The Rain Maker Sports

Sports Bytes - January 24, 2011

2011-01-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

NFL Conference Championships Results

Pittsburgh over New York - The Steelers looked and played like a better-prepared team. New York's offensive line blocked poorly throughout the game, not only failing to generate more than 70 yards rushing, but also nearly getting QB Mark Sanchez killed in the first half when he was blindsided by Ike Taylor. The resulting fumble recovery and TD proved to be the game-winning score. New York's defense missed many tackles in the first half, as evidenced by Pittsburgh's 166 yards rushing, and they provided only a minimal pass rush. Even the Jets' coaching staff appeared out-to-lunch at times, particularly in the fourth quarter when Sanchez could be seen pleading with his sideline to relay the plays more quickly . . . On the other hand, Ben Roethlisberger and his offense clicked from the opening kickoff, covering 92 yards and chewing-up 9:06 on the clock. By halftime the Steelers domination of the line of scrimmage resulted in a substantial 24-3 lead. So dominating were the Steelers that it appeared as if the game would degenerate into a laugher, but instead the Jets showed their character and turned it into a nail-biter for Pittsburgh fans by scoring 19 unanswered points . . .

Green Bay over Chicago - Bears' fans must have felt as if they had been transported back into the 1980s and were being forced to re-live Mike Ditka's dismal QB carousel, which featured such legendary slingers as Doug Flutie, Mike Tomczak, Steve Fuller, etc . . . What else could they think after watching Jay Cutler compile a laughable 31.8 rating after completing just 6 of his 14 passes for 80 yards and an INT? Cutler played so poorly before leaving the game in the third quarter with a knee injury that he was serenaded with boos by his hometown fans . . . Give the Bears' defense credit for keeping their club in the game despite the offenses' poor play, which included three turnovers. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers also played poorly, throwing two INTs while completing 17 of his 30 passes for 244 yards . . . The difference in the game was Green Bay's defense, which held the Bears to only 83 yards rushing and prevented them from converting on third down in 12 of 13 attempts. Green Bay's defense also forced three turnovers, one of which was an interception return for a TD by 337 lb defensive lineman BJ Raji . . .

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Sports Bytes - January 21, 2011

2011-01-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

NFL Conference Championships Predictions

New York over Pittsburgh - The discipline displayed by the Jets last week was exceptional. They did not commit a turnover and were penalized only three times. Both their offensive and defensive lines controlled the line of scrimmage, and the secondary shut down Brady and his receiving corp. Conversely, Pittsburgh was sloppy in the first half of last week's showdown against the Ravens. They turned the ball over twice and entered the locker room at halftime trailing 21-7. By game's end they had been penalized nine times for nearly 100 yards. It's doubtful the Jets will let Pittsburgh off the hook should Big Ben and company commit the number of miscues they did last week.

I am picking the Jets to win a close game Sunday; however, there is one intangible that does disturb me. I have heard many Jets fans this week proclaim that "last week was our Super Bowl." I don't believe the Jets players feel that way, but I do wonder if they can sustain the intensity that they brought to last week's game. If they can't, Gang Green's season will be over.

Green Bay over Chicago - Although I've grown tired of hearing the "experts" ridiculously praise the Packers' offense as the latest and greatest unstoppable machine, I cannot pick the Bears to win Sunday's game. I am not a fan of Jay Cutler and I don't believe he will put enough points on the board to lead Chicago to the "Big Dance." I expect the Bears defense to keep Aaron Rodgers in check for most of the game, but then for the Packers QB to break out in the final period and end the Bears' season. Green Bay should win by more than a TD . . .

I almost choked on my oatmeal this morning when I read that the Yankees were in serious discussions with Carl Pavano's agent about Pavano returning to NY. Luckily, Pavano re-signed with the Twins . . . What's next, Ed Whitson as pitching coach? . . .

Are the Yanks just spending money for the sake of doing something . . . anything? Yesterday they signed Andruw Jones to a one-year contract reportedly worth $2 million. Great. Just what NY needs, another hitter who hits his weight--Jones batted only .230 last year with the White Sox--and who will be of no use come playoff time when the Yanks need to manufacture runs . . .

I'm willing to bet that the earth below Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Park did not shift when the Mets announced that they had signed Scott Hairston (.210 BA last season) and Chris Young (pitched only four games last season because of injury) . . .

Sports Bytes - January 17, 2011

2011-01-17T07:38:00.000-08:00

NFL Divisional Playoff Results

Two great games; two terrible ones. On to the Conference Championships

New York over New England (28-21): Wow. Without a doubt the most-disciplined and most-professional game I have ever seen the Jets play. Their defense was exceptional, sacking Brady five times and forcing him to throw his first INT in his last 335 attempts. Brady finished the day with 16 incompletions and a dismal 89 rating. On offense Mark Sanchez sizzled, tossing three TDs for 194 yards without turning the ball over. WR Jerome Cotchery caught five passes for 96 yards, while RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for a combined 119 yards and a TD. It was an incredibly proficient upset worthy of the praise they will now receive. Here are a few other thoughts about the game:

As a Giants fan the last thing you'll normally see me do is cheer for the Jets, but after listening to the "experts" dismiss the Jets as not worthy of the Pats, even I found myself wanting Rex Ryan and his crew to rub their naysayers' noses in it. For ex., at halftime with the Jets ahead 14-3, CBS studio analyst Boomer Esiason was so busy trying to convince viewers that we would see a different Tom Brady in the second half that he completely ignored how dominating the Jets were in the first half and never even considered that they were capable of continuing their superior play. It was as if Esiason found it inconceivable that he could be wrong . . .
Shannon Sharpe usually annoys me during his NFL Today monologues. He's generally unfunny. He 's often unintelligible because he speaks too quickly. And he inundates viewers with street slang and sports jargon. Nevertheless, that being said, I must admit that he did make me laugh at halftime of the Jets-Pats game when he likened Seahawks DB Lawyer Milloy's useless pursuit of Bears tight end Greg Olsen to What's Happening's Rerun haplessly running after a fruit truck during the sitcom's ending credits . . .
I guess Bill Belichick never read King Lear. If he had he would have learned that "Pride Goeth Before a Fall." For what other reason than pride did Belichick forego a 51-yard field goal and instead attempt a 4th-and-13 with his team trailing by 10 points (21-11) and only 5:15 remaining in the fourth quarter? Instead of attempting the kick and possibly cutting the Pats deficit to one score, Belichick tried to "show-up" the Jets and prove that he had little fear of losing the game. How'd that work out for you, Bill? . . .

Pittsburgh over Baltimore (31-24): Do you get the feeling that if Ben Roethlisberger were competing against the Ravens at darts, figure skating, or even mountain climbing that he would always find a way to win? Despite jumping out to a 21-7 halftime lead Baltimore was still unable to defeat their arch-enemy Big Ben (226 yards and 2 TDs). Joe Flacco threw for a dismal 125 yards passing while his offense turned the ball over three times and two of his premier wide receivers--Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh-dropped game-changing passes. The Steelers, on the other hand, received big contributions from numerous players besides Roethlisberger. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for two TDs, while WR Antonio Brown compiled 75 yards receiving--58 yards of which came on a David Tyree-like catch with under three minutes remaining in the game. Brown caught the pass against his helmet before running out of bounds at the Ravens four yard line. Several plays later the Steelers scored the game-winning TD to go ahead 31-24 . . . Why is the Pittsburgh Steelers organization possibly the best franchise in football? Because it doesn't seem to matter who the players or coaches are. No matter who the organization plugs into its system, the personnel succeed and keep the team among the league's elites nearly every season. It is truly impressive . . .

Green Bay over Atlanta (48-21): "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Evidently Falcons def coordinator Brian Van Gorder doesn't agree with Benjamin Franklin's assessment; otherwise, why would he continue to rush Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers with only three defenders despite his secondary's inability to shut-down the Packers' passing attack? You would think that after Rodgers' first dozen completions Van Gorder would have changed tactics and blitzed the Packers' QB with everyone on Atlanta's roster. But instead Van Gorder continued to drop eight men into zone coverage and watch Rodgers inflict more damage on Atlanta than General Sherman did on his "March to the Sea" during the Civil War. Rodgers completed 31 of 36 passed for 366 yards and three TDs. According to ESPN, "Rogers' had the second-highest completion percentage in a 300-yard passing game in NFL postseason history." It was a pathetic coaching job by Van Gorder. But let's not only blame the Falcons defense for this embarrassment because the offense was just as, well, offensive:

The Falcons turned the ball over four times. QB Matt Ryan was responsible for two of those turnovers, one of which was an INT late in the first half that was returned by DB Tramon Williams for a 70 yard TD. Ryan was sacked five times and was limited to only 186 yards passing. RB Michael Turner, the NFC's leading rusher during the regular season, was held to just 10 rushes for 39 yards . . .
The Packers ran 21 more plays than did the Falcons (69-48), and they outgained Atlanta in total yardage 442-194 . . .
The sole highlight of the game for Atlanta was Eric Weems' 102-yard kickoff return TD in the second quarter . . .

Chicago over Seattle (35-24): Now those are the Seattle Seahawks we were expecting. Bears QB Jay Cutler scored four TDs (two passing and two rushing), and by the third-quarter Chicago was leading 28-0. Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck responded with three TDs of his own, but it was too little, too late. Chicago outrushed Seattle 176 yards to 34 yards, and they also outgained the Seahawks in total yardage 437-276. The final score may say it was only an 11 point Chicago victory, but the game wasn't that close. The Bears dominated from the opening drive . . .

Sports Bytes - January 14, 2011

2011-01-14T04:05:00.000-08:00

NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions

Fierce rivalries in the AFC; some new and unexpected faces in the NFC

New England over New York: It's difficult to imagine the Pats losing at home to their hated-rivals the Jets. MVP-favorite Tom Brady and his offense scored 518 points this season and led the NFL in points scored per game (32.4). New England only turned the ball over 10 times during the regular season and finished with a +28 turnover differential. To limit New England's explosive offense, the Jets will need a pass rush-the Achilles Heel of the Jets defense--and they will need to tackle well to limit Wes Welker and Deion Branch from piling-on yards after the catch. On the other side of the ball, although the Patriots defense ranked 8th in points allowed, they also ranked a dismal 25th in yards allowed per game (366.5). The Jets will need to capitalize on the Pats "bend but not break" defense by controlling the clock and keeping the "Marlboro Man" off the field. If Mark Sanchez and company do this, they can win. However, I don't see it. The Jets are a solid club, but it appears they will need to play an almost perfect game to emerge victorious . . .

Pittsburgh over Baltimore: Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has had Baltimore's number recently, and there's no reason to believe it will be any different on Saturday--especially since Pittsburgh's Heinz Field is hosting the showdown. When Roethlisberger has played the Steelers have won the last six meetings between the two AFC North rivals. Twice the Steelers have bounced the Ravens from the playoffs. Ravens QB Joe Flacco is inconsistent and has turned the ball over in big games, such as in Week 13 when safety Troy Polamalu stripped him of the football with under four minutes remaining in the game. Roethlisberger converted the turnover into a game-winning nine-yard TD pass to Isaac Redman. Expect a game dominated by strong defense and punishing hits. This is the most brutal rivalry in the sport and the number of players who will be helped off the field will attest to it. Or as Steelers DL Chris Hoke stated, " "The team that wins this game is going to be the most violent team, the team that is most physical" . . .

Atlanta over Green Bay: Yes, I am picking the Falcons to win, but I could just as easily have picked the Packers. Both teams' defenses are among the league's best at keeping their opponents off the scoreboard (Packers-2nd in NFL at 15 points surrendered per game; Falcons-5th in NFL at 18 points surrendered per game). Both offenses can score points (Falcons-5th in NFL in points scored per game at 25.9; Packers-10th in NFL in points scored per game at 24.2). So why am I selecting Atlanta? First, because they are playing at home. Second, because they don't sabotage themselves with mistakes. They produced the third-fewest turnovers of any team in the league this season, and they were also the league's least penalized team. Finally, I favor Atlanta because of the number of miscues Green Bay committed in last week's victory over Philadelphia. Dropped passes on offense; busted coverages on defense that nearly allowed Philadelphia to mount an incredible fourth-quarter comeback. A better team would have capitalized on Green Bay's errors and sent them home . . .

Chicago over Seattle: I came very close to picking Seattle this week. I still believe the Bears may be the most overrated team that qualified for the postseason, and after the Seahawks inspiring victory over the Saints last week it is not inconceivable that they could send Chicago packing as well. Jay Cutler is more than capable of tossing a few interceptions, especially when faced with a potent pass rush, such as the one responsible for sacking him six times when Seattle defeated Chicago in Week 6. So if I have these criticisms of the Bears, why am I picking them to win? First because of the weather. I expect the Seahawks offense to stall in the cold. Seattle may have run well last week against a Saints defense that ranked 16th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (112.3), but don't expect the same success on Sunday when they face the Bears' 2nd ranked rushing defense in the NFL (90.1 yards allowed per game). Expect the lack of a Seattle running game to force Pete Carroll to rely on Matt Hassellback's arm, which will result in several key INTs . . .

Congrats to John Fox who was named the Denver Broncos head coach . . .

Sports Bytes - January 10, 2011

2011-01-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

NFL Wildcard Week Results

A mixed bag this weekend. I lost both Saturday games, but won both Sunday games.

Seattle over New Orleans - Wow. I knew the Saints had flaws, but I never saw this coming. Seattle QB Matt Hasselback throws four TDs; RB Marshawn Lynch rushes for 131 yards and seals Seattle's upset victory with perhaps the greatest single run in NFL postseason history; and tight end John Carlson--who scored only one touchdown the entire regular season--hauls in two TDs. Truly amazing . . . New Orleans' defense deserves a flogging after Saturday's Pop Warner-quality performance, surrendering 415 total yards to a team ranked 19th in the NFL in passing yards and 31st in rushing yards. The height of its ineptitude is best symbolized by Marshawn Lynch's highlight-reel, 67-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter that put the final dagger in New Orleans season. At least six--and arguably as many as nine--Saints defenders should have wrapped-up Lynch, but instead simply frisked him as he rumbled downfield. "Who Dat?" No. It's more like "Who Didn't?"--as in who didn't tackle Lynch . . . Lynch's stiff-arm of Tracy Porter was hands-down the greatest stiff-arm I have ever seen on any level of football . . .

New York over Indianapolis - Great win for the Jets. New York's defensive schemes force Peyton Manning to play conservatively, and its excellent open-field tackling limits the Colts "yards after the catch". LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene combine for an effective 152 yards rushing and two TDs, and Mark Sanchez completes several important passes on the team's game-winning drive . . . Two plays decided the game in my view:

With only :59 left in the game Jets kick-returner Antonio Cromartie returns the kickoff 47 yards to put New York near midfield to start its final drive. Because of the tremendous return, instead of needing 50 yards to move into Folk's range, which is about what the Jets would have needed had they started from their own 20-yard line, they only need 20 yards to reach that same goal.
With only :29 remaining in the game and the Jets facing a 2nd-and-8 from the Colts 32-yard line, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell inexplicably calls a timeout. If Caldwell instead allows the clock to run, the Jets would have been forced to stop the clock by either spiking the ball or using their last timeout. Spiking the ball would have left NY with a 3rd-and-8 and would have moved the Colts to within one play of forcing the field goal. At that point Nick Folk would have had to kick a much more difficult 49-yarder instead of his eventual 32-yarder. If instead of spiking the ball the Jets decide to use their final timeout, they successfully stop the clock and can still even run another play or two. However, because they are then out of timeouts they cannot risk getting tackled inbounds, so their play selection is limited which helps the Colts defense. By Caldwell calling the timeout when he did, he not only gave Sanchez time to consult with Rex Ryan and Brian Schottenheimer, he also allowed NY to salvage their final timeout, making a tackle inbounds irrelevant. It was a rookie mistake made by a man who is not a rookie coach . . .

Baltimore over Kansas City - The Raiders would have better represented the AFC West than did the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel threw three INTs, was sacked three times, and threw for a paltry 70 yards. RB Jamaal Charles rushed for 82 yards (41 of which came on his TD run) but he also fumbled once and was stopped on a 4th-and-1 in the third quarter . . . Kansas City's loss was its seventh-straight playoff loss . . . Ravens QB Joe Flacco fumbled once, but also threw for 265 yards and two TDs. Tight end Todd Heap had a career day, catching 10 passes for 108 yards . . . Next up: Baltimore versus Pittsburgh. This rivalry is so sadistic that I don't know whether to smile or cringe when thinking about next week's showdown . . .

Green Bay over Philadelphia - The Eagles are like sciatic nerve pain: they never go away. Just when it looked as if Green Bay might pull-away in the third quarter after an 11-play, 80 yard TD drive that chewed-up over 6:00 minutes and increased the Packers lead to 11 points, the Eagles stormed back in the fourth quarter and moved to within 27 yards of mounting another astonishing comeback. QB Michael Vick had a good game, but not a great one. He threw a TD pass and tallied 292 yards through the air; however, he only rushed for 33 yards; was sacked three times and bounced off the turf several other times; and with :33 remaining in the game he tossed the interception that ended the Eagles season. (In fairness to Vick, Eagles receivers did drop five of his passes.) K David Akers, one of the game's best, blew two makeable field goals (41 yards and 34 yards) that proved to be the difference in the game . . . Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was solid with 18 completions for 180 yards and three TDs; however, his third-quarter fumble was converted into a TD by Philadelphia. RB James Starks had a breakout game, rushing for 123 yards on 23 carries . . . Green Bay should have entered the locker room at halftime ahead by more than 14-3, however WR James Jones dropped a perfectly thrown pass from Rodgers that probably would have resulted in a 63-yard TD . . .

Christina-Taylor Green, the nine-year-old girl murdered by the gunman who opened fire at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords event in Arizona, was the granddaughter of former major league pitcher and manager Dallas Green. Green managed the Philadelphia Phillies to their first-ever World Series Championship in 1980. Our condolences go out to Dallas and his family . . .

The list of finalists for the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of 2011 is pretty impressive:

Marshall Faulk
Jerome Bettis
Deion Sanders
Curtis Martin
Andre Reed
Chris Carter
Tim Brown
Dermontti Dawson
Richard Dent
Charles Haley
Chris Dolema
Cortez Kennedy
Shannon Sharpe

Oh, and NFL Films' Ed Sabol is also up for induction . . . He gets my vote . . .

Honestly. The "Fight Hunger Bowl"? Are you kidding me? . . .

Sports Bytes - January 7, 2011

2011-01-07T05:28:00.000-08:00

NFL Wildcard Week Predictions

New Orleans over Seattle - I'm really going out on a limb with this pick, huh? Well, let's be honest. The Saints are a flawed team, but the one thing they can do is score points--and they will score many of them this weekend. Seattle is a bad football team. 7-9 may be good enough to win the NFC West, but it's not good enough to escape the opening round of the playoffs . . .

Indianapolis over New York - The Jets pass rush has been MIA all season, so there's no reason to believe it will emerge now. Mark Sanchez and company will score and keep pace with Manning into the fourth quarter, but at some point in the final minutes the Jets anemic pass rush will allow Manning to complete a long, clock-eating TD drive that seals the win for Indy . . .

Baltimore over Kansas City - This may be the most intriguing game of the weekend. Baltimore has won four in a row, but did not look impressive beating the Bengals at home last week 13-7. Kansas City is 7-1 at home this season, but that lone loss came last week when they were crushed by the Oakland Raiders 31-10. The Chiefs running game is ranked #1 in the NFL (164.2 yards per game). The Ravens run defense is ranked 5th in the NFL (93.9 yards per game). These two similarly matched teams should battle it out until the final seconds. We may even see an overtime game and the first appearance of the new OT rules. I'm going with the Ravens simply because of their playoff experience. They've been here before; most of the Chiefs have not . . .

Green Bay over Philadelphia - Philly finished the season 0-2. In the last six games Michael Vick has thrown six INTs, lost three fumbles, and has been sacked 19 times. Defensively the Eagles are ranked 21st in points allowed per game (23.6), and both their run and pass defenses are ranked 15th in yardage surrendered--110.4 (rush) and 216.8 (pass). Conversely, Green Bay has won four of their last five with the sole loss being to New England. And in that game, which was played in New England, the Packers lost by just four points despite being without starting QB Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay's defense ranks 5th in the NFL in points allowed per game (15), while its offense ranks 5th in passing yards (257.8 yards per game). The Eagles will hang around for a good share of the game, but no matter how well Vick plays--if he plays well--it will be difficult for Philly to overcome their deficiencies in the secondary . . .

Congratulations to Wade Phillips on being named the Houston Texans' def coordinator. Phillips appears to be a gentleman, and it is always refreshing to see a good man land on his feet. Although his stints as a head coach have not been successful, he has proven to be an excellent def coordinator. Let's hope that continues . . .

So I guess Jim Harbaugh is the latest flavor-of-the-month for NFL owners? . . .

The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence for some, but not for Miami and Dallas. Both have decided to stick with their current coaches. Miami keeps Tony Sparano, while Dallas removes the interim tag from Jason Garrett . . .

Sports Bytes - January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T05:23:00.000-08:00

I've never understood why a football coach would leave the NFL for the NCAA. To me it's akin to leaving Major League Baseball to manage in Japan. (Granted, NCAA head coaches usually earn more money than do Japanese managers) But considering the number of NFL coaches who have made the move, it's obvious that many people disagree with me. Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis is the latest to make this transition, leaving the pros to serve as offensive coordinator for the University of Florida. The question is, What is Weis' motivation? Is he weary of dealing with pro athletes? Does his disappointing tenure at Notre Dame still gnaw at him? Or is it a case, as the KC Star suggests, that Weis could no longer stomach the ego of Chiefs' head coach Todd Haley? Or maybe it's all of the above . . .

"Let's see. My team went 6-0 against its divisional opponents and it earned its first non-losing record since 2002. Fire Tom Cable! Call Tom Flores!" I imagine that's how Al Davis' brain operates--or doesn't operate. Why else would head coach Tom Cable be out of a job despite leading the Raiders to their best record in eight years? Davis' odd decision to pass on exercising a two-year, $5 million option on Cable's contract has not only left him coach-less, it has also earned him the ire of his players, many of whom have become strong supporters of Cable. Commitment to Excellence? It's more like Commitment to Confusion . . . ESPN.com points out that Tom Cable is now the fifth Raiders head coach not to return after leading the team to a .500 record or better the season before. The other four are John Rauch, John Madden, Art Shell, and Jon Gruden . . .

Meanwhile, somehow Marvin Lewis still has a job in Cincinnati. Despite posting a 4-12 record last season, and a 60-69-1 overall record in his eight years as Bengals head coach, Lewis was granted a contract extension. And I thought Oakland was Bizarro World . . .

Unless John Elway suits-up I don't see what impact he is going to have on the Broncos. Not every former player is Nolan Ryan. Most of them are usually Matt Millen . . .

Good to see that Titans owner Bud Adams wised-up and finally realized that QB Vince Young is not worth the trouble . . .

On Monday morning Philadelphians will be discussing the Phillies and spring training . . .

If the Jets can't rush Peyton Manning they'll be joining the Giants on the golf course . . .

Congrats to Bert Blyleven and Robert Alomar for their Hall of Fame inductions. I was surprised Alomar received as many votes as he did (90% of the ballot), but not surprised that he was selected. Although I never liked Alomar much because of his attitude, I acknowledge that the 12-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner deserves the honor . . . Kudos to the voters for inducting Blyleven, who had 287 career wins, 3,701 strikeouts, and 60 shutouts . . .

Although he did earn over 50% of the vote, I am disappointed that Jack Morris is not closer to a Hall induction. The voters have obviously forgotten that Morris was the biggest "big-game" pitcher of his time. His 1991 Game 7 of the World Series, 10-inning shutout of the Atlanta Braves is considered by some to be the greatest game ever pitched, and his 162 wins in the 1980s was more than any other MLB pitcher in that decade. Simply put, Morris deserves a bust in Cooperstown . . .

Sports Bytes - January 3, 2011

2011-01-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

Week 17 Results

Atlanta over Carolina (31-10) Win: This is how you lock-up home-field advantage. You jump out to a 21-0 lead and crush your opponent from the outset, leaving nothing to chance. Congrats to the Falcons . . .
Pittsburgh over Cleveland (41-9) Win: Considering how poorly things have gone for Eric Mangini lately, it seems almost sadistic to schedule the Pittsburgh Steelers as the Brown's final opponent of the season. Ben Roethlisberger threw two TDs; Rashard Mendenhall rushed for two TDs; and by halftime the Steelers were ahead 31-3. Congrats to the Steelers on yet another division title . . .
Detroit over Minnesota (20-13) Win: Go Lions! Yesterday they won their fourth straight game, defeating a Vikings team that was coming-off an upset victory over the NFC East Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Let's hope the Lions improvement continues next season . . .
Oakland over Kansas City (31-10) Win: The Raiders become the first team since the NFL-AFL merger to go undefeated in their division but not make the playoffs. Too bad . . . Sure the Chiefs playoff position was set prior to yesterday's game, but that is no excuse for being blown out at home by 21 points . . .
New England over Miami (38-7) Win: New England is in better shape today entering the playoffs than they were in 2007 when their team was undefeated in the regular season . . .
Tampa over New Orleans (23-13) Loss: Even though the Saints had little to play for once it was evident that the Falcons would top the Panthers, don't minimize the Buccaneers' victory. New Orleans is still the defending champion and the Superdome is still a tough place to win. Congrats to the Bucs on a fine season, even though it ended once the Packers and Giants won . . .
NY Jets over Buffalo (38-7) Win: Strong win for the Jets who outgain the Bills in total yardage 388 - 162 despite resting several players, including Mark Sanchez who ran nine plays without throwing a pass. If Jets defense emerges NY can be a force in the playoffs . . .
Baltimore over Cincinnati (13-7) Win: It wasn't pretty, but it didn't need to be. Thirteen points was more than enough to defeat the hapless Bengals . . . Baltimore will exit the playoffs quickly if its offense throws up a stinker like yesterday. . .
San Diego over Denver (33-28) Win: In a game of little interest to anyone, San Diego defeated Denver despite surrendering 21 points in the second half to the Broncos. Philip Rivers threw for 313 yards, but was intercepted and failed to throw a TD. Chargers RB Ryan Mathews was the game's star, rushing for 120 yards and three TDs . . .
Green Bay over Chicago (10-3) Win: Great defensive battle. A late Aaron Rodgers TD secures the final NFC playoff spot for Green Bay. Congrats to the Pack . . .
Indianapolis over Tennessee (23-20) Win: Ho-hum. Another game-winning drive by Peyton Manning; another game-winning Adam Vinatieri field goal. Congrats to the Colts on another playoff appearance . . .
Dallas over Philadelphia (14-13) Loss: Andy Reid has to be concerned. Three weeks ago his team fell behind by 21 points to the Giants before NY's defense collapsed in the fourth quarter. Since then they have lost back-to-back games at home to the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys--two teams that each had only five wins prior to beating Philadelphia. I smell a riot brewing in Philly . . .
San Francisco over Arizona (38-7) Win: Good season finale for the Niners as Alex Smith tosses two TDs and the San Fran defense forces two turnovers . . .
NY Giants over Washington (17-14) Win: The Giants did what they needed to; unfortunately, the Bears didn't. Eli Manning threw his 31st TD of the season--the first Giants QB to do that since Y.A. Tittle; Brandon Jacobs rushed for a TD; and the Giants defense forced four turnovers. Nevertheless, with the Packers victory over the Bears, the Giants season has ended. Three games ago the Giants were eight minutes away from winning the NFC East. Now they are 10-6 and going home until next year. It is poetic justice for a team that gave away several wins this season . . .
Houston over Jacksonville (34-17) Loss: A Jaguars win and a Colts loss would have given Jacksonville the AFC South. And up until the final seconds of Indy-Tennessee, a Colts loss was very possible. Yet, despite knowing this, Jacksonville's defense surrendered 34 points, 497 total yards, and 244 rushing yards. A pathetic performance by Jack Del Rio's club--and neither he nor his team can blame it on David Garrard's absence . . .
Seattle over St. Louis (16-6) Loss: Dropped passes. Overly-conservative offensive play calling. Pathetic run defense. All three added-up to a disappointing performance by the St. Louis Rams. I expected more from Spagnuolo's club, and I'm sure Spagnuolo did also. Congrats to Pete Carroll and the Seahawks for becoming the first NFL team in history to win a division title with a sub-.500 record (7-9) . . .

My Week 17 picks were 12-4, raising my final record for the season to 155-101 . . .

Sports Bytes - December 31, 2010

2010-12-31T04:44:00.000-08:00

Week 17 Predictions

Atlanta over Carolina
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Detroit over Minnesota
Oakland over Kansas City
New England over Miami
New Orleans over Tampa
NY Jets over Buffalo
Baltimore over Cincinnati
San Diego over Denver
Green Bay over Chicago
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Philadelphia over Dallas
San Francisco over Arizona
NY Giants over Washington
Jacksonville over Houston
St. Louis over Seattle

It would be wise for Philadelphia to sit Michael Vick this week and play Kevin Kolb exclusively . . .

It is supposed to be rainy in NY on Sunday, so I would limit Mark Sanchez to only one-half of football regardless of the score at half-time . . .

Jaguars QB David Garrard is done for the season--and by 8:00 pm ET on Sunday so should his team. Thanks to back-to-back losses the Jaguars' playoff chances rest on a victory over Houston, and a Titans upset of the Colts. Not likely . . .

Green Bay would beat Chicago this week even if the Bears had something to play for . . .

The names Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro should not be mentioned in the same sentence with the words "Hall of Fame" . . .

Get well soon, Harmon Killebrew . . .

Our condolences to Angelo Dundee, whose wife passed away this week . . .

Boxing lost one of its toughest fighters on Tuesday with the passing of Bennie Briscoe. Briscoe won 66 bouts in his career, and he fought a Hall of Fame list of opponents, including Marvin Hagler, Carlos Monzon, Emile Griffith, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, and Vito Antuofermo. Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz refers to Briscoe as " one of the best [fighters] never to win a world title (when world titles meant something) and the man who presided over the last Golden Age of Boxing in Philadelphia (the 1970s)" . . .

Sports Bytes - December 29, 2010

2010-12-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

Week 16 Results

New Orleans over Atlanta (17-14) Loss: After Monday night's game it is apparent that both teams are beatable.

Drew Brees threw for 300 yards, but was intercepted on consecutive drives. Matt Ryan was disappointing, throwing for just 148 yards and only one TD . . . Brees is now the only NFL QB this season besides Eli Manning to throw at least 30 TDs while tossing 20 or more INTs . . .
Atlanta RB Michael Turner, who entered the game with 1,256 yards rushing, was held to only 48 yards by New Orleans' 18th-ranked run defense. Turner compounded his awful night by fumbling the football at the Saints one-yard line in the third quarter . . .
Atlanta's defense played well overall, but late in the 4th quarter when the team most-needed the Saints to go three-and-out, the defense faltered by surrendering a 13-play, 90 yard drive that chewed 7:11 off the clock . . .
Speak of that 90 yd drive, why do teams continue to employ the prevent defense no matter how many times they see other clubs get burned by it? For three-and-a-half quarters Atlanta successfully pressured Drew Brees and held the Saints to just 10 points. Inexplicably, late in the fourth quarter when they most-needed a defensive stand, Atlanta stopped blitzing and dropped-back into coverage, allowing Brees to drive his offense nearly the entire length of the field . . .
Expect Atlanta to secure the NFC South division crown and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs next week when they face the Carolina Panthers . . .

Minnesota over Philadelphia (24-14) Loss: Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier obviously watched film of last week's Giants-Eagles game and noticed the success NY had in the first half pressuring Michael Vick. Of course, unlike the Giants, the Vikings stayed loyal to that strategy for the full 60 minutes and were rewarded with an upset victory. Vick was bounced off the turf repeatedly by a ferocious Vikings pass rush that sacked him six times and forced him to turn the ball over three times (two fumbles and one INT) . . .

RB Adrian Peterson and WR Percy Harvin carved-up the Eagles defense. Peterson rushed for 118 yards on only 22 carries (5.4 yards per carry), while Harvin collected 100 yards receiving on just seven catches (14.3 yards per catch) . . .
Here's an interesting stat that I was unaware of. (Thanks to ESPN.com for pointing this out) In the last six games Vick has thrown six INTs, lost three fumbles, and has been sacked 19 times . . .
I enjoyed watching Minnesota QB Joe Webb make the Philadelphia defense look silly on several of his bootlegs. Now the Eagles know what it's like trying to deal with Michael Vick in the open field . . .
For those who want to crucify the NFL for postponing the Eagles-Vikings game because of the snow, be aware that two of the main arteries leading to Philadelphia (the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway) reported over 100 accidents prior to the NFL's decision to postpone . . .

Following last night's Vikings-Eagles game, my Week 16 picks were an average 9-7. My season's record is now 143 - 97 . . .

Forget Teflon Don. The real teflon man is Norv Turner. Despite San Diego's latest annual failure to measure-up to expectations, team President Dean Spanos has guaranteed Turner's return for the 2011 season . . .

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. appears willing to fight everyone but Manny Pacquiao . . .

Quote of the week: Yesterday a sports fan called WFAN radio in NY and asked what accumulated faster on Sunday: inches of snow on the ground during NY's blizzard or points scored by the Packers against the Giants defense. Ha!! . . .

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Need a PR Specialist? Perhaps my 13 years of PR experience can satisfy those needs. I have publicized world champions such as Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, and mega-events like Lewis-Tyson and De la Hoya-Vargas. Contact Donald Tremblay (The Rain Maker) at 718-664-3405 or at dtremblay@earthlink.net. For more info about me visit my LinkedIn Profile.

Sports Bytes - December 27, 2010

2010-12-27T06:18:00.000-08:00

Week 16 Predictions

Pittsburgh over Carolina (27-3) Win: Not exactly a surprise . . .
Arizona over Dallas (27-26) Loss: Can't say I saw this coming, but when you have two INTs returned for TDs and a missed extra point, a loss is almost inevitable . . .
New England over Buffalo (34-3) Win: You weren't expecting professionals like Tom Brady to come out flat because they were playing a team with only four wins, were you? . . .
Chicago over NY Jets (38-34) Loss: Jets back-into playoffs with Jaguars loss, but porous defense should be of concern to Rex Ryan . . .
Baltimore over Cleveland (20-10) Win: Ravens win game they are supposed to win. Ed Reed collects two INTs, while Joe Flacco throws two TDs. Cleveland QB Colt McCoy throws three INTs while his club rushes for only 65 yards . . .
Kansas City over Tennessee (34-14) Win: Congrats to Kansas City on its AFC West title. Matt Cassel tosses three TDs to lead the Chiefs to their 10th win . . .
St. Louis over San Francisco (25-17) Win: Mike Singletary is gone. The 49ers organization wasted little time following the team's playoff-eliminating loss to the Rams to fire the head coach . . . Good win for the Rams, who can lock-up the NFC West with a victory over Seattle next week . . .
Detroit over Miami (34-27) Win: Three in a row for Detroit. Miami QB Chad Henne did his best Eli Manning impersonation by tossing two INTs--one of which was returned for a TD--while his team surrendered 17 fourth-quarter points to lose its seventh home game this season. Looks like Tony Sparano will face the same fate as Tony Soprano . . .
Washington over Jacksonville (20-17) Loss: Jacksonville's chances of making the playoffs are slim, and after yesterday's sloppy performance they have nobody to blame but themselves. Jags QB David Garrard threw three INTs and was sacked four times, while his team committed seven penalties, fumbled twice, and missed a field goal . . .
Cincinnati over San Diego (34-20) Loss: Good riddance to perhaps the poster boy for NFL pretenders--the San Diego Chargers. Carson Palmer throws four TD passes despite missing the services of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco . . . Is there anyone besides Jimmie Johnson who believes Norv Turner is a good NFL head coach? . . .
Denver over Houston (24-23) Loss: How do you blow a 17-point lead to the Broncos? . . .
Indianapolis over Oakland (31-26) Win: Three Manning TDs move the Colts a game closer to the AFC South division crown . . .
Green Bay over NY Giants (45-17) Win: It is time for the Tom Coughlin Era to end. There is a lot of dead wood on that Giants roster, and it will take a new leadership to make the necessary cuts. (See below)
Tampa Bay over Seattle (38-15) Win: Five TD passes by Josh Freeman. Sure it was against the Seahawks, but it is still incredibly impressive . . .
Philadelphia over Minnesota (Postponed until Tuesday)
Atlanta over New Orleans (Tonight)

Prior to tonight's game my Week 16 picks are 9-5.

More Packers-Giants

Aaron Rodgers played a near-perfect game yesterday, tossing four TDs and compiling 404 passing yards. It would be a shame if the Packers missed-out on a playoff spot considering how well they have been playing as of late . . .

In the last five quarters the NY Giants defense-and I use that term loosely--has surrendered 73 points. Yesterday they ceded 515 total yards, the most by any Giants defense since the Carter administration (Oct 19, 1980).

I am an Eli supporter, a big one in fact, but if next season he shows the same predisposition to throwing INTs, his starter status should be in jeopardy.

It is time to thank and to say goodbye to Shaun O' Hara and Chris Diehl. The two have been excellent offensive linemen, but neither can do the job any longer.

The Giants secondary looks as disorganized as a cell block of inmates during a prison break. For all the praise Perry Fewell has received this season for his job as defensive coordinator, in the last two games the Giants defense looked as awful as Bill Sheridan's defense did last season.

Sports Bytes - December 23, 2010

2010-12-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

Week 16 Predictions

Pittsburgh over Carolina
Dallas over Arizona
New England over Buffalo
NY Jets over Chicago
Baltimore over Cleveland
Kansas City over Tennessee
St. Louis over San Francisco
Detroit over Miami
Jacksonville over Washington
San Diego over Cincinnati
Houston over Denver
Indianapolis over Oakland
Green Bay over NY Giants
Tampa Bay over Seattle
Philadelphia over Minnesota
Atlanta over New Orleans

I'm beginning to think the world's most dangerous weapon is not the nuclear bomb, but the hand-held camcorder. When will people learn to stop taping themselves in situations that will prove embarrassing should those video clips become public knowledge? C'mon. Foot fetishes? Talk about being given more information than you need to know . . .

NY Giants RB Brandon Jacobs made some odd comments during yesterday's media session. When asked whether he thinks playing on the road is an advantage, Jacobs said, "We always like playing on the road because we know there’s no mystery of who’s on your side there." So, Brandon, when you're playing at home you're confused as to what team the fans are cheering for? . . .

I'd be the first to argue that Sunday's Eagles comeback victory was more about the Giants defense choking than it was about Michael Vick. Still, it would be a shame if the season ended today and Vick was not selected as the league's MVP . . .

According to Fightnews.com Tomasz Adamek may challenge former WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter in an IBF eliminator on April 16. The bout would take place at the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland, with the winner earninging the IBF's #2 ranking. The IBF's plan is to have “Fast” Eddie Chambers battle Derrick Rossy for the sanctioning organizations #1 ranking, and to then have the winners of Adamek-Peter and Chambers-Rossy compete for the mandatory shot at IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. Got all that? They'll be a quiz on it tomorrow . . .

WBA heavyweight champion David Haye has reportedly agreed to a 50-50 revenue split with WBO/IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. Now that the financial understanding is in place the two are expected to face-off in a 2011 heavyweight championship unification bout. But I wouldn't bet on it. I don't see Haye stepping into the ring with either Wladimir or his brother Vitali . . .

When was the last time you saw a pitcher win 17 games and sit on the free agent market as long as Carl Pavano has? . . .

MLB.com is offering fans the opportunity to vote for the "Greatest Game" of the past 50 years. There are some great video clips accompanying each entry . . .

Sports Bytes will return on Monday, December 27

Merry Christmas to all! . . .

Sports Bytes - December 22, 2010

2010-12-22T05:11:00.000-08:00

Week 15 NFL Predictions

Following Chicago's demolition of Minnesota on Monday, my Week 15 picks finished a disappointing 7-9, bringing my overall record to 134-90 . . .

The NY Giants are saying all the right things. They insist they've learned from last week's embarrassment. They assert they are prepared for the Packers, knowing that a victory on Sunday virtually guarantees them a playoff spot. But until NY proves they can deliver on the field, all I hear is blah, blah, blah. And apparently I am not the only person who feels that way. On FOX's post-game studio program following Sunday's choke, Michael Strahan ripped the Giants defense for its pathetic second-half effort. "The end of the game was fitting because you don’t let a team back in when you’re up like that. The Giants have not finished, I don’t know if they know how to finish and they need to learn how, if they expect to do anything this year. You have to have a killer instinct. You have to finish teams.” Couldn't have said it any better myself . . .

It is an absolute disgrace the way the Redskins are treating Donovan McNabb. Head coach Mike Shanahan is trying to dodge the blame for Washington's disappointing season by setting-up McNabb as the fall-guy. It's a cowardly act . . .

It's no solace for Yankees fans still smarting over the team's disappointing ALCS performance, but the organization will pay its lowest luxury tax since 2003: $18 million . . .

The Cowboys made the right move ending Tony Romo's season by placing him on the IR. Why risk further damage to the QB's shoulder when the Cowboys are already out of playoff contention? . . .

The Phillies smacked around the Mets; the Eagles are smacking around the Giants. Philadelphia is putting a hurtin' on New York right now . . .

Congrats to the UConn women's basketball team for winning its 89th straight game and snapping the 1971-1974 UCLA men's basketball team's record for consecutive wins. I still believe UCLA's accomplishment is more impressive because of the deeper talent pool in men's NCAA basketball, but UConn's achievement is still worthy of honor, nonetheless . . .

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael reports that Manny Pacquiao will face Shane Mosley on May 7. If this were six or seven years ago, Pacquiao-Mosley would be a showdown worthy of excitement. Now, it is merely a battle between a pound-for-pound king who is in his prime against a faded former pound-for-pound king. Thanks, but I'll pass on spending the $60 they'll probably charge for the PPV broadcast . . .

Sports Bytes - December 20, 2010

2010-12-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

Week 15 NFL Predictions

San Diego over San Francisco (34-7) Win
Cincinnati over Cleveland (19-17) Win: After Cleveland's horrendous performance against the Bills last week, why would anyone have expected anything better this week? . . . The Bengals snap a 10-game losing streak as Cedric Benson rushes for 150 yards . . .
Dallas over Washington (33-30) Win: Don't know what was more shocking: the Cowboys surrendering 30 points to the Redskins or Rex Grossman throwing four touchdown passes . . .
Tennessee over Houston (31-17) Loss: The Texans have now lost seven of their last eight. The Titans snap a six-game losing streak. Kerry Collins and Matt Schaub both threw two TDs apiece . . .
Indianapolis over Jacksonville (34-24) Loss: Jaguars blow an opportunity to clinch AFC South crown by turning the ball over twice, surrendering two TD passes to Peyton Manning, and ceding 129 rushing yards to Donald Brown . . .
Kansas City over St. Louis (27-13) Loss: Rams still not ready for prime-time as QB Sam Bradford throws two INTs and RB Steven Jackson is held to 67 rushing yards. A Rams victory would have given them sole possession of first place in the NFC West . . . Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles rushed for 126 yards . . .
Buffalo over Miami (17-14) Loss: Surprise, surprise. Miami loses at home for the sixth time this season . . . That Buffalo team is gutty . . .
Philadelphia over NY Giants (38-31) Loss: The Choke of chokes. An absolute disgrace. Giants defense blows a 21-point lead with only 8:17 remaining in the game. Blame Tom Coughlin and Def Coordinator Perry Fewell for taking their feet off the gas pedal once the Giants jumped out to that big lead. (See Below) . . .
Detroit over Tampa Bay (23-20) Loss: Let me get this straight. You are 8-5 and playing at home against a team that has lost 26 consecutive road games--and you lose?! Don't talk to me about the playoffs, Raheem Morris . . .
Carolina over Arizona (19-12) Loss: Panthers snap seven-game losing streak thanks to a big day from RB Jonathan Stewart: 27 rushes, 137 yards . . .
Baltimore over New Orleans (30-24) Loss: Huge win for the Ravens, snapping the Saints six-game winning streak. Ray Rice rushes for 233 yards and two TDs. The Ravens defense forces two turnovers and hold the Saints to only 27 yards rushing . . .
Atlanta over Seattle (34-18) Win: Did you really believe a team that ceded 40 points to the 49ers last week was going to shut down the Falcons? QB Matt Ryan threw three TDs, while the Seahawks committed 10 penalties and turned the ball over three times . . .
Oakland over Denver (39-23) Win: The Raiders turned the ball over three times and committed nine penalties; yet, they compiled 502 total yards--264 of which were rushing yards. Raiders keep their playoff hopes alive . . .
NY Jets over Pittsburgh (22-17) Loss: Unlike the other Meadowlands' team, the Jets bent but they didn't break. It would have been easy for Gang Green to choke in the final seconds of the game, but they didn't. Despite allowing the Steelers to move 82 yards in under 2:00, the Jets defense delivered, making back-to-back big plays to end the game. Well done . . .
New England over Green Bay (31-27) Win: Yet another come-from-behind win for Tom Brady and the Pats, although Brady was not the hero of this game. 313 lb lineman Dan Connolly earned those honors with a 71 yards kickoff return late in the first half that set-up Brady's two-yard TD pass to Aaron Hernandez. Have to give Connolly credit. He was pretty nimble for a 213 lb tight end, never-mind a 313 lb lineman . . .

Prior to tonight's Chicago vs. Minnesota showdown, my Week 15 picks are an atrocious 6-9 . . .

Why did the Giants lose yesterday's game? Forget Matt Dodge's ill-advised punt. The game never should have gotten close enough for a Dodge punt to matter. Here is a quote from DE Justin Tuck: "We got into a prevent defense early in the fourth quarter. We were spotting him up front rather than rushing him." That's right. Instead of following the adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Tom Coughlin and Perry Fewell played it safe in the fourth quarter and removed the pressure that was stifling Vick for the first three quarters. DT Barry Cofield best summarized how stupid and disastrous a move this was. "We weren't the same defense. He was the same player" . . .

Doesn't anyone want to play for the Yankees anymore? . . .

Sports Bytes - December 17, 2010

2010-12-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

Week 15 NFL Predictions

San Diego over San Francisco (34-7) Win: Last week's impressive win over Seattle didn't lure you into believing the Niners had suddenly gelled, did it? The Chargers defense intercepted Alex Smith once and held the Niners to just 192 total yards, while QB Philip Rivers was 19 of 25 with three TDs . . .

Cincinnati over Cleveland
Dallas over Washington
Houston over Tennessee
Jacksonville over Indianapolis
St. Louis over Kansas City
Miami over Buffalo
NY Giants over Philadelphia
Tampa Bay over Detroit
Arizona over Carolina
New Orleans over Baltimore
Atlanta over Seattle
Oakland over Denver
Pittsburgh over NY Jets
New England over Green Bay
Chicago over Minnesota

Not sure why Boston signed closer Bobby Jenks. Sure their bullpen was lacking depth, but why sign a player who was hurt repeatedly last year while posting the worst numbers of his career (only 27 saves and a 4.44 ERA). Plus, why assume Jenks is going to succeed in the role of set-up man for Papelbon or Bard? . . .

Yao Ming is injured more often than the NY Giants' wide receiver corps . . .

Speaking of the NY Giants, if they run the ball successfully (at least 150 yards in total) they'll win Sunday's showdown against the Eagles . . .

According to the NY Post Kerry Wood is returning to the Cubs. Too bad. I thought Wood pitched well for the Yankees and would have flourished as a set-up man for Rivera . . .

Whatever happened to Ray Handley? And Rich Kotite? . . .

Has Cliff Lee's return to the City of Brotherly Love forever buried the stereotype of the obnoxious Philadelphia fan? Yes, says Philadelphia Daily News columnist Rich Hofmann in his funny Dec 16 column . . .

The Bears-Vikings game Monday night will be played outdoors at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. Nothing like being slammed to the ground on a field so frozen that it feels like cement . . .

LeBron and the Heat may grab the headlines, but very quietly the Celtics have rattled-off 12 consecutive wins . . .

Reality is often as welcome as a kick in the chops. Edgar Renteria learned that disappointing truth this week. The 2010 World Series MVP was offered a paltry one year, $1 million contract by the San Francisco Giants. He could probably earn more cash by selling his MVP trophy on e-Bay . . .

Sports Bytes - December 16, 2010

2010-12-16T05:08:00.000-08:00

NY Jets head coach Rex Ryan made the right move by sticking with QB Mark Sanchez during the 2nd half of the Dolphins game. If your young QB's confidence is wavering, benching him will only make it worse. Keep him in the game and let him learn to deal with adversity . . .

Let's not hand the Philadelphia Phillies the World Series Trophy just yet, okay? . . .

"Every week and every year we hear that the ratings are up, more tickets are sold this year than ever before, more advertising is being sold now than ever before, all that does is generate revenue and we have to listen to the owners tell us that we're not making money," said NFLPA President Kevin Mawae. Welcome to our world, Kevin. That's the same garbage we "little people" hear from our employers every day . . .

Fightnews.com reports that a scuffle broke out at the Bernard Hopkins-Jean Pascal press conference because Hopkins refused to give the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship belt back to Pascal who is its rightful owner . . . Ah, I miss boxing . . .

Do the Yankees dare attempt to re-sign free agent Carl Pavano? . . .

The Vikings have signed Patrick Ramsey as a backup QB. Patrick Ramsey? Is he still playing? . . .

Very quietly Jaguars head coach Jack del Rio is having himself a "Coach of the Year" season . . .

Rest in peace, Bob Feller . . .

Sports Bytes - December 14, 2010

2010-12-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

Week 14 NFL Results

NY Giants over Minnesota (21-3) Win: Once Eli Manning stopped throwing the ball to the other team, the Giants were in business. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined to rush for over 200 yards (Jacobs: 116, Bradshaw: 103) The Giants defense battered Vikes QB Tarvaris Jackson, sacking him four times and knocking him out of the game twice . . .

Some other thoughts about the Giants-Vikings:

By the third quarter I had grown so weary of Joe Buck's praise for Brett Favre that I longed to be buried under that pile of snow that fell from the Metrodome's roof . . .

With only :16 left in the game and his team losing 21-3, Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier inexplicably called a timeout instead of letting the clock expire. Was Frazier trying to kill more time before his team's flight out of Detroit? . . .

Eli Manning continues to throw behind his receivers, a problem that has caused more than a few of his INTs this season . . .

The Giants defense shut down Adrian Peterson for only 26 yards on 14 carries . . .

Baltimore over Houston (34-28 OT) Win: What a choke this would have been. Baltimore blows a 21-0 lead, but squeaks by with a victory in overtime when Ravens CB Josh Wilson returns an INT for a TD . . .

With the two victories last night my Week 14 Predictions finished at 11-5. My overall record is now 127-81 . . .

That was some end-around the Phillies orchestrated to land Cliff Lee. Impressive . . .

For some time now I have said that I didn't want the Yanks to sign Cliff Lee, so naturally when I heard he was landing in Philadelphia I was happy. Why would a Yankees fan such as myself not want Cliff Lee? Two reasons: First, patchwork methods of solving problems don't work. The Yankees spent the entire decade of the 1980s signing free agents to fill their roster needs. It didn't work then and it won't work now. Second, signing high-profile players merely camouflages the obvious: the Yankees are an old club in need of young talent. At some point the Yanks will no longer be able to avoid this reality. Why wait? Address it now . . .

MLB.com has a good column questioning the wisdom of offering pitchers deals for seven years or longer . . .