Remember that 80s movie “The Best of Times” with Robin Williams as the nerd who dropped the big touchdown pass from Kurt Russell that would have given Taft High the win over arch-rivals Bakersfield, and how he convinces both teams to replay the game years later? Probably not, because it wasn’t a huge hit, although I remember since I was actually living in Taft that summer (not a highlight of my life), and it was just about the biggest deal ever in town (that and the Circle K opening in town).
It looks like we have a sequel brewing, only this time in real life: RIVALS.COM says that members of the 1993 teams from bitter foes Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ) are going to be replaying their 7-7 tie on April 26. This is all part of a program called Gatorade REPLAY which spotlights some of the best rivalries in high school football, which of course meas there are special perks for the players, such as special training sessions to get in shape. And having Peyton and Eli Manning as the honorary coaches.
(If that’s the case, shouldn’t the two teams be settling this the manly way: in the Double Stuff Licking League?)
This story comes straight from the “There’s no way this is going to last” file, but there’s a particular Olympian who is scheduled to appear at a handful of motivational speaking gigs in California later this month. And, as you might guess (since you’re reading it here, after all), that particular Olympian has earned himself a bit of criticism for toking away on some old school marijuana.
Yup, by now you guessed it: Bongtastic Michael Phelps is going to give speeches to burgeoning capitalists in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland in late February — his first Sacramento date is Feb. 24 — and March. A company called Get Motivated! is responsible for the business seminar where Phelps and a host of others will speak, which begs the question: What does Phelps know about business except that money flocks to him when he wins? That’s all he’s got to go on, right?
In a continuing series of unlikely outcomes in the NFL playoffs, the NFC Championship Game will be the second home playoff game ever for the Arizona Cardinals franchise as the New York Giants failed to muster anything resembling a professional offense in a 23-11 loss in the Meadowlands.
It’s not quite like the Cardinals’ road to success, which has been paved with hands clenching throats in the form of six turnovers in Charlotte and three by the Falcons. The Giants only turned the ball over twice (though two fourth-and-shorts had the feel of ball dispossession).
The Eagles’ defense just slammed the door on Eli Manning and an overpowered offensive line and cleared the way for an NFC title match in an unlikely locale: the Aviary in Glendale, recreating Turkey Day’s matchup, a 48-20 win for Philly. Read more…
It’s not often that a 35-14 game can be classified as “not as close as the score indicates,” but mere numbers can’t describe the level of butt-kicking that the Giants put on Dallas for 60 minutes today.
(Justin Tuck prepares to impregnate Brad Johnson’s armpit.)
It got so bad that on the final scoring play of the game, a 17-yard draw by Derrick Ward, the Cowboys’ Mike Jenkins (who returned an errant Manning pass for Dallas’ first score) just plain didn’t bother tackling Ward; Jenkins was in position, but watched without so much as lifting an arm in defense as Ward ran right past him. It was emblematic of a team that knew it was beaten and just wanted the game to be over long before it actually was. Read more…
Yup, Greg Oden hurt his foot less than three minutes into his first regular season game against the Lakers. That’s not a punchline to a joke, but the sad truth. He played through the first half before throwing in the towel. ESPN.COM reports that Oden suffered a mid-foot sprain, which sounds like a made up injury you would use to get out of work, but apparently you can get if you are made out of peanut brittle.
Not that Oden was tearing the joint up. His stat line for the game: 0-4 from the field and five rebounds in 13 minutes. Which puts him about on par with the rest of the Blazers, as they were thumped by Los Angeles 96-76. As for Oden…he has a trip to the MRI machine scheduled for later today, or as he calls it, “The Mother Ship.”
Having a much better NBA debut was Derrick Rose, who scored 11 points and had nine assists as the Bulls stuck it to their ex-coach Scott Skiles by beating the Bucks 108-95. Meanwhile, that clanging you heard in Boston was LeBron James rattling free throws all over the place against the Celtics. He missed four of eight free throws, all in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland fell 90-85.
Here’s some more of last night’s news, but be forewarned: Bud Selig says that he has the power to suspend this after six links.
CBS analyst Gary Danielson thinks that Texas runs a “junk offense” and that Georgia’s Matthew Stafford would be putting up Colt McCoy-type numbers in that offense, says the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. No SEC homerism there at all.
The man who saved the NBA during the lockout in 1999, according to the DETROIT NEWS? Not David Stern. Not Billy Hunter? Nope, it was Michael Curry.
Relax, says the DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE: it turns out that those 15 North Texas football players tested positive for recreational drugs, not steroids. Which is great, because we wouldn’t want their run at an 0-12 season to be tainted.
The AP has a tip for Eli Manning - don’t let the defense read your lips when you call a play on fourth down. It kind of helps them know what to do.
The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS estimates that only 20,000 people will be on hand to see Stanford take on Washington State this Saturday, even though the Cardinal are 3-0 at home this year and fighting for a bowl berth.
Even after having beaten the Chargers in a thriller on Sunday, the NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE says that Saints coach Sean Payton was less than thrilled with the experience of playing in London.
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that Patriots’ nose tackle Vince Wilfork is going to be getting called to the Principal’s office - in this case NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell - for his blow to the head of Broncos’ QB Jay Cutler. Wait, I thought the Patriots were perfect schoolboys who never, ever committed any penalties?
Why would Isiah Thomas apparently continue to lie about his alleged sleeping pill overdose? The local police chief speculates to NEWSDAY it might be because of his contract. “If he takes drugs or whatever they may not owe him the $18 million. I have no idea.”
Remember when Joe Tiller said that Rich Rodriguez was a “snake oil salesman” after Purdue lost a big recruit to Michigan? The DETROIT FREE-PRESS says that there’s really no bad blood there. Really.
It was a slow night in the world of sports with the baseball playoffs off until Thursday, and the only football game to be found was the timeless Troy-Florida Atlantic rivalry. So let’s focus our attention on what really matters: Eli Manning’s futuristic space condo.
Eli’s guests are probably most excited by the hidden bar in the living room. It appears to be a normal column next to the wet bar–until Eli presses a button on a nearby Crestron wall panel. It then becomes James Bond-esque: The column slowly rotates and reveals a covert bar area. “I just kind of wanted the place to have a little secret,” Eli laughs.
Also included are two layers of automated shades that provide varying degrees of sunlight exposure. The place even has a computer that sets the the interior lighting to pre-programmed levels at the touch of a button. You know, for those days when you can’t even be bothered to expend the energy to flip a switch.
Unfortunately, most avenues for humor here have been completely destroyed by the fact that Eli Manning is currently the reigning Super Bowl MVP. He was a much easier target when he was losing playoff games 23-0.
In the things-that-actually-happened-last-night department, Greg Oden finally made his long-awaited debut as Portland stomped Sacramento 110-81 in the preseason opener for both teams. Oden had 13 points, five rebounds, and two blocks in 20 minutes of action. It was also the NBA debut for Portland’s Rudy Fernandez, who delivered several highlight moments to a near sell-out crowd at the Rose Garden. Even more impressive: none of the current Blazers have ever been charged with a felony.
Now for your Wednesday surgery round-up! Mariano Rivera had a calcified joint shaved in his shoulder. The shavings will be packed in a Pringles can and auctioned on eBay. He should be able to throw again in three months, and is expected to not have lasting effects. Meanwhile, Omar Vizquel had laser eye surgery. I’m sure the Giants are happy that he did this after he hit .222 for them this year. The Cubs’ Carlos Marmol got into a car accident in the Dominican Republic and had to get some stitches in his head.
Of course, Marmol could’ve just as easily ended up with a gash in his head on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium if he would’ve been anywhere near teammates who took frustrations out on the plumbing near the visiting dugout after their season-ending loss. The pipe-bashers caused a flood, according to the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES’ Chris De Luca. Brad Lidge is scheduled to tear a quad slipping in the puddle Sunday night.
• If the Dodgers do somehow win the World Series this year, let’s hope they take a cue from their 1981 counterparts and put together a four-man singing crew that rivals this one (thanks to BIG LEAGUE STEW for the video footage):
• WFAN’s Sweeny Murti thinks he knows why the Yankees aren’t doing so well these days: they could’ve drafted better players between 1997 and 2003. What he doesn’t acknowledge? Every other team passed on all of the listed players they could’ve had at least once as well.
• What does 11-19 in your first three years get you? If you’re Colorado football coach Dan Hawkins, it’s is a two-year extension (AP, via YAHOO! SPORTS).
Looking in the mirror might be painful for a few days.
• The Saints have taken down a photo of the Vikings’ Chad Greenway clutching Reggie Bush’s facemask, according to PRO FOOTBALL TALK. The team claims that posting the photo didn’t have anything to do with being mad at Ed Hochuli’s crew for missing the call.
• Last, but most definitely not least, SHORT NEWS has the heartwarming tale of an injured soccer player who discarded crutches and a cast and scored the game winning goal with his injured foot…and then vomited from the overwhelming pain.
The New York Giants didn’t beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. No, it was the BOSTON HERALD’s John Tomase and his February 2nd story about the Pats taping the Rams’ walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI that caused New England to fall short of a perfect season.
Eli Manning’s very un-Eli-like fourth quarter performance, David Tyree’s spectacular catch, and the Giants’ pass rush had nothing to do with the Pats waiting until SB XLII to lose a game. It was the ink on the page found under the byline that read “John Tomase” that caused Tom Brady, Randy Moss and crew to lose.
At least that’s what the Pats fans have been thinking since February. (PATS FANS.COM’s “Official John ‘Borges’ Tomase Should Be Fired Thread” was born on February 6). Fuel was added to the fire this spring when former member of the Patriots’ video staff Matt Walsh handed over eight tapes, yet the Rams’ walkthrough was not one of them. According to PRO FOOTBALL TALK, it looks as though Patriots fans’ wish has come true.
The launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery was scheduled for 5:02 p.m. ET, and while some minor league baseball attendees may have seen the launch, what they probably can’t see from the bleachers is the plethora of sports memorabilia on board. And before you get all El Guapo on me, I’m perfectly aware what that means, and the collection shouldn’t disappoint.
(That’s one small step for a Manning … one giant leap for Manning-kind.)
The uniform that Eli Manning wore during the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII victory over the Patriots is going with the astronauts. Of the seven astronauts, three of them are from New Jersey, which is technically the home state of the Giants. Read more…
