« November 2007 | Main | January 2008 »
The Ravens finally found something at which they could be No. 1.
Baltimore became the first NFL team to fire its head coach.
According to reports on the Sun website and ESPN, Brian Billick has been let go following the team's 5-11 finish.
What remains to be seen is whether the Ravens will go outside of the organization for a new coach or promote defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who may be a popular choice within the locker room.
Obviously, every team has to decide for itself how to approach games at the end of the season that have no bearing on their own playoff situation.
The Giants -- and that includes coach Tom Coughlin -- deserve an enormous amount of credit for slugging it out with the Patriots right up to the end of their game Saturday night. The Bears certainly didn't lay down for the Saints. And the Broncos did the same against the Vikings.
I realize Tony Dungy was trying to prime his guys for the playoffs. And if Manning had gotten hurt in a meaningless game, then the coach would be in deep trouble.
But put yourself in the place of the Browns and their fans. Cleveland simply needed Indianapolis to beat Tennessee. However, once Peyton Manning was out of the game and backup QB Jim Sorgi entered, the Browns were finished.
Consider that the Titans managed just 16 points playing their hearts out against the Indianapolis defense which had nothing at stake. Obviously, Manning and the first-string offense would have easily beaten Tennessee. As the Browns know, they have no one to blame but themselves after losing the previous week to a Cincinnati team that had already been eliminated.
At first glance, it would appear that this offseason may be a little more quiet than usual in terms of coaching changes. At this very moment, the only actively open job is in Atlanta, where Bobby Petrino left to become the coach at Arkansas.
At the top of the list to be dismissed is Miami's Cam Cameron -- even though Cameron reportedly told his players he'd be back in 2008. But with Bill Parcells hired with intentions to "restructure" the Dolphins, the likelihood of Cameron staying on are slim.
The first real move was in Buffalo (7-9), where Marv Levy reportedly will no longer be general manager. Since head coach Dick Jauron was Levy's choice, you have to wonder what that means for Jauron.
The clock on coaches expected to turn around programs is three years and the 49ers' Mike Nolan, whose third season ended at 5-11, may have run out of time. In St. Louis, Scott Linehan has had just two seasons but the Rams (3-13) haven't appeared to make any progress. At the least, changes may occur in the front office.
In Kansas City, 4-12 was a major disappointment but Herm Edwards will probably get one more year to get his quarterback situation headed in the right direction and at least be competitive. Rod Marinelli may survive Detroit's collapse but it would seem that offensive Mike Martz will take the fall.
For Ravens fans, what will happen in the weeks and months ahead is much more important than what happened yesterday.
Over the next month or so, while the posteason theater unfolds in other NFL cities, here in Baltimore, the attention will be on the search for a new offensive coordinator, free agency and the NFL draft.
Did what happened yesterday in that 27-21 win over listless Pittsburgh have any bearing on what the Ravens decide to do down the road regarding players? Probably not. It was good to see that rookie quarterback Troy Smith could perform efficiently given some reasonable circumstances, as opposed to that debacle in Seattle. But it doesn't project him as a starting quarterback, either.
Offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden's photo session with his family near the end of the game seemed to speak volumes about his intentions but remember, it seemed that way last year with Brett Favre following the Packers' last game. And look what happened there. But Ogden is a pretty introspective guy and now players are much more conscious about what prolonged NFL service can mean in terms of long-term health. Considering Ogden lives in Las Vegas, let's put the chances of his return in those terms. I'd say, don't bet on it.
You do wonder, though, whether yesterday's outcome has any bearing on Brian Billick's return. My sense of the situation is that he does come back with the obvious conditions about re-engineering the offense under the new offensive coordinator. I'm not sure anyone has a clear read on what's going through owner Steve Bisciotti's mind but I'll venture this -- if the Ravens had been embarrassed by Pittsburgh's second-stringers, it wouldn't have done Billick any good. All things considered -- the injuries, Billick's contract extension, the 13-3 record in 2006 -- as far as the coach's return is concerned, I'd say this: Don't bet against it.
A former colleague who works in Philadelphia, sports writer Frank Fitzpatrick, devoted a recent column to some cleverly mischievous renditions of holiday favorites, one of which is particularly timely considering tomorrow's game between New England and the New York Giants with the Patriots going for a 16-0 regular-season record.
Here's the first few lines of Fitzpatrick's satire of Pats coach Bill Belichick.
"Billy the Pats' Coach"
(To the tune of "Frosty the Snowman")
Billy the Pats' coach was a glum and sneaky cheat.
With a torn sweatshirt and a headphone hat and a team no one could beat.
Here's the full version, as well as send-ups on Eagles coach Andy Reid, new Miami football exec Bill Parcells and baseball, in general.
Photo credit: Winslow Townson/AP
Penn State coach Joe Paterno's age has been an issue for --- well, forever it seems.
Paterno just turned 81 and for a while now, the whispers have been hardly whispers that perhaps he should retire, that the game had passed him by, that he was holding back the Nittany Lions because he wasn't on top of his game. Penn State had four losing seasons in five years from 2000 through 2004, but the the whispers were quieted in '05 when the Nittany Lions went 11-1. The last two years, Penn State has been 17-8 and plays Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl tomorrow.
All of which brings us to an Aggie yell leader (sort of a cheerleader) during a pep rally yesterday shouting that Paterno needed a "casket" and that he was on his "death bed." The attempt at humor was ill-received and the fellow was sent home post-haste.
Paterno, meanwhile, took it with good humor.
"I think everybody has to take things with a grain of salt," the Penn State coach said. "Some young guy went up there, trying to be funny. Maybe he's accurate, I don't know."
Photo credit: Morry Gash/AP
Today's musical tribute acknowledges the obvious -- the Patriots' pursuit of perfection. This video was done when the team was 14-0, but you can fill in that cakewalk against Miami last week and it sets up tomorrow's historic game against the Giants.
The last week of the NFL regular season is pretty much a waste of time as far as picking against the line.
For one thing, so many games mean so very little. For another, it's hard to tell who will play and how much. Playoff teams will probably rest their starters and who knows how the backups will play. The teams that are going home will give some reps to the second-stringers to help with offseason evaluations. It's like trying to predict exhibition games.
The unusual circumstances make for some curious lines. For instance, the Redskins, who need their game against Dallas to make the playoffs, are 9-point favorites over the Cowboys, who have already clinched the NFC home-field advantage. If these two teams play down the road, that line will probably be reversed. So with our record at 27-21-2, here's the end of the regular-season selections.
New England at New York Giants (14) -- The Giants are 13 1/2, 14-point underdogs to the Patriots in tomorrow's historic game at the Meadowlands. I have a feeling that New York is going to make a stand, at least in the first half. But if the Patriots get up by more than two touchdowns, I think that'll take the fight out of the Giants and they'll start playing this game with their own playoffs in mind. So I'm going to approach this as if I were in Vegas and had an opportunity to pick against the first-half line. It's now at 10 at a few sports books. If I had to make a pick, that's the one. Pick: Giants, first half, getting 10.
Cowboys at Redskins (-9, 38 1/2 over-under) -- Obviously, I like the Redskins here. Who doesn't? But nine is a big number, even if the Cowboys don't play or pull Tony Romo. And, of course, Terrell Owens is hurt. I think Washington needs this one too much, though, to play it too close to the vest so I believe we'll see a reasonable amount of scoring. Pick: The over, 38 1/2.
As if Ravens followers needed any more indignity, the guy who traded on the misfortunes of the hometown team for some cheap publicity has been arrested for allegedly being a deadbeat dad.
Ron Stach, the "Goof on the Roof" who promised he would stay atop a Canton bar until either the Ravens broke their losing streak or head coach Brian Billick was fired, was arrested earlier this week for owing more than than $34,000 in child support payments. Stach (left), who started his rooftop protest on Dec. 11, had actually come down unceremoniously on Christmas Day. Apparently, he couldn't even make it through the end of the season.
Stach's current case still needs to be resolved (he has a legal history related to this issue and was sentenced to jail 11 years ago for contempt of court) but if someone did make a spectacle of themselves while owing all that the cash for failing to support a child, here are some other descriptions that may be more apt:
* The bum who owes mum.
* The jerk who should work.
* The dope who steals hope.
* The louse of the house.
* And the fool on the stool.
And more thing, STOP WEARING THAT RAVENS GEAR!
Photo credit: Kim Hairston/Sun
Say what you will about Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter -- and there's not much good we in Baltimore would generally have to say about him -- but one of Vegas' most feisty blackjack player does kind of get to the point.
When Bill Parcells showed up at Dolphins practice yesterday, Porter observed that players moved a little "faster"and coaches coached a little "louder."
In other words, everyone's job is in jeopardy in Miami.
The chances that first-year head coach Cam Cameron and general manager Randy Mueller will be retained would appear to be next to zero. At his news conference yesterday, Parcells talked about his role as one where he's there to put in place a "structure" that would allow the Dolphins to succeed.
His job isn't to coach. It isn't to be general manager, which means player personnel. It's all about "structure." I don't think that means making sure the practice fields are watered. If the idea was to keep Cameron and Mueller around, owner Wayne Huizenga wouldn't need Parcells.
This was kind of an interesting decision for Parcells. He was almost philosophical when he talked about taking this Dolphins job. He's 66 now and he discussed that he's come to terms with the fact that he "likes football very much." That is a classic understatement.
Here's what he said: "I've always liked it. I guess you could call that male menopause when you're no longer ashamed of what you are."
Here's what Parcells really meant: He needs football, like it's oxygen. The championships that Parcells won could have satisfied some people. The heart problems might have scared some guys off. And the constant pressure of coaching four teams would certainly have worn others out. But Parcells keeps coming back.
"It doesn't make any difference how many championships you've won," Parcells said. "You're not winning now, so you become some of the ones that aren't winning now. And they use other terms for you."
We pretty much know what those terms are -- "has been" would be one.
Parcells isn't about to allow that to happen, not easily. Bill Parcells is one of those guys who always has to test himself, put himself at risk, and prevail. And I'm not being judgmental about that. I'm not saying it's either good or bad. For Parcells, that's just the way it is.
But that's also why the quickened pace of practice that Porter noticed yesterday is just the first of many changes about to come to Miami.
Photo credit: Associated Press
The Ravens are down to their third quarterback, arguably their third running back and are missing key players at tight end, wide receiver, in the defensive secondary, along the defensive line and at linebacker (I think that about covers it). So, it hardly levels the playing field that the Pittsburgh Steelers won't be starting Ben Roethlisberger, but it helps a little.
Roethlisberger will miss his first game of the season as he nurses a sprained ankle and a sore throwing shoulder. Charlie Batch, who last started in the opening game of 2006 and played pretty well, will suit up against Baltimore instead. This year, Batch has thrown five passes and completed one for 14 yards. But in a season when Todd Collins can start his first game in 10 years for the Redskins and drag a team into playoff contention, who knows what to expect.
The Steelers are also probably a little concerned with the Ravens' pass rush, even though it hasn't been as effective as in the past. Big Ben has already been sacked 47 times this year and now Steelers left offensive tackle Marvel Smith (back) just had surgery. Pittsburgh may get him back for the second round of the playoffs, if they get that far. Smith will be replaced by Max Starks, who's really a right tackle. Safety Troy Polamalu (knee) isn't expected to play and, of course, starting RB Willie Parker (broken ankle) is out for the year.
When you consider how beat up teams are at this time of year -- whether they're also-rans like the Ravens or playoff-bound like the Steelers -- it makes guys like Brett Fravre, Peyton Maning and Tom Brady seem all the more amazing, and fortunate.
If Roger Clemens really did do all the things he's accused of in the Mitchell Report, the seven-time Cy Young winner is running the most audacious bluff since Chris Moneymaker snowed his way to poker immortality at the 2003 World Series of Poker with king-high zip in head-to-head play.
Since the report was issued saying that he received PED injections, Clemens has come out swinging, first with an Internet video denying all the allegations made by personal trainer Brian McNamee, who said he helped with the injections.
Clemens also agreed to be interviewed by Mike Wallace for 60 Minutes. Granted, Wallace is an admitted friend of Clemens but still, it is Mike Wallace.
And now Clemens is hiring private investigators to delve into the Mitchell Report itself.
At this juncture, I'd like to point out something rather important. McNamee said what he did for the Mitchell Report as part of a plea agreement with the federal government to avoid prosecution for drug distribution. McNamee was warned on each of three occasions that he talked to the Mitchell folks that he faced criminal charges if he failed to tell the truth.
If Clemens' investigators are about to embark on an investigation that's meant to impugn McNamee's version of events, the star pitcher is placing himself between a cooperating witness and the government. Wow, that's deep, folks.
I'll admit that I'm not much of an expert on such things but the recent rush by Giants season-ticket holders to dump their tickets for Saturday's Patriots-Giants game seems to be keeping the resale prices down a little.
There's been a lot written about how New York fans are more than willing to pass up the opportunity to watch their team be the patsies in the historic game.
I was just checking StubHub and the vast majority of tickets I saw for the game were priced between $200 and $500. There were some sky-high prices, over $1,000, but not many. Maybe $250 seems a but pricey for any football game bit I've seen plenty of plain old regular-season games for the real popular teams, Steelers, Packers, Eagles, go for similar amounts (taking into account the location of the seats).
Obviously, this changes minute-by-minute, but you can take a look for yourself.
Anyway, if you have any disposable cash left over from the holidays and want to see history made (or not), that little miracle we all know as the Internet will help get you there.
As you move along, naturally more and more folks pass away that raise an eyebrow.
For fans of the Rocky movies, the sports announcer who gave the blow-by-blow between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed has died. Stu Nahan was 81.
Being possessed of a certain memory often afflicting newspaper reporters, when I saw Nahan -- who worked for most of his career in Southern California -- pop up on the big screen in the first Rocky movie, I thought, "Hey, I know that guy!" I recalled Nahan as "Captain Philadelphia," the host of a kids' program in the city where I grew up. He also did announcing for a couple of pro teams in town, the Flyers and Eagles.
But mostly, Nahan was a California guy. That's where he was born and he's been there for the last 40 years or so as a TV sports anchor, also doing radio. He worked in a few films other than the Rocky movies -- Brian's Song and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. And in the way that few will be, he'll be long memorialized. In Nahan's case, he'll always be the voice describing filmdom's most epic prize fights.
Photo credit: From Los Angeles Times Web article
Here's an interesting twist to the NFL playoffs. The team that would most likely suffer a disadvantage in a game played in cold weather is -- Green Bay.
The Packers were demolished by the Bears last weekend, 35-7, at frigid Soldier Field and Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre says that his team was adversely affected by the harsh weather. Worse than even the cold, strong wind worked against Green Bay.
The problem is that the Packers have become a pass-oriented offense. Green Bay has the second-most pass attempts in the NFL behind only New Orleans. Conversely, the Pack is No. 26 in rushing with 1,380 yards. In bad weather, this puts an extra burden on the Packers' offense to avoid turnovers and puts them in a bad spot if they fall behind by more than a touchdown.
Here's what Favre had to say about the loss to the Bears: "I'm sure there were some guys on our team who thought, 'What did I get myself into?' I don't think anyone knew what we were up against from a weather standpoint. And I think being a real young team, it probably was a little bit of a shock to them."
So, for the first time ever, a home playoff game might be to the Packers' disadvantage and as the second seed in the NFC, they do have to play at least one game at Lambeau Field. There are any number of potential opponents who, on paper, could have an advantage against the Packers playing on the frozen tundra, rushing rankings are in parenthesis -- the Giants (no. 4), the Vikings (No. 1), the Redskins (No. 13), even warm-weather Tampa Bay (No. 11).
Lombardi would be spinning.
Photo credit: (Game played in Seattle) Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
For sports fans, in general, the most significant thing that happened yesterday wasn't on the field, court or ice. It happened in an announcement that the Patriots-Giants game on Saturday will be available on network television.
Previously scheduled to be shown exclusively on NFL Network, what has become an historic sports event as New England goes for a perfect regular season will be simulcast on two familiar networks, CBS and NBC.
As you probably know, under normal circumstances, the game would have been broadcast only to those who have access to NFL Network, either through cable or satellite, and to select stations in the two "home" markets in New England and New York. A majority of households do not receive NFL Network because some major cable carriers either don't carry it at all or have it positioned at a tier that requires additional payment by the subscribers.
Access to NFL Network through large cable outlets has become a bigger issue and received more discussion since last year when the NFL Network started broadcasting a limited number of games itself, eight this season. And this year, two of those games -- a big one between Dallas and Green Bay several weeks ago on a Thursday night and now the Patriots-Giants epic -- were in the spotlight because they were of a magnitude that fans all over the country wanted to see them.
The NFL has wanted to put this on the shoulders of the cable industry but when Congress got involved, namely Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., it was the league who was in the crosshairs. Leahy and Spector co-authored a letter to the league encouraging it to make the game available more broadly. The hammer was that the NFL enjoys an anti-trust exemption that has allowed it to flourish and Congress can always revisit that exemption.
So, in the words of the sometimes endearing, frequently infuriating Terrell Owens, "Getcha popcorn ready."
And finally, from Rasheed Wallace and his Detroit Pistons teammates, this bright Christmas wish. We ran this one a while back but thought it was worth an encore.
First of all, if you really, really dislike the Dallas Cowboys, just skip this one. I don't want to upset you today. But if you can appreciate a little holiday tribute to America's Team as it runs roughshod over the opposition (especially the Eagles, even though Philadelphia recently beat the 'Pokes), have a listen and enjoy.
It's going to be an abbreviated version of the blog today due to the holidays. After this item, we will post a couple of sports Christmas carols, so look for those later today. The blog will be back with new posts on Thursday. But we wanted to leave you with some good news from the sports world.
Kevin Everett, the Buffalo Bills tight end who suffered that frightening spinal cord injury in the first game of the season against Denver, was back at Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday where he walked into the Bills’ locker room.
Remember, Everett’s chances to ever walk again appeared to be almost zero in the first hours after his injury. He had been hurt making a tackle on a kickoff against the Broncos’ Domenik Hixon during a game in Buffalo. In fact, for a while, there was concern that Everett might not even survive and the doctor who performed the surgery to repair the damage to his spine told the 25-year-old his prospects for a full recovery were bleak.
That the injured player was able to travel from Houston where he has been rehabilitating, and meet and talk with his teammates, and have a pre-game meal with them as he did yesterday, is truly a miracle worthy of the season.
Of course, this miracle began almost the moment Everett was injured as the medical personnel on hand started employing a state-of-the-art technique to lower Everett's body temperature and slow down the damage being done to his system. That was followed by a skillful surgery to reconstruct a portion of Everett’s spine that required a bone graft, a plate, a couple of rods and screws to hold it all in place. And then there has been the hard rehab work that it has obviously taken for Everett to get to this point.
As Everett watched the game from owner Ralph Wilson's suite, the Bills got off to a quick start against the New York Giants and led 14-0 after the first quarter. But the Giants, fighting for a playoff spot, rallied to win, 38-21.
While a Buffalo triumph would have been a nice Christmas present for Everett, his own victory -- being able to walk into the locker room -- looms larger than any numbers on a scoreboard.
And regardless of who lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February, I think it's fair to say that Kevin Everett can be considered the biggest winner of this NFL season.
Happiest holidays to all and our, ahem, carolers will be along momentarily.
Photo credit: David Duprey/AP
We lost both picks against the line this week. Our choices, Cleveland and Tampa Bay, were outright losers after having been favored. It puts our season record at 27-21-2.
In the Browns-Bengals game, Cleveland QB Derek Anderson had his worst performance of the season and the Browns squandered chances to go ahead 14-0 in the first quarter. Given a reprieve, Cincinnati started counter-punching. With a win, Cleveland could have clinched a playoff spot but by losing to the Bengals, the Browns have themselves in a tough spot.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden crossed me up in the Bucs' game against San Francisco by sitting his regulars, including starting QB Jeff Garcia. By doing so, Gruden all but conceded the No. 3 seed to Seattle. The Seahawks took advantage of the favor by beating Baltimore. Granted, the higher seed probably won't mean much but I wasn't counting on Gruden essentially tossing the game away. Seattle's Mike Holmgren sure didn't.
