Well, let's see. The San Diego Chargers went into the City of Brotherly Love and narrowly nipped former kennel-master Michael Vick and his Philadelphia Eagles 33-30. A close game to be sure, but all in all? Boring
Speaking of also-rans -- despite leading for most of the game and the on-field officials apparently trying to help them out with some very mysterious calls (which were rightfully overturned on review), the hapless Detroit Lions still found a way to stumble and bumble their way into yet another road loss at Arizona. So what else is new? Yawn.
On the PGA front, play was postponed due to rain at the BMW championship. As was...
NASCAR's first "Chase" race in Chicago. Mother Nature must not have been in the mood for golf or car racing.
Peyton beat little brother Eli again in their third "Manning Bowl". Whatever.
But perhaps such a boring sports day can be salvaged after all. In a little while the San Fran 49ers will tee it up against the Seahawks in Seattle. If there's any town that's become accustomed to rain -- it's Seattle. It ALWAYS rains there. And unless Mother Nature whips up a few tornadoes or starts throwing some serious lightning bolts around, the game will go on.
Unlike their wimpy PGA and NASCAR counterparts, the NFL doesn't sweat a little rain -- or even a lot of rain. Nor high winds, blizzards, or sub-zero temperatures. The only thing that seems capable of cancelling an NFL game is if the stadium falls down -- like it did in Minnesota a few years back. Other than that -- the games go on -- dammit. And that's the way it should be.
Besides, as opposed to the yawner teams mentioned above, San Fran and Seattle are not only both really good and legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but they definitely don't like each other either. In just a few short years, this matchup has become "personal".
Bring it on.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
NASCAR's ruling applied to the Detroit Lions
In a first, and presumably one-time deal, the honchos at NASCAR made an exception to their "Chase" format. Normally the top 10 cars in points after 26 races, plus two "wild-cards" qualify for NASCAR's version of the playoffs -- a 10 race shootout.
But NASCAR smelled a rat this year. Through no fault of his own, Jeff "Wonder Boy" Gordon failed to make the Chase by the slimmest of margins. Though they couldn't point to anything conclusive, NASCAR huddled up and determined Gordon had been put at a disadvantage in recent races. This likely had to do with monitored radio communications between certain teams and their drivers, shady deals possibly being struck with other teams for future "favors", a mysterious spin-out on the track for no apparent reason, and a couple other things demed suspicious that allegedly affected who would narrowly make the Chase, and who would be left out.
So when all was said and done, NASCAR decided to make an exception, creating a 3rd wild card spot so Gordon would be in the Chase after all. Again, this was because NASCAR had determined that other forces had unfairly conspired which resulted in Gordon not originally qualifying.
Well then. What if that same line of reasoning had been applied to the Detroit Lions last year?
After posting a regular season record of 4-12, they fell just a bit short of making the NFL's version of the Chase.
But wait a minute. Perhaps other evil forces plotted and schemed as well to put the Honolulu blue and silver at an unfair disadvantage.
All those dropped passes, fumbles, and missed tackles just didn't seem logical. Surely there was a conspiracy afoot. It couldn't have been the Lions' fault.
Head coach Jim Schwartz's repeated mind-boggling game mismanagement, including the ultimate debacle against Houston on Thanksgiving Day when he threw a red flag that ultimately cost his team a win? Schwartz himself would later say he knew the rule, but did it anyway. Well gee. That was not normal behavior. Perhaps Schwartz was posssessed by some sort of demon. Regardless, it couldn't be blamed on Schwartz. The devil made him do it.
For that matter, the Lions seemed to be in a sort of competition with the state of Michigan. Between penalty flags and orange traffic barrels -- who could cause the most groans, frustration, and forehead slaps from Michiganders? It was nip and tuck there for a while. Nevertheless, all those yellow hankies were too much for coincidence. No professional football team could possibly be that undisciplined. Obviously, the officials on the field have conspired against the Lions for decades. That's not fair.
So, like Jeff Gordon, the Lions were put at a disadvantage last year. If Roger Goodell and his NFL honchos had had any sense of fair play -- they would have made an exception for the Lions last year as well, by creating another wild card spot of their own.
4-12 might have looked bad on paper -- but hey -- when so many other evil forces in the universe had come together against them -- it's just not fair that the Lions weren't allowed into the playoffs.
Henceforth, in the name of truth, mom, apple pie, the American way, and maybe even Oprah, the Lions should receive an automatic bid into the playoffs -- regardless of their record. Better yet, given all the misery they and their fans have suffered over the decades -- the Lions should be granted a first round "bye" in perpetuity when the NFL Chase starts every year. It's the least that can be done to atone for all the injustices inflicted upon them in the past.
That said, please excuse me now -- because I have to go.......
LMAO.
But NASCAR smelled a rat this year. Through no fault of his own, Jeff "Wonder Boy" Gordon failed to make the Chase by the slimmest of margins. Though they couldn't point to anything conclusive, NASCAR huddled up and determined Gordon had been put at a disadvantage in recent races. This likely had to do with monitored radio communications between certain teams and their drivers, shady deals possibly being struck with other teams for future "favors", a mysterious spin-out on the track for no apparent reason, and a couple other things demed suspicious that allegedly affected who would narrowly make the Chase, and who would be left out.
So when all was said and done, NASCAR decided to make an exception, creating a 3rd wild card spot so Gordon would be in the Chase after all. Again, this was because NASCAR had determined that other forces had unfairly conspired which resulted in Gordon not originally qualifying.
Well then. What if that same line of reasoning had been applied to the Detroit Lions last year?
After posting a regular season record of 4-12, they fell just a bit short of making the NFL's version of the Chase.
But wait a minute. Perhaps other evil forces plotted and schemed as well to put the Honolulu blue and silver at an unfair disadvantage.
All those dropped passes, fumbles, and missed tackles just didn't seem logical. Surely there was a conspiracy afoot. It couldn't have been the Lions' fault.
Head coach Jim Schwartz's repeated mind-boggling game mismanagement, including the ultimate debacle against Houston on Thanksgiving Day when he threw a red flag that ultimately cost his team a win? Schwartz himself would later say he knew the rule, but did it anyway. Well gee. That was not normal behavior. Perhaps Schwartz was posssessed by some sort of demon. Regardless, it couldn't be blamed on Schwartz. The devil made him do it.
For that matter, the Lions seemed to be in a sort of competition with the state of Michigan. Between penalty flags and orange traffic barrels -- who could cause the most groans, frustration, and forehead slaps from Michiganders? It was nip and tuck there for a while. Nevertheless, all those yellow hankies were too much for coincidence. No professional football team could possibly be that undisciplined. Obviously, the officials on the field have conspired against the Lions for decades. That's not fair.
So, like Jeff Gordon, the Lions were put at a disadvantage last year. If Roger Goodell and his NFL honchos had had any sense of fair play -- they would have made an exception for the Lions last year as well, by creating another wild card spot of their own.
4-12 might have looked bad on paper -- but hey -- when so many other evil forces in the universe had come together against them -- it's just not fair that the Lions weren't allowed into the playoffs.
Henceforth, in the name of truth, mom, apple pie, the American way, and maybe even Oprah, the Lions should receive an automatic bid into the playoffs -- regardless of their record. Better yet, given all the misery they and their fans have suffered over the decades -- the Lions should be granted a first round "bye" in perpetuity when the NFL Chase starts every year. It's the least that can be done to atone for all the injustices inflicted upon them in the past.
That said, please excuse me now -- because I have to go.......
LMAO.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Rex Ryan and Jim Schwartz. A comparison
A person must wiser than I once told me, "It's not necessarily what you actually say or do. How your words and actions are perceived by others is what can get you in trouble sometimes". To this day, yours truly believes truer words were never spoken. Which brings me to Detroit Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz and NY Jets' head coach Rex Ryan.
Both are supposedly on the "hot seat" this year for their jobs if their teams don't show a lot of improvement over last year. Is it fair to lump them into the same category? Let's take a closer look.
Both were named the head coaches of their respective teams beginning in 2009. They're entering their fifth year. Similarly, both their starting quarterbacks also came into the league in 2009, and are entering their fifth years as well.
In the Lions' case, that would be Matthew Stafford. Over the last two years, Stafford has passed for about 10,000 yards. Very impressive stuff. However, it should be noted that Stafford had the luxury of having wide receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson on his "go to" list. Johnson set a record for receiving yards himself last year. When in doubt, heave it Calvin's way. Double teams be damned, the Megatron seems to find a way to catch any ball thrown in his zip code area. The man's amazing.
On the other hand, the Jets have had Mark Sanchez as their QB for the same amount of time. Besides not having a Megatron at his disposal, or much else, for that matter, Sanchez himself hasn't exactly shined. Since 2009 when he came into the league, Sanchez is dead last amongst NFL starting QBs in yards per game, touchdown to interception ratio, and overall QB rating. And, of course, there's his infamous, but mostly comical "butt fumble" that still gets replayed from time to time.
Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz is known as a no-nonsense kind of guy. If the man has a sense of humor, he's yet to show it to the public. On the other hand, Rex Ryan can and has yukked it up with the best of them. Wearing a long, curly blond wig to a press conference? Jim Schwartz wouldn't be caught dead in that. For that matter, Ryan used to have long real hair of his own and appeared to have a half barrel of beer tucked under his shirt at belly level. He's since shortened his locks and lost a serious amount of weight. Conversely, Schwartz has always been a slim, trim, crewcut sort. Schwartz's idea of "letting it all hang out" might be watching an old Elvis video while sipping a drink with one those little umbrellas in it. Let's just say he appears to be a bit on the conservative side.
But let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
During the same tenure, Rex Ryan has posted a 35-30 record as head coach of the NY Jets, for a winning % of .538. Not too bad. He's also led his team to 6 playoff games, winning 4. Last year Ryan's boys slipped to a 6-10 record.
In the meantime, Jim Schwartz has posted a 23-42 record as head coach of the Det Lions, for a winning % of .354. That's not only bad -- it's shameful. He has led his team to only 1 playoff game, where they got blown out. Last year Schwartz's boys crashed and burned to a 4-12 record, including losing the last 8 in a row.
So let's see. While having much less talent to work with, Ryan's won a whopping 12 more games than Schwartz during the same short 4-year time frame, been to and won playoff contests -- but somehow he's perceived as a buffoon while Schwartz got more millions of guaranteed money in a contract extension? And they're both on the same hot seat for their jobs?
Wow.
My old friend was right. That perception thing can be rough sometimes.
Either that, or some cities won't settle for less than a winner -- while others have become so used to losing, they consider being merely mediocre a cause for celebration.
Both are supposedly on the "hot seat" this year for their jobs if their teams don't show a lot of improvement over last year. Is it fair to lump them into the same category? Let's take a closer look.
Both were named the head coaches of their respective teams beginning in 2009. They're entering their fifth year. Similarly, both their starting quarterbacks also came into the league in 2009, and are entering their fifth years as well.
In the Lions' case, that would be Matthew Stafford. Over the last two years, Stafford has passed for about 10,000 yards. Very impressive stuff. However, it should be noted that Stafford had the luxury of having wide receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson on his "go to" list. Johnson set a record for receiving yards himself last year. When in doubt, heave it Calvin's way. Double teams be damned, the Megatron seems to find a way to catch any ball thrown in his zip code area. The man's amazing.
On the other hand, the Jets have had Mark Sanchez as their QB for the same amount of time. Besides not having a Megatron at his disposal, or much else, for that matter, Sanchez himself hasn't exactly shined. Since 2009 when he came into the league, Sanchez is dead last amongst NFL starting QBs in yards per game, touchdown to interception ratio, and overall QB rating. And, of course, there's his infamous, but mostly comical "butt fumble" that still gets replayed from time to time.
Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz is known as a no-nonsense kind of guy. If the man has a sense of humor, he's yet to show it to the public. On the other hand, Rex Ryan can and has yukked it up with the best of them. Wearing a long, curly blond wig to a press conference? Jim Schwartz wouldn't be caught dead in that. For that matter, Ryan used to have long real hair of his own and appeared to have a half barrel of beer tucked under his shirt at belly level. He's since shortened his locks and lost a serious amount of weight. Conversely, Schwartz has always been a slim, trim, crewcut sort. Schwartz's idea of "letting it all hang out" might be watching an old Elvis video while sipping a drink with one those little umbrellas in it. Let's just say he appears to be a bit on the conservative side.
But let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
During the same tenure, Rex Ryan has posted a 35-30 record as head coach of the NY Jets, for a winning % of .538. Not too bad. He's also led his team to 6 playoff games, winning 4. Last year Ryan's boys slipped to a 6-10 record.
In the meantime, Jim Schwartz has posted a 23-42 record as head coach of the Det Lions, for a winning % of .354. That's not only bad -- it's shameful. He has led his team to only 1 playoff game, where they got blown out. Last year Schwartz's boys crashed and burned to a 4-12 record, including losing the last 8 in a row.
So let's see. While having much less talent to work with, Ryan's won a whopping 12 more games than Schwartz during the same short 4-year time frame, been to and won playoff contests -- but somehow he's perceived as a buffoon while Schwartz got more millions of guaranteed money in a contract extension? And they're both on the same hot seat for their jobs?
Wow.
My old friend was right. That perception thing can be rough sometimes.
Either that, or some cities won't settle for less than a winner -- while others have become so used to losing, they consider being merely mediocre a cause for celebration.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Rafael, Serena, and..... Tiger?
Rafael Nadal recently won the men's US Tennis Open for his 13th major title. At 27 years of age, the Spaniard is only one major title behind retired Pete Sampras' second place career mark of 14. Of course, the still very much active Roger Federer rules the all-time roost with 17 to his credit. Federer might even add to his total, but it's more likely he won't. That's because Father Time seems to accelerate in professional tennis. At 32, Federer is still a young man, but by tennis standards -- he's getting up there.
At 27, after having fully recovered from a lingering leg injury, Nadal appears to be as formidable as ever. The way he blistered #1 ranked Novak Djokovic in the US Open final match was almost jaw-dropping. Barring another injury, or perhaps a premature retirement, it's quite possible, maybe even probable that Nadal will set the all time record.
Of course, the same thing was said about Tiger Woods a few years back. Like tennis, golf has it's own 4 majors every year. There was a time not that long ago in pro golf when there was Tiger -- and the also-rans. He was just that good. It wasn't unusual for people betting on any given tournament, particularly a major, to take Tiger over the rest of the entire field. In hindsight, that showed just how dominant he was. There have certainly been "dynasties" in the world of sports over the years, but betting on one team or player versus the rest of the entire field seems to be a plateau of superiority only Eldrick Woods has attained.
Back in the day, when Woods was winning everything in sight, it was almost a given he would easily surpass Jack Nicklaus' all-time record of 18 major titles. He zoomed up to 14, and then.... the wheels seemed to fall off. Whether it was his personal life imploding, various injuries, new clubs, new caddy, new swing coach, and even re-inventing his swing itself -- it doesn't matter. Tiger hasn't won a major in the last 5 years, and he's not getting any younger. Indeed, Woods is 37 now. My, how time flies.
Then again, Father Time slows things down in golf, as compared to tennis. Woods could very well be a major force to be reckoned with for several more years to come -- but like Federer -- as time marches on -- the odds against him keep getting longer. Those other young hot-shot kids that keep sprouting up like dandelions in the spring the world over aren't going away. Worse yet, besides bringing some "serious game" themselves, they don't fear guys like Roger or Eldrick anymore, because they know the once seemingly invincible are now beatable. Confidence is a factor in sports contests. If an "underdog" thinks he/she/they can win, then they'll play that much harder to pull it off. And sometimes they do. Then -- with a win under their belts, they get even more confident. This does not bode well for the established "super-stars" in golf and tennis. The "kids" are getting bigger, stronger, faster, better, and more confident, while the old-guard likely hear a tick-tick-tick somewhere in the recesses of their minds. Like they once stormed onto the scene to run the previous generation of greats into the past tense, it's only a matter of time before it happens to them as well.
So will Tiger ever catch or surpass Jack's major record? Yours truly thinks not. Too much really good competition each time, and it only takes one to get hot for Woods to be denied another major title.
Seems like I forgot something here. Oh yeah. Serena, in the title above. Like Rafael Nadal, Ms. Williams also won the US Tennis Open. This is her 17th major title. Like Roger, Serena will be 32 in a couple weeks. Though her sister is only a year older, Venus seems to have succumbed to Father Time's relentless march. Yes, she's still a very good player, but being a serious threat to capture another major title doesn't appear likely in Venus' future. Of late, she's lucky to get to the quarter-finals, let alone win. It's not gonna happen. Those pesky kids have zoomed past her.
But Serena continues to defy the clock. At the "ripe old age" of 32, she's obviously still the best lady tennis player in the world. She's got as many major titles under her belt as Roger Federer and appears as formidable as ever. How long she can continue at that level of play remains to be seen. Another year? 2? 3? If she gets to be an old geezer of 35 and is still dominating the tennis world, forget about drug testing. Have her checked out for bionics.
Either way, chances are Serena's not going to set the all-time record for major ladies' titles. That is held by Margaret Court, with a total of 24. Serena would need two a year, quite a feat in itself, for the next 4 years to pass the Aussie.
And in tennis, at her age, 4 years is a very long time.
Don't think it's gonna happen.
At 27, after having fully recovered from a lingering leg injury, Nadal appears to be as formidable as ever. The way he blistered #1 ranked Novak Djokovic in the US Open final match was almost jaw-dropping. Barring another injury, or perhaps a premature retirement, it's quite possible, maybe even probable that Nadal will set the all time record.
Of course, the same thing was said about Tiger Woods a few years back. Like tennis, golf has it's own 4 majors every year. There was a time not that long ago in pro golf when there was Tiger -- and the also-rans. He was just that good. It wasn't unusual for people betting on any given tournament, particularly a major, to take Tiger over the rest of the entire field. In hindsight, that showed just how dominant he was. There have certainly been "dynasties" in the world of sports over the years, but betting on one team or player versus the rest of the entire field seems to be a plateau of superiority only Eldrick Woods has attained.
Back in the day, when Woods was winning everything in sight, it was almost a given he would easily surpass Jack Nicklaus' all-time record of 18 major titles. He zoomed up to 14, and then.... the wheels seemed to fall off. Whether it was his personal life imploding, various injuries, new clubs, new caddy, new swing coach, and even re-inventing his swing itself -- it doesn't matter. Tiger hasn't won a major in the last 5 years, and he's not getting any younger. Indeed, Woods is 37 now. My, how time flies.
Then again, Father Time slows things down in golf, as compared to tennis. Woods could very well be a major force to be reckoned with for several more years to come -- but like Federer -- as time marches on -- the odds against him keep getting longer. Those other young hot-shot kids that keep sprouting up like dandelions in the spring the world over aren't going away. Worse yet, besides bringing some "serious game" themselves, they don't fear guys like Roger or Eldrick anymore, because they know the once seemingly invincible are now beatable. Confidence is a factor in sports contests. If an "underdog" thinks he/she/they can win, then they'll play that much harder to pull it off. And sometimes they do. Then -- with a win under their belts, they get even more confident. This does not bode well for the established "super-stars" in golf and tennis. The "kids" are getting bigger, stronger, faster, better, and more confident, while the old-guard likely hear a tick-tick-tick somewhere in the recesses of their minds. Like they once stormed onto the scene to run the previous generation of greats into the past tense, it's only a matter of time before it happens to them as well.
So will Tiger ever catch or surpass Jack's major record? Yours truly thinks not. Too much really good competition each time, and it only takes one to get hot for Woods to be denied another major title.
Seems like I forgot something here. Oh yeah. Serena, in the title above. Like Rafael Nadal, Ms. Williams also won the US Tennis Open. This is her 17th major title. Like Roger, Serena will be 32 in a couple weeks. Though her sister is only a year older, Venus seems to have succumbed to Father Time's relentless march. Yes, she's still a very good player, but being a serious threat to capture another major title doesn't appear likely in Venus' future. Of late, she's lucky to get to the quarter-finals, let alone win. It's not gonna happen. Those pesky kids have zoomed past her.
But Serena continues to defy the clock. At the "ripe old age" of 32, she's obviously still the best lady tennis player in the world. She's got as many major titles under her belt as Roger Federer and appears as formidable as ever. How long she can continue at that level of play remains to be seen. Another year? 2? 3? If she gets to be an old geezer of 35 and is still dominating the tennis world, forget about drug testing. Have her checked out for bionics.
Either way, chances are Serena's not going to set the all-time record for major ladies' titles. That is held by Margaret Court, with a total of 24. Serena would need two a year, quite a feat in itself, for the next 4 years to pass the Aussie.
And in tennis, at her age, 4 years is a very long time.
Don't think it's gonna happen.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Ndamukong Suh and his future
Answer to previous trivia question -- The song was "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck quartet. Tonight some dude named Colby won. He's really smart, but comes across as a little cheesy to me for some reason. Sorry. On to Ndamukong Suh.
Though the Detroit Lions won their opener against the Minnesota Vikings, Suh again finds himself being held up as a bad example on the airwaves. This was for a needless low block against one of the Vikings far behind a play. (Actually, his team scored a touchdown on the play, but it was called back because of Suh's personal foul). Another entry on his growing NFL rap sheet. It's like the man just can't keep from doing something dirty for very long.
In this case, he threw his body into the knees of an offensive lineman. Worst case scenario? Maybe knee surgery, out for the year, or worse yet, the end of a career. Didn't happen, but easily could have.
Suh is best known for his infamous "stomp" on another offensive lineman's arm. Worse case scenario there was probably torn tendons or maybe a compound fracture. Thankfully, that didn't happen either -- but it could have.
Suh's not so glorious resume includes a leg whip into the groin of an opposing quarterback, and smashing another QB's head into the turf.
The scariest incident of all was Suh apparently trying to wring the neck of yet another opposing QB before throwing him to the ground. It was gruesome to watch, and think how it might have played out.....
If he'd snapped that QB's neck, which appeared to be his intention, that guy would have been dead before he hit the ground. And then what would have happened? Besides the obvious horror story it would have been -- lifetime banishment from the NFL would have been the least of Suh's worries. It's entirely possible a prosecutor could have jumped in and Suh might have shortly found himself behind bars for a very long time -- if not life. Thankfully, that didn't happen either -- but it easily could have.
For his latest infraction, Suh just got hit with a $100,000 fine by the NFL. And that's a joke. The man's making around $12,000,000 this year playing for the Lions. That fine is chump change to him. Put another way -- if one was to have an "average" job making about $40,000 a year, it would equate to a fine of about $300. A nuisance, but hardly a game changer -- no pun intended.
In real life, Suh would be considered an "habitual felon" and the book would be thrown at him. But he continues to get away with slaps on the wrist for his wanton disregard and/or scorn for the well-being and livelihoods of his NFL brethren.
Yes, the NFL is a violent game by it's very nature, but it's like Suh goes out of his way to intentionally wreak havoc and inflict serious bodily harm.
And don't think it's gone unnoticed. To be sure, his fellow players have repeatedly voted him the dirtiest player in the league. They know -- all to well.
Perhaps former player, coach, and current analyst Herman Edwards summed it up best. The coaches can only do so much when it comes to such a player. They can tell him the dos and don'ts, but if someone like Suh doesn't heed their advice, there's not much more they can do -- other than cut him from the team -- and that doesn't seem likely given Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz appears to be a bit of a loose cannon himself, perhaps even tacitly condoning such behavior.
But as Edwards wisely stated -- the other players around the league know. They can fix this problem if they choose to do so.
So don't be surprised if somewhere in the near future, some other NFL team is watching film of the Lions as their upcoming opponents, and are shown replays of all Suh's dirty and dangerous plays over the years. It's also entirely possible a red laser dot will repeatedly point out Suh on the video screen in such a meeting, and the players, either by a coaching directive or amongst themselves, decide to take him "out".
What would happen then? The player(s) responsible would likely get fined and/or suspended for such a dirty tactic. No doubt the fans in Detroit would scream foul.
But you know what? I suspect the rest of the league, from the players on up to Roger Goodell, and the vast majority of fans outside Detroit would nod their approval. He's had it coming -- for a long time.
And maybe, just maybe, when Suh woke up in a recovery room somewhere after major surgery facing months of rehab, a little light in his head would finally come on telling him to change his ways. That's assuming he even has one -- not a given.
One way or the other, unless something changes, it's only a matter of time before this winds up getting very ugly for somebody somewhere.
Though the Detroit Lions won their opener against the Minnesota Vikings, Suh again finds himself being held up as a bad example on the airwaves. This was for a needless low block against one of the Vikings far behind a play. (Actually, his team scored a touchdown on the play, but it was called back because of Suh's personal foul). Another entry on his growing NFL rap sheet. It's like the man just can't keep from doing something dirty for very long.
In this case, he threw his body into the knees of an offensive lineman. Worst case scenario? Maybe knee surgery, out for the year, or worse yet, the end of a career. Didn't happen, but easily could have.
Suh is best known for his infamous "stomp" on another offensive lineman's arm. Worse case scenario there was probably torn tendons or maybe a compound fracture. Thankfully, that didn't happen either -- but it could have.
Suh's not so glorious resume includes a leg whip into the groin of an opposing quarterback, and smashing another QB's head into the turf.
The scariest incident of all was Suh apparently trying to wring the neck of yet another opposing QB before throwing him to the ground. It was gruesome to watch, and think how it might have played out.....
If he'd snapped that QB's neck, which appeared to be his intention, that guy would have been dead before he hit the ground. And then what would have happened? Besides the obvious horror story it would have been -- lifetime banishment from the NFL would have been the least of Suh's worries. It's entirely possible a prosecutor could have jumped in and Suh might have shortly found himself behind bars for a very long time -- if not life. Thankfully, that didn't happen either -- but it easily could have.
For his latest infraction, Suh just got hit with a $100,000 fine by the NFL. And that's a joke. The man's making around $12,000,000 this year playing for the Lions. That fine is chump change to him. Put another way -- if one was to have an "average" job making about $40,000 a year, it would equate to a fine of about $300. A nuisance, but hardly a game changer -- no pun intended.
In real life, Suh would be considered an "habitual felon" and the book would be thrown at him. But he continues to get away with slaps on the wrist for his wanton disregard and/or scorn for the well-being and livelihoods of his NFL brethren.
Yes, the NFL is a violent game by it's very nature, but it's like Suh goes out of his way to intentionally wreak havoc and inflict serious bodily harm.
And don't think it's gone unnoticed. To be sure, his fellow players have repeatedly voted him the dirtiest player in the league. They know -- all to well.
Perhaps former player, coach, and current analyst Herman Edwards summed it up best. The coaches can only do so much when it comes to such a player. They can tell him the dos and don'ts, but if someone like Suh doesn't heed their advice, there's not much more they can do -- other than cut him from the team -- and that doesn't seem likely given Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz appears to be a bit of a loose cannon himself, perhaps even tacitly condoning such behavior.
But as Edwards wisely stated -- the other players around the league know. They can fix this problem if they choose to do so.
So don't be surprised if somewhere in the near future, some other NFL team is watching film of the Lions as their upcoming opponents, and are shown replays of all Suh's dirty and dangerous plays over the years. It's also entirely possible a red laser dot will repeatedly point out Suh on the video screen in such a meeting, and the players, either by a coaching directive or amongst themselves, decide to take him "out".
What would happen then? The player(s) responsible would likely get fined and/or suspended for such a dirty tactic. No doubt the fans in Detroit would scream foul.
But you know what? I suspect the rest of the league, from the players on up to Roger Goodell, and the vast majority of fans outside Detroit would nod their approval. He's had it coming -- for a long time.
And maybe, just maybe, when Suh woke up in a recovery room somewhere after major surgery facing months of rehab, a little light in his head would finally come on telling him to change his ways. That's assuming he even has one -- not a given.
One way or the other, unless something changes, it's only a matter of time before this winds up getting very ugly for somebody somewhere.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday Night Football and Jeopardy
I admit it. I'm a football junkie, especially the NFL variety. For the next few months -- right up until the Super Bowl is over -- I'll be in hog heaven.
It used to be the NFL only played its game on Sundays. Then somewhere along the line the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys ushered in once a year games on Thanksgiving. Also, Monday Night Football came about back in the 70's, I think. Now a weekly Thursday NFL game is routine. Once in a while, even a Saturday night game will pop up.
I don't know who's responsible for expanding play to different days of the week -- but whoever it is -- I have one thing to say to them. I LOVE you, man. A hot date? I'll blow it off if the game is a really good one. Dates come and go like buses. One need not fret too much if they missed out on one. Another will be coming along in due time. But the NFL? That has a way of getting into a man's soul. I fell and broke my arm a few years ago, it quickly turned black and blue, swelled up, and hurt like hell. Obviously, it needed to be reset and casted. But a good game was on. The arm could wait until it was over. Probably not the smartest of decisions, but dammit, I WANTED to see that game.
So yes, it could fairly be said yours truly is a big time NFL fan. For that matter, Monday Night Football was featuring a double-header tonight. The Eagle and the Skins, followed by the Texans/Chargers. It would take somebody or something really special to drag me away from that.
But it happened earlier tonight.
The game show Jeopardy! was not only on, but it was their Tournament of Champions. I've been a fan of Jeopardy! since before I could even spell NFL. The T of C on Jeopardy! is kinda like the NFL playoffs. The cream has risen to the top over a full year, and now it's time for the best to start eliminating each other. In the end, only one can be champion. This came under the heading of the "special" category mentioned above, no pun intended.
So I had to put Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III on hold while tuning into Alex Trebek.
Hey. Everybody has their "red lines". That's certainly been in the news lately. But some of us aren't so wishy-washy about it.
I love the NFL.
But Jeopardy! still rules.
Just for kicks -- the Final Jeopardy category was "Classic Jazz Songs". The answer was --
The title of this instrumental is a synonym for "time out", the album on which it first appeared.
So do you know the question?
I didn't. All 3 contestants did. Guess that's why they're on the T of C and I'm not. Sigh.
On a personal note -- maybe it will Rain later. I'd like that.
Back to the games.
It used to be the NFL only played its game on Sundays. Then somewhere along the line the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys ushered in once a year games on Thanksgiving. Also, Monday Night Football came about back in the 70's, I think. Now a weekly Thursday NFL game is routine. Once in a while, even a Saturday night game will pop up.
I don't know who's responsible for expanding play to different days of the week -- but whoever it is -- I have one thing to say to them. I LOVE you, man. A hot date? I'll blow it off if the game is a really good one. Dates come and go like buses. One need not fret too much if they missed out on one. Another will be coming along in due time. But the NFL? That has a way of getting into a man's soul. I fell and broke my arm a few years ago, it quickly turned black and blue, swelled up, and hurt like hell. Obviously, it needed to be reset and casted. But a good game was on. The arm could wait until it was over. Probably not the smartest of decisions, but dammit, I WANTED to see that game.
So yes, it could fairly be said yours truly is a big time NFL fan. For that matter, Monday Night Football was featuring a double-header tonight. The Eagle and the Skins, followed by the Texans/Chargers. It would take somebody or something really special to drag me away from that.
But it happened earlier tonight.
The game show Jeopardy! was not only on, but it was their Tournament of Champions. I've been a fan of Jeopardy! since before I could even spell NFL. The T of C on Jeopardy! is kinda like the NFL playoffs. The cream has risen to the top over a full year, and now it's time for the best to start eliminating each other. In the end, only one can be champion. This came under the heading of the "special" category mentioned above, no pun intended.
So I had to put Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III on hold while tuning into Alex Trebek.
Hey. Everybody has their "red lines". That's certainly been in the news lately. But some of us aren't so wishy-washy about it.
I love the NFL.
But Jeopardy! still rules.
Just for kicks -- the Final Jeopardy category was "Classic Jazz Songs". The answer was --
The title of this instrumental is a synonym for "time out", the album on which it first appeared.
So do you know the question?
I didn't. All 3 contestants did. Guess that's why they're on the T of C and I'm not. Sigh.
On a personal note -- maybe it will Rain later. I'd like that.
Back to the games.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Greatest college football rivalries
It's highly debatable which is the greatest college football rivalry. Depending on what part of the country one hails from, hence which team or teams one roots for, opinions are likely to be vastly different.
Last night yours truly watched some of the Michigan -- Notre Dame game. Michigan prevailed with a 41-30 victory. Thing is -- the announcers trumpeted this match up as the greatest college football rivalry. Certainly this series goes back a long ways -- with no love lost on either side for the other all the while. But calling it the best rivalry of them all seems to be quite a stretch.
Then again, we have to remember these were TV announcers spouting their usual hype. They and their kin will say the same thing about other games when they occur later. Like....
The same Notre Dame and USC.
The same Michigan and Ohio State.
Alabama/Auburn.
Nebraska/Oklahoma.
The triad of Florida, Florida State and Miami.
For that matter, besides a few others, we can throw in Army/Navy and Harvard/Yale. Those series' go WAY back in history, and to their students, fans and alumni, there's no more important game every year. To paint with a broad brush and call any particular match up the greatest rivalry of them all would seem to be foolish indeed. It all depends on who's rooting for who. Always has and always will.
For the purpose of this article, let's zero in on the above-mentioned Michigan and Notre Dame. First things first. For my own reasons, I've never been a fan of Notre Dame. Good grief, even their name, the Fighting Irish, has never made sense. The real Notre Dame is a cathedral in France. Then again, being called the Fighting French might not have the same pizzazz as the Fighting Irish. But it's still wrong. Nevertheless, to their credit, Notre Dame went all the way to the national championship game last year, before being defeated by an obviously superior Alabama team.
On the other hand, Michigan appears to be one of those either you love them or you hate them schools. Granted, they likely have as big and far reaching a fan base as any other school, but the down side is likely their own fault. Over the years, UM has been perceived by many as being arrogant. Some sort of "blue-blooded" (pun intended) aristocrats that think they're better than everybody else.
Head football coach Brady Hoke hasn't helped that sort of perception any. After being hired on to turn around the disastrous rein of former coach Rich Rodriguez, it didn't take him long to start dishing out the trash talk. Hoke raised more than a few eyebrows when he referred to Michigan's age-old football arch-rival Ohio State as merely Ohio. Yes, Hoke and his Wolverines would defeat the Buckeyes in his first year at the helm -- but Ohio State's program was in total upheaval at the time following a scandal that had rocked the football team, the departure of many star players, and sanctions on the university. Last year, under new coach Urban Meyer, though going undefeated, obviously including beating Michigan, OSU was ineligible for a bowl game. Had they been, it's entirely possible they would have faced Alabama instead of Notre Dame for all the marbles. While OSU went 12-0 last year, UM went 8-5. But that's hindsight.
What is very current is Hoke's continued disdain for some of his school's major rivals. Perhaps it's by design, or perhaps he just doesn't know any better, but either way it's feeding once again into the "arrogance" factor -- and that's not good.
Calling Notre Dame "chickens" for cancelling a couple future games with UM is myopic. Notre Dame recently joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for other athletics, but remained an independent in football. But it's more complicated than Brady Hoke seems to know. As a condition of joining the ACC, Notre Dame has to play 5 ACC football opponents every year. Their remaining schedule, as an independent, becomes a numbers game. Only so many to go around. Somebody's gotta go. One of the "cuts" was Michigan and Hoke didn't like it. He might want to rethink his position. If the Michigan game was THAT important to Notre Dame, they would have kept them on their schedule and made cuts elsewhere. But they didn't. One might logically ask -- who needs this match up more? They might further ask -- who indeed is looking down their nose at who?
Despite being a "Michigan man", Brady Hoke might we well advised to stop disrespecting that "Ohio" school in Columbus. Last time I looked, the Buckeyes were ranked #2 in the country, behind only Alabama, and their head coach Urban Meyer doesn't talk a lot of trash. He just wins, wherever he goes, including national championships on his resume.
Brady can do the Hokey-Pokey if he wants. You put your left foot in, you take your left foot out, etc, etc. But if he keeps up with the arrogance, yours truly suspects he's going to wind up with both feet in his mouth -- especially if he keeps taunting Urban Meyer and his formidable Buckeye team.
Hoke's better than Rodriguez, but Urban Meyer he ain't. "Ohio" will be coming to Ann Arbor in November.
We'll see about that.
Last night yours truly watched some of the Michigan -- Notre Dame game. Michigan prevailed with a 41-30 victory. Thing is -- the announcers trumpeted this match up as the greatest college football rivalry. Certainly this series goes back a long ways -- with no love lost on either side for the other all the while. But calling it the best rivalry of them all seems to be quite a stretch.
Then again, we have to remember these were TV announcers spouting their usual hype. They and their kin will say the same thing about other games when they occur later. Like....
The same Notre Dame and USC.
The same Michigan and Ohio State.
Alabama/Auburn.
Nebraska/Oklahoma.
The triad of Florida, Florida State and Miami.
For that matter, besides a few others, we can throw in Army/Navy and Harvard/Yale. Those series' go WAY back in history, and to their students, fans and alumni, there's no more important game every year. To paint with a broad brush and call any particular match up the greatest rivalry of them all would seem to be foolish indeed. It all depends on who's rooting for who. Always has and always will.
For the purpose of this article, let's zero in on the above-mentioned Michigan and Notre Dame. First things first. For my own reasons, I've never been a fan of Notre Dame. Good grief, even their name, the Fighting Irish, has never made sense. The real Notre Dame is a cathedral in France. Then again, being called the Fighting French might not have the same pizzazz as the Fighting Irish. But it's still wrong. Nevertheless, to their credit, Notre Dame went all the way to the national championship game last year, before being defeated by an obviously superior Alabama team.
On the other hand, Michigan appears to be one of those either you love them or you hate them schools. Granted, they likely have as big and far reaching a fan base as any other school, but the down side is likely their own fault. Over the years, UM has been perceived by many as being arrogant. Some sort of "blue-blooded" (pun intended) aristocrats that think they're better than everybody else.
Head football coach Brady Hoke hasn't helped that sort of perception any. After being hired on to turn around the disastrous rein of former coach Rich Rodriguez, it didn't take him long to start dishing out the trash talk. Hoke raised more than a few eyebrows when he referred to Michigan's age-old football arch-rival Ohio State as merely Ohio. Yes, Hoke and his Wolverines would defeat the Buckeyes in his first year at the helm -- but Ohio State's program was in total upheaval at the time following a scandal that had rocked the football team, the departure of many star players, and sanctions on the university. Last year, under new coach Urban Meyer, though going undefeated, obviously including beating Michigan, OSU was ineligible for a bowl game. Had they been, it's entirely possible they would have faced Alabama instead of Notre Dame for all the marbles. While OSU went 12-0 last year, UM went 8-5. But that's hindsight.
What is very current is Hoke's continued disdain for some of his school's major rivals. Perhaps it's by design, or perhaps he just doesn't know any better, but either way it's feeding once again into the "arrogance" factor -- and that's not good.
Calling Notre Dame "chickens" for cancelling a couple future games with UM is myopic. Notre Dame recently joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for other athletics, but remained an independent in football. But it's more complicated than Brady Hoke seems to know. As a condition of joining the ACC, Notre Dame has to play 5 ACC football opponents every year. Their remaining schedule, as an independent, becomes a numbers game. Only so many to go around. Somebody's gotta go. One of the "cuts" was Michigan and Hoke didn't like it. He might want to rethink his position. If the Michigan game was THAT important to Notre Dame, they would have kept them on their schedule and made cuts elsewhere. But they didn't. One might logically ask -- who needs this match up more? They might further ask -- who indeed is looking down their nose at who?
Despite being a "Michigan man", Brady Hoke might we well advised to stop disrespecting that "Ohio" school in Columbus. Last time I looked, the Buckeyes were ranked #2 in the country, behind only Alabama, and their head coach Urban Meyer doesn't talk a lot of trash. He just wins, wherever he goes, including national championships on his resume.
Brady can do the Hokey-Pokey if he wants. You put your left foot in, you take your left foot out, etc, etc. But if he keeps up with the arrogance, yours truly suspects he's going to wind up with both feet in his mouth -- especially if he keeps taunting Urban Meyer and his formidable Buckeye team.
Hoke's better than Rodriguez, but Urban Meyer he ain't. "Ohio" will be coming to Ann Arbor in November.
We'll see about that.
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