The first full Saturday of college football action is upon us, so let’s take a look around the top 25 and see what’s going on.
#1 Florida vs. Charleston Southern – As if you have to wonder what is going to happen here. The only real question is whether or not Florida will get close to covering the 73-point spread. This one will be ugly but Charleston Southern is getting $450K for the game, so they will be happy to take the massacre.
#2 Texas vs. Louisiana-Monroe – Oh boy, another epic opener…Texas is following recent tradition of playing a team from a non-BCS conference in the opener and they have won those games by an average of 40+ points. Expect no difference here…
#3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU – Now this is more like it. I give much respect to both schools for scheduling a tough game for the opener. This will happen on a neutral field at Cowboys Stadium and it should be fun to watch. Obviously, BYU is trying to beef up their schedule in an attempt to improve their chances of making a BCS bowl game this year. The two teams are pretty similar, but there is no doubt that Oklahoma has the better talent across the board. BYU has lost 12 straight games to ranked non-conference opponents dating back to 1998. I don’t expect that streak to end here. Oklahoma should win, but being the opener, it could be closer than some people think. That could help BYU down the road if they get on a winning streak. OU’s All-American caliber TE Jermaine Gresham is out for this game with a knee injury, so that could hamper Oklahoma’s offense a little bit and make things even closer.
#4 USC vs. San Jose State – At least this game is not a cupcake for USC, but I would expect a pretty sizeable win. Freshman QB Matt Barkley will make his highly anticipated debut and there is always a slight chance that he could make some mistakes that will cost the Trojans. The talent gap between these two teams will be too great however to be thinking an upset could happen. USC is 28-1 against WAC opponents and San Jose State has not beaten a ranked opponent since 2000. Expect those trends to hold.
#5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech – This is one of the two big marquee games this weekend and I am really looking forward to it. Alabama beat ACC member Clemson in the opener last year and will be looking to do the same to Virginia Tech. The loss of Virginia Tech RB Darren Evans (torn ACL) is a big loss for the Hokies. Alabama will be going with first-year starter Greg McElroy at QB, so this could turn into more of a defensive battle. I have to give the edge to Alabama in that department and they have the edge in the game overall. The level of competition in the SEC is higher than the ACC and I would expect Alabama to pull out the win here.
#6 Ohio State vs. Navy – Ohio State has not lost a home opener since 1978 and Navy is trying to replace their leading rushers from last season. It doesn’t take a genius to predict a comfortable win for the Buckeyes in this one. If they have any hopes of sneaking into the BCS title game, they can not afford to look bad against teams they should beat handily.
#8 Mississippi vs. Memphis – Expectations are running extremely high at Mississippi for the first time in a long while. The return of QB Jevan Snead has a great deal to do with that. Mississippi is expected to make a big run to win the SEC West and get a shot at Florida in the SEC Championship game this year. Remember, Mississippi was the only team to beat the Gators last year, so they have the talent and should have the inside track to win the West Division this year. Memphis last beat Ole Miss in 2004 but has lost four straight and it should be five straight after Sunday.
#9 Penn State vs. Akron –A home opener for Penn State against a MAC opponent, who Joe Paterno is 39-1 against in his career at Penn State…you do the math on that one.
#9 Oklahoma State vs. #13 Georgia – This is the other big marquee game of the weekend and it will be taking place in Stillwater, OK. Oklahoma State was blown out two years ago when they went to Georgia, so you can expect some payback coming here. The Cowboys return most of their offensive starters and will be looking to light up the scoreboard and try to join Texas and Oklahoma at the top of the Big 12 South. Georgia is trying to replace QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, so they will have to put a premium on defense. In this case, I believe the offense will win out. The crowd should be electric and be able to carry Oklahoma State to a victory here. Expect QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant to hook up early and often in this one. Georgia might be able to keep things close, but I just don’t think they will be able to score enough points.
#11 LSU vs. Washington – LSU opens up on the road and is actually making the furthest trip away from home to play a game in the history of the school. Washington has lost 14 straight games and I expect that streak to continue. Even with a home game, Washington does not have enough talent to handle an SEC powerhouse like LSU. The Tigers will be competing with Mississippi this season to win the SEC West and that should be a fun race to witness. I expect LSU to start their quest with a comfortable win here.
#12 California vs. Maryland – This does not look to be a good opener for my home state Terps. California lost at Maryland last year, but the game started at 9 am PT, so there was plenty of talk that Cal “sleepwalked” through that game and that proved to be the difference. This year though, the game is at Cal and Cal is returning a better team than Maryland. The Golden Bears feature RB Jahvid Best, who might be the best player in nation not named Tebow, Bradford, or McCoy. There is talk that Cal could also challenge USC for the Pac 10 Title this year, so all signs are pointing to a sizeable Cal victory. I expect the Terps to maybe hang close for a half, but then lose by 2-3 touchdowns. I just don’t see Maryland having anything better than a mediocre season. They do sport a 6-2 record against top 25 teams the past two years, but Cal is 27-4 at home since 2004. Something has to give and it will be the Terps in this one.
#15 Georgia Tech vs. Jacksonville State – Georgia Tech brutalized Jacksonville State to open the 2008 season so it looks like they want to come back for more! Expect a blowout once again…thank you, drive through…
#18 Florida State vs. Miami, FL – This used to be the biggest game of opening weekend, but in recent years the game has lacked luster. Going into 2009 though, both Florida State and Miami are finally on the rise again. This is the first matchup since 2006 where either team has been ranked in the top 25. Both teams are returning solid QBs, but the Seminoles need to replace their top 2 receivers from last year. Obviously, Florida State is further along in the rebuilding process and should win this game. But Miami is slowly getting better and I think the potential exists for an upset. Do not be surprised if Miami keeps the game close or even ends up shocking FSU with a win.
#21 North Carolina vs. The Citadel – Butch Davis has come into UNC and turned things around for the Tar Heels. After doubling their win total last season, expectations are running high for continued success. They return 9 starters on defense and they have the potential to make some noise in the ACC this year if things come together. Look for UNC to get off to an easy start by beating up on The Citadel.
#22 Iowa vs. Northern Iowa – Iowa will look to get off to a good start and see what they have in the running game. RB Shonn Greene went to the NFL and RB Jewel Hampton is out for the season, so Iowa will have to turn to two untested backs for success. Northern Iowa is actually ranked #4 in the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA), so they could hang around in this game. But Iowa has won 13 straight against UNI and their only loss came the first time these teams played…in 1898! Expect Iowa to take care of business…
#23 Notre Dame vs. Nevada – Notre Dame will get a stiff test in this one and we will get to see if all this BCS Bowl game talk is overblown or not. If Notre Dame is not prepared and careful, they could get upset in this game. Nevada is a solid team and they are coached well. Their QB, Colin Kaepernick, is a potential star in the making and the team has 2 RBs who have hit 1000 yards in a season before. I would not be surprised if Notre Dame loses this game. However, being at home and with high expectations and lots of returning talent, I expect the Fighting Irish to do enough to win.
#24 Nebraska vs. Florida Atlantic – Nebraska has slowly built their program back up and for the first time in a long while, they are favorites to win the Big 12 North. They are lucky all the firepower in the Big 12 is in the South Division, but they will get their shot in due time to see how good they are. I expect an easy victory at home over Florida Atlantic, who is probably just happy for the exposure and the payday like Charleston Southern.
#25 Kansas vs. Northern Colorado – Kansas is another program that has slowly built some success and they will try to continue it in 2009. This game should be a fairly easy cupcake win for them at home.
Special Note: Michigan vs. Western Michigan – With all the turmoil and rumors running rampant around the Michigan program this week, don’t be surprised if Western Michigan hangs around and gives the Wolverines trouble in this game.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Friday Night Smackdown: I have to say that I really enjoyed Smackdown this week and thought it was a great show. Smackdown continues to be better than Raw most every week and the difference is obvious and simple: Smackdown focuses more on in-ring action while Raw tries to mix in way too many pointless segments. I am really loving CM Punk’s character right now. He opened the show coming out dressed as Jeff Hardy and got some really intense heat as he trashed Hardy and his lifestyle and reminded us all he got rid of the “Charismatic Enabler” and is the only straight edge World Champion in history. It was a great segment and the interruption of it by Matt Hardy was pretty obvious, but it worked well to set up the main event between the two. I thought the match Punk and Hardy had was really solid. Punk continually attacked Hardy’s abdomen, which is what kept him out for a period due to surgery, and he stayed on it with every chance he got. I love when you see consistency in a match like that. Matt put up a really good fight and I was fine with the no contest ending. The match was a personal affair and not about wins and losses. The Undertaker coming out and preventing Punk from slamming that chair around Hardy’s neck into the ring post was perfect and the huge chokeslam on Punk through the announce table was a good punctuation to the evening.
The other major development of the evening was John Morrison defeating Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. The WWE pulled a fast one on me here as I expected Dolph Ziggler to somehow get his title shot early and win the match. But it seems as if the WWE was determined to keep Ziggler’s title shot for Breaking Point and Morrison stepped in to keep the belt on a face. The match between Mysterio and Morrison was excellent though and one of the best on free TV this year. The action was at a fast pace for most of the match and there was a great deal of excitement and back and forth action. I was glad to see that Mysterio put in an excellent match and did not sandbag it because of his suspension. Morrison looked like a star in the ring and his victory was well deserved. Between this match and the Punk/Hardy main event, Smackdown really delivered a great show last night.
And on a last WWE note, it was reported that the WWE signed Ring of Honor’s Nigel McGuinness to a contract. I don’t really know anything about Nigel, but I have read he is about on the same level as Bryan Danielson. So it seems as if the rumor of WWE raiding ROH’s talent is indeed true. Hopefully both of them will get a fair chance to showcase their skills and will not be wasted.
- On Friday afternoon, University of Oregon football suspended RB LeGarrette Blount for the rest of the season after he punched Boise State player Byron Hout last night after Oregon’s 19-8 loss. The incident marred a great marquee matchup on college football’s opening night and Blount had to be dragged off the field and stopped from trying to get into the stands. In my opinion, this guy is a total idiot and there is no excuse for what he did. The suspension is justified and I am glad that Oregon acted swiftly and did not wait for the Pac 10 to render a decision. Hout should not have smacked Blount’s shoulder pads and taunted him after the game, but punching the man in return is absolutely uncalled for. There is no place for those types of actions and I think the University is sending a good message and they are sincere when they say that Blount’s actions are not what Oregon football is all about. Blount has had problems in the past and he seems like the type of young kid who just doesn’t get it. I sincerely hope that no NFL team decides to draft Blount. He looked terrible last night and has been lazy and out of shape for most of the offseason according to reports. I don’t see him as any sort of impact player and I hope he regrets his actions and can learn from them in time.
- Don’t pick up your phone if you are an offensive coordinator these days. The Buffalo Bills fired OC Turk Schonert on Friday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. Schonert is now the 3rd OC to be fired before the season following Kansas City’s Chan Gailey and Tampa Bay’s Jeff Jagodzinski. This probably was another smart move though because Buffalo’s offense has been downright horrible in the preseason. You can blame Terrell Owens’ toe injury, but that can only go so far. People are wondering how teams can get rid of their OCs so close to the season starting. I actually think it is a great move because why would you suffer through bad play calling and coaching if you already have seen it developing and your offense is not progressing? At least these teams can now try a different direction that may produce results when the games start to count.
- NFL News and Notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre was fined $10,000 for the illegal crackback block he threw against Eugene Wilson of the Texans. There is nothing much to see here as this was expected. It was a dumb play all around and the Vikings should not be running that type of play unless they want Favre getting hurt…The Patriots are expected to cut backup QB Andrew Walter, which would leave rookie QB Brian Hoyer as the only one left on the roster to be Tom Brady’s backup. This is quite the bold move by the Patriots. Having Matt Cassel as a backup with at least some time in the system is one thing, but going with a rookie? They had better hope Brady stays healthy this year…
- Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk took advantage of optimal scoring conditions at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the 2nd leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Sixty-four players broke par in round 1, but Stricker and Furyk led the way with 8-under par rounds of 63 to share the lead by 2 shots over a pack of five players. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson struggled to make anything happen on day 1, shooting rounds of 1-under and even par, respectively. News came out later in that day that both have committed to playing in the BMW Championship next week as well. Again, Tiger looked uneasy out there and could not get into any sort of rhythm. He was fighting the putter again and he is really buried down the leaderboard. It seems like another one of those weeks where he will just be off his game enough not to contend. But I also said that last week and he almost won the tournament. It seems like the course this week will be playing a little easier though, and unless Tiger goes really low tomorrow, he will probably not come close to winning this week. Stricker seems to raise the level of his game and throwing that huge round out there playing in the same group with Tiger had to send a message. Tiger really needs to get on top of his game or he will wind up losing the FedEx Cup to Stricker.
- MLB News and Notes: Phillies P Pedro Martinez pitched seven strong innings Thursday night, giving up only 1 run and striking out 9 to outshine Tim Lincecum and beat the Giants 2-1. The win moved Martinez to 3-0 after 5 starts with the Phillies. I have to say I am pretty impressed with Pedro and he is proving the doubters wrong. In fact, it seems like a cure for many pitchers is moving from the AL to the NL. Brad Penny had a great outing recently and John Smoltz continues to pitch well for the Cardinals. Clearly, the AL is the dominant league offensively and can just beat teams into submission. Great pitching and small ball can be highly effective though, so it should be a great postseason this year to see who wins out. The Phillies look like they are rounding into form and becoming more formidable as they look to defend their championship…MLB fined Red Sox P Jonathan Papelbon $5,000 for slow play and taking too long to deliver his first pitch Tuesday night. Papelbon says that he has been fined more than $10,000 for slow play this year so far. Well, if you want to send a message and speed up play, hitting player’s wallets is the way to do it. I applaud the efforts because there is nothing worse than a baseball game that just drags on and on. Speeding up play and getting to the action can only help build MLB’s fan base and keep things exciting…
- NBA News and Notes: The Knicks are expected to sign restricted free agent David Lee to a 1-year deal worth between $6 and $8 million after Labor Day. There is also talk that Nate Robinson will be brought back on a 1-year deal as well. The Knicks like Lee, but president Donnie Walsh is saying he wants to maintain payroll flexibility for next season and will not do longer term contracts. The Knicks will be gunning for LeBron James, Chris Bosh and others next summer. I have no idea why LeBron would want to go to the Knicks. He has already rebuilt the Cavs and there would be better situations out there besides the Knicks, who can’t seem to do anything right in recent years. If I were James, I would stay away, but maybe he will be lured by the aura of New York and trying to make the Knicks great again…Restricted free agent Ramon Sessions agreed to a 4-year, $16 million contract with the Timberwolves and will be joining them as the Bucks are not expected to match the deal. The Timberwolves needed another PG to compete with Jonny Flynn after failing to bring Ricky Rubio over from Spain. Sessions also spurned the Knicks, who as stated previously are not doing any long term deals. This will increase speculation that the Timberwolves may try to move Rubio in a trade, but they still remain adamant that they will wait for Rubio. Well kudos to the Wolves for actually signing a player and getting him on your team…
- U.S. Open Update: Day 5 at the U.S. Open was very quiet with no notable upsets occurring on either the men’s and women’s sides of the draw. Both #2 seeds, Serena Williams on the women’s side and Andy Murray on the men’s side, advanced as did #3 seeds Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal.
Showing posts with label rey mysterio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rey mysterio. Show all posts
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
A Mysterious Suspension...Or Not?
The big story in WWE land this week occurred outside of the ring as Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio was suspended for 30 days by the company for a Wellness Policy violation. The suspension became effective on Wednesday, which allowed Mysterio to participate in the Smackdown tapings. I will not reveal what happened at this point, but it definitely will be worth watching tonight based on reports I have read. The ‘net was clamoring for details as to what happened and speculation was running rampant. After watching “The Rise and Fall of WCW” DVD, I actually thought that they might have caught Rey on the juice. If you look at Mysterio back in his WCW days, he looked extremely small and not very muscular. Looking at Rey now, my opinion is that he has bulked up very noticeably. Now I am not trying to accuse Mysterio of juicing and hey, it could be possible that he has worked out like a mad man over the years and legitimately put on the muscle, but it is my opinion that he is carrying more on his small frame than he should be. It turns out though that the WWE did not bust Rey for steroids, but rather painkillers.
Reports started to surface that Mysterio gave an interview with Spanish language newspaper The Record and he claimed in the interview that he was not at fault for this; it was the WWE’s fault. Wow, big mistake there Rey. Mysterio told the newspaper that he had a legal prescription for the substance that triggered a positive result. Now under the WWE’s Wellness Policy, a wrestler has up to 72 hours after a positive test result to produce proof that the substance in question has been taken for a legitimate medical purpose and they have a prescription for it. Mysterio claims that his doctor failed to clarify one of the discovered substances and that when the WWE asked for the proof, Rey was out of the country promoting Summerslam. When he returned to the states, he was informed of the suspension and was also told his doctor would “take care of it”, but that did not occur.
The fact that these details have emerged and that Rey vehemently denies he is at fault could be the least of his worries. The interview that Mysterio gave to The Record was not authorized by the WWE, so you can just imagine how Vince McMahon felt about that. All interviews that WWE performers give need to be cleared by management and Rey did not get clearance for this one. As you could expect, McMahon was extremely mad and reports indicate that there was a conference call held to determine what they could possibly do to “send a message” to Mysterio and other talent. Consideration was given to unmasking Mysterio on Smackdown. This did not occur and I feel that was the right move. If they did not pull the trigger on that during Rey’s hot feud with Chris Jericho, then it would make absolutely no sense to do it over this. Mysterio’s unmasking could still make the company money at some point in the future, so that was a smart decision. There was also talk of making Rey’s exit a “blink and you’ll miss it” type of thing, but that did not happen either. It seems like the one thing that was decided on was to publicize the incident instead of burying it. On WWE.com on Wednesday, Mysterio’s suspension was the top headline. Usually in the past, suspensions did not make the front page and could only be found in WWE’s corporate section. So this could have been part of the punishment. No other word has come out in regards to additional penalties, but I would not be surprised to see Mysterio buried down the card and losing matches when he comes back.
So with all this said, the big question is: who is really at fault in this situation? After giving it some thought, I think I side with the WWE on this one. First of all, they have a clear Wellness Policy that the talent should be well aware of by now. You can make jokes about how effective this policy really is, but the fact remains that it does exist and performers have been suspended in the past. Because of this, Rey Mysterio can not claim any sort of ignorance on the matter. Second, why did Mysterio not inform the WWE when he first got the prescription? Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn’t a wrestler (or any athlete in any sport for that matter) let the company know about what drugs they will be putting in their body right away, especially when drug testing is in place? I say the answer is yes and either Mysterio or his doctor dropped the ball. If this was a legitimate prescription in the first place, then why not be upfront about it?
But let’s say fine, Mysterio did not have to report this right away and he felt he was doing nothing wrong. That’s all well and good, but what happened to the 72 hour period to produce proof then? I think Mysterio is just making his international trip into an excuse. Don’t we have phones? Don’t we have fax machines? If Mysterio was alerted to his positive test, why wasn’t he on the phone right away with his doctor and telling him to send the WWE proof of the prescription? It seems to me that Mysterio was too lazy or too cocky and he dropped the ball. Or maybe there is more to this story. Maybe the prescription that Mysterio received was something he should not have gotten in the first place. I don’t know and I am not going to try and crucify the man, but it seems clear that he messed up on this, not the WWE. All the WWE was doing was trying to abide by their policy and not make it into a joke by letting a popular performer slide.
Reports also indicated that Mysterio was expected to talk to management at the Smackdown tapings in an effort to explain his side of things and try to get the suspension overturned. Obviously, that did not occur and I believe it would have been very foolish if the WWE even entertained the idea of overturning it. If they were to do that, it would open up a bad can of worms, so to speak. It would allow for other wrestlers to try and skirt the system and take whatever drugs they want and then come back later and say “my doctor forgot to send you the prescription” or some other excuse. Rey got caught being dumb or lazy and even if this wasn’t totally his fault, he now has to pay the consequences.
I have to wonder if all of this could have been avoided. If Mysterio had injuries still nagging him, then he should have asked for time off. I am a little sick and tired of hearing the notion that a guy will “lose his spot” if he takes time off. Rey must realize how popular he is and how much the WWE wants him to connect to their Latino audience. I think it would be highly unlikely that he would “lose his spot” if he took some time off to heal up a little. Look at what Chris Jericho did. He took 2 years off and came back to a pretty good spot. People are also speculating that Jeff Hardy is now going to do the same. I think it is foolish to believe you will become a nobody if you need to take some time off to rest your body, especially when you are the top Latino star in the company. And maybe if the WWE just allowed Rey to lose the IC Title to Dolph Ziggler and not drag it out so long, then Mysterio could have done that and then took a few weeks off.
All in all, this is just seems like a sad situation that probably did not need to happen. It is my belief though that the responsibility ultimately fell on Rey Mysterio and he messed something up. Even if he did not intend to “cheat”, I think he would have had proper time and opportunity to fix the situation before he got a suspension. I hope that Rey uses the time off to rest his body and hopefully he can come back and not be made a joke of. It would benefit both parties to fix the situation and be professional about it from this point on.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Ravens Notes: The Ravens had their final preseason game last night and defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-3 to finish the preseason 4-0. As everyone knows, the last preseason game does not feature significant playing time for the starters and coaches mainly use the game to figure out which players will make the cut and be on the 53 man roster. So there is not much to report from last night, although I did like what I saw in the 1st quarter. The Ravens mostly sent out the second unit defense, but LB Terrell Suggs did see his first action of the preseason after recovering from injury. Suggs looked pretty good and was able to record a sack. This definitely bodes well for the defense and it looks like all systems are a go for week 1. QB John Beck also did a nice job driving the offense to a touchdown on their first series. I was encouraged by the play of WR Demetrius Williams. He looked pretty good and caught some nice balls, so maybe he will be able to step up and be the productive #3 WR that the team needs behind Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton. Another consistent target for QB Joe Flacco will only help get the Ravens where they want to go.
Boise State/Oregon Recap: The college football season kicked off with a marquee matchup between #14 Boise State and #16 Oregon. Many said that Boise State had to win the game to have any hopes of a BCS bowl game and if they did win, they would have a shot at going undefeated. Well it seems that Boise State was ready for the challenge as they beat Oregon 19-8. The first half was dominated by Boise State as they took a 13-0 lead into the half. Boise had no trouble moving the ball on offense and actually should have been up by 20+ points. Trouble in the red zone prevented this however. Oregon looked absolutely horrible in the first half, recording no 1st downs and developing no rhythm on offense. In the second half, it was more of the same as Boise State drove right down the field to score and make it 19-0. Oregon finally made a 1st down midway through the 3rd quarter and they were able to get some momentum and scored to make it 19-8. The game got very sloppy after that though and both teams traded turnovers and missed opportunities as the clock ticked down to zero. Boise dominated the game in terms of time of possession and ball control while Oregon looked completely overmatched and not prepared for the game and that is surprising to see from a highly ranked Pac 10 team. I am not sure that Boise can beat the elite level teams this year, but they got the win they needed to start the season. And on a final note, that idiot Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount should be suspended for at least one game for that cheap sucker punch he pulled on a Boise State player. There is no place for that crap and his ass wrote a check with his mouth that his ability could not cash on the field.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski Thursday morning and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. Jagodzinski turned down the Bucs offer to take over as the quarterbacks coach. If you remember, Jagodzinski was formerly the head coach of Boston College and was fired when he went against the university’s wishes and interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching vacancy that ultimately went to Rex Ryan. Sources are saying that conflict has been brewing since early in training camp and Jagodzinski was not suited to be an offensive coordinator and his style of teaching and general coaching philosophy was made for head coaching. Well gee, that shouldn’t take a genius to figure out. It seems like Jagodzinski really screwed up in this situation. He had a great job at Boston College, but he obviously let ambition get in the way. He reached for an NFL head coaching job too early in his career and he had to move down to a coordinator position that now seems like he was not suited for. This will not reflect well on him and I don’t know if he can expect to get another good head coaching position like he had at Boston College. I think he has now set his career back a few years and it was a dumb move for him to make.
- Back to the Michael Vick watch around here…Vick was expected to see extensive action and start the 2nd half at QB for Philadelphia in their final preseason game Thursday night. Sources reported that Vick did in fact meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to talk about his possible full re-instatement to the league for the regular season and it was announced in the afternoon that Goodell would allow Vick to be eligible again in week 3, effectively suspending him for 2 games. So it looks like the speculation was true on this and I think the decision is a fair one. Vick seems to be adjusting well and I have heard no reports of Vick taking any missteps. On the field Thursday night, Vick scored his first touchdown since returning to the field. He was able to score on a 2-yard run after faking a handoff early in the second quarter which gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead at the time. But that was as good as it got for Vick. He looked rusty and was sacked 4 times, threw an interception and lost a fumble. He was 7 for 11 for 26 yards and ran the ball 7 times for 35 yards. Obviously, you could not expect a magnificent performance after so long away, but it is clear that Vick is far from being dynamic right now. He will not be able to get back on the playing field for three weeks, so the Eagles had better hope Vick is able to shake off the cobwebs and perfect a few gadget plays in practice because he won’t help Philly if he plays the way he did tonight.
- Other NFL News and Notes: In an interview with USA Today, Bengals WR Chris Henry says that the suspensions he has received from the NFL have helped him to focus and try to improve himself to be a better professional. Henry has been arrested 5 times and has missed 14 games due to his conduct since being drafted in 2005. QB Carson Palmer says he has seen the changes in Henry and Henry has been Cincinnati’s best WR in the preseason. This is good to hear and I hope Henry stays on the right path. Under normal circumstances, I would say that this guy doesn’t deserve any more opportunities, but he has “done his time” with the suspensions and if he has truly learned his lessons and has grown up, more power to him…In shocking news, Vikings QB Brett Favre will not play in the team’s preseason finale against Dallas on Friday. Wow, who could have predicted that? Feel the sarcasm people! There were also reports coming out that said the Vikings were gauging interest in the trade market for QB Tarvaris Jackson. I’m not sure if this is such a wise move. Jackson has shown slow improvement and potential and he may inherit the starting job next year if Favre moves on. However, it seems unwise to keep 4 QBs on the roster, so maybe dealing T-Jack is the best move. Time will tell…
- One of the NBA’s great defensive players retired on Thursday as Bruce Bowen called it a career at the age of 38. Bowen helped the Spurs win three NBA championships this decade and was named to the NBA all-defensive 1st or 2nd team every year from 2000-2008. Bowen decided to step away to pursue off-court business and community projects and is also considering a career in broadcasting. I wish Bowen well in whatever he decides to pursue. He was one of the classy guys in the NBA and one hell of a defender on the perimeter. Bowen is the kind of player that every team needs to be successful and his legacy will be cemented with the great Spurs teams of this decade. Congratulations to him on a fine career.
- In order to spice up the world of golf, it seems like Tiger Woods wants to create a little verbal sparring and cause some controversy…well, maybe. On the eve of the Deutsche Bank Championship, Tiger said that Ernie Els did not work hard enough after undergoing major knee surgery back in 2005. He said that Ernie is not a really big worker physically and that you need to work hard to come back from an ACL injury. I am not sure what prompted those comments or what Els might think of them, but Tiger is probably right. Since 2006, when Els announced he had a 3 year plan to challenge Tiger for the #1 world ranking, Ernie has only gone backwards in the rankings and is now just starting to show signs of regaining his form. No one works harder at his craft than Tiger Woods, but that seems like a pretty good shot he is taking at Els. I think it is the truth though because Ernie Els was great in the first half of the decade and he has been slowly sliding downward since then.
- Reports are saying that the New York Mets will not change the dimensions of Citi Field for the 2010 season despite the lack of home runs being hit. Injuries are hurting the cause of course, but the Mets have hit only 77 home runs and Citi Field is averaging 1.67 HRs per game compared to 2.15 in Shea Stadium last year. I’m wondering why this is even being debated and talked about. I realize that fans want to see the excitement of home runs, but no one ever said that hitting homers is a guarantee. The ballpark is how it is and people should stop complaining. There is a great deal more to the game than jacking out home runs and if they bring the dimensions in, then the opposing teams will have a better shot at hitting them just like the Mets will. The Mets should focus on building a better team that doesn’t choke every year instead of worrying about the ballpark. Be happy you have a brand new facility and play the damn game.
- U.S. Open Update: American Melanie Oudin pulled off the biggest upset of the U.S. Open so far by beating #4 seed Elena Dementieva 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. This was then followed by #5 seed Jelena Jankovic being ousted in a 3rd set tiebreaker by Yaroslava Shvedova. Women’s #1 seed Dinara Safina again needed 3 sets to survive and advance past the 2nd round. Seems like it is only a matter of time before she gets bounced and I would pretty much guarantee she will not win the tournament. At this point, who knows who will win on the women’s side with all these upsets happening? One the men’s side of the draw, it was business as usual once again with no major upsets occurring and #5 seed Andy Roddick moving on.
Reports started to surface that Mysterio gave an interview with Spanish language newspaper The Record and he claimed in the interview that he was not at fault for this; it was the WWE’s fault. Wow, big mistake there Rey. Mysterio told the newspaper that he had a legal prescription for the substance that triggered a positive result. Now under the WWE’s Wellness Policy, a wrestler has up to 72 hours after a positive test result to produce proof that the substance in question has been taken for a legitimate medical purpose and they have a prescription for it. Mysterio claims that his doctor failed to clarify one of the discovered substances and that when the WWE asked for the proof, Rey was out of the country promoting Summerslam. When he returned to the states, he was informed of the suspension and was also told his doctor would “take care of it”, but that did not occur.
The fact that these details have emerged and that Rey vehemently denies he is at fault could be the least of his worries. The interview that Mysterio gave to The Record was not authorized by the WWE, so you can just imagine how Vince McMahon felt about that. All interviews that WWE performers give need to be cleared by management and Rey did not get clearance for this one. As you could expect, McMahon was extremely mad and reports indicate that there was a conference call held to determine what they could possibly do to “send a message” to Mysterio and other talent. Consideration was given to unmasking Mysterio on Smackdown. This did not occur and I feel that was the right move. If they did not pull the trigger on that during Rey’s hot feud with Chris Jericho, then it would make absolutely no sense to do it over this. Mysterio’s unmasking could still make the company money at some point in the future, so that was a smart decision. There was also talk of making Rey’s exit a “blink and you’ll miss it” type of thing, but that did not happen either. It seems like the one thing that was decided on was to publicize the incident instead of burying it. On WWE.com on Wednesday, Mysterio’s suspension was the top headline. Usually in the past, suspensions did not make the front page and could only be found in WWE’s corporate section. So this could have been part of the punishment. No other word has come out in regards to additional penalties, but I would not be surprised to see Mysterio buried down the card and losing matches when he comes back.
So with all this said, the big question is: who is really at fault in this situation? After giving it some thought, I think I side with the WWE on this one. First of all, they have a clear Wellness Policy that the talent should be well aware of by now. You can make jokes about how effective this policy really is, but the fact remains that it does exist and performers have been suspended in the past. Because of this, Rey Mysterio can not claim any sort of ignorance on the matter. Second, why did Mysterio not inform the WWE when he first got the prescription? Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn’t a wrestler (or any athlete in any sport for that matter) let the company know about what drugs they will be putting in their body right away, especially when drug testing is in place? I say the answer is yes and either Mysterio or his doctor dropped the ball. If this was a legitimate prescription in the first place, then why not be upfront about it?
But let’s say fine, Mysterio did not have to report this right away and he felt he was doing nothing wrong. That’s all well and good, but what happened to the 72 hour period to produce proof then? I think Mysterio is just making his international trip into an excuse. Don’t we have phones? Don’t we have fax machines? If Mysterio was alerted to his positive test, why wasn’t he on the phone right away with his doctor and telling him to send the WWE proof of the prescription? It seems to me that Mysterio was too lazy or too cocky and he dropped the ball. Or maybe there is more to this story. Maybe the prescription that Mysterio received was something he should not have gotten in the first place. I don’t know and I am not going to try and crucify the man, but it seems clear that he messed up on this, not the WWE. All the WWE was doing was trying to abide by their policy and not make it into a joke by letting a popular performer slide.
Reports also indicated that Mysterio was expected to talk to management at the Smackdown tapings in an effort to explain his side of things and try to get the suspension overturned. Obviously, that did not occur and I believe it would have been very foolish if the WWE even entertained the idea of overturning it. If they were to do that, it would open up a bad can of worms, so to speak. It would allow for other wrestlers to try and skirt the system and take whatever drugs they want and then come back later and say “my doctor forgot to send you the prescription” or some other excuse. Rey got caught being dumb or lazy and even if this wasn’t totally his fault, he now has to pay the consequences.
I have to wonder if all of this could have been avoided. If Mysterio had injuries still nagging him, then he should have asked for time off. I am a little sick and tired of hearing the notion that a guy will “lose his spot” if he takes time off. Rey must realize how popular he is and how much the WWE wants him to connect to their Latino audience. I think it would be highly unlikely that he would “lose his spot” if he took some time off to heal up a little. Look at what Chris Jericho did. He took 2 years off and came back to a pretty good spot. People are also speculating that Jeff Hardy is now going to do the same. I think it is foolish to believe you will become a nobody if you need to take some time off to rest your body, especially when you are the top Latino star in the company. And maybe if the WWE just allowed Rey to lose the IC Title to Dolph Ziggler and not drag it out so long, then Mysterio could have done that and then took a few weeks off.
All in all, this is just seems like a sad situation that probably did not need to happen. It is my belief though that the responsibility ultimately fell on Rey Mysterio and he messed something up. Even if he did not intend to “cheat”, I think he would have had proper time and opportunity to fix the situation before he got a suspension. I hope that Rey uses the time off to rest his body and hopefully he can come back and not be made a joke of. It would benefit both parties to fix the situation and be professional about it from this point on.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Ravens Notes: The Ravens had their final preseason game last night and defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-3 to finish the preseason 4-0. As everyone knows, the last preseason game does not feature significant playing time for the starters and coaches mainly use the game to figure out which players will make the cut and be on the 53 man roster. So there is not much to report from last night, although I did like what I saw in the 1st quarter. The Ravens mostly sent out the second unit defense, but LB Terrell Suggs did see his first action of the preseason after recovering from injury. Suggs looked pretty good and was able to record a sack. This definitely bodes well for the defense and it looks like all systems are a go for week 1. QB John Beck also did a nice job driving the offense to a touchdown on their first series. I was encouraged by the play of WR Demetrius Williams. He looked pretty good and caught some nice balls, so maybe he will be able to step up and be the productive #3 WR that the team needs behind Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton. Another consistent target for QB Joe Flacco will only help get the Ravens where they want to go.
Boise State/Oregon Recap: The college football season kicked off with a marquee matchup between #14 Boise State and #16 Oregon. Many said that Boise State had to win the game to have any hopes of a BCS bowl game and if they did win, they would have a shot at going undefeated. Well it seems that Boise State was ready for the challenge as they beat Oregon 19-8. The first half was dominated by Boise State as they took a 13-0 lead into the half. Boise had no trouble moving the ball on offense and actually should have been up by 20+ points. Trouble in the red zone prevented this however. Oregon looked absolutely horrible in the first half, recording no 1st downs and developing no rhythm on offense. In the second half, it was more of the same as Boise State drove right down the field to score and make it 19-0. Oregon finally made a 1st down midway through the 3rd quarter and they were able to get some momentum and scored to make it 19-8. The game got very sloppy after that though and both teams traded turnovers and missed opportunities as the clock ticked down to zero. Boise dominated the game in terms of time of possession and ball control while Oregon looked completely overmatched and not prepared for the game and that is surprising to see from a highly ranked Pac 10 team. I am not sure that Boise can beat the elite level teams this year, but they got the win they needed to start the season. And on a final note, that idiot Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount should be suspended for at least one game for that cheap sucker punch he pulled on a Boise State player. There is no place for that crap and his ass wrote a check with his mouth that his ability could not cash on the field.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski Thursday morning and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. Jagodzinski turned down the Bucs offer to take over as the quarterbacks coach. If you remember, Jagodzinski was formerly the head coach of Boston College and was fired when he went against the university’s wishes and interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching vacancy that ultimately went to Rex Ryan. Sources are saying that conflict has been brewing since early in training camp and Jagodzinski was not suited to be an offensive coordinator and his style of teaching and general coaching philosophy was made for head coaching. Well gee, that shouldn’t take a genius to figure out. It seems like Jagodzinski really screwed up in this situation. He had a great job at Boston College, but he obviously let ambition get in the way. He reached for an NFL head coaching job too early in his career and he had to move down to a coordinator position that now seems like he was not suited for. This will not reflect well on him and I don’t know if he can expect to get another good head coaching position like he had at Boston College. I think he has now set his career back a few years and it was a dumb move for him to make.
- Back to the Michael Vick watch around here…Vick was expected to see extensive action and start the 2nd half at QB for Philadelphia in their final preseason game Thursday night. Sources reported that Vick did in fact meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to talk about his possible full re-instatement to the league for the regular season and it was announced in the afternoon that Goodell would allow Vick to be eligible again in week 3, effectively suspending him for 2 games. So it looks like the speculation was true on this and I think the decision is a fair one. Vick seems to be adjusting well and I have heard no reports of Vick taking any missteps. On the field Thursday night, Vick scored his first touchdown since returning to the field. He was able to score on a 2-yard run after faking a handoff early in the second quarter which gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead at the time. But that was as good as it got for Vick. He looked rusty and was sacked 4 times, threw an interception and lost a fumble. He was 7 for 11 for 26 yards and ran the ball 7 times for 35 yards. Obviously, you could not expect a magnificent performance after so long away, but it is clear that Vick is far from being dynamic right now. He will not be able to get back on the playing field for three weeks, so the Eagles had better hope Vick is able to shake off the cobwebs and perfect a few gadget plays in practice because he won’t help Philly if he plays the way he did tonight.
- Other NFL News and Notes: In an interview with USA Today, Bengals WR Chris Henry says that the suspensions he has received from the NFL have helped him to focus and try to improve himself to be a better professional. Henry has been arrested 5 times and has missed 14 games due to his conduct since being drafted in 2005. QB Carson Palmer says he has seen the changes in Henry and Henry has been Cincinnati’s best WR in the preseason. This is good to hear and I hope Henry stays on the right path. Under normal circumstances, I would say that this guy doesn’t deserve any more opportunities, but he has “done his time” with the suspensions and if he has truly learned his lessons and has grown up, more power to him…In shocking news, Vikings QB Brett Favre will not play in the team’s preseason finale against Dallas on Friday. Wow, who could have predicted that? Feel the sarcasm people! There were also reports coming out that said the Vikings were gauging interest in the trade market for QB Tarvaris Jackson. I’m not sure if this is such a wise move. Jackson has shown slow improvement and potential and he may inherit the starting job next year if Favre moves on. However, it seems unwise to keep 4 QBs on the roster, so maybe dealing T-Jack is the best move. Time will tell…
- One of the NBA’s great defensive players retired on Thursday as Bruce Bowen called it a career at the age of 38. Bowen helped the Spurs win three NBA championships this decade and was named to the NBA all-defensive 1st or 2nd team every year from 2000-2008. Bowen decided to step away to pursue off-court business and community projects and is also considering a career in broadcasting. I wish Bowen well in whatever he decides to pursue. He was one of the classy guys in the NBA and one hell of a defender on the perimeter. Bowen is the kind of player that every team needs to be successful and his legacy will be cemented with the great Spurs teams of this decade. Congratulations to him on a fine career.
- In order to spice up the world of golf, it seems like Tiger Woods wants to create a little verbal sparring and cause some controversy…well, maybe. On the eve of the Deutsche Bank Championship, Tiger said that Ernie Els did not work hard enough after undergoing major knee surgery back in 2005. He said that Ernie is not a really big worker physically and that you need to work hard to come back from an ACL injury. I am not sure what prompted those comments or what Els might think of them, but Tiger is probably right. Since 2006, when Els announced he had a 3 year plan to challenge Tiger for the #1 world ranking, Ernie has only gone backwards in the rankings and is now just starting to show signs of regaining his form. No one works harder at his craft than Tiger Woods, but that seems like a pretty good shot he is taking at Els. I think it is the truth though because Ernie Els was great in the first half of the decade and he has been slowly sliding downward since then.
- Reports are saying that the New York Mets will not change the dimensions of Citi Field for the 2010 season despite the lack of home runs being hit. Injuries are hurting the cause of course, but the Mets have hit only 77 home runs and Citi Field is averaging 1.67 HRs per game compared to 2.15 in Shea Stadium last year. I’m wondering why this is even being debated and talked about. I realize that fans want to see the excitement of home runs, but no one ever said that hitting homers is a guarantee. The ballpark is how it is and people should stop complaining. There is a great deal more to the game than jacking out home runs and if they bring the dimensions in, then the opposing teams will have a better shot at hitting them just like the Mets will. The Mets should focus on building a better team that doesn’t choke every year instead of worrying about the ballpark. Be happy you have a brand new facility and play the damn game.
- U.S. Open Update: American Melanie Oudin pulled off the biggest upset of the U.S. Open so far by beating #4 seed Elena Dementieva 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. This was then followed by #5 seed Jelena Jankovic being ousted in a 3rd set tiebreaker by Yaroslava Shvedova. Women’s #1 seed Dinara Safina again needed 3 sets to survive and advance past the 2nd round. Seems like it is only a matter of time before she gets bounced and I would pretty much guarantee she will not win the tournament. At this point, who knows who will win on the women’s side with all these upsets happening? One the men’s side of the draw, it was business as usual once again with no major upsets occurring and #5 seed Andy Roddick moving on.
Friday, August 28, 2009
As the Vick Turns
Since Michael Vick’s on field return to the NFL was scheduled for last night, it was probably pretty obvious as to what I would be discussing today. No other significant topic that I want to discuss and go into a fuller analysis about has crept into my mind, so how about we just do some quick hits today? Yeah, sounds good to me…
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Well without question, the top story from Thursday was Michael Vick. It seems like it is all Vick, all the time around here, but that’s how it goes with an intriguing story like this. On Thursday morning, Vick appeared in bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA. A judge approved Vick’s plan to repay creditors who are owed about $20 million and allow Vick to emerge from bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, all of the creditors and representatives in court supported the plan. Obviously they see that NFL money coming back to Vick and they want their piece. I don’t have much to comment on about this. Vick’s actions caused all of this mess and he still has to pay the piper. For his sake, his performance on the field had better be at a high level, or he won’t be getting millions in those contracts as his NFL career continues.
And speaking of on the field, Vick hopped a plane right after his court appearance to get back to Philadelphia for their preseason game against the Jaguars. It was reported earlier in the day that the game plan called for Vick to see action in the first quarter. He would play at QB for the most part and then be a part of Wildcat formations. Coach Andy Reid was most concerned about seeing how Vick would adjust to the speed and intensity of a live game and also if he could take care of the ball. So with all that said and all the hype leading up to his return, how did Vick look on the field?
The short answer: decent and passable. When Vick trotted onto the field during the Eagles first offensive series, he was met with a standing ovation for the most part…so much for all of those anti-Vick efforts. Vick was in the game for only 6 plays and was 4-4 for 19 yards and had one rush for one yard. Pretty pedestrian numbers, but it was what I expected. I said I would be shocked if Vick pulled off a game breaking type of play and indeed, that never even came close to happening. Vick displayed good arm strength and zip on his one down field pass that he threw and he did not look lost out there or shocked by the speed of the game. However, the Eagles looked sloppy and one can argue that Vick being in the game messed up the rhythm of the offense. I tend to agree and I feel the Eagles really need to develop a package of plays for Vick and stick to them. You will not have success in the NFL trying to do a QB rotation. Vick stated after the game that he is at about 70% of what he needs to be and he thinks the sky’s the limit when he gets back fully into game shape. Without question, this will continue to be a hot topic of discussion in the coming weeks.
- Very big news coming from WWE land. Current Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio has been suspended for 30 days due to violating the company’s wellness policy. I debated on whether to save this for tomorrow, but I really don’t feel I can offer a great deal of in depth analysis. I am certainly surprised to hear this news, but when I think about it, it is not THAT shocking. Rey has been flying around the ring for well over a decade now and has put his body through a great deal of punishment. He is also a small man, but you have to admit he is pretty muscular. So, I am left to speculate that either he was taking too many drugs to deal with some pain or he flat out got caught on some juice which he was using to try and keep his body going. The suspension is supposed to be effective next Wednesday, so be prepared to see Mysterio drop the IC Title to Dolph Ziggler at the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday. I am wondering if the WWE now regrets not giving Ziggler the win at Summerslam. I would if I were them…
- Former Kentucky men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie was arrested and charged with DUI after being pulled over by police early Thursday. They detected the smell of alcohol on him and his speech was slurred. This is now the third incident involving Gillispie and drunk driving. It seems like this is becoming a pattern now and maybe Billy needs to consider the possiblility that he has a problem here. I am all for having a few drinks and having a good time, but you can’t jump behind the wheel. It can be a tough thing to admit that you have a problem, but it seems like Mr. Gillispie might have one. Hopefully he can address the issue and get back on his feet. He was able to get the head coaching job at Kentucky, so I am sure that there is still a job out there somewhere for him in the future.
- Tiger Woods returned to the PGA tour yesterday with an underwhelming 1-under par 70 at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event. This put him 5 strokes off the lead shared by Paul Goydos, Steve “Don’t Call Me Dan” Marino, and Sergio Garcia. Well those guys certainly are not powerhouses (and yes I include Sergio because of his inconsistency) and Tiger, most of the time, gets off to slow starts and builds momentum, so it should be fun to see what happens this weekend. I love watching Tiger and I enjoy how skilled he is and how dominant he can be. If he is near the top of the leaderboard this weekend, you can bet I will be tuning in. He probably needs to make a move on Friday though if he wants to win this tournament because you have a great field in this event and they are trying to move on to the next playoff event.
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane escaped jail time by pleading guilty to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct after he and his cousin were accused of assaulting a cab driver over 20 cents. Kane was ordered to send an apology to the man and he will avoid any other penalties if he stays out of trouble for 1 year and sends the apology. No question Kane should apologize to this guy, but he should also apologize for his sheer stupidity. Now I can see how Kane and his cousin could be a bit scared and uneasy when the cabbie locked them in the car. But after they paid the guy, for them to rough him up over not getting 20 cents back is just idiotic. Kane is a star athlete, a role model, and is making millions of dollars. He should not be putting himself in a dumb situation over 20 cents. I haven’t read anything about him being drunk (and that is a good thing since he is only 20 years old), so I don’t know what he was thinking. Let’s hope he learns from the situation.
- The Boston Red Sox released P Brad Penny late Wednesday night after he has struggled this season going 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA. Sources indicate that 3 NL teams, the Rockies, Giants, and Marlins, immediately had interest. Because of the way his contract is structured, it is unlikely he will be picked up off waivers (that could cost a team almost $2.5 million if he pitched 50 more innings this year and he sure as hell isn’t worth that), but if he clears them, he would only cost a team about $100,000. Considering that Penny has a healthy arm and is a veteran who has had success in the big leagues, he would probably be worth the pickup. Now will he be effective? No one knows. But Cliff Lee and John Smoltz have benefited from moving to the NL from the AL, so maybe Penny can follow suit. Just some more intrigue as we head toward the home stretch of the season.
- Lou Piniella has offered himself up to critics looking to blame somebody for the Chicago Cubs' disappointing season. "You want to blame me? Take your shots. It doesn't bother me one bit, OK?" Well OK Lou, I’ll jump on the bandwagon then! You suck and you and the Cubs are cursed, CURSED I SAY! BWAHAHAHA! Ahem, sorry about that. Seriously though, you have to feel a little bit for the fans of the Cubs because it is just disappointment after disappointment. As an outsider though and a fan who has seen plenty of woes from hometown teams, I don’t have a great deal of sympathy and it is nice knowing some other franchises and fans have it worse. LOL
- Other football notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre did some talking yesterday and said that it is a “work in progress” trying to integrate himself into the Vikings locker room. When asked about the “schism” reports, Favre blew it off and said that he doesn’t even know what it means. As I stated yesterday, the only way Favre will truly win over his teammates is by leading them to victories and I believe Favre is well aware of that…Bills WR Terrell Owens is inching closer to recovering from a sprained toe. He was able to work out and catch passes in individual drills yesterday and Bills coach Dick Jauron was encouraged by the progress. He could be cleared to return to full practice next week. Well let’s hope T.O. recovers fully so he can get on the field and cause drama when QB Trent Edwards doesn’t get him the ball…Cowboys WR Roy Williams left practice after colliding with a teammate and injuring his shoulder. Sources are saying that Williams is done for the preseason, but there is no announcement yet on how severe the injury is. I hope for the Cowboys’ sake it is not that serious because Williams is being counted on to replace Terrell Owens. Owens even chimed in on Twitter saying that the pressure is building after he heard about the injury. Indeed it is…True freshman Matt Barkley was named the starting QB for the #4 USC Trojans yesterday. Coach Pete Carroll said that Barkley has exceeded expectations and is ready for the role. I don’t know anything about this guy, but it seems like he was the most sought after recruit last year, so the guy must have potential. I will be very interested to see how he performs when I get a chance to catch a USC game.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Well without question, the top story from Thursday was Michael Vick. It seems like it is all Vick, all the time around here, but that’s how it goes with an intriguing story like this. On Thursday morning, Vick appeared in bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA. A judge approved Vick’s plan to repay creditors who are owed about $20 million and allow Vick to emerge from bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, all of the creditors and representatives in court supported the plan. Obviously they see that NFL money coming back to Vick and they want their piece. I don’t have much to comment on about this. Vick’s actions caused all of this mess and he still has to pay the piper. For his sake, his performance on the field had better be at a high level, or he won’t be getting millions in those contracts as his NFL career continues.
And speaking of on the field, Vick hopped a plane right after his court appearance to get back to Philadelphia for their preseason game against the Jaguars. It was reported earlier in the day that the game plan called for Vick to see action in the first quarter. He would play at QB for the most part and then be a part of Wildcat formations. Coach Andy Reid was most concerned about seeing how Vick would adjust to the speed and intensity of a live game and also if he could take care of the ball. So with all that said and all the hype leading up to his return, how did Vick look on the field?
The short answer: decent and passable. When Vick trotted onto the field during the Eagles first offensive series, he was met with a standing ovation for the most part…so much for all of those anti-Vick efforts. Vick was in the game for only 6 plays and was 4-4 for 19 yards and had one rush for one yard. Pretty pedestrian numbers, but it was what I expected. I said I would be shocked if Vick pulled off a game breaking type of play and indeed, that never even came close to happening. Vick displayed good arm strength and zip on his one down field pass that he threw and he did not look lost out there or shocked by the speed of the game. However, the Eagles looked sloppy and one can argue that Vick being in the game messed up the rhythm of the offense. I tend to agree and I feel the Eagles really need to develop a package of plays for Vick and stick to them. You will not have success in the NFL trying to do a QB rotation. Vick stated after the game that he is at about 70% of what he needs to be and he thinks the sky’s the limit when he gets back fully into game shape. Without question, this will continue to be a hot topic of discussion in the coming weeks.
- Very big news coming from WWE land. Current Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio has been suspended for 30 days due to violating the company’s wellness policy. I debated on whether to save this for tomorrow, but I really don’t feel I can offer a great deal of in depth analysis. I am certainly surprised to hear this news, but when I think about it, it is not THAT shocking. Rey has been flying around the ring for well over a decade now and has put his body through a great deal of punishment. He is also a small man, but you have to admit he is pretty muscular. So, I am left to speculate that either he was taking too many drugs to deal with some pain or he flat out got caught on some juice which he was using to try and keep his body going. The suspension is supposed to be effective next Wednesday, so be prepared to see Mysterio drop the IC Title to Dolph Ziggler at the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday. I am wondering if the WWE now regrets not giving Ziggler the win at Summerslam. I would if I were them…
- Former Kentucky men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie was arrested and charged with DUI after being pulled over by police early Thursday. They detected the smell of alcohol on him and his speech was slurred. This is now the third incident involving Gillispie and drunk driving. It seems like this is becoming a pattern now and maybe Billy needs to consider the possiblility that he has a problem here. I am all for having a few drinks and having a good time, but you can’t jump behind the wheel. It can be a tough thing to admit that you have a problem, but it seems like Mr. Gillispie might have one. Hopefully he can address the issue and get back on his feet. He was able to get the head coaching job at Kentucky, so I am sure that there is still a job out there somewhere for him in the future.
- Tiger Woods returned to the PGA tour yesterday with an underwhelming 1-under par 70 at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event. This put him 5 strokes off the lead shared by Paul Goydos, Steve “Don’t Call Me Dan” Marino, and Sergio Garcia. Well those guys certainly are not powerhouses (and yes I include Sergio because of his inconsistency) and Tiger, most of the time, gets off to slow starts and builds momentum, so it should be fun to see what happens this weekend. I love watching Tiger and I enjoy how skilled he is and how dominant he can be. If he is near the top of the leaderboard this weekend, you can bet I will be tuning in. He probably needs to make a move on Friday though if he wants to win this tournament because you have a great field in this event and they are trying to move on to the next playoff event.
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane escaped jail time by pleading guilty to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct after he and his cousin were accused of assaulting a cab driver over 20 cents. Kane was ordered to send an apology to the man and he will avoid any other penalties if he stays out of trouble for 1 year and sends the apology. No question Kane should apologize to this guy, but he should also apologize for his sheer stupidity. Now I can see how Kane and his cousin could be a bit scared and uneasy when the cabbie locked them in the car. But after they paid the guy, for them to rough him up over not getting 20 cents back is just idiotic. Kane is a star athlete, a role model, and is making millions of dollars. He should not be putting himself in a dumb situation over 20 cents. I haven’t read anything about him being drunk (and that is a good thing since he is only 20 years old), so I don’t know what he was thinking. Let’s hope he learns from the situation.
- The Boston Red Sox released P Brad Penny late Wednesday night after he has struggled this season going 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA. Sources indicate that 3 NL teams, the Rockies, Giants, and Marlins, immediately had interest. Because of the way his contract is structured, it is unlikely he will be picked up off waivers (that could cost a team almost $2.5 million if he pitched 50 more innings this year and he sure as hell isn’t worth that), but if he clears them, he would only cost a team about $100,000. Considering that Penny has a healthy arm and is a veteran who has had success in the big leagues, he would probably be worth the pickup. Now will he be effective? No one knows. But Cliff Lee and John Smoltz have benefited from moving to the NL from the AL, so maybe Penny can follow suit. Just some more intrigue as we head toward the home stretch of the season.
- Lou Piniella has offered himself up to critics looking to blame somebody for the Chicago Cubs' disappointing season. "You want to blame me? Take your shots. It doesn't bother me one bit, OK?" Well OK Lou, I’ll jump on the bandwagon then! You suck and you and the Cubs are cursed, CURSED I SAY! BWAHAHAHA! Ahem, sorry about that. Seriously though, you have to feel a little bit for the fans of the Cubs because it is just disappointment after disappointment. As an outsider though and a fan who has seen plenty of woes from hometown teams, I don’t have a great deal of sympathy and it is nice knowing some other franchises and fans have it worse. LOL
- Other football notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre did some talking yesterday and said that it is a “work in progress” trying to integrate himself into the Vikings locker room. When asked about the “schism” reports, Favre blew it off and said that he doesn’t even know what it means. As I stated yesterday, the only way Favre will truly win over his teammates is by leading them to victories and I believe Favre is well aware of that…Bills WR Terrell Owens is inching closer to recovering from a sprained toe. He was able to work out and catch passes in individual drills yesterday and Bills coach Dick Jauron was encouraged by the progress. He could be cleared to return to full practice next week. Well let’s hope T.O. recovers fully so he can get on the field and cause drama when QB Trent Edwards doesn’t get him the ball…Cowboys WR Roy Williams left practice after colliding with a teammate and injuring his shoulder. Sources are saying that Williams is done for the preseason, but there is no announcement yet on how severe the injury is. I hope for the Cowboys’ sake it is not that serious because Williams is being counted on to replace Terrell Owens. Owens even chimed in on Twitter saying that the pressure is building after he heard about the injury. Indeed it is…True freshman Matt Barkley was named the starting QB for the #4 USC Trojans yesterday. Coach Pete Carroll said that Barkley has exceeded expectations and is ready for the role. I don’t know anything about this guy, but it seems like he was the most sought after recruit last year, so the guy must have potential. I will be very interested to see how he performs when I get a chance to catch a USC game.
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