Free Agency

As millions of dollars are thrown at players who are now overpaid acquisitions, another one of my favorite columnists, Mike Sando of The News Tribune, warns us against the free-agency hype:

The most aggressive teams early in free agency a year ago were Cleveland, Minnesota and Washington. Arizona also drew accolades for adding Edgerrin James, cementing the Cardinals' status as a team on the rise. Drew Brees raised eyebrows when he took more money from New Orleans, a team heading nowhere, when he could have landed with a playoff contender in Miami. The Colts, meanwhile, treaded water by re-signing a few of their own guys without adding reinforcements from other teams. Losing James to Arizona also meant the Colts might have a hard time duplicating previous successes.

So much for that. Their 2006 records:

Cleveland 4-12
Minnesota 6-10
Washington 5-11
Arizona 5-11
Miami 6-10

New Orleans 10-6
Indianapolis 12-4

Basically, as intriguing as some of the moves are, keep in mind that the offseason winners rarely turn out to be the winners come fall.

One Nation Under God

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately (uh oh), and come to the following realizations about our great nation:

• The United States of America was founded as a Christian nation. The forefathers that we learn about in elementary school and study so extensively later on were, before anything else, simply gutsy Christians. Sure, they preached religious freedom and welcomed all, but the country was founded with Christian principles.
• The United States of America is a blessed nation, perhaps the most blessed nation in the history of the world. The fact that Christianity is the dominant religion in America is no coincidence. As of 2000, a whopping 76.5% of Americans claimed to be Christian.
• I thought about putting some sort of disclaimer here, but I do not think one is necessary. The great Roman empire was a blessed Christian nation which ruled the world in its prime. Not unlike the world's previous great nations, America's downfall will be because of its insistence on turning away from God and ethics to secularism and immorality.
• ABC's Boston Legal, one of my favorite shows because of its political statements and intelligent comedy, featured Denny Crane, played by William Shatner, declare, "I believe in God because if you are wrong, there is no harm, no foul. But if you do not believe and you turn out to be wrong, then you are screwed."
• Oscar-winning Titanic director James Cameron is currently working on a documentary discrediting Jesus' resurrection, claiming to have found his real body. Considering all the money The DaVinci Code has made, it is no surprise Hollywood continues to abuse Jesus as a cash cow.
• America has turned against its Bible-believing president, idolizing spoiled celebrities and irresponsible athletes, promoting the worship of money, legalized gay marriage and abortion, removed the Bible from its educational curriculum, threw out the Ten Commandments in courts, and had the audacity to think about pulling the words "under God" from the pledge of allegiance.
• Come quickly Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Violent Vegas

It seems that All-Star Weekend was not as much of a success as the biased media are leading us to believe. Remember, Vegas is trying to get attract an NBA team, so covering violence is simply not in their interest. Similarly, the NBA's media partners are trying to rid of the hip-hop thug culture that has been plaguing the league the past few years.

Jason Whitlock, a well known national columnist frequently seen on the wonderful Pardon the Interruption, writes that Las Vegas was filled with brawls and shootings last weekend. ESPN.com's Bill Simmons wrote yet another ridiculously lengthy but hilarious Page 2 column that, among many other things, described Vegas streets as a free-for-all danger zone.

UPDATE: Scoop Jackson has wrote another good column about this subject as well.

NBA All-Stars

• Kobe Bryant had 31 points and 6 assists as the Western All-Stars cruised to an entertaining 153-132 blowout of the Eastern All-Stars.
• The West set a couple of All-Star game records with 69 field goal and 52 assists.
• Dwight Howard is the next Shaq. In a game where the big men rarely dominate, Howard had 20 points and 12 rebounds.
• The NBA's All-Star game is the best of its kind at any sport. Heck, even their halftime shows have surpassed the NFL's Super Bowl's.
• Good tickets were supposedly going for over $20,000 with the likes of Jay-Z, Beyonce, Diddy, Prince, Eva Longeria and Adam Sandler being caught on camera often.
• While having All-Star weekend in Vegas turned out to be a great idea, having an NBA team there is completely different. The chances of the NBA adding an expansion team are slim, so look for Vegas to join Oklahoma City, Anaheim, and Kansas City as the top candidates for a franchise to move to.
• Is there any player more fun than Shaq?
• Charles Barkeley comes to mind, and the race against referee Dick Bavetta was the best event of the weekend.

Dwight Howard

My favorite part of the wonderful All-Star Saturday Night was Man-Child Dwight Howard's slapping a sticker on the backboard glass TWELVE AND A HALF FEET HIGH with his left hand while dunking the ball with his right. I have yet to find a picture of this online, but the sticker was a picture of himself with the wonderful following words written on it:

All things through Christ - Phil 4:13

which refers to:

Phillippians 4:13 ~ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It is a shame TNT did not recognize this and give more coverage to this divine intervention.

It is a shame Howard did not go on to win the contest, not only because the dunk was deserving, but because he had the conviction to use the grand stage he was blessed with as an outlet to proclaim his faith. Agree or disagree, one must respect that.

Kudos and much respect to Dwight Howard, a man of God.

NBA Midseason Report

Even though the NBA is ten games into its second half of the season, this weekend is the All-Star Break, the perfect time to catch up as we turn our eyes to the playoff race...

• The Dallas Mavericks are the hottest team in the league, winning their last nine going into the break, standing atop the league at 44-9. It seems that they are set on a collusion course with the second seeded Phoenix Suns once again...
• Sacre bleu! What about the Frenchman Tony Parker and Timmy D in San Antonio? It is amazing how the Spurs could be a dark horse after consistently being a contender for so many years. Take this to the bank: if Parker, Duncan, and Ginobli are all healthy, the Spurs will come out of the West.
• The Utah Jazz are back folks. Remember, Jerry Sloan is one of the best playoff coaches because he can adjust during a series brilliantly, and would easily have two championships under his belts if it were not for some fellow named Mike.
• Can Tracy McGrady finally get out of the first round? The team has been coping well without Yao Ming thanks to Dikembe Mutumbo (yes, he is still alive and well). Unfortunately, it will be terribly difficult to break the top four in the west, so the Houston Rockets will have to pull up an upset on the road.
• The Denver Nuggets were expected to make a huge push with the offensive combination of A.I. and Melo, but they are still hovering around the bottom of the west because of their lack of defense under George Karl.
• The two Los Angeles teams have a problem playing away from Staples Center. The Clippers and Lakers are a combined 16 games under .500 on the road which will prevent either from doing anything but giving a top seeded a team an entertaining first round series.
• Greg Oden / Kevin Durant Sweepstakes Watch: Boston, Memphis, Philly, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Seattle!
• We know the West is superior to the East, but check this out: Detroit, No.1 in the East, would be No.5 in the West with the same record. The Lakers, No.6 in the West, would be No.2 in the East with the same record.
• The Eastern Conference will come down to the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat. As good as Washington's and Cleveland's records are, they each do not have enough firepower behind their respective superstar to make it past the second round. Look for the Orlando Magic, led by Dwight Howard (beast!), to give a top seeded team a run for their money in the first round. Ditto for New Jersey if they make the cut, especially if they make a beneficial trade. Other than that, the remaining six teams stand no chance against the top two
• Detroit is on a roll with the acquistion of Chris Webber. The Pistons will most probably hold on to the top spot in the East, making them the favorites to go to the Finals.
• The Miami Heat won seven of their last eight going into the break. The Big Fella is back and is beginning to get in shape while Pat Riley is scheduled to return to the bench as well.
• Without Ben Wallace, Detroit will have a difficult time defending Shaq in the conference finals. Throw in the fact that the veteran Miami team will turn up the Heat come playoff time, look for D-Wade and company to return to the Finals.

America Loves the NFL

• Super Bowl XLI attracted the third largest audience in American history (93.1 million viewers on average), behind Super Bowl XXX (Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17) and the M*A*S*H* series finale in 1983.


• The Colts-Patriots AFC Championship game earned a whopping 28.1 rating. This means that nearly a third of the country's televisions were on CBS.


• FOX's doubleheaders on Sundays was the most watched program in all of television, beating the likes of American Idol and the Academy Awards.


• As great as the playoffs and Super Bowl are, they do mean the season is over, and American will miss its football.


• Then again, the Pro Bowl is Saturday, the Scouting Combine begins the following weekend, free agency kicks off in March, the Draft is in April, then blink your eyes and it will be August and the preseason hype will begin.

Super Bowl XLI

Chicago Bears 17
Indianapolis Colts 29

Miami, Florida

• Perhaps the best storyline of the entire NFL season by far: “More than anything – and I’ve said it before --Lovie Smith and I not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord’s way, and we’re more proud of that.” - Tony Dungy, head coach of the Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts.


• Check that, the best thing to come out of sports. Ever.


• Peyton Manning won the MVP by default, but Dominoc Rhodes and Joseph Addai deserve credit for their combined 40 carries, 190 rushing yards (4.75yards/carry) and 11 catches for 74 yards. With the Bears playing conservative and dropping back into coverage, Manning checkout down and was able to dink and dunk his way down the field. I love to say I told you so.


• When the Bears blitzed, Manning was able to make big plays under pressure, most notably the 53 yard touchdown to Reggie Wayne while being pulled down.


• Rookie phenom Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Chris Harris picked off Peyton Manning on his first drive. Throw in the rain and a couple of fumbles and the Bears had the Colts right where they wanted them early on.

• SI's Peter King: I think that was the strangest five-play sequence I've seen in a game in a long time. Maybe ever. Weird touchdown pass by Peyton Manning to a wide-open Reggie Wayne. Flubbed extra point on a Romo-type miss by Colts holder Hunter Smith. Lost fumble on the ensuing kickoff by Bears tight end/returner Gabe Reid. Lost fumble on the next play by Joseph Addai. Thomas Jones off left guard for 52 yards. Yow. What action.


• Colts' backup safety Kelvin Hayden (who?) made a name for himself picking off Rex Grossman and returning it for a 56 yard score to seal the win. I am interested to see what happens to this fellow...


• Adam Vinitieri missed half of his kicks in the Super Bowl. Yes, you read that right. One field goal and one extra point. Can you imagine the sad ironic story if those 4 points mattered?


• Tony Dungy is returning next season for the final year of his contract, and I would be in shock if the Colts organization does not break the bank in trying to extend it. With Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and that tight coaching staff that has been together for so many years, the Colts are the favorites to win it all again next year.


• Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher: 23 total tackles. Yikes.


• Alright Rex Grossman, here we go. After all the attention and overhype: 20/28 for 165 yards and a short touchdown. However, two costly interceptions and two drive killing fumbled snaps is what everyone is going to remember. The Bears rarely took their signature shots downfield, and even when they did, Rex's passes were off target. Nevertheless, look for Rex to remain Chicago's starter for 2007.


• The Bears defense is still so good, great when fully healthy, that they should be in the mix for the NFC again next year. They will have to contend with the dreaded Super Bowl Loser Curse though...

Colts to Win

Who prevails when a great offense goes up against a great defense? This classic sports argument of strength versus strength will take center stage come Super Bowl XLI this Sunday in Miami. The AFC’s best offense in the Indianapolis Colts will take on the NFC’s best defense in the Chicago Bears. The last time these two teams met was 2004 in Chicago, when Colts’ quarterback and future hall of famer Peyton Manning threw four touchdowns in a 41-10 rout. Most believe that Bears’ erratic and streaky quarterback Rex Grossman stands no chance up against Manning while others point to Trent Dilfer, a similarly mediocre quarterback who led the Baltimore Ravens to a title in 2000.

Normally, Grossman’s performance is dictated by his first two drives. If Manning strikes early, Grossman will be forced to throw the ball from behind, something that normally has resulted in costly turnovers throughout the regular season, instantly crushing his confidence. The Colts want Grossman to pass, but this means Bob Saunders and the Colts defense must do what Seattle and New Orleans could not do in Chicago’s two playoff wins, stop the run in order to force Grossman to try to make plays with his arm. Considering all the fuss about the Colts’ soft run defense in the regular season, Indy has held its three playoff opponents to a solid 73.3 yards a game, shutting down the likes of Larry Johnson, Jamal Lewis, and Corey Dillon late in games. When Peyton Manning scores early and the renewed Colts defense slows down running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, look for Grossman to start to press and turn the ball over.

On the other side of the ball, Chicago’s 6’3” 300-pound defensive tackle Tommy Harris is no longer clogging the middle to stop the running game while the secondary has not been the same since the loss of Pro Bowl safety Mike Brown. The Bears defense was tremendously successful in shutting down Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints’ high octane offense in the NFC championship game, 39-14, but that was in the slippery grass field of Soldier Field in Chicago, when it was 28 degrees and snowing. While Manning and the Colts are also not going to be in the comfort of his own dome, sunny Dolphin Stadium in Miami should provide for as neutral as a field as possible.

Peyton Manning threw for 349 yards while storming back from a 21-3 deficit against the Patriots defense that supposedly had his number for the past several years. Before the AFC championship game, the Colts won on the road against the Baltimore Ravens, a team built similarly to the Bears in that they both rely on stingy defenses and turnovers to win games. Tom Moore’s pass heavy offense has seen Peyton Manning become more efficient in checking down and dumping off to his running backs, picking up short yardage and sustaining long drives. This tires out the Bears hard hitting linebackers, who will have to contend with running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes, who are constantly keeping fresh by substituting for each other. Chicago is known for using the Tampa 2 defense, but will need to throw more blitzes and disguises at Manning who, with time, can easily pick apart a Cover 2 with wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. The Tampa 2 defense also relies heavily upon the middle linebacker to drop back into coverage, so look for Peyton Manning to do his signature play actions and pump fakes to get Brian Urlacher off balance, and hit tight end Dallas Clark up the middle for big completions several times as he did against the Patriots.

The Colts, coming from the clearly superior conference, have had to go through much tougher competition than the Bears have in the weaker NFC. The Colts played eight different playoff teams this year, including two wins against the Patriots, who beat the Bears earlier in the season. Throw in the fact that the AFC team has won seven of the past nine Super Bowls, and it is easy to see why Vegas has the more seasoned and experienced Indianapolis Colts as a rather large seven point favorite.

41 things to watch for at Super Bowl XLI

Hilarious article by MSNBC's Michael Ventry, especially for those who follow NFL news closely.

Some of his witty lines include:

• CBS is televising the Super Bowl. Millions of casual sports fans will tune in late because they mistakenly turned on Fox, saw a promo for “Prison Break” and assumed the Bengals were playing.
• Terrell Owens, in Florida for the week for a photo shoot, will accidentally get too close to a lagoon and will get swallowed by a crocodile. The crocodile will spit him out, then die.
• During a critical point in the fourth quarter, Peyton Manning will call a timeout so he can go make another commercial.
• The Indianapolis Colts are the visiting team, which means they’ll have to stay in a hotel and bus to the game. The Chicago Bears are the home team, meaning they get to stay at Shaq’s house.

Championship Sunday

New Orleans Saints 14

Chicago Bears 39

• The New Orleans Saints' Cinderella season came to a abrupt halt Sunday, largely impart to the conditions at Solider Field. The Saints, whose home games take place in the controlled confines of the Louisiana Superdome on artificial turf, and whose road games mostly take place in the warm south, were obviously uncomfortable in snowy 28 degree Chicago. If this game took place in New Orleans, or even on a neutral field, the Saints would have probably blown out the Bears. However, Chicago, aided by a soft schedule, earned the homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs during the regular season and cannot be faulted.
• Chicago had 196 yards rushing to New Orleans 56. In the playoffs, especially in such weather and field conditions, football games are won running the ball.
• Similar to the win against the Seahawks, Rex Grossman was aided by defense and special teams and simply had to not make mistakes. Having never trailed, Rex went a mediocre 11/26 for 144 yards, but ZERO turnovers is a rare feat that practically guarantees a Chicago victory.
• The Saints defensive coaching staff is being criticized for not being aggressive enough, and rightly so. They should have sent more blitzes and pressured Grossman into making some of his signature mistakes.
• Down 16-0, Drew Brees and the Saints offense finally got going, culminating in a dump off lob to Reggie Bush which he took to the house 88 yards later to make it 16-14. About ten yards from scoring, Bush proudly waved and taunted at the chasing Bears defenders before making his trademark somersault into the endzone. Note that the Chicago defense never let the Saints score after Bush's showy taunt and dance.

New England Patriots 34
Indianapolis Colts 38

• Football games rarely live up to the hype like this instant classic did. Brady vs Manning is this generation's Montana vs Aikman and Magic vs Bird.
• Halftime: Pats 21, Colts 6. Peyton has been picked off for a touchdown, and the Colts defense is looking soft again. The Monday mourning discussions and newspaper headlines are already being developed - Manning loses the big game...again.
• Instead, the Colts storm back quickly in the second half, with a Manning sneak into the endzone and a touchdown strike to Dan Klecko (the THIRD lineman to score a touchdown in this game!), capped off with a two point conversion to, who else, Marvin Harrison. Just like that, we are all tied up at 21. Game on.
• Brady and Manning keep on firing back at each other, trading a pair of touchdowns and field goals, until Peyton's potentially career defining 7-play 80-yard drive for the go ahead score with a minute left. Brady looks like he is poised for another comeback drive of his own before being picked off at midfield.
• Let there be no doubt Manning won this game, and he needed all 349 of his passing yards to do it. But he finally got help come championship time. Throughout this season and into the playoffs, the knocks on the Colts were 1) run defense and 2) run offense. In the second half, the Colts held the Pats to 5 carries for 8 yards. The Colts, on the other hand, had Rhodes and Addai evenly share 28 carries for 125 yards, a solid 4.5 yards/carry. In such a close game, this is an enormous difference.
• Thankfully, the game did not come down to a Vinatieri or Gostkowski missed field goal, which would have completely changed the outcome of the game and playoffs, a la 2005, and created one of the saddest storylines ever.
• Speaking of great storylines, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, two good friends and former colleagues, will now face off each other as the first two African-American head coaches in the Super Bowl. Throw in Peyton Manning's first shot at a Super Bowl title, strength versus strength in a great offense versus a great defense, and Rex Grossman and the Bears coming in as 7-point underdogs, and we are in for one heck of a game in Miami come Super Bowl XLI.

Chargers

• As they make news for retaining head coach Marty Schottenheimer, who declined a lowball contract extension past 2007, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron takes the head coaching vacancy in Miami, I figured now would be a good time to address the San Diego Chargers...
• As usual, there are many plays you can point to whenever a team loses double digit fourth quarter lead. The most obvious is Marlon McCree's fumble after a fourth down interception of Tom Brady's pass to Troy Brown. Instead of having the ball with an eight point lead with under seven minutes left, the reenergized Patriots were able to drive down the field for a touchdown and a two point conversion against the demoralized Chargers. This was one of those wacky plays that does seem to occur more often than one would think. Whenever its fourth down, defensive backs would be a lot better simply knocking down the ball.
• Among the many reasons why Marty was close to being fired after Sunday's game: LT only touched the ball nine times in the second half, a failed attempt on fourth and eleven that should have been a 48-yard field goal attempt, a dumb challenge on McCree's fumble that cost a valuable timeout, not running a quick pass play to the sidelines with eight seconds lift before Nick Kaeding's missed 54-yard attempt, personal foul penalties showing lack of discipline, and, finally, Marty's cursed 5-13 playoff record.
• Tom Brady may have been trailing the entire game, threw three interceptions in 51 attempts, but when it comes down to it, Captain Comeback is nothing but money in the fourth quarter. 12-1 in the playoffs and counting.

Northridge Earthquake

Exactly thirteen years ago, January 17, 1994, at 4:30am, an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude hit the San Fernando Valley, an area about twenty miles north of downtown Los Angeles. The earthquake ended up costing billions of dollars more than any other earthquake in American history, killing 51 and injuring 9000. Damage extended from as far north as the 5 and 14 freeway interchange all the way south to Orange County where the Anaheim Stadium partially collapsed.

Thirteen years later, most of us have forgotten the effects of the Northridge earthquake. The earthquake hurt and changed many peoples lives in Southern California. The economy took a dip as many moved away in fear of another large earthquake. Remember how prepared and used we all were to the aftershocks? Yet today, we have forgotten what occurred and are no longer prepared. As the rest of the country has had its share of its disasters, one cannot help but feel we are due...

Divisional Playoffs

• For all the wondering and debating we all did throughout the entire season, for all the hype that the top two seeds in Chargers and Ravens generated, how funny is it that, at the end of the day, its going to come down to Brady vs Manning, the same two who it seemingly always comes down to. Then there is Stephen Gostkowski vs Adam Vinatieri. Bilchick vs Dungy. Pats vs Colts. This weekend is the Super Bowl folks. Could it get any better?
• Despite the close loss, much props have to be given to the Philadelphia Eagles for stepping up and rallying behind Jeff Garcia when everyone thought their season was over when McNabb went down.
• The Saints won a great game, in which Brees, Bush, and McAllister all excelled in the spotlight. Great story in a great city. Now can they go on the road in the cold weather, something they are not accustumed to at all, and beat Da Bears?
• Alright, here we go finally. The Seahawks had several chances to win the game in Chicago, and I could easily go on for days pointing out certain instances in that game. I can even point to losses against San Francisco, Arizona, and Minnesota, which should have been wins resulting in Seattle earning a first-round bye and another home game instead. I can point to Hasselbeck's busted ribs, broken fingers, and knee injury, as he was far from 100%. I can point to Shaun Alexander's fractured foot. I can point to fullback Mack Strong's sprained ankle and couple of stingers. I can point to numerous injuries and shuffles amongst the offensive line; only Walter Jones started every game, and he had a strained shoulder. I can point to the lack of continuity with the wide receivers, as Bobby Engram, Darrell Jackson, and D.J. Hackett were banged up throughout the season all the way into the playoffs. Deion Branch and Nate Burleson were great, but will need an offseason to thoroughly absorb the complicated offense and develop chemistry with Hasselbeck.
• I can keep on making excuses, but the Seahawks went 9-7 to win the NFC West, won a playoff game against the annointed Cowboys, and took Da Bears to overtime in Chicago, having two drives come to a halt at midfield when the game was tied, with only one big completion away from setting up Josh Brown for another clutch game winning boot. Ten of Seattle's 18 games came down to the final drive, contributing to plenty of stress, heartbreak, and sheer joy. Even after a Super Bowl run last year, considering what happened this season, 10-8 is damn good.

24

Best. Show. Ever. Watch it!

24

Seeing as I promoted Friday Night Lights last week, I might as well continue the television suggestions with 24. If I was forced to choose to watch one television series only, it would be this one. Simply put, 24 is the best show ever. Watch it!

Random Thoughts

random thoughts...

• Soccer star and icon David Beckham has decided to leave Real Madrid for the MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy for a deal thought to be worth over a whopping $250 million including commercial endorsements. If true, it would be the most in sports history. Beckham is already worth about $169 million making about $32 million per year in salary and endorements before coming to America. The Galaxy kicks off their season in April, and it will be interesting to see how much of an impact Beckham has in popularizing the sport that is a distant number four behind football, basketball, and baseball.
• The Philadelphia 76ers and Chris Webber have agreed on a buyout for the final two years of his contract, worth $21 and $22 million respectively. Webber was the No.1 pick in the 1993 draft and has career averages of 21 points and 10 rebounds. However, his performance and health have declined recently, and many question his attitude. Because Webber is still going to be paid by Philly, look for him to sign with a contender in the next week as he could very well be a veteran role player that proves to be the missing piece in route to a playoff run. (Lakers...!?)
• I will not quit repeating myself - the Lakers will only become a championship contender when Phil Jackson starts young studs Jordan Farmar and Andrew Bynum.
• Now that they have Allen Iverson, the Denver Nuggets shipped tiny fan favorite Earl Boykins to the Milwaukee Bucks for Julius Hodge and Steve Blake. Denver is currently hovering around .500, but even with Melo and A.I. the division leader Utah Jazz will be tough to catch. Look for Denver to end up as one of those tough underdogs that gives a top seed a heck of a first round series.
• Yes, the Atlantic Division stinks with all five teams below .500, but the Central has four of its five above .500.
• Of course, none of this all matters as its going to come down to San Antonio and Dallas in the west with Shaq and Riley returning for Miami to spark a playoff run...again.
• Greg Oden Sweeptakes Status: Philly, Memphis, Charlotte, Atlanta, Boston, New Orleans, and Seattle (!) are in the running.

The Bible Experience Video

Seattle 21, Dallas 20

My heart hurts. It is not quite the typical heartache, as it is due to sheer stress of the thrilling rollercoaster ride that took place at Quest Field in Seattle on Saturday night, overshadowing all the other games on NFL Wild Card Weekend.

• Firstly, wide receivers Darrell Jackson, the team leader in touchdowns, and D.J. Hackett (from...CSUN!?), both went down with injuries. Both starting cornerbacks in Marcus Trufant and Kelly Herndon were also out, along with center Robbie Tobeck. So before anyone even thinks to compare this team to last, know that you simply cannot.
• Michael Boulware has been through a tough season, but had a forced fumble and later a potentially huge recovery for a touchdown that was reversed. This guy has been my favorite player since his rookie year.
• 6:48 remaining: Dallas 20, Seattle 13. After a pass interference penalty in the end zone, the Seahawks have the ball with first and goal at the one yard line. They fail to punch in on all four opportunities and turn it over on downs.
• 6:42: Cowboys first play of the possession at their own one yard line. Tony Romo throws a quick completion to Terry Glenn who slips to the turf in trying to make a move. Rookie cornerback Kelly Jennings strips the ball into the endzone. A number of Seahawks make a run for it, Lofa Tatupu makes an amazing athletic dive to toss the ball back into the field for Michael Boulware to recover for a touchdown. After a lenghty review, Tatupu had his toe out of bounds as he tosses the ball and it is ruled a safety. This is one of those wacky plays that must be seen to understand.
• 4:31: Here is why the safety turned out to be better than the touchdown. A touchdown would have tied it at 20 but given the ball back to the Cowboys. Instead, the safety made it 20-15 but gave the Seahawks the ball and good field position at midfield after a free kick and Nate Burleson return. Hasselbeck hits Jerramy Stevens for a 37-yard strike for his second touchdown. Here is another guy who has been through a tough season but steps up big here. A failed two point conversion attempt leaves us at 21-20.
• 1:19: Cowboys driving down the field, aided by a long Julius Jones run up the middle. Seahawks burn their timeouts hoping the stop the clock and get the ball back. Tony Romo's pass to tight end Jason Witten is complete at the one yard line for a first down. This meant that Dallas could knee it a couple of times, run down the clock, and kick the game winning field goal as time experies. However, upon the officials' review, Lofa Tatupu's tackle is found to have been made just short of the first down making it fourth and half a yard. The Cowboys line up to kick the go-ahead field goal only to have starting quarterback Tony Romo fumble the snap, make a run for the goal line before being tackled by Jordan Barbineaux.
• Sports Illustrated's Don Banks eloquently summed it up, writing, "Twenty years from now -- no, make it 30 or maybe 40 -- we'll still be asking each other, 'Where were you when Romo dropped the ball?'' Saturday night's instant classic in Seattle gave us that kind of unforgettable sports moment. The stakes and the stage were that large. The drama that exquisite."

Wild Weekend

For football fans, this is always the best weekend of the year...

Saturday

Kansas City Chiefs (9-7) @ Indianapolis Colts (12-4)

1:30pm NBC

The story: Thanks to a 49ers upset in Denver, the Chiefs snuck into the playoffs. If Trent Green struggles early, look for Herman Edwards to pull the trigger and put Damon Huard back in.

The hype: The hyped matchup here is Larry Johnson versus the soft Colts run defense.

The prediction: The Chiefs only won three road games all season, two of those being at lowly Oakland and Arizona. Look for Peyton Manning to score early and often at home in the comfort of his dome.

Dallas Cowboys (9-7) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

5:00pm NBC

The story: Each team entered the season as favorites to win the NFC, largely because head coaches Mike Holmgren and Bill Parcells are two living legends. Fast forward through several big injuries, a quarterback change, and a whole mess of T.O. stories, and you have each team backing into the playoffs losing three of their final four.

The hype: The story line here is THREE injured Seahawk cornerbacks, including both starters. Most expect Owens and Terry Glenn to burn the makeshift Seattle secondary, but the Cowboys may be better off running Julius Jones and Marion Barber on the road.

The prediction: Look for the 12th Man and homefield advantage to play a huge roll in another Seahawk victory at Quest Field.

Sunday

New York Jets (10-6) at New England Patriots (12-4)

10:00am CBS

The story: No one saw the Jets coming close to making the playoffs, but comeback player of the year Chad Pennington and a solid defense have managed to take advantage of a soft schedule. Each team enters the playoffs on a roll winning three in a row.

The hype: Eric Mangini comes off of Bill Bilichick's New England staff, and has shown it in two close games this year, including one win at Foxboro. The media has had a ball tracking the rocky relationship between the two.

The prediction: Even though Mangini has spent years coaching defensive practices against him, it is hard to go against Tom Brady against the playoffs.

New York Giants (8-8) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

1:30 FOX

The story: Anyone could have come out from the NFC East in any fashion and it would not have been a surprise. But no one saw Jeff Garcia rallying the Eagles to the division title. The Giants started off 6-2 but tallied off, largely because of Eli Manning's supposed regression.

The hype: Tom Coughlin's job is on the line in this game while Donovon McNabb and his mother wonder how he will be treated come next season.

The prediction: No one is giving the Giants a chance in this one, and that makes them dangerous. Garcia is more consistent than Manning though, so Philly gets the edge.

Monday

BCS Championship: Florida (2) versus Ohio State (1)

5:15pm FOX

The story: UCLA knocked USC out of the title picture while Florida barely edged Michigan in the BCS calculations.

The hype: Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith, perhaps the next Vince Young, is up against the tough Florida defense.

The prediction: Troy Smith makes a case for the NFL and runs all over Florida.

Friday Night Lights

It will get you pumped, make you angry, laugh, and yes, even cry. Friday Night Lights. Wednesdays 8pm on NBC. Watch it.

2006 Year in Review

I am not one who loves to dwell over the past, but I do enjoy recalling some big stories...

January 22, 2006
NFL Championship Sunday features the Seahawks and Steelers winning their respective conferences.
Sonics 152, Suns 149 (2ot) - Ray Allen's three pointer at the buzzer wins a high scoring double overtime thriller
Lakers 122, Raptors 104 - Kobe Bryant: 81 points in 42 minutes, shooting 28 for 46 including 7 of 13 three pointers, and 18 for 20 from the free throw line, along with a whopping two assists.

January
Super Bowl XL - Refere-uh, I mean, Steelers 21, Seahawks 10.
Rose Bowl - Vince Young runs all over the Trojans snapping USC's 34-game winning streak in route to a national championship

February
Germany wins 29 medals at the Winter games in Italy, which are largely overshadowed by a series of illegal substance scandals.

March
Madness ensues as George Mason rides a Cinderalla season into the Final Four. Florida handily beats UCLA to win the national championship.

April
The NFL Draft makes big news as the Houston Texans pick Mario Williams first allowing New Orleans to pick Reggie Bush. Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Devin Hester, and Maurice Jones-Drew cap out a star-studded draft.

May
Perhaps the greatest NBA Playoffs of all time featured four seven game series': Raja Bell and Kobe go at it in the first round, Lebron James takes the Detroit Pistons to seven, Dallas Mavericks upset the banged up San Antonio Spurs in a series that came down to the final minute, and the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers provide another set of seven entertaining games.

June
NHL Stanley Cup - Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven. No one cares.

NBA Finals - Down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heat decide to turn it on winning four in a row as Dwyane Wade cements his name as a superstar.

July
The FIFA World Cup in Germany is considered a grand success but will always be remembered for Zinedine Zidane's heatbutt.

August
The excitement and anticipation for another NFL season peaks during training camp. How will Big Ben, Culpepper, Brees, and Pennington return from injuries? When will the rookie quarterbacks step in and which will be the best? Just how good are the Manning brothers? Who is not sick and tired of the T.O. circus? Will the Curses strike the Seahawks?

September
NFL kickoffs with the best moment being the Saints emotional homecoming to the New Orleans Superdome on Monday Night beating the Atlanta Falcons 23-3 in route to a surprising 10-6 season.

October
St. Louis Cardinals upset the Detroit Tigers in five games to win the World Series

November
NBA - The Utah Jazz emerge as the surprise team of the season, joining the ranks of San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix and reinforcing the western conference's superiority.

December
NBA - Allen Iverson is traded to the Denver Nuggets days after a New York and Denver brawl.
NFL - L.T. wins the rushing title and sets the touchdown record with 31.

The Bible Experience

It has taken me a while, but I am finally reaping the benefits of a great Christmas gift, The Bible Experience, a collection of 18 CDs featuring dramatic readings of the New Testament. While driving around in my car, I normally love to have ESPN radio or KFWB news rambling on, and I will even put up with the garbage that we call our generation's music. But I have found a new favorite in listening to the New Testament. While nothing compares to reading the good book itself, this audio blends celebrities' voices and music to bring the gospel to life in a vivid and powerful manner.

Merry Christmas

It may be a little difficult to get into the holiday spirit when hanging out at a 85-degree beach listening to a reggae remix of "Silent Night" but I manage to do it anyway. Amidst our gift exchanging and partying, take some time to remember the true meaning of CHRISTmas...

Seattle is #1

A recent annual study has once again proved that Seattlites are geniuses, naming the Emarald City as the most literate in the United States. To put that in perspective, San Francisco fell from 5th to 9th, San Diego jumped from 39th to 26th while Los Angeles checks in at 57, Long Beach at 63, and Anaheim at a lowly 64.

Week 14

• San Diego 48, Denver 20 - LaDainian Tomlinson is the MVP. Not unlike the Heisman race, this one is over a lot sooner than it usually is. The San Diego Chargers are 11-2, best in the league, and are the clear cut favorites to win it all.
• Arizona 27, Seattle 21 - The Super Bowl runner ups are not winning the games that they are supposed to, as they fall to Edge James and Matt Leinart in Glendale. FOUR fumbles kill key Seahawk drives, yet they were a yard shy of going on to win the game.
• Tennessee 26, Houston 20 (OT) - Vince Young drops back on 3rd & 14 in overtime, then takes off for 39 yards scoring the game winning touchdown in his hometown, moving to 6-4 as starter. Could it have gone any better?
• Jacksonville 44, Indianapolis 17 - Many expected the Jaguars to pressure Manning, rough up the Colts receivers, and run the ball up the middle against the soft Indy defense. But no one expected 375 rushing yards and FOUR touchdowns, and an additional one on a Jones-Drew kick return.
• Miami 21, New England 0 - Let me get this straight. Future hall of famers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning get shut down and rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young win. And people ask me why I love the NFL.
• New Orleans 42, Dallas 17 - The Saints are the next greatest show on turf. Opposing teams defenses would be so focused on Marshall Faulk that it would allow stars to be made out of Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt. Opposing teams are now so focused on Reggie Bush, that stars are being made out of Drew Brees, Marquis Colston, and Devry Henderson. After Bush's amazing 61-yard touchdown catch and run highlighted with a couple of his signature jukes and cutbacks, Al Michaels pointed out that Reggie Bush has the number one jersey sold in the NFL. John Madden follows that up with, "I am about to buy one too." Yes, Drew Brees is an MVP candidate and Sean Payton is Coach of the Year, but the Saints have the number one offense because of Reggie Bush.

SNF - Seattle 23, Denver 20

• The Seattle Seahawks upset the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High Sunday night, moving to 8-4, tied for second place in the NFC with Dallas and New Orleans.
• In a related story, Josh Brown has just been elected as the new mayor of Seattle. The Seahawks kicker hit his FOURTH game winning field goal this season, tieing the NFL record. Just one of many ways of putting this in perspective: he is single handedly responsible for half the Seahawk victories this year.
• Oh, Josh Brown also forced a fumble on a second half kickoff. What a stud.
• The Seahawks are so ridiculously banged up, its a miracle everytime they win. I do not even want to begin to name the injured players let alone the ones who are obviously playing hurt, the most obvious of which is Matt Hasselbeck.
• The injuries to Walter Jones and Mack Strong, the quiet rocks of the high-powered Seahawks offense for years, could have easily spelled doom. Thankfully, Jones quickly returned while Strong was in and out. Tight End Will Heller filled in at fullback for the better part of the second half when, surprisingly, Shaun Alexander and the running game got going.
• I did not like the weather here in the Valley this weekend up until I saw the 12 degree night cause steam to rise off of the heads of the players in Denver.
• Seahawks and Broncos combined for 6 fumbles and 3 interceptions. Disgusting yet fun.
• Jay Cutler: 10/21, 143 yards, 2TDs, 2INTs. The first interception was just plain stupid as he chucked the ball high while getting hit in an effort to avoid a sack. Instead, Darryl Tapp picks it off and returns it for a touchdown. The second one was tipped by a defensive lineman, but proved to be costly as it was in the fourth quarter and allowed Seattle to burn clock and chalk up three points. Overall an okay game for a first start, as he converted multiple third downs, but did not look good on those play action bootlegs that are a staple of the Denver offense. The interesting thing though, is that he can only get better.

• The Seahawks comeback failed to top the Browns' comeback win in overtime against Kansas City without Charlie Frye, the Cowboys' Martin Gramatica's game-winning kick over New York, and the Titans' Rob Bironas' 60-yarder to shock the Colts.
• Vince Young is 5-4 since taking over as the starter, the last two come from behind victories against the Manning brothers. No one thought he was going to be the best rookie quarterback this year, but he is.
• The San Diego Super Chargers are now tied with the Colts at 10-2 for the AFC's best record. While both teams are capable of winning on the road, the home team is always going to be the favorite come the AFC Championship game.
• Rmember the first half of the season when Grossman was throwing bombs, inspiring all that talk about Chicago being one of the the best teams ever, perhaps topping the '85 Bears? Now, even at 10-2, any NFC team is capable of winning in Chicago...


• In case you went to Pluto for the weekend: UCLA 13, USC 9. Florida gets a shot at challenging Ohio State for the national championship. What are the odds that Pete Caroll and Karl Dorrell are still coaching in Los Angeles this time next year?

MNF - Seattle 34, Green Bay 24

• Previous two Monday Night Football games for the Seattle Seahawks: 16-0 vs Oakland in Week 8, 42-0 at Philadelphia in 2005. Both were shutouts.
• It was not quite so easy this time around, however, with hail and snow falling on a 35 degree night, the worst weather conditions for a game in Seattle ever (Quest Field is five years old and the Seahawks played in the Kingdome before).
• Matt Hasselbeck made his return after missing four games with a sprained knee. First half: Three interceptions, one fumble returned for a touchdown.
• Here is the thing with Hasselbeck. He is a prideful guy. Remember the "we'll take the ball and we're going to score" back in 2004? He probably felt that, in his return, he needed to come out and make a bunch of big plays to make up for his time away. Compound that with rustiness and weather conditions, and Hasselbeck started to press, forcing throws under pressure making some bad decisions.
• How bad are the Packers that your offense can only score once in the first half even with the aid of those three interceptions?
• Craig Terrill blocked a field goal, second time this year. I cannot believe I cut him in my Madden franchise...
• Josh Brown is a stud. Four for four, including one from 45 yards out, all in the freezing first half with snow and hail. Paul Allen, please open your checkbook for him soon.
• Halftime: Packers 14, Seahawks 12. It stops hailing/snowing.
• Back to Hasselbeck's first game back. Either the easing of the weather helped, he shook off his rustiness, or whatever Holmgren said to him at the half worked, or a combination of it all. Whatever the case, Matt comes out and leads three long drives hitting D.J. Hackett, Darrell Jackson, and Jerramy Stevens for touchdowns. Welcome back.
• Speaking of welcome back, anytime the weather is like it was last night in Seattle, you know that the rushing game is going to be crucial, even with a Mike Holmgren offense. Shaun Alexander entered the game with only 424 yards the entire season. He nearly doubled that with FOURTY carries for 201 yards.
• Chris Spencer started for Robbie Tobeck at center again. Tobeck is a smart team leader who is tight with Hasselbeck. However, it appears that the younger, healthier, and stronger Spencer may be better for the running game.
• Jerramy Stevens had two big drops, drawing heavy boos from the normally forgiving Seattle crowd. If he did not make up for it with a two-point conversion and touchdown, he would be the goat of the game. The team's two most important people in Hasselbeck and Holmgren support him though, so it would take a lot for him not to remain a large part of the offense.
• Nate Burleson is never going to earn his $49 million, but he is slowly inching forward. He had a punt return of 17 yards and a kickoff return of 45 yards, consistently setting up the offense with good field position, something the Seattle has never really had.
• D.J. Hackett is a stud. The former CSUN Matador (!) is filling in for ill Bobby Engram, caught a couple of third down conversions and a touchdown, leading the team with 5 receptions for 67 yards.
• The Seattle Seahawks' cornerbacks had a grand total of zero interceptions this season. Enter Brett Favre. Whenever he gets down, he starts to force throws into coverage trying to make a big play. All three corners picked him off! Marcus Trufant, Kelly Herndon, and rookie Kelly Jennings, who was in the third grade when Favre began his career.
• About that rougher the passer penalty. Matt Hasselbeck threw an incompletion on third down but was slightly hit on the back of the helmet on his way to the ground. Is it a good call? No, of course not. I would be in an outrage if it cost my team the game like it did the Packers. However, the referees is not the problem; it is the rule and the NFL's mentality of protecting the quarterback at all costs. Exhibit A: The Giants' defensive end letting Vince Young go from his grasp on fourth down. Vince went on to run for the first down, throw for the tying touchdown, and win the game. The explanation was that he let Young go in fear of the roughing the passer penalty, which would have given the Titans the first down anyway. Now I hate seeing so many teams' seasons go down the drain because of quarterback injuries, so the league may have an impossible task on its hands in finding a balance between keeping football a man's game and protecting its stars.
• Call me ridiculous, but I can turn anything into something good, so this is easy. At 7-4, Seattle is in position to make a run at a first-round bye with the injuries beginning to fade away. This game showed off Hasselbeck's poise with the ability to fight through such a terrible first half and still find a way to come back and win. Alexander and the offensive line finally pulled off a good game. Heck, even the defense, which has been atrocious this year, made huge stops late in the game. With two should-win divisional games against Arizona and San Francisco coming up, the Seahawks could be back on track very quickly. First thing is first though - a visit to Denver to take on Jay Cutler in his first professional start and the Broncos on Sunday Night!

DECLARATION

I originally started this blog so I would not have to keep repeating my rants about sports to my buddies. I thoroughly enjoy writing this, sharing my useless opinions, and arguing with you all. I will continue to do this as it has developed into a fun hobby that sparks conversation, not that I need to talk about sports more to begin with. However, this past weekend I experienced something so powerful that I am at a loss how to apply it to my life and others, so I will simply use this outlet to recite a small part of it.

Satan, take note and listen well!
We are the Church of the Living God.
We are bought with blood, charged with power, married to Jesus, indwelt with His Spirit, destined for victory, immune from destruction.

We’re part of the company of the committed,
the crowd of the covenant,
the congregation of the courageous.

We’re a fellowship of the faithful,
a battalion of believers,
a regiment of the redeemed,
a division of the devoted,
an army of the approved,
a team of the triumphant,
and a platoon of the powerful.

Satan, you will not conquer me.
For I am blood-washed, daily-delivered, strongly-sanctified, Spirit-soaked, in-Word, and indwelt.

You are wasting your energy on me. My fate is set. My victory is assured.
I am linked with a sovereign and eternal power.

You are a deceiver, but you will not deceive me.
You are a roaring lion, but I am not devourable.
You are extremely subtle, but I am on to your ways.
You parade as an angel of light, but I walk in a stronger light.

Your days of deception are over with me.
I won’t be detoured, derailed, distracted, distorted, discouraged, or disillusioned by your schemes.

I am off limits to you now. My doors are closed and locked and I've thrown away the keys.

You won’t walk in, crawl in, slither in, sneak in, pry in, or barge into my life.
I have permanent and precious friend who lives inside of me, and He will not share this temple with anyone, especially you.

His name is Jesus.

He and I know that you know your time's almost up.

You may lie, lure, linger, lurch, and laugh, but you won’t get in.
Your days are numbered; your designs are dwindling; your evil is eroding; your devilishness is dissolving; your progress is poisoned; your success has been subverted.

So get off my property; get off my porch.
Get out of my sight.
For He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
Leave my family alone; leave my children alone; leave my church alone; and leave my friends alone.

God is on my side. Rather, I’m on God’s side.

I have the same power that delivered Jesus from temptation and sin.
I have the same power that raised Him from the grave.
I have been promised the victory, and I have claimed that victory.

You can summon all your hosts, but you will lose the battle!

We are the Church of the Living God! Blood-washed, Spirit-filled, battle-scarred, unrelenting and indestructible.

And in the blessed words of Jesus Christ, the gates of hell will not prevail against us.

In Jesus’ name.
In Jesus' name.
In Jesus' name.

Are you listening?
In Jesus' name.

Amen and Amen!

How about...

Been a great week in sports. Basketball is good as always while football, both college and professional, is in its peak time.

• How about that Ohio State - Michigan game? Despite the BCS rankings, I doubt we will see a rematch as the championship bowl.
• How about my Seahawks? A thrilling comeback win against the Rams (Nate Burleson and Josh Brown!) followed by a terrible performance in San Francisco (defense refuses to tackle Frank Gore and Seneca Wallace throws three interceptions), making the division somewhat interesting again.
• How about Brett Favre? An arm injury brought Aaron Rodgers in, the streak could end in Seattle next week on Monday Night?
• How about the NFC East? McNabb done, new era in D.C., the Giants are rolling, but Dallas has found its next Troy Aikmen in Tony Romo.
• How about the NFC South? The Saints offense is scary good, Mike Vick is ridiculously inconsistent, while the Panthers are back as the favorites.
• How about Vince Young and Matt Leinart? Their teams stink, but this week they managed to win.
• How about them Miami Dolphins? Nick Saban publicly packs it in last year, then they roll off six wins in a row. This year, after a 1-6 start, they have won three tough ones since their bye.
• How about them Bears and Colts? The undefeated teams have proven they are beatable, so do they remain the favorites in their respective conferences?
• How about them Baltimore Ravens? I do not know if they lose with the solid offense they have now.
• How about them San Diego Super Chargers? 42 and 28 points in the second halves of enormous comeback victories at Cincinnati and at Denver, respectively. Wow!

Sanguinity in Seattle

• Before I hit my midpoint rant about the NFL, the first week of the NBA has been great. It seems every night can be dubbed "Upsets Galore" as last year's division winners Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Miami, and Detroit find themselves at the bottom of their respective divisions.
• The NBA's undefeated teams: Utah, New Orleans, and Philadelphia.
• Remember it is still extremely early in the season and most of the above will be corrected as players get back into shape and teams start to mesh.
• I have managed to watch most of the Clipper and Laker games, and this is the first time EVER that they are both looking dangerously good. I like the fact that both teams' stars in Elton Brand and Kobe Bryant have not even had big games yet.
• Phil Jackson seems to to be hearing my call for more playing time for Andrew Bynum, Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar. It will be interesting to see what happens when Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown return.
• The Clippers can beat anyone when healthy as we are seeing now. Even though they play a eight-man rotation, Corey Maggette and Shaun Livingston are more than good enough to be starters. The pickup of Tim Thomas is paying off.
• The Seattle Sonics embark on a five game road trip tonight, beginning at Miami against the champs minus Shaq. While a series of road losses can quickly doom the Sonics' season, I recall an early east coast swing similar to this one in 2004 in which the players bonded and surprisingly went 5-1, propelling the team to the playoffs...

• After sacking Andrew Walter nine times and thoroughly dominating the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren packed it in for the second half, rushing for 207 yards to close out a satisfactory 16-0 win during a windy and rainy evening at Quest Field.
• Opening Drive: Seneca Wallace with the pump fake, cornerback Fabian Washington bites, and a lob to Deion Branch for a 22 yard touchdown. Beautiful.
• Seneca Wallace ran for the Seahawks longest carry of the season for 37 yards. Also beautiful.
• How do you not love ESPN's Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon? Insightful and amusing guys.
• Seattle's offensive line was finally clicking like they should be, blocking for a solid 5.3 yards per carry and giving Seneca Wallace time to complete 60% of his passes. Even though it was against the Raiders, this should inspire some confidence moving into the second half of the season.
• While shutting out the Raiders is not enormously impressive, nine sacks should encourage more aggressive play calling from John Marshall to help out the secondary. Again, this game will inspire confidence moving forward.
• Imagine if a ticked off Hasselbeck and Alexander return to a confident team with a winning record in the next month...
• The Seahawks are one full game up on the Rams heading into their showdown in Seattle on Sunday. Even if the Rams win and tie Seattle, the schedule slightly favors the Seahawks:
• Seattle faces the 49ers twice, Packers, and Cardinals. The likely loss is at Denver, but Hasselbeck, Alexander, and the rest of the offense should be back and rolling for the final two games against the Chargers and Buccaneers. If they hold on to the four likely wins and pick up one of the tough ones, 10-6 is easily possible. If they win both of those, 11-5 will take the division.
• The St. Louis Rams also have four likely wins with the 49ers, Cardinals, Redskins, and Raiders. However, their other three games are considerably tougher with the Panthers, Bears, and Vikings.
• Raider defensive end Tyler Brayton got into a scuffle with loudmouth tight end Jerramy Stevens, climaxing with an attempted low blow with his knee. Brayton was immediately ejected with offsetting penalties being assessed to both teams. Look for a fine and suspension from the NFL; I find this to be worse than the Titans DT Albert Haynesworth's stomp on the head a couple weeks ago - this was a shot at the Stevens' family jewels for crying out loud!
• Speaking of Jerramy Stevens, he dropped a sure touchdown right after the penalty and was benched for the rest of the half. For such a talkative and cocky guy, he should catch the ball.
• Ditto for T.O.
• Dallas-Washington always a great game, by the way.
• Mike Martz's offense is clicking in Detroit. Look out.
• The New York Giants should have beaten the Houston Texans by a lot more than 14-10. The loss of Strahan will hurt more than we think.
• I am having a hard time disagreeing with Sports Illustrated's Peter King's Midseason Awards: MVP - Drew Brees, Offensive Player - Peyton Manning, Defensive Player - Champ Bailey, Offensive Rookie - Marques Colston, Defensive Rookie - DeMaco Ryans, Coach - Sean Payton, Executive Mickey Loomis. Note the New Orleans Saints have half of those.
• Rex Grossman's interceptions finally cost the Chicago Bears a win, so now we turn to the Indianapolis Colts who are still 8-0. I did not think they would survive this two week stretch with games at Denver and at New England. Unless they pack it in after clinching homefield like last year, I do not see them losing a game at all.
• Halfway through the season, the AFC playoff picture is fairly simple: Baltimore, New England, and Indy will take their divisions, while San Diego and Denver will battle for the West with the other getting a wild card. Look for Jacksonville or Kansas City to take the final spot, with Cincinnati and New York on the outside looking in.
• The NFC, in comparison, is a mess. The only lock is Chicago in the North, but Minnesota can push for a wild card spot. We know about Seattle and St. Louis in the West. The Giants are hot since their 1-2 start and should take the East, although Philly and Dallas will challenge them. Anything can happen in the South, with New Orleans, Atlanta, and Carolina each a game apart. After the Dolphins proved the Bears are beatable in Chicago, the NFC has become wide open.
• You know where I am going with this: Seahawks-Colts Super Bowl is still looking good.

Is it Monday yet?

The old AFC West rivalry is renewed tonight on Monday Night Football as the Oakland Raiders visit the Seattle Seahawks. The Raiders are coming off of two huge upset wins while the Seahawks have lost two consecutive games without Matt Hasselbeck. Both teams will be starting their backup quarterbacks in Seneca Wallace and Andrew Walter, so the game may be closer than it should be.

The Laker Hating Begins...

With two consecutive games against the Seattle SuperSonics, look for the Kobe-less Los Angeles Lakers to come back down to earth this weekend.

Guess Who's Back...

LeBron? Kobe? D-Wade? Amare? No, I am excited for the return of the TNT guys!

Random Thoughts ~ Week 8

• Kansas City 35, Seattle 28. Seneca Wallace is a stud. Completely exceeding expectations. But with such a soft defense, even a healthy offense is not going to win many games.
• The loss does not hurt too much because St. Louis got killed in San Diego while Seattle caught a lot of breaks, and were even in position to win the game in the fourth quarter. When the schedule was released I did not expect a win in Kansas City, let alone without Hasselbeck and Alexander.
• And yet Seattle, injured quarterback and running back and terrible defense and all, are still doing significantly better than the Super Bowl winners.
• I hope I do not have to eat those words when the Raiders come up to Seattle Monday Night.

• Bad weekend for Trojans. USC gets upset at Oregon State, Matt Leinart drops to 0-3 at Green Bay, and Reggie Bush loses a fumble, throws a pick (!), tweaks his ankle, and gets blown out at home against Baltimore. Ouch.
• David Carr is benched in the same game in which Mario Williams sacks Vince Young, who goes on to show Houston what they could have had with a 28-20 win. Oh, the irony of it all.
• Game of the year. Colts at Patriots, Sunday Night Football. The two best quarterbacks in Manning and Brady. Winner automatically becomes favorite to win it all.
• If the Colts win, we are going to start hearing about the perfect season again.
• Now that the Bears had their wake up call in Arizona, I do not see them taking anyone lightly again (see 41 points in first half this week). The three division leaders they visit: New York Giants, New England, St. Louis.
• The Michael Vick experience has been unleashed. How do you stop an accurate passer who can take off and run?
• Did anyone hear Al Michaels and John Madden discuss Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's love life during the second quarter? Sheesh...
• How cool are those "Lebrons" commercials? I am sick of people calling for the next Michael Jordan, but Space Jam 2 starring King James sounds awesome...

Red Auerbach

The legendary Boston Celtic head coach has passed away after a heart attack at the age of 89. Red Auerbach, whom the NBA's Coach of the Year trophy is named after, was a pioneer in the NBA's early years, tied with Phil Jackson for nine championships as a head coach. Auerbach was famous for lighting up his charismatic "victory cigar" in the fourth quarter when Boston had the game won. His eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966 may forever stand as the greatest sports dynasty in all of sports. NBA commissioner David Stern summed up Red's influence declaring, "The NBA wouldn’t be what it is today without him.”

As general manager and then president, the Celtics went on to win seven more titles in the 1970s and 1980s. Auerbach is credited for drafting Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and Kevin McHale, as well as acquiring Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge, and Robert Parrish.

I can only pray that Red had Christian faith.

Being the worst rated player on Madden '07

Laugh out loud...

Hasselbeck Out as Curses Continue

Worst case scenario turned into reality Sunday as Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was hit by Minnesota Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson, injuring his right knee's medial-collateral ligament. The hit was eerily similar to Carson Palmer's severe knee injury against the Steelers in last year's playoffs. Minnesota went on to rout the Seahawks in Seattle 31-13. Hasselbeck is expected to miss around a month, returning towards the end of November. Backup Seneca Wallace will take over an already banged up offense which is without MVP running back Shaun Alexander, possession receiver Bobby Engram, and left guard Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack. Tight end Jerramy Stevens has just returned from injury while left tackle Walter Jones is playing hurt.

The triple crown of curses continue to plague the Seahawks. The Super Bowl Loser Curse is well in effect, the Madden Curse has already taken out Shaun Alexander and now the we have the Chunky Soup Curse, whose victims include Kurt Warner, Terrell Davis, Jerome Bettis, Donovan McNabb, and Ben Roethlisberger.

Can Seattle survive the bombardment of injuries? Chances are slim, but a soft schedule provides a slice of hope. Say Hasselbeck is out through the entire month of November. The games he would miss: at Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, at San Francisco, and Green Bay. With a great group of receivers and the return of Shaun Alexander, it is possible for Seneca Wallace to go 2-3 during that stretch, leaving the Seahawks at a modest 6-5. Hasselbeck's return could ignite a wild card playoff push, or even, depending on how the Rams do during their tough month, squeak out the division. However, a playoff berth would be quite an achievement, which means home-field advantage and a Super Bowl run are out of the question.

random thoughts...

• Good thing basketball starts soon. Now that the Seahawks are done, maybe the Sonics will give Seattle a going-away gift of a surprise playoff run. Otherwise, I may have to turn to SoCal teams in the inconsistent Chargers and *gasp* Clippers.
• The San Diego Chargers stud linebaker Shawne Merriman is going to be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. No wonder he was such a beast...
• The Philadelphia Eagles are this year's Chargers in that they always have the game won in the fourth quarter, yet somehow lose it anyway.
• How does Arizona's Dennis Green make it through the week as head coach after losing to the Raiders?
• The Michael Vick show in Pittsburgh was a form we had never seen before. FOUR touchdowns in such a up and down game. Wow.
• The Denver Broncos keep on winning with defense. Then again, they have not played any playoff teams. They need to have confidence in the passing game and put up some points to win come playoff time. We will find out if Jake Plummer is ready when Peyton Manning comes to town this weekend.
• Speaking of Manning visits, I am already looking forward to the November 5 Sunday nighter at Foxboro as the New England Patriots are quietly rolling through everyone.
• Other Week 8 showdowns: Atlanta at Cincinnati, both coming off of close road wins. Baltimore at New Orleans, both coming off of byes. The Sunday nighter, Dallas at Carolina. Good stuff.

Seattle 30, St. Louis 28

Seattle's heroes: Seahawks billionaire owner Paul Allen and kicker Josh Brown.

I just lost a significant portion off the end of my life due to a stressful but fun divisional showdown in St. Louis:

• The Rams dominate the first half 21-7
• The Seahawks storm back to 27-21 in the fourth quarter
• Lofa Tatupu grabs a potentially game winning interception
• Maurice Morris has a potentially game costing fumble
• Torry Holt with an amazing catch for a potentially game winning touchdown
• Matt Hasselbeck with the game winning drive and John Brown with the game winning kick
• Whew.

random thoughts...

• Last season, Seattle was 2-2 going into St. Louis and won a come from behind 37-31 victory without starting receivers Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram. That game ignited the eleven game winning streak shooting the Seahawks into the Super Bowl.
• Today, Seattle went into St. Louis without Bobby Engram, tight end Jerramy Stevens, and MVP running back Shaun Alexander. This makes the win even more impressive.
• Matt Hasselbeck, without a rushing attack for much of the game and protected by a shaky offensive line, leads comebacks from 21-7 at halftime and 28-27 with 64 seconds remaining and 0 timeouts. What a stud.
• Josh Brown is also a stud. The last three Seahawks scores come from 49, 49, and 54 yards away.
• A special thanks to the New England Patriots for Deion Branch. The trade paid its first dividends today: 6 catches, 76 yards, 2 touchdowns.
• The Rams did a great job in pressuring Matt Hasselbeck. On the final drive, however, they never rushed more than their four down lineman. Why abandon what had been working for most of the game? If you give great quarterbacks such as Hasselbeck time, they will burn you.
• Stevens and Alexander should be back next week. With Hasselbeck and his receivers looking this good and if the offensive line can get used to working together and improve, I can easily see the Seahawks stringing together another winning streak.

Sonics-Lakers Thoughts

• Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis are looking great as usual. Lewis finally handled the ball a lot more than he usually has in the past, making some plays off the dribble. The major problem with the Sonics is that there seems to be no consistent third scorer. In the 2005 playoff run, either Antonio Daniels, Vladimir Radmonivic, Jerome James, or Danny Fortson, would step up and fill that role. The first three are all long gone while banged up Fortson is highly unlikely to get in the rotation at all.
• Earl Watson filled in for Luke Ridnour at point guard last night. While Watson made a couple nice plays, Ridnour is by far the better man to run the offense.
• Nick Collison was already a tough banger who could finish inside. Now that he showed off his improved shot range, he will definitely push Chris Wilcox as the starting power forward.
• The Sonics best five might as well include Wilcox and Collison, because despite drafting a center first in each of the past three years, none are close to being a reliable starter. Robert Swift gets my vote as he finally showed some toughness hitting the boards last night. Johan Petro and Muhammad Sene are huge guys who will take up space and block some shots, but they get into foul trouble ridiculously easily and are still liabilities on offense.

• Kobe Bryant sat out because he was afraid of Ray Allen burning him again. Oh, and something to do with a recover from knee surgery too.
• Kurt Rambis filled in for Phil Jackson. This may hurt the youthful Lakers as Jackson's training camps are known to be essential in order to implement his triangle offense, not that Kobe is going to run it anyway.
• I know Shaq is long gone, but it seems he left the bad free throw shooting here in Los Angeles (56 percent).
• Laker fans, meet Vladimir Radmonivic. Sure, he will give you brilliant games every now and then, but last night he was 1-8 from the field. Considering he cannot do anything else but shoot, it will be interesting to see how Phil puts up with him.
• Three Lakers who I (gasp) love: Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Ronny Turiaf.
• Where was Lamar Odom? He should have taken over the game.
• Andrew Bynum has got be on the floor a lot more. The Lakers are missing out on someone who could break a la Dwight Howard. If the Lakers want to get back to contending for a championship, Kobe needs an effective big, and Bynum fits the profile.

"L" is for "Losers"

The Seattle Sonics are visiting the Los Angeles Lakers at the Honda Center in Anaheim tonight. Yes, I know this game means absolutely nothing, so there is no Kobe, no Phil, and Ray and Rashard will only play around 20-25 minutes each, but this is will be my first look at both teams and I will gladly take any opportunity for Seattle to beat the Lakers.

The Seattle Seahawks, meanwhile, have a rivalry game that is actually meaningful in St. Louis on Sunday; winner will take an early lead in the surprisingly competitive NFC West.

Two other NFL showdowns will be going on at the same time this Sunday in Carolina at Baltimore and Philadelphia at New Orleans.

101 Reasons To Be Excited About The 2007 Season

Check out this great article at RealGM.com

All of a sudden I am excited for basketball...

Week 5

After a week of mourning, random thoughts returns...

• This is why every NFL team has optimistic fans every year. Who would have thought that New Orleans, St. Louis, Baltimore, and San Diego would all be leading their respective divisions five weeks into the season?
• The Detroit Lions were up 17-3 in the fourth quarter. Final score: Minnesota 26, Detroit 17.
• Great day weekend for Trojans. Reggie Bush scores his first professional touchdown with a game-winning punt return. Matt Leinart opens 5/5 for two touchdowns.
• Come to think of it, even UCLA's Maurice Jones-Drew ran all over the Jets.
• But the rookie that impressed the most was Texas' Vince Young. Vince Young hung with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, only losing by one. The fact that the Titans were up all the way until a Manning to Wayne touchdown with 5:10 to go is amazing. A 19-yard touchdown run showed that Young can do it in the NFL.
• The T.O. Bowl happened to be a great game.
• Monday Night Football has their best matchup of the year so far in Denver as Steve McNair and the Baltimore Ravens visit a tough place to try to stay undefeated along with the Indy and Chicago.
• If Da Bears roll to homefield advantage in the playoffs, I do not see any team that can win in Chicago in January.