On paper it looked as though this was going to be a pretty uneventful and unexciting weekend of college football action (outside of the huge USC-Ohio State game of course). But there was some great drama to be found after all, so let’s take a review of the important results:
#3 USC 18, #8 Ohio State 15 – It looked as though Ohio State was finally going to get the monkey off their back and get a huge win on a national TV stage, but they once again fell short. This was a very hard fought game and it heavily favored Ohio State’s style of play. It was a defensive battle that focused more on special teams and field position instead of sheer offensive firepower. For the most part, USC’s offense did not look that good. Freshman QB Matt Barkley looked like a freshman and the whole team did not do much until the final drive of the game. Barkley was finally able to step up and drove the Trojans 96 yards for the game winning touchdown. Ohio State looked a little better than USC on offense, but QB Terrelle Pryor did not have as much of an opportunity to create with his legs as he should have had. I will give credit to USC’s defense for keeping them in the game and giving the offense a chance to win it. At this point, I may have to concede that USC could be a real threat for the National Championship. However, I still think that Barkley’s inexperience will catch up to him one week and the Trojans will lose a game this year. Ohio State should not be ashamed of their performance, but this is not any sort of confidence booster and now they will have to try and fight back into BCS position. At this point, they will face a must win against Penn State to have a chance.
Michigan 38, #18 Notre Dame 34 – Once again, Notre Dame came up short in a big game that could have provided Coach Charlie Weis some breathing room from his critics and could have propelled Notre Dame towards a potential BCS Bowl game. This was a great college football game and will probably go down as one of the best in the storied Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry. Both teams traded shots at each other back and forth and neither defense played particularly well. Notre Dame’s defense certainly did not play the type of game that they did last week against Nevada. The star of the game turned out to be Michigan freshman QB Tate Forcier. He was cool and calm all day and made the big plays that Michigan needed. QB Jimmy Clausen and the Irish were just as good, but they made a mistake at the end of the game by throwing the ball and not trying to force Michigan to use their timeouts when they had a 3 point lead. That allowed Forcier to drive Michigan down the field and he won the game by throwing a 5-yard TD pass to WR Greg Matthews with 11 seconds left. This win now proves that Michigan is for real this season and I would expect them now to easily make a bowl game and they will most likely make the Top 25. I don’t think they will turn into a dominant team by any means, but they are going to overachieve this year. Notre Dame’s dream of a major BCS run is probably shot and they will settle down into a solid, but not spectacular year. Hopefully Lou Holtz is ready to eat some crow.
Houston 45, #5 Oklahoma State 35 – The biggest upset of the day came courtesy of the Houston Cougars, who went into Oklahoma State and came out with a 10 point victory. I did speculate in my preview that this would be a great test for Oklahoma State’s defense and it could be closer than some people thought. Chalk up a great prediction from me and mark it down as a miserable failure for Oklahoma State’s defense. They looked terrible out there and nothing like the team that shut down Georgia last week. The Cowboys let Houston totally dictate the pace of the game and it turned it into a shootout. Normally, the Cowboys are happy to play that type of game, but they were not as efficient as Houston on offense and they could not keep up. Houston QB Case Keenum looked great and he sliced up Oklahoma State’s defense. I have to say that the Cougars are definitely impressive and they have a ton of weapons on offense. They should be able to make a Bowl game this year and they could surprise more people along the way. Oklahoma State now needs to seriously regroup because I think they can kiss any BCS Bowl game dreams goodbye. You can not win on a consistent basis by winning shootouts. I thought their defense might be up to the challenge based on last week’s game, but it seems like it is not. It seems like the logical conclusion is that Georgia’s offense just came out flat and out of sync and that made the Cowboys look good.
#17 Utah 24, San Jose State 14 – Utah was able to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games, but it was not without a major fight. The game was tied 7-7 heading into the 4th quarter and Utah was finally able to shake San Jose State late in the game. Since USC killed San Jose State last week, this obviously proves that Utah might not be on a level with the likes of the Trojans. But a win is a win and Utah will try to march up the polls and see if they can be a BCS buster.
#19 North Carolina 12, Connecticut 10 – North Carolina needed a holding call in the end zone that resulted in a safety to narrowly avoid being upset by Connecticut. I also stated in my weekly preview that this could be a pretty good football game and was worth paying attention to. Obviously, it was pretty ugly and a defensive struggle, but it did almost produce an upset. Both defenses showed up in this game and neither team could do a damn thing on offense. I thought if North Carolina’s D showed up like it did last week, they would have little trouble winning. The only problem is their offense, especially the running game, stayed home. It seems like Connecticut will give every team they play a tough game and they could end up being a spoiler in the Big East. North Carolina could also be a factor in the ACC if their defense stays this strong, but will need more offense in those games to contend for a conference championship.
#21 Georgia 41, South Carolina 37 – Wow, was this a crazy game…so much for that old stat about these teams not being able to score more than 18 points against each other. This game was a back and forth slugfest that featured a kickoff return TD, an interception return TD, a safety, a blocked PAT, and tons of penalties. It came right down to the wire as well. South Carolina drove the ball all the way down to Georgia’s 7-yard line with 22 seconds left in the game, but QB Stephen Garcia’s 4th down pass was broken up on the goal line. You can never count out a Steve Spurrier coached team, so expect South Carolina to pull an upset at some point during the season. I don’t know exactly what to make of Georgia. They got the offense cranked up this week, but the defense fell apart after putting in a solid effort last week against Oklahoma State. It spells out inconsistency to me, and I believe Georgia will most likely not challenge LSU or Mississippi for the SEC West division title.
#25 Missouri 27, Bowling Green 20 – Missouri played an extremely bad first half and had to rally from 13-0 and 20-6 to beat Bowling Green. As good as Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert looked last week, he looked equally bad in the first half this week. He did recover to throw 2 TD passes in the second half to get a win for the Tigers. Missouri is still a young team and I do not really expect them to hang around the Top 25 all season. They seem likely to lose at least a game or two, but they should easily be able to make a Bowl game.
#1 Florida 56, Troy 6
#2 Texas 41, Wyoming 10
#4 Alabama 40, Florida International 14
#7 Penn State 28, Syracuse 7
#9 BYU 54, Tulane 3
#10 California 59, Eastern Washington 7
#11 LSU 23, Vanderbilt 9
#12 Boise State 48, Miami (OH) 0
#13 Oklahoma 64, Idaho State 0
#14 Virginia Tech 52, Marshall 10
#16 TCU 30, Virginia 14
#22 Nebraska 38, Arkansas State 9
#23 Cincinnati 70, Southeast Missouri State 3
#24 Kansas 34, UTEP 7
The above results are what you call taking care of business. As expected, there were a great deal of cupcake games out there and about half of the Top 25 feasted on them. Florida, Texas, and Alabama all got off to slow starts on Saturday. But by the time the 4th quarter rolled around, they had it in cruise control and were on the easy road to victory.
Penn State did look choppy again in their win over Syracuse, but they were never in danger and they had control of the game the entire time. Penn State will need to get better though because Ohio State, even with their loss to USC, looks strong and will really give the Nittany Lions a game.
Even though rain played havoc on them, LSU still looked shaky for the second week in a row and they let another underdog hang around. Vanderbilt was only down by one touchdown midway through the 4th quarter until LSU scored late to put the game away. It seems like LSU, Georgia, and Mississippi all look a little questionable to start the year and who knows what team will win the SEC West and get a shot at Florida in the SEC Championship game. But at this point, I am not sure any one of the three will be able to give Florida any sort of challenge.
Oklahoma, their defense, and QB Landry Jones tried to make a statement that they will keep fighting. They destroyed Idaho State and gave up only 6 first downs. TCU got off to a great start as well, as their defense only gave up 7 first downs the entire game.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- The Dany Heatley trade speculation is finally over as the Ottawa Senators traded Heatley and a fifth-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-round draft pick. So it turns out that the rumored 3 team trade that I mentioned yesterday was indeed just a bad rumor. However, the Sharks were still involved in this deal. San Jose needed to do something to shake up their team after continued failures in the playoffs. Heatley is a dangerous scorer when he is focused and playing well, but it will remain to be seen whether he delivers in crunch time during the postseason. He should be able to help San Jose remain a top level team, but as it always is with the Sharks, things change in the playoffs. The Senators got some good value back in return, but I am not sure if it matches the value of a motivated Dany Heatley. Michalek is only 24-years old and had 23 goals and 24 assists last season. He is a good player with the potential to get better, but I doubt he will become a consistent 40-50 goal scorer. Cheechoo had a brilliant 2005-06 season when he scored 56 goals, but he has dropped off ever since. He had only 12 goals and 17 assists last year. Unless a change of scenery really sparks his career, he seems destined to just become a role player. So in my estimation, the Sharks got a good deal in this. But, we will have to wait until playoff time to see just how good of a deal it is.
- In other NHL news, the Calgary Flames have invited former All-star and Stanley Cup winner Theo Fleury to training camp for a tryout. The 41-year old Fleury has been away from the game for 6 years as he battled to get himself sober after alcohol addiction. Fleury had 455 goals and 633 assists in more than 1,000 career games with Calgary, the Colorado Avalanche, the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks between 1988 and 2003. Although I am not sure how much Fleury has left, this could be a really good story and I hope that he makes the team and gets to play in a game. I always appreciate a good comeback story and it is a big thing to overcome a substance abuse problem. Addiction can destroy your life, so I hope Fleury is able to stay on a good path and I wish him luck on his comeback attempt.
- Well it looks like the Richard Seymour saga is finally over. Late on Friday it was reported that Seymour was planning a trip out to California and would in fact report to the Oakland Raiders and be ready to play in Monday night’s game against the Chargers. It looks like the “5 day letter” did its job because Seymour did not get a new contract and did not get a promise that the Raiders would not slap the franchise tag on him next year. He will not lose any money this year, which he was in danger of doing by not reporting to Oakland. So now the story starts to come out. Seymour probably had a sense of what New England might have done with his contract status before the trade and he wanted the same from Oakland. Looks like it did not work at this point. The NFL is a business and it sucks for Seymour that he got shipped to the Raiders, but he is under contract so he has no right to start making demands. Again, I would think a player that has grown up in the Patriots organization would be a professional. Seymour was pushing it and I am glad to see that he blinked. His goal should be to have the best season that he can and then the money will take care of itself. It does him no good to bitch and moan and sandbag this season. He finally did break his silence on Saturday and says that the trade “blindsided” him and he claims he made no demands. He had personal issues to take care of and is excited to join the Raiders. Well that is nice to hear, but I am willing to bet there was some sort of talk about money and his contract.
- Brett Favre has been named a captain for the Minnesota Vikings this season after being with the team for only less than a month. So I guess this blows up the whole “schism” story right? There is no question that Favre is a tremendous leader and has a burning desire to play the game and to win. While he might not have gone about joining the Vikings in the “right” way, he is going to go in there and do the best he can. I still believe that Favre will be able to steady the offense for the Vikings, manage the game, make some big plays, and most importantly, lead them to victories. I still believe that the Vikings are the slight favorites to win the NFC North due to Favre’s presence.
- The Memphis basketball program got some bad news as it was revealed that sophomore forward Angel Garcia had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will miss the 2009-10 season. This is a big blow considering that Garcia, who is 6-foot-11 and missed last season due to NCAA eligibility issues, was expected to step up and help a team that is now down to 8 scholarship players. The loss of Coach John Calipari is going to hit Memphis hard I believe. I can see them slowly slipping away from being a national powerhouse. Calipari was the draw to the school and frankly, I have never even heard of their current coach, Josh Pastner. My prediction is that Memphis will go downhill until they hire another big name coach who has a proven track record of success.
- Major League Baseball will not take any actions against New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for past performance-enhancing drug use. MLB was investigating Rodriguez to determine if he lied about the exact period of time he admitted to using PEDs. Apparently, the investigation did not turn up anything new and he will not be punished. I’m at least pleased to hear that they didn’t find out about any past use from Rodriguez. Even though he was using steroids for a few seasons, I still contend that Rodriguez is one of the best players in Major League history. The guy had his greatest year in 2007 when he was clean and even with a bad hip this season, he is still hitting home runs and being productive. Take away his “steroid years” and Rodriguez would still be a Hall of Famer. And in other Yankees’ news, SS Derek Jeter had 2 hits Friday night to pass Lou Gehrig on the Yankees’ all-time hit list with 2723. That is an amazing accomplishment to have, but unless Jeter goes on a tear and wins multiple World Series titles again, he will not be able to reach the great pantheon of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle.
- BMW Championship: Tiger Woods entered the weekend and the 3rd round of the BMW tied for lead and had a chance to take control of the tournament. Mission accomplished. Tiger was on absolute fire as he shot a course record 9-under par 62 to finish at 16-under par for the tournament. This gave him a 7 shot lead over Brandt Snedeker and Marc Leishman. I said yesterday that I expected Tiger to take care of business this weekend and win, but I didn’t expect this good of a performance today. When Woods plays like this, he is impossible to beat and everyone is fighting for second. Not much else to say on this. Tiger will cruise home to victory tomorrow and grab the FedEx Cup points lead heading into the Tour Championship, the final event of the Playoffs. It seems like it will be a tall task for anyone to beat him.
- U.S. Open Update: Rain held off enough to allow for play to continue at the U.S. Open and #3 seed Rafael Nadal wasted no time finishing up his quarterfinal match against #11 seed Fernando Gonzalez. Nadal dusted him off quickly, winning 7-6, 7-6, 6-0, and he will now face #6 seed Juan Martin del Potro tomorrow in one semifinal. The women had their semifinals next after another lengthy rain delay and the match between unseeded Kim Clijsters and #2 seed Serena Williams ended in bizarre fashion. Williams was down 1 set and 5-6, 15-30 when she faulted on her first serve and then was called for a foot fault on her second serve. Serena then proceeded to yell at the lines official who made the call and told her “I will stuff this ball down your f**king throat”, among other things. Williams had already received a code violation earlier in the match for slamming her racquet, so this second offense cost her a point at 15-40 and the match was over. This was totally crazy and certainly something that I have never witnessed before. Clijsters had dominated the action and obviously, Williams was frustrated. The foot fault call by the official was a bad judgment call at that point in the match, but the way Williams lost her cool and what she said was uncalled for and she paid the price. Clijsters now moves onto the final to face #9 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who beat unseeded Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets.
Showing posts with label Dany Heatley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dany Heatley. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Jeff Hardy and WWE Breaking Point
Well I had planned to only offer my thoughts on the upcoming WWE Breaking Point PPV this Sunday, but then a small piece of news hit late in the afternoon: “Jeff Hardy Arrested for Drug Trafficking, Multiple Felonies”. All I can say is wow. Hardy was arrested on charges of trafficking controlled prescription pills and possession of anabolic steroids. A search of his home yielded 262 Vicodin prescription pills, 180 Soma prescription pills, 555 milliliters of anabolic steroids, powder cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The charges against Hardy include:
- Felony trafficking in opium
- Two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance
- Felony maintaining a dwelling to keep controlled substance
- Felony possession of cocaine
- Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
Again, wow. I honestly could not believe it when I heard this news and it is pretty sad. I was not shocked to hear about Jeff Hardy being in a situation with drugs due to what he has done in the past, but all this? Obviously the worst of this is the intent to sell and distribute. He can be a druggie and take all he wants, but when you try to sell the stuff, then that is going down a bad road.
Reports are saying that his brother and current WWE superstar, Matt Hardy, bailed him out and Jeff was quick to jump on Twitter. He said to not believe everything that you read and expressed his wish that the media would try and portray stories accurately. I am not sure exactly what he is talking about, but what else would you expect him to say at this point? My only speculation is that he will claim he never sold anything or intended to sell anything. The fact that he has so much of it could turn out to be a bad assumption by the cops, but I doubt it. The news stories make it seem like this was an ongoing investigation on Jeff and they finally busted him. They must think they have a solid case to bring those charges on him.
I think it is a safe assumption that Jeff Hardy’s WWE career is now over. I can’t see how they can bring him back at this point. Vince McMahon is trying to make the WWE more family friendly, so bringing back a wrestler who had drug charges thrown on him seems highly unlikely. I am sure at this point that McMahon and the WWE have to be fuming. They caught a lucky break that Jeff dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam, but this will still reflect poorly on the company. Hardy was getting a major push on TV and was portrayed as such an inspiration and positive influence. Of course if you have been following things, CM Punk portrayed Hardy as a fraud and said he probably was still high on prescription drugs and everything else. My, my, my…how life imitates art sometimes. Here’s a wild thought on all this too. I wonder if the WWE would dare touch this on their programming. The chances would be slim I’m sure, but CM Punk could get MASSIVE heat if he came out and told everyone that he was telling the truth about Jeff the whole time. A feud with Matt Hardy could be big around this, but I am sure McMahon does not even want to touch it.
Granted, I am not that much of a Jeff Hardy fan, but I did respect his in-ring work and I respected what he did to help put CM Punk over. He did not complain about losing the title or anything like that and he even worked an extra month after his contract expired to help the company and go out the right way. Because of all that, this whole situation now saddens me. Jeff Hardy was portrayed as a guy who made some mistakes, but he took responsibility for them and had turned his life around. Now, it seems like he really hasn’t changed at all. Even if he was to somehow beat these charges, and on the possession ones I don’t see any way in hell how he does that, his legacy is now ruined.
Jeff was supposed to take some time off and come back refreshed and continue on with a great career. But that is not going to happen. I can’t believe the stupidity that it takes for him to put himself in this situation. There are a whole other set of issues now as well. Has Jeff been popping pain pills this entire time? Did the WWE ever let him slide on a drug test? There are many questions now that can’t be answered and who knows if they ever will be. I understand how tough and painful it must be for wrestlers, so I could find a way to give Jeff a pass if he is addicted to pain pills. Addiction can be a bitch and millions of people struggle with it. But I have to draw a line with the cocaine and these allegations that he was trying to distribute. Those are bad choices that fall directly onto Jeff Hardy’s shoulders and he has no one to blame but himself.
So in the final analysis of my initial thoughts on this, I have to say I am just disappointed in Hardy and I hope he gets some help. Obviously he still had some demons in his life that he needs to deal with. I will not crucify the man totally until more facts are known, but this looks bad for him. He had such a good thing going with this last WWE run and now he has flushed it all down the toilet. On a more positive note, let’s get to my Breaking Point PPV preview that I had ready to go for today.
It is time once again for a WWE PPV and the company continues on the trend of trying to make each one have a certain theme. This Sunday will be called Breaking Point and the idea is that all main event matches will have a submission stipulation. I will give credit to the WWE for trying this tactic to increase PPV buys. The different themes give fans something to look forward to and it does break them away from the endless monotony of placeholder type PPVs until each of the “Big 4” roll around. So let’s take a look at the card and I will offer up my thoughts and predictions.
“I Quit” Match for the WWE Championship
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
Once again we are “treated” to another match between Orton and Cena. The feud between these two just seems so old at this point and it feels like we have seen everything there is to see. In actuality, the two had not squared off one on one for a long while until Summerslam last month, but the fact remains that this confrontation has been recycled from years ago. I predicted that John Cena would walk out of Summerslam with the title and I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Many thought that the Summerslam match was an overbooked mess, but the WWE had not had a crazy atomsophere like that in a while and I thought it was fun to see. The swerve of letting Orton walk out with the title was a good thing, but knowing that we had Breaking Point coming up, I immediately thought Orton’s reign would only last a few more weeks. John Cena’s whole character and career is built on a never give up, never say die attitude. Cena is a “soldier” and he never quits. There is no way in hell that Cena will say “I quit” at Breaking Point. Unless the WWE recycles the Rock’s trick of knocking the guy out and then playing a recording of his opponent saying “I quit” from a promo like he did with Mick Foley, Cena is walking out with the belt. The only way that doesn’t happen is if something occurs to make the match a no contest.
Prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Submission Match for the World Heavyweight Title
CM Punk (c) vs. The Undertaker
As expected, Jeff Hardy dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam and then lost a “loser leaves WWE” title rematch on Smackdown. I give Hardy a ton of credit for going out the right way and helping to make Punk into a mega-heel before taking his sabbatical. I will definitely miss the Hardy-Punk feud, but the WWE did a good thing by transitioning directly into a Punk-Undertaker feud. At the end of Summerslam, the lights went out and Punk quickly found himself standing over The Undertaker instead of Jeff Hardy and then he ate a chokeslam for his troubles. The Deadman had returned and had his sights set on Punk and the World Title. Teddy Long quickly booked a Submission Match for Breaking Point and I expect a good match between the two. Punk is insanely hot right now as a heel and The Undertaker will always have the crowd behind him. The money in this feud will be in the chase and I don’t see how they can have Punk drop the title so soon. Obviously, The Undertaker, like John Cena, is not someone who is going to give up and submit. Because of that, I see no other call to make but to say that this match will somehow be a no contest or a DQ. I really don’t know how they will do it, but Punk will escape with the title and this feud will continue.
Prediction: No contest or DQ ending, Punk retains
ECW Championship
Christian (c) vs. William Regal
With the formation of William Regal’s “Ruthless Roundtable” which features Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov, this feud for the ECW Championship has been fairly intriguing. I love William Regal’s snobby, arrogant character and he is a perfect challenger for Christian, especially with the muscle behind him. Considering that the match at Summerslam lasted only 8 seconds and was only designed to put over the “Roundtable”, I really have no idea how this match will go. If Christian beats Regal, it seems like the feud would be over and Regal would be out of chances. But then does Christian go on to try and keep Jackson and Kozlov off his back? I ultimately think that Jackson or Kozlov would benefit from a title run, but I am not sure they are ready for it or even if they are worth it at all. I might be going out on a limb here, but it makes the most sense if Regal wins the title with the help of Jackson and Kozlov and then uses them to try and keep Christian from regaining it. The major story arc on ECW seems to be Regal trying to take over things with his henchman, so having the title makes that seem more plausible.
Prediction: William Regal (new ECW Champion)
Submissions Count Anywhere
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
Well this is certainly a different spin on a match stipulation and it really just means this match will be a brawl that should go all over the ringside area and beyond. Legacy put in a really solid performance against DX at Summerslam. I thought Legacy should have won the match to really establish themselves as legitimate threats. Triple H and Shawn Michaels did put in a good effort to make Rhodes and Dibiase look good, but in the end, it is wins and losses that count. I am actually glad that the feud is continuing and I hope Legacy is able to get a big win. The WWE has two great young talents and they need to start letting them shine and get some bigger victories under their belt. Legacy was able to get some heat back by laying out John Cena and DX during Dusty Rhodes’ GM night and hopefully they carry the momentum to this match. Again, with a submission stipulation, it is tough to envision Triple H or Michaels tapping out. However, I can see a scenario where Legacy viciously attacks a knee/leg and is able to get a submission out of it. Against my better judgment, I am going to predict that Legacy gets their big win in this match. If not, the WWE is seriously making them look like chumps and I feel that is just plain stupid. But don’t say I didn’t mention that DX might just destroy them and bury them.
Prediction: Legacy
Unified Tag Team Championship
Chris Jericho and Big Show (c) vs. MVP and Mark Henry
So it looks like Cryme Tyme got their chance in the sun at Summerslam and they quickly will be forgotten when it comes to the Tag Team Title chase. Now the thrown together tag team of Mark Henry and MVP will challenge for the gold. This outcome seems pretty predictable to me and I do not see how Jericho and Big Show can lose here. I will say this though…I could see WWE shocking everyone and putting the titles on Henry and MVP as a sort of “reward” for MVP and Henry actually getting over a little bit with the crowd and especially to Henry for not getting hurt and pulling off a face turn. JeriShow needs to drop the belts to a team who could use the rub though. I think Legacy or the Hart Dynasty are perfect candidates and could benefit immediately, but all three teams are heels, so the WWE would most likely not set up those matchups. I have to wonder if DX will get a shot at JeriShow like I have speculated before. It would be a good little feud and the match(es) would be pretty good as well, but DX does not need the tag titles. Unless they win them and promptly lose to Legacy or the Hart Dynasty, it is a waste. I really do not know what WWE has planned for Jericho and Show, but I don’t think they should be losing to Henry and MVP.
Prediction: Jericho and Big Show (retain titles)
Singapore Cane Match
The Great Khali vs. Kane
I was really hoping that we would not get “treated” to another PPV match between these two but it seems as though we are. I suppose it is better for a solid talent like Kane to make a PPV payday instead of being left out. This match could turn into a real spectacle if they allow it, but it will likely be the same slow and plodding match like they had at Summerslam, except this time they will be hitting each other with canes. If the WWE is determined to drag this feud on, then I have to think Khali will pick up the victory. He introduced the Singapore cane into the equation, so I have to go with him for the win.
Prediction: The Great Khali
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: Once again, Smackdown was a pretty good watch this week and the show got off to another great start. The Undertaker came out to start the show and cut a promo on CM Punk, stating that he would collect his “soul” at Breaking Point and make Punk submit to his Hell’s Gate submission hold. Punk answered and cut another brilliant promo. He is just locked in on his character and manipulating the audience like a puppet master. The way he is bagging on the fans about being seduced by The Undertaker’s “magical” powers because their minds are in a doped up haze is just gold. Punk let The Undertaker know that he will make him tap out to the Anaconda Vice at Breaking Point and this set up the main event, a submission match between Punk and Matt Hardy. The two put on another good performance in the ring and did a nice enough job focusing on attacking different body parts since it was a submission match. The finish was pretty obvious as CM Punk quickly and suddenly slapped on the Anaconda Vice and made Hardy tap out. The very end of the show featured a nice touch of having the lights go out and the bell toll and when they came back on, Punk no longer was grasping his title. The Undertaker was at the top of the ramp holding Punk’s gold up high. I thought the show did a pretty good job at hyping Breaking Point and that’s all you can ask.
There wasn’t anything else earth shattering on this episode, just some good in-ring action. Finlay and Mike Knox battled it out in a pretty good “Belfast Brawl”, which saw Finlay come out on top after a shot with the shillelagh. I do like to see a good garbage match every now and then, and these two put on a solid match with copious amounts of chair and trash can shots. The Unified Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho and The Big Show, had a decent match with Cryme Tyme. Show knocked out JTG with a huge punch which allowed the champs to get a win and gain some momentum heading into their title defense against Mark Henry and MVP at Breaking Point. Finally, John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler had a nice little back and forth on the mic. Ziggler demanded his title shot that he earned, but only on “his terms”, and Morrison responded by calling him “Mr. Ziggles”. The WWE is now trying to build up more of a feud between these two after plans changed because of Rey Mysterio’s suspension. The Morrison/Ziggler Intercontinental Title match has been pulled from Breaking Point and the rumor is because the WWE wants them to have some matches together first on the house show circuit. I really do not agree with this because I believe both Morrison and Ziggler are talented enough to put on a good match and they should be given the chance on PPV.
- NHL sources have told ESPN that the Ottawa Senators have finally reached a 3 team deal to trade Dany Heatley. The proposed trade would send Heatley to the San Jose Sharks, the Sharks’ Patrick Marleau to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Kings’ Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll to the Senators. There is only one catch though. As of right now, the GMs of all three teams have denied the report and say the speculation is complete bull. I hope that the story is not bull because this Dany Heatley saga has gone on way too long. The guy wants out of town in Ottawa, so get him out of town! I’m not sure San Jose is a good destination for him though. The Sharks are kings of the regular season, but always find a way to choke in the playoffs. Imagine the scrutiny on Heatley if he goes there and the Sharks continue to fall short in the postseason. Heatley seemingly doesn’t like the spotlight and pressure on him, but he will feel it full force in San Jose if he contributes to their playoff woes. I’m not sure if getting rid of Marleau is a smart move for San Jose, but something has to change there and shipping away players is one way to try it. Maybe a new lease on life in LA will be good for Marleau. Frolov’s production has dropped the past two seasons, so a change of scenery could serve him well. Stoll can help the Senators on the power play, so all in all, this seems to be a beneficial trade all around…if the rumor is true of course. Stay tuned…
- Usually when you take on the NFL, or any sports league or company for that matter, it is tough to win. But defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings received a win in appeals court on Friday when the court ruled that the NFL can not suspend the players for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. The Williamses both tested positive for a banned diuretic during training camp in 2008 after they took the over-the-counter supplement StarCaps. It did not state on the label that it contained the diuretic -- which can mask the presence of steroids. I have to applaud the court on this decision, especially considering that neither Williams has tested positive for steroids. Companies should not get away with failing to disclose each and every ingredient that is contained in a supplement. Since there is no other evidence showing Kevin and Pat Williams taking steroids, I feel the suspension is bogus. They might be guilty of bad judgment by taking the supplement in the first place, but if the diuretic was not listed, then they should not be punished, clear and simple.
- Well it looks like I have to man up and say I was wrong on my speculation about Shawne Merriman. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has dismissed Tila Tequila’s accusations against Merriman and the case is now closed. She said there was insufficient evidence to prove that Merriman committed a crime. So it looks like Tequila did get herself drunk and was probably acting stupid. I will give credit to Merriman now because it seems like his story about trying to stop her from driving is the truth. That actually shows some responsibility on his part, something that Tequila obviously did not have that night. Now Tequila deserves to get bagged on because she tried to ruin Merriman’s reputation and hell, she might have been trying to go after some of his money. Maybe she can hook up with that woman trying to extort some money from Ben Roethlisberger. Next time though Shawne, cool it with the 4 am parties and don’t even put yourself in that situation.
-Other NFL News and Notes: Well as if the world didn’t already know, Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn was taking the snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense on Friday, a clear indication he will be the starting QB on Sunday. Like I have said before, Eric Mangini looks like a fool with his little “let’s keep this a big secret” garbage. He is not giving the Browns any sort of advantage and I think it is disrespectful to the Cleveland fans. He should be more open about what is going on with the team, especially when it comes to who is starting at QB. Hey, maybe that is why they didn’t list Brett Favre on the Jets’ injury reports last year…Mangini wanted to keep it a big secret…
Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel continues to practice and his knee continues to improve. He is now expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game against the Ravens. He says that if he is able to walk and go out there, he is ready to play. Matt, I’ll say this one more time…just sit this one out so the Ravens’ D doesn’t hurt you any more…thank you, drive through…
The TV ratings for last night’s NFL opener between the Steelers and Titans shows that the NFL is still king when it comes to sports. The game scored a 13.8 overnight rating, which is equivalent to over 10 million homes watching. This is the highest rating for an opener in 7 years. The game certainly was fun to watch and a great way to open up the 2009 season.
Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall declined to comment on Friday about his recent suspension from the team. He politely, but firmly, told a reporter that he was not talking about anything. Marshall could face a fine for not making himself available to the media at least one day during the week of practice leading up to Sunday’s game, but the NFL usually sends a warning first. Hey, I have bashed the guy on here before, but today I will give him some credit. This is exactly what he should do…shut up and play some football and do what you are supposed to do like an adult.
- Philadelphia Phillies P Brad Lidge and manager Charlie Manuel had a talk on Wednesday to discuss Lidge’s role with the team. Lidge claims they had a good talk and are “on the same page”. But Manuel refuses to say whether the struggling Lidge will get his job back as closer. So could this situation spell doom for the Phillies? I think it is possible that they can overcome it, but I believe Lidge needs to find another role for the rest of the season. The numbers do not lie. Lidge is 0-7 this season with a 7.11 ERA and he has blown 10 saves. Manuel says that he still sees Lidge as a closer, but how can he be trusted with numbers like those? Confidence is a huge deal for a pitcher and even though Lidge and Manuel are saying the right things, I have to believe that Lidge is not in the best state of mind. One bad outing in the playoffs can make the difference between a World Series Championship and coming up short. I can only think of the possible horror for the Phillies if the Yankees’ bats get a hold of Lidge in the World Series. My solution to this would be to consider using P Jaime Moyer or P Pedro Martinez as the closer. Pedro has proven he still has gas left in the tank, and maybe it would be the best move to stick Moyer back in the rotation for the playoffs and let Martinez close. Or, they could just move Moyer to role. I have to think he could be good for one strong inning. Whatever the Phillies decide, they need to address this and take care of it by October.
- BMW Championship Update: Tiger Woods played a solid round yesterday and was within striking distance of the lead on Friday. He took advantage of it, shooting a 4-under par 67 to grab a share of the lead after 2 rounds with Mark Wilson at 7-under par. Both Woods and Wilson have a one shot lead over a group of 4 players at 6-under, which includes Padraig Harrington and 1st round leader Rory Sabbatini. As I stated yesterday, Tiger seems to be finding a groove and that is not good news for everyone else. He has won 4 times at Cog Hill and he plays well in the Chicago area. Due to his recent disappointments, I am expecting a really good weekend from Tiger and I think he will close the deal this time and win the tournament. If he doesn’t, then the talk will only grow and he will have to find some way to get his air of invincibility back. FedEx Cup point leader Steve Stricker continues to struggle and is at 3-over par. It now looks like he will lose the points lead to Woods heading into the Tour Championship.
- U.S. Open Update: Rain forced the postponement of both women’s semifinals and the conclusion of the Rafael Nadal/Fernando Gonzalez match. The schedule is now in disarray and for the second straight year, the men’s final will happen on Monday at the earliest. Rain is in the forecast tomorrow, so everyone might still be playing the waiting game.
- Felony trafficking in opium
- Two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance
- Felony maintaining a dwelling to keep controlled substance
- Felony possession of cocaine
- Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
Again, wow. I honestly could not believe it when I heard this news and it is pretty sad. I was not shocked to hear about Jeff Hardy being in a situation with drugs due to what he has done in the past, but all this? Obviously the worst of this is the intent to sell and distribute. He can be a druggie and take all he wants, but when you try to sell the stuff, then that is going down a bad road.
Reports are saying that his brother and current WWE superstar, Matt Hardy, bailed him out and Jeff was quick to jump on Twitter. He said to not believe everything that you read and expressed his wish that the media would try and portray stories accurately. I am not sure exactly what he is talking about, but what else would you expect him to say at this point? My only speculation is that he will claim he never sold anything or intended to sell anything. The fact that he has so much of it could turn out to be a bad assumption by the cops, but I doubt it. The news stories make it seem like this was an ongoing investigation on Jeff and they finally busted him. They must think they have a solid case to bring those charges on him.
I think it is a safe assumption that Jeff Hardy’s WWE career is now over. I can’t see how they can bring him back at this point. Vince McMahon is trying to make the WWE more family friendly, so bringing back a wrestler who had drug charges thrown on him seems highly unlikely. I am sure at this point that McMahon and the WWE have to be fuming. They caught a lucky break that Jeff dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam, but this will still reflect poorly on the company. Hardy was getting a major push on TV and was portrayed as such an inspiration and positive influence. Of course if you have been following things, CM Punk portrayed Hardy as a fraud and said he probably was still high on prescription drugs and everything else. My, my, my…how life imitates art sometimes. Here’s a wild thought on all this too. I wonder if the WWE would dare touch this on their programming. The chances would be slim I’m sure, but CM Punk could get MASSIVE heat if he came out and told everyone that he was telling the truth about Jeff the whole time. A feud with Matt Hardy could be big around this, but I am sure McMahon does not even want to touch it.
Granted, I am not that much of a Jeff Hardy fan, but I did respect his in-ring work and I respected what he did to help put CM Punk over. He did not complain about losing the title or anything like that and he even worked an extra month after his contract expired to help the company and go out the right way. Because of all that, this whole situation now saddens me. Jeff Hardy was portrayed as a guy who made some mistakes, but he took responsibility for them and had turned his life around. Now, it seems like he really hasn’t changed at all. Even if he was to somehow beat these charges, and on the possession ones I don’t see any way in hell how he does that, his legacy is now ruined.
Jeff was supposed to take some time off and come back refreshed and continue on with a great career. But that is not going to happen. I can’t believe the stupidity that it takes for him to put himself in this situation. There are a whole other set of issues now as well. Has Jeff been popping pain pills this entire time? Did the WWE ever let him slide on a drug test? There are many questions now that can’t be answered and who knows if they ever will be. I understand how tough and painful it must be for wrestlers, so I could find a way to give Jeff a pass if he is addicted to pain pills. Addiction can be a bitch and millions of people struggle with it. But I have to draw a line with the cocaine and these allegations that he was trying to distribute. Those are bad choices that fall directly onto Jeff Hardy’s shoulders and he has no one to blame but himself.
So in the final analysis of my initial thoughts on this, I have to say I am just disappointed in Hardy and I hope he gets some help. Obviously he still had some demons in his life that he needs to deal with. I will not crucify the man totally until more facts are known, but this looks bad for him. He had such a good thing going with this last WWE run and now he has flushed it all down the toilet. On a more positive note, let’s get to my Breaking Point PPV preview that I had ready to go for today.
It is time once again for a WWE PPV and the company continues on the trend of trying to make each one have a certain theme. This Sunday will be called Breaking Point and the idea is that all main event matches will have a submission stipulation. I will give credit to the WWE for trying this tactic to increase PPV buys. The different themes give fans something to look forward to and it does break them away from the endless monotony of placeholder type PPVs until each of the “Big 4” roll around. So let’s take a look at the card and I will offer up my thoughts and predictions.
“I Quit” Match for the WWE Championship
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
Once again we are “treated” to another match between Orton and Cena. The feud between these two just seems so old at this point and it feels like we have seen everything there is to see. In actuality, the two had not squared off one on one for a long while until Summerslam last month, but the fact remains that this confrontation has been recycled from years ago. I predicted that John Cena would walk out of Summerslam with the title and I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Many thought that the Summerslam match was an overbooked mess, but the WWE had not had a crazy atomsophere like that in a while and I thought it was fun to see. The swerve of letting Orton walk out with the title was a good thing, but knowing that we had Breaking Point coming up, I immediately thought Orton’s reign would only last a few more weeks. John Cena’s whole character and career is built on a never give up, never say die attitude. Cena is a “soldier” and he never quits. There is no way in hell that Cena will say “I quit” at Breaking Point. Unless the WWE recycles the Rock’s trick of knocking the guy out and then playing a recording of his opponent saying “I quit” from a promo like he did with Mick Foley, Cena is walking out with the belt. The only way that doesn’t happen is if something occurs to make the match a no contest.
Prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Submission Match for the World Heavyweight Title
CM Punk (c) vs. The Undertaker
As expected, Jeff Hardy dropped the title to CM Punk at Summerslam and then lost a “loser leaves WWE” title rematch on Smackdown. I give Hardy a ton of credit for going out the right way and helping to make Punk into a mega-heel before taking his sabbatical. I will definitely miss the Hardy-Punk feud, but the WWE did a good thing by transitioning directly into a Punk-Undertaker feud. At the end of Summerslam, the lights went out and Punk quickly found himself standing over The Undertaker instead of Jeff Hardy and then he ate a chokeslam for his troubles. The Deadman had returned and had his sights set on Punk and the World Title. Teddy Long quickly booked a Submission Match for Breaking Point and I expect a good match between the two. Punk is insanely hot right now as a heel and The Undertaker will always have the crowd behind him. The money in this feud will be in the chase and I don’t see how they can have Punk drop the title so soon. Obviously, The Undertaker, like John Cena, is not someone who is going to give up and submit. Because of that, I see no other call to make but to say that this match will somehow be a no contest or a DQ. I really don’t know how they will do it, but Punk will escape with the title and this feud will continue.
Prediction: No contest or DQ ending, Punk retains
ECW Championship
Christian (c) vs. William Regal
With the formation of William Regal’s “Ruthless Roundtable” which features Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov, this feud for the ECW Championship has been fairly intriguing. I love William Regal’s snobby, arrogant character and he is a perfect challenger for Christian, especially with the muscle behind him. Considering that the match at Summerslam lasted only 8 seconds and was only designed to put over the “Roundtable”, I really have no idea how this match will go. If Christian beats Regal, it seems like the feud would be over and Regal would be out of chances. But then does Christian go on to try and keep Jackson and Kozlov off his back? I ultimately think that Jackson or Kozlov would benefit from a title run, but I am not sure they are ready for it or even if they are worth it at all. I might be going out on a limb here, but it makes the most sense if Regal wins the title with the help of Jackson and Kozlov and then uses them to try and keep Christian from regaining it. The major story arc on ECW seems to be Regal trying to take over things with his henchman, so having the title makes that seem more plausible.
Prediction: William Regal (new ECW Champion)
Submissions Count Anywhere
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
Well this is certainly a different spin on a match stipulation and it really just means this match will be a brawl that should go all over the ringside area and beyond. Legacy put in a really solid performance against DX at Summerslam. I thought Legacy should have won the match to really establish themselves as legitimate threats. Triple H and Shawn Michaels did put in a good effort to make Rhodes and Dibiase look good, but in the end, it is wins and losses that count. I am actually glad that the feud is continuing and I hope Legacy is able to get a big win. The WWE has two great young talents and they need to start letting them shine and get some bigger victories under their belt. Legacy was able to get some heat back by laying out John Cena and DX during Dusty Rhodes’ GM night and hopefully they carry the momentum to this match. Again, with a submission stipulation, it is tough to envision Triple H or Michaels tapping out. However, I can see a scenario where Legacy viciously attacks a knee/leg and is able to get a submission out of it. Against my better judgment, I am going to predict that Legacy gets their big win in this match. If not, the WWE is seriously making them look like chumps and I feel that is just plain stupid. But don’t say I didn’t mention that DX might just destroy them and bury them.
Prediction: Legacy
Unified Tag Team Championship
Chris Jericho and Big Show (c) vs. MVP and Mark Henry
So it looks like Cryme Tyme got their chance in the sun at Summerslam and they quickly will be forgotten when it comes to the Tag Team Title chase. Now the thrown together tag team of Mark Henry and MVP will challenge for the gold. This outcome seems pretty predictable to me and I do not see how Jericho and Big Show can lose here. I will say this though…I could see WWE shocking everyone and putting the titles on Henry and MVP as a sort of “reward” for MVP and Henry actually getting over a little bit with the crowd and especially to Henry for not getting hurt and pulling off a face turn. JeriShow needs to drop the belts to a team who could use the rub though. I think Legacy or the Hart Dynasty are perfect candidates and could benefit immediately, but all three teams are heels, so the WWE would most likely not set up those matchups. I have to wonder if DX will get a shot at JeriShow like I have speculated before. It would be a good little feud and the match(es) would be pretty good as well, but DX does not need the tag titles. Unless they win them and promptly lose to Legacy or the Hart Dynasty, it is a waste. I really do not know what WWE has planned for Jericho and Show, but I don’t think they should be losing to Henry and MVP.
Prediction: Jericho and Big Show (retain titles)
Singapore Cane Match
The Great Khali vs. Kane
I was really hoping that we would not get “treated” to another PPV match between these two but it seems as though we are. I suppose it is better for a solid talent like Kane to make a PPV payday instead of being left out. This match could turn into a real spectacle if they allow it, but it will likely be the same slow and plodding match like they had at Summerslam, except this time they will be hitting each other with canes. If the WWE is determined to drag this feud on, then I have to think Khali will pick up the victory. He introduced the Singapore cane into the equation, so I have to go with him for the win.
Prediction: The Great Khali
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: Once again, Smackdown was a pretty good watch this week and the show got off to another great start. The Undertaker came out to start the show and cut a promo on CM Punk, stating that he would collect his “soul” at Breaking Point and make Punk submit to his Hell’s Gate submission hold. Punk answered and cut another brilliant promo. He is just locked in on his character and manipulating the audience like a puppet master. The way he is bagging on the fans about being seduced by The Undertaker’s “magical” powers because their minds are in a doped up haze is just gold. Punk let The Undertaker know that he will make him tap out to the Anaconda Vice at Breaking Point and this set up the main event, a submission match between Punk and Matt Hardy. The two put on another good performance in the ring and did a nice enough job focusing on attacking different body parts since it was a submission match. The finish was pretty obvious as CM Punk quickly and suddenly slapped on the Anaconda Vice and made Hardy tap out. The very end of the show featured a nice touch of having the lights go out and the bell toll and when they came back on, Punk no longer was grasping his title. The Undertaker was at the top of the ramp holding Punk’s gold up high. I thought the show did a pretty good job at hyping Breaking Point and that’s all you can ask.
There wasn’t anything else earth shattering on this episode, just some good in-ring action. Finlay and Mike Knox battled it out in a pretty good “Belfast Brawl”, which saw Finlay come out on top after a shot with the shillelagh. I do like to see a good garbage match every now and then, and these two put on a solid match with copious amounts of chair and trash can shots. The Unified Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho and The Big Show, had a decent match with Cryme Tyme. Show knocked out JTG with a huge punch which allowed the champs to get a win and gain some momentum heading into their title defense against Mark Henry and MVP at Breaking Point. Finally, John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler had a nice little back and forth on the mic. Ziggler demanded his title shot that he earned, but only on “his terms”, and Morrison responded by calling him “Mr. Ziggles”. The WWE is now trying to build up more of a feud between these two after plans changed because of Rey Mysterio’s suspension. The Morrison/Ziggler Intercontinental Title match has been pulled from Breaking Point and the rumor is because the WWE wants them to have some matches together first on the house show circuit. I really do not agree with this because I believe both Morrison and Ziggler are talented enough to put on a good match and they should be given the chance on PPV.
- NHL sources have told ESPN that the Ottawa Senators have finally reached a 3 team deal to trade Dany Heatley. The proposed trade would send Heatley to the San Jose Sharks, the Sharks’ Patrick Marleau to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Kings’ Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll to the Senators. There is only one catch though. As of right now, the GMs of all three teams have denied the report and say the speculation is complete bull. I hope that the story is not bull because this Dany Heatley saga has gone on way too long. The guy wants out of town in Ottawa, so get him out of town! I’m not sure San Jose is a good destination for him though. The Sharks are kings of the regular season, but always find a way to choke in the playoffs. Imagine the scrutiny on Heatley if he goes there and the Sharks continue to fall short in the postseason. Heatley seemingly doesn’t like the spotlight and pressure on him, but he will feel it full force in San Jose if he contributes to their playoff woes. I’m not sure if getting rid of Marleau is a smart move for San Jose, but something has to change there and shipping away players is one way to try it. Maybe a new lease on life in LA will be good for Marleau. Frolov’s production has dropped the past two seasons, so a change of scenery could serve him well. Stoll can help the Senators on the power play, so all in all, this seems to be a beneficial trade all around…if the rumor is true of course. Stay tuned…
- Usually when you take on the NFL, or any sports league or company for that matter, it is tough to win. But defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings received a win in appeals court on Friday when the court ruled that the NFL can not suspend the players for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. The Williamses both tested positive for a banned diuretic during training camp in 2008 after they took the over-the-counter supplement StarCaps. It did not state on the label that it contained the diuretic -- which can mask the presence of steroids. I have to applaud the court on this decision, especially considering that neither Williams has tested positive for steroids. Companies should not get away with failing to disclose each and every ingredient that is contained in a supplement. Since there is no other evidence showing Kevin and Pat Williams taking steroids, I feel the suspension is bogus. They might be guilty of bad judgment by taking the supplement in the first place, but if the diuretic was not listed, then they should not be punished, clear and simple.
- Well it looks like I have to man up and say I was wrong on my speculation about Shawne Merriman. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has dismissed Tila Tequila’s accusations against Merriman and the case is now closed. She said there was insufficient evidence to prove that Merriman committed a crime. So it looks like Tequila did get herself drunk and was probably acting stupid. I will give credit to Merriman now because it seems like his story about trying to stop her from driving is the truth. That actually shows some responsibility on his part, something that Tequila obviously did not have that night. Now Tequila deserves to get bagged on because she tried to ruin Merriman’s reputation and hell, she might have been trying to go after some of his money. Maybe she can hook up with that woman trying to extort some money from Ben Roethlisberger. Next time though Shawne, cool it with the 4 am parties and don’t even put yourself in that situation.
-Other NFL News and Notes: Well as if the world didn’t already know, Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn was taking the snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense on Friday, a clear indication he will be the starting QB on Sunday. Like I have said before, Eric Mangini looks like a fool with his little “let’s keep this a big secret” garbage. He is not giving the Browns any sort of advantage and I think it is disrespectful to the Cleveland fans. He should be more open about what is going on with the team, especially when it comes to who is starting at QB. Hey, maybe that is why they didn’t list Brett Favre on the Jets’ injury reports last year…Mangini wanted to keep it a big secret…
Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel continues to practice and his knee continues to improve. He is now expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game against the Ravens. He says that if he is able to walk and go out there, he is ready to play. Matt, I’ll say this one more time…just sit this one out so the Ravens’ D doesn’t hurt you any more…thank you, drive through…
The TV ratings for last night’s NFL opener between the Steelers and Titans shows that the NFL is still king when it comes to sports. The game scored a 13.8 overnight rating, which is equivalent to over 10 million homes watching. This is the highest rating for an opener in 7 years. The game certainly was fun to watch and a great way to open up the 2009 season.
Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall declined to comment on Friday about his recent suspension from the team. He politely, but firmly, told a reporter that he was not talking about anything. Marshall could face a fine for not making himself available to the media at least one day during the week of practice leading up to Sunday’s game, but the NFL usually sends a warning first. Hey, I have bashed the guy on here before, but today I will give him some credit. This is exactly what he should do…shut up and play some football and do what you are supposed to do like an adult.
- Philadelphia Phillies P Brad Lidge and manager Charlie Manuel had a talk on Wednesday to discuss Lidge’s role with the team. Lidge claims they had a good talk and are “on the same page”. But Manuel refuses to say whether the struggling Lidge will get his job back as closer. So could this situation spell doom for the Phillies? I think it is possible that they can overcome it, but I believe Lidge needs to find another role for the rest of the season. The numbers do not lie. Lidge is 0-7 this season with a 7.11 ERA and he has blown 10 saves. Manuel says that he still sees Lidge as a closer, but how can he be trusted with numbers like those? Confidence is a huge deal for a pitcher and even though Lidge and Manuel are saying the right things, I have to believe that Lidge is not in the best state of mind. One bad outing in the playoffs can make the difference between a World Series Championship and coming up short. I can only think of the possible horror for the Phillies if the Yankees’ bats get a hold of Lidge in the World Series. My solution to this would be to consider using P Jaime Moyer or P Pedro Martinez as the closer. Pedro has proven he still has gas left in the tank, and maybe it would be the best move to stick Moyer back in the rotation for the playoffs and let Martinez close. Or, they could just move Moyer to role. I have to think he could be good for one strong inning. Whatever the Phillies decide, they need to address this and take care of it by October.
- BMW Championship Update: Tiger Woods played a solid round yesterday and was within striking distance of the lead on Friday. He took advantage of it, shooting a 4-under par 67 to grab a share of the lead after 2 rounds with Mark Wilson at 7-under par. Both Woods and Wilson have a one shot lead over a group of 4 players at 6-under, which includes Padraig Harrington and 1st round leader Rory Sabbatini. As I stated yesterday, Tiger seems to be finding a groove and that is not good news for everyone else. He has won 4 times at Cog Hill and he plays well in the Chicago area. Due to his recent disappointments, I am expecting a really good weekend from Tiger and I think he will close the deal this time and win the tournament. If he doesn’t, then the talk will only grow and he will have to find some way to get his air of invincibility back. FedEx Cup point leader Steve Stricker continues to struggle and is at 3-over par. It now looks like he will lose the points lead to Woods heading into the Tour Championship.
- U.S. Open Update: Rain forced the postponement of both women’s semifinals and the conclusion of the Rafael Nadal/Fernando Gonzalez match. The schedule is now in disarray and for the second straight year, the men’s final will happen on Monday at the earliest. Rain is in the forecast tomorrow, so everyone might still be playing the waiting game.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Easy Like Sunday Morning
Some Sunday morning thoughts to enjoy while sipping some good coffee…Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!
- Summerslam goes down tonight live from the Staples Center in LA. No major news or rumors have seemingly come out that I have seen, however, Matt Hardy seemed to cause a slight stir on Twitter. According to Matt: “Here's an update for the "sheets"-Jeff & I might not team again due to pursuing singles careers. And Jeff will be with WWE after Summerslam.” Very interesting statement indeed don’t you think? Now there are a few ways to interpret this statement:
1. The whole contract speculation about Jeff Hardy the past few months has been a well orchestrated work by the WWE to make people think Jeff could leave at any point and you better watch him because he might not come back. All the while, Jeff could have quietly signed a new deal and he will be staying.
2. Saying that Jeff will be with the WWE after Summerslam could mean that he shows up at Monday Night Raw and the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday and THEN takes his time off. So really. Matt would be telling the truth, but he very well could be saying that it is only good for 2 more days.
3. The WWE realizes that Matt has a big following on Twitter and they flat out told him to not say anything of the sort that Jeff is taking a leave of absence after Summerslam.
I still am sticking with my prediction that Jeff will be taking time off because I believe that a contract signing would have somehow leaked to the internet and I have seen nothing. I am hopefully looking forward to a great TLC match tonight with CM Punk winning and becoming your new World Heavyweight Champion.
- Kyle Busch won last night’s Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The win pushed Busch up to 13th in the standings, just 34 points behind Matt Kenseth for the final spot in the Chase. I am a casual fan of NASCAR and have slowly grown to appreciate the sport over the years. I do think the Chase format has made the races more exciting and has given a better storyline to the end of the season. My favorite driver has always been Jeff Gordon. I remember how dominant and good he was early in his career and he was pretty much hated on because of it. So even though he was at the top of the sport, I guess it made it seem like he was an underdog to me and I became a fan. For this year’s Championship Chase, it is hard to argue that it won’t come down to a 2 man duel between Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. Stewart has been the most consistent and has looked dominant at times, but Johnson seems to slowly be rounding into form and he knows how to get it done in the final 10 races of the season…should be fun to see how it plays out.
- The Red Sox finally got a little measure of revenge after 5 straight losses to the Yankees, whooping up on them 14-1 yesterday. As much as I hate to say it though, I believe the Red Sox can kiss the division goodbye and the Yankees will be AL East Champs. Looks like the money might pay off this year for the Yanks, but one can hope that history repeats itself and they fall short again. And here’s your Baltimore Orioles update…they STILL suck! I long for the final glory days the franchise had when Cal Ripken still roamed between 2nd and 3rd and the team actually tried to field a winner. I hear all this talk that the O’s are 2 or 3 years away and I laugh. I have seen it too often for the last decade. No money is spent, no big time free agents want to come to Baltimore, and when the prospects develop, they will leave for bigger money. It is a perpetual cycle of rebuilding the way I see it. The only way the Orioles will contend is if all the young talent and some of the prospects simultaneously have breakout and surprise years and they make a run before the team would collapse. I hate to be a hater, but O’s baseball has just gone way downhill for too long.
- From the NFL preseason last night: Jay Cutler looked very sharp in leading 3 scoring drives and helping the Bears beat the Giants 17-3. If Cutler can focus and stop whining, the Bears could have a good season this year. I think they lack enough offensive weapons though to make a real run at the Super Bowl this year…Matthew Stafford looked shaky as the Browns beat the Lions 27-10. Cleveland is still trying to determine if Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn will be the starting QB come week 1 and the Lions could be more likely to turn to Daunte Culpepper to start the year. Bottom line though, the Lions and the Browns will have mediocre seasons this year at best…Andy Reid continues to inch toward confirming that Michael Vick will see game action this Thursday when the Eagles take on the Jaguars. No question, all eyes will be on the highlights of that game come Thursday night and into Friday…sources are saying that Shaun Hill will be named the 49ers starting QB over Alex Smith after Smith looked very shaky in last night’s 21-20 victory over the Raiders. The 49ers should be respectable this year and could be a team on the rise. Would be nice if Michael Crabtree stopped crying and tried to help in the effort though…
- Sources are reporting this morning that the Colorado Rockies have signed veteran Jason Giambi for the stretch run. I'm not really sure if this signing will be helping them any. It would make more sense to me if an AL team signed him to help out in the DH role. A 38 year old who would be taking up a positional spot and who has not really been swinging a powerful stick this year does not seem like a recipe for success to me. But putting Giambi in a pennant race could rejuvenate him for the rest of the year. The Rockies' run has been impressive after everyone assumed the Dodgers would just run away with the NL West, so who knows.
- And finally a little hockey news for everyone...Ottawa Senators winger Dany Heatley reiterated his request for a trade from the team this weekend and said that he has been troubled by his "diminished role" on the team. What? You've got a guy who is close to being a perennial 40 goal scorer (he had 39 last year in his "diminished role") and still in the prime of his playing years and you are telling me the team is trying to reduce your role and not play you? Come on. The guy is Ottawa's most talented scorer so something is not right here. He already rejected a trade to the Edmonton Oilers saying he wanted more "options". Unfortunately for Heatley, I believe this all stems from the tragic car accident he was involved in back 2003 which caused the death of Atlanta Thrashers teammate Dan Snyder. He requested to be traded from Atlanta for a "fresh start" and now it seems like he wants another. I feel Heatley is sadly trying to run from his past and just can't get comfortable. Hockey is king in Canada, so maybe he can't take the scrutiny. Maybe he needs to be tucked away in a smaller market, who knows. But for a guy as talented as Heatley, it just seems odd and empty that he wants out of Ottawa and he really is just making an excuse to try and get it. If he is truly still troubled and dogged by his past, then one can only hope he somehow finds peace.
- Summerslam goes down tonight live from the Staples Center in LA. No major news or rumors have seemingly come out that I have seen, however, Matt Hardy seemed to cause a slight stir on Twitter. According to Matt: “Here's an update for the "sheets"-Jeff & I might not team again due to pursuing singles careers. And Jeff will be with WWE after Summerslam.” Very interesting statement indeed don’t you think? Now there are a few ways to interpret this statement:
1. The whole contract speculation about Jeff Hardy the past few months has been a well orchestrated work by the WWE to make people think Jeff could leave at any point and you better watch him because he might not come back. All the while, Jeff could have quietly signed a new deal and he will be staying.
2. Saying that Jeff will be with the WWE after Summerslam could mean that he shows up at Monday Night Raw and the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday and THEN takes his time off. So really. Matt would be telling the truth, but he very well could be saying that it is only good for 2 more days.
3. The WWE realizes that Matt has a big following on Twitter and they flat out told him to not say anything of the sort that Jeff is taking a leave of absence after Summerslam.
I still am sticking with my prediction that Jeff will be taking time off because I believe that a contract signing would have somehow leaked to the internet and I have seen nothing. I am hopefully looking forward to a great TLC match tonight with CM Punk winning and becoming your new World Heavyweight Champion.
- Kyle Busch won last night’s Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The win pushed Busch up to 13th in the standings, just 34 points behind Matt Kenseth for the final spot in the Chase. I am a casual fan of NASCAR and have slowly grown to appreciate the sport over the years. I do think the Chase format has made the races more exciting and has given a better storyline to the end of the season. My favorite driver has always been Jeff Gordon. I remember how dominant and good he was early in his career and he was pretty much hated on because of it. So even though he was at the top of the sport, I guess it made it seem like he was an underdog to me and I became a fan. For this year’s Championship Chase, it is hard to argue that it won’t come down to a 2 man duel between Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. Stewart has been the most consistent and has looked dominant at times, but Johnson seems to slowly be rounding into form and he knows how to get it done in the final 10 races of the season…should be fun to see how it plays out.
- The Red Sox finally got a little measure of revenge after 5 straight losses to the Yankees, whooping up on them 14-1 yesterday. As much as I hate to say it though, I believe the Red Sox can kiss the division goodbye and the Yankees will be AL East Champs. Looks like the money might pay off this year for the Yanks, but one can hope that history repeats itself and they fall short again. And here’s your Baltimore Orioles update…they STILL suck! I long for the final glory days the franchise had when Cal Ripken still roamed between 2nd and 3rd and the team actually tried to field a winner. I hear all this talk that the O’s are 2 or 3 years away and I laugh. I have seen it too often for the last decade. No money is spent, no big time free agents want to come to Baltimore, and when the prospects develop, they will leave for bigger money. It is a perpetual cycle of rebuilding the way I see it. The only way the Orioles will contend is if all the young talent and some of the prospects simultaneously have breakout and surprise years and they make a run before the team would collapse. I hate to be a hater, but O’s baseball has just gone way downhill for too long.
- From the NFL preseason last night: Jay Cutler looked very sharp in leading 3 scoring drives and helping the Bears beat the Giants 17-3. If Cutler can focus and stop whining, the Bears could have a good season this year. I think they lack enough offensive weapons though to make a real run at the Super Bowl this year…Matthew Stafford looked shaky as the Browns beat the Lions 27-10. Cleveland is still trying to determine if Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn will be the starting QB come week 1 and the Lions could be more likely to turn to Daunte Culpepper to start the year. Bottom line though, the Lions and the Browns will have mediocre seasons this year at best…Andy Reid continues to inch toward confirming that Michael Vick will see game action this Thursday when the Eagles take on the Jaguars. No question, all eyes will be on the highlights of that game come Thursday night and into Friday…sources are saying that Shaun Hill will be named the 49ers starting QB over Alex Smith after Smith looked very shaky in last night’s 21-20 victory over the Raiders. The 49ers should be respectable this year and could be a team on the rise. Would be nice if Michael Crabtree stopped crying and tried to help in the effort though…
- Sources are reporting this morning that the Colorado Rockies have signed veteran Jason Giambi for the stretch run. I'm not really sure if this signing will be helping them any. It would make more sense to me if an AL team signed him to help out in the DH role. A 38 year old who would be taking up a positional spot and who has not really been swinging a powerful stick this year does not seem like a recipe for success to me. But putting Giambi in a pennant race could rejuvenate him for the rest of the year. The Rockies' run has been impressive after everyone assumed the Dodgers would just run away with the NL West, so who knows.
- And finally a little hockey news for everyone...Ottawa Senators winger Dany Heatley reiterated his request for a trade from the team this weekend and said that he has been troubled by his "diminished role" on the team. What? You've got a guy who is close to being a perennial 40 goal scorer (he had 39 last year in his "diminished role") and still in the prime of his playing years and you are telling me the team is trying to reduce your role and not play you? Come on. The guy is Ottawa's most talented scorer so something is not right here. He already rejected a trade to the Edmonton Oilers saying he wanted more "options". Unfortunately for Heatley, I believe this all stems from the tragic car accident he was involved in back 2003 which caused the death of Atlanta Thrashers teammate Dan Snyder. He requested to be traded from Atlanta for a "fresh start" and now it seems like he wants another. I feel Heatley is sadly trying to run from his past and just can't get comfortable. Hockey is king in Canada, so maybe he can't take the scrutiny. Maybe he needs to be tucked away in a smaller market, who knows. But for a guy as talented as Heatley, it just seems odd and empty that he wants out of Ottawa and he really is just making an excuse to try and get it. If he is truly still troubled and dogged by his past, then one can only hope he somehow finds peace.
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