Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 257 of 1503)

      Colorado had little choice but to fire Dan Hawkins

      November 9, 2010 /
      DENVER - AUGUST 31: Head coach Dan Hawkins of the University of Colorado Buffaloes protests a call to the officials against the Colorado State University Rams at Invesco Field at Mile High on August 31, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

      In five seasons at Boise State, Dan Hawkins led the Broncos to four bowl games and compiled a 53-11 record (.828).

      In five seasons at Colorado, Hawkins took the Buffaloes to just one bowl game while racking up a 19-39 record (.328) and was subsequently fired after five straight losing seasons and one horrific loss to Kansas.

      At one point, Colorado held a 28-point fourth quarter lead over the Jayhawks on Saturday but found a way to lose, 52-45. It was the biggest collapse in the Buffaloes’ 121-year history. It was perhaps the worst coaching job of the season, as Hawkins continued to let his team throw the ball instead of milking the clock and wrapping up a sure win. There’s been speculation that he continued to throw the ball so that his son, Cody Hawkins, could break Colorado’s all-time passing record.

      Thanks, Dad.

      He’ll probably resurface somewhere in college football but I wonder if this debacle in Colorado will cost Hawkins an opportunity to coach one of the big ones anytime soon. Logic says……………….no.

      College Football, External Sports

      Yankees should overpay to retain Derek Jeter

      November 9, 2010 /
      New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter throws during practice for their American League Championship Series baseball playoff against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, October 14, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      I gasped when I read ESPN.com’s Wallace Matthews’ report about how much the Yankees were going to spend on Derek Jeter this winter.

      Forty-five-to-sixty million? Absurd.

      But the shock only lasted about a minute before I realized that the Yankees should spend that much to retain their starting shortstop.

      There’s no question that Jeter’s game has deteriorated. After posting career numbers in 2009, he finished with a career-low in batting average (.270), slugging percentage (.370) and on-base percentage (.340) last season. His range at shortstop is also limited and he certainly doesn’t make the plays we’ve been accustomed to seeing him make over the years.

      But the Yankees make, have and spend more money than any baseball team in the league. And when you have a player that has meant as much to your organization as Jeter has to New York, you show him your appreciation as he knocks on the door of retirement.

      In any other market, paying a fading player $60 million would be suicide. It would set that club back for years, but the Yankees have the luxury of handing out money like fliers on the Vegas Strip. Paying Jeter $60 million (or $45 million, or whatever) is a drop in the bucket for them. It’s more important that they take care of the player that has helped them win five World Series championships over the past two decades.

      Maybe Matthews is off with his numbers. Maybe Jeter and the Yankees will settle on a respectable final contract that will work for both sides. Maybe will take less money to stay in the Big Apple.

      Or maybe the Yankees will overpay a player that is now akin to the legends that came before him. Either way, the Bombers will take care of their captain.

      External Sports, MLB

      2010 NFL Week 10 Power Rankings

      November 9, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 07: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts on November 7, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      This has become a practice in futility.

      But let’s get nasty anyway.

      Check out Week 9’s Power Rankings

      1. New York Giants
      Previous Week: 3
      Why? Why not? They’re the hottest team in the NFL right now, their quarterback has already proven he can win a Super Bowl, they’re ranked in the top 10 in all major statistical categories outside of turnover margin and Perry Fewell (the best hire of any team this offseason) has the defense playing near the top of its game. I’m not entirely convinced that this is the best team in the league but I like the G-Men a scoch better than I do the Steelers.

      2. Pittsburgh Steelers
      Previous Week: 2
      Had the Steelers put their foot on the Bengals’ neck on Monday night, I would have been more inclined to rank them No. 1. But after they allowed a bad (and they are bad, I don’t care what anyone says) Cincinnati team to get within 10 yards of the potential game-winning score after being up 27-7 early in the fourth, I think I’ll leave the Steelers where they are.

      3. Indianapolis Colts
      Previous Week: 1
      Make no mistake: the Eagles dominated the Colts on Sunday. Peyton Manning made it close at the end but Indy’s defense had its hands full with Michael Vick the entire game. The only reason the Colts scored late in the fourth was because of a ticky-tack hands-to-the-head call on Manning that kept their scoring drive alive. By the letter of the law, it was the right call. But the ref could have easily let the play go.

      4. Baltimore Ravens
      Previous Week: 6
      That was a pretty impressive win on Sunday against a Miami team that was undefeated on the road. The Ravens’ defense looks like it’s starting to figure things out again and it was great to see that Ray Rice was a bigger part of the game plan. What a great matchup we have between the Ravens and Falcons on Thursday night.

      5. New York Jets
      Previous Week: 5
      That was a great come-from-behind win for Rex Ryan’s squad last Sunday in Detroit but this team has looked awfully shaky the past two weeks. A victory this weekend against a surging Browns team would go a long way to settle some doubts.

      6. Green Bay Packers
      Previous Week: 7
      I think the Packers just scored again.

      7. Philadelphia Eagles
      Previous Week: 8
      Michael Vick looks great. He’s poised, confident and is reading defenses better than at any point in his career. He’s the real deal again and this is the best we’ve ever seen him play.

      8. Atlanta Falcons
      Previous Week: 9
      Even though the final score says otherwise, the Falcons were in control of that game last Sunday against the Bucs. That said, they need to figure out a way to limit the big plays or else they’re going to be in trouble in the second half of the season. They have a huge test coming up Thursday night against Baltimore. Beat the Ravens and then we can start talking about this team being elite.

      9. New England Patriots
      Previous Week: 4
      I have to drop them down regardless, but that loss to Cleveland wasn’t completely shocking. The Patriots play the Steelers and Colts over the next two weeks so it appears as though they got caught looking ahead. But give the Browns credit – they put together a great game plan and they executed.

      10. New Orleans Saints
      Previous Week: 10
      What a joke of a second half schedule this team has. After their bye, the Saints host the Seahawks, are at the Cowboys, at the Bengals, and host the Rams. Granted, they end the season at Baltimore and at Atlanta before hosting Tampa Bay in Week 17, but by that time they could be 10-3.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Is Matthew Stafford done for the season?

      November 9, 2010 /
      DETROIT - NOVEMBER 07: Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions bends over in pain against the New York Jets during the third quarter of the game at Ford Field on November 7, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Jets defeated the Lions 23-20 in overtime. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

      The San Francisco Giants’ catchphrase for the 2010 season was, “Giants Baseball: Torture.”

      Maybe the Lions should adopt the catchphrase, “Lions Football: Where One Kick to the Groin Immediately Follows Another.”

      Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com is reporting that Matthew Stafford may have a Grade 3 separation of his right shoulder and therefore could be done of the year. He had an MRI on Monday, but the results are unknown. He suffered a Grade 2 separation earlier this season that caused him to miss six weeks of the season, so obviously if his current injury is worse than that, then he’ll be out longer.

      Making matters worse for the 2-6 Lions is that Shaun Hill, who played well when Stafford was out the first time, continues to recover from a forearm injury and may not be ready to play in Week 10. That means ineffective third-stringer Drew Stanton will once again start under center for the depleted Lions.

      There’s no doubt that this young team is heading in the right direction under coach Jim Schwartz and GM Martin Mayhew, who has already put together a competitive roster. Mayhew needs to continue to add talent, but he and Schwartz also need that talent to stay healthy or else the Lions will have a tough time compiling victories. They’re not the 0-16 mess that they were under Matt Millen – far from it, in fact. But they’re also still a very unfortunate franchise.

      Boy, it’s tough to see such a promising season derailed by essentially the same injury. If Stafford will indeed be out a while, Shaun Hill becomes an interesting pickup this week for owners in need of QB help. He may not be available for Week 10, but even so, he’s a nice addition to a QBBC for those owners still reeling from the loss of Tony Romo. If Hill is under center, the rest of the Lions will retain most of their value, but if the team has to turn to Drew Stanton for any length of time, it’s going to hurt Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, Jahvid Best and Nate Burleson.

      External Sports, NFL

      Are the Giants the best team in the NFC right now?

      November 8, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 13: Jonathan Goff #54 of the New York Giants celebrates after an interception in the third quarter with teammates Danny Clark #55, Michael Boley #52 and Aaron Rouse #26 against the Philadelphia Eagles at Giants Stadium on December 13, 2009 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      If someone to poll football fans across the great nation about which is the best team in the NFC right now, you’d have a wide range of answers.

      The Falcons beat the pesky Buccaneers on Sunday to take sole possession of the NFC South, while the Packers humiliated the Cowboys to win their third straight game.

      The Saints have looked mortal this year but they’re won two straight and are only one game behind the Falcons in the loss column in the division. The Eagles are 5-3 but they lambasted the Falcons a couple of weeks ago and are undefeated when Michael Vick starts and finishes a game.

      But to me, the question of which team is the best in the NFC right now is an easy one. It’s the New York Giants. They’ve won five straight games, are 3-1 on the road this year and are 5-0 in the division. They also lead the league in total defense and pass yards allowed, have the second best run defense, are seventh in pass yards and third in rushing. That’s a complete team if I’ve ever seen one.

      The Giants have the least amount of flaws of any team in the NFC right now. The Packers are playing well, but they have to be the most injury-ravaged team in the conference. The Falcons look the part but they’re young and vulnerable on defense and their offense can get into some nasty funks. They also got some fortunate breaks in wins over the Saints and 49ers – two games that easily could have resulted in losses.

      That said, the NFL is a fickle mistress. What appears to be one week is not the same the following week. For all we know the Giants are due for a massive letdown and the Eagles could go unbeaten the rest of the way.

      But as of right now, November 8, 2010, the Giants are the clear-cut team to beat in the NFC in my eyes. And it’s not even a question.

      External Sports, NFL

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