HEADLINER
It was the call that shook the world: Patriots coach Bill Belichick went for it on 4th & 2 from the New England 28 with a 34-28 lead and 2:08 remaining. After Tom Brady's pass to Kevin Faulk came up short, Peyton Manning and the Colts had little trouble getting into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown and PAT. Statisticians everywhere defended Belichick's decision, explaining that punting would not have helped the cause. But former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi made perhaps the most astute observation: if you play for the New England defense, aren't you at least a little bit offended that your coach thought you weren't good enough to stop Manning from picking up 60+ yards in two minutes?
DELICIOUS DIGIT
6. That's how many undefeated FBS teams there are in Division I heading into late November. The SEC figures to have a lock on one spot in the BCS championship game, with 10-0 Florida and Alabama facing a litany of weak opponents en route to their conference title matchup on Dec. 5th. Meanwhile, the Lone Star State holds the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the BCS rankings - Texas has just lowly Kansas and Texas A&M to hold off until the Big 12 showdown, but TCU is hoping for a miracle that will allow it to compete for the top spot in the country. The loser in all of this, however, is Boise State: the longer the Horned Frogs stay undefeated, the more likely it is that the 10-0 Broncos will miss out on a BCS bowl. Can someone call Utah's attorney general? Idaho needs some help.
THE 7
1. After years of being exalted as the Tiger Woods of women's golf, Michelle Wie finally broke through to win her first LPGA title in 65 tries, beating out Paula Creamer at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Wie, who is still just 20 years old, vindicated her fans and endorsers with a two-stroke victory and was summarily doused with beer on the 18th green. The winners' check brought her 2009 total to $900,000 - impressive, but just a fraction of the millions of dollars that Nike pays her every year.
2. Looks like voters are starting to take the Cy Young award more literally. In what seems to be becoming a tradition, both of this year's Cy Young winners were from non-playoff teams - and, in the case of Zack Greinke, from a team that was never even close to making it to the postseason. The Giants' Tim Lincecum took home the award for the second straight year for the Giants (3rd in the NL West), while Greinke won his first for a Royals team that lost 97 games. The Cy Young discussion seems to have been democratized by nontraditional statistics in recent years, with voters seemingly willing to overlook average win-loss records by blaming the poor run support pitchers received from their teams. How pervasive is this trend? In the past four years, only one of eight Cy Young pitchers won 20 games - Cliff Lee, who finished 22-3 for the Indians last season. Cy Young, who lost 316 games in his career, would be proud.
3. WWAID - what would Allen Iverson do? Asking to be released by the Grizzlies after just three games, Iverson is back on the market. The Knicks are reported to be considering signing Iverson despite passing on him in the offseason. (Could New York's 2-9 start have anything to do with that?) Miami is reported to be interested as well. A bottom-feeding squad with too many guards in a city with too many reporters, or South Beach and a chance to actually make the playoffs? You don't need to ask WWAID to answer that question.
4. You know college basketball is in full season when No. 1 teams are barely avoiding upsets by unranked opponents. Kansas, currently atop the national polls, came within a Mario Chalmers-style three-pointer attempt by Memphis from losing, edging the Tigers, 57-55, on Tuesday night. This came just hours after No. 2 Michigan State held off Gonzaga despite trailing for much of the game. Who needs March Madness when there's November Neurosis?
5. Jauron out. Shanahan in? Buffalo fired head coach Dick Jauron, who has led the organization to a 24-33 record since 2006. Just one day later, ESPN. com reported that that the Bills are considering former Denver coach Mike Shanahan to take over. Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Broncos, would certainly bring expertise and confidence to a mediocre Buffalo team. The question is, is there much he can do if he has to choose between Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback? When it comes to the NFL, perhaps a Stanford-Harvard combination isn't your best bet.
6. Jason Bay may have found a home in Boston, but the Red Sox have not yet earned his loyalty. Bay did not come to terms with Theo Epstein & Co. in the exclusive time window and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Sox had planned to spend significant money this offseason on Bay and/or Matt Holliday, but they will surely be disappointed to have to pay market price to retain their prized left fielder.
7. South African runner Caster Semenya, whose gender had been under review after she won the women's 800m at the world championships, was exonerated on Thursday, with the South African sports ministry announcing that Semenya would be able to keep her medal and her prize money. More surprisingly, it appears that the results of the gender tests will be kept confidential. If Semenya is indeed a woman, why all the secrecy?
HORIZON
It's still a month and a half away, but the tickets sure aren't priced like it. The NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Bruins and the Flyers facing off at Fenway Park, promises to be an expensive affair for fans, with seats going for no lower than $300 and over $1,000 on StubHub. Although the memories of the lockout are finally fading, hockey revenues are still far from overwhelming, and many venues still offer very cheap tickets. With fans and advertisers opening their wallets for the January 1st showdown, Gary Bettman has to wonder: should all NHL games be played outdoors in historic baseball stadiums?
THE Q
In a win-or-don't-go-to-South-Africa qualifier for the World Cup between France and Ireland on Wednesday night, Thierry Henry knocked a ball home late in the match after a very clear handball. However, the referees missed it, and despite an admission by Henry and protests by the Irish, FIFA has not taken any action. In your opinion, should the match be replayed? Leave your comments below.
Tune in next week for your Just 7 Sports briefing.
CORRECTION: Last week, Just 7 Sports asserted that UNC had "a run of mediocrity in the late '90s and early 2000s." While the Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament in 2002-2003, they qualified for the Dance every single year from 1990-2001 and actually reached the Final Four in 1997 , 1998, and 2000. Just 7 Sports regrets the hyperbole.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
JUST 7 SPORTS: Back to School Hoops and LeBron's "Modesty"
HEADLINER
Let the countdown to March Madness begin - college basketball is back. The season truly gets under way Friday night with top teams including No. 1 Kansas, No. 5 Kentucky, and No. 8 Duke kicking off their campaigns. Don't expect an upset in these opening games - the likes of UNC-Greensboro are unlikely to pose a significant challenge to the top-tier squads - but, if nothing else, tune in and watch a preseason All-American or two drop buckets against much feebler opponents. Aaaand boom goes the dynamite.
DELICIOUS DIGIT
6. That's the number LeBron James plans to switch to after this season, stating that Michael Jordan deserves the Jackie Robinson-like honor of having his number effectively retired across the league. Credit to LeBron for his class, but is he truly being all that modest? "Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it," King James told reporters. Talk about a unilateral multilateral decision.
THE 7
1. Three Tennessee football players pulled off the bozo move of the century, allegedly attempting to rob a convenience store with a pellet gun. Not only were the players near campus, but one of the players was apparently wearing Vols gear, seemingly pleading for the wrong kind of attention. As much as the players are to blame in this situation, you have to wonder what kind of example loudmouth coach Lane Kiffin has been setting for his team. Once a Raider, always an.... antithesis of the Volunteer spirit?
2. Philippines' most famous face, Manny Pacquiao, enters the ring Saturday night to take on Miguel Cotto in a fight at 145 lbs. The Filipino legend is going for a title in a seventh weight class, up 40 pounds from where he started his career, while Cotto will attempt to preserve his near-perfect record. Oddsmakers have given Pacquiao the clear edge, but regardless of the outcome, plenty of left hooks promise to be on display. And if that isn't entertainment enough, Pacquiao announced that his band will be serenading Las Vegas on the strip later that night. What a boxer. What a man.
3. With Terrell Owens' career seemingly slipping away, Chad Ochocinco has become the most dynamic and entertaining player in the NFL, pulling a new stunt every single week. When he isn't trying to send condiments to upcoming opponents, he's fake-bribing officials during reviews with $1 bills and paying $20,000 fines for the "unbecoming" conduct. More importantly, he's logged over 600 yards to help lead Cincinnati to a 6-2 record and a tie atop the AFC North with Pittsburgh. If Ochocinco can help the Bengals pull off a victory on the road in Steel City on Sunday afternoon, he may finally prove that he's matured enough to lead a team into the playoffs.
4. In nearby Indianapolis, it's the AFC matchup we've all been waiting for: the Patriots and the Colts. While this matchup lacks some of the fire and buildup of years past, it still promises to tell us a lot about both teams. At 6-2, New England is off to a good start but faces the NFL's best in Indy and New Orleans over the course of the next three weeks - two tests that may define the season's expectations for the squad. Meanwhile, the Colts are still undefeated but are coming off of two unconvincing wins against the 49ers and the Texans. A win vs. the Patriots will have Manning and Co. thinking conference championship or better, but a loss could trigger the kind of doubts that have derailed Indianapolis in the past. What better way to spend Sunday night than watching this game?
5. Baseball, hockey - what's the difference? The NHLPA, still looking for an executive director, tapped (soon to be retired) MLBPA head Donald Fehr to help with the search. While Fehr is not being positioned to take on a larger role with the NHLPA, you have to wonder: a sports lawyer is a sports lawyer is a sports lawyer... right?
6. We're 20 games into the season, and look who's atop the NHL tables: the San Jose Sharks. The perennial regular-season-dominators-but-postseason-disappointments are off to another strong start, having recorded a point in 10 consecutive contests. While nothing should be more convincing than a 5-0 shellacking of defending champion Pittsburgh, the Sharks have lacked the killer instinct in games against Western Conference rivals such as Detroit and Dallas. If this is finally going to be the year for San Jose, it's going to have to find a way to increase its third-period scoring output - and to win more shootouts.
7. The Suns look good in the standings, but as the Lakers proved in a 121-102 triumph over Phoenix on Thursday night, Los Angeles is still the team to beat in the Pacific Division. Kobe Bryant has jumped out to a blazing start, logging 33 points per game on 50% shooting from the field despite having scored just three treys in 8 games. Meanwhile, the Celtics are 8-1 and already running away in the Atlantic. Is it too early to start imagining another Celtics-Lakers heavyweight bout?
HORIZON
ESPNU's No. 1 high school prospect, Harrison Barnes, has committed to play for North Carolina in 2010-11. Barnes will fill in at shooting guard or small forward for the Tar Heels, returning some of the athleticism that UNC lost with the departure of Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington last season. After a run of mediocrity in the late '90s and early 2000s, it appears that the Tar Heels are stacked for years to come. Which makes Virgina Cavaliers fans think: when did the ACC become the AL East?
THE Q
The NBA released the NBA Companion this week, a compilation of stats, highlights, videos, and analysis that is intended to provide TV watchers with all the details necessary to supplement their viewing experience. Is this any more useful to you than any of the "game center" tools already available? What would the ideal "companion" tool look like? Leave your comments below.
Tune in next week for your Just 7 Sports briefing.
Let the countdown to March Madness begin - college basketball is back. The season truly gets under way Friday night with top teams including No. 1 Kansas, No. 5 Kentucky, and No. 8 Duke kicking off their campaigns. Don't expect an upset in these opening games - the likes of UNC-Greensboro are unlikely to pose a significant challenge to the top-tier squads - but, if nothing else, tune in and watch a preseason All-American or two drop buckets against much feebler opponents. Aaaand boom goes the dynamite.
DELICIOUS DIGIT
6. That's the number LeBron James plans to switch to after this season, stating that Michael Jordan deserves the Jackie Robinson-like honor of having his number effectively retired across the league. Credit to LeBron for his class, but is he truly being all that modest? "Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it," King James told reporters. Talk about a unilateral multilateral decision.
THE 7
1. Three Tennessee football players pulled off the bozo move of the century, allegedly attempting to rob a convenience store with a pellet gun. Not only were the players near campus, but one of the players was apparently wearing Vols gear, seemingly pleading for the wrong kind of attention. As much as the players are to blame in this situation, you have to wonder what kind of example loudmouth coach Lane Kiffin has been setting for his team. Once a Raider, always an.... antithesis of the Volunteer spirit?
2. Philippines' most famous face, Manny Pacquiao, enters the ring Saturday night to take on Miguel Cotto in a fight at 145 lbs. The Filipino legend is going for a title in a seventh weight class, up 40 pounds from where he started his career, while Cotto will attempt to preserve his near-perfect record. Oddsmakers have given Pacquiao the clear edge, but regardless of the outcome, plenty of left hooks promise to be on display. And if that isn't entertainment enough, Pacquiao announced that his band will be serenading Las Vegas on the strip later that night. What a boxer. What a man.
3. With Terrell Owens' career seemingly slipping away, Chad Ochocinco has become the most dynamic and entertaining player in the NFL, pulling a new stunt every single week. When he isn't trying to send condiments to upcoming opponents, he's fake-bribing officials during reviews with $1 bills and paying $20,000 fines for the "unbecoming" conduct. More importantly, he's logged over 600 yards to help lead Cincinnati to a 6-2 record and a tie atop the AFC North with Pittsburgh. If Ochocinco can help the Bengals pull off a victory on the road in Steel City on Sunday afternoon, he may finally prove that he's matured enough to lead a team into the playoffs.
4. In nearby Indianapolis, it's the AFC matchup we've all been waiting for: the Patriots and the Colts. While this matchup lacks some of the fire and buildup of years past, it still promises to tell us a lot about both teams. At 6-2, New England is off to a good start but faces the NFL's best in Indy and New Orleans over the course of the next three weeks - two tests that may define the season's expectations for the squad. Meanwhile, the Colts are still undefeated but are coming off of two unconvincing wins against the 49ers and the Texans. A win vs. the Patriots will have Manning and Co. thinking conference championship or better, but a loss could trigger the kind of doubts that have derailed Indianapolis in the past. What better way to spend Sunday night than watching this game?
5. Baseball, hockey - what's the difference? The NHLPA, still looking for an executive director, tapped (soon to be retired) MLBPA head Donald Fehr to help with the search. While Fehr is not being positioned to take on a larger role with the NHLPA, you have to wonder: a sports lawyer is a sports lawyer is a sports lawyer... right?
6. We're 20 games into the season, and look who's atop the NHL tables: the San Jose Sharks. The perennial regular-season-dominators-but-postseason-disappointments are off to another strong start, having recorded a point in 10 consecutive contests. While nothing should be more convincing than a 5-0 shellacking of defending champion Pittsburgh, the Sharks have lacked the killer instinct in games against Western Conference rivals such as Detroit and Dallas. If this is finally going to be the year for San Jose, it's going to have to find a way to increase its third-period scoring output - and to win more shootouts.
7. The Suns look good in the standings, but as the Lakers proved in a 121-102 triumph over Phoenix on Thursday night, Los Angeles is still the team to beat in the Pacific Division. Kobe Bryant has jumped out to a blazing start, logging 33 points per game on 50% shooting from the field despite having scored just three treys in 8 games. Meanwhile, the Celtics are 8-1 and already running away in the Atlantic. Is it too early to start imagining another Celtics-Lakers heavyweight bout?
HORIZON
ESPNU's No. 1 high school prospect, Harrison Barnes, has committed to play for North Carolina in 2010-11. Barnes will fill in at shooting guard or small forward for the Tar Heels, returning some of the athleticism that UNC lost with the departure of Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington last season. After a run of mediocrity in the late '90s and early 2000s, it appears that the Tar Heels are stacked for years to come. Which makes Virgina Cavaliers fans think: when did the ACC become the AL East?
THE Q
The NBA released the NBA Companion this week, a compilation of stats, highlights, videos, and analysis that is intended to provide TV watchers with all the details necessary to supplement their viewing experience. Is this any more useful to you than any of the "game center" tools already available? What would the ideal "companion" tool look like? Leave your comments below.
Tune in next week for your Just 7 Sports briefing.
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