The New England Patriots defeated the New York Giants in Giants’ Stadium tonight, 38-35. At least that’s what the box score, the talking heads, and the hype-mongers who can’t think for themselves will tell you. And it’s too bad that most of us will buy into that result. But the fact of the matter is that the Patriots were exposed. But more on that later. The league was also exposed. And frankly, so was I. Like most of you, tonight was the first time I had access to a game on the NFL Network. And silly me for not realizing beforehand that the NFL Network, which is run by the NFL-hence, the name-would not tell it like it is. Nary a discouraging word from Cris Collinsworth, Bryant Gumbel, or anybody else in that rarified air, regarding the officiating. But why would there be? It’s their network. And there’s the disturbing part. Plaxico Burress was held and dragged down before Eli Manning’s pass arrived, with the official five yards away and watching it intently. No call. Shortly thereafter, the Giants linebacker numbered 58, who played a whale o####ame, had the ball hit him while he was covering Randy Moss. Pass interference? I guess, in today’s NFL. Let’s make sure we tell that linebacker not to cover that receiver so close. The nerve of him. {And let’s all wait with baited breath for the league to alter the rules in the off-season, yet again, to favor the offense. I doubt it surprises anyone anymore). I realize that on the next play after the no-call on the Giants receiver being pulled down, they scored. But that doesn’t make the no-call go away. And what happened on the Giants’ kickoff return early in the fourth quarter, when a penalty was called on the sideline? I’m not sure. And I’m not saying it was a bad call. Because, like I said, I don’t know. We weren’t informed. Or shown. And, like I said, I should have seen this coming, but announcers on a network run by the NFL won’t tell you. Don’t know why I was expecting them to. Guess I’m a little slow on the uptake sometimes. But that would be like J. Edgar Hoover doing a PSA (Public Service Announcement, for those of you under 30. And J. Edgar Hoover was in charge of the FBI back in - - never mind) telling you to watch out for sneaky ####s with lots of power.
Anyway, the Pats were exposed tonight. Actually, not just tonight. It’s been ongoing, and something the NMHM (National Media Hype Machine) had neglected to tell you, or simply ignored. Why would they get in the way o####ood story? Can’t blame them, I guess. They have a job to do. But a team that has a balanced offense and a defense who will not be fooled by a one-dimensional offense {See Jacksonville Jaguars} will knock the Patriots out of the playoffs. You heard it here first. Okay, maybe you’ve heard it before, and just didn’t believe it. But prepare yourself. The champs of Super Bowl whatever-the-number-is-this-year reside in Florida. Oh, I almost forgot; as long as we don’t have to deal with incompetent officials.
I must say, I darn near laughed out loud when Cris Collinsworth quoted Tiger Woods after the game, saying he (Tiger) expected to win every time out, like the Patriots do. Of course the glaring difference is that Tiger controls his own fate. And once again, I was reminded why golf is the greatest sport on earth. Say what you want about them not being athletes, and it not being a sport. But there is no other place than a golf course where everything about you is there for the world to see. There is no other competition whose outcome rests solely on your performance. The good, the bad, and the ugly. No official’s calls, either in your favor or against. No substitutions when you need one. And anyone who’s played golf has needed one at one time or another. No timeouts. And no other competition has results that are based as much on one’s ability to perform. It’s you, the course, and the competition. No officials’ decisions on whether it was interference or not. A charge, a block, or a no-call. A borderline strike, or ball four. Nope. Just you and your ability. And that, sports fans, is what we’re after. Isn’t it?
With the fifth pick in the 2007 NFL draft, the Arizona Cardinals select offensive tackle Levi Brown, Penn State University. (6’5”, 323 pounds). Presumably, the Cardinals wanted Joe Thomas of Wisconsin. Word is that the front office favored Thomas, but the new coaching staff, including O-line coach Russ Grimm, wanted Brown. Since Thomas went two picks earlier to Cleveland, the decision was made for them. Grimm had worked out Brown quite extensively prior to the draft, and Grimm liked what he saw.
The Cardinals could have traded down a few spots and still possibly gotten Brown around number nine or ten, but reports are that no other team saw anything at #5 that they couldn’t live without, so the Cards were locked in to the pick. Which is probably a good thing. There was no guarantee that Brown would have still been there at a later pick anyway. And if they had missed on Brown, they would have come up empty on addressing their biggest need. And while Brown may not have been worthy of a fifth overall pick in the eyes of many, the Cards couldn’t risk missing on him once Thomas was taken. (Keep in mind last year’s starter, Leonard Davis, was a free agent and signed with Dallas).
In the days leading up to the draft, Adrian Peterson’s name was bandied about as a possibility if he was still available when the Cards picked. And while team vice president of football operations Rod Graves admitted after the pick they had Peterson rated higher overall than Brown, but he and new head coach Ken Whisenhunt felt that improving the offensive line was the top priority. Plus, with the signing of Edgerrin James before last season, it would be difficult to justify tying up that much money in one position when there were several other pressing needs for a team that finished 5-11 last season. The addition of Brown should allow Reggie Wells to move back to the guard position, where he is more effective, although he did fill in nicely the last few games of last season at the right tackle spot. Hopefully Grimm can upgrade the play of the unit as a whole. Former Steeler Oliver Ross signed with the Cards a couple years ago and has not lived up the expectations the team had for him. Having Grimm back as his line coach should change that and return Ross to the level he played at with Pittsburgh.
“Help, I’m falling. Somebody catch me. Help!” The Cardinals did just that to kick off the second round. With Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch (6’5”, 334 pounds) still available after the conclusion of the first round, Arizona traded up four spots to Oakland’s first slot of round two and snatched Branch. Part of the deal called for the Cards to also give up their fourth round pick to the Raiders, a move which will raise at least a few questions due to Arizona’s lack of depth in several areas. However, I applaud the move. Optimistically speaking, Branch could prove to be one of the legitimate steals of the draft. Only time will tell, as is obviously the case with each and every draft pick, but it’s hard to fault the Cards aggressiveness in picturing Branch as a space-eating, run-stopping mainstay for years to come. The kind of player the team hasn’t had since Eric Swann’s very promising career was cut short by a serious knee injury in the late-90s. Run defense has been a soft spot for the Cardinals for many years, and Branch is worth the gamble to attempt to fix that problem. He is also a decent pass rusher for a big tackle, with nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss during his career at Michigan. Branch’s slide in the draft no doubt expanded the size of the chip on his shoulder as well.
“Mel Kiper has been riding me the whole time,” Branch said after being selected by the Cards. “After these next couple of years, I’m going to make sure he eats every word he said.” For a player whose motivation was questioned by some, this can only help. Branch expressed his appreciation for the Cards interest in him, and I have a good feeling that this pick is going to work out quite nicely.
Think Sam Mills. Think Zach Thomas. Think James (please call me “Buster,” a nickname I’ve had since I was one year old) Davis. I’m a smallish linebacker (5’9”, 239 pounds) who has heard enough of the “you’re too small” evaluations. I play with a passion for the game. I am durable, instinctive, and a solid tackler. And we both know if I was 6’1” or better, I would have been picked long before the third round, so consider yourself lucky. You just got a steal. And I must say, nice pick. You did your homework. You obviously are aware of the fact that I was chosen as a first team all-ACC and second team all-American by no less than three college evaluating services after the 2006 season. Like I said, you just got yourself a steal.
Due to the aforementioned trade to move up and grab Branch, the Cards had no fourth round pick. In the fifth round, they selected Steve Breaston (brest-en). Although Breaston (6’0”, 193 pounds) leaves Michigan as the fifth leading receiver of all time in catches with 156, this pick caught me off guard. For a minute. Then I quickly insuated, in my simple little, over analyzing mind, that he must be able to return kicks. I couldn’t imagine the Cards drafting a receiver otherwise. Well, it turns out he can do just that. He averaged 12.6 yards on 12 punt returns while at Michigan. Twelve-point-six yards per return doesn’t sound all that impressive, until you consider how many times a punt returner gets little or no yardage. A 12.6 average is pretty solid. Add to that the fact that he averaged 24.6 yards per kickoff return. In ’06, he finished with a career high 58 receptions for 670 yards to boot. Okay, I’m sold. Sounds like a playmaker to me.
With their final pick, the Cards took Ben Patrick, a 6’3”, 252 pound tight end out of Delaware, by way of a transfer from Duke. He was the ‘best player available’ on Kiper’s board when he was drafted. Which of course means squat when it come right down to it. But we do know he has great hands and is a solid route runner. On the downside, he has average speed at best, and is not a very good blocker. But his solid fundamentals just may find him a spot on the Cardinals roster. The annals of NFL history are full of fundamentally sound tight ends who turned nary a head at first. Until they were making a catch in traffic. Oh by the way, new Cards head coach was a tight end himself when he played in the NFL, and had a lot of similar qualities that Patrick has.
I would like to present an accurate assessment on the Cards draft, but that’s impossible right now. As with any draft, a team never knows for sure what they have until a couple seasons have gone by. On paper, they were not the best team when it comes to their draft picks, but then no one really knows for sure, do they? Yes, they addressed some of their needs. How accurate they were with regards to those needs will be monitored. I for one think they did quite well. But then, this is football's version of the hot stove league, isn't? When we all still think we have a chance.
Coming off a 5-11 season, the Arizona Cardinals appear to be a team that needs help all over the field, personnel wise. And granted, one can only sugarcoat a 5-11 season so much. There is much help needed. However, upon further review, it’s obvious that ousted head coach Denny Green and his outgoing staff had as much stability as Brittany Spears on a three-day furlough. For example, the offense had three line coaches in three years, one of whom had been cut from the team only a few days earlier. And the team’s performance on the field reflected that-poor clock management, a propensity for drive-altering penalties on both sides of the ball, and an inability to achieve and sustain any consistency in general, to name just a few issues. Though talent-wise, one could argue that they should have been contenders, especially considering that the NFC West (and NFC in general) was fairly weak. Especially when taking into account the number of games the Cards should have or could have won, but didn’t.
Enter new coach Ken Whisenhunt, hired away from the successful, and very stable, Pittsburgh Steelers. Whisenhunt seems to carry a good degree of mental toughness, and has assembled an impressive staff that should be able to “coach up” the players that are able, such as cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric Green, and replace the ones who are not. Let’s start with the offensive line, long a sore spot for the Cards and long a staple of successful teams. Last season’s offensive line played noticeably better the last third of the season. And due in no small part to the fact that the same crew started the last five games, Edgerrin James’ productivity increased. And as any football fan knows, a successful running game opens up the entire playbook, while not allowing defenses the luxury of facing a one-dimensional team. For example, either third and five or second and nine could still be running downs, and defenses must play honestly. Thus is the benefit of a potent running attack. Which obviously makes it easier for your receivers to get open should you decide to throw instead.
Although the O-line finished the season on a bit of a high note, there is still depth needed, and a quality upgrade is almost sure to happen under Whisenhunt and new line coach Russ Grimm. Starting left tackle Leonard Davis has been informed that the team will not use the franchise or the transition tag on him, and free agency awaits. But judging by Davis’ comments since he was notified he wouldn’t be franchised, don’t close the door on his return to the team just yet. Naturally, his agent, on the other hand, is singing a different tune-Leonard will be the best free agent tackle available. Maybe so, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into big dollars. The feeling of this writer is that the Cards could do much worse than telling Davis up front that they will play him at guard, where he can flatten people, re-signing him to a longer term deal but at less per year than other teams will offer him to play tackle, and plugging him in the line to help pave the way for a deadly inside running game. A big fear of Cardinal fans is that Davis will go the way of Thomas Jones, Corey Chavous, Chris Chandler, Steve Beuerlein, Ricky Proehl, Garrison Hearst-oh what the heck, let’s go all the way back to Jay Novacek-as former Cardinals who went elsewhere and became solid, non-expendable NFL players. (The temptation to bring up Pete Kendall and L.J. Shelton is almost irresistible, but I think I’ve already mentioned Denny Green’s personnel errors regarding the offensive line).
Pardon my long-windedness, but this brings us to the upcoming free agency period and the draft. As much attention as the offensive line gets on any team, the most overlooked and under appreciated position is the center. The Cardinals drafted two of them 2005-Nick Leckey and Alex Stepanovich. Both have started their share of games. And I don’t think either is ready for prime time. Both are restricted free agents (RFA). The Cardinals need a bulldog at the center position. And Robbie Tobeck of the Seahawks, Larry Izzo of the Patriots, and Rich Braham of the Bengals are all unrestricted free agents (UFA). Go get one. Or, if the Cards happen to trade down and wind up with an extra first round pick, grab Ryan Kalil out of USC. He played alongside Deuce Lutui in college, a first round pick last year from USC who started late in the season and seemed to establish himself at right guard.
Speaking of the guard position, Grey Ruegamer of the Giants may be a bargain free agent to go after. He would be in his 11th year, but he hasn’t played a high number of snaps in the NFL. Okay, maybe there’s a reason for that-but he may be refreshed returning to the Valley of the Sun, where he starred at Arizona State. And he probably has more football left in him than most 10 year linemen. A one or two year free agent deal might not be a bad idea. Or, grabbing Ben Grubbs from Auburn in the draft, if he’s available, or Justin Blalock from Texas may prove to be solid moves as well, even early in the second round.
Amidst this speculation sits an offensive linemen who played well enough to warrant a spot on the ’07 roster. Reggie Wells found himself at right tackle midway through the season and was pretty solid. Not to mention the fact that he can play multiple positions. Ideally, you would stick him at a line spot and let him play. But his versatility makes him a keeper.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals have talent at each level; the line, linebackers, and secondary. Depth is the major objective here. With that in mind, Tim Crowder from Texas (no, I’m not a Longhorn fan) may be a good third round pick, if available. If not, LaMarr Woodley of Michigan or UFA Chris Kelsay of Buffalo would be good pickups.
At defensive tackle, Dan Klecko of the Colts would be a nice addition. He’s an UFA, he’s got his best days ahead of him, hopefully. Hollis Thomas of the Saints would be worth a look also, if he can be gotten for the right price. Otherwise, grab Turk McBride out of Tennessee in the third round if he’s still there. I would lean toward the aforementioned free agents, however. It’s not a great year for DTs in the draft, and the Cards are not in dire need of many right now.
At linebacker, Cato June will no doubt be a highly sought free agent, but I think Brandon Short of the Giants would be just as effective and would come a little cheaper. (With all these free agent names I’ve been throwing out there as possibilities, keep in mind the Cardinals will have around 25 million to spend in free agency).
In the secondary, going after a veteran like Nate Clements (Buffalo) may not be a bad idea. Neither would a late round steal like Thomas DeCoud of Cal or Jonathan Wilhite of Auburn. If either is there in the fourth round, I’d grab him. Also. taking a free agent flyer on underrated cornerback Hank Poteat of the Jets would warrant serious consideration if the situation presented itself. He’s worth a long, hard look.
(Disclaimer: The above speculations were made with the author’s assumption that the Cardinals will be adequate or above average at the quarterback, wide receiver, and running back positions; they will integrate their recent draft pick at tight end into the mix more; and that their many young quality defensive players will take the next step. If these assumptions prove to be inaccurate, it will be another long season for the Cards).
In light of media day here at the Super Bowl, we, The Knowledgeable Fan Club, a.k.a. "KFC", have called this brief meeting. You all got to do your thing at media day. And based on some of the questions we observed during that, and granted, some from the past which some of you may not have been involved in, we deemed it necessary to call for this get together, as it is now painfully obvious who is behind the “dumbing down” of America. Now take your seats. The quicker you all get settled, the quicker you can all get out of here and go get some more of that free food and drink. Or whatever it is you heathens do at a function like this.
Hey! You newspapers guys! Pay attention! Same with you peeps doing the pre-game, halftime, post-game and post-post game shows - - on both radio and TV; eyes forward! All you dot com folks, I’m talking to you too - - ESPN, Fox, CBS, MSNBC, ABC, SI, The Sporting News - - ALL of you!! Find a seat and shut your collective pie holes for a few minutes! Hopefully I’ll only have to go over this once-if you all pay attention.
Thank you. Now, here goes. You each should have been given a copy of the memo when you walked in the door. It details what we are expecting of all you so-called experts in the coming days. If you’re smart, you’ll follow along on your memo as I go through these.
#1- Use of the word notorious. Hey, you two guys in the CBS shirts--Quit screwing around! This applies as much to you as anyone. Anyway, use of the word “notorious” in the following manner is NOT acceptable: “Peyton Manning is notorious for his quick-strike ability.” Unless Peyton is a hitman in the off-season and we’re not aware of it, this is an incorrect use of the word. Another form of the word, “notoriety,” is also not acceptable. As in, “The Chicago Bears have achieved a great deal of notoriety over the years for their stellar defense.” Uh, no. They haven’t. Now you could say that about the Colts, but that’s another story that I’ll let you expound on come game time.
#2- The phrase “World Champions.” This isn’t the Olympics or the World Championships, like they have in hockey, figure skating, or boxing. Okay, forget boxing. Bad example. Point is, “World Champions” sounds pompous and arrogant, as if you’re implying that just because a team is the champion of a league based in America, that they are champions of the world. Besides, it just makes you who use it sound, well, ignorant. And look like a bunch of lemmings, using an overused phrase again and again. (Now, admittedly, you will more than likely see the winning team sporting T-shirts with the words “World Champions” on them. We forbade the NFL from using it, but they threatened to sue if they couldn’t. Which is the same thing they said when we demanded that their halftime show be cut in half. But we are going to hit the ground running and get this implemented for next year. It’s going to be shorter. Or consist of a reunion of the original members of Van Halen. And lengthened. But I’m getting ahead of myself now).
#3- Refrain from using “(team name) has scored 17 unanswered points.” Unless the game is over. If the game isn’t over, the points can still be answered. This edict wouldn’t be as crucial if the term hadn’t been used ad nauseam over the past several seasons. (See “notoriety” above). And if we hadn’t heard the term “seven unanswered points” several times this season. Honestly, we did. Instead, use “straight points” or “consecutive points.” Or even, if you want to stoop to the level of an NBA broadcast, say a team is “on a 17-0 run,” which they use at least five times a game.
#4- Do not show on the screen or refer to a quarterback or team having a certain number of fourth quarter comebacks. Folks, listen. Seriously. Roughly half of all NFL games have what is commonly referred to as a fourth quarter comeback. Get this through your heads-it’s NOT that big a deal.
#5- Do not ask the following in any way, shape, or form: “So, how does it feel to win/lose the biggest game of your career?” People, if you really have to ask, you should be in a different line of work. Like, maybe, at a car wash? “Would you like a wax job with that, ma’am/sir?” At least that’s a question that merits an answer.
Now are there any questions? WAIT. Forget I said that. Like I said, I’ve heard some of your questions. Okay, that’s all for now. But remember these rules. You all are being graded for the next week or so. And I would suggest carrying these forward into your future journalistic endeavors. If there are any. As you may have noticed, I listed my cell phone number on the bottom of the memo if you have any questions. But they had better be good ones. And don’t bother calling between 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM MST on Sunday. I’ll be watching the FBR Open, the best Super Bowl pre-game show there is.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Bears 23, Colts 20.
I don’t remember seeing an NFL playoff weekend with this many subplots. It started Saturday, with the Indianapolis Colts playing in Baltimore against the Ravens. Everybody knows the Colts moved out of Baltimore in 1984, and not under the best circumstances. Far from it. There are still a lot of old Colt fans in Baltimore who haven’t yet and never will forgive Robert Irsay and the Colts for sneaking out of town in the dead of night. So obviously, I picked the Ravens to win. Dominate, even. I figured they’d pound Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense into submission with their top ranked defense, and ram Jamal Lewis down Indy’s throats until they begged for mercy. After all, we all knew that Indy’s run defense was by far the worst of any playoff team, and last week against Larry Johnson and the Chiefs must have been an aberration, right? Throw in Steve McNair and his veteran experience, and success, in big games, and you have a tidy little Ravens win in a decisive manner. I was thinking somewhere along the lines of 23-10. So what happens? Indy’s defense steps up for the second week in a row, the Ravens make too many offensive mistakes in crucial situations, and the Colts win. Go figure.
The Philadelphia Eagles came in to their game against the New Orleans Saints on a roll, having won six straight, including their opening playoff game against the Giants. On one hand, you had a quarterback named Jeff Garcia, who was blasted more than once by some motor-mouthed receiver that the Eagles ran out of town. How ironic would it be if Garcia could lead them to the Promised Land, especially since he was the backup to one of the best in the business, Donovan McNabb? Whom, incidentally, did the afore-mentioned receiver, who shall remain nameless here, also blast. On the other hand, you had the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans, as a city, a team, and a population, have been through more than any citizen, team, or fan base could be expected to endure in this day and age, and all are rebuilding at the same time. Granted, the recovery in New Orleans is far from complete, and there are no doubt thousands of people there who have far more pressing things to deal with than whether the Saints win or not, but something like a winning NFL team tends to give a little spring in the step to those who may feel like they don’t have a lot to look forward to. But with the nameless receiver gone from the Eagles, and a target of his salvos at the helm in place of another of his targets, the starter, one couldn’t help but wonder if karma was on the Eagles’ side. It was for a while, but the better team eventually prevailed, which isn’t always the case in these NFL playoffs.
In Chicago, the prevailing storyline heading into the Seahawks/Bears game was Rex Grossman. Sure, the Bears went 13-3 this year, but other than a nice little run back in October, what had Rex done to make us believe he could be the difference? After all, they were facing a coach in Mike Holmgren who had been to three Super Bowls as a head coach, including last year, so surely he would figure out a way to beat the one-dimensional Bears, whose strong suit, defense, was more than a little ####ed up. And after all, he was facing Lovie Smith, who hadn’t really proven anything in the post-season, least of all that he had the propensity to somehow will his quarterback to play a solid game. But like the Colts’ run defense, the Bears, Lovie Smith, and Rex Grossman were able to flip the switch and deliver a victory.
The San Diego Chargers came into the playoffs with the best record, the MVP, and a formula, on paper at least, of a Super Bowl participant. On the other side of the field was a coach who had won three Super Bowls. The critics of the Chargers had cited “Marty-ball” ad nauseam as the reason they would fall. He was, after all, facing a coach who was his opposite in a way-the utmost success in the post-season. The Patriot backers would list their accomplishments as reason enough for their optimism. The Charger fans noted their home field advantage and the fact that they had the league’s best record and best player, at least in most people’s estimation. And well into the fourth quarter, it appeared the team with the best record would prevail. The fact that they ultimately lost in the end will no doubt produce another round of Schottenheimer bashing, but if his guys take stupid penalties and can’t field a punt, the blame lies with the players, not the coach. I think. This one will hurt even more for the Chargers because the Patriots were ripe for the taking. Brady was not having a good game, the Patriots refused to run the ball for some reason in the second half until they were getting into position for a field goal, and LaDanian Tomlinson was having one of his patented big games. Yet the Patriots pulled it out. Again, go figure.
I will resist the temptation to say that the Saints will destroy the Bears next week and the Patriots will prove once again that they are better than the Colts in the post-season, because, quite frankly, my recent predictions are stinking up the joint. I don’t know if my flaw is looking at trends, how a team looks on paper, or simply too much Budweiser. But any way you slice it, I have no clue what’s going to happen next week. Except for this-it has been an extremely interesting and unpredictable playoff season so far. This is the time of year when hopes are dashed and dreams are realized. The finality of it all is what is both great and terrible about being a sports fan. None of us signed up for this kind of pressure when we started following sports, but it is a by-product of the thrill of competition.
Good luck to all who still have your team in it. Congratulations to those whose teams didn’t quite make it but still had a great season, condolensces to those whose teams didn't even come close, and thanks for taking the time to read.
By the way, I will not be buying a Dodge or Chevy truck anytime soon. Can we see the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots vs. John Cougar?
Must be able to follow orders. Must be able to acquiesce to management, regardless of the ramifications. Must be willing to put “your stamp” on organization, at our discretion, and call it your own, and absolve management of blame. Must be willing to be a fall guy. Must be able to deal with losing, or have the ability to adapt to losing. Must be willing to accept criticism that is meant for management, and deal with it. Must be able to adapt to the fact that your hands will be tied when it comes to improving the company's product. Ability to work well with others not imperative. Experience and ability to self-motivate a plus, but not required.
I need some suggestions here. The Arizona Cardinals lost again today. No biggie. We all know that happens quite frequently. They couldn’t, or perhaps wouldn’t, run the ball. Five carries for 17 yards, or something like that, while throwing it 51 times. They turned it over too many times. They have an inconsistent defense, which is not to say that the defense is the problem, considering that the Cardinals’ two touchdowns today came by way of a kickoff return and a fumble return, both covering 99 yards. I am well aware of their shortcomings, not the lease of which today was scoring touchdowns on offense. But here is my question: With the score 31-13 and ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals scored on the aforementioned fumble return. After further review, the officials decided that it was indeed a fumble, making the score 31-19. Which means the Cardinals had several minutes to think about this. And they STILL went for two. I was screaming at the TV when they did so. Well, maybe not screaming, but being vocal just the same, since I cannot think of any situation in which you would score six points to get within 12 and then go for two. (If they had kicked the extra point, it would have been 31-20). I said to my girlfriend, whom I was watching the game with, that the Cardinals had just taken their field goal kicker out of the game. And they did. The Cards got the ball back, and had a first and goal at the eight with about five minutes left. After a couple plays, they were faced with a third and long. Obviously a field goal wasn’t an option. (31-23, anyone?) So they had to throw the ball in the end zone, which the whole stadium knew they would. They were unsuccessful. But near the end of the game, they did score a touchdown. Which, had they not gone for two at the aforementioned point, and had been able to kick a field goal at another aforementioned point, would have allowed them to go for two to tie the game.
Here is the question for my blogging friends. Is there ANY situation in which you would go for two after scoring a touchdown to get within 12 points? I can’t think of one. And granted, there are lots of shortcomings that the Cardinals have, as I mentioned earlier. But as a coach, you must make a few decisions each game that help your team win. Going for two when down by twelve points is not one of them. Kick the freakin’ extra point and get within 11. It completely baffles me to think otherwise.
Thanks for taking the time to read and share my misery.
This is updated from last night. I had a pretty decent post going (I think) but lost it when I hit the wrong button, I guess. Usually I type them in Word and then paste, but since I got started late because of the Rutgers-Louisville game and the Suns-Mavs game, perhaps I was feeling a little lazy. So here is a re-do. As always, I use the odds found at : http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/2/
Got a little busy last week and didn't get around to doing my week 9 weekly four, so I guess you could say I had a bye week. Much needed, I might add.
San Diego (-1.5) over Cincinnati. Someone once told me that winners bet on streaks, losers bet against them. The Chargers have covered the spread the last three weeks, the Bengals have not. I know the odds of a team covering or not covering four straight weeks are not good, but these are two teams currently going in different directions. As I mentioned earlier in the season (when correctly picking a Bengals game, it turned out), Cincinnati is discovering that life as a contender is not quite as easy as last year, when they were able to sneak up on the rest of the league, so to speak. It seems the Bengals are in a bit of disarray right now, and LaDanian Tomlinson is looking like the best back the league has seen in several years. If Philip Rivers can make even a few key plays, the Chargers should win this one.
Denver (-9.5) over Oakland. One can only imagine what this line would be if they were playing in Oakland. Let’s assess this matchup. Mike Shanahan can’t stand the Raiders due to his premature firing by Al Davis when Shanahan was the head coach, and has had much success against them. This game might be labeled a trap game or letdown game for the Broncos, and therefore dangerous, if these teams weren’t such bitter rivals. Poor Andrew Walter is inexperienced and playing behind arguably the worst offensive line in football. It’s easy to forget that Walter broke a handful of John Elway’s Pac 10 passing records while at Arizona State a couple years ago. Hard to imagine Oakland scoring much here against a Denver defense that has been stellar every game except the Indy game. The Broncos aren’t the first defense to have trouble versus the Colts. And I would imagine the over/under on Denver’s rushing yards in this game has to be in the neighborhood of 225.
N.Y. Jets (+10) over New England. These two teams are pretty familiar with one another, and I would expect the Patriots to win here. The Jets are on the fringe of being a good team, at least good enough to put up a respectable fight here. I see a low scoring, fairly close game. Something like 19-13. Ten points are enough for me.
New Orleans (+4.5) over Pittsburgh. The Steelers need this game badly. Very badly. A road win this week would be huge for the Saints, and further validate them as a serious contender. Weather will probably be a factor, and the Saints offense is diverse enough to be effective against the Steeler defense. The Steelers need to get their running game cranked up, and I would bet in the back of his mind, Bill Cowher is wishing he had stayed with Charlie Batch a few more games early on until Ben Roethlisberger’s health improved. At any rate, I think this one will be decided by a field goal, so I’ll take the four points.
Thanks for taking the time to (re?) read. Good luck this weekend.
Less than 24 hours after their “come from ahead” collapse to the Bye Weaks, 27-26, the Arizona Cardinals and head coach Dennis Green have made more personnel changes, apparently with the idea of addressing two nagging problems that have plagued the Cardinals all season--clock management and the running game. The Cardinals sel####estructed at home (yet again) after leading 26-0 with less than four minutes to go Sunday, only to see the Weaks score three touchdowns, each followed by a successful two-point conversion, and recover a fumbled kickoff with 12 seconds remaining, leaving the Weaks just enough time to bring in their kicker, Chip Schott, for a game winning 22-yarder as time expired. Green was furious at his post-game press conference, saying, “First of all, I couldn’t find any damn film on the Weaks!!! That’s just bull----, I tell you, bull----!!! Even so, they were what we heard they were! And we let ‘em off the hook!!”
As a result, the Cardinals terminated the official time keeper, Rolex Seiko, on Monday afternoon. Green and the Cards implied that Seiko, age 49 and in his fifth season as the Cards head ‘watch’man since retiring from The World Clock Organization in the summer of 2002, wasn’t precise enough. “I don’t know how many games we’ve lost due to too much time at the end for the other team, not enough time for us at the end- - I’m just fed up with it. It’s obvious to me he’s not up to the challenge,” Green said in a slightly calmer moment after the loss had sunk in.
Also let go were the Cardinals long time “chain gang,” which is football slang for the two individuals who place either end of the ten-yard first down chain, or markers, on the sidelines at football games. Relieved of their duties by the team were Nat Sass and Millie Meter, the first female to “man” the sticks in Cardinals history. Both had been with the team since the Buddy Ryan era. Asked for comments after getting the news of their release, Meter declined, but Sass said simply, with a somber look on his face, “I though we were going to have a winner in town . . .” His voice trailed off, unable to say anything more. When asked to explain the decision, Green said, “Quite frankly, I don’t think those two would know ten yards if they went to a yard sale. This move will eliminate those irritating second-and-one and third-and ones we couldn’t convert before. The chains were obviously not in the right place. It’s not the offensive line [which has been pretty offensive], or the fact that I’m on my third O-line coach in the three years I’ve been here. It’s the damn chain gang!" Green said, his voice rising again.
Replacements for the departed personnel have yet to be named. But what's the rush? There's always next year.
In other Cards notes:
-Keith Rowen, fired earlier this season from his position as offensive coordinator, is going to team up with former Cards kicker Martin Grammatica for a post-game call-in show. The tentative title is “Rowen and Martin’s Laugh In.”
-Pete Rose was observed watching the game at the stadium, albeit nervously. Afterward, though, he was all smiles. Turns out he had $100 on the Weaks plus the points, which were 4 ½ at kickoff.
-The Cardinals have petitioned the league to replace the director of Game Film Control, in light of the recent difficulty the team had in obtaining film on the Bye Weaks.
-Rumors flying around the press corps as this went to print had Michael Bidwill looking to replace Manov Weather, the longtime Cards Environmental Specialist, who apparently was responsible for the sunny, calm, 80 degree conditions Sunday afternoon.
Thanks for taking the time to read, and “Go Cards!” (And take the Sun Devils with you).
Well, it appears I’m stuck in a 2-2 rut. Could be worse, I suppose. And if I would ever learn to stay away from Cardinal games, I may have gone 3-1. Guess that’s what I get for my Raider jab last week.
There were many good pickers last week, so to speak. Bearsview, Nooch, Norcalfella, MustardMan, and Chorizo all went 3-1. Flying Pig and detroitsports joined me at 2-2. Which I guess means as a whole, we’re improving.
Here goes for this week: (A reminder, the odds are found here)
Tampa Bay (+9.5) over the New York Giants. (Attention any radio and TV people reading-can we stop with the ‘New York FOOTBALL Giants’ #### already? Sheesh!) While I was very impressed with the Giants’ performance Monday night and now consider them a legitimate Super Bowl contender, I’m always a little gun-shy about taking the Monday winner as a favorite the following week, especially when this many points are involved. I think the Giants will win, but Tampa Bay is playing much better now, and should be a tough opponent, even on the road.
San Francisco (+16) over Chicago. I know the 49ers are a bad team, but they’re slowly getting better. The Bears won’t allow many points in this one, but I don’t think they score many either. Bears will win by seven to ten points.
New York Jets (-2) over Cleveland. I feel bad for Romeo Crennel, because I think he will make a good coach eventually, but there are big time problems in Browns land. The Jets have played pretty solid, for the most part, this season, and I don’t think the Browns have enough of a running game to help out Charlie Frye. Jets win fairly easily in Cleveland.
Seattle and Kansas City, (over 38.5). This one almost seems too easy. Which I suppose means I should run away from this one as fast as I can to avoid looking like a sucker. But even though Seattle is in a bit of a funk right now, the Chiefs defense doesn’t scare anyone, and getting over this point total should be no problem for these teams. The only thing that would convince me otherwise would be bad weather, but it’s supposed to be sunny and around 70 degress in K.C. on Sunday, so I feel pretty good about this one.
Good luck to all and thanks for taking the time to read.
I see where you agreed to sign Boris Diaw to a contract extension today. Five years for around $45 million is what I heard. Nice. Thanks. Since we all know here in Suns-land that he would have been a restricted free agent at the end of the year, kudos to you. It’s still fresh in our mind, that whole ‘restricted free agent’ thing, what with Joe Johnson’s situation after the ’04-’05 season. Boy, you came out smelling like a rose in that one, didn’t you? You matched the Hawks deal, but since Joe didn’t want to play here because he wouldn’t be ‘the man,’ you signed him and traded him to the Hawks. And even though a lot of local Suns fans threw egg at your face, you stuck to your guns. I even remember you coming on the local radio station and explaining the whole situation. (Something our local NFL owner would never do, but we'll get to that situation later). I heard you. And I remember it like it was yesterday. The admiration and respect you gained in my eyes that day will never be forgotten. Thanks for that as well.
And little did we know that in that trade we would get Boris Diaw, a guy who hardly saw any playing time in Atlanta, and who just didn’t fit in there, and had bounced around a bit during his few years in the NBA. Yet he was a guy your coach Mike D’Antoni wanted. And you trusted Mike’s judgment. I must admit, we all thought you and Mike were nuts. Well, silly us, you not only got a player who plays his #### off, but you got a couple of draft picks as well. And I did notice that you signed Leandro Barbosa this summer as well. Five years, $32 million. Again, thanks. At only 24 years of age, the Brazilian Blur is only going to get better. And well worth the investment. Which obviously you are aware of, Mr. Sarver.
I just thought of something. Joe Johnson is getting $75 million from Atlanta. Diaw and Barbosa are getting about $75 million combined from you. And when you add two draft picks? Wow, nice job.
I must say, Mr. Sarver, I’m extremely happy with where your Suns team is headed. As you know, when you bought the team from Jerry Colangelo a few years back, there was an automatic backlash. Hopefully you can understand that. After all, Jerry did put this town on the map sportswise, and without him, we wouldn’t have the four major sports in this town like we do now. A lot of fans weren’t too sure what you were all about, and with a guy like Bill Bidwill in town, well, you can probably see why a lot of us were rather skeptical to see an owner like Jerry go. Let’s see, under your direction, the Suns have signed Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire to long term contracts. You have also acquired key players like Raja Bell and Tim Thomas, though Thomas decided he’d bolt to the Clippers in the off-season for more money. Don’t sweat that, Mr. Sarver. You signed a couple free agents this off season yourself; Marcus Bell and Jumaine Jones, who will fit in very nicely. And just in case you need a veteran three point shooter off the bench, you added Eric Piatkowski for good measure. You certainly seem to cover your bases, Mr. Sarver. And we all are aware of the fact that our best all around player, Shawn Marion, was the subject of numerous trade rumors last off season, and we couldn’t figure out why. But your guy, Mike D’Antoni, stepped up and put an end to the speculation by the so-called ‘experts’ and said Shawn is not going anywhere. Even though he’s got a ‘max’ contract, and well-deserved, I must say, you knew you couldn’t replace him with two players, let alone one. Again, thank you so much. I could go into all the reasons why Shawn is a keeper, but I’m sure you’re aware of them. Guys who finish in the top twenty in seven categories in the NBA are pretty easy to keep off limits to other teams.
Like I was saying, Mr. Sarver, replacing Mr. Colangelo in this town was not easy, as I’m sure you were well aware of. As I mentioned, Mr. C put this town on the map when it comes to sports, as you probably also know. And since he did things like keeping former Suns such as Mark West, Alvan Adams, Dan Majerle, Tom Chambers, Connie Hawkins, and Vinnie Del #### on the payroll, to name the ones that come to mind off the top of my head, we Suns folk were kind of apprehensive about a change at the top. Quite frankly, we didn’t see how anyone could replace Mr. Colangelo. But you have done it, Mr. Sarver. And we are more grateful than you realize.
And, um, by the way, I was wondering, Mr. Sarver, sir, if it’s not too much to ask. Do you suppose you could, um, maybe, if you have time, and, um, if you want to, of course, approach Mr. Bidwill about purchasing the Cardinals? I know you are probably quite busy and stuff, but I know a lot of people who would be more than willing to help you out, and gladly pass the hat to help you out financially. Not that I’m saying you need it, so don’t take it that way, but if you would like our assistance, you’ve got it. And it’s just that, you know, you seem to have a knack for spending money wisely on improving your team. I mean, just that fact alone is reason enough to make me ask you. Yes, in free agency, the Cardinals did spend money on Edgerrin James this past off-season, but spent no money on quality linemen or improving the assistant coaches. Does that make sense to you, Mr. Sarver? It doesn’t to me, but if it does to you, that’s fine. I mean, I know you are much better at putting together a winning team than I am. Even if we are comparing basketball and football. I mean, the Cardinals were over ten million dollars under the salary cap when the season started. Now, if you’re the New England Patriots, that’s not a big deal. But with the Cardinals, who have been losers every year since they’ve been here except one, and who have a new stadium and a chance to make a fresh start and wipe out all the negatives from all the years that they’ve been here, it’s not acceptable. And I think Shawn Marion would make a great wide receiver. Not that we need another wide receiver, but with his leaping ability and quickness. . .
Well, I’m getting ahead of myself now. Anyway, I’ll be in touch, Mr. Sarver. I mean, if that’s okay with you. Please let me know what you decide. I mean, if you decide anything, that is. No rush, sir.
And thanks again for all you have done. And thanks for taking the time to read.
Two and two last week. Oh well, at least the Cardinals trounced the Bears. I mean, I'm sure they did. I fell asleep at halftime, but it was 20-0, so I'm sure the Cards pulled off the big upset, right? Right? Hello? Is this thing on?? Hello?
Anyway, Nooch & ShooterB joined me at 2-2 for the week. MustardMan ruled last week, finishing at 3-1. Bearsview and Chorizo picked five, coming in at 2-3 each. Tigervidmar, detroitsports, and Challenger all went 1-3, and HappyG decided to pick all the games. I'm going to assume he was picking them against the spread, which would put him at 5-8 last week. (Straight up, 8-5). Which brings us to FlyingPig and Miracle. FP is going with a new avatar in hopes of not being noticed on the heels of his 0-4 performance. We'll see if it works. His spreads were a little off, which may indicate that he was predicting how much each of his picks would win by, perhaps? And Miracle was like the kid in school who picked the wrong kid to copy from during a test. He also went 0-4, with the same picks as the Airborne Swine.
Which brings us to this week. Thanks to a suggestion from my good (cynical) buddy MeanD, I let my dogs pick the games this week. On any games they didn’t agree on, I picked it out of my shiny new cap, which reads “Arizona Cardinals” on the front and “Wait ‘til next year!” on the back. Without further ado, or my case adon’t, here goes. Once again, the odds I use are found here. I know certain games can change slightly one way or the other as the week progresses, so if that costs you a game in your picks, remember, this is for entertainment purposes only, and please, no wagering. But if you make a big enough stink about a changing line affecting one of your picks, I may give you a reversal. After further review, of course.
Arizona (-3) over Oakland. The Cardinal defense is ticked off like Denny Green that they played their butts off last week and lost. I’m thinking somewhere along the lines of 27-6 in this one. Which reminds me, look for Al Davis’ new book “Commitment to Excrement—Can’t Win Baby” in bookstores this weekend. If the Cards lose this one, my next blog will probably have “The Phoenix Suns” in the title.
Minnesota (+7) over Seattle. The Vikes come off a bye week, which isnt’ always a good thing in the NFL, I know, but I feel this is a good matchup for Minnesota. Seattle is getting overlooked, and I still feel they are a good team even without Alexander, but the Vikings seem to play a lot of close games, so I’ll take the points.
Carolina (+3 ½) over Cincinnati. I said last week, the Ravens fall to 4-2 against a Panther team starting a roll, or something like that. Carolina’s momentum continues. They win outright. The Bengals are finding life as a contender is a little tougher than they are used to.
Pittsburgh (-3) over Atlanta. I know the Falcons are at home and will be tough to beat there. Doesn’t matter. Unfortunately for them, their passing attack is metal on metal right now and is grinding to a slow and painful stop. Vick needs to step up in that department for them to be serious contenders. It won’t happen this week. He may, however, grab a handful of hair during an interception return.
Good luck to all and thanks for taking the time to read.
No, I didn’t spell ‘weekly’ wrong. It really has become My Weak Four. Once upon a time, I was pretty good at picking football games. Often stellar, even. Now, I feel like Santa Claus or Mike Schmidt, who were reportedly booed by fans they loved, and had loved them. The last few weeks have been atrocious. It got so bad that last week, as the Sunday football games wound down, my better half and my kids started booing me as they looked at my picks. Which I can handle somewhat—I’m a big boy. But then the jeering started. My girlfriend let loose with, to the tune of Silver Bells, “One and three, one and three, Rick’s picking sucks again this week.” Okay, I had that coming. One of my daughters, apparently feeling inspired to pile on, chimed in with this gem: “My Grandma picks better than you!” Um, okay. Since she was referring to my mother, who watches her beloved Vikings religiously every week but couldn’t tell you who was in last year’s Super Bowl, that stung a little more. And my son decided he’d kick me while I was down and added, “You’re over the hill!” Followed by the infamous “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye “ (sigh) Yup, I suck at this. Like a golfer who has his game in order and suddenly loses his putting stroke, I’ve got the yips bad. Real bad. I seriously thought about picking this week’s game out of a hat, but I’ll give it one more shot. I am shopping for a fedora online though, just in case.
Now here are this week’s weak-#### four, after my 1-3 performance last week.
Tennessee and Washington-under 39 points. Hopefully it’ll rain like hell or something.
Carolina (+3) over Baltimore. The Ravens fall to 4-2 against a hungry Panther team who is on a roll.
Pittsburgh (-7) over Kansas City. The Steelers won’t score all that much, but they won’t have to. KC’s patchwork O-line will have problems, and I can’t see the Chiefs scoring more than 10 points.
Denver (-14 ½) over Oakland. I normally never would give this many points to a division rival, especially in a rivalry as intense as this one, but let’s face it-the Raiders suck worse than I do right now. Even on a short week for Denver, they roll, as Shanahan beats his old team (and Al Davis) like a drum. And the Broncs are looking like a Super Bowl team all of the sudden.
By the way, I’m going to list the results from the week before, but not keep a running total like I have been. I know, I’m a weenie. My kids already told me. And the odds I use are found at http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/?s =1000
Detroitsports was 4-0 last week. So was Born2playin. Jerks. Born picked his own margins, but the teams he picked covered, so I'll give it to him. At least Thumper came down to earth a little, joining me at 1-3. But he gets some cushion, since he had back to back 4-0 weeks earlier. I just flat out suck. I suck so bad I could draw a golf ball through a garden hose. Overall, everyone who picked last week did pretty well. Oh, and Miracle, who stated early on he was picking straight up, even though Shooter and I tried to explain the spread to him, was 3-1. Which dictates that he must now pick against the aforementioned point spread. Not that it'll matter. He'll still kick my ####.
Shooter, Flying Pig, Bearsview, and Nooch all went 3-1. Chorizo went 4-1. Mustard Man was 2-2. ####s.
