Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from November, 2009

Charlie Weis Gets the Axe From Notre Dame

The inevitable is now reality in South Bend. The most publicized and highly anticipated firing of Charlie Weis from America's most popular college football team is a fete accompli. Weis was fired earlier today from the University of Notre Dame as its head football coach. Weis spent five tumultuous years with the Irish, culminated by a 6-6 season in 2009 with a group that some observers overrated as a team that could go 10-2. When Weis arrived in South Bend in 2004, he was an automatic hero turning Brady Quinn into a potential NFL super star prospect. However, Quinn has gone on to have an horrific career with the Cleveland Browns, while Weis struggled to find a decent replacement over the past three seasons. The Irish underachieved all season long as their defense failed to hold leads against Connecticut and Stanford at the end of the season that sealed Weis's fate. The Irish started 2009 at 6-2, but lost their last four games. It is not known whom the replacement will be, but ...

Eli Manning Denies That Foot Is Cause of Poor Play

A day after the team was notified that quarterback Eli Manning suffered a stress reaction to his injured heal, the quarterback today denied that the injury is the cause of the team's horrific slump during the past month and a half. “ In the games, it doesn’t bother me, and I don’t think about it. This is not something I am overly concerned with,” Manning said. "It has been the same for probably the last three to four weeks; it’s nothing new. I can go out and practice and do all I need to do.” Manning doesn’t believe he would eventually need surgery on his foot. “It’s one of those things that time and rest is probably the biggest thing,” he said. “Having the weekend and the bye week and off week helped some. Time to rest it is helpful. It is not something I think will linger or bother me” ( Yahoo Sports ). Therefore, it looks like Manning, who is third on the active list for most consecutive starts behind his brother Peyton, and former Jets and current Vikings quarterback Bret...

Giants QB, Eli Manning Could Be Done For The Year

More bad news for Big Blue: Just days after the team failed to get off the plane in Denver on Thanksgiving, it appears that quarterback Eli Manning is still hurting from that heel injury he suffered in Kansas City back in early October. Recalling that game, Manning appeared to hyperextend his calf when he threw a bomb down the sideline that fell incomplete. Manning had lept into the air and had come down badly. Doctors taped up his entire ankle and foot. Word at the time was that Manning suffered a heel injury and went on to play since that time. However, tonight we are learning more about Eli's injury. Read more. According to the A.P., Manning has developed a stress reaction in that same right foot which could lead to further injury and might possibly sideline him for a very long time. It is not a fracture but a reaction. According to the same story, the Giants may take the precaution and shut down Manning right now, ending his 2009 season in order to save the quarterback from fur...

Nets Fire Lawrence Frank After 0-16 Start

The last time we saw a professional sports franchise lose its first 16 games of regular season play, the Detroit Lions set the NFL record for the worst NFL season ever last fall when they went 0-16 in 2008. Well, even though the NBA is an 82 game season, an 0-16 start was more then enough evidence for the Nets to fire long time Head Coach Lawrence Frank. Read more . Frank, who took over for Byron Scott in 2004, and helped lead the Nets to their second NBA finals appearance that year, has watched his team wane ever since. Frank compiled a record of 225-241 during his five plus years with the Nets and hasn't led this team to the playoffs since Jason Kidd was still the super star of the franchise. The Nets have been plain awful this year, losing key players, i.e. Devon Harris to injury, and have played uncompetitive basketball all year, leading to an 0-16 start. He was let go by Rod Thorn, the most overrated GM in basketball, early Sunday morning. Frank did not coach in the Nets Sunda...

Jets Win Thanks To Jake Delhomme's Turnovers

JETS 17 PANTHERS 6 If anyway was expecting to see something encouraging in this game, if the Jets won, they better forget about it. Even though the Jets beat the Carolina Panthers 17-6, this afternoon at Giants Stadium, the Jets offense continued to looked inept with Mark Sanchez leading the way. If it were not for four interceptions by Jake Delhomme of the Carolina Panthers, the Jets probably wouldn't have won this one. On the opening drive of the day, the Panthers had chewed up the Jets defense with suburb running by DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers converted three first downs with those two, and it appeared that the duo of Williams and Stewart would become the headline of the day, then it all change. Delhomme heaved up a pass to Steve Smith that was deflected and intercepted by Darrell Revis, who turned right and went right down the sideline for a 67 yard interception return for a touchdown. Turnovers became the story of the day for the Panthers. Delhomme was...

Charlie Wies's Career May Be Over After Lose To Stanford

STANFORD 45 NOTRE DAME 38 As Jimmy Clausin's hail marry was knocked down in the end zone by a couple of Standford defensive backs, the speculation that Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Wies would be fired soon after the game, started to creep to reality. The Irish held a 31-20 lead in the third quarter, and Wies and his coaching staff, watched the Irish melt under the heavy feet of senior running back Toby Gerhart and the Stanford Cardinal by the score of 45-38. Even when the Irish put up one of the best offensive performances of the year, it was the defense, Wies' weakness as coach of this club since he took over in 2005, that did him in. As has been a pattern all year, the Irish blew a lead, and suffered a devastating lose. This one dropped the Irish to 6-6 on the year - an average team that will likely have no bowl appearance come December, leaving the Notre Dame Athletic Department to seriously consider firing Wies, if the decision hasn't been made already. The game was ex...

Tiger Woods & Wife Unavailable For Interview

A day after Tiger Woods crashed into a tree and a fire hidrent, he and his wife Elin Nordegern are still unavailable to talk to police about that mysterious night. From what we know, Woods crashed near his home around 2:25 Friday morning. His wife alledgely used a golf club to break the window to get him out of the car. Woods was knocked out unconscious, and was sent to the hospital and relaeased Friday night. It is not known officially, if Woods and Elin were engaged in a fight prompting Woods to storm out of the house. However, there was a story from the National Enquirer rumoring that Woods had been texting, and seeing New York night club hostess Rachel Uctitel for several months. Perhaps, Mrs. Woods was a little pissed off? Perhaps there is more than meets the eye with the golf club that was used to "free" Tiger? Many rumors will likely be flying around online and in the news. Until both Tiger and Elin come and give us a full and complete story about the incident, we wil...

Bob Sheppard Calls It A Career As Voice Of Yankee Stadium

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Yankee Stadium." Since 1951, Yankee fans have grown used to that call and many others from the voice of Bob Sheppard, whose announced on Friday that he would end his historic role as the voice of Yankee Stadium. Sheppard, 99, has not done a Yankees game since 2007, skipping all of 2008, which was the final year at the old Yankee Stadium, and the 2009 World Championship season that ended a couple weeks ago. Sheppard has been very ill since his last day as the Yankees P.A. announcer. He was replaced by Paul Olden who is the current Yankees P.A. announcer. Yankee fans will miss his voice, which many had termed the " voice of God. "

Giants Are Dead On Thanksgiving

BRONCOS 26 GIANTS 6 As families across America got together to give thanks, celebrate good times, and cut the turkey, the New York Giants were getting cut like turkeys in Denver, Colorado. The Giants were uncompetitive in a 26-6 loss to the Broncos, as the offense mustered only 267 yards, with the running game totaling up to a measly 57 yards. Brandon Jacobs continued his God awful season with just 27 yards on 11 carries, while Danny (D.J.) Ware gained only 27 yards himself on four carries. The Giants have lost their ability to commit to the run, something that was a staple of the franchise over the previous two seasons that saw them win a Super Bowl, and capture an NFC East crown. The Giants avoided the run all night long, trying instead to play catch-up from the get go with the passing game. Unfortunately for Big Blue that prolific passing attack that was lethal against Atlanta couldn't get moving against Denver's usually porous secondary. Eli Manning was sacked three times,...

Giants Survive Possible Collapse Versus Falcons

GIANTS 34 FALCONS 31 Wow! That was close. Desperate for a win, and holding onto a 31-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Giants almost choked it up again, as the Falcons stormed back to tie the game at 31 forcing overtime with Big Blue. This was not an easy game for the Giants. Eli Manning struggled to deal with the Falcons blitz early and often. First he fumbled a pass to put the Giants in a second and 23, and then he was picked off to kill the Giants first drive. It looked pretty bleak for the Giants, but Manning and his receivers tightened those chin straps, and started playing some serious ball. In the middle of the second quarter with the Falcons up 7-3, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks down the sideline for 30 yards to set Big Blue up in Falcon territory. Then, Manning hit Kevin Boss from 28 yards out to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. After Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan fumbled the ball into the hands of Osi Umineyora, the Giants started to put some distance between themselves and the ...

Mark Sanchez & Jets Stink It Up Again In Foxboro

PATRIOTS 31 JETS 14 It appears that Rex Ryan may need a year's supply of kleenex, because after an uncompetitive showing against the New England Patriots, it is clear that Ryan's overhyped band of brothers are going nowhere but home this winter. At 4-6 the Jets can kiss goodbye to their playoff hopes, especially with quarterback Mark Sanchez showing little improvement. Once again, Sanchez was on center stage, throwing four more interceptions, as well as getting stripped for a fumble in New York's embarrassing 31-14 loss to the rival New England Patriots. In the first quarter, Sanchez threw the game away, literary, when he was picked off by Leigh Bodden, who went 53 yards for the touchdown to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. Defensively, the Jets had no answer for Tom Brady and company. Even though Gang Green got two sacks on the Pro Bowl quarterback, Brady was calm and cool in the pocket for most of the day, picking apart the Jets secondary for 310 yards. He was helped by the...

Dick Jauron Fired As Buffalo Bills Head Coach

As it turns out, it is the Buffalo Bills who will be the first team to fire its head coach. Dick Jauron is out in Buffalo, and he will be replaced by Perry Fewell on an interim basis. The firing of Jauron ends a period of mediocrity in Bills history. Jauron went 24-33 in his time with the Bills, including a dysfunctional 3-6 start to this season. Last year, when Buffalo underachieved to a 7-9 record, many thought that the Bills would fire Jauron after the 2008 season, but, he was give an extension, which was a huge suprise. Today, the Bills suprised us again with the firing, the first of what should be many to come this year. The question now, is where the Bills will go from here? Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren, and Tony Dungy are all big named coaches with Super Bowl rings who are available. The Bills should seriously consider hiring one of these men to lead this franchise, which has not been to a playoff game since 1999. MORE ON DICK JAURON...

Jaguars Out Coach & Out Smart Jets

JAGUARS 24 JETS 22 So much for Woody Johnson's proclamation on Saturday night that he believes his team can "absolutely" make it to the postseason. Maybe Johnson should stop sounding like a man desperate to sell seats in his new Jets/Giants Stadium, and more like an owner who is not satisfied with mediocrity. The Jets found manifold ways to shoot themselves in the proverbial foot in Sunday's 24-22 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in front of 78,000 comatose fans at Giants Stadium. Things looked ugly from the outset when Mark Sanchez threw an interception on the first snap of the game. The fans hadn't even settled in their seats by the time Sanchez started to screw things up for Gang Green. From there, the Jaguars pounded the Jets defense with a ton of Maurice Jones-Drew. Drew had five carries on the Jaguars opening possession, including a 33 yard touchdown run to give the Jags a fast 7-0 lead. The Jets offense was vanilla. They lucked out when the Jaguars on-side ...

Mets Interested In Figgins

Here is one out of the "what are they thinking" category, and of course, it comes from the Mets. Sure, the World Series victory for the Yankees is only a week old, but already MLB teams are gearing up for the 2010 season. The Mets need a major overhaul after the debacle that was the 2009 season. Already the Mets are rumored to be interested in free agent outfield Matt Holliday, which would give them a needed power bat in left field, a position of weakness in 2009. And they are rumored to be in the sweepstakes, yet again, for Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. That is all good and fine, if the Mets can pull that off, however, it appears that the club is seriously considering signing Chone Figgins from the Angels. Figgins played third base for the Angels since taking over full time in 2004, and has proved to be an adept base stealer. However, it appears that the Mets intentions to acquire Figgins is for all the wrong reasons. One, Figgins is also being targeted by the Mets divisional ...

Giants Suffer Worst Lose of the Season

CHARGERS 21 GIANTS 20 Many years ago there was Dan Marino's fake spike that stunned Jets fans at the Meadowlands in a season-shaking defeat for Gang Green. Today, Philip Rivers had his Dan Marino moment at the Meadowlands. No, it wasn't against the snake-bitten Jets, who also call East Rutherford home, it was against the Giants. In a game that the Giants needed to win in order to end a hideous three game losing streak and give themselves some hope of getting back into the NFC playoff chase, they choked it up in the final seconds, and, in turn, may have killed their season. The first half of the game was a total blur. Both the Chargers and Giants traded extensive time consuming drives that ended in touchdowns that kept the game tied going into the half at 7-7. However, the Giants did have a chance to take the lead in this game. On their opening drive of the afternoon, the Giants got all the way to the Chargers 21 yard line; instead of going for it on fourth and short, Tom Coughl...

YANKEES WIN WORLD SERIES

YANKEES 7 PHILLIES 3 Ball game over; World Series over; Yankees Win! DDDAAAAAAAAA Yankees Win! For the 27th time in franchise history the New York Yankees are World Series Champions, and they did so by blowing away Pedro Martinez and the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in game six of the Fall Classic. There was little doubt from the start of this game that New York was going to win this thing; Martinez was laboring early as he failed to record 90 mph on the radar gun in the games first two innings. In the bottom of the second, with Alex Rodriguez on first, Martinez served up a fat pitch to Hideki Matsui, who blasted the pitch deep into the Bronx night to give the Yankees a 2-0 advantage. Andy Pettitte was just dandy on three days rest, as he was able to get through five and two thirds innnings tonight, giving up only three runs. He had good command and the win tonight gave Pettitte his sixth series clinching victory of his career. But, the story of the night was Matsui. In the third, with t...

Yankees Come Oh So Close To Stealing Game Five

PHILLIES 8 YANKEES 6 With a 3-1 lead in the World Series, some thought that the Yankees would mail in game five in order to have home field for game six, where they could clinch their world title in front of their own fans in the new Yankee Stadium. Instead the Yankees did what a baseball team with a 3-1 lead is supposed to do, work like hell to try to end the series as soon as possible. The Phillies bom bed A.J. Burnett early in this game, posting up six runs in the game's first three innings. Chase Utley led the way, when he blasted a three run home run in the first inning to give Philadelphia a 3-1 lead. In the third, singles by Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth brought home two more Philly runs to make it 5-1 Philadelphia. Cliff Lee was dominating the Yankees through the first six innings, and by the seventh, the Yankee bull pen was getting bombed as well. Utley and Ibanez lauched two rockets to right center field off of reliever Phil Coke to give Philadelphia an 8-2 lead. At this p...

Yankees Now One Win Away From 27th Championship

YANKEES 5 PHILLIES 4 Game four was a microcosm of the entire season. In a year that has been full of wild twists and turns, game four of the 2009 World Series was no different, as the Yankees avoided potential disaster to grab yet another game from the Philadelphia Phillies to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. With the score tied at two in the fifth, the Yankees appeared to take full control of this game, when Derek Jeter A.K.A. Captain Clutch, drilled an RBI single past short stop to drive home Nick Swisher to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Later, Johnny Damon laced a single to right to drive home cabrera to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead. C.C. Sabathia wasn't great tonight. He didn't have a lot of good control. In six and two thirds innings, Sabathia gave up seven hits and walked three. He was putting men on in every inning, and some how, pulled a Houdini act every time, getting out of it. However, in the seventh inning, Chase Utley, who killed Sabathia in game one with two home...