Leave The NFC West (and the Rule Book) Alone!!!

I have been hearing a lot of debate over the last couple of weeks on whether the NFL should change the rules regarding how teams qualify for the playoffs. This debate arose when the possibility that a team could win the NFC West with a losing record was starting to look like a reality. Going into the final weekend we now know that the winner of the NFC West will either have a .500 (8 - 8) record if the St. Louis Rams win or a sub .500 (7 - 9) record if the Seattle Seahawks win their head to head matchup. Not only is it possible that a sub .500 team could make the playoffs and have a home playoff game but other NFC teams with better records will be shut out of the post season completely. These facts have some people outraged to the point that they want the NFL to change their playoff qualifying rules in the future. I've heard some say that under no circumstance should a team be allowed to make the post season with a losing record. I've heard others say that it's ok for a team to reach the playoffs with a losing record but they should have to concede their home game to a team with a better record.

I think the NFL should leave the rules the way that they are! Every team starts out 0 -0 and know what they need to do in order to reach the playoffs. Every team should strive to win their division and if it takes 12 wins or 7 that team should be rewarded for doing so. It is not like a sub .500 team makes the playoffs every year. It is even rare to see a 9 - 7 team make it.  Most folks use the 10 win mark as guide for playoff certainty and even that benchmark isn't guaranteed. The 2008 New England Patriots finished the season 11 - 5 and tied for 1st place in the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins. But because they were on the short side of tiebreakers, they missed the playoffs (8 - 8 San Diego Chargers won the AFC West to make the playoffs). Tough break but hey, if they had won one more game they would have made it in. These situations are very rare. Most of the time, the top teams record wise within a conference make the post season. I think the rules are solid and they shouldn't make changes to it because of a handful of exceptions. If they make changes like the one's that I have heard, they should just abandon divisions all together and just have two conferences (AFC & NFC). As long as divisions exist though, you have to appropriately reward division winners as they do now, regardless of their record.

Turn Out The Lights, The Streak Is Over!

Whew!! Finally!! Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre was listed as inactive for tonight's matchup against the New York Giants which effectively ends his streak of starting 297 consecutive games. This streak was an amazing feat. Any football player that starts that many games in row has to be TOUGH. We all know that football can be a violent game. As we have witnessed this season, the hits can be bone chilling as well as bone breaking. But football can be an unlucky game (getting injured) as well. Sometimes guys don't get injured on contact directly from tackles and blocks. Sometimes they hit the ground wrong or someone falls on them awkwardly. I'm always amazed that football players are not injured more. Quarterbacks are afforded a lot more protection on the field than other players. To the disgust of many defensive players, the NFL has designed different rules in order to help protect the star position on the field. But even with Favre having the benefit of these protections, it is still unbelievable that he was able to avoid serious injuries and start so many games in a row. To think that he has started every single game he has played in since 1992 is really unreal. Like the Cal Ripken streak in MLB, I'm sure there was pressure to keep starting him even though it may not have been the smartest thing to do. Who would want to be known as the head coach to end that streak? I'm sure Favre put pressure on himself as well - there were probably times he would have sat if the streak was not ongoing but mustered up enough strength to get through his aches and pains. But tonight was a different night. His shoulder injury (which occurred last week)  was too severe to overcome. He barely practiced all week. On Friday he was only able to throw light tosses. Then early Sunday morning Favre caught somewhat of a break. A winter storm that dumped a tremendous amount of snow in Minneapolis caused damage to the roof of the "Metrodome" (Mall of America Field). The Sunday game would be postponed until Monday night, giving Favre just a little more time to heal. But it wasn't meant to be. His shoulder was not healthy enough for him to play.

It will be very interesting to see what transpires with Favre after tonight. The Vikings have only three games after tonight this season (barring a miracle and they slip into the playoffs). Have we seen the last of Favre? Maybe his injury is severe enough for him not to play in the next three weeks. Now that the streak is over, will the Vikings keep Favre on the sidelines, even if he's healthy, so they can get a solid look at backup QB Tarvaris Jackson? What about the sexting situation with Jenn Sterger? The NFL is still investigating, could they find Favre of wrongdoing and possibly suspend him for part or all the final games? Whatever happens I'm pretty sure of one thing, Favre will not return next season. I do believe this is truly it for him. No doubt he is a future Hall of Famer but I really can't see any teams bending over backwards for him anymore. Plus he probably won't want to return anyway (he already said he does not want to come back but we ALL don't really believe him completely, do we?).  If by chance we have seen the last of Favre on the field, his last pass was an interception. I hate to see a great player end his career that way (and injured on the play to add insult to...well.. injury). But I think most folks that will reflect on his career will remember this amazing streak more than anything else because it was symbolic of  his toughness and his heart.

Round 1 Goes to LeBron

LeBron James came into Cleveland and absolutely torched the Cavaliers! He scored 38 pts, 24 of which he scored in the 3rd qtr when he just dominated the Cavs. There wasn't a jump shot or baseline move that he didn't like. And there is no telling how many points he would have scored if he played the whole game (he didn't play much after his 3rd qtr showing). His great performance was to the dismay of the Cavs' fans who displayed witty signs and came ready to boo him out of Quicken Loans Arena. The crowd was loud and prepared; they blasted James when he initially hit the floor for the shoot around and every time he touched the ball during the game. When the PA announcer introduced him to the crowd he also was showered with boos.  They tried to stick it to him more when current Miami Heat teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is also a former Cavalier, was greeted with a warm, loud applause. James certainly quelled the boos as he dazzled his way around his old court in the 3rd qtr, giving his ex-fans a good look at what they are now missing. The Cavs' fans were seething; you could see it on their faces as shot after shot fell in for James.Thankfully the night was without any crazy fan behavior, though there were reports of fights breaking out in the stands and a couple of items were thrown in James' direction as he sat on the bench. I think the Cavs' fans wanted nothing more than to see James go 0 for 25 from the field and the Cavs win by 30. But as it happens much in life, emotions trumped reality. As much as they may hate James, he is still an all-world talent and his team is a lot better than the Cavs. So, the actual result really should not have been too surprising. Now that this game is behind us, I doubt if we will see this much drama and emotion in Cleveland surrounding James. Oh, he will still be booed and it might go up a notch if these two teams ever meet in the playoffs but for the most part the worse should be over. Could you imagine if they ever did meet in the playoffs and the Cavs pulled the upset and James choked? Cavs' fans I bet would take that over winning last night!! But for now, round 1 goes to James. He didn't gloat afterwards, but you know after enduring a lot of venom directed his way for months he had to feel great. And when he hit his sheets last night, he probably slept like a King.

Here We Go! LeBron Returns to Cleveland...

Tonight's game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat has been one of the most anticipated regular season matchups in the NBA in recent memory. The return of Heat superstar LeBron James to Cleveland marks the first time Cavs' fans get to let him know "face to face" how they feel about him leaving them. Most folks are expecting a not-so-friendly response to James' appearance and from everything I have been hearing over the last few months, I do believe it will be overwhelmingly negative. I can understand some of the bitterness that Cavs' fans have; no one wants their superstar player to spurn them for another team and do it in such a "cavalier" way. We can all agree that the platform that James chose to communicate his choice in free agency was ill-advised. But I really hope that the stuff I heard this morning about fans wanting to storm onto the court to display their feelings, having no fear of being arrested, is just talk. Fans have a personal and financial stake in their teams but they do not have the right to do whatever they please. I don't care how much you paid for tickets, how long you've been a fan, how much you've spent on merchandise etc. - you do not have the right to try to get on the court and do anything. As a fan you also do not have the right to throw any objects, which I'm sure someone out there may be plotting. Surprising as it might seem, there will be some James supporters in Quicken Loans Arena. Some of these folks may decide to wear a James jersey or t-shirt. Angry fans should not harass these James devotees. Get some control folks. Loudly boo James and hold up signs displaying your displeasure with him if you wish. Try to shake his game with your voices - let him know you don't care for him anymore - from your seats. Also, James may have burned the bridge with Cavs' fans forever but what's up with fans burning his jerseys? What is that all about? Did he not do any good in Cleveland? I do remember a woeful Cleveland franchise before James was drafted. Though he didn't win a championship for Cleveland, he did get them to the Finals and carried them to multiple playoff appearances. He gave Cleveland national exposure on a level they may have never enjoyed. Now fans want to try their best to emasculate him; in particular calling him "Queen" (in mockery of his nickname King) and displaying photos and t-shirts of him with lipstick on and the sort.  Really? Some of this is in jest I'm sure, but for those that are serious about it, why? It's just basketball, it's just entertainment. I know we are passionate about our sports but there are way more important things in life. I digress.....
Well, in a matter of hours we will all "witness" James' return to the place he called home for seven years. I can only hope his former family will show some level of respect because it is apparent that the love is all gone.

Hating The Heat

There is one thing that seems to be clear about this young NBA season so far: the Miami Heat are taking a lot of heat. I cannot remember the last time I've seen so much venom displayed towards one NBA team. No doubt when free agents, LeBron James, Chris Bosh & Dwayne Wade decided to sign with the Heat there was going to be some resentment towards them; but that should have been more of the natural "let's hate the biggest, baddest team" type. I think we are seeing a "hate" that is much deeper and larger. James I think has a lot to do with it. Though we are in the age of instant everything, we have probably never witnessed someone fall from grace so quickly. James turned off a lot people starting with the loss with his former squad, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the playoffs to the Boston Celtics last spring.  Some people felt that James quit; flat out gave up in the last couple games of that series. Then came the off season and free agency period in which James had been courted by a few teams but ultimately chose the Heat. What really irked most folks wasn't the actually decision but 'The Decision", the primetime show on ESPN dedicated to the announcement of his free agency choice. If he hasn't already, I think he will one day regret ever doing that show. It really tarnished his reputation and every thing he has done since to reverse it has made things worse. Everything from his tweets to the infamous "What Should I Do" Nike commercial has only seemed to sully his name even more. Now, nothing would satisfy these haters of LeBron more than to see his new Miami Heat team fail. These feelings are displayed every time the Heat loses a game. It's almost like a party when they are defeated. You even hear the negative talk from the media. I heard a lot of media folks predict that the Heat would challenge and break the Chicago Bulls' NBA record of 72 wins in the regular season. I scoffed when I heard these lofty expectations. No way could you expect a team that was just pieced together to have that kind of success, regardless of the new talented nucleus. I think they are more in line to challenge the 60 win mark. But now that the Heat has only won 8 of their first 13 games, folks in the media is wondering "what's wrong"? Well, first give the team a chance to meld.  Why do we always expect things to occur overnight in this microwave society? Now while I have heard some disturbing quotes come out of South Beach, (one in particular about them wanting to chill instead of being worked hard, to paraphrase something allegedly said by Bosh) I still think this team will not disappoint by season's end. With that being said, don't be surprised if they don't win the championship and heck, don't be surprised if they don't represent the Eastern Conference in the finals. But do expect to see this team compete and play at a very high level. By the time June rolls around, most will forget about the sluggish start if they do win the championship but anything short of that, I would expect the hate to continue.

2010 AL Cy Young Award Goes to King Felix

With a plethora of dominating pitching performances, 2010 had been dubbed the "Year of the Pitcher". Today, Seattle Mariner Felix Hernandez was crowned the 'King' of pitchers in the American League when it was announced that he won 2010 AL Cy Young Award.  Hernandez received 75% of the first place ballots, with Tampa Bay Ray David Price finishing a distant second. King Felix defied the traditional odds of winning this prestigious award, which usually counts wins as a heavy determinant. As a matter fact, his 13 wins is the lowest ever for a Cy Young award winner. His 2.27 ERA and 232 strikeouts for a team that finished with over a 100 losses was stellar. I congratulate Hernandez and in no way want to diminish his accomplishments, but I contend that pitching with the pressure of a playoff push should weigh heavily. Pitching while your team is languishing in the cellar does not bring the same pressure that it does for those hunting for the post season.  A lot of baseball experts predicted that Hernandez would win over the likes of Price and New York Yankee C.C. Sabathia. Most of these experts expressed that they had significantly more support than Hernandez. I do agree with that fact but I feel you can't penalize these guys for it. If Price's ERA was 9.00 and he won 19 games then I would fully support that argument but his ERA was 2.72, not much higher than Hernandez. I think that Price should have won the Cy Young.  His numbers are somewhat comparable to Hernandez's but he pitched for a division winning team that had pressure games all year long. I definitely would have voted for Price but that is not to say that Hernandez was a terrible choice.

NFL "Flavor of the Week"

The 2010 NFL season has been like no other in recent memory. A bunch of teams are in the playoff mix just past the midway point in the season. No one team is a lock to win anything at this point. Let's take a look back at how the season started. Teams like the Cowboys, Vikings and Bengals all received some love from folks predicting Super Bowl matchups in early September. Who would have thought that none of these teams would have more than 3 wins just a week shy of Thanksgiving? The Chiefs started off the season hot, and surprisingly, was the last undefeated team in the league until they lost in Week 5. The '72 Dolphins didn't even break a sweat before they sipped their champagne this year. More recently we had the Patriots, who was ranked #1 in the ESPN NFL Power rankings, lose their luster when they were pounded by the Browns but gained it back after beating the Steelers a week later. Going into that game, the Steelers were being touted as the best team by a few experts. The Giants were lauded as the best team in the New York, the NFC and possibly the whole league after dismantling the Seahawks a week ago, only to be brought back down to earth by the lowly, underachieving Cowboys on Sunday. Now the current "Flavor of the Week" is the Eagles, who on Monday night absolutely destroyed the Redskins. Some even questioned whether Eagle QB Michael Vick had the best day ever for a quarterback in a regular season game. I've been hearing folks gushing over Vick & the Eagles the last two days, most saying they are unstoppable. Some have even tried to crown the Falcons as the best team, but their memories are short. They were crowned the best team a couple of weeks ago; then they marched into Lincoln Financial Field and was dethroned by the Eagles. If this season holds to form, the Eagles should have a bad game soon. Then who will be the "Flavor of the Week" after them?

Dallas Cowboys win one for the "Garrett"

The Dallas Cowboys shocked the NFL world on Sunday when they travelled to the New Meadowlands Stadium and defeated the heavily favored New York Giants 33 - 20. The win was the first for Cowboys' new interim head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys had been playing listlessly for more than two games leading up to match up against the Giants. Though the team still played with mental lapses, (highlighted by a near brawl between defensive teammates Terence Newman and Gerald Sensabaugh as the Giants were snapping the ball) they definitely displayed a new found energy and urgency. The offensive line probably played its best game of the year, allowing backup QB Jon Kitna plenty of time to find the Cowboys top receivers down the field. Kitna did have to scramble a couple of times but nothing like what happened to him in the previous match up a couple of weeks ago. The Cowboys showed its offensive might as it answered an early Giants' field goal by scoring a touchdown on an acrobatic catch by Dez Bryant. Bryant has been a shinning star on this 2010 Cowboys team and I see why the organization was so giddy about him in OTA's and training camp. After Bryant's TD, the Cowboys never looked back. They added big scoring plays from corneback Bryan McCann, who intercepted an Eli Manning pass and returned it 101 yds for a TD and speedy RB Felix Jones who took a screen pass 71 yds to the house, impressively blowing by Giant defenders. Not even a power failure at the New Meadowlands Stadium (which forced the teams to play temporarily with less lights, then suddenly stopped play with no lights) could slow down Dallas. Their inspiring play even convinced the Giants' fans, as thousands headed to the exits early in the fourth quarter having given up on their teams chances to comeback. Only the Cowboys' players can truly answer why they woke up in this game but a few folks believe it was Garrett's new harder edge, a change from ex-head coach Wade Phillips player friendly atmosphere. With 7 games left in this season we will see if they can keep the energy up. This Sunday the Cowboys face the improving Detroit Lions at home and will try to not only win two in a row for Garrett but also get their first win at Cowboys Stadium.

Allen Iverson

I had a thought today about Allen Iverson. Why is this guy playing basketball in Turkey??? I mean we really know - Iverson has been a controversial figure since his high school days in Virginia. His personality has always seemed to rub folks the wrong way.  He definitely became the poster child in the NBA of the spoiled athlete. But this cat had an amazing game. Pound for pound I think he was the best player in the NBA in the late '90s and early 00's, He isn't the same player today so his talent level has fallen below his "tolerance" level for NBA teams. But AI is better than a lot of guys starting on NBA rosters today - certainly better than most team's bench players. No team thinks he is worth the headache. Iverson does have to own some the negativity that is associated with his name. But like many other athletes, growing up in front of the world is not as easy as people make it out to be. Most of these guys are treated like royalty throughout their school years and then when they become pros, millions of dollars are dropped in their laps. Unless they are really mature or seriously grounded, they are bound to act a fool just like most young 20 something year old "kids" would. I'm not making any excuses here for Iverson; I just think that he has given a lot to the game and he deserves to end his professional career where it started, in the best basketball league in the world.

Wade Phillips Fired as Dallas Cowboys Head Coach

Today the hammer finally dropped on Wade Phillips. Dallas Cowboys' Owner & GM Jerry Jones relieved Wade Phillips of his head coaching duties. Offensive Coordinator/Asst Head Coach Jason Garrett has been elevated to Head Coach. Former Syracuse University Head Coach & Cowboys Asst Coach Paul Pasqualoni will take over Phillips' defensive coordinator responsibilities. While Phillips has to bear some of the blame for the Cowboys disastrous 1 - 7 start, he certainly wasn't largely responsible for it. But as the old saying goes, you can't fire a whole team so the coach has to go. I think Jerry Jones would have kept Phillips at least until the end of the season but the media & the fans screams were at a fever pitch for a change. Plus the Cowboys have looked absolutely listless since losing Tony Romo to a left shoulder injury two weeks ago. In the four losses the Cowboys suffered previous to Romo's injury, the team was at least competitive. But this 2010 Cowboy season has truly "snowballed" into an avalanche nightmare for Jones, who had hoped his team would be the first in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium. At his press conference today, Jones said that this move is not a signal that they have given up on the season. If the Cowboys run the table, they will finish 9 - 7 and more than likely be battling for a wild card playoff slot. If they are lucky enough to sneak into the playoffs, they would probably have to win 3 road playoff games to get to host the Super Bowl. That would transform Jones' nightmare into a dream. But most folks would say those events occuring would be just that - a dream.