The Quest for (im)Perfection

Yeah, pretty much says it all this year.

The Detroit Lions are now 0-15, and are even worse than their record suggests. Losing 22 of their last 23 games, and with only one playoff win(over Dallas in 1991) in the last 45 years, a once merely mediocre franchise has turned the corner into epic futility. All 8 of their losses at Ford Field have come by an average of 22 points. The facts are mind numbing; in the loss to New Orleans in week 16 the Lions lost 42-7, making zero defensive stops. Possibly the worst team in league history, the Lions enter the season finale at Green Bay(3-4 at Lambeau Field) needing a minor miracle to avoid becoming the first 0-16 team since the schedule was expanded to 16 games. Not even an expansion franchise, the Lions lead the league in points against with a whopping 486 points given up, 52 more than the next team, the 2-13 St.Louis Rams. All can agree that there must be drastic changes in the Detroit Lions front office and coaching personnel, as well as the upper management. Despite all of this, the fanbase has remained loyal through thick and thin; "forcing" Barry Sanders into retirement, draft busts(see Mike Williams, Charles Rogers), and one playoff win in 45 years. No more. The increasingly dire nature of the economy, combined with the historic proportions of failure attained by the team, Detroit fans have staged rallies, protests, and booed lustily at home games. But most of all, the fans have stopped caring. A team steeped in tradition and legendary players, e.g. Billy Sims, Barry Sanders, has succeeded in destroying the NFL brand in Detroit, a once proud franchise on its knees as it seeks to avoid a failure of epic proportions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L-dO-no7Jg

Yeah, its getting bad....

Clip of the Week

Carmelo...if your out there...please come back...

Although this year has seen no shortage of video worthy material, this press conference gem is certainly worthy of Clip of the Week. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf_-wxqE5hI&eurl=http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Tortured-Jim-Boeheim-punches-press-conference-mi?urn=ncaab,

Now this is what you call a tortured man. Coming fresh off a loss to Cleveland State on a 60 foot desperation heave, highlight worthy material itself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDif6uW2CMA, Boheim goes Mike Tyson on the mic and it would prove to be eerily prophetic, as once #11 ranked Syracuse would go on to lose again to Long Beach State by 24 points. Tough week at the office to say the least. Maybe he ticked someone off in the tech department.

It's been awhile since...

You da man!

This year in sports has been anything but ordinary, what with Michael Phelps breaking Mark Spitz's 1972 Olympic record of 7 gold medals and Usain Bolt slowing down to celebrate and still breaking the 100 meter men's world record, this year has produced a year of 2008 which may very well be just as synonymous with other years still ingrained into sports culture, such as 1980 with the Miracle on Ice and 1919 with the notorious Black Sox scandal. However, the year's uniqueness is not merely limited to its great moments. 

It's been awhile since....

An 11-5 team will miss the playoffs. Since the 1985 Broncos fell short at 11-5 no 11-5 teamhas missed the playoffs. However, the Patriots(9-5) are favored in its last 2 games and may still be in danger of missing the playoffs. 

A European golfer won PGA Tour POY. Since 1990 to be exact, when none other than Nick Faldo took home the award. 

An NFL game ended in a tie. When the Eagles and Bengals played to a 13-13 tie it was the first time since 2002, Steelers vs. Falcons, where an NFL game ended in a tie. Since then over 3500 regular season games have been played without a single tie.

Two QBs/brothers have made the Pro Bowl. As the NFL's Pro Bowl rosters are released, the Manning brothers, Eli and Peyton, become the first QB playing siblings to both make the Pro Bowl.

The NFL's leader in passer rating didn't make the Pro Bowl. Since 2002 when Chad Pennington was left out of the Pro Bowl despite leading the league in passer rating. However, Phillip Rivers was left off the 2008 AFC Pro Bowl roster even while leading the league in, get this...passer rating, touchdowns, and yards per attempt.

Free Agent Insanity

$161 million? Hey C.C., that's 161 million whoppers....

The definition of insanity is continuously doing the same thing while expecting a different result each time.  While MLB's lack of a salary cap and the disparity between the haves, the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, etc., and the have nots, the Devil Rays, Royals, etc., is the driving force behind the insanity of baseball's free agency, the continued insanity of owners and GMs is what perpetuates the madness of MLB's offseason. Recently the Yankees signed fireballer A.J. Burnett to a 5 year deal worth over $82 million. Yet Burnett has only surpassed the 200 inning mark, get this, 3 times in 10 seasons, while winning over 12 games only once in that time span. Not to be outdone, the Cleveland Indians gave 30 year old Kerry Wood, the once promising starter turned closer, a two year deal worth over $20 million despite dozens of trips to the DL and several surgeries over Wood's 10 seasons with the Chicago Cubs. History tells us lucrative, gauranteed contracts given to injury prone pitchers can prove to be disastrous for the team and for the rest of MLB. Barry Zito's 7 year, $126 million contract remains a lesson for GM's to adopt a cautious attitude towards giving pitchers long, lucrative contracts (not that the Yankees listened, giving C.C. Sabathia nearly $161 million over 8 years). Just to boggle the mind, check these numbers: 4 years, $40 million to Carl Pavano, 8 years, $121 million to Mike Hampton, 4 years, $33 million to Russ Ortiz, and even Denny Neagle(who managed to go 19-23 with a 5.57 ERA over first 4 seasons of his mega deal) managed to swindle the Rockies into giving him a mind boggling $51.5 million over 5 years. Despite the overwhelming numbers pointing to the contrary GMs continue to throw obscene amounts of money at free agent pitching, leaving the Carlos Silvas(4 years, $48 million) and the Gil Meches(5 years, $55 million) of the world laughing all the way to the bank. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=342kERaP2y0

One Yankee fan's ode to Carl Pavano

Bowl Mania

The BCS selection committee at work....

As this college football season winds down, and the bowl matchups are announced, a pall remains over the BCS. Kind of like the pollution in LA. And just as toxic. The BCS bowls remain must watch TV (with the exception of the Orange Bowl, a forgettable Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech matchup), however the Big 12's tiebreaker fiasco and the snubs of one loss teams USC(Leads nation in total defense), Texas(45-35 over #1 ranked Oklahoma), and Penn State from the title game will cause history to wonder how these teams might have fared against a speedy Florida team or the offensive juggernaut of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, number 9 ranked Boise State also missed out on a BCS bid even as they fulfilled all possible requirements for a non Big Six team to make the BCS, finishing in the top 12 in the final rankings and finishing the season ranked higher than ACC champ Va. Tech and Big East champ Cincinnati. A total of 7 Big Six teams finished with only one loss, causing a glut of possible BCS picks, and forcing Texas Tech, which defeated Texas 39-33, down to the Cotton Bowl(Raise your hand if you penciled in Texas Tech to the championship game after this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN_ce47MOY...yeah...me too). However, the 2008 college football ends with many fond memories, including this epic play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1opisGofQiY...Jesus Christ....

Starbury

As the New York Knicks saga drags on and on, Stephon Marbury has yet to play a single minute this season under new coach Mike D'Antoni. Often labeled overpaid with his nearly $22 million yearly salary, Marbury has bounced around playing for Minnesota, New Jersey, Pheonix, and New York despite averaging nearly 20 points and 8 assists a game for his career. Now being merely back page fodder for the New York Post, one can easily forget that Stephon Marbury was once Starbury, the fourth overall selection in the 1996 NBA draft, a two time All-Star, and a member of the 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball team. (Which causes this blogger to note that the 2004 Olympics team remains the only USA Olympics squad to fail to bring home gold since professionals were allowed to play at the 1992 Barcelona Games)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A36DYJbMoSw&feature=related

Starbury could once shoot and pass. Very well.

Derrick Rose: Second Coming

With the slimmest of chances of winning the NBA draft lottery, the Chicago Bulls pulled the improbable as the ping pong balls bounced their way securing the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft. Picking Derrick Rose, the rookie out of Memphis, the Bulls hoped that Rose, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago playing ball at Simeon High School, would make an impact his rookie season. Not only has Derrick Rose become the starting point guard for this Chicago Bulls team, but Rose has scored in double digits in 18 of his first 19 games in the NBA, averaging 19 points, 6 assists, and 4 boards a game. Not only the top rookie of the 2008 draft class thusfar, but the Bulls have rallied around Rose looking at times almost like a playoff team. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAA8mLz8aJ0

CROSSOVER OF THE YEAR

"Ow I hurt my ankle! Help I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Where in the world is Brandon Jennings?

It sure ain't LA, that's for sure.
Touted as the top prospect in the nation coming out of Oak Hill, committed to Arizona, Brandon Jennings was ensured a place in the national spotlight. Jennings would be playing for a college basketball powerhouse at Arizona under a legendary coach in Lute Olsen. Fast forward about half a year. As the college basketball season begins to heat up, there are several established facts even at this early juncture in the season. Blake Griffin is going to be the number one pick in the 2009 NBA draft. With out a doubt, Griffin has put up Michael Beasley type numbers at Oklahoma, drawing comparisons to Carlos Boozer. North Carolina has a death grip on the number one ranking and, as they showed at Ford Field against Michigan State, they are not ready to relinquish that ranking anytime soon. But there seems to be something missing from all the hustle and bustle of college hoops...namely the former number one prospect out of Oak Hill. Trapped in a strange country, not knowing the culture or the language, and with very few friends and no nearby family for comfort, Jennings toils anonymously in the Italian pro league. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceT6aM8INiA&feature=related 

sigh...for some reason I don't see next year's number one prospect doing the same.

National Firearms League

"Officer...these are strictly for protection." "Mr. Johnson.....protection from who? Nigeria?"
I've never seen a guy piled on as much as Plaxico Burress has been in the last few weeks. Now, maybe what he did was incredibly stupid, but this is hardly the last the public hears of NFL players and guns. In fact only last year defensive tackle Tank Johnson was being crucified by the national media after police found enough firearms in Johnson's home to invade a small African nation. In fact, when surveyed, 10 of the 53 active players on the San Francisco 49ers admitted to owning a firearm. This is San Francisco...not to be confused with cesspool just across the bridge, otherwise known as Oakland. Should NFL players be able to own weapons? Its certainly their constitutional right to, and neither Commissoner Goodell or any team owner or coach dares welcome the legal battle awaiting such a ban. Now, there's nothing wrong with owning a firearm. But there is something wrong with a professional football player shooting themselves in the leg. Actually...scratch that. There's something wrong with ANYONE shooting themselves in the leg. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ_jAQMMD-E&feature=related

Bloomberg blasts Plaxico Burress. 

Is it just me or does Mayor Bloomberg sound like a man with a chip on his shoulder? Jeez...

Rocky Flop

Ex-Vols coach Phillip Fulmer in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Saved the donuts... but couldn't save his job after 17 years as head coach.

Lets think about the events that have transpired in the past few weeks. After 17 years at the helm, Phillip Fulmer has been pushed out the door. Granted, high expectations for this traditional SEC power were hardly satisfied with a 5-7(3-5 SEC) record. Fulmer's team had their bright spots such as hard hitting safety Eric 

Berry, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZKTaC9-jDQ&feature=related. However, for the Volunteer faithful this season Fulmer's promising team turned in an epic Rocky flop. Hopefully Lane Kiffin can turn it around, but his hiring does beg the question, this Tennessee program, which went to the SEC title game just last year, is going from Fulmer's sure hands to a guy that did this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3hDrGiXXZA. Seriously. In a game. A regular season game. No this isn't Madden 2008. He actually might have made it to the endzone then.