Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1100 of 1503)

      Worst NFL Chokes

      October 24, 2008 /

      Forbes.com complied a list of the worst NFL choke jobs of all time.

      New England PatriotsSuper Bowl XLII
      New England finished the 2007 season with the league’s first-ever 16-0 regular-season record. Quarterback Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns and receiver Randy Moss caught 23 of them–both league bests–to help the Patriots score a record 582 points. But despite their seasonal excellence, the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII by three points to the underdog New York Giants. With most of the scoring in the fourth quarter, the Giants’ Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard pass from Eli Manning for the final score of the 17-14 game.

      The Comeback
      In 1993, the Houston Oilers choked so badly the game got its own nickname. “The Comeback” saw the Buffalo Bills recover from a 35-3 deficit in the third quarter to beat the Oilers in overtime. True to its name, the 32-point comeback remains the biggest in NFL history. The Oilers management fired the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach the next day.

      Super Bowl XXV
      In 1991, near the close of Super Bowl XXV, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants 20-19. A two-minute drive down the field by Bills quarterback Jim Kelly had set up kicker Scott Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Norwood kicked it wide right, lost the game and became the only kicker in history to have missed a last-second field goal when a Super Bowl was on the line.

      Usually we as fans think about what a great win it was for the Giants in last year’s Super Bowl, or what an amazing comeback it was for the Bills in ’93. But you forget that you can go the other way with it too and note how bad the Pats choked after a 16-0 season or how the Oilers couldn’t hold onto a 35-3 lead. It’s kind of interesting to think about.

      NFL

      Media Recations: World Series Game 2

      October 24, 2008 /

      – Gary Shelton writes that the Rays’ win shouldn’t surprise anyone. (St. Petersburg Times)

      – Phil Sherdian notes that the Phillies are the definition of tight ball club. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

      – Joe Posnanski writes that Rays’ manager Joe Maddon doesn’t do anything halfway. (Kansas City Star)

      – Gregg Doyel questions what Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel does all game. (CBS Sports)

      – Steve Henson has the story of a Rays fan who stands to win $25,000 if his team can win the World Series. (Yahoo! Sports)

      MLB

      Young Rays show resiliency in Game 2

      October 23, 2008 /

      James ShieldsThere’s a pretty damning stat out there for teams that drop the opening game of the World Series. The team that was victorious in Game 1 has gone on to capture 63 of the last 103 Series, including 10 of the last 11.

      So following their 3-2 loss in Game 1 Wednesday night, one could understand why the Rays would feel pressure to come away with a win over the Phillies in Game 2 on Thursday. Not only were they battling history, but also major inexperience considering their roster is filled with youngsters who have never played in the postseason, nevertheless the World Series.

      Not that it was necessarily a must win, but Tampa Bay did come out of Game 2 with a win as they held on to beat Philadelphia 4-2 after mounting a 4-0 lead after the fourth inning. B.J. Upton went 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Rays, while starter James Shields pitched 5.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing seven hits and striking out four.

      Considering there aren’t any significant stats that apply to Game 2 victories, the Rays’ win might not attract much attention outside of the fact that they have now tied the best of seven series at one game apiece. But being down 0-2 would have been incredibly difficult to overcome, especially when you factor in that Tampa isn’t used to playing in Philly in October.

      After losing Game 1 to the more experienced Red Sox in the ALDS, the Rays rattled off three in a row before squandering a 7-0 lead in Game 5 and then dropping Game 6 at home. Coming back after losing Game 1 was impressive, as well as showing the guts to win in Game 7 when they had lost all of the momentum. So it’ll be interesting to see if the young Rays can continue to show how resilient they are this postseason after facing some adversity. Their Game 2 victory Thursday night was huge.

      MLB

      The Cowboys are in a world of hurt

      October 23, 2008 /

      Randy Galloway of the Star-Telegram absolutely hammered Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys in one of his recent articles.

      Wade PhillipsFire Wade? Yes, but here’s what happens:

      (1) It allows Jerry Jones, the worst general manager in the history of professional sports (you want me to recite his GM record, sans the Jimster?) to casually blow off another bad hire with the usual, “to our fans, I say I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

      Twelve bleeping years, Jerry. That’s how long it has never worked out with even a playoff win. Or actually, make it 15 years since Jimmy left town as the jumping off point.
      How could a good owner be so stupid to allow this GM to keep his job? Not exactly a new question, but it’s the ongoing truth.

      (2) It allows a new head coach-in-waiting to take over when he should be under as much siege as Phillips for what has happened on the field. Jason Garrett, the Red-Headed Jesus of Valley Ranch, has been in charge of an offense in a month-long slump. Jason is failing at the moment. So you promote that?

      Not yet, Rojo. Not on merit.

      (3) It allows a room full of players, who went gutless in St. Louis, to once again weasel their way out of failure, because, of course, you can’t fire the players.

      These are the same frauds who were so happy that a mean old man named Parcells hit the road, allowing Jerry to bring in a “players’ coach, a coach who allows us to be men.”

      How, Wade, are these “men” working out for you lately?

      Red-Headed Jesus of Valley Ranch? That might be the funniest thing I read in some time.

      As for his points, I think Galloway is right on the money. The Cowboys are stuck right now with what they’ve got and they better figure it out because there’s no help coming. If Garrett’s offense was still clicking, than Phillips might have gotten the boot last week. But it’s not and Jones doesn’t have a ton of options.

      NFL

      Did Ravens have bounty on Mendenhall, Ward?

      October 23, 2008 /

      Baltimore Ravens’ defender Terrell Suggs recently said on a radio show that he had his teammates had a “bounty” on Steeler players Rashard Mendenhall and Hines Ward.

      During the “2 Live Stews” syndicated radio show on Oct. 17, when he was asked, “Did you all put a bounty out on that young man [Mendenhall],” Suggs replied, “Definitely. The bounty was out on him and the bounty was out on [Ward] — we just didn’t get him between the whistles.”

      Also during the interview, Suggs called Ward “a dirty player” and “a cheap-shot artist. … We got something in store for him.”

      Ray Anderson, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said the league is looking into the comments.

      Suggs later backpedaled:

      “There wasn’t any bounty,” Suggs said, according to the newspaper. “He [the talk show host] asked me if there was a bounty and I just said I’m going to keep a watch on the guy. He [Ward] broke some guy’s jaw last week, and he tried to cheap shot JJ [Jarret Johnson]. He has also cheap-shotted Ed Reed. We’re just going to be on alert the next time we play him.”

      I think comments like these are blown way out of proportion. Do we always have to hold what players say to the absolute literal meaning? Are we all really that naïve to think that Suggs and other players aren’t thinking to themselves before a game, “If I get a good shot on Hines Ward today, I’m going to take it”? Football is a physical game and players take a ‘kill or be killed’ attitude out to the field. Granted, some players are dirty and will take cheap shots, but a lot of the time these comments are said in jest to get fired up for a game.

      You don’t think Suggs and the other Ravens want to pop Ward after he did this a few years ago? Of course they do. Saying they had a “bounty” on him was extreme, but again, I think this situation is being blown out of proportion. That said, I’m not surprised that the league is looking into it; they have an obligation to make sure no foul play is being carried out.

      NFL

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