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Plaxico > Messier?

2008-02-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

There's nothing quite like delivering on a sports guarantee in New York. Congratulations to the '72 Dolphins, you owe the Giants big time. Definitely a rough way for the 18-0 Pats to go down.

It doesn't matter much now, but did you like the way the Giants used their timeouts on that last drive?

Goodell and the Playoff System

2008-02-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

On the eve of the Super Bowl, Roger Goodell announced that the NFL would take a look at tweaking the seeding system for the playoffs. This was Goodell's take:

"The focus that we'll probably give it in the short term would be to look at our seeding process. What we'd like to look at is, if a wild-card team has a record that's better than a division winner, should that give the [home-field] advantage to the wild-card team?"

Doesn't that pretty much make the divisions obsolete? The 12-team playoff isn't nearly as neat and tidy as the previous 10-team system, so a change might be welcome. Perhaps four divisions with a bye for each division winner. The wildcard would be the second and third place division finishers in each division (winner then plays the division champ).

In other words, the first two rounds of the playoffs are contained within your division. It might create some redundant match-ups, but the system is easy to understand and creates massive rivalries. The NHL used to do it that way and that's how a lot of their rivalries were built.

Packers Fan Does the Unthinkable

2008-01-30T04:22:00.000-08:00

I think we all have a suspicion in the back of our mind that says our culture takes sport to seriously. Here is an unfortunate incident that crystalizes that thought. It would be idiotic to blame the NFL for an action that someone who is clearly unbalanced performed. The only take I can get from this is to remember to keep it all in perspective.

"According to police booking sheets, Bormann had been drinking before the murder. Multiple sources tell Action 3 News the drinking coincided with
watching the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants football game. At some
point during the game, Action 3 News sources confirm Bormann became enraged with the Packers' poor play. His anger mixed with alcohol, they say, led him to leave home, go to the Florence neighborhood and randomly kill Brittany Williams."

Packers Fan Murders Woman

The Underdog is Blue, Literally

2008-01-26T07:56:00.000-08:00

The result actually looks a little closer to teal. Interview with the dog link.

The Tom Brady Video

2008-01-22T04:15:00.000-08:00

He looks like he'll be alright to me.

"Ladies can we get a little help carrying this stuff in? I'm a little sore today."

http://www.tmz.com/tmz_main_video?titleid=1386375873

Can the Giants Save Us?

2008-01-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

Eli vs Goliath

It's a typical scene. Someone has decided to host a child's birthday party during the conference championships. So huddled near a couch or kitchen island, there's a group of males not so avertly watching the games and offering commentary that is as least as entertaining as what the network is offering. The one thing you learn in that huddle is that no one outside of Boston likes the Patriots.

There's a host of standard reasons that can be cited -- Belichick is a jerk, their uniforms are disco, "I wish I was Tom Brady," etc. The real reason though is that 18-0 record. America hates the front runner. I suppose it applies in other countries as well -- the universal disdain for a team or athlete that dominates. Here in the USA we were founded on the concept that "all men are created equally,*" so fans may bristle as the mighty Patriots kick around say ... a Dolphin's team that should not even be allowed to utter the digits one, nine, seven and two in any sequence.

So as Super Bowl XLII rolls out the media machine, NFL fans will jump onto the Giants bandwagon. The Patriots can rest easy though. The '72 Dolphins terrorized the NFL and were surely just as hated for their disco uniforms. Time heals all wounds though and history remembers them fondly. Seize the day Pats, but everyone is rooting against you.

*Subtle MLK day reference

San Diego Super Chargers

2008-01-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

Frankly, it's not a very good song ...

Chiefs Fans Don't Seem So Impressed

2008-01-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

The announcement of Chan Gailey as the new offensive coordinator was met with a collective groan in Kansas City. Here's a sample of the reaction:

"Well, at least we didn’t expect an inspired hire. Under King Carl’s rulership, we’ve grown accustomed to stale, predictable, safe and retread hires. Chan Gailey, the Chiefs’ new offensive coordinator, will fit in at Arrowhead Stadium."

Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star

Meanwhile in Miami, expectations have bottomed out:

"So Sparano will be given the time and patience and perspective that a Dolphins leader never gets. Mathematically, he can't be worse than what we just endured, so just about anything he does early will be viewed as improvement. He represents hope and change and has that lovely new-coach smell. Never mind that he is an anonymous no-name, and we have no earthly idea if he will be any good at this. The best thing about his flimsy résumé is what isn't on it. There is no 1-15."

Dan Le Batard, Miami Herald

Hat tip on the Dolphin's story: thephinsider.com

Tony Romo After the Game

2008-01-14T04:39:00.000-08:00

"They both suck."

Romo compares this year's playoff loss to the 2007 loss

Real Football

2008-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

The Patriots win, records are broken. Yawn. A snowstorm playoff game at Green Bay -- awesome. Nothing takes you back to your old neighborhood football games like an NFL snow game. The highlight was Brett Favre spinning out of sack off balance and nearly stumbling into a front somersault late in the first half. With his head down, you could tell even he thought he was going to eat some snow. Wrong, he recovered just enough to glance up field whip it underhanded to convert a third down play. The Packers score on the next play and really, it's pretty much over. An amazing play by a guy that you really wonder how he's still out there.

8 Teams: 8 Questions

2008-01-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

New York Giants
Will Jessica be at the game?

Jacksonville Jaguars
So, are the Pats any good this year?

New England Patriots
Why can’t the BCS work for the NFL?

Dallas Cowboys
Will Jessica be at the game?

Green Bay Packers
Who wants the ball and who’s gonna score?

Seattle Seahawks
What's the forecast?

Indianapolis Colts
Who is the best quarterback in the NFL?

San Diego Chargers
Defense wins championships, right?

Wild Card Sunday Slide Show with Casio SoundTrack

2008-01-07T04:33:00.000-08:00

Seahawks Defense Delivers Against the Skins

2008-01-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Seattle 35, Washington 14
The score didn't show it, but this was a defensive war. The Redskins struggled all day to consistently move the ball. Portis was a marked man and the Washington receivers took turns dropping catches in the first half. Seattle was workman-like all day and built a 13-0 lead. They controlled the game , but a few twists in the plot led to a quick couple of TDs for Washington and a 14-13 lead. That was that though. Seattle responded with a TD drive, then Todd Collins started raining pick sixes.

Thoughts:
--Seattle's D is tough
--Hasselbeck picks really bad times to be off target
--Collinsworth and his buddy were right, the Redskins were running on emotion and the tank finally went empty
--Seahawks travel to Green Bay next Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff

Rebuilding the Chiefs

2008-01-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

We should be talking playoffs right now, but I had to jam this one in. It sure seems like Mike Shula would be the perfect choice for O-Coordinator in Kansas City. However, if I was Mike I would flat out refuse to sign on with that staff. Still, it'll be interesting to see if they make a run at him.

Most compelling match-up today: Skins/Seahawks. Washington is quite a story right now.

Titans and Redskins Claim Final Spots

2007-12-31T06:41:00.000-08:00

Tennessee and Washington both earned playoff berths yesterday. The Redskins look like the best team in the NFC right now, but the VY quad injury certainly makes you wonder about how much noise the Titans can generate in January. We'll find out about the 'Skins real quick as they are out of the gate first next Saturday:

Saturday:
Washington @ Seattle 4:30 p.m. EST (NBC)
Jacksonville @ Pittsburg 8:00 p.m. EST (NBC)

Sunday:
Giants @ Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m. EST (FOX)
Tennessee @ San Diego 4:30 p.m . EST (CBS)

Games That Matter

2007-12-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

AFC

Titans @ Colts Sunday, 8:15 p.m. EST (NBC)
Although they could also get in with a tie or a Cleveland loss, the Titans might just want go ahead and win so it feels nice.

49ers @ Browns Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST (FOX)
Cleveland will be hoping that the Colts try to make a go of it in Indianapolis. The Browns need to win at home against the 5-10 Niners plus root for the horseshoe team versus the Titaniacs. By the way, Joe Montana ain't walkin' through that door.

NFC

Cowboys @ Redskins Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST (FOX)
Vikings @ Broncos Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EST (FOX)
Saints @ Bears Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST (FOX)

Redskins win and they are in. The Vikings need to win and have the Washington squad lose. For the Saints it's so easy, just win and hope both the Vikings and Redskins lose. Good times.

BONUS

Patriots @ Giants Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST (NFL Network, CBS, NBC)
"The Game That Doesn't Mean Anything Yet Means Everything"

NFL Network vs NHL Network

2007-12-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

I've been an NHL fan for most of my adult life. I watched that league bottom out after creating a nice niche in the mid-nineties. After ditching ESPN, the NHL seemed to fall off the face of the planet. However, now that the NHL Network popped up on my Time Warner digital tier (it was already part of my sports package, so no extra cost to me), I'm quickly getting back in touch with the NHL scene. NHL On the Fly is a genius move for the league in that it gives you the two-minute game highlights in chronological order and then a game breakdown/analysis. In 30 minutes, I'm up to date with the entire night's action.

So, the NHL is really just a speck compared to the NFL behemoth, but I look at the battle that rages on with Time Warner and the NFL Network and I can't help but think that the NFL just needs to roll that bad boy out. Sure, you get all the NFL coverage you need from about 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning until 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, but what about the long lost Miami Dolphins fan that grew up in Kansas. Maybe, he lost track of the NFL when he went to college and started to get a feel for the NCAA game. He's not going to buy the high-priced NFL package to follow a 1-15 fish squad, but maybe he could re-connect with his old team if he could get into the one-hour game replays that the NFL Network airs.

The NFL reigns supreme, so I suppose it doesn't matter either way, but if they're looking to recapture little pockets of lost fans, just getting that network out there might be the thing to do.

Dolphin Disaster

2007-12-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

The game was never close. New England seemed to lose interest after marching out to a 28-0 lead. Still, Miami doesn't look that far away from being a competitive team. The receiving corps drops a lot of balls, but Cleo Lemon shows some escapability. You'd like to see him be a little more intelligent with his running game. He could have dove for the pylon on the fourth down play, plus on the play action roll out he could have jogged in after a pass fake. Instead, he throws it in the dirt. Still, for the most part, he looked on target. The Phins could use at least one go-to receiver.

On defense, they need to upgrade in the middle. The had a pretty good game plan for the Pat's passing game. Letting Maroney run wild killed them. If the Big Tuna can find a few spare parts, Miami could move to respectable pretty quick.

NFL Sunday Countdown

2007-12-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

After watching this morning's show, I'm wondering if the guys on NFL Sunday Countdown think the Cowboys should start focusing on the game?