Sports Bytes (December 31, 2009)

Although I do believe that the Pacquiao-Mayweather drug testing disagreement is legitimate, I also believe that Bob Arum (Manny Pacquiao's promoter) and Oscar de la Hoya (Floyd Mayweather's promoter) are doing an excellent job of exploiting the issue for publicity. The latest is that "Pacquiao filed suit in U.S. District Court in Nevada on Wednesday against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging that they made false and defamatory statements accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs." The PED issue has kept the fight foremost in the minds of the public. When was the last time sports fans and sports media alike wrung their hands about a boxing match during the lead-up to the NFL postseason and the NCAA Bowl Games? PR 101 par excellence, folks . . .

The NFL Pro Bowl selections have been announced and everyone involved chose well. There were no glaring omissions; although Giants fans are upset that wide receiver Steve Smith was not selected, even as a reserve. Smith's stats are excellent (97 receptions for 1,163 yards) but they must be weighed against the stats of his competitors. Of the four wide receivers selected (Miles Austin, Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson, and Sydney Rice) two have more receiving yards than Smith (Austin and Rice). DeSean Jackson has 37 fewer receptions than Smith, but nearly as many yards receiving. He also has 10 receptions for 40+ yards. Larry Fitzgerald's stats are comparable to Smith's, but if it comes down to a choice between Fitzgerald and Smith, Fitzgerald will win every time since he is considered by many to be the finest receiver in the conference. Steve Smith was not robbed. He was just the odd man out . . .

Since the Academy Awards have their antithesis, the Golden Rapberry Awards, I decided to create an anti-Pro Bowl list to "honor" those players whose performances were less than stellar. This list is far from exhaustive so feel free to add your own suggestions:

NFC

• NFC QB - Chicago Bears Jay Cutler - That's an awful lot of hype for a 6-9 team.
• NFC RB - NY Giants Brandon Jacobs - Was it a nagging knee injury that hampered his production? Perhaps. But regardless, that left-right combination Jacobs threw at Albert Haynesworth was the most aggression he showed all year.
• NFC WR - Dallas Cowboys Roy Williams - 596 yds receiving? Being paid premier receiver-dollars but delivering Patrick Crayton-numbers is unacceptable, Roy.
• NFC Defense - The entire Giants defense and Washington Redskins DE Albert Haynesworth - No explanation necessary for the Giants defense. Haynesworth because his minimal impact had D.C. officials on the verge of ordering an APB on his whereabouts.
• NFC K - Dallas Cowboys Shaun Suisham - The only thing more amazing than the distances of Suisham's missed field goals is that the Cowboys signed him after he was cut by the Redskins.

AFC

• AFC QB - Tennessee Titans Kerry Collins - Not many QBs can boast having led their teams to an undefeated record through 10 games and to home field advantage throughout the playoffs, only to lose their starting position midway through the following season.
• AFC RB - Cleveland Browns Jamal Lewis - 500 yds rushing for a guy who once rushed for 2,066 yds in a single season. Not good.
• AFC WR - Buffalo Bills Terrell Owens - 51 receptions for 764 yds. 20 players in the AFC have more receptions than Owens, and six of them are not wide receivers . . . That Sharpie in his sock must be frozen solid since he has only scored four TDs this year.
• AFC Defense - Kansas City Chiefs - 400 points in 15 games. That's even more points than the Giants have surrendered.
• AFC K - Jacksonville Jaguars Josh Scobee - 65% field goal success rate. To put it in perspective, that is only 6.3% higher than Shaquille O'Neal's free throw percentage for 2009.

The Jets will win Sunday . . . Here's hoping Darrelle Revis shuts out "the wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson" . . .

Dallas vs. Philly in the final week of the season for the NFC East Title and possibly for a first round bye. It doesn't get any better than that . . .

Minnesota needs a win to secure a first round bye and establish some momentum. At home this week against a demoralized Giants team should provide them with that opportunity. It is difficult to envision the Giants showing any fire now that their season is over and a housecleaning probably awaits them in the offseason . . .

Steelers linebacker Lamarr Woodley thinks the Patriots and the Bengals will lay down on Sunday to keep the defending champions from making the playoffs. "No one wants to see Pittsburgh in it. That's just how it is. Everybody knows we're a dangerous team once we get into the playoffs, no matter how we played the whole year. Once we get into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers is a playoff team." Don't be surprised if the Steelers lose to Miami on Sunday and eliminate themselves from playoff contention. How many times have you seen a player shoot his mouth off only to later remove his foot from it?

If Jason Bay passes his physical, I think the Mets are making the right move by signing him. Four years is a year too many and starting pitching is still the Mets' greatest need, but considering how irrelevant the Mets have been this offseason, any opportunity to improve the club has to be seized. And Bay will make the offense better. He is a good player and by all accounts a hard worker and a good teammate . . .

Since there is a Bowl Game for everything else, how about a Government Stimulus Bowl? . . .