« October 2007 | RCS Blog Home Page | December 2007 »
Do your part and make Antoine Walker an All-Star. (Make 'Toine an All-Star)
As long as you're out there voting, make Tom Brady the Sexiest Woman Alive. You read that right. (Awful Announcing)
It certainly seems like the Nats got the better end of that Lastings Milledge trade today. (Bugs & Cranks)
HBO announced they'll be making a movie about the whole BALCO mess. This does not sit well with Barry Bonds. (Steroid Nation)
Last night, KSU lost to Oregon in OT 80-77, but Bill Walker couldn't wait for overtime. According to the Kansas City Star:
With just seconds left in regulation and K-State lined up to inbound the ball and run a last second play, Bill Walker was overcome with an urge too strong to control. he stepped to the sideline and relieved himself with several towels.
Here's the picture evidence:
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Now, the video evidence (lower left corner):
| Email Author | Permalink |USA Today released the 2007 salaries for every NFL player today, and you might be surprised to see who’s at the top. Here’s a hint: he’s scored exactly one touchdown in his NFL career.
If you guessed Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney, then you’re a big winner. The 2002 1st-round draft pick will earn an ARod-like $30.75 million this season. In second place, over $13-million behind Freeney, is Rams’ quarterback Marc Bulger.
To put those numbers in a different perspective, Freeney made $3,416,666.67 per game this year (he’s out for the rest of the season with a broken foot), and Bulger has banked $2,917,006.67 for every touchdown he’s thrown. Yep, all six of them.
Two people said Bobby Knight hit them with birdshot last month on separate occasions. This video was shot on October 21st by James Simpson who, as you can tell, is not happy with Knight shooting near his house.
This doesn't even seem real. It's like something out of a sketch show. Bobby Knight reacts the same way on the basketball court as he does in real life.First there was La Russa's DUI video and now this. What's next, Bill Belichick doing a fire in the hole?
8pm - ESPN - Celtics @ Heat - The Celtics blew out the Knicks by 45 points last night. The Heat have the exact same record as the Knicks and are averaging less points per game. Celtics favored by 60?
10:30pm - ESPN - Lakers @ Jazz - Kobe usually steps up to challenges and the Jazz are just that. Utah is in 1st place in the Northwest division and all five of the Jazz starters are averaging double figures.
Non-sports pick - 8pm-11pm - Discovery Channel - Man vs. Wild - Watch Bear survive the swamps and jungles of Panama and the scorching heat of the Sahara, because it's a little too chilly to go out tonight.
 Milton From 'Office Space' |
 Joe Paterno |
First, I thought they just looked alike, but then I read this. Apparently, Joe Paterno only makes $500,000 a year. The average for a division I coach is $950,000. This is Joe Paterno, the second winningest coach in division I history. Bobby Bowden has two more wins than Jo Pa and makes a base salary of $2 million a year, not to mention his incentives. It reminds me of this scene:
Bob Slydell: Milton Waddams.
Dom Portwood: Who's he?
Bob Porter: You know, squirrely looking guy, mumbles a lot.
Dom Portwood: Oh, yeah.
Bob Slydell: Yeah, we can't actually find a record of him being a current employee here.
Bob Porter: I looked into it more deeply and I found that apparently what happened is that he was laid off five years ago and no one ever told him about it; but through some kind of glitch in the payroll department, he still gets a paycheck.
Bob Slydell: So we just went ahead and fixed the glitch.
Bill Lumbergh: Great.
Dom Portwood: So, uh, Milton has been let go?
Bob Slydell: Well, just a second there, professor. We, uh, we fixed the *glitch*. So he won't be receiving a paycheck anymore, so it'll just work itself out naturally.
Bob Porter: We always like to avoid confrontation, whenever possible. Problem is solved from your end.
Colin Cowherd, ESPN Radio host, had some super nice things to say about Sean Taylor. In this case though, "nice" = completely irresponsible and uneducated. (DC Sports Bog)
Fun with maps: team by team, see where every NBA player is from. (Ball Hype)
It does not surprise me at all that the Army-Navy game would result in an elaborate, goat-stealing prank. (The Wizard of Odds)
I love it when athletes show up drunk out at a bar. (The Big Lead)
Tony Kornheiser might be quitting MNF after this season. (SPORTSbyBROOKS)
7:30pm ET - ESPN - Rutgers @ Louisville - Louisville was supposed to be in the running for a National Championship this season, but now they need a win just to reach .500 and become bowl eligible. For Rutgers, this might be the last time Ray Rice plays for them. The junior could look to jump to the pros after a season that proved he is NFL-ready. Rice has carried the ball a ridiculous 315 times for 1612 yards.
8pm - NFL Network - Packers @ Cowboys - The most important game all year. Hope you get the NFL Network...I do!
8pm - TNT - Knicks @ Celtics - Watch the team that's in the most disarray against the team with the best record in the league. I'm picking the Celtics big three to outscore the entire Knicks team.
9pm - ESPN2 - Oregon @ Kansas State - Freshman Michael Beasley is second in the nation in scoring at 27.2 points per game and 1st in the nation in rebounding with 15.5 per game. That's enough of a reason to watch.
10:30pm - TNT - Nuggets @ Lakers - The Nuggets are the 4th highest scoring team in the NBA and the Lakers are the 5th. Andrew Bynum will be tested by one of the best defensive players in the league, Marcus Camby. Wait, did I just mention defense when talking about these two teams?
Non-sports pick - 9pm - Bravo - Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell - Ha, come on, no one really likes Kathy Griffin...oh yeah, except one of my co-workers:
But, seriously, just find a way to watch the Packers/Cowboys game.
“ The only monster here is the gambling monster that has enslaved your mother! I call him Gamblor, and it's time to snatch your mother from his neon claws!” --Homer SimpsonLast week: 7-9. Season: 26-32-2. Having to pick the entire week early is somewhat damaging to the strength of my picks, but that’s not an excuse. I underperformed last week. I’m picking like Bill Simmons right now. On the plus side, I did get my lock and my college pick last week. Time for the playoff push, home team in CAPS.
Packers (+7) over COWBOYS
Hey, most of America, bet you are jealous that I get the NFL Network. This seems like an awful lot of points to be giving the Packers.
REDSKINS (-5.5) over Bills
I wouldn’t touch this game. The Skins could be completely distracted or they could be extremely motivated by the Sean Taylor tragedy. Let’s just hope there are wide receivers in heaven so he has someone to hit this week.
VIKINGS (-3.5) over Lions
If the Vikings win this game they are suddenly front and center in the playoff picture. I thought I’d enjoy betting against Jon Kitna in the playoffs, but Tarvaris Jackson? If the Vikings make the playoffs I’m buying a boat.
Texans (+4) over TITANS
With Albert Haynesworth out the Titans have been nothing short of terrible (0-3 without him). If he doesn’t play (currently questionable) this is a sure Texans pick, but if he does play, it's a toss up. Or he could step on someone's face.
Jaguars (+7) over COLTS
Seven seems high. The Colts won big in the last game between the two, but Garrard also got knocked out early.
Jets (+1.5) over DOLPHINS
I’m hoping for a winless Dolphins team to take out an undefeated Patriots team when they meet. Does Ricky Williams get drug tested still now that he’s out for the season? Or will we see him lighting up a blunt with a Sherpa on the sideline this week?
PANTHERS (-3) over 49ers
No way the 49ers can play respectable football two weeks in a row. Also, old man Testaverde’s back seems to be back in order, which is an upgrade from David Carr and Matt Moore. Hey Matt, I think your career might be in trouble when you are a serious downgrade from a QB who was in college when you were born.
Browns (+1) over CARDINALS
I can see this game maybe being close, but I don’t see Arizona winning it. Browns are the lock.
BEARS (+1.5) over Giants
A little delayed, but let the annual New York Giants and Eli Manning 2nd half collapse begin!
Bengals (+7) over STEELERS
Bengals have won three of the last four in Pittsburgh. Also, expect the field to be crappy again, which means there might not be 7 points total.
SAINTS (-3.5) over Bucs
Broncos (-3.5) over RAIDERS
Chargers (-5.5) over CHIEFS
EAGLES (-3) over Seahawks
Patriots (-20.5) over RAVENS
I also like the over 51 points here. People think the Eagles might have helped other teams to ‘figure out’ the Patriots. I say it’s more likely the Patriots are now angry at appearing mortal.
The prosecutors in Tony LaRussa's DUI case have released the video of the arrest...and it's like Christmas has come early.
There are a lot of different moments to pick as my favorite (
"A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-I-Z...M-N-O-P-Q...."). but I love how he seems almost disappointed that he only blew a 0.09.
Big name NFL running backs are, of course, big names for a reason. They're familiar to us because they do what they do consistently and we enjoy watching them play. They're stars because they're great players; that's no argument. But now that this year's discussion is on the table with backups performing like starters, we're starting to ask questions like, "can anyone do it"?
It's not a matter of giving too much credit to top name running backs. Its more a matter of giving too little credit to everyone else. Its too much being blinded by the bright stars of the game and being too quick to forget the pieces in place that allow them to shine.
There are certainly many factors involved, but you can't talk about the interchangeability of running backs without mentioning the holes they're running through. Or what about the fact that there are play callers on the sidelines getting them the ball? Ya know, the other guys on the team.
I'm led to feel like we all kind of know this in the back of our heads - that football is truly a team game where there are so many moving parts that need to come together for big plays to materialize and big players to grow - but when great things start happening, the Adrian Peterson-esque love affairs are too hard to resist. We fall in love with the man with the ball - not the men paving the way, or the blocking schemes that create the holes.
Last week, John Madden discussed why offensive lines are under-appreciated: mostly it's that they have no stats. It's too bad that you need stats to receive due credit, but its definitely a good point. No offensive linemen is on a fantasy roster - how could he be? Yet 3 of the top 5 salaries in the NFL in 2006 went to offensive linemen - and two of those guys play for, surprise surprise, the same team as Adrian Peterson. Teams know this stuff, why can't fans?
This is not a new concept. And maybe since there's no line in the box score for 'good block' or 'gaping hole made for running back', there's just no love. But what's it going to take to catch on? Seems like pass protection and blocking are the NFL's version of "intangibles". Where's Bill Walton when you need him?
There's nothing wrong with stroking the star players. In fact, at this point, it's probably too hard to break the habit. But when one of those guys deflects some praise and credits his teammates, instead of calling him modest, I'll just agree with him.
The MLB Network will start in 2009 and they just announced their first program: A Remake of BJ And The Bear starring Torii Hunter as BJ and the Angel's rally monkey as Bear.
 "This monkey's my best friend!" |
At the Angels press conference introducing their new center fielder, Torii had this to say,
I can't wait until it jumps the shark when...hmm, I think having a monkey sidekick is pretty close to the definition of jumping shark.
Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield movie; and it's also not funny.
 "I Don't Get No Respect" |
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa pleaded guilty today to a driving under the influence charge today. While La Russa did not appear in court, he agreed to a plea deal that places him on probation and fines him $250 plus $428.50 in court costs. Under the deal, his driver's license is revoked for six months and he has to complete a DUI school. He also must serve 50 hours of community service and attend one session of the MADD Victim Impact Panel within 60 days. -St. Louis Post Dispatch
We probably should have seen this coming...
 "No, I'm good to drive." |
Maybe La Russa should've been the Yankees manager. NYC has some of the best public transportation in the world.
ESPN censors one of Bill Simmons' answers today in his 'Marathon Chat'. (Awful Announcing)
Playboy confirms what you already knew: Erin Andrews is the Sexiest Sportscaster in America. (via Deadspin)
The Twins made a trade today (but it wasn't Santana). (Star Tribune)
Catching up with Bo Jackson...and his bow and arrows. (ESPN E-ticket)
The life of being a Knicks beat-writer. Frank Isola: “[T]here are some nights when you’re trying to talk your boss out of sending you here and maybe lie and tell him you’re sick or something.” Fantastic. (The New York Observer)
7:15pm ET - ESPN - NC State @ #13 Michigan State - The ACC has dominated the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (they've won all nine), but the Big Ten could get a win here. Michigan State will have to do better on the boards - they gave up 20 offensive rebounds to Oakland and 22 to UCLA. Both teams are 4-1 and those quality out of conference wins are always huge come March.
7:15pm - ESPN Classic - UMass @ Syracuse - Jonny Flynn's always good to attempt a half-court alley-oop to Donte' Greene. That's enough for me.
9:15pm - ESPN - #2 UNC @ Ohio State - This would've been a much bigger contest last season, but it's still the Tar Heels biggest test of the early season. The matchup to watch is All-American Tyler Hansbrough against 7-foot freshman Kosta Koufos. Both players can score inside and out.
Non-sports pick - 9pm - Versus - Bloodsport - From 1988...I smell a 20th Anniversary DVD full of extras!
Or new hobbies. Or even a book to read. Something. Anything, really. Why, you ask?
Because students at Vassar are playing...wait for it...wait...quidditch.
If you don't know what quidditch is, then clearly you are not keeping up with your Harry Potter readings, because that is where it comes from. You see, its a fictional sport (all emphasis mine):
"It is described as an extremely rough but very popular semi-contact sport played by wizards and witches around the world. Matches are played between two teams of seven players riding flying broomsticks, using four balls and six elevated ring-shaped goals. The rules of the game are extremely complicated by the standards of modern sports, and gameplay has been described as a cross between "cricket, soccer and hockey"
Despite the fact that it seemingly requires FLYING, and is, ya know, a MADE-UP SPORT, it has not stopped some proud Brewers (really? Vassar's nickname is the "Brewers?") from playing, and thankfully (sadly?), there is video evidence.
 J. Robert Kade (1927-2007) |
J. Robert Kade, the inventor of Gatorade passed away on Tuesday. We hear at RealClearSports are planning to have an electrolyte vigil in his honor.
Calvin Johnson (Lions) - Johnson had a season-high 7 catches for 83 yards and 1 TD, but it wasn't enough as the Lions lost their third in a row
Patrick Willis (49ers) - Continues to show he's definitely the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Willis had 18 tackles and none as big as when he caught WR Sean Morey from behind in OT. That tackle saved the game for the 49ers, as Neil Rackers missed a 32-yard FG. 49ers would win by recovering a fumble in the endzone.
Dwayne Bowe (Chiefs) - Led the team with 4 catches for 63 yards. Bowe leads all rookies in yards (731), catches (49), and is tied for the lead in touchdowns (4).
Jon Beason (Panthers) - The Panthers have issues. When they have to turn to Matt Moore at QB, you know it's bad. Does he even exist? But, the one bright spot has been Beason. He's averaging just under double-digits in tackles in his last 8 games. He had 10 on Sunday against the Saints.
Anthony Gonzalez (Colts) - 6 catches for 105 yards. They need him to produce like that with Harrison out.
Sidney Rice (Vikings) - Rice led the Vikings with 3 catches for 83 yards and 1 TD. Yeah, you heard me 3 catches. Vikings completed just 10 passes, but luckily Eli completed three to the Vikings for touchdowns. Rice's first catch was a 60-yard touchdown on the second play of the game beating rookie CB Aaron Ross.
Kolby Smith (Chiefs) - Larry who? Smith carried the ball 31 times for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns. The most rushing yards LJ had in a game this season was 123 yards against the Chargers. BUT, the Chiefs won the game against the Chargers and lost this past week to the Raiders.
James Jones (Packers) - Had 5 catches for 75 yards. It seems like any wide receiver could catch 5 catches for 75 yards with Favre throwing to them this year.
7pm ET - ESPN - Georgia Tech @ #15Indiana - Indiana freshman, Eric Gordon has scored 30 points or more three times already this season, but was held to just 20 in the Hoosiers loss to Xavier. Georgia Tech beat Notre Dame earlier in the year, so they're no pushover.
7pm - Versus - Flames @ Red Wings - Detroit's 8-2 at home and goalie Chris Osgood is giving up a league low 1.66 goals per game. Gotta go with the Wings in this one.
8pm - ESPN2 - Minnesota @ Florida State - Wow, there is pretty much nothing on worth watching...
9pm - ESPN - #20Wisconsin @ #7Duke - Alright, this is definitely worth watching. Duke's freshman Kyle Singler got the MVP of the Maui Invitational as Duke beat Marquette. Freshmen Taylor King has also been impressive for the Blue Devils, scoring 27 while coming off the bench against Eastern Kentucky. Wisconsin's coach Bo Ryan does an amazing job while rarely getting the top recruits. His team is always one of the best defensive teams in the nation and they will really test Duke's young players.
Non-sports pick - 8pm - The Scorpion King - Not quite The Rock's best performance (The Rundown), but definitely not his worst (The Game Plan).
Early this morning, Sean Taylor died as a result of the gunshot wound he suffered Monday. There's nothing we can say that can answer the question of "Why?" And nor can we add to what has already been said elsewhere . The best we can do here at RCS is offer our thoughts and prayers to Taylor's family and friends after this senseless and horrible tragedy.
Sean Taylor, 1983-2007.
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(Picture courtesy of Bucktown Skins, via Mr. Irrelevant)
After this week's performances there will be a lot of talk about who should win the Heisman trophy. There will be arguments for a handful of players that might seem compelling, but there's only one real choice to win the Heisman Trophy: Tim Tebow.
A Look At the Candidates:
DARREN McFADDEN:
SEASON STATS
Rushing - 304 carries for 1725 yards, 15 rushing TD
Receiving - 21 receptions for 264 yards, 1 TD
Passing - 6/11 for 123 yards, 4 TD
Arkansas Strength of Schedule - 60th
McFadden and the Razorbacks beat LSU, the number one team in the nation and McFadden was a big part of that. McFadden carried the ball 32 times for 206 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. He was also 3 for 6 for 34 yards and a passing touchdown. But, if you look inside the numbers, it wasn't just McFadden who ran all over the Tigers. Peyton Hills had 11 carries for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Felix Jones had 9 carries for 85 yards. McFadden averaged 6.4 yards per carry, whereas Hills and Jones both averaged more yards per carry (8.1 and 9.4 respectively). And this is not an isolated incident. Over the season McFadden has averaged 5.7 yards per carry whereas Jones has averaged 9.1 yards per carry.
McFadden has only accounted for 48% of his team's rushing offense. How can they give the Heisman to a running back that doesn't even account for half his team's rushing yards?
COLT BRENNAN:
SEASON STATS
Passing - 295/422 for 3732 yards, 33 TD & 14 INT
Rushing - 8 rushing TD
Strength of Schedule - 119th
One Game Left - Washington 12/01
Brennan and Hawaii are just one win away from a perfect season after handling perennial WAC powerhouse Boise State. Brennan had his best game of the season Friday, going 40 for 53 for 495 yards, 5 passing touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdown. But it's Brennan's receivers and the type of offense the Rainbows run that cause for such gawdy numbers. Hawaii has the best receiving core in the nation. They have four wide receivers with over 50 receptions.
Davone Bess - 96 receptions for 1,164 yards and 12 TD's
Ryan Grice-Mullen - 90 receptions for 1,214 yards and 11 TD's
Jason Rivers - 68 receptions for 902 yards and 9 TD's
C.J. Hawthorne - 53 receptions for 761 yards and 6 TD's
This begs the question, is it the receivers or is it Colt Brennan? In the Boise State game, Brennan threw for 495 yards, but 257 of those yards were created by his wide receivers with yards after the catch. Hawaii runs a west coast offense with a lot of swing passes and short cross patterns over the middle and it puts the emphasis on the wide receivers to create. Further proof that it's the wide receivers is when Tyler Graunke had to fill in for Brennan against Nevada he went 33 for 46 for 358 yards and no interceptions. His completion percentage in that game was 72%, whereas Brennan averaged 70% throughout the season.
PAT WHITE:
SEASON STATS
Passing - 129/187 for 1498 yards, 12 TD & 4 INT
Rushing - 163 carries for 1144 yards, 14 TD
Strength of Schedule - 29th
West Virginia destroyed the 2nd best team in the Big East, Connecticut, 66-21 and quarterback, Pat White has been the catalyst to the Mountaineers offensive output. White was only 9 for 13 for 107 yards and a touchdown through the air, but carried the ball 16 times for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns.
How can you give the Heisman to a quarterback who has yet to throw over 200 yards in a game. White's best passing total for the season was 192 yards in the first game of the season against Western Michigan.
CHASE DANIEL:
SEASON STATS Passing - 349/495 for 3951 yards, 33 TD & 9 INT
Rushing - 93 carries for 258 yards, 3 TD
Strength of Schedule - 13th
One Game Left - @Oklahoma 12/1
The most worthy candidate to compete with Tebow is Missouri's quarterback, Chase Daniel. Daniel has ushered Missouri into the number one spot in the latest BCS rankings after the Tigers beat Kansas 36-28. Daniel went 40 for 49 for 361 yards and 3 TD's. For the season, Daniel has accounted for almost 70% of the Tigers offense this season.
And then there's TIM TEBOW:
SEASON STATS
Passing - 217/317 for 3132 yards, 29 TD & 6 INT
Rushing - 194 carries for 838 yards, 22 TD
Strength of Schedule - 3rd
Against rival, Florida State, Tebow led the Gators to their biggest margin of victory over the Seminoles since 1983. Tebow went 19 for 28 for 262 yards and 3 passing touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns, as the Gators beat the Seminoles 45-12.
Tebow has accounted for 35% of the Gators rushing yards and 72% of the team's total offense.
Here's a list of Tebow's accomplishments.
-Tied For most rushing touchdowns (22) in single season by QB (Chance Harridge of Air Force did it in 2002)
-13 straight games with at least 1 rushing and 1 passing touchdown
-SEC Record - Most touchdowns in a single season (51). The previous record was 41 (Danny Wuerffel)
-SEC Record - Most rushing touchdowns (22) in a single season (Garrison Hearst is second with 19)
But these records aren't the most amazing part of Tim Tebow's accomplishments. The most amazing part is who he's done it against. Florida's strength of schedule is third in the nation. Of the other three possible candidates, Chase Daniel's Missouri Tigers have the next closest strength of schedule at 19th.
The numbers speak for themselves. There's no debate. Tebow will be this year's Heisman trophy winner.
7pm ET - Versus - Sabres @ Capitals - The Sabres started off slow but have now won five in a row. The Capitals started off slow, fired their coach and have now won two in a row.
8:30pm - ESPN - Dolphins @ Steelers - Not only did the Eagles give hope to the Patriots upcoming opponents, but it also gives hope to the Dolphins. The Patriots perfect season almost came to an end and the Dolphins are hoping their imperfect season can come to an end. Anything could happen. Key word being COULD.
Non-sports pick - 6pm - Sci-Fi Channel - The Matrix - I wish I could take the blue pill and forget about the sequels to this movie, but the original is always worth another watch.
As you may have heard, Sean Taylor was shot early Monday morning at his Florida home in what may have been a robbery. Taylor was shot in the leg/groin area and his femoral artery was severed; he is currently in critical condition. The Redskins Taylor is arguably the best young safety in the league.
We here at RealClearSports wish Sean a full and speedy recovery.
Unlike the wives of Tony Gonzalez and Brodie Croyle, Herm Edwards' clock management skills are ugly. On a late 4th quarter drive, down by three Herm burned a timeout and decided to challenge the spot of the ball on a 3rd down play, only to lose the challenge, thus wasting consecutive time outs. Then he made the curious decision to go for it on 4th and 1 rather than kick the game tying FG. Want to know what was he thinking? Perhaps an old press conference from his Jets days has the answer, or at least can tell us why we play the game:
This is the greatest thing about Herm: He plays to win the game. Hello?!? He plays to win the game! But That... That... That... This whole decision not to kick the field goal bothers me.
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The Eagles lost last night, but, it was not all for not. They gave the rest of the league hope. There are, in fact, chinks in the armor. They showed that the Patriots are not a machine; they are not a life force that can (and often does) roll over whomever lines up across from them every week. The Patriots DO have weaknesses, and on Sunday night, the Eagles exposed them (namely, attacking the middle of the field).
This was different than the Colts game. Indianapolis was SUPPOSED to play them tough. That was supposed to be a close game. But not last night. Philadelphia entered the game as literally one of the biggest underdogs in NFL history, but they managed to shrug that aside, and played the Pats as tough as anyone has all season, all without their starting quarterback. They sacked Tom Brady. They hit Randy Moss coming across the middle. In the end, however, it simply just was not enough – the better team, as it usually does in the NFL, prevailed.
The Patriots are now 11-0, the 13th such NFL team to go this deep into a season with no losses. Maybe they’ll go 16-0, maybe they won’t. But last night’s game gave the remaining five teams – Ravens, Steelers, Jets, Dolphins and Giants – at least a glimmer of hope. And hope is a dangerous thing.
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Broncos 34, Bears 37 (OT) – Chicago, surprisingly, is still alive. This was easily the most exciting game today. It featured a combined 71 points, not one but TWO Devin Hester touchdowns and 17 unanswered points from the Bears in the final 8:58 for the win. Oh, and it also had three touchdowns scored…in the span of 27 seconds. Hester returned both a punt and a kickoff for TD’s to keep the Bears in the game, giving him 11 returns for scores in just 27 regular-season games (seriously, WHY do people still kick to him?!). Rex Grossman, despite his unimpressive numbers (17-33, 193 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), DID lead his team back from what seemed like a season-killing loss, tossing the game-tying TD with just 28 seconds showing on the clock. Somewhere, Big Daddy Drew smiles.
Ravens 14, Chargers 32 – San Diego dealt Baltimore their fifth straight loss, thanks in large part to a 22-point second quarter and three touchdowns from Philip Rivers. It used to be that Baltimore could always rely on its defense to keep them in games. But now they’ve allowed 30 or more point in back-to-back games for the first time since 1999, and it seems inevitable that Brian Billick is gone at the end of the season.
49ers 37, Cardinals 31 (OT) – Two overtime games?? Its like the NFL Gods heard my complaints of boredom. Kurt Warner threw for 484 yards (!) and two touchdowns…and lost. Frank Gore took the 49ers on his back and finished with two scores and 214 total yards, resulting in excitement from many a frustrated fantasy owner. After Neil Rackers missed a 32-yard FG in OT, San Francisco locked up the win by sacking Warner and forcing him to fumble in the end zone, where they fell on the ball for the game-winning TD. Yep, sounds about right.
Looking ahead:
Eagles at Patriots – One of the most dominant teams ever going up against AJ Feely. There’s a reason New England is favored by as many as 25 ½ points in some places.
A quick run around the NFL's early games for Week 12.
"My dad makes me play football."
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Vikings 41, Giants 17 – Definitely the biggest surprise thus far. New York had more first downs and more total yards, but still got crushed, at home. Minnesota threw the ball just 12 times. It should be noted that it was Tarvaris Jackson making those throws, too. The Vikings basically won in spite of themselves. I suppose Eli Manning’s four interceptions didn’t help things. And yes, Eli, they’re saying “booooo!”
Titans 6, Bengals 35 – Wait, I thought all Vince Young did was win games. Did someone forget to tell Cincinnati? Oops. Carson Palmer finished 32-38 with 283 yards and three TDs. All three of those scores went to Chad Johnson, who proceeded to pretend he was operating the TV camera after one of them. Congratulations, Chad – your team is now 3-7.
Saints 31, Panthers 6 – At this point, the Saints are just annoying. They’re now 4-6, and still very much alive for the playoffs. They could finish 10-6 or 4-12, and either way, I wouldn’t be surprised. Carolina probably figured their day was done when Matt Moore (who?) replaced David Carr at quarterback.
Redskins 13, Buccaneers 19 – For the second straight week, Washington QB Jason Campbell threw an interception as the Skins were driving for the game-winning TD. I can’t imagine a more frustrating scenario: your young quarterback is showing poise and leadership, leading your team from their own 9-yard line all the way down to the Bucs’ 16 – with no timeouts, mind you. Everything is building and building, and then – WHAM – interception. Must just suck the air right out of you.
Texans 17, Browns 27 – Cleveland continued its mission to baffle America by…winning. Derek Anderson tossed a pair of touchdowns and Jamal Lewis ran like he found out his phone was tapped, rushing for 134 yards and score. Looking at the rest of their schedule, the Browns could – no; they SHOULD win their final five games. I don’t think I’m ready for a Browns team that finishes 12-4.
Raiders 20, Chiefs 17 – In a battle of Awful vs. Terrible, Awful prevailed, in a slight upset. The Chiefs dropped to 4-6 on the season…and are still just a game back from San Diego for the division-lead. The AFC West is embarrassingly bad.
Bills 14, Jaguars 36 – This game was actually closer than the final score indicates, but Buffalo still never really had a chance. David Garrard nearly had 300 yards passing and still has yet to throw an interception this season. That’s 209 attempts and zero picks – impressive. Also, with the Buffalo loss, the Patriots clinched the AFC East. I remind you that it is still only November.
Seahawks 24, Rams 19 – Just a reminder that under no circumstances should you trust Gus Frerotte. After Marc Bulger had to leave the game because of an injury – back, ribs, concussion, pick one – Frerotte entered and lead the Rams to the 19-7 lead, and look, he even threw a touchdown. Seattle fought back and took the lead, but the Mighty Frerotte led the Rams down to the 1-yard line, where they faced a 4th down, just three feet from the win, and immortality. And then Frerotte fumbled the snap. Game over. Oh well.
6:30pm ET - ESPN2 - NC State vs. #20 Villanova - Villanova is 4-0 but has had three close games against teams they should be beating easily. NC State lost their opener against New Orleans that dropped them out of the top 25, but a win against Nova would put them right back in there.
8pm - ESPN - Arizona @ #4 Kansas - The Jayhawks are 4-0 and their average margin of victory is over 30 points per game. These two teams hold the longest active streaks of making it to the NCAA Tournament. Arizona is filled with talent (like they always are), but are inconsistent (again, as always). They could give Kansas a game, but not likely.
8:15pm - NBC - Eagles @ Patriots - Don't worry Eagles fans, it will get better in the 2nd half (read the non-sports pick).
11pm - ESPN2 - Southern Illinois vs. #18 USC - OJ Mayo is averaging nearly 24 points a game, but will face a Southern Illinois team that is allowing just 52.7 points per game. The Trojans will have to deal with the Missouri Valley Conference's preseason player of the year in Randal Falker, who is shooting 60% from the field.
Non-sports pick - 7:30pm - Versus - Rocky III - If you're a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, you can turn away from the massacre at halftime against the Pats to watch your beloved Rocky comeback against Clubber Lang.
12pm ET - ESPN2 - Virginia Tech @ Virginia - This hasn't been much of a rivalry with Va. Tech having won 7 of the last 8 meetings, but a lot is at stake this year. The winner will advance to the ACC Championship game against Boston College and have a shot at a BCS bowl.
8pm - ABC - Kansas @ Missouri - #2 Kansas looks to stay undefeated when they face #4 Missouri. I'd write more, but there's been enough written about this game.
10:30pm - ESPN2 - Las Vegas Invitational Final: BYU vs. UNC - Alright, so I was off on my upset watch by one game. I had picked Louisville to go down to UNLV on Wednesday, but instead they lost to BYU last night. I'm not about to pick BYU to pull an upset against UNC. They're going to wish what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Non-sports pick - 8pm - USA - Elf - Time to get into the holiday spirit and this is a holiday movie everyone can enjoy...but seriously, only watch it during commercials of the Kansas-Missouri game.
Robbie: On Monday, rapper Lil Romeo signed a letter of intent to play for the USC Trojans basketball team next year.
Jeff: Actually, he dropped the lil. He's just Romeo now.
Dave: Good cause you either have to be actually short or ironically tall to be called lil and at 5'10 he's neither.
Robbie: Well, whatever his name is, he's going to get lil playing time. Athletes have tried their hand at rapping and that hasn't worked. Romeo will try his hand at basketball and that won't work.
Jeff: His Dad, Master P, came pretty close to doing it. So, maybe Romeo can do it.
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Dave: I think the reason Master P never made it in the NBA was because he didn't realize there weren't actually tanks on the basketball court.
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Jeff: A common mistake.
Robbie: So, you're telling me this kid
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Robbie: Could be playing with this guy?
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Jeff: Well, no. Mayo will probably be gone after this season. I'm not saying he'll be a superstar, but he has one more year to improve and perhaps grow a lil.
Dave: Here's a clip of his skillz
Robbie: My favorite part is at 1:20 where he pushes a guy over and steals the ball from him.
Dave: I think his father taught him that. "Now son, you gotta make em say oww". Well, it seems like none of us think he's going to be very good, so why did USC give up a roster spot for him?
Robbie: The rumor is that they signed Romeo because one of his best friends is DeMar DeRozen, one of the top recruits in the country. Romeo hadn't received a single scholarship offer from any other school and USC is giving him one?
Dave: Maybe they signed him because with a net worth of over $50 million they won't have to worry about him taking money from sports marketers.
Jeff: Maybe they signed him for publicity. They might need it after their opening loss to Mercer. USC isn't just in the business of signing players anymore- they sign publicity.
Robbie: Maybe it's all a big hoax and it's Romeo's version of Punk'd.
Dave: You Just Got Ughed!
Robbie: So USC is either getting a star recruit or publicity out of this, but if Romeo is hardly going to play what does he get out of this?
Dave: Romeo and his Dad have a hand in practically everything entertainment. Romeo is going to USC and plans to major in film to further increase their entertainment empire. What better place to make business connections than USC's film school?
Robbie: I see a buddy movie between Romeo and USC alumnus Will Farrell coming out of this.
Jeff: Romeo plays a hotshot basketball player that the coach can't control. So, when Will Farrell tries to walk-on to the basketball team, the coach teams Romeo up with Farrell in a 2 on 2 tournament that Romeo has to win or he's off the team. Romeo at first is frustrated, but eventually bonds with Farrell and they become an unstoppable duo.
Dave: How do you think Romeo will adjust to college life going from this
Robbie: Well, I don't think he's exactly going to be eating Ramen and riding his bicycle to campus.
Jeff: The toughest thing for him might be the heckling. If there's one thing college fans can do well, it's heckle. He could be the most heckled student-athlete ever.
Robbie: More than Greg Oden?
Jeff: With former lyrics like: 'I drive a scooter' and 'You want a player wit some money, Flossin' baby iced out Bugs Bunny'. College kids will have an endless arsenal.
Dave: Not to mention his real name is Percy. PERCY!
Robbie: Think he'll have to give up rapping?
Dave: What will 12-year old girls do?
Jeff: He can always do what Matt Leinart did and take ballroom dancing.
Robbie: Think they offer crunking? Or maybe he's a crunker.
Jeff: No matter what happens this will be entertaining to watch. To measure the success of this venture I think we will have to compare Romeo's basketball performance to an athlete turned rapper. Let's hope Romeo can be as entertaining as
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Enjoy your holiday, everyone. Eat turkey and stuffing until you literally think, "Holy crap, I'm gonna throw up."
And then go back for seconds.
Hopefully, you'll have a Thanksgiving as good as this one.
(Posted early for Thanksgiving Day)
Thanksgiving is such an American holiday. It consists of eating until you can't even stand up anymore, somehow making your way over to the couch (the most exercise you will do all day), then watching hours and hours of television (mainly football). So here's what to watch between naps.
12:30pm ET - FOX - Packers @ Lions - Who would've thought this game would be the best NFL game on Thanksgiving at the beginning of the season? The Packers are the biggest surprise in football and the Lions aren't too far behind. But the Lions have lost two in a row and still have to face the Chargers, Cowboys, and Packers again this season. The Lions offense has struggled recently and they're facing a Packers team that ranks 4th in the league in scoring defense.
4pm - CBS - Jets @ Cowboys - Last Thanksgiving Tony Romo threw for a Cowboy-record 5 touchdown passes in a 38-10 drubbing of the Bucs. The Jets finally established a pass rush last week against the Steelers, recording 7 of their 16 sacks last weekend. But Tony Romo is much more mobile than Ben Roethlisberger. The Cowboys should roll the Jets and T.O. should have another great performance.
8pm - ESPN - USC @ Arizona State - Dennis Erickson has done an amazing job with Arizona State and has them ranked 7th in the country. But USC head coach Pete Carroll is 6-0 against ASU. This game has huge ramifications for the PAC-10 title and a trip to the Rose Bowl. If ASU wins out they will win the PAC-10. USC needs to win this game, then beat UCLA, and would need Oregon to lose another (very possible without Dixon). Can USC win it's 6th straight PAC-10 title?
8:15pm - NFL Network - Colts @ Falcons - This is a matchup of QB's. On the Colts side you have Peyton Manning, a traditional quarterback that can read defenses and make plays with his arm and mind. On the Falcons side you have Michael Vick who's been making his signature athletic runs all season long. He's the most electrifying player in the NFL and has really blossomed under first year head coach, Bobby Petrino
