Thursday Preview

GO GREEN BAY. Thursdays the big game between Dallas and Green Bay. Both teams are 9-1 and they are the probably the 2 teams that will be in the NFC Championship game this year. Green Bay came out of left field this year, with their offense and defense playing well this year. And then there's Bret Favre. Favre is doing what people thought was long gone from his career. A friend of mine came back from the coast guard, and the first conversation on football we had was Bret Favre. "What the hell happened, Bret Favre was dead last year." He is already coming up on his total completions last year, has more touchdowns, way less interceptions, and is close to passing his total yards from last year as well. Hes always been America's quarterback, and now hes up against America's team in was looks like an early preview of the NFC Championship. Who will win, I hope the Packers who really did a 180 with their team this year. Also, Bret's doing great, but who knows how many dominant seasons he has left. Hopefully he gets himself into another Super Bowl, and this game gonna show how they size up with a dominant team in the NFC.

HGH

I don't know if anyone saw it on Sportscenter, but the Jaguars Maurice Jones-Drew JACKED UP Shawne Merriman. Jones-Drew, whose a lot shorter than Merriman, was staying in for some quarterback protection, hes no fullback or O linemen, but hell at least slow someone down. Here comes Merriman off the right tackle's edge, and here's Jones-Drew waiting who proceeds to throw Merriman flat on his ass . Last year, there would be no way this could happen. After testing he positive for human growth hormone last year, hes been off the juice, passing all of his tests since getting caught. Comparing pictures from last year to present day it can be seen completely how human growth hormone changes a person drastically. Human growth hormone is a trend that's showing it nasty head in all major sports. HGH obviously gives players an edge, they still need the talent but it helps them to hit a ball farther or hit a player harder. Look at Barry Bonds, compare the way this guy looked from when he came into the league to now, even better compare his head size which increased something like 2 sizes. HGH is cheating and disrespects the game, but what happened to Meriman goes to show how much of an advantage it is to have.

PHILLY

Knock em' down again Pats. At home, lets see how the Pats run up the score on the Eagles. Patriots are looking like a impenetrable team, with Brady picking apart defenses with Welker and Moss and their defense doing great too. Maybe time to think again. Sundays Eagles-Patriots game was the closest scare the Patriots had to losing their perfect season since the Colts game. They worked the inside of the field and moved the ball well, and by they I mean Brian Westbrook and... A.J. Feely? A.J. Feely played great on Sunday, scaring the Patriots and their fans in Foxboro by putting on a performance I'm sure even the city of Philadelphia wouldn't even attempt to believe. With the game very close to an end and the score closer, Philly's on the Pats 35 yard line,down 3 with about 4 minutes left on the game clock. The snap, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! INT. Go over the middle like you've be doing all game, burn the clock, give them as little time as possible, after a few more yards your can tie with a field goal anyway. Feely throws deep down to right sideline for Kevin Curtis only to be picked off be a New England cornerback pretty much sitting there wait to grab it. Come on Feely, you had a good chance winning this game, closer than anyone this year except for the Colts and coming off the bench. You dropped the ball man, well actually you just handed it to them.

Guns Blazin

Wow, another NFL player got shot. Hes lucky it was his leg though, hell be alright. Got enough muscle on his to slow a bullet down. Next day, what the hell happened. Sean Taylor, NFL saftey for the Redskins, was shot in his leg during a home invasion. The next day, he was pronouced dead. Only last year, another NFL player on the Broncos was shot a killed while driving away from a nightclub. This year, Pacman Jones from the Titan's in involved in a case where he was in club when shot were fired off, apparently from some one in his entourage. NFL players have to get themselves away from violence because there are many young fans watching thier favorite players dying or going to jail for doing things a NFL player shouldn't do. Sean Taylor died during a home invasion... the second of the week. This shows I think that it was not just an attempted robbery of a NFL player, but maybe something behide the scences that will show itself later. NFL players must stop getting themselves into these type of situations and try to keep their nose clean.

World's Watching

Again, even after yet another postseason deficit, the Red Sox have managed to find a way to Red Sox themselves into yet another World Series. They have played great the past few years and have erased the fact their was ever a curse from the minds of baseball fans. After being down 3-1 to the Indians, they won 3 in a row and are back to playing in the BIG series. The Rockies are coming off a long win streak going into the World Series, but they are also coming off a long break. This series should be entertaining, with the Rockies going into their first World Series with a white hot win streak. Can the Rockies prevail over a team with as much World Series experience is the question. I answer saying, I think they can. Their team chemistry is unreal at this moment, and alto ugh Boston is playing well, they have not yet played in that high altitude Rocky Mountain air. I hope Boston loses and I think they have a good chance of doing so. I believe it is finally the Rockies time to get a ring.

The Big Comeback

Priest Holmes career has been plagued by injuries starting in college. A knee injury in college kept him from being drafted in the NFL. After making his way in, he had a series of 1000 yards rushing season, and then after a serious hip injury, he had a record setting 27 touchdowns in 2003 (later broken by Shaun Alexander.) He was elected to the Pro Bowl 3 times, but then their was the injury that everyone thought would end his career. He severely hurt his spine and everyone finally said that it was the end of his career. He recently went to the Kansas City Chiefs camp and began practicing with hopes of returning to his days in the NFL. They do not know if he will ever play again, but he sure is trying. I respect his determinism in wanting to return to the NFL, but I think after all that has happened he should wait a little longer. The man suffered an injury that was so damaging to his spine that doctors feared it could get worse with time. The spinal cord is a vital part of the body and I don't know if he should be going back out on the field and testing it out again. Who knows if hell ever play again, but next time, if their is a next time or even an oppurtuniy to be next time, he might not get out as lucky as he did the first time.

Manny

I would like to take the time to vent on my hatred of Manny Ramirez. Yes, I'm a Yankees fan and it's only instinct to not like the Red Sox, but he doesn't seem to really care about the game, which he actually said himself in a recent interview. He a kind off guy that when the pitcher is getting shelled and a ball is hit towards him, he slowly lumbers toward the ball, causally throws it to the cut off man, all with this look on his face that he doesn't have a care in the world about what's going on. As a baseball fan I can admit when players are good. I can admit that I think Boston's 1st basemen Kevin Youkilis is good player, and that Coco Crisp ( second on my Red Sox roster of hatred) make some pretty impressive plays in the outfield laying out for a fly ball. Manny Ramirez on the other hand I have no respect for, no matter how many homers he hits. He recently said, "If it doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. " If I was a fan I would be insulted because fans always care if their teams loses, which is not a big priority on Manny's list. Maybe what he does isn't that bad and I'm a Yankees fan overreacting, but you know what, I really don't like the guy.

Rockies on Fire

The Colorado Rockies have been playing completely amazing, including their playoff effort and their last games before the season ended. The Rockies have won the last 21 out of 22 games, a streak that helped them get into the playoffs to begin with. With winning 14 out of 15 in the last remaining games of the year, the Rockies were forced to play a one game playoff verse the Padres in the last game of the season. Loser goes home, and the outcome was crazy. The game went into extra innings, and in the top of the 11th the Padres scored 2 to take the lead. With hopes gone from the stadium, the Rockies scored a miraculous 3 runs in the bottom of the 11th with their season and postseason hopes on the line. They were now in the playoffs, and from their on have been playing great baseball and have not lost one game yet. They just beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS and are locked into the World Series. Can they sweep the World Series, who knows; the Indians look like their going to take the ALCS and see them there, and they are playing pretty exceptional themselves. I don't know whose going to win the World Series, but the Rockies have been looking very impressive their last 22 games and have a great chance of taking it all.

Mount Everett

After making a tackle during the Buffalo Bills season home opener on Sept. 9th, player Chris Everett was carted off the field and later arrived at Millard-Filmore Hospital paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors feared he would never walk again, but just a few days after he was already voluntarily moving his fingers and toes. It was just recently announced that he can now walk with the assistance of a walker, and can move around on a wheelchair using his feet. He is maintaining a positive attitude about his situation, while also realizing that he has a long road ahead. This is great news to hear that anybody whose mobility was in question is regaining the use of their bodies, but as a football fan I realize what these people do to their bodies for the sport, and that losing the ability to play is losing a substantially large part of their livelihood. I'm happy to hear about this story of recovery and hope things only get better for Chris Everett.

Back to the Bronx?

The Yankees lost their third game of the five game series last night, giving everyone a question of what will happen to the organization during the off season. The Yankees did not hit well over their 4 game postseason. They hit solo shots here and there, but never really got into a groove, rarely hitting with runners on scoring position. Along with that, Chein Ming Wang had two key and terrible starts. He gave up hit after hit and run after run, and was taken out of the 4th game early after giving up 2 runs and loading the bases with no one out. The main thing now on everyone's mind is Joe Torre. Stienbrenner had said that if they lost in the first round, for the 3rd year in a row, that Joe Torre would not manage again in New York. I feel that managers get to much heat for a team not performing. Its not like he was out there giving up runs and striking out, but someone has to be blamed and he is the easiest to single out. Did Stienbrenner really mean that and is he really going to do it, or did he say that just in a desperate attempt to get the players to perform better? No one will know until next year, but I have a feeling the Yankees are going to look like a very different team next year.

Pretty Amazin'

I said before that both New York baseball teams were going to make the playoffs unless something terrible happens. Wow. The Mets have choked in a way that was unprecedented in the MLB. With 17 games to go and up 7 1/2, they managed to lose their lead in the division, and in doing so not qualifying for the wild card due to the Rockies stunning effort winning 14 out of 15 to finish the season. Not to say the Phillies didn't do well, they won key games and swept the Mets at Shea, but the lead they had was so large that what happened is just shocking. To see a team that started off so well and played so consistently during the season completely crumble in a key part of their season shows that nothing is ever locked in baseball, with this being a stellar example.

Michael Vick at It Again

I didn't realize that a person who screwed up something like playing in the National Football League could outdo himself again by testing positive for marijuana while going through a federal case on his actions in dogfighting. As if dogfighting isn't a heinous thing to do, along with being a football player in the spotlight and looked up to as a role model, hes smoking weed while going through his trial. i don't know what has gotten into this guy but he is really damaging his career, with his reputation being another story. It's now said that his chances of playing in the NFL in 2009 are gone, and 2010 is looking like what it is going to be. Michael Vick is a mystery to me, and I hope he had fun dogfighting because his career and image have taken a serious blow because of it.

Big Apple Postseason

From the looks of it both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets are going to make the playoffs unless something goes terribly wrong. The seasons for both teams started off in two totally different directions. The Yankees started off miserably but slowly took the Red Sox' leads from a season high 14 1/2 to what is now a 1 1/2 game lead, while in the process burying the Tigers 5 1/2 games below them for the wild card. On the other hand, the Mets, who started off the hottest team in baseball, has really struggled in September. They have lost a monster lead over the Phillies, which is now closer than its ever been, and even if they lose the division, it's still possible for them to lose the wild card. They have played better of late, and seem to be on a roll that will lead them into the playoffs. If both teams make the playoffs this year, there will be many exciting series, and with a Subway Series in mind, I hope they both do well and the Yankees sweep them for yet another championship.

The Home Eye Opener

I've had better times at a Jet game. Besides the Jets losing to a rival team at home... on opening day, the construction of the new field is throwing a huge monkey wrench in pre-game tailgating. Since the new stadium is being built literally in the parking lot, people without a pre-paid parking permit, which are no longer available, are forced to be bused in from a mile away. Those of us who neglected to see how important a parking permit is sure do now. After we get through the maze of highway that led us to a parking lot, which is a small lot behind some business' building, they tell us we cannot tailgate,which is part of going to a football game, and we are surrounded by patriot's fans, who like us, have no permit. Then we get bused in and dropped off a half mile from the stadium (yes, we get all of this for 25 dollars, where last year it was 15 to park in the real parking lot) and walk in the hot sun for 15 minutes to get to the stadium. Fans are of course outraged, I know I was and still am, but after I look past my own discomfort, I see that it has to be done for the long term, and in a few years the new stadium will be great and my buddies and I can tailgate the real way, but until then I might be watching most games at home.