Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 280 of 1503)

      Steelers’ Harrison contemplating retirement after receiving latest fine

      October 20, 2010 /
      DENVER - AUGUST 29: Linebacker James Harrison and defensive end Brett Keisel of the Pittsburgh Steelers lead the defense against the Denver Broncos during preseason NFL action at INVESCO Field at Mile High on August 29, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 34-17. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

      In a recent radio interview, Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison said that he would rather retire than be hamstrung by the kinds of rules that the NFL is now levying on players. He was fired $75,000 on Tuesday for hits on Browns’ receivers’ Mohammad Massaquoi and Joshua Cribbs, yet he wasn’t flagged for either play on Sunday.

      From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

      “How can I continue to play this game the way that I’ve been taught to play this game since I was 10 years old?” Harrison said on Sirius XM Radio this morning. “And now you’re telling me that everything that they’ve taught me from that time on, for the last 20-plus years, is not the way you’re supposed to play the game anymore. If that’s the case I can’t play by those rules. You’re handicapping me.”

      Bill Parise, Harrison’s agent, confirmed that the linebacker is contemplating retirement, which is why he met with Tomlin this morning.

      “That’s exactly true,” Parise said. “He met with the coach and left for today. He’s in the process of contemplating is it possible to play football under these new rules . . . ‘if I go to work and tackle somebody and get a fine.'”

      In some respects, I feel for Harrison. Football has always been a survival-of-the-fittest game and a defender’s job is to ensure that the offense doesn’t pick up first downs (which are only 10 yards apart, mind you). You’re supposed to be punished when you go over the middle and with how fast the players are these days, concussions could happen whether they’re of the helmet-to-helmet variety or not.

      It’s football – it’s supposed to hurt. And I don’t blame any defender for being upset that the league is punishing them for handing out big hits, as long as they’re not cheap shots.

      But one thing Harrison and his agent need to realize is that the NFL is trying to figure out a way to keep their players as safe as possible. Football is a violent game and it’ll always be a violent game, but the league is trying to find answers to its growing concussion problems.

      Unfortunately, they haven’t found a reasonable solution and they don’t appear to be close to finding one either. I don’t think fining players is the answer, but Harrison can’t take this personally – this isn’t about him. This is about the league trying to keep its players as healthy and as safe as possible (even if that’s a daunting task).

      External Sports, NFL

      Colt McCoy likely to start again this week

      October 20, 2010 /
      Aug. 02, 2010 - Berea, Ohio, United States of America - 02 August 2010: Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

      For a rookie quarterback making his first ever start in the NFL, playing a hot Steelers team in Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a dream scenario. But for all intents and purposes, Browns’ rookie Colt McCoy held his own last Sunday.

      Unless Seneca Wallace (ankle) or Jake Delhomme (ankle) make significant progress over the next few days, McCoy will start against the Saints this weekend in New Orleans. While the Saints aren’t the Steelers, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ game plans are usually aggressive – especially when he smells blood in the water (i.e. a rookie QB making only his second career start). So McCoy better be up for the task again this Sunday.

      That said, if he plays as well as he did last week against the Steelers, McCoy should be fine. He made a couple of rookie mistakes, which was to be expected, but for the most part it was an impressive debut. He completed 23-of-33 passes for 281 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions – one of which wasn’t his fault (Ben Watson should have caught the pass). What was more impressive than the numbers was the way he took command of the huddle, displayed accuracy on his throws and was poised in the pocket. He wasn’t overmatched in the slightest.

      Even if Wallace and Delhomme were healthy, the Browns have nothing to lose by starting McCoy again. Wallace arguably gives Cleveland its best chance of winning because he’s mobile and he’s been around the game for a long time, but there’s no reason to play Delhomme over McCoy. Delhomme isn’t part of the Browns’ long-term future, nor should he be. McCoy, on the other hand, could be Cleveland’s starter for years to come.

      Even if McCoy struggles this week, as long as he shows signs of progressing there’s an argument to be made that he should continue to start – even over Wallace.

      External Sports, NFL

      Colts’ punter Pat McAfee found drunk, wet and shirtless

      October 20, 2010 /
      MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 21: Punter Pat McAfee #1 of the Indianapolis Colts kicks off against the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on September 21, 2009 in Miami, Florida. The Colts defeated the Dolphins 27-23. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

      Peyton Manning’s response to this should be interesting.

      According to a report by ESPN.com, Indianapolis police arrested Colts’ punter Pat McAfee and charged him with public intoxication after he was found wet and shirtless near a downtown canal early Wednesday morning.

      As the story goes, a woman called 911 when a “wet man had tried to get into her car at a traffic light.” Apparently McAfee needed a ride home, although he had already attempted to take a cab earlier that night/morning before getting out to walk the rest of the way.

      When an officer asked McAfee where his shirt was, he replied “It is in the water,” police reported, according to WISH-TV. Asked by police how much he had to drink, McAfee said “A lot cause I am drunk,” according to the report.

      McAfee told police he had been waiting for a ride home, but had decided to take a cab instead. He then asked if he could walk home, according to the police report, WRTV-TV reported.

      “I know I am drunk, but does that mean I cannot walk home?” McAfee asked police, according to the report.

      The last time a kicker for the Colts made headlines was in 2002 when Mike Vaderjagt criticized Manning and former head coach Tony Dungy in an interview with a Toronto area cable network. At the Pro Bowl a few weeks later, Peyton called Mike Vanderjagt an “idiot kicker” when talking to a sideline reporter on national TV.

      I wonder what Manning would call a drunk, wet, shirtless punter who tried to catch a ride home by hopping in a random woman’s car.

      “Oh, God – what are you doing in my car?! Get out!”

      “No, no – it’s cool. I’m Pat McAfee. I just need a ride home and if we could stop at Taco Bell that would be sweet.”

      External Sports, NFL

      Why didn’t the umpires review Robinson Cano’s home run?

      October 20, 2010 /
      Texas Rangers Nelson Cruz tries to grab the homer hit by Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees as fans reach out in the second inning during game four of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium on October 19, 2010 in New York. UPI/Monika Graff Photo via Newscom

      Given how the Rangers went on to win 10-3, what happened in the second inning of Game 4 of the ALCS on Tuesday night takes on a lesser meaning today.

      But it still begs the question: Why didn’t the umpires review Robinson Cano’s home run when it was clear that a fan interfered with Nelson Cruz’s attempt to catch the ball?

      Right-field umpire Jim Reynolds called Cano’s hit a home run and despite a brief argument by Texas manager Ron Washington, the umpires never reviewed video replay of the play to see if the fan (20-year-old Jared Macchirole) reached out and interfered. Had they done so, they probably would have reversed the call because it did appear that Macchirole stuck his hands over the wall and impeded Cruz’s attempt at hauling in the catch.

      You just know that someone in this country is standing around the water cooler telling his coworkers that because Major League Baseball wants the Yankees in the World Series because of the revenue they bring in, that that’s why they the umps didn’t review the play. You may even be talking to that guy right now.

      Personally, I don’t get into conspiracy theories but believe what you want. Either way, it was strange that the umpires never reviewed the play and of course, the scene was eerily similar to when Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall and carried Derek Jeter’s home run into the stands during Game 1 of the ALCS.

      Damn Yankee fans…always cheating.

      External Sports, MLB

      Are the Yankees finished?

      October 20, 2010 /
      Mark Teixeira (L), Robinson Cano, second left, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter (R) of the New York Yankees stand around as a new relief pitcher is brought in in the ninth inning during game three of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2010 in New York. UPI/Monika Graff Photo via Newscom

      Things don’t look good in the Bronx.

      A.J. Burnett retired the fist six batters he faced Tuesday night, but then remembered he was A.J. Burnett pitching in 2010 and the wheels started to fall off. The end result was disastrous, which is what most pundits figured when Joe Girardi appointed him his Game 4 starter.

      Burnett allowed five runs on six hits in six innings of work as the Rangers crushed the Yankees 10-3 in Game 4 of the ALCS. Texas’ catcher Bengie Molina (a great midseason pickup from the Giants) went 3-for-4 with a go-ahead three run homer in the sixth off Burnett, while the eventual ALCS MVP Josh Hamilton also hit a pair of dingers and Nelson Cruz added a two-run shot in the ninth.

      Compounding issues for the Yankees is that Mark Teixeira is now done for the season with a strain in his right hamstring. Twenty-three-year-old Eduardo Nunez hit .280 this year in 50 at bats with one home run, but he’s not going to keep pitchers awake at night like Teixeira will.

      The Bombers face elimination this afternoon at 4:00PM ET. The good news is that they have their ace on the hill; the bad news is that CC Sabathia has a 7.20 ERA in this year’s postseason. C.J. Wilson will start for the Rangers and his ERA is a tad better (2.03), plus he flustered New York hitters for most of Game 1 before they got to him in the 7th inning. And even if the Rangers lose today, they’ll be at home for the final two games of the series and Cliff Lee (who’s pretty good in the postseason) would start Game 7 if necessary.

      The Red Sox have proved this decade that being down 3-1 doesn’t mean a club can’t pull off a comeback. But the Yankees look old, tired and dare I say completely overmatched in this series. They look finished.

      External Sports, MLB

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