I'm The Rabbi, editor of On The Sportslines, welcome to your Week 11 Football Recap.
OK, I know you're sick of it, and I am too. So here my friends is the last definitive word on the Patriots 4th and 2-gate you've been hearing all week in their loss to the Colts. Was the decision stupid? Of course it was! No team in it's right mind would go for it unless they had the cockiness of Bill Bellicheck. But PLEASE remember two things:
1. That drive was doomed from the beginning when Bill had to take a timeout so NE wouldn't be called for too many men on the field. Seriously Bill, couldn't you have been more careful or had just taken the penalty so you had the timeout in your back pocket?
2. New England called timeout before the 4th and 2 play and Indy called timeout to make sure they kept the 2 minute warning. I think Indy outsmarted New England more than New England outsmarted themselves on that final drive.
Now the numbers said that New England had a better chance of going for it than they did in punting. All I got to say is this...ARE THEY NUTS? Since when did numbers mean the world in football. We all saw how World Series manager Joe Girardi got killed for that in the ALCS in baseball cause he took out a hot reliever for a better matchup. Maybe the media wants to see the good in the dumb decision Old billy made. Which leads us to this....
TEN THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND IN FOOTBALL- THE GOOD/BAD EDITION...OR IS IT THE BAD/GOOD EDITION?
1. Good: Playoff games for all BCS Conferences.
For those who like playoffs, listen up. By virtue of their 44-41 OT win against Arizona Saturday night, Oregon will now host Oregon St a week from Thursday with a Rose Bowl bid on the line to the winner. Add that to what we will see December 5th when Pitt hosts Cincinnatti for a BCS auto bid plus what the Big 10 had 9 days ago when Ohio St and Iowa played for the Rose Bowl. Yup, all 6 BCS conferences, one way or another have conference title games this year. The bad: the Big 10, Pac 10, and Big East couldn't get their "title" games sponsored. Oh well.
2. Bad: Possible blowouts in 2 conference title games.
In the ACC, Georgia Tech will face Clemson. Tech hasn't lost a single game since they lost in September at Miami. Clemson hasn't lost in their last 6. In the Big 12, Texas will be an overwhelming favorite versus Nebraska. 7 out of 9 times this decade the Big 12 title game has been decided by 2 TD's or more, with the favorite winning all but once (good for Texas). However the good is that both the Huskers and the Tigers have nothing to lose, so expect them to go down...with a fight. Good: As for that "other" Title game in the SEC, we will preview that on its own next week, along with a requiem for Mr. Charlie Weis.
3. Good: San Diego looks like a Super Bowl team.
Since losing week 6 to Denver, the San Diego Chargers looked like a much different team. 5 straight has brought them up to 7-3 after a 32-3 win yesterday over Denver, and now this team is in a great position to get the 2 seed in conference. Ladanian Tomlinson is not dead yet, with another TD yesterday (and how bout fullback Mike Tolbert getting 50+ yards of his own!), Phillip Rivers is one of the steadiest QBs in the league, and all of a sudden the competiton of the Chargers (mainly Denver) has folded like a cheap suit. Bad: Norv will be very paranoid on when the collapse will actually come.
4. Bad: The Cleveland Browns blow a 3 TD lead, go to 1-8.
All thanks to the efforts of one Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions...oh and a big time pass interference call late. Stafford threw for 5 TD's and 422 yards, and thanks to that 5th and final- untimed- last play of the game, the Lions have 2 more wins than their fans expected in 2009. Oh and Stafford has had what is a typical rookie season, 4 games with QB ratings over 74, and 4 games with a QB rating under 60. Good: Cause of what happened at the end, people actually realize the two teams played yesterday.
5. Good: The New York Jets know what type of rookie they have.
Answer: a bad one when he's good he's real good, when he's bad he's real bad. Yesterday's 31-14 loss against the Patriots can go up there with his loss against the Bills for worst game by Mark Sanchez in his 10 game career. He went 8-21 for 136 yards, and esentially gave the Patriots 17 points because of his turnover (the 3rd time you can say he was the most major part in a loss this year, the New Orleans game in Week 4 the other). Mark needs to keep the turnovers down, he's up to 16 now, or an average of other an INT and a half per game. Bad: Especially for Jets fans, Kellen Clemens may get one more start as a Jet QB if this keeps up.
6. Bad: Jay Cutler. Oy.
The Bears starting QB's INT number is 18, with just one that gave the game to the Philadelphia Eagles the win last night 24-20. But it's not just that. Just look at Jay Cutler's numbers: 24-43, 171 yards. Not only is Jay Cutler's not accurate, he's scared and more off than ever. Three times in last night's game, he missed wide open WR's for TD's. I honestly think both Cutler and Sanchez are more harm than good right now and would honestly both deserve a benching. The Eagles played solid, but not 100%, and it still was enough. Good: Next year's #1 dra...oh. Um, the chance that they can still make....help me out here?
7. Good: The Giants are off the schnide.
And you can thank Eli Manning for every bit of it. He passed for 391 yards, through 2 TDs to his primary red zone target Kevin Boss, and had 4 WR's with over 60 yards recieving. In the 34-31 OT win over the Falcons, Eli looked as sharp as he ever did. Take away the 3 game stretch in October (NO-ARI-PHI), and Eli has done a lot to cover his teams non existent running game (only 88 yards, and now Brandon Jacobs is injured) this season. Bad: the defense gave up a 2 TD lead late against a soild passing team. Not good when you have a stretch at DEN and hosting DAL and PHI up. The defense can't do this again.
8. Bad: The Cowboys and the #7 go together well.
That's for the number of points they've scored in the last 2 weeks. However, this time it was good enough for a 7-6 win over the Redskins. While the fact that Tony Romo got it together in the 4th, this time the lack of a rushing game for Washington was as important here. It allowed the Skin offense to be too predictable, and let Romo develop throughout the game. You know what they say, a win is a win is a win. Good: 7 also equals the number of wins for Dallas AND they host the 3 win Raiders next week. Wait, 3 win Raiders? More on that in a moment.
9. Good: Everything is even keel in the AFC North.
That's cause the Steelers and Bengals both lost yesterday. In the 20-17 loss to Oakland for the Bengals The 4th quarter issues for Cincy (giving up 10 points in the quarter and a late fumble in the game) combined with Jamarcuss Russell not screwing it up for Oakland (cant do it when you're on the bench, thank you Bruce Gradkowski), were the difference. Pittsburgh just was in a dogfight in their 30-27 OT loss (see post below for more, courtesy of Mr. Jay Kaplan), morely cause they were down from the get go thanks to the EIGHTH GAME IN A ROW where Pitt let up a special teams TD. Not winning you many games there. Bad: Chances for a 2 seed (thanks to San Diego and Wild Card (thanks to 6-4 Jacksonville) less certain after yesterday.
10. Bad: The Colts Were ugly yesterday.
Let's just get this out of the way now: Good: THEY WON! The Colts 17-15 win over the Ravens yesterday shows that winning ugly is not a bad thing at all. 2 INT's, 1 Fumble? No problem! Not when the competiton was playing down (since the bye the Ravens offense has gone back into a sort of shell). And the defense was playing up (playing the same bend but not break D we've seen for a while now), Along with the Saints wining yesterday,we now enter post Thanksgiving with TWO 10-0 teams, when at this time last season we had none. The toughest challenges might be in the way for both next week, with the Saints hosting that last 16-0 team, the Pats, and the Colts going on the road to play a team they almost lost to at home, the Texans.
See you next sunday night, and happy Turkey Day to all!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
THE FRUSTRATION OF BEING A STEELER FAN
Jay from "On The Sportslines" here. Those of you who know me or regularly watch the show know that I am a DIE-HARD Pittsburgh Steeler fan. What you may not know, unless you too are a Steeler fan, is just how frustrating that can be.
Now I know you're looking at me the same way my boy AP does when I say that. AP is a LOOOOOOOONG suffering Cleveland Browns fan, so he can't fathom that a fan of the team with the most Lombardi trophies would have anything to complain about. As he so often reminds me, "Dude, at least your team WINS."
Yes, the Black and Gold do win. Only the Patriots and Colts have more regular season wins in this decade coming into the season. Only the Patriots have more playoff wins and Super Bowls wins this decade than the Steelers.
When you root for a team that ALWAYS loses, you get numb to it. AP's passion for the Browns is no less than mine for the Steelers, but he's so used them playing badly and losing that his emotional investment isn't what it used to be. A Steeler fan's emotional investment would break the Richter Scale.
Spend a day like I did today (and like I do on a decent portion of the 16 football days that the Steelers play) in a Steeler bar filled from stem to stern with rabid fans in Black and Gold and you might begin to understand.
Yes, the Steelers do win more than they lose, but they NEVER do either the easy way. They don't get blown out nor do they blow their opponents out. In their 6 wins, their average margin of victory is 10.33 points, but most of that has happened in the second half or fourth quarter which means that us fans spend anywhere from 30-45 minutes riding a roller coaster of exhilaration and frustration before we can exhale a HUGE sigh of relief.
In their 4 loses, their average margin of defeat is 3.75 points and in all of them, the Steelers were ahead or had a chance to win but lost in the fourth quarter, thus subjecting their fans to pretty much an ENTIRE game on that same roller coaster before we collectively spew forth a stream of expletive-deleted invective. Today's overtime loss on the road at Kansas City was a prime exhibit.
The Steelers allowed the opening kick-off to be returned for a touchdown (they seem to allow special teams returns for TD's every week). Coaster going down. They followed that with a dominant 17 point second quarter giving them a 10 point lead at the half. Coaster going up. The third quarter was all Chiefs. Outscoring the Steelers 10-0 largely due to a pair of Ben Roethlisberger interceptions. Coaster going down. The high of the go-ahead touchdown was followed by the low of KC once again tying the game with a TD which ultimately sent the game into OT.
The Steelers won the toss and drove down the field, but just as they reached the outer edge of Jeff Reed's FG range, they INEXPLICABLY ran a sweep that lost 2 yards, knocking them out of FG range instead of just running it straight up the middle. They then elected to punt which resulted in a touchback (does ANYONE know how to execute a Coffin Corner punt anymore?). The Steelers then did the other thing they seem to do every week: give up a HUGE pass play that leads to a score. Matt Cassel to Chris Chambers, 61 yards. One chip shot FG later and the Steelers had their second 2-game losing streak of the season.
Every time the Steelers got a big run or pass play; every time they sacked Cassel; every time they stuffed the Chiefs, the bar was in ecstasy. Every time Ben was sacked or threw a pick; every time the Steelers were unable to convert a third down; every time the Chiefs scored, the entire bar was in agony. When it was all over and the Steelers had lost, there was absolute silence. You'd have thought someone had died.
I know, I know, a lot of you reading this will have ABSOLUTELY no sympathy for me and that's fine. But don't tell me that all you long suffering Browns, Jets, Lions and Raiders fans (I know that I'm leaving some others out, my apologies for the oversight and your suffering) wouldn't sell your football souls to go through the whiplash-inducing change-on-a-dime emotional roller coaster that just flat out drains Steeler fans every week - win or lose - especially if it meant you had a better than 50-50 chance to make the playoffs practically every season.
Steelers have done a lot of winning in my lifetime, including all 6 of those Super Bowls. Cheering them on to victory has been joyous as all heaven. It's also been frustrating as all hell.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
ARTISTRY IN INDY
Jay from "On The Sportslines" here. Before I get into this post, I have to give one last congratulatory missive to my BFF (aka "The Other Half of My Brain") and host of our show, Nisa Cirulnick, on her engagement. Congrats Nisa Marie (you too AP)!
Those of you who regularly watch our little television program know that I have - on occasion - invoked William Shakespeare in my closings. Ever wonder what it was like to watch his genius unfold live at the Globe Theatre in London? Or what it must have been like to actually watch Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel; or hear Beethoven's 5th the first time it was ever played?
No? Well, I did as I watched Peyton Manning and Tom Brady Sunday night. There have been other QB's in NFL history who have had great overlapping careers, but few like these two. Set the Super Bowls, MVPs, Pro Bowls and even stats aside (yes, I know, that sounds crazy coming from me) and just simply watch these two play the position.
Both the Patriots and the Colts play what I call "Fast Break Football", a phrase I first coined back when Jim Kelly and the Bills were running roughshod over the NFL back in the '90s with their "K-Gun" offense.
"Fast Break Football" is now referred to as the "Spread Offense" and is run in various forms by practically all football teams, both college and NFL. But I dare anyone to tell me (sorry Mr. Brees) that any QB runs this wide-open, high-flying, 85-yard-TD drives-in-93 seconds offense better than Brady and Manning.
When they go head to head you just know that no matter what the score is at any point in the game, somehow it will come down to whichever one of them has the ball last. These two are an ESPN "Top Plays" segment unto themselves.
Defense is irrelevant in Patriots-Colts games. Defensive Coordinators might as well take the approach to stopping Manning and Brady that opposing NBA coaches took when playing Michael Jordan in his prime: "You can't stop him, you can only HOPE to contain him". Most of the time they couldn't. Just like most of the time no defensive scheme can contain Manning or Brady.
They've had solid running games behind them and no running games behind them. They've done it with no-name WR's and with BIG NAME WR's. It just doesn't matter, Manning and Brady just carve up defenses with the skill and yes, artistry of a master craftsman plying his trade at a level others can only aspire to.
Manning, gesticulating wildly before every play, moving his chess pieces around before the snap with definite method to what seems to be madness. Brady, calm and cool, calling the cadence while looking over the defense, zeroing in on the match-up that will result in a big play.
They both threw for over 300 yards and at least 3 TDs Sunday night - okay, so I couldn't keep the stats COMPLETELY out - and it did come down to who had the ball last (I won't get into Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th down - I'll leave that to the Rabbi). This time Peyton walked away the winner in the latest chapter of this ongoing, Canton-esque duel.
An AFC Championship Game match-up is possible (which sadly will mean that somewhere along the post-season way, my Defending Super Bowl Champion Steelers were knocked out), as the 9-0 Colts and 6-3 Patriots are far and away the class of their respective divisions. AGAIN.
I feel sorry for the NFC Champion. I highly doubt that they will be able to provide the winner of Manning- Brady, 2009 Part Deux (and the rest of us) with the same high drama and QB artistry in the Super Bowl.
Thus I'm hoping that the New Orleans Saints do manage to come marching into Miami on February 7, 2010. Drew Brees is the only other QB who has a chance to match Manning or Brady throw for throw, TD for TD. Patriots-Saints or Colts-Saints could be a very entertaining game, but for this former QB, nothing in the NFL right now tops Patriots-Colts, or more to the point, Brady-Manning.
Artistry, thy name is Quarterback. Quarterback, thy name is Manning or Brady. All others are mere mortals.
Jay from "On The Sportslines" here. Before I get into this post, I have to give one last congratulatory missive to my BFF (aka "The Other Half of My Brain") and host of our show, Nisa Cirulnick, on her engagement. Congrats Nisa Marie (you too AP)!
Those of you who regularly watch our little television program know that I have - on occasion - invoked William Shakespeare in my closings. Ever wonder what it was like to watch his genius unfold live at the Globe Theatre in London? Or what it must have been like to actually watch Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel; or hear Beethoven's 5th the first time it was ever played?
No? Well, I did as I watched Peyton Manning and Tom Brady Sunday night. There have been other QB's in NFL history who have had great overlapping careers, but few like these two. Set the Super Bowls, MVPs, Pro Bowls and even stats aside (yes, I know, that sounds crazy coming from me) and just simply watch these two play the position.
Both the Patriots and the Colts play what I call "Fast Break Football", a phrase I first coined back when Jim Kelly and the Bills were running roughshod over the NFL back in the '90s with their "K-Gun" offense.
"Fast Break Football" is now referred to as the "Spread Offense" and is run in various forms by practically all football teams, both college and NFL. But I dare anyone to tell me (sorry Mr. Brees) that any QB runs this wide-open, high-flying, 85-yard-TD drives-in-93 seconds offense better than Brady and Manning.
When they go head to head you just know that no matter what the score is at any point in the game, somehow it will come down to whichever one of them has the ball last. These two are an ESPN "Top Plays" segment unto themselves.
Defense is irrelevant in Patriots-Colts games. Defensive Coordinators might as well take the approach to stopping Manning and Brady that opposing NBA coaches took when playing Michael Jordan in his prime: "You can't stop him, you can only HOPE to contain him". Most of the time they couldn't. Just like most of the time no defensive scheme can contain Manning or Brady.
They've had solid running games behind them and no running games behind them. They've done it with no-name WR's and with BIG NAME WR's. It just doesn't matter, Manning and Brady just carve up defenses with the skill and yes, artistry of a master craftsman plying his trade at a level others can only aspire to.
Manning, gesticulating wildly before every play, moving his chess pieces around before the snap with definite method to what seems to be madness. Brady, calm and cool, calling the cadence while looking over the defense, zeroing in on the match-up that will result in a big play.
They both threw for over 300 yards and at least 3 TDs Sunday night - okay, so I couldn't keep the stats COMPLETELY out - and it did come down to who had the ball last (I won't get into Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th down - I'll leave that to the Rabbi). This time Peyton walked away the winner in the latest chapter of this ongoing, Canton-esque duel.
An AFC Championship Game match-up is possible (which sadly will mean that somewhere along the post-season way, my Defending Super Bowl Champion Steelers were knocked out), as the 9-0 Colts and 6-3 Patriots are far and away the class of their respective divisions. AGAIN.
I feel sorry for the NFC Champion. I highly doubt that they will be able to provide the winner of Manning- Brady, 2009 Part Deux (and the rest of us) with the same high drama and QB artistry in the Super Bowl.
Thus I'm hoping that the New Orleans Saints do manage to come marching into Miami on February 7, 2010. Drew Brees is the only other QB who has a chance to match Manning or Brady throw for throw, TD for TD. Patriots-Saints or Colts-Saints could be a very entertaining game, but for this former QB, nothing in the NFL right now tops Patriots-Colts, or more to the point, Brady-Manning.
Artistry, thy name is Quarterback. Quarterback, thy name is Manning or Brady. All others are mere mortals.
Monday, November 16, 2009
I'm The Rabbi, welcome to this week's football column. This last weekend (not the weekend that just passed, but the weekend before), I witnessed a very interesting thing that I have never witnessed before. In the span of basically 14 hours, I saw one engagement and heard about another from my friends. The one I saw was late Saturday night at my old college radio stations 50th anniversery celebration. My friend Matt got engaged to his girlfriend of about 3 1/2 years, Kathleen. Then on Sunday, my friend, and the host of On The Sportslines, Nisa Cirulnick got the question popped to her by her boyfriend during a tour of Yankee Stadium, in the dugout of the Stadium.
So that leads us to this special edition of....
10 Things that happened this week in football- The Wedding Edition!
1. The father of the bride- The USC Trojans
Yes! This will be the last freaking time we talk about the USC Trojans in this column until the bowl previews. Why you ask? Cause as of right now, they are irrelevant. Now at the lowest that they've been in the polls in the Pete Carroll era, the Trojans are out of the mix for the Pac 10 Title. The Stanford Cardinal, for the 2nd time in 3 years, went into USC and took the W. This time though, Jim Harbaugh embarassed the Trojans. You're happy for the father of the bride for all they've done, but the father of the bride is still old, is still fading, and is not what they once were. However, going for two at 48-21 is kinda cheap, Harbaugh. Show some respect.
2. The mother of the bride- The Ohio State Buckeyes
Interesting one here. The mother of the bride is getting older, but there's still parts about them you like. Even though, in my opinion, Terrelle Prior has taken a step back this year, the last two weeks for OSU everyone ELSE has stepped up, especially Brandon Saine, who rushed for 100+ yards. Funny thing, in the 6 years that OSU has won at least a share of the Big 10, they never made the Rose Bowl, till now. The more traditional OSU jumps over Iowa, who fought till OT on Sat versus their stronger opponents, and now OSU goes to the Rose Bowl, and hopefully, the great season Iowa had gets AT LEAST rewarded with a Capital One Bowl berth.
3. The Wedding Crasher- The Carolina Panthers
You don't what they're doing there, but they sure are having fun. The Carolina Panthers are having a lot of fun sneaking back into the Wild Card playoff picture at 4-5, beating their division rival Atlanta yesterday, 28-19. Carolina has the weapons to make the run too. Almost 180 yards of rushing from their 2 main backs, DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart. A punishing defense that knocked out Michael Turner and a secondary that destroyed Matt Ryan (57.4 QB Rating). And 2 INT free games from Jake Delhomme! A winning formula which makes a team with a 0-3 start, a playoff contender now.
4. The person you don't want to see when you've drank too much- The Denver Broncos
Look at this from the movie Wedding Crashers and Vince Vaughn's target's character (Isla Fisher's stage five clinger). It looks so good to start (6-0 to begin the season, with wins over Dallas, New England, and San Diego on the road, remember), to this. 6-3, tied for AFC West lead, having to defend that lead next sunday versus San Diego, and oh yeah, CHRIS SIMMS will be your starting QB! As much as you have to give the Washington Redskins some credit (eh, some), when you go from a guy in Kyle Orton who ends up throwing 11/18 for 2 TD's, to a guy who's basically been out of football In Chris Simms, who went 3/13 from 13 yards. I feel like this is a bad way for Denver's freefall to happen this year, and hopefully they don't fall completely from the playoffs.
5. The Wedding Singer- The San Diego Chargers
You're annoyed when you first see them and you think they suck, but go through a little while, get some drinks in ya, and they're awesome! The San Diego Chargers started the season 2-3, with those two wins struggles against Oakland and KC nonetheless. Now, a 4 game winning streak, two significant wins against NFC East boys the Giants and Eagles, and a renewed rushing game (2 TD's from new dad Ladanian Tomlinson), make San Diego significant again. As a huge sidenote, Eagles running back Bryan Westbrook got another concussion after suffering one a few weeks ago, and hopefully Bryan rests for a while so he can recover properly.
6. The guy who looks like he had too much to drink- The New York Jets
Ouch. He had a lot of fun to begin with, but now all of a sudden he's realizing the consequences of his decisions. After a 3-0 start this year, the Jets have gone 1-5 in their last 6. The injuries have mounted up for the J-E-T-S, and all of a sudden, Rex Ryan has described his team's playoff chances as "not very good". Yesterday, against a team with 1 win this year on the road, Jacksonville, the Jets looked overmatched. They took the lead late in the 4th, but thanks to a variety of plays on the last drive, and Jags running back Maurice Jones Drew's 123 yards (and freaking brilliant that when the Jets let MJD go for a TD late, MJD took a knee at the 1!), the Jets have realized they their mouths don't match up with their talent this year in the NFL.
7. The flower girl- The Green Bay Packers
Well, well, well. The Green Bay Packers have grown yesterday before our very eyes. Against a QB who's won 13 straight games in November in Cowboys QB Tony Romo, they made the Boys look silly. Aaron Rogers may have gotten sacked 4 times, but the cute flower girl rose to the occasion and got 5 sacks. The Packers forced 3 turnovers. The Dom Capers defense ALMOST pitched a shutout against one of the league's hottest offenses. While there are still flaws (if Roy Williams didn't fumble, this could have forced Aaron Rogers to win the game, something he can't do right now), we love the flower girl, and hope they grow the next few weeks.
8. The maid of honor- The Cincinnatti Bengals
With the best man being the Minnesota Vikings (thank you for covering your 16.5 point spread and making us bettors look less stupid). But the former Bungles deserve to be the best team with a loss in the NFL. They swept the AFC Title game participants for heaven's sake! They also did it basically yesterday with the M O of their opponents, defense. Lose MVP candidate Cedric Benson after 7 rushes? No problem! Sure they got a lucky INT off a defelection, but Cincy stepped up in their 18-12 win over the Steelers yesterday. Now, can the best men handle prosperity and do their jon the next 3 weeks, by beating Oakland on the road and the Browns and Lions at home the next 3 weeks. Wait, you kidding me? That's their schedule? Jesus.....
9. The groom- The New Orleans Saints
They may not be a gentleman all the time, but when you want them to rise to the occasion, they are the man/team you want to be. Sure, they made a 1 win Rams team look like a million bucks on occasion at points yesterday, but when the offense needed to step up, they did. Whether it be Courtney "don't call me Reggie" Roby's kickodd return to start the second half, or Brees TD in the early part of the 4th, you need a score, the Saints will give it to you. But notice this, prosperity is a tough thing for the Saints. Three straight weeks of double digit lines, they didn't cover. So maybe the Saints are close to an upset.
10. The bride- The Indianapolis Colts
Even though there are moments of trepidation and panic, she/the team is the bride. They are the focus of the room. Peyton Manning's 8th 300 yard game this year (and I hate to say it, but he's my MVP finally this year, and it took me 10 weeks to realize), the Colts defense late actually held up against the vaunted New England Patriots offense, and the ahem, decisions by the other team that the Colts have to see, have kept the Colts undefeated. Quickly on my take on Bill Bellicheck's going for it on 4th in two with 2:06 on their own 28: it was a dumb move. I don't care if you have to give the ball to Peyton Manning on their own 40 with 2:00 to go and two timeouts, it's a better chance to keep a TD away then giving Indy the ball on YOUR OWN 28 with that same situation. Unless you have the hoodspah to think your definitely gonna get the first there, don't do it. You can trust your defense to make a stop late. Bill, you had WAY too much confidence in your offense, and hopefully after this week, your feet are on the ground.
Doubt it? Oh well, at least I used the word hoodspah in a post. Mazel Tov till Week 11 everyone!
So that leads us to this special edition of....
10 Things that happened this week in football- The Wedding Edition!
1. The father of the bride- The USC Trojans
Yes! This will be the last freaking time we talk about the USC Trojans in this column until the bowl previews. Why you ask? Cause as of right now, they are irrelevant. Now at the lowest that they've been in the polls in the Pete Carroll era, the Trojans are out of the mix for the Pac 10 Title. The Stanford Cardinal, for the 2nd time in 3 years, went into USC and took the W. This time though, Jim Harbaugh embarassed the Trojans. You're happy for the father of the bride for all they've done, but the father of the bride is still old, is still fading, and is not what they once were. However, going for two at 48-21 is kinda cheap, Harbaugh. Show some respect.
2. The mother of the bride- The Ohio State Buckeyes
Interesting one here. The mother of the bride is getting older, but there's still parts about them you like. Even though, in my opinion, Terrelle Prior has taken a step back this year, the last two weeks for OSU everyone ELSE has stepped up, especially Brandon Saine, who rushed for 100+ yards. Funny thing, in the 6 years that OSU has won at least a share of the Big 10, they never made the Rose Bowl, till now. The more traditional OSU jumps over Iowa, who fought till OT on Sat versus their stronger opponents, and now OSU goes to the Rose Bowl, and hopefully, the great season Iowa had gets AT LEAST rewarded with a Capital One Bowl berth.
3. The Wedding Crasher- The Carolina Panthers
You don't what they're doing there, but they sure are having fun. The Carolina Panthers are having a lot of fun sneaking back into the Wild Card playoff picture at 4-5, beating their division rival Atlanta yesterday, 28-19. Carolina has the weapons to make the run too. Almost 180 yards of rushing from their 2 main backs, DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart. A punishing defense that knocked out Michael Turner and a secondary that destroyed Matt Ryan (57.4 QB Rating). And 2 INT free games from Jake Delhomme! A winning formula which makes a team with a 0-3 start, a playoff contender now.
4. The person you don't want to see when you've drank too much- The Denver Broncos
Look at this from the movie Wedding Crashers and Vince Vaughn's target's character (Isla Fisher's stage five clinger). It looks so good to start (6-0 to begin the season, with wins over Dallas, New England, and San Diego on the road, remember), to this. 6-3, tied for AFC West lead, having to defend that lead next sunday versus San Diego, and oh yeah, CHRIS SIMMS will be your starting QB! As much as you have to give the Washington Redskins some credit (eh, some), when you go from a guy in Kyle Orton who ends up throwing 11/18 for 2 TD's, to a guy who's basically been out of football In Chris Simms, who went 3/13 from 13 yards. I feel like this is a bad way for Denver's freefall to happen this year, and hopefully they don't fall completely from the playoffs.
5. The Wedding Singer- The San Diego Chargers
You're annoyed when you first see them and you think they suck, but go through a little while, get some drinks in ya, and they're awesome! The San Diego Chargers started the season 2-3, with those two wins struggles against Oakland and KC nonetheless. Now, a 4 game winning streak, two significant wins against NFC East boys the Giants and Eagles, and a renewed rushing game (2 TD's from new dad Ladanian Tomlinson), make San Diego significant again. As a huge sidenote, Eagles running back Bryan Westbrook got another concussion after suffering one a few weeks ago, and hopefully Bryan rests for a while so he can recover properly.
6. The guy who looks like he had too much to drink- The New York Jets
Ouch. He had a lot of fun to begin with, but now all of a sudden he's realizing the consequences of his decisions. After a 3-0 start this year, the Jets have gone 1-5 in their last 6. The injuries have mounted up for the J-E-T-S, and all of a sudden, Rex Ryan has described his team's playoff chances as "not very good". Yesterday, against a team with 1 win this year on the road, Jacksonville, the Jets looked overmatched. They took the lead late in the 4th, but thanks to a variety of plays on the last drive, and Jags running back Maurice Jones Drew's 123 yards (and freaking brilliant that when the Jets let MJD go for a TD late, MJD took a knee at the 1!), the Jets have realized they their mouths don't match up with their talent this year in the NFL.
7. The flower girl- The Green Bay Packers
Well, well, well. The Green Bay Packers have grown yesterday before our very eyes. Against a QB who's won 13 straight games in November in Cowboys QB Tony Romo, they made the Boys look silly. Aaron Rogers may have gotten sacked 4 times, but the cute flower girl rose to the occasion and got 5 sacks. The Packers forced 3 turnovers. The Dom Capers defense ALMOST pitched a shutout against one of the league's hottest offenses. While there are still flaws (if Roy Williams didn't fumble, this could have forced Aaron Rogers to win the game, something he can't do right now), we love the flower girl, and hope they grow the next few weeks.
8. The maid of honor- The Cincinnatti Bengals
With the best man being the Minnesota Vikings (thank you for covering your 16.5 point spread and making us bettors look less stupid). But the former Bungles deserve to be the best team with a loss in the NFL. They swept the AFC Title game participants for heaven's sake! They also did it basically yesterday with the M O of their opponents, defense. Lose MVP candidate Cedric Benson after 7 rushes? No problem! Sure they got a lucky INT off a defelection, but Cincy stepped up in their 18-12 win over the Steelers yesterday. Now, can the best men handle prosperity and do their jon the next 3 weeks, by beating Oakland on the road and the Browns and Lions at home the next 3 weeks. Wait, you kidding me? That's their schedule? Jesus.....
9. The groom- The New Orleans Saints
They may not be a gentleman all the time, but when you want them to rise to the occasion, they are the man/team you want to be. Sure, they made a 1 win Rams team look like a million bucks on occasion at points yesterday, but when the offense needed to step up, they did. Whether it be Courtney "don't call me Reggie" Roby's kickodd return to start the second half, or Brees TD in the early part of the 4th, you need a score, the Saints will give it to you. But notice this, prosperity is a tough thing for the Saints. Three straight weeks of double digit lines, they didn't cover. So maybe the Saints are close to an upset.
10. The bride- The Indianapolis Colts
Even though there are moments of trepidation and panic, she/the team is the bride. They are the focus of the room. Peyton Manning's 8th 300 yard game this year (and I hate to say it, but he's my MVP finally this year, and it took me 10 weeks to realize), the Colts defense late actually held up against the vaunted New England Patriots offense, and the ahem, decisions by the other team that the Colts have to see, have kept the Colts undefeated. Quickly on my take on Bill Bellicheck's going for it on 4th in two with 2:06 on their own 28: it was a dumb move. I don't care if you have to give the ball to Peyton Manning on their own 40 with 2:00 to go and two timeouts, it's a better chance to keep a TD away then giving Indy the ball on YOUR OWN 28 with that same situation. Unless you have the hoodspah to think your definitely gonna get the first there, don't do it. You can trust your defense to make a stop late. Bill, you had WAY too much confidence in your offense, and hopefully after this week, your feet are on the ground.
Doubt it? Oh well, at least I used the word hoodspah in a post. Mazel Tov till Week 11 everyone!
Monday, November 09, 2009
I'm The Rabbi, video editor of "On The Sportslines" and welcome to the midpoint of the NFL season. Yes, now every team has (with the exception of the Texans and Giants), played 8 games in their season (for the record the Texans and Giants have 9 games under their belts). With all of this, we call for a special edition of the football recap of the weekend, so welcome to....
10 THINGS WE LEARNED IN FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND- THE HALF OFF SALE!
1. Half off all Iowa- Big 10 Champion T-Shirts!
The magical season of Iowa's has come to a very very tragic end. OK, so it's not tragic, but when all the magic went out of Iowa with one ankle injury, it does seem very depressing. Even worse though than the 17-10 loss to Northwestern was what happened next. Ohio State won their biggest game in about 3 years, defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. Now, instead of Iowa getting a Big 10 title, even with a loss, Iowa is in a must win situation against OSU this Saturday. No win, no Big 10 title, and all of a sudden the Buckeyes go to the Rose Bowl.
2. Half off all Charlie Weis-National Champion T Shirts!
Yes, for all of those who thought that Charlie Weis would lead Notre Dame back to prominance, here's a dose of reality for ya. After losing 43 straight games to the Fighting Irish, the Navy Midshipmen have now won 2 out of their last 3 in the series, both at South Bend. Charlie Weis' was a star when he first got hired by Notre Dame back in 2005. Now, 35-24 in his 59 games after that, his star is gone. It pretty much seems like coach Weis is a goner by the end of the season.
3. Half off all Kurt Warner Interceptions!
But, they are hard to come by. A week after, a terrifyingly bad performance against Carolina, Kurt Warner turned his 47.8 QB rating a week ago, to 132.9 thanks to a victory against Chicago. Chivago's defense was virtually non existant, letting up 182 yards rushing and 261 yards in the air. It was enough for a standing boovation at Soldier Field. Kurt Warner continues a very strange post super bowl year.
4. Half off all Bucanneer Pirate unis!
That's cause they WON this week wearing their hideous orange uniforms! It's a miracle (doesn't reliving the beginning years supposed to lead to BAD things for the Bucs?). Aaron Rodgers (surprise) got sacked 6 more times. Rogers counterpart (Josh Freeman) outplayed him, throwing as many TD's as Togers threw INT's (3). Now Green Bay falls to 4-4, 3 games back of division leading Minnesota. More and more, it seems like last years NFC champs will also be this years.
5. Half off the Happy Birthday Wildcat Hats!
Yeah, you may not be needing those anymore. No Dolphin rusher rushed over 50 yards against the mighty Patriots in a 27-17 loss. In the 4th quarter, down 7, game on the line, starting at their own 14, the Dolphins got.....1 first down. Ouch. The Dolphins need to find a way to establish Chad Henne a little bit more, and save the Wildcat for those confused teams on defense (for example: J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS). The Dolphins are now at 3-5, a tiebreaker down to the 6-2 Patriots, and may wanna start some fine tuning for 2010.
6. Half off all paper bags (New Orleans area only)
Why do you need those? You're 8-0! A 30-20 win against the Panthers yesterday gives the Saints 2 very important things, 1. A lead over the idle Vikings by a game for the best record in the NFL, and 2. A legit chance at an undefeated season. Don't believe me? They only play1 road team against a winning record the rest of the way (Panthers rematch is in Week 17 and the other 3 road games are the Rams, Bucs, Redskins, only the Falcons are winning recordwise.), and they can beat any team in the NFL. Like it's been said before, it's like watching thr 99 Rams a decade later.
7. Half off all Cincinnati Bungle shirts!
If the Bengals can win next Sunday at Pittsburgh, they will do something I don't even think the most optimistic of people expected: a sweep of both division rivals who made the conference title game 10 months ago. But while a win over the defending champion Steelers would be a big one, look at their win yesterday. Another 100 yard game on the guard from Cedric Benson, he has 2 century mark games against the Revens this season, only the first player in 12 years to do it twice in the same season vs. the Ravens. More impressively, the Ravens destroyed Joe Flacco, keeping him under 200 yards, and made him throw 2 INT's. Ouch.
8. Half off all Colts 17-0 Shirts!
It's only an accompishment of you do it within one season, or don't even lose a playoff game in that span, but it takes talent to pull of 17 straight regular season wins in a row. Indy was down late in the 4th, but a Joesph Addai winning score put them up for good. A Kris Brown missed field goal by the Texans as time expired gave the Indy Colts another reason to go crazy in the regular season. By the way, the 20-17 win by Indy now gives the Colts the 3rd longest regular season winning streak EVER. Okay, so maybe it is an accomplishment.
9. Half off all Giant shoes that say D-Fense on them.
Cause we don't wanna lie. Let's focus on two aspects of the now mediocre Giants this week. One is coaching. Up 3 with 4:25 left on the Chargers 4, the Giants best O-Lineman, Chris Snee gets called for a holding penalty. This sends the Giants back to the 14. Now deciding clock was more important then being UP TWO SCORES, they go for the field goal. They're up 6 and that leads to the steadfast of their medicority, the D. 106 seconds, 80 yards, all leading up to a pass to a pass from Phillip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. The Giant defense was asked to make one stop on the final drive by the Chargers and they FAILED. Now the Chargers regain confidence at 5-3, and the Giants need to regian something as they go into their bye week at a mediocre 5-4, only the second team with a 4 game losing streak after starting 5-0 in NFL history.
10. Half off all Tony Romo sucks in the clutch shirts!
Did you know Tony Romo has won like 11 straight games in December? Yeah, it may no be clutch but I know you're shocked too. Maybe being underestimated in the NFC East helps, cause all of a sudden the Cowboys are red hot after their 20-16 win over the Eagles. Tony Romo threw for 300+ yards (4th time in 8 games this year), and the Boys just made offensive and defensive plays when they had to. Hell, even Roy Williams was happy, he was the boys leading reciever yardage wise Sunday (although Miles Austin's one catch was a more significant contribution sent it went for a TD). The Cowboys stand at 6-2 now with the Packers, Skins, and Raiders coming up, which could mean 8-3 at least.
My favorite team the G-Men, may be on a bye week (hell they've been on a bye month, what's another week?) but I'll keep giving you this column till the end of the year (yay! yay?). See you next Sunday.
10 THINGS WE LEARNED IN FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND- THE HALF OFF SALE!
1. Half off all Iowa- Big 10 Champion T-Shirts!
The magical season of Iowa's has come to a very very tragic end. OK, so it's not tragic, but when all the magic went out of Iowa with one ankle injury, it does seem very depressing. Even worse though than the 17-10 loss to Northwestern was what happened next. Ohio State won their biggest game in about 3 years, defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. Now, instead of Iowa getting a Big 10 title, even with a loss, Iowa is in a must win situation against OSU this Saturday. No win, no Big 10 title, and all of a sudden the Buckeyes go to the Rose Bowl.
2. Half off all Charlie Weis-National Champion T Shirts!
Yes, for all of those who thought that Charlie Weis would lead Notre Dame back to prominance, here's a dose of reality for ya. After losing 43 straight games to the Fighting Irish, the Navy Midshipmen have now won 2 out of their last 3 in the series, both at South Bend. Charlie Weis' was a star when he first got hired by Notre Dame back in 2005. Now, 35-24 in his 59 games after that, his star is gone. It pretty much seems like coach Weis is a goner by the end of the season.
3. Half off all Kurt Warner Interceptions!
But, they are hard to come by. A week after, a terrifyingly bad performance against Carolina, Kurt Warner turned his 47.8 QB rating a week ago, to 132.9 thanks to a victory against Chicago. Chivago's defense was virtually non existant, letting up 182 yards rushing and 261 yards in the air. It was enough for a standing boovation at Soldier Field. Kurt Warner continues a very strange post super bowl year.
4. Half off all Bucanneer Pirate unis!
That's cause they WON this week wearing their hideous orange uniforms! It's a miracle (doesn't reliving the beginning years supposed to lead to BAD things for the Bucs?). Aaron Rodgers (surprise) got sacked 6 more times. Rogers counterpart (Josh Freeman) outplayed him, throwing as many TD's as Togers threw INT's (3). Now Green Bay falls to 4-4, 3 games back of division leading Minnesota. More and more, it seems like last years NFC champs will also be this years.
5. Half off the Happy Birthday Wildcat Hats!
Yeah, you may not be needing those anymore. No Dolphin rusher rushed over 50 yards against the mighty Patriots in a 27-17 loss. In the 4th quarter, down 7, game on the line, starting at their own 14, the Dolphins got.....1 first down. Ouch. The Dolphins need to find a way to establish Chad Henne a little bit more, and save the Wildcat for those confused teams on defense (for example: J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS). The Dolphins are now at 3-5, a tiebreaker down to the 6-2 Patriots, and may wanna start some fine tuning for 2010.
6. Half off all paper bags (New Orleans area only)
Why do you need those? You're 8-0! A 30-20 win against the Panthers yesterday gives the Saints 2 very important things, 1. A lead over the idle Vikings by a game for the best record in the NFL, and 2. A legit chance at an undefeated season. Don't believe me? They only play1 road team against a winning record the rest of the way (Panthers rematch is in Week 17 and the other 3 road games are the Rams, Bucs, Redskins, only the Falcons are winning recordwise.), and they can beat any team in the NFL. Like it's been said before, it's like watching thr 99 Rams a decade later.
7. Half off all Cincinnati Bungle shirts!
If the Bengals can win next Sunday at Pittsburgh, they will do something I don't even think the most optimistic of people expected: a sweep of both division rivals who made the conference title game 10 months ago. But while a win over the defending champion Steelers would be a big one, look at their win yesterday. Another 100 yard game on the guard from Cedric Benson, he has 2 century mark games against the Revens this season, only the first player in 12 years to do it twice in the same season vs. the Ravens. More impressively, the Ravens destroyed Joe Flacco, keeping him under 200 yards, and made him throw 2 INT's. Ouch.
8. Half off all Colts 17-0 Shirts!
It's only an accompishment of you do it within one season, or don't even lose a playoff game in that span, but it takes talent to pull of 17 straight regular season wins in a row. Indy was down late in the 4th, but a Joesph Addai winning score put them up for good. A Kris Brown missed field goal by the Texans as time expired gave the Indy Colts another reason to go crazy in the regular season. By the way, the 20-17 win by Indy now gives the Colts the 3rd longest regular season winning streak EVER. Okay, so maybe it is an accomplishment.
9. Half off all Giant shoes that say D-Fense on them.
Cause we don't wanna lie. Let's focus on two aspects of the now mediocre Giants this week. One is coaching. Up 3 with 4:25 left on the Chargers 4, the Giants best O-Lineman, Chris Snee gets called for a holding penalty. This sends the Giants back to the 14. Now deciding clock was more important then being UP TWO SCORES, they go for the field goal. They're up 6 and that leads to the steadfast of their medicority, the D. 106 seconds, 80 yards, all leading up to a pass to a pass from Phillip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. The Giant defense was asked to make one stop on the final drive by the Chargers and they FAILED. Now the Chargers regain confidence at 5-3, and the Giants need to regian something as they go into their bye week at a mediocre 5-4, only the second team with a 4 game losing streak after starting 5-0 in NFL history.
10. Half off all Tony Romo sucks in the clutch shirts!
Did you know Tony Romo has won like 11 straight games in December? Yeah, it may no be clutch but I know you're shocked too. Maybe being underestimated in the NFC East helps, cause all of a sudden the Cowboys are red hot after their 20-16 win over the Eagles. Tony Romo threw for 300+ yards (4th time in 8 games this year), and the Boys just made offensive and defensive plays when they had to. Hell, even Roy Williams was happy, he was the boys leading reciever yardage wise Sunday (although Miles Austin's one catch was a more significant contribution sent it went for a TD). The Cowboys stand at 6-2 now with the Packers, Skins, and Raiders coming up, which could mean 8-3 at least.
My favorite team the G-Men, may be on a bye week (hell they've been on a bye month, what's another week?) but I'll keep giving you this column till the end of the year (yay! yay?). See you next Sunday.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Sean Roman from "On the Sportslines," here on Boxing.
Dawson v. Johnson II
Chad Dawson added another victory to his undefeated record on November 7, 2009.
However, he will never be the force HBO is marketing him to be -- until he can look stronger in the final few rounds of his championship bouts.
When I watched Dawson v. Johnson I, I thought it was clearly that the Jamaican statesman had done more than enough to get the decision. When the decision was announced, the crowd acknowledged the true winner.
However, a year and a half later, Johnson looked as close to his age, 40, as he ever has.
To be clear, Dawson outpointed Johnson in Saturday Night's bout.
But Dawson appeared to be the weaker fighter. Dawson won the bout; but was nowhere near as determined or rugged. And -- If you scored just the last half of the fight -- Johnson wins.
Dawson appears to have been made for fencing; while Johnson has been the guy, among all active fighters, who was more than willing to fight anyone, anytime, and most importantly, ANYWHERE.
Simply, one can not dominate this sport and become a superstar skirting the ring as Dawson spent much of the match doing.
Dawson v. Johnson II
Chad Dawson added another victory to his undefeated record on November 7, 2009.
However, he will never be the force HBO is marketing him to be -- until he can look stronger in the final few rounds of his championship bouts.
When I watched Dawson v. Johnson I, I thought it was clearly that the Jamaican statesman had done more than enough to get the decision. When the decision was announced, the crowd acknowledged the true winner.
However, a year and a half later, Johnson looked as close to his age, 40, as he ever has.
To be clear, Dawson outpointed Johnson in Saturday Night's bout.
But Dawson appeared to be the weaker fighter. Dawson won the bout; but was nowhere near as determined or rugged. And -- If you scored just the last half of the fight -- Johnson wins.
Dawson appears to have been made for fencing; while Johnson has been the guy, among all active fighters, who was more than willing to fight anyone, anytime, and most importantly, ANYWHERE.
Simply, one can not dominate this sport and become a superstar skirting the ring as Dawson spent much of the match doing.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
I'm The Rabbi, and I'm freakin ecstatic on the Yankees FINALLY getting title #27. I'm in a state of happiness right now like you wouldn't believe. I'll let Mr. Jay Kaplan wrap up the Yankees season on the blog later, but I wanted to add something now.
In the wake of the A-Rod, Teixiera, CC, and of course, the core four, the two biggest contributors of this World Series might not even be Yankees come April.
First was Johnny Damon. With Brad Lidge one singular out away from making the World Series a Best of 3 and probably giving a game 7 later tonight, Damon has a great 10 pitch at bat against Lidge and then STEALS TWO BASES, changing the whole game for Mr. Lidge in that 9th inning. The Yankees would score 3 in what was then a tied game and win by 3. Johnny Damon made that whole inning happen and turned the series around. Even though Damon left Game 6 with a strained hamstring, the numbers don't lie: .364 batting average, .440 On base percentage. Johnny Damon in the final year of his 4 year contract did what he came to do: be one of the leaders of a Yankee World Series ballclub. However, he's 36 (as of today), and is coming off a better than expected season. However, do the Yankees still want to invest in him for 3 more years, knowing his field skills have diminished and knowing that the DH spot will mostly be Jorge Posada's in 2010? Who knows? But the idiot of Boston, who provided two of the most devestating home runs in the old Yankee Stadium history in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS had a series to remember.
Then there's your World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. Wow. Batted .615 in the world series, and singlehandedly clinched title #27 for the Yankees. Singlehandedly. Dominated Pedro Martinez in Games 2 and 6, got a pinch hit home run in Game 3, and was a man who made pitching to A-Rod even more of a necessity cause in this series, Matsui was more dangerous.
However, Matsui's career with the Yankees is probably at an end. Hell, even Bud Selig congratulated Matsui on a great career in the podium celebration (play it back and you'll hear it). Matsui is also 35, but his wear and tear is a lot more. He can only play DH now, and like I said, there are others who will NEED that position in 2010. Most likely, Hideki Matsui went out with a BANG, if it was his last game in pinstripes. Matsui is a guy who started his Yankee career 6 years ago in a World Series, and could end his career in a World Series. The fans in the New Yankee Stadium ROARED when Matsui was named MVP of the Series. Rightfully so too.
Like it or not, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon are two of the unlikelier Yankees to add themselves to the World Series legends list in the 105th World Series and the 27th victory for the current and future kings of baseball.
In the wake of the A-Rod, Teixiera, CC, and of course, the core four, the two biggest contributors of this World Series might not even be Yankees come April.
First was Johnny Damon. With Brad Lidge one singular out away from making the World Series a Best of 3 and probably giving a game 7 later tonight, Damon has a great 10 pitch at bat against Lidge and then STEALS TWO BASES, changing the whole game for Mr. Lidge in that 9th inning. The Yankees would score 3 in what was then a tied game and win by 3. Johnny Damon made that whole inning happen and turned the series around. Even though Damon left Game 6 with a strained hamstring, the numbers don't lie: .364 batting average, .440 On base percentage. Johnny Damon in the final year of his 4 year contract did what he came to do: be one of the leaders of a Yankee World Series ballclub. However, he's 36 (as of today), and is coming off a better than expected season. However, do the Yankees still want to invest in him for 3 more years, knowing his field skills have diminished and knowing that the DH spot will mostly be Jorge Posada's in 2010? Who knows? But the idiot of Boston, who provided two of the most devestating home runs in the old Yankee Stadium history in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS had a series to remember.
Then there's your World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. Wow. Batted .615 in the world series, and singlehandedly clinched title #27 for the Yankees. Singlehandedly. Dominated Pedro Martinez in Games 2 and 6, got a pinch hit home run in Game 3, and was a man who made pitching to A-Rod even more of a necessity cause in this series, Matsui was more dangerous.
However, Matsui's career with the Yankees is probably at an end. Hell, even Bud Selig congratulated Matsui on a great career in the podium celebration (play it back and you'll hear it). Matsui is also 35, but his wear and tear is a lot more. He can only play DH now, and like I said, there are others who will NEED that position in 2010. Most likely, Hideki Matsui went out with a BANG, if it was his last game in pinstripes. Matsui is a guy who started his Yankee career 6 years ago in a World Series, and could end his career in a World Series. The fans in the New Yankee Stadium ROARED when Matsui was named MVP of the Series. Rightfully so too.
Like it or not, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon are two of the unlikelier Yankees to add themselves to the World Series legends list in the 105th World Series and the 27th victory for the current and future kings of baseball.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
11=27 And One For The Thumb
Greetings, Jay from "On The Sportslines" here, basking in the glow of the Yankees 27th World Series title. Hannibal Smith, George Peppard's character from the 1980's TV show the A-Team was fond of saying "I love it when a plan comes together". Don't know if those exact words are running through Brian Cashman's head right now, but they should be. He deserves as much credit as anyone in the organization for bringing title #27 to The Bronx.
Cashman is the architect of this team. He added the two best available starting pitchers to bolster a rotation in need of depth. He added the best available bat to a line-up that needed another big gun. He added solid role players to a bench that needed it. All these additions laid the foundation for a season that ended tonight with the Core Four of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte being able to make like the Pittsburgh Steelers after winning the Super Bowl in 2005 and say they finally got "One for the thumb!"
I've been saying all season long that I've had a feeling about this team. Like I said in my very first post on this blog, the feeling didn't go away when they struggled in April without A-Rod. It didn't go away when they lost the first 8 games to the RedSox. Others may have had doubts or a crisis of faith. Not me.
When they finally turned things around, clinched the AL East and got back to the play-offs I just knew. I knew the Twins didn't stand a chance and I knew this was the year we would return the favor to the Angels for all the post-season heartache they'd given us in the past.
After the Yankee and Phillies split the first two games of the World Series, I told people "No worries, they'll just take 2 of 3 in Philly, win game 6 back in The Bronx and take the series 4 games to 2." When they did just that and people gave me that "How did you know?" look, I simply repeated what I'd been saying all along: "I've had this feeling all season".
Then they asked what the Yankees needed to do to win tonight, I said they needed to be up 2-3 runs after the 3rd inning and force the Phillies to play from behind. Knock Pedro out early and then tee off on the Phillies bullpen. Check, check and check. Like the aforementioned Hannibal Smith, I too love it when a plan comes together.
This Yankee team won like those Torre-era teams did, as a team, getting contributions from everyone along the way. Jeter was once again Captain October, hitting .407 for the series. Rivera was, well, Rivera. I've used every superlative in the book to describe him. This stat sums it up: in his entire career including the post-season, he's come into a game with a 4-run lead 205 times (counting tonight). The Yankees have lost only once. 'Nuff said. Pettitte once again came through in a big post-season game. Only fitting that he's the one to win the series clincher, he's 6-2 all time in those games. A-Rod exorcised his post-season demons, hitting .365 with 6HR, 18 RBI and 15RS. We got timely hits from Tex, Damon and Posada; some really good outings from CC and AJ; the bullpen overall did a great job, getting the ball to Mo for the 9th in good shape.
Last but not in any way least, Hideki Matsui. If Godzilla did indeed play his last game in pinstripes tonight, then I can't think of a better way for him to go out. 3-4; a HR; a World Series record-tying 6 RBI and the World Series MVP. He absolutely WRECKED Phillie pitching going 8-13 with 3HR and 8RBI. Domo arrigato Matusi-san, for tonight and for 7 great years.
When the post-season began Jeter shouted the rallying cry of "Win one for George". Mission accomplished Derek. 11 wins in the books, no more to go. 11=27. The decade ends the way it began. The Yankees are once again World Series Champions. Well done boys, well done.
Greetings, Jay from "On The Sportslines" here, basking in the glow of the Yankees 27th World Series title. Hannibal Smith, George Peppard's character from the 1980's TV show the A-Team was fond of saying "I love it when a plan comes together". Don't know if those exact words are running through Brian Cashman's head right now, but they should be. He deserves as much credit as anyone in the organization for bringing title #27 to The Bronx.
Cashman is the architect of this team. He added the two best available starting pitchers to bolster a rotation in need of depth. He added the best available bat to a line-up that needed another big gun. He added solid role players to a bench that needed it. All these additions laid the foundation for a season that ended tonight with the Core Four of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte being able to make like the Pittsburgh Steelers after winning the Super Bowl in 2005 and say they finally got "One for the thumb!"
I've been saying all season long that I've had a feeling about this team. Like I said in my very first post on this blog, the feeling didn't go away when they struggled in April without A-Rod. It didn't go away when they lost the first 8 games to the RedSox. Others may have had doubts or a crisis of faith. Not me.
When they finally turned things around, clinched the AL East and got back to the play-offs I just knew. I knew the Twins didn't stand a chance and I knew this was the year we would return the favor to the Angels for all the post-season heartache they'd given us in the past.
After the Yankee and Phillies split the first two games of the World Series, I told people "No worries, they'll just take 2 of 3 in Philly, win game 6 back in The Bronx and take the series 4 games to 2." When they did just that and people gave me that "How did you know?" look, I simply repeated what I'd been saying all along: "I've had this feeling all season".
Then they asked what the Yankees needed to do to win tonight, I said they needed to be up 2-3 runs after the 3rd inning and force the Phillies to play from behind. Knock Pedro out early and then tee off on the Phillies bullpen. Check, check and check. Like the aforementioned Hannibal Smith, I too love it when a plan comes together.
This Yankee team won like those Torre-era teams did, as a team, getting contributions from everyone along the way. Jeter was once again Captain October, hitting .407 for the series. Rivera was, well, Rivera. I've used every superlative in the book to describe him. This stat sums it up: in his entire career including the post-season, he's come into a game with a 4-run lead 205 times (counting tonight). The Yankees have lost only once. 'Nuff said. Pettitte once again came through in a big post-season game. Only fitting that he's the one to win the series clincher, he's 6-2 all time in those games. A-Rod exorcised his post-season demons, hitting .365 with 6HR, 18 RBI and 15RS. We got timely hits from Tex, Damon and Posada; some really good outings from CC and AJ; the bullpen overall did a great job, getting the ball to Mo for the 9th in good shape.
Last but not in any way least, Hideki Matsui. If Godzilla did indeed play his last game in pinstripes tonight, then I can't think of a better way for him to go out. 3-4; a HR; a World Series record-tying 6 RBI and the World Series MVP. He absolutely WRECKED Phillie pitching going 8-13 with 3HR and 8RBI. Domo arrigato Matusi-san, for tonight and for 7 great years.
When the post-season began Jeter shouted the rallying cry of "Win one for George". Mission accomplished Derek. 11 wins in the books, no more to go. 11=27. The decade ends the way it began. The Yankees are once again World Series Champions. Well done boys, well done.
Monday, November 02, 2009
I'm The Rabbi, video editor of On The Sportslines, and the man who offers the true Monday Morning
Quarterback blog on all football (pro and college) on this page.
I can talk about all the Yankee talk I want, but on the day of what could be title #27 for the my favorite baseball team, I'm not jinxing anything. Instead, I offer this....
WHY THE HELL ARE THEY PLAYING THESE GAMES IN NOVEMBER?
I know the WBC brought stuff back, but this is ridiclous. Teams should not be halfway through their NFL season before baseball ends. Christmas music should not be playing in stores before baseball ends. Derek Jeter should not have to give people reasons to call him Mr. November some more. Baseball in November is way too odd. With that being said....
10 Things We Learned in Football this weekend- ODDITY EDITION
1. USC isn't even top dog in the West anymore.
I was gonna originally do a column on all things #27, and 27 was the margin of defeat that USC lost to the Ducks by. Yes, the Oregon Ducks, a team that looked Offensively challenged in a season opening loss have now won 7 straight. With the loss, USC had their worst defeat in the Pete Caroll Era, and worst loss in the program's history in over a decade. This was bad, and now the Ducks are in position of breaking USC's streak of 7 straight Pac 10 titles. With all apologies to noted USC fans, On The Sportslines panelists Jay Kaplan and Steve Ferguson, I love it! Even more, we're in great position to see the first non-USC Rose Bowl aince 2005, the classic Texas-Michigan game where Vince Young broke out. Leading us to this....
2. The Rose Bowl: Oregon-Iowa?
Oh my god. As much as Iowa has looked inept at times this season, like the first half of their game against Indiana where they were down 21-7, and the Hawkeyes QB Ricky Stanzi threw 1 INT (He would add 4 MORE in the 3rd quarter alone), they can come back at almost any time. Their win against Insiana, 42-24, was the teams 4th win when being down in the 4th quarter. Almost as impressive as Stanzi coming back throwing for 2 TD's and leading 2 other TD drives in the 4th. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz should probably be coach of the year, as the team who was a consensus #4 pick in the Big 10 is #4 in the nation.
3. Vince Young: 114.1 QB Rating, Titans win.
Dunno which is weirder. But the Mistake free football by Vince Young yesterday lead the Titans to their first win. Of course, Chris Johnson's 2 TD runs (One of 52 yards to break a 13-13 tie, another a 89 yarder to salt the game away) were a huge help. Now the Titans can start their uphill climb, and Vince Young can establish himself as the Titans QB of right now.
4. Rams win, no other line needed here.
Sure, it may have been against Detroit, a team now 2-29 in their last 31 games, but if you win for the first time in 17 games and for the first time in 10 road games, you'll take it. Stephen Jackson, who rushed for 149 yards, who said he's learned otherwise from the beginning of his career, knows there is no such thing as an ugly win.
5. Kurt Warner: Turnover machine
Kurt Warner, who threw for only 6 INT's in his first 6 games, had 5 yesterday, AT HOME, against the Carolina Panthers. The team who Jake Delhomme threw 5 INT's to back in last year's playoffs, threw only one yesterday (but left the game with a chest contusion). This has been a weird year for the Cards, already losers of more home games than last year and are a goalline stand (against Houston I think) from being winless at home.
6. NFC West team gives AFC's best team fits.
The 49ers, who took the now 6-1 Vikings to the wire, took what is now the AFC's only undefeated team to the maximum. The Niners had the lead until the beginning of the 4th, held Peyton Manning without a TD throw (too bad they couldn't hold Joesph Addai without one), and gave the Colts their toughest challenge of the season. I think the Colts and Niners both know you don't play games on paper.
7. The 2 point conversion gives Jets fans fits.
I could note the Dolphins having under 200 yards of offense and winning as weird. I can note Ted Ginn Jr making history by scoring 2 returns of over 100 yards as weird (don't celebrate after the play Ted!). But I want to note the fact that Rex Ryan doesn't know the rules:
Down 17-12 in the 3rd with over 3 minutes, Rex Ryan, decides to try and go for 2 to make it a field goal game. (They got called for a penalty and kicked the PAT, and this would have been way too early.)
Down 24-19, still in the 3rd, Rex Ryan goes for 2 again, actually gets the play off this time, and fails. (Didn't matter cause the Jets would score again after!)
Down 30-25, guess what! The Jets go for 2 with 5:52 in the 4th and fail!
Kick two extra points instead and possibly, possibly, the Jets may only need a field goal on their final drive. Chasing points is a rookie mistake for a head coach.j Well, Rex Ryan is a rookie head coach.
8. Josh McDaniels looked like a rookie head coach himself.
The boy genius made a few mistakes yesterday in all aspects. Offense (only 152 yards for Kyle Orton, and no RB had over 50 yrds), defense (Joe Flacco went 20-25, Ray Rice had big runs at the right times), special teams (backbreaking kickoff return to start the 2nd half by Baltimore). Josh McDaniels now knows the only thing more dangerous than an undefeated team is a desperate team. To stay in the AFC North race, Baltimore needed to be desperate and it paid off.
9. The Giants are miles away from looking like a Super Bowl contender.
Sure the Eagles seem to have the Giants number (3 in a row now for PHI regular and post-season), but this was utterly dominating. They gave up more than 150 yards of rushing to LeShawn McCoy and Leonard Weaver (Bryan Westbrook was deactivated for the game, noted Giant killer). The game was basically over by halftime for the 2nd time in 3 weeks for the G-Men (30-7 at the break). To top it off, the defense let Donavan McNabb throw all over them, with Brent Celek and Desean Jackson (first player in over half a century to start the first half of the season with 6 50+ yard TD's) taking center stage. The Giants run as a contender may be close to done, if not done already.
10. Brett Favre= MVP?
Not counting tonight, leading candidate for MVP Drew Brees has thrown for 14 TD's, 5 INT's, and a 107 QB rating. Favre has thrown for 16 TD's, 3 INT's and a 106 QB rating. Still thing Brees is a shoo-in for MVP? Didn't think so. Yesterday was the latest of 1000 coming out parties for Brett Favre, who now has thrown for 7 TD's against his old team, the Packers, 4 more in yesterday's win at Lambeau. Now the case can be made, as the Vikings, in total control of the NFC North look fat the big picture, and try to find out where they stand in the NFL as the season draws nearer to the playoffs. It's weird that Favre is near 40 and playing on an MVP level.
But that's just the NFL. Talk to you next week, when baseball is finally over and football takes center stage.
Quarterback blog on all football (pro and college) on this page.
I can talk about all the Yankee talk I want, but on the day of what could be title #27 for the my favorite baseball team, I'm not jinxing anything. Instead, I offer this....
WHY THE HELL ARE THEY PLAYING THESE GAMES IN NOVEMBER?
I know the WBC brought stuff back, but this is ridiclous. Teams should not be halfway through their NFL season before baseball ends. Christmas music should not be playing in stores before baseball ends. Derek Jeter should not have to give people reasons to call him Mr. November some more. Baseball in November is way too odd. With that being said....
10 Things We Learned in Football this weekend- ODDITY EDITION
1. USC isn't even top dog in the West anymore.
I was gonna originally do a column on all things #27, and 27 was the margin of defeat that USC lost to the Ducks by. Yes, the Oregon Ducks, a team that looked Offensively challenged in a season opening loss have now won 7 straight. With the loss, USC had their worst defeat in the Pete Caroll Era, and worst loss in the program's history in over a decade. This was bad, and now the Ducks are in position of breaking USC's streak of 7 straight Pac 10 titles. With all apologies to noted USC fans, On The Sportslines panelists Jay Kaplan and Steve Ferguson, I love it! Even more, we're in great position to see the first non-USC Rose Bowl aince 2005, the classic Texas-Michigan game where Vince Young broke out. Leading us to this....
2. The Rose Bowl: Oregon-Iowa?
Oh my god. As much as Iowa has looked inept at times this season, like the first half of their game against Indiana where they were down 21-7, and the Hawkeyes QB Ricky Stanzi threw 1 INT (He would add 4 MORE in the 3rd quarter alone), they can come back at almost any time. Their win against Insiana, 42-24, was the teams 4th win when being down in the 4th quarter. Almost as impressive as Stanzi coming back throwing for 2 TD's and leading 2 other TD drives in the 4th. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz should probably be coach of the year, as the team who was a consensus #4 pick in the Big 10 is #4 in the nation.
3. Vince Young: 114.1 QB Rating, Titans win.
Dunno which is weirder. But the Mistake free football by Vince Young yesterday lead the Titans to their first win. Of course, Chris Johnson's 2 TD runs (One of 52 yards to break a 13-13 tie, another a 89 yarder to salt the game away) were a huge help. Now the Titans can start their uphill climb, and Vince Young can establish himself as the Titans QB of right now.
4. Rams win, no other line needed here.
Sure, it may have been against Detroit, a team now 2-29 in their last 31 games, but if you win for the first time in 17 games and for the first time in 10 road games, you'll take it. Stephen Jackson, who rushed for 149 yards, who said he's learned otherwise from the beginning of his career, knows there is no such thing as an ugly win.
5. Kurt Warner: Turnover machine
Kurt Warner, who threw for only 6 INT's in his first 6 games, had 5 yesterday, AT HOME, against the Carolina Panthers. The team who Jake Delhomme threw 5 INT's to back in last year's playoffs, threw only one yesterday (but left the game with a chest contusion). This has been a weird year for the Cards, already losers of more home games than last year and are a goalline stand (against Houston I think) from being winless at home.
6. NFC West team gives AFC's best team fits.
The 49ers, who took the now 6-1 Vikings to the wire, took what is now the AFC's only undefeated team to the maximum. The Niners had the lead until the beginning of the 4th, held Peyton Manning without a TD throw (too bad they couldn't hold Joesph Addai without one), and gave the Colts their toughest challenge of the season. I think the Colts and Niners both know you don't play games on paper.
7. The 2 point conversion gives Jets fans fits.
I could note the Dolphins having under 200 yards of offense and winning as weird. I can note Ted Ginn Jr making history by scoring 2 returns of over 100 yards as weird (don't celebrate after the play Ted!). But I want to note the fact that Rex Ryan doesn't know the rules:
Down 17-12 in the 3rd with over 3 minutes, Rex Ryan, decides to try and go for 2 to make it a field goal game. (They got called for a penalty and kicked the PAT, and this would have been way too early.)
Down 24-19, still in the 3rd, Rex Ryan goes for 2 again, actually gets the play off this time, and fails. (Didn't matter cause the Jets would score again after!)
Down 30-25, guess what! The Jets go for 2 with 5:52 in the 4th and fail!
Kick two extra points instead and possibly, possibly, the Jets may only need a field goal on their final drive. Chasing points is a rookie mistake for a head coach.j Well, Rex Ryan is a rookie head coach.
8. Josh McDaniels looked like a rookie head coach himself.
The boy genius made a few mistakes yesterday in all aspects. Offense (only 152 yards for Kyle Orton, and no RB had over 50 yrds), defense (Joe Flacco went 20-25, Ray Rice had big runs at the right times), special teams (backbreaking kickoff return to start the 2nd half by Baltimore). Josh McDaniels now knows the only thing more dangerous than an undefeated team is a desperate team. To stay in the AFC North race, Baltimore needed to be desperate and it paid off.
9. The Giants are miles away from looking like a Super Bowl contender.
Sure the Eagles seem to have the Giants number (3 in a row now for PHI regular and post-season), but this was utterly dominating. They gave up more than 150 yards of rushing to LeShawn McCoy and Leonard Weaver (Bryan Westbrook was deactivated for the game, noted Giant killer). The game was basically over by halftime for the 2nd time in 3 weeks for the G-Men (30-7 at the break). To top it off, the defense let Donavan McNabb throw all over them, with Brent Celek and Desean Jackson (first player in over half a century to start the first half of the season with 6 50+ yard TD's) taking center stage. The Giants run as a contender may be close to done, if not done already.
10. Brett Favre= MVP?
Not counting tonight, leading candidate for MVP Drew Brees has thrown for 14 TD's, 5 INT's, and a 107 QB rating. Favre has thrown for 16 TD's, 3 INT's and a 106 QB rating. Still thing Brees is a shoo-in for MVP? Didn't think so. Yesterday was the latest of 1000 coming out parties for Brett Favre, who now has thrown for 7 TD's against his old team, the Packers, 4 more in yesterday's win at Lambeau. Now the case can be made, as the Vikings, in total control of the NFC North look fat the big picture, and try to find out where they stand in the NFL as the season draws nearer to the playoffs. It's weird that Favre is near 40 and playing on an MVP level.
But that's just the NFL. Talk to you next week, when baseball is finally over and football takes center stage.
POST-GAME ADDENDUM
Greeting, it's Jay from "On The Sportslines" again, back with a little post-game post.
Okay, Joba irked me by giving up the game-tying homer to Pedro Feliz after looking dominant against the two previous hitters. He'll get the win only because of some SERIOUSLY heads up base running by Johnny Damon and so HUGE, clutch hits by Tex and A-Rod (who has very nicely rebounded from his 0-8 with 6 K's in games 1 and 2). This Yankee team never thinks they're out of any game and tonight was just the latest evidence of that.
Momentum can change in the blink of an eye. Just when the Phillies had hope, the Yankees took it away. Brad Lidge had been so 2008 in this post-season which had to give the Phillies loads of confidence. After not pitching for 10 days, the Yankees made him look like his 2009 regular season self. That 3-run 9th inning completely took the winds out of the Phillies sails. Beating Rivera is tough under normal circumstances, but next to impossible when you're demoralized.
As I said ealier today, Charlie Manuel will now be second guessed for not starting Cliff Lee on short rest against Sabathia. Instead of having him out there to even up the series, he'll have to be even better than he was in game 1 in order to keep the Phillies seriously diminished series hopes alive against a Yankee team that can smell its 27th World Series title.
I've said it all season, I've had a feeling about this team and its gotten stronger and stronger every day. 10 wins in the books, just 1 more to go. 11=27. To borrow a phrase I've heard Fox's Joe Buck use time and again, "HERE COME THE YANKEES!"
Greeting, it's Jay from "On The Sportslines" again, back with a little post-game post.
Okay, Joba irked me by giving up the game-tying homer to Pedro Feliz after looking dominant against the two previous hitters. He'll get the win only because of some SERIOUSLY heads up base running by Johnny Damon and so HUGE, clutch hits by Tex and A-Rod (who has very nicely rebounded from his 0-8 with 6 K's in games 1 and 2). This Yankee team never thinks they're out of any game and tonight was just the latest evidence of that.
Momentum can change in the blink of an eye. Just when the Phillies had hope, the Yankees took it away. Brad Lidge had been so 2008 in this post-season which had to give the Phillies loads of confidence. After not pitching for 10 days, the Yankees made him look like his 2009 regular season self. That 3-run 9th inning completely took the winds out of the Phillies sails. Beating Rivera is tough under normal circumstances, but next to impossible when you're demoralized.
As I said ealier today, Charlie Manuel will now be second guessed for not starting Cliff Lee on short rest against Sabathia. Instead of having him out there to even up the series, he'll have to be even better than he was in game 1 in order to keep the Phillies seriously diminished series hopes alive against a Yankee team that can smell its 27th World Series title.
I've said it all season, I've had a feeling about this team and its gotten stronger and stronger every day. 10 wins in the books, just 1 more to go. 11=27. To borrow a phrase I've heard Fox's Joe Buck use time and again, "HERE COME THE YANKEES!"
Sunday, November 01, 2009
SO HOW MANY ROUND TRIP TICKETS BETWEEN NY AND PHILLY DO YOU THINK AMTRAK SOLD THIS WEEKEND?
Greetings folks, Jay from "On The Sportslines" here. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it a fluke of the schedule makers, call it whatever you want, but this weekend, the sports world belongs to the cities of New York and Philadelphia.
Last night the 76ers spoiled the Knicks home opener with a wild 121-115 overtime win at The Garden. I may be a born and raised New Yorker - who for the most part LOVES and roots for the hometown teams - but as most of you know, the Knicks aren't the first team I root for in the Association. That would be the Sixers. So, while I feel bad for my hometown team, this is one of the VERY FEW times that a Knick loss doesn't make me completely unhappy. But that's where my affection for ANY of Philly's sports teams ends.
I write this while watching those damn Iggles dismantle Eli and the Giants 40-17, hating the fact that I'm being proved a prophet for my comments on the show that the Saints gave the rest of the NFL a blueprint on how to beat the G-Men. To say that it was pretty ugly at the Linc for the visitors is a New York-sized understatement.
Thus my hopes for a happy end to the weekend rest with The Bronx Bombers. Game 4 of the World Series is tonight and it caps this New York-Philadelphia sports-a-palooza weekend.
That this Fall Classic has been a back and forth series through the first 3 games isn't surprising. The Phillies are a team to be reckoned with and the Yankees don't have MLB's best record for nothing. The defending champs against the team that practically claims the World Series as its birthright makes for one hell of a baseball story.
That the teams split the first 2 games didn't surprise. And while I expected better from CC in game 1, I don't how much better he or the Yankee bats would have had to be the way Cliff Lee was dealing. After taking the Yankee ace deep twice, I now know why my Met fan friends can't stand Chase Utley, but I have to give the Phillies Second Sacker his props - he's got game.
I was pleasantly surprised by how dominant AJ was in game 2 and happy to see the Yankees scrap together just enough runs to secure a win. The game felt a bit like 2003 all over again - a manager leaving Pedro Martinez out there one inning too long and the Yankees taking advantage of it. Thank the Baseball Gods for Mariano Rivera, a guy who can get a 6-out save when one is desperately needed. I was, however, a bit concerned that A-Rod was regressing after going 0-8 with 6 K's through the first 2 games.
Game 3 was the kind of game you expected from this series. Home runs abounding on both sides (damn you Jayson Werth). Andy Pettitte gutting out his 17th post-season win by keeping the opposition in just enough check (Utley, Howard and Ibanez were a combined 0-9 vs. Pettitte and 0-12 for the game), just long enough for the Yankee bats to wake up and get to work, led by A-Rod (with special props to Hideki Matsui and his pinch-hit HR). Pettitte even chipped in an RBI of his own, dropping a single into shallow centerfield to plate Nick Swisher. That made Pettitte the first Yankees pitcher to drive in a run in the World Series since Jim Bouton in 1964. The Yankee bullpen did its job, getting the ball to Rivera who - like he always does - closed the door and notched yet another post-season save.
As crucial as it was for the Phillies to leave The Bronx with a split, that's how important it was for the Yankees to win game 3 last night to take a 2-1 series lead. Tonight will be interesting. Charlie Manuel has decided not to send Cliff Lee to the hill on short rest for a rematch with CC Sabathia (who will also be pitching on short rest), instead he sends journeyman Joe Blanton to the mound. Blanton got knocked around some by the Yankees while he was in the American League.
Shane Victorino said that since the Phillies got to CC in game 1 there's no reason they can't do it again in game 4. Manuel better hope his Center Fielder is right. If not, then Cliff Lee will have to out-duel AJ Burnett in game 5 just to keep the Phillies in the Series.
I don't know about all of you, but something tells me, that CC is fired up for this game more than any other game he's pitched this season. He knows that if he shuts down the vaunted Phillies offense (anyone seen Ryan Howard in this series?) and Jeter, A-Rod and company get to Blanton, chances are pretty good that the Yankees will end this night with a commanding 3-1 lead in this World Series.
And I will end this weekend with one hell of a smile on my face.
Greetings folks, Jay from "On The Sportslines" here. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it a fluke of the schedule makers, call it whatever you want, but this weekend, the sports world belongs to the cities of New York and Philadelphia.
Last night the 76ers spoiled the Knicks home opener with a wild 121-115 overtime win at The Garden. I may be a born and raised New Yorker - who for the most part LOVES and roots for the hometown teams - but as most of you know, the Knicks aren't the first team I root for in the Association. That would be the Sixers. So, while I feel bad for my hometown team, this is one of the VERY FEW times that a Knick loss doesn't make me completely unhappy. But that's where my affection for ANY of Philly's sports teams ends.
I write this while watching those damn Iggles dismantle Eli and the Giants 40-17, hating the fact that I'm being proved a prophet for my comments on the show that the Saints gave the rest of the NFL a blueprint on how to beat the G-Men. To say that it was pretty ugly at the Linc for the visitors is a New York-sized understatement.
Thus my hopes for a happy end to the weekend rest with The Bronx Bombers. Game 4 of the World Series is tonight and it caps this New York-Philadelphia sports-a-palooza weekend.
That this Fall Classic has been a back and forth series through the first 3 games isn't surprising. The Phillies are a team to be reckoned with and the Yankees don't have MLB's best record for nothing. The defending champs against the team that practically claims the World Series as its birthright makes for one hell of a baseball story.
That the teams split the first 2 games didn't surprise. And while I expected better from CC in game 1, I don't how much better he or the Yankee bats would have had to be the way Cliff Lee was dealing. After taking the Yankee ace deep twice, I now know why my Met fan friends can't stand Chase Utley, but I have to give the Phillies Second Sacker his props - he's got game.
I was pleasantly surprised by how dominant AJ was in game 2 and happy to see the Yankees scrap together just enough runs to secure a win. The game felt a bit like 2003 all over again - a manager leaving Pedro Martinez out there one inning too long and the Yankees taking advantage of it. Thank the Baseball Gods for Mariano Rivera, a guy who can get a 6-out save when one is desperately needed. I was, however, a bit concerned that A-Rod was regressing after going 0-8 with 6 K's through the first 2 games.
Game 3 was the kind of game you expected from this series. Home runs abounding on both sides (damn you Jayson Werth). Andy Pettitte gutting out his 17th post-season win by keeping the opposition in just enough check (Utley, Howard and Ibanez were a combined 0-9 vs. Pettitte and 0-12 for the game), just long enough for the Yankee bats to wake up and get to work, led by A-Rod (with special props to Hideki Matsui and his pinch-hit HR). Pettitte even chipped in an RBI of his own, dropping a single into shallow centerfield to plate Nick Swisher. That made Pettitte the first Yankees pitcher to drive in a run in the World Series since Jim Bouton in 1964. The Yankee bullpen did its job, getting the ball to Rivera who - like he always does - closed the door and notched yet another post-season save.
As crucial as it was for the Phillies to leave The Bronx with a split, that's how important it was for the Yankees to win game 3 last night to take a 2-1 series lead. Tonight will be interesting. Charlie Manuel has decided not to send Cliff Lee to the hill on short rest for a rematch with CC Sabathia (who will also be pitching on short rest), instead he sends journeyman Joe Blanton to the mound. Blanton got knocked around some by the Yankees while he was in the American League.
Shane Victorino said that since the Phillies got to CC in game 1 there's no reason they can't do it again in game 4. Manuel better hope his Center Fielder is right. If not, then Cliff Lee will have to out-duel AJ Burnett in game 5 just to keep the Phillies in the Series.
I don't know about all of you, but something tells me, that CC is fired up for this game more than any other game he's pitched this season. He knows that if he shuts down the vaunted Phillies offense (anyone seen Ryan Howard in this series?) and Jeter, A-Rod and company get to Blanton, chances are pretty good that the Yankees will end this night with a commanding 3-1 lead in this World Series.
And I will end this weekend with one hell of a smile on my face.
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