The Dan's family at Thanksgiving did what they usually do for every get-together and that is bicker.  Glad to stroll out of the grandparents for an afternoon of Canadian Football as the Argonauts hung on to win 28-23 against the Edmonton Eskimos.  Rick Williams was ok, I just don't think it was a performance good enough to help reach Sean Salisbury's prediction of 3000 yards or whatever he said.

Baseball

I don't think Joe Torre deserves to be fired over this season.  Granted, the money and pressure to win has probably been at an all-time high during his tenure as Manager of the New York Yankees, but there are guys on that team that must perform regardless of who is coaching the team.

Take into consideration the pitching matchups against the Detroit Tigers; Aside from Game 1, was there a matchup the Yankees had the edge with pitchers?  I won't put Mike Mussina over Justin Verlander for the season he has put up, and Jaret Wright doesn't come close to Bondermania.  Randy Johnson and Kenny Rogers?  Rogers has been better this season.  3-1 with the head-to-head matchups translated into the series outcome.

As for the hitters, perhaps Torre made 1 mess up: They should have started Sheffield against Rogers.  However, Sheffield and Giambi, who weren't happy being benched during the series, have no right to complain.  Sheffield is a notorious choker in the playoffs and you can ask the Atlanta Braves from 2002-03.  And, someone forgot to teach Sheff how to catch the baseball: Open...CLOSE.  As for Giambi, he hit a bomb in Game 1 and then he dunked his head into the grease tank and never came up for air.   

Then there is Alex Rodriguez.  The man has proven he is head ####.  He is way too talented to have a performance like he had with the stick.

Overall, it is tough to ask the manager to win games when your pitchers can't shut other teams down as well as have 2 players (Jeter and Posada) show up to hit.  Last I checked, it was not Torre's choice to pay huge money for pitchers who can't out-pitch others or that 2 players hitting out of 9 will make a team successful.

Football

I know everyone is talking about the dominance of the Chicago Bears but let's halt that for a second.  Until they show that against better teams (Seattle lost Alexander, but they were impressive), they should not be considered the far and away leading candidate to represent the NFC at the Super Bowl.  They are a team that has a great chance, but because of their weak division and weak schedule, they don't have those teams they can measure themselves against.  Beating the #### out of Buffalo proves nothing.  Having said all of this, they are talented enough that they should be able to beat everyone in the league because the NFC is not as deep as the AFC.

Over to Dallas, Terrell Owens has thrown his quarterback under the bus.  Nice work.  I can't really sympathize for Owens as he dropped 2 balls in the game, one of them appeared to be because he did not want to get smoked by one of his ex-teammates.  Now, Drew Bledsoe did not have a very good game and neither did the offensive co-ordinator, but its pretty tough to throw the ball when you are in the 'put me in the casket' position.  I know people are looking for Drew to be benched, but do you think Tony Romo is your answer?  Doubt it.  And when the Cowboys got that close at the end of the game, the play calling got stupid.  It should have been a quick pass to avoid getting crunched for the hundredth time.  

Being impartial to the game, were the officials afraid to call pass interference on Philly's defense or were they letting both teams play?  I leave that question up to you.

Performance Enhancing drugs

Hate to say this, but I felt once a sample B came back negative we would not hear much with top name athletes cheating.   I didn't know it would happen but it was a certain feeling.  For a brief period, we the fans were getting some justice with the sporting world.  As a whole, sports is much better knowing that athletes are clean.  Doubt we'll ever get back to that.

So did Major League Baseball shut down their testing once they got the big-name cheater caught?  Or are players simply able to beat what appears to be a simple system.  Perhaps the show 'Playmakers' was on the money with athletes knowing when the testing occurs and who will be tested at what point.  Who really knows except those inside Major League Baseball.  Would it be wrong to ask if there is a job opening at the head office?

My night is done.  Time to catch some more MNF and head to bed.  Blog contest this Thursday, check it out on one of my previous blogs from the past few days or so.  One more thing: Mr. Cameron Diaz's new album sucks.  Usher, not JT, is the next MJ (musically that is).  Just The Dan breaking sports format.  Cheers.