11/21/24
Archives for January 2012
January 31, 2012
Madden: Pro Bowl 'Embarrassment to Pro Football': Coach and commentator John Madden said Sunday's Pro Bowl should be the last the NFL ever plays. "It was pathetic," he told KBCS radio. "It was embarrassing to pro football. And if they're going to play like that -- or not play like that -- there shouldn't even be a game. ... They just can't keep embarrassing themselves. Heck, the fans in Hawaii were booing them." Though ratings for the game were down 8 percent, it was still the most-watched sports event of the weekend.
posted by rcade to football at 03:51 PM - 20 comments
Ochocinco Doesn't Rate a Podium at Super Bowl Media Day: For Super Bowl media day today, 18 members of the New England Patriots were given podiums. Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco wasn't one of them, but he was grateful and humble when interviewed by Deion Sanders in the crowd. "I don't need a podium," he said. Ochocinco's 15 catches, 276 yards and one touchdown are career lows. "He hasn't even been targeted once in the playoffs," said Rich Eisen on the NFL Network. Asked earlier what he learned this season, Ochocinco said, "That I can finally shut the [expletive] up."
posted by rcade to football at 10:52 AM - 19 comments
Murray State Basketball's Last Unbeaten School: The Murray State Racers are the last undefeated Division I men's team at 21-0, reached the highest ranking in school history at No. 9 and now have a rap anthem. They play in Murray, Ky., a town of 17,000 two hours' drive from the nearest major airport in Nashville, but have 25 consecutive winning seasons and could run the table to the tournament if they can beat St. Mary's. "If it's 8 o'clock Saturday night and Murray is playing at home and Kentucky is playing on TV, we're still getting 4,000 to 5,000 fans," said Bennie Purcell, a Murray State player in the 1950s. "Basketball is our identity."
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:27 AM - 1 comment
Super Bowl Pick 'em: Make your picks inside
posted by apoch to fantasy at 07:41 AM - 33 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
January 30, 2012
Super Bowl Mayor’s Bet: Politicians' bets over sporting events tend to fall into one of a few categories: There's the Food Bet, in which both sides offer up local delicacies. There's the Good Deed Bet, in which the losing mayor (or governor, or whatever) must perform some sort of community service. There's also the Do-Something-Embarrassing Bet, which usually involves wearing the winning team's jersey in front of cameras, but can take other forms as well.
posted by tommytrump to culture at 09:38 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 20 comments
January 29, 2012
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
January 28, 2012
U.S. Women Storm into London Olympics: The U.S. Women's soccer team has qualified for the Summer Olympics in London, defeating four opponents in CONCACAF qualifying by a combined score of 34-0. A 3-0 win over Costa Rica Friday night put them in the Olympics for the fifth time. Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan scored the goals.
posted by rcade to soccer at 05:22 PM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
January 27, 2012
Kravitz: 'Peyton Manning is Done in Indianapolis': After Peyton Manning gave an interview to Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz about how everyone's "walking around on eggshells" at the Indianapolis Colts facility because of all the staff turnover, Colts owner Jim Irsay called Manning a "politician" and said he should've kept his comments "in the family." Kravitz said the spat shows that Manning's not going to be kept by the team: "My fervent hope is this doesn't continue to devolve. We are talking about good people in a bad situation, the thorniest situation since the 49ers traded Joe Montana."
posted by rcade to football at 09:55 AM - 53 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
January 26, 2012
The Ultimate Football Draft: and the season's (simulated) results.
posted by yerfatma to soccer at 12:15 PM - 9 comments
Florida Requires Pro Sports Teams to Take In Homeless: Two Republican state legislators in Florida have introduced bills that would require the state's pro sports franchises to house homeless people in their stadiums or give back the millions they've received from the state. "I want to make good citizens out of them," said state Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton), who authored the legislation with state Rep. Frank Artilles (R-Miami). A never-enforced 1988 law required teams that take state money to house the homeless when they're not playing. "The rule was you took the money you were supposed to use it for a program for homeless people and you didn't do it and therefore we want our money back."
posted by rcade to general at 10:06 AM - 10 comments
Donors Pay Sarah Burke's Huge Medical Bill: The family of Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke has raised several hundred thousand dollars to cover medical costs incurred after she was injured in a Jan. 10 training accident that ultimately ended her life. Donations on Give Forward have reached $294,000. "Enough funds have been raised to cover the anticipated costs related to Sarah's medical care," the family states. "Future donations will go towards post-hospital arrangements such as services and memorial costs and to establish a foundation to honor Sarah's legacy."
posted by rcade to olympics at 09:46 AM - 10 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
January 25, 2012
Colts Hire Chuck Pagano as Head Coach: The Indianapolis Colts have chosen Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to be their new head coach, succeeding Jim Caldwell. Pagano, 51, has never been a head coach. He was coordinator this year for the Ravens after three years coaching defensive backs and had prior stints with the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.
NFL Logos of the Non-Existent Past: "Gridiron League is a collection of idealized NFL insignias that pay tribute to each team's history and geography in a period-specific aesthetic that glorifies the Vince Lombardi-era over the Cold-Activated-era. ... Many NFL franchises ... have updated their uniforms and logos to a swooshed-out, dropped-shadowed, and more commercial-ready image, ignoring a good deal of their team's heritage and the original rough-and-tumble character that the league stood for." -- Wes Kull
posted by rcade to football at 03:50 PM - 16 comments
Vikings Punter Trolls Skip Bayless for Kicks: How does Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe feel about ESPN commentator Skip Bayless' idea of taking field goal kicking out of football entirely? "Hey [expletive]," he told him on Twitter. "Let's not forget you haven't done a single athletic thing in your life. Go french kiss a flamethrower." Kluwe said a lot more and followed up by telling a sports columnist what he'd like to tell Bayless on ESPN's First Take: "I hope you fall down an elevator shaft onto a burning pile of rusted AIDS needles."
posted by rcade to football at 10:44 AM - 31 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 22 comments
January 24, 2012
Tigers Sign Prince Fielder for 9 Years, $214 Million: The Detroit Tigers have signed Prince Fielder to a 9-year, $214 million deal, the fourth-largest in baseball history. Fielder's dad Cecil played in Detroit from 1990 to 1996. As a 12-year-old, Prince once hit an upper-deck home run at the old Tigers Stadium while hanging out with dad at the yard. "It raises the question ... about what the Tigers will do in 2013, when Fielder, Cabrera and Martinez seemingly would be in line for two spots: first base and DH," reports the Detroit Free-Press.
posted by rcade to baseball at 04:03 PM - 12 comments
The Celtics held the Magic to 56 points last night: and Off The Dribble takes a look at the man and the technique that revived their defense. More hometown coverage of Avery Bradley's effort here.
posted by yerfatma to basketball at 03:05 PM - 4 comments
Giants Sought to Give Kyle Williams Another Concussion: Several players for the New York Giants said they targeted San Francisco 49ers returner Kyle Williams because of his history of concussions. "We knew he had four concussions, so that was our biggest thing, was to take him outta the game," said Giants special teamer Jacquian Williams. "He's had a lot of concussions. We were just like, 'We gotta put a hit on that guy,'" said another Giant, Devin Thomas.
posted by rcade to football at 08:23 AM - 40 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
January 23, 2012
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 22 comments
Giants, Patriots in Super Rematch: The New England Patriots and New York Giants booked a rematch of Super Bowl 0x2A on Sunday. Lawrence Tynes kicked a 31-yard overtime field goal to give the Giants a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC, while the Patriots won 23-20 over the Baltimore Ravens when kicker Billy Cundiff missed on a 32-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds remaining in the AFC.
posted by rcade to football at 12:08 AM - 90 comments
January 22, 2012
Penn State Coach Joe Paterno Dies: Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has died after a battle with lung cancer, his family said. He was 85. Penn State's Board of Trustees fired him in November after a grand jury indictment revealed that Paterno was told former assistant Jerry Sandusky engaged in a sexual act with a 10-year-old boy in the team's showers but did not notify police. He was the winningest coach in college football history after 46 years leading the school.
posted by rcade to football at 10:31 AM - 59 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
January 21, 2012
Whether he retired or was fired, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is officially no longer with the Pittsburgh Steelers: Despite a second straight 12-4 season, two 1,000 yard receivers, and a running game that averaged 4.4 yards per carry, Arians is out. Now the speculation begins about who will replace Ben Roethlisberger's favorite coach. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports writer, Gerry Dulac, writes that since running back coach Kirby Wilson was badly burned in a house fire earlier this month, he is unlikely to be able to take the position as had been expected. So will the Steelers look outside the organization for only the 3rd time since 1969 or will they promote from within? Perhaps current quarterback's coach Randy Fichtner?
posted by scully to football at 08:36 AM - 19 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
January 20, 2012
Volleyball's Wizard of Westwood to retire at the end of this season: "The era of Al Scates coaching UCLA is a special era in collegiate athletics that, maybe because it's men's volleyball, most people don't appreciate." This will be Coach Scates 50th and final season as the head coach at UCLA, highlighted by 19 NCAA titles, 44 USMNT members, 27 Olympians, and 42 seasons of "mutually agreed-upon one-year contracts".
posted by Ufez Jones to other at 06:38 PM - 1 comment
Fine Accuser Admits He Lied to Reporters, Doctored Emails: Zach Tomaselli, a 23-year-old convicted child molester who accused Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of sexually abusing him on a team road trip when he was 13, has admitted that he lied to reporters and doctored emails from police and school officials to bolster his claims. Local district attorney William Fitzpatrick also said Tomaselli changed his story to police, first claiming to have been taken on a trip to a team Syracuse didn't play that season. School records undermine Tomaselli's claim to have been out of school on the days he said the trip took place. Tomaselli, awaiting sentencing, told the Post-Standard newspaper that he's dropping the civil suit against Fine and asking the police to stop investigating his accusation.
posted by rcade to basketball at 03:05 PM - 1 comment
Rams Will Play in London Next 3 Years: The St. Louis Rams will play one regular-season home game in London for each of the next three years, beginning with a game against the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in October. Rams owner Stanley Kroenke has British sports ties as majority shareholder in the Premiership side Arsenal. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been pushing for a team to play annually in London, saying it will "lead us to what we ultimately would like to do -- have a franchise here in London." Eleven million people watched NFL football in England last season, a 32 percent increase in the past two years.
posted by rcade to football at 11:41 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
Sarah Burke passes away: Professional skier Sarah Burke, whose accident was mentioned on here when it happened, has sadly passed away from her injuries.
posted by Drood to olympics at 12:50 AM - 14 comments
January 19, 2012
Fausto Carmona Roberto Hernandez Heredia arrested in Dominican Republic for using false identity; may be age 31, not 28: "We were recently made aware of the situation that occurred today in the Dominican Republic and are currently in the process of gathering information," Indians GM Chris Antonetti said. "We are not prepared to make any additional comment at this time."
posted by tommytrump to baseball at 07:44 PM - 1 comment
Pepe defends his stomp on Messi: Sort of. It's @dirtytackle's "version of Pepe's defense of his actions." Even the Madrid papers are going hard on Real's center back and, after all, it isn't his first time doing something so stupid. Hopefully he gets a longer vacation this time.
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 03:48 PM - 2 comments
When you Say Budweiser, you've said it all: Fifa General Secretary Jerome Valcke said the right to sell beer must be enshrined in a World Cup law the Brazilian Congress is considering. "Alcoholic drinks are part of the Fifa World Cup, so we're going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that's something we won't negotiate. The fact that we have the right to sell beer has to be a part of the law." There's no way that Budweiser being a major sponsor has anything to do with his position though, right? And what about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
posted by scully to soccer at 01:50 PM - 0 comments
Do Sports Build Character, or Damage It?: Mark Edmundson, a University of Virginia English professor, asks the question through the lens of his own experience as a mediocre high school football player: "Over time, I came to understand that the objective of the game, on the deepest level, wasn't to score spectacular touchdowns or make bone-smashing tackles or block kicks. The game was much more about practice than about the Saturday-afternoon contests. And practice was about trying to do something over and over again, failing and failing, and then finally succeeding part way. Practice was about showing up and doing the same drills day after day and getting stronger and faster by tiny, tiny increments, and then discovering that by the end of the season you were effectively another person" (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to general at 09:52 AM - 7 comments
Not your business: after a yes-it-is-no-it-isn't ruling on the permissability of her underwear, Tina Maze tells the FIS where to get off.
posted by lil_brown_bat to other at 09:11 AM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 25 comments
The ultimate veteran, Jamie Moyer, signs a minor league deal with Rockies.:
Forty-nine years old.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 12:26 AM - 15 comments
January 18, 2012
"Peyton Manning Will Retire": says long-time NFL beat reporter Rob Lowe. I'm sure he played a reporter at some point.
posted by yerfatma to football at 04:17 PM - 5 comments
Rangers Running Out of Time to Sign Yu Darvish: The Texas Rangers have until 5 p.m. today to reach a contract with Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish or he'll continue to play in his native country. The Rangers paid $51.7 million to his team for the rights to negotiate with the 25-year-old, but that money won't be paid unless he signs. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports said the sticking point is whether he's signed for five or six years. "Both sides expect to complete a deal," Passan writes.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:24 AM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
January 17, 2012
Not for the Sheepish ... or is it?: New Zealand produces some of the world's best shearers and its national championship, the Golden Shears, receives substantial media coverage; but the IOC is unlikely to be persuaded that it should be an Olympic demonstration sport. [more inside]
posted by scully to olympics at 06:51 PM - 4 comments
Indianapolis Colts fire Jim Caldwell: Caldwell and his staff have been in limbo since early January, when owner Jim Irsay fired club vice chairman Bill Polian and vice president/general manager Chris Polian and hired Ryan Grigson as g.m.
posted by tommytrump to football at 02:55 PM - 1 comment
Bill Belichick: "the NFL's last real anarchist."
posted by yerfatma to football at 10:31 AM - 20 comments
NFL Playoff Pick'em, Championship Round: Week 1 scores and picks for the championship round inside.
posted by apoch to fantasy at 10:04 AM - 21 comments
Is Sim Bhullar the next Asian basketball ambassador: or will it be his brother, who's only 7' 2"? Bhullar wound up signing with New Mexico State, but has not played in his Freshman year.
posted by yerfatma to basketball at 09:55 AM - 0 comments
CBS Launching Fantasy Sports App Store: CBS Sports is opening up its fantasy sports services and data to third-party developers, according to TechCrunch. An app store will launch Jan. 31 that can offer free and commercial apps. CBS will take a 30 percent cut on sales of the latter. API documentation and more details are available from the CBSSports.Com Development Center.
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
January 16, 2012
20 finalists selected for 2012 U.S. Olympics Men's Basketball Team: New additions from the 2008 gold winning team include Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant.
posted by insomnyuk to basketball at 09:33 PM - 0 comments
Bernie Fine Accuser Recants: Floyd VanHooser, an imprisoned burglar who accused Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of sexually abusing him as a child, has admitted he made up the claim. VanHooser wrote in a letter that he lied about Fine to police and in media interviews. VanHooser, 56, said he lied because he was angry Fine didn't help him get a lawyer. Syracuse fired Fine in November after 35 years as an assistant.
posted by rcade to basketball at 06:11 PM - 8 comments
First item of business for new Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel: have the office swept for bugs.
posted by yerfatma to football at 03:48 PM - 4 comments
Chris Coleman Possible Successor to Late Gary Speed: Chris Coleman, who recently resigned as manager of Greek side Larissa, is set to meet with the Football Association of Wales to discuss the opening left when former boss Gary Speed committed suicide last November. Coleman may be a favourite of the players as he has indicated that he would be open to keeping the staff that was in place, saying "If it ain't broke, you don't fix it." The only other known candidates are also Welsh, but have no managerial experience, leading many to think that Coleman is likely to be appointed.
posted by scully to soccer at 10:19 AM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
January 15, 2012
Giants Send Green Bay Packing: For the second time in four years, the New York Giants made a playoff trip as underdogs to Lambeau Field and left with a victory over the Green Bay Packers. The Giants advance to the NFC Championship Game with a 37-20 win, powered by Eli Manning's 21 for 33 passing with 330 yards and three touchdowns. Hakeem Nicks caught seven of the passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. "There is no way to sugarcoat the Packers' performance," writes Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "It was easily their worst of the season, far worse than their 19-14 loss to Kansas City in Week 15."
posted by rcade to football at 11:32 PM - 30 comments
Ravens Hold Off Texans 20-13: The Baltimore Ravens held off the Houston Texans 20-13 in Sunday's AFC divisional round playoff game, advancing to their third conference championship since becoming the Ravens. Houston fell behind 17-3 in the first quarter but did not give up another point until Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal with 2:56 left in the game. The Ravens forced four turnovers, including two interceptions of T.J. Yates.
posted by rcade to football at 11:25 PM - 7 comments
Patriots Win Laugher Over Broncos: The Denver Broncos didn't have a prayer against the New England Patriots Saturday, losing 45-10 in their AFC divisional playoff. Pats quarterback Tom Brady threw for six touchdowns and 363 yards. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe called it a victory of "biblical proportions." Brady quick kicked on third down near the end of the game for 48 yards, which put the Broncos at their own 10 before a penalty. "It's got to be like seven, eight years since the last time we did it," coach Bill Belichick said.
posted by rcade to football at 09:14 AM - 42 comments
January 14, 2012
49ers Win Thriller Over Saints: In a game that featured four lead changes in the final 4:02, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the New Orleans Saints to advance to the NFC Championship Game. San Fran quarterback Alex Smith ran for a 28-yard touchdown and threw a 14-yard touchdown to tight end Vernon Davis in the waning minutes.
posted by rcade to football at 08:55 PM - 18 comments
Paterno speaks for 1st time since firing: Speaking to a WaPo reporter in his hospital room, "former Penn State coach Joe Paterno says he 'didn't know which way to go' after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy."
posted by billsaysthis to culture at 07:13 PM - 2 comments
Jeff Fisher Chooses Rams Over Dolphins: Jeff Fisher, widely expected to reach a deal to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, chose the St. Louis Rams instead on Friday. "The process has been lengthy, but for good reasons," Fisher said. "I took a lot of time looking at and exploring in detail the non-economic issues of both clubs." He was 262-142 in seventeen seasons leading the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and took the team to Super Bowl 0x22. Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports said the choice hinged on Dolphins owner Stephen Ross not giving Fisher more power. He reportedly told Ross, "I've been a head coach for 17 years and 12 of them sucked because I had to fight for what I wanted."
posted by rcade to football at 12:50 PM - 10 comments
The Hoser's NFL Playoff Picks, Week 2 2011: NFL picks that TEBOW! are starting to TEBOW! come around to TEBOW! TEBOW!
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 09:05 AM - 20 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
January 13, 2012
Iowa Coach Unapologetic After Sideline Tirade: Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery said he has "no regrets" about his technical foul and chair-slamming bench tirade at his players during Tuesday's 95-61 loss to Michigan State. "I was brought in here to change the culture," he said. "I'm going to coach with passion and my players know that. ... Nobody knows what we're discussing during that timeout except for me and the players." Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, who calls McCaffery a "pleasant" interview even after a loss, criticized the tirade and non-apology: "McCaffery won't get to a Final Four so long as he's acting like a 9-year-old who just got told he can't have a dessert that was promised to him."
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:48 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 11 comments
January 12, 2012
Agent Leigh Steinberg Pens Own 'Jerry Maguire' Letter: Leigh Steinberg, the sports agent who inspired the film Jerry Maguire, has filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy and sent an e-mail to friends and associates talking about his financial troubles, professional woes and struggles as an alcoholic that bears a resemblance to the mission statement that upended Maguire's career. "I have struggled with alcohol for a number of years," Steinberg wrote in the email. "In the past five or six years I began to check out episodically for short periods. My judgment and oversight of my affairs was not consistent and at times impaired. ... The underlying cause of my inability to earn money and resolve my debt situation occurred in 2003. One of my employees admitted that -- without my knowledge -- he had taken a $300,000 loan from one of our NFL clients."
posted by rcade to football at 12:03 PM - 4 comments
John Parr Remakes 'St. Elmos Fire' as 'Tim Tebow's Fire': John Parr, the British musician who had a No. 1 hit in 1985 with "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)," has rewritten the lyrics to turn it into "Tim Tebow's Fire." Sample lyric: "Gonna be a man in motion, all I need is my Broncos' team. Take me where the future's lying, Tim Tebow's fire."
posted by rcade to football at 11:39 AM - 14 comments
Skier Sarah Burke in Coma After Training Accident: Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke has been hospitalized in critical condition and put in an induced coma after a training accident Tuesday in the superpipe at Park City Mountain, Utah. Burke, 29, is a four-time Winter X Games champion who helped get freestyle halfpipe in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. "Sarah is the top female halfpipe athlete in the world," said Peter Judge of Canadian Freestyle.
posted by rcade to olympics at 10:47 AM - 22 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
January 11, 2012
Potvin Sucks Forever: For 33 years -- and nearly a quarter-century since he retired -- Madison Square Garden faithful have chanted "[Denis] Potvin Sucks." Though Potvin's Islanders have won just two postseason series (both in 1993) since his retirement, the sentiment remains for Rangers fans. While this sort of historical memory is a feature of European (and perhaps collegiate) sports, what are some other examples in North American professional sports?
posted by Mookieproof to hockey at 10:33 PM - 7 comments
NFL Playoff Pick 'em, Divisional Round: Week 1 scores and picks for the divisional round inside.
posted by apoch to fantasy at 04:33 PM - 38 comments
Bobby Hebert Defends Confronting Les Miles: Former NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert, now a radio host in New Orleans and the father of an LSU player, was unapologetic about the way he questioned LSU coach Les Miles after the BCS title game. Hebert's monologue disguised as a question: "Did you ever consider bringing in Jarrett Lee? Considering that you weren't taking any chances down the field -- now, I know Alabama's defense is dominant, but come on, that's ridiculous. Five first downs! I'll tell you the fans' standpoint: How can you not maybe push the ball down the field and bring in Jarrett Lee? So what if you get a pick-six? I know the pass rush of Alabama. But not pushing the ball downfield, considering you have (receivers) Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. -- there's no reason why five first downs. You have a great defense, but that's ridiculous. ... Do you think you should have pushed the football more downfield?"
posted by rcade to football at 09:17 AM - 9 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
January 10, 2012
Jaguars Hire Mike Mularkey as Third Head Coach: The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as the third head coach in franchise history and first under new owner Shahid Khan, the Florida Times-Union reported late Tuesday night. Mularkey, 50, was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2004-05, amassing a 14-18 record.
posted by rcade to football at 10:08 PM - 8 comments
Packers Coach Loses Son in Apparent Drowning: A body found in Wisconsin's Fox River Monday afternoon is that of Michael Philbin, the missing 21-year-old son of Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. The younger Philbin was last heard from at 2 a.m. Sunday while visiting friends in Oshkosh. A 911 call at 2:36 a.m. that night indicated a person was calling for help in thin ice on the river 30 yards from shore, but rescue crews didn't find anyone.
posted by rcade to football at 01:04 PM - 14 comments
Mattingly Suggests MVP Revote if Braun Guilty: If Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun is not successful in appealing his positive test for a banned substance, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said it would "make sense" to hold a new vote for last season's National League MVP. "In the end, I hope [after] the appeal it's something that was a mistake," Mattingly said. When asked about a revote, he replied, "I don't know. It makes sense though, a little bit. It's not 10 years later, it's a month later." Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp was second in MVP voting.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:40 AM - 17 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
January 09, 2012
Alabama Wins BCS: The Alabama Crimson Tide, led by five Jeremy Shelley field goals and a smothering defense that held the LSU Tigers scoreless, won the BCS Championship Game 21-0 Monday night. Trent Richardson scored on a 34-yard run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Alabama wins its second college football title in three years under head coach Nick Saban.
posted by rcade to football at 11:35 PM - 23 comments
Barry Larkin, Hall of Famer: Larkin, who spent his entire 19-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, was the lone player inducted into the Hall of Fame on his third year of the ballot. Larkin received 86.4% of the vote of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, eclipsing the 75% needed for induction.
posted by tselson to baseball at 10:15 PM - 5 comments
Alain Vigneault is desperately concerned about the health of Brad Marchand: but the Bruins would prefer he quiet down. Vigneault was a regular winner of the Lady Byng Trophy during his playing days, who has a tremendous memory for dirty hits like low checks. Something like that could be used to try to injure Marchand in a game.
posted by yerfatma to hockey at 01:39 PM - 28 comments
Should the Patriots Be Able to Employ Josh McDaniels During the Playoffs?: some say no.
posted by yerfatma to football at 12:17 PM - 15 comments
Delonte West: I'm Banned from White House: When the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks meet President Barack Obama at the White House Monday, Delonte West won't be with his teammates, he told a local reporter. "I'm banned from going to the White House," he said. "That's what happens when you make bad decisions in your life. You can't go to the White House." West pleaded guilty to weapons charges after a 2009 traffic stop in which he was found to be carrying a Remington 870, 9mm Beretta pistol and 357 Magnum in a guitar case.
posted by rcade to basketball at 12:17 PM - 24 comments
Gatorade Showers Fun for Coaches (with One Exception): The Washington Post's otherwise light-hearted feature on the history of dousing winning football coaches in Gatorade includes this sad factoid: "From time to time, [Darren] Rovell says, doctors have warned about the potential harm of pouring frigid liquid over the heads of old men in subfreezing temperatures. In 1990, Long Beach State's coach, George Allen (formerly of the Redskins), received a dousing. Allen, then 72, died six weeks later. He had said he hadn't felt healthy since the Gatorade shower -- which, incidentally, was not Gatorade at all: His cash-strapped team had used ice water."
posted by rcade to football at 11:27 AM - 3 comments
Giants Dominate Falcons in 24-2 Victory: The New York Giants held quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons offense scoreless, surrendering only a safety in a 24-2 victory in the NFC playoffs. Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns -- including a 72-yarder in the third quarter when Hakeem Nicks zoomed through a crowd of six would-be tacklers. "In what is becoming a leaguewide epidemic of bad imitations of opponents’ victory dances, Nicks performed his version of the Falcons’ Dirty Bird celebration dance after his catch," writes Harvey Araton of the New York Times.
posted by rcade to football at 08:29 AM - 15 comments
Tebow & Broncos best Roethlisberger & Steelers: Never thought I would read that let alone see that.
posted by roberts to football at 07:10 AM - 32 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
January 08, 2012
Texans Roll Over Bengals, Notch First Playoff Win: The Houston Texans, playing in the first playoff game in team history, rolled over the Cincinnati Bengals 31-10. Receiver Andre Johnson caught a 40-yard touchdown, running back Andre Johnson ran for a 42-yard score and defensive end J.J. Watt had a 29-yard pick-6 interception.
Saints Offense Breaks Records in Win Over Lions: The New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions combined for a record 1,038 offensive yards in a 45-28 Saints victory in the NFC playoffs Saturday. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 466 yards, the second-most in NFL postseason history, and the Saints' 626 offensive yards broke a 49-year-old league record. In another sign of offensive dominance, they never punted.
posted by rcade to football at 10:49 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
January 07, 2012
Pit Bull Ban Keeps Mark Buehrle Out of Miami: New Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle is buying a home outside of Miami-Dade County because of its ban on pit bulls. Buehrle, active in a charity helping Michael Vick's abused dogs, owns an 18-month-old American Staffordshire terrier named Slater that falls under the ban. "It's kind of ridiculous that because of the way a dog looks, people will ban it," he said. "Every kind of dog has good and bad, and that depends on the handlers. If you leave a dog outside all the time, it'll be crazy. Slater would never do anything harmful."
posted by rcade to baseball at 05:59 PM - 16 comments
EASY Online donations to The Jack Jablonski Fund : If you have the means, please consider making a donation to the medical expense fund set up for Jack 'Jabby' Jablonski. Jack is the recently paralyzed Benilde-St. Margaret's hockey player who will very likely never walk again.
posted by NormsAndNedums to hockey at 12:57 PM - 0 comments
The Hoser's NFL Playoff Picks, Week 1 2011: NFL picks that hope Andy Dalton has a deal with Depends.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 11:45 AM - 3 comments
Bowling Great Don Carter Dies: Don Carter, the bowler who led his sport during its golden age on television in the 1950s and 1960s, has died at age 85. Carter was the first athlete in American sports to sign a $1 million endorsement deal. "Don was one of the greatest bowlers who ever lived," fellow pro Carmen Salvino said.
posted by rcade to other at 09:55 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
January 06, 2012
NHL re-alignment halted by NHLPA: "It is unfortunate that the NHLPA has unreasonably refused to approve a plan that an overwhelming majority of our clubs voted to support, and that has received such widespread support from our fans and other members of the hockey community, including players," Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement.
posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 10:10 PM - 6 comments
Tommy Heinson: an appeciation
posted by yerfatma to basketball at 04:47 PM - 1 comment
Omar Gonzalez tears knee ligament: In his first training session of a two month loan stint with FC Nurnberg, club and USMNT teammate Timmy Chandler dove in for a reckless challenge and tore Gonzalez's ACL. Omar, who anchored the LA Galaxy defense this season as they won the MLS Cup and left the January national team camp to go on loan in Germany, faces 6-9 months out.
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 12:54 PM - 3 comments
Theismann: Peyton Manning Won't Play Again: NFL broadcaster Joe Theismann said in a satellite radio interview that the Indianapolis Colts should draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first overall pick because of his skill and the likelihood Peyton Manning will never play again. "You have to draft Andrew Luck," he said on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio Thursday. "He's as complete a package as you are going to get coming in to professional football. ... I don't think Peyton Manning will be back in a uniform to play football, for his health and for his safety."
posted by rcade to football at 12:49 PM - 14 comments
Penn State Hires Bill O'Brien to Follow Paterno: Penn State has hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien to succeed Joe Paterno. O'Brien, a longtime assistant at the college and pro level, has never been a head coach and has no ties to the scandal-rocked school. He played football at Brown University, Paterno's alma mater. The move angered some former players in the Penn State Football Letterman's Club, who wanted interim coach Tom Bradley or another coach associated with the school. "By not hiring Bradley or a Penn Stater what they have effectively done is turn their backs on 100 years of tradition," said member Brandon Short.
posted by rcade to footbal at 08:18 AM - 17 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
January 05, 2012
Packers Linebacker Tackled Fan on Field: Why did Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones tackle a fan who had run out onto the field at Lambeau in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's game against Detroit? "I was just cold," Jones said. "I think he was still laughing. I think I could still hear him."
posted by rcade to football at 06:39 PM - 3 comments
Florida Panthers Krys Barch Suspended One Game for 'Inappropriate Language' : "I stated my case; I know myself and what I said. It may have been inappropriate but it was nowhere near a racial slur nor that intent,'' Barch stated. Although Barch nor the Panthers will divulge what Barch said, 2 sources told The Herald that, aside from various expletives, Barch basically asked Subban if he "slipped on a banana peel" after his legs went out from under him after being punched by Gudbranson.
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 01:18 PM - 15 comments
Flyers Fans Attacked Rangers Fans After Winter Classic: Philadelphia police have released video that shows three men in Philadelphia Flyers jerseys beating two men in New York Rangers jerseys outside Geno's Steaks in South Philly after the NHL Winter Classic Sunday. One of the Rangers fans, an off-duty New Jersey cop and Marine, was hospitalized for his injuries. One suspect may have posted on the Flyers fan site Broad Street Hockey. "It was me and my friends do something about it u fagits," the fan posted.
posted by rcade to hockey at 12:57 PM - 23 comments
Steelers' Clark Can't Play Because of Sickle-Cell: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark, the team's leading tackler, can't play Sunday's playoff game in Denver because he has sickle-cell trait. In 2007, the stress of playing the Broncos at high altitude caused Clark to become seriously ill and lose both his spleen and gall bladder.
posted by rcade to football at 08:33 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
January 04, 2012
Reid, Turner, Smith Not Fired: Andy Reid, Norv Turner and Lovie Smith are still employed by the Philadelpha Eagles, San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears. "While other owners have had twitchy trigger-fingers following the end of the regular season, the execs in Philadelphia, San Diego and Chicago are content with the status quo," reports USA Today.
posted by rcade to football at 10:25 AM - 14 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
January 03, 2012
Minnesota High School Coaches Assail Permissive Hockey Culture That Allows Dangerous Contact: Well-wishers crowded into Jack Jablonski's hospital room and lit up his Facebook and CaringBridge pages all weekend as the high school sophomore and his family awaited a prognosis on a paralyzing injury he suffered during a hockey game on Friday. "It's a parent's worst nightmare," his father, Mike Jablonski of Minneapolis, said on Sunday in the pediatric intensive care unit at Hennepin County Medical Center. "He dropped and didn't move. Right then and there I knew that my son, that there was something seriously wrong." Please take a moment to wish Jack a full recovery at his caringBridge website.
posted by NormsAndNedums to hockey at 01:14 PM - 0 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments
January 02, 2012
Colts fire vice-chair Bill Polian and g.m. Chris Polian: Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said it was just time for the team to move on. The Polians have been staples in the organization for 14 years and, with the help of draft picks such as Peyton Manning and Dwight Freeney, were a model of NFL consistency with 7 consecutive 10-win seasons from 2002 to 2010. That included a Super Bowl victory in 2007.
posted by tommytrump to football at 07:52 PM - 21 comments
St. Louis Rams Fire Head Coach, GM: After a 2-14 season that gives the team a second-overall draft pick this spring, the St. Louis Rams have fired head coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney. Spagnuolo was 10-38 in three seasons and Devaney was the top executive for four.
posted by rcade to football at 01:39 PM - 2 comments
Buccaneers Make Raheem Morris Walk the Plank: One year after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their biggest single-season turnaround in wins in franchise history, Raheem Morris was fired as head coach after a 4-12 season that ended with 10 straight losses. "You don't have that and survive in this league and we all know that," said Morris, who was 17-31 at the helm.
posted by rcade to football at 01:35 PM - 4 comments
Giants Beat Cowboys to Take Last Playoff Spot: The New York Giants took a 21-0 lead over the Dallas Cowboys, then held off a second-half rally to win 31-14 and claim the NFC East title and final playoff spot in the NFC. Eli Manning threw three TD passes, including a 74-yarder to Victor Cruz. In other final-week action, the Denver Broncos won the AFC West despite losing a third-straight game behind 6-of-22 passing by Tim Tebow and the Cincinnati Bengals claimed a wild card despite losing to the Baltimore Ravens 24-16.
posted by rcade to football at 09:45 AM - 21 comments
NFL Playoff Pick 'em: Are you ready for some playoffs?
posted by apoch to fantasy at 08:24 AM - 26 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
January 01, 2012
Man City, Man United, Chelsea All Fall in Upsets: A weekend of staggering upsets in the Premiership included a 1-0 Sunderland win over Manchester City in the waning seconds of stoppage time, a 3-2 Blackburn win over Manchester United and a 3-1 Aston Villa victory over Chelsea.
posted by rcade to soccer at 02:15 PM - 7 comments
The Hoser's NFL Picks, 2011 Week 17: NFL picks that wonder who built that animatronic Dick Clark for New Year's Eve.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 11:48 AM - 9 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments