11/05/24
December 06, 2009
SportsFilter: The Sunday 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.
Football is a team sport, but today, Sunday prayers are in order for the players whose individual mistakes cost their teams dearly yesterday - the missed PAT by Pitt on a botched hold and the out of bounds kickoff by Nebraska. I feel bad for those two players.
Since it happened after last week's usual prayer time, you should probably have one handy for the Saskatchewan Roughriders special teams player that was the cause of the too-many-men-on-the-field penalty that gave the Montreal Alouettes a second try at the Grey Cup winning field goal.
posted by grum@work at 01:34 PM on December 06, 2009
How about that play by Minchum to tie the game before halftime in Washington. Wow. The officials should get more credit for getting that whole play correct in real time. 2 change of possessions without the ball touching the ground. Amazing job by the players and officials there.
/I really love this place.
posted by BoKnows at 02:45 PM on December 06, 2009
I can't believe the Redskins missed a 23 yard field goal to effectively beat the Saints. One drive later, the Saints score to tie and they're going to overtime. Some teams just beat themselves.
posted by dfleming at 04:25 PM on December 06, 2009
I was just coming here to comment on that dfleming but you beat me to it.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:54 PM on December 06, 2009
I am sorely disappointed with some of the bowl pairings. There won't be any BCS buster magic this year with Boise State playing TCU. It would have been nice to see what those two teams could do against the likes of Georgia Tech or Iowa.
Also, it is a severe disappointment to see that Central Michigan's opponent in the GMAC Bowl is Troy as opposed to a team from a BCS conference.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:22 PM on December 06, 2009
Troy's not exactly a pushover. Would you derive more pleasure in CMU hanging with Georgia for a half or so?
Should be a good game.
posted by bluemagpie at 08:36 PM on December 06, 2009
Troy lost handily to their only MAC opponent this year, a team that Central had little trouble with. With the way Central has handled opponents this year I can't see Troy winning that game.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:42 PM on December 06, 2009
I am absolutely astounded that Wyoming is going to a bowl game.
posted by Scottymac at 09:11 PM on December 06, 2009
Here comes a great december in Dallas. Thanks wade
posted by sgtcookzane at 09:42 PM on December 06, 2009
It would have been nice to see what those two teams could do against the likes of Georgia Tech or Iowa.
Not for the BCS college presidents and ADs, which explains why they got paired off, to avoid the kind of "upset" that rocks the boat. The NYT's Quad blog called the pairings ahead of time, and the comments reflect the sense that the preseason rankings remain determinative.
posted by etagloh at 09:46 PM on December 06, 2009
The best Central Michigan could have hoped for in the GMAC Bowl was the ninth bowl eligible team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the ACC only had seven eligible teams. At least with Troy you get a conference champ, and one that's much better than its Sun Belt membership might lead you to think.
posted by rcade at 09:47 PM on December 06, 2009
Very true. This past month the bowl projections had CMU playing either Notre Dame or UCLA so having Troy as an opponent is rather disappointing. But with any luck it will be a good game.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:02 PM on December 06, 2009
In the Premier League today, Tottenham and Everton drew 2-2. Now, as a Tottenham fan, I am disappointed in this result, especially since we got a PK during extra time. However, the fact that Everton's keeper Tim Howard (starting keeper for USA) saved the PK from Jermain Defoe (England striker) is rather interesting given the World Cup draw. Game summary here.
posted by boredom_08 at 11:30 PM on December 06, 2009
However, the fact that Everton's keeper Tim Howard (starting keeper for USA) saved the PK from Jermain Defoe (England striker) is rather interesting given the World Cup draw.The 'U-S-A' chants from Everton fans following the save (usually offered ironically by the opposition) warmed the cockles of some of my football-loving American friends.
posted by etagloh at 11:46 PM on December 06, 2009
I saw three penalty kicks this weekend, (Fabregas, Lampard, Defoe) and all three we saved. Before that I saw the New Jersey Nets win and afterwards I saw Miami come back from two touchdowns behind against New England and Oakland beat the reigning Superbowl champions.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:22 AM on December 07, 2009
Football is a team sport, but today, Sunday prayers are in order for the players whose individual mistakes cost their teams dearly yesterday - the missed PAT by Pitt on a botched hold and the out of bounds kickoff by Nebraska. I feel bad for those two players.
Any coach who doesn't give a full measure of attention to special teams deserves whatever fate awaits him. Bobby Bowden's illustrious career would have been even more luminous if he had bothered to consistently recruit and properly coach top level kickers throughout his tenure.
I had no sympathy for Bowden when the camera showed him time and again with a big game on the line and his face suddenly gripped by the realization that his season rested on the shoulders of a community college kicker who was not adequately prepared.
A guy who might have already blown a couple of 30 yarders during the course of the game. And who didn't have enough leg to handle the kickoff duties.
Bowden's dad-gummit, darn-the-luck post game commentaries after crushing missed FG losses confirmed that he was clueless in regard to the critical importance of special teams. Even when he finally found a gem (Janikowski), he couldn't keep that rascal out of the sheriff's stockade. Janikowski was high maintenance even by FSU standards.