NFL Sick 16: Week 8: Less Competitive, More Murky

I just wanted everyone to see this costume because a true sports fan will admire the creativity, dedication, and forethought, even as he cringes at the clear offensiveness of it.

WOW!  I mean, WOW!  I feel like this guy was walking around the party to a bunch of wincing and comments like "Too soon." and "Really, dude?" as well as "Are you just a dead football player?" and "Are you really black?" (from girls).

The best part is, this guy works with my brother.  The true genius of this costume is that because of the extensive facepainting, no one will really know who this is unless they know the guy.  He'll just live on forever as the most offensive costume of Halloween 2009.

With that in mind, we move on to this week's Sick 16.  I'm looking at the week's scores, and we again had very few competitive games.  It was just a bunch of blowouts and an absolute shootout between the Rams and Lions.  I bet fans from both teams were just looking down their season ticket schedules and going, "Oh man, Ram's-Lions.  This could be the game of the decade!"

It's become a disturbing trend in the NFL this year: an unseemly number of blowouts and a lack of competition.  This week, 6 out of 13 games were won by at least three touchdowns.  Many of them were won by more, including the Eagles' 40-17 win over the Giants (we'll get to that later.)  Living in West Texas, I have to watch the Cowboys and Texans every week.  So this week I was treated to a 38-17 blowout by the Cowboys over the Seahawks and a 31-10 drubbing of the Bills by the Texans.  Does this mean both those teams are good?  No.  It means that those teams are probably mediocre to good and that the bad teams this season are really bad.  Even with a salary cap, a 53-man roster, and a worst-picks-first draft, so many teams are just so bad that about half the games are uninteresting by halftime. 

This NFL season sucks, and no one can tell me differently.

But something different happened this week than previous weeks.  In weeks past we've had good teams blowing out bad teams.  This week, we had some good teams blowing out other teams we thought were good.  We also had some surprise performances, some good some bad.

Take a look at the Giants and Eagles.  I've been writing all season that the Giants are one of the league's best teams because they're solid everywhere.  I've also written that I'm not sure what to make of the Eagles, prompting my colleague to write something to the effect of "No confusion here. This team sucks."  But they jumped on the Giants like Linsday Lohan on an eight ball of cocaine.  I mean they were all over them from start to finish.

Sidebar: If you're Michael Vick at this point in the season, are you wishing you're back in federal prison so that you can actually be relevant again?  Vick has fallen off the face of the Earth.  He was so excited to be playing football again, but how is he ever going to get a starting job at any position with any team if he never hits the field?  If you own a pitbull in the Philly area, watch out for Vick.  He's looking for attention and probably thinking, "I know just the thing..."

Anyway, I also spent much of this season thinking that that the Broncos were not very good but being unable to prove it because of their unefeated record and their slew of wins against good teams.  My apologies to Richard Andrews, but this team showed it's true colors on Sunday, and I don't mean the mustard and shit-brown throwbacks that they've sported twice this year.  I mean Baltimore proved to be better than this team in every aspect of the game: offense, defense, and special teams.

Then there was the Colts.  Playing at home against a 49er team that had been dominated for a half the previous week by the Texans, they could muster only 18 points and won a close game by four points.  Not what we expected here at The Sporting Dudes.

And look at the Titans getting up off the mat.  Vince Young was on fire.  They won't make the playoffs this year, but hey at least they have hope.  And I'm praying that LenDale White goes on a Patron bender this before this week's game.  Remember in the preseason, when he told the media that he dropped some weight by giving up Patron this offseason?  Start taking shots buddy, because whatever you did, it didn't work.  And you're wasting space on my fantasy bench.

So the Eagles look great, the Giants look like crap, the Broncos are iffy and play the Steelers this week, the Ravens are the best three-loss team out there, and the Colts may be due for a loss.

Also: The Saints have more defensive touchdowns (6) than the Browns have offensive touchdowns (5).  I think Braylon Edwards is smarter than we realized.  Also the Bears put up more fantasy points this Sunday (28) against the Browns than Cleveland has scored in their last three games combined (23).

Keeping all that in mind, here's your Sick 16.

16) San Diego Chargers (16) (4-3)

Well it was another totally underwhelming performance against a crappy team.  Credit the Raiders for twice playing the Chargers tough despite having the worst franchise in the league.  Come to find out on game day that Coach Tom Cable (according to ESPN) beats women twice as frequently as he beats his assistant coaches.  In the case of Randy Hanson, I look at his media photo and I want to hit the guy to.  In the case of the women, nothing has been proven accept that Cable smacked his first wife when he found out she'd been cheating on him (crime of passion that can be understood if not condoned).  This other woman?  We have no idea if she's telling the truth.  But Cable continues to be competitive against his division with nothing and no one.  If I coached the Raiders, I might get violent too.  Doesn't excuse hitting a woman...ever...I'm just saying.

San Diego sucks.  And considering Miami's probably going all the way to win it all (Thank you, Bart Scott), they may not be on this list next week.

JNG: They might not make the playoffs, but the Chargers are better than a handful of teams you have ahead of them. On another note, how do you feel about those oft-acclaimed powder blue jerseys? I think they've gotten a little overrated lately.. Like Jessica Simpson back in her "Newlyweds" days.

15) Houston Texans (15) (5-3)

Good teams beat the teams they're supposed to beat. The Texans did that, and obliterated any fantasy hopes I may have had by benching Steve Slaton who then gave me -1 point on the week.  I'm really frustrated with this team, but they've looked good.  We'll see if they have what it takes this week when they roll in to play the 7-0 Colts.

JNG: Oh how I love the irony of Schaub already having a better season this year than Michael Vick has ever had statistically. Schaub backed up Vick in Atlanta and also played at UVA whilst Vick was a Hokie. The lesson as always kids is that the Hokies suck.

14) Green Bay Packers (14) (4-3)

So we've proven that this team is clearly not better than the Vikings, but it is clearly better than the Bears and Lions.  It's also better than most of the NFC West and half of the NFC South.  So here they are at 14...not making the playoffs quite yet, but only a NFC East team away from grabbing a wild card spot.

JNG: Aaron Rogers isn't going to last very long in this league is his lineman keep acting like matadors instead of blocking.

13) New York Giants (10) (5-3)

Three straight losses puts them out of the playoff hunt at this time.  Eli hasn't been the same since getting hurt, and it really showed on Sunday.  Don't be surprised if he underachieves again this weekend against the Chargers and the questions start flying during the bye week.

JNG: I know he won a Super Bowl, but I can't help but think the Giants wish they'd just stuck with Philip Rivers back on draft day in 2004 instead of trading for Manning. The guy looks like his brother for a few weeks and then he turns into Jake Delhomme. I can think of no QB with more Jekyll and Hyde games...well, other than Delhomme himself.

12) Arizona Cardinals (9) (4-3)

This is a pretty good team when Kurt Warner doesn't give the ball away on every drive.  They followed up an impressive win in New Jersey (please remember that neither "New York" team actually plays anywhere in that state) with an absolute stinker against the 2-4 Panthers at home.  The only thing I know is they're the best team in the NFC West.  So it looks like they're trying to duplicate last year's Super Bowl run when no one thought they were any good and then they got hot and won the NFC.  It's ballsy to try to be a shitty sleeper two years in a row.  Well played, Ken Wisenhunt,  Well played.

JNG: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

11) Atlanta Falcons (12) (4-3)

The Falcons lose and yet move up in the Sick 16.  Yes, I believe this is OK.  They played a good game against the league's best team on the road in one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.  Matt Ryan had a rough game, but one of his three INTs was on a game-ending hail mary.  On another, the DB had to jumped 4 feet off the ground to get it. White boys from Boston College don't often see that type of athletic ability.  This team is definitely a playoff team, and I'll make a prediction now: they'll beat the Saints in Atlanta on December 13.

JNG: Did you know the girl-to-guy ratio in Atlanta is 5 to 1? That puts the over/under of Matt Ryan having the clap at atleast -100. 

10) Dallas Cowboys (11) (5-2)

Nice win over the Seahawks, who are terrible. I traded for Miles Austin in my fantasy league.  Roy Williams sucks. Have I covered everything?

9) Philadelphia Eagles (13) (5-2)

A huge statement win over the G-Men on Sunday.  They all looked like pro-bowlers.  They could still lose to the Redskins in the future.  Nobody really knows with this team.  Their 5-2.  One of those 2 is to the Saints (excusable). One of them is to the Raiders (inexcusable).  But hey, if you beat a division rival by 23 without your starting running back, you can't really be doubted.

Still, I have to believe the Eags fans would have given up a win over the Giants for a second straight World Series.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

JNG: So why do you say the Chargers suck because they barely beat Oakland when this team lost to Oakland? Just a question. And I've seen the Eagles do the hot and cold thing for too many seasons to jump on their bandwagon now.

8) Denver Broncos (3) (6-1)

Did anybody else see Denver look like a JV team against the Ravens?  The Ravens are good.  But so are the Steelers, Giants, Colts, and Eagles.  They play all of those teams.  The Broncos will win the AFC West and make the playoffs, but they may be too banged up to do anything.  Decent team, tough schedule, we'll see how they fare.

7) Baltimore Ravens (8) (4-3)

The Ravens not only gave the Broncos their first loss, but they looked awesome in doing so.  Joe Flacco is better than anyone expected I think.  Ray Rice is turning into a stud.  That defense continues to shut teams down unless they are flagged on late drives (Cincinatti, New England).  They're a playoff team again.

JNG: Best 3 loss team in the league and its not even close.

6)  Minnesota Vikings (7) (7-1)

I traded for the ageless wonder this week as well.  He's headed for a bye week, and he'll rest his 40-year-old arm.  Adrian Peterson gets a week off.  With a 3-game lead in the NFC North, they're a lock to win the division.  They'll go as far as Favre will take them  (because teams are lining up to stop Peterson).  So far he's been able to handle the load and then some.  And Percy Harvin being the rookie of the year doesn't hurt either.

JNG: Can we just fast forward to the NFC title game between the Saints and Vikings. It's inevitable.

5) Pittsburgh Steelers (6) (5-2)

The Steelers' trip to Mile High this week is a test for both teams.  I'm not sold that the Steelers are that good this season, but winning on the road in Denver would prove that to me.  Then they'd be 6-2 with a future date with Cinci at home looming.  If they lose, they might be just another mediocre team in a league that is finally finding a middle class after not having one to start the season.

JNG: What are the odds that the Steelers uniforms will stay the exact same during our lifetime?

4) Cincinatti Bengals (5) (5-2)

The Bengals come off their bye week to take on the Ravens at home, having already won in Baltimore.  Like Denver, they're facing a tough schedule down the road with Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and closing out the season against the Jets in Giants Stadium.  They'll fade, and the division will either go to Baltimore or Pittsburgh, but they're still a playoff team.

JNG: Wait, what? Is this a misprint? Because no one who has watched football this year would say a 5-2 Bengals team is better than a 7-1 Vikings team. Well, except MLC apparently.

3) New England Patriots (4) (5-2)

Let's quit bitching about Tom Brady having a special set of rules.  All of these rules that are overprotective of the league's quarterbacks are bullshit. I wouldn't blame Brady because the league wants defensive players to play two-hand touch.  I'd blame Sheriff Goodell, who runs the league with all of the consideration of an iron-fisted Russian Czar.  Does Tom Brady wear a dress?  Only if Goodell says so.

JNG: The Yankees already won the World Series. If there is a God, the Pats cannot win a Super Bowl. 

2) Indianapolis Colts (2)  (7-0)

Doing just enough to get the win has not been the mark of Peyton Manning teams in Indy.  But that's exactly what happened on Sunday against San Francisco.  San Fran is a team that can't quite make up its mind on whether or not to play inspired, hard-nosed, Mike Singletary ball or to lay down and let a team like the Texans score three touchdowns on the first half while Frank Gore rushes for ten yards.  They gave Indy a fight, but the Colts pulled it out, so their still here at number two.


JNG: This team has 13-3 written all over it. I am starting to get a little worried about the injuries starting to go against them though, especially with CB Marlin Jackson now out for the year. I don't think Manning can handle another early playoff loss. He might self-combust if that happens.

1) New Orleans Saints (1) (7-0)

Week 8 had a bit of a 2005 ring to it.  Vince Young dominated.  Reggie Bush was on the cover of Sports Illustrated flying through the air for a touchdown.  Does this mean we'll see Young-Bush at the end of the season?  Only if Bush's new girlfriend shows her vaj getting pummeled like the old one did (Kim Kardashian-Ray-J, 'nuff said).  The Titans are awful.  But the Saints get another win over a quality opponent (Atlanta) at home.  So they remain at number one.


JNG: This team will make a run at 16-0.

The Cuba Gooding Jr. Pick

So the Georgia over Florida pick last week might have been the definition of an overreach. That pick was about as bad for my sports credibility as Cuba Gooding Jr's post Jerry Maguire acting choices have been for his career. Unlike Cuba who has continued to pick such winners as Snow Dogs and Daddy Day Camp, I hope to right the ship here and now. Just make sure that next time I tell you a 4-3 team with one of the worst pass defenses in the country and a starting QB named Joe Cox is going to beat the defending national champions, a team with something to prove, than treat me like one of those straight to DVD movies and please X out of this webpage and never come back. Never.

That's a bit extreme. Come back, please we need all ten of our readers, and just settle for telling me I suck (MLC: I do, constantly). I'll try and suck a little less starting this week. I'm feeling a little Rod Tidwell coming on.

MLC: Don't make me cry, Roy.

#9 LSU at #3 Alabama (3:30 PM)


Alabama has moved from 1 to 2 and now 3 the past three weeks all without losing a game. Well, we will definetely get a better guess of where exactly they fit in there, or if they do at all, after this weeks visit from the Bayou Bengals. Since their torrid start where they looked like the best team in the country, Bama has been struggling culminating with their almost blowing the game against Tennessee two weeks ago. I would bet their ready to come out with a little extra fire after that near debacle. LSU has improved since their loss to Florida, but not enough. Bama's defense is just too good for a mediocre LSU offense to win. The march to the SEC Championship and BCS title game continues for the Tide.

Alabama 20 LSU 7

MLC: Kirk Herbstreit picked LSU.  That's enough for me to go with 'Bama.


Tide 14 Bayou Bengals 3

#15 Ohio State at #11 Penn State (3:30 PM)

Big Ten football! It will be hard for this one to match last years 10-6 slobberknocker at the Horseshoe. Nevertheless, this game will pit two very similar teams who both still have a chance at going to the Rose Bowl. Both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions have suffocating defenses and less than inspiring offenses which are led by athletic quarterbacks. The difference is that Daryll Clark can actually complete forward passes and is less turnover prone the close-to-being-a-bust Terrelle Pryor. Throw in the fact that the game is in Happy Valley, only one of the best football atmospheres in the country, than what you get is another W for JoePa. You do realize Paterno started coaching Penn State 2 years before Tressell was born? (FYI Adjectives that pander the idea of excitement such as slobberknocker should never go with Big Ten football in any way, shape or form, unless the writer has a firm grasp of sarcasm).

Penn State 24 Ohio State 16

MLC: Texas Coach Mack Brown said earlier this week that he thinks Terrelle Pryor will win a national championship.  He knows what he's talking about.  Brown helped a young Vince Young get on track and become the most dominant college football player in a season that also featured Reggie Bush.  Today, I think Pryor shows us his potential.  I think he'll have a big game and make one or two plays that make us say, "Wow.  He's going to be so good in the future."  I'm picking the Buckeyes.


Ohio State 27 Penn State 16

Connecticut vs #4 Cincinnati (8 PM)


College Gameday is headed to Cinci. Wait, what? Am I the only one who thinks Corso, Herbsreit and the gang are in for a bit of a bore? Stop trying to"mix it up" and just go for the best game of the week, every week. That's what national football fans want. Not some crappy Big East game. However, on a somber note, I want to believe Connecticut can win. After their two heartbreakers the past two weeks, games in which the team has played with a heavy heart due to the murder of player Jasper Howard, the Huskies deserve this game. They deserve to upset a Bearcat team with an undefeated season in mind on national television. Unfortunatetly, and sadly, that's just not how the world works.

Cinci 38 UConn 17

MLC: What are you picking this week, Newman?  A Big 10 game?  A Big East game?  Look, I shot high school football for my TV station KLBK last night.  I saw the Seagraves Eagles jump all over the Plains Cowboys to grab a spot in the Texas 1-A State Football Playoffs.  I didn't think I'd be caring about more high school football this morning.  It's on the website, so I'll pick it, but I'm NOT happy.


Cinci 41 UConn 26 

#7 Oregon at Stanford (3:30 PM)

The Ducks looked as impressive as any team all season in destroying the Trojans last weekend so there is no reason to pick against them in their clash with the Cardinal tomorrow. Yet I feel a little uneasy about this one. Stanford has been steadily improving under coach Jim Harbaugh and is a dangerous team. Stanford running back, and the poster boy for the endanged species White D-1 Running Back, Toby Gerhart has been a stud this year. He has rushed for 1025 yards and 13 TDs, while averaging 124.2 yards a game. This will be a closer than expected game, but I would be dumb to pick against a Ducks team that just looked so good last weekend.

Oregon 30 Stanford 28

MLC: I would love to root for the Great White Hope, but it just ain't happening.  The Ducks are too strong and too fast.  I fully expect them to come out and punch their opponent in the mouth, as opposed to doing so after the game is over.  When is Legarrette Blount coming back?

Oregon 56 Stanford 14

#20 Oklahoma at Nebraska


Ndamukong Suh and the Cornhusker defense must be salivating at playing against the Sooners glaring weakness of an offensive line. I see huge numbers for Suh, but then again he has had huge numbers in every game he has played in this season. Unfortunatly for Nebraska though, no matter how incredible Suh plays he can't suit up for offense. And saying Zac Lee and Nebraska's O have been struggling would be a huge understatement. They had 8(!) turnovers against Iowa State.

Oklahoma 21 Nebraska 10

MLC: Oklahoma has no offensive line by Nebraska has no offense period (witness: a 24-3 handling at the hands of Texas Tech, a defense I have seen in person three times and can honestly say is terrible).  It's going to be a low-scoring, mistake-filled, boring game.  Oh how far the Sooners have fallen.  But they haven't fallen this far.


Oklahoma 10 Nebraska 6

Duke at UNC


Duke only has one ACC loss and is technically still in contention to represent the ACC in the BCS bowl. Alas, we're still talking about Duke football here.

UNC 31 Duke 13

MLC: Hey don't sleep on the Dukies.  They could beat UNC here.  They won't, but it'll be close.

UNC 20 Duke 17

Navy at #19 Notre Dame


Golden Tate is ridiculous. So was Michael Floyd before he got injured (358 yards and 5 touchdowns on 13 receptions) and now he is back. And as Mitch can attest, Jimmy Clausen for Heisman!!!





MLC: I'm picking Navy here. Fuck Jimmy Clausen.


Navy 28 Notre Dame 26

Dear Yankee Fans

Dear Yankee Fans,

A few things I'd like to make you aware of before I get arrested for throwing syringes at ARod during your victory parade Friday.

• Your payroll was just over $200 million. That's more than the Nationals, Pirates, Padres, and Marlins... combined.
• Hell, there are only 7 teams in MLB within $100 million of your salary cap. 
• The gap between your payroll and the next closest is a wider margin than the payrolls of 14 MLB franchises. 
• If A-Rod were any more full of shit he'd be a porter potty at a horse race. So congrats on your best player having led a life where he has perennially sold out for money, cheated on his significant others, taken steroids, lied about it nationally, and had a painting done of himself as a Centaur. 
• MLC: You forgot how much he enjoys making out with himself and stroking his image in the mirror.  I wonder if Kate Hudson gets mad when he calls out his own name during sex. "A-ROD...A-ROD!!"
• You still are the ONLY team in baseball history to have blown a 3-0 lead in the playoffs. To the Red Sox no less.
• Your World Series MVP (Hideki Matsui) still somehow can't speak English although he has been in America the better part of this decade. Unintentional comedy was through the roof during that interview.
• MLC: I would've paid money to just hear him yell "Godzilla!!" and run away on live TV.
• For that matter, sometimes I think Posada and Rivera still need translators.
• 27. You know what means? Shit. Unless you've been alive and a fan since 1923 could you please do us all a favor and shut up. It's one thing to have an appreciation and pride in the history of your franchise, it's another thing to brag about titles that happened while your grandparents and parents weren't even born. Yeah its cool, but come on, its a stat you throw around. A championship should mean something to you. Numbers shouldn't. 
• MLC: Most successful pro sports franchise in world history.  I can't really argue with that. (I can. Don't tell that to Manchester United who has upwards of 50 different soccer titles or the Boston Celtics whose 17 titles in 63 years of existence is a higher winning percentage than the Yanks 27 in 103 years .) If the Bravos had won 27, best believe I'd be talking about how awesome we are.  Hey!  Only 26 to go Atlanta!
• Know that there are 8 and 9 year olds out there who live in a world where the Red Sox have one more World Series than the Yankees.
• MLC: And there are tortured Royals fans out there with absolutely no hope.
• You know who the only team in baseball to blow a 3-0 lead is?
• Just because you decided in elementary school that the Yankees hat was cool to wear doesn't make you a true fan. 
• MLC: Somewhere in America, Fred Durst is angrily pounding his fist on a coffee table.
• A great thing about sports is feeling connected to certain players, growing up with them, seeing them mature and eventually prosper, and feeling an attachment because you bore witness to all of this. There is pride in developing players and seeing their talents come to fruition. Of course, you'll never know that true satisfaction. Aside from Jeter, Posada, and Rivera (Pettitte was an Astro for a few years), your entire team has been bought.
  
• MLC: Did you know Jeter has played in more postseason games than the entire Phillies' franchise?  True story.
• Oh yeah, Pettitte did steroids too. Awesome!
• Don't give us the whole "people don't like us because were good" routine. We don't like you because 90% of you are the definition of what it means to be fair weather.
• MLC: I actually realized after this World Series that maybe I don't hate the Yankees as much as I thought I did.  I just hate their fans more than ever.
• Rivera has been one of the game's best closers. But he's a closer. I'm sorry but I can't start kneeling at the guys feet because he's asked to pitch a grand total of one inning while his team usually has a comfortable lead.
• MLC: Gotta disagree here too.  Watch Brad Lidge and tell me what Rivera has been doing for 13 years isn't incredibly impressive.  He also has more six-out saves in the postseason than postseason games that most guys have played in. He comes in.  It's over.  When you're a good baseball team, and you know you just need the lead after 7 innings and the game's over, that's a ridivulous advantage.
• And  don't forget, Rivera blew the save against the Red Sox in Game 4 in 2004. You know, the series where the Yanks blew a 3-0 series lead?
• MLC: He also blew the game against the DBacks in '01.  He's not perfect, but he's the closest thing to it that we've ever seen.
• If he continues on this path, C.C. Sabathia is going to look like the State Puffed Marshmallow Man by spring training next year.
• MLC: He's also a Raiders season ticket holder.  That can't be good for anything.

Yes, I'm bitter. Enjoy your parade Devil Worshipers.

Sincerely,
JNG & MLC

JoePa

"Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good."

Joe Paterno

I think you know Joe Paterno has been at Penn State a long time, but I don't think you truly appreciate that. I know this because until just now I didn't really appreciate it. I've always seen Joe Paterno the caricature, not Joe Paterno the man. I saw the goofy, signature glasses and listened to his distinguished and unique voice. I didn't really give him second thoughts beyond that. He was just Joe Paterno, the coach at  Penn State. I didn't know any different.

Well, neither has my father nor most likely most of your parents at that. The man is 83 and in his 60th (60th!!!!!) consecutive season of coaching the Nittany Lions. Not only does he know a thing or two about football (he the all-time winningest coach in the sport), but he is also a respected mentor who strives to make his players better students, men, and human beings. Even in 2009  his team is 6-1 (41-10 since 2005) and competing for a Big Ten title. Just incredible.

If you love college football, hell, if you love sports, read this incredible and visually evocative Sports Illustrated piece so that you can fully understand just how special Joe Paterno is. 

The 2009 World Series: Great? Or Just Great by Comparison?

The 2009 World Series has provided just about everything we could ask for in a great baseball matchup.  Since the first pitch we've had great pitching, timely hitting, and enough star power to fill up an issue of Us Weekly.  Look at the lineups and how many certain or at least potential Hall of Famers are on the field at a given time.


New York Yankees:
Mariano Rivera
Derek Jeter
CC Sabathia
Andy Pettite
Mark Teixiera
Alex Rodriguez
Jorge Posada
Hideki Matsui (well, does the Japanese Hall of Fame count?)


Philadelphia Phillies:
Chase Utley
Cole Hamels
Cliff Lee
Pedro Martinez
Ryan Howard

Game 4 brought all of the best quality baseball to the biggest possible stage and I loved every second of it.  You had two top-5 media markets competing within a couple hundred miles (making for easy travel).  I can't speak to the ratings, but I'm sure with Sabathia going at Joe Blanton, everyone couldn't wait to see what would happen (oh wait, nevermind).  But despite the Phillies putting someone out there that no one cares about, it was still a great game with great drama.  Early on, Blanton hit A-Rod and we were treated to a nice little stare-down that made me remember the good ole days when Jason Varitek would plant his glove in A-Roid's mirror-kissing face.  But he takes his base then comes up in the top of the 9th and wins the game for the pintripes.  Sabathia pitched well, but Utley owned him (again).  Joba Chamberlain came in before that and made the Phillies look like little leaguers until Pedro Feliz made him  look like a little leaguer.  After the Yanks got three in the 9th it was Enter Sandman and Rivera shuts it down like he's done forever.  It was just a classic World Series game.

This got me thinking about past series and made me realize how forgettable last year's World Series was.  Comparing the two is such a mismatch that it makes me wonder if this year is really great or if it's just a great series because last year's sucked so bad.


To recount, the Series was Tampa Bay vs. Philly.  Philly hadn't won a World Series since 1980.  The Rays hadn't been relevant since they entered the MLB with the Diamondbacks in 1998.  To begin with, the Series started out in Tampa Bay (specifically, St. Pete at that abomination of a stadium known as the Trop). I've been to Tropicana Field.  There are sting rays in a tank in left center that people walk by and pet because the games are so boring.  It's a retirement community, and most of the fans at Rays games are fans of other teams that are transplanted into Tampa to live out their last days.  When Red Sox fans start chanting "Let's Go Red Sox" the Rays fans usually can't even muster a response. 

The Rays were also basically an AL team built as an NL team, relying on base-stealing and small ball with a few bits of power infused by Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria.  Meanwhile the Phillies were an NL team built as an AL team with power up and down the line up.  It was just weird to watch, and the ratings for the Series were some of the lowest that the MLB has gotten in recent years.

Then there came the Game 5 debacle, where they went ahead and played the game on Monday despite the forecast, then called the game in the middle for the first time in World Series history.  Do you know how many World Series there have been (105 including 2009)?  The result was another rain delay on Tuesday, and then a Series clincher in a ridiculously miserable Philly that last only three innings on a Wednesday night.  People already didn't care because the Rays and Phils have no national following, then they play a 10-2 stinker in Game 4 that Philly dominated.  So Game 5 is already an afterthought and then it gets spread across three days.  Just a crappy World Series all around.

And the 2008 matchup was preceeded by Rockies-Red Sox (2007), Cardinals-Tigers (2006), and Astros-White Sox (2005).  Bottom line: I haven't cared about the World Series since the Red Sox made me care by coming back from 0-3 against the Yankees and then breaking an 86-year streak against the Cardinals.  But even that World Series was a boring mismatch of a sweep and was only interesting for the Curse of the Babe drama that came along with the '04 Red Sox.


So this year, in 2009, we have our first intriguing matchup since Yankees-Marlins in '03 (watching a young Josh Beckett mow down the Yankee's vaunted lineup and watching what was supposed to be Roger Clemens's last appearance in the Fall Classic has to be more intriguing than the previous years I've mentioned, but maybe I misremember).


Well thank goodness both teams are living up to their billing.  This has been a classic World Series in every facet of the game (did any of YOU expect Ryan Howard to steal a base last night or Johnny Damon to steal two at one time?). I fully expect Cliff Lee to hit the mound and dominate again, sending this thing back for a classic finish in six or seven at baseball's new cathedral / Coors Field East.  To answer my own question: the 2009 World Series is great on it's own merits, but it doesn't hurt that it was preceeded by so many crappy ones, with the ultimate turd bowl ocurring last year.


Even if the Yanks do clinch in Philly, at least the forecast is clear, so we won't have to deal with that two-day rain delay bullshit.


So we got that going for us...which is nice.

JNG: Is this supposed to be a satirical piece? I can't tell, because I swore you just used the term "great" to describe the 2009 World Series. Now you could use "great" to describe a lot of things ( Mad Men, Dave Matthews on the guitar, and Blake Lively's legs to name a few) and I'd be fine with it. But when you throw around the word with such ill regard, well then I have to take issue.

The 2009 edition of the Fall Classic is not great. I wouldn't even call it good. I'll admit it started with such promise, Cliff Lee and A.J. Burnett's gems, but it has dissipated fast since coming to Liberty City. Pitching and fielding errors have cost the Phils a chance at making this series respectable. Last night's game was a microcosm of it all. Some heroic and well-time hitting had gotten them back in the game and electrified the crowd. Two outs down in the top of the ninth and it looked like we were headed for a memorable comeback or an extra inning classic. Nope. Instead Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz decided to disappear with the Wild Things while Johnny Damon stole not one, but two bases. The rest is history with the Centaur, excuse me, A-Rod (if you haven't heard there are reports that A-Rod has paintings in his house with him painted as a Centaur, half-man, half-horse) getting the winning RBIs and Mariano Rivera going into his standard lock down mode. It was all very anticlimactic. Just like this series.

So,  I'm sorry Mitch, but there is a high chance this series gets done tonight and I am banging my head against my desk at work while the Yanks victory parade goes on outside my office. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing "great" about a 4-1 series. Visit www.thesaurus.com, they'll provide a better adjective.

Clip of the Week: Manu and the Bat

NG: If anyone was worried about Manu Ginobli coming back from last years ankle problems, fret no more. Check out the cat-like reflexes, that shifty side step, DeJuan Blair ducking for his life, and his blatant disregard for PETA.

MLC: I'm going to open up a bar in San Antonio and name it "Manu's Bald Spot."  This idea CAN'T fail.

RT @DickieV

Some people just aren't meant for Twitter. And by some people I mean Dick Vitale.

Now, I love Dickie V as much as the next guy. I can't imagine college basketball without his uncontrollable enthusiasm, over zealous hand motions, imaginative adjectives, his one eye, and the fact that he nearly soils his pants every time either the Tar Heels or Duke plays. I mean the guy is up there with Gus Johnson as the likeliest sportscaster to self-combust during a broadcast. In the world of college basketball there is no doubt Dick Vitale is a PTPer, baby!

Not so much on Twitter, though. Count the 70 year old as a member of the All-Rip Van Winkle Team in that his tweets will either put you to sleep or make you question his journalistic credibility.

"Reading N Y P ost's Mike Vaccaro n he writes he loves hoops . He promo's Coaches vs Cancer atMSG ! Can' wait Baby!"

"Signing a bunch of Dickie V goodies at Broken Egg in Lakewood Ranch. FL. Bobbleheads,Hall of Fame t- shirts,H oF balls, books etc."

"BOBCATS 59 HOW SAD! MR. JORDAN could get 59 in his sleep!" 

"Just asked for my player of year n diaper dandy~my choices : LUKE HARANGOODY n JOHNWALL!" 

"Just had super tennis match with our golf pro Scott Lameroux.He won 7-6. He loves Phillies. Forget it Yanks have big edge in bullpen.RIVERA!" 

What the hell are you talking about Dickie V. It doesn't matter how many words you capitalize or how many exclamation points you throw in there, 140 characters just isn't meant for everyone. I applaud the effort, I do, Twitter is trendy, but 99.9% of your appeal isn't in what you're saying, but rather in how you're saying it...on air.

That being said, on to a Twitter inspired college basketball preview (I'll limit the exclamation points).

RockChalkJayhawk: Who cares if they can't beat up our football team when they can destroy most every other team in college basketball as well as the Charlotte Bobcats?

CAldrich45: Remember when he beasted Tyler Hansbrough in the Final Four as the 8th man two years ago? Just shiver at what he will do this year as a junior

MLC: Big.  Slow.  Will be exposed by more athletic big men.

SherronCollins: Find me a better PG in America...I dare you.

MSSpartans: They return 4 key players from a team that lost in the final of the most boring NCAA Tournament ever. MI deserves something to be excited about, right?

TIZZO: Has anyone patented this nickname yet? Has he aged in the past decade?

UCONN: No doubt, they have the best team in the country. Wait, this is a men's basketball preview?

Nova: Who cares if they only have 3 guys over 6'6 on their roster? Napoleon, Rudy, Danny DeVito...being small never stopped them

KYWildcats: Final Four level talent, #1 recruiting class, and John Calipari... For the first time since Antoine was jacking threes, they're a threat to go all the way

MLC: I can't wait for Calipari to put up another banner in Rupp Arena that will eventually be taken down and vacated from the record books.

AshleyJudd: Finally, she will get some more airtime. 

JohnWall: His name may suggest he is a best-selling R&B singer but you'll know him as the best freshman basketball player in America come March

MLC: Please play a game first.  Or don't get declared inelligible.  Lot of big ifs here.

CoachCalipari: It's amazing how greatly the Kentucky hype has overshadowed how badly he has left the Memphis program in shambles

WillieWarren: The Griffins departure didn't leave the cupboard bare at OU...Warren is a Naismith candidate

EdDAVIS: Props to fellow Richmond native as both a potential lottery pick in 2010 and having the smallest head in college basketball history

MLC: EDWARD!!!!! (Newman, only you will get that one).

UNCTarHeels: Can you even picture UNC without Hansbrough making incredulous faces and traveling every time he gets the ball? Me neither

GusJohnson: If this won't get you prematurely pumped for March Madness then maybe this will. Or thisssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

ButlerBulldogs: The best mid-major this year from everything I've read and heard

DukeBlueDevs: Thank God the Greg Paulus Era is over in Durham

CoachK: Yes, in fact, I was too lazy to find out how to spell his name...and speaking of not aging, Google him and notice how little he has changed since 1990.

JamesEayers: You have no idea who this is and that's understandable, but take a look at the pic of the Horizon League star and you will definitely be intrigued

MLC: And please take a look at the google image results where Eayers is juxtaposed with Michael J. Fox's #55 teammate from Teen Wolf.

BOOYAHStuScott: Where will his eye slide to this year? Over/under for slipping past the nose? I mean his glasses won't even cover it by 2012

TexasLongHorns: I'd like them a lot better if Rachel Glandorf were dating one of their players...Still Top 5 talent

MLC: And we all know what Rick Barnes does with top five talent...nothing.

BoilermakersPU: I won't pretend to know anything about Big Ten basketball other than that "experts" think this team will contend with MSU for the league title
  

RockyTopVols: I don't care how their season ends up as long as Bruce Pearl doesn't wear that hideous orange Dumb and Dumber suit

IsaiahThomas: Don't confuse him with the NBA great who ran the Knicks in the ground...The Washington guard is a carbon copy of former Husky Nate Robinson

JohnBeilein: One of my favorite coaches, not just because he taught me how to shoot back when he was at UofR, but because he gets the most out of his teams

FUGators: Remember when Florida won back-to-back national championships only a few years ago? Surprising it didn't turn into better recruiting for Donavon and the Gators

TheGody: Goofy grown out buzz be damned, Luke Harangody is as big of a stud as you will see in college basketball this year.

CofCougars: A little love for the Alma Mater...Preseason favorite to win the SoCon as well as potentially upset UNC January 4th in Charleston

TWhiteJr: SoCon Player of the Year Candidate and does a mean Sisqo impression

URSpiders: Expecting an NIT season from my hometown team and high scool teammate Ryan Butler

In the words of Dickie V: I cant wait BABY its gonna be spectacular!!!!!!!