Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Media Day


Media day full tilt today. Both teams at the big show speaking endlessly to the media. Quite a few observations stuck out today amid all of the dribble and drool. Apart from far too many ex-jocks interviewing far to many obscure players, the Bears are definitely in the shadows.

I haven't heard any talking head say that the Bears defense is great. We couldn't stop hearing it earlier in the year when it wasn't quite true. Perhaps the media has done a 360 now that the d doesn't get any respect.

So both coaches are Christians, buddies, family, mentor-student, and in love with each other and now they are going to try to beat the shit out of each other.

Urlacher can speak.


It's Peyton's game to lose, he has all of the pressure on him since his induction into the hall of fame.

No insight from any player during any interview today.

Hate to agree with the disrespect line, but the Bears are correct and it is entirely to their benifit. 7 pt dogs is an insult for a game of this magnitude. I really think that the Colts have to play a perfect game in order to win. Rex has nothing to fear from the Colts D.

Lets see what tomorrow holds for the Da Bears.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

When can my dog get a bowl of Barbaro?




















Why is this stupid horse getting so much air time? Does anyone really care? Why are we being told to care? This horse and its stupid leg could not be less interesting to me. Sometimes the sports media really gets it wrong. Just like the wall to wall coverage of T.O.'s supposed suicide. The next time I hear about Barbaro, I want it to be on a box of Puppy Chow.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Cogito Ergo Sum---------------------------------Superbowl T-Minus 7 Days 18 Hours


"Sports are one of the few things on planet Earth that just make sense. Men don’t want to accept confusion."

But you know what? I can’t be the only guy that feels like this. There’s no way. And since most women don’t seem to understand why men feel like we do about certain professional sports teams (if you press us, men will admit that sports are nothing more than entertainment that showcases competition—much like *gulp* American Idol), I figured I’d do my part for male/female relationships and let you all know why we love sports.

After reading this, I hope you will understand why you should leave us alone during the games, especially THE GAME NEXT SUNDAY.

The Bonding Experience

In total silence, I was watching 6 NFL games at once at a local sports bar in the Detroit metro area, in walks my sister-in-law and her husband, who just happens to be my very own twin brother, coddled and gentled. This woman, who shall remain nameless, decided to use this opportunity to blither and blather endlessly, which resulted in my noncommittal grunting of about two words for every fifty of hers. She concluded later that this was bad timing on her part, and she was right. You see, one of the reasons that men love sports is because they give us a chance to enjoy the privacy and wholesomeness of competition without argument, namely man v. man, with respect to the WNBA. We love our fathers, but never get a chance to truly express such love (If you come from a household where you do truly express such love, I’ll bet you know the finer points of interior decorating, weirdos!)

Instead of offering us hugs and kisses, our fathers teach us important stuff: how to fight, how to play sports, how to enjoy sports, and whether or not a girl is worth spending money on. We fall in love with our teams in a way that transcends enjoying mere entertainment. This is why I cried at Isaiah Thomas Day in Detroit and didn’t shed a tear for my late grandma. (God rest her soul.) This is why Field of Dreams always chokes me up and most chick flicks make me laugh out loud. We equate our favorite teams with love for our fellow men. Which is weird because, as men, for the most part, we basically just want to beat the shit out of one another and fuck each other’s women. That’s life.

Anyway, the main reason why we love sports is because sports provide us with an avenue by which we can connect with our fellow men. Understand this, and maybe you won’t find our love of the stuff to be so stupid and unnecessary-though I doubt it.

The Respect Factor

Say what you will about any professional sport, but the truth of the matter is, that shit is hard as fuck to do! People complain about teachers making shit and athletes getting paid so much, but you know what? That makes sense. You have a one in a million shot of becoming a professional athlete, and all you need to be a teacher is a college degree and a certificate from the state. That’s another reason we love the sports and don’t mind how much money athletes make: we respect what they can do. That shit ain’t easy.

The Quantifiable Experience

Men are more logical (for the most part) than women. Because of this, we enjoy experiences that we can easily break down. One of the reasons more men read about sports than music is because sports give us easy answers. Why is Peyton Manning worse than Tom Brady? Just go to the post-season statistics and your questions are answered. With movies, books, popular culture and music, no experiences are truly quantifiable.

This is why Rebello’s writings often piss so many people off: when you write passionately about music or popular culture, you are basically offering an opinion of abstract experiences. (In other words, everyone has their opinions on culture and all opinions have merit.) When you write passionately about sports, you’re basically describing what everyone else already experienced. (In other words, everyone has to admit that they’d sooner bet on Brady than Manning in the AFC championship—statistics don’t lie.) Upsets happen on the road, don't they!

Because of this, we digest, ingest, and absorb sports like nothing else. To men, sports are one of the few things on planet Earth that just make sense. Men don’t want to accept confusion. We want things simple. We don’t want drama and we don’t need passion. We just want to figure stuff out, plain and simple, and then move on to the next problem. Sports allow us to do that.

So basically, ladies, I’m just asking you to understand this about the majority of men in your life: we love sports because we respect athletic ability, because sports remind us of the men in our lives, and because sports are something we can discuss logically (unlike whether or not “Incubus” is better than “The Killers”). We need this in our lives.

So, now that you understand how we feel, shut the hell up, get in the kitchen, and make us some sandwiches. And if there’s no deli meat, just use the leftover steak.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Bears 07 v. Ravens 02


As Chicago fans lets be frank and speak bluntly. When Rex sux no one sux like Rex. And with Rex the potential to become Wreck Grossman seems to arise with every play and geometrically so if the situation demands a pass. If the magic continues Trent Dilfer will really have true competition as the worst QB to have a Super Bowl ring; and Urlacher and the Bears-D will join Ray Lewis and Ravens as carrying mediocre offenses to the promised land.

The comparisons between the two teams abound, but I would say in the Bear's "moral" favor Urlacher's potential Super Bowl Bonus will only be fought over by the women from his multiple paternity suits (and their lawyers) while Ray's should have and probably went to the lawyers who pulled him a Johnnie Cochran on that double-homicide the year before. Raven's fans would argue Ray got Ice-Barred and Tank still has week to break curfew.

Still they still have do that and oh look there's Peyton Manning; I don't suppose he'll stretch those acting skills we see in commercials and give us his imitation of Rex(hell I'd even settle on him doing Eli), so it's a long way before Tank has to ask the judge permission to go the White House for the team photo. But hey it doesn't hurt to dream, and I'd rather be arguing with a Baltimore fan who sucked worse Dilfer or Grossman than lamenting with another Chicago fan about how Lovie Smith played Tammy Wynette when he should have bailed from his bad QB relationship.

Where are they now?


Not all of the famed 46 defense of the 80's are as prosperous as others. Here we have the Fridge

Fair Value?


By now everyone knows Lovie is the lowest paid coach in the league. My opinioin- that's his problem because he signed the contract. Ted Phillips chose to not renegotiate Lovies contract in the off-season last year. That's also his perogative, but what is now coming out of Phillips mouth may come back to haunt him.

Phillips stated this week that they offered Lovie "fair value". That may have been true of his rook contract of 1.6mil a year, but they are now reportedly offering mid 3mil. This clearly won't do it! Lovie has brougt this team to the promise land. Even if he doesn't deliver, I peg his value at 5-6mil a year. If the Bears don't pay it, someone else clearly will. Most obviously Dallas; with Parcells departure Jerry Jones would open his pocket book for the Lovie.

Lovie is from the Dallas area and once called the Dallas gig his "dream job". Lovie may not be the best tactician, but i will give him credit for him calm and consistant demeanor during an often trying season filled with distractions. It is to his benefit that he is the anti-Ditka, he avoids all comparisons. We certainly won't miss his lack of one-liners, but Beardom may not quite know what they have stumbled onto with Lovie. Lets just hope the Bears show the Love.

Loyola -V- Butler

Lotsa basketball in the city last nite. Dallas in town to play the Bulls. Michael Jordans son playing for Loyola H.S. on the Southside @ St. Rita. And for me, a stop in my old neighbourhood, Rogers Park: and they say one can't go home again! Last nite I visited my old school Loyola University to watch the mens basketball team play nationally # 14 ranked and 17-2 Butler. When I was a student, the team played miles away in Rosemont or wherever, so rarely if ever did we go to games. Little school spirit for sports. However, they built a gym on campus, and last nites game was filled with boisterous fans. Loyola's a great school; but I didn't expect chanting, clapping, stomping fans. I have a feeling that most games are not packed like last nites, but it was nice to experience.

Loyola had a nice year last year, winning 19 games and hoping to get into the NCAA's or the NIT. Didn't happen, but it sparked high hopes for this year. Nyet. Loyola went into the game a disappointing 13-7. A win against the #14 team in the nation was looking very important @ this juncture of the season.

Butler was the better team for most of the game, but Loyola had the ball as time ran out in a tied game. The first half was characterized by Loyola trying not to let Butler get too far ahead. Both teams played well. Nice movement and passing characterized most of the game. Butlers point guard, A.J. Graves, is their star, @ least in this game. He ended the nite with 26 points, including the last ten in OT.

Loyola had their run through the first 15m of the second half, and when they finally tied it up, it was great to hear the roar. The last five minutes was the decider. Loyola kept going to their stud, Blake Schilb, and in the end it was just too much. Loyola had the ball with 13 seconds left, but Schilb missed his shot. OT went to Butler, and they deserved it – but just.

Obviously, my hopes were with Loyola, and it was hard to see them lose. But, now 13-8, they still have a good shot to make a tournament. It would have been nice to win this game, but there’s still hope. What I took most from the game was the spirit in the crowd. It was great to see the student body involved. Hopefully they’ll be able to travel to the opening round of the NCAA’s to see the Ramblers.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Extra! Extra! Americans Love Football!

Gallup did a poll of what sports Americans like to watch on television. Football was the most popular by far. While the fact that football is the most popular sport by a huge margin is not that much of a surprise, I was surprised by some of the other findings. For all the hype of Nascar, it showed up only 1 percentage higher than golf. Also interesting was that basketball was second highest, not baseball. Read the whole Gallup poll.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Americans Down Under























Today marks the advance of Serena Williams and Andy Roddick into the Australian Open semifinals. Both players have made remarkable recoveries and comebacks from physical and mental funks. While I don't see them advancing any further at this Grand Slam, the tennis should be invigorating to watch.

Serena Williams has her hands in many cookie jars these days-movies, music, fashion, travel, celebrity, her Amazonian sister, her crazy father. How she comes off a six-month layoff to make it this far into the tournament is a testament to her grit and determination not to mention her skill and athleticism.

Andy Roddick has a new coach, namely Jimmy Connors, who is teaching him to stay mentally sharp and physically fit. He is 24 now and seems to have grown out of his unshaven post-Mandy Moore depression. Can you blame him? Anyway, he did beat Federer a few weeks ago in an exhibition. If he can continue to focus and glean winning tips from Old Man Connors, he has a great chance.

American tennis has never looked bleaker for both the men and the women. This Wednesday, you can watch our two brightest American stars on ESPN2.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Jonesing for a SuperBowl


I believe! Yes, I believe in this Chicago Bears team. They dismantled the Saints yesterday looking hungrier than ever as breakfast ball stated. I'll admit that I am a late convert. I never would have guessed that Rex Grossman would be a SuperBowl quarterback.

I believe in Lovie Smith. In his third year this boring as vanilla coach had a plan after all. His uninspiring comments during his press conferences were right after all.

"We are a running football team," Lovie would say as dispassionately as a paint salesman. This point was emphatically proved with Thomas Jones, and to a much, much lesser degree Boo Hoo Benson rambling for 196 yards. Jones ran for 123 of those yards for an astounding 6.5 yards per carry. Benson was mostly ineffective and I still think he is a cancer that should be cut. But that can wait till next year.

I believe in this Bears team. During the game, which I watched with some other DCS staffers, I found myself uncontrollably singing the Bear Down Chicago Bears song. No one at DCS has been more critical of this team than me, but I was dead wrong. I now realize that Lovie is not boring, but confident in his team and decisions. Rivera is a great defensive coach and Turner has figured out how to minimize Grossman's mistakes and make the two-back system work.

As I have stated earlier, nothing would make me happier than for the Bears to prove me, and their many other critics wrong. They have. And if on cue, the nationally media has again fallen in love with the story of Peyton Manning get the monkey off his back. The current line in Vegas is the Colts are a 7 point favourite. Tony Kornheiser said they should be a 10 point favourite. This is just the kind of talk that will inspire Urlacher and his teammates. Lovie does have a plan, and he is going to deliver in two weeks.

Bear Down Chicago! The Bears are going to be Super Bowl Champs!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Total Dominance.


Time to face facts and admit it, da Bears were completely dominant in their last stop to the Superbowl. Let's say that again, the Bears are on their way to the Superbowl. Every aspect of the Bears game that has been criticized lately by the pundits, including DCS staff, was on today. The running game led by Jones, absolutely brutalized the hapless Saints defense. The Bears defense looked like they hadn't eaten in days. Urlacher and crew looked hungry and played mean down to the last minute. Lovie has to be given credit for limiting Grossman to only safe plays and going with a superior running game instead. Despite the stats and the presumed dominance of the AFC, this Bears team has a will to win and to prove themselves that can't be measured in numbers. The Saints on the other hand looked like the victims of another hurricane who lost their underwear. Brees was totally ineffective, as were the Duece and Bush combo that I thought would be such a factor. The sportswriters and bloggers who have doubted this team the entire season now must eat their own shit. Any way you slice it, it's essentially over, the Bears will win the Superbowl.

The Big O


Greg Oden of Ohio State seem to be making the most of his mandatory freshman year in college. This guy clearly makes everyone else look like a child on the court. My first impression is that either this guy is not very impressive or he is simply not trying very hard.

With his wrist surgery in June, more than likely he is just coasting. His numbers are not very impressive and he seems very disengaged offensively. The hype likens him to Bill Russel, but Russ looked like he was hustling all of the time. With his quick transition to the NBA next year, Oden had better develop some moves to the basket or he will be eaten alive.

Blocking shots and grabbing boards is effortless at his size in college. Oden has unlimited potential, but looking like a 40 year old Kareem just doesn't cut it for an 18 year old. The NCAA tourney is made for Oden to shine. Lets see if we are treated to a rare glimpse of a future NBA stud crushing college competition.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

DCS Staff Picks for Championship Games

Staff picks for this weekends games:

AFC - Pats vs. Colts

[Black Captain]
[bonnix] Pats 27 Colts 24
[breakfast ball] Colts 21 Pats 17
[Da Book End] Colts 34 Pats 17
[jackson] Pats 27 Colts 24

NFC - Bears vs. Saints

[Black Captain]
[bonnix] Saints 31 Bears 16
[breakfast ball] Bears 17 Saints 14
[Da Book End] Saints 24 Bears 23
[jackson] Bears 27 Saints 20

Friday, January 19, 2007

Bush Gives Saints Edge in RB Comparison


Running games will be a key factor in the NFC Championship game on Sunday. The Saints have a deadly combo with Deuce and Bush. Reggie Bush has obviously proven to be a versatile back. More importantly, while the rookie standout may not have as many rushing yards as say Indy's Addai, Bush's 565 yards are complimented by the ability to catch and run effectively. Reggie racked up 742 yards receiving with 8 total touchdowns. Even more importantly, Bush is selfless when it comes to his individual stats in favor of team success. That success has come on the heals of Deuce McAllister's punishing 1,000 yard season.

When comparing the backs, 6-1, 232 pound McAllister is substantially larger that his counterpart, the 5-11, 220 Cedric Benson. Benson rambled for only 647 yards and has complained about not getting enough carries. Meanwhile, Thomas Jones managed to gain 1,210 yards and played in every game. According to Terrel Davis, Jones is underrated and underestimated and could have run for 1,700 yards this year if Benson hadn't been lurking. Benson, however, played in the overtime win vs. Seattle last week, indicating increasing confidence in his abilities.

The advantage must go to the Saints though because of the Bush factor. First, he has turned it on in the last part of the season. Second, the Heisman Trophy winner has obvious talent that is beginning to show. He has beefed up slightly since his days at USC (listed at 6-0, 180 for USC and reduced to 5-11, but weighing in at 203 for the Saints), but his strength is still in his agility and speed.

Either way you slice it the ground game and defensive lines will be a key component to a trip to the Superbowl.

High Times!





















A few bullet points for Mike Vick with his latest interplay with the TSA.

1.) If you are the recipient of a 100mil+ contract have someone else carry your weed.

2.) If that water bottle was supposed to secretly hide your weed, you are a complete dumbass. Camo Bob would have known better.

3.)If that was a home made bong with resin, try putting a couple of j's in your crotch.

4.)You are done in Atlanta.

5.)You are not a good NFL quarterback, exciting yes, effective no.

Bristol Boys Blitz Bears


All eight of the esteemed football analysts at ESPN, including Ron Jeremy, I mean Jaworski, have predicted a Saints victory over The Beloved. Only the ESPN Computer AccuScore has predicted a Bears victory. Keep in mind that only Merril Hoge, whom I hate, was over .500 picking games last week. Over at SI, 5 of the 7 'experts' picked the Saints. Maybe Urlacher was right when he said no one gives the Bears any respect. Stay tuned for DCS staff picks today and tomorrow.

Saints Not Saviours for Big Easy















I don't know about you, but I am frankly sick and tired of hearing how the success of the New Orleans Saints is just what the Katrina ravaged community needs. These statements are blatantly false and frankly are a societal dodge of accepting responsibility for the hard work that needs to be done to revitalize a great American city.

All a Saints victory will do is fill the registers of sports bars and pubs in the French Quarter. It will make the reservation list at Emeril's even longer. Not even a Super Bowl victory will replace homes, bring back residents or clear the debris that still dots the place. What New Orleans needs is for the insurance companies to stop refusing claims because hurricane insurance does not cover flood damage. It needs a concerted federal, state and local effort to provide loans for homeowners, renters and small businesses. New Orleans needs all of us to be accountable for each other. What would happen if Chicago went up in flames again? What about if San Francisco was ravaged by another earthquake? Surely as America is providing loans and money to rebuild Baghdad, we can find it is in our national interest to rebuild New Orleans.

"We're living a dream, but we're more than just a feel-good story," New Orleans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Smith said after the Saints beat the Eagles. "We're a legit team now, fighting our way to the Super Bowl."

The Saints are a great football story. A new coach, and surprise draft pick, a new quarterback. These are all great football stories. Not urban renewal stories.

The mere fact that the SuperDome was a high priority for reconstruction dollars says a lot about our society. No number of Saints victories will fix the over $26 Billion in damage done to New Orleans. It's time to stop pretending like it will.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Ali-Made in America


Happy 65th birthday champ! We won't fawn over you endlessly like the boys in Bristol, just give you a proper toast. Only in America can the most vilified and unpatriotic become the most loved American hero!

Before, during, and slightly after his prime, Ali was the greatest boxer of all time. His combination of size, speed and strength couldn't come close to being touched. Was he the greatest fighter? No; he was a boxer-the master of the sweet science.

His boxing career was eclipsed only by his life outside the ring. Modern history teaches us he stood firmly by his principles and that he was brought upon this earth to preach peace. The reality of the times showed us a gifted young athlete easily manipulated by the Black Muslims and an acutely afflicted man with Parkinson's.

Timing is often the most important factor in life's success and failure. Very few had better timing than Ali. Banned from boxing at his absolute peak, Ali's misfortune became the primer for what would make him the most famous man in the world. Ponder that for a second, being the most famous person in the world. Ali has leveraged his fame for good works throughout the world. Though he can no longer speak articuately, his words have never carried more weight.

Ali is a young 65 and the entire story has yet to be written-a noble peace prize perhaps. Whatever the future may bring, we at DCS thank the champ for keeping us entertained like no other these last 45 years. Cheers!

Sammy's Back!


With the news of Mark McGwire's recent Hall of Fame rejection fresh in our minds, recent reports have Sammy Sosa, yes that Sammy Sosa, being offered a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.

"Sammy came across as hungry and humble, just looking for an opportunity," Daniels said. "We're not placing any expectations on the situation. It's a second chance for him."

This seems like a desperate move, but as we know, the Rangers and Sosa have a history together. This is low risk, but why the fuck would you try to fix your mistake from 1989 now? Especially now that he is 38 and probably unable to hit over .175?

And in other baseball news...

Zambrano, who was paid only $6.5 million in 2006, is asking for a reasonable $15.5 million in 2007. The Cubs are offering $11.025 million. That's quite a gap. DCS was on top of this topic back in December. It's going to impossible for Hendry to convince Zambrano that he should be paid less than Ted Lilly. Frankly, I'm embarrassed that Hendry offered this amount to Big Z. He should just bite the bullet and get him signed to a long term contract before opening day now. You know you are going to pay him, just do it now and move on to other things.

The White Sox and Joe Crede, bad back and all, have agreed to $5 Million to avoid arbitration. That seems like a reasonable price, one that even Mr. Far could get behind.

Finally, next year is going to be last year of Yankee Stadium, the new $1 billion dollar ballpark will go up in 2009, so MLB is giving the seventies citadel one last hurrah by hosting the All-Star game there in 2008. They aren't going to blow up the stadium like Shea, but the Yankees won't play there anymore.

Less than a month before pitchers and catchers report...

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Groundbreaker Rivera Fails to get Offers


Jackson's MLK day post and recent chatter about an African American coach winning the Super Bowl got me thinking: can Ron Rivera's Puerto Rican background have anything to do with his lack of top job offers?

Ron Rivera seems like he would be an excellent candidate for a head coaching job at any pro team. Rivera was actually the first Puerto Rican to play in the NFL. An all-american linebacker, he played in Super Bowl 20 and later became linebacker coach for the Eagles, who went to the NFC Championship game 3 times. He came back to Chicago as the first Puerto Rican defensive coordinator in NFL history. In '05 his Bears defense ranked 2nd in the league and this season, #5 in the NFL and 1st in the NFC. Obviously, the results speak for themselves. In spite of a late-season defensive fade, the Bears are going to the championship game.

Despite this impressive resume, Rivera has no head coaching offers. He is reportedly in the final 3 for the job at Pittsburgh after Cohwer quit, but the front runner is reported to be the Steeler's current offensive line coach. He reportedly was also in the running for the Atlanta and Arizona jobs, but those have been filled with people who were not Rivera. Finally, the Miami job was in the mix, but the Sun Times reports that they are hiring this week, ruling out Rivera.

For his part Rivera is playing it cool, saying all the right things, like concentrating on the Saints this weekend. Deep down, he must be waiting for the cell phone to ring and checking for missed calls. Is the NFL ready for a qualified hispanic to head an organization? DCS will keep waiting, along with Rivera...

Quote of the Week!


Following the Pats victory over the Chargers, the Pats mocked Shawn "tainted supplement" Merriman's sack dance by performing it themselves at center field. This lead to superback L.T. to state the following, 'You'all know I'm a classy guy' as he was about to grouse at the Pats celebration. Since when does a "classy guy" have to state it. When asked about Merriman's dance in of itself, he responded, "that's different". At least in baseball steroid users don't grouse.

Monday, January 15, 2007

New NHL New Rules



After watching a very entertaining 2-nil game between two of the original six on the Versus network tonight, I thought it worthwhile to remind those lost fans and hockey naysayers of the rule changes enacted prior to last season after the lockout:

Shootout
-Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in a shootout. Each team takes three shots. The team with the most goals after those six shots wins. If still tied, the shootout will advance to a sudden death format. If a game is decided by a shootout, the final score will give the winning team one more goal than its opponent, based on the score at the end of overtime.

Lines
-Two-line passes are now legal as the center red line will be ignored for offsides purposes.
-The blue lines will be moved closer together to create an additional four feet in each of the offensive zones. That reduces the size of the neutral zone to 50 feet from 54 feet.
-Goal lines will be moved two feet, to 11 feet from the end boards.
-The tag-up offsides rule returns, allowing play to continue if offensive players who preceded the puck into the zone return to the blue line and tag it.

Goalies
-The dimensions of goaltender equipment will be reduced by approximately 11 percent. In addition to a one-inch reduction (to 11 inches) in the width of leg pads, the blocking glove, upper-body protector, pants and jersey also will be reduced in size.
-Goalies may play the puck behind the goal line only in a trapezoid-shaped area defined by lines that begin six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the end boards.

Icing
-A team that ices the puck can’t make a line change before the ensuing faceoff.
Touch icing remains in effect but linesmen will be given more discretion to wave off infractions if they are deemed the result of a long, attempted pass.

Instigation penalties
-A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension would double for each additional incident. The player’s coach will be fined $10,000, a penalty that would double for each recurrence.

Officiating
Zero tolerance on interference, hooking and holding-obstruction.

Additional Changes
Goalies who play the puck behind the goal line but outside the designated puck-handling area will be called for delay of game. Goaltenders will be penalized for delay of game if they freeze the puck unnecessarily.
Any player who shoots the puck directly over the glass in his defending zone will be penalized for delay of game. Previously only goalies were penalized for the infraction.

To sum it all up, the game is much faster now. The puck moves from end to end with crisper passing and looser skating. Clutching and grabbing, left-wing lock, and a clogged neutral zone are in the past. The most athletic, best skating, and best coaching will net the new era's Stanley Cup.

Here are my top teams at the midseason:

1. Anaheim-scary good
2. Detroit-Dom Hasek is 42 this month, Chris Chelios is 45 this month
3. Nashville-don't have a clue why they are so good-props to the coaches and captain
4. Buffalo-great team that has taken advantage of the new rules more than any other
5. Montreal-great powerplay offensively and defensively as well with Kovalev/Koivu

Cold Steel on Ice...

Herr Stern Forces Negros to work on MLK Day



As everyone is trying to have MLK Day made into a real day off, Stern has chosen this as the only weekday to feature games. He has a 95% african-american workforce that are in the position that they are in part because of Martin Luther King. Yet instead of giving them the day off to honor the man, he goes for more gold by featuring day games.

As they panned around the U.C. today, you saw a 95% white corporate crowd with their kids enjoying the day off watching Billy Hunters boys work. Herr Stern could have turned today into a symbol for all african-american athletes, a celebration to thwart all those cliches of rich athletes that don't care.

Stern couldn't have picked a better counterpart than Hunter. A yes man unless his head is pushed into the wall. Black in look only, Hunter is only there because Stern allows it. Its the same old political story- white politician hires black politician to front his votes. Free at last, free at last, when will these players be free of Stern at last.

Every which way but lose!


More importantly than who and how they played, the Bears won! They got over the psychological and media hump of the last five years. Though I hate agreeing with Urlacher sound bites, he was correct when he said, "It doesn't matter how we win; we just won."

Remember these are the NFL playoffs, one more win and they are in the Super Bowl. The
Bears have their swagger back and the 800lbs gorilla off of their back. This team is far from perfect, but all of the remaining teams are very beatable. New Orleans has been playing better ball lately, but coming into Soldier (resod every week) field in January is a crapshoot.

The Bears have that intangible quality of luck this season. Are they as good as their record; certainly not. But they continue to win despite themselves. The MVP of this team is clearly Gould, he always comes through. In the end results are what count and the Bears are leading in that category.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Forget Grossman, Defense Raises Key Questions


If Manning can take the Colts to the AFC Championship by having only 1 touchdown pass and 5 interceptions in two playoff games, then there should be some hope for Grossman to pull the Bears through. The Colts defense appears to have been carrying them through, like the Bears. Key forced fumbles and and interceptions helped the Indy defense hold the Ravens to only 6 points.

But of late the Bears defense has been suspect as well. The Bears "Don't call us the Monster's of the Midway because we're not that good" Defense gave up 252 yards on average through the first 10 games followed by 374 yards in the last 6 games, falling from 1st to 5th in ranking. Wrong time to peak guys. Despite injuries, no one can deny that the play has suffered. Rivera better hope that the Tank doesn't get arrested tonight in order to keep his hopes of being a head coach alive. If the Defense brings it and Grossman decides to throw primarily to Bears players, Chicago should start to see the beginning of a playoff fever that has thus far not surfaced. At least tonight isn't New Year's Eve.

2nd Round NFL Playoff Picks


The swami beat me last week, so here we go.









Saturday

Baltimore -2 Indy

New Orleans -3 Philly


Sunday

Bears -5 Seattle

New England -1 San Diego

Friday, January 12, 2007

Becks to America

I realised the nite before what to expect:
Front page headlines in the New York Times touting American soccers latest saviour: David Beckham. It was rumoured that Becks would make the transatlantic leap from one of the centers of the soccer world to the soccers great unwashed, America.
It makes sense for both American soccer and Beckham. For America's soccer league, Major League Soccer, it brings soccers main star to its league. There are better players. There are more spectacular players. But none are more (or even close) of a draw than Beckham. He is one of the few sports players in the world who makes the papers regardless of whether he is playing his sport or not. He is even a regul;ar in the American papers, fron and back. His fame puts Michael Jordan's on the joke level. His tour of America with his then team Real Madrid drew NFL/World Cup type crowds to the cities he played in. The MLS games to come will have larger crowds, larger tv ratings, and a buzz that will be felt world wide. L.A. Galaxy jersey sales will now be seen from Iraq to South Africa to England. And a look @ Becks contract shows that he is owed 'only' $10 million/year in salary from his new team, the L.A. Galaxy : the rest of the $40 m a year comes from jersey sales, sponsorship deals, and profit sharing. for the league, his addition is fantastic.
Becks has played @ the highest level for many years. He has won Bulls/Yankees/Celtics/Canadiens numbers of championships in his tenures @ two of soccers great teams, Manchester United and Real Madrid. He has scored in the last three World Cups, being England captain in the last two. Although some have said that he is a player in decline, his 31 years fall in the middle of the commonly accepted 28-32 range of an athlete @ his best. Beckham running with the ball on the flank will cause all in the know to stop to watch where he places his crosses. Soccer is not a game like baseball that glorifies its statistics, so there is no reason for him to stick around in Europe to pad his stats.He's done everything he could there. This is, in every sense, a way to further his name and fame.
Becks belongs in Hollywood. His wife, Posh Spice, was reportedly less than happy to live in less than cosmopolitin Manchester and Madrid. The move will put her amongst the openings, red carpets, and celebrity sightings that she belongs. They instantly become one of the biggest celebrity couples in L.A. get ready for endless National Enquirer, Star, and People cover stories of these two.
Soccer itself is in the best shape its ever been in America. For awile its been the biggest youth sport. But it is now showing itself to the rest of America and indeed the whole world. MLS has produced many players who start or have started in Europe, including giants like Manchester United. The success of the national teams, both mens and womens, have put soccer on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the talk of newscasts come tournament time( Think Zidane and Brandy Chaistain and, well, David Beckham).
Although MLS is a league that is generally under the American sports radar, it is suprisingly solid for a soccer league (or even a sports league) in America. They have owners that have giant pockets which the other leagues in America (exception : NFL, which seems to be above the rickedyness that inflicts the other three sports ownership groups) would love to have. The Fire and Galaxy are both owner by phil Aunshultz, a billionaire. It is in good financial shape. Five of the teams have their own purpose built soccer stadums, including our own Chicago Fire, and others have stadiums in various planning stages. MLS, despite tepid ratings, have been on ABC and the ESPN's for its entire existence. Overall, the league has shown steady growth in its 11 years.
Beckham brings attention and excitement for soccer to those outside the soccer community. Beckham will not 'make' the league or soccer itself in the States : based on where it was in 1977 -v- 2007, soccer was well on its way to that goal Becks or not. But Beckham will play an important role in the next 5-10 years on growing soccer here. He does bring real excitement. And we'll see Becks @ the Fire stadium sometime this summer. If the game is not sold out yet.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Jesus to Judas




I'm not much for nostalgia, but the 1996-2000 Mark McGwire run was the golden period of baseball for my generation. How quickly the same baseball writers who crowned Mac as baseball's savior now blackball him. Think back honestly to yourself, to the summer of '98. For the true fan it was a mythical time where the entire country watched his every at bat. He became bigger than life as he broke the Babe's and Maris's 60 homer mark. To put in perspective, only two people in the over 100 year history of baseball had accomplished what McGwire did.

To me, there were only two unbreakable records in baseball. Maris' 61 homer mark and Dimaggio's 57 game streak. All of the longevity records have a finite number of participants. But the above stated records are open to the entire field-every baseball player who has ever played even one season has the oppurtunity to break these marks. McGwire brought us close to 60 homers for several years as he built even more drama into the pursuit.

As he broke through the wall of 60, everyone, and I mean everyone, cheered this big red-headed all American now playing in apple pie St. Louis. The President immediately called and the record breaking home run was played continuously for days. Baseball was officially back and we couldn't get enough. And what a player to break it- big, white, Californian and a humble man to boot. Here was a model athlete, he did charity work disadvantaged children and even said he liked his ex-wife's husband. The media made him Christ like.

Jesus is now gone and the media sees only Judas. He betrayed us all they say. Their vote tells us he lied, cheated and even used us. Did he use steroids-probably. Was he ever caught cheating ala Sammy-no! Mac hit 49 homers as a skinny rook before taking the last week off to see the birth of his son. He went to three World Series and won one. He hit 583 homers even though he almost missed two entire seasons. He broke the unbreakable record and even held off a corked bat Sammy. And yet he is now punished and shamed for the sins that were rumored since his early Oakland days as Conseco's bash brother. Why did we choose to overlook during the magic of 96-00? The andro was there for all to see. Did we need the euphoria that badly? It really was the rush that allowed us to ignore what we knew was there. We all knew he used steroids, but didn't care because we all collectively wanted the record to be broken.

McGwire now pays with the media vote and his refusal to talk. Barring some mea culpa or fantastic media relations push, I don't think Mac will make into the Hall of Fame. He has taken the bullet for now. Whether others follow or not has yet to be seen. Hall of Fame Inductee Tony Gwinn stated it best, "We all knew about steroids in the game. Players knew, the media knew, the owners knew, -nobody said anything about it. We now have rules in place, in the 80's and 90's, we had no rules."

Mcgwire was able to bring a country together with his magic ability with a bat. That carries a lot of weight with me. Perhaps someday the writers will remember that magic when its time to vote.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Vijay Gets Tough


As I mentioned last week, Vijay Singh was a contender to win in the first tournament on the PGA Tour in Hawaii this weekend. Vijay came out strong and beat Adam Scott and up and comer Trevor Immelman with authority. After the victory, Vijay sounded intense and pissed off at being written off because of his age and sub-par season last year. "Anyone who says 43 is old, they can go to hell" Vijay proclaimed during the trophy presentation. Reportedly, Vijay did two-a day workouts in Hawaii for two weeks followed by hitting 400 balls and then playing 18 holes. Seems like the Fijian is tuned up and ready to go, while Tiger proclaimed last week that he hadn't practiced enough to play in the Mercedes. Vijay turns 44 shortly and may be back at the top of his game. A Tiger-Vijay renewed rivarly will be good for golf. Boom it baby!

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Playoff picks for wagering purposes only!



Let's see if Jackson can beat the Swami, he seems distracted these days.


AFC

K.C 3 over Indy

N.E. 6 over NYJ



NFC

Dallas 3 over Seattle

Philly 8 over NYG

Friday, January 05, 2007

NFC Wildcard Playoff Preview













Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
@ Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys come into their wildcard showdown with a two game losing streak and Tony Romo coming back to Earth. The Seahawks have looked nothing like the dominant team that went to the Super Bowl last year. The line is the Seahawks are giving 3. I think a shaky performance by Tony Romo will sink Dallas and give the Seahawks the edge. Look for Seattle to get its act together and be ready to face the Bears next week.

Prediction: Seahawks 27 Cowboys 21

New York Giants (8-8) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
Jeff Garcia has revitalized his career back with the Eagles West Coast Offense. Eli Manning and the Giants might have saved Tom Coughlin's job with the win last week. If they lose to the Eagles, and they will, there will be more calls for his job. I just don't believe in Eli, who in my opinion has regressed this year. Tiki had a monster game last week, but I don't think he will repeat this against the Eagles. Even though they split their two regular season games, the Eagles dominated both before collapsing in the first game. Look for the Eagles to get out early, neutralize the Giants running game and force Eli into several mistakes.

Prediction: Eagles 34 Giants 17

AFC Wildcard Playoff Preview













Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
@ Indianapolis Colts (12-4)

This game pits one of the leagues best runners Larry Johnson against the worst run defense in the league. This has upset written all over it. Peyton Manning might be without Reggie Wayne. If Tony Dungy loses in the first round there might be calls for his dismissal. Peyton Manning has an abysmal 3-6 playoff record. A victory would really help Herm Edwards stake his claim as an effective coach. It is a long shot, but look for a Chiefs victory and the unraveling of the Colts after this first round loss.

Prediction: Kansas City 31 Indianapolis 28

New York Jets (10-6) @ New England Patriots (12-4)
Its mentor versus student Round 3. The Pats soundly defeated the Jets in the Meadowlands but were beaten in New England. I'm calling for another surprising upset with Mangini doing his magic against Belichick. The line is Patriots giving 8. I was only going to call for the Jets to cover, but I have feeling the unimaginable will happen and Tom Brandy will go down. Yes, the bonnix is calling for two upsets in the AFC!

Prediction: New York 24 New England 23

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Quote of the Week!


This weeks quote is unchallanged. It comes from our very own Rex himself. In an astounding revelation on his lack of discipline in preparing for Green Bay.

"I felt like I was going to play a half, its the last game, New Years Eve, and there were so many factors that brought my focus away from what's actually important."

Clearly his head wasn't in the game but in his ass. More than likely its still there if he is admitting to crazy quotes such as this. Start him, but keep him on a very quick hook.

New Year's Eve Massacre


I have to agree with the school of thought that says da' Bears should stick with Grossman, even though its clear that he sucks. Basically, it's too late to change horses at this stage.

The Bears have always had a problem at the QB position, even in the odd year that they have a winning record. This holds true even for the '85 Bears. McMahon was a good QB, but he wasn't great. He had a great supporting cast. The '85 Bears were strong in virtually every position.

Griese didn't play all that well when he came in as the backup, throwing 2 interceptions and 1 TD. Changing QB's now would be very disruptive to a team with the best record in the league, even if they had an easy schedule. Still, the Packer New Year's Eve Massacre has demoralized and scared the Bears from the uncertainty projected by Lovie ('gimme some Lovie by showing me the money) Smith to the self-defeatist attitude displayed by Grossman (3 int's and a Big"0" for his passer rating in the Massacre). Whether it's Grossman or someone else, the Massacre was the beginning of the end to the post-season. I'm sorry to say, 1 and out is on the horizon.

The Weis and Fall of Notre Dame

Last night's Sugar Bowl was perhaps the least competitive of the BCS Bowls thus far. The Golden Domers proved once again to be unworthy of inclusion at the highest level of college football losing to LSU 41-14. Earning Notre Dame the ignoble title of current longest streak of Bowl losses. Jamarcus Russell thoroughly outplayed presumed #1 pick Brady Quinn. How can the architect of Tom Brady's 3 Super Bowls get destroyed with the #1 pick? Is this the most overrated coach in college sports? It's starting to look that way.

Let's review his performance against Top 10 teams over his two year career. This year Charlie's team was crushed by Michigan at home 47-21. After they beat up on the service acadamies, USC humilated the Irish 44-24 to end the season. Two games against Top 10 teams, two humbling losses. What about last year? Same story. The Irish were beaten by Matt Leinart's, now legendary, push into the end zone at home. Couple that with the another double digit loss to Troy Smith in last year's Fiesta Bowl and we get a clearer picture. Charlie is currently 0-5 against top 10 opponents and 0-2 in Bowl games.

Was Notre Dame premature to give Charlie Weis a ten year extension last year? I certainly think so. As we sit in Chicago with the lowest paid NFL coach, many people say that Lovie needs to win a playoff game before he gets an extension. Shouldn't the boosters at Notre Dame be equally demanding? Next years team will be without Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzija, so expect the team to be even less competetive than this year. What must be really pricking the Golden Domers is that their first choice, Urban Meyer, also in his second year, is playing for a National Championship with Florida. The funny thing, Florida has not extended Urban Meyer's contract as of yet.

I'll admit that two years is not enough time to make a certain decision on Charlie, but all the things that the boosters were complaining about with Willingham remain. No Bowl victories. No wins against USC. Not being competive against top 10 teams. Willingham was run out of town in his third year for these kind of results, let's see if they do the same to Weis.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Mercedes Championship Picks


The Mercedes Championship kicks off the PGA Tour this weekend. Breakfast Ball's pick to win is Stuart Appleby who has won an uprecedented three times in a row already. No one can explain why Appleby has been able to win the season opener consistently under various conditions, but he seems to come out strong every year. Casual observers should make no mistake, Appleby is a very talented golfer, who should have done better in the Majors over the years. A textbook swing and smooth putting stroke place him in the top ranks of PGA pros. Some observers are picking another Aussie, Adam Scott to continue to build on his success in the Player's Championship. Another sleeper is Vijay Singh who has battled closely with Appleby over the past several years. Unfortunately, the Fijian's season last year was an overall disappointment with only victory and no contention in the Majors, with the exception of a decent showing at the Masters. For Vijay, it's all about the putter and it has majorly let him down in the past couple of years. Should be a good way to kick off the new season. Obviously, no Tiger brings other golfers into contention and they will be trying hard to take advantage of it considering the new FedEx point system. Boom it!

Matt Millen Part 7





How many Freddy Krueger movies, How many Jason movies, How many bad reruns of ineptitude, poor decision-making, and general lassitude must the Detroit Lions fan take???

Today we learn the Lions just hired a new defensive coordinator, Coach Marinelli's son-in-law. Now we add nepotism to this rotten organization.

Matt Millen has survived another horrible season at the helm of the Lions. He is both president and GM of this pathetic excuse of a team. He will return next year to haunt the dreams of the fans and dishearten the unfortunate players on the worst franchise in football. First order of business-screw up another draft.

Two more wins for the Bears next season!!!

Monday, January 01, 2007

Up and comers in 2007


Here are some names to watch on the PGA tour in 2007:

1. Henrik Stenson- The tall Swede performed magificently in the '06 Ryder Cup and has been a standout on the European Tour. Great mid-game and putter. Expect him to play some more PGA events in '07.
2. Adam Scott- Won the tour ending Players Championship (a field that did not include Tiger, Phil and a few others) and had fairly strong showings in the majors in '06. He needs to win a major this year to fulfill great promise. Was eclipsed by fellow Aussie Ogilvy who won the U.S. Open after the famous Phil meltdown.
3. Greg Ogilvy- Now that he's won a major out of the blue, he's been staying in contention in other tournaments. Had other wins last year on the tour and with that smooth swing, should be a player again in '07.
4. Arjun Atwal- The Indian star has successfully come off of the Asian Tour and has been making steady headway on the PGA tour. Should be able to get a couple of top tens at least this year.
5. Camilo Villegas- "The Spider" has come out of Columbia and onto the tour with a huge splash. His game seems to be improving consistently as well. This might be a breakthrough year for him.

The new FedEx points system and a preview of the season opener Mercedes Championship are coming soon.

Bears Wrap: Bravado Gone!


For the first time this year, the Bears not only had their bravado stripped from them, but you could actually see panic enveloping their eyes. This wasn't only caused by the play on the field, but at the realization that in the single game elimination format, they could very well be done.

Don't tell me they didn't try, they played to win. Grossman looked shell shocked and their is no time to get his confidence back. Practice doesn't do it! If he plays like a grammar schooler again, their is no next week. For the first time, the administration cracked and Lov had panic in his eyes. There was no "Rex is our guy" following the game!

Though Griese didn't look much better, he is clearly rusty. If Lovie had given him more reps last month and played him occasionally, he would click much better. Rex obviously doesn't tolerate a benching well. Bad Rex should be supporting the Grease.

I'm tired of "i'll fix it Rex", there is no time for that- can't fuck up a game now and make up for it next week.

Lovie must start the Grease as well as Bensen. Enough of making him pay for holding out two years ago. He is clearly better and more explosive than Jones. Make the Grease play conservatively and hammer Bensen 25-30 times. He will definitely break one given a chance. If Griese doesn't play well you can always bring in Bad Rex. I don't buy the Madden logic that Rex can't sub for Griese.

The defense is broken and can't be fixed. The best part of this defense was intimidation-its long gone. They can be scored upon by awful teams and scored upon at will by decent teams.

So the game plan is conservatism. Play Griese, Bensen and hope the defense gets some turnovers. If they are one and done, this administration will be turned over faster than Rummy.