Trick-or-Treat...A spooky weekend

With Saturday night being Halloween, I thought it only proper to mention the tricks, the treats, and the frights of the weekend. I think that it was a fun weekend for football...and for eating candy. It was one of the best weekends of the year for sports (College football, NFL, World Series, NHL, NBA, and the final table for the World Series of poker airs Nov 10th).

TREATS

The first I have to say is the Tennessee Volunteer uniforms. On the urging of running back Montario Hardesty, the Vols went with black and orange uniforms. Many teams use black uniforms to create an atmosphere, Tennessee did this as well as embrace the spirit of Halloween.

The Iowa Hawkeyes do it again. 4 times this season, the Hawkeyes have trailed going into the fourth quarter and four times they have come out victorious. They looked to be struggling against Indiana as quarterback Ricky Stanzi threw 4 interceptions in the first three quarters. Stanzi connected on his first two throws of the 4th quarter for touchdowns (one for 92 yards, one for 66 yards) and the momentum had swung back to the #4 ranked team.

Florida football saw a couple of things. Their 41-17 win against Georgia ended some of the talks (including mine) that said they were struggling on offense. Tim Tebow had career rushing touchdowns number 50 and 51. This put him passed Georgia great Herschel Walker on the all time list. While I will never say that he is the greatest player of all time (like many announcers are saying) I will admit that he is a great player with a huge impact on the game and the Florida program.

Another treat emerged in the Florida game as kicker Caleb Sturgis kicked a 56 yard field goal at the end of the first half. You must know that I will mention this great feat. Sturgis set numerous records with this kick and showed how kicking should be done.

High scoring games were also a treat for the weekend...Houston continued its winning streak by beating Southern Miss 50-43. Florida State also played in a high scoring game beating NC State 45-42.

Another treat for the weekend was for the city of Philadelphia. For the first time in history, an NFL game and a World Series were held in the same city on the same day with the same two cities against each other. The Eagles trounced the Giants in the battle to be the Beast of the East while the Phillies fell to the Yankees.

TRICKS

Staying in Philadelphia, the Giants lost their third straight game. This team was supposed to be dominant yet has struggled against these three teams of equal ability. The Giants won their first five against relatively weak teams minus the Cowboys (they beat the Redskins, Raiders, Chiefs, and Cardinals). Their schedule doesn't seem to let up with games against the Chargers, Falcons, Broncos, Cowboys and Eagles in the next six weeks.

The St. Louis Rams broke their 17 game losing streak against the Detroit Lions. This was dubbed The Game of the Weak. While neither team looks to be getting any better it is a win for the Rams.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to put the Dolphins/Jets game as a trick or a treat as it could be considered both. The trick was on the first two kickoffs by the Jets, Miami returner Ted Ginn was tackled by the Jets' kicker Jay Feely. As a kicker, Feely is one of the few who will go into the fray to tackle a returner. And in the first half he proved his toughness by tackling Ginn. But the treat came quickly too as Ginn set up the Jets' kick protection and Feely and ran back not one but two kickoffs for over 100 yards. He is the first player to return kickoffs for touchdowns of more than 100 yards.

FRIGHTS


The biggest fright this weekend took place at Talladega. As I have written about Carl Edwards' wreck in April, Ryan Newman was gathered in a terrible wreck on Sunday. The race looked to be pretty tame the majority of the laps. With 8 laps to go, Newman was hit from behind and sent into a spin. His car ended up moving backwards and was lifted off the race surface. His car landed on top of Kevin Harvick's machine and then skid up and down the track and eventually ended in the infield. Newman was trapped in the car as the roll bars were pushed down. The track officials and emergency crews cut Newman out of the car and he climbed out on his own. Newman was safe, but the crash was scary to watch and the rescue effort made it tough to handle.

The other fright was Brandon Spikes of the Florida Gators. Spikes eye gouged an opponent during the game against Georgia. The play had ended and Spikes blatantly stuck his fingers through the face mask of Washaun Ealey. Though Ealey admits that he was not hurt and that this is a part of the game of football. I think that it was something that should be stopped. College and professional players are role models for young players...these are actions we don't want repeated in youth games. Ealey says that his eyes were closed but I still have a problem with it. I expect more from the top ranked team and its stars...and I expect more from Urban Meyer and his punishment for such a disgusting act. To suspend Spikes for one half of the next game (against Vanderbilt) doesn't really show that this is wrong. If it had happened the other way around and someone had eye gouged Tim Tebow everyone would be calling for their head. Everyone would be saying they are trying to ruin a Heisman candidate's season. But when the #1 team in the country is blowing out Georgia, it is ok to break the rules.

A Different Kind of Story...

As this weekend was the last Sunday in October, I think that I should recognize something that has been going on for the last month in the NFL and in other sports. As all of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the color pink is prevalent in every day life but also in sports. It has been pretty interesting to see the show of support for this great cause. Each team has had hats, shoes, gloves, wristbands, and Gatorade towels all in pink. It was fun to watch the Steelers game yesterday and see the pink Terrible Towels. Even the self-centered Chad Ochocinco has worn the pink gear...

The NFL is not the only sports organization to help with breast cancer awareness, NASCAR has also supported the cause. Throughout October, NASCAR teams have donned pink paint jobs for their cars including Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kyle Busch.



While thinking about this post, my wife told me to make sure that it was not a sad one. I think that October and pink will always be synonymous but I don't think that the tendency is to necessarily think of the sad part of breast cancer or overall cancer. The power of pink brings to light the great success stories in life and in sports with regards to overcoming cancer and succeeding. Everyone immediately thinks of Lance Armstrong and Livestrong as a symbol of overcoming cancer. But there are other great stories of success and accomplishment...

Mark Herzlich was the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and had the potential to play in the NFL. He forwent the NFL draft to play his senior year at Boston College. In May, Herzlich was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, Ewing's sarcoma. In the first week of October Herzlich announced that he was 99% cancer free. Currently, Herzlich is finishing his college degree and coaching at BC. Fans can be seen wearing gold t-shirts with the slogan "Beat Cancer" on the front. Students, coaches and even opponents have been with Herzlich throughout his fight; Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis has even spoken directly to him. Herzlich looks to return to drills later this month with the football team.

Jon Lester was diagnosed with cancer in the middle of 2006 Boston Red Sox season. In December of '06, Lester was diagnosed cancer-free. Lester returned to the Red Sox line up in 2007 and pitched very well. He even started and won the final game of the 2007 World Series against the Rockies. Lester has gone on to throw a no-hitter in 2008 and continues to be one of the Red Sox top pitchers.



Kay Yow and Jim Valvano were coaches for NC State basketball. Each of them publically battled cancer and rallied many other coaches around the cause. Jim Valvano is best known for two things: the 1983 National Championship and his Espy Speech in 1993. In 1993, Valvano gave a speech at ESPN's ESPY Awards after receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award...he told everyone that cancer would never define him, "Cancer can take away all my physical ability. It cannot touch my mind; it cannot touch my heart; and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever." Shortly after his speech, Valvano passed away and the V Foundation was started to aid in the research for a cure. Kay Yow passed away in January 2009 after decades of battling. She coached at NC State for 34 seasons and was very successful. In 2007, Yow established the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in partnership with The V Foundation. NC State has seen two great coaches live and love and fight this disease. It is only right to remember them and their contributions to the fight against cancer.

With all that said, the power of pink remains strong, but try not to let October be the only month that we continue our fight against cancer.

Pass or Fail...

I would like to think of the next couple of weekends as the midterm exam for a lot of teams. In weeks 6, 7, and 8 most teams know which direction they are headed for the season. So which teams or players passed and which failed...

New Orleans Saints = PASS...this week's win over the New York Giants was very definitive. They have two good running backs, a great quarterback, a strong offensive line and big wide receivers. The question mark is their defense, but if they keep on winning they can ensure home field advantage which is a great advantage for the playoffs...i.e. no cold weather. Next week they have a trap game in Miami who is struggling but can be a difficult team to defend. Atlanta in two weeks should be a great conference match up. (oh and by the way, they have beaten all three teams from the state of New York)

Atlanta Falcons = PASS...they defeated the Chicago Bears. The Falcons are 4-1 and beat a good Bears team. The addition of Tony Gonzalez has allowed Matt Ryan to continue to grow and avoid a sophomore slump. Wide receiver Roddy White and Gonzalez are big targets for a very good quarterback. their exam continues with Dallas in week 7 and New Orleans in week 8.

Washington Redskins = FAIL...I am not going to join the bandwagon and blame Jim Zorn. I am going to blame Daniel Snyder. The decision to take play calling away from Zorn is a bit premature. Zorn was hired to be the offensive coordinator, a position he had never had before, but soon was named the head coach. Snyder is a good business man but doesn't know how to run a football team. The decision to change the play caller in the middle of the season will not bring victories but confusion. Consultant Sherm Lewis doesn't know the Redskins offense...in fact he doesn't know the blitz protections. Maybe Snyder could have looked to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith but rather went outside the organization to a man who was calling bingo games in a senior center. All 6 games they have played have been against win less teams and they have lost four of them...Redskin fans will have to wait and see if this new experiment works.

Tennessee Titans = FAIL...the Titans started 2008 with a record of 10-0 but have gone 3-10 since. The 59-0 loss the Patriots this weekend was disgraceful for the organization and could mean the end of Jeff Fisher's reign in Nashville. Fisher has the longest running tenure of any active coach in the NFL. The Titans have a bye week and then face the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars, maybe they can turn it around and get a few wins.

Minnesota Vikings = PASS...Some may say that the Vikings have been lucky on a few of their wins. They beat the Ravens because of a missed field goal and played some terrible teams (Rams, Browns, and Lions). The defense has been giving up a lot of points in the second half and making the offense play really well, which they have been. As long as Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson are running on all cylinders this team will be tough to beat. Their upcoming games against at Green Bay and at Pittsburgh could be a good challenge for them.

Denver Broncos = PASS...In their last three games the Broncos have beaten the Cowboys, Patriots, and Bears. The Broncos under new head coach Josh McDaniels have been great. Kyle Orton is not being asked to do anything as quarterback that he cannot do and the play of Brandon Marshall has been brilliant. The Bronco defense has been outstanding and could help them keep on winning. It is great to see a head coach with emotion. After their bye week they will face the Ravens and Steelers (both of which will be coming off their bye weeks).

Late game missed field goals = FAIL...The Vikings' Ryan Longwell kicked a field goal with more than 3 minutes left to play to go ahead by 1 point. The Ravens were able to drive down the field and gave kicker Steven Hauschka a chance to win the game. From 44 yards out and with 2 seconds left to play, Hauschka missed.

The Jets/Bills game was pretty ugly. At the end of regulation, the Bills' Rian Lindell missed a 46 yard field goal that could win the game. The game went into overtime and here is were things got interesting. The Jets drove the field and were in field goal range. They lined up for a field goal, the snap was bobbled and they could not get it done. Lindell then got another chance to win the game and was able to make one from 47 yards.

The next couple of weeks will show if these kickers still have jobs, if the failing coaches still have jobs, and if the passing teams can keep on their winning streaks. With Bill Cowher, John Gruden, and Mike Shanahan available for coaching jobs...all "hot seat" coaches should be looking over their shoulders.

Techs, Texas, and Texas Tech...a bonus review of Saturday's games

Hey it's my birthday weekend and I am taking the free time to watch as much football as possible, so decided to write an extra entry this weekend. There were a lot of close games (a few interesting calls), some upsets, and just some good old-fashioned football.

Techs...Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech clashed in Atlanta. Though I have a definite dislike for VT, I can honestly say that this was a very fun game to watch. Back and forth with displays of good offense and defense. The first half was very defensive and somewhat slow. Georgia Tech's defense looked completely different than the one that struggled against Florida State last weekend. I love watching the triple option (as it was the first offense I truly understood from my time at Sewanee) and the control that Paul Johnson's squad had against the Hokies. GT completed on pass for 51 yards and rushed for more than 300. It should be interesting to see where the Hokies fall in the first BCS rankings...guess they aren't the best one-loss team anymore.


Texas played a close game with Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout (I don't like saying the R.R. Rivalry). I was saddened to see Sam Bradford knocked out in the first quarter. I think that he is a classy player and great competitor. This game was a great Big 12 defensive battle with the defensive lines controlling the tempo. Colt McCoy struggled: throwing for less than 150 yards and a really poor interceptions. Overall offense was not great for either team, with only two touchdowns in the game and 8 total turnovers. It was a sloppy game very much like the LSU/Florida game of last week. But with this game I am a little more accepting because Big 12 games are not always high scoring while I expect that in the SEC.

Texas Tech...beats #15 Nebraska.

The other games of note:

Florida/Arkansas...for the second straight week, Florida has failed to impress me. They looked to struggle offensively with the Razorback defensive line disrupting Tim Tebow a lot. The Gators had four turnovers and gave up 6 sacks and huge plays to a not so great Arkansas team. But Tebow could have tied up the Heisman with his last minute drive leading to the game winning field goal. And of course special teams come into play...Arkansas misses two field goals, Florida misses one. After the last two games, I believe Florida is susceptible to an upset, though the rest of their schedule is pretty easy, except for the SEC championship.

USC/Notre Dame...I did not think this was going to be a close game, but I was wrong. Notre Dame had chances at the end of the game to tie and send it into overtime. I think that Clausen did not manage the clock correctly. With 4th and 10 on the 29 there were :42 seconds left. After 2 plays there were only 4 seconds left in the game. I think that this was a miscalculation on ND's part. They did have two plays from the four yard line and could not score. Can't wait to see USC v Oregon in Eugene.

Cincinnati/South Florida...yes this game was on Thursday night but I thought it was a fun game to watch. The Big East is definitely not a football conference but they have had some talented teams in the past few years. The problem: it is never the same team and it is never consistent. So the up and down of the programs lead to an unimpressive conference. Cincy's Tony Pike was injured in the first half and sophomore Nick Collaros came in ran for a 75 yard TD and led the #8 Bearcats to victory. I would also like to talk about Eric Schwartz...he is the kicker for South Florida and in only his third made field goal of his career kicks one from 50 yards. Awesome.

Alabama/South Carolina...I need to apologize to my friends Megan and Joe who are avid SC fans but I found this game intriguing despite the Gamecock loss. Alabama did not control the game as much as I thought and it was rather close. The end of the first half was amazing...SC kicked a field goal with about 3 minutes left and it looked like Bama was content with running the clock out for the half. But Mark Ingram rushed up the middle for 51 yards and put them in scoring position. Bama kicked a field goal and SC got the ball back with under a minute to play. Immediately I thought that little would happen and Bama would be up 13-3 at half. Three big rushes by Sc put them in field goal position and they kicked a field goal before the end of the half for a 13-6 score.

With all these close games and upsets I am really interested in seeing the BCS standings for teh first time this year...my thoughts or should I more say my hopes:
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. USC
5. Cincinnati
6. Boise State
7. TCU
8. Iowa
9. Miami
10. Oregon

Highs and lows...

This weekend had a number of highs and lows for me as a football fan, both Saturday and Sunday.

I have to admit that I am a college football fan first and an NFL fan second. So Saturday was a good day for me because there were great games and unbelievable moments.

Saturday's Highs

Florida State v Georgia Tech...this was a great game despite the 75 minute lightning delay. There have been talks about firing Bobby Bowden and that he has lost his ability to lead a national powerhouse program. Though they lost in the end, Florida State scored 5 touchdowns in the first half on five possessions. Bowden is a great coach and the board of trustees should not be talking about the coach's future in the middle of the season. Georgia Tech was not so shabby either, they scored 14 points each of the first three quarters. I have to say that Florida State and Georgia Tech show that the ACC still has a lot to play for...I look forward to the game between Tech and Virginia Tech next weekend.

Texas and Alabama...they continued to show their dominance. Texas was behind at the half against Colorado but score 28 points in the second half to win. And Alabama won big despite only 1 touchdown. I love these two teams for #2 and #3. I would love to see this as the national championship...sorry Gator fans.

Sam Bradford made his return for Oklahoma. His arm strength looked like it took a hit from his shoulder injury. This weekend's game was a good testament to his will and his work ethic. His technique looked great and he threw for one touchdown against a competent Baylor team. It is great to see this Heisman Trophy candidate get back for the season especially with the game against Texas next.

I cannot go without saying that my beloved Vols beat up on the Georgia Bulldogs. That's right...Lane Kiffin's struggling squad showed their ability with a 45-19 win. Go Vols!!

Saturday's Lows

The lowest for me was the Florida/LSU game. I had high hope for this game. Tim Tebow returned to the field after that terrible concussion. But I think that Urban Meyer played it a little safe with Tebow and the Gator offense. Though they were able to hold onto the game and the victory I think that Florida showed a little weakness in this game. LSU did not look like the #4 team in the country. The offensive line could not hold the Gator defense from getting to their sophomore quarterback and he looked a little tentative in the pocket. To go further, when the Tigers were driving in the second half, the offensive line had two motion penalties to go from 2nd and 5 to 2nd and 15. You cannot do this against any team when you have a young quarterback; you definitely cannot do this against Florida, one of the fastest defenses in the country. The Gator secondary is spectacular and long yardage makes them even better. I was hoping to see a good offensive game but rather I saw a low scoring, mistake ridden game.

Sunday's Highs

My highs for the NFL are probably the same for most analysts. Cincinnati has shown that a good, healthy quarterback is important. Carson Palmer has looked great so far this season. The Bengals have beaten the Packers, Browns, Steelers and the Ravens so far this year. They have tgaken charge of the AFC north by beating all three of their competitors. The next four games look to be difficult...Houston, Chicago, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The impressive Bears could be a great challenge for the Bengals and the playing the Ravens and Steelers for a second time could mean more barn burners for the AFC north.

The Broncos are my other high. As I spoke about Brandon Marshall last week, I think that his 2 TDs this week really showed his teammates that he cares about the success of the Broncos. This 5-0 team is showing that they have something that can challenge the rest of the league. Coach Josh McDaniel was elated to defeat the Patriots and his former boss, Bill Belichek. I think that the passion McDaniel shows is great to see, rather than the stoic personalities of Belichek, Tony Dungy, and other head coaches. I also think that the post game interview with Marshall showed his maturity and love of Denver. He was interviewed wearing a Colorado Rockies jersey and hat...I would not have said this prior to the season but I think that is a class act.


My final high for Sunday would be Owen Schmitt of the Seattle Seahawks. I am biased in that Schmitt is from Fairfax, VA, but I love his intensity even though his pregame ritual ended in some blood...his own. For those of you who don't know (or haven't watched any football highlights) Schmitt hits himself in the forehead with his own helmet, this is something that he has done since his days at West Virginia. And you must realize that the Seahawks did shut out the Jaguars.

Sunday's Lows

The Broncos would also have to be on my lows as a special teams player. I thought the Broncos would be out of the game because of one drive. The Patriots were punting from inside their own 5 yard line and the Bronco punt defense ran into the punter and allowed the Patriots a first down. The defense then stopped the Pats again and once again the punt defense committed a penalty and allowed a first down for the Pats. Luckily for the Broncos, the defense held again but the Patriots then punted to the two-yard line. Kyle Orton did lead the Broncos on a 98-yard drive for a touchdown to Brandon Marshall (see highs).

Dre Bly of the San Francisco 49ers would be another low...after intercepting a pass from the Falcons' Matt Ryan, Bly started to high step and celebrate when the Falcons' Roddy White chased him down, forced a fumble and the Falcons got the ball back. I understand that some players will high step into the endzone and may have some other touchdown antics...but Bly was not even over the 50 yard line. He was at the 40!?! Mr Bly: your team is losing 35-10 in the third quarter and you are not getting a touchdown, please don't do that. Coach Singletary is going to hurt you...

The final low would be the Buffalo Bills. I had hope that the Cleveland Browns would be on track to lose 16 in a row with their final game against the Detroit Lions. But alas the Bills are worse than the Browns and in a dreadful game fall 6-3. That is disgusting and makes one ask why the Buffalo fans are so die hard?

Hopefully things will continue to be good with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets against the Miami Dolphins tonight...

Like the Phoenix, he will rise again...

It's a little late to be Monday morning but better late than never...I wanted to write about those that I think many thought would not amount to much this year but so far have come out to prove something.

I think that I am kinda making the first one unfairly. Most thought this player would struggle more this year than in his past glory...Tom Brady. After last year's season ending injury many thought that his adjustment to full speed play would be difficult. There were a few (very few) doubters out there who wondered if he still had it after ACL surgery at the age of 32. Well he has thrown for 4 touchdowns and 1100 yards. I know that this is not the 50 TDs of two years ago but this is more on the track of the high 20s that he is expected to throw. Brady is one of the most consistent tossers in the league; and it is why he is considered one of the best today. Oh and by the way, with that knee injury he still has a rushing touchdown.

The second player to rise from the ashes is also pretty recognizable, not because he is a great player or because everyone is a big fan. He is recognizable because of his preseason antics...Brandon Marshall of the Denver Broncos. In the preseason, Marshall showed his dislike for his contract and his ownership by not practicing and acting up in workouts (including punting balls and batting others down). But this weekend Marshall tried to win over the Denver fans with his play. He had 4 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. This TD came with less than 3 minutes to play in the game and to go ahead of the Cowboys. After the catch, Marshall ran up the sideline and hugged coach Josh McDaniels (whom he would not speak to in the first few weeks of the preseason). It looks like he has the opportunity to turn it around and be a valuable part of the Bronco offense.

The third person I will not talk about too much because he is the news enough. But it does seem that Brett Favre has risen again from the retirement ashes. Stats: 4-0, 8 TD passes and QB rating of 104. Enough said.

The last person may be rising but may fall in the end because he chose to rise too late. Final rookie hold out Michael Crabtree signed with the 49ers this week. After months of holding out, I guess Crabtree realized that the Niners were winning and that he would not get any better offers next year after more than 12 months without football. So for now I am going to say that the top of his Niners helmet is poking out of the ashes and we will see how things go the next two weeks of practice and his first games in the NFL.

There are also those who seem to be falling away...

Matt Cassel was the savior for the Patriots last year and many thought he would challenge Brady for his job this season, until the Pats looked to trade him away and then many thought he would be their team's savior (ie the Washington Redskins). Well the Chiefs are 0-4, Cassel playing in 3 of those games. They have not had the easiest schedule to start but have not managed more than 16 points under Cassel. Luckily games against Washington, Cleveland and Jacksonville could mean wins but the rest of the schedule doesn't look good.

The Cleveland Browns and their quarterback competition have become a dreadful story this season. Their lack of consistency under center and lack of offense have put them at the bottom with very little hope of coming up for air. This could be a long season for them.

And lastly, the Madden Curse continues and puts people in the ashes. This year it is my beloved Troy Polamalu. One of the fiercest competitors in all of football, a Tazmanian devil on the field, and a smart player has been the latest of the players to fall victim to this curse. Polamalu is starting to practice again but his knee injury could change his game a little for the next couple of weeks after being out for a couple. The Steelers would love him back to firm up their pass rush and overall defense. Let's look at the past players on the cover for Madden and tell me why anyone would want to be the cover man for this game...
2003: Marshall Faulk--his career began to slide in '03 leading to his eventual retirement.
2004: Michael Vick--broke his leg in preseason.
2005: Ray Lewis--injury held him to only 6 games...he did not make the Pro-Bowl (only season he did not).
2007: Shaun Alexander--fractured his toe, has been marred with injuries ever since.
2008: Vince Young--started season suspended and has since struggled emotionally.

We will see who rises more this year and who begins to fall...

Burger King...NASCAR King

Richard Petty is the original, I believe that Jimmie Johnson is the new king. He is now only 10 points back in the chase and has a great chance to win his fourth straight Sprint Cup championship. Johnson won this weekend's race at Dover presented by Burger King. He must battle Mark Martin who remains in first place while he finished second this weekend. Johnson led 271 laps this past weekend (he led 298 at Dover in May) and could not be "chased" at all. For my friends who do not pay attention to NASCAR, the double-file restart is one of the most electrifying things in the sport. The leaders of the race restart with #1 and #2 side-by-side. On most restarts, Johnson jumped ahead of the competition like he was shot out of a cannon. There is usually a battle for positions, but this weekend Johnson climbed to leads up to 3 seconds within a few laps. That is huge. Jimmy is huge. The #48 may be replacing the #43.


While Johnson was dominating the race, Joey Logano and the #20 Home Depot car had a scare. On lap 31, Logano was bumped from behind, got loose and was hit again and his car flipped seven times coming to a stop tires down. (To see video of wreck go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kHKvvKCVvw) Logano climbed out of the car and walked away. He was okay, yet a little frazzled. The crash was brutal but showed the safety in the vehicles now. Logano, who is only 19, doesn't want to see the replay of the wreck but is happy to be safe. The may be a reason that Dover is called the Monster Mile. Talladega is known as the most dangerous track when it comes to wrecks, just as Carl Edwards, and deservedly so. But with Logano's wreck, I keep the smile on my face...the racing is great and the cars are safe.



Carl Edwards' wreck at Talladega

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I know that a lot of sports radio shows do their version of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly; so I thought that I would do the same thing based on what I saw this weekend. It was a fun weekend for football fans.

The Good

1. SEC football...for the second week in a row 3 of the top 4 teams in the AP poll, with 2 more in the top 25. Florida remains the top seed despite losing Tim Tebow for a short time after a big hit. Tebow's concussion did not keep him in the hospital long, and Urban Meyer hopes he will return to the field in the next game against LSU on October 10.

2. University of Oregon's tight end, Ed Dickinson...the Ducks devastated #6 California this weekend 42-3. Dickinson was never quarterback Jeremiah Masoli's favorite receiver. But this weekend he lined up in multiple spots and had a career day. He caught all three of Masoli's touchdown passes, a total of 11 passes for 148 yards. In Oregon's previous 3 games, Dickinson caught 4 passes for a total of 58 yards. Keep an eye out for Masoli and Dickinson the next couple of weeks against Washington State and UCLA.

3. NFL Undefeated Teams...there remain 7 undefeated teams in the NFL: the Jets, Colts, Vikings, Giants, Ravens, Saints and Broncos. The Jets and Ravens are led by young quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez and Joe Flacco; the Broncos are led by a under-appreciated Kyle Orton and the Colts, Saints, Vikings, and Giants are led by veteran success stories, the Mannings, Brett Favre, and Drew Brees. The victories in week three came in different ways including great defenses (Baltimore, New Orleans, NY Giants, Denver), good quarterback play (NY Jets, Indianapolis) and a great comeback led by none-other-than Brett Favre.

The Bad

1. Cleveland Browns...in the last nine games they have only score ONE touchdown. You read that right and by the way they have not won any of those games. It would be in Mangini's best interest to decide on a single quarterback. Flip-flopping from Brady Quinn to Derek Anderson and back again does not do anything for the Cleveland locker room or the Dog Pound. While everyone in the media is paying close attention to the Lions and their misery (see Washington Redskins), no one is paying attention to the Browns. they have lost 11 of the last 12. In the nine in a row, they have had four different passers...Quinn, Anderson, Bruce Gradkowski, and Ken Dorsey. While the QB is the focal point on the field, the Browns have let their running game slack. In the AFC North, teams play hard-nosed offense and defense. The run game is the most important part of the offense. With teams like the Steelers and Ravens who are historically running teams, the Browns fall well short of expectations. Jamal Lewis used to be a part of that run attack in Baltimore but in Cleveland he is struggling. It is plausible that the Browns could lose 16 in a row. Their coming games: Bengals, Bills, Steelers, Packers, Bears, and Ravens could all conceivably be losses. This would make their 16th opponent none other than the Detroit Lions. Could be an interesting wrinkle.

2. Washington Redskins...they lost to the Detroit Lions. That is the team that has lost 19 games in a row. Is Jim Zorn to blame? I don't think so...Daniel Snyder, you are. Is it amazing that the teams that the owner has too much control are not successful? I don't think so. The Redskins and the Raiders seem to have it worst. The Cowboys seem to win in the regular season but the playoffs are another story. The Redskins defense is on paper one of the best in the league. The first score for the Lions was a 99 yard drive that took 13 minutes. The Lions then made field goals on their next two possessions. That is right the Lions scored on three straight possessions in the first half...ended the half leading 13-0. And finally, the defense had a 47 yard pass interference penalty in the 4th quarter on 3rd and 9. This could have ended the drive and given them a win. Defense bad for Washington.

3. Mississippi State play calling...you are playing at home against conference foe LSU with a chance to pull the upset win. The second to last series for Mississippi State was in LSU territory...including four plays on the LSU 2 yard line. Rush for 1 yard, rush for no gain, incomplete pass, and rush for no gain. Wow. Four plays to get two yards. Quarterback Tyson Lee could have extended his arms for a TD but he did not. Coach Mullen...please find a new way to score or teach your players to have desire to win. You are in the SEC it is a tough conference, wins are at a premium, home wins are a must.

The Ugly


1. Seattle Seahawks...Seattle gets this place for two reasons. To stay true to my blog title...Olinde Mare missed two field goals in the game. At the end of the first half, Mare missed a 43 yarder. And in the third quarter, he missed a 34 yard field goal. Your profession is to kick a ball through the uprights...you are paid to do it. Don't miss. Don't miss inside 35 yards. In the post game interview, Coach Jim Mora was ruthless about Mare's misses and said that he was willing to look for a new kicker. Since he has recanted his statements and Mare will be kicking in the next Seahawks games. I will give Mare a pass on the misses, he is a 80% kicker for his career (he is not Grammatica who tore his ACL celebrating a kick) but I also believe that he must make the kick.

The second ugly side for the Seahawks were their jerseys. Just look at the pictures...enough said. Most people believe that the northwest has ugly uniforms because of the University of Oregon. But the Seahawks fluorescent lime green uniforms trump all the Oregon jerseys.

Martin in...liquor out

So here it is, that Chase has started. I know that I am in the minority of my friends being a NASCAR fan but it is something that I cannot stop. I love the competition, the strategy, and the talent of the drivers. This is my first post dedicated completely to NASCAR and will keep going on Tuesdays until the Cup has been handed out.

Mark Martin was first as the Chase started after winning four races in the 2009 season. He went on to win the first race in the chase at New Hampshire. So of you may be wondering, who cares? What if I told you that Mark Martin is 50 years old and that 2009 is his first full season since 2006. In '07 and '08, Martin ran partial seasons and then signed with Rick Hendrick to run a full season this year. It is amazing to watch someone who many thought would retire lead all his competitors. He has been aided by his crew chief Alan Gustafson and the Hendrick Racing Team. The next 9 races are very important to Martin quest for his first title. He is 35 points ahead of 3 time defending champion Jimmie Johnson and Chesterfield, Virginia native Denny Hamlin.




The story that really intrigued me this weekend was Bobby Labonte. Labonte won the title in 2000 and is currently ranked #29 in the Sprint Cup standings. He has finished fifth once this season and sixth once, leading less than 20 laps in total for the season. His average finish is 25th. His two best seasons were 1999 and 2000 and has not been a top tier driver since. So you may be wondering why I would be talking about someone who has no real impact on NASCAR. Labonte qualified 8th for this past weekend's race and was excited for his chance to compete. But his team, TRG Motorsports, did not have the funding to compete in the race. Without funding Labonte would be able to start the race but could not reasonably finish. So his team went looking for money and in the two days before the race TRG was able to find funding from four northeast companies and raced all 300 laps. Labonte finished 22nd but that is not the point. In a time of financial constrictions, Labonte was able to find the needed finances to run. This shows me that NASCAR is on the right track and that people really want to see the underdog get a chance.

While Labonte was able to race because of sponsorships, two major sponsors have pulled out of NASCAR in the last couple of months...Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. As an avid bourbon and whiskey drinker and a NASCAR fan, I am sorry to see these sponsorships go. It is not the drinker in me that is saddened but the NASCAR fan that is. I hope that all the teams are able to find sponsors. I don't want drivers and teams who have worked hard and succeeded be hamstrung because the lack of sponsorship. Crown Royal has signed a multi-year deal with Roush Fenway Racing to sponsor Matt Kenseth's #17 car. So as big teams (Hendrick, Roush, Childress, Petty, Gibbs) get stronger the small teams are struggling to just get sponsors. I see the story about Bobby Labonte as a sign that NASCAR and its sponsors will keep this sport going for its fans.




Stay tuned to Dover for next week's race...

Sunday...it's for kickers

Most people don't realize the value of a kicker until he has to make a kick at the game for a win. But this weekend proved kickers are valuable to any team. This is proven by University of Washington's Erik Folk. He kicked the game winning field goal against #3 ranked USC. No one before the game would have thought of Folk as the key to UW's win.

Sunday was an even better day to look at the value of kickers. 4 games had more field goals than touchdowns including two games with only one touchdown. Scores of the games were rather low...Jets beat the Patriots 16-9 (it is the first time the Patriots have not scored a touchdown since 2006). The Redskins fared better than the Patriots with the same score 9, beating the Rams 9-7. So that is two teams with three field goals and opportunities in the red zone. The Raiders and Chiefs also had a game dominated by field goals with a final score of 13-10. With quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Mark Sanchez and running backs like Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Darren McFadden; one would assume that you could finish in the red zone.

To further the argument that kickers are football players, three games came down to field goals in the fourth quarter to win the game. Lawrence Tynes of the NY Giants ruined the NFL debut of the new Cowboy stadium with a field goal at the end of the game to win 33-31. Houston beat the Tennessee with a field goal on their second to last possession of the game. This field goal was the only score for either team in the 4th quarter. And finally, the Steelers/Bears game. Robbie Gould was able to make a field goal with 15 seconds left in the game to win 17-14. In the game, the Steelers' kicker Jeff Reed missed two field goals in the fourth quarter that could have won the game for the Steelers. Reed has a history of being a consistent kicker, with only two season below 80% conversion record and three season over 85%. Reed said after the game that if one player can be blamed for the loss that he would take it. Reed, Gould, and Tynes show the value of a kicker.

We will have to watch the rest of the season to see how the kickers impact the season. For kicker impact one needs only too look at Adam Vinatieri and his playoff heroics, the history between Florida State and Miami (wide right), and Scott Norwood and the Buffalo Bills.

Stay tuned for Tuesday posts for the next couple of months talking NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup.

I know it's cliche...

As the saying goes..."Offense wins games, defense wins championships". On my way to the beach this weekend, I had to listen to the 1:00 games on the radio. Being that my trip was to North Carolina, the Eagles/Panthers game was the easiest to find and the clearest reception. This game was amazing to listen to just look at the statistics for the defense: 5 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown, punt return for touchdown, and 5 sacks. But to really understand how defense changes a game, at the beginning of the second quarter Carolina was winning 7-3 with the ball on their own 25. First play: sack, fumble, defensive touchdown for Philly. Second series: punt after 6 plays, punt return for touchdown. Third series: interception on third play. First play for Philly is touchdown pass. 5:05 came off the clock in the second quarter and Philly was now winning 24-7, the Carolina fans were booing, and the Panthers were struggling. And let's not forget that Delhomme threw interceptions on the first two drives in the second half. I guess you could say the Eagles were playing for the memory of their former defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, who passed away in July.

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I can say that my first post of the regular season is not going to be about defense but I probably could. But for once I want to talk about offense...and a few things that I found really shocking about week one in the NFL and the first two weeks of NCAA football. First, if I were to tell you that only 5 quarterbacks had 40 or more pass attempts, could you tell me who they were? If I were to think about it and just go based off past occurrences I would say: P. Manning, Brady, Warner, Brees, Ryan. I would have only gotten 2 right. Brady and Warner would be correct, the others may have been close but not quite. Now here are the ones you would not expect: Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich, Joe Flacco. Leftwich was Roethlisberger's back up last year and has not been a regular starter since 2006. This is a little unexpected. The Ravens and the Steelers are the franchises known for a running attack; Baltimore led the league in rush attempts in 2008 while Pittsburgh did in 2005. These two teams are known for hard nosed football and I would not think that Roethlisberger and Flacco would be looked upon to throw this much. But I guess these franchises are changing (maybe just the offenses...don't try to run against their defenses).

But speaking about Joe Flacco, the other thing that really caught my attention in the last two weeks is the impact of rookies; players and coaches. While Michael Crabtree is crying at home and hoping to become a millionaire, his fellow rookies and sophomores are winning games and leading franchises. I know that most of the impact has been coming from quarterbacks. But he is losing out. I am sorry but taking a year off is not going to get you a high draft slot and millions of dollars guaranteed. Flacco, Matt Ryan, and Mark Sanchez are turning around franchises with the help of their rookie coaches. It is amazing that young coaches and players are having such an important impact on the league. Roethlisberger won a ring in his second year, so did his currect coach Mike Tomlin. While the league is usually predicated on the experience of the veterans, the last five years have been ruled by the talent and will of the young. Let's look at some stats and players:

-- Adrian Peterson was second and first in rushing yards in his first two years respectively.
-- Tim Hightower scored 10 TDs in his first year
-- Flacco and Ryan led their teams to the playoffs in their rookie year

And this doesn't just belong in the NFL, right now Michigan and Southern Cal are being led by true freshmen QBs.

We will have to see how the youngsters keep up...

Preseason

I am not really sure how to start this post. Most preseason posts will include predictions about the season, what players will do well and what player will struggle. That is not really my style or the type of topics that I write about.

Here are the hot topics for MMK...kickers, rules and laws, retirement, and rookies.

Kickers--Yes, kickers are athletes too. I know that most people laugh about kickers and think that they are only important at the end of the game. But I would like to point out two people, Chad (Johnson) Ochocinco and David Buehler. Every football fan knows Chad Johnson as the brash wide receiver with a lot of talent. The guy with a big mouth and great hands. He can also kick a football!! Chad comments that soccer is one of his favorite sports. As a former kicker, I can say that his form was not great, but he was successful with good height and distance on the kick. He also kicked off to begin the 2nd half, kicking the ball to the 10 yard line. This is not an easy thing to do on a first attempt.

While you may know #85, few of you may know David Buehler. Buehler was the kicker for USC last year and proves that kickers are not just heady players. He is an athlete and proved it at the NFL combine by benchpressing 225 pounds 25 times and running the 40 yard dash in 4.56 seconds. Both of these were better than stand out star Rey Maualuga. Yes, I know that Buehler is 6'2" and 230 but this is still impressive and makes a former kicker smile.

Another hot topic this off-season and preseason has been the signing of Michael Vick. After serving two years in federal prison for dog fighting, Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. In no way am I excusing what he did or condoning dog fighting. I think that the act is vile and inexcusable. But at the same point, I don't think that he should be kept from rejoining the NFL. In lack of better terms, "he did the crime, he served his time". Vick has talent and abilities that less than 1% of the population have and he should be able to use them. Let the man play.

If we are talking about laws and rules and those who break them. Let's talk about Donte Stallworth and Plaxico Burress. Stallworth got drunk and killed a pedestrian with his car. He spent 30 days in jail. Vick spent two years in prison and paid his fines, but Satllworth served a month. Why aren't people boycotting him? Why aren't there any fans holding signs of men? I know that Vick viciously killed dogs but Stallworth killed a man. I am not saying a human life is more valuable than a dog's life but I don't see anyone yelling about Stallworth. Plaxico Burress took an unregistered loaded gun into a nightclub. He shot HIMSELF. I guess he isn't so smart. He broke the law and he will be going to jail for two years. Will people be trying to keep him out of the NFL in 2 years? I doubt it.

When you talk about retirement and the NFL, the first name to come to mind is Brett Favre. Well he's back. He signs with the Vikings and in less than a week is taking the majority of the snaps with the first team offense. Some of you (including my wife) keep saying "make up your mind, is this story really still going on". I don't feel sorry for Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. If you had proven yourselves as an NFL starter, you wouldn't have this problem. Favre is one of the greatest QBs of all time and he shouldn't be stopped from playing again. He has a weapon for an arm and will help the Vikings.

And for the sake of my father, Tedy Bruschi announced his retirement this morning. This is a guy who has worked hard for 13 seasons, overcoming injuries and a stroke to play football on Sundays, make 2 Pro-Bowls and win 3 Super Bowls. I could write out a bunch of stats for him, but I won't. I think that his career speaks for itself. He was a good player and a great man for the Patriots organization.

With the Favre and Bruschi stories, it makes me think about the rookies in the NFL and holding out. Michael Crabtree has not signed a contract yet and Andre Smith signed this morning. I understand that the NFL is a business and that you need to make money, but in my opinion rookies should feel that playing is the most important thing. Money should be regulated so that you know what you are getting. Making it to camp to learn the playbook, figure out the speed of the NFL and realize the physicality of the league are more important to a rookie than the money. You are going to get millions...PLAY FOOTBALL.

With college football starting this week and the final preseason games in the NFL approaching, football is here!!!

I'm back...a review

I have been quiet for five months and I guess it is time to start talking again.

Before we get into football, let me review the highlights in sports according to me...

1. Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt continue their Olympic dominance in their respective world championships. Bolt remains the fastest man in the world and Phelps continues his record breaking ways. It is fun to watch even if you don't care about the Olympics.

2. My favorite topic and yours...NASCAR...There are a few stories that stick out in my mind. As a #99 Carl Edwards fan it is difficult to look back on this season and not remember the crash at Talladega. On the last lap he was turned sideways and then run into by an on coming car and sent flying into the fence. 7 people we injured in the stands but Carl was safe and the fence kept the car from entering the stands.

Then you have Jimmy Johnson and his woes in Michigan. Twice this year he has gambled with fuel mileage and lost both times. For those of you who are not NASCAR fans, Michigan is a track in which fuel mileage makes a huge impact. Often the drivers and crew chiefs take chances to use all the fuel in the tank. Jimmie Johnson ran out of gas within the last five laps of each race this season.

Lastly, I don't like either of these guys but both Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are cleaning up right now. Busch is leading the Nationwide Series by a ton and setting records along the way. He has finished 1st or 2nd in 9 straight races. He may be spoiled and tough to root for but you cannot miss his talent. (As someone who does not like Rowdy Busch, I am glad that he is out of the top 12 in the Sprint Series.) And Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs and created his own team. He is now winning races and is the leader of the Sprint Series in points. He has secured a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

3. Let's keep the trend going of talking about non-traditional sports...the Tour de France. So Lance Armstrong doesn't win, but he showed that he is not only a competitor but a teammate. He fought to finish on the podium but was willing to work as a teammate and help Alberto Contador win the Tour. Though there were numerous times during the race that each took shots at the other, the two were teammates on the podium. Next year they will be on different teams and fighting against each other.

4. Tiger, oh Tiger. He is still the greatest of my lifetime, and approaching the greatest of all time. Yes he did lose the PGA Championship and please don't say that he choked. So he finally lost a major while leading after the half way point or entering the final round. And by finally I mean it is the first time. When Tiger is on the top of his game, he dominates. When Tiger is a little off, well he looks like everyone else. He may have lost, but he could have easily forced a playoff. So he lost, it will happen again...but let's get ready for the Ryder Cup in Wales next October.

I can't really say anything about baseball right now...I will be talking about it later.

I won't talk about the NBA...I am not a fan so I don't follow, so I won't talk about it.

Keep an eye out for more...

The madness continues...

As March continues, so does the tournament that attracts so much attention. I cannot help it but this is one of my favorite times of year. So much college basketball and so little time. This time of year brings out the best basketball played, an example is DeJuan Blair of Pittsburgh. He is not the tallest big man in the country but his is wide, strong, and determined. In their win against Oklahoma State he was guarded by four guys, missed the layup, got his own rebound, scored and was fouled. He then missed the free throw but the ball was loose on the ground and the 6-7 265 pound forward dove on the floor and tied up the ball, giving Pittsburgh the ball back again. This is the type of play that I would show to youth playhers as what to strive for. As I look at the first weekend there are a few things that come to mind...


1) The western bracket was ripe full of upsets the first day...Cleveland State, Arizona, Dayton, and USC. Please don't get me wrong I was tied to the screen when Siena beat Ohio State, but by no means is a #9 seed beating a #8 seed a huge update. I love that these same people are complaining that there are no upsets and that there is no cinderella story. Anyone hear of Arizona? They weren't supposed to make the tournament and now they play Louisville in the sweet 16.


2) I have listened to a lot of different sports guys and believe that they are wrong. I love the upsets and the cinderella stories but I also love the matchups that are left. Duke playing Villanova is something to watch while I am intrigued by the Oklahoma/Syracuse match up.


3) I cannot stand to watch basketball on CBS. I have long talked about writing down the little things that bother in broadcasts. Examples would be that someone is out with a hamstring and mispronouncing someones name. Is it really that hard to say injury? Noone is out with a hamstring, they are out with a hamstring injury. But the one that really gets me is the "dribble drive". Only on CBS will you hear about the dribble drive. I am sorry but anyone that has ever played basketball that you cannot run drive or pass drive. I think that most people know that when you are driving that you are dribbling...you are not just running with the ball or without it for that matter. So please, please do not say dribble drive.

4) As I live in ACC country but was born and raised a Big East guy, I just have to say that it seems that the Big East continues to be the basketball powerhouse. Yes I know that Duke and North Carolina remain to be two of the most dominant programs in NCAA history. But if you look at things past the top two teams of the conference...the Big East has 5 teams in the sweet sixteen. At the same time, 4 ACC teams lost in the first round (Clemson, FSU, Wake, BC) and only Duke and UNC won their second round game.

5) And finally it is the end of a very long streak...Ball State beat the Tennessee Lady Vols. I know that very few people actually watch women's basketball, but the Lady Vols have never lost in the first two rounds of the tournament. They were 42-0 before this season. Ball State played a great game and beat the defending champions.

I can't wait to see how this tournament ends...

Welcome to March Lionel Ritchie fans...

Last night and early this morning all I could think about was Lionel Ritchie singing "All Night Long"...as Connecticut lost to Syracuse in the Big East Tournament in 6 overtimes. I know that everyone who watches SportsCenter knows about this story but I can honestly say that I watched the game. Working at a sports bar helps, but I could not take my eyes off the screen. All the shots and opportunities and all the missed shots really show how exciting March really is. If this doesn't say March Madness I don't know what does. Let's not forget that Syracuse has to play again today. Let's see how can I sum up the game in a way that you may not know and that really shows the excitement of this time of year...

• Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) played 67 of 70 minutes, a seventy minute game is equal to more than one and a half full games
• Syracuse did not have the lead in overtime until the 6th overtime
• 8 players fouled out
• the score in overtime was 56-46 (that's 102 points)
• Paul Harris (Syracuse) had 29 points and 22 rebounds
• in 3 of the 6 overtimes the score was 6 to 6
• 6 players had double-doubles (no player had a triple double while LeBron James has had three straight triple-doubles and none of those games have gone to overtime)
• Eric Devendorf (Syracuse) hit a shot at the end of regulation that would have ended the game but it was determined that the shot left his hand after the buzzer went off
• No players on the Connecticut roster have won a Big East Tournament game

While this game is the epitome of March Madness and Championship Week, you can also look at the other games played on Thursday...

• Kansas came into the Big 12 tournament as the top seed and lost to Baylor
• Oklahoma State beat Oklahoma in the same Big 12 tournament
• Arizona lost to Arizona State, almost solidifying that they will not make the NCAA tournament...they have made every tournament since 1984
• Also in the Big East tournament, Villanova beat Marquette on a shot at the buzzer
• West Virginia beat #2 ranked Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament, and they will play Syracuse today

I look forward to watching the rest of this weekend, and on Tuesday the tournament starts...oh how I love this time of year!!!

Sixburgh...Playoff and Super Bowl Review

The NFL playoffs were fun to watch especially as a Steelers fan but as a football fan as well. I know that many people were unhappy about the Cardinals/Steelers match up but the game made it a compelling story.

Wild Card Round--

While the Colts had to travel to San Diego, they faced one of the most effective offenses. Many (including me) believe that the best teams should be the home teams. While Indianapolis had a winning record, the Chargers were 8-8 and won a weaker division. A weak division winner should not be a home team. While all teams are reseeded after the first round...they should be seeded before the wild card round. The Eagles continued their strong play beating Adrian Peterson and the Vikings, the Cardinals showed that they were not a flash in the pan despite limping into the playoffs and beat the Falcons, and the Ravens defense and offense beat the Dolphins.

Divisional Playoffs--

The Eagles and the Cardinals continued their great run in the playoffs beating the Giants and the Panthers respectively. The Giants were the odds-on favorite to get back to the Super Bowl and potentially win. I guess Plaxico Burress was more a part of their offense than most thought. The NFC was about quarterbacks proving their worth in Donovan McNabb and Kurt Warner. The AFC was about defense and strength. The Steelers and Ravens played really hard games. The Ravens defeated a tough Titans team and the Steelers beat the streaking Chargers.

Conference Championships--

Another battle between the Ravens and the Steelers...it was a great game and another in this storied rivalry. The Cardinals beat the Eagles. Another win for Kurt Warner and a tough loss for Donovan McNabb.

Super Bowl--

Great game...fun to watch. It was a nice back and forth battle that was won on a great drive by Roethlisberger and the Steelers, capped off by a terrific catch by Santonio Holmes in the endzone. I don't think that I can really elaborate on this game other than to say Sixburgh...too bad Dallas, the Steelers are now #1 in the record books alone. They have one for the other thumb.

First two months of 2009

So I guess I have not been a very good kicker lately...meaning not writing down my thoughts on the sports world in the first two months of 2009. Yes I know that it is not football season, but I still have opinions and thoughts on the sports world. So I am going to write a "series" of posts on topics that I consider important.

Thanks for reading and look for me to write more routinely.

2008 in review

It has been a week and you have probably heard all these stories before...but just in case you haven't these are my top stories for 2008. I guess I can go chronologically...

February...The New York Giants win the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots. I guess you could talk about David Tyree and the catch. But I would rather talk about how the Giants were the underdog and the Patriots were the godsends. Everyone thought the Patriots could do no wrong, well everyone...they can!

March...Brett Favre retires (this story will come back to haunt him, the Jets organization, and Green Bay).

March and April...March Madness. As college basketball is my favorite sport and I love to follow it. This time of year is the best in sports. With Stephan Curry and Davidson going through the #2 and #3 seeds. It does help that they were playing close to home. But Curry became a household name and all basketball lovers can see his talent. It was fun to watch Western Kentucky become the Cinderella of the tournament. But in the end, for the first time ever all four #1 seeds reached the Final Four. I loved to watch Kansas beat UNC and then Memphis.

May...Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox throws a no hitter. In September 2006, Lester was diagnosed with a form of lymphoma. He battled cancer, beat it, and returned the baseball. In May he threw a no hitter against the Royals. I guess you could say this is a heart string story but I think that we spend too much time looking at Lance Armstrong and should realize that their are others who persevere.

June...a pretty exciting month in the US but also in Richmond, VA. Tiger Woods battled Rocco Mediate in the U.S. Open. It took 91 holes to beat him, but Tiger showed again that he is one of the greatest golfers of all time. Tiger said that it was one of his greatest rounds of his career. He had been out of golf for two months prior to the event with a knee injury and you could tell. He limped throughout the weekend, including wincing on big swings and using his clubs as a cane. (Scary thought: Tiger says he is stronger than ever going into 2009).

Also in June, Richmond-native Amir Sadollah wins UFC's reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter. He went on the show as a no-name with no foreseeable chance to win. He surpassed every one's expectations and beat numerous people using his work ethic and refusal to quit. It was fun to watch this Richmond native (and someone that I served at Champps) win.

July...a momentous event in the world of sports, Wimbledon. Nadal and Federer were forever battling and made tennis fun to watch again. I will admit that I did not watch any other match besides theirs but I was excited about this final match up.

August...the Olympics. Everyone will look back at the 08 Olympics and think about Michael Phelps. But there are a few stories that can be talked about with significance in the world and the US. First and foremost, it was a very successful Olympic games though there were many, many naysayers and boy cotters. But all in all China was successful. First...athletics/track and field. While the Jamaicans ruled the short distance races (Usain Bolt setting two world records while slowing down at the end), the US men dominated the 400 sweeping all three medals. The US floundered opportunities in the 4x100 both for men and women, both teams with errors on the exchange of the baton. The US also won gold in the beach volleyball (both men and women) with wins over dominating China (women) and Brazil (men). Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh continued their great success on the beach. Gymnastics was also successful for the US (team silver for the women, team bronze for the men, and all around gold and silver for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson). Lastly, the US men's and womens' basketball teams win gold medals in impeccable fashion. The men dominated their opponents and proved that the single minded athletes of the NBA can play together and be one unit...unlike years in the past.

Oh yeah...also in August...remember that story about Brett Favre retiring, he signs with the New York Jets and Chad Pennington goes to the Miami Dolphins (advantage Dolphins).

September...Tom Brady hurt, Matt Cassel takes the reigns of the Pats, Yankee Stadium closes with no playoffs (the end of the two franchises I love to hate...hahaha)

October...Phillies win the World Series-- noone outside Philly cares.

November...a fun month in college football. With the changing of the rankings each week with Oklahoma, Florida, Texas Tech, Alabama, and Texas putting in their efforts. It was fun to watch and wait for the ranked opponent to lose.

December...back to that Brett Favre story, Favre and the Jets don't make the playoffs, the Packers don't either, but Chad Pennington led Dolphins do. Lions finish the year at 0-16. Completely terrible, hate to see who has to try to lead them next year. The last game in Cowboy Stadium is played, similar to Yankee Stadium it was nice to see a franchise that I hate not make the playoffs. Plaxico shoots himself. De la Hoya loses.

So all in all it was a year to remember in sports...