I am seeing Browns-Ravens for my single game on CBS, Redskins-Jaguars for the first game of the doubleheader, and Giants-Packers for the second game. For the third straight week the Fox team of Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan will be in my living room. I think they both are underrated for how obscure games they frequently do, and I enjoy watching their games. One good thing about Ravens-Browns is that Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts are doing the game. I have yet to see a full game of theirs this season.
The Raiders game, called by Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf, is blacked out in the San Francisco market, so Chargers-Bengals (Johnson and Tasker) is being shown instead. Phil Simms and Jim Nantz will call the action of N.Y. Jets-Chicago.
I sort of wish San Francisco-St. Louis were being shown here. A.) I have yet to see a Rams game. B.) It's their "A" game in the early slot. Just because it's a west coast game doesn't mean it should not be shown here. It hasn't stopped WTTE before. Fox all season has clearly been behind CBS, particularly in their games and the selection of games picked by local affiliates week-in-week-out. I guess scheduling the Vikings and Cowboys for nearly every nationally televised game would do that, but it goes beyond that.
The problem is I don't where the blame lies. Is in the NFL? The network? Or the local affiliate's program director? Clearly there is a cog in the system that is distorting something from preventing the best action from being shown on Sunday afternoons, instead opting for the so-called "regional" matchup. Or, being a college town, showing a game of a team with prominent ex-Buckeyes (Troy Smith, A.J. Hawk, etc). I just realized something. Troy Smith is supposed to start this Sunday's 49er game, so maybe WTTE will switch!
23 December 2010
21 December 2010
The Tebow Love-Fest Has To End
I'm blogging while watching Sunday's Broncos-Raiders game on NFL Game Rewind and my god, is the Tebow love rampid. So much so, it's sickening. And not just from one announcer, but from both. CBS was tracking Tebow like Fox or ESPN would do with Favre, with Gus Johnson giving us the play-by-play along the way ("There is Tebow talking with his quarterback coach about that last series." -- one that was a three and out). Hype. Hype. Hype. Storylines abound. Talk this about Tebow. Talk that. Talk about the awards. Talk about Tebow's college accomplishments and all the fluff that go with ("the most accomplished college player of his generation.") It was sick I tell you! Sick! I hate to sound like Paul Zimmerman here, but when a storyline gets in the way of the game action - especially when the player who all the talk is about is not doing well - it's just asinine!
I get it. He's a great athlete and a great person and an emotional leader and a Christian. Please end it there! I still don't think he's even a very good quarterback, which is not the same thing as being a good athlete. Where is all the love come from? It can't be one thing or another. Plenty of athletes are Christians. Plenty of athletes are capable and emotional leaders. But ever in NFL history has a single player been so hyped out of college and then hyped in the NFL before he has done a damn thing?! And even though the Rams are currently 1st place in the NFC West, it has been barely talked about how well Sam Bradford has played. What's been covered, annoyingly more, is how terrible the NFC West is and how the NFL should have a seeding system based on record. Everybody should have seen that the NFC West was going to be bad this year. Why is it such a surprise now?
Please, folks, let's stop the Tebow love - here and now.
In other NFL news, I don't know if you heard or not, but Brett Favre started against the Bears on Monday Night in a game that was played outdoors in the cold and snow in Minnesota, seperated shoulder and all. Favre knows how to grab the media's attention. He'll tell Ed Werner that he has no plans on starting and then seemingly majestically, he'll start. Is it too much to think that Favre intended on starting all along, but just kept telling the media that he won't for his own sick and twisted reason? I guess it's nice to be in a position to be able to hold the media hostage, with them biting their nails, wating on what you're going to say and do next. I don't think anybody, even the Vikings, would think that they would lose two quarterbacks to injury in the consecutive games, so I wouldn't have blamed them for starting a rookie, or getting a scab through free agency (in this case, Patrick Ramsey).
This was a wasted season for the Vikings and Favre a.) should not have came back, and b.) been benched early in the season. After the New England game at the latest. And it's a shame that Brad Chidress was sacrificed for his team's failure.
Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention this. In last week's TMQ, Gregg included an email from a reader where the reader basically told TMQ he was wrong and that his comparison was stupid and wrong.
I noted many big colleges have more staff in the athletic department than in the English department. Matt Howland of Penn State replies, "I think your comparison of ratios with employees serving the football team and the English department serving the entire student body is flawed. The proportionate amount of time needed to teach one student in one English class is tiny compared to the amount of time football players and other athletes spend time preparing to compete. I think a more fair comparison is relating the English staff to English majors, rather than to the entire student body."
One thing I have always thought about Gregg Easterbrook is that he has a relatively small ego - compared to, say, Colin Cowherd. I'm glad that TMQ was man enough to include this comment in his column.
I get it. He's a great athlete and a great person and an emotional leader and a Christian. Please end it there! I still don't think he's even a very good quarterback, which is not the same thing as being a good athlete. Where is all the love come from? It can't be one thing or another. Plenty of athletes are Christians. Plenty of athletes are capable and emotional leaders. But ever in NFL history has a single player been so hyped out of college and then hyped in the NFL before he has done a damn thing?! And even though the Rams are currently 1st place in the NFC West, it has been barely talked about how well Sam Bradford has played. What's been covered, annoyingly more, is how terrible the NFC West is and how the NFL should have a seeding system based on record. Everybody should have seen that the NFC West was going to be bad this year. Why is it such a surprise now?
Please, folks, let's stop the Tebow love - here and now.
In other NFL news, I don't know if you heard or not, but Brett Favre started against the Bears on Monday Night in a game that was played outdoors in the cold and snow in Minnesota, seperated shoulder and all. Favre knows how to grab the media's attention. He'll tell Ed Werner that he has no plans on starting and then seemingly majestically, he'll start. Is it too much to think that Favre intended on starting all along, but just kept telling the media that he won't for his own sick and twisted reason? I guess it's nice to be in a position to be able to hold the media hostage, with them biting their nails, wating on what you're going to say and do next. I don't think anybody, even the Vikings, would think that they would lose two quarterbacks to injury in the consecutive games, so I wouldn't have blamed them for starting a rookie, or getting a scab through free agency (in this case, Patrick Ramsey).
This was a wasted season for the Vikings and Favre a.) should not have came back, and b.) been benched early in the season. After the New England game at the latest. And it's a shame that Brad Chidress was sacrificed for his team's failure.
Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention this. In last week's TMQ, Gregg included an email from a reader where the reader basically told TMQ he was wrong and that his comparison was stupid and wrong.
I noted many big colleges have more staff in the athletic department than in the English department. Matt Howland of Penn State replies, "I think your comparison of ratios with employees serving the football team and the English department serving the entire student body is flawed. The proportionate amount of time needed to teach one student in one English class is tiny compared to the amount of time football players and other athletes spend time preparing to compete. I think a more fair comparison is relating the English staff to English majors, rather than to the entire student body."
One thing I have always thought about Gregg Easterbrook is that he has a relatively small ego - compared to, say, Colin Cowherd. I'm glad that TMQ was man enough to include this comment in his column.
17 December 2010
I Rip Gregg Easterbrook Because His Column Has Turned To Shit
Yeah. TMQ used to be cool. It used to be somewhat funny and had some insightful analysis, but now, uh-uh. Twice this season Gregg Easterbrook has made the focus of his TMQ not about sports and earlier this year wrote a dedicated column scathing "24". That was probably the beginning of the end for my interest in his column and usually I read it on The Bottom of the Barrel as well as their prognostication. One thing TMQ has going for it is that Gregg Easterbrook is the last ESPN personality that isn't dick-riding Brett Favre and the array of storylines that come with. And for that, I'm surprised he wasn't fired (yes I am being cynical).
For the first time in a while, Gregg offers up some real analysis for the focus of his TMQ before branching off into something only the Football Gods knows.
Sunday's snowstorms -- the Metrodome collapsed, blizzard conditions at Soldier Field -- remind us that alone in team athletics, football is a sport performed in the elements. Football begins in the sweltering heat and humidity of summer, proceeds through the rain and wind of autumn, and advances to snow and freezing cold. Most team sports are indoors most or all the time. Baseball clubs retire to Florida and Arizona in winter to train in ideal conditions, then call their games -- racing for shelter -- over anything more than a sprinkle. Football performs in heat, cold, wind, sleet, snow and rain.
What sucks is that right off the bat I agree with what Gregg is saying here. At one point or another during an NFL season a team is going to have to play a game in the elements; whether it's rain, snow or strong winds. About the only thing the NFL will stop for his lighting or wild fires.
Perhaps the collapse of the Metrodome was the football gods telling Brett Favre it's time to bronze his cleats.
(Rimshot)
This tells us you shouldn't be afraid to throw in snow: Bring a passing game plan, as Belichick brought to Chicago. Tom Brady threw 40 times for 27 completions and 369 yards, as if the game had been played on a flawless California blue-sky day. By halftime, New England held a 193-14 passing-yards lead, and the second half should have been canceled to let the crowd go home. In snow, when footing is bad, it's difficult to change direction -- so throw down the middle. Don't throw sideways patterns like outs, and forget sweeps and tosses. Guess what the Patriots did, and guess what the Bears did.
Anyone remember the Snow Bowl? The Patriots threw all over the Raiders in that one, and it was played during a steady snowfall. There is a basic defensive gameplan that a defense could use to stop the Patriots, where the defense plays tight coverage on the receivers, but doesn't pressure the quarterback or play really deep coverage.
And then, surprisingly, we get some actual analysis from Gregg that aren't outlandish or crazy.
All the above make New England the NFL's best team of the moment -- the only on-field criticism I can think of is they may be peaking too soon. But this being the Patriots, there's a dark side. In 2007, Belichick admitted to years of what seemed to everyone except him as cheating. If New England returns to the Super Bowl, the sports world might have to relive Spygate -- including the unresolved questions of why Belichick wouldn't come clean until forced, and why he never really apologized. If the Patriots win this year's Super Bowl, people might wonder if they are cheating still. Probably not, but considering the elaborate, systematic nature of their previous clandestine efforts, this can't be ruled out. Many football enthusiasts, including in the league front office, might not mind if the Patriots are knocked off early in the playoffs, and Spygate: The Sequel doesn't happen.
I knew the spygate bug would return, especially with Gregg, who ripped the shit out of Belichick back in '07 (just look through Gregg Easterbrook's archives on his ESPN Page 2 site), calling him something to the effect of "The NFL's best coach, but the NFL's worst sport."
The actual analysis and down-to-earth statements end here, and the Gregg Easterbrook of 2010 rears its ugly head again.
In college football news, the Heisman went to Cam Newton. Considering the trophy is supposedly presented to the player who "best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity," it is another sign of the decline of standards that for the second time in six years -- Reggie Bush in 2005, Newton in 2010 -- an award for "excellence with integrity" went to a player with ethical question marks. The "integrity" part seems to have become a big joke to the Heisman voters.
I'm pretty sure Newton's integrity has never been questioned and it's been damn near proven it was his father and agents who were at fault. So why should Cam Newton be blamed for this? Deep down Gregg is just pissed that a quarterback won the award and not an obscure lineman. Because by Vince Lombardi, that's where football happens.
TMQ continues to maintain this award should be renamed the Heisman Trophy for the Quarterback or Running Back Who Receives Most Publicity. Awarded 76 times, the trophy has gone to 71 quarterbacks or running backs. No linebacker or offensive lineman has won, only one defensive back has won, and the two winners sometimes described as linemen -- Larry Kelley of Yale in 1936 and Leon Hart of Notre Dame in 1949 -- made their marks as receivers on offense, though also played defensive end, as in their eras many players went both ways. If John Heisman, who was a center and tackle for Brown and Penn before going into coaching, were alive and playing today, there's no chance he could win the award that bears his name.
Thank the Football Gods for AutoText.
TMQ thinks the best college football player of 2010 was left tackle Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin, recipient of the Outland Trophy. There were many tremendous performers at Oregon, Auburn, Stanford and other schools; Carimi was best from my perspective. Wisconsin piled up amazing rushing yardage with simple tactics, often "50" or "70" runs behind the left tackle. Carimi was never involved in recruiting monkey business. Unlike Newton, who may have cheated when at Florida, there are no questions about Carimi as a genuine student. Carimi made the 2010 Academic Big Ten team, which means at least a 3.0 GPA.
He was never recruited? So that means he was a crappy player in high school? Probably not (I don't know) Just sayin'. There are many football players who are recruited. So because a player is recruited means that they're an asshole in Gregg's "perspective".
Proof of solid classroom performance should be part of the Heisman search for collegiate "excellence." Instead, to the Heisman voters, integrity and academic performance have become irrelevant. All that matters is hype and ratings. This is a distressing message for the Heisman Trust to send about college football. If John Heisman were around, he might take his name off his own award.
The award has always, to a degree, been about hype. Even the players who won the award back in the days of "real football" created some buzz or hype. Seriously, this statement sounds like it came from a message board weasel in his mom's basement, bitching about the Heisman's "bias".
Another threat to Western civilization is the NFC West, in which no team has a winning record. At 4-9, the Arizona Cardinals are still in contention. The NFC West could have a division winner at 7-9, hosting a home playoff game, while a 10-6 team doesn't even make the postseason. Should the NFC West be an automatic qualifier for the BCS? Could any NFC West club make the New Mexico Bowl, which on Saturday will pair two schools that don't have winning records? A looming NFL playoff fiasco -- losing teams in, winning teams out -- is another argument for a seeded tournament.
Wow, there's a lofty pronouncement! Sound the cannons. Release the pigeons. Has this topic not been beaten to death already? A seeding system in the NFL is not going to, and should not, happen. There were cries about this years ago when the NFC had an overwhelming advantage over the AFC in the Super Bowl. And who says a 10-6 team won't make it to the postseason this year? Seriously, if the Packers stink up their last three games, they're out of contention. And it's very possible because their next three opponents are the Pats, Giants and Bears, probably the best the NFL has to offer.
Leading 7-0 in the second quarter at Tennessee, Indianapolis faced third-and-14 on its 37. Flaming Thumbtacks corner Cortland Finnegan, who's a lot better at starting fights than playing football, had man coverage on Reggie Wayne, who ran a simple "go." Rather than keep his eyes on the receiver -- proper technique for man coverage -- Finnegan made the high school mistake of looking into the backfield trying to guess the play. As Wayne was blowing past him, Finnegan was looking backward at Peyton Manning: 50-yard reception by Wayne, and soon the Colts led 14-0. Looking into the backfield not only is fundamentally poor, it shows Finnegan is lazy. He was hoping to see that the Colts' call was a draw or something short, which would allow him to quit on the play.
How sure are you it was man? And even if it was, could it possibly have been a breakdown of coverage? Maybe there was another safety who was supposed to be helping Finnegan if he got beat. Screams zone to me, and Wayne blazed through it. And if Finnegan were to abandon his zone, he would get chewed out by his coaches for not being disciplined. Of course I take offense to Gregg making generalizations when I made one myself, but nobody's perfect.
"Was by Leslie Frazier, when he turned in a lineup card with Brett Favre scratched. See the league's official Game Book here, under "Not Active."
For the first time in a while, Gregg offers up some real analysis for the focus of his TMQ before branching off into something only the Football Gods knows.
Sunday's snowstorms -- the Metrodome collapsed, blizzard conditions at Soldier Field -- remind us that alone in team athletics, football is a sport performed in the elements. Football begins in the sweltering heat and humidity of summer, proceeds through the rain and wind of autumn, and advances to snow and freezing cold. Most team sports are indoors most or all the time. Baseball clubs retire to Florida and Arizona in winter to train in ideal conditions, then call their games -- racing for shelter -- over anything more than a sprinkle. Football performs in heat, cold, wind, sleet, snow and rain.
What sucks is that right off the bat I agree with what Gregg is saying here. At one point or another during an NFL season a team is going to have to play a game in the elements; whether it's rain, snow or strong winds. About the only thing the NFL will stop for his lighting or wild fires.
Perhaps the collapse of the Metrodome was the football gods telling Brett Favre it's time to bronze his cleats.
(Rimshot)
This tells us you shouldn't be afraid to throw in snow: Bring a passing game plan, as Belichick brought to Chicago. Tom Brady threw 40 times for 27 completions and 369 yards, as if the game had been played on a flawless California blue-sky day. By halftime, New England held a 193-14 passing-yards lead, and the second half should have been canceled to let the crowd go home. In snow, when footing is bad, it's difficult to change direction -- so throw down the middle. Don't throw sideways patterns like outs, and forget sweeps and tosses. Guess what the Patriots did, and guess what the Bears did.
Anyone remember the Snow Bowl? The Patriots threw all over the Raiders in that one, and it was played during a steady snowfall. There is a basic defensive gameplan that a defense could use to stop the Patriots, where the defense plays tight coverage on the receivers, but doesn't pressure the quarterback or play really deep coverage.
And then, surprisingly, we get some actual analysis from Gregg that aren't outlandish or crazy.
All the above make New England the NFL's best team of the moment -- the only on-field criticism I can think of is they may be peaking too soon. But this being the Patriots, there's a dark side. In 2007, Belichick admitted to years of what seemed to everyone except him as cheating. If New England returns to the Super Bowl, the sports world might have to relive Spygate -- including the unresolved questions of why Belichick wouldn't come clean until forced, and why he never really apologized. If the Patriots win this year's Super Bowl, people might wonder if they are cheating still. Probably not, but considering the elaborate, systematic nature of their previous clandestine efforts, this can't be ruled out. Many football enthusiasts, including in the league front office, might not mind if the Patriots are knocked off early in the playoffs, and Spygate: The Sequel doesn't happen.
I knew the spygate bug would return, especially with Gregg, who ripped the shit out of Belichick back in '07 (just look through Gregg Easterbrook's archives on his ESPN Page 2 site), calling him something to the effect of "The NFL's best coach, but the NFL's worst sport."
The actual analysis and down-to-earth statements end here, and the Gregg Easterbrook of 2010 rears its ugly head again.
In college football news, the Heisman went to Cam Newton. Considering the trophy is supposedly presented to the player who "best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity," it is another sign of the decline of standards that for the second time in six years -- Reggie Bush in 2005, Newton in 2010 -- an award for "excellence with integrity" went to a player with ethical question marks. The "integrity" part seems to have become a big joke to the Heisman voters.
I'm pretty sure Newton's integrity has never been questioned and it's been damn near proven it was his father and agents who were at fault. So why should Cam Newton be blamed for this? Deep down Gregg is just pissed that a quarterback won the award and not an obscure lineman. Because by Vince Lombardi, that's where football happens.
TMQ continues to maintain this award should be renamed the Heisman Trophy for the Quarterback or Running Back Who Receives Most Publicity. Awarded 76 times, the trophy has gone to 71 quarterbacks or running backs. No linebacker or offensive lineman has won, only one defensive back has won, and the two winners sometimes described as linemen -- Larry Kelley of Yale in 1936 and Leon Hart of Notre Dame in 1949 -- made their marks as receivers on offense, though also played defensive end, as in their eras many players went both ways. If John Heisman, who was a center and tackle for Brown and Penn before going into coaching, were alive and playing today, there's no chance he could win the award that bears his name.
Thank the Football Gods for AutoText.
TMQ thinks the best college football player of 2010 was left tackle Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin, recipient of the Outland Trophy. There were many tremendous performers at Oregon, Auburn, Stanford and other schools; Carimi was best from my perspective. Wisconsin piled up amazing rushing yardage with simple tactics, often "50" or "70" runs behind the left tackle. Carimi was never involved in recruiting monkey business. Unlike Newton, who may have cheated when at Florida, there are no questions about Carimi as a genuine student. Carimi made the 2010 Academic Big Ten team, which means at least a 3.0 GPA.
He was never recruited? So that means he was a crappy player in high school? Probably not (I don't know) Just sayin'. There are many football players who are recruited. So because a player is recruited means that they're an asshole in Gregg's "perspective".
Proof of solid classroom performance should be part of the Heisman search for collegiate "excellence." Instead, to the Heisman voters, integrity and academic performance have become irrelevant. All that matters is hype and ratings. This is a distressing message for the Heisman Trust to send about college football. If John Heisman were around, he might take his name off his own award.
The award has always, to a degree, been about hype. Even the players who won the award back in the days of "real football" created some buzz or hype. Seriously, this statement sounds like it came from a message board weasel in his mom's basement, bitching about the Heisman's "bias".
Another threat to Western civilization is the NFC West, in which no team has a winning record. At 4-9, the Arizona Cardinals are still in contention. The NFC West could have a division winner at 7-9, hosting a home playoff game, while a 10-6 team doesn't even make the postseason. Should the NFC West be an automatic qualifier for the BCS? Could any NFC West club make the New Mexico Bowl, which on Saturday will pair two schools that don't have winning records? A looming NFL playoff fiasco -- losing teams in, winning teams out -- is another argument for a seeded tournament.
Wow, there's a lofty pronouncement! Sound the cannons. Release the pigeons. Has this topic not been beaten to death already? A seeding system in the NFL is not going to, and should not, happen. There were cries about this years ago when the NFC had an overwhelming advantage over the AFC in the Super Bowl. And who says a 10-6 team won't make it to the postseason this year? Seriously, if the Packers stink up their last three games, they're out of contention. And it's very possible because their next three opponents are the Pats, Giants and Bears, probably the best the NFL has to offer.
Leading 7-0 in the second quarter at Tennessee, Indianapolis faced third-and-14 on its 37. Flaming Thumbtacks corner Cortland Finnegan, who's a lot better at starting fights than playing football, had man coverage on Reggie Wayne, who ran a simple "go." Rather than keep his eyes on the receiver -- proper technique for man coverage -- Finnegan made the high school mistake of looking into the backfield trying to guess the play. As Wayne was blowing past him, Finnegan was looking backward at Peyton Manning: 50-yard reception by Wayne, and soon the Colts led 14-0. Looking into the backfield not only is fundamentally poor, it shows Finnegan is lazy. He was hoping to see that the Colts' call was a draw or something short, which would allow him to quit on the play.
How sure are you it was man? And even if it was, could it possibly have been a breakdown of coverage? Maybe there was another safety who was supposed to be helping Finnegan if he got beat. Screams zone to me, and Wayne blazed through it. And if Finnegan were to abandon his zone, he would get chewed out by his coaches for not being disciplined. Of course I take offense to Gregg making generalizations when I made one myself, but nobody's perfect.
"Was by Leslie Frazier, when he turned in a lineup card with Brett Favre scratched. See the league's official Game Book here, under "Not Active."
It was sour because Favre's iron-man streak -- his first start came when the elder George Bush was president, when Charles and Diana were still married -- concluded. It was sweet because no quarterback ever started 297 straight NFL games before, and no one ever will again."
Now Blogger has decided to take a shit and make everything bold. I'm anticipating Gregg is going to get fired for speaking ill about Favre and positively about his benching. I usually agree with Gregg on Favre stuff.
"'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' -- TMQ's favorite of the seven Narnia books -- opened in big-budget special-effects format Friday. I shudder to think of attending after hearing the director say he altered the story to "improve" it."
So Gregg Easterbrook is an Narnia nerd (sort of like a trekie)? This amuses me because aren't the Chronicles of Narnia books for kids? Of course, last year, Gregg said his favorite movie of 2009 was Wall-E. And later on Gregg says Voyage of the Dawn Treader is his favorite because it has a Christian theme, and then proceeds to say that the filmakers should take Christian elements out of the story, only to say to keep them. Easterbrook's double-talk is what always gets under my skin.
"Instead, Mike Shanahan sent out the kicking team for a singleton to force overtime. This is fraidy-cat thinking: If Shanahan goes for two and the play fails he is blamed; if he does the expected and kicks, the players are blamed for any loss. Beyond that, it was plain dumb given the game situation. Struggling Redskins place-kicker Graham Gano already had missed a 24-yard field goal attempt and barely made his sole PAT kick. The odds of a blown PAT here -- what happened, of course -- were much higher than usual. But Shanahan wanted to shift the blame from himself onto the players. The players "made mistakes," Shanahan said in his postgame news conference. The Redskins are the team of the nation's capital, and the one thing Washington is good at is blame-shifting! "Snapper, Holder Shoulder Blame for Loss," read the headline of a Monday Washington Post story, which blamed the players and said almost nothing about the fact that 5-8 Washington might have gone for the win. Gano will be waived soon, if he hasn't been already, and Shanahan will blame him for the loss. Shanahan should blame his own poor decision."
I'm sure if the Redskins went for the deuce and didn't convert, then Gregg would have ripped them for that and said they should have gone for a singleton instead.
"Coaches have good and bad performances just like players. Shanahan's performance Sunday was cover-your-eyes awful."
Even Bill Belichick has a bad weekend. Week 9 of this year ring any bells?
"Trailing 27-21 with 4:14 remaining, their season sinking slowly into the west, the Tennessee Titans faced fourth-and-1 on their own 34 against the Indianapolis Colts. You need only a yard, are playing at home, and averaged 5.7 yards per offensive snap on the game -- go for it! You've lost four straight and need to reverse this losing psychology -- go for it! Boom was the sound of the punt, and now the Flaming Thumbtacks have lost five straight."
Their own 34? That's not what I would call great field position. That's still about five yards from the no-man's land where going for it would make sense. And to say that just because they punted means an automatic loss is lunacy -- just like Gregg Easterbrook.
"Often, defenses relax when an offensive star jogs off."
Oh yeah? Says who? Is this another made-up theory by Gregg Easterbrook to make himself sound smarter than all the players and analysts out there.
"Reaching first-and-goal at the Dallas 1, game scoreless, the Philadelphia Eagles came out in a shotgun spread while the Cowboys lined up in a dime. Perhaps it is just as well that Vince Lombardi did not live to see a dime defense versus a shotgun spread on first-and-goal at the 1. Noticing the Boys had no middle linebacker on the field, Michael Vick simply ran up the middle for the touchdown, with six blockers versus five defenders."
This play was pretty cool. And I'm glad Vince Lombardi isn't around today. He was an overrated coach to begin with, and besides, football has evolved alot since Lombardi. And even during his time he was seen as a bit of a simpleton with his coaching on both sides of the ball.
"No one has ever been a better "all-around" college football player than Marecic."
Is this a fact or just another outlandish statement? And he's a running back (okay, a two-way player, but still, a running back), so he should automatically be disqualified, damn it. And why aren't small schools considered in Heisman voting? Because there are enough players in D-1 to begin with and alot of D-II and D-III schools play teams that really, really suck and win huge and have exasperated stats. That's why.
The Single Worst Play of the Season So Far...until next week. I swear there have been like six of these this season. This TMQ started out well but then burst into flames.
And I promise I'll do announcer reviews. I have NFL Game Rewind now so I can now watch games with announcers I haven't heard for free.
12 December 2010
Patriots-Bears (Somewhat) Live Blog
Due to limitations of Blogger, I can't entirely blog the game "live".
4:04 - Watching bonus coverage of Jacksonville-Oakland. Maurice Jones-Drew just scored a touchdown with 1:34 to give Jax the lead. Finished watching the Cincy-Pittsburgh woofer, but Gumbel and Dierdorf doing the game made it a little better, and there was a fight on the field after the game was over between some players. That was cool. Unfortunately it wasn't snowing, but it will be in Chicago.
4:08 - Sideline mic just caught someone yelling "What the fuck!"
4:09 - Wow, Kevin Harlan, four in the secondary! That only happens on a majority of NFL defensive plays! He's another one I can't understand the blogosphere's love affair of. At least he's currently working with Soloman Wilcots.
4:13 - Just before the sack they showed a shot of Tom Cable on the sidelines and the ball boy standing next to him is wearing what looks like a real heavy parka while Cable is just sporting a sweatshirt. It's currently 60 degrees in Jacksonville.
4:14 - Raiders lose. They're probably out playoff contention.
4:11 - Darren McFadden, 209 yards and three touchdowns - nice.
4:15 - It's really fuckin' snowy and windy (30-40 MPH) and a wind chill of 9 in Chicago. Yay Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
4:17 - Pats go five-wide on first down. Why am I not surprised? And it goes to Welker. Again, why I am not surprised?
4:18 - Pats go three-and-out, and still no one thinks the Bears are good, but Mike Martz has never had to call plays in the elements. And Hester just blazed down the sideline in the snow. He has better traction than my car.
4:21 - This is the sixth play of the game and still I have no idea what the yardage is. Oh, the NE 45. Guess I should pay attention to the on-screen graphics. Bears run on their first three plays and go three-and-out. And Phil Simms says the weather isn't bad enough for his liking.
4:24 - Pats go five-wide again...and it's to Welker.
4:26 - Alright! A quarterback breaking down line play. And on all of the Pats passing plays, they have gone Shotgun (note to Bears defense). And after two bad incompletions, Brady hits Welker on 3rd & 10 for a first down.
4:28 - Monsters of the Midway swarm Danny Woodhead! (And the Pats went Shotgun and passed!)
4:29 - Brady is throwing in the wind pretty well. I think because the rush is slowed down, it's actually easy to pass in the snow, but the wind is another thing. And while I was typing, the Patriots passed with Brady under center (it was a play fake).
4:31 - Pass tipped by Urlacher, clanged incomplete, almost picked off by Chris Harris.
4:31 - Rob Gronkowski is huge. He is a head taller than Wes Welker.
4:34 - "Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys playing on the P.A. system at Soldier Field. And Bill Belichick looks like a Turkish terrorist with his scarf covering half his face.
4:36 - I don't think the 2011 Jeep Wrangler existed during the Cold War (in reference to the commercial for Call of Duty: Black Ops).
4:39 - Does Vince Wilfork even tuck in his jersey?
4:40 - Terrible spot by the refs on the Knox reception.
4:45 - First quarter over already? At least there was a touchdown.
4:47 - Brady and Welker are shredding the Bears defense, with a little bit of Green-Ellis (at least Jim Nantz isn't saying his full name every time he touches the ball). Miami up on the Jets, as are the Chargers over the Chiefs.
4:52 - Cameraman bought the fake, but Nantz didn't.
4:55 - Yardage, Jim? You're not having a strong game to this point. Pats just scored another touchdown on an inside handoff to Danny Woodhead on a four-wide formation. Bears D getting smoked.
5:02 - That was a really wobbly pass. Knox's ass was down when it was ruled a fumble. Could go either way.
5:06 - Call stands. Pats up by three touchdowns.
5:13 - Bears go three-and-out again. What is their deal? The Patriots currently have the same amount of touchdowns as the bears do first downs (three).
5:17 - Just a little checkdown to Woodhead that was short of the first down. Wasn't there anybody deeper? Gotta check the tape. And Phil Simms just made an inhuman noise. Pats 24-0.
5:22 - Another Bears turnover. Did I just hear a cathedral bell ring?
5:26 - Pats 27-0. Jay Cutler standing there like a statue. He is probably in shock. And there is snow blowing upwards at Soldier Field because of the wind.
5:29 - Come on, Bears. You should be familiar with weather like this. Cutler just hit Forte on a curl-in, and I'm remember Warner and Faulk doing the same thing eons ago...
5:30 - Two-minute warning. Bears need to punt again, and that stupid iPad commercial is on
5:33 - Julian Edelman's punt return calling back by penalty. First hiccup by the Pats all game.
5:36 - Come on, Urlacher, pick that pass off!
5:37 Brady to Branch for six on the last play off the half. 33-0 Pats. Dinner time for me. Hopefully I'll be back by the third quarter. Bears fans boo.
5:58 - Okay, I'm back. Looks like we've switched to Miami-N.Y. Jets with Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts. My first look at this team this year I'm pretty sure.
6:01 - Eagle just spotted an extra lineman for the Jets by name and Fouts telestrated him. Good stuff! For how many games of the Jets I've seen, the last two ball handlers are guys I've never heard of.
6:02 - Hell, even Sanchez can't throw a good spiral. What is up with these quarterbacks?!
6:07 - It's 3rd and 15 and what do the Dolphins do? Two tight end set and they run a sweep. No attempt to convert whatsoever, and on top of that there was a holding penalty.
6:11 - We cut away and what happens? Hester breaks one that sets up a touchdown. Ian Eagle is right, Hester could run on ice.
6:13 - Cotchery could have gone all the way, and Sanchez's escape was magnificent. Too bad it failed and almost ended in an interception.
6:16 - Seam pattern by Fasano for a big gain, but more importantly, Ricky Williams was split out wide!
6:18 - Wow. Way to go Henne. Totally effed up the handoff. Yeah the ball was wet, but a wet football is not something a quarterback should be shocked about.
6:20 - I see this game is real sloppy too. I thought I'd like these games with the advert weather most of the country is having, the product is suffering.
6:28 - Nolan Carrol of the Dolphins hurt because a Jets player or personnel on the sideline tripped him. It's dirty but kind of funny (in an ironic way).
6:31 - Looks like the refs missed a pass interference on Braylon Edwards.
6:35 - End of the 3rd Quarter. Miami 10-3 over the Jets...still.
6:42 - Jets are getting it moving on offense. It's about time. Maybe they heard Ian Eagle say they haven't scored a touchdown in eight quarters.
6:46 - I was watching video of the roof collapse at The Metrodome during the commercial.
6:47 - That Brown to Marshall screw-up is sure to be on the next NFL Follies. I didn't know Ronnie Brown was left-handed either.
6:49 - This might sound racist to some but I seriously just saw the first McDonald's commercial I've seen in years with white people in it. Maybe I just don't pay close enough attention.
6:53 - Just realized I went a whole series without posting. Here you go. Did I pick the wrong weekend to live blog or what? 15 punts, 16 first downs TOTAL. Yikes. And Shaun Green is out.
6:58 - Finally a big play. Sanchez-Holmes for 43.
6:59 - And then Sanchez overthrowns Dustin Keller.
7:00 - POINTS! A field goal by the Jets! And no commercial between possessions? Whatever will the yaks yak about? Miscues. And Tony Sporano wearing sunglasses at night in the rain is just sweet. I know he is sensitive to light, but still. Crowd's back into it, too.
7:05 - No commercials between possessions again. Maybe all their sponsors went broke.
7:08 - "The Jets have been the Cardiac Kids all year." What do they go? Go three-and-out. And the Dolphins only have 32 passing yards. There's 2:33 left. We could have five more punts!
7:11 - Here we go! Punt number 10 on the afternoon for the Dolphins!
7:21 - Dolphins win 10-6. Two straight losses for the Jets. Dolphins still in it at 7-6.
4:04 - Watching bonus coverage of Jacksonville-Oakland. Maurice Jones-Drew just scored a touchdown with 1:34 to give Jax the lead. Finished watching the Cincy-Pittsburgh woofer, but Gumbel and Dierdorf doing the game made it a little better, and there was a fight on the field after the game was over between some players. That was cool. Unfortunately it wasn't snowing, but it will be in Chicago.
4:08 - Sideline mic just caught someone yelling "What the fuck!"
4:09 - Wow, Kevin Harlan, four in the secondary! That only happens on a majority of NFL defensive plays! He's another one I can't understand the blogosphere's love affair of. At least he's currently working with Soloman Wilcots.
4:13 - Just before the sack they showed a shot of Tom Cable on the sidelines and the ball boy standing next to him is wearing what looks like a real heavy parka while Cable is just sporting a sweatshirt. It's currently 60 degrees in Jacksonville.
4:14 - Raiders lose. They're probably out playoff contention.
4:11 - Darren McFadden, 209 yards and three touchdowns - nice.
4:15 - It's really fuckin' snowy and windy (30-40 MPH) and a wind chill of 9 in Chicago. Yay Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
4:17 - Pats go five-wide on first down. Why am I not surprised? And it goes to Welker. Again, why I am not surprised?
4:18 - Pats go three-and-out, and still no one thinks the Bears are good, but Mike Martz has never had to call plays in the elements. And Hester just blazed down the sideline in the snow. He has better traction than my car.
4:21 - This is the sixth play of the game and still I have no idea what the yardage is. Oh, the NE 45. Guess I should pay attention to the on-screen graphics. Bears run on their first three plays and go three-and-out. And Phil Simms says the weather isn't bad enough for his liking.
4:24 - Pats go five-wide again...and it's to Welker.
4:26 - Alright! A quarterback breaking down line play. And on all of the Pats passing plays, they have gone Shotgun (note to Bears defense). And after two bad incompletions, Brady hits Welker on 3rd & 10 for a first down.
4:28 - Monsters of the Midway swarm Danny Woodhead! (And the Pats went Shotgun and passed!)
4:29 - Brady is throwing in the wind pretty well. I think because the rush is slowed down, it's actually easy to pass in the snow, but the wind is another thing. And while I was typing, the Patriots passed with Brady under center (it was a play fake).
4:31 - Pass tipped by Urlacher, clanged incomplete, almost picked off by Chris Harris.
4:31 - Rob Gronkowski is huge. He is a head taller than Wes Welker.
4:34 - "Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys playing on the P.A. system at Soldier Field. And Bill Belichick looks like a Turkish terrorist with his scarf covering half his face.
4:36 - I don't think the 2011 Jeep Wrangler existed during the Cold War (in reference to the commercial for Call of Duty: Black Ops).
4:39 - Does Vince Wilfork even tuck in his jersey?
4:40 - Terrible spot by the refs on the Knox reception.
4:45 - First quarter over already? At least there was a touchdown.
4:47 - Brady and Welker are shredding the Bears defense, with a little bit of Green-Ellis (at least Jim Nantz isn't saying his full name every time he touches the ball). Miami up on the Jets, as are the Chargers over the Chiefs.
4:52 - Cameraman bought the fake, but Nantz didn't.
4:55 - Yardage, Jim? You're not having a strong game to this point. Pats just scored another touchdown on an inside handoff to Danny Woodhead on a four-wide formation. Bears D getting smoked.
5:02 - That was a really wobbly pass. Knox's ass was down when it was ruled a fumble. Could go either way.
5:06 - Call stands. Pats up by three touchdowns.
5:13 - Bears go three-and-out again. What is their deal? The Patriots currently have the same amount of touchdowns as the bears do first downs (three).
5:17 - Just a little checkdown to Woodhead that was short of the first down. Wasn't there anybody deeper? Gotta check the tape. And Phil Simms just made an inhuman noise. Pats 24-0.
5:22 - Another Bears turnover. Did I just hear a cathedral bell ring?
5:26 - Pats 27-0. Jay Cutler standing there like a statue. He is probably in shock. And there is snow blowing upwards at Soldier Field because of the wind.
5:29 - Come on, Bears. You should be familiar with weather like this. Cutler just hit Forte on a curl-in, and I'm remember Warner and Faulk doing the same thing eons ago...
5:30 - Two-minute warning. Bears need to punt again, and that stupid iPad commercial is on
5:33 - Julian Edelman's punt return calling back by penalty. First hiccup by the Pats all game.
5:36 - Come on, Urlacher, pick that pass off!
5:37 Brady to Branch for six on the last play off the half. 33-0 Pats. Dinner time for me. Hopefully I'll be back by the third quarter. Bears fans boo.
5:58 - Okay, I'm back. Looks like we've switched to Miami-N.Y. Jets with Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts. My first look at this team this year I'm pretty sure.
6:01 - Eagle just spotted an extra lineman for the Jets by name and Fouts telestrated him. Good stuff! For how many games of the Jets I've seen, the last two ball handlers are guys I've never heard of.
6:02 - Hell, even Sanchez can't throw a good spiral. What is up with these quarterbacks?!
6:07 - It's 3rd and 15 and what do the Dolphins do? Two tight end set and they run a sweep. No attempt to convert whatsoever, and on top of that there was a holding penalty.
6:11 - We cut away and what happens? Hester breaks one that sets up a touchdown. Ian Eagle is right, Hester could run on ice.
6:13 - Cotchery could have gone all the way, and Sanchez's escape was magnificent. Too bad it failed and almost ended in an interception.
6:16 - Seam pattern by Fasano for a big gain, but more importantly, Ricky Williams was split out wide!
6:18 - Wow. Way to go Henne. Totally effed up the handoff. Yeah the ball was wet, but a wet football is not something a quarterback should be shocked about.
6:20 - I see this game is real sloppy too. I thought I'd like these games with the advert weather most of the country is having, the product is suffering.
6:28 - Nolan Carrol of the Dolphins hurt because a Jets player or personnel on the sideline tripped him. It's dirty but kind of funny (in an ironic way).
6:31 - Looks like the refs missed a pass interference on Braylon Edwards.
6:35 - End of the 3rd Quarter. Miami 10-3 over the Jets...still.
6:42 - Jets are getting it moving on offense. It's about time. Maybe they heard Ian Eagle say they haven't scored a touchdown in eight quarters.
6:46 - I was watching video of the roof collapse at The Metrodome during the commercial.
6:47 - That Brown to Marshall screw-up is sure to be on the next NFL Follies. I didn't know Ronnie Brown was left-handed either.
6:49 - This might sound racist to some but I seriously just saw the first McDonald's commercial I've seen in years with white people in it. Maybe I just don't pay close enough attention.
6:53 - Just realized I went a whole series without posting. Here you go. Did I pick the wrong weekend to live blog or what? 15 punts, 16 first downs TOTAL. Yikes. And Shaun Green is out.
6:58 - Finally a big play. Sanchez-Holmes for 43.
6:59 - And then Sanchez overthrowns Dustin Keller.
7:00 - POINTS! A field goal by the Jets! And no commercial between possessions? Whatever will the yaks yak about? Miscues. And Tony Sporano wearing sunglasses at night in the rain is just sweet. I know he is sensitive to light, but still. Crowd's back into it, too.
7:05 - No commercials between possessions again. Maybe all their sponsors went broke.
7:08 - "The Jets have been the Cardiac Kids all year." What do they go? Go three-and-out. And the Dolphins only have 32 passing yards. There's 2:33 left. We could have five more punts!
7:11 - Here we go! Punt number 10 on the afternoon for the Dolphins!
7:21 - Dolphins win 10-6. Two straight losses for the Jets. Dolphins still in it at 7-6.
Thank The Football Gods For NFL Game Rewind
With the cancellation of this afternoon's Giants-Vikings game, all affiliates have to switch to a different game, and since it was Fox's "A" game, that is a majority of Fox's affiliates. What do they switch to? Well, it's not Tampa Bay-Washington, and not the later New Orleans-St. Louis collision, but fucking Green Bay-Detroit? Green Bay-Detroit. That's right, Green Bay-Detroit.
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
This is why I fucking hate Fox's NFL coverage. Rarely do they wish to share their good match ups with a majority of the country. I realize there are some NFL rules that regulate stuff like this and that storylines abound, but seriously, Green Bay-Detroit? How regional is that in Los Angeles? Or Bangor, Maine? The only non-regional affiliates showing St. Louis-New Orleans are Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Kudos to them.
NFL Game Rewind is a great tool to watch the real games your local program directors shaft you out of - which would constitute basically every Fox game this week. And if you have a fast enough internet connection, you can watch your game in high definition.
This is why I fucking hate Fox's NFL coverage. Rarely do they wish to share their good match ups with a majority of the country. I realize there are some NFL rules that regulate stuff like this and that storylines abound, but seriously, Green Bay-Detroit? How regional is that in Los Angeles? Or Bangor, Maine? The only non-regional affiliates showing St. Louis-New Orleans are Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Kudos to them.
NFL Game Rewind is a great tool to watch the real games your local program directors shaft you out of - which would constitute basically every Fox game this week. And if you have a fast enough internet connection, you can watch your game in high definition.
08 December 2010
I Should Be Mad But I'm Not
WTTE is going with Rams-Saints at 4:00 this Sunday. Dick Stockton and Charles Davis are doing the game, which is sweet because I have yet to see a game with that team. I have yet to see a complete Rams game either and I'm pretty sure I have yet to see a Sunday afternoon Saints game (for being the reigning Super Bowl champs, they sure haven't been on too many nationally televised games). Buck and Aikman are doing Giants-Vikings. Yeah. Knew you'd say that.
The eye network is hosting a doubleheader, and their main game is Bears-Patriots, which for some reason everybody is pissed about. I realize there are three late games on CBS that have playoff implications, but, well, I shouldn't have to explain this.
Way too much of the west though is hosting Arizona-Denver. Two 3-8s should only be shown in their home markets, especially with all the other (better) games going on.
The early games on CBS are much less interesting. Cincinnati-Pittsburgh is being distributed to most of the country, but I would imagine more affiliates would switch to Jacksonville-Oakland, as that game becomes more important in terms of playoffs.
At 9-3 the Bears still have their doubters. What makes them tick are superior special teams and defense with limited skill position talent and low-voltage offense (which is interesting considering their offensive coordinator's history). And with Jay Cutler's history of inconsistent play, analysts think he can and will lose it at the drop of a hat sometime in the next four games. I'm not saying it won't happen, but Jay Cutler has never had an offensive coordinator like Martz (despite his play calling and personnel decisions, he knows quarterbacks and offense).
I'm seeing lots of comparisons to Matt Ryan and Tom Brady in his early years. Both in the media hype surrounding them and the style of offense they play. It's quite cliche to become enamored by young quarterbacks to do well, because so many of them fail and they are set up to fail when they come to the NFL. Ryan plays very efficient, as does Brady, but there are so many factors that come into a comeback more than just the quarterback. Usually, the defense loosens up and "plays not to lose".
Jets-Patriots Analysis: Not much to say here, other than they certainly talked the talk but sure as hell didn't walk the walk. It was cold, it was windy, and Sanchez is not weather-proof and Brady is and always has been (my one Brady man-love for the blog). Basically the Jets did what they do best; trash talk and try to intimidate and they failed, much like they did back in Week 1 against the Ravens. The Jets miss Jim Leohnard (or however the hell you spell his name). And since when have the Patriots crashed and burned on a big stage, other than Super Bowl XLI, and I could go into a spiel about that, but I won't.
More to come later. I'm writing in between stuff.
The eye network is hosting a doubleheader, and their main game is Bears-Patriots, which for some reason everybody is pissed about. I realize there are three late games on CBS that have playoff implications, but, well, I shouldn't have to explain this.
Way too much of the west though is hosting Arizona-Denver. Two 3-8s should only be shown in their home markets, especially with all the other (better) games going on.
The early games on CBS are much less interesting. Cincinnati-Pittsburgh is being distributed to most of the country, but I would imagine more affiliates would switch to Jacksonville-Oakland, as that game becomes more important in terms of playoffs.
At 9-3 the Bears still have their doubters. What makes them tick are superior special teams and defense with limited skill position talent and low-voltage offense (which is interesting considering their offensive coordinator's history). And with Jay Cutler's history of inconsistent play, analysts think he can and will lose it at the drop of a hat sometime in the next four games. I'm not saying it won't happen, but Jay Cutler has never had an offensive coordinator like Martz (despite his play calling and personnel decisions, he knows quarterbacks and offense).
I'm seeing lots of comparisons to Matt Ryan and Tom Brady in his early years. Both in the media hype surrounding them and the style of offense they play. It's quite cliche to become enamored by young quarterbacks to do well, because so many of them fail and they are set up to fail when they come to the NFL. Ryan plays very efficient, as does Brady, but there are so many factors that come into a comeback more than just the quarterback. Usually, the defense loosens up and "plays not to lose".
Jets-Patriots Analysis: Not much to say here, other than they certainly talked the talk but sure as hell didn't walk the walk. It was cold, it was windy, and Sanchez is not weather-proof and Brady is and always has been (my one Brady man-love for the blog). Basically the Jets did what they do best; trash talk and try to intimidate and they failed, much like they did back in Week 1 against the Ravens. The Jets miss Jim Leohnard (or however the hell you spell his name). And since when have the Patriots crashed and burned on a big stage, other than Super Bowl XLI, and I could go into a spiel about that, but I won't.
More to come later. I'm writing in between stuff.
04 December 2010
Simms Out, Fouts In
Phil Simms will sit out tomorrow's game at San Diego tomorrow, recoving from back surgery. Dan Fouts will fill-in for him for that game.
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