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Monday, November 29, 2004
I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day ... I celebrated a day early with my family because unfortunately I had to work on Thanksgiving night. Luckily, I took a few extra days off during the week and had a great time hanging out with Jen as well as some of my friends.
I'd like to send a Jay's World Happy Birthday wish to my grandmom (technically my step-grandmom), who is now 80 years young ... I don't think she'll be reading this, however; even though she's pretty sharp I'm not sure she or my grandfather know much about the internet, let alone blogs ....... MONDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK (Because I don't do mornings) BIG BLUE RECAP Disappointing 27-6 loss to the hated Eagles, who wrapped up their fourth consecutive NFC East title. The Giants were in this game in the first half, had a few big plays and defensive stops, but it just wasn't enough. QB Eli Manning didn't look so hot outside of two big passes to emerging rookie WR Jamaar Taylor. He threw a costly interception in the end zone on an attempt to TE Jeremy Shockey and had another puzzling pick in the second half. The offensive line wasn't very helpful again (5 sacks allowed), and other than another stellar effort from RB Tiki Barber the Giants didn't produce much offense. Defensively, Big Blue (or should I say Big Red - they wore their rare alternate red jerseys for the first time since the '50s) did a decent job of shutting down loudmouth WR Terrell Owens (4 receptions, 61 yards, 0 TD) but didn't generate enough of a pass rush on QB Donovan McNabb, even though they were down to some third-string defensive linemen. They really didn't come up with any big plays when they needed them (including a dropped would-be interception that could have changed momentum), allowed a costly blocked punt and collapsed in the second half. As crazy as it seems, the Giants are still in the playoff hunt with other unimpressive squads like the Seahawks, Rams, and even Panthers, but let's not kid ourselves - this is not a serious playoff team. Granted, there have been costly injuries and they're playing with a rookie QB, but there are still significant moves that need to be made, namely revamping the offensive line and finding a serious WR threat. At least they have a good chance for a win against the lowly Redskins next week, and hopefully we'll see some more improvement from Manning. AROUND THE NFL Bengals, Browns in barn-burner No, this isn't a college basketball score: Cincinnati 58, Cleveland 48. Browns QB Kelly Holcomb threw for 400 yards and 5 TDs - and still lost! The combined 106 points was the second most in NFL history behind the Redskins' 72-41 win over the Giants in 1966. My boy Rudi Johnson ran for 202 yards and 2 TDs and and first-year starter Carson Palmer tossed 4 TDs, yet the Bungles still needed Deltha O'Neal's INT return for a TD with under two minutes remaining to seal the win. It's games like these that make me wish I had the NFL Direct TV package .......... someday my dream will be fulfilled. The Big Chill Wild game Sunday night in Denver in the snow ... the Raiders edged the rival Broncos 25-24 in a matchup that had a playoff feel to it, if not for the fact that I think Oakland was mathematically eliminated in Week 2. Raiders QB Kerry Collins finally had a great game, tossing 4 TDs, including the eventual game-winner on a fourth and goal with 1:49 remaining to WR Jerry Porter (who toasted the overrated Champ Bailey all night). WR Ronald Curry also contributed one of the highlight catches of the year for the Silver & Black, a one-handed grab for a TD. Denver K Jason Elam had a chance at a game-winner at the end but had it blocked, leaving the Broncos in a dangerous spot, a game behind the surprising Chargers for the AFC West lead. The two meet in a pivotal showdown next Sunday in San Diego. PSU Pride A number of Penn State products had notable games in the NFL yesterday, let's take a look: Kerry Collins, QB, Raiders - 26 for 45 passing, 339 yards, 4 TDs vs. Broncos Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs - 10 carries, 43 yards, TD (first of season) vs. Chargers Bobby Engram, WR, Seahawks - 2 receptions, 19 yards, TD vs. Bills COLLEGE REPORT Shame on you, Pete I was pretty appalled by what I saw near the end of Saturday night's USC-Notre Dame matchup, and not just because I had money on the game. Allow me to set the scene: The Irish looked like they'd keep it close in the first quarter before totally crumbling. There are seven minutes to go and the Trojans are up 34-10, they have the ball inside Notre Dame territory and it's fourth down. USC coach Pete Carroll elects to punt the ball and try to pin the Irish deep in their own territory, where they'll likely only have one possession left in the game. But, what's this .... a fake punt??? USC, the No. 1 team in the country, is winning by 34 points with seven minutes remaining and they're faking a punt?? The punter's pass is off the mark, but there's a pass interference call that gives the Trojans a first down. QB Matt Leinart throws to the end zone on the next play, and it's 41-10 USC. Not only do they ruin the spread (I had the Irish +24), but it's a totally classless move. Sure, it's a storied rivalry, but there's no need for trick plays at that point in the game. I have to figure Carroll was trying to get his precious Heisman candidate another TD to pad his stats, but the kid is already the front-runner ... and surely Carroll wasn't trying to help his team's BCS cause, because that's ludicrous; they've been No. 1 since preseason and with the win over Notre Dame already wrapped up and both Oklahoma and Auburn idle they were virtually assured of staying in the top spot. So I say shame on you Pete Carroll, I hope Irish coach Tyrone Willingham remembers this next year (if he's still employed, that is) ... I know I will, and I'll be rooting against the Trojans from here on out. Monday, November 22, 2004
Remember how last week I mentioned a thrilling come-from-behind fantasy football win by Ace in the Hole? Well, turns out I was wrong, we lost by one damn point. The freaking live scoring update was incorrect, I didn't find out until the next morning. Boo!!!!!
I suppose by now you've seen a million replays of the Pacers-Pistons fight in Detroit over the weekend. I caught the coverage just after it happened on Friday night at work. We were all pretty apalled by what was happening, and especially by what the talking heads in the ESPN studio were saying immediately afterward. Host John Saunders, analysts Tim Legler and Greg Anthony and commentator Steven A. Smith were jumping to the defense of the players and placing almost all the blame on the fans. It was laughable and totally ridiculous, and both Anthony and Smith have pretty much backed off of most of their statements. First of all, Ron Artest was egging on the fans by laying on the scorer's table. The plastic cup of beer gets thrown at him, and he immediately gets up and charges into the stands to beat on a guy (who already was holding a beer in his hands, mind you) .... Granted, it's in the heat of the moment, but you've got to remain calm and be the bigger man. Artest's life was not threatened (as Anthony and Smith were asserting on TV) ... it's a PLASTIC CUP OF LIQUID for crying out loud, plus Artest couldn't have even been sure who was responsible for throwing it. Then his idiot teammates Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal just go charging in - not to protect Artest or pull him away, but to beat on more people, basically anyone in the near vicinity. Clearly, the fans were wrong to get involved. Just because they foolishly pay hundreds of dollars to go to games, they have no right to throw things. And the guys who were sucker-punching players from behind, running onto the court or dousing other players with beer as they walked out were also despicable. However, the Pacers players were totally out of line. I understand they are defending their honor and trying to preserve their street cred or manhood or whatever, but sometimes you've got to be the bigger man and keep a level head. They got what they deserved in terms of suspensions (Artest is out for the year and can now promote his album like he wanted to) and honestly, the police should continue to look into criminal charges against them. I guarantee that Joe Blow off the street ends up in jail if he did what some of these players did. In other news, you may find this interesting ... a computer game in which players recreate John F. Kennedy's assassination. Pretty whack. I heard there's a secret code that lets you recreate JFK getting it on with Marilyn Monroe, too ..... MONDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK (Because I don't do mornings) NITTANY NOTES Well, another dreadful season comes to a close ... at least this one ended with some promise for the future. Penn State (4-7) finished the year with a 37-13 drubbing of Michigan State, its most complete performance since the second game of the season. Also, they got some revenge for an embarrassing loss last year and knocked the Spartans from bowl contention .... but most importantly, the Nittany Lions regained the prestigious Land Grant Trophy, awarded annually to the winner of this fierce and historic rivalry .... note the sarcasm. It's this horrendous wooden plaque with crap like a mini Nittany Lion statue super-glued onto it, what a forced rivalry. Anyway, it was good to see the seniors go out with a win at least. I commend QB Zack Mills (who had a great game - 1 TD passing and 2 TDs rushing) for being a class act and never quitting through the roughest five-year stretch of PSU football history. Mills may have not lived up to the potential he showed as a freshman (it was probably all the injuries, although some might blame the coaching staff for not developing his talents) but he didn't give up, despite the constant boos and losses. He leaves as the holder of many PSU passing records, and a better person for having endured a lot of tough times. As for the future ... Joe Paterno insists he'll be back to coach again, at least for next year. Recent media reports and rumors have gotten him to open up a little and say he does have an "exit strategy" and would like to turn the program over to someone "in house", with most speculating that person is defensive coach Tom Bradley. My hope is that sometime between now and August, JoePa announces it will be his final season, so he can get the proper send-off from the university and the fans, so the "Joe must go" stuff from the media and detractors can cease, and so potential recruits can have a clearer view of the program's future. I also think Bradley could be a great choice, but a national search should also be conducted. Believe it or not, the future is still bright for next season regardless of the coaching situation. PSU has already landed several commitments from high school standouts, notably the nation's top cornerback prospect, Pennsylvania native Justin King (who turned down Michigan, Florida, and Ohio State, among 50 others). It is also in the running for several highly regarded players. Returning next year will be most of the offensive line, the top three running backs, QB/WR/RB Michael Robinson and QB Anthony Morelli. And the defense (which was one of only two Division I-A schools that didn't allow more than 21 points in a game - Auburn was the other) loses only two starters. The 2005 schedule is easy enough that an 8- or 9-win season and major bowl berth is not out of the question ... If the Lions can land just a few of the offensive players they are recruiting, and certain coaching/player development issues are addressed, next season could be very memorable for PSU fans ... I can't wait. BIG BLUE RECAP Ladies and gentlemen, the Eli Era is underway. Rookie QB Eli Manning got his first career start for the Giants on Sunday in a 14-10 loss to the Falcons. It was solid, but nothing to write home about - 17-for-37, 162 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. It should be noted the Giants faced a very tough Atlanta defense, and Manning wasn't helped by multiple dropped passes. He showed poise under pressure, and was sacked only once (The Giants had allowed a league-high 40 sacks entering the game). Eli also got better as the game wore on and led the team on two scoring drives after falling behind 14-0. I'll be supporting Eli 100 percent now that the coaches have gone to him ... the Giants' legitimate shot at the playoffs was blown three weeks ago against the Bears anyway, if they put that game out of reach at 21-0 in the first quarter like they should have the team would be the current Wild Card leader and Manning would still be learning on the sidelines. But now it's a trial by fire, and I look forward to seeing his development in the coming weeks. Next up, the hated Philadelphia Eagles .... good luck kid, and go Big Blue. COLLEGE REPORT Totally classless Somewhat lost in all the coverage of the NBA brawl this weekend was the melee that broke out in the Clemson-South Carolina game. A huge fight erupted on the field in the fourth quarter, with players attacking each other and swinging their helmets around like animals. The real disgrace is that it was the final regular-season game for Gamecocks coach Lou Holtz, who is retiring at season's end to be replaced by Steve Spurrier (so much for my Spurrier-to-PSU scheme) .... I know the game is a huge intrastate rivalry, but it was very disrespectful of players on both sides to pull this on a day that should have been about celebrating a coaching legend. At least Holtz will get one more bowl game to try to remove the bad taste of this disgrace. More coaching irony Another coaching legend had his day spoiled Saturday, but this one was a little more acceptable. Florida State lost to Florida 20-13 on a night when the Seminoles dedicated "Bobby Bowden Field" in honor of their own coaching legend. The irony is that embattered Gators coach Ron Zook, who's already been fired effective at the end of the year, won in Tallahassee, something that the much-loved former Florida coach Spurrier couldn't accomplish in his 12 seasons with the Gators. It was nice to see Zook get doused with Gatorade and carried off the field by his players ... but the joyous feeling probably wore off when he woke up Sunday morning and realized he was still fired. Ouch. The Big Game Ohio State scored a decisive 37-21 victory over Michigan in what is the greatest rivalry in all of colllege football. Future superstar Ted Ginn Jr. (remember the name!) had his fourth punt return for a TD this season to help the Buckeyes score the win. But don't feel too bad for the Wolverines ... they still get to share the Big Ten title thanks to a tremendous choke job by Wisconsin and are going to the Rose Bowl for the second straight year .... bastards! Here and There Heck of a job by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who was down to his fourth-string RB this year but still scraped together a 9-2 season and a co-Big Ten championship. There's a reaosn he's my dream pick for the next PSU coach .... Congrats to Utah, which finished the regular season unbeaten and should become the first school from a mid-major conference to appear in a BCS bowl. There's a reason coach Urban Meyer is my other dream pick for the next PSU coach ... So much for the Rutgers bowl appearance I predicted. I figure Greg Schiano gets one more year, max, to turn things around. There's a reason he's not on my list of dream picks for the next PSU coach. AROUND THE NFL Golden Boy does it again Brett Favre led the Packers back from a 10-point deficit against the Texans last night ... He took them on a game-winning drive in the final seconds before Ryan Longwell kicked one long and well for a 16-13 Green Bay victory. Houston QB David Carr had a chance to break the tie but couldn't put anything together ... he'll be alright though, he's already led six game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, and he's only been in the league three years. Impressive, but Favre (or "He Who Can Do No Wrong", as I like to call him) has done that 31 times in his career ... oops, make that 32. Drew's debut Much-hyped rookie QB Drew Henson saw his first action of the season in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' 30-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday. It was a little shaky ... the former Michigan QB and New York Yankees farmhand fumbled on his first snap, and Baltimore went on to score a TD off it. But after that, he was 6-for-6 with a TD pass. Now that Dallas (3-7) is all but dead and elderly starter Vinny Testaverde is nursing an injured shoulder, don't be surprised if Henson sees some more action in the weeks ahead. PSU Pride A number of PSU products had notable games in the NFL yesterday, let's take a look: Rich Gardner, CB, Titans: First career INT to seal a win vs. Jaguars Eddie Drummond, KR, Lions: 92-yard kickoff return for a TD vs. Vikings Joe Jurevicius, WR, Bucs: 2 TD recpetions (his first scores of 2004) vs. 49ers Kerry Collins, QB, Raiders: 18-for-30, 227 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs vs. Chargers Monday, November 15, 2004
Jay's World would like to send heartfelt condolences to the family of the late O.D.B. (a.k.a. Ol' Dirty Bastard, a.k.a. Russell Jones, a.k.a. Big Baby Jesus, a.k.a. Osirus a.k.a. Dirt McGirt), who died suddenly on Saturday at age 35. O.D.B., a founding member of the highly influential Wu-Tang Clan, collapsed shortly after complaining of chest pains in a Tall brown skin her weave like palm trees I went coconuts Dipped my Dunkin' between your Donut Don't want it if it ain't no slut, b**ch! Fathership touch ground, like fly on soup Don't invite me I tear the f**k down White ones cut my toupee! Seventh day rester, or scream play I slump MC slay, it ain't nuttin to bust a** Bullet him, get him fast B**ch I don't break out, blast to the next rash The dog piss on MC's like trees Got meals but still grill that old good welfare cheese R.I.P. Dirty
STOP THE PRESSES, Rampant rumors around Pennsylvania earlier in the week that Joe was stepping down, it was reported on some sleazy Pittsburgh sports radio show (no sources named) but it caused such a furor that PSU even had to put out a release saying there was no truth to it. Joe continues to be pretty adamant that he has no plans to walk away, leading me to believe that it's looking more and more like he'll be coaching out every game in this current four-year contract, consequences be damned ... Anyway, I do feel bad for the few seniors who have to go out this way, with only one bowl game in their four or five years with the program. Probably not what they envisioned when they signed their letters of intent as much sought after recruits to play for a legendary school and the coach who has more bowl victories than any other. I will say that one positive of this trying season is that unlike last year they haven't really given up and there certainly have been no embarrassing off-field distractions. At least it's just wins and losses, and not a true disaster like what's going on at our fellow Big Ten "academic institution", THE Ohio State University (more on that in a moment) .................
Are you serious? I mean I knew the Giants were in danger here, coming off a horrid loss to the Bears, plus losing Michael Strahan and Keith Washington for the season, plus Kurt Warner playing horribly and people calling for rookie Eli Manning ... But still. It's the
COLLEGE REPORT
Similar allegations also recently surfaced at
Unpredictable
PSU Pride
Michael Haynes, DE, Bears - 45-yard interception return for TD
One didn't have such a great day though:
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
I've added two new CD reviews. Why? Because I can.
Anyway, please go to my CD Reviews page to check out Mastodon's Leviathan (inspired by Moby Dick) and Iced Earth's The Glorious Burden (inspired by 9/11, the Civil War, patriotism and the eternal struggle for freedom) ...... and yes, I'm serious. Saturday, November 06, 2004
I would like to congratulate my friend Jeff Rice, who has been promoted to the Penn State football beat at the Centre Daily Times, beginning next season. Congrats Jeffrey, although I'm not sure if covering this team is really something you should be proud of (more on that in a second) .... but seriously, nice work, I knew you'd make it big someday, kid.
MONDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK (Because I don't do mornings) NITTANY NOTES What a disgrace ... what an utter disgrace. A 14-7 loss to Northwestern. A team that never won in Beaver Stadium. A team that, prior to last season, had been beaten by the Nittany Lions by an average of over 30 points a game the past few years. A team that is clearly better than Penn State (just like the rest of the Big Ten squads) as PSU is now 2-7 overall and still winless in the conference. The Lions could only muster a predictable seven points - they are averaging seven per game in their losses. If you exclude MAC teams, PSU has lost 16 of its last 17 games. I don't even need to tell you that freshman QB Anthony Morelli didn't see the field. Coach Joe Paterno thought about it, though. But the offense was just clicking so well and steamrolling people, I guess. Joe had to be loyal to senior Zack Mills .... and next year, Joe will be loyal to senior Michael Robinson, even though he's clearly needed at WR and isn't prepared to be a quarterback, even though Morelli probably isn't prepared either thanks to this coaching staff, and he probably never will be. Joe also admitted he "probably" should've redshirted Morelli to save him for another season of eligibility rather than waste him, yet now that the redshirt's gone Joe still won't let him get any game experience despite the meaningless nature of these last few games, and ...... oh well, we've been through this all before. This was a key recruiting weekend too, with some of the nation's top recruits visiting Happy Valley and witnessing this latest crime against humanity. There are two high school players in particular that are said to be among the country's top athletes, and Joe said he'd be happy just to get these two, but why in the world would they ever seriously consider coming here and being part of this current mess? Anyway, you know things have gotten bad when I'm seriously, seriously considering Steve Spurrier as PSU's next coach ....... I'm not saying he'd even think about coming to dreary State College (the man loves to golf year-round), but hear me out. He's already turned down a return to Florida, the school where he made a name for himself as one of college's top offensive minds and where he won a national championship. He's also stressed that he'd still like to continue coaching .... his name has been linked to the Miami Dolphins, but after he failed miserably with the Redskins I can't imagine any NFL frachise putting its future in his hands, nor can I see him joining a staff as a lowly QB coach or offensive coordinator. No, the Ol' Ball Coach would like to make a splash, and what better way to do that than rejuvenate one of college football's premiere programs? Despite its recent struggles and cold-weather locale, when Joe retires this will be one of the better jobs in the country thanks to its top-notch facilities, huge and loyal fan base, conference affiliation, financial stability, history and tradition, and location for recruiting purposes. Taking over for Paterno would be a huge challenge, but it's one that an egocentric veteran coach like Spurrier might relish. I admit it's pretty far-fetched, State College sure ain't the Sunshine State, and many traditional PSU fans would be turned off ..... but can you imagine the visibility and credibility this stagnant program would instantly receive? Not to mention the types of athletes Spurrier could bring in, NFL-quality playmakers that the Lions are sorely lacking .... There's even been a little speculation in the media about it, although there really aren't any sources, and of course no parties involved would dare say anything publicly given the fact that JoePa is under contract for four (FOUR!) more years. Hey, a few years ago I'd never consider having a brash coach like Spurrier taking over this proud program, but times have gotten desperate, he's not my top choice but he's certainly on my list. The odds are somewhere between slim and none though, PSU will likely look for a younger coach, perhaps with PSU ties, maybe not as high-profile ........ plus Spurrier will probably be hired elsewhere by the time Joe is gone ... if he ever goes, that is. BIG BLUE RECAP Now, on to this atrocity ......... 28-21 loss to the Chicago Bears???? The Giants looked like a Jim Fassel-coached team out there, certainly not what I expected, although I knew they could get caught a week after destroying the Vikings. It's a bad loss to be sure - they led 14-0 before totally self-destructing. Five turnovers committed by the Giants, and over 100 yards in penalties .... Kurt Warner looked totally lost (four of the turnovers), and RB Anthony Thomas and rookie QB/microbiologist-in-waiting Craig Krenzel totally embarrassed them. Head coach Tom Coughlin spent most of the game barging onto the field protesting the officials' multiple penalty calls, but he's got to take a lot of the blame for not having his squad prepared against this inferior team. Granted, more of the blame should go on the players' shoulders, they probably just didn't listen to him. One bad home loss to the Lions two weeks ago was bad enough, and it was forgiven after they obliterated Minnesota the following game, but there are no excuses here. The Giants had a golden opportunity to tie the Eagles (who were flattened by the Steelers earlier in the day) for the NFC East lead and really open people's eyes. They've set the bar very high with their hot start, and to collapse now (which could be a real danger after a game like this) would be simply inexcusable. The rest of the schedule is supposed to be easy (according to the "experts") but given the current state of the NFL, no game is easy. It's been a cliche for a long time but now more than ever, ANY TEAM can beat ANY TEAM on ANY GIVEN SUNDAY and you can't just pencil in wins and losses without playing the games (look no further than this very game for proof). The Giants are in a real bind too because of Warner's struggles, if they make a change and go to rookie Eli Manning it could be seen as throwing in the towel on their playoff chances. Warner is already the starter for next week at Arizona, and that's a game he and the Giants desperately need to win. COLLEGE REPORT The Fog of War, er, Football Anyone who caught the USC-Oregon State game late Saturday night had a real treat. There was a heavy fog at Corevalis, Oregon's Reser Stadium, so thick that for much of the game you could barely make out what was happening on the field ... pretty entertaining. The Beavers held a surprising 13-0 lead at halftime over the defending national champions, but the No. 1 Trojans fought back for a 28-20 victory. A week earlier, USC was pelted by hail during its game against Washington State. "It seems like Mother Nature is throwing everything at us," said QB and Heisman candidate Matt Leinert ... if she can't stop them, no one else is going to. Joy in the misfortunes of others I'll admit, I have little fondness for the Miami or Nebraska football programs, and being a PSU fan I'm not one to talk ... but it's nice to see the Hurricanes and Huskers struggling. Miami lost its second game in a row, 24-17, to Clemson on Saturday, hurting their hopes for a BCS bid and putting them a game behind both Virginia and Virginia Tech for the ACC title. It's always interesting to see how these teams deal with losing, which they're pretty unaccustomed to .... as for Nebraska, my how the mighty have fallen. They don't look much like their previous dominating self anymore ... they lost their fourth game of the year, this time to Iowa State, a team they've owned over the years. The Cornhuskers are still, surprisingly, tied with the Cyclones for the lead in the weak Big 12 South but they sure haven't played much like a conference champ (may I remind you of their 60-point loss to Texas A&M last month?). Granted, none of this changes the fact that my team is much worse off at 2-7, but it just makes me feel better about myself .... plus, Nebraska brought this on itself by firing its coach after an eight-win season and hiring a knucklehead like Bill Callahan ..... AROUND THE NFL The Battle of Pennsylvania No, it wasn't a Civil War skirmish, but the Eagles' 27-3 beating at the hands of the Steelers was perhaps even more vicious than the North vs. the South ...... Pittsburgh knocked Philly from the ranks of the unbeaten (a week after doing the same to the mighty Patriots) and are currently without question the best team in the NFL. RB Duce Staley couldn't even play against his former team, but veteran Jerome Bettis did him proud by gaining 149 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger (6-0 as a starter) again played like a poised veteran, while Donovan McNabb looked like the rookie against an extremely tough defense. WR Hines Ward had two touchdowns and had a little fun at Terrell Owens' expense, imitating his wing-flapping touchdown dance in the end zone a week after T.O. mocked Jamal Lewis' dance moves. (By the way, Owens called Lewis to apologize, probably because he feared for his life ... thank God that fued's over, I couldn't stand to see these two upset with each other) .... Anyway once again the Eagles came up lame in the spotlight, Owens was already seen mouthing off to McNabb on the sidelines and Iggles fans everywhere are canceling their flights to Jacksonville for the Super Bowl ........ Cool Brees If I told you before the season that after Week 9 the Chargers would be 6-3, tied for the division lead, and have the NFL's top offense, would you believe me? Probably not, and even if you did, you might assume that rookie QB Philip Rivers was taking the league by storm. Wrong ..... it's Drew Brees who's currently lighting up the scoreboards and giving the Bolts hope again. The quarterback no one wanted tossed four TD passes in a rout against New Orleans on Sunday, a week after tossing five more against Oakland. I knew all along that Brees was an excellent QB (I witnessed it first-hand in college) but I'm as surprised as anybody how well he's played, especially after sitting on the bench behind 60-something Doug Flutie and getting slapped in the face by the acquisition of Rivers for No. 1 overall pick Eli Manning.... the funny part is the Chargers never really gave Brees much of a chance to succeed after drafting him, but now that he's finally come of age and has a superb offense around him, Brees (a free agent) is probably going to be playing elsewhere next year. How else could San Diego justify getting Rivers and paying him a huge contract, only to put him on the bench? And if he keeps up these numbers, Brees sure as heck isn't taking a short-term deal either. Seems like even when the Chargers are winning they can't really get things right ....... anyway look for Brees to be playing in a Miami Dolphins uniform next season, you heard it here first. Thursday, November 04, 2004
Well the election is over, the people have spoken, and George W. Bush has the second term that his father never got. Over 100 million people took the time out of their day to vote on Tuesday, slightly more than half are pretty happy right about now, while slightly less than half are disappointed and distraught. The others just don't care that much, apparently. But please, let's remember, that it doesn't end here.
American troops are still deployed in Iraq, and over 1,000 have already died. The "War on Terror" wages on. Beheadings are occurring almost daily and some of our allies, although only small participants, have already pulled out. The "free and open elections" are scheduled for January. Will they go on peacefully? Will the Iraqis even choose to be free? When and how will it all end? We'll have to wait to find out. Osama bin Laden is still at-large .... perhaps you saw his latest video recently? As he himself said, it didn't matter if Bush or John Kerry or Ralph Nader won (well, he forgot to mention Nader) .... the terrorism continues because of American foreign policy. Will it change? And will the world stand with us, or are we on our own? We can't forget Poland, of course ..... as for bin Laden, well it's only a matter of time until we catch him and bring him to justice, right? Sure it's been three years but he seems to have a lot of resources, like a hand-held video camera, for instance. Still, he can't hide forever, hopefully we'll stumble upon him in a hole in Iraq just like we found Saddam Hussein. And what about the other two-thirds of the "Axis of Evil" Bush introduced us over a year ago? You remember those chumps, right - Iraq, North Korea and Iran? North Korea has refused to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2002 and most likely is continuing to develop nuclear weapons because of what it feels is hostility from the U.S. And just last weekend, the Iranian government unanimously voted to continue its uranium enrichment project - a key step in developing nuclear weapons - insisting that it is for "peaceful purposes." It should be mentioned that during the vote the lawmakers chanted "death to America!" I'm not kidding. I'm sure they meant it in a peaceful way. So I guess the question we have to ask ourselves now is, "what's next?" Surely, if we follow the model of Iraq, the rest of the "Axis of Evil" must be next on our agenda. After all, we invaded Iraq in the first place because they had weapons of mass destruction - remember all those nifty drawings and power-point demonstrations Colin Powell himself displayed on national television that depicted the disguised trucks Iraq was using as mobile nuclear weapons labs? Sure, we never actually found those, but still, they could be out there, somewhere .... but meanwhile, North Korea and Iran are actually developing these weapons, and the whole world knows it, so surely we're going to be invading those countries soon if they don't clean up their act, right? I mean if that was justification enough to invade Iraq then surely the precedent has been set. Of course, there's the issue of having enough troops to carry out such operations ...... several top Army officials have said that our troops are already stretched thin in Iraq, that there simply aren't enough to get the job done. A lot of the troops themselves have said that, too .... some recent reports said that they didn't have enough functioning radios, or that their vehicles weren't properly protected. In fact, a couple weeks ago a group of soldiers got in some pretty serious trouble when they refused to carry out a mission. They said they were afraid because their vehicle didn't have enough sufficient armor and they thought they'd be an easy target. But anyway they'll just have to figure out a way to make this work in Iraq and other places around the globe ... and there definitely won't be a draft either, we have strict assurances from both candidates (I'm sure somebody has that on tape) and I know Bush will be a man of his word on this subject. We'll just have to make due with what we have, and hope our allies join us. You didn't forget Poland, did you? Oh and let's not forget the Sudan, either. I know it's this little place over in Africa, and they don't appear to have any WMDs over there. But still, one of the reasons we went into Iraq - actually, the main reason, now - was to liberate the people from genocide and fear and oppression, and that's what's going on in the Sudan right now. There's this civil war going on, at least 70,000 people have been killed by their government and the U.N. says there's strong evidence of genocide - mass graves and everything, just like Iraq. They also called it the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. Over 1.5 million people have been displaced by all the fighting, and in the process they've run out of food and water and contracted diseases. So in other words, we better do something about it, as soon as this whole Iraq thing is taken care of, that is. If we went into Iraq to liberate the people, and the situation in the Sudan is even worse than Iraq, then boy, we've got our work cut out for us. Meanwhile, back at home, we've also got the whole terrorism thing to deal with. I know, we've been pretty lucky so far since 9/11, zero attacks on American soil. Actually it's not luck, the war in Iraq has clearly made us safer. I mean zero attacks in three years, come on. But could we be even safer? That 9/11 Commission seems to think so. They were a group of Democrats and Republicans who got together after Sept. 11 and looked at everything that led up to it, and everything that followed, and came up with some recommendations for what should be done to prevent another attack. They sounded pretty serious about it, too, they even wrote a whole book that had a bunch of specific things that they urged the government to do immediately. Those things haven't been done yet, of course - I mean there was a campaign and everything - but I'm sure now that that's over, and Bush is still in control, and he has a Congress that's controlled by Republicans even more strongly than it was prior to the election, those recommendations will take effect any day now. As for stuff that's going on at home ....... well, one big thing seems to be the deficit. Apparently we owe, like, $5 TRILLION to the rest of the world. Bush did enter the White House in 2000 with a surplus but you know, there was 9/11, and then all that dot-com stuff where everybody lost a lot of money, so it's been tough you know, but things are looking up apparently. I'm sure that four years from now it'll all be forgotten and the $5 TRILLION will be almost paid off by then. I mean if we don't pay it off now, surely it won't be put on somebody else's tab in the future right? Anyway, I guess in short what I'm saying is that no matter how you voted on Tuesday, or where you stand on a lot of the issues, things are looking up. Last time he got elected, Bush promised to be a "uniter, not a divider" - you remember those commercials, right? Well, it didn't exactly happen over these past four years - it did for a little while after 9/11, but then the whole Iraq thing just happened out of nowhere and people seemed to get divided over it for whatever reason, and other stuff like terrorism and health care and stuff, they got divided over that too ...... then the whole Left vs. Right, Liberal vs. Conservative, Democrat vs. Republican bickering started up with the election and everything, and the country reverted back to the same Red and Blue states they were in the 2000 election. But that's over with now, I have no doubt George W. Bush is going to concentrate on doing things in a non-partisan, non-ideological way that unites us and doesn't divide us. I mean he's got a second chance and there seems to be a lot at stake, namely the future, so he's not gonna blow it, right? Right? Monday, November 01, 2004
Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween ........ mine was pretty lame, all I did was work. I did wear a costume however, I went to the office as Jeremy Shockey, minus the long blond locks and large biceps.
Don't forget: Vote (or die) on Tuesday, it's important .... hopefully you're already registered, you should have received info in the mail about your local polling location ... if not, be sure to contact your local municipal building, or something .... MONDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK (Because I don't do mornings) NITTANY NOTES Well the dream is over for Penn State (2-6) ..... there will be no winning season and no bowl game this year, as the Nits lost to Ohio State, 21-10 on Saturday. It was another dismal offensive showing for both teams (although not as bad as last week's 6-4 baseball score), with Penn State passing for 72 yards and OSU gaining 61 through the air. The defense again played well, allowing only one TD (the Buckeyes also scored on a punt return and an interception) but the offense was dreadful. QB Zack Mills couldn't play because of a lingering concussion, so QB/WR/RB Mike Robinson once again was under center, leaving PSU without a viable option at wide receiver. The lack of offensive playmakers on this team is stunning, and for a Div. I-A team playing in the Big Ten it's simply unacceptable. So why couldn't blue chip QB recruit Anthony Morelli play, you ask? Well as Joe Paterno put it earlier this week, "he's not adequately prepared." Hmm, let's think about this .... isn't it the coaching staff's responsibility to have its players adequately prepared? I understand that he's a true freshman ..... but if that's the case, WHY WASTE A YEAR OF MORELLI'S ELIGIBILITY by playing him for a handful of snaps in useless garbage time in three games earlier this year if he's not adequately prepared? If you're going to play the kid in 2005, why not give him a chance to get some experience and try to do something, and also utilize your top playmaker, Robinson, at WR? Morelli certainly can't be much worse than Mills (112-for-197 - 56 percent, 6 TDs, 10 INTs) or Robinson (2 TDs, 4 INTs) ... if he doesn't see serious action in these last three meaningless games of the year it will be a total waste. As for JoePa, it's seriously time to start thinking about making a retirement announcement in the near future, I understand if he wants to come back next year but start planning for the future, because right now things aren't looking so bright. BIG BLUE RECAP So does this count as an upset? The Giants manhandled the Vikings 34-13 in a game that wasn't even as close as the score indicates ...... You'd figure Minnesota, with the league's top offense and an MVP candidate at QB, would put up more of a fight. However, Big Blue (5-2) now has won three straight at the Metrodome, and it seems that ever since a horrible playoff loss in 1997 the Giants have had the Vikings' number. WR Randy Moss was bothered by a hamstring injury and really didn't do much before leaving in the second half .... still, there are plenty of offensive weapons on this team, up to and including their monster quarterback, Daunte Culpepper (I had him and three other Vikes in my fantasy lineup, you can guess how that turned out .... but I'm not complaining, the Giants take precedence) ...... anyway the Giants had a terrific defensive scheme and really didn't allow much throughout most of the game. Culpepper looked downright ordinary after setting the league on fire through six games, and the G-Men reversed their recent red-zone troubles by scoring four short-yardage rushing TDs (two by another MVP candidate, Tiki Barber, and two by Mike Cloud .... perhaps the Ron Dayne experiment is over?). QB Kurt Warner was fairly shaky, but he did not turn the ball over and probably should have had at least one or two TD passes. Nice to see TE Jeremy Shockey also get involved with the passing game, he had a couple big catches. The Giants also won the all-important turnover battle 3-0 (INTs by Gibril Wilson and Will Peterson and a key fumble recovery by Kevin Lewis). Great win all-around, and it sets them up for a very winnable game at home next week against the Bears as they continue this improbable push to the playoffs. AROUND THE NFL Nothing lasts forever You knew the Patriots' incredible winning streak (21 straight) had to come to an end sometime, and they most likely wouldn't go undefeated this year .... a lot of people were picking the Steelers to end that streak Sunday, I wasn't buying it but I guess they were right. Pittsburgh flat-out beat Bill Belichick's boys, 34-20. ... the Pats were without RB Corey Dillon and lost Ty Law early in the game to a foot injury, but there are no excuses in this league. The Stillers forced New England to make mistakes (2 INTs and a fumble for Tom Brady) while their rookie QB, Ben Roethlisberger, again displayed poise while putting his team in a position to win (I told you two weeks ago he was the real deal, and I'm not the only one ...... he's also making the Giants and Chargers look like chumps so far for passing him up in the draft) .... Anyway, the Pats will recover from this no doubt, they're probably better off anyway now that the pressure of "the streak" is off their shoulders, they're still an excellent football squad. As for Pittsburgh, Big Ben now has a streak of his own going: 5-0 as a starting quarterback. He'll also look to end another streak next Sunday in the Battle of Pennsylvania as Pittsburgh hosts undefeated Philadelphia in what is now the game of the week. Don't miss it. Why John Kerry is a Packers fan You may have already heard about this now, but I was tipped off about it the other night ...... there's this crazy idea that somehow the Washington Redskins decide the outcome of the presidential election. Get this: in every election year since 1936, if the Skins win their last home game before Election Day, the incumbent wins. If Washington loses, the challenger takes over the White House. On Sunday, the Packers beat the Redskins 28-14 at FedEx Field, which means that, if the trend is correct, John Kerry will win on Sunday. And check this out, the Skins actually thought they had the game wrapped up after Clinton Portis'TD run with under three minutes remaining, but the play was called back because of an illegal motion penalty. Foreshadowing of another "recount" scenario like in 2000? I guess we'll have to find out Tuesday ...... anyway don't be surprised if Kerry is seen in public today with a Packers cheesehead hat proclaiming his favorite player is "Ahman Favre", much like his fictional favorite Red Sox player, "Manny Ortez." COLLEGE REPORT Dark day for Sunshine State All three of Florida's big-time football powers went down on Saturday, the first time the trio lost on the same day since 1978. Let's start with No. 3 Miami, which was schocked by North Carolina, 31-28, on a last-second field goal. The loss drops the Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten (maybe that BCS mess really will sort itself out). Props to kicker Connor Barth, who never booted a game-winner before, and props to the Tar Heels for their first ever win over a Top 5 opponent ..... As for No. 5 Florida State, it too suffered an upset loss, 20-17, at the hands of Maryland. Props to the Terps for their first win over a Top 10 opponent since 1990 and first over the Seminoles in 14 tries ..... And finally, not much of a shocker but Florida fell to Georgia 31-24 in what's billed as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (where do I sign up?). The Gators were fired up to win one for their coach, Ron Zook, who was told just a few days ago he'll be fired at season's end. Props to the Bulldogs for their first win over Florida in seven years, and props to ex-Gators coach Steve Spurrier, who ESPN says will soon be asked to return to his former school. Stillwater shootout No. 2 Oklahoma prevailed over pesky rival Oklahoma State 38-35 in what was a highly entertaining matchup Saturday. The Cowboys always play the Sooners tough (they ruined Oklahoma's national championship aspirations in 2001 and '02) and this game was no exception, with the teams trading scores all the way until the end, when State kicker Jason Ricks missed a field goal with 11 seconds left. Give the game ball to Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson (yes, him again): the freshman sensation rushed for 249 yards with an 80-yard TD scamper. There are still seats available on the Peterson bandwagon. The lucky get luckier Michigan probably could have been left for dead about five times this season, but somehow they are still in the hunt for a BCS bowl game and Big Ten title. The Wolverines came back from 17 points down in the fouth quarter to beat intrastate rival Michigan State 45-37 in double overtime. MSU had every opportunity to win, a 27-10 lead with under nine minutes left, but still couldn't hold on, even after trading scores in the first overtime series. Still, somehow you knew the boys in Maize and Blue would pull this out - when you have a team stocked with talent things just always seem to break your way. How the mighty have fallen Purdue's dream season is quickly turning into a nightmare. The Boilermakers were everyone's favorite darkhorse just a few weeks ago, and Kyle Orton appeared to be running away with the Heisman Trophy. But in the past few weeks (actually, since theier near loss to Penn State, oddly enough) everyone was reminded that it's a long season, and you've got to let things play out on the field. Purdue has now lost three straight, including a disappointing 13-10 defeat against Northwestern on Saturday. Orton was injured and ineffective against the Wildcats and had to be pulled in the third quarter, and Northwestern RB Noah Herron's TD run with 38 seconds left sealed the upset win. Nice victory for Wildcats coach Randy Walker, who had been admitted to the hospital earlier in the week with inflammation of the heart muscle. Time running out? My bowl game prediction for Rutgers is not looking so good after a 35-30 loss to West Virginia. The Scarlet Knights did fight back from a 35-17 deficit to make things interesting, but they ultimately came up short. That leaves them at 4-4 on the season with a big matchup against Boston College looming. Still, they aren't totally dead yet - they'll need at least two out of three against BC, Navy and UConn to become bowl eligible. Not impossible, but not exaclty a cake-walk either, especially for this team. I'll stick to my prediction and see how things play out. |