House Lighter In The Wallet

Eddie House of the Miami Heat is a little lighter in the wallet after what the NBA called an "obscene" gesture. House made the 'big balls' gesture after nailing a key three pointer in the Heat's win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.



While I do think the fine is excessive, I don't remember House doing things like this while he was at Arizona State.

A Viola Grows In Brooklyn

I haven't heard the name Frank Viola in years. Even when I think of the Minnesota Twins his isn't thefirst name to come up. He was a long time Twin and tormented my beloved Tigers for years. He was one of the best pitchers in the American League and won a Cy Young in 1988. He was one of the main cogs when the Twins won the World Series in 1987.

After retiring in 1996 you didn't hear much of him. He has resurfaced again as the new pitching coach for the  Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Mets Class A outfit. Before that he was coaching high scholl ball in Orlando, Florida and doing some work for Red Sox broadcasts.

"We are excited to welcome our new staff to MCU Park," said Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen. "It's a wonderful thing to have a Cy Young Award winner like Frank Viola guiding our young pitchers, and we look forward to a great 2011 season with all of our coaches."


The Mets are betting there will be some "Sweet Music" in Brooklyn.

Quote of the week: Norman Chad

Columnist Norman Chad on when the Chicago Bears brought in Caleb Hanie, who nearly saved their season.

"I immediately Googled 'Caleb Hanie', and it said, 'Who'? I'm not even certain a Hanie was on the Bears roster when the game began."    

No one is ever familiar with the third string quarterback. 

Durant Has Some Harsh Words For Bosh

You don't hear too much about Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant trash talking anyone. He just goes out and plays. Until Miami's Chris Bosh decided he wanted to get in his business then it was on. He called Bosh one of the "fake tough guys" in the NBA. And he added more than that. Durant got a rare technical foul for jawing with Bosh.

“I was talking to my teammate and he decided he wanted to put his 2 cents into it. I’m a quiet guy, a laid-back guy, but I’m not going to let nobody talk trash to me. He’s on a good team now, so he thinks he can talk a little bit,” Durant said. There’s a lot of fake tough guys in this league and he’s one of them.”

Bosh had interrupted a conversation between him and teammate James Harden.

“I think he was telling Harden to dunk on me, or dunk the next one,” Bosh said before giving a cleaned-up version of the exchange. “I expressed that, `No, he’s not going to dunk that.’ And he expressed, `Yes, he is.’ It just kind of went back and forth.”


Bosh has never been a tough guy and needs to just go out and continue being the third wheel. I like Bosh but he's trying to pull some of that Kevin Garnett stuff and that isn't him. Durant had more for Bosh.

“I’m no punk. I wasn’t even talking to him, first off. He decided to butt in and I’m not going to just let that slide, especially in our house,” Durant said. “Like I said, he’s not one of those guys that I look at and say, `Oh, he has a rep for talking back to guys or always getting into it.’


“No, he’s a nice guy. He’s not one of those guys, so I’m not going to let that type of person say something to me like that.”

Me and some friends at work had this conversation before and concluded that there are very few tough guys in the league. When you see an NBA fight they miss punches at point blank range. I don't advocate violence but damn, I think I'd be willing to take one of them on as long as it wasn't Kenyon Martin or Nate Robinson.

Bosh needs to quit the tough guy act because he's far from an enforcer.    

Penny Is Ready To Roll

After an injury plagued 2010, the newest Detroit Tiger, Brad Penny, wants a chance to prove that he's healthy and ready to go. The Tigers better hope he's healthy because that's when Penny is at his best. I know baseball is the ultimate team game, but it all starts with pitching. If the stars align right and everyone stays healthy the Tigers will have as good a staff as any. As spring training rolls around Penny is slated to be the number five starter. He might be the best number five starter in the league, if he's healthy.

Penny says he had offers from other teams, but the Tigers gave him the best chance to compete for a starting spot and he also felt the Tigers had a chance to win. Penny has been on a World Series winner and would like to get a shot at another one.

“I had some offers from teams that I didn’t think were able to compete,” Penny said. “I would have been more in a role of teaching young kids how to go about business, but I’m at a point where I want to win.”

“I was leaning towards Detroit most of the time, but I had a few offers that I had to consider."

Penny matches up well with other fifth starters in the American League and everyone knows that there aren't too many fifth starters with Penny's credentials. Sure he had a rough time in is first stint in the American League. But I think pitching in Comerica Park will help him out.

That's good for the Tigers since they had an obvious need for a number five starter. And Penny wants to prove he still has something left and isn't simply playing for a contract.  

Flacco Calls The Jim Zorn Firing A Personal Attack

When a coach is fired it's usually an indictment on how the coaches planning or teachings translate to the playing field, not the players themselves. If so there would be a whole lot of professional athletes out of work. Like any Detroit Lions or Los Angeles Clippers team. Apparently Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco doesn't think so. Flacco is pretty angry about the firing of his quarterbacks coach and feels it's a personal attack on his performance.


"I'm not happy about it, and they know I'm not happy about it," the third-year quarterback said.

"I also feel like a little bit like I'm being attacked," Flacco said. "You fire the quarterback coach. Usually when your fire a position coach, it's because you're not really happy with how that position did. And when I look back on my season and our season as a team, I mean, we won 13 games. I felt like I had a pretty good year and you're firing the quarterback coach? It's kind of an attack on me, I feel like."


"I'm not going to be happy about it, for a long time," he said. "This year will be what it is. We're going to be successful this year. I would have just liked him to be a part of it. He would have liked to be a part of it. And I think it would have been good for him to be a part of it.


"I think Jim was a great coach, I think he was great for our team. I think he was great for me. That's how I feel about it."

Joe, if it were a personal attack against you, you would be cut today. It's not though and you shouldn't take it as such. I know that sometimes players and coaches form a bond and they work well together, and that's probably what happened in this case. Flacco and Zorn had that kind of bond. Being a former quarterback in the NFL, Zorn's teaching probably went over well with Flacco and he probably taught him more than I'll ever know about the sport. I guess the Ravens didn't feel the same way about Zorn as Flacco did. He was there for only one season so I figure there was room to grow.

My guess is that there had to be some philosophical difference between Zorn, head coach John Harbaugh, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. There was a seven hour meeting of the minds and Zorn was questioned about his handling of Flacco. Alledgedly Harbaugh is going to give more playcalling control to Cameron. Behind those closed doors there had to be some disagreement. Harbaugh probably should've asked Flacco how he felt about it and came to a conclusion. But that's not how it works in professional sports.

Flacco had one of his best years statistically, and this is what happens to one of the coaches responisble for it.

Fernando Vargas To Attempt A Comeback

Fernando Vargas is the latest boxer to attempt a comeback after a three year layoff. Personally I think he should stay retired. The motivation is unknown, although there is plenty of suspicion that he's fighting for the money. Translation, he's broke. I won't go that far because I don't know his situation, it's just what I've read on lots of message boards and you take with a grain of salt.

I believe this is a bad move. He thinks it's a good one. He still feels he can compete at a championship level and eventually win another world title. Of course that remains to be seen. He'll be facing Henry Buchanan on April 16 in Las Vegas. I don't know much about Buchanan (20-2, 13 KO's), except that he went the distance with titlist Andre Ward. I don't think that's going to be much of a measuring stick if he expects to be in the title mix. The only thing that'll be able to tell is if he still has any skills left after three years. If he looks good and stops Buchanan or at least is dominant he might can get a fight against a name opponent that can boost him back into contention. If not, it'll be a long climb back and he'll be a name fighter that gets beat by up and comers.

Vargas has been training with Floyd Mayweather Sr. lately and is down to 187 pounds after hitting 270 on the scales. He fought mostly at 154 pounds and that seemed to be a problem since he always had trouble making weight. That was something he cited in losses to Shane Mosley and Oscar De La  Hoya and was a reason he left the fight game.

"I was tired of these guys never fighting me unless it was at 154," Vargas said. "Oscar [De La Hoya], Shane [Mosley] -- none of them would fight me if it wasn't at 154. I was always crunching down my body and not eating."


Vargas (26-5, 22 KO's) will act as his own promoter and will only book fights and 168 pounds. Knowing about his weight problems, he'd be better off moving up to light heavyweight. Vargas was an entertaining fighter, but didn't know when to back away from a punch. I hope for the best for him but I think it's best he stayed in retirement. Vargas lost most of his fights in entertaining but brutal fashion. After a three year layoff he'll have to shake off a lot of rust and that could possibly lead to another bad loss for Vargas that could finish him for good.

Verlander Needs To Get Off To A Quick Start

One of the keys to the Detroit Tigers' season is the success of Justin Verlander. That's fairly obvious to anyone who watches the game of baseball. What Verlander needs to do in particular, is get off to a good start. That's something this team is going to need from their number one starter. If that happens the Tigers can surprise early.

In the past Verlander has struggled early. Not where he can't get the ball over the plate, but he ges knocked around a bit early in the season. I don't have the stats sitting here in front of me, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. He gets some early wins but not enough for others to doubt his status as the staff ace. His record usually hovers around .500 for his first six to eight starts before he hits a midseason run where he looks unbeatable before looking kinda ordinary toward the end of the year. He has Cy Young stuff and ability, he just needs more consistency from end to end.

Verlander is clearly the key to the rotation. If he can battle hard enough the offense will get him enough run support. I don't doubt his ability to be a top of the line starter, sometimes he makes me wonder though. I still feels like he has his moments where he wants to dial it up and try to blow everyone away. He's been around long enough to know that's not the way to pitch. If he wants to be in the Cy Young conversation, he has to get rid of that mentality. I'm not saying abandon the bread and butter fastball. Just don't rely on it to get you out of a jam. You gotta let the players behind you make plays sometimes. I know, for the Tigers that might be a stretch since some of the players in the field are better suited to a beer league. But you just can't  keep pumping fastballs over the plate. Verlander is good. The rest of the staff is good. But they can be a whole lot better and having Verlander off to a quick start may be the key early on.

It's Good To Be Picked Last

Usually when someone gets picked last in a game on the playground, or anywhere else for that matter, is a bad thing. Except if your the Toronto Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel. Kessel received a car for being picked last with the 36th pick in the first NHL fantasy draft for the All Star Game.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward was the first pick by Team Staal, teammate Eric Staal. Kessel was picked by Team Lidstrom, captained by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. If I knew that hockey paid well and gave away cars I would've took up the sport as a kid.    

Favorite Moments From Super Bowls Past

More of my favorite moments from past Super Bowls.

Super Bowl XVI- San Francisco vs. Cincinnati. This was called the "Cinderella Super Bowl" since both teams came out of nowhere to get here. The best moment was the 49ers epic goal line stand.




Even though the Niners were ahead 20-7, this more than likely saved the game.

Super Bowl XVII- I wasn't the biggest Redskins fan but you gotta give John Riggins' run against the Dolphins some credit.


 

Sam Young Scores At Wrong Basket

For the second time this year an NBA player has had a hand at giving away two points. First it was Darko on a jumpball and now this.

The Memphis Grizzlies' Sam Young tried to grab a missed shot by the Philadelphia 76ers Louis Williams. The ball caromed off of his hand and went through the basket.

Sexting At Syracuse

I figure if your a coach in any sport, college or pro, men or women, you're married and have a family. I suppose you also have morals and wouldn't do anything to short change your family. Unless your Syracuse women's basketball coach Quentin Hillsman, alledgedly.

Former Orange player Lynnae Lampkins has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Hillsman. Hillsman was accused with inappropiate touching and texting which made her feel uncomfortable. I guess that would make a young woman feel uncomfortable. I don't know if this was the only player or to what extent this went to, but I feel that is something that could've been handled internally.

Lampkins told the USA Today that Hillsman would "slap butts and chest bump" and that "made her feel uncomfortable". She also says that Hillsman sent her a text message over the summer that read “I love you, I miss you, I can’t wait to see you.”


Syracuse conducted an investigation and says they find no substance to the allegations so no action will be taken against Hillsman. It looks like Q-Hill will be sticking around for a while.

Hillsman released a statement from the school. "This allegation is untrue and hurtful to me and my family. I have coached hundreds of student-athletes and never faced an accusation such as this. Specifically, the student has expressed concerns regarding a text message and conduct by me that occurred on the court. I utilize text messaging to communicate with our players and staff and the text in question was sent to multiple players and reflects my sentiments about the team, not a specific player."


If Hillsman wants to keep this from happening he shouldn't put himself in any kind of position that may be questioned.

Pacman Calls Fisher/Titans Divorce 'Dumbest Move Ever'

You would think that when Adam 'Pacman' Jones has something to say that it would be a bunch of garbage. However in this instance I can actually see where he's coming from. Jones seemed to be shocked when he heard that Jeff Fisher and the Tennessee Titans had a mutual parting of the ways. Jones spoke on their relationship and how Fisher tried to make him a better peron.

“I heard they fired Coach Fisher,” said Adam “Pacman” Jones, “and I was like, ‘What?! We had kind of a father-son relationship, he was hard on me, but he let me know he was there for me."

I guess a lot of people never knew about how Fisher tried hard to keep Jones on the right track and had some kind of special kinship.

"He never turned his back on me,” said Jones. “He came to my house several times. I could go to him and talk to him about anything. And I did. I got to a point in Tennessee where I ran out of options on my own and I turned to him. Coach Fisher was a great person. Great about caring, great about calling. Can’t get any better than him."

Wow, Jones actually respected Fisher. This I never imagined, probably because of all the off-field problems Jones had, there was the idea that Jones respected no one.

“I have no idea why they [fired him],” he says. “It’s gotta be the dumbest move ever. But that’s how they do things in Tennessee. It can be very weird down there. I still can’t believe it. But you know, things happen. I guess they fired me.”


Very insightful and kinda surprising considering the character he's exhibited in the past. I know I was also surprised when I heard that Fisher was stepping down. I look for him to take a Bill Cowher type of abscene adn wind up on one of the studio shows.







 

Snow Job

Usually when there's a major snowstorm, such as the one pounding the east coast, things get cancelled. School activities, meetings, postal service, basketball games. Except in the case of the Towson/George Mason game.

The Towson basketball team was caught in traffic for 10 hours and missed the scheduled 7 p.m. tipoff against George Mason. Officials delayed the game for a 9 p.m. start and Towson's team bus moved a mere 10 yards in that time frame.  The Tigers arrived in Manassas, Va. around 1 a.m. There goes a good night's sleep. So they played the game today. Towson fell to George Mason 84-58 in a game that should've been rescheduled.

Director of athletic communications Pete Schlehr believed that leaving at 3 p.m. for the 70 mile drive was sufficient enough time to beat the forces of nature. He was wrong about that and having federal workers released two hours early didn't help their cause.

The Colonial Athletic Association didn't think it was enough time either. The league figured the school should've taken a more proactive stance with their travel plans. The Tigers were reprimanded for missing tipoff.

“While everyone understands travel complications with winter storms, there is no evidence that any consideration was made by Towson to adjust their normal travel plans to account for the anticipated problems,” CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager said in a statement.


What Mr. Yeager forgets are that these kids are student athletes. I know they really aren't, but that's what they'll tell us. They have to get everyone on the same page for travel and 3 p.m. seemed sufficient. So you reprimand them because they were snowed in by the forces of nature. That just doesn't add up to me. Weather forecasts are wrong all the the time and the snow probably hit sooner than expected. But you're the commish which makes you right.

Coach Pat Kennedy provided the comic relief. He thought it would be smart to lay under a bus tire thinking it would help gain traction to a highway ramp. That was a bad idea as the bus remained stuck and Kennedy's coat was torn to pieces. At least the players took everyhting in stride.

Rip Hamilton Out With The Flu. Really?

Richard Hamilton is sidelined for yet another Detroit Pistons game, this time for the flu. Is it really the flu or would there be some extra fireworks considering Hamilton's friend and longtime backcourt mate Chauncey Billups rolls into town with the Denver Nuggets tonight.

I find the flu thing quasi legit. I would never question one's health. But if you add sit back and add up everything it looks kind of fishy to me. Coach John Kuester and Hamilton haven't been the best of friends and Rip has been riding oak for over a week. The benching was thought to be a result of a trade that never materialized between the Pistons, Nuggets, and New Jersey Nets. Now he's just sitting there with a $12 million price tag and no takers.

I'm baffled as to why Hamilton 's not playing. Although I do feel they need to play their younger players and take their lumps, but he's clearly one of the Pistons' better players and in the NBA you play your best players to win. I agree with Billups' comment that it's disrespectful. Hamilton is someone that helped the franchise to the mountain top and this is his reward? I don't get it. Is this an edict from Joe Dumars? Or has Kuester had enough of Hamilton and won't play him at all. I don't think Dumars would give Kuester such an order. With the way things are going they're going to have to get rid of Rip for a bobsled.

As far as tonight's game goes, I have a feeling Hamilton was told to stay away. With Billups playing major minutes on the court, I think it would've been highly likely that Hamilton would've blown up. It has to be eating him up inside and to his credit he's been above it. It would've hurt him to see his good friend on the court while he's rotting away on the bench. This is puzzling and I'll be tuned in to see what happens.

A Follow Up To Larry Johnson's Tea Party

Here's the commercial for the sweet tea that Larry Johnson has a hand in marketing.

Barkley's Not With The Criticism Of Cutler

With everyone criticizing the exit of Jay Cutler after the NFC Championship game, Charles Barkley was not going to hop on that wagon. Barkley was highly critical of players that voiced their displeasure with Cutler on Twitter.

Barley was on the Waddle & Silvy show on ESPN 1000 and had this to say about all the criticism directed at Cutler.

"I was mad at the players, to be honest with you," Barkley said Tuesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "I think it was inappropriate and wrong to question a guy's heart. Now reporters, they're going to do what they want to. They're entitled to their opinion. But as players, I don't think it's appropriate to question another guy's heart."



"That crosses the line, because you don't know. If you go back and start looking at all the stuff that's been said, and clearly one of the more vocal critics was Maurice Jones-Drew, and then you find out he missed the last two games with a bad knee. And he was really the first guy who crucified Jay. You have to be careful, because in the two most important games of the year, he sat out with a bad knee. And then it really makes him look like an idiot now. I just think it's inappropriate," Barkley said. "It's fair to criticize guys when they don't play well, but it's 100 percent unfair to criticize guys ... if a guy says he's hurt, you have to respect that."

The only problem Barkley had with Cutler is that he wasn't giving pointers to third stringer Caleb Hanie.

"I was very disappointed that he wasn't standing beside that young kid," Barkley said. "I was very disappointed he wasn't there trying to work with that young kid. There were a couple of shots of them on the sideline, with [Hanie] looking at pictures, and [Cutler] was just disengaged. That's a fair criticism."


That's the same thing I was critical of Cutler for. He displayed bad body language and looked uninterested in the game. I wouldn't go too far in questioning his heart or the MCL injury, even though there was a report that said Cutler took the stairs at Soldier Field after the game. This is going to be a story that won't go away anytime soon. That's unfortunate for Cutler.  





 

Larry Johnson's Tea Party

Ex-New York Knick and Charlotte Hornet, Larry Johnson, will soon be peddling some sweet tea. Hey, at least he's doing something with that fine UNLV, Jerry Tarkanian sponsored education.

Me and my co-workers still talk about how much game LJ had until his back went out. I still maintain that his back went out went he got rid of his gold tooth.

Anyway, the beverage comes from Hall of Fame beverages and gives it this description:

Grand Ma Ma Sweet Southern Tea ® ― Inspired by the sweet tea from his childhood in Texas and from the famous character created in his series of commercials for Converse, Larry will be introducing the Grandmama’s Sweet Southern Tea in the coming months. This line of flavored teas is currently in development and will come in sweetened natural flavors reminiscent of the cool refreshment from hot summer afternoons sitting on the porch at Grandmama’s house.



Nobody makes iced tea the way your Grandmama makes it!!

Maybe this will keep LJ in the public's consciusness.

Party Hard

Even though the New York Jets weren't victorious, a couple of their players acted like they had won and partied the night away. This further proves that there is never a dull moment for the Jets, even when they lose.

Sanchez and Edwards reportedly shut down Chelsea's Juliet Supper Club, after arriving at 3 a.m. I know I was thinking about my day job around that time. Sanchez was seen being pimpish, talking to the bartender, described as a "gorgeous South American girl, busty with long, dark-reddish hair. They were knocking down shots and chatting until closing time.

Meanwhile, Edwards was big timing it, buying a bottle an $1,100 bottle of Ace of Spades and tequila shots for his table. I would've settled for some MD 20/20 and a Colt 45. His bill came to $2,500. He needs to spend a little wiser considering the labor situation. Hey, it's his money and who am I to tell him how to spend it. Edwards also got in some time at the DJ booth and told the crowd  "the Jets will be back next season and will go all the way to the Super Bowl."

Well Braylon, the Jets might be back but you might not, since you are a free agent.

Even though Sanchez talked to the bartender all night, he left alone but they did exchange numbers. Edwards left the scene in a chauffered Escalade. Even though they didn't make it to the Super Bowl, Sanchez and Edwards partied like champions.   
  

My Favorite Moments From Super Bowls Past

I'll be posting my personal favorite moments from past Super Bowls over the next few days. For some reason I watch these highlights year after year. If there are any you have leave a comment. I'm sure everyone won't agree with mine.



Super Bowl XIII- My uncle was and still is a Steelers fan, therefore I was one. I still enjoy this action packed game, as the Steelers capitalized on Dallas miscues. I have a lot of moments from this game. I still enjoy the clincher.



There was also the Jackie Smith drop and the most disputed pass interference call in Super Bowl history called on Benny Barnes. The drop is around the 3:00 mark.





Super Bowl XIV- Another game I can still watch. I loved the two long Stallworth catches. I still think Stallworth was a better receiver than Swann, and a lot of people will debate me on that.



Stallworth caught another long bomb later which set up the final touchdown.





 

Pick A Towel, Any Towel

The producer of the Pittsburgh Steelers 'Terrible Towel' has a split loyalty in the upcoming Super Bowl.

Wisconsin towelmaker McArthur Towel and Sports has been making Terrible Towels for years. Now it wants to make one for Packers, since company president Gregg McArthur is a devoted Packers fan.

My suggestion is to churn out as many towels as you can and watch the money roll in. You can't miss on this business oppurtnity.   

Greg Schiano Is A Dictator

In my eyes, the shine has worn off of Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano. Just a few years ago he was one of if not the hottest name among college coaches. He revived a wayward Rutgers program and has led them to more bowls than they could've imagined and he's done it the right way. He's had a couple of sub par seasons and I think it may be time for a change of scenery. If you ask me, I think he's waiting for Joe Paterno to retire so he can take the Penn State job, of course that's no guarantee.

What's not helping his reputation right now is the handling of the Tom Savage situation. Savage was a highly recruited quarterback out of Pennsylvania. Savage didn't exactly light it up during his time at Rutgers and was being yanked in and out of the starting lineup. With all that yo-yo'ing going on, Savage figured he'd had enough and decided to transfer. Here's where Schiano is screwing up. He's limiting Savage's options on where he can transfer. If he was going to transfer within the Big East, I would understand. Savage has looked at Miami, and they do have warm, fuzzy feelings for each other. Schiano on the other hand says he can't go to Miami. Or Florida, Florida State, or Michigan. All schools outside the Big East.

What is Schiano worried about? It's not like the guy is going to come back and haunt him. Savage's dad, Tom Savage Sr. is appealing Schiano's methods. He's not too thrilled about the foolishness Schiano is pulling.

"I don't understand how one person can be dictator over your son's future," Savage Sr. said of Schiano. "I know they recruit Florida, but the ones that want to go to Rutgers are going to go to Rutgers. … It's just wrong. I will talk to a lawyer.''


I have to agree with Mr. Savage. Schiano has no justification to deny Savage to transfer to Miami or anywhere else, especially when a school resides outside of your conference. This is one battle Schiano is sure to lose. 

Cutler Blasted Via Twitter

Jay Cutler hasn't won anyone over in the court of public opinion. While his teammates said all the right things about Cutler's toughness after the NFC Championship game, there were others that questioned him. Cutler left the game with a knee injury and it was debateable whether he was actually hurt or milking it.

Here's all the tweets from others who have played the game or are still playing.

  RT @markschlereth: As a guy how had 20 knee surgeries you'd have to drag me out on a stretcher to Leave a championship game! #justsaying






RT @RealSkipBayless: I can't wait to talk about Jay Cutler tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern, ESPN2. Clay Matthews just said they made him quit.





RT @ddockett: If I'm on chicago team jay cutler has to wait till me and the team shower get dressed and leave 


Knee-gate in Chicago



lAnthony Armstrong


MrArmstrong13


Its hard to know, but it def looked like it. RT @LSUFAN869: @LanceMoore16 Cutler gave up wouldn't you say?


LanceMoore16

I'm no fan of twitter, so I think they could've went public with this. I don't think the Cutler bashing is over by any means.

West Virginia Player Leaves Game

This is something you'd expect from the NBA not college basketball. West Virginia backup forward Dan Jennings left the game during the Mountaineers win over South Florida.

I find it strange that someone on scholarship would pull this kind of stunt, especially playing for Bob Huggins. Being a fan of Cincinnati when Huggins was there, he probably had a good reason to have Jennings sitting on the bench. Huggins called the absence "unexcused".

Jennings was dressed for the game but didn't play today. He appeared in 14 games and averaged 2 points and 2.5 rebounds. That included four starts. Like I said, knowing Huggins there was a reason he wasn't playing. I guess he felt he should be getting more time, but isn't that the case with everyone?

You know Huggins had his usual "candid" response ready when asked about Jennings. "Unexcused, inexcusable. Never to be seen again, I guess.”


You know Huggs, quick and to the point. I would guess that he probably won't be returning to the team anytime soon, but Huggins has been known to give players second chances.

Quote Of The Week: Tony Kornheiser

I'm not a fan of what Tony Kornheiser has to say, but this was pretty clever. Here's what he had to say about NASCAR's Tony Stewart.

"He's (Stewart) been in more fights in the last two years than Floyd Mayweather Jr." 

Thing is, he's actually right sinceFloyd has been fighting the law more than anything recently.

My Favorite Moments From Super Bowls Past

I'll be posting my personal favorite moments from past Super Bowls over the next few days. For some reason I watch these highlights year after year. If there are any you have leave a comment. I'm sure everyone won't agree with mine.




Jack Tatum's big hit in Super Bowl XI- You know Jack had to get one of these in the big game.
 




Butch Johnson's touchdown catch in Super Bowl XII- If this game were played today this would be no catch. But this isn't horseshoes and hand grenades.

Worst Performances In The NFC Championship Game

Even Staubach had some bad playoff performances

These are some of the worst performances in the history of the NFC Championship game. Mind you it can be in a win or loss.

John Brodie, San Francisco 49ers- 1971 NFC Championship. The 49ers defense played well, but Brodie was unable to hold up his end as he went 14-30 for 184 yards and 3 interceptions. Dallas' Roger Staubach didn't fare any better as he went a pedestrian 9-18 for 103 yards but was on the winning side of the ledger.

Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys-1972 NFC Championship. For all the greatness Staubach had he came up woefully short against Washington this game. He was 9-20 for 98 yards, mirroring his performance of the year before against San Francisco. The rushing game stalled out also, leaving Staubach to carry the Cowboys.

Roger Staubach- 1973 NFC title game. Staubach was just as bad in this game against Minnesota, as he tossed 4 interceptions in this one at home. Listen Cowboys fans, I'm not dogging Staubach but it is what it is when you see those horrific stat lines.

Ron Jaworski- 1975 NFC title game. Look here, a Jaworski choke job similar to Super Bowl XV.  11-22, 147 yards and two picks says enough. Lawrence McCutcheon deserves this spot as well for his 11 carry, 10 yard game. Overall it looks like a collective choke job.

Pat Haden- 1976 NFC title game. No wonder the Rams went through a revolving door of quarterbacks in the 1970's. Haden was 9-22, 161 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. I see why the Rams couldn't make it to the Super Bowl because their quarterbacks gagged in the game before it. The great Fran Tarkenton wasn't great in this game either, but his defense bailed him out.

Bob Lee, Minnesota Vikings, 1977 NFC championship. Who? Yeah same thing I thought. 14-31, 158 yards and an interception. Probably never to be heard from again after this game. By the way, did anyone ever throw for more than 250 yards in any of these games.

Vince Ferragamo and Pat Haden, Los Angeles Rams, 1978 NFC Championship. This was a joint effort right here, as the whole team crumbled around these two. Ferragamo was 7-16, for 130 yards and 2 interceptions. Haden was worse. He went 7-19, 76 yards and 3 interceptions. The Rams were blown out after the game was scoreless at halftime. Once again the team as a whole should be held accountable, but it wasn't the defense that threw five picks.

Tampa Bay's passing game, 1979 NFC title game. 5-27, 96 yards, and one interception among three players. Doug Williams was the starter so he gets the brunt of the blame here. He was 2-13, for 12 yards and one interception. It's still hard to believe that the Buccaneers were one game away from the Super Bowl.

Danny White, Dallas Cowboys, 1980 NFC Championship. White didn't make anyone forget about Roger Staubach. In three NFC title games he came up short. He was woefully bad, going 12-31, 127 yards and an interception. Ron Jaworski didn't put up great numbers himself, it was the Eagles defense that carried him, not the other way around.

Dieter Brock and Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams, 1985 NFC title game. Dickerson and Brock couldn't get anything going on this cold day at Soldier Field. In fairness, no one really got off on the Bears that year as this was one of the greatest defenses of all time.

Chicago Bears, 1989 NFC Championship. The Bears were favored to beat the San Francisco 49ers and managed to pull one of the biggest gag jobs in NFC title game history.

Jim Everett and the Rams receivers, 1990 NFC Championship. This game was the beginning of the end for Everett as he, Flipper Anderson and Henry Ellard pulled a disappearing act against the 49ers. Everett tossed three interceptions in the loss. He was 16-36 with 141 yards.

Minnesota Vikings, 2001 NFC Championship. The Vikings as a whole seemed uninspired and looked like they were going through the motions. Sometimes I forget this game was even played since Minnesota decided they didn't want to show up.

Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles, 2004 NFC Championship. McNabb was terrible on this day and the near misses and Super Bowl loss haunts McNabb to the day. McNabb made Carolina Panthers corner Ricky Manning a lot of money that day, tossing three picks to the aforementioned. McNabb hasn't been able to shake the stigma of being a gag artist in big games.

Tigers Dance Off

During Tigerfest, pitcher Jose Valverde and shortstop Ramon Santiago had a dance contest. The final result was that Valverde ended up the winner.

Scott Warmed Up For Post-Game Interview

Before his epic post game interview with the network's Sal Paolantonio, New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott was jawing with the New England Patriots mascot.

Scott says he was "actually cussing out the Patriots mascot, the one with the big chin", telling him to "go home and drink some Sam Adams".

With the Jets it's always something.  

Worst Performances In The AFC Championship Game

The poster boy of this subject.

Based on stats or otherwise, these are some of the worse performances in the AFC championship game, win or lose.

Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts-1971-1972. Some might think this choice is blasphemous considering the decorated career Unitas had. In two AFC championship games in 1971-1972, Johnny U. was hardly at his best, even though the Colts came out with a split. Unitas was a combined 31-66, 469 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Granted, one of the games came against the undefeated Miami Dolphins team. Still, he's Johnny Unitas.

Richard Todd, New York Jets- 1983 AFC title game. This was the year of the New York Sack Exchange. The Jets had a good playoff run torpedoed by Richard Todd. Todd picked the wrong day to have his worse game as a pro. The Jets defense kept them in this game and Todd simply blew it. I know there was a diving rainstorm that day and Freeman McNeil also didn't have a stellar day, but there was no reason to get picked by A.J. Duhe three times, once for a touchdown. Todd was 15-37 for 103 yards and three big interceptions.      

Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers- 1976 AFC title game. Bradshaw owns four Super Bowl rings. I don't own that many on Madden. The Steelers came into this game shorthanded and it showed in Bradshaw's stat line. 14-35, 176 yards and one interception. There were rumors that the Raiders played with vaseline on their jerseys.

Dan Pastorini, Houston Oilers- 1978 AFC title game. For some reason Pastorini was spooked at the sight of the Steelers defense. This game proved it. I hate to put any blame on Earl Campbell because Bum Phillips ran the gas out of him, but he was stuffed in the run game. Pastorini was 12-26 for 96 yards and five interceptions. No one would've won with Pastorini on that day.

Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers-1979 AFC title game. Campbell ran often and ran hard. But he couldn't run past the Steelers defense. A game in which Dan Pastorini actually showed up. If you remember this was the game that eventually led to instant replay on the Mike Renfro non-catch. Back to Campbell, I will pin this loss on him as he ran 17 times for 15 yards. Hardly the performance of a legend. The Oilers kept knocking on the door.

San Diego Chargers defense- 1980 AFC title game. The Chargers had home field and the stars aligned for them to make it to the Super Bowl. One problem, the defense couldn't stop anyone. Therefore they couldn't get over the dreaded Raider hex. They were the reason Dan Fouts remains one of the top three quarterbacks never to win a Super Bowl.

Jay Schroeder, Los Angeles Raiders- 1991 AFC title game- Schroeder was a Redskins castoff whose big arm and untapped potential kept him in the league. What I'm saying is that he shouldnt've been in the league. Going against the Buffalo Bills juggernaut, losing Bo Jackson the week before didn't help. Schroeder went 13-31, 150 yards, and five interceptions. What's with the five pick games at this time of year.

Miami Dolphins as a collective. 1993 AFC championship. Like the Chargers above, this was a year where everything aligned right. All of a sudden they decided they didn't want to show up for the biggest game of the year. This was Dan Marino's best shot at a Super Bowl in 8 years and they pulled a collective choke job.

LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers- 2008 AFC championship. I know Tomlinson pulled up a little lame against New England. He hurt his knee early in the game, but to stand there  in a parka with your helmet on, complete with visor and not support your teammates gets you on this list.     

This Is Dedication

Kansas fan Kat Steward shows her dedication to the basketball program.

Islanders Block Red Wings For Nabokov

The New York Islanders placed a claim on free agent goalie Evgeni Nabokov which blocked the Detroit Red Wings' one year deal with the 35 year old goalie.

Nabokov hasn't reported to the Islanders which leaves them with the option of suspending him without pay or putting him back on waivers. If I'm the Islanders, I put him on waivers because you know he doesn't want to go to play for that crap squad in Long Island.

I'm no hockey honk or anything like that, but why did the Islanders sign him? They aren't going anywhere and haven't since the 1980's. I know you guys have goalie problems with injuries and all right now, but you're nowhere close to winning anything and having Nabokov aboard makes no sense. If you were close it's a good pickup. The Isles haven't contended for anything in over 20 years.

Chris Osgood echoes my sentiment. "The Islanders are terrible so I'm not sure why they did that," Osgood said.

The Tigers To Retire Sparky Anderson's Jersey

It's about time. The Detroit Tigers are finally going to retire Sparky Anderson's number 11 jersey. The date of the retirement is yet to be determined.  The Tigers will have a patch on their jersey to honor Anderson and raise a flag with his name on it at the home opener. Anderson led the Tigers to their last World Series title in 1984.

Anderson was one of the greatest managers of all time, and that is validated by his three World Series championships and Hall of Fame induction. He also led the Cincinnati Reds to world championships in 1975 and 1976. He acheived a rare feat by winning championships in both the American and National League.

Anderson managed the Tigers from 1979-1995. I remember when he started he said he would bring a championship here in five years. He brought them that title in 1984. He was became disappointed with the game before he left the Tigers and believed he was forced out because he didn't want to manage replacement players during the strike. There were rumors that there were feelings of ill will between himself and owner Mike Illitch.

Although Anderson had a habit of pumping up young players (Kirk Gibson was the next Mickey Mantle) he knew his baseball. It's great to see him get some long overdue recognition from the franchise. Hopefully they'll put a statue of him in Comerica Park someday.

Cromartie Throws Down The Gauntlet To Hines Ward

New York Jets corner Antonio Cromartie is at it again. In relatively tame week for by Jets standards, Cromartie lashed out Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Hines Ward. It wasn't explicit or mean spirited like the words he had for Tom Brady, but nonetheless he just couldn't keep quiet. He wasn't giving any credit to the other Steelers receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

"I don't think he's a dirty player, but I know for a fact that he will hit you while you're not looking, "I don't think he's man enough to hit you when you're looking at him."


His thoughts on Sanders and Brown.
 
“They’re young guys, they’re still learning how to play at this level,” Cromartie said. “A guy like Mike Wallace, he’s maybe the best vertical guy that can get up the field. But I mean, the young guys, they do their job, and that’s all you can ask for them to do. You’ve got rookies coming in still learning how to play in the NFL.”


I expect the Steeler receivers to play with a chip on their shoulder tomorrow.


    

Quickie Playoff Predictions

Last week, I went 3-1, despite whiffing on the scores. This week is the final four of football and here are my predictions for the AFC and NFC title games.


Green Bay at Chicago- Based on both games this season, this will be a tightly contested game. Green Bay, specifically Aaron Rodgers has been hot for the last month. Chicago has been steady for most of the season. They split both games they played and both were close. I look for Green Bay to pull out a close win in hostile territory. Green Bay 23-17


New York at Pittsburgh- The Jets surprised a lot of people last week, including myself, by going into New England and laying the smack down on the Patriots. In the last two years the Jets have played and won all their playoff games on the road. This should be another tight game, just like I said about the Steelers last week, they have home field so therefore they should win. Steelers 21-17

My Favorite Moments From Super Bowls Past

I'll be posting my personal favorite moments from past Super Bowls over the next few days. For some reason I watch these highlights year after year. If there are any you have leave a comment. I'm sure everyone won't agree with mine.

Super Bowl VII- Miami vs. Washington- Garo Yepremian's classic blooper still lives around this time of year. When Yepremian had a field goal blocked he decided it was a good idea to pick the ball up and play quarterback. The ball flew up in the air and landed in the hands of the Redskins' Mike Bass, who returned it for a touchdown.

       

Super Bowl X- Pittsburgh vs. Dallas- Lynn Swann made one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history. I feel this is top 5 at the least. I know the footage is grainy like European basketball footage, but bear with me. I don't own the footage.

  

Danton Wants To Come Back To The NHL

After being away from the big time, about 6 years to be exact, former New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton says he wants to return to the NHL. If you recall Danton was imprisoned for a 2004 conviction in a murder for hire plot.

See more about the case here   http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/danton/

Danton's parole ends Friday and he will be free and clear to travel wherever he pleases. He was freed from a U.S. prison in March 2009. He has been out of the league for 6 years and is now playing for the St. Mary's Huskies in Halifax. Far away from the bright lights of the NHL.

Danton realizes it would be a long climb back and knows teams would be careful since he has a conviction. There's no Oakland Raiders type of owner in the NHL so it'll be hard for him to get a sniff from anyone. He basically blackballed himself right out of the league. You never know, athletes in every sport have gotten a second chance. If it is shown he could help a team out I'm sure they would be quick to sign him. Hockey fans stay tuned.  

Revis Tells Branch To "Take It Like A Man"

The talk between the New England Patriots and New York Jets just won't die. After Patriots receiver Deion Branch called the Jets "classless", Jets corner Darelle Revis along with a few others took exception to what Branch said.

 "Just take the loss like a man and move on," Darrelle Revis said. "[The Patriots] do stuff as well. I don't know who was doing it or whatever, but if so, whatever. If they would've won, I'm sure they probably would've done the taunting like they did that last game we played them. Their secondary was doing the airplane and just teasing us. So you've got to take it both ways, when you win or lose."That (the mocking of the Jets by Patriots players) was done after the Patriots whipped the Jets 45-3 on December 6.




"That's the same Jet thing they were doing last game and they call us classless?" defensive lineman Trevor Pryce said. We have film of it. We watched them do it, watched the film the night before [Sunday's] game. I don't see why it's such a big deal now when they were doing it. If they had won the game, they'd have called us classless."


That's why I call the Patriots smug and cocky. They always try to act like they're above it all when they're not.

"All the guys on the sideline were like, 'Remember this, remember everything they're doing right now,' " Jerricho Cotchery said. "A lot of people didn't see it, but we took mental notes of it. A lot of those emotions spilled over throughout the week last week. We could've kept a lot of those things in, but we were very fired up about that game."We were just enjoying the win, enjoying the moment. For someone to try to create that perception that we're classless, that's heart-breaking."


When someone teases and taunts them they have no class, when they do it, it's ok. Like when they mocked the Chargers after a playoff win in San Diego. Or when former Patriot Rodney harrison flapped his arms like wings after nailing down a Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia Eagles. What comes around goes around.







  

All Texas All The Time

The University of Texas and ESPN have will join forces on a 24 hour network that will focus on everything Texas, from sports to historical programming.

It'll be all Texas all the time. Maybe we'll get to see old footbal highlights from the Darrell Royal era. Or some hoops highlights from the late 80's-early 90's (remember the Strollin Nolan game vs. Arkansas).

I think it's a bit much for one university to have it's own network. I live in Big Ten country and I really don't care to watch the Big Ten network. Except when I can watch Michigan blow out some non-descript scrub team. I do like UT hoops so maybe I could catch a game or two if they offer national coverage.

Other things the Longhorn network could cover.

1.The John Mackovic era of UT football.

2. What happened to Lance Blanks, Reggie Freeman, Kris Clack and every good Longhorns basketball player that didn't make it to the NBA.

3.The Texas State Fair

4. Bevo's bloodlines.

5.Earl Campbell highlights

Slowly but surely every cash cow university will start to follow suit with their own network. Complete with boring programming. It'll be just another channel among hundreds that hard working people like myself will have to pay for, but really can't afford. 

Give Up The Ring

Former Tampa Bay Buc and St. Louis Ram defensive lineman, Chidi Ahanotu was ordered to give up his NFC Championship ring he won in 2002 with St. Louis.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Rice said that Ahanotu must give up the ring to help pay more than $130,000 in legal fees, that his ex-wife's lawyers says he owes. Ahanotu says that he gave the ring to his brother to settle up a $30,000 debt.

Ahanotu says the ring (pictured below) is worth only $500 and says the ring he has is a replica made of white gold instead of the manufacturers yellow gold. Why would he trade the ring in and devalue it, I'll never know. Ahanotu says he doesn't have the money.

"This court system is a farce," Ahanotu said. "This court wants a man to hand over his once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment to pay some damn attorney's fees? I could see if it was going to pay something for my children or my ex-wife.''

"At the time I'd been retired from the NFL for three years, and I hadn't made close to $100,000 up to that point," he said. "Since that time I still haven't made $100,000."


So you were retired, that doesn't mean you didn't have the money to pay for legal fees. Come on tough guy, get the money and saddle up. You played 11 years in the NFL and you don't have the money. I wish I was a business associate of yours, because somewhere along the lines of your playing days and retirement you were ripped off bad.

Judge Rice thinks Ahanotu is trying to defraud the system. In other words he's trying to pimp the system. Ahanotu will have to give up the ring or face going to jail.







      

Rogers Faces Another Forclosure

Former Detroit lions bust, Charles Rogers, is close to being a man without a home, literally. Rogers faces a foreclosure on his second home.

According to a report in the Detroit News, defaulted on his mortgage and owes more than $421,000 on his condo in a posh Birmingham,Mich. community. Rogers paid $610,000 for the condo in July 2003.

He has made a series of bad decisions since he's left Michigan State. All atheletes should use this as a precautionary tale of what can happen if you're not careful and make bad decisions.  

Indecent Exposure

Ex-Nebraska Cornhusker basketball player Christian Standhardinger, left the Huskers in December and planned to transfer to LaSalle. He will be a player without a team a while longer since LaSalle won't take him in since he was cited for suspicion of indecent exposure and entering a park after hours.

LaSalle boss John Giannini relaeased a statement saying that the Explorers and Standhardinger will be parting ways.

"Christian has recently been made aware of a personal situation that demands his full attention,” Giannini said. “We believe it is in the best interest of all parties that Christian Standhardinger does not attend La Salle University.”


At 21, Standhardinger should know better than to put himself in these kinds of situations. Now you have to look for someone that will take you in and you know you'll be on a short leash. My guess is he winds up on a pro team in Germany.

Lincoln, Nebraska police said they found Standhardinger and his 19 year old female companion inside a parked car in Tierra Park at 3:40 am. I don't know much about the park so don't ask. I guess he didn't have the funds to get a room at the Motel 6. Police found Standhardinger shirtless with his pants down in the passenger seat and the female was also shirtless. You might be able to pull that in your home country of Germany, but not over here.

Next time find a cheap room or wait until you get home.

Love Them Or Hate Them. The Jets Are Good For Football

Deion Branch calls them classless. CBS announcers feel they have some bush league antics. Reggie Jackson thinks they should shut up and play. The 'they' I refer to is the New York Jets. I say if you want them to shut up, simply beat them. I love what they're doing and their brashness is a breath of fresh air to the NFL and I love it.

I love it when you get a team that talks big, wins, and talks some more. That describes the New York Jets. From the head coach all the way down to the 53rd man. They talk a big game. For the most part, they've backed it up. Remember when coach Rex Ryan first came on the scene, he said that he "respected the New England Patriots, but he wasn't there to kiss Bill Belichick's Super Bowl rings". That led to the beginning of the fastest rising rivalry in the NFL. Before the playoffs Ryan said that his team were the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Bold words cnsidering they went in with a 9-7 record. Alas, they were one game away from playing for it all. The playoff games against the Indianapolis Colts and Patriots were "personal".  There was Antonio Cromartie's verbal lambasting of Tom Brady. They won both games and once again are one game away from the Super Bowl. Think about this, all of the Jets' playoff wins have been on he road. For all their macho bluster, they back it up.


Bart Scott's postgame interview typified how the Jets feel.

 

I'm not the biggest Jets fan and do believe they do a lot of woofing, but they back it up. I tend to like teams like this. the team that wears the villain hat with gusto. Not being smug and cocky like the Patriots. I believe that Super Bowl week would be a whole lot of fun with this cast of characters. Rex Ryan, sounding like his dad Buddy,and the outspoken Bart Scott would be enough for me right there. They've toned it down for the AFC championship game against Pittsburgh this week, only because the Steelers haven't said or done anything to raise their ire. Both teams seem to have a healthy respect for each other. It wouldn't surprise me though, if the Jets win, one of them takes a Terrible Towel a simulates wiping their backside with it.

LouWill: NBAer And MC

Philadelphia 76ers guard Louis Williams has ambitions outside of the NBA. Apparently he has an eye on the rap industry. You know how it is, rappers want to be ball players and the players want to be rappers. Remember all the ill fated attempts by NBA players cutting albums (cds). Chris Webber, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Jewlz,er, Allen Iverson and the list goes on. There was the NBA's 'Best Kept Secret' cd.

This featured the likes of Dana Barros, Cedric Ceballos, Brian Shaw, Chris Mills, Dennis Scott and more. It should've remained secret.

I won't bag on Williams too hard, at least he's not in the news for the wrong reasons.

Meche Leaving Money On The Table

In a very surprising move, Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche has announced his retirement. That's not the surprising part of the retirement. I know it's Gil Meche. Not a big deal overall.

Meche was in limited action in 2010 due to shoulder problems. Those same shoulder problems is why he announced his retirement. Don't ask me to what extent, I'm no doctor. He won't go the surgery route because he doesn't want to sit out the 2011 season. Here's Meche's statement:

"After a lot of thinking and prioritizing of issues in my life I have decided to retire from baseball.  As a competitor my entire life this is the hardest decision that I've ever faced, but it's not fair to me, my family or the Kansas City Royals that I attempt to pitch anymore.  I came into this game as a starting pitcher and unfortunately my health, more accurately, my shoulder, has deteriorated to the point where surgery would be the only option and at this stage of my life I would prefer to call it a career rather than to attempt to pitch in relief for the final year of my contract.  I can't thank the Kansas City Royals and their fans enough for my four seasons there and if I have any regret, it's that we weren't able to accomplish on the field what the goal was when I signed there."

Instead of getting paid the remainder of his contract (1 year, $12 million) he has told the Royals that he will forfeit the money. You don't hear any athlete leaving that kind of money on the table. Call me morally corrupt, but if my leg is cut off and I can't play I'm taking the money. I know some think of Meche as somewhat heroic and I do think it's noble to walk away and not steal money, especially from a team that is counting every nickel and dime. I know it's difficult to walk away from the game you love, let alone $12 million.   

Botched Fake Punt Was Chung's Brainstorm

Everyone can let New England Patriots coach Bill Beichick off the hook for the fake punt gone wrong late in the second quarter. Safety Patrick Chung figured it was a bright idea to call for the failed play, not Belichick. Patriots fans can save their vitriol for Chung. He might get the Bill Buckner treatment since it came out  tha he was solely responsible for the mishap. Chung fumbled the snap and lost a yard on the play which led to a Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards touchdown.

"We trust the decision Patrick makes," punter Zoltan Mesko said. "It just didn’t work out in that particular occasion. That’s why the coaches trust him to run it, and that's why they give him the green light, if he has it."


The only play call call Chung should be making is on the defensive side of the ball or on a special teams blocking assignment. Not on whether to call a fake punt or not. Just because the Patriots had numbers on the line in their favor doesn't mean you make that call. What kind of daredevil crap is that?

"Of course there are regrets. It's not [head coach] Bill [Belichick] or [special teams coach] Scott O'Brien," Chung said. "None of them. I take full responsibility. I saw the look we had. I made the call. It didn't work out for us."


Chung admitted that it was his call and not (special teams coach) Scott O'Brien or Belichick's and has taken full responsibilty. I applaud him for manning up in this situation. It could've been very easy to leave Scott and Bill holding the bag. Considering the non descript career Chung has had so far, I might've done that. if he's lucky enough to be around next season, maybe he ought to burn a timeout before making a ridiculous call such as this one.  

Hue Jackson Named Raiders Coach

Hue Jackson has reportedly been named head coach of the Oakland Raiders. I'm glad Jackson got the job but Tom Cable shouldn't have been fired in the first place. That's just my personal opinion. I hope he hs thick skin because you know how Al Davis gives his coaches no wiggle room and zero margin for error. Also he'll have to win over the locker room that had grown increasingly loyal to Cable. I don't know how well Jackson got along with the players, but he is known for relating well to plaers and is a highly regarded play-caller.

If Jason Campbell can continue to progress under Jackson the Raiders could be threat to make the playoffs next season. Yes, I think Campbell will be the starter in Oakland next year. If Campbell regresses, Captain Al might start reminding Hue how much of a short leash he has. 

Quote Of The Week: Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Kltischko on David Haye, who talks a good fight but dodges a Klitschko at every turn.

"David Haye is a piece of sh$$". Fill in the blanks on that one.

Spawn Of The Super Bowl Shuffle

Ever since the Chicago Bears 'shuffled' thier way to a Super Bowl with a song and video along the way, every team that has tasted a bit of success has had a song either dedicated to them or made one themselves, college or pro. Every team hasn't lived up to the hype or promise of bringing home a championship.

There have been teams that have made or adopted songs in homage to their team. There was the Super Bowl Shuffle. There was a forgettable Florida State video that you know Deion Sanders was behind. All that did was piss off the Miami Hurricanes. The New england townies decided to make a song. A cheesy response to the Bears' song before Super Bowl 20. We know what happened in that game. Remember when the Jacksonville Jaguars made a song on their way to the Super Bowl. Former Green Bay Packers receiver Robert Brooks mad "Jump In The Stands", a song about his signature touchdown celebration. They were derailed by the Tennessee Titans. For some reason this seems to go on mostly in football than any other sport.




With the NFL playoffs going in to championship weekend there are more "anthems" out fo their teams. Rapper Wiz Khalifa's song "Black and Yellow" happened to be adopted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. That one happened to spawn copycat versions of the song.      





Even the Oakland Raiders got in on the act during their Super Bowl run, only to get destroyed by Tampa Bay.



Here's one dedicated to the New York Jets.



Here's a message. Win something and then you and the fans can make all the songs and videos you guys want. I can't stand teams or their fans that want to make a song that's dedicated to the their team before they actually win something.