Image courtesy of www.indianapolis.craigslist.org

The Score:  The Indianapolis Colts are 1-3 in their last four contests.

Sfvftc's Shot: The Indianapolis Colts recent struggles may benefit the club in the playoffs.

Losing, of course, has no redeemable value to the team on the wrong side of the win/loss column.  However, a byproduct of the Colts woes is that they are no longer considered the favorite to reach the Super Bowl from the AFC.  Thus Indianapolis' playoff opponents may underestimate the Colts.

In the last couple of years, Indianapolis proved incapable of reaching the Super Bowl when they starred as the AFC the front-runner in the playoffs.  Now, perhaps, they will advance to the Super Bowl in the role of underdog. 

Key Play (s):

1.  A byproduct of Indy's problems may be that their playoff opponents underestimate the Colts. 

Is former Wisconsin football coach Barry Alvarez (left) a candidate for the Arizona Cardinals head coach position?

Photo courtesy of www.jsonline.com

The Score:  Barry Alvarez, a former football coach at the University of Wisconsin and currently the school's athletic director, was part of the FOX broadcasting team for yesterday's game in Arizona between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.

Sfvftc's Shot: Are the Arizona Cardinals courting former University of Wisconsin football head coach Barry Alvarez to replace the club's current head coach Dennis Green?

Alvarez's appearance is odd for a couple of reasons. First, he already has a full-time job at the University of Wisconsin.  Athletic Directors (AD's) at large state universities have demanding and busy schedules.  Second, the NFL season is almost over.  Why did he begin a commentating gig on FOX with a mere four games remaining in the season?  Next, to my knowledge, FOX did not terminate the contract of any of its NFL commentators or "color guys" recently?  Finally, it is no secret that one of the Cardinals major weaknesses is its offensive line and it just so happens that Barry Alvarez recruited and coached one of the most coveted NFL prospects in next year's draft, Wisconsin left tackle Joe Thomas. 

It is a foregone conclusion that the Cardinals Head Coach Dennis Green will not return to the team next season.  The club entered the season with soaring expectations for its forlorn franchise. Arizona unveiled its new stadium modern and exotic, the University of Phoenix Stadium, facility in Glendale.  In the off-season, Arizona drafted former Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Matt Leinart and they signed free-agent Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James to a lucrative contract.  Furthermore, NFL analysts and fans (me included) believed the Cardinals would vie for a playoff berth.

Arizona, of course, is a woeful 4-9 and Dennis Green is probably actively pursuing other employment opportunities.  Thus, it is peculiar that Alvarez, an outstanding former college football coach who is relatively young, would make his commentating debut on FOX broadcasting a game in which the home team's coach is all but fired.

In sum, it is an unusual set of circumstances surrounding Alvarez.  Whatever the case, he would be a terrific candidate to guide the Cardinals if he is not already one.

Key Play:

1.  Former Wisconsin Badger football coach Barry Alvarez announced an Arizona Cardinals home game for FOX this past weekend.

2.  Is Alvarez a candidate to replace Dennis Green as Arizona's head coach?

Photo courtesy of www.accessnorthga.com

The Score:  Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Phillip Buchanon intercepted a pass by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on a 3rd-and-goal play, as Falcons WR Ashley Lelie stood idly by.

 

Sfvft'c Shot: It is incumbent upon the Atlanta Falcons to release WR Ashlie Lelie.

 

In the second quarter, with Atlanta trailing 6-0, he stood idly by as Tampa CB Philip Buchanon intercepted a pass intended for him in the Buccaneers end zone.  Lelie neglected to attempt to wrestle the ball away from Buchanon or to knock it away from the Bucs CB. 

 

The Atlanta Falcons (7-6) are in the midst of a playoff race.  In fact, one more loss, in all likelihood, eliminates them from post-season contention.

 

Nevertheless, Lelie failed to hustle on this pivotal play.  In addition, he has underperformed for the entire season.   He has 20 receptions, 324 yards and 0 touchdowns. That kind of pathetic production, coupled with Lelie's stunning lack of hustle, merits a discharge from the team.

 

Atlanta, of course, will have to absorb a financial loss if they terminate Lelie's contract. He is scheduled to earn $7million dollars over the next five years. 

 

However, by dismissing him, Atlanta will rid itself of a lazy, unmotivated and unproductive player.  After all, teams which advance to the NFL playoffs invariably have rosters replete with anti-Ashley Lelies.

 

Key Play:

 

1.  Atlanta ought to release Ashley Lelie for his blatant lack of hustle yesterday and his below average statistics.

 

 

Save Season Part 1

The Score: New York Giants (6-6) vs. Carolina Panthers (6-6)

Sfvftc's Shot: The Giants/Panthers matchup is the first installment of the dreaded "save your season" series in the NFL.

It is simple: lose and your season is over; win and your playoff aspirations dreams survive for another week.

Above: Barry Bonds. 

Photo courtesy of www.midwayisd.org

The Score: Some baseball fans and baseball analysts criticized free agent slugger Barry Bonds for showing up at the first day of the winter baseball meetings in Florida.

Sfvftc's Shot:  Barry Bonds or someone in his entourage is a marketing genius.

Bonds made the right move by showing up at the winter baseball meetings.  Think about it:  Bonds wants to play another year in MLB; all the MLB general managers (GM) are at these winter meetings; the GM's discuss trade proposals with their peers and the GM's negotiate contracts with players' agents' at these meetings; and there are no other players at these meetings. 

In essence, Bonds attended a job fair without any other job seekers.  Brilliant.

Key Play:

1.  Barry Bonds made a savvy business decision by showing up at the winter baseball meetings.

Above: Texas Tech Football head coach Mike Leach

Photo courtesy www.nytimes.com

Photo taken by Danielle Levitt

The Score:  The Miami Hurricanes are in the midst of a search for a new head football coach.

Sfvftc's Shot:  A little advice for University of Miami athletic director Paul Dee: hire Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Mike Leach.

Leach is an offensive guru.  Each season,  his offensive unit piles up both yards and points at blinding speed.  This season the Red Raiders averaged a gaudy 31.5 points per game and finished third in passing in the NCAA.

The impressive points and yards totals come out of Leach's spread offense.  His offense features numerous five wide receivers sets with a single running-back.  Defenses find it difficult to cover Tech's offense because spread formations force them to cover the whole field.

Furthermore, Leach guided his team to these prolific statistics while coaching in the venerable Big 12.  The Big 12 conference is one of the best leagues in Division I football. 

In addition, his specialty, offense, is Miami's major weakness.  The 'Canes defense had another outstanding season in '06.  However, Miami's offense proved inept and unproductive.

Thus, it is simple for Miami or "the U" as it is called by its famous NFL alumni: hire  Mike Leach and retain defensive coordinator Randy Shannon.

In fact, Leach will restore "the 'O'" to "the U."

Key Play:

1.  Mike Leach, an offensive guru, is the perfect candidate for the head coaching job at the University of Miami.

Above: Eagles QB Jeff Garcia

Photo courtesy of www.sports.yahoo.com & Getty Images

Photo taken by Jim McIsaac

The Score: Eagles-27-Panthers-24

Sfvftc's Shot:  Philadelphia Eagles(6-6) quarterback (QB) Jeff Garcia is authoring a "Rocky"-esque comeback.

In the "Rocky" movie series, its star character, "Rocky," a boxer, rises from nowhere to become the heavy weight champion.  Then, he stumbles from the top and he has a series of improbable comeback victories.  "Rocky" is from the mean streets of Philadelphia.

From 1999-2003, Garcia starred on the 49ers.  During this time period, he compiled stellar statistics and emerged as one of the top QB's in the NFL.  In 2001, he passed for 32 touchdowns and 3,538 yards.

Garcia's rise to prominence coincided with the ascension of teammate Terrell Owens' (T.O.) as a NFL star.  Owens, a wide receiver, caught numerous passes from Garcia during the QB's tenure in San Francisco.

In fact, countless NFL scouts believed Owens' made Garcia a quality QB.  They discounted Garcia's performances and chalked up his first-rate statistics to having the mercurial Owens' as a receiver.

After the 2003 season, Garcia signed with the Cleveland Browns and the 49ers traded T.O to the Eagles. In 11 starts, Garcia faltered for his new team.  His statistics:  157yards passing per game; 10 TD's; and 9 interceptions. 

Then, Garcia left Cleveland and signed with the Detroit Lions.  His poor performances continued.  He tossed 6 INT's and 3 only TD's in 6 games with Detroit.

Of course, Garcia's back-to-back seasons validated the theory that T.O. had made the QB into a NFL star.  His detractors argued that without T.O. the QB, an undrafted free-agent, lacked the skills necessary to succeed in the league.  Furthermore, Garcia haters characterized him as, at best, a second or third string player.

Following the debacle in Detroit, Garcia signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. (T.O. left Philly for Dallas this past off-season.)  He figured to be the back up to Eagles star Donovan McNabb.  Garcia fulfilled this role until McNabb suffered a season ending injury on November 19th in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.

In his first start versus the Indianapolis Colts, Garcia played a competent game.  He completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 140-yards and 2 TD's.  He posted a sparkling 121QB passer rating but the Eagles lost.  His statistics were good except for his yards passing total.  An average of 6-yards per completed pass, even in the short passing game of the "West Coast" offense, does not translate into wins in the NFL.

Garcia, though, improved his low passing yardage total this week against the Carolina Panthers.  He passed for 301 yards,  three touchdowns and 0 interceptions in his team's upset of the Panthers.  In addition, he registered a passer rating of 105.9.  In leading the Eagles to victory, he kept Philadelphia's slim playoff hopes alive.

Nevertheless, Garcia has started only two games.  He has experienced a mini-career revival.  Philadelphians, though, hope that this is the beginning of a comeback that even "Rocky" would admire.

Image courtesy of www.foxsports.com

The Score: UCLA-13-USC-9

Sfvftc's Shot: UCLA's upset victory over USC gives the BCS a perfect exit strategy for the 2006 college football season: A) Michigan (11-1) v. Florida (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl on January 3; and B) Mich/Fla. winner v. Ohio State (12-0) in the BCS Championship Game on January 8.

Images courtesy of www.tcp-ip.or.jp; http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/images/tostitos.jp

The Score: The Coke-Nachos match-up is #8 Arkansas v. #4 Florida in the Dr. Pepper SEC Championship game.

Sfvftc's Shot: Florida and Arkansas are playing for the SEC title and the fictional title of "Best Team in the Toughest Conference."

Arkansas is led by its star tailback Darren McFadden.  McFadden, a junior, has emerged this season as one of the top players at his position.  His running style evokes memories of NFL legend Eric Dickerson.  Dickerson's ran in a style similar to an Olympic sprinter rather than the traditional crouching style of most running backs.

A gifted runner has helped to propel Florida to the SEC title game, too.  However, the runner is a quarterback Tim Tebow.  Tebow, usually, only enters the game when the Gators are inside their opponent's 20-yard line or the "Red  Zone."  Florida coach Urban Meyer likes the versatility that he provides the offense as the size of the field shrinks. Tebow has excelled in this role. He's rushed for 399-yards and 7 touchdowns.

The Gators will win this game thanks to its splendid special teams. In addition, Urban Meyer will continue to defy conventional wisdom by winning with two quarterbacks sharing the job.

Outcome-Florida-31-Arkansas-21

The Score: Boise State Broncos-12-0

Sfvftc's Shot: The Boise State Broncos, should they win their bowl game, deserve to play the BCS Champion.

Above: Chadron State College RB Danny Woodhead

Photo courtesy of www.http://www2.csc.edu/athletics

The Score: Chadron State College tailback Danny Woodhead broke the NCAA record--DI, DII and DIII--for rushing yards gained in a single-season.

Sfvftc's Shot: If a tailback at a small college becomes the NCAA's all-time single-season rushing leader, will his exploits receive national media coverage?

The answer, unfortunately, is no. However, thanks to the internet a player's record setting season may change from a local or regional story into a national story. Here's hoping that is the case for Chadron State College tailback Danny Woodhead.

This past Saturday, Woodhead set the NCAA record--DI, DII and DIII--for rushing yards gained in season.

Woodhead, a junior, is the first collegiate football player to surpass the 2,700 yards rushing yards mark in a single-season.  He entered this unchartered territory on Saturday during his team's first round NCAA Division II playoffs 43-17 win over West Texas A & M.  He rushed for 252-yards on 35 carries.

Kavin Gailliard of American International College held the previous rushing yards record with 2,653 yards gained in the 1999 season in games.

Furthermore, Woodhead's efforts on Saturday gave him the NCAA record--DI, DII and DIII--for the most games with 200-yards rushing in a career, 17.

This season, Woodhead has destroyed opposing defenses with his legs. He's rushed for 2,740 yards on 328 carries in 12 games for a lusty 8.4 yards per carry.  In total, he's averaged 228.3 yards per game this year. 

In other words, Woodhead's superb season merits the attention of the national media.  After all, if a NCAA record breaker does not deserve sports headlines--who does?

Key Play (s):

1. Danny Woodhead-Chadron State College-All-time rusher in a single-season in NCAA history--attained last Saturday.

Above: New York Giants QB Eli Manning (L) and his TE Jeremy Shockey discuss the benefits of "Shockey-Therapy."

Photo courteys of www.sportsillustrated.com & Getty Images

Photo taken by Ezra Shaw

The Score: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning had another a sub par performance yesterday in his team's frustrating 24-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Sfvftc's Shot:  New York Giants quarterback (QB) Eli Manning requires therapy.

No, Manning is not in need of assistance from a mental health professional. Instead, it is a necessity for him to partake in "Shockey-Therapy."

Jeremy Shockey is Manning's talented tight-end (TE) on the New York Giants.  Shockey possesses a dynamic blend of speed, power and supple hands.  Opposing defenses find it vexing to cover him.

In other words, Shockey is gifted enough to be as effective as the other elite TE's in the NFL.  San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates and Kansas City Chiefs TE Tony Gonzales, the two best receivers at their respective position, both play prominent roles on their team's passing offense.  On passing plays, both of their QB's, San Diego's Phillip Rivers and Kansas City's Trent Green, look to them as primary targets rather than a simple check down if a wide receiver is covered.  Gonzales and Green both serve as conduits for long yardage pass plays.

Meanwhile, Shockey is reduced to a secondary option on the Giants.  Eli Manning tends to look for WR Plexico Burress first on passing plays rather than his stalwart TE, a fatal tendency given Shockey's skills.  Manning and the Giants need to pass the ball to their TE more often.  Given more opportunities to catch the ball, Shockey will generate the long yardage plays that win football games.

"Shockey-Therapy" is the treatment that will improve Manning's play and jolt the Giants from their late season stupor.

Key Play(s):

1. Eli Manning needs to pass the ball to TE Jeremy Shockey more often.

The Score:  The vast majority of DI men's college basketball superpowers schedule several "Cream Puff" games in the early part of their season.

Sfvftc's Shot: A "Cream Puff" game is a boon for both teams involved.

A "Cream Puff", of course, is a basketball game between a powerhouse team and a far weaker team.  The juggernaut squad often clobbers its opponent. 

Nevertheless, these typeS of games benefit both teams.  For example, here a few ways that each team earns dividends by playing:  1) both teams gain valuable game experience; 2) both teams discover their own strengths and weaknesses; 3) both teams get to try plays that they have practiced; and 4) both teams get an opportunity to build cohesiveness.

Hence, a "Cream Puff" game nourishes both squads.

Images courtesy of www.tcp-ip.or.jp; http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/images/tostitos.jp

The Score: The Coke & Nachos Match Up is #6 Notre Dame v. #3 USC

Sfvftc's Shot:  USC is playing for a berth in the BCS Championship game versus Ohio State.  Notre Dame is playing for revenge, pride and a possible trip to BCS Championship game against Ohio State.

Last year, USC and Notre Dame played a classic which concluded with the Bush Push and a Trojans victory.  This year, ND returns 17 starters from last year's squad.  USC, on the other hand, lost several key players including Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White.

Nevertheless, the Trojans recorded a stellar season.  The Trojans are 9-1.  The offense is not as potent as previous years but it is still averaging 30.1 points per game.  Quarterback John David Booty has tossed 22 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions.  Booty's is supported by a defense that ranks 11th in the country.

ND's defense is improved but it remains a weakness. The Irish rank near the bottom in the vital defensive statistical categories.  Irish head coach Charlie Weiss, though, has a dynamic offense led by senior quarterback Brady Quinn.  This unit stacked with first-rate performers.  Running back Darius Walker is a splendid RB.  Wide receiver Jeff Samardzija is a lanky receiver who is adept at using his size, 6' 5'', to shield defenders and catch the ball.  His fellow WR Rhema McKnight ranks second in the country in touchdown catches with 14.

McKnight and his teammates are still stinging from last year's bitter loss to USC. Yet the Trojans are unbeatable at home under Pete Carroll.

In another high scoring thriller, though, ND avenges the last year's loss and wins 38-35.

Outcome Notre Dame-38-USC-35

Above: New York Giants running back Tiki Barber

Photo courtesy of www.mywebpages.comcast.net

The Score: New York Giants running back Tiki Barber criticized his coaches offensive play calling during his team's 26-10 loss on Monday night to the Jacksovnville Jaguars. 

Sfvftc's Shot: Tiki Barber's rant is a diversionary tactic.

Barber criticized his coaches because he wanted the media to concentrate its collective attention on him rather than his struggling quarterback, Eli Manning. 

It is a savvy veteran move by Tiki.  He is protecting his quarterback, Manning.  Manning is struggling.  In his last two games, both Giants losses, he misfired on several routine passes and he threw four interceptions. 

In addition, it is obvious that Manning's confidence is waning.  If he throws an incomplete pass, he hangs his head and seems dispirited. 

Barber's ploy is working--for now. 

Key Play (s):

1. Tiki  Barber criticized his coaches because he wanted to shift the media's attention away from his QB's struggles, Eli Manning.