Cheap Seats

Rangers closer C.J. Wilson punched himself in the crotch earlier this week when he made some less-than-flattering comments about the generic baseball player. On a blog, Wilson said the average player "drives an SUV, drinks beer, golfs, likes college sports, chews or dips tobacco and is relatively a [blank]."

The expletive he used used is kind of like poop head, but he used a different word for poop.

Wilson was agitated over a lack of political prowess from baseball players. He added that he's not a fan of Hillary Clinton. What!? That's crazy. Everyone knows baseball players are a loyal democratic voting block -- leftists to the bone. ... That was a joke.

The first image Wilson's comments conjured was of Randy Johnson driving an SUV with a huge glob of dip in the corner of his mouth with that horrible mustache and that horrible hair.

On the other hand, come on, C.J. You've spent your entire career in Texas. Did you not think this was going to piss your teammates off? My guess is this isn't a shock to anyone in that clubhouse. I bet this isn't the first time the youngster has mouthed off.

But, he is a youngster. What he said wasn't that bad and wasn't directed at anyone specifically. He gets a pass from me, but it is the first negative thing I've heard out of Rangers camp. Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley are having excellent camps, and Texas has legitimate reasons to believe its headed in the right direction.

That's a first.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 7:21 PM | Permalink | Comments

OK, my last post on the Brad Richards trade -- I promise.

I like this trade even more compared to Pittsburgh's trade for forward Marian Hossa. The Penguins gave up a first-round pick, a former first-rounder in Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen and a future all-star in Angelo Esposito.

Sure, the Pens have an enormous amount of young talent, beginning and ending with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Because of those two, Pittsburgh not only has a chance to win a Cup, but win a bunch of them. Why not hold on to these other youngsters and give yourself a longer window of opportunity? What is the pressure to win now when you have the NHL MVP and he's not even 21 yet?

The Stars had to pull the trigger because they have maybe two or three years to be serious contenders. This year very well could be the last, but they didn't mortgage the future for the present. Richards is comparable to Hossa, and the Stars didn't give up anything close to what the Pens gave up.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments

Well that's the last time I blog off a Yahoo! Sports report.

Seems the Richards deal is still in place, but Dallas is giving up Jussi Jokinen instead of Mark Fistric. They also receive goalie Johan Holmqvist in the deal.

I like that better. The Stars will have the deepest young defensive core for years if they can hang on to all those guys. Fistric is one of the primary pieces of that. And with Sergi Zubov out until the playoffs, Dallas doesn't need to be giving up in D-men.

This is the first big trade deadline deal the Stars have made since trading Jarome Iginla for Joe Nieuwendyk. We all know how that turned out ...

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments

I'm still awake because computers at work crashed and I was called it in at 11 p.m. to help finish the paper ...

BUT! I stumbled across a report on Yahoo! that says the Stars have traded for Tampa Bay center Brad Richards. According to the report, which cites a league executive, the Stars give up center Jeff Halpern, goalie Mike Smith and rookie defenseman Mark Fistric.

Richards was a guy that's been rumored for a few days now, and he should fit in well with Modano. Either he or Modano could move to the left side, leaving good ole Jere on the right.

The Stars didn't give up much that will help them this year. Jeff Halpern is serviceable. Mike Smith is a good young goalie, but probably wasn't long for this organization anyway given Turco's unquestioned No. 1 status.

I'm a little disappointed to see one of the rookie defensemen go, but it was pretty much a given one of them was going to have to go for Dallas to get a top six forward. Fistric was doing well, but at least they didn't give up Matt Niskanen, who may be the best rookie defenseman in the league.

As with all big deadline trades, we can't fairly grade it until after the playoffs, but Richards is a solid choice for the Stars. He's a proven playoff commodity having won the Conn Smythe trophy in 2004. His numbers have decreased at 28, but he hasn't been playing with the Lightning's big guns like Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavailer.

The biggest issue with this deal is Richards' contract. At $7.8 million per year for the next three years, this could handcuff the organization for the duration of the deal. Should the Stars fall out of the league's elite as they age, this deal could turn around and bite them. For now, I'm going to give it the stamp of approval though.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 1:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

First off, watch this:

That's obviously the pinnacle of Zach Thomas' glorious career.

Now...what can the veteran do for the Cowboys? Unfortunately, I don't think they'll get a lot from him. He's clearly on the downside of his career and one more concussion could knock him out for good. I like the signing just because it brings a Texas native home to close out his career, but Cowboy fans shouldn't expect much.

Let's see what my boy Kige Ramsey has to say about the possibility of Thomas going to the Patriots late last week:

The Cowboys could use some veteran presence in their linebacking corps, which Thomas will definitely bring, but as far as on-field performance, don't expect much.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments

I know there's a lot of hubbub about how the Mavs are 2-1 with their new point guard with the two wins coming against two of the worst teams in the league, and there's still a lot of folks out there who don't like the deal.

In the last two games, Kidd has 32 assists, including 17 in yesterday's win at Minnesota -- 14 of which came in the first three quarters. One of those was one of the most crisp passes I've seen in a long time, when he pulled down a rebound and sent a 3/4-length bounce pass between four defenders up to a streaking Jason Terry, who caught the ball in stride and didn't even need to dribble before going up for a layup.

I know the Mavs still don't have any depth at the center position with the self-proclaimed best center in the NBA roaming the paint, and no one else. Let me ask you this...would you have rather the Mavs go after Shaq? Not me. I still believe this deal will eventually pay dividends for the Mavericks. I think it's clear that the previous team was never going to get back to the Finals with its current mental makeup. Kidd has already become the leader of this team. Give him time to get acclimated with the offense and let's see what happens before throwing him under the bus.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments

Kelvin Sampson made illegal phone calls to recruits.

He did not assault anyone. He did not murder anyone. He did not sexually abuse anyone. He did commit a crime under the influence of alcohol. He did not embezzle money. He did not cheat one of his players. He did not cut open horses and leave them to die. He did not purposely run over a child with his car. He did not make a suit out of human skin.

Kelvin Sampson is a basketball coach who made illegal phone calls to recruits. Let's keep that in mind while we hear the words "disgrace" and "scandal" with Sampson's name attached. He picked up the phone and called high school basketball recruits when he wasn't suppose to.

Surely we can find someone more deserving of having their head on a pike than Kelvin Sampson, even in the world of sports.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 12:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

I hope Brett Hull doesn't manage as wrecklessly as he uses his mouth.

The outspoken former player turned Dallas Stars Ambassador of Fun turned co-general manager of the Stars has a big decision to make before Tuesday's trade deadline. Given his brash personality, I could see him trying to make a big splash by acquiring Marian Hossa, Olli Jokinen or Martin St. Louis.

While any team would love to add a top-line scorer, the price is going to be very high on those players, and teams are going to want to pillage Dallas' young defensive core.

After pondering the Stars' situation, I basically came to this conclusion -- Dallas should lay low. The Stars are the hottest team in the NHL since the All-Star break. They seem to have found a level of chemistry and continuity that shouldn't be disrupted for a big-name scorer.

GMs at the trade deadline are like bored dads in an electronics store -- they want everything, and they aren't going to let the price detour them. Under the salary cap, the Stars are going to have to be a little more shrewd than they were when they were handing out fat contracts like candy earlier in the decade.

The addition of Hossa, Jokinen or St. Louis for a forward, a young defenseman and a two first-rounders -- or something to that effect -- is not shrewd. It's stupid, especially for a team playing as well as the Stars.

And it's not like you have to make a deal at the deadline to win a Cup. What did Dallas do at the deadline in 1998-99 when it won the Cup? Nothing. That same year, Detroit traded for Wendel Clark and Chris Chelios while Colorado cowboyed-up with Theo Fleury.

My advice -- add a solid forward by trading a second- or third-round pick to add some depth, and keep the mix of chemistry and youth that's turned Dallas into a contender.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments

Well after a week-long vacation in the Big Apple, I'm back and am still trying to get back into the sports swing of things.

Anyway, check out this promotional video from the Daily Oklahoman out of Oklahoma City, Wes Welker's hometown.

My only issue with the video is that it claims Wes Welker "made Mike Leach" while we all know Mike Leach made Mike Leach, with the help of moments like this...

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

There are two kinds of sports fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area -- The Ticket listeners and ESPN radio listeners.

If I had to lump myself into one of these categories, I’d be an ESPN listener. But lately that’s been tough. ESPN’s revamped lineup leaves much to be desired, starting with its morning and noon shows.

The always-bitter Jennifer Engel was replaced in the mornings by nationally syndicated Collin Cowherd. Dan Patrick, who left the station, was eventually replaced with the Michael Irvin Show.

While I find Randy Galloway endlessly entertaining -- and Kelly Webster is the love of my life -- the rest of the day, I’m left flipping between The Ticket and rap radio.

I’ve never been a fan of The Ticket. Boedeker, whose obsession with The Ticket makes me wonder if he’s collecting jars of urine in his room, has tried to convert me, but it just doesn’t stick.

Lately, the station plays a clip of David Lee Roth screaming every two or three minutes. They’ve voted on homer calls, made terrible movie picks and, of course, talked about the latest celebrity gossip.

If I want to hear movie opinions, I’ll ask my boss, Todd Jorgenson, who is president of some Dallas-Fort Worth film critics society. I simply don’t want to hear celebrity gossip under any circumstance. David Lee Roth screaming was funny 20 years ago.

Where does this leave me? Michael Irvin knows nothing outside of football, and he actually brought his son in today. I’ve heard him and Nate Newton wax on about legal troubles about 100 times now.

For those who know me, I’m a music snob and a half. I originally went to UNT to be a music major, so I like jazz, classical and really artsy-fartsy experimental rock. Being forced to listen to rap radio in the car because ESPN and The Ticket are so bad has put me in a tricky spot.

I asked a friend recently “Isn’t Lil’ Wayne tight?!?” He gave me a blank stare and said “No, no he is not.”

I thought about it and said “You’re right. He is not tight.” This is what those two sports stations have done to me. Can you guys see if Jen Engel is still willing to do the show? Is there some sort of cage we can put Michael Irvin in so he doesn’t hurt himself? Can you guys just hire me? I promise I’m better …

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

Reports are coming in that the Mavericks have reached another agreement with New Jersey to get point guard Jason Kidd. Strangely enough, Dallas gets a better deal with this second agreement.

In the new deal as reported by ESPN's Marc Stein, the Mavs get Kidd and Malik Allen for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager and -- instead of Devean George and Jerry Stackhouse -- Trenton Hassell and Keith Van Horn.

That works out much better for Dallas. George and Stackhouse are proven playoff contributors while Hassell has a terrible contract and Van Horn is retired, the Mavs just still own his rights.

Conspiracy theory: Was Devean George instructed to exercise his no-trade clause in order to get a better deal out of New Jersey? If so, brilliant. But probably not. Mark Cuban is a smart guy, but that would be military intelligence smart.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments

That's what I think about this Roger Clemens soap opera.

Does anyone actually believe Roger Clemens didn't take performance enhancing drugs? Does anyone actually care that Roger Clemens took performance enhancing drugs? Does anybody actually believe any baseball player when he denies taking performance enhancing drugs?

Does Roger Clemens not realize he's doing more damage to himself by bringing this into the limelight? Look at Mark McGuire. He disappeared and he actually gets a decent percentage of Hall of Fame votes. And nobody even really brings him up when talking about this subject anymore, even though his home run chase in 1998 is what instigated the whole thing. That's what Roger should have done -- ignore it.

Furthermore, Roger can blame Bud Selig for this. Selig cooked up this bogus George Mitchell report, and it was that report that first seriously implicated Clemens. Funny how Selig is airing his dirty laundry across America and in congressional halls all over D.C. Roger Goodell just burned his dirty laundry before anyone could get a whiff of it. That's why the NFL is the most successful sports league in the world.

Derek Jeter was quoted as saying that congress holding a hearing about prosecuting arguably the greatest player of our generation the day before pitchers and catcher report to spring training was bad timing for the game.

The thing is, Derek, your commissioner isn't interested in doing what's best for the game. He's interested in doing what's stupid.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

Now what?

Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson hopefully have a good answer to that question after Devean George shot down their laborious trade for Jason Kidd. George exercised his no trade clause, putting Dallas' acquisition of the all-star point guard on hold.

Dallas has been brokering this deal for weeks. Blockbuster NBA trades are difficult to negotiate because the league's CBA has restrictions imposed to prevent salary dumping that occurs in the NHL and MLB. That means all the number crunching from all the combinations of players they worked on was a colossal waste of time.

Thanks, George. Stand-up job. Way to pitch a gigantic hissy fit over where you're going to play for the next two months before your one-year deal expires.

So what do they do now? My guess is both teams will hammer on George to change his mind, which could happen. If he doesn't, the whole thing could fall apart.

To make it works, the Mavs would have to find a player with a similar salary to Deaven George's, and New Jersey has to be willing to take him. The only options I see that fit the salary situation are 36-year-old Eddie Jones and the grossly overpaid Trenton Hassell.

I don't see the Nets being interested in either of them, but they may take one of them just so this isn't all for naught. At the same time, New Jersey may just shop elsewhere.

The Mavericks are in a tricky situation for the time being. Depending on how players reacted, certain Mavericks may be alienated from management after they or their buddies were suppose to be traded. One thing is for sure -- Dallas needs to get this settled, and get it settled soon.

If they redo the deal, I hope they find a way to keep DeSagana Diop. I don't trust Erick Dampier to handle the inside duties on his own, especially with Tim Duncan, Andrew Bynum, Amare Stoudemire, Yao Ming and now Shaq in the conference. Diop's inclusion was the only real problem I had with the deal.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

Devean George? Really? Devean George has vetoed this deal? It appears that way...

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

Well, the rumors have been flying for weeks now and it appears something is finally happening in Dallas. The Mavericks appear set to bring in their former No. 1 draft pick Jason Kidd from New Jersey.

Kidd's old and the Mavs will be giving up a young point guard in Devin Harris along with the Mavs' enforcer Jerry Stackhouse and one of my favorite Mavs DeSegana Diop.

There are a lot of mixed feelings about this trade out there, but count me on the side that approves. Look, let's be honest, the Mavs have won nothing with the team in place right now. Dirk's nearing 30 and has perpetually bad ankles and Devin Harris isn't progressing as quickly as the Mavs would like, although he is showing improvement every year.

People's main argument is that the Mavs are mortaging their future. Teams that "build for the future" are teams like the Nets, who are not supposed to contend for titles. The Mavericks are a perennial championship contender and the window for said championship is closing quickly.

True, in two or three years, Kidd will be done. But right now, Kidd is a dynamite point guard who dishes the ball and grabs rebounds. He's nearing 100 triple doubles in his career, which is simply phenomenal.

The main thing Kidd will bring to this team is a new mental toughness. The knock on this team recently has been softness. There was the big lead in Game 3 of the NBA Finals two years ago with a chance to go up 3-0 on the Heat, which was blown and the Mavs ended up losing the series in six games. Then, of course, there was the historic upset at the hands of the 8th-seeded Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

Kidd is a bulldog on the court. That's the best way I know to describe him. You can question his personal life issues (domestic abuse, etc.) but the guy can play basketball and he can be a leader on this team that doesn't have a true leader. True, Dirk Nowitzki is the team's best player, but he's not a leader and he never will be -- it's just not his personality.

I think the move will help the Mavs make a great push at a title in what has become an extremely interesting Western Conference playoff race with the recent additions of Kidd, Pau Gasol (Lakers) and the Big Daddy himself, Shaq (Phoenix).

It might not happen, but I believe this move gives the Mavs the best chance of winning a title in the next few years because the team they have now just isn't working.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

If you haven't seen it by now, feast your eyes on this nasty injury to Florida Panther Richard Zednik. It was a freakish deal that apparently happened about 20 years ago. I'd always wondered why this didn't happen more often -- or if it had ever happened for that matter.

Zednik is in stable condition and doing well, so that's good to hear. Be warned, this video is graphic but if you want to see go to about the 1:30 mark.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments

Which player in this group of forwards doesn't belong -- Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro, Antti Miettinen, Jere Lehtinen, Mike Modano, Steve Ott.

While you might give Miettinen a thought, the answer is Steve Ott. Those are Dallas' top six forwards that have led it to a six-game winning streak, propelling the Stars into first in the Pacific Division.

I'm first in line among those who've never understood the logic behind Dave Tippett's line combinations. From the day he got here, I didn't get it. This season is no different.

Why in the world do you have Steve Ott, who has about as much skill with the stick as an elephant holding a broom, on a line with one of the most offensively creative players of our generation in Mike Modano?

Ott is a checking line center. He does a good job of clearing out space for Modano, but that's what Lehtinen's role with Modano has been for the last decade. He's back from injury, and playing well. That means it's time to get a skill player to put on that line.

Unfortunately, that player may not be on the Stars' current roster. Loui Eriksson has the ability, but not the experience or the polish. Or the experience of playing with one of hockey's all-time greats. Other than him, the choices are already playing on a top line that is one of the best the team has had since the lockout.

In such a wide-open race in the Western Conference, the obvious answer would be to make a trade to get someone with a little more skill for Modano. But Dallas needs to be careful. Long gone are the days when you can add players a pay for it down the road. Down the road in this league is next year.

That's why new general managers Les Jackson and Brett Hull need to be shrewd when proceeding with trade negotiations. A lot of teams are going to get antsy and make deals that go bad.

The Stars have already been turned down by Peter Forsberg, which may be a good thing. I don't want Jason Blake, and didn't when he declined Dallas' offer in the summer. I don't want an aging, injury-prone Marian Hossa.

For me, the guy that should be on top of Jackson and Hull's list is an easy -- Alex Tanguay. He plays left wing, he has big game experience, he's a balanced player and he could fit into Dallas' cap situation long term.

I think it was ridiculous that Colorado traded him to Calgary in the first place. He's been rumored to be available again, for whatever reason. Other sensible options are Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu, Montreal's Michael Ryder --young players they could re-sign long term -- or the Islander's Miroslav Satan, who they could use as a "rent-a-player."

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments

Although my first inclination was "this is completely dumb," I took a few days to digest the Suns-Heat trade.

After further review, it's still dumb.

Giving up a quality player in Shawn Marion for an aging, injured, high-priced big man who doesn't fit their style just makes no sense to me at all. Apparently Mike D'Antoni pushed hard for the trade, which makes me think he has some sort of plan, but certainly long-term, this doesn't fit.

Marion led Phoenix's fast break. Shaq can barely get down the court. This is going to force the Suns to play a different style of ball. Maybe they've given up on the idea that they can run their way to the NBA Finals. Had David Stern not stolen Game 5 against the Spurs last year, they could be the defending champs right now.

With all the success they've had and are having this season, I don't understand why a drastic change was needed. This will improve the Suns' half-court sets -- until Shaq falls apart anyway --and Marion was looking to get out of Phoenix for awhile, but this doesn't push them over the top.

The biggest disappointment for me is that I've always liked the Suns. Now that they have Shaq, I have to hate them.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

Who's coming? If I play my cards right, maybe I can get some of the 16 players who've opted out of the game to join me at my crib. That number's sure to grow by a few more by the time the game is played on Sunday (It is on Sunday, right??).

Seriously, why do we even have this game? If it wasn't in Hawaii, I'm convinced it would cease to exist. The only players that seem to go anymore are those who've never been or those who have wives and kids they want to take to Hawaii.

Also, just a note, this was the first year Roy Williams hasn't been voted in, which was nice to see. This may sound crass, but it took the tragic death of Sean Taylor for Williams to earn a spot on the team. What does that say for the most overrated perennial Pro Bowler in league history?

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments

The above photo is a good representation of what I, and most of the football world, thought about Giants quarterback Eli Manning, or Elisha as I was referring to him as early in the playoffs.

Unfortunately for us (being the collective media), and very fortunately for Eli, that perception has changed dramatically in the last month.

Now, the permanent image in my head of Eli will be much different, perhaps something like this...

Look, I can plainly admit I was wrong about Eli Manning. I saw him play in-person in college and wasn't thoroughly impressed, but that was probably a bit unfair because I knew his big bro's prowess in the NFL.

That continued as Eli became an NFL quarterback and showed flashes of greatness at times, but more often than not was not nearly the QB his brother was and often appeared to have no idea what was going on. Look at the Giants' loss to Minnesota when he threw four picks, three of which were returned for touchdowns. Then there's his putrid performance in Buffalo when his defense and Ahmad Bradshaw saved him in a thrilling comeback.

Then, everything seemingly changed on Dec. 29 when his team lost to New England to let the Pats complete the undefeated regular season despite his four-touchdown, 251-yard performance. I made fun of the Giants after that game for taking so much pride in a "close loss", but it turned out they gained an incredible amount of confidence from that game.

Then came the first quarter of New York's first-round win at Tampa Bay when the Giants were in the negative in total yards. From that point on, Manning went on a near-perfect run that was a nice display of efficiency, but don't call him a bus driver.

Manning has always had the tools to make plays, and during this postseason, in which the Giants beat the NFC's two best teams (Dallas and Green Bay) on the road and arguably one of the greatest teams to ever strap it on in New England in Super Bowl XLII.

His pass to David Tyree on the final drive of the 17-14 New York victory was a thing of legend, and Tyree was only half of it. Yeah, his catch was phenomenal, but Eli's great escape was something you don't think of him doing very often.

Look, I'm not going to lie, when Eli was hoisting the Lombardi trophy on Sunday, I was on the verge of vomiting and when he was named MVP of the Super Bowl, I threw up in my mouth a little bit. After years of beating up Eli and having him there to be a laughingstock, it's over. Eli Manning forever has a free pass and will not be ridiculed anymore. As much as I want to, the man has a Super Bowl ring, and an MVP trophy, and I can never take that away from him -- ever, and it makes me ill.

Fact of the matter is, Eli has barged in to an elite group of NFL quarterbacks. There's Brady, Favre, Peyton Manning, Romo (yes, Romo is there) and now, Eli Manning. There, I said it. Enjoy it, Eli. You've earned it.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 4:47 PM | Permalink | Comments

A lot of talk is going around about whether the Giants win over the Patriots was the best Super Bowl ever, the biggest Super Bowl upset ever and where the Patriots dynasty ranks now. Here are my thoughts on each topic.

Best Super Bowl
1. Super Bowl XLII. Giants 17, Patriots 14
This is a really tough call, but with all the history, all the story lines and all the big names, this gets the nod. There were two fourth quarter scoring drives -- one that won the game and one that seemingly did.

2. Super Bowl XXIII. 49ers 20, Bengals 16
Montana leading a last-second drive during their dynasty is tough to top.

3. Super Bowl XXXIV. Rams 23, Titans 16
Tennessee stopped a yard short of sending the game into overtime.

Biggest Super Bowl upset
1. Super Bowl III. Jets 16, Colts 7
Game solidified the NFL-AFL merger. The Super Bowl may not have survived without this upset.

2. Super Bowl XLII. Giants 17, Patriots 14
Giants were 12-point underdogs against the already-crowned best team ever.

3. Super Bowl XXXVI. Patriots 20, Rams 17
My favorite Mark Cuban quote: "I think the Rams are a lock, which is why I'm picking the Patriots."

Best Super Bowl play
1. Super Bowl XLII. Manning to Tyree.
Without a doubt. That play was simply a freakish miracle delivered by God himself.

2. Super Bowl XXXVIII. Patriots get freakish score.
The Patriots fumble, Carolina gets it, they fumble, and New England scores. Wha??

3. Super Bowl X. Swann catch.
Lynn Swann out jumped a Cowboys DB to pull down one of the best Super Bowl catches.

Super Bowl dynasties
1. 49ers of the 1980s
San Fran changed the way the game is played on offense en route to four Super Bowls.

2. Cowboys of the 1990s
Probably the most talented teams in NFL history.

3. Packers of the 1960s
The Patriots of this decade got a lot of breaks, so did the 1970s Steelers.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

I just subscribed to Sports Illustrated under the Giants championship package, so I get this tight championship ball, this tight book, a tight framed Eli Manning Sports Illustrated cover and the NFL Films DVD of New York’s championship season. Oh, and I get Sports Illustrated for a year.

But while I was basking in an inordinate amount of glory, I stopped and thought about the complete losers of the game – the New England Patriots. Are their years of competing for championships over? Management certainly has decisions to make.

Randy Moss and Asante Samuel are both unrestricted free agents. Both are not only Pro Bowlers, but All-Pros (big difference). Moss, along with Wes Welker, were the catalysts of New England’s record-breaking offensive season, and Samuel is among the five best shutdown corners in the league.

The Patriots don’t have a history of over-paying players, especially at receiver. With Welker having success this year, I would imagine the Pats will let Moss walk and sign or franchise Samuel. The Patriots had around $16 million in cap room going into the season, so keeping one of them long-term is realistic.

New England also has the No. 7 pick in the draft. They have a better shot of getting a top-flight cornerback than a top-flight receiver in this draft. That could also weigh into their decision.

Either way, the Pats should be competitive – unfortunately. It’ll be tough to rebound from a loss like that, and things have to fall apart at some point, but they still have a good two- or three-year window.

This framed Sports Illustrated Eli Manning cover is going to look oh so tight next to my dartboard.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments

Back in 2003, a 22-year-old sports reporter was introduced to the greatness of Knight in his very first basketball press conference and it resulted in No. 8 on ESPN's Top 10 Bob Knight moments. That 22-year old was me.

Say what you want about the guy. Yeah, he was a first-class jerk in the public eye. But he has his redeeming qualities as well -- just not so much with the media. He also won 902 games, more than any other men's coach in NCAA history. He also taught me more about the game of basketball in a few months than I've learned in the other 27-plus years of my life.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 6:47 PM | Permalink | Comments

Legendary coach Bob Knight, 67, has resigned, effective immediately, says my buddy Jeff Walker of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. This is unfortunate news for Texas Tech and for college basketball as a whole. But it's not for why it may appear.

There's no question, the elder Knight brought attention to Lubbock that would've never been there before. But there's also no doubt Knight has lost energy and has looked tired this year.

On the bright side, Pat Knight, who will take over, effective immediately, is basically a nicer, easier-to-get-along-with version of his father. He brings the same coaching principles to the table and the same Xs and Os that make him what many say to be the best gameday planner in college basketball.

Right now, you have to wonder if there's anything behind this as far as administrative squabbles or the like, but the word out of Lubbock is that it's just chalked up to tiredness.

Having covered Tech's basketball team for a season, I can tell you that the players always loved Pat and had a hinging-on-unhealthy fear of Bob. Obviously, with Pat's role changing now, he'll have to change that dynamic to an extent, but I believe this young team will react well to Pat. Tech is loaded with talented freshmen this year, led by Plano graduate John Roberson, who led the Wildcats to a 5A state title last year along with Mike Singletary and D'Walyn Roberts.

More to come on this later, but this is a big day in college basketball for so many reasons.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

Here's the much-awaited second installment of the Big XII power rankings. Let's hear your thoughts.

1. Kansas (21-1, 6-1) -- I'm sure I'll catch some flack for this, but I still have the Jayhawks as the top team in the conference, despite their loss to in-state rival Kansas State last week. But the gap is much smaller than it was.

2. Kansas State (15-5, 5-1) -- Bill Walker and Michael Beasley are scary good. Like No Country For Old Men scary good.

3. Texas (17-4, 4-2) -- This might get some questions too, but I still have the Longhorns here for a couple of reasons. Their overall body of work thus far is better than Texas A&M's, despite the Aggies' home win last week. More on that later.

4. Baylor (16-4, 4-2) -- Baylor beat A&M at Reed Arena, thus the Bears get the nod here despite my intense hatred for the seediness that is Scott Drew.

5. Texas A&M (18-4, 4-3) -- The Aggies beat Oklahoma State last week in Stillwater. That's nice and all, but the Pokes are waaaaay down this year. Aside from that, A&M has no impressive road victories, and that needs to change.

6. Oklahoma (15-6, 3-3) -- This is the perhaps the cutoff for Big XII teams in The Dance come next month. It's going to come down to OU or the next team...

7. Texas Tech (12-8, 3-3) -- Tech beat Okie State to rebound from the shellacking the Red Raiders took at the hands of Texas last weekend. It was a game the young team should've won, and did, which is always a good a sign. This team is still incredibly young and inexperienced, other than up-and-down Martin Zeno, who was supposed to be the team leader this year.

8. Iowa State (13-9, 3-4) -- Not much to see here.

8b. Missouri (13-9, 3-4) -- The only reason the Tigers are here instead of ISU is the fact that they are in shambles as a team right now due to injuries and arrests. It's only going to get worse from here on out.

10. Nebraska (13-6, 2-4) -- Blah.

11. Oklahoma State (10-11, 1-6) -- I am dumbfounded that Oklahoma State coach Sean Sutton hasn't been shown the door yet. He's obviously riding the coattails of his legendary father, Eddie, who's also struggling in his return stint to San Francisco. The best thing about this team is that is hasn't won a Big XII road game in more than a year. Amazing, really. The Pokes have lost six straight.

12. Colorado (9-12, 1-6) -- Nothing to see here.

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 5:58 PM | Permalink | Comments

I’m still in a state of shock even a day after New York’s thrilling win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. I’m physically sore from jumping around and my throat is a little scratchy after all the screaming.

For me, this is probably the greatest moment of my sports fandom. The only other things that come close are the Giants’ win over the Bills in Super Bowl XXV and the Stars winning the Stanley Cup in 1999.

Both were big wins in dramatic fashion, but this is the best for a number of reasons. I’ve always defended Eli Manning and always taken crap for it. No more. I’ve hated Tom Brady and the Patriots since they got hot in 2001 and went on to win three Super Bowls. So many things converged to make this one of the special moments of my experience as a sports fan.

Here are some thoughts on the game:

David Tyree’s reception after a ridiculous Eli Manning scramble on the Giants’ last drive will go down as the greatest single play in Super Bowl history. Lynn Swann’s catch in Super Bowl X was great, but wasn’t accompanied by an improbable escape act by the QB, and it didn’t come on the game-winning drive. The Dallas Morning News dedicated a whole page to the one play.

I knew what Bill Belichick was doing when he went to meet Tom Coughlin at midfield when there was still a second left in the game. I was screaming at the television, telling Little Bill to get back on his little sideline and watch my big Giants take a knee and celebrate. He didn’t do it, and like the classless sore loser that he is, he took off before the game was even over. Tom Brady did the same thing.

Pass-rushing defensive ends are about to become all the rage. The Giants just won a Super Bowl by often having three defensive ends on the line at once, instead of two ends and two tackles. This is a “copy cat” league, and the Giants just laid a new blue print for winning.

Jeremy Shockey’s career as a Giant is over. They won the title without him, he’s a huge locker room headache and he’s always underachieved. He’s a great talent, but not worth the trouble or the money. New York can cut him or trade him, get a draft pick or two, and it would be completely worth it.

It’s creepy how much this win for the Giants is like New England’s win over the Rams in 2001. Both were huge underdogs. Both pulled out upsets in dramatic fashion, and to see the Patriots fall in such a poetic way is phenomenal. The question is can the Giants use this to start a dynasty like the Patriots did. I think they can. They have a young, blossoming quarterback and some great young pieces on defense.

Cowboys fans should feel somewhat better about their loss to the Giants after this. Dallas’ exit was looked on as a choke job by a superior team. After the Giants beat three great teams on the way to the Super Bowl, Cowboys fans should feel like this just was the Giants’ year.

Denying Junior Seau is very satisfying. I lost all respect for the guy after he made some very insensitive remarks about homosexuals a few years back. I never like veterans who leave their original teams in search of a title (see Ray Bourque). Seau actually would have a chance at a title with the Chargers had he not left for the Evil Empire.

The Giants won this Super Bowl. The Patriots didn’t lose it, the Giants simply whipped them physically. That’s what makes this so much better.

Tom Brady’s tears taste so good – like candy. Like a root beer float with sprinkles and caramel and three packets of Splenda on top. Mmmmm, tastes so good …

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

After much anticipation and fanfare, my Super Bowl prediction entry is finally here. I'm here at North Texas Nissan, drinking my free Starbucks and ready to spill the beans on how Sunday's game is going to go down.

First off, I need to give credit where credit is due. The New York Giants have proven me wrong every week of the playoffs aside from the opening game against Tampa Bay when I picked them.

Yes, Eli Manning has played well in the postseason. I still don't get the hype and all the annointing that's being done calling Eli the next coming of Johnny U, but yes, he's been surprisingly efficient and effective in wins over Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay.

Folks may remember four weeks ago when the Giants came closest to knocking off the Patriots this year aside from Baltimore in Week 17 when the Patriots were trying to complete their perfect regular season. Now, it's the Giants again who will try to end the bid at the second perfect season in NFL history.

It won't happen.

Set aside all of the numbers. The Patriots' ridiculous offense, Tom Brady's record-setting season, Randy Moss' record-setting season -- put it all aside and consider this.

Bill Belichick, arguably the greatest coach in the history of the game already with three rings, played these guys four weeks ago. The Giants put up some serious offense on the Patriots' defense, which is Bill's baby. Being the master planner that he is, I don't see how the Giants will be able to do that again. It simply can't happen.

The Giants live and die through their running game and pass rush. The Patriots' defense can be run on, but pass rush doesn't seem to effect Brady & Co. The Ravens pressured Brady more than anyone did this year and he still pulled out the W. What's made Brady so great this year isn't just the additions of Randy Moss and Wes Welker, it's the phenomenal offensive line play he's gotten this year. That line wasn't healthy four weeks ago, and the Giants sacked Brady once. They're healthy now, which doesn't seem to fair too well for the G-Men.

I think the Patriots will come out firing immediately reminiscent of their early-season dominance. Randy Moss will come on after catching just two passes in the Pats' first two playoff wins. This time, they'll mix in a healthy dose of Laurence Maroney, who's come on in the postseason after lying dormant for much of the regular season. Don't forget, Maroney's college teammate Marion Barber III ran for more than 100 yards in the first half against the Giants before running out of gas. Maroney's a true starter, and won't have the same problem.

Finally, why should we believe the Patriots have gone all this way, all the way to 18-0, to lose in the Super Bowl and finish 18-1? They've been playing with a huge chip on their shoulders since Spygate and are out to prove a point to the rest of the league and all of their enemies, which because of Belichick, is just about everyone.

It's been a great run for New York, and an unlikely one. Too bad they have like three players who have any Super Bowl experience. The Patriots nearly a teamful with multiple ones under their belts. Most of all, the Pats have Tom Brady, and he won't lose. Brady will go 4-0 in Super Bowls to join Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana as the only QBs in history with four rings, and who's to say he won't win more? When it's all said and done, he'll go down as the greatest ever, as will Belichick.

So folks, here it is:

Patriots 41, Giants 24

Posted by Adam Boedeker at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments

Arlen Specter may need to re-read his job description. My guess is it doesn't say anything about maintaining the integrity of American sports.

Still, Specter (R-Pa.) is trying to use the power vested in him to regulate rules in the NFL by sending a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell asking whether the Patriots spied on the Eagles in the Super Bowl a few years ago.

Funny that he would bring up spygate two days before the Super Bowl. Funny that he's not inquiring about any current spy incidents, but one that involves his hometown Eagles. It appears Mr. Specter saw a stage and decided he wanted on it. What better stage to jump on than the Super Bowl?

It's really dumb that he's getting into this at all. Congress' investigation into steroids in baseball seems to have opened the flood gates for Congressmen to get involved in pro sports issues whether it's in their jurisdiction or not, or whether it has anything to do with the well-being of the American people or not.

I could see how one could make the argument that Congress needed to step in just scare baseball straight about steroids, but this is neither here nor there. Hey, Arlen. Where were you when Kenny Rogers was putting pine tar on baseballs in the playoffs? Maybe you can help us out with this whole BCS mess while you're at it.

I guess Specter has gotten bored trying to solve any real problems. I guess a war that isn't going well, genocide in Africa and a brewing recession just aren't as important as settling the score of a Super Bowl played three years ago. I'm glad we're paying this man six figures to investigate a complete non-issue.

Arlen, get out of here, and get to work on something that matters.

Posted by Jeff Andrews at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments