Bleacher Report - Phoenix

Is Mark Stoops' Arizona Exit a Bad Thing?

Tom Phillips — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:31:10 -0500

As rumors fly about Arizona defensive coordinator Mark Stoops being the top candidate for the Youngstown State head coaching job, it makes one wonder if that is a bad thing for the Wildcats.

He has been one of the members of the staff that has been there from the beginning of the turnaround. In fact, most of the defensive staff has been unchanged in six years.

Arizona has gone from being cellar-dwellers to playing in a game that could put them in a tie for second place in the conference.

The defense has always been the constant for Arizona. They were the ones that kept the Cats in games and won them multiple games.

In recent years, he has produced All-Pac 10 performers and even a Thorpe award winner.

This might be the reason why it's time for the other Stoops to go.

In recent years (and recent weeks) as the team has improved, they have had trouble stopping teams when the game matters. The end.

The Cats have had trouble stopping teams from making the game-winning drive when the game is on the line in the final minutes.

Oregon and Cal this year, Stanford and ASU last year, the list goes on. They have upset ranked teams but cant seem to put away teams that are supposed not be as good.

That has to be the biggest knock on Stoops, the defensive play-calling leaves something to be desired at the end of games.

The players have also looked tired when the game comes to the closing minutes. This would come down to preparation and not having enough faith in backups or not having players properly conditioned.

Older brother Mike would go one of two ways with the hire, bring in a new defensive coordinator or promote someone on the staff.

I think Mike would promote someone from the staff for continuity and so there is no power struggle between a new DC and the established head coach. A new coordinator would likely clear house and bring in his guys, not unlike what happened when Sonny Dykes was brought in.

The counterpoint is be careful what you wish for. Cats fans know this all to well with Dick Tomey and his successor John Mackovic.

If it comes down to money though, Mark Stoops will stay. Youngstown State's coach made $125,000 last year, Mark made double that as Arizona's defensive coordinator.

The Cats are about to find out if Mike Stoops spawns his first coach from his staff this offseason. Whether or not that turns out to be a positive for the Cats is remained to be seen.

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Arizona State Football's Disappointing Season

Michael Hamburg — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:46:37 -0500

On a senior day for the ages, the Arizona State Sun Devils faced off against the Arizona Wildcats in Tempe. Even though the season was over a week before the Territorial Cup due to a loss at UCLA, a win over our in-state rivals would have given the Sun Devil fanbase something to cheer about.

Samson Szakacsy started the game, which was anticipated since he recently had two decent outings two weeks in a row. But on a senior day to remember, Danny Sullivan came in with seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Respectfully, Sun Devil Stadium did not boo when No. 15 entered the game. ASU wanted this game more than anything. USC, UCLA, and Oregon don’t matter when it comes down to the last game of the season against U of A.

Yes, the season has been a total disappointment with ASU finishing 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Pac-10, but a win over the Cats would have given the Devils a boost of momentum going into next season. The thing that hurt the most was that we were in a position to win the game, but senior Kyle Williams muffed a fair catch that was then recovered by the Wildcats.

Sun Devil Stadium was in disbelief, as was Kyle Williams. Kyle has been a Sun Devil for four years and didn’t deserve to go out like that.

The season had ups and downs, with ASU getting a last second game-winning drive against Washington and losing two games by last second field goals against Cal and Arizona. For football in Tempe, this is definitely a year to forget.

Dennis Erickson has to be sick to his stomach after his second unsatisfactory season in a row. Erickson can’t fully be blamed for this, and he does deserve another year as the face of the Devils football team. He is one of the best recruiters in the country and half of the players from this year and last year aren’t even his recruits.

I expect big things from ASU next year in the Pac-10, with multiple top recruits coming in to Tempe. Teams do struggle, and with struggles come experience and fewer mistakes. Look for the most penalized team in the country to come out next year disciplined and smarter.

The quarterback race next year should be exciting with Steven Threet, Brock Osweiler, and Samson Szakacsy all going at it. Look for Threet to win the job due to his pro style and his previous resume.

I have high hopes for our Devils next year, and hopefully we will come through and compete for another Pacific Ten Championship.

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Mary, Joesph the Baby Jesus and the Three Diamondbacks

Jeff Summers — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:47:40 -0500

I seem to be doing my best Mark Reynolds impression when it comes to Christmas decorating. I am striking out with every at-bat.

After the Christmas tree debacle, I thought perhaps I should help with the other decorations.

When we were first married Trina decided we needed a nativity scene among our Christmas decorations to remind us of the true meaning of the holiday—for some reason, she ignored my suggestion that we just get a Santa Claus with a Baby Jesus in his bag.

Instead, she created a beautiful porcelain nativity set. She also made a velvet mat for the set to stand on. Every year, we bring out the nativity set and display it in the house. Once all of the decorations are in place, we gather as a family and read the Christmas story.

It is a tradition that has lasted for our whole marriage. Typically, Trina does the nativity set—I am not quite sure whether that is because she doesn’t trust me, or if it is just her favorite part of the decorations.

Personally, I have a feeling it has something to do with The Great Precious Moments Massacre of 2001, when several of her figurines were caught in the cross fire of a Nerf war between my son and I.

I learned two valuable lessons that day: Always make sure the heads are on straight when gluing, and it takes a visit to the emergency room to separate two fingers and a tube of Super Glue.

This year, I decided I would do the nativity scene. I carefully removed each fragile piece from storage and gently placed it on the velvet mat. One by one, the characters were placed in the scene.

When I was done, I stepped back and admired my work. Something seemed amiss. Maybe I should have paid more attention in previous years as to where each piece was to go. When I got done there were clearly some holes in the scene.

At this point I had two choices (or so I thought).

I could rearrange the characters and try to fill in the holes. That, of course, meant handling these delicate pieces even more, and, given my track record with breakable items, didn’t seem like a very good idea.

The second choice was that I could just fill in the space with something else. I looked around the room and had yet another moment of brilliance. I ran over to my desk and retrieved three Arizona Diamondbacks bobble-head dolls and carefully set them behind the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus.

It was perfect. That night, we gathered around as Trina motioned that it was time for our annual reading of the Christmas Story. As she opened the book the kids started to snicker. Trina was somewhat annoyed at the children for laughing at this moment.

My son pointed to the nativity set between giggles. Trina turned to look and suddenly made a horrified face. She immediately screamed, “Jeff!”

All eyes turned to me as Trina demanded to know what was the meaning of this. As calmly as I could I simply stated, “I thought the baby Jesus needed a little protection in the line-up.”

I don’t remember much of anything after that.

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Cell Phone Video: Arizona State's Vontaze Burflict Decks Arizona's Ricky Wolder

College Football Fanatic — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:30:53 -0500

Since there is no clear-cut Getty Images picture of Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burflict getting his LeGarrette Blount on, I'm using a stock image from the game instead.

According to Sports By Brooks (hat tip; click on the link for the video), Burflict punched Arizona long snapper Ricky Wolder in the face after Wolder shoved him from behind, much like Byron Hout did to Blount on Sept. 3 in the infamous LeGarrette haymaker.

SBB says that the East Valley Tribune actually got word of this Saturday night, but there was no proof of what had happened.

The punch appears to have so much force that it does glance off of Arizona kicker Alex Zendajas.

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Should the Phoenix Coyotes Enter in the Jaromir Jagr Sweepstakes?

Derek Pivko — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:18:55 -0500

The biggest name in hockey that isn’t playing in the NHL this season is, Jaromir Jagr.

The future first ballot of Hall of Famer hasn’t played in the NHL since the 07-08 season. Jagr signed a two-year deal to play in the Kontinental Hockey League in July 2008.

Jagr is currently 13th all-time in goals scored (646), 9th all-time in points (1599) and 7th all-time in points per game (1.256). Jagr signed with the KHL to escape the demanding 82 season of the NHL and the fans have missed Jagr. His name alone would draw fans to any arena to see him play.

One arena that isn't drawing any fans this season is the Jobing Arena home of Phoenix Coyotes.

Despite a winning record, the Coyotes have failed to draw backs fans after they filed for bankruptcy back in May which caused outrage fans and season-ticket holders. The NHL is currently running the franchise until they find a suitable owner who would keep the team in Phoenix.

One way that the Coyotes could bring back fans is by signing Jagr. Jagr has publicly stated that he has an interest in returning to the NHL. However, if the Coyotes were to pursue Jagr it would be for a limited time.

Jagr is eligible to return to the NHL next season. However, at the conclusion of the 10-11 season Jagr will be 39 years old. Unless your name is Chris Chelios then players typically retire before the age of 39.

In my opinion the Coyotes could use Jagr as he could still serve as an offensive threat one which the Coyotes are lacking this season.

The Coyotes have a history of bringing in older veterans many of which were past their prime. The first name that instantly comes to my mind is Brett Hull.

The Coyotes currently have four players on their roster who are born in the 1970’s (Shane Doan, Robert Lang, Adrian Aucoin and Ed Jovonovski). All of these players are having great seasons with the Coyotes.

The difference between them and Jagr is that Jagr’s current contract with the Avangard Omsk (KHL) is almost more than all four Coyotes contract combined.

Therefore, Jagr would come with a heavy price tag and with a team that is currently bankrupt the Coyotes should pass on the future Hall Of Famer.

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Matt Leinart, Cardinals Win Character in Loss

Chris Farmer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:13:51 -0500

No team wishes to suffer a loss, especially one as heart-wrenching as an 18-play, 99-yard drive that ends on a TD pass as time expires.

But give credit where it is due; Vince Young and the Titans, perhaps the hottest team in football, outperformed the Cardinals by one play in a game no team deserved to lose.

Typically, the refrain is, "We don't need moral victories; we need wins." For the Arizona Cardinals, yesterday's outcome is that rare game when a moral victory is acceptable.

Let me count the ways.

1. Matt Leinart proved me and all the other doubters wrong. After struggling to find his rhythm in the first half, Leinart came raging back in the second to answer all the questions about his ability to lead the ball club.

Remember, Kurt Warner took all of the first-team snaps in practice this week and was expected to play despite the mild concussion he suffered in last week's game. When Warner was declared a late scratch, Leinart had to essentially wing it with very little preparation, no small task considering he was replacing the most efficient QB in road games this season.

Leinart showed poise, savvy, confidence, pinpoint accuracy, and yes—leadership. For Cardinals Nation it is a big sigh of relief, and one of many reasons to celebrate this game even in a loss.

2. The Steelers, the Ravens, and the Titans are the poster children for smash-mouth NFL football, yet the Cardinals went toe to toe with Tennessee. In a black and blue brawl, it was the Cardinals who were every bit as physical and matched the intensity and toughness of the Titans all game and all over the field.

Tennessee is a trash-talking, big-stick-wagging squad that uses intimidation as part of its game plan. Arizona not only didn't back down, they dished out some of their own handcrafted punishment as well.

For a team that is usually defined by the finesse of its efficient passing game, this was a statement game. Given that the Cardinals next host the Vikings in a flexed prime time Sunday Night Football affair, they will need that violence to carry over into the next game and beyond.

3. Coming into the contest, Tennessee had allowed a league-fewest seven sacks in 10 games. By the end of their 11th game they had allowed 11 sacks.

Darnell Dockett was an uncontainable beast, notching three of the sacks on his own against one of the best offensive lines in the league.

4. Perhaps most importantly, this was one of the best all-around performances by the Arizona team this season. The entire team stepped up with Warner out. The game ball could be given to any of a handful of players who made tremendous contributions.

My game balls go to:

Matt Leinart, who answered the critics with a stellar performance, completing 21 of his 31 passes for 220 yards without a turnover.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for three huge textbook pass deflections in pass coverage, and for causing the fumble on Kenny Britt that gave Arizona the ball with four minutes to play while clutching a four-point lead.

LaRod Stephens-Howling for being a special teams demon. After Chris Johnson's deadly 85-yard run to put Tennessee up by 10 points, LSH answered on the very next play with a 99-yard kickoff return to cut the lead back to a manageable three. He downed two punts inside the two-yard line and made a huge hit in kickoff coverage.

Ben Graham continued his Pro Bowl caliber punting. Our "Big Ben" had five of his six punts downed inside the 20, with a long of 64 yards and an average of nearly 50 per punt. Graham is one of the quietest special teams MVP candidates in the league.

Darnell Dockett had 3 sacks. In big games, big time players make big time plays. Again, this was against the team that had allowed the fewest sacks in the league this season.

Tim Hightower ran hard, averaged five yards per carry, scored a TD, and displayed his smash-mouth style by making Titans defenders pay for coming into contact with him. He accounted for 78 total yards on 14 touches.

Karlos Dansby did one heck of a job in run coverage. Yeah, that's right, run coverage. That’s what you call it when you are playing against Chris Johnson.

Anquan Boldin made several highlight reel catches.

Antrel Rolle, Michael Adams, and Adrian Wilson should all get a mention for helping set the tone of the game with devastating hits.

You can't call a loss a character win, but you can still win character in a loss.

Don't hang your heads for too long, Cardinal fans. To do so would overlook what a fantastic game Arizona just played.

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Tennessee, Vince Young's "Music City Miracle II" Crushes Cardinals 20-17

Scott Z Brady — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:59:33 -0500

CARDINALS - TITANS REPORT CARD It was a crushing defeat! It was the kind of defeat that gnaws at you ..eats at you. What happened today in the shadows of Graceland will be tough to get over. It takes time to recover from a loss like this. Who knows how long it will take? ..or what toll it will take? I'm referring to the Cardinals faithful, of course. The team will fly back disappointed, to be sure. But they will be proud of what they did today, despite that disappointment. The word "If" will be prominent, both on the flight home, and in the film room at the facility in Tempe this morning. They’ll get treatment on what ails them physically, and lick their own emotional wounds left by the visuals that keep playing in their heads. They’ll cuss their own errors while watching film. It very well may take me until Thursday or Friday to get over this loss. Maybe even next Sunday afternoon, when the natural juices start to flow preparing for the upcoming game. But the Cardinals will hash out their plays, both good and bad, today. And by tomorrow, be 100% focused on the Minnesota Vikings. The Cardinals have a lot to be proud of indeed. This was a fantastic game! It had everything! Great defensive plays. Great offensive plays. Great special teams plays. The only time a team took more than a 6 point lead, ..it lasted all of 12 seconds. It was a mini see-saw battle that seemed like it went back and forth all day. And if you had any questions before this game about Titans QB Vince Young, and whether or not he’s truly the real deal, he answered them. The same can be said, to a lesser extent, about Cards QB Matt Leinart, too That said.. lets get to the grades. Shall we?

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NBA Power Rankings: Suns To the Top, Mavs and Hawks Take Tumble

The Daily Hurt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:20:00 -0500

Ok, so it looks like I've just randomly inserted a photo of a hot chick, but hear me out.

I think it sums up life for the Phoenix Suns right now.

They are smokin' hot and it's smiles all around and besides, she's got much better hair than Steve Nash.

The Golden State Warriors won only once this week, but it was a biggy—against the Dallas Mavericks who appear to retain some mental scars from that 2007 playoff defeat to Golden State .

At least the Mavericks had a better week than Tiger Woods , who apparently scored one birdie too many recently.

Ok, enough silly jokes, onto The Daily Hurt's weekly power rankings.

PHOENIX SUNS - The Suns have won four straight and by an average margin of 21 points. Steve Nash says that he reads every negative article that's written about him saying that he is too old and too slow and uses it for motivation. So, as someone who loves watching him play, Steve, you're too old and too slow.
ORLANDO MAGIC - The Magic were a Michael Beasley dunk away from being on a nine game winning streak. Sunday's win at New York was Orlando's sixth straight on the road, which suggests they are in good shape for a stretch where they play four of the next five away from Amway Arena.
LA LAKERS - You know everything is going well in the Lakers camp when Phil Jackson's biggest concern was the color of Ron Artest's underwear during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel last week.
BOSTON CELTICS - By their own admission , the Celtics haven't been playing their best basketball lately, but they've been winning, which is all that counts, especially as they play six of the next seven on the road.
ATLANTA HAWKS - I could excuse the home loss to the Orlando Magic last Thursday, but Sunday's loss at Detroit was the Hawks third in the last four games. Atlanta plays six of their next eight at home and only one (Utah) has a record over .500.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS - Even the Spurs need a little help occassionally. San Antonio has won five straight and while it wasn't their toughest week in terms of opponents, they used it to gather momentum just in time for a week in which they host the Celtics and Nuggets.
DENVER NUGGETS - 'Melo had a party against the Knicks going for a career high 50 on Saturday night, but Minnesota delivered the hangover on Sunday when they overcame a 17-point deficit to shock the Nuggets...and well pretty much any sane basketball mind quite frankly.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS - Last week I asked the question whether or not the Cavs were better without Shaq . Cleveland went 5-1 with Diesel sitting out and lost to the Bobcats in his return, before beating the Mavs. Make of it what you will, but I'm certainly not convinced that O'Neal makes them better than they were last year.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER - If you're still not overly impressed by the Thunder's 9-8 record, it's worth noting that they haven't faced the Nets, Grizz, T'Wolves, Sixers or Warriors yet which gives you some idea of how tough Oklahoma's early schedule has been and why I have them this high.
DALLAS MAVERICKS - What made the Mavericks loss to the Warriors so bad was that two of Golden State's six healthy players were Mikki Moore and Vladimir Radmanovic, hardly all-star talent. It begs the question, is Dallas mentally strong enough?
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS - Just how do the Blazers explain the 31-2 run they allowed the Memphis Grizzlies to go on during the home loss on Friday night? Head coach Nate McMillan had every right to call out Blazers captains Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge after that performance.
UTAH JAZZ -Jerry Sloan rarely gets excited at the best of times, but even he had to be impressed with his team after they shot better than 60-percent from the field two games in a row.
MIAMI HEAT - Dwyane Wade is good enough to keep the Heat in the play-off mix by himself, but he sure could use some help as Miami heads out west for a tough four-game road trip, which includes stops at Portland, Denver, and the Lakers.
HOUSTON ROCKETS - The Rockets ended a tough week on a bitter-sweet note when they lost Luis Scola to an eye injury, but won at Oklahoma City. Hopefully Scola doesn't miss much time as he has been superb this season, and might be the leagues most under-rated player.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS - The Bucks shouldn't be too upset with their 0-4 week. It was tough, and for the most part they were competitive. In case you missed it, check out Brandon Jennings on PTI this week. The kid's got a solid head on his shoulders to match his game.
INDIANA PACERS - Remember when Danny Granger predicted the Pacers would beat the Celtics and they went out and did it? Why doesn't he predict wins more often?
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES - I was just about to write how the Grizzlies had won three of their last four and were starting to earn some respect. Then on Sunday they get outscored 33-7 in the fourth quarter against the Clippers and "stuff" if all up.
SACRAMENTO KINGS - Maybe the Kings felt sleighted that they were pegged as the team most likely to lose to the Nets, but Sacramento held firm. They also went 3-0 versus the "New" teams last week.
NEW ORLEANS HORNETS - When Chris Paul returns, he'll expect nothing less than the effort he's seen from his team during his absence. If the Hornets can keep it up, there's no reason why they can't be considered a playoff team again.
LA CLIPPERS - After the 0-4 start, the Clippers have gone 8-6 since. It's not quite time to start the talk of them toppling the Lakers as LA's No. 1 team, but the signs are there that the Clips are improving.
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS - Gerald Wallace was a beast this week. He went for 25 points and 14 rebounds and the Bobcats won all three games, including one over the Cavs and have four straight overall. I still have never found out who came up with the name "Bobcats."
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS - The dubs only went 1-2 for the week, but the victory over the Mavs warrants a rise in the rankings. While I wish Don Nelson a speedy recovery, I can't ignore the fact that Monta Ellis looks free in his absence.
TORONTO RAPTORS - The Raptors keep harping on about how they are an improved team defensively, then they go out and give up 116 points to the Charlotte Bobcats. There's just no backbone to this team.
CHICAGO BULLS - Chicago only played twice last week but lost both games by a combined 43 points. The Bulls have lost four straight overall and the circus road trip still isn't over; they are at Milwaukee on Monday night.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS - Yes, Lou Williams broken jaw was a devastating blow to the already shorthanded Sixers, but it doesn't mean they should bring back Allen Iverson . Philly has lost six straight and it doesn't get any easier as they are at Dallas, OKC and Charlotte this week.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS - Antawn Jamison is back and Gilbert Arenas is healthy, yet the Wizards still can't get it together. My prediction: One of the big three is traded before February's deadline.
DETROIT PISTONS - Detroit needed something special to halt their seven game slide and Ben Wallace delivered it. Big Ben grabbed 18 boards in the win over the Hawks on Sunday. Was anyone else expecting just a little more out of Rodney Stuckey this year?
NEW YORK KNICKS -The Knicks have lost four straight, but at least they're finally shown some fight. They're still only better than the Wolves and the Nets though.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES - With Lawrence Frank gone, the coaching spotlight turns to Kurt Rambis. Minnesota was only one win better off than the Nets and the T'Wolves had a worse points differential (-4.1 through Sunday) than New Jersey when Frank was gunned. Overcoming a 17 point deficit to rock the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday was a good start though.
NEW JERSEY NETS - It had to happen. Regardless of the injuries, Lawrence Frank somehow had to scratch out a victory to save his job and he just couldn't do it.

Questions, comments or suggestions, email:

thedailyhurt@hotmail.com

twitter.com/LeighEllis

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Tis the Season

Jeff Summers — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:58:54 -0500

“Mom’s Ticked! She saw what you did.” Unfortunately that is a text message that I receive quite regularly from one of my kids. I’d love to say that I had no idea what this was referring to but this time I actually did.

Now that Thanksgiving is over it is time to retrieve the Christmas decorations from the boxes in the garage and transform our normally Sedona Red home into a winter wonderland. Over the years we seem to have accumulated just about every holiday decoration that has ever been made.

Decorating for Christmas is not just an afternoon event. At our house it cannot even be confined to a single day. Instead it feels like it stretches for days or even weeks. Because of this we have to start right after Thanksgiving in order to get them all up before Christmas arrives.

Among the various decorations is the Christmas tree. When we were first married I was a firm believer in having a real Christmas tree. As the years went by, it became more and more of a hassle and finally I succumbed and bought an artificial tree.

Our house has vaulted ceilings which tend to dwarf a regular sized tree. So when I bought the tree I measured the ceiling height and added a few inches. The result was that we bought a nine-and-a-half foot tree for our living room.

I went with the pre-lit variety since I really don’t like to hassle with putting lights on the tree. Even with the lights already on the branches it still takes a couple of days to completely decorate the tree.

This year, despite her better judgment, Trina left me in charge of the tree while she focused on the other decorations. This happens about as often as the Diamondbacks making the postseason. Somehow it never works out and in subsequent years she takes over the tree duties for a while.

I have a love/hate relationship with the Christmas tree. On the one hand I love seeing it fully decorated and enjoy sitting by the tree watching the lights twinkle. On the other hand, I get frustrated whenever I get the decorations out of the box, especially the tinsel.

When the Arizona Diamondbacks were first awarded I went out and found the perfect Christmas tree tinsel. It was purple with specks of copper. I was so proud of that tinsel. Then after the 2006 season the Diamondbacks changed their colors and suddenly that tinsel mocked me every time I took it out of the box.

Every year the tinsel comes out of the box I curse at the thoughts of putting the old team colors on the tree. That is usually followed by a trip to the various stores in the area desperately seeking Sedona Red tinsel.

I will think I have found the perfect Sedona Red tinsel and then when I compare it to my Diamondbacks hat I will find it is the wrong shade of red. I’ll then put the tinsel back and go to the next store. After a fruitless search I’ll return home and be forced to use the old purple tinsel.

Over the years the tinsel has taken a beating and had become fairly ragged. Last Christmas Trina decorated the tree and while I was gone she replaced the tinsel. Instead of going through the same search for Sedona Red tinsel she did the unthinkable.

She brought home New York Yankees blue tinsel and wrapped it around the tree. I remember coming home and discovering that my Christmas tree was now wrapped in the colors of an American League team.

She may as well have ripped my heart out and stomped on it. So this year it is even worse than in years past. It was bad enough that my tree was using the old team colors; now it is wrapped in the tinsel of the Evil Empire.

Despite all of my grumbling Trina insisted that the tinsel was perfectly fine and I was not to replace it. So begrudgingly I used the Yankees tinsel.

After hours of work getting the tree up, troubleshooting burnt out lights, and washing my hands numerous times after handling Yankees tinsel, the tree was finally decorated—or so I thought.

As I was about to put the ladder away the kids reminded me that I did not put the tree topper in place. Trina has an angel that adorns the top of our tree. I just could not bring myself to add yet another American League symbol to our tree.

So I did what any National League fan would do. I climbed to the top of the ladder and put my Arizona Diamondbacks hat on top of the tree. I climbed down and admired my work. It looked perfect.

Now based on the text message my daughter sent I may have to re-think my decorating or at the very least come up with a reason why the Diamondbacks hat is more appropriate than an angel at the top of the tree.

Maybe I’ll just tell her; the Yankees may wrap the tree but the Diamondbacks are on top. I’m sure she’ll buy that, won’t she?

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Arizona-Arizona State: Five Things We Learned This Week

Tom Phillips — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:15:45 -0500

1. In His Blood

For all of the criticism Alex Zendejas got after the Oregon game, he made up for it against ASU.

Zendejas followed in his uncle Max's footsteps, hitting the game-winning field goal as time ran out to win the game for Arizona.

Max Zendejas is famously known for beating ASU not once but twice on fourth quarter field goals in Sun Devil Stadium. Zendejas' game-winner in the 1983 matchup kept ASU out of the Rose Bowl.

For Alex, missing chip shots has been his credo this year. He has fans holding their breath when he kicks extra points.

The game-winner showed that he has the same clutch blood that is in his family's genes.

This kick may have been the one to give the younger Zendejas, and fans, the confidence they both need in the kicking game.

2. Special Play

Special teams ended up being the key to Arizona's victory on Saturday.

ASU's Kyle Williams muffed a punt that was recovered by Arizona's Mike Turner at the Sun Devil 22-yard line. That was the key play that set up Zendejas' game-winner.

Orlando Vargas, Arizona's special teams guru, came up big when he blocked a punt then he came up even bigger when he picked the ball up and walked into the endzone for his first career touchdown.

Vargas' play ended up being a crucial for the Cats. Without the blocked punt and return for a touchdown, they would have lost the game.

On a day when the offense struggled, the special teams play won the game for the Wildcats.

3. A Tale of Two Teams

The Wildcats suffered from a hangover on Saturday but not the kind that you get in Vegas.

They had a psychological hangover from the Oregon game; the disappointment of losing that one was clear with how the Cats played.

They came out flat and played that way all game. Minus the touchdown run by Keola Antolin, the Wildcats didn't move the ball well against Arizona State.

Some of this could be contributed to Arizona State having the best defense in the Pac-10 statistically, but the Cats just seemed to be going through the motions.

This team did not look like the same squad that almost took down the Ducks last week.

Hopefully, the big win over the Sun Devils will allow the Cats to play better next week against USC.

4. The Catch Relapse

Kyle Williams’ second touchdown catch in the endzone was reminiscent of an infamous play that happened over 30 years ago, one that haunts Wildcat fans.

The Catch.

Every Wildcat fan is haunted by John Jefferson's diving catch in the back of the endzone to beat Arizona and it looked like that was how it would play out again for the Cats.

Williams made a great diving catch on 4th-and-12 to tie the game with two minutes left. The play sucked the life out of Wildcat fans after the team had forced a fourth and long, one play after a touchdown got called back on a penalty.

Luckily, ASU fans will now be haunted by The Muff.

5. By Scott

With Nick Foles nursing a broken left hand, Arizona played backup QB Matt Scott for his first extended playing time since the Iowa game.

Scott ran the zone-read offense meaning he handed the ball off or kept it and ran it himself depending on what the defense gave him. He didn't throw a single pass while in the game.

I thought he did very well faking the handoffs and running when he kept it himself.

His running ability gives Arizona a different aspect that ASU wasn't prepared for. Future opponents will be on the lookout for it now.

Extra Knowledge

Arizona was due for a fluke play to go their way. When Kyle Williams dropped the punt, the football gods smiled on the Cats for the first time all season.

The Washington and Cal games both went against Arizona. It seems as though the universe always has a way of evening itself out.

Hopefully there is one more in store for Arizona.

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Arizona Cardinals' Road Test Just Got Tougher; Kurt Warner Out, Matt Leinart In

Scott Z Brady — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:53:10 -0500

Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner, who has been nothing short of spectacular ever since that five interception outing against Carolina a month ago, has been ruled out for today’s game against the Titans in Tennessee. Warner, it seems, woke up with blurred vision this morning, and was made inactive by head coach Ken Whizenhunt.

Warner took himself out of the Rams game last week after a face-plant gave him a slight concussion.

In his place will be back-up Matt Leinart. Ironically, Leinart was chosen just behind Titans resurgent QB Vince Young, who has lead Tennessee to four straight wins. I’m sure Leinart would like nothing better than to perform at his best. Not only for personal and team reasons, but to possibly silence the ever growing list of critics.

Well Matt, here’s your chance!

This will be the first time in the past 42 games that Kurt Warner didn’t start at QB for the Big Red. Cards WR's Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston shouldn't have any problems related to the southpaw, except that Warner took almost all the snaps in practice with the first team this week.

I/we, of course, wish Leinart the best in his quest to extend the Cards road winning streak to six!

GBR

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ASU's Mistakes and Turnovers Keep the Territorial Cup in Tucson

Kristian Siuta — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:56:15 -0500

Arizona State's season ended on a very symbolic note, a crucial error that cost the Sun Devils a victory. Mistakes, turnovers, and penalties have held Dennis Erickson's maroon and gold back for the past three seasons, and yesterday against the Arizona Wildcats, that story was evident.

The Duel in the Desert lived up to its billing, however, late in the first half the Arizona Wildcats began to pull away. With Arizona State struggling on offense, the punt team was sent out onto the field to try and change field position.

Well, Trevor Hankins and the rest of the special teams definitely did that, although, the game was changed in the favor of the hated Wildcats, not the Sun Devils.

Hankins's punt was blocked by Orlando Vargas, and then Vargas completed the game-changing play by scooping up the ball and racing down the sideline for a 23-yard touchdown return.

All the emotions and momentum that ASU built up from Senior Day appeared to be evaporating into the Arizona sky.

However, a senior leader that most fans never wanted to see on the field again, brought the Sun Devils back into contention a revitalized the Sun Devil Stadium crowd.

Senior quarterback Danny Sullivan replaced Samson Szakacsy late in the second quarter, and from that point on the ASU offense operated with a purpose.

Believe it or not, the running game ran with intensity, power, and innovation. Erickson featured Senior tailback Dimitri Nance in counter and trap running plays that ASU has not used all season. Nance finished his career at ASU with an outstanding performance carrying the ball 23 times for 115 yards.

Just as it has been all season, the running game allowed for Erickson to call play action passes and burn the U of A secondary. Sullivan's favorite target throughout the contest was Kyle Williams.

Williams' big play potential was evident picking up critical first downs and hauling in two sensational touchdown passes.

Although Williams has displayed his big-play ability throughout his career, but the Scottsdale native has always taken a step back and made some downright game-changing mistakes as well, and yesterday was a perfect example of that.

With ASU down by 11, Erickson needed a big play to turn the momentum in the Sun Devils favor. So, Erickson dialed up a play for Williams, and then Sullivan found him racing across the field towards the sideline. Williams turned the play into a 44-yard touchdown and cut the lead to five points.

Erickson was about to attempt a two-point conversion; however, Williams was elated, so much so that he removed his helmet while he was still in the end zone. Erickson was then forced to send out Thomas Weber for the extra point.

Then, with the score reading: Arizona 17, ASU 10, Erickson and quarterback Danny Sullivan engineered a very impressive fourth quarter drive both through the air and on the ground with Dimitri Nance.

But with their backs against the wall, on a 4th-and-13, Sullivan rolled to the right and found Williams in the back of the end zone to tie the game at 17.

With under two minutes left, the Arizona State defense responded each and every time in the second half, and the Sun Devil defense did just that in the waning moments of the game.

The Wildcats were forced to punt to Kyle Williams and rely on their defense that had let them down the whole fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Sun Devils never had a chance to test the U of A defense for a third time in the fourth quarter.

Williams went back to receive the punt, and in traffic the senior called for a fair catch; however, the catch was never made. Williams muffed the punt and the Wildcats recovered the ball deep in Sun Devil territory.

Unfortunately, as they say, "the rest is history."

The Wildcats kept the football on the ground to chew up the remaining time on the clock, and then sent out Alex Zendejas to kick the game winning 32-yard field goal with no time remaining.

The Duel in the Desert has always been a roller coaster affair filled with high intensity and emotion and this contest was nothing short of that. Williams was the player of the game for good and bad reasons, it is unfortunate that his career will be remember by that mistake on that final punt, but that is just how the 2009 season has gone for Dennis Erickson and Arizona State.

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Peter Mueller of the Phoenix Coyotes: Where Has He Gone?

Scott Weldon — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:03:04 -0500

Peter Mueller has just been sidelined by an undisclosed injury he suffered against the Dallas Stars on Friday night. He's questionable for tonight's game in Anaheim. The former standout first line center has been shunted to the wing and now plays behind Matthew Lombardi, Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata, and when he's healthy, checker Vernon Fiddler. It wasn't supposed to be that way.

Peter starred as a young man with US National under-18 team and with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League after that.

He was a leader on the US U-18 team at the world championships. He starred on two US World Junior championship squads. He was the youngest member of the US team that finished fourth in 2006. At the 2007 World Junior hockey championships he helped lead his team to a quarterfinal matchup against Canada.

The talented US team lost 2-1 in a shoot-out to the eventual gold medal winning Canadians. The US then beat the host Swedes to win the bronze medal at the World U-20 tournament. He was the third leading scorer for the US behind Erik Johnson and Patrick Kane. He was a quick dangerous skater and a threat to score whenever he was on the ice.

He was drafted 8th overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft. He was one of four American born players taken in the top ten that year and one of nine taken in the first round. That year's draft featured other future stars Erik Johnson, Phil Kessel, and Kyle Okposo.

Along with former draft picks Keith Yandle, Blake Wheeler, and Martin Hanzal, Mueller was seen as part of a cohort of young new talent ready to help create a better, more talented, and most importantly younger, Phoenix Coyote team.

The 2007-08 season was his first in the NHL.

He was 19 years old. He played much of the season as a first line center. He played a lot of minutes, took over two hundred shots and he was successful. His rookie season saw him score 22 goals and get 32 assists in 81 games.

He was the Coyotes third leading scorer. There was a collection of young talent that looked like it was ready to come together in Phoenix. Kyle Turris had played his first three games as an 18-year-old.

Martin Hanzal, Daniel Winnik, Keith Yandle, Keith Ballard, and Enver Lisin all looked to be ready to lead Phoenix to the cusp of greatness. Ilya Bryzgalof was brought in to solve their goaltending woes. The Phoenix Coyotes were ready to move forward and 19-year-old Peter Mueller was ready to lead them.

I saw him play a game that year against the Calgary Flames in the Olympic Saddledome where he eviscerated the ponderous flames defense.

Cory Sarich helped him at one point by falling while skating backwards and allowing him to slip through to get an easy one past Kiprusoff. The Coyotes didn't manage much offense, but Mueller had three slashing spurts.

He scored three goals while dazzling slow-footed flames defenders and the Coyotes easily won the game 3-1. Aside from Mueller shifts they were out-played. That was one of the better performances I've seen by a nineteen year old in the NHL. He certainly matched up well against the Sarich's and Ericksson's of the world.

The next year, he started slowly and then suffered a concussion against San Jose on Jan. 29. He missed seven games due to the concussion and finished his season playing 72 games and getting 36 points.

That wasn't a huge step backwards. Many the sophomore has a worse second year. Unfortunately, it didn't stop there.

New coach Dave Tippett is trying to win in Phoenix. He's running a much more veteran heavy line-up then Wayne Gretzky was. Peter Mueller's ice time has been effected a bit. His offensive out-put though has gone down the drain.

He has a goal and four points in twenty four games. He's taken 37 shots so far. He's only scoring on 2.7 percent of those shots—a far cry from the 10.95 scoring percentage he managed as a rookie.

He'll finish a long way from the two hundred shots he took in that rookie year. That's if his poor performance doesn't get him benched the way Martin Hanzal has been benched this year.

The heady expectancy created by all the talented youth in the roster last year and the year before has given way to despondency. Young talent has been traded, benched or, as in the case of young Russian Viktor Tikhonov, gone to the KHL rather then accept assignment to the AHL.

Peter Mueller was the youngster who looked to be the best of that young bunch coming forward. At age 21, Peter still has plenty of talent and plenty of time to turn it around. Here's hoping that Mueller, and the other Phoenix draftees, Boedkker, Tikhonov, Turris et al, manage to turn their careers and the team around.

Peter Mueller might not be a Patrick Kane/Jonathon Toews kind of talent but he's a quick-skating scorer who could give the Kyle Okposo's and Kris Versteeg's of the world a run for their money.

He's also a talented American hockey player who could be a star in a desperate US market. I'm not a marketing genius but a team in trouble like Phoenix could do worse then try to build a team around young Peter Mueller. For this to work, Peter has to begin playing like he has in the past.

Hopefully, he returns to his rookie season form and soon.

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Rumors: T.J. Hensick to Sign with the Phoenix Coyotes?

Derek Pivko — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:05:49 -0500

One name that is currently under the radar after being waived by the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday is T.J. Hensick.

Hours after being waived by the Avalanche, Hensick’s name has become a popular topic amongst hockey message boards.

One team that should take a shot at claiming Hensick off waivers are the Phoenix Coyotes.

Think about it for a second. The Coyotes have a successful history when it comes to signing players off waivers. Last month the Coyotes claimed Paul Bissonnette off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins after he failed to make the Penguins roster. Bissonnette has taken over the duty of enforcer for the Coyotes as his popularity in Phoenix has soared.

Perhaps the most successful waiver pick up by the Coyotes was back in the 07-08 season when the Coyotes claimed Ilya Bryzgalov off waivers from Anaheim. Bryzgalov has since become the face of the Coyotes organization as his three shutouts has him tied for first place amongst goaltenders Tomas Vokoum (Florida) and Tim Thomas (Boston).

What could Hensick bring to the table?

Granted, he doesn’t have much of a scoring touch. But you can say that to the majority of the Coyotes right now.

Despite being 23, Hensick has four years of college (University of Michigan), almost a hundred games in the NHL, and has been a pro for three seasons. His resume alone is oozing with potential something which the Coyotes organization builds upon.

The signing of Hensick would serve as a wake up call for several Coyotes. Until last night, the Coyotes have struggled to put the puck in the net. The signing of Hensick would send messages to players telling them that they can be replaced unless they decide to turn things around quickly.

If the Coyotes claim Hensick off waivers, it would totally be worth the risk.

Especially when there is no risk to begin with. We learned at Michigan that he could be an offensive force. The Coyotes will face injuries throughout the season as well as healthy scratches. Having a guy like Hensick on the ice gaining valuable experience is worth the gamble.

Maybe he will finally live up to his potential, maybe not.

What do we got to lose?

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Pivot Points: Steve Nash Is Proving To Be a Timeless Wonder

Hadarii Jones — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:04:25 -0500

Steve Nash is in his 13th season, approaching 36 years of age, and is still one of the top point guards in the NBA, and this season an arguement could be made that he is numero uno, as in the best.

I keep waiting for age to make it's presence known in the creases of Nash's game, but if time has had an effect it's more akin to how a fine wine improves with the passing of each year.

Nash is leading the NBA in assists at 11.8 per game, he averages 16.2 points per game and still manages to shoot 53 percent form the field and an impressive 44 percent from three point range, hardly the numbers of a player in decline.

He is again one of the most exciting players to watch in the open-court after an experiment with former coach Terry Porter Forced Nash to slow down, and changed the complexion of the Phoenix Suns.

Porter wanted to introduce defensive principles to the Suns and get them more accustomed to half-court offensive sets, because in the playoffs, the game slows down, and that has always been the Suns' Achilles heel.

In doing this he altered the basic fibers of the Phoenix team and took away the element that made them competitive in the first place, their ability to turn the game into something resembling fast-paced, pick-up basketball.

Phoenix failed to make the playoffs and Porter was out the door, and that small piece of Suns' history revealed something about Nash that had been hidden to that point.

You can't harness Nash because for good or bad he doesn't recognize any other way to play the game except for ultra-speed. That is what makes Nash an excellent point guard and it's the same thing that keeps him from being the best point guard.

A point guard has to recognize the shifts in tempo that are necessary in any game, and they have to be able to control the flow of the game, and this is something that Nash doesn't grasp.

So to compensate, Nash plays the game at one tempo and dictates the flow by playing at a speed that would mask most of his short-comings, and in this way he adapts to take advantage of his strengths.

That ability keeps him relevant when discussing the best guards in the game and currently has his Suns with the best record in the NBA.

The biggest issue with Nash and his team is their inability to defend and this is something that will again plague them down the road. Their best defense is their ability to get the ball up the court after a made basket, and in this Nash has no equal.

His vision on the break is extraordinary, and he has had two games where he recorded 20 assists, two games with 16 assists and another with 17.

He is averaging almost four turnovers per game, but the Suns can live with those minor indiscretions as long as they continue to win games, and so far Nash has kept his foot on the gas.

In my opinion, Nash knows that in order for him to stay relevant in the league, he has to maintain his chaotic style of play and that will has forced him to push the laws of physics.

The two-time league MVP has never been short in the passion department, and it seems the questions about his game have helped motivate him and his teammates.

No one really expected the Suns to make much noise, and most people still feel that they will flame out as the season progresses, but it won't be due to a lack of effort on Nash's part.

I have never been a huge fan of Nash but you have to admire his competitive fire and the command that he has on the fast-break, plus the fact that he still seems to be in his prime at this late stage of his career.

He hasn't given any indication of how much longer he plans to stay in the league, but he did just sign a contract extension and time seems to hold no weight or measure on the body of his skills.

His detractors will continue to point out his flaws, and they are justified, but his numbers and the fact that he is still among the best at this point in his career will likely define him when his playing career has finally expired.

For now Nash is content to continue dishing out assists and playing as if he is not restricted by the barriers of time that always seem to catch up with us at some point in our lives.

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Phoenix Coyotes Howling on Confidence

Derek Pivko — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:03:06 -0500

“Confidence is what it’s all about,” said Lauri Korporkski after the Coyotes dismantled the Dallas Stars, 5-2.

After losing a combined 1-6 over the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames in the last two games, the Coyotes returned to Phoenix with unfinished business. After being criticized for not scoring against the Oilers and the Flames the Coyotes had Marco Turco’s number on speed dial

The Coyotes couldn’t get enough of seeing Turco during the second period. They scored three straight goals on Turco, causing him to be pulled midway through the second period.

When healthy the Coyotes are a confident team that can put the puck in the net. Lauri Korpikoski, who the Coyotes acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Enver Lisin back in July, had a career game against the Stars. Korpokoski had his first career two-goal game and was credited with an assist after Zbynek Michaelek put the nail in the coffin against the Stars.

Despite giving up the next two goals, the Coyotes were on cruise control for the rest of the game despite losing Ed Jovanovski. They have unfortunately dealt with playing without their assistant captain. Jovanovski appeared to have sustained a lower body injury during the second period, the same injury which caused him to miss eight games this month.

Following the loss of Jovanovski, the Coyotes have turned to Keith Yandle, who has emerged as key offensive threat for the Coyotes. Yandle has four goals and seven assists on the season while Phoenix continues to put up a good fight in the Western Conference.

Perhaps former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes is wrong when he said that the NHL could never succeed in Arizona. One thing we learned this week is that the Coyotes obviously can’t win in Canada after losing to both Edmonton and Calgary.

Instead, the Coyotes look to cement their status in Phoenix as they continue to push their way into the playoff hunt in a season which the Coyotes have howled their way through against all odds.

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Arizona Wildcats-Arizona State Sun Devils: Previewing the Duel in the Desert

Kristian Siuta — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:14:52 -0500

The Arizona State-Arizona rivalry might be the most "heated" rivalry that no one talks about. This season, "The Big Game" does not carry the same cache as it has in the past, since one of the team's fate has already been determined. But there is no doubt, that both the Sun Devils and Wildcats will bring passion, hatred, and desire to this annual rivalry once again.

Dennis Erickson and his Sun Devils have not had the best of seasons to date, but a huge victory over the hated Arizona Wildcats would do wonders for the Arizona State football program moving forward. Saturday will mark the last time that the seniors at ASU will suit up for the maroon and gold, and what better stage for them to play their last game as college students, than Sun Devil Stadium against Arizona.

The 22 seniors that will be departing following Saturday's game are the last strand of players that were recruited by former ASU head coach Dirk Koetter. Although many Sun Devil fans consider the Koetter era to be mediocre at best, these seniors did have a helping hand in one of the school's three Pac-10 championships in 2007. However, most of their career in the desert was somewhat pedestrian.

These seniors have gone through winless droughts against USC, Oregon, and virtually every game played in the state of California. Although, these losses have been under the guidance of both Koetter and Erickson. But as we all know, the records and numbers heading into this bloodbath of a rivalry, can be thrown out once the whistle is blown.

So what strategies and gameplan has Erickson put on the table for this years Duel in the Desert?

This week at quarterback, the drama, or lack there of, has already been determined. Samson Szakacsy will earn his second career start in as many weeks. Erickson must feel that the elusive Szakacsy gives the Sun Devils the best chance to pull off the surprise victory against Arizona. In his featured role the past two weeks, Szakacsy has totaled 310 yards and three touchdowns through the air and one on the ground.

Erickson did, however, overlook the heartfelt choice of naming senior Danny Sullivan the starter, but even when the season is all but over, wins are still No. 1 in Tempe.

With Szakacsy receiving the nod at quarterback, the running game will undoubtedly receive a boost, as well as an added dimension in the spread offense attack. Senior running back Dimitri Nance will carry the load for the Sun Devils on the ground, for the final time in his career.

Although Nance is coming off of one of his best games of his career (21 carries for 110 yards), the Sun Devil fans will be looking for more of the same if ASU wants a real shot at beating the Wildcats.

However, the running game is what sets the table for the ASU passing attack, without balance on the ground and through the air, the Sun Devils will find themselves in a whole quickly. Szakacsy will have to find a steady balance between his two top receivers, Chris McGaha and Kyle Williams.

Both McGaha and Williams are seniors playing in their final game of their careers, and both will look to light up the scoreboard and stat sheets in front of the maroon and gold fans tomorrow.

ASU's duo have combined for 10 touchdowns and over 1,300 yards between them, and Williams has been Szakacsy's go-to-receiver in limited action. Szakacsy and Williams have connected for three touchdowns in the past two games to ignite the ASU offense. But look for McGaha to be featured this week, if the Arizona defense focuses in on Williams.

On defense, ASU has not had the same success against spread offenses such as Oregon and Saturday's opponent Arizona, as they have against more pro-style offenses. The key ingredient for success will be for the secondary and linebackers to swarm to the football when Arizona runs their quick screen passes to their wide receivers.

This might seem fundamental and slightly elementary, but ASU must tackle well or else the Wildcats could turn ASU's Senior Day into a disappointing sob story.

Sure tackling and swarming to the football might seem simple, but the Wildcats have made even the best of defenses look foolish. Arizona has averaged 430 total yards of offense this season while scoring nearly 32 points a game.

For ASU to be successful in this game, and notch their fifth victory of the season, the Sun Devils must limit the Wildcats to less than 28 points. Dennis Erickson's offense has not scored more than 28 points since the Louisiana Monroe game in early September. That just shows how woeful the Sun Devils have been on offense this season.

Then again, a helping hand from the defense could be the catalyst for Arizona State that everyone has been looking for. The deciding factor for any team is always turnovers. ASU has forced 15 interceptions and nine fumbles this season. If the Sun Devils want to have a leg up in this game, the turnover margin has to be swinging in their favor, positively, not negatively.

Last week against UCLA, Arizona State lost the turnover battle by six. UCLA did not turn the football over, which means ASU had six forced, or unforced errors last Saturday. Clearly, that statistical category has to be either even or in the favor of the Sun Devils for a Duel in the Desert victory.

ASU Player to Watch

This week, since it is the "Duel in the Desert" the Sun Devils will need two big time performers to step up for Arizona State to have a chance.

Senior wide receivers Chris McGaha and Kyle Williams.

Both McGaha and Williams will have to be big time performers for Arizona State tomorrow night if the Sun Devils have any shot at a victory.

In terms of Kyle Wiliams, his contributions will be two fold. Williams has the ability to change the game as a receiver and big play threat, but also in the kick returning game too. Last week against UCLA, Williams hauled in six catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

But the biggest attribute for Williams is his big play mentality, and that could prove to be vital this Saturday against the Wildcats. A big return to set up field position or a touchdown can swing the pendulum in Arizona State's favor.

For Chris McGaha, last week against UCLA, the senior was quiet only catching two passes for nine yards in his lowest output of the season. But in McGaha's final outing at Sun Devil Stadium, one would have to believe that the Phoenix native is going to leave everything he has got out on the field.

Now a 15 catch 165 yard performance like the Oregon State game would be ideal, however, even a modest six catch 80 yard and one touchdown performance would lend a helping hand for Samson Szakacsy and the Sun Devil offense.

Arizona Player to Watch

QB Nick Foles

The University of Arizona quarterback has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, but as Sun Devil fans might remember, Foles was nearly an ASU quarterback.

Before Dennis Erickson was hired, Foles committed to ASU while former coach Dirk Koetter was running the show. Enter coach Erickson, who wanted to recruit a quarterback to run his spread offense, and Szakacsy, a former USC commit opened up his recruiting and chose the Sun Devils. With that decision, Foles then de-committed and went on to sign with the Michigan State Spartans.

From that point, all the rest is history, and for Arizona Wildcats fans Foles has not disappointed. However, Foles will be in a showdown against the ASU quarterback to prove to ASU, that Mike Stoops recruited the better quarterback out of the two.

Will Szakacsy steal the show from Foles on Saturday?

The Prediction

The Arizona Wildcats have not won in Tempe since 2001, and I do not see that trend changing either. Dennis Erickson and his ASU football team know how meaningful this game is, not for their season, but for the progress moving forward into the offseason and into the 2010 season.

That is not to say that UofA head coach Mike Stoops doesn't know how important this game is, I just think that Arizona had their Rose Bowl dreams ripped to shreds by Oregon last week, and the Wildcats might have a bit of a "hangover" following that overtime loss.

Arizona State's offense has shown strides in recent weeks under Szakacsy, and it is time for the Sun Devil offense to explode. A 30-point performance is in the future, hopefully the fans at Sun Devil Stadium don't have to wait until next season to see it.

I think that the ASU players are going to give everything that they have in them, to send their senior teammates out with a huge victory. Emotion is a huge part of the game, and emotions will be high for this contest.

ASU 34 UofA 30

3:30 PM ET Kickoff ABC

Sun Devil Stadium

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Cardinals-Titans Preview: Arizona Looks to Halt Tennessee Hot Streak

Chris Farmer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:45:59 -0500

The Cardinals face a tough matchup on Sunday afternoon versus a talented Titans team on a hot streak.

Ever since team owner Bud Adams demanded that Vince Young get another shot as the No. 1 QB, Tennessee has responded with four straight wins after beginning the season winless with Kerry Collins under center.

VY is clearly rejuvenated and playing with more confidence than ever in his young career. The team has changed its offensive approach, sprinkling in the college option play with positive results.

The interesting and maybe unintended effect of running the option is that not only does it allow Young to pick up first downs with his legs when the time is right, it also gives Chris Johnson even more chances out in open space, where he thrives.

With Collins in the lineup, CJ was good for 596 yards in six games. With Young starting, Johnson has rushed for 646 yards in four games.

It is a pretty scary thought to think that the Titans may have found a more effective scenario for Johnson and his deadly speed to flourish. CJ is on pace to become only the sixth back in league history to surpass 2,000 yards, and he is doing it at a 6.2 yards per carry clip.

Now for an absolutely ridiculous stat—Johnson has 18 carries of 20 yards or more. Adrian Peterson, the one usually anointed as the best back in the league, is the closest contender with 11.

The focus for the Arizona defense is quite obvious—attempt to contain Chris Johnson, as few teams have been able to do. They did a pretty good job versus Steven Jackson last game. If you throw out the 48-yard run, he only had 68 yards rushing otherwise. Not bad considering Jackson is second in the NFL in rushing behind Johnson.

Then again, that 48-yard run could be a frightening premonition of things to come on Sunday, as CJ is the fastest back in the league and the long runs, as stated earlier, are his forte.

Tennessee's challenge will be to slow down Kurt Warner and the prolific Cardinals passing attack. The Titans enter the game ranked 31st against the pass but have been playing better as of late, led by the fiery Cortland Finnegan.

Even if Finnegan is unable to completely slow down Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, he will surely get under their skin and try to provoke a ruckus. He is the type of player that welcomes a fracas because it helps him elevate his level of play.

This game should be a slugfest and may come down to the last drive of the game to determine the outcome.

This article also appears on NFLTouchdown.com

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State of the Arizona Cardinals, as They Prepare for Titans

Chris Farmer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:40:50 -0500

Losing rookie backer Will Davis for 4-6 weeks is a blow to a defense. There is hope he can play again this season, as he was coming on strong with two sacks, twelve tackles and increased playing time.

Now more than ever the Cardinals need Chike Okeafor to battle through his back issues and get back on the field. Though he has missed the last two games, he is still tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. The immediate future looks bright as Okeafor participated in practice this week and will likely play.

Having the luxury of signing Monty Biesel off the street is fortunate though. Biesel was on Kansas City's roster briefly this season, and has 43 games with the Cardinals under his belt. Biesel can fill in admirably at linebacker and is a special teams warrior.

One quiet development of late is receiver Early Doucet apparently passing Jerheme Urban on the depth chart. Although it is still not reflected officially on the team-issued depth chart , Urban was a healthy inactive two games in a row, and has not registered a productive game since the fifth game of the season.

Last season Urban was a very productive fourth receiver with nearly 500 yards receiving on 34 receptions—impressive considering the three above him all had over 1,000 yards. The curious bit is that Doucet hasn't obviously outplayed Urban and is not as fast.

Maybe Urban was benched for one too many drops in key situations? Perhaps the coaching staff is eager to groom Doucet to take over Anquan Boldin's role on the team for next season?

There were all kinds of people weighing in on Matt Leinart and questioning what the outcome of this weekend's game versus the Titans would be if Kurt Warner was unable to play. Fortunately for Cardinals' fans, Warner has practiced in full and is likely to start, so for the short-term the point is mute.

For the long-term however, there is growing concern about Leinart's lack of readiness to take over should Kurt go down with a serious injury. For this set of eyes, the team should strongly consider signing a proven veteran such as Jeff Garcia to back up Warner for the pending playoff run.

This article also appears on NFLTouchdown.com

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The Top 10 Greatest Phoenix Coyotes of All Time

Cameron Paul — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:26:55 -0500

The Phoenix Coyotes may not have a storied history like a lot of NHL franchises but they have been around for over a decade not, including the Winnipeg Jet days. A lot of players have come and gone from Phoenix through the years but there are definitely some players who made their mark with Phoenix. Here are the Top 10 Phoenix Coyotes of all time.

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The Top Ten Things Arizona Wildcats Basketball Fans Have To Be Thankful For

Tom Phillips — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:23:31 -0500

At the dinner table on Thanksgiving, people usually go around the table and say what they are thankful for this year. For Arizona Wildcat fans the past two years has been one big roller coaster. There have been highs and lows and yet the team still seems to be on some stable ground. The future is bright and even though Arizona looks to be going through a rebuilding year, there is still some promise that Arizona will once again make it to the Big Dance come March.

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Cardinals Dish Up a Different Kind of 7-3 This Thanksgiving

Scott Z Brady — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:30 -0500

One year ago, the Arizona Cardinals had just dispatched the reigning division champion Seattle Seahawks up in the great northwest, sending the 12th (13th, etc..) man home in shock and sorrow. The Cardinals, of course, haven’t had much success there. That they just beat the Seahawks in Seattle, putting them at 7-3, felt fantastic!

I mean, you long time fans know that as the leaves changed colors (or in Ariziona's case, the snowbirds started filling our freeways)...and the faint waft of Thanksgiving came around, the Cards' season’s life would end up much like that of that 17 lb. gobbler with the little chef hats on their "ankles."

Done, and hoping next year’s crop fared better than the fate of the current one. Rare was the season in December that presented anything to look forward to but the draft order.

However, the 2008 version of our gridiron hero's came through. They gave us hope that "This year would be different." And it was. I mean, a week before Thanksgiving and our Cardinals at 7-3 and atop the division? Eeek-gad!

But you couldn’t be a long suffering fan of the Big Red and feel 100 percent confident, even at 7-3.

Excited? Sure! But confident? Well...let's just say this team has folded like a tortilla after getting our collective hopes up more often than an annual top 10 draft pick was waiting for a call from Cardinals brass once April rolled around.

Unfortunately, that glee didn’t end up making it into December. A road loss to the then unbeaten New York football Giants wasn’t unexpected. But following it up with being flushed down the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving night to the Eagles made me more nauseated than my ex-wife’s creamy-green-bean-and-crunchy-onion-disaster-in-a-dish thingy.

It wasn’t that they lost. But how they lost.

Even a home game against the Rams...a game that could/would clinch the teams first division title (all together now) since little Michael Bidwill was his ripping his diaper off and whipping it against the wall...errrrr, since 1975...couldn’t keep the excitement of the faithful at full tilt.

There were more than a few empty seats in UoP Stadium that fine December day that they slaughtered the Rams and hoisted that division title. Ask the scalpers, who were almost giving tickets away from their little pen northeast of the stadium.

After a dismal performance at home against the Favre-less Vikings (Brett already destroyed the Cards with 6 TD passes earlier in the year as a NY Jet), they laid a big fat chocolate bunny-egg in New England, making it four losses in five games.

Ooops, wrong holiday. Sorry

Anyway, they were called "The worst team ever to make the playoffs” to a national TV audience by soon-to-be-crow-eating NBC mouthpiece Chris Collinsworth. The worst part being, of course, that as much as it sucked to hear our team described in such a manner, it was looking pretty true!

Somehow, they won their next four games, however, and ended up in Tampa on Feb. 1, and the rest is Cardinals history/lore, etc...

But this years 7-3 IS different! It feels different. It’s an excitement that I didn’t feel at 7-3 last year, even moments after that rousing 34-10 win over the Rams that secured the division title the first week of December. Thrilled, yes...but not exactly confident.

This year, I actually DO feel confident! For several reasons, this years 7-3 feels a whole lot better than last years 7-3. It’s a confident feeling that, as an Arizona Cardinals fan, I've never felt before.

In fact, the only time I’ve felt this confident in “my team” at Thanksgiving time was living in Chicago 24 years ago, before the Cards even arrived here, and the Bears were Super Bowl Shuffling their way to a Championship.

Last year as the playoffs approached, I was seeking the team that would be the easiest to beat. With the way things shook out, I was happy to see the Atlanta Falcons coming to town. I mean, sure they had a great year. But they were still the Falcons, and at that time, a team with only a slightly better history than the Cardinals.

I mean, they weren’t the Giants, Eagles and/or others that generally spend January playing instead of watching football.

This year, I want them to play the Vikings! I want to see how we stack up against the suddenly mighty Saints! I am confident enough in this years team to be looking forward to anyone we play as the the playoffs approach!

It’s truly exciting to consider the prospects of where we can end up. It’s super exciting to look forward to a showdown with the Vikings on Dec. 6, with a potential playoff bye dangling in the balance of the outcome! That's right! You heard (read) me! A potential playoff bye in the balance!

For the first time in my 23+ years in Arizona, and my 21 years as a season-ticket-holding Cardinals fan, that I am truly confident that we can beat, really truly beat, any team we play!

Rise up, Red Sea! I have the feeling this can...even will be the most fun and exciting December for the faithful since the vagabond Big Red first pitched their tent in the Valley! GBR!

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The Run 'N' Gun Suns Are Back

Dominick Pansini — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:21:58 -0500

When the Phoenix Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal in 2007, the high octane offense that averaged 112 points per game soon faded away in favor a big man to contain the big men of the West.

After the experiment with Terry Porter as coach and a defense-first philosophy, Phoenix reverted back to the seven seconds or less mentality.

The next move to bring the life back in Phoenix was the departure of Shaq and the signing of center Channing Frye. With Frye, the Suns acquired everything that Shaq destroyed. Frye is a much more versatile player than Shaq, he can shoot the three ball, distribute the ball, and play some sort of defense on opposing big men.

But the one who has benefited most from this change is two-time league MVP Steve Nash.

With Shaq gone, Nash now has the space to operate more freely on the floor. In just the first 14 games of the year, Nash is already starting to look like the Steve Nash from four years ago and the success is trickling down to the rest of the team.

Amare Stoudemire, who had a partially detached retina late last February, has also regained his old form. Averaging nearly 20 points per game, Amare provides a dominant inside force and is also a threat for medium jump shots.

Although Phoenix has enjoyed early success, the history of these fast starts has not been promising for the Suns' playoff chances. Phoenix still has yet to prove it can consistently win big games on the road and get through archrival San Antonio who has knocked them out of the playoffs three times since 2003.

But as long as the Suns stay injury free, it looks like this may finally be the year Phoenix can make a legitimate title run.

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