While You are Sleeping - NFL Network Pre-Game Show

There are very few reasons to be up early on a Sunday morning. One big reason, if you are an NFL fan, is to watch NFL Networks early morning show First on the Field. The show airs from 7am-9am on the NFL Networks and features Former running back LaDanian Tomlinson, and co-hosts Sterling Sharpe (former Wide Receiver) and Melissa Stark (Monday Night Football and Today Show). The show has a good mix of entertainment and information for the days games each week. Fresh off the field Thomlinson gives a good feel from a players perspective and Sharpe has been doing these pre-game shows since his retirement and has earned a role as a host/co-host while still bringing the ability to break down plays and games. Just about every network has their own version of a pre-game preview show and this one ranks right there with the best of them. What sets it apart is the ability of Melissa Stark as the host and helps guide the ship. Knowledgeable, skilled and attractive...a deadly combination. 

No other Pro football show features a female host which sets First on the Field apart from any of the competing shows. Erin Andrews (Dancing with the Stars and formerly ESPN) is the host for FOX's NCAA Football show on Saturday Nights and also does a good job on that program. 

Stark, who worked on Monday Night Football in the early 2000's left that gig to focus on family. Since then she has done some work on the Today Show. Stark brings a nice balance of classic journalism and can control the show in her role as co-host, but also offers great football knowledge to the show. Her ability to deliver either insight or statistics while keeping it entertaining is a remarkable and it proves to be in that role. Now it must be noted that she also possesses the other skills that helps one on the television excel as well. There is a reason that some people are just better in other mediums. There is a reason for that old saying "a face for radio". The television is a visual medium and like it or not looks count. There is no denying that she is stunningly beautiful and probably possesses the most stunning pair of legs since Mary Hart from Entertainment Tonight (and she reportedly had each insured for $1 Million each, so $2 Million total). If that doesn't keep you tuned in and willing to get up to watch who knows what is.

Monday Night Mayhem

I was tired of hearing about the NFL replacement refs but the last and deciding play of tonight's game was a disgrace. No game should ever end the way tonight's game ended. They say that it is not a missed call that cost a team a win and that had they played better they would not have had to let 1 play beat them. Well in this case that is not true, Green Bay was jobbed at least 3 times during the last drive due to terrible and wrong calls that should have been able to be fixed at some point. What is the point of having coaches call for red flag video reviews or having video replay in the game if it is not used to make obvious wrong calls overturned. If a bad call is made on the field it should be fixed if possible. This was a play that could have been overturned but because the ref with the worst position to see the play makes a call on the field there is no way to have the correct call made, ridiculous. Golden Tate somehow came up with the ball in the end zone to grab a last-gasp "win" Tate not only pushed off 1st but didn't even have possession at any point. The real refs had better be in place by next Sunday after this gong show.The refs didn't even know that after the wrong call was made that Seattle needed to try for an extra point. It took nearly 10 minutes for the refs to get the teams back for the extra try. That oversight just magnified how bad they botched the game. In a Billion dollar industry to have the integrity of the game compromised is a very dangerous thing. Worst of all is that was not the only bad call of the night. Every mistake just gets compounded and that is huge. The money that powers the NFL is outrageous and that doesn't even come close to touching what is generated from both legal and illegal gambling. Somebody in Vegas is getting his legs broken right now after this fiasco.  A lot of money will be changing hands but in the wrong direction.

In a 16 game season each game means even more then in just about any other sport and that could be the deciding factor if they make the playoffs, win the division or get home field advantage. A horrible and wrong call by replacement refs should not potentially ruin a teams season. Hopefully that is not the case but we will know by week 17.

NFL has to get the real refs back, 1 to show they are serious about the integrity of the game and 2 to prevent anything worse from happening. Tempers are already wearing thin and things are already breaking down.

Quick Hits

It has been too long since I have updated the blog. I will have to be more diligent in the future. With the NHL getting ready to start up its regular season I am sure that more regular updates will be made. Once the teams break camp there will likely be something to comment on on a regular basis. Some good, some bad but that is the fun of it. As for right now just a few "Quick Hits" from around the various sports as we all hold our collective breaths for some real game action in hockey and post season baseball (the kind of ball that is meant to be played and every pitch is watched and scrutinized as a potential turning point or momentum changer)...almost getting goose bumps just thinking about it.

And now the Quick Hits:

~ Ben Roethlisberger is one week away from completing his suspension. I say leave him on the bench and let ex-Lion Charlie Batch keep playing. He’s paid his due playing in Detroit and holding a clipboard for the last several years.

~David Frost of the Frost/Danton fame is in LA selling Hockey equipment under an alias that is his wife’s maiden name. Even if it is above board it still leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths.

~On the TSN Site, Jesse Palmer shares his thoughts on Eli Manning committing the biggest no-no for a quarterback and with a straight face did not bring up going on the Bachelor. For a guy who was the backup for the Giants to say anything is just funny.

~The sad reality is that we are getting closer and closer to basketball starting. I love watching basketball but I am already Lebron’d out and they haven’t even hit camp yet.

~My Braves are trying as best they can to play their way out of the playoffs and the Wild Card hunt. I want the team to do well on a selfish level as a fan, but more so for Bobby Cox who will be retiring at the end of the season. A nice gift would be a return to the post season for one of the true greats all time in baseball. Lets home they can pick it up in the last few games and give their bench boss a proper send off. The Jays couldn't do it for Cito so maybe the Tomahawk has a little magic left in it.

Lions and Stafford and Andrews, OH My

The hard luck Detroit Lions lost yet another game on a blown call. Calvin Johnson’s apparent game winning reception was ruled incomplete for no reason and even by the letter of the rule I still don’t believe that the correct call was "interpreted" by the referees. He clearly had the ball palmed the ball across the plane of the end zone both feet in bounds, arm down, sitting on his butt. At that point he got up using the ball for leverage and then willingly and on purpose let go of the ball...sounds like a catch in my books. The Lions needed this win and for that call to go their way for many reasons; a) they are the Lions and they never get a break, b) It is a bad rule and an even worse interpretation c) I have Calvin Johnson on my fantasy team and I REALLY could have used those points d) Not only did they loose the game but they lost their starting QB Matt Stafford after he was injured and will now be missing likely 1-6 weeks due to an injured shoulder. He doesn’t seem to need surgery but this could prove to be a big red flag for the lions as Stafford ended last season on IR.

Stafford went down to Alabama and met with a man that needs no introduction in the sports community and is probably one of the most famous doctors in the world. All you have to do is hear his name and you can almost diagnose the problem yourself and what is going to be done with many of your favorite players. I speak of course to the doctor with the Rock Star status...Dr. James Andrews. Dr. Andrews is an orthopedic surgeon and is regarded in the sports world as the leading expert on shoulders, elbows and forearms...just about the entire arm and sometimes he will even branch out and have a look see at the occasional knee; ACL, MCL, PCL...he does not discriminate.

Dr. Andrews who is currently approaching 70 and is getting older. What happens when he retires? Where will everyone go, what will players do? How will the fans know what is going on with their stars and who will become the new go to guy in the world of orthopedic surgery. Who will do all the Tommy John Surgeries?

It is almost funny that Dr. Andrews name is nearly as famous as the procedures that he preforms when doing Tommy John reconstruction.

* Bob Sanders has undergone surgery to repair the torn right biceps muscle that he suffered in the season-opener against Houston. Famed orthopedist Dr. James Andrews performed the operation on Sanders

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday is here and all the hype over the last two weeks is coming to a head. Thankfully they moved the Pro Bowl to the bye week in between the Conference Championships. Because everyone was able to complain about how useless the Pro Bowl is that enabled the media from breaking down the game to the point where the length of the shoelaces of the players will play a factor on crowning a champion, or about Dwight Freeney's ankle, or Peyton Manning taking on the team that his father played for for all those years.

With the two most explosive offences in the league it only stands to reason that this will be an old fashioned shoot out and be end to end rushes. Due to that expect a lower scoring game with surprising defensive stops and uncharacteristic turnovers...by both sides. The Colts are favoured big and by all accounts should win big; therefore it will be a close game and will likely come down to whether veteran kicker Matt Stover makes or misses a field goal.

The Saints defence are not bad by any stretch and if Reggie Bush manages to break a punt or kick return could provide the spark that New Orleans needs to propel them to victory. What they have going against them is the MVP of the league and that is Peyton Manning. He is going to want this win to help build a case for the best QB ever. He probably is already and is a first ballot Hall of Fame player but no matter what he does those whispers from the negative uninformed or ignorant people is still 'he can't win the big game'. Couldn't beat Florida in college, couldn't win this one in the big game, can't win a Super Bowl. Then he wins a Super Bowl and now they say, yeah but he only has one. Can't please everyone I guess.

The Colts Should win 35-24, and control the game all the way. That will not happen.

If the Colts do win it will likely take a comeback as I suspect that New Orleans will come out flying, and get up by 14 early either on a defensive stand or a special teams play that will swing momentum.

The final will probably be 31-28. I'd like to see that score for the Colts so that means that will be the score for the Saints.

I am sure that in any event it will be a good game and at the very least The Who is performing at Half Time and that should be AWESOME...Love THE WHO so even if the game is a bust there will still be Roger Daltrey and Peter Townshend with a little Zack Starkey mixed in for good measure.

ENJOY!

Week 17 NFL Picks

After 2 Weeks of + .500 picks I regressed back to the red when I went 7-9. I blame the way the NFL is set up and teams throw in the towel early to "rest players". Just like this week, only a few teams have anything to play for so picking winners vs the spread becomes even more difficult. Tough to make a choice when you don't know if a starter is going to play more then 1 series of not. So more so then any normal week I a just tossing out a guess and hoping that I am right. Lets see how that goes.

Holiday Season A Busy One

This is a great time of the year to be a sports fan. There is a little something for everyone. You are treated to maybe a little bit more if you are a hockey fan, so this may be more directed to those in Canada and the upper East Coast. First we are right in the midst of the college football Bowl season. Granted with some 30 Bowls or something silly like that there are a lot of meaningless games out there but If you are just going to watch for the entertainment of the game or just want something to keep gambling on then you are in luck. All of the real important games don’t begin until New Years there is still plenty to fill the schedule.

You then have the regular season for both college basketball and the NBA. Both regular seasons are just a matter of jockeying for position for the playoffs and for the NCAA Tournament but there are still some entertainment to be had in watching either of these two distinctive versions of the same sport.

The final week of the NFL schedule is hear and teams are making the final push to make the playoffs, gain home field and to either rest star players or keep their foot on the gas. It can be a week where it is a real crap shoot of games. It depends on what teams come to play. 2 great teams facing off may become the worst games of a weekend. 2 terrible teams with players playing for jobs next year may be the most entertaining. Every year in the NFL the elite teams have nothing to play for...so they don’t. It is games like that that rob the fans of not only specific teams but the sport in general. This is the reason why an 18 game schedule is a bad idea....just more meaningless games.

Then there is hockey. Everywhere you look there is something to take in. You have the NHL regular schedule and it’s array of games, the Spengler Cup which most people in Canada don’t even realize that Canada has a team in that tournament. It is probably one of the most under the radar Major International Tournaments. It is a huge deal overseas but seems to get lost in the shuffle over here. Even with names like Alexandre Daigle and a coach like Craig McTavish. Then of course there is one of my personal favorites, the IIHF World Juniors Tournament. This is one event that I very much enjoy watching. I will be honest, it is a bonus that Canada is prolific and more often then not are one of the teams to win year in and year out (as shown by the 5 straight gold medals) but the style and tempo of play is enjoyable to watch. To see the stars of tomorrow in a competition where they are playing the most elite competition from each country is fun to watch. Sure when you beat a Latvia 16-0 that is not the greatest of games but good for the national pride. It is the games against the USA and the Swedes and the Russians that are the most fun.
And this year we get the added bonus of having the Team Canada Olympic Roster announced before New Years...

All of that equals an embarrassment of riches for the sports fan, whether your interest is sport specific or you just love them all and are a fan of the games

Not So Perfect

If there is any question that Peyton Manning is not only the MVP of the league but he is also a half decent actor. I guess that most of his endorsement commercials have prepared him for yesterdays game. Manning was taken out of the Jets game while the Colts were leading 15-10 in the third quarter and backup Curtis Painter was not up to the challenge and looked like a JV QB or worse, like JaMarcus Russell. Sure he didn’t look pleased but managed to maintain a decent demeanor on the sidelines, unlike Brett Favre and Brad Childresss the week before. You could tell by his face that he was not impressed with being taken but hid it fairly well. It only looked like someone injured his dog but not killed it. In the end he towed the company line and said that he knew it was a possibility that this could happen. Guess he figured that If he was going to come out they would have a greater then a 5 point lead.

Jim Caldwell, Colts Head Coach made the decision to "rest" at least 5 of his top offensive players, Manning included. There were also a few on the defensive side of the ball as well. Ordinarily I would agree with the concept that you won your games and you have the right to play the last 2 however you want. If resting players, you believe is in the best interest of your teams chances to win the Super Bowl then so be it. The only thing is that this was a different set of circumstances this was a 14-0 team that had a legitimate chance on going 16-0 and becoming the first team to do so and win the Super Bowl. New England came within a hair of achieving that a few years ago and would have done so had it not been for one of the luckiest BS catches of all time by David Tyree. Going undefeated in the regular season did not prevent them from winning, the team that was on a roll and got hot at the right time and then they just didn’t play well enough in one game at the end of the season.

I have made it clear in the past that I am a fan of history being made. A great story didn’t even make it off the ground because of a pre-emptive move by a rookie coach. This is a huge deal too, just look at how people remember the Dolphins team from the 70’s. People still talk about that team and how great they were and what they accomplished. Peyton is a guy who understands the history of football and he knows what it would have meant for his team to reach such a record. Caldwell also made the comment that they never had plans of going 16-0. ???????? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, what team doesn’t try to win every game? If you aren’t planning on going 16-0 you are planning on loosing, not the right attitude for one of the elite teams in the league.

With an offence like the Colts, they rely on timing and repetition. Staying in a flow and working like a well oiled unit is what they do, taking that away from them will likely hurt the teams chances going forward. You will have spotty work in the last 2 regular season games and then a bye then you have a rusty team entering a 1 and done elimination game versus a good team... a very dangerous situation, on that the Colts may live to regret.

Week 16 NFL Picks

Another week and another 10-6 record. I am becoming the epitome of consistency. It was a tough week and will only get tougher as the season moves forward. Some teams have everything to play for and others have nothing...unless you count pride. We don't count pride. It is this dilemma that makes it tough to decide what team is going to show up for each game, what teams are going to rest players and who will keep the foot on the gas pedal. Lets see how my prognostication (guessing) works out this week

Week 15 NFL Picks

Last Weeks Picks would have probably gotten me into the playoffs. I went 10-6 vs the spread. It was a tough week for picks but i managed to fair not too bad. This weeks there are some very tough games to pick and I can say right off the top that I am not confident in these picks, so much so I am not even going to try to play Proline. That probably means I will go 16-0 but I just don't like the match ups. Lets see what Sunday brings.

Sad End To A Troubled Player

This time the story about a pro athlete involved in a domestic disturbance/traffic incident has become more of a real story and more serious then that of the Tiger Woods situation. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have said that Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry has died, one day after suffering serious injuries upon falling out of the back of a pickup truck. Authorities have describe the events that led to the accident as a domestic dispute with his fiancee.

Henry was suspended in 2007 for half of the season -- as part of a toughening of the league’s conduct policy. This came on the heals of his a fifth arrest. He had had trouble with the law and character issues dating back to his time in college. Throughout his career, his temper and poor decisions got him in trouble.

Henry was not with the team after he broke his left forearm during a win over Baltimore on Nov. 8. He had surgery and was placed on season-ending injured reserve following the game. That was the reason that he was in Charlotte at the home of his fiancee’s parents, where it is believed that the incident began.

It is sad at anytime that news like this happens, especially to a high profile athlete. Sure this type of thing probably happens a lot in one way or another in society and doesn’t even get second mention. Just because it was some what of a celebrity that it happened to that it gets the extra exposure but it is still a shame. For a player who had all the potential in the world to be a real star in the NFL he just couldn't shake his demons and maybe that could have ultimately led to this tragic end. Leaving behind his young children is also overlooked. It is also too bad that he will not be remembered for much of what he did on the football field but all his off field indiscretions and arrests. His tarnished image are unfortunately what people are going to remember.

Best And Worst Of The Weekend

Best: The Indianapolis Colts passed two dynasties with one win. They have now won 22 straight games in the regular season Passing the New England Patriots and won their 114th this decade passing the mark set by the San Francisco 49ers. The only difference is they have won 1 Super Bowl vs a few more by the other 2 combined.

Worst: Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys lost again in December and are perfectly miserable in the most important month of the regular season. Maybe it is history repeating itself or maybe it is because the NFL wants teams to be in contention until at least Thanksgiving and give out more favorable beginnings of the schedule to have a bunch of wins stockpiled early and then they play better teams in December and are exposed. In any event a loss is a loss and the criticism of Romo are already starting to rumble and gain steam.

Best: Brandon Marshall snagged a record 21 catches. Marshall said after "I believe it was one of those games where, whenever you accomplish something like that, it definitely feels good," he said. "But we have goals, and our only goal is to win games. I’d definitely trade in a couple of those catches for a win."... I’d definitely trade in a couple of those catches for a win?? What does that even mean? I would give up the catches that didn’t go for touchdowns? I know he just meant that it would have meant more had his team won, but that doesn’t do much to change the perception that a Wide Receiver can be a bit of a diva.

Worst: It is basketball season and all I can find on TV is 1 Kentucky Game on Saturday and a Raptors game vs Houston on Sunday?? Granted that NCAA regular season basketball is a nameless and faceless sport, usually until March Madness come around but sometimes there are some engaging games on before that. You watch and game at Cameron Indoor at Duke or the Dean Dome in North Carolina and just the atmosphere of the crowd is enough to keep you interested. Yet another reason that we should have the option for ESPN to be shown or optioned in Canada and not have to purchase a specific pay per view NCAA package. Every time this issue comes up.

Best: NHL Center Ice free preview on Bell ExpressVu. Managed to take in 6 games at the same time on the TV Saturday night with the Ottawa game streamed on the Computer at CBC.ca. With the multi screen option that is offered, it gave a nice variety and options without having to change the channel. Sure each frame is a bit small then one might like but being able to see all the games live at the same time is cool. Having the little goal light with real time updates was an added benefit. It is still very sad that it was clearer to watch the Sens game on the computer then on the Standard Def feed on CBC Ottawa.

Worst: There were 2 scary injuries that were suffered by a couple athletes over the weekend. Former Senators goaltender Martin Gerber suffered a serious injury playing for Atlant Mytischi of the KHL. Apparently Gerber was involved in a collision during a game against Vityaz Chekhov and left the ice on a stretcher. He was diagnosed with a compression fracture of one of his cervical vertebra and could be in hospital for two months. Then there was Cowboys defensive stalwart DeMarcus Ware who was carted off the field on a stretcher during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Chargers with a reported sprained neck. He had full movement and gave several hand gestures but was otherwise immobilized for safety reasons. Both are collision games but you never want to see a stretcher on a playing surface.

Week 14 NFL Picks

Last week I clawed my way to a solid 8-8 record. Not great but If this was baseball I would be up for the Hall of Fame. So with that said I will go for a second consecutive .500 or better record this week. Lets see how it goes

Week 13 NFL Picks

After a a 7-9 Week 12 I hope to do just that little bit better and get over that hump and at least switch those numbers around and get up and over that .500 mark. I am beginning to hate the spread more and more every week. I keep getting the short end of the stick and need a good week this week to rebound. Only time will tell.

Grey Cup 2009

Since it is Canada and it is Grey Cup time I will enter my prediction for the game.
Montreal is favoured by 9.5 points. I presume that they should be able to cover this with ease.
The only problem with that is that they always seem to play close games in the Grey Cup regardless of how big a miss match the game looks on paper. Montreal I think will still win but covering the 9.5 is not likely.

The game is in Calgary but the stands will be a sea of green and if anything it is a home game for the Roughriders. Why Montreal is always so good until the Finals then they struggle. Maybe it is that they never have any adversity during the regular season. The East is so bad they they have 1st wrapped up by Thanksgiving.

Either way enjoy this Canadian Tradition. It is the only game of the CFL that most people will watch and that isn't a bad thing.

Week 12 NFL Picks

After Thursday's games hopefully Sunday will provide us with not only better results but closer and better games. The bar has been set pretty low as the Turkey classics were far from that. Football fans deserve some games that are watchable.

With that here are the pics for week 12...fingers crossed.

Thanksgiving Or Football Day?

It may not be as good as a day off but I suppose it is the next best thing. It is that time of the year where the traditional Thursday football games are on the radio during the day. Sure it would be better to be watching the game but there is something to be said for the good ol’ days when the theatre of the mind was where it was at. At least in the NFL there are not two teams in the league with the same name like there was in the CFL for so many years...just imagine listening to a game on the radio and what you hear is " Rough Riders have the ball, here is the snap, there is a fumble Roughriders and the Rough Riders are in a scrum...Roughriders recover". How does your head not explode?

It seems that the majority of the games over the last few years have been stinkers but almost any NFL football is good...even if it is the Lions. The their credit they did try to give the game some hype this year after a good comeback win versus the hapless Browns in a shoot out but even with that it cost them the health of Matt Stafford and there is questions on if he will be able to play. Likely it will end up being Dante Caulpepper and that does not scream exciting game even with the Packers on the other side of the field. Gotta figure that the Pack will be back and on track and take this game with ease.

Then you look at the next game on the sched and after just a horra-awful game last week managing a 1 point victory versus a team they should have pummeled. Playing the Raiders who are coming off an upset themselves should make this game closer then it should be. Only problem with that is that a close game is a far fetch from a good game...especially on the radio so that should prove to be interesting.

In a welcome addition the game on the NFL Network for the more recent 8pm game addition should be the game of the day with the Giants taking on the rapidly falling Denver team. After such a strong and surprising start Kyle Orton and Co. have fallen back to earth and look like the team we thought they were before the season started....a very bad one. Hopefully Eli and the G-Men can light it up, they may be the best bet to see a team move the ball into the opponents end of the field.

So get your Swanson TV Turkey dinner with all the trimmings ready and take thanks for a triple header of football. Happy US Thanksgiving.

Week 11 NFL Picks

This week if an interesting week. Not only for games but of the point spreads that are in play.

A lot of the games have very inflated spreads...9.5 and greater. Of late even the high scoring teams are having trouble covering the high numbers. Some of the better teams seem to be satisfied with just a comfortable win but not going for the big kill and running up the score like they may have earlier in the season. Probably a way to try to keep players healthy as we get closer to the playoffs.

With that said here are this weeks picks!

Home Sweet Dome

Are you a Detroit Lions football fan? Or Want a piece of history? Got $583,000? If so then maybe the Pontiac Silverdome could be for you. Not unlike what Rogers did when they bought the Jays and the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) at a huge discount a Canadian Real Estate company won an auction and are now the proud owners of an old arena with no tenant right now for the price of a decent home, depending on your location.

The Silverdome was the home of the Lions from when it was built in 1975 at a cost of $55.7 million. To put that into perspective, if that were to be built today it would cost in the neighbourhood of $220,000,000. The stadium obtained the name "Silverdome" due to a silver-like reflection caused by the sun, mainly noticed from the sky. The roof was constructed with Teflon-coated fiberglass panels, and supported by air pressure inside the stadium. It remained the teams home until they moved into Ford Field in 2001. The stadium could hold 80,311 for football games..the largest stadium until 1997 when FedEx Field opened. It was also the home of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA from 1978–1988. They then moved to. The Palace of Auburn Hills.

There were many events that were hosted there over the lifespan of the dome, most notably the home of some USFL Teams and various NCAA Bowl games. It did also host four first-round games during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where they used real grass over the Astroturf that they grew on pallets and in between games they would take the grass outside into the sun and would be watered and cared for until the games then brought back in for the matches.
The Silverdome’s largest crowd was on March 29, 1987 for WrestleMania III, with a reported attendance of 93,173. This was followed by an April 30, 1977 concert involving Led Zeppelin with 76,229 in attendance, which at the time narrowly outdid The Who who had 75,962 people.

The dome was recently sold to Canadian investors for the previously mentioned $583,000 which goes to show a) How expensive the upkeep on a venue that size but also the state of not only the economy but the Real Estate Market in Detroit. The new developer intends to use the Silverdome to host Major League Soccer games. A few years back there were proposals of upwards of $19 million to sell a few years ago but those were rejected. In hindsight maybe thy should have taken that offer.

Just Another Classic

Football and Hockey and NASCAR, Oh My!

This weekend marked a great weekend in sports. There was a good lineup on Saturday with a good spread out schedule of hockey beginning with the Sens game at 2pm and ending with the Canucks game at 10pm with the meat in that sandwich being a Calgary victory over the Leafs. Throw into the mix some very good NCAA college football games where USC was made to look like UC Chattanooga versus Stanford where Stanford was accused of running up the score...since when does USC not do the same thing in that situation??? There was alos a Florida game versus The South Carolina Game Cocks where the Chosen One Tim Tebow was playing.

Where things got the most interesting was that Sunday schedule. Granted the quality is going to ramped up when you have the NFL involved but there were some very compelling storylines throughout the day. There were a lot of games that must be classified as surprises. Either teams that should have won but didn’t, teams that had no right being in the game but making things very interesting and a ton of injuries to some very big name key players. Dallas should not have played so poor versus Green Bay, New Orleans should not have had the difficulty with St.Louis.

The two best events of the weekend without a doubt were of the Championship level. If we can get this much excitement come Super Bowl time we as sports fans will be laughing. Jimmie Johnson took his Lowes 48 Chevy Impala to Phoenix International Raceway and took the race, led the most laps and got max points to extend his lead in the race for the Sprint Cup and his 4th Consecutive Championship. With the win Johnson added to his lead over teammate Mark Martin and the 5 Car. What Johnson needs to do now is finish the race in one piece in 25 place or better at Homestead Miami Speedway in the last race of the season. If he is able to do this he will have to be considered one of the greatest of all time.

Now onto the NFL Game of the year. Not since the Patriots were on their run to go undefeated has there been so much hype for any regular season game. Even the Brett Favre-Green Bay game and storyline wasn’t at this level. This was one of the better games you are going to see, either regular or post season. The game from start to finish was entertaining but it had one of the wildest finishes you are going to see.

The Patriots, who were up 6 in the 4th late in the game when Bill Belichick made the decision to go for a 4th and 2 on the thier own 28 or whatever...deep in thier own end anyway. Instead of punting and putting the Colts probably back on thier on 40 yard line or so, they decided to go for it and came up a few inched short when Kevin Faulk bobbled the ball and was knocked back. The Pats have been slammed since then for that decision. "How can you give the ball to Peyton Manning on the 30 and expect to win?? I have to say I can’t say it was the worst thin in the world. If you actually look at the situation it isn’t as bad a call as it would appear at first glance. The Colts were basicly unstoppable in the 4th quarter, the Patriots defence (who played well all game up to that point) were gassed with hands on thier hips and knees and showing signs of being worn out. The Colts had just scored in under a minute and a half and were rolling. Manning was in a rhythem and carving up a tired defence. Many commentators are saying that Belichick’ showed no confidence in his defence and that would be a bad thing in the lockeroom going forward. I don’t see it like that. I think that he showed the ultimate vote of confidence in his franchise and one day Hall of Fame quarterback (with Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk) to pick up 2 yards. What I saw was if you give the NFL MVP the ball anywhere on the field you are going to lose. Like Herm Edwards said " YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!" Tom Brady’s arm gives you the best chance to do that, couple that with a tired defence...why not? Maybe they were saying If we can’t get 2 yards then maybe they don’t deserve to win. They can aford the loss in that divison so the risk reward made it woth it.

It is just like in racing do you race for points and go concervative or do you roll the dice and try to win, even if you run the risk of running out of gas on the back stretch. Sometimes you just have to go for the win.