Bleacher Report - Articles by Silver Fox

If Tiger Woods Owns Several Cars, It's a Shame That He Got a Hole in One

Silver Fox — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:33:08 -0500

Thousands, if not millions, of articles, columns, and blogs , including Bleacher Report , of course, detail the facts and rumors regarding Tiger Wood’s car accident on Black Friday 2009.

Tiger Woods also was setting record in Google trends (http://bit.ly/4R793U ).

TMZ , who broke the news that Michael Jackson was in poor health before traditional news sources did, has been providing the most dramatic, and sensationalized coverage of this incident.

Twitter has been at the forefront of many such breaking news stories in recent months. And the latest is the car accident involving golfer Tiger Woods.

Early reports suggested Woods had hit a fire hydrant and a tree near his Florida home. As noted by TechCrunch , while traditional media was still sitting on the story, the @breakingnews Twitter feed had broken the news.

Other people, including yours truly, began retweeting the news and the story was all over Twitter before organizations like CNN or ESPN had even reported it (see Twitter again beats CNN by 45 minutes for Tiger Woods news at http://bit.ly/78Y2Ko ).

Google was almost as fast on the case, at about 10 minutes after the tweets were flowing, it started showing reports from local Orlando news outlets, where the crash occurred, giving details of the crash.

Within 15 minutes, readers knew what time the crash occurred at, apparently what happened, and some other important details, such as no alcohol being involved.

This incident has generated significant questions.

Why Was Tiger Woods Driving at 2:30 am the Morning After Thanksgiving? Was Tiger hunting early bird Black Friday specials?

Were Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, having a domestic dispute over an alleged affair of his?

Did the car accident or his wife cause his “facial lacerations?”

Why did it take 12 hours for this incident to be reported to the media? Was there a Cover-up ? Or are the police pursuing a domestic violence charge in this case?

I like Tiger Woods and I am glad he is all right. If he was seriously hurt, I could not laugh, look at the light side, and joke about it a little.

If Tiger Woods owns a lot of cars, it's a shame that he got a hole in one.

Tiger Woods just made a statement. He said it was the sh***iest drive he had all year.

I thought that Tiger Woods was a better "driver" than that.

However, after driving into a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree, Tiger Woods says he is happy with his improved form .

For the first time in his life, Tiger Woods misread something.

I finally outdrove Tiger Woods on Black Friday morning.

What is the difference between a car and a golf ball? Tiger Woods can drive a golf ball more than 300 yards.

Tiger Woods’ accident even impacts Fantasy Football (http://bit.ly/8PXMCu ).

His next video game will be entitled Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: Modern Warfare.

Misquote of the Day: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!" – Tiger Woods

Quote of the Day: ”An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.” - Elbert Green Hubbard

Should the Georgia Bulldogs Fire Mark Richt?

Silver Fox — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:51:17 -0500

Should Georgia fire March Richt?

No!

Have you visited www.firemarkricht.net ? Any notion of firing Georgia Bulldogs Coach Mark Rich is foolish.

Yes, Willie Martinez, defensive coordinator, should be replaced. Yes, Richt needs to return to play calling duties for Mike Bobo.

And Richt needs to recruit more physical, hard hitting types of players instead of finesse ones.

But even Vince Dooley had his share of down, mediocre, and disappointing seasons. Go research Georgia’s win-loss record in 1979. We know what those Bulldogs did in 1980.

Now I do not expect 2010 to be like 1980. But the point is that every coach in college football should be allowed to have an occasional mediocre season, in the context of having mostly successful seasons - especially when most of those seasons land the team in a coveted BCS Bowl.

Remember that Georgia lost three critical offensive skills players (quarterback, running back, and wide receiver) to the NFL. Often the best coaching—especially during practices—come during a mediocre, struggling season that are followed by a solid, if not great season.

Time will tell us about 2010. As a Georgia Bulldogs fan, this 2009 season has hurt, but I also know I have been spoiled by success over the past few decades.

Yes, the Kentucky Wildcats winning in Athens was difficult to swallow. They're a team that hasn't won in 42 years (since 1967 I believe). However, Richt has had enough success at Georgia in which he has earned the opportunity to adjust, make changes, and improve.

Richt inherited and did not recruit David Greene, David Pollack, Boss Bailey, etc. While he did draft Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, etc, it bears repeating: Richt should recruit more physical, hard hitting types of players, and less finesse ones.

If Georgia foolishly fires Richt (which would surprise me), than more than likely his replacement won’t do a better job.

But that is really not the reason why Georgia should keep Richt.

Georgia should keep Mark Richt because it is the right thing to do in the NCAA world of "win now" and instant gratification. A look at his career coaching statistics should bring any logical fan to this reasonable conclusion.

Mark Richt didn’t suddenly become a bad coach after winning two SEC championships (2002, 2005) and playing for another (2003). When football teams have a disappointing season like this, the head coach has to be willing to analyze everything and everybody in the offseason.

In my humble opinion, team discipline is a significant issue at UGA due to numerous careless penalties, turnovers, lack of practicing fundamentals (like tackling), and frequent sloppy play.

The coach needs to elevate his game. Georgia’s offseason conditioning program should be evaluated, in terms of keeping players in their best shape in order to avoid injuries and to play in peak condition.

Also, assess the quality of the players and recruits from high schools. Evaluate each assistant coach. Are the players being set up for success? Are the players being coached to their highest potential?

If Georgia has one or even a couple more disappointing seasons in 2010 and 2011, then this issue will need to be revisited, and perhaps a coaching change will then be what’s best for the football team.

But not now. Not today. And even not at the end of the 2009 season after a meaningless exhibition called a bowl game.

Technorati Tags:

Mark Richt,GeorgiaBulldogs,college football

Quote of the Day:
Hurry! I never hurry. I have no time to hurry.
--Igor Stravinsky

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

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Falcons-Panthers Preview

Silver Fox — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:35:24 -0500

I see this game exemplifying the coaching differences between the two squads, particularly the two offensive coaching staffs. I expect the Falcons to do the right things and the Panthers to play well for a while, but in the end, screw things up.

An Atlanta win means that the Falcons are closer to the Saints, in terms of ability. A Carolina win means that Atlanta is more at the Panthers’ inconsistent level of performance.

Atlanta’s coaching staff doesn't believe they are something they are not. Mysteriously, Carolina loves to become a passing team when the game is on the line. This has led to failed results.

Atlanta runs the ball well and will do so against Carolina. The Falcons also pass the ball better than the Panthers and make fewer mistakes.

Neither team plays at a consistently high level defensively. Atlanta’s special teams, particularly the return teams, are generally more talented and better coached. The Panthers losing LB Thomas Davis, the team’s leading tackler, will prove to be significant against the well-balanced offensive arsenal of the Falcons.

Until they get a playmaking quarterback and address their lack of depth, Carolina is a franchise going in the wrong direction. The Panthers will have some streaks of brilliant performances, but they typically abandon the running game when the contest is on the line.

“It is what it is,” coach John Fox typically loves to say when he gets defensive after a loss. Carolina is an average team struggling to be good.

Despite their struggles on the road, with the notable exception of their dominance over the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta is clearly a franchise going in the right direction. The Falcons are a good team trying to become an elite NFL squad.

After a horrible start to the season, the 3-5 Panthers seem to have regained a better level of performance in recent weeks, and while they have shown flashes of greatness, they have yet to play a complete game.

The 5-3 Falcons have won games they should have against weaker opponents, and lost games to superior teams like New England, Dallas, and New Orleans.

The Silver Fox Forecast

Atlanta 24, Carolina 20, in a game that will be somewhat more defensive than expected.

Quote of the Day:

“Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”
- Louis D. Brandeis

1 John 2:15-16 “[Do Not Love the World] Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.”

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Florida Gators Slime Men In Black on Halloween

Silver Fox — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:12:19 -0400

The game was over as soon as the Georgia Bulldogs needed the helmet gimmick to get motivated.

Richt, once so intelligent, diligent, creative, and driven, seems to have run out of ideas.

Actually, the silly uniforms had nothing to do with this game. Turnovers and penalties characterized Georgia’s self-destruction.

“It’s not the helmet,” safety Reshad Jones said. “It’s what inside the helmet.”

However, I hope that we never see the black helmets ever again. What is so obvious is the stupidity and immaturity in putting emphasis on the uniforms instead of coaching and performance.

Even after a long bye week.

Georgia appeared to be mourning for their own funeral Saturday in Jacksonville. No tricks and no treats, at least for Bulldog Nation.

Similar to the demolition by Alabama in the 2008 season when the Bulldogs wore black jerseys, the silly gimmick of wearing black helmets and black pants, with white jerseys, did not overshadow the lack of self-discipline that produced several penalties and critical turnovers.

The black pants were okay, but the black helmets needed more red. If it wasn’t for the wide white stripe in the middle, the helmets would have looked liked bowling balls and similar to the helmets worn by the Atlanta Falcons.

Georgia would be better off wearing the Oregon Ducks uniforms for Halloween. To paraphrase Daffy Duck, UGA was “despicable!” Quack! Quack!

Being the last day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Bulldogs could have decked out in pink.

Practicing self-control and self-discipline, executing plays, and emphasizing fundamentals rather than wearing black uniforms would have served the Bulldogs well today.

The mediocre Georgia Bulldogs (4-4, 3-3) lost for the third time in four games.

Breaking a record held by Herschel Walker, Tim Tebow accounted for four touchdowns. The obvious difference is that it took Tebow four years with an extra regular season game per season and a couple of SEC title games to break a record in which Walker accomplished in three seasons.

A.J. Jones had two huge interceptions and top-ranked Florida spooked and spanked Georgia 41-17 Saturday for its 17th win in the past 20 meetings between the SEC rivals.

Florida (8-0, 6-0) continued the nation's longest winning streak to 18 games and clinched at least a share of the SEC East title.

The Gators can secure a spot in the conference title game if Tennessee (in black jerseys) beats South Carolina Saturday night in Knoxville in the Halloween Bowl (just kidding, fans of Volunteers and Gamecocks).

Whatever Joe Cox had at Independence High in Charlotte, he’s lost at Georgia. Bench him for the season and start building for the 2010 season.

Please fire defensive coordinator Martinez. With an extra week to prepare, Willie Martinez seemed even more incompetent than usual.

Florida's offensive production in SEC play was matched only by a 41-7 win against Kentucky in Lexington.

Georgia has underachieved three times in the past four seasons.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs ,Florida Gators ,college football ,sports

Quote of the Day:
Nothing is too high for a man to reach, but he must climb with care and confidence.
--Hans Christian Andersen

1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

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Will UGA Ever Win a BCS National Title With Mark Richt?

Silver Fox — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:44:04 -0400

UGA was dominated by Tennessee, 45-19, Saturday in college football. The Bulldogs' defense surrendered 45 points to a one-dimensional offense.

The Volunteers have a good RB this season. Somehow GA made Vols QB Crompton look like Peyton Manning.

The Bulldogs have clearly have mostly underachieved since the strong finish of the 2007 season with the Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii. The Bulldogs look more like FSU with each game.

Did Mark Richt peak at Georgia around 2005-2006? Has recruiting, especially on defense, gone downhill in recent years? Remember when GA's defense used to go after the ball to create turnovers?

Georgia's defensive coaches seem like they do not have the unit prepared well for a game and have the defenders out of position for significant plays.

Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt? Is he too nice to finish No. 1? Steve Spurrier needed six seasons at Florida to win a national championship and it didn’t happen until he hired Bob Stoops from Kansas State to coordinate the Gator defense.

Richt is a great human being and role model, but in terms of competing for a BCS national title, he has blown a few opportunities in the past. Under his leadership the UGA football program has certainly improved. However, many are starting to believe he has taken the program as far as he is capable.

In my opinion, Richt hasn’t failed so much as he has been unlucky. LSU won the 2003 BCS crown with one loss a year after one loss cost Georgia a berth in the championship game. LSU won the 2007 title with two losses after emerging from a league that also housed Georgia, which likewise had two losses.

Sometimes you have the right team at the wrong time.

Georgia should not fire Mark Richt unless they have another coach who is significantly better waiting. There are not a whole lot of coaches out there that are better than Mark Richt.

Coaches like Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Les Miles, Urban Meyer, Butch Davis, Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, etc., are not beating a path to Georgia’s door.

When Bobby Bowden retires at FSU, will Richt be offered the Seminoles' head coaching job? And if this is offered, will he accept?

Technorati Tags: Mark Richt,Georgia Bulldogs

Quote of the Day:
There should be no yelling in the home unless there is a fire.
--David Oman McKay

Proverbs 19:20-21 “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.”

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The NFL Today: Week Three

Silver Fox — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:04:47 -0400

Michael Vick rejoins NFL today: Eagles' QB, armed with Wildcat offense, to play for the first time since 2006.
Saints' QB Drew Brees is now the best QB of the NFL.
Tom Brady still needs to shake off a little rust after being inured last year.
Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, just nearing the end of his career.
Tony Romo still cannot win the big game.
Ben Roethlisberger can pump-fake while taking a hit.
The Carolina Panthers obviously made a very big mistake this offseason when they signed quarterback Jake Delhomme to a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension.
Despite the defeats, the Detroit Lions show small steps of improvement.
Are the Cincinnati Bengals better than expected?
Will the Atlanta Falcons “upset” the New England Patriots?
Sunday night’s matchup with the Colts and the Cardinals may be an instant classic with the pair of QBs—Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning.
Will my Carolina Panthers finally play with passion, urgency, and intensity in Dallas on Monday night?

Speaking of my Panthers, Carolina has begun the season at 0-2 and have a very difficult schedule the rest of the season. With road games at Dallas, Arizona, New Orleans, the New York Jets, the New England Patriots, and the New York Giants, this team could be on its way to a having a disastrous season.

There are also some tough home games against Atlanta, Miami, Minnesota, and New Orleans. Too bad they traded away their 2010 first-round draft pick.

Yes, the Panthers traded their first-round pick in the 2010 draft in order to move up to select Florida State defensive end Everette Brown in 2009. Brown is a great draftee, but for a team in dire need of a play-maker QB, it was a very significant mistake. Think about the quarterbacks in the draft—Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Jevan Snead, Jake Locker, and Tim Tebow

Maybe they will be able to trade DE Julius Peppers to get a first-round pick back.

If Carolina has a horrible season, I would expect John Fox to be fired, paving the way for Bill Cowher.

A horrendous 2-14 or 3-13 record in 2009 for Carolina is not out of the question. The Panthers should defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two wins.

Perhaps Carolina will outlast the Buffalo Bills too. That makes three wins. Thus, to even hold a 6-10 record, the team has to find three upset victories.

From 12-4 to 2-14, or 4-12, or whatever. The Bucs should prevent the Panthers from going from first to worst.

And Monday night versus Dallas at the new Cowboys Stadium in front of 105,000 fans? Tony Romo will have a big night and Jerry Jones will smile as he lands his first victory at his grand football palace.

Cowboys 31, Panthers 23, as Carolina falls to 0-3.

Technorati Tags: NFL,Carolina Panthers,Drew Brees,sports

College Football: Saturday's Ups and Downs

Silver Fox — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:31:38 -0400

First, Saturday night at Sanford Stadium in Athens was another down-to-the-wire battle, with No. 21 Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC) rallying for a 20-17 victory over Arizona State (2-1). Three Bulldogs turnovers kept the game winnable for the Sun Devils.

However, Georgia avoided an upset thanks to a 22-yard field goal by Blair Walsh that tied the score early in the fourth quarter, a blocked field goal by A.J. Green that kept it 17-17 with less than five minutes left in regulation, and climaxed by Walsh’s 37-yarder that wrapped things up as time expired.

Georgia faces LSU next week. Will LSU be caught looking head to their meeting with Florida the following week?

Speaking of the Gators, the biggest story from Saturday’s football games, of course, was the Tebow injury as Florida’s journey towards a third national title in four seasons may become derailed if an injury to senior quarterback Tim Tebow suffered during Saturday's 41-7 victory at Kentucky proves to be serious.

Tebow was sacked in the third quarter by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndhan. Tebow was hit in the chest by Wyndham and as he fell backwards, he banged his head on the knee of Florida tackle Marcus Gilbert.

Also on college football Saturday, Iowa defeated Penn State 21-10 at Beaver Stadium, which featured a “white out” and more than 100,000 fans. With the road victory, Iowa has to be considered a legitimate Big Ten title contender, which is hard for me to believe considering how close Iowa came to losing its opener to FCS member Northern Iowa.

The loss drops Penn State from among the ranks of national title contenders as the Big Ten does not have one.

Penn State's loss concluded a wild weekend that witnessed three teams in the top six and four in the top ten lose. In addition to No. 5 Penn State, No. 4 Mississippi lost Thursday to South Carolina, No. 6 California was dominated by Oregon, and—I do not consider this an upset—No. 9 Miami bowed to No. 11 Virginia Tech.

And the Seminoles flopped. Last week, Florida State looked fantastic in compiling 500 yards and destroying Brigham Young University 54-28. In start contrast Saturday, the FSU got spanked at home 17-7 by its small neighbor, South Florida.

At this point, early in the season, here are the teams that I like. No team is playing thoroughly at a high level in every phase of the game than the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama has a dominating defense and a surprising offense behind quarterback Greg McElroy.

The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs are the best non-BCS/non-big six team in the country. TCU has a quality win over Clemson and their victory over Virginia is debatable as a quality win or not. The Horned Frogs can enhance their credibility by defeating both BYU and Utah.

Teams such as Cincinnati and Michigan are also grabbing by attention and interest.

LSU has work to do, but they may develop into a potential threat to Alabama. Their next two games versus Georgia and Florida should define their potential.

Let’s talk about Virginia Tech who has had two impressive wins in two weeks. Last week, the Hokies used late-game, Tyrod Taylor miracles to snag win over Nebraska and this week, No. 11 Virginia Tech needed no miracles as they simply manhandled No. 9 Miami, 31-7.

Virginia Tech is clearly the ACC's top team.

In conclusion, I return to my Georgia Bulldogs.

The game against LSU features a battle between first-year starting quarterbacks. Jordan Jefferson leads the Tigers and Joe Cox leads the Bulldogs. LSU is unbeaten but Georgia has a loss, which makes this a must-win game at home.

Technorati Tags: college football,NCAA Football,Georgia Bulldogs,sports

Quote of the Day:
The bananas were like that when I got here!
--Humpty Dumpty

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

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My Picks for NFL Week 2

Silver Fox — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:16:10 -0400

Sunday

1:00pm Games

Carolina @ Atlanta - My Pick: Falcons
New Orleans @ Philadelphia - My Pick Eagles
St. Louis @ Washington - My Pick: Redskins
Houston @ Tennessee - My Pick: Titans
New England @ New York Jets - My Pick: Patriots
Cincinnati @ Green Bay - My Pick: Packers
Arizona @ Jacksonville - My Pick: Cardinals
Oakland @ Kansas City - My Pick: Raiders
Minnesota @ Detroit - My Pick: Vikings

4:00 Games

Tampa Bay @ Buffalo -My Pick: Bills
Seattle @ San Francisco - My Pick: 49rs
Pittsburgh @ Chicago - My Pick: Steelers
Baltimore @ San Diego - My Pick: Ravens
Cleveland @ Denver - My Pick: Broncos

8:00pm Game

New York Giants @ Dallas -3 My Pick: Cowboys

Monday Night Football

Indianapolis @ Miami - My Pick: Colts

UGA Wins Wild Rendezvous Over Arkansas, 52-41

Silver Fox — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:48:43 -0400

QB Joe Cox tossed for 375 yards and a school-record five touchdowns, while No. 23 Georgia (2-1) pulled away for a very wild 52-41 victory over Arkansas (1-1) on Saturday night.

Cox tied a school record with the five touchdown passes. His predecessor, Matthew Stafford, is one of three other Georgia players to throw as many.

In a playground game of seesaw, the lead changed hands four times in the third quarter alone.The Razorbacks led 35-34 in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs' defense held Arkansas to two short field goals the remainder of the game.

This track meet was the second consecutive high-scoring win for Georgia, which outlasted South Carolina 41-37 last weekend. The 6'7" QB Ryan Mallett, a transfer from Michigan making his SEC debut, set two school records for Arkansas, throwing for 408 yards and five touchdowns.

With a total of 93 points, the squads fell short of the SEC record of 104 points in a non-overtime game, set when South Carolina romped Mississippi State 65-39 in 1995. After Mallett's two-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Williams placed Arkansas ahead 35-34, Georgia needed only two plays to take the lead for the rest of the game when Cox chunked a 44-yard scoring pass to Orson Charles.

Then the Bulldogs lined up to go for two. A penalty pushed the ball back, but with the Arkansas defense offering no resistance, Georgia went for two anyway from the eight yard line. Cox discovered WR A.J. Green open in the corner of the end zone for a 42-35 lead.

WR Green later placed the Bulldogs ahead 49-38 with a 28-yard touchdown catch with 10:46 left in the game.

Somewhat overlooked in the scoreboard drama was UGA RB Caleb King's impressive debut.

“We’ve been finding a way to keep it exciting,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said after the game. “I’m very thankful for the victory—excited to be 2-0 in the SEC. I don’t think we’ve come close to playing as well as we can.”

Obviously, both teams have a lot of work to do to fix their defenses.

Sunday's Game in Atlanta Is Absolutely Critical for the Carolina Panthers

Silver Fox — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:24:34 -0400

Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for quarterback Jake Delhomme and Coach John Fox? Are Carolina’s swagger and confidence becoming unglued?

One poor game may be an accident. Two very bad games in a row is a trend. Three consecutive pitiful performances is a significant problem.

If a fourth straight horrible performance by the starting quarterback is allowed, than the head coach’s decision-making, sanity, judgment, and job-security are all under the microscope.

"I'd like to erase any doubts," stated Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme after his Week 1 loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles. "I don't think they have any. I really don't think they do. But I'd like to erase them if there are any at all this weekend."

Jake Delhomme may produce an emotional comeback performance from last week’s disaster, but it is more of an issue of competence and confidence with him.

Tony Gonzalez has strategically changed pass defense against the Falcons.

"Tony makes it pretty easy for a quarterback," stated Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan about newly acquired tight end Tony Gonzalez. "I just try to put the ball in a spot where he can make a play on it, and he always seems to do that."

This game is absolutely critical for the Carolina Panthers, who cannot afford another early conference loss if they want to keep their playoff potential. It will be difficult against an Atlanta defense that looked both tougher and quicker than last year in nearly shutting out the Miami Dolphins.

Atlanta defeated Miami 19-7 for their first win of the 2009 season. QB Matt Ryan struggled early, but endured and finished with 229 yards passing and two touchdowns after completing 22 of 36 passes.

RB Michael Turner had 22 carries for 65 yards and TE Tony Gonzalez grabbed five catches for 73 yards. Nine of the Falcons' 19 points came off Dolphins turnovers.

In his last pair of games, Delhomme has been very sloppy and committed 12 turnovers. Jake Delhomme is a turnover machine and the Atlanta defense will have a field day.

Is there a quarterback rating below 0?

After the Philadelphia Eagles defense piled up 35 fantasy football points vs. the Panthers, fantasy football players everywhere rushed to add the Falcons defense for NFL season week 2.

Despite the dramatic number of turnovers by Jake, the Panthers offensive line shares the blame by providing very little pass protection.

Carolina lost to Philadelphia 38-10. QB Jake Delhomme pitched 7 of 17 passes for 73 yards. He threw his third interception of the game on the Panthers' opening possession of the second half.

RB DeAngelo Williams had 14 carries for 37 yards with one TD, while catching four passes for 42 yards.

My forecast is not good for Carolina as Atlanta rolls to a 30-17 divisional win.

Will this loss be the beginning of the end for both Jake Delhomme and Coach John Fox in Charlotte?

Stay tuned. Same Panther-time. Same Panther-channel.

Technorati Tags: Carolina Panthers,Atlanta Falcons,NFC South,NFC,NFL

Georgia at Arkansas: College Football Gameday

Silver Fox — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:48:29 -0400

On Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs (1-1, 1-0 SEC) travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0, 0-0 SEC). The Bulldogs are coming off of an entertaining 41-37 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Arkansas Razorbacks have only played one game this year, a 48-10 win over Missouri State. The game will be televised by ESPN at 7:45 p.m. ET.

Georgia holds a 8-3 overall series lead against Arkansas. Georgia has won 5 in a row over the Razorbacks. Georgia has lost 0 games against Arkansas in Fayetteville. In their last matchup, Georgia beat Arkansas 23-20 in Athens in 2005.

The Razorbacks are 6-7 under Bobby Petrino.

The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-for-6 in the Red Zone through two games of the 2009 season.

I see a rerun of the Georgia-South Carolina game. Both offenses will light up the scoreboard.

The Bulldogs are 24-4 in SEC opponent stadiums under Coach Mark Richt. Last season, Georgia was 4-0 on the road in conference games, including a 52-38 victory over No. 11 LSU. In fact, the Bulldogs are on a five game road SEC winning streak.

My pick-em is Georgia 38, Arkansas 34.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,Arkansas Razorbacks,SEC,college football,NCAA football

Quote of the Day:
Vegetarian is an old Indian word meaning bad hunter.
--Anonymous

Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children”

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Brady and Favre Return: Opening NFL Weekend Highlights

Silver Fox — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:40:42 -0400

NFL drama, I mean—action, returns in full swing today.

Today QB Brett Favre makes his regular season debut in purple (purple cheesehead?) when his Minnesota Vikings visit Cleveland for the matchup vs. the Browns. The Dog Pound in Cleveland will be barking loudly.

I pick Vikings over Browns.

Speaking of dogs, the Philadelphia Eagles will be Michael Vick-less but not hound-free when traveling to Charlotte in an encounter with the Carolina Panthers. Today’s QB Scrutiny Bowl shares snaps between Donovan McNabb and Jake Delhomme.

These pair of QBs’ inconsistencies have been very well chronicled and both will continue to be hounded today if they don’t play well. Well, the QB of today’s winner will buy himself another week.

Eagles over Panthers.

The Tony Dungy-less Indianapolis Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars, who no longer are considered a serious playoff contender. Coaches have changed but QB Peyton Manning remains the same, which is excellent news for the Colts.

Colts over Jaguars is my pick.

Prolific passer Drew Brees and his New Orleans Saints host the revised Detroit Lions, with rookie QB Matthew Stafford starting. The Lions haven’t won since two days before Christmas 2007.

Saints over Lions.

Another starting QB, Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets, makes his debut in Houston vs. the Texans today. DE Mario Williams and teammates will give Sanchez his official “Welcome to the NFL!”

I pick Texans over Jets.

Miami at Atlanta, in my mind, is a marquee matchup of two resurgent teams, who made but lost in round one of the playoffs a season ago. Both teams have upgrade their talent but the Dolphins has the better defense.

I pick Dolphins over Falcons.

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to Baltimore for their football game vs. the Ravens. QB Matt Cassel faces the fierce Ravens defense and Ray Lewis will be in his face all day.

Ravens over Chiefs is my pick.

The Dallas Cowboys visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for their tune-up for their huge debut game in Cowboys Stadium, featuring their monster video scoreboard. The Cowboys will be working on offensive chemistry between QB Tony Romo and his WRs, while the Bucs’ offense will be struggling.

Cowboys over Buccaneers.

In today’s “who cares” matchup, enlisting the St. Louis Rams at the Seattle Seahawks, head coaches Jim Mora, Jr., and Steve Spagnuolo, respectively, make their debuts for their teams.

Jim Mora, of course, has previous head coaching experience with the Atlanta Falcons. Spagnuolo does not have the defensive talent he had with Giants to work with.

My pick is Seahawks over Rams.

My wish is that both teams redesign their uniforms and colors. But don’t bother, for only a few will be watching.

The NFC defending champions, the Arizona Cardinals, may have their hands full today in a contest featuring Mike Singletary’s debut as full-time head coach. This game almost smells upset, but I dare not go against QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Cardinals over 49rs is my pick.

Today’s games also features a matchup between the New York Giants, last season’s NFC East Division winners, vs. the Washington Redskins, the best fourth place team of the league. The Redskins have a solid defense with an inconsistent offense.

The Giants no longer have WR Plaxico Burress but rookie WR Hakeem Nicks was the No. 1 NFL WR during preseason in terms of statistics. Oh-oh. Who maintains and keeps up with irrelevant preseason stats?

Giants over Redskins is my pick.

Both Chicago and Green Bay appear to be improved and stronger at the start of the 2009 season. The QB matchup of Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rogers should be very fun to witness tonight.

I think that the Packers will edge the Bears at Lambeau Field.

After tearing ligaments in his left knee in the season opener of the 2008 season, QB Tom Brady, after hours upon hours of rehabilitation, leads his New England Patriots into Buffalo for a contest against the Bills Monday night.

My pick is Patriots over Browns.

And oh yeah, their is a second NFL Monday night game; The San Diego Chargers at the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders are one of two NFL franchises—the other being the Dolphins—whose home fields feature MLB infield dirt.

That should be outlawed! You’re out!!!

Duh. Chargers over Raiders.

Technorati Tags: NFL,2009 NFL Season,football,sports

Quote of the Day:
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
--Anonymous

1 Peter 3:8“ [Suffering for Doing Good] Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”

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Georgia QB Joe Cox Confirms Shoulder Problems

Silver Fox — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:00:40 -0400

ESPN.com reports that Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Joe Cox confirmed his shoulder problems. However, Cox is focused on playing through his injury.

Sophomore quarterback Logan Gray reportedly worked a lot of reps with the first team in this week’s practices. Expect coach Mark Richt to deploy a two-quarterback system vs. the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight.

Cox was shaky and threw the ball without any zip (two words: hang time) in the opening loss at Oklahoma State, but he said the injury has not affected his arm strength. His biggest problem in the opener was the flu, which caused him to lose nine pounds.

Cox said he is completely over his illness now.

Today may be Cox’s final audition if he has another disappointing performance. Gray can run as well as pass, and he has a stronger arm than Joe Cox.

I thought the Bulldogs defense played all right vs. the powerful Oklahoma State Cowboys offense, providing enough opportunities for the offense to outscore the opponent.

Georgia-South Carolina have always played close, defensive battles in recent seasons. Today, I expect a 20-17 or even a 13-10 type of game.

With both offenses so inept in Week One, I joke about this game being 3-2. However, it’s not illogical to think that either team may struggle to score more than one touchdown against the other.

Today is a critical game for both teams, especially Georgia. To start off 0-2 probably means an 8-4 or 7-5 season for the Bulldogs.

A win today may mean a 10-2 or 9-3 season for the Bulldogs from Athens, GA.

Special teams, field position, the field goal kickers, and turnovers will tilt today’s game.

When these two squads square off, there really is no home-field advantage, as both teams show up with great defenses and struggling offenses typically.

The issue at Columbia is that the Gamecocks under coach Steve Spurrier start a season strongly, but weaken suddenly during the last month of the season, like they are out of shape or not mentally focused.

Steve Spurrier is 64 years old, and despite a general opinion that he has not coached greatly with South Carolina, he has won more games in four years than any previous Gamecocks coach in history.

While Spurrier himself is far from being satisfied with his record with the Gamecocks, he has pride and wants South Carolina to improve and compete for the SEC East title.

I used to think Spurrier signed with South Carolina mainly to play golf at exclusive golf courses, such as Hilton Head and Augusta National (about an hour drive from Columbia).

While that may be partly true, and who could blame him, he has made significant coaching changes this off-season. The simple fact is no coach can find top-caliber recruits in the South Carolina area like he used to in Florida.

I like Mark Richt a lot; he’s a very good head coach and a great man. He was won two SEC titles, but perhaps his recruiting and coaching peaked around 2005.

Has Richt changed Georgia to become another Florida State University? Other words, are his recruits more athletic and finesse than being fundamentally sound and physical?

My point is that a FSU/ACC style of offense is not a good fit in the SEC, especially against teams such as Florida, LSU, and Alabama.

Does Georgia’s defense go after the ball for interceptions? Do the try to strip the ball and create turnovers?

Remember when David Pollack stripped the ball out of a quarterback's hands and made critical plays to help his team win? We don't see the defense going after that ball like the used to.

Remember the years when Georgia lost, but gave their best effort, losing 27-24 and not 38-13?

If the Georgia Bulldogs lose to the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight and proceed to have a mediocre season, will this be the beginning of the end for Richt?

Probably not, unless it's followed by a couple more mediocre seasons.

After not playing well a week ago, I expect Georgia to win today, 16-13.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,South Carolina Gamecocks,SEC,NCAA football,college football

Quote of the Day:
If it doesn't matter who wins, then how come they keep score?
--Vincent Lombardi

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

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What Are Your 2010 Super Bowl Picks?

Silver Fox — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:30:14 -0400

Annually, prognosticators all over the United States, from Maine to California to Florida and inbetween, make Super Bowl predictions to kickoff the new season.

Therefore, in the spirit of that tradition, I will contribute my two cents worth.

On the surface, the AFC appears to be simple to figure out, with the New England Patriots being the most logical favorites. My head says the Patriots but my heart moves me to think outside of the box a tad.

The San Diego Chargers have a tremendous opportunity this season to host the AFC Championship game, due to having an easy schedule in general and particularly due to being in the weakest division in the NFL.

Once they win eight games this season, the Chargers will already clinch the AFC West division crown. However, they should take advantage of the opportunity to win as many games as possible to secure home field playoff advantage throughout the post-season.

Hosting and winning the AFC title game is the only scenario I can see which San Diego makes it to the Super Bowl.

Another team, a squad who feels they should have been the Super Bowl winner over the Arizona Cardinals, are the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee reflects upon the 2008 season as a missed opportunity, because they soundly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular season. While the Titans matched up very well to Pittsburgh, they matched up poorly to the Baltimore Ravens and therefore, lost to them in the playoffs.

The Titans should play inspired football all season long in response to their missed opportunity of last season plus in dedication to the memory of the late Great Titans quarterback, Steve McNair, who led the team just one yard short of a Super Bowl victory in their loss to the St. Louis Rams.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are another very logical consideration. Like the Florida Gators of NCAA Football, the Steelers do not act like a team who will rest and cruise on the previous season’s success and championship trophy.

Pittsburgh is even hungry for Super Bowl ring number seven, continuing their status as the greatest franchise in league history.

The Baltimore Ravens may be one or two wide receivers away from being a favorite to win the AFC. The Indianapolis Colt are always in this discussion in recent seasons, but they are adjusting to coaching changes and they tend to lose to the Chargers in post season.

Will a team that hardly anyone considers grab the AFC title? Probably not, but some people think that the Houston Texans, for example, may take the next step up in terms of winning, perhaps winning the AFC South division.

Like any NFL team, health and particularly the health of the quarterback position, will determine Houston’s fate. Matt Schaub has impressive basic quarterback skills but he seems to have a knack for sustaining nagging injuries. Is he mentally tough?

I look for the Texans to improve but to also experience some growing pains, since they are in a tough division.

So in the AFC, for the 2020 Super Bowl, my head says Patriots but my heart says Chargers.

As usual, the NFC is very wide open and in contrast to the AFC, the conference is more complicated to figure out. Who picked the Arizona Cardinals to make the Super Bowl in September 2008, much less even in December 2008.

While we can rule out teams such as the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49rs, and probably, the Washington Redskins, one can make a logical scenario for almost every other NFC team.

Although the Dallas Cowboys have not won a playoff game since the last century, if they can improve their defense and generate efficient offense, then they may possibly use their new Cowboys Stadium as a new home, humongous video scoreboard distraction advantage.

But I doubt it.

The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles are probably the two most logical choices among NFC teams due to talent and experience, but both teams fell short during last post season.

Don’t rule out the Seattle Seahawks. Coach Jim Mora, Jr., had quick post season success with the Atlanta Falcons and if they can stay healthy with a tough defense, who knows?

However, the Arizona Cardinals should enter this season very confident after almost upsetting the Steelers in the Super Bowl and after discovering a real defense in the last post season.

But if quarterback Kurt Warner gets injured, all bets are off.

Who will win the suddenly improved NFC North division? ABD – Anyone But Detroit. A logical scenario and argument can each be made for the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings have the best defense, especially if their defense backs improve. Minnesota has the best running back, if not player, in the NFL with Adrian Peterson. Will Brett Favre lead the Vikes to the promise land? Time will tell.

Can Brett Favre change his game?

If Minnesota can limit Favre to 25 or less passees per game (to limit turnovers and to keep Brett healthy all season), rely on defense and running, and then win the game in the 4th quarter.

The Bears defense needs to be healthier and play quicker and smarter than they did last season. Quarterback Jay Cutler brings a strong arm to the windy city and Matt Forte is a great running back.

But if teams stuff eight in the box, do the Bears have the receivers that can make critical plays? Let’s see what tight end Gregg Olsen offers in 2009.

The Packers are installing a new 3-4 defense but the offense will be on all cylinders, with a confident and talented quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. If running back Ron Grant stays healthy and has another year like the 2007 season, watch out – Green Bay will be very tough to outscore.

In the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons are both a popular and logical choice, although they have never put together consecutive winning seasons in franchise history. With the addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez and a couple of recent transactions on defense, Atlanta should finish 9-7 or better.

Quarterback Matt Ryan is the real deal.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme may be the raw deal, since the team signed him with a contract extension.

There are two Jakes - (1) the struggling competitor with a Super Bowl experience and with a post season winning record who minimizes mistakes and maximizes wide receiver Steve Smith and who led Carolina to a 12-4 record; or (2) the aging quarterback who has had Tommy John surgery, throws up the ball for grabs for Smith to rebound or for the opposition to intercept.

The Panthers are returning almost all starters from last season, which is both good news (stability) and bad news (being stagnant, not improving the talent pool).

Like Atlanta, Carolina has never had two straight winning, playoff appearing seasons. Unlike the Falcons, I do not expect the Panthers to break that trend due to a difficult schedule, a lack of depth at key positions, and the failure to sign or develop a true punt returner during preseason.

The New Orleans Saints may have the best passing offense of the NFC. Drew Brees, in my humble opinion, is the third best quarterback of the NFL, behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

In fantasy football, Brees is the best and most consistent quarterback of the past three seasons. The Saints have retooled in the running back position.

The obvious shortcoming and question about New Orleans is their defense. Most seasons, teams with the best defenses tend to make the Super Bowl.

How well did the Saints address and actually improve their defense via the draft and other transactions?

However, on occasion, a team, such as last seasons Cardinals or that Rams squad that won a Super Bowl, have a just good enough defense paired with a high-powered, passing offense, makes the big dance.

Like the 2008 Arizona Cardinals, is this the New Orleans saints’ magical year? While Drew Brees is better than Kurt Warner, Arizona’s wide receiver corps is the best of the league.

The Saints have a good group of wide receivers and not to be overlooked, a solid offensive line that enable Brees enough time to find an open target and accurately deliver the football.

Expect Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to light up the scoreboard in 2009 and yes, in January 2010. I did not say February 2010 – yet.

For my 2010 NFC Super Bowl representative, my head says Giants and my heart says Saints. Again, in the AFC, for the 2020 Super Bowl, my head says Patriots but my heart says Chargers.

It’s a split decision.

The New England Patriots will chase and perhaps flirt with 19-0 and fall short in the regular season, but not in the playoffs. The Chargers will win home field advantage, but the Patriots have San Diego’s number no matter where the game is played.

With the additions of WR Joey Galloway and RB Fred Taylor, this Patriots offense may even be more massive and dominating that it was in 2007. New England’s defense is younger but seasoned enough, and most importantly, is built for speed.

The NFC will be murky and inconsistent all season until December and January. However, in the post season, Cinderella will make another appearance, but not with the Cardinals this time, who made their first Super Bowl appearance last season.

Come December or January, I will probably look back and laugh at my incorrect pick, but who knows? Prognosticating is a fun sport - win, lose, or draw.

Another NFC team will finally make their first Super Bowl appearance. Believe it or not, the impossible happens again. No, not the Detroit Lions, as hell will not freeze over.

Yes, our second all “New” Super Bowl, but not the Giants this time.

So who dat? The New Orleans Saints – that’s who dat! Drew Brees will win the NFL MVP award, but Tom Brady will win another Super Bowl trophy and be its MVP.

New England Patriots 34, New Orleans Saints 23, as the Patriots and Steelers continue compete for team and dynasty of the decade.

Whoomps! There it is!

Technorati Tags: NFL,Super Bowl,New England Patriots,New Orleans Saints,2009 Season

Quote of the Day:
What single ability do we all have? The ability to change.
--George Leonard Andrews

Isaiah 46:4 “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

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Mamas Won't Let Their Babies Grow Up to Be Bulldogs

Silver Fox — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:06:43 -0400

If Georgia would have won, my article’s headline may have been “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy!”

I don’t believe in or agree with my headline for this article, but I love its word play on the famous country song. Mamas and Papas everywhere should be proud to let their babies grow up to be Cowboys, Bulldogs, and even Bleacher Report writers, but not politicians!

The Georgia Bulldogs and their fans are not laughing, but we experienced a rude wake-up call Saturday as losing three star offensive skill players to the NFL showed its logical result Saturday afternoon in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Losing is never fun. Losing by 14, scoring only 10 points, and not representing the SEC well in terms of game play was very painful to endure. In contrast, Oklahoma State not only represented the Big 12 well, they enhanced the reputation of the power conference.

Although Georgia’s offense self-destructed at opportune moments of the contest with penalties, turnovers, and nervous/sloppy play, I give the Cowboys’ defense and their defensive coaching staff credit for executing a well, thought-out game plan which was basically bend a little but not break at all.

However, the two teams shaking hands after the game was my favorite moment, exemplifying the class that these two teams, two universities, and two prideful conferences have.

After an easy scoring opening drive, it looked like the offense was rolling. Not.

Quarterback Joe Cox, reportedly struggling with the flu, had a shaky performance. Ah, ah-choo!

Georgia even auditioned a Wildcat offensive set. Whoa!

Shouldn't it be the Bulldog, not the Wildcat in Georgia’s offensive playbook? I saw that the mascot, Uga VII, was contained in order not to bark at and chase the Wildcat.

Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson threw a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Dez Bryant. Robinson also scored on a quarterback sneak as No. 9 Oklahoma State beat No. 13 Georgia 24-10 on Saturday.

Yes, Dez Bryant is better than Michael Crabtree and will be an early first round draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

The Cowboys took advantage of a fourth-quarter fumble by new Georgia starting quarterback Joe Cox to seal the deal with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Bryant. The two also hooked up on a 46-yard score in the first half that got Oklahoma State's offense going after a sloppy start.

Robinson finished with 135 yards on 11 for 22 passing, and Bryant made the most of his three catches for 77 yards. Cox was 15 for 30 for 162 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,Oklahoma Cowboys,NCAA Football,college football,sports

Only Preseason, But Carolina Panthers Truly Disappoint

Silver Fox — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:58:49 -0400

After the horrific and very embarrassing performance in the playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals to end the 2008 season, I expected the Carolina Panthers players and coaches to dwell and brood all offseason and then be motivated and rejuvenated to prove that the playoff debacle was a fluke.

The Panthers will be angry at the world with a chip on their shoulder, be anxious to prove themselves, and be ready to kick some butt this preseason. Jake Delhomme will want to atone for his six-interception performance in the playoff disaster.

That didn't happen. This is the same old team that lost it's intensity, concentration, competency, and will to win during the last few games of the 2008 campaign.

This defense no longer contains the run. This offense shows no chemistry and timing. This team no longer walks and approaches a game with swagger and confidence.

Is there something internally wrong with the Carolina Panthers? Is there a lack of leadership?

The Carolina Panthers disappointed me this preseason not because of the 0-4 record, but the obvious lack of football fundamentals, particularly the poor tackling and lack of offense production from the first team offense.

The first team offense has managed to score just one touchdown during the preseason. The offense has struggled throughout the four games of the preseason, scoring 57 points, an average of just over 14 points a game.

Yes, having WR Steve Smith and LB Jon Beason out for most of preseason play did not help, but I don’t view the Panthers as a two-man team either.

Carolina’s defense is below-average. The defense allowed 89 points in the four games, an average of just over 22 points a contest.

The poor play of two of Carolina’s top defenders, DE Julius Peppers and CB Chris Gamble, has been very disappointing. Why spend one millions dollars per game to pay Peppers to be a spectator on the field?

Peppers will go through the 2009 season trying to figure out if he wants to sign with Dallas, New England, or another team in 2010. The fans and local media will be hard on Julius, but he will cry all the way to the bank.

Gamble was also handed a huge contract in the off-season.

Therefore, the relevant question going into the regular season is can the Panthers suddenly turn the switch on and play well? Carolina should play better than they did in preseason, but will they play well enough to win?

At the start of preseason, looking at the Panthers’ tough schedule and lack of depth at key positions, I thought Carolina looked like an 8-8 team. I know we can’t always tell by preseason, but now they appear to be a 7-9 or 6-10 squad.

Yes, some bad habits practiced during preseason lags into the regular season.

The first three games of the season, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Dallas, will define which Carolina Panthers team will show up for 2009.

I predict that Carolina will start slow but finish strong during this 2009 season, with a final mediocre or average record around 8-8.

Quote of the Day:
If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do all the rest have to drown too?
--Steven Wright

Georgia Bulldogs @ Oklahoma State Cowboys Preview

Silver Fox — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:25:38 -0400

Oklahoma State is impressive offensively, but they are not used to going up against physical SEC defenses. The Big 12 is more of a run-and-gun conference where defense is an afterthought.

However, I do expect that the the Cowboys will put points on the board, especially in front of their home fans.

With both offenses capable of scoring a lot of points, this game will come down to which defense will make the most stops. The Georgia defense is better by a significant margin, therefore, look for the Bulldogs to win this game.

Cowboys' Do-Over Spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Silver Fox — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:07:05 -0400

“And I shall not be moved!”

Football at Cowboys’ Stadium is being tweaked with applications from traditional backyard football, tennis, Pinball arcade, mini-golf (or “Putt-Putt”), and video games.

And in Texas, size matters – the bigger, the better. The franchise’s new, Texas-sized video screen/scoreboard has replaced wide receiver Terrell Owens as the team’s main distraction.

The Cowboys’ theme for the 2009 season is “Ours Is Bigger!” “America’s Team” now has “America’s Video Screen!”

The NFL decided not to take any action for this season regarding the Dallas Cowboys’ video scoreboard that hovers 90 feet above the field at their brand new stadium.

90 feet is the same distance as it is from home plate to first base in MLB. It is noteworthy that this massive structure, the mother of all scoreboards, with 30 million light bulbs, spans 60 yards from 20 yard line to 20 yard line, hanging over the field like that spaceship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

In a memo sent to every team, Commissioner Roger Goodell said if a punt hits the board or any guidewire, skycam, or any other object at any other stadium, the particular down or play will be replayed, just as the rule stated before Tennessee’s A.J. Traspasso’s punt hit it last week in the first football game at the stadium.

The game clock will also be reset to the time reflected before the "do over."

Specifically, if a ball strikes the video scoreboard, the play will be dead at that point and the down will be replayed from the previous spot. No penalties will count, other than personal fouls.

If the officials on the field do not notice the ball striking the video board, the replay assistant will be able to produce a replay review, even if the incident occurs outside the final two minutes of each half, the normal time period during which the replay assistant has the power to call upon the referee to assume the position at the portable replay booth.

Then if the replay official does not believe the ball struck the video board but the head coach of either team thinks otherwise, a red-flag challenge will be available.

Oh, oh! This means that if the ball “doinks” the video board with fewer than two minutes remaining in either half and if the replay assistant doesn't notice the collision, the coaches might not be able to challenge the outcome.

This rule includes all remaining preseason games, all regular-season games, and any postseason games that might be played at the new venue. Goodell cited Rule 3, Section 1 in taking the unconventional approach of modifying the official playing rules beyond the normal offseason procedure for doing so.

The do-over rule will be in place for the remainder of this season but the issue could be revisited in the future.

The NFL is doing nothing except hoping this issue goes away while ignoring the fact that the "do-over" rule could create several problems.

The NFL adopted a backyard football rule honored for decades: if the football hits a telephone wire, tree branch, etc., just run the play again.

Maybe the league should deploy an additional official for each Cowboys Stadium game with the assignment to follow the ball on each punt. Like an official in professional tennis, the referee could yell “Fault!”

Perhaps the NFL needs to add replay cameras for all angles that a football may bump the video scoreboard.

Regarding the personal foul penalties, what if the ball hits the board and one of the players on the punt team sees it and stops but a player on the receiving team does not notice it and then drills the opponent with a hard hit?

It will not happen, but what if a quarterback intentionally hits the video scoreboard on a Hail Mary pass play? Is that intentional grounding or a do-over?

If I was a quarterback playing at Cowboys’ Stadium, I would be tempted to bounce the football off the video board and then run and catch my own pass! I would call it “Immaculate Reception II.”

Similar to the NBA’s slam-dunk competition, the NFL could have a video screen create-a-play competition: “Punt, Pass, and Doink!”

Would intentionally punting into the scoreboard be a nice setup for a fake-punt play? Wow! Fans will just adore having more replays to endure!

We may witness a game changing, playoff-determining play that will not count. Imagine having a season-ending injury that may be suffered on a play that will not count.

Well, if the Dallas Cowboys are allowed to have an object of obstruction in play, it is only fair that all of the remaining 31 NFL teams be given the option of having a similar attraction.

For example, my Carolina Panthers could have a replica plane of Orville and Wilbur Wright hanging or floating 90 feet above midfield at Bank of America Stadium.

What will happen if a punt hits Jerry Jones? Never mind. Let’s think outside of the box and outside of clichés!

I have an alternate, simple solution: give punters the option of kicking the football above and over the video board, not just underneath or around it.

This solution will establish all-time hang-time punt records for the NFL. The punt returner will automatically signal for a fair-catch, theoretically, reducing injuries.

Want to give punters an incentive to avoid punting into the video board? Assess a delay of game penalty and a $10,000 fine for each kick that bumps the scoreboard.

I read that the Cowboys will raise (and disconnect) the video screen at least once in October for Bono. U2 will perform October 12. Its stage has to fit.

Why not just leave the screen higher after the concert? The video screen can be raised for a concert but it’s too expensive and too much trouble to raise for a football game?

Oh, now I get it. The ticket holders in the expensive, field-level seats would needlessly strain their necks to see a raised video scoreboard!

The video board is now at eye-level for owners of luxury suites and upper-level ticket holders. On Madden NFL 10, this video board casts a huge shadow, covering almost 60 percent of the football field.

In backyards all across our United States, kids can pretend to be Tony Romo, fumbling the snap, picking the football, back up, backing up to pass, the throw is spiraling high, it hits a tree (a.k.a. the Cowboys’ scoreboard), and it’s a do-over!

On ESPN Primetime highlights, Chris Berman will say “the punter kicks, back...back…back...DOINK! So they then punted again.”

After throwing an interception for a New York Giants touchdown, losing the game for Dallas late in the fourth quarter, Tony Romo explains to the press with a smirk on his face: “Oh, my God! My eyes were, like, distracted and, uh, glued to the Cowboys cheerleaders’ very huge breasts, bouncing on our video board! Talk about instant replay! Review this!”

Technorati Tags: Dallas Cowboys,Cowboys Stadium,video scoreboard,NFL,football

Quote of the Day:
The enraged colonists were mad.
--CJ's US History Work

Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

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2009 Georgia Bulldogs Preview

Silver Fox — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:50:04 -0400

The 2009 edition of the Georgia Bulldogs football team are almost unrecognizable from that group that started last season. The hope to finish better than that squad did in 2008.

While being preranked No. 1 in 2008 proved to be too much to handle for Georgia, a team not used to being in the national limelight, the lack of high expectations in 2009 should assist the Bulldogs.

Georgia's reputation for being one of the nation's best road teams will be put to the test right away with a critical game against a great, highly ranked Oklahoma State. In addition to the OSU Cowboys, the Bulldogs face Arizona State and will play at Georgia Tech.

Their mid-season stretch against LSU, at Tennessee, and at Vanderbilt will be challenging, but there is a week off before the annual battle against Florida. Getting Auburn and Kentucky at home, a cupcake against Tennessee Tech, will make for a relatively easy November before the regular season final contest against the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.

On offense Joe Cox, taking over the starting quarterback chores, is a talented, replacement who will fit nicely into the position. At running back, Caleb King, Carlton Thomas, and Richard Samuel will be competing for carries, and this group will be more than capable behind a more experienced offensive line.

A.J. Green is an elite wide receiver but will the other wide receivers and tight end also perform well? Will the defense be good enough to allow the offense enough opportunities to outscore the opponent?

On defense, with Jeff Owens back after missing almost all of last season, and with Geno Atkins choosing to return for his senior year, the Georgia Bulldogs are very talented on the inside. Add 320-pound veteran Kade Weston, who is healing after playing banged up last year and emerging star DeAngelo Tyson, and Georgia will be superb on the defensive line.

Junior linebacker Rennie Curren collected 115 total tackles 3 sacks in 2008. The defensive backs look to be a source of team strength this season, returning a number of talented contributors.

Reshard Jones is a talented, reliable safety. Prince Miller is a steady cornerback. Georgia’s defense will need to remain healthy in order to play consistently better in 2009 than they did in 2008.

Special teams may be a concern this season. There are no standout players among the special teams units. The kicker and punter will both be somewhat unproven and the return game figures to be routine at best.

The field goal kicker and special teams play in particular may end up being the difference of Georgia finishing with a 9-3 or 10-2 record, as opposed to 11-1 or 12-0, in the regular season. Good field position should never be underestimated or taken for granted.

The fact that Georgia will not play Alabama or Ole Miss during the regular season is a positive. Like the 2005 team featuring quarterback D.J. Shockley, there is the possibility, if not potential, that this year’s squad will exceed expectations by a wide range.

However, the highly talented Florida Gators with quarterback, Tim Tebow, will secure the SEC East, the SEC Championship, and probably the BCS National Championship, as the Bulldogs continue to perform as a second tier NCAA football team.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,SEC,NCAA Football,BCS,football

Quote of the Day:
A civilization is built on what is required of men, not on that which is provided for them.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Psalm 94:18-19 “When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”

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Dallas' New Hit: The Video Board Mini-Game

Silver Fox — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:10:00 -0400

“The kick is up, up, and into the scoreboard!”

In the first exhibition game at the brand new Cowboys Stadium, a new mini-game auditioning for Madden NFL 11 was demonstrated: Hit the Video Board!

Imagine connecting my Xbox 360 to the Cowboys Stadium video board and playing Madden NFL 10, in true high definition glory.

Yes, this was one of the new comical, hilarious, fun NFL events (albeit it’s only preseason) that will forever endure in NFL lore. Yes, it will be the lead highlight of the next NFL Follies DVD, in high definition of course.

Tennessee Titans rookie punter A.J. Trapasso's boot in the third quarter of the opening game at the new Cowboys stadium hit one of the 60-yard long high-definition video screens that hang about 90 feet above the field.

Measuring 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall (11,520 sq. feet), the high-definition television screen at Cowboys Stadium is the world's largest. It hangs about 90 feet above the playing surface,

As a young child growing up on a city street in Atlanta, GA, I remember punting high, aiming at street lights, with the purpose to barely miss. Luckily, my stupid idea never resulted in busting a street light.

For if I ever hit and busted a street light, my parents would have ultimately found out and then my little, uh, “Trapasso,” would have been spanked.

However, once my old, worn leather football blew like a car tire upon impact on a hanging electric wire and landed flat and unusable on the street. Then with my new football, I returned to long asphalt punting for enhanced bounced, roll, and distance.

I bet that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones never played or practiced punting high and short. However, it’s a good chance that Tennessee Titans rookie punter A.J. Trapasso played all sorts of punting games as a child and teenager.

However, perhaps Jerry and A.J. have something in common: they make a “Trapasso” out of themselves too frequently. Just kidding.

Trapasso pointed up at the board when the ball dropped straight down. Officials were slow to realize what happened until Titans coach Jeff Fisher threw his red challenge flag to get their attention.

Apparently, these referees were both blind and deaf, if they did not see or hear the ball hit the scoreboard, assuming that the football made a noise upon contact on the video board.

If it made a sound, it probably was not the traditional “doink” we hear when a field goal attempt hits the goalposts. My guess it was more of a “thud” or “bam” type of sound.

Go outside and throw a football against a house with vinyl siding. Well, make sure that it is either your house, or it’s okay with the house owner.

That may or may not be close to this sound that I am imagining.

By rule, the ball was dead and fourth down was replayed. Trapasso's ensuing kick skimmed just to the side of the board without touching it.

Titans coach Jeff Fischer said the screen will have to be raised. Trapasso and veteran Titans punter Craig Hentrich both hit the screen during pregame warm-ups, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says there are no plans to raise to the massive screens any higher.

In a postgame interview, Jerry Jones snapped “Kiss my Trapasso!” towards a reporter. No, Jones didn’t say that, but he did snap.

Jones reportedly said something more defensive than offensive. Should the video board be raised higher?

Jones snapped: “That's not the point. How high is high if somebody just wants to sit there and kick straight up? If you look at how you punt the football, unless you're trying to hit the scoreboard, you punt the ball to get downfield. You certainly want to get some hang time, but you punt the ball to get downfield, and you sure don't punt the ball down the middle. You punt it off to the side."

Apparently, Jones does not value the aspect of hang time in the punting game. Cowboys punter Mat McBriar did not come close to hitting the screen.

Jones said there isn't any room to raise the screen but the NFL is investigating the situation. It sounds like Jones plans to argue against any changes to the screen, and he should because the video board cost $40 million, more than Texas Stadium!

Vivid accounts of the beauty and awesomeness of the brand new state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium should have been overflowing in the news and blogs today, but “The Dallas Cowboys Stadium Punt Scandal” rules not only today but throughout the week, especially on sports talk radio.

My initial impression of Cowboys Stadium is that it is obviously an excellent experience for the fan. The retractable roof, or any roof, is a negative for me.

Real football was meant and intended to be played and performed outdoor in the real weather and elements. Additionally, the stadium should be name Tom Landry Stadium, not Cowboys Stadium.

As we learn more about the specifics and quirks of this new stadium, it will establish its own character, we will discover so much to like and enjoy, but we will also learn of things, like this video scoreboard/high definition TV, which will need to be modified.

What ultimately matters is the team itself. If Dallas wins, and especially if the Cowboys make the playoffs and win, the stadium’s quirks and shortcomings won’t loom as large as if the team continues to underachieve and disappoint its fans.

The new video scoreboards at Cowboys Stadium are a huge hit, they took a hit from a punted football, and verbal hits are aimed at Jerry Jones and his prized franchise.

If Jones does not raise the scoreboard and if more punts hit the scoreboard, then this fuels the circus in Dallas and produces another unproductive distraction, but it’s excellent fodder for joke writers and sports bloggers.

Technorati Tags: Dallas Cowboys,Cowboys Stadium,Jerry Jones,punting,NFL

Quote of the Day:

“When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.” George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

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Carolina Panthers 2009 Preview

Silver Fox — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:57:25 -0400

Will the Carolina Panthers win the NFC South division in two consecutive seasons? Typically, the NFC South inverts from season-to-season, with three different champions from 2006 though 2008.

A Short Review of the 2008 Season

The Panthers appeared prepared to make a strong postseason run in 2008. They finished the regular season 12-4, in first place of their division, and received a first round bye.

However, they ran into a hot Arizona Cardinals team that easily dismantled them, 33-13. Despite being one in done in the playoffs, the 2008 season was still a good one for the team.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme remained healthy for the entire year and the team finished seventh in the NFL in scoring. The running tandem was amazing with DeAngelo Williams and rookie back Jonathan Stewart.

The pair combined for 28 touchdowns and over 2,300 yards on the ground. After missing the first two games of the season, Steve Smith still caught nearly 80 balls for over 1,400 yards.

The defense finished twelfth in the league in points allowed and Julius Peppers enjoyed a great season, finishing with 14.5 sacks. However, the unit was not strong against the run, giving up nearly 120 yards per game to rank number twenty in the NFL.

The Coaches, Old and New

Coach John Fox enters his eighth season at the helm. Obviously conservative, Fox went for it fewer times last season on fourth down (eight) than any other head coach in the NFL.

His players like him and and are sold into his coaching philosophy: run the ball, stop the run, and throw it deep occasionally to Steve Smith to keep the other defense honest.

Fox replaced defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac in the offseason with former Indianapolis coordinator Ron Meeks. Trgovac drew fire for rarely blitzing and for a bend-but-don’t-break approach, but much of that mentality came straight from Fox.

The defense will be tweaked enough to allow less big plays. This means heavy reliance on a four-man rush, two-deep zones. and fast linebackers, such as Jon Beason, to male the majority of the tackles.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson hit his stride last season, helped immensely by a breakout year from running back DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers were No. 3 in the NFL in rushing yardage and would like to be No. 1 this season.

Five assistant coaches have been replaced since that playoff loss to the Cardinals, so it will be interesting to see how the players respond and adjust to these new coaches.

A Preview of the 2009 Edition of the Carolina Panthers

The 2009 Panthers will look almost exactly identical as the 2008 edition, except for modifications has been done on the defense. Carolina basically skipped the high-profile free agent part of the offseason entirely, taking a calculated risk by committing most of its available salary cap to three veterans: offensive tackle Jordan Gross (extension), quarterback Jake Delhomme (extension), and defensive end Julius Peppers (franchise tag).

So all eleven starters on offense are returning and the defense should improve with the new defensive coordinator, Ron Meeks.They have a solid base with the backfield duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, while Steve Smith may be the best NFL wide receiver.

The Offense Returns All Starters But They Lack Depth at Key Positions

This offense’s glaring weakness is lack of depth at wide receiver, quarterback, and offensive line. Steve Smith inures his right shoulder in training camp before the first preseason game is played.

Carolina’s essential question is which "Jake Delhomme will show up?" The fiery, competitive player, playing under control or the QB who threw five (or was it six) interceptions in the playoff debacle against the Arizona Cardinals?

How healthy will an aging Delhomme be? If Delhomme goes down as he did in 2007, the Panthers are in trouble. The backups, Josh McCown and Matt Moore, have little experience.

Behind Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett , Jason Carter and Ryne Robinson will return from injuries in 2009. Add rookies Mike Goodson and Larry Beavers into the group and Carolina is pretty deep at WR.

While the Panthers return all eleven starters on offense, they lost quality depth on the offensive line.

Carolina may have the best starting offensive line in football. The backups appear to be a question mark. Hopefully, Gerald Cadogan and Duke Robinson are rookies that can step in as back-ups to get the job done if called upon.

Will the New Defensive Coordinator Make a Difference?

Ron Meeks is taking over Mike Trgovac’s defensive coordinator position and installing a conventional Cover 2 scheme. I do not expect it to be much different from Carolina’s previous approach.

Whereas Carolina mixed in some complex Cover 2 concepts in their previous "read and react" scheme, Meeks' simplified system is designed to take advantage of the speed and quickness of the defenders.

This unit has traditionally relied on a straight four-man pass-rush, read-and-react linebackers, and zone-defending defensive backs.

I expect that the defense will play well more consistently under new defensive coordinator, Ron Meeks. Carolina's defensive line is very good. However, it still lacks the run-stuffing ability Carolina has not had since trading Kris Jenkins to the New York Jets.

They have acquired some back-ups at DT with Corvey Irvin and Marlon Favorite, and they have a rotation of young speed rushers in Charles Johnson, Hilee Taylor, and Everette Brown.

The Panthers are very solid at linebacker, one of Carolina's deepest positions. Dan Connor should compete with 9-year veteran Na'il Diggs for a starter position.

With the addition of two draft picks, Carolina's secondary went from thin to improved quickly. I think that Richard Marshall will be the number two corner opposite Chris Gamble, C.J. Wilson will be the nickel CB, and Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn will be their back-ups.

I will not be surprised if the Panthers decide to let their best corner, Chris Gamble, blanket the opposition’s best receiver to eliminate unfavorable matchups.

The safety position seems to be reliable with Chris Harris and Charles Godfrey. The defensive backs will benefit the most with the transition to a new defensive coordinator.

Julius Peppers once again needs to play at a Pro Bowl,or better, level for the Carolina Panthers. The athletic defensive end also needs to make plays against the run, in addition to generating sacks and quarterback pressures.

Linebacker Jon Beason had a great second season and Thomas Davis had a great third season, and therefore, both should continue to improve alongside one another. The Panthers hope that both of their second round draft picks, defensive end Everette Brown and safety Sherrod Martin can play a big role immediately, which would go a long way towards rounding out the unit.

The Third Phase of Football: The Special Teams

Ageless kicker John Kasay, the last remaining original Panther off that inaugural 1995 team, returns after another fine year in which he made 28-of-31 field goals and clinched Carolina’s first-round bye with a final-second field goal in Week 17. The Panthers deploy kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd, who led the NFL in touchbacks in 2008 with 30.

Punter Jason Baker is consistent. The team’s best returner is Steve Smith, but he is much too valuable to use back there very often. Ryne Robinson gets the first opportunities at both the kickoff and punt return duties.

Historically, Carolina Follows A Good Season with a Mediocre Season: Will This Trend Continue in 2009?

With a spectacular regular season overshadowed by a horrible postseason, the Panthers enter 2009 intent on erasing the memories of their 33-13 playoff loss to the Cardinals. Though the defeat could serve as inspiration to another postseason appearance, coach John Fox must guard against his team looking ahead to the playoffs before taking care of business during the regular season.

To keep his players from looking too far in the future, Fox typically breaks down the season into quarters and sets a goal of finishing 3-1 in each segment. By concentrating on small chunks of the season at a time, Fox hopes to keep his team focused on now.

Carolina has the same solid lineup that won 11 games last season, but their cautious style may not be enough with a tougher schedule in NFL in 2009.

QB Jake Delhomme sets a tone of inconsistency that influences the entire offense. The defense’s big plays are below its level of talent.

With weaker depth and a a tougher schedule in 2009, expect the Panthers to continue their franchise historical trend of following good seasons with mediocre ones.

Preseason Schedule:

Mon, Aug 17 - at NY Giants, 8:00 PM Aug 22 - at Miami, 7:30 PM Aug 29 - vs. Baltimore, 8:00 PM Sep 3 - vs. Pittsburgh, 8:00 PM

Regular Season Schedule:

Week 1 Sun, Sept. 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles 1 p.m.

Week 2 Sun, Sept. 20 at Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m.

Week 3 Mon, Sept. 28 at Dallas Cowboys 8:30 p.m.

Week 4 Bye

Week 5 Sun, Oct. 11 vs. Washington Redskins 1 p.m.

Week 6 Sun, Oct. 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m.

Week 7 Sun, Oct. 25 vs. Buffalo Bills 4:05 p.m.

Week 8 Sun, Nov. 1 at Arizona Cardinals 4:15 p.m.

Week 9 Sun, Nov. 8 at New Orleans Saints 4:05 p.m.

Week 10 Sun, Nov. 15 vs. Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m.

Week 11 Thu, Nov. 19 vs. Miami Dolphins 8:20 p.m.

Week 12 Sun, Nov. 29 at New York Jets 1 p.m.

Week 13 Sun, Dec. 6 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m.

Week 14 Sun, Dec. 13 at New England Patriots 1 p.m.

Week 15 Sun, Dec. 20 vs. Minnesota Vikings 8:20 p.m.

Week 16 Sun, Dec. 27 at New York Giants 1 p.m.

Week 17 Sun, Jan. 3 vs. New Orleans Saints 1 p.m.

-Game time can be adjusted to 4:15pm or 8:15pm

Technorati Tags: Carolina Panthers,NFC South,NFL,football,sports

Quote of the Day:
It is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog!
--Anonymous

2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

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2009 NFC South Preview: The Saints Go Marching In

Silver Fox — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:22:22 -0400

Is the NFC South the most underrated division of the NFL? A different team has won the division title for three consecutive years.

The NFC South was very impressive in the regular season but both Atlanta and Carolina were owned by the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs. In other words, these teams are very competitive. They regularly won at home last season, and two teams qualified but lost in the playoffs.

While this division is difficult for me to predict its title holder in 2009, it’s safe to rule out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers cleaned house after a disappointing collapse and end to last season. Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen were fired. Veterans Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, Warrick Dunn, Cato June, and Ike Hilliard were all released.

The Bucs new regime of GM Mark Dominik and head coach Raheem Morris watched a young team battle all year, but will not deliver enough wins to qualify for the postseason. Tampa Bay averages 20.6 points per game and allows 26.3 points against a schedule featuring five games against 2008 playoff teams.

Tampa Bay not only has a new coach in Raheem Morris, they no longer have Monte Kiffin calling the shots for the defense, and they are trying to get over their late-season collapse of 2008. Either Byron Leftwich or rookie Josh Freeman will start at quarterback, but there are weapons around them in Antonio Bryant, as well as pickups Kellen Winslow and Derrick Ward.

The biggest changes will come on defense, where Kiffin was the coordinator for 12 years, and there is no Derrick Brooks for the first time in 13 years. This Tampa Bay squad will just be looking to find themselves in 2009, hopefully building a foundation for 2010 and beyond.

This leaves us the Atlanta Falcons, their rivals, the New Orleans Saints, and my favorite NFL team the Carolina Panthers. Each team has a lot of offensive explosion and potential but each squad has some issues on defense.

Each team offers enough talent, competent coaching, and the intangibles it takes for a franchise to win this division and/or to make the playoffs. Each team also has its drawbacks and potential issues holding a franchise back from being an elite NFL team.

The Carolina Panthers have compiled a 115-119 record in their 14 years of existence. I expect Carolina to hang around the .500 mark again in 2009. Carolina has the best defense in the NFC South (well, Bucs fans may disagree), but at times provide inconsistent performances.

Will the Carolina Panthers win this division in consecutive seasons? Although all eleven starters on offense are returning and the defense should improve with the new defensive coordinator, I just don’t see that happening.

Of course, as a Carolina Panthers fan, I pray and hope that I am very wrong. But the facts are that the Panthers average 22.2 points per game and allow 22.6 points against a schedule featuring seven games against 2008 playoff teams.

The Panthers won the division in 2008 largely due to an easy schedule. In 2009, Carolina has a brutal schedule featuring 13 teams that finish .500 or better in our projections.

Carolina’s essential question is which QB Jake Delhomme will show up at a game? The fiery, competitive player, playing under control or the QB who threw five (or was it six) interceptions in the playoff debacle against the Arizona Cardinals?

How healthy will an aging Delhomme be? While the Panthers return all eleven starters on offense, they lost quality depth on the offensive line.

Again, I hope my Panthers prove me wrong in 2009. They have a solid base with the backfield duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, while Steve Smith may be the best NFL wide receiver.

Carolina just gave Jake Delhomme a five-year contract extension and therefore, he will be under intense pressure to live up to it, especially after throwing five picks against Arizona in the playoffs. Out of the top three teams in the division, the Panthers had the best defense and received a boost with the return of Julius Peppers, who powered the team to ninth in the NFL in sacks.

The Atlanta Falcons, established in 1966, has not had two consecutive winning seasons in its 43-year franchise history. I expect that to finally change this year.

Coming off a surprising Wild Card berth, the Atlanta Falcons will come back to reality a little bit. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner will continue to impress but the defense has significant question marks.

However, they signed TE Tony Gonzalez, perhaps the best TE ever in league history. Yes, Atlanta made the biggest move in the NFC South as they snagged Tony Gonzalez from Kansas City, which gives Matt Ryan the NFL's best tight end over the last decade, if not all-time.

Ryan will also have the second-leading rusher in the league in Michael Turner to hand off to. However, like the Saints, the Falcons had trouble stopping their opponents as they were 24th in the league on defense, and they lost Keith Brooking and Lawyer Milloy as well.

The Falcons average 23.0 points per game and allow 23.3 points against a schedule featuring five games against 2008 playoff teams. Atlanta will continue going in the right direction and may even return as a wild card playoff entry, but their rookies and second-year players need seasoning.

Established in 1967, the New Orleans Saints are one of six teams never to have played in a Super Bowl. I expect that fact to continue.

Generally, the Saints are regarded to have the worst defense in the division. But New Orleans is trying to address this via the draft and a few free agents.

The Saints should have a healthy assortment of weapons for Drew Brees, who led the league's best offense in 2008. Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, and Jeremy Shockey all spent time on the trainer's table last year, so New Orleans could score even more points.

Darren Sharper was brought in to shore up a secondary that was 23rd against the pass, but the problems came up front as the Saints managed only 28 sacks. The Saints average 25.9 points per game allow 23.5 points against a schedule featuring seven games against 2008 playoff teams.

A couple of years removed from the NFC title game, the New Orleans Saints will win the highly competitive and perhaps, underrated, NFC South. Drew Brees continues his dominance over the league's secondaries, leading the top offense in the NFL.

Despite having a slightly improved defense as its glaring weakness, New Orleans will outscore most of its opponents to win the NFC South but will not experience success in the postseason once again.

In summary, I see Tampa Bay at 6-10 or 7-9, Atlanta and Carolina will battle for 8-8 or 9-7, and New Orleans will squeak by with a 10-6 or 11-5 record to claim the division crown.

Technorati Tags: NFC South,NFL,Carolina Panthers,sports,news

Quote of the Day:
Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing for something.
--Wilson Mizner

2009 NFC North Preview: Lions, Packers, Vikings, and Bears—Oh My!

Silver Fox — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:16:54 -0400

It doesn't matter if Brett Favre becomes a Minnesota Viking or not. The Vikings’ defense and running game carry this team, although there is room for improvement with their pass defense.

However, solid play from the quarterback position has been the only thing preventing the Vikings from being an elite team.

If the quarterback can get the ball to him, wide receiver and kick returner Percy Harvin has significant big-play potential. His presence may draw enough attention from defenders to open up other things for Minnesota’s offense.

Running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor may be the best duo in the NFL because of the blocking by the offensive line.

Minnesota should finish first in the NFC North simply because they have the best rushing attack in this division and a defense that keeps them in ball games.

The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers could possibly tie for second place, with 9-7 or 8-8 records.

Like the Vikings, the Bears' strength lies in their rushing defense. In contrast, Chicago’s rushing offense is unimpressive.

Matt Forte may collect the carries, but he is not an explosive runner.

The Chicago Bears shocked the universe this off-season by trading two first-round picks to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler brings confidence and a Pro Bowl resume to the Windy City, where the Bears have lacked an offensive star for years.

Is Cutler good enough to quickly transform this team into a playoff team? Probably not, as the Bears face a schedule with seven games against 2008 playoff teams.

Switching to a 3-4 defense may not be the simplest transition for the Packers this upcoming season. Therefore, the switch may not help much in 2009. Green Bay plays the bottom three teams in the NFL — Cleveland, St. Louis, and Detroit — four times.

Aaron Rodgers proved to be a competent NFL quarterback who can start all 16 games. He has some great weapons with Green Bay and works within an effective system.

Greg Jennings has quietly emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the league, averaging 59 catches for 949 yards (that is 16.0 yards-per-reception) in his first three years in the league.

Running back Ryan Grant had a disappointing 2008 performance after an impressive 2007 production. Which Grant will show up in 2009?

Following an 0-16 season, the Detroit Lions are starting over and have nowhere to go but up. With a new front office, coaching staff, and face of the franchise, expect the Lions to win a few games this year.

Is Matthew Stafford their answer? It’s difficult to tell since he does not have a good offensive line.

However, as a Georgia Bulldogs fan who witnessed Stafford for three collegiate seasons, I will be surprised if he has a successful NFL career.

At UGA, Stafford had a tendency to force passes into double-coverage and for the most part, did not play well against the SEC’s best defenses.

Stafford has the classic NFL quarterback style and a strong arm, but he will need to learn to read NFL defenses and quickly go through his progressions.

Passing accuracy, not arm strength, is what is required to win the National Football League. However, I do hope that Stafford proves me wrong and does well in Detroit.

If Stafford is smart, his favorite target will be talented wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Detroit’s defense will improve. The Lions' defense in 2008 was historically terrible, allowing a league worst 8.82 yards-per-pass-attempt and a NFL worst 5.1 yards-per-rush.

Technorati Tags: NFC North,NFL,Minnesota Vikings,sports,news

Quote of the Day:
Life is hard. It’s even harder if you’re stupid.
--Anonymous

Hebrews 12:1 “[God Disciplines His Sons] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

2009 NFC West Preview: It's In the Cards

Silver Fox — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:44:51 -0400

I just pinched myself again. Was that the Arizona Cardinals barreling their way through playoff victories and almost defeating the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl?

It had to be a dream, right? No, it really did happen!

Yes, there is new life in the Mild, Mild NFC West. If they don’t self-destruct, the Cardinals should win the NFC West again and make another playoff run.

To achieve a return to the playoffs, much less another Super Bowl appearance, quarterback Kurt Warner must remain healthy. With his age and history of nagging injuries, will he have similar success in 2009?

Speaking of injury-prone players, rookie running back Chris “Beanie” Wells seems to be an ideal match for Arizona's offense.

Beanie is athletic, quick, and talented. Again, if Wells can take the hard hits of the NFL, he will highly compliment the Cards’ strength: their passing offense.

Recently, I downloaded the new exclusive demo for Madden NFL 10. For my first game, I chose the Pittsburgh Steelers as an opponent.

The Cardinals won the coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff. On the very first offensive play of the game, Warner handed the ball to Wells on a delay/draw type of run. Then and Beanie got "beaned" and suffered an injury that knocked him out for the rest of the game.

I thought that was so very hilarious. Even Wells' injury/stamina ratings must be low in Madden NFL 10.

If they both can stay healthy, Warner and Wells may lead the Cards back to another Super Bowl. Kurt Warner and the passing offense proved that they do not need an effective running game to be successful, but it would add a dimension that may result in less pressure and hits on Warner.

Wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston are arguably the best trio of wide receivers in the NFL today.

Master motivator Mike Singletary brings his no-nonsense approach back to San Francisco. His 49ers will edge the Seattle Seahawks for second place in the NFC West division.

After finishing the 2008 season 5-2 under new head coach Mike Singletary, the 49ers are closer to a playoff run than they have been in a long time. However, a tough schedule suggests that they are still about a win away from the post season.

The strength of the 49ers is their rushing defense. Singletary needs to fix their weakness: turnover ratio.

At the same time, the quarterback position remains unsettled and unstable in San Francisco. Is Singletary entertaining thoughts of Michael Vick?

He may not be the only one because Vick’s former coach now works in Seattle.

After a most disappointing four-win season, the Seattle Seahawks will have a more defensive mindset under new head coach Jim Mora. The defense may improve, but the offense will continue to disappoint.

Seattle wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh could be productive as an excellent route-runner with good hands, but he cannot carry or even spark an offense with big play potential. His addition will not significantly help the offense.

Besides, T.J. will miss his old quarterback, Carson Palmer.

The bright spot on the Seahawks is their awesome group of linebackers. Lofa Tatupu, LeRoy Hill, and Aaron Curry could each make the Pro Bowl. This trio may surpass the Chicago Bears linebackers as the best in the league.

Last and least are the St. Louis Rams. The Rams will continue to struggle on defense as their young players learn and adjust to their defensive-minded new head coach.

That’s right. The former New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo brings his smash mouth style to St. Louis.

In 2008, St. Louis' offense earned a new nickname: “The Worst Show on Turf.” The Rams cannot try to simply outscore teams in shootouts.

The problems for St. Louis are that they have holes on the offensive line and they have a very inexperienced wide receiver group.

So in 2009, they will run the ball often and attempt to morph into a Bill Parcells’ type of team.

But who knows? St. Louis may begin a route of slow improvement.

Technorati Tags: NFC West,NFL,Arizona Cardinals,sports,news

Quote of the Day:
The cynic is his own worst enemy. It requires far less skill to run a wrecking company than it does to be an architect.
--U.S. Andersen

2009 NFC East Preview: Eagles or Giants?

Silver Fox — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:43:12 -0400

The New York Giants are not very flashy but they will play very physically and prevent teams from scoring many points. Therefore, the G-Men are my pick to win the NFC East Division.

Plaxico Burress is gone from the team, leaving a gaping hole in their offense that has yet to be filled. They drafted WR Hakeem Nicks from North Carolina in the first round, but the question is if he can step up now as a solid replacement.

The Giants' success now falls squarely on the shoulders of quarterback Eli Manning, as he will have to be able to utilize all the players on offense instead of having that one go-to guy.

The Giants led the NFL in rushing on the strength of Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward each posting 1,000-yard seasons. Though they lost Ward to Tampa Bay, Ahmad Bradshaw should fill in capably as the lightning to Jacobs’ thunder.

The strength of this team lies in their offensive and defensive lines which will make them a legitimate contender in 2009.

If the Giants don’t win this division, then the Philadelphia Eagles will. The Eagles are a popular pick in 2009 not only to win the NFC East, but to be the NFC’s Super Bowl representative.

The Eagles may emerge as the division’s most talented team. However, head coach Andy Reid needs to improve on certain little things, for example, time management in the fourth quarter.

Philadelphia also needs to abstain from over-relying on running back Brian Westbrook for offensive production. They need to have balance on offense and their WRs will need to improve.

Philly decided to go out this off season and get some offensive weapons for long time QB, Donovan McNabb. By trading for All Pro left tackle, Jason Peters and drafting WR Jeremy Maclin in the first round, the Eagles hope to protect McNabb’s weak side while giving him another target to throw the ball to.

With these and other key player acquisitions, Philadelphia filled most of their holes on both sides of the ball and probably now have the most balanced team in the division.

This leaves the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins to battle it out for the cellar.

The Dallas Cowboys are now Tony Romo’s team. This team is now squarely in the hands of QB Tony Romo.

Well, Romo has to continue to deal with both the Jerry Jones' circus environment and the lack of leadership as well as poor leadership from Head Coach Wade Phillips. Phillips is simply too laid back to inspire this team to finally get a post season victory.

Romo is an athletic passer, he is capable of posting big numbers, and he still has reliable TE Jason Witten and talented, inconsistent wide out Roy Williams to throw to. Whether it’s Marion Barber, Felix Jones, or Tashard Choice getting the ball, the Cowboys are set at running back.

While they still maintain the nucleus of their talent, there are significant questions on their ability to score points. Last season’s 22.6 points per game put them in the bottom half of the league and very little has been done this off season to correct this.

On defense they seem to be more solid and last season were ranked eighth overall. It will be the defense that will have to carry them in 2009.

The Washington Redskins are still trying to figure out who they are as a defense but they will be solid and will carry the team.

Will the Redskins score enough points with Jason Campbell under center again? Probably not, but I do have a wait and see attitude.

Besides, Clinton Portis is not getting any younger at running back.

Quote of the Day:
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.
--“Mahatma” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Technorati Tags: NFC East,NFL,New York Giants,sports,news

1 John 1:7“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

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2009 AFC North Preview: No Super Bowl Hangover in Pittsburgh

Silver Fox — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:30:03 -0400

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers repeat as Super Bowl champions? What a loaded question!

After Pittsburgh’s 2005 Super Bowl, the Steelers experienced 2006 hangover. However, I do not expect the same after the 2008 Super Bowl win.

Almost all important players are back and who knows — the Steelers may get even better in 2009.

Pittsburgh not only survived, they thrived playing the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2008. So why not expect even better things for 2009?

Ben Roethlisberger makes mistakes but he is very athletic and he is a proven, pure winner.

Is he an elite QB in the NFL?

While he does not pile up the statistics, Big Ben extends plays with his mobility and he makes the plays needed to help his team win.

WR Santonio Holmes still has room to improve, Hines Ward is entering the twilight of his career, and even Limas Sweed could step up.

The Steelers offensive line improved in the playoffs after an inconsistent performance during the 2008 regular season. Thus, the rushing game only ranked No. 23 in the NFL.

The Steelers defense was simply phenomenal a season ago. Look at some of the results: fewest points allowed, first against the pass, and second against the run.

Pittsburgh defense swarms to the ball the quickest and they gang tackle the most effectively of any defense in the league. NFL Defensive Player of the Year, James Harrison, leads a dominant front seven and Troy Polamalu will keep making plays in the secondary.

The Baltimore Ravens are Pittsburgh’s only real competition in the North and there is so much to like about them.

The Ravens look like a playoff team again and could make things interesting in the North if Flacco continues to improve and if he has another wideout other than Derrick Mason that elevates his game.

Joe Flacco’s strong arm finally gives the Ravens a real passing attack. Therefore, their passing game makes their running game much better.

Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain pounded opposing defenses for an AFC high 148.5 yards per game in 2008.

Having a competent offense allows the defense to rest more often. Baltimore’s defense is aging but it is still effective, as LB Ray Lewis still covers a lot of ground at linebacker and Ed Reed led NFL with nine picks in 2008.

Now we are left with the two NFL teams in Ohio to battle it out for last place in the AFC North. I apologize to fans of the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns for my sarcasm, but both teams annually struggle.

Just flip a coin to predict which of these teams will finish in the cellar of this division. Or throw a dart.

Who gets the shortest straw?

Because of QB Carson Palmer, I predict the Bengals will finish third place in the AFC North for the 2009 campaign. However, now that Palmer finally gets healthy, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is no longer around.

I’m just not in the mood to discuss Ocho Cinco, a.k.a. Chad Johnson. But fans may follow his tweets at Twitter.

Palmer may finally get some pass protection after the Bengals spent a first-round pick on offensive tackle Andre Smith.

I am guilty of underrating Cincinnati’s defense. It was quietly the twelfth best in the NFL last season, which was the franchise’s best ranking in nine years. Veterans Roy Williams and Tank Johnson should only help it get better.

Then we have the Cleveland Browns remaining. This team annually plays like its on a season-long hangover, interrupted by a few games in which they impress us.

Eric Mangini is coaching, Braylon Edwards’ hands are unreliable, and Kellen Winslow Jr. is gone.

QB Brady Quinn should get his opportunity to start and lead the team, although he’ll have to battle Derek Anderson again.

The Browns’ defense was ineffective last year but Mangini just might fix it. He brought along a group of his Jets players: Kenyon Coleman, Eric Barton, David Bowens, and Abram Elam should get Cleveland’s defense closer to respectability.

Technorati Tags: AFC North,AFC,NFL,Pittsburgh Steelers,sports

Quote of the Day:
Every man alone is sincere. At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Philippians 1:6“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

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2009 AFC West Preview: Chargers to Win Again

Silver Fox — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:07:09 -0400

The big question regarding the AFC West is not who will win the division in 2009, but how deep will the San Diego Chargers go in the postseason?

The Chargers have proven they can handle the Indianapolis Colts again and again, but in the playoffs, they struggle against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots.

Like the AFC East, selecting the expected champion for the 2009 season is easy. It’s evaluating the other three teams that is so challenging.

The San Diego Chargers will easily win the NFL’s easiest division. The Chargers simply have the talent and they lack competition in their division.

Phillip Rivers is developing into an elite NFL quarterback, showing improvement season by season. His wide receivers are also improving, especially with towering Vincent Jackson emerging as their No. 1 target.

We were down on LaDainian Tomlinson in 2008, as he hobbled through the season and lost carries to Darren Sproles. But maybe LT has one more healthy and inspirational season left in him.

With a healthy Shawne Merriman returning, the Chargers defense will play consistently better than they did in the 2008 campaign.

Okay, someone will have to place second in the AFC West. I reluctantly select the Denver Broncos.

Losing QB Jay Cutler may prove to be a disaster for new head coach Josh McDaniels. If the Broncos maintain an effective running game, the offense should do okay with QB Kyle Orton.

Denver’s defense is simply a disaster, particularly against the rush. So why am I predicting the Broncos to finish second?

I may be wrong, and Kansas City may emerge, if they all of a sudden play fundamentally sound like the Atlanta Falcons turned things around last season. That is a big if.

The Chiefs acquired quarterback Matt Cassel from the Patriots in the offseason and we will find out exactly how good of a QB Cassel is. Is Cassel talented, or a product of a system?

Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley are his wide receivers and they are competent. Will Larry Johnson surprise us with a productive season in the backfield, if the passing game works out, and he faces fewer eight-man fronts?

The Chiefs’ defense was terrible last year, but it has nowhere to go but up. First-round pick Tyson Jackson should help with the pass rush in the new 3-4 scheme.

After going 2-and-14, Kansas City has no where to go but up.

The Oakland Raiders finished the 2008 season on a positive note. However, they still won’t find the end zone often enough.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell’s passing game is still among the worst in the league, as he still struggles to read NFL defenses. Rookie Darrius Heywood-Bey more than likely won’t be the answer this season.

Their running game should be respectable with Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas, if they avoid injuries.

Defensively, the Raiders have issues regarding getting to the opposing quarterback, which puts major pressure on their secondary to make plays.

Quote of the Day:
If you haven't got charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
--Bob Hope

Psalm 138:2“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”

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2009 AFC East Preview

Silver Fox — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:11:05 -0400

Is it too soon to pencil in the New England Patriots as the AFC representative of the next Super Bowl? Yes.

Is it too early to declare the Patriots the AFC East Champions? Probably not.

A season ago, the New England Patriots won 11 games without QB Tom Brady. With Brady in full health, the Patriots are obvious favorites to win the AFC East.

New England is easily the most talented team of this division An offense featuring one of the best offensive lines, a core of weapons at WRs, and an improving group of RBs will dominate the AFC, much less the AFC East.

Youth has been added on defense, and that means quickness and durability. The Pats finished strongly in 2008, going 5-1 in their final six games, including 4-0 on the road.

And yes, I expect New England to return to the Super Bowl, but I expect that the Pittsburgh Steelers—and perhaps the San Diego Chargers—could stand in their way.

Notice I didn't mention the Indianapolis Colts. More anlaysis of the Colts will be given in my AFC South preview article.

The AFC East Division is a real challenge as far as predicting which teams will finish second, third, and last.

While the Miami Dolphins had a great bounce back season in 2008, they are “rewarded” with a tough 2009 schedule. Opposing coaches have had an entire offseason to adjust and prepare their defenses for the Wildcat offense.

There is also the question of whether Chad Pennington will repeat his fine performance of last year. The way they play defense and pound the ball on the ground, I like their chances of finishing 9-7 or 10-6.

The Buffalo Bills have the talent to finish second in the AFC East and to compete for a wildcard playoff position; however, their mediocre coaching annually interferes with potential success on the field.

The Bills have a reliable rushing attack, and I expect Terrell Owens to play well until the bitter cold and wind of winter settles in. Buffalo has a solid core of WRs.

Their defense is good enough to keep the offense in the game, but it seems that the Bills tend to snag defeat from the jaws of victory, especially in games they need to win the most. The Bills look like an 8-8 or 9-7 team.

The Jets, on the other hand, appear to me as a 7-9 or 6-10 type of team. Rex Ryan will change the New York Jets into the Baltimore Ravens of the AFC East—that means a fun-to-watch, dominating 3-4 defense and a conservative, limited offense.

However, with their solid offensive line and decent cast of skills players, I expect rookie QB Mark Sanchez to start and have a better season than the Detroit Lions rookie QB, Matthew Stafford. It’s interesting that these two first-round draftees have become friends and support one another.

In summary, the AFC East belongs to the Patriots, as long as Tom Brady stays healthy. The Dolphins, Bills, and Jets are solid teams who at times will be fun to watch, but are nowhere near the elite levels of New England and Pittsburgh.

Technorati Tags: AFC,AFC East,NFL,New England Patriots,sports

Quote of the Day:
A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.
--Saint Augustine of Hippo

Psalm 18:30“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

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Atlanta Braves' Players in the Hall of Fame

Silver Fox — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:03:02 -0400

The Atlanta Braves presently have seven players in the Hall of Fame. They are:

(1) Hank Aaron OF 1966-74

(2) Eddie Mathews 3B 1966

(3) Orlando Cepeda 1B 1969-72

(4) Phil Niekro RHP 1966-1983, 1987

(5) Hoyt Willhelm RHP 1969-70, 1971

(6) Gaylord Perry RHP 1981

(7) Bruce Sutter RHP 1985-1988

Note that none of these spent their entire career with the Atlanta Braves and almost all had their best and most productive seasons outside of Atlanta.

Of course, Phil Niekro spent the vast majority of his career with the Atlanta Braves and had his most productive seasons with Atlanta.

Obviously, Hank Aaron has awesome seasons both with the Milwaukee Braves and the Atlanta Braves.

Although Eddie Matthews spent only one season in Atlanta, he is the only Brave in franchise history to play in all three cities – Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.

Fans in general are split whether or not former Atlanta Brave Dale Murphy (1976-90 – C, 1B, and OF) should be in the Hall of Fame. Murphy is regarded by many as one of the premier players during the 1980s.

Murphy still receives support each year from the Baseball Writers Association to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. but not near enough to become a member.

Of course the Atlanta Braves had a considerably successful run until 2005 with 14 successes out of 15 seasons winning Divisional Championship in NL West three times and NL East 11 times. The Atlanta Braves advanced to World Series five times in 1990s (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 1999). They won the World Series in 1995.

How many of these Braves will end up in the Hall of Fame? Let’s start with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and manager Bobby Cox.

Former general manager John Shuerholtz is Hall of Fame material in my mind.

In the 1990s, the Braves had a lot of great role players (Fred McGriff, Javy Lopez, David Justice, Terry Pendelton, Marquiz Grissom, Jeff Bagwell, Sid Bream, etc.), but did any produce Hall of Fame careers?

Chipper Jones is still on a Hall of Fame run. I pray and hope that Chipper Jones will end up playing his entire career with the Atlanta Braves.

In his career, through the 2008 season, Jones is a .310/.408/.548 hitter with 409 home runs, 1,243 walks and 1,374 RBIs in 2,023 games. He is behind only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray on the all-time switch hitters career home run list.

He is considered one of the game's best all-around hitters and one of the best switch hitters in the history of the game. He is the only switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to have a .300+ career (.310 at the end of the 2008 season) bating average and 400 home runs.

On May 31, 2006, he passed Hank Aaron for second place on the Atlanta Braves all-time career home run list. On July 5, 2007, he passed Dale Murphy for the Atlanta club record of 372 home runs.

Chipper Jones’ career statistics as of June 22, 2009 are: .310 batting average, 416 home runs, 1,406 runs batted in, and 2,338 hits.

TEchnorati Tags: Atlanta Braves,Hall of Fame,Major League Baseball,sports,news

Quote of the Day:
A good composer does not imitate; he steals.
--Igor Stravinsky

Isaiah 40:31“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

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Fore! Should Bleacher Report Have a Sports Video Games Section?

Silver Fox — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:39:42 -0400

Should Bleacher Report include a section about sports video games?

Perhaps or perhaps not, but it is an entertaining thought to me tonight because I've been playing the demo for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 this Memorial Day weekend.

I wanted to write about my thoughts and experiences. So here I am and here is my article: Fore! My Tiger Woods PGA Tour Preview: The Demo.

After playing the demo for Tiger Woods PGA Tour demo on my Xbox 360 a few times, I can already inform you that in terms of game play and controls, the most significant change and upgrade is in the putting game. It is called Precision Putting.

However, the general feel of the game, particularly drives, approach shots, and chips, are very similar to its predecessors of 09 and 08; even in the rain. Rain?

The demo, as the full game, supports dynamic weather conditions, a new commentary team and broadcast style introductions. Of course, rain, along with wind, adds to the realism and feel of this game.

Over and over, on the replay, I enjoying watching the rain water “spit” and splash as my golf ball barreled its way for my birdie at Turnberry, in Scotland. However, I saw no caddy to hand me my golf umbrella afterwards. LOL :-)

On the full version, we will be able to select the actual weather conditions for a course’s location via the Weather Channel or manually select our weather conditions for certain modes of play.

The demo provides four holes from two of this game’s new golf courses: Turnberry (home of this year's British Open) and Bethpage Black (home of this year's U.S. Open). The demo also permits us to take part in a two hole practice round at these two courses.

The demo also previews the new Tournament Challenge mode by offering the famous 17th hole at The Players Stadium Course: TPC Sawgrass, to play.

In Tournament Challenge we can participate in a single challenge from this feature in order to get a preview of the mode.

There are a number of feature preview screens for us to read about the other features in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.

A demo is not the quality of a finished, published edition, but it provides a significant snapshot of coming attractions for me, especially in terms of controls.

Playing this demo helps because for me, this old gamer, Precision Putting requires a learning curve in terms of both adjusting my reads to prepare for a putt and then actually executing a successful putt.

In Tiger Woods video games from the past, the player had various putter options that needed to be selected depending on the distance from the hole. For example, a putt of ten feet could not be made with a putter of a fixed length of five feet and below.

Of course, this scenario was very unrealistic in terms of the real game of golf. And the problem with a system like this is that feel suffers, since the user needs to be constantly aware of the maximum distance that the chosen putter can go and thus, adjust accordingly.

With Precision Putting, the player only carries around one putter that has a maximum distance of somewhere over 100 feet.

After a learning curve, we will get used to reading greens in terms of slope and weather conditions in order to choose the amount of force imparted on the ball, rather than having to do percentage-based math such as trying to hit, for example, 60 percent of a 10-foot putter for an six-foot putt.

In the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 demo, my reads at first seemed as easy as previous editions, but the putts are somewhat more difficult to make, coming up a foot or five short. Determining a solid line in the pre-putt view takes more precision thinking and adjusting now.

Yes, putts are more difficult to sink; so I am hitting more pars when I used to sink birdies and birdies when I used to sink eagles.

I’ve had about five hole-in-one shots in 09 so far. Will these also be fewer and farther between on these beautiful par 3s?

This demo is available for both the Xbox 360 and the PS3.

From playing the demo, I instantly noticed the different camera angles and broadcast presentation. The broadcast style of the game has also been tweaked to enhance that sense of playing in a huge match.

ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt has been added to the booth to offer up his expert, pre-recorded opinions on the action. Camera replays have changed to seem more like we are watching it on television too, giving the game an overall feeling of playing a real golf match.

I found an interesting note regarding this new commentary team, featuring Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman. Wasn’t Tilghman briefly suspended for making a poorly-judged comment about lynching Tiger Woods in last year?

New courses and competitions are on offer as well, with the US Open the big draw among the new options, but USGA rules and structure are also available.

Among the 16 courses in the game, five will be new: Turnberry , Bethpage Black, Oakmont, Hazeltine, and Torrey Pines.

The other 11 courses: Bay Hill, Firestone, Pinehurst No. 2, East Lake, Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Saint Andrews, Doral, Wentworth, Harbor Town, and TPC Boston.

If the past is any indication, there will be more courses available post-launch as downloadable content, but only for those willing to shell out the money.

The EA Sports Live Tournaments, the game’s biggest new feature, will be set to allow players to compete against one another in sanctioned competitions and even to go up against professional golfers. EA Sports Live Tournaments comes with three choices.

There are daily tournaments, where we have to shoot 18 holes and can compare our scores on leaderboards. There are weekly tournaments, where you play for four days out of a week and also compare scores with other players.

There are the Pro Tournaments, which are set to be special events taking place during real life pro tours. We will see the players compare their scores with those of the ones registered by real pro players.

Technorati Tags: video games,Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10,golf,sports,news

Quote of the Day:
The degree of one's emotion varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts: the less you know the hotter you get.
--Bertrand Russell