Month: September 2008 (Page 15 of 61)

Red Sox clinch playoff spot, eliminate Yankees

September 23, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

David Ortiz With their 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians Tuesday night, the Boston Red Sox did two things. One, they clinched a playoff spot in the American League. And perhaps more importantly in some BoSox fans’ eyes, they eliminated the New York Yankees from postseason play.

Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run dinger off of Cleveland starter Cliff Lee and also reached base three times on walks. Youkilis currently ranks fourth in the AL in RBI with 111.

Though the Red Sox are still in contention for the American League East title, their most likely entry into the playoffs will be as the Wild Card winner, which would earn them a AL Division Series matchup with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a best-of-five set that would start in Anaheim on Oct. 1 or 2.

The AL will produce some great postseason matchups this year. The Rays, Angels and Red Sox all bring something a little different to the table and whichever team comes out of the AL Central (Twins or White Sox) will likely play an underdog role.

Fantasy Baseball, MLB

American League playoffs Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians Kevin Youkilis MLB Playoffs

Are NFL teams becoming too dependent on replay and referees?

September 23, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic has a beef with how fans and teams are becoming more and more dependent on instant replay (and technology in general) in sports.

Watch a significant amount of football, and the sheer volume of penalties in today’s games is guaranteed to drive you nuts. There are penalties for illegal shifts, illegal formations and illegal motion.
In 2007, there were 741 penalties called for a false start alone, and another 602 for holding.
The game has become prisoner to hyperactive officials with a great command of the rule book and no sense of restraint.
I believe the culture inside football is prompting officials to throw more and more flags. They are worried if they don’t catch every black-and-white infraction they will be downgraded. Additionally, the safety net of instant replay seems to make throwing the flag all that much easier. It has certainly made their walk to the parking lot a lot safer.
But the technology is failing everyone. Already this season, two crucial replay challenges couldn’t award fumbles to the team that recovered because the whistle had blown. In other words, if you actually mess up twice on the same play – blowing the call and the whistle – it can nullify all attempts at justice.
In another comical instance, Hochuli encountered a malfunctioning review booth. He couldn’t get any of the pictures within the allotted two minutes prescribed in the rule book, so he could not overturn the call.
Imagine that. These games become pumped full of commercials, bloating barges of programming, and we can’t wait another minute for the right call?

Bickley makes some solid points, but I’m going to go with the clichéd standby of, ‘it is what it is.’ As technology continues to grow, so does everyone’s desire to use it. And sports are no exception. If we have the technology to review a play to see if there was an infraction, then why shouldn’t we use it? Isn’t getting the calls right the most important thing at the end of the day? Sure, there are going to be times when technology fails us as it did in the Denver-San Diego game. But more times than not its going to be an aid.

And I’m not worried about referees calling a lot of penalties. Yeah, it gets annoying (especially when you feel that your team is getting the brunt of the calls), but if a team or player commits an infraction, throw the flag. It’s that simple. (Or at least, it should be that simple.)

NFL

Ed Hochuli Ed Hochuli blown call Instant replay in NFL

Son of Lions’ owner says Matt Millen should be fired

September 23, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

The son of Detroit Lions’ owner Bill Ford Sr., Bill Ford Jr., publicly stated Monday that GM Matt Millen should be fired.

Bill Ford Jr. finally said publicly what he has told people privately for some time now: He would like to see Matt Millen fired.
“It was an embarrassment,” Ford said Monday when asked about the Lions’ 31-13 loss at San Francisco. “The fans deserve better. And if I had the authority, I would have fired the general manager.”
Ford’s feelings are no secret to people who know him. He soured on Millen a long time ago, for the same reason Lions fans soured on Millen: total incompetence. But Ford, like Lions fans, has not been able to do anything about it. His father, William Clay Ford Sr., has the keys to the kingdom.
So why did Ford say it now? Why did Ford explicitly ask reporters to quote him on the record? Two reasons.

And all Lion fans collectively shout, “Amen!”

Millen should have been gone years ago. He couldn’t help that Charles Rogers and Mike Williams turned out to be lazy or that Kevin Jones got injured. But somebody has to take responsibility for the lack of overall talent that the Lions have produced over the years and he’s the one that ran the drafts. Drafting four wide receivers (arguably the most overrated position on draft day) in the first round on four separate occasions aside, the rest of Millen’s drafts have been atrocious. Not one defensive player that Millen selected in this past draft was active last Sunday against San Francisco. Not one. That’s brutal.

NFL

Bill Ford Jr.Charles Rogers Detroit Lions Fire Matt Millen Ford Jr. wants to fire Matt Millen Kevin Jones Matt Millen Mike Williams Terrible Matt Millen drafts

NFL News and Notes: Rams bench QB Marc Bulger

September 23, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

– After stumbling to a 0-3 start and looking atrocious while doing so, the St. Louis Rams have decided to make a change. Veteran Trent Green will reportedly start at quarterback this weekend against the undefeated Buffalo Bills as the Rams have decided to bench Marc Bulger. (NFL.com)

– Willie Parker will miss Monday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens after spraining his knee in last week’s loss to the Eagles. Rookie Rashard Mendenhall is expected to make his first NFL start. (NFL.com)

– Packers’ CB Al Harris could be lost for the entire season with a ruptured spleen, which was the same injury that knocked out former Bucs’ QB Chris Simms for the entire 2006 season. Tramon Williams, a second-year undrafted free agent, is currently Harris’s backup at left corner. (National Football Post)

– RB Brian Westbrook reportedly suffered a high ankle sprain during the Eagles’ win over the Steelers Sunday, a game in which “Westy” had to leave the game in the first half. His status for this Sunday’s game is still up in the air, but Westbrook expects to play. (Rotoworld.com)

– Struggling quarterback Derek Anderson is expected to start in Week 4 for the Cleveland Browns, but the team is prepping second-year backup Brady Quinn to play. Anderson could have a quick hook if he struggles Sunday against Cincinnati. (ESPN’s Chris Mortensen)

– Despite his poor performance in Tennessee last Sunday, Matt Schuab will reportedly keep the starting quarterback job in Houston. Unfortunately for Schaub, things don’t get any easier against Jacksonville this Sunday. (Houston Chronicle)

– After destroying the Patriots with it last Sunday, the Miami Dolphins will keep the ‘Wildcat’ package in their offensive. RB Ronnie Brown shredded New England for over 100 yards and four touchdowns while lining up predominately in that formation last Sunday. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Obviously, the Bulger news is big, but I doubt there were too many owners starting him last week. His numbers are down and I think most of us were expecting him to eventually turn it around and finish somewhere in the top 15. Scott Linehan is apparently desperate and feels like he’s on the verge of getting fired. Trent Green is old, but STL has some weapons so he could be a decent spot starter if he can get in the groove…As for Westy, Correll Buckhalter looks like the primary backup despite all the preseason talk about Lorenzo Booker…Rashard Mendenhall will be a hot pickup this week, but don’t break the bank in Blind Bidding leagues. He faces a tough Ravens defense and Parker could be back as early as next week. But if you can add him cheaply, do so, as you never know with knee sprains…Brady Quinn is a guy to target in larger leagues. The “Bench Derek Anderson” talk seems to be getting louder and louder and Quinn has a chance to be good with all the weapons in the Browns’ offense.