Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
The frequent and occasional humorous musings behind two of the World's greatest underappreciated sports minds.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
One Thing Missing From This Super Bowl.......The game was great, I wish I would have had a post-game analysis post but I didn't. Oh well it was a damn good game, not the best ever, but not "boring with a great fourth quarter" either. Somewhere in the middle -- with a great fourth quarter.
One thing that's missing from my post Super Bowl readings is the writings of the great SI personality Paul Zimmerman.
Now Dr. Z isn't for everyone, but for a football lover he put the intricacies of the game into written form better than most.
His book, "The Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football" is probably the best ever written on the subject. [Amazon.com]
He picked the Giants to win last season...and more importantly than that he had a wide assortment of breakdowns to explain why he thought the Giants were going to pull a 24-20 upset (here, here and here)
And of course there was my annual favorite column that ripped the current NFL announcers to shreds (or complimented them if they deserved it).
And there's more -- his early prediction that Tony Romo's romantic escapades would sabotage the Cowboys among others. Dr. Z wasn't just a fan of the game, he played the game in college and at the semi-pro level and he played up front -- where the smartest football players exist.
According to his Wikipedia page the stroke that Dr. Z suffered in November has left him in real bad shape and I'm resigned to the fact that he may never write or communicate with anyone about football again. Surely SI will try to find someone that can step into his shoes but they will never be him and probably won't be allowed to do some of the daring things he's done in his life, including give every reader a look into the NFL's Hall of Fame vetting process.
So as great as Super Bowl XLIII was it has also lost a lot of luster because it missed out on the one man that could put the game in words.
One thing that's missing from my post Super Bowl readings is the writings of the great SI personality Paul Zimmerman.
Now Dr. Z isn't for everyone, but for a football lover he put the intricacies of the game into written form better than most.
His book, "The Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football" is probably the best ever written on the subject. [Amazon.com]
He picked the Giants to win last season...and more importantly than that he had a wide assortment of breakdowns to explain why he thought the Giants were going to pull a 24-20 upset (here, here and here)
And of course there was my annual favorite column that ripped the current NFL announcers to shreds (or complimented them if they deserved it).
And there's more -- his early prediction that Tony Romo's romantic escapades would sabotage the Cowboys among others. Dr. Z wasn't just a fan of the game, he played the game in college and at the semi-pro level and he played up front -- where the smartest football players exist.
According to his Wikipedia page the stroke that Dr. Z suffered in November has left him in real bad shape and I'm resigned to the fact that he may never write or communicate with anyone about football again. Surely SI will try to find someone that can step into his shoes but they will never be him and probably won't be allowed to do some of the daring things he's done in his life, including give every reader a look into the NFL's Hall of Fame vetting process.
So as great as Super Bowl XLIII was it has also lost a lot of luster because it missed out on the one man that could put the game in words.
Labels: NFL, Super Bowl XLIII
Monday, December 29, 2008
NFL Coaches: Who's In, Who's OutSafer Than Safe
Tom Coughlin. N.Y. Giants
Brad Childress, Minnesota
Mike Smith, Atlanta
John Fox, Carolina
Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona
Mike Singletary, San Francisco (He would be in the next category but he's making staff changes without pressure)
Jim Mora Jr., Seattle (taking over for the departing Mike Holmgren)
Tony Sparano, Miami
Bill Belichick, New England
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh
John Harbaugh, Baltimore
Tony Dungy, Indianapolis
Jeff Fisher, Tennessee
Should be Safe, But Might Have to Make staff and/or major personnel changes
Jim Zorn, Washington
Andy Reid, Philadelphia (in Reid's case the change could be removing his front office title)
Lovie Smith, Chicago
Mike McCarthy, Green Bay
Sean Payton, New Orleans
Gary Kubiak, Houston
That's 19 of 32 coaches. Not really a bad retention number for the NFL. I predict 26 of 32 will stick around. Here's who's left and their status.
Already Fired This Morning
Romeo Crennel, Cleveland -- Gone, will go back to being a solid defensive coordinator.
Rob Marinelli, Detroit -- Gone, will go back to being a solid defensive coach.
Eric Mangini, N.Y. Jets -- Gone, needs to refine his coaching skills. Probably will get another job right away and is bound to fail at that one too. Frankly he isn't ready and doesn't have any clue of how to organize his sideline.
Shouldn't Be Safe
Dick Jauron, Buffalo -- Anyone remember when Buffalo went 5-0? Well they finished 2-9 with one inexplicable loss to the Jets (a.k.a dead team walking) based on one of the worse coaching decisions of the year that was made by Dick Jauron. He has "led" the Bills to their third consecutive 7-9 season and has a career coaching record of 56-72. In other words, he's not very good. Never has been.
Wade Phillips, Dallas -- This goes without saying and the only reason I can think of a meglomaniac like Jerry Jones would keep Phillips around is because he's not sold on Jason Garrett but doesn't want anyone else to hire him. This was a terrible hire and yesterday it officially blew up in his face.
Mike Shanahan, Denver -- Here's a situation where a good coach has been in the same place for too long and it's time for a new direction. I expect Shanahan is safe and will be safe until he retires but mark my words when I say that Denver will not be a contender again until he's gone.
Norv Turner, San Diego -- Yes the Chargers won the AFC West...with an 8-8 record after a second consecutive slow start. When the Colts pound this time next Saturday it's going be an 8-9 season. This guy will bleed all the talent on this team to subpar seasons.
Might Be Safer Than You Think
Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati -- He's got the crutch of injuries and disgruntled players that he didn't want on his team to begin with to lean on. He's also got a cheap ownership that doesn't want to pay his contract without getting services rendered.
Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay -- I think Gruden hangs around for one more year because the Bucs are headed into a major rebuilding plan. The defensive stalwarts have past their prime (Ronde Barber should retire while people still think he has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame) and he can take next season's 5-11 record on the chin before getting the axe.
In or Out
Tom Cable, Oakland -- Wow, talk about an interesting situation. Here's a guy, dead in the water when given this interim tag and he's not only shown himself to be a fighter, but he's a RAIDER and is loyal to that franchise. He's also got that locker room believing. A victory over Al Davis nemesis Jon Gruden, kicking the Bucs out of the playoffs, is another positive on his resume. I think he's IN.
Herman Edwards, Kansas City -- The Chiefs weren't good, they weren't expected to be good. They did fight and lost many games by close margins. Unfortunately many of those games they should have won, especially a game against the Bucs earlier this year when they had a 17-point lead. With a new GM coming through the door I just don't see Herm sticking around and I'd be surprised if he gets another job right away. I say OUT
Jim Haslett, St. Louis -- The players are petitioning and the Rams were a tougher team with Haslett at the helm and he quickly improved player-coach relations, but he isn't the right man for this job. That being said, the Rams job isn't a desirable one and with a lot of money spent on defensive upgrades, the NFC West is there for the taking. I say Haslett is IN and gets a full year to show his stuff.
Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville -- Del Rio is going to be safe but a 50-46 record includes two double-digit loss seasons and this one comes after going 11-5 last season and supposedly making upgrades during the off season. So Del Rio is IN for another year but he'll have to make staff changes and quite possibly a couple he doesn't like.
Tom Coughlin. N.Y. Giants
Brad Childress, Minnesota
Mike Smith, Atlanta
John Fox, Carolina
Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona
Mike Singletary, San Francisco (He would be in the next category but he's making staff changes without pressure)
Jim Mora Jr., Seattle (taking over for the departing Mike Holmgren)
Tony Sparano, Miami
Bill Belichick, New England
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh
John Harbaugh, Baltimore
Tony Dungy, Indianapolis
Jeff Fisher, Tennessee
Should be Safe, But Might Have to Make staff and/or major personnel changes
Jim Zorn, Washington
Andy Reid, Philadelphia (in Reid's case the change could be removing his front office title)
Lovie Smith, Chicago
Mike McCarthy, Green Bay
Sean Payton, New Orleans
Gary Kubiak, Houston
That's 19 of 32 coaches. Not really a bad retention number for the NFL. I predict 26 of 32 will stick around. Here's who's left and their status.
Already Fired This Morning
Romeo Crennel, Cleveland -- Gone, will go back to being a solid defensive coordinator.
Rob Marinelli, Detroit -- Gone, will go back to being a solid defensive coach.
Eric Mangini, N.Y. Jets -- Gone, needs to refine his coaching skills. Probably will get another job right away and is bound to fail at that one too. Frankly he isn't ready and doesn't have any clue of how to organize his sideline.
Shouldn't Be Safe
Dick Jauron, Buffalo -- Anyone remember when Buffalo went 5-0? Well they finished 2-9 with one inexplicable loss to the Jets (a.k.a dead team walking) based on one of the worse coaching decisions of the year that was made by Dick Jauron. He has "led" the Bills to their third consecutive 7-9 season and has a career coaching record of 56-72. In other words, he's not very good. Never has been.
Wade Phillips, Dallas -- This goes without saying and the only reason I can think of a meglomaniac like Jerry Jones would keep Phillips around is because he's not sold on Jason Garrett but doesn't want anyone else to hire him. This was a terrible hire and yesterday it officially blew up in his face.
Mike Shanahan, Denver -- Here's a situation where a good coach has been in the same place for too long and it's time for a new direction. I expect Shanahan is safe and will be safe until he retires but mark my words when I say that Denver will not be a contender again until he's gone.
Norv Turner, San Diego -- Yes the Chargers won the AFC West...with an 8-8 record after a second consecutive slow start. When the Colts pound this time next Saturday it's going be an 8-9 season. This guy will bleed all the talent on this team to subpar seasons.
Might Be Safer Than You Think
Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati -- He's got the crutch of injuries and disgruntled players that he didn't want on his team to begin with to lean on. He's also got a cheap ownership that doesn't want to pay his contract without getting services rendered.
Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay -- I think Gruden hangs around for one more year because the Bucs are headed into a major rebuilding plan. The defensive stalwarts have past their prime (Ronde Barber should retire while people still think he has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame) and he can take next season's 5-11 record on the chin before getting the axe.
In or Out
Tom Cable, Oakland -- Wow, talk about an interesting situation. Here's a guy, dead in the water when given this interim tag and he's not only shown himself to be a fighter, but he's a RAIDER and is loyal to that franchise. He's also got that locker room believing. A victory over Al Davis nemesis Jon Gruden, kicking the Bucs out of the playoffs, is another positive on his resume. I think he's IN.
Herman Edwards, Kansas City -- The Chiefs weren't good, they weren't expected to be good. They did fight and lost many games by close margins. Unfortunately many of those games they should have won, especially a game against the Bucs earlier this year when they had a 17-point lead. With a new GM coming through the door I just don't see Herm sticking around and I'd be surprised if he gets another job right away. I say OUT
Jim Haslett, St. Louis -- The players are petitioning and the Rams were a tougher team with Haslett at the helm and he quickly improved player-coach relations, but he isn't the right man for this job. That being said, the Rams job isn't a desirable one and with a lot of money spent on defensive upgrades, the NFC West is there for the taking. I say Haslett is IN and gets a full year to show his stuff.
Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville -- Del Rio is going to be safe but a 50-46 record includes two double-digit loss seasons and this one comes after going 11-5 last season and supposedly making upgrades during the off season. So Del Rio is IN for another year but he'll have to make staff changes and quite possibly a couple he doesn't like.
Labels: NFL
Sunday, January 20, 2008
NFL Championship BetsSan Diego (+14) vs. New England: Lost in the hoopla of the greatest team ever at anything is the fact that they haven't covered a spread since...November (??). 14 points isn't a lot for New England and I'm guessing most people would gladly throw their money down on that given the Chargers had their top three offensive players and their run-stopper defensive tackle all on crutches. But again, this team hasn't covered in about 8 weeks.
N.Y. Giants (+7.5) vs. Green Bay: Sounds crazy taking two road teams on Championship Sunday but when the elements are bad I go for low scores and generally low scores mean close games. I like the way the Giants are playing football and they are 9-1 on the road so I don't think Lambeau Field will do much to affect them
N.Y. Giants (+7.5) vs. Green Bay: Sounds crazy taking two road teams on Championship Sunday but when the elements are bad I go for low scores and generally low scores mean close games. I like the way the Giants are playing football and they are 9-1 on the road so I don't think Lambeau Field will do much to affect them
Labels: NFL
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Chicks Dig The Black & Gold......especially in the NFL.
Pittsburgh and Green Bay, two cities not known for....well we'll put it this way, no one mistakes Green Bay for Austin, Texas when it comes to the female population.
But in NFL circles, where a Steelers or Packers jersey and you are a chick magnet!
Pittsburgh and Green Bay, two cities not known for....well we'll put it this way, no one mistakes Green Bay for Austin, Texas when it comes to the female population.
But in NFL circles, where a Steelers or Packers jersey and you are a chick magnet!
Labels: NFL
Thursday, September 06, 2007
NFL Predictions for the Season......with less than 90 minutes before kickoff!
AFC East: Patriots (2)
AFC North: Ravens (1)
AFC South: Colts (4)
AFC West: Chargers (3)
Wild Cards: Steelers (5), Jets (6)
Just Missed It: Titans, Bills
NFC East: Eagles (1)
NFC North: Bears (3)
NFC South: Saints (2)
NFC West: 49ers (4)
Wild Card: Cardinals (5), Cowboys (6)
Just Missed It: Seahawks, Lions
AFC Wild Card Weekend: Colts edge Steelers, 28-24; Jets Shock Chargers, 20-17
NFC Wild Card Weekend: Cowboys Knock Off Bears, 24-17; 49ers Blast Cardinals, 35-14
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Colts Beat Patriots, 35-28; Ravens Smother Jets, 24-3
NFC Divisional Playoffs: Saints Outlast Cowboys, 38-28; 49ers Upset Eagles, 24-13
AFC Championship: Colts Surprise Ravens, 24-20
NFC Championship: Saints End 49ers' Dream, 35-24
Super Bowl: Colts Go Back-to-Back, 38-24
So the season will end where it begins!
AFC East: Patriots (2)
AFC North: Ravens (1)
AFC South: Colts (4)
AFC West: Chargers (3)
Wild Cards: Steelers (5), Jets (6)
Just Missed It: Titans, Bills
NFC East: Eagles (1)
NFC North: Bears (3)
NFC South: Saints (2)
NFC West: 49ers (4)
Wild Card: Cardinals (5), Cowboys (6)
Just Missed It: Seahawks, Lions
AFC Wild Card Weekend: Colts edge Steelers, 28-24; Jets Shock Chargers, 20-17
NFC Wild Card Weekend: Cowboys Knock Off Bears, 24-17; 49ers Blast Cardinals, 35-14
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Colts Beat Patriots, 35-28; Ravens Smother Jets, 24-3
NFC Divisional Playoffs: Saints Outlast Cowboys, 38-28; 49ers Upset Eagles, 24-13
AFC Championship: Colts Surprise Ravens, 24-20
NFC Championship: Saints End 49ers' Dream, 35-24
Super Bowl: Colts Go Back-to-Back, 38-24
So the season will end where it begins!
Labels: NFL
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Eli Bitchslaps Tiki...In the category of "Things I thought I'd Never See", Eli Manning showing passion and fire and aiming barbs at his former teammate?
"It's just one of those deals. I'm not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say," Manning said at the Giants training camp at the University at Albany. "I guess I could have questioned his leadership skills last year with calling out the coach and having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season, and he's lost the heart (to play).
"As a quarterback you're reading that your running back has lost the heart to play the game and it's about the 10th week," Manning said. "I can see that a little bit at times. But I'm not going to get concerned. I'm going to go out there and play ball."
Damn, I bet that wipes that shit-eating grin off of Tiki's face.
"It's just one of those deals. I'm not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say," Manning said at the Giants training camp at the University at Albany. "I guess I could have questioned his leadership skills last year with calling out the coach and having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season, and he's lost the heart (to play).
"As a quarterback you're reading that your running back has lost the heart to play the game and it's about the 10th week," Manning said. "I can see that a little bit at times. But I'm not going to get concerned. I'm going to go out there and play ball."
Damn, I bet that wipes that shit-eating grin off of Tiki's face.
Labels: NFL, The Brothers Barber
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The Run Down: NFL Camp EditionMichael Strahan Wants to Cry: The gap-toothed sack machine says he's considering "retirement", although in this case retirement means "give me more money". The Giants aren't budging and are fining Strahan $14K/day. Strahan, who claims his retirement talk is serious, feels betrayed that the organization won't give him the time and raise space to make this decision. Meanwhile Osi Umenyiora is seething through camp because he's not going to play nice while the Big Blue meets with the recently-released Simeon Rice. Oh, anything to take the focus off of the much more peaceful Jets camp.
Vince Young Is Ready to Slap a Bitch: The Titans quarterback will stick up for his teammates...and fight them as well. Young took offense to a hit by safety Donnie Nickey on one of his receivers and then proceeded to hit him in the helmet wit his throwing hand. Not smart. Nickey later joked about the incident and gave Young some advice, "Jab with your left and then wait for the cavalry.'' [The Tennesean]
Gore Talks Fantasy Owners Off of Bridge: Gore's broken hand all but assures fantasy ownes that the defending NFC rushing champion will not get injure in a meaningless exhibition, since he's probably going to miss all of the games. [Mercury News]
Finally Bad News For Boston: Randy Moss misses practice with apparent leg injury. Red Sox swoon to follow. [Boston Herald]
Raiders Ready to Corner Market on Large, Black QBs: With the signing of Daunte Culpepper, the Raiders hope JaMarcus Russell will be eager to get to camp to bond and explore Oakland's finest restaurants with the cuddly veteran QB. Al Davis even crawled out of his grave to give the Raiders' newest addition some fine compliments, "The only thing I can say about Culpepper right now is he takes me back several years." With Al Davis, several years could mean up to 250. [SF Chronicle]
Vince Young Is Ready to Slap a Bitch: The Titans quarterback will stick up for his teammates...and fight them as well. Young took offense to a hit by safety Donnie Nickey on one of his receivers and then proceeded to hit him in the helmet wit his throwing hand. Not smart. Nickey later joked about the incident and gave Young some advice, "Jab with your left and then wait for the cavalry.'' [The Tennesean]
Gore Talks Fantasy Owners Off of Bridge: Gore's broken hand all but assures fantasy ownes that the defending NFC rushing champion will not get injure in a meaningless exhibition, since he's probably going to miss all of the games. [Mercury News]
Finally Bad News For Boston: Randy Moss misses practice with apparent leg injury. Red Sox swoon to follow. [Boston Herald]
Raiders Ready to Corner Market on Large, Black QBs: With the signing of Daunte Culpepper, the Raiders hope JaMarcus Russell will be eager to get to camp to bond and explore Oakland's finest restaurants with the cuddly veteran QB. Al Davis even crawled out of his grave to give the Raiders' newest addition some fine compliments, "The only thing I can say about Culpepper right now is he takes me back several years." With Al Davis, several years could mean up to 250. [SF Chronicle]