Blogs Bring People Together

Former archfoe Scott Isaacs put a touching post about me on his blog, The Shredded Eagle.
As with most petty disputes, I don't even know what started our mini-feud. Scott and I have both grown up (we're both married) and perhaps now we can argue about the Mets without exchanging insults. Perhaps one day you will see a cross-blog debate about the Piazza era.

T.O. Can't Stay Out of the Spotlight

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Terrell Owens, sent party invitations disguised as penalty flags to his teammates. The invites were sitting at the players' lockers before practice at the NovaCare Complex.

Owens' party is scheduled for 9 p.m. Monday at a club in Atlantic City, and at least one player said he would be attending.

"Am I?" said defensive end N.D. Kalu. "I've already got my suit."

The invitation read: "There's a flag on the play. After further review, No. 81 is at it again."


No word if D-Nabb was invited.

Hot Stove Heaters

Mets fans, would you trade Jose Reyes and Kris Benson to Baltimore for Miguel Tejada? I would, even though it leaves the Mets with no leadoff hitter. Miggy T is exactly the type of guy the Mets need, an RBI machine who can hit with men on base. If the Orioles can get Manny for Tejada they'd probably have to make that deal though.

What about Nomar Garciaparra to solve the second base problem? He is reportedly looking for a one-year deal, in the neighborhood of $8m. He is also reportedly willing to change positions. I think it's definitely worth the risk.

What do you think of Kris Benson for Jose Vidro?

Great Holiday Presents

Playskool is auctioning celebrity desgined Mr. Potato Heads.
Pat Morita is a good one.
But my favorite is Johnny Damon.

Piazza Followup

Josh and Coach correctly recalled a great Mike Piazza moment.
On September 16th, 1998 (two weeks after the storm) the Mets were 85-68 and making a run for the wild card.
They were trailing 2-0 in the top of the 9th inning against the Astros.
Piazza hit a 3-run homer against Billy Wagner to give the Mets the lead. Dennis Cook gave up the tying run in the bottom of the 9th.
I remember hiding my eyes beneath a pillow when Greg McMichael came in for the 10th. He walked 3 guys but didn't give up a run.
In the top of the 11th Todd Hundley came off the bench to hit a blast to give the Mets the lead, and eventually the win.
The win put the Mets half a game behind the Cubs for the wild card, but they fell just short. That was the year my dad and brother lined up to buy playoff tickets and were featured in the Staten Island Advance.
It was not to be in 1998, but of course the Mets made the playoffs in 1999 and advanced to the World Series in 2000.
Definitely a great Piazza moment, but not as good when he had to hold a press conference to deny rumors that he was gay and had bought a house in the suburbs with Sam Champion.

If you are impressed by my recall of the events of that day more than 7 years ago you can see for yourself in the box score.

Weekly Picks

Sorry for the lateness with the picks this week. Extenuating circumstances prevented Adam from making his selections at work. Last week, I went 4-2 but it was a disappointing 4-2 because Green Bay had the ball with 3 minutes to go down 5 points. I thought the worst they could do was not score, and the Bears would run out the clock. But the horrible Brett Favre threw a pick and Nathan Vasher took it the other way to make it 19-7 and cost us the game. The other loss was Miami, they won 24-23 (I predicted 24-20), but it wasn't enough to cover the spread.
On their own Adam and Harley went 9-1 and continued their climb up the standings, residing in second, two points out of first. We're going to keep the momentum going this week, the third in a row where they disagreed on exactly 6 games.

BILLS +3.5 patriots: This is a tough game because New England doesn't really need it and Buffalo is much better at home than on the road. Buffalo is coming off a really tough loss. J.P. Losman passed for three touchdowns in the first quarter last week and we know New England's defense is susceptible to the pass when they play a real team (read: not the Jets). Also I get scared by the 3 and a half point spreads becuase so many games are decided by field goals. Even so I have to pick New England.

BENGALS -12.5 browns: Cleveland put a scare into me last week jumping out to an early lead on Jacksonville before blowing it. Charlie Frye played ok in his first career start. He doesn't have Braylon Edwards this week and Reuben Droughns health is in doubt too. Cincinnati should destroy them but they could be stepping into a trap game. I'll take the bait because I think Cincinnati only needs to score 23 points to cover this spread.

STEELERS -5.5 bears: All week I was thinking to myself that the Steelers looked like a good pick, I thought it would be a close line, maybe Pitt by 1 or 2. But 5 and a half points, that seems high to me. But I still think my reasoning was sound. The Bears aren't desperate, Pittsburgh is. The Bears have been getting lucky, they cannot score. Pittsburgh is good at home and they might be able to cover this spread with only scoring 13 points. I'm praying Roethlisberger's thumb is as hurt as it was last week when he had one of his best passing games as a pro. I'm going with Pittsburgh but if Tommy Maddox (winced while typing that) comes in, he'll get picked off at least three times.

PANTHERS -5.5 buccaneers: Carolina has Tampa Bay's number. Tampa Bay scored 10 points in each of the last two games. This could be another blowout. I don't have much to say so I'll ask a question: What's a buccaneer? (A pretty expensive price for corn.)

CHARGERS -13.5 dolphins: I love San Diego, I'm going to keep riding their train until it crashes. For bettors the fact that they blew some games early was a blessing. They are one the top 5 teams in the league and when the rest of the teams (Indy, Seattle) shut it down for the season, making them risky bets San Diego is going to have to play every game with passion until the end of the season. This is their one soft spot before a stretch of Indy, KC and Denver to end the season. No way they let this one get away. But will they win by two touchdowns? Yes! I think Sage Rosenfels will suffer Ryan Fitzpatrick Syndrome this week. Third string QB comes in at the end of the game leads a miraculous comeback and throws for a million yards. Then announcers say "imagine how good he'll be with a week of getting all the reps in practice." Then the guy sucks in the next game and the announcers say "he must be nervous in his first NFL start, when he came in last week he was loose because he didn't have to think about playing all week." But that shit ain't the truth. The truth is anyone could throw against the soft defenses Fitzpatrick and Rosenfels saw the past two weeks. When defenses are aggressive against them and have the whole week to prepare for them, then we'll remember why both guys were third stringers.

COWBOYS -3.5 chiefs: Both teams need this game and the loser probably will not make the playoffs, though Kansas City will have a better chance. KC hasn't been a good road team and the Cowboys are coming off two tough losses in a row and the Chiefs are on a 3 game winning streak. Either these are two teams going in opposite directions or Dallas will win. I'll go with the latter.

Now I know this means I took all 6 favorites one week after the biggest week for favorites in NFL history (unconfirmed). I realize this trend but I just couldn't find a dog on this list I really believed in. Hopefully if there are a couple surprises here we can still go 4-2.

Up Yours Matt

Going through some old pictures on the computer and I found this gem which I took and sent after my Buckeyes beat the evil Hurricanes for the national title a few years ago.

Celeb Sighting

If you didn't go to Wagner High School you can skip this post.
Today I saw Ilana Cohen on the downtown A train.
I got on at 59th, she got off at the next stop (42nd).
She looks pretty much the same, so I recognized her right away.
She didn't recognize me, but I think I look much different than I did in high school especially since I didn't hit puberty til sophomore year of college and right now I'm growing my winter beard.
I couldn't see her body, she was wearing a full length puffy coat but she's probably pretty much the same size she was in 1996.

Next Question Please

Here is the next question in the ongoing BCS debate with Derek.

“Please excuse me if I time out while writing this. We only have dial-up connections where I'm from...You often say the regular season is a tournament with one loss eliminating teams from a shot at the championship like the basketball tournament in March. However last year my team went through the season undefeated and still did not warrant a chance at the national championship? What would you say to teams who do not get to schedule 9 games against schools with 40,000 students and play in the Mountain time zone with little tv coverage unless we play on a Tuesday afternoon, but go through their season without a loss. Is the national championship closed to us forever? And if so why are we a division 1-A program?”

D. Hawkins- Boise, ID

The plight of mid-major conferences is the biggest thorn in the side of the BCS. I think we can all agree that mid-major conferences generally have less talent than the bigger conferences, or else they'd be the teams in the major conferences. But there are rare circumstances (like last season) when teams like Boise State and Utah go undefeated through the regular season, and the inability to deal with that is the biggest failing of the current system. But here are a couple points to keep in mind.
1) With a playoff a mid-major conference team would qualify about as often as such a team earns a BCS spot now, which is to say very rarely.
2) The bowl system would be weakened further by a playoff, as 7 out of 28 bowls would be given greater importance, instead of just one taking center stage. That means less money and prestige for the other 42 bowl teams, of which in most seasons you would be one.
3) This is just a guess but if 8 teams make a playoff that lowers the standard. Which means major conference teams with weak non-conference schedules could still make the playoff, disincentivizing scheduling good mid-major teams during the regular season, which is also is bad news for you.
That's a long answer to a simple question. So let me break it down. I feel your pain but don't think you'd be much better off under a playoff. Next time you want to go undefeated do it in a season where aren't any undefeated big conference schools, like 2003.

Kurt Thomas Hates Marbury

At one point last year Kurt Thomas threatened to punch Stephon Marbury. Kurt thinks that may be the reason he was traded. Tonight Thomas' Suns play the Knicks.

"I'm playing with Steve Nash, an MVP and someone who demands attention on the floor and makes the game fun," Thomas said with a bit of bite in his voice. "This is the most fun I've had in a long time."
He says he doesn't hold a grudge against Marbury and feels that both players gained greater respect for one another following their infamous locker room shouting match.
Thomas said he will shake Marbury's hand tonight and wish him good luck. But they won't be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon. When asked two weeks ago about Marbury, Thomas told reporters that the Knicks point guard he missed playing with is "Charlie Ward." When asked yesterday to name the best point guard in the league, Thomas didn't hesitate.
"Steve Nash," he said. "Everybody knows that."

Dancing with the Stars Part II

Here's the cast for season 2:
Tia Carrere: The TV and movie star will be partnered with professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Giselle Fernandez: The Emmy Award-winning journalist will dance with professional dancer Jonathan Roberts, returning from last season.

George Hamilton: The actor and bon vivant will be partnered with professional dancer Edyta Sliwinska, making her second appearance in the series.

Stacy Keibler: The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) diva will dance with professional dancer Tony Dovolani.

Drew Lachey: The recording artist and former member of pop group 98 Degrees will work with professional dancer Cheryl Burke.

Kenny Mayne: The ESPN personality and former college quarterback will team with with professional dancer Andrea Hale.

Tatum O'Neal: The Oscar-winning actress with be be partnered with professional dancer Nick Kosovich.

Jerry Rice: The tree-time Super Bowl champ will be partnered with professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya.

Lisa Rinna: The actress, entrepreneur and host of SOAPnet's Soap Talk will be partnered with professional dancer Louis van Amstel, who returns to the series from last season.

Romeo: The teen rap star will be partnered with professional dancer Ashly Delgrosso, who also returns to the series from last season.

Fez to Play Ponch in CHiPs Movie

Wilmer Valderrama is going to play Ponch in a movie version of CHiPs.

Slutty Real Worlders Diss the Doc

MTV's "Real World: Austin" season is over, but the cast appeared in a special on Tuesday night filled with footage that didn't make the regular episodes.

In it, castmate Lacey says that while in Costa Rica, she and the other female castmates were hit on in by "this old guy."

The girls learned later the old guy, who wasn't shown, was Dr. J.The name wasn't known by the girls, but the male castmates were surprised they didn't welcome Julius Erving's advances.

Poor Donovan

A civil rights leader ripped Donovan McNabb in a newspaper called the Philadelphia Sunday Sun. He basically said Donovan was good as a young QB, but he tried to prove that black QBs could be pocket passers, therefore leaving behind his greatest skills, and turning himself into a mediocre player.

Here is part of what J. Whaytt Mondesire had to say:

This whole dismal season so far has really been a testament of fallen dreams and lost opportunities most of which belongs at your feet (or should I say hands) and that of your coach, Andy Reid who has allowed you to perpetuate a fraud on the field while hiding behind excuses dripping in make-believe racial stereotypes.
This week I felt compelled to offer some personal thoughts about your horrific on-field performances this season because at their core there is a lie you have tried to use to hide the fact that in reality you actually are not that good. In essence Donny, you are mediocre at best. And trying to disguise that fact behind some concocted reasoning that African American quarterbacks who can scramble and who can run the ball are somehow lesser field generals than one who can summon up dead-on passes at a whim is more insulting off the field than on.
Your athleticism and unpredictability to sometimes run with the ball earlier in your career not only confused defenses, it also thrilled Eagles fans. We were elated. We were in awe.
But then you played the race card and practically all of us fell for your hustle. You scammed us man and there's no way any longer to refrain from "keepin' it real."
We could have remained silent too, if you had found another way to remain effective and a winner. But when your mediocre talent becomes so apparent it's time to call it out.
Who can forget your mind numbing fourth-quarter collapse in last year's Super Bowl against New England.
Andy Reid may not have seen it. Owner Jeff Lurie may have missed it on the videotaped replay. But Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder "saw" it. You choked brother.

Bad Flashbacks for Derek

I really couldn't care less about Poison or Bret Michaels but this story caught my eye for one reason, the town where it took place.
Michaels' tour bus was allegedly shot at outside a bar in Chicopee, Massachusetts. The same town that once arrested Derek for driving with a suspended license. Michaels says the cops didn't do enough to catch the shooter. But Derek can attest they are very tough on speeders. After this incident Mike said "Chicopee" 100 times a day for the next three weeks.

Lindsay Lohan Kicks the Habit

From the looks of this picture (supposedly taken December 1st) Lindsay Lohan has given up whatever drugs she was taking that forced her to look like a skeleton or Nicole Richie. Looks like the boys are back in town.





Click here for a peek at the old great Lindsay --- Not Safe For Work.

Time to Say Good-bye

The Mike Piazza era is officially over for the New York Mets.
While I agree that Piazza was a great player, he was never as good for the Mets as he was for the Dodgers. He was never as good after Clemens beaned him in the head. He had two great seasons for the Mets, and five seasons that got progressively worse, ending in last year's disaster. He sucked on defense and although he did come through with a lot of big hits, most of them were early in the season (Hoffman, Clemens and the home run in the ten run inning vs. Atlanta) or once the Mets were out of it (his game winner on September 21, 2001 -- which probably is his greatest moment as a Met). I never got the feeling that he was going to deliver when he came up in the ninth inning of a tie game. I think the microcosm for the Piazza era is the last at bat of the World Series in 2000. He hit the ball deep to center field, but not deep enough. He was good, but not good enough.

He is now being pursued by the Blue Jays, A's and Twins. He will probably end up in Toronto where he can still torment me, albeit to a lesser degree.

Thanks for the memories, Mike.

It's Been Too Long

I loved her as jailbait in Old School. I ogled her in Girl Next Door. I saw her nipples through a wifebeater in 24. I can't believe I've blogged for this long without finding some reason to post about Elisha Cuthbert. I have finally found a reason. She does a blog for nhl.com. In her latest post, she talks about attending a Kings game writing "Sean Avery scored our second goal of the night. Somehow I feel like that might change things a little for him in the games to come. Watch out for Avery."
Now there are rumors that she is dating Avery. If you are a girl, or a guy who wants to size up the competition you click here to see what Avery looks like.
I didn't want to ruin this post by sticking in a head shot of some dude.

Viral Videos

AOL put out its list of top viral videos of 2005. That is video clips that have spread like viruses over the internet.

My favorites are #6 "Boom Goes the Dynamite" and #9 "Tyra Gone Wild."

Rough Weekend for Bookies

Interesting press release e-mailed to me:

LAST WEEKEND'S FOOTBALL GAMES TAKE TOLL ON SPORTBOOKS; GAMBLERS REJOICE
Bookies Take a Battering on NFL's "Black Sunday"

DECEMBER 7, NEW YORK - An unprecedented run of favorites winning last weekend in the NFL has left the bookmaking industry paying out millions to its football bettors, a leading online sportsbook has revealed.

Sixteen NFL games were played last Sunday and Monday, and twelve favourites won and covered the spread. The culmination was Seattle's demolition of Philadelphia on Monday Night Football. Good news for bettors, but not so good for the bookmakers who have to write the checks.

"We're calling it 'Black Sunday'," revealed Anthony Munnelly, Vice President, Sports and Events, at Sports Interaction, the first online sportsbook licensed and registered in the United States. "In my time in the industry I have never seen a Sunday like it."

"It's very unusual to see that many favourites cover at any one weekend, especially in this era of parity," added Munnelly. "I'm happy for our customers, they won their money fair and square and good luck to them. But when I'm writing my letter to Santa later this week I'm going to ask for some underdogs to starting biting, before I end up on standing on the street wearing a red hat and ringing a bell."

###
Founded in 1997 and based in North America, Sportsinteraction.com is one of the oldest sports books on the web. Sportsinteraction.com offers wagers on sports, entertainment and current events as well as casino and poker.


Now we know that it was a great weekend, as people normally lean toward favorites, there were great scores in pools all over the country I'm sure. But I doubt it hurt big bookmaking operations.
Lines are set (and changed) to draw equal action on each side of the game.
It's done to prevent an occassion such as this.