A Li'l Bit Of Everything

Gangsta D:

Boy, somebody on the Pats must be in league with the Dark Lord cause that game should've been over twice. Even though I'm no Rave die-hard, that loss was gut wrenching. They get stopped on 4th down, but Rex Ryan calls a timeout. Then they get stopped again, but the right guard false starts? That benefited the Pats, cause now they can go back into their spread offense. Then Bart Scott goes absolutely APESH*T after the TD. If he keeps his cool, the Raven probably get the ball back at the 35, at the minimum. Either Yamon Figures is gonna have a good return, or the Pats are gonna kick it away from him. Crazy game. Crazy game. God, I hope SOMEBODY beats the Pats. I don't care if they win the Super Bowl, I just don't want them to go undefeated:)

Waldini:

The zebras must have not gotten enough moolah from Shula and the remaining '72 Dolphins cuz they definitely blew this game. Besides the B'more meltdown, they also screwed up the Gaffney catch (that 'bama was juggling the ball like a circus performer). 4 games left and I only think one of those teams (Pitt) has a legit shot at beating NE. And they get that game at home, lol.

I can't hate completely too much since I got Brady as my Fantasy QB :-).

Gangsta D:

You know Ed, Ray, and Willis were hurting in the locker room. You know Ray cussed Billick out and probably Rex Ryan too:)

If the Pats don't lose in the regular season, hopefully we'll get a shot at them in the Super Bowl. Imagine an undefeated Patriot team going against a one loss Cowboys team. If we win, you know Romo's gonna bust out the threesome with Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson:)

Da Realist:

I hope your hatred doesn't extend to all things Boston because if they get Johan Santana you can wrap it up for the next five years. Beckett and Santana is LETHAL

Gangsta D:

I will spit on a Boston cream pie. SPIT!!! lol

Da Realist:

i don't see how baseball stays in business. only a small percentage of teams have a shot to win every year. nobody wants nfl parity (this year notwithstanding, lol...) but damn.

how do fans of minnesota or kansas city continue to support their teams knowing that

a) They have no real shot at the title and

b) Your best player will eventually play for the yankees or red sox.

People can talk about college football all they want, but there's nothing about baseball that's fair. nothing.

Gangsta D:

I don't think anyone in Kansas City does support the Royals:)

It's amazing how Boston has turned into New York. They used to be the ultimate underdogs. The lovable losers. Now people hop on the bandwagon and conversely hate them just like the Yankees. They no longer have the moral high ground to call New York the Evil Empire:)

Da Realist:

I'm not hating but I do find it interesting how baseball operates. Each team can negotiate their own television deals and keep the money. So big market teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers or Cubs can generate many times the revenue that the royals or padres can. Many many times. There is no revenue sharing so the rich get richer.

Small market teams rely on their farm system. Players gradually matriculate under their system until they are ready for the big-time. once some of these players become stars, these same clubs can't afford to keep them. Then the Yankees (or red sox) come in. So in effect, the Yankees treat the whole league as a farm system!

Lost in all of this are the owners. Most of them care little about actually winning. The culture in MLB is different than in the nba. Most NBA owners want to win...and besides, it's more profitable for them to win. This isn't the case in mlb. It's actually more profitable to stay average or lose than it is to win. The only way it is more profitable to win is if you are the yankees or the Braves, you have your own cable channel, you can afford to overpay for the top stars and still stay in the black.

The Chicago Cubs have been raking in money for years off losing teams. The reasons? sell outs, WGN and greedy owners that don't care about winning as much as they care about turning a profit.

1) So you have a league that doesn't reward competitive balance.

2) The owners notice this and concern themselves with the money by keeping teams average long enough to give fans hope (and rake in more money from paraphanelia, game tickets and concessions).

3) Players notice THIS and play for the money. That's why once-in-a-lifetime players like ARod, Greg Maddux and Pedro martinez have all played for multiple teams.

And yet people want to talk about the BCS every year

Gangsta D:

The BCS is flawed, but it is better than the previous system. But it IS flawed. Some years, there will be no-doubt-about it matchups. Some years, there will be what we have this year. No one can tell me that tOSU and LSU are head and shoulders above UGA, 'SC, VT, and OU. You just can't tell me that is the case. But there really is no use in begging for a playoff. It will never happen unless schools threaten to secede from the NCAA and start another "league," if you will. That ain't EVER gonna happen. So we'll just have to live with it, and gripe when necessary. Death, taxes, and the BCS.

Waldini:

According to the guy sitting next to me (an Buckeye alum), if it wasn't for the preseason ranking, that OSU's QB and RB would have been considered in the Heisman race. I literally choked on my M&M peanut when he said that. Read more!

Weekend Wrap Up

Waldini:

Baseball: After supposedly fighting a curse for a million years, the Red Sox win their 2nd title in 4 yrs. I guess the Rockies were not like the '01 Lakers after all. I can bank on Sports Guy writing a 50 page article on how his precious Sox have fulfilled his life's destiny. I dont know about you but it's starting to feel like the 80s w/Boston when you pretty much hated on every team they brought out. Red Sox won it, Patriots look like they will win it, Celtics are a contender, and Boston College is undefeated.....the world is very upside down

College Football: The wacky week continues as Kentucky loses at home to the now bowl eligible Miss St bulldogs (eat a dick Croom haters). Florida went from contender to pretender, Nebraska choked big time, Kansas continues to shock and awe (I still dont know anyone on their team), Ohio St continues to surprise me, USC just punched their ticket to the Holiday Bowl, and Erickson is working his college magic in Arizona St. Oh yea, usually I support my black coaches but damn Dorrell you are fucking it up for everyone. How in the hell you beat Cal and then lose to wack ass Wash St?!?! Oh and did you see the Div III lateral play? Fantastic

Pro Football: Say goodbye to the 1 pass defense Redskins. A man named Brady just went old school Tecmo Bowl on ya asses. I think Tommie Harris wants to take back his comments on the Lions (you do realize they are a playoff team as of now). Don't look now but New Orleans and San Diego (both preseason SB picks) are starting to make their move. I dont know about you but I'm geeked for next week's Colts-Pats showdown

Pro Basketball: The regular season kicks off Tues and there's drama galore. Will Kobe be traded? Will the Cavs' bench players play this year? Can Gilbert recover from last year's injury? Ditto for Flash Wade? Will 'Zeke keep his job? Is this the year the Suns and Mavs breakthrough? so many more questions but a long long season ahead. Oh yea that NBA on ESPN commercial w/the Celtics' Big 3 and Van Gundy is hilarious

MLS: I know you don't care but so what, I'ma still talk about it. The playoffs have kicked off and both Texas teams (Dynamo and FC Dallas) are representing. All that $$$ for Beckham and the Galaxy still dont make the playoffs. Bring back Cobi Jones!

That's all I got for now

Gangsta D:

Actually Miss St. is one game from being bowl eligible. But all they have to do is beat Ole Miss, which shouldn't be very hard. But I will second that Croom haters should devour phallus.

Lately, I've refused to read anything Simmons writes that has "Boston" in the lede. I'm not a Simmons hater but he's been pretty insufferable when it comes to Bahstin, lately. You know I'm pulling hard for the Colts next week.

It warmed my heart to see the Dawgs take it to the Gators. I loved the coach-approved celebration. Looks like Richt hasn't totally forgotten about his Miami roots. Nevertheless, if Miami HAD have done that there would be a shitstorm bigger than Katrina, Hugo, and Andrew combined. At any rate, any time Tebow is reduced to (near)tears I'm a happy camper.

This NBA season is gonna be entertaining, but probably for all the wrong reasons. The Lakers, as usual, will be the epicenter of much drama. Hooray Beer! lol Read more!

Weekend Wrap Up

Waldini:

- Baseball - The Sox rally from a 3-1 deficit w/Games 6 and 7 being blowouts. They even get a positive ROI in Dice K in Game 7. Realist, you watch this sport more than I do. I only know a handful of Boston players and no one on Colorado's squad. Who's winning this thing?

- College Football - Tenn fulfills their losing prophecy (dbl digit blowout), South Carolina and S. Florida become the latest upset victims, & Miami-Florida put on one of the best games in their series in years. How sad is it when your Punter is your Chevy Scholarship Player of the Game (Fighting Irish)? And do you realize that the Ala-Tenn and Miami-FSU game was reduced to regional coverage??? And that Michigan-Illinios was on PRIME TIME Television?!?!?!

- Pro Football - I almost saw shades of Buffalo-Houston '92 in the Houston-Tennessee game yesterday. Thank goodness My Bironas made his record FG count when it mattered. NE continues to roll. They better pray nothing happens to Brady or Moss b/c if either is injured, it's a wrap. The AFC East's a joke, the NFC East and AFC South are legit and don't look now but the Bears are quietly winning games again

Shockingly, I havent kept up with MLS or NBA so I dont know what's poppin there....

Gangsta D:

Once the Sawx won Game 5, I knew it was a wrap. For some reason, it reminded me of an NBA playoff series from last year:) The only way I can talk about baseball is to relate it to NBA terms. The Rockies have won 21-22 and will have a 9 day layoff. Very similar to the Lakers of '01 who won 20 straight and had a long layoff before the Finals. If the Rockies can shake off the rust of game 1, they can win. 21-22 isn't a fluke.

Finally we get a Miami-FSU matchup with some scoring. I still can't believe Kirby actually outplayed someone in crunch time. When Kyle didn't come back for the 2nd half, I thought it was a wrap. But I gotta give him credit, he came through in the clutch. UF beat UK, but at least Tebow got hurt:) Yeah I know that was mean, but that's just how I'm living right now. Notre Dame is horrible. Weis should be fired. His offense is nonexistent and he's had FOUR of his own recruits transfer this year. Something is rotten in Denmark, and it closely resembles Tweedle Dee.

My 'Boys were uninspired vs the Vikings, but at least we held Peterson in check. The defense can shut down anyone except for Tom Brady, apparently. The Dolphins and Rams may combine for 25+ losses. That's crazy. I'm surprised no coach has been fired yet, but I bet there are several before Thanksgiving.

Da Realist:

Bobby must go.

Gangsta D:

Very concise wrap up of the weekend Bitterman:) But you and I know that he isn't going anywhere. My question is how bad does it get? He woke up to a "For Sale" sign in his front yard. How nasty will the unrest get?

Da Realist:

He's going nowhere. FSU is living in the past. We're the new Alabama Crimson Tide. What's scary is...even if he retires, his fingerprints will still be all over the program. He wants to be a deity at FSU. He just doesn't have it anymore.

In fact, his "system" has always been predicated on having superior athletes. It's not that complicated. When he matches up with a team of comparable talent (i.e. miami), he loses the closely fought games. Think about it...FSU usually wins the games where there is no doubt we are the better team. That's why most of our victories over Miami are blowouts. Miami usually wins the games where they are decided favorites and also the games where we are evenly matched. Generally speaking.

Saturday's game hurt, but it didn't hurt. Let's just say I had a feeling we would cough up the game, but to lose to a Miami team that didn't even play that well...that part did sting a little bit. Read more!