I am a heterosexual man and a HUGE sports fan. However, I find it disgusting how many alleged sports shows stoop to sexual language, bawdiness, and objectifying themes in order to discuss sports. It makes no difference if you’re watching Pardon the Interruption on ESPN, The Hot List on ESPN News, or listening to Kevin Kiley on ESPN radio. Topics such as Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning will inevitably deteriorate into: Tom Brady dates super models. Legitimate issues such as whether or not Michelle Wie should stick to the LPGA can barely last ten seconds of commentary before somebody interjects that “she’s hot.” Last summer, Kevin Kiley was discussing the disappointing second half of the Dodgers’ season. The topic of a particular call-in show was: Are the Dodgers a one night stand that looked like a smokin’ hot chick while you were drunk, but who is sagging and fat now that you’ve woken up sober?

Continue reading "Sports and Sexuality"

To paraphrase the old saying: one man’s post-season is another man’s off-season. Well, that time of the year is upon us; the time when Jets fans can put the previous 16 disappointments behind us and look forward to the 0-0 record that awaits us in September. To make matters more painful, we must coincide our forced optimism with a Patriots team that seems to be bound for greatness.

Hopefully, as the combine gets underway and draft day approaches, the Jets management won’t do anything too hasty. I have one big concern for 2008; the quarterback situation. It shouldn't be a concern, but unfortunately it already is because of the pathetic midseason decision to suddenly usher in the Clemens era.

I feel that usually the passing game is given the benefit of the doubt and the running game, the most basic and difficult element of a football offense, becomes the scapegoat. “If only we could run the ball, our passing game would come right along.” Well, if my summation is correct, the Jets were the exception to the rule this year, benching Chad Pennington who was handcuffed by a gutless and predictable offensive scheme. Kellen Clemens may be the future of the team, but last I checked, Pennington was a proven quarterback with the second highest accuracy rating in NFL history, behind Kurt Warner. Pennington throttled the Colts in the 2002 playoffs. He was a missed Doug Brien field goal away from the 2004 AFC Championship game. He propelled a written-off Jets team into the playoffs last year. Show me some consistency in coaching, play-calling, and offensive line protection, and I’ll be the first to point fingers at any quarterback. But when Laveranues Coles is told to run 7 yard out patterns on seemingly every down, any smart corner is going to wait for a high pass so he can wind up and plant the receiver or wait for a lower pass that he can jump for a pick-6. The criticism of Pennington is derived from this very dilemma. He’s lambasted for hanging his receivers out to dry on lobs or throwing a pick that ends up being a nail in the coffin for Gang Green. Put Tom Brady or Peyton Manning in this very offense and I’d like to see if they thrive or struggle.

Continue reading "Pennington or Bust"

On April 28, 1982 the world changed forever: Christopher Zane Kaman was born. At 7 feet, 265 pounds, he was the most dominant baby since Shaquille O’Neal to ever to post up an obstetrician. Twenty-one years later, this promising phenom was given his shot when he was drafted sixth overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2003. The rest is history.

Kaman was never a bust; let’s get that straight. But in the Western Conference of the NBA, where centers make their living, he had yet to reach that upper echelon of the big men elite. Until this season.

Kaman is playing this year like a man possessed. He’s averaging 18 points and 14 rebounds per game, both career highs. He’s also averaging over 2 assists per game for the first time ever. With the exception of last year’s dip in productivity, Kaman has been steadily building his averages across the board since year one. And last year’s regression should not be a troublesome omen of future lapses, as the entire team took two steps back following their play-off run in the ’05-06 season. Even the great Elton Brand struggled last year and the team’s frustration fueled sub-par play from most starters. (The exception to this was the emergence of Shaun Livingston who had given Clippers’ fans reason to believe that he was a franchise point guard until he blew out his knee coming down after a fast break lay-up.)

Continue reading "Kaman Saw and Conquered"

Eli Manning won a wild card game, but Eli Manning is not a wild card. All season long, and all off-season, too, NFL analysts across the board love to talk about Eli Manning’s unpredictability. People love to lay into him about his demeanor not becoming of a winning quarterback, and his number one overall draft selection as a byproduct of his last name only, not his talent. I’m sure that last name on the back of his jersey just handed him the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2003, as well as naming him SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Undoubtedly, if I had that last name I would have been able to pass for 3,600 yards, 29 TD’s and only 10 INT’s, while amassing a completion percentage of 62% my senior year. Even as recently as this past weekend prior to the Giants/Bucs kickoff, the FOX studio crew was pondering which Eli would show up? The Good Eli or the Bad Eli? And yet as recently as halftime during the same game, the same studio crew was praising Eli saying that we may be witnessing the coming of age of the young quarterback.

Continue reading "Eli's Coming!"

The Patriots’ days are numbered. In the modern NFL, it is impossible for a team to go 19-0 and even though they seem as poised as any team in NFL history to accomplish such a feat, the odds are stacked against them deeper than a trips bunch formation.

 

Now, granted, I had been saying all season long that they couldn’t go 16-0, and how did that prediction work out for me? Not too well. But I stand resilient and unwavering in my belief that as the playoffs get underway, emotional pressure mounts and opponents’ desires increase, leading to an inevitable collapse. The only remote chance they stand of reaching the Super Bowl this year is if they eek past the Jaguars AND the Chargers manage to upend the Colts (not likely). Because if the Pats are forced to square off against Peyton Manning once more this year, the result will not be the same as earlier in the season. No defending NFL champ has ever been so overlooked as the Colts are this year and (not to say that Belichick and the Pats are overlooking anybody), Indy will be ready to wreak havoc at Gillette Stadium. You think the Patriots used SpyGate and Anthony Smith for fuel? Wait ‘til you see an Indianapolis team that will enter the game as underdogs. Now that’s fuel! Any time two solid teams square off in the regular season and then have a rematch in the playoffs, always give the edge to the loser of the previous meeting. They will be hungrier, they will be playing with a bigger chip on their shoulder, and the earlier victor will be more likely to relax or swap preparation for ego. I know the Patriots are the most disciplined team in the league and not a single man on their roster or coaching staff would consciously take their foot off the pedal until after the season is over. But they are also all human beings and knowing that you haven’t lost a game all season and knowing that you’ve already beat your current opponent once before can make anybody drop their guard. An expectation to win can often be an invitation to lose.

Continue reading "19-0*"

If you read this piece by ignoring the first paragraph and skipping directly to the second, you’d see how I originally envisioned it: as an indictment of our legal system, highlighting the disparity between punishments for Marion Jones and Scooter Libby. However, between conceiving of the idea this morning and gathering my thoughts to begin writing, I heard ESPN’s J.A. Adande tackle this very issue on the Steve Mason show. I was frustrated that I was beaten to the punch, but honored that the well-spoken and thoughtful J.A. shared my sentiment. Kudos, Mr. Adande for a very articulate, heart-felt breakdown of why Marion Jones’ six month prison sentence is unfair. But here’s my take.

 

When I discovered that Marion Jones would be sentenced to six months in prison for lying to a grand jury about her steroid use, my first thought was of Scooter Libby. Where is the consistency in our legal system? How can President Bush swoop in and commute Libby’s sentence to zero days in prison, while he allows Marion Jones to serve the harshest jail sentence permissible by law? The one element each has in common is the federal perjury charge, but that’s where the similarities end. Let’s examine each case step by step to prove the incredible injustice against Jones.

Continue reading "If Jones Gets Six, Why Does Scooter Get Zero???"

Yoko Romo is breaking up the Cowboys. Remember, the quarterback is not to blame if he is distracted when a hot girl is at the game; it’s her fault. Tony Romo shouldn’t be criticized for going to Mexico this past week because remember! That the blonde temptress lured him away from his work. Poor Tony Romo! He’s just trying to do his job, but she won’t leave him alone!

 

If you know anything about my writing style and opinions, you’ll realize that in the above paragraph I’m being facetious. Yoko Romo is not her name. Her name is Jessica Simpson and guess what? Tony Romo is a grown man who can make his own decisions. He would be the first to tell you that he is responsible for his own game and nobody else. He can go where he likes and do what he likes as long as he’s ready to go on Sundays. Now, if Tony Romo starts blaming Jessica for his sub-par play, then by all means, let’s make it a story. Let’s sensationalize it. Let’s revel in it. Let’s do what American media does best: exploit it! But until then, Tony Romo went on vacation during his bye week: end of story. It could have been with his parents, with his girlfriend, or with his dog. It could have been by himself, for all it matters! The point is, he was not at home or at the Cowboys’ training facility studying game film, hitting the weights, or running timing patterns with his wideouts. If his performance suffers on Sunday, it will be because of something other than Jessica Simpson. We are so obsessed with celebrity in this country, that what Romo

Continue reading "Romo, O Romo. Wherefore Art Thou Going to Mexico on Your Bye Week?"

Was I watching “Jerry Maguire 2” Sunday night after the Giants/Cowboys game? T.O.’s tearful comments to the press came off as the emotional climax of a melodramatic Rod Tidwell scene. Where’s the T.O. we all know and love (except for the love part)? Why wasn’t he ripping Tony Romo for his previous week’s exploits or ripping Jason Garrett for limiting him in the second half? Where’s the negativity which reared its ugly head in Philadelphia and San Francisco? What’s with the teammate act he’s trying to pass off as genuine? Is it just another media ploy or is this the new Terrell Owens?

 

I was among many who found that misty sob fest to be ridiculous, but I might be among the few who thinks it’s real… or at least T.O.’s version of real. Who knows what goes on inside that man’s head; all I do know is it’s hard to conjure up tears on cue if you’re faking it. I know he was wearing glasses so we couldn’t really see any tears, but the way he was choking up and the way he kept having to swallow back that tremble in his voice, it doesn’t get much more convincing. And what would be his reason for faking it? He’d have nothing to gain; he could have more successfully defended his quarterback with a firm voice rather than deliberately taking the waterworks route. And yet the faucet was turned on.

Continue reading "In Rod We Trust; In Terrell We Can't"

Andy Roddick is a fun player to watch and I was rooting for him as much as anybody in the Australian Open, but I was disappointed to see him sink to the level he reached when he taunted the umpire during his match with Philipp Kohlschreiber in today’s effort. Despite dishing out a career best 42 aces, Roddick fell to the German 6-4 3-6 7-6 6-7 8-6. 

After his shot was originally called out, 29th seed Kohlschreiber challenged the ruling and it was overturned, prompting an irate Roddick to argue that he would have attempted a return, but didn’t due to the stoppage in play. When his appeal went unfulfilled, he proceeded to ridicule the umpire’s intelligence, shouting insinuation that he was never educated after the second grade. He made one final dig by yelling out: “You’re an idiot! Stay in school kids or you’ll end up being an umpire.”

Continue reading "Unappealing Behavior"

Today the news broke that the Detroit Lions are looking to move Shaun Rogers via trade or release and, while I do not understand or agree with their decision, the Jets must try to acquire the seventh year defensive tackle.

Just by looking at his 2007 stats, it’s easy to see him as an upgrade to the Jets’ current D-line. Rogers had 39 tackles, 7 sacks, and one interception (which was returned for a touchdown). The Jets’ starting front three accounted for a mere 10.5 sacks with their nose tackle, Dewayne Robertson garnering only 4 of them. Robertson also had 57 tackles to his name; even though that’s more than Rogers, Robertson benefited from the 3-4 scheme the Jets run, while Rogers was in a 4-3 and had to split tackles with three others on the front line.

Continue reading "Mr. Rogers' New Neighborhood?"

The Super Bowl this year has many people predicting an easy Patriots win, even though there is a general acknowledgement that the Giants will bring a solid game plan and sound execution to the contest. Despite the consensus that the Giants are worthy of being in the game on Sunday after an impressive playoff run, almost every NFL fan and analyst has resigned him or herself to the fact that they are just 100% outmatched. Oh, how wrong they are.

 

There is legitimacy to the notion that the Patriots will win the Super Bowl: their prolific offense has set numerous records this year, they are arguably the best-coached team in the NFL, they have the most mentally prepared players with previous Super Bowl experience, and their quarterback is a sure-fire hall-of-famer who already has three championships while surrounded by arguably lesser talent. Oh, and then there’s that little part about the 18-0 record during which no team has been able to beat them (not even the Giants in week 17).

Continue reading "Giant Upset"