Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 564 of 1503)

      Report: Pete Carroll resigns at USC

      January 11, 2010 /

      According to ESPN.com, Pete Carroll resigned as the head coach of the USC Trojans on Sunday so he can take over the same position for the Seattle Seahawks. ESPN.com is also reporting that Carroll will take offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates with him to Seattle.

      A source said Bates was tempted to be reunited with Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, but the long-term security with Carroll was a major factor in his decision to join the Seahawks rather than the Bears. Bates was Cutler’s offensive coordinator with the Broncos in 2008.

      Current Trojans said they had not heard the decision yet from Carroll, but heard about the Daily News report.

      “Wow. Well, I’m not surprised,” junior running back Marc Tyler said to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne. “I think by now most guys wanted it to hurry up and happen so we can see who is going to coach us next.”

      Sophomore defensive end Malik Jackson said while he was a little surprised, he understands why Carroll is leaving.

      “Wow, I can’t believe we’re one of those teams looking for a new coach,” Jackson told Shelburne. “I’d heard about it all weekend, but I’m still kind of surprised.

      “I don’t blame him though. We all have to make decisions in our lives. If I could’ve said something that’d make him come back, I would’ve. But I’m not mad at him. He has to do what he thinks is best for himself. Everybody does.”

      It must be rather jarring for USC players and those associated with the program that Carroll is leaving. He’s been a mainstay there since 2001 and I’m sure that people grew accustomed to him shooting down offers to re-join the NFL and figured he would never leave.


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      College Football, NFL

      Cardinals-Packers thriller saves Wildcard Weekend

      January 10, 2010 /

      For the casual NFL fan, Wildcard Weekend was a bust. Unless you were a Jets, Cowboys or Ravens fan, the games were boring and highly un-entertaining. (Unless you like one team completing dominating another, that is.)

      But the Cardinals’ 51-45 overtime thriller over the Packers saved what could have been the worst Wildcard Weekend in recent memory. In fact, it was probably the best game of the season.

      Kurt Warner never ceases to amaze me. What he did against a solid Green Bay secondary was pretty extraordinary – even for him. He completed 29-of-33 passes for 379 yards, five touchdown passes and every time the Cards needed a score, he managed to get them into position to do so. If this is indeed Warner’s last dance, it looks like he’s going to leave everything out on the floor.

      After throwing an interception on the first play of the game, Aaron Rodgers put on a show himself. He completed 28-of-42 passes for 422 yards and four touchdowns. There will be plenty of Packer fans that will say that Brett Favre would have won this game. But even the fiercest of Brett backers had to marvel at how Rodgers went toe-to-toe with Warner today and almost came out victorious.

      I realize his fumble in overtime will haunt him and Green Bay in the offseason (he also overshot a wide open Greg Jennings on the first play of overtime that would have won the game), but don’t forget this was his first career playoff appearance. And with this being his first ever postseason appearance, he played incredibly well and once again proved that the Packers have a bright future. Keep in mind that Arizona got the benefit of a couple of calls in overtime that aided in Rodgers and Green Bay’s demise. The refs could have called a helmet-to-helmet hit on Rodgers on the second play of the drive, as well as a face mask penalty on the game-winning touchdown recovery.

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      NFL

      Is the dynasty over? Ravens wax Patriots in Foxboro.

      January 10, 2010 /

      Consider this:

      – A Bill Belichick-coached team has never allowed 24 points in the first quarter of any game.

      – The Patriots haven’t allowed more than 20 points in a home playoff game since 1978, when they lost to the Houston Oilers, 31-14.

      – The most points New England allowed at home this year was 24 to the Bills in Week 1. The Pats were undefeated while playing at Foxboro this season.

      To say the Ravens beat the Patriots on Sunday would be a vast understatement. In its 33-14 blowout, Baltimore dominated in every phase of the game, was clearly the more prepared team and set the tone from the first play (which was a 83-yard touchdown run by Ray Rice, by the way) to the last.

      I don’t want to sound like another member of the media that overstates things after just one game, but you have to wonder whether or not we just witnessed the end of the Patriots’ dynasty. There were signs all season that this wasn’t the same team that we had grown accustomed to over the past decade and all of their faults were on full display on Sunday.

      I don’t know if he was hurt or not, but Tom Brady didn’t look right. Like many times this season, he looked uncomfortable in the pocket, was high with his passes and made poor decisions. There were times when he didn’t have any time to throw, but even when he did he was inaccurate. It was just a brutal effort on his part, and on Belichick’s for that matter.

      Based on the way they recognized formations and diagnosed plays, it was almost like the Ravens were in the Patriots’ huddle every snap. That’s on Belichick and his coaching staff for not having a better game plan in place. I realize New England was shorthanded without Wes Welker, but even if he had played I don’t know how much he would have helped.

      Give credit to the Ravens – they were outstanding. Rice (159 yards), Willis McGahee and the rest of the running game was excellent and so was the defense. They had the right game plan, were fired up from the start and they executed. They’ve proven two years in a row that they can win on the road in the playoffs and John Harbaugh deserves a lot of credit for having his team prepared.

      The Ravens came thisclose to beating the Colts in the regular season, so next weekend should be interesting. Of course, Joe Flacco will need to throw for more than 34 yards to match Peyton Manning, but a Colts-Ravens matchup should be a great one to tune into.

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      Is the Patriots' Dynasty over?
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      Barstool Debates, NFL

      Report: Warner likely to retire at the end of season

      January 10, 2010 /

      Sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter that this will likely be Kurt Warner’s last season in the NFL.

      Arizona’s next loss could mark the last time that quarterback Kurt Warner plays in an NFL game.

      He always could change his mind, but this likely will be the 38-year-old Warner’s final NFL season, according to sources close to the quarterback.

      Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls, won two NFL MVP awards, one Super Bowl and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.

      Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion that raised questions about his future.

      While there’s no doubt he’d like to go out on top with a Super Bowl victory, Warner has nothing left to prove. He’s had a great career and if this is his final season, he’ll exit as one of the classiest players to have ever suited up in the NFL.


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      NFL

      Will McNabb be back in Philly in 2010?

      January 10, 2010 /

      Following their embarrassing playoff loss on Saturday to the Cowboys, questions have been raised about whether or not Donovan McNabb will be back under center for the Eagles in 2010.

      His head coach thinks so (via beat writer Sheil Kapadia’s Twitter page):

      “Yeah, I do” — Reid when asked if he expects Donovan McNabb to be his quarterback next year.

      “Would I like to extend and be here? Yes. Absolutely.” when asked about playing next year as the final year of his contract.

      While almost every Eagle played like crap yesterday, the loss to the Cowboys can’t solely be pinned on McNabb. He had no time to throw because Dallas’ pass-rush was in the backfield on damn near every snap. Had his offensive line did a better job in pass protection, then maybe the score would have been closer. Then again, maybe it wouldn’t have been. Philly’s defense deserves plenty of the blame for the debacle yesterday, so when it all comes down to it everyone wearing midnight green is at fault for what transpired in Dallas.

      Assuming Tom Heckert leaves for Cleveland’s front office, the Eagles’ next GM is going to have a decision on his hands. In terms of getting to a Super Bowl, the combination of Reid and McNabb isn’t working. But will they keep their jobs based on the fact that they can reach the postseason on a regular basis?

      There are plenty of head coach-quarterback combinations that would love to reach the playoffs as much as Reid and McNabb do. But it’s the same ol’ song and dance for Philly: They always make it to the party, but they leave awfully early.

      Should the Eagles part ways with McNabb?
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      NFL

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