Do You Believe in Miracles? Again?

Well OK. It won't be as significant, but if the United States men's hockey team can win in the finals, it'll be a pretty big upset.

The U.S. just beat Finland 6-1 to advance to the finals. I'm excited. I know most people don't care about hockey in America because it's Canada's game. However hockey is a thrilling sport.

Unlike some other "sports," like NASCAR, golf, or competitive eating (I really hope you notice the heavy sarcasm here) hockey is fun to play and watch.

The scoring can be instantaneous. Blink and you will miss a goal. At times you can be on the edge of your seat the tension is so thick. When that goal is scored you want to jump out of your chair and scream. Hockey is unbelievable.

Anyway, back to the Olympic team. It's been 30 years since the Miracle on Ice, when the U.S. men defeated the Russian team. A team so mighty it sunk Atlantis with it's mind. The Americans beat them. Then they went on to win gold in the finals.

Well history is funny. It has a way of repeating itself. Sometimes even on anniversaries. The U.S. is again underdogs, this time to Canada. By the way if you haven't been following this, the U.S. gave Canada an after school beat-down in the preliminaries.

As long as Canada can hold their own jocks and defeat Slovakia in the semis, it should be a fun rematch Sunday.

Found this. Amazing the similarities then and now. (read the intro)

The NFL Combine

The combine arrives on Saturday. The most overrated event of the NFL will improve and destroy the draft position of players. Because scouts will become enamored with things that don't translate to the game, lives and teams will be affected.

Peter King and Michael Lombardi wrote stories today about how the combine really isn't an indicator of anything football. They bring up the questions that I have asking for years.

So what if a guy can run a 40 yard dash in 4.31 seconds.

First they are running without pads on. Last time I checked guys played football with pads. The equipment in the NFL weighs quite a bit, maybe eight to ten pounds. Next the guys are only running on turf that is exclusive to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts. So then because a guy can run that fast there, then he should naturally be able to run that fast on grass, say in San Diego. Lastly they are only running in a straight line. Most of football is never played in a straight line. In fact almost every play involves some sort of cut or juke to avoid another player. The 40 does not show how quick a guy can turn a corner or make his breaks in a route.

So a guy can bench press 225 pounds 35 times. Wow. Is he trying out for the Worlds Strongest Man competition? You do have to be strong to play football, however the game doesn't require brute strength. You need functional strength to succeed at the pro level. Show me a position in the pros that you can succeed with just upper body strength. You can't. Guys need their legs just as much if not more than their upper body.

There are some valuable qualities to the combine. The reaction drills such as this one with Steve Slaton. (start at 20)



Mike Mayock, who I regard as the best draft "expert," explained that in this drill Slaton was the quickest to decide to cut when the coach tilted the bag. This showed that his decision making on cuts was the fastest among all running backs. Slaton has done quite well so far for the Texans.

The receiving drills can help, since the most important job of a wide receiver is to catch the ball. Also it can help players who do not play in a pro style offense and are only accustomed to running seven, eight, and nine routes. This gives them an opportunity to show that they can be a big time receiver, and not a one trick pony.

The interviews. Not much is really revealed about the process of the interviews. I imagine there is some value in the process. It probably shows what a player is made of and his determination to be good. As for how foolproof it is, we may never know.

I guess my father's question to me the other day sums up the combine. What is the point, if everyone is preparing for the specific drills and the interviews? If everyone knows what to expect and is trained for it, what "natural" abilities are they really displaying?

McGrady to the Knicks. Hello LeBron?

Well according to RealGM.com Tracy McGrady (or in reality his contract)has finally been traded to the Knicks.

So Donnie Walsh has just about made over this abysmal basketball team in an effort to land some of the "savior" players of the 2011 free agency class. (Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James) Not Bad. Only one problem. You better get the guys you target or this will just be a case of shattered dreams. If that happens, call witness protection because I don't think the fans will be able to take it

Now comes the insufferable time in sports. The speculation. I would rather listen to the boring speculation on Wall Street, than the crap that will be put out there about LeBron. Sure he's a great player, but I don't care. Until he signs with them all the talk is meaningless. In the end it does more harm than good. The Cavaliers and their players have to deal with an issue that doesn't concern them at this moment. They want to win a championship, but they have to play under the shadow of Fuhrer James.

The Knicks players, well I guess they just should try to suck less. It would seem most of them won't be there next year so they will play hard trying to land somewhere else.

At least the NBA can claim a small victory. The offseason won't be totally dominated by football.

A Few Thoughts on Many Topics

Well today is going well, nothing horrible needs to be called out. So a few thoughts on some of the events from today.

The Ravens signed Donte Stallworth to a one year deal. Not bad for either side. If you are unfamiliar with Stallworth last year he killed a man when he was driving drunk. He was banned from football from a year. So he served his time in jail. Done deal. If you don't like him for that, well too damn bad. The guy is allowed to continue his life and make a living. The Ravens get a decent receiver in Stallworth. While he has never lived up to his potential he is tough to cover and gives needed depth to an undermanned receiving core.

Nate Robinson to the Celtics for Eddie House. Who's the loser in this. Nobody really. The Celtics get a good scoring guard and some valuable depth on their terrible bench. Robinson will add to a team that is sorely lacking from the decline of Ray Allen's skills. As for the Knicks, they really are going to for 2011. Eddie "Lemme take a 3 point shot" House's contract is expiring and he will add a bit of excitement for the rest of the season. If they get McGrady today too, the Lebron talk will just intensify even more. Hell they may even try to add Chris Bosh too. They'll have more money than Madoff.

Tiger Woods will apologize in front of everyone Friday. For what, being a corporate shill. Tiger really did nothing wrong, it only seems like he did something wrong because he was a clean cut American boy. All he really was was a puppet for giant corporations and as soon as something goes wrong the image disappears. The only person Tiger wronged was his wife, and that is none of our business. This apology is crap and the only thing this is going to attempt to fix is his image. In time when he starts to pull his magic on the course this will be forgotten, like the Kobe rape charge, the Ray Lewis murder accusation, and the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal.

The Patriots were declared the team of the decade. Well they were. You think they cheated, then you just hated the Patriots already. Fact is they were caught videotaping signals, which was against the rules. HOWEVER, they could have lipread, photographed or figured out the sign language of the other team and they would have been within the rules. I am a Jets fan, and more times than anybody I saw how those Pats teams dominated the Jets. Brady was the best quarterback this decade. He won championships with receivers like Troy Brown, David Givens, David Patten, Deion Branch. When he got guys like Wes Welker and Randy Moss, he proved he could match the fantasy stats of Peyton Manning. Brady is better.

The Olympics, Wait They Are On?

YAAAAAWWWNNNN. Sorry, I'm ridiculously bored by the Olympics. I'm familiar with a few names, but ultimately I don't care until mens hockey is on. Even then it's not like I'm going to be glued to my television. We are all probably familiar with the dead luger. That situation sucks, and the designer of the track should be sued for negligence.

Two years ago at the summer Olympics I heard about how the interest in the Olympics is back. No. People were interested in Michael Phelps. A chance to see history; most people don't turn down that opportunity. A majority of people in America are really unfamiliar with who is participating for the Olympic team.

I just don't care. I believe most people in America don't care. They are more interested with football, basketball, and baseball. People just aren't familiar with the Olympic activities. Curling is OK. Skiing has it's moments. But these activities are just too slow paced for the American psyche.

Sorry Ohno, Davis, White, and anyone else who has trained so hard. The people will cheer when you win, but you just aren't as exciting as the Saints winning the Super Bowl.

Potholes

Hahahahahahahahaha. I think racing sucks. Wait wait. Let me clarify. I think watching racing on TV sucks. If you are the one racing then it's fun as hell.

So another Sunday was upon us and really the Olympics bore me. (luging, really? Not a whole lot of skill it's mostly the sled.)

So I flip on the Daytona 500. Just as I turn it on I see a red flag, so the race is stopped. I wonder, why? Fifteen minutes later FOX finally answers that and says there is a pothole. I start laughing. Why? This is the Super Bowl of NASCAR. This isn't supposed to happen. The irony is amazing.

Imagine if Drew Brees dropped back to pass and all of his receivers were missing because they had fallen into a 30 foot hole. The ASSCAR heads had all offseason to prepare for the race and a pothole delays the race. C'mon. Don't give me the excuse that the weather was tough and it was hot then cold, then hot again. You have one job, make sure the track is OK to race on. You failed.

The Super Bowl, A Review.

The hype for the game certainly worked. More than 106 million people watched the latest, greatest Super Bowl. Bye MASH. You have been surpassed as the most watched event in a single day of television.

As far as the game, it was not a disappointment. The Colts started hot, offensively dominating the Saints, and suffocating them on defense. Then the second quarter arrived, and the look on Peyton Manning's face told the story. He was worried, and he knew Brees and the Saints were going to make this one of the most difficult games of his life. He wasn't going to have the ball often, and he was going to have to produce points every time he had the ball.

At halftime the score was 10 - 6 colts; which looked good on the outside, but having seen the second quarter, the Saints had the ball for almost 13 minutes, and missed out on a TD. They got the ball back with less than a minute, and kicked a field goal.

The second half began, and one of the ballsiest calls ever was made. Sean Payton ordered an on-side kick. After several minutes of debate, the Saints had recovered the ball. They promptly scored a touchdown.

Peyton drove back and Joseph Addai ran a touchdown in. The Saints closed the gap to one when Garret Hartley kicked his third field goal from 40 yards or longer.

The fourth quarter rolls up. The Colts have the ball and they are driving down the field. Pierre Garcon who had continued to have a terrific postseason, had his worst moment at the worst time. He dropped a rather routine pass that killed a drive. The Colts would have to settle for a field goal. Matt Stover, one of the better kickers in league history, would attempt an anything but routine 51 yard field goal. He was wide left. The Saints saw their opportunity and took it.

They drove down the field and Brees threw a two yard touchdown to Jeremy Shockey. (Somewhere he was telling the New York Giants to suck it hard.) The Saints would go for two, and the only real controversial call of the game was made. Lance Moore caught a quick speed out short of the goal line but was able to contort his body and reach the ball over. He bobbled the ball, but regained it, and then had it knocked loose by a Colts player. The initial call was incomplete, but the league's ineptitude to following it's own rules showed up. The call was reversed and the two point conversion was good. (Mike Florio explains this http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/07/league-defends-decision-on-two-point-play/)

Peyton's opportunity to send the Super Bowl into it's first overtime arose. He was driving the team down the field but either rushed the throw, or Reggie Wayne (who looked like he was auditioning for Hollow Man 3 ) ran a poor route, and Tracy Porter jumped the route, and sealed away the game with a touchdown.

The Colts would try to come back, but there was just not enough time.

Who Dat Nation erupted and the partying may not stop for a few more weeks.

Funny Image

The Wussification of Pro Football

So before I go to class I see this piece on Yahoo (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-superbowl-goodell&prov=ap&type=lgns) , about how Roger Goodell may consider banning the 3-point stance to reduce concussions. (slaps hand to forehead) Before I explain why this is just so dumb, let me sum up what I am about to write for you.

Lets just stop playing football altogether, injuries are a part of the game, and the guys that play it are willing to sacrifice their bodies for it.

There. Now I'll explain why Roger Goodell is the worst thing to happen to the NFL since the '04 half time show.

Goodell is facing enormous pressure from Congress and the media, to protect the health of the players. The image of the league is so important, that sanity and the integrity of the game no longer matter. Some of the most infuriating penalties have been called over the past few seasons. Roughing the passer, defenseless receiver hits, and oh roughing the passer.

Let's start with the fact that these guys are wearing pads and helmets. I get that these guys are running so incredibly fast with the intent to hit as hard as possible, so there is bound to be an injury. Hitting a defenseless receiver is a moronic call. If the intent of a corner or safety is to prevent a guy from catching the ball, what should he do, yell STOP. Uh Uh. You are taught from Pop Warner to deck the guys ass. It's the only real effective way to break up the pass, unless you can tip away the ball. Besides if a receiver isn't afraid to catch the ball, he's likely going to burn you all day. Let's say a defender is launching himself at the guy, and the receiver is lowering himself to brace for the blow, and said defender is inadvertently approaching a guys head. What is he supposed to do, bend space and time, so he doesn't hit his head. Really?

Roughing the passer, oh man, just put skirts on the quarterbacks. The only hit that should be banned on a quarterback is when a player is diving at his knees (Aside from what I will show you from Turkey Jones). A quarterback is stationary, and his momentum is driving forward, he has no way to protect his knees. Besides it's a bush league move to go after a guys knees. I know, I played. When guys did it to me, they got a cleat in the face. This crap about a blow to the head is nonsense. I see more guys get called for this crap, when they are trying to tip the pass and just barely touch his helmet with their hand. What is gonna happen, his contacts will fall out. C'mon.

This is roughing the passer.

These are not.

(45 second)

I get that the quarterback is key to the team, but you can't restrict the way guys play. It's not fair to defenders. When you change the rules, you get this. (40 second mark)

The three point stance is not the issue. It's the repetitive banging of the head, that affects the lineman. The players that are affected most by post concussion syndrome, and other debilitating brain disorders, are mostly lineman, and linebackers. They are constantly in the violent hits. I don't think anything can really be done. It's the nature of the game.

The players know the risks, that's why they get paid so much. It's why they went on strike in 1987. Because they weren't being adequately compensated for the punishment they were enduring, and the owners were making all the profit from it.

Look I know I will never play pro football, but I am a coach and have played in the past. I also know when I see something wrong. These dumb penalties, and rule changes are wrong.

Devils Acquire Kovalchuk

Sometimes in sports you have to be grateful for teams that want to suck. Today is one of them seeing as how I am a Devils fan. The Atlanta Thrashers traded Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils for Johnny Oduya, and a bunch of guys you never heard of yet, or maybe never will. Oh yeah they got a 1st round pick too.

The Devils, who have been struggling recently but are still second in the East, now have some legitimate scoring potential to join Parise and Elias. This is a necessity to compete with the likes of Washington, who is led by none other than Alexander "the Great" Ovechkin and Pittsburgh, with wonder kid Crosby.

Marty Brodeur must be doing a dance somewhere, because at 37 he's only got so much left, and you know the man wants to go out on top.

Lou Lamoriello you are amazing yet again, this may be the best deal you have ever made as the Devils GM. Another wonderful move of the many you have pulled off.

As for the Thrashers, hey thanks.

Super Bowl Predictions

One of the things I loathe most in sports is predicting the winner. I have have no idea who is going to win, and neither do you, so stop pretending. (cough ESPN cough)

Anyway, I'll do it because there really is no harm in it. This Sunday the latest epic football game will take place between the Colts and Saints. The teams employ the "irresistible force" offense of spread passing and a competent running game to compliment the pass. I believe the game will come down to the defenses. So many games with these "high tech" offenses are predicted to have a final score approaching the clouds. More often than not the defenses are the ones that play the best.

The reason for this: the defense begins the game extremely pumped up and excited, and the offense can be overwhelmed by the pressure. As the game goes on, the offense loosens up and hits it's stride.

All the hype about Dwight Freeney's ankle and Reggie Bush putting on a show will be meaningless once the game begins. The game really comes down to two people Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. I believe Peyton will struggle early, similar to the AFC championship game, but he and the o-line will adjust. The Saints pressure defense will come early, and will dissappear until the second half. They must force turnovers, or they are toast. Bobby McCray has been having an unbelievable postseason and it should continue. Still even being hit hard, Peyton will find a way to get the ball on target.
Brees will not have as poor a performance as the NFC championship game. His spiral should tighten up and the speed on their offense will match the speed of the Colts defense. The Colts D has not faced an offense with this kind of speed and talent all season. Speed beats speed.

The game will be close, and the Saints will come marching home with the Lombardi. Saints 24, Colts 23.

The Sideline:

• Favre will be involved with the Super Bowl more than 3 times ( we already know about the Hyundai Commercial
• Kim Kardashian will get more face time than the Ray J video
• Doritos will have the funniest commercial for the third straight year. (it's fan created)
• "The Situation" and Peyton Manning, is there anything this guy won't whore himself out for
  
• Go Daddy will have one of the least funny commercials
• Beer

The Rain in Spain...

Falls mainly on the plain. Well this has nothing to do with the Super Bowl, but the rain does keep falling in Miami. The Colts are in the Super Bowl again, in Miami, and it seems they travel with rain dancers. Three years ago when they played the Bears in Miami, it rained. It didn't seem to have a big impact on the game, probably because it didn't.

The rain is really just being an over-hyped inconvience, the players don't really care, and it really doesn't affect the way teams prepare. The only people that care are the media types who don't want to get wet, and the organizers who have to scramble around doing extra work such as keeping people dry and finding alternative places to practice.

The game will be played, and it should be fun. Old school fans love football in the rain.

The Bears hire Mike Martz to be offensive coordinator

In life it's not what you know it's who you know. With Mike Martz becoming the OC in Chicago, it's actually a little bit of both. Lovie Smith the head coach of the Bears hired his former boss from St. Louis to steer the wayward ship that is the Bears offense.

Since being fired in consecutive years from the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers, Mike Martz hasn't made it a secret that he wanted back into football. The man hailed as an offensive mastermind, while also getting his quarterbacks turned into the newest form of field turf, has had trouble finding a job.

Last year the Bears made a bold move trading a significant amount of high draft picks for diva quarterback Jay Cutler. The golden armed quarterback with the pyrite laced attitude had a pedestrian first year with the Bears, maybe it had more to do with his supposed lack of big time receivers.

Anyway, Martz has done wonders with quarterbacks, Kurt Warner shocked the world in 1999 under Martz in St. Louis putting up video game numbers and winning a super bowl, Mark Bulger eventually took the job from Warner because of an equally impressive statistical performance. When Martz was fired from St. Louis, and went to Detroit, Jon Kitna had the best years of his career. San Francisco didn't fare so well, but they had bigger problems at the time.

So the coach who loves to throw the deep ball, and the Quarterback who is a little too in love with his arm, will certainly be an intriguing team to watch next season. Either they will put up stratospheric numbers or the team will crash and burn. The Bears better hope for the former, Lovie Smith's job depends on it.

NY Jets 2009 in perspective

The NY Jets year in review. Same old Jets. Three words that cause so much pain for the fans. They do not apply anymore. It has been declared. Why? I'll tell you.

The 2008 season ended pretty much as awful as any Jets season ever. They collapsed after being 8-3 at one point, Brett Favre seemed to tank the end of the season, and he retired. Eric Mangini was fired, partly for the collapse, mostly for being less interesting than a dead fish. The Jets court Bill Cowher, but are spurned. Fans are miserable they figured only someone of Cowhers caliber could turn this team around.

However, underdog candidate Rex Ryan emerges. The son of the innovative, but brash Buddy Ryan, is hired as the new Jets head coach.

Through free agency Ryan adds three of his "guys," in Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, and Marques Douglas.

Then in the draft, the Jets are stuck at 17. They want a quarterback, but it is unlikely that the man they want, Mark Sanchez, will get past the top 5. Then on draft day, the unlikeliest of trades is pulled off. The Jets trade up with Cleveland to 5, the team now coached by Mangini. The Jets pull off one of the steal of the century trades when they are able to acquire Sanchez essentially for a bag of pennies.

There is joy in JetNation (except for a couple of idiots 1:23)

The season starts and the Jets and Sanchez are the buzz of New York. They are 3-0 with a budding star QB, an in-your-face head coach, and demoralizing defense.

But what seems like a same old Jets moment arises.

The Jets lose five of their next six games. Fans start to give up and blame Sanchez, who is looking terrible throwing multiple interceptions every game.

A break in the schedule arises as the Jets get three easy teams in Buffalo, Tampa, and Carolina. They win all three. Then another SOJ moment, they lose a game at home to an Atlanta team with nothing to play for.

Rex Ryan declares the playoff chances dead, even though the Jets are mathematically alive. Next they play the undefeated Indianapolis Colts. The Colts quit on the game and rest their starters in the second half, to the outrage of their fans. the Jets pounce and run away with the game. The Jets control their own destiny now, but have to face Cincinnati.

A perfect opportunity for another SOJ moment, but they destroy Cinci and advance to the playoffs where they will face the Bengals again the next week. Cincinnati claims they just didn't show up and that things will be different.

Another rookie emerges into a star, 3rd round pick RB Shonn Greene.

The Jets again dominate Cinci, and move on to San Diego. They are heavy underdogs to the Chargers, but push the Chargers around and move on to the championship game. Greene becomes a star in the 2 playoff games, pounding the opposing defenders into submission.

The Jets will face the team that "allowed" them into the playoffs, the Colts. The Jets start hot gaining a 17 - 6 lead, but Peyton Manning proves why he is perhaps the best QB ever, when he takes over the game and shows he is king of the mountain. The Jets lose, but the team is excited for next year and the fans are proud of their team for the first time in a long time.

The 2009 season had seemingly half a dozen Same Old Jets moments, but fought through them and probably put that stupid phrase to death. Welcome the new mantra, "Play like a Jet."

The pro bowl

So I hear all week about how much the pro bowl stinks, no body wants to play in it, nobody wants to watch it, but they play the game every year anyway. I come back to campus yesterday and I see in one of the bars on the way, the Pro Bowl is on, and several people are watching. I walk into my dorm, and two of my roommates are watching the Pro Bowl.

Seems to me people may not care about the game, but they certainly watch it.

And what happens, ratings are good enough, the league sells some jerseys, and then next weekend is the Super Bowl.

so the pro bowl stinks and everyone knows it, it makes money, the only thing the NFL really cares about, and it gives something for the talking heads to talk about.

The pro bowl will go on, even if it doesn't mean anything.