NFL Should Redefine Overtime

NFL owners will be meeting soon to vote on possible changes to the rules concerning overtime play. I hope they do the right thing and amend the overtime rules . They have a chance to make overtimes more exciting and more interesting.
Too often the most important decision made by teams in OT is whether to call heads or tails. I would like to see teams do more than win the toss and then run conservative plays so that they can get in field goal position. It just doesn't seem right to me that 2 teams battle for 60 minutes and it all comes down to a coin toss and a kick.
Guaranteeing each team one possession in OT or declaring that the first team to score a touchdown (rather than a field goal) is the winner would add much more strategy and drama to the game. I'm not really sure what changes to overtime would be the best ones, but I do believe that something should be done to add a little more drama , excitement and integrity to OT.
NFL owners have a tendency to be old school and slow to adopt change, but I hope they take a good look at improving the overtime format. Do you like the current overtime system, or does the NFL need to change it?

Browns Still Looking For Franchise Player

Now that Mike Holmgren has released Derek Anderson and traded Brady Quinn I am wondering how much better the Browns actually are. By replacing Anderson and Quinn with Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme the Browns have made themselves marginally better if at all.

Wallace has started only 12 games in his 5 year career. It's hard to imagine that he will suddenly blossom into a top caliber NFL quarterback. Delhomme is 35 years old with a troublesome arm, and he is coming off the worst year of his career. Even if he suddenly regains his form his age and surgically repaired arm will leave the Browns looking to replace him sooner rather than later.

While I don't find fault with Holmgren for overhauling the position it seems clear that neither Delhomme nor Wallace is a franchise type of player at this time. I have to believe that both have been brought here as back-ups or insurance policies. The thought here is that Holmgren will have his eye on a quarterback in the upcoming draft.

The Browns organization needs to finally find a QB who will be the foundation of the team for the next 7 to 10 years or more. The are questions that linger. Will the Browns target a QB with their first pick with so many needs at other positions? Will they be able to position themselves to get the player they value the most? Most importantly, if they grab a QB in the draft will it be the right one? If the Browns invest in a quarterback that doesn't pan out it will once again set the franchise back several years. Let's hope Holmgren gets it right. Rebuilding every 2 or 3 years is something the fan base has seen enough of.

MYOS "Quick Hitters"

A short list of topics for you to comment on:

Has "Big Ben" Roethlisberger been hanging around Tiger? Where there is smoke there is fire.

Is Ohio State's Evan Turner the player of the year in NCAA Hoops?

Does the Browns signing of QB Seneca Wallace mean the end of the line for D.A. or is the Brady Quinn experiment over in Cleveland?

NFL Combine Can Be Misleading

Although I do have to confess to watching some of the NFL combine over the last few days I wonder how relevant the whole thing really is. Some of the drills and measurements that the players are put through don't seem applicable to their football skills.

One of the standard tests for all players is the standing broad jump. I don't see how this translates specifically to the game of football. There is a pretty good chance that the person who holds the world record in the broad jump is a really bad football player. The vertical leap is another standard at the combine. I can see how it might be relevant for a receiver or defensive back to be tested in vertical leaping, but I don't get why offensive linemen are required to test their vertical. In 35 years of watching football I can't recall one time where a guard or center failed to make a play do to poor leaping ability. As a matter of fact if my offensive lineman is leaping vertically at the line of scrimmage he is probably getting in my quarterbacks way as he tries to throw a pass. And they are not going to get any leverage to run block if they are jumping in the air. Maybe it's best if my offensive line can't jump at all. The 40 yard dash might be the most watched event at the combine. Many players have had their draft position altered do to their 40 time. I suppose that checking backs and receivers in the 40 holds some merit, but why is it so important how fast my defensive tackles run a 40 yard dash? If my nose tackle needs to run 40 yards to make a tackle I've got bigger problems than checking my stop watch. And what difference does it make if my receiver does 12 bench presses instead of 16? I would rather that my receiver can recognize coverages, make the proper route adjustments at the line of scrimmage when my passer is being blitzed, and actually catch the ball when it's thrown to him. The growing number of dropped balls by receivers over the last several seasons makes me wonder if teams are emphasizing the wrong qualities at draft time (see Darrius Heyward-Bey).

For every hidden gem discovered at the combine there is a player who rockets up the charts only to disappoint at the NFL level (see Akili Smith). While it's not entirely a bad thing to have coaches and scouts get a first hand look at potential draft picks it's the intangibles that can't be measured that can be the most important.

At Least Three Other Teams Courting 'Z'

The Washington Wizards and Zydrunas Ilguaskas have finally hammered out a buy out deal that will make 'Z' a free agent. As you know by now, the Cavaliers can re-sign him after the mandatory 30 day waiting period expires.

There may, however, be some serious competition for Cleveland. It is being reported that there are at least three other teams coming hard after Ilguaskas. They include, Atlanta, Dallas and Denver. The problem for the Cavs is that these teams are willing and able to offer 'Z' a multi year deal and at a decent price, something Cleveland either can not do or may not be willing to do. It doesn't help that these teams are all serious playoff contenders, something 'Z' would insist on when signing any potential deal.

Making matters more complex, Shaquille O'Neal suffered a "significant sprain" to his right thumb last night versus the Celtics and may be out for an extended period. This leaves a giant hole in the middle for the Cavs when facing the likes of Dwight Howard.

We all know that LeBron James and a large contingent of Cavalier fans want 'Z' back, soon we all find out if the feeling is mutual or if Zydrunas' feelings were hurt beyond repair.

Is LeBron's Supporting Cast Good Enough?

The Cavaliers have recently added Antawn Jamison to their roster as you all know. And although the Cavs have hit a rough stretch since the trade losing 3 straight games the trade was a good thing. Jamison is a talented player, and a team can't have too much talent as far as I'm concerned. Danny Ferry has done his best to surround LeBron James with the pieces necessary to win a title. As great as James is he can't win a championship by himself, as was evident a few years ago when San Antonio swept the Cavs in 4 straight games. If we take a look at the great championship teams in recent NBA history we find that not only did they have a superstar player( and in some cases more than one) but a strong supporting cast as well.

Going back to the 1980's we saw Magic Johnson lead the Lakers to multiple championships. He had Kareem Abdul- Jabbar who was named one of the 50 greatest players of all time and was arguably one of the top 5 or 10 players of all time. Add to the mix James Worthy( 7 time All-Star and 2 time All-NBA, one of 50 greatest players) And Michael Cooper ( 8 time All Defensive Team and Defensive Player of the Year) and it is clear that Magic was not a one man show.

Larry Bird's Celtics teams had a pretty good overall cast as well. There was Robert Parrish (9 time All-Star, 2 time All NBA, one of 50 greatest players ), Kevin McHale (7 time All-Star, 6 time All Defensive team, one of 50 greatest players), Dennis Johnson (8 time All Defensive, 2 time All NBA), and Tiny Archibald (5 time All NBA , one of 50 greatest players). With a team like that it's surprising the Celtics didn't win more than they did.

Even the great Michael Jordan had his share of help. There was Scottie Pippen (7 time All NBA, 10 time All Defensive team, one of 50 greatest players), Dennis Rodman(10 time All Defensive team, 2 time Defensive player of the Year, led NBA in rebounds for 3 straight years with Bulls), and the most accurate 3 point shooter in league history Steve Kerr (.454 %) and the 7th best 3 point shooter in league history B.J. Armstrong (.425 %).

None of these teams I have just mentioned would have won titles without their superstar players leading the way. There is no way the Bulls would have been 6 time World Champs without M.J. so please don't misunderstand where I'm coming from . My point is that these dynasties were not one man shows, they were good teams with more than one great player that they could count on to contribute.

The point is that Lebron's supporting cast over the course of his career with the Cavs can't even be mentioned in the same sentence with the aforementioned teams. Lebron James has carried under talented teams as far as he could in seasons past, but great individuals don't win titles great teams do. Although I do give Danny Ferry credit for making the most significant move in the NBA at this years trading deadline the question remains is it enough to get the Cavs a championship?

MYOS "Quick Hitters"

Time for a few more "Quick Hittters". What are your thoughts?

1.) Cavs 0-3 since Jamison/"Z" trade. Bad karma or coincidence?

2.) The NFL combine begins Wednesday. Do NFL executives over weight this exhibition? Can you say Akili Smith.

3.) The United States leads the medal count in Vancouver, "upsets" Canada in hockey.

Woods Unlikely to Shed New Light

Tiger Woods has called a "press conference" on Friday to discuss his golf future. I put the words press conference in quotes because there is likely to be little conferring going on. Just Woods apologizing to his family and fans and yada, yada ,yada....zzzzzzzz. Excuse me for dozing off, but Woods is not likely to say anything we haven't heard already either from statements he has previously released or previous media reports.
Let me save you 5 minutes of your life and tell you what will happen on Friday. First, Woods will appear in front of a small group of "Tiger yes men." He will then read word for word from a prepared document just to keep it as impersonal and insincere as he possibly can. Woods will exit without fielding any questions. Sounds real exciting doesn't it?
Woods will likely never discuss this situation again. Furthermore his agent will make it clear that the media is not welcome to ask Woods about this topic going forward. Any rogue reporter who tries to question Woods about his personal troubles in the future will simply be denied access to press conferences. The sports media will go back to tossing Tiger softballs as they always have.
Woods has always been heavily protected by his entourage and that was before the story of his personal decadence surfaced. The wall of defense should only get higher now. Woods likely feels he owes the public no apology for his personal habits anyway, and I guess he makes a good point. So why waste our time with the same boring , insincere rhetoric we have already heard.

MYOS "Quick Hitters"

MYOS "Quick Hitters" is a new feature here at Mind Your Own Sports where we give our readers a chance to post their thoughts on a few topics of current interest. Simply click the comment link and give us your thoughts. If none of the topics seem of interest to you, take this opportunity to let us know what is on your mind.

1.) Tiger to comment on his return to golf on Friday.

2.) Do we really need all the pomp and circumstance that events such as the NBA All Star Game and Super Bowl provide? Maybe I am getting old, but I just want to watch the game.

3.) For any race fans we may have: A chuck hole in the track at the Daytona 500 with cars traveling in excess of 190mph, this can't be good.

Cavs Turning Attention To Jamison

The latest rumors now have the Cavaliers working hard on a deal with Washington. It is being said that the Wizards would ship Antawn Jamison and Mike James to Cleveland for Zydrunas Illguaskas, Jamario Moon and a first round draft pick. The deal evidently can be done without the Cavs including J.J. Hickson.

While LeBron James prefers the Cavs acquire the Phoenix Suns Amar'e Stoudemire, Cavs management still seems leery of the potential fit that Stoudemire could supply.

Jamison, at 34 years old, would amount to a rent-a-player for the Cavs down the stretch. In my opinion, if you are going to risk the team chemistry by acquiring a player, I would prefer it to be someone who can present a longer term upside. That is why the Stoudemire deal makes more sense to me.

Cavs In Hot Pursuit Of Stoudemire

With the NBA trading deadline only days away, the Cavaliers are very close to completing a deal that would send Zydrunas Illgauskas and J.J. Hickson to Phoenix for the Suns Amar'e Stoudemire.

Talk here in Cleveland is that the pieces for a championship are already in place and no moves are necessary, furthermore, an aquisition of a high profile player such as Stoudemire may actually be counter productive.

I understand the concerns. Team chemistry is important, no doubt. However, my opinion is that adding more talent is generally a good thing and the folks here should reconsider.

In the 2007-2008 season the Boston Celtics brought in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Paul Pierce and second year point guard Rajon Rondo. There was not a whole lot of time for chemistry building there and they barreled their way to an NBA title.

The showtime era in Los Angeles, featured Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Byron Scott. That quartet led the Lakers to multiple titles in the 80's. Too much talent, I think not.

The other factor that people are not considering here is the effect of this move going forward. Illgauskas and Shaquille O'Neal are at the end of the line. The Cavs have no big men ready to fill those shoes at this point. If the opportunity to solidify that need presents itself now, you have to take it. Secondly, if there was ever a player to make this situation work it is LeBron James. His team oriented attitude and unselfish play give this potential trade the best chance to ultimately succeed. Finally, and probably most important, LeBron James wants Stoudemire. Acquiring a player of this caliber may be the nudge that LeBron needs to sign that long term deal with the Cavs.

At long last we here in Cleveland have an owner with deep pockets, if he is willing to dish out the cash to secure James and Stoudemire to long term deals I am more than willing to take the short term risk that this deal would present.

Oh, by the way, 'Z' fans need not fret. Any deal with the Suns would almost assure Illguaskas' return to the Cavs after the standard 30 day waiting period after Phoenix releases him, which they will most certainly do.

Saints Go Marching In

Congratulations to all are friends down in the Bayou! This was one occassion in which The Handicapper was not all that upset he missed on his pick. The Saints, who lived off turnovers all year, only came up with one but it was the biggest one in team history dare I say. WHO DAT Super Bowl Champ? The New Orleans Saints!

The Handicapper Looks At Super Bowl XLIV

Super Bowl XLIV has the potential to be one of the more entertaining Super Bowls of all time. Both teams have the ability to make big plays offensively at the drop of a hat, add to that, the ability to make big plays defensively and on special teams (slight edge to the Saints here) and you have the makings of one exciting football game.

There is not doubt that the ability of the Brees to spread the ball around to no less than five different targets and the big play ability of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas can wreak havoc on any defense. Meanwhile defensively, the Saints have created turnovers all year led veteran defensive back Darren Sharper.

The big question for the Saints is, will they be able to extract the ball from Peyton Manning and the methodical Colts offense at the same clip they have all year? I'm not so sure.

Honestly, I have been concerned about the Saints for several weeks now, especially offensively, as they seemed to have bogged down a bit. They did explode against a very troubled Cardinals defense, but struggled for most of the second half against the Vikes despite being handed the ball consistently by their defense.

Ultimately, I think experience prevails Sunday in Miami. "WHO DAT"? "DAT BE" Peyton Manning and the Colts.

LeBron/Kobe Playoff Comparison

Let's shed some more light on the LeBron/Kobe "clutch shot" situation. Our research here at M.Y.O.S. has been hard at work. We have found that LeBron James in the last four seasons has five game winning shots in the playoffs.

Here they are:
2006 game3 vs. Washington w/5seconds left
2006 game5 vs. Washington w/0.9 seconds left
2007 game5 vs. Detroit w/ 2.2 seconds left
2008 East Finals vs. Washington 2 seconds left
2009 East Finals vs. Orlando buzzer beater

Some here have tried to make the point that LeBron has made only one "clutch shot" (vs. Orlando, 2009). As we have shown, he has won five playoff games in the closing seconds. According to a Kobe Bryant devoted website (we are currently working to confirm this) Bryant has made a total of five playoff game winners in his career.
Now, if you still want Kobe to take "the shot" for you it is understandable, however, to say that James has not been up to par with him in this department is just not accurate.

More LeBron and Kobe

We seem to have opened a can of worms here at MYOS regarding the clutch play comparison of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Some readers have taken offense that I dare mention LBJ in the same sentence with Kobe as far as clutch play or "killer instinct". I really don't like reciting statistics over and over, but in a difference of opinion such as this it gives us something concrete to refer to in order to back up our arguments. So at the risk of sounding like a walking encyclopedia I will now list the players with the most game winning shots since LBJ has come into the NBA(this goes back to February of last season, or approximately one year ago. I apologize that I couldn't find a more updated list.) These shots are defined as shots taken with less than 24 seconds left in the game and your team tied or trailing by 1 or 2 points.



1- LeBron James 17-50 .340 percent

2- Vince Carter 16-51 .313 percent

3- Ray Allen 15-39 .385 percent

4-Kobe Bryant 14-56 .250 percent

5- Carmelo Anthony 13-27 .481 percent



I know statistics aren't everything in sports, but we need them at times to put our opinions into context. Although Kobe is a good finisher we can see LBJ at the top of this list once again. Interestingly enough Kobe's .250 FG percentage was below the league average of .290 percent. Opinions can be argued, and that's exactly why we are here at MYOS. But the numbers are what they are and you can take from them whatever you would like. One thing you can't take are Kobe's 4 championships, and I bet LBJ would like to be at the top of that list most of all.

LeBron vs. Kobe

There is a lot of debate these days as to who the best player in the NBA currently is. Most often the conversation boils down to 2 players- LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Let's take a look at how these basketball legends match up.
A quick look at their stats shows a clear edge to James as a rebounder and passer. James has out assisted Bryant every year he has been in the NBA, and has out rebounded him every year as well with the exception of his rookie season when they tied at 5.5 per game. James bigger, stronger frame gives him an advantage playing in traffic and scoring in the paint . James gets to the basket as easily and as often as any player I can remember watching. He has a higher career scoring average and is on pace to outscore Bryant for the 3rd year in a row. The knock on James has been his inability to make perimiter shots consistently, and shooting is where Bryant is perceived to have a big edge. This is where the numbers get a little surprising.
LeBron James' career shooting percentage of 47.3 is actually higher than Bryant's career 45.5. As a matter of fact James has had a higher FG % than Bryant every year with the exception, once again, of his rookie season when James shot only41.7%. Coincidentally that is the same % that Bryant shot as a rookie. James has been criticized for his poor 3 pt. shooting during his career, but Bryant's 34 % career mark is only a fraction better than James 33.2 %. James has improved his long range shooting greatly over the years, and with a few good seasons may just surpass Kobe in that department too. (he is currently out shooting Kobe from 3 point range 36% to 32%.) A look at this season's "clutch stats" ( 4th quarter or overtime with less than 5 minutes and neither team ahead by more than 5 points) shows that James has decided statistical advantages in FG% , 3PT % , rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.
As far as the stats go we can erase the myth of Bryant being a vastly better shooter or clutch player than LeBron. I hope the Kobe fans don't misunderstand me. If someone told me that I could have Bryant on my team tomorrow I would be happy to have him. He is one of the best players I have ever watched play the game, and if you would have asked me 3 years ago who the best player was I might have answered Kobe Bryant. He is a champion and a Hall Of Famer, but right now James is King.

Stern Drops The Ball On Arenas

By now everyone that has visited this blog should realize I have a great passion for sports, but sometimes I feel like I would be better off spending my spare time bird watching. Having to deal with some of the disturbing behavior exhibited by today's athletes is bad enough, however, the real head scratcher is how these things are being dealt with by the folks in charge.

The latest police blotter involving the Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton is very bothersome. Apparently, NBA commissioner David Stern, just isn't as sensitive as me. Stern, in what amounts to a slap on the wrist as far as I am concerned, suspended Arenas and Crittendon for the remainder of the year.

Let me ask you, would your boss have been so kind as to say 'see ya next year' had you brought your artillery collection to the workplace? I think not. This is not the first time that commissioner Stern has had to deal with gun related issues. Not too long ago, Stephen Jackson played shoot 'em up outside an Indianapolis night club and this past year Delonte West was stopped on his motorcycle packing some serious heat. Bad enough, right?

What is worse here, is that Arenas and Crittenton brought there transgressions to the workplace. Stern had an opportunity, with justification, to make an extreme example of these two guys and failed to do so. Stern should thank his lucky stars that no shots were fired and nobody was harmed in this incident. That would have been something that the NBA could have ever recovered from.

Wake up Mr. Stern!

Brees Runs Away With Our MVP Poll

We will close our National Football League M.V.P poll today and hand the "trophy" to New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees. Brees ran away with the prize due in large part to our cajun following in the deep south.

We here at M.Y.O.S would like to congratulate our friends in New Orleans on thier NFC Championship, yet giving us Clevelanders another reason to be jealous of you aside from the weather. Good luck in Miami!

More Of The Same From Favre; Saints Advance

The Saints dream season will continue, as they head to Miami to take on the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, thanks to an ill advised throw by Brett Favre.

With 19 second remaining, the Vikings needed only a handful of yards to put 13 year veteran kicker Ryan Longwell in position to send them to Miami. Instead, Favre decided to play superman and force a throw back across the field that was intercepted by the Saints Tracy Porter.

In my opinion, it has been plays like that, that have limited Favre to one Super Bowl ring in 19 seasons. Brett is a Hall of Fame QB without question and may be the toughest man on the planet to play the way he has at 40 years old, however, sometimes he simply tries to do too much.

If this was indeed Favre's last game, maybe it is fitting that it ended as it did.

Favre Doesn't Deliver For Vikings

Brett Favre's effort to take the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl came up short yesterday mostly due to Favre's inability to avoid costly turnovers. All the elements seemed to be in place for the Vikings to win on the road in a noisy Superdome.

The Viking defense slowed down the high powered Saint offense limiting them to 257 yards of total offense. New Orleans averaged 380 yards of offense during the regular season and rolled up 418 in their previous playoff game against Arizona.The Saints could only muster 68 yards on the ground and converted on only 3 of 12 third downs. Add to that a strong running game led by Adrian Peterson who had 122 yards and 3 touchdowns and all the elements of a win seemed to be in place.

The only piece of the puzzle missing for Minnesota was their quarterback taking care of the football in clutch situations. Instead Favre turned the ball over 3 times. He fumbled an exchange with Peterson late in the 1st half inside the Saints 5 yard line taking sure points off the board. He was also picked off twice. The second interception cost the Vikings a chance to try a possible game winning field goal. Favre was lucky to avoid a third interception when Saints defender Jabari Greer droppped a Favre throw that hit him right between the numbers.

Favre's unspectacular performance wasn't all that surprising when considering his recent playoff history. It wasn't the first time he has under performed in the post season. Since the 1998 season Favre is only 4-7 in playoff games. In those 11 games he has thrown 20 interceptions, not to mention some fumbles along the way. He had a 6 interception game against St. Louis in 2001 and a 4 interception game against his own Vikings in 2004, so his 3 turnover game yesterday should come as no shock.

Teams have put up with Favre's prima donna act for the last several years on the premise that he can deliver the goods that other QBs can't when it matters the most. For the most part he has been unable to hold up his end of that bargain. When Favre retires( for good) he will quickly take his place in the Hall Of Fame where he rightfully belongs. He has done more than enough throughout his career to put him in that class. He has accomplished feats few QBs in this game ever have. Unfortunately for Brett and his team mates he hasn't accomplished them in the post season often enough.

All Star Voting Getting Ridiculous

The voting for this years NBA All Star game has come to a close and I find some of the results absolutely ridiculous. At first I was really bothered that Allen Iverson was elected to the starting line up. Iverson has had a great career, no doubt, but there are clearly players having better seasons than Iverson and who deserved the honor over him. After all he's played less than half of his teams games this year, and the Grizzly franchise can't emphasize enough how much better the team is since Iverson took his act elsewhere.
But as much as the Iverson vote bothered me I was in full blown shock when I realized that Tracy McGrady nearly won a starting spot on the Western Conference roster. Yes, this is the same McGrady who has played in all of 6 games and scored a grand total of 19 points this season! Not 19 points per game, 19 points all season long. It would sound comical that Steve Nash needed a last minute rally to surpass McGrady in the voting if it weren't true.
My intent here is not to trash Iverson or McGrady. Both have been outstanding players through out their careers, but clearly neither of them are the top player at their position this season, and that's what I thought an all star was supposed to be. When I sit down to watch the All Star Game I want to see the 10 best players in the league walk out on the court for the opening jump.
The fact that nearly 2 million fans voted for McGrady is mind boggling. Shame on the fans who stuffed the ballot box with votes for McGrady when he so obviously doesn't belong. The fact that the NBA allows it to happen may be more mind boggling. I know it's just an exhibition game but let's not make a mockery of it for crying out loud. It is a tremendous honor for a player to be allowed to participate in the game, and it bothers me that truly deserving players are over looked for truly undeserving ones.
While I think it's great that the fans can vote for the starters I wish they would do it by voting a little more responsibly. If fans around the league want to turn the All Star game into a cheap popularity contest so be it, as long as the NBA clarifies that the game is for the most popular but not necessarily the best players. Since I obviously don't like the way the voting turned out let me give you my starting 5 in each conference.

Eastern:
C- Dwight Howard
F- LeBron James
F- Chris Bosh
G- Derrick Rose
G- Dwayne Wade

Western:
C-Chris Kaman
F- Zach Randolph
F- Carmelo Anthony
G-Kobe Bryant
G- Chris Paul

Double Trouble For Cavs

The Cavaliers point guard news went from bad to worse today. The club found out that Dalonte West, who was filling in for Mo Williams who is on IR with a shoulder sprain, broke the ring finger on his shooting hand in last nights win over the Lakers. Look for the Cavs to be very proactive in finding a replacement to play the point. Daniel Gibson will fill the void for now. Gibson is leading the league in three point shooting connecting on 48% from beyond the arc.

Poll Results

It's time to close out our poll, 'Are NFL teams obligated to play at 100% thru the entire season'? Our final count showed that 58% voted No. I guess I find it peculiar that most people find it O.K. to pull starters the last two weeks of the season when it can effect the playoff picture for other teams involved, yet will not find a problem in leaving a 40 year old quarterback in to throw a 'run up the score' TD pass in a already decided playoff game. It would have been very interesting if a frustrated Cowboy defender had gotten a clean shot on Favre causing him an unnecessary injury. I just find things a little inconsistent at times.

No Mo, Cavs Williams Injured

Late Thursday the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that starting point guard Mo Williams will miss at least 4 weeks with a sprained left shoulder. Williams was injured during Tuesday's game against Toronto. Mo returned to finish the game and the Cavs were hoping it was no more serious than a strain, however, an MRI later revealed a tear. I would expect some rumors to start circulating about a trade for former Cavalier Andre Miller currently with the Portland Trail Blazers. Miller and head coach Nate McMillan have not seen eye to eye this year, prompting rumors that Miller wants out of Portland. Whatever the case, the Cavs must find some help at the point. Dalonte West will fill in for Williams and look for forgotten guard Daniel Gibson to get increased floor time to spell West. The problem is West is more of a two guard and Gibson has shown he can not effectively play the point for any extended period of time. Complicating matters for Cleveland is the possibility of legal actions against West stemming from felony gun possession charges late last year. If Williams can not come back at 100% and on schedule, it may pose a serious threat to the Cavaliers championship run.

Favre's Act Wearing Thin

Sunday's late touchdown pass by Brett Favre in a 34-3 playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys has been gnawing at me for a couple days now. My first response was to wonder where has the class and respect for your peers vanished to?
I have trouble trying to imagine the great, well respected coaches of the past such as Tom Landry and Bill Walsh sticking a late touchdown in the face of their counterparts as did Favre and Viking coach Brad Childress.

My second thought was to try and decipher the motivation behind it. I could not think of any recent bad blood between the two teams, then it dawned on me to check the record books.
Bingo! Favre's late TD pass gave him 43 for his career, only two shy of the current record held by Joe Montana. Favre's ego strikes again.

Since Brett has brought our attention to the record books let's look a little farther. How about in the category that really counts. In his prior 18 years, he has managed one Super Bowl Ring. Compare that to Montana and Bradshaw with 4, Aikman and Brady with 3 and for good measure let's thrown in former Packer great Bart Starr's 5 Championships.

Favre's total playoff record of 12-10 is also rather pedestrian in comparison. Montana compiled a 16-7 mark, Brady 14-3, Bradshaw 14-5, Aikman 11-4 and Starr 9-1.

Don't get me wrong, the guy has been a very good quarterback in this league and will end up a Hall of Famer, but his bigger the the league, bigger than the team and bigger than the coach attitude keeps me from really taking a liking to this guy. Just ask current Packer QB Aaron Rodgers what a professional Favre was when Green Bay drafted him a few years ago.

It seems that Brett Favre demands a lot of respect and I suppose that's fine, so long as he doesn't forget he needs to continue to earn it. He can start by checking his ego at the door.

NFL Playoffs Lack Excitement

As we head into the Conference Championship round of the NFL Play-offs there have been a couple things lacking from my perspective. Those things would be drama and excitement . A total of 8 games have been played through the 1st 2 rounds so far, and only 2 of those provided good entertainment value for 4 quarters. The remaining 6 games have been completely 1 sided, which is no fun to watch unless it's your home team on the giving end of the beat down.

The problem is that most fans aren't watching their favorite teams in these games. Sitting through the second half or 4th quarter of a game that has already been decided is not the experience that fans are looking for when the settle in to watch the play-offs. Outside of the Green Bay- Arizona shootout that was decided in overtime and the New York- San Diego game that wasn't decided until the final minute the games have lacked excitement.

5 of the 8 play-off games have been decided by 17 points or more. If we remove the the G.B.-Arizona and N.Y.-S.D. games from the mix that leaves us with 6 games decided by an average margin of 21 points. Not exactly the kind of stuff to keep you glued to your seat, is it? To be fair about it, I realize every game isn't destined to become an instant classic, but I do expect to see a little better brand of football than I have seen so far. Some of these teams have performed as if they don't belong in the play-offs at all.

So here's hoping that the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl can pick up the slack and have our pulses pounding late in the 4th quarter this coming weekend. Hey, I'm a Browns fan. I haven't had a lot of exciting Sundays in recent seasons. If I can't get my fix during the play-offs I'm going to be in serious trouble.

More Ilgauskus Rumors

On the heels of my Zydrunas Ilgauskus post, new rumors are swirling. The lastest has "Z" along with his $11.5 million expiring contract going to the New Orleans Hornets for 6'9" forward David West. The 29 year old West is averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds for the Hornets and is slated to make $9.1 million this year and $8.3 million next year along with a $7.5 million player option for the 2011-2012 season. New Orleans, it seems, is looking to avoid paying luxary tax by moving West and then offering Ilgauskus a buyout. At that point the Hornets could waive "Z" and after a 30 day period ,he could be re-signed by the Cavaliers. We have a large following down in the Bayou, maybe they can let us know what they are hearing.

Will Cavs Kick "Z" To The Curb

Well, it's about that time of the year in the NBA. With less than a month to go before the trading deadline the rumors are swirling. Under performing teams are looking to dump huge salaries as they prepare room in their budgets for next years free agent crop.

In the NBA, the trading rules are very complex. For instance, if the teams are over the salary cap, the current year salaries of the players involved in any trade must be within 15% plus $100,000 of each other. So, teams with high priced player(s) with multi year contracts will trade them to willing participants in exchange for high priced players whose contacts will expire at the end of the year, thus freeing up cap space for next season.

Enter Zydrunas. It has been speculated that the lowly Washington Wizards would love to dump the salaries of both guard Gilbert Arenas and forward Antawn Jamison. Arenas is more likely to find a jail cell before he finds another team so the focus has been on Jamison.

Rumors have surfaced that the Cavaliers covet the the high scoring Jamison. The Cavs love the offensive the 6'9" forward would provide both inside and out, along with the length he would provide defensively against larger opponents on the perimeter. The Cavs fell short in that department last year in the playoffs when the Orlando Magic's Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis and Mikael Pietrus torched them continually from 3 point range.

Ilgauskus' large salary expires at the end of the year making him the prime trade bait in any Cavalier trade. Tough spot for the Cavs. "Z" is the senior member of the whole organization and has been here through the good times and bad. He worked hard to battle through several surgeries that would have ended many players careers and has played a huge part in the teams resurgence. Add to that, he is not only a fan favorite but a LeBron favorite. The King has even stated that he wants to win one for the big guy.

So when you stop to add it all up, a trade of "Z" on the cusp of a possible NBA championship could make for some bad karma. So I ask you, would a ring without "Z" taste as sweet?

Rethinking The NFL MVP Award

First I would like to congratulate Peyton Manning on winning his record 4th NFL MVP award. Having gotten that out of the way I would also like to say that it's time to rethink the MVP Award altogether. A look at this years voting , and at the historical record of the award, indicate that some changes could be beneficial.

A look at the voting this year shocked me a little I must confess. Why, you ask? Allow me to explain. Quarterback was the only position to get any votes. That in and of itself isn't completely shocking. But running back Chris Johnson being shut out completely by voters tells me we need to redefine this award. In case you missed it Chris Johnson posted the 5th highest rushing total in league history and broke the record for total yards from scrimmage in one season. He became the 1st player to accumulate more than 2,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in one season. This to me represents one of the great seasons in league history. There were 4 quarterbacks that received votes, and yet not one vote for Johnson.

I believe the reason for this is that the Q.B. position has become so critical to a team's success in modern day football that the position has elevated itself to a level of importance above and beyond any other position in the sport. Let's face the facts, it is almost unanimously agreed upon that if a team loses it's starting quarterback it has little chance of winning.

When Wes Welker , the leading receiver in the NFL , went out with a season ending injury in their final regular season game there was no panic from the Patriots. They felt they could over come it by spreading the ball around to some other receivers. If it had been Tom Brady going out ask the Patriots how they would have over come that. And look what happened to the University of Texas when senior Q.B. Colt McCoy left the BCS Championship game with a shoulder injury. Talk about taking the wind out of a team's sail.

Since the position of quarterback has clearly separated itself in importance from the other positions I think it's time quarterbacks have an award of their own. Major League Baseball has the Cy Young Award for pitchers, which is also a unique position and the most important one in it's own game. It's time for the NFL to do something similar. Considering that 21 of the last 30 seasons the MVP has been a Q.B., and that other than an occasional running back no other position ever gets consideration I think it's about time.

The Associated Press started their MVP voting in 1957. In that time only 2 defensive players (Lawrence Taylor 1986 and Alan Page 1971) have won it. We hear coaches and analysts say over and over that it's defense that really wins championships. If defense is so critical to success explain to me the lack of defensive MVP winners. Jerry Rice was the only receiver ever to win. To be fair there have been several running backs to win it , but a large majority of the time it's been the Q.B.s.

Chris Johnson did win the Offensive Player of the Year Award , which I felt he was obviously deserving of. But that just accentuates my point. He was clearly the best individual offensive player this season and still finished behind 4 quarterbacks in the MVP race. The reason is simple, the quarterback position supercedes all others in importance.

This year's vote was proof positive for me. When 4 quarterbacks that have had good but not great seasons can get votes, but Chris Johnson who had a historically significant season can't even get one I believe the writing is on the wall. If the 4th best QB in the NFL is considered more valuable than a running back who had a record breaking season than it's time to set the QBs aside from everyone else. Call it the Unitas Award or the Most Valuable Passer. Call it what you want to, but the time for the NFL to create an award for the best quarterback , similar to baseball's Cy Young Award, has come in my opinion.

What's In A Name?

Although it was William Shakespeare that once said "what's in a name", every year we stumble on names of athletes that are so interesting or original I thought it would be fun to put together our first 'NFL All Name Team' here at M.Y.O.S. So, without further ado, here they are.

Born To Play The Position Award: Cornerbacks Reggie Corner(BUF)and Quentin Jammer(SD). What are the chances?
Tougher Than I Sound Award: Defensive Linemen Frostee Rucker(CIN),Johnny Jolly(GB) and Ziggy Hood(PIT). Sounds funny until you have to block one of these guys.
Tough As I Sound Award: Macho Harris(PHI)and Tuff Harris(PIT).
All Apostrophe Team: Sen'Derrick Marks(TEN),Na'il Diggs(CAR), D'Brickashaw Ferguson(NYJ)and Dre' Bly(SF)
All Automotive Team: Marcedes Lewis(JAX)and Cadillac Williams(TB). These guys should have no trouble getting endorsements.
Armed Forces Award: Captain Munnerlyn(CAR). Contrary to popular belief he did not attend the Naval Academy.
Last Name First, First Name Last Award: Miles Austin(DAL). Am I the only one that calls this guy Austin Miles?
All 'ious' Team: Montavious Stanley(JAX)and Dontarious Thomas(SD).
Inconspicuous Award: Richie Incognito(BUF). Finally getting a chance with the Bills after mysteriously being overlooked for years.
Mr.Clean Award: Maurice Purify(CIN). No steroid testing necessary.
Can I Buy A Vowel Award: Will Ta'ufo'ou. Will was last seen courting Vanna White.
Gesundheit Award: C.J.Ah You(STL).Spent the season on injured reserved...... with a persistent cold.
World B. Free Award: Chad Ochocinco(CIN). Chad missed the boat on this one. Numero Ochocinco would have sounded much better.

Hope you enjoyed, let me know if I left anyone out.

Carroll's Quick Exit Is Suspicious

The Seattle Seahawks will officially name Pete Carroll their new head coach on Tuesday. But I can't help thinking that Carroll's sudden move to the Seattle has more to do with USC's recent troubles than it does with his desire to return to the NFL.

Southern Cal's football team has been under investigation for illegal contributions allegedly made to former player Reggie Bush for quite some time. Add to that the questions surrounding running back Joe McNight's use of an SUV not registered to him. McNight was held out of the Emerald Bowl recently, leading me to believe there may be some truth to the rumors of illegal contributions to him. Perhaps McNight didn't play for fear USC would have to forfeit the game at a later point in time.

The NCAA is said to be getting close to making a ruling on the Reggie Bush situation. Add to that the fact that USC recently sanctioned their own basketball team for violations concerning O.J. Mayo. Those sanctions included a ban from post season play and a loss of some scholarships. I believe that Carroll could read the writing on the wall. The NCAA is likely to crack down on the USC program sometime soon. If not there is a better chance that the university will impose it's own sanctions to pacify NCAA investigators.

Rather than stick around and face the music Carroll made a hasty retreat to the NFL. And where does that leave the kids who signed on to play 4 years of football for Carroll? It bothers me that coaches can ruin collegiate football programs and skate out the back door as they sign multi-million dollar contracts to coach elsewhere. Maybe Carroll didn't know about the alleged contributions to his players, and maybe he did. But if it happened it happened on his watch. He owes it to the university that pays his salary and the players who win his games for him to make sure it doesn't happen.

Whether he was compliant in the alleged payments made to his players or just sloppy in the oversight of his program he should have to be accountable in some way if any of the allegations are proven to be true. Of course that will never happen. Instead he will be laughing it up at his press conference on Tuesday as he accepts his new position with Seattle. Carroll isn't the first coach to be in this position nor will he be the last, and just how much he knew about alleged payments to star players will likely remain a mystery. But if sanctions are handed down by the NCAA I sure would like to see someone pay the penalty other than the players left behind who played by the rules and didn't receve illegal compensation, while the real culprits go on to make millions in the NFL.

Who Am I ?

Every once in a while I like to have some fun and hopefully provoke a little thought with a game I call "Who am I". Here we go.
I am a former N.F.L. quarterback. I rank 7th all time in pass completions and 6th all time in pass attempts. I currently rank 7th in all time passing yards and 8th all time in touchdown passes. I have a higher yards per completion average than Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning.
Although my critics will say I threw too many interceptions my career interception percentage of 4.0 is better than all of the following players: Fran Tarkenton, Johnny Unitas, Dan Fouts, Terry Bradshaw, Len Dawson, Sonny Jurgenson, and Joe Namath.
Those players are all in the N.F.L. Hall of Fame. In all likelihood I never will be. In case you haven't yet figured out who I am allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vinny Testaverde.

Holmgren Keeps Options Open By Keeping Mangini

Mike Holmgren sent a small shock wave through the Cleveland football community by keeping heavily criticised coach Eric Mangini on board for next season. What I found more shocking was that Mangini wasn't asked to gut his current staff of assistants.
While I was certain that Holmgren was going to bring in his own hand picked coaching staff, keeping Mangini does give Holmgren some extra leverage going forward from here. Having Mangini in charge next year ensures that Holmgren has a fall guy to take the blame if the Browns implode next season. If the Browns continue to show development, as they did during the tail end of the season, Holmgren looks smart for keeping Mangini.

By not hiring a new coach Holmgren has in a way given himself a year of immunity. More importantly Holmgren has bought some time to add talent to the roster over the next year or two. This would give a coach Holmgren may choose to hire later a better chance at success. Some have thought that Holmgren himself might get the itch and return to the sidelines. Why not make the roster improvements beforehand. After all any coach would be handcuffed by the lack of overall talent on this Browns roster.

On the other hand Holmgren is a coach first and an executive second. Maybe he genuinely felt that it was unfair to evaluate Mangini on just one season. Either senario seems to provide Holmgren a little cushion. I do know one thing for sure, the pressure will be on Holmgren to pick the right guy if he does decide to dump Mangini at some point. Stability is what this organization has lacked for the last decade. If Holmgren fires a hand picked coach after just a couple of seasons what we will have is just more of the same old Browns. And after all no one wants to see more of the same old Browns, except maybe the Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens.

Saban's Late Score Bothersome

Let me first say that I am not the liberal 'let's play fair type'. As a matter of fact, I was a supporter of Bill Belichick when many folks thought he ran up the score on the Tennessee Titans earlier this NFL season in a 59-0 victory. The way I see it, you can't stop playing the game after only two quarters and if 11 men making millions of dollars a year want to quit and/or can't stop you, too bad, their professionals and I will not shed a tear for them. Now that I have that disclaimer out of the way, on to last night. With about 1:06 remaining and a ten point lead 'Bama had the ball second and goal on the Texas two yard line. Texas had only one time out left and did not use it after a first down play, which led me to believe Longhorn coach Mack Brown had conceded the game. Instead of being gracious in victory, Alabama coach Nick Saban saw an opportunity to widen the margin. I felt Alabama underachieved in the game despite the win, just ask Brent Musberger who was quick to point out early in the first half that Texas "did not have a chance" with McCoy out of the game. Instead, a freshman QB spearheaded a gritty performance by the 'Horns and actually put them in a position to tie or win the game late in the fourth quarter. Maybe I am off base here, but I thought under the circumstances, Saban should have tipped his cap to his colleague by kneeling on the ball rather than satisfying his own ego with a cheap score.

Dawson Not Enshrined Soon Enough

I was happy to hear that the Baseball Writer's Association of America finally came to there senses and voted to induct Andre Dawson into the Baseball Hall Of Fame. This was Andre's 9th year of eligibility and as far as I'm concerned they made the "Hawk" wait a little too long. He was one of the great all around players not only of his generation but of all time. Dawson has long been an under appreciated player in my opinion. Let me throw some numbers at you just to put his accomplishments into context.

Dawson finished his career with more hits than either Lou Gehrig or Ted Williams. He drove in more runs than Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. He outhomered Duke Snider and Al Kaline. The Hawk possesed a very rare combination of power and speed. He is only one of three players ever with over 400 HR's and 300 stolen bases along with Willie Mays and Barry Bonds.

The aforementioned names put Dawson in some pretty good company, wouldn't you agree? But Dawson wasn't just about offensive numbers. The man could lay down some defense. Only 7 outfielders in history have more Gold Gloves than the 8 compiled by Dawson. Just for icing on the cake he mixed in a Rookie of the Year Award, an M.V.P. , and 4 Silver Sluggers.
Did I mention he was the only player ever to win an M.V.P. for a last place team? It takes a pretty good year to pull that off. But what I remember most about Dawson was how he came to the park ready to give 100% every day even if his sore knees weren't. So congratulations to Andre Dawson. After all these years the Hawk soars again.

BCS Championship: Texas/Alabama

Well, its finally here. The Longhorns and Crimson Tide collide in Pasadena, CA. for all the marbles. Not many are giving Texas much of a chance from what I have been hearing. Alabama has a dominating defense and a powerful running game led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. I would not be at all surprised by an Alabama victory, however, I think some folks are not factoring in the big game experience that QB Colt McCoy will provide for the 'Horns. If Texas can muster any semblance of a running game to keep the 'Tide defense somewhat honest and keep Ingram from totally dominating the game, I feel McCoy can provide enough big plays with his arm and legs to possibly pull off the upset. I'll go against the grain here and take 'the boys from the Lone Star State'.
-Take Texas +4.5

Making The Case For Bert Blyleven

Every year about this time I find myself scratching my head and wondering why Bert Blyleven has been once again bypassed by Hall Of Fame voters. A look at Bert's body of work leaves no question in my mind about his worthiness as a Hall Of Famer. For those of you not familiar with Blyleven's track record let me present his case. Blyleven has 287 career victories. That is more wins than current H.O.F.ers like Bob Feller, Fergie Jenkins, and Robin Roberts. In fact there are dozens of pitchers already in the Hall with fewer wins than Blyleven. He ranks 5th on the all time strike-out list with 3,701 (3rd all-time among right handers). He ranks 9th all time in shut-outs with 60, ahead of Hall members like Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Jim Palmer. His 242 complete games rank him ahead of legends like Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, and Nolan Ryan. Throw into the mix that he is 11th all time in career starts and 14th all time in innings pitched and it is hard to figure his difficulty in getting the necessary votes. How is it that Bert can outrank so many Hall Of Famers in so many significant categories and still be overlooked time after time? Just the fact that his name can be mentioned in the same sentence over and over with players like Ryan, Feller, Gibson, Carlton, and Seaver speaks volumes in my book. Blyleven has 2 more chances to get into the Hall and I think justice would be served if he gets elected. Unfortunately for Bert, nothing on his resume will change between now and next year, and inexplicably it hasn't been good enough thus far. Blyleven had the nastiest curve ball that I have ever seen, but for now it's the Baseball Writers' Association of America that is throwing the curves.

Eagles McNabb Has Ways To Go Until Bronzed

I received a call from a friend the other day after he had a spirited discussion with one of his old college buddies about Donovan McNabb. His buddy seemed to be of the opinion that McNabb's place in The Pro Football Hall of Fame has already been solidified. Of course, my friend vehemently disagreed and ask for my thoughts on the matter. First let me say that McNabb, now in his 11th season, has proven to be an extremely capable NFL QB. A quick glance shows he has put up some very impressive numbers along the way, but let's put them in some context. In career passer rating Donovan is 18th on the list with a solid 86.5, however, a closer look shows that he trails the likes of Chad Pennington, Daunte Culpepper, Jeff Garcia and Matt Schaub. No Offense to those folks, but I do not see Canton in their future. As for career TD's thrown he ranks 22nd all time, once again very impressive. Here he ranks behind Dave Kreig, John Hadl, Vinny Testaverde and Boomer Esiason. In fact, Testaverde has thrown for well over 40,000 yards and as much as I like Vinny and felt he was very under appreciated no one is sizing up his bust. Lastly, I checked the passing yards category and found that McNabb is 24th on the list with over 32,000 yards looking up at QB's such as Steve DeBerg, Jim Everett and Jim Hart (bet you don't believe me about DeBerg). As I see it, it will take a lot more than some pretty numbers for this QB to earn Hall of Fame honors. Like many before him he will have to earn his place by leading his team to the promise land and capturing the hardware. As far as how the media feels about this issue, I will defer to Rush Limbaugh. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Big Ten Flexes Its Muscle

The Big 10 has been a football conference that has endured a lot if criticism in recent years for playing poorly in Bowl Games and against highly ranked opponents. The critics have not exactly been wrong. After all there was those difficult to watch defeats in the B.C.S. Championship Games, and last years 1-6 showing in Bowl Games by the Big Ten collectively. The Big 10 has been forced to take a back seat to such conferences as the SEC, PAC 10, ACC, and others. As much as I'm a Buckeye fan and Big 10 backer it was hard to refute the critics. It was coaching legend Bill Parcells who said it best, "you are what your record says you are". The record this year ,however, says something a little different. The Big 10 went a collective 4-3 in Bowls this year. I know what your thinking, that's good , but not spectacular. A closer look reveals something about those 4 wins, they were all over top 15 teams. They defeated 2 top 10 teams by knocking off both the PAC-10 and ACC champs when Ohio State soundly defeated #7 Oregon and Iowa punched #9 Georgia Tech in the mouth. Let's not forget Penn State's victory over #13 LSU, which was LSU's first loss in the post season under Les Miles. Wisconsin also racked up a win against a resurgent Miami Hurricane program that was ranked 15th. They did it the Big 10 way with physical play and stingy, hard hitting defense. It is a style of play that has not faired well in the last few years against speedy, high powered offenses, but maybe the tide is turning. Miami, LSU, Oregon and Georgia Tech combined for only 62 points in 4 games . Not bad considering Miami, Oregon and Georgia Tech all averaged more than 30 points per game, and LSU averaged 25. While the Big 10 still has a way to go to get itself completely out of the dog house the recent Bowl season was a step in the right direction. With victories over the PAC 10, SEC, and ACC and a 4-0 record against ranked opponents the Big-10 can finally enjoy the post season. Remember, "you are what your record says you are."

To Play Or Not To Play, That Is The Question

As the N.F.L. regular season has come to a close, there has been much talk about how coaches have handled their personnel in some "meaningless" games over the last few weeks of the season. Whether or not to play starters when play-off spots are already sown up can be a two sided coin. Should teams be obligated to put their best players on the field for the full 60 minutes every Sunday, or are they justified in protecting their assets when late season games are no longer important in determining a teams play-off fate? Interestingly enough we have seen coaches use differing strategies over the last couple of weeks, and their have been drawbacks either way.
Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has gone down the road of resting players or playing them sparingly in the final two games of the season. He came under some criticism for pulling starters in a close game against the Jets two weeks ago and in effect ruining the Colts chances for a possibly historic undefeated run. He now has a team that critics would say has lost all of it's momentum and is on a two game losing streak going into the play-offs. Bill Belichick on the other hand, decided to play his regulars in his team's final game even though his play-off spot was already determined. He lost the leagues top receiver Wes Welker in doing so with a severe knee injury. He also chose to play Tom Brady in spite of the fact that he has a sore shoulder, bad ribs and a broken finger. Surely there would have been little second guessing of Belichick had he rested Brady in that last game.
One can argue that each and every team should play to win to their fullest extent every week to preserve the integrity of the game and make sure that fans get their money's worth when they spend big bucks to attend N.F.L. games. Others will say that it is smart for coaches to protect their players and have earned the right to sit players late in the year because they have locked down their play-off spot. After all is said and done an undefeated regular season means nothing if it doesn't end in a Super Bowl win, just ask Belichick and company about that. So, maybe resting players down the stretch is a good move, but it does seem wrong to have teams on the field not trying to win games. "You play to win the game", just ask Herm Edwards about that. You can also ask anyone who watched that ridiculous Jets vs. Bengals game last Sunday night. I'm not sure there is a simple answer to the question, so I ask you, to play or not to play?

Browns Finish Strong

I haven't given Browns head coach Eric Mangini much credit this season, and frankly he hasn't deserved much. First there was the poor draft last spring. For an encore he created a needless quarterback controversy. Oh, and did I mention that the Browns were the laughing stock of the N.F.L. for most of the season? But I would like to give the coach and team credit where it's due. Somehow Mangini was able to keep his troops motivated down the final stretch of the season when it would have been easy to pack it in. Not only was the play on the field embarrassing for most of the season, but there were outside distractions as well. There was front office turmoil and " Mangenious" was looking over his shoulder as Mike Holmgren was interviewing to be his new boss. It would have been easy for some within the organization to "mail it in" for the last month of the season, and in fact it looked at times as if they might be ready to do that. But the coaching staff and players finished like true professionals. They played hard on every down during the closing month of games , and put together the longest winning streak we've seen since 1994. While it's great that Mangini and his boys showed character and heart late in the year, 5 wins and a last place finish in the division isn't going to do. While it would be ironic to fire a coach on a 4 game winning streak there are quite a few who feel Holmgren just might do that. I'm really not sure if Mangini deserves a second season or not. I'm glad that Holmgren is here to figure that out . If you were Holmgren would you send Eric packing, or are the 4 straight wins a sign that his philosophy is beginning to work?

Of Leach, Mangino and College Athletics

Over the course of the last few weeks two NCAA football coaches, Mark Mangino of Kansas and Mike Leach of Texas Tech were both relieved of their duties amid allegations that they "mishandled" players. Mangino was accused of psychical and verbal abuse. These are some of the same concerns voiced by parents of players at Lincoln High in Ellwood, PA. where Mangino coached for one year. Back in 2002 undisclosed action was taken against Mangino after he verbally abused high school officials during a game his son was playing in for Lawrence High School. As we all know by now, Leach was fired for his handling of WR Adam James during practices in which James could not take part in because he was reportedly recovering from a concussion. These incidents may not be brand new to college athletics, or even high school for that matter. We are all well aware of some of the antics by coaches such as Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight back in the day. I have been involved with coaching at lower levels, I have a brother who has long been involved with coaching at higher levels so I know the drill. Coaches have a difficult job, they must instill discipline in their players and demand they put out the maximum effort so that they reach full potential all the while dealing with a wide variety of personalities. Players on the other hand, must understand it is an honor and privilege to be part of a team and must earn their way, especially if you are a scholarship player. That being said, I wonder if the financial monster that is now college sports has disrupted the delicate balance of player coach relations and clouded good judgement, or is this much ado about nothing? I would love to hear your thoughts.