Categories
NFL General

The 2007 NFL schedule (sort of)



Start planning that road trip

[Update: The full 2007 NFL schedule has now been released.]

Well folks, it didn’t take long for the NFL to announce the team by team opponents for the 2007 season. While the actual dates won’t be announced till the spring, the home and away contests for each team have been set.

Because of the uncertain nature of the NFL, “A team’s record from the previous year has less of a bearing on its schedule, with only two (rather than four) opponents being based on the previous year’s standing. Thus, the so-called “easy” fifth-place schedules have been eliminated.” This makes sense as teams like the Saints, Ravens and Eagles can go from worst to first in one season.

There’s also an emphasis on common opponents so each division will play every team in two divisions. Here are the matchups:

AFC East vs NFC East and AFC North
AFC North vs NFC West and AFC East
AFC South vs NFC South and AFC West
AFC West vs NFC North and AFC South
NFC East vs AFC East and NFC North
NFC North vs AFC west and NFC East
NFC South vs AFC South and NFC West
NFC West vs AFC South and NFC South

For the full list of teams, check NFL.com.

Categories
Miami Dolphins

Nick Saban likes money



How can you tell Saban is lying?

Are we insane or did Nick Saban not stand up at recent press conferences and tell us that he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and that he was committed to the franchise? Something along the lines of “I’m not going to be the Alabama coach”. Well, $4M a year is a big incentive to go against your word. Saban was set to take the offer until he met with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga and started wavering. However, this morning, Saban officially accepted the Alabama offer — believed to be from 8 to 10 years and worth $35M to $40M. All that cash makes being labeled an NFL failure easier to stomach.

By the way, what does Alabama have against Don Shula. First they fire his son and then they steal the head coach away from the franchise he’s the face of.

In other news, Matt Millen, who nobody wants in college or in the pros, said that he would never quit. Despite a 24-72 record, Millen said that he would never consider quitting.

If it’s not working, you keep on working at it until you get the freaking thing done. That’s just what you do. You don’t ever quit.

That kind of attitude is admirable… unless you’re Matt Millen and the entire Detroit Lions fanbase wants you gone. Well, at least FireMillen.com has a reason for being around another year. It’s always fun to read someone else’s angst.

Links:
[Miami.com]: Saban expected to make decision today
[San Jose Mercury News]: Nick Saban forever a coach on the make
[Detroit News]: Lions’ Millen: ‘I’ll never quit’

Categories
NFL General

Jan 3 in Sports History: The beginnings of Martyball


In 1987: It looked like the same old story for the Cleveland Browns: Have a great regular season only to choke it away in the playoffs. They were trailing the New York Jets by 10 with about 4 minutes left. Browns’ quarterback Bernie Kosar (who had complained that coach Marty Schottenheimer’s offense was too conservative in a playoff loss the previous year—I know, we couldn’t believe it either) had 489 yards passing and the Browns had out gained the Jets two to one., but still had to rally to tie the game. In overtime, it was Revenge of the Missed Chip-Shot Field Goals as kickers Pat Leahy of the Jets and Mark Moseley of Cleveland took turns pissing an AFC Championship Game trip away. Moseley finally connected in the second overtime to save the Browns’ playoff lives (and most likely his own—…we vaguely recall Marv Albert explaining how he would have been fed to the Dawg Pound had he missed again). Despite the lucky 23-20 win, the Cleveland Story continued in glorious fashion against Denver the following week.

In 1982: The San Diego Chargers defeated the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in a thrilling AFC divisional playoff game in the Orange Bowl. The Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Dolphins came right back to make it 24-17 at halftime. Miami’s final touchdown of the half came on the famous hook-and-ladder play, in which quarterback Don Strock completed a pass to Duriel Harris, who then pitched the ball to a sprinting Tony Nathan, who ran it the rest of the way for the touchdown. The Dolphins eventually took a 38-31 lead until the Chargers rallied to tie the score. A last second Uwe von Schamann field goal was blocked and the game went into overtime and was eventually won at 13:52 on a San Diego field goal. The game set records for total yardage (1,036) and points scored (79) but it is most remembered by the outstanding play of Kellen Winslow. The Chargers’ tight end caught 13 passes for 166 yards, many for critical first downs. He also blocked what would have been the game-winning field goal. After the game, Winslow was so spent he had to be helped off the field by teammates. And he was too tired to ride his motorcycle in the parking lot or violently proclaim himself a member of the Armed Forces in the postgame interview.

In 1993: Was it the greatest comeback in NFL history, or the biggest gag job ever performed on any playing surface? Either way, the Buffalo Bills overcame the largest deficit in NFL history to win an AFC Wild Card game against the Houston Oilers. A Bubba McDowell interception return put Houston ahead 35-3 in the third quarter. The Houston radio announcer proclaimed to his constituents back home that “they can turn off the lights here in Rich Stadium– it’s over!” The Oilers then went and made him look like the Douche of the Century by blowing the lead. Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich, subbing for an injured Jim Kelly, began leading the Bills down the field at will with 28 third quarter points, and they eventually took the lead 38-35 until Houston tied it with a last-second field goal. Warren Moon threw a quick interception on the first possession of overtime, and Buffalo’s Steve Christie kicked the game-winner, 41-38. The Bills were able to keep their string of losing in Super Bowls intact and the Oilers began thinking that maybe their luck would change in Tennessee a few years later.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Happy New Year!


1. Kevin Likes It! He Really Likes It!
Well, at long last, the leather ball has returned and it has already been approved by Kevin Garnett. The Minnesota forward put up a season high 32 points against Charlotte in the NBA’s first game with the new old ball. “There is a God,” said Garnett. And K.G. wasn’t the only one feeling the magic of the rock. Four other players scored 20 or more points in the contest. The Celtics seemed to enjoy the change as well. After losing to Seattle on New Year’s Eve with the synthetic ball, Boston opened 2007 with a win over Portland, shooting 44 percent and snapping a six game losing streak in the process.

2. Philly Comes to Town
It wasn’t that long ago when Allen Iverson wore a Sixers uniform. Now, after over a decade of hoops, Iverson will play his first game against Philadelphia. Philly has been a joke all year long and A.I. would love nothing more than to make this reunion a memorable one. Obviously, he could do so by leading his new team to a victory over his old team but, he can also etch his name into the record books with a high scoring performance. If Iverson can drop 40 on his old franchise then he will move into fourth place on the list of players with the most games of 40 or more. The Answer is currently tied with Oscar Robertson with 77 such games. Only Wilt Chamberlain (271), Michael Jordan (173) and Elgin Baylor (88) are ahead of Iverson on the list.

3. Shaq’s Back?
Coaches around the league are searching for a team schedule as they are looking to see when they have to play Miami next. That’s because Shaquille O’Neal is expected to return to the Heat’s lineup on January 15. And what a surprise, if all goes according to plan then Shaq first game back will be against his old Los Angeles Lakers team. Consider it a late Christmas present since Shaq missed the now traditional L.A. versus Miami X-Mas match-up. But late is better than never as Miami has struggled this season and they are currently sitting in third place in their division.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Garnett @ Charlotte 42 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-18, FT: 8-10), 14 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (21-8) @ Chicago (19-12) Chicago has the best home record in the league and they will need to take full advantage of their crowd’s support as the Suns come to town. Phoenix is only 9-5 on the road but most of their road woes came early in the season. Steve Nash and Co. has won nine of their last ten away from home. No team has hotter than the Bulls recently and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year might be the only person that can slow down a now healthy Amare Stoudemire.

Buzzer Beater: Denver is not the safest place to live if you are a professional athlete. Just ask Nuggets guard Julius Hodge who was shot four times on April 8, 2006. Hodge considers himself lucky to be alive after the drive-by shooting. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was not so fortunate after he was gunned down inside of his limousine. Oddly enough, Williams was killed in the same neighborhood where Hodge currently lives.

Categories
College Football

Jan 2 in Sports History: Bowl history



Tom Orborne’s got the stones

In 1984: The upstart Miami Hurricanes shocked heavily favored and previously undefeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to win the national title. The Huskers were an unstoppable force in 1983, piling up record amounts of points and yards behind All-Americans Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar. The Hurricanes (the only team to win a national title with zero All-Americans) jumped out early, however, and led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Cornhuskers came back to tie the score before Miami opened up a 31-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Nebraska, which had scored over 600 points in the regular season, made a stirring comeback. With under a minute remaining, quarterback Turner Gill flipped the ball to Jeff Smith (who had replaced an injured Rozier) on an option to score a touchdown to make it 31-30. Coach Tom Osborne could have gone for the tie and locked away the national championship. But in one of the ballsiest moves ever, he decided to go for two and the outright win. Gill’s pass was deflected away by Miami’s Kelly Calhoun, and instead of Nebraska cementing their legacy as one of the greatest teams ever, Miami’s dynasty had begun.

In 1987: A few years later in the Fiesta Bowl, the tables were turned on the Hurricanes in the 1986 national title game against Penn State. Coming in undefeated and unchallenged (they had whipped no. 2 Oklahoma earlier in the year) Miami had a smothering defense and a dynamic offense led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde. Penn State relied on a clock-swallowing running game and a physical defense to hold the Hurricanes down 14-10 for the upset. Two untimely Testaverde interceptions (and you wondered where they came from?) ultimately doomed Miami’s chances.

In 2003: Miami’s run of bad luck in the Fiesta Bowl (they have lost all four times they played there) continued, this one in heart-wrenching fashion. The teams battled to a 17-17 tie at the end of regulation, and Miami scored in the first OT to make it 24-17. Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel threw a desperation fourth-down pass that fell incomplete, prompting a wild celebration by the Hurricanes and their fans. A very controversial late flag flew (by about 4 seconds) and pass interference was called against the Miami defender. Ohio State was given new life, and they were able to take advantage and tie the game and eventually win it in the second overtime, 31-24. Miami felt they were robbed of their second straight national title and the Buckeyes won their first crown since 1968.

Categories
NBA General

Around The Rim: The Telestrator is Calling


1. The Czar
When you’re the worst team in the NBA and can only amass six wins in 30 games, something has to change. So, Memphis management decided that coach Mike Fratello was the logical choice to be replaced. Bad decision. The Grizzlies have been without their best player for a majority of the season which could be devastating for any team. Management should have given Fratello more time with Pau Gasol before delivering the final blow to the coach. This season was lost when Gasol went down during the summer, so why not allow Fratello to ride out the year? After all, he did win at least 40 games in both of his previous years and took Memphis to the playoffs both seasons as well. Not too bad in a stacked Western Conference.

2. Bizarro World
Before the season began, who would have guessed that Toronto and Washington would be winning their divisions at this point in the season? Probably nobody, except for Raptors and Wizards fans, but that is exactly what has happened. Both teams are on pace to have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That’s something that doesn’t happen often in these cities, especially for the league’s lone Canadian team. But don’t get too arrogant if you live in these cities. Despite their status among division mates, neither of these teams will even come close to sniffing a championship. Overall, Washington is the 11th best team in the league and Toronto is the 19th best team. So, enjoy your reign at the top while you can.

3. X-Factor
While nobody knows how things will shake out once Carmelo Anthony returns from his 15 game suspension, it seems that Denver is pretty happy with their latest acquisition. Allen Iverson has been nothing less than impressive since joining the Nuggets where he has been given new life along with championship hopes. Iverson has put up a double-double in all three of his games as a Nugget and he has won two games in a row for the first time since Philadelphia won their first three to begin the season. Iverson is not only dominating games but he is now making his teammates better. With all eyes on A.I., other players like Earl Boykins, Reggie Evans and Eduardo Najera are inspired to play larger roles for the team. Just imagine how players like Anthony, Marcus Camby and J.R. Smith will benefit from the presence of Iverson.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Allen Iverson vs. Seattle 43 min, 44 pts (FG: 17-29, 3FG: 1-2, FT: 9-12), 3 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: New York (13-18) @ Phoenix (19-8) It’s not too often that New York is considered to be a must watch team, but it’s also not too often that New York wins four out of five. The Knicks will be taking a 5-8 road record, along with a new sense of worth, to Phoenix where the Suns are 11-3 on the year. But Phoenix has also been on quite a tear of late, winning 18 of their last 21 games. The Suns will be hoping to end this game in regulation as New York is a perfect 4-0 in overtime games.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the Magic? Since starting the year off 14-5, Orlando has performed a disappearing act as they have only won three games since. The team is now struggling to simply reclaim first place in their division. The Magic are 17-13 but with a win tonight over Washington, Orlando can climb back to the top of the Southeast Division.

Categories
Boxing

Mike Tyson is coked and loaded

It seems a shame that we have to publish a story about Mike Tyson getting arrested for the holidays but what else kind of story did you expect from Mike Tyson these days? (Tyson trains in front of a vegas buffet? Tyson fights a kangaroo?)

Mike Tyson was arrested for DUI and possession of cocaine after leaving a Scottsdale nightclub last night. We suspect that since he wasn’t raping anyone, the judge/DA will look at his sad sad life and just give him some community service and probation. Unless of course, Tyson threatens to eat his children.

Just for nostalgia’s sake, here’s video of Tyson just destroying people in his prime.

Links:
[Fox Sports]: Tyson arrested after leaving nightclub Friday

Categories
NBA General

Around The Rim: The Big Uneasy


1. New Orleans Hor-nots
The Hornets started off the year looking like a team that was determined to make the playoffs. Now, they look more like a team that is simply determined to get off the trainers table. Chris Paul twisted his ankle on Tuesday against Seattle and is expected to miss two more games. Paul is just the latest Hornet to be bitten by the injury bug. Peja Stojakovic is scheduled to miss at least two months after having surgery on his back and David West is expected to miss anywhere from two to eight weeks after surgery on his shoulder. But losing three starters just isn’t enough for this team. Sixth man Bobby Jackson is out until next month due to a cracked rib. The problems continue to mount for the team with no home as they have lost three in a row and eight of their last ten.

2. The Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Now that Allen Iverson has been traded to Denver, who is going to be the next big star to don a new uniform? The answer might be in California where it appears Corey Maggette is ready to leave the Clippers. Recently, Maggette was quoted as saying, “Me and coach Dunleavy, we don’t see eye to eye.” Apparently the team is talking with Sacramento about a trade involving Ron Artest. It is certain that Maggette’s days are done in L.A. but finding a proper trade has been difficult for the team. The Kings want more for Artest and the Clippers don’t want to lose too much of their current squad. This could turn into another waiting game as the Clippers continue to search for a reasonable trade. But at 12-16 and sitting at the bottom of their division, time is definitely not on L.A.’s side.

3. 20/20 Vision
Jason Kidd was fined $20,000 after referring to the referees in New Jersey’s game versus Detroit as “three blind mice.” The comments came after a questionable no-call at the end of the game when Vince Carter and Rasheed Wallace made contact as Carter took what could have been a game-winning shot. Net’s coach Lawrence Frank was not fined after he yelled at the referees after the game. Kidd did not back down from his comments after being fined by the league. Perhaps he had yet to review the tape as it appeared that Carter was more responsible for the contact as he pushed-off of Wallace. Maybe Kidd should be the one to schedule an appointment with an optometrist.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gerald Wallace vs. Washington 42 min, 40 pts (FG: 15-27, 3FG: 0-2, FT: 10-11), 14 reb, 6 stl, 4 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (19-7) @ Dallas (21-7) It’s a battle between up-tempo and really up-tempo. Dallas is 12-3 at home and has won seven in row while the Suns are attempting to start a new streak after having their 15 game win streak snapped by Washington. Steve Nash returns to Dallas with two consecutive MVP awards as former teammate Dirk Nowitzki is hoping to take the trophy away from his buddy this season. Expect a barn-burner tonight in Big D.

Buzzer Beater: Chris Webber returned to Sacramento last night but there was certainly no home-coming party. Webber struggled throughout the game and ended the night with a pathetic four points on 2-9 shooting in 26 minutes. It seems like Webber would be motivated to step-up his game with A.I. gone and his old team on the schedule. But the poor performances just continue to mount for the former double-double King.

Categories
NFL General

Dec 28 in Sports History: The Greatest Game Ever Played

In 1958: It is known as the “Greatest Game Ever Played,” and it was the first NFL game to go into overtime. The Colts, led by a young Johnny Unitas, defeated the New York Giants 23-17 in Yankee Stadium to win the NFL championship. The highly anticipated game saw the Colts blow a 14-3 halftime lead, only to rally to tie the game in the final seconds behind the coolness of Unitas. Fullback Alan Ameche’s famous one-yard plunge clinched Baltimore’s first NFL title. The game was a coming out party for Unitas, who, a few years earlier was a Pittsburgh Steelers castoff playing semi-pro ball. He completed 26 of 40 passes for 349 yards, and converted many key first downs. Not only did the game make Unitas an icon, the high television ratings were a sign of things to come for the burgeoning league. The Colts defeated the Giants again the following year in the NFL Championship game

In 1975: The “Hail Mary” was born on a frozen Metropolitan Stadium field in Minnesota. Trailing the Vikings 14-10 with just 24 seconds left to play, Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Roger Staubach flung a desperation pass from the 50-yard line down the right sideline in the direction of receiver Drew Pearson and Vikings’ defender Nate Wright. Pearson came down with it at the 5 and ran into the end zone for the stunning score. The Vikings protested that Pearson had pushed off Wright (which he later admitted to intentionally doing), but the field judge (who was hit in the head with a whiskey bottle for missing the call) upheld the touchdown and the Cowboys stole one from the Vikings 17-14. The Cowboys won the following week on the road as well, before losing to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Categories
Pittsburgh Penguins

Dec 27 in Sports History: Mario Returns

In 2000: You’ve always heard of player/managers before, but a player/owner? Well, when your owner happens to be one of the greatest players of all time, it’s not that outrageous. Still, when Mario Lemieux, who had bought the team out of bankruptcy to become the team’s majority owner, joined the Penguins lineup, it was a professional sports first. Lemieux’s no. 66 came down from the rafters, and the Penguins instantly became Stanley Cup contenders. Despite sitting for three-and-a-half years, Lemieux didn’t miss a beat, as he had a goal and two assists to lead the Penguins to a 5-0 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mario kept up the pace for the rest of the year, tallying 76 points in the team’s final 43 games. Lemieux added 17 points in the playoffs to help guide Pittsburgh all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Lemieux retired for good in January of 2006.