playing in his clubhouse, except maybe together. Waftings that include team chemistry broken into separate and unequal elements. Waftings that include Jacoby Ellsbury, who'd made his bones during the 2007 triumphs, and who practically carried what remained of the Red Sox offence down the stretch this time around, trusting few and confiding in one, Jed Lowrie. Waftings that include David Ortiz continuing his individual mentoring, but lost for a way to pull more than factions together. Waftings that include Francona lost for making the best of what little he had in his bullpen.

He thought consistency would get them through the worst of it, and in the end it got them the worst of it. He thought he had the right clubhouse culture and in the end he had to admit he, too, was frustrated that, at long enough last, he could no longer reach his players.

Epstein spent the hours after Wednesday's summary execution in Baltimore saying Francona wasn't to blame but there was plenty of blame to go around, including maybe to himself. On Friday, when the eyes of the game and America should be on the division series opening, they were on whether Francona's and Epstein's day would finish with one, the other, or possibly both heads on plates. Someone had to be accountable for what too many people are calling the Red Sox's sloth this season.

Epstein remained bent on making sure it wouldn't be Francona to blame. "Nobody at the Red Sox blames Tito for what happened at the end of this season; we own that as an organization," said Epstein's Friday statement, which opened with Epstein proclaiming and praising his personal friendship with Francona. "This year was certainly a difficult and draining one for him and for us. Ultimately, he decided that there were certain things that needed to be done that he couldn't do after eight years here, and that this team would benefit from hearing a new voice. While this may be true, his next team will benefit more than it knows from hearing Tito's voice."

Francona may have kept being himself, his becalmed and empathetic self, in the dugout and the clubhouse, but responsibility for the Red Sox's condition begins with the manager. Epstein may have kept being himself, his cool, analytical, non-intrusive self, but responsibility for a possibly mismatched roster begins with the general manager, these days, unless Francona was allowed roster input heretofore unknown. One of the keys: Epstein's inability to land a solid piece of pitching either at the non-waiver trade deadline or during the waiver period. He tried, but he couldn't land it. Another: The big deals he handed troubled John Lackey and deflated Carl Crawford bit him where it hurt this year. And the Red Sox will be stuck with those deals for another few years.

The speculators are already pondering whether another long-accursed club, the Chicago Cubs — who got that close to facing maybe the Red Sox, of all people, in the 2003 World Series — has eyes for Francona, Epstein, or both, assuming Epstein's might be the next Red Sox head to roll.

The Cubs are looking for a permanent general manager and may be preparing manager Mike Quade's guillotine, never mind Quade a few days ago saying he expected to return for 2012. The problem is that Cub Country is already on their knees praying that the Cubs will reach back to Ryne Sandberg, who should have gotten the job in the first place. He bolted for the Phillies' organization (which reared him in the first place) after the Cub snub, and Cub Country wants the Cubs to ask his forgiveness while please taking over as the manager. Epstein would look phenomenally attractive as the man to re-tool, re-die, and re-direct the Cubs' organization. And he might not be as much of a mismatch to Sandberg, a teaching as well as a thinking manager, as some people might fear, if Sandberg does end up in the job he never really stopped wanting and broke his can trying to earn.

They're not the only Chicago hunters with eyes on the Boston game. The White Sox need a manager now that the Blizzard of Ozz has gotten his apparent wish and been handed the Miami Marlins (that's their new name, folks) tiller, after a round of shenanigans worthy of the early Steinbrenner era. (Ponder: Ozzie Guillen released from his contract, general manager Ken Williams claiming he offered to resign over the White Sox's unproductive season, bench coach Joey Cora — Guillen's consigliori, for all intent and purpose — named to managed the last two White Sox games, then Cora being canned before he'd even loaded his pen to write his first lineup card.) Francona is Guillen's polar opposite. And he's got two World Series rings to Guillen's one.

Francona also has 2011 to overcome. I don't know Francona's spiritual inclinations, but I doubt he's the kind of man who really thinks God's will includes his team possibly, potentially, having plain quit on themselves and on him, with only a handful if that many standing up to be counted for better or worse. But Francona also has to live with something he may never have thought possible. The very thing that made him a great Red Sox manager and maybe the greatest (only Joe Cronin won more games; only Don Zimmer has a slightly better winning percentage; however, Francona has two more World Series rings than either of them) — his ability to bond with his players, keep the heat off them as deep as possible, and let them be themselves knowing they could and usually did take care of business accordingly — has just exploded in his face.

Worse than anything Joe McCarthy, Dick Williams, Darrell Johnson, Don Zimmer, John McNamara, or Grady Little ever knew. Because Francona, a good man at a bad end, took the bridge when the ship had been merely torpedoed. Eight years later, he was compelled to yield it after he couldn't stop his own crew from sinking it.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2011

NFL Weekly Predictions: Week 5

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

New Orleans @ Carolina (+7)

After last week's 34-29 loss in Chicago, the Panthers are 1-3, but have been competitive in their three losses. Rookie Cam Newton has shown expected athleticism, and surprising poise, and is third in the NFL with 1,386 passing yards.

"I'm a sure bet to win the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award," Newton said. "I lead all rookies in passing, and I lead the entire league in the obscure yet relevant statistic of 'impressive offensive performances qualified by the phrase 'in a losing effort.'"

Drew Brees and the Saints lead the NFC South along with the Buccaneers. Should the Saints get by the Panthers, they'll face the Bucs in Tampa with the division lead on the line.

"We're not thinking at all about Tampa," Sean Payton said, "We're like the NCAA circa 2010 — our focus is solely on Cam Newton. And Carolina is a lot like Auburn University. Both of their mascots are felines, and they both paid handsomely to have Newton play for them."

When playing the Panthers, it's imperative that you look out for No. 1. For the Saints, though, it's more important to look out for No. 9. That's Drew Brees, who, when given time, can find anything open. In Charlotte, that even includes a trunk.

Brees passes for 311 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Panthers hang tough, but a late Newton interception seals their fate.

New Orleans wins, 34-23.

Arizona @ Minnesota (-3)

The Vikings are 0-4 after dropping a 22-17 decision to the Chiefs last week, and the heat is on head coach Leslie Frazier, who was named head coach last year after Brad Childress' firing.

"If I'm fired," Frazier said, "the only thing I ask is for the headlines to read 'Down Goes Frazier!' as opposed to 'Down Goes Leslie!', lest someone mistakes the news for another controversial charter on Lake Minnetonka.

"Unfortunately, a solution at quarterback isn't as simple as me chartering a plain and returning with an NFL legend. However, it could be as simple as putting Donovan McNabb on a plane with no destination. Or, better yet, with no pilot."

The Cardinals had the Giants beat, and their second win in the bag, until the Giants stormed back with 21 fourth-quarter points to take a 31-27 win. New York benefitted from a late officials review that deemed Giants receiver Victor Cruz "gave himself up," and therefore did not fumble, despite leaving the ball on the turf after falling untouched.

"I'm sure the rules committee will review this," Ken Whisenhunt said, "and it will result in endless debate, yet no solution will be agreed upon. Appropriately, Victor Cruz's fumble will lead to a 'Mexican standoff.'

The Vikings need a win now, otherwise they'll be faced with a difficult dilemma for the remainder of the season — trying to make it appear as if they want to win, when, in fact, all they want to do is lose and bolster their chances of landing Andrew Luck. So they take the easy way out and win.

Minnesota wins, 27-23.

Tennessee @ Pittsburgh (-4)

The Steelers fell to 2-2 after last Sunday's 17-10 loss in Houston, as the Texans out-defensed the vaunted Steeler defense. Too add injury to insult, Ben Roethlisberger was hurt late in the game, and left wearing a walking boot. Roethlisberger was later diagnosed with a sprained foot.

"A walking boot will do Big Ben no good behind our offensive line," Mike Tomlin said. "What he needs is a running shoe, or, better yet, a moat. That offensive line is comprised of too many 'tackles' and not enough 'guard.' Ben, understandably, is unhappy. He can't trust his five offensive line to protect him. Heck, I doubt he'd trust them to guard the bathroom door."

The 3-1 Titans are tied with the Texans for the AFC South lead, but will face a stern test in Pittsburgh. Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has proven to be one of the league's best free agent acquisitions, as the Titans passing attack is ranked eighth in the NFL.

"It's great to be in Tennessee," Hasselbeck said. "I knew I could immediately contribute to this team. Vince Young and Kerry Collins set the bar. That bar was so low, it was called 'plumbing.' I picked that bar off the ground and raised it to new levels."

In an impassioned pre-game speech, Tomlin injects the Steelers with a sense of urgency, while team doctors inject several rounds of painkillers. Pittsburgh sacks Hasselbeck 3 times, and Roethlisberger throws for 2 scores.

Pittsburgh wins, 23-17.

Oakland @ Houston (-7)

After an impressive return by Arian Foster, and an impressive win over the Steelers, the Texans are 3-1 and hold a share of the AFC South lead with the Titans. Foster rushed for 155 yards on 30 carries, and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 42-yard run.

"Fortunately, Foster is back," Gary Kubiak said. "Unfortunately, Hank Williams, Jr. says Arian is his favorite player. Williams also incoherently mentioned something about the grandson of former Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich eventually dominating the NFL. He called it the 'Rise of the Third Reich.'

"With Peyton Manning out of the picture, the division is ours to lose. And we probably will."

The Raiders' up-and-down season continued with a loss to the Patriots in Oakland last Sunday, despite 160 yards on the ground, 75 from Darren McFadden.

"We'll stick with our strength against the Texans," Hue Jackson said. "McFadden will touch the ball at least 24 times. They call that 'Run DMC,' which is an offensive philosophy I prefer to Jason Campbell's alternative, 'Pass OMG.'"

Arian Foster out-rushes McFadden, and the Houston defense makes a late stop to preserve the win. Neil Rackers' 39-yard field goal is the difference.

Texans win, 26-23.

Seattle @ NY Giants (-10)

The Giants have reeled off three straight wins after their opening week loss to the Redskins. Eli Manning's two fourth-quarter touchdown passes capped the G-Men's 31-27 comeback win in Arizona last week.

"I like this team's balance," Eli Manning said. "A few weeks ago, we had members of our defense falling down for no reason. Against the Cardinals, we had an offensive player, Victor Cruz, do the same. Victor hit the ground without being touched and got back up, but left the ball on the turf. After further review, it was determined that Ken Whisenhunt was pissed, and there was no fumble because Victor "gave himself up." The play will go down in history as the NFL's first "submission."

The Seahawks nearly erased a 24-7 first-half deficit in a narrow 30-28 loss to the Falcons in Seattle. With the loss, Seattle dropped to 1-3, two games behind the 49ers in the NFC West.

"We had our chances," Pete Carroll said. "But a loss is a loss. And there's no changing that. If this were college athletics, wins can become losses, and losses can become wins. But only if Southern California is involved in the game."

The Giants keep falling down, so how can you not begin a game prediction with the term "It goes down like this." You can't, so it goes down like this: Manning throws 3 touchdown passes, and Tavaris Jackson throws 3 interceptions.

New York wins, 31-16.

Philadelphia @ Buffalo (+3)

There's trouble in Philadelphia. After last week's 24-23 loss to the 49ers, the Eagles are 1-3, alone in last in the NFC East, and have lost two games at home.

"As shock-rocker Alice Copper famously sang," Andy Reid said, "'Welcome to my nightmare.' We have a lot to work on. It's no time to panic, but it is time to be frank. And by 'frank,' I mean 'hot dog,' because this team can't go 'all the way' without 'all the fixins.' And we need fixin.'"

The Bills fell from the unbeaten ranks, losing 23-20 last week in Cincinnati as Buffalo's high-powered offense was held to 12 first downs and 273 yards. They'll host a Philadelphia team desperate for a win to avoid a 1-4 hole.

"I hear they called this year's Eagles the 'Dream Team,'" Chan Gailey said. "It will take one heck of a coaching job by Andy Reid to convince his squad they are Super Bowl-worthy. I suggest he start by saying to them 'Dream On, Team."

Ironically, Vick stated the Eagles needed to "dig deep" to get out of their hole. If the past is any indication, then Vick won't "dig deep enough," and some things he overlooked may be exposed. But not in Buffalo.

Vick throws for 256 yards and 2 scores, and the Eagles defensive backfield steps up, recording 2 interceptions.

Philadelphia wins, 33-27.

Cincinnati @ Jacksonville (-1½)

The Bengals evened their record to 2-2 after shocking the previously unbeaten Bills 23-20 last week behind a strong second half from Andy Dalton. The rookie engineered the game-winning drive that culminated with Mike Nugent's 43-yard field goal as time expired.

"Dalton's play has been a pleasant surprise," Marvin Lewis said, "much like a six-pound package of marijuana arriving at one's door. Or Carson Palmer threatening to retire and actually going through with it. Or total silence out of Chad Ochocinco."

The Jaguars dropped their third consecutive game, falling to the Saints 23-10. Offensive inadequacies have dogged Jacksonville in the form of a paltry 10 points per game scoring average. Rookie Blaine Gabbert has struggled, and completed only 16-of-42 passes against the Saints.

"That's a completion percentage of 38%," Jack Del Rio said. "That means that if Blaine threw 100 passes, 72 of them would harmlessly hit the ground, while 38 would, judging by our measly scoring average, harmlessly hit our receivers.

"But I totally support Blaine. And he's got his other supporters, most notably the Australian wing of his fan club, who call themselves the 'B.G.'s.'"

The Bengals sport the league's No. 1-rated defense, which means a game against the Jaguars probably won't affect that ranking.

Cedric Benson has been jailed. He has been suspended. On Sunday in Jacksonville, he gets "grounded," and rushes for 124 yards and a score.

Cincinnati wins, 22-13.

Kansas City @ Indianapolis (-3)

The Chiefs registered their first win of the season, besting the Vikings 22-17 at Arrowhead Stadium, where 72,391 screaming fans willed the Chiefs to victory.

"Speaking of 'screaming,'" Todd Haley said, "you may have seen my screaming match against Matt Cassel. That encapsulates Chiefs football this year: some of the best action on the field takes place on the sideline. That applies only to Arrowhead Stadium. In Lucas Oil Stadium, some of the best action takes place in the luxury suites, where the suite attendants, the 'Personal Lubricants,' offer Lucas Oil's signature 'full service' package. It's a road trip I look forward to. Others in the Chiefs organization look forward to my permanent road trip."

The outlook may be bleak in Kansas City, but it's even bleaker in Indianapolis, where the Colts are winless. The last time the Colts started a season 0-4, it was 1998, Peyton Manning was a rookie, and Jim Caldwell was the head coach at Wake Forest, far removed from calling the shots in Indy, just like the present.

"Peyton Manning may be done for the season," Caldwell said. "Or he may be returning next week. It all depends on what type of misinformation you get from Jim Irsay, the NFL's only Tweet-happy owner."

This is a game in which Manning, despite not playing, would probably still be considered the most effective quarterback on the field. Manning again enjoys the game from the coaches' booth, and is constantly on the phone with helpful tips to quarterback Curtis Painter, like "get a haircut," and "call the audible before the ball is snapped." Painter responds with a mostly error-free game.

Indianapolis wins, 22-14.

Tampa Bay @ San Francisco (-1½)

After a thrilling come-from-behind 24-23 in Philadelphia last week, San Francisco is 3-1 and in sole possession of the NFC West lead. Jim Harbaugh has the team, and the city, believing in the 49ers.

"I've never doubted my motivational skills," Harbaugh said. "I had a lot of convincing to do. I started with my most difficult doubter, myself, whom I had to convince that Alex Smith was my quarterback.

"When I came to San Francisco, the first thing I said was 'shape up or ship out.' Next thing I know, Joe Montana shows up. Apparently, the words 'shape up' makes Joe come a running, looking for a handout."

The fans at Candlestick Park are at their rowdy best, and the 16 fans wearing eyepatches in attendance are inexplicably attacked by the 49er faithful. The Bucs are greeted with jeers, particularly Aqib Talib, who is welcomed with a sign that reads 'Go ahead, make my day,' 'Do you feel lucky, punk,' and several other Harry Callahan quotes.

Give the Bucs a good chance to win. Why? Because they are that good of a team? No, because there kicker is not Alex Henery.

Tampa Bay wins, 22-20.

NY Jets @ New England (-9½)

The Patriots brushed aside Week 3's loss in Buffalo and were characteristically convincing in a 31-13 win in Oakland. Up next is an AFC East battle with the reeling Jets, who have lost two in a row after a 2-0 start.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of trash talk," Tom Brady. "Jets/Pats games and trash talk go together like peanut butter and jelly, or Mark Sanchez and the questioning of manhood, or Bill Belichick and dishevelment, or Antonio Cromartie and holding penalties. I'm urging all Pats fans have a few drinks before the game, but insisting they keep their blood alcohol level slightly under Mark Sanchez's quarterback rating. That way, they'll still be able to safely drive home."

A 2-2 record and the role of underdog won't keep Rex Ryan from talking. The Jets are 9½-point underdogs coming off a 34-17 thrashing in Baltimore.

"My motto," Ryan said, "is 'Speak loudly and carry a big schtick.' If I put a foot in my mouth, it's never as a consequence. It's because I have a fetish. I'm also aroused by guarantees; I can't stop making them. Hopefully, all my talk will 'turn on' my team. They've been 'off' for two games now."

The Jets have been as confused as Chaz Bono about their identity. Ryan knows it's time to run the ball against a Patriots defense that can't stop anyone. The advantages are two-fold: it keeps the ball out Brady's and Mark Sanchez's hands.

The Jets keep it closes, but Brady engineers a late drive, kept alive by a phantom holding call on Cromartie, that culminates with Stephen Gostkowski's winning field goal.

New England wins, 26-23.

San Diego @ Denver (+6)

One of the AFC's most intense rivalries continues in Denver, where the West-leading Chargers head to Denver to challenge the Broncos, who are always tough at home.

"We've scored six more points than our opponents," said Norv Turner. "That's the fewest of any division leader. Regardless of victory margins, the bottom line is success, and in every game, we strive to be successful, at finding a way to win before we find a way to lose."

The Chargers find a way and take a 31-28 win.

Green Bay @ Atlanta (+½)

In a rematch of last year's NFC divisional playoff, the Falcons host the high-scoring Packers, who average a whopping 37 points per game. Last year, Green Bay blew out the home-standing Falcons 48-17, and went on to win the Super Bowl, as Aaron Rodgers tasted championship glory.

"I'm looking forward to the rematch," Rodgers said, "as I'm sure the Falcons are. Ironically, we own them, but they owe us. I'm sure Matt Ryan wants it as bad as any. Until he wins the big one, he'll simply be destined for decency. Right now, I wear the belt. Ryan wears a belt, but it's a belt with no notches."

So, Brett Favre thinks Rodgers should have won a Super Bowl sooner? Favre asked "What took you so long?" Rodgers, in turn, should ask of Favre, "What took you so long?"

Green Bay wins, 38-34.

Chicago @ Detroit (-6)

The Lions make their first appearance on Monday Night Football, and an entire nation will be tuning in to see what the big fuss is about. No. not the fuss over the undefeated Lions. The fuss over Hank Williams, Jr. Who exactly is coming over to Hank's house? His rowdy friends, or his racist friends? Anyway, the Lions host NFC North division rival Chicago. The Lions wiped out a 27-3 deficit to the Cowboys and stormed back to win 34-30 last week to remain undefeated.

"We were looking into the eyes of 'defeat,'" Jim Schwartz said. "Then he threw us three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Tony Romo's right arm has shown a penchant for cooling off late in games. I guess that explains why he gave Jerry Jones the 'cold shoulder.'"

The Bears won't back down from the Lions, and will likely attack on the ground. Matt Forte rushed for 205 yards last week against the Panthers.

"The Lions crowd will be in an uproar," Lovie Smith said. "I would be to if the 'Stripper Bus' had been banned from the parking lot. I wouldn't be surprised if Walter Payton's biographer said Sweetness spent some time on that Bus.'"

Detroit takes an early lead for a change, and holds on. Matthew Stafford passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns, one to Calvin Johnson, in which Johnson leaps high into the air and makes the catch and tosses the ball to an official before landing. The TD is reviewed, an inexplicably upheld.

Lions win, 31-27.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 5:29 PM | Comments (0)

October 5, 2011

The NFL in the NBA Jam Era

For those of us who grew up during the video game boom of the 1990s, the NBA Jam series was one of the pinnacles of console sports games. Gameplay featured a cartoony, two-on-two version of basketball where turbo-dunks saw players leap stories above the court and a third-consecutive basket literally torched the net. But for all of the embellishment the NBA Jam games adorned to sports, it seems as though the real-life NFL has taken a page from video game fiction in recent years.

NBA Jam included a setting called "computer assistance" that undoubtedly caused more Super Nintendo-destroying fights than any other game. When turned on, the setting would alter performances within the game so that the losing team could catch up and keep the game close. Ten-point leads in the fourth quarter would crumble under barrages of improbable three-pointers from the opposition. In the Sunday afternoon aftermath of three remarkable NFL comebacks, fans of the Bills, Eagles, and Cowboys must have felt like computer assistance is painfully real in the NFL.

Thanks to the number-crunching of AdvancedNFLStats.com, we can estimate fairly well just how improbable each of these comebacks was. Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Dallas all held at least 90% win probabilities at some point in the second half of their games on Sunday. In fact, if you froze all three games at the eventual loser's highest win probability point, there would be a .0081% change of all three teams coming back as they did. To put it another way, if you started all three games at the beginning of each comeback (the loser's win probability high point) and then played each game 10,000 times, you still wouldn't expect all three teams to come back even once.

Adding to the improbability of these three comebacks is not just that they happened within a small window on the same day, but instead which teams pulled them off. While the Lions, and to a lesser extent the 49ers and Bengals, have blossoming offenses, this was not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning simply adding more achievements to Hall of Fame resumes.

The 1991 Bills are often credited with the most famous NFL comeback, erasing a 35-3 Raider lead in the playoffs. But that team was somewhat revolutionary for its K-Gun offense triggered by Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. "Hall of Fame" and "revolutionary" are hardly terms that would feature prominently in a Matthew Stafford, Alex Smith, or Andy Dalton word cloud.

Clearly, NFL offenses are becoming increasingly potent and passing-oriented. In 2010, the entire league averaged 539 pass attempts for the season, completing 60.8% (stats courtesy ProFootballReference.com). To put that in context, the 2000 NFL averaged 526 attempts per team at a 58.2% completion rate, while 1990 NFL teams only threw the ball 482 times per season and completed 56.0% of those.

This is where the job of an NFL coach is especially thankless. Conventionally, teams with substantial leads in the second half would emphasize their running games to avoid turnovers and keep the game clock running between plays. But given how comfortable teams have become in moving the ball with their passing games, time has become decreasingly valuable at the end of games. Running into the line three times might wipe two and a half minutes off the clock, but how important is that if rookie quarterbacks only need 45 seconds to cover most of the field?

Instead, there is only one alternative for an NFL play-caller to protect a lead: score even more.

Sure, when Tony Romo finds a way to throw 2 touchdowns to the opposing team to quickly erode a lead, the strategy seems flawed. But Dallas demonstrated precisely why you can never have too many points. On the third quarter drive that led to Romo's second pick-six, the Cowboys ran the ball on five of the six plays before the interception. The possession took less than five minutes off of the clock. Trailing 30-17, Detroit needed only two minutes to cover 80 yards in five plays.

If you overlook the pick, Dallas' part of that exchange was exactly what they wanted. The Cowboys picked up two first downs on the ground and ran some clock before giving up the ball. And even with that handled ideally, the Lions only spent less than seven minutes taking 7 points off the lead. If the Lions had used timeouts or stopped Dallas earlier in the drive, the toll on the clock would have been much shorter.

College offenses have become increasingly sophisticated. Rule changes favor the passing game. Even field conditions make moving the ball through the air more effective. Whatever, the reason, NFL passing games are more efficient and potent than they have ever been. And because of this, old ideas about late game strategy have to be reexamined.

The comebacks from this weekend should remind us that playing the clock prematurely is a dangerous thing. In a league where offenses always seem to be on fire, it no longer takes computer assistance to win from way back.

Posted by Corrie Trouw at 4:16 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 29

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished third at Dover, leading 116 of 400 laps, and gained a share of the Sprint Cup point standings. Edwards is tied with Kevin Harvick atop the standings, with a 9-point lead over Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart.

"Luckily," Edwards said, "I don't do a backflip for third-place finishes. And, judging by Saturday's result, I don't do back flips for wins, either. It used to be called a 'somersault;' with the change of season, it's now called a 'fall.'"

2. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson held off Carl Edwards in the closing laps in the AAA 400 to take the runner-up spot at Dover. Johnson vaulted five spots in the point standings to fifth and is 13 out of first.

"Many though my slow start in the Chase indicated that I was 'going nowhere,'" Johnson said. "Well, they were right, because this strong finish indicates that I'm not going anywhere."

3. Kevin Harvick — Harvick finished 10th in the AAA 400, a solid effort considering Dover is not one of his strongest tracks. He did, however, move in to a tie in the points lead with Carl Edwards, with a 9-point lead on Tony Stewart in second.

"It's great to be on top in the Sprint Cup point standings," Harvick said. "But the issue with leading is one that is much akin to Clint Bowyer's future with Richard Childress Racing — staying there."

4. Kurt Busch — Busch left Jimmie Johnson after a late restart and cruised to the win in the AAA 400, his second win of the year and first of the Chase. Busch climbed from ninth to third in the point standings, and trails co-leaders Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick by 9.

"It's doubly satisfying to pass Johnson for the win," Busch said. "I know 'slaps in the face,' and that had to feel like one to Johnson.

"My win certainly tightens up the point standing in the Chase For tThe Cup. My brother knows all too well that when you put a Busch brother out front, things get 'tight,' particularly Kyle's nerves."

5. Tony Stewart — After two wins to start the Chase, Stewart's luck ran out at Dover, where handling issues left him in an early hole from which he couldn't escape. He finished 25th, two laps down, and fell out of the Sprint Cup points lead.

"I guess winning three races in a row was too much to expect," Stewart said. "Otherwise, I may have ran away with the Sprint Cup title. In this case, the third time was the charm for 11 other Chase drivers. But 'winning three' isn't easy; that's something I've spent the last 10 years learning."

6. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth, who won at Dover in May, took fifth in the AAA 400, collecting his eighth top-five result of the year. He remained sixth in the point standings, where only 19 points separate the top nine drivers.

"We took two tires on the final pit stop in May," Kenseth said. "We took four this time. Suffice it to say we were 'dis-May-ed' with our finish.

"My esteemed teammate Carl Edwards is tied for the lead in the point standings with his esteemed arch-nemesis Kevin Harvick. That makes for an interesting situation, and I, like most others, can't wait to see which one 'chokes' first."

7. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski finished a disappointing 20th at Dover, amazingly his first finish outside the top 12 since a 35th at New Hampshire in July. He fell three places in the point standings to sixth, and trails the leaders by 14.

"We had a good car until our power steering failed," Keselowski said. "You could say we were 'cursed' by mechanical issues, which is definitely not the first time the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge has been 'cursed.' Heck, Kurt Busch used to drive this car."

8. Jeff Gordon — Gordon qualified 34th at Dover, and with track position at a premium, could only manage a 12th-place finish. He fell four places to ninth in the point standings, and is 19 out of first.

"We've dug ourselves a hole," Gordon said. "That's not as bad as my Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He dug himself a grave."

9. Kyle Busch — Busch bounced back from two subpar finishes to start the Chase with a sixth at Dover, his 17th top-10 finish of the season. He eighth in the point standings,15 points out of the lead.

"A sixth-place finish is encouraging," Busch said, "but knowing you started the Chase with the lead just three short weeks ago is discouraging. But I've got my head up. I understand Denny Hamlin has employed a sports psychologist to improve his attitude. Many people say I need psychological help. My supporters say I don't need psychological help, just an evaluation. Anyway, if a sports psychologist could tell me anything, he'd likely say 'You're still in the driver's seat.' And I would likely reply, 'I'm paying you for this?'"

10. Ryan Newman — Newman finished 23rd, two laps down, after ongoing handling issues left his No. 39 Stewart/Haas Chevy with little grip and poor handling. He is now 11th in the Sprint Cup point standings, 41 out of first.

"Our performance is upsetting," Newman said. "And I think it showed on my face. Anyone could see that I was 'drivin' and (c)Ryan.'

"I'm declaring myself a non-factor in the Chase. And if things work out for me like they did for Tony Stewart, I'll be back in the thick of things after winning at Kansas and Charlotte."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)

October 4, 2011

NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its list of nominees for the Class of 2012. My favorite 25 to advance: Gary Anderson, Steve Atwater, Tiki Barber, Bobby Beathard, Tim Brown, LeRoy Butler, Cris Carter, Todd Christensen, Don Coryell, Terrell Davis, Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Kenny Easley, Kevin Greene, Joe Jacoby, Joe Klecko, Curtis Martin, Bill Parcells, Willie Roaf, Steve Sabol, Clark Shaughnessy, Will Shields, Paul Tagliabue, Steve Tasker, Herschel Walker.

* The NFL does a great job of promoting October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can support the league's efforts at NFLShop.com, or you can go directly to charities like Breast Cancer Fund and The American Breast Cancer Foundation.

* Thank goodness ESPN finally dropped that pathetic Hank Williams Jr. opening from MNF. Now we just need Faith Hill to compare the president to Stalin or Pol Pot or somebody, and we'll be free of these galling, pointless, hour-long intros.

* PSA for the many television announcers who live a decade in the past and struggle with elementary math: on field goal attempts, the holder lines up eight yards back from the line of scrimmage, not seven. Add 18 yards to get the distance for the field goal. Not 17. Seriously. I can not believe you people get paid for this.

* Former Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger lost his battle with cancer, and will be widely missed by players, coaches, and fans.

***

I know that we're spoiled as television viewers. But broadcasters have the capability now to deliver a nearly perfect product, and it's not unreasonable to expect the networks to do things like show replays. ESPN failed that test on Monday night. Several times, replay reviews were obscured because the cameras simply didn't have any good angles. Really, in 2011? What's really unforgivable, though, from a fan's standpoint, is the decision not to show a replay even when one is available.

I understand why there was only one short replay of the hideous injury to Eric Foster's leg. But why didn't we ever get to see what drew Jamaal Anderson's 15-yard roughness penalty? A 15-yard penalty is a big deal. Speaking of which, when a receiver goes to the referee pleading for a facemask penalty, can we please get a replay to show whether or not the foul occurred? I'm not asking for the moon and stars here.

As we move on to the Week 4 power rankings, brackets indicate last week's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers [1] — I was initially annoyed with CBS for showing Packers/Broncos — which everyone knew was probably going to be a rout — instead of Patriots/Raiders or Chargers/Dolphins. But it was worth it to see Aaron Rodgers doing his John Unitas/Dan Marino/Peyton Manning impression. What a game. His passer rating through four games is an astronomical 124.6, and people often seem to forget what an effective runner Rodgers is. The only question for the Packers is whether they can stay relatively healthy all season.

2. Baltimore Ravens [2] — In the second and third quarters, Joe Flacco was 0-for-11 with a lost fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown. Altogether, Flacco and the Jets' Mark Sanchez were a combined 21-of-66 for 282 yards and 2 INTs. That's 31.8% completion percentage, 4.3 yards per attempt, and a 33.8 passer rating. In a game like that, why not throw more short passes to Ray Rice? He makes something out of nothing as often as anyone in the NFL. Rice, who is listed at 5-8, 212 lbs, also leveled one of the Jets with a pancake block in the first quarter.

3. New Orleans Saints [3] — Survived the first game of a brutal stretch: four road matches in five weeks. The Saints' only defeat this year is a close loss at Green Bay, and since then, New Orleans has blown out the Bears, beaten the high-flying Texans, and won by double digits on the road in Jacksonville. The Saints gained 503 yards and 30 first downs on Sunday, but did not have a great overall offensive game. Drew Brees threw 2 interceptions and got sacked 3 times, with John Kasay kicking 3 field goals under 40 yards. You'd like to see better red zone efficiency than that, but it didn't matter against Jacksonville. Will Smith (2 sacks) and Jabari Greer (3 passes defended) had nice games for a defense that held the Jags to 10 points.

4. Houston Texans [4] — Committed nine penalties for 64 yards and two first downs. Here they are, in order:

1. Holding on opening kickoff — drive starts at 5-yard line.
2. Offensive holding.
3. Offensive holding on 3rd-and-1.
4. Offside.
5. Illegal contact — nullifies fumble recovery.
6. Offensive holding.
7. Holding on punt return.
8. Ilegal block above the waist — nullifies FG block returned for a touchdown.
9. Roughing the passer — nullifies INT returned for a touchdown.

One or two of those were pretty trivial, but 5, 8, and 9 were critical, and kept this week's game close. Andre Johnson collapsed in pain after making a catch on Sunday, with what is being reported as a hamstring injury. He'll likely miss some time, but Houston fans are just glad it wasn't his knee.

5. New England Patriots [5] — Following a fairly tame Week 4 (226 yds, 2 TD), Tom Brady is no longer on pace to pass for 7,000 yards. He's only set to get to 6,212 now. Wes Welker, however, is on pace for 160 receptions, 2,464 yards, and 20 TDs. DT Vince Wilfork (6-2, 325 lbs) is on pace for 8 INTs and 188 return yards. I think Brady throwing for 7,000 yards is more realistic. Linebacker Jerod Mayo, probably the team's best defensive player other than Wilfork, sprained his MCL on Sunday, and will likely miss several weeks.

6. Detroit Lions [7] — They're 4-0, including three road wins. But how much do wins over the 0-4 Vikings and 1-3 Chiefs really mean? I wrote in Week 2 that "we may have to wait until Week 5, when the Bears travel to Detroit for Monday Night Football, to really know whether the Lions are for real, or just the 2011 version of the 2010 Chiefs." Guess what's next week?

Going back to last season, the Lions have now won eight straight regular-season games. This has changed from being a team that couldn't hold leads to become a fourth-quarter monster, outscoring opponents 51-10 in the final frame this season, including 17-0 against Dallas in Week 4. Calvin Johnson, who for whatever reason has been getting dissed from some quarters, had another big game, with 8 catches for 96 yards and 2 TDs, first in triple coverage and then the game-winner. Guy's as good as any receiver in the league.

7. San Diego Chargers [9] — Missing two starting defensive linemen, their best cornerback, and the finest tight end in the NFL, they still managed a comfortable double-digit victory over the Dolphins. San Diego isn't blowing anybody away, but the team is 3-1 and hasn't lost to anyone but the Patriots. Ryan Mathews looks more like LaDainian Tomlinson every week; he's 5th in the NFL in yards from scrimmage, between Ray Rice and Darren McFadden. For all the criticism they've faced, the Chargers lead the NFL in third-down percentage (58.5%) and average time of possession (34:04). San Diego is 3-0 at home, but the next three games are all on the road.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers [6] — Pittsburgh is -10 in turnover differential, by far the worst in the league. The Steelers simply have too many injuries to be competitive at the highest level right now. It's the Super Bowl Curse — playing 19 or 20 games and trying to stay healthy when your offseason is a month shorter than everyone else's. The good news is that the Steelers are still 2-2, with both losses to very good teams. The bad news is that their bye isn't until Week 11. Four of the next five are at home, and that can't hurt.

9. Buffalo Bills [8] — Lost on a last-second field goal, true, but they were outplayed throughout the game. Cincinnati outgained them by 185 yards and picked up more than twice as many first downs (25-12). For the season, the Bills have fewer yards than their opponents, fewer first downs, and worse third down percentage, but they're +7 in turnover differential. If they can keep that up — which is a big if — they'll be competitive all season. If their luck with turnovers evens out, they're probably just another middle-of-the-pack team.

10. Oakland Raiders [10] — As an offensive coordinator, how do you let this happen? Darren McFadden, who has been lighting things up all season, averages 5.4 yards per carry in Week 4 — on 14 attempts, as compared to 43 dropbacks by Jason Campbell. Get the ball into the hands of your playmaker. You wonder how different things might have been if the Raiders still had Nnamdi Asomugha to cover Welker (9 rec, 158 yds, TD). Maybe not much; faced with an Oakland team geared toward stopping the pass, the Patriots ran effectively (183 yds, 6.1 avg, 2 TD).

11. New York Jets [11] — Lost their seventh straight to the Ravens, in a strange (and often ugly) game featuring an NFL-record five return TDs. Of the six TDs scored in the game, four came on defense, and one each on offense and special teams. Not to parrot Cris Collinsworth, but it's true: this team really misses Nick Mangold. Fans always underestimate the impact of injuries. It's sort of unthinkable for a Rex Ryan team to lose three in a row, but the Jets have another tough matchup next week, at New England.

12. Chicago Bears [12] — "Don't kick to Devin Hester." We've been getting it all wrong. What's really important is not to punt to Devin Hester. He's a good kickoff returner, but not really anything special. As a punt returner, he's as dangerous as anyone in history. Hester, easily one of the top 10 returners of all time after just five full seasons, scored his 11th PR TD on Sunday, and his timing was good. With Jay Cutler having an atrocious day (102 yds, INT, 46.7 rating), Hester, Matt Forte (205 rush yds), and D.J. Moore (INT TD) stepped up to help Chicago avoid an upset at home against Carolina.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [13] — That was one of the most undisciplined games I have ever seen. From Ron Winter's officiating crew, I mean. Keep some flags in your pocket, you busybodies. You know how they say you could call holding on every play? That doesn't mean you have to do it. The Bucs were whistled for 14 penalties for 106 yards. Some of the highlights:

* Very close illegal touch call — nullified a 62-yard TD
* Chippy unnecessary roughness penalty — brought back a 31-yard gain
* Twelve men on the field flag — took three points off the board
* Pass interference — gave Indianapolis a first down instead of fourth
* Pair of penalties that wiped out 6-yard gains — set up 1st-and-31

Tampa also was on the wrong end of all three replay challenges, none of them really conclusive, but the Colts got called for some rough penalties, too, and the officials almost lost control of the game for a couple minutes there in the second half, when there was a fight breaking out after every play. I've seen this over and over again: when the referees call too many penalties, the game gets out of hand. Big games from their young offensive stars, 3rd-year QB Josh Freeman and 2nd-year RB LeGarrette Blount, saved the Bucs from Winter. Freeman made two big mistakes, though, that could have been costly against a better opponent or a more determined officiating crew: he took a sack at the end of the first half, with no time outs, and he drew a delay of game penalty on 3rd-and-1. Normally, a sack or a 5-yard penalty aren't the end of the world, but you've got to recognize the situation.

14. Tennessee Titans [19] — Three wins in a row, and they're the only team to defeat Baltimore this season. From 2008-10, Matt Hasselbeck threw 34 TDs and 44 INTs, with a 71.2 passer rating. This year (at age 36), 8 TDs, 3 picks, and career-highs in yards per attempt (8.7) and passer rating (104.7). The offensive line in Tennessee gives any QB a chance to be successful. Hasselbeck is the early front-runner for the pointless Comeback Player of the Year award.

15. Dallas Cowboys [15] — I know some people can't get past the late meltdowns, but this is a 2-2 team with a pair of close wins and two heart-breaking losses, against opponents with a combined record of 12-4. Battling a ton of injuries on offense, and facing the Lions, Jets, and a pair of 3-1 opponents, they're still .500. This actually looks like a pretty good team, certainly not below-average. The Cowboys have a Week 5 bye and should be better when they come back from it, most notably with the anticipated return of Miles Austin and some chemistry on the offensive line.

16. Atlanta Falcons [17] — Matt Ryan has a reputation, not unfairly, as a guy who plays much better at home. The same is true, though, of Joe Flacco (to whom Ryan is always compared):

The numbers above are their home stats. Road:

As with seemingly everything else in their careers, these numbers are fairly similar. Ryan has certainly been better at home, but so has Flacco, almost as dramatically. The Falcons' Week 5 matchup with Green Bay is at home, but I think the Packers are going to rip them apart — maybe not as badly as last January, but a double-digit win.

17. Washington Redskins [18] — Andy Behrens at Yahoo! publishes on an earlier schedule than I do, and he already pretty much wrote what I wanted to:

You can talk up Rex Grossman's friendly schedule all you like, but that guy is still astonishingly reckless, and brutally inaccurate at the worst times. Rex tossed a pair of picks on Sunday, and his late misfire on a third-down throw to Santana Moss was one of the day's worst incompletions — should have been a simple pitch-and-catch, but Grossman sailed it way too high. Luckily for 'Skins, they were only playing the Rams.

It seems like every analyst on television is dying to tell us what a good quarterback Grossman is. He's not good. As a starting quarterback, he is terrible. Washington is 3-1 because of its defense and an easy schedule, not because Grossman is a different player than he was four years ago. He's 25th in passer rating, trailing Jason Campbell, Chad Henne, Tarvaris Jackson, Colt McCoy, Donovan McNabb, Kyle Orton, and Alex Smith. Rex has the worst decision-making of any veteran quarterback in the league. He holds the ball too long, he throws gimme interceptions, and he can't read defenses. Don't tell me this guy is a good quarterback. He obviously, obviously is not.

You know who else is not very good? Tim Hightower. He's the third-best RB on the team. Your job as an analyst is not to feed me propaganda from the Shanahans, it's to point out the vast improvements in Washington's offensive line and front seven. Don't get too caught up in 3-1; Washington hasn't played anyone good yet.

18. New York Giants [16] — Tom Jackson brought a serious element to C'mon Man this week. Citing Plaxico Burress against the Jaguars in 2000, Marvin Harrison against the Broncos in '03, and Richard Goodman against New England just last year, Jackson demonstrated that the league has always viewed an untouched player falling forward as live. Then Jackson noted, "They made up a new rule where the offense now gets the ball back." Jackson is absolutely right: this is a new rule, and it has never been applied before. C'mon, man.

19. San Francisco 49ers [24] — Tied with Detroit for best turnover differential in the league, +8. No one has ever questioned Frank Gore's talent, only his health and durability. Gore sent notice, with 127 yards on 15 carries (8.5 avg) that he's not done yet. The Niners' defense had an incredible game in the red zone this week. They did give up two red zone TDs, but they also forced four field goal attempts (two of which missed) and recovered a fumble. San Francisco has an interesting matchup with fellow 3-1 Tampa Bay in Week 5.

20. Philadelphia Eagles [14] — Tied with Washington for most sacks in the NFL (15), but opposing passers have registered a 106.7 passer rating against their much-vaunted defense. Free agent acquisition Jason Babin leads the NFL with 7 sacks, but free agent departure David Akers was on the wrong sideline this weekend. His replacement, rookie Alex Henery, missed two field goals from under 40 yards, in a 24-23 game. As the losses pile up, Michael Vick is getting more and more combative with the media. This happened in Atlanta, too, and it did not end well. Trent Cole was injured in the loss to San Francisco, and will reportedly miss at least two games.

21. Cincinnati Bengals [26] — Lead the NFL in fewest yards allowed. Their offense is going to be up and down all season with Andy Dalton, and they'll miss Cedric Benson if his suspension stands up, but some of the young receievers (A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham) are coming on, and the defense is playing at a high level. Second-year DT Geno Atkins has 2.5 sacks, one of six Bengals with at least one sack.

22. Cleveland Browns [20] — Colt McCoy threw 61 passes this weekend. He's second in the NFL in attempts (172), trailing only Drew Brees. That's right, McCoy has thrown more often than Tom Brady or Cam Newton or Matthew Stafford. Is that really a good idea? I realize the Browns were playing catch-up in the second half, but this is an unproven QB with a weak receiving corps, and the team's only consistent offensive success the last two years has come on the ground. McCoy actually dropped back 66 times (including 3 sacks and 2 scrambles), and that seems like the Browns' play-callers panicked at halftime.

23. Denver Broncos [23] — They're 1-3, but against a tough schedule: those four opponents are a combined 11-5, none with a losing record. The Broncos obviously aren't a good team, but I don't think it's at all clear that they're a bad one, either. Rookie LB Von Miller looks like the real deal, and the receiving corps continues to show promise. In the backfield, though, veteran Willis McGahee clearly looks like a superior option compared to Knowshon Moreno. A YouTube user called "urnfndbag" (no, you are) has uploaded Sunday's video of Moreno falling off a stationary bike.

24. Miami Dolphins [21] — Including 2010, Miami has lost seven straight regular-season games. Maybe this is too generous for a team that's 0-4 and just lost its starting QB. But the Dolphins' opponents are a collective 11-5, and they didn't get routed in any of the losses. Plus, let's be realistic: Chad Henne isn't exactly Dan Marino back there, and his injury might not represent a major setback for the team. Vontae Davis, Daniel Thomas, and Koa Misi all missed the game in San Diego, and those players might be more valuable than Henne. Yeremiah Bell was credited with 14 solo tackles in the loss.

25. Indianapolis Colts [25] — Peyton Manning. Gary Brackett. Melvin Bullitt. Manning again. It's only been a month, and already the Colts are reeling from injuries. I feel bad for the veterans — guys like Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney, Jeff Saturday — because this is a wasted season. A team like this would benefit from a Sean Payton or Rex Ryan-type coach who will do things like run a fake punt on 4th-and-1 from midfield. It must be a tremendous comfort to opponents knowing Jim Caldwell would never call a play like that. Caldwell's calm, conservative approach can benefit a great team, but it's detrimental for a bad one, and the Colts are pretty bad. Indianapolis is losing time of possession by a staggering average of 12 minutes per game: 36:04 - 23:56.

26. Seattle Seahawks [28] — A completely different team at home. On the road, they lost by 16 to San Francisco and got shut out by the Steelers. At home, they beat Arizona and nearly upset the Falcons. The Seahawks lost time of possession by more than 2:1 this weekend (40:10 - 19:50). I won't pretend that Tarvaris Jackson is a good quarterback — you wouldn't want him to be your starter — but I think he gets ripped much more than he deserves. Playing with a team that in 2010 made Matt Hasselbeck look washed up (-5 TD/INT, 73.2 rating), Jackson is having a decent year (+1 TD/INT, 80.0 rating, 61 rush yds, rush TD). He's not any worse than half a dozen other starters, and he's better than some.

27. Carolina Panthers [29] — They're 1-3, but all the losses were by a touchdown or less. Adding a viable QB, even a rookie, vastly improved this team compared to 2010. The Panthers out-gained Chicago by over 200 yards this weekend, but went 2/12 on third down, missed two field goals, and gave up two return TDs. Steve Smith continued his resurgence, with 181 yards. He is second in the NFL in receiving yards (530), far behind Wes Welker but far ahead of everyone else.

28. Arizona Cardinals [30] — They lost to Washington by 1, Seattle by 3, and the Giants by 4. Apart from the quality of competition, those aren't bad losses. The defense shut down New York's run game, and kept Eli Manning pretty quiet until the fourth quarter. Beanie Wells' continuing emergence threatens to give the Cardinals their first good running back since, what, Ottis Anderson and Stump Mitchell in the '80s? Past-his-prime Edgerrin James is the team's only 1,000-yard rusher since Adrian Murrell in 1998. Wells is on pace for 1,284, the club's most in 40 years.

29. Kansas City Chiefs [32] — Is Ryan Succop already the greatest Mr. Irrelevant in NFL history? In Week 4, Succop went 5/5 on field goals, including two from over 50 yards. After a horrific first two weeks, in which they lost by a combined total of 89-10 and suffered several key injuries, the Chiefs have rebounded with a close loss to a good team and their first win of the season. They obviously won't repeat as divisional champs, but maybe they won't have to spend all season answering questions about Andrew Luck. Tamba Hali had a monster game against Minnesota.

30. Minnesota Vikings [22] — They remind me of the 2008-09 Lions. Those teams lost a ton of games, but they were always competitive, lots of close defeats, lots of lost leads and last-minute heart-breakers. The 2011 Vikings have lost by 7, 4, 3, and 5 points. They're competitive, including against some pretty good teams. But they seem to have a pathological aversion to actually winning.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars [31] — I don't remember ever seeing this before: the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs four times against New Orleans. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert put on a miserable show in Week 4: 38.1 comp%, 4.7 yds/att, 51.3 rating, 3 sacks for 26 yards. The Jags edged Tennessee in Week 1, but since then they've lost three straight. Jacksonville has scored a league-low three TDs, and desperately needs some QB help. I hear David Garrard is available.

32. St. Louis Rams [27] — They rank 31st in points (11.5/gm) and point differential (-67), and they're 0-4, with none of the games particularly close. They have a bye in Week 5, then four of the next five on the road.

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Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:07 PM | Comments (5)

A Warrior's Farewell

It is hard to imagine any plausible scenario where Jorge Posada could play for the Yankees again next season. Seventeen years in pinstripes, the vast majority of which donning "tools of ignorance," have taken their toll. A shadow of his once potent run-producing self, defensively never better than average at best, and with home-grown catching prospects ready to emerge, Posada's days are numbered.

Now at the end of a long and storied career, all that remains of the 24-year-old backstop debuting in 1995 is his pride, his need for respect, and his warrior's desire to still contribute to the only team he has ever known.

If fish and friends smell in three days, a once great but aging athlete seldom escapes such "don't let the door hit you on the way out" sentiments. As "what have you done for us lately?" becomes the subtext for management to understandably, but unceremoniously hasten their exit, rare is the athlete who gracefully retires whatever their past accomplishments. And this has been no less so for one of the greatest offensive catchers of all-time.

In a pinstriped universe of immortals and hall of famers-in-waiting, it is easy for a steadily outstanding but unspectacularly excellent player to be relatively undervalued. And even though Jorge Posada may well be an "in the conversation" Cooperstown inductee, he clearly fits that description.

How else could a winner of five Silver Slugger awards, a member of six American League championship teams, a five-time all-star, and a four-time world champion be relatively unnoticed? How else could the only MLB catcher to ever hit .330 or better with 40 doubles, 20 homers, and 90 RBIs in a single season be overlooked as a great player? How else could Posada having more RBIs, homers, and hits than any other MLB catcher since 2000 be underrated? And how else could insensitive writers be so reflexively critical of his moment of weakness in asking out of a game this season?

After squatting behind the plate 1,573 times since entering the league, Posada's declining defensive skills forced management to strip him of his catching duties at the beginning of the 2011 season. After six weeks batting a major league low of .165, going hitless in 24 at-bats against right-handers, and clearly struggling with his new role, he was moved to ninth in the batting order against the hated Red Sox.

A humbling "I put myself in this position" pre-game comment to reporters was followed by a request that manager Joe Girardi remove him from the lineup to "clear his mind." Later claiming that his back had stiffened up while fielding practice grounders, he also told reporters that he felt "a little disrespected" by the lineup demotion.

To Posada's credit, the next day he apologized to both Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman admitting that the "nothing serious" back discomfort had been used as an excuse and that by sitting out the game, he had "let some people down."

But apparently Posada's admission of exaggerating an injury, his contrite apology, and his seventeen years of athletic excellence were not enough for writers unwilling to accept any role for compassion in sports. It was not enough for armchair critics unable to understand that even though his demotion was coldly justified, it hardly made such a fall from grace emotionally acceptable for a proud athlete such as Jorge Posada.

And it certainly was not enough for talk show "experts" calculating only Posada's per game salary to understand that in defining ourselves by what we do, when that definition is inevitably diminished by time, it is excruciatingly painful to accept. For those critics inhabiting a black and white world, it may have taken Posada over 6,000 at-bats to earn respect, but only a momentary lapse of judgment for admiration to evaporate.

Although Posada hit well in June, his season of a thousand cuts continued with removal from the everyday lineup in early August. As one of the cornerstone members of four championship teams, his humiliation was now complete. In what is likely to be the final year of his decorated Yankee career, he had gone from designated hitter to designated sitter.

Yet all may not be lost. When Posada apologized to his manager the day after asking out of the lineup, Girardi responded that although "you want to play forever … the reality is we don't play forever and you need to enjoy your career in the midst of that." Arguably the most underrated great player in Yankee history got the message. For in pinch hitting a game-winning 2-run single to capture the American League East crown, Posada reached first base and at last seemed at peace. And after an emotionally-trying final season, the aging warrior ranking 14th in RBIs and eighth in home runs among catchers in major league history surely deserves no less than that.

Posted by Neil Bright at 3:06 PM | Comments (8)

October 3, 2011

Pushing Luck

Even before the season began, "Andrew Luck" and "2011 Heisman winner" seemed to be synonymous. And despite sitting out a game this season, Luck has done nothing to sway anyone away from this (72% passing, 11 TDs, 1 INT, and on a top-10 team). There have, however, been some extremely solid players not named Luck who have started this young season by playing some very impressive football.

Here is a list of my top five Heisman candidates not named Andrew Luck:

5. Kellen Moore — QB, Boise State

This guy is as consistent as they come (Tom Brady threw 4 picks last week, this guy can throw 2 every now and then). He is in his fourth and final year leading Boise State, and the Broncos have been nothing short of impressive in any of those years. Keeping on task as a Heisman candidate (Kellen Moore has taken less hits in the last four years than Wall Street has in the last four days, and thus he won't make it in the NFL), he has done nothing but impress this year.

He did throw two very uncharacteristic picks last week, but still led his Broncos to a big-time pride victory over last year's BCS nemesis, Nevada. He may not have the huge arm that Luck and Robert Griffin have, but the guy is a leader and this should definitely account for something in the Heisman voting. His teammates trust him. He wins games. He has a legitimate shot at winning the Heisman.

Biggest downfall: His team being under-matched in their conference.

4. Ray Graham — RB, Pittsburgh

This early in the season, there is always the "you can't consider this guy good … his team hasn't played anyone" excuse when talking about Heisman hopefuls, and for this very reason I wouldn't have had Ray Graham on my list a week ago. Then he ran for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns against a previously undefeated #16 USF team. Graham went absolutely nuts in this game and he played solid against Iowa and Notre Dame, who were both (questionably) ranked at different points this season. Graham's offensive line is decent, but if he were running behind the front five of Wisconsin, he would go top five in next year's draft, no doubt.

Biggest Downfall: His team is in the Big East and he's doesn't play basketball.

3. Robert Griffin III — QB, Baylor

Where Graham would not have made my list last week, Griffin would have been No. 1. He slips a few spots because of his loss to an unranked (yet very talented) Kansas State team, but the guy is a surreal quarterback. His confidence in the pocket is that of someone who has somehow been playing college football for six years (wait ... Cam Newton?) and you just can't argue with the numbers that Griffin puts up. His QB rating is 230.3, which is absurd, he has thrown for 1,308 yards on only 113 attempts, and he has 18 touchdown passes.

Compare that to Houston's Case Keenum, who everyone seems to be in love with: Keenum is No. 5 in the country in TDs at 15 and he did it on 201 attempts ... 88 more than Griffin's 18 TDs). If Griffin's squad can keep the Bears in the top 25, and Griffin keeps putting up insane numbers, he could very easily shake up the Heisman voting when the time comes.

Biggest Downfall: His team being overmatched in their conference.

2. Denard Robinson — QB, Michigan

Denard Robinson is awesome. Not in the "yeah, dude, that was rad" respect, but in the sense that when I watch a Denard Robinson highlight, I'm in so much awe that I can't focus on anything else for at least 10 minutes while my mind comes back down to the real world. Growing up a Penn State fan, I never liked Michigan because (less importantly) they beat us a lot and (more importantly) they added to their stadium and Happy Valley then became home to the "second biggest stadium in college football," which is like being the second best quarterback behind a Heisman winner (wait ... Cam Newton?). Then the Wolverines hired Rich Rodriguez, and I disliked them even more.

With that said, I love Denard Robinson and I would love to see him win the Heisman. He has a great toughness, and plays through pain. We won't mention his passing stats, because I just said I would love to see him win the Heisman (they are not bad by any means, but this is a pretty good list), but this guy has already rushed for over 600 yards and 6 touchdowns and even in the wake of the Rodriguez debauchery, he is almost single-handedly making Michigan look like a legitimate Big 10 contender (as much as it pains me to type that).

Biggest Downfall: When you run 65 yards laterally for a 7-yard gain at eight different times in the first half, you might get lit up and find yourself on the sideline for a few weeks.

1. Russell Wilson — QB, Wisconsin

I hadn't seen Russell Wilson play until Saturday night against Nebraska, and his performance was nothing short of perfect. If class and poise were part of the Heisman voting, this article would have been about candidates not named Russell Wilson. After absolutely tearing apart one of the best teams in the country, Wilson's biggest celebration was a fist pump and a jog to the coaching staff to see how he could improve on his TD drives of 91, 77, 54, 63, 42, 81, and 73 yards.

I tried my hardest to find a mistake he made, but I just couldn't. He controlled the game, only scrambled when it was the right thing to do (32 yds and a TD), and his passes ranged from lasers across the middle to touch passes that had to come down in a 2'x2' square. He has the second highest QB rating in the country behind Griffin, first in the nation in yds/pass (take into account his rushing statistics and the Badgers are averaging almost 10 yards a play when Wilson drops back), he's third in passing %, and he has only thrown 1 pick this year.

Wilson is amazing and he was a genius for deciding to take his last year of eligibility to Wisconsin to play behind their ridiculous offensive line and across the ball from one of the best defenses in the country. If Wisconsin can find a way to win a BCS bowl game, Russell Wilson could (and maybe even should) win the Heisman.

Biggest Downfall: His name isn't Andrew Luck.

Posted by Gary Flick at 6:31 PM | Comments (1)

Fall is Here, So is the End of Tennis Season

So this is the time of year when both tours start winding down, the final scramble for some players to make the final eight for the respective tours' championships, and the rest of the players start making plans for some months off and the exhibition season. Some players will even consent to an interview from me, hoping to make the annual Christmas column.

I noticed today that Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova both pulled out of the China Open, upcoming for the WTA this week. While this is nothing out of the ordinary for Serena, who has been injured for the better part of the season, it is an important note for Sharapova. Sharapova has already qualified for the season-ending championships in Istanbul, Turkey, but has performed below expectation since the U.S. Open. While her off-court schedule I am sure is keeping her busy, the need to be fresh and have some momentum going into Turkey is essential.

With Sharapova currently ranked second in the world, and the top eight all having almost no real big tournament success under their belts, it would seem that Maria would be focused on getting ready to make and possibly take Istanbul by storm. Not only would it be a large payday, but it would also re-establish her as a premier player and put her on the short list for Australia in January.

It's hard to think that Sharapova is only 24-years-old. She has been on the tour since 2001, and has a Wimbledon title to her name. This year, it looked like she would add number two, yet she was off her game and fell to Petra Kvitova on what might have been her best chance to add a major to her career stats. Sharapova has battled a shoulder injury and now an ankle injury. While still potent on any given day, she does seem to no longer have the physical stamina to play a full season at peak. And again, at the ripe "old" age of 24.

Sharapova has stated that she will try to be ready for Istanbul on the 25th. I hope she is. Especially given that she is the only "name" player currently in the draw. I'd hate to see the WTA Championships played with virtually no real reporting or coverage.

On the men's side, Andy Roddick today showed one more time why I have always considered him overrated. Yes, he has been to major championships. Yes, he has won a U.S. Open, and been to four other major finals, but more and more, he continues to lose matches to much lesser players. His loss this week to South African Kevin Anderson just underscores how much Roddick has fallen.

Once known to overpower his opponents, his big first serve and huge forehand have always been his trademark. They are also the only two shots he basically has in his arsenal. Roddick lacks a complete game, and players can now anticipate his two shots to the point that they no longer fear them. Mardy Fish, long-time friend and Davis Cup teammate of Roddick, has overtaken Andy as the No. 1 U.S. men's player this year.

With his loss at the China Open, it looks like Andy's 2011 season is over. One can only speculate what his offseason will be like. At 29, he still has a couple of years of good tennis left in him. The question is, will he want to continue, and will he come out of the offseason with a drive and hunger for winning that he had just a few years ago?

Only time will tell. The offseason is just about here. Here's to hoping the fall will mean better things for us all in tennis next year.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 5:47 PM | Comments (0)

October 2, 2011

Believe it or Not: Heroes Can Be Human

While perusing the shelves last week at the local bookstore, something became astonishingly clear: there aren't enough honest biographies that have marred the image of sports heroes. In the spirit of shedding light on truth, I have compiled a list below of three idols about whom I plan to write life histories and the summary of each planned masterpiece:

1. Jackie Robinson

Everyone knows the story of this great historical figure. What you may not know is that he was a gang member during his youth. He was also rumored to have had several run-ins with police officers, one resulting in him being arrested in 1938. In 1944, he was court-martialed by the United States Military on two counts of insubordination and one count of public drunkenness. That's correct: Jackie Robinson was a criminal. Digging deeper, I intend to show that he, at some point in his life, lied to his wife and mother. He also played baseball.

2. Joe Montana

This piece will focus on the important moments in the life of "role model" Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr. Most notably, the thesis of the work will spotlight his two divorces and the lawsuit he filed against his first wife in 2008. He also peddles one drug (to our knowledge) from his Sonoma County estate. This double identity will be further explored in a compelling memoir that will delve into the potential that Montana felt depressed a few times in his life, despite his career success. The research will be based primarily on conversations with former friends and teammates. He also was known for throwing a football around.

3. Jackie Joyner-Kersee

An athlete setting records during a time in which steroids were coming into fashion? Joyner-Kersee has maintained she never used performance-enhancing drugs to supplement her natural skills, but I challenge: did we not hear the same thing from Rafael Palmeiro, Marion Jones, and Wilton Guerrero? Odds are that she also littered before, made an illegal U-turn, mixed colors and whites while doing laundry, and copied a friend's answers on a homework assignment during middle school. This provocative work will shed a whole new light on the supposed "track star."

All of these books will be journeys into the humanity of our former heroes. After all, in order to show humanity, one must shred the layers of positive contributions to society and air dirty laundry. Sure, you can mention the unique, incredible, heroic feats each has accomplished, but the core of the content should be devoted to the shadows that may or may not have loomed over personal lives. This is the lesson I have learned from recent non-fiction titles that have had success.

In that light, I must give due credit to Jeff Pearlman, author of Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton, for — according to an excerpt published in Sports Illustrated — peeling away the naive notion that Walter Payton was merely a role model and shattering public perception by going out of his way to showcase anything and everything quasi-negative that may have occurred during Payton's life.

All of the stories I grew up hearing about Sweetness engaging fans in conversation or games of catch, being generous to the city of Chicago and the nation through charity work and donations, and displaying courage while fighting for his life? Well, Pearlman presumably touches on those. What about the outrageous notion that a person blessed with physical gifts actually worked his ass off to incessantly improve himself and his team? I'm sure it's in there somewhere.

But according to the excerpt in SI and articles from ESPN.com and the Chicago Tribune, dark and depressing secrets are at the crux of this new work.

Listen, we live in a world where the most watched show on television is MTV's The Jersey Shore, which — for those of you living under a rock — is a "reality" show about six old adolescents (I refuse to call them adults) drinking, screwing, fighting, crying, and projecting major delusions of grandeur. This is on cable. The No. 2 downloaded album, according to Spotify.com, is Lil' Wayne's Carter IV, which includes tracks titled "Blunt Blowin'," "How to Hate," "Abortion," and "Two Shots." This is accessible to children.

We're quickly running out of heroes.

Walter Payton was a human being — a pretty damn decent one. He brought immense joy to tens of thousands of citizens who worked tirelessly each week to bring home enough money to support themselves and their families. He contributed memories that will last forever in the minds of sports fans all over the nation. Did any of us live under the illusion that Payton was unflawed? Immortal? Perfect?

Of course not.

Which brings me to Pearlman's book. Though I will not question the journalistic integrity of Pearlman's research — nor will I go so far as to say it is untrue — I feel obliged to ask this question: is it necessary?

Fans adored Sweetness because the man could do things that we could not. Watching his high stutter steps was a dream for many fans on Sundays who had to return to the grind of their jobs the following morning. Reminding us that he had vices, committed acts of adultery, and generally was not who we thought he was does not help society — it actually hinders it by knocking down one more decent guy.

Now, I am not urging us to trivialize immoral behavior by role models, nor will I endorse some of Payton's life choices. In an ideal world, we would be surrounded by morally pure celebrities who made the right choices at every turn in their lives. But we don't.

One thing for which Pearlman should be commended is pointing out how gracefully Payton's ex-wife Connie handled the toll of their failing marriage. He also states in his article that Connie chose not to speak at great lengths with the author. If the woman who was in the middle of the storm is still in no hurry to speak ill of the dead, taint the legacy of a hero — why should any of us rush to the soapbox to do so?

In the grand spectrum of humanity, Walter Payton did a lot of inspiring, admirable things: he made countless people smile, he kept his private life out of the spotlight and projected respect, hard work, and empathy for others, and he deserves to be revered.

I'm tired of hearing teens aspire to be reality TV stars, wealthy celebrities, and me-first zeroes.

Media: let us keep heroes on their pedestals while we still have a few left.

Posted by Louie Centanni at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)