It sounds like a pair of icons may well be in serious trouble. What previous stood as only a pair of 'he said-he said' cases may well turn out swing on physical evidence. In the Roger Clemens case, Brian McNamee has turned over a bunch of seriously gross stuff. He claims it will prove that the Rocket is dirty. In the Spygate case, Roger Goodell has given Matt Walsh the assurances he said he wanted in order to rat out Bill Belichick.
I think we are all rooting for the same things in these cases-something definitive and damning.
In other news, one of my all time favorite teams made #6 on the list of greatest upsets.
Thanks to Bob M, we now know the Pats season was perfect for everyone else.
Finally, Ryan Parker comes through again.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Bunker Mentality
Thanks to Bob M for that priceless link. Usually I don't favor defacing great movies, but that is well worth it. He also sent us to the home of the XLI Champion Chicago Bears. My guess is that they bought a lot of 19-0 books to help teach the kids English too.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Nice Catch
Unfortunately, I'm saying this to Bob M. and not Dallas Clark. Bob sends us a couple of pictures that might well account for why Dallas couldn't seem to hang on to the ball this year. The photos come from Colts.com. Notice the heavy wrap around his right thumb. This could well account for why our season ended at least 4 plays early. I agree with Bob. If Clark's issues were physical (he wonders about all the concussions as well-yikes), then franchising him is well worth it.
It could be worse I guess. I could be banging my head against the wall wondering why my QB didn't throw a 15 yard out instead of 4 hail Mary's in a row.
Links:
Bob didn't know when to walk away.
The Zombie tops another list. Hey, anyone can over look the pure fury of hell unleashed in a 5'9" frame.
John Clayton lists us as the #3 contender. I could quibble, but basically this list is all chalk, so it's sort of pointless.
Demond Sanders: I re-watched the Super Bowl and was struck by how bad Brady looked. I didn't notice it as much live, but his throws were way off. There is no question that he was rattled. I can't blame Randy Moss for being frustrated. Brady missed him deep two or three times. Not near misses either, he was off by 10 or 15 feet. He also missed him wide open in the end zone on the final drive. Brady had a priceless look on his face the entire game - a mixture of frustration and confusion. That will be the lasting impression of the game for me.
Also, I hear you on the frustration thing. I started getting really angry re-watching XLII thinking about the blown playoff game. Three stupid turnovers. Here's hoping Marvin and Freeney get right for one big run in 2008.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Bob Knight retires
Bob Knight has unexpectedly resigned tonight from his head coaching job at Texas Tech. This story brings mixed emotions to the surface for many Hoosier fans, myself included. When I was growing up Bob Knight was the face of Indiana, both the University and in many ways the state. His 1987 NCAA title run helped to launch my interest in sports. His teams in the early '90s were spectacular, but couldn't catch a break. Knight slowly unraveled in the mid-nineties. His teams were marked by early tournament exits and numerous player transfers. My dad held a long running theory that his teams wore out at the end of the season under the weight of playing for such an intense and confrontational coach. I think there is a lot of truth to this. Maybe it was a generational thing, but more and more players like Neil Reid, Jason Collier, and Luke Recker were opting out.
I got to see Bob Knight coach a full season, my freshman year in college. He was fired at the start of my Sophomore year, leaving Mike Davis at the helm. I wasn't all that sorry to see him go. Bob Knight is a jerk. It's that simple. He's a more outspoken and self-centered version of Bill Belichick. I still resent him greatly because I believe he could have brought several more championships to Indiana if he had been willing to tone down his act. His personality was too overbearing for most recruits. I could go on, but you know the story. I wish I had kinder and better things to say about Coach Knight, but frankly that went out the window when he decided to sue Indiana (and actively screwed over Mike Davis's recruiting of Sean May). Pat Forde said it best last year when Knight broke the all-time wins record.
Deshawn Zombie comments: Thanks for that montage of assery, Bob. I need one more reminder of how glad I am that you are gone. Is it too much to ask Indiana to hire a head coach who isn't either insanely embarrasing, unintentionally embarrasing, or NCAA sanction style embarrasing?
I got to see Bob Knight coach a full season, my freshman year in college. He was fired at the start of my Sophomore year, leaving Mike Davis at the helm. I wasn't all that sorry to see him go. Bob Knight is a jerk. It's that simple. He's a more outspoken and self-centered version of Bill Belichick. I still resent him greatly because I believe he could have brought several more championships to Indiana if he had been willing to tone down his act. His personality was too overbearing for most recruits. I could go on, but you know the story. I wish I had kinder and better things to say about Coach Knight, but frankly that went out the window when he decided to sue Indiana (and actively screwed over Mike Davis's recruiting of Sean May). Pat Forde said it best last year when Knight broke the all-time wins record.
Deshawn Zombie comments: Thanks for that montage of assery, Bob. I need one more reminder of how glad I am that you are gone. Is it too much to ask Indiana to hire a head coach who isn't either insanely embarrasing, unintentionally embarrasing, or NCAA sanction style embarrasing?
Whitlock is crazy
I'm creating a separate post for this because I think this kind of insanity deserves to be pointed out, isolated, and ridiculed. I appreciate that Whitlock is trying to take a different look at last night's game, but he is way off-base on this one. The 2007-08 Patriots are not one of the three or four best teams of all time. I'm not sure they can fairly placed in the top twenty.
They played in a horrible division this year, racking up a 6 - 0 record. They beat some good division-winning teams along the way to 16-0, but let's not forget that it was their own decision to expend a lot of energy trying to turn wins into blowouts. Along the way they survived the below average Eagles, terrible Ravens, and looked less than stellar in double-digit wins against the Jets and Dolphins. It was their own decision to spend the last couple weeks of the regular season trying their hardest to win some meaningless games. They survived the Giants to complete the perfect regular season, but the Patriots didn't look like the dominating team that started the season so hot. By the time the playoffs rolled around, they looked old and spent.
I'll remember them as a team that had a great corps of receivers, led by an absolute freak in Randy Moss. They scored over thirty points in 8 of their first 8 games. It took the league about 10 games to develop an effective defensive gameplan against them. They scored fewer than 30 points in 6 of their final 11 games, including a pedestrian 22 ppg average in the playoffs.
I know Whitlock has a thing for Tom Brady, but when your guy doesn't get it done on the biggest stage you have to give him the same harsh treatment reserved for all big game losers. No one talks about the 14-2 Colts of 2005 or the 14-2 Chargers of 2006. They talk about the champion Steelers and champion Colts. The Patriots didn't win it all. At best, they are the 43rd best team of all time, slotted below each of the Super Bowl champion teams.
They played in a horrible division this year, racking up a 6 - 0 record. They beat some good division-winning teams along the way to 16-0, but let's not forget that it was their own decision to expend a lot of energy trying to turn wins into blowouts. Along the way they survived the below average Eagles, terrible Ravens, and looked less than stellar in double-digit wins against the Jets and Dolphins. It was their own decision to spend the last couple weeks of the regular season trying their hardest to win some meaningless games. They survived the Giants to complete the perfect regular season, but the Patriots didn't look like the dominating team that started the season so hot. By the time the playoffs rolled around, they looked old and spent.
I'll remember them as a team that had a great corps of receivers, led by an absolute freak in Randy Moss. They scored over thirty points in 8 of their first 8 games. It took the league about 10 games to develop an effective defensive gameplan against them. They scored fewer than 30 points in 6 of their final 11 games, including a pedestrian 22 ppg average in the playoffs.
I know Whitlock has a thing for Tom Brady, but when your guy doesn't get it done on the biggest stage you have to give him the same harsh treatment reserved for all big game losers. No one talks about the 14-2 Colts of 2005 or the 14-2 Chargers of 2006. They talk about the champion Steelers and champion Colts. The Patriots didn't win it all. At best, they are the 43rd best team of all time, slotted below each of the Super Bowl champion teams.
In all seriousness...
Ok, we've all had our fun, let's look at what this game really means for the Colts (the only thing that really matters to any of us):
1. Labels are for morons. A year ago, Manning was a "choker"; Eli was "a bust"; Brady was "clutch". Now after watching Tom Brady fail in the playoffs with the ball, less than two minutes to play, and a chance to force OT or win the game, we know that these tags are for simpletons. Brady didn't play well last night for sure; no reasonable person can say he did. His one TD pass was to a wide open Moss when a defender fell down (the same Moss that was wide open two plays earlier when Tommy yanked a throw). All that being said, it wasn't his fault they only scored 14 points (unless you call it karmic payback for his ahole laughing at the Plaxico saying they'd only put up 17-sorry I just can't stop being snide). He had protection problems. No QB can function when under pressure. So now that we've seen Brady fail repeatedly in the clutch, what are we to assume? He's lost it? He never had it? No, those conclusions are for people that don't like to think. In a close game, there is always a lot of luck. He's had a golden rabbit's foot rammed up his ass for years now (don't ask me how it got there, but my money's on the goats), and now the luck ran out. Brady took a step back last night for sure. He's now back in Troy Aikman/Terry Bradshaw territory.
2. This game proved what we knew three weeks ago. D-line pressure is how you beat the Pats. In the second quarter of the Chargers' game, we knew we weren't going to win the Super Bowl. Indy had no prayer of beating NE without a healthy Freeney. Watching what the Giants did confirmed it.
3. Randy Moss's vanishing act proved how important he was to the Pats offense. By far the weakest D the Pats played in the post-season was Jacksonville, and they managed to handle the Kitties without serious contributions from Moss. Again, that last TD aside, he brought little to the table in the last three games, and the Pats 'greatest offense ever' looked pretty freaking normal.
4. I wish that I had written it down (I checked, I didn't), but I said it to enough people: Eli Manning was never the problem the Giants. You could see that in week one. The Minnesota game where he threw all the picks wasn't even all his fault. Jeremey Shockey played one of the worst, most gutless games ever by a tight end that day, failing to run hard or even run the right routes. He sold out his QB that day, and his injury was the best thing to ever happen to that team. And yes, I'm aware of the FO article that says Manning actually threw more picks when going to Burress than Shockey. I think that kind of gutless performance pollutes the whole team.
5. I'm 100% serious about the things I wrote about Spy Gate 2. I think BB is in serious trouble. The Pac-Man and Mike Vick incidents are going to make it impossible for Goodell do anything less than give BB a one year ban if the allegations of walk-through taping are true...and honestly, does anyone really doubt them?
6. Next year will be fascinating, and the Colts are going to be in a prime position. As long as Freeney can come back healthy, I see no reason why this team won't be back in the Super Bowl. I think we are all worried about Marvin's health, but AG showed that he was very much worth a first round pick. This team has a SERIOUS need for one more competant corner (he may already be on the roster), one more pass rusher, and depth at WR. We'll probably need another guard too. But here's what we WON'T have to do next year: Replace two linebackers, rebuild the interior of the D-line, and train a new left tackle. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
7. Call it the curse of AV. The Pats play a Super Bowl without him and get a kickoff out of bounds, and BB opts out of a 48 yards FG in a dome. Bet you wish had those three points back, Bill. That call was positively Marty-esque.
8. No group of fans in history ever deserved what they got more than the Pats fans. At the end of the day, THEY are the reason everyone hates their team. There isn't anyone in the world who feels sorry for you. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, as they say.
Links worth reading:
This one freaking made my day. They are wrong though. The NE offense didn't choke. They got outplayed. It's not the same thing.
The FO guys go 'round the table. Just another example of why they are the best read on the web. There's no idiot finger pointing and labeling and using stupid words like 'choke'. They take a serious look at what happened and find historical correlations. I love this article.
My good friend Brian, who is a Browns fan (yet I still talk to him), sends this semi-delusional piece about the Browns chances at a title. It basically focuses on the importance of D-line pressure. If you can get it, you win most of the time. If you can't, you lose. Morons like Jeremy Green mocked Dwight Freeney's sack totals and scoffed at his insane number of pressures. No one is doing that anymore, except maybe Jeremy Green (who's too stupid for me to listen to anymore).
Note the subtext for this John Clayton article. Maybe I'm misreading it, but I don't think so. That last line was a bit nasty wasn't it?
DJ Gallo empathizes with Pats fans.
Friend of 18to88, Jessi, sends us this T shirt.
Demond Sanders: Yeah, it doesn't suck having the tables turned on Brady. He's a very good player, but no player in the history of sports was as due to lose a game by three points. His teams have lived on the edge for years, and especially this season. He started his playoff career with something like a 12 game winning streak. Amazing. As Jerry Seinfeld would say, things have a way of evening out. Tommy's had tough playoff exits in three consecutive seasons. Reminds me a lot of Jeter. Not a precipitous fall, just a once-untouchable career slowly becoming more vulnerable. Welcome to the world of losing Mr. Brady.
The Bill Simmons mea culpa article isn't as sweet as last years', but it's pretty flipping close. HE WAS PLANNING TO PARTY WITH BRADY AFTER THE GAME. That little nugget just made my year. I repeat: He was planning to party with Brady after the game. "I kept seeing Brady sitting in a chair with his right ankle encased in ice, quietly sipping a bottle of champagne with a satisfied smile on his face, and Gisele would be there, and everyone would be recapping 19-0 and remembering the incredible season. I liked the thought of a famous person celebrating a historic night in such a totally normal and relatable way."
Really Bill? Partying with your Victoria's Secret super model girlfriend after you've just won your fourth Super Bowl is relatable? You're so out of touch it's scary. You need to quit hanging out with your famous friends out in Los Angeles. (By the way, how funny is it that BS's celebrity friends are Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Corolla? He would pick two of the biggest losers ever to become famous.) Yes, I voted for BS in our poll. His smugness capsulizes everything America hates about New England. Rant over.
Dent. Buckner. Boone. Tyree. These are words I like to say.
1. Labels are for morons. A year ago, Manning was a "choker"; Eli was "a bust"; Brady was "clutch". Now after watching Tom Brady fail in the playoffs with the ball, less than two minutes to play, and a chance to force OT or win the game, we know that these tags are for simpletons. Brady didn't play well last night for sure; no reasonable person can say he did. His one TD pass was to a wide open Moss when a defender fell down (the same Moss that was wide open two plays earlier when Tommy yanked a throw). All that being said, it wasn't his fault they only scored 14 points (unless you call it karmic payback for his ahole laughing at the Plaxico saying they'd only put up 17-sorry I just can't stop being snide). He had protection problems. No QB can function when under pressure. So now that we've seen Brady fail repeatedly in the clutch, what are we to assume? He's lost it? He never had it? No, those conclusions are for people that don't like to think. In a close game, there is always a lot of luck. He's had a golden rabbit's foot rammed up his ass for years now (don't ask me how it got there, but my money's on the goats), and now the luck ran out. Brady took a step back last night for sure. He's now back in Troy Aikman/Terry Bradshaw territory.
2. This game proved what we knew three weeks ago. D-line pressure is how you beat the Pats. In the second quarter of the Chargers' game, we knew we weren't going to win the Super Bowl. Indy had no prayer of beating NE without a healthy Freeney. Watching what the Giants did confirmed it.
3. Randy Moss's vanishing act proved how important he was to the Pats offense. By far the weakest D the Pats played in the post-season was Jacksonville, and they managed to handle the Kitties without serious contributions from Moss. Again, that last TD aside, he brought little to the table in the last three games, and the Pats 'greatest offense ever' looked pretty freaking normal.
4. I wish that I had written it down (I checked, I didn't), but I said it to enough people: Eli Manning was never the problem the Giants. You could see that in week one. The Minnesota game where he threw all the picks wasn't even all his fault. Jeremey Shockey played one of the worst, most gutless games ever by a tight end that day, failing to run hard or even run the right routes. He sold out his QB that day, and his injury was the best thing to ever happen to that team. And yes, I'm aware of the FO article that says Manning actually threw more picks when going to Burress than Shockey. I think that kind of gutless performance pollutes the whole team.
5. I'm 100% serious about the things I wrote about Spy Gate 2. I think BB is in serious trouble. The Pac-Man and Mike Vick incidents are going to make it impossible for Goodell do anything less than give BB a one year ban if the allegations of walk-through taping are true...and honestly, does anyone really doubt them?
6. Next year will be fascinating, and the Colts are going to be in a prime position. As long as Freeney can come back healthy, I see no reason why this team won't be back in the Super Bowl. I think we are all worried about Marvin's health, but AG showed that he was very much worth a first round pick. This team has a SERIOUS need for one more competant corner (he may already be on the roster), one more pass rusher, and depth at WR. We'll probably need another guard too. But here's what we WON'T have to do next year: Replace two linebackers, rebuild the interior of the D-line, and train a new left tackle. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
7. Call it the curse of AV. The Pats play a Super Bowl without him and get a kickoff out of bounds, and BB opts out of a 48 yards FG in a dome. Bet you wish had those three points back, Bill. That call was positively Marty-esque.
8. No group of fans in history ever deserved what they got more than the Pats fans. At the end of the day, THEY are the reason everyone hates their team. There isn't anyone in the world who feels sorry for you. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, as they say.
Links worth reading:
This one freaking made my day. They are wrong though. The NE offense didn't choke. They got outplayed. It's not the same thing.
The FO guys go 'round the table. Just another example of why they are the best read on the web. There's no idiot finger pointing and labeling and using stupid words like 'choke'. They take a serious look at what happened and find historical correlations. I love this article.
My good friend Brian, who is a Browns fan (yet I still talk to him), sends this semi-delusional piece about the Browns chances at a title. It basically focuses on the importance of D-line pressure. If you can get it, you win most of the time. If you can't, you lose. Morons like Jeremy Green mocked Dwight Freeney's sack totals and scoffed at his insane number of pressures. No one is doing that anymore, except maybe Jeremy Green (who's too stupid for me to listen to anymore).
Note the subtext for this John Clayton article. Maybe I'm misreading it, but I don't think so. That last line was a bit nasty wasn't it?
DJ Gallo empathizes with Pats fans.
Friend of 18to88, Jessi, sends us this T shirt.
Demond Sanders: Yeah, it doesn't suck having the tables turned on Brady. He's a very good player, but no player in the history of sports was as due to lose a game by three points. His teams have lived on the edge for years, and especially this season. He started his playoff career with something like a 12 game winning streak. Amazing. As Jerry Seinfeld would say, things have a way of evening out. Tommy's had tough playoff exits in three consecutive seasons. Reminds me a lot of Jeter. Not a precipitous fall, just a once-untouchable career slowly becoming more vulnerable. Welcome to the world of losing Mr. Brady.
The Bill Simmons mea culpa article isn't as sweet as last years', but it's pretty flipping close. HE WAS PLANNING TO PARTY WITH BRADY AFTER THE GAME. That little nugget just made my year. I repeat: He was planning to party with Brady after the game. "I kept seeing Brady sitting in a chair with his right ankle encased in ice, quietly sipping a bottle of champagne with a satisfied smile on his face, and Gisele would be there, and everyone would be recapping 19-0 and remembering the incredible season. I liked the thought of a famous person celebrating a historic night in such a totally normal and relatable way."
Really Bill? Partying with your Victoria's Secret super model girlfriend after you've just won your fourth Super Bowl is relatable? You're so out of touch it's scary. You need to quit hanging out with your famous friends out in Los Angeles. (By the way, how funny is it that BS's celebrity friends are Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Corolla? He would pick two of the biggest losers ever to become famous.) Yes, I voted for BS in our poll. His smugness capsulizes everything America hates about New England. Rant over.
Dent. Buckner. Boone. Tyree. These are words I like to say.
MUWHAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA
I now like the NFL about 10-15% more than ever, and that's saying something. I mean, I write a NFL blog that posts about 650 times a year.
Demond Sanders: You took the words right out of my mouth. Best game ever. Best play ever. Eli is MVP. Brilliant. David Tyree. Best play ever. Has there ever been a bigger momentum swing. A moment ago we were looking at non-stop Patriots talk for the next three decades. Now we're talking about back to back Manning SB MVPs. I LOVE IT. Check out this awesome blog post at the Boston Globe. The Yankees comparison is all too true.
By the way, I read a really good book tonight:
Demond Sanders: You took the words right out of my mouth. Best game ever. Best play ever. Eli is MVP. Brilliant. David Tyree. Best play ever. Has there ever been a bigger momentum swing. A moment ago we were looking at non-stop Patriots talk for the next three decades. Now we're talking about back to back Manning SB MVPs. I LOVE IT. Check out this awesome blog post at the Boston Globe. The Yankees comparison is all too true.
By the way, I read a really good book tonight:
The Greatest Ever
Giants 17 - Patriots 14
One more thought after the most awesome Super Bowl game ever: Huh, so the NFL puts a stop to the Pats' cheating, and they LOSE a Super Bowl by 3. Interesting.
The offseason just got a lot more fun for everyone
The offseason just got a lot more fun for everyone
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Softball
A true story I heard from a friend last week...
"Several years ago, my brother was invited to put his team in a softball tournament. He informed the organizer that he had a couple of players who were out of town, but if he could sub his brother (me) and his nephew (my son), he could field a team. The organizer said, sure, of course that's no problem. We played games all day, and found ourselves in the championship that night. We were up 11 runs in the 3rd inning when the captain of the opposing team (and the father of the tourney organizer) came out and declared, 'Game's over. We're the champions.' He then claimed our team was disqualified for bringing in ringers from out of town. The guy who ran the tourney upheld the protest, and the championship was given to the other team."
This story makes me ask the following question:
Is it really worth it? Especially in this context, where the prize is a chintzy softball trophy. But even in other areas of life, is it really worth it to cheat just to be called champions? How hollow and lame is that? In all honesty, I wouldn't want to win if it meant breaking the rules.
Demond Sanders: LOL. That is a great story, but I'd like to know how that scene ended. It's not a good idea to tick off a bunch of (probably) drunk guys wielding softball bats.
"Several years ago, my brother was invited to put his team in a softball tournament. He informed the organizer that he had a couple of players who were out of town, but if he could sub his brother (me) and his nephew (my son), he could field a team. The organizer said, sure, of course that's no problem. We played games all day, and found ourselves in the championship that night. We were up 11 runs in the 3rd inning when the captain of the opposing team (and the father of the tourney organizer) came out and declared, 'Game's over. We're the champions.' He then claimed our team was disqualified for bringing in ringers from out of town. The guy who ran the tourney upheld the protest, and the championship was given to the other team."
This story makes me ask the following question:
Is it really worth it? Especially in this context, where the prize is a chintzy softball trophy. But even in other areas of life, is it really worth it to cheat just to be called champions? How hollow and lame is that? In all honesty, I wouldn't want to win if it meant breaking the rules.
Demond Sanders: LOL. That is a great story, but I'd like to know how that scene ended. It's not a good idea to tick off a bunch of (probably) drunk guys wielding softball bats.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Spy Gate II - Easterbrook's Revenge
For those who haven't heard, Spygate is breaking loose all over again. This time the Patriots are accused of video taping a private pre-Super Bowl walkthrough prior to their game against the Rams in 2002. There's not much new to say about this other than:
1. Are we really surprised?
2. There had better be serious penalties if the allegations are proved. Belichick should be suspended for at least one year. The franchise should be forced to forfeit their title.
3. The bloom is off this rose. The Patriots 'dynasty' will forever be remembered as cheaters on a Nixonian level. They could reestablish diplomatic relations with China, and it wouldn't be enough to save their legacy.
In a way, this the most glorious thing that could have happened today. If the Pats win tomorrow they will be reviled. If they lose, America will dance on their collective graves. Matt Walsh, potentially the key witness in this saga, seems terrified of retribution by the Pats legal goon squad, saying he wouldn't reveal any of his hard evidence with guarantees of legal protection from ESPN.
For the next month, we'll be hearing more about congressional hearings. Belichick, Goodell, and Matt Walsh will all be called to testify. With any luck, BB will have to testify under oath to his misdeeds. The Patriots have shamed the entire NFL.
We've been reasonably magnanimous to the Pats this year (other than, you know, 88 reasons we hate them). We didn't think the original allegations merited more penalty than what they got. We already conceded them the Super Bowl. But this, if true, is a whole new level. Sneaking into a private practice at a neutral site facility and video taping practice is insanely low. This is a whole different plane of crapulence.
There is simply no question. This is now the single most hateable team in the history of North American pro-sports.
Demond Sanders: You gotta love the NFL's response to the latest report of spying. "We were aware of the rumor months ago and looked into it. There was no evidence of it on the tapes or in the notes produced by the Patriots, and the Patriots told us it was not true," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press. Oh, well, if the Patriots say it didn't happen then okay.
1. Are we really surprised?
2. There had better be serious penalties if the allegations are proved. Belichick should be suspended for at least one year. The franchise should be forced to forfeit their title.
3. The bloom is off this rose. The Patriots 'dynasty' will forever be remembered as cheaters on a Nixonian level. They could reestablish diplomatic relations with China, and it wouldn't be enough to save their legacy.
In a way, this the most glorious thing that could have happened today. If the Pats win tomorrow they will be reviled. If they lose, America will dance on their collective graves. Matt Walsh, potentially the key witness in this saga, seems terrified of retribution by the Pats legal goon squad, saying he wouldn't reveal any of his hard evidence with guarantees of legal protection from ESPN.
For the next month, we'll be hearing more about congressional hearings. Belichick, Goodell, and Matt Walsh will all be called to testify. With any luck, BB will have to testify under oath to his misdeeds. The Patriots have shamed the entire NFL.
We've been reasonably magnanimous to the Pats this year (other than, you know, 88 reasons we hate them). We didn't think the original allegations merited more penalty than what they got. We already conceded them the Super Bowl. But this, if true, is a whole new level. Sneaking into a private practice at a neutral site facility and video taping practice is insanely low. This is a whole different plane of crapulence.
There is simply no question. This is now the single most hateable team in the history of North American pro-sports.
Demond Sanders: You gotta love the NFL's response to the latest report of spying. "We were aware of the rumor months ago and looked into it. There was no evidence of it on the tapes or in the notes produced by the Patriots, and the Patriots told us it was not true," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press. Oh, well, if the Patriots say it didn't happen then okay.
Friday, February 1, 2008
This one ain't close
I am issuing a brief, pre-emptive congratulations to the fans of the soon to be Super Bowl champion Patriots. I don't think this game will be close. The Giants are very talented, but the Patriots throw the ball six yards at a time. The short passes are nearly impossible to stop because of the threat of Randy Moss.
So congratulations ahead of time, New England. You can revel in the knowledge that:
1.) I'm less of a fan of the NFL because of this season. I like it 3 or 4% less.
2.) The endless references to this Patriots team over the next 30 years will have an untold negative effect on my personal well being.
3.) I hate you. . . soooo much.
4.) Something broke in the space/time continuum the night of the Ravens game. The Patriots were supposed to lose that game. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to find out that Belichick's grandson actually possesses a time machine and he has been sneaking back in time to help his grandfather call the right plays.
5.) Tom Brady brought his hair stylist to the Super Bowl with him. I wish I were making that up.
6.) Our opinion of Brady hasn't changed. A good player who is accurate and protects the football. Manning is still better in our opinion. Both players have many seasons left and we are content to judge them in 2015. The Colts have a much younger team than the Patriots and I hope that we are merely witnessing the brief overlap between two dynasties.
7.) Patriots 31 - Giants 23.
So congratulations ahead of time, New England. You can revel in the knowledge that:
1.) I'm less of a fan of the NFL because of this season. I like it 3 or 4% less.
2.) The endless references to this Patriots team over the next 30 years will have an untold negative effect on my personal well being.
3.) I hate you. . . soooo much.
4.) Something broke in the space/time continuum the night of the Ravens game. The Patriots were supposed to lose that game. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to find out that Belichick's grandson actually possesses a time machine and he has been sneaking back in time to help his grandfather call the right plays.
5.) Tom Brady brought his hair stylist to the Super Bowl with him. I wish I were making that up.
6.) Our opinion of Brady hasn't changed. A good player who is accurate and protects the football. Manning is still better in our opinion. Both players have many seasons left and we are content to judge them in 2015. The Colts have a much younger team than the Patriots and I hope that we are merely witnessing the brief overlap between two dynasties.
7.) Patriots 31 - Giants 23.
Over! Rated! (Clap, Clap, Clap clap clap)
In pro sports, the "yeah, but who have they beaten?" argument is usually crap. In college, it matters. Another IU flameout last night proved that. The Hoosiers got out to a 17-1 start while playing one of the countries easiest collection of cupcakes. That's not all their fault; they scheduled some games (SIU, Kentucky) that should normally be tough, but weren't this year, and they got the easy Big 10 teams early. After two straight losses to UConn and Wisconsin, it's clear that they are not ready for prime time yet. My impression after both games was that IU definitely has top talent, but they are not well coached. Kelvin Sampson's offense is a disaster. Last night, Wisconsin showed how to screen and create ball movement. Technically speaking, it was beautiful. There were some bad calls last night, but so what? This is the Big 10; on the road, all the calls are bad. Sampson either has a terrible offensive design or isn't getting through to these kids. One thing remains certain, DJ White is baaaaad man. His IU career makes him one of the true greats in Cream and Crimson. He is the toughest rebounder in traffic I can ever remember at IU. His passion and ability kept them in that game, and allowed them to claw back with a nice run. Still, I'm frustrated that now that I can finally watch back to back games (CURSE YOU COMCAAAAAAAAST!), I have to watch games that suck. I'm not convinced this team won't make a tourney run, but they clearly have a lot of work to do.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Politics of Hate
Watching Super Bowl week without a real dog in the fight reminds me that one of my principle motivations in sports is to hate certain teams. The Colts title last year was the first by one of my big four (Colts, Pacers, Reds, IU) since 1990, and only the 4th of my lifetime (81 and 87 Hoosiers as well). That means that most post-seasons, I'm left hunting for reasons to care. That reason is typically because I hate one of the teams involved. This year, I'm partially motivated by Eli's presence, but mostly, I just hate the Patriots.
The primary season is sort of that way for me too. I grew up extremely political. My grandparents are staunch Democrats; my folks are Republicans. I used to care deeply. Since then, I've come to believe that politics are not the best method to change society and have moved my life and my interests in a different, and I think more productive direction. Most years, I don't have a dog in the fight since no one out there really cares about the issue that is most important to me personally (poverty and immigrants' rights). Last election, I participated in the traditional Latin American protest vote of voting "en blanco". I went to the poll, voted, and left the ballot for president blank.
This year has been different. I still don't have anyone that I want to vote for. Ah, but I have people to hate! For specific policy reasons that I'm not going to go into nor defend (save your emails telling me why I'm wrong; we aren't going there), I HATE Hilliary Clinton and Mitt Romney. Violently, violently dislike them; I mean Patriots level hatred. Obama and McCain could be the reincarnations of Filmore and Nixon, and I would still be rooting for them; should either one go up against Clinton or Romney next fall, they have my vote. If they go up against each other, I'm lost. I've paid more attention to politics in the last three months than I had in the last three years combined. And that's entirely driven by my hatred of two of the major candidates. I don't really care who wins, but I sure care who loses.
Sports comes full circle. If you can't have someone you love be in the big dance, having someone you hate at least keeps you interested.
The primary season is sort of that way for me too. I grew up extremely political. My grandparents are staunch Democrats; my folks are Republicans. I used to care deeply. Since then, I've come to believe that politics are not the best method to change society and have moved my life and my interests in a different, and I think more productive direction. Most years, I don't have a dog in the fight since no one out there really cares about the issue that is most important to me personally (poverty and immigrants' rights). Last election, I participated in the traditional Latin American protest vote of voting "en blanco". I went to the poll, voted, and left the ballot for president blank.
This year has been different. I still don't have anyone that I want to vote for. Ah, but I have people to hate! For specific policy reasons that I'm not going to go into nor defend (save your emails telling me why I'm wrong; we aren't going there), I HATE Hilliary Clinton and Mitt Romney. Violently, violently dislike them; I mean Patriots level hatred. Obama and McCain could be the reincarnations of Filmore and Nixon, and I would still be rooting for them; should either one go up against Clinton or Romney next fall, they have my vote. If they go up against each other, I'm lost. I've paid more attention to politics in the last three months than I had in the last three years combined. And that's entirely driven by my hatred of two of the major candidates. I don't really care who wins, but I sure care who loses.
Sports comes full circle. If you can't have someone you love be in the big dance, having someone you hate at least keeps you interested.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Not letting this get out of hand...
I don't want this post to devolve into a Manning/Brady argument. That being said, it of course, will. ESPN has a really fascinating article ranking the top 10 QBs of all time. It has Johnny U at #1, Brady at #3, and Manning at #5. It seems to be a well thought out piece, but I think it's wrong.
Listen I know Brady has won four Super Bowls (see what I did there?). So did Bradshaw. I know Manning has two MVP awards. He's not Elway yet. I just think it's too early to put these guys in the top 5 of all time. I love Peyton. He's my all time favorite athlete. I can't put him ahead of John Elway yet. Brady might go down as a top three all time guy, or in 20 years, we'll think of him the way we know think of Bradshaw. Great QB, but were you ever scared of him?
I don't know how it is for opposing fans when Manning has the ball, so I can't evaluate that. I personally, never fear Tom Brady. I don't sit around biting my nails waiting for that killer strike. He's just not scary to me. Oh he might lead a scoring drive, but it'll be because of some weak screen pass and a broken tackle. Not the way it was with the big three. I can remember what it was like whenever Marino had it. You knew they would score. Maybe because I grew up with Montana, Marino, Elway, but those guys were terrifying. They could do whatever they wanted. I think Brady and Manning are threatening to make us forget the Masters of the game. That really makes me sad. I'm glad Johnny U tops this list. I like thinking that the ancients are still great. If guys play only to be forgotten, then why are we blustering about Brady and Manning. Our kids will forget them all too quickly.
I've been doing research into particular African tribes this week (don't ask). One of the most fascinating concepts is the African concept of the Ancestor. When one dies, he enters the realm of the ancestors. They control the future and determine the fates of men on the earth. They only retain power, however, as long as someone remembers them. When their fame has gone, they move on to the greater invisible realm where they no longer influence this life. I hope that by so quickly elevating Brady and Manning into the TOP FIVE all time, that we haven't ushered others into the realm of the invisible.
Don't write me and tell me how great Brady is. I KNOW HE'S GREAT. If you miss that, you're missing the point. I'm trying to tell you how I respond emotionally to watching him play. I won't remember him as fear inspiring as the others. It may be the same way for Manning too; I don't know. I'm too invested his success to sit back and evaluate him. Don't take any of this as a knock. It's about memory and legacy and how the greats made us feel at the time. I don't know for sure that either guy should be placed so high, so soon.
Listen I know Brady has won four Super Bowls (see what I did there?). So did Bradshaw. I know Manning has two MVP awards. He's not Elway yet. I just think it's too early to put these guys in the top 5 of all time. I love Peyton. He's my all time favorite athlete. I can't put him ahead of John Elway yet. Brady might go down as a top three all time guy, or in 20 years, we'll think of him the way we know think of Bradshaw. Great QB, but were you ever scared of him?
I don't know how it is for opposing fans when Manning has the ball, so I can't evaluate that. I personally, never fear Tom Brady. I don't sit around biting my nails waiting for that killer strike. He's just not scary to me. Oh he might lead a scoring drive, but it'll be because of some weak screen pass and a broken tackle. Not the way it was with the big three. I can remember what it was like whenever Marino had it. You knew they would score. Maybe because I grew up with Montana, Marino, Elway, but those guys were terrifying. They could do whatever they wanted. I think Brady and Manning are threatening to make us forget the Masters of the game. That really makes me sad. I'm glad Johnny U tops this list. I like thinking that the ancients are still great. If guys play only to be forgotten, then why are we blustering about Brady and Manning. Our kids will forget them all too quickly.
I've been doing research into particular African tribes this week (don't ask). One of the most fascinating concepts is the African concept of the Ancestor. When one dies, he enters the realm of the ancestors. They control the future and determine the fates of men on the earth. They only retain power, however, as long as someone remembers them. When their fame has gone, they move on to the greater invisible realm where they no longer influence this life. I hope that by so quickly elevating Brady and Manning into the TOP FIVE all time, that we haven't ushered others into the realm of the invisible.
Don't write me and tell me how great Brady is. I KNOW HE'S GREAT. If you miss that, you're missing the point. I'm trying to tell you how I respond emotionally to watching him play. I won't remember him as fear inspiring as the others. It may be the same way for Manning too; I don't know. I'm too invested his success to sit back and evaluate him. Don't take any of this as a knock. It's about memory and legacy and how the greats made us feel at the time. I don't know for sure that either guy should be placed so high, so soon.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Pledge
Demond Sanders (4:30:54 PM): or something like that
Deshawn Zombie (4:31:02 PM): yikes
Demond Sanders (4:31:25 PM): like peyton would say: you love it
Deshawn Zombie (4:31:32 PM): or better yet, DSRL tatoos
Demond Sanders (4:31:36 PM): NOOOOO
Demond Sanders (4:31:39 PM): lol
Deshawn Zombie (4:31:49 PM): or bet yet, pledge to eat a whole bag of double stuff oreos!
Demond Sanders (4:31:55 PM): done
Demond Sanders (4:31:56 PM): and done
Demond Sanders (4:32:28 PM): that sounds amazing
Demond Sanders (4:32:31 PM): i might do that win or lose
On Shuffle
Here's what I've been thinking about in the world of sports.
I'm still a little sick of the Reds dealing Josh "Hambone" Hamilton. I know own two Reds jerseys of outfielders who play for other teams. The crappy part is, I can't figure out whose jersey I SHOULD buy. I'm going hunting for a Larkin, that's all there is to it. Thanks to Chad for the link. He's my official source of awesome baseball links.
My hopes for open wheel unity and a return to national relevance are dashed again. I get why George did what he did all those years ago. Road racing was killing the CART circuit. Oval racing is more interesting. Unfortunately, it seems that too much ground has been lost to NASCAR. They need to get this deal done.
This article about Jim Caldwell was reassuring. It sounds like Wake Forrest was an outhouse for football. He did take them to a bowl which is impressive. The no cursing thing reminded me of my high school baseball team. I had a great coach at Pike that made us all conduct ourselves with pride. Profanity meant that the whole team had to run. That team was incredibly successful, and my senior year we set 19 school records. I later attended a private college where the atmosphere should have been even better. It wasn't. The difference in environment and attitude was striking. That team won about 5 games. I'm not drawing any larger conclusions, mind you. I'm just saying that I enjoyed playing in a strict environment, and our team had more discipline and more success. I had always been taught that profanity was for unintelligent people of a limited vocabulary, but of course that my Dad who said that, and he has quite the mouth so take that for what it's worth. Let's not have a long discussion on how this would play out in the NFL. It's obviously a different situation.
Finally, I'd love to get my hands on this document. I love stats and would like to see them. I think part of the fallacy that they are pushing is that Clemens was normal. HGH is supposed to heal your body and aid recovery. His career was far from normal and lasted far longer than almost anyone else's. I want to see the stats, but I remain markedly unconvinced.
Oh, and here is the single best thing I've ever seen on CHFF
I saw this tour pre-911, and it was the coolest thing I've ever been to. I heard it was even better afterwards. I get chills watching this again. I've heard U2 play in front of 80,000 in Buenos Aires where everyone knew every lyric to their songs despite the fact they didn't speak English. They've had a lot of great nights, but I doubt they were ever better than this.
I'm still a little sick of the Reds dealing Josh "Hambone" Hamilton. I know own two Reds jerseys of outfielders who play for other teams. The crappy part is, I can't figure out whose jersey I SHOULD buy. I'm going hunting for a Larkin, that's all there is to it. Thanks to Chad for the link. He's my official source of awesome baseball links.
My hopes for open wheel unity and a return to national relevance are dashed again. I get why George did what he did all those years ago. Road racing was killing the CART circuit. Oval racing is more interesting. Unfortunately, it seems that too much ground has been lost to NASCAR. They need to get this deal done.
This article about Jim Caldwell was reassuring. It sounds like Wake Forrest was an outhouse for football. He did take them to a bowl which is impressive. The no cursing thing reminded me of my high school baseball team. I had a great coach at Pike that made us all conduct ourselves with pride. Profanity meant that the whole team had to run. That team was incredibly successful, and my senior year we set 19 school records. I later attended a private college where the atmosphere should have been even better. It wasn't. The difference in environment and attitude was striking. That team won about 5 games. I'm not drawing any larger conclusions, mind you. I'm just saying that I enjoyed playing in a strict environment, and our team had more discipline and more success. I had always been taught that profanity was for unintelligent people of a limited vocabulary, but of course that my Dad who said that, and he has quite the mouth so take that for what it's worth. Let's not have a long discussion on how this would play out in the NFL. It's obviously a different situation.
Finally, I'd love to get my hands on this document. I love stats and would like to see them. I think part of the fallacy that they are pushing is that Clemens was normal. HGH is supposed to heal your body and aid recovery. His career was far from normal and lasted far longer than almost anyone else's. I want to see the stats, but I remain markedly unconvinced.
Oh, and here is the single best thing I've ever seen on CHFF
I saw this tour pre-911, and it was the coolest thing I've ever been to. I heard it was even better afterwards. I get chills watching this again. I've heard U2 play in front of 80,000 in Buenos Aires where everyone knew every lyric to their songs despite the fact they didn't speak English. They've had a lot of great nights, but I doubt they were ever better than this.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Taping the Hoosiers
I never would have gone to the trouble of recording a Hoosiers game to watch a couple of hours late before, but in this season of multiple blackouts, I'm relishing any tube time I get with them. Since I have a work event from 1-4 today, I'm going to record the game. This is relevant for two reasons: 1. IU is must see TV for the first time in a long time and 2. They seem like they are barely ever on. It's a perfect storm of crapiness.
UPDATE: Well, that was a lousy effort. I'm too mad to even write anything. Sampson let that game get out of hand early after the 9-0 lead. The team started playing like they were up 20, and he didn't reign them in. I'm too mad to even write anything coherent right now.
In other news:
Here's a great piece about Super Bowl rings. Scroll down for Vinatieri's story behind his LXI ring.
UPDATE: Well, that was a lousy effort. I'm too mad to even write anything. Sampson let that game get out of hand early after the 9-0 lead. The team started playing like they were up 20, and he didn't reign them in. I'm too mad to even write anything coherent right now.
In other news:
Here's a great piece about Super Bowl rings. Scroll down for Vinatieri's story behind his LXI ring.
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