Tuesday, September 30, 2008

White Sox Force One-Game Playoff

The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins will duke it out for the American League Central division title tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox forced Game 163 with a dramatic win over the Detroit Tigers yesterday afternoon behind an electrifying grand slam by the "Cuban Missile" Alexei Ramirez. Ramirez finished the season as the major league leader in grand slams with four and would be a slam dunk AL Rookie of the Year winner if not for Evan Longoria of Tampa Bay. The White Sox, despite losing the season series 10-8 to the Twins, won the coin flip between the teams that enabled the club to host the tie-breaker. Good thing for the Sox, too, because the Twins are just 2-7 at The Cell this season. John Danks will take the mound for the Sox against the Twins' Nick Blackburn. The winner will open a divisional series with Tampa Bay on Thursday afternoon.

Message to Terrell Owens: If anyone should be upset about ball distribution in the offense, it should be Marion Barber, who carried the ball just eight times in Sunday's loss to the Redskins. Eight! And by the way T.O., Romo threw at you 18 times in that game.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Bears Stop Eagles Late, Favre Not Done Yet

The Chicago Bears held off the Philadelphia Eagles last night at Soldier Field behind a stellar defensive effort late in the game, which culminated in a goal-line stand by the Monsters of the Midway. The Eagles went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 3:40 left, but the Bears stopped Correll Buckhalter shy of the goal line. The Eagles converted only 2-of-13 on 3rd down conversions, as the Bears 'D' stepped up for an offense that only made three first downs in the second half and committed three turnovers.

How about that Cardinals-Jets game? Kurt Warner threw for 472 yards in the loss while Brett Favre set a career high with 6 TD's in a game as the Jets scored 34 points in the second quarter to take control of the game. Looks like the old men really can still play. Although, of course, Warner was involved in six turnovers. Okay, so at least he can still be an entertaining show.

It was good to see Jake Delhomme looking fully recovered from the elbow injury that ruined his 2007 campaign, as well as Deuce McAllister finally healthy again. Meanwhile, if Aaron Rodgers' separated shoulder is serious, that could spell doom for the Packers.

I like that Tennessee Titans team, specifically the physical, intimidating defense. I also love Kerry Collins at the helm.

The Redskins went into Dallas and flat-out outplayed the Cowboys. Eight carries for Marion Barber? Wow.

The two huge stories coming out of the last scheduled day of regular season baseball are clearly the New York Mets and the AL Central. Everyone is mentioning the September collapse of the Mets for the second year in a row, but really this team wasn't that great. Should they have held off the Brewers? Of course. But with a leaky bullpen, often ineffective offense and injuries mounting, the fact that they are out of the postseason doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is extending the contract of a GM who really hasn't proved that he can put a championship team on the field.

The other story, of course, is the Chicago White Sox forcing the Detroit Tigers to fly into Chicago for a make-up of Game 162 to help decide the AL Central title. A representative from "Ramblings" will surely be at this momentous event on the South Side of Chicago. The Minnesota Twins will have their bags packed in case they have bus/fly in from Minneapolis for a potential Tuesday night showdown to decide the division. What a baseball season.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Shades of '67 in Corvallis

Pete Carroll's USC Trojans--the greatest team we've ever seen according to many in our great media--fell again to an inferior conference opponent. Mike Riley's Oregon State Beavers (Wow, you were outcoached by Mike Riley, Pete? Really?) thoroughly outplayed the Trojans as the Beavers upset the Trojans 27-21 last night in Corvallis. It was the second straight upset of USC at Reser Stadium, and the victory stirred memories of OSU's win over USC in 1967, when the Beavers beat the O.J. Simpson-led top-ranked Trojans 3-0. Since 2006, USC is just 2-3 against teams from the state of Oregon.Oregon State dominated from the get-go, building a 21-point first-half lead before capitalizing on a late Mark Sanchez interception that led to the final Beaver touchdown and a 27-14 lead with three minutes left.

USC tailback Joe McKnight, who rushed for 105 yards against Ohio State, finished with just 10 yards. Meanwhile, Oregon State's tailback had little problem confusing the USC front. Diminutive Jacquizz Rodgers, just 5'7" and 185 pounds, ran for 186 yards and two scores as the Beavers beat the Trojans for the third time in the last four games in Corvallis.

On the baseball beat, the AL Central just became a lot more interesting than it was even three days ago when it was very intriguing. The Chicago White Sox were swept out of the Metrodome, a house of horrors the last few years for the team, and now actually trail the Twins by a half-game with a weekend of games to play. The White Sox were content with merely taking one game, but could not hold an early 6-2 lead and eventually fell in extra innings 7-6. The Twins now host the Royals for the final three regular season games while the Sox welcome in the Indians. If necessary, the Sox have a makeup game with the Tigers that would be played on Monday afternoon.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Millen Ousted By Lions

Matt Millen was fired yesterday by the Detroit Lions, a move promoted by this very blog after the Lions were smoked in their first three games of the season. Lions owner William Clay Ford relieved Millen of his duties as team president after the club went a league-worst 31-84 since his tenure began in 2001. And while Millen wasn't solely to blame for the fact that the franchise has won just one playoff game since 1957, he certainly wasn't getting the team any closer to any sort of success.


If the Chicago Cubs are going to end their 100-year World Series drought, they may have to do it in spite of one of their supposed aces, Carlos Zambrano. With two outs in the third inning Wednesday night at Shea Stadium, Zambrano walked three consecutive New York Mets to force in a run before giving up a grand slam to Carlos Delgado. And just like that the Great 'Z' appeared to be a potential weak link for the Cubs' postseason rotation. I realize the guy pitched a no-hitter 11 days ago and that his velocity was consistently at 94 mph and occasionally hit 96 last night, but his lack of consistent control in crucial situations has always been his downfall. His emotional nature on the mound, often cited as a positive intangible, clearly took him out of his game last night in his final regular season start for the Cubs.


Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox saw their lead in the AL Central slip to a mere half-game as their offense could only muster a pair of runs in another loss to the Minnesota Twins. The Sox fell to 1-7 in the Metrodome, and Gavin Floyd looks to play stopper tonight and cut the White Sox' magic number to three.


CC Sabathia worked on short rest last night, striking out a season-high 11 over seven innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over Pittsburgh for the 11th straight time. The win moved the Brewers into a tie with the Mets in the race for the NL Wild Card. The Brewers began September with a 5 1/2-game advantage in the wild card race but saw it evaporate with a 2-8 road trip that saw Dale Sveum promoted to manage the club for the fired Ned Yost. Sveum said that Yovani Gallardo, out since May 1, will start today against the Pirates after returning from a knee injury.

And the Mets suffered what manager Jerry "Gandhi" Manuel said was their worst loss of the season last night, blowing a 5-1 lead and stranding a leadoff triple in the bottom on the ninth. GM Omar Minaya, however, is sitting comfortably and carelessly by with his nice newly extended contract.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Another Saturday, Another SEC Showdown

The Alabama Crimson Tide roll into Athens on Saturday night in what shapes up to be another "proving ground" game for Nick Saban's squad. There is no question that 'Bama's first-team can play with probably any team in the country for four quarters. The question for the Tide has been its depth, which is unquestionably necessary in the brutal SEC. Because the team has been able to rout most of its opponents, the second- and third-teamers have been able to get playing time, making the true and redshirt freshmen a little less green. I still think that this is a young team and that next season will be their breakout campaign, but a win against Georgia on Saturday night should validate their high ranking and the frenzy occuring right now in Tuscaloosa. The defense and special teams have been outstanding, and the offense has been solid enough behind John Parker Wilson to put the Tide in position to continue to win over skeptics.


Bobby Johnson's Vanderbilt squad is 4-0 for the second time in four seasons after beating Mississippi on the road. I am definitely looking forward to that Vandy-Wake Forest game at the end of the season. As usual, fifth-year starting quarterback plus solid coach and recruiter will always make up for the loss of several starters on both sides of the ball.


I'm really surprised Todd Boeckman only had one snap behind center in Ohio State's win over Troy on Saturday. Terrelle Pryor is clearly the future at OSU snd is having a nice start to his college career, but this is, after all, Jim Tressel we're talking about here. The Buckeyes still have a very difficult Big Ten schedule to maneuver around, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Boeckman still see significant action.


Nice job by Frank Beamer of getting his Virginia Tech team back on track after the opening loss to East Carolina, as the Hokies have netted back-to-back wins over Georgia Tech and North Carolina. Tyrod Taylor gets tested this Saturday, though, as he leads the Hokies into Lincoln to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Virginia Tech defense might have had more to do with their recent victories than Taylor himself, but not redshirting Taylor was definitely the right move.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

It's Millen's Time...To Go

31-84. Since the start of the 2001 season, Matt Millen's first year as President and CEO of the Detroit Lions, the team has sustained at least nine losses in every campaign. 31-84. For three years, the team failed to win a road game, going 24 games without road success in a league where home field is not as advantageous as other professional leagues. 31-84. The Detroit Lions are unquestionably the worst franchise in all of team sports.

Yet Mr. Millen is the second-highest paid general manager in the league. The fact that he still has a job after admitting that the team's record under his command has been "beyond awful" is mind-boggling. Millen played 12 seasons in the NFL and played on four Super Bowl winners. He knows what it takes to win. He was a tremendous commentator, offering top-notch insight not often seen by today's analysts. But he can't put a winning team on the field.


Lions vice chairman Bill Ford said yesterday, "I think the fans deserve better, and if it were in my authority, which it's not, I'd make some significant changes." When asked if Millen should leave the team, Ford said, "Yes, I do." Ford, the executive chairman of the Ford Motor Co. and son of William Clay Ford, should have the power to dismiss Millen because his dad hasn't done anything to help the franchise since he took control in 1964. Why the senior Ford has consistently stood by his decision to hire and keep Millen is beyond me, but there must be change in Detroit if that team wants to ever sniff the playoffs again.


By the way, how did Shareef Abdur-Rahim average 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 12 NBA seasons?

And also, have the Chargers stopped scoring yet?

Monday, September 22, 2008

LSU: Miles Ahead of the Curve

Can we please start recognizing Les Miles as the best coach in college football? The general of the No. 6 LSU Tigers engineered another dramatic victory over No. 10 Auburn on Saturday night, guiding his squad to a thrilling 26-21 victory for LSU's first win at Jordan-Hare Stadium since 1998. The winner of this grudge match has represented the West division in the SEC championship game in six of the last eight seasons.

Early in the game, fans caught another glimpse of the slightly crazed nature of Miles' coaching strategies that has led to the Tigers' recent SEC dominance. He called for an onside kick after their first touchdown of the game, and the call completely caught Auburn offguard. Despite enduring a three-and-out, Miles had reiterated the point that was made in last season's contest between these bitter rivals: he will do anything at anytime to win. The mentality permeates the entire coaching staff. The halfback pass call by offensive coordinator Gary Crowton to give LSU its first lead was gutsy and brilliant. Keiland Williams' pass to Demetrius Byrd, the hero of last year's Battle of the Tigers, put LSU on top 17-14.

Backup quarterback Jarrett Lee settled into the game beautifully after Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Much like Patrick Cowan of UCLA in the thrilling Bruins victory over Tennessee on Labor Day night, Lee struggled mightily in the first half. But on the late third-quarter drive that gave LSU the lead, he hit Brandon LaFell twice with perfect passes on the game-changing drive before the 39-yard touchdown to Chris Mitchell. Lee directed the offense again and eventually hit Brandon LaFell for an 18-yard game-winning touchdown with 1:03 remaining when they only needed a field goal--shades of last season. Lee finished 11-for-22 for 182 yards and two touchdowns, and LSU gained 284 of its 389 yards in the second half.

Charles Scott rushed for 132 rough-and-tough yards against a defense that was unpenetrable in a 3-2 win at Mississippi State last weekend. LSU had never had a 100-yard rusher at Jordan-Hare Stadium before Saturday night.

Auburn moved to LSU's 47 on the final drive, but quarterback Chris Todd's desperation fourth-and-25 pass came up short of a first down.

Truly a gutsy performance for the LSU Tigers, led by the best coach in college football, their commander Les Miles.

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis claimed throughout the preseason that the Fighting Irish were going to pound the football. Well, the Irish currently rank 111th nationally in rushing, averaging a meager 2.6 yards per carry, up only .5 from last season's 2.1 average. Weis blames poor line play and the subpar blocking by the tight ends and wideouts. Could the Purdue defense be the balm for the sluggish Irish rushing attack? The unit is giving up nearly 200 yards per game on the ground, so look for more Robert Hughes and James Aldridge out of the Irish backfield on Saturday.

Huge win on the road for Boise State on Saturday, as the Broncos went to Autzen Stadium and battled the raucous crowd to snag a victory over the Oregon Ducks. Okay, so I know Oregon was down to essentially its fifth-string quarterback. But I expected more from the Ducks' secondary in this game. Freshman quarterback Kellen Moore looked really good for the Broncos.

Ronnie Brown helped Joey Porter's words stand up on Sunday as the halfback single-handedly beat the Patriots. Was Bill Belichick outcoached in this game? Absolutely, and the general admitted it, too.

And lastly, the United States finally recaptured the Ryder Cup from the Europeans, reclaiming the Cup for the first time since 1999. Hmmm, teamwork and enthusiasm really does go a long way, as we have seen the Europeans demonstrate every year they whipped the Americans. It didn't hurt this time that Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Paddy Harrington completely flamed out.

Friday, September 19, 2008

SEC West Title on the Line?

One of the best annual matchups of the college football season will take place on Saturday night as the battle of the Tigers takes place at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Defending national champion LSU, ranked sixth in the nation, takes on #10 Auburn in a game that always has major title implications. LSU has claimed the SEC West in each odd-numbered year this decade; not coincidentally, those were the years in which they have hosted Auburn in Baton Rouge. Also not coincidentally, LSU has failed to win the West division in even-numbered years when it has lost to Auburn at Jordan-Hare. Records and rankings truly mean nothing in this bitter rivalry.

The most interesting aspect of this season's contest has to be the quarterback play for both teams, as both Les Miles and Tommy Tuberville are expected to play a two-headed monster throughout the game, with Andrew Hatch and Chris Todd starting the games for LSU and Auburn, respectively. We will also get to see Auburn's new spread offense play against a legitimate SEC defense for the first time.

Paul Rhoads' Auburn defense has not allowed a first-half point all season and is giving up just 214 yards per game. LSU has allowed three. Final score: LSU 13, Auburn 9.


What in the world has happened at West Virginia? A team that returned quarterback Pat White and dynamo Noel Devine suddenly can't score. The Mountaineers are unable to run inside, convert third- and fourth and shorts, and are generally getting out-toughed. Coach Bill Stewart, praised for leading the program to a win in the Fiesta Bowl during the Rich Rodriguez mess, will now surely be under fire, especially after recently signing a contract extension.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Breaking News: Sheets Hurt Again

I know it comes as a shocker, but Milwaukee starting pitcher Ben Sheets left last night's game against the Cubs after two innings with tightness in his right forearm. The young veteran right-hander consistently teases Brewers fans with his nasty repertoire, but the guy just can't stay healthy. Without Sheets and Sabathia atop the rotation, the team just doesn't seem to have enough to snag the NL Wild Card. But then again they are trailing the Mets.

Cubs pitcher Rich Harden will take the mound this afternoon in his second start since coming back from shoulder discomfort. Harden looked good last week in St. Louis against the Cardinals, but another successful healthy outing will help squash concerns about the righty's durability for the playoffs.

The White Sox bullpen blew another game last night, as rookie Clayton Richard's stellar outing at Yankee Stadium went down the tubes after veteran Scott Linebrink served up two home runs to turn a one-run defecit into a 5-1 loss. Linebrink does not look completely recovered from the shoulder injury that sidelined him for more than a month, and it looks like the White Sox will have to play the rest of the way short-handed in the 'pen. And still without AL MVP candidate Carlos Quentin. The Sox, however, maintained a 2 1/2 game lead on Minnesota after the Twins were swept by the Indians.

The Phillies, meanwhile, continued to stay hot, winning their season-high sixth straight to maintain their half-game lead over the Mets.

Joey Porter is great. A guarantee of victory in Foxborough on Sunday? Love it Joey. Keep on talking baby.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Mets Collapse Redux?

The New York Mets dropped their second in a row to the Washington Nationals last night while the Philadelphia Phillies won their fifth in a row to overtake first place in the NL East. The Mets have now lost four games in the division standings in the last six days. Shades of last September when the club failed to hold a seven-game lead in the final 17 days of the season? The only saving grace for the Mets is the fact that the Milwaukee Brewers continue to stumble, making the NL wild card spot a viable option for the club if they can't stay with the Phils. Ryan Howard is having an unbelievable September, batting .396 with 8 HR's and 22 RBI to lead the Phillies' surge. Meanwhile, the Mets have stopped hitting and their bullpen continues to be problematic.

The Tampa Bay Rays have now been in first place for 54 consecutive days after a huge 2-1 win last night over the Red Sox. The Rays overcame a dominant performance by Josh Beckett behind a solid performance of his own by Andy Sonnanstine and another great outing by their relief corps. This was the type of game the Rays needed to show that Sawx that the wild card may be their destiny.

On the NFL beat, Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress has demoted Tavaris Jackson and made veteran Gus Frerotte his starting quarterback. Perhaps now Bernard Berrian can actually catch a pass. Could Frerotte be a Kerry Collins for the Vikes?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Yost is Toast in Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers gave manager Ned Yost his walking papers yesterday and promoted third-base coach Dale Sveum. The four-game sweep at the hands of the Phillies was clearly the last straw for GM Doug Melvin, as the club went 3-11 to begin September and was outscored 75-38. Robin Yount accepted Sveum's offer to be bench coach, a role that Yount held in 2006 until resigning to spend more time with his family. While the move is pretty unprecedented in major league baseball, we see firings of this nature all the time in the NHL. While Sveum admitted himself that he won't make much of an impact, as it ultimately comes down to the players, owner Mark Attanasio and Melvin are banking on a strong playoff push here in the last few weeks of the season.

It's become abundantly clear in the last few weeks that the AL Central has become the NL West. The only good thing about this is the fact that this division probably won't get decided until the very last day of the season, which is always exciting and great for baseball.

How about that Monday Night Football game last night? Dallas outscored Philadelphia 41-37 in an untraditional NFC East showdown in Big D. I'd venture to say that Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offense was the most impressive aspect of this matchup, as McNabb played without his top two receivers but still looked as good as he was back in his days with T.O. I love his rapport with DeSean Jackson, and I still love DeSean despite his awful folly at the one-yard line because all the kid does is rack up 100-yard games.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Buckeyes Smashed Again

Three times now in the last two-plus seasons Ohio State has played a better team from a better conference. And all three times the Buckeyes have looked incredibly inferior. It wasn't just Mark Sanchez's four touchdown passes or Joe McKnight's 105 yards on 12 carries against the vaunted OSU defense. It was a nullified penalty that brought back a touchdown and a heinously bad pass by Todd Boeckman that led to an interception return for a touchdown that made it impossible for the Buckeyes to have a chance without star tailback Beanie Wells. Ohio State gained only 30 yards in the second half, but at least looked energetic with Terrelle Pryor commanding the offense.

I think one of the most overlooked big wins this past Saturday in college football was Oregon's come-from-behind victory at Purdue. Down 20-3 in the second quarter, the Ducks rallied behind the legs of LaGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson, an impressive running back tandem to go with quarterback Justin Roper, who looked awful on Saturday but should be steady for the Ducks this season. Blount finished with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries while Johnson added 96 yards on 17 rushes. Oregon looked like the team with the best chance to knock off USC in the Pac-10, especially with a defense that kept the team in the game after being down 17 points early. The loss was incredibly Purdue's 15th consecutive defeat at the hands of a ranked opponent.

Of course, Oregon's win was about the only thing that went right for the Pac-10 conference on Saturday, as the Mountain West went 4-0 against the Pac-10. Arizona State proved to be fraudulent, losing to UNLV at home, while TCU beat Stanford, New Mexico knocked off Arizona and Brigham Young shut out and smoked UCLA. So much for the ACC being the worst BCS conference.

I don't put all the blame on Greg Robinson, but he clearly isn't the answer as coach of the Syracuse Orange. The 55-13 loss to Penn State at home on a day the school celebrated its unbeaten 1959 championship team was simply abysmal.

Robert Griffin is giving Baylor football fans a reason to smile in Waco, Texas. The freshman quarterback ran for a school-record 217 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries as the Bears smashed Washington State 45-17 on Friday night. In two starts, Griffin has led the Bears to consecutive 40-point games for the first time since 1994.

It may be ugly football, but Iowa held Iowa State without a touchdown, making it the third game in a row to start the season in which the Hawkeyes have not allowed a touchdown.

Has Javon Ringer stopped carrying the football yet? A career-high 282 yards on 43 carried led the way for the Spartans against Florida Atlantic in monsoon-like conditions.

BYU has a real good shot to earn a BCS bowl game berth this season not only because of quarterback Max Hall, but also because of a defense that makes big plays at key moments in ballgames.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Buckeyes Looking Beanie-less for 'SC Matchup

No. 5 Ohio State will likely march into the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday with star tailback Beanie Wells on the sidelines in street clothes. Unless head coach Jim Tressel is playing possum and undertaking the ultimate act of gamesmanship, OSU will need to pull out all stops to even remain competitive with USC wihout its best offensive weapon. Would Tressel dare play Terrelle Pryor for long stretches of play? Will we see a repeat of OSU's back-to-back national championship game appearances the last two seasons? Will the Buckeyes' defense be able to take advantage of a potentially succeptable Trojans offensive line?

No. 10 Wisconsin has a real dangerous game Saturday night in Sillicon Valley against No. 21 Fresno State. Coach Pat Hill has been preparing his Bulldogs all season for this matchup, so expect the game to come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

How about the great Greg Schiano? Winless in two games on the young season with both losses coming at home? Mike Teel has struggled mightily thus far this season for Rutgers, throwing three interceptions last night after a subpar opener against Fresno State. The 44-12 loss was the Scarlet Knights' worst loss since a 56-5 loss to Louisville on Nov. 11, 2005. The Big East once again is looking like the Big Least. Meanwhile, Butch Davis looks to be getting the North Carolina program rapidly back on track.

Upset of the week: South Carolina 12, Georgia 10

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Young Has a Tough Hill to Climb

The Vince Young saga has grown very tiresome. But the most important aspect of this whole debacle has to be the fact that Young will have to try his absolute hardest to win back the respect of his teammates after the other 52 players in that locker room were left with no choice but to question his heart and leadership skills. Even if Young is able to get back on the field and play well, there are still going to be teammates with doubts. Furthermore, it's still a question whether or not he can handle booing by his hometown fans, something every other athlete in team sports must be able to handle.

The Buccaneers look to be done with Jeff Garcia as their starting quarterback. Coach Jon Gruden wants Garcia to heal mentally and physically, thus handing the job off to Brian Griese. For a guy who was the 7th-rated quarterback in the league last year and who rescued the Eagles two years ago when Donovan McNabb went down and promptly won five straight to get the Eagles into the playoffs--and then won a playoff game--Garcia sure does get discarded pretty easily.

Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin told reporters yesterday that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and owner Al Davis gameplan the defense. Lane, please take your inevitable firing with glee and get as far away from Oakland as possible. It's one thing to hand over duties to your D-coordinator. Bill Walsh did it, as well as Joe Gibbs and Mike Ditka. But to have your owner interfere with coaching and to be involuntarily out-of-the loop like Kiffin has become is absolutely insane.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Federer Wins First Major of '08: Did Anyone See?

Because some local affiliates did not want to pre-empt local news, CBS execs simulcasted the Roger Federer-Andy Murray U.S. Open final on CBSSports.com. The match drew an impressive number, garnering about 300,000 viewers. But it's ashame that many viewers were left scrambling to find where they could actually see the match; tennis gets upstaged once again. But I guess the U.S. Open will always get upstaged when it overlaps with the NFL and pennant races. Hell, pennant races get put to the backburner once the NFL season begins.

Chargers All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman has officially decided against playing the season with torn left knee ligaments and will instead undergo season-ending surgery. Merriman admitted the pain was too much as he tried to play in the team's Week One contest against Carolina.

Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson, poised for a breakout year, tore an ACL on Sunday against Buffalo and will also miss the rest of the season.

Chris Chelios re-upped with the Detroit Red Wings...again. The defenseman signed a one-year deal that will bring him back to the Joe for a 25th NHL season. The 46-year-old will tie Mark Messier for the second-longest NHL career stint, one season behind Gordie Howe.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Rodgers Solid in Debut; Federer Back on Top

Aaron Rodgers' debut as the Green Bay Packers' starting quarterback was quite the success, as the California golden boy completed 18-of-22 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown and had a rushing touchdown which culminated in a Lambeau Leap. Of course, if he goes 13-of-30 with a couple of picks next week, the boos will be heard loud and clear coming from all depths of Lambeau.

And how good did Jay Cutler look last night? I mean, I know it's the Raiders, but Cutler completed 16 passes for 299 yards and picked on standout corner DeAngelo Hall all night with rookie wideout Eddie Royal.

I read the USA Today article this morning regarding Tom Brady's injury. And while there's no question that Tom Brady is the face of the league, will this season-ending injury really affect how we follow the league? Do we in the media really obsess over the Patriots that much? We do? What breaking news!

Roger Federer won his fifth consecutive U.S. Open singles title on Monday, beating Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. Not bad for a guy considered done by everybody. The 13th major title and first of 2008 moves the 27-year-old within one of Pete Sampras' career record. Federer also became the first player since Bill Tilden in 1924 to win five consecutive U.S. Open's. Keep in mind that Federer had also won five consecutive Wimbledon's from 2003 to 2007. Just filthy.

The Boston Red Sox moved within a half-game of the Tampa Bay Rays last night after Jon Lester pitched the club to a 3-0 victory. The Rays' division lead was 5 1/2 games just a week ago and has been shut out in consecutive games. Keep in mind, however, that the Rays lost their last seven games before the All-Star break only to go 21-7 in August to build their division lead back up. It's just one more chance for the darlings to prove their resiliency.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Notre Dame on the Offensive

I am convinced the Notre Dame offense that was in sync in the fourth quarter of its win over San Diego State is the offense we are going to see throughout the season. The little jet Golden Tate, freshman Michael Floyd and Duval Kamara comprise an underlooked wide receiver corps. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen, for the first time in his Notre Dame career, looked like a leader in the huddle.

I don't think there is any question that Tom Brady is out for the year. Matt Cassell will now step in and try to prove that you truly can plug anyone into the New England football machine and produce a consistently dominant team.

Michael Turner's Falcons record of 220 yards rushing was phenomenal, and Turner will be a definite upgrade in the Atlanta backfield and a nice protection policy for rookie QB Matt Ryan. But they did play the Lions. Yes, the same old Lions, who are proving once again that they still cannot stop the run. The Lions are now 31-82 since the start of the 2001 season.

Is it really true that the Dallas Cowboys have not won a playoff game in 12 years?

The Minnesota Twins went 5-9 on their 14-game ill-timed road trip, including losing nine of their last 12 games, and only lost a half-game to the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central standings. That does not bode well for the ChiSox, who must go into the Metrodome during the last week of the season for what most likely will be for the division title. The Twins play nine of their next 19 at home, where they are 20-plus games over .500.

Serena Williams won her ninth major title on Sunday, defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 in the U.S. Open final. It was Williams' third U.S. Open title and first at Flushing Meadows since 2002. Williams will reclaim the number one ranking in women's tennis for the first time since August 2003, making it the longest gap between stints at No.1 for a woman. It's amazing that both Serena and Venus can seemingly turn off their games for years and come back as strong and dominant as ever. They are quite a story.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray eliminated Rafael Nadal on the men's side, preventing another potential epic clash between Nadal and Federer in a Grand Slam final and stopping Nadal's 19-match winning streak at majors. Murray hadn't previously made it past the quarters at a major and was 0-5 lifetime against Nadal, who was 54-2 in his last 56 matches. Sick.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Champion Giants Begin Title Defense

The New York Giants began defense of their Super Bowl championship with a dominant 16-7 victory over the Washington Redskins last night. The G-Men scored on their first four possessions, while the defense limited the 'Skins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards. And better yet, Plaxico Burress is a happy, well-paid man after signing a two-year contract extension just hours before kickoff.

We'll get our first chance to see the stronger, more mature Jimmy Clausen on Saturday as Notre Dame opens its season against lowly San Diego State. I was a big fan of the Chuck Long hiring at State, but the lowly Aztecs' loss to Cal Poly on Saturday doesn't bode well for his future. With a depleted defensive line potentially featuring fill-in linebackers, look for the Irish to hand the ball off regularly to Robert Hughes, Armando Allen and James Aldridge. Or look for them to throw the ball because it's Charlie Weis.

Miami (FLA) visits Florida on Saturday night, and while it's not expected to be the bitter war we have seen in years past (and expect it to be again in a few years), it will be intriguing to see all the young kids Randy Shannon will be rolling out there. Eleven Hurricanes caught passes last week, six of them being true freshmen. The defensive line is also loaded with young talent as the Canes strive to compete with the Gators off the field for the best athletes in the state and return the program to the glory days of Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and even Larry Coker.

Am I the only one who feels bad for Steve Spurrier? I bet I am. The Gamecocks fell to Vanderbilt last night, and it's becoming increasingly clear that South Carolina--even with the 'Ol Ball Coach--won't be able to win any SEC titles in the future. It's just too tough to out-recruit fellow SEC members that have firmly established themselves into the recruiting grounds. Eight wins a year would be outstanding for any South Carolina football team. The question now remains whether Tommy Beecher can be Coach Spurrier's guy to run the offense as was thought when he was recruited.

Carlos Zambrano's MRI confirmed that the pitcher has tendinitis and inflammation in his right rotator cuff, easing the fear of Cubs brass who may have been bracing for the worst. But while no major damage was found, Cubs officials certainly will remain uneasy until Zambrano is on the mound again and throwing like he has throughout his career. The Cubs are holding out hope that he can return sometime during the team's series against Houston Sept. 12-14.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Is Georgia Overrated?

As if it means much this early in the season, Georgia fell from #1 in the AP poll after voters dubbed USC's road victory over Virginia more impressive than the Bulldogs' win over Georgia Southern. Unlike many college football pundits, however, I have no problem with early season polls. Sure, Clemson was clearly overrated while Alabama was clearly underrated. But as the season progresses, teams sort themselves out and voters see enough ballgames (and apparently computers have eyes, as well) to rank teams accordingly. Those who cite Auburn's low preseason ranking as the reason the Tigers were left out of the national championship game a few years back do have a point. However, USC and Oklahoma would have had the same complaint if they started the season ranked lower. The bottom line is that in a non-playoff system, a third unbeaten team will feel screwed. My point is, Georgia fans are feeling slighted today because they can't claim their team as number one. But I think Bulldogs supporters should start realizing that they are just another injury or two away from not even finishing the season in the Top 10.

For all of the talk that a Georgia-USC matchup should have taken place last season for the "true" national championship, if you take a closer look, the 7-game winning streak to close the season really wasn't that impressive. The Bulldogs struggled to beat Vandy, beat a one-man team in Florida, and took care of overmatched Hawaii. Auburn and Kentucky, while solid SEC competition, tapered off as the year progressed. I certainly don't want to take anything away from a really good team that returned 17 starters this year, but as long as Georgia remains in the Top 5 and they take care of business in the brutal SEC, dropping in the polls early on is not such a big deal.

The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants and division foe Washington Redskins open up the NFL regular season tonight at the Meadowlands. The G-Men will be playing without retired All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, who is out for the season. It'll be interesting to see if Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress can pick up where they left off last season: in the endzone.

The Tatum Bell "thief story" is tremendous. Let's acknowledge, though, that it was a misunderstanding. I mean, it had to be. Right? Had to be.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Zambrano's Departure Concerns Cubs

Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano left last night's game after telling pitching coach Larry Rothschild that he "wasn't feeling well," according to manager Lou Piniella. The big righty went five shaky innings while pitching on seven days of rest, and one has to wonder just how not well Zambrano is feeling considering the workhorse hates to come out of any game. The 91.5 million dollar man is scheduled to be examined by the Cubs' team orthopedist today. Certainly the Cubs can ill afford any more bad news with just 23 games remaining in what has been a magnificent season, especially with co-ace Rich Harden being pushed back in the rotation. Meanwhile, the Cubs may not go anywhere even with a healthy Zambrano so long as Bob Howry is still logging meaningful innings. The veteran right-hander allowed four earned runs without retiring a batter, increasing his ERA to 5.63. The 9-7 extra-inning loss to Houston was the Cubs' fourth straight defeat, but they still hold a 4 1/2 game lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Meanwhile, on the South Side of Chicago, All-Star third baseman Joe Crede left the White Sox' loss to the Indians early with another back injury. Despite having season-ending surgery last June to correct his back issues, this marks the second time this season Crede has had a setback with the back, making it likely he won't be able to contribute down the stretch this season. It also makes it likely that Crede has played his last game in a White Sox uniform.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Dodgers climbed to within 1 1/2 games of Arizona in the NL West after Clayton Kershaw pitched the club to an 8-4 win over San Diego. The win was the Dodgers' fourth straight. Of course it is still laughable that they are a game under .500.

Finally, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden reportedly called Alabama coach Nick Saban on the telephone earlier this week to ask him what went wrong with his team in its dismantling by the Crimson Tide. At least he's admitting that he needs help. It's a start.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Neuheisel Delivers Early Returns

Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow did a magnificent job last night with Kevin Craft after the San Diego State transfer threw 4 interceptions in the first half of UCLA's thrilling overtime victory over Tennessee. Throughout the entire first half, Craft looked as though he had never thrown a pass on the collegiate level. But Neuheisel knew that he had no one to turn to after injuries decimated the quarterback position, leaving green newbies struggling to learn the offense. But Neuheisel did what he does best--manage a game--and he never wavered in his confidence behind Craft. He stuck with him, and the fans at the Rose Bowl stayed until well after the game had ended to celebrate an improbable victory. However, as much as this victory should be celebreated, UCLA still will struggle to won 6 or 7 games this year. Bruins fans must temper their enthusiasm or else risk getting unnecessarily angry at one of the best staffs in the nation.

I guess after coming down harsh on Tommy Bowden I should rip into Phil Fulmer...

Maryland over Delaware 14-7? North Carolina beating McNeese State by only 8? Clemson as the league's best team? Wow, the ACC has some serious problems.

By the way, can coaches spend a little more time in preseason coaching special teams? I understand limited or no live tackling occurs in August, but what we witnessed on the field on opening weekend was painfully bad. Games can be won or lost on special teams, as we saw all too often this past weekend.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Clemson Proves to be Fraudulent...Again

I'd like to thank the Clemson Tigers for participating in the 2008 college football season. Wow.

Poor Tommy Bowden. How we loved to see your overrated Clemson Tigers out-toughed, out-witted and completely overmatched. 8 carries for James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined? Amazing. The performance of the Tigers on Saturday night in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta just proved another known, yet often-overlooked football axiom: you can have all the skill players in the world, but you're going to lose if you get dominated in the trenches. And 'Bama certainly did that from the outset. We'll see just how fast Nick Saban can get the Alabama program into the Top 10. I still say next year is the year, but the performance Saturday night was definitely a preview of what is yet to come in Tuscaloosa.

Poor Dave Wannstedt. It looked as though he finally was able to shed the monkey off his back after the exhilirating win over West Virginia to close out the 2007 campaign and knock the bitter rivals out of the national championship picture. And then Bowling Green came to town. The Panthers fell 27-17 to the MAC squad, making Wannie a shocking 5-13 in his last 18 games at Pittsburgh.

But at least he's not Mike Sherman, who lost his much-anticipated Texas A&M home debut to Arkansas State? Or Steve Kragthorpe, whose Louisville Cardinals scored 2 points against Kentucky.

By the way, has Missouri stopped scoring points yet?

In other notes, Mark Sanchez looked really good and really healthy in the Trojans' easy win over Virginia in Charlottesville...Beanie Wells left Ohio State's victory over Youngstown State with a right foot injury. making his status for the USC game in two weeks very questionable...Rich Rodriguez needs two years and Michigan will be the Ohio State of the Big Ten...Skip Holtz scored a huge win for the East Carolina program, notching a 27-22 victory over Virginia Tech. Holtz was able to beat Frank Beamer at his own game, as a blocked punt return gave the Pirates the lead late in the fourth quarter.