SportSpectator Blog

 

December 1, Week in Sports

 

:: OKLAHOMA EDGES TEXAS IN BCS RANKINGS (College Football)

:: ALABAMA AND FLORIDA SLATED TO FACE OFF (College Football)

:: PLAXICO BURRESS WOUNDED IN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING (Pro. Football)

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BIG 12 CIRCUS

The Oklahoma Sooners outranked the Texas Longhorns in this week’s BCS rankings. As a result, the Sooners earned a chance to play in the Big 12 Conference championship next week. More importantly, since the Sooners are expected to win that game, they will very likely have a chance to compete in the national championship game–the most important game of the college football season.

Normally, conference rankings are determined by team records. However, this year the Big 12 was highly competitive, with Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech finishing the season with identical records. Per conference rules, the BCS rankings serve as one of the tie-breakers to decide which team wins the Big 12 South.

The fact that Oklahoma so narrowly outranked Texas is sure to draw the ire of Longhorns fans, particularly since Texas actually beat Oklahoma earlier this year. The BCS rankings are subject to criticism year in and year out. While the final BCS rankings come out next week, this week’s rankings will likely be the most controversial from the 2008 season.

Quote of the Week: “Oklahoma jumped over Texas and into the No. 2 spot of the Bowl Championship Series standings Sunday, putting the Sooners in prime position to play for the national title should they defeat Missouri this coming Saturday.” — Eddie Timanus, USA Today

Further Reading: ”Sooners Mess with Texas” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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CHOMPING AT THE BIT

 

Alabama and the Florida Gators are slated to play each other next week in the Championship game of the SEC Conference. Whoever wins this game is virtually guaranteed a spot in the national championship game.

 

Alabama and Florida are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll, and No. 1 and No. 4 in the BCS rankings. When it comes down to it, the BCS rankings are more important, since the top two teams in the BCS get to play in the national championship game. Though Florida is currently in the 4 spot, knocking off top-ranked Alabama would certainly help them jump into the top two.

 

The college football rankings system is often criticized for being too subjective. However, there can be no complaints about the game between Alabama and Florida. Both teams are playing at their best going into next Saturday, and all they have to do is beat the other team to make it to the national championship game. Let the best team win.

Quote of the Week: “[Florida Quarterback] Tebow could have demanded more throws and more carries, and he probably would have run away with the Heisman…. But the Gators would be 9-3 and headed for a second consecutive Capital One Bowl instead of 11-1 and headed for the national semifinal SEC Championship game next week against Alabama.” — Ivan Maisel, ESPN

Further Reading: “Gators eyeing SEC showdown in Atlanta” — Ivan Maisel, ESPN

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BENCHED, SUSPENDED, FINED, SHOT

 

Plaxico Burress, a wide receiver for the New York Giants, accidentally shot himself in the thigh on Friday night, according to reports. Burress is one of the stars of the Giants, and one of the most famous football players in New York.

 

Plaxico Burress has been a premier player in the league for years, but he arrived at true superstardom in last year’s Super Bowl, when he caught the game-winning touchdown. However, Burress has had his run-ins with authority in the past, including a suspension and fine this year. Regarding the shooting, the facts are not all in, but early reports suggest that Burress was at a Manhattan night club when his own weapon went off. If it turns out that Burress is not licensed to carry that weapon, he could face criminal charges, as well as punishment from the NFL.

 

Obviously, gunshot wounds are not to be taken likely. That being said, the damage to Burress’ leg is reportedly very minimal. However, it will likely take days, if not weeks, before it becomes clear when Burress would be able to play again, and whether or not he will face a suspension from the league.

Quote of the Week: “We’ve come to anticipate the worst whenever Burress’s name appears in a news headline, and this was no different.” — William C. Rhoden, New York Times

Further Reading:  “Giants’ Burress hurt in accidental shooting” — ESPN Services

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: On Saturday, Alabama plays Florida in the SEC championship game. The game will be played during the day, and it will be aired on CBS. The winner will almost certainly earn a spot in the national championship game. Oklahoma is also scheduled to play Missouri on Saturday–Oklahoma needs to win the game in order to get into the national championship. On Sunday, the BCS will announce the final rankings for the season, which determine the matchups in this year’s bowl games.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

 

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season started last week and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

———-

 

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants are currently the best teams in the league. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. The final BCS rankings will be released this week. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

 

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [Official NHL Website]

 

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

 

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

 

November 24, Week in Sports

 

:: OKLAHOMA KNOCKS OFF TEXAS TECH (College Football)

:: PUJOLS, PEDROIA WIN MVP AWARDS (Pro. Baseball)

:: MARK CUBAN CHARGED WITH INSIDER TRADING (Pro. Basketball)

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BIG 12 BEATDOWN

On Saturday night, No. 5 ranked Oklahoma beat No. 2 ranked Texas Tech by a score of 65-21. This game had major ramifications for the national standings in college football, and for the Big 12 Conference.

Three of the best teams in the country this year are in the Big 12 South–Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Each of these three teams now has a 10-1 record on the year, and in each case, the one loss came from one of the other two teams: Texas Tech beat Texas, Texas beat Oklahoma, and Oklahoma beat Texas Tech. A reasonable person might look at that fact and say that these teams are more or less equal to each other. However, there is a ranking system in college football that sometimes ranks teams in a way that seems unfair. The way that the college football season is set up, rankings are determined by a combination of human polls and a computer-based scoring system. Every year, a controversy like this seems to pop up, which is why college football has some of the greatest fan frustration out of any sport in the country.

After Texas Tech’s loss, they plummeted to No. 7 in the A.P. poll. Oklahoma narrowly rose above Texas, to the No. 3 spot. The top two teams at the end of the year get to play in the national championship game.

Quote of the Week: “Order was simultaneously restored and destroyed here Saturday night.” — Pat Forde, ESPN

Further Reading: ”Pointing Fingers” — Pat Forde, ESPN

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A.P./D.P. WIN MVP

Last week, Major League Baseball announced the final major player awards for the 2008 season. Albert Pujols and Dustin Pedroia were named the MVPs of the National League and American League, respectively. The Most Valuable Player awards are among the most coveted player awards in baseball.

Albert Pujols, the first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, won the award after receiving 18 out of 32 first place votes. Ryan Howard of the Phillies came in second place, with 12 first place votes. Pujols had a tremendous year, batting .357 and swatting 37 home runs, all while playing injured on a bad team that missed the playoffs. This is the second time that Pujols has received the MVP award.

Dustin Pedroia, the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, won the award by a slightly bigger margin–he received 16 first place votes, while Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins brought in 7 first place votes. Pedroia, a famously undersized ballplayer, was last year’s Rookie of the Year in the American League. It is rare to see a second baseman win the MVP award–the last time it happened was in 1959–so it took a truly exceptional season from Pedroia to capture the award.

Quote of the Week: “For most of his baseball life, Dustin Pedroia has heard the doubts. He’s heard he’s too small, too slow or that his swing is too long, and that, one way or another, he just doesn’t measure up. But now, he might be too good for his own good.” — Sean McAdam, Boston Herald

Further Reading: “Pedroia beats out Morneau to win AL MVP” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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CUBAN CRISIS

 

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was charged with insider trading by the SEC last Monday. Cuban is one of the most well-known owners in professional sports, and these allegations are sure to follow him around for quite some time if he is found guilty.

 

The SEC filed a civil lawsuit against Cuban, which means that if he is found guilty, he would only have to cut the SEC a check of approximately one million dollars–reportedly, no criminal lawsuit will be filed against Cuban, so jail time seems very unlikely. The SEC has alleged that Mark Cuban sold all his shares in a company called Mamma.com after hearing that shares in the company’s stock would be sold to the public below market price. Knowing that this would certainly devalue his stock, Cuban reportedly dumped all of his shares in the company. While Cuban can surely handle a million dollar fine, the damage to his reputation might be harder to deal with. For example, the Chicago Cubs are currently for sale, and Mark Cuban was one of the interested bidders. A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that Cuban was no longer being considered as a potential owner, and some have speculated that this was because the Cubs organization got word that Cuban was about to be charged with insider trading.

 

Cuban is a very hands-on owner, who is famous for yelling at referees during Dallas Mavericks games. In recent years, he has cooled down significantly, and he gained an even greater level of prominence when he appeared as a contestant on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Quote of the Week: “However this plays out, it’s a hit on Cuban’s reputation as the Everyman fan who hit the Internet lottery, became a billionaire and bought his favorite team.” — Associated Press

Further Reading:  “SEC’s Mark Cuban Insider Trading Allegations” — Henry Blodget, Silicon Alley Insider

 

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: As the season winds down, the games become increasingly important. On Saturday, No. 1 Alabama plays Auburn and No. 2 Florida plays Florida State. If both teams win, then Alabama and Florida will play each other the following week in the most crucial matchup of the year.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

 

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season started last week and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

———-

 

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants are currently the best teams in the league. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

 

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [Official NHL Website]

 

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

 

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

 

November 17, Week in Sports

 

:: JIMMIE JOHNSON WINS THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE (NASCAR)

:: MLB PLAYER AWARDS ANNOUNCED (Pro. Baseball)

:: MLB MANAGER AWARDS ANNOUNCED (Pro. Baseball)

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J.J. CRUISES TO THREE-PEATNASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson won the Sprint Cup on Sunday evening. The Sprint Cup is a year-long racing series that is the most prestigious of the NASCAR season. Jimmie Johnson has now won the Sprint Cup three years in a row.

Though NASCAR is one of the most popular sports in the country, it often fails to get a significant amount of attention in the mainstream sports media. Johnson’s three-peat, however, is a huge achievement. That, combined with the fact that Johnson is one of the most well-known and likable representatives of the sport, should mean that Johnson gets the praise that he deserves this week. This is just the second time ever that a driver has won three straight Cup titles. The last person to do it was Cale Yarborough, who accomplished the feat in the mid 1970s.

Johnson had built up such a huge lead in points this year that entering Sunday’s race, he essentially only had to complete the race without wrecking his car in order to win the title. Carl Edwards, another top NASCAR driver, won Sunday’s race, but it was not enough to catch up to Jimmie Johnson.

Quote of the Week: At least we can lay our heads down tonight and know we won some races and just got beaten by a true champion” — Carl Edwards

Further Reading: ”JJ: The Greatest Driver Ever?” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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THE KIDS CAN PLAY

 

Last week, Major League Baseball announced the winners of two of the major player awards–Rookie of the Year and Cy Young. Each award is given out to two players–one from the National League and one from the American League. The Rookies of the Year were Evan Longoria and Geovany Soto, and the Cy Young winners were Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum.

 

The two winners of Rookie of the Year–Longoria and Soto–came as no big surprise to anyone. Longoria is the starting third baseman who led the upstart Tampa Bay Rays to a World Series appearance, and many baseball analysts believe that he is the second coming of the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez–quite a compliment, considering “A-Rod” will likely wind up being one of the greatest of all time. Soto, the NL Rookie of the Year, is the starting catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Good defensive catchers who hit consistently for power are hard to come by, which made Soto an obvious pick. Despite being a rookie, he brought a veteran presence to the Cubs this year, which earned him a number of honors, including a starting spot on the NL All-Star team–the first time that award had been given to a rookie catcher in the National League.

 

The Cy Young award is awarded to the best pitchers in the league, and it is a huge honor that people around the league remember for years. Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians won the award for the American League. Lee, who struggled so much last year that he was sent to the minors, had a resurgent year, dominating hitters and winning 22 games for the Indians. Tim Lincecum of the Giants was an unlikely superstar this year. Lincecum is often described as undersized–for what it’s worth, he’s 5′ 11″–and he pitches for the San Francisco Giants, one of the worst teams in the league. Despite those factors, he posted a record of 18-5. Given how bad the Giants are, that record is phenomenal and worthy of the league’s highest pitching award.

Quote of the Week: “But Lincecum is an anomaly in a conformist sport, a lithe, 5-foot-11 pitcher with a gymnast’s body who doesn’t ice his arm and bounces back after almost every start.” — Andrew Baggerly, Mercury News

Further Reading: “Lincecum beats out Webb, is Giants’ second Cy Young winner” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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HATS OFF TO THE SKIPPER

 

Major League Baseball also announced the AL and NL Managers of the Year last week. The winners were Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays and Lou Piniella of the Chicago Cubs.

This is the third time that Piniella has been named Manager of the Year–he was previously awarded the honor in 1995 and 2001, when he managed the Seattle Mariners. Piniella led the the Chicago Cubs to their division-winning season and best record in the National League. Charlie Manuel, the manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, came in second place. Votes for the player and manager awards are placed before the playoffs, or else Manuel certainly would have given Piniella a run for his money.

Maddon won the AL award by a landslide, having coached the Tampa Bay Rays from a last place division finish in 2007 to a World Series appearance in 2008. Ironically, Maddon replaced Lou Piniella as coach of the Rays when Piniella accepted a job with the Chicago Cubs in 2006. Maddon was a lock for Manager of the Year, but winning the award still must have seemed surreal for the 54-year old coach, who received news that he had received the honor while on his honeymoon in Italy.

Quote of the Week: “When a guy can quote Albert Camus and Albert Einstein, and he’s talking about how you put a bullpen together, you know you’ve got something special.” — Martin Fennelly, Tampa Bay Tribune, on Joe Maddon

Further Reading:  “Rays’ Maddon, Cubs’ Piniella win Manager of the Year honors” — Associated Press, via Sports Illustrated

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: The league is announcing the Most Valuable Players for the American League and National League this week, which should keep baseball in the news even though the sport is currently in the off-season. There are also trade talks under way, which could mean that some of MLB’s biggest name players could be switching teams at any point during the next few days.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

 

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season started last week and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

———-

 

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans are currently the best team in the league, with an undefeated record. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

 

———-

 

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [Official NHL Website]

 

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

 

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

 

November 10, Week in Sports

 

:: BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT (Pro. Sports)

:: ALLEN IVERSON TRADED TO PISTONS (College Football)

:: TENNESSEE TITANS IMPROVE TO 9-0 RECORD (Pro. Football)

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NOW STARTING, FROM CHICAGO, NUMBER 44…

As President-elect Barack Obama sets up his transitional office, the sports world is abuzz with questions about what his presidency will mean for American athletics.

Obama’s passion for sports is well-documented. He is a huge fan of the Chicago White Sox, well-informed on the nuances of fantasy football, and a proponent for playoffs in NCAA football. He also plays basketball regularly, and earlier stated that if he were elected President, he would have a basketball court installed at the White House. While all of these issues relate to Obama as a sports fan, his presidency is also expected to have practical consequences in professional sports. For instance, many experts have noted that his tax policies would effect team owners and players, which ultimately might be a determining factor in free agency signings and player contracts. It is hard to tell whether or not that will actually be an issue, but sports analysts are closely monitoring the player market in Major League Baseball to see whether or not Obama’s election has an impact.

Of course, Obama is by no means the first President with connections to professional sports. George W. Bush was a former owner of the Texas Rangers, who pressured lawmakers and sports commissioners to clean up the world of professional sports, which played a big part in the steroid investigations in baseball and other sports.

Quote of the Week: ”I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football. I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other. Get eight teams–the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a National Champion.” — Barack Obama, on college football

Further Reading: ”Change is coming to sports, too, under Obama” – Lester Munson, ESPN

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DETROIT FINDS ‘THE ANSWER’

 

In a dramatic move that is shaking up the league, the Detroit Pistons traded star guard Chauncey Billups and two other players for Denver Nuggets superstar Allen Iverson. Iverson is one of the biggest stars in the league, and Billups was the NBA Finals MVP when the Pistons won the title in 2004.

The Pistons, who have made the playoffs every year since 2001, are one of the strongest teams in the league. During their current streak of making the playoffs, Billups has been one of the faces of the franchise, which made this trade a hard decision for Detroit. However, during their years of success, the Pistons have only managed to bring home the championship once, in 2004. By adding Allen “The Answer” Iverson, the Pistons are hoping to reclaim the NBA title. That being said, picking up Iverson is a risky move that could potentially flop, as it did with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, who also thought that Iverson was “the Answer.”

The Nuggets, on the other hand, are thrilled to have Billups on board. They have made the playoffs every year since 2003, but every single year they have been knocked out of the postseason in the first round. The Nuggets are hoping that they addition of the veteran Billups, known for his poise and passing game, will help the team advance in the playoffs this year.

Quote of the Week: “Whoa, now this came out of leftfield.” — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “Pistons get Iverson for Billups, McDyess, Samb” — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

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TITAN-IC SEASON

 

The Tennessee Titans improved to a league-best record of 9-0 with a 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The Titans have all but guaranteed a spot in the playoffs this year, and they have a chance to finish the regular season with a perfect record–one of the most difficult team achievements in sports.

 

The Titans are not a flashy team, and their biggest players are not household names. As a result, they have earned their 9-0 record very quietly, and week in and week out their doubters predict that they will lose their first game. However, the Titans have gone on winning, primarily because of the production of their explosive running backs, Chris Johnson and Lendale White. Despite a terrible performance by both Johnson and White on Sunday, the Titans still managed to beat the Bears, preserving their flawless record.

 

Part of the reason that the Titans’ success has received so little attention thus far is because of the fact that last year, the New England Patriots went undefeated in the regular season for the first time in decades. The Patriots–who had glam-quarterback Tom Brady and stud receiver Randy Moss–were a team that fans around the country loved or hated with equal passion. The Titans, for the time being, have yet to inspire those kinds of emotions in casual fans. If they continue to win these next few weeks, though, they will be the center of attention for the most popular sport in the country.

Quote of the Week: “Maybe they have some kind of angel around them or something. I don’t know” — Rashied Davis, Bears Wide Receiver

Further Reading:  “Perfect Form” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The College basketball season begins this week. While there are no major match-ups in the first few days of the season, many of the top teams in the country will get their first taste of the national spotlight. If you’re looking for an edge in your office pool next March, now is the time to start scouting teams.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

 

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season begins on November 10th and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

———-

 

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans are currently the best team in the league, with an undefeated record. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

 

———-

 

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [Official NHL Website]

 

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

 

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

November 3, Week in Sports

 

::  PHILLIES WIN WORLD SERIES (Pro. Baseball)

::  TEXAS TECH UPSETS NO. 1 TEXAS (College Football)

::  NORTH CAROLINA RANKED NO. 1 (College Basketball)

———-

PHEW! PHILADELPHIA GETS LONG-AWAITED CHAMPIONSHIP

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night to win the World Series. The Phillies have not won the World Series since 1980, and the city of Philadelphia has not had a championship team since 1983.Philadelphia fans have been waiting for this championship for a long time, and they were forced to wait even longer since rain delays plagued this year’s World Series. The most controversial moment of the chamionship occurred last Monday, during Game 5 of the series. When torrential rains came down during the middle of the game, league commissioner Bud Selig decided on the fly to suspend the game. This ultimately meant that the game was simply paused and then resumed on Wednesday with the score tied and three innings left to play. It was through that game that the Phillies clinched the title, squashing the upstart Rays, baseball’s feel-good story of the year.

Cole Hamels, the 24-year old star pitcher of the Phillies, was named the MVP of the series. Hamels was not even alive the last time the Phillies won the World Series.

Quote of the Week: ”Save the jokes, the taunts and all those insults about the losingest team in sports.” — ESPN News

Further Reading: ”For Phillies and City, Title Is Worth the Wait“ – Tyler Kepner, ESPN

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SEEING RED: TEXAS TECH SHAKES UP RANKINGS

In one of the most exciting college football games of the year, the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the Texas Longhorns, the top-ranked team in the country. With that victory, Texas Tech rose in the BCS rankings, which ultimately determine which teams get to face off in the national championship game.

The Lornhorns have been a very strong team all year, but Texas Tech dominated them for most of the game, at one point leading by two touchdowns. However, the Red Raiders’ lead began to shrink as the game progressed, and with a minute and a half left in the game, the Longhorns actually took the lead. But Texas Tech put together an incredible drive down the field as the seconds ticked away, and they scored a touchdown with one second left in the game, taking the lead once more. When that touchdown was scored, the Texas Tech fans rushed the field even though there was still time left on the clock. Once everyone had been cleared from the field, the game resumed, and the Red Raiders sealed their victory.

As a result of the game, Texas Tech rose in the rankings from No. 7 to No. 2, and Texas dropped from No. 1 to No. 5. No. 2-ranked Alabama won their game 35-0 this weekend, guaranteeing their rise to the No. 1 spot.

Quote of the Week: “On the sideline, I dreamed that I would catch a pass and go in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown, but I do that every game.” — Michael Crabtree, the star wide receiver who caught the game-winning touchdown

Further Reading: “Don’t Blink” — Ivan Maisel, ESPN

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CLICKING HEELS

The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently ranked the No. 1 college basketball team in the country by a unanimous preseason vote. This is the first time in the history of the preseason poll that there has been a unanimous No. 1.

North Carolina is largely ranked so highly because of the presence of Tyler Hansbrough, last year’s national player of the year. Many people thought that Hansbrough would have left the college game for a career in the pros, but he decided to play one more year at North Carolina. With many college players leaving for the NBA after just one or two years, a star veteran is something that very few college teams have to offer, which accounts for the Tar Heels’ top rank. However, last week news broke that Hansbrough was sitting out practice with a stress reaction in his right shin. If the injury turns out to be serious, it would be a disaster for the North Carolina team. Moreover, if the injury turns out to have long-term consequences, it would also mean that Hansbrough would have made the mistake of a lifetime by waiting an extra year before signing an NBA contract.

After North Carolina, Connecticut was ranked No. 2 in the country. Louisville, UCLA, and Pittsburgh rounded out the top five.

Quote of the Week: “This, you see, is the time of year when most teams are trying to figure out who they are and what they have. North Carolina, on the other hand, is fine-tuning the roles of well-established veterans. If the rest of America is going over algebra I right now, North Carolina is already on advanced calculus.” — Seth Davis, Sports Illustrated

Further Reading:  “Tar Heels voted as first unanimous preseason No. 1 in AP poll” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: FOOTBALL: On Sunday night, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles will play in what should be an excellent matchup between two of the traditionally strongest teams in the league. Both teams play in NFC East, which will add to the intensity of the game. The Giants, the defending Super Bowl champions, will enter the game as the favorite.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season begins on November 10th and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans are currently the best team in the league, with an undefeated record. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

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OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]