11/05/24
September 15, 2009
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
My favorite moment from last night's Pats - Bills game: when the Bills fumbled a kickoff return late in the game, the ball was recovered by Stephen Gostkowski, the Pats kicker. At the 31 yard line. He ran downfield and jumped into the pile to come up with it. That doesn't happen every day.
The moment made possible by Belichick's loving attention to detail on special teams. The Bills set up for an onside kick and didn't have their usual return package on the field. So the Pats kicked it straightaway deep and ended up with the football.
Great to see the throwback uniforms, but the thing that really warmed my old pre-merger, AFL-loving heart was seeing the officiating crew in those vintage replica AFL uniforms. The refs looked like they had just come from their day jobs at the local A&W root beer drive in.
posted by beaverboard at 07:39 AM on September 15, 2009
My favorite moment from last night's Pats - Bills game: when the Bills fumbled a kickoff return late in the game, the ball was recovered by Stephen Gostkowski, the Pats kicker. At the 31 yard line. He ran downfield and jumped into the pile to come up with it. That doesn't happen every day.
Yeah, and then a half dozen guys who are twice his size landed on him. Gostkowski's got heart -- he's been The Guy between a speedy returner and the goal line many a time, and he doesn't flinch. But running down the field like that? Clearly that was the "Stephen kicks off, then everyone run down the field like a scalded dog and hit that guy so hard he gets arrested in New Bedford for speeding" play. I guess he figured, "Hey, I'm part of 'everybody'." Worked, too.
(I'm deeply worried about the d though...especially with Mayo injured)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:04 AM on September 15, 2009
Beaverboard: When I saw those refs I was thinking Wendy's
posted by rcade at 08:30 AM on September 15, 2009
As a Bills fan, I can tell you it had less to do with Bellicheck mind control and more to do with the Bills always finding a way to lose. To quote a friend in my Facebook feed, "It's what we do."
posted by misskaz at 08:37 AM on September 15, 2009
The bills were gonna lose. You just knew they would find a way.
How about the US Open. A 4 hour long battle. That kid just wore Roger down and then ran him over. It was impressive to watch and surprising. Serves were in the 130's. An instant classic!!!
posted by Debo270 at 09:17 AM on September 15, 2009
Tradition and honour at Ohio State University: dotting the "I" in Ohio for the OSU Marching Band.
New tradition and honour at Ohio State University: Pounding the ESPN cameraman with a sousaphone.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:06 AM on September 15, 2009
David Feherty's commentary on the Ohio State band:
The sousaphonist could have laid up? Or he could have played sand wedge? But he chose driver? And got that kind of result? You have to admire that follow through? And the crisp way he uncoiled from the swing? That was a solid stroke? I think Buick makes a fine automobile? Back to Ian at 14?
posted by beaverboard at 10:31 AM on September 15, 2009
I think Bellichek has mind control.
I have been telling you all that for years now. Beelzichic is an evil wizard.
As a Bills fan, I can tell you it had less to do with Bellicheck mind control and more to do with the Bills always finding a way to lose. To quote a friend in my Facebook feed, "It's what we do."
You see, that's just another example of his mind control. He even has the Bills fans believing that losing is their fate.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:32 AM on September 15, 2009
Raiders also lose the game on a late TD drive. Between college and the pros, this was the weekend of late TD drive comeback wins. (W00t for Trojans and Barkley over Buckeyes!)
posted by billsaysthis at 12:25 PM on September 15, 2009
Review for the highly anticipated video game, NHL10, which hits stores today.
posted by MrFrisby at 01:24 PM on September 15, 2009
"I'm happy to be in his Hall of Fame speech. To me, that's the greatest play in basketball history. It will stay that way because he will always be the greatest player to play the game." -- Bryon Russell, who says he gets asked every day about Jordan's shot over him to clinch the 1999 NBA Finals
posted by rcade at 01:29 PM on September 15, 2009
That cameraman learned a valuable lesson: Don't get in the band's way. Especially not members of the band with large instruments. I thought about doing something similar to a University of Iowa football player last weekend when he remained on the field after the band had entered, and he was distinctly in my way. However, even with my tenor drums, he still had a good 75 pounds and 8 inches on me, so I decided against it. (this was at Iowa's game against the Univ. of Northern Iowa.)
Also, Champions League today starting in about an hour. Any upsets, or do things run to form?
posted by boredom_08 at 01:50 PM on September 15, 2009
Here's a great preview of the upcoming Champions League season.
posted by NoMich at 02:01 PM on September 15, 2009
Besiktas 1 - 0 Man Utd.
posted by The_Special_Juan at 02:07 PM on September 15, 2009
Did you intend to TaylorRoll us, NoMich?
posted by rcade at 02:31 PM on September 15, 2009
The funny thing about the Bills kick-off fumble was that if the returner had managed to not lose the ball, his return would have taken the clock past the two minute warning, and everyone would be raving about how his heads up play left the Patriots in a bad spot with only two timeouts remaining.
And the throwback jerseys (but not the officials' uniforms) should be mandatory for the rest of the season. I am sure there is a clunker in past AFC unis somewhere, but none of the current uniforms of the four teams playing last night is an improvement over the retro versions (admittedly, the Chargers wear the powder blue with some frequency and the Raiders' is not that much different).
posted by holden at 03:43 PM on September 15, 2009
Beelzichic is an evil wizard
Actually, it's "Machiavellichick", and he's not a wizard, just all-powerful.
Those who watch the Patriots at practice note that odd situations are rehearsed often. Troy Brown, according to Mike Reiss's column today on espnboston.com, related the story of an Adam Vinatieri pass to him off of a fake field goal that New England had practiced for 5 years and never used in a game. Because they had worked on it so frequently, when it was finally trotted out it worked perfectly. The 2-minute drill and special teams situations are among those most emphasized.
Kudos to the Sousaphone player. The script Ohio formation is meant to be enjoyed for its visual effect from the stands, not for some TV closeup. The cameraman was where he should not have been, and deserved to be hit.
posted by Howard_T at 03:46 PM on September 15, 2009
Actually, it's "Machiavellichick", and he's not a wizard, just all-powerful. Call him what you will, as he goes by many names. But do not discount him as a necromancer and consort of dark powers.
posted by THX-1138 at 04:41 PM on September 15, 2009
Well, the *wizard* had them down 2 TD's with 5 minutes left in the game...without a dumbass return man, Bill ends the game looking like a hoody-wearing Ogre, not Gandalf.
As far as I'm aware, Bill wasn't present when the Bills choked away the MNF loss to the Cowboys in similar heartbreaking manner, so if you're asking me personally if the Pats won or the Bills lost, I know which way I'm voting. :-)
posted by bdaddy at 05:03 PM on September 15, 2009
All part of his dark plan, bdaddy. What we don't recognize, we ignore.
posted by THX-1138 at 06:30 PM on September 15, 2009
The end of the Pats/Bills game was one of those endings I really feel only happens to the Patriots. Only the Patriots could somehow convince a kick returner on the other team to risk a fumble for an extra two yards of field position. I think Bellichek has mind control.